The cost and value of the little things

It's the time of year that lends itself to periods of quiet reflection on the year that is ending and eager anticipation for the year that is just about to begin.  I've been stuck in this in-between space for our trip for a while now as the major planning has been done, yet it's still too soon to be actively engaged in preparation.  It's like this week between Christmas and New Year's Day, when the majority of holiday celebrations are over, the decorations and trappings of family festivities have been put away, but it's not January 1st yet, so it's not quite time to start the things you want to do in the new year.  One category of things I want to do in the new year is track the cost and value of little parts of our life.  [I'm gonna be retired so I have to find some busy-work, right?]

For example, we use our public library services at least weekly.  We wondered how much value we get from our use and each year we think we'll at least keep track of the books we read and what their retail value would have been.  (Of course I'd rarely pay retail for a book, so for a truer value, we'll have to factor a minimum of 25% off retail.)  This doesn't mean that just because it's not January that we skipped our library trip today - in fact, in addition to picking up books we had on hold, we also took a stroll around the park path playing Pokemon Go.

I also want to keep track of our savings / earnings from using digital coupons, apps, etc., for the new year.  So I can get things set up and ready to go, but my Upside savings from today can't be recorded in my 2024 ledger.  However, I am thinking about how I want to keep track of it for while we are traveling so when we get back, we can assess which apps or loyalty programs offer enough to make it worth the effort to do.  We've just started using Marathon gas which doesn't participate in Upside in our area, but they have a pretty decent loyalty program that is an instant redemption rather than having to wait to cash out.  [Note to self, see where Marathon gas stations are located regionally / along the route.]  The Publix app did alert me that I had saved $65 in digital coupons at Publix in 2023.  Later that same afternoon, I saved another $4.50.

So why think about the cost and value of the little parts?  To me, it's like cashing in the loose change to find an extra $200 that had just been sitting in jars, cans, car consoles!  A handful of change doesn't seem like much, but when added up, think what that $200 could do!  And since we want to continue to travel in retirement, I like to think of it in terms of what could $5 buy?  Toll money for the highway?  A gallon of gas, so 35 miles of exploration?  It used to be able to buy a footlong sub at Subway (remember those days?)

We are ever thankful for the opportunities we have ahead of us, and we aren't taking them for granted.  We know things can change that might interrupt or disrupt our plans.  So while we are waiting in anticipation of late April, we're still gonna focus on the day(s) in front of us.

Happy Year End!

~ Cindy D.