MyrtlesMoney inspired me with her blueberry shot to show you my tomato harvest for the last couple of days. We're a bit behind in getting them eaten! I'll have to be more mindful to get these packed off in lunches or given to hapless passerbys! Four or five a day is all the salad needs. We are popping them like mad! We are eating from left to right...

My big tomato plants have tons of green tomatoes on them but none seem to want to ripen! Any clues as to why? It's hotter than Hades here. All I can think of is possibly there isn't enough airflow because of other nearby plantings - tall four-o'clocks, or that some of those plants may be shading my tomatoes too much??? This is my first year with these planted in the top yard rather than down in my big garden so perhaps the soil is lacking something??

Also this is my AFTER picture of the kitchen w/the new light fixture (sorry, I couldn't find a small enough mini-chandelier in my patience level time frame) and new ceiling paint. Now the kitchen walls need re-painting. These two lights were el-cheapo ($18.99 for the set but at the checkout I was surprised by a sale & a total of $15.15), but do match the rest of the house. Keep scrolling back through my archives a week or two back to see the old ugly renter's special BEFORE shot! So when I do find the perfect mini-chandelier I won't feel too bad about the $7.57 loss of this one. This light makes me happier than the old one!

I lived thru the Corian fest & now the marble-fest on updating my countertops without spending. Not because I wanted to mind you, but all that the budget would allow was a small paint fix to the area where laminating come up missing on the old countertops.

One day I'll have new countertops if it harelips everyone I live with! New recently as a couple of months ago we did finally get an updated kitchen faucet. See it in this shot! Wooo-hooo! A couple of years back we managed to put down Pergo floors in the kitchen & utility rooms. So there has been some updating to the house since we've had her.

The lighting fixture for the utility room matches this one plus the other in another part of the kitchen area. Nothing to be done about the ugly flourescent one in the middle of the kitchen though as our ceilings are too low for any other kind of fixture unless you go to messing w/can lights. Maybe one day! We did replace the basementy-metal-model flourescent w/a half-way decent wood look flourescent in the kitchen a year or so, but it's still ugly.

Other things ought to come first before countertops, such as new carpeting for the rest of the house (beyond gone), a couch & loveseat for the living room (getting tattered) & a new mattress (way lumpy) for Hubster's back!

Our house is comfortable except for that mattress - not magazine perfect though. Plenty of living going on with me home all day every day, the boys home most mornings at least half to 3/4 of the day and Hubster home in the evenings it gets plenty of wear. I don't want to seem ungrateful. I love my house, just wish I could freshen everything all at once!

The floral selection in the picture is from wild honeysuckle type vines that FrugalSon picked for me. Good kid!

CAN YOU DO THE SCRATCH-N-DENT HIP-HOP IN YOUR FUNKY BOOTS?

Got cases of chicken noodle soup yesterday at the scratch-n-dent for $3.88. Only catch? No labels. So, I spent a bit of time yesterday writing the contents on the cans & boxes. Each year finds somebody sick and wanting chicken noodle soup! Other good buy was pretzels 4 bags/$1. And I got Hubster some funky color shoe-polishes for his cowboys boots which are funky colored for .88 a can.


HOW ABOUT THE LENDER'S WALTZ?

Yesterday my step-dad paid me $50 on the computer he bought from Hubster. These dollars have to go back in the kitty. Sorry Hubster!


CAN YOU DO THE 401-K MAMBO?

This past week I finally got through all the paperwork on CashHappySon's 401-K offerings and got him signed up. Reading them is bad enough but explaining those things to another person is complicated to me, so I fell back on the nice explanation found around page 90 in David Bach's 'Automatic Millionaire' book. We set CashHappy's deferral rate to 18% which should just about match what he's been putting into his Roth.

Still left to do is stop CashHappys' Roth contributions for now. With his car payment, paying room & board here plus trying to save for moving out he can't afford to do both right now.

His 401-K plan does not offer an employer match that I could see. But, it did have a place to set up automatic 1% yearly increases, which we did. Thing is, the kiddo is 19. How likely will he be to stay at this place of employment? Ehhh, not too sure, but we're doing what we can while we can.


DO THE HEALTH-INSURANCE MOMBO??

Also yesterday we spent some time on the phone with FrugalSon's employee benefits office getting him signed up for health insurance. He finally got some small scrap of paperwork saying the open enrollment dates, which window was mighty short for use in view of vacation plans. There were no written explanation of benefits forthcoming!! BAHHH! It's complicated enough - try doing it without the info in front of you!

Eventually we got him signed up for health & dental insurance yesterday. They offer disability but the lady did not tell us about it and we'll have to call back another day to get a rate quote! Sheesh, it's always something.

Also on FrugalSon's we'll have to adjust his Roth contributions downward by about $30 a month in order to make his small salary cover everything. He's been contributing the maximum, but we'll just have the insurance and lower the contributions for now and if no huge expenses come up during the year attempt to fully fund his Roth from his emergency or car repair savings at the end of the contribution period.


DO THE HULA??

What I want to know is how do parents with 6 to 15 children handle all the paperwork for all their jobs??? Good grievies!!! I'm tired with just two of them still at home!

My parents generation never had to help with all this stuff because it didn't exist back then! They can say life is easier now, which may be true, but it is more complicated and comes with more hoops to be jumped through - what with the limited open enrollment dates and such! PHEW!


DO THE SHAREBUILDER BOO-GA-LOO!!

For myself there's a problem in my Sharebuilder account which requires me to send a notarized letter. I went to my bank last evening (long hours) and no notary was on duty. I'll be going back this morning to get the darn thing notarized and off in the mail. Due to security reasons it could not be handled over the phone. Pain in the patumpkus!!


I WANNA SEE YOU BELLYDANCE!
This entry reminds me of one of my favorite HAPPY songs - I Wanna See You Bellydance by the Red Elvises! Stop the music from up above & listen to a clip here:


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QQZMZQ/ref=dm_sp_alb?...

or listen to the entire song & watch them at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY_Ylj87e3g

Great Album!


No, I don't think I can dance - but if they keep those hoops low enough I think I can roll through them!

Anybody have any bunion pads? Ben-gay??

---
edited to add:
Found money in house clean-up:

$20 CHALLENGE
$022.74 balance
+000.28 clean-up
_______
$023.02 MTD

2008 Challenge Total $164.10
Challenge Cumulative Total $692.71

With all the rains the drainage ditches around my house have filled up again and the county is out here digging them out. I went out and spoke with the foreman and they agreed to dump two loads of the sand on our property.

There's a spot that the old owner of our property, who owned his own dump truck, put out a lot of old paving. By county order he was supposed to cover the entire bunch of it but never did as there is one probably 20 x 20 spot that he never did cover over. They've dumped one truck load so far and are still out there digging.

IF we can get it spread before more rains come along then maybe some of it will stick down in the craters that the paving has got. Mowing and weed-eating this area has been a pain for over 7 years. Time to get something done.

Not certain if it'll hold as the area sits on a slope, but any is better than none and if it washes it will wash into another area that could also use the help. The burms (mini-levees) by our creek were about an inch away from being crested yesterday morning.

So, if it washes, that's the area it'll head. So - FREE sandyloam stuff!!! We were just talking about buying a dump load of dirt ourselves. If this will work, all the better. FREE is good!

Something else that's been happening this month is that FrugalSon took most of his Economic Stimulus check and paid for driving lessons. He finishes the *fingers crossed* last one on June 30th and they've got a tiny little car that he's going to use to drive during the driving test scheduled for July 1st and hopefully he'll finally pass that dumb parallel parking requirement. He's 21. If at all possible I NEED him to be driving his'onsomeself around! He could never pass it driving his little extended cab S10 truck. Hopefully with their little car it'll be all systems go!!! PRAY HARD.

Today is a no spend day for me!!

We got all the siblings checks cleared on FIL's estate and closed both of the accounts. FIL's & Hubster's joint account and the estate account. It is done except for jewelry, coins, pics. Those will be finished after our family vacation. YEAH, YEAH, YEAHHHHHHH!!!! As my faithful dear readers know I've been gnashing at the bit because we had beauque'$_$$,$$$.$$'s loaned out to the estate w/no interest being paid. It's back in my hot little hands! YEAHHHHHH!!

We will decide after family vacation what exactly we're going to do with that money and Hubster's inheritance money. Most likely we'll finish funding our IRA's for this year with some of it and I'm not sure about the rest. Some will go to tithe - likely we'll handle that portion by starting either a Family Foundation or putting it into a charitable trust so our tithing will be increased for years to come! I've got a good little sum set aside to make this happen.

Then the rest will go towards ome kind of retirement planning, with the exception of a few minor household things that need doing. Tub & Tile in bathroom appx. $1500 & $500 to widen the return air vent. Other than that it looks like retirement for those dollars. I'd like to do a municipal bond ladder but am not sure I can convince Hubster. Guess what we'll be talking about on vacation?

At the wrapping up, Hubster got the money from the sale of our personal car to one of his brother's two years ago. He was supposed to be making payments if the estate house did not sell by a set date. Well, he never made a single payment.

I never said one word. (A miracle if ever there was one!)

I can hardly eat with the hole in my tongue, canshhhuuuusheee??

So, from brother-in-law's inheritance check we got $2900.00 back. I added a hundred & stuck it in a one year CD this morning.

Rates suck!

It's ideally for car replacement #3. We've already got car replacement CDs for Hubster's car & one for my truck. So, this is for the next vehicle after those so to speak, unless we just need it before then for something. What we do is sell our vehicles outright and then add some money (the CDs) with what we get out of our cars to purchase the next one for cash.

I'm running behind on the $20 Challenge - so I'm cleaning out the wallet($20.50) and adding in some change that was found in various parts of the 'hood (.71) and some ($1.52) that CashHappySon gave me.

$20 CHALLENGE

$000.01 balance
+022.73 assorted
_______
$022.74 June MTD

My second load of sand was just dumped. Yeah FREE!!!!

On Wednesday FrugalSon got a raise on his last paycheck of 20 cents an hour. Yeah FrugalSon!! Then he comes home on Friday and says his boss told him he's getting another raise on the next check another 35 cents an hour! WOOO-HOOOO! Hope it shows up. I do know that he'll be getting more when the mandated minimum wages go up in July. Is that 2008 or 2009? Anybody know off the top of their head???

Earlier in the month CashHappySon paid us back 421.00 from his tax refund on his car note. Today we got another $200 from his Stimulus Check to apply to his loan. He got $600 all together. So he spent $100 for fun (PRESENT), $200 for debt reduction (PAST), and $300 goes to help replenish his emergency fund so that's for the (FUTURE). Of course, he'd of liked to have blown it all. As it was he spent $75 buying himself a used TV off of Craigslist that is set up for easy gaming and then spent the other $25 on ebay buying new games.

So our inflow this month back to the FrugalisMoneyMarketCoffers account sees another $200 addition. That makes me happy. I hate having money come out of there because it was so hard for me to round it up in the first place so to have some we loaned out come back into the coffers? Oh yeah, that makes me smile!

It reminds me of one of my favorite books, Mama's Bank Account, by Kathryn Forbes:


http://www.amazon.com/Mamas-Bank-Account-Harvest-Book/dp/0...

Read it if you get the chance! Or watch the movie that's based on the book.

I've got 30 cents here on the keyboard to add to the $20 Challenge.

Day before yesterday we locked in our timeshare exchange for this year's upcoming vacation. It is within 4 hours driving time so that won't hurt too badly on the old gas budget. Now it's just a matter of getting all the boys' employers on board with the time frame.

There is alot to be said for never being absent and covering other's shifts for them, and they've both done a lot of that, so, here's hoping! In any case, they're going. If they have to find alternate employment upon their return? So be it.


$20 CHALLENGE

$012.00 balance
+000.30 keyboard change
_______
$012.30 May MTD

2008 Challenge Total $119.96
Cumualtive Challenge Total $648.57

I've spent a bit at garage sales this week - $8.50 yesterday and $2.10 today.

This morning we spent our time outside doing some brush burning. Still cleaning up from the ice storm. There's still lots more to burn!

Baselle got a reward check from her bank and it reminded me that we should be up for our Discover card reward soon, since we put the replacement refrigerator on it. When I pay the bill in a few days I bet they'll be able to cut me a reward check! YEA!!

Yesterday was a No Spend Day for me. I spent most of the afternoon curled up in the bed under Grandma Many Moons' quilt and w/a corn bag on my banged up ankle (my toes are still BLACK! Gaa!), reading a book about a Texas oil family that I got for a quarter at a recent garage sale. A nice quiet cozy afternoon! Lumping up in bed just reading & relaxing is something I haven't done in years - not since before the last two boys. So yeah about 20 years or so.

The boys did the cooking & cleanup last night - chili-hotdogs. Did I mention the other day that the price of el-cheapo hotdog buns has jumped to $1.19 from their normal .79 cents????? I'm going to start baking my own again.

Yesterday we did shopping & banking errands while we were on our way to and from set activities.

FrugalSon, TheGrrl and I, packed a few homemade sandwiches & filled bottles w/homemade tea and headed to the lake (about five miles away). No swimming but they enjoyed a walk before and after lunch and we had a fire in the firepit and watched a family of ducks, enjoyed lots of pretty wildflowers, and soaking up lots of good Vitamin D sunshine. Cheap entertainment. I read my book and laid in the sun while they held hands and walked around. Then we let TheGrrl-i-o practice her driving on the empty roads around the lake. She says I'm more patient that either of her parents.

Got good stuff at the scratch-n-dent grocery on the way home from the lake. 2 jars of soup base .79 a jar, 4-parmesan cheese shaker cans .99, small mayo/mustard jars at .49 each for vacation packing, 2 BIG boxes of cheeze-its at .99 a box, 4 big jars of dill pickles at .99 a jar.

We came home, put up our groceries, and I mowed the acreage up top while the young'uns picked up more broken limbs left from the ice storm.


(Our house sits behind & under those evergreens about half-way down the road)

Then we cleaned up & went to see Speed Racer at the matinee movie at an increased price of $2.75 - up from $2.50! GRRR! I'm tired of them raising the prices of the matinee!! It makes my Frugalicious Gene (TM) pucker!!!

Then we came home and ate Mother's Day leftovers of baked ham, creamy 'funeral' potatoes, green salad and German Chocolate cake.

It was a full, yet inexpensive day for me. CashHappySon's car had to be towed back to the place we had the motor replaced at. Possibly a cracked head or busted head-gasket or some doo-whicky. If it's either of those two things it should be covered under the warranty and all he'll have to pay is the towing fee. Fingers crossed!

Deposited two recent Pinecone checks. I'm adding them to the challenge:

$20 CHALLENGE

$000.00 balance
+010.00 surveys
_______
$010.00 May MTD

2008 Challenge Total $117.66
Cumulative Challenge Total $646.27

I want four more matching pavers to complete the little patio area FrugalSon and I worked on yesterday. I went back to where we got mine a year or two ago and now they don't carry them any more. What a pain. Drove around looking for other places that might have them. No luck so far but I did manage to spend $9 on plants.

There's good reason for ME to stay out of the plant stands! I'm the same way in bookstores. They are dangerous places for me to venture.

Oh well, I've been 'color-hungry' and I got a few things that will spice it up just a little bit. Plants have really gotten pricey since last I went. Will try to hang tough against all the enticing plants when I try the next couple places for pavers some time in May. I'm out of gas and I'm waiting at least till tomorrow and a new months' budget kicks in to fill it up! Oh the cringing I'll do!


Adding to the Challenge:

$017.82 balance
+008.02 wallet cleanout
_______
$25.84 April Total

2008 Challenge Total $107.66
Cumulative Challenge Total $636.27

Paid my mortgage payment just now for tomorrow. New balance will be $18,438.49.

Contractual payoff: 6 yr. 1 mth.
Actual payoff: 5 yr. 4 mth.
Projected payoff: 5/2014

With extra principal payments of $71.04 the projected payoff will be 7/2012!

If extra principal continues to be paid the interest savings will be $713.50.

Total reduction in term 1 yr. 10 mths.


CashHappySon mailed off his payment to the hospital today - before the postal rates go up!

Yesterday I went to my* college reunion and made a haul!

I won three of the door prizes, and came home with a bunch of radishes from my friends garden! Well, well, Well!! hehe!! SCORE! I won a baseball cap with the school logo on it, a college T-shirt and a very VERY nice 8.0 pixel, 10x zoom, Canon PowerShot SX100 IS Digital Camera w/a super little LowePro carrying bag for it.

I was invited to this 'doings, by an old friend who actually graduated from there.

*I was a commuter student there and only attended 4 classes there while doing the majority of my schooling in my nearby metro area. My old friend called me up about three months ago and asked if I minded if he put me up for the Hall of Fame nominations. Now, I've done a few things in my life, some that were noteworthy, yet no total body of lifetime achievement that I would consider Hall of Fame worthy, but after reminding him of my commuter student status and my lack of achievements, I said, "Sure, why not, and thank you for thinking of me."

(Note: Surprise!!! (NOT - just kidding) I did not make the final cut!)

Anyway, Hubster and I went and had a very enjoyable day as his guests. We picked up my friend and his other friend and the four of us made a day trip of it.

The day started off early w/a little shopping trip at a store I often frequent near there - Hubster bought me a $2.42 wreath hanger to replace one I misplaced while dressing FIL's house, and Housebudget bought a small gift for my niece's upcoming birthday for under $5.

At the reception they had a wide cookie selection, cheese and crackers, bottled waters, and coffee at about 10:45.

We mingled. We met. We explained that we weren't the real deal 'Alumni', but mainly there as guests of my friend.

We toured. A highschool girlfriend's of mine family had donated a very large sum of money and had very lovely dorm built there. Very much like a resort, swimming pool, club house, laundry room, etc. The kids do still have to buddy up. Four to a unit. Four bedrooms w/locks, 2 showers, 2 stools, 4 sinks. Each bedroom had space for their own mini-frig & microwave. Fullsize bed, desk, dresser, nightstand, all provided. Very nice. Each 4 student unit has a shared common dining space & living room.

The campus is small, but the facilities are very well-kept. In the library they had set up very large display cases with memorabilia and had a nice slide show presentation and yearbooks & scrapbooks out on the tables. Librarians standing by to make copies.

The Alumni President made a bee-line for me as I was considerably younger than most of the attendees. (Delightful to be called a youngster again, even if I am a Gran and nearer to midlife than most!)

He wanted to enlist me on the Alumni committee. I somehow managed to escape him. Hubster did not want me to participate because of the commute involved. For me it would be an hour and a half drive even if I was interested, which I was decidely not. However, it wouldn't look bad on a resume!

Lunch was in the cafeteria with sandwiches, chips and a beautiful spread of fruit and dipping sauces, and a nice veggie & dip selection. It was very enjoyable watching the 2 Hall of Fame inductees' PowerPoint presentations and hearing their life tales. My older friend hid behind me and took a snooze as it did run on a bit!

But hey, people only generally get these ops once or twice in a lifetime so it was interesting to me to watch their enjoyment of their special day and hear their life stories.

Later we toured vendors booths and participated in a few more door prize drawings. Hubster bought me a $2 bag of Kettle Corn.

Afterwards we attended a very nice catered dinner and live music presentation, ending the evening early about 7:00 p.m. while the band played on as we had to make tracks to our part of the state to pick up FrugalSon. While dropping my old friend and my now new friend that came with, they gave us the radishes. I just washed & trimmed them up this morning and will use part of them in today's lunch salad.

All in all an enjoyable time spent on a day with lovely weather! Of note to SavingAdvice.com bloggers, I personally had a No Spend Day!!! Hubster bought gas and paid tolls out of Housebudget.

I tried to pay friend for our tickets but he wouldn't hear of it. I will be buying him a restaraunt gift certificate and mailing it to him w/a nice thank you card as well as one to the Alumni Foundation Reunion staff for the doorprizes.

I just added the last of my 2007 contributions to my Roth! Yeah ME!!! Phew. Two whole weeks to spare! hahaha I used my money from Ameritrade and the bonus from Suze Orman's promotion. That and the interest it earned made me able to slide the last little bit in there.

I'm already into my 2008 contributions as the Household Budget contributes $100 a month, and I've been contributing $101 on autodraft since the beginning of the year. Though I'll have to come up w/considerable difference to max it out in 2008. Most of this difference will be from selling junque & the $20 Challenge.

Went this afternoon and had the AARP folks do our taxes again for FREE. Yeah AARP! We have a very small refund from state and Fed both. Very closely figured - under $200 back on both. So, that's good. We didn't loan Uncle Sammie too much, and yet we don't owe him any either. E-filed, so shortly to have a bit back and we'll probably split the little bit into our Roths.

Today the house budget bought Hubster some floral arrangments for his parents' graves. He waited too long last year and couldn't find any the day he wanted to go out to the cemetery. Another thing off the to-do list.

Yesterday I took FrugalSon and the TheGrrl and we went to see 10,000 B.C. at the matinee. So yesterday I spent $2.50 from my Entertainment Fund. She came back to the house and we made goulash, salad, corn, hot rolls and apple pie for supper.

Before picking up TheGrrl FrugalSon and I went grocery shopping with a list and menu in hand. I bought for three weeks worth of meals and a months worth of snacks. I'm trying to stretch out my buying time to see if I can make it to finally doing 1 month grocery shopping trips. If I get lucky I'll be able to stretch what I've got here with what I purchased and make it w/o another grocery shop this month. Will have to go to the bread store though later in the month.

Housebudget spent on groceries $138.75. Housebudget spent on snacks $21.00 (this also included some meat as they carry Owens brand frozen there and two cases of corn at the scratch n'dent store.) The main grocery shop was at Save-A-Lot.

I watched and their register showed that something like $124 worth of my purchases would have qualified to be purchased with food stamps. I had never realized their registers showed such information before. So basically everything but tax?? I'm too pooped right now to figure it out or dig out the receipt to look.

I went long on flour, corn, beans and rice this trip. This is part of my keeping a years supply of groceries on hand most of the time. I bought two cases each of canned corn and northern beans. About three big bags of flour and 10 lbs. of rice. The prices of grains are predicted to be heading up, Up, UP.

I need a case of Milnot or equivalent brand, but will have to wait till next big shopping trip. I was shooting to only spend $140 at the grocery, so I came pretty darn close. I just bought a couple of cans of Milnot instead of a case. It's figuring that running tax that gets me every time. I got everything on my list except raw popcorn. Not microwave. Can't get just regular popcorn at Save-A-Lot here for some reason. I ask every time I go for the girls to put it on their buyer's list. Can ya'll get it at your Save-A-Lots???

Today I personally have had a no-spend day.

Tonight's menu - Steak Fajitas, Refried Beans, Spanish Rice, Fruit Cocktail, Iced Tea. A little pricier than I like to do at home usually, but it was at FrugalSon's request and he doesn't get to eat at home most nights as he's at work, so...for him (and his grocery hauling muscles) I'm doing it.

----
edited to update the mortgage balance over on the left:

New Balance $18,757.98
Actual remaining time frame 5 yrs. 4 mths.
If we continue making the extra $71.04 principal payment that we've been doing our house will be paid off in July 2012.

Busy here this morning balancing checkbooks and seeing what bills need paying and filing, etc.

One day this week? When??? ...Anyway got a call from my stepmother that my Dad had another mini-stroke TIA last Thursday and had his arm go completely numb for about 15 minutes. He drove himself and went and had a brain scan this week and was going to drive himself about 4 hours away for a delivery. GAAA! My stepmother is disabled but she can drive! Why didn't she take him to the doctor? Why didn't she call an ambulance? Call us sooner? Call me in time to drive him for the brain-scan? At least she finally called! I do check in on them every week or two, but still she can afford a phone call!

I am beyond p.o.'d!

So, I dropped everything that day and ran down and drove him to and from the place he had to make deliveries. He's previously had 5 bypass surgery and a massive stroke before. What is wrong with this woman that she can't call???????

I chewed them both out - why not call us and let us know at the time something is happening. Yes, it might be scary, but I'd rather be informed in time to help than to be left in the dark until sometime in the future when it might be too late!

On my doxie - I took FrugalSon & went to see her yesterday at the vet's office, didn't get to talk to the vet, but there wasn't any visible improvement. Unless we do a very costly (to us in our financial situation) surgery then it is unlikely that she will recover the use of her hind legs and as she is apprx. 10-13 years old and already sleeps 23 1/2 hours a day we will likely have to put her down. If we did the surgery, there was no guarantee that she wouldn't have the same thing happen w/other vertebrae, etc. We just can't afford to do it.

Myself, Hubster and CashHappySon will go visit today, and if there is no signs of improvement we will let her go. So sad. We got her from the pound when she was about 6-8 years old, and she's had a good run here with us. We just can't see that if she doesn't improve she'd have much quality of life. Too sad to write about it any more today.


To keep you kiddies entertained while I do my bookkeeping...

Uncle Jay explains the Stimulus Package

http://www.unclejayexplains.com/media/UJwmv01-28-08.wmv

Funnier....

Uncle Jay explains the Congressional Recess

http://www.unclejayexplains.com/media/UJwmv09-03-07.wmv

$20 CHALLENGE

$007.29 balance
+000.09 keyboard change
_______
$007.38 March MTD

2008 Challenge Total $61.82
Cumulative Challenge Total $590.43

I've got a big old honking pile of papers on my desk!

More Importantly - I'm TIRED TIRED TIRED of having a big old honking pile of papers on my desk!!

To-Do
1)Spend 15 minutes morning on deskwork.
2)Spend 15 minutes afternoon on deskwork.
3)Spend 15 minutes evening on deskwork.
4)Bank February's $20 Challenge money.
5)Figure out what CashHappySon's new auto insurance premiums are going to be.
6)Move money to Emigrant.
7)Move money to Roth IRA for 2007.
8)Go to the Dollar Store & get things on list.
9)Find another copy of my truck insurance paper to go in glovebox. Took the other one out when I went to get tag renewed yesterday.
10)Either Call or Take CashHappySon to employer to get new schedule straightened out. Make sure #9 is done before driving off!!
11)Spend 15 minutes before bedtime on deskwork.
12)Get some filing done!
13)Get some files cleaned out!!

Ta-Da
Already done this a.m.

1)Bed Made
2)Dressed to shoes, hair & makeup done.
3)Brushed, Flossed, Mouthwashed
4)Load of Laundry Done
5)Ate Breakfast (Strawberry Yogurt, OJ)
6)Midmorning Snack (10 Almonds & Green Tea)
7)Walked for 10 minutes.
8)Updated 4 checkbooks (don't ask) via computer.
9)On my third bottle of water.
10)Made a shopping list for Dollar Store.


Yesterday's Ta-Da's:
FrugalSon went with me yesterday on his day off and we got some running done:

1)Truck Tag Renewed til 2009.
2)Hubster & mine allowance money from ATM.
3)Went by my bank to get new register & make a deposit.
4)Took CashHappySon's uniform pants by to exchange them for a different size.
5)Made a clothing & junk donation to the local women's shelter.
6)Went to booth #1 & picked up February's sales check and put this weeks items into the booth. February - Booth 1 Sales after overhead $283.49 - Booth 2 Sales after overhead $60.49.
7)Had a NO SPEND DAY!

$20 CHALLENGE
$000.00 March beginning balance
+001.25 from Hubster
_______
$001.25 March MTD

2008 Challenge Total $055.69
Cumulative Challenge Total $584.30

Need a good laugh about the stimulus package?? Check it out...


http://www.salon.com/comics/opus/2008/03/02/opus/


FUNNY!!

I survived working for 4 1/2 hours yesterday. Nice to know I can still answer a phone and copy papers and sort paperwork and stuff envelopes.

What was hard??? Not cleaning up the lady's work area. It was the tee-total pits! I had to sit on my hands not to throw obvious trash away and straighten stacks of papers. Auuughhhhh!!

While the phones were quiet I did get various checkbooks balanced - FIL's estate checking, Hubster's & his deceased Dad's joint account, our joint account and my account! Phew! The first two will shortly be closed out and this is one old bookkeeper who'll be glad of it!

I also got to read some on some AARP magz that had been piling up and some in "Lies About Money" by ?Ric/Rick? Edelman. Looks to be some really insightful and well researched information in there about the mutual fund industry and all the scandals associated with them. I didn't get to all of it but evidently he offers some suggestions for other investments aside from the normal run of the mill mutual fund.

Cleaning out the coin-purse this a.m. finds $1.78 + 1 cent which is a wheatpenny. I save them. Don't know what for, but I do, so that'll go in the wheatpenny jar. The $1.78 is going to the challenge!

$20 CHALLENGE
$009.35 balance
+001.78 coinpurse minus wheatpenny
_______
$011.13 FEB MTD

2008 Challenge Total $043.03
Cumulative Challenge Total $571.64

Later in the day I'll get to the wallet and cleanout what's in there for the rest of February's challenge. Should reach at least $20 by later today. Wish it was more but all the extra OTC meds & juice & kleenex this month has us nigh on to tapped out!

Meantimes I'm hauling a-foot CashHappySon into his work for a three hour shift to cover another worker who has a doctor's appointment. SIGH!!!

There is no one else to do it as all of the other security guards have quit this company because they lost their contract at his regular post. All the other security guards there hired on at the security company who got the new contract. CashHappySon got a call yesterday afternoon giving him a dollar an hour raise and a new posting. One that his Momma is pleased as punch to hear about.

This is to be at a quiet resort like specialty hospital.

It's only about a mile closer to home BUT, and it's a big BUT - there is no bar/lounge in this facility, so no drunks for him to toss out, no bank so not as much a chance for a robbery, and the parking lot is smaller so possibly not as many car break-ins to investigate nor as many hookers walking the parkinng lot, no hotel rooms for him to have to walk blindly into when there's a problem.

Also, there aren't two apartment complexes next door for spill-over domestic abuse problems, etc., etc., etc.

All you other Mommas out there can heave a big ol'sigh of relief with me on this one, right?? Thank You Lord for answered prayers!!

He worked 11-7 last night and is catching a cat nap now. After his three hour shift today at his current post we're going to go pickup his paycheck and get the new schedule for his new posting! Hopefully they don't have him scheduled for there tonight as the new hours will be 6pm to 6am for four days a week, so that will be different. 42 hours a week at a dollar more per hour as opposed to 40 hours at the old post.

Back at the autorepair shop his newest Toyota is getting a rebuilt motor put into it and a LOT of other stuff that needed fixing as well! Should be ready by middle of next week.

In the midst of all that back in our little town I've got to take FrugalSon to work at 1 o'clock, because, remember - he can't pass his parallel parking exam and with all the drama going on between me being sick and CashHappySon's car troubles we haven't been able to get to scheduling FrugalSon for driving lessons to get that handled. But we ARE going to do it. I can't be driving people around forever!

Why??? Because the Old Gray Mare ain't what she used to be!!!

On Sunday our church bulletin asked for volunteers to fill in when our office ladies go on vacation or are out sick. I volunteered myself, saying that I was contemplating going back to work sometime soon, but if they needed me before then I would be available. I was told I would be put on 'the list' w/others.

My thinking on this is two-fold:

1)I need to practice my office skills once again, as I've been out of the workplace for 20 years, give or take. And it will help fill in some of the gaps between other volunteer things I've done and now.

2)The financial secretary at the church is close to retirement and w/my accounting background I am qualified to do her job, and already know how to use the accounting software they are currently using. So, I'm thinking it won't hurt to have my foot already in the door, yes??

Bad part, my filling in is unpaid volunteer work. Our church had a recent crisis and financial times there are hard at the moment, so they can't really afford to pay anyone else plus pay the ladies their vacation or sick pay. We are between pastors and have an interim (fill-in) pastor for now.

However, supposedly filling in is only going to be here and there. I guess either no one else was on the list or I was the first pick, or they called everyone else on the list and I was the only one available????

Today I am going in because our head deacon's father passed away and the entire office staff is going to ride the church bus and go to the funeral in a town about an hour away. So, I'll be there till about 2 this afternoon.

I already sent a sympathy card to the family and wasn't planning on attending the funeral.

Today, supposedly all I'll be doing is answering the phones. So, after checking with the office manager - I'm taking some financial books I checked out of the library earlier this week and our checking account statements and plan on reading and/or balancing accounts if the phones are quiet.

For recent newbies - this is the same church that my FrugalSon used to work at in the mornings and he got laid off at the time of the crisis because of financial constraints.

Gotta go pack my lunch!

Okay when last we left off, I'd told you that CashHappySon had managed to rid himself of the two old cars and had bought a 1993 Toyota Tercel w/83K miles on it for $2250. He drove it home from the dealer and to work that night and on the way home the next morning he called the house w/the oil light on and the rods a'knocking! GAAAAAAAAA!

I went and picked him up, bought oil and then I drove the car the next mile over to the car repair shop that we frequent. News is that he is going to have buy another motor and have it installed! The kid can't catch a break!

Meanwhile, Hubster and I have been driving him 30 minutes over to work late at night and picking him up early in the mornings. Now that I've got the crud that the Doc says I need to stay out of the cold wet night/morning air and so Hubster has been doing it all! Poor man!

We're currently shopping for a used or rebuilt motor to put in it. Hubster is calling the place where we bought the car (as is-no warranty) to report to them what's happened. Doubt they offer to assist in any way but they do need to know what happened.

Last week we had FrugalSon's radiator repaired and today when we dropped him at work noticed the coolant leaking out so it's back at the shop this afternoon too!

When it rains it pours!

Life's been busy. Went to see my Mom this week about 2 hours away. Collected money from my booth that is in her town and took a couple of boxes full of holiday items out of it and restocked w/one big box full of goodies taken from my other booth nearby me. This gives me a place to rotate items. I also pulled a couple of dolls out of the southern most booth #2 to put in #1 that had never been in booth #1.

Usually I go from booth #1 to booth #2 and then if after a while things don't move I then go ahead and donate them to our local women's shelter. They have a couple of garage sales a year to raise money.

This way I feel as if I've made an honest effort to get $$s for the items, but if they don't sell after a reasonable amount of time I become more comfortable with donating them.

I also won a few items from a local auction house this week, 3 chairs that I plan to resell. Also we went to a local auction the other night. Took FrugalSon and TheGrrl and a single lady from my SS class. We had a nice evening and I won most of the things I bid on which I will resell.

I'm going to include pic in this entry of the very nicely framed Indian painting that I bought at a garage sale late last year. The glass was broken on the picture so I paid $5.00 for it. My husband got the glass replaced for me for FREE. You may not be able to tell from the picture but it is quite large - sofa wall size. We took it over to the booth #1 on Saturday - listed for $250.00. If it doesn't sell at that price w/i a year, then I'll mark it down considerably and see what happens. Wish me luck!

I had to also go back this week to the clinic for a third time this month - now I have a cold and still the virus/stomach flu bug hangs on. GRRR! I'm ready to be well!!

Was told this time that there is no co-pay on my insurance for office visits. Not sure that is true, but it appears to be true for that clinic at least! Okay, I can live with that.

Frustrating the process is that this is the first year Hubster and I have signed up for the HSA at his work, which is supposed to have some kind of card with it, but there have been repeated mixups on the mailouts of the cards. I don't have a card YET, but supposedly there is some method for getting $$'s out refunded. This round of 4 scrips was in the $70 range. OUCH!! But that was a considerable savings off what it would have been w/o the insurance!


CashHappySon gave me 60 cents in dimes to add to the $20 Challenge.

$008.35 balance
+000.60 in dimes
________
$008.95 Feb MTD

2008 Challenge Total $040.85
Cumulative Challenge Total $569.46

Wet, rainy, gray, cold, ooooky day here. I've been washing some old dishware and collectibles and getting them priced to go to the junque' booth this afternoon. We'll be over in that town later because we are going out for our Sunday School class's Valentine's Dinner at a BBQ place.

THE Sweet Hubster & I are grouping our errands w/love munchies. Normally I would go over early on a Saturday morning - 15 minutes over and 15 back as it's in the next small burg over. I usually try to make it at least once a week. This will work, he rarely ever gets to visit the junque booth, so it's good for him to be reminded that I've got it and for the owner over there to know who he is in case he ever has to go pickup money or stuff or whatever.

FrugalSon gave me $1.51 in coins to go to the challenge. This is the son who usually squeaks his pennies HARD, so it's always a surprise when he forgoes money in his own pocket. He was cleaning up his room and found it.

CashHappySon acting the jerk today and is now stationed down in his hidey-hole apartment in the basement. Dad gave him the riot-act today instead of just Mom. God love him - the boy needs help and me patience and loving firmness to deal with him!!

I'm self-coloring my hair as I type and saving myself some hairdresser cost. Lady Clairol somethingorother normally costs me $2 + tax at the local dollar type store and I got this cheaper because I had a coupon.


$20 CHALLENGE

$006.59 balance
+001.51 change agent
_______
$008.10 Feb MTD

2008 Challenge Total $40.00
Cumulative Challenge Total $568.61

Dear Sweet Valentines,

I miss you guys when I don't get to read or post!

Sweetums, a/k/a The Hubster brought home a card & chocolates for his lovely bride - yours truly! He took me out to eat on Monday night for Valentines Day at the local steak and rib place (we used the gift card we got from my sister at Christmas) and will be taking me out again on Saturday for our Sunday School class's Valentines Banquet at another BBQ place (appx. $10 a plate), so I am being spoiled. He got chocolates and his favorite hot rolls (olive bread) cooked and a nice dinner, a card and fancy juice for supper. We are simple people with pretty simple tastes.

Cleaned out the wallet a few minutes ago and found 30 cents in there to take to the challenge.

There is lots more to post about what's been going on around the Frugalis house but I'll wait till tomorrow to fill you in on some of it. There is also more change laying around from various sources that I'll post about tomorrow.

Now I've got to go pickup FrugalSon from work and take his single pink rose bud for him to give to TheGrrl whom he works with. He took her out to eat Monday night as well and out to see 27 Dresses at the movies. He gave her a perfume vial that was in a flower type presentation form and some lotiony foo-foo stuff, a scarf, some chocolates and a card. She is being spoiled too. She gave him a big box of chocolates. Love is in the air!

Hope everyone has had a lovely day and if you are your own special someone give yourself a hug and squeeze from me! Then go do something just for you that you LOVE to do - spoil yourself!! Okay?

Happy Valentine's Day to Everyone at SavingsAdvice.com!


Luv,
LuxLivingFrugalis


$20 CHALLENGE
$006.16 balance
+000.30 wallet cleanout
_______
$006.46 Feb MTD

2008 Challenge Total $38.36
Cumulative Challenge Total $566.97

Taking the $4 I got yesterday for selling books and adding it to the challenge. Also there are 3 cents here from the laundry fairy.

No. Not the ass in the picture. Isn't that from Shakespeare or some other midnight Summer's dream? Yes, it's been tooooooo many years since English Lit.

$20 CHALLENGE

$027.87 balance
+004.03 books/laundry fairy
________
$031.90 Jan MTD

2008 Challenge Total $31.90
Cumulative Challenge Total $560.51

Nobody claimed the pennies as theirs so, yeah, Anywhooooo...

Yesterday was a No Spend Day. Today looking like it will shape up similarly. Got to love those Back To Backs!! It's cold, Cold, COLD here today and I'm trying to stay inside. Have to run FrugalSon to work in a bit, but other than that I'm going to stay inside and toasty!

Posted a collectible book on Amazon yesterday for sale - I paid 50 cents for it at a garage sale last summer, just never got around to getting it posted for sale. Going list price for this rare badboy is in the $33ish range.

Also took pictures of my $5 to AT LEAST $125 if not more project and I'm still trying to decide where to sell it.

Any Shakespearean's here want to straighten me out?

Am I dreaming or was there a Prospero somewhere in Shakespeare land???

Last night was more planned and unplanned tag team preaching by Hubster and Mrs. Frugalis to CashHappySon. It was a bit more measured in tone than the previous evening.

HOWEVER,

His cell phone bill just came yesterday to the tune of "Hang On Elizabeth I'm Coming" $287.47.

Digitalis, anyone???


He can afford a $40 plan.


Prayer Meeting Results:

No Repentance. Zip. Zero. Nada.

Promise by parental units to remove cell phone from his possession for 4 months time if it is not brought back into alignment with his cash flow projections next month.

This too shall pass.

This too shall pass.

This too shall pass.

oommmmmmmmmmmmmmm.


OOOOOmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.


OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!


breathe in - breathe out...

---
In other financial news, I've got $10.40 to take to the challenge. Ten being what I've taken out of my allowance to put away instead of spend and .40 was given to me by Hubster for the challenge.

$20 CHALLENGE

$0017.47 balance
+0010.40 Retirement cost proj. scares the beegeebers out of me!
________
$0027.87 Jan MTD

2008 Challenge Total
Cumulative Challenge Total $556.48

----
Yesterday was a spending day.

Frugalson's girlfriends' parents are both sick and she doesn't drive so I picked her up and drove her to work. I made arrangements to pick her up early and we stopped at Sonic and got a couple of things to sip ($3.87 + tip) and chatted. She has the idea that they are dating exclusively and he has other ideas. He doesn't have any one else in mind right now just wanting to keep his options open.

I tried to gently reinforce this to her (I call her TheGrrl) as he has done himself. No, I'm not THAT BAD - she's the one who broached the subject. They are both still free agents. SO FAR, I really like this little girl but don't want her to become a cling-on, unless, that's what FrugalSon wants her to do.

He thinks she MAY be 'the one', but who knows. IF she wants to pump me for information or side with me against him it will be no go - she'll be on my extremely short list to hit the road! She tried it once when they first started dating and I told her he was my priority and that I wasn't going to play that game with her. I am trying to get to know her better as she may be my future d-i-love. All I know is her biological clock is ticking like crazy!!

TheGrrl and I then went to the grocery to pick up worcestershire that I forgot and a few bottles of pop. Then I dropped her at work.

TheGrrl works at the same place FrugalSon works and has managed to get her schedule switched so they are both working pretty much the same shifts.

TheGrrl was on days and him on nights so it really limited their time together. They were crossing paths for about an hour a day in the middle and had one day a week to actually go out or be together. Proximity may do them in or bring them closer. We shall see.

FrugalSon is a MODEL HANDSOME, 21 and has some limitations, so it is still somewhat questionable as to how his fates shall work out. Pray for him. He still doesn't drive either. She's 23 and doesn't drive, so pull for them to get their licenses. Parrallel parking is holding them both back. Anyway, they have a date set for her to go to church with us this coming Sunday.

We are currently investigating him paying for driving school hours to get that parrallel parking demon beat. I can't seem to teach him sufficiently.

On buying pop - CashHappysSon had bought two cases of a lemon/lime drink that he doesn't like. He donated it to the household. I can drink it IF I cut it w/real Sprite, so I bought 3 bottles of it on sale at 78 cents. Will buy more later to balance this out.

So HALLELLUJAH I got in and out of the grocery for under $5. I paid for this grocery run out of my budget since I'm the goof-ball who forgot these things when the HouseBudget was paying and I HATE making two trips. Trying to penalize myself in order to learn to GET IT ALL the first time!

Thar's Gold On That There Asphalt!!

Well, maybe not gold, not in this instance anyway.

Yesterday afternoon both sons were off work and we tried to get ahold of their girlfriends last minute to go to the movies with us. Alas, the poor girlies missed out on a last minute date! We went to see Will Smith's "I Am Legend".

It was really good, but I had no idea it was a scary movie or I wouldn't have gone. I CUSSED out loud four different times in the movie when something jumped at me. I thought the old ticker was going to go at any minute.

I think I actually strained my shoulder by grabbing onto each boys shoulders as I sat in the middle.

Ohhh, and yeah, I did pick my feet up off the floor. You never know what scary thing is down there!! Wooooo.

After the movie we had to hurry home - IT WAS GETTING DARK!!! I saw a bit of shiny-shiny on the ground by the truck. So, looking carefully around to be sure no boogies were going to get me I grabbed that puppy up - it was a dime.

So, as you all know I've been collecting money WHERE-EVER I can find it since my Grampa H. taught me when I was knee-high to the proverbial grasshopper - We now can ascertain that I'm willing to risk being bit by the Boogie-Men to pick up a dime!

Man, was I glad to get home safe!

**I don't DO scary movies people and this here just proved my point. Of course both word police sons' first words out of their mouths when we got home was to tell Hubster "Dad, Mom cussed during the movie - FOUR TIMES!!!"

hahahhahaaaaaaaaa!

Hilarious.

I said it loud too where everyone could hear me*!! "OHHHHHHHH Shoot!" Or something like that!

*I'm kind of public safety minded that way - I was giving warning to the other citizens of the theatre to let's get the heck out'a here!!!

Anyway, I'm taking my dime**to the challenge.

$20 CHALLENGE
$015.32 balance
+000.10 The Risk Queen Salvaged
_______
$015.42 Jan MTD

2008 Challenge Total $15.42
Cumulative Challenge Total $544.03


**Effectively bringing down the cost of going to the movie by 10 cents. Matinee costs yesterday were $5.00 - I bought for myself and CashHappySon, so only $4.90 for me this time. FrugalSon paid his own way. We also got the DREADED fast food yesterday - but with FrugalSon's employee discount it was only $3.27 for all three of us to each have a burger & fries, w/water to drink from home!


Soooo, check that asphalt people. There's gold and silver and folding money to be found out there! But, do watch for the night boogies. And light up the dark!!

You can read the book it is based on here:

http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-Legend-Richard-Matheson/dp/076531...

Or light up your dark-night here:
http://www.amazon.com/Best-Bob-Marley/dp/079359412X/ref=sr_1...

How about you - do you nightmare from scary movies? I don't, but I don't like them.

Do you pick up money when you find it on the ground?

FrugalSon gave me 50 cents yesterday for the $20 Challenge.

"Hey bud, where'd this come from?"

'CashHappy gave it to me!'

I guess I'm grateful that he isn't one of those who just throws his change on the ground???? AUUGGH!!

Don't get me wrong, I like having money to put towards my challenge, but I'd rather they save it for themselves.


$20 CHALLENGE

$008.99 balance
+000.50 Transfer of Assets
_______
$009.49

2008 Challenge Total $9.49
Cumulative Total Challenge $538.10

Yesterday was a spender - $82.96 at the grocery and $2.50 for matinee viewing w/CashHappySon of 'National Treasure 2' or whatever the second one is called.

I enjoyed the movie but was agog at the grocery receipt as I had a short list, but somehow was not that effective in sticking with it. However, what I did get that may have sent me over the top was fresh produce that should be healthful to our overall nutrition.

CashHappySon handed me $1.16 in change to go to the challenge. He is so cavalier about money it is scary.

$20 CHALLENGE
$007.83 balance
+001.16 parted with all too easily
_______
$008.99 Jan MTD

2008 Challenge Total $8.99
Cumulative Challenge Total $537.60

Yesterday was a spender as HouseBudget spent a boatload on gas to fill up my truck. I took a load of firewood to my Dad about an hour away and then drove on to my Mom's to restock my junque' booth #2 and pick up December sales at #1 & 2 booths. Phhppfftt...those #2 sales not worth driving for (did meet my rent, got rid of some junk with a little left over*), but it does make me MORE regular in getting down to see her - she lives approximately 2 hours away.

Since both boys were off I took them with me to unload the wood and to see the grandparents, so it was $9.90 at the Golden Arches for lunch for the three of us (just the way the schedule turned out that we were between their houses at lunchtime or we'd of normally eaten with one or the other of them) AND $1.75 in toll charges.

*My other booth did meet it's December expenses plus $62.00 in income. Good thing I'm not trying to LIVE off of this money as it is very irregular! Now to figure out the profit...

Half of the income will go directly to my Roth IRA and the rest plowed back into more inventory.

I spent $13.01 here this week on groceries. I seriously overstocked before Christmas and Hubster's vacation, plus he got a nice spiral ham from his company and CashHappySon got a turkey.

The ham is mostly spent, just a few remains in the freezer for future ham, beans & cornbread nights, but the turkey is tucked away in the freezer uncooked.

It's Grocery Banked!!

In other spending news...at Family Dollar this week I spent $45.50ish. That is for paper goods, paper towels, paper plates, toilet tissue, lots of cleaning and laundry supplies -- enough to last a couple of months, a new broom, 2 new dish towels, coffee creamer, $1 for 4 cooking utensils, shampoo, conditioner, batteries for my camera, a Valentine's Day card for Hubster and a bottle of 'fake-o champagne-bottled grape juice' for VD coming up.

While we were there I helped FrugalSon pick out a card for his girl 'not toooooo mushy', and some clearance lotion products for her VD gift. Nice - he only paid $3 on one of those sets with about 6 or 7 items in it. He also has a perfume here at home for her in the shape of a floral rose presentation thingawho that will be added to his gift.

We looked for hearts filled with chocolates but they weren't in the store yet. He also bought himself a new cap - it looks like one of those Greek fisherman caps for $3.99, so he got out for around $8.50 total on his big splurge.

PLUS, he was here to tote and carry all Mom's purchases to the truck and then into the house! Gotta love those boys with muscles AND a good attitude that look like Greek Gods. Sweet!

Perfect!!! FrugalSon just gave me $6.25 left from his December Entertainment budget - "to help you with that pizza from the other night Mom", you know the one we invited his girlfriend over for? What a trooper!

Wooooot!!!

Now normally the Frugalis family makes pizza at home which I can make a couple of nice pizzas for about $5 or less, so even w/the coupon the other night it pained ol' Mom's Frugalicious Gene (TM) to pay for pizza (no, I didn't say a word as it was my idea to do it this way), so this is a nice surprise.

Unexpected, so, I'm taking it to the challenge!

Plus, the dryer fairy left me a penny. Thank you muchly!!


$20 CHALLENGE
$001.46 balance
+006.26 pizza rebate & dryer fairy
_______
$007.72 Jan MTD

2008 Challenge Total $7.72
Cumulative Challenge Total $536.33

Okay this one's for Shiela who asked about how my fold up bed works. The key is in the piano hinges that allow the doors to be folded back out of the way.



This was the only bed I had for about 3 or 4 years when I was a young single upwardly mobile chickista. Proving that you can sleep with a metal rod across your back and live to tell the tale!

Wow, I opened this up today for the first time in a couple of years and all dustbunnies aside found the sheet (I paid $8 to replace)I've been looking for!

Ta-da!!

Here it is!



And to think I've been accusing the young manchildren who live hereabouts of having it scrunched up in some deep dark (Mom, you REALLY don't want to look in there) place!!


See the blue taped thingawhichy over there against the closet? Hang tight, that's my next How I Turned $5 into $125 project. Details to follow as soon as Hubster gets it put back together for me.

Keep scrolling down...









Of financial note: Speaking of OLD & NEW...maybe it's just me but is everything blurry & quiet in here?? The Hubster and I signed up for his HSA this year. Hope he gets his official paperwork soon as I see an eye exam and a hearing test in my future.

At church last Sunday I couldn't see one of my favorite little girls' face while she was in the baptistry waters! Granted, I sit in the balcony, way at the back but still....

Ughhhh!! I think it is a bigger issue than just being at a distance...like maybe I'm turning into an old fossil??

AND,

I couldn't hear the people at the other end of the table in my Sunday School class. Granted, it's a big class, but, still, I like to participate. Need to be able to hear to do that!! Maybe I'm just full of funky earwax?? Hear's hoping that's all that is!

Hopefully the little bit we put towards the HSA will cover both those expenses. We are newbies at this HSA thingy, so we didn't plop a lot of money towards it. 2008 is our test launch year and I think he either put $400 or $500 on it, either of which should be easily hit.

-----
Cleaned the desk off yesterday while preparing for FrugalSon's date. My desk is in the living room, so um, yeah, it had to have a clean sweep! Found a dime and someone had left 35 cents on the lazy susan in the dining room. The waitress (dear Ol' Mom) claimed it.

FrugalSon's 'The Girl' came over bearing a chocolate cake last night and we had Domino's pizza (yes, w/a coupon) and watched Godzilla -the relatively?? new one.

Wooohoooo Party!!

Huuuu!! I fell asleep during the first part but was enough of a party animal to be awake from about 11 on til about 1 a.m. Big time fun. Well, for us anyway.


2008 $20 CHALLENGE

$000.00 balance
+000.45 desk cleanup & waitress tip
_______
$000.45 Jan MTD

2008 Challenge Total $000.45
Cumulative Challenge Total $402.95

Anyway, I pray that everyone of us here at SavingAdvice.com will prosper during the coming new year!! Let the clock start ticking!! I'm off to make my mortgage payment.

OhJoyyyyyyyAndHappiness!

Adding results of another purse cleanout to the $20 Challenge:

$08.27 balance
+15.01 tidy-up
______
$23.28 Dec MTD

2007 Challenge Total $284.98
Cumulative Challenge Total $411.09

Wooooooo, well it looks like I at least more than doubled my 2006 challenge total which was granted only a partial year, but I think I can do even better next year.

Here's to a more prosperous 2008 for everyone! God Bless Us All, Tiny Tim!

P.S. I still hope to get back in the check register and see what I plugged into the IRA for this challenge back in September and October, so these totals may still go up.

Of financial note for my kiddos, this is the first year that FrugalSon was able to make all of his Roth IRA contributions before the end of the year even. Wooo-hoooo!

I'm not certain he can up it to $5000 for 2008 UNLESS he gets an additional part-time job OR he gets a better paying job where he's at or elsewhere. We just took $1793 from his extra well-padded emergency fund and finished making his 2007 contributions. At any rate I am VERY PROUD of him, he's only 21, and it seems he was BORN FRUGAL. He can go without most of the rewards everyone else seem to think so necessary.

I wanted us all to be finished w/our Roth contributions by the end of the year. He may be the only one of us who actually makes it!

I'm updating my various personal savings accounts balances today and I may haul out some from somewhere and plunk it to the ol' Roth. I'd really like to do whatever I'm going to do for 2007 before 12/31. Yes, I know I have til April. No, I don't like mixing my years on this stuff. It confuses ye'ol pea brain.

It's not like I'll go without anything as we still have our joint savings and emergency funds and all those empty CCs, so if all went to pot (God Forbid), we'd still be okay I think. I'm mulling it over.

It's not like I can't get to it if I wanted to badly enough but I've never withdrawn from my IRA. To me it is sacred for retirement only funds and I wouldn't want to ruin my streak.

How about you - do you take money out of your IRA's for other than retirement??

Yesterday my niece called and wanted to borrow my truck to go buy some wood and haul it to my sister's house as she burns wood for heating her house. Sister is a single gal. My niece and nephew-in-law take good care of her. Anyway Sister has lots of wood already, it's just all dry wood and she needs green wood in order to keep the fire burning all thru the nighttimes.

Anyway, I told niece sure, come and borrow the truck, but don't buy green wood as there is a potful here. Probably five or six pickup truck loads full when all of the trees are cut up that fell during the last ice storm.

So, nephew-I-L came out w/his chainsaw, cut up a bunch of wood along w/Frugalson and CashHappyson filling up the truck. CashHappyson had also recently bought himself a used chainsaw during his recent spending spree, so we had two saws going. It was icy and wet w/blowing snow. Niece who is getting over a long streak of bronchitis and I stayed inside and made a pot of potato soup and kept trucking out the hot java.

We had a nice lunch after they were finished of potato soup and sandwiches and it was nice to get some of these downed limbs gone w/o the expense of having someone come in to do it and know that Sister got herself some wood. Love it when it all works out nice and neatly. I will be picking up my truck this evening and driving it home after the family Christmas celebration that we're attending at my other nephew's house.

A good deal all around. Except for the fact that I loved my trees and many were badly torn up during the storms. Gaa!

We probably have 200 to 250 trees on our little 2 1/2 acres. We probably lost 25-35 of them completely and many, many more were very badly damaged. Some of my trees are of the 200-300 year old bracket. It is horribly sad to see them so badly hurt by the storms. I'm not quite sure how we are going to be able to afford to trim them properly, and may just have to leave them w/some dangling limbs for awhile.

The sliding glass door was completely blocked by branches after the storm.

I only lost one small pane of glass that was cracked in the sunroom by a falling branch. It'll cost less than $10 to replace it, so I don't believe we'll be making any insurance claims. I'm going to get out my policy and read it though about the tree clean up, there may be some coverage there.

We do not own a chainsaw. Yeah, I know, goofy after you consider how many trees I have. After the storms we've talked about buying one but haven't done so yet. There aren't many in the stores around here anyway as they were cleared out immediately after the recent ice-storms. Wouldn't have done us any good yet anyway as Hubster has been on 12 hour days, and even working Sundays. Something he's never had to do since we've been married. This little bit of woodcutting has already been a big help in getting to at least the front & one side-yard.

Update: Hubster has still gotten No Comfirmation of what they'll be doing for his 40 year service award.

WELL, SPIT SPIT SPIT!! Looks like it may be time to start polishing up the ol'boohoodie kicking booties.

$20 Challenge

$02.99 balance
+00.74 CashHappy's Green Apple
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$03.73 Dec MTD

CashHappy Son handed me 74 cents for Piggy last night right after his Dad and I talked to him about his reckless spending habits AGAIN! Can you believe this kid?? Geesh. I asked him "After what we just talked about you want to give me money?"

"Yes, why?"

"uhhhhh, because you've spent yourself down to the bottom of your checkbook and payday isn't until 5 days from now?"

"Naaaah, I'm okay."

AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!! The kid is just not getting it!

It's still all "Easy Come, Easy Go!"

Anyway, Piggy now has more change to cling to, and CashHappy has decided that he can't really handle his money well enough to feed himself and get his own laundry done, so he's going to adopt the plan his older brother works on here with us.

That is, instead of paying $100 a month to rent the basement and then go out and buy his own groceries & do his own laundry, he's going to stay in the basement and pay $200 in a more loosely structured Eat At Mom's Laundry Center room and board situation.

The new agreement also calls for him in addition to his $200 room and board fee to bring The First National Bank of Mom Frugalis a $200 deposit on the first of the month to save for his "Moving Out Fund". He's always had one, just the past six months or so he's gone crazy with his 'trinket' purchases and has no treasure fund built up.

His attitude is getting him mighty close to thin ice lately, telling lies and not doing as the parental units instruct, so he's got to get some money built up for future living arrangements as this is not his permanent abode!

IOW, his Dad offered to come home from work the other day and toss him to the curb for lipping off to Mom, so he's got to get turned around in attitude and finances.

God Bless him, he's a good kid w/a 'tude. Hubster and I have both been there, but there is only so much lip we're willing to tolerate while chillens' are also acting irresponsibly. Here's hoping this new setup helps or at least gives him some time to turn his self in a better direction.

How about it, guys and gals, I'm open to learning any tips & tricks for teaching late teen boys to be fiscally responsible??? Hit me with your best shot!