Sunday, February 11, 2018

This week

I worked my scheduled three shifts this past week and spent a lot of time at the local parks doing some walking with my husband. We have been out several times this past week and enjoy being together and even if it makes walking to get some fresh air and exercise.

My husband gave me his 300 dollar contribution to the monthly budget and we ended up getting two new tires and an oil change for my car with the money. We were told that we will need new brakes and the other thing (I wish I knew what it was, but it has to do with the brakes). The shop told us that it would cost a total of 1,200 dollars.

I got paid on Friday and made an online payment to the mortgage company for March. I also paid two outstanding hospital charges that came in the mail. I made the payment to the cell phone folks. I also sent out a payment to the electric company in full.


I am surprised that our electric bill was 101.54 this month. This is for a full month. The electric company charges an automatic 20 dollar fee regardless of the charges. They charge 0.11 cents per KW under 1,000 KW. If you use more than 1,000 KW the charge per KW is 0.13 cents.

Our first bill in the new house used 440 KW. This was not for a full month. The most recent bill I paid on Friday was for 784 KW. We have been opening windows when it is warm outside. My husband turned on the air conditioning yesterday when it went over 80 degrees in the house. We have new ceiling fans that were a gift for my birthday and we have to get them up in each of the rooms at some point.

I continue the deposits into the savings account through the banks automatic deposit from my pay check of 75 dollars a pay period.

The cost of the brakes may have to be taken out of the savings account. I really don't want to do that, but my first pay of the month covers the mortgage for the next month and the beginning of the bills for the next month. I stay a month ahead because life happens. The second paycheck of the month goes towards anything that did not get covered with the first paycheck. The bills come through the mail and get paid immediately on my pay day to prevent anything from being late or overdue.

I have thought seriously about getting a credit card. I have not been in credit card debt for about five years. I found Dave Ramsey about 8 years ago and used his plan to help get my debt paid off. When we sold our Virginia home, almost half of the mortgage was paid off at that time and I only had the mortgage and a student loan payment.

I still have a new mortgage even if it is a hit higher than our old one. My student loan is coming out of deferment in March and I have been making payments of 200 dollars every month. The new payment will be 250 starting in March and I would like to work hard at getting this paid off by adding additional money to the principle.

My reasoning for a credit card would be to help with expenses towards higher cost items. I would prefer not to take the money out of the savings. I am very hesitant to get a credit card because I would prefer not to have any additional debt.

I guess I have made my own decision about the credit card. I don't really want one. I would just prefer to have the money on hand for the higher cost items that we have coming due instead of taking it out of savings.

I am working an additional shift tonight. I picked up tonight as overtime. I am also working Tues, Wed, and Thurs night. We have eaten dinner at home all week and have been actively working on using what is in the pantry and freezer.

Our taxes are completed and I am getting a small refund from the feds. I owe Virginia about 350 dollars in taxes since apparently there was not enough taken out last year. I am going to electronically send the return in when I get paid again.

6 comments:

  1. I don't understand. If you get a credit card, you would still have to pay for things you charged. Maybe it is too late for my brain to work.

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    1. I was thinking that it would be easier to have the credit card when having to make large purchases rather than take the cash out of my savings account.

      Of course we still pay for things that are charged! It is usually a smaller payment spread out over a period of time to include interest which I really don't want to do either.

      I ended up taking the money out of my savings account to get the brakes replaced and found another company that quoted me 800 dollars as Pep Boys was going to charge me 1200.

      I have picked up several additional shifts at work to recover the cost of the brakes and to replace the funds in my savings acount.

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  2. I think it is best to live without a credit card if possible.

    I have been reading your blog for quite a while and only comment a bit. It strikes me how hard you work! You live with four other adults, and they need to pick it up. I don't see why you should even be doing the cooking. Your husband and kids should be doing this full time. Yes, it will take some doing and learning on their parts, and initially, you may have to offer some instruction, but your gang needs to step up! You are no good to them if you collapse and burn out.

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    1. I read a lot of blogs also and don't comment much. I do live with four adults (three of them being my kids). I do the cooking when I am off work because I like to cook most of the time. My girls are working in the evenings and are not always home at dinner time due to their jobs. My son has autism and does not use the stove to help with cooking. He will however do some kitchen chores such as unloading the dishwasher, gathering trash and recycling, etc etc. He is responsible for keeping his room clean which he is really good at. All three adult kids are responsible for the pet cleaning since we have four cats and a dog.

      My husband does most of the cooking when I am working. I work 12 hour shifts that sometimes end up being 13 hours and I need to sleep as soon as possible since I work night shift. My husband does not work but he does contribute arounf the house. He is able to care for our autistic son while I am working. My girls are able to care for their brother when I am at work and if they are off that night. My middle daughter does make dinner several times a week with my husband while I am getting ready for work.

      My girls are required to pay rent. They both work minimum wage jobs and are paying 10 percent of their pay and that money goes straight to gas money for the vehicles. My girls are also responsible for paying for cat food, dog food, and cat litter.

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  3. Thanks for sharing your life and ideas. I find your blog very helpful in how thought out and planned your spending is and how even without or because of maybe😊 lots of shopping your life seems rich and you seem very content.it is helping me rethink my spending. Thank you.

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    1. Thank you. I appreciate the comment and feedback.
      Deb

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