Money Matters
csuave
member
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
A rave and a rant
Rave: I shopped at Aldi yesterday and they have lowered prices on several items. Lots of the cereal is lower now including my favorite Cheerios knock off. The generic "Cheerios" are now only $1.19 a box!
Rant: As I've mentioned, I'm not a fan of Amazon and that continues. H's friends are doing a guys night out at Texas de Brazil this week. It costs like $50 to eat there. H happens to have a $50 gift card for Amazon that he wanted to use to buy the restaurant gift card....but it won't let him! I don't know if this is a new policy because I bought restaurant gift cards in May of 2015 using an Amazon gift card and there was no issue then. I'm really bummed that Amazon gift cards have gotten even less useful (imo) now
Anyone else have a rave or rant today?
Rant: As I've mentioned, I'm not a fan of Amazon and that continues. H's friends are doing a guys night out at Texas de Brazil this week. It costs like $50 to eat there. H happens to have a $50 gift card for Amazon that he wanted to use to buy the restaurant gift card....but it won't let him! I don't know if this is a new policy because I bought restaurant gift cards in May of 2015 using an Amazon gift card and there was no issue then. I'm really bummed that Amazon gift cards have gotten even less useful (imo) now
Anyone else have a rave or rant today?
Re: A rave and a rant
Rave: my parents are here to help, and it has been really nice. Was even able to go through a couple boxes from the attic of future sized clothes to get them all organized (ds1 always grew out of his shirts first, so they are often in separate boxes from the same sized pants). We've also got a couple other things done around the house, which has been nice.
Rant: Work is absolutely crazy. My Monday is easily shaping up to be a 14 hour day! I'm booked solid in back to back meetings, including a three hour one I'm facilitating.
Rant: BF had a physical this week & he has high cholesterol & is overweight L So he cancelled our plans to go out tonight & he’s making fish & green beans. I had my heart set on pizza.
Rave: MealPass starts in Boston tomorrow. It’s by the same people as ClassPass, but with food. For $99/month – you can eat lunch EVERY DAY (M-F) at participating downtown restaurants. I got a free 1-week trial & it starts tomorrow. Who said there's no such thing as a free lunch?
TTC since 1/13 DX:PCOS 5/13 (long, anovulatory cycles)
Clomid 50mg 9/13 = BFP! EDD 6/7/14 M/C 5w6d Found 11/4/13
1/14 PCOS / Gluten Free Diet to hopefully regulate my system.
Chemical Pregnancy 03/14
Surprise BFP 6/14, Beta #1: 126 Beta #2: 340 Stick baby, stick! EDD 2/17/15
Riley Elaine born 2/16/15
TTC 2.0 6/15
Chemical Pregnancy 9/15
Chemical Pregnancy 6/16
BFP 9/16 EDD 6/3/17
Beta #1: 145 Beta #2: 376 Beta #3: 2,225 Beta #4: 4,548
www.5yearstonever.blogspot.com
Rave
I'm surprising myself to say this, but I am really raving on Zillow. In the past their "Zestimates" for house values were pretty laughable. But they have really stepped up their game. Now when I put in an address, it will show me comps in a similar way to what realtors do. Like giving +/- dollar values for more/less square footage or more/less bedrooms. It's not nearly as complete as a realtor's comps, but gives a great snapshot and info of nearby homes currently for sale or recently closed on.
Rant
Short version: When cars need to move over for an ambulance or a police car with sirens and lights, courteously allow them back where they came from once the emergency vehicle has passed. Don't be the dangerous a***ole(s) that speeds up to jump ahead.
New Orleans drivers. This could really just be a daily rant. They are the worst and rudest drivers ever...and I cut my driving teeth in Orange County, CA, so that is saying something.
However my specific rant comes from two days ago. It was POURING rain, right at rush hour, and traffic was just at a standstill everywhere. Then there is an ambulance in my lane (I was in the left one of two lanes) with its sirens and lights flashing. So me and the other cars around me are trying to move over, but there is really nowhere to go. As the light turned green, the cars in the right lane were letting people move over to let the ambulance through. So far so good.
But, when it is now time for us to move back over into the left lane...because three of us (including me) are literally hanging out in the middle of an intersection...NO ONE will let us in!!! Instead, they use the ambulance opportunity to haul ass for 1/2 block and jump ahead. Finally, there is a window of opportunity, and me and the car in front of me hurry to get back over. Only to have some moron swerve around us as we are both halfway into the lane. If he had misjudged by even a few seconds, he would have either hit the car in front of me or driven straight into the median.
Tuesday actually, but still can't wait. Just a couple days before you head to vacation! Hope you have a ton of fun!!! Hawaii is totally in my bucket list.
Rant: I called DD's health insurance to see how to pay the premium. They told me that I am not an authorized caller on her health insurance so they couldn't give me any information about her. My mouth dropped. I helped sign her up and am one of her parents. They informed me that I would have to fill out an authorization form and send in a copy of my picture ID.
I'm so tired of this healthcare stuff. She was dropped for the month of January for no apparent reason. The only reason I noticed is because I logged into the state's healthcare website. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known. I am grateful that we qualify for a lower cost premium without a tax subsidy but this has been very frustrating. I still have no idea how to pay her premium. I can't get an answer or correct number from anyone.
Rave: Tomorrow is Friday! Finally! I am in a training almost all day tomorrow and I don't have to think very much.
Rave: I plan on getting a lot of painting in the bathroom done this weekend and curtains hung in our kitchen...I also may order 2 more Roman shades for the other 2 windows in the kitchen. Progress! Also, I've been back at the gym for almost a month now...I feel like I'm getting a little stronger but there's still progress to be made. I just want my energy back!
Rant: Eh, I don't really have one...I'm just glad this work week is over!
Rant: We have a huge event at my work tomorrow that was postponed from last weekend because of the 30 inches of snow. It's been a nightmare to coordinate (again!) and I'm just exhausted at this point. Not to mention I'll be working way late tonight and then have to be back to work tomorrow AM at 5:30. So much for a nice Saturday! Plus we've had 5 of the 18 teams drop out because schools in our area cancelled weekend activities, so now we have to figure out how to place those 5 teams before states in a few weeks.
Rave: I am getting a massage on Sunday with my momma and sister for a little girls time. I can't wait to spend time with them! Also we filed our taxes last week and already got our state refund! ETA: And our federal refund came thru too!! Woo hoo e-fund is 50% funded!! Very excited about that.
I had to teach myself how to use QuickBooks in a previous job I had. If you're fairly computer savvy already, ie are proficient in other types of programs like Microsoft Office, it shouldn't take too long. It's a pretty user-friendly program.
I read through a QB "how to" book in about 1-2 hours...though not all at once. That set me up to be comfortable doing all the basic functions. I felt very familiar with the program after using it for a week and then started adding some of the more advanced functions to my repertoire.
Haha, I was actually thinking of you when I wrote that line. I was like, "If @lbonga1 reads this, she'll know what I'm talking about!"
I know this will be hard for you to imagine, but the rudeness levels are so much worse in NOLA. When I go back home and drive around Orange County, I actually find it pleasant and relaxing, in comparison, lol.
Though in NOLA, the huge saving graces as compared to So. CA is we don't have the level of traffic you all do and everything is substantially closer together. As in, there will be traffic within the city and surrounding suburbs, but that is an area of about 50 miles versus hundreds of miles of cities/towns one right after another.
Wow! I'm sorry to hear that. I feel exhausted for you just reading that! I know how time consuming it is to research properties and go to showings.
I have a couple tips, though you might already be doing them. Before I set up a showing, I'll go drive past a house first. I don't walk onto the property, but I'll check out the roof, the siding, general condition. It also gives me a feel for the neighborhood. I will often cross a house off my list just from that.
That new feature on Zillow I mentioned in my post? Golden. In one minute you can see if a house you are interested in is a great deal, at about comps, or overpriced. I also like looking at a property on Trulia because that site includes a crime map for the area.
I did go through the market place but it's so confusing who she actually has the insurance through, especially since she didn't get new cards. Luckily, I realized she had been dropped before we had any dr appointments this month. I am planning to call the state healthcare authority sometime today to get answers, hopefully. I just want to pay her bill!
DH thinks I'm not an authorized caller because I didn't need insurance through the market place. My employer provides it for me. He may be the only authorized caller at this time even though we were both on her application.