Swimgirl

So I have really fine, long, straight hair. We are talking baby fine. And several years ago, I got a free sample of a conditioner from a salon. I fell in love. It is the best ever... perfect for my kind of hair.

So a 34-oz bottle costs... $50.

I bought some last February and it ran out about two weeks ago. I have tried some cheaper conditioners since then, but they don't work nearly as well.

Now, when I think about it as $50 for conditioner, I want to scream. But the giant bottle usually lasts about 9-10 months. So then it's just $5-6 per month... which doesn't sound nearly so bad.

I know, it's crazy.

I can't believe it's been a week!

I still have lots to do.

1.The menu never quite got planned, but we made it with no problem. I have a lot in the freezer, and we got creative. Homemade pizza tonight. The hubs absolutely perfected a crisp crust! It will be delicious. Also in the plans this week: meatball sandwiches, quiche, honey lime chicken, chicken salad, and maybe sausages on homemade rolls. I'll need to shop only for fresh fruit and vegetables. Oh, and milk. We go through almost 7 gallons a week.

2. I need to look at the money for the month. It's not super urgent, because we're not buying a bunch of stuff and there is plenty there, but I like to have a ledger balance in my head. Probably won't happen this week.

3. I have tons to do at work. Last week... hmm... "Busy" doesn't begin to describe it. "Stressful" doesn't really touch it either. It was insane. My job is normally pretty quiet, no conflict... I take care of what I need to do and it's relatively calm. But this week? Extra security, police involved, multiple reports taken by multiple agencies... Never experienced anything like it before. I'm not a target or anything (except that irrational people are... well, irrational, and you never know) but some people I work with are closely involved personally. Two unrelated incidents involving two different people. Sorry to be so cryptic... but I can't say too much.

The result of all this was that I got very little done all last week. So now I'm really, really behind and feeling disorganized. I'm going to go to work this afternoon and try to do a little catching up so that I won't feel so disoriented when it's time to work tomorrow.

4. Can't wait to hit the drugstores today with my coupons! Free cereal, super cheap toothpaste, and some nuts are all at the top of my list.

5. I have a box of things to take to the local thrift store where I donate. Cleaning out!!

Ugh. The to-do list is long today. Everyone goes back to work and school tomorrow and life is busy at our house, so I'm trying to get ahead of it.

I will do some more cooking and freezing today. I'm making a gourmet chicken pot pie for dinner, and will put half in the freezer. Also on the list: rolls and cookies. Get that freezer stocked!

I need to make up the menu for the next couple of weeks. The menu SAVES me, both time-wise and money-wise. I usually plan 2-4 weeks at a time, with the idea that things might change once or twice. I always have some meals that can be saved (or not pulled from the freezer.) I know some people plan their meals based on what's on sale, and I do that to some extent. If I see something really good on sale, I will buy it and bump one of the other meals if the sale item needs to be eaten right away. Avocados were on sale for 37 cents each, so I moved a few things around so we could have tacos last week. 37 cents! That was a treat!

I'm trying to fill the month with nice, inexpensive meals. We don't know what the Hubbub's check will be mid-month. It will be a little less than last month, because a few things got re-set. I'm not really worried, but I want to be prepared for the "surprise!" My check varies every month, but always by less than a dollar.

Can't wait to get started on the taxes. Fun times! I really love doing it.

On my decluttering list: the sewing area...it could end up being a two-day job, though. Lots of other things to do, and it's a big project.

It was a great New Year's Eve with friends!

Before the fun began...
1. Did a little last minute stocking up on over-the-counter medicines using our pre-tax health debit card. I know we will need ibuprofin, Zyrtec, and children's medicines, so I got a couple of each.

2. Spent some time with a friend and we worked on some sewing projects.

3. Used some "expires on December 31, 2010" coupons. For just $1.54 in cash, I got a box of kleenex, two packages of cough drops, and 8 bars of Dove Soap. I'm pleased with that.


I'm looking forward to a nice walk in the morning, and more good times with family and friends.

Happy 2011! Wishing everyone a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year!

I spent a little time getting the coupons organized today. Lots of them will expire tomorrow, so I went through and figured out what I can use in the morning, and sent the rest to my friend whose husband is in the Air Force. She can use expired coupons on base for a year after expiration, I think.

I looked at my cookbook shelf today and decided that it needed thinning. I probably had 100 cookbooks. I really love to cook, and people know that... so they give me cookbooks all the time. I chose my 30 favorites and bagged up the rest to donate tomorrow. I think I can survive with just 30...ha ha! I kept the classics like Julia Child, Joy of Cooking, Greens, Savory Way, The Silver Spoon, plus some local favorites, the kids' cookbooks, and some especially unusual ones... And OF COURSE I kept the Star Wars Cookbook. Silly. Ridiculous, even, but the Swimbabies love Wookiee Cookies!

So that's progress, right? Since we'll be gone for the weekend and I have to work next week, I probably won't get much more organizing/de-cluttering done until next weekend. But I might be able to work on a drawer here and there.

I rode my bike today rather than driving, so I'm adding $1 to my Challenge. $67.24 + $1 = $77.24

I've always been more focused on money than the Hubs. Basically, he was so busy out earning money that he rarely had time to think about it. For years I've been the one using coupons, doing research, paying bills, etc. I guess it's because I was the one at home with the kids trying to figure out how to make that one salary work... But since I've been working for the last year, we are both busy "earning." And after we sat down to do some thinking and planning and goal-setting the other day, he's a little more interested. Which is great! I know we can accomplish a ton more if we are both actively involved.

Earlier today, he came and asked, "So what do you know about Betterment.com?" To which I replied, "Nothing." I'm going to let him have a project, I think, rather than jumping in and doing my own research.

We each got $150 cash for Christmas from the relatives, and we NEVER get that much for Christmas! What a surprise! The treat was even more special because we got it in separate envelopes. When cash comes for both of us together, it usually just goes into our checking account... and gets spent on groceries, or saved or whatever. Know what I mean? The gift giver always says, "Now don't use this for groceries! Go do something fun." But it never happens.

Funny, this week we're both carrying that $150 in our wallets, but neither one of us has spent any of it! Hubs wants an iPad, so he is saving for that. I might buy a purse (I've had my eye on a certain one for months and since the money was a gift, I can justify splurging!), but it's more likely that I'll put mine in my IRA. Heck, even if I decide to get the purse, I can still put most of that in savings. I don't feel the need to buy anything else.

Today I made a million meatballs and froze most of them (we ate a few for dinner.) I just love having a "bank" of meals in the freezer. Tomorrow I need to do some cooking for New Year's Eve, and pack because we're going away for the weekend. And then it's back to work on Monday...

I had some errands to do today, and I rode my bike instead of driving! So I'm adding $1 to my $20 challenge. And I saved $8.75 using coupons.

$57.49 + $9.75 = $67.24

Argh. I hate it when even little bits of money are wasted here and there. Or perhaps not wasted, but not spent thoughtfully, either.

Take December, for example. I'm actually okay with things like this: an extra gift here and there, extra gas for day trip, eating out on a weeknight that was triple-booked with children's activities. I kind of expect a little of that, which is why there's an "other" category.

I'm not okay with having to buy extra toiletries while on a four-day trip because life was too crazy before we left, so we packed too fast, and forgot toothbrushes, cold medicine, toothpaste and face wash...especially because there was a large stockpile of all those items at home. And the right things weren't on sale. And I didn't have coupons with me.

I'm also bothered by spending more on things than I think I should, but feeling somewhat trapped...even if it's just a few dollars. I took Swimbaby2 to a big meet, and he needed power bars. I know I can get them for $1 each without too much effort, but I dropped the ball and we ran out. I was not happy to pay $2 each at the snack bar at the pool.

When things get busy, those little things get forgotten first. And things really got busy in November and December. So for January, I am going to re-focus on the small things.

-I can turn the thermostat down just one degree and make a small difference in the bill.
-Using the IRS standard mileage as a guideline, I can save $1.60 every day that I ride my bike to work.
-refocus on coupons, vegetarian meals, shorter showers, shopping around a bit for gas prices (usually Costco has the cheapest gas around here), etc.
-Get those items in the box listed on ebay. Sure, they might only bring in a $2-3 profit each, but it will be a profit, and the focus here is "small." And the big bonus with this is that the stuff will be out of the house!
-Turn in the 3-4 receipts that are sitting on my desk, so I can get reimbursed. Really, not a big deal, but I'm focusing on small!

For some reason, tending to the small things makes the larger goals seem less daunting. I've got some big goals for the year, and some significant financial changes coming within the next year. But just for a few weeks, I'll be thinking of the little stuff. What little actions make you feel better?

Yesterday I made three dinners and put them in the freezer, plus made some breakfast danish-kind of things and put those in the freezer, too.

I'm off work this week, as is the hub. We've been having plenty of leisure and family time, which we have both needed. I really like our kids. They are fun to be with!

But I'm getting things done, too.

1. Yesterday when we took down the tree, I filled an entire box with Christmas decoration items that we do not need and are not attached to. We did have 7 large plastic boxes for Christmas decorations (one is all childrens books and toys) but now we are down to six!

2. We've had more time to cook this week and one of the kids is particularly interested in helping (and is actually helpful!) so today I want to do a little freezer stock-up. I want to make a few pans of lasagna and a giant batch of rolls to stash in the freezer for next week, which life will likely be busy again.

3. I opened another online account to stash my $20 challenge money in. In the past, I have just kept track, but not separated the money. This year I want to try keeping it completely separate. I think I will add $1 for each time I ride my bike or walk rather than drive. We live close enough to walk to get groceries, and I could ride my bike to work every day if I weren't ever cold or lazy or in a hurry.


$20 Challenge:
I rode my bike to meet a friend for coffee yesterday...$56.49 + $1 = $57.49

Yesterday I said to the hubbub: "I'm going to go play with my friends at Rite Aid and CVS. I'll be back in a little while."

His response: "Are you going to play nice?"

My answer: "Probably not."

We have a large family and we were starting to run low on some things. I combined sales, coupons, and the store "reward dollars" to get us stocked up again. I spent $18.22 at Rite Aid (three transactions) and $22.01 at CVS (also three transactions), so $44.23 total.

When I got home, the fun began! I laid everything out on the dining room table so I could admire it: laundry soap, razors, shampoo and more shampoo, conditioner, lotion, deodorant, body wash, bandaids, lip treatments, dish soap... and some free treats... four bags of Chex Mix, four bottles of Vitamin Water, and a bag of pretzel M&Ms. Then, I got out the calculator to see how much it would have cost if I hadn't planned carefully. The total? $170 and some change.

In the past, I haven't included this kind of savings in my $20 Challenge, but this year I'm going to do it differently. I am going to include just the amount of each coupon I use. For these transactions, the value of the coupons used was $56.49, so that's what I'm starting my $20 Challenge with. I know it's not quite 2011, but 2010 was hectic so I'm giving myself a head start!

$20 Challenge: $56.49

Today feels so new and refreshing!

The weeks leading up to Christmas were just too busy. (In fact, most of 2010 was so busy it was a blur! I had a long, long commute for 1/2 the year, then landed a great new job and now have a 1-mile commute!) All is well, but not enough time to stop and enjoy the family. We'll be doing some of that in the next few days.

I'm also planning to have a "getaway" at the coffee shop with the hubbub and our laptops, checkbook, notebooks and financial info. We need to make some changes for next year: pre-tax accts, budgeting for college, increase savings due to increased income... but we need a couple of hours alone to talk and think and plan...

Also on the list:
-get the tree down and Christmas put away today!
-do a little cleaning/organizing
-plan the menu for the next few weeks
-pack up some of the leftovers and get them into the freezer (turkey, ham)
-deposit gift $

Wishing you all a happy and productive day!

Whew! SOOOO happy to have it done. The last document I needed came last Friday, and though the taxes were 95% complete ON FRIDAY, I had a few little things to add. But now they're done. Filed.

We had a weird year, money-wise. I was employed part-time for part of 2009, hub-bub had some extra work, and because we owed taxes a few years ago, we were conservative with our withholding. Too conservative, as it turns out. In September, I got on the IRS website to see how we were doing tax-wise. There is a withholding calculator, and when I entered all our information, the computer screamed "RUN! DON'T WALK! CHANGE YOUR WITHHOLDING TO 27!" We adjusted it to 8, which made little difference, and then up to 10 (as high as his company will allow without jumping through lots of hoops), which didn't change things much, either. So, I knew we'd be getting money back.

Well, I don't mind getting a little back, but we are getting too much back this year. The bad news is that we lost interest on all that money for a part of 2009. The good news is that I can used the money we're getting back to seriously attack goals we set last week. And then I can up the goals and start over!

Hmmm... weird. I tried several times in the last year to access my blog and couldn't. Today, out of the blue, I decided to try one more time and found it right away.

I just recently got a full time job. The money is helpful, but it takes a lot of time! I'm really pleased with the co-workers, boss, whole situation... except it's a very long commute. We had thought of moving, but might just deal with the commute right now. Bad time to sell the house, bad time to move the children.

I have a kid in college, which seems unbelievable. So far, we're doing fine with that money-wise. We had some money saved, but not tons. Kid is 500 miles away, lives in the dorms and doesn't come home too often. Next year, kid is going to be a Resident Advisor, which is rewarded with free room and board. That will save us $1000 per month. Can't wait!

Goals for 2010:
-Increase emergency fund by $2000(Given changes in circumstances, I want fast access to more money...kid in college, more driving, etc.)
-$2000 to my IRA
-$2000 to spouse's IRA
-Raise spouse's 401K contribution to the max (it's almost there, anyway)
-new roof on house (in March--yikes!)
-used car for commuting

Looking forward to checking in more often, now that the blog seems to be accessible. I have no idea what was up with that!

Hello friends!

It's been crazy at my house! As you know, we have four kids and all have been exceptionally busy with activities. Two are on week-long school trips, and it was no easy task getting them ready (different trips! different ends of the state!)

Husband has had some business trips lately. Last week, he was gone Sun-Thurs. I know some people do that all the time, but we're really just not used to it. In some ways it's much easier to have him gone... one less person underfoot! But the kids really missed him and he DOES give some help with homework occasionally. Of course, that was also the week when I had a meeting every single night for something or other!

I've been looking for jobs. I have a job, but I don't love the situation. Since we are thinking of moving in the next six months, I've been driving to the new area, picking up applications and meeting people. I think I have some good contacts (through friends, mostly), but I don't expect to have a job open until summer. I'm doing my homework now, though. I've driven and hour and a half away, three separate times in the last two weeks. And that totally cut into my blogging time!

I'm also taking a 3 unit class for professional development. All the assignments are due tomorrow, so I will be busy tonight.

I did the taxes, and we're getting a chunk back! $3000, which I know is too much. But we have owed for the past couple of years, and our situation changed for a few years there (job, layoff, lower-paying job with no 401K, consulting job 1099 and on and on). It was getting so I couldn't predict anything. So this year, we're both back to regular jobs, and I upped my withholding, and Hub's too, just to be sure. Half of the refund will go to savings and the other half will be used for expenses from short terms savings (and then we can leave that account as is). It turns out that I need about $1000 worth of car repairs (new tires, new breaks, new tail light, etc- Hub will do most, but I don't trust him on the brakes and he doesn't really have time), so I will get that done and not have to touch savings. The State of California owes us, too. Not really expecting to see that refund any time soon.



Last weekend, I got Hub and the kids all to help. We GUTTED our house. It's not like it was really messy (I am an everything-in-its-place kind of girl!) But we pulled all the furniture out from the walls and washed the walls, took all the couches apart and vacuumed them, did a little rearranging, cleaned baseboards, washed windows, wiped down all the walls, etc. It feels great to have it done. I think it's because my daffodils are already starting to bloom-- so I felt ready for some spring cleaning!

And all this little extra stuff is happening while I'm still trying to cook meals, do laundry, go to work and keep things together.

For the ebay challenge, I didn't quite make it to $100, but I got busy halfway through the month. I'll get some more things listed this weekend, I hope. I have a bag of items tucked behind my desk, right near the computer... ready to list when I have a few extra minutes.

I keep wondering how everyone's been doing! I haven't had much time to read the blogs these last two weeks and I miss you all!

So, BA posted a great song...with great guitar playing. And he unknowingly passed along info that I'd been looking for... how to post a song.

My daughter is 17 and loves to sing and dance and perform. She recorded a few songs with one of her teachers. She mostly does her own back up vocals...hoping to get into some great colleges as a fine arts major.

Anyway, here's the link to one of her songs.

http://www.esnips.com/web/atwirlgirl-Music

Maybe she'll become famous and rich and will pay off the mortgage for us! Not really counting on that...

So this is not an urgent "I'm-trying-to-file-taxes-and-need-to-know-now!" kind of question... more of a planning question.

We are planning to move in the next 6-8 months. It is CLEARLY a terrible time to try to sell our house.

So, we are thinking of renting our house in this town, and then leasing a place for us to live in the new town. Problem is, we probably can't charge enough rent for the house we own to make the mortgage payment.

So say it's something like this: Our mortgage is $2000 a month. We can collect probably $1000 a month in rent. We'll rent a house to live in (new city) for about $1400 a month. NOT REAL NUMBERS.

In the new town, I can make A LOT more money (like $1500 per month!), and husband's commuting costs will go down. Significantly. Like $360 a month.

Can we still write off all the mortgage interest on our house, even if we're not living in it? (it won't be like we'll own a second house right away... and given the current financial situation, it will likely be years!) Since we'll be renting, can we write off the new roof that we need?!

Any better ideas? It's the best we can come up with. Of course, if the market suddenly turns and we can sell our house for a reasonable price, we will. Right now the value is probably $30,000 below what we paid.

And we DO need to move. I don't want to give away too much, but there are lots of reasons. Because of the ages of the kids, it has to be this summer. Again, we do have several months to be planning.

Help, financial geniuses!

Whew! It's been a hectic week.

I've had more than usual to do for work, but hopefully it will slow down this week. I've had sick kids and sick hub. And it just seems like everything took longer than it should have, so I ended up a little behind. Today I'm making lists for the kids ...chores...so they can help get things pulled together around here. I need to make a quick run out for a couple of grocery items. But since I planned a month of menus, I just need lettuce and milk and a couple of other little things. Should be less than $20!

We watched "Run, Fat Boy, Run" last night. Loved it...set in London...funny...

Yesterday I finished reading "Three Cups of Tea," which I thought was so inspirational and amazing. I think I'm going to try to read a book every other week this year. 26 rather than 52.

Today I'm going to try to get some valences made for the family room and kitchen. I have the fabric ready to go. It will look better, and I will feel great when I cross that task off my list. And dare I say that I have a couple of Christmas projects to finish, as well. Aaaargh!

I'm going to keep my ebay/etsy/half.com sales separate from the $20 challenge. I've sold 4 books so far, but haven't been paid yet. It will be fun to watch these two accounts grow. Small, yes, but better than nothing!

For the $20 challenge.... I received a Fry's rebate in the mail for $15, and I saved another $4 on Walgreen's deals.

Previous balance: $36.92
New balance: $55.92

Yikes! My last day of vacation and what do I do? I planned to do a little organizing, but things got out of hand.

I took everything out of the china cabinet, and emptied a couple of other pieces of furniture, too. I rearranges and reorganized. It's definitely better, but it took all day. I found a few items to sell on ebay, though.

I made a fabulous dinner! It's Chicken Pot Pie with Sage Biscuit Topping. It's one of the kids' favorites, and it's in the oven now. They'll be thrilled to have dinner tonight.

I have already sold three items on half.com. I'm loving it. Tomorrow I will take them to the PO.

I went by Walgreens today for a few bargains. My favorite was Fructis shampoo for free. I will send my husband in to get another one tomorrow on his way to work. They had a coupon at WG, plus I had a manufacturer's coupon. What a deal!

I'm not normally too crazy with the coupons, but since I'm doing the $20 challenge, I think I'm going to include coupon savings. It will add up faster. Today I saved a total of $15.42 with coupons. The whole bill was $11.14 after that.

So I'm adding the $15.42 to my challenge account.
Previous balance: $21.50
New Total: $36.92

Well, it is a Happy New Year so far!

We've been doing MonkeyMama's idea(from a news story) of walking a MINIMUM of 15 minutes every day. The first day, I found nothing but this beautiful picture. It was a beautiful, sunny but cold day. Crisp, I would say. We walked for an hour.



Yesterday, January 2, we walked for about 20 minutes and found an aluminum can. Yep, I'd pick up a nickel on the sidewalk, so I took it home. I plan to take the cans and bottles for redemption on Monday. I've got a big pile of 'em!

Today, my husband and I each found a beer can. Mine was a Coors Light, and his was a Keystone. The Keystone can had a funny joke about going to a wedding and hitting on a bridesmaid, then discovering it was your cousin. We happily picked up the cans... although it might have looked like we'd taken a beer with us on our walk!

I already sold a book on half.com. I like how they just deposit your profits twice a month. And even better, it was a book I didn't like!

I went to Office Max this morning and got an expanding file thingy to get some paperwork organized. I have good "permanent" filing in a file cabinet, just needed something for the more "temporary" bits that come and go. I saved a couple of dollars, since the item was on sale. I'm putting that in my new $20 Challenge.

Beginning balance of challege: $6.00 (that's what was left in one of my little savings accounts after I transferred everything else) + $13.50 in rolled coins from the coin jar + $2.00 savings today at Office Max = $21.50

I'm going to set my goal at $2000 for this challenge. I have other money going elsewhere, but if I could just earn $2000 "extra" by the end of the year, that would be delightful!

I have a long list for tomorrow since it's my last day before going back to work!

I made up a menu for the entire month of January! I went through the freezer and cupboards and I am hoping to purchase as little as possible. I am partially motivated by the thought of saving a little money from the food category. But I'm also motivated by the "get things organized for the New Year" idea. I want to reorganize some kitchen cupboards, and getting extra food out of them is a start.

I'm not sure that I can stick to the plan for the whole month. I am going into it fully prepared to switch some days here and there, but I do hope to make all the meals on the list. I'm also hoping to cut my trips to the grocery store because they are a waste of time AND can be a waste of money (picking up extra items that aren't necessary!)

I listed some books on half.com for the first time. I've sold things on ebay before, but never half.com. Again, I'm happy to get a dollar or two for the books, but really, clearing some space on my shelves is also a motivating factor. I love books, and won't part with any book that I loved and might want to read again. But, I am happy to part with some that we read in my book club that I didn't love. I'll be looking over the shelves some more.

And I really liked the story that Monkey Mama posted about the family who walks for 15 minutes a day. We are going to try to do that, but we're not expecting to find much treasure. We walked with some friends at their house yesterday and found nothing. The weather was beautiful, though.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Okay, I'm just not quite ready to commit! I'm thinking about some things, though.

A couple of years ago, I decided to try to read 52 books (a book a week) for a year. And I'm talking about decent literature, not the mass market paperbacks. I only made it to 51... and among those books WAS one Nancy Drew that my daughter begged me to rad. But the rest of the books were of respectable length and challenge. I might try that again. It was fun, and yet I felt like I was accomplishing something!

Sad to say, I could lose 10 pounds. Over the past few years, my jeans have been getting tighter, and this winter when I went to pull out all my nice size 4 cords, they didn't fit. I'm trapped in size 6 jeans and I want out of them! So, I'm thinking about that. Plus, a few pounds gone and I would be healthier, which is what it's really all about.

I want to set a reasonable goal for making money outside my real job. I credit Fern for my motivation in this area! I have done a few surveys, gotten some rebates, etc... but I haven't really kept track. I also want to start the $20 challenge, and I guess I could put all my extra money there and see how much I can grow.

I need to acquire another 17 college units to get to the next pay raise for my job. I have signed up for seven units at the local junior college (all classes are actually online, and DO relate to my field), but I'm not sure I will keep them all. I don't have to pay until January 20, so I have some time to decide. Junior college is my best option, because it's just $20 per unit, but if I change jobs this year, they might not be applicable everywhere. I have found an opportunity for 9 other units, which relate perfectly to my field and which I can earn through an independent study kind of thing through University of San Diego. But, they are $100 a unit. Ouch.

I swim most every day, but I would like to run, too. A few years ago I ran a half marathon and it was a great experience. I don't consider myself a runner, but I am in pretty good shape. I usually run for some amount of time, and then walk for a minute. I would like to find a race in the fall, sign up and start training. The Nike Women's Half Marathon is in SF in October, I think, and I've heard it's great. That half-marathon I did was my first running race ever.

And of course, money goals. I need to sit down and go through everything and see WHERE it should all go. "Save as much as possible" is already on my money goals list, as well as "figure out the stinkin' Quicken program."

This time of year can be so hopeful! I just want to give myself some reasonable goals so I don't feel like a failure i March!

I did it! I bit the bullet, paid $39.99 for Quicken at Costco, and I'm working through getting started. I'm really looking forward for yet another way to keep track of details that most people don't bother with! Yippee! I'm excited to see how it all works, and hoping that it's simple enough to maintain when things get busy (i.e. I go back to work after this lovely 2 week vacation!)

On November 1, I bought a pair of jeans for my husband at Target. He hates them, and says they're cheap. Well, they were $17.99...so, yes, cheap! Today I washed them, and when I went to take them out of the washer there was a 3 inch by 3 inch pretty-much-square-shaped hole in them! At the bottom of the washer... the 3 inch by 3 inch "patch!" All I can think of is that there was some defect, because the washer couldn't have done that...maybe there was some "hidden" acid-washing. I don't know.

So I took the jeans back to Target, with my receipt showing that they were approximately 7 weeks old, and clearly defective...and guess what?! They hassled me like crazy, telling me that they didn't have to take things back that had been washed...blah, blah, blah. I wasn't too persistent, but they gave me a new pair in exchange, all the while complaining at me. I have never liked Target clothes because of the poor quality, but I've given in a few times for what seemed like a good deal. I think I'm done with that! I'll buy sale Levi's at Kohl's or at the Eddie Bauer outlet. Husband doesn't even wear jeans much, except on the weekends.

Costco is the opposite! They'll take ANYTHING back after ANY amount of time if you have your receipt, which I love. I don't take advantage of it, but I did buy a sweater there that just didn't wash the way it should have, and they happily gave me cash back.

I made the rounds for monthly shopping today... I planned a month of menus (mostly around items in the freezer - I usually just do a week or two, so we'll see...) and got what I needed at Costco and the cheap store in town, Savemart. Tomorrow I need to get a few bulk items at the health food store, and then I hope I'm done except for milk and fresh fruit and veggies, which I will buy each week.

We had turkey soup with dumplings for dinner tonight, and it was fabulous!

I went to the store to grab a couple of items this afternoon. I really want to get back to shopping just once every two weeks (with the possible exception of fresh fruit and milk), but we are making turkey soup today with the carcass, and I needed onions and carrots for the stock.

I went into my grocery store... bulk onions were 79 cents a pound, but the 3 pound bag was $1.49. Carrots... a 2-pound bag of smallish carrots for $2.99 or a 5-lb bag of large carrots for $2.99.

I also decided to get a can of tomato sauce. I normally buy it at Costco, since it is cheaper there, but it was one of those days (I'm headed to Costco tomorrow, probably!) So I had a coupon for $1.00 off a can of Muir Glen organic tomato product. The shelf said $1.69 a can (!), but it rang up $2.19, so I got it free... at this store you get the item free if the computer and the shelf don't match. But I wanted to use the coupon, so I got a second can, and they fixed the price. So really, I got two cans for $.69.

Not as great as making money in the stock market, but I still consider it a victory!

Since the New Year is coming and I love getting organized... I am getting things organized. And I'm wondering if there is a better system.

What do other people use for tracking all expenses? I know that quicken is a great option... but I really like the tactile part of keeping a notebook, envelopes, the actual receipts and all that. Plus, I can easily find receipts should I need to be reimbursed for something or look up the cost of certain items.

Anybody have any great ideas? What I have been doing works, but now is the time if I am going to make improvements on my system!

Thanks to all!

I'm wondering if anyone has tried the homemade laundry soaps? I have seen several recipes online, and I've been tempted to try them. We have a lot of laundry, and though I shop carefully, and use detergent minimally in my high efficiency top-loader, I might be able to save a little there. My biggest concern is the effect on the clothes... I mean I don't want any of the really nice articles of clothing to be ruined.

We had such a relaxing holiday, it is unbelievable. We had dinner with family on Christmas Eve, which was great. It was not at our house, but we got to see everyone. Christmas Day, we lounged in pajamas, watched movies and played games, and enjoyed each other.

Now I'm gearing up for getting organized in the new year! I LOVE getting things organized, so I'm excited to get going today. We will take the tree and all the decorations down today, because they have been up since the day after Thanksgiving. And then my crazy cleaning and organizing can start!
*clean up tree and decorations
*catch up on laundry
*make a menu for at least two weeks
*review file of financial papers, get
tax items pulled together
*transfer information to new calendar

I have a ham that my family sent home with us because no one else thought they could eat it up (there are six of us and everyone else has smaller families)... Funny, I'm just going to chop it up and get it in the freezer for later! I guess no one thought of that!

And the best thing is that this is the weekend! Happy weekend everyone!

Whew! We made it! It was a crazy, crazy week. I followed my menu, except for one night when I had to drive on a field trip that ran late, and was just nearing home around 6pm. I had one teenager home with the younger kids and nothing had been started for dinner. I stopped at a Take and Bake Pizza place, used my $3 off coupon, and got a giant cheese pizza for $5.99. We cooked it, ate it and some salad, and rushed out the door to the next event in less than an hour! I actually considered it a triumph! Unbelievable week.

Today we're going to make cookies with some friends. Not sure what kind, but tomorrow at home by ourselves I want to make a million gingerbread cookies. I used to make gingerbread men, but now we make turtles, geckos, birds, crabs (with my Maryland Blue Crab cutter) and whatever wild animal we can come up with. They're so delicious, and we decorate with wild colors, too, like purple, pink, turquoise, orange... I have some boxes from previous years and will pack some cookies up to give away.

The other "cooking" thing on my list today is to make some caramel popcorn. It's delicious, cheap, and great to give away because no one ever makes it! I'll get the process going and make several batches.

The other non-cooking thing on my list is to get some sewing done. I may have to plan to do that tomorrow, really. I am making fabric bags, like the kind you can carry your groceries in, for most of my family (aunts, sister, brother-in-law, etc.) But, I'm using wild, beautiful quilting fabric. I've been waiting for great sales, and then purchasing a yard of fabric. The bag takes exactly a yard... and the really nice, quilt-store fabrics were less than $5 per yard on sale. Some of the fabric is even cheaper than that. But, I have been watching sales for a long time so that I could get the right fabric for the right person. My dad's is airplanes, my sister's is otters, my brother-in-laws is map fabric, etc. Thankfully, the process of making the bag takes less than 20 minutes, so I can whip out a bunch really fast. And it's a useful gift!

I'd better get started! Hope you all have a great day!

I have a hectic week ahead, as I imagine most of you do! It's such a busy time of year and I have kids going every which way and a husband with two dinner meetings and two separate music concerts. I will feel so relieved Friday when the kids are out of school for vacation!

So, I tried to plan some easy meals this week. I tried to incorporate the crockpot for the nights we have concerts, and I am trying to use up whatever we have in the freezer/fridge.

Sunday: Chicken Caesar Salad, Rolls, fresh Satsuma mandarin oranges

Monday: Pot Roast, Carrots, Potatoes and Onions in the Crock Pot...I'm trying a friend's recipe, since I don't often cook a roast...with Garlic Green Beans

Tuesday: Pasta Bake... a casserole with cream cheese, cottage cheese, tomato sauce, ground turkey, garlic, onion and pasta, of course! I use whole wheat noodles, and we'll have a salad with it.

Wednesday: Taco Soup in the Crock Pot...with corn, chicken, tomatoes, tomato sauce... and we have it with cornbread and garnish with cilantro, cheese and lime juice.

Thursday: Turkey Burgers (already hand-formed and sitting the freezer) on English muffins, with fresh fruit and veggies to dip.

Friday: Spaghetti and Meatballs... I make tons of meatballs at one time with a giant Costco pack of ground turkey. The meatballs have pesto in them and I freeze them raw. Then, I just simmer them in tomato sauce. Easy and fabulous.

Saturday: Soup and grilled cheese. We're already planning on a lazy Saturday this coming week.

A friend gave me a beautiful fruit basket for a gift yesterday. I wondered if I'm getting old and cheap, because I was truly THRILLED! I couldn't think of anything I'd rather have (maybe that new roof, but other than that...) We'll be eating delicious apples, pears, kiwis, oranges and pomegranates all week. Yum!

Just kidding... but does anyone watch The Office?

I am really not in the mood to spend money this year. My motto has been, "Nobody needs anything!" I mean really, of course I could buy more clothes and toys for everyone, but we just don't need it. I love clothes and shoes, but I just don't need anymore. Same with the kids and hub. We have plenty of games, movies, toys.

I bought a couple of tiny gifts today (dollar store), and I plan to do some wrapping tomorrow, but I'm just not doing much. I made jam all summer, so I'll be giving that to the neighbors and some family friends. I do need to come up with a Santa gift or two for each child. And I need to take care of gifts for the teachers.

My daughter was involved in an amazing musical program of sorts the last few days. We did a lot of volunteering, and I feel really relieved to be done with that. Tomorrow we get to sleep in and have our family together for the day. I'm hoping that we'll have a little time to make some cookies and watch an old, classic movie together. I'm hoping the kids are not too loaded down with homework.

Tomorrow's list:
-make menu and shopping list for the week, which needs to include at least 2 crock pot meals due to the week's schedule
-probably an hour of work from work, so that this week will be less hectic!
-laundry, especially sheets and towels
-repair a few Christmas ornaments that I set aside when we did the tree
-make cookies
-make rolls (great for making sandwiches for kids' lunches)

It's cold here, but I haven't run the heat that much. When I think of being warm, I just want to get in bed with a book! And that sounds like such a good idea... I think I should try it out now!

The other night I realized too late in the evening that I didn't have any tights to wear to work with my outfit the next day. Everything was closed except WalMart, and I figured it was worth a try to see if they had any. My daughter needed tights, too, since she had grown out of most from last year.

So, off I went in the wee hours to look for tights. I was extremely disappointed that there were not any tights in the color I needed! I walked to the girls' department contemplating my options for the next day, when it occurred to me that my daughter is not much smaller than I am these days.

I bought her the white tights she needed, and decided to try a pair for myself, too. I bought the 12-16 size (my daughter wears about a 14, and I figured that if they didn't work for me, she could wear them).

Friends, I'm hooked! The tights were absolutely fine under my lovely wool skirt, and they cost $1.67!!

If my growing daughter weren't approaching my size, I never would have thought of it. But it worked!

-------------------------------

I made a menu for the week and did the shopping today. I used more coupons that usual and saved about 10%, although I did get a few items that I don't normally buy. I tried to look at those items at the discounted price to decide if they were worth purchasing. Other items, such as some candy ($1.50 off of $7.50 worth) I have stashed for stocking stuffers. For example, I don't normally buy chips. But with a sale and coupon, I was able to buy a 11 oz bag of Sunchips for $1.05. For that price, it will be a treat for the kids that I can live with.

-------------------------------

I'm making flannel pajama pants for the family for Christmas. I made several trips to the fabric store to maximize my coupon usage and sales. I finally got the last piece of fabric today, so I'm excited to get sewing. There were some really cute prints. I found some that were even teenage boy appropriate, which is often hard to do.

Have a great start to the week, everyone!

Well, I had chosen December first as my goal for the no heat contest. Once we got through all of November, and then yesterday, I started thinking, "Hmmm... if we can go that long without turning on the heat, maybe we can go a little longer...maybe all this "cold" stuff is just in our heads...maybe it will suddenly warm up again...maybe the cold doesn't bother me anymore...blah, blah, blah!"

I turned on the heat this morning as soon as I woke up. It was only 62 in the house, and I only turned the thermostat to 65, but for some reason, I suddenly decided that I'd reached my goal and I deserved a little heat. The house warmed up to 65 in a matter of minutes and I turned it back off again, since we were all heading out within an hour or two.

It was nice. And my children were most appreciative. The weather here has been really damp. And don't they say that "damp cold" is worse than "dry cold?!" Whatever.

I will still try to be extremely conservative with the heat. And thanks to the "contest," we waited until later than usual (might have had something to do with the unseasonably warm weather, too).

Dreamin' of summer...

I hope that everyone had a lovely day yesterday! We did, and for that, I am grateful.

We joked about shopping off and on all day yesterday. The number of ads that came with the newspaper was unbelievable, and I must have gotten 20 emails with the subject heading "Free Shipping." Those retailers are desperate, but times like these just make me want to save more.

I did use the opportunity of spending the day with family to discuss the next holiday. My husband and I already discussed Christmas with the kids and the kids agreed that they would rather save money for a trip, so we're not doing much in the way of gifts. My younger children did ask for new pajamas and slippers, which I can do. And all the kids will get something from Santa, but we decided as a family that none of us really needed much.

So I talked to the grandparents, and I let them know that we would be giving them stocking stuffers... a few little treats, but not much. I asked them to do the same for us, but we'll see. I threw it out there, at least, and warned them not to expect anything huge from us.

I'm excited to get planning on the stocking stuffers and ways to be creative and frugal with the kids. I have a present box that I use to stash cool items that I find throughout the year for the kids, and there are a few things in it.

I feel really great about this. My kids, husband and I really don't need anything, save some new batteries and a new roof (not that Christmas-y, though!) We can always wear more clothes, but we don't need them. We can always read more books, but we don't need them. We can always watch more movies, but we don't need them. We have so much compared to so many.

One daughter has been saving for an electronic item for a few months, and with the sales that are going on today, she has enough money. Lucky for us, it's at a smaller store that is close by, so we won't have to be heading to malls or shopping centers. My husband has volunteered to take her, so I plan to stay home and work on Christmas projects.

We are planning to cook a turkey tomorrow. It will roast while we decorate the tree! I was amazed to read that so many consider mashed potatoes to be a favorite. Honestly, I could live without those! But I'm looking forward to the stuffing and sweet potatoes!

We made it through the day yesterday with no heat. When the pies were done baking, I left the oven open. With that, and all the people in here, it was 72 degrees when I went to bed. We're back to 63 this morning, but I'm pretty confident we can make it three more days!

And the kids are so excited because they KNOW we're going to win!! And I did break the news that there isn't a prize, and they're still motivated!

Have a great day, everyone!