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June 26th, 2021 at 11:33 pm
1 This morning, I booked 2 round-trip flights for Mom and me to fly to southern Illinois. Afterwards, I booked an airbnb. Why southern Illinois? My daughter and son-in-law moved there about 1.5 years ago. Last month, my son and daughter-in-law did the same. They are all four living in the same small town. The place I booked is a vacation home on a lake, complete with a hot tub. We should have a really fun week, just hanging out and being together. And playing cards, of course. ;)
It's going to be a fun trip. I am looking forward to seeing my son of course, but I am REALLY looking forward to seeing my daughter. I haven't seen her since we parted in Florida in March 2020. (Whereas I have seen my son several times since then).
I have been setting money aside for this trip and have it covered, even though my current cash balance is a bit lean. This month, I had to pay my 6 month insurance premium ($947.26), put a new starter and brakes in my car ($701.30), bought myself some new clothes ($177.72), plus spent money for birthday gifts and a motel room (see below). So even though I have been saving diligently, I am ending the month with less cash than I started with.
I have a grand-niece and a grand-nephew who are first cousins and were born on the same day. SB and I went to Willits for their birthday parties a few weekends ago; they both turned 9. I paid for the motel room and birthday gifts, as it is my family. It was a very fun weekend. I got to spend some one on one time with two nieces, my brother, my sister-in-law, the birthday girl grand-niece, and my newest grand-niece who was born this past February. asdf123
This morning, I booked 2 round-trip flights for Mom and me to fly to southern Illinois. Afterwards, I booked an airbnb. Why southern Illinois? My daughter and son-in-law moved there about 1.5 years ago. Last month, my son and daughter-in-law did the same. They are all four living in the same small town. The place I booked is a vacation home on a lake, complete with a hot tub. We should have a really fun week, just hanging out and being together. And playing cards, of course. 
It's going to be a fun trip. I am looking forward to seeing my son of course, but I am REALLY looking forward to seeing my daughter. I haven't seen her since we parted in Florida in March 2020. (Whereas I have seen my son several times since then).
I have been setting money aside for this trip and have it covered, even though my current cash balance is a bit lean. This month, I had to pay my 6 month insurance premium ($947.26), put a new starter and brakes in my car ($701.30), bought myself some new clothes ($177.72), plus spent money for birthday gifts and a motel room (see below). So even though I have been saving diligently, I am ending the month with less cash than I started with.
I have a grand-niece and a grand-nephew who are first cousins and were born on the same day. SB and I went to Willits for their birthday parties a few weekends ago; they both turned 9. I paid for the motel room and birthday gifts, as it is my family. It was a very fun weekend. I got to spend some one on one time with two nieces, my brother, my sister-in-law, the birthday girl grand-niece, and my newest grand-niece who was born this past February.
Posted in
Travel
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1 Comments »
April 14th, 2021 at 03:45 pm
1 My share of my medical bills ended up being right at $1,400. The vet bill as I mentioned previously was $761.27. I spent $608.62 for my new phone and first month of Verizon's service (prepaid). The deposit for the cruise was $400, of which my mom will reimburse me $200. Also, the registration on my 5th wheel was due and thankfully had come down a bit from last year, $407. (I had saved $481 for it). Then a few miscellaneous things: a new car battery and brake pads, and supplies for a craft project. I put most of these on my credit card of course, but want to pay in full before April ends. The bill is actually due on May 6th.
I have sinking funds for all of these things, but not enough to cover the medical (human and canine) or the phone in full. I had reduced sinking funds to just minimal for the glorious cause of paying off the 5th wheel loan, and was really not wanting to reduce them further. But, it makes no sense to leave money sitting in them when I have expenses I cannot cover from current cash flow. So, I have tapped them yet again but will end April with a credit card balance of $0.00, which is just the way I like it.
Beginning with my first paycheck in May, barring further expenses, I should be able to start rebuilding my savings. The only extra expense on the horizon is the balance of the cruise, which is due in full February 6th. asdf123
My share of my medical bills ended up being right at $1,400. The vet bill as I mentioned previously was $761.27. I spent $608.62 for my new phone and first month of Verizon's service (prepaid). The deposit for the cruise was $400, of which my mom will reimburse me $200. Also, the registration on my 5th wheel was due and thankfully had come down a bit from last year, $407. (I had saved $481 for it). Then a few miscellaneous things: a new car battery and brake pads, and supplies for a craft project. I put most of these on my credit card of course, but want to pay in full before April ends. The bill is actually due on May 6th.
I have sinking funds for all of these things, but not enough to cover the medical (human and canine) or the phone in full. I had reduced sinking funds to just minimal for the glorious cause of paying off the 5th wheel loan, and was really not wanting to reduce them further. But, it makes no sense to leave money sitting in them when I have expenses I cannot cover from current cash flow. So, I have tapped them yet again but will end April with a credit card balance of $0.00, which is just the way I like it.
Beginning with my first paycheck in May, barring further expenses, I should be able to start rebuilding my savings. The only extra expense on the horizon is the balance of the cruise, which is due in full February 6th.
Posted in
Budgeting,
Spending,
Sinking Funds
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2 Comments »
April 12th, 2021 at 05:36 pm
1 Be sure to read the recent comment left on Ima Saver's last blog post here: [url]https://imasaver.savingadvice.com/2016/07/26/i-am-still-here_209394/#comments[/url]
Sadly, Julie has passed away. icantsave thoughtfully left a link to her obituary:
https://www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com/obituary/julia-denski
asdf123
Be sure to read the recent comment left on Ima Saver's last blog post here: Text is https://imasaver.savingadvice.com/2016/07/26/i-am-still-here_209394/#comments and Link is https://imasaver.savingadvice.com/2016/07/26/i-am-still-here...
Sadly, Julie has passed away. icantsave thoughtfully left a link to her obituary:
https://www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com/obituary/julia-denski
Posted in
Uncategorized
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13 Comments »
April 2nd, 2021 at 01:52 am
1 So nine days ago, our little Bella got hit by a car on our property. Not run over, but hit. (She ignored SB's commands and ran to the car, SB ran after her yelling for the car to stop). The car did stop, but still she collided with it. She had a trip to the 24 hour emergency vet and surgery where they sedated her to give her an xray and scan. She had no internal injuries or broken bones, thank goodness. They dressed her wounds, gave her pain pills, and discharged her. She was very sore the first few days, but has been walking, jumping, etc. as normal for several days now. So that set me back $761.27.
My medical bills for my hospital stay are all in I think, and my share is just a few dollars under 1k. I have been having more tests though, so expect more bills to pay.
My phone has been acting up for a few months. It freezes, it shuts down, in short it has become unreliable. So I am in the market for a new phone sooner rather than later. I am also planning to switch from Ting back to Verizon prepaid. Even though I am on Ting's Verizon service, my calls drop more than they don't. It will be more expensive, but it is not acceptable to be unable to rely on cell service even in town. (I don't even count from home. No matter what, cell service at home will remain unreliable.)
And the most fun money going out, we booked our next cruise. We sail in May 2022. We chose an Alaskan cruisetour, which includes staying in the Princess Lodge in Denali.
SB and I both received our first dose of the Pfizer vaccine today. So far, we both feel fine. asdf123
So nine days ago, our little Bella got hit by a car on our property. Not run over, but hit. (She ignored SB's commands and ran to the car, SB ran after her yelling for the car to stop). The car did stop, but still she collided with it. She had a trip to the 24 hour emergency vet and surgery where they sedated her to give her an xray and scan. She had no internal injuries or broken bones, thank goodness. They dressed her wounds, gave her pain pills, and discharged her. She was very sore the first few days, but has been walking, jumping, etc. as normal for several days now. So that set me back $761.27.
My medical bills for my hospital stay are all in I think, and my share is just a few dollars under 1k. I have been having more tests though, so expect more bills to pay.
My phone has been acting up for a few months. It freezes, it shuts down, in short it has become unreliable. So I am in the market for a new phone sooner rather than later. I am also planning to switch from Ting back to Verizon prepaid. Even though I am on Ting's Verizon service, my calls drop more than they don't. It will be more expensive, but it is not acceptable to be unable to rely on cell service even in town. (I don't even count from home. No matter what, cell service at home will remain unreliable.)
And the most fun money going out, we booked our next cruise. We sail in May 2022. We chose an Alaskan cruisetour, which includes staying in the Princess Lodge in Denali.
SB and I both received our first dose of the Pfizer vaccine today. So far, we both feel fine.
Posted in
Spending,
Travel
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5 Comments »
March 24th, 2021 at 02:06 pm
1 
It's been fun, 5th wheel loan. Hasta lu bye-bye. asdf123
It's been fun, 5th wheel loan. Hasta lu bye-bye.
Posted in
5th Wheel Loan
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8 Comments »
March 23rd, 2021 at 02:47 am
1 I received a "no, thank you" letter from the local water district. It was a let down, but I am a big believer that when things are right, they fall into place. So, I accept that the local water district is just not the right fit for me.
I decided that I would rather pay my 5th wheel loan in full and then make payments (if necessary) on my medical bills, rather than the other way around. So today, I paid 2k towards the loan, bringing the balance down to $1,752.57. I transferred some money from sinking funds, and will pay the balance in full by the end of this week. asdf123
I received a "no, thank you" letter from the local water district. It was a let down, but I am a big believer that when things are right, they fall into place. So, I accept that the local water district is just not the right fit for me.
I decided that I would rather pay my 5th wheel loan in full and then make payments (if necessary) on my medical bills, rather than the other way around. So today, I paid 2k towards the loan, bringing the balance down to $1,752.57. I transferred some money from sinking funds, and will pay the balance in full by the end of this week.
Posted in
Income
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5 Comments »
March 12th, 2021 at 07:46 pm
1 I thought I would be out of debt approximately 1 month from now. However, I don't think it is going to work out quite that way.
I went to bed Monday evening and woke up about 1am Tuesday morning, having trouble getting a breath. I got out of bed, used my inhaler, sat in a chair so I was upright, and waited. Around 4am, I was still having trouble, so decided I would go to urgent care. They ended up admitting me to the hospital; I was discharged yesterday.
It turns out that my blood pressure had gone really high, causing problems for my heart and my lungs had filled with fluid. I am seeing a cardiologist and I am now on quite a mix of medications which are keeping my blood pressure where it should be. I do have a good insurance plan, so while I am expecting some medical bills to pay, I am not expecting that they will be catastrophically large. Still, I will make no more additional principal payments until the medical bills have all been received and paid.
I had a Dr. appointment this morning and am home taking it easy now. I will go back to work Monday.
I have not yet heard a thing from the local water district. asdf123
I thought I would be out of debt approximately 1 month from now. However, I don't think it is going to work out quite that way.
I went to bed Monday evening and woke up about 1am Tuesday morning, having trouble getting a breath. I got out of bed, used my inhaler, sat in a chair so I was upright, and waited. Around 4am, I was still having trouble, so decided I would go to urgent care. They ended up admitting me to the hospital; I was discharged yesterday.
It turns out that my blood pressure had gone really high, causing problems for my heart and my lungs had filled with fluid. I am seeing a cardiologist and I am now on quite a mix of medications which are keeping my blood pressure where it should be. I do have a good insurance plan, so while I am expecting some medical bills to pay, I am not expecting that they will be catastrophically large. Still, I will make no more additional principal payments until the medical bills have all been received and paid.
I had a Dr. appointment this morning and am home taking it easy now. I will go back to work Monday.
I have not yet heard a thing from the local water district.
Posted in
Uncategorized
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3 Comments »
March 6th, 2021 at 03:42 pm
1 I feel that my interview yesterday went very, very well. There were 3 people interviewing me via Zoom; the same two people who interviewed me last time and a third person. And I learned that they currently have 2 open positions. It is a small office, so 2 open positions must be quite a hardship on the others. They intend to make a decision next week. So, we will see. If they do not offer me a position now, then they just aren't interested in hiring me. I do not know how many qualified candidates they interviewed.
Right now, I earn $25.79 per hour, and I am topped out. I can't earn more unless I promote to a higher position. The water district has 3 classifications of Administrative Aide (I, II, and III), and each has 7 pay steps. There is some overlap between them (bottom step Administrative Aide II is less than top step Administrative Aide I), and they do have some discretion to start you or promote you as they see fit. Still, the position is clearly for Administrative Aide I. Bottom step is $17.50 per hour. So you can see, that is a significant cut from $25.79 per hour. I may not have to start at bottom step, but then again, I may have to do just that.
Last summer when I interviewed, I still owed 27k on the 5th wheel. Taking a pay cut to $17.50 would have been the end of accelerated payments, and I felt very hesitant to pursue such a plan. I didn't want to spend years making only minimum payments, I wanted the debt gone. At this point, however, it almost is gone, so isn't as much of a concern.
There are very few jobs up here period. Most of the jobs which are here are very low paid. It is pretty amazing to me that a CalPers covered clerical job is here at all, much less in an office 10 minutes from home. I would be extremely grateful to land this job, $17.50 or not. asdf123
I feel that my interview yesterday went very, very well. There were 3 people interviewing me via Zoom; the same two people who interviewed me last time and a third person. And I learned that they currently have 2 open positions. It is a small office, so 2 open positions must be quite a hardship on the others. They intend to make a decision next week. So, we will see. If they do not offer me a position now, then they just aren't interested in hiring me. I do not know how many qualified candidates they interviewed.
Right now, I earn $25.79 per hour, and I am topped out. I can't earn more unless I promote to a higher position. The water district has 3 classifications of Administrative Aide (I, II, and III), and each has 7 pay steps. There is some overlap between them (bottom step Administrative Aide II is less than top step Administrative Aide I), and they do have some discretion to start you or promote you as they see fit. Still, the position is clearly for Administrative Aide I. Bottom step is $17.50 per hour. So you can see, that is a significant cut from $25.79 per hour. I may not have to start at bottom step, but then again, I may have to do just that.
Last summer when I interviewed, I still owed 27k on the 5th wheel. Taking a pay cut to $17.50 would have been the end of accelerated payments, and I felt very hesitant to pursue such a plan. I didn't want to spend years making only minimum payments, I wanted the debt gone. At this point, however, it almost is gone, so isn't as much of a concern.
There are very few jobs up here period. Most of the jobs which are here are very low paid. It is pretty amazing to me that a CalPers covered clerical job is here at all, much less in an office 10 minutes from home. I would be extremely grateful to land this job, $17.50 or not.
Posted in
Uncategorized
|
4 Comments »
March 4th, 2021 at 02:20 am
1 Remember last summer when I interviewed for a position at the local water district, with the office right in my tiny town? I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it, but they did eventually send me a letter just saying that someone else had been a better fit but that they encouraged me to apply again in the future. Well, last week they had another opening and I did just that. I have a Zoom interview this Friday. So, we will see.
Last time, I wasn't positive that I wanted it. This time, I am sure. I hope that will come across in the interview. It would be a pay cut, but with my debt nearly gone, it's not so much of an issue. I would continue to earn service credits towards my pension, I would have health insurance, and I would be a 10 minute drive from home. That is sounding really good to me. Wish me luck. :) asdf123
Remember last summer when I interviewed for a position at the local water district, with the office right in my tiny town? I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it, but they did eventually send me a letter just saying that someone else had been a better fit but that they encouraged me to apply again in the future. Well, last week they had another opening and I did just that. I have a Zoom interview this Friday. So, we will see.
Last time, I wasn't positive that I wanted it. This time, I am sure. I hope that will come across in the interview. It would be a pay cut, but with my debt nearly gone, it's not so much of an issue. I would continue to earn service credits towards my pension, I would have health insurance, and I would be a 10 minute drive from home. That is sounding really good to me. Wish me luck. 
Posted in
Uncategorized
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9 Comments »
March 3rd, 2021 at 02:18 pm
1 or number 17 since the refinance.
The regular monthly payment posts today, 3/3/21, bringing the principal balance down to $5,340.55. Since the previous regularly scheduled payment, I managed to pay an extra $1,120.03, all from regular monthly income. The last payment date has moved up to 5/3/22; that is 1 year and 2 months to go if going forward I pay only the regular monthly payments.
At this point, I have enough in checking and savings to pay the loan in full, with about 1k to spare. I'm not going to do it just yet, but this loan isn't going to be around much longer. :)
asdf123
or number 17 since the refinance.
The regular monthly payment posts today, 3/3/21, bringing the principal balance down to $5,340.55. Since the previous regularly scheduled payment, I managed to pay an extra $1,120.03, all from regular monthly income. The last payment date has moved up to 5/3/22; that is 1 year and 2 months to go if going forward I pay only the regular monthly payments.
At this point, I have enough in checking and savings to pay the loan in full, with about 1k to spare. I'm not going to do it just yet, but this loan isn't going to be around much longer.
Posted in
5th Wheel Loan
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1 Comments »
February 25th, 2021 at 02:40 pm
1 Look at what I can do this morning, after MONTHS of not being able to:
I don't know if it is because someone finally addressed whatever was wrong or if something reset itself or what, but I am so delighted! Who-hoo! asdf123
Look at what I can do this morning, after MONTHS of not being able to:
I don't know if it is because someone finally addressed whatever was wrong or if something reset itself or what, but I am so delighted! Who-hoo!
Posted in
5th Wheel Loan
|
3 Comments »
February 5th, 2021 at 03:02 am
1 I was cleaning out my email inbox today and I came across an email which caught my interest. It was from CitiBank and it was about a promotional sign-up bonus to open a checking/savings account package. I have never done one of these offers as they are typically not enough to tempt me. However, this one is.
If you bring 200k or more to CitiBank, the sign-up bonus is $1,500. It doesn't have to be 200k in cash, just 200k in total. Investment accounts, such as IRAs, count towards that 200k. Included in the deal is free etf trades for brokerage accounts. This works fine for me as I hold nothing but etfs in my traditional IRA anyway.
If you bring 50k or more, the sign-up bonus is $700.
If you are interested in this deal for yourself, you can read the details here: Citibank Savings Bonus: Up To $1,500 | Bankrate
There are a few drawbacks, such as the $150 fee I will pay to transfer my IRA from Wells Fargo, the hassle of changing direct deposit, automatic transfers, etc. And, there is no Citibank branch conveniently located to me. There is a Citibank ATM not too far from my office, but that's it. (If I wanted a cashier's check or something else you can only do in a branch, I'd have to drive about 1.5 hours from home, each way.) However, the account does include non-Citibank ATM fee reimbursement, so access to cash is not an issue.
I haven't made up my mind yet, but I am leaning towards it.
asdf123
I was cleaning out my email inbox today and I came across an email which caught my interest. It was from CitiBank and it was about a promotional sign-up bonus to open a checking/savings account package. I have never done one of these offers as they are typically not enough to tempt me. However, this one is.
If you bring 200k or more to CitiBank, the sign-up bonus is $1,500. It doesn't have to be 200k in cash, just 200k in total. Investment accounts, such as IRAs, count towards that 200k. Included in the deal is free etf trades for brokerage accounts. This works fine for me as I hold nothing but etfs in my traditional IRA anyway.
If you bring 50k or more, the sign-up bonus is $700.
If you are interested in this deal for yourself, you can read the details here: Citibank Savings Bonus: Up To $1,500 | Bankrate
There are a few drawbacks, such as the $150 fee I will pay to transfer my IRA from Wells Fargo, the hassle of changing direct deposit, automatic transfers, etc. And, there is no Citibank branch conveniently located to me. There is a Citibank ATM not too far from my office, but that's it. (If I wanted a cashier's check or something else you can only do in a branch, I'd have to drive about 1.5 hours from home, each way.) However, the account does include non-Citibank ATM fee reimbursement, so access to cash is not an issue.
I haven't made up my mind yet, but I am leaning towards it.
Posted in
Uncategorized
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0 Comments »
February 3rd, 2021 at 01:58 pm
1 or number 16 since the refinance.
The regular monthly payment posts today, 2/3/21, bringing the principal balance down to $6,847.02. Since the previous regularly scheduled payment, I managed to pay an extra $3,691.29. About $1,900 of that came from sinking funds, $600 from my stimulus payment, and the rest from my paychecks. The last payment date has moved up to 8/3/22; that is 1 years and 6 months to go if from this point forward I pay only the regular monthly payments.
I have given up on the pictures. I have tried using other browsers and using "incognito" web pages as the tech suggested. Still nothing happens. I don't know that I will ever be able to do my budget review entries. Frankly, it makes me lose a great deal of interest in keeping this blog; the entire point is to use it to track my finances and I can't do it the way I would like any longer. asdf123
or number 16 since the refinance.
The regular monthly payment posts today, 2/3/21, bringing the principal balance down to $6,847.02. Since the previous regularly scheduled payment, I managed to pay an extra $3,691.29. About $1,900 of that came from sinking funds, $600 from my stimulus payment, and the rest from my paychecks. The last payment date has moved up to 8/3/22; that is 1 years and 6 months to go if from this point forward I pay only the regular monthly payments.
I have given up on the pictures. I have tried using other browsers and using "incognito" web pages as the tech suggested. Still nothing happens. I don't know that I will ever be able to do my budget review entries. Frankly, it makes me lose a great deal of interest in keeping this blog; the entire point is to use it to track my finances and I can't do it the way I would like any longer.
Posted in
5th Wheel Loan
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4 Comments »
January 3rd, 2021 at 03:24 pm
1 or number 15 since the refinance.
The regular monthly payment posts today, 1/3/21, bringing the principal balance down to $10,915.37. Since the previous regularly scheduled payment, I managed to pay an extra $1,363.03. The last payment date has moved up to 6/3/23; that is 2 years and 5 months to go if from this point forward I pay only the regular monthly payments.
Still no ability to upload pictures, so my "5th Wheel Amortization" page can still not be updated.
asdf123
or number 15 since the refinance.
The regular monthly payment posts today, 1/3/21, bringing the principal balance down to $10,915.37. Since the previous regularly scheduled payment, I managed to pay an extra $1,363.03. The last payment date has moved up to 6/3/23; that is 2 years and 5 months to go if from this point forward I pay only the regular monthly payments.
Still no ability to upload pictures, so my "5th Wheel Amortization" page can still not be updated.
Posted in
5th Wheel Loan
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2 Comments »
December 4th, 2020 at 03:35 am
1 or number 14 since the refinance.
Well, I decided to pull a chunk out of savings and pay it on the loan. I am just SO impatient to get it paid in full.
The regular monthly payment posted on 12/3/20, bringing the principal balance down to $12,640.14. The last payment date has moved up to 10/3/23; that is 2 years and 10 months to go if from this point forward I pay only the regular monthly payments. If I were able to upload pictures, I would update my "5th Wheel Amortization" page. But, our ability to upload pictures seems to be gone, so I won't. asdf123
or number 14 since the refinance.
Well, I decided to pull a chunk out of savings and pay it on the loan. I am just SO impatient to get it paid in full.
The regular monthly payment posted on 12/3/20, bringing the principal balance down to $12,640.14. The last payment date has moved up to 10/3/23; that is 2 years and 10 months to go if from this point forward I pay only the regular monthly payments. If I were able to upload pictures, I would update my "5th Wheel Amortization" page. But, our ability to upload pictures seems to be gone, so I won't.
Posted in
5th Wheel Loan
|
1 Comments »
December 1st, 2020 at 04:04 am
1 My little nest egg has broken 400k. :)
Looking back, it broke 200k on 5/22/14, just over 6.5 years ago. asdf123
My little nest egg has broken 400k.
Looking back, it broke 200k on 5/22/14, just over 6.5 years ago.
Posted in
Uncategorized
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3 Comments »
September 23rd, 2020 at 03:02 am
0The past two weeks have been a bit topsy-turvy for us. First with the planned power outage, then with the Fork fire starting during the outage, about 26 miles from our home. The mandatory evacuation line was about a mile past our place, but we chose to voluntarily evacuate.
The evacuation order has since been lifted and the fire is fairly well under control. It is expected to be out soon. We are safe and fine.
We had some extra expenses during the evacuation which SB and I split. I am behind on my bookkeeping, but will catch up eventually.
We are crazy busy at work. My department has undertaken a BIG project on top of our regular work, and just as we were getting started one person left. (She got a big promotion and is now working in another department.) When I get home at night, I just put my feet up and relax. Catching up on my bookkeeping just hasn't been my priority.
asdf123
The past two weeks have been a bit topsy-turvy for us. First with the planned power outage, then with the Fork fire starting during the outage, about 26 miles from our home. The mandatory evacuation line was about a mile past our place, but we chose to voluntarily evacuate.
The evacuation order has since been lifted and the fire is fairly well under control. It is expected to be out soon. We are safe and fine.
We had some extra expenses during the evacuation which SB and I split. I am behind on my bookkeeping, but will catch up eventually.
We are crazy busy at work. My department has undertaken a BIG project on top of our regular work, and just as we were getting started one person left. (She got a big promotion and is now working in another department.) When I get home at night, I just put my feet up and relax. Catching up on my bookkeeping just hasn't been my priority.
Posted in
Uncategorized
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4 Comments »
August 15th, 2020 at 05:11 pm
0I have never heard back from the local water district. I accept that if it were the right job for me, it would have just fallen into place.
Unfortunately, my laptop got dropped and the screen got a huge crack. :( I thought about looking into replacing the screen (how much it would cost, etc.), but then decided no, I don't want to do that. I allow Google to save all of my passwords, so dropping my laptop off at a repair place means I am vulnerable to complete strangers logging in to my bank accounts, etc. I ended up at Best Buy and bought a new one; my EGadgets sinking fund will cover most of the cost.
I am done paying for my dental work! My partial is almost complete, I may be taking it with me at my next fitting (or it may need to go back for another adjustment). It is a long process, getting a denture. I transferred all but $1 from my dental sinking fund to checking. I had saved more than I needed, the excess will of course go to debt. I renamed that last dollar "Car Replacement Fund".
And lastly, I bought another planner. It is a simple, inexpensive one from Mead, and so far it is working out perfectly for me.
This coming week, I expect to make an extra principal payment of approximately $1,100. I am really looking forward to it. asdf123
I have never heard back from the local water district. I accept that if it were the right job for me, it would have just fallen into place.
Unfortunately, my laptop got dropped and the screen got a huge crack.  I thought about looking into replacing the screen (how much it would cost, etc.), but then decided no, I don't want to do that. I allow Google to save all of my passwords, so dropping my laptop off at a repair place means I am vulnerable to complete strangers logging in to my bank accounts, etc. I ended up at Best Buy and bought a new one; my EGadgets sinking fund will cover most of the cost.
I am done paying for my dental work! My partial is almost complete, I may be taking it with me at my next fitting (or it may need to go back for another adjustment). It is a long process, getting a denture. I transferred all but $1 from my dental sinking fund to checking. I had saved more than I needed, the excess will of course go to debt. I renamed that last dollar "Car Replacement Fund".
And lastly, I bought another planner. It is a simple, inexpensive one from Mead, and so far it is working out perfectly for me.
This coming week, I expect to make an extra principal payment of approximately $1,100. I am really looking forward to it.
Posted in
Spending
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2 Comments »
August 8th, 2020 at 02:18 pm
0or number 10 since the refinance.
The regular monthly payment posted on 8/3/20, bringing the principal balance down to $27,142.63.
Since the previous regularly scheduled payment, I managed to pay an extra $783.04.
The last payment date has moved up to 1/3/27; that is 6 years and 5 months to go if from this point forward I pay only the regular monthly payments.
My "5th Wheel Amortization" page has been updated, if you care to take a peak. asdf123
or number 10 since the refinance.
The regular monthly payment posted on 8/3/20, bringing the principal balance down to $27,142.63.
Since the previous regularly scheduled payment, I managed to pay an extra $783.04.
The last payment date has moved up to 1/3/27; that is 6 years and 5 months to go if from this point forward I pay only the regular monthly payments.
My "5th Wheel Amortization" page has been updated, if you care to take a peak.
Posted in
5th Wheel Loan
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1 Comments »
August 7th, 2020 at 03:13 am
0[img]16048[/img]
Wages -So, my net pay has dropped by approximate $12.60 per paycheck due to my pension contribution rising a bit.
Transfer In - I estimated I would spend $300 on my trip with Mom to Manhattan, NV but transferred $259.98 because I thought that was what I had spent. I actually miscalculated (more on that further down).
Also, my son-in-law's birthday is in July. I always send my kids and their spouses $50 for their birthdays.
Other - I sold an unneeded item for $100. Yay!
[img]16049[/img]
I spent less cash than budgeted. Always nice. :)
[img]16050[/img]
My phone bill was a bit higher than expected, but otherwise no surprises here.
[img]16052[/img]
Two sinking fund deposits of $230 each happened in July.
[img]16053[/img]
Extra principal - I sent $783.04 to extra principal, less than planned.
Mom-Amazon - Items Mom wanted which I ordered for her. She will reimburse me (and has by now, just not during July).
Broad loan - A short-term loan to a friend. We call each other "Broad".
Mom-trip - Mom's share of expenses for our road trip. She will reimburse me (and has by now, just not during July).
Sheets - A new set of sheets for our bed.
Bra - A new bra. I did not pull money from my clothing sinking fund to reimburse myself, but I probably should have.
Meal-trip - A meal which I inadvertently did not add to the cost of the Manhattan trip. I did not pull money from my travel/vacation fund to reimburse myself, but I probably should have.
July ended with $1,083.57 in checking.
[img]16055[/img]
I wanted to end the month with $1,055.07 in checking. Apparently, I subtracted my life insurance premium twice when calculating how much extra principal I could send to my 5th wheel loan. I should have sent $28.50 more.
Lots of little math errors this month, I don't know what to tell you. asdf123
Wages -So, my net pay has dropped by approximate $12.60 per paycheck due to my pension contribution rising a bit.
Transfer In - I estimated I would spend $300 on my trip with Mom to Manhattan, NV but transferred $259.98 because I thought that was what I had spent. I actually miscalculated (more on that further down).
Also, my son-in-law's birthday is in July. I always send my kids and their spouses $50 for their birthdays.
Other - I sold an unneeded item for $100. Yay!
I spent less cash than budgeted. Always nice.
My phone bill was a bit higher than expected, but otherwise no surprises here.
Two sinking fund deposits of $230 each happened in July.
Extra principal - I sent $783.04 to extra principal, less than planned.
Mom-Amazon - Items Mom wanted which I ordered for her. She will reimburse me (and has by now, just not during July).
Broad loan - A short-term loan to a friend. We call each other "Broad".
Mom-trip - Mom's share of expenses for our road trip. She will reimburse me (and has by now, just not during July).
Sheets - A new set of sheets for our bed.
Bra - A new bra. I did not pull money from my clothing sinking fund to reimburse myself, but I probably should have.
Meal-trip - A meal which I inadvertently did not add to the cost of the Manhattan trip. I did not pull money from my travel/vacation fund to reimburse myself, but I probably should have.
July ended with $1,083.57 in checking.
I wanted to end the month with $1,055.07 in checking. Apparently, I subtracted my life insurance premium twice when calculating how much extra principal I could send to my 5th wheel loan. I should have sent $28.50 more.
Lots of little math errors this month, I don't know what to tell you.
Posted in
Budgeting
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1 Comments »
August 4th, 2020 at 03:20 am
0On Thursday, I interviewed via Zoom for the job at the local water district. It went pretty well, but of course they have other candidates. They said they will be making a decision "early next week", which is this week. So, we will see what happens. I keep alternating between being excited for a shorter drive and thinking no, making less money would be a mistake.
On Saturday, my mom drove up for the day and brought along a friend of mine who lives in her town. (This is the same friend who occasionally comes to my mom's house when we are playing cards.) They got here early and we played cards all morning and into early afternoon. We have a canopy set up outside, with a mister, and you can hear the gurgling of the creek. It is a great place to hang out. SB grilled some burgers for lunch. They left around 4pm; the day went by so fast. It was so nice to have someone come to see us! It doesn't happen often.
asdf123
On Thursday, I interviewed via Zoom for the job at the local water district. It went pretty well, but of course they have other candidates. They said they will be making a decision "early next week", which is this week. So, we will see what happens. I keep alternating between being excited for a shorter drive and thinking no, making less money would be a mistake.
On Saturday, my mom drove up for the day and brought along a friend of mine who lives in her town. (This is the same friend who occasionally comes to my mom's house when we are playing cards.) They got here early and we played cards all morning and into early afternoon. We have a canopy set up outside, with a mister, and you can hear the gurgling of the creek. It is a great place to hang out. SB grilled some burgers for lunch. They left around 4pm; the day went by so fast. It was so nice to have someone come to see us! It doesn't happen often.
Posted in
Uncategorized
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2 Comments »
July 11th, 2020 at 02:27 am
0Well, I applied for a job this week. It pays less than the job I have now. Why would I do this, one might wonder. The job is for the local water district, and their office is 10 minutes from my home. Right now, I spend a minimum of 45 minutes commuting each way. That's in good weather and with no road construction projects. Currently, I am taking a longer route due to 3 (!) construction projects on my usual route. It is just under an hour each way.
I'm not entirely certain if I hope that I get this job or hope that I don't. I really have some great co-workers and I don't have a desire to work as many hours while making less money. But, getting an extra 1.5 hours of free time daily is VERY appealing. Also, I would save a bit on gas and car maintenance.
The opening came up, I happened to see it, and just felt I had to give it a try. We'll see. asdf123
Well, I applied for a job this week. It pays less than the job I have now. Why would I do this, one might wonder. The job is for the local water district, and their office is 10 minutes from my home. Right now, I spend a minimum of 45 minutes commuting each way. That's in good weather and with no road construction projects. Currently, I am taking a longer route due to 3 (!) construction projects on my usual route. It is just under an hour each way.
I'm not entirely certain if I hope that I get this job or hope that I don't. I really have some great co-workers and I don't have a desire to work as many hours while making less money. But, getting an extra 1.5 hours of free time daily is VERY appealing. Also, I would save a bit on gas and car maintenance.
The opening came up, I happened to see it, and just felt I had to give it a try. We'll see.
Posted in
Uncategorized
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11 Comments »
July 10th, 2020 at 01:23 am
0or number 9 since the refinance.
The regular monthly payment posted on 7/3/20, bringing the principal balance down to $28,225.67.
Since the previous regularly scheduled payment, I managed to pay an extra $745.61.
The last payment date has moved up to 4/3/27; that is 6 years and 9 months to go if from this point forward I pay only the regular monthly payments.
My "5th Wheel Amortization" page has been updated, if you care to take a peak. asdf123
or number 9 since the refinance.
The regular monthly payment posted on 7/3/20, bringing the principal balance down to $28,225.67.
Since the previous regularly scheduled payment, I managed to pay an extra $745.61.
The last payment date has moved up to 4/3/27; that is 6 years and 9 months to go if from this point forward I pay only the regular monthly payments.
My "5th Wheel Amortization" page has been updated, if you care to take a peak.
Posted in
5th Wheel Loan
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2 Comments »
July 9th, 2020 at 02:52 am
0[img]16029[/img]
No surprises here. My take home pay was $0.07 more than expected. I planned to transfer $805.43 from sinking funds to pay my car and 5th wheel insurance and that was the only transfer which happened. Buffer is the beginning balance in checking, and my only other income was the expected $0.01 of interest on checking.
[img]16030[/img]
I did manage to trim my needed cash by $40.00. That is always nice when I can manage it as I send every spare penny to extra principal.
[img]16031[/img]
No surprises here either. I did come in under a bit on my phone bill, so that was nice.
[img]16032[/img]
I make 26 automatic transfers of $230.00 each to sinking funds per year, and 3 of them fell in the month of June. The only transfer out was for my car and 5th wheel insurance. Right now is the low point for that particular sinking fund; no more money will be needed from it for a full 6 months.
[img]16033[/img]
In June, $745.61 was sent off as extra principal to my 5th wheel loan.
I paid my car insurance (I pay it with my Citi DoubleCash MasterCard, then pay the charge before the month ends).
I bought some face masks on Amazon; I am now required to wear them to work. I spent $22.29.
I bought some sparkly flowers for Bella to wear on her collar. I spent $11.25.
My checking account balance ended the month with $1,407.58.
[img]16034[/img]
My target ending checking account balance was $1,407.58. That's my 1k buffer and $407.58 for my 5th wheel payment scheduled for 7/3/20.
asdf123
No surprises here. My take home pay was $0.07 more than expected. I planned to transfer $805.43 from sinking funds to pay my car and 5th wheel insurance and that was the only transfer which happened. Buffer is the beginning balance in checking, and my only other income was the expected $0.01 of interest on checking.
I did manage to trim my needed cash by $40.00. That is always nice when I can manage it as I send every spare penny to extra principal.
No surprises here either. I did come in under a bit on my phone bill, so that was nice.
I make 26 automatic transfers of $230.00 each to sinking funds per year, and 3 of them fell in the month of June. The only transfer out was for my car and 5th wheel insurance. Right now is the low point for that particular sinking fund; no more money will be needed from it for a full 6 months.
In June, $745.61 was sent off as extra principal to my 5th wheel loan.
I paid my car insurance (I pay it with my Citi DoubleCash MasterCard, then pay the charge before the month ends).
I bought some face masks on Amazon; I am now required to wear them to work. I spent $22.29.
I bought some sparkly flowers for Bella to wear on her collar. I spent $11.25.
My checking account balance ended the month with $1,407.58.
My target ending checking account balance was $1,407.58. That's my 1k buffer and $407.58 for my 5th wheel payment scheduled for 7/3/20.
Posted in
Budgeting
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0 Comments »
July 5th, 2020 at 06:08 pm
0I took a vacation day on Thursday, and Mom and I went on a short road trip to Manhattan, NV. My family lived there briefly in the winter of 1969-1970 and Mom has been wanting to reminisce.
I left home early Thursday morning (with Bella), headed to Mom's, then we were on to Tonopah, NV. We stayed at a wonderful old hotel called the Mizpah Hotel. I highly recommend it, should you ever find yourself in the area. Our junior suite was spacious, luxurious, full of beautiful antiques, and cost $129 per night. We could not go into the restaurant because I had Bella, but they have a wonderful lounge in the lobby where pets are welcome, and you can order and be served from the menu. The menu was small but the food was excellent; Mom said they serve the best fish & chips she has ever had. I ordered a burger and garlic fries, and they were both delicious.
Friday morning we were on to Manhattan. The population was 22 (including the 4 of us) when we lived there, but has since ballooned to 124. The retired postmistress still lived in town, and my mom was able to visit with her for awhile. She wasn't much younger than my mom and remembered people Mom had known. That was fun for her. Next, we headed to Fallon where the daughter of a long-time friend (now deceased) of my mother lives. Mom hadn't seen this daughter in about 30 years. We stayed in her home for about 3 hours and had a nice, fun visit. Next, we headed to Fernley, NV. We had learned a few days before that coincidentally, my brother and his wife were planning to be there for a few days! We met for dinner and had a nice time.
Saturday morning we were on the road early. I had planned to take Mom home from there before heading home myself. However, Bella seemed to be tiring of the trip so I changed my route and took her home first (leaving her with SB), making a round trip to Mom's to take her home. I got home about 6pm, tired from all of that driving.
Today I am just kind of taking it easy. I may or may not get my June budget report and 5th wheel payment #14 posted today.
asdf123
I took a vacation day on Thursday, and Mom and I went on a short road trip to Manhattan, NV. My family lived there briefly in the winter of 1969-1970 and Mom has been wanting to reminisce.
I left home early Thursday morning (with Bella), headed to Mom's, then we were on to Tonopah, NV. We stayed at a wonderful old hotel called the Mizpah Hotel. I highly recommend it, should you ever find yourself in the area. Our junior suite was spacious, luxurious, full of beautiful antiques, and cost $129 per night. We could not go into the restaurant because I had Bella, but they have a wonderful lounge in the lobby where pets are welcome, and you can order and be served from the menu. The menu was small but the food was excellent; Mom said they serve the best fish & chips she has ever had. I ordered a burger and garlic fries, and they were both delicious.
Friday morning we were on to Manhattan. The population was 22 (including the 4 of us) when we lived there, but has since ballooned to 124. The retired postmistress still lived in town, and my mom was able to visit with her for awhile. She wasn't much younger than my mom and remembered people Mom had known. That was fun for her. Next, we headed to Fallon where the daughter of a long-time friend (now deceased) of my mother lives. Mom hadn't seen this daughter in about 30 years. We stayed in her home for about 3 hours and had a nice, fun visit. Next, we headed to Fernley, NV. We had learned a few days before that coincidentally, my brother and his wife were planning to be there for a few days! We met for dinner and had a nice time.
Saturday morning we were on the road early. I had planned to take Mom home from there before heading home myself. However, Bella seemed to be tiring of the trip so I changed my route and took her home first (leaving her with SB), making a round trip to Mom's to take her home. I got home about 6pm, tired from all of that driving.
Today I am just kind of taking it easy. I may or may not get my June budget report and 5th wheel payment #14 posted today.
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I am a 54 y.o. woman trying to be financially ready for semi-retirement in another 2-4 years. My beloved children are both independent adults. I am unmarried but attached.