Affluent but Frugal

 If you having been trying to get Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), I am sure you have seen the dismal rates of acceptance that made the news. Yes, early on, fewer than 1% of applications were approved. BUT I am here to tell you, it IS possible to get loan forgiveness by working in public service. I know, because I did it. My loans were discharged in May 2021. However, it's not a slam dunk. You need to plan . You need to make sure you understand the rules - make sure you have the right loan type, the right payment plan and the right kind of employer. Do not rely on anyone else to educate you on the program, read the rules yourself . And then read them again. My PSFL Path I finished graduate school in December 2008. Yeahhh, the economy was total crap. It was a rough time to come out of school and I had...I am not exactly sure but somewhere around $80,000-90,000 in student loans from undergrad and graduate school. It was A LOT, especially as my first job was a paid internship ...

Do you have an FSA or HRA that still has funds for this year? If you have already covered your medical needs but have funds that won't rollover I am here with tips to help you stock your medicine cabinet and clean our your account before the end of the year! FSA/HRA plans may vary and you should check your plan details for coverage. I would recommend buying items you could return if you find out they are not covered. I was reimbursed for all of these items personally for my plan in 2020 or 2021. With the CARES Act opening up eligibility for over the counter items , a lot of us can get a lot more mileage from our FSA/HRA plans. It's great to be able to stock your medical supplies on a pre-tax basis!  All of the items on this list I had covered personally by my plan in 2020, 2021 or both. For some categories you only get specific products, I have linked ones that were approved for me. 1. Sunscreen I definitely stocked up on my sunscreen using my extra funds but there are also man...

One sad reality is that as women (and men too!) we have to think about our personal safety all the time. When you show a rental property, you're meeting people you don't know in a private home. Many people have favored open-house style showings in the past (I never really did) but with the COVID-19 pandemic those are more risky than meeting one on one with potential tenants. But we need to stay safe. Here are my tips for ensuring your personal safety while you build your empire. Pre-screen your tenants Even if you don't want to pre-screen your applicants, you need to collect some basic information on everyone who will be coming to view your property. At the very least, you need their name, phone number and email address. If they don't want to give you this, next! The buddy system It's unrealistic to bring another person every time you have a showing, I often show on my way home from work so arranging another person to come with me every time would be a PITA. However...

 It's been a stressful couple of weeks in the landlording game. We're doing a turn after our original tenants from our original rental property moved out and well, it needed some work. A water leak was discovered in the closet, there was damage to the flooring, it needed painted and lots of little things. And it's not over yet! Next, I will need to choose the new tenants. I had the property listed in early July, thinking I would show it while my tenants moved out and I had a bunch of inquiries in the couple of days it was listed. I ultimately decided not to show it until they moved because of COVID-19 and wow am I glad I made that decision because it needed a little TLC. Choosing the new tenants is the most important landlord decision you can make. The wrong choice can lead to months of stress and turmoil. A good choice leads to a smooth year (or years!) of on-time payments and a few maintenance requests. The funny thing about showing someone a house is they will tell you a...

It's week two of social distancing and more than 3 million Americans lost their jobs last week . The uncertainty of how long the COVID-19 pandemic will last and the job losses to come has everyone stressed and reeling. On financial message boards the three weeks ago, when we saw the first massive stock market drops, many were  jubilantly buying at what they thought would be the low. The next week, when the reality of the situation hit many of us and it became clear that we all needed to work from home, businesses shuttered and schools closed the tone was much more worried. What should I do about my planned debt payments? How much emergency fund should I save? Should I invest now or is too risky? Should I pull my funds out? It's been quite the ride on the Dow this month. It would be very hard for anyone to answer these questions with any certainty, we don't know what the future will hold but here is what I am doing to try and prepare. Our Background My husban...

If you are looking for a great little gift this holiday season, this homemade vanilla extract is perfect! It makes a great small gift on it's own or wrapped up with a holiday cookie cutter or gift card. During the holidays, I like to have a small gift ready for those I encounter. This makes a great gift for: Neighbors Coworkers, the ones I like ☺ Teachers in combination with a gift card Household helpers (nanny, house cleaner, pet sitter) Friends Relatives that you're going to see but don't normally buy a gift for To make your own vanilla extract, you'll need: Instant Pot , or other electric pressure cooker Mason jars which are intended for canning and their lids Vanilla beans, grade B Vodka or bourbon Small bottles with lids for gifting Cute gift tags , optional A few safety precautions to keep in mind: DO NOT use a stove top pressure cooker to do this, it would be very dangerous. You must use an electric pressure cooker. Use mason jars whi...