I sold a whopping $201.18 on half.com this month.

I never expected that I would make that much! I am very pleased.

I have another rant about a buyer. A buyer bought a textbook from me on Saturday and even though I do not offer expedited shipping, asked if I would be able to ship the book faster than Media Mail because of a test.

I found a Priority Class flat rate envelope for $4.95 and since it was only a couple dollars more than what half.com reimbursed me for, I shipped the book in the flat rate envelope. I still made about $20 on the sale.

I got the book to the buyer within two days, before the buyer's test (test was on Friday). It is now Saturday and no word from the buyer! It drives me nuts that buyers/sellers do not leave feedback! Especially in this case because I did not have to ship it in the flat rate envelope but I did so anyway.

I sent a message to the buyer asking if she has received the book and if she has, to let me know. I hope that is a big enough hint to leave feedback but I didn't want to come outright and ask her to leave me any.

I have not received any mysurvey.com surveys in the past week. It is so frustrating because I am only 70 points away from cashing out! I'll hopefully get a few more this upcoming week.

ETA: I have been thinking about what I will do with the $200 from the pet deposit that I will be getting back. I have decided that I will put it into my IRA- even though work knows that I am able to work again, there are few banquets with construction going on and it being winter. My birthday is coming up so I really don't need to be buying myself anything right now.

I have to keep telling myself this.

On Monday a company will be coming over to get rid of all the mold. They won't be fixing the link, just getting rid of the mold. In order to do this they have to isolate the entire kitchen and dining room. So we have to move EVERYTHING in the kitchen and dining room out.

Everything.

The table, chairs, hutch, pictures, the fish tank, ALL the dishes and cooking supplies, the food in the pantry and the fridge. All of it has to be moved by Monday.

The food in the fridge is obviously going to go bad so I will remove that Monday just before they come. I don't want to throw it out so I will look into homeless shelters I can give it to.

My brother and I will most likely not be staying here during the process of decontamination (4 or 5 days). He will most likely stay at my boyfriend's parent's house while I stay at my Grandma's. We can't stay together due to lack of space at my Grandma's and my boyfriend's parent's will not let me stay with them.

Once they get rid of the mold, the plumbers will come back and fix the leak. Then the wall has to be patched up.

This is such a nightmare. I have homework to do this weekend and I have to move everything from one part of the house to another.

There is one upside: decluttering. In addition to the dozen or so bags and boxes I have given to Goodwill the past month from just moving, I will be giving them another half dozen boxes and bags of junk I just don't need but never knew I had. Goodwill has also received a twin mattress, box spring, and frame from us.

The cats are having a field day with everything being moved around.

We finally have a verdict on the leak.

It is the wasteline pipe, right behind the sink. We are on the bottom floor so whenever we use the sink and whenever the people on the 2nd and 3rd floor use the sink the wasteline pipe leaks.

I am not sure how much of this the HOA is going to cover. From what the plumber said this has been going on for awhile and the damage has only recently showed. I don't think the entire cost should be on us- even though the pipe is on our floor the two upper floors have also been contributing to the leak. I also hope that since this problem has been going on for a long time (probably since the condo was still under warranty) , the HOA will cover most of it.

While the plumber was cutting holes in our walls he pulled out something very interesting: a soda can!

Needless to say the soda can isn't from anyone living in the condo but from the workers while they were building the joint. Makes me wonder what else is in the walls.

I hope this finishes up quickly.

I just finished doing my taxes and I will be receiving $312.55 back from the government.

I will put all of this money into my savings, as I will have to take $200 out of my savings to help pay for my car repairs (daddy is so nice to be paying for the rest of it!).

My taxes took maybe 10 minutes to do. I like my taxes being this easy.

The lease on the apartment my grandma and I rented is up on Saturday and I will be getting $200 from the pet deposit I paid back. It should be arriving in about a month. I don't know for sure what I will be doing with this money. I might put half into savings, half into IRA or keep a little to spend and save the rest.

I had my wisdom teeth taken out today. It went much better than I thought- I was completely knocked out and I have been on vicodin all day. I haven't felt a thing.

Last February, as a V-Day and birthday gift, my boyfriend gave me a beautiful promise ring. It is a blue topaz stone with three small diamond chips on each side.

Admittedly, I have been a little neglectful of this ring. I wear it everyday and do not clean it as often as I should. Last time I cleaned it was about 4-5 months ago.

A cleaning was obviously in order. So I let it soak in warm water and liquid dish detergent for about 20 minutes. I then brushed it with a tooth brush (not one I use...).

The ring looks brand new! It is so sparkly and such a pretty blue. Why did I let the ring go so long without a cleaning?

I really need to get into the habit of cleaning it on a regular basis. I clean my other jewelry regularly so it will be easy to clean this ring at the same time.

Detouring for a minute, I finally got my car back! It turned out to be a valve gasket leak and something with the timing belt. I think there was one other thing too, but I am drawing a blank. Total cost was $849.76. Ouchie, but was needed. I am just glad to have my car back. And I am glad to have finally found a good, trustworthy mechanic.

Ah, everything is slowly falling in place.

I finally got my Linear Algebra book this morning. I've tried contacting the seller 3 times already with no reply so I'm going to give him neutral feedback. The postage confirms that he shipped my item about a week after he was supposed to. The item is as described though.

I dropped my car off today at a good mechanic so I'm hoping that he'll call back and say it is something minor. Still waiting to hear from them.

The workers are here checking out the mildew (I'm relieved that it is mildew and not yet mold) and there are no leaks in our dishwasher or sink. There is a leak somewhere, but the guy said that he thinks it might be from one of the shared pipes in the wall which means that we most likely won't have to pay for the repair! Or if we do it will be a very small fee. This relieves me more than anything. I was so worried about how we were going to afford to repair a leak.

The only downside right now is that it is so cold outside. For the first time in a few weeks I had to wear gloves.

Things like to pileup at once.

1. School started last week and I still do not have one of my textbooks even though I ordered it awhile ago. I have tried contacting the seller a few times and he has ignored all of my messages. I checked the library and the book is not available. And I am not willing (just yet anyway) to buy the book from the school for $150 and risk not being able to return it should I receive my book in the mail. Luckily a friend is coming to my rescue and is willing to copy whatever pages I need.

2. I have a possible head gasket leak in my car. Or it is a leak in the power steering. I'm not sure and the mechanics at Pep Boys can't decide. I am taking my car to another mechanic recommended by my boyfriend's dad (who is a mechanic) on Tuesday to find out exactly what is wrong. I talked to this mechanic earlier today and he said that he doubted it was a head gasket leak (rare for my type of car apparently). But if it is, it will cost about $900.

3. We have mold or mildew. It has been raining the past 3 days and I just discovered the mildew/mold today. I don't know if it is caused by the rain or maybe a leak, but someone is coming on Monday to look at it. I decided to do some research on mold on the internet and freaked myself out when I read about toxic black mold. No more google for a few days.

4. And I am having my wisdom teeth removed next week. I hate needles. And I'm not fond of looking like a chipmunk either.

Writing it all down helps. I'm going to start dinner and then do some cleaning. I am the only one I know who is relaxed by cleaning.

"Knowing when to splurge is an art. There are just two rules: Splurge on the most classic item in the world. You will have it forever. Splurge on the most insane thing in the world. You will have it and cherish it forever." - Isaac Mizrahi

I really like this quote. Maybe because I can use it to justify purchases? :P

I have been thinking about this and what I consider splurges. I thought back to the things I have bought over the years. While I have spent quite a bit of money on various items (especially my purse collection), I don't think any of them are splurges. Why? Because I put money aside for the items. Whether it be saving coins, dollar bills, or taking $10 out of each paycheck, I was preparing for the purchases.

So, onto what I would consider a splurge (given my current situation):

1. Classic and Timeless: a Chanel Flap. A gorgeous purse. Well made and will finish any outfit perfectly. Between $1,700-2,000.

2. Insane: A Nintendo Wii. Might not sound insane to some, but for me I would only use the Wii for Wii Fit. And I am not even sure I would use that on a regular basis. I'm contemplating asking for it for my birthday but I might wait a for another year for the price to drop a little more (so I wouldn't feel as guilty if I didn't use it all the time!). Between $200-250 depending if you buy new or used.

What are your classic and insane splurges?

I went onto Walmart.com looking for an agenda since I refuse to buy one from the student store (they *start* at $19 for a simple small agenda).

And I noticed in the book section: textbooks.

I looked through the textbooks and most of them seem to be reference books, not textbooks (501 Verbs, etc.). Reference books are very useful but they are only sold online and they aren't *technically* textbooks.

The prices seem pretty good, but I would have to shop around to see if they are the lowest prices.

I just realized I made a boo-boo on one of my checks.

I sent in a check to Wellsfargo for a payment for my CC and instead of dating it Jan 20th, I dated it Jan 28th.

And I just stuck it in the mail box and it is gone. I cannot get it back.

Darn.

Do you think it will matter? If they get the check before the 28th (which I am almost certain they will), will they cash it or hold it until the 28th?

Maybe I'll go down to Wellsfargo tomorrow and talk to my banker.

Sigh.

I have never had a cavity before. I am so good about brushing and flossing (ok, not so much on the flossing. Usually every other day).

My dad went 20 years without going to dentist and all he had when he went back was plaque! I miss ONE appointment (I was supposed to go in July '08 but I missed it and forgot to reschedule) and I get a cavity!

The "good news" is that I am having my wisdom teeth removed next Thursday and they can fix my cavity at the same time. I am so lucky, huh?

It is going to cost $385 to get the filling and wisdom teeth done. Not bad. My dad will be paying for it, not me.

I go onto Wellsfargo to check my statement and I noticed something very odd...

I have a higher credit line!

They raised it from $1,000 to $1,500!

It is nice to have a higher credit limit... I don't plan on spending that $1,500 but it certainly does help.

And this means that my total credit limit on my two cards is $2,000.

It has been a rough day and this totally made me happy.

Ugh.

I ordered my book for Linear Algebra 11 days ago (On Jan. 6th). Sellers on half.com are supposed to mail the item with 4 or 5 days of the purchase.

The seller shipped my book today! TODAY!

Argh! He shipped it Media Mail too. Didn't even have the courtesy to apologize to me for sending it WAAAY past when he was supposed to and wouldn't send it First Class or Priority to get it to me on time. I need it for my class on Wednesday.

Someone will not be getting a positive feedback.. which means that I may not be getting any feedback from this seller.

One of the risks of doing business on half.com, but I would be more forgiving if the seller at least apologized and sent it First Class or something.

I am a Borders member. I don't really like Borders, but I signed up because the membership was free and I got a discount.

Today I received an e-mail from Borders offering me a 30% off coupon if I answered a few questions. So I did and then I was asked if I wanted to join a survey group to earn "Borders Bucks".

Free money to Borders? I'll take that.

I currently have a gift card to Borders that still has some money on it. I will go down to Borders this weekend and buy something with the coupon.

There is a post office two blocks from me. I pass it everyday almost.

What made it so easy to miss was that the post office (not really a full post office, just a window) was inside a drug store I never go into. My reason for going in there today was to kill time while I was getting a tune-up on my car.

Apparently my car has a power steering leak. The mechanics said that it doesn't have to be fixed right away, but I would like to get it fixed while it is still a minor problem. I got a gift card to my dealership for $500 so I will call them tomorrow to see if I can use it to get the leak fixed. If not, my boyfriend's dad will take a look at it and he might be able to help us fix it.

I have so much cleaning to do tonight. I really should get started.

In the past five days, I have sold 2 textbooks and one DVD.

The items total $69.28. After shipping, I have made $52.97. The reason shipping cost almost $17 is that I always include insurance on items costing more than $20. Just in case.

It has been a good five days.

ETA: I wanted to include a breakdown of how much each package cost to ship.

Textbook #1:
-$2.93 for postage
-$1.70 for insurance
-$.99 for the envelope
Subtotal: $5.62

Textbook #2:
-$2.58 for postage
-$1.70 for insurance
-$.99 for envelope
Subtotal: $5.27

DVD:
-$2.23 for postage
-$1.70 for insurance
-$1.49 for envelope
Subtotal: $5.42

Total shipping: $16.31

Opinionoutpost I am not liking so much ( I don't get a lot of surveys), but I love mysurvey!

I get 4 or 5 surveys a week from mysurvey and half the time the survey asks me if I want to continue and earn another 100-200 points.

I have cashed out twice and I am halfway to cashing out again. Yay!

I got some film developed today. Cost me about $1 because I only had a handful of photos from my digital camera that I wanted developed.

ETA: Quick question: My license expires in March and I just got a notice from the DMV reminding me. Am I able to renew my license before it expires? Could I go down sometime this week or do I have to wait until the day it expires or closer to when it expires?

http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20081119_tows_bookdownload

Use the above link to download a free copy of Suze Orman's latest book.

Suze Orman's 3 Step Plan was posted on another forum that I read:

1. Do not spend money for one day
2. Do not use any credit card for one week
3. Do not eat out in a restaurant for one month

I was surprised that just about everyone who responded to the thread said they could do the first 2, but were not willing to do the third. Many said that it is not possible for them to do the third. A few said that not going to a restaurant for a month was an unreasonable expectation and that two weeks was a more reasonable time frame.

I am always curious to see how others prioritize their finances. I enjoy eating out too, but I've never placed so much importance on going to restaurants.

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

I listed two of my textbooks from last semester for sale on half.com.

Actually, only one because the other wasn't listed and I had to request the book to be added.

I have also listed some DVDs we no longer watch. My mom loved to buy movies and a lot of the time, the DVDs were never opened.

So I have been going through the DVDs (we have probably close to 400! At least!) and moving some things to the storage unit. Tomorrow I will begin packing up my books and move the rest of the knick-knacks to the condo.

I hope everything sells. Keep your fingers crossed!

ETA: Yay! The textbook I listed today already sold! I can't believe it sold in a few hours- perfect timing on my part! After shipping, I'll make about $33 on it. I might add some of that money to my "purse fund".

Textbook shopping.

I need four textbooks this semester. Seems oddly low as the past semesters I've needed 6 or more.

I have bought two so far: one for French Culture, one for Data Structures. If I had bought these two at my school, it would have cost $103. I paid $47 and that includes shipping for the books.

I am looking at a Linear Algebra book that costs $65. I am waiting for a reply to a question I had for the seller before I buy it.

The Diff. Equ. book is selling for $225 at my school! I can't believe how much it costs! I haven't found it on half.com, but I will check out other sites for the book. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is available elsewhere (and for a lot less!).

I went to the bank today. I deposited about $350 into my IRA! I am very excited!

Until the world will supposedly end. I don't buy into it, just seems like another Y2K scare to me.

Happy New Year! I slept through the first few hours of 2009. It was nice.

Goals for 2009:

*I would like to end the year with at least $5,000 in my savings and about $1,000 invested in the stock market.

*I would also like to have at least $2,500 in my IRA by the end of the year.

*I would like to get a 4.0 this semester.

*I would like to buy a purse (hey, I gotta make one goal easy!).

Things I was supposed to do yesterday:
1. Go to bank
2. Pick up paycheck
3. Lube, oil, and filter
4. Buy boxes
5. Clean out old closet
6. Start organizing things in condo
7. Unpack
8. Go to Verizon Wireless
9. Grocery shopping

What I did yesterday:
1. Bank

To make it easy for me, I will do this today:
1. Verizon Wireless
2. Clean out old closet
3. Start organizing things in condo
4. Unpack
5. Grocery shopping.