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Sigh. High school... seems like ages ago! I can't believe ten years have passed. Lucky for me -- or not -- people have been hounding me about our ten year reunion. I guess that came with the territory of being the Class President. (No geek jokes, please.)

I had everything figured out ten years ago. We hired a company called Keep In Touch Network (KIT) to plan our reunion(s), to manage all our communications, and to send occasional classmate updates to everyone in our class. At the time, they were the only ones really doing what they did, but a few years later, in come heavyweight sites like Classmates.com and Reunion.com... and KIT went out of business along with our money as far as we know.

Great.

So thanks to MySpace and Facebook, I've got messages and comments galore about our ten year reunion. (I swore I was only serving a 4-year term!!) Out of the kindness on my heart -- yes, there is some waaaaaaay deep down in there -- I've decided to try and pull off something worth remembering. Rest assured, the journey will be recorded via this blog. It should be exciting. In fact, the person who some would consider my "arch nemesis" in high school sent me a message on MySpace today offering to help. It is truly a relief, but I have to admit that there's a small part of me wondering if this is some evil plot to let karma have its way with me. It's been ten years though, right? Please tell me I have nothing to worry about.

I've started to talk to other people about their high school reunion experiences and I have to say, private school kids had it pretty good. See, in public schools, we had to fundraise for EVERYTHING. From selling candy, to bake sales, to expensive prom tickets, the things we did as a class could only be as fun as the money we'd earned would allow. I mean, the difference from having Senior Grad Night at Disneyland versus Great America could be washing 100 cars at our sponsored car wash. It was hard work! On top of that, not everyone participated, but everyone was affected.

Private schools, at least as far as I've heard in the last few weeks, would actually designate funds from the tuition money they received. One of my friends said that the school hosted a $30,000 ten year reunion for them simply from the class funds the school had collected during the time they were in school. WOW. Must be nice. My class is currently debating having our reunion at a night club because no one wants to pay a cover charge... (rolls eyes).

Looking back, I really don't think I would have done anything differently. It's not like I knew that KIT network was going to go out of business. If we'd had a really successful way to manage or raise funds simply for our reunion, perhaps things wouldn't be this way.

Four of my nine nieces and nephews will be in high school as of September (oy!). Not to mention, they're all in public school. Schoolpop.com (site) is a site that offers a handful of unique programs for high schools to raise money. What really caught my eye was that schools can earn money simply because YOU shop online! Crazy, no? I haven't navigated through the entire site yet, but I did search for my high school and they're registered with the site! Now, I'm searching all the schools in my area. Ha! Visit their site to contribute to school fundraising programs for your alumni or for your child(ren)'s school. Make sure your kids get the ten year reunion they deserve and, well... I must say it... give the Class President a break!

Okay, so I got a little inebriated this past weekend. (FYI -- after a detox, alcohol consumption must be gradual.) Anyway, guess what? I lost my darn cell phone. I guess it all worked out in the end, especially since getting a new phone was on my to-do list.

So, as he always does, Cell Boy hooked me up with a free phone. I had been planning to switch carriers, but with 8 months to go before my contract ended, I had to go ahead and extend... again. Ugh, I know. I'm on lockdown. Anyway, I opted for the T-Mobile Wing. I'd considered this phone the last time I was searching, but I went in another direction. This time around, I thought I'd try it out -- mainly because I was able to get it for free. I really wanted the new BlackBerry 8820, but I still would have had to pay close to $300. Uhh, NO THANKS.

So far, the phone seems cool. I've really grown accustomed to Windows Mobile because of my last phone, so it's definitely a plus that the Wing is also powered by Windows Mobile. It just makes life a little easier for me. I've been able to start my blogs via my phone. Hopefully that means I'll be posting more often. Ha! We'll see.

054 | X | get a new phone

So, has anyone received their Tax Rebates yet? Any interesting ways you will be spending yours? Well, I'm scheduled to get my stimulus check by May 9th. (To figure out when you're going to get yours, click here!) At this point, I'm still planning on paying off a chunk of one of my credit cards. Is that completely responsible (yet soooooo boring) of me? Who knows -- maybe I'll sneak in those boots I've been itching for. Maybe I'll even get a massage. Hmmm...

Articles Worth Reading:
Tax rebates finally arrive - early
Smart moves for your stimulus check
Tax rebates: A clue to co-workers' salaries
5 great tax-rebate getaways

As you know, I've been paying off my debt. I closed a credit card last month which was really exciting. YES, despite what is advised when trying to fix your credit score (article), I closed an old credit card. But hey, they also discourage opening a bunch of credit card accounts that you don't need, so I'm trying to get rid of these random ones I have.

My credit score is not currently messed up. In fact, I have really good credit right now. I mean, it's really not that hard to screw up if you can commit to being responsible and a wise spender. BUT, I did manage to screw it up at one point in my life... big time! Without doing a lot of research, I turned to a credit counseling service to help me out. While it was probably one of the best decisions I'd ever made to get back on the right track, I really had no idea what I was getting into. I was really young, so it helped in the sense that they really guided me through the process. It was totally easy. It did, however, affect my credit score and in the long run, it cost me more to go through them than to pay off my credit on my own.

I didn't know the art of the "transfer balance". My friends are all into that, but the opening and closing of several accounts is really not a good idea in the long run. It can be beneficial for the quick fixes, though. I think, in the future, should I ever be in a similar situation (knock on wood), I'd consider a personal loan... probably.

I took out a bank loan a few years ago to pay off an ex. He was still my boyfriend at the time, but I already knew we weren't in it for the long haul, so I wanted to handle that debt ASAP. Bank loans, man... AWFUL. The interest rate was ridiculously high and it came with all those unpleasant sales calls. NO THANKS.

Personal loans (article), as far as I've heard so far, can really help you out of a bind. We're not talking Gary Coleman's cheesy "Check into Cash" kinds of personal loans. These are legit loans that typically have lower interest rates, making it easier for you to pay them off sooner. They're also great to look into when you don't have really good credit. Banks will assign you interest rates based on your credit scores, so beware.

Never jump into these things without doing your own research (article)!!! That's what really screwed me up before. The internet has numerous resources, so use them to find yourself a Secure Loan (site) or a Personal Loan Unsecured (site).

We're all adults now. Time to approach these things as such. Woo-hoo, Mommy, look at me!

Articles Worth Reading:
6 ways to be a grown-up about debt
What to do (and NOT to do) When Trying to Fix Your Credit Score
How to raise financially savvy kids
What a good financial adviser can do for you

I don't know about YOU, but I work like I have four monitors at MY desk. Haha.

--------------------[edited]

So our tax rebates (article) are supposed to start coming in on Monday. I CANNOT WAIT!! I've been looking forward to this rebate... considering those boots I've had my eye on, the Roomba I swear I need, the DVR that would encourage my laziness, the juicer I want, etc. I think I've come to a decision, though.

My tax rebate is going to that second credit card I'm planning on paying off (and closing) this year. I've been really focused lately on where I stand financially. Thanks to a friend -- and personal financial advisor thanks to her previous employment at WaMu (site) -- I am now getting a better interest rate with my savings account. I swear, folks, I'm in it to win it. Ha!

The more I think about it, my attitude of "convenience is key" is really getting the best of me. The reason I was getting a crap interest rate to begin with is because I'd "rather not" deal with anyone at the bank. I like everything to be automatic. I don't like calling Customer Service. In fact, I like the branch near my house because it has a drive-thru ATM. Anyway, in the end, I'm really only hurting myself. Apparently, you can call or go in to these banks and negotiate rates, get free advice, find out all the new (and better) services they're offering... YES I'm sounding so naive right now, but I know I'm not alone.

Have a great day!

Articles Worth Reading:
Here's stimulus: What you need to know
What to do when your kids' college fund is tanking
Cut commuting costs

Howdy folks. It is officially almost the weekend! Anyway, I'm super stoked -- I closed a credit card today! Woo-hooooooooo!

037 | + | pay off and close two credit cards (1/2)
    1: HSBC MasterCard closed April 3, 2008

I was honestly expecting a lot more pressure from the representative on the phone to keep me from canceling my account. I seriously practiced what I was going to say before I called! Nerdy, I know. But the last time I closed a credit card, the customer service representative had asked me like fifteen times if I was sure I didn't want to reconsider and I was REALLY mean to him. Ha! So this time around, I wanted to make sure I tried my best to keep it cool. Thankfully, it was unnecessary.

Okay. So I finally have some time to blog about the book, some funny things I've taken away from it, and how it applies to my current situation(s).

For the record, I'm already a "bitch". I mean, the more I read this book, the more I feel better about these habits of mine that I typically consider shortcomings or that I normally blame my "singleness" on. My goal is to reinvent the bitch in me.

The first chapter covered what the author referred to as "Attraction Principles".

Attraction Principle #1: Anything a person chases in life runs away.
The author adds, "With one caveat: If you chase him in a black nightie, first he'll have sex with you... and then he'll run.

Doubt there's much need to embellish on that one -- we've all been on one side of that road, if not both. While it's easier to be on the side being chased, I've come to learn that this game often results in a bit of tug-o-war, am I right? When they stop chasing, you start. When you stop, they start. It's sad. Haha. I'm currently battling with this issue when it comes to "Baja Man". There was already an "us", but it was a long time ago. Boy, was he in love me. But as the saying goes, I didn't know what I had until it was gone and well, now -- yeeeeeears later -- he's got this magnetic force over me that's making me yearn for his attention. I hate it!!

Attraction Principle #2: The women who have the men climbing up the walls for them aren't aways exceptional. Often, they are the ones who don't appear to care much.
"When a woman drives to see a man in the middle of the night, the only thing missing is a neon sign on the roof of her car that reads WE DELIVER."

I actually know a girl who should have that neon sign on her car. So sad! Anyway, this is sooo true. I am definitely not an exceptional girl... at least not at first. But you know what obstacles I run into because I don't seem to care? Guys decide to pursue me as a CHALLENGE. They think they're going to be the one to break me. Psh. It's so annoying. It usually comes in the form of something like "Try not to get attached cuz I'll make you fall in love". And, of course, it never happens this way. In fact, it's almost always the opposite. "A.P." is currently being proven wrong on this subject. Sorry, bud!

Attraction Principle #3: A woman is perceived as offering a mental challenge to the degree that a man doesn't feel he has a 100 percent hold on her.

I hate being a man's challenge. I can't stress that enough.

Attraction Principle #4: Sometimes a man deliberately won't call, just to see how you'll respond.

I respond like this -- actually, I don't respond at all.

Attraction Principle #5: If you start out dependent, it turns him off. But if it is something he can't have, it becomes more of a challenge for him to get it.

Who starts out dependent on a guy? No, really???

Attraction Principle #6: It is your attitude about yourself that a man will adopt.
"The first date is about looks. When he falls in love, it's about your attitude. It's about whether you can hold your own."

Mm-hmm... if a guy leaves you for a seadonkey, she probably has a better attitude than you.

Attraction Principle #7: Act like a prize and you'll turn him into a believer.

Translation: Act like a plaything and he'll play with you.

Attraction Principle #8: The biggest variable between a bitch and a woman who is "too nice" is fear. The bitch shows that she's not afraid to be without him.

"Lou" could not handle this AT ALL. He always said he knew he could never walk away from our relationship because I wouldn't run after him. Well, hello....

Attraction Principle #9: If the choice is between her dignity and having a relationship, the bitch will prioritize her dignity above all else.

Everyone repeat after me, "NO ONE IS WORTH MY DIGNITY."

That was it -- I know, I was looking for a #10, but it wasn't there. The next chapter wasn't as cheesy... well, not entirely, but it shifts gears a little. I'll keep you guys posted. Hopefully it gets better.