Shopping with a Plan

Personal Note from Clyrese

Proverbs 31: 18 "She watches for bargains; her lights burn late into the night." (Contemporary English Version)

July 2014 is when I married the love of my life.  Before then, I was a single mother for 11 years. I moved out of my mom's house when I was 24.  While I lived with my mom I spent what I want, how I wanted, and paid bills when I wanted.  Did I save?  Of course I didn't.  Did I have a budget? Yeah right? What is a budget?  When I moved out, with my son, on my own, then lost my job, I didn't know how to financially survive.  Yes I made sure needs where met.  But I wasn't taking care of me.  I didn't make sure bought something that I wanted.  When I did I felt guilty.  I felt guilty because there are so many things we needed.

November 2009 I got a job. Then I made sure I got the things I wanted.  I found myself robbing Peter to pay Paul.  Have you ever heard of that saying?

May 2012 I gave my life back to God.  And made a conscience decision to serve Him.  Aug 2013 I asked God to show me how I handle my money better.  I was tired. He showed me how to pay my tithes (Malachi 3:8), catch up on my bills, budget my money, and save for short and long term.

Let's get real...

As a woman I love shoes, purses, and most importantly getting my hair and nails done bi-weekly.  I can't leave my son out, he has to have a hair cut bi-weekly too.  That is what I love!  I didn't want to do without and refused to.  But when the going got tough the money to do these things was scarce.  I was forced to do without.  That hurt!

One day in August I sat down and calculated the amount of money I made monthly from my job only and how much my expenses were monthly.  I made well over enough to pay my expenses, save, and buy what I wanted as well as what I needed.  I had to learn how to cut corners by looking at the weekly advertisements, clipping coupons, and signing up for email blasts so I could catch those savings.  It takes some time to do all these things.  But it is well worth it when was saving $100 or more per month.

Saving and Shopping

 If your like me, you love to cook.  I don't mean cooking the same things over and over again.  I mean really cooking.  Things like Caribbean and, recently, Asian food is my specialty.  My family and I love it.  Pinterest is literally my best friend. :-) When your just starting out buying the ingredients needed for the meals can be expensive.  Here are some tips to help  you begin saving on your grocery bill.  You can also apply some of these tips in other areas such as clothes, shoes, etc.



Step 1: Preparing Your List

What I started to do is create a menu every month (or week how ever you shop) and I would buy according to the menu.  I shop twice per month.  In the beginning of the month I purchase all my meats for the following month and the other things the at the end of the month.  Also, every week I buy the things we eat all the time (eggs, milk, bread, and bottled water)  I know... you may think bottled water.  That's not saving.  Hey, I won't drink water otherwise.  I'm weird like that. :-)

My calendar helps me create my very important shopping list.  Shopping lists are important because it gives you a guideline on what you have to buy.  It also helps you remember everything your house needs and what you need to prepare your fabulous meal.

Step 2: Where's the best sales

Every week the mail man clutters your mailbox with ads from the surrounding super markets.  You probably through them away because you shop at one store every week.  I did.  Well, instead of throwing them away look in them.  Compare their prices to the items you usual by at your favorite grocery story.  You will be amazed at how much you will save by shopping around.

I like to shop at two or three stores.  I have two favorite stores for my meat.  If I don't feel like going to one, i'll go to the other.  I have a favorite spot for my fruits and vegetables.  If someone has a better sale I'll deviate.  IN A HEART BEAT!

I love the idea that budgetmama.com had.  Grab your shopping list.  On your list write the price of a regular item you buy how much it would normally cost at your favorite grocery store.  When you get to the store write down how much it cost.  When you get home calculate everything.  You will see how much you save.

Before you begin your shopping don't take your visa/debit card with you.  Leave it home.  Instead stop by the bank or ATM machine and withdraw the exact amount of money you need.  This will prevent you from over spending.

Coupon Apps- My Second Bff

I have an email just for coupons.  This idea came from someone at church.  So when I am out or someone needs a coupon for something I can send it right to them, from my mobile device, and share the savings.  I also know when different stores are having sales.  For example, my son made honor roll this last marking period.  So to award him for his hard work my husband and I getting him a pair of sneakers anything he wants, no price limit.  I am keeping a close eye on Footaction and Foot Locker for their sales via email or Retail me Not.

Another app that is helpful is Groupon.  This app lets me know when companies and restaurants have sales.  This one is different from Retail Me Not because they only have a certain amount of coupons available.  So, once they are sold out, you can no longer able to use it.  With Groupon you can take advantage of things like vacation getaways, restaurants, Yoga, etc.

I love coupons.  It helps me buy the things I love and things that are helpful.

Let's Talk...

Share with us some other ways that you save money?  Do you know of any other helpful apps?

How to Communicate with your Bills

Personal Note from Clyrese

Proverbs 22:7 “Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.”

As struggled with poor money management I was a servant to the bill collectors.  I constantly owed them money and they wanted it NOW!  They didn't want it when I found a job.  They didn't want it after I moved to improve my housing.  They didn't care about any of that stuff.  They darn didn't care that I wasn't managing my money good.  All they cared about was when were they going to get their money.  So they called me what seemed like 100 times per day.  Filling my voice mailbox with messages after messages.  Yes they were a constant pain in the rear end.  

But I got clever.  At least I thought I did.  I learned how to block their phone calls and voice messages.  Fooled myself.  Dropped my credit score down to 514.  Which is considered VERY POOR. When I decided I wanted to be a home owner, and I saw that score my heart dropped.  I didn't know what to do.

Let's get real...

I was a slave to the bill collectors.  I don't mean a slave in the sense that I was picking cotton in a sweaty hot field.  I meant a mental slave.  I was constantly worrying about how I was going to pay the bills.  How was I going to get myself out of debt.  I was a slave to the property managers, the electric company, the cable company, and the cell phone company.  Who could file and take me to court on the 15th of any given month and can then put me out 30 days later.  My son and I would be homeless. MORE STRESS! I was a slave to the electric company, who could shut my electric off after a certain amount was accumulated.  MORE & MORE STRESS!!!  The type of slavery I am talking about is Financial Slavery.

Avoiding Disconnection by Communicating

Communication when your behind is extremely important.  It saved me from disconnections and and being charged re connection fees.  When your call them that puts you in control of the situation and it builds trust for you with the companies.  

The purpose in your call is to make a payment plan arrangements.  

Here are the steps to developing and effect line of communication between you and the bill collectors.

Step 1: Know when you will be able to make a payment

Grab your bill and your calendar.  You may be asking why do I need these.  These two tools are the most important tools you will have.  Why?  Well, because, when you call them you can give them an exact date when you will be able to make a payment and how much.

I made arrangements that circled around my pay date and my child support payment dates.  I made payment arrangements so many times and for so long I knew exactly what companies would allow me to make arrangements and what companies would not.  I had ideas of how long it would take for a credit card payment to clear in my account.

Step 2: Speak with the Billing Department

Now that you have your calendar and your bill now your ready to call and talk to the billing department.  At this point you will speak with a representative and begin to negotiate.

When you speak with the representative speak with confidence and assurance that they will grant your wish for an extension. However, you want to be humbled because you are asking them to extend a favor to you during your time of need.  Tell them you wish to make a payment arrangement, the exact date you wish to make that payment, along with how much.

Normally they will grant you at least two weeks, depending on the company.  What ever you do take the date that is the furthest out you can.  This is the most important rule KEEP THAT DATE!!!  If you don't you will be disconnected and you may or may not get another chance for an extension if you need it.

  

The Owner's Story

The beginning

I lost my job:

In October 2007 I was a young mom.  I was about 24 years old and my son was around 4.  I moved into my first apartment.  Although it wasn't what I really wanted, it was the best feeling and experience ever until two weeks later, November 10, I lost my job.  I was devastated!  I didn't know what I was going to do.  Except something I never wanted to do, apply for state assistance.  I was awarded $270 per month in cash, $300 per month in food stamps, and Purchase of care.  Purchase of care is Delaware's child care assistance.  They paid for day care while I looked for a job.  My son's father and I were constantly fighting with each other.  So the only help he wanted to give me was $250 per month. And majority of the time he skipped months. When he skipped months he doubled up when he paid.  But where your already a month behind it didn't seem like much help.

Two years of struggle:

The first eight months of unemployment were the most horrible months of my life.  Naturally every month of was behind in my rent.  I used the money from the state to pay bills like electric and cellphone.  I needed a phone so that employers could get in contact with me. 

Tax time I spent my money wisely.  I paid two months of my rent.   January I ran to the state service center in New Castle, DE  to pay my rent.  Current month was past due, and I paid the following month. So that covered February and March.  The surrounding months the rent was paid with help from several local, county and government agencies.  Until I was awarded child support June 2008.  Thank God I was blessed with enough to cover my rent.  

Once I started receiving child support the cash assistance stopped.  I was fine with that.  I have always been an independent person.  When I had to get government help I was embarrassed.  Loosing one assistance program to me felt like a step forward.  I step towards progress. However, I was grateful it was available when I needed it.  

I was still out of a job.  Working hard every day to find a job.  In October I applied for to a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program.  As soon I was accepted into the program my car was repossessed.  I felt like that was the end.  I fell into a deep depression.  Thank God I had a mom and, at that time boyfriend, that cared and loved me and son unconditionally and helped me with my son.  For two weeks I wasn't able to get out of bed.  I wasn't eating, I wasn't cleaning my house, I wasn't talking to anyone.  I felt like every time I saw a door opening something got in the way of my financial drought.  I was hurting. 

Until one day something told me to get my butt out of the bed and pull it together.  This is not the end of the road.  You need to take care of yourself so you can properly take care of your child.  That is what I did.

By December 2008 I completed the CNA program and I passed the license exam.  By March 2009 I got my first job as a CNA/Caregiver.  Although it was a position where I worked a couple hours here and there and traveled to my clients homes to provide home care I was happy! It worked around my son's school schedule.  I worked as much as I could.  

November 2009 I got my first full time job at a retirement community.  I worked both jobs for three months trying catch up.  I worked so much I wore myself out.  Once my last client with my first job passed away.  I let it go.

The Middle

I wanted to move:

My first apartment wasn't a great apartment.  It wasn't even a nice apartment.  It was infested with roaches.  Yes roaches.  And my mom and boyfriend rigged it so that mice would stay away.  I HATED IT!!!  Once I purchased my car I was determined to move by next year.  But I had one problem.  When the date I planed  to move came around I hadn't saved one penny. But I forced the move anyway.  I relied on agencies and the state to help me pay my first and last month rent and I paid the security deposit.  Oh, and I was behind in my rent in my old apartment.   

Fell back into the same trend.  Poor money management.  But I wanted to move.

So, I moved into my new apartment.  Paying $200 more in my rent and barely paying my utility bills and other bills.  Every month I was behind.

I became fed up...

Eventually I got tired of being behind in my bills.  I made a decision to be more conscience about them.  So I started out with working on my credit.  

So I called a credit repair company to get help.  They were charging me a monthly rate of at least $300 per month.  I made the first payment, automatic withdraw, I was thinking "What the @#&! am I doing."  I don't have enough to pay my bills.  So I cancelled my membership.  Decided to start catching up on my house hold bills.  Then I will work on my credit.

Being behind in bills are stressful because every
 month I received disconnection notices.

Attempt one: The wrong way

I tried paying all my bills at one time, past due and current due.  I felt okay about it. But something didn't feel right.  One day I was hungry, and I looked in the refrigerator there wasn't much there.  I said to myself, "Oh shoot!  I didn't buy any food."  So I pinched pennies until my next pay check and bought some food.  

I did that for a month.

Attempt 2: The worst way

I paid for everything that I cellphone bill, cable, personal needs, then paid rent and electric bills.  Naturally that didn't work because I didn't have the money to pay the bills.

I tried this for about three months until I realized this wasn't the solution to my problem either.

Attempt 3: God's Way

After trying to do it my way twice and failed twice I became frustrated and tired.  So my final resort was asking God to help.  WOW!  Why didn't I think of this sooner.  Why because I was in a stage in my life where I thought I could do it on my own.  I was in a stage in my life where I thought I was in charge. I was in rebellion.  I wasn't following anything that had to do with spirituality.  Not because I didn't think I needed to, but because I just didn't want to.  Once I realized I couldn't do anything on my own.  The reason I even made it as far as I did was ONLY because of His Grace and His mercy.

What he did first was show me where I needed to start.  I needed to start with what was important, create a spread sheet where I would track my incoming and outgoing money, and begin to catch up on my bills.  Within six months I was caught up and ahead of my bills.  I was even able to save money and I didn't have to use child support to pay my bills.

Once I was able to do that, and be successful it was time to take it to the public and teach them and educate them on how to be stress and debt free.  That is the goal and mission of Financial Bondage Broken.