Tired Already!

Yesterday - Sunday November 5th 2006, was a no spend day! YEAH!

I did have to go into FrugalSon's work last night - thought I was going to have to *beat up* the asst. manager (really only a pup himself) for taking $5.00 from FrugalSon for a scratch that another kid put on his truck! SHEESH!

Anyway, that was FrugalSon's money for getting his haircut today! Ohhhh I was steaming! This place he works at is a mad house I tell ya and the supposedly adult managers are the worst of the bunch!

Yes, we got the 5 spot back but only after making a special trip and no the kid-manager would not come out and talk to me...I think he was scared. He ought to be VERY VERY scared as he has pulled an offense or two w/my kids that could easily land him in jail for a very, VERY long time!! ARRRGGHH!!

We just had an hour long conference with the main store manager on Friday. Good grief what a pain in the posterior!!

FrugalSon is 20 years old but tall, skinny looking couldn't beat his way out of a paper bag kid and he has some 'issues' that left him developmentally delayed. When people go to messing with him I'm ready to go to full scale war! Do not mess w/this Momma's cubs or you'll come away without a limb. That this JERK was trying to take advantage of him did not set too kindly.


Poor Hubster, I was out of my nightgown and into my clothes and out the door so quick that he didn't know what was even going on hardly when pft-zip-shazam I was back w/kid and dollars in tow! I did manage to tell him to be prepared to come bail me out of jail if I need you in a few minutes before we left.

Wha-happun????

heeheeee!

Today I'm going over to rework my booth this afternoon - right after FrugalSon gets off from work, gets his haircut and can go over to help me rearrange the big pieces of furniture. Thankfully he's off from burgercentral this afternoon and CashHappySon is already off at his new job and will be there till 5:00.

Sheets are in the dryer, chicken is in the marinade, dishwasher is run, 2 loads of laundry already done and ready to be put away. While I'm out I'm off to our joint checking bank to make a deposit into our 'Future Foundation' fund of $174.00.

When I get back I have major reading to do on selecting FrugalSon's health insurance coverage for the new year.

I'm tired already!

Catching Up Update - Up Up I say!

Sunday was a no spend day. FREE breakfast in Sunday School class. Somebody brought Braum's sausage biscuits which were really good. I had never eaten one before. There were other things such as FREE muffins, FREE coffeecake, and FREE coffee. Hallelujah!

Monday was also a no-cash spend day for me. The Hubster did however make the downpayment on the windows which we'll be paying cash for! No payments, yeah!!

Over the weekend FrugalSon had to make a big car repair expense to his lil' truck, a whopping $2.17 for new fuses so his horn could beep once again.

Yesterday morning The Hubster was looking for his snackcakes (his one big requirement for a happy worklife) and so we trotted down to the basement to the freezer only to find that everything in there was thawing out! Glad we made the visit.

When I returned from my morning errand CashHappySon and I worked on throwing out what needed tossing ($$'s down the drain) and getting the rest into the cooler. Then upstairs to shuffle the refrigerator's freezer to fit in as much as we could.

Ended up cooking some of the meat in the crockpot for the dogs. Nice treats! ...and cooked about three packages of sausage links for the boys.

Those wouldn't fit into the upstairs freezer. They had a nice breakfast and lunch on them and still have some leftover. SIGH! Bad freezer!! We checked and no the breaker hadn't switched off or anything. Boo!

Later The Hubster calls and has me plug it into another socket. Ta-da it works! It is an older freezer that I got from my Mom when she replaced hers.

I'm thinking at this moment in time I'm just going to leave it empty and unplugged unless someone wants to gift me with a side of beef or a hog or something! Saving on electricity.

I just don't think I utilize it as much anymore w/just the four of us at home right now along w/the inconvenient trek to the basement to stock it or retrieve something. If it were upstairs maybe! It's TOO TOO TOO Ugly for upstairs though.

Along with that is the car maintenance that The Hubster had done yesterday. I sent him in to get his scheduled oil change only to discover that it is time to do the 30,000 mile maintenance in order to keep his warranty in place.

This little bit of sunshine cost us $534.00 on the CC!! Jeepers! November is looking slimmer and slimmer as we also had his $626 crown thingy earlier this month that went on the CC!

The E.F. is definitely taking a hit, as there is no way I can cover all that out of current income and still be able to eat and have utilities, much less have gasoline for work commute!!



Okay Lord, I need a lot less money going down the drain and much more money coming up out of the drains! Up Up I say! And again I say UP!!

Free Supper and Good News



Saturday night we went to our Sunday School Class's fall fellowship cookout where we had a lovely time and FREE food! Gotta love free food. We went at the last minute and because of that didn't have time to bake or even stop to add anything to contribute to the meal.

Not our norm.

However, I don't feel in the slightest guilty over it as for years we were the ones to host the entire dealy-who, footing the bill for the meat, buns, drinks and decorations.

The party made Saturday a no-spend day.

Great burgers and a good time. It was hosted by a couple who are nearing retirement like ourselves. They have been in their current home 29 years.

They recently went out house-hunting to see about downsizing, etc. However, prices in our area have risen so much so that they decided to stay put and do a remodel instead. She had a fabulous new kitchen!

I enjoyed showing The Hubster that new kitchen countertops wouldn't have to be all that more expensive than just replacing like for like our old laminate counters.

She said the expense was only about 500.00 more for what they got which looks much like granite. Very nice. We just aren't THERE yet in our decisions on our house.

Good news was the husband in this situation owns his own business and is giving CashHappySon a job that should start in two weeks.

This is a grown-up job that will give the kiddo a skill that he can always use in life and while maybe not lavishly - with it, he could support a family. We are thrilled!

No Drips

The money in the bank stayed in the bank. The money in my wallet stayed there. The blips on the banking account screen stayed there. The debit card remained incased in my wallet. In other words, there were no leaks, no drips today. As in NO SPENDING!

MonkeyShines

Catching up to date - I did spend on Sunday as we bought lunch on the way to my Mom's house and I bought my new reading chair that day.

But Monday was a No Spend day.

...and Tuesday was a No Spend day!

Just peel me a nanner because it sure makes me' lil ol eyes sparkle!

Mr. vs. Mrs. Spending Battle



Saturday, October 14, 2006 was another no-spend day for me. Now The Hubster on the other hand (whose spending we are not officially tracking here) spent money.

At the big box home repair place he bought stuff to make mr. fixit stuff go. He did buy something not on the list $2.50 for a new elcheapo measuring tape. So he's not altogether too dangerous to let out in the hardware store alone. He spent $25.07 to fix the faucet, fix the sprayer, and got galvanized nails to put up some trim boards that needed replacing outside. Also he spent $11.93 for vacumn cleaner bags. Goodness me, but can our next vacumn be one of those bagless ones? I hate paying money for something to 'throw away'. The door repairs he did cost zip but the elbow grease and his time!

0.00 spent Mrs. vs. $37.00 spent Mr.

I WIN!! ...and got my stuff repaired! Woo-hoo gotta love being a gurrrlll!

12 Oct 2006

No Spend Today!

Did I Mention...??

Nope. I didn't.

Why? Because I had to recharge the batteries for the camera. (and now I can't get the system here to take the picture and upload it! RATS!)

FrugalSon entered his little 1988 Chevrolet S-10 Extended Cab Tahoe Package pickup in the church car show yesterday. He won!! Yea!! It's only just now turned 70,000 original miles and it's a little gem.

He won 2 of the door prizes. One was a big bottle of driveway cleaner. The other was a big sack full of car cleaning stuff, wax pads, air freshener, sprayer for garden hose, wax, some extra high gleam hotrod stuff, etc.

Thank you to our corporate sponsors again - a big Hoo-HA thank you to Auto Zone for graciously donating the door prizes! Team Frugalis thanks you very much!

Then he won Best of Class for 75-Present Truck Division. Woo-hoo! Got the trophy. There were 5 or 6 other trucks entered in this class.

Mom here was especially tickled since some jerk at FrugalSon's 2nd job was giving him a hard time about entering his later model truck into a car show!

Welllllll...phhhtpppttttt and Double phhhppttt on parade rainers!

I hate when people do that!

This is an EXCEPTIONALY GREAT & Hardworking kid I have here and he deserves some good stuff. So Mom is tickled pink he won! No, not the tires, nor the rims, but still...

He had to leave the car show early to go in to work so I went back over and sat with the truck until they announced the winners and handed out the trophies.

Now ordinarily I stay away from their jobsite while they are working but on purpose because Mr. Snooty made the wisecracks I just HAD TO take the trophy in and let FrugalSon know that he won and let him show it off to everyone! Even baby brother CashHappySon was pea green. Other coworkers gave the big pat o'back and he ate it up!

TAKE THAT Mr. Snooty Snot!! Well, yes of course, I made absolutely certain that Snooty got a good long look at it!

Didn't let him touch it though! HA! :P

Chalk one up for the good guys!!

P.S. Over to the right in the pic is the stalk of bananas we got off of our banana tree today! Also, today was a No Spender! Yeppers!! $$'s still in my pocket.

Four O'Clock and All is Wellllllllllll!!


Four O'Clocks

Well actually it's a little closer to half a hair past later in the day than that! But I've been out collecting four o'clock seeds for next year's flower display! The little seeds look like tiny little grenades - really. They are called four o'clocks because it is about that time of day when the blooms open up.

Also finally got SOME of the iris (some call them flags) that I claimed from my mother-in-law's garden into the ground back next to the little Asian bridge by my creek. Still more to go. They are rhizomes and can go in the ground just about anytime. Just been too busy to get them stuck in the dirt! Did get the peonies planted that came from her yard. Hope they make it!

What does all that have to do with finances? Have you priced flowers at your local garden center lately? OUCH! FREE flowers and planting next year's flowers from this years seeds will save me mucho dollars! I've got 2 1/2 acres of yard with lots of spots to fill with flora if I can. It would cost me major money to do it from store-bought. I even passed on buying a flat of pansies (johnny jump ups) this year. I did plant some seed earlier so maybe they'll be coming on soon if they're going to make it! Wish I had some of that ornamental cabbage to line my sidewalk with!!

The bouganvillea are still blooming here but will soon have to come inside where I'll try again not to kill it! It likes it hot and the only place I have that is big enough to hold them both is my utility room with the family's main entryway (the backdoor) which goes whoosh to let the cold air in quite frequently during the winter time. All I can do is try to keep them alive. I love seeing the hot pink flowers (really the leaves/brackets) in bloom during December!

Tomorrow the banana trees have to be dug up and put into the basement for the winter. We are in a zone that they won't last outside in. However, I did get a nice stalk of bananas this year! Cool-i-o!!

Next week it looks like the morning glory seeds will be ready to harvest.

The all is well part? Today was a No-Spender!

Short and Sweet



This will be short and sweet. Today was a No-Spend Day. Although I did leave FrugalSon's lights on in his truck and ran the battery down...so it'll cost me some electricity tonight when The Hubster puts it on the charger!

Triple Threat


Photo Credit: by Derbotti


Okay to catch up here -

Friday, Sept. 29th was a No Spend Day!

Saturday, Sept. 30th was also a No Spend Day!!

Sunday, October 1st, you guessed it, ANOTHER No Spend Day!!!

It was a triple threat!! No Spending Sprees - Ye-haaawwwwwwwww!!

Safety Issue?

No, my cash was safe today! No Spend again!

Tallyho! Happy Days Are Here Again!



Upping the tally...another no spender here!

Never fret my pretties, I've been doing no-spenders for about 4 years now, so I'm used to it. It does take some adjustments and every now and then I have to fight myself to stay out of the scratch & dent groceries.

There is almost always a good deal to be had in these stores, but sometimes I just don't really NEED anything and I've already spent my grocery budget for the week/month.

Keep the faith, it does get easier!

Off To A Good Start

This week is off to a good start as yesterday was a NO SPENDER!!

EVERY DAY COUNTS!


Today? Great Jumping Geehozafat!!

A NO-SPENDER!!

WHAT'S IN MY WALLET?



Are we all brainwashed or what??? What is in my wallet is cash my little pupcake! Why? Because I didn't spend any today!

Chalk up another day for NO SPENDING!! Oh Happy Day!!!

!!FRIDAY FUN!!

Friday was fun!

It was a NO SPEND DAY!



yeah! Yeah!!! YEAH!!!!!!!

SCRATCH & DENT

Went on a scratch and dent grocery shop today. Paid 16.63.

Purchased:

6 pkgs. Lil' Debbie snack cakes - regular size packages at 50 cents apiece (now in the freezer)

2 LARGE pkgs. Lil' Debbie snack cakes at .99 each (now in the freezer)

4 pkgs. of granola bars at 50 cents each w/discount 1.78

4 pkgs. of spaghetti seasoning mix
4/$1.00 w/ discount .26

2 extra long rolls Owens sausage @ 2.50 each

4 bottles of shampoo/conditioner combo @ .50 each

2 large bottles of mouthwash @.89 each

tax .83
--------
16.63 LOVE MY SCRATCH & DENT stores! This is one of two close enough to my house to visit rather regularly!

This was budgeted grocery money, so I do consider this an unofficial no-spend day as I spent no other money besides my budgeted funds.

I never know what the discounted items will be. Sometimes when I get to the car I'll send the boys back in for more, but today I didn't have time.

The boys were supposed to go to a company party/seminar/pep rally type deally-who this afternoon and I took them and no sooner got home than they called for me to pick them back up as it had been postponed. Uaghhhh!!!

I hung up and headed towards the door and then decided why not give a shot at getting a freebie out of this deal? I hit redial and told CashHappySon to get me an ice-cream out of the deal since they had failed to call and let them know not to show up today on their normal day off.

When I got there...free ice-cream!! Ta-da!! I made a vow when I started blogging here not to BUY any ice-cream until 2007, but I never said I wouldn't eat any of the free stuff!

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE



Catching myself up to date here...Friday was a NO SPEND DAY!!! Terrific!

But, alas...Saturday was a day of spending. We mowed FIL's yard and were in such a rush out the door to beat the realtor's open house that we didn't take our water bottles along, so that was 2.15 for colas (bad health choice), but some kind of liquid beverage was necessary.

Then about $6.00 for fastfood because I was zapped and there was no bread in the house and we were in no 'attire' shape to go into my small town grocery store. Ughhhh...you hate to go in looking like a bum AND smelling like a goat combined. Pride is a terrible thing! Look it just cost me $6.00 bucks!! This just gripes me!

Somedays there is just not enough time AND energy combined to get everything done. I had put off grocery shopping because of low energy on Friday thinking I would get to it on Saturday.

Well, ahhh...no. I didn't.

So today after church will be a forced quick stop for some bread, meaning that I'll have to go on Monday for a detailed shop. Putting off is really not ever all that great of an idea, is it?

Then The Hubster got on a wild tear yesterday afternoon to clean out one of the sheds (yeah!!!!) and re-caulk the windows in it. So, off he sent me to the hardware store for more window glazing caulky stuff which was $2.50ish and then I remembered that I needed to buy fertilizer stakes for the huge trees in back that have issues.

If I don't get them some MORE new growth around some rot there will be bigger 'tree surgeon' expenses later...so that cost me an additional $3.50 or so.

Don't ask me how but this fertilizer stuff is rounding off the deteriorating part with new growth and the gap is narrowing! It's working!!!

If it didn't there are two barns in peril and possibly even the house roof. These are old 100 year plus giantish trees and they provide good shade for my house in the summer time and it would be horrible to lose them!!

Dinner last night was homemade fish sandwiches on burger buns that were in the house. Yummy! Why didn't I move this meal up to be lunch? I dunno, except that it would have been another 45 minute wait to eat it and mowing makes a girl ravenous!

Could It Be The Death of Shopping?

Spent a beautiful day here, working a bit in the yard putting up some little garden fencing that came from F-I-L's house. Cute and it matches the buttercream house paint exactly! Love it!!

Brought my personal budget up to date. Finally - every one of the gazillion accounts here are current with the bank's autodrafts, the budget software, and checking amount all matching! WHEEEEEE!


Another day of NO SPENDING! Could it be....



Except of course if you don't count (I DON'T) the fact that I invested a budgeted amount into my IRA in the Bond Fund.

Hummm...well, I must be going to be one of those little old lady investors because darn it, it makes me happy to see those monthly dividends rolling in there!

I LIKE IT!!

I also did another laddered CD thingy today as well. Budgeting and executing the plans towards retirement!

GRUNT WORK


(Photo Credit: Mark Carson)

Today was a no-spender for me!! !!

I spent part of the day bringing both boys budgets up to date, moving their savings to their various escrow accounts. Marking it off the to-do list is always a relief. They are both so busy that they can't hardly find the time to get to it so Mom is the official bookkeeper. I approve/consult their budgets in a monthly meeting and I do the grunt work, although they do know how and they do balance their own checkbooks.

CashHappySon able to make his first contribution to his new IRA. And still able put back into a small CD.

FrugalSon made two truck payments (he owes Mom & Dad) this month from an extra paycheck last month and also able to contribute to his 403b and to his IRA as well, plus add another small CD.

Go Team Frugalis!!!

No Spender Bender


(Photo Credit: Gaber)


After yesterday's spendfest I opted for a stay at home (no spending ) catch the budget entries up to date kind of day! ...and it was!

Phew...

I hate when I put off getting things organized! For me it was that I knew the August birthdays & their related dinner expenses had to be totalled and money moved from savings back into checkbook, but it really only took a few minutes when I got down to it!!

I'm assuming I'm not the only one. Why do we do that procrastinating thingy to ourselves????

Kick butte, Kick butte!! Do better next month sister or it's off to being buried next to the ant hill for you!!

Lighting Up The Night



Have you guys seen that commercial where the Dad lets the kids switch on the lamp in the house for a moment because he saved money on his pizza delivery?

I think I too will light up the night tonight. Go a little crazed out wild and turn on the night light in the kitchen or something.

Whyforbecause?

Because today was a NO SPEND DAY! What a happy day!!

Spending vs. No Spending



(Smiley Face Water Tower in Millington, Michigan Photo by Richard Weiss)


...and the winner is?????


NO SPENDING by a landslide. Yesterday was a no-spend day! YEAH!!!

It was a busy Busy BUSY day = one eye doctor appointment, one teeth cleaning at the dentist's office, two bank runs (more later on this topic) and a run to the FIL's house, 2 kids to 3 jobs dropoff and 1 pickup at noon and 1 pickup at night, and a visit to the realtor's office. Lunch was at 3:45 in the afternoon and dinner at 9:15 because of the aforementioned but I held tough and ate leftovers when I got home. Twas famished but VICTORIOUS! No Spending - YEAH ME!!

Just Color My World...

...HAPPY!!

Another No Spend Day!

"Nanny Nanny Boo Boo!"

Another NO SPEND Day!! YEAH!!!


We had a delish lunch of BBQ ribs that came out of the crockpot fork tender - ya gotta love what a crock can do to cheap meat!! The ribs were on sale earlier this weekend and I got about 15 lbs. for 10 smackos (that's .67 a pound folks) and we'll be eating pretty for the next week on these.

Ribs, potato salad, corn on the cob, pickles, chips and bread and butter, with - you guessed it - the THANK GOD last of the left over birthday cakes!

YUMMERS!!

Choose What You Want Most
Over What You Want Now

I told "Future" that I would post a copy of a slip of paper I carry in my wallet right where the dollarbills go. Here tis:



I made this up myself with a clipart of 'funnymunny'. Do not try to slip it past the clerk at Krogers. It won't work for that. But, it just might slow you down from an unplanned expenditure!

Feel free to copy it off and put it in your wallet. A gift from me, and...

Good luck!!

Let me know if it helps!!

Since I am down to the lint in the bottom of my pockets, you'll never guess what today was...

Oh, you guessed? Another NO SPEND DAY!!

HOORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!

27 August 2006 - Sunday


(No Dollar image by Cliv Savage)

Sunday was another No Spend Day!! !! Think we should start a Keeper's Anonymous??