I have a co-worker/friend who has been having cash flow problems. I have been lending her various sums of money between paydays to tide her over. She always repays me, and promptly.

Today was payday. When she repaid her latest loan, she gave me an extra $20. When I opened my mouth to protest, she said "Listen, you have helped me out a lot. I'm happy to give you $20, just take it". So, I did!

I have sent that $20 off to Car Fund, and we are now at $379.35.

My budgeted automatic transfer of $170 has happened.

I received $160 from my part-time job and sent that off as well.

Car Fund is up to $359.35. Just think, I could buy two tires and a big stick to connect them, and away I would go!

I did get a raise as of July 1 (yay! ). After some tweaking, here is my new ZBB.



I have been able to bump up both CurveBall and Car savings account. I have reduced my mortgage payment to just the amount required.

I have redeemed $16.46 in credit card rewards from Capital One Quicksilver. A transfer to Car Fund has already been scheduled, bringing the balance to $29.35.

My mortgage payment has posted, bringing the balance down to $172,641.29.

Chips this month:
part-time job $160.00
budgeted extra $54.36
WF Visa $25.00
Bill Me Later refund $8.67
CC rewards $6.82
found on sidewalk $1.00

Total chips this month: $255.85

Chips to date: $1,399.64

Interest savings this month: $4.70

Interest savings to date: $26.04

Eventually, the interest savings on the chips I have already made will compound to $3,084.56, provided I own this house until the mortgage is paid in full.

So, not a bad collection of chips in approximately 1 year of chipping. I have eliminated 5 payments from the end, and reduced a 6th.

As I said yesterday, I am going to stop chipping in favor of accumulating cash. I will still track my credit card rewards as they are received. But now, they will go into my car fund instead of towards my mortgage.

There are some changes brewing on my horizon, and as a result I am changing some of my short-term goals.

What are the changes? I want to move, and I will be giving my son my car as a graduation present. So, I'm going to need some cash.

I spent more on vacation than planned (of course!), including a very unplanned repair bill for a rented ATV. My son was not seriously injured, so that was good. I have drained my vacation fund and tapped my curveball fund, but I continue to have no credit card debt.

I have renamed "vacation fund", its new name is "car fund". This will be to purchase my next car. I will not be taking another vacation until after my next car is bought and paid for.

I will no longer be chipping at my mortgage, but instead will be piling up all of the cash that I can.

Yesterday I received a rebate check for $6.67, as well as a payment from HauserNet for $4.25. I have added both to car fund. Combined with the $1.97 which was already there, I am up to $12.89. Not much of a car there yet.

I will be changing up my budget a bit. I will post that when I know if I got a raise on 7/1 or not. I won't know until next payday (7/15).

My plan once I have moved and gotten settled is to purchase a condo. Not sure yet if I will go for a 1 or 2 bedroom. Either way, I expect my total housing cost to be much, much lower than it is now.