Bob B.'s Debt Reduction Blog

Bob B.'s Debt Reduction Blog http://bobb.savingadvice.com My path to debt reduction, and other facets of my financial life. info@savingadvice.com Bob B. en-us The Chicken Coop http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/05/07/the-chicken-coop_94727/ My grandfather built a chicken coop in the late 1940's. At the time, it was a state of the art building. In fact, the coop was visited by a poultry specialist from Michigan State College named John Hannah. Dr. Hannah went on to become president of the small agricultural college as... Mon, 07 May 2012 07:22:59 PST Bob B. Adoption Made Final http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/04/19/adoption-made-final_94359/ Yesterday, 3:30. DD1 struck the gavel to make it official! Emotional day for all, except the guests of honor. They had no idea what was going on. But, they will some day. <a href="http://www.savingadvice.com/blogs/image.php?blog=4255&id=10355&original=1"><img hspace="5" src="http://www.savingadvice.com/blogs/image.php?blog=4255&id=10355&&" alt="" align="" border="2" /></a> Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:08:40 PST Bob B. We got a letter from the IRS http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/04/15/we-got-a-letter-from-the-irs_94242/ We got a letter from the IRS yesterday (or Friday). I can't remember for sure. As a reminder, someone used the SSN of our newly adopted son on their tax return to claim him as a dependent, despite the fact that we provided his care for 8 months in 2011, and can legally claim him.... Sun, 15 Apr 2012 15:09:50 PST Bob B. A temporary farewell - and some pesrsonal financial stuff too. http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/04/12/a-temporary-farewell-and-some-pesrsonal-_94171/ Things are just about to get crazy busy for me at work. I'll be tied up for about six weeks. So my posting frequency will drop off substantially through May. Unless it rains a lot over the next couple of weeks. In fact, I started posting to this blog late last April because it was... Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:31:52 PST Bob B. Possible Fence Reinbursement http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/04/10/possible-fence-reinbursement_94095/ We got a letter in the mail on Friday. The letter was from the state Department of Human Services office about an adoptive child/family enrichment program. This program will reimburse families who have adopted through foster care up to $500 for certain expenses. "Fun" type expenses.... Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:48:27 PST Bob B. Saturday morning ramblings http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/04/07/saturday-morning-ramblings_94024/ We got our rent check yesterday. It must have crossed in the mail with the eviction notice. Part of me feels we jumped the gun and should have had a couple more days patience. Part of me says "Rent is due on the first of the month, dammit!" My daughters have a couple of laying hens.... Sat, 07 Apr 2012 05:07:53 PST Bob B. The fence is (almost) working http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/04/06/the-fence-is-almost-working_93991/ Our front yard fence is up. Sorry, no pictures. I'm not really the picture taking sort. It's working out moderately well. A coupe of nights ago when it was warm we let the boys out to play. I busied my self picking up fallen sticks in the yard. DW was happy doing something, and... Fri, 06 Apr 2012 06:35:42 PST Bob B. No Rent Check http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/04/05/no-rent-check_93956/ (pause rant) Thanks to everyone who offered congratulations yesterday. I really do appreciate it! (resume rant) For the second month in a row, our rent check is late. Disheartening. We sent the notice to begin eviction today. That gives them seven business days to either send... Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:58:01 PST Bob B. Adoption Date Set http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/04/04/adoption-date-set_93920/ April 18. You may remember that we adopted DS1 in December. We have not yet adopted DS2, despite that fact that we've had him for two years now. Juvenile court is held on Wednesdays. We opted for the last time slot of the day - 3:30. We hope to fill the court room with family... Wed, 04 Apr 2012 05:40:30 PST Bob B. Revised debt repayment goal http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/04/03/revised-debt-repayment-goal_93897/ Yesterday when I updated my monthly debt progress, I upped my monthly debt retirement goal from $1,000 to $1,050. I was thinking about how that $1,050 number was pretty much pulled out of thin air. I didn't base it on anything other than my gut feeling that it was an amount I thought... Tue, 03 Apr 2012 06:16:41 PST Bob B. April Debt Update http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/04/02/april-debt-update_93871/ What a month was March! It seemed as if money was flowing in and out at an abnormal pace. Here are my new updated debt figures. Slowly chipping away. April 2012 Debt Mort 1 $103,172 Mort 2 $69,370 CC1 $3,220 CC2 $2,058 CC3 $1,151 CC4 $2,502 Van Loan $5,604 Total principal... Mon, 02 Apr 2012 05:35:25 PST Bob B. The fence guys are here http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/03/31/the-fence-guys-are-here_93806/ I guess the title says it all. He ended up renting the auger. Just as well, because he's running into tree roots. The posts should be set today, let the concrete set for a couple of days, and erect the panels on Monday. Pretty good for just deciding on the project a week ago. Sat, 31 Mar 2012 08:22:13 PST Bob B. Somitimes things have a way of working out http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/03/30/somitimes-things-have-a-way-of-working-o_93775/ I stopped by mom and dad's house last night. They live less than a mile away. They gave me a $550 check. It was a payment for labor at the maple woods. That was on top of a $2,100 check they gave me last summer. They said that the two checks added together was 1/2 of profit from 2011... Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:28:18 PST Bob B. Quote of the Day http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/03/29/quote-of-the-day_93731/ I'm guessing most of you have heard about the Mega Millions jack pot - $500 million. I don't play the lottery, so I'm not familiar with Mega Millions. I have no idea how many numbers you play out of how many numbers total, but I'm guessing there are a lot of numbers to choose from.... Thu, 29 Mar 2012 05:41:17 PST Bob B. Fence Continued http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/03/28/fence-continued_93693/ So the fence we picked out was a special order. We would receive it three weeks after order. We initially went with it, but changed our minds to one that is in stock. It's a good fence too, but maybe not quite as attractive. Our contractor will pick it up today, and start on it either... Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:32:29 PST Bob B. Fence Progress http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/03/27/fence-progress_93642/ The fence guy stopped by yesterday. He's actually the same guy who put in our basement windows. We picked out the style of fence we wanted. We'll order from Menard's. It's nearly impossible to discern the cost of the fence, because they publish the cost of the sections, but you need... Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:43:55 PST Bob B. A need to spend some money http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/03/24/a-need-to-spend-some-money_93539/ I've blogged about a couple major themes: debt reduction and the need to build cash reserves. One of my minor themes is that of a foster/adoptive parent. Both of our adoptive sons have special needs. You can read that as "they are difficult to parent." Spring has sprung in Michigan.... Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:30:33 PST Bob B. I'm a Green. What color are you? http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/03/22/im-a-green-what-color-are-you_93476/ Have any of you done the True Colors/Real Colors personality sorter? It's a new twist one the Keirsey-Bates temperment sorter. I'm a Green - the analytical type. We analyze things to death, and usually need a yellow (my DW, for instance) to take action, and actually get things finished.... Thu, 22 Mar 2012 07:05:54 PST Bob B. March Daily Interest Expense http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/03/20/march-daily-interest-expense_93363/ This month, I will spend each day: $1.55 in interest on credit card debt. $2.21 in interest on credit card debt plus auto loan debt. $19.95 in interest on credit card debt plus auto loan debt plus mortgage debt. That total is now less than $20 per day! Of course $19.95... Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:21:59 PST Bob B. More on maple syrup http://bobb.savingadvice.com/2012/03/19/more-on-maple-syrup_93328/ A couple people asked me to expand a bit on my maple syrup entry – so here we go. My great-great-great grandparents settled what the family farm in 1882. The original farm was 80 acres, including 8 ½ acres of sugar maple. GGG Grandpa George produced syrup from about 30 trees – enough... Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:21:36 PST Bob B.