Don't be Cruel Kelja...You're assuming that all underwater mortgages are people who bought more than they could afford. There are a lot of people out there who can no longer afford their mortgage due to unemployment! We bought our 990 sq ft house 15 years ago and added a second floor 3 years ago to make some room for our 2 kids. Last year, my husband lost his job. At the same time our income was reduced more than 50%, we lost almost 50% of our home value as well. We just had the house appraised. I'm still in shock. We're underwater and stuck. The article was very informative, but not exactly encouraging for those of us struggling to make ends meet. Our bad decision was what? Not to consult a psychic before investing in real estate?
A coworker and myself and partners in boring. He brings in freshly brewed coffee in a thermos & I bring in PB&J sandwiches and veggies for lunch. By sharing the coffee and food, both of us are less likely to go out for these items since it would essentially cost us double as to not let the other person down. It has worked out well for us to share the cost & savings but definitely not what I would call exciting.
I'd recommend walking instead of taking public transit or driving whenever possible. I saved over $5 day for a period of three years (give or take a few days where the snow was crazy and walking was just plain dangerous!) skipping the subway and walking the 30 min. trek to work. Add in walking home, and I just put a 60 min. workout (for free!) into my day as well. The health benefits plus the sheer joy of arriving at work or home with a clear mind, the walk did more than save me money. Sure, I can't brag about my car or tell stories about the odd people I encountered on the subway but the benefits sure out-weigh interesting water cooler chat.
I don't mean to advertise, I just thought it would be helpful to let you know of a few small towns that have that feel good nature to them. I reside in and around Eugene, Oregon and there are many small towns near here. I'm unsure of how large of a town you live in now to compare to the size you are looking for, but here are a few I like. Veneta, Cottage Grove, Florence, Coburg and if you are from a big city, like I am from Seattle originally; Eugene or Springfield will be small enough. If you visit my website you will find links to many of these cities through my site map. Coming from California you will find Oregon a lot less expensive also. Dream big!
One "trick" I employ is to set up automatic payment of all my credit card accounts from a home equity line account. I pay everything I can with a card (all cash back), then have the payment drafted for the statement amount so I don't get interest charges or late fees. I pay my entire paycheck to the equity line to reduce that balance and save the interest charges as well. Unfortunately, I do carry a balance on my equiry line, but at 4.25%, it's relatively cheap money, far cheaper than the cards I carry.
I'm guessing that you're asking about ordinary banknotes (i.e. money), as T-bills aren't printed on paper anymore. (They haven't been in for long time. Their ownership is tracked electronically by the Federal Reserve.)
Almost all the ordinary banknotes that you find in circulation now are Federal Reserve Notes, but in the past there have been different kinds of banknotes, issued by the treasury (and before that, by other banks). They generally look pretty similar, but (as you indicate) have different colored seals. They also have different text at the top (where most of the money in your wallet currently says Federal Reserve Note). The most common other kinds are United States Notes, Silver Certificates, and Gold Certificates.
If they're in really good shape they may be worth something to a collector of currency. Aside from that, for practical purposes they're really just like Federal Reserve notes--they're still valid US money, worth whatever the donomination is. Neither gold nor silver certificates can be turned in for gold or silver--the last date to do that was decades ago.
I love this. My husband and I have been trying to do "envelope" budgeting, but the only category we actually use the envelope for is entertainment/personal spending. Naturally, this means the other categories aren't as tightly controlled. I will have to try this.
I love filling my 360 "instant queue" with movies and tv shows.
It is, however, worth mentioning that only a selection of titles are available for instant watch, and some titles are available only for a limited time. For example, I added the Gregory Peck version of Moby Dick and noticed the movie is only available until September 14th. But Netflix does add new titles periodically, and there's always something worth watching.
I agree that you should at least do both. If everyone else submits a resume in Word and yours comes in in Notepad, then you're going to look like a total noob.
Not a good thing. Sending both sends a different message. It says, "I know what I'm doing and here's why I'm sending two versions." It makes you come across as knowledgable and as thinking ahead.
I have recently started coupon clipping, and am enjoying it so far, for the most part. I follow a couple of great blogs, and have been having an awesome time saving money and getting free stuff.
I used to believe that coupons were a waste of time because they were only for brand name items and processed food. I also do not eat a lot of processed food and I cook all meals at home. But I still find plenty of coupons for things we do like to eat, as well as toiletries and other stuff I hate spending money on. When you stack coupons and take advantage of sales, that's when you save money. And it's better to get coupons for free-I ask my dad for his, and I raid the recycle bin of our rental condo for more coupons. Fred Meyer also has a coupon exchange bin at the front of the store which is great, I can't believe the people who don't look at their coupons and discard catalinas with free items on them(Thanks!)
I still have to do a better job of streamlining - It takes me about three times as long to do a shopping trip now than it did before now that I have coupons because I'm always digging in my organizer looking for a coupon.
Our income has been drastically reduced over the last year and a half, so I feel good about being able to use coupons to stockpile necessities for times when money is tight.
I recently learned of Horizon's policy not to buy products from farmers who raise or breed dogs inhumanely. I fully support and commend Horizon and Whole Foods for all their efforts on behalf of the animals. I am spreading the word to my friends.
Keep up the good work. I fully support this company.
Like others have said, I can't stand paying full price if I don't have to for hair care, soap, deoderant, etc. Just this week I've gotten two deoderants for free.
For the most part, I follow a few deal/coupon blogs and read the postings that pair coupons and sales at my stores (mostly Super Target). Target has great coupons I can pair up with manufacturer coupons, and do have produce coupons. I've gotten free small loaves of French bread and nearly free bananas twice this week. I print the printables that work for my family, and ignore the rest.
I routinely save 50% or more on each shopping trip, and spend no more than two hours of my time each week.
Check out the web sites of the community visitors and convention bureau where you are traveling. Many of them offer special discount cards that can help you save plenty of cash. It's like getting free money! I used this tactic when traveling to San Diego and saved a ton of cash at the zoo and various museums.
what a wonderful site! I just inherited a box of ties from mother. My father ALWAYS had on a tie (at least until her retired). There are even a few of my grandfathers in them. I really would hate to just throw them out, and I am not really a sewing person. I do, however, knit and crochet. I am formulating ideas. This website has stimulated my imagination.
At my last job, I would help out our recruiter by 'harvesting' resumes for her off Monster. Resume text was either copied/pasted off the site, or downloaded (if a file was provided) and then imported into a fairly well-known recruiting software system.
The import *tried* to recognize the general info on a resume and would look for addresses and education to automatically put those things in the appropriate places within the software - but it was horrible no matter what type of file it was (names ended up in the phone number field, education under last employer, etc)!
In my experience, keeping updated copies of your resume(s) in EVERY format (Word, PDF, Plain Text, etc) is the best option. I love that Open Office can save in nearly any format imaginable. Use Plain Text when you have to paste your resume into an application...and use Word or PDF when applying via email.
You never know who is 'harvesting' your info out there anyway, but for those that you're voluntarily submitting your resume to - may as well make it easy for them to access.
I do this all the time. It was easy to set up, and when I'm bored on a rainy day, I love going through my queue and picking a romantic girly movie.
It's like looking at a stack of movies on a shelf, and taking one down.
LOVE IT!!!! (and you really get your money's worth, if you watch a lot of them!
And you CAN do this, even if you only pay for the ONE movie at at time. (someone told me I couldn't, at first, but I tried it, and it works fine.)
Just put a bunch of "watch instantly" movies in your queue, set up the xbox/netflix feature, and boom...the movies are on your xbox list.
Often people can be too emotional to listen clearly to what another is saying. When in need of good advice it can be helpful to mentally step back and relax so that your emotional mind does not over-ride your logical mind. If you are feeling overly emotional you can relax just by focusing on breathing deeply for a few moments, then you will be able to think more clearly and be logical about who to seek advice from. You will also better absorb their response.
We want to cut out cable but we can't find a reliable high speed internet alternative. Dial up with long distance was costing us over $100 a month without the added tv programming, which is why we switched to cable. And with our metal clad house and nearby huge brick churches and Air Force Base, we got 0 channels clearly on our antennae. Any suggestions?
Don't be Cruel Kelja...You're assuming that all underwater mortgages are people who bought more than they could afford. There are a lot of people out there who can no longer afford their mortgage due to unemployment! We bought our 990 sq ft house 15 years ago and added a second floor 3 years ago to make some room for our 2 kids. Last year, my husband lost his job. At the same time our income was reduced more than 50%, we lost almost 50% of our home value as well. We just had the house appraised. I'm still in shock. We're underwater and stuck. The article was very informative, but not exactly encouraging for those of us struggling to make ends meet. Our bad decision was what? Not to consult a psychic before investing in real estate?
A coworker and myself and partners in boring. He brings in freshly brewed coffee in a thermos & I bring in PB&J sandwiches and veggies for lunch. By sharing the coffee and food, both of us are less likely to go out for these items since it would essentially cost us double as to not let the other person down. It has worked out well for us to share the cost & savings but definitely not what I would call exciting.
On a hot day, I would recommend taking off all clothes when going to bed instead of using the AC.
I'd recommend walking instead of taking public transit or driving whenever possible. I saved over $5 day for a period of three years (give or take a few days where the snow was crazy and walking was just plain dangerous!) skipping the subway and walking the 30 min. trek to work. Add in walking home, and I just put a 60 min. workout (for free!) into my day as well. The health benefits plus the sheer joy of arriving at work or home with a clear mind, the walk did more than save me money. Sure, I can't brag about my car or tell stories about the odd people I encountered on the subway but the benefits sure out-weigh interesting water cooler chat.
i also use my library to borrow cds and dvds...sometimes you've t to wait until the library gets them but its free and good to save money
Hi Xin Lu,
I don't mean to advertise, I just thought it would be helpful to let you know of a few small towns that have that feel good nature to them. I reside in and around Eugene, Oregon and there are many small towns near here. I'm unsure of how large of a town you live in now to compare to the size you are looking for, but here are a few I like. Veneta, Cottage Grove, Florence, Coburg and if you are from a big city, like I am from Seattle originally; Eugene or Springfield will be small enough. If you visit my website you will find links to many of these cities through my site map. Coming from California you will find Oregon a lot less expensive also. Dream big!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Buchanan
I have some other resume tips and ideas on my site, plus a job search. Click my name to get to the site and hope you find the information helpful.
One "trick" I employ is to set up automatic payment of all my credit card accounts from a home equity line account. I pay everything I can with a card (all cash back), then have the payment drafted for the statement amount so I don't get interest charges or late fees. I pay my entire paycheck to the equity line to reduce that balance and save the interest charges as well. Unfortunately, I do carry a balance on my equiry line, but at 4.25%, it's relatively cheap money, far cheaper than the cards I carry.
I'm guessing that you're asking about ordinary banknotes (i.e. money), as T-bills aren't printed on paper anymore. (They haven't been in for long time. Their ownership is tracked electronically by the Federal Reserve.)
Almost all the ordinary banknotes that you find in circulation now are Federal Reserve Notes, but in the past there have been different kinds of banknotes, issued by the treasury (and before that, by other banks). They generally look pretty similar, but (as you indicate) have different colored seals. They also have different text at the top (where most of the money in your wallet currently says Federal Reserve Note). The most common other kinds are United States Notes, Silver Certificates, and Gold Certificates.
If they're in really good shape they may be worth something to a collector of currency. Aside from that, for practical purposes they're really just like Federal Reserve notes--they're still valid US money, worth whatever the donomination is. Neither gold nor silver certificates can be turned in for gold or silver--the last date to do that was decades ago.
I love this. My husband and I have been trying to do "envelope" budgeting, but the only category we actually use the envelope for is entertainment/personal spending. Naturally, this means the other categories aren't as tightly controlled. I will have to try this.
I love filling my 360 "instant queue" with movies and tv shows.
It is, however, worth mentioning that only a selection of titles are available for instant watch, and some titles are available only for a limited time. For example, I added the Gregory Peck version of Moby Dick and noticed the movie is only available until September 14th. But Netflix does add new titles periodically, and there's always something worth watching.
I agree that you should at least do both. If everyone else submits a resume in Word and yours comes in in Notepad, then you're going to look like a total noob.
Not a good thing. Sending both sends a different message. It says, "I know what I'm doing and here's why I'm sending two versions." It makes you come across as knowledgable and as thinking ahead.
The Writer's Coin | Follow me on Twitter
I have recently started coupon clipping, and am enjoying it so far, for the most part. I follow a couple of great blogs, and have been having an awesome time saving money and getting free stuff.
I used to believe that coupons were a waste of time because they were only for brand name items and processed food. I also do not eat a lot of processed food and I cook all meals at home. But I still find plenty of coupons for things we do like to eat, as well as toiletries and other stuff I hate spending money on. When you stack coupons and take advantage of sales, that's when you save money. And it's better to get coupons for free-I ask my dad for his, and I raid the recycle bin of our rental condo for more coupons. Fred Meyer also has a coupon exchange bin at the front of the store which is great, I can't believe the people who don't look at their coupons and discard catalinas with free items on them(Thanks!)
I still have to do a better job of streamlining - It takes me about three times as long to do a shopping trip now than it did before now that I have coupons because I'm always digging in my organizer looking for a coupon.
Our income has been drastically reduced over the last year and a half, so I feel good about being able to use coupons to stockpile necessities for times when money is tight.
I recently learned of Horizon's policy not to buy products from farmers who raise or breed dogs inhumanely. I fully support and commend Horizon and Whole Foods for all their efforts on behalf of the animals. I am spreading the word to my friends.
Keep up the good work. I fully support this company.
Glad you're enjoying Wise Bread. Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see you again soon.
Check out my various projects and services at Itinerant Tightwad. I also have a monthly education newsletter.
What's the differance between T Bills with lets say a
(Gold Seal) or a (Red Seal) or a (Silver Seal) on them???
Like others have said, I can't stand paying full price if I don't have to for hair care, soap, deoderant, etc. Just this week I've gotten two deoderants for free.
For the most part, I follow a few deal/coupon blogs and read the postings that pair coupons and sales at my stores (mostly Super Target). Target has great coupons I can pair up with manufacturer coupons, and do have produce coupons. I've gotten free small loaves of French bread and nearly free bananas twice this week. I print the printables that work for my family, and ignore the rest.
I routinely save 50% or more on each shopping trip, and spend no more than two hours of my time each week.
Check out the web sites of the community visitors and convention bureau where you are traveling. Many of them offer special discount cards that can help you save plenty of cash. It's like getting free money! I used this tactic when traveling to San Diego and saved a ton of cash at the zoo and various museums.
Just wanted to thank you and appreciate the tips. Been applying for a plumbing apprenticeship online and in person but haven't had much luck.
what a wonderful site! I just inherited a box of ties from mother. My father ALWAYS had on a tie (at least until her retired). There are even a few of my grandfathers in them. I really would hate to just throw them out, and I am not really a sewing person. I do, however, knit and crochet. I am formulating ideas. This website has stimulated my imagination.
At my last job, I would help out our recruiter by 'harvesting' resumes for her off Monster. Resume text was either copied/pasted off the site, or downloaded (if a file was provided) and then imported into a fairly well-known recruiting software system.
The import *tried* to recognize the general info on a resume and would look for addresses and education to automatically put those things in the appropriate places within the software - but it was horrible no matter what type of file it was (names ended up in the phone number field, education under last employer, etc)!
In my experience, keeping updated copies of your resume(s) in EVERY format (Word, PDF, Plain Text, etc) is the best option. I love that Open Office can save in nearly any format imaginable. Use Plain Text when you have to paste your resume into an application...and use Word or PDF when applying via email.
You never know who is 'harvesting' your info out there anyway, but for those that you're voluntarily submitting your resume to - may as well make it easy for them to access.
I do this all the time. It was easy to set up, and when I'm bored on a rainy day, I love going through my queue and picking a romantic girly movie.
It's like looking at a stack of movies on a shelf, and taking one down.
LOVE IT!!!! (and you really get your money's worth, if you watch a lot of them!
And you CAN do this, even if you only pay for the ONE movie at at time. (someone told me I couldn't, at first, but I tried it, and it works fine.)
Just put a bunch of "watch instantly" movies in your queue, set up the xbox/netflix feature, and boom...the movies are on your xbox list.
Nice article and great advice, thankyou.
Often people can be too emotional to listen clearly to what another is saying. When in need of good advice it can be helpful to mentally step back and relax so that your emotional mind does not over-ride your logical mind. If you are feeling overly emotional you can relax just by focusing on breathing deeply for a few moments, then you will be able to think more clearly and be logical about who to seek advice from. You will also better absorb their response.
Above the rent-a-goat I highly recommend some opportunities online. You can check them out here: Funmoneys
We want to cut out cable but we can't find a reliable high speed internet alternative. Dial up with long distance was costing us over $100 a month without the added tv programming, which is why we switched to cable. And with our metal clad house and nearby huge brick churches and Air Force Base, we got 0 channels clearly on our antennae. Any suggestions?