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Hi everybody!  It's been a while since I've posted an entry (in fact this is my first for 2022) but I have been reading everybody's entries, life has just been a little busy lately.  A pleasant kind of busy though, because in the middle of last month we got a new puppy!
I had been doing a 52 week challenge to save for new pets (which I wasn't completely regular with), we saved about $200 intermittently.  We were originally intending to wait a few years for a couple...
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Have updated my march budget and I should be able to get my $2,000 back into my ice account and pay off 1/2 of the CC ( rest should be paid off in april)....I will then be able to save around $1,000 a month...hopefully more but I am keeping it there for now....see how we go....but that is the plan.
I am researching our car/contents insurance as well as our phone plans to see if we can save money in those areas....we are looking at moving in october when the lease is up as if my...
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Things are cruising along reasonably well. I've adjusted well to working part time. At first it didn't seem much different. It took me a few weeks to adjust my schedule and stop feeling like I had to cram things into the 3 days I was off since I now have a whole 4th day free. Plus 2 days a week I don't go in until 1pm so I've got those mornings free now too.
Still, I'm constantly running the numbers to see when it is reasonable for me to drop to per diem and just work when I want...
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Popping in to report yet a little more spending.  Yesterday I went to Walmart (first time in a long time!) and bought two pairs of pajama pants ($30). I also spent $28 on groceries -- things I can't get at Aldi or Sam's -- and $3 on Easter cards.
This morning I ordered two different vertical cabinet organizers -- one for pot lids, one for bakeware -- from Amazon. $42 for both. I had previously ordered a lid organizer, but that shipment was lost and I cancelled it. I think...
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Well, we can start right off with saying that my no eating out for February has been an absymal failure.  I just cannot seem to stay well.  I'll get a day or two where I think I'm on the upswing and then I'm right back down again, exhausted and back in bed and unable to do anything about cooking meals at all.  DH does a couple a week right now, but he's up to his eyeballs in overtime, so otherwise it's takeout as no one is well except DH and he's dragging. ...
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I have officially started the refinance process.  My current mortgage is a 30 year fixed, at 5%, with a balance of just under $147k.  I am about 2.5 years into the loan, and my current payment is $830 a month.  When I purchased my apartment in 2019, it appraised for $199k, but afterwards, I did a fairly extensive renovation, including completely gutting the kitchen.  I am hoping for an appraisal of $220-225k.  I would like to take $25k out to pay off a...
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I stopped at Walgreens yesterday and picked up two boxes of Dairy Relief -- lastase.  The cost was $21. I bought two boxes because the second was half off.  It's a lot cheaper -- like $0 -- if I get it through my Medicare Advantage plan, but I can't order again until April, and I need it now.
I also went to DSW and picked up the boots which I had already paid for online. I was glad that they fit. I think they are going to be my go-to boots because they are easy to slip...
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Our 401K has started to creep back up, but our IRA is all over the place, but mostly not recovering or going down on average in a week.  Still, it's overall, better.  It's up to $71,159.77, which is a rise of $525.77.  That brings net worth up by the same amount to $129,285.26.
I feel uneasy about how much we have lost this year.  Our income on the 401K is -4.42%.  On the IRA it is -5.16%.  Not numbers that make me feel all warm and fuzzy.  But...
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Today is payday, and I was pleased to see that the loan I paid off last month has stopped being deducted from my check.  I went ahead and increased my 401k contribution from 10% to 15%.  Felt pretty momentous, and I'm not gonna lie, scary haha.  While this is not quite maxing, it is not far off.  To max, I would need to contribute 18% (technically 17.8 lol).  I'll obviously get closer after my merit increase in a few months, and then will see how far from...
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My MIL gave me a mandolin for my birthday on the 12th (I'm 52 now) and I started practicing yesterday.  I can do a G chord, a C chord, and a D chord.  Yesteday I got the fingering down and today I got the switching between chords down.  I have no calluses on my fingers, because the only instrument I've really been working on before this is the bass and tenor ocarinas, so I need to build up those again.
Tomorrow I will work on my speed, but it sounds good and isn't...
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I was due for an oil change -- or my car was, anyway -- so I got that done this morning; also got tires rotated and alignment. Along with an additive recommended by the maker, the whole bill was $124. From the auto shop I went to Sam's to get gas -- I neglected to pick up my receipt, but I think it was about $23 -- and then on inside where I spent $58 on groceries and $59 on medications.  While I was out I got my emissions test done -- luckily, my car passed and so there will...
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My therapist let me know at our last session that she is leaving the current practice, and starting her own, and that she will be out of network for all insurance.  Sigh.  I've had it very good - mental health is exempt from the deductible, and my co-pay was $30.  My FSA modeling was all based on this obviously.  In the new world, I will be subject to a $1400 deductible, then after that, they will cover 60% of the allowable amount.  What's the allowable...
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Happy valentines day...although we never celebrate it, my hubby has a tradition since our girls were born that each year he buys them a rose for valentines day...so we went to our youngest daughters house today and gave her hers...but our oldest daughter is in the US so we will wait to she gets back...but we talked to her and wish her a happy valentines day...I love this tradition for them...hope those who celebrate had a nice day as well...for those who don't I hope you had a...
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Today is my SA Blog Anniversary, I can't believe I've been at it since 2006. Time flies when you're having fun. 
Though over the years this site has been a bit of a challenge, I'm still glad it's here. This has been an amazing journey. I've been able to follow you all, some of some new, and I've learned so much along the way. 
Some I miss dearly such as Ima Saver, way too many to name. 
Love you all! 
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This is going to be a mish mash of topics. I apologize in advance.
I don't know if I'm the only one, but the news about Russia and Ukraine is unsettling me. I know like there's not much I can do to even resolve this, but pray which I have been doing, but when I feel out of control I do something to give me control and that is bake. DH always knew when I had a bad day at work because I would bake sweet muffins of some sort when I was fixing supper. I explained that although I could...
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Getting through "started but not published" posts.  This is the last one.  I did a DL(16) money update about a month ago, but here is the MM(18) update.
MM(18) had a one-month job lined up that would net about $3,500.  This was last August.  It fell through but was probably for the best.  He likely would have quit with the fires and terrible outside working conditions.  He was able to make $1,500 doing temp work in my office.  An employee went...
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So I was in terrible pain this week from Sunday. I thought it was TMJ.  I thought my jaw was aching or teething from grinding. I thought my nightguard wasn't helping.  But I also thought well I have my semi-annual cleaning on Wednesday so there wasn't a point in going in early. Wrong.  Omg i was taking meds like crazy it was so painful.  Yes I had called the dental office and because of what I told them and what I thought, they said okay come in wednesday...
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So I was in terrible pain this week from Sunday. I thought it was TMJ.  I thought my jaw was aching or teething from grinding. I thought my nightguard wasn't helping.  But I also thought well I have my semi-annual cleaning on Wednesday so there wasn't a point in going in early. Wrong.  Omg i was taking meds like crazy it was so painful.  Yes I had called the dental office and because of what I told them and what I thought, they said okay come in wednesday...
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I usually have to pay even more in taxes when I file, but this year, I actually broken even...or as close to it as possible. I'm actually getting two small checks from the state & federal. 🙌🏾And despite my complaining, my corrected W-2 from 2020 caused no issues & I didn't have to do an amended return. 👏🏾
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We are not cell phone people.  Not by a long shot.  I can say that because this is probably the most expensive cell my DH or myself has ever had.  What do and did we have and what we paid.
So currently we were paying $120/month plus taxes and fees = $138/month for 4 cell phone lines and 2 tablet lines.  It is a super old unlimited calling, texting, data plan.  The tablet lines were free add ons. I still used the free table until this year from 2015 so...
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