All Entries

Debts
Mortgage -$123,000.00 (+$11,059.35)
Medical Loan #1 -$0 (-$1,000)
Medical Loan #2 -$5,800 (-$300)

Savings
Roth IRAs +$16,112 (+$1,023)
401K +$29,277 (+$2,155)
Emergency Fund +$8,020 (+$3,932)
Animal Fund +$1,417 (+$1,001)
Truck Fund +$2,015 (-$60)
HSA +$1,773 (-$155)

Overall: -$1,863.35

Not bad after adding $11k to our mortgage. Of course the numbers are a bit skewed because we will be pulling $5,000 out for a home project eventually.

Paid off...
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it is only the 3rd of the month and we have paid all our bills for the month...it feels weird...we only have groceries and gas money to take our which we do every 2 weeks (which will be this thurs) but both our jars still have money in them for last time..we are getting a bit sort on supplies like toilet paper/tissues/paper towel as i haven't bought for months...but everything else looks good..lots in the freezer/pantry...will look out for bargains on things that we use but nothing...
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No crystal ball needed here...I can see more tomato canning in my future!

Not that I mind. It sort of gives me a little bit of security knowing I am using some of our garden to provide for us this winter. I also use some of our canning as presents at Christmas. Fortunately I have some friends who like home grown, home canned produce. After awhile, what do you honestly give to people who basically buy what they want? Especially when they offer to buy some of your canned goods...
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I'm wavering on the haircut thing. I had decided that I was just going to let my hair grow, because of COVID, and for a change, but I find myself looking at haircuts online. One night I was looking at shaggy pixies, and last night I was looking at the messy French bob. Right now my haircut is a long bob, slightly shorter in back. It's in between chin length and and shoulder length. I'm finding it kind of hard to manage, because my hair is wavy, but not in a very attractive...
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We are hopefully nearing the end of the refi...this has been the least stressful one I've ever experienced. The AIMloan people are very responsive and clear, and also we have so much money in savings that it hasn't freaked me out when the closing costs kept ballooning.

The cost from the lenders has stayed steady but somehow we're having to pay 12 months of homeowner insurance, 6 months of property tax, plus put 4 months' worth of each into the escrow. So rather than the $2400...
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Time flies when you’re having fun. July was a good month for me. Although I didn’t get as many hours as I did in June, I still consistently paid down debt. I’ll be getting more hours this month. I also did a bit too much spending on July so I’m taking/sending some things back.

My debt continues to go down & my investments continue to grow. Next year when all my debts are paid off & I get another raise maybe I can start looking at doing stock trades. I have a couple...
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Hello August!

I can’t believe we are eight months into the year.

On top of COVID, now we are dealing with a potential hurricane. I’m praying that this thing remains a tropical storm ⛈ , or at the mist a category 1 storm, I’m so over it.

Thankfully, I’ve been stacking up on supplies for COVID and hurricane season so I didn’t have to go out in that mess. The lines were crazy.

I called the SO, to see if he thought I should put up the plywood, he said...
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Was paid this weekend, hve already paid our bills for the month..or have the money set aside for things like rent that comes out on a regular basis but I out it in the account once a month...but it looks like we will be able to put more than $1000 this month into our house account...also have extra expenses as I am going back to my neuro physio this month (haven't been since nov 2019) but looking forward to it...

today was a nice day so we ventured out to a little german town...
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I didn't spend anything yesterday, so my July recap holds.

It was a great game last night -- GS1 hit a double at a crucial moment, and the team won by three points after being behind for most of the game.

I was very uncomfortable last night with indigestion. I have no idea what food is bothering me -- it seems to be any food. I thought I was having a heart attack until I sat up and the pain went away. I am very short on sleep today. I was bothered not only by that, but...
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Income Total: $1650.00
* $1500 Recurring monthly retirement account distribution
* $125 Swagbucks earnings (cash out to PayPal)
* $25 My Points (cash out to PayPal)

Total Spending: $1452.93
Total Savings: $197.07 (difference between monthly income and monthly spending)

Fixed Expenses:
Verizon bundle (internet, cable, home phone): $160.25
Cell phone: $61.67
HVAC and water heater contract: $27.95
Condo Fee (includes water) $190.00
Health...
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Not much going on. Still plugging along. Work has been stressful. There is so much uncertainty due to Covid. A new HR Director started about a month ago.She is struggling to get up to speed. I process payroll so things have not been as smooth as it could be.

Still making minimum payments on debt. Trying to conserve cash.

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Several of the online banks have dropped their interest rates below 1 percent. I expect they'll stay low for a long time as the economy struggles, but it's hard to scrape together any interest these days.

We're still waiting on the CAS number from Edinburgh here. DD has noticed in her online FB group of incoming Edinburgh student, less than 1/3 have their numbers, so we're not alone, but it does make planning frustrating.

In other frustrating news, our internet was down...
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Finally, some progress on the retirement goal!

Goal: $814,292 by March 2024

Current retirement balance: $565,234

January 2020 balance: $542,038

Progress since last update: $23,196

Still needed: $249,058

This interim goal is based on getting my and NT's retirement to 4x our salaries (currently $82,500 and $64,118) by the time we turn 50 and AS's retirement values to 3x her annual income ($75,940 in 2018) by the time she turns 45.
$82,500 x 4 = $330,000
$64,118...
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Assets:
NT's UK pensions:
AV: 22,397 pounds ($27,996)
SW: 29,047 pounds ($36,309)
FL: 6,462 pounds ($8,078)
NT's 401(k): $92,548
NT's Roth IRA: $46,606
AS's trad. IRA: $21,978
AS's Roth IRA: $68,610
AS's SEP IRA: $47,913
CJ's 401(k): $163,988
CJ's Roth IRA: $51,208
NT's flat: $212,500 (200,000 pounds value x1.25 -15%)
CJ/NT/AS house: $592,200 ($630,000 value -6%)
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TOTAL ASSETS: $1,369,934

Debts:
US Mortgage $368,807
Loan from friends (duplex) $9,000
UK Mortgage...
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It's the end of July. I won't spend anything today, unless I buy something at the baseball game tonight (and that hasn't happened yet all year.) But if GS2 is there, and the ice cream truck goes by -- I might get something. If so, it'll go on next month's spending record.

July was a very expensive month. Here is how it played out:

Home Repair/Maintenance: $1375
Housing: $774
Car Repair/Maintenance: $683
Insurance: $656
Taxes: $330
Utilities: $179
Groceries: $148
Fees/Services:...
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My son and I went through and inventoried the mini chest freezer, the spare fridge freezer, and the two shelves I have in Mom's freezer. So that is four freezer's down and just the main fridge freezer to go. We did not have to throw away too much, a few old homemade freezer meals made with gluten pasta. I might have saved them for DH since he still eats wheat, but they were from June of 2019, so I didn't. We filled up a plastic grocery bag full of freezer burned stuff.

I...
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Well end of July already...can't you believe it...honestly with 2019-20 I am ready for this year to be over and start a better year next year!!

I will be going over the budget today to see where I can cut some spending, I have bought a few things..more wants than needs but I don't do it often...will go through our pantry/freezer etc and see what we need to replenish and see what is on sale or wait till it goes on sale...that is my goal for today...I just want to save as much...
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It’s new to me but old to most. I read Apple approved to split their stocks, 4 to 1, they closed out at about $400, that’s about $100 a share after the split. Something so simple gave me so much joy, just a week ago I had no clue what a split was or how to calculate, and today I’m smiling because I have a clue.

Now, as I mentioned earlier I’m in no position to buy stock but I couldn’t help but play the game. Even though Apple is a viable organization, what’s going...
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This is inspired by East Coast Saver’s August grocery challenge, but will be modifying it a little. My goal isn’t a certain number, it is just to track things closely to get an accurate picture of my actual grocery food spending. It’s hard to tell because I do a lot of socializing with food (less since Covid, and only in an outdoor distanced manner) and also tend to pick up small gifts at the grocery store, like doughnuts for the office or pet treats, that skew my tracking....
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Why is it when virtually nothing is going on in your life, and just two measly things are set to happen, they happen at the same time? My appointment to pick up my books at the library is at 10:10. Then I get a notice that the gas company is going to turn off the gas at 9:30 and they want to relight pilots in each unit after they make their repairs -- so residents are advised to be available.

I can't really figure out how to change the library appointment, so I'm going to...
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