International Region, Women in Red Racers

[debtheaven]

t

[ldawngirl]

My goals are:
Financial:
- get debt down to under $5000 (attainable based on current payments)
- pay for wedding/honeymoon without incurring debt
- start saving for a down payment for a house
- start building an emergency fund
- help DF get on the right financial track (finish bankrupty (4 more months to go!) and start saving for his retirement)

Education:
- work towards my management diploma (Ideally I want to finish in the first half of 2012, so I'll take classes this year to ensure that is possible)
- start taking French classes again

Other:
- Get married!
- Start planning for life post-wedding (babies, house, etc.)
- Get involved in an industry group/association (to build connections, boost education, gain opportunities, etc.)

Looking at these goals written out, I can see that I'm moving away from debt repayment as a priority and more into savings. This does make sense as we have the wedding/honeymoon coming up, so that's a big chunk of change being spent. And the personal loan is an auto-pilot at this point, so it's taking care of itself.

I want to definitely keep debt repayment in the forefront of my mind though. I've been thinking of phoning around to see if there are other banks that may offer me a better interest rate to move this loan over to them. Now that I don't have any other debt, they may be willing to do it without having a history with them.

[el1504]

IndebtinOZ - are you ok? I've been thinking of you and your family and I hope you are surviving the big wet.

[debtheaven]

EL
I don't want to speak for Oz but she is in Sydney, which is not where all the flooding is going on. I certainly hope so has no friends or family affected though.

I have two interviews next week (Wed and Thurs)! The jobs are quite far from me but they are grouped. One is six hours on one day, the other is 10 hours over two days. I really want the six-hour one because it pays 50% more. That means the monthly pay is about the same for both, but with that one, I'd only have to make that long commute one day a week.

I turned down a third possible four hours over two days ... to teach maximum-security prisoners (offered by the same people). I told them it was because I preferred to have six hours on one day. Ha!

I REALLY hope that six-hour job works out.

[writer88]

I REALLY hope that six-hour job works out
You're in my prayers, DebtHeaven

[el1504]

DH - Thats good. For some reason I thought she was up north. We have been lucky in this part as every where on the eastern seaboard seems to have been affected accept eastern NSW

[el1504]

UPDATE
EL1504[2]: 1/20/2011 $3,656.35 (3/19/2010 $6,751.42 IU62)

[indebtinoz]

hi all and thanks for your thoughts el1504. DH2007 I think it was cmrobin who lived insydney and worked in a bank there, but moved back to the US, and switched to a regional thread on wirr. I am iin queensland but up the top half in the tropics. All the floods were well south of me thankfully,I think it was one of the few places in the state spared by the weather. We have managed to empty much of our house of things to send south for those who have lost everything, and as no supplies are getting up north we are finally making use of our well stocked pantry and freezer. I did get a scare the other day when I went into woolworths and they were completely out of loo paper!

[debtheaven]

I'm so sorry Oz (and El) to have gotten that wrong, and so thankful you are safe!!! I did not realize you were in Queensland!

[el1504]

IndebtinOz - glad you're ok. One of the girls I work with was saying there is a lot of panic buying happening up there with supermarkets around brisbane being out of just about everything. But now I am going to go out and buy toilet paper just so we are prepared if it comes here!

On an interseting note a lot of the charities who are organising relief efforts in Queensland (and now Victoria) are saying just give money please don't give food and things. Not sure why

[indebtinoz]

hi all, hey dh its an easy mistake to make. hard to keep track of where we all live but thanks for your concern and thoughts. El I am not sure either why we have all been told to just send cash, I think the collection depots were full and the roads still being closed they couldnt move it all. but up here there was a few different groups collecting things, eg rotary did a linen drive (sheets, towels, blankets), and one of the removal companies collected kids toys and books to send down, and one of the salvation army shops was collecting appliances, it was a bit of running around to donate, but cash was not realy an option for me and I wanted to give something.

[Minnesotagirl7]

2007DH- Good luck!!
I hope all of you Aussies stay safe.

Have a great weekend everyone!

[indebtyogini]

Goals for 2011:

Financial
- Make my last payment on Citi in June
- Finish my race in Dec
- Put $200 a month into savings (and leave it there!)

Education
- Maintain my 4.0 GPA
- Figure out what I want to do with my MBA!

Personal
- Stick to the work out plan I've created
- Nurture and grow my network

I had a bit of potentially bad news this week that really put the whole thing into a tail spin. Apparently there's a very good chance that none of the admins in my office will be getting a bonus. The firm just had layoffs so I guess things aren't going very well. In banking everyone always gets a bonus no matter what. Even when Lehman was going through its bankruptcy everyone still got a bonus. So I was relying on the money to get some work done on my car. That news made my motivation to do anything at work drop by 100%! I hope that it isn't true but either way I wont be getting what I was expecting. I should find out next week. Fingers crossed!

[indebtinoz]

hi everyone no numbers to post am still juggling amounts from one debt to another but i do have some goals and plans for the year. budgets have always been a bit of a failure for me so I have tried to take advantage of the fact that I have many different jobs resulting in many different paydays. I think youu could relate to that DH, as a part time worker. our pays are already divided up for us. I have allocated each different pay of the month to different things and only that amount can be spent(no stealing from other pays) I have a camper trailer that I love but we havent had time to use it for 2 years so when the rain eventually stops I will pop it up, pretty it up a bit and sell it. I have beenn offered 2thousand from a dealer, so I figure I could probaly get twice that if I try to sell it privately. i am not trying to be greedy and the 2000 imediately is very tempting but an extra 2000 would be even better.(thats a lot of house cleaning to make that kinda money!) my big expense of the year is my teeth, I am getting the bad ones pulled out on the credit card, but will save up for the false ones over the next 12 months, as they are quite costly. Looks like we will be eating a lot of soup around here for a while!!
GOALS
Personal loan goal paid off by mid year (it will be my 2 yr aniversary on wirr) then start on the mortgage
family holiday in september to the gold coast paid in cash
shiny new teeth for next years xmas dinner!

[el1504]

Goals for 2011

1) pay off credit card ($3,700 left to go)
2) pay for operation in cash
3) save $4,000 for new fence
4) save $6,000 for holiday

I think these are very doable by the end of the year if not early in 2012 depending on if I can keep DH from prioritising all his wants first (the new fence is a DH want).

Have a good weekend.

[el1504]

IndebtinOz - maybe its that you are closer to the 'action' so it doesn't cost as much to ship things? Anyway we all give what we can and the main thing is that it all helps.

[debtheaven]

Oz, good for you for being so generous. Some of the stories are absolutely harrowing.

Still no loan
We still haven't been approved for the loan. Turns out there was an anomaly with our last tax declaration. Although we sent both forms in (work income form and rental income form; I have proof and so does the accountant), the tax authority doesn't appear to have processed the rental income form.

So now the bank wants a copy of the letter from our accountant to the tax authority to prove that he is addressing the situation. The accountant is DH's company accountant and he does our taxes for free (we give him a gift), so we can't push him. Hopefully he will do it very soon (the bank asked him on Friday). Hopefully the bank won't turn around and ask for yet something else. Hopefully we won't owe more in taxes.

Writer I was convinced Mercury was retrograde, but apparently that's not the case.

[Minnesotagirl7]

Shoutouts!
2007DH- Hope you hear good news soon regarding the six-hour job!
EL1504- Fantastic update! You’ve paid off 46% of your debt!

I love seeing everyone's goals for the year! Makes me think I need to sit down and come up with some of my own.

[writer88]

Writer I was convinced Mercury was retrograde, but apparently that's not the case.

DH - You're not the only who has asked me if Merc is retro. Seems a lot of people are waiting for mail or money to arrive (including me )

Merc was retro from 10-30 Dec, and will be again between 30 Mar - 23 Apr.

[debtheaven]

Writer I was getting extremely agitated over the whole situation. I actually burst into tears on the phone with the bank when they asked for this. Then we went to the UK for just 36 hours (travelling through two nights for one night there for a family event). So now I'm just exhausted and behind. I guess it beats agitated. I am again throwing up the proverbial tennis ball.

Minnesota, thanks! Interview for that job is on Thursday. It really is a LONG way away though ... (we passed the exit on the way to the UK). I really hope it works out because having driven past the exit, I'd REALLY rather do it once a week rather than twice.

And while we're at it, the bathtub in the apt we are selling has been leaking into the downstairs apt. I know the PM called a plumber ASAP but I haven't had any news from her since Fri (when she called to tell me she had no news).

If Gd willing these two transactions go through, that's it! I promise! No more RE transactions!!!

[writer88]

DebtHeaven - I'm glad you cried. Not because I want to see you in pain (which I don't) but because crying is a response from the depths. Of who you are inside. Of what you really feel.

When I think of the struggles we've endured on this board...ffinbc with her unemployed DH, you with the banks, me with the NII...these tribulations have been given to us for a reason. Not to knock us down (our Gd is a Gd of lovingkindness) but to raise us up. They've come with a message, a personal, individual message for each of us.

For example, the message I got from the NII fiasco was "there isn't a lot of time left". I didn't know what it meant on a global, or even on a national scale, but I knew immediately what it meant on a personal level. It meant I needed to dial up the passion/intensity. There is a conscience sense of urgency in my life, now. I've pushed myself with my writing, finishing three new chapters in my novel. I've taken up exercising again, walking at least three times a week and starting a Pilates session once a week. I've separated myself from tempting distractions (certain foods, certain websites).

As for your personal message, DebtHeaven, only you know what it is, for sure. I believe, however, it has something to do with your last sentence: No more RE transactions!

[Minnesotagirl7]

The Midwest has a new winner! Head on over and congratulate urdoingit on her win!!!

[debtheaven]

As for your personal message, DebtHeaven, only you know what it is, for sure. I believe, however, it has something to do with your last sentence: No more RE transactions!

Wow Writer I haven't stopped thinking about your comment. It has been haunting me but I think I understand what it means. I'm hesitant / superstitious about stating it because the issue has not yet been resolved.

STILL no more news. The bank wrote to the accountant again yesterday. And I called him today. I didn't get to speak to him but I spoke to his assistant and explained the problem in detail. Then I wrote a very curt email to the bank pointing out that they were penalizing us for a) the tax authority's error, ie something WE did not do b) something out of OUR control, ie the accountant not responding quickly c) that the entire issue has NO impact on our ability to repay that loan. Of course no answer there either.

I had Job 1 Interview today. It went well and I'm quite sure she will offer me hours. But, since Job 2 (interview tomorrow) pays nearly 50% more, obviously I'd prefer that. I'm even thinking that both jobs might work out ...

And I'm still applying to other teaching jobs as they come up. I got a call from another place yesterday. They said, can you come in right now for an interview? (I wrote them over two weeks ago.) I said I'm terribly sorry, no, I have a class. You have to admit it's short notice. They said, so Thursday morning? I said no, I have another interview scheduled. I can come in anytime Wed or Friday though. She said no, those days aren't good for us, never mind, we'll get back to you and hung up. WTH?!

ETA: The accountant has already told the bank that the amount of rental income that the tax authority did not take into account is NOT enough to trigger a tax audit, which is what they claim they are worried about. Because of the Rental Disaster of 2009, our net rental profit was about 900e.

[urdoingit]

FinanciallyfreeinBC: Thanks! I am in a state of shock that I actually reached the end of Race 1...coming soon, Race 2 featuring the mortgage and HELOC.

[debtheaven]

I just wrote a bunch of emails!!! I wrote to the bank to tell them they were being beyond ridiculous. I wrote to the RE lawyer handling the transactions asking her for advice. And I wrote to the accountant saying I know the bank is being ridiculous but can he PLEASE send a copy of that letter to the tax authority, and bill us for his time (again he is DH's business's accountant and has never accepted to charge us for our personal taxes). And DH FINALLY bought him a very fancy bottle of whiskey, only six months late. So that's just one more thing OFF DH's list and added onto mine going forward. It was his ONLY errand for June and I made a point of not doing it for him, but who knew what was going to happen with the taxes. Lesson 293 learned, if you want something done in a timely fashion, you do it yourself.

I was SO tempted to copy everybody onto everything but I was a good girl, so I didn't. This said, I'm wondering whether that might have gotten an instant reponse from the bank. But, I didn't take the chance. It was tempting though, and I actually asked my RE lawyer if I should forward my email to her to the bank (minus that question of course).

AND, I even copied all those sent mails to DH. Who will then ridicule my French mistakes and accents and probably be very PO'd that I wrote to "his" accountant who never charges us. I told him I'm sure whatever I'm doing is wrong, but something needs doing, and if he's not happy about how I handled it he's welcome to take over. These "pre-emptive strikes" never work with DH. I'm OK with that as long as it works with the others though. I just want this DONE.

ETA: DH read everything, he pointed out just one French error. And told me, go for it, we have nothing to lose at this point, copy it all to the bank. So I copied the letter to my RE lawyer saying the bank was being a royal PITA, as well as my letter to the accountant asking (begging?) for him to please send that letter ASAP, but, pointing out very loudly, that the bank is being a total PITA, and that if we weren't over two weeks past the deadline for the loan, we would definitely be going elsewhere. I also thanked him for his generosity but asked him to bill us.

I don't know what will happen but it felt good to do all that LOL. At this point I have done everything I could possibly do to move things forward, including sending all those emails around despite my prior concerns about everybody's feelings (although I remained polite, obviously).

I care much more about selling the wonky rental which will require a bunch of expensive special assessments than I do about buying the new, nice rental. But at this point, it's all out of my hands.

[el1504]

DH - Hugs to you

[debtheaven]

EL Thank you! They really helped ...

FINALLY, some good news! Three pieces of good news! I got the Thursday job! They don't yet know when they want me to start, some time within the next month. Six hours per week.

AND, the accountant sent a copy of that letter to the bank. The bank swears they will give us an answer tomorrow (because the final decision is made by somebody else).

AND the woman who hung up on me offered me an interview for Monday. I'm not sure I want to work there, but I'll see what they have to offer. That job is not at all well-paid but I still need more hours.

At least I'm finally back up to 12 hours. Whew!

I'M STILL waiting to hear from the PM about the leaky bathtub ... and from the bank, of course.

[writer88]

Yeah, DebtHeaven! Six more hours of billable work! I'm so relieved for you. Is it once or twice a week?

Re: the bank. Let us know right away...we're on pins & needles.
It's been a ordeal

[debtheaven]

Writer TY! I'm totally on pins and needles myself ... I can't manage to get anything done.

The six hours are on one day, so I'm still applying for jobs for the other day.

ETA: More good news. The plumber is repairing the leaky bathtub faucet as we speak. The repairs will be finished today so at least that won't hold up the sale.

Now if only the bank would get back to me with good news on the loan ...

[debtheaven]

DRUMROLL PLEASE ... They approved the loan! Only three weeks late! Yay!

Now I have to work very hard this weekend making up for all the time spent doing nothing but fretting! I'M SO RELIEVED!!!

And all the paperwork is finally in now for the sale, so that should happen the week of 7 Feb. WHEW!