I'm drinking my Mr. Coffee coffeemaker coffee this morning, enjoying the fact that I didn't spend needlessly, Funny how sometimes I can meander off the money path that I am quite content with. DH thought it was funny that I was being so weird about buying a coffeemaker, and suggested that if I wanted to perk up my morning coffee experience I should try the new International Delight natural coffee cream (there was a commercial on for it). Maybe I will. And I think I need a new coffee cup.

Funny how the little things can make a world of difference. Sort of like having tea with my one friend; she's clearly a tea-junkie, and when I go there I feel like I'm treated to some great culinary feast: my choice of "treat tea" (as she calls it, and my choices are like rose and champagne or lavender and honey), and then its real tea, in a little strainer thing, and I'm served it in a delicate china cup with hand-painted roses, and there is a whole other little plate for my spoon, and little tea cookies, you get the idea ... a whole different experience than plunkering a tea bag in a stained cup (which is what I do at home).

My outing yesterday ($54 for replacement coffeemaker, 6 pairs of socks, one NFL-logoed mug as a gift) yielded me $10 off of a future Kohl's purchase. I also received a catalog in the mail from JCP and almost recycled it without seeing the free $10 off of $10 purchase. Glad I found that, free money is free money. I also submitted $8 in receipts for supplies for a project I did for the high school and my $50 refund from the Y should be here soon. So money is coming in ... and going out.

I've got the budget on auto-pilot and I've decided to stay in money lock-down through the month; I'll be able to continue my pace of staying one to one-and-a-half months ahead on due dates (2/18 will be making the March braces and tuition payment, both payable on the 15th). I'll also make March's mortgage payment plus $433 additional principle.

March gets spendy when I am moving ahead on the carpeting for the bedrooms. I've decided to take my present cash surplus ($1,500) and the tax refunds ($5,500) and pay the real estate property taxes on the primary residence all at once. Then my extra money of $1,450 a month will be applied to short-term goals and upcoming 2013/2014 tuition. This will start in April. March's money will be carpeting, new dresser for girls, paint for upstairs, and some other miscellaneous home repairs/maintenance we've been putting off.