My friends at Ready For Zero recently asked the question “how many credit cards are too many”? They got some excellent responses from some bloggers I immensely respect, and they all made valid points. I think I agreed with every one of them. But the question, and the responses, got me thinking about my own credit card use (or lack thereof) and why.

Before we paid off our credit card debt, I had no problem using credit cards—store and regular—for any and everything. I would use them to buy groceries, clothes, gas, restaurants…pretty much any expense that wasn’t a bill. And I really didn’t care about paying them off each month. I just figured credit card debt was something that everyone had so my situation wasn’t that much different. Besides, as long as the minimum payments were made each month, I was in good shape.

At least that’s what I thought.

I did know that I needed to get my balances down to zero, if only because I hated how long my list of monthly expenses was (side note: this is something I still do. I hand write a list of all the bills I have due in a given month. I also make a second list noting which payments come out of which check. This lets me know how much money I have left for other, nonessential expenses as well as being able to plan for some bigger ones like dog grooming and my daughter’s birthday. It’s dysfunctional but it works for me). The concept of not owing anyone my entire paycheck didn’t occur to me until years later, when my daughter was born and we were so broke from our debt that we could barely afford to eat. But, at the time, eliminating my credit card debt seemed like a pointless endeavor. Mainly because I relied on them for everything.

I could go on and list all the reasons this was a bad idea. And maybe I’ll do that sometime. I know that I didn’t have the skills or the discipline to live on a budget and then there was the whole need to keep up with my friends. And the only way to do that was on credit. And for me, living on credit meant using the approximately 10 cards that were in my wallet.

That is a shitload of credit cards. No one needs that many. Especially not all in one place and at one time. Because that just takes you down a road that you probably don’t need to go. Having been down that road, I will tell you that it’s a pain in the ass. There’s all kinds of mixed up signs, it’s dark, twisty, and it takes what seems like a lifetime to get to the first exit. So just stay off of it.

Since I’ve recovered from my credit card debt, I’ve learned that I can’t be trusted with a credit card. I’ll spend too much, I won’t pay it off in full, and it’ll get ugly very quickly. However…I need to keep a credit card in my wallet at all times. I don’t like to do it but it’s necessary. And, on more than one occasion, it’s come in handy. Like at FinCon.

For FinCon, I paid for the hotel using my PayPal debit card and I knew I had more than enough money in there for the hotel and any food/drink/transportation incidentals. I booked my shuttle home from the Philly airport using it and had planned on using it for the shuttle from the hotel to the Denver airport. Great plan, right? Well, I thought so, too, until the hotel stole $200 from me. You see, the hotel charged a $50 per night “security deposit” that they don’t tell you about up front (seriously, almost everyone was shocked by this). This put a huge kink in my plans. Particularly the plan to get home.

Fortunately, I had a credit card in my wallet and was able to secure transportation home (oh, I had left my regular debit card in my house on purpose. I will not do that again). Not that I would have minded being stuck in Denver for a few extra days until my $200 was refunded and I didn’t have to use the credit card but a) I didn’t have anywhere to stay and b) my family would have been pissed.  So, I used the credit card (for the record, it’s paid off).

Because I don’t use credit cards, I don’t care about rewards and other “perks” of using credit. It just doesn’t interest me. At one point, I entertained the thought of automating my bills with a credit card but I’ve opted to just use the debit card for that instead. I’m not saying that these are bad options; I’m just saying that they’re not for me.

So, to answer the initial question, I have to say that for me, one credit card is enough. It’s for emergencies only and that’s fine. I know myself and my habits and I also know that I can’t handle another 5 years of paying off credit card debt.  

I have been living in my house for 8 years. For me, that’s a long time to stay in one place. And it’s not that I love my house that much (I am the neighborhood bitch, after all), it’s that, well, I like being able to afford my mortgage every month.

When we bought our house in 2004, it was under…interesting circumstances. It was just before the height of the bubble and our house was bought for more than it was most likely worth. We qualified for a mortgage that my salary and my husband’s “salary” (I put that in quotes to show that, at the time we got our mortgage, all that my husband had was an offer letter. He had not started working yet) should not have qualified for, especially with only a 5% down payment to float around (thanks, wedding money! Side note, do not use your wedding gift money to buy a house unless it is your dream house).  We also knew that we did not want to stay in our house longer than 5 years (ha!) so we thought a townhouse would be perfect as a “starter home” (I have learned to loathe this expression).

It’s not that we didn’t want to, or don’t want to, move. It’s just that with all that’s happened over the last 8 years (unexpected pay cuts, my depression, the housing bubble bursting…good shit like that), we keep finding a reason not to move. When our pay was cut, it didn’t make sense to take on a new mortgage. When I quit my job, it didn’t make sense to take on a new mortgage. When the price of our house went down, it didn’t make it worth it to move (we’re not underwater, we just want to control how much we get screwed on the price of our house). And now that the child is in school, that’s just a whole separate discussion.

So, we stay in the townhouse in a not so great neighborhood where there have been 2 murders within a one mile radius in the last 2 years. And we stay in the townhouse that borders a neighborhood that housed a burglary ring. And we stay in the townhouse in a neighborhood surrounded by vacant houses, stray cats, and an ever growing population of large, menacing dogs (side note, I love dogs and I don’t feel that one breed is more dangerous than another. I believe it’s the owners. But when I talk to a neighbor who tells me that he got a pit bull to “protect his house”, well…you can probably fill in the rest).  And we stay in the townhouse because right now, it doesn’t make sense to go anywhere else.

In an effort to remain positive about where I live (and let me tell you, it is effort), I have to remind myself almost daily of the finer points of this pit place. And so I have them written down, let me list them so when I really want to burn the house to the ground and start again, I know what I’m risking (besides some felonies and prison time):

• The neighborhood is quiet after 7:00 PM. Once all the kids I can’t stand go inside for the night, it’s eerily quiet. It’s nice to be able to open my windows and not hear screaming children (although I would like have a chat with motorcycle man). I’m also convinced that my husband and I are one of 4 couples who are awake past 9:00 PM. I know this because when I walk the dogs at night, it is almost pitch black except for the streetlights that sometimes work. So, I guess that’s an added bonus. Feeling safe enough to walk my dogs, by myself, at night.
• It’s the right size for our family. It has three bedrooms, one of which we converted into an office for my husband and I. We have a backyard that’s roomy enough for the child and the dogs to run around, a garage that no longer looks like it could be featured on Hoarders, and the rest of the house, while poorly laid out, has pretty much everything we need (except for a second bathroom with a shower. I could really use that). Since we’re a small family, we don’t really need much more than what we have.
•  Location, location, location. Although we live off of a main road, our neighborhood is set back far enough where we don’t hear road noise (except for the local high school’s marching band practices. Damn, are they loud). This means we’re in proximity to most of the main arteries in my state (all 4 of them) and, additionally, we’re no more than 10 minutes from our YMCA, a park, the library, a Wal-mart and a Target, a supermarket, restaurants and most of our friends. So that works out well.
• Our neighbors don’t totally suck. Well, some of them don’t. If you take out the ones that annoy me or I wish would move, the rest are fine to live near. They’re friendly, clean, take care of their property and I’m pretty sure most of them wouldn’t steal anything from us. Now, if they could just supervise their bratty children and teach them not to throw trash all over the place, that would be stellar.
• We can afford it. This is probably the main reason we’ve stayed put longer than we ever dreamed possible. As I mentioned, we can afford the mortgage and the utilities are not so outrageous that we get slammed more one month than any other. We can pay our bills every month and still have some money left over, which is fantastic.  And, thanks to my husband’s energy knowledge and ability to fix a lot of stuff, our utility and repair bills are nothing that we can’t handle.

While my house is by no means my dream house, and the neighborhood leaves a whole lot to be desired, we’re staying put for now. Financially it makes the most sense and, once I’m inside our 4 walls, the rest really doesn’t matter.

If you’ve been a longtime reader of DMS, you’ve probably noticed that I don’t give a lot of advice around these parts. Sure, I make witty observations and find financial lessons in every day scenarios, and you can find stories aplenty, but as for hardcore, solid financial advice?

It’s pretty lacking.

Not doling out financial advice on a personal finance site probably doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. After all, if you’re not coming here for the humor and entertainment value, you’re probably here to learn a few things. I mean, if you look hard enough, you’ll find some nuggets of wisdom but overall, you won’t find a lot of traditional, evergreen advice.

Why?

Because I am a terrible financial role model and I don’t think anyone should replicate what I do. Also, if I give you advice on how to do something and I don’t do that myself, it makes me dishonest and I don’t like that feeling. So I opt out of giving lots of advice. It’s just better for everyone that way.

So what makes me such a bad financial role model? Let’s look at a few ways:

• I’ve discussed this before, but I can’t die. I am totally unprepared for it. I don’t have a will, burial plot, life insurance, medical directives…nothing. I know I need to get my shit together with this but talking about death is not something I like to do so I practice avoidance. And, considering the fact that I have a child, not having my act together is a really bad thing. My husband is aware of my wishes, and my little sister has been notified that we want her to be our daughter’s guardian in the event that both of us die, but other than that, I have nothing set up. So don’t follow my lead on this.
• I don’t use coupons. I know that as many people don’t use coupons as those who think that they are the only way to save money but I just can’t get behind them on a regular basis. Mainly, I think it’s because I’m lazy. I don’t care to take the time to browse coupon websites and blogs (especially not when they take time away from sites like Cracked and Buzzfeed), I don’t ever remember to buy the Sunday paper and, when I do have coupons, I leave them at home. Occasionally I’ll remember them, particularly if it’s a really good deal and I put the coupon directly into my wallet but overall, I’d rather just shop with a list, buy on sale, and substitute with generic when possible. And, speaking of generics…
• I scoff at people who think that all generics are the same as their name brand equivalent. And then I buy those name brands. While it is true in some instances, it is completely false in others. I have, in the interest of saving money, bought some generic products that have turned out to be horrendous. We’re talking so bad, they went into the trash. For those items, I’d rather pay the extra money (and—gasp—I don’t always buy them on sale or with a coupon) and have what I like and will use. Otherwise, it’s just a waste of money.
•  I leased a car. There. I said it. I leased a car. I’m not going to justify, defend, or explain why. But I will say this:  I don’t recommend it and I’ll never do it again but I can’t hide the fact that I did it.
• I spend money on going out to eat, books, music, makeup and other discretionary, frivolous items. And I even did it while I was in the midst of paying down my debt. I just couldn’t get behind the whole Dave Ramsey “I don’t want to see you in a restaurant unless you’re working in one” mindset. To me, that’s just a way to burn out and quickly fall back into old habits. I believe in moderation and small rewards, particularly if you’re doing something as difficult as eliminating debt. I also believe that you can treat yourself as long as you do so with a plan in mind and it doesn’t affect your other long-term goals.
• My savings accounts, and my retirement accounts, are appalling. So not only can I not die, I can’t retire either. I won’t give you exact figures (because I don’t know what they are) but I do know that they’re appalling. And kind of embarrassing.
• My budget is a mess. I have a budget. It’s just…lacking in implementation right now.

I could probably list about a dozen other ways that I am not qualified to give financial advice. But I’ll spare you the boredom and me the shame.

Although this isn’t the best place for advice, I hope that you, my beloved readers, still find value in what I write here. I think that learning happens in different ways and I hope that amidst the crazy stories, bizarre observations, and numerous mistakes, you gain some shred of knowledge.

Because if that happens, then I have accomplished what I intended.

One final, unrelated note: While I write because I have to (much in the way that some people run), with so many available choices, you don’t have read what I write. Yet you do. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing that (even if you read because you hate me and you need your daily dose of contempt)

This is a guest post from my friend, Suzanne Cramer, Certified Personal Finance Counselor® for CareOne Services, Inc. and a Social Media Specialist. You can follow Suzanne on Twitter where she shares the latest debt industry news, and tips to keep your finances in check @CareOneWorks. Follow Suzanne on Twitter or connect with Suzanne on Google+

We have all heard the saying, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” Sometimes free is really free and taking part is only a matter of knowing how. There are hundreds of free offers available across the web, at your local restaurant or even in your own backyard.

When I was younger (before) every family had a computer in their living room, I used to write (handwritten letters) to some of my favorite companies explaining how much I loved their stuff. I got the idea from my fourth grade teacher who had us do a sample letter to a company as a writing assignment. After completing the assignment I kept going! I received all kinds of stuff free; Lisa Frank school supplies, Aussie hairspray (you remember the kind that smelled like grapes), highlighters and much more, all for the cost of the stamp I used to send the letter.

Today the concept is the same but much easier, no stamp required! All you have to do is know where to look and submit your request online.

Freebies on the Internet

• Google freebies. Just type “freebies” in any search engine and you’ll pull up hundreds of sites offering things for free. Of course there will be scams and ill-intentioned folks out there so you have to read all of the fine print before submitting to these free offers.
• Go to the site.  You can go directly to a company’s web sites to see if free samples are available. Often companies offer email contact links, which allow you to email them and ask for samples.
• Contests & sweepstakes.  You can also find lots of contests and sweepstakes you can enter online for free. It usually takes only a few minutes to enter and in some cases the end result could be a big win for you!
• Freecycle & Craigslist.  Freecycle is a place where you can get items for free just as the title suggests. You are helping to save someone some much needed space in their home and helping to save our planet at the same time by not purchasing a new item. Craigslist is a local online classified section where you can also score items people are looking to get rid of for free. My neighbor recently got a free hot tub from people that were looking to get rid of their inoperable hot tub. A $20 part fixed the hot tub!

Sometimes Complaining =Free

I have done this at restaurants where I was unhappy with the meal or service. While it is not something I make a habit of, if you have a bad experience be sure to let them know. Undercooked food, a hair in a salad or 45 minutes waiting for drinks are all unacceptable things to have happen when you are dining out.

Let the restaurant manager know while at the restaurant or call the number of the restaurant and ask to speak with the manager when you return home. They won’t want you to share your bad experience with your friends and family especially socially where things go viral almost immediately. You may be offered a free meal, dessert or drinks for next time.

Remember, to get free stuff, you often have to just ask. If you think there’s a chance something could be free, ask the store manager or write to the company. And don’t forget to go online frequently – free offers change regularly.