All Entries

We ordered the fireplace insert for our bedroom over the weekend. It should be here in 4-10 days. Out of pocket, it only cost us $90!
We participate in a wellness program through The Husband's work. We get points for completing different wellness activities, working out, seeing a doctor/dentist regularly, etc. The points can be redeemed for lots of different things; we almost always choose Amazon gift cards. Apparently, we haven't redeemed the points in a while. We had enough...
[ Read More ]

I think my last blog entry was in the start of September?  I know it's been a little while.  I've been working now for just over a month so have completed my work's trial period.  In Australia employers can choose from 3 months to 6 months for an employee's probationary period but my boss just wanted 1 month.  If an employer doesn't want to hold on to an employee during the probationary period here they can simply let them know that they have not passed the...
[ Read More ]

October 2
$18 Fandango (movies)
Dinner:  Falafels
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The plan today is for a NSD.  Will see how it goes.  MH has another volunteer shift today.  I certainly have no plans to leave the house.
Edited to add:  Money was spent.  See below.
We spoke to MM(18) very briefly today.  He squeezed us into his busy schedule.  My heart is very happy.  He was always so bored with school and so I am just crying tears...
[ Read More ]

Below is the screenshot of where my finances stand as of yesterday, 10/1.  This table compares 10/1 numbers to both 9/1 and to 1/1, I like to look at both to see what progress I've made over the past month, as as well as over the year so far.

Usually, this summary does not yet reflect my end of month 401k contribution/loan payments, but they seem to have processed those faster than usual this month, so they're reflected.  It does not reflect an additional payment I...
[ Read More ]

Yesterday I got my both my CV19 booster shot as well as my flu shot. I went to bed early last night. Woke up just before midnight with all the symptoms of coming down with something. I am achy, chilly, tired, have a headache, & my arm is pretty sore. Then this morning they started working on the roofs before 7. I hope this banging won't be going on all day long. 🤕
Today is a 3 paycheck month. I'm going to transfer some more money to my brokerage account for investing. At...
[ Read More ]

Yesterday I got my hair cut -- gave up on the longer hair and went back to the chin-length bob -- so much easier to handle.  My stylist did a great job, but it was pricy -- $73 for the cut and $15 for the tip.  Afterwards I went to the Skechers outlet store with the plan of buying anything that was backless with a memory foam insole.  It seems like this is the only type of shoe I can wear comfortably anymore.  I found three pairs, two of them on the clearance...
[ Read More ]

October 1  
$7 MH Allowance Spending (Patreon)
$0 Target (Groceries/Houehold)
Dinner: Leftovers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well this will be interesting.  Because any time in the past I have recorded daily exenses in blog, our biggest spending was generally groceries and gas.  No longer feeding an athlete teenager at home, the grocery spending should change drastically.  Also, we are driving 100% electric.
I just perused the credit cards...
[ Read More ]

$277.23 Tithe
_132.00 Grocery Envelope
_310.00 Monthly Family Chiropractic Plan
_118.18 Internet
__36.00 Garbage Fund
_167.00 Car Insurance Fund
__50.00 DH's Spending Money
__50.00 My Spending Money
__30.00 DS's Spending Money
1601.98 Citi
---------------
2772.39
We had a lot of money in the grocery envelope still from last payday, mostly because DH keeps forgetting to grab it before he goes to the store and uses the credit card again, so I just made up the difference...
[ Read More ]

The big excitement this week is that MH received a 24%-off offer to renew his movie pass.  When "movie pass" went defunct he signed up for the Regal annual pass (truly unlimited movies).  They extended that with the pandemic and his one year pass just expired this month.  He might have ended up having that one pass for two years.  He was going to renew anyway, but jumped on the deal.  For someone who will easily go to the movies three times per week, that...
[ Read More ]

I'm not sure when we will be getting the $10K from MIL, but it will be before the end of the year and this is what I've come up on.
$3000 Medical/Braces
$3000 Emergency Fund
$2000 Adjustable King Size Bed Frame
$_200 DD
$_200 DS
$_600 Vacation Fund
$1000 Household Replacement Items
As for items that need to be replaced in the household, DH and I both need new desk chairs and possibly DS does, too.  DD just had hers replaced not that long ago and it is still in really...
[ Read More ]

This month, I am splitting my spending summary and the month end "where am I" summary into two separate post - mostly because some payments weren't made until today and won't post til tomorrow, but they're technically part of September, so I wanna count them.  Plus, since as we flip to the next quarter, I wanted to take stock of where I am tracking against my goals for the year, and that always turns into a longer entry!
Last month I was lazy, and didn't detail out my spending...
[ Read More ]

Income Total: $1700.00


     * $1500 Recurring monthly retirement account distribution  


     * $200 Swagbucks and My Points earnings (cash out to PayPal) 


      


Total Spending: $1475.14


Total Savings: $224.86 (difference between monthly income and monthly spending)  Fixed Expenses: Verizon bundle (internet,...
[ Read More ]

I am so thankful that fall is here! With the hot, smoky summer behind us I can get out on our deck more and enjoy the hummingbirds and sunsets again! We have had some rain, which is awesome and the skies are back to blue.
Now that school has started, my days are getting into a nice routine. I am able to focus more on stretching our food budget by using coupons, sales and aps like Ibotta. I am enjoying the challenge of feeding us as budget savvy as possible! (A much easier feat...
[ Read More ]

I was able to transfer the funds from the sale of my condo to my new brokerage account just in time to invest before the end of the 3rd quarter. The proceeds ended up being just 5% of my total investments so I played with the investments just a little rather than sticking to my usual index funds. I still selected an index fund, but not the total domestic stock and total international stock index funds I'm currently invested in for my IRA. 
After living in my condo for 15...
[ Read More ]

I am not going to spend anything today, so I did my September recap.  (If an unexpected spenditure takes place, I'll put in on next month's spreadsheet.)
Housing: $795
Taxes: $428
Insurance: $238
Utilities: $197
Vet/Pet Supplies: $182
Gifts/Charity: $147
Medical/Health: $123
Groceries: $103
Personal: $90
Eating Out/Takeout: $58
Entertainment: $53
Gas: $34
Laundry: $16
Phone: $11
Furnishings/Equipment/Decor: $10
Grand Total: $2485
Variables: 94%
It was an...
[ Read More ]

When you aren't paid what happens?  Thankfully for our EF nothing.  I logged in and moved the paycheck amount from our sink fund into our checking account to cover our mortgage and bills.  Days like today I am pretty grateful I took the lowest common option and did the refinance from 30 year fixed to 7 year arm.  As ridiculous as it sounds the extra $720/month still went to savings but it just feels like if we had to we could cover the $3100 easier tha $3800.  
But...
[ Read More ]

I went to CVS today and took advantage of the following deals:
 


Buy 2 name brand toothpastes for $7.98 


I used a CVS store card coupon for $7.98 off 2 of these toothpastes 


These were free, except for tax which was .48 cents 


 


Buy one name brand deodorant on sale for $2 


I paid $2.12 (.12 cents tax) 


Received a $2 CVS Extra Buck back to use on a future purchase 


 


I received...
[ Read More ]

I got up early this morning and went to the gym, then to the bank to deposit a check and "buy" quarters. 
I have finished my second round of antibiotics, and I am so hoping this is the end of the infection.
Friday was a fun day, though I was super tired, I think because my body was fighting off the infection.  I met BFF for lunch, which cost a reasonable $12, and then we shopped at a few stores.  I spent $4 on a mug and $5 on a small wall hanging.  Big spending!
On...
[ Read More ]

Woohoo, I've finished moving money around (for now haha), and have made the second payment from my tuition reimbursement for the summer to 401k loan 1.  That's $2625 chopped off of that balance, the second part of that was $1275, and should be reflected by Wednesday or Thursday, so before I do my monthly summary. 
Things are all still chugging along very nicely.  I'm quite happy with my progress this year, and am playing with next year's goals.  
A few...
[ Read More ]

MIL dropped the bomb on us this week that she'd be giving us $10,000 soon and her daughter and her new husband (long, long time boyfriend) the same.  I was surprised, since she already gave us $6000 this year, plus paid for DD's liver tumor removal surgery.  I guess now that her daughter is married, she can give more money because the gift isn't just going to one person, it is split up in a couple.  She didn't do it before since they weren't married and wanted to...
[ Read More ]