Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Wednesday, Keeping the man down!


 Hubs was shaky and weak when he got home.  Well, he is usually shaky, so this was no surprise.  He slept sitting up on the sofa most of the day.  I had to keep reminding him to stay down.  There was a lot more bleeding than I had thought there would be. He was told to take it easy, so I am really happy we had no grandkids.

I went out to start something with the burger I had thawed, and he was dozing.  I asked him what he wanted me to do with the burger and he said he was craving a sub sandwich from Jimmie Johns.  I said OKAY!   Well really all I was thinking is, I don't have to cook! But that is what he wanted, so that is what he got.

I did not get the day I wanted yesterday, even though I had no kids, it was hard to get myself started.  I realized while talking to my Sissie that it was the 14th and I had to get some bills paid, and then the house taxes are due on the 20th, and I had checks to cash out and I had enough cash to pay off Hub's hearing aids.  So, I took off thinking I could be back in an hour.  Yeah, like that happened.  But this was the route.

Drive to phone company drop off money, stop and get a soda at Mc D's, down to county courthouse to pay taxes, $1634.89, (ouch), then stop and pay off the rest of Hub's hearing aids (Yeah!), swing by bank go in and cash a check, drop by post office to mail a couple of bills, find another bank and wait a long time to fill out ridiculous paper work just to cash a check on one of their clients. Drop off water bill, drop off power bill. Realize that almost all of these things were within walking distance of each other.  It is the going into get it done that caused the slow down. Finally stop at my bank on the way up the hill.

I know, I know I need to set up payments online.  When Sissie gets here she is going to organize me.  I can actually pay most of these automatically, but I have never been in a financial position that I had enough to cover my bills.  Now that I am more debt free, I think I can do this, and it will be a game changer for me. I cannot pay the city water, or the taxes or the hearing aid bill (which is now gone!!!) online.  The city will not debit a checking account.  Nor will our small local phone place, but almost everything else can be paid while sitting at my computer. I am so behind on this new tech stuff.  And to think I have a degree in software.  Yeah, it is a 32-year-old degree and things have changed.  I am smart but also very dysfunctional in some ways. But I love me anyway.

This morning Hubs and I were on our way home from getting our daily cokes at Mcd's and He wanted me to drop him off so he could walk the 3 miles home the last 3/4 mile straight up hill and I said NO! Does he remember yesterday?  Does he?  And NO!  He is now out putzing in the yard. 

I got a late start sewing yesterday because of all of the bill paying nonsense. But I was able to get a good lot done.  I have major work to do today, plus I have to do something with that hamburger, no excuses this time. I have a bride picking up today and I need to get in and put a dress away and then start finishing another that goes out Friday.  Plus, I have a dress to put sleeve in.  Oh my! Then I want to get everything that is due out in July froward on the rack so I can see where I need to be before the end of the month. 

Okay I am off.  I think...

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are int the negative.


Kim 

27 comments:

  1. Online bill pay will be a game changer for you. I bucket my bill paying in the following ways: 1) automatic credit card charge. This is my preferred method. I earn cash back via my card, but we of course pay the bill off monthly. I use this method whenever the merchant/company allows. 2) Automatic deduction from my checking account. I keep a healthy slush in, and while I track, if I forget a bill is coming, I always want to have enough to cover it. 3) Bills that I can pay via the online banking service, but I need to initiate (think, property tax, etc). It's exactly like mailing a check, but the bank initiates the check & does everything else for you. It's a one time set up cost of entering your account number, the merchant name/address, etc. And, bonus, you don't have to put a stamp on it. You then can go in 2x/year or whatever & pay your property taxes from your computer.

    Hope your husband feels better!

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    1. I can't wait for this. I just have never had enough money to keep in an account to cover things, so you are right it will be a game changer. However, we cannot pay taxes like that the county won't do it. I am looking forward to all bills coming straight out of the checking account. Eventually I want to be able to pay all things with a CC to earn points, but I am a ways away from that.

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  2. I have to chuckle because I still mail all my bills. I refuse online stuff - just isn't me. I am an old fashioned gal! You got a lot done and the bills paid = much accomplished. Just not what you planned, but things got done. All is good!

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    1. I was an old fashion gal too, until bills that I left in my mailbox got lost by a temporary mail person and all of my bills ended up late while I tried to stop payment on checks and talk with the post office manager (useless) to try to determine what happened. That was it. They are all paid online. Some automatic, some that I go online to pay. Anything that I have to mail (ie; property taxes) via mail, my husband drops at the post office. I'm done with mailing my bills. I've just started this in the last 2 months and so far, so good. Ranee (MN)

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    2. I am kind of like you and somewhat untrustworthy but mostly of myself. It has always been is there enough to cover the bill. I am better off now.

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  3. Just cook that ground beef, crumble it and freeze. Then you can break off a chunk for tacos or Bolognese? Or make a big meatloaf, slice and freeze.

    I have all our bills automated. Never a temptation to buy something and skip a bill. I have to manually pay property taxes and income taxes. That's it! Love Love Love it!

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  4. Kim, you aren’t going to believe how wonderful online banking is. I was a late bloomer, only after two prehistoric friends of mine were doing it was I spurred into action. I bank at Wells Fargo but I bet most banks do this. For example, someone gives you a check. You go to your smart phone, open up the banks app, sign in. Then click deposit. It will prompt you to take a photo of the front of the check. Then the back of the check, then click deposit. It is done. You will get an email receipt in less than a minute. No need to go deposit checks ever again! It is a miracle . Deposits by photo…who knew? Online bill pay is easy as well, but the deposit by photo changed my life! Hilogene in Az

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    1. Ah, one final tidbit. I save the paper checks I deposited and write minke deposit on them so I don’t double deposit them. Once they clear the bank, I shred them. Easy peasey.

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    2. Oh man, what a typo. Not sure what a minkle is ;). Should have said mobile.

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    3. DOn't we all love the auto correct on our cell phones and computers!

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  5. Hello Kim ... I have been catching up on all your posts as have been away down to my Mums again. You sure do keep busy my friend! I think setting up online will change so much & make it way easier for you. Think of the petrol you will save not running to the different places! I hope you have a productive day Kim. xx

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    1. You know at these prices I was thinking of that. THis is a small town and everything downtown is within the same block, still it costs to drive now.

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  6. Hubs does the bills and it drives me crazy we're not doing online payments. You'll love it. We love and like you Kim. Don't ever change.

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    1. You are so blessed, if I died Hubs would never be able to even know where we bank.

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  7. It took me awhile to get on to the pay online thing, but now I love it, you will as well and it saves soooo much time. I used to run around and pay them, then did it at the bank (they would pay online) and then finally trusted the system enough to set it up myself on the home computer.

    Hope your Hubby is doing okay this evening and didn't overwork.

    God bless.

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    1. I think so much of mine is trust in myself. Will there be enough money there to pay said bill? Too many years of never enough.

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  8. Glad your hubs is okay, Kim!

    We do all our banking online (it took me years to get my hubby onto it!), and it's so much easier to check all of my accounts. I can also eTransfer money from my account to any friends if I have to pay them for tickets or something. Very handy!

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    1. My SIssie does this, but I am too scared I will screw up.

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  9. Paying on line is a game changer. For those vendors that don't have an online payment system, you can probably pay them through your bank account. My credit union has a feature where I can log into my account, set up the vendor that I want to pay with the amount and the date I want it paid and they will either wire the money to the vendor or mail them a check. You will be amazed at the time and gas money that will save you! Plus, you don't end up buying extras (I know you love your diet coke. I am a reformed McD coke drinker!) I love your blog and all of the ideas that you have for saving money!

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    1. Yes it is hard for me to pass a MCd's. I need a 12 step program I am afraid.

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  10. I have auto deduct from checking or credit card. Bills that float amount due I pay online with credit card. I would NOT mail anything as I already know from family that work in the post office how unlikely it is to get it to the company on time and they don't go by date mailed, they go by when it's received. I also use Zelle to transfer money to kids, grandkids, friends. You should have been able to deposit the check to your own account instead of going to the other person's bank. Check with your bank and save yourself the time

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    1. I try to deal in cash as much as possible. As it keeps me accountable for my spending. It is just too easy for me to overspend with a credit card. I have also paid things more than once on line and that has really screwed me up before.

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  11. I gave someone a check and had them furious at me. The person tried to cash my check at my bank and they were charged $7. So, I try to always pay person who mows or cleans in cash. One guy said his mother could cash it for him. These people don't have checking accounts. Because I am a long time customer, I can deposit or outright cash checks from individuals at my bank. Of course, I would be responsible for check if it is bad check. You should not have to drive all over town to other banks.

    I use a variety of methods, auto-pay, check by phone, internet pay. I don't deposit checks by phone because I never get checks from anyone. My ss check is deposited automatically.

    This is a surprise to me that I do this since I went completely to debit card once pandemic hit. It caused me anxiety but less anxiety than handling germy items.

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    1. I do not trust myself to have enough money for a debit card. I also try and deal only in cash. It is just easier for me.

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  12. I mail in checks for all of our monthly bills (we don't have many) and pay the mortgage and cell phone over the phone. I can't imagine driving all over like you do. I don't use automatic payments because I've heard nightmare stories if you want to stop a service that is set up that way. I hope your sister helps you get a system set up that will save you time and gas. Hope your hubby is feeling better also.

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  13. I am a little leery. As for driving all over. 5 of the nine places I went to are all within a block of each other so I just park and walk. It is going into the office and waiting that takes the time.I have been burned by the automatic payment before and it has over drawn me in the past. I have just reached the place where I have enough money to not have this happen.

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