Its finally the end of May. I definitely had more month than money. I'm hoping that this month will be a bit more smooth. Or at least I won't be hemorraghing money the entire month! The end of the month numbers are UGLY! I want prettier numbers this month!
Since my brother and I opted not to exchange birthday gifts this year, I can cross that budgeted June expense off my list. Now if we can just get this ridge of high pressure to budge from over our state, I might just be spared from having a heart attack when I open up my power bill this month! One can hope! We received Princess Penelope's June basketball schedule in the mail. Workouts will commence next week. I do have to add in a new pair of basketball shoes to the mix. Time to start sale searching for those for certain! And she needs several new pairs of shorts.
I"m trying to figure out where I can cut expenses this month. I'm hoping my money saving mojo is kicking back in! Its time to really get serious about it! Have you heard that before?!?!?! Oh, well, I'm trying and I guess that's what ultimately counts!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Go, go, go, go, go....
On the Go. That will be my complete and total focus today and tomorrow. Graduation and birthday celebrations will take front and center this Memorial Day weekend. Today, my nephew graduates from High School. We will be heading to a brunch in his honor shortly. After that, we will head to the Civic Center for the graduation itself. That will comprise almost all of our day today. Fortunately, I got up early this morning to get a few things done since I KNEW the rest of the day would go by without any progress in the house. I've watered the outdoor garden beds (WHEN is it ever going to RAIN again?), I've fed the compost bin, I've weeded some and cut back bushes. I've straightened up inside the house (one of Princess Penelope's friends will be spending the night tonight because her parents are out of town). And I've consumed massive amounts of coffee. All in all, a productive morning.
Tomorrow, since my brother is in town for my nephew's graduation, the family will be getting together to celebrate for both of us (his birthday is in June and its unlikely he will get back home before then). He came by yesterday afternoon and we discussed what we both wanted for our birthdays. We came to the conclusion that both of us had enough stuff, and since neither of us could figure out what we actually wanted, we'd just skip getting presents for each other this year, because basically we'd just be exchanging gift cards. Money is really tight for him right now, and since I'm on my get-out-of-debt-get-Princess-to-college-quest, it seems rather pointless to exchange gift cards for things we don't need when neither of us has extra money. This works for us -- and for our bank accounts.
Time to go get ready for the fabulous day ahead!
Tomorrow, since my brother is in town for my nephew's graduation, the family will be getting together to celebrate for both of us (his birthday is in June and its unlikely he will get back home before then). He came by yesterday afternoon and we discussed what we both wanted for our birthdays. We came to the conclusion that both of us had enough stuff, and since neither of us could figure out what we actually wanted, we'd just skip getting presents for each other this year, because basically we'd just be exchanging gift cards. Money is really tight for him right now, and since I'm on my get-out-of-debt-get-Princess-to-college-quest, it seems rather pointless to exchange gift cards for things we don't need when neither of us has extra money. This works for us -- and for our bank accounts.
Time to go get ready for the fabulous day ahead!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Job Hunting
No, I'm not job hunting -- I love my job ---and my side gig too! However, Princess Penelope is on the hunt for a job. And its been a frustrating process! Very few people seem to be hiring teenagers. And to add to that woe, many that are actually hiring won't hire until the teen turns 17. Which Princess Penelope will not do until late July.
She's looking for a job for several reasons: 1. She wants more spending money and knows I don't have it to hand out. 2. She has some things she wants and knows she needs to save up for them, and her allowance only goes so far! 3. She wants to put some money aside for college expenses. All in all, these are reasonable and acceptable goals.
Earlier this week she filled out an application to work as a hostess at a restaurant. The application specifically asked "Can you prove that you are age 16 or older?" She marked "yes". So, today, she was called in for an interview. There were 3 other interview candidates. The people conducting the interviews asked them as a group -- "Are you all at least 17?" Princess stated that she wouldn't be 17 until July. So, they asked her to come back then. She was a bit crushed to say the least.
Several things about this situation frustrate us completely: 1. The application itself made no mention of age 17, only 16. 2. On the application she was required to put her date of birth. So basically they pulled her application, called her in for the interview when she didn't even meet their most basic eligibility requirements. 3. She wasted an entire afternoon getting ready for the interview, then going to the interview, then just being shot down -- when she could have been out pounding the pavement looking elsewhere. 4. Wasted gas = wasted money. It costs way too much to run all over town for nothing.
All of this because the person in the hiring position at this particular place can't do the most basic requirements of his job -- which is actually read through the applications to be sure the applicants he is calling are indeed suited for the position. Laziness and ineptitude irritate me to no end.
So, Princess Penelope is out there again, pounding the pavement looking for a job. Let's hope she catches a break soon!
She's looking for a job for several reasons: 1. She wants more spending money and knows I don't have it to hand out. 2. She has some things she wants and knows she needs to save up for them, and her allowance only goes so far! 3. She wants to put some money aside for college expenses. All in all, these are reasonable and acceptable goals.
Earlier this week she filled out an application to work as a hostess at a restaurant. The application specifically asked "Can you prove that you are age 16 or older?" She marked "yes". So, today, she was called in for an interview. There were 3 other interview candidates. The people conducting the interviews asked them as a group -- "Are you all at least 17?" Princess stated that she wouldn't be 17 until July. So, they asked her to come back then. She was a bit crushed to say the least.
Several things about this situation frustrate us completely: 1. The application itself made no mention of age 17, only 16. 2. On the application she was required to put her date of birth. So basically they pulled her application, called her in for the interview when she didn't even meet their most basic eligibility requirements. 3. She wasted an entire afternoon getting ready for the interview, then going to the interview, then just being shot down -- when she could have been out pounding the pavement looking elsewhere. 4. Wasted gas = wasted money. It costs way too much to run all over town for nothing.
All of this because the person in the hiring position at this particular place can't do the most basic requirements of his job -- which is actually read through the applications to be sure the applicants he is calling are indeed suited for the position. Laziness and ineptitude irritate me to no end.
So, Princess Penelope is out there again, pounding the pavement looking for a job. Let's hope she catches a break soon!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Water Conservation
I love to garden. Working in the dirt makes me absolutely positively happy! I'm really pretty good with flowers.... veggies....not so much.
Since starting to garden, I have lamented my high water and sewer bills during the summer months. The
county sewer system is linked up to our water system (we are billed for sewer based on water usage), and due to massive corruption and ill advised bond swaps, the system (and therefore the County) has been teetering on the edge of bankruptcy for the past few years. And who do you think gets to pay the costs of the corruption? Yes, that would be the users. I have no problem paying for my usage. What I do have a problem with is paying for the corrupt politicians whose pocket lining made the usage costs sky high. Add on a few summer droughts and you've got gargantuan bills!
To combat the issue, I've taken a few steps to reduce our water usage. I've installed low flow toilets, low flow shower heads (word to the wise, older houses with really old pipes can be disagreeable to this...tread carefully) and I started catching rain in buckets for later use in the garden. The catching rain in buckets was a help, but it was definitely labor intensive and not the most time efficient. So, this year as my birthday rolled around, when family would ask what I wanted for my birthday, I kept saying a rain barrel.... the conversation went something like this:
Family: So, what do you want for your birthday?
Me: I really, really, really want a rain barrel.
Family: But that's so PRACTICAL! We want to get you something FUN!
Me: Gardening is FUN! So, a rainbarrel to make my posies all perky is FUN!
Family: (Rolled eyes)
Me: Where do I spend all my time in the spring and summer?
Family: In your garden....
Me: And why do I do it?
Family: Because you're just a little bit crazy?
Me: (Huffs)
Anyway, all that was a long way of saying the family came through! And I am now the proud owner of a rain barrel! Which now, I just have to figure out how to hook up!
But in the meantime, here are a few things blooming right this minute:
Daylilies
More Daylilies
Asters
Hmmmm..... I love Spring!
county sewer system is linked up to our water system (we are billed for sewer based on water usage), and due to massive corruption and ill advised bond swaps, the system (and therefore the County) has been teetering on the edge of bankruptcy for the past few years. And who do you think gets to pay the costs of the corruption? Yes, that would be the users. I have no problem paying for my usage. What I do have a problem with is paying for the corrupt politicians whose pocket lining made the usage costs sky high. Add on a few summer droughts and you've got gargantuan bills!
To combat the issue, I've taken a few steps to reduce our water usage. I've installed low flow toilets, low flow shower heads (word to the wise, older houses with really old pipes can be disagreeable to this...tread carefully) and I started catching rain in buckets for later use in the garden. The catching rain in buckets was a help, but it was definitely labor intensive and not the most time efficient. So, this year as my birthday rolled around, when family would ask what I wanted for my birthday, I kept saying a rain barrel.... the conversation went something like this:
Family: So, what do you want for your birthday?
Me: I really, really, really want a rain barrel.
Family: But that's so PRACTICAL! We want to get you something FUN!
Me: Gardening is FUN! So, a rainbarrel to make my posies all perky is FUN!
Family: (Rolled eyes)
Me: Where do I spend all my time in the spring and summer?
Family: In your garden....
Me: And why do I do it?
Family: Because you're just a little bit crazy?
Me: (Huffs)
Anyway, all that was a long way of saying the family came through! And I am now the proud owner of a rain barrel! Which now, I just have to figure out how to hook up!
But in the meantime, here are a few things blooming right this minute:
Daylilies
More Daylilies
Asters
Hmmmm..... I love Spring!
Finally!
I had all kinds of stuff I wanted to talk about yesterday, but for some reason I couldn't sign in to Blogger for at least 24 hours. Frustrating, yes? Apparently, I'm way too much of a newbie to follow half of what was being said on the help forum. Finally, I woke up this morning, and they had it in plain English. Yea! Of course now, I can't remember what I wanted to talk about (I need to write this stuff down!) So for now, Happy Friday!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Getting the Shopping Done
I was watching Extreme Couponers but that show still kind of freaks me out. I like food. I like makeup. And Shampoo. And toothpaste. But I don't want to live with it surrounding me constantly. Extreme is just not for me. Princess Penelope watched a bit of it, and decided that my "stockpile" of five bags of coffee and laundry detergent wasn't as weird as she thought.
Anyway, I got off of work a bit early today, so I headed to Publix to do my Wednesday shopping. I love when I can get over there on Wednesdays!!!!! Penny Items Rock! Yes, this is heavy on crap food -- summer has now begun and I will have teenagers over constantly, and for some reason, they always want to make ramen noodles or mac n'cheese. Go figure. I will pick up produce this weekend, and right now I'm stocked on meat unless I hit an unbeatable sale.
This is how I did:
1 Tyson Annytizers
2 Gatorade Lemon Lime
1 Fig Newtons (I love these and I never see them on sale when I have a coupon! So SCORE!)
1 Ritz Crackerful
2 Kraft Salad Dressings
5 Ramen Noodles
1 Publix Window Cleaner (penny item)
2 Publix Mac N Cheese
1 Lawry's Marinade
1 Lloyds Barbeque
1 Angel Soft 12 Roll (with Bonus 20% more)
1 Wavy Lay's
3 Crystal Light Cranberry Apple
Spent: $30.99
Saved: $37.01 or 54%
CVS-ing
Lately I have neglected CVS-ing.... to busy, stocked well enough....blah, blah, blah. As it happens, CVS has a deal this week, buy Stride Gum at .99, get .99 ECB back. I know my inattention to detail is helping to contribute to my bottom line defiict, so I need to get back into it pronto! Princess Penelope is a gum addict so I'm always eager to pick it up for her cheap.... otherwise, Momma's not buyin'!
Anyway, I happened to have a BOGO coupon for the Stride Gum too, so that was going to reduce it down to 2 packs for .99 plus getting the ECB back... so my net cost would just be tax. Anyway, I rummage through my coupon holder and realize I have a CVS coupon for $3 off of any pain reliever purchase. Hmmmm, this deal is getting better and better. So I go back to the pain reliever aisle and snag a 24 ct. bottle of CVS Ibuprofen for $2.87, fully expecting them to adjust the coupon down. When I go to check out, they give me the full $3 credit for the coupon, and the normal price of $1.49 for the gum! Ethically speaking, I will say that I did try to point out that I was only paying .99 for gum and $2.87 for the ibuprofen, but the cashier who is a manager, too, just shrugged her shoulders and said "It took it." Well Okay, then..... So after all that, this is how I did:
Spent .53
Saved: $5.32
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