Aside from my shipwreck event this weekend, which cost me about $500 ($300 was hotel), I’m now staying home. Nothing into savings this paycheck due to my weekend away, but that is OK. I had budgeted for it.
Printable View
Aside from my shipwreck event this weekend, which cost me about $500 ($300 was hotel), I’m now staying home. Nothing into savings this paycheck due to my weekend away, but that is OK. I had budgeted for it.
I've had to spend a RIDICULOUS amount of money in the past five or so weeks just paying for the daily living stuff - it started with a $500 auto repair at the end of January. Then my auto insurance was due at the end of February, which was another $581. Then it kind of snowballed from there:
3 months trash removal (my turn to pay): $83
Doctor/PT/ Prescriptions (haven't even hit my deductible yet): $487
Landline (why do we still have it, I ask myself every month...but WiFi calling doesn't always work where I live) $65
Uber Rides in St. Louis last week: $167
Normal Personal Spending: approx $100
Food : $167 (my share)
Etc, etc
And then it turns out I have to go back to St. Louis in April for another procedure due to the Frozen Shoulder issue so there's more airfare
Airfare: $387
AirBnb: $383 (I've decided it's going to be easier to stay within walking distance to the hospital and grocery stores this time and ditch all the Uber rides that have gotten so much more expensive than last summer, except I still have to get to and from the airport
And on and on...I start freaking out about all the money going out and relativeley none coming in and I have to train myself to be GRATEFUL for my past frugality that I can even do something like this, so that helps. Hopefully this procedure will fix the frozen shoulder so I can continue to heal from the surgery last summer and hopefully be able to get some sort of part-time work going forward. I am going to start taking a $300 per month distribution from my IRA while I continue to wait and see about my SSDI case, but with this administration doing all they can to rip away programs that help people, I am not holding my breath on ever getting approved.
So after all that, today is the 3rd day in a row that I am not going anywhere and not going to be spending any money. A tiny victory!
SiouxQ - wifi calling? Do you mean cell phone reception is iffy where you live?
We live in a little valley so Verizon only really works if you drive one mile north of town and park at the pulloff at the "S" curves. You'll often see people on their phones there. We actually finally have good internet at the house (so K. can work from home) but I have to be right next to the router in that room in order to make a call which during the day I can't do because he's on work meetings. The signal gets blocked (even with a WiFi booster) while I'm sitting at my desk downstairs because the adobe walls are pretty thick.
I apparently live in a "dead zone". My neighbors have told me that Verizon is available one block south and one block north, but not at my house. Go figure. LOL.Quote:
Originally Posted by SiouzQ.
As for spending - it's been cold and the oil bills have been plentiful. If we actually stay in this house, I WILL be looking into converting from oil to electric.
I’ve enjoyed reading all of your posts.
i will add one thing. If suddenly we had some of the problems mentioned, how would you entertain yourself? Here is my list:
1. Hand sew, knit, embroider, paint. I have all the supplies. But yard sales and thrift stores also have these things.
2. walk everywhere I can for fitness and transportation. I’m working now on increasing my distance
3. When the library has their friends of the library book sales, I buy paperbacks for 50 cents and a dollar for hardback. I need to read. Then I trade with friends. Also they often have crossword puzzle books for 25 cents and I have a few dozen that have never been used. And puzzles, some of which are unopened.
4. Figure out if there is any way you can do solar cooking. Would be great to heat up canned soups and such. Also water to wash up. Lots of great plans on the net for handmade solar cookers.
5. find places to walk in parks or woods and enjoy nature. Birdwatching, gardening and so on help your mental health.
6. Every three or four weeks I get to a big thrift store. Anything that would replace an electric gadget is what I look for. Hand can openers, potato mashers and so on.
7. if you can, learn to grow a few food items. I also grow flowers for my pots and gardens. A few packs of seeds could bring you joy.
I like to think people who are trying to be frugal and resilient and have a network of like minded people will do much better
I would read. I have plenty of books on my Kindle (which is much more energy efficient than iPad) and some paper books still. I also have materials to write.
Is Kindle just an e-reader?
Yes. I have the Kindle Paperwhite model that is maybe 2 years old. The Kindle Fire is an Android tablet that is totally different from the Kindle e-reader.Quote:
Originally Posted by frugal-one
SouizQ, I think I missed your bit about frozen shoulder. I had that, and it was a pain in the butt, not being able to lift my right arm... but when I did my research I read that women in peri-menopause are most at risk, and that it goes away on its own after a few months.
I had gone to a doctor who cluelessly wrote me a prescription for a pain medication that I never took, but after I read that it goes away by itself, I just waited it out and it did go away.
Of course I am not offering medical advice to you because you may have a completely different thing, but your mention of "frozen shoulder" perked up my ears, so I thought I'd share my experience.