Sam Squared

      Found this later in the a.m.- describes today.      I tried to nap yesterday after a horrible night with very little sleep. It didn't take even though earlier when I was logged in to do some training and we were waiting for a report to load, I nearly fell asleep sitting up! I've just been scheduling training sessions an hour here, 90 minutes there, trying to get every thought dumped from my brain to others by Tuesday. I'm using up vacation hours the rest of the work day. Maybe that's part of the insomnia.      I broke down and took a 10 mg of melatonin last night. I fell asleep, but didn't stay asleep. It was probably midnight and I woke up for hours. I worked my budget in my head. I meal planned. I made mental vacation plans. Eventually the kitten crawled up and decided I should make due with 25% of the bed. I must have fallen asleep at some point. I've been awake again for an hour and it's about 5:30.       I let t...

      Photo by Lisa from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com      April must be lean on my checkbook. May as well to be frank. I have spending money to save for Memphis in early June. It's approaching gift giving season with two confirmations, three graduations, and two weddings by September.  I've got gardening supplies and items needed for spring cleanup and getting my yards shaped up. After I truly am retired I'll recap my wind down but I received an incredible gift to help with that expense.  There's the rest of my  want and need list  to save towards.      I have to repay the overage of property rebate, and the first half of property taxes in April.I have to do my taxes today. I think I'm close to break even, but if not, there's that payment too. Oh, and no income coming in of any kind in May. Yes, needing a lean month in every discretionary area possible, is an understatement.       I need a complete r...

       This week has been a blur, so just no time for a post since Sunday. Only because I start these Friday posts right after the last one ends and add bits did I get this one done. I'll recap my retirement get together later. Still absorbing the afternoon- evening. Monday marks the true final week. I'm scheduling time with the data system newbie but using major chunks of vacation time, more so than the previous weeks to utilize as much as possible that otherwise will just stay in a perpetual bank. Here's my recap of Friday, March 21-Thursday, March 27. Avoiding Spending/ Saving on Needs Kept just to my needs list through March 26, my fiscal month close and successfully shaved 10%off my Household and Grocery budget Son had bought a rotisserie chicken over the weekend, so I turned the last into broth. It was a cold start to the week, so made soup for suppers and lunches ( plus frozen enough for a later meal) Yay! The book for book club came in so no last minute purch...

      Photo courtesy of Pexel.com      This is my last formal week of work.  Next week and through April 8th, I'm technically still employed, but I'll be disconnected from all systems likely the 7th. The week of the 31st is just final knowledge transfer, random booked time, but using yet more vacation. For myself,  I have to make sure I can get into all systems for retirement after Monday the 7th setting up messaging to go to my personal "work" email. The list of must do's and questions to be answered with clarity is growing.  Final written directions for processes I've been doing, recording actionable demonstrations as relevant  Changing my automatic reply again- it already was changed a month ago to direct more to my replacement or the appropriate shared mail boxes  Setting up the return of my computer gear, chair, and sit stand desk top Setting up for paying medical insurance premiums, starting before May 1 Verifying steps to get...

         Two week countdown and more tanking of my retirement account. Fun times. I start these Friday posts right after the last one ends so maybe feeble brain remembers.  Avoiding Spending/ Saving on Needs Groceries were just top offs of essentials and a few stock up on loss leaders. I'm on target to shave 10% off my overall monthly budget for household and groceries but man is it taking creativity and flexibility.  As part of that shop, I got lucky and nabbed discounted, two family size packages of 12 chicken drumsticks and another of 8 thighs right as the butcher was setting them out. I rarely find the discounted options, but being able to start shopping at times these tend to happen will help my budget. I could have taken more, lots there, but didn't have the freezer room. From one package I got chicken Alfredo tortellini soup, a meal with drumsticks as the main, and enough meet off the remaining for chicken salad wraps for a lunch. Not bad for $2...

    Photo from Pexel.com    With the volatility of the markets, I have to remember retirement accounts are the long game. But, I'm watching what I'm spending. The older two get my angst, but the youngest just is glad I'm retiring. She hasn't really weathered, or wasn't old enough, to comprehend the truly lean times our family had a few spells. She was only 8 when my husband's job got eliminated instantly, right as we had a second kid entering college. She hasn't felt the fear of a gap in health insurance coverage or received an out of pocket cost for a $2,400 X-ray the same week sports fees and car insurance payments were due.       She was a "broke" college kid and now low income young adult as she figures out her path.  But, behind the scene, knows she'll always have a home to fall back on . (It's sobering thought to know you're the safety net for others, and no one for your own.) As she gets older though, we're having more of the...