100 Questions!

Not a whole lot going so let's play the 100 questions game. I bet you haven't seen one of these in a while so now you can learn more about me LOL. Questions in blue and my answers in black. Also, feel free to ask anything.

If you had to choose to not ever wash your bed sheets again or not wash your bath towel ever again, which would you rather NOT wash? Towels.

Stretch your left arm out as far as you can, What can you touch? Cubicle wall.

Before you started this survey, what were you doing? Reading the news.

What is the last thing you watched on TV? Big Bang Theory.

What's the weirdest thing you have done while driving? Involved a girl :)

What's something you do when you're alone that you wouldn't do in front of others? Cut my fingernails lol...

With the exception of the computer, what can you hear? People typing on their computers.

When did you last step outside? What were you doing? Got out of car to come to work.

Did you dream last night? No dreams...

Do you remember your dreams? Sometimes, depends how tired I am.

When did you last laugh? Yesterday, Facebook post.

Do you have any strange phobias? New restaurants that do something different like fill out order on a bag.

What is the stupidest thing you've ever done at a bar? Asked bartender to show me her...

Seen anything weird lately? Bumper sticker: Gas Prices were $1.86 when Obama took office.

Have you ever been dared to do something you totally regretted? Yes, still regret it.

What is the last film you saw? Monsters University.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? New York City.

If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy? Buy? I think I would pay off the house.

Tell me something about you that most people don't know? I am very secretive.

If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do? Permanently change the weather, I like it around 75 to 80.

Do you like to dance? Yes but last time wife said please don't.

Would you ever consider living abroad? Yes!

Does your name make any interesting anagrams? Yes! something with Tech.

Who made the last incoming call on your phone? Mom

What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer? Citi PDF Statement.

Last time you swam in a pool? August 2013.

Type of music you like most? Lately tropical, I'm ready for warm weather and beach.

Type of music you dislike most? Tejano.

If you could be any other race, beside your own, which would you be?? Mixed Hispanic and White, no need to tan :)

What color is your bedroom carpet? Beige.

If you could change something about your home, without worry about expense or mess, what would you do?
Install plantation shutters in white.

What was the last thing you bought? Mixed Nuts.

Have you ever ridden on a motorbike? Yes.

Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving? Neither one :(

Last time you had awesome sex?  Can't remember LOL

Do you really know all the words to your national anthem? Most of them.

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? Coffee...

If you could eat lunch with one famous person, who would it be? Warren Buffett.

Who sent the last text message you received? Mom.

Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Crate & Barrel but I am not going back in to CC debt.

What time is bed time? 11:30 PM.

Have you ever been in a beauty pageant? No.

How many tattoos do you have? None, I really dislike them.

If you don't have any, have you ever thought of getting one? I would to cover up scars...

What did you do for your last birthday? Small party with family.

Are you an organ donor? Don't think I am.

Have you ever had a poem or a song written about you? Yes but it was never published.

Is the glass half empty or half full? Empty right now...

What's the farthest-away place you've been? Puerto Madryn - Patagonia.

Have you ever had an online relationship? A few, never meant to last.

Have you ever won a trophy? Can't say I have and if I did I don't remember.

Are you a good cook? YES (or so I think)! I love to cook.

Do you believe in karma? YES! My life is full of good karma.

If you could meet any one person (from history or currently alive), who would it be? Benjamin Franklin.

Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school? Yes, elementary school.

Do you touch-type? Yes.... I think I do.

When was the last time you had bad sex? 2013.

Do you believe in love at first sight? Yes!

Think fast, what do you like right now? Go running.

Do you get along with your family? Yes, I love family.

What time do you get up? 6:00 AM.

What was the name of your first pet? Othello.

What stereotype would you label yourself as being? Metro-sexual.

Is there anything going on this weekend? Nashville TN.

Would you ever lie to someone to make them feel good about themselves? Always.

What do you think about the most? Health and money.

What do you want your friends to think about you? To think I'm wealthy.

If you had A Big Win in the Lottery, how long would you wait to tell people? I don't think I would ever tell anyone but I would share it here on my blog.

Do you have a collection of anything? 100 Dollar bills.

What is the last movie that you saw at the cinema? Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2.

Do you sing in the shower? If I've been drinking.

Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? I think I already answered this one but I also like Amazon.com.

What do you do most when you are bored? Shop on eBay.

What do you do for a living? Technology Consultant.

Do you love your job? Love it but can't see me doing it for ever.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Something where I'm helping people feel good about themselves.

If you could have any job, what would you want to do/be? Doctor.

Which came first the chicken or the egg? egg.

How many keys on your key ring? 2.

Where would you retire to? South America.

What kind of car do you drive? Hyundai Elantra.

What are your best physical features? Legs, I like to run.

What are your best characteristics? I'd like to think I'm a perfectionist.

If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation where would you go? San Francisco CA.

What kind of books do you like to read? Biographies.

What is your favorite color? Black. 

What is your favorite time of the day? Lunch time.

Where did you grow up? South America.

How far away from your birthplace do you live now? 2,500 miles.

What are you reading now? Street Lawyer by John Grisham.

Are you a morning person or a night owl? Both, I go to bed late and wake up early.

Can you touch your nose with your tongue? Just tried, nope.

Can you close your eyes and raise your eyebrows? I think I just did so yes.

Do you have pets? Yes, Golden Retriever.

How many rings before you answer the phone? 2 but most of the time I prefer to let it go to voice mail.

What is your best childhood memory? Disney World in 1987.

What are some of the different jobs that you have had in your life? I once worked in a bookstore.

Any new and exciting things that you would like to share? I'm having a baby boy but I think everyone knows that already.

What is most important in life? My daughter, there's nothing better in life.

What Inspires You? Famous and successful people.

I think that's 100 questions, feel free to ask me anything else :)

HS

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Why We Like The Credit Card

I think yesterday was a rant about how  much I hate using our credit card because you spend more with credit but today I tell you why we like our credit card so much. After those 28 days in the billing cycle for February we made close to $50 in a gift card or $46.40 to spend quickly at Amazon:

I noticed I make around $50 every month with Citi that I can quickly spend at Amazon. I even have Prime now so it makes so much better to buy stuff there. $50 may not seem like a lot but that buys me a box of diapers or formula! If you add that up that's almost $600 a year which is also tax free! As much as I want to use cash for everything and be more budget conscious I don't want to miss out on this free money. So far this year I've also not had any interest charges from Citi as you can see below:

There you have it, I love my Citi card and I hate it but for now I guess I'll continue doing what I've been doing and try to keep a closer eye on that spending.

HS

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Stupid Credit Card

I really don't know how most of you survive out there!! We have charged over $3,000 since Feb 4 which is when my last Citi statement came in. Life is very expensive and everyday something requires money. We put everything on the credit card to get rewards but I swear you spend way more when you use credit. Here's the latest balance which will be going down soon:

But here's the sad part, where it shows all of the purchases we've made over the last month. Above that you can see what's even more depressing, all of the payments that have gone back to our credit card:

I swear it feels like we really don't know how to manage our money. I try to save money every month, for example I'll drive a few more miles to pay less for gas. I buy all generic brands at the grocery store to save a few dollars. I mostly eat lunch at my desk but if I go out I try not to spend more that $8. I set limits and I think I'm doing great but it feels like there's so much I can't control like holidays, birthdays and life in general...then I open my credit card and have a wtf moment LOL

Sorry, I had to vent!!!!

HS

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Running and Celebrating Birthdays

Saturday was a great start to March. I got up and ran the annual ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run. I was there around 8:30 AM and the 10K event started at 9:15. I was not happy with my timing, let’s just say it was well over 60 minutes but I felt great after I finished the run. This is the same run I did a couple of years ago. Here are a few pictures from the event:

After running I went by our local HEB and picked up a Minnie Mouse cake. I then went home and got ready to celebrate my daughter’s second birthday. Everything went as planned. We had 26 people come and celebrate. Chick-fil-A arrived perfectly at 1:45 PM and we had tons of food. The cake was a quarter sheet which was the right amount for that many people. I also bought chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream. This year everyone drank wine so I was running low on wine glasses. Not a single person had beer, last year we drank 60 but I did buy 12 just in case someone wanted it (no beer for me in 2014). I bought 4 bottles of wine and still have 3 since a lot of people brought wine to share which worked out great. My daughter was so happy, she got tons of gifts and she loved the cake. In total I think I spent $400 for her party which is a lot better than the $1,000 I spent for her first birthday, both years included birthday pictures. Her favorite gift was a Minnie 4 wheeler (not my dd on picture):

On Friday morning I am flying out to Nashville TN to celebrate another birthday. I am also doing a 5K run there. I’m going to take $200 in cash so I don’t have to swipe my credit card as much. The nice thing about cash is you spend it and forget about it but with a credit card the charge follows you home on the statement. I will be staying at the Omni Nashville hotel and got a reduced rate so hopefully I don’t spend more than $400 on this trip. I still need to get a gift but hopefully it won't be more than $150. The airfare was free so I just need to watch my eating, drinking and souvenir purchases.

March will be a great month, enjoy!

HS

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Discover Bank Savings Update

Thanks to the government, their tax credits and deductions our savings account is now past $20,000! I sent most of the money from our tax return and the usual $250 per paycheck pushed it past 20. Here's the latest balance as of this morning:

Reaching this milestone was hard. I think saving money is just as hard and painful as paying back credit card debt except you get to keep the money. The problem then is, hey look we have all this money what can we do with it. It is constantly in the back of my head and I want to do something with it. I told the wife about it and she's like meh, no big deal. She's happy we're not broke but she wasn't too concerned or excited about the amount. I said if we reach $23,500 why don't we take out $13,500 and pay off your student loan and again she didn't really care, she was like whatever. As long as she has a credit card and her Macy's store card, she's happy. She's not a big spender but if she sees it, likes it, she buys it.

At the same time I'm constantly thinking of ways to get this amount to $30,000. If I get a new job I have enough vacation saved up to push it to 25K but if I wait until the fiscal year is over in August and then quit I would also get a bonus which would easily put us at 30K with the bi-weekly $250. We also have a little one on the way and that could impact all my plans. I always have a plan and a backup plan but Murphy is always around the corner trying to mess me up.

HS

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Stupid Tax, I Paid It...

Oh boy, where do we start... As most of you know I like to sell on eBay so that means I look around my local pawn shops and jewelry stores for merchandise. The good thing about pawn shops is you can bring the prices way down if your bargaining skills are good. Well last week I made the huge mistake of purchasing a replica Rolex. Now, keep in mind if you are a watch aficionado you will never ever buy anything that is a replica, it is a huge NO in the watch community and a rule we never break.

Stupid Mr. HS found one listed at $99.99 at a local pawn shop so I asked the clerk to let me look at it. I have no idea what got me interested in the watch but I really liked it. I got the price down to $75 plus tax and became the owner of this thing:

The other issue with pawn shops is all sales are final, there are no returns. They don't want the merchandise back which is why they are willing to come down on the prices. I had tested the watch and noticed it was running fine but I did not check the crown (round thing that sets the time) and when I got in my car and tried to set the time, it was broken! Fine, I know a great watch repair shop and figured it would cost me around $25 to fix it. I dropped it off with the sales clerk and she called me an hour later and told me it would be $50 replace the piece. Since I was already $80 invested I told her sure, go ahead and fix it so that cost me another $55. Here's the icing on the cake, once I took it home and wore  it for 24 hours I noticed it would just stop keeping time every hour or so. I could give it a good shake and it would continue running for 30 minutes and that was it. Automatic watches run on movement but this thing would run for 2 minutes then quit after shaking it for 5! This watch is a POS and there's really not much I can do with it. I am  not willing to spend another $50 to $60 for them to tell me that me what's wrong with my Faux Rolex, Frawlex ugh!

More icing on the cake? I went online and checked the price of this 'replica' brand new from China and it currently retails for $99 and no taxes. They will even do free standard shipping if you are willing to wait 4 weeks for it to ship by vessel. If you buy 2 or 3 of them you get a huge discount on each piece and it even includes that free shipping.

Stupid Tax? Yes I paid it. There's nothing I can do with this broken piece. I can't sell it on eBay since they don't allow replicas and as a 'watch guy' we just don't do that to people. I could go on Craigslist and get $25 as is but again, it's not working and I'm too honest to lie about the condition. What to do with this piece? I think I will make a magnet out of it and put it on my refrigerator so I can be reminded every day not to make the same stupid mistake or if we ever get a fish tank it will become a piece to look at under the water.

Go ahead, tell me how stupid I am...

HS

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Minnie Birthday Party!

I cannot believe my little baby girl is going to be 2 years old in a couple of weeks so we must celebrate.  The theme for this year's birthday party is Minnie Mouse. All of the decorations have been purchased. The pictures have been taken and we ordered the cake yesterday. I still need to purchase the alcohol and put in the order with Chick-fil-A, I think if the order is over $150 they will deliver so I may do that. The party is this coming Saturday afternoon and we are expecting 25 to 30 guests.

Other expenses are the maid, she's coming Thursday to clean the house. I did not get the landscaping done this year before her party but I will take care of that in April or May. I will be taking off Friday to play golf in the morning and then take care of the last minute items for the party in the afternoon. Before her party on Saturday I also signed up for the ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run which I did a couple of years ago. Wife is not too happy that I'm leaving her the morning of the party but I absolutely cannot miss it, it is one of my favorite events in Houston.

That is all that's going on in my world... still cannot believe my little girl is going to be 2!

HS

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February 2014 eBay Sales

I guess we can call eBay my 24/7 hobby obsession, I can't recall a month where I'm not buying and selling stuff there. I'd like to think of myself as a eBay 'Trader' but my wife probably thinks more of me as a eBay 'Halfwit'. Below you can see how much I've sold so far in February:

Around $100 of that amount you see is profit. I also started buying and selling currency, mostly U.S. legal tender and lately I've also become interested in Disney Dollars. I haven't been making a lot of profits with currency, mostly $10 to $15 after shipping and fees but I'd be happy if I can reach $20 per order. I also noticed that people are buying the new $100 bill I posted about a while back and they will pay up to $150 if it's in a certain series or has a unique serial number. I will probably post more of those and just go to the bank and get more cash as needed, yes people pay to buy money they can get at the bank!

Other things people are buying are the old incandescent light bulbs. I found 2 boxes of 100 watt bulbs in my pantry, each pack had 6 bulbs so I sold 12 bulbs for $20! I think people want them since you can't buy them anymore at stores. Look around your place if you have old light bulbs, they could be worth some money. The government is also requiring manufacturers to phase out 40 and 60 watt bulbs next so they could also bring in some money in the future.

Have a good weekend and please shop on eBay :)

HS

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Bank of America Overdraft Check?

Yesterday I got a check or as I call it 'found money' from Bank of America over improper overdraft fees. The check was only for $12 but I'm not sure why I'm just now getting it. I remember some kind of settlement  back in 2011 about fees and like most people I never really expected to get anything. I went ahead and did a mobile deposit of the check, I guess $12 is better than nothing.

I'm probably the only person in the country who loves everything about Bank of America. They let me have 3 accounts for free, their Bill Pay is great and I've never had to talk to a customer service rep in India. Now keep in mind I did pay those overdraft fees and documented it here but it was more than likely my fault, I should have kept more money in that account.

If you are a Bank of America customer and want to learn more you can find additional information on this link and see what the checks look like:

http://theleonardlawoffice.com/tag/bank-of-american-overdraft-settlement-check/

Woohoo, I'm $12 richer!

HS

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Capital One Is Coming Over!

I'm sure you heard the new this morning that Capital One's contract update gives the company the ability to visit you at home or at work anytime they want, more details here:

http://consumerist.com/2014/02/18/capital-one-contract-update-gives-company-ability-to-visit-you-at-home/

Luckily I've never been a fan of Capital One credit cards, I've been a very happy Citi customer for the past 13 years.

That should make our friend Rhitter really happy LOL

HS

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