Thank you for the food allergy, Dr. Mehmet Oz

In case you are wondering, Dr. Mehmet Oz is a HOT cardiac surgeon host of The Dr. Oz show, an American TV show that I used to listen too while having cable in New Brunswick. I don’t know if you remember, but I recently started a $100 challenge (its going on well as I eat more vegetables and less junk and sugarrrrr argggggg lol), not to spend more than $100 until December 21 on food. Well, before enrolling to the challenge, I had bought a little bag of Brazil nuts. You can read the article right here. Its after reading that article that I started adding cucumbers to my water.

According to Dr. Oz, Brazil nuts are good to activate the brain and I REALLY need all my mental faculties right now. :) The stock market is going crazy like hell and I am overheating of work at my job. So I was in need of a little something extra to help me, see. So I bought myself a little bag of Brazil nuts. The deal was to eat one per day, as indicated in the article. But see, because of my $100 challenge, I ate more than one nut. I didn’t have anything for snack if not green apples, but I wasn’t feeling like eating a f apple. LOL.

So instead, I eat a couple of Brazil nuts. Maybe 10 of them. But it was too much. See the result. This is the second time is happening. The first time, I didn’t make any relation between the Brazil nuts and my rash. Why? Because I use to eat one every day without having any problem. But only ONE.

But the second time it happen – just today, I started making the relation. I remembered my dad having some kind of rash of his skins while eating too much nuts. I have the exact same food allergy as my father.

Don’t worry, however, it’s not hurting me that much. Only my delicate left wrist, my inside sexy left thigh and behind my other right thigh are being affected.  

Thank you for the food allergy Dr. Mehmet Oz.

My debt situation on date of December 9, 2012

$7 875.45 at a low interest rate of 4.75% (RRSP credit line rates) = $374.08 in annual interest PAID OFF

$4 900 at a low interest rate of 4% (credit line rates) = $196 in annual interest

$7 978.54 on a credit card at a low interest rate of 2.9% (result of a credit card balance transfer) = $231.38 in annual interest

$8 000 on a credit card at a low interest rate of 1.9% (result of a credit card balance transfer) = $152 in annual interest

$6 311.41 at low interest rate loan at 5.50% (student loan) = $347.13 in annual interest

$5 000 at 8.75% (credit line) = 437.50$ in annual interest PAID OFF

$10 000 at 9.30% (credit line rates) = $930 in annual interest PAID OFF

$51 240.65 at a low interest rates of 4.25% (margin money coming from my broker account): =
$2 177.73 in annual interest

$1 827.47 at 0.99% for a year (with American Express) = $18.09 PAID OFF

TOTAL: $78 430.60

TOTAL in annual interest: $3 104.24
[In date of December 9, 2012]

My twisted plan to pay off my RRSP loan and why you should be doing the same

I did it! I had paid off my $7 605.22 RRSP loan debt. How did I do it? It was pretty twisted. I notice a super offer coming from TD Visa: 1.9% on credit card balance transfer for 6 months. My plan was to use TD Visa money at 1.9% to pay off my RRSP loan. I already had a balance of 8k ok my TD Visa, but my card is full. So I requested an increased of 16k, which was accepted.

My RBC Visa was completed paid off, but I entered an order for a credit card balance transfer from RBC Visa to TD Visa. That way, I was going to have the 8k very easily, without having to pay any interest at all on RBC Visa.

BRILLIANT – right? I taught it was the most brilliant idea of all. GEES, I AM SMART.

Well, I went to an RBC branch today (I didn’t have any time to do it earlier this week). So I asked the chita to transfer the money over my banking account. I had tried to transfer the money myself from my RBC Visa to my RBC banking account, but it wasn’t working. Why? Because even with a positive balance on the RBC Visa, the operation is being considered as cash advanced. This mean that even while having a positive balance on the credit card, as soon you withdraw an amount, even a positive amount, an excedant, you pay interest on the money withdraw on the credit card.

OHHH NOOOO!

So I told the chick, I need the money to pay off my RRSP loan. I told her that I was trying to be smart and this was my way to not pay any interest on my RBC Visa.

So she went see her supervisor in the back. The chick return saying that I could use a RBC Visa cheque, that the interest will be lower on the cheque than on a cash advance.

OHHH NOOOO!

I told her, I need the money! I don’t want to pay any interest. I need to pay my RRSP loan TODAY PLEASE!

The same chick calls RBC Visa on my behalf to arrange something. She came back saying that the fees will be reversed on my RBC Visa (YEAH!) and that the only fee I was going to get is a $2 for the cheque (I have big boobs but forget putting a close 8k in my bra!). LOL

Thanks to her, I happily went to a TD branch and I PAID OFF MY RRSP LOAN.

Thank you RBC chick. I LOVE U. I asked her to write down her name on my piece of paper and I am going to write to RBC CEO: YOU HAVE TO PROMOTE HER.

RBC, just continue to give me what I want ok?

Now, I am giving you the right to use the same strategy. GO AND MAKE YOUR BANKER GO NUT.

LOL.

A sexy girl on a budget. Its not that bad after all. Find out why.

My first 2 days on The $100 Challenge went well. I brought my lunch and only bought a medium Second Cup coffee (my favorite) during my hour long lunch break. I wanted to begin the challenge Monday, but Monday morning, what happen? I forgot my lunch at home. Eating out for lunch can be very expensive. You’ll spend around $12 on a meal + add the morning coffee AND the afternoon coffee, it make quite a bit of money on the long run. In my case, my expenses have been a mix of eating out and purchases, movies, and a whole bunch of stuff that I am pretty sure you don’t want to hear of. Not to mention that I went to New Brunswick back in the last days of October. I need to stay away from junk and I will just look sexier. I am doing something I haven’t done in a time: drink water. I cut some trench of cucumbers and but some in my glass. I read on the Web that it could be good for health. I haven’t been much conscious about this, but I am not drinking enough water. I drink coffee often and tea, but not only water or barely. And according to Annie Brewer, drinking water helps lose weight and improve health. Getting rid of 5-10-20-30-40 lbs LOL will make it just easier to fit in my outfits. Add to the water, the cucumbers give it a great taste. I also read about adding strawberry in could be benefit.

I know you love me and my body and I would like to let you know that the first 2 days of the challenge went well, 17 days left to go. Following what, I hope to stay this way and never fall again on an expensive mode. It should be easier after the 17 days period. And it will be easier because I quickly want to pay off the money I am borrowing on my 1.9% credit card to pay off my RRSP loan. I have a goal now. And investing goal was too large has I have been investing like forever now. For once, I decided to pay off m debt. But just the RRSP loan. I got a reader who writes to me “grow up and pay your debt”. Dude, what’s your problem? 

All the debts I own are giving me a tax credit, at the exception of the RRSP loan. It’s the only reason why I am paying it off. 

I just have the credit card balance transfer. Tomorrow lunch time will be busy. Its tomorrow that I am going to pay off my RRSP loan! It will allow me to keep an extra $80 in my pocket. My RRSP loan was $108 a month. I used to have around 8k debt on my TD Visa at 2.99%. The monthly payment was at $28 per month. Now, that I have double that amount because I used my TD Visa to pay off my RRSP loan, the monthly payment for the next 6 months will be of $56. Those changes and many others are from my revisited budget.

Since I unfortunately have to move back to Montreal to find a job, I qualify to receive the Quebec Solidarity Tax credit. I am about to be permanent on my job sometime next week, so I guess it could be a good idea to see how I can received the credit. I calculate something like $30 a month. Not that much, but when you are trying to live on a tight budget, any extra cash is always welcome. I used to get as much as $50 from the Quebec Solidarity Tax credit. But now, they are giving away much less. And knowing how much Quebec has debt, they shouldn’t be giving any money away.

My $100 Challenge

I am about to have my RRSP loan completely paid off. I am using my TD Visa at 1.9% for a credit card balance transfer. My RBC Visa is completely paid off, my I have requested to transfer over $7 500. Once the transaction completed, this should leave a positive balance on the credit card. Following what, I will transfer the funds over my banking account and write a cheque to completely pay off my RRSP loan. This is about to happen soon!

My TD Visa will be at a balance of 16k for about 6 months. At the end of the 6 months period, I plan to pay off $7 500 on the credit card. But during the 6 months, all the money I save will be applied on my margin. I should be able to pay off the debt in 5 months. That’s the plan.

In the in-between, the goal is to watch my spending. I have giving myself $100 to cover my grocery and coffees until December 21 (day I am finally leaving Montreal for a few days). This is what $100 look like. 

I may completely skip my coffee treat and other delicious treats but hey, there’s nothing I cannot work around right. I am the Dividend Girl after all.

I haven’t spent one cent of the $100 yet. The challenge started today. Basically, the $100 is for my grocery. There’s will be no eating out (for once) and I guess I will be eating more vegetables and turn into a sexy little rabbit. In the mean time, don’t you ever worry for me, love, I have a few items pack in my fridge and I have some pasta too, eggs, cereal. So calm down.

I am doing this because I need to stop my spending habits NOW. I am leaving my credit cards home. Basically, I will have just a $40 or so in my purse. I won’t have anything to spend, basically. Just like if the end of the world will be coming.

I have over $1 100 to pay on my BMO MasterCard you see. I really have to slow down on my expensive. I don’t need any lipstick, any mascara, any makeup. I don’t need any clothes. I have everything I need. Now, I just need to get back on track, I need to get on the same discipline that I use to have. I really know what I need to do. CONTROL. 

Enjoy those pictures of me in the meantime: