The crazy world of mortgages..

So I have to add my thoughts into the world of mortgage rates and the potential freeze of rates that the US is talking about...it just seems so wrong for the government to have to step in and save people from themselves. No one bought a house because some big thug showed up with a stick and forced them into signing the mortgage papers. It was a big emotional thing, one must buy now as the market is hot and the rates are low. It seemed that everyone around my age decided to buy in the last four or five years, even if they didn't have any money for the purchase.

I find it hard to really even feel bad for these people who have houses they can't afford. Sometime it seems that credit is a drug that deludes you into thinking you can buy happiness. Until it's all gone and you realize that that your reality stinks. Then people play the victim. I don't know the ends and outs of everyone's story but it makes me mad that people who save and try to only have what they can afford are really thought to be rather strange. We didn't buy a house because we figured we would be moving at some point and didn't want to get caught in a falling market with an expensive house that we HAD to get rid of because of job changes. We didn't want to get stuck. Now I know we are in Canada, but any job changes would no doubt take us south of the boarder. How can I sympathize with people caught up in this adjustable mortgage stuff when I just want to sit them down and teach them something about basic math and mature responsibility?!

Learning for free

So in my spare time, which I have had quite a bit of lately, I have been looking over the web offerings of free courses. I am currently working through the IRS volunteer tax program in order to learn something about US personal tax. I know, sounds dry as dirt. It's relevant though as C has to file a US return every year. I figure I should learn something about it, and since I have the time I have begun. I'm going pretty slow though..something like these blog posts.

I have learned though, that you can find information on pretty well any topic you want on the web...there's a lot of interesting things out there to keep your mind sharp!

Site to check out

Oh, and on a more frugal note..check out www.save.ca for Canadian coupons, including some free stuff!

Frugal in everyway?

I guess you could say even my posts are frugal and no more than necessary. Maybe a bit too miserly actually! So it's been three months since my "release" from the old job and I am pretty much ready to start looking for something new and interesting for the new year, job wise. It would be awesome to top up the severance with some extra cash with only regular work hours..or maybe just part time hours..hmm.

The extra money would come in handy for the latest and greatest adventure we hope to undertake, DRIP's. Yes, we are looking into setting up a group of dividend reinvestment plans and see what we can learn from this. We will have a nice tax refund coming in the new year and plans are to invest pretty much all of it. As well, C has been reading "Stop Working" by Derek Foster as has become curious about the whole idea.

My latest read has been "Detox you finances" by John Middleton which was a good overview of the basic money management stuff. It's for the UK crowd though some of the wording and sayings may not make much sense if you don't know the lingo..it made me want to go to Britain again. I am always interested in travel though, so it doesn't take much to make me want to go. Maybe in 2008 when we get a new work situation underway..

Frugal reading

So it is money, and my favorite day for frugal reading as " The Dollar Stretcher" is new today at www.stretcher.com and there is an new article from a favorite writer on msn.com money. Lots of things to think about in terms of handling money just a little bit better.

Now, these are American sites however. I haven't found Canadian sites yet that I enjoy as much. msn.ca has their personal financial advice in with the Finance site. I find it a bit hard to dig through. As for a Canadian based newsletter, I haven't come across any I really like so far.

Mav

In the beginning...

Well, here is the beginning of a new adventure of frugal entertainment and excitement. The idea of having a "money" blog has been in my head for awhile. Now the time and the interest have occurred at the same time, so we will see what comes of it all.

Weekly quote;

The truth of others may in fact be lies to us - Mav

Not exactly money related, but indicative of the week I have had.

Otherwise it was a frugal Saturday of reading books I had bought at the used book store yesterday, hanging out at the water side park and window shopping. Being in the park was great too. I have forgotten how great it is to sit outside on a sunny day and have nothing you have to do. To just sit and think. So my frugal activity to suggest is "park hunting'. Take a map of where you live, get in the car and drive to the parks you never knew were out there...winter is coming and we better soak up what sunshine we can!

Mav