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.

Adding to the $20 Challenge $1.01 from CashHappySon.

$000.45 balance
+001.01 donation
_______
$001.46 Jan MTD

2008 Challenge Total $1.46
Cumulative Total $530.07

I can see an additional expense coming up as my calculator is now ghost operated. I was sitting here last night at the desk and the calculator started calculating without me!! Just clicking away like a wild thing!! The number 2 on the keypad has been sticking for awhile, so it's about time to take it in for a tuneup if it's going to take off on it's own doing who knows what?!!?!!

Will have to run her in to the metro area to find out if she's worth putting dollars into or if it's time for the old scrap heap!

Okay, just went back thru the check register and I deposited $16.92 from Piggy in September. And in October I added a contribution of $101.00 to my Roth IRA most of which was left over from my Texas trip that went unspent. This was over and above my regular contribution.


Making the addition to the log over on the left.

$20 Challenge

September 2007 $16.92
October 2007 $101.00


So, I didn't make my goal in September but I seem to have more than made up for it in October.

CashHappySon was spotted the other day plunking a few coins into Pigger before I could stop him, so I'll wait to the 31st to give a final 2007 $20 Challenge update.

So far 2007 found $402.20 for the $20 Challenge. Add that to the 126.11 for 2006 when I began and you get a Cumulative Total of $528.31.

Not Mr. Rockefeller yet, but hey, for money that I would've piddled off elsewhere it looks to add up, yes?

Of other financial note: Paid 1/2 of the house taxes earlier this week, these were due by the 31st. I have the other half set aside, but that half isn't due until mid March, so I say, "Let the interest pileth up!" and then I'll mail them the rest of what is owed later. House taxes up by about $30 this year, not too bad if they just HAVE to go up, this at least is a reasonable figure!

Also paid this week and taking another bite out of the ol'bankbook was my taxes and association dues for our Florida timeshare. I know lots of people hate timeshares but I've always been well pleased with mine. I love to travel and the exchanges have always worked relatively easily and well. My sister and I co-own this property, so my share for it is only half.

Oh yes, on the challenge, I did find a jar w/money in it in my gift drawer the other day when I was fishing around for a last minute gift. I've yet to count it. Will be taking that to the 2007 Challenge as well. I don't think there is more than $3 or $4 dollars in there though.

So, inquiring minds want to know, how did you make out on the $20 Challenge this year?

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
______
$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!

CashHappy Son donated $2.11 to the "Momma I Don't Want You To Go Hungry in Old Age" Charity this morning! Me neither - so, I'm taking it to the challenge!

$20 CHALLENGE
$03.55 balance
+02.11 donation
______
$05.66 Nov MTD

2007 Challenge Total $246.70
Cumulative Challenge Total $372.81

You can get the book above here:

http://www.amazon.com/You-Dont-Have-Bag-Lady/dp/0759687188...

The men in my coffee cup are mostly all Lincolns. Cashhappy Son gave me a small styrofoam cup full of coins this weekend, so I'm adding it to my $20 Challenge.

$20 CHALLENGE
$1.82 balance
+0.67 styro cup
_____
$2.49 Nov MTD

2007 Challenge Balance $243.53
Cumulative Total $369.64

Adding to the $20 Challenge.

$08.40 balance
+14.02 addition
______
$22.42 June MTD

I haven't been keeping up with this as I've just been stashing the cash on the dresser and am ready to tidy up accounts for the end of the month.

We've had a wild, wild month here as CashHappySon has pulled a few stunts and let's just say that he's ready (so is his dear ol'mutha for him...) to move out but can not yet afford the local market rates and he doesn't have a buddy that needs a roommate, so I now have a new renter in my basement. So, he's gotten a bit of 'release' but yet he's not so far that we can't check on him and he can continue to save for the 'big move' sometime in the future.

He is paying a nominal rate that should cover his little bit of extra electricity usage (microwave, fan & dorm refrigerator) and thusly I've increased my income a bit. The walkout basement is not heated nor cooled, but yet maintains a nice even 68 degrees year round. But w/o a fan in the summertime it is a bit clammy feeling sometimes.

I should mention that the basement is plumbed. It's not quite the belly of the whale, but close!

He is still required to help w/lawn maintenance and attend church with us on Sunday and has a standing invitation to Sunday lunch. However, he now has to do all his own banking and laundry care and prepare for himself all other meals. Things Mom used to help with.


I love this boy dearly but he has always been 'high maintenance' and known to us as the DramaKing, so it is a bit of relief that he is making the move toward freedom. Also sad to see the birdies flying the coop. A mixed feeling for Mom. The only mandatory thing that is required to keep the low rental rate?


He MUST shower each day!


Gaaaaaa!

He works in a machine shop and that oily smell is icky and pervasive!! He also is STILL (awwww Mom!!) required to let us know of his comings and goings.

His fixed expenses are:

$100 rent
$100 car insurance (he tags on older brother's rate)
$100 orthodontist
$200 IRA contributions
____
$500

Gasoline runs around $100-140 a month.

He normally pulls about $1000-1100.00 a month. Some months a bit more and others less. He is supposedly to have a raise on today's paycheck. We shall see what amount.

Local apartments rent for an efficiency about $399 PLUS you pay your own utilities. He's just not quite there yet. We've been telling him that for a year or so now, but it took some literal visits to the local dumps & high end apartments and everything in between for him to see that he really can't afford to do the swinging batch' dealywho just YET! He is 18, with a birthday coming up in the next couple of months.

Pray for us all!!

I wrote a big long blog entry on Saturday and then it went to blooper heaven by some strange flick of the wrist! AUGGHHH!!!

The boys keep handing me their change (good guys, eh?) so I'm adding to the challenge:

$20 CHALLENGE

$06.20 balance
+02.20 change gifts
______
$08.40 June MTD

2007 Total $171.19
Cumulative Total $297.30

Scheduled our upcoming vacation a couple of weeks ago - we'll be heading to Tucson in July. Hubster wanted to go somewhere 'warm'. Warm we'll be, I suppose, at least during the daytime hours. We'll be using our timeshare exchange to a nice resort for 7 days and the fee to use it is $135 to exchange and beyond that we've a budget of $600.00. Most of that will be for gasoline, 2 nights hotels w/continental breakfasts and we take most of our own groceries with us and eat out only a couple of times on our trips. Last year we came home with money leftover! Get out of here you say, no way? Yes way, we squeak those Lincolns ba-bee!!!

Hubster got his car tires the other day and by doing even more diligent shopping he was able to carve another $200 off of his cost and we're using the extra that we'd saved for that to fix the scratch he got on the back of the car a few months back when he didn't listen to me and use the truck to haul a bicycle - estimate to repair? $340.00. OUCH! Fellows, sometimes the little lady can be right and it might be worthwhile to listen - and NO, I didn't say I told you so, tempting as it was!

CashHappySon slipped me a rolled up $1.00 bill 'for the deal you're doing' and I found a penny on my desk. Adding them to the $20 Challenge.

$20 CHALLENGE
$11.62 balance
+01.01
______
$12.63 MTD

2007 Challenge $154.46
Cumulative Total $280.57

From CashHappySon is $1.35 in change to go to the $20 Challenge!

$20 Challenge
$09.02 balance
+01.35 coaster cleanup
______
$10.37 April MTD

2007 Cumulative Total $123.34
Challenge Cumulative Total $249.45

Yesterday I went out to lunch w/my Mom & StepDad and spent money for lunch, but truly with the here's my half, here's my portion of the tip, etc, that went on w/o asking for separate tickets up front and I'm not really sure how much I ended up spending - somewhere in the $15.00 dollar ballpark for FrugalSon and my portions. Ugh. I'd rather know exactly!

CashHappySon got his muffler/exhaust pipes fixed the other day for a whopping $25.00 repair bill! I was totally shocked as I had steeled us all for a $200-$225 bill! Thank You Jesus!!!! The kid had just about emptied his car repair fund and was getting ready to have to dip into his emergency fund.

I made my final 2006 contribution to my IRA fully funding it.

So, that means that THE Hubster put his full $5000 in this year and I put in my $4000! That's the first time we've been able to fully fund both of them! I'm thrilled I tell ya, thrilled!!!

I would certainly like to get all of 2007's put in during the calendar year this year as carrying over what got put where when in what year can get a bit confusing! I like having ours at Fidelity as they keep a nice little running total for you.

For the kiddos: Both were able to put back $1200 into their IRAs this year with hopes/plans/budget forecasts to increase it this coming year. CashHappySon makes enough money he could seriously up his contributions this year, but FrugalSon doesn't make as much and we are already squeezing his little salary as far as we can! Perhaps another part-time job is in order.

We are off to church this a.m. - The Hubster, FrugalSon and I. CashHappySon has just started his first shift as a volunteer fire fighter! So exciting for him, so worrisome for Mom. His muffler drooped on him last night so I had to drive him over just now...cried all the way home praying the Lord will keep the little bugger safe!

I should say we are off to Sunday School this morning as they are having an Easter cantata and we all have low tolerance for that and will be leaving after class and heading home.

No ham this year - we're having tacos for lunch! Ha! My calendar had a misprint and showed the 15th as Easter so I did my grocery shopping last week thinking I had another week to catch ham on sale and I'm just flat refusing to step back in the grocery store and temptalate (is that a word???) myself to buy something else along with and blow the budget, so we're making do with what we have! Hanging tuff!

Anyway, Happy Easter everyone. Here's a link to a Christian website - telling the Good News.


http://www.swordofthelord.com/areyousure.htm

More Blurbies = Fool's Gold




To add more to today's Quickie-Blurbettes:

Blurb 5)When I went to put in the $1.02 that was waiting on the keyboard to go into the $20 Challenge Piggy I found that some mysterious fool of the April variety had stacked up $2.95 in front of Piggy! I'm thinking it must of been CashHappySon as he's the only one who knows I log it here before feeding it into the private stash. So we are up for the day!

$20 CHALLENGE
$01.02 balance
+$2.95 Fool's Gold
______
$3.97 April MTD

Blurb 6)Using Craigslist yesterday the Hubster sold one of the many EXTRA computers we have around here. $700 samoleans to go back (loaned) into the Emergency Fund! Tonight we take pictures of computer 2 that needs to be sold and posting it online! Expected proceeds of about $600 also to be paid back to the E-Fund.

Spinning Wheels



Okay, life has been revolving on without me and rather sucky over here with the crappy recurring blue-funk 'lost my voice' cold/virus/whatever that we kept passing back around and around at my house. To update the info over on the right...

Paid another $419 on the house - 353.96 normal payment and 65.04 in extra principal. I will update the new balances later.

In Piggy for $20 Challenge for the month is: $23.10 - that is now going into my Roth IRA instead of to the mortgage as I was doing in the past. And speaking of the ol' Roth it finally made it's way from ING over to Fidelity.

Lawseeeeeee, but those folks sho' do take their own little sweet time getting this stuff done. You may not remember but I made my first inquiry into doing this in late DECEMBER folks and it just made it to Fidelity this past week! Sheeesh!!!

We mailed all the paperwork in one envelope for the entire family's Roth IRA accounts over to Fidelity on the same day back in early January I believe. In February I had to mail it again since because true to everyone's predictions of course it must of got lost over at ING!

Hubster's got moved about 3 weeks ago. Mine went early in the past week. CashHappy & Frugal's had to have paperwork mailed a THIRD time!!! I've had to call several times as well.

CashHappySon's made it over yesterday.


And get this -- FrugalSon's is still sitting in ING!


Another call to Fidelity yesterday and hopefully things are moving again. It be enough to make a body pull the very hairs out of their head! Nothing like feeling you are spinning your wheels, heh? THIS is how 'banks/brokerages' act when you want to move your money OUT - but don't YOU dare be late making a payment! GRRRRR and ARRRRGGGHHH!!!!

So far in my Roth at Fidelity I've gone w/FFNOX and FAGIX. I'm still deciding where else to go.

For March to my ADDITIONAL retirement savings goes the bank run money which evened out to a nice $10.11 in change & my regular $42.00 contribution this month. Nothing too exciting.

Of other QUICK news I did read Suze Orman's new book in March and started my $50 account at Ameritrade. We'll see how it goes. Depending on income this may set me back in my keeping up the $42 autodraft on the BankRun monies. I'm hoping that there is enough coming in to do both.

Besides being sick for most of it and as March was a rather long month following the shorter days for earnings of February let us just say that I've had quite a few days of No Spending during March. AND, that I've gotten quite creative in stretching out the pantry goods for meals.

Only one more day till I spend money again! YEEHAH!!! My refrigerator will be grateful for something to cool off! And my crew is getting ready for some 'fresher' foods.

(Do not worry - there was plenty to eat and plenty of money here that I could have gone and spent I am just working very hard to keep w/the YNAB philosophy of only spending last month's earnings in the next month.) Sticking with a budget is more difficult some months than others!

2/24/07 Bank Run - Monthly Recap

Today's bank run was $3.33.

February 2007 monthly recap:

2/1 42.00 autodraft
2/3 $3.50
2/13 2.58
2/21 1.92
2/23 2.17
2/24 3.33

That should wrap up February on the deposit side...for a total of $55.50 extra into my personal retirement account. News of interest posted will come later, but should fall somewhere in the 3.30-3.60 range. Current balance is $835.57.

Of note is that today is the first time I didn't go myself but sent CashHappySon driving alone to make my deposit for me. Today is a Total Pajama Day for me! And will also be a No Spend Day.

I did spend a bit of time online requesting some new/old financial books from the public library to be delivered & held for me at my local branch. Will try to review them here if I catch the time & motivation both grooving on the same day.

Yesterday was a No Spender as well.

Pinky Wheel Driving



Cleaning out the wallet and adding $2.67 to the $20 Challenge monies.

$20 CHALLENGE
$07.90 balance
+02.67 addition
______
$10.57 Feb MTD

2007 Challenge $64.50
Cumulative Total $190.61

Spent $1.36 cash on Saturday getting CashHappySon a house-key to go on his new car keyring. He's 18, I guess it's time he finally has a key to the house!

Ha!

Some of you may find that odd, but since we homeschooled there just really hasn't been an occasion when one of us wasn't either already here or with the boys when they were going and coming from the house.

Of note is that the backup lights don't work on HiHoSilver Tanklilator and he'll have to be getting that fixed. The oil hasn't been changed since 2002 and since that oil change sticker is on the window there has been only about 500 miles put on the car. And, we put about 50 of those on there this past weekend bringing it home & around town on the backroads to let CashHappy get used to the monster sizing!

In addition to getting the backup lights fixed, an oil change and lube job is also in order The Hubster says.

This car was supposedly only driven to the grocery store...WELL, they either didn't shop often or the store was just next door or barely down the street!

A dream to drive - you know the kind, you barely need to touch the wheel w/a pinky. No, of course, I didn't let CashHappy see me driving that way Officer!

HiHoSilver Tankilator Limousine



PhotoCredit: Not his car, but one off the internet that looks just like it.


Took CashHappySon on Friday to buy him a different car - his old car, his starter car, has some upcoming issues so it is soon to be out of the picture.

Hubster works with a guy who's f-i-l owns a used car lot in a little town north of us...and we've had him w/his ear to the ground for us. On Friday he called w/a 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis, garage-kept, 18,000 mile beaut!

After CashHappy got off work on Friday we ran up there and bought it. Hubster wanted it if CashHappy didn't. Thought we might have a 'SMACKDOWN' wrestling match over it. This car is a huge vehicle, but oh in such spiffy shape! He was able to pay cash for it - with a short-term loan from Mom & Dad, until his money returns from Emigrant.

He's excited. I didn't really think he'd want it because of it's size and age, but he loves it. It is silver and has really nice burgandy velvet interior. Very nice. The guy who owned it had broken his back and needed cash for medical purposes. So sad.

We've had to go out driving ALOT this weekend in it for CashHappy to get used to the MUCH bigger size than his little Ford Tempo. We had a guy look at the Tempo yesterday afternoon. Not our norm to buy one before selling the old, but this one was too good a deal to pass up.

Of course, we had to go let 'THE girl' see it. He calls it a limousine - and he's looking forward to driving her to the prom in it. Something like 'Go B.I.G. or go home!'

HiHoSilver Away!!

EEK! There are now FIVE cars sitting in my driveway!! ZOWSERS! At least they're all paid for! My poor neighbors, at least none of them are up on blocks!!

Up .03 Cents



$20 CHALLENGE
$00.52 balance
+00.03 clean up keyboard
______
$00.55 Feb MTD

2006 Challenge 126.11
2007 Challenge 54.48
______________________
Cumulative Total $180.59

I think these 3 cents came from CashHappy, all I know is they are annoying me sitting on my keyboard and falling off when I get to typing too excitedly...we then have flying pennies!

~~!!Let's Get This Party Started!!~~



CashHappySon gave me .44 for helping him buy an MP3 player online last night. Mom as Shopper fees are indeed helping me w/my challenge - however, I do think I need to increase my rates!

Cleaning out the change purse netted me an additional .08 cents for the $20 Challenge.

$20 CHALLENGE
$00.00 February beginning balance
+00.44 shop fees
+00.08 tidy wallet
______
$00.52 Feb MTD

2007 Challenge $54.45
Cumulative Total $180.56

Also updating the mortgage balance over to the right to $23,023.85 as yesterday's payment posted.

Up Against The Wall Redneck Mother


PhotoCredit: EnglessCrillSmoke

As the month of January winds down I find myself up against the wall on my unspoken goal for my $20 Challenge.

Lucky for me CashHappy is generous with his change. Yes, I am indeed a redneck mother who takes money from my children!!

$20 CHALLENGE
$52.27 balance
+00.63 Redneck Ma donation
______
$52.90 Jan MTD

2007 Total $52.90
Cumulative Total $179.01

NO SPENDERS: Friday, Saturday and Sunday were no spend days for me!

Accounts Receivable



CashHappySon paid me back the $15.00 he owed me. Taking it to the Challenge! {that's my new favorite mantra.

$20 CHALLENGE
$36.26 balance
+15.00 pd in full
______
$51.26 Jan MTD

2007 Challenge Total $51.26
Cumulative Total $177.37

QUICKIES ala Broken Arrow Style



*Adding to the Challenge money from CashHappySon donation.

$20 CHALLENGE
$35.43 balance
+00.83 generous manchild
_____
$36.26 Jan MTD

2007 Challenge $36.26
Cumulative Total $162.37

*FrugalSon worked yesterday, Hubster dug out ice in driveway and CashHappySon and I went to the movies to see Night At The Museum which was pretty cute. Somewhat better than I expected. Of financial note is that our matinee movies have now gone up to $2.25 from $2.00. Have to readjust my yearly entertainment budget now from $24.00 to 27.00! OWWWWWW!!
Not painful, but still I'd rather that they hadn't hiked it! Even a quarter makes my Frugalicious Gene (TM) pucker!!

*FrugalSon got a dime raise on his check yesterday.

*I got headhunted for a very nice job - went for the interview - turns out it would be commissioned based sales and I'm just not interested in sales. Was nice to be sought out though and the commissions would be quite substantial but still I'm just not into sales - I've done it before and it's not quite my cup of tea.

*Hubster and I went and spent about 3 and half hours picking out the doors and hardware for our interior/exterior doors and they are now coming up w/a quote as much of it will be custom cut to fit our odd sized doorways. Hoping to get loads of the doors done for little cash, but that might be asking a bit much!

*Quote for CashHappySon's car insurance is ridiculous. Both boys are going to go together and each pay their own amount based on their respective vehicles, but they'll get a multi-car discount. Still, too much though!! OUCH!!! Hubster and I do not want them on our insurance - as we would hate to be financially liable if they were to seriously hurt someone in a car accident.

*Estimate from the country treasurer says that our house taxes are going up by a mere $5.00 next year - which isn't too bad you know!

*Think I'll go drink a cup of serenity!

ChopChopShop-Mom's Shopping Service

CashHappySon had yesterday off so we got a couple of things done.

1)Got all his extra ING orange accounts shut down! Kiss Off Orange!!

2)Sat on hold for 45 minutes trying to get his Tracfone up and running again after his sim card went kaput. Near non-English speaking CSR later he was unable to help us get it back up and running nor unable to tell us what to do.

3)Trip to Walmart to exchange his phone for another one. Thankfully due to Hubster's good influence we all save our boxes, receipts and baggies, etc. so we had everything needed to exchange it - even after one lady at the register said it couldn't be done.

Lesson: NEVER MESS w/A MAD MOM who has just set on HOLD for 45 minutes and then driven thru an ice-storm and trekked thru a Walmart store full of RUDE people about a phone that he's only had for like two months being fried!

I was ready to Kick Pa-Tut*-y and take names.




He got a new phone AND the price had since gone down so he got a small $4.55 refund. YEAH TEAM FRUGALIS!!

4)Do Not Forget Dear Reader - that he has a burning hole in his pocket which cash likes to run through. He's been knife collecting and so he took his spending money for the week of $5 and added the refund and bought himself a four knife lot off of ebay. He doesn't have an ebay account so Mom does the bidding and paying. Price w/shipping $10.44.

Money Burning Hole in Pocket 10.55
CashHappy Collector's Fever -10.44
__________________________________
Wouldn't you just know that
Mom's Shopping Service Fee just
happens to be = .11 cents!!

5)Taking it to the challenge!

$20 CHALLENGE
$35.32 balance
+00.11 chopchopshop
______
$35.43 Jan MTD

2007 Challenge $35.43
Cumulative Total $161.54

Tidying Up Loose Ends

Spent last evening tidying up the loose ends on the office front. Money to Hubster and my Roth IRAs. We had cancelled the automatic drafts at ING but still want to put our monthly amounts in and went ahead and did that because I'm not sure just how long it will take for them to rollover to Fidelity. Moved & done!

Then moving more dollars that came out of ING savings on over to Emigrant for myself, CashHappySon, FrugalSon and The Hubster. Moved & done!!

Tidying up the little loose ends makes me feel much better. The mind noise - the nagging sound of interest being lost - can now SHUT UP!!

Yeah!

Done & DONE!!

Now reading CubeChic:



I don't have a cubicle, but if I did, I like the one on the front cover - only slightly less on the nick-nackery.

Forty-one Scrounged!



Adding .41 cents to the $20 Challenge. CashHappySon gave me .36 of it and I found the nickle on the floor this morning when I was changing the sheets on the bed. Sadly, me diving for the nickle was the only clutching going on in my bedroom this a.m. Unlike the threebeansalad's CashCat I'm unable to just walk away.


$20 CHALLENGE

12.91 balance
+0.41 scrounged
_____
13.32 Jan MTD

2007 Challenge Total $13.32
Cummulative Total $139.43

Washed That Orange Right Out of My Hair!




I sent in the paperwork yesterday to change all four (mine, Hubster's, FrugalSon's and CashHappy's) of our Roth IRA's to Fidelity from that orange place! Ahhhh, now that feels better! I know it may take a bit for it to all settle out, but am glad to get that taken care of!

Peel THAT oh orange place! Of course, I'm filing this one under Kiss My Assets! (Nope that's not our lil' happy fambly! We're all WAY prettier than that!)



Kiss Off Orange

Is She Typhoid Mary? LuckyRobin's Avoidance Fever

I seem to have caught LuckyRobin's Avoidance fever! FrugalSon is off today and I used that as an excuse not to work on the budgets but to rearrange furniture!

We have completely moved my room back to it's normal bed position after the window & blind installation got completed this weekend.

Moved The Hubster's dresser out of CashHappy's room and into our bedroom and taken the ugly bookshelf of Hubster's audio & media stuff out of our bedroom and put it in the place the dresser was in CashHappy's room.

Too much stuff - too little house.

Actually I have a big house it's just that folks want everything on the main floor when some of it could concievably be better accomodated in the basement.



This moving of furniture will allow the door-hanger guys to get to The Hubster's closet to put in a closet door. There hasn't been a door on his closet since we moved here! Only a curtain over it. I'll be so glad when this gets done!! They sent a second guy out to measure the other day as the first guy just wanted to be sure he got it all straight. Nothing here is standard measurements!!

The Hubster called the window people today - they are the ones putting in the sliding door and asked when they were coming back! They took off the awnings and threw them in the yard...they were supposed to haul them off. They've left broken glass in the yard, also supposed to be gone and hadn't bothered to notify us of when they intended to come back and put in the sliding glass door.

Okay - they haven't got paid the second half of the balance as the sliding door isn't installed yet - they have to rent a concrete saw, but hey, get the trash out of my yard if you're just gonna drive off into the sunset peeps!!

Oy vey!!

He says they are planning to show up Thursday - now wouldn't it have been nice of them to check and see if Thursday works for us???? Oh well, I will make it work!

A Stay At Home Sunday

Today has been a stay at home Sunday for us - working on getting all the new plantation shutters up and adjusted, painting out one of the windowsills that had to be replaced and working on getting all four (CashHappySon, FrugalSon, mine, and Household) of our 2007 January budgets in place while upgrading to the new YNAB 3.1 version.

I'm a slow learner on new upgrades, besides it being the change from one year to the next and on top of that we each have boo-coo entries in our checkbooks for December as we closed out all our orange savings and CD accounts. Much to keep straight as to where it goes!!

I've got FrugalSon's done and caught up to the moment - only three more to go!

DEEP SIGH!!



Budgeting and book-keeping is something I usually enjoy - when I'm somewhat current. With so many transactions it does get confusing!

Staying at home makes it a no-spender for me!

Home James!



CashHappySon got his driver's license today! YEAH! Four down and one to go!

After he chauferred me home he gave me .83 for the $20 Challenge. See, it does pay to hang out down at the DMV!

$20 CHALLENGE
$2.91 balance
+0.83 DMV tip
_____
$3.74 Jan MTD

2007 Challenge $3.74
Cummulative Total $129.85