Nice Weather = (hopefully) Lower Power Bills

During the Summer, I made quite a few adjustments in how we were consuming power. My house was built in 1957 so the energy efficiency is terrible. Add to that that we have relatively no shade on the house and that generally equals outrageous power bills in the summertime months. This summer, I made a few adjustments that I think really helped keep the power bills down: I air dryed all of our clothes (and so far, I'm continuing this), I cooked more in the microwave and toaster oven than in the oven, we wore tank tops and shorts around the house, and we made better use of fans than we have in years past.

Those efforts helped generate summertime power bills than I've seen since I moved in to this place. And now moderate temperatures are helping me to keep those efforts going. While it is still getting into the 80s in the afternoons, the cooler overnight temperatures are cooling the house off sufficiently that we aren't having to turn the air conditioner on during the day. And although we've had a couple of nights were the temperature went down into the 40s outside, we've only had one morning where we were tempted to turn on the heat, but we just gritted our teeth and got through it. The still warm days are letting me continue with air drying the clothes, although it is taking longer than when it was 100 degrees outside. I'm continuing the practice of cooking as little as possible in the large oven and still relying on the microwave and toaster oven (with a family of just two, it can be very easy to cook small things in the toaster).

I've really been happy with the way this has worked out, and my budget has certainly appreciated it! Any suggestions for reducing our heating bills as the temperatures continue to cool will be most welcome!

Of Bedsheets and Togas

Yes, bedsheets and togas were what kept my mind occupied last night. Each week during football season, the high school has a different theme for the pep rally and the students dress up accordingly. So far this year they've had tie dye, cowboy, pajama, mix match, hip hop and the list goes on. Also, every year, they do a "Honor Thy Senior" Friday --- which for some reason they do not do the day of the Senior Pep Rally which features the Seniors in a more prominent role. (That was last Friday --- and yeah, it makes no sense to me, either).

As part of Honor Thy Senior, the Seniors dress up in togas. (Yeah, still not making a lot of sense to me, either, but I just go with it). So, when I got home from work yesterday, Princess Penelope told me we had to make a toga. Fun. So I scoured the linen closet for a white sheet. I managed to come up with one, a twin bed sheet, which is not ideal, but the only other white ones were the 406 thread count egyptian cotton sheets on my bed (which were a gift, by the way) and those were NOT going to be transformed into a toga! If you ever have to make a toga -- skip the rest of the internet and go straight to youtube --- it will save you TONS of time.

So we wrapped, and adjusted, and rewrapped and readjusted and finally got that twin size sheet into a suitable toga. Then there was the olive wreath or whatever it is that goes on the head. My first thought was to go snip some rosemary and wrap it with wire and such to make the wreath. However, it was now almost 10 and I didn't feel like trudging out to the garden, so i improvised. We had weighted balloon anchors that were covered in green mylar and green mylar palm leaves that needed to be thrown out. So I snipped the leaves off, wrapped them around green pipe cleaners, stapled them securely and ended up with a sparkly wreath thing. It works, and for all that she's a pretty mature for her age teen, the Princess still likes the sparkles so it got a thumbs up from her.

Now, to rewrap that toga again!!!!! Fun.

Phew! That Was Close!

Last week, I posted about how I only had $100 left til payday and after meeting a couple of obligations, that had me down to $63 to last roughly nine days. I figured out that I also had an additional $24 coming in due to expense reimbursements at work. That gave me a grand total of $87 to stretch for NINE days.

It really was not easy! Over the course of those 9 days I spent $63.81 on groceries (two publix runs and an aldi run for apples and cheese), $10 on gas (had to add a bit yesterday as I was woefully low) and $10 on eating out. That comes out to $83.81 --- $3.19 left.

It was tight, but I made it through. Barely. One thing I figured out is that when you are hyper aware of your spending, you really really second guess those impulse purchases and whether or not you really need to make those trips to the store. Or to the mall. Or to the bookstore.

Today is payday so I can breathe again. I promise, however, that I"m not going to go all crazy today. Although, I probably do need to actually fill up my car with gas!

Weekday Grocery Shopping

Did a quick trip to Publix after work today to take advantage of this week's penny item --- COFFEE! As I was going past the clearance rack, I noticed that they had Nivea Lip Balm on clearance - 2 for $2.99 --- and I had a coupon for $3 off 2 --- that means free lip balm!!!!!! Woo hoo!

Anyway, this is what I picked up today:

1 Angelsoft Toilet Paper
2 Mueller Pasta
3 Quaker Instant Oatmeal
1 Publix Cheddar Cheese
1 Dove Antiperspirant
1 Stouffers Famil Sized Meal
1 Velveeta Shells & Cheese
6 Campbell's Condensed Soups
1 Publix Coffee (penny item!)
2 Nivea Lip Balm (FREE!)

Spent: $26.41
Saved: $36.68 or 58%

Spook-tacular Fun!

I simply adore Halloween! I have always just loved decorating for Halloween almost as much as I do for Christmas! However, in the past year or so, I decided I didn't want quite so much hassle, and I also realized I was not using all of my stuff, so I started scaling back a bit. Not a ton, but a bit, and I promised myself I wouldn't purchase anything else until I was out of debt. (I think I fibbed to myself a bit).

Anyway, I spent part of Sunday afternoon getting the decorations up and out. I always have so much fun doing it, and thought I'd share a bit. The trio of ghosts coming out of the pumpkin was added to our collection when we moved into this house five years ago. Princess Penelope had ALWAYS wanted the inflatable yard decorations, but previously we had lived in a condo and so therefore that was impossible. We love our ghosts!

The bushes adorning the front of the house have orange lights twined through, with several sets of "peeping eyes" blinking out. I love the effect of those!

This throwback to yesteryear guy was my fib to myself. I found him at a garage sale this summer (along with a similarly styled Frosty the Snowman) --- got the pair for $5! I LOVE kitsch!

My mom picked up this smiling terracotta jack o' lantern at a arts & crafts show when I had my first apartment my junior year in college. He has followed me around for the last 20 years! He's one of my absolute favorites! He's seen a lot of Halloweens.

And last, my all time favorite -- Baby Boo! (Who I realize needs an iron taken to him!) My Mom made him for me the same year she bought me the jack o' lantern. We had one on our front door every year when I was growing up, so my Mom made one for each of us and our homes. He brings back  a lot of fabulous memories of both my own childhood and Princess Penelope's. Every time I consider putting something else up on the door in October, I always go back to Boo.

What's around your place this month?

The Costs of the Senior Year

 

Yesterday at Princess Penelope's school, they had a full class assembly just to go over ordering the graduation announcements, name cards, cap & gown and the various and sundry other items. Princess Penelope brought home the information packet and I thought I was going to have heart failure. Just to get the basics we will be spending approximately $250 --- the cost of renting the cap and gown alone is $60. Wow! They really have you where they want you, don't they? And I'm not talking ordering the foil lined envelopes or deluxe name cards or return address envelopes! I'm talking about JUST ordering the very basics.

And of course its all due on October 12 --- yes, just over a week to come up with that kind of cash. Time for some serious number crunching as I wasn't expecting it to be quite this much! Jimineez!!!!!!

A New Month and (hopefully) a New Attitude

Today is October 1. Woke up to a cool, clear, crips morning and I must say it feels fabulous! I also woke up feeling renewed and revived! I'll be heading off shortly to work an event for my side gig and I'm really excited about it! I'm truly hoping that today will jump start my month and make it really profitable! I could definitely use the extra income!

After that I'll get some things done around the house and then head off to watch football with friends. Part of my chores today will involve making a Get It Done List. I've got so many things that NEED doing that I'm almost overwhelmed by it all. I look around and start a task, then get side tracked and then finally give up. That is over! OVER I tell you! I'll make the list of what needs to be handled, then I will cross those tasks off as they are completed! Hopefully that will help my focus.

For spending, I have a new attitude, too! I am going to track every single penny --- last month was just way too out of hand!

So, new month, new attitude, new excitement about the side gig ---- Happy October Everyone!!!!!!