2023 at Sandi's

Want to up your frugal game? Join one of our challenges.
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: 2023 at Sandi's

Post by SandiSAHM »

Opened a CD today at 4.6% (Alliant Credit Union) - better % than the other two. DS took half his savings and did the same (it's a 1-year term, he's not planning expenditures right now, thank goodness :lol:). DD has the bulk of her savings already in other certs so she's waiting 'til the one that matures in a couple of months to look at the %s again.

DH's former employer, now officially in the process of trimming down to sell off some facilities and maybe even a product line, had a round of layoffs this a.m. The Lord, as always, knew exactly what He was doing putting the new job in DH's path when He did. This is how his career has been for 20 years - God makes an offer show up somewhere, it's clear DH would be crazy NOT to take it, and within half a year or less the previous place experiences a change or makes one that impacts the personnel really intensely. Usually very negatively - like 2 employers ago when the company was bought and slowly moved to TX, with no one here being offered relocation. He's presently at lunch with some of the newly displaced and some of the hangers-on who are wondering how long they can hang. He thinks he may be able to snag some talent for his current employer.

I've been thinking about the savings reporting and I think I'll have to do it quarterly, as I pay my taxes 4x a year (contractor) and while I stash what'll be needed to pay those monthly, I stash it in savings and then at the end of the quarter send checks. So technically I don't have a 'net savings' for the quarter 'til that's done. I've rarely had to pull from savings to pay the taxes, but I'm not padding checking right now, I have everything over what's absolutely earmarked to use over the next 2 weeks stuck in savings (2.7%, versus the piddly % checking earns - both also with Alliant CU).

Which is a bummer, because I like to see #s written down, even virtually, to feel like I'm "accomplishing" something.

Thinking too of getting a new credit card for this year's vacation, only because I saw one on a website that has a $300 bonus for spending like $2000 in the first 3 months, and 0% financing for 15 months (right now - and I may not feel the same in a month - I'd rather make $ on what's charged for vacation and pay it off over time, keeping the bulk of the $ in savings 'til the 14th month). Savings on the savings ;))
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: 2023 at Sandi's

Post by SandiSAHM »

Had 2 cute little baking pumpkins still in the kitchen because I'm lazy and don't usually cook the decor - but there's a first time for everything.

Those things generated 3 cans worth of pumpkin puree :D

Next year we'll decorate for fall / Thanksgiving just a little more, LOL.
floridacatlover
Posts: 8057
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:21 am

Re: 2023 at Sandi's

Post by floridacatlover »

SandiSAHM wrote: Tue Jan 10, 2023 2:04 pm

I've been thinking about the savings reporting and I think I'll have to do it quarterly, as I pay my taxes 4x a year (contractor) and while I stash what'll be needed to pay those monthly, I stash it in savings and then at the end of the quarter send checks. So technically I don't have a 'net savings' for the quarter 'til that's done. I've rarely had to pull from savings to pay the taxes, but I'm not padding checking right now, I have everything over what's absolutely earmarked to use over the next 2 weeks stuck in savings (2.7%, versus the piddly % checking earns - both also with Alliant CU).
Sandi, I’m glad that your DH’s job is secure and that he left the company that is now cutting staff.

You’ve inspired me to move the money I’m saving for insurance etc. later in the year to a savings account earning 3.3% instead of keeping it in my checking account earning 0%. I’m still guilty of keeping too much of a “cushion” (as my mom would say) in my checking but I’m doing better now.
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: 2023 at Sandi's

Post by SandiSAHM »

"The best laid plans of mice and men..."

The beast decided she doesn't get along with antibiotics and was sick as a dog - no pun - last night, mostly in the kitchen, but some in her bed. Poor baby. DH dealt with all that could be dealt with in the middle of the night and did not wake me. I told him, "you should have woke me up," and he said he and DS were enough people awake for one dog.

So. Watching dog like a hawk. No repeat instances so far. Cold and rainy out so we have her "office bed" out in the regular bed area (regular bed needs the washing machine - but it can't be dried in the dryer, and it's raining out, so she's stuck with office bed for a while).

However, this likely means that since antibiotics aren't shrinking the areas that were biopsied, we may just have them removed to be safe. It's up to the vet.

Dog may well be totally up-ending her column in the budget for the year and it's only January. She's worth it, :D, she's got a sweet disposition.

I've been thinking about the whole 'buffering the checking account" thing and I can't figure out why I do that. It's not like anything 'automatically' comes out of there - I either have to arrange a payment, in which case it's in "the book" and accounted for, or I have to write a check, which is also accounted for. I should be able, at the start of each week, to add up all the stuff that's going to be taken out over the week and just make sure that plus a tiny buffer that's just enough to keep the account open are in the account. Why don't I do that?

Maybe I'm afraid I'll miss a week? I'm pretty consistent. Maybe I'm afraid I'll forget to write something down. There's free overdraft protection that pulls $ from savings, so even that wouldn't be terrible. Hmm.

Oh! The beast asked to go out and just ran like a wild animal across the yard to chase a wet squirrel. I guess her stomach's doing okay now.
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: 2023 at Sandi's

Post by HappyDaze »

Sandi, I hope your pup continues to feel better - poor baby!

I think for me, the "budget buffer" in my checking account takes away the concern of "what if I forget to record something " or "what if....whatever" - just helps me have one less thing to have to worry about - and I can find plenty.

I keep my account completely online - no paper check book register, etc. Sometimes there is a "one time" check that I mail - for example, I always have to mail in a check for state income tax and car insurance is 2x a year - so I like to know I'm covered - so when those checks clear and I'm saying "WHAT IS THAT..." I know the funds are always going to be there. So maybe it's just that I'm too lazy to write things down in my notebook WHEN I should write them down.
"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: 2023 at Sandi's

Post by SandiSAHM »

HappyDaze wrote: Sat Jan 21, 2023 4:25 pm Sandi, I hope your pup continues to feel better - poor baby!

I think for me, the "budget buffer" in my checking account takes away the concern of "what if I forget to record something " or "what if....whatever" - just helps me have one less thing to have to worry about - and I can find plenty.

I keep my account completely online - no paper check book register, etc. Sometimes there is a "one time" check that I mail - for example, I always have to mail in a check for state income tax and car insurance is 2x a year - so I like to know I'm covered - so when those checks clear and I'm saying "WHAT IS THAT..." I know the funds are always going to be there. So maybe it's just that I'm too lazy to write things down in my notebook WHEN I should write them down.
The animal seems to be fine now, we haven't given her the last 2 doses of antibiotics. The cysts aren't any smaller, though, than they were pre-antibiotic, so she'll probably have to go back to the vet sooner rather than later. We know they're not cancerous so at least that's comforting. Unfortunately it can't be this week, too much going on. Seems like every human here has some kind of appointment this week!

That's it, too, the buffer is about the "what if" - and now that I think about it, it's probably trauma from ex-H, when I was dumb enough to mingle my $ with his he was constantly running accounts into the red, he didn't seem to understand math :roll: Hasn't happened since I moved all my $ to a different bank than his, and DH doesn't spend without checking in and doesn't spend at all using a debit card or by visiting an ATM, so any unexpected purchases with him don't directly impact any of the bank accounts - sometimes his Lowe's visits make the credit card bill interesting, though.
Post Reply