Just made a $91.00 trip to costco for the next two weeks. ?enus for the next week: chicken posole, pork roast, pizza and salad, zuchinni,green beans and cauliflower. I? Hoping to find an orphan zuchinni at work...but so far no dice.
In the home improvement area: roof and all associated work is finished, the acid stain on the basement floor is nearly finished, the new kitchen lighting is waiting to be wired, the woodshed was built from recovered wood, and the firewood is stacked. Everything was paid in cash. Our days of a vacation every couple of months are. Long gone!
The next focus will be to pay off the house asap. $1000.00 extra this month.

Trying to prepare for the new year like many others. This month, the plan is to actually spend 300.00 for 2 people on the grocery budget. If I have the food ready, DH doesn't stop by the store to buy dinner. So far, turkey porcupine meatballs, turkey muffin meatloaves, chicken and brown rice ready for 5 lunches and dinners for the next couple of weeks. According to NPR, home cooking is going to be a trend... we just have to have salad and vegetables in the refrig and we'll be set. $100.00 remaining of the food budget.
We've hung 2 loads of clothes in front of the woodstove and haven't used the dryer yet this week-end.
Mentally preparing for the garage sale that we'll have as soon as: the weather improves (less rain and temps up to 55), and when we've cleared out more junk. It's usually a social experience and accoring to DH, having a clear garage floor will be glorious!

There's a lull in the rain this morning. Thank goodness for that. Our roof was leaking yesterday (water drippping off the ceiling makes it very clear that our big priority must be saving for a new roof!) Our ceiling is wooden so it doesn't do damage to the sheetrock, but still...should we have buckets in the living room at our age?

Started doing inventory in the pantry, closets and garage to try to use more stuff up. After a month of not buying additional freezer stock, I can see inside instead of hoping nothing falls out on the floor.

Made an $800.00 payment to HELOC/total this month $1016.00.

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.

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!

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.

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

Ok, I had high hopes that I'd be able to report that I'd saved money, not spent money and used some good frugality ideas this week-end.

Instead, I spent more money than I have in in months. $720.00 in medical, 40.00 food and 40.00 recreation. Not good... but not the end of the world, I guess. DH will still be able to retire on schedule and we'll continue to pay on the HELOC and the mortgage.

Spent Sunday seeing my Dad in the nursing home, going grocery shopping and cooking for the week. My work has an annual chili contest and I'll be ready for that on Wednesday because I've made a smoking texas red chili this afternoon. I also made apple-sauce, cooked a pot roast and am baking potatoes as I sit here at the computer tonight.

Dh is asking me to empty the compost and so I'll close this week-end by filling up the compost with my delicious apple peelings. Good night everyone.