PRICEPLUS's Personal Finance Blog

Sigh....I am paying for a wedding. I never knew it was this crazy expensive. I am now definitely a huge proponent of eloping or small weddings. It seems to me that money would be better spent for the down payment on a house or a new car.
All in all I am doing okay. Still frugal and I still make a game of “no spend” days.
The funny part is that you get so conditioned to saving and being frugal that the thought of spending makes you uncomfortable. I guess I’ll have to earn how to do that.

Dental bills are through the roof. Looking at an estimate of 6500 plus another 4000 for an implant.
Had new Will, Power of Attorney, etc. done. Established Trust in order to avoid probate. Lawyers don’t come cheap.
Purchased plots in cemetery for myself and the wife. Again, it was not cheap.
DD is now a doctor and paying most of her own bills. Thank goodness.
Trying to not spend money. Still saving. Retirement on the horizon.
The struggle continues!

Use it up, wear it out, make due, do without!

Out of debt, out of danger!

Do I really NEED this or do I just WANT this.

My hobby is saving money!

Well, my DD will be graduating from medical school in May. Still no major debt in my life since I got out of debt. It is so much easier to save when you have no debt.

My insurance coverages are good. I have most of my accounts with joint tenancy or beneficiary to avoid probate. Living will, health care proxy, and durable power of attorney forms all in place. I need to redo the will but there will be little to dispose of by this vehicle.

Dental work for the DW cost me a pretty penny. I put away 175 a month into my dental savings account. I had a goodly amount in but I took a huge hit after several years of just cleanings and the odd cavity. The price of a root canal and/or cap is mind boggling!

In the last year I have replaced the dishwasher, microwave, washing machine as well as the dehumidifier in the basement. The stove and the dryer may have to be replaced in a year or two. Putting funds aside into the emergency fund for that eventuality. I hope they hold up for a good longtime!

Paid off my wife's and daughter's phones. I am keeping my old one running until it falls apart! The bill drops this month when my old contract comes to an end!

The DW's car is getting long in the tooth. I have to figure out a replacement. Sigh...

Still living very frugally. On goes the journey!

Been a while since I posted. I still live frugally. Old habits are hard to break! LOL!!
I still try to have as many no spend days as possible. Went to free concerts put on by the town this summer. Using the library to the fullest. Heck, I pay taxes so I should get my moneys worth. I can get free films to watch and there are different events that are free.
I also look fro community events that are free or darn near so.
I cannot believe that this blog is over 11 years old now. I have come far in that time.
My motto is still, "use it up, wear it out, make due, do without"! I am still a firm believer in out of debt out of danger.
Maybe I'll post a little more often...

Retirement funding all in place. Investments are doing okay. Still looking for more ways to make money and to cut budget. Strange how collecting money becomes a past time.
Between what the DW and I have in SS and in retirement savings we should be okay. Dental funds and Emergency funds took a hit so I need to get them both up to 10000 again. Any and all card use is being paid at the end of the month. Cash is king for the most part.
6 no spend days so far. Whoopieeee!!!!!

I have not put much in my blog as the years went by. I just kept trying to cut expenses and live frugally. With luck and perseverance I am sort of in the clear. I still watch my bills and what comes in and out.

I am in pretty good shape for retirement. I am essentially out of debt and thus out of danger. I never want to go into debt again. I still keep socking money away. I put in till there s a little pain and strain on the budget but in the end I believe it will be worth it.

I shall soon be exploring my local library again. I pay taxes for it so I intend to get my moneys worth out of it.

Still out here plugging away!

Well, my change jar is getting quite full. I shall take it in to the bank machine soon and get it totaled. Then it goes into savings.

I went a little crazy the other day and had a bagel and coffee for 5.15. Veggie cream cheese is a weakness when spread on an everything bagel.

I have given up drinking soda and my wife tells me that our grocery bill is better. Woo! Hoo!'

I am trying to string "no spend" days together whenever possible. I look for ways not to spend. I have made a game out of it.

I have cut my expenses to the bone and increased my investments and savings.

On I go! :-)

That is it! I have the money aside. I am tired of getting up early to dig out. I hate snow!!!!

Well, I have been cleaning out my basement, garage, and closets. I look at all the "things" I bought and I wonder why I did it.

Maybe I bought things because it made me feel better. How much of my life did I exchange for the money to purchase these things? Why? Now the DW and I have stuff we don't need or want! Sad. Very sad.

Now I am divesting myself of all this clutter. I now know Thoreau was right in his admonition to simplify! Don't weigh yourself down with things you don't need.

Buy what you need to be sure. Hesitate to spend.

It is interesting to observe how I have less of a desire to buy things as I get older. I get more of a kick finding ways not to spend money. I still enjoy life. There is just no need to constantly spend to fill up the empty spaces.
My change jar has a substantial amount of change. I am constantly looking to save whatever I can. The investments are doing fairly well. I have no major expenses left.
Just checking in to remind myself to keep at it!

I have been making a game of "No Spend Days" for so long! I really enjoy it. I ask myself do I really need this item. Most times I really don't need it.
I play the game of don't break the 20. How long can I go without breaking the twenty in my wallet. I feel so much better when I don't spend.
I still pay cash for most things when I do spend and I put any change in the form of coins into a Holiday fund.
Saving is fun when it becomes a game. I am getting better at it as time goes by.
I am still out of debt and on track for retirement. If I can do it so can you!!!!

Still out of debt. I am still living frugally. My wife was worried about my insurance (Life) but it appears I have more than enough! Hmmm? Should I be worried about her inquiry? LOL!!!!
In any case she has not run up any more debt that I am aware of. We are still putting as much away as possible but the taxes and the cost of food and energy keep rising.
We stopped clipping coupons as the savings were minimal here. We have modified our purchasing habits and have cut our food budget substantially. The Utility Bill is still a bone of contention between us. We have had some really serious arguments about this.
My DD is out of college and this promises to be an opportunity to save some more money as time goes by.
It is all about retirement savings at this point. We are in pretty good shape where this is concerned. I still try to put as much as humanly possible away.
The CC bill is paid in full every month and we have been collecting points for flights. This was helpful with DD going back and forth!
I need to lose a good deal of weight or all the money in the world shall do me no good!
So there it goes for now. I just keep plugging away financially. Ship is running smooth right now. I do need to increase the Emergency and Dental fund account balances as they have taken hits in the last year! SO on it goes!

Dollar cost averaging and indexing in my investments has paid off. I am not looking for a big score and I put the money away monthly. My emergency fund has gotten a little low due to some necessary home maintenance and repair si I have to add funds there.
Started a dental fund due to the fact we don't have dental insurance. I cannot believe how expensive dental care is. The fund took a hit a few months ago but I am putting money aside again just for this fund.
We still stock up when there are great sales at the grocery and I have cut my soda consumption to almost nil. Water with a little ice and a twist of lemon is great and inexpensive!
I am still bummed out by the low interest rates but at least I am not paying exorbitant interest on credit card debt!
Sometimes it seems the money slips through my fingers like water but I keep looking for ways to put more money away. On it goes!

I am not only on course but the expense of my daughter's college is almost done. Thank goodness! Now I am just putting as much away as I can for retirement!
My finances have really turned around since first I visited this site.
I don't make as many entries as I used to do. Still clipping coupons and living below our means.
If you are in debt you can get out and get back to financial sanity. It takes time and you must make tough decisions but you can do it. If I can do it anyone can!
Well, that is my two cents!

I guess everyone here is feeling the sting of rising grocery prices. Gas is going up again. Sigh!

School and property tax went up. Several other taxes went up. Interest on savings is a joke. I don't feel good about the future!

Well it has been a quiet February and nothing really drastic has happened. We are still looking for ways to cut more money from the budget. Fortunately we are still on an even keel. I keep socking away whatever I can but the interest is almost nil.
I see the stock market going up and I am thinking that is because there is nowhere else to put the money. We shall see how this all turns out in the end. Oh wel, back to the grindstone!
Oh yeah. I finally got to use my gift card to a local restaurant. The wife and I had a lovely dinner and I still have 2.48 left on my 50 gift certificate. I'll use it for a lunch sometime I think!

I have been told that inflation is low. Given the prices in the grocery store you could really fool me. We look for sales and try to stock up as much as possible.

My gas and electric bill appear to keep increasing. I am amazed at the cost!

Looks like I need to stretch the dollars even more.

Well. my Christmas shopping is done and I have not gone overboard. I still have my head above water and just the one credit card which I pay off at the end of the month.
Still clipping coupons and living frugally. DD has three more semesters in college and will graduate, God willing, debt free.
I keep putting as much money as I can away for retirement. I just wish my investments were doing better.
The house and cars are paid for and I am grateful for that.
The taxes and the cost of utilities is getting out of hand. The grocery prices are going crazy as well. Gas for the car is also killer!
So I guess everything is on an even keel.
Merry Christmas everyone and may financial security come to you all!!!!

Well, I still am out of debt. I don't spend money most days and I sock away as much money as I can. It is a little disheartening getting such a pittance in returns. Still I keep saving.

My DD is in her Junior year at college and she will get through debt free. The wife wants to get her a car for graduation but I can't see that happening.

My car is 12 years old but I am going to run it till it falls apart. We are still clipping coupons and are surprised at the savings. I cannot believe the increases in the food prices! The gas is still pretty steep here as well.

So I am keeping mu head above water and I suppose that will have to be enough for now. We have no mortgage but the taxes are just ridiculous. Our utilities have gone up a good bit as well!

Just getting by but as I said I am doing better than a great many others!

Spent a little more for Christmas than I wanted. My budget is off already and the new year is not yet here!

I really hope to do some serious saving this year. I am worried about the economy though and I hope my investments don't take a dive!

Will pay the bills in full but I am now a bit tighter in the budget than I had hoped to be. I guess I'll just keepp on keeping on and hope nothing catastrophic happens.

Work is slowing down and the tax burden here is awful. I have enough to pay my daughter's college tuition for the last two years of her schooling. So DD will get out of school debt free.

Graduate or medical school is another ball of wax though. I have to get my retirement money in order. I am somewhat behind in this category.

I have about 5000 dollars together for a new car for my daughter when she graduates college. This will be a gift from my wife and I. What kind of car she gets depends upon how much I can scrimp and save. I was thinking about a low end Toyota Camry.

I only have 100,000 saved for retirement so I am behind the 8 ball. Who knows what the dollar will be worth when I retire. Who knows if Social Security will be around.

We have made some serious cuts in discretionary spending around here. I still walk around with less than 20 dollars in my pocket at any one time.

Well, I suppose we just do the best we can with what we've got. Just checking in for a reality check!

Well, I still have no credit card debt. I am putting as much money away as I can. Living as frugally as I can and that is pretty much the state of affairs I find myself in.

It is all good. It is stable at this point. Staying out of debt and paying as I go!

Well I have collected 175 dollars in Barnes and Nobles gift certificates. Folks gave me a bunch for my recent birthday.

I went to Barnes and Noble but I just did not find anything I needed or wanted. So I guess I will use it for birthdays and the upcoming Christmas Holiday.

It really will help with the gift giving budget.

Well, DD is off to college and seems to be doing well after some initial homesickness.

We have no major debt right now but my dear wife seems to want to change that! LOL!!!!

I have not posted here in quite a while. I still try to have as many "No Spend" days as possible. Still trying to book as many dollars as I can. No CC balance at this time thank goodness. I guess I am in a holding pattern.

We have a new car and we own it outright. Saving now for one for me and daughter. Wishful thinking but it is a goal.

We are still clipping coupons and a trip to the diner is a fancy date. Pretty funny when you think about it.

We would like to redo our bedroom, the upstairs bathroom and the basement. We also need to replace the basement windows.
Sigh! It just never stops!

All I can do is my best and I will continue to try! What else can a I do!

Ignition went on the car and had to be replaced and it was discovered that the exhaust systemm is going kaput.

The car is 11 years old and I have to start thinking about another new car. I am still thinking about getting it fixed and keeping it as daughters knock about car when she is back from college.

I forgot to mention that my DD is going to Notre Dame. An expense I saved for but I am sure their are other expenses I had not anticipated.

The money comes in and the money goes right back out. Blessed be the money....sheesh!!!!

Still saving as much as I can but the unexpected expenses such as my medical insurance are taking a toll on the budget.

I guess it could be worse. I could be living in a third world country starving. All things are relative I suppose.

Still trying to string together no spend days and I have been having some very good luck with that. I especially like filling my coffee thermos at home and drinking out of that. It is so much cheaper!

Well that is about it for now. I will keep on keeping on!