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I noticed that my new salary posted yesterday. It's an approximate 4% increase, though I expect to lose the 10% retention pay next month. So overall about a 6% loss, but I know that I can make my budget regardless. 
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So I did something silly & broke my own rule of always getting a receipt. I was running errrands & shopping the day I was to pick up my sister from the airport, December 21st. I dropped off a package at FedEx which contained two pairs of Clark's shoes for returns. I briefly thought it might be better to wait until after the Christmas rush, but I just wanted all packages out of my apartment. I had already dropped off 2 other packages.
When I dropped off the package at FedEx,...
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Since I was barely on my feet January 1st, I had not gathered the data in for our retirement accounts' standings.  To begin with, we started out 2022 in pretty good shape.  There had been some ups and downs in 2021, but for the whole year over all, we'd done well.  So we started out 2022 with $57,978.02 in the 401K and $13,925.02 in the IRA.  So between the two our retirement was at $71,903.04.
We do not contribute to the IRA so the losses are much more obvious...
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DL(17) was officially accepted into the local State college.  They give very high priority to local high school students.  I think it only took this long because their business college is impacted.  He was getting a little stressed that his less studious friends were getting immediately accepted.  So I know he is relieved that it is official.
I think there's probably a 90% chance he will stay home and go to this college.  Has been leaning that way as more...
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I'm not making resolutions so much as new rules. I've already instituted the haircut rule -- one cut per quarter. Now I'm adding a few more. No more buying beef at the grocery store. There are so many things I like to make with chicken. And many meatless dishes, as well. It's just not worth it to buy beef. But I will allow myself the occasional hamburger -- or beef-based meal -- when I go out. That will be the treat that supports the rule. Another rule -- no more using my phone...
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It has been a while since I posted, although I've still been reading the blogs. Work has been busy, life has been busy, time flies.
 
 
Financial updates: I finally took the step of working with a financial advisor at Vanguard to start investing beyond my 401K at work. If you have been participating in the stock market at all in the last couple years, you know that….has not been going great. But I am just continuing to dollar cost average and trying not to look...
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I am updating my goals for 2023, which actually haven't changed from year to year. One thing that I did not do at all last year was to give to a church. I did end up joining a church. I'm still trying to make it feel like home. I joined a ladies group & we had a nice belated holiday party this week. I don't end up attending my new church often between working every other weekend & traveling home other weekends.
I did give to charity regularly, but I would like to give...
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Well it's time to do the taxes for the US again...the thing I hate most every year....so I am going to look and see if I can find someone to do them for me so far they are costing around $290 which many say isn't a lot but when you don't pay that much tax then it isn't worth it...they still haven't even sent confiramtion that they have received lat years which we sent a year ago...thats right a year ago....and still nothing...maybe I just won't do them...would they even know..we...
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I love January! It's always so low-spend! For me, anyway. I haven't been to the grocery store yet -- I'm still eating food left over from the Christmas brunch. I won't go until something comes up that I must have, but so far that hasn't happened yet.
Today I got my annual mammogram and afterwards I treated myself to a breakfast sandwich. I actually bought two, since the second one was only $1. I'm hoping it will still be appealing or at least edible tomorrow morning. The two sandwiches...
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I don't have my raise yet, and so this is what I have for now.
Same goals as last year.   Bumped up IRA goal to new contribution limits (thanks to MH's raises). & added a dollar figure to keep mortgage moving down by $10K per year.  
1 - Pay cash for college
2 - $10,000 to savings
$1,000/month, plus interest.  Topping off with snowballs.
Although we are saving more than $10,000 ($1,000 x 12 months = $12,000), I am leaving some buffer for bigger...
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Storm #5? rolled through.  I've lost count.  I think we are on storm #5.
Storm #5 would probably have been mostly uneventful.  But...  This storm was the snow geese massacre.  😞  The geese should have been ending their long migration, but crossed paths with a thunderstorm and started falling out of the sky.  
It just gets more bonkers.  
On the plus side, the flood waters are receding at MM's college and classes will resume...
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It's that time of year when my thoughts turn to tidying up, decluttering and eking out more spaciousness and serenity in my home. Living in a relatively small house, I have been feeling cramped, most especially since 2015, when I inherited lots of STUFF. I firmly believe that IF EVERYTHING HAS ITS PLACE, my life will be so much better.
Anyway, I spent some time at the home of a man I was dating, and I admired how attractive and tidy he kept it. Without realizing it, I internalized...
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My total net worth bounced back nicely in the past 2 months, gaining over $50,000 since November.
Total net worth is $1,146,410 + home value of $405,100 = $1,551,510. It's still not back to its pre-recession peak in September 2021 of $1,272,391, net of house.
If I have a  New Year's resolution, it will be to find a new p/t job to stem further incursions into my assets.
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Greetings, all.
Here's my annual rundown of the prior year's income and expenses.
Overall, I spent $43,687 in 2022. I earned just $29,689, so I'm in the hole for about $14,000. It's not what I planned, nor wanted, but after a June layoff from my p/t job, a new p/t job failed to deliver the hours I was counting on. In fact, I haven't worked since before Thanksgiving.
I have been half-heartedly looking for a new position, but I really need to get more serious about it. I think...
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My computer keyboard is being wonky as...well, I don't swear, but if I did, you can fill in the blank with the word of your choosing but mine has an f in it, because I am that annoyed at it.  I need to get a can of spray air and give it a good whooshing.  So I will try to get this posted again without erasing it.  My analysis will be at the end.
$361.23 Tithe
_500.00 Utilities
_400.00 Groceries
_400.00 Homeowner's Insurance
__75.00 Household Expenses Envelope
__70.00...
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It's only the 9th.  2023 has been exhausting so far.
I just saw a news headline that called our weather a "parade of cyclones".  I guess that sums it up pretty well.
New Year's Eve was the biggest storm we have ever had.  Power went out for 5 hours.  I don't even remember the last time we had a power outage.  A power pole line had blown over in the storm.
Another storm blew through right after that.  Not as bad, but still a lot of wind.  I...
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2023 TALLY:
Citi Premier 80,000 Bonus points (Moi) - DENIED  
Citi Premier 80,000 Bonus points (MH) - DENIED  
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We haven't done these Citi rewards in a long time.  Because the rewards are mostly gift cards, and so not as enticing.  But I was enticed today.  
Was thinking recently that we should be fair and do a credit card reward to pay for DL(17)'s college laptop (same as we did for MM).  & then I saw a good credit...
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I have been a YNABer for years. Unfortunately the app won't connect with my bank out here (tears). I just can't get on board with manually entering each transaction, so I a have been checking out different apps. So far Frollo has been easy to use. Still not YNAB. I think I'll have to spend some time fiddling around with it a bit to see if it will be useful. 
The plus side is that the new app is free, so no more yearly subscription costs. 
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I forgot to post my net worth for November 2022. I just wanted to note that I never count the cash in my checking account as that seems too fluid. I usually keep around $10,000 in my checking, but again, it's very fluid. Between my brokerage and savings account I have $104,106. I have that earmarked for a down deposit on a house if I wish to buy again.
November 2022 $1,209,583
December 2022 $1,158,919
My net loss for December was $50,664.
December 2021 $1.388 million
December...
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This year the goals were hard to figure out. Our budget is going to be super tight so honestly the main goal is to just survive without accruing more debt.  Which puts us at our first goal.
 
1.       Increase Net Worth
2022 was the first year we had net worth loss. This was a combination of overspending, new land debt and market decline. For 2023 I want to go back to saving more than we are spending overall. Which I think the next two...
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