From Pizza to Fish
By Jim Bauer
@porwest (99040)
United States
March 8, 2025 7:30am CST
Last night my wife asked if we had any room in the budget for a pizza night. I gave her the typical response. "Of course there's room, and if not, I can always find it." But she was sensing the hint I really preferred not to spend money, especially as I am in full on "budgeting mode," which hits every year around this time as I work out our "summer budget" which includes a couple of vacations as well as camping trips and other things like maintaining the pool.
It's that time of year when we literally have to "create income" through covered call options contract sales among other things to ensure these expenditures are as little "out of pocket" as possible.
During this time, she is always warned that I may have a bit more bite if anything money related comes up. I don't like curveballs thrown at me when I am not yet fully done working out the details of the balls I already know are coming.
Nonetheless she changed her mind. We had Gorton's beer battered fish filets in the freezer, and we both enjoy them. "Actually, suddenly I do have a taste for those," she said.
Problem solved and we had those with some fries. I'm still working out getting a pizza though. Not that we can't afford it. I just don't want it to be paid for via any principal.
8 people like this
6 responses
@Tina30219 (82845)
• Onaway, Michigan
8 Mar
Those fish are good we get them also we like them.
1 person likes this
@Tina30219 (82845)
• Onaway, Michigan
10 Mar
@porwest They sure do have you ever tried them in a air fryer they are good in them also
1 person likes this
@porwest (99040)
• United States
8 Mar
Selling covered calls CAN be tricky, because for me the goal is to collect the premiums but never be forced to sell my underlying shares, because it's a process I want to be able to repeat over and over again and at the same time continue to earn income through dividends on the stocks.
I only ever sell contracts with strike prices set well above my cost basis, and so even if I AM forced to sell, which does happen from time to time, I always make money anyway.
The income covered call options contracts offer is just too good to pass up, but I have also been doing it for many years, so it's GENERALLY a stress-free endeavor with nominal risk and a very well-developed strategy.
1 person likes this
@id_peace (15379)
• Singapore
9 Mar
@porwest It can be messy if the person is not thinking strange. I am on the Income Dividend Investment which let me get my dividends income without doing much. But the earning potential not as great as covered call options. I must admin of that through.
1 person likes this
@porwest (99040)
• United States
14 Mar
@id_peace Well, in order for covered calls to really be effective, is you have to own a lot of shares to get higher premium totals. For some that can be a difficult thing to achieve. I like both the steady flow of income from dividends and the frequency with which I can repeat calls to generate fairly consistent income.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (52244)
• United States
8 Mar
I totally get your way of thinking. We live pretty frugally.
1 person likes this
@porwest (99040)
• United States
8 Mar
It's the best way to be, to me. Many people think that to do it you have to make sacrifices. I think that's on the contrary. One makes the most sacrifices when they put themselves in a pinch not considering money. Save on the things you need so you can afford the things you want, live on as little as possible, and save and invest wisely, and when spending is wanted, spend the proceeds rather than the principal.
That's my general philosophy summed up.
@1creekgirl (43341)
• United States
8 Mar
I get it.
We had a nice surprise yesterday. We decided to try a new Mexican restaurant in the town near us and it was not only delicious, it was very reasonably priced. We both had a big meal for $16 which is sure less than fast food. And it wasn't the typical Mexican food menu.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (43341)
• United States
14 Mar
@porwest This one is our fave so far.
1 person likes this
@porwest (99040)
• United States
14 Mar
@1creekgirl I hope our favorite place never closes. I guess we have a part in making sure it stays open. lol
1 person likes this
@porwest (99040)
• United States
14 Mar
Sounds great. We have quite a few Mexican restaurants around here, although we tend to frequent only one. We've tried the others, but this one just stands out as the best one of them, so we go there almost by default. If a new place opens up, we do make it a point to give it a try.
1 person likes this
