Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

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HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

Sandi, I think you are remarkable at this frugal gig and with things being so uncertain heading into 2023, I do think that can make goal setting more challenging, more uncertain. Keep up the good frugal work!
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
SandiSAHM
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Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

Post by SandiSAHM »

HappyDaze wrote: Tue Nov 29, 2022 7:30 pm Sandi, I think you are remarkable at this frugal gig and with things being so uncertain heading into 2023, I do think that can make goal setting more challenging, more uncertain. Keep up the good frugal work!
You're very kind :)

DH and I were just adding up the next 4ish years...DS will graduate HS in 2023 and his first 2 years of college will be basically free to us (just books and fees) but then he transfers to a state school and OH MY GOLLY THE $ per semester - for in state tuition! Higher ed is ridiculous! That said, we're working on how to get him through all of it without debt, and without him having to go the route DH took, where you work and go to school at the same time, at least not for his bachelor's - because that is exhausting. If he wants an MS he'll have to go DH's route and have an employer pay for it.

Seriously....I knew private colleges were near-scams, but the state schools appear to have gotten on the gravy train.
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

Good for you for helping your son figure out how to keep school debt free. The cost of an education shouldn't bankrupt a person and set them up for non-success by launching them into the world with so much debt.
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

Post by SandiSAHM »

We learned another crazy thing, because DS is bored beyond belief with his HS precalc and proposed something to us and his academy - work through the rest of the year's material while on vacation (he goes back Jan 9) and then head to the local comm college campus for a semester in calculus. So he's working like a man possessed and he's enrolled starting Jan 16.

Here's the crazy part: HS students at the comm college pay waaaay lower rates than full time comm college students who aren't enrolled in Tulsa Achieves. Which is all fine - but if he takes the same courses as a full time comm college student, we pay nothing beyond the book and an ID fee. How's that for weird?

Which is fine, it's worth it to get calc out of the way but it just seems strange, they already know which program he's in. Though I guess there's always the fear that we could put him somewhere else next fall (not going to happen!).

Secondary education. Wild stuff. I don't think I'd enjoy bursar work.
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

Post by SandiSAHM »

Work has slowed to a crawl. Got a bonus, though :D which is nice.

Started a new budgeting (it's not really budgeting, it's more a combo of "check register" and semi-budget, hard to describe but it keeps everything in one place) book because the old one ran out of pages, this one should last a couple of years. Of course, starting that put me back in the frame of "what are the 2023 goals?" - which may turn out to be a family thing, I may consult with them as a group as it's hard to make decisions that hinge on other folks' behavior. Not so much what the kids do for themselves (DD found a cello teacher!) because they pay for that, but overall what we do as a family. 2023 will include a 2-week vacation - we've never had a full 2-week vacation but DH works for a European company now and they have a weird "take as much or as little vacation as you need - just make sure we know who's covering for you," thing, and he has 2 folks set up to cover that timeframe.

So, the savings goal, if that becomes the measurement for 2023, has to take into account the planned expenditure for the vacation - which means...we need to fully plan said vacation.

Funny, the last time we made reservations at the place we like at the NC beach I love, a hurricane hit the coast - the proprietor called us the day before and said "I'm cancelling your reservation and refunding your deposit, run inland," so we went to the NC zoo instead, and there was an earthquake :lol: - not a big one, but it was like - we left tornado country for THIS?!?

Goal setting is in process. Crossing my fingers...
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

Post by SandiSAHM »

I'm SO excited - we were reading the wrong data on in-state tuition where DS will spend the last 2 years of his bachelor's. It'll really be about HALF what we read, per the website. Lesson learned, sometimes you get the wrong paperwork. Whew!

So that just got a whole lot easier by the grace of God - once you figure out how to spend $X, only having to spend $X/2 looks like you're getting off easy :lol:

This means stepping up charitable giving, particularly to one specific organization we like, is also so much easier I don't have to wonder how it can happen.

Next area of ? is how taxes will shake out. We can itemize, so that'll help.

I should go be festive and stop this, LOL.
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