Took kitty to the vet yesterday afternoon. It's official. He is a boy, LOL. The vet estimated his age to be about 3 1/2 months, so he was only about 2 months old when we found him. She gave him a couple shots and dewormer and go back in a month for the next shots. He did great riding in the carrier the hour drive there and back. Barely a peep out of him. Plus, we took our dog with us. The dog seems to be his protector, or at least kitty thinks so, LOL.
The vets office was running about a half hour late, I think due to a lady who had come in before me and needed her very old dog put to sleep. Poor old pup. They were apologizing for being behind schedule, but I assured them no worries, we were in that same position not that long ago with our old dog. The vet also said she had a long haired yellow kitty she was trying to find a home for....I said um...I think this one I have is plenty LOL.
On the way home we stopped in town at the store for bananas and decided to get their baked chicken from the deli to try for dinner. It was really good, too, and probably better for dh's stomach then fried, I'm sure.
The live skunk trap dh had me order arrived yesterday afternoon. Dh didn't get it set up. We ate our dinner when we got home and then he took a nap.
I got another billing in the mail from our local hospital, thinking it was finally for the providers charges during his hospital stay. Nope. It appears to be for just one of the provider charges during the stay and also the follow up visit he had at the clinic the week after. Based on my insurance explanation of benefits claims processed, I owe them around $1000 for the doctors seeing him. Beats me! I'm sure they'll get around to billing us at some point.
I got a call from the investment guy's assistant lady yesterday. She wanted to tell me she got the savings account $ transferred and the account closed out. I've never really figured out why this account (opened by step brother when mom sold her home) was opened in the first place. She already had 2 savings accounts, one with her Bank of America, attached to her checking, and another with her credit union she's been with for ever. Why not just put the money in one of those accounts? This was earning .01% interest, which ya, I get, her other savings aren't going to earn much more, BUT, they also don't cost a $175 yearly fee! She also said the paperwork on the beneficiaries form will be mailed out soon.
Ok, I just looked at her regular bank savings account rate. It's 1.05% per year. Over 10x the rate this investment "savings" account was earning. So, we are going from this savings money costing her about $168 a year to sit in the account, to her now earning $725 a year (and no fee). A total increase of almost $900 per year. A big no brainer. CORRECTION: her savings account rate is .02%. I totally read what I was looking at on her account wrong. Well, still better than PAYING to have the savings account.
I am glad it's almost the weekend. I need to figure out which day I'm going to go see my mom. I think I'll do it Sunday afternoon. That give me more time, without her needing to go down for lunch. I can get a load of laundry done while plugging in/explaining her new landline telephone and visiting. We can even run to a store if she needs some things. Then I can stop at Walmart and pickup a grocery order.
I'm glad you're finally getting your mom's bank accounts sorted. As you say, that was a very strange account for your step-brother to have your mom open wasn't it!
ReplyDeleteConsidering he also thought her money was only going to last 8-10 years, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Umm...it's been 2 years now since I took it all over from him and she now has more money then she did 2 years ago. She is not going to run out. She's not even touching principal and even if she has to go into higher cost assisted living/full time nursing care she's still probably not even going to need to touch her principal funds.
DeleteSounds like a productive day.. That is strange about that account but then I read your response to the first comment and it seems maybe something shady was going on there ? Oh a landline phone. I've wanted to get another put in this house for a long time but gosh I can't believe how expensive they are too have now! My , how times change!
ReplyDeleteTo add the phone service for my mom was an additional $13/mo, but that's probably because she already has internet with the same company.
DeleteWow, what bank is paying 1.05% interest on a savings account? To get that rate on a bank account right now there is normally some kind of restriction like a maximum of $10,000 can earn that rate, or you need several debit card transactions every month. Otherwise, the best rates are generally paid by high-yield savings accounts, which right now are paying 0.55% interest at best. Most regular bank savings accounts are paying 0.01% APY.
ReplyDeleteYOU ARE CORRECT! I totally read what I was looking at online for her account wrong. It was an "example rate". I think it's .02%. I have correct my mistake above. Thank you!
DeleteI'm glad Mr. Kitty Kat is working out.
ReplyDeleteYour step brother opening that account is truly suspicious!
Maybe he didn't realize there was a large annual fee with it, but it is strange.
DeleteSo the kitty thinks the dog is his protector. How sweet! We are still paying for a land line in Ankara which was mom's number. Now, it is in my name. We do not even plug a phone since the apartment is generally empty.
ReplyDeleteWe've been taking kitty out on the back patio for short outings. He seems to be more adventurous if the dog is nearby, keeping watch, haha. I hope this landline works for my mom.
DeleteYour slow steady takeover of your mother's financial affairs is the right road to go down for her future. She is in a secure situation now which must be a great relief for you all. I reckon the step brother may have had good intentions but one way or another he wasn't reckoning on you being quite so tech and finance savvy. Well done.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to say what his ultimate intentions were. People change when a bunch of money is involved, that's for sure. I do think he must be pretty clueless about managing money, though. Maybe his wife has always taken care of their money.
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