Debt Dumpers - 2019

[Aurora_Australis]

Slightly late mid month check in.

Have almost all direct debits changed over now that we have switched banks. There's a couple off bits and pieces (in DH's to change pile...) and then I will close our old accounts. Will probably get hit for a small amount of fees on one account as there is no pay going into it but i doubt it will be more than $5.

CC was paid off earlier this month, that has added $200 to my snowball for next month but I'm really not feeling it will make a huge difference! I think I will have to divert most of it to Japan savings. DH's tax is *probably* going to cover the hotel bookings I have made so far and mine should cover our TDR tickets but I still have flights from Hong Kong to Tokyo and back, a couple more hotel bookings and all our food/spending money still to go.

$1700 went today on DH's school fees, he's doing 2 classes this semester and only gave me the invoice today. Well, he did give it to me a month ago but he filled in the enrolment form wrong and applied for a full fee place ($3000 per class), rather than a government subsidised one and only just gave me the new one now, due on Friday. That was earmarked for the vacation, hence why I'm feeling it is 2 steps forward, 3 back at the moment! We'll have to have a chat tonight about how to cover the last $250 as DH also bought a Metallica ticket He always says he will 'pay it back' over the next few pays but it never happens...

 

[DisneyMandC]

Tax refunds were deposited this morning! I went online and immediately made a $1000 payment towards my student loan. The payment will be delivered next Friday. I'm looking forward to seeing my loan down to $1600! I'll make another $700 payment once I get my new credit card in April, and that will wipe out my refund. I'm also planning to take a portion of my third paycheck this month and pay off the remainder of the loan, probably around $800 by the time my next month's automatic payment is processed.

 

[MamaBelleRN]

Well I knew this was only a matter of time, but feeling a bit worried about how things will shake down. At the end of 2016, my DH’s company converted everyone in his department to hourly because the starting salaries were not in line with the minimum salary for exempt employees for the labor law Obama was trying to push through. Because my DH regularly puts in over 40 hours, it increased his income by about 15%. They just announced they will be converting back to salary . They claim based on the data, it is evident everyone puts in more than 40/week and they plan to compensate ‘fairly’. I have no idea what this will mean and they didn’t give a clear time line of when to expect this change.
They are also eliminating quarterly bonuses, but are adding that amount to the salaries I think it’s the unknown I find the most stressful! We could handle a 15% decrease, but it would not be fun. I’m really hoping they adjust the salaries to at least partially compensate for the loss of overtime pay, but I’m not feeling too hopeful

 

[jen7233]

Well I knew this was only a matter of time, but feeling a bit worried about how things will shake down. At the end of 2016, my DH’s company converted everyone in his department to hourly because the starting salaries were not in line with the minimum salary for exempt employees for the labor law Obama was trying to push through. Because my DH regularly puts in over 40 hours, it increased his income by about 15%. They just announced they will be converting back to salary . They claim based on the data, it is evident everyone puts in more than 40/week and they plan to compensate ‘fairly’. I have no idea what this will mean and they didn’t give a clear time line of when to expect this change.
They are also eliminating quarterly bonuses, but are adding that amount to the salaries I think it’s the unknown I find the most stressful! We could handle a 15% decrease, but it would not be fun. I’m really hoping they adjust the salaries to at least partially compensate for the loss of overtime pay, but I’m not feeling too hopeful

I hope it turns out better!

 

[Tygerlilly]

Well I knew this was only a matter of time, but feeling a bit worried about how things will shake down. At the end of 2016, my DH’s company converted everyone in his department to hourly because the starting salaries were not in line with the minimum salary for exempt employees for the labor law Obama was trying to push through. Because my DH regularly puts in over 40 hours, it increased his income by about 15%. They just announced they will be converting back to salary . They claim based on the data, it is evident everyone puts in more than 40/week and they plan to compensate ‘fairly’. I have no idea what this will mean and they didn’t give a clear time line of when to expect this change.
They are also eliminating quarterly bonuses, but are adding that amount to the salaries I think it’s the unknown I find the most stressful! We could handle a 15% decrease, but it would not be fun. I’m really hoping they adjust the salaries to at least partially compensate for the loss of overtime pay, but I’m not feeling too hopeful

Fingers crossed for good news!

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

So I finally got around to my epic analysis of our dining spending in order to figure out if a dining plan makes sense for our Oct. trip. The verdict was no. We just save more by using our DVC and Passholder dining discounts, even when you add one alcoholic drink per person per day. So DH and I have agreed that we will pay OOP instead.

 

[jen7233]

So I finally got around to my epic analysis of our dining spending in order to figure out if a dining plan makes sense for our Oct. trip. The verdict was no. We just save more by using our DVC and Passholder dining discounts, even when you add one alcoholic drink per person per day. So DH and I have agreed that we will pay OOP instead.

Good to know. I'll have to consider dining plan or not next time we stay in a Disney resort on property, this time we aren't so we can't anyway from what I read. Even so, just not sure we'd use enough justify it although our kids are a lot bigger and can eat more than two years ago!

 

[StacyStrong]

I think I am going to delay my total debt payoff a month (skip a months snowball). I am going to Disney in April and think I would feel more comfortable with that cash in my account. I can always make a one time payment later on if I feel like I can do without it.

 

[crazycatstacy]

Leave for Disney on Monday and last night and this morning my stomach is not the greatest. Hoping that it is just nerves as I am not the greatest flier! Working today and then the weekend to clean house, pack and pick up any last minute items.

 

[Dentam]

Leave for Disney on Monday and last night and this morning my stomach is not the greatest. Hoping that it is just nerves as I am not the greatest flier! Working today and then the weekend to clean house, pack and pick up any last minute items.

I hate flying as well and always get nervous. Hope that is all it is and that you have a great trip!

 

[Ngwira]

Leave for Disney on Monday and last night and this morning my stomach is not the greatest. Hoping that it is just nerves as I am not the greatest flier! Working today and then the weekend to clean house, pack and pick up any last minute items.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[confettiandkale]

Somehow I managed to convince myself that the outstanding balance for my upcoming Alaska DCL cruise is a whole $1,000 less than it actually is...!! It’s due mid-April and I have a plan to make up the difference, but it means charging some of it to one of my recently paid off cards until I can pay it off again until May.

The good news is that I just finished moving and didn’t purchase anything with my credit cards, instead using my savings (for the move) and whatever discretionary income I had leftover. I think I’m finally settled in 2 weeks later...just in time for my work schedule to pick back up to 65-75 hour weeks!

 

[Tygerlilly]

Mega budget win!!

I've been needing to get our wedding invitations done and sent for a month now, but hadn't really had the extra funds with all the medical stuff that happened. Yesterday I went to Michael's and picked up 1 box with a 40% off coupon, which made them $27. At check out, I got a 50% off one to use next week, so I planned to pick up the second box then. I figured $60 was a decent price for 60 invitations.

But THEN I went to Hobby Lobby later in the day. And I found some on clearance for $6.50 for 25!! So I spent $14 and got 2 boxes and will return the other ones back to Michael's.

I originally was budgeting $120 for the invitations, so coming in around $100 less is so awesome! Now to actually get them done and mailed.

 

[Dentam]

I finally figured out when my "extra" paycheck for March will actually show up as extra in my budgeting. It will be the first paycheck of May that will end up being extra for me. I'm planning to pay off one cc balance completely with it!

 

[StacyStrong]

I think I am going to delay my total debt payoff a month (skip a months snowball). I am going to Disney in April and think I would feel more comfortable with that cash in my account. I can always make a one time payment later on if I feel like I can do without it.

I'm feeling pretty comfortable with this decision.

Originally, it was all going to be paid off September 2019.

By skipping a snowball in April, it'll still be paid off September 2019. I realized that my last payment in September was originally going to be like $5. Now it'll just be larger. I'm okay with that!

And as I mentioned, I can always make a larger payment when I get back.

(For the record, the trip is already paid for in entirety with more than enough money already set aside and in a separate account for food/souvenirs - I'm just weird and want that extra cash "just in case")

 

[amalone1013]

I'm feeling pretty comfortable with this decision.

Originally, it was all going to be paid off September 2019.

By skipping a snowball in April, it'll still be paid off September 2019. I realized that my last payment in September was originally going to be like $5. Now it'll just be larger. I'm okay with that!

And as I mentioned, I can always make a larger payment when I get back.

(For the record, the trip is already paid for in entirety with more than enough money already set aside and in a separate account for food/souvenirs - I'm just weird and want that extra cash "just in case")

You have to do what makes you most comfortable We were in a spot like this, about to pay off our student loans before our wedding/honeymoon... we were going to wait until after because we could have stretched thin and paid them, but wanted the cushion for the trip. Then DHs work messed up and paid his commission at twice the rate they were supposed to... and they let him keep it... so then we were able to just make the payment and still have a cushion lol.

 

[Tygerlilly]

I'm feeling pretty comfortable with this decision.

Originally, it was all going to be paid off September 2019.

By skipping a snowball in April, it'll still be paid off September 2019. I realized that my last payment in September was originally going to be like $5. Now it'll just be larger. I'm okay with that!

And as I mentioned, I can always make a larger payment when I get back.

(For the record, the trip is already paid for in entirety with more than enough money already set aside and in a separate account for food/souvenirs - I'm just weird and want that extra cash "just in case")

I always feel the same way before traveling. I'd rather have the extra there just in case I need it. You never know what kind of crazy thing might come up and like you said, you could always make that payment afterwards.

 

[imbatman]

I just want to point out the irony of my job, a bookkeeper, and being in debt. It happens to some of us. I guess I got thinking about it when trying to hunt down a business credit card error, to the tune of $545. Made me think of how I'm a dog on the bone with my work, but my personal budget was so in the toilet for so many years. Hurray me for turning around. And hurray me for finding the error. Now to try and record this mess so that it makes sense in next year's audit.

Happy Friday, Debt Dumpers! We'll get through this, one payment at a time.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

I haven't been super happy with the cleaning service that I am using, so I got a quote from Molly Maid today. I had used them in the past when I was in law school and had no time to clean and I was always happy. But I live in a much larger house now than what I rented in law school. The estimate is that a monthly cleaning will cost $45 more than what we are paying now. The current person never mops, doesn't dust light fixtures or fans, doesn't clean door handles or switch plates, doesn't do windows and doesn't wipe down cabinets or appliances. They basically vacuum and dust most rooms, then clean toilets, sinks and showers. And the current person has missed the master bath toilet area twice now. The extra $45 is probably well worth the additional work. My dream would be to have someone come every two weeks to clean, but that just isn't in the budget right now. But I think that I can swing the additional $45 so we have decided to give it a try.

 

[barkley]

(For the record, the trip is already paid for in entirety with more than enough money already set aside and in a separate account for food/souvenirs - I'm just weird and want that extra cash "just in case")

I always feel the same way before traveling. I'd rather have the extra there just in case I need it. You never know what kind of crazy thing might come up and like you said, you could always make that payment afterwards.

it's a good plan-i speak b/c we had one of those unexpected/weird things happen several years ago on a disney vacation.

we were on their cruise and like w/the hotels they put a set hold for a certain daily dollar amount on the credit card you've put in place for making charges. the way it's supposed to work is nightly an audit is run-the real charges go on/hold amount falls off, over and over each day. HICCUP-they didn't release the daily hold amounts on our card and by the time we hit the last day of our cruise our card was over the limit (actual charges were less than 1/4 b/c they grossly overestimated what we would spend). long story short-their audit people weren't available at the time we were doing our final account settling so we had to scramble to find funds to cover the charges. it was a good thing we had a means to cover the charges until they got the whole thing straightened out.