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Put grocery order in today and pick up toorrow after my hairdresser appt...my daughter will go to the butchers while I'm at my appt and get gas while we are out then we should be good for whie she is away except bread/milk
The govt here as changed their boosters to 3 months now instead of 4 so next sat we have my hubby and mom getting them...hubby was booked in for feb but makes it easier to have while our daughter is still home...so happy about that.
CC is officially paid off...
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The cases of omicron covid have obviously been rapidly spreading.  There is no more contact tracing.  And so many people are over it. They don't care.  They may have it but they don't care if they test or spread it around. It's an interesting dichotomy now.
People who are vaccinated just think whatever.  Sure let's go out and transmit it.  I don't want to change my life.  But what happened to the common good?  When you were sick before were you...
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It’s official, I’ve paid off the interest on student loan number three and I can now start tackling the principal. I’m so excited I can scream! 
 
Principal balance is $15,421.43. Hopefully, when I get my check from my client next week, I can pay the $421.23 to make things an even number. 
 
I’ll have to see. I have an eye appointment next week so I’m sure I’ll need new glasses. So I may not be able to add anything. 
I’m...
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I got my SS payment today, and my net increase is $112.  I don't think that's going to make a whole lot of difference in light of inflation, but, oh well.  I will continue just doing my best.
I ordered my free COVID tests yesterday.  I hope the package is small enough to fit inside my mailbox; otherwise, it will be left in the vestibule and could easily be stolen.  I'll have to make sure to check it often.
The 5G rollout was supposed to happen today, but it's...
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I was playing games on the computer the other day and I won $5500...yep so I took it out and it was deposited into my account last night....was really amazed things like that don't usually happen to me...so I paid off my CC...this extra money has put us about 3-4 months ahead of where we would be as we put it in the budget to pay off the CC and now we don't need to...so excited...so it means we are debt free again....and now I get to go and play with the budget and put the money...
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I went to Aldi this morning -- first time in the grocery store this year!  I spent $50 on groceries, $6 on toilet paper, and $8 on a utensil crock, which I didn't expect to spend, but they happened to have one that was the right size and color.  I was planning to look at Goodwill, but this was so much easier.
Variables are now at 33%.  I am working with an estimated budget right now, since I don't know what my new SS payment will be.  But I'll find out tomorrow!
Did...
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In honor of my birthday and turning the fabulous 48, I decided to pay $48 on my student loan. Normally I'm out and about for my birthday but today all I wanted to do was rest. Unfortunately, I worked, well I'm thankful so I shouldn't say unfortunately. I work for myself, and my clients needed attention, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to serve. I am heading to Greece for my birthday later this year, that's my a gift to myself and  I've paid cash for this trip In...
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Since my last update early December, we've been able to continue tracking our expenditures and fortunately for us, we've had a surplus every month since October despite our shoestring income (high cost of living state). I've made some extra income this month $1,125 as a substitute teacher. My goal was $700. I think I can still make a little bit of more income this week and then we are going away for a few weeks. We were able to cash flow that trip in its entirety. I also managed...
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After helping my step son pack up his house and move my body went into melt down...have been so sick...didn't help that we had a few days over 100 degrees...slowly starting to feel better....I am hoping I feel better by saturday as I am suppose to have my booster shot...my daughter had hers last week and had a bit of all over body pain and tiredness this time...so hopefully I won't be any worse...our hospitals are not coping with all the new covid cases...they weren't coping before...
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I am memorializing goals in my sidebar.  Unfortunately, this site is not allowing me to just cut and paste my sidebar goals.  So whatever, will just put some in another format and type it out.  
Pay cash for college ✔
In the end, MM(18) followed in his parents' footsteps and chose a public college that is impossible to beat from a cost/benefit standpoint.  I always say that about my alma mater but MM(18) has chosen a similar degree/route (at a...
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So many of my conversations revolve around food. Even online ones, it seems.
I was very tickled today when another couple came near to us at church (we still socially distance and wear masks), but asked if either of us liked fried mush. Well, the mister and my husband went on and on singing the praises and how much they loved fried mush with syrup. I reminded them not to drool in the pews! 
Another friend that I rarely see, but so much of our emails revolve around food;...
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I am going through updating the kids' Quicken accounts and so can do a snapshot of where they are at.
Firstly, DL(16) is done with his allowance.  I turned it off January 1, same as I did for his brother (when he turned 16.5).  & the only reason it took that long was some miscommunication between MH and I.  Probably should have just turned it off at 15 when they had their first jobs.  
Our attitude about "allowance" is it was a tool for the kids to...
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Payday:
My paycheck was deposited yesterday, 1/14/22, and it was fairly uneventful.  The amount I estimated my take home pay would be was slightly off - it was slightly less than I had estimated but that's ok, because I had built in a buffer.  I still have lots of changes coming to take home pay this year, so I will wait to make any big changes in the budget until that settles down.  I was happy to see my increased autosave amount, and was able to increase the amount...
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I’ve slipped out of the habit of blogging and financial things are still happening.
 
My paychecks are back to the normal lower level since social security and 401k contributions are again being deducted. The company for the first time in decades (and maybe ever) increased its matching contributions from 50% up to 5% of total compensation to 50% up to 6% of total compensation. I still think that’s lower than the benefits offered by some of our major competitors...
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Last night I met my kids at a local pizza joint that is going out of business -- a very sad affair, it was a longtime, much-loved business in the area, but they are done.  Anyway, I was the first one there and the line was SO long to get in. We texted back and forth and decided to go to another place instead, where we could eat without the wait.  It was the first time I went out since the proof of vaccination mandate was levied.  I have to say it went very smoothly,...
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Since I just finished paying back the SS taxes  from when they didn't withhold them the last few months of 2020, I got a corrected W-2 for that year. I really hated that supposed tax holiday. It has caused more issues than anything else. I hope that I don't have to go back & refile for 2020. The guidance says that you don't have to if you had just one job, but I was working three jobs in 2020. Thankfully, the other 2 jobs were smart enough to opt of the tax pause. As a...
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I bought cough drops at Walgreens while I was out for my walk yesterday - $6.  Variables are at 23%.  Still holding off on grocery shopping; no necessities have cropped up yet.
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My brother paid me back, $150. I took this money and threw it at my student loan, and the new balance is $17,500 (student loan #3), I'll update my sidebar later.
Looking at my budget, I may be able to add $2000 at the end of the month, fingers crossed. 
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I've been trying to get my brain together enough to do a goals post for 2022, but right now I am just really scattered.  DH flew off to California yesterday for work.  He'll be back on Saturday night.  His flight went well and he called me when he arrived and then again when he got to the hotel.  He has to go to a different area of California in February for a week, too.  I really hate that.  I know he used to be gone all the time for work only a few...
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I went to the eye doctor this morning and spent $114 on glasses and $39 on tests.  The glasses were kind of a splurge -- they are readers, but prescription-strength, and I got the thinner, scratch-proof and shatter-proof lenses.  I hope that will prove a good decision.  I use readers a lot, since I read a lot, and I also need them for computer work and simple things like reading a medicine bottle or a recipe.  Or seeing what's on my phone!  It will be about...
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