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We drove one of our cars to our new location this weekend. I'm a good driver, but get massive anxiety driving on the interstate. I can do it, but it's mentally exhausting. So for a two day trip, I just can't do it!

Costs for gas were nearly $200 (according to my husband), which seems high, so will need to double check. Two hotel nights were nearly $230, food spent was easily $200 and we flew one way back to our current home for $660. Yep, nearly $1300!

We made the decision...
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I'm back from my weekend trip to Indiana. I'll be going again next weekend, when I will actually have my garage sale. It will be a yard sale, though. The garage will be closed up tight.

My BFF's son is letting us have it at his house, which is in a well-traveled, highly visible area -- plus they have a large flat yard and a wide driveway. So despite the extra work of having to take the stuff there, it will be worth it.

I still have one more carload to take down.

A...
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FB Sales were great this week! Tons of winter stuff selling including 4 pairs of snow boots!
Total sales for the week were $191.00!!


Sale #969 (TSH) $40.00
Totes Snowbootes (2) - We paid $5.33 each
Sold for $20.00 each
Profit = $29.34

Sale #970 (HL) $60.00
Totes Snowbootes (2) - We paid $5.33 for one and $6.00 for the other
Sold for $20.00 each
Profit = $28.67

Venus Razors - .32 Money Maker
Sold for $4.00
Profit = $4.32

Softsoap Bodywash (3)...
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It was time to renew our contract for gas/elec and we have been with the same people for years (they are competitive priced) and managed to get our elec savings rate from 18% to 21% (paid on time) so more savings there...and yes we always pay our bills on time..they are budgeted for...also paid another years worth of contents insurance budgeted $800 but it was only $640 so can keep the rest in our bills account which means adding a little less next year.

Haven't needed much...
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It was time to renew our contract for gas/elec and we have been with the same people for years (they are competitive priced) and managed to get our elec savings rate from 18% to 21% (paid on time) so more savings there...and yes we always pay our bills on time..they are budgeted for...also paid another years worth of contents insurance budgeted $800 but it was only $640 so can keep the rest in our bills account which means adding a little less next year.

Haven't needed much...
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Haworthia coarctata, the latest Haworthia in my collection

I went to get my car's oil changed last week; I was sitting and sitting and waiting and waiting. Finally, at the 2 hour mark, I walked up the counter and asked them what was going on. Turns out they put the paperwork for my car in someone else's car, and they hadn't even started my oil change. Another 45 minutes later, I was finally out of there, and they paid for the oil change to make up for the inconvenience.

Not...
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Total Spending $1046.43

Total Savings: $2000 (not retirement, this is cash to savings account)

Here is a breakdown of September spending. My goal was to stay under $1000 for the month.

Fixed Expenses
Verizon Bundle: 153.52 (Internet, home phone, cable)
Monthly Condo Fee: 185.00
Cell Phone: 59.29
HVAC and water heater maintenance contract: 27.95
Pocket money: 40

Variables:
Utilities: 98.56
Gasoline: 35.60
Groceries: 240.21
Health: 60.56 (scripts and co-pays)
Dining...
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left in my cash envelopes:
food $10
misc $110
medical $300
change dish $3.30
mta vouchers $40
bus card $20.03
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I ordered a copy of The Total Money Makeover for ds' Christmas present. $33.08 including shipping from the US. I am hoping it will inspire him to pay off his student loan. I don't agree with all Dave Ramsey's opinions, but ds is a radio buff so if he listens to the show the Debt Free Screams might encourage him to believe he can do it.
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October 3
$10 Gymnastics
$28 Groceries (Target)
$ 3 Groceries
Dinner: Salsa Verde Carnitas

I also made pumpkin bread this night (after promising MM many many times).

I had posted some old beach/sand toys on Craigslist (for free) and someone picked them up today.

The weather was completely crazy today! I was going to leave work a little early but the sky just opened up and the parking lot was becoming a river (right around the time I was going to leave)! UGH!...
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October 2
$82 Groceries
$ 8 Lunch
Dinner: Zuppa Toscana (soup)

Total electric (car) fuel costs October 2: $1.02
(This was for 48 miles, or a very average day of new commute)

Did I mention that we have just been putting out fires left and right? MH didn't have time to go grocery shopping until Tuesday. (Would have generally gone over the weekend).

I didn't plan well at all and I went out for lunch. At my old office, it was a bad neighborhood and there really wasn't...
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Well, my newest great niece was born yesterday at 32 weeks gestation. She weighed 3 pounds exactly. So far she seems to be doing okay, but you just never know with preemies. They saved her cord blood for my nephew's wife and will be using that in her treatment eventually as well as starting the chemotherapy in the next day or so after his wife recovers some from the birth. The baby wasn't positioned correctly for a regular birth so they had to operate which means a bit more...
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I do have some money leftover after paying all the bills for this pay period, but I am going to try to hold onto it, because DD had to go to the ER last night for IV fluids. I may need it for medical expenses, since the Medical Fund, including what I am putting in today, is basically wiped out after DH's new crown. The 16th cannot come soon enough for DD. I just hope they find something and it is something that can be fixed during the procedures.

$268.72 Tithe
_500.00 October...
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Today is payday!

Our mortgage should now be 115,009.55.

I went ahead and set up a $75 weekly transfer from my checking to savings for our Escrow and EF. I've never done an automatic savings transfer before so that is exciting! Before we always just tried to save what we had left. It's nice to be able make it a priority.

In my last post someone commented that maybe my husband's company matches 50% up to 10% for retirement. I wonder if they are right! Husband was told...
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The Pet Rescue charity shop had wool for sale at $1 a ball. I restrained myself and only bought 6 balls.

With putting in little bits of money here and there, I now have $103.40 in my Trans Siberian fund. I keep thinking I should put it toward my EF, but I also want to save to reward myself for meeting my goals.
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Well, my week has pretty much been spent at a hospital. DH was moved to a heart specialty hospital on Wednesday. They attempted to do a heart catheter twice - once through each wrist. But due to his anatomy, they weren't able to get a clear picture of the issue before the unsafe level of dye had been reached.

So today they did a 3rd attempt - through his groin. They found 90% blockage in one of his arteries and placed a stent.


The 3 procedures themselves were not too bad...
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I hate having to wait a day for my US mortgage to hit the actual account, because sometimes I then forget to update my debt totals! But anyway here I am, better late than never.

All our mortgage payments hit:
US Mortgage: $730 to principal
UK Mortgage 1 $179
UK Mortgage 2 $39
UK Mortgage 3 $38

All told, that's $986 to principal this month.

Current debt totals:
US Mortgage $384,641
Loan from friends (duplex) $9,000
UK Mortgage 1 $31,769
UK Mortgage 2 $6,696
UK...
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It certainly hasn't been a thrifty week.

However, the spending was planned. Tuesday was Senior's Day at Walgreens. I was waiting to buy different things that we use like allergy medicine to get the 20% off. I also used coupons. So between the regular priced stuff that was 20% off, and the stuff on sale that I don't get 20% off, and the digital and paper coupons, I saved over $80 and spent over $200. I hate to see that big number, but the stuff is what we use each month so I...
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Husband's new retirement contributions started this week. We were told they give you 10% of whatever you contribute which is a really awful match. But his paycheck is showing that they matched 50% of what he put it... So who knows. lol. We will take it!

Unfortunately husband had a bit of another melt down once he saw his spending get even smaller... I've asked him to do the budget himself or handle the finances but he won't. I think he believes I am taking all his money and...
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I babysat the boys yesterday afternoon, and we had free pizza for lunch, courtesy of a mystery shopping assignment.

But it was not a no-spend day. In the morning, I went to Food4Less and spent $41 on what I hope will be my last grocery trip of the month. I bought 13 items: taco sauce, ground beef, crescent rolls, tuna, mushrooms, pork roast, dry milk, peppers, onions, croutons, cheese, salad dressing and sherbet.

Today I'll put the pork roast in the slow cooker to make...
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