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Okay so anyone have winning lotto numbers I need one so I can have a deposit for a house...i think it's the only way we will be able to live anywhere!!
So more rejections today on the rental front...we have been looking even 30 mins out of the city...can go any further due to to many doctors appts that we go to each week between the 3 of us....not sure what is happening or why we keep getting rejected as we are great tenants, never been late with a payment...take great care of...
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GME was a roller coaster today. Well, not so much a roller coaster as a complete plummet downward. I checked every now and again between work, and it pretty much tanked the entire day as far as I can tell. But, I was much less stressed about it today than yesterday.I gave it some more thought yesterday, and came up with two important deciding factors: (1) Emotional: I am not in it for the money. In fact, I was aware of this back in December, but didn't buy it till last week after...
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I've been in full steam discovery mode since learning last week that my company is now offering tuition reimbursement.  I was going to hold off and take my time, but.....that's generally not how I operate haha.
I looked into what schools in my state system (as well as NYC since I am eligible for resident tuition there as well) would work, narrowed it down to 2 programs, and chose one based on where I thought I could complete it faster/more credits would transfer etc. ...
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January 30
$10 Online Concert/Show
Dinner:  Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers was a second time in the Instant Pot.  We love this recipe, but we can't figure out how to get the rice cooked.  This was try #2.  MH is just going to use cooked rice for the filling next time.  The peppers just come out so perfect.  I bet it tastes even better without uncooked rice.  😉
Reading another article about unemployment fraud and surprise tax statements,...
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I have been on a library reading spree in January using their ebook option through the Libby app. To buy the same ebooks on Amazon, I would have spent $105.83 in January alone!
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The rental market is bad right now...so bad...we have applied for over 30 houses and have either been rejected or not heard back from them...the reasons being is that we have had so many people return from overseas (and continue to weekly) since covid got bad, people who have morg and have lost their jobs, will go and rent a house and then rent out their houses so others can pay their morg and they get help with rent (this annoys me to no end) people who got hurt or frustrated...
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While I'm still working on self-publishing novels, my next work in progress is a bit stalled while I wait for reader feedback so that I can edit it. Meanwhile, a friend and I restarted a project we'd been discussing just before the pandemic hit.
We both really love music; she loves all kinds while I'm mainly interested in Americana -- country, folk, bluegrass and such. I love to write about music and my friend loves designing websites, so together we created a site called Adventures...
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After some consideration, I bought four shares of GME at $250 each. If I had bought back in December when I first considered it, this would have been closer to a 100 shares. Of course, hindsight is 20/20. Over the last week, I have grown increasingly disheartened by the way the market is being manipulated by the billionaires and the hedge funds. It's been encouraging to see politicians from both sides of the aisle come out in support of retail investors. It has been astonishing...
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Friday was payday, and it was uneventful.  For some reason, my spreadsheet "checkbook" register is showing $39 less than my online banking.....I can't see anything missing, but there are too many pending transactions and it's annoying me.  I'll give it a day or two then go back in and look.
The increase to my net pay after adjusting my withholdings does not seem to be enough to meet the ongoing shortfall....but this was an anomaly check.  I received a $50 gift card...
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What a good low-spend month this was, despite a big insurance bill.
Housing: $795
Insurance: $747
Utilities: $195
Groceries: $92
Vet/Pet Supplies: $70
Household Supplies: $63
Phone: $51
Entertainment: $46
Medical/Health: $26
Laundry: $26
Clothing: $25
Furnishings/Equipment/Decor: $18
Eating Out/Takeout: $18
Gifts/Charity: $17
Gas: $16
Fees/Services: $5
Grand Total: $2210
Variables: 52%
We are literally buried here in Chicagoland.  At least in my piece of...
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Income Total: $1885.78


     * $1500 Recurring monthly retirement account distribution  


     * $300 Swagbucks and My Points earnings (cash out to PayPal) 


     * $85.78 Cash Back Credit Card Rewards


      


Total Spending: $1334.05


Total Savings: $551.73 (difference between monthly income and monthly spending)  Fixed...
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My grandfather passed away Sunday morning. I was at already at work when my mom called before 7. I'm glad that I got to say goodbye Saturday. I also called my sisters so they could say goodbye, even though he wasn't responding yesterday. My mom said he was talking Friday. I am at peace that he was ready to go & that it was his time to go. He was my last living grandparent.My parents got their vaccine yesterday. They got Moderna. I'm glad that all 3 of us have been vaccinated....
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Assets:NT's UK pensions:AV: 22,397 pounds ($27,996)SW: 27,225 pounds ($34,031)FL: 6,462 pounds ($8,078)NT's trad. IRA: $100,547NT's Roth IRA: $56,914AS's trad. IRA: $25,336AS's Roth IRA: $82,582AS's SEP IRA: $61,625CJ's 401(k): $199,238CJ's Roth IRA: $62,265NT's flat: $212,500 (200,000 pounds value x1.25 -15%)CJ/NT/AS house: $592,200 ($630,000 value -6%)---TOTAL ASSETS: $1,463,312Debt:US Mortgage $371,796Loan from friends (duplex) $9,000UK Mortgage 1 $26,779UK Mortgage 2 $5,645UK...
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Pay week this week and we are behind in our savings from where I wanted to be...but that is okay...all bills for the month will be paid today...except groceries and gas...our rent is paid up till the 20th when we are suppose to move out by...not sure what will happen as we have nowhere to go yet....so the money we would normally pay in rent this month will just sit in the bank for the next house....the savings we do have will go towards the move and then I can get serious again...
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Not much going on in my life.  Just going to work and doing the best I can.  Paying down debt and accumulating retirement savings at a slower rate than I would like.  
Have been getting in steps to keep me on track to my step goal for the year.
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Iggy was sick again yesterday, and as a result I am washing sheets, a mattress pad and my bedspread.  He has also soiled his quilt, as well as another quilt I put on the bed temporarily.  I have those set aside to wash, but I don't know if I'll get to it all today.  This will add at least $4 to my laundry tab.  If I wash the quilts, $4 more.
I would take Iggy to be put down today, because it's clear to me now that he is more miserable than happy, but my car...
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January 28
Groceries $33
Hard Drive Upgrade $163
Dinner:  Olive Garden Chicken Pasta (Instant Pot)
 
This is one of the better (non-soup) instant pot recipes that we have tried.  Not too dry or watery.  Came out "just right".  Was probably a million calories, but definitely a good dish for teens with high caloric needs.  
MH needed something from another store and so he did a grocery run today. 
He seemed overly confident that the...
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Watching the news today and it said the EU was basically not allowing the covid vaccine to be delivered to australia...considering we have already paid over 123 million dollars and have received nothing it gets a bit frustrating...so I say until they do the other countries can take care of our patriots until we can get it and it is safe for people to return....it is frustrating we do everything right...but if people pay for something then they had better deliver...or return the...
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My grandpa wasn't breathing well this morning. We went to visit him. Other family members dropped in & out. The hospice nurse told us not to stay all day, so we came home. I don't know if she said that for our benefit or his.
My parents are getting their vaccines at Walgreens tomorrow. Not sure if it's the Pfizer or Moderna. My mom mentioned it during a family group video chat & I forgot to ask with all the conversation happening.
With my credit cards paid off I feel...
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Well hubby got an unexpected small pay raise in his pay this month and when we looked it up his federal taxes has dropped by around $80pm....we didn't expect this and just wondering if this happened to everyone or should we raise it higher so we don't owe taxes etc....not sure how the system orks over there. 
We are still looking for a house...waiting to hear back from some...working on the yard....moving stuff into storage (mainly from the shed)...got a mini skip in to get...
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