$20 - A - Week Money Challange

So I'm sure you've heard about the 52 Week Challange before but I'm thinking of a $20 a Week Challange!

It's pretty much the same idea as the 52 Week Challange where you save $$$ in $1 increment for 52 weeks, saving about 1400 a year! This time I'm thiniking about keeping it simple and keeping it at one flat rate all year long, $20 a week, saving a little over $1000 in a year.

It's easy peasy!!

Grab yourself a good ol' mason jar from Micheals or any local craft store. Or if your like me , recycle anything you have lying around the house! Im going for a folgers coffee container, and a hot glue gun!! I just dont want to spend $$ to save money, ya know?

I know for a fact if I have it at home and its easy access I will use it so to cut my chances Im going to glue it shut and  I wont be easily tempted to stick my hand in the cookie jar. Ha!




PS - This is what I came up with!!  Happy Saving!! xoxo

Fix Your Credit on a College Student Budget!!

Credit and scores makes people kinda stand off-ish. Personally up until the last year my credit was not the best. In the lower 500's because of 1 lousy unpaid $300 limit card I had when I was 19, doesn't seem like so crazy? in the bank world it's a huge deal! 

My reality check came when I needed a new car and no one would lend me any $$ because of my "Bad Rep". Fixed it somewhat in one month! If people only knew how easy it really is. Being a  accounting/finance major has really made me more conscious about how to deal with money in general. I'm hoping some of these tips will help someone out there [=

TIPS AND TRICKS:  

1 . Check yo credit girl! - seriously. Even if its with creditkarma.com you want to know whats on there. This site is truly free! also you can go to all three credit bureaus and legally you can get a free copy once a year. 

2. Validate...ALWAYS!  -my tip?...go with normal stamps! there's really no need to get all O.C.D. and doing the whole receipt and signature thing , half the time you spend an extra $3 (or whatever it is in your state) and no one picks up your mail and your still back to square one. Most of the time it takes about 2-3 weeks to get a response back so who has time to waste re-mailing? 

• Validating is going to remove anything bogus off the bat. The trick is to send it to the Credit Reporting Agency and not the collection agency. If the credit reporting company (ex. Experian) doesn't hear back then its taken off no questions asked! That alone will boost you a few points. Most collection agencies are so busy doing creepers work they don't always have the paperwork to back them up. Their loss, your gain.

• Also be SUPER CAREFUL as to what the collection agency says is a "valid debt" you need hardcore proof...A.K.A. something with your signature and the original contract of what you signed. If not, then it doesn't count. Send a letter back explaining its not worthy as proof and it must be removed according to FDCPA rules. Every state is different, but they all have this in place to help the consumer. 

3. Check your statue of limitations - the general rule is seven years in the U.S., but every state is different. For example F.L. is five years, not seven. There's a letter for everything it seems! You can also send the credit reporting agency a letter saying its past the statue of limitations so your requesting that it comes off you credit report. They don't really have to remove it but most of the time they are more than willing to help the consumer, so odds are they will. If not they don't really have to you would have to wait it out, if it doesn't fall off, remind them.

4. ALWAYS keep copies - of everything you sent and everything you received. No one likes zombie debt! 

5. Secured Credit Cards - get you one!! It sounds like walking backwards but you need to start building a good payment history, even if its a $300 limit. Try with your bank first, only because there's already a relationship they might give you one with a decent limit. Capital One also offers this and theirs starts with a $49 deposit for a $200 limit card. 

• How does it work? You give a deposit of whatever amount you can afford at the moment and they give you a credit card with that as the limit. The deposit is in place - just in case you default. It works just like a normal CC and reports to the credit agency keep it in good standing and you will see the offers coming to you in the mail like clock work. 

• You want to keep your the good debt on you CC at no more than 30% of you limit .....meaning if its a $200 limit , try to leave a $20 debt on it , for a $300 limit leave a $30 charge on it ; and so on. This will show credit companies that you can budget, and are being responsible with your credit.

• Always pay more than the minimum payment!! You will never lower down the debt if you don't, and with 20%+ interest rates that starts to become a headache quickly. ***Don't freak out doesn't have to be all at once , but if it says you have to pay $25, try $50+. I make all of my payments of $100 and up, or if I have a maxed out card, i try to pay off half of it one month and by month 2 - have it to the normal 10%-30% good debt charge on it. ( for ex. its a $300 limit card, I used $299 in credit i will try to pay off $150 this month, then bring down the balance next month to where its only using 10-30% debt, that alone will trigger a major spike in your score!) Less is more!

• Don't close it! It will get tempting to close the little secured card account but you want to keep "good history" no matter what. Even though you have higher limits on others, this is going to be your longest standing CC. Instead, maybe you can get the CC company to wave your annual fee or increase the limit on the card so you keep your interest in wanting to use the card. Win-win. 

6. Get a loan. - this is for the person who wants to get to the stellar credit ranks. Credit companies want to see how well you can "manage" your money. Can you have a credit card, rent, and a loan? Can you pay on time? This is whats going to really push your score up. Could be as little as $200. Regions bank offers personal loans that can work like a credit card, only it shows up as a loan, making your score go up substantially. 

7 . Pay DOWN debt - when ever you see yourself owing money pay it off ASAP then save. Try not to save first thinking you need to have xx amount saved first. Its not worth the headache after all the effort put into repairing your good name. One late payment posted on your report is worse then paying the minimum, don't do it. 

8. CANT PAY DOWN YOUR DEBT? - No worries it happens...pay off the ones you can and try to limit how many accounts go delinquent one behind account is better than three. Maybe payoff the ones with the lower monthly minimum. 

• If you have to choose between debts to pay, skip the credit card bill because it's unsecured and a creditor can't repossess anything. Luckily, credit card delinquencies hurt credit scores less than bigger debts such as home or auto loans.
  

Any questions or comments? LMK [= 

xoxo...vee

Puppy De-Wormer on a Budget!!

Hey guys! [= 

My best friend's dog had a litter of 3 puppies June 28th! and they are such cuties, shih tzu mixed with a miniature pincher...so obvi I asked if I could keep one of them! His name is TOBY <3 I love my puppy to death!

 He'll be 2 months in a week...meaning I gotta get the gettin' with those shots and the de-wormers! Which honestly is NOT that much $$ but I legit just got back from a week long vacation in Vegas , and babygirl's on a budget. 

I called the vet right before going on my vacay and they were charging $54.00 for the visit and they would check IF HE EVEN NEEDED IT then if he does it would only be around $11.00 for the de wormer. Not bad right? Right...thing is I'm not willing to overdraft over a vet visit that can tell me what I already know, just need the "good stuff"..as an accounting student Im already on a budget as is, why spend wastefully. Shots! are a different story and by getting the de-wormer at my local pet store vs the vet I'm

saving myself some serious $$$ and an extra week till pay day for the shots! 

Its not about being "cheap" its about being wise and choosing to be financially stable! Being "comfortable" or "rich" is a choice! You could be a renter with no car payment and no DEBT and be just as ""rich" if not better off then the new lawyer fresh out of school with a huge home and a BMW! That being said.....

NOTE: This is my personal recommendation and personal experience with my pup. Im not saying NOT to go to your vet , if you feel more comfortable doing so then I recommend that you do. But in my case i figured if the vet is only charging $11.00 for it , then there must not be that much of a big difference if I skip the middle man...just sayin! 

Just like buying generic acetaminophen, it is actually the same thing. My vet prescribes Panacur-C for tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms and whipworms. The people that tell you OTC isn't as good in this case are wrong. Panacur-C is just a brand for the medication, Fendbendazole only offered in granular form. Panacur-C is available OTC , its the same that gets prescribed (PANACUR is 349.99 and its prescription only!) you can also buy it from Amazon now. Safeguard is another brand used by many breeders. Dogs can contract 5 different kinds of parasites and you want to try and treat puppies for all of them. 

Hope this helps someone in need out there! 

xoxo..vee