Jodi's Blog

What a shocker. I thought I had done pretty well this month, especially in groceries - my biggest trip was $67. But, I was sadly mistaken. A lot of little trips added up to a lot of money. Here's the wrap-up:

Goals for October:
Groceries: 250 ->360.51 OUCH - better go back to the envelopes!
Household/Cell: 90 -> 179.52 (two months of cell bills paid in the same month)
Car: 325 -> 345.75 (I think we would have made this except for a few unplanned trips to Binghamton due to family illness)
Medical: 75 -> 15
Clothes: 0 -> 0
Loans: 300.36 -> 300.36
Entertainment: 175 -> 143.30
Gifts: 75 -> 49.36 (still have one October gift left to buy though)
Miscellaneous: 50 -> 64.19
Real estate: 0 -> 0
School/Day care: 120 -> 80 (this does not include DH's tuition, which adds another 1303.75)
Investment: 0 -> 0
Cash withdrawals: 40 with no fees -> 260 with 3.25 fees (darn that DH!)
Total income: 1149.00 -> 1338.00
Total expenses: 1500.36 -> 1801.24

Another month subsidized by the EF. Can't wait until next month when DH can start substitute teaching (how long have I been saying this???)...although I imagine we'll have to subsidize Christmas shopping from the EF too. But in January, oh boy, it will be a whole new story

November projected budget:
Groceries: 250
Household/Cell: 90
Car: 350
Medical: 0
Clothes: 0
Loans: 300.36
Entertainment: 140
Gifts: 200 (one birthday plus the start of Christmas shopping)
Miscellaneous: 50
Real estate: 0
School/Day care: 160
Investment: 0
Cash withdrawals: 80 with no fees
Total income: 1300
Total expenses: 1620.36

I woke up this morning with a list of things to do and a sense of purpose - find and save FOOD! It started with a bag of apples that were starting to get soft - applesauce. Then I moved out to the garden to finish it up for the winter, I pulled out four large beets with greens that I plan to cook and freeze. I also got a meals worth of swiss chard and several meals worth of broccoli (which I was sure should have been dead by now!). I will have to cook them up tomorrow. I swung by the front steps to grab two pumpkins that have been there for a month now. These are the best find of all because they were completely and absolutely free. No seeds, no effort. They came up in a field where we have thrown compost in the past (apparently an old pumpkin or two found its way there). I cut these up and cooked them (roasting the seeds with garlic salt, of course). I have a large tub of puree in the fridge for pumpkin pudding, soup, and muffins tomorrow. I also put three bags in the freezer. FREE FOOD! I love it.
After all that, I made a batch of yogurt. I was going to make the wheat crackers too, but I don't have any wheat germ. I'll have to remember to get some at the bulk store next time I am there.
Another great money saving idea - I e-mailed two relatives to ask what they wanted to do for a Christmas exchange - I gave them both the option of not exchanging this year. They both wrote back to agree to not exchange. Yeah! About $75 saved there. It's not that I don't want to exchange...but...money is tighter than ever this year. Plus my boys have TOO much stuff already and TOO many relatives to spoil them. They just don't need more. I figured it would make all of our lives easier if I just had the guts to say "no thanks!". I'm glad that they agreed and did not take offense.
DH worked out a tentative Christmas budget - about $900. Of course, though, he thinks we need to spend $100 on each of our boys (ages 1 and 3). I think $50 would be great for each. We'll see. At their ages, I think we can definitely find them plenty of things that they will enjoy in that range. Still don't know where this money is going to come from, as we are already over budget until DH goes back to work. Oh well - it will just have to come from savings. I cannot wait until January when he can work!

Free stuff: two pumpkins - retail value: $6, my value: $4
Updated values:
retail value: 1141.48
my value: 346.45

My list for today:
1. Cancel BOA cc. - DONE
2. Complete Health Care proxy and mail out (need two witnesses first) - DONE
3. Clean the house and make dessert for our card match tomorrow night - DONE
4. Make yogurt (and if I am feeling really ambitious, I want to try the wheat cracker recipe in TG too) - NOT DONE
5. File all the stuff in my File Pile - DONE
6. Pay ds2's medical bill ($9.28) - DONE
7. Contact our real estate office secretary about our new lead generation program to find out if I need to do anything else before receiving leads - DONE
8. Drop of DH's resume for a long-term sub position in our hometown - DONE
9. Schedule our Defensive Driving course for next weekend (and book a babysitter) - NOT DONE as DH is still not sure of the date he wants to attend


Still on my list - making yogurt, crackers; scheduling defensive driving course BEFORE DH's court date on 12/8 (yes, another freaking speeding ticket, but this one is being pleaded down, so long as he attends the def. driving course before court). Also need to pay Discover card once my paycheck clears tomorrow.
Added to my to-do list: October spending wrap-up. Rite-Aid rebate.

Freebie list: two Kotex, sample from Wal-Mart. Six computer games for kids from Freecycle, although I'm not sure if I can use any as they are all pretty old. One box of tea, one box of tampons, one chocolate bar from Rite-Aid and Wal-Greens (FAR). Retail value:$10, my value: $7

Updated values:
retail value: 1135.48
my value: 342.45

Inspired by others, here is my net worth to share. I was feeling kinda bad that it was so low, but I am going to focus instead on the positive - the fact that it is positive at all! It was a lot better before we paid DH's last tuition bill on the cc...but nowhere to go from here but up!
Checking and savings accts: $8950 ($7300 EF)
Investments: Sharebuilder - $2029
Roth (me) - $12,469
Roth (DH) - $7408
Total assets: $30,980

Liabilities: CC1 - $4897
CC2 - $920
other ccs - 0
student loan (me) - $6044
student loan (DH) - $15,145
car loan (DH) - $850
Total liabilities: $27980
Net worth: $3k

No house, so no mortgage either. DH is 29 and I am 28. I really hope to sock a lot more away in our Roths next year when he's working again. I'm glad we were able to get an early start on that as the past year and a half has been rough.

I didn't get much done today, so all this goes on my list for tomorrow:
1. Cancel BOA cc.
2. Complete Health Care proxy and mail out (need two witnesses first)
3. Clean the house and make dessert for our card match tomorrow night.
4. Make yogurt (and if I am feeling really ambitious, I want to try the wheat cracker recipe in TG too)
5. File all the stuff in my File Pile.
6. Pay ds2's medical bill ($9.28).
7. Contact our real estate office secretary about our new lead generation program to find out if I need to do anything else before receiving leads.
8. Drop of DH's resume for a long-term sub position in our hometown (I know, it doesn't really look good for me to do it for him, but he cannot get to the office during business hours due to his student teaching schedule).
9. Schedule our Defensive Driving course for next weekend (and book a babysitter)

I think that's all - although I will probably come up with more tomorrow.

Just heard that Hillary and Eliot Spitzer won by a landslide. Yeah! I voted for at least two winners tonight

How about that...my one year blog anniversary came and went without me noticing (10/26/05). I guess it's because my mind refuses to accept the fact that October has come and gone already. ACK!
I truely cannot believe that I have been keeping this humble little blog for a year now. Thanks to all who take the time to read and comment - it's really a nice way to stay connected with other fruggies, since I have none IRL!!!!

Ds1 was feeling better, but still tired. He went to bed at 5:30 last night and slept until 5:30am - tonight we were planning to go to a few friends and relatives houses (we are too rural to go house to house here, so we get in the car and drive), but he fell asleep at 6pm. I decided that waking him up, besides being near impossible, would be more for my benefit than his, since he really does not even know what trick-or-treating is yet, so we let him sleep. We'll go next year. My younger son is too little to care at all.
We had a grand total of 6 trick-or-treaters tonight - all neighbors. We don't have to spend too much on candy 'round these parts. At about 6pm, my brother (in a village) had already had 100 and was still going strong.
I spent today at a training on autism - pretty interesting, although not too much info I can actually use in practice (a lot of theories). I did receive a nice free lunch out of it (free to me - my agency paid for my registration). I stopped at my favorite discount store on the way home and they are celebrating their anniversary. They had a cart full of goodies at the check-out with a sign saying "Free- take one per family". It felt weird to pick something up and walk out of the store without paying! I selected a bottle of apple juice for my boys - it's their favorite.

Freebies
Lunch - retail value: $8, my value: $1
apple juice - retail value: $1, my value : $1

Updated values:
retail value: 1125.48
my value: 334.45

I am writing from the house of the perpetual runny nosy. Stop laughing, 'snot funny. Teehee. But at least I'm not sick, yet anyway. I have never held my own against a houseful of germs this long. I'm usually the first to get sick.
Today I stayed home from work with my boys because I couldn't take them to daycare with runny noses. (another dilemma - I have no formal payment arrangements with my day care provider, which is actually a pre-school. Should I offer to pay even though the boys didn't go? The center is not full, so it's not like they would have taken another child in my kids' place...not sure the proper etiquette). I thought I might actually enjoy playing hooky from work today, but the boys were pretty miserable still. Ds1 fell asleep on the couch at 5:30. We put him to bed about an hour ago. I'm not sure how well he will sleep since he missed dinner...or how early he will get up. I might be miserable tomorrow too
I did manage to get quite a bunch of little things done.
-I called back a prospective client and set up an appt. to show houses on Wed.
-I took an online course in a new lead generation program my broker is offering. Basically, whenever someone visits out website and asks for more info, the details are forwarded right to our cell phone. We are supposed to call them back within 15 minutes. Good concept, we'll see how it works.
-I left messages for two other clients who I have had a hard time reaching - just wanted to let them know that I was still available.
-I made the arrangements to switch my Janus Roth IRA over to my Ameritrade IRA. I have had the Janus for close to 10 years (my parents opened them for us with $500 in the late 90's as a gift!). I contributed an additional $200 and after all this time I have...about $600. It's been awful. We are doing a lot better in our Ameritrade Roths, so that's where the money is going.
-I cancelled my membership in Travelers Advantage after receiving my $25 AM Ex gift cheque.

I've been on the phone a lot. Especially with my new prospective client, an older gentleman who sounds very nice, but perhaps a bit lonely. I think he appreciated my time

Tomorrow I head off to Rochester for a conference on autism. My agency is paying for it, but the conference has not received the check yet. I guess there is the possibility that they will turn us away at the door...that would be a wasted trip. But I think as long as we have our agency approval form, they will allow us to register. Anyway, I'll be gone all day to that. I am going with a co-worker, so we'll try to make a fun day out of it. 'Course, after today, I'm just happy to get out of the house
Oh yeah, forgot to mention my happy news - I am going to open not only a Health Care Savings Plan, but also a Dependent Care Savings Plan so that I can use my money pre-tax to pay for those things. The best part? Just for opening the Dep. Care acct, I will get a $500 contribution from my employer. This isn't even a match, so I technically don't have to put in ANYTHING to get $500 for free! I had to call to confirm this as it just seemed too good to be true, but it is! free money, free money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and I can't have any of it! I took my older son to a Halloween party tonight. I was surrounded by yummy food that is definitely NOT on the South Beach diet (ziti, garlic rolls, all kinds of chips and snacks, pizza, cookies, cake, even rice krispie treats coated with chocolate!). But I did good...mostly. I had a half slice of thin crust garlic pizza with a salad and fresh veggies. Anyway, ds brought home a sack full of candy. Oh well - it's only once a year. This is the first year he has cared at all about Halloween, although the Buzz Lightyear costume might have something to do with that
I ran out to the discount grocery today and had a ball - too much of one. Spent $59 when I only planned to spend $40. I spent $9 on three cans of Planters Deluxe (no peanuts!) mixed nuts, another $10 on three packages of boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders ($1.49/lb. - I stock up on chicken breast when it's under $2!), two pork tenderloins for $1.49/lb, and tons of fresh veggies. I got slightly bruised cukes for $.10 each, two broccoli heads for $1.49, I could go on and on. I love that place. Sure, you have to check the expired dates carefully...but most things are good past the date anyway. Today I bought cheese (cheddar and cottage) that were past the date - we'll see how they are (the cottage cheese was $.50 a carton, cheese was just over $2/lb.). Anyhoo, definitely done shopping for the month (all three days of it!).
Made the car payment yesterday - have a few cc payments to make. Otherwise, no huge bills on the horizon...oh yeah, 'cept Christmas

I have now been wiping noses for three days and am still not sick. Is it due to the new diet I am following? Or perhaps dumb luck? I have no idea, but I am going to keep knocking on every piece of wood that I pass that this cold passes me by. It all started with my niece next door, passed on to ds1, then to ds2. So far, the adults in the household seem to be immune. I have been washing my hand with a frenzy that is causing my severe eczema to go nuts - meaning I am slathering on my dermatologist-recommended hand cream constantly too. I hope this is over soon. Oh, and did I mention that the boys are so cranky that not even 6 hours of Sponge Bob and Dora settle them down (they are normally only allowed a half hour a day!).
Here's hoping we are well enough to attend a Halloween party tomorrow that we have been looking forward to...
So, I never left the house today, although I would have LOVED to. I did make a pot of soup, balsalmic-glazed veggies, and crockpot turkey breast for dinner. I figured that a little cup of soup right before dinner might help control the hungries. It was good soup - beans and greens, but made with lefotver tomato sauce (and sausage) as a base instead of chicken broth alone. This "lifestyle change" (as South Beach is not a diet, as the author would say) is working out okay, but I can't wait for the end of next week when I can start having fruit and grains again.

More freebies to add: $25 Am Ex gift check in the mail today for trying out Travelers Advantage, value $25
coffee I mentioned yesterday: $.50

Updated values:
retail value: 1116.48
my value: 332.45

Just had to add a few pics to show off my and DH's ingenuity - this is what you get when you combine a toy tractor, two toothpicks, mini marshmellows, and a little boy who loves anything to do with farms. He played all night, except when he stopped to yell at his little brother for eating the "hay bales".

Hey - what the HECK?? That's not my picture! Weird. The right picture shows up when I edit the entry, but not on my blog...whose picture is this??


Wow, it seems like forever since I have posted. Here's a summary:
-attended Oktoberfest at my SIL's house. An day of great food, family, and friendship...and a night of no kids (thanks Mom!), some refreshing beverages, and a chocolate fountain. A wonderful time. Although we spent way too much money - dinner on the way down (me and the kids) and on the way back (DH), grocery shopping trip for supplies, alcohol run before the party. Ugh.
-So that leads to the next big development - we are all back on the South Beach diet. I have only gained 5 pounds, but it's enough to make my pants just a little too snug - and I REFUSE to get my bigger pants back out after I worked so hard to drop a size. So it's back to the Beach for us. We considered the Oktoberfest party to be our last "fling" with food. Time to tighten up the belts - literally!
My mom is on the diet with us this time - she's had some weight she wanted to lose for a while now, so she decided to take the plunge. She spent $120 on groceries the other day, and I spent $70 today. It's not cheap to eat healthy, although it certainly would be a lot cheaper if my garden were still producing. I guess I'm just not used to buying this much fresh produce after the summer bounty we had. Plus I bought a few things, like fish fillets and turkey bacon, that I normally don't.
-I received another free sample from Folgers today - even though I only signed up once! I'm not complaining though...got to add that to my freebies, but I am too lazy to look up my totals tonight.
-I spent quite a bit of time tonight organizing my photos and e-mailing them to family and friends. I took a cue from Kashi and wrote to an old friend that I have not talked to...well, I think I was pregnant last time I saw him (ds2 will be 2 this December). So, that's pretty pitiful. What's even sadder is that we live fairly close. I hope he will write back and we can get together.

DEPRESSING!!! I had forgotten that we still had $1200 left to pay on DH's (last!) tuition bill, so the cc balances went up instead of down. BUT - we are all done now with tuition, so we will just chip away at the balances now. It's all going to get better from here!

1. Pay off Discover $367 balance -> this went up to a $417 balance, which was paid off this month. Unfortunately, we had to put $800 back on from the tuition. Balance now stands at $893.99 (also spent $78 on groceries/coffee maker). This will be paid off from savings next month.
2. Pay off American Express $4552 balance (0% interest until 8/07) -> balance is up to 4897.28 (added $400 from tuition, $100 payment, plus a few small expenses)
3. Pay off car loan, $1085 balance, 3.75% interest -> no progress this month as I was ahead on payments and opted to skip one
4. Pay off my student loans $6122 balance (about 4.6% interest) -> down to $6044
5. Pay off Dh's student loans $15145 balance (in deferment) -> no change

Overall, like I said, a bad month. Here's hoping next month is better!

It's been a few days and I have more to add. The woman who runs the day care where my boys go gave me a bag of clothes yesterday - including a very cute Halloween costume The timing was perfect, as I spent some time looking for the toddler cow costume ds1 wore but couldn't find it - meaning I had no costume for ds2.
Retail value: $30
My value: $6
Also received a free sample of Folger's gourmet coffee (already made and drank by DH): retail value: $.50, my value: $.50
Rec'd two hand-me-down knitted sweaters from an aunt at a family gathering this weekend: retail value: $10, my value: $0
We were sent home with several very large pieces of cake from aforementioned party: retail value: $0, my value: $1
Total freebies: $287.45(retail value: $998.48)
Two bags of Malt O Meal cereal, on sale for $1, and I had $.50 coupons (doubled): retail value: $2, my value: $2
I realize now that I neglected to count my other Halloween freebie, ds1's Buzz Lightyear costume. I wrote to thank the person who gave him the Buzz pajamas, and she offered me the costume too. Retail value: $50, my value: $10

Updated values:
retail value: 1090.98
my value: 306.95

FINALLY got around to doing this. I wanted to keep tabs on my favorite blogs. I tried to limit myself to 10, but there are just so many I like to read! I settled on 11 of my very favorites, although it was very hard. I wanted to put everyone's blog up, but that really would have defeated the purpose I will continue to check on the entries daily, but I will also keep this quick reference in case I need to find out how lrjohnson stared down spendthriftiness at work and won (always a tough spot for me), what rebates mjrube uncovered this week, what coupons flash found, what else could possibly be going on in contrary's house this week, what new things perkys and robins kids are doing today, and on and on. And, of course, I have to check in with our two representative males on the forum, Broken Arrow and PricePlus (Bookie, just when are YOU going to start a blog??).

I was trying to think of other links I could add that might be of interest to others, but the only sites I visit regularly are here (of course!), my two e-mail accounts, and my banking site. But then again, I usually end up on recipezaar.com at least once daily, so I threw that on there too. It's a great site for any budding cooks out there.

I ended up working through dinner tonight and grabbed a quick meal out. Dh and I are going back on the South Beach diet next week (after our big party this weekend), so I decided to head to the Golden Arches for one last hurrah. I told myself that I could get whatever I wanted - whatever the cost. So I pulled up to the drive-thru and was perusing the menu, when I noticed the three cars that immediately pulled up behind me. Being the notorious read-every-item-on-the-menu person that I am (which drives my two-cheeseburger-meal husband crazy as he ALWAYS gets the same thing), I wasn't quite ready to make the choice, but didn't want to be the cause of some horn-honking brawl in the McD's parking lot, so I moved forward and said the first thing that came to my mind - snack wrap with fries, no drink. $3. Whoa, big spender. What a way to whoop it up for my last fast food meal for a while. I should have gotten one of those yummy looking fried-chicken-with-bacon-heart-attack sandwiches. Or one of those fried-chicken-with-bacon-heart-attack salads. But I settled on a fried-chicken-with-mayo-mild-chest-pain wraps instead. Slightly better for you and slightly cheaper.
Tomorrow DH is off from school (he will be starting at a new student teaching site on Monday - about 15 minutes closer to home) and I am off from work. I have a lunch meeting with a mortgage provider (someone I might network with professionally - they invited me to lunch to explain their programs), then I will be cooking the rest of the day for my SILs Oktoberfest bash on Saturday. We are bringing chili, bierocks (aka "beer rocks" - rolls filled with hamburger, cabbage, and onion), pepper jelly/cream cheese dip, and pickled beets with eggs. It is an annual event for us and a ton of fun. They started holding the party about 5 years ago after they bought their house and we are on the VERY short list of people who have come to every party

More free stuff to track: two cans of cat food my aunt received as samples, but won't use. Retail value: $1, my value: 0
Total freebies: $287.45(retail value: $998.48)

Well, my mother just informed me that her cousin had already listed his mother's house for sale with another agent (it was my great aunt's house - she passed away only a week and a half ago). Whatever - I am disappointed, but primarily because I really believe she would have wanted me to list it. She kept my business card next to her telephone and passed my name on to others whenever she could. She even asked me a year or two ago to give her a rough estimate of her house's value. My mom is spitting mad over this. Turns out the other agent is a "friend from high school" of one of the cousins. I bet it's someone who saw the obit in the paper and called up - something I would never, ever do. I didn't even mention to the relatives that I could help them sell it - I mean, how tacky. I guess I am not pushy enough for this business. So I am disappointed that I was overlooked, but oh well - life is full of disappointments. It just makes me sad that they didn't even take my relationship with my aunt very seriously. We played cards together monthly, we always invited her over for poker nights or for her birthday - while her sons all live far away. For these past few years, she was like a grandmother to us (she was my grandmother's twin, and I lost my grandma several years ago), which is what made my mom so upset. But it's not worth holding grudges. My aunt's memory will remain the same, whether or not I had a hand in selling her house.
Does this sound whiny? I didn't mean it to be - I just think my aunt would be disappointed with a stranger listing her house when I knew it so well.

Spent the day at home, doing odds and ends.
-Hunts rebate
-changed my name on my Janus IRA in preparation for rolling it over into my Ameritrade account. It's been in my maiden name all this time. I've only been married 6 years now
-went through a lot of accumulated papers
-added all my receipts to my price book, which is getting pretty long. It's very revealing, though. I am also keeping a log of how much I saved with coupons or shoppers club on each trip. Some savings are as low as 0% (i.e. non-coupon stores) or as high as 56%. It seems I am hovering on my last few trips around 40%, which is quite an improvement from a few months ago (though I have to wonder what things I am buying now that I normally wouldn't...)
-cancelled a trial membership and a book club membership
-paid our LAST tuition bill before DH gets his teacher certification - although he will have one more class to take to get his Masters degree

We were supposed to have a potluck office meeting this afternoon at work, so I made a huge batch of crockpot applesauce last night (10 minutes total prep time, 9.5 of that peeling and slicing!). Anyway, I was expecting some yummy dishes today at the meeting. I guess everyone else in the world (okay, just everyone who works in my office) was just too darn busy to throw something together. When I arrived at work, they were taking up a collection to order a sub tray. I declined, stating I had brought something in. The reply? "Oh, everyone else forgot" This was our lunch:
sub tray from local grocery store
three bags of chips, one bag each of prewashed, precut carrots and celery, two containers of store-bought dip, one box of store-bought cookies, one store-bought coffee cake, and one store-bought cake. Huh? This is what I slaved for 10 whole minutes over a hot crockpot for? Where are the brownies? Where is the potato and macaroni salads? Fresh fruit? Even a hand-cut veggie tray? Oh well. I'll bet you can guess who got the most compliments and recipe requests in that meeting
(your truely, in case you didn't guess)

I finally got around to completing a few rebates tonight - two for Rayovac (thanks mjrube!), one for Rite Aid. Those three will bring in $10.48. I'm still waiting for a $10 Wal-Greens and $10 Staples rebate. I just received a $3 Valvoline rebate (which my niece kindly write her name all over for me - in pen. I hope this doesn't affect the ability to cash it) I have one more rebate (Hunts) to submit, but ran out of steam tonight and wanted to update the blog before my eyelids drooped anymore. Oh, and I received a reimbursement check for my dental appt. last month. I had included the spending in the budget and completely forgot that my dental insurance does a partial reimbursement. So that's an extra $95 to make me VERY happy this evening.
Just to report on the spending front: went grocery shopping today. Granted, I used a few free coupons, but I still cut my $124 bill down to $67.
More freebies to add: three free bags of cat food (two pouches, one bigger bag) - retail value: $9.08, my value: $2
One free tub of Olivio spread - retail value: $1.99, my value: $1.99
I also got three more magazines from my SIL, along with a few toys her daughter doesn't play with anymore: retail value: $10, my value $0
Total freebies: $287.45(retail value: $997.48)

A side note - I checked my receipt after leaving the store and noticed that for items that were on sale (with the grocery store card), the cashier deducted the full price, not the sale price, when she took off for the free coupons. So I guess that counts as a little extra savings.

I have a few more things to add to my list of freebies:
-1 half quart milk and 1 half jug of apple juice leftover from a student's birthday celebration. The teacher where DH is student teaching was going to throw it away, so he brought it home
Retail value: $1.25, value to me: $1.25 (since I buy both of these things anyway)
-sample of fabric softener - I don't even remember signing up for this one! Retail value: $.20, my value: $0 since I wouldn't buy this kind
-Parenting magazine from my SIL. retail value: $2, my value: $0

Total freebies: $283.46(retail value: $976.41)

We had to file another complaint with the Better Business Bureau - and again they responded quickly and the situation was resolved I love the BBB - their involvement has never failed to resolve a complaint. Sometimes all I need to do is mention their name and things get moving.
Another no-spend day. I froze swiss chard and green peppers. I never got around to canning the peppers and jelly, so that's first on my to-do list for tomorrow.
I have three new books from the library - two I am particularly excited about (the third is the South Beach diet - have to refresh my mind on some of the principles as I have not been a good eater lately - and I can feel it in my waistband- yikes). The other two are The Wealthy Barber, which I have heard so much about, and the More With Less cookbook, which I have wanted to get my hands on since reading about it in the Tightwad Gazette. If I'm not in the kitchen this weekend, I'll have my nose stuck in a book

I've got to get busy using up all the goodies I gleaned from the garden tonight before the frost sets in!



My plans so far:
blanch and freeze the swiss chard
make pepper jelly from the green peppers and jalapenos
can the leftover jalapenos
freeze the leftover green peppers
I haven't decided yet what to do with the banana peppers - maybe I'll can a quart of them along with the jalapenos.
Eat the tomatoes and broccoli

This will do it for the garden, except for the beets. If the frost doesn't arrive, I'll be able to get a bit more swiss chard too.

I took two civil service tests way back when (social worker assistant II and social worker assistant III) and got hired under the SWA II title. I recently found out that some of the service coordinators in the agency I work for who were on the list for SWA III were being promoted, so I started to ask around. Turns out, I asked the right person (my supervisor's supervisor). She put in the good word for me, followed up constantly for a few weeks, and the promotion came through. It's a difference of a few thou a year - worked out to almost $60 more in my paycheck. Ka-ching!

batteries, FAR at Eckerds - retail value: $3, my value: $3
package of Chai tea, FAR at Rite Aid - retail value $1.99
samples of DH's lotion at his dermatologist appt. yesterday (if I can get his eczema under control, I won't even need to fill the script) - retail value: 0, value to me (potentially): $10 co-pay

Total freebies: $282.21 (retail value: $972.96)

A side note: I was able to cut back on a gift expense with a little creativity and shopping on my "gift" pile. We celebrated my mom's birthday last night. I picked up a nice shirt on sale at Sear's for $9.99. I also got her a picture album that I had bought for myself years ago, but never used (it's VERY nice) with the offer of my assistance, every night until it's done, to label and put her photos in the albums. She currently has two large Rubbermaid totes of pictures dating back to when my brother was born (30 years ago). It has been a goal of hers for years to get these organized and in albums - I think with my help, we'll get it done. It has just overwhelmed her for so long, she needs someone else to help push her. Anyway, she was very pleased with the gift of my time and I spent about $20-30 less than I typically do. Get creative!

DH got the latest news on his grandfather today - and it's not good. Grandpa is in the hospital still, awaiting admittance to a nursing home. The most heartbreaking part is that his wife of 65 years will not be going with him. How on earth do you separate two people who have lived together for so long? She has already called DH's mother numerous times to ask when he is coming home (her memory is failing too). And yet there is no easy solution for a gentleman closer to his nineties than his eighties with failing health and mobility, not to mention memory (last we heard was that he thought it was 1964). It will be a tough road ahead.
Financially, too, it will be difficult for them. They have a very good amount in liquid savings, but I know that will gobbled up quickly by the nursing home costs. I guess Medicare will pay for 20 days, then will pay $100/day for the next 100 days, but then it will become a self-pay situation. I have no idea the cost, but no doubt it will be very expensive. These are Depression era folks who lived on a shoestring then and still do now, despite a good job and pension. It's a shame that their hard-earned money will be spent just in getting them a decent standard of care, but then again, what options do they have?

Okay, back into the pattern here - I have done this before. I get into a coupon/deal craze. I scour the ads every week lest I miss that one great deal. And then I end up spending more money than I did before!
Today I stopped at Rite Aid for their FAR on kashi cereal, but they were all out of the kind I like (GoLean Crunch - some of the other kinds taste like cardboard to me). So instead of walking out, I buy Celestial Seasonings Tea (free after rebate, or FAR) and three Hershey's bars ($.29 each, buy two get one free coupon). I should not be eating candy bars (seeing as how I still have these few pounds that crept back on) and would never buy then normally, but at that price? I had to! I also must tell you that I don't even drink tea. I rationalized it by saying it would be good to have around when by brother and SIL stop over, as they drink tea. Or maybe I could combine it with a mug for a Christmas gift. I do not need to be spending money right now, even if it is only $2!
But....I did get some good deals yesterday. Pampers - $4 store coupon at Eckerds plus $1.50 manufacturers coupon. Even then, though, it was still only slightly cheaper than Wal-Mart brand. Ray-O-Vac batteries - FAR. My mom's cereal for $1.88. I ended up spending too much money on things I shouldn't be buying, even though they were good prices.
I've got to reach an in-between point here, or else I will get frustrated and give up the deal search altogether. I can do this...and I will.

I woke up this morning to bad news - DH's grandfather fell yesterday and was disoriented, so off to the ER he went - and was admitted. They first thought it might have been a stroke, but now think it's from a UTI. Whatever the cause, their 65th anniversary party was cancelled. I stayed home with the kids while DH made the trip to visit him. I'll know more about his condition when he gets home in a few hours.
I did spend a good chunk of the morning going through some ads. There are some good FARs at Rite Aid (Kashi, Celestial Seasonings) and some nice sales that I can combine with coupons.
DH and I spent about $30 to go out to dinner with my parents the other night - it was my mom's birthday, so I don't feel guilty (well, only a little). It was nice - we haven't been out really in a few months. I'll be happy when we can bump the entertainment budget back up a little
A few more things to add to my freebie list from the past week:
-sample of contact lens solution, retail value $4, value to me $4
-Kashi granola bar sample (yum!), retail value $.50, my value $.50
-my SIL's leftovers from dinner the other night - she barely touched it and was going to throw it away. I took it home and ate it for lunch two days now, and will finish it for dinner tonight. Retail value: um, I guess $0 if you consider the fact that it's leftovers! Value to me: $3 (three meals at $1)
-half of an apple cake that was given to me after a gathering where the host made WAY TOO MUCH (two cakes for 6 people). Value to me: $1
Is it weird to count leftover food as a freebie? Maybe - but the spirit of this log is to see how much money I saved by being willing to take things that others don't want - the food listed here saved me three meals and 8 desserts that I would have had to pay for otherwise.

Total freebies: $267.22 (retail value: $967.97)

Wow, I've gotten a little behind. It's been a busy few days. My great aunt passed away a few days ago - calling hours tomorrow and funeral on Monday. She will be missed.
Tomorrow, though, we do have a reason to celebrate - DH's grandparents 65th anniversary party. We will be leaving for Binghamton in the morning to help set up. Party is at 2 pm, but we will have to leave around 4:30 to get back for the calling hours. Then we go bowling after. Whew. DH's parents are going to keep the boys overnight for us so we can get to the funeral (everyone we have here to watch them will be at the funeral). Then we'll have to meet them somewhere Monday afternoon to pick the boys up. It's going to be a whirlwind few days, full of lots of happiness and lots of sorrow.
I did a shopping trip today to get my supplies for the party. my MIL borrowed a chocolate fountain and put me in charge of getting things to dip in it. I picked up some cookies (coconut, Oreo-type, and Nilla wafers - total $2.97), mini marshmellows ($.50), pretzels (HUGE bulk bag of rods - $3.99), chocolate peanut butter pie to cut into squares(the side says "Smokey Bones" - I wonder if it's from the restaurant? $6.99). Still have to pick up a cheesecake and strawberries tomorrow. I could not believe the prices I got at our local store run by Mennonites - they sell a lot of near- or past-date items. I spent $40, but I got a lot of stuff, like a huge watermelon for $3.69 (normally would run about $6 around here) and two half-gallons of Breyers for $1.79.
DH says it is time for bed now...busy days ahead.

Is that a word? I'm trying to figure out if where I might have heard that before. Anyway, I got another FAR item today - Colgate Max Fresh toothpaste at Rite Aid. Plus I used $1 coupon, so they are paying me to buy this. I can't believe I never checked into all these rebates before.
I picked up diapers, BOGO, Rite Aid brand, while I was there as we were out. Turned out to be a good deal. I also got 12 little packs or raisins for $.99 (I was going to get the bulk package, but with a coupon, it turned out to be cheaper to get the individual packs...go figure).
Another charge came through on the cc - $88 for a test DH has to take for certification. Blah. I can't wait until this is all over and he is back to work.
Thanks to everyone crossing their fingers for DH to find work soon!

My great aunt (my grandmother's twin sister) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in late August. I just heard from my mom today that it's not looking good, and she may not last throughout the next week or two. I am astounded at the speed of this disease - at my brother's wedding in early August, she looked and felt great. And now...it is very sad. DH and I played cards regularly with her since my grandmother passed away two years ago. I would like to go see her, but at the same time, I do not want to bother her. She does not even want her own grandchildren to visit her. I will make a call to her son and let him tell me if I should go or not. She will be missed.

Nothing to add to my free list today. Not even a little sample in the mail or anything! Maybe tomorrow.
Quite a bit of moolah going out of my pocket these past two days. We prepaid bowling last night, so I don't have to worry about having cash for the rest of the month. $80 - covers DH and me for 4 weeks. We'll only have to pay the sitter. I paid $40 for day care today. Glad that next Monday is a holiday, so we can skip that expense. Also put $50 in gas in my car ($2.56 a gallon - woo hoo!), so that will probably last me for two weeks or so.
Had another headache today after work (I think something there is making me sick), so I took a nap and DH fixed a nice dinner concocted from odds and ends in the fridge. I'm quite proud of that handy guy. We also got a few good leads on possible long-term subs needed in OUR school district come February - DH has been commuting 45 minutes or more to work, school, and now student-teaching for 4 years now. It will be heaven for him (and the budget) if he can have a five minute commute. But...he also has a good lead on a job in the district where he is student teaching now (1 hour away). The teacher he is working under recommended him to the principal for a long-term sub in Feb. Things are looking promising...please keep fingers and toes crossed for us in the next few months.