Hmmm...Wasn't going to post for another couple months! lol But, CC#1 = $170.00 (maybe a bit less), & plans are to have it pd OFF by years' end. (I actually have till Jan '08 statement for the low rate to expire - which wouldn't be so detrimental due to the low balance) I hate the bank tho, and really wanted to pay it off sooner! But that didn't happen. CC#2 = Don't know exactly, but definately under $700.00. Next closing date is SOON. (I haven't been focusing so much on CC #'s 2 or 3, as they are fixed unless I default on ANY payment! - oh I don't like the sound of that 'clause') CC#3 = About $3150.00. AND...That "Oops!" CC bal is paid in full - YAY! (And I m SO patting myself on my back for THAT one! haha) PLUS, I paid our full mortgage payment(s) this month, plus about $150.00 over on 2nd. (YUP! I just couldn't pay minimum only. I want that 2nd paid OFF ASAP!) OH! AND...I started "paying myself first" last May - min 10%. BUT, after the first "pay myself", I decided to play "catch up" for the year, so I started paying myself 20% or whatever more I could. Also ran across an opportunity to lock in some CD's @ 5.45% APY - so I did that, and I trf'd some old 3 mo cd's into 6 mo cd's for the higher rate. They are in such a manner that I cannot easily get my hands on the money! LOL! So, basically, I'm living on the "below the edge of poor"! Christmas has been discussed, and we are going to do nothing except maybe take advantage of food sales, and IF we NEED something like thermals or sweats to keep warm, or a new battery for my trusty 18 yr old $2.00 hand calculator, or stuff to go into septic system... The ONLY gift we may buy is something for my Mother, which will probably be small $ amt gift certs for her favorite grocery stores or resturants (people from her church oft frequent places for Sunday lunch, and many times she doesn't go if it's expensive.) The GOOD thing is, we've had a sorta fairly mild summer. So, I've been able to use more $$ to pay towards bills. I have done some shifting on my pay plan to get CC #1 paid off (hopefully by years' end), and to get that "Oops" paid off. I've been SLAMMING on that #1 for awhile. (Sometimes it's a GOOD thing to hate a certain company - motivates ME to not give them any more $$$! LOL!) BUT, I'm going to have to slow down now, as winter is approaching - need to be prepared for those high heating costs for about 4 months! (We have heavy drapes, but bad windows! It gets SO cold here in winter, and I HATE the cold in my home!) I feel pretty good for now about my debt pay plan and how much I've paid off. I'm very impatient tho. I wanted more paid off SOONER. I've been obsessed with my bills and constantly reviewing them. (Sometimes 3 or 4 times a month lately - it's like I have a 'bulls-eye', and only one chance to hit it!) It's going to be hard to 'slow down' over the winter to adjust to high energy costs. We've already taken a big hit on less income in the household. We will adjust - at least for a short while. I will keep reviewing where we stand, and hopefully we will survive! IF it comes necessary to start digging into my pittance of savings, it's time for some serious decission making...(like I haven't already been thinking about that? Yes I HAVE!) For NOW, I need a big pat on my back for what I have accomplished! LOL! (I've a feeling next year is going to be even tougher than this!)

It is really hard to decide; my rule of thumb has always been, which will require the least out of my pocket in the long run? Without doing all kinds of calculations (that I can't do, but I believe that there are websites that can calculate it for you) I can't say for sure. There are advantages to the fixed rate refi, especially lowering the interest rate on your original balance; but could you get a lower rate and less out of pocket from a HELOC, paying it off first with the same discipline that you have been using? Have you talked to a credit union? I did take out a HELOC from my local credit union in order to pay off my mom's condo loan; there were no closing costs, fees, etc and the lowest interest rate in town. That was before the crash -- and it was long ago paid off, so I don't know if such a good deal might still be available. Don't know what repairs you need, but some large companies (hvac, roofing, siding) will offer low cost financing too -- you have to read the contract very carefully to be sure that you are getting what was promised.

Lots of us just changed to 80% for second homes because the Mortgage Insurance companies changed their guidelines. If I remember correctly, out of 4 insurance companies, there is only 1 left that will insure a second home. And all the mortgage insurance companies are making major changes right now. Fannie Mae is changing to allow people to own more than 4 properties, which was the maximum. But there are many more restrictions.

This is the direct-drive motor on a Samsung frontloader that I repaired several months ago, which is representative of how they're designed nowadays. The drum bearings aren't part of the motor, they're pressed into a housing that's part of the outer tub. The outer part of the motor, called the rotor, rotates during operation and is bolted to the drum shaft. The inner part of the motor, called the stator, is stationary and is mounted to back of the tub. The copper wires are wound around poles that generate a magnetic field which moves around the poles under control of the motor controller board and pulls on matching magnets inside the rotor to make the rotor turn. Reversing the direction of the magnetic field's movement changes the rotation to clockwise or counterclockwise. A rotor position sensor responds to the rotor's magnets and sends a signal to the motor board so it can monitor the rotational speed and direction. The rear bearing is pressed into the bearing housing at the center which is integral to the tub. The end of the drum shaft is splined and mates to the rotor for a positive, controlled movement. A 2nd bearing is pressed into the bearing housing inside the tub. With a seal to protect it from exposure to water.