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Old 03-15-2017, 08:21 PM   #133
Kätzchen
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How Do You Identify?:
Femme
Preferred Pronoun?:
She
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Monogamously Attached ❤️
 

Join Date: May 2010
Location: Where it once rained daily but now it doesn’t.
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Me too, I live within the means of my earning power. I don't use credit cards at all, but swipe my credit union debit card or use cash for purchases.

I've been able to save money by upgrading all my appliances at home to energy saving appliances. Also, I qualified for energy credits via the power company, because I upgraded my appliances. I wish I could qualify for clean energy off the power grid, but because I live in an much older urban housing community, I won't be able to do that unless I buy my own property/home.

That's my dream, to own my own home. I started a savings account for funds to go toward that dream. I do that by contributing money that I save on my power bill. It's growing steadily because for years, before I bought my energy saving appliances, my power bill would notoriously sky rocket during late fall through late spring (a span of over 7-8 months).

This year, I want to have my sweetheart build a few things (little pet projects): I want to have more privacy by attaching lattice work to the patio balcony, so I can grow sun flowers and trumpet vines and trailing roses and English ivy. I've been keeping an eye out for an rather large patio umbrella, so I can stand it up inside a wooden picnic table, to provide coverage during times of rain.

I'm actually hoping to have a nice amount of cash equity set aside before I turn 60 (a couple of years from now), to help me purchase a small house, on a reasonable sized rural lot.

My car died during grad school, a number of years ago, so I don't miss the price of car insurance or weekly gasoline purchases or car maintenance expenditures. Bicycling gets me to where I need to go, plus it's a fabulous way to get exercise and decompress after a work day or just ride for fun and relaxation. The cost of upkeep on my bicycle is minimal, so I don't miss owning a car at all.

I cook all meals at home, which saves too. I like to go out for dinner or breakfast, maybe once or twice a year. I really like it that four times a year, certain groups of friends get together for potlucks or BBQ's. I always make something to take to these seasonal get-together's: by request, if it's something everyone would like to have again; or be creative and bring something that people don't always make at home but would enjoy eating.

I really want to grow my own vegetables and such but there's not enough space or room to do that, right now.

For the most part, I live modestly. My sweetheart does too. We're happy and it makes us feel good that our lifestyle choices and values match similarly.
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