All Entries

I decided to go back to using my planner and yesterday, with only five hours in, I was super productive. It’s amazing how one small change can be a game changer. 
 
I completed everything on my to-do list except two items. I’m feeling great!  
Those two items, call Apple because I had a $.99 recurring charge and to call Priceline for a refund of about $150 that was not credited to my card. 
 
I also had followed up with the HOA “again”...
[ Read More ]

It's been a spendy week, our anniversary dinner out, some "fun" food for the weekend, and the garden plants.  Like all of you, I'm a bit aghast at the cost of restaurant meals.  We only go out for a "fancy" dinner on our birthdays or anniversary, and although we had less expensive (and lovely) fish entrees, a $38 pork chop was on the menu.  It was a really nice new restaurant, but still, $38 for a pork chop?  Who knows?  Maybe it was stuffed with $5 bills?
But...
[ Read More ]

Wow this year is going so fast...although we have officially hit winter here so I am hoping the next 3 months go quick as I hate the cold...I want spring weather so we can start planting our vegies...although I have just ordered some garlic online so should be here next week hopefully....we order a lot from these guys (we have a store here in the city) but they don't have much left this time of year as we are late getting it in...but there seedling are all home grown, organic grown...
[ Read More ]

I can't believe gas is at $5.89 a gallon.  I think I may have to increase our gas budget again.  I'd already doubled it from $100 per month to $200 per month, but now may need to go up to $250.  Even if we don't end up needing it for the cars, DH will start fishing soon and need to pay for his portion of the gas for the boat.  They try to take as many people out as the boat allows, so the gas costs can be split between more people.  That's more important...
[ Read More ]

Housing - $746
Utilities - $192
Car Repair/Maintenance - $160
Personal - $141
Medical/Health - $134
Groceries - $102
Gas - $44
Phone - $31
Eating Out/Takeout - $28
Furnishings/Equipment/Decor - $20
Laundry - $18
Entertainment - $17
Clothing - $13
Household Supplies - $6
Gifts/Charity - $1
Fares/Parking - $1
Grand Total - $1654
Variables - 79%
It was a good month. Despite some costly things, I kept the budget under control.  The costly things? I got my fuel...
[ Read More ]

Income Total: $1425.00


     * $1200 Recurring monthly retirement account distribution  


     * $225 Swagbucks and My Points earnings (cash out to PayPal) 


      


Total Spending: $1347.52


Total Savings: $77.48 (difference between monthly income and monthly spending)  Fixed Expenses: Verizon bundle (internet, cable):...
[ Read More ]

Last night about two hours before sunset, I got my plants in.  DH grabbed one of the wrong types of tomatoes.  I wanted two Early Girls and a Roma, but he got one Early Beefsteak.  I don't buy beefsteak tomatoes because they always take so long to produce here.  Same reason I don't buy Brandywines.  I've tried them once or twice and they basically start turning red in October, so they take up a lot of garden space with little production.  But I've...
[ Read More ]

I’m so glad that I live in an area where people come to vacation. This weekend was fabulous. I pretty did a staycation right at my home. 
 
Friday kicked off the weekend with Bible study, Saturday and Sunday were both pool days, self-facial and manicure and today I just relaxed. Time usually goes by quickly but having the opportunity to do absolutely nothing it actually dragged. Lol. 
 
I also got my itinerary ready for my upcoming trip. After my last...
[ Read More ]

Debts
Mortgage −$117,509.83 (-$238.04)Land Loan -$12,145.00 (+$12,145) New Loan!
Savings
Roth IRAs +$22,403 (-$389)401K +$42,250 (+$723)Emergency Fund +$9,633 (+$203)Maternity Fund +$3,500 (-$500)Animal Fund +$1,367 (+$501)Car Fund +$20 (-$0)HSA +$2,812 (+$208)
Overall: -$11,160.96
Retirement accounts were almost even with our contributions this month. Sold some goats, paid for hay and hired someone to clean the barn. Several more goats will be leaving in June. 
Land...
[ Read More ]

Debts
Mortgage −$117,747.87 (-$237.47)
Savings
Roth IRAs +$22,792 (-$2,010)401K +$42,250 (-$3,497)Emergency Fund +$9,430 (+$743)Maternity Fund +$4,000 (-$500)Animal Fund +$866 (-$0)Car Fund +$20 (-$0)HSA +$2,604 (+$200)
Overall: -$4,826.53
Retirement accounts plummeted again. Saving as usual.
[ Read More ]

It's difficult to comprehend it is already Memorial Day. 2022 seems to be flying by.
I was very worried that our peonies were going to be bloomed out before, but there were some beautiful blossoms left. My grandmother and my mother always took peonies to the cemeteries for what was then called "Decoration Day." I have tried to continue the tradition. 
We always start with DH's mom and dad. I'm going to put it out there...whomever sold that cemetery plot to his mom knew it...
[ Read More ]

Looks like the blogs maybe acting up 
[ Read More ]

Today was such a good day I've been trying not to stress about everything coming my way. 
The HOA sent another letter regarding my roof, this was resolved last year. I'll have to call them Tuesday. 
 
The day started out with a two-mile round trip,  trip to Walmart. Then I headed to the pool and spent about four hours. I got to read a few chapters of my book while at the pool.  
 
After the pool, I gave myself a mini facial and then...
[ Read More ]

MH made it into a San Francisco film festival!  & he was the headliner!  It was such a hodge podge of genres, that it's not fair to say that it was the "best" movie, but was definitely the most entertaining.  The downside of being last is that most the crowd had left (the event was long).  But it was received very well and it will be neat to see it in a fuller theater some day.  Fingers crossed.  The acceptances and rejections are rolling in slowly. 
MH...
[ Read More ]

I spent $142 on garden stuff yesterday.  The welded wire tomato cages were the most expensive items.  I had hoped to make it back there before the turquoise cages were gone.  I would have bought a couple last time I was there, but they were all zip-tied together and they were closing in ten minutes, and it was too much of a hassle.  So I got two yellow ones and two hot pink ones in the smaller size.  I use these on peppers not tomatoes anyway.  It...
[ Read More ]

May Goals and stuff
 
This months goals will be:
Investments:
Put 1000 into the brokerage account over the course of the month (actually put in close to 1500 but value only increased by 1000 due to fluctuations)
Round up any dividend paying stock that is under $30 so I can get a full share (ex: Unit paid me 2.15 last month so I put an additional $11 with to get a full share in return, in addition to my regular DCA round up stock purchases include: DEA, ET, Good, and MPW....
[ Read More ]

We have had rain all week and the weatherman said rain again all week except for wednesday.....we may get a little but not much....it has been cold and wet...I really don't like winter my body aches so much and technically winter doesn't start till june...so I think it  might just be a wet year...which is great but it also makes it so much more growth in summer and we suffer from bushfires every year....
Got some of our garlic planted today so hopefully it will grow we have...
[ Read More ]

Tuesday night after dinner we headed towards Seattle, but our hotel was in Lynnwood.  We stayed at a Hilton.  Let's just say it was not the best experience.  We get up to our suite and the door didn't unlock.  So my daughter and I are both left standing in the hallway while DH runs down to get the keys redone.  Standing is hard for both of us because we both have degenerative discs at the L-4 and L-5.  So does my mom so we think it is hereditary.
So...
[ Read More ]

We finally got paid our retention incentive & as a bonus they even made it retroactive! So in addition to receiving an extra 10% for this paycheck, we also got back pay for the 5 previous pay periods. It was a very nice check, even though they took out a lot in taxes. I am grateful for this added income over the next year. I want to make the best use of it.
 
 
 
[ Read More ]

The settlement check arrived yesterday and I decided on the following:

Save the HOA and mortgage payment 
Pay my tithes
Round up my savings to $17,000
Round up my car fund to $1000
The rest will be used for the kitchen, anything left over goes to the EF. 

 
I am going with the bare minimum on the kitchen. I really wanted taller cabinets but at this time I need to be realistic, taller cabinets aren't a must it's a want, and costs a lot more. The cabinets...
[ Read More ]