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I’m pretty much sticking to last year’s goals with only slight difference and added a couple of things that might be fun to do.

Financials-

*Add $40K into Investments.
I’m lowering it this year since we’ve increased contribution to DH superannuation (retirement fund).

*Stick to $3K budget for Holiday.

* Keep saving money for that “Challenge”


Other –

*Read 200 books.
I read 180 in 2018, I want to see if I can make it to 200 this year. So...
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And all is alright in my tiny corner of the world.

There is general peace and calm in the house. I was expected meltdowns as the kids returned to school after a long break. For them, and for me, early morning wake ups have been tough, but we are surviving.

My son has "matured" and is now showering every morning. This is a vast change/improvement from a month ago when I would be "when did you last shower/go shower" campaign each night. With boy showering in the morning,...
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Thanks to BAWW commenting on my last post, I am now aware of a new CD at Navy Federal Credit Union paying 3.25% for 17 months. I knew there would be some good rates coming up soon!

I'm in the process of transferring money from a couple of different accounts so that we can fund this new CD. One bank will only allow $5,000 transfer per day. I need to move $13,000, so it will take THREE transfers. I'm sure a wire could have been done, but that requires a fee. I'm nearly positive...
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My husband saw his surgeon this week and was told he could go back to work in two weeks... So we turned in his work release at his job.

And then his primary doctor said no way, that's not enough time. She wants to extend it another two weeks. Eek. The doctors are meeting today to decide, but fingers crossed he doesn't have to wait another month. Ugh.

We don't want to go back to his boss and tell him that his leave has to extend. Also the disability company is such a major...
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I did a load of laundry yesterday, and that was my only spending. Variables are 29%.

I am gradually working my way through the freezer food. Yesterday I finished up the green bean casserole. Today I'm working on pumpkin pie and chicken penne casserole.

I set up another restaurant mystery shop for the 17th.

There isn't too much on my plate today. I do need to clean the fish tank, and it would be a good day to catch up on some housework.

We are supposed to experience...
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In december I paid our water bill to the wrong company...the house we are renting was sold and we got new owners and when we transferred all data from my old computer to the new one the information came with it...so money went to the old company...I called them monday and the lady who does their accounting was rushed to hospital with for surgery but one of the ladies called me and got my bank info and put the money back into our account so that mistake has now been settled and...
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I took DD to the dentist today. She had to get the webbing clipped on that part of your mouth where the lower lip connects to the gum. It was starting to pull down the gum line on her two lower front teeth too far. It could have eventually exposed the roots of the teeth and she might have lost them due to them not being stable anymore. It was just a quick snip and a couple of stitches.

I am not sure how much it will cost us. Probably $50 for the co-pay, but they didn't...
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TOTAL = $30,651.89. This not too bad I like our spending to be at $30K per year but the camper trailer and other purchases made in December really what push it over. Overall, I’m fairly happy with it. It included 3 holidays and some purchases. It also included bills that we pre-paid which should benefit us in 2019.

Quick summary:
Household Expenses - $12,576.93
Transportation - $4,201.30
Entertainment - $2,086.28 (for 2019 I’m hoping to cut down on our takeaway food...
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It's that time of year again where college tuition and housing payments will be due soon. Our youngest daughter's school collects super early compared to our older daughter. I will pay hers by January 20, just six days after classes start. My older daughter started classes yesterday and her bill will not come due until February 12! I do appreciate the gap between the due dates.

I placed an order on Friday to sell shares in my youngest daughter's ESA. I mentioned before those...
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Famous Footwear was having a BOGO 50% off sale on their clearance. I was hoping to find a lot of good deals, but there really wasn't much there that was in the price range I like. I find so many good deals there most of the time that I hate to pay more then $5 a pair. We did find two pairs of shoes for hubby and then I got these 2 for selling.



Circus by Sam Edelman Tan Sandals
Regular Price $54.99
Clearance to $10.00
Final Price + Tax = $10.70
(Marked $25.00 for...
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Tonight another couple is joining us for a casual dinner. I'm making goulash which is basically ground beef, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and tomato sauce mixed with elbow macaroni. We have garlic bread sticks and a vegetable and they are bringing dessert. It is far cheaper than going out and we enjoy being with each other so it should be a pleasure. She is already planning on what she is going to fix when we go over their house. I like this because we can have a nice time...
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I haven't been to CVS in months but I stopped in and scanned my extra care cards. I got a few good coupons and grabbed a few body washes.



Ivory Free and Gentle Body Wash (Bought 1)
Regular Price $6.49
-$1.72 Sale Price
-$.76 $2.00 off $6 Body Wash
Final Price + Tax = $2.64
(Marked $5.00 each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold for $5.00 on FB on 1/6/19
Profit = $2.36

Old Spice Body Wash (Bought 2)
Regular Price $5.29
-$2.65 50% Off Clearance Each
-$1.24 $2.00...
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I'm making the most of my feel-good health time because I don't know how long it will last.

I met with Ohio State yesterday and am in the process of setting up an account to fund new kidney cancer research. The goal is to produce data on genetic characteristics and mutations in tumors and on each mutation's response to treatment. Other cancers are way ahead in this area, while virtually nothing has been done for KC.

So yeah. I'm going to start fundraising for research soon....
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I already upped 401K contribution to 10% at the end of December and am expecting that to be in effect on first paycheck 1/11.

1) Save $25/week from variable expenses. Budgeting for $225 but hoping to only spend $200.
2) Save $25-$40 in $5 bills from weekly spending for Christmas 2019
3) Cashflow tub and shower installation from rent
4) Add $150 to retirement funds
5) Coupon and save the difference in cash for fun $
6) Continue with monthly dinner out as a family
7)...
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We got rent for January and also added in FB sales. MO also won big at the casino and we came home $700 ahead! We put $500 of it into savings, $100 into the 52 Week Challenge and $50 each for fun money. We are already paid into May for the 52 Week Challenge!

Current Balance $13,045.00
+$95.00 FB Sales
+$400.00 January Rent
+$500.00 Casino Win
Balance $14,165.00

Local Savings $6975.00
GC Savings $715.00
Capital 360 Savings (US) $3050.00
Capital 360 Savings (Mom...
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No extra spending (Edit - no spending at all, not even bills). It was a hard day, and I was super tempted to spend my $50 gift card on Five Guys since I didn't need the shelf anymore, but I resisted. I had a stew in the crockpot and really need to get back to eating veggies, so I stuck with that. It actually was pretty good, so no real regrets.

Today may be no spend. I'm starting to run low on gas and may need it for errands later. I have to get my mom from the airport and then...
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It was back to chauffeuring the boys yesterday, and I'll be doing it again today. Happy work!

I'm also going to go to the gym, not just to work out, but to get my free bagel breakfast.

I did a mystery shop at a children's shop yesterday and spent $12.90, $10 of which will be reimbursed. I bought a shirt for one of my grandsons, which I will save until his birthday comes up. That was my only spending. The payment for this shop was only $4 (which of course I won't see for...
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2018 WINS:

**I survived!

Honestly, that's good enough for me. Anything beyond that is gravy. It was definitely the most difficult year of my life.

**I figured out the "next phase" of my career. Time will tell, but I feel like I ended up with a good combo of significantly less stress/responsibility/work, in exchange for better pay than I was expecting (based on the regional job market). I was very open minded going into the job search (open to anything), but fell...
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Don't worry, no one was hurt. We weren't even in the truck when my mother backed her SUV into it. She knew it was there. She saw it when she got in, but she had forgotten about it when she went to back out, which makes me think she didn't even look behind her as she backed up, and she must have really hit the gas because the amount of damage done to both vehicles was pretty bad. It put a six inch crack in our bumper and bowed it. It put a massive dent in the license plate,...
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I look at our grocery budget and we usually cook fairly healthy rarely eat take out (maybe once a month) and I was thinking that if I lived in places like the US that had coupons we could save so much more than what we do here...food is expensive here but damn I wish we could get coupons like other countries...what do others think..do you think coupons are worth it? I wouldn't go to extreme nad have a basement full of stuff or buy what we didn't really use much of...but I hink...
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