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Now that I am retired my monthly budget will change starting June 1st. When I was considering retirement, the biggest financial concern I had was the cost of healthcare. My cost for healthcare now looks like this:

Medical Coverage (Includes a Prescription Plan) through the college: My Monthly Cost: $422.00. The college pays $381.81
(The total monthly cost for Medical with Prescription plan is $803.81, of this I pay $422.00 monthly, the college pays the rest)

Dental...
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Current Balance $15,610.00
+$60.00 Property Management Hours
+$215.00 FB Sales
+$50.00 MO Payday to Our Savings (5/22)
+$30.00 Phone Savings
Balance $15,965.00

Local Savings $2370.00
GC Savings $4100.00
Capital 360 Savings (US) $3285.00
Capital 360 Savings (Mom Loan Payback Account)$3860.00
Capital 360 Savings (Rental Deposit Account #1)$850.00
Capital 360 Savings (Rental Deposit Account #2)$1500.00
Total Savings = $15,965.00

52 Week Challenge
2020 Total =...
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I do have more sales to log, but at this point I am so far behind I am doing it in chunks to just keep from getting way too far behind. It seems like I am selling so much but my inventory doesn't seem to go down at all even though I haven't been buying anything new since all this Corona business started. I still have a lot of spring/summer items to post and am working on those.

Sales for (most of) May were $306.00!!

Sale #1717 (MS) $30.00
Better Homes and Gardens Large...
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My husband is out of town for work. He finally had two days off in a row on Saturday and Sunday, but worked Monday (Memorial Day) Strange times we are in, where the time off happens away from the family. But this is really like a deployment for many, so I have to look at it through that lens and be thankful that most days I have been able to see him.

They gave him the option of flying or driving to the destination. He could also have rented a car. He decided to drive his truck,...
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I was out most of the morning yesterday, first to get my two tests, at two different locations, and then through the Panera drive-through and finally, a 20-minute shop inside Aldi. I spent $14 at Panera for bread, bagels and cream cheese, and I spent $48 at Aldi. I was so focused on social distancing and getting out fast, that I forgot three things on my list. Well, one I can't get at Aldi -- popcorn kernels. The other two were spaghetti and maple syrup. I can probably get...
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So DH has been given the opportunity to WFH permanently and through the end of the year. What that means for us and what we are doing about it?

First off our house is not exactly suitable for all four of us living in it all the time. It doesn't really work with both of us working, him full time and me intermittently part-time from home. We have a nice home. It's 3bd/3ba with a large playroom/bonus room. But there isn't a fourth bedroom or dedicated office. We have about...
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I took DD to her primary doctor today as a follow up for her ER visit. He did prescribe her more valium, but only another 10 days worth. I wish he could have seen what a difference it has made to her day to day living, but all he's worried about is it being an addictive substance. Not so much about helping with pain and making those tight muscles relax. My mother has been on valium since I was a child and takes 3 times as much. We understand that it can be abused. But when...
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I can't express how great yesterday was. We met in the designated park -- it was almost empty! We found a shady spot under a tree and set up -- six feet apart. We ate our brown-bag lunches and talked for three and a half hours! The boys rambled around as we talked. They had their skateboards and frisbees. The weather was perfect, as long as we stayed in the shade. It was such a good day. I hope we can have more of them.

DIL gave me a Revlon One-Step hair dryer. It was...
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We haven't heard aything back yet from the landlord about the gutters or the dripping we hear in the roof yet so have emailed the agent today and see what happens, we are due for a lot more rain in the next week and really don't need flooding inside or outside...so we will see what happens, we are due to sign our lease again aug so we will see if she wants to keep us or not...we don't want to move...but only time will tell.

Although if anything flooded like in our last house...
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Hope this Memorial Day finds you & yours well. I spent most of today & yesterday napping. My first week working 3 jobs was more tiring than I realized apparently.

This week I will pay off my TSP loan. One loan down, one to go. I expect to have my car loan paid off by the end of the year. My credit cards should be at least half paid off by the end of the year as well.

I am now watching the first of the three night series on Ulysses S. Grant on the History channel. I really...
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What a nice little vacation DH and I had. It was wonderful to get away from the kids and to get away from my mom and have no cares in the world for a few days. The sea air was fantastic, 2 out of 3 sunsets were gorgeous and 1 was spectacular. I loved just being able to sit on the deck and stare out at the sea while DH cooked on the BBQ. DH made all of the meals, so I didn't even have to do that much. I really felt relaxed and unwound for the first time since mid-September.

It...
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We went away Friday to Sunday. Not far, just the coast about 3 hours from us. What a difference it makes. No one there was wearing a mask. People were going into stores without masks. They were not social distancing. They were going to eat in restaurants at 50% capacity.

We stayed in an empty cottage that hadn't been used since March 23rd. I'm not sure when we are going away again since we now prefer to not stay at a hotel. But then I'm not sure we are comfortable with...
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I was listening to a podcast on my run this morning and they were talking about visiting and supporting your local science museum.

It got me thinking that currently, we really aren't supporting any local non-profit cultural, entertainment, or educational ventures. Over the years, we have had memberships at various places like a botanical garden, a community theater, an art museum, etc. I think once the whole COVID thing settles down, we need to get back to doing that.

I'm...
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I took up Rob's suggestion and looked online to see if I could order a new handle for my microwave. I did find it without much trouble. With shipping, it is costing me $23. I hope I can figure out how to install it.

I just put in a load of laundry. I am several hours away from our SD-BYOE (socially-distanced bring-your-own-everything) picnic in the park. I am going to pack a peanut butter sandwich, an apple and some cookies -- water, too, of course. Nice and simple.

I...
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I posted last month that our spending was down significantly year to date at least in part due to the COVID shutdown and not being able to go anywhere or do anything.

As May is nearly over, I took another look and the savings continue to grow.

I compared our total credit card charges from January through May 2019 to the same period for 2020.

2019: $20,931.71
2020: $15,460.73

So YTD we've spent $5,470.98 less than last year.

Not all of that is COVID-related because...
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It's been a nice weekend--the first in months without full drop boxes of papers to read. We had a family meeting yesterday morning and created a rather large list of summer projects. I have to laugh; my DH is not one for change and thinks our bedroom color is just fine. It was last painted 17 years ago when we moved in. It's a long list, but it will be a nice balance between prepping for a probably all online fall semester and doing lots of home projects.

I think our DD...
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It's been a busy week as I tick things off my to do list.

One thing I've been waiting to do until it was a decent day with no rain is clean up the car. We had road tar on the bottom half of it, probably from the pot hole filler they put in. We have so many pot holes, they are filling them and even when you try to avoid them, you still wind up running over some of it. So, yesterday afternoon was spent working on the car. About 4 hours later, it looks a lot better inside and...
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I know many of you reading are regulars and for the most part I think you are all still employed. However, if there is anyone out there who has lost their employment, or has reduced hours I want you to know about the four walls that can keep you fed and in your home for as long as possible.

The Four Walls is part of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. There are six additional baby steps, but first you must take care of your four walls before you pay anyone else.

Read...
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I ended yesterday's entry by saying I had no Memorial Day plans. Well, now I do. DS & DIL are planning a socially-distanced bring-your-own-everything picnic for the immediate family at a local park. They chose a park that is NOT by the lake (because that's where most people will go) and that has plenty of green space, but not many picnic tables. We will find an open area and set up chairs. I'm so excited! The only fly in the ointment is that it will be hot. Summer clothes...
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My last post re: retirement savings for MM(16):

When he does his taxes, we will discuss funding a ROTH this year (2019). I don't really see the point and don't think that we will. But we left it to discuss at tax time, and that he has until April 15th to decide. He has a lot of very big expenses to in the near term horizon. If nothing else, he is saving up for a car. (The current car is only for his use until he turns 18, then it goes to his brother). After that, he will be saving up for a home. If not also saving to help pay for college. I couldn't have even fathomed saving for retirement before I graduated college (no parental support past age 17; no help with college). & I don't feel too much different at the moment (about him putting off retirement savings until after college), while his #1 college choice is a very expensive private college. If he ends up going to our alma mater (it costs pennies) then we can re-evaluate. I think this year is most likely, "Keep it in cash, see how things shake out next fall". We will discuss all the pros/cons,...
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