2022 Challenge Contentment

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

Re: 2022 Challenge Contentment

Post by HappyDaze »

I am considering doing my tax return today - see what the damages are. I am expecting a small refund ($400-ish) from federal and to owe New York State less than $100 - so we'll see how close my estimate is.

My decrease in take-home pay from increasing my retirement contribution was quite noticeable this time - but I am still in good shape with this amount. My goal is to eventually live on half my income and invest / save the rest. It is doable and I'm getting close to being able to do that - but I will have to see how a future car payment factors into the equation.

I don't look forward to telling DD her share of the utility bill this time. It is almost $200 and I have never paid more than $113 while living alone. They are not careful at all about the electricity and water they consume. They will leave their heat and lights on full blast when going out, let the water run down the drain till it gets hot, do laundry in hot water, etc., crank up their heat instead of putting on layers. I have talked about ways to conserve with her - but I can't make her do it. They say they have to leave heat and lights on for the dog - I have never, nor will I ever, leave heat and lights on for my dogs.

I am still as conservative as I ever was - and she knows that - because we have a chart made up in the lease agreement - DD pays the difference over a certain amount each month. It is more than fair - I have rounded the numbers to be in her favor. I should not be worried about it - they are two grown adults - they have to pay for their heat, lights and water.
"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
ChristmasTrees
Posts: 3982
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 12:53 am

Re: 2022 Challenge Contentment

Post by ChristmasTrees »

HappyDaze wrote: Sun Jan 23, 2022 2:52 pm I've walked to Family Dollar, then the grocery. I spent more on dog food, cat food and t.p. at FD ($31 and change after using $3 of coupons from the app) than on food for myself - ugh.

I did what I consider to be very good at the grocery. I focused on loss leaders, sale prices, discontinued items (way marked down) and other mark downs. For $25.05 I got - 3 (8 oz) bags of cheese, 1 lb. of butter, 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 2 packages of tortillas, a loaf of Italian bread, 9 peppers (6 red, 2 green, 1 orange), 5 avocados, 2 lb. of onions, and a quart of vegetable broth. Of course my peppers were from the "rescued produce" bin - 99 cents for bags of 3 big peppers.

I next focused on getting things that would go with what I already had in the house - pasta, potatoes, frozen vegetables, etc. and was careful to not repurchase those items. I should be all set until the first week of February - possibly a little longer.
Well done!
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: 2022 Challenge Contentment

Post by HappyDaze »

I did not get my tax return done this weekend - that's okay. I listed some more books for sale - will print the shipping label at work, send them in and get $11.49 in my paypal account. Not bad for books that were collecting dust that I'll never read again.

I left the heat controls throughout the house on 50 degrees last night and it made a surprisingly big difference - not so bitter cold in those rooms. I actually got too warm while vacuuming.
"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
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: 2022 Challenge Contentment

Post by HappyDaze »

DD and I walked to the grocery store last night. From my point of view, the skyrocketing prices and half empty shelves are real. The store even had signs up about how certain things will be temporarily unavailable - and they are trying to keep prices down. What I bought for $26.62 --

A large bag of dog snacks, 1 box of pasta, 2 (8 oz) bags of shredded cheese, 4 lb. of sugar, 5 lb. of flour, 8 oz of tempeh, 2 packages of wraps, almost 2 lb. of green cabbage, a package of hot dog buns (reduced to 40 cents), 3 potatoes (not the best buy but I had to carry this stuff home), and a 12 oz. bag of frozen peas.

Made a homemade white pizza with broccoli for supper and I have leftovers for lunch today. I've never made that kind before - it turned out to be very good.

I need to get frozen fruit from Dollar Tree and I want a couple boxes of their toaster waffles - I'll get those this weekend. I'm also going back to the regular store for oranges - they are expensive but they have a buy on get one offer - I just could not carry them home last night - and DD had her hands full with her own groceries.
"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
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Jackielou
Posts: 13425
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: 2022 Challenge Contentment

Post by Jackielou »

HappyDaze wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 6:09 am DD and I walked to the grocery store last night. From my point of view, the skyrocketing prices and half empty shelves are real. The store even had signs up about how certain things will be temporarily unavailable - and they are trying to keep prices down. What I bought for $26.62 --

A large bag of dog snacks, 1 box of pasta, 2 (8 oz) bags of shredded cheese, 4 lb. of sugar, 5 lb. of flour, 8 oz of tempeh, 2 packages of wraps, almost 2 lb. of green cabbage, a package of hot dog buns (reduced to 40 cents), 3 potatoes (not the best buy but I had to carry this stuff home), and a 12 oz. bag of frozen peas.

Made a homemade white pizza with broccoli for supper and I have leftovers for lunch today. I've never made that kind before - it turned out to be very good.

I need to get frozen fruit from Dollar Tree and I want a couple boxes of their toaster waffles - I'll get those this weekend. I'm also going back to the regular store for oranges - they are expensive but they have a buy on get one offer - I just could not carry them home last night - and DD had her hands full with her own groceries.
Part of that could be because of the blockade on the Ambassador Bridge by those Freedum truckers. Not only are they hurting our government, they are hurting the businesses and regular people that depend on the trade flowing both ways over the border.

Our auto industry is coming to a stand still once again as parts are not flowing back and forth. From what I understand auto parts can go back and forth across the border via that bridge up to 10 times.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: 2022 Challenge Contentment

Post by HappyDaze »

Jackielou wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 8:06 am Part of that could be because of the blockade on the Ambassador Bridge by those Freedum truckers. Not only are they hurting our government, they are hurting the businesses and regular people that depend on the trade flowing both ways over the border.

Our auto industry is coming to a stand still once again as parts are not flowing back and forth. From what I understand auto parts can go back and forth across the border via that bridge up to 10 times.
I'm sure you're right, Jackie. I had a plan of sorts, to look into buying a later model, low mileage used car later this year - well used car prices have gone out of sight and they're scarce, because of the lack of parts to make new cars. I'm not sure what the outcome will be for this household, but I know I'm not paying $24K for a used car that should be about $15K.
"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
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