A DOG! And Totally different October 2022 Payments

We Adopted A Canine!

I’m thrilled to introduce Genevieve the canine (aka Gigi)!! Frugal Hound 2.0, Gigiwoods, G-dog McHound Face! She’s a rescue so we’re undecided of her exact age or breed, nevertheless our vet estimates she’s 6 months outdated and liable to be 60-70lbs (she’s presently 40lbs). We count on she’s a Plott Hound/Black & Tan Coonhound cross, nevertheless as soon as extra, can’t make sure. She has snuggled correct into our pack and the women are thrilled to have a dog-sister! No matter being a pet, she’s calm, sweet, doesn’t bark and LOVES to hike. We’re so fully happy to welcome a model new canine into our family and she or he seems very fully happy to be proper right here. Brace yourselves for a deluge of canine fotos!

OG Frugal Hound

Longtime readers will keep in mind our first canine, Gracie, greater known as the OG Frugal Hound. She was a pleasing rescued greyhound who handed away in January 2018. We grieved her deeply and she or he was actually our first infant–we adopted her three years sooner than our first human infant was born. Gracie moved from Cambridge to the nation with us, nevertheless on a regular basis remained a metropolis canine at coronary coronary heart. She’d determine a simple sidewalk over our bumpy woods any day and she or he certainly not most well-liked to hike.

As a greyhound, her hottest location was snoozing beside the wood vary. Whereas Gracie–and rescued greyhounds usually–are IDEAL metropolis/home canine, they’re not endurance animals (prolonged hikes are out) they often have tender little paws which may be at odds with our sidewalk-free rural homestead. In delicate of that mismatch, we knew our subsequent canine wouldn’t be one different greyhound. I consider it’s very important to undertake a canine that matches your life-style. It’s not truthful to you–or the canine–to aim to mildew them into your life-style if it’s not their pure inclination.

Gracie handed away decrease than a month sooner than Littlewoods was born, so there was no means we’ve been going to undertake one different canine immediately. Then, we had a two-year-old and an toddler. I consider you might even see why we didn’t undertake a canine at the moment each. Then, the pandemic hit and we’ve been confined to our dwelling with a three-year-old and a one-year-old. Yay! We did–in a match of pandemic-brain–ponder adopting a canine all through lockdown. Nevertheless, as a consequence of all the other people who had the EXACT comparable idea, canine present was working low. I contacted a few native rescue organizations who suggested me that, as a consequence of Covid, we wouldn’t be succesful to see a possible canine in particular person sooner than agreeing to undertake them. That wasn’t going to work for us. So, we decided to shelve Plan Canine Procurement.

Then In Walks Gigi

Fast forward to remaining month and proper right here we’ve been, minding our Vermont enterprise, not severe about canine notably when Gigi waltzed out of the woods and into our lives. Gigi confirmed up emaciated and coated in scratches in our associates’ yard a month prior to now. They (and we) tried very onerous to seek out her proprietor, nevertheless she obtained right here with no tags and no person responded to our commercials collectively along with her image. We took her to the vet to scan her for a microchip and she or he didn’t have one. Our associates saved her at their dwelling for a few days after which consider to take her to a shelter as they already have a canine and would possibly’t maintain a second. We’d had a chance to satisfy Gigi and spend time collectively along with her and we knew we couldn’t let her go to a shelter. So, we launched her dwelling! She joined our family on October third and we took her to the vet for an examination, all of her photos, parasite testing, medication and microchipping. The vet determined she was too youthful to spay, so we’ll make an appointment for that in a few months.

Gigi is a extreme hiker, which is right since Mr. FW and I each hike daily. She goes with us on two hikes per day and I in truth suppose she’d do a third if given the prospect! She loves being inside the woods, doesn’t ideas leaping over logs, isn’t bothered by the chilly (a minimal of, to date), and is totally happy to trot alongside us. We’re thrilled she’s part of our family!

No Halloween Payments?

Nope! The ladies wore costumes I’d gotten at a yard sale over the summer season season and I re-used the an identical decorations we use yearly. We don’t get any trick-or-treaters out proper right here inside the woods, so we don’t get to buy candy for anyone! I bought an unlimited bag of candy the first 12 months we lived proper right here and… zero people confirmed up. I do miss that about our metropolis dwelling–we used to sit down down out entrance with our next-door neighbors H & B, drink beer, chat and hand out candy for hours. We’d run out yearly! Gratifying situations.

At any charge, the MO proper right here is trunk-or-treat and I am so grateful to everyone who launched their automotive to a parking lot, embellished it and handed out candy to children in the midst of the afternoon on a day that wasn’t even exact Halloween. These people are heroes. Thanks for enabling us to trick-or-treat at a time that is not moreover our bedtime. And, I promise Kidwoods was fully happy–that’s merely her “extreme princess” face. As she later outlined, princesses have quite a few duties and resulting from this truth are actually pretty extreme. The additional …

Nevertheless I Did Buy… Mommy & Me Apparel!

In a most ridiculous match of consumerism, I bought matching garments for the women and me. I supplied to get one for Mr. FW nevertheless he demurred. I noticed that, with a soon-to-be 7-year-old, our days of dressing alike is also fleeting! I’ve on a regular basis wished to buy matching garments for us and saved hoping I’d magically come across them at a yard sale or in a hand-me-down pile, nevertheless alas, no. Sensing that my oldest is maybe nearing the brink of not contemplating that’s “the great issue ever,” I seized the second.

Kidwoods chosen our garments from a menu of decisions I pre-screened. She insisted that they be floor-length which is why, certain, we do type of look like a cult. Nevertheless no matter, the women LOVE their garments and mine matches merely fantastic too. We’ve already worn them to church collectively and Kidwoods wears her to highschool recurrently (floor-length gown to 1st grade, anyone?).

There’s A Hole in my Washing Machine…

Public service announcement to anyone looking for a front-loading washer: be sure that the drain pump filter is nicely accessible from the doorway of the machine. That’s important because of this generally is a issue from which you must to extract little one socks, crayons, money, acorns–solely as an illustration.

On our 12-year-old washer, the drain pump filter is NOT accessible from the doorway. So the first time we might have preferred to clean this filter, Mr. FW wanted to disassemble your full machine (which moreover entailed taking down the dryer, which sits on excessive of the washer… ). He vowed that if he ever had to do that as soon as extra, he’d merely scale back a niche inside the entrance of the washer. And remaining month, he made good on that vow. So far, so good. Washer runs merely fantastic and the drain pump filter is now merely accessible for all future incursions. WAY cheaper than looking for a model new washer. Plus, check out our sweet cardboard cowl:

Can I Communicate To You?

Positive! In September I launched Private Reader Case Analysis, which are a chance for individuals to lease me for a full financial session. I’m moreover now offering hourlong video calls. You probably can:

1. Lease me for a private financial session proper right here.
2. Schedule an hourlong identify with me proper right here.

To be taught additional about private one-on-one consultations, study this out.

I Love the Free Money Monitoring Devices from Non-public Capital!

I exploit a free on-line service known as Non-public Capital to arrange our money. It tracks our spending, web worth, investments, retirement, each half.

Understanding the place your money’s at is among the many greatest strategies to get a take care of in your funds. You cannot make educated decisions about your money for those who occur to don’t perceive the way you’re spending it or how quite a bit you could possibly have. Within the occasion you’d choose to know additional about how Non-public Capital works, check out my full write-up.

And never utilizing a holistic picture of your funds, there’s no choice to set monetary financial savings, debt compensation or funding aims. It’s a ought to, of us. Non-public Capital (which is free) is an efficient approach for me to systematize our financial overviews as a result of it hyperlinks all of our accounts collectively and provides a whole picture of our web worth.

Within the occasion you don’t have a powerful idea of the place your money’s at–or the way in which you’re spending it–ponder attempting Non-public Capital (remember: the Non-public Capital hyperlinks are affiliate hyperlinks). 

Credit score Taking part in playing cards: How We Buy Each half

We buy each half we’ll with financial institution playing cards because of:

1. It’s less complicated to hint payments. No guesswork over the place a random $20 bill went; all of it displays up in our month-to-month expense report from Non-public Capital. I moreover spend a lot much less money because of I KNOW I’m going to see every expense listed on the end of the month.
2. We get rewards. Financial institution card rewards are a simple choice to get one factor for nothing. By way of the taking part in playing cards we use, we get cash once more along with resort and airline components for getting stuff we’ve been going to buy anyway.
3. We assemble our credit score rating. Since we don’t have any debt, having a lot of financial institution playing cards open for a couple of years helps our credit score rating scores. It’s a dirty fable that carrying a stability in your financial institution card helps your credit score rating score–IT DOES NOT. Paying your taking part in playing cards off IN FULL every month and preserving them open for a couple of years does help your score.

For additional on my financial institution card method, check out:

Cash Once more Taking part in playing cards to Take into consideration

Within the occasion you’re now cash-back curious, there are a number of taking part in playing cards out there available on the market offering pretty good cash once more percentages. Listed below are a few I consider are an excellent deal:

1) Blue Cash Hottest® Card from American Categorical:

• 6% cash once more at U.S. supermarkets on as a lot as $6,000 per 12 months in purchases (then 1%).
• 6% cash once more on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
• 3% cash once more at U.S. gasoline stations and on transit (along with taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and further).
• 1% cash once more on totally different purchases.
• Earn a $250 assertion credit score rating after you spend $3,000 in purchases in your new Card all through the primary 6 months
• $0 intro annual cost for the first 12 months, then $95. Expenses and prices particulars proper right here.
• Phrases apply

2) Blue Cash Regularly® Card from American Categorical:

• 3% cash once more at U.S. supermarkets (on as a lot as $6,000 per 12 months in purchases, then 1%).
• 3% Cash Once more at U.S. gasoline stations, on as a lot as $6,000 per 12 months, then 1%.
• 1% cash once more on totally different purchases.
• Earn as a lot as $250 – Proper right here’s How: Earn as a lot as $150 once more whilst you retailer with PayPal. Earn 20% once more as a press launch credit score rating on purchases whilst you use your new Card to check out with PayPal at retailers inside the first 6 months of Card Membership, as a lot as $150 once more. Plus, earn $100 once more as a press launch credit score rating after you spend $2,000 in purchases in your new Card inside the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• No annual cost. Expenses and prices particulars proper right here.
• Phrases apply.

3) Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit score rating Card:

• 1.5% cash once more on every purchase, on day by day foundation.
• $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases inside 3 months from account opening.
• No annual cost.

4) Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit score rating Card:

• Limitless 3% cash once more on consuming, leisure, frequent streaming corporations and at grocery retailers (excluding superstores like Walmart and Objective).
• 1% once more on all totally different purchases.
• 8% cash once more on tickets at Vivid Seats by the use of January 2023.
• $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases all through the primary 3 months from account opening.
• No annual cost.

5) Chase Freedom Limitless®:

• Earn a further 1.5% on each half you buy (on as a lot as $20,000 spent inside the first 12 months), which is worth as a lot as $300 cash once more:
• • 6.5% on journey purchased by the use of Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • 4.5% on consuming and drugstores
  • 3% on all totally different purchases.
• After your first 12 months (or $20,000 spent), you earn:
  • 5% cash once more on Chase journey purchased by the use of Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • 3% cash once more on drugstore purchases and consuming at consuming locations, along with takeout and eligible provide service
  • Limitless 1.5% cash once more on all totally different purchases.
• No annual cost.

6) Chase Freedom Flex℠:

• 5% cash once more on as a lot as $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus lessons each quarter you activate.
• New 5% lessons each quarter.
• 5% cash once more on journey purchased by the use of Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 3% cash once more on drugstore purchases and consuming at consuming locations, along with takeout and eligible provide service
• Limitless 1% cash once more on all totally different purchases.
• $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
• No annual cost.

Within the occasion you’re enthusiastic about journey rewards, people love the Chase Sapphire Hottest Card®. You probably can earn 60,000 bonus components after you spend $4,000 on purchases inside the first 3 months from account opening, which is $750 whilst you redeem by the use of Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Massive caveat to financial institution card utilization: you MUST pay your financial institution card funds in full every single month, with no exceptions. Within the occasion you’re concerned about your capability to try this, or suppose using financial institution playing cards may fast you to spend additional, stick with a debit card or cash. Nevertheless when you don’t have any draw back paying that bill in full every month? I wish to suggest you financial institution card away, my pal! (remember: the financial institution card hyperlinks are affiliate hyperlinks).

Cash Once more Earned This Month: $73.43

The silver lining to our spending is our cash once more financial institution card. We earn 2% cash once more on every purchase made with our Fidelity Rewards Visa and, this month, we spent $3,671.37 on that card, which netted us $73.43.

Not some enormous money, but it surely certainly’s money we earned for getting stuff we’ve been going to buy anyway! Because of this I like cash once more financial institution card rewards–they’re the best choice to earn one factor for nothing.

To see how this offers up over the course of a 12 months, check out How I Made $712.59 With My Cash Once more Credit score rating Card.

The place’s Your Money?

One different easy choice to optimize your money is with a high-interest monetary financial savings account. With these accounts, curiosity works in your favor versus the charges of curiosity on debt, which work in direction of you.

Having money in a no or low curiosity monetary financial savings account is a waste of property–your money is sitting there doing nothing. Don’t let your money be lazy! Make or not it’s simply best for you! And now, benefit from some explanatory math:

Let’s say you could possibly have $5,000 in a monetary financial savings account that earns 0% curiosity. In a 12 months’s time, your $5,000 will nonetheless be… $5,000.

Let’s say you instead put that $5,000 into an American Categorical Non-public Monetary financial savings account, which–as of this writing–earns 2.35% in curiosity (affiliate hyperlink). In a single 12 months, your $5,000 could have elevated to $5,118. Which implies you earned $118 just by having your money in a high-interest account.

And likewise you didn’t must do one thing! I’m an unlimited fan of incomes money whereas doing nothing. Is anybody not a fan of that? Apparently so, because of anyone who makes use of a low or no curiosity monetary financial savings account is NOT making a dwelling whereas doing nothing. Don’t be that particular person. Be the one which earns money whereas sleeping.

Positive, We Solely Paid $28.24 for Cell Phone Service (for two telephones)

Our mobile phone service line merchandise is not a typ0 (although that positively is). We really and actually solely paid $28.24 for every of our telephones (that’s $14.12 per particular person for these of you into division). How is such trickery attainable?!? We use an MVNO!

What’s an MVNO?

Glad you requested because of I was going to tell you anyway: It’s a mobile phone service re-seller.

MVNOs are the TJ Maxx of the mobile phone service world–the an identical service, A LOT cheaper. Within the occasion you’re not using an MVNO, switching to no less than one is an easy, slam-dunk, do-it-right-away means to save lots of money every single month of every single 12 months with out finish and ever amen.

Listed below are a two MVNOs to consider:

For additional, I’ve a full chart of suppliers and their prices proper right here: How one can Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill with an MVNO: I Pay $12 a Month*

*the amount we pay fluctuates every month because of it’s calibrated on what we use. Take into consideration that! We solely pay for what we use! Will wonders ever cease. These MVNO hyperlinks are affiliate hyperlinks.

Expense Report FAQs

Want to know how we deal with the rest of our money? Check out How We Deal with Our Money: Behind The Scenes of The Frugalwoods Family Accounts

• Don’t you could possibly have a rental property? Positive! We private a rental property (additionally known as our first dwelling) in Cambridge, MA, which I discuss proper right here and further not too way back, proper right here too.
• Why do I share our payments? To current you a approach of how we spend our money in a values-based methodology. Your spending will differ from ours and there’s no “one correct means” to spend and no “glorious” funds.
• Are we primarily probably the most frugal frugal people on earth? Fully not! My hope is that by being clear about our spending, you may obtain insights into your particular person spending and be impressed to take proactive administration of your money.
• Questioning the place to begin out with managing your money? Take my free, 31-day Uber Frugal Month Downside.
• Within the occasion you’re enthusiastic about totally different points I like, check out Frugalwoods Recommends.
• Why don’t you buy each half regionally? We do our biggest to help our space individuals and buy as a whole lot of our meals as attainable straight from our farmer neighbors. Our metropolis doesn’t have any retailers, so we rely on on-line ordering and big subject retailers for necessities. The closest retailers are 45 minutes away and we go a few situations a month to high off on what we’ll’t get from our neighbors or on-line.

Nevertheless Mrs. Frugalwoods, Don’t You Pay For X, Y, Or Even Z???

Questioning about widespread payments you don’t see listed beneath?

Within the occasion you’re questioning about something, be at liberty to ask inside the suggestions half!

Alright you frugal money voyeurs, feast your eyes on every dollar we spent in October:

How was your October?