I just saved myself a load of money

Gosh I look horribly fat in this picture! But anywhoodles! I just saved myself a load of money by paying off and cancelling a credit card WOOHOO! I got a MUCH lower interest rate loan for it so I saved myself 23% interest! I am so flipping happy!

We are in New Mexico.

Hello all! We are enjoying our visit to New Mexico. We got to see the four courners monument and went to the Aztec Ruins. We'll also head off to the Salmon ruins too :) It's been a nice break from my vacation life in San Diego! LOL

I also have a friend helping me fix up the finances and figure out what bills to pay off first. That has been very helpful. I am going to start working on being more frugal again. It's hard sometimes but I know I can do it.

Miles is doing math online now. I was worried because I wasn't sure what level he would be on, BUT he is on middle school math so I am thrilled! WOOHOO!

Must run for now. I will update later.

Yes, we are okay. San Diego Wildfire updates.

I have a few people who contacted me to see how we are doing. We are fine. The wildfires are not close enough to evacuate us, but the smoke is pretty bad at times. We've met a few people who came here to get away from the wildfires. Some have lost their homes, some waiting to see if they have one.



We're in the lounge to keep out of the smoke and we're making a plan for the day. The school is closed, actually, I think all schools are closed. A few hospitals are being evacuated.



We're good though. We are on the coast across the San Diego harbor so we are NOT in harms way. Do not worry about us. We'll be okay.

 

With the absence of wide open spaces I took the boys to the park and they skip thejungle gym and go straight to trees.
Dotchi

Web Banking Made Easy

Web Banking is supposed to make it easier for someone to pay their bills online and for the organizationally challenged (like myself) this is a definite bonus. No envelopes to seal, stamp, stuff in your purse and lose before you mail it off. No guessing about whether the bill was paid. No sweating over the finances because you can't remember if you mailed the bill to the right person... just log on and type in the amount and go.

Easier said than done. My bank (and I do love them!) decided to use "enhanced security" so my log in process would be safe. Safe it may be, but long drawn out and annoying is more like it. Here is how it goes:

Page 1- I actually open the web page to the bank. I can skip this if I bookmark the second page. I have to click on "online banking".

Page 2- I need to click on personal checking account (instead of business)

Page 3- I type in my access ID in all caps and hit enter.

Page 4- I type in a "security question answer" to a question only I know... if I remember what the heck I put in there in the first place. There are several questions to choose from.

Page 5- Type in the password if the tequila cup icon is there (I could use one by now)

Page 6- Read a blurb about heightened security and our protection and blablabla... click "list of accounts".

Page 7- Click on the account number.

Page 8- Click on "bill payment"

Page 9- Read a blurb about how much easier this is making your life then click "pay my bills now".

Page 10- Type in the amounts I want to pay and when I want to pay them. Click submit.

Page 11- Confirm that is what I want to pay and when I want to pay them.

Page 12- Confirm the information is correct and type in a note if I want. Hit submit.

Page 13- Confirmation numbers pop up and I print the page off.

If it always happened this long and drawn out without any glitches, I would be happy. But today I spent quite a bit of time re-connecting to the internet, guessing my security answers, forgetting to type in all caps, waiting for the page to load only to have the website blip out on me and have to redo the entire process from page 2 after getting to page 11 and resisting the urge to see how fast the laptop will sink when thrown overboard.

I am reconsidering the whole paper check and stamps thing. I need a tequila!