Zaga

Ha ha ha! That is so true! In my job I deal with a bunch of different banks every day and the different rules they each have and the terminology they use really is special, and not in a good way.

Thanks for the reminder that it's never too late to do smart things You are going to blow through this much faster than you think!

Isn't it funny how the last little bit seems so very very hard? You got this!!

I get some of the weirdest looks in restaurants when I ask for mustard with my cauliflower, lol!

I love cauliflower! But only if it's cooked and served a very specific way, with mustard! Yes, it sounds weird, but I swear that mustard is the ticket to eating cauliflower. Steam it to your desired level of crunch, then mix a few T of mayo with a t or 2 of mustard and toss together. If you're not feeling like doing the work of mixing and tossing, a dab of mustard on each plate for dipping works just fine.

That sounds like you're safe, I wouldn't worry.

momto6, as long as you are following the approved recipes in a modern canning recipe book, you'll be fine!

I'm so glad his blood sugar is being controlled and he's feeling well fed! I can answer the bit about the fruit in water being more expensive. It's just plain harder to make fruit in water shelf stable than it is for fruit in sugar; the sugar helps to keep the osmotic balance higher which is then harder for microorganisms to grow in. I hope that makes sense. Just like the sugar free fruit spreads will be more expensive, partly because the no calorie sweeteners are more expensive, but partly because getting things shelf stable with less sugar (or salt or vinegar, depending on the product) is trickier.

Sparkpeople is a good website/app resource that will tell you all the basic nutritionals of any food, including all the real foods that you eat.

Good luck, you can do this! Changing the entire diet of a member of the family because of a diagnosis is tricky, but it can definitely be done. The first month is the hardest.

Wow! That's a great accomplishment indeed!

Sounds like a good year. You tackled your goals head on and rolled with the punches

Your work is adorable as always

I love it, you guys did a great job! Our kitchen layout is almost the same, and I love how open and easy it is to work in there.

And, how much effort would you put into using a $9 coupon? This is less than that much effort.

Can you run an estimated tax return using last year's program? It certainly won't be exact, but it might let you sleep a bit better knowing what to expect.

You should still put in the 3% to get the match, come on! It's a completely free and easy $9 a month!

I agree with Carrie about the 15% number being a good place to start, but maybe not enough for some individual goals. However, it is WAY more than we were investing before, so I'm very thankful to have had 15% as a target to shoot for when first starting all this "control our finances" thing

Does the clinic offer any matching to the 401-K? If so, how much? I would always want to take advantage of matching funds before funding a Roth. Other thoughts, I think you're right to put more focus towards the Roth at your lower income level. Contributions to the 401-K are a tax deduction, but if you're not paying much in federal taxes anyways this may not be helping you much. Final thought, see if you qualify for the Saver's Credit. See if contributing to the 401-K increases the amount of Saver's Credit you can claim. Despite not deducting much for the 401-K, if you get the Saver's Credit it might be worth putting more towards the 401-K than you are proposing. The only way to be sure is to run the numbers. I'd suggest using a free online tax program and running the numbers a few different ways to see how things turn out.

Hugs, your health comes before money. But do try and pay the medical bills as they come as much as you can!

That makes sense, if you were on your own then anything you made would be spent at your discretion.

What is it about being married that's limiting your income now? Just curious.

Your tanzanite/diamond ring reminds me of my engagement ring, makes me smile

Set her e-mail to go straight to your junk mail. You don't need this. She's a manipulative jerk and her emotions are not your problem.

Another thought, basic cheeses aren't that hard to make, you could make your own from the Lactaid. I'd bet You-tube has directions on a simple bag cheese. Though those tend to be mild like mozzarella.