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Some Decent Cost Cutting & Other Updates

August 25th, 2011 at 09:10 pm

**Our regular credit card received a fraud alert because dh and I both got gas about 1.5 hours apart (same gas station). I know in the past dh had asked if that would be a problem (getting gas the same day - twice). It never has been, but this time was just close enough to do the trick. I was relieved that was all it was!

**I think my family never returned anything (growing up), and so I am slow with returns. I mentioned how MIL was all excited to buy the kids a bunch of clothes we don't need! & she didn't seem to care that we absolutely did not need them! I finally thought to look if she gave me a receipt, and she had. So, I simply took them back for needed items (school shorts).

MIL just e-mailed me that she wanted to buy some pants, too. I have to inventory what I need, but I appreciate her asking first. & there is always returns...

I would like to buy BM a nice jacket (the one I bought him in Kinder has been handed down to LM), but can probably swing that with gift cards. So, I may get off easy on the school clothing this year. Like -$0- easy.

**I mentioned yesterday that I redeemed a bunch of gift cards, which means I shouldn't have to pay money to buy anything for AGES.

**MIL is officially paying for piano lessons for BM. Was all *talk* for a long time, but now is for real. Starting next month. On one hand, was paying it from the "payroll tax holiday" which should be this year only. I figured we'd work it out next year some way. This takes care of it, but I want to keep setting aside the money so that we don't rely on her to *keep* lessons. For this year, will probably put to the mortgage. For next year, will have to figure it out. (IT's possible if we cut cable - that will cover it. Next year - may put the amount to ROTHs - while MIL pays for it. Or mortgage, if ROTHs are maxed). We settled on her paying $80/month, which covers lessons most months. We will cover extra weeks, books, supplies.

**I had awesome timing in closing out our old credit card. I literally closed it days before our newspaper subscription renewed. I am not sure if I was aware or maybe just didn't remember that the good rate I found last year was contingent on auto renewal. Sure, I know the industry is hurting, but the bill regularly goes up 30% or so. I'd prefer to get the bill and decide if I want to renew.

No official bill, this time, but we did get a letter that we owed $130 (up 30%). I discussed with dh and he really wanted to keep it, so I told him to put it on one of our recently opened credit cards (which will be closed by next month probably). Buys me less hassle factor for next year's renewal. Less hassle if I don't want to blindly pay a huge increase.

That said, dh told me it was no doubt cheaper than the Sunday paper. Whatevah! I went to the corner store today and proved that wrong. BM and I are early birds, and I told him we would gladly go pick up the Sunday paper every weekend before he wakes up. He won't know the difference. Wink It's $2 a week and though we could do even better if we were new customers, it's far better than any delivery deal we get as *old customers.*

Oh - I am sure they might grovel if we literally call to cancel, but I finally talked dh into it! Big Grin He even said not to bother with the Sunday paper, but I will probably get it for compromise. It's not some big splurge that needs to be denied him. I'd just rather take a walk every Sunday than pay the increase.

**COUNTDOWN TO NO CABLE**

I'm all for the *no cable* thing and have done well enough without it when money was tighter. BUT, I did marry a wanna-be film maker, and my dh LOVES his TV and movies.

But, my dh is also cheap, and does not like to be ripped off. I think we've gone as long as we have, because most of the last decade we had a little local cable company that was very good and reasonable. But, since they got bought out it's just double "UGH." Couple that with recent technology advances like roku, and abundant streaming (netflix, etc.), and dh is ready to cut the cord. Woohoo!!!

I think the deciding factor is that we got fiber optic internet, and a new TV (which streams internet), and the netflix streaming quality met dh's uber high expectations. Which I don't think he ever expected it would. So, ever since we have had netflix, we have talked about cutting the cable. (I don't care for watching TV on the computer - but this *streaming to the TV* stuff is awesome!)

BUT, dh went out and signed a contract with our cable company RIGHT before that - for some discount. Rolleyes So we have been sitting and waiting all year to get this done and over with. {I know - how often have I said that we do not do contracts. We usually can not get any cable discounts, because the catch is you have to commit! But, after a decade of cable, I guess dh found it hard to fathom that we would give it up any time soon. Well, that and our current cable is very nice and great customer service, but it is insane expensive).

I am not holding my breath. I am not sure it will work. BUT, dh is committed to trying through the end of the year.

We were just looking it up, and the contract date is sometime around September 15th.

I am counting down the days!

Since we already have netflix and blockbuster, dh just wants to subscribe to hulu plus and maybe buy some amazon streaming content. We may be saving $80/month with this move. (Yes, and that is with the contract/commitment/discount. It is absurd!)

Dh seems to think I may have problems with the whole thing. ??? I'll take $80/month over cable ANY DAY. I can not imagine a world where I will have real problems with no cable. But, I guess we will see... (Sure - I Watch it and enjoy it because I pay for it - but I can't see missing it too much!) I've been really digging netflix as an UBER cheap alternative, myself. & since I didn't have cable until about the year 2000, and have rarely had HBO, I have decades of programming to catch up on. (I suppose most of the HBO programming I have watched was on DVD, after the fact, anyway. But there are still several series I haven't gotten through yet).

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Anyway, all of the above means some significant savings through the end of the year. Ideally!

2 Responses to “Some Decent Cost Cutting & Other Updates”

  1. My English Castle Says:
    1314325428

    Streaming Netflix has been so fabulous for us. We find lots of things we want to watch--and things we'd never have found without it.

    I thought of you a few minutes ago when we had "real" TV on (I can't remember the last time we watched commercial TV), and they had an ad for Chase Sapphire cards. DH mentioned he thought they might be a good deal for us with the no fees for foreign transactions. I told him they were all the rage at SA!

  2. dmontngrey Says:
    1314378507

    I LOVE not having cable. I don't even watch tv these days except for the Suze Orman podcast I download each week. We've been without cable for so long, we even have a hard time justifying Netflix and the like.

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