I am a firm believer that during the summer, I should not have to sweat inside my house.  Sure, [...]]]> So now that winter is on its way, I have turned the heat on in my house.  My house has a programmable thermostat, which I love.  But the question is always what to set the thermostat at.

I am a firm believer that during the summer, I should not have to sweat inside my house.  Sure, I could save money by doing so, but I don’t want to.  It’s how I choose to spend my money.

But I balance that out in the winter.  I keep my house quite cool and always wear layers while inside.  Conveniently, I love sleeping snuggled up under a bunch of blankets, so I set my thermostat fairly low at night.  It does make it tough if I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, but it’s not that bad.

I know a lot of people who set their heat significantly lower during the day – mine drops, but not significantly.  I have cats in the house, and I would feel wrong letting the temperature getting down to 60.  Yes, they have fur, but that’s not the point.

And the best part?  If I’m home and things are just too cold for comfort, I can raise the temperature a few degrees by overriding the program.  Easy as pie.  I’m hoping to see the results of this when the next gas bill arrives.  Keeping my fingers crossed that the winter budget isn’t ridiculous!

I called the accounts manager who sent me the letter and told them my story.  I also called the leasing agent who offered me the deal (the amount I thought I needed to pay and had paid).  A few days later, the leasing agent [...]]]> I am not in debt to my old leasing agency after all!

I called the accounts manager who sent me the letter and told them my story.  I also called the leasing agent who offered me the deal (the amount I thought I needed to pay and had paid).  A few days later, the leasing agent got  back to me.  He was quite apologetic and said this never should have happened.  He had a note in my file that we had made this agreement, and somehow, it never got to the accounts team.

The next day, I received an official letter from the accounts manager saying that I was paid in full.

$7500, back in my pocket.

But lesson learned, boys and girls.  GET IT IN WRITING!

So I made a stupid mistake. A mistake that someone who knows finance and who actually has a law degree shouldn’t make.

I didn’t get something in writing. And now it may be coming back to bite me.

Brief background: I bought my house in February [...]]]> Welcome Consumerist readers!  For a followup, check this entry.

So I made a stupid mistake. A mistake that someone who knows finance and who actually has a law degree shouldn’t make.

I didn’t get something in writing. And now it may be coming back to bite me.

Brief background: I bought my house in February and moved in March. My apartment lease was up in September. Prior to house hunting, I contacting my leasing office to find out the penalties for breaking the lease. The rental agreement just said that I was liable for actual damages, which meant they could come after me for the full rent, but I knew that others had broken their leases without facing that penalty. I was told that I had to give 60 days notice and pay a one month penalty.

Okay. Not too bad. Definitely doable.

So I bought the house. Though we planned to move in March, I didn’t give notice until the day after we closed in February, just in case the purchase fell through. There had been enough blips in the process that I didn’t want to put all my eggs in one basket and then find myself without a home. I put in the form and went on my way.

Then we got a letter telling us we owed rent (and pet fees!) through the end of September as penalty. Great. Of course, I flipped out a bit, but once I had calmed down, I went in and talked to one of the accounts managers. I presented my case, told him that I had relied on the information that I was given and asked what we could do. He responded that since I had been a good tenant, always paying rent early, and because I wasn’t asking to be immediately let out of the lease but offering a reasonable alternative, that he would accept it. I asked him to get me a letter to this effect, but… it never happened. I shouldn’t have let it drop, but the moving got the best of me and I sort of forgot about it.

Big mistake.

Last week, I received a letter indicating that we owed a bit over $7500 left on the lease (this time not including the pet fees, thankfully) and that I needed to pay within 10 days or it would be sent to collections. I immediately called and was told to provide the information in writing and that they would research and get back to me. So I laid out my case and now I wait.

I’m lucky in that I do have $7500 available. It’s going to take some shifting of funds, but it’s in the emergency fund and I can get to it. I just don’t feel like this is the sort of emergency that I should use the money for. It’s a stupid mistake on my part. I’m just hoping that it goes my way. Even if I can get out of paying some of the money, I will be happy.

Lesson learned. Get everything in writing!

It’s nothing bad – I’m not at risk of missing bills or anything.  And I’m still happily employed.  But I just find myself overspending lately.  Some of it is bad planning, some of it [...]]]> I’m finding myself a bit stressed about my finances lately, and I think that’s why I’ve not had anything to write about.

It’s nothing bad – I’m not at risk of missing bills or anything.  And I’m still happily employed.  But I just find myself overspending lately.  Some of it is bad planning, some of it is just bad luck.  This month, I dropped a bunch of money on a new computer cord and a new phone when both died (the cost of replacing the parts on the phone was only $50 less than the new phone, so  I figured it was worth it).

Right now, I’m also finally having the planned landscaping done on my yard.  Before my house was rehabbed, it sat vacant, and was a rental before that.  So the yard was in horrid condition.  Not just weeds and overgrown plants, but lots of soil erosion and improper drainage.  Nothing good.  The patio stones were broken and missing in places as well.  Nothing good.  So one thing I decided to do when I bought the house was have the yard professionally worked on.  The bids were more expensive than I thought they would be, but I decided it was worth it.  And I think it will be.  It’s just a lot of money to be sinking into something right now.

I just need to tighten up the spending again.  It’s hard, because there’s so much that I want to do for the house, but I just need to step back.  Even with the little things.  Because the little things add up.

My roommate moves out in December.  I’m worried about what that will do to my budget.

Seriously though, I did some re-thinking about my spending.  And maybe I chose the “fun” route over the [...]]]> I think my credit cards are smoking right now. There has been a lot of spending over the past week. Planned spending, but still. Those credit card rewards are going to look awesome this month!

Seriously though, I did some re-thinking about my spending.  And maybe I chose the “fun” route over the practical route.  But I think it’s worth it.

So what did I buy?  Well, when I bought my house, I set aside some money to have a new fence put in around the backyard. I have a fence now, but it’s pretty old (or at least old looking) and a number of the boards have cracked and warped.  The gates don’t close securely, and they absolutely wouldn’t keep a dog secured.  This isn’t an issue now, as I don’t have a dog.  But the thinking was now that I have a house, I can get a new fence and then get a dog.

Then reality set in.  Yes, dogs are expensive, but that wasn’t the issue.  The issue is time.  With work alone, I leave the house before 7 am and am home sometime between 5:30 and 6.  That’s a long day for a dog to be alone.  Sure, many people have dogs and they do just fine with a schedule like this.  But I don’t know that I want to introduce a dog to that situation.  Plus I’m enjoying being able to just head out on the weekends and do whatever I want.  The cats?  Sure, they like it when I’m around, but even when I am home during the day, they’re just off sleeping somewhere or watching the birds and the squirrels.  They are less concerned about my schedule (plus they would hate me if I got a dog).

So I decided to wait on the fence.  Even without a dog, it’s something that will need to be done, but it’s suddenly less urgent.

What did I buy instead?  A treadmill.  And a bike.

Both are things that I have wanted for some time.   I run a lot, and I know that people say “Oh, that treadmill will become a coatrack in no time.”  But given that I have trained for spring half-marathons the past two years at the gym and run ten mile training runs on the treadmill both years, I think that the treadmill is probably an excellent purchase.  The bike is something new, but it’s an activity that I’ve wanted to take up for a while. I love being outside and I love being active, and I wanted some sort of cross-training to compliment my running (and I kind of want to do a triathlon, but that’s another story).  So the bike makes sense.  It’s going to take some work to get into biking shape, but I’m looking forward to it.  And like the treadmill, I can use it inside – I just have to buy a trainer and get it set up for the winter.  With these two purchases, I have already canceled my gym membership, which isn’t a huge amount of savings, comparatively speaking, but it’s something.

So I’m excited.  I’ve already used the treadmill a few times thanks to the record heat (9 miles this past weekend) and I’m going on a long bike ride tonight with a friend.  Should be fun.

But those poor credit cards.  (And don’t worry – they’ll get paid in full like always.)

I blame the house.

But really, it’s my own fault.

I’m not in any sort of dire straits or anything.  In fact, I’m doing quite well, financially speaking.  But my spending feels a bit out of control.  I’m blowing budget categories left and right.

A lot of it does [...]]]> I have been a very bad budgeter as of late.

I blame the house.

But really, it’s my own fault.

I’m not in any sort of dire straits or anything.  In fact, I’m doing quite well, financially speaking.  But my spending feels a bit out of control.  I’m blowing budget categories left and right.

A lot of it does have to do with the house.  Moving from an apartment to a house has meant a lot of new expenses.  Not just the typical things like utilities and standard maintenance costs, but buying all the things that I didn’t own, like a hose and a stepladder and various lawn care tools.  And then there is my list of projects.  Sure, some of those won’t cost me anything except for some labor, but some of those things are expensive.  My problem is that I’m planning for the expensive things.  It’s the inexpensive things that are adding up.

For example, this weekend, I went to The Container Store.  It’s a dangerous place for me, because I love organization supplies.  I love boxes and baskets and fun things to put things in.  It’s an obsession.  But I was pretty good.  The problem is that even though I bought things that I knew I needed (or could use, anyway), it still adds up.  What did I buy?  A set of stacking shelves for the storage closet (to match a set I already have and love), some storage bags for bedding that is currently piled up on the closet floor, a new file box to keep all of my house-related things (bills and repair records – the super important stuff is in the fire safe) and a few items from their travel sale, since I’m hoping to take a quick trip to Europe next fall if all goes as planned.  Okay, so I didn’t need the travel things right now, but they were on sale (a new luggage strap and an electric converter) so I figured it was as good a time as any to purchase.

But I need to get things under control.  Start logging all my purchases as I make them.  Figure out where things are going off the rails and get them back on track.

I do love my house.  I’ve not had one moment of regret.  I just have to remember that I can’t be putting all my money into it at once.  First things first.  Like finish unpacking all of the boxes (of course, it looks like I need another bookshelf if I want to finish all that unpacking, so…).

To Dos – [...]]]> Inspired by Young House Love, I’m creating a to-do list for my house. Both the short term things and the long term things. Maybe it will help me feel like I’m making progress. I tried to make the larger projects the ones that will be more than a one-day thing.

To Dos – The Smaller

• Sprayfoam around the basement bathroom window, sump pump pipes, and guest bathroom shower pipe
• Purchase and install larger flange for guest bathroom shower
• Hang bathroom cabinet
• Purchase paint and touch-up walls
• Sand and repaint guest bathroom molding to hide sticker under paint
• Remove residual stickers on all three toilets
• Finish unpacking all boxes
• Finish loading curio cabinet
• Hang pictures in master bedroom, upstairs hallway, living room, main entrance, dining room, and basement
• Paint master bedroom, master bath, basement bath (for now)
• Sand and stain border around fireplace
• Sand down the poor painting job on the banister and repaint/restain
• Scrape the paint from the office door
• Repair the jammed lock (there is a rock inside it, but don’t worry, it’s locked nice and tight)
• Hang medallion above master bedroom fan to hide hole

To Dos – The Larger and/or More Expensive

• Re-form flower beds
• Have yard re-graded and re-seeded
• New sidewalk in front yard and new patio in backyard
• Strip/repaint porches
• New front porch railings
• Attic pull-down ladder
• Gas fireplace insert
• New windows in dining room and master bedroom
• Closet organizer in walk-in closet (Elfa, perhaps?)

Furnishings to Save For and Purchase

• New washer/dryer
• Breakfast table (or maybe a bench?)
• Living room couch and table/ottoman

To Do Someday

• New flooring in living room/dining room
• New flooring upstairs
• New stairs