I had a money wake-up call this week. Wednesday morning, I got a text from my bank, USAA, saying that I had a low balance. Actually, it said my checking account balance was “$0.00.” WTF? I logged in to check on this right away. It was true: I over-drafted my checking account, and my balance was zero.
Luckily, USAA offers free overdraft protection, so the money was transferred automatically from my savings to cover my deficit. Ironically, I over-drafted my account by paying off the last of my credit card bills after vowing not to use credit anymore. Turns …
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Posted on October 21, 2011 -
This may or may not be a surprise to you, but here it goes: I’m about to start my first REAL job with a real salary!
That’s right, I’ve never before had a permanent, full-time job where I earned a real wage. Right now I do work full time, but I live on a small stipend each month. Previously, I’ve been a graduate teaching/research assistant and held numerous other paid internships as well as summer and part-time jobs. I’ve actually been working and getting a real paycheck since I was 14.
Despite all my experiences and preparation, I’m a …
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Posted on July 22, 2011 -
In the previous post, I wrote about frugal ideas I hate and that I think are a waste of time. Today, I’m concentrating on the “big wins,” as Ramit calls them. This is the stuff I’d file under “too valuable to ignore.” These big wins can save you hundreds of dollars right away and thousands in the long run. They’re not simply about saving a buck or two here and there, and they’re fairly practical rather than quirky or unconventional.
Here’s my list of powerful tactics that lead to big money wins.
1. Negotiate your salary. If you …
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I’m in for a pretty nice tax return this year. Of course, the first thing I think of: how to spend it. In the past, I’m sure I would’ve rolled it into right into a new laptop or another gadget. But this year I’m taking a different approach for my tax return and other relatively small sums of money I’ve earned or received. I’ve come up with a new plan for all “small cash windfalls.”
For this post, let’s consider a “small cash windfall” any lump cash income as little as a few hundred dollars but less than $3,000, as …
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Posted on February 14, 2011 -
I had a money wake-up call this week. Wednesday morning, I got a text from my bank, USAA, saying that I had a low balance. Actually, it said my checking account balance was “$0.00.” WTF? I logged in to check on this right away. It was true: I over-drafted my checking account, and my balance was zero.
