My English Castle's Personal Finance Blog

Yes, it's been a strange time here, hasn't it? I have little financial news as we've done little spending.

Sunday night I ordered a few things, about a dozen I think, from Target.com. It was mostly fill-in groceries, pet food, and some toiletries. The Easter ham will be on the agenda for quite some time. What's that joke from Dorothy Parker: "Eternity is two people and a ham." There's three of us, so maybe we can outwit eternity.

We also have colored hard-boiled eggs to use up so I foresee a CSA spinach, ham and egg salad. And a million other things with that ham.

In earning news, there is little. I continue to push away at SB, mostly running videos as I e-mail students and grade papers. I like their new $10 Paypal cash out. My very bored DD is also running SB. But DH and I continue to work and continue to get paid.

And although the mail is quarantined in a corner of the entryway, it looks like our auto insurance rebates have arrived. I wish I was kidding when I say I'm really looking forward to a visit to the drive-up bank.

It's been so cold that I didn't walk yesterday. It does make me restless without the walk.

I ordered a few extra groceries from Target to bring to the drive through food collection at church. It sure hurts the heart to see those food donation lines.

Like most of you, we're still home, still on three computers in three different rooms with one coding, one learning, one teaching--and one barking to liven things up.

Groceries are being delivered--for the most part for which we're grateful. We're walking, playing monopoly, and cooking a lot.

I planted spinach, we raked the yard, and my CSA guy delivered three pounds of spinach today. We like spinach.

In decluttering efforts we've given away plastic Easter eggs to local families looking for some. I'm going to take another swipe at parts of the basement today.

Happy for what we have been privileged to have. Realizing how much we have taken for granted.

There will be lots of NS days ahead, I think.
And more soup making on today's agenda. I've got another wild rice soup that I'll throw in the Instant Pot today.

Lots of questions and a few postings from students, but online education is slow.

DD and I had a lovely walk yesterday and hope for another today in the sunshine. Other outdoor activities may include garden prep. I can't seem to get a definitive answer about whether it's too early to plant spinach outside. But I have a lot of seeds so may attempt an early crop.

I'm worried about a work colleague, actually my "work husband." He's the sweetest guy in the world, but lives alone, struggles with depression, and is morbidly obese. I brought him chili last week and will go by tomorrow with some soup and fresh food. He has lots of health challenges, so if you have room on your prayer list, please fold him in. I would be broken hearted without him.

We'd been two+ weeks on just what we had at home, and I ordered a few basics and some extras yesterday. I think in the lost world, they would've totaled to about $50, but they were almost $100. Yet that's a small price to pay for safety for everyone. We tipped the delivery person $15.

School work is quiet, DD is done with her classes for today, and DH is working away in MY home office.

Mt DD's school trip to France in June has been cancelled, and I'd sure like that money back. I understand the company is trying to negotiate with everyone for refunds, but it will be nice when that arrives. And it's been so slow here that I've even completed my Swagbucks goal for the month; I think that's the first time in years.


Wishing you all well!

We're pretty darn low-key around here. We've been walking, and cooking, and working a bit. Yes, I'm worried about stock, and retirement accounts, and college savings, but it seems like I don't need to sweat it now. Let's just take it one day at a time.

The weekend's highlights were a couple of phone chats with friends, the arrival of a tomato soup sample that I'm doing a survey about, and death of the toaster. I've ordered a new toaster from Target.com, we've eaten the tomato soup sample, and look forward to more phone chats.

DH is ensconced in my home office, and I'm working from the family room chair. We have a lot of food and supplies, the heat is on, it's quiet, and last night's snow is melting.

I look forward to more decluttering, more Monopoly games, more movies, and getting ready to press the start button on my classes.

My DH and i have been talking about pulling my DD out of her part-time grocery store job. She really likes the job, but we are nervous about everyone that goes into that place. I've had several bouts of pneumonia and we both have asthma. So today, despite her disappointment, I e-mailed HR to pull her for the duration. I think it was the right thing.

And I have to say I feel so much better with her home. I knew it was making me anxious, but I wasn't sure just how anxious.

Not much other news--some papers graded, a walk in the cold sunshine and a nice pot of corned beef and cabbage.

Happy Quiet Paddy's Day to you all.

All of our university has closed down for two weeks when we all switch to online for a while--and maybe until the end of the semester. DD is out of school for a month with her HS switching to online.

I had a meeting today with our instructors trying to get everyone ready. It's a strange strange time.

And just a note to all of you out there--please don't yell at the store clerks because they're out of TP. Three nasty folks yelled at my kid tonight for that very reason. Patience, kindness, compassion, community.

It's the end of the teaching week, but the grading week likely won't end until, well, May. And today was endless meetings with students, ex-students, instructors who report to me, you name it--then policy meetings. I think I have people overload; I just want to sit somewhere quiet and grade papers.

I brought my lunch, bought the cheap but good coffee, and ate leftovers for dinner. My students are worried all sick and tired and worried. But spring break is 7 days away. Deep breaths and press on.

It was a no-spend Sunday--except for the offering plate.
And for me it was almost exclusively a work day, but I think I've rounded the corner with my employee evals.

And this is the last week of my adjunct class which I will not miss--except for the paycheck which got deposited today. I'm behind on my grading and would like to spend tonight catching up. I've updated my big goal with some new figures and am 6.2 percent there.
I'd planned on putting the last adjunct paycheck toward that, but think it will go into DD's new Roth IRA.


This sunshine sure helps the mood.

It's March re-set time around here, a day early. DD's university choices and their payments are looming, DH's contract job, though safe now, usually wavers with the stock market, and I'm not teaching any adjunct classes for a while. Today we got the bill for DH's ear surgery. I love when the insurance company says they'll pay for it all, and then it ends up still costing another $1000. On the positive side of that, his hearing is great. Except for some tinniness which is waning, he hears almost perfectly.

But the $1000 will have to be paid as will DD's school fees. It's time to dial down. Back to freezer excavation and back to more mindful shopping. And the freezer still holds many delights. Today's dinner was balsamic pork tenderloin with roasted veggies, and a cranberry apple crisp.

DD is being super helpful. She went with me to the grocery store today where she spotted 79 cent packages of pie crust--three of which are in our freezer now. Looks like quiche, instant pot lentil or tosacana soup, and our favorite sweet potatoes with black beans are on the menu this week.

Happy March, everyone! Stay healthy!

It's super-busy at school, especially with the admin responsibilities. Nothing like reading thousands of handwritten course evaluations to brighten up your time.

I've known this week and the next few would be jam-packed and so have been streamlining everything from food prep to laundry. So far, it's been great.

Our DD is busy too--college decisions still looming and a funny role in "Little Shop of Horrors" as the plant. And DH is busy with his class. How many days to spring break?

I expected today to cost me at least $10. It was award ceremony day for our professional writing students, and I had to park in the ramp, haul the trappings for the ceremony upstairs and help set up.

But the barrier at the ramp was up as we were holding a fair for incoming students, so parking was free. There was leftover food which I patched together for lunch, and even coffee and a quart of cream. These small bonuses are so fun.

On a frugal front, I had to meet a new teaching assistant to go over his work and we usually meet in the coffee shop at the library. I was early and ran into a former student who shared with me how his GI Bill is paying for his education, and he's received full scholarships for his upcoming training as a therapist. We laughed about his packed lunch, my free coffee, and our shared aversion to debt.

Bean and cheese enchiladas for dinner tonight--and it's Friday.

I'm having very mixed feelings about work and thinking about DD's educational plans. All of this has led me to finally sign up for the "Are You Five Years From Retirement?" seminar at work.

I think I probably AM within that five year window, and I also think I'd like to find out my options. It's not until March, but it's a complicated system with pension, 403b, unused sick days, etc. It will be interesting to see how things look.

I also signed up for the wellness screening again. That and the activity will net me $150 again--just like last year.

We had leftovers for dinner--repurposing some steak and chicken into makeshift fajitas with onions and peppers. I love using things up.

It was a work-laden weekend. I read more instructor evals than I'd care to admit and wrote four evaluations/summaries of them. Three of them were outstanding, but it will be a difficult conversation with the fourth. I'm scheduling it for next week.

I had a great breakfast with my work friends on Saturday. Nothing like six women--all with complicated lives to take up two hours of talk time. But so so happy my friend with MS is doing so much better.

In other news, DD is busy busy with work and theatre and school. DH is busy with work and school, and well, you heard how work focused I am. And yes it is 28 days until my spring break.

DD had the day off for Presidents' Day so we went out to lunch and to Costco. On the sidewalk outside of Noodles, I found a $20 bill. How's that for fun! And on my way out of a class observation this morning I found a cool one cent. $20.01 in one day!

A brand-new Aldi opened near us last week. What do you like best/least at Aldi? I've occasionally shopped Aldi before but now it's on my regular route home. I'm mostly a Costco/local grocer shopper, so curious about Aldi favs.


My NS streak has ended with a haircut and some greeting cards purchased. I normally don't buy many cards, but some of these were for folks who needed some cheering up, and a cute one for my BF's birthday.

A surprise $20 check arrived in the mail from a survey I took somewhere. I hope to get it into my Big Goal fund.

Very busy at work translates into very little time to spend. But I did get one thing checked off my list: consolidating an old 403B into my IRA. Swift and simple with one phone call.

Instant Pot soup for tonight for all of us. And thene back to grading, writing up class observations, and annual reviews. It never ends.

Another in a series of NS days. A few of my students told me today they often spend $7-10 on lunch at school. Frankly, I was a bit amazed and pulled my homemade salad in plastic ware out of my bag. Frugal, delicious, and healthy with last night's leftover green beans, dried cranberries, turkey, cukes, and romaine. More cold walks to the free parking today, but it's probably pretty good exercise.

I cashed $25 out of Swagbucks which went into the Big Goal Fund--bringing it over $6125.

It looks like my adjunct class on Women and Lit will not adequately enroll. But the director of that institution asked if I'd teach Urban Cinema that term. Ugh. I taught it once before, so I have some material ready; however it is not my favorite subject. It's not wonderful pay, but it would help with DD's upcoming college expenses. But it's a lot to balance with my regular teaching and admin at my "real" job. I think I have a few days to decide.

On the job front, I'm hoping my boss will let me know soon if he has indeed put me forward for a title change and more money. That would help me make the other decision.

Frugal month continues. I've been parking six blocks from campus and walking to avoid parking fees, and have found the cheaper coffee in the education building very nice. Small economies, but still.

Well, I hate to admit it, but I am in love--with my Instant Pot. I resisted it a long time, and we're still getting to know one another. I said, "I don't need anything new cluttering up my life and my kitchen." But we've now formed a deep and delicious bond.

Yes, I thought my life was complete. But our recent bean soup interaction has proven to me that while I thought my life was full, it has so vastly improved.

Yes, I am in love.

Our old dog had her teeth cleaned today. I'm so glad we had it done. You may recall we spent Christmas Eve at the emergency vet with her mouth pain. And while the estimate (with x-rays) was $975, no x-rays were needed, so it was only $666. She's home now and resting.

My DH also had an ear surgery follow-up today, but since it was post-op, no co-pay. We squelched the urge to go out to lunch, came home, and continued hacking away at last Sunday's ham. It's at the bone stage now, so quiche and bean soup are in the future. I've got the beans soaking now. And he should be able to go back into work next week--perhaps midweek.

Not much other news. Looking forward to the weekend--another snowy one here.

First week of the semester down. My classes seem good, but I'm doubting whether taking on that adjunct class on the movies was a great idea in addition to my regular load. The good news is that it's just an eight-week class, and two weeks are done.

I've been continuing to mostly feed us from the freezer. I think we could go another month. Tomorrow's delights will include a 13-bean soup in the Instant Pot.

My DH gets the packing out of his ear tomorrow, so we're hoping his second ear repair has gone well. The first one was such a rousing success. In other medical news, out old dog is getting her teeth cleaned tomorrow. I'm reluctant to put her through general anesthesia at her age, but she's had such problems. I'm more nervus about that than DH's ear!


It's been a snowy day, and it's so beautiful. I'm looking forward to the weekend.

I got some course prep done Saturday morning, caught up with laundry, and thought about tackling "the drawer of death" as my husband calls it. It's where insurance papers go to die as well as articles I somehow think I need to save and coupons, school announcements, and various horrors.

That's been pushed off for during today's football game. I figure it will be a bad game for us here in Cheeseland so DH and I will work through the drawer to distract us. I'm hoping to get through it, file the flex spending, and put things in their proper files.

So what was fun about Saturday? We went to a great birthday party for a dear friend thrown by her 85-year-old dad. They're also Brits so lots of UK talk, really smart people with interesting jobs, opinions, and fun. Great food and a beautiful flat overlooking Lake Michigan too. Unfortunately on the way out, I took a tumble on the ice, smashing the cake I had in my hand, and sliding into the street. I struggled to get up and cursed the fact that DH and I took separate cars so I could pick up DD from work. I can feel the wrench to my back a bit, but it seems much better today. Then on the way into the car, I fell again. I love snow, but ice--ugh.

Got home rattled but safe and sound. And at 1am, DH and I finished our 1000-piece jigsaw of the London skyline. We're such dorks that it was way more fun than it should have been.

So today is church, lots of cooking, more course prep, football and the drawer of death. Then here comes the semester.

I thought I'd have a solid day to prep for my class tomorrow night and get some other things done. But straightening out a situation with an employee's contract took (ugh) 18 e-mails and half the day.

My DH is bound for ear surgery tomorrow. His first ear was done about 16 months ago treating his otosclerosis and was 100 percent successful. But it means a 4am trip or the pre-op so it'll be an early night for us tonight, and my evening class starts tomorrow night at 5:30. Look for me sleeping in on Thursday.

Today wasn't a total waste. I used up the 7 pasta shells in the cupboard to make a 1/3 batch of stuffed shells for DD's dinner. And I made a big pot of chili for DD and DH to have tomorrow night.

Freezer excavation continues. Ground beef and roasted tomatoes from the freezer went into the chili and an Italian sausage and leftover broccoli went into the shells. But I bet it will be March before we get through everything. Especially with a ham still in the fridge. But if only everyone in the world had such problems, huh? We're lucky, blessed, and grateful.

Better get back to that prep!

Tonight's freezer feast was pork chops in a ginger peach sauce. The peach sauce came off my jam-making spree of two years ago--and the jam was still lovely. I wish I could say it's getting less crowded in there, but there's still so much. But who can complain? It's fully of lovely food just waiting to be prepared.

I spent the day grading projects. I'm doing fill-in grading for a colleague for which the university is actually managing to pay me. They're large project for advanced writing classes, and while it's decent enough pay, I don't think I'll do it again. They're time consuming, and my break is already almost gone.

Then I ran out to have coffee with a couple friends, stopping for fill-in groceries on the way home. But it was pre-football, pre-snowstorm, Friday night frenzy. They were completely out of carts!

It should be wacky tomorrow if we get the kind of snow they predict. We're scheduled to have dinner with friends, but we'll see how that works out in blizzard conditions.

Thanks for your input on the ring we've found. I've posted a notice on our local FB page, but no responses yet.

In a strange coincidence, last year my DH found a Tiffany bracelet in the cafeteria at work. At the time he posted it on their company intranet, but got no responses. It sat in their lost and found for a year, and now has been returned to him. When he brought it home, I looked inside to see it was engraved with three initials. Because he's a goofball, he had not looked. So this morning we contacted a friend who works in HR at the company (a very big life insurance company) and they've found four possible matches with those initials. An engraved Tiffany bracelet like that retails for $335, and it seems like it must've been a gift. I'll bet someone is missing it. HR has now contacted all four to see if they claim it. Stay tuned for more on our missing jewelry And if you're missing something, please contact me; I likely have it!


Weekend spending was very limited. DD and I did a quick Costco trip for school lunch supplies, but the freezer excavation continues. I defrosted two lonely chicken breasts and turned one into enchiladas with the help of some leftover cream cheese from a work event, a can of Ro-tel and some veggies. The weekend's turkey stock will host the other piece of chicken for some Tex-Mex chicken soup as we're long on black beans.

One highlight was bringing our reverse Advent calendar box to church. To support local food pantries, they printed up a list of a food item to deposit in a box for every day of Advent--ranging from cereal to beans, tuna, canned fruit, etc. Twenty four items filled up the box. The congregation filled over 150 boxes! It was really fun to see all giving.

One of my January--maybe into February--goals is to eat through the freezer. It's been too long since it's been really emptied. So to that end today I took out two more things to cook. So we had chicken thighs for dinner and I made two enormous pots of turkey broth from the bones of a turkey I'd roasted in November. There are enough thighs for another meal this week, and I'll make soup tomorrow and freeze the other half of the stock.

I'm trying to make it fun--a freezer scavenger hunt!

Now for the odd thing. I was cleaning out a summer purse (what? it's January?) and found what I thought was a circle clasp for a key ring. I remember picking it up sometime last summer, maybe in Madison or Chicago when we were out with our French student. I was about to throw it out when I looked a little closer, and I think it's a wedding band. But I have NO idea where I picked it up. My husband says he has a vague memory of it, but can't remember where we were. So what do I do with it? If it were in Milwaukee, I'd advertise in the free lost and found, but I don't think it was. It's got a few small stones and a jeweler's mark for gold inside. And it looks like it's been run over or been through the garbage disposal. Ideas?

Yesterday was a no-spend and eat from the freezer day. We needed something simple and lighter after all the holiday food. I made potato leek soup with frozen leeks from last summer's CSA and some potatoes which were looking a little sad.

We did some cat sitting work, and I worked on my fill-in adjunct work. My DH is still really struggling with his cold, so he's just hanging on.

Today we drop off some gifts, and since it's DD's last "official" day of school holiday, we goof around.

I had a small win with DD's trip to France. The auto-pay didn't go through and they charged us a $40 (!) late fee. No idea WHY the auto-pay didn't work, but I got them to waive the late fee. Sometimes all you have to do is ask.

In response to CCF's idea, I've spent some time thinking about the last ten years of our financial life.

While we'd paid our mortgage down to $35,000, we used the small inheritance from my mom to pay it off. Our biggest expense is our property taxes.

We've had challenges--mostly the uncertain job market for my DH. But things seem to have settled down for him, and his contract has been extended out a year. This is the happiest he's been in a job, and also the best paid. He doesn't spend much--except on that upcoming Master's degree. He takes the bus to work, and has a free lunch.

My financial anxieties have been patched by adjunct jobs along with my regular university teaching. I'm eager to give the adjunct jobs, but will hang on for the next few in order to help fund our next big expenseD's university tuition.

She's 17 and a very low-maintenance responsible kid. She's paid all her university application fees from money earned in her PT job at the grocery store.

My biggest success has been automatically funding my university pension and retirement plan. My pay is peanuts, but this has been the reason I feel good about retirement. Years of auto-saving is the answer.

We've spent more than most on travel, but less on things that don't matter much to us like cars and toys.

I'm eager to downsize--tired of window replacements and cleaning gutters. I'd like a nice townhome or condo.

I've also found a lot of inspiration and some lovely friends here on SA. I don't have many frugal "real" friends, so have enjoyed following many of your lives.

Wow--I cannot believe how the years slide by.

I am so grateful for all of our blessings: healthy happy child, warm house, too much food, wonderful friends and family.

Off to pay property taxes today, buy some necessities, feed a friend's cat, then to dinner and a movie.

Thankful also for all the SavingAdvice gang. I feel like I know some of you so well, and have been so lucky to have you in my life.

Here's to a great 2020, friends!

Thinking a lot about the new decade. There will be a lot of changes for us, especially with DD off to college and increased job stability for DH.

But first, Christmas. We spent three nights in Minneapolis and celebrated Christmas with my brother and his family. It was not as fun as last Christmas in London, but it was good to see everyone. Several complications caused by DD's working until 8 on the 23rd, then us driving five hours after that. The hotel room was a little more cramped than our similar one at Thanksgiving.

The worst thing was the problem with our 13-year dog. She's been having dental problems, and they've worsened. She wouldn't eat at all on Christmas Eve and couldn't drink either. This meant a fun midnight trip to the emergency vet in St Paul, but she got some relief. Between that and the follow-up visit to the regular vet on Thursday, it looks like an expensive stretch for dog teeth. She'll get a cleaning and possible extraction within a week or so. We're all tired now, but looking forward to cleaning up and doing some planning.

Determined to have some fun with the family until DD goes back to school, so we're off to see Little Women this afternoon.