Tuesday, January 20, 2009

$5,000? Really?

Wow.

I just finished reading a CNN article that was a follow up to last week's plane crash into the Hudson River.

U.S. Airways is sending $5,000 to passengers in the crash-landed flight.

The airline is saving it will be "months" before passengers receive recoverable possessions. All items must be weighed, dried for eight weeks, and weighed again.

Now, why do they need to be dried for eight weeks? Please, U.S. Airways, this isn't like dry aging a steak.

And I highly doubt many passengers are going to see their stuff back. Good-bye cell phones, iPods, clothing, laptops, souvenirs. If I survived a freaking PLANE CRASH, I don't think I'd be too concerned about my bluetooth headset and wallet.

In case you live under a rock, a flight last Thursday from LaGuardia to Charlotte lost power to both engines, forcing an emergency landing on the Hudson River. All 155 people onboard survived.

And if I'd been one of the passengers, you can bet that $5,000 (oh yes, and another check with a flight refund) wouldn't really be enough to cut it. What did they give the pilot? An extra sick day?

Really, $5,000? The airline should at least give them $25,000 - $50,000. That's an absolutely terrifying ordeal, and U.S. Airways shouldn't shirk its responsibility with this assenine level of cheapness. That's like a guy trying to go dutch on a McDonald's date.

Adding up $5,000 times 155 passengers equals $775,000 plus let's say about $50,000 for the reimbursed flights. That's less than a million bucks. If U.S. Airways gave everyone $25,000 that's about $3.875 million.

Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger should get a huge raise and pension. He saved U.S. Airways' ass and tons of money. Imagine how much U.S. Airways would be out if everyone on the plane had perished. He should get compensated at least $1 million. With $25,000 for every passenger, flight refunds, and pilot compensation that's still under $5 million. Chump change compared to a barrage of wrongful death lawsuits.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Expecting? Get some free samples!

FamilyPlanning

Search for Grants

You've probably seen news stories about people who received thousands of dollars for a housing or research grant. Well, here's a way to search for them yourself.

Using Up Those Extra Care Bucks

Earlier this week I started checking out the CVS ads. There was a sneak peek ad scan on someone's site that was exciting to find.

As soon as I woke up I cruised moneysavingmom.com and printed out a $2 off one St. Ives product and a $2 off Excedrin Express Gels coupons. (Excedrin is on sale for $1.99 and St. Ives lotions are $2.99)

Since I had to pick up a prescription also, I went this morning around 10a.m.

Conveniently, there's a newspaper vending box right outside my closest CVS store. Talk about great!

I found a $1.50 coupon off Vaseline Intensive Rescue products as well as a $3 coupon for certain Bausch & Lomb eye drops.

When I paid for the prescription, a $3 off any 2 body lotions coupon printed out.

Vaseline lotion was on sale for $5.99.

CVS allergy tablets were free after ECBs for $3.69 (limit 2)

Nutra Trim gum was also free after ECBs for $3.79 (limit 2)

Maybelline makeup B1G1, and I needed new mascara, so I picked up 2 Great Lash packages for $4.79. I knew I'd seen a coupon recently, but I was outta luck this time.

Earlier this week I'd been emailed a $5 off a $30 purchase coupon from CVS.

The eye drops were $7.29 with $2 in ECBs.

Here's what went down at the register:

$40 total

-$1.50 Vaseline

-$2 Excedrin

-$3 Bausch & Lomb

-$2 St. Ives

-$3 CVS body lotion

-$5 CVS purchase of $30

-$14 ECBs from last trip

Total out of pocket - $8.31

ECBs earned: $17.56

Friday, January 16, 2009

True Romance


Last night I got home from work after a hectic day just a few minutes before Tim pulled up.

When he walked in the door he had a rose, a bottle of wine, four hot dogs, and four taquitos. All from 7-Eleven.

I found it rather cute. Since I love hot dogs, it was a good surprise.

And what girl can turn down a large bottle of $11.99 Barefoot Merlot?
I know I can't.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Check Your Credit!

It's 2009, and with the economy in the shape it's in, why not check your credit report for free??

This service will give you an extensive report of the last 24 months for free. I just used this link to discover that my credit score is 794 - which is apparently excellent.

A hint: you do have to enter a credit card number (for a free trial membership of credit bureau monitoring). Immediately after ordering the free credit report call 866-883-3309 to cancel the free trial. The whole process takes about ten minutes.





Thursday, January 8, 2009

Rolling Into 2009

I'm definitely rolling into the new year with some major life changes.

Met my husband over the summer at a mutual friend's wedding. We got engaged six weeks later and married last month. It was the easiest decision I've ever made in my entire life.

2009 has brought both joys and challenges to Tim and I. The day after we got married, we moved into a rented condo in St. Petersburg just a few blocks from my previous apartment.
A few weeks after we moved, Tim was hired at La Fogata, a Brazilian steak house in Gulfport, FL. He likes his job so far and we feel lucky that he found employment in this tough as nails economy. Tim is in charge of cooking all the meat that the restaurant serves. If you're not familiar with this type of food, it's churrasco style. It's an all-you-can-eat meat smorgasboard, where diners are served slices of delicious meat right at their table.

Neither of us want to have to work our entire lives. Ideally, we'd like to retire earlier rather than later. Our primary goals are saving as much money as possible. We'd like to purchase a foreclosed home at the end of the year, fix it up, then sell it. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Prices are still rock bottom, so getting a great deal shouldn't be too hard. Tim does remodeling work so we can save quite a bit of money doing this and build equity and value in the house.

We've also tossed around other ideas like catering on the side, and even making our own furniture. Over the New Year holiday, Tim acquired a nice table saw and a router. He's been tinkering with the new toys this week and I think furniture crafting is something he'll enjoy.

I've drawn up a preliminary budget, and with our current incomes, we should be able to save a very substantial amount of money (about $1,000 per month). That's not even including my 10% kicked into my 401k. That's a huge relief to me!

So all in all, 2009 may be okay for the Moore family despite the crumbling economic infrastructure around us.