October Networth Update

October has been a very good month for our networth! We were reimbursed for Jordan's dental surgery, received just over $600 for contents insurance from our hail damage claim, Jordan's increased commissions scale have been realized and my mom gave us a financial gift for something fun and sensible...

Another $1,500!!

So after months, and months, and months of waiting, arguing and sending in letters - we have finally been reimbursed for the last phase of Jordan's dental surgery.  A deposit just shy of $1,300 was deposited today and there's a bit of overflow so I have $1,500 to work with. So...another SMASH on the Escape? Well yes, but not the whole sum. We're about to have to pay our $1,000 deductible for...

$1,500 SMASH

I don't usually do a blog post every time I pay debt down - which is just about every pay day - but I think sometimes because I often just tell you where we spend money; maybe you don't know that we pay down significant debt every month. Today was my pay day; and I just paid: $94.01 on our Mastercard This...

DIY - Christmas Cards

Every year, Jordan and I send Christmas cards to about 65 people.  The list started at over 100 (everyone we invited to our wedding three years ago), and has been whittled down over the years from moves/address changes that we weren't told about and from people who don't respond etc.  I...

Money Has Wings - Other Deductions

Yesterday we looked at the employer paid benefit premiums that can suck money off your pay cheque without you even realizing it.  Today I want to  look at some of the other deductions. Jordan $15/month for social club I'm sure there would be a way out of this if we needed to - but this is money that goes to team lunches, coffee, and other events in the shop.  For the fuss it would...

Money Has Wings - Employer Benefit Premiums

As we're looking to our 2015 budget and where we're spending money - I thought it would also be a good idea to look at the money that is spent before we ever see it, the money that is deducted straight from our pay cheques. First up - benefits! A lot of folks think that health care is free in Canada....

Cashing in Points

There's nothing like the impending holiday shopping that inspires me to look in on all of our points/rewards card balances and see if we can get a few gift cards to help with shopping or straight out gift-giving. I checked in with Aeroplan points and thanks to my recent work trip to Washington, DC...

2015 Budgeting

It's started....the 2015  budgeting process.  I'm sure all of you are going through similar processes - trying to identify what worked, and what didn't. One of the big things for Jordan and I this year was finally getting our day-to-day spending account sorted out so that we both had debit...

Escaping the Escape

Guess what?! Jordan's benefits finally paid for his teeth (we're still waiting on my benefits) - and in part because of that, and in part b/c of his pay raise, and in part b/c of the contents portion of our recent hail insurance claim we were able to make a $3,500 payment on the Escape. We now owe just $5,000.  Wahoo! I love paying it down - even more so than the LOC b/c with the Escape...you...

Insurance Premiums Going Down?

That never happens....never. ...Unless you switch providers, and that's just what my company has done recently. My long term disability premiums are being reduced from $1.097/$100 insured to $0.771.  That means we'll be saving $144.94/annually OR about $12/month. Not a lot - but I'll take it...every little bit adds ...

PIE!

Okay - I know this post is going to go live after Canadian Thanksgiving, but on the weekend prior I wanted to practice my pie making skills - in particular my pie crust making skills...check it out! The crust is the super simple recipe from the Lard-Tenderflake package and it turned out great! I...

DIY Soup Stock

 This past weekend I made home made soup stock, and homemade soup for the first time (without my mom). It wasn't quite as flavorful as her's is - but Jordan went back for seconds so it must have still been pretty good. I simmered a chicken carcass for about 8 hours with onions, carrots, celery...

Jordan Got a Raise!

Yesterday was a long post about spending money...so today will be a short one about making money. As many of you know from when Jordan started at his new company back in January this is the first time his pay structure has included a commission structure.  He was put on a temporary salary guarantee until he was training and into the swing of things, which was then extended month-by-month, as...

Where Has All The Money Gone?!

It's been a few months since I've looked at our spending over a month by month perspective.  October feels like a good time as in January I'll be doing a year over year comparison and year in review. I think the graph I have below is the most useful when trying to analyze the data...but if you...

Monitor Size

Hello my lovely readers! I've realised that folks with smaller monitors may not be having the viewing experience that I had hoped.  This blogger template shrinks with smaller screens, but some of the modules don't - and I would hate for all of you to be viewing this site all scrunched up. So, I ask of you two things. Please participate in my poll at the top/right of this blog to let me know...

Making Vino!

Stirring in the Chemicals Back in April, on my Good News! post commenter Janette suggested that Jordan and I look into making wine as a way to help manage our spending on Alcohol without having to necessarily limit our consumption of it...well Janette - thank you! For my 30th birthday back in July...

Wills - Getting Closer

We are getting so close to having our wills, POAs, and personal directives written up!  We met with a lawyer almost two weeks ago and are expecting to see drafts of everything soon.  Then we just have to sign, pay and we're done! It feels so good to be getting that 'end of life' business taken care ...

Auto Insurance - Help

Our vehicle insurance is up for renewal this October; and while we can make changes at any time to the policies - I use that letter in the mail as a reminder to review it in detail. On both the Kia and the Escape we have: One million in third party liability $1,000 collision deductable $500 comprehensive deductible Accident rating endorsement (if we get into an accident, we won't be penalized in...

Networth Update - October 1

Well, here we are - nothing like a networth post to get back into the habit of writing. You can see a steady increase from the image to the left. Now sitting at just about $107K - we have  $53, 215 in debt - including both vehicles...so coming down steadily.  The Escape is down to $8K which...

Miss Me?

Hiya! Have you missed me?...because I have sure missed you. I can't beleive it's been a month since I've written anything!! wowZa!  Well I have lots to share, and am going to start writing up a storm over the next few weeks. I have updates on Jordan's salary, our insurance policies, wills, insurance claims...and more. Looking forward to catching up with everyone! J...