We are packing away Christmas decorations today, so I snapped a couple of pics of our nativity sets. We have the Little People set, which my teens still set out every year. We have the Calico Kitten nativity. I received the two main pieces as a gift many years ago, and I have added to it as I found pieces on ebay and at garage sales. I found the creche in the toy aisle at Goodwill last year. I am still on the hunt for the shepherd cat in my budget. We also have one my mom bought me years ago at an after-Christmas sale. I like the sweet faces on this one.

I am so sorry, @Soror, about the trip to the doctor. Hope you feel better soon! I hope you hear from the loan officer soon, @mommyoffive. I got the dreaded annual letter from the mobile home park, our lot rent is increasing in April. The increase isn't horrid, but it's still enough to sting. DH and I talked about 2021 financial goals last night while watching Escape to the Chateau. We want to chuck everything and buy a derelict chateau in the countryside of France haha. After we decided that that dream is not appropriate for two people who hate home repairs, we decided on some better goals for us. 1) DH and I really want to move South, but with middle DD's heat intolerance and us being MIL's only family close, we're here for the time being. So, our goal for that is about 5 years. 2) Fund a medical sinking fund. We use a FSA, but we overrun that every year. 3) I plan on making some cash this year. Probably just retail while I decide what I want to train/retrain in. Maybe McD's since they have tuition reimbursement and they're within walking distance to my house? Not that I know what I want to do, but it's time to figure it out as youngest DD is an 8th grader. Today was the 5th payday this month, which is always a nice bonus. Finished off the pet fund to get the cats their shots in January. Paid three months of auto insurance - wish they discounted it again this semi-annual bill. Paid tuition for 2nd semester of an online class. Going to make a grocery list today. I'll be taking DD to Alabama on Sunday/Monday, so I need some groceries for that as well as for when I come back and am isolating and DH/the kids are cooking. I have to run to the library to get an audiobook today for the drive.

My mother's package arrived yesterday - I mailed it on the 10th. We still have one package outstanding, but it's coming internationally, so I don't know if it's Italy or the US slowing it down.

My dad was a die-hard Democrat, and he worked as an assembler in an auto factory for 40 years. He had a high school diploma, and he never lived in a city bigger than 20,000. I always kinda snicker at the "coastal elite Democrat" stereotype. In my family, it's the blue collar men & women who live in rural & suburban communities who lean Democrat. The Republican party was for the rich banker types according to them.

Nice to meet you, Chemical Odor Burning Eyes. That's an interesting name to join with to comment on a 10 year old thread.

Question for anyone who uses Crowdtap: Can I print out and save the Amazon gift card I just redeemed? I am thinking this would be a good base for my Christmas fund, but I don't know if I can keep them that long. If I put it into Amazon's page, it will get used up on Subscribe and Save long before Christmas rolls around.

We don't have a backsplash - it's just painted wallboard. I may get a pack to see what they look like in person. I saw the classic white subway tile in the link. Edit: I'm putting this on my house list. Not ready to make the commitment yet (even at $1.00 per). Paying off the hospital before anything else.

Don't know if anyone needs pj's for themselves: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MD3KYF2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?linkCode=sl1&tag=hcw06-20&linkId=8c54a8188b20d41e224025dd51ad8894&language=en_US&fbclid=IwAR0D9TYH3INjHl68z1W8VUDbz7Cn5Mnkpc8H431F_yt--a6IKtAMjV0ZTmM&th=1 Code: GCELGPIK gets them down to about $18/$19

For my wedding, we used a ring from my great-grandmother. It was a glass stone (looked like a ruby). For my replacement ring (because I did not want to resize the heirloom, I ordered a lab-created diamond. I don't wear either now though.

We have hit on a working medication combination for a DD. She's doing better physically and mentally due to it. One DD graduated high school & got her Associate's degree and started at a 4 year college. DH completed an Associates degree this year as well. My family has been spared any serious medical or financial issues due to COVID. Lots of family time.

Normally, we say covid. Also, the virus or coronavirus. We do use the 'Rona with each other in the family (I have teens). For example, when someone coughs, they will take 2 steps back and say, "You got the 'Rona?" Occasionally, they say, "Plague! Plague! Quarantine!" in a movie-style old crone voice. "Crona Birus" is adorable, @Elizabeth86!

DD is a chronic fainter. It is better with some meds. However, she fainted daily for a few months before we found the med combo that worked.

This is what DD18's doctor told her. Find something you love to do, add in weight training, and do it consistently.

My 18 yo DD's doctor discussed it with her just last week. DD is having joint popping out of place problems. Her knuckles are moving around. She will probably be tested over the summer. We've suspected for a while several of us have EDS (me, brother, mother, 2 of my DD's), but we haven't had a doctor say anything more than that was interesting. Younger DD has POTS, which is a common co-morbidity with EDS.

DD1 & DD2 probably will not be in college together - they're both freshmen now. But DD2 & DD3 are only 16ish months apart. So, yeah, that part is stupid. Double college costs is a lot to weather.

It doesn't look like it changes much in actual Financial Aid, but it does make it easier to do. So, I'm all for that. Reading through the article closer, here's my summary: Changing the name of Estimated Family Contribution is a good thing. I remember my naive little self back when oldest was about 10 years old, running the calculator and it coming out with $2000 EFC. Huh, I could do that, no problem. 8 years later, our EFC is close to what it was then, and DD's community college wasn't that cheap; UAH sure isn't. Easier to get independent status for students is also a good thing - now if student cannot locate parents or it would be harmful (such as drug dealing parents/etc), they can get independent status. They sheltered more income (allowed people to have more income to live on instead of it being eligible to give to the college). Unfortunately, it looks like multiple kids in college is treated differently and students will not get as much aid as before for being 2nd or 3rd kid in college at one time. Not sure about the Pell Grant changes. DD gets one (not the max, but a hefty one); I can't understand if it will lower or raise hers. But it is now available for incarcerated/felons; that's nice rehabilitation.

Yay!

Oooh, thanks for this thread. I was planning to do this during my isolation time after taking DD18 back to college. Our paperwork is in the room I'll be hanging out in, so I plan on organizing it. We have most of it, but if I died, DH would be lost.

Now that I know what the relief check amout is, I think I have a plan. It'll pay off the furnace, the dentist, and make a dent in the hospital bill. Money that was going to the furnace is similar to what we pay for prescriptions, so I'm allocating it to the prescriptions now. I shouldn't need to use credit for those anymore. DH and I got some cash for Christmas; most of it is going to the hospital - DH did buy a new phone since his is ancient. Youngest DD will probably inherit his old one around her birthday - she'll be 14. I bought an egg bite pan for the Instant Pot and dollhouse wallpaper for my dollhouse I've been working on, and put the rest toward the hospital bill. I knew the dorm fridge was too good to be true (Amazon has the same fridge for $200). Got an email from the seller through Walmart's website that it is out of stock. It said that they may be able to substitute. Well, we'd love one at that price without the pin up girl, so I emailed about accepting a "similar sized fridge even without the decal". We'll see what they find. Otherwise, we'll get a refund and we're back on the hunt. Our CC does not have the discount for employees/kids. That would be an awesome idea if yours does. NIU is about 45 mins/1 hour away, which is a little far for driving in the snow through the corn fields (I did it for a year and a half in my early 20s and ditched my car 2x in snow banks). Some tuition freebies in my area: if my kids were in public school, our school district pays for dual enrollment. The city next to us now has free tuition for their B average public school graduates at NIU. U of I has free tuition for lower middle income and below. DD did not get into U of I, however, because they are like #5 in the country for computer science. Too bad she didn't want to study something else. DH's work paid 100% for his AAS that he just finished. We're paying for DD's college through a Pell Grant, a merit scholarship from the school, grandparent 529, parent 529, and cash flowing books and travel expenses. DD started dual enrollment as a freshman, and we cash flowed the first 3 semesters when she attended part time. Then, when she went full time as a junior, we cash flowed books and used 529 money for tuition. It's a hodge podge, but it's working so far.

No advice, but hugs to you.

I know, right? It's a whole line of "garage fridges".

I think this is why my MIL was so upset with our socially distanced Christmas. Her church family does not mask believing it to be a matter of faith. So she is getting that story and seeing those pictures and then we don't sit right next to her and don't hug her.

College DD wanted a dorm sized fridge since her suitemates fuss over the food in the shared fridge (apparently there was a whole thing about expired milk). I've been watching FB Marketplace. DH was also looking, but he was focusing on new. He found a new one on Walmart for less than I was seeing used. So he bought it - we do have to purchase several stickers since it has a pin-up girl on the front 🤣. DD went for it since it was less than $20, and she gets to customize it now. It may even come before she goes back for second semester, but if not, she'll have it for Soph year.

Same. I so want to be generous, but we are always pinching pennies come Christmas time. I think my New Year's Resolution is actually funding a Christmas gift fund. My brother is a fantastic, thoughtful gift giver, and it is his love language to give and receive gifts. I am a naturally crappy, usually broke gift giver. His birthday is on Christmas day as well, so he gets shorted because of that from a lot of people as well. I'm always scrambling to figure out a reasonably priced, wonderful gift (two actually) come November/December! It's one of my biggest holiday stresses. Fortunately, DH and I have curated our holiday/birthday giving to our parents, our own kids, my brother, and one neighbor. We stopped exchanging with nieces and nephews although DH's brother & wife still get my kids a gift every year. All but one of my nieces and nephews are adults now, and the one who is a teen has a mom who periodically "disowns" the family, so I don't feel too much pressure although sometimes I still feel bad.

Decide what I want to do with my life hahaha! But seriously, decide what I want to do with my life. My goal was always to retrain or recertify when my youngest reached high school, so I could reenter the work force when she graduates. Well, she'll be a freshman next fall, and I have no idea what I want to do.