10 Things Thursday

This week has flown by!  Here's 10 random musings...

1. I am SO GLAD we don't live in the Northeast.  We have a lot of family who live in Connecticut and they have been pounded with snow and bad weather for more than two months.  eekkk
2. It was hubby's birthday a couple of days ago.  He is now 65 years old and on Medicare!  The cousins took us out to a nice dinner for his birthday and while discussing Medicare (a popular topic among seniors) I discovered that the amount of Medicare taken out of your Social Security varies, I guess, by income, as hubby will now have $104 taken out of his Social Security check each month to cover Medicare while his cousin has $340 taken out of her Social Security check each month for Medicare.
3. I did our taxes yesterday (online at H & R Block) and it was so quick and easy.  I used to get the forms and figure our taxes manually but since I started doing my taxes online it is so much easier and, with a discount because I filed with them last year, I only paid $19.95!
4. After doing our taxes I told hubby "do you realize we live on $24,000 a year?" and he said "no way" so I checked and checked again and indeed we made a grand total of $24,000 last year and for some unknown reason we were able to live very comfortably on that small amount (contrary to years ago when we were making close to six figures and were always broke and never had any money).
5. And then I ran across this article which shows how other early retirees live well on very low incomes as well.  (Hint: minimalism and frugality are the key!).
6. I am still walking every day and have 890 miles to go to reach my goal of walking 1000 miles.
7. We went shopping at the commissary a few days ago and I was so disappointed!  It used to be that the military commissary (grocery store) prices were much much lower than food prices you would find at regular grocery stores but when we went this time, I found that nearly all of the items we usually buy could be found cheaper at the 99 cent store or at regular grocery stores when the items are on sale. 
8. I got hubby a bowling ball spinner for his birthday.  It basically spins the bowling ball around at a high rate of speed while you use sandpaper and/or cleaner to make the surface of the ball like new.  The machine cost $250 but I figure it will pay for itself eventually because each time he has this done at the bowling alley it costs $5 (and he does this once or twice a week).
9. The Seahawks won the Super Bowl!  I was so excited as they are my home town team.  I was even going to bet a few dollars on them winning but the lines at the sports books were so long I didn't (I wish I would have!).
10. I'm going to grow my own chard.  I buy Swiss chard at the grocery store a couple of times a week (I need my greens on a regular basis) but the prices have been going up and the quality has been going down so this week when we go to Walmart I am going to buy some chard seeds and some soil and grow my own.  If this works, I will try a few other things like tomatoes and green onions!