8 oz of freedom...

So classes start on Thursday. I've been resting and catching up on the entrepreneurial side of life. We've accomplished alot during this break as far as cleaning is concerned.

Things change so quickly! Right now my sole focus is to keep the money coming so I can tackle my goals accordingly. If you've noticed, the changepot has changed in amount. This is due in part to my husband finding loose change during his daily travails.

He has found one FUNNY looking quarter that looks like it's gone through hell and back. It's bent beyond recognition. I'll try to take a pic of it later.

Hurry over to ING!

Keep your Orange Savings Account deposits warm this winter with a little padding! The ING DIRECT Winter Save Up Sale earns you 4.75% APY on new deposits to your Orange Savings Account.

Here's How It Works: Deposits eligible for the Winter Save Up SaleOnly New Funds are eligible for the 4.75% APY. New Funds must:
Be from an external source
Be deposited into an Orange Savings Account
Be deposited any time between January 19, 2006 to April 15, 2006 – the Sale Period
Increase your total balances with ING DIRECT compared to your balances in all deposit accounts at the beginning of the Sale Period 4.75% Interest Calculation To determine what portion of your Orange Savings Account balance will earn the 4.75% APY, during the Sale Period we add up all of your new deposits from an external source and then subtract all withdrawals from the account (whether internal or external) from that total. If that amount is greater than zero, it is eligible for the 4.75% APY. If an account is closed during the Sale Period, the 4.75% may not be earned for the entire period that the new funds were on deposit. Accounts eligible for the Winter Save Up Sale
All new Orange Savings Accounts opened by new ING DIRECT Customers
All existing Orange Savings Accounts belonging to currentING DIRECT Customers
After the Winter Save Up Sale ends After April 15, 2006, all the money in your Orange Savings Account will earn the current APY at that time.
For example, using the Orange Savings Account APY from December 31, 2005 (3.80%), all New Funds that are deposited on January 19, 2006, will yield 4.75% APY for 87 days until April 15, 2006, and would yield 3.80% APY after that date. So, the blended APY for the first year after account opening is 4.03%. The blended APY for New Funds that are on deposit for fewer than 87 days will be lower, as it may vary depending on the number of days the promotional rate is earned. The non-promotional APY is variable and may change during the Sale Period.ING DIRECT retains the right to withdraw this offer at any time

Winter Save Up Sale FAQ 1. Who is eligible for the Winter Save Up Sale? Everyone – current Customers who have an Orange Savings Account (one account or multiple accounts) and new Customers who open an Orange Savings Account. 2. Is all of my money eligible for the sale? All New Funds deposited to your Orange Savings Account between January 19 and April 15 from your linked account (manually or through your Automatic Savings Plan) or through Direct Deposit are eligible to earn the 4.75% APY.Interest earned, transfers between Orange Savings Accounts, and any disbursements from an Orange CD that are transferred into your Orange Savings Account are not eligible for the bonus rate. However, this money will still continue to earn the current rate of 3.80% . 3. Is there a minimum balance required to receive the 4.75% sale APY? No.4. What happens if I make a withdrawal or transfer from my account? Any withdrawal or transfer from your account (which includes moving funds to other deposit accounts at ING DIRECT) will decrease the portion of your balance that is earning 4.75% APY. The best way to take advantage of the 4.75% APY is to truly save and leave your money in your account. 5. How do you calculate the interest for the Winter Save Up Sale? To determine what portion of your Orange Savings Account balance will earn the 4.75% APY, during the Sale Period we add up all of your new deposits from an external source and then subtract all withdrawals from the account (whether internal or external) from that total. If that amount is greater than zero, it is eligible for the 4.75% APY. If an account is closed during the Sale Period, the 4.75% may not be earned for the entire period that the new funds were on deposit. 6. How long is the promotion running? The Winter Save Up Sale runs from January 19, 2006 to April 15, 2006.7. What happens to my money after the promotion ends on April 15, 2006? All of the money in your Orange Savings Account will receive the current APY at that time.8. Where can I see the interest I’ve earned during the Winter Save Up Sale? The interest you’ve earned on your New Funds will be posted to your account at the end of each month as Winter Save Up Sale Interest. It will be displayed as a line item in the Account Details of your Orange Savings Account on our secure website and on your monthly Statement.9. What are the tax implications? Interest earned as part of the Winter Save Up Sale, just like all other earned interest, is generally taxable income. It will be included in your 2006 year end tax reporting.10. Does this promotion apply to my Orange CD Account? No, the promotion is only being offered for the Orange Savings Account.

Financial advice for my collegiate brethren-

Why Students Should Start Saving Now

We save, basically, because we can't predict the future. If we could, we would know precisely how much money we would need for the things that we want and need in the future. But because we can't do this, the need to save money for the future is vital.

Think about these few reasons why:

Emergency cushion - This could be any number of things: a new roof for the house, out-of-pocket medical expenses, or a job layoff and sudden loss of income. You'll need money set aside for these emergencies to avoid going into debt to pay for what you need.

Retirement - If you intend to retire someday, you'll probably need savings and/or investments to take the place of the income you'll no longer get from your job.

Average Life Expectancy - With more advances in medicine and public health, people are now living longer (and needing more money to get by).

Volatility of Social Security - Social Security was never intended to be the primary source of income and should be treated as a supplement to income.

Education - The costs for private and public education are rising every year, and it's getting tougher to meet these demands.

Without money put away in savings and/or investments, you may open yourself up to other risks as well. For example, not having enough money to pay for emergency dental care may force you into taking a loan that your savings might otherwise have covered.

Source: InCharge Institute of America
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11 Ways to Save Money
By Elizabeth Hart, Virginia Tech

Is there really such thing as a "quick buck?" By following subtle tricks of the money trade, the easiest money is to be made - by learning how to keep it. Below is a compilation of the 11 simplest yet most overlooked ways to quickly salvage and sustain your bank balance in the midst of a collegiate atmosphere.

Play your cards. IDs in your wallet might save you if you know what to look for - student, military, and insurance IDs, AAA cards, or organization memberships are subject for certain discounts. Research benefits and ask businesses which are honored—especially with bookstores, travel/tourism, restaurants or retail chains. "Bonus" cards for grocery and drug stores also offer large savings worth checking out.

Be an employed customer. Where do you purchase the most items? By working where you tend to buy (for example, match your seasonal employment with where you holiday shop most), you ensure your benefit from employee discounts for items you were bound to purchase.

Comparison shop the easy way. The salescircular.com website lists weekly prices, promotions and rebates of electronics at stores near you - and saves you time, gasoline costs and hours of paging through newspaper ads.

Turn talents into cash. A student mass-emailed offers to modulate Xboxes for a fee, working from his room. Whether you tutor differential equations, teach basic guitar or knit scarves, you can easily publicize what you have to offer with online networking.

Seek opportunities. Submit a résumé to a temporary job agency as a back up in case of unemployment. Agencies may help you find day-long/short-term job opportunities to counter downtime with networking, experience and new companies (which will build your résumé as well.)

Go all out, not without. Is there a way that a broader scope can take care of your needs as well as others with the same interests? Many university-implemented groups have designated money for productive student spending. Holiday room decorations were not in my budget, but instead of going without, I organized a decorating program for my dorm's residents. Our residence hall government funded the program, enabling us all to save on decorations and enjoy a larger result.

Clean out the couch. Take random coins from piggy banks and catch-alls to change-converting machines like Coinstar (often found at food stores) make for an easy way to turn loose money into bills. Some banks honor rolled coins or have fee-free machines of their own.

Save and then splurge. While eating fast food 18 times might seem better than eating once at a fancy restaurant for the same cost, don't forget the risk of depreciating your earnings little by little with only mediocrity to show in the end. Save and splurge--at least once--in order to afford things like a great travel experience, college tuition, a nice business suit, or a seemingly unaffordable want. Sacrificing little luxuries (like movie rentals and frappachinos) for a few months in exchange for a worthy product proves college students CAN live luxuriously - just with an even trade.

Discover a new stock tip. Buy large amounts at once when you know you'll want more. Order magazines through a subscription to avoid "off the rack" prices. Stock up "regulars" (i.e., printer paper, frozen waffles, laundry detergent) at bulk stores with better values. Purchase extras of items to spare refill trips.

Be prepared to gift-give. The need for impromptu gifts is inevitable--preparation will save you from overspending during empty-handed panic. For example, if you stocked 10 decorated ceramic plates, some matching ribbon, and cookie mix, you'd have quick hostess gifts or thank you presents for 10 occasions ready to go. Generic gifts on sale work best. If you make good cookies or use ideal "formula gifts," new recipients won't complain about the repetition; they'll hope for it.

Get on the go. Staying busy distracts us from feeling the need to spend. The more involved you are, the less likely you are to steer towards boredom expenses (snack foods, excess movie tickets, video game rentals, etc.) Active organizations like clubs, mentoring, business fraternities, or intramural sports allow less time to think about purchases needed for extra entertainment… and an active résumé may help you obtain a higher-paying job - another step towards financial stability that was seemingly effortless, too.

Four Shiny Dimes (and a wasted trip to a furniture store)

Mrs. Krabs has an aversion to particle board furniture. Mr. Krabs was looking forward to buying new bedroom furniture for the little crustaceans but I just couldn't bring myself to part with 900 bucks. 900 bucks for a temporary furniture solution. We have fallen prey to the Ikea insanity far too long (all their furniture falls apart rather quickly!).. sigh...

We went into a place here on the island which will remain unnamed for discretion. What a waste. First off, it smelled like cigarettes. And old men. Plenty of funk and fags (cigs Brit slang) to go around. As we walked further into the store, the smell nauseated me (nothing worse than an ex-smoker). I soon found out why. One rather large, balding man sat at the far end of the showroom happily puffing away RIGHT NEXT to a sign that says "Smoking Prohibited".

F**k it.


BUT....

I found four dimes today in front of my house!!!! I have added them to the changepot. YAYYYY!!

(Grade Update: Four A's and a B! That would have made me $4.75 in high school back when mom used to pay me a buck for A's and seventy five cents for B's)

Git Ya Freak On!

I am pissed. Lately people are posting inflammatory remarks about how internet companies are changing their relationships with E-gold. Wake up, people! E-gold requires NO identification. It's used by lots of fraudulent businesses that belly up on the net. I personally don't have an E-gold account because of this dilemma. Last year, the E-gold offices in Melbourne, Florida were raided shortly after Int-Gold. Here is the article found on various forums:

On the found money front, hubby made a killing in spare change at the Pep Boys parking lot (of all places). He came home with a pocket full of quarters and pennies, especially by the smoking area. I was shocked because a woman had her head blown off there a few weeks ago.

Yay!!

On the found money front, Hubby found a nickel on campus last night. I am amazed at his honed skill of finding loot in the dark like that- it was like OWL VISION... Hooray! We've been finding change here and there but no one is putting it into the changepot. I will update the progress today or tomorrow (perhaps add a new picture)

(Side note: A personal commemoration of my deceased grandma. You will always be in my heart. Thank you for your fountain of knowledge. Your smile is still imprinted fresh in my memory.)

Job Markets

I received an invitation to go to an exclusive Job Seminar on Friday- and I feel a little conflicted. The average salary for the position I qualify for begins at 44K. Part of me is a little excited because I can use the 44K for house expenses and I can save my business profits entirely. The other half is concerned with the amount of time I'd have to spend with my rugrats. Bad enough their dad works with uncle sam and his latest position will pretty much guarantee him out of the house at least 14 out of the 18 waking hours. Unless I find a nanny for my wee one, that conflicts with grad school BIG TIME.

Happy New Year! Back from the HOLI- DAZE.

I hope everyone's had a wonderful bunch of holidays. It's 2006- we're all a year older (and some of us a lil' bit wiser!)

I've decided to ditch the resolutions because I got rid of a few habits last year- primarily the most costly habit (smoking). All the other flaws can be dealt with on a daily basis. What have YOU given up?