To retirement and beyond!!!!!!!!

The pension contributions have started. My retirement picture looks brighter each day. Short-term my financial picture is still a bit bleak but am making progress.

Slow and steady wins the race.

Recession!! The sky is falling!! The tax rebate savior

Recent financial news has me feeling like burying my head in the sand, and not coming up for air.

Am I the only one that feels like that?

Best Buy Customer Service Sucks

I will never again attempt to buy anything from BEST BUY.

A word to BEST BUY management, customers come first. If you did not have customers you would not be in business.

To management at the store at 622 Broadway in Manhattan, if you are not going to answer the phone, then the option to speak to a 'sales' associate should be taken off the menu. I guess you guys met your sales goal for today so you are not interested in answering the phone and speaking to additional customers.

My w-2s have started to come in. There is one thing that is shocking. The part-time gig brought in over $12,000. Huh!!!!!!! 2008 will not be that high since the hours have been reduced. However, I really need to get a handle on where that money is going.

I made another sale on half.com

Love that site.

$161 for 10 minutes of work......

Gotta love credit card companies. I was able to convince them to give me credit for the finance charges.

My day to day goal

is to not use my credit cards.

Now my credit card debt is consolidated, I use only one credit card. It has my netflix membership and tolls. I make sure to leave it at home so that I am not tempted to use it. I can't wait for those $0 balance statements to come in the mail.

Tax Time Again

How exciting! I am starting to get my documents together for tax time. It does not mean I will be doing my taxes early. I will be filing electronically for free via the State Farm website. However, I will wait until April 10th or after, LOL.

I am still paying back taxes from last year. Oh the woes of being childless and propertyless (is that a word) in NYC.

To Do List

Here are the things I have done so far financially:

1. Filled out the forms to contribute to my pension.

2. Consolidated credit card debt. (see December 28th post)

Things still to do:

1. Roll over 403B to Vanguard from previous job. (The package is sitting on the coffee table)

2. Build up emergency fund to $2,000.

Credit Card Debt Consolidated

All my credit card debt has been consolidated. The APR is lower than what I was paying on the cards.
The actual cards are not being used. The consolidation loan will be paid off quickly, quickly, quickly.

I feel more free now. Simplifying my financial life is a work in progress. Three less bills in the mail box.

There is a bright light at the end of the tunnel.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to one and all.

HSBC interest has been lowered again

It is now 4.2%.

People in the mortgage crises and credit card debt are not the only ones suffering. Savers are feeling the pain too.

A few words of wisdom to shoppers...Let me get this off my chest

I just finished an 8 hour shift at the part-time gig. There are a few (well alot) of things I need to get off my chest. Sorry in advance if I offend anyone.


You do not have to get it because it is on sale.

Control your kids. The store is not a playground. Also, teach your little monsters to speak with their inside voices.

I am just the cashier, the powers that be sets the prices. If you think the merchandise is expensive, then DO NOT BUY IT. I couldn't give a flying fvck if you cannot afford your Christmas gifts.

DECLINE MEANS YOUR AZZ IS BROKE. END OF STORY.

You really should not be getting another store credit card. I remember your face from last week when your visa declined. Irresponsible!!

Please take the fighting OUTSIDE. Preferably all the way outside the mall. Cuz if one of you fools miss and hit me, it's on.

COVER YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU COUGH. SHIT!!

You finished with your purchases and walked away. I don't care if you ran back to get one other item (after 10 minutes, mind you). GET YO AZZ BACK ON THE DAMN LINE. All those other people are waiting. You already had your damn turn.

Is that the line? Hell you think those 30+ people are standing their because we are friends.

The light is off and my back is turned. Is this register open? What you think Einstein. On top of that you see me speaking to someone. How about saying excuse me before you start running your mouth.

You need that shirt off the display? Ask for help, you damn near broke it, then have the nerve to complain.

Word to the couples 'in love', wait until your outside to argue. Obviously two broke people in a relationship is bad chemistry.

DO NOT TOUCH THE COMPUTER SCREEN. You need to know the price ask me.

COMMON COURTESY PEOPLE, COMMON COURTESY!!

2008

I have narrowed down my goal for 2008.

1. Do not incur any new credit card debt.

2. Pay off at least $10,000 of my current debt.

That's it.

I will also start to contribute to my pension as of 2008.

My ultimate long-term financial goal ...

is to retire at age 50.

Christmas Shopping

My holiday shopping budget is $300. This year I am only purchasing gifts for the children in my life. I already know which gifts am purchasing.

Holiday shopping made easy!

Gyms.....

are not in business to help people loose weight and or make them healthier. Gyms are in business to make a profit whether or not you loose weight. I recently decided I wanted to go back to the gym. I could go to my old gym or the new fancy one that opened up close to home. Low and behold last night I called the new snazzy gym to ask a simple question. Instead of getting a simple answer, I got a rather car-salesman-snake-pitch to come in and sign up. For now, I will stick to my dvds that I have at home. No gyms for me, since I am not looking to sign a contract with anyone.

Conversations at the register

TBB: Your total is xyz dollars.

Broke Customer: Can I put x on this card (insert store credit card here)?

TBB: Sure no problem.

Broke Customer: The rest is on this card (insert debit card here)?

TBB: Miss the card declined.

Broke Customer: Really?? (with the surprised look)

TBB: Yes really? (with the WTF look)
Broke Customer: Ok let me take some things off. Am probably over my limit anyway.

TBB: Whispers under my breath (you think).

I am so tempted to give some of these customers the URL to my favorit financial blogs. It is hard being a pf blogger and working retail. I am not perfect but at least am trying.

Stretching my paychecks to the limit

The price of everything is rising. It almost seems as if there is a conspiracy out there to eat up my paycheck. Each week I try to stretch my paycheck as much as I can. Here are some of the things I do:

Coupons: I religiously use coupons now more than before.

Electricity: The lights are off and all the unused appliances are unplugged.

Sales: Every store I go into I try to buy items that are on sale. Even at the supermarket I try to buy the items I need when they are on sale.

My new job came at the right time. Taking public transportation is not so bad anymore now that the price of gas has gone up more than 15 cents in two weeks.

These are all things I have been doing in the past. However, in the past couple weeks I have paid much more attention to how much money I spend.

Toy shopping this christmas season

WTH?? is with all the lead in kids toys. I guess all the cheap sh.it from China has come back to bite us in the hiney.

For the past few weeks with all the recall I pretty much did not say anything on my blog about. However, a report this morning blew my mind. There is this dot thingamagig toy that is the number one toy in Australia. There are little dots that when you spray them with water they are 'supposed' to stick together. Anywho, the lining on the dots has a chemical that mimics the 'date rape drug'. Yes you got that right, date rape drug. Are you kidding me? I hope corporate America wakes up because they are putting our kids lives in danger. Even though I am not a parent I have kids in my family to buy for.

There is website for to help parents and non-parents research toys this christmas/holiday whatever you wanna call it. The site is The Daily Green. It has toys that were made in the United States that has no lead or any of that other stuff.