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I’m so thankful that I’m able to tackle these student loans so aggressively. Today I paid another $300, new balance on student loan 1 is $3680. In about two weeks I should be able to pay another $800 bringing the total below $3,000. It’s only the first of four loans but I feel fired up about it.

Since I’m averaging about $1000 a month in payments I’m considering not applying for the income driven repayment (IDR) plan, which will put my regular payments at about $650...
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Okay, I've had a few days to think about it, and some encouragement from you guys, and if I let these people drive me off my blog, they win. I want to say right out that this was not caused by any regular bloggers or regular comment leavers. Even if I don't agree with the regulars sometimes, I can deal with their comments.

This was caused by a few people who are not regular recognized comment leavers who took it upon themselves over the last two years to go through and leave...
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The weather has turned cool. Or, I should say, cooler, because it was pleasantly cool already. I hope it doesn't get TOO cool, because I'm sure the boiler is not turned on yet. I might be sleeping under blankets tonight.

So, it's a good day to make chili! I'm going to make a big batch, because I have ingredients to use up. But chili freezes well.

My oven cleaned up beautifully yesterday. There was just a small residue I had to wipe off. I've never had a self-cleaning...
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Yikes! Where did the last 6 weeks go? It was all about cleaning up, fixing up, packing up. Since my last SA check in, I merged households with SO and we moved into a new place together...I helped my oldest daughter find a roommate and move into her first place... I updated my condo and found a tenant. So glad to be done with all of that!

Now I'm teaching online full time, until the virus situation has been managed and we can return safely. This crisis and the debacle that it...
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Friday is payday and I have $250 slated for the student loans 👩🏾‍🎓, I’m so happy about this. I’m just below $4,000 on my first loan.

I also started back using cash 💰 . I opted not to, due to the virus, but found myself spending a tad bid more, I’m glad, things are going back to normal, somewhat, and organizations aren’t encouraging credit cards 💳 . I simply, spray the cash with Lysol and wash my hands thoroughly.

Things are trucking along, and...
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This last weekend was the big rummage sale weekend in my home town. It was way tuned down due to COVID, but I still did some shopping with my SIL. I filled in a some gaps for Hope's winter wardrobe and also found a few items to flip which nearly covered all of my purchases!



Carters Girls Sparkly Pink Shoes NWT - I paid $5.00
*ETA - Sold for $12.00 on FB on 9/20/20
Profit = $7.00

Justice Jean Shorts - I paid .25

Thirty-One Purse - I paid $1.00

Tye Dye Bag -...
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Over the past few months, I have been trying a new way of budgeting and so far, it seems to be working well for us. I get paid bi-weekly and the hub works 4 weeks on/4 weeks off, so his monthly income varies greatly.

Since I know what our monthly expenses/bills are (mortgage, utilities, etc), on the first of the month, I transfer that amount to one checking account. I transfer our family budget (food, entertainment, gas, etc) to a second checking account. Non-monthly expenses...
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I will probably do another post, but I don't wanna. Life continues to be absurd.

Rather just talk about the car, it's nice to have a distraction.

I do think it's worth sharing perception versus reality. I should probably continue to share these things as they happen.

The other day I was wondering if car expenses would fall off our "Top 5" annual expenses. I looked back at 2017/2018 as better comparison years because we only had 2 cars and they were both gas cars.

Holy...
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I spent $64 at Aldi yesterday -- more than I was expecting to. I hope, though, that this grocery trip will hold me through the rest of the month. Variables are at 52%.

Today is pay day. I paid an extra $300 on my mortgage, something I hope I can do every month now.

I am cleaning my oven right now. After living here how many years? I finally noticed that it is a self-cleaning oven. I pressed the button, and we'll see how it does. I don't know what to say except that...
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The GIANT credit card bill to pay for the new AC Unit is here. SAD!! We also had a little trip away with family watching Hopie and spent some money there. Man it is hard to see such a big chunk go!

Current Balance $26,270.00
+$25.00 FB Sales
+$5.00 Interest + Even Out Amount to Local Savings
+$150.00 MO Payday to Our Savings (9/11)
+$40.00 Phone Savings
-$9200.00 AC Mini Split
-$1000.00 Mini Vaca
Balance $16,290.00

Local Savings $3845.00
GC Savings $950.00
Capital...
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I have really been pushing myself to get items posted daily as we are approaching Quarter 4 and I want to get as much inventory moved through as possible. It has been paying off and have tons of items moving out and ready for pickup!

Sales for the week were $48.00! Not a huge total as it was a lot of small items, but 27 items moved out of the inventory!

Sale #1811 (SF) $10.00
Better Homes and Gardens Velvet Plush Throw (Joint with my FSIL) - We paid $4.28
Sold for...
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It was pay day today and boy was I really looking forward to this paycheck. Lots of things to pay.

$809-credit card #1
$375-credit card #2
$130-electric bill
$200-Savings
$300-Roth IRA
$100-personal spending money
$220-Mortgage Principal
_____
$2,134.00 TOTAL

We decided to recast our mortgage loan. The payment is now $504 instead of $1275. We are going to put the difference towards the principal (hopefully with additional funds) and be done with this loan ASAP....
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I got a call from my cousin in California yesterday. He is in urban LA, not close to any fires, but feeling the effects of the air quality. It was good to catch up with him -- we have not talked for several years!

No money news. I'm heading out to Aldi today to get some essentials. I hope not to spend too much.

The towels I ordered arrived yesterday, and they are very nice! One of my more successful online purchases. I think I have finally learned to read all the specs...
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While we are NOT out of the woods yet with the fires (there is one less than 5 miles from me that is 6 miles long, by 3 miles wide)...most of our towns have now been declared safe!! This is such amazing news.

Sadly, because of the fire still burning, our air quality remains hazardous. As an asthmatic, I am staying indoors as much as possible. It seems I have spent 2020 indoors...something I can't wait to eventually remedy!!

This morning, we had our first team meeting since...
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yes it drives better. Actually I haven't driven but I figure it really does. We had $8000 left and 2.49% and I had no idea why we were still paying on it 3 years later. Honestly I was a bit annoyed that we hadn't paid it off and I hadn't paid attention. So I wrote a check and dropped it at the bank. I like not having a car payment and I like owning my cars.

We lived from 2003-2010 without a car payment with a 1998 toyota corolla and 2000 ford focus. Had a kid and bought...
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Still robbing Peter to Paul since the purchase of our townhome. We closed on 9/4. Ten days later here is the other spending I've been doing:

$981 for removal of wall separating small formal living room with family room of townhome
$1,500 installation of carpeting in the family room of home we are selling
$2,500 painting of main living areas and kitchen cabinets of townhome
$200 deep cleaning for home we are selling

With half of the children off at college, our expenses...
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Today I won't need to be going anywhere. I'm staying inside and reading and puttering around. I made Martha Stewart's cheesy spaghetti for lunch. Yum! I ran a load of laundry. I'm looking forward to pay day on Wednesday -- not because I need the money, but because I enjoy moving numbers around on my spreadsheets!

Speaking of spreadsheets, my net worth has been inching up, despite how bad this year has been. It is now higher than it's been since June 2018, when I bought...
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Though I’m disappointed that my loan info no longer updates on Mint (because they migrated mortgage info from the mobile app to a website) the new website has a lot more information. It has neighborhood comps, home value, and most importantly, I now know that I only have 10 years left on my mortgage! I had estimated the payoff date, but it’s nice to have a definite date: December 2020.

We worked half a day today & the clinic will be closer tomorrow due the weather. Hurricane...
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I've been looking for a car for a little while but didn't start looking seriously until last month. I had decided that I wanted to avoid car salespeople and do it online as much as possible so I focused on Carmax and Carvana.

I found one I liked on Carmax 2 weeks ago. It was in NC so I paid $99 to have it shipped to NJ. It arrived on Wednesday and we went over to see it on Friday and I bought it.

It's a 2018 Toyota Camry XSE. Only has 13,500 miles and is in beautiful shape.

The...
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My grandson's team had a double header that started at 8 am this morning. Unfortunately, they lost both games. They just can't seem to get it together, and I could tell today that they had lost confidence and weren't really trying. But since the whole point is for GS to get exercise and fresh air, and to enjoy a structured activity with friends, I guess it really doesn't matter.

While I was there I spent $6 on food.

Yesterday I got my hair trimmed -- the first time I've...
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