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December 10, 2010, at 6:00 am If you're new to BFS, please subscribe to my RSS feed. It shows me a vote of support and keeps me motivated to keep your attention. If you have any questions or comments for me, please contact me and I'll get back to you asap. Thanks for visiting! I love stories. Even though I usually never have my hands free to read real books anymore, I do get to listen to 2-3 audio books a week right now. I can usually polish off at least 100 books a year. I guess I should consider the mindless work I do as a benefit since I can easily complete a stack of tickets while listening to whatever strikes my fancy.
This Week
This week, I finished “Frostbitten” by Kelley Armstrong, “Tales of the Otherworld” by Kelley Armstrong, and “Catching Fire” by Suzanne Collins. “Catching Fire” is book 2 of the Hunger Games trilogy and I am impatiently waiting for the library to notify me that book 3 is ready to go. Technically, they’ll be notifying my husband since he’s next on the list, but he’s promised to download it to my Ipod too.
My point is that books are amazing. They transport me to exciting new places and worlds. I get to meet the kind of people that don’t actually exist in real life. I get to be part of idealistic revolutions and watch how werewolves can blend in with everyday society. In short, reading or listening to a book is a ton of fun.
My Favorites Right Now
Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins – This set of stories are placed in a post-apocolyptic world of districts all ruled by one strong city called “The Capital”. To keep the districts docile, “The Capital” holds an annual battle to the death in man-made arenas that are HUGE and require each of the 12 remaining districts to send one girl and one boy between the ages of 10 to 18 to participate. Book 1 is a story unto itself but Books 2 and 3 continue the world and cover the need for change. It’s a series that has made me laugh and cry and I cannot wait much longer for book 3 to become available, lol.
In Death series by J.D. Robb – This is a series that centers around Eve Dallas, a New York homicide detective in the 2050′s-2060′s. The character development is amazing and the relationships are inspiring. It doesn’t read as futuristic sci-fi at all – it just incorporates inventions we haven’t seen yet but would be really nice to own.
Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong – Between the stories of the only female werewolf to half-demons and even vampires all just trying to get along in the world as it is, it’s just plain fun. It also has convinced me that I much rather be a werewolf than a vampire since the pack sounds like a nice group of friends to have.
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling – I know, I know. Most of the time I try to stay away from popular series since they usually have way too much drama (like Twilight…it took me a little while to get over the teenage angst…), but I love the characters in Harry Potter and fell in love with the series despite its popularity, lol.
I will list another set of series in a future post sometime since I am currently a big fan of at least 15-20 sets right now. Thanks to the spotty selection of audio books at my library, I actually sample way more than I used to. I’m opening up to new authors and story lines every week, lol.
Do you enjoy reading something other than blogs? What strikes your fancy?
December 9, 2010, at 6:00 am
I recently finished the first book in the trilogy, Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. It was thought-provoking in a million ways, but the first thing I wondered was whether or not I could survive if I had no support network, no job, and no help from others.
The plot of the whole book centers around a barbaric annual event that requires 2 kids (ages 10-18) from every “district” to be sent to the main city (“The Capital”) to fight to the death. The victor is rewarded with wealth. Yes, that sounds like and is a very depressing plot, but I swear the book is amazing!
Putting aside the actual main point of the book, in the very beginning you simply see how Katniss (the main character) is surviving in a truly tough world. She is single-handedly supporting her mother and sister since her dad passed away. She can’t get work the “normal” way, so she uses skills that she was taught early on to hunt and gather what her family needs to survive.
I personally have hardly any hunting skills since I’ve only shot a rifle at cans twice in my life. I also don’t know what wild plants are edible or not unless they look specifically like a fruit or veggie I’ve seen on an aisle at Kroger or in a family garden. Lastly, I don’t even look at buying gold as an investment, so I wouldn’t even have precious metals on my side. In short, if I was in the same position as Katniss, I would probably die of starvation or accidental poisoning if I relied on those skills.
Since I did want to write this post, and I didn’t want to admit that I’m basically useless in dire circumstances (even the best personal finance software couldn’t help me), I came up with a list of my skills and their uses in a post-apocolyptic world. Here’s what I have to survive:
- Good Karma – I go out of my way for others regularly, so hopefully some of the people I have helped wouldn’t mind feeding me for a little while if I needed some temporary support.
- Imagination - In a world with so little luxury, I could be a story-teller or writer and hopefully be paid as an entertainer at least.
- Stubborness – If a loved one or myself was starving, I am sure that I’d figure out a way to get some food one way or another. I do know how to fish and I could work up a few basic traps. I’d just have to learn with time to get proficient.
- Gift of Gab – I am chatty. I could network with enough of the village to figure out what side jobs are available.
- General Intelligence – I could learn whatever skills necessary to complete the side jobs that pop up.
- Common Sense - I would need this to protect myself from bad situations or people while I try to get by.
- Luck – I do seem to be lucky, so maybe a little of that could help me out along the way.
Do you think you could make it? What skills would you use?
December 8, 2010, at 6:00 am
Feel free to also check out my staff writer post today at Sweating the Big Stuff, Pros and Cons of Buying in Bulk. 
Tim Chen is founder and CEO of NerdWallet.com, a website that helps consumers to compare credit card offers. Tim also educates consumers about credit cards and debt management at the Forbes Moneybuild Blog, the Huffington Post, and the Christian Science Monitor.
If you find yourself underwater with debt and unable to repay everything you owe, it might be time to join millions of other Americans and consider bankruptcy proceedings. There are multiple types of bankruptcy in the United States, however, and depending on your situation one might be preferable to the other.
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
The best-known form of bankruptcy is called Chapter 7, a reference to the section of the Bankruptcy Code that outlines it. Chapter 7 is the most severe form of bankruptcy and results in the termination of all unsecured debts, which includes credit card debt and personal loans. However in exchange, all non-exempt assets are liquidated in order to pay off existing creditors. While most individuals applying for Chapter 7 are not affected by this rule, it could come into play if one owns considerable assets like land or a second home.
While it is true that most debts are eliminated after Chapter 7 bankruptcy, there are certain debts that will remain. Most notable are secured debts, such as car and mortgage loans as well as any existing property liens (note: don’t confuse secured credit cards with other types of secured debt). Even after Chapter 7 bankruptcy, individuals are still responsible for car and home loans, unless they default on payment. At that point, both cars and homes become open to foreclosure proceedings.
Similarly, federal student loans are not subject to termination unless one is capable of proving that continuing to pay them would constitute a substantial hardship or significant loss of quality of life. But as this is a notoriously difficult thing to prove; most federal student loans stand even after Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Finally, while it is true that credit card debt isn’t secured, many are allowed to stand by judicial decision. For this to happen, however, credit card companies must prove that the charges in question were suspect – either due to a fraudulent application or the debtor making purchases with no intent to pay for them.
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
The main difference between Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy is that Chapter 13 allows one to retain his or her assets while paying back existing debts. So, unlike Chapter 7 bankruptcy, those filing Chapter 13 do not have to worry about losing their property or other assets. However, the downside is that none of their debts are truly terminated. Like Chapter 7, debtors remain responsible for home loans, car payments, student loans and other forms of secured credit, but they are reorganized in a way that they can be paid off over the course of three to five years.
Under Chapter 13 bankruptcy, debtors also remain responsible for unsecured debt such as personal loans and credit card payments. However, while they are also subject to reorganization for payments spread out over the next three to five years, they are given lower priority than cost of living and secured debts like home and car loans.
In addition to maintaining ownership of other assets, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy also boasts another clear advantage over declaring Chapter 7. While Chapter 7 bankruptcy will appear as a black mark on a debtor’s credit report for 10 years, Chapter 13 only stays for seven. This is because under Chapter 13, an individual’s existing debts will eventually get paid off at the end of the three to five year reorganizational period.
Chapter 13 effectively gives you an extra 3-5 years to catch up with delinquent accounts, putting a hold on interest and collection agency calls in the meantime. You make only one payment per month to the bankruptcy trustee, who then distributes the funds to the various creditors.
Chapter 7 or Chapter 13?
Both forms of bankruptcy have clear advantages and disadvantages, so which is right for an individual will vary based on his or her personal situation. However, the question of which form of bankruptcy a debtor files for is often left to a judge. The decision tends to be based on the debtor’s means and future ability to repay debts. An individual with multiple assets to protect, a job, and an above average income is a better risk in terms of eventual repayment, and would most likely be allowed to file for Chapter 13. However, someone with no job, nonexistent assets and limited income is a much larger risk, and would normally be relegated to Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Chapter 13 is only available to individuals with unsecured debts below $360,475 and secured debts lower than $1,081,400.
While both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy can provide relief from overwhelming debt, neither is without its long-term consequences. Having any type of bankruptcy appear on a credit report is devastating to an individual’s credit rating, and can take much longer than seven or 10 years to climb out of the bad credit abyss. Before leaping into bankruptcy proceedings of any sort, it is wise to consult a lawyer to consider both debt consolidation and debt counseling services.
Crystal’s Comments: I seriously hope no one reading this has ever or will ever need to know the difference, but it was interesting to learn. I had never looked any of this up before, lol. If any of you have any experiences with this, please let us know how it worked out if you don’t mind. Thanks!
December 7, 2010, at 6:00 am
As we approach the end of the year, Mr Credit Card is going take a break today from writing about credit cards and instead tell us what he is buying for his kids and what he is indulging in himself this Christmas! You can check out my traditional indulgences post, Holiday Indulgences, over at his site this afternoon as well!
If you read enough personal finance blogs, you will no doubt get the message that you should always save more than you earn, not to spend on unnecessary things, get discounts and find deals. Well, today, I’d thought that I will break the mole and actually tell you what I’ll be buying for Christmas (kids and myself and Mrs Credit Card).
In previous years, I’ve always been conscious of what we should give the kids. It has got to be something they like and are useful. I’ve always been conscious of the cost. But this year, I’ve decided to lighten up a little. And I am approaching this Christmas more generously (I think). But before I tell you what I’m going to get for the kids, I wanted to point out that I actually asked them what they want. OK – so here goes.
Youngest Daughter – When I asked my youngest daughter what she wants, she says she wants a pair of Ugg Boots! It’s amazing how young kids are already aware of “brands”. She also wants me to take her to a bookstore where she can buy a few books for herself. This I’m happy to do because she loves to read and writes really well for her age. Unlike her older brothers, she was never into the Lego and toy stuff.
Mrs Credit Card will also be taking her to see a ballet performance (The Nutcracker in a couple of weeks) by the Pennsylvania Ballet. And I’ll be booking tickets to take her to see the Swan Lake in March.
Second Son – Mr Credit Card Junior – This boy is a fan of Bionicle. And in previous years, we’ve always bought him one for Christmas and his birthday. He will fix them and display them. In fact, he has a whole collection of them. But Lego has stopped producing and selling the Bionicle series. Hence what he has will “hopefully” become collectibles one day. But he is also interested in fixing Lego Clone Wars and so this year, he has requested the Emperor’s Palpatine’s Shuttle.
Aside from that, I’ll probably get him (it’s also for me! haha!) the Clone Wars cartoon TV series for season 1 & 2 on Blu Ray since we just got a Blu Ray player and a 1080p plasma TV! And as with all Christmas presents for our kids, a couple of books will in the wrappers as well. He is presently reading the Harry Potter series (which we bought for his older brother) and we have to crack our heads on what books to buy for him.
Oldest Son – Let’s call him Master Credit Card! – This one is an Avid Lego Star Wars builder and collector. So far, he has in his collection (all displayed in a nice cupboard) the Imperial Destroyer, X-Wing Fighter, Y-Wing Fighter, ATT Walker and countless others. This year he has also requested the Clone Turbo Tank.
He is also a huge Harry Potter fan and has always bugged me about getting the entire DVD series. But I’ll wait till the the last movie is out on Blu Ray next year before I get him the complete set. In fact, for this Christmas, I’m thinking of getting him the Lord of the Rings book and the Blu Ray set.
What Am I Getting Mrs Credit Card? – Truth is I don’t know yet. Mrs Credit Card does not like surprises. So I always have to ask her what she wants. Every year, she asks for bling bling earrings. But we’ve always put it off. And I seriously want to get it for her this year. But once again, shopping for something like this takes time. So we’ll see if this pans out this year.
How About Myself – Over the last year or so, I have gotten into Opera and Classical Music! So I’m going to buy myself a few CDs and DVDs of Opera Singers. Amongst them will be Renee Fleming’s Sacred Songs (2005) and Her Christmas Album. And this one is crazy. I am also going to order a “used” “Do they know it’s Christmas” Album by the original Band Aid Vinyl Record (not Band Aid 2). I’ve always wanted to get this every Christmas but have procrastinated. But I’m going to get it this year for sure. The reason I want to get this album is because there are 3 versions of this song in the original album. And radio stations and CDs only have one of the versions. And the funniest thing of it all is that I’ve yet to get a turntable! So that’s next years project!
As another treat to myself, I’ve decided to watch a few operas and other classical performances next year and have bought some tickets in advance. I’ve booked Renee Fleming’s recital at the Carnegie Hall in January 2011. In March, I’ll be watching Romeo and Juliet in the Metropolitan Opera where Angela Gheorghiu (the fantastic Romanian Soprano) will be performing. I’ve also booked a spot at the Kimmel Center for a Mozart Requiem performance.
So that’s my fun Christmas presents that I’m shelling out for my kids and family (including myself). Already, I’m thinking of ways to save money and get discounts. For example, I’ve just received an email from Toys R Us saying that if I buy one Lego set, the next one will all be 50% off! And it turns out that this applies if I buy online as well. Hence, I’m going to use my Chase Freedom card because Toys R Us is a partner and I can get 3% rebates when shopping with them from my Chase account! My concert tickets are harder to get discounts. And I’m also not really tempted to use my Membership Reward Points to redeem for the CDs that I want to buy from Amazon.com because I’m saving points for some future airline flights.
But regardless (given who I am!), I charge of these purchases to my American Express Platinum card to earn reward points for a business class flight. And I’ll pay in full (PIF in the credit card world) when the bills comes. Some may consider some of the gift ideas I have extravagant. And maybe it is. But I’m happy giving gifts to my family and loved ones during Christmas. What I will spend is all budgeted for.
So what are you buying for your family this Christmas? I posted our holiday indulgences over at Mr. Credit Card’s site this afternoon.
December 6, 2010, at 6:00 am
As you can see, I do accept advertising on Budgeting in the Fun Stuff. A quick scan of my homepage will show you that I have actual sections set aside just for ads and I have an “Advertising” tab to boot. I do avoid having pop up anything for you on BFS and I will never be paid to lie about my opinions on products, but those are pretty much my only lines. I would even make money on Twitter if I could.
Why?
The biggest reason I accept advertising is that I want to be able to blog full time. I enjoy this more than anything else I’ve ever done as a hobby or job in my life. This community is one of the first things I look forward to in the morning. Blogging is the last thing I do almost every night. You, my readers, have created this. Blogging without an audience and feedback is depressing. I truly appreciate each and every one of you. Advertising is how I will be able to fund this goal.
Controversial Ads
I only brought up advertising because I wanted to approach the super controversial subject of questionable personal finance site ads – payday loans, debt consolidation, etc. Yes, I would accept ads from these types on companies. No, I do not think you should use any company that will cause you to gain more debt. This whole post is to get your opinion. Do you even click on ads you don’t agree with?
Am I Wrong?
Let me know if any of these assumptions are incorrect:
- You easily turn a blind eye on ads. I personally don’t even look at ads on my favorite sites. I read the posts, comment, and move along with my day. Does that sound about right to you?
- Even if you saw an ad, you are not physically moved to click on it. Do you click on the ads at my site just because? I know that Groupon might draw you in, lol, but do payday loan companies call out your name? I don’t personally click on ads that I’m not interested in.
- Would you even be enticed by a payday loan ad or cosign loan widget? If I ever need extra cash, I would sell stuff, get a second job, or even beg family or friends before I’d ever take out a loan with a 500% interest rate. Please email me if you need some ideas…we will come up with something that will work better for you.
Conclusion
Overall, I think we are all way smarter than people are giving us credit for. In case I haven’t made my main point clear, DON’T CLICK ON ADS THAT DON’T HELP YOU! I know you already knew that, but there you go just in case.
What do you think? I will answer every single comment or question here, so please ask or state whatever comes to mind.
December 5, 2010, at 6:00 am
During the Yakezie Alexa Ranking Challenge, you helped BFS soar from an Alexa ranking of more than 8 million in March 2010 to 49,852 on October 31, 2010. Thank you!!!
After posting my first ever Blog Statistics and Income Update, it was obvious that we needed some new goals, lol. It’s also obvious that everyone else is as nosey as me and enjoys a peek into another person’s stats, hahaha.
Goals for New Year’s Day
Here is what we are shooting for by New Year’s Day – January 1st, 2011:
Alexa – Maintain a Ranking at or around 50,000
Visits – 35,000
Feedburner Subscribers – 300
Twitter Followers – 200
Update
Here is where we are at today:
Alexa – 49,035 (On Target, woot!)
Visits – 26,351 (8649 To Go)
Feedburner Subscribers - 212 (88 To Go)
Twitter Followers – 184 (16 To Go – I can taste it!)
We are still well on our way! I’ll be posting these updates every week and hopefully we’ll blow the targets out of the water just like we did with every other goal we have set since March!
I will also continue posting monthly and yearly blog statistics and income updates from here on out, so stay tuned at the beginning of every month!
Feel free to ask any questions below. Thank you all for helping me reach my own personal goal of blogging full time by 2012!
Additonal Info
In case you didn’t know, Alexa traffic rankings are determined by the numbers of hits a site gets by people with the Alexa toolbar. If you want to be part of this ranking community, you can download the Alexa toolbar here.
If you don’t already, you can follow me via RSS or Twitter by following those links.
To learn more about the Yakezie, check out my Yakezie page!
If you are interested in seeing how I went from an 8 million plus Alexa rank to about 50,000 in less than 8 months, you can see My Blogging Schedule, which breaks down everything I do related to blogging.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING THE BEST READERS EVER!!!
December 4, 2010, at 6:00 am
My Favorite Posts this Week
- Thousandaire with She Didn’t Want a Promotion Leech. That’s all I have to say.
- Everyday Tips and Thoughts with My Spam Email Awarded Me… A fantastic 12 Days of Christmas rewrite, lol.
- Invest It Wisely with Walkin’ in a Winter Wonderland Another great song rewrite!
- First Gen American with Buy a House without a Mortgage This is a really in depth look at the options! I was going to pick her 12 Days of Christmas rewrite too, but this was just too detailed to pass up, lol.
- Life And My Finances with The Battle of the Budget Between Spouses Thankfully, I did marry a fellow saver…
- Money Reasons with Getting Paid for Recycling Aluminum Cans Update I save my cans too.
- Sustainable Life Blog with November 2010 Monthly Review I love looking at other people’s numbers! I’m a snoopy person.
- Molly on Money with My New Found Frugality Crashing Into Black Friday I’m glad she got a cheap laptop after all of that! Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m okay with the $500 we spent in October for ours…I am not a morning person. But, and I know I shouldn’t ask because the answer may hurt, what were the specs on the $300 one? Ours was 4GB/500 gb, so how badly did we do?
- Newlyweds on a Budget with The Budget Blues I’ve sooooo had months like this…
- Fabulously Broke with November 2010 Budget Roundup +$18,933.63 HOW HAVE I MISSED THAT SHE POSTS UPDATES AND MAKES $20,000 A MONTH?! Seriously, I haven’t found anybody else that makes that much and posts net worth updates. Keep it up lady and thanks!!! Now I’m going to go daydream about what I would do with that much money, lol. FB, what are your long-term goals? Early retirement?
Guest Posts at BFS
Thanks so much for the day off! Loved the theme!
If you would like to guest post on BFS, please send me an email with your idea or post and I’d love to have you over for the day! If you are a business, please email me for more details. Thanks!
Other Info and Giveaways
- Consumer Commentary is hosting a MEGA DONATION EVENT that has been joined by Money Crush too! If you make a donation by December 11th and send them the receipt by December 14th, they’ll match the amount and send it to MSF until it hits $6000!
- Live Real, Now is hosting a Blogoversary $100 Giveaway until December 15th! Easy entries – check it out!
- Mom’s Plans, Reformed Chocoholic, and Dining Out Challenge are hosting a variety of giveaways that end between December 5th and 10th! Life And My Finances actually listed most of them here!
- Garbage Filter is hosting a Book Giveaway (Fire Sale – How to buy US Foreclosures!) until December 31st!
- I am also a staff writer at Sweating the Big Stuff. You can see my posts every Wednesday – this week’s was Sweating the Really Big Stuff – My Health.
Blog Carnivals
Carnival hosts, please email me if BFS is included in your carnival so I don’t miss it in my roundup, thanks! I know how much time these things take, so as always, I am truly grateful!
Top 25 Referring Sites to BFS in November 2010
- Free Money Finance
- Grumpy Rumblings of the Untenured
- Punch Debt in the Face
- Wisebread
- Yakezie
- Frugal Scholar
- Len Penzo
- Sweating the Big Stuff
- Frugal Dad
- Enemy of Debt
- Money Reasons
- Everyday Tips and Thoughts
- Squirrelers
- The Saved Quarter
- Funny About Money
- The Simple Dollar
- Thrift Culture Now
- Simple Life in France
- Money Crashers
- My Dollar Plan
- Until Debt Do Us Part
- The Kitchen Sink
- Money Crush
- Saving Money Today
- Yes, I Am Cheap
Feel free to email me if you have any suggestions. I’d love to add a few more blogs to my regular reading list or at least give a shout-out for great posts or contests.
As always, thanks to all the bloggers that teach me something new every day. Thanks to all my commenters for making this blog the community I want it to be. Thanks to all my “lurkers” too.  I hope everybody is enjoying this as much as me!
To check out new content (and rants), please also check out my other blogs,
Crystal Clear Thoughts and Dog’s Life For Me!
If you would like to join an exercise-oriented group with weekly goals, consider joining the Crystal Light Challenge!
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DISCLAIMER I am not a professional or a financial advisor. BFS posts are informational opinions only. Please make your own financial decisions based on personal research or see a financial advisor.
Also, there are paid links on this site. There is no obligation on your part to purchase any products advertised on this website.
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