All Entries

I received the overnight package from Guardian Life for my single payment income annuity, signed everywhere I needed to and fed'exed it back this afternoon.
If all goes smoothly, my first annuity payment will come in March. I will have them deduct federal and state income taxes so no big tax bill at year-end. I will have to tweak my asset allocation afterwards at Vanguard to make sure I'm at about the same place as I am now, but not a biggie since this is all IRA money and can...
[ Read More ]

I traded in my Kia Soul yesterday and bought a 2021 Toyota Corolla. My ex came with me and insisted that he was going to help out financially. I was in no position to argue. (Though I did.) In the end, I contributed $6,000 in cash and the $7,200 value of the trade-in. He paid for the rest of it, and I'm embarrassed to say how much that was. I told him I would pay him back, as I was able, and he said he didn't want me to.
Some history here -- when we divorced, he was so besotted...
[ Read More ]

Have you ever had one of those mornings where even making toast seems like too much work?  I swear if I don't start getting more than 4 to 6 hours of sleep a night, I'm going to go to become a Mombie zombie.  But life went on and toast was avoided and eggs were made and cucumbers sliced and life was brought back into this tired lady's veins.
The grocery ads came out today and I will sit down with them and see what meals I can plan around them.  I don't need to buy...
[ Read More ]

On the post your wins thread it was a nice post by amastewa93 about how far she's come in 6 years!  I'm really impressed.  So I thought a lot as well and it's amazing how fast things can change on a dime.
I'm the mom of a teenager as of last month (DK1 turned 13!!!).  When I started blogging and I on this site I had no children.  I had been with my DH about 6 years and we were married a couple of years.  Those first few years were very, very lean. ...
[ Read More ]

It's been a long several days, but we got to come back to our house on Saturday and it was so nice sleeping in our own beds again.  Next time we will definitely spring for the nicer hotel with hopefully better beds, but we did not know how long we were going to have to stay away for and there isn't really any family we can stay for that is set up for more than one person and still be near DH's work, and of course the kids had doctor appointments.  Thankfully, it was not...
[ Read More ]

Hello everyone...not a lot happening but thought I would jump online and just update for the last month.
I have sent my US taxes for this last year and the year before (as they still haven't been done) and they were sent over a year ago, I put them in the same packet and then they had tracking and signature so I could at least see if they got them...and I put the date in my phone so I can keep track...So they have arrived and been delivered so guessing they did sign for them and...
[ Read More ]

On Thursday night my car was broken into. Someone smashed the rear side window, got inside and somehow dismantled my steering wheel lock, and went through all the nooks and crannies and threw everything around. Nothing was taken; I had nothing of value in the car. But I had to replace the window. It was $367, which I paid out of pocket so I could get it done right away. Tomorrow I will call my insurance agent. I think he told me they would pay whatever was above my $250 deductible,...
[ Read More ]

As many of you know, I'm pretty involved in my church. And like all things in our personal lives, prices have gone up for things at church too. The power bill has increased. Insurance increased for the few employees, the cost of materials like paper has gone up. 
A couple of weeks ago we passed a deficit budget. And that is scary since it is often a crapshoot on giving to begin with.
I'm friends with the treasurer and he and I have been brainstorming ideas on ways to "fundraise"...
[ Read More ]

Here is yesterday's paycheck and budget:

With yesterday's payment, my car loan is down to $24,739.24.   Still such a huge number, but moving in the right direction.
[ Read More ]

Needless to say, I'm thrilled to have finished my taxes, state and federal, today. I overpaid both by quite a bit, but the truth is, it can be very difficult to estimate income when you're self-employed, you get laid off from one job mid-year and the next job you get fizzles out after about 4 months. My "total expected income" was indeed a moving target.
So I am expecting a federal tax refund of $1,306 and a state refund of $1,282, for a total of $2,588 deposited to my checking....sweet.
I'm...
[ Read More ]

Just plugging along.  Glad retirement balance went up this month.  Net worth increased by over 10,000.00 in the month of January.  Working on paying down debt and saving for retirement.  
[ Read More ]

Well after finishing my last blog I checked Capital One & saw that they had a 5.00% 11 month CD rate until 3/14/23. I moved $10,000 in and will hold the rest on my 360 savings until I get my sign-up bonus.
[ Read More ]

Happy Black History Month! The January market was good to us. I'm not at my highest number, but I'm not terribly far off either. I gained $86,805 last month including contributions which were $3,750.
Net Worth $1,221,125
I am reading that we can expect the feds to continue raising interest rates into the late spring/early summer. If Capital One has paid my bonus for opening my 360 savings account by that time, I can move some money into CDs which will hopefully be at their peak...
[ Read More ]

Happy Groundhog Day! What is your prediction? A short or long winter? Winter is a relative term in the Deep South, but I'm definitely okay with longer.
My H&R tax professional (my dad) finished my taxes. I owe $455 federal taxes and $309 state taxes. Not bad at all. I don't foresee my income going down significantly anytime soon and this paycheck I got a very unexpected cash award. I am very blessed indeed.
[ Read More ]

Income Total: $1400.00


      $1200 Recurring monthly retirement account distribution  


      $200 Swagbucks and My Points earnings (cash out to PayPal)


       


Total Spending: $1378.63
Total Saving: $21.37


 Fixed Expenses: Verizon bundle (internet, cable): $167.43
Verizon Mobile: $60.26 (includes a refund from last month)


HVAC...
[ Read More ]

Finally a more positive net worth outlook than we've had for a while! Our retirement accounts went up in value about $40K, we paid off a bit of our tax bill, and our COAST Fire timeline got 4 years shaved off: It now says we could reach it in 8 years vs. 12!



Assets
 
 
 


NT's UK pensions:
 
 
 


AV1: 22,397 pounds
$27,996
 
 


SW: 30,864 pounds
$38,580
 
 


AV2: 7,567 pounds
$9,459
 
 


NT's...
[ Read More ]

Well, we've only just begun 2023 and already I feel lots of big changes happening in my life.
For one, I will earn a living as a writer again after a roughly five-year hiatus during which time I was copy editing p/t. I've been hired as a W2 writer for a university not in the Northeast, and I'm expecting my first assignment this Friday.
I'm excited because it's really just the kind of job I was hoping to find: one with pretty p/t hours so as not to interfere with my semi-retirement...
[ Read More ]

It's the last day of January, and I'm not going to spend anything, so I did my recap.



Insurance
968


Housing
769


Utilities
234


Clothing
97


Gifts/Charity
58


Medical/Health
55


Eating Out/Takeout
55


Groceries
50


Personal
41


Phone
32


Household Supplies
29


Gas
24


Entertainment
17


Laundry
14


Furn/Equip/Décor
5


Fares/Parking
5



Grand Total was $2453, and I kept variable spending...
[ Read More ]

We finally completed the long-procrastinated task of updating our wills. I’m glad to have it done though I am still working on the step-by-step guidance document for the executor. (requested by DH) That document has been a bigger chore than I expected but I’m learning a lot. In addition to online research, I bought a book that is so worth the cost: The Executor’s Guide by Mary Randolph. I also created documents for inventory of assets, final wishes, and contact...
[ Read More ]

I did my taxes yesterday. I owe nothing to federal, and I'm getting nothing back. I'm getting a $262 refund from the state, because they withheld that amount from my RMD's.
It was pretty easy. Retirement has certainly simplified tax time. For me, anyway.
I will have four grocery shopping days in February, starting on Wednesday. That means $25 a trip.
I have one birthday in February, and I'll be getting an oil change, which may generate some car repair costs. Also, according...
[ Read More ]