Finally, I have gotten organized enough to do a post on my eBay stuff.
NOVEMBER STATS
# of Items Listed: 60
# of Items Sold: 41
# of Items Unsold: 19
Purchase Cost of Items Sold: $181.36 (purchase price plus tax)
Breakeven Cost of Items Sold: $248.79 (above mentioned cost plus eBay fees, PayPal fees and shipping supplies)
Revenue from Items Sold: $358.02
Profit from Items Sold: $87.34 (includes 2 refunds)
RAMBLINGS
- The 19 things that didn’t sell have been relisted in December, some have sold and some have not. I will continue to relist them anytime eBay does a special and offer free listing above and beyond the 50 I get each month.
- I have purchased a little here or a little there each time I go in the store with a friend with no intention to purchase anything. This week I realized I had a boat load of stuff to list and have been listing stuff every night. I hope to finish tonight. As of right now I have 60 things (Value $187.69 & Breakeven cost $346.93) listed and I know I have at least 20 more at home. Breakeven cost is higher because I made the executive decision to add $1 guaranteed profit on each posting.
- I will take a break from posting anything between Christmas and New Year’s unless there is a chance to relist stuff for free. I don’t mind doing this because I won’t have to carry items with me and take measurements.
- I really like the challenge.
“Happy Thanksgiving”
Source: clipartheaven.com
Current Baby Step: #2 Debt Snowball
Current Balance: $31,838.45
Chutes:
- I took 3 pair of pants to get hemmed and one to get the waist taken in. I though it would be in the neighborhood of $32, but is was $53.50. I had to use some of my plasma money to cover it.
Ladders:
- Updated my Report Card (progress bars). Only 59% of student loan to go!
- 70% of my total debt has been paid ~ 30% left. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ramblings:
In honor of Thanksgiving I will ramble off a list of things that I am greatful for. I am thankful for
- my family
- my friends
- having a steady job during the changes in the economy
- the discipline to stick to the plan I have create
- the opportunity go visit my hometown for Thanksgiving
- the food, shelter and clothing that I have
- the opportunity to give to other via church and local organizations.
How are you doing on reaching your goals? What are you thankful for?
“I broke the $33K threshold”
Current Baby Step: #2 Debt Snowball
Current Balance: $32,955.95
Chutes:
Ladders:
- I realized that I have been charged income tax for my friend who uses my benefits. This came to a total of $81.93, so my budget is back in the black.
- Updated my Report Card (progress bars). Only 61% of student loan to go!
- 78% of my total debt has been paid ~ 22% left. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ramblings:
- WEDDINGS:Today I looked at my 2012 vacation, because our boss likes us to plan this stuff as far in advance as possible. As you know I have limited my vacation to the 2 weeks that I get and 1 week that I get to borrow for 2012 and no major international trip or just because trips.I have two weddings one in AZ and one in NV. It didn’t hit me until today that I better start thinking about how this is all going to fit into 2012 budget. I am going to be a bridesmaid in one of the weddings, but the bride is very generous and is paying for the dress.
- EBAY: I know I have been promising to write a post about eBay since I started, but I just now got to a point where I think I have it under control. It is a vicious cycle that it always moving and hard to lock down. In November I started inventory and tracking sales in a spreadsheet. In early December, I will compare this to my Quicken numbers and give you the first of many post to come that have actually numbers so you can see.I have to admit, I have grown to like this ebay thing alot. I don’t normally like shopping, but I love to go shopping for eBay. It is fun. I think mostly because the money that I have to shop with is specifically for clothes. As long as I don’t go over budget I can pick up whatever I want without any worries.
- CHRISTMAS: I have only purchased one give and it is for my mom. Now I have to find something for my dad, brother on nieces. I have decided not to participate in all the little gift exchanges at the office and at little parties. Part of the decision was made on finances, but most of all it was made on the stress and pressure that comes with it all. I just want to show up, eat and be merry this year.
- GIVING: Giving is something that has really been on my mind lately. I want to give more of my time to something that I don’t directly benefit from and I want to do it on a regular basis. I am thinking the Salvation Army soup kitchen or maybe the food bank. I don’t know what it is but it is weighing on my heart right now.
- DANIEL FAST: I have heard may things about the Daniel Fast from a few friends, but I haven’t participated. It is a 21 day fast and I was thinking of doing it between Thanksgiving and Christmas, two holidays that are filled with an abundance of food. I may or may not blog about my personal experience, but I may blog about the fast itself. Of course I will post at least once on how its financial implications.
How are you doing on reaching your goals? Have you participated in the Daniel Fast? If so, please share.
“Breakin’ the Rules”
Current Baby Step: #2 Debt Snowball
Current Balance: $33,025.07
Chutes:
- No plasma money this week.
- Kind disappointed I didn’t break the $33K threshold into $32K
Ladders:
- A friend reimbursed me $81.73 for a work benefit that she used. Already submitted payment to student loan
- My brother reimbursed me $23 for some misc. household items I purchased a few weeks back. Already submitted payment to student loan.
- Updated my Report Card (progress bars). Only 61% of student loan to go!
- 78% of my total debt has been paid ~ 22% left. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ramblings:
- If you have been reading my recent post you know I have done some analysis on What Would Dave Ramsey Do? in relation to my financial situation. The 7 Baby Steps have worked out well for me and I am comfortable with the direction I am headed.Drafting the post got me think about where I would be if I hadn’t fall of the wagon 25 months of the last 52. I was nervous at what I might find out, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that iI am only $3275.52 behind where I would be if I stayed on the wagon. I guess this means I was really on the GAZELLE wagon during the other 27 months. I full expected to be more than $10k behind.
- In relation to my post on WWDRD? I am interested to look at my current financial situation and future using other personal finance experts(Suze Orman, David Back, Gail Vaz Oxlade, Jean Chatzky, Michelle Singleterry)f recommended plans. If there is a specific plan you want to see me apply to my situation let me know and I will crunch the numbers.
How are you doing on reaching your goals?
“Movin’ on Up”
Current Baby Step: #2 Debt Snowball
Current Balance: $33,540.15 (no change since last post)
Chutes:
- There is a possiblity that I will have to cut back or stop the plasma donations. I will be taking a break during the month of November. Reason enought to stay on the eBay grind.
Ladders:
- Updated my Report Card (progress bars). Only 62% of student loan to go!
- 78% of my total debt has been paid ~ 22% left. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ramblings:
- A major magazine is considering me for an article on being financially fit.
- I have been contacted about being listed as a financial coach for my region.
- I purchase my first christmas gift yesturday. It was a 35mm film to digital picture convertor for my mom. Over Christmas I will be visiting her and converting as many pictures as I can. Now our family picture can be share with my Dad, brother, myself and generations to come. My mom is very excited for this. I bet she forgot after I told her about it. I have to figure out what my Dad, brother and nieces may want.
- I have started thinking about what next year will bring and what goals I would like to set. Nothing final yet, just thinking.
- Financially the debt is not going away fast enough, but progess is being made. I have attached graphs of my progress below.
As of November 1st
Last Debt Standing ~ Student Loan
Since the Beginning
How are you doing on reaching your goals?
“Sick and Tired of being Sick and Tired”
Current Baby Step: #2 Debt Snowball
- Source: littlethingsmatter.com
Current Balance: $33,540.15
Chutes:
Ladders:
- I am over my cold, so I am back at the plasma donation center.
- Updated my Report Card (progress bars). Only 62% of student loan to go!
- 78% of my total debt has been paid ~ 22% left. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ramblings:
- There really hasn’t been much of a change in the past week.
- I am quite exhausted with finding ways to pay down debt.
- I have found something that I really want, but will have to put on hold. I want to take up Bikram Yoga and I found a place in town. It is out of my price range right now. I will just add it to my wish list.
How are you doing on reaching your goals?
Source: howstuffworks.com
Current Baby Step: #2 Debt Snowball
Current Balance: $33,540.15
Chutes:
- I had to buy a ton of household stuff (trash bags, laundry detergent, dish soap, dishwasher detergent & toilet paper) to the tune of about $70.
- My accounts were a little out of wack and I suffered a $30 overdraft fee
Ladders:
- I had $100 left on my food card so when I add $100 this payday I had $200. This made paying for the above household stuff easier.
- My brother will give me half the money for the household stuff.
- My eBay auctions closed at $297.58 and I still have stuff to post.
- Updated my Report Card (progress bars). Only 62% of student loan to go!
- 78% of my total debt has been paid ~ 32% left. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ramblings:
- CELL PHONE: I ordered the Sprint EVO which I blogged about. It should arrive any day now. I am really excited to use as many functions as I can. I am committed to using it to make my life easier. My purse is already less full and lighter without my todo list (mini composition book) and mini planner.
- RUNNING: Normally this isn’t such a costly hobby, but lately I have had some pain in my legs so I have a few doctor’s bills coming my way. Good news is they will be covered by the money in my flex spending account.
- EBAY: This is working out for me. Like the exponential value of money the profit is going to take a little time to compound. I am still working on streamlining the process. The most annoying part is that people don’t pay right away, so I can’t ship right away. I will keep doing this.
On another note, I gave this woman $500 in September of 2010 to help keep her mom’s house from being forclosed on. She considers this a debt and has told me a million times that she is going to get me the money. Eventhough I saw she doesn’t have to pay me back she insist. It has been over a year and she has been commenting on it the entire time which is annoying to me. Either pay the money or accept the gift, but enough with the empty promises. I know she is just trying to make herself feel at peace with this.
I told her about my eBay endeavors and she said she would give me some clothes (she has really nice name brand clothes) that she hasn’t worn much due to weight fluctuations. Sounds good…right!?!? No, she wanted me to sell them and then take the money and deduct it from the $500 that she believes she owes me. In a round about way she was going to have me put in the leg work to pay on her “debt”. Not so fast, missy.
- FAMILY:
This week my dad told me that he went to the doctor and the doctor said he was a heart attack waiting to happen. The only reason he went to the doctor was because he was denied for life insurance. He said to me “I feel fine”…let’s be honest my dad was a smoker up until last month, he has the “old man” belly and he eats terribly. All these are ingredients to be unhealthy, I don’t care how you feel. Let this be a lesson to all of us that we can pay the price to be healthy now or pay the bigger price to be unhealthy later.
My dad’s step daughter has a daughter that needs to be test for ADD or ADHD or something along those lines. She believes that they do not have health insurance, but I know the dad carries health insurance on the little girl. I know this because he complains about it all the time. The step daughter just asked her mom (my dad’s wife) to pay for it out right. I told my dad that he needs to have the step daugheter contact her ex-husband to get the insurance information. My dad said “I will tell her”. Really, why would anyone want to pay full price for something that isn’t even their responsiblity. I don’t get these people at all.
- PLASMA: These past two month have been slow since I have been sick. I am feeling good and will go back tomorrow morning. Right now there is $150 needing to be transfered.
How are you doing on reaching your goals?
Current Baby Step: #2 Debt Snowball
Current Balance: $34,580.04
Chutes:
- I paid $515.90 for new tires.
- My phone is on the blitz, which I am not happy about.
Ladders:
- At the end of my last auction I have made $183 via eBay.
- No change in my Report Card (progress bars). Only66% of student loan to go!
- 77% of my total debt has been paid. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ramblings:
CAR ACCIDENT: State Farm did not improve their customer service, nor did they take the time to look at the details of my file. They decidide that they were liable and are processing a check for me. Before the send the check they will deduct my $500 deductable and another $500 because the bumper had a perexisting hole in it. State Farm estimated that the preexisiting damage would cost just over $500 to replace.
eBAY: Last weeks sale was a big success. We found alot of clothes for cheap. I got a ton for $0.99 each. This includes 2 formal dresses, several Victoria Secret shirts, 100% linen pants, ralph lauen pants and much more. I have enough stuff to last me the rest of the month and I have nowhere to store it in my house. Currently, I have 40 items listed on eBay and 13 have bids valued at $111.34. This is over half of what I invented in all the stuff I bought. It would be nice to clear my breakeven point ($206) by the end of the 40 auctions.
Each time I go through this process my strategy evolves
- If the cost of the article of clothing is $1, I am not focused on specific name brands. The reason for this is because many items will at least sell for their breakeven point ($2.37). Even is something sells for $5, I WIN!
- I would like to keep the purchase price low enough that the breakeven point isn’t much higher than $10.
- Many of the clothes are spring colors and styles, so if they don’t sell I will relist them in the spring. If they don’t sell at that time, I will donate it for the tax write off.
FINANCIAL COACHING: Good news here…I have been granted the opportunity to lead a book study on the Total Money Makeover. It is for a group of young professional women between the ages of 19 and 31. I am really excited for this opportunity because I just love sharing this stuff. I had to order the TMMO workbook, because I have never used it. I ordered a used copy on Amazon and it cost $5 and some changes.
OTHER NEWS:
- My friends mom brought a huge avocado from FL and I made guacamole. The avocado was so big it nearly filled up a Tostitos salsa jar. I can’t get the picture off my phone right now, so I will try to get it in the near future.
- I am running the Army 10 Miler in DC this week. Should be interesting since I haven’t run in a while and I have been experiencing spasms in my left calf. I love running and I get to see some family and old friends.
- My friend is getting married and I am in her wedding. She doesn’t have details for me, so I have none for you. In helping her look up stuff I found two sites of interest.
#1: Greenvelope.com is a online invitation and RSVP management system. You can send electronic Save the Dates, Invitations/RSVP & Thank Yous for $139.99. This is much less than the cost of all three, plus postage on all three and time spent preping all three. And to top it all off, it keeps tracks of RSVPs. I will definately be using this when my time comes.
#2: BudgetSavvyBride.com is a collection of stories from brides planning weddings on budgets ranging from $1000 to $15000. The blog owner selects a handful of brides to blog through their planning experience. They share tips, pictures, emotions and great ideas. Since there is a variety you don’t really have a dull moment. One page allows you to view wedding by their budget size. I would love to particpate in this if I was planning a wedding.
How are you doing on reaching your goals?
Current Baby Step: #2 Debt Snowball
Current Balance: $34,970.15
Chutes:
- This week I got in a car accident. Not sure what the insurance company will do. Read more in the ramblings
Ladders:
- Today is the big sale at my store of choice. I hav $210.48 to reinvest in clothes to sell on eBay.
- No change in my Report Card (progress bars). Only 65% of student loan to go!
- 77% of my total debt has been paid. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ramblings:
CAR ACCIDENT: Well, here is a picture of my car after it got hit. I was repositioning my car when a guy came along and took my bumper off. My insurance company (State Farm) has not be a joy to work with. From the first time they spoke to me they assumed that I was at fault. They didn’t even want to look at picutes. I am extremely disappointed that they were not interested in doing their due diligence before makeing a decision. After sever phone calls and many claims center reps I have raised enough fuss to get them to get off their butts. If I do not feel they have done a reasonable job in assessing the situation, it has been recommended that I sue them. I hope it doesn’t come to that. I just want my car fixed. Currently the bumper is being held on by zip ties.
eBAY: I can not even begin to tell you how excited I am for the big sale today. Last night I went to bed early so I could get into work early and get off early. I figured up that I have $210.48 to spend. Only $132.44 is in my bank account dedicated to eBay. $77.54 is being held hostage by PayPal. Since they have not release the funds I am borrowing the funds from my blow money and clothes money fund. Once PayPal release the funds I will transfer them back to my personal accounts. I really hate to borrow money from myself, but today I am willing to take the risk.
FINANCIAL COACHING: In a conversation with a friend today we talked about financial coahing business. The reality is that this type of business takes alot of work to lay the foundation and does not have a quick ROI. Today I accept that this venture will not get the attention it needs and deserves until I have released myself from this debt. In the meantime I will continue to share my knowlege with people and increase financial literacy in my community. I am currently facilitating FPU and plan to do it again at my church in the Spring. If I don’t do it in the spring I think I will lead a book study using Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover book and workbook. I may even do one on the “Richest Man in Babylon”.
OTHERWISES: Things are good and I don’t have any complaints. Keep on Keeping on.
How are you doing on reaching your goals?
