Raises

So a couple of months ago I asked Job #1 for a 10% raise. I had a page-long document with evidence outlining why I deserve such a raise including attachments such as unsolicited emails from clients saying how amazing I was. They came back with a 5% raise. We get a 3% raise automatically every Sept. 1. At first I was a little put out b/c really all they gave me was an additional 2% raise and then they're also making me wait until Sept. 1 to get it. I'm still a little put out but it's ok... for now.

Then last night I was at Job #2 and we got paid yesterday so my paycheck was in my box. The amount seemed a little high, and upon closer inspection I saw that my hourly rate had gone up and no one had even told me. Calculations revealed that I got an 8% raise!!! Oh... nice. And MUCH needed since S still has not been hired anywhere yet.

Definitely Stressed

I redid the budget today, again pushing back a possible date that S starts to bring home a paycheck. I am supposedly getting a 5% raise, as opposed to our annual 3% raise b/c I raised a fuss about getting a better raise this year, starting Sept. 1 and I wanted to use it to open a Roth IRA but now that doesn't look like it's going to happen then after all. Right now there are so many variables to guess at that it's hard to do any real financial planning.

• IF S gets hired in August by one of the agencies he's already interviewed at, then we will be sitting pretty.
  
• But if he doesn't get hired, then IF he starts the process to join our Reserves and takes the test on Aug. 9, it could take him a couple of months to get fully hired on, so we'll be sitting pretty in... late September? October? Possibly November? Jesus, that's a long time.
  
• And IF he still is not working anywhere in September, I am going to be withdrawing all kinds of money from savings and I'm so scared to do that. It might be better just to quit over-contributing to the CC payments temporarily, but that hurts me psychologically. Which is the worst pain?
  

I Had a Revelation

...from reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad. It is this:

The Poor acquire liabilities.
The Rich acquire assets.

Think about this. If you get it, it should blow your mind.

I've also come to believe with every fiber of my being the following statement:

It doesn't matter how much money you make. It matters how much money you keep.

$2300 "Saved"

So we only paid $1700 for the plain white wrapper, leaving us $2300 from our budget of $4K. I can actually breathe a little easier now. With the leftover funds we'll take care of some essential and even a couple of fun things on the car that need taking care of. A huge chunk of the rest will go to the Visa card, whose 1.9% APR is expiring this month so that's timely indeed. And then we still have some funds leftover to play with, which is why I'm breathing a little easier--things are not so tight right now and it hasn't been that way in a long, long time. We also got our stimulus check last night, right on time just as the KGB I mean IRS promised, and a big bulk of that's going to the Visa card as well. The rest will go into savings so we are firmly back to Step 2 of Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps, where we'll remain for the next 1 1/2-2 years. But at least it's all on low, low interest!!!

Plan For Getting A New (Used) Car ASAP

The only thing within my power is to do the following: use one of the checks from my Discover card with a promotional APR of 1.9% until April 2009 (and initial 3% fee) to do so. I've told S we can do not a penny over $4000 for a used car. That will make my monthly payments around $150, perhaps a little more or less. By April 2009 S should definitely have a job!!! By then the whole amount should be close to paid off, even with the other credit card charges, which are as follows:

DISCLAIMER/REMINDER: Roughly 99.9% of the below charges are LEGAL FEES due to the custody battle.

Visa #1: $3300 @ 1.9% APR until June 23, 2008. I am going to fork over as much extra as possible this month (IRS Stimulus, Summer Job $, assorted extras) and when the APR expires on this month the balance should be closer to a nicer $500-600.

Visa #2: $4500 @ 0% APR until May 2009. Paying the minimum on this b/c, once again, S should definitely be employed by the time this promotional APR runs out.

Visa #3: $5360 @ 0% APR until September 2008. Some of the funds from Visa #2 will be used to pay a bunch on this account in September. Right now the funds are in an ING online savings account earning interest until then.

MasterCard: $8300 @ 6.9% APR until the balance is paid off. That's about the best deal you can get, even better than some banks will loan at.

So a Discover Card check charge will be, including the 3% fee, $4120. Although actually, I'm going to have to do closer to $5500, bringing the new Discover Card balance to $5665. This is b/c there are even more legal fees coming up, including mediation, additional payments to our lawyer, and a payment to the amicus attorney. Once again, 1.9% APR until 4/09 is about the best deal I'm gonna get.

The other night I said to someone that the custody battle is the worst thing that's ever happened to me. Financially AND otherwise, that is the God-honest truth.

Vacation All Paid For

S and I were in South Padre last Thursday-Sunday and the whole thing was paid for in cash. It was a nice feeling to come back home and not have to think about the credit card bills piling up in a month or so!

One lesson learned though, when bidding on Priceline, bid the lowest, most insulting offer you can think of. My boss here at Job #2 just told me when he went there last year they paid $39 for a $200 hotel room. I paid way too much for our room at the Travelodge!

Next time we go down there, I fully expect for our financial situation to be so excellent that we can afford to rent a jet ski and even parasail!

Money Saving Tips of the Week

Sign up for all birthday clubs at your favorite restaurants. They send great b-day coupons!

Split cotton balls in 2. (Buy the big ones.)

Water down liquid soap, shampoo, conditioner. It all still works great.

Get as many free meals as you can at work. For example, I've gotten 2 free lunches already this week and I'll get fed all day Sat. at the HHC Board retreat.

Buy coupon books from charitable organizations. Then you get coupons for all kinds of good stuff (I mostly use the restaurant/food ones) and you get a tax write-off.

Work an extra job in the evening instead of watching TV.