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Archive for March, 2011

Happy St. Patrick's Day

March 17th, 2011 at 01:30 pm

I will share with you our favorite Irish blessing:

May the road rise up to meet you;
May the wind be always at your back;
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
May rains fall soft upon your fields;
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Perhaps not totally applicable here, but heartfelt, nonetheless.

Erin go braugh!

Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh!

Tuesday - 3.15.11 - Spending Log

March 15th, 2011 at 08:28 pm

Spending log:

Sam's Club

Milk - 3 gallons - $5.37
Activia (24 ct) - $10.48
Gogurts (32 ct) - $6.98
Fiber One Bars (20 ct)- $6.88
Lucky Charms (2 bags)- $6.68
Brownie mix (4 bags) - $6.58
Animal crackers - $6.38
Bananas 3# - $1.48
Apples 5# - $5.98
Bread (2 loaves) - $3.68
Pair of jeans for DH - $12.98
Tax $2.07

Total $75.54

Gift Card Total: $62.99
Cash $12.55

Also spent

Gas for my minivan $12.01 (Paid for w/Sam's gift card)

Trader Joes

Raisin bran - 2 boxes - $5.99 (Tax $.11) Total $6.10 (Paid for w/debit)

CVS

Colgate 5.82 (2) - GOF and $1 CS = $3.49
Ragu Pasta Sauce 24 oz (4) - $6.67
Free Pasta (2) - $.48 (Free up to $1.25, was $1.49)
Tax $.54

Total Spent: $11.18 (Paid for w/debit)

What do your numbers look like?

March 11th, 2011 at 04:20 pm

I'm curious, what do your budgets look like? Share if you care. Here is ours:

Net income $4,673.74 (this is after taxes and health/dental insurance and $500 to 401(k)

Mortgage $1,800 (includes $50 additional principle)
Savings $500
Tuition $400
Student loan $175
Insurance $229.63 (car/property/life)
Utilities $394
YMCA $67
Groceries/Household $500
Gas for cars $275
Extraneous (Major) $260
Extraneous (Minor) $100

Extraneous Major goes for things like minor car and home repairs, classes for kids, etc.

Extraneous Minor goes for things like clothing items, gifts, required school items, etc.

No car payments. Paid for 1973 Corvette valued at $28K, Paid for 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan, paying cash for next car $6,500.

Debt paid off monthly with exception of last $1,500 to Kohls which will be gone soon.

EF at $12K presently.

Retirement at $100K, kids education monies at around $20K.

Being proactive rather than reactive ...

March 11th, 2011 at 01:52 pm


Since the car repair was minimal, we have some money "left". The rental property has a new hot water heater and is in need of a sump pump. The old hot water heater was 14 years old, and the sump pump isn't that old, but is probably at least ten.

With the rainy season coming, we've decided to just go ahead and replace that now, rather than during a storm or after hours or ...

This is called being "proactive". I'm such a "reactive" spender that it is taking a bit of adjustment to move to that mindset.

I know it is smarter in the long run. I just wish I hated to part with our money so ...

And the car repair cost ...

March 9th, 2011 at 10:19 pm


$192.50 to replace a valve related to the exhaust system which caused the engine light to come on which prevented me from being elligble to participated in the vehicle emission test which was required for the purchase of the annual license plate sticker.

Got that? Sure is a big run-on sentence to type!

Could have been much worse, or so DH says. I am relieved that these "murphies" seem to be behind us (see my previous post about the hot water tank replacement at the rental property last Friday). My grandmother is gifting us $1,000 to cover that $989. The interesting thing about DH and I is that we never ask for help, and we usually turn down monetary help unless it is especially for something for the kids.

My grandmother said "it is a reward for being responsible," rather than a "hand-out to cover some self-indulgence." I think it comes from the Depression Era, how she and my grandfather forumlated their views on sharing their good fortune with their future generations.

Good-bye $989.00

March 7th, 2011 at 06:23 pm


and hello new hot water heater/tank installed at rental property!

I suppose that qualifies as an EF. I put it on the credit card because we were away for the weekend and it was the only way to pay for it. I'll deal with the finances of it at all on the 18th (next payday and rental property income).

My minivan is in need of some repair work to get the engine light off, so it can pass the vehicle emissions test, so I can get my sticker for my license plate which expired on 2/28.

I was down with a cold last week, and can't seem to rebound fully. Money is pretty much staying put for now (speaking of small extraneous expenses).

We're still in the process of looking for a new-to-us car to replace DH's old minivan which has been deemed unsafe.

All will fall into place. Hope everyone is sojourning on!

Embracing "A NO SPEND MARCH" with returns and almost Free Toothbrushes

March 1st, 2011 at 04:06 pm

Today the following are going back:

(1) Awfully cute sweater purchased on clearance from Von Maur ($89 down to $19). While I liked the cut and color, the fabric sort of clung in places I didn't want it to (any say "butt shelf"? Sorry for the visual) So back it goes.

(2) Columbia fleece purchased in December for $20 (again down from $60). Seemed like a good deal for spring weather, and not that spring is around the corner (hopefully!) I'm realizing I don't like it so much.

(3) On Monday, daughter's extra gym shoes will be going back to Sam's Club. They were Nike's purchased for $35 + tax on hte outside chance she needed them. Basketball season is over, she didn't need them, back they go. I'll designate that store credit for produce.

These items were purchased on the credit card (purely for point earning and were promptly paid for). I'll specify these deposits for gas (since I realize with the prices going up per gallon, I have seriously underestimated that budget category).

We do have an overnight away planned on Friday. The hotel is paid for with a gift certificate and we have enough for dinner in the casual restaurant. I'm designating our usual weekend spending money as "for the time away" (I've been stockpiling snacks and soda for the hotel room, so no need to crash an over-priced mini-mart Smile )

I also planning for "Spring Break" on a budget. That is the last week of March and we will be doing some fun things - things like discount movie theatre, bowling with coupons, middle of the day milkshake run to Steak N Shake, trip to Morton Arboretuma nd Museum of Science and Industry where we already have memberships. Also some play dates)

I scored a deal (my very first really proud couponing moment) at CVS this past Sunday. The Oral B motorized tooth brushes were on sale for $6. There was a $3 off coupon in the Sunday paper, as well as a $3 ECB offer (limit 2). I happened to have a BOGO coupon on those exact tooth brushes which expired on 2/28. I was able to get four in different colors for $7.98 (price of one plus tax). That yielded me $6 in ECB which I used for 2 Fiber One Cereals (2/$6) + $3.50 coffee - I had a $1 the cereal. Again, OOP was $2.xx misc and I got another $2 in ECB. The tooth brushes are going in the Easter baskets. The $2 I'll use for Easter candy. Very happy with that deal!