Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Sold another car - now share 1 car
Just a quick update. Last month we sold one of our cars. My wife and I now share 1 car between the two of us. My wife doesn't like it but financially it means we save $60/month on car insurance. Plus it helps a little with college costs.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Update: Still paying off debt
Been a while since my last post.
We sold one of our cars. Now my wife and I share one car. Takes coordinating our work activities.
My debt now stands at about $78,800 total = $9400 (end of car lease debt) + $69,400 CC debt.
I'm still working my part-time job but my yearly income is still down about $20K a year for 2009 and 2010 (so far).
I'm hoping to settle with one of my creditors for 3 CC balances. I'm totally insolvent so I'm not worried about taxes: I owe more than I have assets.
We sold one of our cars. Now my wife and I share one car. Takes coordinating our work activities.
My debt now stands at about $78,800 total = $9400 (end of car lease debt) + $69,400 CC debt.
I'm still working my part-time job but my yearly income is still down about $20K a year for 2009 and 2010 (so far).
I'm hoping to settle with one of my creditors for 3 CC balances. I'm totally insolvent so I'm not worried about taxes: I owe more than I have assets.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Debt status
Been a while since I last posted. Thought I'd bring this blog up-to-date.
My CC debt is now at $74,000. Last year (2009) I paid back $26,000.
We had a medical expense of about $8000 so I guess I really paid back $34,000 in 2009. That's a lot of cash. Oh well.
I'm down to a $1000 emergency fund. I'm also back to delaying some monthly CC payments. Just don't have the cash in my budget. Last year my income dropped $20K from the previous year.
Got a call from our ex-car lease company yesterday. They said as long as I can make a payment on our "end of (lease) term" balance then it - the $9,444 owed - won't go to collections. I probably need to add that $9.4K onto my total debt which would make it go up to $83.4K owed as of today. Nothing I can do about it.
I'm still working my 2nd job that adds to our overall income so that helps.
I heard Obama is going to speak tonight about helping the middle class - too bad he defined the middle class as an income level of $85K and below. I've already short sold my house two years ago, burned through my savings a longer time ago and am back to living paycheck to paycheck with two kids in college. Lotta fun these days.
Oh well, we'll see what 2010 brings.
My CC debt is now at $74,000. Last year (2009) I paid back $26,000.
We had a medical expense of about $8000 so I guess I really paid back $34,000 in 2009. That's a lot of cash. Oh well.
I'm down to a $1000 emergency fund. I'm also back to delaying some monthly CC payments. Just don't have the cash in my budget. Last year my income dropped $20K from the previous year.
Got a call from our ex-car lease company yesterday. They said as long as I can make a payment on our "end of (lease) term" balance then it - the $9,444 owed - won't go to collections. I probably need to add that $9.4K onto my total debt which would make it go up to $83.4K owed as of today. Nothing I can do about it.
I'm still working my 2nd job that adds to our overall income so that helps.
I heard Obama is going to speak tonight about helping the middle class - too bad he defined the middle class as an income level of $85K and below. I've already short sold my house two years ago, burned through my savings a longer time ago and am back to living paycheck to paycheck with two kids in college. Lotta fun these days.
Oh well, we'll see what 2010 brings.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Lost my speeding ticket case
I just got back from traffic court - I lost. Had to pay an additional $52 on top of the $257 that I already paid. Now I have to go to (and pay for) traffic school to keep my insurance low. (After I lost, I asked the judge if he would allow me to go to traffic school to keep my insurance rates low - he said yes.)
Anyway, here's some things I noticed:
- Be respectful - to the judge and the officer - they're only doing their jobs. Address the judge as "Your honor" or "Yes Sir" "No Sir"
- 5 out of 35 cases were dismissed - Officer did not show up - that's about a 14% chance that the officer will not show up in court.
- One person fought and won against a speeding ticket - had his case dismissed because of insufficient evidence. The defendant challenged the time between when the officer first saw the defendant "speeding" and the time that the officer pulled out, raised, aimed and then pulled the trigger on the Lidar gun. Also said that a passing truck obstructed the officer's view. The defendant also had a witness with him in court - the driver of the truck.
- Most cases are lost. It's better to have your case first or towards the first. If you're last - I was near the last, about two hours last - then the judge is tired and has heard all sorts of BS reasons, excuses, and complaints from whiners, etc. and he's just not as fresh or willing to listen as he was at 8am.
- Bring a witness if you can, someone to help support your defense.
Anyway, here's some things I noticed:
- Be respectful - to the judge and the officer - they're only doing their jobs. Address the judge as "Your honor" or "Yes Sir" "No Sir"
- 5 out of 35 cases were dismissed - Officer did not show up - that's about a 14% chance that the officer will not show up in court.
- One person fought and won against a speeding ticket - had his case dismissed because of insufficient evidence. The defendant challenged the time between when the officer first saw the defendant "speeding" and the time that the officer pulled out, raised, aimed and then pulled the trigger on the Lidar gun. Also said that a passing truck obstructed the officer's view. The defendant also had a witness with him in court - the driver of the truck.
- Most cases are lost. It's better to have your case first or towards the first. If you're last - I was near the last, about two hours last - then the judge is tired and has heard all sorts of BS reasons, excuses, and complaints from whiners, etc. and he's just not as fresh or willing to listen as he was at 8am.
- Bring a witness if you can, someone to help support your defense.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Speeding ticket court date Friday
Well, I go into court tomorrow to plead my case before a judge on why I shouldn't have gotten a speeding ticket. I'll post the results later.
Recieved a $1600 commission in October
Sales picking up recently. I received a $1600 commission last month.
Sales have been much much slower this year. I even talked to a co-worker the other day who told me he's been having difficulty this year making his house payments.
Sales have been much much slower this year. I even talked to a co-worker the other day who told me he's been having difficulty this year making his house payments.
Turned in our lease - bought a used car
We turned in our 350Z last week. Bought a very well taken care of used Mazda 626. We're very fortunate.
So good to get rid of the Z and that monthly payment. It was a fun car but it was a stupid decision to lease a car. Never again. Now I've got to reallocate that money toward paying down my debt. I've got another 2 and half years to pay off our debt. Hope we make it.
So good to get rid of the Z and that monthly payment. It was a fun car but it was a stupid decision to lease a car. Never again. Now I've got to reallocate that money toward paying down my debt. I've got another 2 and half years to pay off our debt. Hope we make it.
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