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Credit card progress, gift cards, a movie review & other stuff

April 15th, 2012 at 02:05 pm

I seem to be creeping along at a snail's pace as far as earning my way to $250 in giftcards from Citi Thank You card.

Checked my balance this morning and I've only spent $479, less than a week away from closing out Month 2 in my 3-month quest to spend $2,000.

Part of the problem was that I got off to a very slow start in Month 1, because I had already received this new card and was still spending on another card to wrap up rewards on that one. So I got this one a bit prematurely, and I only spent $45 on this one in Month 1.

The only regularly recurring bills that let me pay with a credit card at no charge are my car insurance, homeowners insurance and phone/Internet bills. And of course I charge all grocery and gas purchases.

I'm going to revisit some of my other utility expenses, even the mortgage, to see if I can pay usign a credit card. Even if I incur a service charge it would be worth it. There may have been one or two bills I initially avoided paying with the CC due to a service charge of some sort, but a dollar or two doesn't matter, given the reward I'm shooting for.

At least now i know i have a backup plan, grocery store gift cards, if I have to.

Tomorrow I will be hitting Aldi's for just the 2nd time since it opened in my state. It's a little out of the way, maybe 30 minutes. I will also hit Home Goods to see if I want to use a $25 gift card I got from MyView.

Now MyView is the only one of about 5 different survey companies I do surveys for that offers gift cards only. I prefer cash becus it helps with living expenses. This is the 2nd gift card I've gotten from them and both times, I never got the card in their 4 to 6 week timeframe, and I had to get after them with emails and it was an all round pain in the neck. It took almost 8 weeks to get the card and i don't think i want to bother having to hound them for it. You're completely at their mercy. I have one more Home Goods gift card due in a few weeks and I'm quite sure I'll have to go through the same process, although I asked the customer service rep was it too much to ask to get BOTH gift cards at the same time, even though I redeemed them separately. Apparently, yes, too much to ask.

Thus far in 2012, I've earned $115 in gift cards, for either Home Goods ($50) or Amazon. Earned thru participation in either MyView surveys or a Communispace credit card forum.

I must admit that gift cards are a LOT more fun to spend and use, but really, I prefer cash, becus it goes right in my checking account to pay bills. Boring, but essential.

I currently also have $30 in amazon gift cards to spend, and this time I'm trying not to rush as I think I could do better than get $25 worth of black licorice, which is what i did last time. I have after MUCH browsing, decided on 2 books but there's a little left over and I'm trying to avoid or minimize shipping charges.

The books are:
1. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, true story (on the best seller list) written by a woman who lost her mother and goes on a long hike to come to grips with it, and

2. Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health

So tomorrow it's Aldi's and Home Goods and Tuesday I have brief training session for poll worker stuff on April 24, a bank deposit and getting more mulch.

Today, I'm not going anywhere. My only goals are:
1. one load of laundry
2. plant lettuce
3. pick up the house or other yardwork, if i'm up to it.

I saw another really good movie last night, Snow Angels.

When I see a movie I really like, I go online AFTER I've seen it to read what others have said about it, and I was surprised with this one that comments went to one extreme or another: either the reviewer loved it, or they hated it.

I picked this one up in a rush at the library, at a time when I knew I wanted another week's worth of movies to watch, but didn't have time to linger. I think the library was closing soon or something. So anyway, I just looked at the cover of this one and decided to get it. The cover has a picture of a pretty woman and another image of a man standing over and behind a kneeling woman. There was no way of knowing what the movie was really about, so all the twists and turns of the plot really took me by surprise and probably added to my enjoyment. It's a little dark, but if you don't mind that, definitely worth watching.

It's been 2 weeks since I interviewed for the news reporter job and haven't heard anything. I'm disappointed. Guess I didn't get it. Never head back from recruiter about United Health Care job and haven't heard back from client about more legal editing, which I thought I'd have this weekend. Also haven't heard a peep from real estate client.

So I need a break. It usually happens, just when there's absolutely nothing on the horizon, something pops up and I'm back in business.

Universe, I'm ready. Lay it on me.

2 Responses to “Credit card progress, gift cards, a movie review & other stuff”

  1. Jerry Says:
    1334503739

    Well, too bad about the UHC job, because I would imagine that an insurance company would offer decent benefits in that regard! (Although one of the places that I worked with the worst health benefits was actually a hospital, so I guess that doesn't always lead out.) Good luck with the other clients and I hope something comes through soon for you!
    Jerry

  2. snafu Says:
    1334505132

    Given the number of applicants for nearly every job, it's taking wa-aay longer to choose the candidates for interview. I'm guessing it's unrealistic to expect a 'Sorry' letter as businesses are cutting/slashing costs at every level. Do you think the rules of etiquette have been falling like a rock? Emily Post was updated by Miss Manners and since her columns disappeared from newspapers. Other than weddings and funerals, those old ideas seem to have vanished.

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