Swimgirl

I haven't even added it all up. But it was a lot. I had not really planned to do the whole egg hunt thing, but my kids spent most of today talking about how much fun it is... So I did some shopping for treats. I mostly got things they can use... flip flops, swim goggles, sunscreen, etc... for the baskets. I hate spending, but I do have a little surplus in the gifts catagory. I have a few bags of candy that I got for nearly free a few weeks ago, so we're set.

Bought a $10 gift card for someone who donated lots of sports equipment to my children, just to say thanks.

Bought lunch at Whole Foods on the way home from San Jose, where we went to... oh, yeah... buy a car! Car is nice, will be great to have, just the model we wanted, low mileage, feel like we got a good deal, blah, blah, blah... when that check clears... ugh. It will hurt! Of course it's gone already...

Spend, spend, spend! Glad I won't be buying anything tomorrow!

April 6
$7.21 for six vanilla beans and three oranges... I made some delicious cupcakes which I'm calling "Creamsicles!" The cupcakes are basic vanilla, but I added 2T. grated orange zest for 18 cupcakes. The orange-vanilla bean frosting is made from Spectrum shortening, powdered sugar, equal parts coconut milk and orange juice, and the seeds from one vanilla bean. The Husband said that they will replace my chocolate cupcakes with espresso frosting as his new favorite... and they were definitely reminiscent of a 50/50 or creamsicle bar!

$21.76 for cat food, almond milk, rice milk, ketchup and beer... ugh. I sent The Husband to the store, which I try never to do... and he threw some gourmet microbrews into the cart. He called it "shopping tax." Thought he was so clever...

$7.50 The Husband spent this for lunch...

$10.51 for gas. It was $4.29 a gallon, so I just got enough to get around town for a day or two and make it to Costco, where it will no doubt be cheaper than that!

I think tomorrow will be our biggest spending day of the month if it works out. We found a car (internet site), after much searching, and we are going to go drive it, and buy it if it's as good a deal as it seems to be. I'm glad we did a lot of shopping around and educated ourselves. We haven't been in a hurry and I just knew a great deal would come along at some point. And this might be it! And if this one doesn't work, there will be another. Yikes. Cash out. It needs to be done, and we've planned for it, but I still don't like spending it! If it doesn't work out, all we'll need tomorrow is gas and 50 lb. flour at Costco!

Dinners...
April 1 Pasta with Cheese, Salad
April 2 Curried Vegetables with Indian Crepes
April 3 Spicy Peanut Noodles and Vegetables
April 4 Mexican/tostadas
April 5 Cheese Pizza, salad, and carrots and dip
April 6 Roasted Potatoes and Poached Eggs

I paid for the brakes today, which ended up being $499.13 when all was said and done.

I also paid $4.83 for a new brake light bulb for the other car. Big day for cars at our house.

The Husband spent $13.59 at Chipotle. It's complicated, but he sort of owed a friend. I know he was pleased to treat... Chipotle is one of the fast food places that I actually like. The ingredients always seem fresh and I love the lime-cilantro rice, although I'm certain I could duplicate it at home.

We ended up with cheese pizza and salad for dinner. The swimbabies are always thrilled with pizza and I was able to whip it up really fast, so it was win-win for us!

Well, the picture is sideways, and it's not fabulous quality since I took it with my phone. But the pizza was yummy.

Tomorrow I will definitely have to do some grocery shopping. We're out of milk and fruit. Those are the things we always run out of first!

The car place just called with the estimate for my brakes. It's $460, significantly less than the $600 I had expected! And they found a screw in one of the tires and they'll fix it at no charge. And best of all, it will be finished in a couple of hours!

Hoping that will be all my spending for today!

I want to do everything I can to avoid a trip to the grocery store today, so I'm thinking dinner might be pancakes and smoothies or maybe baked potatoes and salad. I'm just not in the mood to deal with grocery shopping!

On my cooking list for today:
homemade goldfish crackers
homemade wheat thins
pumpkin bread

Today I had to buy parking permits... which irritates me to no end!! In our neighborhood, we must buy permits if we want to park on the street overnight. There is a good reason for this craziness, but I still hate paying. Some years we don't get permits, but we decided that we need them this year. The people living in the house across the street from us have SEVEN cars, and they often park some of them in front of our house. When this happens, there is nowhere for our guests to park and it's just irritating. I can't explain why exactly, except that seven cars is just nuts! And it does happen that sometimes people park in front of our house and block part of our driveway... which is even more irritating (I call the police and they will ticket or tow!)

So I spent $36.00 on parking permits today. Grrr!

I also spent $4.13 for a big bag of masa and an avocado. For dinner I made homemade tortillas and we had tostadas. I make homemade flour tortillas all the time, but this was my first attempt at corn tortillas. I do not have a tortilla press, and they came out a little thick and sort of rustic-looking, but topped with an avocado slice... delicious! We had avocados and salsa and just used leftovers for other toppings...potatoes, a few beans, rice, a few kinds of meat, lettuce, etc. Everyone made their own. One swimbaby even made a scrambled egg and stuck it on top! It was one of those nights when everyone got exactly what they wanted.

Tomorrow will be a really yucky day, spending wise. I'm taking the car to get new brakes. It's usually around $600, but of course I'm hoping for less! For years we've gone to the same place for brakes for this car. (The Husband does the brakes on the other car, but this one is trickier.) Last time we needed brakes, The Husband thought he found a better deal at a different place. It ended up being a hassle because they did something wrong and we had to take it back twice. As far as I'm concerned, that was not a better deal. So back to the original place today.

Yesterday, April 3, was a bit spendy...

Swimbaby to the doctor (money came from pre-tax medical not checking or cash, so it almost doesn't count!) $15.00

Clothes for Swimbaby #4 $29.59
New tube for bike tire $ 7.53
Groceries $27.35
Gas $20.66
I didn't fill up because the price was $4.17 per gallon, and I'm hoping to find a better price in the next few days!
Muffin Pans $17.22

I know it will seem crazy to some, but it wasn't to me... I make a lot of muffins and cupcakes. For several years I've had three 12-cup muffin pans. But they were mismatched and wouldn't nest. They took up a lots of space in the cupboard in our tiny house, where space is precious. So it occurred to me yesterday that I could just get some new pans that will nest. I bought two new muffin pans, and put the other three in the donation pile. Geez, if I'd thought of it sooner, I probably would have done it sooner!

Doesn't seem to bad. I was thinking I had spent more yesterday because it seemed like I took care of several things that needed to be done. I'm okay with the total! $102.35

Today will be less. I'm hoping to avoid the grocery story, but we're probably out of milk.

I somehow feel a sense of accomplishment when something costs less than the amount I budgeted for it. Which is good for me... because I usually fret and worry and feel lousy when something ends up costing more than the I amount I had budgeted.

And truly, this is not a big deal... but I budget $200 per month for our electric and gas. Of course, I really count on being below budget some months to make up for other months when I fully expect to go over. I decided on the $200 based on the average cost.

So for March 2012, the total cost was $176.21... a whopping $23.79 under budget! (not really whopping, but still...) The best part, however, is that our bill for March 2011 was $194.42. I tried to think of whether anything was different this March over last March, and I couldn't come up with anything at all, except that I've really tried to keep the thermostat set a degree lower than is really comfortable.

March is not normally a month when we are significantly below $200. April should be great! Whatever it was, I'll take the $23.79!

Well the IRA contributions I made finally appeared in our accounts. Actually, I know they've been there a week, at least, and I'm thinking that there is a glitch in their notification system. Oh, well. No harm. IRA funded for 2011!

No new car, yet. We're not in an enormous hurry, even though sooner would be better. The Husband found a couple of deals on ebay/Craigslist/other online sites, but the cars weren't exactly what he had in mind. It feels pretty sweet having two cars that work fine, and knowing we have time to wait for the right thing. It's his deal, though. I expect that one day, he'll just show up after work with a car, which is fine with me. It seems that the cars that were leased new are pretty good deals now that they have 50,000-90,000 miles on them.

Must work on the taxes this week. I NEVER wait this long to complete them. I actually entered information into Turbo Tax in January, and it looks like we'll get some back from Fed, but owe the state about the same. I didn't feel compelled to finish that day because it's not a huge amount either way. I've been juggling withholding numbers for a few years to try to get things to come out even at tax time. This year I did pretty well. So I put it off. It's got to happen soon, though.

On the list for today: plan the week's menu and catch up on laundry after I run five miles!

Happy Monday!

Spring Break is over for Swimbaby #1. She went back to college this morning with a suitcase full of supplies to last the rest of the year. She came home with a list of toiletries she needed and a second list of clothing wishes. I'm always nervous when I see those lists...

But we did great. First we checked the stash I have in the hall closet and found a few things, and then we made a trip to CVS, and one to Rite Aid. She isn't picky about brands, so we were able to get everything she needed at great prices... of course combining the UP/EB, store coupons, sale prices and manufacturer's coupons. Score! (I'm going to start keeping track of coupon savings like Retire@50. Love that idea! Wondering why I didn't think of it!)

Then I looked at the clothing list. She wanted a few new things for spring. We caught sales at the GAP, went to one consignment store and a TJMaxx. She got two trendy new GAP tees, two dresses, a purse and a cute tank top, plus a crazy-cute pair of new sandals. The total was $85, which I was completely okay with! I had actually planned to spend more if necessary. This kid rarely asks for anything and we had tons of fun shopping together!

We have been jumping through hoops to open a new account at the credit union associated with The Husband's employer. The hoops are high and small... it's been challenging! But I think once we get into the groove it will be worth it because the interest rates are very good. We will need to monitor, though, because if we don't follow all the rules we could get charged. Crazy. But for us, it will be worth the better interest rate, I think.

We've been putting off shopping for another car for a long time. I think we might be getting close to actually admitting that we need another car AND doing something about it. The Husband has been texting me links to Craigslist cars all day!

We currently have two cars. One is 14 years old... the commuter... it's a Toyota, not pretty, but pretty good gas mileage. Swimbabies drive it most of the time. The second car is nearly 9 years old... not great gas mileage, but it can carry the whole family and it's in really good shape. We are looking at a very nice (used, German) car that will become the commuter for the adults so that the swimbabies can take over the other one. We'll pay cash, except perhaps $1000, which we will finance and pay off quickly, mainly just for documentation on the credit report.

Of course, this doesn't mean we'll have another car anytime soon. When we bought the last car, it took us at least a year to make a decision.

Happy Wednesday!

Not really...

But I was quite pleased to be able to fill up today for a mere $4.05 per gallon! What a deal!

Aaaaah... what a treat! I got a wonderful pedicure today. I have found someone I really like and I love getting pedicures. If money were no object, I'd probably go every three weeks. But I do get a pedicure about every four weeks. It is a complete delight.... massage chair... lovely orange-scented foot scrub... a good massage... hot rocks... and a cute color, for sure! I love the Opi nail polishes, and today I chose the color "The Show Must Go On." Crazy, I know, but it's worth the $25 to me!

We all liked "The Hunger Games" movie, but of course, it was not as good as the book! What we didn't like: the twelve previews we had to watch before the movie began!

I haven't thought about Plastic Jungle for a while, but I'm definitely going to get back to it. I had a quick look today and found cards for places I would use for sure. That isn't always the case. Of course, it will require a little planning ahead. But some places I know I will shop... like the Gap. I don't buy tons of things there, but spend $200-$300 per year between the whole family. Unfortunately, The Husband just ordered an iPad (old, bargain version! Ha!) and we didn't think of Plastic Jungle. If we had, he could have saved about $24.

More rain this week. We need it, I know, but it complicates the way everyone gets to school/work. We will survive, and hopefully a little suffering now will keep the water rates from skyrocketing this summer!

STILL waiting for our money to hit the IRAs. Not sure what has happened. The money is still in our regular checking and shows as "Pending" in the IRA. I will have to call Monday to find out what the heck has happened. It's been over a week, and it never takes that long.

The Husband and I each get a little bit of cash from all of his paychecks sent to our individual accounts. All other money we mix, but we decided years ago that we should each have our own stash that we could use for anything we want, without discussion from the other. It's not a huge amount that we get every other week, but enough to go out to lunch/coffee with a friend, or buy a book or two... But I haven't felt like spending in quite a while, so I'm building up a chunk there, too. And of course, the more that builds up, the less I want to spend it! I do want a pedicure, though, so might do that this weekend. And it does feel nice knowing that if I suddenly want a new wardrobe or something crazy, I can spend freely! The Husband is going to get an iPad soon because he hasn't been spending either.

Still frustrated with gas prices, in case you were wondering! The Husband and I both have to commute, and the higher prices are making a difference.

It won't be a thrilling weekend, other than not going to work! I'm planning to make pizza for dinner, and maybe some cookies today. There won't be any gardening this weekend, because it's supposed to rain. Hunger Games on Sunday!

Irritating... last week I decided to use a gift certificate that a friend had given me. It was for a haircut at a rather upscale salon, and she had gotten it at one of those fundraising auctions, but decided to stick with her regular hairstylist who does color, etc.

I'm very picky about my hair, and I have someone who usually cuts it who I LOVE. My hair is thin, fine and straight and it's difficult to cut. But I've been growing it out, and I just wanted an inch or so trimmed off the bottom, and I figured practically anyone could do that. And for free!

Long story... The free haircut was actually costly... the stylist didn't listen to me at all, added layers when I asked her not to, cut about three inches off and it looked terrible. So today I went to see my usual *fabulous* guy and he fixed it all and made my hair look great. But of course, I had to pay! So much for the free haircut... lesson learned. More than anything, it was a waste of time!

I went to Costco. $99.80!

The cheapest gas I could find today was $4.18 per gallon. Ouch.

And I snagged that $5 for $10 at Amazon before the sun was even up this morning. Sweet!

The swimbabies are excited about the new Hunger Games movie. Actually, I'm excited, too. I read all the books last summer, and I've been looking forward to the movie. I can't tell you the last time I went to a movie theater (we usually wait for DVD), but we are going this weekend! We had planned to go to the midnight movies on Thursday (well, Friday, really, since the official start of the movie is 12:01), but we decided to do a matinee on Saturday instead. Not sure that it will cost less, but I was getting nervous about being able to stay awake through it!

It's a busy week!

But yesterday I ordered new running shoes. I bought through Ebates, found a coupon code, and got my usual running shoes (which are normally about $110) for $62 and free shipping, plus I'll get 8% from Ebates! I can't wait until they arrive. My old ones are really worn out, and it will feel so great to run in new ones!

Today I got a message from our local health food store. Apparently I took a survey a few months ago -- I don't remember, but it sounds like me! And the reward for doing the survey, which was totally about this local store, is a gift card for $10! What a treat! Free health food!

Today I made more homemade goldfish crackers for the swimbabies' lunches. I made a giant batch, and after that, it had to be a quick dinner --- one of our comfort foods. One of our favorites: I cut potatoes in cubes and roast them in a tiny bit of oil until they are crispy. Everyone gets a pile of potatoes topped with a poached egg, plus strawberries and orange juice. Delicious and quick.

I'm trying to wait patiently for our IRA money to really hit the account. I know it's on it's way, but I get a thrill out of just seeing that higher balance. Right now, I think the money is in "Transferland" between our accounts, floating out there in the air somewhere! Hopefully it will all come together tomorrow.

On Friday, I fully funded IRAs for The Husband and me for 2011. Yes, a little behind schedule, but still, it's done now. I also send a considerable chunk of cash from short term savings to long term savings. It's just been sitting there, and since we haven't needed it, I decided to move it. Felt great! I'll start building up the short term fund next paycheck.

Yesterday I did some shopping at Target, with the old manufacturer's coupon combined with store coupon method. My total without sale or coupons should have been over $60. I paid $30 and got two $5 gift cards. Not fabulous, but I always try to just think about if I'd been in a hurry and paid the full $60. $30 savings for a few minute's time to use coupons is worth it to me.

Today I need to plan the week's menu, organize the Sunday paper coupons, and finish up the laundry. I KNOW! Exciting and glamorous!

I tried a ton of new recipes last week. Five different, new, main dishes plus three recipes for crackers (always trying to feed the swimbabies), two cupcake recipes, and one new soup. Amazingly, everything was delicious, and I'll be making all of it again. This was one thing that everyone really loved, and it will be going right back on the menu this week.

http://pinchofyum.com/chicken-tamale-pie

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I'm hoping to get tons done today. I want to make up caramel sauce and chocolate sauce that I use to fancy-up my coffee. I also found a recipe for homemade goldfish crackers, so I want to give that a try, and I'll probably make bread and cookies or cupcakes for next week because it will be particularly busy.

I also have to do a little shopping. Dislike. I need new running shoes, as do two of the swimbabies. And one kid needs new *unmentionables*, and The Husband needs a new pair of work shoes. I don't particularly like shopping, but I guess it will be good to cross it off the list.

Also on my list is a little fun at the drugstores! Rite Aid and CVS both have deals expiring today.

And I need to think of something for St. Patrick's Day dinner. We often make a meal of green things, like spinach pasta with pesto, green salad and mint pie, but I am thinking maybe pesto pizza with vegetables. And perhaps chocolate cupcakes with mint frosting. What are you having for dinner?

I cannot believe the gas prices! Today I paid $4.33 per gallon, and that was the cheapest I could find.

Totally unrelated, but I have been shopping for a raincoat. About a month ago, I found the one I wanted online, but then I couldn't decide if I should get it or not (Yes, of course I should! I really need a long raincoat to wear to work... my REI parka-style is terrible with dresses!)

So a couple of days later, I decided that I definitely wanted it. I got back on the website to order it, and it was gone. They only had it in size large, which won't work for me. So I pouted a little, scolded myself for not ordering it when I first found it, and moved on.

About a week later, I was going somewhere in the rain, and I thought, "Hmmm.... I wonder if they happened to get any more of those really cute raincoats?" So I got back on the website and sure enough! They have XS, S, M, L, and XL! I was so excited! A whole new shipment!

Just as I'm pulling out my wallet to order it, there's a semi-emergency at work and they need my help. "It'll just take a second," I hear from my colleague. So I left the browser window open with that adorable coat in my shopping cart! Forty-five minutes later I went back and they only had M, L, XL. I need a small. I considered ordering a medium, but thought better of it.

A few days later, I check again. Awesome! There's a small in stock. Oops. I just paid all the bills and will need to transfer money. I open another window and get on the bank website. Seriously. Unbelievable. TEN minutes later -- you guessed it!!-- no smalls!

Finally, a week later, all the planets and stars aligned, and the coat was in stock and I ordered it!

My new raincoat arrived today. It's perfect! A medium would have been too big, so I'm glad I waited for the small. It was well worth the hassle... it's black with a couple feminine details but definitely a classic! The style is perfect on me, and it's a little more fitted that most, which I like. The quality is excellent and I expect I'll have it for many years!

Oh, and I bought it through Ebates, of course, and the shipping was free! Happy rainy day!

It's been raining constantly since Monday. I can't complain because it hasn't rained much this winter, and we really need the water. But I'm cold!

I just want to stay inside and curl up with a book, a blanket, and a cup of tea. Um. Right. Uh-huh. Not going to happen, but it's fun to dream.

I'll be taking advantage of a one-day deal today... a dozen eggs for 69 cents (limit 3) ...yes, please.

For dinner, I'm making tomato basil soup, homemade biscuits, and salad. One good thing about rainy days is that I can sneak in something meatless, and the swimboy won't complain and ask for a blood meal.* For some reason, soup is acceptable when it's raining, though it's not at any other time...

Delicious biscuit recipe
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/flaky-buttermilk-biscuits-10000001853981/

(*swimboy doesn't really complain, but he loves his meat!)

While I was growing up, I didn't have access to cable television, and we could only watch two channels on our small black and white TV. It didn't matter a whole lot... I was busy with music lessons and swim team and school activities. It was a treat to visit my grandparents, who got four or five channels!

After graduating from college and getting my first job, my husband's dad commented, "Now you can afford cable!" His family was much more into television than mine was, and it was inconvenient for them to visit and not have access (especially to sports), apparently.

I didn't see any reason to get cable just because we could afford it, but the next summer there was some kind of promotion and we decided to try it. I remember the fun of realizing that I could watch an enormous variety of shows and movies whenever I wanted to. Very entertaining! And I was home all day, every day with my newborn, so I also had the freedom to watch whatever I wanted whenever I wanted to!

One day, I got a new recipe called "Oh Slap My Face Peach Cobbler," and listened to the guest chef talk about how it was THAT good. And it was. I made many cobblers that summer, experimenting with other fruits, just like they suggested on TV! I watched Wimbledon each day it aired, used the start of the evening news as a cue to fix dinner, and also caught bits of the many, crazy talk shows that were on. I learned about genetic testing, addictions, drugs, nutrition, gardening, decorating, parenting and home security. I became a Today Show faithful, always turning it on as I did housework or folded laundry in the mornings. I watched the local news at noon, and planned trips to the grocery store around Oprah's topics.

My undoing came in the middle of the night. I had that newborn, remember? And each night when she would wake for a feeding, I would plop myself down on the couch and turn on the television. I told myself that it was to help me stay awake while I fed her, but I think we all know the truth, don't we?! I distinctly remember one night when "Parenthood" came on HBO or Showtime or whatever it was, and I can't resist a Steve Martin movie! I love that movie! I started watching while my daughter nursed, continued watching as she fell asleep, and then sat there crying at the end... just as she woke for the next feeding!

Soon after that night, I insisted that my husband do whatever he could to get the cable cancelled immediately! I simply couldn't take it. And it had only been a month!

I haven't had that much free time since then, because we decided to give that precious little newborn a herd of siblings. We haven't watched a ton of TV since, either, because we just haven't been that interested, and well... we couldn't get all those great channels without cable. And we had learned that it really isn't worth the money for us.

But now we are able to watch a few shows on the internet through Hulu or Megavideo or Project Free TV or through some other websites my teens have found. We can watch most shows just a day after they air, and don't have to worry about "missing" anything.

We like to watch "The Big Bang Theory" (nerdy humor!) and "The Office" (not as good as it was when Michael Scott was around, no matter how much he got under our skin!) We have seen the pilot of "Touch," with Kiefer Sutherland, and can't wait for the second episode, which will air next week. We were instant fans of "White Collar," and "The Firm," and "30 Rock," and my kids like to watch "Glee" occasionally. Access by internet is perfect for us. We usually do a little catch up on Friday or Saturday nights or on rainy days or during vacations from school.

I calculated that my in-laws have spent more than $11,000 on cable since my father-in-law suggested we spend our money on it, too.

But we love watching over the internet. It doesn't interfere with real life and the price is just right!

I love shopping at my local Costco. I don't go for the samples, like my kids do, I go for the bargains.

And the entertainment. I'm simultaneously amused and shocked when I see some of the carts that people push up to the check out area. Piles and piles of chips (my favorite thing to hate!), lots of croissants, cakes, pizzas, sodas and other non-essential items. I know, I know, everyone gets to make their own decisions! But every time I shake my head at the craziness I see there.

When I shop at Costco, my bill is ALWAYS between $95 and $125 no matter what. I am not sure how it happens every single time. I've never gone over $125 in several years of shopping there. Very occasionally, I'll spend less. It doesn't seem to matter how often (or seldom) I go, or what I buy. Do I just have an internal clock-like limit? I'm never consciously paying attention to how much I buy. Instead, I'm monitoring the prices and whether each item is a good value or not. If we need it and it's a good price, into the cart it goes!

The good bargains at my store (I know that prices vary from location to location): flour, Tillamook cheese, Foster Farms chicken, eggs, butter, wheat bread, chocolate chips, ground turkey and milk.

Sometimes these things are a good price, but not always: berries, apples, grapefruit, oranges, avocados, carrots, salad mixes, chicken broth, and nuts.

Some of the items I buy I can sometimes get better deals with coupons (or make my own), but we go through enough of the item that it's worth a bit more money to have less hassle. Wheat bread is a good example. I make my own when I have time or buy it when I can get a great coupon deal, but I always need more. Same with eggs.

Last time I was at Costco, though, I got some great jeans! They are Calvin Klein and have cute pockets. They had just a few pairs left in the sizes at the ends of the spectrum (sorry, if you needed an 8-10-12, you were out of luck!), and oh yes, they had the right size and length for me. $24.99! I am thrilled. They fit me perfectly, look great and were certainly less than my favorite Gap jeans! I also picked up three pairs of Smartwool socks for $12.99, along with the groceries we needed.

The total? $115.72. Shrug and smile. Weird.

Well, many months ago... no... actually MANY months ago, I was driving on the freeway. Something fell off the truck in front of me and did a little damage. I had kids in the car, it was a very busy traffic time... and I didn't get the license plate number. Wish I had. The piece of whatever-it-was that hit my car wrecked a headlight, knocked a piece of decorative grill off and made a tiny dent.

I can live with the dent. It's really tiny (two fingerprint size?) And the decorative grill is cute, but not totally necessary. But the non-working headlight has been a problem. We have an enormous deductible, so knew we'd pair for the repair ourselves. Not a problem!

The Husband is pretty darn handy. He can fix anything in the house and most things on a car. But he has been extremely busy with work and commute and work travel for MANY months. And this is the car that I mostly drive, not him.

At one point, I took my car to a repair place in town to get an estimate. We've taken cars to this place for minor mechanical repairs and they have done decent work for a fair price. For the grill and headlight and a fog light, the estimate was $1000. I wasn't really surprised, and I was eager to get the light fixed...driving at night has been a constant worry...don't want to get pulled over! So I've mostly driven our other car at night.

So I was ready to pay the $1000. The owner of this car repair place said he had one more part to try to locate and find the price of, and he'd call me. Never did. Waited. No call. And then I got busy with life and didn't follow up.



Fast forward MANY months to last weekend. The Husband decides on the spur of the moment to order a headlight. Not sure what motivated him... The headlight cost $140, arrived this week, and it took The Husband no more than 6 minutes to pull the old one out and put the new one in.

Seriously! I've been driving with one headlight for MANY months. Well, really it's probably been four years. And it was that easy? And comparatively cheap?! Geez. Took MANY months, but eventually saved $860.

I loved driving the swimbabies around last night to their various events. It was all dark... and I had two headlights!

Why do we still have a land line?!

Truth is, it's for the internet connection. But I finally talked the husband into calling and cancelling the long distance, at least. Then we'd just have local and internet services. I've been pleading for this arrangement for a few years! I'm thrilled! Of course, that was this morning and the offices are closed on Saturday.

But... he took it upon himself to suggest that he also call the cable companies to see what kind of deal they have on just internet. Either way, it won't make a huge difference in our budget. But glad to be exploring again, looking for the very best deal!

The other day I went to the Gap to return something I'd bought for a daughter that she didn't like. I had paid with my debit card, and the cashier asked if cash back was okay. I agreed, and then she proceeded to tell me how it's so much better for the Gap to give cash back, because they are charged every time a card is swiped. Of course, I know this, but really?! She's trying to get my sympathy for a multimillion dollar corporation's card fees?! I get it, I really do. We used to own a business and I know that those fees add up. But really, the item I was returning was probably marked up to the tune of 600% and they are certainly making a hefty profit. Sheesh!

Bought our first basket of strawberries for the season yesterday... on sale for $1.66, and they were delicious! I wasn't too hopeful, as the first ones of the season are usually red but flavorless. But they were good enough that I'll be going back for another basket today.

I've spent the last few days re-organizing and cleaning the kitchen. It needed it. I found extra cooking utensils that we really don't use, and since they are taking up precious space in our tiny kitchen, I've decided they can go. I also found some vintage items that I'm just not attached to. I know they belonged to my grandmother and I loved her so much... but they are not her, and they are going, as well. So from the hours of rearranging, washing and taking stock of items in the kitchen, I have gleaned a small pile for eBay. Proceeds will go to one of our online savings accounts. I'm sure it won't be much, but that feeling of gaining space AND a few dollars always makes me feel good!

This particular online account is what I've been using for tiny little checks that come in the mail. A couple of times each week, we get a small check (under $20, usually) of some kind: rebate, Pinecone, medical reimbursement, etc. I have been collecting a few at a time and then sending them off (in pre-paid envelopes!) to the savings account. Ah, the joys of watching the balance go up! Slow, yes, but pretty steady. I guess it's where my "challenge" money has started to go. And I have never kept secrets from my husband, but he doesn't know what I've been doing with those checks. I'll surprise him when it's a substantial amount, send it to our regular savings and start over. So Shh! Don't tell!

Yesterday I baked a quick chocolate cake. I thought I just wanted a treat, but perhaps it was the purging of items that belonged to my grandmother that really set the project in motion. I haven't baked this particular cake in over a year, but it was her recipe. I didn't make the connection until long after it was cooked, frosted and half eaten! I also made sandwich rolls and a delicious batch of macaroni and cheese from a new recipe.

Today, I'm baking more sandwich rolls (so many kids to feed!) and some cookies for the freezer. Pulling chicken from the freezer for dinner. I will have to go to the store for milk (so many kids to feed!), but that's all we need for today.

Gas prices are downright crazy! Glad I can stay home today and work on more organizing and cleaning!

Chocolate Cake
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cubes butter
4 T. coca
1 c. water
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix sugar, flour and baking soda in a bowl. Heat together water, cocoa and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil and then pour on dry ingredients. Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Pour into 12" by 18" (like a cookie sheet) pan and bake for 20 minutes at 350.

Icing
1 cube butter
4 T. cocoa
6 T. buttermilk
1 pound powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Bring butter, cocoa and buttermilk to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add sugar and vanilla. Spread hot frosting on hot cake.

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