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Archive for January, 2012

DH 30th Birthday Party!

February 1st, 2012 at 04:30 am

DH turns 30 in March and I am planning a super fun bus trip from town to our local casino (about 45 min away). I am inviting about 35 people and am hoping to have 20+ attend. We get the bus for as long as we want (within reason) and can bring drinks/coolers on the bus and each rider will get a $10 free money when they get to the casino. It costs $750 for the 34 passenger bus. So if we filled it up it would only be $22 per person plus they would get the $10 back when they get there. I am thinking we will have about 20 people and then it will be $37 a piece. We are super excited, should be crazy fun!!

2012 Biggest Loser - Week 4 Weighin

February 1st, 2012 at 04:04 am

Week Four
Pounds Lost this week = -.2
Total pounds lost = 3.8
% weight loss = 2.16%
Place = 2nd out of 4 people


Shoot, shoot, shoot! Monday morning I was down 4 (YES 4!) more lbs then this weigh in Tuesday morning....but Monday night I went out with a friend and had salad, bread, pasta, cheesecake and too many beers to count....DUMB. Frown Sigh....
At least I was still down a little, but I was so excited Monday morning and then Tuesday morning I was bummed.....gotta get back to the gym...all weekend off from Bingo, so gotta have a sweating marathon Saturday and Sunday.

$20K Update - $16K!!!

February 1st, 2012 at 03:58 am

Finally got my $25 reimbursement for paying for my gaming fee for Bingo back in September so stuck that in the EF. Lots of misc little deposits since we get paid from all of our jobs this week....and we hit $16K!!!
I am pumped, I can see the end of the $20K Challenge! Between our taxes and not having to pay the mortgage for 2 months (seperate refi post to come soon) we should hit $20K in March or April!! YEAH! Then we can throw all of our extra money including the bingo money to the mortgage......say bye bye mortgage, your days (ok years) are numbered!!

Current Balance $15,670.00
+$90.00 Bingo Tips
+$25.00 Gaming License Reimbursement to EF
-$28.00 To ROTH IRA
+$3.00 Even Out Amount
+$100.00 To September 2012
+$125.00 To Home Improvements
+$15.00 To EF to get to $16K!!!!
New Balance $16,000.00

Bingo Money $1510.00
ING $8810.00 ($1500.00 Bingo Money)
Mortgage Payoff $125.00
Home Improvements(cash) $945.00
HSBC $4610.00
Total = $16,000.00

Added $91.15 to Bingo Tips
Tips total - $1157.36
Wage total - $1855.46
Total Bingo Money - $3012.82

Chase Freedom Card - Free $300!!

January 29th, 2012 at 07:59 pm

We get tons of credit card offers in the mail, but because we love our Discover Card so much we normally just shred them. Recently I got an offer from Chasse Freedom for a card with 0% interest until Feb 2013 and you get $300 cash back just for making an initial purchase on the card. So I applied for the card and have now received it and activated it. When I called to activate it I checked with their phone rep and she verified all I have to do is make one initial purchase and in 6-8 weeks we will get a check for $300! YEAH! Love free money!

$20K Update - Bingo Tips

January 25th, 2012 at 03:48 am

Current Balance $15,585.00
+$85.00 Bingo Tips
New Balance $15,670.00

Bingo Money $1420.00
ING $8695.00 ($1500.00 Bingo Money)
Mortgage Payoff $125.00
Home Improvements(cash) $820.00
HSBC $4610.00
Total = $15,670.00

Added $86.60 to Bingo Wages
Tips total - $1066.21
Wage total - $1855.46
Total Bingo Money - $2921.67

2012 Biggest Loser - Week 3 Weighin

January 25th, 2012 at 03:42 am

Week Three
Pounds Lost this week = -2
Total pounds lost = 3.6
% weight loss = 2.05%
Place = 2nd out of 4 people

Pretty happy with this week. I watched my food and even went running at the gym twice. Smile I am 2.4lbs away from getting under the next 10lb mark....I would LOVE to make it under that by next weeks weigh in. So gonna try super hard. I have volleyball tomorrow night and really busy the rest of the week, but should be able to go to the gym Saturday afternoon (but I work 9 hours at bingo that night...so we will see if I have enough energy) but for sure will be able to go Sunday and get a good workout in.

Gotta keep my eye on the prize!

February 2012 Mortgage Payment

January 21st, 2012 at 06:51 pm

Posting this a little early cause I have some time to get it done right now.

February 2012 Mortgage Payment

Balance $122,100.00
+$381.56 Interest
+$319.71 Escrow
-$1323.28 Regular Payment
-$607.99 Principle Payment
New Balance $120,870.00


$120K = 120 months left = 10 years left!

Buy your Forever Stamps!!

January 21st, 2012 at 06:25 pm

If you use any stamps at all, make sure you stock up today! Stamp prices go up tomorrow from .44 to .45 each. I don't use stamps very often since the majority of our bills are paid automatically with our Discover Card, but of course there occasionally is a rebate, card, or letter that I need a stamp for. The last time I bought stamps was 5/11/08. I bought 100 forever stamps (kept the receipt) for .41 and still have 14 of those left. So now I bought another 100 @ .44 each and those should last me about 4 years since we still have some of the last batch left. I know it's only pennies, but they all add up! Smile

2011 Mortgage Summary

January 21st, 2012 at 05:40 pm

We got our annual mortgage statement from our mortgage company.

Summary of payments for 2011:
Principal $13,500.00
Interest $4905.23
Property Taxes $2248.60
Late Charges $0

Our goal on the mortgage is to go down at least $1000 a month, so we beat our goal for the year by $3,500!!

2011 Taxes

January 21st, 2012 at 05:32 pm

Stillllllllllllll waiting for 2 more W2s (we had 4 this year), our HSA statement and our interest statements from our banks. Normally I would use what I already have to get started on Turbotax....but been so busy between work, OT, second job, and now I am also playing on a volleyball team....busy, busy, busy. So I think I will just wait till we get the forms and do it all at once.
All of the tax money is going into savings (not sure which account yet) so I can't wait to see if/what we are getting back.

$20K Update

January 21st, 2012 at 05:17 pm

Moved another $500 from my at home Bingo money to ING Bingo money. Trying to get as far away from $14K as we can before we go to Vegas in March.

Current Balance $15,185.00
+$215.00 Bingo Wages
+$100.00 to Anniversary Cruise
+$85.00 to Retirement Hold Account
-$500.00 Bingo Money from home
+$500.00 Bingo Money to ING
New Balance $15,585.00

Bingo Money $1335.00
ING $8695.00 ($1500.00 Bingo Money)
Mortgage Payoff $125.00
Home Improvements(cash) $820.00
HSBC $4610.00
Total = $15,585.00

Added $213.82 to Bingo Wages
Tips total - $979.61
Wage total - $1855.46
Total Bingo Money - $2835.07

2012 Biggest Loser - Week 2 Weigh In

January 19th, 2012 at 03:27 am

Week Two
Pounds Lost this week = -.8
Total pounds lost = 1.6
% weight loss = .91%
Place = 3rd out of 4 people

Not as much as I was hoping for, but in the right direction so that is good. Very busy this week. Gonna make sure I go to the gym on Saturday and Sunday. And maybe do some Wii dancing too. Got lots of yummy Special K snacks for work.

$20K Update

January 16th, 2012 at 05:32 pm

Current Balance $15,125.00
+$60.00 Bingo Tips
New Balance $15,185.00

Bingo Money $1620.00
ING $8110.00 ($1000.00 Bingo Money)
Mortgage Payoff $125.00
Home Improvements(cash) $820.00
HSBC $4510.00
Total = $15,185.00

Added $58.10 to Bingo Tips
Tips total - $979.61
Wage total - $1641.64
Total Bingo Money - $2621.25

2012 Biggest Loser - Week 1 WeighIn

January 15th, 2012 at 05:21 pm

We started the Biggest Loser again for 2012. Only 4 people in it this time. $10 per person so the winner will get $40. It ends the week before I go to Vegas, so I am hoping to lose 10 more pounds (lost 7lbs in the last round) by the end. Then I would be down almost 20 lbs and that would feel great!!

After the first week I am in last place, but I weighed myself today and I was down 4 more lbs from last weeks weighin, so I just need to be good for 2 more days till the next weigh in and I should be in first this week.

Last night I was working at Bingo and everyone was getting an order together for McDonalds, but I said no and ate the Lean Cuisine I had brought. Win for $$ and win for my waist! So proud of myself while everyone ate their greasy cheeseburgers!


Week One
Pounds Lost this week = -.8
Total pounds lost = .8
% weight loss = .45%
Place = 4th out of 4 people

$20K Update - $15K!!

January 14th, 2012 at 09:38 pm

Current Balance $14,905.00
+$100.00 to Sept 2012 Savings
+$120.00 to Home Improvements
New Balance $15,125.00

Bingo Money $1560.00
ING $8110.00 ($1000.00 Bingo Money)
Mortgage Payoff $125.00
Home Improvements(cash) $820.00
HSBC $4510.00
Total = $15,125.00

Added $0 to Bingo Tips
Tips total - $921.51
Wage total - $1641.64
Total Bingo Money - $2563.15

Company HSA Deposit

January 11th, 2012 at 05:11 am

We got our company HSA deposit today of $600! Yeah! Now our HSA is up to $6800! Super excited about that! Between our $125 deposit per paycheck and the incentives I get for entering my healthy eating and workout points we should get over $10K by the end of the year! Makes me feel so secure to know that even if somethihg horrible happened we would have enough in our HSA to pay for it. Smile

$20K Update

January 11th, 2012 at 04:28 am

Last night we went to the casino and came home $40 ahead, so I rounded it up to $50 and sent it to payback the retirement account. ING is now over $8K! Whoo hoo! I need to transfer another $500 from Bingo money to ING, but will wait a little while for that.
Can't wait for our tax documents so we can get our refund into savings!

Current Balance $14,785.00
+$70.00 Bingo Tips
+$50.00 Casino win
(payback retirement account, still owe $750.00)
New Balance $14,905.00

Bingo Money $1560.00
ING $8010.00 ($1000.00 Bingo Money)
Mortgage Payoff $125.00
Home Improvements(cash) $700.00
HSBC $4510.00
Total = $14,905.00

Added $72.00 to Bingo Tips
Tips total - $921.51
Wage total - $1641.64
Total Bingo Money - $2563.15

Vegas Baby!

January 8th, 2012 at 10:12 pm

We have been planning a big group trip to Vegas for about 2 yrs now for my little bros 21st Birthday and my husband's 30th Birthday. Finally it is almost here! We have about 15-20 people that are going. We will be going in March and we have been watching flights like crazy trying to get a good price. We were able to get them for $89.99 on the way there and $114.99 on the way back, which I am super happy with. The prices had been really high, sometimes over $200 each way, so I think we did good. DH just started getting paid for coaching track (which he won't actually start coaching until mid Feb) and we are going to use his first 2 track checks to pay for the flights so we don't have to take any out of our Vegas savings yet.
We are only taking one bag, so that will save us $50 in baggage fees, and we also went to the airport to book the flights, so saved $15 a piece on online convenience fees by doing that. We are still working on the hotel, I think DH is going to be in charge of that part.

$20K Update

January 8th, 2012 at 09:55 pm

DH got $200 for Christmas, I would like to do something fun with that, but we only have $5 in our EF right now. So I stuck that money in the EF for now. Also got Bingo tips and Bingo payday.

Current Balance $14,285.00
+$200.00 Christmas Money
+$45.00 Bingo Tips
+$155.00 Bingo Payday
+$85.00 to Retirement Hold Account
+$100.00 to Sept 2012 Savings
-$112.00 to ROTH IRA
+$2.00 Even Out Amount
+$25.00 Cash to Home Improvements
New Balance $14,785.00

Bingo Money $1490.00
ING $7960.00 ($1000.00 Bingo Money)
Mortgage Payoff $125.00
Home Improvements(cash) $700.00
HSBC $4510.00
Total = $14,785.00

Added $45.10 to Bingo Tips and $153.08 Bingo Wages
Tips total - $849.51
Wage total - $1641.64
Total Bingo Money - $2491.15

$20K Update - Interest

January 2nd, 2012 at 09:35 pm

Current Balance $14,215.00
+$5.22 ING Interest
+$34.78 Even Out Amount
+$30.00 paying back Retirement hold account
(still owe $800)
New Balance $14,285.00

Bingo Money $1290.00
ING $7685.00 ($1000.00 Bingo Money)
Mortgage Payoff $125.00
Home Improvements(cash) $675.00
HSBC $4510.00
Total = $14,285.00

Added $0 to Bingo Tips
Tips total - $804.41
Wage total - $1488.56
Total Bingo Money - $2292.97

January 2012 Savings Update

January 2nd, 2012 at 09:24 pm

January 2012 Savings Update
As of January 1, 2012:

Regular Savings:
Bingo Money $2290
Home Maintanence $600
Mortgage Payoff Account (cash) $125
Cushion $2000
HSA $6120
New Patio Door(cash) $675
September 2012 $640
Emergency Fund $5
New Car $2050 - Complete
Vacation - $2620 - Complete
Anniversary Cruise $4510 - Complete
Total Regular Savings = $21,635.00

Retirement Savings:
Retirement Hold Account $710
Roth IRA $4540
Rollover IRA $1385
401K $16,220
403B $13,400 (est)
Total Retirement Savings = $36,255.00

Total Savings = $57,890.00

Up $565 from last month!!

Pretty amazing considering Christmas and car repairs....I haven't had to pay all of this bills yet, so we will see if we can stay ahead of it once the bills come in!

January 2012 Mortgage Payment

January 2nd, 2012 at 05:35 pm

January 2012 Mortgage Payment

Balance $123,300.00
+$385.31 Interest
+$319.71 Escrow
-$1323.28 Regular Payment
-$581.74 Principle Payment
New Balance $122,100.00


$122K = 122 months left = 10.17 years left!

Our escrow went up about $15 for this new year, so our payment breakdown is just a little different. I can't wait for March's payment when we get under $120k!