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Archive for October, 2016

32 Days to Better

October 30th, 2016 at 05:46 pm


32 days until December 1st, which will officially end the Money Armageddon.

Still in "thrift is the only option" mode.

Our meal plan this week consists of breakfast foods (just because we have tons of that on hand), curried chickpeas, tacos and nachos, other canned convenience foods.

At Mass last night, our parish pitched the plea for pledges for a major campus improvement. To the requested tune of $20K spread over five years. And we've been invited to the parish Christmas dinner at $50/person. Wow. When I am in a better place financially, I am thinking that my money might make more of a difference in places where they need clean drinking water and other rudimentary things. My perspective on money is changing.

Well, I may just not post until December 1st. I've stopped tracking money since it was depressing. I'm simply monitoring success by how much money we have left before payday.

Looking forward to new beginnings.

Upswing Predicted

October 28th, 2016 at 07:18 pm


November will be that last month of Money Armageddon.

December is looking better with no anticipated rental property renos and an upstart of rental property income.

Paycheck to paycheck living is tiresome. I'm tired of stretching the dollars and being creative and robbing Peter to pay Paul.

At some point in the future, after this is over, I'll detail the storm fronts that collided to create the perfect storm.

Other than that there isn't anything significant; I am just happy that the end is in sight.

Update

October 21st, 2016 at 01:16 pm


Well, I'm proficient in living paycheck-to-check. Today was payday and we cruised in with $4.xx in the checking account and $6.75 cash. Wa-hoo.

I still haven't touched the EF. It is indeed scant and meager, but it's still there, albeit on life support.

The spending is allotted down to the dollar. I'm doing fairly well keeping a cap on things by shopping every four days. I don't know why that appears to be the magic number in what I'm able to effectively manage. The cupboards don't seem to be as bare this way and there is at least always fresh fruit/veggies. Even if its only bananas and carrots.

The rental property reno is progressing as planned. We have been able to save some money here and there by doing things ourselves (like the painting/and we have recruited the inlaws for rolling). Tomorrow my stepdad is installing the new bathroom flooring and helping out with some other odds and ends. The crack in the foundation has been repaired. We have sealcoating of the driveway this week as well as the tub reglazing. I was able to push back the installation of the new front and back doors to 11/19 which given my budget a bit of breathing room, though I am hoping to factor in the cost of those from the funds we have. We're keeping the cost of trash down by using the dumpsters at my biological father's nearest apartment buildings.

Still tracking every red cent. Still humming "Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming" to myself. I think that I will really like 1/1 when we roll into the new year with funds from the 12/30 paycheck to start afresh.

I've started a list of things that we need. And my crockpot died yesterday. That is a very sad thing since most of the warm meals my family eats come from the crockpot. My birthday is 11/15 so I think I'm just going to ask my mom to buy me one now as an early gift.

Well, that's it. Update: still alive, still spending, still in process of rental property reno, still have EF.

When the money gods smile on me ...

October 9th, 2016 at 08:34 pm


Nothing major as far as luck bestowed by the money gods. Still working our way through the rental property reno. I spent most of yesterday edging the living room and bedrooms. My husband painted the kitchen and bathroom and FIL is rolling the rooms that I edged on Wednesday and Thursday.

The budget is pretty much on empty, and I shudder at spending even on what I have to. That said, our money is going pretty far in what we are spending.

One-way airfare from California to Chicago for older daughter was $81.

Youngest son was in need of dress shoes for winter uniform that started 10/1. He now wears mens sizes and that is a budget-buster. However, he found a pair of Sperrys for $35 on clearance at Famous Footwear and $1 pink athletic socks (which he needed to wear today from the breast cancer awareness game today).

We also found new football gloves for him at Marshalls for $14. This was part of his birthday gift. Those regularly go for $29.99 (cheapest) and up at Dick's Sporting goods.

I scored cake mix and frosting for $.80/each at Jewel and stocked up for fall/winter birthdays and Thanksgiving meal contributions. I usually would run to Jewel for $5.00 mini cupcakes, but instead delegated to daughter to bake those.

Everyone is pretty much aware of our financial situation. My parents purchased me tires last month and slipped me some additional money for my son's football pictures and also brought paper products from Sam's (packs of toilet paper and paper towels). My MIL also gave us money for a tire for DH's minivan and bought a round of vitamins for us.

The old me would have been smug at accepting help. Not anymore. I've learned to just smile and say "thanks, that will really help."

Tomorrow we're going to the earliest showing of "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" ($4.50/ticket) and then going to the Arboretum (free using parents' membership) and bringing our own snack ($5 for 4-pack Starbucks Iced Coffee drinks that came with a free box of Otis Spunkmeyer snacks).

Still taking one day and task at a time, and taking time to enjoy life while on the journey.

4th Quarter

October 2nd, 2016 at 03:27 pm


Well, the money situation remains stable.

The rental property situation remains unstable. We had a tenant and then we didn't. He gained residential custody of children and couldn't leave the school district. Now we have potential tenants for 11/1; they rent the house two houses over which has been sold, leaving them needing a house. I asked for them to commit by the 15th or else I will place an add.

The work is going slower than anticipated. On Thursday DH and our handyman replaced the floor underlayment and did some electrical work. No installation of basement vanity or repair of a/c leak.

What we've spent thus far:
$96 vanity for basement
$250 plaster repair of ceiling and walls
$50 underlayment for upstairs bathroom
$300 for handyman (4 hours)
$100 on paint and items for window reglazing

We still need to deal with the hardwood floors. There doesn't appear to be too much to be able to resand in the living room. We thought about carpeting, but might save that until next go around.

We still need the foundation crack repaired ($380), bathtub reglazing ($390), new front and back doors (est $400), new refrigerator, and new roof on garage.

The entire thing is overwhelming. But DH and FIL are painting next weekend, so progress is at least being made.

We're essentially on money-lockdown over here. With the income deflated and outgo inflated, it's paycheck-to-paycheck. I am relieved that Homecoming is over (it was costly since my two highschoolers don't have jobs).

My highschooler is looking for a job.

My stipend will hit the end of the month.

My inlaws generously gifted us $400, of which we're getting one badly needed tire and an oil change on DH's minivan.

DH has a stash of $60 cash for his "fritter away fund".

I have a stash of $60 cash for my "fritter away fund."

We're expecting $180 from DH's side gig.

Onward and upward has been replaced by "just keep swimming, swimming, swimming" (whenever I type it, I hear Ellen Degeneress signing it).

Here is to simply surviving the 4th quarter.

Only upside is: I've tracked every single rent cent spent from August 25 to present.