Layout:
Home > Hoping for junk mail! and toddler drama

Hoping for junk mail! and toddler drama

September 16th, 2011 at 03:06 pm

You do get second chances-- at credit cards.

That Southwest CC deal worth $800 in free flights just arrived in my mailbox again. I had thrown it out and then regretted it when I found out my fav credit card reward was being cut next month.

Now I wish I would have been saving all of the offers that have been coming in. But alas,I hope I get some good repeats. I fee a little weird HOPING to get what I would otherwise consider junk mail!

I really don't think an airline miles card will be that useful for a long term card, but we are planning to go to New Orleans for a wedding in March and Las Vegas for a friend's 40th birthday party weekend next summer. Given those two upcoming events, I'm willing to open the card.

I do want another good cash-back one, though. I was earning 2 percent cash back on everything, deposited directly into a brokerage account for the kid's college from my current card, but as of Nov. 1, it's switching to a 1 percent rebate generic card attached to a card-sponsored shopping mall. I think we can do better than that. But it's been 3 or 4 years since we've opened a card and I haven't really been paying attention to what's out there.

Now I also wish I would have been paying attention to Monkey Mama's credit card money-making scheme!

***
Otherwise, our financial life is moving along smoothly. We're paying $500 extra a month on the mortgage, and if we keep that up, will have it paid off in five years.

I'm putting $100 per paycheck into savings, still putting $200 per kid into the 529s, and some of my freelance checks to the IRA. So, it feels like life and money are normalizing a little bit after the buying and selling a house debacle of spring and summer.

Hopefully some utility bill savings will be on the horizon soon. We signed up for a $50 energy audit from our utility. It's a great program. We get a thorough 4 hour energy audit, they give us a report about how we can be more efficient and what we can do, improve, etc., then they offer rebates of from 10 to 40 percent for the projects you do.

I'm excited about the audit, but amped about the rebates, because we already know our house has only 1 inch of insulation in the attic (Go 1957!). We have estimates of about 2800 to get it up snuff. We were just going to go ahead and do it, but when we heard how much the rebates might be, we decided to wait. Hey, even if it's 10 percent that's $280!

***
Our baby life has not been moving along smoothly. DS1, age 3.5, has been having serious attachment issues since he started his new school. He went from seeking adventure away from his parents to now being very clingy and screaming and crying every time we leave him anywhere-- grandma's, aunt S's , etc. Places he's been going for years with no problems. Every since school-- and he throws screaming tantrums there every time we drop him off. We try to be encouraging to him, but it makes me very sad and after I drop him off, it casts a sad or bad feeling over the rest of my day. I'm sure it's normal, but still. On the way to spend the night at grandma's last night he kept saying "Why do you always leave me?"
Heart break. : (

On the upside, we hit a turning point. The kids were in the playroom. I made myself a cup of coffee, and came back and they had gotten out a board game, set it up and were playing it together. I teared up! Finally. I felt like I reached a turning point. They're playing together, and they did it all by themselves. I've waited so long!!

***
Oh, and some of you might remember how infuriated I was last summer when hubby's best friend popped out of nowhere to borrow $5,000 to finish house repairs and pay property taxes so he could sell it. He said he'd give it back to us in 90 days. Uh huh. Well, it's been a year. And no money. He's still in the house, so he hasn't lost it, but now hubby is telling me the friend was planning to move to Peru to be with some girl. ARGH. If he sells that house, I want my money back! I didn't say that, but I'm thinking it.

We could really reallreally really sue that money now that our financial situation has changed so dramatically. It'd almost be enough to pay off my car. Still so mad. And yeah, we have barely heard anything from the guy since we gave him the check. If you put your ear to your monitor, you can probably hear my blood boiling.

6 Responses to “Hoping for junk mail! and toddler drama”

  1. scrappytappy Says:
    1316184113

    I just had to ask a friend for money she owed me. It did not feel good at all but I'm so glad I did it. She paid me something right away and is going to pay me a little at a time. I'll never lend money to anyone again but at least I'm getting back what I'm owed.

    Also, it shouldn't matter if he sells the house or not, you should get your money back. Period. I'd have your husband handle it since it's his friend but I wouldn't take no for an answer. Hopefully you have proof of it and can tell him you'll take legal action if he doesn't pony up the dough. Ugh.

    I feel for you. *hug*

  2. ThriftoRama Says:
    1316192633

    Hubby thinks we should just give it to him as a gift, but I disagree. He's single and living it up, He had no money due to his own poor management. Us, with two kids, shouldn't be subsidizing that.

  3. scrappytappy Says:
    1316195628

    Frown

    I can see helping a friend out but that seems like a LOT of money for a "gift"! Is he that good of a friend where you would have written him a check for that amount for Christmas or his birthday? If so, then you're way more generous than me! If not, I think it warrants further discussion. I don't think I would give that kind of money to family as a gift and certainly not a friend!

    The hardest thing I had to deal with my friend was resentment. I barely speak to her anymore since she was going out, drinking, partying, went to FL, going out to eat, buying people presents she couldn't afford. All the while, I'm thinking, you owe me money. Stay home a couple nights and throw me $40 bucks. Ya know?

    And, for the longest time, I went without a car because I couldn't afford it. If she paid me what I was owed, I would have been able to buy something sooner.

    Sorry you're dealing with this friend (although he sounds more of a jerk than a friend to do that to someone with 2 kids)! Hopefully, you'll find a solution (even half would be something)!

  4. ThriftoRama Says:
    1316196171

    He's been hubby's friend since high school. We had a huge fight over it when the money went out. I'm dreading bringing it up again, but hey, if he can move to peru sofr some girl, get can give us our money back.

  5. My English Castle Says:
    1316197314

    Grrr--I had a really devastating money-lending problem a couple of years ago, and it broke up a close friendship. I'll never do it again.

    And the separation anxiety is tough, isn't it? DD went through a similar phase when she was 3--and I used to sit in the car and cry. But the daycare provider said in 10 minutes DD was fine and playing happily--it was me who was feeling so awful.

  6. Jerry Says:
    1316427882

    It almost never works out, lending to friends (or even family), that really stinks and I am sorry to hear about it. I guess it is really true that unless you can afford to toss that money out the window, you are better off not loaning it in the first place... there is no insurance that it will work out at all. It's even harder when it leads the person to stay out of contact and doesn't appear to even affect their financial behaviors. Good luck and I hope things get easier with the little one!
    Jerry

Leave a Reply

(Note: If you were logged in, we could automatically fill in these fields for you.)
*
Will not be published.
   

* Please spell out the number 4.  [ Why? ]

vB Code: You can use these tags: [b] [i] [u] [url] [email]