Sunday, February 2, 2025

119.8

Credit history is so important to think about as we never know what the future will bring. Apparently I was lucky in that I built and retained my own history through all my years of marriage by chance not design. I was married so young the first time that I had no credit when I divorced at 21. Once I had a fulltime job I applied for a Sears credit card and built credit in dribs and drabs (I can't remember the limit but it was pretty tiny). Over time I applied for and received other cards including Amex, Visa, MC etc. I always paid them off each month. Deceased DH and I never had any joint accounts other than one checking account and a mortgage. My car purchases and loans were in my name. I didn't want to give any of that up at any point because to me it represented my ability to take care of myself. And so it continues now.

I thought yoga was supposed to be a no guilt, do what you can do environment! Thanks for reinforcing that. Hopefully she won't teach more than another class or two until the other instructor who is the head of the fitness program is back. Speaking of which I heard something gossipy about her last night. Apparently her trip which triggered the substitute teacher is with one of the members of our club. The man was widowed suddenly last spring. Lots of negative feelings by some members about it especially from those who were close to his deceased wife. I think they should MYOB and am glad he is pursuing happiness. And those who say it is improper for an employee to date a club member are totally full of it. Lots of history of that happening. Several marriages here are the result of that even though the newer members don't know that one partner used to work here.

So the beach club was a bust yesterday other than for eating as it clouded up about an hour after we got there and the wind shifted to coming from the north. We came home for the afternoon and I used my sewing machine to take in about 10 articles of clothing which I had not been able to wear. So a productive day anyway.

Today the bus leaves at 7:30 for Sunday breakfast, then we will have a Justice walk. DH and I are playing golf together this afternoon. This evening we are meeting for dinner with the two couples we are chartering a boat with next month. When we made the arrangements it seemed so far off. Now it is less than six weeks away and all paid for which is nice.

Have a sensational Sunday!

Liz, I built credit when I was young the same way, except instead of Sears, it was a JC Penny's card. I remember charging a pillow, and then paying it off to get started.

It's really interesting how families set up finances. My MIL kept all the money she earned separate, and my FIL paid all the bills from his salary. My parents income came from their rental properties and their Veterinary Clinic. My Mom was business manager of both enterprises and they had nothing but joint accounts. Another friend saw her Mom left with nothing after a divorce, so she chooses to keep separate accounts. When DH and I got married, we had a joint account, and I had a separate account. I wanted it so I could buy things like a new pair of shoes without any discussion. I discovered that DH was never going to question my purchases, so eventually I closed it. When I was a stay at home Mom, and had no income, he never made me feel like I had no agency in our finances.

I prefer to have joint ownership of everything because when my MIL passed away, there was a certain amount of work for the executor of her estate to disperse the money she had in accounts with her name only. I wouldn't want DH to have to mess around with the title of my car for example, so even though it is "my car" his name is on it too. (This works for us, since we have the same "heirs" aka our children. I know they can't wait to inherit all the boxes in the basement filled with forgotten treasures.)

Remember long distance calls? My mother was hysterical about paying any of those fees. It was a mortal sin to call home collect. She would call me from a pay phone when she was shopping in the metro area, numerous shopping bags around her, rather than pay long distance fees from her house.

I panicked and ruminated unnecessarily it seems. My weight is now within my accepted range again. That is a big relief.

So today is laundry, paper reading, assorted other chores, and another attempt at booking airfare to Scotland.

Previously I never really thought about the ramifications of separate accounts when one dies - by the time DH died I had moved all property to my name since I had POA. But keeping everything separate with current DH except for our jointly owned Florida home and car basically works since everything else of mine would go to my kids (and the same for DH).

Ben and I had everything in both names which was really nice as nothing had to go to probate. DH and I have set up a trust that will be split equally among the 4 kids. DH has one life insurance policy that will go exclusively to DSD and I have some 401 Ks that will go exclusively to the boys. The rest goes to the estate. Actually, now that I think about it the house is in my name only. Probably should look into changing that. That was going to be solved with selling and buying new in Florida but now that we are staying here for a bit, will need to be looked at!

132.5. Stayed the same today! Hard to believe I'm only 2.5 lbs. to goal! I wouldn't be surprised if the weight went up a little as I start to eat my normal deficit calories instead of half of what I should be eating! Appetite is still not back to normal and Covid has attacked the GI system as well!

Overall I'm feeling much better! Weak and fatigued and the bathroom issues but most other symptoms have gone by the wayside!

Still plan on laying low (not sure my body would allow otherwise anyway).

Not the easiest way to lose weight!

No, I wouldn't recommend it!

Greetings all

Happy Ground Hog day. Raining here. So be it.

Yep credit and assists are important. I used to do estate planning and advised on it often. I bought a car when I was 21 and thought I should have a credit card so I went to the bank where i had banked since I was a little kid and got a Bankamericard. No issues. This might have been before law changes and I have often wondered if I got that card with no other signature because my Dad's business was a big customer of that bank. I did not get married until I was 43 and before that I had purchased homes and bought cars on my own. 29 when I bought my first house. My mother always told me cautionary tales about women who married and turned over finances to husbands. I never did. DH and I maintain separate finances but each pay certain things. I pay more but I have more. It works. Joint ownership of assets is a good thing for married couples except in second marriages when each has kids. Probably my most hellacious estate was a second marriage for the man who had two adult kids. Sudden death of man. Big **** fight among the widow and his kids. I mean every clock and picture frame. So it is wise to have plans to accommodate kids from prior marriages. Don't forget about pay on death status for bank accounts. I have this. DH cannot access my accounts but they pay to him on my death. Ditto safety deposit box. Death certificate needs to be produced to access. It can be done with someone not a spouse. Don't forget that IRA accounts are income taxable to the beneficiary, unlike life insurance proceeds or most other inheritances. So much for this stuff.

So I did my walking today. The Four Tops and the Temptations. The Grammys are tonight and I am going to pay attention and make a point of listening to some new artists. My music tastes border on prehistoric.

Stopped in the studio and made a few things but feel uninspired.

Yay Liz on taking in clothes. Good plan.

Our wedding anniversary is on the 4th. Thirty years! I want to go eat at the Sushi place here in town even though I won't eat raw fish. Gotta see about convincing DH. They do have shrimp tempura which I think he will eat.

Well the dog is giving me the Death Stare.. Better go feed them.

Diane S

Thank you for the great advice on finances. Death stare huh? I get that, then twirling around when it looks like I am getting up to fill the bowls.

Gad, you guys are all making me realize there are a few financial details I hadn't thought of. Oh well, I'll get a big consultation re all this with my new (DH's old) CPA when we do our taxes this spring. She used to be an IRS auditor, so I figure she knows what's what.

We did absolutely NOTHING today -- to the point where I really yearned to get dressed and go to Kroger's just to enjoy the nice weather. Tomorrow we'll drive to Cincinnati (about an hour and a half away) to pick up some household items we bought via online auction for our home. And then every day this week has several things on the calendar--home, medical, car/DMV, etc. These weeks are going by pretty fast.

Oh, and we learned last week from our contractor that they're going to come in about $20K UNDER budget! Did anyone ever get that kind of news from a remodeling contractor before? I didn't think it was possible. So yay!

Everyone have a productive week and get ready for the Super Bowl. :)