Debts

Mortgage −$116,073.64 (-$240.46)
Land Loan -$11,045.12 (-$180.79)

Savings

Roth IRAs +$21,997 (+$1,324)
401K +$43,968 (+$2,950)
Emergency Fund +$7,276 (-$817)
Maternity Fund +$500 (-500)
Animal Fund +$1,682 (+$3)
Car Fund +$20 (-$0)
HSA +$1,015 (-$473)

Overall: +$2,908.25

It's been a rough month for our household but the best the market has done in a long time! We paid around $1,300 for our new 500' main water line and hydrant.

I purchased nearly all our Christmas presents and my husband's and daughter's birthday presents for later in the year. Only two more things to purchase! I love buying everything early. It takes some of the stress off and I make sure to capitalize on sales. I spent a little more than I wanted to. I stayed mostly in budget for the gifts but with kids old enough to be excited we felt like we needed to replace a few things. We got a new tree, some new lights, plus a few small decorations and little things like a gingerbread house kit and pjs for the kids. Our tree and such were what we have been using for a decade and it was free/used when we got it. So it was time to replace.

I had to put to sleep one of my pets this month. ☹ I had him for almost 20 years and I am heart broken. On the budget side of things his geriatric care and food were costing $100+ a month so that should free up some extra cash flow to catch our overflowing expenses.

My human kid had more diagnostic testing for a chronic problem and also an unexpected hospital stay. So yay… more medical bills. At least it fell before the deductible starts over I guess. Thankful she is doing better-ish, still working on a long term solution.

Hoping we are about done with the spending because we have been bleeding money this month, along with high stress and busy schedules. My house is a wreck, I’m mentally and physically exhausted. I had my yearly doctor appointment and they said I’m constantly sick because I am chronically tired and stressed. Not much I can really do about it since most is out of my control but I sure hope life winds down a bit soon. I’m ready to have a peaceful and relaxing Christmas season. 

Debts

Mortgage −$116,314.10 (-$239.89)
Land Loan -$11,225.91 (-$185.66)

Savings

Roth IRAs +$20,673 (+$134)
401K +$41,018 (+$457)
Emergency Fund +$8,093 (-$32)
Maternity Fund +$1,000 (-500)
Animal Fund +$1,679 (+$1)
Car Fund +$20 (-$0)
HSA +$1,488 (+$358)

Overall: +$843.55

Markets are slightly up which is better than the typical sharp decline. Still pulling some from our buffer / EF, and we just completed a large outdoor project (replacing the main water line) so who knows what that bill will be but it will come out of the EF. The EF includes our saved amount for home projects as well but I leave it and label it as EF until it's used just to keep the numbers more simple.

I am thankful to have another project done especially before the cold weather sets in. I am thankful to not have another year of worrying about water lines freezing and breaking again, and I also added an outside hydrant which will improve my quality of life greatly. I've been carrying buckets of water from the bathtub for ten years all winter to water all my farm animals because my current house spigot freezes.

Still need to run gutter drainage lines and put in a new septic but that is looking like it’s going to be put off until next year again. Which is fine with me, gives us longer to save.

Just got our yard regraded a month or so ago and now it’s a disaster with the 500’ water line that was dug up and installed. Sigh. They are going to come back and regrade again in a week or so. Wish the projects would have coincided a little better but it is what it is.

Still having pretty consistent medical bills. Our medical costs are crazy crazy high. Me with my chronic health issues and both kids have been sick pretty much nonstop all year. We have been averaging over $12,000 a year out of pocket including our premiums for the past 4 years. American healthcare sucks. That is 20% of our gross income.

I have several friends who make around what we do and all have free healthcare and food stamps due to taking cash jobs and not reporting all their income so they quailify and/or having more kids. Kind of sucks that since we follow the rules and pay our taxes we have to lose 20% to medical every year plus our taxes. Bad system that is easy to scam.