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So I've been doing 1 class at a time to be a Certified financial planner. It will cost $5000 to get the certificate. I enjoy the online classes. I'd like be a fee for service financial planner.

I had a phone call evaluation by personal capital today and they tried to sell me their services. It was absolutely rotten, horrible experience.

The website is great. I use it to track my spending and x-ray my investments. But I would NEVER pay 0.89% of the value of our portfolio...
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So DH's end of year bonus will be $1600 in cash, but that is before taxes, so not sure what it will be afterwards. Bonuses get taxed weirdly, I believe at 25%, so we'll only see $1200 of that, though some of it will come back in our tax refund. He will also get 1 percent of all wages earned put into his 401K with 100% matching, since we haven't hit 5% of income on our own yet. That will only be based on his earned wages since becoming a permanent employee, and he became one...
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Current Balance $11,390.00
+$470.00 FB Sales
+$50.00 MO Payday to Our Savings (12/7)
Balance $11,910.00

Local Savings $2765.00
GC Savings $3080.00
Capital 360 Savings (US) $2805.00
Capital 360 Savings (Mom Loan Payback Account)$910.00
Capital 360 Savings (Rental Deposit Account #1)$850.00
Capital 360 Savings (Rental Deposit Account #2)$1500.00
Total Savings = $11,390.00

52 Week Challenge
2018 Total = $970 (Weeks 1-30, 35-39, 41-45, 52-53)
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Another crazy week of sales!! Total sales were $849.50!!! This is by far and away my biggest sales week ever!! Total number of items sold was 184!!
I had one customer that did all of her Christmas shopping with me last year, and she came and did that again this year, even with me giving her multiple discounts she still spent $340.00!! Also she buys lots of my older inventory which is great!!

Sale #1032 (JAW) $40.00
TMNT Bike (Joint with my bro) - We paid $18.11
Sold...
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I was at an event this weekend where a lesson on Christmas budgeting was presented. It was short, but excellent. That is what has inspired this post.

Our Christmas budget the last several years has been $600. These are the funds to cover gifts and shipping costs for nine people. I save $50 each month from our paychecks so the money is available when it's time to shop.

The lesson presented asked people to think of ALL the costs they may incur during the holiday season. Not...
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Yesterday I made one of my Christmas gifts, a big batch of sweet and spicy nuts. I am not thrilled with the result, but the recipient will probably not complain. I used a recipe I got online, and I should have called my brother and asked him for his recipe, which is sweeter. This recipe is more savory. Oh well.

I got the candy thermometer yesterday, but I may not have time for making jam today.

I also got the scarf I ordered for my friend P. I was a little nervous about...
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I spent the morning putting the finishing touches to 33 little baby hats, using the last of my fingering wool. I have knitted over 200 this year. They are coming with me to the Mount Abu Hospital to be distributed to newborns (it is winter in Rajasthan and the temperature drops to zero at night).
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I know I wrote a post yesterday and I could swear I hit save and publish. Oh well!

Yesterday I spent 53.78 at Grocery Outlet. I tend to stop in once a week to see what they have. I bought some frozen vegetables and filled up DH's diesel truck to the tune of $85.00.

Today I finally registered my new to me vehicle. I was in a car accident with a totaled Toyota Camry. I think this is probably my last car. I got it with about 76,000 miles on it and these cars (2004 M55...
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This is one of the worst winter colds I have ever had, but I think I have finally turned the corner. I got up and got dressed for the first time since December 2nd. My cough is up in my throat now instead of my lungs or bronchials. I still definitely have a lot of mucus and am pretty tired, but I think I could drive today without being a risk to others. I haven't even been in a car since the 1st, let alone driven.

I even started a load of laundry, there is a huge backlog,...
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As you all know we do not have any debt. No mortgage debt either as we move frequently with the military and have found it make sense to rent for the time being.

I came across a site that is free and allows you to track your way out of debt. I'd try it myself and review it for you, but again zero debt to track. I do see it links to YNAB! And it has a 52 Week Savings Option.

If you have goals to pay off debt in 2019, you might want to check out this free tracking option....
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My brother, FIL and FSIL have all been grabbing deals for me so they make a little extra cash and so do I!



Shared with my SIL
Black and Decker Blenders (Bought 4)
Price + Tax = $9.59 each
(Marked $20.00 for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 2 for $20.00 each on FB on 12/2/18
*ETA - Sold 1 for $20.00 each on FB on 12/9/18

Shared with my brother
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Bikes (Bought 5)
Price + Tax = $18.11 each
(Marked $35.00 for boxed and $40.00 for assembled...
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Still here, still bad at posting regularly! Life is busy but good. Financial updates:

Been putting a big chunk of each paycheck toward my only private loan, and I mailed a check for the final payoff balance on Saturday! It usually takes at least a week for payments to show up. Looking forward to getting down to one loan servicer to deal with! Very grateful for the private loan though- they offered much lower interest during the years while I was still in school.


Payment...
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$656.08 paid off in the last 2 weeks!!!

Celebrations for this update:
-$656.08 paid off in the last 2 weeks!!
-Mom Loan went under the next $1000 mark!!
-Total debt went under the next $1000 mark!!

Student Loan $0
Payback Savings $0
David's Bridal $0
Scheel's Card $0
Total Rewards $0
LOC - US Bank $0
Ring Iddeal $0
Best Buy $0
HELOC $0
Store Loan $4,196.08
Mom Loan #2/#3 $36,541.06
MO Mortgage $81,620.71
My Mortgage $145,900.00
Our Mortgage $242,266.19
Total...
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My grandson's chamber orchestra (about 15-20 kids) assembled in a bookstore yesterday to perform some Christmas carols. It was a pretty cramped space, especially when all the parents and grandparents crowded in to watch! From my vantage point, I could see my grandson, but not his head, which was hidden by his music stand. I was amused by watching a cellist whose bow kept catching the dress of a violinist standing near her. Neither girl seemed to be aware, and nothing embarrassing...
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So,there's good and bad news. Bad news first: we missed a payment on hubby's credit card, and despite using my credit card for some expenses to try to catch up, we still haven't caught up. And we now have more debt. Sigh. First time in 5 years that I've used a credit card. Ugh. I don't know the exact amount due; hubby knows the login details. Not really how I wanted to end the year.

Baby is due really soon. I found out yesterday afternoon that there's some new payment offered...
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I finally manged to negotiate the High Commission of India's website and complete my visa application. Cost nzd225. Now I am having cold sweats in case it is rejected and I can't go on the trip. To thumb my nose at the bogeyman I had lunch at the Indian Spice restaurant. Bombay aloo mmmmm
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Today was a pretty productive day. I'm preparing for a very busy and somewhat stressful week ahead.

My friend R.'s funeral is Tuesday. I hope I didn't make a mistake by telling my boss I'd be into work right afterwards, but this is their busy time and he just asked me to work full time for the rest of December and early January. I couldn't really say no since I just got a raise.

I'm sure the funeral is going to be very upsetting. I knew all of R.'s close friends and family,...
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I blogged earlier about crocheting some clothes for a friend's granddaughter's Barbie. Well, they were a big hit, and it seems the dress that has some glitter to it was a favorite. Seems the Elf on the Shelf even wore it one morning to greet the little girl.

Friday I found two skeins of yarn that had a silver cord running through each of them. One was Christmas red and the other was white. I found them at one of the thrift stores we frequent and the cashier asked me what I was...
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So Friday morning the garage door remote wasn't working. I had to get out of my car to close the door. I wasn't thinking about where I was stepping, or how.

Both feet slipped right out from under me and I landed flat on my back. I don't think I hit my head. (I was wearing a banana clip, so unless I hit the side of my head …)

I was able to get right up with no issues and continued to work. A few hours later I started really feeling it.

My supervisor let me leave 30 minutes...
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It is an overcast, gloomy day today. Some of these came out a bit dark.

The front door as you approach.



The front door from inside. (I don't know why it is showing up sideways).



The living room from different angles.




My little kitchen.





Bedroom #1 at the front of the house.




The hall bath.




Bedroom #2, right-hand side of the hallway closest to the front of the house.




The laundry room, next to bedroom #2. (Laundry sold...
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