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Post by phoenixcat on Jan 5, 2015 13:06:38 GMT -5
everyone!! Hope the meds help you soon Andrea!! So weakening when you can't eat properly. Thanks for all the kudos Roadrunner!! Our power went out last night and I could find the flashlights because I had just put them away!! So, a little reward for my work yesterday - Today, hope to work on the boxes in the guest bedrooms. Having a visitor this coming weekend so need to get one room ready. Plus that room will be temporary storage for my master closet boxes while they install the new closet this week. So, will be nice to unpack into the new closet from the clean guest bedroom! Good luck everyone today! PC
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Post by dairy2mama on Jan 5, 2015 19:15:23 GMT -5
I need some motivation during the winter. The days are cold, gray, and unmotivating. Motivator: I want to accomplish much this winter so I can garden this spring and summer. Thank you for starting this thread. There is an understanding that my mom and dad are not well and my in-laws are also not doing great. Right now all is calm on both fronts. I want to be successful so I am starting out with rather small goals. In No Order Goals for January and February **Maintain what is clean!** 1/14 -Update bill paying book for 2015 1/27 -Get taxes done -Declutter/clean/put away 2 kitchen shelves or drawers a week
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Post by dtesposito on Jan 5, 2015 21:04:42 GMT -5
Hi D2M, glad to see you here!
Phoenixcat, you're having a closet installed? Are you adding on to the house or taking away space from another room?
Well, I still don't have copies to send in for my birth certificate, but someone told me that the grocery store I go to has a copy machine--I've never seen it, but I've never needed it, so I could very well have passed it by and not noticed. The store is several blocks away though, and I don't need groceries, but I might try to walk there tomorrow since it's going to be warmer tomorrow than the day after.
However, I looked at the other sites again, and I don't know how to get around the fact that you need an ID to get a social security card, but you need a social security card to get an ID. I know I can't be the only person to have ever lost all their documentation, but there is no information on what else I can do--I don't have any of the required alternate documents. So frustrating! And all caused by my procrastination in not renewing my state ID before it expired.
Diane
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Post by sparkle on Jan 5, 2015 23:04:30 GMT -5
Does your expired ID have a picture/signature? Do you know your social security number? (I understand that you may not have memorized it.) Perhaps you could take these in person to the social security office and get them to sort out how to get a replacement card. I'm sure they'll see your dilemma. Of course, they may not have an office where you live.
I've been too busy with pressing in-town errands and appointments to work on my will yet. Research over, though, and I've decided to do it online with Suze Orman, let her lead me through it. Then I'll do the directive and POA and later in the year the trust. All the essential documents are part of the package. Three out of four and I'll be satisfied with myself.
Thinking out loud ...THIS IS SO HARD! I need to look at it as a learning experience, though. And be brave.
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Post by dtesposito on Jan 5, 2015 23:25:38 GMT -5
Hi Sparkle, I have my expired ID, but all the sites specify that documents must be "current". I do know my social security number, but on the SS site, it gives examples of things that can NOT be used to get a new card, and one of the things is a Social Security report--which I assume is that letter that they used to send out telling you how much you've paid in (or how much your benefit would be if you retired whenever..). If they won't take that, they definitely won't take just the SS#.
There's a SS Administration office I could get to on public transportation, but I hate to go all the way there and have them say they can't help. I tried sending them an email with a question, and they sent back a response that was the entire section from their website about how to get a card. They did not respond to my question at all.
On the other hand, the state ID site did respond to my question in one day, and although they didn't specifically answer my question, when I sent another email asking for clarification, they returned that one within 2 hours and did clarify. So that was good--too bad what they told me was that I DID need my actual social security card to apply for the ID. And I can't get the SS card without the ID! So I don't get it. As I keep saying, I can't be the only person in history who has let their ID card expire, AND can't locate their SS card. So if that happens, you can never get another ID card?
Oh well, I'll work on the birth certificate in the meantime. Even though a birth certificate is another thing on the list of things NOT accepted for a replacement SS card.
Diane
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Post by andrea on Jan 6, 2015 0:43:33 GMT -5
I got very little other than basic maintenance done around the house today since I went and picked up friend and brought her back to this area which took over 9 hours. I was able to scrub my wall, put down the drop cloth and tape up the baseboard once I got home. After my appointment tomorrow I am hoping that I will be able to get the 2 walls that are prepared painted.
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Post by larataylor on Jan 6, 2015 4:56:19 GMT -5
Regarding one of my goals … to document our bills and expenses so I don't feel like I'm riding a roller coaster in the dark … I talked to DH about it. He said (in his grumpy way) Well, you can do whatever you want, but I don't need another thing to do.
We don't have a checkbook anymore. I'm not sure why. I used to be able to get information from the checkbook. But he told me that he pays most of the bills online, and a few with money orders. So I really need to catch all the bills as they come in the mail, and record them somewhere.
As we headed out to shop for food, he asked if we could ease up on our poverty diet and get what he calls "some real food." I said I don't want to ease up on eating as cheaply as possible until we have at least a month's worth of money in reserve. He said, Well, we have that. I asked if he even knew how much we needed for a month … he doesn't. He has a vague idea. So I suggested that it would be good to have a more definite idea, and then we'll know if we actually have that in reserve.
I also floated the idea of him giving me a week's worth of food money weekly, so I can shop all at once and be more thrifty. The information I've been gathering for the last three months helped a lot. Our average grocery spending is $511/month. It would be great to get at least $100 a week, all at once. He seemed amenable to this. I don't know if he'll have it to give me, though.
So that was a decent conversation, and I hope I can do this without too much resistance from him.
Another goal: working on Kickstarter project. I've updated it after the six-month delay that I did not expect. I changed all the dates. I want a better picture of myself. He sent me one from his computer that's not great, but I guess it will do. So I could actually launch that tomorrow.
Time to try sleeping again. My first attempt failed.
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Post by RoadRunner on Jan 6, 2015 6:47:51 GMT -5
Yesterday I managed to pull off all routine stuff including decluttering 2 drawers in Master Bedroom. Decluttering two small drawers in kitchen. Put away 10 of DDs clothing items. Worked 15 min in DSs bedroom decluttered top bunk. Handled 10 receipts for taxes. Finished paperwork for lab work. Dishwasher X 2. Took amnesty on washing a load as there was only 1.5 loads that were dirty. Folded a load of Whites and put away. 15 min Tidied -- mainly in the bathroom. I did not work on scarf last night.
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Post by dtesposito on Jan 6, 2015 9:59:57 GMT -5
he pays most of the bills online
Lara, if he's paying the bills online, that means they're coming out of the checking account, and all you have to do is log onto the checking account on the bank site to see all the payments and withdrawals. He will have to give you the password, of course. Please don't tell me that he doesn't want you to have access to that information--that would not be good.
I swore I would never do online banking, but I pay my utilities and charge card online now and it's so easy that I've become a convert. You can also see at any given moment exactly how much money is in the account, which I think would be very valuable to you.
Diane
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Post by ohblondie on Jan 6, 2015 11:17:40 GMT -5
dtesposito I ran into this problem. I got married 26 years ago and submitted the paperwork to change my name on my SS card. I never realized that it never got done until after 9/11 when the federal government started verifying ALL SS#'s against drivers licenses etc...... I could not renew my drivers license until I got the SS card fixed. I could not fix the SS card without the license (which had expired during this process) I grabbed all of the documents I could put my hands on (birth certificate, marriage certificate, expired license, SS card with married name) as well as utility bills and credit cards in my name. Everything I could find. I went into the local SS office and explained what the situtation was and the bind I was in. She talked to a supervisor and they did some kind of magic and I got a new card with my correct name. I am wondering if a face to face in the office would help. I think you can schedule an appt. Good luck with this!! larataylor Good Luck with this! SOunds like you have a plan to get it all under control. I would love to go on a frugal diet to get some savings in place - I know hubby would be LESS than cooperative. or his health (diabetes heart issues) I am trying ti implement a healthy diet (chicken fish etc) He is even squawking at that..If I serve chicken one more time I think he will show me the door...I told him last night if he wants steak he is on his own. I love online banking and bill pay. Saves me time and money. I am not bouncing checks. I can track our expenses and create a realistic budget and I am always trying to figure out strategies to make two payments a month to pay stuff off faster. I dont have to pay bills early to allow for mail time either.
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Post by larataylor on Jan 6, 2015 11:32:36 GMT -5
I love online banking and bill pay. Saves me time and money. I am not bouncing checks. I can track our expenses and create a realistic budget and I am always trying to figure out strategies to make two payments a month to pay stuff off faster. I dont have to pay bills early to allow for mail time either. I like doing stuff online, too. I used to hate balancing the checkbook, and let it go for about two years long ago before online banking came along. I thought I was heaven when I could check and see how much money I really had in the bank before writing a check! I used to have a lot of bills paid by the credit card … I liked that a lot … I could just pay the credit card bill. But now we have no credit card.
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Post by thedreadedknock on Jan 6, 2015 14:23:03 GMT -5
dtesposito I'm actually in the same boat. No ss card, expired id, and expired chl. I have a short birth cert and marriage license. But I just haven't bothered with renewing it for years. I really should. Just can't afford the fees that go with late renewal at the moment. Good luck larataylor with your budgeting. Dh and I are both awful at it. We get into alot of trouble that way. My kitchen is coming along slowly. All the trash is off the floor and counter tops. I'm starting on getting everything else off of the counters now. Then I'll get 2 big boxes off the floor. They block the pantry door from closing and are a nuisance to work around. Hope to get those 2 things done this week.
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Post by cyn on Jan 6, 2015 17:15:48 GMT -5
Lara, if your DH doesn't want to give you a decent amount of money to work with, explain to him that he's the reason you can't afford "real food" because if you could go into a store with $200 and buy everything on sale, it would be like having twice as much money to spend. (depending on the price reductions) Why *not* eat steak, if it's the same price as canned pasta? We eat very well, but only because we can buy things on sale. Even our ketchup is half price - DH can only eat Heinz, rotfl. I haven't gone food shopping yet this year, because of all the turkey leftovers, and the food we had on hand already.
I'm a little closer to my goal, in this challenge. I moved my still-in-the-box shredder (that I bought last spring) into my bedroom, to begin the paper purge. I've got a long way to go, but I took the first step, yay.
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Post by andrea on Jan 6, 2015 22:01:08 GMT -5
Today was a somewhat busy day for me with being out all morning at appointments and then this evening being out again but was able to get 2 coats of paint one 1 full wall and then 1 small wall area and above my door but am going to need more paint I believe. I seriously love the color but had younger ds helping and he kinda splattered paint on the ceiling and on the baseboard so I am going to need to paint both of those plus my door. Tomorrow I will probably not get anything done since I have to go get my CAT scan, blood work then my injection which has me concerned but I am also looking forward to it.
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Post by dtesposito on Jan 6, 2015 22:25:09 GMT -5
Andrea, you're amazing, to get so much done even though you don't feel 100%. I hope your medical appointments go well tomorrow.
I did about a half hour of book work today, the only thing I did towards my goals. I feel stuck with the blinds goal since I can't decide if I should go for buying new ones--and that would have to wait until I got a ride somewhere. I'm also stuck on my documents quest because I need photocopies but don't want to walk a couple of miles to get them since it's so cold this week. I could be working on the other document goals--will, deed.
But for now I should concentrate on the books since that's something I can do right now--the only thing holding me back from that one is ME!
Diane
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