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!