Lately I’ve been noticing the #1goodmoneything hashtag on Twitter and Facebook. People use it to describe both major and minor money choices and actions.

Stuff like using increasing a 401(k) contribution, reaching a side hustle goal, winning tickets to a show, using travel rewards credit cards for a big trip, taking charge of bills vs. ignoring them, and not being upside-down on an auto loan any longer.

My daughter, whose blog many of you read, contributed one as well:

$10.95 sale on sports bras + $10 rewards card = $1.03 Victoria’s Secret sports bra.

That surprised me, since I had no idea that VS sold sweaty grunty stuff like sports bras. I thought they were all about frilly scanties. Live and learn.

Lately I’ve encountered a few #1goodmoneythings of my own. The most recent example was Saturday’s J.C. Penney anniversary sale. Coupons were handed to us at the door, good for $10 off a purchase of $10 or more. Because a video-game-themed T-shirt (destined for a nephew’s birthday gift bag) was on sale, I paid just $2.99.

My niece, a single mom who sniffs out deals the way a Brittany Spaniel scents quail, got six items for just over $20. Among other things this included tops she can wear to work, a handsome Henley shirt for her older son and a long-sleeved, screamin’ aqua bike jersey for the younger. (One of his plans this summer is to “ride my bike as much as I can.”)

Wish I could say it’s been all good-money-things, all the time, lately. Some But me being me, I’ve also met a few of the hashtag’s cousins.

 

Such as:

 

#1stupidmoneything

 

I missed the deadline to file my corporation’s biennial report with the state of Alaska. There’s a $100 fee involved with this chance to let the state know that yes, I’m still me and yes, I still operate my business here and yes, I’m still a sole proprietor.

Because I was a couple of months late to the dance, the state thoughtfully tacked on a late fee of $37.50. Once again, I paid the stupid tax.

 

#1procrastinatingmoneything

 

I’d been planning to move money from my older online bank account to the new one I established with Ally Bank. The interest rate is higher and the Ally Bank website a lot easier to navigate.

How long had I been planning that? Since, uh, mid-January.

Did I mention the higher interest rate? You know, the one I would have been earning since mid-January had I bothered to move the bucks?

At least it’s done now.

 

#1rageymoneything

 

PayPal had been asking me to re-confirm my address. This sounds like a scam, but it wasn’t: I found the request in the Notifications folder on my PayPal account. It specified the scan of a front of a utility bill or a photo ID showing my address. After I sent the scan, things turned Kafka-esque.

The reply from PayPal support said the example wasn’t acceptable because it was a P.O. box address. Not allowed, apparently. So I scanned a document that used my street address – only to receive another note from PayPal support, saying that it didn’t match the address on file.

Reasoning that maybe I’d opened the account before moving in with DF, I opened PayPal and checked the address on file. Which turned out to be…my P.O. box address. Which wasn’t supposed to be allowed.

Rage – all the rage – ensued. Now I’d have to call PayPal support on Monday and try to sort things out. Calling tech support is no one’s idea of a good time.

When I whined about this to my daughter, she suggested that I simply change my address on the PayPal account and try again. Wish I’d thought of that. She is a very practical woman who is good at cutting through bureaucratic roadblocks.

 

#1lazymoneything

 

This idea also came from my daughter. She’d posted on Twitter that her being unmotivated to leave the house meant not going out and spending money unnecessarily. #1lazymoneything 

In my case, there have been several #1lazymoneythings lately:

I’ve been in the market for a new colander, since the one we have is beginning both to rust and to chip. Sooner or later I knew I’d get one. Then the strainer of my dreams showed up on my local Buy Nothing Facebook page, and I got it. When I messaged to ask where to pick it up, she listed an address that was about three doors down from where DF and I live. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

My BFF Linda B. asked if I’d rather go to a movie or go to her house and slash our way through the DVR queue. While I did have some discounted movie theater gift cards, nothing really struck my fancy – and besides, watching TV at her house was free. Linda was happy with this no-spend tactic because no current releases felt like absolute musts to her, either.

Today I was out and about and kept seeing garage sale signs. The weather was sunny and 42 degrees, so people felt comfortable staging outdoor sales. Although I did slow down while passing a few, ultimately I was too sluggish to dedicate any time to shopping.

The reason I was out and about was to achieve….

 

#1cheapmoneything

 

Another member of the Buy Nothing page was looking to rehome a decorative piece that would be perfect for my younger nephew. (Won’t say exactly what, on the off-off-off chance he glances at my blog.)

This time the giver didn’t live on our street, so I had to drive a few miles. But I’d planned to go out anyway, since I wanted to take advantage of Walgreen’s latest Balance Rewards deal (buy $15 worth of stuff and get $5 worth of rewards).

Bonus: In the clearance section at Walgreens I found an ice scraper/snow brush tool that would be great for the vehicle emergency kit that I’m putting together for my older nephew. I really wanted to add it to the bag, because it was only $2.99 and it had a very long handle.

Bonus bonus: It rang up at just 99 cents. #1excellentmoneything

So, readers: What #moneythings have you been doing lately?

 

Related reading:

• Adventures in the clearance section
• Can’t get ahead? Try a “savings challenge”
• Coupon ethics