a semi-selfish request

It's only semi-selfish, I promise!

About two or three months ago my friend Carrie wrote THIS post about ways she saves $$$ online. That is when I joined Ebates.com. I was little like, "Is this right? I just do what I normally would do but earn cashback?!" But it's true…that's all you do.

Basically you just have to make sure you go to the Ebates site, then select the store you are going to purchase items from from their list [like Amazon, or Target, or Penneys…basically ANYWHERE you shop online, except Etsy and maybe a few others], and it redirects you to that site. You then earn a certain percentage of cashback when you make purchases. It's super easy. The hardest part is remembering to go to the Ebates site first [but I think you can somehow sign up for a toolbar or something so it automatically does it?].

 I don't do much online shopping [or any shopping in general these days], but when I do it's nice to earn a little cashback as well. In the two short months I've had it, I've earned about $3! Like I said, I don't do much online shopping, but a free $3? I'll take it!

Also, while I was typing this up I noticed that AT&T is on the ebates site, so I'm going to try to go through it next time I pay my bill and see if it counts?

Another nice perk is that when you sign up, you'll get a $10 giftcard to a store of your choosing after you spend $25 online. Awesome.

Why am I being so nice and letting you in on this great secret?
If you sign up and then fill in my email as your referral [kelsey.irwin [at] gmail [dot] com ] then I get some cashback points! Win! Win! Win! We all win!

Here's the link: EBATES.com Just click the little green "sign up" in the upper right. And don't forget to fill in the "referred by" section!

[By the way, for you frequent or even semi-frequent flyers: I *think* Southwest and American Airlines are on the list]

systems

I think it is fascinating to learn different people's systems for different things. For example: laundry. What works for one person may not work with the next.

I know budgets and finances are another area where systems differ from person to person. It took me a little time, but I felt like I finally had ours down. And then we dropped my income and the process looked a little different, but the essentials stayed the same.

Which brings me to this: I still balance our checkbook. When I mention this to people, a lot of times I get blank stares.

Okay, that may be an exaggeration as most people at least KNOW what it means to balance a checkbook, most just don't any more. I think with the invention of online banking a lot of paper and pencil figuring went out the window. People just check their accounts from time to time, or daily, and assume the number is right.

I can't live that way.

I think if I didn't feel the need to pinch every penny I MIGHT be able to…but probably not: It's just not me.

So even though Brent works at the bank, has access to our account every moment of the day, I still balance our checkbook and schedule payments [I don't even use auto-pay online…call me a control-freak].

I don't really have a fancy system, I just write things down, add/subtract, highlight what has been processed, and voila! A balanced checkbook and peace of mind for me.

One thing I also do is keep a little sticky note in my transaction register on which I write down our major payments throughout the month.

At the top I write down the dates Brent will get paid over the year, and then I write down the rough estimate for the amount of our bills and the dates that they are due. This gives me a good visual that I sometimes need in order to keep track of everything.  As a teacher I have had to learn what type of student I am: I am someone who needs to read things and have them laid out in front of me visually, so I devised a strategy that fit my learning needs. Like I said, it's nothing fancy-- hello, a sticky note-- but it works for me.

I subbed recently for a Personal Finance class, and they were on this very unit. The teacher had previously asked me if I knew how to balance a checkbook since that is what they would be doing while I was there. She wanted to make sure I knew how because she said the kids struggled a lot with it because it was nearly foreign to them.

Which made me wonder: 

Do YOU still keep a transaction register with your checkbook? 

If you do, why do you? 

If you don't, why don't you?  

I find it all very interesting. 

 

unplugged

At the end of June Brent and I pulled the plug on our TV. We knew we'd be dropping to one income shortly, which was a little motivation, but we also decided we were spending entirely too much time in front of the tube.

And you know what…we have hardly missed it.

We knew when we cut our cable that we wanted to at least get local channels with our antenna. Long story short…four months later… we still cannot figure that out. We have tried different antennas [mounted to house, inside], converter boxes, different tvs, etc. etc. etc. No one seems to be able to figure out the problem. So whatever. Our TV is silent right now. And it's actually not a big deal.

When the Olympics were on it was a little annoying, but it gave us some excuses to go to family or friends' houses and watch and hang out.

We had certain shows we would watch in the fall [The Mentalist, Castle, Modern Family, Biggest Loser…] We haven't missed them like we thought we would-- and when we do they are online if we really want to catch up.

We have been watching some of the old show [and my old love] ALIAS online. But other than that…nada. Zip. Nothing.

And you know what: I get SO much more done during the day. And in the evenings we just hang out and talk and play with baby girl or go for walks. The dishes get done. Laundry gets folded. It's an amazing thing.

I think Brent occasionally misses Sports Center, and there are games we sometimes want to watch. But mainly, we are quite content and satisfied without it.

What about you? What is your cable situation? I know a lot of people have switched to just netflix or something similiar…just curious.

new vs used

Brent and I have not had a good track record with vehicles.

Brent:
First car: I don't even remember what it was [Brent can leave that in the comment section], but was a dull grey, mainly from lack of any color, a 5 speed, and driven until it was parked in the town junk heap.
Second car: A red, VW Passat handed down fro his brother in California and driven back to Missouri. Brent got a ticket in this car because the speedometer didn't work. It overheated multiple times. Eventually something major happened [alternator?] and it was eventually sold/given away.
Third car: Green '97 Grand Am. 5 Speed. Smelled awful, always. Like wet hay. Best car yet. This is what we drove to Louisville in after we were married. Our plan: drive it until it won't go anymore. Mission accomplished. We "sold" it to our mechanic for $200/ parts.
Fourth car: 2004 Hyundai Sonata. Moving. on. up. We love/loved this car. It is/was faithful. Minor issues. Then we tried to drive it to Nashville over labor day and ohmygoodness. It literally fell apart. It has been in the shop for a month now. There are multiple things wrong, one of which may be a factory recall. We are praying this is the case. Waiting. Either way, cheaper than buying a new one.

Me:
First car: red, 1990, Ford escort. I loved that car. Bought it for $900. The seals around windows and doors were a joke, so living on a gravel road was hazardous for my health. The trunk didn't stay open on its own so I kept a dowel rod in there so I could prop it open when needed. The gas gauge didn't work. It didn't have cruise control. It survived only one Iowa winter when I was in college before we sold it for petty cash.
Second car: blue, 1996, Grand AM. Loved it. The gas gauge worked, it had cruise and automatic windows. I was stylin', folks! We did have to replace the transmission at one point...no big deal, right. One winter on my way home from school the gas pedal kept sticking...I was blazing down the road at 65 MPH and even when flooring the brake pedal it would only slow down to about 40. I freaked out...pulled it over...and turned it off quickly [pretty sure that is the worst possible thing you're supposed to do in that situation. Figured out the issue was an internal thing that had frozen [thank you, sub zero temps], and continued on up the road. Crazy. This is the car that my mom and Beck drove to Louisville when we moved [first stopping and washing off the "Just Married" written in lipstick lest they get strange looks]. This is the car that turned over to 200,000 miles one day while I drove to work. This is the car that had minor trips to the mechanic every year. This is the car that had the check engine light come on in EAST ST LOUIS! And this is the car that we hitched to our moving truck and got back to Missouri in 2010. It was short lived though from that point...it had been doing this "thing" for about a year when I would start it...if I didn't get moving right away it would die and I'd have to start again [probably not normal]. And eventually, one day, it just didn't start again. We sold it for parts to another mechanic....well, sort of: he was actually working on the Hyundai and he said that the cost of repairs was going to be about 300.-- We said, "Hey, what about we just give you this car?!" Fantastic. [A girl that I now coach eventually bought the car from him...but I've never seen her drive it because it's...in the shop! :)]
Third car: The car of my dreams-- a Subaru Outback. However, it is a 2003. So it has had its issues too...but it drives well, handles well, and it only cost us around $800 to get the Air conditioner fixed in it this summer. :) This is the only car in our possession right now. Beautiful. We bought it used from a lovely farm couple in Northern, MO. She was a mail carrier and used that car...and a dog literally BIT the front fender. The teeth marks are visible. The trunk has a funny catch when I have to open it, but other than that...lovely. With heated seats. A dream.

Enter our parents:
When we had our labor day weekend fiasco with our Sonata, my parents put on their flying panties [family joke...Kali can explain] and came to our rescue. They dropped off their vehicle for our use for the rest of the trip. Dad's instructions as we climbed in their car?
"Well, there is a CD stuck in the player so unless you want to listen to 'Nitty Gritty Dirt Band' you're gonna have to listen to the radio, but it doesn't get great reception. When you fill up the gas tank will drop to empty for awhile and the check engine light may possibly come on but it's fine. The lights kind of shake the hood will bounce but other than that it drives great!"
Brent's parents then lovingly lent us their vehicle for a week upon our return. Beck's instructions as we climbed into their car?
"Okay. The check engine light is on but it's fine. Something with a fuel injector? Also, the gas gauge might bottom out every once in awhile but it's okay too so don't worry about that."

We drove away laughing. No wonder we believe in buying, and limping along, used vehicles for as long as they'll cooperate. We don't have a car payment, so the unexpected 200/300 dollars every 5 or 6 months on something that breaks is no big deal. We've clearly grown up with parents who didn't believe in car payments either.

I know there are people from every camp of thought on this one. What is your take? Buy used? By new? By from a dealership? By from individual? What have you found works for you?

And HAPPY HAPPY 2nd Birthday to my sweetness and and little squeeze: Caroline Harper! We love you!

Things I could probably be better about buying more frequently

I am frugal...well, some say "cheap." [Actually some of us ladies in my small group in Louisville were swapping stories of our frugality while our husbands talked in the kitchen drinking nothing but water, obviously. Anyway, we were chatting away and laughing at how ridiculous we are when I shared my lemon story. Apparently this topped them all as they each called their husband into the room and had to let him know that they weren't that bad. Long story short, at our apartment in Louisville I had a garbage disposal. Loved the thing. But as you may very well know garbage disposals often get a horrible stench that is difficult to get rid of, but lemons solve the problem. Pop a couple wedges in there, hit the switch, and in no time it smells citrus-y and wonderful again. So one time when Brent and I went out for supper I ordered, as usual, a glass of water with lemon [you can probably see where this is going]. They put about three wedges in my glass. By the time we were leaving I had drank two glasses of water and had six wedges of lemon. I know lemons only cost about 50 cents, but here was practically a whole lemon in front of me [and already cut!]. I simply got a couple of napkins, wrapped them up, explained the situation to Brent, and plopped them in the disposal when we got home. And that was apparently the story to top all stories. Okay, so I like to pinch a few pennies :)].

This trait of mine has led to some crazy things. You remember the soap story, don't you [also here]? Well I have noticed lately that there are certain things that I try to stretch so I don't have to buy them very often.

One of these things is gum. Simple enough. Cheap enough. But in college the $1-2 per pack seemed pricey just for the luxury of fresh breath! :) So I came up with a solution; I began tearing each piece of gum in half. By my senior year a whole piece of gum just seemed excessive and was difficult to chew. When I did my student teaching even my students knew this and one cut a pack of gum in half for me and gave it to me as a gift! I realize this is a little ridiculous, but it cuts the price in half and prolongs the pack! Brent eventually got so used to me only chewing a half piece that he started to as well [poor guy]. We are a half piece of gum family. I'm sure our kids will inherit this trait.

Another product I have a hard time buying are razor blades. Brent and I both use Venus Embrace razors [I'm sure he is THRILLED that I just divulged that information]. These are very nice razors but the cartridges cost $20 for 6 of them! This just seems ridiculous. So we use them as long as we can possible stand it, until they are practically so dull they just massage our skin but don't cut anything! And then I finally break down and spend the $20. I would say we probably only buy 3 packs a year. Okay...as I type this I'm beginning to realize I may have a problem.

Product number three would have to be lotion. Now, don't get me wrong...I'll buy it if we need it, but I will stretch a bottle or tube of lotion for all it is worth. I will cut the tops off of them, just like my mama taught me, and seal them with a bag until I have scraped every drop out. For real.

Oh and lint rollers. They are a beautiful creation, aren't they? I love when I have this handy invention around. However, when the rolls run out I don't rush to the store to buy more. I think it is because I have found that tape will do the same trick, just not nearly as conveniently. But I always have tape of some sort lying around. And I I put off buying yet another product.

Haircuts! Oh goodness. I probably shouldn't admit that I only get about two haircuts a year...sometimes just one. The last time I got my hair cut was in June. Since my hair is curly, split ends don't really show, and neither do specific lengths of hair. If one layer outgrows another, not even I can tell! And Brent hasn't had a professional hair cut since we've been married. Thank you, $20 hair kit.

And since we're talking about hair I should probably inform you that I haven't bought shampoo or conditioner since 2008! In the fall I purchased 2 new bottles and before the week was over one of my coworkers gave me a 32 oz. bottle of shampoo and conditioner [she had just gotten a perm, so she bought hair care products for curly hair, but then the perm didn't really take]. I used those until we moved at which point I found the bottles I had purchased just before she had given me those. I am almost out of them, but my mom gave me two very large bottles recently of a product she had wanted to try but just didn't like! So although I have bought shampoo for Brent, I have not had to buy any for myself since the Fall of 2008. It really is a miracle. Kind of like the soap.

I could probably continue but I feel the need to shut my mouth. I am probably just going to go squirt a pea sized amount of toothpaste on my toothbrush [who's bristles are long past needing replaced], put on some sweats I've had since high school, and fall into a blissful sleep. Saving money doesn't bother me one bit :)

resolution update

Last weekend I took the time to write about my resolutions for this year. My hope is, that I will occasionally update you on my progress, or failure. Since I'm just getting started I thought it would be a good time to reflect on my past week and see how I did.

1. [I want to get to know Jesus again]. This is obviously something that doesn't happen over night, but I am trying to be much more disciplined in this area. Last weekend I purchased a study companion [also helping with resolution number 7], and it is great. It has 4 different applications with every passage, following the Lectio Divina style of study: Read, Think, Pray, Live. It is phenomenal and very helpful. I also purchases a fresh new journal [one of my very favorite things], to reflect, pray, and "hold my thinking" [a teacher term I use with my students].

2. [Do something intentionally everyday to serve Brent]. I have followed through with this one almost everyday. There was a day or two when I made supper and did the dishes, which I don't necessarily consider "intentional." I'm still trying to be creative with this one so it isn't simply something that I would normally do for him. Today I am going grocery shopping, and although I got some flack for not liking pineapples, I will be getting one for him :).

3. [Stop thinking about where I want to be and live where I'm at]. This one was going to be the most challenging for me, because it would be easy to keep floating right on by. So, last Sunday, a day after writing my resolution post, Brent and I decided we were just going to dive in and join a small group. And dive in we did. We will now be co-leading a small group every Sunday night, and we were able to meet everyone last Sunday, and will be beginning tomorrow night. [Sometime I'll have to write about how they put together small groups because it is CRAZY]. We are really excited about this opportunity to get to know some more people here, and know that it is something we should have done a long time ago.

4. [Have written 500 posts when 2011 comes knockin']. I've been trying to be a little more consistent with posting, and have greatly appreciated the comments and responses I've gotten. I also changed my layout/background scheme because in the past sometimes these changes have inspired me to write more, or at least attempt to write more. We shall see.

5. [Go on a service or missions trip]. Nothing is in the works yet on this one.

6. [Complete p90X]. Again, nothing is in the works yet. However, we are planning on beginning in February.

7. [Be less of a budget nazi]. This one will take time, as well. I feel like I have been having a better mindset when it comes to spending, and last weekend I finally bit the bullet and we went and saw a movie in the theater [this was the first one we had paid for since our anniversary last June]. I also gave more than our tithe this month, as we were challenged my our church to give over and above for our Haiti relief fund. Small steps, my friends, small steps. [Sidenote: I was telling mom that, although sometimes I feel mixed emotions about attending such a MASSIVE church, it is incredible what they are able to do in a time of crisis like this. Last Sunday they announced that they had already donated 180,000 dollars to a group in Haiti. What a blessing to be so blessed that when the world needs us to be His hands, without hesitation, they are able to be so generous.]

So there you have it folks, my resolution update!

Also, please let me know what you think about the new layout. I had fun taking some new pictures until I took this one that I thought would work with the color scheme. :)

good morning day 3 of a 4 day weekend

Yep, you read correctly. School was canceled yet again yesterday. We have gotten around 5 inches (maybe 6 outside of the city), so, I will give them credit...it is a decent snowfall for Kentucky.

Before things get rolling today I wanted to post something again. A few reasons why: Because I can prolong taking off my pajamas. If I am still in my pjs I do not feel the pull to be productive near as much as when I am dressed for the day. Also, because I have been blog hopping this morning and reading other blogs always encourages me to write more, even if it seems mindless or pointless...because I usually like reading my friends mindless and pointless blogs.

Brent is currently still sleeping. This is a VERY RARE occurrence. I seriously do not remember the last time that he slept in longer than me. Good for you, Brent! He has today AND tomorrow off; truly a dream come true. It is another rare occurrence as of late that a Saturday and Sunday are both open for him. This is wonderful and was enough encouragement to go out last night. Unfortunately me, the budget nazi, ruined a few plans. Here was our conversation:

B: Let's go out to a movie. You need to get out of the house [to which I smelled my armpits...do I stink, or just have the look of some crazed person under house arrest?], and we haven't been on a date in a bit.
Budget Nazi: Sounds good. I balanced the check book today and we could do it. Let's look at see what movies there are.
[proceed to look up movies]

B: I think "Sherlock Holmes" looks good...maybe "Invictus..."
Budget Nazi: yeah...maybe...I don't know...
[realization of what is happening spreads over B's face. he knows what is next and begins trying a bit harder.]
B: Or that new one, "Leap Year," is coming out today. I know you like that actress and even though the previews and the fact that it's a romantic comedy totally give the plot away we could go see that?!
Budget Nazi: I don't know, I just think that if we're going to spend $20 on a movie that it should be a movie that we really want to see. I won't enjoy it if I spend that much and only kind of want to see it.
[B tries a bit further but knows that the Budget Nazi has firm convictions. He too knows that there isn't truly a movie worth seeing right now. Both sigh, and figure out something else to do].

We ended up renting LOST, the TV series. I have fallen in love with this show while in college, but Brent had never watched it enough to know what was going on. The final season is coming out in February so he thought it would be fun to watch the seasons again together so we could watch the final one together. What a romantic notion. And that fun will keep on going. Unlike going to a 2 hour movie. AND we can watch it from our own couch where the benefits are endless: we can control the volume, the temperature in which we watch, we can wear sweats and look like death, we can pause in order to make strawberry milk or chips and dip or broccoli or WHATEVER and it won't cost us $8, etc. etc. etc. Beautiful thing.

After the trip to our video store (the one that is cheaper that we like is about 10 minutes away. Family Video. There is a Blockbuster 2 blocks away but Budget Nazi rears her ugly head and we travel to Family Video for MUCH cheaper rentals AND, I think, friendlier service.), we headed to Graeters Ice Cream. I don't think that the midwest has Graeters, at least, I never grew up thinking that the midwest has Graeters. It is much like Baskin Robins, but slightly more expensive. Perfect. Fortunate for Brent and the Budget Nazi I had received a couple gift cards over Christmas for being a "Graet" teacher [I thought that was clever...]. We split [because despite the gift cards we couldn't get TOO crazy away from normal...and our winter figures were okay with splitting] a double scoop of Raspberry and chocolate [Oprah's favorite...which almost made me want to switch], in a chocolate dipped waffle cone. Delicious. [Blue Bunny you still hold my heart.]

So after warming up with that treat we headed back out into the snow, drove the block home, got comfortable and began the LOST marathon. We watched 6 episodes and realized we aren't in college anymore and neither are our body-clocks and at 12:30 called it a night. When Brent wakes up, we will begin again [at least, I'm hoping].

[I am too verbose. My college profs always told me this, and I know it's true. I mean, look how long it took me to tell you this: We were going to go see a movie but I didn't want to spend the money so we rented LOST, ate ice cream, and watched the show until 12:30. Seriously. I'm sorry.]

In other news: When in our living room I quite often here scratching in the roof. I always thought this was our neighbor's cats...however, she moved out 2 months ago. So, it is either ghost cats, or mice, or rats or birds or other things that I don't want in our ceiling. However, this is the beauty of renting I suppose.

And lastly:
I know I don't do a very good job when I say, "In the future I'm going to write about this," but, at the risk of not seeing it through, here are a few things I hope to write about soon:

- Hopes for 2010/ resolutions, if you will.
- Things that marriage has taught me [as we approach the end of year 2...what?!]
- Things that teaching has taught me [as I approach the end of year 2...what?!]

And just so you know...Brent is still asleep.