I'm going to spend some time this week changing my candles for sale by delivery only to offer shipping. A potential buyer mentioned that you can ship 4 large candles for $22 flat rate shipping. I think it would help me move my inventory a lot quicker. I went to the post office & picked up a large priority shipping box. I packed 4 large candles to make sure that they would fit well with plenty of packing material to minimize breakage. They are insulated pretty well.
I have...
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This is a very woo hoo retirement update.  Since my update on April 7th, our retirement has gone up by $2,548.36.  Only $798.00 of that was contributions from us and work.  That's $1,749.48 in pure interest in ten days.  We blew right past our first milestone goal of $50K this week.  The new balance of our retirement accounts is $52,164.70.  The new total of our net worth is $99,675.89.  Getting real close to the next milestone there.
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Well, DD did not get her lumbar puncture because the person who was going to perform it chickened out and decided she had too many problems for him to feel comfortable doing the lumbar puncture.  Even though we stated every possible medical issue she had at the time of scheduling the appointment and were assured that it would be no problem.  I double checked the day before because we have had issues in the past with this hospital.  Again we were assured everything...
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I rolled my coins and was able to deposit $10.50 into the Emegency Fund.  It's not a lot and it is most likely all we are going to be putting in this month, what with all the outlay for building the new garden.  I should be able to start making more regular deposits into the EF starting in May.
$15,363.73 Previous Balance
+__,_10.50 Rolled Coin
--------------------
$15,374.23 New Balance
As for the Beef Fund, there was $63 left in the grocery envelope when I re-funded...
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In recent months, I've been doing a lot, and I do mean A LOT, of retirement planning. I've been reading and studying and educating myself on every aspect of retirement I can think of including withdrawal rates, taxes, Social Security, ACA coverage, Medicare (well not so much on that yet actually), and more. I've asked a bunch of questions on the SA forums. I joined and became quite active at Early-Retirement.org and have learned a ton of useful information there. I highly recommend...
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Not much big news to report from me.  Everything is humming along as per the plan, and while I wish some of it was moving faster, I really can't complain about the progress I've made on all fronts since embarking on this big ambitious 4 year goal plan.  
Yesterday was payday.  I had a large amount going into one of the bank bonus accounts, so I went over to one of their branches to withdraw that money.  Conveniently, my main bank was right across the street,...
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I had a fun day with BFF yesterday.  We met in the middle for lunch.  Lunch, by the way, was really cheap this time, only $9!  Afterwards, since we are both fully vaccinated, we visited two different Goodwills, and I spent $17 -- mostly kitchen stuff -- ladels, ramekins, drawer organizers, and a pretty red basket.  I spent $21 on gas, and bought a soft drink for the road for $2.  Another unexpected expense -- I bought a phone charger for the car. ...
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So I rate locked a refi today with JPMC.  Did you know that I could qualify for a mortgage up to 43% of our gross income?  Yeah that's right. I think my mortgage is already too much for what we make and here we are totally being told that we could easily borrow way more than our current mortgage.  Um okay sure sounds like a plan.  No it really isn't.  Currently we are at 2.875% for 30 year fixed with 26 years left.  Our payment is $3838/month...
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It's still a coin flip between the two State colleges.  The schools themselves are pretty much the same in most ways (academics and job opportunities).  Both are impossible to beat from a cost/benefit standpoint. The decision at this point is purely how/where MM wants to live.  
MM told us he would decide this week.
He did get his last private school rejection last Wednesday.  (They pushed back decisions about 10 days due to huge increase in applications,...
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Have more houses to look at but know have a politician as a reference and a housing liason officer to help us find a house to rent...they are trying to find out what the issue is in regards to our applications...so hopefully we will have one soon.
We are still waiting for our bond deposit back hopefully will get it soon, it $3,100 so that will be nice to go into savings till we need it for another bond, it is taking forever but they have had so many to do since so many people...
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I know I'm not here as often as I used to be, but it is very nice to have a familiar place to return at those rare moments I have "spare time." Today, I have spare time because it's one of those dreary, rainy, overcast days.
But even today there's a silver lining: the dreariness and lack of sun outside really makes my cherry tree blossoms pop. Their bloom is spent very quickly, but right now, they look lovely. Although the three cherry trees I planted I later cut down years ago...
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I was saving money to invest in our Roth IRA next January but decided I might as well dump it into our taxable account now.
So far this year we've saved $23k of DH's bonus in feb.  We just didn't sell the stock we got.  Technically it was $34k of gross but $23k after taxes.  Now I moved $10k into our taxable account.  Assumign we make around $240k and need to save 20% we need to save $48k.  That puts us I guess at $33k unless you count the Roth and ESA...
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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...
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We had a good time celebrating my friend's birthday. The morning started out cool which was good, as it warms up quickly here. Even the drive there was enjoyable to me. I haven't been out of town since since March 2020. We met up at the parking garage then walked to the street fair downtown. It was 7 of us, as 2 weren't able to make it. Only one of us hadn't been vaccinated. We wore our masks. We had lunch at a restaurant under their covered patio. We shopped the street booths,...
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It's hubby's birthday today...he doesn't want to do much as we are living in someones elses home right now...so we will have family here and just order pizza and catch up with each other....wasn't a great start to the day got a call from our oldest daughter she had to call an ambulance for her sister as she was in extreme pain and wanted one of us there...I can't drive due to my dizziness so hubby went and didn't get home till 7am...daughter is doing okay with pain meds but still...
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It was another shopping day.  I went to Panera first and got the Tuesday special -- a baker's dozen of bagels, plus I had a free one coming, so 14 bagels are now in the freezer.  $8.  Then I went to PetSmart and stocked up on the cat food that Iggy likes -- $41.  Best Buy was nearby, so I went in and bought a charger for my new phone - $17.  Then I went to Sam's and spent $43 on groceries, mostly produce.  I also renewed my membership for $40.
Clearly...
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So I may not go out and spend money and it's super easy to do that during covid.  But I still find NSD hard.  Why?  Because I notice a lot of little things pop up here and there.  Like I have two medical copays that came in and I should pay today.  I already paid $610 for 2 summer camps for the kids today.  I also had to give a neighbor a check for $345 for our share of the fence repair.  So in one day I jsut spend about $955 without leaving my...
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BIL has been improving every day.  Yesterday they were able to take out the feeding tube and today he was able to sit up and talk and eat.  They have moved him out of ICU.  He will still have to stay in the hospital, but there is no more talk of him not surviving.
On the 13th at 1:30 p.m. PDT my daughter has a lumbar puncture.  That's tomorrow, but the time stamp here is never right so putting the real date.  If you can keep her in your prayers that would...
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I got my second Pfizer vaccine on Satuday.  Had a headache almost immediately after receiving vaccination. Sunday had a low grade fever all day.  Took some Tylenol Sunday before bed and work up feeling good this morning.
Unfortunately one of the plans I had for two weeks after the vaccination will not happen.  I had planned to watch a movie my cousin sent me of my aunts and gradparents with my dad.  He passed away Friday. 
 
 
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I don't know if others find it hard to plan spending for the year.  I guess because I don't have a straight budget plan yet.  I also am unsure how disciplined I want to be with "savings".  I definitely want to save for things like property taxes and sink funds but the retirement?  
So here's our basic budget and I need to figure out how to make things work.
$10914 Income
-$3850 Mortgage
-$1000 Property Taxes (Savings account)
-$725 Sink Fund
-$1500...
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