2.9% ING Direct Business Savings

Yesterday, in a matter of minutes, I was able to open my first ING Direct Business Savings account. I actually expected the task to be more difficult and time consuming. Yet keeping with the ING Direct theme for making saving easy, this too was a breeze.

It could be because I am the head cheese of this corporation. ING Direct allowed me to use my customer number for my information after entering the business information. This saves time and keystrokes.

After creating the account, there is an extra step with a business account. As you might suspect, it is different depending on your company structure. My business is an S-Corp and they needed 3 pieces of information from me, prior to creating the account:

1. Resolution
2. Proof of Existence
3. Voided Check

The first 2 were easy, I already have copies on PDF, for other reasons. The last I copied a check and then wrote Void on the copy. I didn't want to waste a check. :-) Even though most of my business transactions are electronic.

Now, just like the personal accounts, I wait to verify 2 small deposits.

A cool feature on the ING Direct website, is that when I log in using my customer number, I get to the same Account Home Page as always. The only difference is on the top right they have added a drop down box. All I have to do is click the arrow of the drop down box and select my company name and boom.....I switch over to the ING Direct Business Site and can see my company account. Very easy and smooth. I was concerned that I would have to save to log in pages and 2 sign in passwords.

No one responded to me, with a Business Referral and ING does not allow a personal referral to refer a business. Why? I'm not sure. Maybe because it is a different system? At any rate, since I am now officially a Business Saver - I can send you a referral to earn a bonus. The bonus is $25 (same as a personal account). Of course, with all the same regulations of a personal account. I also receive a $10 bonus if you use my link.

To make it more enticing, as if the $25 was not enough - you should know that the Business Savings is paying 2.9% currently. That is .15% higher then the personal account.

Email me for $25 & 2.9% Business Savings Account (all business structures - even Sole Proprietors are welcome)

ING & HSBC Rates

I received an email from HSBC that is showing 4% on a 6-month CD. When I click the email I am immediately delivered to a page that reminds me HSBC's savings account is paying 3.25%.

So, imagine my shock when I log into my ING Direct account and see that my main savings account has dropped from 3% to 2.75%.

I know, I should have expected this with the Fed's dropping interest rates. It is just that I try to hold on to the positive, "it could happen". You know, the bank could feel generous and leave rates unchanged.

Sometimes, most times, I am like the nine year old. I too, believe in Angels in the Outfield.

Since clearing out my savings to pay those annual bills, my interest was already looking thin. Now, it could become invisible.

Looking at my 1/2 full cup. I suspect it will be easier to match this years interest, next year. ;-)

What time is it?

It is definitely not the time to panic. Panicking does not allow us the luxury of making sane choices and decisions. Instead a touch of panic can leave you with poor choices and dire consequences.

I have no idea what all of you are going to do with your personal state of economy, but I have decided it is time to make a few adjustments to our personal state. I'm going to just fine tune a few smaller items to help us maintain.

1. Continuing combined errand runs. I've been doing a great job at this one. I will not go to town, which is 7 miles round trip to the edge of town, unless I have 2 or more reasons.
2. Keep the furnace off. Well, for as long as I can. This weekend was excruciatingly hard to do. It has been getting so cold around here. Luckily my DH is on board with this one. We saw in the paper that there will be 70's in the coming week and that is helping us to not breakdown and turn it on. Really difficult when DD3 complained of hair freezing after a shower. :-)
3. Indoor temperature 60 degrees. When the furnace goes on, this is where the thermostat will stay. I have the space heater in the office, for my fingers and we will run the fireplace for a while at night when everyone comes home.
4. Turn off and Unplug. I am checking, double checking and reminding everyone that all things not in use, need to be turned off. If the kids knew such things, they would probably call me a 'broken record', a bit before their time. I'm also scouring the outlets to insure nothing is plugged in, silently draining our electric.
5. Aldi and The Drug Store Game. Both my new found loves. Aldi is saving me a ton of cash of food. The Drug Store Game is filling our personal care needs without using the cash. Both are becoming worth my time by the huge dollars saved.
6. What's for dinner? We are eating all left overs. Last week, I made Chicken Noodle Soup, Chili and the very expensive birthday dinner for DH. That is it! Those 3 meals fed all of us for 7 days. There will be no food hitting the trash. We eat all the left overs right away.
7. Good-bye Trainer. Leaving my trainer was so hard. I don't think there are words to describe my fear and anxiety from this choice. Yet, I am very happy with my investment in the health club membership. Already, my price per 1 hour visit is below $34.55 and I have a full 11 months left! That is $10.45 less a visit, with the savings growing each day.
8. Meatless Meals & Homemade More. The best way to drop the ever growing grocery bill is to make meatless options. A few of my favorites: Veggie Soup, Spinach Lasagana and Pasta with different sauces. I'm also planning to bake more bread and other items to help heat the house and save cash all at the same time.
9. Short Wash and Dry Less. The cold means no more clothes drying outside on the line. I plan on purchasing a rack for in the laundry room. I am still utilizing the 9 minute shorter wash cycle and am rushing to my dryer at the first ding - not waiting for the dryers last 10 minutes.
10. More Work. I am, as you can probably tell from my less frequent posts, spending more time working. When the dollars come in through normal work, it is going directly towards our debts. When it comes from an extra like online or surveys it is going into extra emergency savings. Or as I am calling them - residual income streams. They are creating tiny little increases in my cash flow and building a safety net, just in case.

No one item above is going to help me save us. Yet, all items help us to live with in our means and take less of a sucker punch from the world around us. Providing room to pay down our debts and help to secure our future.

Anything can happen at anytime. There are no guarantees. So, why not move on the side of caution to make the future a little less volatile?

$36.61 from a double baby EF

I've been saving every dollar I earn online for surveys and such. Placing the amounts collected into 6 months C.D.'s. My goal is to some day have a 6 month Emergency Fund.

The only thing is, I do not want to use our household incomes to cover it. I'm more in the mode to pay down debt then save. It's just a personal choice. Debt drives me crazy. And it is a short trip.

Anyway, after creating my last of 6 C.D.'s I realized that I am shy just $36.61 from having another $1k in place for another Baby Emergency Fund. Sweet! Another little cushion to ease future burdens.

The first $1k sits at my brick and mortar bank. It makes NOTHING in interest, or close to nothing, but it is easy cash. You just never know what could come up.

36 Degrees!

Oh my is it cold here today. The sun is shining though. Leaving me with high hopes of warmth.

I want to turn on my furnace so bad. But I won't. Not yet.

I am baking a cake for my hubby's birthday and the oven is sending out a little warmth too. But that stinkin' thing is so energy efficient it doesn't let heat slip out, unless the door is open.

Keep moving. That is the theme for today. While I repeat in my head "I do not want to pay NICOR. I do not want to pay......"

Do you have a ING Direct Business Savings?

Last week I contacted ING Direct about referring a business to the ING Direct Business Accounts and they informed me that as a 'individual', I can not. Apparently, Individuals refer Individuals and Businesses refer Businesses. And never do the two meet. :-(

With my residential rental becoming profitable or making its payments, I would like to create a savings account for this business. Every extra dollar, while running smooth, could lessen the effects of the vacant and bad times. Yes, I could just open an account and be done with it, but I would like that $25 bonus.

Wouldn't you like $10?

So, if you have an ING Direct Business Savings Account - could you send me a link?

$10 for joining Ebates!

With Christmas 90 Days away, if you haven't joined Ebates - NOW IS THE TIME. I've saved over $100 on my purchases through Ebates. It is easy and who doesn't like cash back on things you are buying anyway.

Although, as with anything follow the rules:

1. Don't buy anything just to save - make sure it something you need and were purchasing anyway.
2. Sign up for this FREE Ebates Membership!
3. Earn $10 for signing up and making your first purchase throught Ebates!! I get $10 too, if you use my link - Thank You!
4. Link through to your favorite stores and let Ebates do all the tracking.
5. Prior to completing your sale - do a web search for any discounts/coupons or promotions for the site you are purchasing in. It is easy to double up the savings.
6. Use a cash back credit card and save even more. As long as you pay it back when the bill comes. :-)
7. Collect your Ebates Cash quarterly in your PayPal account.

10% Remington Discount

I didn't know if any of you have, or your spouse has a Remington Shaver. I bought a very pricy one for DH a couple years back and he loves it. It is a self-cleaning one.

As you all know if you have one, they keep costing money. A quality shave is not cheap. The blade replacements for DH's run me $40. I just placed my order today.

Luckily, before finalizing it, I found a discount on RetailMeNot for 10% off. The code is:

RWEMN6

Doesn't cover shipping. :-( But we can't buy these locally. So, $4 is $4.

Emergency Fund Effected By Multiple Streams

Every time I think about a 6 month emergency fund, I get very flustered. The basic concept behind an emergency fund is good - save 3-6 months of your expenses in a nice secure, easy to get at place.

You do not have to know any special or new math to figure this one out.

My goal is to have some form of security blanket in place to protect us for 6 months. Not unlike many of you. We live in a world of unknowns and anything can happen. Making the security of an emergency fund vital to our survival.

But is the standard - 6 months of expenses the best way for everyone?

I don't think so. Especially for enterprising folks that have built income from more then just their paycheck.

Take for instance our situation. When you just look at our personal income and not the income of our other entities, you find we have flow from 6 different streams. Now in all actuality, they could all go bust at the same time. I don't think I am straying too far off when I say, it is highly unlikely they will all disappear at the same time.

That realization alone changes the structure of an emergency fund. As it should. My whole goal has been to gain security through multiple income streams and not have to rely on the income of my working self for everything. Negating a big chunk of the emergency fund logic.

The issue I struggle with, is how much is enough in the streams?

I would go completely berserk if I kept enough money in the 6 month streams to cover 100% of our monthly expenses. Without estimated taxes and retirement funding, I would see a balance of $47,658.06 in our fund with the current logic.

How crazy would that be? The interest alone, even if left in ING C.D.'s would cover my electric bill monthly.

How can this logic be good for folks living outside of the paycheck? Well, to me, it isn't cutting it. Having that sum in a minimal earning capacity, when it could pay down debt or be invested for larger returns for our future, is purely nuts.

So, with these very real, very intense feelings I have been toying with various options.

• Eliminating the annual bill savings, once a 6 month is in place. Paying these bills from this account and then, re-funding each year. This would eliminate other low earning savings.
• Subtract from the expenses the monthly payments due for the other income streams. Calculating our financial need of 6 months, solely based on our household bills.
• Add up all our monthly expenses for all causes. Subtract all income from streams that are not payroll related. Make the remaining balance the new emergency fund amount. Of course, multiplied by 6 months.

I'm leaning towards the 3rd (purple) option. This formula would also cover one or a couple of the other streams if they were to disappear. It would still require a savings balance of $24,390.36. Which is still huge, but more reasonable then the basic calculation above.

I would also take the top (orange) option and co-mingle it with the 3rd. This would require me to annually, rebuild our emergency fund, but this is better then having cash sit earning little or nothing.

I can't be the only one, looking for emergency fund modification. Can I?

Free Shipping @ FragranceNet

FragranceNet.com is offering free shipping this week only - use code FP827. This code expires 9/3/08.

I did not provide a link to FragranceNet, because you should use this code in conjuction with a link through from Ebates where you can earn back 6%.

Match that up with a cash back credit card to increase your savings on the fragrance you would already buy at your favorite department store. Thing of the fuel you are saving.

Oh No! My $2 Register Rewards Is Expiring

Don't worry, it worked out fine. I needed to go to Aldi's already. So, no special trip at today's gas prices. Thank goodness.

I needed to go to Aldi, because when I went shopping on Tuesday milk was $3.43 at Walmart. Holy cow! I would have bought it in the $2 range, without the hassle of a 2nd trip. There was no way I was paying $3.43 knowing Aldi has it for $1.99.

I went to Aldi today and got:

• 4 gallons of milk at $1.99 ($5.76 savings)
• 2 Frozen Deep Dish Mini Pizza Meals for kids $1.99 ea
• 2 Boxes of Cereal @ $1.79 each
• Bleach @ 99¢
• Pulled BBQ Pork (big spender here) for easy dinner $5.49
• Aldi version of Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwichs - $2.99
• Cheese Curls - because they looked good to me today (idiot) 99¢

Even with my extravagances I felt good with the $26.30 total.

At Walgreens - it was another FREE DAY!!!!

I didn't see anything in their flyer that was a "great" deal for me this week. And then it hit me, school is starting soon. Okay, not soon, but we are 1/2 way through with summer. How time flys.

So, I looked through the flyer, thinking any school supplies up to $2 is good - Free is Free. They have:

2 Pocket Folders on sale for 4 for $1. Use the Walgreens Coupon and it instantly turns into 8 for $1. Not bad at 12.5¢ a piece.

Then like a smack in the face, I saw something I need for next weekend. Wrapping Paper. I have a Bridal Shower and the present is sitting on my cabinet in the dining room unwrapped. I guess someone was watching out for me here.

2 Sheet Hallmark wrapping paper regularly 69¢ had a coupon for 3/$1. That is $1.07 savings.

If it wasn't for the card, I would have walked out losing part of my $2 Register Rewards. How exactly did that happen?

The card was $1.10, but rang up 75c. Sweet - a Hallmark Savings.

My total cost at the end 92¢.

Oh wait, that's right, still have money on my gift card. I Paid ZERO!!!

Man this is fun!

I failed at the interest in half the time

I just tallied up my interest for the end of June and I didn't make my goal.

I was so close! Only $1.10 away from matching 2007 total interest earned. Had I held off a transfer 1 more day, I could have gotten to the match. I just couldn't wait. I have to pay things when they come in. I get so nervous if I don't.

There are 2 missing pieces to this story too:

1. I haven't been credited interest into my PayPal account yet for June.
2. My "B" rated Prosper loan, the last of the initial 4, has not paid it's June 16 payment. Unbelievable. Even a "B" rating is not a good loan risk.

Those 2 items, along with a 1 day delay in transferring of funds and I could have toppled last year.

Oh well, such is life.

Upromise

Ever since learning of Ebates, I don't click through Upromise too often. Ebates regularly pays a larger percent and I go where the money is.

That doesn't mean I sweep Upromise under the rug. My account is still up and running in the background. Requiring little work from me.

At Upromise I build a cash balance on my everyday shopping and spending. They do all the work and I receive all the financial glory.

For instance, I buy gas...... a lot. Upromise notes every time I go to a Mobil or Exxon station and they collect a penny per gallon for me. This adds up fast. Mobil is a regular earner for me. So not only are they a penny cheaper per gallon then the surrounding gas stations, I earn an extra penny as well. Then of course, I make another % on top of that through my cash back card.

Another way Upromise works for me (for free by the way) is that I recorded my Jewel Savers Card here, so everytime I shop they are looking at my purchases. If anything is an earner, like Coke, they send me cash. Sweet. Of course, this is above and beyond my discounts at the register and on my credit cards.

Occassionally I get a sporadic credit too. Bed Bath and Beyond or Sports Authority. All without any effort at all.

Currently, my account is rising to the level of withdraw again. I'm not there yet, but soon.

Upromise is also offering me $2 if I send a friend over. So if you are interested email me your email address and I will forward you an email to sign up for this FREE service.

After all, every little bit counts.

Walgreens Moves Like Lightening

I just went shopping at Walgreens on Friday and sent in my rebate request. Okay, I didn't send it via snail mail. Walgreens has this awesome online rebate claimer. I love easy. Plus, they are saving the Earth with no envelope and stamps. Not to mention guarding my fortune building by saving me that 42c the USPS wants of my rebate.

I just received an email say that my $14.30 will be added to my gift card within 4 days.

That's my $13 plus the bonus 10% for adding it to my gift card.

Ebates Bonus Ending 6/30

Here is hoping that you, that one person sitting on the fence with Ebates, signs up.

Before I give you the link that will earn you $5 after your first linked through purchase and me a $10 bonus if you sign-up prior to the deadline and make that purchase, let me share my thoughts.

Folks, this is FREE money! It's like having a coupon every time you shop. There is no catch. You have no costs. Ebates earns money from stores and online merchants when they send customers their way and then they share the money with you. Easy.

Since I joined I have earned/saved or if you prefer discounted my purchases to the tune of $90.03.

Every quarter, Ebates will automatically transfer to my PayPal account my savings. Could it get any easier?

Now, I don't recommend you go shopping crazy because of the discounts and cash back. What I do recommend is that if you are making the purchase anyway - sign up for Ebates, and click through. Why not get cash back?

Some of the places I have earned cash back -

• Eddie Bauer
• Barnes & Noble
• Six Flags
• East Bay
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Hotels.com
• Best Buy

There are so many stores that participate.

And don't think that your Ebates rewards are all your discounts. Even when using Ebates, you can still add in discount codes and coupons to your purchase. So go ahead do a search for another discount to add on. Ebates is just an extra income source.

I just need one more person, on the fence, to jump in and sign-up and I will get a bonus of a $10 Target Gift Card. So, please, please consider it!

I missed what should have been a savings moment!

All year I have been moving money to savings in the hopes of paying all our annual bills without the use of financing.

I actually have a spreadsheet in Excel that separates and shows each annual bill and the amount due:

• All life insurance policies
• Home Owners Insurance
• Vehicle Insurance
• Property tax for home
• Property tax for undeveloped land
• Property tax for commercial property
• Insurance for commercial property
• Property tax for residential rental
• Insurance for residential rental

All of this totals an annual need of $23,194.30 for this year.

I then subtract the bills I have paid and have a need balance. Then I subtract my savings balances and show an amount needed to succeed at my goal.

Well, sometime in the last month I passed the amount due and went into amounts that will pay off the zero percent cards. This will make less money that needs to be paid by the line.

Sweet! I still have to November to build up more. Of course, I also make another college payment next week.

Self Control is Lacking

I have a problem. I am not one that can sit and wait to the due date to pay a bill. And lord forbid I pay late - I'd probably end up in an emergency room from a stroke.

I really, really, want to leave my money in savings and gain as much as I can before I pay the annual bills. I am completely aware that every extra cent I earn is one more cent to decrease the zero percent cards, prior to their end date. Which in turn means less money moving back to my line of credit, to accrue interest.

Unless I can find and decide to take another Zero Percent deal.

June has been good in the savings department. Mostly because I transferred my visa payment there for safe keeping until it is due next week. Moving these $4k+ into HSBC was a good interest increaser - although it wasn't with out burden.

I had to re-adjust my internal thought patterns and go against my norm to get through the month.

Man is that hard. I always just pay all the bills in the beginning of the month. Without doing that, I have been worried that I will be late on the payment or forget about it. How do people do this? I have the dates on my calendar, I wont forget - so why freak?

On Wednesday, this past week - I gave into my worries and transferred some money back to savings.

I just couldn't take it. I had to schedule my visa payment and my homes property taxes are due next week too. There is no way I could wait until due day to pay. Yes, I have issues. So, I'm losing interest.

This is our big time spending season, so the issue did not just get cleared up with that move. Before month end I still have payments due for:

• DD2's apartment rent - for college
• Chase minimum payment - 0%
• Residential Rental property tax
• ComEd
• Nicor
• Health Insurance
• Football wears for DS2
• Our Anniversary overnighter
• and any more potential Aldi trips :-)

All of which, kept me in a state of anxiety. So this morning the first thing I did, is enter all these payments into Quicken - to be paid. Then I went to ING and initiated a transfer to the checking account to cover these needs and extra - just in case.

Boy do I feel better.

Ebates Earning

My Ebates account is currently at $16.10. Not bad, but not good.

I have earned $15 for referrals and the other $1.10 is for the 2 tickets I purchased for DD3's trip to Six Flags on this past Monday.

My balance should be more -

• I purchased a new swim suit from Eddie Bauer in May and I still don't see my 4% promised on the link ~ $4.32
• Last night I reserved a Mini-Van rental from Enterprise Rent-A-Car for our Jersey trip and hope to see this credit after the vacation - 2% ~ $8.88.
• I also booked a hotel stay for our anniversary in Michigan. Just a one nighter through Hotels.com and I am assuming it will credit after the night @ 3% ~ $5.07.

I love having a coupon!

The site says to give up to 6 weeks for credit. So, I'm waiting before I email them about my Eddie Bauer rebate.

It is so easy to make money on things you are already paying for, if you think about it and remember Ebates.

Sometimes Sacraficing is NOT an Option

My DH cracks me up. I am always looking at new ways to cut our household costs. Every once in a while I will trade out a regular product for a cheaper option. Always hoping that in the end, it will become a regular penny saver.

Some of my switches work, like:

• Sun laundry detergent for $1.99, compared to $6+ dollars for a named brand
• Generic color safe bleach
• Lower cost Shaving Gel

You get the idea.

Other switches leave me wishing they would disappear so I can go back to my original product. I just hate wasting. Truth-in-point, the generic dishwasher soap. I still have this stuff in the cabinet. A Great Value it is not. Lesson Learned! Only Cascade in my house!

I've tried this before, but I keep trying. Toilet paper is so stinkin' expensive. We are a Charmin household. A very expensive flush, if you know what I mean. Don't get me wrong - I love it. It is soft and comfortable and the rolls last a decent amount of time.

What bothers me, is how thick it is. I know it can't be good for the environment. Okay, the cost bothers me too.

So, I tried again and purchased Angel Soft paper. I snuck it into the bathroom only to see my DH is sneaky too. There now sits a roll of Charmin on the stool tank - with his name written on the side in permanent marker.

LOL. He is so spoiled - no changing paper for him.

I can't do it!

I want to, but it is making me a nervous wreck.

I had plans to earn last years interest by June 30th of this year. The 1/2 way point. What I didn't plan for is my emotional side to this.

I thought I could patiently just wait until close to the due dates or the exact must be postmarked by date and that I could earn more money on my money.

For instance, ESTIMATED TAXES ARE DUE MONDAY JUNE 16TH! Do you think I could wait until Monday to send in my payment? Heck no! I'm sitting here all full of anxiety over it. So, I grabbed my checkbook and wrote the check. It's leaving tomorrow.

At least I have the money in the checking account. Don't need to transfer from savings to pay.

With the big annual bills sitting in front of me at my desk, I'm still not feeling better. Prior to month end I have to pay our homes property taxes, the visa bill for last month (this is really hard), my Chase 0% card payment (I have this in checking).

A quick look at the calculator reveals I need to move $5200 prior to paying these bills. OUCH. Bye-bye interest.

Why can't I just be grateful I'm not financing these bills this year? What is wrong with me? Why am I so attached to our savings?