Yesterday I came home to a $44 check from my auto insurance company, listed as a dividend for my 2002 Volvo. Now I just got one a few weeks ago for my husband's 85 Saab 900 ($25.20).

Making me think...hey we had 3 other cars insured through them in the last year (93 Ford Explorer, 98 Saab 900 Turbo, 87 Suzuki Samurai)-- are there more dividends in my future?

Either way, that's $44 more toward my tuition. Add that to the $115.38 that I've got saved up:

115.38
+44.00
------
159.38 out of $480 needed by September 17.

WOOHOO!

I sold another textbook!

I woke up this morning to an email from half.com, thinking it was like a feedback alert from my last sale or something. Nope. Another textbook out the door, and $14 for my college fund.

$101.38
+ 14.00
-------
115.38 of $480 saved for college

WOOT!

Listed a few textbooks on half.com a couple of weeks ago. The lower priced ones ($10 and under) haven't sold, but I came home to an email saying that the book I listed for the highest amount ($51.38) has been purchased and I will be paid on the last day of the month- tomorrow.

When I get my $50 from the hospital refund, plus the $51.38 from half.com, I will have $101.38 toward my $480 of tuition, due September 17. The moral of the story, kids, is to never, ever damage your textbooks (and the funny part is that this is a personal finance book!)

I need to get off my butt and list more things on half.com and ebay- I've got a room full of stuff to list that was given to me free of charge (probably 125+ pieces of clothing that I'm listing in lots of 3 or 4 items). And probably some more coming in the next few months by a kindly ex-relative who is moving out of state and downsizing considerably (both in that she is moving into a smaller place and in that she has gone down a few sizes- woohoo for her and double woohoo for me!)

Soooo-

I had this HIDA scan done on my gallbladder back in May. After the insurance paid their 80%, I was supposed to be charged $300. I agreed to pay $50 every month on the 15th. I made the first payment while I was at the hospital. June came and I never got a bill. I thought maybe the girl who did the billing made a mistake and started the billing cycle in July instead of June. July comes, nothing.

I called the hospital yesterday and explained I hadn't gotten a bill, and wanted to pay but because I had no bill I had no account number or PO Box to send it to. The lady on the other line (and seriously these people must really, really hate their jobs, she was so incredibly unhappy, even when I made it plain as day that I'm not the type that calls bill collectors just to yell at them) just sat there in silence. So then she goes, "what do you need me for?" and I said, "well I don't have a bill and I don't want to get behind. Can you tell me if my address is right and what is going on in my account?"

After some heavy sighing she tells me that the insurance went ahead and paid it in full, because my new billing year had kicked in by the time the transaction was made. Not only do I not have to pay the $300, but they are in the process of returning my $50 right now and I should get it any day.

So I tell the woman, "wow that really made my day, thanks I'm glad I called." "yeah bye."

HOSPITALS!

Anyway, that $50 is going toward my tuition which is due 9/18. I have to pay $480 out of pocket, and will get 100% reimbursed in December if I get an A or B, if I get a C I get 75% reimbursement from my employer.

With that $50, I have to raise $430 more. I still have a room full of stuff to sell on eBay. I get off of work at 11am today to see the dentist, and the husband doesn't have to work today. I'm hoping to convince him to entertain the little one for a couple of hours so I can get the eBay auctions up and start chipping away at my tuition.