February 2011 Controlled/No Spend Thread

[sapphire12]

Reenee -- Check the grocery store. In smaller towns, people still list things on a bulletin board. Good luck with your search.

SES -- Sorry about the printer. It would be nice to have a printer at home. I've not done any research for one. I just know that I need it to be a 4-in-1.

mizbear -- hugs to you.

[shanendoah]

reenee: As for the apartment- ask people you know who live in the area. Many can get bonuses for referring people to their complex. In Seattle, they don't publish in the Sunday paper, but there are a lot of free "apartment" publications that you can find at restaurants (espeically coffee shops). You can also try your paper's website. At least here, there are many classifieds that only go on the website and not in the printed paper at all.

[MittenKitten]

reenee: Check craigslist.org for rentals. If there is a public housing website they may have a list of rentals also. (just make sure you are in a decent neighborhood)

[shanendoah]

Printers: If you have to buy a new printer, need a 4 in 1 (copy, scan, print, photo print?), and print things on a fairly regular basis, I would go with the newer Kodak printers. They are a little more expensive up front - for the printer, but by the time you buy your first ink refill, you've generally recouped that money. I used to be able to refill my ink - black and color - for $25 total. However, just like inkjets, if you don't use them often, the ink will dry up, and ours wouldn't work at all if there was no ink - as in, it wouldn't scan if there was no ink. We also had a first generation printer and there were some problems with the print head (has been fixed in later generations).
Since we rarely printed, we had problems with ink drying out, especially the color ink, since DH hates to print in color. We finally decided to replace it and got a laser printer. We did our research and got a GREAT deal. It is only black and white, but it copies and scans. The toner doesn't dry out the way the ink did (or at least not as quickly), and while its expensive to replace, we should get 100x more copies out of a toner cartridge than we did ink. We've been really happy with it so far.

[MittenKitten]

As for laws: Get YOUR LAWS OFF MY BODY! Seriously we are supposedly run by government NOT religion so it should be the woman's right to decide. If she is the type to use it for birth control, do you think she should be allowed to have children?

[dianartemis]

reenee: Check for property management co.'s in your area and go to their website. You can also try apartments.com. At least I think that's what it is.

[sapphire12]

shan -- The lack of actually needing a printer day to day is why I haven't put more emphasis into looking for one. I will keep what you said in mind, should I decide to ever go that route. Who knows by the time I get around to buying a printer, you might have new criteria.

shan2 -- On the abortion topic, I happen to agree with you. My problem is I have yet to hear one politician explain to me the logic behind the govt being all in affairs that affect "my" health, but they don't want any part of the govt when it comes to finances. It doesn't fly with me.

[ses]

I have a laser printer which I love. I can't see a need for color considering the way I print.

Until legislators, believers or leaders can guarantee that ALL kids will be raised with the food they need, education they need and hopefully all the love they need stay away from women's choices. It has always bugged me that the ones who want to prevent "killing" fetuses have no problem sending young people (usually other people's children and not their own) to be killed in poorly thought out wars. I am furious when abortions are prevented as well as food programs and education programs be dropped. Until we can educate and feed well the kids we have don't force more to be born.

[sapphire12]

Well said SES! We have close to half a million children in the foster care system. Some of those programs will lose funding as a result of budget cuts. While I think we do more to enable the poor as opposed to helping the poor, cutting money without providing adequate resources to assist them in rising to be independent is futile. Assistance should be for a "season", not a lifestyle choice.

[muttleynfelix]

I'm done guys. I don't talk politics with friends and you guys are friends. So, have fun.

[shanendoah]

Muttley: or you can ask us to stop. I talk politics and religion like I talk money. I don't feel they should be taboo, but I also understand that it can make other people uncomfortable, so you can always (and I really mean this) tell me to shut my trap.

[spruby]

Here is the thing - *I* believe what *I* believe is right for ME and think you should believe and do what you think is right for YOU. I believe abortion should be safe, legal and available (another rant entirely) to those who *choose* to have one. If you don't think that is the choice for you - no matter what - by belief doesn't impact you at all. But if you are against all abortions and think no one should have one - and are able to make that the law of the land - your belief impacts me. I don't think it is right that I have to live by someone else's moral choices. To have an abortion is a hard/difficult/personal choice - who am I to make it for someone else?

And if all of these anti-abortion groups are so concerned - where are they after every child is born? Why are children allowed to be homeless, hungry, without medical care, abused, etc.? [an entirely separate rant]

[ses]

My printer revived. I shut everything down for a few hours, unplugged everything and replugged and now it works!

[MittenKitten]

SES see it just needed a vacation.

Had two shots and shoveled snow. My arms hurt! This week is going to be a pain, I think I am going to cancel my class for Friday.

Can I go to bed?

[singlemomky]

Ses - Yay! That is fantastic about the printer
Politics - I too am of the belief that everyone has a right to their own choice, in all situations whether that be medical, political, financial, etc. and who am I to take someone's choice away just b/c that might not be the choice for me.

[dakota4600]

MK- I'm right with you. All I want to do is curl up in bed. I have a nasty cold coming on. I'm fighting it with Zinc lozenges and OJ.

Politics- Not with it enough to keep up with conversation.

I have a staff meeting today and none of the items on the agenda are things I want to discuss. Ugghh. My boss is pulling the "these are my objectives and therefore yours" line of carp out. I HATE it when bosses do that. No I really don't care about the things you are supposed to accomplish, I care about the things I am supposed to accomplish. Now they want to hold more events that weren't budgeted for and it will be my job to make sure we stay on budget by cutting somewhere else. I need a new job!

I've lost track of NS days, we've done well this month. My goal is to not have to pull out of long term savings to pay for the fridge when our credit card bill is due in a month. I am hoping to just pull a few hundred out of short term savings and then bulk it back up.

Reenee- Hope you find a place that fits your needs, I have no suggestions on where to look though.

SES- Glad the printer came back to life.

[mizbear]

Reenee- Most places have free booklets you can pick up or you can go to all the apartment complexes in the target area, pick up apps, fill them out, turn them in, and ask what the waiting list is. If you go with a private rental, check with whomever monitors private rentals in your area to make sure they have proper licensing, rental complaints, etc. You don't want to rent from someone who say hasn't had a good track record for repairing maintenance issues, left a little old lady without A/C all summer, or lost her rental license due to substandard conditions.

Politicians, etc: I usually do not talk politics, etc, but people in positions to help me as a child playing politics almost cost me my life. I can not, despite my personal views on anything- for instance, I am pro-choice, but would not have an abortion unless the doctor told me there was no other option- turn my back on other people. Redefining rape wil not just affect women. Men already report being sexually assaulted at a lower rate. How many years will this drop us back. And then cutting lunch programs, planned parenthood, headstart, etc.... I realize this country is broke, but there are other ways to fix it.

[sheilaincali]

The powers that be cut and cut from the programs to help those in need. But what do they cut form their own lives? Serve one term as a senator and you get your full medical paid for life. I did government contracting for the military. Every squadron had a budget- if you didn't spend 2011's budget then you got less for 2012. So at the end of every fiscal year it was spend spend spend. People would get 20 new computers on a whim, outfit the entire squadron in Arctic gear (even though they got new gear 3 months prior), etc. Plus every general got to redecorate his office and his base housing. New furniture, new drapes, new carpeting, new paint, new staff car, etc every 2 years like clockwork. 10's of thousands wasted every year on crap like. The best was when the general's wife decided the grass wasn't green enough so we had to contract it out to be painted. Then she decided the fire hydrants were "ugly" so they had them all painted brown. Only they couldn't see them properly so 2 months later they were all repainted. It was her husband that decided that base street names were "boring" so they renamed every street on base. Which resulted in new street signs and new letterhead and envelopes for every office on base. More money wasted.
Most of these you can chuckle at almost. But when they decided to re-asphalt the driveway leading to the bald eagle enclosure and the fumes killed 4 out of the 5 bald eagles- that one was just plain sad.

But don't worry- most of the enlisted that lived in base housing lived in houses that were on the verge of being condemned. Seriously- as soon as they moved out or transfered bases- each newly vacant house was condemned and bulldozed.

[redwagon]

staying out of the political discussion, but I agree with most of you. But i'm with Muttley on this one. I've seen people get really offended by political discussions on here and not going there again :-)

lost count of NS days. but tax refund comes friday, so that's exciting!

reenee - I know I live in a much bigger city, but we always went to a real estate broker that specialized in rentals. You could call around to see if any in your area do that. Or like someone said, property management companies. Good luck!!

hope you all are well!

[redwagon]

oh, and I lost another half pound this week! going back in the right direction!!

[redwagon]

Woohoo! I'm now the Long Island Book Examiner! Now, to start writing!

[MittenKitten]

red wagon: I deleted most of my post. I actually ignore a great deal of politics since I can't fix what is wrong I choose to not acknowledge it. I think if we were to cut the real waste instead of cutting human services etc. things would be a lot better. Make the politicians take a pay cut or freeze for 10 years, make them pay for part of their health insurance cut out all the pork belly out of the bills. It just raises my blood pressure too much.

[sapphire12]

Red -- congrats on the weight loss and your new title.

[mizbear]

is working on homework tonight and then her budget- I think I need a bottle

[sheilaincali]

mizbear- there is no shame in that Just try to do the "math" portion of the budget before you lose the ability to add and subtract without using your fingers and toes !

[cathysmom]

I'm also with Muttley on this one. We discuss many things on this thread as they relate to our finances and our lives, but politics has not been one of them, probably because people don't agree and someone always winds up unhappy or angry. It's not worth it.
Maybe I'll check in again in March.

[moneysquirrel]

Update: 17 NS days & 4 CS days = 21 NS/CS days

I haven't read everything so I don't really know what the hot topic is but I know that if some of the core members are opting out then there is the strongest possibility that there is a danger of offending and losing several long-term members. I would suggest that the topic be moved to a new thread so that we can keep to our goals of supporting each other on our journey toward controlling our spending.

I hope that this comment doesn't upset anyone but I have been here for over three years and know that in the past several members have left with hurt feelings.

[redwagon]

Argh. Really frustrated tonight. Picked up blue from the airport, ordered dominos, only to have them mess up the order. Took over an hour to get it all straightened out, by which time it was 9:30pm. THEN I decide to check our Verizon Wireless bill. With all the phone-buying/number switching with blue changing jobs, the bill is astronomical. I'm thinking that they are charging us for a data plan that they shouldn't be. It's really messy this month ebcause it's half a month pro-rated plus advance charges for next month. I emailed them. Hopefully it's not too much of a hassle to get it fixed. I fear it won't be. We got blue's new phone free by adding a new line to a family share plan (with me as the other line). When he switched his old work number to the new phone, they told us we had to keep paying for the original line he just bought the phone with since that was part of getting the phone free. They said it'd be $10 a month for the line. Well, now they're charging the data plan, which now that I think about it is required for smartphones. So I'm not sure we can talk them out of this. Plus taxes and fees. It's ridiculous. SO not worth the free phone. Thinking maybe we can just pay for the phone after all and kill the unused expensive extra line? So frustrating... really wishing blue didn't insist on keeping his old number, but I understand why he wanted to. It's his only contact number, really, and it'd be such a hassle to notify everyone of a new number. I've had the same number almost ten years now. It'd be so weird to change it. So yeah. Wish me luck getting this bill down a bit...

[3catslady]

There is a lot of talk on this board right now that I do not want to get involved in, so I will just state that I have 20 NS/CSD and 3 Eating out days. I am waiting for my income tax to be deposited so I can get some teeth pulled. I broke off 2 and crushed a root canal from grinding my teeth at night. Talk to you all later.

[sheilaincali]

Update: 16/20 NSD, 21/25 NEO, 21 lbs lost

We ate out for dinner last night- DH asked nicely. On the plus side we had enough for all of our dinners and lunches today. So 2 meals out of each dinner helps lessen the expense of the meal.

3Cats: Good luck with the dentist. I know a couple of the other ladies have had some pretty significant dental work done in the past.