Five Things Challenge Update

The Sunday Edition

d-o-n-e, done, Done, D-o-N-e, ..and DONE!!!

On today's list were:

[x]1)House Budget checking account balanced. - This is different than the other two I did the other day. Account is rather on the empty side though, so watching House Budget spending extra closely for a day or two.

[x]2)Cook Sunday lunch trying a new recipe. Used another out of Kraft's Food & Family magazine. Not horrid, not bad, but probably won't repeat - Chicken & Stuffing type casserole.

I did try one in there last night that FrugalSon said was FABULOUS. (Haven't heard that in a while!) It was the Chicken Caesar Wraps. I wouldn't say fabulous, but Hubster and I both agreed they were pretty good.

I, of course, being me, changed the recipe around to make it a warm wrap by heating the bacon, chicken & cheese before filling the warmed tortillas. Served with soup as I wasn't sure how filling it would be and it was rainy & damp by supper time yesterday.

I am trying new recipes because we had gotten into somewhat of a rut AND I'm trying to cook more since CashHappySon is not here to trade off cooking with FrugalSon & I. Have to get myself back in the cooking habit!

[x]3)File all the paperwork from bills paid. This tends to stack up! There were several months that needed doing.

And for future to-do's, there is still purging that needs to be done in filing cabinet. That might make the actual filing a more enjoyable thing if it weren't crammed full!

[x]4)Write a thank you note. A native friend sent me FREE copies of two books he wrote. I wanted to send my thank you note on native stationary, but it was in the other room and I put this off ALL WEEK rather than get on up off my duff and go dig it out. Took me all of 15 seconds once I made myself get it done! How often do we do this to ourselves? The packing envelope has been dragging me down all week sitting here on the desk LOOKING AT ME waiting to be done! That procrastination on my part was making me lose the joy of the gift!

[X]5)Clip and sort coupons. I've not been using coupons much the past few years once I lost my nice organized coupon box, but I can save money when I use them, so since we're getting ready to be 'fixed income' folks? I might want to get back into the habit. I sorted them by use-by date & put them in a ziplock in my wallet, at least until I see if I want to get back into couponing more seriously.



On another note I sat up in bed and slapped myself on the head this morning. Even though we've decided not to put our MM money into CDs for the moment until the SS & pension checks start coming, what is stopping me from moving it over to just drawing more interest? I don't know. How silly. Moved it just now! Gaaa!!! Then if we don't need it, it can slip right into some CDs.

Didn't get the chest of drawers painted because it clouded over all afternoon yesterday and I was afraid to risk it. Sure enough, we rolled it on the dolly back into the utility room and no more than 5 minutes later? Raindrops!

Maybe early some time this coming week it will get done. I know for sure I don't want it sitting in my utility room for very long. Needs another 30 minutes or so of sanding. I walked by and caught Hubster giving it a 'feel' to see if it was done right! Still cloudy & rainy looking here today so, no-can-do today.

He finished installing crown molding yesterday evening in LR. Next to do is fill nailholes and joints then touch up paint. We may have to caulk a few places at the ceiling line as this old place (built 1942ish) has a few wavy spots on the ceiling line. IOWs, not much was level to begin with on this project. Pics to come when finished. Then it's on to the dining room molding!

Today will be a stay home and No Spend Day! Maybe some popcorn, a movie in the DVD player and a nap.

A Peach, a Bull*, An Eagle & Lincoln?

What do these things have in common?

They are all on the coins I pulled out of my wallet in an effort to get my October $20 Challenge off to a start. Here we go!

That's right boys and girls, three quarters and a penny. Seventy-six cents. 7 - 6. 76 centavos, 76 Cents.

Hello October Challenge.


...and A.WaY we go!

$20 Challenge
$000.00 beginning October balance
+000.76 interesting coinage mix
_______
$000.76 Oct MTD

2009 Challenge Total $963.04 (only $36.96 remaining to break that $1000 ceiling!)
Cumulative Challenge Total $2016.80

*The bull is the skeleton head of a bull on the Montana quarter. It caught my eye as I pulled it out of the wallet and thought it looked like a fake-o coin! They came out in 2007, but I think this must be the first one I've noticed.

Yesterday was a No Spend Day for me.

House-budget bought $40ish worth of lumber supplies for home updating. After Hubster finishes with putting up of crown molding** in living room, we are continuing into the dining area and putting some up in there as well. That's what those supplies are for. It would've been $50ish, but I had a nice coupon!

**If I had known that FREE (with purchase) crown-molding stuff was in my attic since we moved here? We'd of put it up week one, well maybe, week five. This has bugged me for ten years unnecessarily!!! Ratfinkus!

Right now we are waiting for some spackle to dry and then later today I will paint an area that had a 'dry-wall fall-apart' as Hubster went to nail some of the trim up the other day. Then, he'll get to finish his portion of the program. It looks AWESOME! Well, maybe not to everyone, but if you've been wanting something done nigh on to foreverish? What he's got done already? Looks SOOO gooooooooooooood!!!

FrugalSon bought himself a radiant oil-filled heater yesterday at Lowe's for $39. The same one at Walmart? $63!!!!! Pays to shop around.

Yesterday afternoon after I got back from the lumber yard, where I went while my carpenter took a nap, I went outside and spent about two hours sanding on the carcass of my chest of drawers. Hope to get some paint slapped on her today and get that finished so I can start on the bed. Want to get this stuff done before the snow flies this year. Or at least before cold weather sets in.

OR???




No, but close - I think I'd rather have a Westy - otherwise known as a VW Westfalia or maybe a Vanagon (I'm such a newbie to these vehicles to not know if they are one and the same or two different models) to travel about in. That is, in order to go stealth boondocking in my future travels. No way will I get anything close to new. A used one will have to do. New ones are wayyyyyy PRICEY! Ouch. No, I'd rather have some $$'s left to actually go some place in it!

Watch this great family's video:

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

Their trip reminded me of my own two dalliances through Honduras. Fun & interesting (political) times! I met many soldiers during the Sandinista conflicts.

While we were gone to my Dad's the other day I finally deposited the $25 from the sale of the cooker. I love my local bank as it has branches all across my state and everywhere I go in state - there it is! Very helpful at times. Wouldn't work for long distance travel though if you're having to pay ATM fees. Before I took off, I'd have to get somewhere nationwide I suppose.

Since my other funds are coming along nicely for beginner funds, I think I'll boost the RV Land Travel fund for a bit. Taking the $25 and putting it in there.

$142.50 balance
+025.00 BBQ bye-bye
_______
$167.50 new total**

**{edited to add: I forgot about the $12.00 autodraft that went in yesterday and the interest that was posted, so let me add that in for a New New Total! Went and upgraded next month's & future autodrafts to $12.50. A nicer, rounder number. Maybe one day soon, I can swoop on up to $15! Remember what I tell all the beginners? INCH BY INCH baby!!

$167.50 new total
+000.15 9/31 interest
+012.00 Oct 1 autodraft
_______
$179.65 New NEW total! Yeah!}

for more info on Westy living:
http://www.cs.rochester.edu/~jag/vw/gen/living.html

and here:

http://cheaprvliving.com/Young_Sonja.html


~~~
LAST YEAR on LuxLivingFrugalis:
http://luxliving.savingadvice.com/2008/10/

It's over but you can read about one person's experience on the San Francisco Food Bank's 2009 Hunger Challenge here:

http://www.poorgirleatswell.com/2009/09/pgew-joins-san-franc...

Maybe you'd like to try this experiment?

Or maybe you're already having to live on this amount for food already?

I think I might be able to do it successfully, but it would be hard to do -I think - to even get started here as I am a pantry-holic. Mine are overflowing because I do the scratch-n-dent thing.




Yes, the center shelf is bowed from weight. I know. I told you, I have a problem with overfilling the pantry. You'd think someone starved me as a child. But, no - such is not the case. I could just blame it on the cabinet maker, couldn't I? AND, this is just one cabinet. They are all like this - and the basement pantry is well stocked as well. hmmm...

Limiting myself to new things purchased to make meals might prove a bit of a challenge because we're well stocked, but I think I could do it. Keeping hunger at bay? I would be thinking protein.

Her blog posts about this challenge are interesting, inspiring & informative to read.

Today is a No Spend Day for me.

Made a pot of homemade potato soup for lunch. Here's my bowl:





We'll be eating Chicken, Rice & Broccoli casserole for supper. I used Kraft's free Food & Family magazine for the recipe, but shhhh! don't tell - I didn't use all Kraft products to pull it off.

Tip - More About Homestead Exemption

An FYI - in my county - they have a Senior Lock In Rate that hits when you are 65 on top of the normal homestead exemption that any homeowner qualifies for if it's their fulltime place of residence. BUT, you have to apply for it.

We aren't there yet - when Hubster hits 65 I'm going in for Locking It Down!!! Wooo-hooo!!

AND, I looked at it online again this morning and they also have a Homeowners Tax Refund if you make less than $12,000.00 a year.

Those of you over 65 might want to check your local county for something similar to the Lock-In Rates for Seniors.

And, those of you who are under the poverty limits yet are homeowners might want to see if you've got a chance at a refund on your house taxes in your county too!

Good luck everyone. Seems these things are different all over the country and even county to county so check in with your local tax assessor. Mine has a lovely website that I can check online. Yours might too! ...and these programs are not all that well advertised. Meaning, if you don't ask? They don't tell.

Let me know if you hit the jackpot with this tip!

Note: thanks to Gamecock for the reminder about this! Take note all you new homeowners - you might need to make a little bit of effort to get this discount on your house taxes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestead_exemption
Click here to understand MORE about what Homestead Exemption is all about.

It's the first of the month and I've got nothing to do!

That is the best feeling!!!

Thanks to Househopeful's Five Things Challenge, I've already got the checkbooks balanced.

I went online last week and set bill-pay at the bank to pay our water bill, it's the only thing besides the mortgage and credit cards that I normally do by hand anymore. All other bills are on autopay.

Because I hit pay on the CC's last week too? I'm still debt free AND don't have that to do today.

Well.

No mortgage = a bit less stress at this time of the month!

Of course, next month we'll probably have a CC payment due as we do use them, BUT, we pay off each month too. Discovercard is back w/Groceries on their cashback program thru til December. NICE.

Don't hate me because I'm debt-free! (Do you remember that 'don't hate me because I'm beautiful' commercial?)

FrugalSon & I went yesterday to see my Dad who lives an hour south. Breakfast at MickeyDs for two $5.12, and lunch out dutch-treat at a restaraunt I worked at as a young girl - it's really good food only available there in that town, ie not a chain, so $7.96 there, plus tip $2.50. Those were out of my personal spending account. Used a half-tank of gas which the house budget takes care of.

Got to look at my Dad! Priceless!

He's 78 and has had a stroke and five bypass surgery in the past. He is VERY VERY VERY active on his ranch and does a LOT of physical labor, iow, he can and does quite literally outwork people 58 years younger by running rings around them! But, we all know life can change in an instant. He's my fountain of knowledge - when I want to know the answer to ANY question and the computer's not on? Call Dad. A walking encyclopedia.

While down there we went to the scratch-n-dent grocery where I found some good deals on cold & sniffles supplies for the upcoming winter (fav cough syrup usually $12 bought 2 @ $4 each). Remaining on that list to get laid in? Sprite & orange sherbert!
O.S. is my comfort food when I have a sore-throat. Probably not the best as in feeding sugar to my germies, but it soothes & rather numbs the savage flames in a raging throat big-time. At least for a little while.

I have already laid in my supply of Sambucol for the clearing up of any throat tickle the other day. (Sambu is also a name it's called by - it's basically elderberry juice. The one I got has echinachea & something else I can't recall at the moment.) A little pricey, BUT can stave off all kinds of bad germies if taken in time. I usually don't end up with many colds, but Hubster usually managed to come home with one from work before and FrugalSon is still out there mingling with the masses. If they'd listen to Dr. Mom they wouldn't have as many, but alas, that is not always the case.

Good to get a visit in with my Dad as my Mom (whom he is no longer married to) has taken up a good deal of my summer energies with her move closer to me & 2 surgeries. Dad got the short-shift this summer.

We took the long way home on the back roads and hit an antique store. I managed to get out without spending any money and may have found a buyer for some of FIL's political buttons of which he only had a few, but they are here waiting for me to research them and get them sold. This guy did say he'd rather I priced my own stuff out and then he'd see if we couldn't come to some sort of agreement. Good enough.

Looking at Dad & laying in supplies made a good day. Money all well spent as far as I'm concerned.