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!

Sweet Black Toffee got to come home from the vet last night. She is trying to walk herself around again. She wobbles and falls over a lot. Back left leg working great. Right rear leg comes and goes. We are to do physical therapy with her three times a day and she has some meds.

As long as she can eliminate on her own I think everything will be okay. As the doctor was explaining it to me the first day his scenario was we'd be doing basically a colostomy bag and physical manipulations to help her go potty, which wasn't the type of life we wanted for her or ourselves.

So far so good. She went potty by herself this morning and is on predisone which is keeping her thirsty & kidneys going as well. Mostly she is back to her usual sleeping all the time. You can wake her up and interact with her on any given day and within 2 or 3 minutes she'll tire out and curl back up to sleep. She is after all a little old lady!!




Vet bill on the CC to the tune of $180.00. Will pay that out of the Veterinary Fund. Thank goodness for pre-planning, although obviously there isn't enough in there for anything major.

Talk about your up and down days!!!

Right before we left for the vet my sister called and asked 'when was the last time I had talked to our Mom?' I had spent about 2 hours on the phone with her just the day before. Okay, she says, now she is wearing one of those heart monitor packs for 24 hours. Say what??? Both my parents are falling apart at the same time. I live one hour from my Dad and an hour and 1/2 from Mom.

I get off phone w/Sis, go to the vet w/Hubster & CashHappySon thinking we are going to say goodbye as they closed w/i 15 minutes, find the dog much better and get Toffee, come back home and call my Mom.

Seems she had recently changed health clinics to one closer to her home and they had changed her medications from one she takes twice a day to a time released type. The new one appears to be what is making her heart race.

After I got off the phone w/her CashHappySon started acting the 'wicked-child' again and I frankly did not need the additional stress. Hubster had his job cut out for him again trying to referee!

Ay-Carumba!! Thankfully the rest of the evening smoothed out and I went to bed early w/a warm corn-bag (microwave heated) and de-stressed w/a good book. I'm reading about the Ochs family who started the New York Times newspaper. Very interesting. The Trust: The Private and Powerful Family behind The New York Times, Susan E. Tifft and Alex S. Jones, Little, Brown and Company, 1999.**

Giving parental units time this a.m. to get up and running and I'll be calling to check in with both of them!

----
$20 CHALLENGE
$007.38 balance
+003.25 wallet cleanout
_______
$010.63 March MTD

2008 Challenge Total $65.07
Cumulative Challenge Total $593.68

----
When I was paying bills yesterday I thought I'd do a little addition and check how the utilities are running. This is more for informational purposes into the retirement planning stages because if we pay our house off and stay here I wanted to see where we'd be.

Going to try and start logging them here monthly.

Utilities for March 2008

$90.68 Phone*/Cable/DSL
$97.00 Natural Gas
$14.00 Trash Service
$62.00 Electric
$49.40 Water/Ambulance Fee**
______
$313.08

*Landline charges. I recently ended my cell phone contract that I'd had for about 6 years and have gone with an Emergency Use Only tracphone (pay as you go.) Cell is now paid out of my budget and Hubster doesn't carry one.

**A couple of months back the rural water district we live in decided to start charging us $2.50 month for emergency medical services fee in the off chance we need to use an ambulance. If we had our druthers we'd pay for an ambulance IF and when we needed one. Boo Hiss!

Okay, back to the utilities, so w/the projection of having the house paid off right about retirement time and adding in current house taxes of apprx. $56.00 a month and we'd be sitting here (in today's dollars) paying right at $370.00 to live in our home. Not too shabby, eh folks??? But, we must not forget to factor in that nasty inflation!!

$370 a month - That's low enough that we could stay here and hire out the lawn care, if we wanted to. Ahhh, the joys of not buying TOO MUCH house!

----
I personally had a no-spend day yesterday.

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

Moved money from online bank House Tax Fund to checking this afternoon to cover last 1/2 of the 2007 house taxes for our house. We have until the end of March to pay them. I don't personally like doing it this way, but I did earn a teeny-tiny bit more interest by not paying it w/the other half that was due 12/31. Will be mailing check out in today's mail.

House taxes for 2007 were $662.00. Not bad at all considering what many of you pay! I've estimated 2008 taxes to go up a bit and run at $675, so we're putting back $56.25 a month towards them.

Yesterday had to get new brake rotors or pads or something or other stuff done to Hubster's car to the tune of $190.16. Took that money from Auto Repair Fund that is also kept in the online bank.

On CashHappySon's car earlier in the week we had to have a new axle put on for $196.32. GEEE - these cars are costing out the wazoooloooo! This amount goes on his tab. He has the money in checking to cover it, however, we are trying to get him back on track w/being a month AHEAD of his bills using YNAB software, and he's almost there. I'd rather see him get a lifelong lesson money truth than a short-term gratification for me to get the money back in our account at the moment. He WILL be paying it back. He did make his first payment to us on the Toyota Tercel on the first.

***Of major importance is the fact that our realtor called and we are attempting to have closing on FIL's house on Monday! HALLELU!! HALLELU!! Looking forward to the return of a BUNCH O' DOLLARS that we've laid out to keep things moving forward.

I am praying that everything goes smoothly at the closing. We don't have a time scheduled yet though.***

There is only one tiny repair left for Hubster to get finished (putting in an elect. recept. that is one of those ones that can be by water). That's planned for early tomorrow when he's off for the Easter holiday. He's already put in three of them, fixed a small plumbing leak we didn't know we had and put in a new window that had been broken in the ice storm that we had made a stopgap fix on earlier. We also had to do a fix on the stove ignitor. Hopefully they'll be able to schedule their final walk-thru late tomorrow afternoon or early on Monday.

I freaked out a few minutes ago and had to call Hubster to ask if he'd already paid (I do balance the estate's checkbook, but I refused to take on paying the bills as well! I mean, isn't it enough that I never said NOT ONE single word to his four siblings that they weren't helping financially and we were tapping our own money to the point of making me gasp & butte-pucker monthly for two years??? ) the last half of the '07 taxes on his Dad's house as if not, then he needed to call realtor and/or title company and find out if they needed a Paid In Full receipt (meaning a run to the county courthouse for me) or if they would just include them in the final accounting. Not to worry, he'd paid them about two weeks ago. They will pro-rate the little bit of 2008 taxes.

I have to dig out the papers that give him the right as executor to sell the house to take with us to closing. I'm sure the title company has done all of it's work, but he's not going to the sale table w/o the one thing that could throw a ringer! I'm invited even though I don't need to be there. He calls me his financial expert as I make him read stuff thoroughly and am one of those annoying read thru stuff people before we sign. And durned if I don't ask a lot of questions!!

Late last year the local power company sent a guy out to mark some trees that need to be removed to keep from knocking out the power line to the houses across the road IF perchance they were to happen to fall. Okay. Not my wildest fantasy to have them cut down because they do provide a lot of shade for my house, but I don't think we really had much choice. Those guys are here right now cutting down one oak tree that was dead that we did need removed and one nice cedar.

On our top property they will be cutting down a nasty scrub thorn tree that I will be happy to see go as it has a giant amount of poision ivy, oak, and sumac that we spent a lot of money on Round-Up to keep knocked back. Seemed to come back yearly anyway! So, lumberjack types strolling around in my yard making the dogs go nutso. No charge to us personally, but I do believe we'll eventually see it in increased bills, don't we always?

On my desk for the challenge:

$20 CHALLENGE
$006.28 balance
+000.01 mystery penny on the desk
_______
$006.29 Mar MTD

2008 Challenge Total $60.73
Cumulative Challenge Total $589.34

Spent on groceries this a.m. $66.23, up a bit from my normal $35-40 a week range as we are preparing for the Easter luncheon w/TheGrrl in attendance, and I'm signed up to take dessert to SS class Sunday morning, that and I went long on a 24 count case of green beans at 4/$.88=$5.28.

Making addition to the $20 Challenge:

$002.35 balance
+001.00 from CashHappySon
+002.73 from coinpurse cleanout
_______
$006.08 March MTD

2008 Challenge Total $60.52
Cumulative Challenge Total $589.13

The good news is we got CashHappySon's car back from the motor rebuild shop yesterday! That's good news because it means we won't be having to drive him back and forth to work.

Bad news: A big whopping charge to MY credit card that CashHappySon will be paying back! Gaaaa!!! Hubster said this a.m. when the CC bill comes in for me to take the money out of our MM account (our E.Fund) and then CashHappySon will just be paying the MM account back instead of us for the car purchase and then also the CC bill. Did I say GAAAAAA already? Well GAAAAAAAAAAA!!! I hate taking money out of the MM account. It's too hard to get any to put in there to begin with. I fought hard to get that money in place!!

Good news: Hubster did finally acknowledge the fact that we have to charge the little bugger interest as he's taken a big bite out of our interest earnings. I only had to scream & rant a little! So we'll be charging C.H.Son 4% interest which seems relatively tame in today's marketplace.

Bad News: There's some kind of new rattle under the car - so today we're off to take it back to the engine place to see if they failed to hook something up correctly.

Good News: They're willing to look at it for no cost.


Bad News: The car needed tires. We knew that when we bought it. Okay. CashHappySon paid for those out of his current income along w/getting tag & title changed over. But, when we came out of the tire shop I told C.H.S. that the hubcap was loose and that he needed to go back inside and get them to tighten it up. He proceeded to hit it with his fist and seemed satisfied enough to argue with me that it would hold that way. Guess what? Old Mom might STILL know a thing or two and the kid will one day learn to listen. When? I'm not sure. But today we're back over to the tire shop for them to replace it.

I'm still involved here w/the driving as it's over in the metro area and he's just not that familiar with the city driving on the one hand, the city driving w/a new car that's a standard that he's also not that familiar with. Sooooo, the city driving, standard shift on top of not knowing his way around the city? Equals Mom is involved.

Did I say GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?????


GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!


Good news: They're willing to replace hubcap or so they said on the phone.

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!!

Running to get the last of my February $20 Challenge in the pot.

$20 CHALLENGE

$011.13 balance
+011.41 wallet & purse cleanout
_______
$022.54 Feb Total

2008 Challenge Total $054.44
Cumulative Challenge Total $583.05

Lots of running around this afternoon to get him to pick up paycheck, take a typing test, and then back to pick up different uniform. What for?? Okay the specialty hospital is out and another different location for CashHappySon to work - this time he's assigned for a cable TVish satelitte-y type place at a $1.50 hour raise. Finally some good news for the little bugger!

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!!!

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

Still trying to backtrack and capture what all happened in the last couple of weeks w/CashHappySon's Car Saga - these are captured notes from an email to a friend...

a/k/a
Lux's Semi Fast Car Sales -

"Youngest child sold the 89 Mercury that the backend's about to go out on last night (2/12) - $900 cash in - paid us back for the 94 Toyota with remaining new balance due $74.72 on that one that he no longer has.

We car shopped the bottom price point on Monday (2/11) and ended up pushing two of them off the street. Uhhhm, no thanks!! On the 12th we loaned him an additional $2250 to buy a 1993 Toyota Tercel w/83K miles on it.

The Lord blessed him with two willing buyers quickly - totalled Toyota and the Merc gone!! YEAH LORD!!! We had found a salvage that will sell the buyer a rear-end for the Mercury car for $100 bucks, so if that guy can get someone to put it in for him cheap, & fix an oil leak, he'll have a good car w/low low miles (less than 28K original).

So we started the week with 2 other cars and are ending it with just one that is drivable - FOR NOW. Hope the kid is learning something because Mom is tired of car shopping & car selling!

I have officially made my last car loan to my children, unless they get married and need something to drive a baby to the doctor in they can just forgedaboudit!! But, I'm not telling them that! And even then? Probably not. I'll just send a taxi or go myself.

The Lord blessed me yesterday (2/12) as well. I have a relative, an older female who when she was in her early 60's married a 96 year old multi-millionaire. He has since passed away, and she's remarried, but evidently she spends a great deal of time clothes shopping.

We took my Dad a load of wood yesterday and I came home with the entire back end of my truck filled with those giant 31 gallon plastic storage containers full of clothes from her, about 20 of those big BIG boxes full of NEW high-end clothes. I am spending my time this morning trying on clothes. Thankfully I carry rope behind my seat! Yeah for a girl truck!!

Miraculously they are almost all fitting. With curves you usually get clothes that fit one spot but not the others. I can normally try on 50 pairs of pants and find only one that fits w/o being alterted. This morning I've already tried on about 20 pairs and all but two pairs have fit and they are too short.

There are probably 90-100 pairs of dress pants here, 20 or so pair of jeans, 4 or 5 dresses, 4 skirts, 4 coats, about 25 blazers, 20-30 sweaters, 30 or 40 blouses, 3 pant suits, plus a few casual outfits as well. What doesn't fit is going to _______ Women's Shelter. That and most of the sweaters as I'm too hot natured to wear them very often. But, I think the Lord is fixing to send me back to work somewhere full time in an office. Otherwise there is no need for me to have this much stuff!

I'm going to have to find a couple of clothes racks to buy to fit all this stuff on as my closet will not hold any of it. I do not particularly like to go clothes shopping - so it's very VERY nice. I personally think she dials QVC & Home Shopping Network a bit too often!! But I'm very grateful for all the FREE FREE FREE beautiful nice things. Seems she has good taste. Not everything is 'me' but I can put it to good use.

Thank you Jesus!! The cup - It truly does runneth over!"

------------
But WAIT there's still more on the car saga!!!! Just so you guys know - Mom tried to be the voice of reason and kept saying why don't we just fix the 89 Mercury but of course being a teen he wanted something sportier and Dad thought since he'd run the oil low on it a couple of times that he'd probably done some damage that would result in serious consequences later. I'm no car expert but I'd of fixed what we had and kept it. It did take a bit of a while for the Mercury to sell w/it's problems advertised.

Adding the quarter from earlier in the week that I drove around in the movie parking lot to stop and pickup. Money is money folks and it does add up.

$20 CHALLENGE

$008.10 balance
+000.25 quada from the lot
________
$008.35 Feb MTD

2008 Challenge Total $40.25
Cumulative Challenge Total $568.86


Last night was Valentine's dinner at the BBQ/steakhouse with our SS class - $23.98 which included the gratuity for Hubster and I to both have a very nice juicy GOOD steak and taters and pop.

A nice time visiting w/class members - I've had to miss SS class for the last three weeks because of being sick, so it was nice to get to go out, sit and visit. Hubster and kids have been attending w/o me.

I was seated at the end of the table across from two single guys - one who is going thru a divorce w/2 kids and another who is long divorced w/2 kids. I did my best to keep up the ol' conversational ball and ask them about their lives. I remember those days when I was single and going to events w/couples - it can be sucky! Hopefully they weren't too bored talking about themselves!!

After coming home and commenting here on the blogs I went to bed early to read and let dinner digest - it was just enough - not overstuffed like you sometimes get - but just right. On the reading bedside table is: "Your Money or Your Life" by Dominquez. I'm re-reading it again for about the fourth time trying to get into doing ALL THE STEPS to see what I've missed that could be helpful in the ol' monetary quest.

And, "Daring To Be Yourself" by Alexandra Stoddard which points you towards living a life of graciousness and niceities and joy and such. Noting the small things and taking pleasure in them. Nice to be reminded to take time to smell those roses and to enjoy your home and to pick a lifestyle and creating a refuge and peaceful home that is pleasing, warm and loving to you and your family & inviting and welcoming to your friends and guests!

While I was sick I re-read a bunch of my Paul E. Erdman books. If you like money and reading then I think you'd enjoy most any of his fiction books.

I'm up early by myself this morning, having coffee w/the pupster dogs and reading some and blogging here. Off to get ready for church. Still soggy and rainy here. Spent $5 this week having Miss Sweet Black Toffee's toenails clipped. CashHappySon paid $5 for Miss Carmelita Corn to get hers done. It was one of the smoother easy-going times we've had together this month!

Lunch will be Yummy Steak -a chicken fry steak meat w/brown gravy and onion soup mix cooked in the crocko'pot, baked potatoes (foil slipped tightly over the top of the crock & small tates forked and slipped on it, domed lid on tight), green salad, iced tea and cherry cake for dessert.

Hope everyone has a blessed and relaxed Sunday. Enjoy yourself and love on your peoples!!

How about you - do you re-read books?

When it asks you to do literal steps do you sometimes do like me and just skip them thinking they don't apply?

The "Your Money or Your Life" book is a good one to re-read as there is much I missed and/or forgot/forget!! Good to be reminded!

I am going to try to actually do ALL the steps they suggest.

Have you read this book and done the steps?

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

I'm recording here events of the last week or so for posterity & my faulty memory's sake - below are excerpts from email to a friend:


"CashHappySon sold his totalled Camry yesterday afternoon(2/7) to a salvage for $250.

It cost him 112.95 to get it released out of the wrecker place. And me four trips to the wrecker yard. First time was to take the autobody guy over and then take him back to his shop - wrecked Toyota Camry not worth fixing - something to do w/the suspension and it would never drive straight again. Besides which it was a $700 car to begin with.

Second trip was to go get car released from wrecker service after he found a buyer.

CashHappySon forgot his title papers after me telling him to pick them up, so third trip was backover to wrecker to get car released w/the papers and then later in the day a fourth trip to meet the salvage people - a forty-five minute wait. Then another trip to _______ (metro) to get a signature on some paperwork.

No fun. No fun."

--------------

But wait - it gets even more involved!!

More to come on that front but we pause here to add .13 to the $20 Challenge that CashHappySon gave me.

$20 CHALLENGE

$006.46 balance
+000.13 weary Mom taxi tip
_______
$006.59 Feb MTD (notice the extra zero's placeholding out front - that is my slightly prophetic notion that I'm shooting for this year - can't hit it if I don't aim for it, eh? Hope to roll it over to the thousands place though!)

2008 Challenge Total $038.49
Cumulative Challenge Total $567.10

On 7 February a friend wrote me:

"Your youngest child is even trying MY patience! Any remorse on his part? Does he expect you guys to buy him another one? Sigh"

I replied:

"trying your patience...

As he is mine!

Amen. Amen. Amen!! and the Lord knows, I don't have much to begin with!


Remorse? No. None that is discernible. On to the next thing.


Expect us to BUY him another one? Not if he has any contact with reality. We bought the other one (Toyota Camry) on the 7th of January. Loaned him $700 on it, plus the bearings went out and he had to borrow another 300 or so to fix that and get a couple of tires and get them put on. It didn't last a month, which is rather a bit longer than I had predicted it would last. Oh well, the payment $100 to Dad still has to be made today. Hard to pay for something you no longer have I would think.

I do not relish saviour mode. There is always another excuse and always ALWAYS it was the other guy's fault. Although I've told him repeatedly not to take that road but to use Hwy #** to go to and from work especially during the winter months. But what do I know? Apparently nothing.

We are meeting a friend who has an autobody shop here this afternoon (7th)at the wrecker service to see if there is any hope for the car, but I'm thinking probably not as I saw them tow it past me as I went to get him - and then it'll be him making calls to salvage yards to see who'll take it off his hands. He was surprised to be told that even though the police had the car towed he would have to pay the bill and apprx. $15 a day in storage charges.

The real world may be beginning to sink in, but it's a hard lesson to learn that life and the choices you make have a price.

No, I'm definitely not having any fun with this boychild. The other car he has, Grand Marquis, has not sold yet either. So he has two defunct vehicles and it seems he doesn't see his role in why both are trashed. DEEP SIGH!! His Dad took him to work last night 11 p.m. and I picked him up this morning at 7:00 a.m. But, geeee, it's the 'could care less' attitude that makes me want to keep him standing outside in the cold while I am slow to get out of bed and even slower on the drive over to get him. Perhaps a good 30 minute wait in the frozen morning hours would help someone see the error of his ways??? I won't do that, but it is how I feel. YUCK!

Guess who it will be that has to drive him around to shop for another clunker?? But, alas, and woe unto him, he doesn't have $$s YET, so guess who will be toting him around until he does??? It's right about 2 weeks until the next $500ish paycheck comes in. Or he could get lucky and someone buys the Grand Marquis.

I made my share of mistakes as a kid, but was much less stoic about the results and extra work I caused my family. He had an assignment to the steel plant down here about 3 miles from the house as a Security Guard, but without discussing it with either his Dad or I, he called his boss and asked to be placed back out at _______ 30 minutes from home! This was when he had the gas-guzzling Mercury on the road and costing himself about $50 a week in gas to get out there. And, we know why - at _________ he can sleep part of the night and at the steel plant he'd of had to stay awake. Gee, they actually expected him to WORK!!

The frustration level is much worse than you might imagine if you are the mother to one of this ilk!! The Coast Guard is looking better and better to have him as their charge. I've already offered to take him and drop him off. Pray for the Coast Guard, they are likely going to need it!!"

-----

Stay tuned...more to follow! GAAAA!!

Remember while all of this is happening I'm sick as sick can be, w/bronchitis, flu virus and resulting stomach upset all the resulting potty breaks and coughing my left lung up. Meanwhile I get a reaction to the medication for the bronchitis and break out in giant red welting hives ALLLLLLL over myyyyyyy boooooody!

Ohhhh. Some fun now!! huh?

Just wait - There is MORE!!

To update and log here what's been going on at the Frugalis Homestead...

On February 6th I spent my morning retrieving youngest (CashHappySon) from car wreck on the snowy icy hills nearby. He is fine and so were the other people. He was on a road I've told him repeatedly not to drive on in during inclement weather. Seems Mom does know best, however he hasn't quite got that lesson down yet.

The newest car (see above) we had just helped him buy 1/5/08ish for $700 was totalled and of course he only had liability insurance. It already had a bit of body damage to it anyway.

He wasn't issued a ticket but the police officer said the accident looked to be his fault. Following too closely, going a bit too fast for the conditions and he came upon another wreck and while trying to merge into the one lane he went sliding and hit a van w/a man, wife and small baby. Thankfully, thankfully, no one was hurt.

He had just spent $100 the day before getting the title changed over and he had yet to make the first payment to us. :{

Are we having fun yet?????

Yeah, I've been sicker than a dog. Saturday before last had to take CashHappySon to the emergency room and he had strep-throat and the flu. While sitting there with him I started coughing. Well, I was trying to take care of him and let myself pass. He got penicillin and other meds. He has no insurance so this should be interesting. I'll let you know later what the bill is. His scrips $33.85.

Later in the week I had to take myself to the doc and have chest x-rays, breathing treatment, etc., etc. Come to find out I have bronchitis with a viral component. Whatever. Sick, sick, sick and coughing my last lung up to boot. Many juices and trips to the bathroom later I am again upright. YECK!! I have insurance and they couldn't figure out a co-pay for my visit so they said they'd bill the co-pay when they figured what it was. My scrips for four of them was $20.64. Not bad.

I spent a boatload on juice, kleenex, Sprite, crackers, yogurt and other assorted necessities.

---------
Made my house payment and am updating the balance over on the left. New balance $19,391.57.

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!

Okay, I must admit I turned into a raving lunatic last night as CashHappySon did it again with the poor attitude, smart mouth and inability to follow directions (read that DIRECT IN-YO-FACE disobedience). Gaaa!!!

This was after I had just laid down my CC to the tune of $220ish dollars to have his car repaired because he's blown all his money. Only to come home and find that he has now targeted something else minor that just NEEDS to be fixed. (No, it's a clunker, I'm not paying to fix all this crap!!!)

I had a blow out pure old no bones about it CONNIPTION-FIT! Offered to leave the premises and let them all have it plain and simple and I would not stand in their way. (uh, I don't normally do that - Hubster and I almost NEVER fight.)

We spent quite a bit of time with him last night and Hubster says we're having another family meeting over it tonight. The boy is a brick wall and I'm a brick wall, and poor Hubster has to find a way to coalesce us into a functioning unit! Good luck to him.

Meanwhile back at the ranch somebody left the waitress a tip at the ol' Frugalis Bean Counter last night.

Taking it to the challenge!

$20 CHALLENGE

$017.15 balance
+000.32 tip because evidently I'm a real beaut while I waitress, sling hash & rage against disrespectful & ungrateful children at the same time*!
_______
$017.47 Jan MTD

2008 Challenge Total $17.47
Cumulative Challenge Total $546.08

*I do feel bad about raging, but sometimes people push you to the brink and it's time to push back!! But even so, I'm still a tiny bit flirty, ya know?

Getting ready to zoom & follow CashHappySon off to the auto mechanic. Have you ever heard of those people who can stop a clock with their body's electrical system? Well, perhaps this boychild is the same way????? Seems we are forever taking him to the auto repair shop!

AND, what I haven't blogged about here was that his old car has a problem that is more costly to repair than the car is worth, and we are advertising it for sale with all it warts and dimples showing. So far, no takers.

We may have to take it to the local auto auction. Boychild did not follow fatherly advice on car upkeep (read that - let the oil levels get low) and may now be taking a BIG FINANCIAL LOSS. At least it's big for his income level and age.

So, that being the case he had to have something to drive to work. You may remember me speaking of his reckless spending ways that really accelerated in May of '07 and went downhill from there. SO, of course he has wiped out most of his savings. He is 19 and has no credit.

Dad & Mom to the rescue and I HATE IT!!! We loaned him $700 to buy a clunker. Guess what? It clunked on day two. Now we are off AGAIN to the mechanic.

Please, somebody, tell me that this part of my life is soon to be over??? I am not wanting to be one of 'those' parents who runs in to wipe up Juniors mess every time he gets his butte in a wad!

Hubster is much more of a marshmellow than Mom, and I didn't put up a giant wall of resistance because of where the boy works - it is about 30 minutes from home and he works the night shift. If we didn't help him get a car then GUESS WHO would be having to get out late at night and early in the mornings to haul him around to work??

And, because he was doing other goofball and dangerous things like racking up huge dateline charges trolling for girls and gigantic cell phone bills w/over $500+ worth of text messages, Mom has since taken away his debit card and taken back the checkbook and deactivating text capabilities at his cell provider, we are working TOGETHER - Once Again - on his learning to stay inside his budgetary limitations.

AGGGHHHHHHHH!!! I hate this!

It is TOO, TOO EASY for Hubster to say yes WE have to help him, but he isn't doing the GRUNT WORK nor is he getting the resentment from CashHappy. Dear Old Mommsie gets all that for my trouble!

For one thing I think it almost an impossible task for someone on the outside to set what has to be internal limits in the financial scope. He has to see the necessity of staying inside his limits, and this kid is fighting tooth and toenail to dangle as far over the side of the cliff as possible!


Sorry, had to whine somewhere!!

-----

Yesterday, out of my personal budget nothing was spent making ME have a No Spend Day.

However, the HouseBudget spent at the grocery store stocking up for a snowstorm that just blipped afterall.

-----
Taking the one dollar bills and change in the wallet to the challenge.

$015.42 balance
+001.73 wallet sweep
_______
$017.15 Jan MTD

2008 Challenge Total $17.15
Cumulative Challenge Total $545.76

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?

He did it again.

$20 CHALLENGE

$014.58 balance
+000.74 CashHappy contributes
_______
$015.32 Jan MTD

2008 Challenge Total $15.32
Cumulative Challenge Total $543.93

Can I Meet The Challenge?

CashHappy gave me $4.71 to add to my challenge! With this kid on my side, evidently so!


$20 CHALLENGE
$009.87 balance
+004.71 insistent manchild
_______
$014.58 Jan MTD

2008 Challenge Total $14.58
Cumulative Challenge Total $543.19

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!