So without a word to us, the person started working on the landscaping part of the fence project on Monday. We think he's dragging it out as long as possible before needing fence supplies ... for whatever reason. At least its started!
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I'm trying to figure out what to save for property taxes. This year we paid $2212 for an evaluation of $114k. Next year our evaluation will be $140k (what we paid for the house.)
I'm guessing that'll be about $3k. The first half will be due May 1, and the second half due August 1.
I at first just made the goal to have $3k by July, but I've been thinking that that might be more than I need to save each month or perhaps less.
I need $1500 by April, and then another $1500 by July. What is the best way to do this? For whatever reason, I just can't get my brain to figure this out.
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I paid the cremation costs on the new AARP Chase card - so should get $200 cash back on the next statement.
Snowflakes for July:
Bing - $5
Dietbet - $288
Earnably - $15
Earnhoney - $10
PACT - $11.29
Perk - $25
Pinecone - $12
Swagbucks - $125
Youlotto - 5.07
1/2 of these will go towards our spending money and 1/2 will go into the general budget.
I overspent on groceries this month ... a lot. I had tried to keep it to $200, but right now we are at $314. Most of the spending was in an effort to have lots of choices stocked for DH to help him on the eating healthy challenge. Which he didn't even make past day 1 .. Sigh.
I'm budgeting $300 for this month to be more realistic, but am hoping to keep it lower.
Our August budget is going to be tight. DH missed 4 days of work - unpaid. But September should be pretty flush - I have 6 - 8 hours of overtime in August, plus a 3 paycheck month.
However, it's looking like DH will be having shoulder surgery - with a possible 2 - 6 weeks off work. Gulp. Unpaid. So I'll be squirrelling the extras from August into an off work category. Hopefully DH can do some eBay sales during that time so it won't be totally without income. I'll also hold off on sending money to our ROTH's in September in case we need it.
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DH is turning 51 on Thursday! We may be going to eat at a place about an hour from here to celebrate.
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We'll be able to file the small estate affidavit on Friday for SIL. So we can pay ourselves back for the cremation and DH can contact the railroad. If there is money coming from there, then we'll deal with the medical bills. If not, then the medical places just will have to eat the costs.
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I'm still going strong on my new way of eating. I haven't had chocolate or processed foods or other junk foods in over 5 weeks!
The weight loss is going slowly, but it is progressing downward. The last time I weighed this much was around 2005! Another 20lbs and I'll be where I was in 2004 when I first met DH.
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We had some torrential rain here this last week. I saw someone get stuck in the water driving home from work. When I got home I asked DH if he'd checked the basement for water. A few minutes later he calls me and tells me that not only is there water - but standing water!!
He goes outside to check the gutter pipes while I start vacuuming the water. He found out that the end of one of the pipes was clogged with mud and acorns. He tried to clear it and then realized the clog was near the roof ...
So ... I got up on the roof ... DH handed me a branch from our yard that was curved (after I'd tried with another stick) and I got it unclogged! Then came the petrifying part - getting off the roof!
We're going to have someone replace that pipe with something bigger so it doesn't clog so easily.
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I bought a Shark vacuum a few weeks ago - the kind you can take part of it off and use as a dustbuster. I absolutely LOVE it! It's easy to clean and it does the job! I paid $79 for it after using a $50 Walmart card - it was a refurbished deal.
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I stayed home two days this week to try to catch up on housework and projects. Sunday I did a lot of cooking and some cleaning. Monday I did a lot of phone calls and computer work. Tuesday
I went through my closet and found a large bags worth of giveaways and reorganized everything else. I also got most of my artwork hung.
I wanted to hang my mirrors but I was too afraid to use the stickies - though they're made to hang 16lbs. The mirrors are at least 30lbs each.
We have plaster walls so I'm just not sure how to hang something so heavy.
Fence update, Math ?, etc
July 29th, 2017 at 07:50 pm
July 29th, 2017 at 08:38 pm 1501360695
I basically took $3000/12 to get $250. It helps me to write out the months and the running balance, including the months when you need to make a payment. If you started late, you would have been short $250 in April. So what ever amount you were short you could add to the first payment or divide it over the months you have until you need the money.
Hope that helps!
July 29th, 2017 at 10:04 pm 1501365866
July 30th, 2017 at 12:57 am 1501376237
VS - Thanks - me too. I'm hoping to set aside 4 weeks worth of income, but only use two ... It won't really affect us til our October budget (assuming his surgery is in September) I'm trying to talk him into going for some overtime beforehand to help make up the difference. He's not too hot on the idea... Times like these I really see how privileged I am to have my job benefits - sick leave/paid vacation, etc.
July 30th, 2017 at 01:18 am 1501377510
$3000 / 12 = $250 a month
July 30th, 2017 at 03:26 pm 1501428362
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnZm1cMklMM
July 30th, 2017 at 04:49 pm 1501433361
July 31st, 2017 at 02:13 pm 1501510425
I was going to say save $250 each month for the taxes, but my SA friends beat me to it!