I spent $11.87 at Albertson's today, and saved a total of $34.02!
They had General Mills Cereal at 10 for $15.00, and since we like Total I bought ten boxes. I also had four coupons for $1.00 off on two boxes, so that saved an additional $4.00. (The regular price for a box is $4.24). I purchased one other item for $.87 that had been $3.49.
We eat oatmeal a lot, and it was purchased for a dollar for a 42 oz container, but we get tired of it if eaten every day. The Total will be a nice change.

The sale started last Wednesday, but I thought there might be coupons in the Sunday paper, and there were! Bonus!

My goal for 2007 is to save five thousand dollars, and to pay off the only debt that I have left. So far, I'm on target, to pay off the credit card, and actually ahead on the savings. I'm not operating on a lot of income, so I'm pretty pleased with the progress, and know that this site has motivated me to try harder to save.
Since January lst, I have added $1,640.86 to my ING account, and paid $1300.00 on the credit card debt. I'm working with an income of less than $ 2,400.00 a month, so I feel like I am doing okay. My fixed expenses run about 1200 to 1400. a month. I will be able to save more when I pay off the credit card in April. I'm not going to get rich, but having no debt is sure going to be nice!
Slow and steady, does win the race.

Saturday, Goodwill had a 99 cents jeans sale, and I hit the "motherlode".
I found half a dozen great pairs for myself, two for DH, and six new pair of Levis for one of my daughters. She is very petite, and it is hard for her to find jeans that are not too long. Goodwill had six pair of NEW Levis in size 4 short. Everything else in the store was half price, and kids clothes were also 99 cents each. I found a pair of Ralph Lauren jeans for one of the little guys.
Then, we had to go get a new vacuum cleaner cord, and were near an Ace Hardware store, so went in there. They were having a 20% off sale! So we got the cord, and a Peerless fawcett that I have been wanting.

The weather was nice, on Sunday, so I did a lot of laundry, and hung it outside to dry.
Today is supposed to be nice, so I'll finish the laundry. Tonight, however, it is supposed to snow. More snow is due by the weekend.

I swept the porch, and returned the wicker furniture, to it's proper location, after a windstorm left it in a pile. Between the wind and the snow, it has been a winter that makes me long for Spring!

I saved $22.85 on loss leaders at Albertson's today, and I only spent $17.45. Then, I went to Wal-Mart and bought a few more toys at 75% off, for the gift closet. I love this kind of shopping!

I will be able to add another $200.00 to savings next week. It is beginning to add up.

On the news, this morning, I heard that Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter starting with code numbers 2111, are being recalled because of the possibility of being contaminated with salmonella.
Checked mine, and the numbers 2111 were on the lid.
On line, I read that the peanut butter should be thrown away, and the lid should be returned to the store for a refund.
So, check your peanut butter codes!

I have an offer from Vonage for a free month. Can anyone offer any information about it and say if it is really better than another phone service?
How much does it cost, after taxes and fees?
I realize it will differ from state to state, but would like a general idea.
Thanks for any input.

DH left for a conference in Reno this morning, so it will be a week of little cooking and little spending on the home front.

I had lunch with an old friend yesterday. We went through divorces about the same time, years ago, and both married for the second time a couple years later.
Our lives have turned out differently, however.
My friend has had jobs that have no retirement befefits, and while she is frugal in some ways, she is a spendthrift in others.
Also, one of her grown kids keeps returning to live with her, bringing her two children and her four pets. Yesterday, the daughter announced she was going to quit her job!
This is the kind of situation that really puts a strain on finances, and keeps one in a budget crunch.
There is a fine line between enabling and seeing that your grandkids are taken care of. I can't fault her for taking them into her home, but when does one stop being a caretaker of others, and start taking care of one's self?

All of the snow we have been getting in Northern Colorado has been hard on the wildlife. We have been getting small herds of deer coming around, almost daily looking for bare ground, so they can eat.
I have also been seeing a red fox coming around a lot. This morning, he jumped my picket fence, came right up to my porch, and was apparently looking for the bunny that lives under the porch to have for breakfast!
I like seeing the wildlife, but not that up-close and personal! I have a small dog, that is very territorial, and she would charge that much larger fox, and might become his next prey. She is also 14 years old, and no match.

I have a strong urge to go to Goodwill today, on a "treasure" hunt. It is supposed to be a NO SPEND day, but we'll see...

Yesterday, it was frigid here, and the wind was blowing very hard, and gusting to about thirty miles an hour, right out of the north.
I heard a big crash, but couldn't find the source. The wicker furniture on the porch was blowing around, so I figured it must have been something on the porch.
Well, at noon, today, I went to the basement, and the window on the north side of the house had blown in, and there was a big gaping hole where the wind was blowing in! Fortunately, we have a replacement window, and DH installed it.
I wonder how much the next heating bill will be increased by heating the outdoors for 24 hours!
It's never dull around here!

It looks like baby Carson will be released from the hospital this afternoon. He is off oxygen, and doing much better.
A big thank you, to the well-wishers!

I went to two grocery stores this morning and spent a total of $18.77, but saved, $23.16, which is great. The Kroger chain still had the instant $7.00 rebate, so I got eight packages of Philly cream cheese for a dollar, after the rebate. I was going to get the cream cheese last week, but didn't get to the store for it. At the Kroger store, I saved 78 per cent! Gotta love those loss leaders!

It was eight below zero here this morning, but has warmed up to fifteen. Feels balmy in comparison. At least the sun is shining.