Wednesday, January 13, 2021

How the year ended financially.

 

Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without

 It was during this time that Calvin Coolidge was quoted as saying “Eat it up, Wear it out, Make it do, or Do without” (Later, the phrase became more popular with, “Use it up.”)


We live in our Ira's and what ever we earn. In Dec  Hubby started getting his Social Security.

We had several projects to do, some had the stuff here already.

Jan 2020 our investments were down to $300,000. Hubby decided to not work for Ohio dept of transportation plowing snow. SO he started a business hauling and doing odd jobs for Amish/Mennonites. We picked up some cash making ice blocks for E and M since no ponds or river froze for the Amish to make ice blocks. I picked up some selling asparagus, traded asparagus for 10 gallons of beets also (mother in law got half of it)

We pay for our health ins, co pays, meds, otc , out of pocket came to a total of $14,600.  

We had NO money put back for anything.

Mortgage, property taxes and farm insurance remained at $22,800.

Propane was 6 tanks at $1.899 ($4075 with tax)when we moved in for the first year to 5 tanks at $1.699.($3098) Our propane company said that was great.

Electric average was $150/month ($1800)first year to $125/month ($1500)

Trash service  remained the same $204 a year.

Life ins remains the same of $1332 a year 

Internet/ home phone dropped from $1440 a year to $1020 a year.

Cellphones dropped from $1380 to $1320 a year. We both carry to cover large amount of data that we do use.

Car insurance stayed the same since Hubby bought a new truck $8500 a year.

Dogs (we did find cheaper food and meds that work better for Wilbur and Rascal, Charlotte still needs shots for her allergies), non food, pandemic crap, food, gardens, fruit trees and berry bushes etc . I did not track very well since the goal was to restock completely for a year.

THEN in Sept Daughter 4 was diagonized with ovarian cancer. The new job she had for only 25 days let her go as they would not cover her time off, they offered her to quit due to medical so they could hire her back when she is recovered as they don't do rehires any other way. IF she had stayed with her old company whose pay was about half of the new company she would have had medical time off, with pay and medical ins. That so called "change for the better" she thought she was doing, actually was for the worse. We figured out her budget...$24000 a year since a hit and run driver totaled her car she is driving and I CUT our budget so we wouldn't pull more from our IRAS to cover her. I am thankful I am completely stocked in non food and food before she went down.  The money we are using to support her would have been used to redo the front porch and add an ADA wheelchair ramp. 

GOALS FOR 2021. 

Within the last week we have put money back for emergencies so we don't need that now. 

We put money back for the medical out of pocket needed for the year. 

Hubby is now getting his social security to cover his business if needed as he did know there would be slow months. Any money he doesn't use is being divided by 4 between the mortgage, 2 loans and savings.

When I start getting my social security the same will be done 

Any earned money gets divided by four also.

When Daughter 4 is supporting herself we will let the money divide the money by 4 until we reset for next year.

I need to keep  better track of the finances going out and in. 

How are things going for you?

Blessed Be 

5 comments:

  1. I'm curious what all your propane is used for since that is a lot of money. Is it possible for you to switch to natural gas and save? My electric bill is $111 month average and my furnace, cooktop, and one fireplace are natural gas for $65 month average, my house is over 6000 sf, so I'm just wondering why your bills are so high?

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    1. natural gas in not available in our area. It's the house furnace and the heater in the pump house, the hot water heater and our cook stove. Our English neighbor behind us has a house half the size of ours and it's all electric... his bill runs at $325 from Oct to April and then drops to $200 average. Electric here is also high costing. Probably because of the amount of Amish and Mennonite that don't use it so the cost to maintain is divided by less homes.

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  2. I feel that all I do is keep up with my finances.

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    Replies
    1. If I didn't have a kid thunking me every Thursday before she goes to the store and pays her bills I probably wouldn't keep up with ours as much

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  3. I pay a little over 2,000.00 per year for our propane heating. 3000 square feet, but Minnesota!

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