Mistakes in Motherhood

I finished and e-filed my taxes last night, the refund was not what I was hoping (but it WAS what were were expecting) and when it gets here it will be used to pay down some Credit Card Debt, not exciting, but necessary.

It is estimated that the average US household carries $15,000 in credit card debt, and that 40% of Americans spend more than they make in a given year. I can totally see us being one of those 40% at times, and in my eyes that is unacceptable. This year we have really tried to make it our mission to pay down our debts, lower our bills, and eventually pay off our credit cards.

So what can you do?

It’s pretty simple… Pay more, and Spend less.

Call the credit card companies at least once a year and ask for a lower rate. They will often lower it to keep your business. If they don’t, call back and speak to someone else.

Transfer balances to a lower fixed rate. Introductory rates are a gamble, if you are good about making a budget and sticking to it, you can save a lot.

Be careful of “90 days same as cash”, if you pay it off after the 90 days you may be compounded with the interest incurred during those 90 days that was deferred. Anytime you have a specific interest free period, plan on paying it off one month early just to be safe.

Anyways, there is countless other ideas out there for reducing credit card debt.

*This is a sponsored post.

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I love eBay, because I love getting great deals. However sometimes it is hard to catch a great auction. I do not believe in using “snatching” software to get the best deals, but I did run across a neat website that can almost guarantee a great deal called Lastminute Auction. Basically it is a listing web page that shows auctions under $1 with less than an hour left, so you can snag some unloved merchandise before it drops off of eBay, unsold. This is a dream come true for me, and it totally saves me time. So if you are looking for some great deals for Toys, Video Games, Art, or anything else, don’t forget to stop by Lastminute Auction!

*This is a sponsored post.

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I love deals, but I am lazy. I want to be able to see deals in a clear, easy to read format without searching or math. This is not a problem with www.StealDeals.net, which shows everything from original price, to instant coupons, mail in rebates, checkout/shipping rebates, to total price plus shipping price, all in black and white, errr black and red. Not only do I see all of my favorite online stores, I saw some incredible deals, like a refurbished Dyson vacuum for only $284.99. These puppies are normally over $500!

I also really like how they have nice, clear pictures and write “expired” over the top of expired coupons so you don’t chase after a deal that no longer exists.

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Well, I was not convinced I was ready for the Vonage plunge, so I called Qwest to see if I could get better prices.

I was able to save $13 for Internet by choosing a two year agreement and getting a $26.99 plan for the exact same speed and service. I stopped the long distance plan which should cut about $10 – $25 or less in charges and taxes/fees. They also allowed existing DirecTV customers to bundle their service w/ them, so I added that too for another $5 bundle savings.

So, I am not sure if I have simplified things at all since I am just trading a Satellite bill for a long distance bill, but I think in the long run I am probably saving more since Internet is more expensive without a phone plan.

At the very least I will be saving about $25, but I won’t know exactly how much for a couple more months.

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I am having a hard time finding positive reviews of Vonage, the reviews are really mixed and about half report service unreliable and customer service poor. I signed up for consumer reports and their reviews are saying to keep a land line which kind of defeats the purpose of saving money by closing the phone account.

Instead I decided to change my long distance carrier to ECG, the company I had for years when we lived in Tx and Wa. They were not in Colorado when we moved here, so that is why we did not switch upon moving here, or maybe it was because we were on base and had no choice of long distance carriers, I don’t remember now, I am too tired. Anyways, by switching, my bill which was $10.84 for 117 minutes will be $2.96.

No Comments | In: Frugal, not cheap! | tags: Finances, Ramblings. | #

So I am seriously thinking of switching to Vonage. I am about 98% committed and will probably call tomorrow to join up after I talk to Qwest one more time about canceling my service. I am just so tired of overpaying for my phone bill, it is just ridiculous to pay almost $100 for Internet and phone.

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Check out this website for Tablet PC Reviews before you buy. Not only do they have this cool bar on the side of their site that shows the most popular Tablet PCs, but they have a ton of information. On the Tablet PC Database section, they have a list of manufacturers and the number of tablet PCs they manufacture. When you click on a manufacturer the website they break down the models by price, and then links you to places to buy. The Tablet PC Reviews section is a great place to check out specifications, pictures, reviews, and so much more! The Tablet PC Forums is also another great place to go ask questions, and see what others are saying before you buy. They also have a section for great deals and coupons, so check it out!

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I am always signing up for freebies, it’s a great way to try things you may not normally try. Here is a website I found for free stuff. I love how many different categories they have; free stuff for autos, babies, beauty, books, catalogs, cash, clothing, computer, dating, education, family, finance, food, fun & games, health & diet, home & garden, intimacy, magazines, music & video, pet stuff, phone freebies, screen savers, stuff for teachers, travel, and wedding freebies.

They also have links to top free stuff sites, articles for free stuff tips, contests & sweepstakes. and coupons. On the main page they also have a link for a Free Apple® iPod Nano!

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Who doesn’t like to save money? I have tried other websites that offer multiple coupons, but have not really found any websites I liked; many of the websites had strings attached. I especially liked these Best Buy Coupons, because everyone KNOWS we live at Best Buy. I bet you will find some great deals if you go take a look!

No Comments | In: Frugal, not cheap! | tags: Shameless Plugs. | #