Lux Living Frugalis

We are getting ready to downsize since the kids are all getting on to independent adulthood. So, earlier this week on Craigslist we sold our big dining room table that took up so much room in our tiny little dining area and then went on the prowl to find another.

BEFORE

It took awhile of missed connections and a bit of people overstating what they had for sale, but we were able to buy a nicer, better table, more suitable for our area now and will fit nicely in most any new place we might buy in the future. It has a leaf to increase/decrease size which our old one did not. That's it leaning against the door for now - I've got to clean out under a bed to find a good spot for it.

AFTER


I'm hoping this helps show the house a bit better with a smaller table in here. (When/If we get around to listing it for sale. We aren't there yet, much stuff still in basement from FIL's estate to go through.)

And, we came out ahead.

I paid $265 for my old table at an auction years and years ago. Got lots of use out of it. Sold it for $250 and bought a replacement for $180 and came out with a nice table & $70 left over. I also found a nice comforter set on craigslist for $60 that I might go for and then will take the left over $10 to retirement savings. (...and then? I'll clean my old comforter set and list it for sale too, so possibly there'll be that cash too, to add to the retirement kitty!)



Oh yeah, earlier this week I made my final 2009 IRA contribution! YEAHHHHHH ME!!!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Coffee-Filters---Many-More-Uses-Th...

I can see that you could also tie them up & use them to make up your own tea blends after you've mixed your favorite decoction.

I've written before that my Hubster prefers these paper filters, while I prefer the metal ones. This makes having the paper ones on hand not seem so wasteful!

Linking for a friend, and I do think if you buy clothing that fits your astrological style that you'll spend less and be happier with what's hanging in the closet. Here's how:

http://www.elsaelsa.com/archives/2009/07/09/astrology-and-fa...

Back from mini vacation and need to resolve to tighten purse strings, because before we left I had gotten into a 'spoil me' spending hoo-hah that has to stop! Maybe it was rebellion against the unemployment thing or something. Budgetary restraints have got to prevail here.

House budget spent $22.84 yesterday on gasoliine, used a $50 AT&T reward card to make the purchase, this card was saved for gas for the trip. Used $22.00ish =/- of it on gas while we were gone, and this refills car afterwards. Remaining balance somewhere around $5.

Trip was good - just THE Hubster and I - we got comped dinner out for both of us on two different nights and tickets to two different performances. This was a close to home trip - about 4 hours away. Paid FrugalSon $20 on Saturday for house/dog sitting while we were gone. He had free eats while here.

I'll post some pics of the accomodations when I get a chance. Need to upload them from camera.

Just so you know, this was an inexpensive trip - a 'resort' sales pitch weekend. We paid our dues by listening to the sales presentation, rather got the bums' rush since Hubster still unemployed. However, to their detriment to my way of thinking none of them ever asked us if we had the financial resources to buy w/o a 'salary'. Phhppttt...for all they know I might be a heiress or somethang! Doncha' know!

No biggie, as we already own a timeshare elsewhere and can trade into their resort anyway, plus I'm already on the deed to this place as a co-owner with my parents, I had just never seen the place. I'll inherit it some day and that's the main reason I went was to check it out. I just don't like it when people presume to know our financial status based solely on income. It's a false reading.

Anyhow, back to costs - we had paid a small fee about $99 last September when he still had a job for this package. We ate frugally and packed a box of groceries/snacks/pop along with us. Figured it best to use it while he had the time off. No telling when/if he'll get back to work. Budget for entire trip was $200. Came home with some cash, have yet to count it, but well under budget.

I had a no spend day yesterday.

A good quote I found on a 'horror'scope page - "The border between discipline and habit is often hard to distinguish, but that is precisely the difference that you have to keep in mind... Habit is mindless and unconscious, whereas discipline is self-imposed and suited to achieving your goals."

Yes, I've been way out of touch - FrugalSon got moved into the basement and I've been busy helping my Mom move much closer to me. The woman has a LOT of STUFF!!!

Much drama in the CashHappySon dept. Too much to even try to relate.

While out of pocket I did manage to make the complete $6000 IRA deadline for 2008 before April 15th!!!

Paying bills today. So, lots of outgo.

Let me pump up the volume, at least slightly by adding $5.27 to the $20 Challenge. While I'm not so good at stimulating the economy as President Obama - I did do my part today and spent online a bit on some new acrylic paints - I'll offset the price of these by selling some of my older (perfectly fine & usable) ones to FrugalSon who is in need of some. I just prefer this other brand when I can get them. A win-win situation. I get to upgrade for about $2.00 in price difference and he gets good servicable paint.

$20 CHALLENGE
$016.82 balance
+005.27 addition
_______
$022.09 Feb MTD

2009 Challenge Total $43.24
Cumulative Challenge Total $1046.02


Listed five items today on ebay - 4 books and a t-shirt. I did not spend any gas today, and am staying in for supper - cooking chicken and mashed potatoes w/gravy.

Spent about 45 minutes in the basement cleaning and re-arranging today! Yeah ME!!! Trying to get myself in gear so FrugalSon can move down there and use the bigger room. Must be cleared of FIL's estate stuff and we just piled it in there at the time of his passing. There is much to be done to make this room usable, but it's doable. Just too easy for it to be - out of sight, out of mind! FrugalSon and I have been spending at least 30 minutes a day for the last week working down there.

I've got to go get my truck tag today. It's not horrible and I've saved for it, so wave bye-bye to $62.50 outgoing. I could mail it off but they charge an additional $2 fee for that, so instead I'll combine it with a trip to the post-office to mail off two items that sold on ebay, totalling $14.85 minus $1.03 paypal fee = $13.82 incoming. Lucky for me my little tag office has a post office window in it. Nope - no vanity pl8s 4ME!

Think I'll add the $13.82 to the $20 Challenge:

$003.00 balance
+013.82 ebay sales
_______
$016.82 Feb MTD

2009 Challenge Total $37.97
Cumulative Challenge Total $1040.75

The other day my Mother & her husband gave me & my siblings a gift each of $**,***.**. TOTALLY UNEXPECTED!

I am awaiting as I type a call back from our accountant verifying my thoughts on keeping this VERY generous gift tax free for years to come. I'm thinking of my state's municipal tax bonds, and not co-mingling it with any other monies currently so as to always know where any income it generates came from.

I do believe it will soon be enough to pay my house taxes each year if I let it compound and grow (assuming we stay in the same house).

THANKS MOM & HUBBY!!!

edited to add: The accountant says since we aren't in a high tax bracket to begin with it doesn't really matter if we pay taxes on it or not. Hmmmm, I just hate paying taxes, and currently my state's municipal bonds are paying a nice interest considering the economy. I haven't checked their ratings yet, but I'm still going to mull over my options. If you've any good ideas, pipe up, I'd love to hear them. I could conceivably put this money inside my Roth and finish fully funding it for 2008, all of 2009 and some of 2010 when we get to that point. For today, I'm taking it to the bank to deposit then moving it to a savings vehicle until I make a final determination as to what to do. I'm thinking NICE & CONSERVATIVE on this pile. Of course, there is a tithe to be returned on this, so after paying that I may have to add some of our other funds in to meet some of the bonds purchase price.

And, I'd like to hear any ideas on what extra special thoughts should be included on the thank you note I'm currently writing.

Please, let me hear your thoughts...I'm open to everyone's ideas.

I added $1000 of the $1300 truck accident money...

(see back story: http://luxliving.savingadvice.com/2009/01/04/she-did-a-costl...)

...to my Grrls Just Wanna Have E-Funds account. It had been sitting in my checkbook earning zip, so moving it to there at least temporarily. I have some other household plans for it, but meanwhile it should be working and earning some interest. The $300 went else-where.

Slave on Money, Slave On!!


GRRLS JUST WANNA HAVE E-FUNDS
$0386.50 1/20/09 balance
- 5.00 contribution to the Playing For Change Foundation 1/21
________
$0381.50
+0000.06 interest income 1/31
+0010.00 Feb Savings Allocation 2/1
________
$0391.56
+1000.00 Truck accident - temp. parking 2/18
________
$1391.56

See 1/22/09 blog post for more about this worthwhile organization.

http://luxliving.savingadvice.com/2009/01/22/crash-boom-life...

For the best explanation of wanting your money out slaving & earning children $'s & grandchildren $$'s & great-grandchildren $$$'s for you, take the time to read George Clason's "The Richest Man in Babylon".

This particular account is not the most aggressive that I have for interest bearing but is the only one I have that has a checking feature built in and I want these particular dollars quickly accessible.

I started this account in April of 2008 as an experiment on Fidelity's Smart-Cash balancing feature (so I'd be familiar with it when we begin withdrawals in our retirement accounts) and this $5 check to this foundation was the first time I've written a check. So far it hasn't cleared and I'm uncertain now if the $1000 deposit hasn't defaulted my rebalancing setpoints that I originally set.

I think I set them relatively low (maybe $250??) as I don't keep a lot of cash in my other local checking account and didn't want the auto-leveling feature of an expenditure to take my local checking to the point of an overdraft.

Adding to the $20 Challenge:

$20 CHALLENGE
$000.75 Feb balance
+002.25 wallet cleanout
_______
$003.00 Feb MTD

2009 Challenge Total $24.15
Cumulative Challenge Total $1026.93

Happy Valentines Day to My Frugal Friends! XXOXOXOXOX, Lux

A BA style 'QUickieTTa' -

Went to an art show today. Spent $8 to get in, and $8 for lunch plus OUGHTA BE A LAW ****$3.00**** for a bottled water. Also spent $1.00 entering a raffle for a really good cause and $40 on artists goods while I was there. $5 to $25 of it was for items that I might give away for Christmas if I don't hog them for myself!

Had a good time and now I'm tired. My favorite part was the student art competition, but alas it was also where the judges ought to be shot for not awarding this one child Best of Show - Boo Hiss! Art is so subjective. And juried panels seem so easily influenced by the loud and overbearing judge that's generally in the group.

Saw several pieces I'd love to have in my home just don't have the $8000 and $2800 respectively to spend on art right today. Some beautiful things there.

Is it just me or do you see one of George Bush's ancestors sitting on the right??

Warning - long winded pondering ahead w/associated painting below...


I've been busy attempting to rebuild my painting skills as a possible way to earn money in the future. Besides being somewhat of a burning passion (as my family will tell you I will paint it if it stands still - so, keep moving.) I think I could earn some extra dineros!

Yaaa Frugalis! -

This earning of money for my art would be easier if I wasn't so darn privately drawn in my personality. I am not shy in the slightest, but private to a fault. It's uglier than it is pretty in an extroverted world and to effectively market these creations I'll have to come up with a compromise that works FOR ME. See INFJ and Scorpio profiles on the web for privacy and introverted features of the Mrs. Frugalis gene-pool.

To get out there and financially win however, excercising painting muscles that haven't been used in 20 some-odd years equals an exercise in patience, something I'm woefully short of.

FYI - One of the best ways for writers to learn to write is to copy those who are masters. One of my best creative writing teachers had us literally copy paragraphs of great writers.

To me, painting is similar.

You attempt to copy what someone else who's a known 'great' does in order to build your own talent base. That way when you get going on your own ideas that other 'stuff' is in your veins and just flows naturally.

So, I've been spending a lot of my time working out the dust-bunnies in my muscle memories to get back in the groove on certain painting techniques and skill-sets. When I go to town doing my own creations I want the skills to again be there to back up my ideas.

Well folks, all I can say is, my ideas for some paintings are still cooking on the back burner. I have ideas and plans that I can't execute as well as they deserve to be done YET. They'll have to wait while I work up a good head of steam so to speak. The sketch book is filling up.

In other words it's gonna get ugly before it gets any better. That's frustrating to me, but part of the process. You know, all the old cliches, "to bake a cake you've got to break a few eggs", etc., come to mind.

All that said folks, in order to tell you that copyright laws prevent me showing you works that are a direct copy of someone else's artwork or photo. So, I can't show you anything unless it's my own original idea and I haven't been doing much of that.

Yesterday the day was spent working on COPIES OF ORIGINALS (so I can't show you) - a VIVID flourescent abstract in acrylics and later in the evening on a rose topiary painted in girly pastel colors in oils. Uggg-leeeeee! My abstract copy is a hot mess and the pastel one just doesn't suit my tastes - (like the form - hate the shades).

I love the brights.

See, this is good to know about oneself!

I do think that although I'm not necessarily happy with either one they do provide lessons. The abstract one teaches me that ugly can come and stay awhile before beauty emerges and abstracts are not just a few splotches thrown at a run.

The pastel one teaches that I'm not a pastel girl any more AND better - that the old color mixing lessons are still in the head somewhere down in deep dark storage and they'll float up given enough airtime. Although, I seem to have forgotten everything I ever knew about painting flowers (roses & anemones were called for). And, I learned that I can do the work of getting outside my comfort zone to try something different.

So, while we're all waiting on baited breath for my headspace to be completely revamped (yeah RIGHT on all points! - Breathe people, this could take a while), I'm going to put up a picture I did late last year. When I was younger we owned a LOT of exotic animals. We did in fact own a buffalo, who's name was Buffy (how original). He chased Hubster once! And he could flatfoot jump over the hood of a car given a running go at it. I give you 'Buffy Remembered'.

Yes, he's wild - verging on purply-hot pink, horns of silver, has red hair and neon yellow on his hump and my signature was done in the shades of the minty green turquoise grass blades as an effort to blend in and fade out. If this ever sells, that is not the original title of the painting.

This is a scanned image and may not be the best way to relay it to others. To market artwork you have to be able to reproduce it well, so I'm having to work on my tech skills as well - do I scan or photograph? Do I have the right equipment, etc.

He's done in acrylic, on a 5x7 canvas panel now resting in a silver-toned frame. Funny how the colors do not all translate thru the scanning process.

I love children's literature and would like to eventually be good enough to do illustrations for children's books that support tribal memories & cultural awareness for Native American children. My 'tiki' dream would be to actually write and do the artwork for my own Indian children's book.

My Dad did Indian art for years before the laws became stricter. I'm still not 100% sure how to refer to his items. He's not a tribal member, but I am through my mother's bloodline, so I can legally call myself a Native American Indian artist, while he can not.

Dadio's way better at it than I am. My brother and nephew are also tribal members and artists. I'll put up something my brother did some time and something of Daddy's too. I don't think I own any of nephews - his are pretty cool pen & ink drawings (B&W & colored) that are a combo of native art & anime - he's a child of his time.

Of financial note - I spent about $23.00 at the art store on Monday (canvas, frame & 2 tubes of oils on clearance at $1.45 each-SCORE!!)and finished using up a Christmas gift card on part of it, so only had a small outlay.

What I've been working on recently.

(**removed - see below)

I forgot and signed it before I remembered to photograph it for you guys, hence the edited in spray paint job! There's no black globs on the actual. Sorry ladies and gents, it's the Scorpio & INFJ thing combined. Privacy is a big, Big, BIG issue for me! It's hard enough to actually share the painting!

It's been a long time since I painted fur. And harder than you might imagine.

If you click on my pictures themselves and give it a second you can see a much larger (better) shot of it. Once it's loaded in a separate window (at least on my computer you can then left click on the mouse and get an even larger view.) Then just click the back button to bring you back to SavingAdvice.com.

The inspiration to paint a fox comes from the one that runs around the creek area in back of my house and that I see occasionally crossing the road by the house. So exciting when I catch a glimpse! The best time of day to see it is during my early morning quiet time doing bible study in the sun-room and I look up and see it crossing the road. Always a thrill and it feels like a special blessing, you know? I need to learn to take MY camera in there and get my own shots to work from.

The painting is full of texture and not nearly as brave as I'd like it to be in the choice of colors. I'm really attracted by the current fauvist paintings - some of which might have blue cows and purple suns and such. Do a google search for Fauvism. Gerry Baptist & Diane Whitehead are a couple of names that comes to mind as being inspirational to me.

Below is a close-up of some of the texture:

To make this financial - I got a great deal on gesso at Christmas time when I got a gallon of it (49.99) for half price because I had a 50% off coupon. Used a lot of it gooping up the texture on this bad-boy!

**Removal: Sorry guys, after reading around a bit on the internet I've taken down the picture of the painting I worked on and the link to the photograph I worked from.

Seems it is a no-no and to respect the rights of the photographer I've voluntarily taken it down at my own instigation. It was up for about an hour - if you saw it - great, if not, then I'm sorry! I'll post another when it isn't so directly a copy of a copyrighted photograph.

Never fear - No one could mistake my painting as the original photograph! ...but - I had given credit to the original photographers and a link to their website.

Sorry to be such a tease, so I'm putting up just the rear-end of the picture - enjoy instead the look of the smallish room we call a studio. I just hate to take this whole entry down.

One day soon I hope to paint the studio walls - maybe come spring & some dollars for a gallon or two of paint! This northern facing window sits on the second floor & runs parallel to the aforementioned tiny creek - see below.


{FRUGAL NOTE: See the very expensive (I mean FREE with services) papertowel roll holder attached to the table?}

(What's up w/the Pinesol, Dawn & Vaseline? Used to clean & shape brushes. Wax-paper? Makes an excellent inexpensive throw-away pallet.)

The creek is about a foot and a half wide here at this point and usually has water running in it approximately 75% of the year so we do get a lot of wildlife back here.

Went with FrugalSon yesterday to his job interview - they let me sit in. He did well answering their many questions. The lady has two more guys to interview and if he isn't chosen for this job his name will still be in their database for 60 days. This is a large metro hospital.

He put in for a cafeteria worker, housekeeping or floor care person. Pay is over $9 an hour plus uniforms and good benefits and 40 hours or more per week (he offered to cover other folks shifts).
Keep us in your prayers. I could see him making a good lifetime's worth of work here.

Later in the day I took both boys to the free AARP tax prep place. This time we got there by 1:00 - they close at 3:00. Again - we are too late. BAAAAH!

We WILL be there Tuesday at 10:30 - they open at 11:00!

Went and got cash out to do Angelfood this month. It's been awhile. I'll do their regular box and one of the meat boxes. With Hubster laid off this is a good deal for us.

There's a lot more going on behind the scenes about CashHappySon's life, too much to go into here, but the rest of the afternoon was spent doing some private detective work and other police related paperwork on his living situation. A domestic dispute with his now ex-roommate who's girl was one of the one's who stole the car.

Monday The Hubster and I are going to try and go with him to his court date - driving an uninsured and untagged car - $788 ticket.

The judge told him to get insurance on the car and a tag. Thing is? He doesn't own the car that he was driving (his side-job boss's) so that he can't follow her orders (even if he could he doesn't have the money or either job now). He went by himself to the last hearing. Perhaps if we go the judge will listen a bit to some of the facts.

I hate going.

I don't want to be one of those parents seen on Court TV trying to excuse Juniors actions. I'm not excusing them. Not at all. The little turkey shouldn't have been driving that car.

Because the title is not in his name - I do however wish to explain to her that he's not being belligerent or uncooperative when he says he can't tag & insure the car. She will likely (and well deservedly) suspend his driver's license.

Oh the joys!

Cost of accident report and police report yesterday on the stolen & crashed car he did own - $1.25 out of Mom's pocket because of course CashHappy's got 'NO Mun'ey!'

Did I mention I think they're going to give me my very own free assigned parking spot down at the police/court complex?????????? Maybe even a frequent visitor's pass???????? I'm kidding. But it seems that way.

Sheeeeesh! Before this I've never been to one of these places except to get married at the court house. Since he moved to that town I've been about 8 or 9 times now. I've told him if he gets locked up in jail not to call me because I'm not coming. Boo Hiss!

I'm off this morning to take FrugalSon to the hospital where we applied for him a job online about a week ago. They called yesterday and set up an appointment for him today. Weeee-dogs! I hope he gets it! Fingers crossed & prayers up! His Arches of Gold job's hours have been cut back drastically and he needs more income if he's going to date and plan on moving out someday.

I got up early and balanced checkbooks and decided against buying a large lot of acrylic paint that was tempting me on ebay. I would use it but can't really afford it right now - maybe it'll be relisted???? Hope so! I mean, I have the money, but it would run me close to my edge and I don't wanna play that game, you know? Spent time shredding papers this morning and filing, and just general paperwork & desk cleanup.

Adding to the $20 Challenge from what was found under the keyboard.

$20 CHALLENGE

$000.00 Feb balance
+000.75 keyboard change
_______
$000.75 Feb MTD

2009 Challenge Total $021.90
Cumulative Challenge Total $1024.68

Of other note, CashHappySon got fired from his job day before yesterday. This boy is in a downward spiral! Five jobs since he started working at 18 - five jobs that he's been terminated from. He's 20 now. He just doesn't get it. No car, no job, no prospects. Gaaahhh! These two boys couldn't be more different.

Yesterday was a no spend day. I updated the sidebar over on the left yesterday evening. Added the Dream Car Fund category over there. I owned the Sunbeam convertible back when I was in high school and wish I had never sold it. Ahhh, Foolish youth!

$480.42 what I'm starting it out with - Have been saving that little bit of money for awhile and just yesterday decided to give it a goal. I've got a picture of mine actually here ?somewhere? that I'll post sometime if I ever find it.

Today is a NSD. Updated the sidebar.

Went yesterday with CashHappySon trying to get his taxes prepared so he can have money for a large ticket that he has to pay. No fast action there as we got to the free AARP tax assistance at our local library too late in the day to get on the list - they closed at 3:00, we got there at 2:15 which was the earliest he could make it after work and they were already booked. Will try again on Friday.

Yesterday was a spending day as I paid for some custom reframing of an Native American Indian art print that my Dad had gifted me years ago and the picture had slipped from the matting and it needed help. Updated the matting to new colors and it looks great. That cost me $43.00 & some change, but well worth it. Love the new look.

Also bought fast food chicken sandwiches for the crew & FrugalSon's girl-i-o who has now been back in the picture for a few weeks. So, she was over to the house to eat yesterday before they went out to get his haircut and to the community center to workout and walk on the indoor walking track there, then he dropped her at work. Lunch for 4 - $8.32. His hours have dropped drastically and she was told they would be on 'cheap date' status until his hours pick up again. Here's Mom hoping a leopard can change her spots!

Hubster sold one of his old, Old, OLD computers yesterday for $25 to a young girl off of Craigslist. She'll be happy with it. Another old one he's got on there for $50 hasn't generated any response yet but was put up late yesterday afternoon.

I went Monday over to my booth and collected a check there for January sales. I met my booth rent and made enough to keep me satisfied with the low amount of effort that it takes to generate that income (+$169 & change). I sold a couple of small items on ebay (+$17.82) and shipped them out on Monday (-$2.35).

I've been working on my ebay listings today (14 new items listed), so there's that for future income. I've also priced a couple of old fashioned outside metal chairs and an enamel bucket for sale in my junque booth. I go on Monday to install them in the booth and pick up my January sales check.

Adding to the $20 Challenge

$015.91 balance
+005.24
_______
$021.15 Jan MTD

2009 Challenge Total $21.15
Cumulative Challenge Total $1023.93

CashHappySon called today wanting to pick up his W-2 so he can go do an instant refund thingawhichie. Thing is he can't really afford the fees for a fast back refund. Not sure if he'll even get a refund since he cashed in part of his retirement (401-K & IRA) this year to pay off his car loan to us.

He did go buy himself a Go-Phone (something like a pay as you go Trac-Phone) blaming me saying that I complained that I couldn't reach him. I explained to him that my statement of fact did not constitute a complaint nor a need for him to spend money he doesn't really have! Oh well. He WANTS a phone.

I hope he can use it in jail when he gets to court on Monday. That's a whole 'nuther story about the $1000 clunker car he signed for from his side-job boss (against Mom & Dad's advice) and got stopped by Johnny-Law and it got impounded because he had no insurance on it nor did it have a tag.

Tickets for that little part of this fun-tasmagoric saga equal $788.00.

Since the car was not offically in his name yet the impound lot hasn't dunned him - YET! The boss says to forget about the car and just let it set there as he doesn't want it or the title back.

Oh yes, he also mentioned that the apartment managment is fining him $100 for having a pet in the apartment without having come and put up the proper pet deposit. All of which was carefully explained to him when he went to rent the apartment. I know it was because I was there when the guy laid out all the rules for him. Ho-Hum!

You breakie the rules - you pay-ee!! He'll learn I suppose.

On sale at the local grocery this weekend was our favorite big-name brand pop at 69 cents a liter. We bought a bunch! We bought 30 bottles! Since it's hard anymore to find them on sale for the normal 99 cents and usually priced at $1.25 this seemed like a great offer. Of course I fell for it and bought a couple of other things - like the slicing tomatoes & cream cheese I went in after! I didn't know they were having the sale so it was a happy surprise.

On ebay one of my books sold this week and Hubster sold one of the computers & monitors laying around the house extra (he's got a bad habit of upgrading REPEATEDLY) for more than we had in it so we're up. And, better - that money ($525 minus ebay & paypal fees) has gone back into the emergency kitty. And nice too - it's out from underfoot where we really had no place to store it so it's been decoratively sitting at the end of my bed.

Also this week FrugalSon paid the kitty back $100 on his remaining balance for his new motor - so he's still down to us to the tune of about $600.

Yesterday Hubster braved the 2009 ice storm to ship out the computer ($35.77) which was covered by the buyer and got the tag renewed for his car which cost $83.50.

A small bit of financial smiles came forth when Hubster reminded me that the checks we are out of will be replaced FREE because of the type of 'Old-Timer' account we have at the bank. Yeah FREE! I'm calling them today to order up.

FrugalSon although not on the schedule (when is he ever on the schedule any more??? They've cut his hours at Burger Arches quite harshly) yesterday got called in for four hours worth of work unloading the truck. When the ice storm lets up we are going into the metro area to see if we can get him on at one of the several major hospitals in our area.

CashHappySon called a night or two ago wanting to know if his W-2s had showed up yet or one of the two checks he's got coming is in. 'Nope' to all three, but I'm fine thanks for asking!! :< He's so self-centered these days - I didn't talk to him but his Dad did - the boy did not even say good-bye but just hung up when he had his answer. GAAAAA! What kind of child have I raised?

I tried to reach him the other day to take him with us when we went to see the new baby, but his cell phone has been cut off - Not a big surprise. I don't know if he's going to work or not - supposedly some girl he works with was going to be giving him a ride. Hopefully he is more polite to her than he's been to us. Fact is, he told me the other day he doesn't care if he keeps his job or not! Exactly the problem I tell him.

Really, does this bald spot on my head show where I've torn the hair out?? I've tried that colored hair spray paint but I'm not sure it's going to work for such a major balding!!! How much is this 'coverage' going to cost me??????


To the $20 Challenge I've got:

$005.54 balance
+010.37 in a purse cleanout
_______
$015.91 MTD

2009 Challenge Total $15.91
Cumulative Challenge Total $1018.69

I listed three more books yesterday and will try to get some more done today. There are scads and scads of them that need to go!

Yesterday was a NSD for me as the only time I left the house was to drive FrugalSon in the ice ruts to work.

Along with his lovely wife, our number #3 child (Man of the Year Son), the 2nd of our four boys and one daughter, just had a new baby boy this past Friday. I got to go see him on Saturday and on Sunday. He went home from the hospital yesterday. Welcome Grand-Baby Frugalis!!! This is the sixth grandchild (4 girls & now 2 boys) and we also have a great-grandson too.

Momma & baby doing fine!!

"You know horses are smarter than people. You never heard of a horse going broke betting on people." ~~Will Rogers

*No slam intended Disneysteve, I was just reading a local paper talking about how our state is in a quandry over their legalized gambling stance and what it's doing to the working poor. This quote came to mind. It should be noted that people who have their bills paid and their life in order might choose to gamble with their fun money with no harm done to their bottomline. It's those who gamble with the rent money, etc., that cause themselves problems.

I'm back to the quiet side again as CashHappySon's life just went in the crapper and I'm busy digging him out w/o totally saving his hide.

The short story is that a couple of days ago two girls he knows stole his UNINSURED car and totalled it. They were both taken by ambulance to the hospital and are home with stiches in their heads. His story checks out with adult people I trust so I know that in actuality this time it happened as he says.

His Mom & Dad here busy with getting him around for his job, police reports, car impounds, major stress, reiterating all the good things Moms & Dads say during such times as these such as 'We told you so about hanging with the wrong group of people', etc., etc., etc.

Pray for us.

This is what I'm listening to, in an attempt to relieve some of the stress.

It's marvelous! Enjoy!


http://www.youtube.com/v/Us-TVg40ExM&hl=es&fs=1

More later...

FrugalSon found a nickel in the laundry to add to the challenge.

$20 CHALLENGE

$005.49 balance
+000.05 laundry donation
_______
$005.54 Jan MTD

2009 Challenge Total $005.54
Cumulative Challenge Total $1008.32

No, he's not in the doghouse. I start the clothes to washing and he moves them to the dryer and folds and puts away as part of his daily chores that come along with still living at home. He also does dishes on his nights off and every morning puts away the dried dishes from the night before. He's 22. For those of you just tuning in he also pays a small Room & Board stipend to the First National Bank of Mom Frugalis.

I am feeling some better. Yesterday I was dressed to shoes, with makeup done and everything and think I'll be able to get to the same level of alertness today. I do like the newish mucus relieving medication - sorry, this is gross, but it does thin the gunk so you can rid yourself of it. 3 Thumbs Up! Uhhh, yeah, well, I didn't say it doesn't make you loopy! So....ummm yeah, Two Thumbs Up!

Yesterday I was feeling so much better that I got about 10 items listed on ebay. And woke up this morning to see that one of Hubster's computer peripheals did sell and he's busy packing it up now for shipping tomorrow. It was one of four sets he had bought for resale, so at least he's on his way to paying back the CC.

And a few of the things he had listed on Craigslist have sold as well. YEAH HUBSTER. My deal with this is not that we don't have room, but that technology moves at such a fast pace that it's better to move it along while it is still viable!

FrugalSon is down with this creeping-crud now. CashHappySon came by to pick up his **OMG $968 OMG** cell phone bill & several letters from the bank on overdraft charges!! Did I say OMG? O.M.G.!!!

The boychild is one stubborn kiddo and will only learn his lessons the hard way. Of course the cell phone company cut your phone off! What the holy-heck do you do to rack up a $968 phone bill???????

Yesterday was a No Spend Day!

Adding to the challenge:

$20 CHALLENGE

$004.27 balance
+001.22 change from OTC meds & kleenex
_______
$005.49 Jan MTD

2009 Challenge Total $5.49
Cumulative Challenge Total $1008.27

Medical update: Feeling a tad better today, just can't swallow much without pain and now FrugalSon is getting this crud. Hubster had it first bringing it home from his last week of work.

Prices at the pharmacy for OTC for mucus - name brand $20.99 - generic $7.00. Quite a spread! Guess which one I picked?

Of financial news we've heard of yet ANOTHER possible rate hike on utilities.

Thanks to Princess Perky for reminding me, I just made another KIVA loan.

Sick, snotty, aching and waiting for the clinic to open. YEACH!

Adding to the challenge.

$20 CHALLENGE
$004.08 balance
+000.19 change on desk
_______
$004.27 Jan MTD

2009 Challenge Total $004.27
Cumulative Challenge Total $1007.05

Went grocery shopping yesterday the first time since the 26th of December for $135.15 and what did I get? Nothing too exciting just rising prices everywhere. The biggest jump I've noticed is in dry dog food prices which used to run in the $9-10 range are now $13.50-$18.00.

Oh and I forgot to mention that Hubster got a call from his old boss the other day and their plant will be closing permanently and will be liquidated, so there is no going back there! That ship has sailed.

...and now to send you to an interesting place to read with some great monetary cartoons...


http://www.analyticalwealth.com/


...did I mention it's snowing on top of the rest of the pits around here???

No?

Well.

It Is!

Off to bundle my sorry self up to my eyeballs and go out and dig out the car and slip off to the clinic. Thank God we have insurance to at least the end of the month then it's on to figuring out how to pay the awful-oughta-be-a-law COBRA fees.

...the axe that is.

I blogged late last month of the possibility that Hubster might be laid off. Well, it happened yesterday.

He's busy today listing stuff on Craigslist that he bought to resell then hopefully off later today or Monday to the unemployment office. He's got a guy coming this afternoon to buy some old stereo equipment. Afterwards we're off to see Gran Torino at the matinee and then out to spend our Christmas giftcards from my Mom at a local retailer. I see new bed pillows in my future with mine. Don't know what he'll buy with his.

Hubster is 62, so could take early SS if he wants to, but we are still 'cussing and discussing' those options. This isn't the end of the world for us as we do have emergency savings, pension options, SS options, 401Ks and IRAs and various other investments and ways to make money at home if the dollar doesn't tank completely!

It would be a no-brainer to go ahead and start drawing SS after unemployment runs out if it weren't for the big difference in our ages. May-December marriages make for some interesting financial discussions when you've never made or saved enormous sums of money. Trying to decide which will keep me into my old age the best way possible is one of the topics dear to his heart during these times. He's been laid off before and we had the same convos then.

Our bills stand currently at a mortgage payment of $353.00 a month if we aren't paying extra to principal and average utility bills of $310.00 a month, and house taxes and home & auto insurance run us $152.50 a month. The basement pantry is full to overflowing so eats are not a problem either.

Here on the desk to add to the challenge...

$20 CHALLENGE

$002.07 balance
+002.01 desk change
_______
$004.08 MTD

2009 Challenge Total $4.08
Cumulative Challenge Total $1006.86

Cleaned out the coin portion of the wallet and found .86 cents to go to the challenge.

I always leave at least a dollar worth of quarters in there during these cleanouts. I'm not sure what for anymore what with cellphones and such, but old habits die hard.

Momma always said a lady needed to have money for a phone call in her wallet! At least I could still buy a hometown newspaper if I needed it.

Let's just face it, shall we? I'm old school.


$20 CHALLENGE

$001.21 balance
+000.86 coing purse cleanout
_______
$002.07 Jan MTD

2009 Challenge Total $2.07
Cumulative Challenge Total $1,004.85

More change on the desk needs to go towards feeding Piggy.

$20 CHALLENGE

$000.25 balance
+000.96 change on desk
_______
$001.21 MTD

2009 Challenge Total $001.21
Cumulative Challenge Total $1003.99

---
GRRR! Waitiing on CashHappySon to come over to go with him to pay a traffic ticket. His money, just don't trust him anymore to give it directly to him - it came from his online savings that he has no access to except thru me at this point as he pawned his computer. The judge told him day before yesterday that if the money wasn't there by Feb. 5th he'd revoke his license. First time to ever have a ticket. Speeding.

Of course as his Mom I'm sad & aggravated #1 that he's speeding. #2 that he doesn't have any of his own money on hand to pay it and #3 that he hasn't called to tell me why he's late and #4 I'm just sick of his excuses and #5 that his insurance will go up and #6 that his car insurance premium draft was just refused by the bank. Things are terribly frustrating right now. He's bouncing checks like a madman and refuses to discuss things like a normal adult and is hanging with the worst possible crowd. The discussion got so lively last night that I hung up on him. Hating this!!!

We keep praying that his adult brain cells will kick in anytime now! Pray for us all.

Well time flies while you are away. It really didn't feel like that long that I was away, but I realize now that it was.

Long ago in my younger life I did a lot of painting, and as a child I spent a bunch of time in the art studio of a rather famous Indian artist. My Dad, my brother, a nephew and even my ex-stepmother (Dad's wife #2) all paint. My Dad sold a lot of artwork when he was actively painting, so there is sort of a family trademark & tradition that I could step back into. I even dated a famous Indian artist's son at one time. He later married another girl and she's quite famous as well.

But - I married someone else, life happens and I got busy with my kids and that hobby had gone by the wayside. It's been over 20 years since I spent any time doing much painting, just the occassional sketching and odd tole-painting class back in the late 80's.

Since my status as a homeschooling mom has ended and my kids are all pretty much grown up I knew I needed to find my creative groove again. While I was on my little fall break from Saving Advice dot com I was busy. One of the things I was doing was setting up an art studio in CashHappySon's old room and I've started painting again. Once I got going good I did a LOT of paintings for Christmas gifts this year.

Here's one I just finished - I love the neon colors and the textured paint:

This was the inspiration - a nice pot of hot pink bougainvillea & a cool chippy multi-color painted chinese lantern that I hauled home from my last junque' buying trip (I mean literally, I drug that HEAVY lantern for about 4 hours thru a giant antique junkers mecca till I could mosy my way back to the car that was parked about 2 miles away!) A treasure w/it's purple, pink, red, black & white chippy paint!!!:



The original is a bit larger and has a bit more detailing and shadowing than this shot & it is signed and framed now.

FrugalSon who is still at home is painting with me. He's doing really well and perhaps I'll show you something he's done in the future.

To make this applicable, let us just say that trying to get back into painting full time is an expensive proposition if you go whole hog like me and try to get your equipment & paints together all at one time! OUCH! But, I'm generally very happy when I'm slinging paint - so if it costs a bit then my thinking is my sanity and joy is WELL worth it!

Goofy, but we each wear our official painting hat while we paint. Mine's an old smooshed up cowboy hat. His an old hat from the feed mill.

I am a registered member of my tribe and once I get grooving on high speed again will likely return to painting Indian art as I did when I was a teen. That's truly where my heart lies in regards to artwork. I am all about the creating, but the marketing and selling is something I really have to push myself to do. Although, I do have a good friend who owns an art gallery! May be time soon to call in those old favors.

While out running errands yesterday I went to the bank and got December's $20 Challenge deposited. Finally places around here are open for the New Year!

From Piggy was $19.63 plus the .50 that was already there made December 2008 total $20.13.

Still need to go back thru checkbook and update the rest of 2008 challenge totals.

I wish I could be as exacting and precise as some of you (Fern especially comes to mind) on keeping these records up to the minute!! BAAA!! I'd resolve to do better, but I'd be lying to us all!!

How do you keep your records updated?