Greetings from cyberspace! Now that the move is complete, I need to figure out the financial damage to my debt. And, yes, more debt was accrued. I put the U-haul on a credit card, but the only one I had, the physical card, also has the highest interest rate. Secondly, I used my Discover card for all travel expenses (gas, restaurant, hotel), but this has the lowest interest rate. Now, let's factor in that the Federal Reserve Banks hiked interest rates up ANOTHER three-quarters. Ouch! Also, my emergency fund is depleted. Thus, the financial advantage I hoped to have is gone. And I'm the only on ..read more

Greetings from cyberspace! And hello, August 2022! I've officially moved, and now let the real fun begin. With that being said, let's discuss the monthly budget process for 2022. As before, I will account for the variable expenses but expand it to include mini-goals that roll into the primary goals: mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial health. Monthly Variables Budget The categories below vary month to month, depending on current consumer prices. Other items in my budget have a 'fixed' amount, such as rent, insurance, utilities (a level-pay plan), etc. Food - $400: Since I am ..read more

  Greetings from cyberspace! Good-bye July!! Murphy imploded my July budget, making it a complete bust. It's a wonder I didn't have a full mental breakdown. And as the title alludes, time for a retrospective. In Agile, teams perform this function by asking three questions. What went well? What caused problems? What can be done differently? Using these three questions, let's go thru last month's budget and goals. Food - $300: My pantry is practically bare. So I'll buy groceries for the first week and a half and then resort to pre-made meals. Actual: 98.13  Net Negative/Po ..read more

Greetings from cyberspace! We are officially on the road, but the last few days have been exhausting. I awoke early on Tuesday and walked down to Starbucks to get coffee. I called my internet provider and canceled the service. While we were at breakfast, the Ex-husband and I contacted U-Haul to see if we could pick up the truck earlier...good news they said yes. After I dropped off the modem at the UPS store and withdrew cash from my bank, we went to the U-Haul store and set up the rental. However, Murphy threatened to rear his ugly head. First of all, even though the truck dimensions said ..read more

Greetings from cyberspace! Finally, I caught a break during this move. I had just gotten out of the shower and finished my coffee when I got a call from U-Haul. My Ex-husband called again to see if there were ANY tow-dollies available between here and Arizona, and to our surprise, they had two in stock in San Diego! Did I take it? Of course!... I would be an idiot not to! So, we arranged to pick it up after getting the truck. He estimates it will take five hours to pack up. Afterward, we can eat dinner and get on the road. We plan to drive during the night to avoid the heat, which will put us ..read more

Greeting from cyberspace! It's moving week, and even though Murphy hit, we are still moving forward. I breathed a bit easier yesterday, thanks to having a lovely outing with a friend and her daughter. Plan B is still on target, but I am vigilantly looking out for Murphy, who tried another sneak attack. Still, I thwarted him...the truck will not be available until noon, but that is the same time I'm scheduled to meet a co-worker to sign affidavits.  Solution? Go early, sign the documents, put the Ex-husband as a secondary driver, and then leave to meet the co-worker. BOOM! My anxiety le ..read more

Greetings from cyberspace! Our old friend, Murphy, struck again...and not in a friendly way. While driving, my former husband's truck blew a head gasket.  Oh, crap! I spent most of the afternoon scrambling to execute Plan B. I called U-Haul and was able to secure a truck for a one-way rental but could not get a tow dolly, which means I will have to drive my car out there. Additionally, I had to purchase an air flight for my former husband to get here in time to help me move and PayPal funds to pay for someone to get him to the town where the airport is... As of the moment of this post, h ..read more

Greetings from cyberspace! And Happy Saturday! Today is my last weekend in my apartment...wow. It arrived quicker than expected. While sipping my coffee, my neighbor directly above started playing music, but it was this thumping rap stuff.  And I thought I won't miss that. Which led me to reflect on what I will or will not miss living here. And not just the apartment but the area in general. Of course, I will miss the ocean. I was born and raised in California, going to the beach every summer. I will miss walking on a pier and listening to the waves.  I will miss the Gaslamp Quarter ..read more

Greetings from cyberspace! And welcome to the seventh progress report of 2022. July roared like a lion, ready to rip Murphy to shreds. Thus, my goals need another revision. The Goals 4.0 (or what I hope to accomplish) Here we go; the fourth rendition of my goals. Of course, plans should be fluid and adjusted when life gives you lemons or a significant shift occurs, but dang! When I modified Goal 2 from 'save' to 'cashflow,' my Ex and I had not formally agreed to a timeline and rent. However, since I have a place to stay for the rest of the year, the Goal 2 amount will be adjusted. Goal 1 ..read more

Greetings from cyberspace! One of my best friends posted on Facebook that her catalytic converter was stolen. The other day, a mutual friend posted the same. Granted, catalytic converters have always been a target, but the recent theft rate is alarming. Both my friends live in respectable neighborhoods, away from traffic. However, these scumbags still prey on them. Why do I mention this? Because the police told my daughter her car may have been stolen for that part. But did they have to take the whole freaking car? I know that we all feel the impact of inflation, but why do these bandits feel ..read more