Fall is coming quickly

As always July feels luxuriously  long and full of promise and potential. As soon as the August long weekend is over, it feels like summer is over.  Nature was quick to support this theory tonight.

I've been gifting myself with lots of walks lately. It is almost as though I want to squeeze in as much fresh air and sunshine before work starts again and winter is upon us. There is something very 'rich' about having time to walk.

I made my way down to the campground where DS works. We had just been here not long ago for a picnic for supper and it felt..........like summer.

As I rounded a corner, what I saw brought me to a dead stop.

Leaves.

Yellow leaves.

Already fallen.

Laying on the ground.

I do love fall but not this soon.

Rejigging the main budget

In the waning days of summer I have been going over my budget to see if any adjustments need to be made before school starts up and I don't have time to think rationally.

My satellite bill has gone up another $3 (Shaw) and I needed to add to that budget line. It is now $91 a month for a Gold package. Gold is a couple up from the basic and a few down from the ultimate package.  We really do not have a stable wireless line to benefit from streaming online. It just cuts in and out far too much. It's a bill I swallow as we don't go out a lot for entertainment, go to concerts etc. I have been tracking it since 2008 and it was $72.08 then.  So $20 increase in 5 years.

I got DS1 Netflix Canada after he graduated.  I figure the $8 a month is better than us running to the video store and risking late returns. I do have to say that Netflix Canada is ridiculously limited when compared to the US version. What's up with that Netflix????

I would really like to get rid of our landline and its $90 monthly bill. DH is dead against it. Vehemently. The only calls we really get on there are from my mom, telemarketers and some scouting phone calls.

I have noticed that my budget falls into two main categories: things for basic living now, and planning for future expenses.   I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that I am probably never going to get out of this too small of a house. Do we really want to take on a whopping mortgage at this stage of our lives to get me a kitchen/dining area where people actually can eat?    sigh. probably not.   But there are a lot of things in this house that need updating, or retouching. I don't even want to bring up the living room walls that have been totally bare now for the FIVE years since I painted it all. DH flips out everytime I suggest hanging things up to make the room feel complete.  Our basement windows are 50 years old I think, and hardly energy efficient and the casings are warping.  Just a lot of things to do.

So.....I have taken $200 out of the 'plan for the distant future' budget and moved it to what I call home improvement. I can either use that $200 a month to work at slowly replacing things or save it towards a bigger priced item ( like the windows).  Maybe the knowledge that there is money monthly will put some sparkle in what has become 'same old same old/nothing changes'.

It's worth a try. If it falls apart I will morph it back into the main budget line.

Other than that, right now, there isn't much in the main budget that needs to be changed for the foreseeable future.

Now to come up with a list of  quick fix items and bigger cost items for the home improvements so I can start to envision what this can /can't do.

Do you have a spot in your budget for things like repairing windows/floors, replacing pieces of furniture, etc?

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Update:  My vehicle basic insurance (Plates) statement came in today. While it went UP $10 last year to just under $97, it looks like it went down $3 this year to just under $94. That should balance out the increase to Shaw LOL

RRSP Update

At my last update I had $6174 in my portfolio, divided between NEI Canadian Bonds and NEI Ethical Dividends.

Today I received my latest update and see that I am down about $60.

My balance today stands at $6 110.79

It looks like the Bonds are the culprit as they are sitting with a net loss this update.

I need to get started saving for my RRSP 2013 goal. An additional $1500 would put me $7600. I look forward to see it at $10 000 and higher. I need to make some changes if I wish that to happen sooner, rather than later.

Book Suggestion needed

There is an episode on Friends where Joey laments about not having enough time to be alone with his thoughts. After finding time, he sums it up with "I figured I'd have, like, time alone with my thoughts, but, you know, it turns out I don't have as many thoughts as you'd think"


I am heading towards empty nest. Technically, DS1 should be gone as he is graduated, but he will be around potentially for the next 2 years if he stays with this team. He doesn't want a whole lot to do with me and he is not making some very responsible choices.  DS2 has been, and will be gone, most of the summer for his camps.  DH is working and, let's face it, he and I don't have a whole lot in common anymore.

I've hit that phase of my life where I am kind of alone and...........I don't like it. It reminds me that I don't have a lot in the definition of Jolie, that isn't wrapped up in  terms of 'I am a teacher" or "I am a mother".

My parents are closer to the ends of their lives and health issues are starting.

I am 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through my life on earth.

This isn't a poor me post. I do recognize, however, that I need to start finding happiness and satisfaction in being me...or figuring out who I am...or..... redefining me.

I have been very sad this summer and actually, throughout the winter/spring as well.

So.............on that bright and sunshiny note :-),  I am looking for book suggestions that may help me figure a few things out. I am not really looking for one with a religious tone to it as though are so personal and what fits  you may not fit me.

I have scoured online and there are a boat load of books out there and its hard to weed through what is going to be helpful and what may not. (yes I recognize the irony of asking for help finding a self help book lol)

So I turn it over to you..................any suggestions from blogland????

Where the money stands

as of August 6th

Debts
Mortgage - $27 038.78

Total Debt - $27 038.78

Savings/Planned Spending
TFSA/EF - $2062
(set aside waiting for full $1000 to formally add to TFSA - $600)
RESP - $14 550
RRSP - $6100
Plates - $1200
Summer - $0 - I have withdrawn this money and used a chunk of it for our long weekend at the lake. The rest has plans, thus the $0 ranking.
Back to School - $1200 (finally! I felt like I was so far behind getting this money ready)

So the RESP previously was 14 050. I had thought it should be $200 more as that is what is added each month. It stayed on that $14 050 forever. When I checked it today for the new month is was $400 more.  I guess that makes my two months worth.

Next goal - Xmas 2013 of $1400