Thursday, July 2, 2020

Thrifty Thursday-Start of the Second Half Edition

     Here we go 2020 part two. Are you going to continue to kick all our collective behinds, or will you  try and bring us all some good news?  I was in the slumps again yesterday learning 19 counties in California, my son's being one of them, is rolling back some of their  reopening. This means his industry isn't likely to get new productions going when they risk being shut down. Financially, he's still OK for July-maybe August, but it is not a sustainable way to live. We talked about him coming here, but he will not go on a plane, so it would be a major drive and hotels. He feels he'd need to quarantine for 14 days if he does. He said he'll give it another two weeks and see how things progress. 

      I know sacrifices were made in war time, and what we are asking to do is minimal, in comparison. But, I can't help thinking that in war time, the problems were man made-which meant so were the solutions. This is just starting to feel like we are losing any shot at trying to have normalcy again, unless the decision is made to accept loss of life for the more vulnerable people in society. I guess I would rather continue to be inconvenienced, isolated, and stay home unless needed, than the latter but boy are people selfish out there. So this is to say this post is not very insightful on thrift in the conventional manner as I'm not comparison shopping or finding new ways to spend time. I don't have a lot of positive wins on being thrifty with time, resources, and money, but I am continuing to evolve how I think about all three. 


Time

  • I baked cookies for my daughter and friends to have a socially distanced movie night. I miss these kids, but glad they are still getting together as they can. 
  • I spent some time planning another virtual retirement party for a colleague. We know we will do it up right when we can, but we need to acknowledge at least  through the magic of Microsoft teams some sentiments. This will be done at our division meeting on Tuesday morning. 
  • In the early stages of planning my mother-in-laws 80th birthday, two ideas emerged. One was to do a word collage, and the other a note a day-story, memory, poem, anything, 80 of them to bundle and give her. We'll have all of us share the task.
  • I'm continuing to read more and watch less streaming. I even put a couple books on order from the library-I'lll have to look them up again. I'm in a cue behind orhers.
Resources
  • Twice in the last week I filled an online cart with stuff. At Kohls it was dresses, and clearanced holiday  décor, and potential gifts. On Amazon it was books, and games, and more clothes. In the end, I deleted both carts deciding I needed none of it. I do have rewards cash sitting in both of my accounts though, so may look to see what it is I really could use. I'm not trying to deprive myself of nice things, I just don't want the clutter, and where the heck am I going to go in those dresses anyway?
  • We continued to use leftovers for lunches and easy reheat meals, and are avoiding waste. My groceries are still high, though lower overall in June than previous few months since I did an Aldi shop. This is off set by only getting take out a couple times a month, and no other entertainment. 

Money

  • I turned AdSense off on my blog. I was actually starting to get quite a few nuggets of change each day, but I was frustrated with feeling like there was no control. I only wanted ads on the side bar, and they were popping up making the blog just annoying. I was appalled to learn a reader had political adds on someone I absolutely do not support. While I learned to take those kinds of ads off through a link I didn't know existed, or maybe just existed as of July 1, I'm going to go no ads for a bit. I hope Nan comes back.
  • I did another survey last week and got $5 Amazon credit, making $7 to use. I like taking surveys, so often do with no compensation, but getting a liitle thank you is nice. 
  • A $2 bill came on Monday for a survey I did a month or so ago. 
  • I was floored to learn we are getting raises, nominal, already in our contract so I guess it was required. I doubt there will be raises for the next few years, but  I'll keep looking at ways to economize. 
  • I figured out what I saved in wear and tear on my commute from March to the end of June working from home. Using the federal rate of $ .54 per mile, figuring I would have taken my flex days, plus an extra day perhaps, I saved 4,032 miles which calculates to $2,177. Even if I just look at gas, which I know has fluctuated greatly so I'll use $1.90 a gallon on average (low but with coupons etc.), and my highway average mileage of 30, I saved $255 in gas, plus a round of an oil change at another $30. As it looks like this will continue at least through mid-August full time and most likely 40% working form home, plus a flex day, so only commuting days going forward, I should expect more savings, and more months before replacing our car. 

     Everything is in cycles, and things have to get better at some point. Every week that there are set backs to what might work to slow the spread or what feels like no closer to developing a vaccine, I try to think about these as trials and learning more, and a real win later. Mostly, I am still trying to manage what I can, cope with limited contact with friends outside my  bubble, and pray for  my families good physical and mental health. Let's hope July brings good things for us all.













12 comments:

  1. I had to buy a new lamp for my table in the living room. I looked at several of them and finally decided on the base only as I already have the lamp shade. Everything else in my cart I deleted as I decided I didn't need it just like you did. :)

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    1. We're going to move thing in our bedroom the lake and DH wants a lamp that has a phone charger in the base-like hotel. I'm going to start looking no and see what prices are, and maybe put future points towards it. I'm not a big recreation shopper anyway, but using the cart and delete helps any twinge I might have.

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  2. Your calculation on gas savings since you've been working from home is interesting. I was thinking about this for my son, who has been working from home since March and likely to go on through end of August. He was spending the ridiculous amount of SF 700/month ($700) which was basically all down to crossing Geneva and sitting in traffic. I hope at least he has saved some of that money!

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    1. I'm sure he does, as where else would he send it. I think my son has spent a lot on gaming streaming, but he is so bored I ca't blame him.

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  3. I sated my desire to shop by shopping for my sister in law. I work at a kids clothing store, she has kids that need clothes, lol. Combining deep markdowns, and extra percentage age sale and my employee discount I was able to get her 24 pieces for just $48. Everything from underwear and pjs to cups and coats. All are long sleeve/long pants items for the fall and winter. It was a lot of fun for me and of course she is thrilled with the savings. JoAnn

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    1. That's awesome for you both! I remember when my kids were young and the blowout clearance sales at The Children's Place I always got off season things for 75-90% off and would not have otherwise spent their regular prices. Now I try f I need shower presents, to look for either unisex items in larger sizes, or if I know the sex, Will buy those.

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  4. I cannot ever remember seeing an ad on your blog. I may have seen them and paid attention, but remember nothing. So, put them up as far as I am concerned. I have thought about putting adsense on my blog. The first plague in the 1300s lasted 3 years, so I am digging in, hunkering down, and listening to the birds, growing flowers and vegetables, and trying to stay well.

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    1. I sure hope the medical field is better than 1300, but it is getting a bit frightening to see how long this could last, and how people may be forced to take health risks.

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  5. I'm still getting lots of ads. In fact, one is covering this partially up as I type. But I'm glad to see that political ad gone!Celie

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    1. I don't know what else to do I turned them off an basically clicked every even remotely possible offensive category just in case.

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  6. Hi SAM, apparently the problem with ads was my Google setting. For some reason just your site was set to allow ads. I cleared it out, and they're gone now. So mean culpa. My apologies for thinking it was your settings. Celie

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    1. There's something still odd as I had a bit of earnings yesterday and probably not all from you.

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