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Archive for December, 2016

FB Sales & Purchases on the last day of the year

January 1st, 2017 at 12:08 am

My little one is already incredibly into books. We read to her, she flips through books herself, she 'reads to us' (she's one, so she's just babbling at us with some real words thrown in). I want to foster that love of books, so we have a bunch and incorporate the library (more later than now obviously).

However, a woman locally was selling 100 kids books for $30. At 30 cents each, and including several series of books that I loved to read as a kid, I bought them. I did try to counteroffer, but she held firm. LOL Using money I had from FB sales of my daughter's stuff, no budget money was spent.

At the same time, I sold one of my daughter's old infant toys for $5.

I am ending the year with $199.50 in the FB Baby Sales envelope. This is Sales minus Purchases from the site.

2016 GOALS update

December 29th, 2016 at 01:02 am

2016 GOALS:
1. Keep contributing 14% to 401k (plus 6% match)[increasing to 16% as of 3/18] COMPLETED. CURRENTLY 401K CONTRIBUTION FOR MYSELF IS AT 16% AND WILL STAY THAT WAY INTO 2017
2. $2500 to HSA (PLUS $1500 Company Match). Already set up COMPLETED
3. $3333.33 to Childcare FSA (PLUS $1666.67 Company Contribution) COMPLETED
4. Cash only Birthdays/Holidays/ChristmasCOMPLETED
5. Increase New Home Fund by $8000 COMPLETED AND USED FOR NEW HOME DEPOSIT/CLOSING COSTS
6. Increase EFUND by $946.81 GOAL POSTPONED DUE TO PURCHASING NEW HOUSE
7. Increase Vacation fund by $274.86 GOAL POSTPONED FOR NEW HOUSE PURCHASE
8. Increase Nephew Savings by $500.05 INCREASED BY $400 AND GAVE $100 CASH AT CHRISTMAS INSTEAD
9. Increase Medical Savings by $483.69 POSTPONED DUE TO NEW HOUSE PURCHASE
10. Increase Car Savings by $442.68 POSTPONED DUE TO NEW HOUSE PURCHASE

This year, we purchased a new house, rented out the old one, had a renter stop paying after 2 months, cashflowed several large purchases. I will do a post of this years 'financial change', but it is significant and I am happy!

Final 2016 401k Contribution #s

December 28th, 2016 at 11:30 pm

In 2016, I was able to contribute the following:

$14,747.02 My Contribution
$ 6,785.30 Employer Match
$21,532.32 TOTAL CONTRIBUTION in 2016

Because of increased contribution percentage, plus overtime, this is the best contribution amount I have had before and definitely the largest employer contribution amount! Woohoo!

Major issues with the Renter of the Townhouse :(

December 28th, 2016 at 11:15 pm

When we bought our new home this summer, we decided to hold off on selling the townhouse that was in my name only & instead rent it out. This was for several reasons, mostly financial.

We went through a very reputable Property Management company, who did a thorough vetting of applicants. We (my husband and I) made the final decision on the renter. She had ok credit, no issues with previous landlords/apartment complexes and although was lower income, seemed to be good.

She moved in mid-August. Paid up the deposit, 1st months rent, etc. Paid September and October with no issues. She sent a check in November, which BOUNCED.

The same week we were notified it bounced, I was in the neighborhood dropping off my 2016 HOA check and saw that the front door (screen door) was off the hinge and laying in the yard.

I notified the property management company, who said they had no contact with the renter about any issues with the door and that they had not received any response to calls, emails and a note on the door about the rent.

Because of the issue with the door/damage to the property, they serviced notice per state law for an indoor inspection and a day or 2 later, did a walk through.

The interior had no issues, was well maintained and very clean luckily. The PM left a note that because of the lack of contact and the returned check, they would be speaking to the owners (us) who may choose to exercise their right to start court proceedings.

The renter called that night. They said they'd been in a car accident and had to be out of work, had their phone shut off and other excuses why they didn't reach out.

They said they are just returning to work now and would be paying a 1/2 payment the next Friday & another 1/2 payment the following Friday. However, this would put them another month behind as December 1st was in between those 2 promised payments.

Based on the lack of communication, lack of clear plan to get caught up, bouncing a check so early into the lease, etc, we decided to go with giving notice & starting court proceedings to get her out of the house.

State law has us waiting for a court date. In the mean time, Dec 1st passed with no payment. The Promised Payment Friday did not appear.

The PM talked to her again and she said she meant the 'following Friday as she's paid biweekly'. That next Friday passed with no payment as well.

As of today, a 3rd Friday passed with no payment. So she is 2 months behind, owes 2 months of late fees and is aware of the eviction process starting.

If she magically got caught up , we could drop the court proceeding, but in the mean time, she is not in communication and has not paid.

We used our Rental EF of 1 month mortgage to the Dec 1st Mortgage payment. I cash-flowed 1/2 of January 1st's mortgage payment and used savings for the 2nd half.

For Feb 1, I am doing OT to avoid using savings for the payment. IN Jan, we should get a court date, but it could be until late Feb before she is out. Once she is, we are going to just sell the house.

Its going to be a real challenge to sell at the amount owed on the mortgage Frown

We knew renting was a gamble and it did not pay out for us. Unfortunately the house values in that neighborhood plummeted quite a bit in the last 8 years and its not going to get better. Crime went up in the area and a lot of homes are for sale, but just sitting.

I am not looking forward to this process, but we have and will be doing everything to do this in the smartest way possible. Wish us luck!

Final 2016 Alternate Income Total

December 27th, 2016 at 02:11 am

Alt Income:
01/14/2016 $5 AGC bing
02/08/2016 $20 coke reward agc
02/13/2016 $19.78 ebates
02/22/2016 $37.92 TD cc rewards
02/26/2016 $50 samsung pay bonus
03/06/2016 $4.25 Red Bull Settlement
03/07/2016 $25 Citi TY Bonus
09/06/2016 $20 agc bing
09/16/2016 $11.99 amazon cc rewards
10/13/2016 $66.08 TD cc rewards
10/14/2016 $5 AGC bing
10/24/2016 $2.01 Red Bull Settlement
11/10/2016 $78.2 TD cc rewards
11/14/2016 $15 AGC bing
11/15/2016 $26.18 ebates
11/16/2016 $110.17 BOA cc rewards plus bonus $100
11/22/2016 $150 checking bonus
11/30/2016 $5.55 coke reward agc (partial)
12/05/2016 $14.45 coke reward agc (partial)
12/22/2016 $2.9 Discover balance refund
12/22/2016 $5 AGC bing

TOTAL: $524.50

2016 FB BABY SALES
2/1 $50 Lot of Newborn CLothes
2/1 $6 1/2 shirts
3/1 $10 shirts
3/1 $5 Boppy Cover
3/1 $8 3 month onesies
3/1 $10 6 month onesides
3/1 $8 Minnie mouse outfit
4/3 $10 extra infant car seat base
4/6 $40 infant car seat & base
4/25 $5 maternity shorts
4/18 $5 baby outfit
4/29 $12 baby clothes to Brittany
5/4 $15 playmat
6/19 $22.5 yard sale
6/20 $40 3 bags 6-9 month baby clothes
7/30 $8 superhero bibs
8/1 $8 extra boppy sale
8/17 $10 4 oz bottles
9/6 $14 9 oz bottles
10/18 $8 bouncer & blankets
10/19 $5 Halloween outfit 3 months
11/07 $3 holiday bibs
11/17 $8 bumbo seat
11/19 $10 9 month xmas clothes
12/4 $5 xmas outfit newborn

2016 FB Household items sales

2/27 $5 house survey
7/4 $40 cradle
7/5 $20 upholstered chair
7/29 $3 mirror
11/17 $8 wall hanging
11/19 $35 wall shelf



TOTAL ALTERNATE INCOMES: $1105.98

Retirement Update

December 9th, 2016 at 01:21 am

Retirement update as of 12/8/16

$117,088.35 (not including my husband's 401k).