All Entries

I was off on Monday. Tuesday morning we had a supervisors' meeting then I met with my supervisor to discuss updating a policy. My mom called & left a voicemail during the meeting. Then my dad left a text message to call them. I excused myself from the meeting then as I knew it was something urgent. When I called my mom told me that my cousin had passed away. She & her fiancé had tested for Covid-19 & were recovering at his home. She lives with her parents, but...
[ Read More ]

How is it August already?!  
July was a doozy of a spending month, and I almost didn't post this because of that.  But I guess the whole point of tracking this is to see the ups and the downs (or......I guess in this case the ups are not the good times haha).  While everything came in kinda to very high this month, I was also traveling and celebrating my promotion.  I have a little more travel and celebrating planned for August before I buckle back down...
[ Read More ]

Wow, so I still have access to this thing?  So cool.  It's been like forever since I have been here, but life goes on, and so did I.
For the record though, I still have not forgotten the lessons in frugality that I have learned here. These are some of the most important life lessons I have ever learned from some of the most supportive online community that I have had the pleasure of er "meeting".  So, thank you all again, and HI HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING?
As for me,...
[ Read More ]

Well its been nice knowing 'ya.  
A long time ago in a galaxy... ok, I gotta stop that.  Anywho, it's been 2007 since I started a little experiment.  I would work out how to do without paying for the local trash pickup, and I would invest the money.  This would be my incentive to cut back on my trash.   To do this I started a DRIP (Direct ReInvestment Program) online.  I invested in a stable stock, and put in originally $25/mo. as this was...
[ Read More ]

Long time between posting.  Near the end of June Itripped and broke my dominant arm. The arm needed to be surgically repaired. I had surgery on July 14th, I am currently working half days.  I just do not have the energy to work full time,  
Just plugging along paying down debt and saving a little for retiremet.
 
[ Read More ]

Income Total: $6545.34


     * $1500 Recurring monthly retirement account distribution  


     * $250 Swagbucks and My Points earnings (cash out to PayPal) 
     * $5919.34 Federal Tax refund
     * $336.00 Remainder of 3rd Stimulus check
     * $30.00 Medical Refund Check
     * $10 CVS gift card redeemed from...
[ Read More ]

I won't be doing any spending today, so I did my July recap:
Housing: $795
Insurance: $710
Utilities: $219
Groceries: $145
Vet/Pet Supplies: $126
Vacation/Travel: $63
Medical/Health: $53
Phone: $52
Household Supplies: $52
Gas: $34
Eating Out/Takeout: $28
Furnishings/Equipment/Decor: $17
Entertainment: $16
Laundry: $16
Gifts/Charity: $12
Clothing/Accessories: $12
Fees/Services: $5
Grand Total: $2355
Variables: 79%
Not much to comment on -- the insurance was my...
[ Read More ]

Hi SA Friends:
Long-time, no check-in.  I guess I'm tired of screens--teaching on screens, chatting on screens, working on screens.  But I need to get back on the SA Wagon. 
So what's news in our world?
DD and I spent most of July in Minnesota seeing friends and relatives--lots of hiking, eating, drinking and fun.
DD is headed back to Scotland for university in a few weeks--more on that to follow.
DH is still working from home
I taught a summer class remotely.
So...
[ Read More ]

Debts
Mortgage −$120,209.76 (-$235.59)
Savings
Roth IRAs +$21,151 (+$95)401K +$42,722 (+$625)Emergency Fund +$8,791 (+$7)Maternity Fund +$1,000 (+$1,000)Animal Fund +$1,261 (+$200)Car Fund +$20 (-$0)HSA +$2,300  (-$53)
Overall: +$2,109.59
 
Kitchen is 95% done except for installing knobs, some caulk, hanging shelves and decor, etc. The main things are all installed, paid for, and in working order. I LOVE it. So much better.
I put my notice in at my job. I...
[ Read More ]

I didn't fall asleep until two last night, which isn't unheard of, particularly on a night when I've been writing, but I wasn't last night.  Then I woke up at 8 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep.  I've been dragging all day, but I am in a surprisingly chipper mood.
I did manage to get some stuff done that I have been putting off.  I called the main doctor's office to follow up on referrals for my daughter.  She was supposed to have them done for P.T. for...
[ Read More ]

Yesterday I took a walk to the mailbox and then to Walgreens, where I bought a birthday card ($6).  It was pretty hot, but VERY humid, and I was soaked with sweat by the time I got home.  Last night storms rolled through, but so far I am not feeling the promised change in humidity and temperature.
I'm going to the gym today and I plan to going to Sam's afterwards for creamer and raspberries.  My grocery spending for the month is already higher than usual, but these...
[ Read More ]

It's been a very long since I posted and has been a very big few months.  Last year my work (now my old work) asked me to work full-time and I agreed to work full-time until May, which they agreed to... however the job I was doing graduated into really needing full-time work, which was no longer my plan, as I want to run my own business!
So last month I took the leap and resigned!  It was time.  I worked there for just over 16.5 years, which is a wonderful effort. ...
[ Read More ]

So we have just come out of a week lockdown in our state....but since the delta strain has been in the community and we haven't been vaccinated I am doing things a little differently...so we sat down and wrote out a monthly menu of what we all wanted and what we needed for the meals...and I ordered it online and got it delivered (free delivery as it was over $300) and then we put our meat order in and did a couple of errands in the shopping centre and then went and picked it up...so...
[ Read More ]

I can't believe it has been nine days since I blogged.  I did fiddle around last night and revamp my blog's appearance.  I like to freshen it up every year or two, so I changed the color scheme and the avatar.  Well, the avatar is basically the same, I just updated the background, clothes, and hair.  I tried to keep the hot pink to a minimum on the blog layout, because I know that can be very hard on the eyes for some people, but I like it as an accent, along...
[ Read More ]

 
I have a dilemma and hope you all can help. As you know I left a very toxic work environment, and was recently offered a full time position that is significantly lower, $26.44 per hour, than my previous job. Benefits are not that great. 
 
I was told that the company is a great place to work, but the salaries are low, as you can see. 
 
I recently interviewed for and received an offer for a contract job, 8 weeks at $50 per hour working remotely....
[ Read More ]

I finished the summer semester, and am so relieved.  I definitely need a break, even if it's just for a few weeks until the fall semester starts.  I enjoyed both of my classes, but was moderately annoyed by things both instructors did.  I'm waiting for my official grades, but should be A/A- for both.  Once the grades are posted, I will submit for reimbursement.  Reimbursement funds will be directed to existing 401k loan balance. One semester down, four...
[ Read More ]

Yesterday I ventured out into the heat -- went to the gym, then to the vet's office to buy more fluids.  I got two bags this time, plus a dozen needles; total cost was $28.  Then I went to the senior center to make a deposit into my travel account.  I could only put in $63, which topped my usable dollars at $150.  I'm not allowed to go any higher than that (didn't know that before -- I'm sure I was told but didn't take it in).  I was hoping to use this...
[ Read More ]

I know it's not the end of july yet but all our bills are paid and we don't get paid again so can finish up julys budget...so I wanted to save at least $2500 a month towards a home deposit and we did that this month, we also used the CC and paid that off in full (so debt free again)...my goal is to save around $50,000 in next 16 months (including this month) to buy a house...it's a hard ask and probably won't make it but something to work towards...if a goal is to easy to reach...
[ Read More ]

Life has been busy. I'm not complaining though. 
DH's garden is starting to produce. He picked over 70 tomatoes and I made spaghett sauce with his onions, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, oregano, and basil. I realized 10 pints yesterday, plus two pints of tomato juice and one pint of just plain tomatoes. I used to basically do quarts, but a pint will make up a meal for us. I still can quarts, but use it for soups and stews. Since it has been extremely hot and humid, DH has...
[ Read More ]

Well we have been in lockdown since tuesday so nothing much to write about as we have't gone anywhere or eally done anything...hubby has shingles and its on his head and face it was quite painful and it looks horrible but I got him to use cbd oil on it and he is feeling much better...funny her went to the hospital, they didn't diagnose it..then to the doc still no diagnoses finally the 3rd doc diagnosed him..and put him on meds...although he is healing it looks horrible...but most...
[ Read More ]