I didn't really grocery shop this week ... well, kind of. On Tuesday, I swung by Meijer to use up some rain checks that were expiring for beef round roasts and Fast Fixin' frozen chicken. The chicken wound up being a super deal when the cashier took the 1/2 price rain check to mean 1/2 off this week's sale price making them $1 each after the adjustment and a $1/1 coupon. 32oz bags of breaded frozen chicken for $1?! Yes, please.
Friday and Saturday, while out running other errands, we swung back into Meijer for the Super Weekend Sale. Friday included a handful of ingredients for stir-fry night because we had company, almost all of which we found on clearance ... yay! We needed mushrooms, baby corn, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, bell peppers (which are NOT in season ... which I still feel incredibly guilty about ... shhhhhh, don't tell, ok?), and pita.
Saturday was solely for the purpose of getting Buy 2, Get 3 Free 16.9oz 6pks of Dr. Pepper products. I have a house full of pop drinkers, and even though I continue to find 100 other ways to cut our grocery budget, they insist that pop cannot be cut entirely. *sigh* On this issue (unlike the ongoing prodding toward cancelling the cable), I do not intend to win. Instead I just make sure to stock up on great sales and call it good. We can't win them all, right? We really can't win them all when arguing exclusively with adults. 5 6pks including the bottle deposit was less than $11. That's good enough for me.
Now, confession time. Friday night, after making amazingly yummy cooked to order stir-fry, we wanted dessert. Sensible people would throw something together. Good hostesses would have prepared for this inevitability and made something ahead ... or at least had something good to pull from the freezer and defrost into dessert magic. I, on the other hand, was persuaded into the entirely non-Em act of 'running to the store' to 'pick up a few things' (read: CAKE!). Can you use your immense psycic ability to forecast how this turned out? Ha.
Yea.
We came home with 2 loaves of clearanced Italian Bread (for Saturday's french toast breakfast), 1 pkg of clearanced cheese bread twists, 1 clearanced 6 count cupcake tray, 1 cheese cake, a can of raspberry pie filling, 1/2 gallon of vanilla ice cream, and a clearanced strawberry rhubarb pie (Be capital L loves pie ... and I never buy it ... or make it, meanie I am). Yes, that's right, 'run to the store' alright. On the one hand, this is a never ever (ever ever ever) happens here occurrence and that inclines me to chalk it up to craziness and not worry about it. On the other hand, I'm kind of disappointed in myself for not a: being better prepared, b: being willing to come up with something on the fly from what we had on hand, and c: for getting a little clearanced baked good crazy. On top of all of that, it's a solid 15 mile drive from my house to Meijer ... which I happily drove at the time ... just for cake. Did I hit my head somewhere? Was I abducted by the pod people? I do love (Love!!) cake, but this is soooooooooooo not an Em thing to do. *hmph*
Forgive me, frugal bloggy readers, my name is Em and I have had a temporary relapse. For cake. And assorted other clearanced baked goods.
Simply,
Em.
14 February 2009
11 February 2009
WFMW: Condiments Galore!
For more WFMW, check out Rocks In My Dryer.
Photo: zen
In the past, when packing school or work lunches, I would squirt a bunch of the lunch-bearer's favorite condiments into tiny little plastic Tupperware containers and toss them in the bag. Nearly every lunch left the house with a wee fistful of those little buggers since we don't 'dress' sandwiches when packing them to prevent squishy nightmares at lunchtime. It's a good plan in that everyone can have what they want in their lunch, however it has failed us miserably on more than one occasion.
The lunch box gets left over the weekend in someone's desk with remnants of mayo left unused and forgotten ... a joy to clean out on Monday night when it finally makes its way home. The condiment containers have spilled, both because the lids didn't make it on tightly and because they simply bumped up against too many other things and came loose ... another evening spent trying to scrub mustard out of a nylon lunchbag. Or, my personal favorite, the person will not grab the containers, which have inevitably (and magically) wandered off in the middle of the night to some back corner of the fridge to party it up with their full size compadres ... leaving a complainy lunch eater with a dry sandwich or salad.
At the same time, when ever we got take out there would be a massive pile of those little packets of whatever sauce or substance is supposed to go with your food. There were always approximately 843 more of them than any one person needs in one meal, and at the end of the night they would make the trip from the counter to the trash can with the rest of the 'dishes'.
Then, it kind of hit me one night ... wouldn't it be fun to have those little packets in your lunch instead of potentially spilling, woefully oversized, and requiring a utensil to use containers? Ah ha! It's the simplest thing, really. When we get take out, the leftover sauce and condiment packets go in a plastic shoebox sized container on a shelf in the pantry. When I make lunches, they get tucked inside. Easy peasy! Plus, it's kind of fun to have mini-sizes of things you wouldn't think to pack in a lunch ... hot sauce, soy sauce, relish, and the like. It makes lunch more interesting, it keeps the lunch eaters in this house happier, and it saves me from doing extra dishes. Oh, and did I mention that the whole endeavor is free?! Hooray all around!
I mean, really, have you ever tried to scrub mustard out of nylon webbing?
Simply,
Em.
In the past, when packing school or work lunches, I would squirt a bunch of the lunch-bearer's favorite condiments into tiny little plastic Tupperware containers and toss them in the bag. Nearly every lunch left the house with a wee fistful of those little buggers since we don't 'dress' sandwiches when packing them to prevent squishy nightmares at lunchtime. It's a good plan in that everyone can have what they want in their lunch, however it has failed us miserably on more than one occasion.
The lunch box gets left over the weekend in someone's desk with remnants of mayo left unused and forgotten ... a joy to clean out on Monday night when it finally makes its way home. The condiment containers have spilled, both because the lids didn't make it on tightly and because they simply bumped up against too many other things and came loose ... another evening spent trying to scrub mustard out of a nylon lunchbag. Or, my personal favorite, the person will not grab the containers, which have inevitably (and magically) wandered off in the middle of the night to some back corner of the fridge to party it up with their full size compadres ... leaving a complainy lunch eater with a dry sandwich or salad.
At the same time, when ever we got take out there would be a massive pile of those little packets of whatever sauce or substance is supposed to go with your food. There were always approximately 843 more of them than any one person needs in one meal, and at the end of the night they would make the trip from the counter to the trash can with the rest of the 'dishes'.
Then, it kind of hit me one night ... wouldn't it be fun to have those little packets in your lunch instead of potentially spilling, woefully oversized, and requiring a utensil to use containers? Ah ha! It's the simplest thing, really. When we get take out, the leftover sauce and condiment packets go in a plastic shoebox sized container on a shelf in the pantry. When I make lunches, they get tucked inside. Easy peasy! Plus, it's kind of fun to have mini-sizes of things you wouldn't think to pack in a lunch ... hot sauce, soy sauce, relish, and the like. It makes lunch more interesting, it keeps the lunch eaters in this house happier, and it saves me from doing extra dishes. Oh, and did I mention that the whole endeavor is free?! Hooray all around!
I mean, really, have you ever tried to scrub mustard out of nylon webbing?
Simply,
Em.
10 February 2009
The Pinocchio of Bloggers ...
You know how Pinocchio asks all the time about being a 'real boy'? That's how I feel about blogging today. I never set out to be a 'real blogger'. I mostly wanted a place to share this crazy frugal life with a handful of my friends who both a: think me crazy for washing out ziplock bags and b: secretly want to be frugal-cool (... or not so secretly as in the case of my buddy WesO who thinks my breakout calculations of what dinner ingredients cost are fun ... nerds unite!). I never thought I'd be bloggy friends with a bunch of amazing people, or that I would participate in regular features like today's Gratituesday. Today brings the next big step ... a blog carnival.
If you follow me on facebook, you would have seen my status about entering the carnival yesterday. I entered the 164th edition of the Festival of Frugality hosted this week by Broke Grad Student, and my entry on the (not-so-traditional) way we reused our holiday wrapping paper this year was accepted for inclusion. If you're looking, it's second from the bottom, haha. Now, I'm not entirely sure how these bloggy carnivals work exactly. I have a small inclination that they accept everyone that writes anything at all related to the topic. I am ridiculously proud regardless.
Someday, I'll be a real blogger.
Simply,
Em.
If you follow me on facebook, you would have seen my status about entering the carnival yesterday. I entered the 164th edition of the Festival of Frugality hosted this week by Broke Grad Student, and my entry on the (not-so-traditional) way we reused our holiday wrapping paper this year was accepted for inclusion. If you're looking, it's second from the bottom, haha. Now, I'm not entirely sure how these bloggy carnivals work exactly. I have a small inclination that they accept everyone that writes anything at all related to the topic. I am ridiculously proud regardless.
Someday, I'll be a real blogger.
Simply,
Em.
Gratituesday: Sing-a-long Edition
For more Gratituesday, check out Laura's blog.
Em.
For this week's Gratituesday, I'm letting Leonard Cohen do the talking for me. The emphasis is mine. Turn it up.
Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the L-rd
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you
To a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I new you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
There was a time you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Halleluah
I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even through
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the L-rd of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah!
That David played, and it pleased the L-rd
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you
To a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I new you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
There was a time you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Halleluah
I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even through
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the L-rd of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah!
Always, very simply,
Em.
09 February 2009
Menu Plan Monday: Mutiny Edition
My family is trying to mutiny against the menu plan this week. As a compromise, we're making a list of meals, and not assigning days to them. I think this would be easier if they were all 2s and not 20s.
Cheesy Broccoli Alfredo
Ham Steaks, stuffing, green veggie
Mongo Night (stir fry to order a la the restaurant Mongolian BBQ), rice or tortillas
Whole roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, and green veggie
Chicken Pot Pies (w/leftover roasted chicken)
Everything but the Kitchen Sink Dinner Nachos
Leftovers, probably.
I'm hoping they don't actually start protesting out front. I wish you better luck keeping your families on menus than I seem to have.
Simply,
Em.
08 February 2009
Much to do on a Sunday ...
I would very much prefer to spend the entirety of every Sunday hanging out with my family, being crafty or playing a mean game of euchre. The reality of my work/school schedule, however, means that most Sundays are spent toiling away at homework and to do lists of things I didn't feel like doing earlier in the week. There is probably a better way to organize and routine-ize these things, but I digress.
In the interest of both reminding me and holding me accountable, my Sunday 2/8 to do list is below.
[] Menu for Monday
[] MM blog post
[] Checkbook balanced
[] Finish clearing off desk
[] Package up rebates for mailbox on Monday
[] Make phone calls to finish up pending order
[] Cafe Press order
[] Bribe someone into emptying the compost transfer bin
[] Tidy bedroom and night stand
[] Read Tuesday Anthro assignment
[] Write Tuesday/Thursday Anthro reactions
[] Listen to Soc assignment
[] Write Soc paper
[] Sort out coupons/ads from paper
[] Clip and file coupons
[] Read Thursday WGS assignment
[] Check master to do list for additional tasks
[] Consider nap, since I'm still up posting to do lists at 430am.
Are you a to do list maker? Feel free to post a link to yours, and we can be accountable together!
In the interest of both reminding me and holding me accountable, my Sunday 2/8 to do list is below.
[] Menu for Monday
[] MM blog post
[] Checkbook balanced
[] Finish clearing off desk
[] Package up rebates for mailbox on Monday
[] Make phone calls to finish up pending order
[] Cafe Press order
[] Bribe someone into emptying the compost transfer bin
[] Tidy bedroom and night stand
[] Read Tuesday Anthro assignment
[] Write Tuesday/Thursday Anthro reactions
[] Listen to Soc assignment
[] Write Soc paper
[] Sort out coupons/ads from paper
[] Clip and file coupons
[] Read Thursday WGS assignment
[] Check master to do list for additional tasks
[] Consider nap, since I'm still up posting to do lists at 430am.
Are you a to do list maker? Feel free to post a link to yours, and we can be accountable together!
07 February 2009
Super Saving Saturday: Late Night Walgreens Edition
Why in the world do I wait to shop until Saturday night? Haha. This week, it actually worked out.
First Stop: Costco
(I put the stuff away without paying attention to the actual sizes, and they aren't on my receipt. Rest assured, they are nothing short of gigantic containers.)
Schuler's Sharp Cheddar
Hummus (mmmmmmmmmy favorite!)
Land O Lakes Butter
Arm and Hammer Baking Soda
TOTAL: $23.69
Second Stop: Meijer
(I was going to use up my wee fistful of rainchecks tonight since this week's ad was less than impressive, but then the selection of items I had rainchecks for was also less than impressive. I will endeavor to shop Monday before they expire. We shall see ...)
2.23 lbs bananas, which I did not put in my cart ... (insert eye rolling): $1.32
2 Valu Time powdered garlic: $1
3.48 lbs ground beef clearanced to $1.75/lb: 6.09
4 avacados: $4
1 tray organic white mushrooms: $1
Mrs. Dash: $1.99 - 50c/1 coupon = $1.49
5 40oz Meijer hand soap refills: $14.85 - $3 Meijer brand cat = $11.85
2 46oz V8 juice: $6 - 50c/1 coupons = $5
5 Dry Cleaner's Secret single use packets clearanced to 79c: $3.95
(we use these instead of paying for regular dry cleaning ... they work great, and are so (!!) much cheaper ...)
TOTAL: $36.65
SAVED: $19.98 + $8 OYNO catalina generated by the hand soap = $27.98
Third Stop: Walgreens
(... and now, the fun part ...)
3 Glade Wisp Candles clearanced to $5: $15 - $5/1 coupons = FREE!
2 cans of BBQ Pringles on sale for 99c: $1.98 - 20c/2 coupon = $1.78
Garnier 100% Hair Color clearanced to $4.49 - $3/1 coupon = $1.49
2 Theraflu Warming Liquid: $10 - $1.50/1 coupons = $7
(-$6 rebate, below)
2 bags of Walgreens Orange Crush Vitamin C Drops: 90c
3 tubes Silk and Shine Blistex chapstick on sale for $1.99: $5.97 - 35c/1 coupons = $4.92
Crest Weekly Care Intensive Toothpaste: $3.99 - $3.99/1 mailer coupon = FREE!
Garnier Fructis Wonder Waves Shampoo: $3.99
(- $3.99 rebate, below)
4 Starbucks Truffles on special 2/$10: $20 - $6/2 Walgreens ESQ - $1/1 manufact. coupons = $4
Spiderman Activity book clearanced to 20c
Justice League Huge Activity book clearanced to $1
5 pk Ramen Noodles
(because my pre-tax subtotal was -70+ cents without them ... haha)
- $15 Walgreens OYNO catalinas from last week's deals
TOTAL: $3.01 ($2.73 of which was tax ... subtotal = 28c!!)
SAVED: $94.70 + $3.99 rebate for Garnier + $6 rebate for Theraflu = $104.69
Yes, that's right, Walgreens paid me $6.98 to take home all those lovely goods this evening. Thank you kindly, Mr. Walgreens, wherever you are. Ha.
TOTAL Spent: $63.35
TOTAL Saved: $132.67 ... huzzah!
Did you save a bundle this week? Tell me about it! I love hearing about other people's deals.
Simply,
Em.
First Stop: Costco
(I put the stuff away without paying attention to the actual sizes, and they aren't on my receipt. Rest assured, they are nothing short of gigantic containers.)
Schuler's Sharp Cheddar
Hummus (mmmmmmmmmy favorite!)
Land O Lakes Butter
Arm and Hammer Baking Soda
TOTAL: $23.69
Second Stop: Meijer
(I was going to use up my wee fistful of rainchecks tonight since this week's ad was less than impressive, but then the selection of items I had rainchecks for was also less than impressive. I will endeavor to shop Monday before they expire. We shall see ...)
2.23 lbs bananas, which I did not put in my cart ... (insert eye rolling): $1.32
2 Valu Time powdered garlic: $1
3.48 lbs ground beef clearanced to $1.75/lb: 6.09
4 avacados: $4
1 tray organic white mushrooms: $1
Mrs. Dash: $1.99 - 50c/1 coupon = $1.49
5 40oz Meijer hand soap refills: $14.85 - $3 Meijer brand cat = $11.85
2 46oz V8 juice: $6 - 50c/1 coupons = $5
5 Dry Cleaner's Secret single use packets clearanced to 79c: $3.95
(we use these instead of paying for regular dry cleaning ... they work great, and are so (!!) much cheaper ...)
TOTAL: $36.65
SAVED: $19.98 + $8 OYNO catalina generated by the hand soap = $27.98
Third Stop: Walgreens
(... and now, the fun part ...)
3 Glade Wisp Candles clearanced to $5: $15 - $5/1 coupons = FREE!
2 cans of BBQ Pringles on sale for 99c: $1.98 - 20c/2 coupon = $1.78
Garnier 100% Hair Color clearanced to $4.49 - $3/1 coupon = $1.49
2 Theraflu Warming Liquid: $10 - $1.50/1 coupons = $7
(-$6 rebate, below)
2 bags of Walgreens Orange Crush Vitamin C Drops: 90c
3 tubes Silk and Shine Blistex chapstick on sale for $1.99: $5.97 - 35c/1 coupons = $4.92
Crest Weekly Care Intensive Toothpaste: $3.99 - $3.99/1 mailer coupon = FREE!
Garnier Fructis Wonder Waves Shampoo: $3.99
(- $3.99 rebate, below)
4 Starbucks Truffles on special 2/$10: $20 - $6/2 Walgreens ESQ - $1/1 manufact. coupons = $4
Spiderman Activity book clearanced to 20c
Justice League Huge Activity book clearanced to $1
5 pk Ramen Noodles
(because my pre-tax subtotal was -70+ cents without them ... haha)
- $15 Walgreens OYNO catalinas from last week's deals
TOTAL: $3.01 ($2.73 of which was tax ... subtotal = 28c!!)
SAVED: $94.70 + $3.99 rebate for Garnier + $6 rebate for Theraflu = $104.69
Yes, that's right, Walgreens paid me $6.98 to take home all those lovely goods this evening. Thank you kindly, Mr. Walgreens, wherever you are. Ha.
TOTAL Spent: $63.35
TOTAL Saved: $132.67 ... huzzah!
Did you save a bundle this week? Tell me about it! I love hearing about other people's deals.
Simply,
Em.
05 February 2009
... but free is fun!
In my mailbox today, a check for $15 from Beck's for the Stella Artois purchase I made on New Year's Eve. 6 packs were on sale for $7.19 that day, and I had to buy 2 to qualify for the rebate. Ah yes, that's two 6 packs for $14.38 - the $15 rebate = 62c profit. Yay!
Then, a post at MoneySavingMom reminded me that one could sign up for a free subscription to Women's Day magazine. I used to pay for this magazine ... back when we had no sense about spending money on luxuries ... and now, I will soon be getting it for free! Double yay!
Two days ago, I got 2 $10 gift cards from MyPoints. One for Starbucks, and one for Panera. Have you joined MyPoints yet? You click through emails and rack up points which you then turn in for gift cards of your choosing. If you need help, I'd be more than happy to refer you. (/shameless plug) They also threw in 2 discount cards for $15 off any order at FTD.com. They currently have 12 multi-colored roses on sale for $17.99, fyi.
That same day, I got an envelope from 1800-flowers.com that had a gift card inside for $20. I scored it through a rebate I found that I had happened to have already purchsed the items for. We had done our holiday baking shopping, and the items needed for the rebate were things we had needed. I dug out the receipt (a bonus of being woefully behind on updating one's pricebook) and sent it in. Free flowers abound this month!
I seriously love getting things for free in the mail. These are just a handful of the lovely things the mailman has brought me recently. There was also the Juicy Juice sippy cup, a veritable ton of coupons from Vocalpoint, and a ton of sample sized items. I find freebies a great way to add to my budget either by including rebate money in my grocery budget, or by supplementing the items we need with samples. Just last weekend when we travelled to Debate States, I packed shampoo sample packets instead of a full sized bottle. Keep your eyes open for freebies and rebates. They're everywhere, and they're almost always worth the couple extra minutes to do the paperwork.
What have you gotten for free recently?
Simply,
Em.
Then, a post at MoneySavingMom reminded me that one could sign up for a free subscription to Women's Day magazine. I used to pay for this magazine ... back when we had no sense about spending money on luxuries ... and now, I will soon be getting it for free! Double yay!
Two days ago, I got 2 $10 gift cards from MyPoints. One for Starbucks, and one for Panera. Have you joined MyPoints yet? You click through emails and rack up points which you then turn in for gift cards of your choosing. If you need help, I'd be more than happy to refer you. (/shameless plug) They also threw in 2 discount cards for $15 off any order at FTD.com. They currently have 12 multi-colored roses on sale for $17.99, fyi.
That same day, I got an envelope from 1800-flowers.com that had a gift card inside for $20. I scored it through a rebate I found that I had happened to have already purchsed the items for. We had done our holiday baking shopping, and the items needed for the rebate were things we had needed. I dug out the receipt (a bonus of being woefully behind on updating one's pricebook) and sent it in. Free flowers abound this month!
I seriously love getting things for free in the mail. These are just a handful of the lovely things the mailman has brought me recently. There was also the Juicy Juice sippy cup, a veritable ton of coupons from Vocalpoint, and a ton of sample sized items. I find freebies a great way to add to my budget either by including rebate money in my grocery budget, or by supplementing the items we need with samples. Just last weekend when we travelled to Debate States, I packed shampoo sample packets instead of a full sized bottle. Keep your eyes open for freebies and rebates. They're everywhere, and they're almost always worth the couple extra minutes to do the paperwork.
What have you gotten for free recently?
Simply,
Em.
01 February 2009
Top 'o the Month: Welcome to February!
January was an alright money month here at GSF. I actually both happened upon some extra cash for the budget AND managed to save up the rest of the required 'Dream Savings' for our secret surprise. Now we can put future snowflake sized savings toward the last part of the debt instead. Hooray!
Here are the numbers ...
EFund: $1000.
This may need to be ramped up soon. We are still doing the 'no consistent income thing' with Be, and I would be more comfortable with a more significant amount of savings in the event that we need to start paying bills with it.
Dream Savings: DONE!
We saved everything we needed to and the secret will be revealed in a very short 24 days. Yay!
Jeep: $0!
PAID OFF this month. Yay!
GP: $4511.28
C1: $87
Yes, that's right, a drop of $400.
AV: $0
PAID OFF! Yay!
VSA: $12
Will be paid off this month. He had to use the card to keep the account active because he refuses to close the stupid thing. So, really, $0 because we won't be carrying a balance for more than a couple days. It's still lame.
It was a great money month here. We still have an EFund. All the bills got paid. We finished the savings for our surprise. We found an extra $400 to pay on the C1. The Jeep is now paid off. We had extra grocery budget money. It was good times all around. I like these kinds of months the best.
Simply,
Em.
Here are the numbers ...
EFund: $1000.
This may need to be ramped up soon. We are still doing the 'no consistent income thing' with Be, and I would be more comfortable with a more significant amount of savings in the event that we need to start paying bills with it.
Dream Savings: DONE!
We saved everything we needed to and the secret will be revealed in a very short 24 days. Yay!
Jeep: $0!
PAID OFF this month. Yay!
GP: $4511.28
C1: $87
Yes, that's right, a drop of $400.
AV: $0
PAID OFF! Yay!
VSA: $12
Will be paid off this month. He had to use the card to keep the account active because he refuses to close the stupid thing. So, really, $0 because we won't be carrying a balance for more than a couple days. It's still lame.
It was a great money month here. We still have an EFund. All the bills got paid. We finished the savings for our surprise. We found an extra $400 to pay on the C1. The Jeep is now paid off. We had extra grocery budget money. It was good times all around. I like these kinds of months the best.
Simply,
Em.
Links All Around!
I could tell you that I'm posting links despite my impossible Sunday schedule, but really I simply have a giant list of great reads from an evening of sitting on my couch, feet up, trying to recover from the whirlwind sleepless reality of coaching my kids through a high school level state debate tournament. Yes, it's 7pm and I am still in my pajamas. Slacker, am I (and loving it).
Angela at Random Musings wrote what may (hopefully) become a new regular feature highlighting sweet local Michigan products. I love buying local, and feel very strongly about supporting the (absolutely horrendous) Michigan economy any way I can. I encourage you to buy local as well. Or if nothing local meets your fancy, buy Michigan instead. We could use the help.
The Happy Housewife had a paper control problem, and posts about remedying it with a binder system. I think everyone on the planet may have a paper control problem, and this post may actually be the solution. We had a near meltdown over not being able to find a certain stack of paper at this very house earlier today, and I may have to consider switching my 2 file crates smashed full of too many folders hidden under a table system over to something else. Binders ... now that would prevent me from having to buy an evil (and super ugly) filing cabinet.
There is also a Hot Breakfast Challenge going on at the HH. We are those people with a ton of basically free cereal on our shelves, and since I'm not the throwing things away for no reason kind, it would be difficult for us to abandon our mass storage of fiber-laden goodness in favor of buying other (new) things. In the future, I absolutely agree with the merits of eating a hot and healthy breakfast. In the present, we need to get through the rows of cold cereal first. So, in the name of at least being healthy by eating breakfast in the first place (something we often skip around here), we will be doing a Not Hot Breakfast Challenge of our own this month. Join in! Breakfast all around, hot or cold, in February.
You know those commercials on TV about how 'cool' HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is? Yea, the ones put on and paid for by the 'Corn Council' or some equally entertaining and alliterative lobby group paid to find research to meet ideals rather than changing ideals based on research. Well, if you were at all compelled by them (the commercials), check out the recent article at The Good Human about mercury in HFCS. Eeeeeew, gross.
I love Sara and her fabulous blogging. I also love this snappy little number that she was doing a giveaway for last week. She is one snappy mama with wonderful taste in art and absolutely divine ideals. I *heart* her blog. You should too.
Sooooo, that's just the highlight of the sweet things I read this afternoon. There are tons more great posts in my reader I have yet to get through. Oh how I love having a blog reader so I don't miss all the great stuff when I'm not online. I hope you had a fab weekend, all.
Simply,
Em.
Angela at Random Musings wrote what may (hopefully) become a new regular feature highlighting sweet local Michigan products. I love buying local, and feel very strongly about supporting the (absolutely horrendous) Michigan economy any way I can. I encourage you to buy local as well. Or if nothing local meets your fancy, buy Michigan instead. We could use the help.
The Happy Housewife had a paper control problem, and posts about remedying it with a binder system. I think everyone on the planet may have a paper control problem, and this post may actually be the solution. We had a near meltdown over not being able to find a certain stack of paper at this very house earlier today, and I may have to consider switching my 2 file crates smashed full of too many folders hidden under a table system over to something else. Binders ... now that would prevent me from having to buy an evil (and super ugly) filing cabinet.
There is also a Hot Breakfast Challenge going on at the HH. We are those people with a ton of basically free cereal on our shelves, and since I'm not the throwing things away for no reason kind, it would be difficult for us to abandon our mass storage of fiber-laden goodness in favor of buying other (new) things. In the future, I absolutely agree with the merits of eating a hot and healthy breakfast. In the present, we need to get through the rows of cold cereal first. So, in the name of at least being healthy by eating breakfast in the first place (something we often skip around here), we will be doing a Not Hot Breakfast Challenge of our own this month. Join in! Breakfast all around, hot or cold, in February.
You know those commercials on TV about how 'cool' HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is? Yea, the ones put on and paid for by the 'Corn Council' or some equally entertaining and alliterative lobby group paid to find research to meet ideals rather than changing ideals based on research. Well, if you were at all compelled by them (the commercials), check out the recent article at The Good Human about mercury in HFCS. Eeeeeew, gross.
I love Sara and her fabulous blogging. I also love this snappy little number that she was doing a giveaway for last week. She is one snappy mama with wonderful taste in art and absolutely divine ideals. I *heart* her blog. You should too.
Sooooo, that's just the highlight of the sweet things I read this afternoon. There are tons more great posts in my reader I have yet to get through. Oh how I love having a blog reader so I don't miss all the great stuff when I'm not online. I hope you had a fab weekend, all.
Simply,
Em.
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