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Yesterday I was filing papers and I realized I had to pay my wheel tax, and I had to do it in person in order to get my senior discount, which is 50%. It certainly seems like a very bad idea to require vulnerable seniors to show up in person during a pandemic. I don't understand why they can't get the discount to work on the online payment. Oh well.

The cost was $42.50. Since I was already out, I ran three more errands. I deposited my coins at the bank and "bought" another...
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I’m trucking along, paid $300+ last we on student loans and another $20 today.
I’m so happy to have finally started tackling these loans, two years it took for me to get here. Hopefully in two years they’ll be gone.

I want new cabinets and realized it’s a want not a need. I got SO to help me change the hinges since the cabinets were falling apart. I got some free chalk paint from amazon and started to paint the cabinets. So far I’ve done only one coat but they...
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I used to get my air ducts & dryer vents cleaned through a Groupon coupon. It’s been several years so when I saw a coupon pop up I grabbed it. And of course, when he gets here I need a much more thorough cleaning due to the black mold found. Anyway, I ended up purchasing a very expensive package that I probably didn’t really need. So that sets me back a little this month on my debt payoff unless I get some unexpected hours.

Net Worth: $959,128
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I woke up this morning to a high-pitched whine. Both of my air conditioners seemed to be emitting this noise. I turned them off. I hope, when I turn them on later in the day, the whine will be gone.

My two meals today: breakfast will be blueberry pancakes and Apple Brown Betty (both leftovers). Dinner will be sloppy chicks on biscuits. I'll figure out something to go with them later. Perhaps just an apple.

Tomorrow is my birthday. I think I will buy myself the lamp...
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The heat has returned. I ran the air last night, then turned it off this morning. It stayed pretty nice most of the day. This old building has such thick walls, that once it gets cool inside, it stays that way for quite a while. I turned the air on again around 4 pm, when it started to feel sticky, and I'll keep it on through the night, so that I'll sleep well.

I didn't do much of anything today. Another load of laundry - $1.50. Iggy threw up on his quilt; otherwise I...
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Our pantry is getting pretty full. No complaints either! DH's tomatoes have really been producing, but have sort of slowed down in the past week. We had a few days of cooler temps and I think the plants took a break. But that was fine. I started canning a few weeks ago when things were going hot and heavy and I think I have more then enough tomatoes and spaghetti sauce made for the winter. What a blessing that is!

Our neighbors shared some of their cucumbers so I'm going to...
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The Universe laughed so hard at me last last week. So so hard. 😞

{Yes, it's taken me a week to even finish this post. So I was talking about last week, but now that is last last week}.

I initially titled this blog post "fail". Because not really sure where to begin but it just felt like a big fail.

But... Our assets did top $1 Mil. I had kind of given up for this year. In fact, was surprised how much the stock market went up after we hit this goal several days...
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I mentioned in a previous post that I have a deadline set for the start of my retirement. And that I have a list of prerequisites to determine whether I’m in a safe-enough-for-me position to retire sooner. Each quarter I evaluate my progress against those prerequisites, and my quarterly check-in for this is aligned with my birthday instead of the standard calendar quarter. That’s because a couple of my prerequisites are based on my 60th birthday so the calculation is simpler....
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My grandson's baseball season, that is. They lost today to a team that, I have to say, was pretty amazing at both offense and defense. Our team played respectably, but the other team just blew them out of the water.

I thought that there would be no Fall Ball, and that is partly right -- the city league will not hold games -- but my grandson will be playing games for a baseball academy where he takes lessons, so there actually will be more games to come.

Despite the loss,...
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Yesterday was pay day. I got paid from 2 of my jobs. My third job pays semi-monthly so on the 1st & 15th. This month the 1st was a Saturday so I got paid on the 31st, which was a nice surprise.

My car payment is automatically deducted on paydays. I now owe less than $2k on my car. I also schedule credit card payments at least every other week. My credit cards are now down to $10k as I mentioned in my last blog post.

My IRA deduction will go out next Friday. It is scheduled...
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or number 10 since the refinance.

The regular monthly payment posted on 8/3/20, bringing the principal balance down to $27,142.63.

Since the previous regularly scheduled payment, I managed to pay an extra $783.04.

The last payment date has moved up to 1/3/27; that is 6 years and 5 months to go if from this point forward I pay only the regular monthly payments.

My "5th Wheel Amortization" page has been updated, if you care to take a peak.
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ordering products online...

do you read various reviews and if too glowing do you question them?

do you feel like it is bait and switch when they lure you in to try a product but want you to sign up for a subscription?

I thought about trying a product as they had a special try it price.... once on website they made you jump through hoops to opt out of a monthly subscription .... why would i want to sign up for a continual delivery for an item i do not even know if i...
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We had a friend over for dinner last night--socially distanced and on the patio. She lives alone, her law practice is suffering, and she's lonesome.

I initially thought I didn't have "nice" enough food for a company dinner but we had pesto farfalle with green beans, French potato salad, grilled zucchini and pineapple and pork tenderloin. I think we finally got grilled pork tenderloin right--it was delicious. I also made Julia Child's blueberry clafouti in a cast iron skillet,...
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So I had $156.00 left in the my grocery envelope and today is the day to refund it, so I took that $156.00 and added it to what I had saved last payday the same way. I am hoping that I can continue to squeeze out money this way. I'd like to have $1000 for this. I want to get a 17.3 cubic foot upright freezer. While I may find one on sale for $700 or $800, I'd rather have the larger number setting there. Anything leftover can be put towards saving for bulk meat purchases.

$189.00...
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I always scoop up B+BW products when they have good sales as they always sell great for me, so are nice to have on hand all the time. I got a huge lot!
Potential profit of $108.80!!

Bath and Body Works Lotions and Body Washes (Bought 40)
Regular Price $12.50-$13.50 each
My Price + Tax + Shipping = $2.38 each
(Marked $6.00 each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 4 for $6.00 each on FB on 9/20/20

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I can't believe it's back to school time again! Even though kids got out early this year, it seems like it was only yesterday. My friends have been posting their kids’ first day pictures on Facebook. I pray that everyone from the children to the school administrators stay safe & healthy this year.

Last week I spent a good bit of time reviewing my budget journal. I also bought new binders to replace my financial statements binder that is falling apart. I will have separate...
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Our team won again, and advanced in the tournament. The next game is on Saturday.

The park was crowded, which was concerning. Also, there were so many people not wearing masks, even though there was a big sign requiring it. Every time I go to a game, I just hope I have been careful enough, and lucky enough, not to pick up the virus.

Today will be a stay-at-home day. I'm planning two meals -- blueberry pancakes for brunch, and sloppy chicks for dinner, along with a side,...
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So here we are just a couple of months after DS2 graduated and flew the coop. Now DS3 starts college this month. A fresh new round of cobbling together funds to pay the semester’s expenses. This is what Fall 2020 looks like financially:

Total bill from the university for housing, food, tuition, & fees - $10,637. It’s slightly less than I expected, maybe because now the semester ends just before Thanksgiving.

This is how it’ll be funded:
$1,000 scholarship
$2,597...
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I am so far behind I don't even know where to start...lol

Here is a nice Fourth of July haul my FIL found! Lots of Pioneer Woman items that will be great sellers next season!



Mickey Hooded Towel (Bought 1)
Regular Price $10.98
Clearance Price + Tax = $1.07
(Marked $5.00 for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold for $5.00 on FB on 8/13/20
Profit = $3.93

Pioneer Woman 6ft Flag Garland (Bought 3)
Regular Price $8.98
Clearance Price + Tax = $2.68
(Marked $5.00 for rummage...
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Wages -So, my net pay has dropped by approximate $12.60 per paycheck due to my pension contribution rising a bit.

Transfer In - I estimated I would spend $300 on my trip with Mom to Manhattan, NV but transferred $259.98 because I thought that was what I had spent. I actually miscalculated (more on that further down).

Also, my son-in-law's birthday is in July. I always send my kids and their spouses $50 for their birthdays.

Other - I sold an unneeded item for $100....
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