My Journey from Sugar Burner to Fat Burner - jenn26point2's Primal Journal page 207

[geostump]

Jenn, have you contacted the credit card company and asked for a lower interest rate? Or looked into a card with a low interest rate so you could transfer the amount you owe?

My sister did this and it helped her out.

[tomi]

okay - I tried to make a ticker from some site and it totally messed up my computer. Everything froze up and I had to go into the programs and uninstall a bunch of stuff. Maybe I'll try the site you're using. I wish MDA offered a ticker. That would be awesome!

[jenn26point2]

Jenn, have you contacted the credit card company and asked for a lower interest rate? Or looked into a card with a low interest rate so you could transfer the amount you owe?

It's at 20.99%, which is about typical. Given the size of the card and our history - I goofed once and made two payments in one billing cycle thinking they were separate cycles, and consequently missed the next cycle, so given that "no payment" month, which put us over the limit, blah blah blah... they likely won't reduce our rate. Besides, it's Brad's card so they won't talk to me. I don't think 20.99% is bad... the balance on this card came from another card that had an interest rate of 29.99%. Interest was MORE than the minimum payment consistently on that card.

My plan is to nickel and dime it to death. Each week, after paying bills and deducting some fun money, we'll have some small dollar amounts left - like $15, $30, etc. I'll apply those dollar figures to the card each week and chip away at it. Once it gets below a certain dollar figure, I'll go back to snowballing on our other debts as planned. It should only take until May to bring the balance down to where I want it for this purpose.

Additionally, Brad is working a bunch of overtime (Saturdays and Sundays) to bring in the extra money to pay off his racing loans. I am soooo tired of racing loans!! GRRRR!! Those should both be paid off by May as well, sooner if he gets a bunch of overtime.

What I'm REALLY concerned about is getting some money stashed away (at least one paycheck for me) in case we're furloughed. The memo we received said that the amount of time we'd be furloughed would be released later (if we get furloughed) and we'd set up our dates with our respective agencies to ensure there's coverage for all areas (in other words, so everyone isn't gone at once), so I'll be able to work it out with my bosses when I take the time off, so that's a bit flexible, it seems. BUT, I want the money there before March 27th, which is the date the "new extended budget" expires.

It's just a lot to consider right now. However, having 1-2 weeks off before May will be helpful in allowing me to hammer on my thesis. And I could use some of that time to work on my house - declutter, spring clean, etc. See, there's always a silver lining.

[namelesswonder]

I'm hoping to have a month's worth of rent (and groceries, I suppose) saved away before my birthday, but with the cost of oil & it being a fairly chilly winter so far, I don't know how likely that is to happen =\. I had to look up "furlough", that's beyond shitty! I hope that doesn't happen to you guys .

[jenn26point2]

Tash, it's going to happen. Unless Congress can find a way to unfuck this mess our country has gotten into, we will be furloughed. No sense in fretting over it - just prepare for it and make it work.

Gave up my ketosis this weekend for box cake with my family... blech. Very rich in sugar and I felt like total crap the rest of the night... but, I dreamed that it would be delicious... not entirely sure it was worth it. And not entirely sure I'll enjoy any cupcakes on Thursday for Brady's actual birthday. Since he's only 6, I don't think he'll understand, much less be appreciative, if we don't do a little celebration on Thursday as well. Thinking of making 6 cupcakes out of the box of mix I got (box makes 24 cupcakes) and calling it good. None of us need that much sugar anyway.

Waiting for everyone to come back to the office so I can go to the gym and start the process of burning off all this glucose I built up this weekend. Following the low carb, high fat rules today. My MFP is set for the day and looking sharp.

Managed to maintain my 4 lbs loss over the weekend. But feeling hypoglycemic today.

Handgun is purchased and being shipped to the guy Brad graduated from high school with. I imagine we'll have it by this weekend. YAY!!! So stoked for it to arrive. Brad is going to the store tonight to pick up the safe to keep it out of the hands of the wee-est ones in the house. My advice to anyone purchasing a handgun - do it in your own state... don't buy across state lines. Just creates more steps to go through before taking ownership... Oy vey!

Currently, Brad and I are NOT in the red in our checkbook! YAY! Hopefully it'll stay that way. I came in $20 under budget for groceries (even after buying a 5 days of snacks for 24 students as this week is Brady's week for bringing snack to school) and I like it that way b/c inevitably, we ALWAYS end up going back to the store for something midweek. I want to make that Chili Lime Chicken that was posted in the Eat More Fat January Challenge thread (I think that's where I saw it) and wouldn't you know it, I didn't pick up any limes... lol *shrug* story of my life. Always forgetting something.

Time to use the potty and twiddle my thumbs while I wait for everyone to come back. Kind of looking forward to going to the gym.

[Ayla2010]

YAY for not being in the red this week, and good luck with getting that credit card down.
Money sucks!
We struggled week to week for a bit, due to my stupidity with buying lots of "stuff" ive stopped doing that.
But sadly to get us into a better financial position, my DH got made redundant back in Oct, and we got quite a large payout, so all our extra debts are gone, now can concentrate on paying out the mortgage ASAP, and actually having a holiday this year, and hopefully my cosmetic surgery. So a sucky thing was a good thing in the end.
Sounds like you have a good plan to fix it all

[Sabine]

I met with my friends today for our Money Goals Support Group, and feel good about keeping on track with my money. It is good to have some friends to do it with. We discussed what our money plans are for this year, and what specifically we want to accomplish this month. We'll meet again in February and check in with each other. Do you have any friends who are at similar stages in their lives, looking for support?

[jenn26point2]

Not that I'm aware of. I wish I knew of some b/c it would be nice to have an accountability partner.

[jenn26point2]

So much for remaining in the black... I have two $24 charges on our account for being "overdrawn" as a result of not getting to the credit union in time. I meant to cancel an autopayment, missed it by about an hour. I called the bank to find out why there are charges and they said it's b/c there are holds on our account. The bill for Brady's birthday party, and two transactions for the handgun. I guess even though the account says there's money there, if it's held, they will still charge the fee. Stupid.

I was heading to the bank tonight to make the deposit, but I wasn't quick enough... damn it. *sigh* Hopefully $48 is where it will stop.

[namelesswonder]

Boyfriend keeps getting overdrawn because his balance is fairly low and automatic payments counteract his overdraft plan (it's not supposed to charge if the money isn't there). They also keep changing his overdraft preferences. He keeps talking to the bank and they say he's all squared away and then it happens again. He needs to go in and bitch in person, I think.