This Nickel can make a real difference ...

After paying my bills today I picked up my mail.  I had to laugh at this mailing from the American Diabetes Association.  They are right, "this nickel can make a real difference", but in this case for me!!  I know that they hope that I will donate money towards a "cure", but unfortunately I have no choice but to keep this nickel for myself.  This nickel is going straight into my "Casita de Loose Change"!!

P.S.  When I opened this envelope they included some free return-address labels as well!!  What a deal ...

Follow-up:  Today I got another one of these, one more nickel for the "Casita de Loose Change" and some more address labels to use when I ship all my eBay items!!

© 2011 StayInMorroBay@gmail.com

Credit Card Rewards Programs and Robbing Peter to Pay Paul

What a day, so far I have paid three bills and have realized that I am really in a bind.  I have only $215.43 left in my account and I have to pay my credit card bill of $401.17.  That means to cover this credit card payment I need to come up with $185.74 today!!

When I closed out my Chase checking accounts last week the banker told me that I could get some cash back from my credit card Ultimate Rewards program.  I had 22,528 points and he recommended that I go online to redeem the points as cash.  I assumed that I would be able to apply $200 towards my credit card payment.  Surprise, they are mailing me a $225 check that should arrive in 3 weeks!!  Even if I had gone online last week to do this I would still have had to come up with some cash to cover the shortfall.

So, now I have to scrounge around to find enough cash to cover that payment.  After rent and my storage unit payment I will have about $75.00 in my other checking account, plus about $300 in savings.  I really didn't want to get into that savings, it seemed so safe and secure.  I also still have $1000 in traveler's checks that I keep for total emergencies, and I am hoping to not have to use that at all.  I have a bit of cash on hand, but don't want to use that for bill-paying.  What am I going to do?

I can either transfer some savings into my checking account and deposit the check when it arrives next month.  Or, I can deposit some traveler's checks into my online bill-paying account and buy more traveler's checks with the check when it arrives next month.  Of course there are fees involved in purchasing traveler's checks (or cards), so that is definitely a concern.  I think I will go ahead and transfer money from my savings account to my checking account in order to cover the credit card bill this month and plan on depositing the check there when it arrives.

Some other points-earning accounts I have include Best Western and my Bank of America credit card.  I checked and the Best Western points cannot be converted to cash.  Interestingly, the Bank of America credit card rewards program does not pay out cash as high as the Chase credit card program does.  In fact, for the same amount of points I would have gotten exactly half what I did with Chase.  So, perhaps it would be better for me to see if there is any merchandise they offer for the points rather than take a cash payout. My third credit card did not have a rewards option.

I totally understand the old adage of "robbing Peter to pay Paul", because that is exactly what I have to do.  At least I haven't yet reached the point where I am spending money I don't have!!

 Follow-up:  I was ecstatic to get my checks in the mail earlier than expected!!  I immediately deposited them back into my savings account.

© 2011 StayInMorroBay@gmail.com

Do I need the Sunday Paper??

 

My Sunday morning tradition has been to stop by The Dollar Tree and purchase the Sunday paper.  Then I head over to my favorite Mexican restaurant, Maya in North Morro Bay, and order the chicken fajitas, a salad with blue cheese dressing, and a Coke/Sprite mixed soda.  I peruse the day's news while I dine and people-watch.  However, today I realized that I will have to limit even this simple tradition if I will be able to afford to stay in Morro Bay.

The paper, not surprisingly at the Dollar Tree, costs a dollar (+ tax).  Of course, whenever I shop at the Dollar Tree store I always find other items that I just can't live without!!  This morning I also purchased a bottle of body wash, a spray bottle, a bottle of Mello Yellow, and a bag of tortilla chips (for my meal leftovers).  Add the gas to get to the store and the restaurant, plus $21 for the meal, I can't continue to do this weekly.

As I read my paper today I realized that I recycle most of the paper without even reading it.  I used to use the TV Listings, but now I check out the live listings on the Charter site.  I read only a couple of the articles in the paper, some of which are listed in the email updates I now get from the SLO Tribune.  I found the weekly Dear Abby and the Heloise columns online, as well as the Parade insert.  I don't think I would actually seek those out on a daily or weekly basis, but it is nice to know I can find them for free!!

Most of the ads I don't care about, but I found an online ad for Rite-Aid, the only chain store in Morro Bay.  If I know I will be working my part-time job on the coming weekend I can check out the K-Mart and Target online ads, because I know I can stop in Atascadero and Paso Robles on my way North.  I am on the Staples emailing list, which send out their weekly ads, and I can find them directly online if I need to check out their prices.

I do check out the coupon circulars, but I only cut out 4-5 coupons from each.  I found some online sites for the coupon circulars (Redplum and Smart Source) and can go there any time I need some current coupons.  The Tightwad Gazette blog helps people find amazing bargains and I will check it out when I need additional coupons for products.

I will miss eating at Maya, though.  Their morning crew on Sunday recognizes me as a "regular" and they know what my order is without me even having to tell them!!  I also like to support local business when I can.  I think the key words here are "when I can".  Right now I can't, I have no money!!  I want to stay in Morro Bay!!  I will miss the great food at Maya.  I will even miss the "holy-rollers" who congregate here after services on Sunday, they provide a wonderful people-watching opportunity.  However, knowing that I can save almost $25 a week ($100 a month) by not buying my Sunday paper and reading it at the restaurant will make me feel better, and will hopefully go a long way toward allowing me to STAY IN MORRO BAY!!

© 2011 StayInMorroBay@gmail.com

My "Casita de Loose Change"!!

Last week I decided to cancel my Chase checking accounts because they are no longer free.  They offered several methods to get around the fee, but since I am unemployed and have no money I did not qualify.  I checked around town and, although there were several local banks who offered free checking, I decided to choose Wells Fargo.  

Wells Fargo Bank is national, is conveniently located in my grocery store, and offers a method to get around the fees.  By setting up a checking and a savings account they will automatically transfer $25 from checking to savings each month.  I chose the lower transfer amount because, again, I have no money!!  If I get a job later I can upgrade to the $75 transfer amount and get free cashier's checks and money orders.  I had to scrape together $200 to open the accounts, and those funds had to stay in the account for 24 hours.  I will have to pay about $20 for the checks, so am hoping that I can manage to pay all my bills online and use my free debit card for other transactions.  That way I might be able to get away with having no checks for this account.  I have another "free for life" checking account from Bank of the West, but unfortunately that bank is not located in my area.  That account is where my paychecks will be deposited, and I will use that account to pay the other bills.  Although the Bank of the West account is free, there is a monthly fee to use the debit card.

As my free gift for opening my Wells Fargo account I was given a darling little savings bank, called a "Casita".  I was going to give it to my niece, but yesterday I realized that perhaps I need it more than she does!!  I decided that I would put all of my "silver" coins into the bank, who knows when I might need a quick cache of cash?  So, today my wallet is poorer by 3 quarters, 3 nickels, and 5 dimes -- and my Casita is $1.40 richer!!

Follow-up: Yesterday I had to break into the "Casita de Loose Change" because I had to go to the laundromat.  I was surprised to find that I had $8.00 worth of quarters, and about $2.50 in dimes and nickels!!  My washing machine broke and since I will have to go to the laundromat often, I will have to set up a different receptacle for my quarters.  Only dimes and nickels will go into the casita from now on!!

© 2011 StayInMorroBay@gmail.com

I want to Stay in Morro Bay!!

Two and a half years ago I moved to Morro Bay, California.  I took early retirement from my 20-year job and accepted a position in San Luis Obispo.  I knew I wanted to retire to Morro Bay and thought that it would be great to move down to the Central Coast so I could be familiar with the area and make some new friends.   Unfortunately, that job didn't work out, I was let go after 3 months.

I realize now that the woman who recommended that I be let go was correct, even though her motivations may have been misguided.  I was not suited for that job.  At the time, however, I was devastated!!  In my 35 years of working I had never even had a mediocre review, much less a bad review followed by being "let go".  It was a surprise, even though that morning I had a moment of prescience as I headed out the door of my cottage.  I had thought, "What if I get laid off, what would I have to remember to take with me from my office?"  It was a strange thought and even at the time I thought it could have been a premonition.  Sure enough, that day I was called into the big bosses office and was told that he had to let me go.  He wanted me to stay until the end of the week, but I was too emotional and knew I couldn't stay.  In tears, I packed up my office and left then and there.

Most of my coworkers were shocked at how I was let go, and I did have some support from one of them in particular who snuck back in my office to retrieve some personal items I had forgotten!!  It was comical as we went back and forth leaving each other messages, trying to arrange when and where we should meet so she could give me my "stuff", like some illicit drug exchange!!  I appreciated her support at a time when I was still in shock.  Right after it happened I wasn't comfortable telling people that I had been "let go", so I let people think I had been "laid off".  At the time it sounded better, but over time I have changed my wording to be more accurate.  The only negative thing for me now is that I have to say that I was "let go" on my job applications.

The first thing I did that day was to drive over to my storage unit and retrieve all the boxes of stuff I had been planning to sell after I got "settled" in Morro Bay.  I had been selling through eBay for many years, but when I revisited their site I realized that their policies had changed so much that their site was no longer a viable place for low-end sellers like me.  So, I did a bit of research and discovered some free online storefronts.  I decided to list my modern items on BluJay and my vintage items on eCrater.  It made me feel like I was doing something proactive towards my unemployed situation.

Of course, after I did a bit of research, I applied for Unemployment Insurance.   I lucked out that I was awarded the maximum weekly benefit because they based the figure on my previous job.  I was also lucky that I hadn't quit my part-time job when I got the San Luis Obispo position.  I had been commuting up to the San Francisco Bay Area every other weekend for a high-paying part-time position.  This part-time position enabled me to continue to stretch out my Unemployment Insurance for 2 years at the highest weekly award while I have been job-hunting in my field.

I have lived somewhat frugally over the last two years, but I recently began my third Unemployment Insurance claim and they are now only using my part-time work to calculate my weekly benefit amount.  My current weekly benefit amount is only $150, and I will only get that during a week when I am not working my part-time job.  The bottom line is that while my part-time job will give me enough to pay my rent, it is not enough to pay the bills!!

And, I want to Stay in Morro Bay!!  I love it here, I am happy here, it is beautiful here.  Unfortunately, there are almost no job opportunities in my field here in San Luis Obispo County.  At almost 50 years old I don't want to move home with my parents, although I totally appreciate that I have that option.  I moved home with them in my mid-thirties and went crazy.  I was able to get somewhat out of debt after a year and a half, but I had gained 25 pounds and many stress-related health issues.  I couldn't get out of there fast enough once I was relatively solvent.

So, after seeing this incredible sunset this evening I decided that I WANT TO STAY IN MORRO BAY!!  This blog will follow my journey of trying to find money to pay the bills, find a job,  hopefully getting out of debt again, AND be able to stay in Morro Bay!!

© 2011 StayInMorroBay@gmail.com