https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com My thoughts about life and money. info@savingadvice.com Laura en-us https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2021/12/18/checking-in_223289/ I keep meaning to come back here, but obviously haven't - and now here it is nearly Christmas!<br /> My CA trip went well overall, but when I got back, DH tested positive for COVID! I somehow managed to not get it from him. He was fully vaccinated, so thankfully, while miserable for 5 or... Sat, 18 Dec 2021 19:51:35 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2021/08/21/heading-out-to-ca-soon-news-of-the-weird_222889/ Hi all,<br /> We are having a big birthday party for my grandma's 100th birthday next weekend. It will be at my brother's house. I will finally get to meet my sister in law! They've been married now just over 3 years.<br /> I'm a little nervous about it, considering the upsurge in cases, both... Sat, 21 Aug 2021 15:46:01 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2021/07/03/hello-again-yes-i-am-alive_222733/ Thought I would pop in and actually make a blog post ... I have stopped by a couple times and caught up on everyone else's postings, but by the time I caught up on those, I ran out of time to do a post of my own.<br /> So, here I am!<br /> Not really that much to report.<br /> I had a merit raise... Sat, 03 Jul 2021 20:36:47 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2021/02/28/february-update_222184/ So this has been an interesting short month ...<br /> Some of the highlights:<br /> 1. Mom fell in her bathroom, broke something in her hip and took 7 hours to crawl from tub to where her phone was to call 911. She is currently in rehab - has stated that she is ready to be rid of the house,... Sun, 28 Feb 2021 17:40:32 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2021/02/13/goal-updates-side-life_222120/ Overall, I'm doing really well keeping up with most of my 2021 goals. I've missed very few days for: opening language app, sitting at piano, scooping one litter box, put one thing away, do one cleaning task, make bed, read / listen to one Bible verse, meet step goals for Stepbets,... Sat, 13 Feb 2021 20:00:44 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2021/01/23/16-years-rip-uncle_221985/ I'm a few days late, but on the 19th, it marked 16 years since I posted my first blog on this site.<br /> My life now is certainly different from back then. Different in good ways, and in sad ways.<br /> One recent change is the passing of my Uncle J from Covid. He was 73 - just 3 1/2 years... Sat, 23 Jan 2021 18:38:00 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2021/01/02/hello-and-2021-goals_221876/ Well hello all! I'm going to catch up on everyone's blogs, but thought I'd get a post of my own up before I get distracted.<br /> Not really much to report. Life is marching on pretty much the same as always. Unfortunately, with one less cat in our family - our 19 yo Baby finally couldn't... Sat, 02 Jan 2021 20:23:49 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2020/11/15/101k-and-car_221601/ After our November payment, our mortgage is at just slightly below $101k. Our December payment will be approximately $343 principal. So ... if we added an extra $650 or so, we'd start out 2021 owing less than $100k on our house.<br /> I was telling DH this, and he asked how much we'd started... Sun, 15 Nov 2020 01:24:48 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2020/10/31/well-hello_221524/ I figured out how to login to my account again! <img src="https://www.savingadvice.com/forums/core/images/smilies/smile.png" alt="Smile" /><br /> Sorry for being MIA for so long. I had not realized it had been so long since I actually posted a blog here until a few days ago, and then I couldn't log in!<br /> Hmm .... what are some life updates?<br /> In two weeks I'll have been at my... Sat, 31 Oct 2020 22:18:22 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2020/08/19/disconcerting-news_221127/ When I got home today from taking our 19 yr old cat, Baby, to the vet (who we were thinking we'd have to let go of two weeks ago .. but he's holding on,) I got a Facetime call from my mom.<br /> <br /> I had literally just walked in the door. If she'd called a few minutes earlier, I would've... Wed, 19 Aug 2020 02:27:21 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2020/06/02/sammy-vet-bills_220628/ So our 15 year old Siamese (chocolate point my husband thinks)usually sleeps on the pillow near me. Two nights ago she wasn't there when I woke up. I thought that was weird, but we're in the time of year where the cats don't sleep on the bed so much.<br /> <br /> Then I couldn't find her when... Tue, 02 Jun 2020 23:37:31 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2020/05/30/almost-june-already_220595/ Time sure does seem to be passing quickly. It seems like I just barely finish the data process for one month when its time to start the process all over again. <br /> <br /> I took a couple days off this week to attempt to get some home projects done. I did actually manage to accomplish a few... Sat, 30 May 2020 01:54:42 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2020/05/16/raise-bought-etf-etc_220515/ So on Thursday I had my 6-month evaluation meeting. I got a high enough score for a raise. It should be about $.60/hr. <br /> <br /> I'm glad I have the supervisor I have and don't have a particular co-worker for a supervisor. <br /> <br /> It looks like we'll still be WFH till at least the beginning... Sat, 16 May 2020 01:41:29 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2020/05/02/coming-up-on-six-months_220441/ May 14 will mark six months in my new job. I had a Soom call with my supervisor yesterday (we do this bi-weekly) and she brought up that it was time for my 6-month eval so I can get my raise. <img src="https://www.savingadvice.com/forums/core/images/smilies/smile.png" alt="Smile" /> I'm glad she brought it up so I didn't have to!<br /> <br /> Overall, I am SO much happier in this... Sat, 02 May 2020 18:25:09 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2020/04/26/year-5_220393/ DH and I celebrated our 4th anniversary on Thursday. It was a really good day. I took off from work a few hours early. Then we drove to Glenwood, Iowa and got carryout from our favorite Mexican restaurant and then went to a nearby park to eat.<br /> <br /> DH surprised me with flowers, a really... Sun, 26 Apr 2020 02:16:34 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2020/04/01/march-this-and-that_220226/ Well, this is my second week working from home. Overall I'm really enjoying it. I think it'll be hard to go back to the normal routine.<br /> <br /> I did go into the office for a few hours yesterday and saw my boss. It's pretty obvious she's an extrovert <img src="https://www.savingadvice.com/forums/core/images/smilies/smile.png" alt="Smile" /> she was so happy to see me.<br /> <br /> --<br /> DH... Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:30:18 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2020/02/29/considering-making-a-change_220012/ Right now we are fully funding our IRA's, plus at work I have 7% taken from my salary plus a 9% employer match (which is required), and then an extra $300/month pulled pre-tax to a 457 plan.<br /> <br /> However, a number of our monthly bills have been going up. This is causing us to not be... Sat, 29 Feb 2020 23:44:41 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2020/02/08/att-settlement-etc_219869/ When I got home from church today and looked through the mail, I saw an envelope from ATT. I almost threw it away without looking at it. Glad I didn't!<br /> <br /> Inside was a check for $12.49 - settling for throttling my unlimited data when I was with their service.<br /> <br /> I vaguely remember... Sat, 08 Feb 2020 22:50:12 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2020/01/09/10-years-belated_219620/ In January 2010 I was single and woefully underemployed. I was working for minimum wage at a small local health club - I'd started the job over a year earlier, a few months before being laid off from my oil and gas job. I was renting a room in a lady's home - loved her pets! She was... Thu, 09 Jan 2020 03:24:20 PST Laura https://keeping-it-frugal.savingadvice.com/2019/12/31/2020-goals_219517/ Here are my goals for 2020. I found a Google template which I used to break the goals down further, and to be able to track them on my phone. There's two sheets - 1 with the goals, and one for tracking my chore cards (part of one of my goals.)<br /> <br /> For some of these goals I actually... Tue, 31 Dec 2019 20:32:17 PST Laura