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Thinking a lot about the new decade. There will be a lot of changes for us, especially with DD off to college and increased job stability for DH.

But first, Christmas. We spent three nights in Minneapolis and celebrated Christmas with my brother and his family. It was not as fun as last Christmas in London, but it was good to see everyone. Several complications caused by DD's working until 8 on the 23rd, then us driving five hours after that. The hotel room was a little...
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We have been using Hulu Live TV recently, primarily to get our college football team games. Those are over for the season and our daughter who was in their marching band is done forever. Sad! We did cancel it for four months this summer when our expenses were especially high, and used an antenna to get over the air channels.

Hulu Live TV is increasing their price from $44.99 to $54.99. Really, really not worth it to me. My husband does like to have it so for now we are switching...
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Received $60 bank interest for the month of December.

Snowflakes to Investments:
--Redeemed $0 credit card rewards (cash back) from our grocery card (maxed out 2019 grocery rewards).
--Redeemed $83 cash back on Citi card.
--Redeemed $33 cash back on dining/gas card; used for grocery rewards this month

Other snowflakes to Investments:
+ $231 Re-Invest Dividends
+ $ 8 Savings from Target Red Card (grocery purchases)

TOTAL: $355 snowflakes to investments

401k Contributions/Match:
+$1,400

Snowball...
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2020 Goals are much the same as my recurring goals:

Max out TSP ($750 per paycheck): $19.5k

Max out Roth IRA ($500 monthly): $6k

Pay off TSP loan ($250 per paycheck with a projected payoff date of August 2020): $4k

Pay down CC debt: at least $5k

Pay down auto loan ($150 per paycheck with a projected payoff date of July 2021): $3.9k

Payoff of my auto loan will coincide with the 5 year anniversary at my PRN job. I will reevaluate whether I want to continue working...
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I just put this as part of my comment in the forums. But I had wanted to share, so will just copy and paste.

How Christmas went this year:

1 - We did NOTHING for Christmas this year. Just dealing with a lot of personal crap and didn't have the time or inclination. We are always pretty mellow about the Holidays (buying the kids maybe one $20 gift each, something they could really use or enjoy). I would have thought doing nothing was more of an extreme/bah humbug kind of direction,...
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I went to the gym yesterday and afterwards went to Food4Less, where I bought split peas and poultry seasoning - $4. I want to use up my leftover ham in split pea soup. I looked up a recipe and it turns out I also need to get an onion and some celery, so I'll go back to the store today. Maybe I will walk, if the rain lets up enough.

Our building is getting a new water heating system on Monday, so there will be no hot water all day. I'm trying to plan for that. It will mean...
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Hello all! It’s been a while. I don’t think I posted at all this year, even with the disappearing months snafu. 2019 was... rough. I have been working on reflecting this week since I have the week and a half off due to the holidays. I really don’t have a whole lot of nice things to say about the year other than we survived.

The one awesome thing is that my kid had another major surgery and came out of it really well. I am so thankful that is over and it should be the...
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While I'm watching LSU win this Peach Bowl (Geaux Tigers!!!) I'd thought I'd write a blog reflecting on 2019 successes.

Health wise, after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2018 I now have an A1C in the normal range with the help of metformin. I had a significant 2.0% drop in my A1C with medication, exercise, and weight loss of 23 pounds. I work out consistently, jogging 17.5 miles weekly.

I started salsa classes which I love. It took me 3 sessions of level 1 classes...
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Holy Smokes! That's over $1000 more then last years total! The Scheels Cards and Visa Cards MO is saving for a new gun, he was saving them for that last year as well, but ended up buying a new softball bat instead so he is starting over on saving up.

Should use some Chili's cards next week, and then Landry's and Outback Steakhouse in January when we are on vacation.

I like having a nice GC balance for when we are trying to save money, but would be happy with between $500-$1000,...
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We found a number of awesome giftcard deals over the holidays to cash in on!

CVS Black Friday Deal - Buy $75 in Applebees GC, get $25 EB back. We did this deal twice so made $50 free!!

McDonalds - Buy $100 in GC, receive card for one free Big Mac or Egg McMuffin, one per week for all of 2020. We did this deal twice, we kept the GCs and 1 of the free sandwich cards. We gave the 2nd free sandwich card to my FIL as a bonus in his Christmas present. We have done this...
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My two main goals for 2019 were to pay down debt and to to lose weight. Unfortunately I yo-yo'd all over the place with my weight and still haven't gotten my act together. But on the debt pay down I excelled. I had planned to pay off $12,000 this year, but ended up paying off $16,000. I exceeded my goal by $4000. This is the first year in a long time that I have felt like I was making serious progress.

My goals for 2020 are:

1. Lose Weight and Go Back to the Pool.

2....
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While I do not blog often I do read.

Wins in 2019
1. Exceed step goal.
2. Lost around 15 pounds

Loss in 2019
1. Did not pay down as much debt as I would like.
2. Did not get rid of enough clutter,

Goals for 2020
1. 4 million steps. (Have over 4.3 million steps in 2019.) Stretch goal of 4.5 million steps.
2. Pay down at least 4000.00 of debt. Note my debt consists of car and mortgage. Credit Card is paid off monthly.
3. Blog more often at least once a month.
4....
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I realized that I completely over budgeted/saved for my professional certification renewal. The fee to renew is $160 vs the $400+ I was thinking. $400 was the actual exam 🤦🏽‍♀️🙄.

I try to attend free events and listen to webinars for certification credits, but would really like to attend a convention. However; $2000+ for a convention is just not in my budget. My employer would reimburse me but my boss gives us such a hard time in that you feel so uncomfortable...
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DK got lots of small toys from my parents. They also got gifts from a few other relatives So they were good. From us? 3 stocking stuff toys each between $8-12. Pikmi pop, curlylocks, and LOL ball. Then they had the build a bear I get them every year $75/each, Lego Advent $30, and a big toy from Santa $20 (shopkins) and $20 gift from us (shopkins and calico critter) and weirdly socks and blanket. That does not include the cirque du soliel show tonight or any other activities...
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Yesterday I went to the vet's and spent $19 on prescription cat food. Then I went to Walgreens and got a prescription refilled. It was $20 -- twice as much as it was last time, and they did not have an explanation. I had them check the GoodRx price and it would have been $71. On the way out of the store I gave $5 to a panhandler. I guess because it's Christmastime, and because I was moved by his simple and dignified request.

Variables are at 75%, but about $2000 in unusual...
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Had to take out again for medical. It is what it is. Still have another $1500 or so in medical bills to go through so may be more coming out. I will get a deposit into my HSA at the beginning of the year, so I may just wait for that to help with the last of the 2019 bills.

Current Balance $17,065.00
+$440.00 FB Sales (Week of 12/15)
+$50.00 My Payday to Our Savings (12/28)
+$75.00 My Payday to Mom Loan Savings (12/28)
+$30.00 Phone Savings
-$1000.00 Medical Bills
Balance...
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I got one last HUGE week in before Christmas! I took a few days off through the holidays to take a break from selling, but hopefully will get back to it today or tomorrow. Total Sales for this week were $930.50!!

Sale #1571 (SS) $15.00
Conair Hair Cutting Kit - I paid $6.05
Sold for $15.00
Profit = $8.95

Sale #1572 (DH) $4.00
Wet'n'Wild Polish Set - I paid $2.12
Sold for $4.00
Profit = $1.88

Sale #1573 (RH) $10.00
Bath & Body Foaming Hand Soap (Joint with...
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I hate the american tax system...for almost 2.5 years I have been trying to get a new itin number they keep saying I need...I have sent paperwork in 5 times...can't send registered with a signature as they say they won't sign for them...won't send crtified as it is over $122 from australia...then they don't deposit like they are suppose to so they send a check and the bank then has to send back and we wait for a month or so for it to clear....i refuse to end anymore paperwork it...
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we had a quiet holiday went across state to see the grand kids.
We have been really cutting back on holiday purchases simply because our immediate family has no real need of items that they do not go out and buy themselves. Spent money for a breakfast out today before we headed home and we brought some items that we had on Christmas dinner.
SIL and daughter both had colds so they gave us a cold for Christmas!
I know it was not on purpose but i feel like something is seriously...
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$10,500.00 Balance Forward
-_1,500.00 Payment Made
----------------
$_9,000.00 New Balance

If I pay $1500 a month going forward, this will be paid off in June. If only $1000 it will be paid off in September. If I can manage $2000 it would be paid off in May. And the real stretch would be if we could pay $2500 a month it would be paid off in April.

Now all of these are technically possible, since I had budgeted $1000 a month to the medical fund that we will no longer...
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