I am accepting the situation and rolling up my sleeves and instead of panicking, I will find solutions. Here are some frugal tips to help overcome these challenges.
Avoid Driving – If possible, try walking to run your errands. It is easy to naturally grab your car keys and drive everywhere, even short distances. Thankfully, I live in a walkable city like San Francisco. I have walked to the grocery stores and/or to run errands. This also helps with not over shopping since I have to carry the items back! If you do go grocery shopping, bring a backpack (for heavier items) and two reusable bags. This seems to do the trick for me. If you do need to take Uber, be aware of the surges. I have taken a Lime scooter or utilize the public bus system to get as close as possible to my destination. I am also avoiding all tolls. I am seeing a friend in the East Bay tomorrow and toll is now $7.00. Public transportation it is!
Stop Eating Out – Cook more at home and only buy what you can eat. Don’t buy too many fresh items that can spoil quickly. It is better to walk to the store for fresh ingredients once a week. Learn how to make your favorite restaurant foods and cook it at home.
Buy only when items are on sale – Pay attention to the weekly grocery store sales. Create your meal plan with items on sale. You can even make this a game!
Pick up the phone and negotiate – I missed the deadline to return an item to Amazon. I decided to call and I was granted permission to return it! Sometimes picking up the phone makes a difference.
Sell More Items – Find items you don’t need around the house and sell them. There are so many options now from Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Poshmark, and Craigslist.
Learn to say no – Sometimes, you just have to politely decline an event that is out of your budget. You can also make a rule to not attend any event that doesn’t bring you joy or elevates you. I also consider it it is a new experience. I love new experiences as it makes me feel alive! Being invited to a restaurant I’ve been too so many times just doesn’t make me excited as much.
Use amenities outside of your home – If you pay for a gym membership, shower at the gym. This way you can cut back on shampoo, conditioner, soap, and for us men, shaving cream. My gym also offers free coffee. Also, staying in shape keeps you healthy and preventative healthcare is much cheaper than expensive medicine, surgeries, and doctor visits.
Turn off items that uses electricity when you can – Unplug everything. It really can make a difference.
What are you doing today to combat the rising gas prices?
From a raise of hands, who has opened their Uber Eats app, chose multiple items, heard your stomach growl, drool a little bit, and then say “Forget it!” when you see your total come out over $100.00 thanks to tip and service fees? Of course, you have to tip. Someone is bringing our food through traffic and weather conditions, so we can catch up on more NCIS episodes and wait for that little sweet noise of arrival via the app.
I was craving Korean food bad. Like… real bad. Then I was brought back to reality with the reminder to myself that I am on a mission to buy a two bedroom property in San Francisco. Gosh darn it, I will make it. The number I need is clear as day and I need to pocket away money where I can and pay off the HELOC. Excuse me, while I turn off a light (electricity bill).
So, how do you come to a happy place of eating the food you crave and still save money? I figured out, you will need to either learn how to cook it or find a more cost effective e way to kick the craving. Tip: I was craving Chinese food, so I walked to Safeway and grabbed the normal groceries I typically purchase and one cheat frozen meal in the freezer section: P.F. Changs. It did the trick and I spent $7 vs. $50 (a normal order of noodles, a protein, and won ton soup).
I have decided to learn how to cook. It has been a fun journey. To make this work, you need to practice, so be patient. It also helps to have proper kitchen equipment and if you are busy, invest in a toaster oven, air fryer, or instant pot. All worth it in my opinion.
Ok, now that I have become a better home cook, this exercise has helped me out tremendously: meal planning and include your cravings! I write down a list of my standards, must have, gotta have it, foods. I rotate it and in time, I have learned how to make these in a more cost effective and healthier way. More so than I can ever get at a restaurant. I go organic, add vegetables (leeks in my spaghetti, yup), less salt, and portion control baby.
I wish you all the skills to kick that craving and make more food at home. Craving fries? Cut up some potatoes and pop those in the air fryer. They will not be McDonalds, but you can definitely dress it up with some good old ranch. Trust me, that one potato was a lot cheaper.
I leave you with this. My rotating meals I gotta have. What is on your list?
Happy New Year 2022! I would like to start with an apology: I am sorry for being M.I.A. I will admit that I have been binge watching NCIS on Netflix (I needed a BOLO on myself) to get away and have a mental break from the chaos of work responsibilities. I also had an incredible streak of focusing on exercise and health – I lost 15 pounds! However, this was not a balanced life as I ignored other responsibilities in my life. For example: my time to blog and vlog.
I am committed to returning. As Fantasia Barrino sang in The Color Purple Broadway rendition, “I am here”.
There is something about a fresh start that helps us gain focus on our upcoming goals for the year. However, I am a true believer in that you cannot set goals unless you know where you stand today. With that, let’s get to it and do a financial review together.
The exercise I’d like to try this time is to see the percentage growth (or decline) in the following areas: debt, liquid cash savings, retirement, investments, HSA, mortgage, and HELOC. What I will do is pull up January 2021’s statements and compare to the amount today. I will also set a percentage goal for growth or decline in 2022! Will you do this with me? Let’s go!
Debt – No change. Hooray! I am still consumer debt free. I paid off my student loans many years ago. I remember the huge sigh of relief I gave (I think I even shed a tear) when I was debt free. I sacrificed a lot and it felt so good! It was well over $40k and I did it. I committed to never go into consumer debt again!
Liquid Cash Savings – Positive growth of 86.8%! I am happy with this one. I wish I was more structured with my savings rate, but I mentally was focusing on having 6 months of emergency saved along with focusing on a new down payment towards a new home. I want to sell my condo and move into a two bedroom home to ensure I can have guests stay as needed. In the back of my mind, I also know that I may need a new car soon (I’m approaching 86k, but I think I still have many more years left, just mentally preparing!)
Retirement – Positive growth of 29.01%! I kept the same contributions this year (15% of base and bonus) and with the compound interest, this has been magical to see! I do have an HSA account that I have not contributed to and it unfortunately declined for some reason, however, overall I am still in the positive.
Mortgage – Reduced by 0.24% Unfortunately, I did not make an impact this year. I did have my payments deferred during the pandemic and it looks like this made an impact on my overall reduction of the loan. It went down under 1%. I’ll see how things go next year!
HELOC – Reduced by 6.3% I was paying the minimum amount most of the year (it was mainly interest – big mistake!). I did have a strategy that helped towards the latter half of the year. I cancelled my cable and the difference that I saved went towards the principal balance. I was able to make some good strides going into 2022. Unfortunately, it’s still a large amount and will be a pain point for many years.
Moving Onward!
Here is what I’d like to do in 2022:
Savings – My goal is to double the current amount I have at 100% growth! Crazy I know, but I am in a bonus eligible position and I plan on finding other streams of incomes to help with this goal. The streams I am focusing on include YouTube – Nev in SF (thank you for your support by subscribing!), my blog, selling on Poshmark, and Uber Eats. I am confident I can do this!
Retirement – I project this to stay the same at 29.01% I kept the contributions the same, so I think this will depend on the market. However, if I achieve my savings goal, I may add an IRA!
Mortgage – I’d like to reduce this by 3%. I wish I was an Excel guru and can calculate the principal payments I make this year plus interest. This way, I know how much to put towards the principal payment. 3% from the mortgage is actually a pretty large number and I need to save for a down payment, so 3% is a good one I would feel comfortable with.
HELOC – This is going to be an aggressive one for me. I’m going to aim on reducing this amount by 10% at a minimum.
What are some of your goals? What are the tools you will use? Do share!
In gratitude – signing off. I hope this helps someone out there! You CAN do it.
I used to delete Zillow emails marketing new homes fresh in the market. I had recently moved into a new condo in San Francisco (a dream come true!). I knew that moving in, this was not my forever home. I was tired of paying rent and needed to invest in my future. After a few years of living in the space, I am ready for a larger space and hopefully can sell this condo soon. Currently, I am semi-obsessed with the Zillow emails now keeping an eye out for potential new properties!
I am taking my savings and personal finance goals to the next level and kicking it up a notch! I know my first step is to pay off liabilities as quickly as possible. Luckily, I’ve managed to be consumer debt free for quite some time, but this Home Equity Line Of Credit (HELOC) has been a sore spot in my life. I’ve been consistently paying off the monthly payments, but as I took a closer look at the statements, I have been paying off interest only. This strategy will not work. So I decided to take some concrete steps towards paying off this loan in 6 years (or sooner).
Step 1: Set a goal and determine what you need to pay each month moving forward. Based on my calculations, I will need to pay $688.98 each month. This was a manageable amount and that is how I came up with my plan to pay it off in 6 years.
Step 2: I made a decision to pay the minimum payment (interest) and the difference from $250.00. In other words, I locked in a monthly payment of $250.00 monthly. I used to just pay the minimum which fluctuated since I have a variable rate. It was $212 one month and then $208 the month. Whatever the payment is, I would pay the difference from $250.00 towards principal payments.
Step 3: All side hustles related to surveys, online sales such as Poshmark or Facebook Market Place, Uber Eats deliveries, and cash back rewards from my credit cards will go towards principal payments.
Step 4: Budget. Working in a commission job, I have a fluctuating salary, so it is crucial to stay focused and put a percentage away for another down payment and tackling the debt reduction.
Check out my monthly update here:
Will I pay this off before 6 years? I think I can do it! See you next month with an update!!
Story Time. It was my first invitation to a house party since the COVID-19 pandemic started. The group had been vaccinated and we finally felt comfortable seeing others! It was a great time – plenty of engaging conversations, a diverse layout of food, and plenty of mixed drinks. Cheers!
I met a couple that day and we connected. It was clear that we’d like to keep in touch and become city friends. I uncovered that they were heading out into town for a night out of dancing and drinking. I was invited to join and of course my answer was yes. I was asked to meet at a well-known bar called Beaux in the Castro District. I felt like the world had changed. Things were going back to “normal”. I could not wait to see.
Hours later, I showered, put on a cologne (it has been a while), and as I was getting ready to put my shoes on, I decided to order an Uber ride. Now thing that was not “normal” was the new pricing for an Uber Ride! WHOA! A typically ride pre-pandemic was around $18-$20. I lived a few miles away and I would need to cut through traffic typically on Gough St. or Market St. The new price staring at me was $43.00 (before tip).
In disbelief, I decided to pull out the good ol’ Clipper Card which is used for the public transportation system in the San Francisco Bay Area (MUNI, BART, and Cable Cars). It has been close to two years since I used the card, so I was unable to find it. Thankfully, technology has continued to evolve and you can now store your clipper cards on your mobile phone via the Clipper app! I had 3 cards listed once I registered all with various balances (lost money!). I also set it up on auto-load. My ride to Beaux was now $2.50 – Thank you MUNI! Huge savings.
I also downloaded the Routesy app to identify the timing of each bus. I live by the F train and I was able to rush myself out the door to make it just in time.
After a thrilling night out dancing my heart out, I said farewell to my new found friends. It was about 1:45am and I was ready to go home, but I noticed a nearby restaurant called Taco Boys. A burrito sounded just about perfect. I ordered an Al Pastor burrito and enjoyed people watching while I ate alone. As I was halfway done with my burrito, I habitually pulled out my phone, clicked on the Uber app, and the price was now $65.00!!! Are people really taking Uber rides home?
I decided to pack my burrito and pulled up the Routesy app. it looked like there was an available L Owl bus stop near by (a 24 hour running bus for us night owls) that would take me home conveniently. Ok, the nearest stop was Noe & Market. I started walking and after a couple of blocks, I noticed I was approaching the Safeway near Church Street. I was going the wrong way. Great going, Nev.
I hurried back in a very fast pace as the L was coming soon. I realized that if I missed this bus, the next one would take about 30 minutes. Panicking, I decided to lighten my load and toss the burrito and my napkins which seemed to be slowing me down. Plus, I lost my appetite. As I approached the correct bus stop, I patted my pockets and searched for my mask. I realized that my “napkin” that I tossed in the trash was my mask! I was not able to get on the bus. NOOOO!
I am a very solutions driven person and reminded myself to stay calm. I can figure this out. Reluctantly, I decided that I will take a hit and pay for the Uber ride. As I was getting ready to order, the lovely reminder that you cannot ride without a mask was glaring back at me. Shoot.
Ok, I hear it all the time. San Francisco is a walkable city. Just walk Nev. Just walk. I Google mapped the estimated time and my heart sunk. One (1) hour and 27 minutes. I love San Francisco, but that walk would include walking through Mid-Market where we are unfortunately dealing with a rising homeless population. Probably not the safest walk. Eeks!
As I walked, I thought of other alternatives. A Taxi? Call a friend? No, it is now about 2:20am. And then, I spot it….. THE solution! A Lime electric scooter. Yes! We have scooters scattered randomly throughout the city and you see individuals taking advantage of these rides – some casual, some heading to work in their suits. I downloaded the Lime app (thank goodness I had a charged phone), uploaded my credit card information, and scanned the scooter. I put my tired feet on and it does not move – I can’t believe it, it does not have enough battery charge. Worst nightmare.
I locked it up as directed to ensure I would not gain any more charges. I then spot a Spin scooter! So I have a deja vu moment – I downloaded the app, created an account, uploaded my credit card information, and the scooter unlocks. It is fully charged!
So there I was, riding down Market St. at full speed, baffled, tired, but also laughing uncontrollably at the chain of events.
I finally get home and it is now about 3am. I’m thankful that I made it home safe. What I have learned is that you CAN get around San Francisco in so many ways! The ride was $15.00 with Spin. If you choose to drive and park in a garage, the costs can be around $60.00 for the night (from my experience). It now seems that Uber rides seem to be the same price now.
As some of you who follow me have read, I am currently saving up for a down payment and paying off my HELOC. It looks like my new Clipper app is my new best friend. I took the MUNI today to meet with friends and it felt pretty good to know the cost to travel was only $5.00 total (round trip).
My advice to you, my dear reader, keep that phone charged and carry a battery pack. That might be your way home after a fun night out. Hopefully, your burrito can make it home too.
I made a decision this weekend to put it out into the manifestation universe that I want to buy a new San Francisco property. My 477 square foot condo has been a wonderful space for the last 4 years, but I am ready for something larger (over 700 square feet may work!). I have been looking at homes on the Zillow app at all of the available homes and the price points are a bit mind boggling. However, I will stay positive and be clear with my intentions. Fearless. I will make it happen.
I took time off this week from my full-time job to visit friends who moved to Georgetown, Texas. Georgetown is a suburban area about 45 minutes from downtown Austin (city life aka my type of life!) The home is huge. Of course, I craved a larger home space immediately. I had to remind myself what I loved about San Francisco and the location I lived in – walking distance to the market, close to shops and restaurants, and of course, the beautiful Bay water that brings a breeze each and every single day. It is home.
After a day out in downtown Austin, on the drive home, my friend and I chatted. I confessed that I was ready to buy a new home and sell my space. We discussed how much I needed for the down payment. She assured me that I can do it. It only took discipline and focus. I did it before. I can do it again.
Here is what I did to have a clear vision:
Determine what the current value of the home is as of today (I can probably sell it for about $585k – with possible increase in 1-2 years).
Determine how much is left in the mortgage and all of the other debt you would want to eliminate before moving forward. (I have a HELOC I’d like to pay off first). I also figured I would probably make 1-2 years of additional payments.
Determine how much homes are going for in the areas I would like to live according to Zillow (I’m hoping to find a property around $800k-$900k). I calculated what a 20% down payment would be ($160k-$180k). I then subtracted the money I will net once my condo sells, real estate fees, and I would want to have 6 months of savings regardless. That was the magic number I needed to save in the next 1-2 years. I need at least $64,000 saved or around $2667.00 per month for the next two years. So achievable!
Now that my vision was clear, it is off to the races. Cut back on expenses and make more money! I am in sales, so I need to figure out how to close more deals. I also enjoy completing Uber Eats deliveries. I can squeeze in 2 more rides per month perhaps.
I will keep you posted on my journey!
Question for you: How did you save up for your down payment?
In the last two months, I’ve kept my frugal ways to ensure I accomplish my goal of paying off a debt (HELOC at about $50k…. Go away!!)
Here are some tips that have kept me on track on my personal finance goals. I hope this can help someone else out there!
Buy seasonal fruits & vegetables – The more I shopped for myself, I started memorizing what a good price point was for fruits and vegetables. Oranges for $0.79 per pound is a win! Oranges for $1.99 per pound is a lose! I started connecting the dots that seasonal fruits and vegetables are the way to go. In the fall, pumpkins and squashes appear and strawberries are always bright red and on sale during the summer. My tip would be to google search a site that provides seasonal fruits & vegetables, but also be specific for your state! Here is a site that I have reviewed: An A-Z Guide to California Fruits and Vegetables
Pick up the phone when it comes to life changes – My cat passed away on January 6th of 2021. It was a tough time for me (I’ll miss you Mila!). During open enrollment season at work in November 2020, I made a decision to sign up for pet insurance. It was my first time exploring this benefit option. Mila turned 13 and I had a gut feeling that she would need extra care in 2021. Unfortunately, she became ill in December 2020 and I had to put her down so early in January. I thought I would have to pay for the pet insurance all year and take a loss. After my grieving period, I knew it was time to make a call to the insurance company to see what options I had. To my surprise, the customer service professional was so caring and confirmed that they would cancel the plan for the year and refund the amount I was charged for. Wow! She also discussed how to submit a claim for the expenses I paid for. Sometimes, a call is all it takes for you to save money.
Join a walking challenge – Whether it’s with a group of friends, co-workers, or for yourself, join a walking challenge! Not only is it great for your body, heart, and mind, but it also forces you to stop driving to short distances and just walk. My goal is to average 10k steps by end of year (I’m currently averaging about 8100 steps, I need to keep going!). I now walk to Trader Joe’s or Safeway (about 0.5 miles away) and I buy only what I carry. As I am hoping to increase steps, I don’t mind going even twice a week. It is always nice to get out of the house. This saves on gas and tear & wear!
Say no to group gifts – I have been approached multiple times from groups of friends on chipping in for gifts for someone’s birthday. I agreed the first time, but after multiple outreaches, I decided to pause. The gifts were extravagant and not reflecting my personal touch/style. We all have different levels of friendships, so I preferred to give what I’d like to give if it was the right time to do so. When I give, I’d like it to be thoughtful and from the heart. My response was simple: “Thank you for letting me know, but I can’t participate at this time.”
What are you doing at the moment to stay on track of your personal finance goals?
In December 2020, I made up mind to pay off my HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit), create sinking funds, AND to put myself on a b-u-d-g-et. Budget. There, I wrote it.
I am happy to say that since I have made this decision, I have tracked every single penny for two whole months! I have to say, I am quite proud of myself. I used the Every Dollar app and it has worked out well for me. Granted, the initial renaming of your budgets and organizing the view was a pain, but once I had it all laid out, I was in a groove.
Since I was tracking my money, it was easy to forecast what budgets would look like in the upcoming months and evaluating upcoming purchases (such as the lovely property tax in April). I realized I needed to increase income as much as possible
Here are 3 new income streams I was able to uncover!
Poshmark – Poshmark is an online retailer where individuals like myself can sell my clothes, shoes, and accessories. You can create “parties” to showcase your items, gain followers, and negotiate price. I decided to create my store and within a few days, a pair of Vans (the ones that pinched my small toes) were sold! I was emailed a shipping label and off it went. Cash was available immediately. This all started with my friend telling me how she needed more cash and sold a jacket for $140! I jumped on right away. If you’d like to visit my store, here it is: Nev In SF’s Store. If you are not interested in selling, but interested in buying instead, you can use my code. At least save a few dollars 🙂 Code: NEVBB
Fetch Rewards – Ok, not necessarily “income”, but you earn gift cards. I decided to move my points into gift cards for Amazon. I had purchases already queued up, so this was very nice. This is a very simple app. You just take a picture of receipts – groceries, restaurants, any and all! You can also sync your accounts such as Amazon and scan your email inbox for receipts. There are incentives to earn more points when a brand is featured. I hope you enjoy!
Survey Junkies – During down time, I simply logged on and completed surveys! I earned $15 recently. This will not be your big earning resource and many can dispute time is money. However, I really do only click on it when I have nothing to do (example: Waiting at the DMV for my number to be called!) The options were Facebook or make money. You can imagine what I chose.
It is January 1st – Happy New Year! If you are looking to make some money moves with your current personal finance situation this year, Congratulations! The first move is to just want it and announce it. Then you can take action!
I have learned over time that when you have too many “wants”, it can be overwhelming and I tend to find myself quitting before even trying. I get so excited to write down the to-do list and after it is finalized, it now seems unmanageable and I become so unmotivated. I reminisced about a mental trick I used to do in the past when I was determined to pay off those horrific student loans and credit card debt. I call it the “Power of One”.
The Power of One started with myself finally facing reality and writing down all of my credit card balances, the company I owed money to, the interest rates of each credit card account, and their due dates. After having a mini panic attack at how much I owed (it was up to $20,000 at one point), I decided that it was the time to make a move. I was accustomed to making the minimum payments towards each credit card amount, but one day I decided that I was going to add just ONE more dollar to each minimum payment due. That was my breakthrough! It was just ONE move and ONE dollar that got the ball rolling.
Here are 9 ways to save more money in 2021 simply by using the Power of One.
Increase your investments by 1%. If you are accustomed to saving 10% or 15%, try challenging yourself to moving the dial and increase your contribution amount to 11% or 16%. If you are focusing on building up your emergency fund and cannot invest at the current time, try saving $1 a day or week. That can be up to $365 saved by the end of the year!
Eat out 1 less time this month. Review your bank and credit card statements to evaluate how many time you ate out, ordered take out, went to the drive thru, or ordered food delivery services. If you ate out 4 times, can you try 3 times this month?
Make 1 call to negotiate. I called my car insurance company this year to see if they can reduce my monthly dues as I was no longer driving to work. It worked! I saved $60 per month. Make that one call to the credit card company or insurance companies and negotiate.
Reduce budget by 1%. Every dollar counts. If you have a budget of $400 to shop for groceries per month, a reduction of 1% brings you to a budget of $396 for the month. Not a large difference, but that is $48 saved in one year!
Spend 1 extra minute on your side hustles. I do Uber Eats as another way to bring in extra cash. When I get tired and I am ready to call it a night, I will spend one extra minute (ok, more like 10 minutes) to see if another order comes in. Maybe you can spend one extra minute editing your blog or video vlog. It adds up!
Lower your heater by 1 degree. If you are accustomed to setting your thermostat to 72 degrees, can you lower it to 71 degrees? This strategy can work with your air conditioner as well.
Remove 1 subscription service. I totally get. We are finding ways to entertain ourselves and our families as we have stay at home orders across the country during the pandemic. However, do we need Disney+, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, and so on?
Declutter 1 day of the week. Check out this article by The Wall Street Journal: The High Price Of Being Disorganized. I get so frustrated when I go to the grocery store and buy an item. As I store the groceries away in their appropriate pantry cabinets, I then realize I happened to have 3 of the same items in the back of the pantry. Also, the situation worsens when one of the 3 items has expired! If we can just spend one day of the week to declutter – clear receipts, clear the mail, organize your fridge, you can save money and regain some of your time. If you need to keep the declutter sessions quick, try choosing one area to tackle. How about that “junk drawer”?
Remove one item from your grocery cart. Before you approach the cashier, look at all of your items (I like to touch them) and remove one item that you can do without. Somehow, mine are always the potato chips. Back to the shelf you go. You can also do this with your online carts!
What is one small move you will make this year?
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I love waking up and listening to some of my favorite personal finance bloggers. One includes Debt Free Dana. She recently reviewed an article by Ladders titled “17 things frugal people usually don’t do”. She encouraged her listeners to read and review the list and so I did. Am I frugal?
This is a summary of my thoughts on the list and a reflection of my own personal journey.
1. Most frugal people don’t finance cars. I agree with this. I made a bad finance move with my first car. I purchased it new. If my memory serves me correctly, the loan was for 7 years and the monthly payment was $286.00. I was so focused on what the monthly cost was vs. overall cost. Once I was up to speed on the interest charges, I was pretty disappointment in myself. I ended up being able to pay the car off in full and drove it to the ground. I kept a scratch even though I wanted to fix it. I drove it even when I had mechanic issues such as the windows not being able to roll down correctly. I even turned the radio dial louder to overcome the odd noises the car was making. In time, I knew it was time to get a new car. Luckily, I pocketed enough cash in about 3 years to buy a new car in cash. Once your car is paid off, drive it for a few more years. I believe I drove the car up to 10 years. The next car I purchased was 3 years used. I still remember the look of the car salesman’s face when I declined the opportunity to finance the loan. I told him that I have the cash.
2. Overdraft their bank account. I have not done this in quite some time because I track my spending pretty well now. I would say online banking was the game changer! However, I did have credit card balances. Should I be equally punished by this?
3. They refuse to compromise their dietary health to save money. I do not hesitate to feed my body! I prefer organic and whole foods. In a way, I do see that preventative care is a frugal act and a money saver. If you end up spending your hard earned cash for medications, doctor visits, and surgery, then the horrible eating habit would not have been worth it.
4. Carry credit card balances. It took me a while to get here, but now I love credit cards for the points for travel and cash back! Pay those balances off and use them strategically!
5. Keep up with the Joneses. How people choose to spend their money is none of my business. It took me some time, but I stopped caring (for the most part) of what others thought of my living space, my purchasing decisions, and my personal life choices. There was a time that I cared so much of what clothes I wore in fear of being judged. Thinking back, I would always shop before an event or a vacation to avoid appearing to have the same look in pictures. Shame on me for getting caught up with the endless task of impressing others in the social media world. Thankfully, that time has passed.
6. Hang out with losers. This is tough to call someone a loser! I’ll go with “not my cup of tea” instead. I am cautious when it comes to keeping negative individuals around because I will end of spending time & money for someone who does not even add value to my life in the way I need this person to. Also, I believe in spending & investing time with those you can learn from. The end goal is for you to grow and become the best person you can be.
7. Take fancy vacations. I believe in paying for quality. You can stay in decent hotels, but you can make the vacation more affordable with free amenities such as free breakfast offerings, coffee in the lobby, and walking distance to areas you want to tour.
8. Forget to price compare. For major purchases, I believe this is true for myself. However, I would say that for smaller purchase, I’m a believer in opportunity cost. I love focusing on income generation, so the time allotted to compare prices for a menial change in price may not be worth taking.
9. Automatically opt for employer-offered health insurance. This is something to look into. I usually default with keeping the same choices year after year. I can do this next year.
10. Fail to contribute to 401k or other retirement options. I have been saving 15% of my pay for many years and thankfully, the compound interest was well worth it!
11. Frugal people never stop learning. I love learning! I enjoy reading, taking classes, attending seminars, watching YouTube videos, and listening to podcasts. Each opportunity is an opportunity to grow your wealth!
12. They don’t even consider the idea of not having a sufficient life insurance policy in place. This may be biased for those with children. I do not have any nor do I plan on having any children.
14. Fail to keep a stockpile. When there is a (good) sale, get more than one item! Don’t forget to always have an emergency stash, so do not feel guilty spending more money upfront when it is important to you.
15. Pay full price. A sale is always worth it. Sometimes, you just need to be patient. Sometimes it helps to call and negotiate terms as well!
16. Forget to shop car and homeowners’ insurance at least annually. I did call my car insurance company this year to save money. I was not driving anywhere during the pandemic! Why should I pay full price?
17. Spend emotionally. I used to make myself feel better by purchasing a massage session, a spa day, a weekend getaway, or a shopping spree. In reflection, I now know it was due to stress or sadness. Once I was in a happier space and accepted life’s challenges as is, my net worth started to grow.
How did you do? Are you frugal?
Note: According to the Ladder’s article,This article originally appeared on Perfection Hangover.Â
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I am confident many of us are ready to say farewell to 2020 and welcome 2021. However, the New Year will only be as great as you plan for it! I believe in getting myself in the right mindset to ensure I thrive personally in health & wealth. Here are some tasks I will complete before the new year. What are yours?
Organize all loose paperwork/documents around the house: I have built a habit of checking the mailbox about every other day and leave in a stack until I can completely focus on each and every letter. I put the mail in several stacks after reading them – file, shred, or toss. Here is a nice read from Forbes.com on how long you should keep “important” documents – Financial Documents: What To Save And What You Can Throw Away
Organize Your Calendar: Whether you use a manual calendar or an electronic calendar, I would recommend reviewing your upcoming year. Did you jot down major events such as milestone birthdays, vacations, an upcoming retirement, or graduation? This also helps you prepare financially to ensure you can spend accordingly with travel and/or gifts.
Replace Items You Forgot About: Sometimes I want to completely redecorate the condo and buy new furniture, but I have learned that changing one item, such as a couch pillow, can make a huge difference (and save your money!). Some items I like to change annually include the toilet bowl cleaner, the cat litter box, and kitchen shelf linings. The small little changes can give you a sense of cleanliness and “new” items in the house.
Clear The Email Inbox: Now is a good time and unsubscribe to all marketing emails that do not add value. You can also organize your email folders and clear that inbox to zero!
Update Usernames and Passwords: In a world where online hacking seems too close to home, I like taking time to update my usernames and passwords. Don’t forget to have a good process to store the info to avoid continuous lockouts.
Run Your Credit Report: We are all entitled to one free Credit Report each year. This is a great opportunity to review your credit score (did it go up?), review for fraudulent accounts, or late payments. I typically use Annual Credit Report.
Organize Your Personal Finance: This is a great time to review and plan your budget. I did an annual budget for the entire year, but if you can even set up the month of January, you are ahead of the game from many. I use the Every Dollar app by Dave Ramsey. I also set up sinking funds to ensure I cash flow as many upcoming spends as possible.
Set Up Your Vision Board: This is a great opportunity to take time to manifest what you really want out of life. Many people try a Vision Board. This is where you take images and/or words and put on a board and hang it all year to stay focused on your desires and wants. I remember watching a video of Jim Carrey on Oprah and a check he wrote to himself for work rendered. He kept it in his wallet and one day he landed his first gig. It paid him the same amount. Wow! I have a check up for $5M on my wall. Yes, I will get there! Dream big!
Declutter: This is a great time to declutter your space and remove items that do not add value to your life at the moment. Do you have something you have not used all year in 2020? Might be time to part ways. Since many of us are doing online shopping, save those boxes. You can set up 3 main boxes: Toss, Donate, or Sell. This is an easy way to determine where your items goes. Thank you to Marie Kondo for inspiring me!
What are some of your end of year tasks? Do comment & share!
I visited my friends in Richmond, CA and we decided to watch Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special on Apple TV! I’ve been a long time fan of Mariah Carey and this really got us in the spirit of Christmas. The overall message I got was to remain positive no matter how challenging this year was. I agree!
We approaching the last few weeks of December and this typically brings the masses to quickly complete travel plans and gift shopping. As many stores are closed or limited with space this time around, many may turn to online shopping. How many of you find yourself in debt year after year from the Holidays? Maybe that flight ticket, hotel accommodation, and 10+ gifts were just too much this time around (again). It is not too late to change some habits and save money this year and beyond!
Here are 8 tips to save money this Holiday season (actually, any time of the year!)
Travel Hacks: If you have to travel this year, there are ways to cut costs. If you are driving like I am, I like to ensure I fill my tank gas prior to leaving. I am well aware of the prices here (thank you Costco), but not aware of the prices outside of my town. Not having to stop for the most convenient gas station, this will not only prevent you from buying whatever price is presented, but it also prevents you from bring tempted to go to the local fast food joint or Starbucks. Speaking of food, be sure to stock your car with snacks. Easy to grab items. Also, fill up that re-usable water bottle. When you are hungry, you usually are just thirsty. Choose hotels that are close to the site location. Typically, at holiday parties, you may have one too many drinks. If you need to take a ride share like Uber, the further away you are, the more you spend. Also, be sure to research if your hotel has parking charges (most downtown hotels do) and get a room with a refrigerator. This helps with leftovers, storing a wine bottle you brought, and extra bottles of water. Don’t forget to review points earned from past travel. I had $10 off my hotel thanks to Expedia! Don’t forget that a mini ice chest in the trunk of car goes a long way to store the leftover treats.
Communicate: Be sure to set expectations on gift exchanges! We decided as a family to do “Secret Santa” and skip the White Elephant. For Secret Santa, our maximum is $50. An easy way to assign participants is using Elfster!
Consider 2nd Hand Decorations: Try buying items second hand this time around. I noticed the local thrift store had Christmas items on display and I saw many families walk out with bags of items. If you are looking to save money on the tree, consider being creative with the “Tree Book”. I did this one year when I was a broke college student/recent graduate. I opened books and stacked them. It really did look like a tree! (Pic below)
Write Personal Notes: If you don’t have the budget to provide gifts this year, a hand written note can do the trick. I had a friend send out a year in review letter and I enjoyed reading this!
Make Simple Meals: From Thanksgiving to Christmas, it is an expensive time! Keep your personal and family meals simple. For Thanksgiving, we had one turkey, a side, a veggie, and one pay. We saved so much money. No need to have multiple courses of meals.
Pick Up Side Hustles: You can easily pick up side hustles to pay off as many expenses as you can. You can drive for Uber or deliver foods via Uber Eats and earn a paycheck every week. You can work through New Year and have an extra pay in January. Also, with many people potentially traveling, perhaps you can house sit or watch pets. Be creative and hustle on!
Cut Back on Social Media: I made a personal rule to scroll down to just ten posts on Instagram. Yes, it’s difficult! However, once I found the discipline to do this, not only do I have more time available, but I also have not been jealous or wanting to shop based on what my friends are posting. No need to keep up with the Jones!
Suggest A Potluck: Lastly, suggest everyone brings a dish to the dinner. Sometimes, one lucky (or unlucky) household has to whip up the entire meal and this can be very expensive. Instead, assign each person what he/she should bring. This will save everyone money!
For those who work in a position where you have an unpredictable income, I hope my strategy helps you. I work in a role where you work for bonuses, not the base. Luckily, I do earn a monthly bonus albeit it fluctuates depending on business growth, goals achieved, and simply put: work ethic.
I was working on my 2021 budget (first time creating an annual budget!) and I needed to have a realistic annual income evaluation. I decided that one year of analyzation of pay was unrealistic since most of us experience the shock of sheltering in place and lockdowns in March & April. Instead, I am banking on 6 months of evaluations to determine an estimate of salary for 2021. Hopefully, fingers crossed, I have a better year and any earnings over the projected salary is a cherry (or cherries) on top! I also have been focusing on side hustles and decreasing spend. All in all, an exciting debt tackling and wealth building strategy!
Here is an example of what you can do if your bonuses/pay fluctuates monthly. Take the average of the 6 months bonuses, multiply by two, add your base, and there is your run rate.
(Not my salary, just an example):
Bonus 1
$1,200.00
Bonus 2
$2,400.00
Bonus 3
$800.00
Bonus 4
$3,436.00
Bonus 5
$5,000.00
Bonus 6
$275.00
TOTAL
$13,111.00
Multiple by 2
$26,222.00
Base
$40,000.00
Bonus Total
$26,222.00
Run Rate
$66,222.00
This sample shows that this individual earned a bonus as high as $5000 and as low as $275 for the given months. All in all, the run rate for bonuses is $26,222 with a total run rate of $66,222.00
It’s quite easy to tell people, I make about 70k. Do that often? It’s kinda like rounding up your height or rounding down your weight (eeks!) I’m sure we have all been guilty of this before. Well, $70k I about a $3800 difference! Let’s all be honest with ourselves.
If I did my calculations correctly (Warning – I am not a tax or payroll professional!!), I estimated a true take home pay of $45,495. Again, how far is that from $70k?
I then did a search of the suggested breakdown of percentages when it came to your spending. Of course, your housing and food will take large percentages, but curious where else can the money go to. According to Money News, the suggested breakdown looks like this:
I’ve seen the Housing percentage up to 30% or 35% and savings up to 15%. I also would fit in debt somewhere vs. miscellaneous. I feel like I want a clear path for my money! Well after much debate here is my final breakdown for 2021!
Spend
Percentage
Housing
38.51%
Food
5%
Transportation
1.43%
Utilities (Gas, Internet, Cell)
5.54%
Savings
10.46%
Fun
4.20%
Clothing
5%
Property Tax
8.58%
Debt
19.70%
Home Insurance+ Holidays
1.09%
Miscellaneous
4.51%
100%
My A-ha moments include my housing (Wow!). Well I knew I took a little hit this year, BUT glad to see my transportation dropped so low. Thank you remote work. Clothing is definitely too high. I can probably lower than and roll it over elsewhere! This was a great exercise if you ask me. Give it a try.
Official Announcement
I decided to join the FIRE Community! Well, I guess I’ve been on FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) for many years, but I’m officially announcing it. More to come as I learn more.
2021 Financial Goals
Pay off at least 5% of my debt (HELOC – Home Equity Line of Credit) on the Principal. That is about $2500 extra.
Make an extra payment toward the principal of the Mortgage.
As you know, I am on a path to financial freedom. I am paying off a little over $50k in debt with my home equity line of credit. I also want to sell my condo (eventually) and have enough down payment to upgrade to a larger space (I currently live in a 477 square foot condo …. I still heart you San Francisco!) and of course, I want to retire early to live my best life. After adding on a side hustle with Uber Eats and delivering about 1 hour a day for the last two weeks, I truly feel that money was hard earned. There is no way I will spend it on frivolous items. No way.
Years ago, I found the months of September thru December to be very expensive. Both of my siblings, my sister and brother, have birthdays in September. I have a friend’s birthday in September. Halloween is in October. Two cousins’ birthday in November. Thanksgiving hotel and travel. Then comes December: Best friend’s birthday, Christmas hotel and travel, employees’ gifts, and of course, gifts for the family. At one point, I had a gift for 13 family members. Note: Don’t get me wrong, it was special to give all of these gifts and I cherish the memories, but there was a point where I found myself charging these expenses onto a credit card. I anxiously awaited for the upcoming tax return to pay these off. Vicious cycle.
Eventually, the rules changed. It was now ok to just buy the kids gifts. Then came a year of just white elephant. For those who don’t know what White Elephant is: Each person brings a wrapped gift and leave it anonymous. Everyone puts all gifts in the center of room. You draw numbers. First person picks a gift and opens it. The second person can pick a gift or steal the available gift! One the gift is stolen a certain amount of time, it’s “dead”. SO MUCH FUN. Try it. Warning: Some folks are ruthless.
Another year came and we now had white elephant AND secret santa. You know – where you are matched with another person and you buy him/her a gift anonymously. I remember those days when the budget was $10. Then $20. Now, it’s $50! Sound familiar?
Current year 2020, the Secret Santa is $50.00. I don’t want to be a bah humbug, so of course, I’m in! Days later, I receive a text. “We are going to play White Elephant too. Are you in?”.
I had to say no. This year has been challenging to say the least. Here was my response:
“I won’t be able to this year. I’m on a budget, but Secret Santa is still a go for me!”
Simple. Honest. The Truth.
Will you be able to say No this time?
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As we wrap up the year 2020 (Thank goodness, right?!), many of us are looking forward to the new year and hopefully a sense of a fresh start. Now is the time to re-evaluate what you want out of your life and set a path to clear goals and the steps needed to achieve these goals. If there is one lesson I learned in 2020, it is that there are many things that are out of my control, but I am in control of how I react. After complaining, whining, and sharing the “Why Me” moment with others, I finally kicked myself in the ass and said get out of this rut Nev! Do something about it.
I had a change in job and a salary decrease, but what I did gain was a sense of hustle, a drive, a new found confidence, and a new path to blogging and vlogging on my YouTube channel. Now that I was in the right mindset, what did I want for 2021? Plenty. With less income, how can I achieve these goals? Simple: Cut back on spending, put myself on a budget, and increase income (beyond the full-time job).
This is my first time trying sinking funds. A sinking fund is simply projecting how much money you need to put aside each day/week/month to ensure you have the total amount you want to spend by a certain date. Example: I want to buy a new bike that costs $500.00 with a goal to buy it in 5 months, I would need to put aside $100.00 per month for the next 5 months. You can also estimate a daily cost which would be $3.33 per day. This mindset might help you make daily decisions such as passing on a cup of coffee because you REALLY want that bike.
Task: Go through each bank statement and credit card statement for 2020. Open each one and refresh your memory of transactions you made in the year that were a “surprise”. I am always surprised by the reminder of Property Insurance due in March ($533) and Car Registration due in October ($252). Another one that hurts is Property Tax. These are due every December and April. Then, you can think of all of the large ticket items you would like to save up for in 2021 or even 2022. My large ticket items include vacations to Mexico, Las Vegas, and Norway. These are all for close friends’ milestone birthdays.
This was a great exercise for me as I had a lot of a-ha moments. The large amounts ended up not so scary once you break it down. Here is an example. I did a Google search of roundtrip flights to Norway and averaged the first 5 I saw. The amount is $1056. Yikes! Large amount. My goal is to pay this in full by December 2021. The true amount each month is $81.23! Not bad at all.
What are you trying to pay off in full in 2021? Here is my list!
Sinking Funds
Property Tax – Installment 1
Property Tax – Installment 2
Mexico Vacation – Flight
Mexico Vacation – Resort
Texas Vacation – Flight
Car Registration
Holidays – Hotel
Norway Vacation – Flight
Holidays – Gifts
Credit Card
Home Insurance
Emergency Fund Recovery
The Emergency fund is there because I’m pulling out of my savings for that darn property tax!
I created a spreadsheet to help me evaluate the amounts needed. This actually may be challenging, so I’ll have to evaluate in the upcoming months. On the spreadsheet, you will see the sinking fund, the estimated amount due (hopefully the flight prices drop), how many months are left before payment, and the estimated amount I need to save each month to achieve a full payment. I also have columns for Month 1 (M1) to Month 13 (M13). The goal is to have an amount in each square. Even if it’s $1.00 – I saved $1.00! Please let me know if you’d like a copy of the spreadsheet with formulas!
I feel ready and FOCUSED for 2021. Do you?
Check out my latest video below! Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe!
“A goal without a plan is a wish” -Antoine de Saint-Exupery
That’s quite a lot of money! I have been there before. I had credit card debt around $20k and it was a very stressful time for me. Additionally, I had student loan debt. During the 2008 financial crisis, it was an eye opening experience. As we navigate in this current world, having multiple sources of income is crucial. Here are some streams of income to consider, some passive, to ensure you set yourself up to live your best life. Farewell stress!
“The Dream is Real. The Hustle Is Sold Separately.”
My full-time job – I have been fortunate to find a career that I do enjoy. I do work in a position that offers a base salary and a commission structure. I love it. I was once an hourly employee and I banked on overtime or extra shifts. While my base salary is exempt, the fact that I can earn bonuses based on performance is great. It can be tricky with your monthly budget fluctuating, but once you understand your average/likely pay, it’s manageable. The great thing is that you can have many “great” months with large bonus payouts. Tip: Don’t spend it! Put it towards a debt, a down payment, or investment. This is how I was able to pay off my student loans and credit card balances. I lived on a certain salary no matter what and the bonuses were the cherry on top! Once I paid down my debts, I was able to pocket the bonuses towards a down payment. If you are fearless, confident in your skills, and have an incredible work ethic, I would consider a career with bonus potential such as sales.
Employer Match for Retirement Plans – If your benefits include a 401k, 403B, or Deferred Salary Savings Plan AND it comes with a match, take advantage of that immediately! Be sure to contribute those pre-tax dollars to earn the match. It’s quite amazing to know that your employer will match your contribution towards your retirement. It’s free money! Well, sort of, you are working for someone
Dividends – Review your monthly or quarterly statements for your retirement plans. Noticed the dividends depositing? These payouts are much more than your average savings account. The great thing is that it is being reinvested into the market!
Stocks – I am definitely not an expert, but over the years, I’ve learned to keep it super simple: buy low, sell high. Also, keep an eye out for companies that pay dividends. I like buying stocks with companies that are stable, brands that I believe in, and have growth potential. I like tying in “real life” and understanding the growth trends. Example: The airline industry took a huge hit during this pandemic. I noticed their stocks were super low and affordable, so I bought. The travel industry is HUGE. One day, we will all be back flying daily for business, to see family & friends, and to explore the world. Once we adjusted to the pandemic and started flying again, the stocks have grown. I review the company’s 52 week high and low. If the price point surpasses the 52 week high and my stock has grown in value at least by 50%, I do consider selling to earn the cash. I guess you can say I am somewhat conservative and not a huge gambler. However, if you are at the roulette table… please put on black 24! It’s a winner, baby!
Savings Accounts – We all should have or be striving to have 3-6 months of liquid cash for an emergency fund. If you have enough to have the minimum balance for the Money Market accounts, move the cash there. While the interest earned may not be mind blowing, it is money earned each month and is reinvested!
Health Savings Account – A Health Savings Account (HSA) can be great for you. I tried this option for about a year, but I ended up switching back to a PPO plan. However, for that one year, I had about $2000 of pre-tax dollars deposited into the HSA which is being invested into the market! Another nice way to grow your money.
Credit Card Rewards – This will only work if you are highly disciplined and will pay off your monthly balance each and every month. For every day purchases, or large purchases that I plan on paying off in full, I put it on a credit card. I’ve been able to each cash back without having to pay any interest charges! Tip: Keep an eye out for deals via email or snail mail. One of my cards offered 5% back on all purchases through November. If I spend $1000, I would get back $50! A little tricky on this company though – I have a feeling they are targeting Black Friday shoppers and the many Americans who go into more debt during the holidays. Be careful!
Reward Programs – I currently use Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. So easy! Take a picture of your receipt and watch the points and bonus dollars grow! Ibotta focuses on products within certain brands or stores. Fetch Rewards pretty much takes any receipt if feels like, but only offers point exchanges for gift cards. Ibotta offers cash back (increments of $20.00). These two apps have been easy to use and it’s quick to submit receipts. Are you interested? Here are my referral codes! Ibotta: jckpcjs & Fetch Rewards: YD3A9
Gig Economy – I prefer passive income, but sometimes, exchanging time for money is just fine! Gig economy includes driving for Uber or Lyft, etc. I prefer delivering food via Uber Eats! So easy AND you get to explore new restaurants. I am a little spoiled because San Francisco is so small (did you know we are only 7 square miles in size!) Also, there are restaurants everywhere. I once heard that you can eat at a new restaurant every day for a whole year and there are still more to try! Also, we have so many hills, it’s normal for individuals to have their food delivered. Of course, there are some negatives. Traffic can be horrific, parking is a nightmare, and there are more buildings vs. homes, so it can be a bit intimidating. However, I’ve noticed that the folks in San Francisco tip more and will buy from high end restaurants. Tip: Know what you prefer. I prefer early mornings or late evenings to avoid the traffic. I also like Sundays (less issues with parking meters). If you are out in the suburbs, it can also be easy. Funny story: My cousin agreed to meet me for lunch, but she was running late. Oh you know…. 1 hour!!! I had the option to sit in my car, pay the meter, and look at social media or I can earn money. I chose the latter. I did three quick drives and one included someone ordering a muffin. The directions were to meet on the corner of street and give through car window. As I pulled up to the corner, I see a pre-teen girl waiting for her muffin. BAM – $7.00 tip on top! So amazing. If you have pocket of windows, I’d try it! Here is my referral code: NEVILLEB413UE
My final thought is this: Be present. You never know what you find. Go for walks. Put the phone away. You may just find $5.00 laying around. I sure found it. Now, go dream. Go hustle.
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Most recently, I was able to watch some pretty amazing shows. I watched Yellowstone on Peacock, The Walking Dead on AMC, and, oh yes, The World Beyond on AMC (another extension of The Walking Dead!). There was a recent Saturday where I found myself binge watching pretty much the whole day. Who have I become? I was not productive at all.
I work in a position that offers a base with a commission structure. Let’s just say since March 2020 (Yes, COVID-19 pandemic), the commissions have been looking a little sparse to say the least. As I reviewed by monthly budget, I could not fathom the fact that I was paying $227.00 for cable TV. Thank you, Comcast.
A friend and her family inspired me to cancel my cable. They did it and seemed so happy with their streaming channels and saved hundreds of dollars. After denying the thought of a world without my favorite shows for many months, I came to the realization that I could be focusing on my blog, my YouTube Channel (Nev In SF), or side hustles (where is that Uber Eats App going to send me today?). If there is a time to hustle, it is during a recession!
Work was busy. Too busy to call Comcast. One day, I did it. I dedicated a lunch hour to do so. Surprisingly, there was no hold time and I received pretty excellent service. I was given options and by the end of my conversation, my bill was reduced by about $76! Also, the call took all about 15 minutes. I was able to eat my home made lunch too! (Savings!)
$76 a month at 12 months = $912.00
Question: WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING?!!
Ok, right move. So the right move.
After my mini celebration of this new found money, I got to thinking….What shall I do? I knew exactly what to do. Recently, I received a minimum payment request for $1700 for my HELOC!!
Let me back up a bit. A HELOC is a Home Equity Line Of Credit. I obtained one to gain 10% of a down payment and used cash for the other 10%. I did not mind this decision. I did not want to pay PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) and I figured $200 a month to pay the minimum didn’t seem to bad. Three years later, that balance has not gone done – well, that’s what it feels like. Since I decided to agree to a mortgage forbearance, U.S. Bank was kind (or slick enough) to not request any minimum payment for the HELOC. Surpise surprise, I now owed for the unpaid interest – all in one big swoop. Ouchies. Warning please? Luckily, I had savings…. and cancelled cable. 🙂 Time to replenish.
Now, the trick is to roll the extra cash developed from a lower monthly bill for Comcast to make a payment to the HELOC debt. That is what I believe is called: snowballing! Ok, road bump. Property Tax is also due. Next year, I will be so much better with a sinking fund. Stay tuned for the plan!
I appreciate all who have taken time to read the blog or watch the videos. Any contributions would be greatly appreciated! This will help pay for the site along with equipment.
Nev In SF 