Money comes and goes so quickly here!

Okay, all, thank you for your patience in the midst of my slight distractedness.



I'd like to start off on a positive note:



As of tomorrow afternoon, Tim's last student loan payment will go through.





So that is one major debt gone. Phew!


We've been paying this off pretty much since he moved in with me, back in July of '06. He was in collections on the debts, since he couldn't keep a job long with his health conditions. The original amount was something like $20,000.


One collections company agreed to settle for something around $5,000 when all was said and done (one big payment, two medium-sized ones). The Department of Education dropped some of the fees off once we got his account back in good standing.


But since June, we've been working at the last $2300. In 4 months, with only unemployment & disability, I'd say we're doing pretty well. (Gosh, but I love to toot this horn of mine!)


So, now we are down to brass tacks: credit cards. I'll be putting some progress bars up soon (Chase's website is fighting me when I try to log on) and then we can all keep track of the progress.


Suffice to say, there's a light at the end of the tunnel (and it's not an oncoming train).


We still have a long road ahead of us -- just over $12,000 to pay down. But clearly we have the means and stubbornness to do it.


For the other issues I talked about -- mainly time management -- Tim is going to help me. The work I picked up on a contract basis is often taking more than the quoted 2 hours. It has to do with social bookmarking and so is taking 3-4 hours, since socializing and building friends is integral.


So, from now on, Tim and I will have a strict "stop at 3" rule. I have to be done my work by 3 p.m. And I have to get away from the computer. Before I'm done my posting, I can't do anything else. It has to be like a regular job.


Then I have to stay away from the computer until after our walk at 4 p.m. This will help me get out and process some Vitamin D which is important to energy. Also, it will get me out of the house, which has been happening less and less. And the exercise should be good for my energy as well.


Finally, getting away for an hour or two should help me keep my day more separate and from feeling like everything is bleeding over into everything else. You have to love multitasking -- it's the only thing that allows you to do a ton of things badly (and all simultaneously!).


And, of course, we're hoping to be done cataloging Magic cards within one week. Then I can just spend a day or two noting different stores' prices. (I'm a huge spreadsheet geek.)


Then, whatever does sell will be sorted into common/uncommon and "rares" since some stores pay bulk prices for those. Luckily, rares are a different color, so they're easyish to spot. In other words, it's not quite as arduous as it sounds.


Why are we doing this? We're getting a 25% commission of the final price. And, about halfway in, we're at about $265. Normally it would be a little lower but Tim's friend owes us some money from when he crashed on our couch for three weeks. This is a way to settle everything all at once.


Finally, I've started doing some online survey programs as another way to earn money. I'm registered on a couple sites. They're all kind of repetitive, I have to say. But I will try and do a brief list of my experiences with that, if anyone wants me to.


Man, after reading this post, no wonder I'm so beat!


That said, I'm not ruling out the possibility that I have to up my medication dosage on my antidepressants. It's been about four years (I'm reluctant to ever bother) so it's something to keep an eye on.


Of course, in this economy, maybe you're only sick if you don't have angst-ridden malaise. Is anyone else reading about the bailout and wondering why the federal government and the corporations aren't being put on debt reduction plans?!


Thanks for listening to my various ramblings and I will try to have some more frugality-related posts again soon!