It’s also the time when students, many of whom are free for the summer, start to look for jobs.  My sister, who is 15, is hoping to find a job this summer.  When I was a student in high school and college, I always tried to find a summer job to make some extra cash and get some work experience.  Here’s a few suggestions:

Photo credit: daveb_ via Flickr

Bike month is a great opportunity to trade your car for a bike when commuting to work – often it only takes a few more minutes than driving, depending on where you live. Because I have some crazy friends, one of them decided this was a good chance to issue the 1000km June challenge. The idea – ride as many km’s in June as you possibly can, ultimately with the goal of 1000km. I’m not quite that crazy, and I only live 2km from work, so while I won’t be hitting the 1000km mark, I am making some good progress (over 100km so far).

Tracking your progress can be tricky, but thankfully smartphones and GPS locators have helped solve this issue. Check out endomondo and MapMyRide for a couple of good apps that help keep you on track! As for me, I’m off to meet a couple friends and put in some good km’s this morning. It should be a leisurely ride, but a lengthy one – I’m hoping 40 or 50km!

• Girl Meets Debt exposes her connection to Jeremy from Modest Money.

• Budgets are Sexy reminds you to clean out your old childhood room - you might find money!

• Grayson at Debt RoundUp explains how he paid of $50,000 in credit card debt. Congrats!

• Freedom Thirty Five published the results of his Occupation Poll.

• My Alternate Life decided to take her husband’s last name

• My Canuck Buck gives an introduction to pension basics.

• Add Vodka provides some helpful tips on having awkward conversations at work.

• We Only do this Once shows us how to build our capacity to change.

• Blonde on a Budget went back to eating meat and explains what happens when a vegetarian eats meat.

Thanks to everyone that included us this week:

• Money Life and More: Carnival of Financial Planning

• Reach Financial Independence: Carnival of Financial Independence

Photo credit: barbourians via flickr

Apparently, the buyer’s superstar realtor had neglected to read the building bylaws.  And the buyer, who was willing to fork out an impressive amount of money for a relatively small 2 bedroom and den unit, also did not read the building bylaws.  And the bylaws clearly state that there is only one pet allowed.

After I enjoyed my little bit of schadenfreude, I reflected on how lucky I was to have a great realtor. Buying a condo, or any home, is a big step.  There are lots of potential complications and it is up to the buyer to ask the right questions!  Things like bylaws can be dry, but it’s important to know what the rules are before you move in.

As it stands, the new owner will not be allowed to keep both of his cats in his new home.  In spite of the obnoxious realtor, I feel bad for the cats  :(

Has any one else bought a home only to get an unpleasant surprise?  

Monies!
Photo Credit: areasuburn via Flickr

I received a raise of about 4.5%, which is pretty substantial considering I haven’t been there that long.  :)  I was expecting to at least get 2-3% and hoping for something between 4% and 5%, so I’m very happy.

So of course I have to re-budget to allocate this new found money.  I am one of those strange people who actually enjoys budgeting and filling things out in little spreadsheets.  The question is – where should this money go?

In general, I think it’s common sense to stick with the standard priority list:

For me, I have no consumer debt, but I do have my student loan and my mortgage.  I have an emergency fund and my retirement savings is going strong at 15% of my gross income + employer matching.  So there is not much debate for me – all of my raise is going towards my student loans.  It might be boring, but it’s also pretty effective.

Has anyone else been fortunate enough to receive a pay raise this year?  What did you do with the extra money?

I am looking forward to getting back to normal next week. The balcony garden needs a flower planter and we’re building our second garden next week. So many things to look forward to!

The wine from above

Check out some great posts from the week:

• Freedom Thirty Five explains how he’s breaking all the rules.

• Budgets are Sexy asks ‘would you take a 10% pay cut to get get all Friday’s off?’ I lean towards yes because one day off is equivalent to 20% less work and you’re only losing 10 % income – the numbers work for me!

• Modest Money didn’t get the condo he was trying to buy.

• Mo Money Mo Houses is taking her husband’s last name after all.

• My Alternate Life ponders how much she really owed on her student loans, after making the final payment recently.

• Add Vodka is working on weed proofing the garden - a more expensive proposition than it sounds!

• Student Debt Survivor learned some priceless skills at jobs she hated, over the years.

•  Vix Money released her May spending plan results.

• We Only do this Once gives some tips on how to reduce financial stress.

• NZ Muse shares some thoughts from the road.

Thanks to everyone who included us this week:

• Master the Art of Saving: Carnival of Money Pros

• Suburban Finance: A giveaway and link love

• Reach Financial Independence: Carnival of Financial Independence – 14th Edition

• Freedom Thirty Five  - Expensive Night Out

• Planting our Pennies – Carnival of Personal Finance

Photo credit: wsssst via Flickr

Get the facts

I asked the agent every possible question I could think of. The agent noted that they purchased the file from Telus on May 25th and have been trying to contact me since. I have noticed this number call me quite a bit over the past week, but assumed it was a telemarketer. The agent also claimed that someone spoke to me on May 28th and offered a settlement of $171, the original amount owing. She noted I was being charged 12.5% interest daily, which led to the $211 balance. I asked what the bill was for (she couldn’t tell me). I asked if there was an account number associated with the file (she couldn’t tell me). I took her name and number and told her I would do some digging and get back to her.

Do your due diligence

Despite her assertions that contacting Telus would be a waste of time, I decided to give them a call and see what other information they could provide. Besides, her claim that someone had talked to me on May 28th was completely false, and I had the phone records to prove it, so I wasn’t putting a whole lot of faith in her story at this point. After speaking with Telus I was able to gain a lot of useful information. The original bill owing was for internet services at an apartment I lived in for three months back in 2009/2010. I moved there in November 2009 and moved out again in February 2010 after we bought our first condo. I forgot to cancel my internet. Telus continued sending bills to my old address and eventually cancelled the service due to non payment. They have continued sending bills and demands for payment to that address for the past two years – twice monthly. I confirmed that they had my current phone number on file and the representative noted they called and left a message in April 2012. Another questionable phone contact, as I certainly would have called them back had I received a message…

Negotiate a settlement – owning up to your mistake

At this point, I had to face the fact that I made a mistake. This was my bill to pay, despite my fantasy that someone had stolen my identity and were scamming free internet off me! That said, I certainly wasn’t prepared to pay the full bill, interest and all. I also had determined from Telus, that the original bill amount was $116 and that interest charged by Telus brought it up to $171 before being purchased by the collections agency.

I called the collections agency back and told them I would settle the account immediately for $116, the original bill amount. The agent I spoke with, noted he was only able to authorize a reduction to $171, the original amount they were seeking when they received the file (progress!), so I asked for him to check with his supervisor. He did, but I was greeted with a resounding no. Still, I asked for the account statement to be sent to me by email (no way I’m giving out my credit card number over the phone with no backup!) and that I would call them back the next day, so I had time to consider my options.

Sadly, I think I’ve exhausted my options. I’m going to have to own up to my error and make the payment to restore my credit. While this has been a good reminder how important it is to stay on top of your bills, it’s also a reminder to check your credit report on a regular basis (you can get a free report once a year). Had I checked my report in the past three years, I probably wouldn’t have been in this position?

What about you? Ever had to deal with a collections agency?

I butchered the 10lb of meat up into more manageable chunks then was left wondering, what am I going to cook with all this meat?  Well, one of the things I made was a pork roast.  When people think of roasts, they often think of beef roasts.  But pork can be delicious as a roast as well!  And, it’s usually cheaper.

• 1 head of garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided OR 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1/2 tablespoon white vineagar
• juice of 1 lemon juice
• 1 pork shoulder with skin, 5-7 lbs

Combine the garlic and salt and mash into a paste using a mortar and pestle (or other blunt object).  I put both into a ziploc bag and mashed the hell out of it using the end of my chef’s knife.  Then, mix in the oregano, vinegar and lemon juice.

Next, clean the pork shoulder by trimming away excess fat and cutting the skin away from the meat.  If there is a lot of fat underneath the skin, cut that away too. Then, smear the seasoning paste all over the roast, especially underneath and on top of the skin.  If there are any natural folds in the meat, feel free to cut away the connective tissue and stuff some seasoning in there as well.

Place the pork shoulder into a baking dish or roasting pan and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it marinade in the fridge for 8 hours.

When you’re ready to cook, let the meat come to room temperature on the counter while pre-heating the oven to 350F.  Cover with tinfoil and roast for 2 hours.  Then, add half a cup of water and roast uncovered for an additional two hours, adding more water as necessary.

When it’s ready, the skin should be crisp and the meat fork-tender.  Remove the meat and, if you like, add a bit of water and flour to the pan juices to serve with the meat.  Add some potatoes and your favourite veggies – garlic brussel sprouts are my choice – and you have a delicious weekend meal.  With leftovers!

Adapted from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Garlic-Roasted-Pork-Shoulder-239994#ixzz2V7J88eIK

What our garden should be looking like (it’s not)

Looking forward to another busy weekend of wine tasting (and studying – it’s hard. Actually.) and visiting with family. My parents are in town, so I plan on taking them out for dinner!

Hope you have a great weekend, be sure to check out some of my favourite posts of the week.

My Favourite Post of the Week:

• My Alternate Life shared a very personal post on unconditional love.

And more awesome posts from the week that was:

• Freedom Thirty Five reviews the world’s most powerful women.

• Budget Blonde talks about how to make money from hosting an event.

• Cents and Sensibility shows what Grand Theft Auto has to say about finances.

• Mo Money Mo Houses shares here thoughts on how expensive kids are.

• Money After Graduation reminds us that if you’re in debt or not happy with your life, its YOUR FAULT!

• Broke Millenial explores Klout and how it can be a frugal aid!

• Reach Financial Independence notes that it’s not about how much money you have, it’s about the returns!

• I really enjoyed reading about NZ Muse’s experience at the Thai/Cambodia border. Watch out for scams!

• Add Vodka discusses what she could do with her raise.

Thanks to everyone who included us this week!

• My Own Advisor: Weekend Reading
  

• Edward Antrobus: How to lose money of Fiverr

• Master the Art of Saving: Carnival of Retirement – May 27

• Canadian Budget Binder: PF Weekly Reading List

Photo credit via flickr

Brian and I try to use up all the food that we buy.  Very rarely do we ever throw something out uneaten because it’s gone bad.  That’s the only way to make a $200 grocery budget work!  But you do need to have a general sense of how long foods last.

Here’s a quick list of How long to keep things for (ish):

One to two months:

One year:

Photo Credit: cybaea via Flickr

I’ve never actually had a formal performance review.  At my previous job as a software developer for the university, I gave my notice AT my scheduled performance review.  It was rather awkward and as a result, not very indicative of a real review I think.  Prior to that, my job as a research assistant never resulted in any reviews.  Everyone just sort of got their raises silently and predictably each year.

While it’s definitely nice to be in a job where performance matters, it also means that I need to strut my stuff during this review.  I want my raise, damn it!

Remind everyone of your accomplishments

It’s good to keep track of your projects and tasks throughout the year.  Some companies use project management software, so this makes it easy – just go back and review your projects for the past year before doing your performance review.  But many smaller companies won’t manage things to that level of detail.  In those cases, you should try to keep a tally of your accomplishments.  During your review, you’ll want to use those accomplishments to show management why you’re a great employee!

Acknowledge your failings…

As important as it is to make yourself look good, it is also important to give a nod to the areas where you failed.  You don’t want to ignore your failings and make it seem as if you are trying to hide them.

Instead, it is often better to candidly acknowledge how you slipped up with the last project or how you have had an issue learning a new system.  An employee who recognizes their failings is much more valuable than one who is oblivious.

But also mention what you’re learning

Of course, it’s not enough to mention your mistakes – you should also let your managers know what you’ve learned from your mistakes and how you have corrected them.  If you used to be perpetually tardy or disorganized, you could talk about learning to use Outlook Calendar to manage your time, for example.

In the same vein, if you’re learning new skills for your job, you should mention that as well.  For myself, I’ve done things like taken classes and certifications for my job outside of job time – I *always* bring this up during formal meetings with my manager.  After all, managers aren’t always aware of just how much each employee puts into his or her work – especially if the effort occurs outside of work hours.

Discuss and realign expectations

Like any relationship, over time, expectations can change.  If you are not on the same page as your managers, it can lead to problems and disappointment – just like with a boyfriend or girlfriend.

The performance review is a good time to check in.  Are you hitting your targets and goals?  Are you putting in enough effort and getting enough tasks done each day?  So much of our work relies on implicit assumptions – making some of these assumptions explicit allows you to meet the expectations of your job without any ambiguity.

Set goals for the year to come

Finally, consider setting yourself some goals for the upcoming year.  Many companies will actually require you to set goals.  That’s the case at my workplace – my manager has already warned me to start thinking about goals and the direction that I want to take my career.  Yikes.

It can be hard to figure out how to set goals.  When it’s part of a form review process, it can seem contrived to think of an arbitrary number of goals to write down in a form.  I try to think of it in the most personal terms possible.  It’s my career and whether or not the company requires me to set goals, I still have things I want to do and accomplish.  I just need to formulate them in terms of goals and deliverables!

***

Has anyone had their yearly performance review yet?  Wish me luck on mine!