Monday, February 4, 2019

Where do I start?

It's Monday and automatically I started the laundry before my first cup of coffee with Hubby before he left for work.

Our Trash company called Saturday to let me know they could offer me $3 off a month if I went to quarterly automatic payments that's the same as 2 months free DONE.

The furnace is off and the kitchen door propped open for the dogs to run in and out because that is all they want to do with this warmer weather and to air the house out without me freezing. The laundry is on the kitchen porch clothes line. I even got a couple throw blankets washed and out on the line ad things are drying so well today.

Hubby probably only has another 4 wks left to work depending on the weather so we talked finances especially when he knows his 401k*which is what we live on* is losing money AND I can no longer get the medication for my Crohn's. Company moved it out of U.S to Italy and changed ingredients which took out what I needed and put the cost way above what I can afford to pay even if they had left the ingredients in. They also just lost a lawsuit to the person who actually developed the ingredients in the original formula so it's looks like they won't be selling it anyways. I have 2 months left of the old formula, my GI has worked out a diet that should help keep things steady once I adjust to eating it. Not a bad diet to deal with, I just need to add smoothies into my diet, not something I do but I can get a lot of the live bacteria I need in a smoothie which will help with not having to eat 8 meals a day. I will have to start making yogurt...I used to use the light in my oven to make yogurt but my gas oven doesn't have a light switch nor do I have a 2 qrt crock pot. I have looked at a few at Amazon but haven't decided yet. One to two cups of Greek yogurt each day is going to be expensive to buy. Certain vegetables I will need year around. We looked and decided to buy a 4 shelf grow light with humidity tent to not make do with trying to rotate what plants I was growing under 1 grow light I do have. I got 20% discount, free shipping and cash back through ebates on the order. Hubby figured it it allows me to grow "greens" during the off season we will save $40 at least weekly. I will have to plant more vegetables than I planned to have what I need during off season.

We sat with the 5 different retirement funds in front of us. Talked to 2 different finance people that have NOTHING to do with our investments so they aren't getting anything out of it and figured out that we are still OKAY. We don't have to go to work to pay our health ins which we have seen MANY have to do within a year of retiring. We don't have to go back to work to make the mortgage or the truck loan. We do have to EARN the extra's so not to deplete the retirement. One retirement will be closed out this month, we had called it the house fund and that's exactly what it did even though there wasn't enough to buy the house out right and the improvements like installing running water and electric and appliances etc. It's losing money anyways so it's going over into the emergency fund/ medical funds.

Right now our goals are:

To have 6 months of emergency funds. 50% 2/4/2019

To have 5 yrs of medical funds. Since that seems to be a big one of those our age having to go back to work for or going without meds etc we decided that to be the second goal to emergency funds. We are at 22% 2/4/2019

To get gravel...which allows the deck to be built and the driveway redone as it's not in good shape. I have the $$ 100% for the deck but if we do it all at once I have 10% of the total.

To improve house, awning over French doors on deck, 15 new windows that don't let drafts in, more insulation, siding put on, etc. Windows replacement are estimated at $4800, insulation is estimated at $3000. And siding is estimated at $6000 (siding is WOOD).  I rounded it up to $15000.We are at 0%.

To have the truck paid off 2 years early 0%

To NOT claim Social Security until 67 being the earliest with work to make it to 70. Two years ago it was claim at 62 due to paying health insurance and that was the only reason we would have to claim it that early.I got that backed up to 65.Every penny counts.

We are going to town today after Hubby gets off work (I am not driving due to blurred vision thanks to meds) to FIRST see my Dad, then Menards, 11% rebate plus we have rebates to use to buy distilled water and furnace filter. Then to grocery store to get what is on my new diet that I don't have and can't make do without ...AKA Greek yogurt.






6 comments:

  1. Call drug company and let them know your circumstances I have always gotten them to reduce or give it to me free and I am talking meds that would be $4,000 a month.

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    1. drug co is in Italy and has lost their court case and is most likely filing bankruptcy.

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  2. I like how you always figure out how close you are, percentage wise, to your goals. It's a good way to look at it.

    Also, you have mentioned that you were dead broke a few years back due to your husband's cut back in work hours. Your comeback has been nothing less than astounding. You have your dream house, with many improvements already done, and some expensive ones on the drawing board. You guys have really done well.

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    Replies
    1. and we remind ourselves of that come back almost daily. We made the cut to KEEP the retirement. I am thankful for Brandy at The Prudent Homemaker Daughter 4 and Son 2 and DJ our best friend in Alabama that "held" our hands,encouraged and shared wisdom.

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  3. In talking with our financial planner it seems that the thing that is driving the market down is fear. So is everyone would just ride it out it would correct as it nearly always does.

    SOcial Security has the payouts worked out so that you basically end up getting the same over your retirement years regardless of when you start taking payments. The amount goes up daily. We had always thought that there was an amount for 62 and an amount for 65 but that is not the case.

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  4. It goes up with each day after 62. My brother is 10 yrs older than me and our best bud is 7, both get social security so we get all the info from them as a heads up.Hubby closed the one account today, even their financial guy told him to close it and split it 3 ways, part to our other investments, part to emergency savings and part to pay off any debt. Right now the debt is taxes LOL

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