Finiancial Discoveries

I made some discoveries this week while trying to organize our finances:

• When I don't go to the grocery store, I don't spend money on food making it easier to stay within our grocery budget - this is my #1 overspending budget category. There are fewer things to eat in the cupboard/frig - but still stuff to eat. I usually shop weekly, maybe I need to go twice a month?
• Using a credit card to buy stuff: delays expenses often throwing the budget off, causes overspending (studies show that you spend 12-18+% more if you use plastic over cash), causes me a headache.
• Using cash for certain budget categories is freeing. We went out to dinner last weekend and took the cash we've budgeted for "eating out." Guess what? We only spent that much money - no overspending and no delayed expense. We are going to use cash for more categories.
• Switching insurances in the middle of the year has left us with a few extra medical bills to pay - ugh.
• God brings peace over every situation - even money. We need to invite Him in, do our part and watch Him work. Prayer really does work!

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving make your requests known to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus." -- Phil. 4:6-7

Thankful for Childcare

To Sophie's shock and surprise, I don't get to take the summer off from my job. So since school's out, I've had to figure out childcare for Sophia on my 3 work days. It is mind-bending to keep the schedule sometimes. Yesterday, she spent a chunk of the day with her 2nd cousin in the Belle Valley area. Today, she is with her friend Jenna. Her Mom, Sherry, used to watch her before she was in school. We are trading childcare this summer again, so I'll be watching Jenna too. A couple of weeks ago, she spent a day at our neighbors' house. I have their kids one day a week during the school year too - which is a lot of fun. We are so grateful for playdates and childcare trading. It is a life saver and very helpful to the budget.

Grandma and Grandpa Mintsiveris are our rocks for childcare! They have Sophie once a week after school and during the summer. We know this is special and are incredibly blessed by it. They love having her and look forward to spending one-on-one time with her. Thanks mom and dad!

Have you traded childcare with anyone?

Cute Car

Good friends of ours recently traded in their pick-up truck for a Honda Fit! Yes, they went from driving a big-rig to subcompact car. They both drive 20+ minutes to work one way. Their truck was aging and eating gasoline like candy. So, after test driving a bunch of vehicles, they chose the cute, fuel-efficient Fit.

I got to see the car last week and loved it! It looks tiny on the outside, but it is roomy and comfortable - especially compared to our 1996 Civic coupe. The cargo space doesn't compare to a trunk, but it's still adequate -- and, the back seats fold or can be tucked away so you can haul stuff in the back. There are many other neat design features as well. Best of all, my friends love it -- the price was affordable; it is fun to drive; and they are getting 34 mpg in town which is much easier on the wallet.

We're still saving up to buy our next pre-owned car -- when we're ready, we need to look at this one. In the meantime, to deal with rising gas prices, we're driving less and using the car that gets the best mileage. Dana is biking to work a lot too. What are you doing to combat the high prices?

Check out the EconoME sermon series at Grace Church during July. It will be great teaching on financial topics from a biblical perspective.

Good to be home

It is good to be home during the day with Sophia today. It has been a busy day, but everything just seems better at home. I've made multiple phone calls coordinating details of life. Got an unexpected call from my cousin whom I don't see very often - it was great to renew our friendship and plan to get together. And George from Abbott Pest Control was here. He took care of our ant problem and was extremely nice.

When the business was done, Sophie and I could actually have some fun. We washed her ceramic goose named Bruce and dressed him in silly outfits. Now she wants to take her savings money to the bank - $16 more to deposit. She says she is saving to buy a husky or some other dog. We're not ready for a dog yet, but it is a good goal.

I need to make sure I spend some time really playing with Sophia this weekend. Life gets in the way too often.

The HSA

Dana and I entered a new world in health insurance -- an HSA (health savings account) plan through his employer. An HSA is a bank account for medical expenses. It's been an option for a couple of years, but due to the very high deductible, we were reluctant to do it. Our health insurance premiums have gone up by double digits several years in a row, and a majority of the premium comes out of our pocket. So, we decided to take a serious look at the HSA/high deductible option. (We are grateful for the access to health insurance and for the employer contribution we receive. If your employer covers most or all of your insurance costs, thank them! It is very expensive!)

The HSA plan deductible is very high, but our main preventative care is covered without the deductible. The difference in premium costs from our HMO was significant, especially when you factor in our relative health and small family size. We are putting all the premium money we saved into the HSA for now to build up the account.

The only downside so far is timing. Instead of changing insurances at the end of the year like we always did, the company had to make the changeover now. We had already met our full family deductible for the plan year -- ugh, now we have to start over. No fun since it has financial consequences. Once we get over the pain, I think it will serve us well. God willing! Pray we aren't hospitalized anytime soon.

Boston Holocaust Memorial

The Holocaust Memorial was haunting. There was steam wafting up the series of four towers to signify smoke from gas chambers. Serial numbers of those who died were etched in the glass along with quotes by survivors about the horrors they endured. Has the world learned from this?

The memorial said that the US knew about the atrocities in 1942 but did nothing. Many European citizens turned a blind eye. Not the Danish people - they mobilized and evacuated 7,800 Jews to nearby neutral Sweden, and 99% of Denmark's Jews survived the war.

I recently watched a PBS special on the Nuremberg Trials. The images of what happened to the Jews and many others who were sent to concentration camps were heart-wrenching. Dana and I were in Dachau, Germany several years ago. It was also a very moving experience.

What injustices do I/we turn a blind eye to? What kind persecution is happening around me or around the world right now? I am so insulated.

Waldameer, Little Earners & Ants

I woke up this morning to 3 scurrying children excited about what the day would bring. The cousins love being together and have big plans. They went off to Waldameer and now it is starting to thunder. I hope they can still enjoy the day there somehow. Waldameer savings tip: buy your admission tickets through your school when they sell school picnic tickets. They are hugely discounted and can be used anytime in May, June or mid-Aug through closing time in Sept. They can be used the following season for a very modest upgrade charge.

The kids also wanted to earn some money today and offered to clean! They straightened the basement and Sophia's bedroom to earn some extra cash. They are starting to understand that getting money is tied to working! Sophia is always more motivated to clean when other kids are around to work with too.

We have carpenter ants! Have seen them around the house and called the "ant man." He verified the need to treat them. I feel sick about it and hope that little damage has been done. One more unplanned expense to deal with though. Thankfully, the house maintenance fund has some ready cash in it.

The Car

Ok, I tend to consider myself a good, confident driver. I've had a few close calls lately though -- some are caused by being distracted, others by being in a hurry or not seeing something in my blindspot; some are because someone else is doing something stupid.

Sunday I was backing out of the garage in Dana's car. It is a tight fit. You have to really be paying attention not to bang up the car. I don't drive it that often. Sophia was talking at me and there was an infant exersaucer in the back seat taking up precious viewing area out the back window. I backed up but was distracted. And ripped the left side mirror off the car!!!!!! Thankfully, there wasn't any other damage. But not what I wanted to be dealing with on the way to church.

It also wasn't what I wanted to be dealing with financially. We have already spent hundreds of dollars on car maintenance this year for both aging cars -- a 94 Accord and a 96 Civic. (I vow to drive them until they drop). Our car maintenance fund is in the negative column. Dana got an estimate to repair it yesterday - almost $300! Ouch! We need to fix it soon for safety reasons. We'll need to tap the emergency fund for this one. It hurts to use any of it, but that is what it is there for.

Company Coming

This week we've been madly preparing for another round of house guests. Someone said to me that our house is like "Hotel Mintsiveris" in the summer. They are right! For the next couple weeks Dana's sister and family will be with us. The kids play hard all day long. It will be crazy and fun.

The chance to spend intense time with family and friends is a privilege. We love giving people a place where they can feel comfortable and welcome. Part of having company involves preparing for meals, making sure you have enough toilet paper, cleaning, making beds, etc. There are financial implications too. We spend a lot more money on food and supplies and utilities than we normally do. I try to shop wisely (at places like Aldi) and not over buy, but I still spend more. I'm trying my best not to become anxious. Organization and planning help a lot but we still need to be careful.

In mid-August we welcome a long-term guest -- an exchange student from Greece! Nikki will be with us for 10+ months for the '08-'09 school year. It will be an exciting adventure. I need to start planning now.

Financial Peace

This week I've been feeling overwhelmed by finances. Since we got home from vacation last month I haven't had a chance to get organized. When I'm not organized, I get anxious and worry that we've overspent. We've been spending a lot lately too - so that only adds to the tension and anxiety. To make it worse, my Excel program got wiped out on my computer, so I couldn't access my tracking spreadsheet!

I'm the stewardship director, so I'm supposed to have all my finances neat and tidy and perfect, right? I'd love to say that is true, but it isn't. We are on a financial journey and don't have it all figured out. Thankfully, we are going in the right direction.

Last night I was finally able to sit down and work out all the numbers. I felt a sense of relief and peace knowing that everything was alright.

Looking forward to bringing Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University to Grace this fall. It will be life transforming for anyone who applies the principles - including me.

Donald and Me

This is Donald (my fabulous Boston Freedom Trail tour guide) and me outside Faneuil Hall. He was dressed as James Otis who was an expert orator and important catalyst to the early revolutionary movement.

Boston Pics

This is the Boston Public Library at dusk. Architects were McKim, Mead & White. Built in the late 1800s.

Moving Stinks

Spent most of the day yesterday with a neighbor friend (Erica) who is moving to NC next week. I've known her for 1 1/2 years and feel like we've known one another for a lifetime. We connected instantly. Erica has a magnetic personality that instantly puts you at ease. We love to talk about lots of subjects & can go on for hours if we aren't careful. We trade playdates for our kids regularly, backed each other up when we were going to be late for the bus, cried on each other's shoulders, laughed, ate together. Our daughters got to be very good buddies too. It is rare to find a friend you feel so comfortable with so quickly. I'm really going to miss her - and I know a lot of other people are too.

A very close couple to us is also moving this summer. Danny and Angela have become family to us and our extended family here in Erie. We've shared many meals, laughter, tears, garden space, walks and much more. We'll miss them very much and so will many, many others.

Sometimes I feel like erecting a wall around myself and not letting anyone get in so I don't have to experience the pain of this kind of loss. Protectionism leads to a dull and self-serving life. God made us to reach out and connect with other people and to share life with them - it brings such joy but also causes pain. It is the risk I'll continue to take.

The Bike

My husband (Dana) has wanted me to have a bike for several years. I resisted year after year - not because I don't love to exercise and be outdoors - but because I didn't want to spend the money. Like a lot of people, we experience financial pressures and often have different financial goals. My goals: stability, get the emergency fund fully funded, give generously to the Lord's work and to causes we believe in, and stay within the boundaries of our "budget." Dana agrees with all of these things but needs to have more freedom to spend and see the fruits of his labor. He is also a very giving person and derives much pleasure in giving gifts to others. But differing viewpoints creates tension.

I finally realized that Dana wasn't going to rest until I had a bike. So, I looked around at local bike shops and test drove a few "comfort" bikes. They look like mountain bikes but have much taller handlebars. Memorial Day weekend I made the big purchase (using some of our economic stimulus check). I ride it almost every day either alone, with Sophia or Dana or both. I really love it!

It was hard to plunk down the cash, but I see it as a long-term investment in myself and my family. Money well spent.

PS - We decided to give away 1/2 of our ecomonic stimulus check. Dana got to buy a recliner with the rest for a room we've been slowly working to finish - it was a great deal at Marshalls.