All Entries

This isn't entirely a fail, and it is in no way my fault, but I kind of feel like I wasted my money.

A year or so ago, we replaced the ceiling light fixture in our sitting room. We also put in dimmable LED bulbs. There was already a dimmer switch and I didn't change that.

We found that the lights were fine when at full brightness, but they flickered quite a lot when they were dimmmed, even going off momentarily and coming back on. I did some reading online and learned that...
[ Read More ]

I know I have shared in the past that I don't use the shopping carts at Target. Nor the baskets, most the time. If I can't hold it in my hands I don't need it. (Unless it's a very specific trip for more items or something larger). I have sometimes looked ridiculous and been asked if I need a basket, but it was worth not being tempted to spend more money.

So I felt, "Exactly!" when I saw this article yesterday:

Text is https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/shopping-cart-size/...
[ Read More ]

My bro scored this awesome Sharpie 30pk at Walmart for just $10.00! Super deal!



Sharpie Limited Edition 30ct (Bought 10)
Regular Price $30.00
Our Price + Tax = $10.70 Each
(Marked $20.00 Each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 1 for $20.00 on FB on 1/12/20
*ETA - Sold 2 for $20.00 each on FB on 2/16/20
*ETA - Sold 1 for $20.00 on FB on 2/23/20
*ETA - Sold 2 for $20.00 each on FB on 4/5/20
*ETA - Sold 2 for $18.00 each on FB on 4/5/20
*ETA - Sold 1 for $20.00 each on...
[ Read More ]

I had a restless night and then I was awakened very early in the morning by a snowplow in the alley. It looks to me like we got very little snow, but I'm sure there is ice underneath it. Since I'm tired anyway, I've decided I'm just going to stay home and deal with cleaning up the car and going to the gym tomorrow, hopefully after a better night's sleep.

I've agreed to take part in a squares competition for the Superbowl so I'll be sending $10 to my son, the bookie, today....
[ Read More ]

I finally made it to the library today to do my favorite thing, save money on books. I picked up four novels and 3 cookbooks. The one that I am interested in the most is Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I can tell already that this will highly likely be a book that I actually buy if we like the end product of the recipes. I have three weeks to make these recipes and make that decision. It's a $30 book so not a decision I will make lightly.

It's a real catch...
[ Read More ]

My daughter wanted to go to the store yesterday..20 minutes before they closed...I didn't want to but went with her anyways...bought the couple things she wanted cost $6.60 and on way out I found $50 on the ground...so that is sitting in my tin now...glad I went now...extra money always helps
[ Read More ]

Since the girls left my plan is to start making meals around food we have on hand. It's not a ton, but one does buy extra during the holidays and when trying to please different palates. But the extra is definitely not as extensive as someone with a deep freeze might have. In a future post I may list what I have to use up.

This morning I decided to prep our Text is dinner. and Link is https://www.budgetbytes.com/roasted-cauliflower-and-quinoa-salad/dinner. I had everything on hand except the cauliflower which I had purchased for $1.99 a day earlier. I made just half a batch. It smelled so good. I almost suggested to my husband that we have it for lunch, only to realize he had already made his salad for lunch. So as I put it into the fridge...I dropped the entire thing. It was in a oval pyrex dish with a glass lid. Glass shattered everywhere! Luckily, no injuries, but it was a big clean up.

I guess I can say I used up some stuff and decluttered a frequently used dish. I have a round one that I will probably try to use as a replacement (I never use it and thought of letting it go just the day before), but it may be too small and have to be replaced.

It was tempting to go back to the store to buy the ingredients needed, but we usually shop on Sunday, so I will wait and make something else. We have leftover shrimp and cocktail sauce, and I could make a small batch of taco dip with items on hand. It will be an appetizer type meal of a night.

Budget is in check so far. There has not been a lot of extra spending since the new year started. I have put money towards our oldest daughter's conference she needs to attend in February, and also paid for youngest daughter's books out of current cash flow. I have redeemed shares of her ESA to cover housing portion of the semester bill due on January 20. I did sell most of it sometime back and had it in a money market, but did need to sell a little more to cover everything. Happy that both transactions were at high share prices!

Did you, or do you, have food to use up from the holidays? Are you shopping your pantry this month to make meals?


[ Read More ]

I got impatient to get started on taxes so I looked online to see if either SS or TIAA had statements I could download. No dice, but I did see that I am getting a $26 monthly raise from SS. Really, I am happy to get anything. That will more than cover household supplies each month.

Taxes should be easy this year, because I will only have income statements from the two above, and my very unimpressive interest income.

I'm in sort of a pause position right now. I don't have...
[ Read More ]

I finally got in touch with Vanguard & she showed me how to correct the issue online. It was very simple. So I was able to recategorize my contribution from 2020 to 2019. I now have $1k to contribute for 2019 & $6k to contribute for 2020. I will send $500 to my 2019 IRA in February & March.

I owe my mom one last payment of $250 for my AC loan. My TSP loan is now below $4k. My car loan will be paid off in the first half of 2021.

I transferred $100 to my savings yesterday &...
[ Read More ]

So much has happened this year, on a positive note, and I pray it continues.

First, I can’t believe it but I’ve had 10 days in that I have not dined our, not even a soda or chips. It’s been tempting but I’m determined not to eat out this month.

Next I dropped an extra $200 on the credit card and an extra $100 on the mortgage.

I’ve decided it’s no rush and to hold off on the dryer, not to mention my toilet is running, so that’s a priority. Thankfully my...
[ Read More ]

Loan snapshot:
Private loan: $19,612.46 principal and $454.07 interest – PAID OFF
Grad plus loan: $9,546 principal – PAID OFF
Stafford loan #1: $8,500 principal – PAID OFF
Stafford loan #2: $8,500 principal- PAID OFF
Stafford loan #3: $8,500 principal and $1,399.20 interest: Balance: PAID OFF
Stafford loan #4: $43, 595.23 principal and $10,794.81 interest: -PAID OFF
Stafford loan #5: $23,547.17 principal and $37.91 interest: Balance $23,585.08
Stafford loan #6: $46,004.29...
[ Read More ]

Tonight's freezer feast was pork chops in a ginger peach sauce. The peach sauce came off my jam-making spree of two years ago--and the jam was still lovely. I wish I could say it's getting less crowded in there, but there's still so much. But who can complain? It's fully of lovely food just waiting to be prepared.

I spent the day grading projects. I'm doing fill-in grading for a colleague for which the university is actually managing to pay me. They're large project for...
[ Read More ]

Bit the bullet and paid off the CC today so next week when the payment goes through we will be debt free again...finally...has been a few months...now we will concentrate on getting our ice acct up to $2000 and adding to the car and house accounts...we hoping we don't have to many unexpected expenses this year...if not should be a much better year than last year.

Onwards and upwards...can't wait to see the accounts grow each month!!
[ Read More ]

Last year, I pretty regularly picked up an extra shift, maybe once or twice a month. But I haven't done that for at least a few months. We hired a lot of new people so there haven't been nearly as many open shifts, and I was just kind of burnt out and didn't feel like working any more than I needed to.

Recently, I've been paying attention to the openings again. Two or three times in the past few weeks, we've gotten a text or e-mail saying they needed help last minute but every...
[ Read More ]

I forgot to post this about a month ago. We ended up at small claims court with the private school my DK2 went to. She had been bullied at school and we had been constantly talked with the principal/owner and teachers. They had refused to return our money and finally in June with 2 months, the other child bite my DK2 and scratched her on the face. I pulled her out and kept her home with me asap. I couldn't let her go back. We had prepaid the tuition for a year so we "lost"...
[ Read More ]

Tips on how to save gas

As everyone is so worried about the fuel/gas/oil prices rising up and it is becoming hard to cut down monthly expenditures. But, here are a few tips below to save gas which can be a little helpful to cut down your monthly costs.

1. The foremost thing is to buy a fuel efficient car, which gives better mileage compared to other cars.

2. Do you know that driving fast can burn more fuel? So, better to change the driving style and it driving economically...
[ Read More ]

Trying to stay on top of new hauls! Doing pretty good at that and still getting through all the old inventory. I see light at the end of the tunnel of being caught up!

I already had most of the items packed up and put away so just a pic of a few items.

Athletic Works Ergonomic Water Bottle (Bought 1)
Regular Price $3.76
Clearance Price + Tax = $.80
(Marked $1.00 each for rummage sale)

Baby Alive Potty Dance Baby (Bought 5)
Regular Price $48.82
Clearance Price...
[ Read More ]

Still hanging out around the $17K mark for now. We had our newest puppy spade last week so that was $500+, I also paid medical bills for us for $1500, and I have to fill a medication this week for $1700 (since it's a new year and new deductible started).
We also have not received rent yet from one of our renters ($850).
Just doing the best we can to stay up!

Current Balance $16,945.00
+$50.00 My Payday to Our Savings (1/10)
+$75.00 My Payday to Mom Loan Savings (1/10)
+$40.00...
[ Read More ]

Both of our daughters have taken off for their respective schools. We are empty nesters once again. Amazing to think our oldest will graduate in May. Time to make plans for that and spring break!

I still need to do my ten year look back financially. I didn't forget!

I've thought about some goals, but not ready to write them, nor are they that much different than past years. Just plan to save MORE!

I'm not specifically doing Uber Frugal Month, but trying to be conscious...
[ Read More ]

Happy New Year and new decade fellow SA bloggers!

As usual, I wish I could blog regularly, but I just can't pull it off. I do however read the blogs almost daily and really enjoy keeping up with everyone's triumphs and trials and cheer you on from afar. I also learn a lot from the various posts.

Last night the sum total of my retirement accounts (work plan and my own Roth and Traditional IRAs which are all housed under at one company) reached the big milestone. It was...
[ Read More ]