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Keeping the Faith

March 12th, 2009 at 07:14 pm

I recieved an e-mail telling me Flash had posted to my blog. I had forgotten that I have friends here who are very supportive of my efforts.

Things may be tough at present but folks have to believe that things will get better. We can succeed. We can do well. The motto must be "CAN DO"!

We all have our reasons for being here but the goal is the same. Financial success is doable! We can be control of that part of our lives. We must never give up and accept defeat no matter how hard the struggle.

Nothing can stop us save our own fears! Let us face them and conquer them! Success can and will be ours!

Keep the faith and you will be rewarded in the end!

Thank you folks for everything!WinkSmile

When does the pain stop!

March 4th, 2009 at 05:33 pm

Well, work is getting really hard to come by. My investments are down a goodly amount. The weather is the pits and the money situation is tighter than ever. What can you do? It is what it is?

Don't have much time to sit in front of a computer these days! Sigh. It will be better tomorrow! It will be better tomorrow!

I HATE SNOW!!!!!!

January 28th, 2009 at 05:46 pm

It is snowing again and my shovel broke. I came home early to shovel and I am hating this weather. 25 dollars for a new shovel!

I can't wait for spring! I can't wait for the warm weather! Sigh!Sad

More car expenses!!!

January 27th, 2009 at 06:12 am

Took the 98 Sienna in for simple repairs. It never turns out that way. It needs two front tires and the right steering linkage needs to be repaired. All this in addition to the back door handle breaking.

The bill to do all this will be 875 if we decide to do this. It just never stops. I am leaning towards repair rather than buying a new car. I think we can get 1 or 2 more years out of the mini van. DW wants a new car plus one for the DD. I hate to spend the money!

All I can do is the best I can do!

NO SPEND/Keeping things tight!

January 23rd, 2009 at 04:42 am

Another day where I spent no money. Found some change cleaning out drawers and coats. In the notions jar it goes.

We still have not taken my wife's van in to get the back door handle fixed. We'll put it off as long as we can.

My friend who was in serious financial trouble is now operating with his head above water so I save that money now that I used to send him.

My budget is still out of whack so I have to eliminate some more expenses from my budget. Cutting into bone at this time!

NO clothes purchases this year. That is the goal and I have broken out the needle and thread. I am so glad my father insisted I learn basic needle and thread skills.

I volunteer with the town and I get a free family pool pass for the summer. That should save us upwards of $200. We used the pool extensively last year. I alos get the free use of a gym but have not used it yet!

Our local library is really great and you can get DVDs and CDs of really neat stuff. I am not renting anything ever again from the local Blockbuster!

Just hooked up the P3 4400 Kill A Watt Meter to my freezer in the basement. The wife and I will also check the fridge we have in the garage. This device measures kilowatt hour use by appliances. We can then see how much it is to run the appliance on a monthly basis. The results might make it worth it to buy a new freezer that is more efficient and cost effective. We will be checking out our large appliances first and then the smaller ones as we use them to see where we can cut electric usage!

What killed us this last bill was gas usage. We use gas to heat hot water, our house, the range top, and our clothes dryer! We have lowered the temp on the water heater again. We have lowered the heat as much as we can but MIL is 87 and cannot take the cold. Good thing we don't have a large house. I use the dryer to warm up the wet clothes and then hang them in the basement.I am also using cold water to wash everything except whites and under garments.Showers are being carefully watched to make sure they are as short as humanly possible.

I have ended several magazine subscriptions even though I enjoyed them.
I have a 25 dollar gift card to Barnes and Nobles but I will use this for a gift for someone thus saving more money!

I make most of my calls after 9 PM and on weekends with the cell phone. We got three cell phones for just a little over 100 dollars for extending for three years. Our phones were kind of beat up and so it was time. It really was a good deal.

I have given up driving for pleasure. I try to set a route out when I run errands in order to use as little gas as possible. The wife has been pretty good of late with this as well.

Wow! That was pretty long winded of me! Still saving as much as I can and spending as little as possible!


Van back door handle breaks!

January 21st, 2009 at 01:57 am

We use our 10 year old Toyota Sienna a lot. It is getting long in the tooth but I figure getting a few problems like the back hatch handle fixed is cheaper than new car payments.

We have to start getting a bit more money together for a new car. My car is 8 years old and I am shooting for 7 more years out of it. I figure if I do the maintenance regularly it will last me a goood long while.

I hate car payments so I will kepp saving till I have a goodly amount of the price of a car.

Well, in any case I have to get the handle fixed on the back door of the Sienna. The bills never stop!Big Grin

Almost 4 year old blog

January 19th, 2009 at 06:51 am

Wow! I have been here a while! I have not gotten to the place I need to be yet but it sure ain't from lack of trying!

Another no spend day for me. I have to keep it up.

Checking In!

January 18th, 2009 at 05:27 am

Money is slow coming in. We just lost my wife's medical insurance a couple of months ago and are now paying 1500 a month for it.

We did not exchange gifts at Christmas. We are clipping coupons, cutting back where we can, and remaining hopeful for the future to be better.

I try and put together no spend days on the top of my list of things to do! I keep socking as much money away as possible.

I was shoveling snow last week and developed some sort of heart arrythmia. I went to the cardiologist and he does not think it serious but I am going for a nuclear stress test this Tuesday.

We had a cold spell and I found myself stuffing newspaper around the doors in order to stop heat loss.

I pay cash for most everything these days. I throw the loose change in a jar in order to save. When I fill the jar up I'll put the money in the bank.

I wish everyone a good year and the best of health!

Nothing to fear but fear itself!

October 9th, 2008 at 06:08 pm

The proverbial sky is falling. Several thousands of dollars in my investments value have disappeared. Credit is harder to come by. 31 States will soon be unable to meet their financial obligations.

Cash is now king. We may be headed, some say, towards deflation.

Here is my take on it.

Invest in companies that employ Americans and make goods here. Cut back on your use of foreign made goods.

Use your car less and keep the heat low. Now is the time to face this chrisis head on! Enough of sending our jobs and money overseas.

We must not give in to fear. We must save and invest now more than ever. We must not give into panic and fear as that will be our downfall!

Hold Republicans and Democrats responsible for this mess they allowed to happen! Throw all the bums out!

We can get through all this if we do not panic and give in to fear. Tighten your belts and keep moving ahead! It will get better.

We can do it gang!!!

Investments Down...Down...Down.....

September 19th, 2008 at 06:10 am

Well I am an automatic long term investor who has watched several thousand dollars in value just evaporate.

I suppose I could panic and get upset but what would be the point. I will continue to invest on a regular basis and thus buy shares of Mutual Funds, ETFs, and Stocks at a lower price.

If the economy were to collapse I fear it would take the rest of the world economy with it. Worrying is moot! Whatever happens happens and there is little I can do to change it.

The politicians on both sides of the aisle are already fingerpointing. Just what we need!Rolleyes

I hope others are doing well!

It never stops..........

September 4th, 2008 at 05:59 am

567 dollars to fix car and 253 for computer and school supplies. Arrgghhhh!

We have cut back on soda and junk. We have continued to clip coupons and comparison shop and stock up when there are sales.

I am trying to be a minimalist and not purchase anything. It is amazing that I have walked around for two weeks with the same eight dollars in my wallet.

I keep putting money away and am constantly looking for ways to save more and squeeze more out of my budget.

It never stops this money saving thing....

In any case I am still in the black for now and I am trying to stay that way!

Knute commanding the tide!

August 16th, 2008 at 06:53 am

I feel like Knute commanding the tide back. More unexpected bills coming in. Work is slowing down and oddjobs are getting harder to find so as to make extra money.

My wife is stillgoing through her occassional spending spree. I used to get upset but now I have built this in as a feature of my life. The wife has no access to the funds I am putting away.

C'est la vie.........

The water bill that came in was 62 dollars higher than the last. It is funny how I look forward to rain now! I cut some more stuff from my budget so as to keep things in balance. Hard to say when I have saved enough as my mutual funds show a net loss as opposed to what I put into them. Pretty funny stuff. The ETFs are doing better and the savings are the savings.

I like the line from " I Remember Momma"; "we do not have to go to the bank!" I try to string no spend days together as much as I can. I have my coffee home and we buy bread products at a discount and freeze them for later use.

We had work done on the house and thatcost us a pretty penny. We had to have trees taken down and we fixed the landscaping. I believe we have added to the value of the house. We have two bathrooms and an upstairs bedroom to do.

It wa good we had work done outside. When the old front steps were taken down we found termites in the early stages. It is interesting how some exterminators will rip you off if they can. We found someone for a quarter of the price of the first quote who did the same thing.

We will soon need to replace my wife's car as well as get a car for my daughter.
I don't know where I am getting all this money. I am still a bit short of the 100,000 number for my daughter's college education. I am working on it.

Sometimes I wish my ship would come in but soon realize I am the builder of the boat I am in. So it goes.

I keep struggling not to slip back into debt but it is so hard these days to keep your head above water. Food, gas, electric, etc.....are getting more expensive everyday.

I am fortunate in that the mortgage is paid and the cars we own are bought and paid for. I will just keep hitting it and hope for the best!

Still Chugging/Head above water!

July 26th, 2008 at 12:02 am

I am still out of debt and I am saving every penny that I possibly can. It just seems that no matter how much I save or scrimp or work I never get too far ahead in the finances.

It feels that I am carrying a weight on my shoulders. Work is slowing down and boy are prices going up! The prices on some things stay the same while the amount you get shrinks! It sure takes the wind out of your sales when you work so hard to accumulate some wealth!

Gas through the rough....groceries through the roof.....taxes through the roof.....clothes, medical care, etc......everything going through the roof.

I am still chugging after all this time but I feel one heck of an undertow trying to drag me down!

Helping a Friend

December 12th, 2007 at 04:13 am

A friend of mine who is in poor health has no money coming in due to certain terrible circumstances.Although we are not rich the wife and I felt we had to help.

We sent 2000 dollars whch is a chunk of change for us. The good Lord blessed us with the ability to help and so we did. I am not looking for a pat on the back or any recognition.

He is a nice man but totally clueless about money. He has lived on the edge for many years. Worked hard but could never get his finances in order.

I told my friend to forget about paying me back. I think sometimes it is good to help when you can. I suppose it means that some luxury things are not going to be there for us now. In the end what is important in life?

I think I have done the right thing. I believe I am obligated to help if I can do so. He is a very good friend and a decent man. My wife and I think the world of him.

MAybe I am looking for someone to say that I did the right thing. In the end I suppose that does not really matter.

I know in my heart I did the right thing and at the end of the day that is all that matters! Someday I might find myself in my friends position. There is a certain karma in the universe that repays in way or another. I guess I'll be content with that thought.

Just musing about this. Just musing.

Do it yourself and save and other thoughts

November 7th, 2007 at 04:58 pm

My heart monitor that I use when when running and my digial watch needed new batteries. I went out and found them at a good price in the local grocery store and replaced them myself. I saved a couple of bucks there.

I am keeping car usage to a minimum as the price of gas is starting to hurt. I expect closee to 4 dollars a gallon in the not too distant future.

The thermostat is as low as comfort will allow. Throws and fleece blakets are in the living room. Sweaters are "de rigeur" for this home.

The light near the street is shot and rotted through near the elctric outlet on it. My brother and a buddy will be helping me replace it when I get the money together. The price of having someone do it is prohibitive!

Trying to string together "no spend" days but I am not always successful. I am also trying to get the Emergency Fund back up to a decently high number again. It is really hard at times due to things that just pop up out of nowhere.

Well, I guess I'll just keep on keeping on!WinkSmile


Another beast of a day

November 2nd, 2007 at 10:49 pm

My wife had surgery on her laeg a few days ago. She has been bed ridden and I am trying to help out as much as possible.

I think though that I am driving my wife insane with the way I do things around the house that she usually does. Oh well!

I had to run her over to the Docs aas she thought there might be some post operative infection. He told her to stay off her feet and keep the leg elevated. He might just as well have been talking to the wall. Arrggghhhhh!!!!

I spent nothing today but a few bills did come in but they are in the budget. I hate days when I have to worry about health issues. It is very stressful. That is why it has been a beast of a day for me.

Tomorrow is another day and so is the day after that and so on. It will get better!WinkSmile

Emergency Fund took a hit

November 1st, 2007 at 04:20 pm

Catalytic converter went on my car and my wife had engine troubles with hers. All told the cost was over 4200 dollars for everything that needed to be done.

Wife ran up some bills but I will not be payin ghtem nor will I get upset by them. Our finances are now seperate and we split the bills. I think she is less than truthful about what is going on but there you have it. I guess some things will never change.

I kust keep keeping on and put one foot in front of the other.WinkSmile

Still debt free!

July 29th, 2007 at 06:19 am

I am still debt free. I have had some good fortune and now I don't have to worry about retirement so much. I was left a sizeable amount of money. So along with the house and our current savings plan the wife and I are set.

The house is free and clear as are our cars at the present time. Debt free is good! Very good! I am enjoying being debt free! Woo! Hoo!!!!

Best of luck and good health to everyone!

Checking In!

May 12th, 2007 at 03:52 am

No new credit card bills! We have been paying cash for the most part.

The Emergency fund is back up to nearly 7000 dollars and we are aiming for 10000 with a 100 a month additon when we get there.

I have been keeping busy trying to make money wherever and whenever I can. We have some home repairs to make soon. I hope to keep the amounts spent to a minimum.

The water heater and some of the pipes in the basement had to be replaced. The total bill for everything came to 1138.00.
Sheesh! I should have been a plumber.

Thankfully the EF was available and we paid cash! Thank God no need to use the CC's.

Don't get around to the computer much these days. Maybe when I get a little more time but I work when the work is there in order to fatten up our retirement accounts.

Sometimes I wish I'd hit the lottery as I am not as young as I used ot be.Smile

I hope eveyone here is doing well. I will stop in again soon.




Losing weight and saving money

April 20th, 2007 at 08:58 pm

Hey gang! Been losing weight, Saving money, and having a grand old time. I just replaced the water heater and the pipes leading to and fro. $1137 with the tax and everything. I paid cash! I love what this place has taught me!

I already have a couple of hundred miles in on my bicycle already and I am loving it. I have not had time to sit on the computer as I would like. Work and exercise are filling up more of my time than ever before.

I have no debt as of this entry and I am hoping to keep it that way! I hope you are all doing well! God Bless!WinkSmile

Autopilot

April 3rd, 2007 at 02:51 am

The bills come in and get paid. I work as much as I can and try to squirrel away as much money as possible.

I am down to 328 and still heaqding south in the weight department.

The wife is still watching the spending and things are humming along.

The snow is all gone and things are just moving along. I like autopilot asit means nothing is amiss that I know of anyway!

That is all there is to report. Autopilot!

It is snowing again!:(

March 16th, 2007 at 04:18 pm

It is snowing again here. I really hate the snow! It makes life so difficult! To be sure it is great for those who run ski resorts and the like but I am tired of it.

When I was a kid it was great fun playing in the snow. Now I have to shovel it and drive through it and it is a pain in the neck.

I have been spending very little of late except on bills in the budget. I feel pretty good about that.

My DD is playing in the pit for her school play. She plays the piano and viola and is fairly accomplished. Sorry but I am so proud of her my heart may burst!

Wife's van got hit and we got a few estimates. We are going to use one of the lower estimates and bank the money left over. The insurance adjustor gave my wife about 1100 dollars and we found a really good shop that will do the work for 780.

We are not replacing some parts but they are still in good shape if not aesthetically. The bumper is sound it just does not look pretty. Who cares!

We have noticed that the prices of fresh fruit and veggies is getting a little ridiculous. I have been elected to go to a few grocery stores and the local farm stand with MIL to scope out better prices. I think we can make some serious savings hereif we map things out.

I really can't wait for the warmth of spring. Winter and cold has been hanging around too long for me!

Coming off the disabled list!

March 15th, 2007 at 07:37 pm

Well the bursitis laid me low for at least three weeks now. I have not been able to do some of the things I need to fill the coffers. I took a financial hit but what can you do?

I also developed tennis elbow because of "guarding" my injured shoulder! Geez I have all the luck!Big Grin

Some car and home repairs have really hit the emergency fund. Thank God we had the EF or the card bills would have been up again!

We now have only about 2200 in the EF. I am still being frugal and having scads of no spend days. I have to because of the spate of no earn days! I will be looking to make some extra money but I have to be careful not to get injured again as that could really set me back!

DW is still clipping coupons but she runs up the damn overdraft protection. It gets paid but I can't understand what she is doing! Well, at least she isn't running up thousands in credit card bills!

I am trying ot be really frugal and I have tightened the belt about as much as I can at this point. I continue the adventure!

Just Checking in to Say I Am Alive!

March 11th, 2007 at 04:55 pm

Hi everybody!Smile I hope everyone is well. I apologize for my absence but I have not been feeling well of late.

I injured myself doing some work and I have been in a good bit of pain. Truth be told I injured my shoulder and elbow and the pain has at times been dreadful.

I have been going to physical therapy and I hope to be better soon. The top of my right hand gets numb and sitting at the keyboard becomes uncomfortable. I have set up things so it is not so bad now.

On the financial front things are status quo. I am still putting money away and there have been no major disasters. Thank Heavens!

I have lost about 20 lbs on the diet but now I am stuck at this point until I can exercise more.

Well, that is about all that is going on here. I hope to soon be a full participant here again!

God Bless and see you soon!




2007 Weight Loss Challenge

January 30th, 2007 at 05:36 pm

Please visit Mjrubes Blog to read up on the 2007 weight loss challenge. Being healthy translates into lower medical and insurance bills. Being healthy means not losing days at work. Being healthy saves us money in the long run!

So I am making a long term goal of losing 80 pounds by Dec. 31, 2007.

I am making a medium term goal of losing 10 % of my present weight.

I am making a short term goal of cutting snack food and junk out of my diet. I also intend to eat moreveggies and fruit.

Please add a new category! Please add a
2007 Weight Loss Challenge category and save your health and money at the same time!

High Blood Pressure.

January 28th, 2007 at 08:15 am

Well, I have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. They have put me on Toprol. Oh well!

No major expenses since the washing machine and dryer.

I have been on the forums trying to say a few things here and there but my heart is not in it right now.

Bills are in good shape and wife has not run up any new ones and I have not either.

Hope everyone here is doing well.

Will check back in when my head is in a better frame.

Washer and Dryer First big expense of New Year and other doings!

January 12th, 2007 at 07:35 am

Well, the dryer had beengiving us trouble. It is 11 years old and we had money aside to pay for it.

The problem is that the washer just went. The repair guy quoted us an outrageous price to "maybe" get it fixed. It is 11 years old like the dryer.

So with one fried washer and one dying dryer I took the plunge. I have the money to pay cash for a new washer and dryer. I guess I have 11 to 12 years to save up for new ones again!Smile

In any case they are coming tomorrow. I went with Whirlpool models given high ratings from Consumers Reports. The Consumers Report has not let me down in the past. It cost but I would rather have a quality appliance. I believ that oft times we buy cheap and pay dear!

On a happier note I opened up an Emigrant Savings account for my daugter and deposited 5000 dollars of hers in it. Emigrant has become so much easier to use.

I treated myself today to a cup of coffee and a bagel 4.28. Picked up a loaf of Italian bread 2.29. I also purchased two sheets of .02 cent stamps for .80 cents.

I am still trying to have as many no-spend days as possible. Well, that is my story for this week! I hope everyone here is well and doing well!WinkSmile


Reflections on the day!

January 5th, 2007 at 07:38 am

Well I got a lot of work done today at home. I was able to sneak and get over to this sites forums today.

Well I sit here listening to Brenda Holloway singing "Every Little Bit Hurts".
I love old Love Songs! I guess that makes me a hopeless romantic. Now Bertha Tillman is singing "Oh My Angel"! They sure don't write songs the way they used to!

I have been good and spent no money today. Not hard since I was working at home today! A productive day is what I would call it!

I have discovered that adding apple juice, the darker juice, to oatmeal is better than adding milk! No sugar. Just cinnamon and a banana! Yummy!!!

20 minutes of aerobic dance today. I want to get to 1/2 hour every day and add walking to that. I also want to add Nordic walking but hey one thing at a time.

I hope to go cycling this Sunday morning.
I don't know maybe 10 or 12 miles!

Well I hope things pick up bit on the extra money side. I keep trying.
Gotta put those no spend days together. Yup! That is what I must do!

Now its Bettye Swann singing "Make Me Yours"! Gosh I love this music. I am waxing nostalgic!

For those whose hearts have been hurt things will get better. Life can be beautiful if you let it be!

God Bless everyone and may all things be golden for you!WinkSmile

Making two Nickels to rub together!

January 2nd, 2007 at 01:44 pm

Well, it's back to my efforts to make money so as to have two nickels to rub together.

I suppose Holidays are great but it feels good to get out there again. I'd love to blog more but work doth beckon. I guess giving up the boob tube for an hour or so in the evening is appropriate!

I'm going to try and accumulate as manmy no spend days as possible. It is really wild to note the difference in my financial condition as opposed to a year ago. I am hoping to be able to say I am in great shape by this time next year.

See you folks this evening and have a wonderful day!Smile

Nice, Safe, Uneventful New Years Eve!

January 1st, 2007 at 08:36 am

We ate at a birthday party for my sister early in the day. We were fed at a friends house where we went to watch the ball drop.

At my friend's house we sat and watched "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"! It is one of my favorite films of all times. Each time I watch it I pick up something new!Smile

It was nice to see Dick Clark back on the TV for the Ball Drop! He has recovered nicely God Bless him!

No alcohol tonight just sparkling apple cider. What a wild man I am these days!Big Grin
The diet starts tomorrow though! I pigged out folks!

Life is good and everything is on course for now!


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