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Home > Archive: November, 2009

Archive for November, 2009

11/30/09

December 1st, 2009 at 02:31 am

Hey, didn't spend anything today. I packed food for all day (chicken casserole and fruit) and managed to keep myself from thinking about spending money at the mall or the grocery store and was able to find something more useful to accomplish. Tried to get caught up at work and cleared files off my desk.Tonight, DH made dinner out of the freezer with enough left for lunches. Hope to have another day of using up food from the pantry, filling up my coffee cup from home and avoiding traffic from christmas shoppers. We have about 600.00 in major bills (insurance, propane, phone) to take care of this month. It is so nice to not be worried about where the money will come from. The next step will be to continue to add to our emergency fund.

last Sat. in Nov

November 29th, 2009 at 12:24 am

Today will be dedicated to cleaning and maintaining. Boring but necessary- sharpening a couple of knives(done)--wiping down cupboards--cleaning drains(baking soda and vinegar makes a great show, done)--cleaning out the car--checking tire pressure--wiping off floor mats(done)--coloring hair (done)

**clothes ready for the work week--**consolidating household files--
**manuals for appliances in one place--**clean off pantry counter. That ought to take rest of the day. No spending today. Dinner out of the freezer and refrigerator. Chicken stew with vegetables. Made a lot--leftovers for lunches for most of next week. We'll be out of town from Friday to Tuesday. Will use stuff up that might perish.

11/26/09

November 27th, 2009 at 03:13 am

Thanksgiving is finished. Thank goodness/ and here come the holidays...
I hope that I can be sensible around the black friday frenzy. My plan is to record my spending, to go shopping with a friend (most of my crazy shopping is done by myself) and to stop early for some exercise.
This holiday has been a little different without my Dad. He'd been gone (except for his sweet nature) for almost 5 years with his encroaching dementia. I'm sure he's some place with lots of fishing, lots of good food, Where old guys can tell wild stories on the bank of a river where no one's back hurts...Not too bad a place to go when you're tired.

11/24/09

November 25th, 2009 at 02:07 am

I've had the flu for the past couple of days. Hope to be well by Thanksgiving day...or sooner. I've realized that a function of financial responsibility is to hold tight and try to enjoy the day without thinking about spending and consuming. It's challenging to balance planning and deferred gratification.

Saturday

November 21st, 2009 at 09:23 pm

My running buddy stood me up this morning, got to run solo in the rain. It was early enough and rainy enough to keep people indoors, so no dodging dogs and folks out for a leisurely walk. My week-end routine has changed recently, but did include the usual walk through goodwill (no buying) and grocery outlet. I was too early for the turkey bowling event but the place was hopping. Got out of there quickly after buying more vegetables for turkey dinner #1.
Turkey cost $4.59
dressing mix .87
potatoes $1.00 for 10#
celery $1.50 for a lot
eggs $1.49 a dozen
can o' pumpkin from last year
fresh cranberries-freezer
brussel sprouts $2.00
butter-freezer
flour- pantry
sugar- pantry
canned milk -pantry
All this adds up to be less expensive than one of those dinners in a box which have always sounded kind of intriguing.

By this afternoon, our household bills will be paid and we'll be paying principle with extra cash!


Friday

November 21st, 2009 at 03:04 am

Today I only spent a few dollars I collected from the change jar on groceries. Brussel sprouts on sale at Top Foods... The refund check is in the bank and ready to pay this month's household bills. Tomorrow I'll pay them and the rest of the month is dedicated to principle payment on the HELOC.
update:
30 minutes of cardio
good dinner from the freezer
good Friday evening time with DH
Tomorrow is another day.

Thursday

November 20th, 2009 at 04:01 am

Thank goodness the weather settled down a little. I'm home from work and enjoying fishsticks and wine. Fishsticks in their many forms are my favorite kind of junk food. These were waiting in the freezer after being picked up from our local grocery outlet. Wine from there too.
I'm attempting to clean out the pantry and freezer to prepare for the new year. I'll have to find recipes for canned beans, olives, hotdogs and lots of chicken parts. The focus for the next week will be the turkey defrosting in the refrigerator. The plan is to cook the bird this week-end and have thanksgiving in 2 session- this Sunday and again on Thursday. I have all food for the sides stockpiled over the last week. I was actually able to use a few coupons other than the ones that the grocery stores have in their weekly flyers.
update:
**got 60 minutes of cardio tonight after work, running around the lake.
**got the thank you notes out
**scheduled dental appt-- next opening was 1/20/10
Friday-
1. deposit reconveyance refund check (we're still not sure what it means- but it must have come from the HELOC)
2. 60 min cardio
3. schedule car maintenance-ouch
4. look for change
5. clean out hygiene products we'll never use

Wednesday

November 19th, 2009 at 04:23 pm

My entry last night didn't go through because of the storm. Internet reception is poor at my house in the best circumstances-- but apparently something about the wind, power outage and sheets of rain affected my coverage.
So the update:
**bought stamps to send out thank you cards, almost $8.00
**didn't get 60 min of cardio--
**spent $11.00 at Goodwill-- prices there are getting too high( almost new pair of running shoes, nine west jacket)
**made dinner by candlelight(thank goodness for a gas stove, woodstove and city water. About 2 years ago our neighborhood was able to get a grant to upgrade our failing water system)

Tuesday

November 18th, 2009 at 04:22 am

There probably are some benefits to writing about financial goals. I realized early this morning that spending $400.00 on Christmas is unrealistic and pointless. After spending a few minutes calculating how I could meet the other money goals I set yesterday, spending on the holidays is definitely not a priority. DH and I have our retirement spreadsheets on the refrigerator and that is definitely a priority. I'm sure that if I were a more enlightened person I could enjoy my job and think about ways to contribute until my 67th birthday, but it's truly not in me now. As it is now, 70 months and counting until retirement. That means paying mortgage, heloc and DH's car. It can be done.

follow-up on yesterday:
got 60 min cardio (I liked the comment about not making a production. The weather here is going to be rainy for the next, um, 7 or 8 months-- and so it's got to be part of the daily activities)
cashed out CD deposited
clothes ready to go
no laundry completed

5 things tomorrow:
1. 60 minutes of cardio
2. make an appt with the dentist
3. notes to the Aunts
4. thank you notes for funeral stuff
5. buy stamps

the question-are you making your life more complicated?

November 17th, 2009 at 02:25 am

It's good to be back. My Dad died last week and it's been hard to get my equilibrium. I'm happy that he doesn't have to experience pain any longer and I'm aware that that true adulthood is here. In my world even if you have to provide care for your parents and don't agree with their choices, they're still in charge. I was lucky because my Dad and Step-mom were hard workers and my Step-mom was good at saving and economizing. They retired early with regular income and always saved a little money, even in retirement. I miss them both.

The question is, are you making your life more complicated? I'd have to say, sometimes. Credit card makes life more complicated because it limits your belief in your ability to do what you really want to do (even if it's a small amount). Bad lifestyle habits make life more complicated. Life over 50 is easier than it was in my 30's--although it would be nice to have some of that money in the bank right now and some of the strength and endurance in the body.

So, for tomorrow:
1. check on CD rollover
2. 60 minutes of cardio
3. laundry completed
4. clothes on the hanger for the next 4 days- makes exercise a lot more doable if your work clothes are ready to go at o'dark thirty.
5. pack lunch
6. cash in change and in the bank

Goals for the next 3 months:
1. emergency fund-$500.00 increase
2. house fund-increase $200.00
3. fun fund- increase $150.00
4. continue to max out deferred comp
5. christmas-$400.00