With my new job 80% of the work is prepping for the class (with 10% grading work and 10% giving lectures).
Sooooo…
Sorry to say, but… I’ll probably not be updating my blog like I have been.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
What have your utilities done for YOU lately?
Considering I live in an area where we have not yet had to turn off our A/C, we pay a good chunk of money to our power company. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that they were giving us $75 in free CFL light bulbs! Free!
While I’m always up for free things, I had put this offer off thinking that it would be complicated or time consuming. Then I got a reminder notice last week with a checklist for me to assess the type of lighting we have in our apartment. From that list, it recommended the appropriate type of light bulb. It had all sort of light bulbs- little ones that look like fake candles- to ones that look, well, like a regular light bulb. They even had flood lights and insect lights.
All I had to do to get my $75 worth of lights was to log on to my electricity account and denote how many of each blub I wanted. Shipping and handling was covered by my power company and they should arrive in six weeks!
How neat is that!?!
While I’m always up for free things, I had put this offer off thinking that it would be complicated or time consuming. Then I got a reminder notice last week with a checklist for me to assess the type of lighting we have in our apartment. From that list, it recommended the appropriate type of light bulb. It had all sort of light bulbs- little ones that look like fake candles- to ones that look, well, like a regular light bulb. They even had flood lights and insect lights.
All I had to do to get my $75 worth of lights was to log on to my electricity account and denote how many of each blub I wanted. Shipping and handling was covered by my power company and they should arrive in six weeks!
How neat is that!?!
Monday, December 8, 2008
December update
In all my excitement of getting my new job last week; I didn’t assess how my financial situation changed over this last month!
As a whole, my net worth is back into the negative three digits- whoo hoo! I haven’t been here since before the September crash! As expected my retirement savings dwindled, but at least it shrank due to external force- rather than through some error on my part.
My key savings accounts I’ve been tracking have once again inched ahead.
2008 Roth IRA 3K- was: 60.3% now: 61%
15K New Car Fund- was: 24.3% now: 24.5%
14K Emergency Fund- was: 18.8% now: 19%
100K DP Home Fund- was: 11.7% now: 11.8%
It’s pretty apparent I will not reach my financial goals for 2008, but then again, being unemployed for a year has a way of hampering personal financial goals. If anything, these small financial advancements are a testament that we, as a married couple, can stay solvent on one salary and even save a little. This year could have been a financial disaster for us, but instead, it focused us on doing what we really want to do and to not spend extravagantly.
That- that is something to be thankful for!
As a whole, my net worth is back into the negative three digits- whoo hoo! I haven’t been here since before the September crash! As expected my retirement savings dwindled, but at least it shrank due to external force- rather than through some error on my part.
My key savings accounts I’ve been tracking have once again inched ahead.
2008 Roth IRA 3K- was: 60.3% now: 61%
15K New Car Fund- was: 24.3% now: 24.5%
14K Emergency Fund- was: 18.8% now: 19%
100K DP Home Fund- was: 11.7% now: 11.8%
It’s pretty apparent I will not reach my financial goals for 2008, but then again, being unemployed for a year has a way of hampering personal financial goals. If anything, these small financial advancements are a testament that we, as a married couple, can stay solvent on one salary and even save a little. This year could have been a financial disaster for us, but instead, it focused us on doing what we really want to do and to not spend extravagantly.
That- that is something to be thankful for!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Gainfully employed!
Yes, it’s true! I’ve got a part-time teaching instructor position!!!!
Whoo-hooo!!!!
Monday, December 1, 2008
e-Hope
After eleven months of unemployment, hundreds of emails to department heads and hr people, and lots of deep sighs an email appeared:
“I have a vitae on file for you as someone who is interested in part-time teaching. I'm looking for an instructor for Spring to teach … Are you interested in teaching this spring, or is your plate already full?”
Is my plate full? HA!
Am I interested in teaching in the Spring- you bettcha!
AND…. (drum roll please)… the interview is on Wednesday!
I’m going to spend the next couple days getting ready- I really want this job! I’ll post an update after the interview!
“I have a vitae on file for you as someone who is interested in part-time teaching. I'm looking for an instructor for Spring to teach … Are you interested in teaching this spring, or is your plate already full?”
Is my plate full? HA!
Am I interested in teaching in the Spring- you bettcha!
AND…. (drum roll please)… the interview is on Wednesday!
I’m going to spend the next couple days getting ready- I really want this job! I’ll post an update after the interview!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope that you are blessed today to be spending time with loved ones!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Scams
Ahh.. ‘tis the season of more online shopping and more online scams! Here’s an example of one I got earlier this week and my comments are in (parentheses).
PayPal investigation of an unauthorized activity claim: #PP-587-442-704 (nice and scary-huh?)
From:
service@intl.paypal.com (who knew paypal had an international division- oh wait…they already are!)
You may not know this sender.Mark as safeMark as unsafe
Sent:
Mon 11/24/08 3:32 PM
To:
*******@hotmail.com
Dear *******@hotmail.com, (not using my name= big tip off!)
We recently noticed that a transaction may have been made without yourknowledge or consent. We are currently investigating the followingtransaction: -----------------------------------Details of Disputed Transaction -----------------------------------
Seller's name: Hagio-HostSeller's
email: yawvaar@gmail.comSeller's
transaction ID: 7YW39066PT6017814
Transaction date: Nov 25, 2008
Transaction amount: -$80.94 USD (80 bucks! Oh no!)
Your transaction ID: 30L88064FF065545B Case number: PP-587-442-704
To see the details of this case, log in to your PayPal account by following the link below and go to the Resolution Center. (yeah, I’ll click on it and get what type of virus?)https://www.paypal.com/login?......7YW39066PT6017814?=disputeTRANSACTION
The seller has been asked to provide information about this transaction.During this time the funds are not available in your account, but if theunauthorized activity claim is decided in your favor, we will fully refundyou for the amount of the transaction.Sincerely,Account Review Department
Please do not reply to this email. This mailbox is not monitored and youwill not receive a response. For assistance, log in to your PayPal accountand click the Help link in the top right corner of any PayPal page.BC:PP-587-442-704:R1:USD80.94:11/25/2008:30L88064FF065545B (nice touch!)
Wow… well of course I logged into paypal the traditional way and low-and-behold no funny transactions! Althought, I can see why emails like this could trip up the elderly or the unfamiliar with technology.
Just one more thing to watch out for!
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