Everybody knows they should have an emergency fund. There are many articles and discussions about how much one should have in the emergency fund and where to keep the emergency fund in order to earn the most interest. This post is not about either of those topics. Having an emergency fund is one thing. Having […]
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Mortgage Refinance Completed
My mortgage refinance is completed. I called the servicer for my old mortgage and they told me the loan was paid off as of Wednesday. The payoff amount matched what my HUD-1 closing statement showed except the servicer took $57 from the payoff amount as fees for recording the lien release with the county. They […]
Small Cars in Ireland
I rented an Economy car when I was in Ireland. They gave me a Kia Rio sedan. It’s actually a bit larger than many other cars I saw on the roads. By my casual observation, the most popular cars in Ireland are (in no particular order) Opel Corsa, Peugeot 207, and Nissan Micra. According to […]
Credit Card Cash Advance Saved the Day
I took a cash advance from a credit card last week. I had never done that before. I’m very happy I was able to do it. I’m also very happy with the cost and the efficiency of how it was done, even though I borrowed at 39,608% APR. I had been in the process of […]
$0.30 Surcharge for a Plastic Grocery Bag
This is another story from my vacation in Ireland. I bought some fruits, yogurt, and bakery from a convenience store. The clerk asked me if I wanted a bag for what I bought. I said "Sure." because that’s the way it is in the U.S. Then I noticed there was a charge for 0.22 Euro […]
Signed Mortgage Refinance Documents
I signed the documents for my mortgage refinance yesterday. A recap for the process since the beginning (sorry for lack of updates when I was on vacation): Week 1. Found a good rate. Filled out application. Week 2. Locked rate. Signed disclosure documents. Faxed supporting documents. Week 3. Home appraisal. Decided against waiving escrow for […]
BBG Communications: $27 for a 1-Minute Phone Call
I survived driving on the left in Ireleand, its narrow, winding, and bumpy roads, and what must be more than 300 roundabouts. The GPS maps for Europe I bought for $110 turned out to be a good investment. My vacation would have been much more stressful without the GPS. As far as money is concerned, […]
Rental Car Insurance Options
By the time you read this, I’ll be on vacation in Ireland. I will rent a car and drive around the country. Naturally I don’t want to expose myself to losses resulting from a car accident while I drive a rental car in Ireland. I did some research in rental car insurance. I’m sharing this […]
Is an Escrow Waiver Fee Worth It?
Last week was week 3 for my mortgage refinance. Here’s what happened in week 3 with a brief recap for week 1 and week 2: Week 1. Found a good rate. Filled out application. Week 2. Locked rate. Signed disclosure documents. Faxed supporting documents. Monday May 4, 2009. An appraiser came and did an appraisal. […]
Mortgage Broker vs Mortgage Lender
My mortgage refinance process is continuing. Here’s what happened in week 2 with a brief recap of week 1. Week 1. Found a good rate at National Mortgage Alliance (NMA). Received quote on GFE. Filled out application online. Monday 4/27/2009. Rate lock confirmed. 4.5% for 15-year fixed. Lender credit covers all closing cost. Escrow waiver […]