A Q&A With SpringCoin

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post

Recently I had a chance to talk to Kevin Yu, who is one of the co-founders of SpringCoin. We discussed their "spending insights" that are within the SpringCoin program and he told me that as time goes on, the insights get more and more detailed based on your personal situation. Basically they’ll be able to pinpoint exactly what you’re spending on and give you alternatives, or provide you with coupons to the merchant. 

Another cool thing about SpringCoin is their weekly goals and challenges. So, they’ll give you 3 weekly goals/challenges to complete that will help you save money and pay off your debts faster and then they give you a reward each completed task, which is a very nice incentive.

I've had a few people ask more detailed questions about SpringCoin (and since I'm a natural skeptic too) I thought it would be good to share the Q&A with you here. 

Q&A Time

And Then She Saved: Is SpringCoin considered a debt consolidation company? If not, what is the difference between what SpringCoin does and what they do?

SpringCoin: We are not a debt consolidation company. A debt consolidation company will pay off the bills and consolidate them into one payment (similar to LendingClub/Prosper). We give a cheaper alternative and tell people how to optimize their monthly payments to get out of debt quicker. 

And Then She Saved: How does SpringCoin make money if people sign up for the free account?

SpringCoin: We don't really make money from people on the free account, however, some clients may be eligible to "upgrade" their account to a premium plan depending on their interest rates and payments. It's completely up to them if they want to upgrade or not. Later on, we'll be able to provide money saving deals depending on their current bills. For example, if they're spending $100/month on cable and internet with Comcast, we might be able to give them a deal through DirectTV for half the cost.  

And Then She Saved: When clients are on the Premium account how does that differ from the free account?

SpringCoin: The premium plan allows the users to significantly reduce their interest rates and payments. In this case, we'll take one monthly payment and disburse it to their creditors and get them on a structured payment plan to get out of debt in less than 60 months. We don't offer this to everyone, only to those who can substantially benefit from it.

And Then She Saved: Does SpringCoin make money from the clients when they are on the Premium package besides the $35 they pay for the monthly fee? If so, how and from what?

SpringCoin: If clients are on the premium plan, we will take the money and disburse it to their creditors according to the arrangement. Typically, the clients monthly payments will be lower than what they are paying now, and can see interest rates anywhere from 0-15% depending on who their creditors are. If and only if they decide to go on the premium plan, we'll ask them to provide their banking information so we can ACH the money and pay their creditors. 

And Then She Saved: Does SpringCoin talk directly to the client's credit card (or other debt companies) and negotiate with them? How does that work exactly?

SpringCoin: We don't talk directly with credit card companies since we're not a debt settlement company that negotiates settlements. However, people on the premium plan are able to get special interest rate reductions from their creditors.  

New Shots From The Accessories Swap!

Beth from Captura Photography sent over some of her photographs from the Accessories Swap that happened earlier this spring. She was shooting for Handbags.com and it was fun to be reminded of the great night of swapping!

Thanks for letting me share the images here Beth!

The Business of Blogging

I don't think I've ever written a post about the actual behind-the-scenes world of blogging or about "the business of blogging" but it feels like this now is the right time. I definitely do not consider myself an expert in this area and I am constantly surprised by how much there is to learn in the world of blogging. Recently, I've had some family members ask me about how to start their own blogs and it really reminded me about how much goes into it all.

This blog started a place to document my process of crawling out of my oppressive debt by using a spending fast approach, and in the beginning this blogs main purpose was just to keep me accountable. It was essentially a public diary.

Since then the site has grown and evolved as I have.

My personal financial story has gone from: "Here I am with all this debt, ohmygosh, will I ever get out of it?!" To: "Whoa. I'm out of debt. Now, how do I stay out of debt?!"  And now to: "Now that I'm (unbelievably) debt-free I kind of want to save where I can so I can spend where I want, and how does that all shake out? Can I enjoy life and retain a debt-free existence at the same time? Is that even possible?"

While I want to be able to provide more consistent content (more posts more often) it means that I have to start thinking about the financial side of it, and really ask myself if I can (and should) take time away from the other areas of my life to try to take this site to the next level. To do that it means that I have to think about taking on more sponsors. 

When I consider that even the simplest post takes a minimum of 1 hour to create (and often quite a bit longer than that with most of the posts taking about 3-4 hours) it really starts to add up. Every post requires: uploading and editing photos, composing layouts, creating links, including tags and categories on the back-end, writing the actual content, and then editing that content to remove any jacked-up grammar and spelling. For the DIY and instructional "how-to" posts they are obviously a lot more time-consuming because you have to account for the time it takes to make the item or to do the project too.

I'm consistently jotting down ideas from my daily life and from my daily experiences with money to write about here because I want to be able to provide the most insightful and useful content that I possibly can. I'm not complaining at all, it's just stuff that I have to consider.

We all know "time is money" so how do you segue a hobby into something more while considering all that is involved and not get burnt-out and broke in the process?

I don't want the site to become over-run with ugly ads and I would never accept a sponsor that I think would take advantage of the site readers like credit-lending companies or anything similar. Even with the Google Adsense ads I specifically ban any financial related ads since I can't personally approve every company that Google would have advertise on my site. Since Google would naturally like to link financial-related companies to this since I lose out on money by banning those types of financial ads but I'd rather not get it if it would mean compromising the integrity of the site. (For those who are curious, I make about $100 every few months through the Google Ads. Totally not much, right?)

I can't tell you how much I appreciate that you trust me and my opinion on personal finance and getting-out-of-debt matters and I don't want to do anything to lose that trust. It's about integrity and I'm not willing to lose mine or the integrity of this site just for an ad. I've put too much work, and love, and time into it to do that, and more than anything I respect you all and your situations way too much to do that.

So what does all this mean anyway?

It means that I will be taking on more sponsors and there will likely be sponsored posts appearing within the content of the blog.

When there is a sponsored post I will make it very obvious and I will include clear notification that it is in fact a sponsored post. These posts should be considered as type of "commercial break". You can take it or leave it, and while I will research and hand-pick only companies that I believe in, I recommend that you do your own due diligence by researching the company on your own before you purchase anything that you're not quite sure about. I recommend that for not only the ads on this site but for any other site as well.

And while it might seem counter-intuitive to have product ads on this site I have to point out that I'm not about "absolutely no spending at all", I'm all about responsible spending and I'm all about getting out of debt so you can enjoy those treats every once in awhile. 

Talking about the advertising on the site feels a little strange to discuss so openly but keeping it "under-wraps" would feel a little shady to me, and I don't want anything to feel shady around these parts, ya know? I want you to know what's happening. 

If you have any questions about anything I've mentioned feel free to send me an email or leave your question in the comments, and I'd be more than happy to answer it. 

xo, anna

6 Things I Didn't Buy This Week- AKA Temptation Is A Beast

Temptation is one helluva' beast. It's freaking everywhere! And, as much as I love Pinterest is has only made my desire to want, to make, to do, and to buy that much more insatiable.  

Sometimes in my mind it sounds like this, "I'll buy this, and make this, and send this, someday my house will look like this, and they'll love this, and oh, how cute is this!" SHIT is crunk.

My mind is all: want, want, want, do, do, do, improve, improve, improve. Growing and ambition is good and all but my word, I start feeling like it's all too much sometimes. Some days, I kind of want to be okay just where I'm at for right now, you know? It can be hard to feel contentment when there's always so much more that can be done.

And, I don't know about you, but if I start thinking about all the stuff I want to buy and make and do for too long my willpower caves and there I am, credit card in hand, ordering stuff online. 

It reminds me of that saying, "If you hang out in a barbershop long enough you're going to get a haircut." 

To keep my temptation to buy in-check I have to limit the time I spend looking at magazines, catalogs, and even my beloved Pinterest. I also routinely unsubscribe from all the email lists that somehow self-populate and breed when I'm not looking.

In honor of some of the restraint I mustered up this week here are 6 things I didn't buy that I totally wanted to. 

I didn't buy:

1. A sundress - It's got eyelets and a corset top that screams cute and sexy but not slutty because, hey there are eyelets and eyelets are innocent, remember. 

2. A new french press - I noticed an itty bitty hairline crack in my current press that I've had for a zillion years so I tried to convince myself that I need a new one (I don't).

3. Colorful lights - Our bedroom decor is crazy bland so I thought these would be cute in there to add some color. 

4. Neon twine - Oh my word. I could make a bunch of stuff with this. I'm not quite sure what, but lots of stuff.

5. Sassy t-shirt - It's sassy and hey, I like sassy. 

6. Colorful tights - I want to be all about wearing dresses and tights together because they look so cute but I can guarantee you that I will not be putting on any sorts of tights in the summer. Tights and summer and sweating aren't a solid mix in my book.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

What didn't you buy this week that you really wanted to? How do you curb your temptations? 

Using A Groupon To Get A Deal On Braces?! - YES

braces photo by zawezome

No doubt about it, teeth issues are expensive.

When a lovely friend sent me this message about her amazing savings on her orthodontics by negotiating and using a Groupon in an unusual way I had to share because I am majorly impressed!

"Hi Anna! I have a story to share about saving money. :) I am getting braces for jaw/pain/overbite/cosmetic reasons. I talked to the ortho and for my treatment (with ceramic/clear braces) it was going to cost $5300. Ouch. Insurance doesn't cover adult orthodontia, so I had to really decide if I needed to do this... well, a few days ago I saw a Groupon for Invisalign from a different orthodontist. I sent it to my ortho and asked if they ever do Groupons, etc. Back and forth, back and forth... eventually they told me they would honor this other doctor's Groupon for $1,000 !!! So, I get my braces on next Tuesday... just by asking if they ever do "deals" like that, they gave me $1,000 discount!"

I've also heard of a lady who went to a dentistry school at a college to get a missing tooth replaced - it took 2 years for the whole process to be completed but she saved a ton of money.

Morale of the story- ALWAYS ask for a deal.

They might say "no" but that okay because they just might say "yes" too. If you don't ask it's going to always be a definite "no". 

Hey, it's worth a shot.

Do you have any tips on saving money at the dentist? Or using a Groupon in an unconventional way to leverage a deal?

A Cheap Gift Idea + Stickygram Giveaway

Do you love Instagram as much as I do? (My username is @annanewelljones if you want to follow along, and I want to know yours too.)

Here's an inexpensive gift idea for you.

Turn your cherished photos into magnets

I was surprised how easy it was to make these magnets on Stickygram and when they arrived they were the exact same size as the picture on the phone. These would make a cute custom and thoughtful gift. These days as easy as it is to take (tons) of pictures it seems no one is making prints (!). This is a way to make those memories tangible.

I have to point out how stylish my little 7 year-old niece is in the above picture. She's always got mad style and that's a memory I never want to forget.

**This giveaway has closed but there are actually a ton of great DIY gift ideas in the comments. So check 'em out!

To win your own set of magnets it's easy. 

♥ Simply tell me in the comment section below what your favorite DIY gift is

Be sure to leave your name and contact info in the requested fields so I can contact the winner. The contest will close on Thursday, May 17th at 9pm Mountain time. Good Luck!

p.s. Stickygram is an affiliate but I'd still think this was a good gift idea even if they weren't. 

Update on May 17, 2012 by Anna Newell Jones

The winner of the giveaway is lucky #21, Melissa! Congratulations and I'll be emailing you soon!

Hook Yourself Up and Check Out The Create Denver Expo

This Saturday, May 12th the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs (DOCA) is having a Create Denver Expo. It's a full day of workshops, networking, learning, expanding, all that good stuff.  

Plus, one of the very best parts is that for access to a full day of workshops it's nutty cheap at only $10. 

Here's the official low-down on the event.

"The Expo is a day-long event that provides creative individuals and business owners a "one-stop" opportunity to learn about various business services and programs that can help stabilize their creative enterprises and plan for the future. Workshops are led by experts in the fields of marketing, business planning, finance, media relations, legal issues, as well as offering business support in music, film, public art, fine art and more." - DOCA

These are some of my favorite workshops that they are offering:  Small Biz Financing (OED) Fiscal Sponsorship + Crowdfunding (Fractured Atlas) Funding for Artists (Jan Brennan) Internet Marketing Basics for Small Businesses & Artists Introductory Social Media for Business Owners Meet the MasterMinds: Colorado's Creative Class (Westword) Where to Go When the Banks Say No (Replin, Rhoades & Ratner, LLC) WRITE RAW! Writing Techniques for Blogs, Newsletters, Articles and More The Create Denver Expo is a program of Create Denver Week: May 10 - 13, 2012

Getting Around The High-Cost of Vet Bills

thanks to shayla for the picture

This little guy is Oreo. He's my friend Shayla's cat and I've known him since he was a wee little kitten. 

Last month when I was out visiting, Oreo started to have some sudden health problems. He's already diabetic and gets daily insulin shots so the obvious guess was that his problems were related to his diabetes.

He was lethargic, hanging out under a piece of furniture for two days straight, he wasn't eating or drinking (and subsequently not going to the bathroom), he looked thin, his tongue was sitting outside of his mouth in a weird way and he had a constant string of drool from his mouth to his chest.

So what do you do when your pet is obviously having strange symptoms and you want to take him to the vet but you have to seriously consider all the available options because money is, um, tight?  

You go straight to the computer and start up Google because the internet knows like, everything. 

We were doin' us some research and soon found out that what was happening with Oreo was not a "kind of" bad situation it was a "super bad" one. As in, get him to the emergency vet ASAP!

image thegoinggreenboutique

Have you ever heard of that Ask-A-Nurse line? It used to be HUGE when I was a kid (pre-internet days) and I was a big fan up calling up and telling the nurse my symptoms to find out what I had. The nurses would always, I mean always, tell me that I should go to see a doctor. I started thinking it was a racket, you know, just a promotional tool for the doctors. You call a nurse and they tell you to go see one of their doctors, ones that paid to be on a recommended list. It's possible. I sound like such a cynic. "They just want our money!" Maybe they were legit? Do you know if they were?

Shayla ended up calling the emergency room vet after the bleak diagnosis that the internet provided and we were fully expecting them to say, "Yes, you absolutely must bring Oreo in ASAP or he will probably die tonight. Totally up to you though!" 

She relayed the symptoms to the nurse and told him that she didn't want to come in unless absolutely necessary. Then the nurse (are they nurses at the vet? or vet techs?) asked quite a few questions.

The conversation lasted about 20 minutes and he asked if Oreo had gotten into any chemicals, or if he had eaten anything he shouldn't have. The answer was "no" to both so it was determined that the problem was almost definitely related to his diabetes. We were instructed to give Oreo a little spoonful of honey and that the sweetness would help him if his problem was indeed related to the diabetes. The nurse/vet tech then said that if the problem was diabetes related that Oreo would be acting more normal in about half and hour. 

Turns out, getting a cat to eat a spoon of honey (I so want to say: a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down... I know you know what I'm talking about) is not as easy as it sounds. Even though he was lethargic he was still squirmy and that honey was not going to get into his mouth.

The next day Oreo got taken to the regular (non-emergency read: cheaper) vet and got checked out and sorted out and he's all good today. Go Oreo!

The point of the whole story is that super helpful nurse/vet tech on the phone. Maybe it was his first day out of college and he was super eager to help and all about the enthusiasm. It's totally possible that she lucked out with that, or maybe he just completely loves animals and didn't want one to suffer any more than it had to, or maybe he was just totally awesome naturally. 

I must say that I'm not an expert in animal care and have not ever attended even one day of veterinary school (so take this advice at your own risk) but, if you have a pet who is in need of a vet visit and you're low on funds it's worth a shot to call the vet, tell them you'd like to avoid the office visit if at all possible (I've done this with people doctors too when I've needed a prescription re-filled but didn't want to spend the time or money to go in, and they will - sometimes- honor the request. I have 1st hand knowledge that it works).

You just might luck out and get a super helpful person on the line who can save you some money.

It's definitely worth a shot to try. 

How do you deal with the high-cost of pet bills? Have you ever used pet insurance? Is it worth it? Do you have a limit on how much you would spend on your pet's healthcare? 

How To Use Scarves To Pump Up Your Style On The Cheap

nope, no dirty mirror here- it's just snowing on the inside;)

Style is something that comes up often when you're trying to get (or stay) out of debt. Especially if you're used to running off the mall to buy whatever you want or if you're used to hopping on the computer and shopping online. Finding ways to make your old clothes feel fresh can feel like a challenge but if you think about it creatively you can easily make those old outfits that you're sick of feel fresh and new again.

That's where scarves come in.

When I was younger I always heard the "wear a scarf" tip I always thought it was such an antiquated idea. It was like, look, I'm not 75 so I'm not wearing a scarf, and I don't care how amazing you think they are.

They're not.

But... never say never, right? Times have changed and now, now I'm all about scarves. (Or, maybe I'm just old now. eeee.... ?)

Here's why I like scarves:

• They're inexpensive (usually) and can easily be found at thrift or 2nd hand shops


• There are so many ways to wear them


• They can quickly and inexpensively add interest to an otherwise boring outfit


• They can be used to cover overgrown roots to get more longevity out of a dye job (see this related post on how to cover up roots)


• You can wear them on your head, around your neck, around your waist, on your bag... so many possibilities


• They can be worn in all seasons


• They make you look like you have more money than you do


• They're cute


• They make me feel fancy

Here are some examples of how I like to wear scarves.

Recently I ran across this post about 50 Different Ways to Tie A Scarf and there are some that I had never seen before (like the Rosette Neck Wrap and the Infinity Loop Knot). I'm excited to try a lot of these.

And, if you haven't yet seen this super fun and cute video you must, and omg, I can't help but think that the editing time on this video must have been INSANE.

Do you like scarves? What's your favorite way to wear them and do you wear them year-round?