My Tireless Retirement – Week 197

 

Hello friends!  I hope everyone is doing well on this fine day.

 

I got some awesome gifts this year!

A pop up shower tent, a windscreen for my camp stove & a super cute pillow!

The holidays were so much different this past year and in a very good way.  I was much more relaxed and present this time around, so much more so than in years past.  I didn’t listen to much Christmas music and I didn’t watch any holiday movies, neither of which was intentional.  I didn’t do any marathon cookie baking or candy making either.  I completely abandoned past traditions.  What I did do however, was spend an appropriate amount of time with my people as well as by myself.  Everything felt balanced.  On New Year’s Eve we enjoyed a nice dinner, some wine and watched the latest Mission Impossible movie.  We were in bed well before midnight.  No rush, no stress, no pressure.  I enjoyed the holidays in a way I never have before.

 

Fun journaling supplies! 😍

One of the things I like to do at the beginning of the year is to refill everything.  I refill my cleaning supplies, laundry supplies, spices and condiments, etc.  This year I am making a point to write the date on everything I open to see exactly how long items truly last so I can make better decisions regarding how much to buy and stock in my house.  I am finding that things tend to last much longer than I originally thought they would so I need to keep less on hand.

 

I cleaned the cabinet underneath the kitchen sink

I refilled all of the foaming hand soap dispensers and the pump dispenser that I use for my dish soap.  With these dispensers I use a lot less product than what I have in the past and things just last much longer.  I have far less waste too.  In my shower I keep a pump dispenser for my shampoo and one for my hair conditioner so I only use what I need to get the job done.  Again, I use far less product than what I used to with far less waste.  Because I now need less I purchase items far less often and save a lot of money in the process.  Yay!

Everything is clean, restocked and ready

With everything restocked I took a new inventory and found I still have plenty stocked in the linen closet and the LTFS with only a few items on my list to restock, not that I am out, but rather starting to get low on.  I have plenty of time to purchase these few items at the best possible price so no need to rush and run out to buy anything right away.

 

The first full week of 2026 was a very good one for me too.  I worked all day at the senior center last Friday, hosting the senior social at the library midway through my shift, and it was a rather nice day.  My chosen charity the end of last year was to collect and provide useful Bingo prizes for the social.  I am planning to continue this into 2026 as well.  I am also considering doing this for the regular weekly Bingo at the senior center.  I like to do it and I have fun finding various prizes I think people will like and find helpful.

 

Over the weekend I did a lot of paper crafting creating items for both personal use, for gifting and to add more inventory to my Etsy store.  I’m not sure how fruitful my little online shop will be this year, but I’m happy to give it a whirl and see what happens.  My plan is to take the proceeds and use them to invest and grow my wealth the best I can.  I recently opened a new retirement account solely devoted for this purpose.  I am rather excited about this new venture.

 

I took all of the Christmas cards I received this year and last year and was able to use those to create new ones.  I like to call them my “Trash to Treasure” cards and I absolutely love remaking old cards into new ones.  By the time I had finished I had made thirty six Christmas cards.  I may be putting some of them in my Etsy store later in the year.  I went through my drawer of paper scraps and used a lot of those to make some backgrounds to be used in future card making.  I also spent a fair amount of time making die cuts, mostly florals to be used to make ephemera.

 

On Monday I worked in the afternoon and again Thursday afternoon for a few hours each.  I was off Tuesday and Wednesday and was able to do some meal prepping for the week, catch up on some household chores, run a load of laundry and squeeze in some more crafting.

 

I made a keto cheesecake for dessert for New Years

Sunday brunch

With all of the craziness being reported in the news, especially with regard to our government and the steady stream of confusing antics by our president it would be so easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer unrelenting volume of it all.  It feels like we just can’t seem to get any kind of break from it.  Even Christmas day was not immune from the onslaught of political rhetoric.  It made me weary.  Instead I chose to focus the majority of my attention on making my own life and my home as tranquil and enjoyable as I could because I recognize I alone have limited ability to change or affect much of what is happening, at least as far as what has currently been going on.  While some of it is truly frightening, other aspects are simply heartbreaking.  And with that my first full week of 2026 came to an end.

 

A meatloaf supper

I love a warm mug of soup and a grilled cheese on a rainy day

This past week I was grateful for delicious and healthy food to eat, a warm home to reside in and the ability to pay my bills as well as my reliable vehicles to get me where I needed to go.  I had plenty to keep me busy and entertained including a night out for dinner and drinks with friends.  I am so blessed.  How was your first full week of 2026?

 

Keeping It Simple - Streamlined Budgets & Spending

 

For many people, money goes out in so many directions that it makes it really difficult to keep track of their expenses.  The task becomes so daunting that they just don’t do it and that is where they get into trouble.  With all of the offers to make our lives ”easier” and “nicer” there are so many apps and subscription services, with fees, that it doesn’t take long to get in over one’s head.  Automating monthly payments allows people the “luxury” of not even looking at their bills prior to paying them so eventually they have no clue what their spending really looks like.  Add to that eating out and grabbing coffees, delivery services like Door Dash & Instacart, expensive cell phone bills, internet costs, insurance, mortgages, registration costs for pretty much everything from education to automobiles and so forth, it becomes really difficult.

 

When money is going out in every direction it is nearly impossible to turn off the tap.  I call these situations financial leaks.  For some people they are absolute gushers.  By streamlining my budgets and weeding out the extras that, quite simply, I do not need (and most people don’t) I am able to easily stay on top of and track my expenses.  My list is quite short:

 

Housing – this includes property taxes, homeowners insurance, upgrades and maintenance.

 

Electricity – includes my heating.

 

Sewer & Trash – the city of Boise bills me for both of these services at the same time and they are sent out every other month.

 

Water – this bill comes due every other month as well.

 

Internet – right now I have DSL through Century Link.  It is no secret I don’t love them, at all, because of their lousy customer service but it is my best option where I live.

 

Groceries & Non Food Items – I set a budget for food and another one for household items.

 

Automobile – includes fuel, repairs plus routine maintenance.

 

Fun & Leisure + Miscellaneous – this budget is flexible and allows me to have a little wiggle room for fun, of course, but also if I need something that I wasn’t planning for like a pair of pants or a little more fuel in the car.  It is also a category I can do without if for some reason I really need to tighten my belt one month.

 

This is all I track on a monthly basis and I do so meticulously.  I also look at my bank accounts as well as my credit card account (I only use one credit card account) on a regular basis to make sure all transactions are accurate and nothing fraudulent has occurred.  When all is said and done I know exactly to the penny how much money I have at any given time.  By tracking my expenses I am able to project what that will look like in the future and adjust my budgets accordingly.

 

I still pay my automobile insurance and cell phone bill annually because it saves me a lot of money to do it this way because anytime you pay monthly, quarterly or semi annually they add a service charge.  If you pay it annually they offer an additional discount.  I always double check with my insurance agent prior to renewal to make sure I’m getting the best rates and all of the discounts I’m entitled too without sacrificing my coverage.  I do the same with my cell phone service.  I pay the bill annually and look for discounts or special offers that save me money.  This year I was able to renew my cell phone service for fifteen months for less than $100 – no joke!

Car registration is also a bill that comes due annually and I anticipate it well ahead of when my plates expire so that I am ready for when it comes due.  By setting aside a little bit each month in my checking account I am easily able to meet that expense.  By driving older automobiles it helps me keep both the insurance bill as well as the registration costs relatively low.

 

Keeping to a budget is far less daunting when there are fewer expenses going out each month so streamlining and minimizing the outflow is the key to success.  It also helps me when costs go up as they often do, especially in our current economy.  Last summer I received the dreaded news that my property taxes for the coming year were going up.  A LOT.  At that same time I also found out my sewer and trash bill was also going to go up.  A LOT.  Despite the much higher property tax bill and the higher fees for sewer and trash services I was able to accommodate those changes to my budget because I know I am not leaking money out on unknown or too many other expenses.  I just made adjustments and tweaked other areas to make it all fit.

 

I do not automate anything.  I want to be on top of every bill and know exactly how much I am paying before I allow it to go out.  I also want to see right away if something doesn’t look right so I can follow up on it and find out what is going on.  Mistakes happen, not often thankfully, but they do happen.

 

With our current economic situation we cannot afford to be wasteful, at least I can’t.  I worked way too hard all these years to earn the money I have.  I don’t want to waste it needlessly.  If you find yourself struggling to make ends meet I urge you to find the leaks and plug them up.  We can happily live without apps, expensive delivery services, fee based streaming services and a lot of other nonsense.  By spending mindfully and being completely aware of our expenses none of that hard earned cash is going to be wasted.  I wish you happy budgeting and loads of savings!

 

 

Are You Getting In Your Own Way?

 

For the vast majority of my life I’ve struggled with having the confidence to do things and make decisions because I tend to get stuck in my own head.  In the past I would keep too much stuff stored up in there and incessantly ruminate on things that in the end really didn’t matter or come to fruition.  There have been plenty of restless, sleepless nights too.  It was enough to drive a poor girl absolutely nuts!

 

Daily journaling has helped me so much to quell the noise that used to take up residence inside my head and I’ve been doing that religiously since I retired.  It has made a bigger difference than I ever thought possible.  I also pray and talk to God a lot, especially if I am worried or upset about something and magically things just seem to work out.  Along with prayer I practice gratitude and I make sure to thank God for all He continues to bless me with.  I am a very fortunate person and I don’t take that for granted.

 

I also touch base once every other month with my therapist.  When I first retired I had a lot going on and I’d been through some stuff.  I was doing weekly thirty minute sessions, then after about a year and a half monthly sessions and now I’m at every other month for about fifteen to twenty minutes.  Focusing on therapy like I have has made it so I am far more confident, especially with establishing and maintaining boundaries, having better interpersonal skills for dealing with difficult people and most importantly putting an end to negative thoughts and feelings about myself.  I accept myself for who I am.  I also care a whole lot less about a whole lot more.

 

When presented with options I have struggled to choose one for fear I’d make the wrong decision.  I’ve decided I no longer need to worry about that because time and experience have taught me that I can make decisions just fine and even if I do make the wrong one, eventually I will overcome it and make it right.  Right now I have a lot of options available to me for my not-too-distant future and in short order I have been able to do the research I felt I needed to do and then make the right choice for me without fear.  Now I am happily in the planning stage and executing some of those plans to start making things happen.

 

It is easy to allow fears, doubts or insecurities cloud our minds and our judgment and hold us back, but we can also do things to overcome those issues and move past them.  I am so grateful to have the tools I need, both physically and mentally, to keep me from getting in my own way and allow me to live my life with peace, love, happiness and contentment.

 

Vintage Cookery - Cornbread & Beans

 

Growing up we had this fairly often and I remember it being one of my dad’s favorite meals.  Not only is it a delicious and very economical meal but it had the added benefit of farting, something my father loved to do.  He thought farting was hilarious and I’m afraid I inherited that gene as well.  I cannot help but laugh myself silly whenever the subject comes up and if you actually do it I am sent right over the edge.  He’d love nothing more than to grab you in a big bear hug and let it rip, not to mention hold you hostage in the car with an SBD (silent, but deadly).  It didn’t matter where we were or what we were doing. He would fart and say “Yep, that’s working.”  Admittedly, there were times in my young life when I’d walk away and pretend I did not know this man.  Mom threatened to disown him on the regular, especially when he’d trap her under the bedcovers.

 

Now that I have whetted your appetite I will give you the down and dirty on how my grandmother as well as my mother would put this lovely concoction together.  They would simply wash and sort a couple cups of beans (more if needed) and then soak them overnight in cold water.  The next day they would drain and rinse the beans and put them in a big pot along with a ham hock or the bone from a ham, fill the pot with water and let it simmer on the back of the stove all day, (I use my slow cooker) stirring on occasion, until the beans were tender.  Then, they would remove the bone leaving the ham bits and chunks in the pot, add salt and pepper and dinner was ready.

 

If serving a crowd I remember there were more beans and thinner broth with the ham chunks less plentiful, but it was always good.  A pan of cornbread was always served with the ham and beans.  My dad would take two squares of cornbread, split them in half and butter (we actually used margarine at the time) each piece laying them out on his plate.  Then he’d ladle the ham and beans on top with more salt and a lot of pepper sprinkled on top and he would always go back for seconds.  I still enjoy it this way myself, but with real butter on my cornbread.

 

When I make this I like to add diced onion, celery and carrots to mine which I’ve been told by my dad ruins them.  He was a purest about his cornbread and beans, but I’ll let you be the judge of whether the addition of onion and carrot is a bad idea.  I do have a lot of fond memories of this very simple and humble meal and how it kept bellies full, especially when times were tough as sometimes they were.  I also remember all of the laughter and antics that ensued not too long afterward.  Oh my goodness!  I love you Dad!

 

 

My Tireless Retirement – Week 196

 

A brand new year always feels like I get a fresh, clean slate to make changes or improvements to my already incredible life.  I find that rather exciting!  Nothing reinforces that more than a new journal to jot down my thoughts and accomplishments as I traverse the year ahead.  True to my thrifty “do-it-yourself” nature I used items I already had on hand, including a college rule spiral notebook, to create my 2026 journal.  Along with my writings I love to embellish each page using scraps of craft paper, washi tapes, stickers and my colored pens.  This year I have loads of tapes and a combination of fun stickers I already had left from previous years as well as some new ones I got for Christmas.  I also plan to use up all of my miscellaneous colored pens I have before I buy any new ones.  Hopefully I will get some cool pens I have my eye on for my next birthday or Christmas.  I really love and appreciate simple gifts like that.

 

I expect this year to be full of various challenges and I am praying for calm wisdom to make good choices and decisions as I navigate through my life this year.  Focus is my word this year.  I plan to focus a lot of my time and energy on improving my quality of life and my relationships, not only with others, but with myself.  Setting and maintaining boundaries has long been a struggle for me, but I’m getting better at it.  In the past year I have discovered a lot about my circle, especially with regard to where their moral and ethical compass points.  It was quite an eye opening experience for me which has led to tightening up my circle quite a bit.  I’m not sad for me, but rather sad for the person I am choosing to spend less time with.  The upside is that I now have more bandwidth for the people I should be spending time with - my tribe.

 

As 2025 came to a close and I looked back at all I was able to accomplish last year I find myself beginning 2026 with a renewed sense of spirit and hope.  I tackled some really hard things and in the process I was able to make my house my home.  I have always appreciated having this house, but now I really appreciate this house.  It’s mine and no one else’s.  It is my sanctuary and I am much more selective about who I allow into my sanctuary.  Needless to say, there will be no more long term houseguests.  That was definitely a lesson I learned this past year.  I have plans and projects in mind to start making my sanctuary even better.

 

I am not one to be silent.  I am not pleased with the current state of our economy or how our government is currently running.  I am not pleased with the president, vice president, the cabinet or congress.  They have all let us down.  As a fiscal conservative (with a sprinkling of liberalism), I’m infuriated by the colossal waste of our tax dollars while the vast majority is forced to do without.  I have grave concerns about what will happen as these individuals continue to run amuck unchecked, wreaking havoc at every turn.  I have deep concerns about AI and the potential for disaster if this is not handled correctly.  I have little faith that it will be handled correctly.  I am praying we do not end up in a war.  This blog was never intended to be political in anyway, but this is the realistic part of life.  I do not plan to stick my head in the sand and pretend like everything is okay.  It’s not.

 

To compensate for our high inflation and the steady rise in prices I will be working harder on my own finances making the most of what I have as well as growing my wealth to compensate.  Even though I am retired I do not feel, at this time, I can truly sit back and just relax.  I need to earn more and be a good steward of my resources.  Fortunately there are ways to do this.  To begin with, on New Year’s Day, I re-opened my Etsy store and I am currently working on more inventory to stock it with.  My goal to be more creative and spend more of my time crafting and sewing will help me do this.

 

All occasion handcrafted greeting cards

Additionally, I am contemplating whether or not to accept another higher paying part-time job that has been offered to me.  I also have another offer doing something similar as contract work.  Either one would take up time so I want to carefully consider before I accept or decline.  But these opportunities do fit with my overall criteria of what I would enjoy doing in my retired life so it is something for me to seriously consider.

 

My greatest endeavor this year is to be healthy in mind, body and spirit and I am excited to be doing the things I feel will help me to accomplish this.  Time outdoors, especially in the mountains, is going to be high on the priority list this year and I am super excited about that.  With plenty of ideas listed for the year ahead I find myself feeling really good about where I am at and where I am heading.  I am very happy and content.  God willing, it is going to be a very good year!

 

I find this incredibly sad 😔
I am so grateful not to be part of this statistic

I’d love to hear what some of your goals or plans are.  What is your priority for 2026?  I hope you are all doing well and feeling content.  I wish you much love and happiness.  God bless you my friends.

 

My 2026 Grocery Budget Plan

 

It’s a brand new year and time for my new grocery budget plan so I have put a lot of thought into this one, and I do mean a lot.  All of my life I have shopped carefully and kept my grocery budget cut to the bare bone and it has worked out amazingly well.  I have filled pantries, freezers and established my long term food storage.  In the past few years I wanted to really up my game with the quality of the whole foods I eat, which is one of the reasons I got myself a membership at Costco and that continues to be a big goal of mine again for 2026.

 

After some careful analysis of my spending and shopping habits I sat down and envisioned how I would ideally like to eat.  I drafted a long list of meal plan ideas.  What meals I would like to have on a regular basis and why I would like to be able to eat this way?  With my primary focus dialed in on protecting my health and improving my quality of life.  I want to eat well and truly enjoy what I am eating.

 

I am adding a Butcher Box subscription to my grocery food plan and I am really excited about it.  I’ve been looking at doing this for quite some time and I wrestled with the overall costs, but with the rising prices of beef this past year it has been making more and more sense for me to go ahead and do this at this time.  In addition to my regular shopping I will also be getting their Classic $169 box, for one to two people, every other month.  I was able to get a really nice introductory offer – 2 FREE rib eye steaks, 1 package of bacon and $100 OFF over the first year of my subscription.

 

After taking a good look at what I have on hand as well as my typical shopping habits to determine my best course of action I decided that this year I’m not going to have a set grocery budget.  This is going to be a HUGE departure for me because I have always had a budget to work within, but this year I’m not going to hold myself to a set budget and just see what happens.  I feel at this phase in my life it is going to be okay to do this.

 

I would love to go into Costco and go shopping without telling myself I can’t have something because it is too expensive or there isn’t enough money left in the budget.  This doesn’t mean I plan to go off the charts and spend with reckless abandon.  I will still be keeping track of my spending and buying only what I need or want for a healthy and nutritious lifestyle, while I make sure I get the best quality and value for my money spent.

 

The USDA Thrifty Food Plan suggests I spend nearly 2 1/2 times my regular budget

Even though I’m giving myself a lot of latitude for grocery spending I still expect that I will be coming in way under what the USDA Thrifty Food Plan has in mind for a woman my age.  It has been a fun challenge for me to be able to stick to minimal budgets and really make them work, but I’m looking forward to this new challenge.  A no budget – budget.  Let’s see how I do.