My 2020 Challenge

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alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

My 2020 Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

A new year and a new challenge. I did buy some things last year because I felt they would make my life easier. When you are disabled you have to realize you cannot do things as well as you use to and it is not smart to try to continue on trying to be too frugal for the sake of saving some money.

As I write this I am at my computer in my master bedroom. I have three large windows that look out towards the wooded area behind my house. The sun is just starting to show a streak of raspberry red on the horizon. The trees in the woods are silhouettes in black. There is a splash of silver off to the right. That is the lake that is on my brother's former farm. Now owned by a new couple and their small children. It is a new year and a new beginning for a lot of us. I love living here and have visions of what I want to do with my new lease on life. It has taken me decades to get out of debt. I still have one credit card to pay off but the monthly payment is low so very manageable. Also a loan for a new furnace.

Goal #1. After my taxes are paid in February establish an emergency fund. Teddi's unexpected illness last year drained my small emergency fund. Then when I had to have surgery on my esophagus in December the little bit I had saved was wiped out to pay for Teddi to have his shots updated so that he could stay at a kennel while I was recuperating. Both were totally unexpected and unplanned. I do not want to be that close to the edge again.

Goal #2. A few years ago my furnace died. It was at a fortuitous time since the government had mandated my utility company to help lower income people to buy a new energy efficient furnace. The utility company also helped me to find a loan company that would set me up with a 10 year loan at a low interest rate. I currently pay $43.00 a month which is tacked on to my monthly utility bill. However now that I do have a better cash flow I want to check in to the remaining balance and get it paid off. I do not want to be in my 80's and still paying on my furnace. The extra money saved will go in to my emergency fund.

Goal #3 I have so many crafting items that I bought and saved for my retirement. Due to illness I have not really enjoyed doing anything. However this year I plan on taking time to enjoy working with them.

Goal #4 Try to make more fun but healthy foods at home. I need to loose weight and I do have a lot of cook books. I just need to try to discipline myself more to make things ahead. I tend to do ok for a few days and then I coast too long and eat up what I have made and then tend to just grab and eat what I can out of the fridge or pantry.

There are a lot of things that I have had to let slide due to lack of money however I have been making a list of the things that need to be worked on and will prioritize them by necessity and cost. I have a Microsoft Money program that was free with a computer I bought back in 2006. I am looking forward to putting in my 2020 budget today. I love the program since you can see at an instant where you might need to cut back on spending and where you might be able to save more money.

Wishing everyone a very wonderful but frugal New Year.
Janet Alliesmama
floridacatlover
Posts: 8058
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:21 am

Re: My 2020 Challenge

Post by floridacatlover »

The picture you paint of your property and views sounds SO lovely!

I’m so glad that you will have more breathing room in your budget this year. Your positive attitude is an inspiration, Janet.

Happy New Year!
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: My 2020 Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

floridacatlover wrote: Wed Jan 01, 2020 9:04 am The picture you paint of your property and views sounds SO lovely!

I’m so glad that you will have more breathing room in your budget this year. Your positive attitude is an inspiration, Janet.

Happy New Year!
Thanks Florida Cat. From time to time I do think of moving since I live so far out it makes for less socializing but at the same time I love the scenery and the quite here. I drove by my last home a while back. It was Mom and Dad's last home. It was a new house in a new subdivision and on a lake. However after driving through the area I decided I am glad I moved here. I really do not think I could live in a close neighborhood again. I grew up in the country and I like the space between houses and the ability to listen to the birds and watching the wildlife here. Serenity.

I do envy but enjoy hearing about your travels. Wish I had the energy again like I did when I was younger but glad that I traveled as much as I did. You enjoy your traveling you worked hard to get to where you are so now is your time to enjoy life.

Wishing you and Pippi a very Happy New Year.

Your friend Janet and Teddi says arf, arf.
Janet Alliesmama
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: My 2020 Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

I have spent the morning going over my budget and projecting where I might be able to skim some money. I really would like to buy a share in a local CSA farm (community supported agriculture). I belonged to it years ago but at the time I was too sick to take advantage of it. In fact when the woman that owns the farm noticed I was not picking up my produce she called to see what was going on. She offered to return my money when I told her my circumstances. I thanked her but declined since I knew that was their first year and it had been a rough year weather wise for them and they had to replant so many times due to extreme rain. I just checked in to current available membership. It is $ 360.00 for fresh veggies and a carton of eggs every other week starting mid May until Mid Oct. It is all organic. That works out to a around $72.00 a month. So when you think about it it is very frugal compared to buying groceries at the grocery store. Especially since I am trying to eat more vegetarian. The only thing is they need their money soon since they use it to buy their seeds and other items to start the plants for Spring planting. One thing is I am trying not to buy any kind of food for myself but that is, pardon the pun, small potatoes..lol. So I need to go over my budget again and see what I can come up with. They have already sold out all of their shares in St. Louis. They deliver there and some surrounding communities that they deliver to are still available,. They are about a 20 min drive from my house but a lovely drive on country roads so it would be nice to be able to go to the main farm and pick up my veggies.

For breakfast I had oatmeal with a half of a packet of white mulberries from Big Lots. They are great antioxidants.

Lunch was a little bit of my crab Rangoon on a couple of crackers. Even without the won ton wrapper I have eaten it before like a cheese spread on crackers and you can heat it as a dip. Had a nice big bowl of hot and sour soup and felt satisfied. I think the soup is going to be on my every week menu for a while. It is tasty and satisfying and hardly any calories.

Dinner will be a cup of my soup and I will make the moo goo gai pan since everything is prepped just need to do the stir fry.

I have some milk that needs to be used up. I have vanilla pudding but I am going to add banana flavored extract to change it up a bit. I still have snickerdoodle dough that needs to be baked off so will do that and hope I can contain myself..lol.

I certainly will not starve just need to get busy and cook ahead to stay on my frugal path.
Janet Alliesmama
mona50
Posts: 101
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2017 8:24 am

Re: My 2020 Challenge

Post by mona50 »

Janet - check out Misfits Market. (hope I am allowed to say the name) I just received my first organic box and was very pleased.

Your hot and sour soup sounds delicious. I plan to make this week.

Happy New Year to you and Teddi . . .
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: My 2020 Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

mona50 wrote: Wed Jan 01, 2020 4:53 pm Janet - check out Misfits Market. (hope I am allowed to say the name) I just received my first organic box and was very pleased.

Your hot and sour soup sounds delicious. I plan to make this week.

Happy New Year to you and Teddi . . .
Mona Thank you for the tip. I do not think I am going to be able to buy a share of the CSA this year. Just too much squeezing out of the budget already..lol.

Happy New Year to you too. Teddi says arf, arf
Janet Alliesmama
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