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I just checked, and my loan is now under 1k. Only 4 more payments to go!! I'll be applying that money to my credit card when it's gone.
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I'm doing housework today, trying to get to all the little things I don't usually notice. I just cleaned the toaster oven, which was pretty crummy. Tomorrow I'm going to grocery shop for the brunch and do some prep cooking. I also have two recitals to attend tomorrow. (May bow out of one.) Then on Sunday morning, I'll start cooking like crazy, because most of the stuff I'm making cannot be made ahead.

I'm working on a cooking countdown (what to start when) so it won't be...
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I have used up all the colored double knitting yarn in my stash. I have a load in neutral shades but it requires something to jazz it up a bit, so I bought a bag of green oddments in the thrift store for 50 cents.
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I actually started my Year of Ultimate Frugality on November 1st. So I am using the right day# starting today.

Not much happened today. I had physical therapy, then I went to visit my mom at her assisted living apartment. We had a nice visit looking at her old cards. Some were really cute/funny from my now grown nieces and nephews. I was able to address the issue of a lady who lives there, that my mother had in her mind that my dad had been involved with. This is absolutely...
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First, the good news.

I checked on our insurer's site today to see if there was any update to the $42k hospital charge for my DH's 3 day stay. It showed that it has been paid, and we have $0 obligation! (We more than met his deductible for 2018 and out of pocket.)

So … that is a huge relief to not have to fight that.

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The not so great news …

We dropped off our CRV last night at a local auto shop. This morning they called DH and told him that it had some major...
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I tried replying to Amber's comment last week but my internet was playing up so much the comments wouldn't post. Anyway, we have no problem with managing our bills, it's more when we were overspending we were dipping into the bills money. Now that we've put the spending money and the bills money into separate bank accounts it's been much easier and we've had less problems.

The next thing to try and manage is our weekly spending money. While we've been having heaps of fun by...
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I mailed a check for $18,091.98 off today. Does it drive better? I think a paid for car does! Gotta say I love it. Funny how our "newer" 2016 Legacy drives better than our 2015 Sienna being paid off. Anyway what a nice feeling to be out of a car loan. It's been awhile since that happened and honestly I've been annoyed this past year having two car payments.

I like having a paid for car. I like the feel. I had a 98 corolla that was paid for in 2001. DH had a 2000 Ford focus...
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Yesterday was Music Lesson Day. That ties me up from about 2 till 6, believe it or not. GS1 left his hat in my trunk, so I got an early morning call to look for it. Got it to him just as he was leaving for school. So glad his ears will be warm!

Today I will make jam. Cranberry orange. I hope it turns out. If not, well, I'll use it at home, rather than as a gift.

No plans to go out, at least until the boys are out of school.

Variables are at 73%, with almost two weeks...
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DH is confirmed to leave this weekend. It's been a whirlwind of trying to get things done because the admin side was so disorganized. It's really unfortunate because I hear that this isn't the norm, but it's left a terrible taste. They basically messed up his orders and then autoenrolled only me into insurance based on those orders which screwed everything up. I spent multiple days on the phone with several organizations trying to get it straight, and we still aren't there. Hopefully,...
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It's been a whirlwind of a year! In the last couple weeks, I've been starting to panic, wondering if I actually figured our tax situation out for 2018 in light of the new tax laws. I vaguely remembering need to wait to figure things out. But did I ever go back and review?

Yesterday, I hopped on the IRS Withholding Calculator to see where things stood. Luckily, at least in my mind, we are good. We will owe money but it should not be more than $540. I had increased our withholding...
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I am working on my 2019 goals. I may end up adding or tweaking, so I am not putting this on the sidebar yet. Here is what I have so far:

1. ) Sugar intake (processed)
Creamer only for sugar 6 days a week (I drink one cup of coffee a day). I am allowing myself one cheat day a week within reason.

2.) Minimum 20 minutes of exercise per day

3.) Read two books a month

4.) Limit Facebook to 15 minutes a day and YouTube to an hour a day (This has replaced some TV time. I...
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I walked into town today and when I got there realised I'd forgotten my wallet with all my money and my bus card. So I had to walk back home in a fine Scottish mist. At least I stayed out of the thrift store since there was no point looking without any money. So frustrating to see a bargain and not be able to buy.

I booked my bus to Christchurch Airport, nzd44.00. Counting sleeps until the day of departure.
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All our bills are paid for the year except groceries and gas and one more lot of rent...but the money is in the bank for all of these plus extra for our christmas food shopping. Our next lot of rent is due right after new year and since pays can be messed up over the holidays the money is in the account just in case.

We have 1 more pay before the end of the year so that will be going into savings so we can have a little savings to start the new year with been a rough year but...
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I spent most of the day in the kitchen. I roasted the last of the tomatoes from our greenhouse with chopped garlic and olive oil. Then I whirred in the vita-mix. I roasted the 4 pumpkins from our garden. I made pumpkin chocolate chip bread and I made spinach calzone.

The spinach was starting to wilt and I didn't want it to go bad. Same with the pumpkins. There were 3 that were starting to rot out in the garden. I split them open and left them for the chickens.

Onward!
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As suspected the mortgage was sold. I’m so glad I did not send off my first payment. Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to hold off.

Now that things seem to be settled, I’ll be sending off the payment on Friday with an extra $100 on the principal.

I still haven’t received anything from the HOA so I’ll reach out to them on the 20th.

I received a letter from the insurance company that the ORI B wasn’t signed, not sure what that was, calling them as well....
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I just told this to a friend today, who was complaining about the long wait at the post office.

Did you know that the US Postal Service offers pickup of packages*** you are mailing during your regular mail delivery? You do not need to be home and it's free!

The first step is to pack your items and weigh it. As you know I've done eBay selling for over 10 years, so I have a food scale I use to get the weight of my packages up to five pounds. The US Postal Service charges...
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I went to the gym and then to Sam's this morning, where I spent $36 for groceries and household supplies. I will have to buy more groceries later in the week for the brunch, but some supplies were bought today.

I redeemed $7 in rewards from Discover and $28 from BOA. Soon I should start getting mystery shop payments.

I won't have time today to make jam, but hope to get it done tomorrow. Time is getting short.

The placemat project has been tabled (ha ha!). I will continue...
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Another payday, another nzd289.15, split up in the usual way:
Kiwisaver 20.00
bill paying account 110.00
food 20.00 - spent 11.80
misc 20.00
home maintenance account 20.00

seems to working all right. I think I will keep going until I have fully funded the EF. I thibk I can get it up to $10,000 by the end of next year, barring no unforeseen big expenses.
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My 4 year old granddaughter has pink eye. Let's hope my itchy eyes are not that. My eyes have been itchy lately from the fires in NoCa, but they are out and they were feeling much better. I am on the coast, a good 3-1/2 to 4 hours from Paradise, but we were still effected.

I ran to town today to show my new friend (who stayed with me after the four car pile-up 9/30/18 until my husband got there, and then pretty much stayed with us anyway until the tow truck came) the pillow...
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I’m currently fixated with gardening, in particular trying to grow carrots. I’ve been spending too much time watching gardening videos on Youtube.

We are still doing the cementing thing in one of the garden bed, when it is done I will post a photo. We are trying to do one bag a day but sometimes when the weather is either too hot or raining we can’t. I tried to do it by myself but it was hard to try and get it done before the mix gets dry. We are so much in a hurry...
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