The House FundHouse fund year one: $4,200 to $16,600, month by month
Every deposit of 2025 in one table: paychecks, the tax refund, the old car payment, mowing money and the jar. Plus the two months we missed.
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The House Fund
InsuranceWhat our renters insurance did and didn't cover after the ice storm
Nine hours without power and $140 of thawed freezer food. Why we didn't file a claim, and what I learned reading our policy that week.
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Small-Town LivingChristmas on a $300 budget for the two of us and both families
Two families, two nieces, a white elephant and each other. How we split $300, what we made by hand and what we skipped.
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Small-Town LivingNine hours without power: the ice storm and what we bought after
Ice on every line, a cold duplex and a dog under three blankets. How the night went and the short list of things we bought after.
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Extra IncomeSelling closet clutter before Christmas: $318 from one closet
Boots, a space heater, a box of DVDs and a bread maker we used twice. What sold on Marketplace, what didn't and what went to donation.
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Groceries & MealsFriendsgiving potluck math: what we brought for $22
Kayla's apartment, nine people, one oven. Our dish, what it cost, and the leftovers trade that made it worth it.
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InsuranceOpen enrollment: moving me onto Tyler's health plan
My plan at work or his family plan? Premiums, deductibles and the one doctor I didn't want to lose. How we decided for 2026.
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Bills & BudgetOur sinking funds list for the bills that only come once a year
Car registration, the vet, Christmas, tires, the renters policy. How we split the once-a-year stuff into small monthly amounts.
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Extra IncomeMy first furniture flip: a $25 dresser that sold for $140
Sandpaper, a quart of paint, new knobs and a lot of swearing at a stuck drawer. The full cost and the hours behind the $140.
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Small-Town LivingFall drives in northeast Missouri on half a tank
Back roads, a pumpkin stand, a covered bridge and an apple cider stop. Our favorite fall loop and what the afternoon cost.
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