Yesterday, I made the trip to the coast and back. Tom made it very clear he missed his son on his 16th birthday and wanted him home. I convinced the family that Riley was staying with to relinquish their son along with Riley, so Riley could still hang with his friend, just at home so his father was happier and not feeling neglected.
The boys came home and spent the night playing x box. Tom got Riley for a 15 minute outing to go buy games for the x box. M for mature games that I will hopefully see get scratched or break sooner rather than later. Tom gent to the bedroom to watch football by himself. I guess he is happy with having Riley just in the building. What ever, it must be a guy thing.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Approaching the Holidays
I am a little bummed we wont have more for thanksgiving. Most of my family this year is out of town, snow birding it in warming climates. Tom's family is too far away or doesn't travel. Riley's 16th birthday is this week. He has chosen to go to the coast with his best friend and the friend's family. Tom is disappointed Riley doesn't want to have a boring 16th birthday at home with his family. I would have chosen the trip too.
I asked Tom what plans he had for Riley's birthday if Riley had been home. He facetiously said "a hooker". Hmmm, glad Riley is heading out of town.
I asked Tom what plans he had for Riley's birthday if Riley had been home. He facetiously said "a hooker". Hmmm, glad Riley is heading out of town.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Banks
I am off in an hour for more school training for the reading cadre. Meanwhile I have a little time to type. Riley and Trevor have been staying after school doing make up work and the weight training room is open for business. The coach wants to strengthen Trevor and his other football players in the off season. I would love to find a place in our house to set up our resistance training equipment still stored in the basement.
Tom and I were watching the news last night. We have been reading the books on the financial crisis that have plagued our country over the last 30 years. Den of Thieves, Too Big to Fail, The Big Short. Tom is way ahead of me but I am plugging along. These books are great reads as well as informative. The eighties with the junk bonds scandal, the recent banks bail out which still haunts us with the occupy Wall Street protesters and our government debt.
FNMA, Fannie Mae just gave it's bonuses out in excess of millions of dollars to its staff while the mortgage foreclosures continue in the market place. This was an institution that was bailed out and has yet to pay back its government.
The books all emphasized the greed and manipulation of the system. One trader was so powerful he found it was fun to manipulate stocks with his own trades causing price swings as others followed his actions. He did it for no other reason than it was fun to manipulate people.
On the news, the worry was with the inter tangling of our world markets and the European crisis, how do the governments control runs on the banks. We are talking about sovereign nations going bankrupt and not honoring their debts. Institutions like Pension Funds own these bonds. They are required to sell them out of their portfolios if the bonds are downgraded below institutional grade. Imagine if they all came at once to claim their money. This is how Lehman Brothers failed. Everyone came to claim their money and Lehman didn't have enough money to cover.
Those that bought insurance thought they were covered, but because so many had bought insurance, the insurance company AIG couldn't cover its payouts. When Lehman failed its international branches failed, it brought the whole world system to the brink of complete shut down. There is still a huge lack of trust. The financial system is still under the microscope.
Are we turning into a nation of Czars? I now read the fine print and question everything I sign. I don't trust the banks not to try to sneak something over on me. I am afraid to invest in the markets since I can't trust the CEOs of corporations. I can't trust the wealthy not to use their power to manipulate stocks. Half my friends are doing the Dave Ramsey method of life. No credit cards, no bank accounts. I took all my money and bought a house, a tangible asset, that worst case scenario will provide a roof over our heads and a safe place to live. This only exacerbates our slow economy.
Tom wrote on a financials blog, when some one asked what stocks he liked, he doesn't do stocks any more. He does ETFs and flips them quickly, not to stay in them long. The markets are so volatile, he has his bet on the night before when he goes to bed to catch the morning open and takes the bet off as needed when he gets up. The overnight activity in the international markets has become as important an influence as our own market on the world. You cant trust individual stocks. From these books I read, with millions of dollars going out to bonuses, you can't trust these big companies and their leaders. Hostile take overs that over leverage and leave a company in debt or insider trading on the knowledge.
So what do you do with your money, if you have any left? Tom said buy food. Stock up on staples. If our government doesn't step up to the table soon and I don't have much faith that they will, I am going to be ready for the worst.
As we are throwing out ideas of how we would solve the crisis, Tom suggests that it may be time to nationalize banks. Put a bureaucrat in charge at a bureaucratic wage. No more millions in bonuses. The people would have faith again in the banking system. No more reason to pull your money out. Can you imagine a nationalized bank? As I think about it I think about how slow bureaucrats work. Can you imagine going for a loan to a bureaucrat. Nope, not the answer either.
There are credit unions now. I am moving my money to a credit union. I have more faith in the small local credit union. I am not afraid of being manipulated on an international scale. If the CU ends up being poorly managed, a credit union going under will not bankrupt the insurance company that has to pay out.
My preference would, and I hate to say this, but more regulation. Put the rules back in place that were instituted after the Great Depression. Banks should not be loaning out 30% to 40% of their assets. They should be conservative with conservative returns. We should not be expecting to make 10%, 12%, 20% returns. Natural growth is 3% to 4%. It is healthy at that level.
Banks used to be allowed to loan out less than 10%. They made their money in fees, the fees we are all throwing such a stink about. Over drafts, ATM charges, those were the traditional areas that banks made their money. Then regulations weakened, banks were allowed to loan more of our money, leverage more.
I should not be able to get a car loan probably for three times the value of my car if I tried to sell it, giving it to a woman without a job.Of course I am taking advantage of it. To me it is like a personal loan of trust, I will honor my obligation. Would I return the favor? Absolutely not.
The markets are getting to a big turning point. Which way? up or down? I can't help being pessimistic with so much debt and sovereign debt and the same mistakes going on and on with no corrections.
Individual companies are punished for making good choices. They pay higher taxes than the maga big international companies that can find the loop holes and hide profits and get bailed out on losses. You tax the rich and they move away. New Jersey and Maryland tried the Sir tax on their millionaires. The result was the wealthy just up and left the state. They lost a significant population of wealthy families. I don't blame them. Tom and I did the same thing. We purposefully moved to a state without income tax. We would rather pay sales tax. Why should we be punished with higher taxes for making good and healthy choices.
Businesses have become too big to fail, so intertwined with each other as trading partners. Spreading the risk, but then not taking the fall, putting the losses onto the government and the tax payer.
The other side of the coin, though, is to compete on the international markets and get the huge billion dollar projects they have to be big and international. I can't wait until some think tank comes up with a solution. Until then I am hunkering down with a survivalist instinct, stocking food like the Mormons and preparing for a long siege.
Tom and I were watching the news last night. We have been reading the books on the financial crisis that have plagued our country over the last 30 years. Den of Thieves, Too Big to Fail, The Big Short. Tom is way ahead of me but I am plugging along. These books are great reads as well as informative. The eighties with the junk bonds scandal, the recent banks bail out which still haunts us with the occupy Wall Street protesters and our government debt.
FNMA, Fannie Mae just gave it's bonuses out in excess of millions of dollars to its staff while the mortgage foreclosures continue in the market place. This was an institution that was bailed out and has yet to pay back its government.
The books all emphasized the greed and manipulation of the system. One trader was so powerful he found it was fun to manipulate stocks with his own trades causing price swings as others followed his actions. He did it for no other reason than it was fun to manipulate people.
On the news, the worry was with the inter tangling of our world markets and the European crisis, how do the governments control runs on the banks. We are talking about sovereign nations going bankrupt and not honoring their debts. Institutions like Pension Funds own these bonds. They are required to sell them out of their portfolios if the bonds are downgraded below institutional grade. Imagine if they all came at once to claim their money. This is how Lehman Brothers failed. Everyone came to claim their money and Lehman didn't have enough money to cover.
Those that bought insurance thought they were covered, but because so many had bought insurance, the insurance company AIG couldn't cover its payouts. When Lehman failed its international branches failed, it brought the whole world system to the brink of complete shut down. There is still a huge lack of trust. The financial system is still under the microscope.
Are we turning into a nation of Czars? I now read the fine print and question everything I sign. I don't trust the banks not to try to sneak something over on me. I am afraid to invest in the markets since I can't trust the CEOs of corporations. I can't trust the wealthy not to use their power to manipulate stocks. Half my friends are doing the Dave Ramsey method of life. No credit cards, no bank accounts. I took all my money and bought a house, a tangible asset, that worst case scenario will provide a roof over our heads and a safe place to live. This only exacerbates our slow economy.
Tom wrote on a financials blog, when some one asked what stocks he liked, he doesn't do stocks any more. He does ETFs and flips them quickly, not to stay in them long. The markets are so volatile, he has his bet on the night before when he goes to bed to catch the morning open and takes the bet off as needed when he gets up. The overnight activity in the international markets has become as important an influence as our own market on the world. You cant trust individual stocks. From these books I read, with millions of dollars going out to bonuses, you can't trust these big companies and their leaders. Hostile take overs that over leverage and leave a company in debt or insider trading on the knowledge.
So what do you do with your money, if you have any left? Tom said buy food. Stock up on staples. If our government doesn't step up to the table soon and I don't have much faith that they will, I am going to be ready for the worst.
As we are throwing out ideas of how we would solve the crisis, Tom suggests that it may be time to nationalize banks. Put a bureaucrat in charge at a bureaucratic wage. No more millions in bonuses. The people would have faith again in the banking system. No more reason to pull your money out. Can you imagine a nationalized bank? As I think about it I think about how slow bureaucrats work. Can you imagine going for a loan to a bureaucrat. Nope, not the answer either.
There are credit unions now. I am moving my money to a credit union. I have more faith in the small local credit union. I am not afraid of being manipulated on an international scale. If the CU ends up being poorly managed, a credit union going under will not bankrupt the insurance company that has to pay out.
My preference would, and I hate to say this, but more regulation. Put the rules back in place that were instituted after the Great Depression. Banks should not be loaning out 30% to 40% of their assets. They should be conservative with conservative returns. We should not be expecting to make 10%, 12%, 20% returns. Natural growth is 3% to 4%. It is healthy at that level.
Banks used to be allowed to loan out less than 10%. They made their money in fees, the fees we are all throwing such a stink about. Over drafts, ATM charges, those were the traditional areas that banks made their money. Then regulations weakened, banks were allowed to loan more of our money, leverage more.
I should not be able to get a car loan probably for three times the value of my car if I tried to sell it, giving it to a woman without a job.Of course I am taking advantage of it. To me it is like a personal loan of trust, I will honor my obligation. Would I return the favor? Absolutely not.
The markets are getting to a big turning point. Which way? up or down? I can't help being pessimistic with so much debt and sovereign debt and the same mistakes going on and on with no corrections.
Individual companies are punished for making good choices. They pay higher taxes than the maga big international companies that can find the loop holes and hide profits and get bailed out on losses. You tax the rich and they move away. New Jersey and Maryland tried the Sir tax on their millionaires. The result was the wealthy just up and left the state. They lost a significant population of wealthy families. I don't blame them. Tom and I did the same thing. We purposefully moved to a state without income tax. We would rather pay sales tax. Why should we be punished with higher taxes for making good and healthy choices.
Businesses have become too big to fail, so intertwined with each other as trading partners. Spreading the risk, but then not taking the fall, putting the losses onto the government and the tax payer.
The other side of the coin, though, is to compete on the international markets and get the huge billion dollar projects they have to be big and international. I can't wait until some think tank comes up with a solution. Until then I am hunkering down with a survivalist instinct, stocking food like the Mormons and preparing for a long siege.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
November rains
The rain has been coming down heavy the last few days. I was invited to a chick party with three different vendors of stuff. I could only do two of the vendors. I had brought two checks that night so I invited the third vendor to come to my house so I could take my time going through the catalogues. There had been so much to see and try out. The first vendor did Miche purses. I bought a couple of clutch bags for my credit cards. The second vendor was Tastefully delicious, easy to prepare foods and seasonings. I ordered quite a bit from her. I like the just add water dinners that taste delicious. There were also jars of jams and chutneys and salsas that were worth ordering also.
As a result of the expenses for the first two vendors, I wanted to put off the third vendor a couple of days and enjoy ordering from her separately. She was also the daughter of our hostess for the evening so I didn't want to miss ordering from her. There were multiple catalogues from Avon. She is coming over today for an hour. Avon is inexpensive and good. She has lots of gift type items in her collection and some things I thought my boys might like; colognes and shampoos and such. We are definitely going through all that we have in good smelling manly senses and deodorants now that Trevor is in high school. I have to make sure that their father's stash of manly senses doesn't get raided.
Trev has been having his best friend come over for sleep overs almost every weekend. He is so loving being back in our old town. He is settling in easily. Riley's best friend, who does not live nearby, was in the area this weekend. We invited his family over and I agreed to let the friend have a sleep over as long as I didn't have to drive him home, which is two hours away now. They have moved out to the country to a farm. I am hoping to go visit them on a weekend soon, perhaps over winter break. Being in Washington we have less vacations from school than in Oregon, less time to travel.
I didn't hear anything on my job interview, no yes and no no either. I thought at least they would send me an e-mail one way or another. I will give it until Monday. In my interview, I was told that I had to be fully available and mark on the application I was fully available. I had not done that. I had put my wish list of hours off for bridge and golf, just a couple of hours on a couple of days. I had hoped that by saying I was available weekends and holidays that would offset those other hours during the week. I did say in the interview that those requests were more of a wish list than an absolute, but I think it hurt my chances none the less. I am now dusting off my resume and going to drop it off at some other locations. This time I will tell them from the beginning I am fully available. I will work towards my wish list of hours once I am hired, if possible. One of my friends told me had I been hired I would have spent more money than I made shopping in the store. Tom made the same comment. It still would have been fun.
I bought new ink for the printer, the old printer. Never could get the new printer working. I am going to take the whole thing in to the store where I bought it. It is a desk top computer but I am tired of not getting the new printer to work with it. I stopped in to inquire about the best hours to come for help. They said that between 11:00am and 3:00 pm were their busy time so to come before or after those times to get the most help. They open at 8:00 am.
I can hear the boys laughing and shrieking with glee as they play the x-box in my bedroom. Tom kicked them out of his man cave and the big TV for weekend football. I was kicked out of my bedroom this morning so they could play on the TV in my bedroom. I could have said no, but they would have nagged me to death until I caved, so I picked up my book I was reading and got dressed and found another corner of the house where I would not be interrupted.
I did check the boys grades this morning. Nothing like getting kicked out of your own room to make you go looking for trouble. The grades needed checking. It is amazing how quickly they can go from great to missing assignments and not so great. I brought them each to the computer one at a time so they could see their teacher's postings and absorb the implications. Riley still has a tone of make up to do. He just has to get it done. Weight training will be easier now though, as the coach is having after school training for the football players also. Trevor will be attending which will make it easier for Riley to want to stay after school and do his make ups. Riley had better be quick or the semester will come to an end and these grades will be permanent record.
Trevor is working very hard at band. He is trying to get a letter in band if he can. He is volunteering at every event available.
Tom was sick with a cold on Thursday. The weather was sunny that day, of course. Friday, Veterans day, he went golfing and it rained. He is enjoying the slow pace of a football weekend today. I made fried eggs and bacon for him which is the only time he has come out of hiding from his man cave.
I am working on boxes today. I get to fold up and crush two more big boxes in the basement. Kind of cheating as they were almost empty to begin with but I didn't have any scissors with me to cut the boxes and fold them. My mom would like all our boxes. I am more than willing to have her store them at her house until the next move, who ever that might be.
As a result of the expenses for the first two vendors, I wanted to put off the third vendor a couple of days and enjoy ordering from her separately. She was also the daughter of our hostess for the evening so I didn't want to miss ordering from her. There were multiple catalogues from Avon. She is coming over today for an hour. Avon is inexpensive and good. She has lots of gift type items in her collection and some things I thought my boys might like; colognes and shampoos and such. We are definitely going through all that we have in good smelling manly senses and deodorants now that Trevor is in high school. I have to make sure that their father's stash of manly senses doesn't get raided.
Trev has been having his best friend come over for sleep overs almost every weekend. He is so loving being back in our old town. He is settling in easily. Riley's best friend, who does not live nearby, was in the area this weekend. We invited his family over and I agreed to let the friend have a sleep over as long as I didn't have to drive him home, which is two hours away now. They have moved out to the country to a farm. I am hoping to go visit them on a weekend soon, perhaps over winter break. Being in Washington we have less vacations from school than in Oregon, less time to travel.
I didn't hear anything on my job interview, no yes and no no either. I thought at least they would send me an e-mail one way or another. I will give it until Monday. In my interview, I was told that I had to be fully available and mark on the application I was fully available. I had not done that. I had put my wish list of hours off for bridge and golf, just a couple of hours on a couple of days. I had hoped that by saying I was available weekends and holidays that would offset those other hours during the week. I did say in the interview that those requests were more of a wish list than an absolute, but I think it hurt my chances none the less. I am now dusting off my resume and going to drop it off at some other locations. This time I will tell them from the beginning I am fully available. I will work towards my wish list of hours once I am hired, if possible. One of my friends told me had I been hired I would have spent more money than I made shopping in the store. Tom made the same comment. It still would have been fun.
I bought new ink for the printer, the old printer. Never could get the new printer working. I am going to take the whole thing in to the store where I bought it. It is a desk top computer but I am tired of not getting the new printer to work with it. I stopped in to inquire about the best hours to come for help. They said that between 11:00am and 3:00 pm were their busy time so to come before or after those times to get the most help. They open at 8:00 am.
I can hear the boys laughing and shrieking with glee as they play the x-box in my bedroom. Tom kicked them out of his man cave and the big TV for weekend football. I was kicked out of my bedroom this morning so they could play on the TV in my bedroom. I could have said no, but they would have nagged me to death until I caved, so I picked up my book I was reading and got dressed and found another corner of the house where I would not be interrupted.
I did check the boys grades this morning. Nothing like getting kicked out of your own room to make you go looking for trouble. The grades needed checking. It is amazing how quickly they can go from great to missing assignments and not so great. I brought them each to the computer one at a time so they could see their teacher's postings and absorb the implications. Riley still has a tone of make up to do. He just has to get it done. Weight training will be easier now though, as the coach is having after school training for the football players also. Trevor will be attending which will make it easier for Riley to want to stay after school and do his make ups. Riley had better be quick or the semester will come to an end and these grades will be permanent record.
Trevor is working very hard at band. He is trying to get a letter in band if he can. He is volunteering at every event available.
Tom was sick with a cold on Thursday. The weather was sunny that day, of course. Friday, Veterans day, he went golfing and it rained. He is enjoying the slow pace of a football weekend today. I made fried eggs and bacon for him which is the only time he has come out of hiding from his man cave.
I am working on boxes today. I get to fold up and crush two more big boxes in the basement. Kind of cheating as they were almost empty to begin with but I didn't have any scissors with me to cut the boxes and fold them. My mom would like all our boxes. I am more than willing to have her store them at her house until the next move, who ever that might be.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
More thoughts
I thought about it some more, the car loan. It does dawn on me that with a car loan if a person defaults the company gets the car and they still come after you for the difference owed. A judgement is placed on your credit history. It is leveraging the collateral to loan more than the car is worth. Interesting.
This is why I like talking to people on the phone. You can hang up on the hard sales press. Think about your options. Not leap at the first offer. I oopsed on the flexible interest rate. It was a spur of the moment decision. I was in the credit union opening up a new account leaving the big national bank behind for a local company. Not that the loan is even a big deal as it is really just an open line of credit, revolving credit. I don't have to use the money at all. Keep it for an emergency. I want to find a fixed rate and better than 8%, better than 6%. I know now I can find it. Its out there. It is worth shopping around. Lovely.
The stairs are done. I fixed the dings on the wall caused by the install. I am grateful the matching paint is in the garage, left by the previous owner. I like her color choices. I will be keeping them for a while.
The renter has been paying her rent very late every month. Last month she paid on the 21st. There is a late penalty she has to pay each time. We are still waiting for this month , which again is now officially late. The lawn is mowed. That is a good sign in my book. I am going to ask my property manager to do an interior walk through the house, make sure the dog she has now is not tearing the place apart.
This is why I like talking to people on the phone. You can hang up on the hard sales press. Think about your options. Not leap at the first offer. I oopsed on the flexible interest rate. It was a spur of the moment decision. I was in the credit union opening up a new account leaving the big national bank behind for a local company. Not that the loan is even a big deal as it is really just an open line of credit, revolving credit. I don't have to use the money at all. Keep it for an emergency. I want to find a fixed rate and better than 8%, better than 6%. I know now I can find it. Its out there. It is worth shopping around. Lovely.
The stairs are done. I fixed the dings on the wall caused by the install. I am grateful the matching paint is in the garage, left by the previous owner. I like her color choices. I will be keeping them for a while.
The renter has been paying her rent very late every month. Last month she paid on the 21st. There is a late penalty she has to pay each time. We are still waiting for this month , which again is now officially late. The lawn is mowed. That is a good sign in my book. I am going to ask my property manager to do an interior walk through the house, make sure the dog she has now is not tearing the place apart.
2.5%
Trevor was in his swim class yesterday afternoon when he felt the need to vomit. He quickly climbed out of the pool and raced for the boy's locker room. He barely made it to the toilets before he barfed. he had heard the teacher yelling at him for running at the pool, but she stopped when she heard him barfing. Moments later an announcement on the school's mike told teachers to check their e-mail boxes. An unscheduled emergency fire drill was being called.
Trevor was in the locker room getting dressed. He wasn't going back in the pool. He was the lucky swimmer it turned out. The rest of the swimmers had to go outside in just their wet suits and towels. He at least was dry even though he felt miserable. The teachers wouldn't let him use his phone during the emergency to call me to come get him.
After the drill, which turned out to be a bomb threat note in the main building boy's bathroom, Trevor was allowed to go to the office and have them call me. The office assistant I spoke to said Trevor looked miserable. I told her I would be down in 10 minutes to pick him up. It takes about two minutes to get my stuff together and get the car out of the drive. I found Trevor sitting on the concrete in front of the school. He did look miserable. I asked him what he had for lunch. He said the usual, two chicken patties with a hamburger and cheese pattie in the middle.
When we got home it was a half hour before regular release. Trevor crawled into my bed and asked for the remote. I told him when you are sick and miss school there is no TV. Rest and sleep and maybe something to drink but no TV. He pouted a little then took a nap.
Riley came home and filled me in on the fire drill. He said he knew it was a bomb threat because two of the boys in one of his classes had seen the note.
I told Riley to stay away from his brother just in case Trevor has something contagious. Trevor made an appearance around 7:00 pm saying it must have been something he ate as he was feeling better and wanted to know what was for dinner. I offered eggs, soft food to make sure that if he throws up again it is easy. Trevor opts for making himself some hamburger taco filling and have a burrito.
My girlfriend comes over to hang with me for a while. Her daughter is in drivers ed just down the hill from us. We discuss how to make ham and bean soup for dinner the next night. I have beans that need soaking overnight. She pulls the ingredients together for me. My crock pot is barely big enough.
This morning I could only fit half the beans into the crock pot. I am now on the hunt for one of the big sized ones. Both boys went to school.
My other project yesterday was consolidating my credit cards. With the big project of the game room almost finished, I found that I want to pay off all my expenses and quickly. There are so many low interest rates being advertised, I want to see if I can get lower than the ones I have on my credit card. 9.9% on one card, 6% on another card. A credit line at 8% variable which I don't like at all. Fixed is always the way to go.
I called my car insurance company because I got a letter from them. They want to check our account. Riley is reaching the age of 16 and they want to know if he is driving yet. I inform them that he hasn't even gotten his permit yet. Just as well as his grades, due to being sick, are not the best at the moment. Two classes are really hurting him. His weight training grades on attendance. Riley has 10 days to make up. I told him to start staying after school and making those days up. Show the teacher you care. Spanish is also giving him trouble with two missed tests that still need to be made up.
The Insurance company asks if I want to talk to one of their finance people. I do have questions on interest rates, trying to finesse as low as I can go on my credit card. What is being offered these days? 6% is as low as the credit card can go, though, With my impeccable credit history I can get a loan on one of my used cars as collateral for 2.5%. Not only that but I paid $11,000 for the car I am thinking of using on Craigs list. I have done about $2500 in repairs and maintenance over the last two years on the car. They will loan me $17,000 on that car, my Jeep, at 2.5% for three years, $500 a month, total interest paid over three years would be $500. Since I don't have a source of income, yet, Tom would have to sign also. Tom is dwelling on it. Having been burned once on a co sign, now he thinks about it more carefully. I just smile and am glad he is thinking first. I can't believe that I can get a loan on a used car for $6000 more than I paid for it. The world is still messed up. The banks are still throwing money at people. Of course I did know I was getting a good deal on my car when I bought it.
To me that amount covers everything: the move, the remodel, getting the rental ready, getting our new house ready. I spent a lot of money at Ace and Home Depot and Lowes over the last three months, not to mention the lovely new hardwood floor from Simple floors. It even leaves enough to dwell on my next project. For an extra $300 insurance policy, if the car gets totalled in the next three years, the loan is paid off. With teen drivers I am considering it. I already have comprehensive on my regular insurance. It almost seems like double dipping, which it is. The car gets totalled, I get a new car on one policy and the loan gets paid off by another.
The world works on trust. I just finished reading the book Too Big To Fail, about the Lehman and AIG crisis. People lost faith in the financial sector. They started pulling their money out of the banks. The banks couldn't cover because they had leveraged out way beyond where they should have. Mortgages were defaulting, money wasn't coming in as fast as it was going out. Nothing has changed much. No lessons have been learned, no rules have been reinstated. Banks are still leveraging way beyond where they should. To loan me 30% more than I paid on a used vehicle is insane, except for the excellent credit score that tells them I am an honorable person who pays her debts. It is nice that a good credit score still gets you something. A good credit score is still worth having. Maybe I am a rare bread and that is why every time I go into a credit union or a bank these days, they seem to be throwing money at me, begging me to go into debt. It's a little bit creepy slimy feeling.
2.5%
Trevor was in the locker room getting dressed. He wasn't going back in the pool. He was the lucky swimmer it turned out. The rest of the swimmers had to go outside in just their wet suits and towels. He at least was dry even though he felt miserable. The teachers wouldn't let him use his phone during the emergency to call me to come get him.
After the drill, which turned out to be a bomb threat note in the main building boy's bathroom, Trevor was allowed to go to the office and have them call me. The office assistant I spoke to said Trevor looked miserable. I told her I would be down in 10 minutes to pick him up. It takes about two minutes to get my stuff together and get the car out of the drive. I found Trevor sitting on the concrete in front of the school. He did look miserable. I asked him what he had for lunch. He said the usual, two chicken patties with a hamburger and cheese pattie in the middle.
When we got home it was a half hour before regular release. Trevor crawled into my bed and asked for the remote. I told him when you are sick and miss school there is no TV. Rest and sleep and maybe something to drink but no TV. He pouted a little then took a nap.
Riley came home and filled me in on the fire drill. He said he knew it was a bomb threat because two of the boys in one of his classes had seen the note.
I told Riley to stay away from his brother just in case Trevor has something contagious. Trevor made an appearance around 7:00 pm saying it must have been something he ate as he was feeling better and wanted to know what was for dinner. I offered eggs, soft food to make sure that if he throws up again it is easy. Trevor opts for making himself some hamburger taco filling and have a burrito.
My girlfriend comes over to hang with me for a while. Her daughter is in drivers ed just down the hill from us. We discuss how to make ham and bean soup for dinner the next night. I have beans that need soaking overnight. She pulls the ingredients together for me. My crock pot is barely big enough.
This morning I could only fit half the beans into the crock pot. I am now on the hunt for one of the big sized ones. Both boys went to school.
My other project yesterday was consolidating my credit cards. With the big project of the game room almost finished, I found that I want to pay off all my expenses and quickly. There are so many low interest rates being advertised, I want to see if I can get lower than the ones I have on my credit card. 9.9% on one card, 6% on another card. A credit line at 8% variable which I don't like at all. Fixed is always the way to go.
I called my car insurance company because I got a letter from them. They want to check our account. Riley is reaching the age of 16 and they want to know if he is driving yet. I inform them that he hasn't even gotten his permit yet. Just as well as his grades, due to being sick, are not the best at the moment. Two classes are really hurting him. His weight training grades on attendance. Riley has 10 days to make up. I told him to start staying after school and making those days up. Show the teacher you care. Spanish is also giving him trouble with two missed tests that still need to be made up.
The Insurance company asks if I want to talk to one of their finance people. I do have questions on interest rates, trying to finesse as low as I can go on my credit card. What is being offered these days? 6% is as low as the credit card can go, though, With my impeccable credit history I can get a loan on one of my used cars as collateral for 2.5%. Not only that but I paid $11,000 for the car I am thinking of using on Craigs list. I have done about $2500 in repairs and maintenance over the last two years on the car. They will loan me $17,000 on that car, my Jeep, at 2.5% for three years, $500 a month, total interest paid over three years would be $500. Since I don't have a source of income, yet, Tom would have to sign also. Tom is dwelling on it. Having been burned once on a co sign, now he thinks about it more carefully. I just smile and am glad he is thinking first. I can't believe that I can get a loan on a used car for $6000 more than I paid for it. The world is still messed up. The banks are still throwing money at people. Of course I did know I was getting a good deal on my car when I bought it.
To me that amount covers everything: the move, the remodel, getting the rental ready, getting our new house ready. I spent a lot of money at Ace and Home Depot and Lowes over the last three months, not to mention the lovely new hardwood floor from Simple floors. It even leaves enough to dwell on my next project. For an extra $300 insurance policy, if the car gets totalled in the next three years, the loan is paid off. With teen drivers I am considering it. I already have comprehensive on my regular insurance. It almost seems like double dipping, which it is. The car gets totalled, I get a new car on one policy and the loan gets paid off by another.
The world works on trust. I just finished reading the book Too Big To Fail, about the Lehman and AIG crisis. People lost faith in the financial sector. They started pulling their money out of the banks. The banks couldn't cover because they had leveraged out way beyond where they should have. Mortgages were defaulting, money wasn't coming in as fast as it was going out. Nothing has changed much. No lessons have been learned, no rules have been reinstated. Banks are still leveraging way beyond where they should. To loan me 30% more than I paid on a used vehicle is insane, except for the excellent credit score that tells them I am an honorable person who pays her debts. It is nice that a good credit score still gets you something. A good credit score is still worth having. Maybe I am a rare bread and that is why every time I go into a credit union or a bank these days, they seem to be throwing money at me, begging me to go into debt. It's a little bit creepy slimy feeling.
2.5%
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Friday night
Went up to the club to play Bridge yesterday. Afterwards, I stayed for a cocktail. Tom was on the golf course in this cold weather. When he came into the club house his face was chilly when he kissed me. Trevor had called and wanted us to go bowling. I had told Trevor after seven. He took the initiative and set up for a play date with his best friend to come over for a sleep over and go bowling with us.
At seven we go to retrieve the boys and head to the bowling alley. Problem is it is league night and the alley is packed. No lanes available until 9:00 pm. What to do with boys ready to bowl and no alley, easy, you feed them. I had them go to the restaurant and order a late dinner on me. Trevor splits a pizza with his friend. Riley orders a french dip and Tom gets a burger. I figure with the cooking time and the eating time, we could easily kill 45 minutes or so. One dollar each bought them some arcade time and a lane came open at 8:30.
We played two games. Tom bought himself one more at the end so he could have three. We rolled into the house late with everyone happy.
Today I go to a girlfriend's house at 10:00 am to have my roots fixed. I was going to have them done by another friend but I decided with the interview I was just going to keep the do simple and conservative. After I get the job then I can go for the fun and striped look. (I chickened out)This friend I am seeing today wont do bold stripes. She cuts a very conservative hair. I am not going to go for a hair change until after the interview. I will curl it and set it so it looks finished. I know how to do my hair now. If I had a new do, I wouldn't want to be stressing on how to do it and make it look right the day of the interview. I don't like to fuss. Tom did ask me to go blonder so I might do that, go a little lighter in color.
I saw a couple of other stores were also hiring. The store I chose is a little dressier. I like to dress up. An athletic store had a sign in the window. I am not that athletic anymore, though I have put my hand at a lot of sports. I could sell in that store. It will be a good experience for me regardless. I feel good about just getting out and doing something productive.
The boys are still sleeping. Tom left to go to the Oregon State game. He was picked up at 7:00am. Wont be back until evening. I am off to have coffee and play at my girlfriend's house. I will let you know if my gray roots get covered. If I could do the gray roots myself I would, but when ever I do the over the counter boxes of color, they never quite cover the gray roots enough.
At seven we go to retrieve the boys and head to the bowling alley. Problem is it is league night and the alley is packed. No lanes available until 9:00 pm. What to do with boys ready to bowl and no alley, easy, you feed them. I had them go to the restaurant and order a late dinner on me. Trevor splits a pizza with his friend. Riley orders a french dip and Tom gets a burger. I figure with the cooking time and the eating time, we could easily kill 45 minutes or so. One dollar each bought them some arcade time and a lane came open at 8:30.
We played two games. Tom bought himself one more at the end so he could have three. We rolled into the house late with everyone happy.
Today I go to a girlfriend's house at 10:00 am to have my roots fixed. I was going to have them done by another friend but I decided with the interview I was just going to keep the do simple and conservative. After I get the job then I can go for the fun and striped look. (I chickened out)This friend I am seeing today wont do bold stripes. She cuts a very conservative hair. I am not going to go for a hair change until after the interview. I will curl it and set it so it looks finished. I know how to do my hair now. If I had a new do, I wouldn't want to be stressing on how to do it and make it look right the day of the interview. I don't like to fuss. Tom did ask me to go blonder so I might do that, go a little lighter in color.
I saw a couple of other stores were also hiring. The store I chose is a little dressier. I like to dress up. An athletic store had a sign in the window. I am not that athletic anymore, though I have put my hand at a lot of sports. I could sell in that store. It will be a good experience for me regardless. I feel good about just getting out and doing something productive.
The boys are still sleeping. Tom left to go to the Oregon State game. He was picked up at 7:00am. Wont be back until evening. I am off to have coffee and play at my girlfriend's house. I will let you know if my gray roots get covered. If I could do the gray roots myself I would, but when ever I do the over the counter boxes of color, they never quite cover the gray roots enough.
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