Crow67's Personal Finance Blog

Well stayed home day, cooked for fam for a few days. Did crockpot chicken, big pot of beans, meatloaf, and boiled potatoes. Since I don't get home until after 7, it gives them something to heat and eat.

My mom has decided that she and I need to go to Hawaii with my SIL and niece next summer. So, now I have to come up with more ways to save money for a trip. Not sure if DD1 and DD2 are going to go as well. So, on top of trying to save money to get ahead for our future, now have to figure out how to get money for trip.

At least I've got at least 13 months to save the money. I'm going to break it down weekly and see how much I need to have to reach my goal.

Okay, I know I missed a month, but I got lost somewhere along the way. So I've decided to start this month out right and get myself and my money back on track. Today, I spent $.60 for a candy bar (really bad chocolate craving) and a $1.00 a bottle of OJ (got really tired of the water). But on the plus side, did get a check in the mail for DD1 scrip that didn't show up when we first got on the new insurance. (that's going to the cc that I had to charge it on) she's Type 1 diabetic so and 3 month supply of just one of her insulins was $251 (got back $181) That's not doesn't include her other insulin and needles and test strips. Thank God for insurance, so or not. So, that's all I got for today, going to town with my Mom tomorrow where I know I'll at least get a free lunch.

It was suppose to be me, home, cleaning day. But it wasn't. Ended up taking DD1 to Branson to look for prom dress. Found one $140 (saleslady gave us 15% coupon)...sounds like a lot...but it was going to cost that much for to rent one. This way, I'll get some of my money back when I take it to the "speciality shop" after prom. That's how I paid for the rental last year. Took in 5 dresses and only had to pay about $20 for her dress. And she's wearing the same shoes to..(BF is shorter then she is so she can't wear heels)

Then we went to eat $23 for lunch and tip. And that was both of us bringing food back for lunch tomorrow.

Her 19th B-Day is Sunday, so she picked out a purse $20. So it's easier when she picks out her gift.

But I did get a lot of stuff down this morning. Cleaned out the utility room, did the kitchen and the dining room. Tomorrow I'm going to do the living room and the bathrooms and my bedroom.

It's spring cleaning around here...lol

Temps are suppose to be in the 50's and 60's this week here and so the heat went off last night and the windows were cracked open. DD2 opened her window last night when I got home from work, a little while later, she went in her room and goes "it smells like fresh air in here" had to laugh.

Had 4 no spend days' last week (yeah me). Was doing laundry last night and found $30 in pocket of my jeans (love doing laundry). Think I'll use it to pay off layaway for me. It was something I've had on layaway since before Christmas (my present to myself).

Well, going to check the weather and see if rain is in the forcast, if not, towels will go out on the big line to dry.

Talked to my bro today...hadn't talked in a couple of weeks...I knew that his FIL had been sick and in the hospital...He died last week...

And in the process of the call, found out bro had been part of a "work reduction" with the same company I had worked at for 18 yrs(small town, not a lot of work choices). He'd been there 23 yrs. So, now, age 50, he gets to start over again...Money's not a big problem (401's and all) but the big thing is the insurance...Cobra is outragoues (I know)but he has to have the insurance for SIL (meds the rest of her life, she's only 49)

Then add that, with all the stress of personal lives ( her mom, dad and our dad died within three months...her step mom and dad both having heart attacks as well and the families pretty well stressed)

But they both know I'll be there for them just like they've been there for me all my life.

You just never know.....

Went to wally world last night, hub had to have some more gloves for work. We picked up a few things, a couple bottles of pop and the 12 pk. (cheap kind) and they both had gone up between .14 and .18 in four days. (had the receipt in my purse from shopping this weekend.) So now, I'm going to have to make sure that my price book is redone so that I have an idea of what to budget for groceries. Not only did food go up, so did gas around here by .06 a gallon. Sometimes I think it's hopeless to try to set limits on stuff you have to have in your daily life.

yea...two days in a row, no spend...Everyone hates Monday's but it's my Friday so, it's okay...finished up with the laundry today...so tomorrow I'll put it up and get my clothes together for work for the next week or so...plan on having another no spend tomorrow, but I try not to make plans that far ahead...lol

Well, had my first no spend day for this month. Hoping to have at least 10. Hate working the weekends, had all my stuff done by noon yesterday. So, I just read my books and answered the phone on occasion. Got home, DD2 had her room cleaned and the kitchen was cleaned (thanks hub). Now I'm working on the laundry for the week. I try to do it once a week, except for hub's work clothes. That way the dryer is all warm. Found .81 in my jeans, not sure how it got there but I'm adding it to the $20 challenge.

Got my totals for yesterdays spending, so

$20 challenge
42.30
.81
______
43.11

Spending
261.67
6.04 (breakfast 2 days, lunch)
1.50 (pop)
15.02 (date night with hub)
55.09 (groceries)
______
339.22

"Have you ever seen a hand-sewn garment before the hems, buttons and seams are finished? It doesn't matter how beautiful the material is, it looks like a mess. Think of your life as custom tailoring. Address the quality touches." Hmmm...that was my horoscope for today...I take it that I need to custom tailor my life and that's what I'm working on. Tailoring my life to what I want. Today was a spend day. Will have to figure out totals later and post them. Brought stuff for lunch and dinner and then hub and I had "date night" and then got groceries.

Have decided that I will charge groceries on cc that we paid off last month but at the same time I will a check in the same amount as to pay off each month and get the rewards from the card. Will be interesting to see how that goes.

Got off work and the moon was big and bright. The kind where you just want to lay out and watch it...but 17 degrees just a little to cold for me.

Had a really good day to, opened an online account with my challenge money, plus the money I had left in my wallet this morning = $42.30

did 3 mins on stair climber before work

got a free cookie at the bank (couldn't resist double chocolate)

got my first raise

got back pay

got my checkbook balanced completely

overpaid cc from last month, get check back in 60 days

mailed off rebate for mom's phone

mailed off remburisment for DD's scrip

another 'snow day' at work got to wear jeans again

hub got tin of cookies as 'thank you' for buying new truck (would have preferred one less payment instead...lol)

_________
$20 challenge
$42.30

Spending
$257.42
.50 (pop)
3.75 (food at b-game hamburger, pop,
and popcorn)
________

$261.67

Well, like it say's everyone stayed home but me because of the snow...Which is usually normal (hub works outside alot and it's hard to get around the sidestreets). Made my lunch and I walked a few minutes on my 10 min breaks, so I've started on the weightloss train. Broke down and bought a soda at work for lunch (didn't have any at home) Kids are out again tomorrow, don't know about hub yet (depends on if it snows somemore tonight)

_____________
$20 challenge
15.67
.66 (found in other purse)
.50 (left from pop purchase)
------
16.83 (new total)

Spending
$256.92
.50 (pop)
-------
$257.42

Cancer (June 21 - Jul 22)

If you have been procrastinating about your money-related chores, it's your day to catch up now that the Moon is in your 2nd House of Personal Resources. You have a healthy attitude about doing finances, so you might just as well put yourself to work. One note of caution: be careful about talking yourself into buying something extravagant that you've been considering, as it may be best to save for a rainy day.

Well...it's snowing and they're fixing to let schools out here...DD1 called and told her to get home now, roads are starting to get slick. Cost $76 for dentist copay, plus $6.04 for scrip...$32.50 for puppy2 shots...vets says she's doing great...put on 2 lbs in three weeks... pot of beans on for supper tonight, cooking on the gas stove, they turn out better then in the crockpot

___________
$142.38 +$76 +$6.04 + $32.50 = $256.92

$20 Challange
$15.67

Hub has gone and headed for the dentist this morning,(he called yesterday afternoon and they got him in before 8 this morning) interested in seeing how our new insurance is going to do. Gave him two checks just in case. Going to take puppy2 in for her second round of shots and coming back home and spend the day cleaning house. May put on another pot of beans (it lasts four or five days) Then I'll figure out what I'm going to take for lunch. Know I have a couple cans of fruit I think I'll split up and take those as my snacks. Need to do exercise but my chest still hurts from all the coughing I've done the last few days. will update with totals for the day this evening.

why is it the one thing you need, but never really use that much, that's why you don't have it...is suddenly needed...

Hub came home with killer toothache (made appt. tomorrow for it, getting him in first thing in the morning)and of course, there is nothing in the med cab to work, so fast trip to town (10 miles one way) went to Walgreens and got the cheapest they had still $6.47 and DD2 wanted taco's (it was right next door) so 4 crunchy taco's and 2 soft (for MIL) another $5.82, so that's $12.29 to today's total

_________________________
$130.09 + 12.29 = $142.38
$14.59 + 1.08 = $15.67 for $20 challange

Already knew it wasn't going to be a no spend day for me...so, here goes what I spent

$65 for hair (highlighted, cut, and tip)
$11.49 lunch with DD1 (worth the price to spend time with her)
$11.85 for jeans (for her, first thing I've bought her since before Christmas, on sale suppose to have been $40)
$27.75 for tags for my truck
$14 at ex-company store (before discounts, after discounts $10.68) (sm pocket notebook to keep spending written(.40), 2 five subject notebooks for DD2 (3.52@), cold/hot bag (1.40), 2 toothpaste (1.06@)
bag noodles (.60), dog treat (2.00)

total spending for day $130.09
total savings in pocket $4.16
________

$20 challenge
$14.59

Well, made through the day only using one box of kleenex...not really good thing to do answer the phone while trying to blow your nose. ewww!! It was a no spend day for me (I spent nada)...but I did give DD2 $10 for the ballgame (she plays and she wouldn't have made it home in time to catch the bus to the game) But she just got home and handed me back the change...$4 and some change...so it was only a $5 for her.

I went through my purse and found change this morning...$6.43 so that's what I'm going to start my $20 Challange with...then I'm also going to add the $4 DD gave back so, I'm starting out with $10.43...(yea me!)

Filled out online survey at JCPenny this morning (hub had bought some shirts over the weekend..receipt says he saved $60!!!...yikes) but the survey is for 15% off next purchase reg or clearance (my favorite word)...may try to find DD's some clothes, since they both wear the same size and are 7 yrs apart (I save money on clothes but not the headache of Mom!!! I was going to wear that....)

Going to get my hair hightlighted tomorrow (already had the money put back) I only do it once a year, help hides the gray...lol

Also have to get tags for my truck...but they're not that high $25 for the year for mine. Hoping that's all the money I'm going to spend tomorrow...Day after I have to take Chole puppy to get her next shots (she's a pomapoo, and so adorable...and she was free...) So hopefully that's all I have to spend out of pocket this week...
____________

1-29 $20 Challange
10.43

Well, this was my first no spend day. Went to work and took all my goodies with me. I do most of the time anyways bring lunch and all. The big prob I have is buying pop at work. So, today, I grabbed two from the garage and took those, so no spend for me. Came home and didn't have to cook. Hub made to big pots of homemade soup (he'll eat most of it for the rest of the week), youngest DD made homemade biscuit pizza's. She learned how to do it at school. (she had to call me last week to figure out how to turn on stove and the timer) She had cooked extra for me so, no cook for me either for tonight. Which is a good thing, I've come down with a wicked cold. Which is not a good thing when you have to answer phones all day. Gone through a bag of cough drops in two days. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll feel better, if not, I'm off Tues and Wed (it's my weekend. I work TH-M). The good thing is when everyone is dreading Monday, I look forward to it (it's my Friday...lol) But starting this new job, it's kinda screwed up our lives, where I would be home in the evenings with the girls, now I'm home in the mornings and not there on the weekends and evenings until later. But I'm hopin' its only a temporary thing (looking to get a job in a different dept., same hours, but weekends would be free)...well I need to go and rest up and watch "The Devil Wears Prada" before masterpiece theater comes on with the rest of "Jane Eyre"...

I have been lurking...so to say...for the past couple of weeks, reading everyone's blogs. And I appauld everyone for laying open to the world some of what most consider to be "off limits"...our finances. I know I'm a little off for the New Year, but a year is a year, whenever it starts, so I'm starting today, Jan 27, as my new year. I have a rough idea of what debt I (we) have and I know that I am the one. So, I figure if I'm accountable to someone else besides my family, I'll do a better job of getting my and my family in better shape financial. I'll be 40 this year and I think it's time I grow up and learned to be very responsible.