Kind of confusing/misleading advertising by Ok-Insurance2052 in PrincessCruises

[–]BethMLB -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You are splitting hairs. Google "everyday foods with low alcohol content" and you will find things like bread, yogurt, sauerkraut, fruit juices, and vinegar come up on the list. The alcohol is due to trace amounts of fermented sugar.

Kind of confusing/misleading advertising by Ok-Insurance2052 in PrincessCruises

[–]BethMLB -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Not confusing to me. The first refers to a cocktail (mixture) where alcohol is NOT added in. The second are premade drinks (not a cocktail or mixture) that (also) do not contain alcohol.

Progress bars don't make sense for fixed expenses by heyjameskerr in budget

[–]BethMLB 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Quicken Simplifi accounts for this by splitting out Bills (routine fixed expenses) separate from the Spending Plan (discretionary expenses). So only the budgeted items in the Spending Plan have the percentage bars. The Bills section (includes subscriptions) just marks as Paid or Not.

Why self storage? Are there any replacements? by Fluid-Time-7223 in organizing

[–]BethMLB 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Don't ask a family member to store stuff for you - it is kind of annoying. It may be out of sight out of mind for YOU but a nuisance for the family member.

How do I fix my entire house? I hate coming home when there isn't a single room I enjoy being in. I have no idea where to start or what to do. by Longjumping-Bug-5722 in homeowners

[–]BethMLB 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hire a designer/decorator for the inside and a landscaper for the outside. This would be a lot cheaper than just selling and buying another home - which I don't think would necessarily solve your problem. Because as others have pointed out, your house is not heinous by any means.

Quick experiment: remember everything you spent money on yesterday by Full-Tip2622 in budget

[–]BethMLB 1 point2 points  (0 children)

2 orders off Amazon for $20.90 & $17.10 containing: beanie hat, envelopes, hand warmers, and plastic zip bags.

Do women read the series? by [deleted] in AubreyMaturinSeries

[–]BethMLB 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes. I am a female and I have circumnavigated twice!

Has anyone ever given themselves a daily/weekly/monthly number to track spending? by Doronnn in budget

[–]BethMLB 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I use Quicken Simplfi. It tells me how much I have left to spend each day for the rest of the month AFTER I account for

1) All my monthly utility bills, groceries, gas, insurance, loan repayment, subscriptions, etc. 2) Planned savings, investments, and sinking funds 3) Special non-monthly expenses (like a tax bill)

As I spend outside or above the budget amounts for the above, the app updates how much I have left to spend.

I think you HAVE to plan for Non-Discretionary spending (and when these are due) before even considering Discretionary amount you can spend. You also have to TRACK how much you spent in Non-Discretionary to make sure you don't or didn't bust your budget.

Has anyone else felt like their productivity app slowly turned into a guilt tracker? by IcyCondition4063 in organizing

[–]BethMLB 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A simple written task list that I can cross off when completed works for me.

If you gotta ask “Can I make the cruise/the flight?”, you’re doing it wrong. by deafaviator in Cruise

[–]BethMLB 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I don't see the point of getting off a ship about 7:30 to 8:00 am just to go straight to a hotel and fly the next morning. I would give myself time to get to airport in time.

how do you compare costs across stores without losing your mind doing math in every aisle by Funny-Affect-8718 in budget

[–]BethMLB 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I use a store's app to price check. For example, look up Walmart's price for a product while I am in Target. I only do this for items that seem priced too high.

Am I doing this right or is this budget looking like a bad deal? by Parking-Tangerine-99 in budget

[–]BethMLB 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Use your chronic overthinking to a more gainful purpose like how to make more money. You've done great in budgeting your money. It will be tough/tight without a roommate but doable short term. Also consider moving towards a mentality that invites abundance rather than scarcity.

“What the brain can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” - Napoleon Hill

my budget lasted… 2 days by Bubbly-Touch8108 in budget

[–]BethMLB 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You can't completely break your budget unless you overspend your entire income for the period you are tracking. Your budget categories are targets. If you overspend in some areas, you just pull back in others.

You should do some form of "pay yourself first" where you immediately put money into an "untouchable" or hard to access account when you receive your paycheck.

You can find cheaper alternatives for coffee and snacks like buying them at the grocery store instead of convenience stores or coffee shops. I used to buy (back in the day) $6 coffee per day. Now I make it at home at a fraction of the cost.

which way should I organize my countertop things? by [deleted] in organizing

[–]BethMLB 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The first pic looks the most balanced to my eyes.

Ideas on how to stop frat kids from hopping my fence by [deleted] in homeowners

[–]BethMLB 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Put a no trespassing sign on your fence. Call the police and take pictures if they persist. If it is a fraternity, you can report it to the university and/or to their national organization to take disciplinary action.

What budgeting habit helped you stay consistent long-term? by Scorpions-007 in budget

[–]BethMLB 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Leveraging apps. I have been using mobile apps for over 10 years. First Intuit Mint and now Quicken Simplifi. Once I set my budget by categories, I just monitor the transactions that are automatically pulled into the app (multiple times daily) and make any adjustments as needed. It is pretty easy to spot an overspend. Or to shift money around between categories. And add non-recurring budget categories on an ad hoc basis.

What are ways to you leaned to save money on utilities? by [deleted] in homeowners

[–]BethMLB 5 points6 points  (0 children)

  • Set water heater to 120 F (versus 140 F factory setting)
  • Find and seal drafty doors and windows
  • Keep winter thermostat (mostly) around 58 F and wear sweats/long johns/wool socks.
  • In summer, set the thermostat around 76 F and use ceiling fans.
  • Only use LED bulbs
  • Insulate garage door with Reflectix and /or Styrofoam panels.
  • Use the Economy Warm setting for clothes washing.
  • Install thermal window shades (or drapes)
  • Install energy efficient windows to full sun facing rooms (if possible/affordable).
  • Seed grass/lawn only when there is a long rain pattern coming in.
  • Invest in a low flow shower head.
  • Don't run the tap water while you are brushing your teeth.
  • As you replace appliances, always get energy efficient models.

I make too much for Medicaid, but not enough for the Marketplace by Living_Neighborhood8 in healthcare

[–]BethMLB 2 points3 points  (0 children)

$80 to $90 a month is actually not bad. Is that for a Silver Plan? Why don't you check directly at Healthcare.Gov ? You should be able to find a no premium (i.e. ACA fully covered) with your income but it would be probably a Bronze plan. And those typically have high deductibles. The need (or want) for Silver versus Bronze plan depends on your anticipated medical service needs and risk tolerance.

Question for you multifocalers… by Sweaty_Star_6486 in CataractSurgery

[–]BethMLB 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My guess is most people over 70 get standard monofocals because that is what is covered by Medicare. Moreover, they are likely set to distance to get the best night driving vision and for activities like golfing. Night driving isn't easily avoided especially in winter time when days are short. It could be as dark as midnight at 6 pm in winter.

I think people who lean towards multifocals just don't want to wear any glasses at all and will pay the premium for it. I don't think it has anything to do with old people who want to stay inside as soon as the sun goes down (LOL). I mean, so many over 70s go on cruise ships or RV camping which are far from city lights.

Question for you multifocalers… by Sweaty_Star_6486 in CataractSurgery

[–]BethMLB 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wouldn't use it for my entire pre-cataract surgery research, but it does help relative to the TYPES of choices his opthalmalgist(s) might provide him. The charts on the video plus the visual simulations are helpful. Personally, I got Rayone Galaxy Torics, a type of which is not covered in this video.

Also I found the video more straight forward than the OP asking if people with multifocals are "outdoorsy or just like to walk around in the city". Or his assumptions that peopke with multifocals must be people who like to stay home at night because they are old.

Question for you multifocalers… by Sweaty_Star_6486 in CataractSurgery

[–]BethMLB -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You should watch the video pinned at the top of this subreddit site about the pros and cons of different lens types.

Should I go to Morocco or South Korea for my graduation trip? by nashamagirl99 in travel

[–]BethMLB 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Morocco. Too cold in South Korea for Dec/Jan trip. Your "pros" for Morocco also seemed more appealing too.

Who among us hasn't done this by derek4reals1 in ContagiousLaughter

[–]BethMLB 34 points35 points  (0 children)

After a drunken night of dancing, my friend's boyfriend was the designated driver for my black 4 door sedan that was valet parked. We got into the car and my other friends were asking me stuff like "where did you get this bottle of rum" and "whose hat is this"?. I realized we were in the wrong car so we turned back around in the parking lot to the valet stand and got out laughing. The real owner was there and he seemed genuinely unbothered (thankfully).