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What have you done today to improve your finances?

  1. tinyperson

    pomegranate / 3858 posts

    I returned $200+ of DH's stuff to Banana Republic (DH had me pick it up last week with his 50% off coupon, but he didn't like any of it), and I returned something to Old Navy that I'd bought for LO but wasn't as cute as I thought ---- and I bought nothing else while I was at the mall!!!

  2. LulaBee

    pear / 1837 posts

    I did not go to Starbucks this morning (right across the street from work, sooooo tempting), I brought my lunch, and I decided not to buy the used Mamaroo off a FB resell page- it was a great deal but I'd rather spend that money on paint for my bedroom this weekend.

  3. sunny

    coconut / 8430 posts

    @tinyperson: its always so tempting to get something new so good for you! I went to Target last week to make a return and ended up spending $17 :-P.

  4. .twist.

    pineapple / 12802 posts

    @mrswin: wow! Sounds like you're on a roll to entirely revamp your finances! Great work!

    @tinyperson: Nice! The will power is strong with this one.

    @LulaBee: Great job! It's hard, sometimes, to give up fun purchases over practical ones!

  5. mrs. bird

    bananas / 9628 posts

    @looch: haha, super stealth! Ours are only $1.50 each, but they're horrible and half the time they rip & you need two bags instead of one

  6. mrs. bird

    bananas / 9628 posts

    @HLK208: congrats on paying off your CC! That's exciting!

  7. lilteacherbee

    cantaloupe / 6791 posts

    Well, yesterday I accepted a job offer where I'll make nearly 3x as much as I did before still pretty excited about that!

  8. Amelieisme

    persimmon / 1361 posts

    Brought my lunch today. I am resisting buying a dress on Anthro that would be great for Christmas parties...

  9. simplyfelicity

    cantaloupe / 6634 posts

    I returned 150 worth of clothes and am 400 dollars away from paying off two credit cards! Oh and, because we changed our insurance, my husband's knee surgery is going to cost us ZIP!

  10. mrswin

    nectarine / 2433 posts

    @.twist.: Thanks! It took a long time to get my SO on board with this program but once he saw the improvements he got on side and I feel like our relationship has benefited as well Finding out a year ago that we would need IVF and would be paying out of pocket really motivated me to start a change!

  11. simplyfelicity

    cantaloupe / 6634 posts

    @lilteacherbee: Congratulations! Ooooo...what kind of job?

  12. gilmoregirl

    persimmon / 1273 posts

    @lilteacherbee: that is awesome! Congratulations on your new job!

    I went to the library instead of a store. The baby played at story time, and I am using the heck out of my library card -- books, ebooks, audiobooks.

    We are eating a ton of leftovers and crockpot meals -- rice and beans but in a pretty delicious way.

    My kid is over his MSPI, so I'm buying fewer expensive substitutes now that I can eat dairy. I've been able to make food for him with other subs like coconut oil.

  13. Anagram

    eggplant / 11716 posts

    @PurplePumps: What really, really makes me angry about this situation is that the whole dispute was/is over an unnecessary test--that my doctor TOLD ME would be free~! Which is the only reason I said yes, we could do the test.

    Long story short....when I was pregnant, my doctor told me that the Maternity21 test was new and they were offering it free to his patients during a trial period. So I said, sure! I'll do it. Seems cool to know if there are any genetic issues so early.

    And then I got a freaking bill for 2000! And then my insurance company said they'd only pay $470 or something and no one at my doctor's office had record of the "free trials" because I didn't get a bill until a few months after my LO was born and the test was done almost 7 months before by that point.

    Anyway, the whole situation is totally maddening and makes me insane when I think about it for too long.

  14. LovelyPlum

    eggplant / 11408 posts

    @.twist.: I am totally and completely obsessed with YNAB now. It's pretty much the best idea ever. It didn't solve our problems, but we are so much happier knowing where we are.

    As to what I did? I didn't buy anything at Dunkin Donuts this morning. I win!

  15. LovelyPlum

    eggplant / 11408 posts

    @gilmoregirl: so excited that B outgrew MSPI! I fear we may be headed to the world of gluten-free, but so far, we're doing OK on the groceries.

  16. .twist.

    pineapple / 12802 posts

    @lilteacherbee: That is SO AWESOME! Congratulations!

    @LovelyPlum: It definitely isn't a cure all for problems. But it gives you the tools to be easily aware of your financial situation and helps you make the right choices to fix your problems! Glad you're enjoying it, it has helped us SO much.

    @gilmoregirl: That is great! Happy to hear the little one outgrew MSPI. Must be a huge relief and I'm sure it helps on the grocery bill too.

  17. ElbieKay

    pomegranate / 3231 posts

    Not today, but this week I spoke to my boss about some issues I have with my job. I think that in the long run this will result in more opportunities (and therefore more compensation) for me at work.

  18. mrs. bird

    bananas / 9628 posts

    @lilteacherbee: wow!!!! That's fantastic! Congrats

  19. T.H.O.U.

    wonderful clementine / 24134 posts

    @lilteacherbee: awesome! What are you doing now?

    I went out to lunch but with a $5 coupon. We get one drink and one water when we go out.

    I would like to cancel cable when I go back to work. Need suggestions though on how to record some tv shows. We already have Amazon and Netflix.

    I like the idea of cleaning out the freezer before thanksgiving.

    Does breastfeeding all day and night count as a money saving tip?

  20. StbHisMrs

    pomegranate / 3329 posts

    I bought a brand new washer and dryer that had better save a ton of money and time
    I sold my old ones and stashed that into savings to help recover from the new ones.
    I got a killer deal on the washing machine because they just had it delivered and were too busy to unwrap it and set it up as a display so they marked it down to less than half price that morning. I was stoked, then I got them to take a military discount on the dryer and walked out spending $300 less than I originally planned (but with the sale that was going on I really saved $1400!)

    Our rent increased $50/month so I've been trying really hard to keep all the unnecessary lights off, and whatever we aren't using unplugged, no tv's on for background noise and that kind of thing. I'm hoping that the new washer and dryer will help too, I was having to hit spin 2-4 times, and still dry for 1-2 hours.

    I really need to be better about using YNAB.

  21. DillonLion

    GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts

    LO and I are both home sick today. We drove DH to the airport, went to the mall, and went to her doctor's appointment and came home. We didnt spend any money on anything! These kind of days are so tempting for things like snacks and coffee and meals out, but we didnt do any of that. Yay!

  22. lilteacherbee

    cantaloupe / 6791 posts

    @T.H.O.U.: @mrs. bird: @.twist.: @gilmoregirl: @simplyfelicity: Thanks! I teach public state pre-k, but since my county houses them in private centers (like daycares), we don't get benefits or the state teacher salary. I'm going to be teaching the exact same program in a neighboring county that has them in the elementary schools, which means I'll be considered a state employee. I'll be working in the same school where DH teaches 3rd grade.

  23. sunshineandsushi

    persimmon / 1165 posts

    I called our mortgage lender to request the surplus in our escrow account be mailed via check. $743 for us, woot! This is the result of me reshopping our homeowners insurance and getting a policy $1000 less per year. Now we get the surplus back and a lower mortgage payment.

  24. Espion

    pomegranate / 3577 posts

    @Anagram: UGH. I feel you. I just went to my OB's office today and complained about the same thing, slightly different test. I told them, in no uncertain terms, that they should NOT recommend those tests to everyone without understanding what they are and in whom they should be ordered. By casually saying, "Oh yeah, it is covered by insurance" (because I ASKED!) is an extreme disservice to the patient. I am so angry with you!!

    After a banner month last month of an egregiously inflated grocery bill, we have committed to eating what we actually have in the house and only supplementing with milk, veggies, and fruit as needed.

    And I've bought zero maternity clothes. I'm making it with a Bella Band and a pack of larger underwear (so key, ha!) I just can't justify it with all of our mortgage/student loan debt. I haven't bought anything for myself in a long, long time.

  25. Espion

    pomegranate / 3577 posts

    @lilteacherbee: Congratulations on the new job! So convenient that you'll be in the same school as your DH as well!!

  26. Mrs. Jump Rope

    blogger / coconut / 8306 posts

    @PurplePumps: talk to me about recording with your laptop!!

  27. luckypenny

    grapefruit / 4582 posts

    Just sold a bunch of baby clothes and my clothes/purses. I'm also trying to sell some diaper bags I never used so I can pay for our family photo shoot this year

  28. Espion

    pomegranate / 3577 posts

    Holy crap, people. If you live in a cold climate, unplug the engine block heaters!! They apparently only need to be on for three hours if it is < 20 degrees outside. DH has been leaving his plugged in all day and our electricity bill jumped from $90 to $171...and it is all due to the engine block heater.

    OUCH.

  29. PurplePumps

    pomegranate / 3809 posts

    @Mrs. Jump Rope: It still requires an initial investment (a media player, I got the HD Homerun Prime ~$120) and a small fee to rent the cable card ($2 for me vs $7 for the cable box). Then you set up and use Windows Media Center and you can watch TV via your laptop or PC like normal and record/watch up to 3 channels. They even have a WMC remote control so it's totally like still having a "real" cable box. It'll pay itself off in 5 months and then start saving $25 a month with all the same functionality

  30. PurplePumps

    pomegranate / 3809 posts

    @Anagram: Yikes! I would be SOOOO pissed at the doctor for doing that. Wow, I'm sorry they screwed you up like that.

  31. Freckles

    honeydew / 7444 posts

    @Espion: Whoa, do you guys have one with a timer? That's what we use, and i don't think we saw a big jump in our bill.

  32. sunny

    coconut / 8430 posts

    @PurplePumps: We do the same thing! We have been setup that way for years.

    @Mrs. Jump Rope: if you have a Xbox 360 you can even use it to connect to your Media Center and watch the recorded shows on the big screen.

  33. PurplePumps

    pomegranate / 3809 posts

    @sunny: I've been wanting to do it for 3 years or so now, but was too lazy to look into it. Been wasting so much money and it was so easy to set up! I should have done it so much sooner.

  34. Mrs. Jump Rope

    blogger / coconut / 8306 posts

    @sunny: interesting. And this is to replace your regular cable box?

    Let's say I do this-- what do I tell Comcast? We currently pay $3/mo for a "regular" box (no HDTV, basic cable) in our bedroom. The box in our living room gives us HDTV and all the premium channels. How does this media player thing fit in?

  35. Espion

    pomegranate / 3577 posts

    @Freckles: A timer would be awesome. I'll ask DH if he can find such a thing. He left it plugged in basically 24 hours a day. And it is warmer here than where my sister lives in Dallas!

    After the shock of the bill, I'm actually proud of ourselves for tracking down the cause. We're (read: I'm) pretty good with turning off lights and I can't imagine that our darker and shorter days caused that much of a jump in our bill for having room lights on longer. But DH calculated out the wattage and basically made up the exact difference based on the outputs from the engine block heater. (And when I looked at our electric company's "winter tips", the very first one was "unplug the engine block heater"!)

  36. fancyfunction

    grapefruit / 4085 posts

    I didn't spend any money today! And I didn't get
    To go to my rehearsal tonight which saved me from buying a Starbucks on the way home

  37. Freckles

    honeydew / 7444 posts

    @Espion: DH said it's any timer where you can set the time, and that should work with your block heater. We would set it up so that the block heater turns on about 30 minutes before we had to leave the house. Hope that helps!

  38. Espion

    pomegranate / 3577 posts

    @Freckles: Ha! So easy! Thank you. I don't think we would have figured it out but for the hard way. 49th state newbs!

  39. sunny

    coconut / 8430 posts

    @Mrs. Jump Rope: Yes, I think the HD Homerun prime is a tuner and it replaces the cable box. The cable card (you rent it from your cable company) provides the descrambler information. Typically, the cable card is $2-3/month rental. You can then get rid of the cable box + DVR charge (~$20).

    Here's how we have it setup at our home.

    To record: Desktop computer with a Ceton Tuner mounted in a slot in the back (similar to the HD Homerun that PurplePumps has). We rent a cable card, and it fits right inside. We run coax cable from the tuner to the wall. The computer runs Windows 7 with Windows Media Center (WMC) and we setup shows to record through the WMC.

    To watch: Xbox 360 hooked up to the TV. Xbox 360 can connect to the WMC and we can watch our recorded shows or live TV. Alternately, if your computer is in wired range of your TV, you can always run a cable to the TV. Ours is in our office, and the TV is downstairs so we need the Xbox.

    Caveats: I know PurplePumps has said it was really easy, but I actually think it has its challenges sometimes. Second, Microsoft seems to be discontinuing the WMC product. There aren't really any other hardware manufacturers building Windows Media Center Extenders (e.g. ways to connect to your WMC and bring it to a TV elsewhere in your home).

    If you wanted to cut cable and just watch OTA channels (but maintain DVR capability), you can do that with this setup as well.

  40. SugarplumsMom

    bananas / 9227 posts

    We bought a new stove that was on sale (no frills), which apparently is ranked best in test this year. I also got a slow cooker during the time we were stove-less and vowed to continue to use is since it's crazy convenient! I buy everything on sale, preferably majorly discounted, but aside from that I'm really guilty in not saving. I need to start packing lunch, for instance.

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