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As of right now, I still don't have the IRA CD distribution I requested from US Bank on the date that CD matured on Sept 12.
After 6 painfully protracted phone calls (with 6 different individuls, of course) and 3 separate trips to the library to fax them their 3 required forms, I finally filed a complaint that was confirmed by the OCC (Office of the Controller of the Currency), which regulates US Bank.
So this morning after noting the passage of another week, I called US Bank...
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October 8
$9  Groceries
$41 Amazon
$81 Target (Groceries)
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I ran to the store and got some breakfast food for the week. 
One limitation I have right now is that I can only eat softer foods (re: invisalign).   So I am not eating the usual things or what we have around the house.
I did some laundry and thought that I could throw some laundry detergent on the Target cart and probably get up...
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October 6
$14  Movies
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MH & I went out to the movies.  The $14 was just for my ticket, I suppose.  I don't go to the movies much and usually MH racks up enough rewards to cover my handful of tickets.  
We got a free car charge at the movie theater.  It was mostly enough to cover the roundtrip fuel to the farther away theater, but we probably eked out a few extra free miles.  
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October...
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October 5
$88 Groceries 
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I asked MH if he thought these groceries would last the whole week.  I was shocked when he said yes.  I mean, he expects to pick up a couple of things mid-week, but all meals have been planned for with this grocery run.  
I wouldn't be surprised if we had three $150 runs (the last 3 weeks of the month).  I threw some things in the Target cart but needed $35...
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October 4
$4 Breakfast
$48 Dinner
$45 Movies
$1 Audible
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It looked cloudy outside at some point and I wondered how on earth October + clouds = 100F+ degree weather.  I guess it was only 96F degrees.  Got some reprieve.  Still forecasting 3 more 100F+ days.  
I bought breakfast, as expected.
MH got a small COLA raise today.  I did some quick math and comes out to another $50/month...
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I had my mason over here a few days ago to repair a crack in my foundation.  He had told me earlier it would cost "a couple hundred." I'd been trying all summer to get him over here, but I knew it was a small job and that he'd probably rather focus on the big jobs first.
I was just about ready to move on to someone else but he finally came through, sending his father, who is part of his crew, to do it.
I texted the mason later that day and asked him what I owed him. He said...
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A few years ago I read about making a sourdough starter. It seemed easy enough...flour, water, and time. I named my starter Sammy and I've kept him going ever since. I've made sour dough loaves and used the extra or discard for other things and even given away discard. Then the bane of my existence...I was looking at Pinterest and it showed an easy recipe for sourdough sandwich bread that looked far less crusty than normal sourdough. I kept thinking, it won't rise without yeast,...
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Plenty to do today, but I'm procrastinating a bit.
It's been a while since I've posted pix of my gardens, so thought you'd enjoy seeing what's in bloom here now.

This is a low-growing wood aster.
 

These are Autumn Joy Sedum with mums (not daisies).

This is a buttonbush I planted last spring. It's a small, native shrub that gets beautiful pure white gumdrop-looking flowers in summer that turn into these seed pods later in the season that feed wildlife.

These...
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October 3
$9 Groceries
$6 Fast Food
$0 Movies
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I didn't see where the weather landed today (101 or 102 probably), but the forecast just keeps adding more 100F+ days.  Last I saw, through Monday. 
Okay, so I guess it was 103F again, and that was an all-time October record.  Thank you Google.
Today it was sick spending.  I felt like crap and was feeling very particular about food.  So...
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Well, I am retired a while now. I work part time and I still find myself saving. I have been told that many people who get their nest egg together have difficulty switching from saving and getting out of debt to spending that nest egg in retirement.I know how to save and be frugal but now that I have arrived at my goal I just don't know how tp spend money. I am obsessed with saving and investing. I think my wife considers me nuts.  My Subaru is 13 years old and I am going...
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Well it's been a week since we moved and it has to be the worst move that I have ever been involved with (and there have been a few)...first we had everything organised and it should have been a smooth move. First the movers were 5 hours late..suppose to be there at 8am...almost 9 so I call the company and they called the movers they had truck (8 tonne)  trouble so should be there by 10....no show at 10 so I call again, they say the truck needs to go back to base and they...
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October 2
NSD
**103F Degrees**
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MM(21) was really dragging his feet transferring money from his savings to his checking account.  But I saw today that he transferred $1,800 over.  Probably leaves him with $1,000-ish that he will insist can last him through the school year (after he pays for that engagement ring).  I need to check in with him about getting his rental deposit back.  I haven't...
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I am sure everyone has heard of the devastation hurricane Helene has caused.  One such place is Asheville, NC, which I have been to several time before.  I saw the videos in horror of the eateries and businesses that I fondly remember visiting when I was there.  The level of damage is just insane.
I was affected by the hurricane as well, though nowhere near anything like that.  I think I lost power for like about 90 minutes, and that's it.
While I don't consider...
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Here's my most recent bill. People all over the state are up in arms right now because the Public Benefits charge, which allowed people to not pay their bills during covid, shot up. It also covers the cost of new EV stations? I believe these higher charges for the rest of us will last for 10 months. People are furious.
Anyone in my state would think this bill is great. I have seen people in my town's FB page post bills of $900 for a month! But then upon closer inquiry, you learn...
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Total Investments $1,629,864
Savings $20,931
Home Equity $138,700
September 2024 Net Worth $1,789,495
August 2024 Net Worth $1,760,970
Monthly Gain/Loss $28,525
September was so very expensive: moving, new home, new furniture, a lot of home supplies & services purchased. I'm looking forward to settling into a more normal or routine schedule as far as expenses goes.
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Just curious if anyone else has been stocking up with the fear of the longshoreman's strike warning and then the actual strike coming about?
I always try to keep a few things on hand. I haven't been hoarding, but each time something comes on the news, my stomach clenches and hopes it isn't like the fiasco during the Pandemic as people go crazy and go for a hoarding frenzy. The media keeps claiming prices will go up and there will be shortages which makes me worry people will go...
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I still don't have my $12k from an IRA CD that matured on Sept 12. I'm down to about $400 in my checking account.
Had another stressful conversation on the phone with them just now. Two weeks ago, they promised to "expedite" the distribution, but here I am, still waiting for their snail mail check to arrive because banks don't operate in the 21st century. Apparently they don't believe in direct deposit of funds (they consider that a transfer, not a distribution), nor even email...
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October 1
$   7  Patreon (MH)
$105 Groceries
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Ugh!  The other shoe dropped.  Had major work drama in May.  I think that some of my coworkers thought I was being overly dramatic but I knew my assistant would likely quit after that.  She gave her very short notice today.  (What is up with these very short notices??)  At least when awesome admin left (her spouse gave no...
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I was thinking about detailing daily expenses in October.  It's always a good way to dive back into blogging.  I looked back and I guess it's a common month for my to share more expense details.  
Last week I would have said that where my head is at is that we are relaxing more financially and trying to find a new balance.  
Then I paid all the October bills.  *Sigh*  & was informed of another massive health insurance increase for 2025. ...
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Housing
784


Gifts/Charity
514


Utilities
226


Groceries
167


Medical/Health
99


Entertainment
67


Eating Out/Takeout
66


Phone
49


Fees & Services
45


Household Supplies
32


Clothing
27


Furn/Equip/Décor
20


Laundry
20


Personal
9



Grand Total                 2125
The large total in gifts includes $400 in donations to my grandsons' college funds.
As...
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