Debt Dumpers - 2019

[Jen and Ashwin]

DH and I both want to get in better shape. We haven't had access to our home fitness equipment since they started our basement project and it is still looking like it will be at least a month or so until the basement is done. DH said that he would like to join a gym close to our house. It is something that I have been thinking about recently as well, especially since the University now offers each employee $12 reimbursement per month for gym memberships, so we would get $24 total. I called the gym and it costs $29 per person per month, plus $10 per month for unlimited childcare during set childcare hours. And this month it is a $10 enrollment fee per person, rather than the normal $200. So after the reimbursement, it would cost $44 per month for us to join a gym that includes childcare. We set up a tour on Saturday. Now I have to figure out where in our budget this money will come from if we sign up.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

Any new YNAB users have any input on this? I'd love to figure this out too!

Here is what YNAB says about budgeting for reimbursements: https://docs.youneedabudget.com/article/183-reimbursements

ETA: And here is a discussion of carrying forward a negative balance:

https://support.youneedabudget.com/t/x1j0w7/carrying-a-negative-balance

 

[Eureka]

DH and I both want to get in better shape. We haven't had access to our home fitness equipment since they started our basement project and it is still looking like it will be at least a month or so until the basement is done. DH said that he would like to join a gym close to our house. It is something that I have been thinking about recently as well, especially since the University now offers each employee $12 reimbursement per month for gym memberships, so we would get $24 total. I called the gym and it costs $29 per person per month, plus $10 per month for unlimited childcare during set childcare hours. And this month it is a $10 enrollment fee per person, rather than the normal $200. So after the reimbursement, it would cost $44 per month for us to join a gym that includes childcare. We set up a tour on Saturday. Now I have to figure out where in our budget this money will come from if we sign up.

That's a great deal. My office has a fitness room so I have been walking on the treadmill a couple times a week since we got back after Christmas, although it was so warm here earlier in the week that I walked outside instead a couple days. Wish I could say I was doing better on the food front than I am - I have made some positive changes but not as many as I need to. I figure walking 1.5 miles 2x week is better than not doing it, so that is what I am focusing on right now.

 

[jen7233]

DH and I both want to get in better shape. We haven't had access to our home fitness equipment since they started our basement project and it is still looking like it will be at least a month or so until the basement is done. DH said that he would like to join a gym close to our house. It is something that I have been thinking about recently as well, especially since the University now offers each employee $12 reimbursement per month for gym memberships, so we would get $24 total. I called the gym and it costs $29 per person per month, plus $10 per month for unlimited childcare during set childcare hours. And this month it is a $10 enrollment fee per person, rather than the normal $200. So after the reimbursement, it would cost $44 per month for us to join a gym that includes childcare. We set up a tour on Saturday. Now I have to figure out where in our budget this money will come from if we sign up.

That's not bad at all, including your start up fee. Ours is $39 per person per month. I toured Planet Fitness, but it wasn't what I was looking for. I can go for free on a military installation and we have them in the greater DC and surrounding areas, but there is a hassle factor with contending with traffic, gates, etc., to do so routinely so I opted for the gym closer to our house and actually am going more often. I love that mine offers classes, which was something Planet Fitness didn't have was classes I was looking for, and space. I'm doing cardio and classes, happy with both. However, I need to put together a weight/strengthening workout routine, it shows, especially from years where I was doing all the muscle strength things and now don't, and keeping muscle mass is very important as women age.

 

[DLgal]

Our dishwasher can't be fixed, so I get to go shopping for a new one, and my landlord will reimburse me. So, that means I get to put it on my credit card and earn the points! So, I'll actually make some money from this issue. LOL!

In other news, I opened my Ally account and transferred in $100, so I guess I can update my savings goal: $100/$35000

 

[jen7233]

Our dishwasher can't be fixed, so I get to go shopping for a new one, and my landlord will reimburse me. So, that means I get to put it on my credit card and earn the points! So, I'll actually make some money from this issue. LOL!

In other news, I opened my Ally account and transferred in $100, so I guess I can update my savings goal: $100/$35000

That's good, free points for you! And, your savings goal is underway! Ally seems pretty good to me so far, I like their website and quicker transactions much better than some others namely PenFed where transfers lag in my opinion.

I am working on our Roth funding, will be funded early through some planning that started near end of last year.

 

[DLgal]

That's good, free points for you! And, your savings goal is underway! Ally seems pretty good to me so far, I like their website and quicker transactions much better than some others namely PenFed where transfers lag in my opinion.

I am working on our Roth funding, will be funded early through some planning that started near end of last year.

I like the Ally app so far and my initial deposit was in the account the next day, so that was fast!

Good job on the Roth funding!

 

[DLgal]

Went to Lowes last night and ordered the new dishwasher. I texted my landlord with the total for everything to confirm but she never responded, so I went ahead and bought it after the salesman told me I could cancel the order/return the dishwasher within 30 days. They will be calling on Monday to schedule the delivery and installation, so by then I should have an answer from the landlord. I just bought the same dishwasher again and I had told her the price on the phone yesterday, so it should all be fine. So, the purchase earned me $7.35 in Disney Rewards dollars! Or, one and a half Dole Whips! LOL! I'm just glad it wasn't my $735 expense this time.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

That's a great deal. My office has a fitness room so I have been walking on the treadmill a couple times a week since we got back after Christmas, although it was so warm here earlier in the week that I walked outside instead a couple days. Wish I could say I was doing better on the food front than I am - I have made some positive changes but not as many as I need to. I figure walking 1.5 miles 2x week is better than not doing it, so that is what I am focusing on right now.

That's not bad at all, including your start up fee. Ours is $39 per person per month. I toured Planet Fitness, but it wasn't what I was looking for. I can go for free on a military installation and we have them in the greater DC and surrounding areas, but there is a hassle factor with contending with traffic, gates, etc., to do so routinely so I opted for the gym closer to our house and actually am going more often. I love that mine offers classes, which was something Planet Fitness didn't have was classes I was looking for, and space. I'm doing cardio and classes, happy with both. However, I need to put together a weight/strengthening workout routine, it shows, especially from years where I was doing all the muscle strength things and now don't, and keeping muscle mass is very important as women age.

Yes, I feel like it is a very fair price. And it is very close to our house, which I think will help us go more often. I used to belong to an amazing gym with a pool, running track, sauna, hot tubs, basketball court, and lots of classes. But it cost a lot per month and was just too far from home. I didn't end up going as often as I had hoped. The gym by our house also has lots of classes that are included. I was looking over the schedule and most days they have a 8-9am class that I could catch right after DH and DD leave, then come home and start work.

 

[imbatman]

I scheduled my 2 credit card balance transfers to be paid IN FULL today, eliminated them from my "monthly bills" spreadsheet and took away the lines for my March bank account balance spreadsheet. Good riddance!

And for you, a banana dance!

DH and I just got back from WDW yesterday. Not been a great week though for my family, though our trip itself was great. Last Tuesday, the day before we left, my 19 year old cousin was killed in a car accident while on duty (he was a Sheriff's Deputy). Then on Thursday his mother, her boyfriend and her sister were in a car accident after leaving from making the funeral plans for him. Thankfully they are all okay, his mother fractured her wrist but her car was totaled in the accident so they were quite lucky to be okay, physically at least. My cousin's funeral was Sunday, then Monday I fell while walking through the lobby of ASMo and got a huge lump and bruise on my knee. And that afternoon my mother fell and fractured her wrist in my parent's RV as they were driving back home from the funeral.

In good news, my state refund was deposited on Friday and federal was deposited today. State refund was pretty small but will cover our Valentines Day dinner next week and help offset the fact that neither my DH or I will get paid for the week we were at WDW. I'm an independent contractor so part of the federal will be used for paying estimated taxes for the first half of the year at least, part will be the rest of the offset from losing a week's pay and the rest (about $300) will go to debt payoff. And my DH found out today that his work has a quarterly meeting tomorrow that he will get a 4.5 hours pay for tomorrow along with free lunch. Oh, and I paid off my totaled car on Monday so that's one debt gone, and our Care Credit card will be paid off next month.

My heart aches for you. As a former dispatcher, I mourn for all involved. If I lived nearby, I'd bring you a cake...or fruit if you wanted. Congrats on your little victories! Next month, you get a banana dance!

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

Just got the quote for carpet in the basement. $4127. I was anticipating $4k, so feeling pretty good with that, especially since we are getting the highest end pad. The carpeted area is just under 1200 sq ft. Tile for the bathroom cost another $130 and is about 80 sq ft. We also need to buy the rubber tiles for the fitness room which is about 140 sq ft. and I anticipate that costing somewhere around $600 since DH wants some higher end rubber tiles, not the stuff you get at Home Depot or such. So total cost for flooring will be almost $5k for about 1400 sq ft.

Now I have to decide how I want to pay for it all. I could take it out of the HELOC or I could look into getting another card with 0% that gives us more time with no interest. Might get a business card for DH so it doesn’t effect 5/24 or personal credit. Choices, choices.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Met with the retirement person at my work this morning. I maxed out my retirement contributions a while ago and just wanted to make sure I'd done everything correctly and didn't have anywhere else I should be contributing to. She confirmed that I was maxed out and everything looked good. The only other available retirement fund I could keep adding to through work is a 457 plan. I currently do $20 per paycheck. I'd like to up that, but want to pay off the student loans first. Plus, that currently has a -5% rate of return

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

Met with the retirement person at my work this morning. I maxed out my retirement contributions a while ago and just wanted to make sure I'd done everything correctly and didn't have anywhere else I should be contributing to. She confirmed that I was maxed out and everything looked good. The only other available retirement fund I could keep adding to through work is a 457 plan. I currently do $20 per paycheck. I'd like to up that, but want to pay off the student loans first. Plus, that currently has a -5% rate of return

I contribute enough to get the 10% match via work but then after that I find more value in contributing to a Roth IRA, which I max every year. Though we don’t get a tax benefit now, I think having a mix of taxable and non-taxable retirement funds will be very helpful later when we have to start taking money out.

 

[crazycatstacy]

Have you ever noticed that when you start getting motivated something always changes???? I get paid 2x per month and either you worked or took some type of leave to account for 8 hours per day. Because of the days are paychecks are (1st and 16th) most the time are paychecks are 88 hours, occasionally we get a 96 hour one and randomly we get an 80 one. The 16th of this month is 96 hours (yay!). I was looking forward and the next three are all 80 hours!! Since the majority are 88 we always budget off of that so three 80 ones in a row will make things a little snug. Good news is once we get past that, an 88 hour check will feel like a million dollars!!!

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

Have you ever noticed that when you start getting motivated something always changes???? I get paid 2x per month and either you worked or took some type of leave to account for 8 hours per day. Because of the days are paychecks are (1st and 16th) most the time are paychecks are 88 hours, occasionally we get a 96 hour one and randomly we get an 80 one. The 16th of this month is 96 hours (yay!). I was looking forward and the next three are all 80 hours!! Since the majority are 88 we always budget off of that so three 80 ones in a row will make things a little snug. Good news is once we get past that, an 88 hour check will feel like a million dollars!!!

I am always thankful that our pay is consistent. I get paid monthly and it is always exactly the same no matter what month. DH gets paid every two weeks and his first paycheck of the month is always the same and his second one is a bit more (no deduction for parking fees) but always the same. And then twice a year he gets a third check, so those months feel flush because we budget just off the two monthly checks.

 

[barkley]

Just got the quote for carpet in the basement. $4127. I was anticipating $4k, so feeling pretty good with that, especially since we are getting the highest end pad. The carpeted area is just under 1200 sq ft. Tile for the bathroom cost another $130 and is about 80 sq ft. We also need to buy the rubber tiles for the fitness room which is about 140 sq ft. and I anticipate that costing somewhere around $600 since DH wants some higher end rubber tiles, not the stuff you get at Home Depot or such. So total cost for flooring will be almost $5k for about 1400 sq ft.

Now I have to decide how I want to pay for it all. I could take it out of the HELOC or I could look into getting another card with 0% that gives us more time with no interest. Might get a business card for DH so it doesn’t effect 5/24 or personal credit. Choices, choices.

you might look at the farmer's insurance visa card (don't have to be insured with them to qualify). no fee/0% for 12 months-and home improvements earn their max tier of 3 points per dollar so at 5K for all your flooring you would net about $150 (plus any promotions they are currently offering-i want to say i got something like a $100 or so in points extra if i spent $1500 w/in the first 90 days). i was surprised at how liberally they define 'home improvements' b/c i got max points on both a sofa and mattress purchases.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

you might look at the farmer's insurance visa card (don't have to be insured with them to qualify). no fee/0% for 12 months-and home improvements earn their max tier of 3 points per dollar so at 5K for all your flooring you would net about $150 (plus any promotions they are currently offering-i want to say i got something like a $100 or so in points extra if i spent $1500 w/in the first 90 days). i was surprised at how liberally they define 'home improvements' b/c i got max points on both a sofa and mattress purchases.

I was thinking about getting DH the Chase Ink Unlimited card. It has a $500 bonus after spending $3k. We can transfer those points to my CSR and use them for travel, getting a 50% bonus which makes it worth $750. And charging the items, once transferred to the CSR, will net approx. another $110, so $860 total. That card gives 0% for 15 months.

 

[Eureka]

I am always thankful that our pay is consistent. I get paid monthly and it is always exactly the same no matter what month. DH gets paid every two weeks and his first paycheck of the month is always the same and his second one is a bit more (no deduction for parking fees) but always the same. And then twice a year he gets a third check, so those months feel flush because we budget just off the two monthly checks.

Same here. I get paid twice a month and DH every two weeks. I love those three-check months.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

I was thinking about getting DH the Chase Ink Unlimited card. It has a $500 bonus after spending $3k. We can transfer those points to my CSR and use them for travel, getting a 50% bonus which makes it worth $750. And charging the items, once transferred to the CSR, will net approx. another $110, so $860 total. That card gives 0% for 15 months.

But now I have to stop and think. This might not work because DH already has another Ink card. I have to go check with the gurus on the credit card thread to ask if he could qualify for the bonus. Ugh.

 

[amalone1013]

But now I have to stop and think. This might not work because DH already has another Ink card. I have to go check with the gurus on the credit card thread to ask if he could qualify for the bonus. Ugh.

He has an Ink Cash, right? You can have all the Inks, no restrictions