I just saw a commercial for my idea a little while ago. The only problem was that it wasn’t mine. Over a year ago I had a million dollar idea that would take some setup time, and be only a matter of promotion from there.

One of the big issues that I face is that my programming skills in this language aren’t as high as they need to be. I have to reference books to move forward with the project.

An even bigger issue is distraction. I’m kicking myself for not working as hard and long on the project as I certainly needed to be. There is still room for more in this particular area for another player, so hopefully if I can launch within the the next four months I might have a chance.

Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best won’t produce results. Like most things, focusing and doing the work will. I need to get going before I see advertisements from another company now.

Now that the holidays are over, the number of divorcees looking for a rental house explodes. I thought it was just an interesting fluke last year when we were trying to rent out a larger property. This year, a property manager has confirmed that he finds more newly separated people looking for a new home than any other time of year.

How interesting since it’s also Valentine’s Day time, huh?

Valentine’s Day and personal finances make an interesting combination… a situation we haven’t figured out the best way to handle. Spend a fortune on stuff? Bypass the big spending? Put the money toward something “super sweet” like your hubby’s Roth or a new stock pick?

We’ve always downplayed this holiday at our house–usually because we’ve had a house to rent out! Now I’m contemplating all of the past articles on Aridni and wondering what the best solution is.

Many veterans who have used their VA Home Loan benefit to purchase their homes have also refinanced with an Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL). An IRRRL is a refinancing program that is offered by the VA for veterans who want to refinance their current loans to get a better interest rate on their mortgage.

Some interesting facts that you should know about the VA IRRRL are:

• An IRRRL is used to refinance an existing VA loan with a new VA loan that usually has a lower interest rate.
• An IRRRL can be a fixed rate loan, an adjustable rate loan, or a hybrid adjustable rate loan.
• An IRRRL must be at a lower interest rate than your previous mortgage loan unless you are refinancing from an adjustable rate mortgage loan. This is because the interest rate with a fixed rate loan may be the same or slightly higher than your current interest rate with your adjustable rate mortgage loan, but once the rate begins to adjust it may increase. Therefore you should refinance an adjustable rate mortgage before the interest rate starts to increase.
• The monthly payment for an IRRRL must be lower than the previous loans monthly payment unless you are refinancing an adjustable rate mortgage or the new loan term is a shorter amount of time than the old loan term, like 20 years instead of 30 years.
• For most IRRRLs the VA does not find it necessary to get an appraisal, credit information, or underwriting. Your VA approved lender may require these things, and if they do the costs can be financed into the new loan.
• The lender can usually close an IRRRL automatically, so it is not a complicated loan process like taking your original mortgage loan.
• If the loan that is being refinanced is over 30 days past due then the VA must approve the refinance so it can not be submitted automatically by the lender.
• If thee loan that is being refinanced is more than 30 days past due then the late payments and charges to bring the old loan current can be financed into the new loan. The costs that are involved if the lender has already begun foreclosure can also be refinanced into the loan as long as they are reasonable.
• Energy efficient improvements are allowed to be refinanced into the IRRRL. This means that if you want to purchase a more efficient furnace, put in new windows, re-insulate, or make any other home improvement that will save you money on utility bills in the future, then you can use the equity in your home and pay for these improvements with your IRRRL.
• There may be an increase in your monthly mortgage payment amount if you finance energy efficient home improvements, finance your closing costs, include the funding fees in the loan, finance points, or get a higher interest rate when moving from an adjustable rate to a fixed rate mortgage.
• Only as much as two points can be financed into the IRRRL at closing. A point is equal to 1% of the loan, and if you take more points on the loan then you can lower your interest rate.
• You can not take cash out with an IRRRL. You can finance home improvements for the purpose of saving money in the long run, but that money is paid back to you as a reimbursement after the work is completed and it must be within 90 days of the loan closing. You do not get cash out of your home with this refinance loan.
• If your monthly payment will increase by more than 20% due to home improvements, fees, closing costs, a shorter loan term, or other factors then the VA does require credit information and underwriting.

For more information on the VA IRRRL program go to www.va.gov

The net worth is struggling to maintain itself these days, and to be honest, I’m not thinking about money to the point of obsession like I used to. Instead, I’m experiencing the things that I haven’t been able to do since college:

learning how to cook
writing a book

My husband is doing something he’s always wanted to do:

earning a master’s degree

While my co-personal finance bloggers experience rapid growth this year, we’re setting different goals for ourselves that involve personal development and enrichment. I work part time until May, which is the coolest feeling I have ever experiencing about work. Working 9 to 5+++ was the most miserable experience I have ever had.

Now I don’t have to worry about what the boss thinks or if I’ll lose my job or how to spend my messily vacation days. I have total freedom for myself, which no one else in my office experiences. Sure I get paid less. But at some point, we have to ask ourselves what matters most: lots of money or lots of freedom.

I read a fantastic book that illustrated the way I was feeling:
The Anti 9-to-5 : Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube

I suggest that anyone feeling frustrated with work take a glance. It has some fantastic strategies for reflecting on what makes you happiest and determining how to obtain the best situation for your working self. The fact that it’s targeted to women is something pretty much only relevant in the title. The rest is easily male or female.