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Money musings - and a thank you

I had several positive and encouraging comments to my post about my parents, and I'd like to express a sincere show of gratitude for all the support. I haven't yet figured out what I should write as a follow-up, or if I should just leave it be ... I have a couple of ideas and I hope to be able to sit down, figure them out, and express them here.

Boy it's busy at work these days. It always is during the second semester, especially because we are compiling all the applications for the September intake.

It's a slow week for me financially. No extra money coming in, just the support cheque and sometimes that's a few days late. I'm comfortable with living on the small allotment in my chequing account, but I told my dad that I would bring Bean out for a visit on Saturday. It's a three-hour drive, so if the cheque is late I will have to either make a transfer from my savings, or use my credit card. I'll pay it off as soon as the cheque comes in and is safely deposited in my chequing account.

I have been thinking about further reducing my expenses. My car/apartment insurance just went up again and is now just under $100 a month. I looked into a company that will give me "up to 25% reduction" for allowing some kind of meter installation that will track my safe driving habits. Not really a problem for me because I hardly ever speed and drive cautiously, especially when I have my little guy in the car. I'm hesitant to switch because I am sold on the idea that my current insurance provider will give me a better rate for being a long-term customer. I'm afraid that a new company will quote low to get my business, and then increase the bill on me.

I'm also thinking of cancelling the internet plan on my cell phone. It costs only $15 a month and I kept it because I opted not to get cable internet for the apartment, which is about $35 a month. I wasn't counting on having a reliable wireless connection available (and I feel a bit like a thief when I use it) so I kept the extra plan on my phone so that I could still check email and facebook whenever I need to. I can also check this blog, but it's not as user-friendly for cell phones. It's such a luxury I know, but apparently the plan I have is not available anymore: $15 for unlimited IM and web. If I cancel it, and then want to restore the service sometime, I would have to buy a more expensive plan.

Finally, I have been looking at a goal on my to-do list, and have researched three or four different yoga teacher training schools. Tuition will be $3000 to $4000 for 200 hours. I was going to wait until 2010 to implement this goal into reality, but I keep going back to look at the options. I think it's because I have a fear that my job is going to be compromised in all the budget tweaking, or maybe I'm just hearing too much about un-positive economic news. I am really trying not to pay attention and just trying to live status quo, but it's so pervasive and hard to ignore.


Seriously,
Karissa Dee


Comments

  1. I've been doing pretty good on not spending much this month. Only Starbucks and a necklace got some exercising from my bank account.

    Other than that... holed up in an apartment, feeling a bit like a loser because I'm still in PJs munching on Caramilk and watching movies

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  2. I tend to avoid monthly subscriptions (those costs add up year after year) but I'm considering the $15/mo cell phone internet plan. I just got a new cell that is much more internet friendly and it came with a free one month trial. I confess I spent a boring meeting today surfing online! Cutting expenses can be tough. The yoga teacher path sounds interesting, I hope you can do it.

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  3. I recently switched insurance companies, and the new company gave me the option of installing that meter-thingy too. They said if I stay below 120km/hr and don't drive between 1am-5am, it would save me 10%. I agreed, but they still haven't sent me the meter-thingy or instructions on where to go to install it. They gave me the discount, though.

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Thanks for commenting! I will have it published as soon as I can.