Hello Saturday,
Bossy would like to begin by singing a number for you, and that number goes a little something like this: $69,043.06
$69,043.06 is the amount of debt Bossy and her husband have accrued, and if you don’t know that already than you’ve been avoiding missing the Poverty Party Bossy is hosting in her left column.
See it?
Nearly every day for the next year, Bossy is over there reporting her spending and missteps, providing cheap recipes, sharing savings tips, and suggesting tricks and goals so you too can be in $69,043.06 debt.
Kidding! Bossy is doing all that so you too can get out from under and join the support group, where support equals lend me a shoulder because I just drank a bottle of wine cheaper than Thunderbird.
Today Bossy is providing a tutorial for how to call your credit card company and ask for a reduced interest rate.
Other informative Poverty Party topics include spreadsheets, thermostats, and bean dip — and how to set your thermostat when you get bean dip on your spreadsheet.
Don’t miss this economic riddle wrapped in a feature inside a blog post.
It’s a scream!
expateek says
December 6, 2008 at 4:43 pmHa ha, looks like you can reproduce Munch paintings for some extra dough! Your photoshopping is a scream! Eeek!
g says
December 6, 2008 at 5:14 pmGah!!! That Munch painting is horrible!!! (just kidding).
Did you know there’s a whole museum devoted to Munch in Oslo?
Bush Babe says
December 6, 2008 at 5:43 pmBossy, that lipstick doesn’t suit you love!!
🙂
BB
PS epateek: Hah hah!!
Michelle says
December 6, 2008 at 6:16 pmYou currently beat my $32,000 debt. But just wait till I get a mortgage – we’ll see who’s winning.
clickmom says
December 6, 2008 at 6:38 pmI’d type a really long comment but my thermostat is set so low I can’t stop shivering. I feel your pain.
Mr Farty says
December 6, 2008 at 7:36 pmIt’s been dip, but what is it now?
I’ll get my coat.
Little Miss Sunshine State says
December 6, 2008 at 9:11 pmWhen I moved out of Freaking Freezing Massachusetts I said “With God as my witness, I shall never be cold again”.
My next Poverty Party post is about how we spent $400 on food for a month and Mr Sunshine State said “Whaaaaaat, THAT MUCH!!!!!!”
Chesapeake Bay Woman says
December 6, 2008 at 9:17 pmI’ve been attending Bossy’s Poverty Party regularly. The stain of champipple mixed with Mad Dog 20/20 on my credit card statements pretty much proves this.
natalie says
December 6, 2008 at 10:05 pmwe just moved back to the states from turkey. i am a little scared of my first set of bills. internet, phone, cable, electricity, water, etc, etc, etc. we left turkey with no debt. i am scared to see how much it will cost to live here! it will be worth it though no matter the price!
karen says
December 6, 2008 at 11:22 pmWell, I guess I am glad to hear I am not alone. Our debt is fairly overwhelming too – we are having our own poverty party at my house these days trying to climb out of our own hole. We made ourselves a little extra cash this holiday by selling some things on Craig’s list. Mostly old toys from the kids that they weren’t playing with. We used the money to buy them new toys that they won’t play with.
By the way, my husband was able to get our interest rate lowered on his card a few weeks back. He didn’t even have to speak to a manager or even raise his voice a little bit. We are still waiting for the other shoe to drop, but for now the lower interest rate will definitely help!
Thanks for all the tips, I can use whatever you want to throw at me!
serena says
December 7, 2008 at 12:59 amI found you through your Poverty Party badge on someone’s site (don’t remember who exactly now) and I came to check it out. I’ve been on your blog now for the last – at least – hour and a half, riveted by your posts and relishing every word (I usually just skim over things being that I’m trying to follow like 500 blogs). But you’ve got me in stitches!! I think I’ve read all of your hair disaster stories and, the thing is, I can totally relate. Hair fiascos have been the story of my life. I think hair maintenance is the reason I’m in the financial situation that attracted me to the words “Poverty Party” in the first place. Though now I’m so deeply entrenched in debt that hair care has become the lowest thing on my list of priorities. It’s been about 240 something days since my last haircut and 6 weeks since my last homedone dye job courtesy of Loreal (which, even though I left on for a full 50 minutes, did not take). Your John Cusack video is brilliant! I want to join the Poverty Party!! Would you send me a badge for my blog?
junebug says
December 7, 2008 at 1:04 amAw, Bossy, The Scream is my 22 year old son’s favorite painting.
islaygirl says
December 7, 2008 at 1:32 amso, is this BossySon goes to Columbia- induced debt? Or, this is all we have left on our mortgage debt? Or, like mine, How The F Did I Get Here debt?
None of my business. Just curious.
operagal says
December 7, 2008 at 9:56 amBOSSY – put another number in front of that 6 at the beginning, (oh, say a 1) and that would be the debt from the fancy private music school I attended, on a par with Columbia. oof.
I did a post sometime ago about car insurance, where I kid you not, saved $900/year:
http://operagalradio.blogspot.com/2008/11/poverty-party-post-hi-bossy.html
Lee the MWOB Queen says
December 7, 2008 at 1:37 pmI’m with islaygirl on being nosy about the details of your debt. Mainly because I want to know if I should feel worse or better about my own situation depending on your answers.
But yes, of course, I know it’s none of my business but I usually come here to laugh and make me feel better – not worse – you see?
ScotiaMade says
December 7, 2008 at 1:44 pmIf cheaper than thunderbird is wong, then I don’t wanna be right!
Dorothy Stahlnecker says
December 7, 2008 at 3:10 pmYou got my attention, and your right misery loves company thanks for sharing. We’re keeping our heat low and turning lights out when we leave the rooms…uhg..this sucks..
Dorothy from grammology
grammology.com
Shelley says
December 7, 2008 at 4:28 pmWalmart has a brand of wine called Oakleaf, and it’s $1.97 a bottle. Yep, I said $1.97 a bottle. I’ve not had the courage to try it, but I’ll bet it has “headache” written all over it. Although, desperate times…
thatgirlblogs says
December 7, 2008 at 6:46 pmYou brave girl… I’m over $100K
sometimessophia says
December 8, 2008 at 5:41 amSo sad. I feel your pain. The Munch is hilarious; excellent Photoshop-fodder. Also, a little ceramic space heater under the computer desk makes 63º almost bearable. Wearing a cat on your shoulders or your son’s pet chinchilla on your head also helps. What about the lap pony? Put him to work, I say.
K says
December 8, 2008 at 8:33 amOh the holidays and debt – beautiful things that go hand in hand.
It seems like I’ve developed a fatal leak in my own wallet lately. I’ll defnitely be checking out your hints.
Isle Dance says
December 8, 2008 at 7:08 pmHoly freakin’ cow, good for you!
Claire in CA/USA says
December 9, 2008 at 1:02 amOkay, yeah, so I totally feel ya. We are in similar circumstances. The worst part? Our income has gone down, and the cost of living has gone up. So? Every month, we go further into debt on necessities, not even fun stuff. It’s so damn depressing. We don’t have money to pay-off debt, not even close.
Sorry about the pity party. All I’m sayin’ is that I understand, and gosh it sucks.