Lux Living Frugalis

Teller Is A Magician?



This is no Penn and Teller story, but in clearing up the straggling entries on the September budget I saw that I'd forgotten to write myself a check out of Household/PaperGoods category for 10.00 and that I'd short-changed my allowance by 2.50. So, I wrote a check from our joint account for $12.50 and ran it to my bank while I was out.

Got the deposit slip back and the girl had made the deposit for $1250.00!

Darn my ornery hide, but I asked her if she meant to do that?

I wonder how long it would have taken them to figure it out? I told her, "You would have been working into the wee hours trying to figure out why your till was off" and she said, "No, we only have to account for our cash drawer!"

Ratfinkus - Could of gone shopping had my 'raising' not kicked in!!

You've got to watch them because they are only human and many times the tellers at my bank seem to make errors and more often than not in my case it has been to the bank's favor and not mine!

Another case in point...On the FIL's Estate Checking Account we have deposited a small amount to open it and will deposit proceeds of house sale into it for dispersment to siblings. We just put $100 in it to start several months back and then suddenly last month they decided to take a $15.00 fee from it! OUCH!

The Hubster called and supposedly got it corrected. Then yesterday we got another statement and they had fixed the one fee for last month and charged us another $15.00 for this month.

HELLO!!

The Hubster got back on the horn and asked if we needed to remove our checking and very large MM account to another bank...oh no Mr. HubsterFrugalis, we will get this straightened out for you right away. Un-huh yeah, that's what you said last month!!

Moral of the story? Keep watching your deposit slips and bank statements folks!!

Squirreling It Away - NASDAQ Going Down



Making a clean sweep of the wallet and there was 1.93 in the change pocket, so I'm squirreling away the .93 into Piggy for the $20 Challenge.

The $1.00's worth of quarters stays just in case I ever need to make a phone call from a pay phone....well, I haven't needed to do that for about ten years, BUT "you just never know", my Mamma always said!

$20 CHALLENGE
25.52 balance forward
+0.93 squirrely Shirley wallet sweep
_____
26.45 Sept MTD

I don't think I'm going to bring down NASDAQ just yet, but like Mamma said..."You just never KNOW!"

"Nasdaq suffered a black-eye when an errant squirrel caused it to shut down for the third time in three weeks. Brokers were furious. It was the second time a squirrel struck; in a now-famous incident in 1987, an unlucky squirrel climbed into the main electric power line in Trumbull, Conn., with a piece of aluminum foil. His demise felled the sensitive equipment in the Nasdaq computer center there." -William Power, The Wall Street Journal Online

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!

PENNY BADUNKADUNK

Welll....this is embarassing, but I'm telling it anyway. Too funny not to tell....Last night I was in the bed, rolled over, reached around to pull up the sheet and found a penny stuck to the rumpus!

Hahahahaa...

how did this get there???

All I can come up with is that it was on the couch from when the husband was sitting there earlier in the day and I was laying there before going to bed.

Maybe it had fallen out of his pocket?

Hilarious! I rolled and The Hubster wanted to know what I was snortling & snorkling about!!! heheheeee

Well, ya'll said I was lucky at finding money...it was dark and I was hoping it was a quarter, but alas, when I turned on the light it was only a penny.

Now, I've taken some measurements and based on my calc-u-mu-lations - the girth x length (omgaudddddddd - when did that thing fall to gravity???) divided by the hip ratio, I oughta be picking up more than a penny back there!!



If I can't laugh at myself who can I laugh at?

So, my friends, if you're looking for MORE money...might I suggest that you look behind you!!



Adding it to the $20 Challenge!

HOOT!

CashHappySon just contributed .36 to Piggy from off of his entertainment center.

$20 CHALLENGE
25.15
+0.01 badunkadunk find
_____
25.16
+0.36 entertaining
_____
25.52 Sept. MTD

Turn up the sound and watch this. Nothin' to do with finances but fun!

Make That A Combo Please!



This week I did save $4.07 all together from my allowance combined and so I divided it.

$2.04 to the $20 Challenge and $2.03 went to the Bank Run yesterday.

$20 CHALLENGE
23.11 balance
+2.04 combo
_____
25.15 MTD


BANK RUN
$5.34 balance
+2.03 9/16
_____
$7.37 MTD

Just you wait, one of these days I'll SUPERSIZE my combo!!

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!

The Penny Tumble

Received in the mail .01 cent in one of those advertising come-ons. Sorry fellows but I won't tumble for a penny! But, uhhhh...thanks anyway! Adding it to the $20.00 Challenge.


$20 CHALLENGE

23.10 balance
+0.01 come-on snubbed
_____
23.11 September balance forward

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!

How Green Is My Valley?



I just posted a new link over there in the right-hand links column on Michele Singletary's column The Color of Money at the Washington Post. When you get a few minutes check out the archives. Lots of good reading here for those of us with the Frugalicious (TM) Gene!

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!!!

I've Got Jewelry - How About You?



Yes, this is how this little tax jewel often feels like.

This was an email forward I received. I did not write it and I'm not sure of the author. I posted it over in the forums but thought some blog readers might like to see it.


TAX POEM
This is too true to be very funny:

"Tax his land,
Tax his wage,
Tax his bed in which he lays.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes is the rule.

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirts,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he tries to think

Tax his booze,
Tax his beers,
If he cries,
Tax his tears.

Tax his bills,
Tax his gas,
Tax his notes,
Tax his cash.

Tax him good and let him know
That after taxes, he has no dough.

If he hollers,
Tax him more,
Tax him until he's good and sore.

Tax his coffin, Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in which he lays.

Put these words upon his tomb,
"Taxes drove me to my doom!"

And when he's gone,
We won't relax,
We'll still be after the inheritance TAX !!

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),
IRS Penalties (tax on topof tax),
Liquor Tax,
Luxury Tax,
Marriage License Tax,
Medicare Tax,
Property Tax,
Real Estate Tax,
Service charge taxes,
Social Security Tax,
Road Usage Tax (Truckers),
Sales Taxes,
Recreational Vehicle Tax,
School Tax,
State Income Tax,
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),
Telephone Federal Excise Tax,
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax,
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,
Telephone State and Local Tax,
Telephone Usage Charge Tax,
Utility Tax,
Vehicle License Registration Tax,
Vehicle Sales Tax,
Watercraft Registration Tax,
Well Permit Tax,
Workers Compensation Tax.

COMMENTS: Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and there
was prosperity, absolutely no national debt, the largest middle
class in the world and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What happened ??????"

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!!

Hiddy Ho There Neighbor

A big Hiddy Ho There Neighbor to My Corporate Sponsors Proctor & Gamble because in today's mail came $37 worth of their coupons for such items as Swiffers, Febreeze, Cascade, Mr. Clean, Dawn, and etc.! Thank you. Thank You!!! This will get my couponing back up and running. Don't know who turned me on to it, but thanks!!

Here's a link to P&G:
http://www.homemadesimple.com/common/languagejump.jsp

Earlier today went to the clothes resale shop with the dudes. I bought them their pick of clothes for Christmas - to put away till then - 3 pairs of jeans each, 2 shirts apiece, and each a pair of dress shoes.

So for six jeans, four shirts and 2 pairs of shoes I paid 90.87 total or 7.57 per item average. Not bad.

They will be styling come the New Year and will have forgotten by Christmas what we bought! NICE to have that out of the way.

This was budgeted gift money we spent, so nothing to wank the budget out of alignment! YEAH!!

Only thing left to buy for them is to fill their stocking...which usually has candy, batteries, shaving cream, shaving lotion, music CD, paperback and cologne in it...most of which can be taken care of inexpensively w/clearance, coupons, sales, or BOGOs!

This was definitely a spending day...

Just home from the Walmart where Frugal Son added $3.00 to his $25.00 Employee of The Month gift card he got from work and was able to get himself a new pocket watch, a pair of jeans and some new black socks. He did okay! The socks were already budgeted for in his Clothes Escrow.

CashHappySon bought himself some new black socks as well (they need them for the job) and it was his turn to buy the dog-food and I had a $1.00 off coupon. He also had budgeted back for Clothes and Dog Food so all on an even keel here.

Of course this is the child (I mean young man) that saw 3400 gazillion other things that he now HAS TO HAVE Moooommmmmmmmm! Right kid. No problem but sorry Charlie...save up your money because it isn't in your budget today, but you can allow for it on your next paycheck if there's enough left over after you pay your bills.

I'm such a killjoy!


(photo credit: F. Pancake)

All this black sock talk reminds me of that childhood song we used to sing "Black socks they never get dirty, the longer you wear them the blacker they get!" Does anyone know if there are any additional verses? Those are the only ones I ever learned.

I bought file folders and paper for the printer which had gone up in price .62 cents since my last purchase. Uhhhh, price check on aisle 11, I think somebody forgot to roll back these prices!! These two items were already in the Office Supply Escrow budget so everybody got out under budget! YEAH US!!

CashHappySon went by work to see if the boy was there who was going to buy his guitar amplifier. No go on that deal, but both of them got offered some extra hours so home we ran to get their uniforms and now the house is all quiet again. Ahhhhhhhhhhh!! Silence - how I love ya, how I love ya silence!!

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!!

GRACIAS DOUGHBOY!!



Yesterday's coupon savings added to $20 Challenge in Piggy.

$20 Challenge

11.60 balance forward
11.50 coupon savings
_____
23.10 September MTD

A Big Shout Out to My Corporate Sponsors Pillsbury and Old El Paso (among others I can't recall for the life of me at the moment) for the coupons! Gracias Doughboy!!!

And thanks to all you SavingAdvice.com forumites and blogmasters for inspiring me to get back in the coupon game. Me and my checkbook thank you too!

I'll Allow That I Did Have Some Left Over

And no, we're not talking meatloaf! From the allowance last week I had $3.30 left to take running to the bank. I did spend however yesterday as I ran The Hubster a RedHairedClownBurger & drink (bought with kids employee discount I paid $1.00) by his Dad's house while he cleaned out the last of the sheds. Realtor has sign up and keybox on the door! PROGRESS!!

My goal? Be the best depositor (at the very least frequency wise) that my bank has...shoot, I'd like to go every day like I used to many moons ago when I refunded all the time.

For now, it's a Saturday thing. Gets me out and about, trolling for free pens and scratchpads w/the bank logo and such you see! Kidding, just kidding...I'm a righteous drive thru babe. I get my pens like you do...I steal them from the grocery checkout girl!

This is LuxLivingFrugalis reporting and that raps up the weekly Bank Run report! Now over to you Ted.


Saturday BANK RUNS
09/09/06 = $3.30
09/02/06 = $2.04
______
September $5.34 MTD

Bank Run rules - Money goes to fund this femaleself's retirement in mufflemum years! Income source = Leftover Allowance

Oink! Oink! Oink!

Piggy just got fed a quarter by CashHappySon! He's such a good child!


$20 Challenge

11.35 Sept. balance to date
+0.25 found in CHS's pocket
_____
11.60 balance forward

Got My Telephone Wheel Greased



I am not the greatest when it comes to insurance and telephone rates, so The Hubster (my hero) does all the rate comparing, shopping, etc. on those two items.

So, about two months ago I get a phone call from the phone company and the guy wants me to switch to something or the other and I try to dissuade him telling him that T.H. does this stuff.

Now, I am a hard nut to crack but he was not to be put off and proceeded to try to talk me into changing to some stupid service or another to which there would be no increase in rates - the bill would stay the same. Un-huh. Sure buddy!

To which I repeatedly answered "NO Thank you - Not Interested. Don't call me, I'll call you. Please take me off your calling list", etc., etc. Sheesh, some people just can't take a hint. I finally said, goodbye and hung up.

Fastforward to phone bill time and what do you know but there is a new service on there!! With a fee no less! Who would have thought it??

I was polite to the guy so it can't have been retalitory, but just plain ol'shoddy business practice! This kind of thing just infuriates me not necessarily for me because I know I'll complain long and loud...but for little old people who just get ripped off! GRRRRRRRRR!!!

Anyway, got The Hubster right on it...

Old Phone Bill = 35.33
Adjusted Bill -26.09
_______________________
Savings $9.24

Squeaky wheel greased again!! He's my man!!! Yeah Hubster!!

I hate that you have to watch these things like a hawk. Oughta be a law!! ..another law...yeah, that might be just what the world needs. Oh, and more Ninjas.

There probably is a law already. And I'll just go Ninja on the next phone rep who unsolicited dials MY phone!

For fun try this:
http://www.phonegod.net/morpheus/morpheus.htm

But until the phonegod delivers us, call 1-800-TalkToTheNinja!! I dare ya!

Quoths & Brilliance, Pt. 4





"A pig bought on credit is forever grunting." ~Spanish Proverb


"Bachelors should be heavily taxed: it is not fair that some men are happier than others." ~Oscar Wilde


"Distance - the only thing that the rich are willing for the poor to call theirs and keep." ~Ambrose Bierce


(Take all three of these sayings and add it to the picture above - and I'm over here rolling!! I don't know his marital status but he might remain a bachelor for a long time and I think the rich would love it if he kept his distance w/that oinker. Love the irony of thinking about motorbikes being called Hogs here as well! A Harley on credit - mighty 'spensive!! Funny!)

Taking Out The Cash
a/k/a Sweeping Up

People People PEOPLEEEEEEEEEEE...

CashHappySon and FrugalSon both work at fast food central. They bring home money most every night.

From where?

In the TRASH!!!

CashHappySon found $5.76 last night. The five was from a five dollar bill. FrugalSon usually cleans the parking lot and it too is often full of coins.

I've talked to their manager about it - for one fact - neither work the registers so that's not an issue but I wanted to be sure where this moolah was coming from.

Yep, sure enough, people have their ticket and change in their hand when they go to put their trays up and sometimes cash money goes into the can right along with the receipt.

See - Listen to yo'Momma - don't put that money in your mouth, you never know where it's been!

How wasteful and mindless we peeps can be about our money at times!!

Here's hoping that all of you negligent people will shop our store and throw your money where my kiddos will find it!

Why?

Because CashHappySon put the .76 into Piggy for the $20 Challenge.

When you make a deposit please remember, No Checks, Cash Only!

$20 CHALLENGE

10.59 Sept. MTD
+0.76 wasteful burger nut
_____
11.35 balance forward


HiHo HiHo down the mortgage goes!!



Try this link to sweep up your own savings:

Monitoring the Monitor



Awhile back The Hubster went on a computer upgrading spending spree and liked to have given me a heart-attack!! We finally had to have a Come To Jesus Heart to Heart T.A.L.K.


Stop Spending Already!!!


Well, he trades. ALOT. If we were in the old west I'd be up to my hipwaders in horse hock-ey-tooey because he would have been a darned good horse trader.

So, really this isn't a complaint...he just does a bunch of it...a little finagle here, I can sell this there, add to it from here and viola we've got a whole new system hunnnnneyyyy! Yeah right!!

Of course. Sure you can dear.

Yes, he finally sold the old monitor & speakers the other day and was happily getting ready to toddle off with the moola when THE MONEY MONITOR (yours truly) rightly explained to him that...

So Sorry, those funds go back into the Emergency Fund from which I so kindly let you borrow them against all kinds of my better judgement!

Oh yeah, right, I had forgotten all about that! Un-huh, sure ya did...that's what I'm here for lambykins!!

The Monitor is always on duty!

Just'sosya'know!!

Trust me I know how hard it can be. Back in the old days all you needed was a creepy lair and a hunchbacked assistant to watch your stashO'cash.

There is one monitor here that he'd like to have go on the fritz every now and then so to speak, if you KWIM?

TOO BAD, ain't happening Sweet Lips!!

So, that's why yesterday I had to make two bank runs...one to deposit working boys' paychecks and then off to our bank to return the goods ($160) to their hidey-hole! Leak Plugged!!

Thank you vera' much!!

Seven Large



(Photo Credit: Coins In A Bottle by Degno DiAnima)

On the $20 Challenge last night FrugalSon gave me 7 cents to add to Piggy! YaaaaBuddy!! I almost fainted over because he so rarely turns loose of a cent, but twas good for him and good for me!! Atta Boy!!

$20 Challenge

10.52 September To Date
+0.07 Seven Large
_____
10.59 balance forward

(Large - isn't that supposed to mean thousands?? Well SOON then!)

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!!

Quoths and Brilliance, Pt. 3



"What I've learned about thrift and frugality I learned the hard way -- by making my mistakes and digging myself out. The present-day benefit of past experience is that I'm not so eager to opt for immediate gratification at the pain of future debt. I'm less convinced that happiness can come from stuff, however glitzy, or that a credit card can serve as a get-out-of-me-free pass. I've learned that wanting is transitory, that having is often burdensome, and that discardiing can be the path to freedom. " ~Bookie, SavingAdvice.com thread Frugal By Nature.


"It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating." ~Oscar Wilde, The Model Millionaire, A Note of Admiration

Putting In My Two Cents



"Two Cents" photo by Skez


CashHappySon gave me 2 cents to put in Piggy for the September $20 Challenge.

10.50 balance
+0.02 Two Cents
_____
10.52 balance forward

YTD Cummulative Total $32.57

Tap Tap Tapping


I am tapping away at adding to our Retirement investment vehichles.

Scenario:

The Hubster has a 401-K - it's getting 9% contributions right now w/a 6% match from employer. Our contribution scheduled to go to 10% in January.

In addition for him we have another $50.00 a month going to his Roth IRA.

And he has a Rollover Traditional IRA that is static - meaning we aren't adding to it at this time and may in fact soon start drawing some out of it.

For me:

$36.00 to Emigrant monthly - building up to go into a non-retirement vehicle when I get enough saved up. I want this out from under the limited contributions area that IRAs and 401-Ks have. I am going to attempt to up this amount to $40 monthly next month - 36.00 is an odd figure based on an old income stream that has now finished, but I'm still trying to maintain putting this little bit back. Goal = increase to $40.00.

$60.00 monthly goes to my Spousal IRA.

Then we've also been putting $50 out of the family kitty into I-bonds, but that will be changing this month and I have to decide upon somewhere else to put this money since the interest rate has dropped.

I was also taking half of my grocery money for the last year and putting it into I-bonds (I want to eat when I get old). They are nice and liquid and in small enough amounts to prove useful in a tight. Now that interest rates have dropped then I'm going to have to do something else!

And an additional $50 has been going into small CD's at ING while they were offering good rates. We have them laddered at 1 a month in 1 year, 2 years, 3 years and are working at getting 4 years ones in place.

We also have our regular 10% savings that we are adding to our Long Term Investment Seed money. When we find an opportunity or one of our IRAs mutual funds are offering a decent sale - we buy it on the cheap. Have also used this in the past to buy Tax Lien Certificates to good affect.

Then we have some - usually 3-5% - that goes into our Short Term Goal money that we use to do whatever 'goofy' thing we want like updating computers, replacing a countertop, etc.

Tapping how? Tapping in that I'm just doing a little bit at a time - you know like you guys did in metal shop in high school. A bit here. A bit there. And soon you have a masterpiece. There aren't any vast sums here to invest at the moment. Bit by bit we will hopefully have some additional to rely upon other than just SS.

Tap, Tap, Tap!!

Estate Expenses



Today we put in a new thermostat at F-I-L's house at a cost of $217.00.

We then went and bought new carpet for his house at 969.28, to be installed tomorrow.

Last week we paid the painter 3245.00 for painting the inside and outside of the house.

Next week the roofer is to come and make a roof repair for about $200.00.

Tomorrow a realtor is coming by to see about getting the house listed for sale.

This has been a long long ride getting to this point! My dear father in law passed away in November of last year and we are just this past month getting thru dispursing everything he and my mother-in-law had accumulated in a life time. He was a big time packrat and the little house was stuffed!!

We are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I will be glad when the house is sold as The Hubster and I have born the entire expense of keeping the house utilities paid, the lawyer paid, the funeral bill paid, and now all the repairs, plus other expenses I'm forgetting to mention to the tune of about 15,000.00 we've had to come up with. I am ready for our money to be back in our accounts.

If you are in a position to have siblings alive when your parent pass, and you aren't the Executor, then please, do everyone a favor and at least make an offer to help with the expenses. Not a single one of the other four children has ever even made an offer to help cover the costs!

As their S-I-L who loves them all dearly I still say Shamey-shamey on them. That was just not right.

Sorry folks - but a girl has to vent somewhere! Thanks for listening.

Adding 10 cents I found in the console of the car to my $20 Challenge money!



10.40 balance for September
+0.10 console dime (description: thin)
_____
10.50 balance forward

Just Color My World...

...HAPPY!!

Another No Spend Day!