All Entries

OMG we finally have a sunny day...seriously it has been spring for over 2 months and we have had 4 sunny days...so over this cold wet windy weather...have a few days of it so going to enjoy before the rain is back next week.
Have all the bills paid and had a little extra since the US$ is down here, that will com in handy since our dog need to get his teeth cleaned and have 2 lumps removed..so will book that in for mid month, will cost around $1000, he also needs to be groomed...
[ Read More ]

I swear I'm going crazy with how fast prices of groceries are going up.  I swear my CC bill, which I pay off every month is getting higher.  We really are making a super big conscious decision to eat out once week and cut back on take out.  So I've been cooking very consciously every meal even on weekends. But perspective for eating out this weekend Sunday dinner it was $160 for chinese takeout for 6.  That meals should not have been that much and we had...
[ Read More ]

I know I haven't posted my payday report for last payday yet.  I have it on the agenday.  This is more of a brain dump, rant, food prepping/canning to save money in the long run, sort of thing.
I went through the grocery ads online this morning.  I can't really do them with the paper in my hands anymore, becaues the mail delivery has gotten so bad that for an ad cycle that starts today, I have gotten them as late as next Monday, but it is usually Friday or Saturday. ...
[ Read More ]

Debts
Mortgage −$116,314.10 (-$239.89)Land Loan -$11,225.91 (-$185.66)
Savings
Roth IRAs +$20,673 (+$134)401K +$41,018 (+$457)Emergency Fund +$8,093 (-$32)Maternity Fund +$1,000 (-500)Animal Fund +$1,679 (+$1)Car Fund +$20 (-$0)HSA +$1,488 (+$358)
Overall: +$843.55
Markets are slightly up which is better than the typical sharp decline. Still pulling some from our buffer / EF, and we just completed a large outdoor project (replacing the main water line) so who knows what...
[ Read More ]

Last week on Monday, I received an email notification from our HR for an appointment with them the following day, a week ago Tuesday and when you get that kind of notification, you know it can't be good. Apparently, I'm being laid off. Thank goodness it's not the first time so I've been through something like this before, I know the decision is a bad decision made by someone who doesn't know anything about me personally. It's someone who claimed to support the work that I do but...
[ Read More ]

Housing - $746
Vacation/Travel - $217
Utilities - $192
Clothing - $182 (Coat, shoes, jeans)
Groceries - $98
Personal - $75
Gifts/Charity - $72
Medical/Health - $38
Phone - $32
Gas - $31
Eating Out/Takeout - $30
Furnishings/Equipment/Decor - $23 (kitchen stuff)
Entertainment - $17
Laundry - $16
Household Supplies - $13
Grand Total - $1782
Variables - 111%
It was a pretty frugal month, except for the splurge on clothing. The coat and shoes, however, have long been...
[ Read More ]

Income Total: $1400.00


     * $1200 Recurring monthly retirement account distribution  


     * $200 Swagbucks and My Points earnings (cash out to PayPal) 


      


Total Spending: $1279.53


Total Savings: $120.47 (difference between monthly income and monthly spending)   Fixed Expenses: Verizon bundle (internet,...
[ Read More ]

Happy Halloween, everyone! It's very dreary here, but warm enough for trick-or-treaters to enjoy their evening!
I gave each grandchild $10, so that's $40, and I also bought some more candy, which was $8.
Tomorrow I'll do the October recap, but I can tell you now, I did not keep my variables in check -- I spent 111% of my budget. Not TOO bad, I guess, except that that doesn't even count the $217 I spent for the Thanksgiving weekend hotel room. And with Christmas spending coming...
[ Read More ]

It's been a bit dry around Central Illinois, but the farmers have been pleased so they can harvest their crops. However, this dryness means the Mississippi River is low which can cause shipping problems as they send their crops down the river. We received a bit of rain today, but nothing to raise the river. It is just a deary fall day. But after the many beautiful fall days we've had recently, I am not complaining. We have actually had fall this year. In the past we seem to have...
[ Read More ]

I was scrolling on Facebook and an ad for a Kate Spade Monica crossbody bag popped up on my feed. I've never bought a Kate Spade handbag. I have 2 Coach handbags that I bought many years ago at the Coach Outlet when they were on clearance. Same style, one is brown/deep orange and the other is black/gray. I have 2 matching wallets for the black/gray purse that I use with both purses. 
I ended up buying the purse in all 4 colors. It was retail $279, on sale for $89, and a one...
[ Read More ]

I have been busy learning my new job.
There is a lot to learn.  
Still plugging away at debt and trying to save more for retirement.
 
[ Read More ]

My friend decided that she was going to drive herself to the infusion center, so I did not drive down there to be her chauffeur. She's an adult, so I respect her decision. I have already heard that she made it there and back safely.
So that left me free to perform my final grocery shopping trip of the month. I spent $23, bringing my total for the month to $99. I went to Mariano's, because I wanted to buy popcorn. While I was there, I bought other things I cannot buy at Aldi. 
Here...
[ Read More ]

Roughly 10 days out from the November election & it can't come soon enough.
There's a certain very popular radio personality that I l just got back to listening to in the past couple of years. I had stopped listening to him over a decade ago because I got tired of his political rants. Well with the upcoming election he can't seem to stop making comments about politics. I think I'll take a break from the show until the election is over. 
One of my pet peeves in life...
[ Read More ]

My auto and home insurance policy bundle is up for renewal in December and of course there is another price increase looming. I decided to use a local, family owned insurance agency to shop around for a better rate and they did! The current policy would have renewed at $1908.00 for a full year. My new quote with a different insurer will be $1042.00, a savings of $866.00!! The new insurer is solid and highly rated through the Better Business Bureau and Moody's and have been in business...
[ Read More ]

Well, just look at this!   My blog is one of the newest on the site!   I started it in December 2010, so I guess that's pretty new?   This is unimportant, it just kind of cracked me up.

[ Read More ]

Can you believe that christmas is only 60 days away....can't believe how fast this year has gone...usually I have done all my christmas presents done by september at the latest...but this year I have done nothing yet...so thinking beginning of november I am going to get my butt into gear and start getting things done so between then and now I need to get a list made....it never really feels like christmas because we have no kids around and to me that is what christmas is about...I'm...
[ Read More ]

I booked my hotel room today for Thanksgiving, using the Amtrak booking service to earn points for future train trips. Surprise, surprise, the full amount is already being processed on my credit card. I thought it would not be processed until I check in. Well, it's no big problem, I have the money. Just didn't expect to be spending it now. Two nights were $217. Not sure if fees will be added later. 
This amount would have taken my variables over 100%, so the cost will be...
[ Read More ]

A few days ago I mentioned I was trying to do sourdough starter and hoped to bake a loaf. I had named the starter Sammy. 
 
Hopefully the photo will come through...my first attempt!

I used the discard for lots of other items throughout the week. I wasn't going to throw it away. I baked coffee cake which we enjoyed for breakfast a number of days. Yesterday I made cheese crackers and orange muffins. I still have some in the fridge and hopefully will find a way to use...
[ Read More ]

I took advantage of being on my second round of prednisone in a month and it has coincided with one heck of a meat sale at Fred Meyer this sale's flyer cycle.  They had chuck roast on for $3.97/lb, a price I thought was long behind us, but was secretly hoping we'd see again.  DH went and got some on Saturday and I spent a few hours cutting up seven large roasts and this moring I canned them.  We used the double decker canner and got 13 quarts.  I would have...
[ Read More ]

Does anyone ever feel like they have no time for themselves?? This year was suppose to be about me and my health...but I have had to help do all the move stuff for my step son (his brain doesn't work right since he had a stroke like episode), had to move my mom back to the city and organise it all...had my nephew move in and fix up all the stuff at school that was going on, helping my DD through her fertility process which  haven't worked yet and this last one she postponed..as...
[ Read More ]