Better late than.....

The high today has been 44 degrees, and it is snowing in the foothills, and raining below 6000 feet elevation. We are supposed to wake to snow tomorrow morning. It will be May in one week. Enough of this winter weather!

It was a no spend day today, and tonight dinner will be "breakfast".

I spent about half an hour, this morning, making up hamburger helper beef and noodle and rice-a-roni-type mixes. They are great for busy days, when I don't feel like cooking.
The rice-a-roni-type mix makes a decent main dish when you add a can of tomato sauce and cooked hamburger. I make the assembly line style, in gallon zip lock bags. Now, I have seven mixes, and the cost is very minimal. If I cook several pounds of burger at the same time, and freeze some of it, the meals are practically made in advance.

I deposited another $155.00 in my ING account, from birthday money, and "splurged" a little of it on myself.

The recipe for the rice-a-roni and beef and noodle type mixes are on the Hillbilly Housewife website. I make a few subtle changes to accommodate our taste buds.

Today is my birthday, and I got some great gifts, but the best is the email from Discover Card, showing a zero balance!
The card has been cut up, and it is history.
Yea!

I deposited $20l.75 in my ING account today. It was a combination of change, dollars saved, two refund checks, and $100.00 transferred from checking.

I have two loads of laundry on the line, which will save on electricity.

I went to Goodwill today, and found a NEW pair of Naturalizer sandals, for four dollars! They had a small mark on the beige suede, but it came off with a little soap and water. Dried in the sun, they look great. Also bought a like-new pair of Abercrombie jeans for three dollars.

It has been a very frugal and productive day.

Starting today, I am changing the way I compute the $20.00 challenge. I am going to compute "savings" on things I purchase as a loss leader, using coupons, etc.
I will not compute actual money "in the bank". I won't include "card savings" because I really think the prices are inflated on that program. I have determined that the challenge can be whatever works for any participant. There is no right or wrong.
At any rate, I saved $18.66 by purchasing loss leaders, mark downs, and using coupons at Albertson's today. My best buy there, was two boxes of Cheerios at 50 cents a box. They were at a loss leader price, and I used coupons. No double coupons at this store.

I never thought I'd be anxious for a credit card bill to arrive, but the Discover Card bill came yesterday, and I wrote out a check for the FINAL payment! It goes in the mail tomorrow, and when it is posted, I will officially be DEPT FREE! I have been waiting for this status for a long time. Slow and steady does win the race!
Now, the money that went on that card ($650.00 a month for the past 14 months) will go into savings. Life is good!

This morning I heard that Wal-Mart's "old Roy" dog treats are on the recall list. I have been feeding them to my dogs, and they seem healthy, but I took the bones I had left to Wal-Mart for a refund. Other people at the service desk seemed very concerned with the expanding list of recalled pet food, and treats.
This is the second recalled item I've taken back in the past six weeks, and the only things I've ever taken back due to a recall.
Hope it is the last!

It was a pretty good day at the grocery stores. I had a $ 5.00 King Soopers Gift certificate that DH had gotten for subscribing to the newspaper, and that more than paid for two 20 oz. boxes of Kellogs Raisin Bran, and a large fresh pineapple. I had a $1.00 off coupon for the cereal, and it was on sale for $1.67 a box, so they cost only $1.17 each. They have coupons for free DVD's on them too! The pineapple was a loss leader at only a dollar. Total saved was $7.51, and total spent was $3.34, so it was all free, and I still have credit.
At Albertsons, I got six cans of Kuner's chili beans for 44 cents each, and five cans of Campbell's tomato soup for 34 cents each, with a coupon and the sale price. I spent $4.34 and saved $5.43.
This is how I shop, and I can save quite a bit of money combining loss leader prices and coupons. I don't use a lot of coupons, and don't spend much time on collecting them. It is the Sunday papers, only. I buy Wal-Mart's store brands much of the time.
Most of my grocery list revolves around loss leaders, and meat that has been marked down.
I spend very little on groceries this way.

One store is on the way to where my mom lives , and the other is close by. I go to visit her twice a week, and hit the sales on the way.

So, today, I saved $12.94 which I will add to my challenge money.

My DH's favorite jacket had two large oil stains on it, and a cap had auto grease on
it. I tried laundry pre-treatments with no success. I was ready to throw the items in the trash, when I decided to try "Goop", the hand cleaner/stain remover that is sold in the automotive department at Wal-Mart, and in some grocery stores. I applied the "Goop" liberally on the stains and rubbed it into the fabric. I waited about 20 minutes and then laundered the jacket and cap in hot water in the washing machine. NO MORE STAINS! I saved $50.00 by resurecting these items from the trash!
This product is amazing! It is the only thing I have ever found that will remove black grease and oil stains, as well as other difficult to remove stains. In the past, I have used it on infant car seats, strollers, carpet stains, and stained clothing. It is very inexpensive too.

DH and I have been in Texas for the past 10 days, and were taken to a rodeo and concert in Houston. A relative's company owns a box at the stadium, and we were invited to join in on the festivities. It was pretty interresting to say the least. All food and drinks were free, we were waited on, and there was even a private bathroom with a bouquet of beautiful roses on a table. Then, it was back to reality when the evening ended.

While there, we walked around the fairgrounds, and I watched people who looked like they could not afford to be spending money at the carnival and concession stands, spend like there was no tomorrow. The prices were outrageous. Lemonade and ice cream cones were $5.50 each, a turkey leg was $7.50, t-shirts averaged $18.00 each, and some of the booths were selling baby onesies for $40.00 each! Every booth had a crowd waiting to spend.
I wondered if I have gotten too frugal, because I could not bring myself to spend on these things. Maybe I need to loosen up and not worry about the cost of things and just have fun, and worry about the expense later, like everyone else seemed to do. I looked at extremely young couples with babies and toddlers, spending money like crazy. This area has a very high population of minorities who don't make much money, and they seemed to be in the majority at the carnival. I worry about what effect this kind of spending has on them, but then I think maybe they just want to have fun, for a while, and not care about the expense. It is kind of sad, though, that those who can least afford to squander money at a carnival seem to be the ones who spend the most.

While visiting relatives, I was also bummed that a dad talked his twenty year old daughter into buying a brand new Mustang and financing it for SEVEN years.
Her payments are over $300.00 a month. She is a college student, and works part time, earning about six hundred a month! What was he thinking? If she put that money into a mutual fund every month for seven years, and never added another dime, she could have a tidy sum when she retires.
Why do so many people live for the moment?
Are they fools, or are we, the ones who worry so much about saving for the future?

Is it possible that people can give out too much information on a site like this?
Some people have given out their first and last names, the towns they live in, and other identifying information, as well as their net worth. I find this a little concerning in today's world. Am I the only one who has these concerns?

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.

It has not been a good day.
My 14 month old grandbaby was hospitalized because he is so ill with strep and a stomach virus. He is in another state, and I feel badly that I can't be there to help with the other little boys, and I'm worried about the baby.
My husband's three year old truck broke down and he has to miss an important meeting out of town.
I got my property taxes, and talk about "sticker shock". Some new taxes were voted in, and it really made an impact. I did not vote for the taxes, but such is life.
Hopefully, the baby will be better tomorrow and can come home. The rest doesn't matter.

I decided to take advantage of a few sales today, so went to three different stores.

The first store was Wal-Mart. They didn't have the advertised special. Didn't get a rain check, because I was in a hurry.

Second store was Walgreens. They advertised 14.8 ounce bags of Hershey's Kisses at 2/$5.00, and I want to fill four reproduction advertising tins (Hershey's) I got at the dollar store, for Valentine's Day gifts. They only had the nine ounce bags at the advertised price. So I got a rain check for the 14.8 oz bags.

The third stop was better. They advertised that if you purchase eight select Kraft food products, you will get an instant $7.00 rebate. I also had two coupons.
I purchased eight, 8oz. bags of shredded cheese at 3/$5.00 and the total, with coupons, doubled, was only $4.78. The man who was at the register said, " Wow! You kicked butt on that one!" I laughed. The cash register tape shows I saved 77 per cent. Love those sales!

I make pizza from scratch a couple times a month, so the Italian cheese will be put to good use!

I just read a blog by a guy in Kansas, who represents himself as being "The .... of Thrift", who asked people to send him money, so he can get out of debt. This guy bought a new car last year, that he couldn't afford, and now he is talking about his medical needs, that he can't afford. So we are supposed to send him money. Am I being mean spirited, or does this kind of tactic annoy others as much as it does me? My understanding of being "thrifty" or frugal, is living within your means, not begging for money to fix your problems.
How does this person have the nerve to
"advise" others on how to manage money?

Well, that is my soapbox!

It has been a "no spend" weekend, but tomorrow, I will go get eight packages of Philladelphia Cream Cheese for a dollar at King Soopers (Kroger), as they have a special at $1.00 a package, and if you purchase eight, you get an instant $7.00 rebate. Can't beat that.

I just added up the deposits made in my ING account, to date, and I am amazed at how much was added this month.
$400 was transferred from an old, low interest account.
$398.52 was change that has been accumulating for a long time.
$312.20 was money saved, by being very fugal
$27.21 is interest and a referral bonus. Total deposited in the last 25 days: $1,138.93

The five thousand I want to save this year is looking like reality!

Northern Colorado has finally emerged from the deep freeze. It is actually 40 degrees, and sunny, and I have several loads of laundry on the lines. It has been five weeks since that was a possibility. I have to traipse through about 10 inches of snow to hang the laundry, but I can handle that.

I am having a hard time keeping my resolve not to shop for groceries, but I am sticking to it. I was going to make two pans of lasagna, and freeze one, buy discovered I only have enough lasagna noodles for one, so I will freeze the ingredients, and make more at a later date. I did find a gallon of milk, I didn't know I had, when I was digging through the freezer, so that is a bonus.

I think all of the money in next week's food envelope might go into savings!

I stayed home today, so didn't spend any money, except I mailed a check for the obscenely high power bill. An extra week was on the bill because the meter reader couldn't get here because of all of the snow. The extremely cold weather we have been having has really kept the furnace running, even though I am cold most of the time.
I want Spring!!!

I cashed in all of the change that we have been saving for a long time, and it amounted to $359.00. It will be transferred to the ING account tomorrow. Progress!

It is cold and very windy. The snow blowing off the roof looks like a mini blizzard.
It is a perfect night for the chili that is simmering on the stove. Cornbread will be baking in the oven soon.

I transferred $250.00 from checking to my ING account today, and decided to deposit all of the State quarters, that we have been saving for years, in an account tomorrow. There must be several hundred dollars. Decided they need to get to "work" and earn some interest.
I also have about 12 two-dollar bills, that I am trying to decide what to do with. I looked on e-bay, and some sell for a lot, and some look like they are going for less than face value. Don't know what makes some valuable, but guess I should research that before I cash them in at the bank.

It has been a no-spend day.

Today, I made out a menu for the week, using food on hand, with one exception. Safeway has London broil on sale for under two dollars a pound, so a stop there is on my "to do" list for tomorrow.
Also figured out the bill paying for the end of the month, and budgeted for the four, yes four family birthdays in the next three weeks.
Getting organized lets me know how much will be left out of the next paycheck, and how much I can save. It is looking pretty good!