Comments | sail_aweigh: Slowly straightening out the finances.

sail_aweigh

Slowly straightening out the finances.

Oct 17, 2006 22:11

Called the cable company today and had my service downgraded to basic cable, plus the cable modem. I was worried I'd lose all my favorite channels, up in the 40s and 50s. But no, turns out basic cable goes up to channel 75. So, I still get Discovery Channel, TLC, the History Channel and, most of all, the SciFi channel. A channel that even a year ( Read more... )

money

Comments 5

going_not_gone October 18 2006, 00:30:35 UTC

It might make sense to cut up all but one of the cards, and keep that one (at home) for emergencies.

I've also heard of the practice of keeping credit cards in the freezer, frozen in a block of ice....in order to use it, you have to thaw it out, which limits your ability to do impulse purchases. Of course if it's already on file with Amazon.com this may not work.... ;-)

Good luck with getting your fiscal life in order. Debt is such a source of stress, if you can get rid of it that's great.

sail_aweigh October 18 2006, 14:11:38 UTC

I'm thinking I'm going to go ahead and cut them up. Just keep two major credit cards: one Visa, one MC. I may keep the Firestone Autopass because it gives me 90 days interest free on major repairs/maintenance and car repairs, not so cheap. Otherwise, outtahere! If I have a card, I use it.

going_not_gone October 18 2006, 14:29:11 UTC

Yep. With a card, it's just too easy to spend money and not have it feel like "real money."

My husband and I have one card each, and we pay it off in full every month. Keeps us honest--the outgo from the checking account reflects what we're actually spending.

amaliedageek October 18 2006, 06:33:22 UTC

If you can afford the tax hit, cash 'em out and clear off the debt. Right now I'm in a place where the cards get paid off every month and I have no debt beyond the mortgage, and it is freeing.

sail_aweigh October 18 2006, 14:22:17 UTC

I've got two that are a little over a thousand each. I'm thinking cash one in this year and the other one in January, so that they're split between tax years. It will be much easier to absorb the tax hit that way. I've got one in a mutual fund for $7k that is stagnant, it hasn't increased in value in nearly 10 years and I've just been too lazy to do anything about it. I should roll that one over, but I may decide to bite the big one because it would pay off one of the major cards in one swell foop. I may end up paying out the nose in taxes, but I don't include it as part of my portfolio, so it wouldn't be a huge hit in my retirement planning. Dunno, gotta really think about that last one.

I envy you your debt-free lifestyle! And I will achieve, eventually.