Cars, Why Do They Not Just Work?

My car has recently developed a lot of engine noise and I had identified it as a bearing noise. I went through all of the serpentine belt accessories and tried to diagnose it. I thought I had it narrowed down to the idler pullies or the alternator, so I replaced the idler pullies and ordered an alternator. When the part came in the mail I took apart the engine area to have the space to remove the alternator, but I noticed the bearings were not as loud as before. I decided it was time to get a second opinion, so I took it into the shop and had a mechanic listen to it. They said it seemed to be an internal bearing... Not Good!! They were friendly enough, but I'm questioning their diagnosis.

Time Well Spent

I don’t find myself with an abundance of free time, but I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I can better spend the free time that I do have. I have been seeking out free things to do around Madison, but I’m not sure how much of those activities will be available as we head into winter. So, I had an idea, what if spending money in my free time, I could keep earning money. So I started looking at places close to home that had seasonal openings and submitted a couple applications. Just a week ago, I got an offer from one of the stores. So, I recently started a part-time/weekend job working at a retail store for the holiday season.

The Project Money Doldrums

We are now over halfway through the contest; I appreciate you following my journey through the excitement and the frustration! However, I’m starting to find myself in a period of stagnation. The excitement from the contest is dying out and I’ve cut back my spending everywhere that I can think of. It’s getting harder and harder to stay focused on the goal. I feel like I have changed my spending habits, ditching the old ones and replacing them with more fiscally sound new habits. I am trying to save money wherever I can: coupons, sales, mending instead of replacing. I have found that I am more resourceful than I thought I was!

Unautomate Your Finances

The author of one of the blogs I read from time to time (Man Vs. Debt) wrote a book titled Unautomate Your Finances: A Simple, Passionate Approach to Money. While I’ve been tempted to buy tho eBook, I haven’t done so yet. However, reading his posts and inferring the book subject from the title, it would seem that its focus is to guide you in how to stop your automatic payments so you are conscious of how much money is going out your door every month. I agree with his theory and I’ve stopped most of my automatic payments. There are a few exceptions; some student loans give me an interest rate discount for having a direct debit setup and my auto/renters insurance policy carries a significant discount for automatic payments.

Sometimes No Change is Good

I had written a while ago about possibly selling my car and making the radical shift to only biking and taking buses. After a while playing with this idea, I’ve decided to keep my current car. I have a small payment on it, but there are still pretty low miles for its age and the convenience of having a car is something that I’m not ready to give up. I still bike to work the vast majority of the time, but it’s nice to have the car as an option on days when I’m tired or have something to do after work. It gets really good gas mileage; we just averaged 28 mpg over the weekend. As long as I keep up on the maintenance I should be able to get many more years and miles out of my current car.

Into a New Groove

It’s now about halfway through the Project Money contest and I feel like I’m settling into a new way of spending. I no longer have the urge to buy something just because it’s a good deal and I may use it at some point. I actually find myself, instead, out shopping and asking the question, “Do I really need this?” I have found this change of mindset to be the biggest stride I’ve made throughout Project Money so far!

Labor Day Weekend

Last weekend some friends came to visit Jennifer and me from Chicago. We splurged a little, got some Noah’s Ark tickets and went to the water park on Sunday and Monday. It didn’t end up costing too much for the weekend of fun! I found tickets on Craigslist for ½ price and a coupon for free admission Monday with your wristband from Sunday on the website for Noah’s Ark. We packed a cooler with lunch and snacks, and had a picnic when we got hungry. Even though it wasn’t the best weather, we still had a lot of fun and got to go on a lot of rides because the park wasn’t very busy!

Neither one of us had been to Noah’s Ark before so it was a nice adventure for all of us. The drive from the west side of Madison wasn’t bad at all. I think we’ll keep the Dells in mind for the future when other friends come to visit.

What did you do for the holiday weekend? What other tourist spots are there around the Madison area?

 

Getting Healthy, the Green Way

I have made the transition to biking to work and I’m using my bike to run more errands. I’m seeing how being environmentally responsible can also be budget friendly and contribute to a healthier lifestyle. I can ride my bike to work the majority of the year and when the weather doesn’t permit that I researched a bus route that can get me to and from work. I would encourage anyone that has been contemplating this switch to try it out!! It actually is easier than it seems and gives you a rewarding feeling, knowing that the fuel for your morning commute was your breakfast. This has also made me more focused on eating better. I’ve actually set a weight loss goal for the rest of the year that I’m determined to achieve.

Commuting by Bike

So after my first week of riding my bike to work I have a few observations. First, Madison has a lot more hills than you think or remember when traveling by car! Second, the bike lanes on busy roads feel safe most of the time, at least, until a bus sneaks up on you and is half in your shared lane. Keeping your bike properly maintained is a necessity, I bought a used bike and I’m still working on getting it operating smoothly. When you’re trying to ride up a giant hill and your tires are low on air pressure and your bike is not down shifting properly, it makes the hill seem twice as tall. I bought a helmet for safety, which is one of those things you hope you never have to use, but you’ll be glad it’s there if you ever do.

Saving for the Future...

I’m realizing how important it is to plan ahead and save for the future. Currently my family is going through the process of putting my grandfather into an assisted living home and shortly thereafter he will probably be transitioning into a nursing home. Seeing first-hand how expensive these costs can be is very eye-opening! I know health care costs are only increasing and I can’t imagine how much it will cost when I’m at that point in my life. I realize the value of a good life insurance policy and the peace of mind it can provide my family so they won’t be burdened with the cost of my funeral services and burial.