Subtitle: And how I am O.K. with it.
My Mom is moving. In doing so, she is consolidating her possessions, and sending much of the excess my way. Particularly the excess that is somehow related to my childhood. Lately, I have had to sort through boxes and boxes of old pictures, baby clothes, school projects and general knick knackery associated with my youth. I am actually kind of amazed with what she kept, as my mother isn't much of a pack rat. I am also amazed at what truly does not matter to me.
I definitely grew up lower middle class, but we were never lacking for 'Stuff'. I always had what was needed and then some. This has left me with a small stash of somewhat valuable, collectible, now vintage toys. Namely, an American Girl Doll circa 1988 and various accoutrement. This doll was a big deal when I got it. It was almost my whole Christmas present that year. My best friend also had one. It was something I had coveted for ages. They were not cheap, so I am sure my Mom really had to do some work to swing it.
As it turns out. This thing has a significant re-sell value. The doll in question is now retired. The company has since been purchase by Matel, making the pre-Matel dolls, like I have, more valuable. Huh. Wow. I think that's better than it sitting in my closet.
Even though I have all these great memories associated with this doll, and what my parents did to get it for me, I don't feel those are diminished by not actually having the item anymore. Its not like I get the thing out and think fondly of my parents. It just sits there. On the off chance I do have a daughter, she is going to want her own doll and her own memories. My story isn't going to mean a whole lot to an eight year old. I have been wracking my brain about it, and I can't find a reason to keep it.
This isn't the only item I feel this way about, although its probably the most valuable. The money will certainly be nice to have right now, but more than that. There just isn't any reason to hang on to what isn't enhancing my life in any way.
People collect these things and find enjoyment from that. I don't. It's that simple.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Unemployed Husband
The Husband has had some free time lately, to say the least. As I've mentioned, he has been doing a great job on picking up some ad hoc work and earning extra income. In addition, he has been busy around the house, accomplishing some of those little projects you just never seem to have time for. Well, until, ya know, you don't have a job.
Insulation and Caulking
He did an inspection of the exterior of the house, identifying some significant nooks and crannies that needed to be filled in, primarily around the front windows and the electric meter. He was mostly able to use tubes of caulk we had in the garage. For the small required purchases, he used a gift card from Christmas.
Painting
When we bought this house, it came with a pretty large supply of interior paint. Indentifying and using this paint has been on the to-do list for quite some time. The Husband did a complete inventory of the garage paint, labeling everything we could use and giving the rest to a friend. Then he did a round of touch up painting. The house looks very nice!
Selling & Donating
We have been doing the great purge of 'stuff' from our house. We've been working together on the sorting and going through, but the Husband has been handling the running around town to sell to various used and consignment stores. As well as taking the donations to Goodwill and getting us receipts for next years taxes. This is always my least favorite part of the process, so I am very happy he has taken the lead.
Install Compost Bins
He put in two food waste compost bins in the backyard. This should enable us to cancel our yard waste service, there by lowering our garbage bill over all.
Riding his Motorcycle
Ok, so this is a win-win for both of us. He enjoys it and it saves us money on gas for running simple errands around town. The weather here has been pretty nice *knock on wood*. He has been loading up his backpack and taking his bike every chance he gets. Its $8 to fill up that tank vs. the $50 to fill up the SUV. Pretty significant savings.
I am really proud of the Husband. Even though he has been out of work almost a month now, with no end in sight, he has been doing a really good job of keeping busy. He is maintaining work contacts and keeping himself out there, but also accomplishing some very real progress around here. As this stretches on, I think we are going to begin to struggle to find meaningful, productive things to keep him going.
The word for March will be: Brainstorming.
Insulation and Caulking
He did an inspection of the exterior of the house, identifying some significant nooks and crannies that needed to be filled in, primarily around the front windows and the electric meter. He was mostly able to use tubes of caulk we had in the garage. For the small required purchases, he used a gift card from Christmas.
Painting
When we bought this house, it came with a pretty large supply of interior paint. Indentifying and using this paint has been on the to-do list for quite some time. The Husband did a complete inventory of the garage paint, labeling everything we could use and giving the rest to a friend. Then he did a round of touch up painting. The house looks very nice!
Selling & Donating
We have been doing the great purge of 'stuff' from our house. We've been working together on the sorting and going through, but the Husband has been handling the running around town to sell to various used and consignment stores. As well as taking the donations to Goodwill and getting us receipts for next years taxes. This is always my least favorite part of the process, so I am very happy he has taken the lead.
Install Compost Bins
He put in two food waste compost bins in the backyard. This should enable us to cancel our yard waste service, there by lowering our garbage bill over all.
Riding his Motorcycle
Ok, so this is a win-win for both of us. He enjoys it and it saves us money on gas for running simple errands around town. The weather here has been pretty nice *knock on wood*. He has been loading up his backpack and taking his bike every chance he gets. Its $8 to fill up that tank vs. the $50 to fill up the SUV. Pretty significant savings.
I am really proud of the Husband. Even though he has been out of work almost a month now, with no end in sight, he has been doing a really good job of keeping busy. He is maintaining work contacts and keeping himself out there, but also accomplishing some very real progress around here. As this stretches on, I think we are going to begin to struggle to find meaningful, productive things to keep him going.
The word for March will be: Brainstorming.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Saving Money on Pets - Part 1
This blog is called Dogs or Dollars for a reason. Thus far, I haven't really been bringing my critters into it. Let me assure you, they play a very important role in my life. One of the key reasons, I quit my job and pursued something new and totally different is because of my love for working with people, their pets and my desire to share what I have learned from my experiences with my own menagerie.
Yes, I said menagerie. I have dogs and cats. Too many by most peoples standards. No, my house is not filthy. Yes, my critters are all happy scrappy. No, I wouldn't have it any other way. Does that about cover it?
I feel compelled to say, I am not a pet expert. I just play one at home and work. I have taught dog training classes to the public, (plus taken each of my dogs through I can't even remember how many), taken seminars on natural care and feeding, been a rescue foster home/dog evaluator/general volunteer, done pet-sitting, and been through umpteen million behavioral and medical issues with both my fosters and my own dogs and cats. Now a days, I answer pet-related questions for a living. It is my job to stay current on food, supplements and supplies. The things I get asked on a day to day basis are literally all over the map. Thankfully, I love this stuff. I spend a lot of my free time reading, researching, and talking about it. In the pet world there are always a whole lot of opinions, so take the following for what you will.
This is a sampling of my list of tricks, tips and just general knowledge which have saved me thousands of dollars over the course of the last decade. Things I wish everyone knew.
Feed your Pets the best food you can afford.
Yes, it is absolutely more expensive. I spend somewhere in the $50 to $60 range for a 30lb bag of dog food. My oldest dogs are 10, and I have been doing this for most of their lives. I also have breeds of dogs which are very prone to a whole slew of health problems; allergies, skin & coat issues, urinary crystals, and obesity just to name a few. My dogs have never suffered from a single one of these. Call it the luck of the draw, but none of my gang are from 'good stock'. Just like with us, I attribute much of their overall health to a good quality diet. Which brings me to the next point...
Don't Overfeed.
Food does not equal love. Seriously. I keep my dogs lean and mean. Once again, I attribute this to their lack of joint issues and overall good health. Their should be a visible tuck to your dogs waist visible from all sides. I can sometimes even see a rib or two if a dog is turning away from me. Awesome! Dogs should be physically fit! Plus, who can afford to overfeed their dogs? Its absolutely wasted money. My rules of thumb are to take the feeding guidelines from the food bag, and reduce it by 10%. I also look at my dogs before each feeding. Are they looking thin or thick? How much exercise have we had lately? This determines how much I am going to put in their bowl at a particular moment.
Supplement and Vary.
With variety and good products. Our pets don't need to eat the same cereal everyday for the rest of their lives. No wonder they have gastrointestinal issues with a change in food. I bet if you ate the exact same thing for 6 months and then changed it, you'd have the same problem. Keep their systems robust! I change up their diets constantly. We switch kibbles every 3-4 months. On a weekly basis I add fresh meat and vegetables, and limited amounts of dairy. The tub of spinach look a little wilty? Chop it up and throw it in the dogs bowl. Don't know what to do with the last bit of chicken broth? Soak the kibble in it. It uses up the last bits of my food, keeps the dogs happy, and helps my pet food bill. My dogs and cats can switch food with nary a sniff. No runs. No slow switches. Their systems are used to the variety and tolerate it no problem.
Raw Bones.
I can not tell you how much money this has saved me in doggy dental work. For less than the price of a latte per dog, I buy each of them a frozen beef (or bison) knuckle bone. Not the smoked or cured ones. No, a raw bone. In the summer they get them outside. The rest of the year, they are an in the kennel treat. I do this in place of their dinner once a week, and they love it. We watch a movie. They chew and gnaw and chew and clean their teeth. We have done exactly zero dental cleanings, which is really quite miraculous for as many dogs as we have. At about $700 a pop, that is a huge savings! My 10 years old dogs teeth look better than most 3 year olds. There is no stinky breath. Bones will usually cause tummy upset to dogs who have never had them before. Lots of vitamin B and calcium. The bone does need to be taken away and discarded when they are done. Occasionally, mine will chew up an entire bone, but usually I throw away the nub after an hour or two. Plus, all that intense chewing makes for a tired dog. I can not say enough good things about raw bones. Its a win-win.
Vaccinate as needed and no more.
This is another case of controversial common sense. Do you get vaccinated every year? I know I certainly don't. Why oh why would we do it to our pets? Rabies vaccinations are the law. We keep up with those for licensing purposes. Other than that, my pets get a blood test every 3 years (with their rabies vaccine) to check antibodies, and determine whether or not they actually NEED a specific vaccine. You know what? So far they haven't. Not only is this a cost savings for me, by not over-vaccinating I fully believe I am contributing to their overall good health. With that said, your pets should absolutely go to the vet on a yearly basis for an exam. Just because we don't vaccinate, doesn't mean they don't get their yearly once over to make sure everything is fine.
As I write this I realize I could go on and on, flea prevention and treatment, making kitty litter last, building a relationship with your trainer and vet, etc, etc. But we will start with the above. I don't want too much to get lost in the mix.
Yes, I said menagerie. I have dogs and cats. Too many by most peoples standards. No, my house is not filthy. Yes, my critters are all happy scrappy. No, I wouldn't have it any other way. Does that about cover it?
I feel compelled to say, I am not a pet expert. I just play one at home and work. I have taught dog training classes to the public, (plus taken each of my dogs through I can't even remember how many), taken seminars on natural care and feeding, been a rescue foster home/dog evaluator/general volunteer, done pet-sitting, and been through umpteen million behavioral and medical issues with both my fosters and my own dogs and cats. Now a days, I answer pet-related questions for a living. It is my job to stay current on food, supplements and supplies. The things I get asked on a day to day basis are literally all over the map. Thankfully, I love this stuff. I spend a lot of my free time reading, researching, and talking about it. In the pet world there are always a whole lot of opinions, so take the following for what you will.
This is a sampling of my list of tricks, tips and just general knowledge which have saved me thousands of dollars over the course of the last decade. Things I wish everyone knew.
Feed your Pets the best food you can afford.
Yes, it is absolutely more expensive. I spend somewhere in the $50 to $60 range for a 30lb bag of dog food. My oldest dogs are 10, and I have been doing this for most of their lives. I also have breeds of dogs which are very prone to a whole slew of health problems; allergies, skin & coat issues, urinary crystals, and obesity just to name a few. My dogs have never suffered from a single one of these. Call it the luck of the draw, but none of my gang are from 'good stock'. Just like with us, I attribute much of their overall health to a good quality diet. Which brings me to the next point...
Don't Overfeed.
Food does not equal love. Seriously. I keep my dogs lean and mean. Once again, I attribute this to their lack of joint issues and overall good health. Their should be a visible tuck to your dogs waist visible from all sides. I can sometimes even see a rib or two if a dog is turning away from me. Awesome! Dogs should be physically fit! Plus, who can afford to overfeed their dogs? Its absolutely wasted money. My rules of thumb are to take the feeding guidelines from the food bag, and reduce it by 10%. I also look at my dogs before each feeding. Are they looking thin or thick? How much exercise have we had lately? This determines how much I am going to put in their bowl at a particular moment.
Supplement and Vary.
With variety and good products. Our pets don't need to eat the same cereal everyday for the rest of their lives. No wonder they have gastrointestinal issues with a change in food. I bet if you ate the exact same thing for 6 months and then changed it, you'd have the same problem. Keep their systems robust! I change up their diets constantly. We switch kibbles every 3-4 months. On a weekly basis I add fresh meat and vegetables, and limited amounts of dairy. The tub of spinach look a little wilty? Chop it up and throw it in the dogs bowl. Don't know what to do with the last bit of chicken broth? Soak the kibble in it. It uses up the last bits of my food, keeps the dogs happy, and helps my pet food bill. My dogs and cats can switch food with nary a sniff. No runs. No slow switches. Their systems are used to the variety and tolerate it no problem.
Raw Bones.
I can not tell you how much money this has saved me in doggy dental work. For less than the price of a latte per dog, I buy each of them a frozen beef (or bison) knuckle bone. Not the smoked or cured ones. No, a raw bone. In the summer they get them outside. The rest of the year, they are an in the kennel treat. I do this in place of their dinner once a week, and they love it. We watch a movie. They chew and gnaw and chew and clean their teeth. We have done exactly zero dental cleanings, which is really quite miraculous for as many dogs as we have. At about $700 a pop, that is a huge savings! My 10 years old dogs teeth look better than most 3 year olds. There is no stinky breath. Bones will usually cause tummy upset to dogs who have never had them before. Lots of vitamin B and calcium. The bone does need to be taken away and discarded when they are done. Occasionally, mine will chew up an entire bone, but usually I throw away the nub after an hour or two. Plus, all that intense chewing makes for a tired dog. I can not say enough good things about raw bones. Its a win-win.
Vaccinate as needed and no more.
This is another case of controversial common sense. Do you get vaccinated every year? I know I certainly don't. Why oh why would we do it to our pets? Rabies vaccinations are the law. We keep up with those for licensing purposes. Other than that, my pets get a blood test every 3 years (with their rabies vaccine) to check antibodies, and determine whether or not they actually NEED a specific vaccine. You know what? So far they haven't. Not only is this a cost savings for me, by not over-vaccinating I fully believe I am contributing to their overall good health. With that said, your pets should absolutely go to the vet on a yearly basis for an exam. Just because we don't vaccinate, doesn't mean they don't get their yearly once over to make sure everything is fine.
As I write this I realize I could go on and on, flea prevention and treatment, making kitty litter last, building a relationship with your trainer and vet, etc, etc. But we will start with the above. I don't want too much to get lost in the mix.
Valentines Day
In re-reading my catch-up post from the other day, I realized that I focused mostly what we have done right in February. That's all well and good, but I really need to acknowledge our screw-ups, as they are rather significant. The biggest one being that infamous day of "Love", Valentine's Day
Remember how I said my entertainment and dining budget become $0 when operating under our current worst case scenario model? Yeah well that didn't stand the test of the big V.D. Its not that we usually make a big hoopla out of this (very commercial) Holiday. In fact, we typically exchange homemade gifts/cards, as we did this year, and then enjoy spending time together. Turns out, its spending time together that's the issue.
By 2/14 we were feeling pretty darn deprived. We had a modest sushi dinner, $28 including tip. Then went to a friends art showing at a local bar, $15 on drinks. Then went out for ice cream with another couple $13. Whew! What a great night!
If only we had stopped there. Valentine's day turned into Valentine's Weekend, when we went to see Avatar $16, and enjoyed popcorn and soda $12.
But wait there's more! In between all that we went to our favorite local chocolate factory intending to pick up a little something for each other. We loaded up on $44 worth of very very yummy, organic, fair trade chocolate treats.
One hundred twenty-eight dollars. $128. In under 24 hours. Wow! I actually hadn't done the math until just now. Amazing. Back in the day, this wouldn't have been worth mentioning. In fact, I probably would have considered it a success. Now it was definitely a leap off the wagon and we really felt it.
Thank Dog for all the Miscellaneous income we earned this month, but this took a chunk out of it, and was really NOT what it was intended for.
I am blaming this on old habits and succumbing to self-induced feelings of deprivation. I would say that we need to treat ourselves in smaller ways more consistently in order to ward off this kind of behavior, which would be all well and good if we could actually afford to treat ourselves in smaller ways more consistently.
Remember how I said my entertainment and dining budget become $0 when operating under our current worst case scenario model? Yeah well that didn't stand the test of the big V.D. Its not that we usually make a big hoopla out of this (very commercial) Holiday. In fact, we typically exchange homemade gifts/cards, as we did this year, and then enjoy spending time together. Turns out, its spending time together that's the issue.
By 2/14 we were feeling pretty darn deprived. We had a modest sushi dinner, $28 including tip. Then went to a friends art showing at a local bar, $15 on drinks. Then went out for ice cream with another couple $13. Whew! What a great night!
If only we had stopped there. Valentine's day turned into Valentine's Weekend, when we went to see Avatar $16, and enjoyed popcorn and soda $12.
But wait there's more! In between all that we went to our favorite local chocolate factory intending to pick up a little something for each other. We loaded up on $44 worth of very very yummy, organic, fair trade chocolate treats.
One hundred twenty-eight dollars. $128. In under 24 hours. Wow! I actually hadn't done the math until just now. Amazing. Back in the day, this wouldn't have been worth mentioning. In fact, I probably would have considered it a success. Now it was definitely a leap off the wagon and we really felt it.
Thank Dog for all the Miscellaneous income we earned this month, but this took a chunk out of it, and was really NOT what it was intended for.
I am blaming this on old habits and succumbing to self-induced feelings of deprivation. I would say that we need to treat ourselves in smaller ways more consistently in order to ward off this kind of behavior, which would be all well and good if we could actually afford to treat ourselves in smaller ways more consistently.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Slacker.
Yup, that's me. I am a terrible blogger. I thought I'd be better, but I'm really not.
Not that that will keep me from trying.
To catch up on the financial doings of February thus far -
Yes, the Husband is still unemployed. *Sigh* It's very sad. We are trying not to get discouraged. There is lots and lots of talk about March, but so far its just talk. I am not holding my breath and we are focusing on the things we can control.
We got our tax return. Awesome. We really needed it this month, not so much to survive off of. Really just to bowie my feelings of despair about not being about to add any money to savings, since we are operating under the worst case scenario budget.
Not to put to fine a point on it (ok, lets), we got $4665 total. I banks $2900 into savings accounts, and an additional $200 into the IRA. The rest was used to cover some miscellaneous expenses, and also to fun what I am sure will be a very stupid decision, which I am going to make anyway. Ominous, I know. More on this later.
We have done a very good job earning miscellaneous income! The total for the month so far is $765. The Husband is largely responsible for this. Luckily, the work he was planning to do for a friend panned out a little bit better than expected. However, I haven't done to shabby of a job myself; Ebay selling and survey taking have really been good to us. I even participated in my very first in person market research study, which was awesome! I made $125 in a hour for talking about pet food. Sweet!
The bad news on the miscellaneous income front, is that I fear we are largely tapped out. There maybe one more round of DVD selling to do, but my list is getting shorter.
We are currently in brain storming mode for more money making ideas.
I am just starting to do the month end wrap up and put together March's budget. Needless to say we made it through our shortfall for the month.
Not that that will keep me from trying.
To catch up on the financial doings of February thus far -
Yes, the Husband is still unemployed. *Sigh* It's very sad. We are trying not to get discouraged. There is lots and lots of talk about March, but so far its just talk. I am not holding my breath and we are focusing on the things we can control.
We got our tax return. Awesome. We really needed it this month, not so much to survive off of. Really just to bowie my feelings of despair about not being about to add any money to savings, since we are operating under the worst case scenario budget.
Not to put to fine a point on it (ok, lets), we got $4665 total. I banks $2900 into savings accounts, and an additional $200 into the IRA. The rest was used to cover some miscellaneous expenses, and also to fun what I am sure will be a very stupid decision, which I am going to make anyway. Ominous, I know. More on this later.
We have done a very good job earning miscellaneous income! The total for the month so far is $765. The Husband is largely responsible for this. Luckily, the work he was planning to do for a friend panned out a little bit better than expected. However, I haven't done to shabby of a job myself; Ebay selling and survey taking have really been good to us. I even participated in my very first in person market research study, which was awesome! I made $125 in a hour for talking about pet food. Sweet!
The bad news on the miscellaneous income front, is that I fear we are largely tapped out. There maybe one more round of DVD selling to do, but my list is getting shorter.
We are currently in brain storming mode for more money making ideas.
I am just starting to do the month end wrap up and put together March's budget. Needless to say we made it through our shortfall for the month.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
January in Review
2010 is off to a very bizarre, and not altogether welcome start for us. I had some pretty ambitious savings goals in order to rebuild our slush fund, and get a good start on our 2010 Savings Goals. In conjunction with that, my spending needed to be lower than pretty much ever before in some very touchy categories: Groceries, Pets, and Dining. Here's how we did...
First, the successes.
Pets.
Budgeted $400, Spent $374.
Woot! Woot! I consider this a huge success. I think this is the first time in the history of having a pet budget, that I have ever come in under! So, happy with this.
Its really all about sticking to the basics in time like this. Food, treats, litter. Forgo the toys, collars, and beds that my kids already have plenty of anyway.
Dining.
Budgeted $60, Spent $23.
Also a huge success. The $23 included a hamburger night out with our recently departed dog, just prior to his last day, and a desperation hot cocoa from Starbucks, on a day I very inadequately planned my lunch. Considering this month's budget is essentially $0, this should set us up nicely.
And, the set backs.
Groceries.
Budgeted $400, Spent $441.
Boo and Hiss. This last week definitely put me over the edge. I went a little crazy with some stocking up after a lean week. All told its better than we usually do, but I need to step up my game if we are going to survive this month.
Other areas worth mentioning.
Savings.
Budgeted $365, Socked away $608.
This is almost entirely due to the very generous work bonus I received. It very much helped us recovery from the impact of my over indulgence at Christmas time. Just not enough to set us up for our current state of affairs. I am behind now, and kicking myself for it. Right now, its all about maintaining, not loosing last month's advances.
Gas.
Budgeted $270. Spent $256.
So, its a small underage, but I will certainly take it. We were very conservative with our gas usage this month. Every little bit helps.
Medical.
Budgeted $0, Spent $170.
We were seriously nickel and dimed by some unexpected medical bills from physical therapy I had in September. I absolutely hate how long it takes to get the bills for anything medical. It's completely unpredictable in time and amount. Once again, this is something that was not previously a concern when I was (more) gainfully employed and we had double coverage.
Personal Care.
Budgeted $100, Spent $351.
These were mostly expenses made at the beginning of the month when I felt things were still in the milk and honey category (at least to some degree). I bought much needed new running shoes (on sale) and bike shorts (not on sale). I also overspent a Lulu Lemon gift card I received for Christmas by about $35. No excuses, I totally blew this one.
Miscellaneous/Crap.
Budgeted $0, Spent $200.
This is sentimental. We said goodbye to our beloved oldest dog this month. It was pretty rough, especially on the Husband. I commissioned to have a personalized painting done of him. I have done this previously for dogs that have passed. It ain't cheap, and was a little more of a burden to bear this time around. I managed to scrape together the money for it, and I am happy we will have something to nice to remember the old man by. I am sure it wouldn't be everyone's priority, but it is ours.
All in all, we managed. That's about all I can say really. Budget recovery, dog death and a lay-off. It was not an easy month. Writing it all done for the world to see (if they were watching) is a good exercise for holding my accountable. I have the budget all drawn up for next month, with some very specific goals (ya know, like survival). More on that later.
First, the successes.
Pets.
Budgeted $400, Spent $374.
Woot! Woot! I consider this a huge success. I think this is the first time in the history of having a pet budget, that I have ever come in under! So, happy with this.
Its really all about sticking to the basics in time like this. Food, treats, litter. Forgo the toys, collars, and beds that my kids already have plenty of anyway.
Dining.
Budgeted $60, Spent $23.
Also a huge success. The $23 included a hamburger night out with our recently departed dog, just prior to his last day, and a desperation hot cocoa from Starbucks, on a day I very inadequately planned my lunch. Considering this month's budget is essentially $0, this should set us up nicely.
And, the set backs.
Groceries.
Budgeted $400, Spent $441.
Boo and Hiss. This last week definitely put me over the edge. I went a little crazy with some stocking up after a lean week. All told its better than we usually do, but I need to step up my game if we are going to survive this month.
Other areas worth mentioning.
Savings.
Budgeted $365, Socked away $608.
This is almost entirely due to the very generous work bonus I received. It very much helped us recovery from the impact of my over indulgence at Christmas time. Just not enough to set us up for our current state of affairs. I am behind now, and kicking myself for it. Right now, its all about maintaining, not loosing last month's advances.
Gas.
Budgeted $270. Spent $256.
So, its a small underage, but I will certainly take it. We were very conservative with our gas usage this month. Every little bit helps.
Medical.
Budgeted $0, Spent $170.
We were seriously nickel and dimed by some unexpected medical bills from physical therapy I had in September. I absolutely hate how long it takes to get the bills for anything medical. It's completely unpredictable in time and amount. Once again, this is something that was not previously a concern when I was (more) gainfully employed and we had double coverage.
Personal Care.
Budgeted $100, Spent $351.
These were mostly expenses made at the beginning of the month when I felt things were still in the milk and honey category (at least to some degree). I bought much needed new running shoes (on sale) and bike shorts (not on sale). I also overspent a Lulu Lemon gift card I received for Christmas by about $35. No excuses, I totally blew this one.
Miscellaneous/Crap.
Budgeted $0, Spent $200.
This is sentimental. We said goodbye to our beloved oldest dog this month. It was pretty rough, especially on the Husband. I commissioned to have a personalized painting done of him. I have done this previously for dogs that have passed. It ain't cheap, and was a little more of a burden to bear this time around. I managed to scrape together the money for it, and I am happy we will have something to nice to remember the old man by. I am sure it wouldn't be everyone's priority, but it is ours.
All in all, we managed. That's about all I can say really. Budget recovery, dog death and a lay-off. It was not an easy month. Writing it all done for the world to see (if they were watching) is a good exercise for holding my accountable. I have the budget all drawn up for next month, with some very specific goals (ya know, like survival). More on that later.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Money Saving Monday
This should be the most important day of the week around here, especially in these circumstances. Without further ado..
Sold DVD sets on Ebay - $56. This is the grand total after paypal, ebay and shipping fees. I haven't sold on ebay in a couple years, and I gotta say, its less profitable than it once was. Fees are up, and sellers are greatly encouraged to offer free shipping now. Seriously cuts into the profits.
Sold books and miscellaneous DVDs at used bookstore - $41. Over the past week or so I have been slowing picking at our shelves accumulating a pile of little watched or read items. I know I get a fraction of their worth selling them this way, but its a very time effective way to get a bit of cash.
Debts owed to me - $10. I swung by to drop off a book with a friend, and she repaid me $10 for a dog toy I bought for her. Hey, every bit counts at this point.
Those were my most tangible earnings, but we also..
Used our $5 Costco chicken to its fullest potential. This week we managed to get 3 dinners, 2 lunches, and a large quantity of broth (1/2 to be used later in the week and 1/2 frozen), which is great because we are almost out. That chicken is a huge money saver for us.
With the Husband home, he has embarked on a weatherizing campaign. Today involved caulking external seals on our front windows. Thank goodness! He even dug through the garage to find the caulk and caulk guns which we both knew were there.
The Husband is also doing a decent job of picking up some odd work. He managed to earn about $200 thus far, with promises of a bit more.
An old colleague/friend bought me lunch today, which was very nice. I ate 1/2, and took 1/2 home to the Husband. With our food budget so out of control, these things have to be stretched. It wasn't unusual to my friend, as I typically only eat a half portion at this particular restaurant.
That is mostly it for this week. I still have clothes and some miscellaneous items to sell, but I think my earning will be less. Also doing an overnight with my moms dogs, which she will thankfully pay me for. There are rumblings of the Husband going back to work. It is far far far from anything concrete. I am trying to just focus on surviving without dipping into the savings at the moment. Focus on the here and now, not the what might happen. Plus, I don't want to jinx anything.
Sold DVD sets on Ebay - $56. This is the grand total after paypal, ebay and shipping fees. I haven't sold on ebay in a couple years, and I gotta say, its less profitable than it once was. Fees are up, and sellers are greatly encouraged to offer free shipping now. Seriously cuts into the profits.
Sold books and miscellaneous DVDs at used bookstore - $41. Over the past week or so I have been slowing picking at our shelves accumulating a pile of little watched or read items. I know I get a fraction of their worth selling them this way, but its a very time effective way to get a bit of cash.
Debts owed to me - $10. I swung by to drop off a book with a friend, and she repaid me $10 for a dog toy I bought for her. Hey, every bit counts at this point.
Those were my most tangible earnings, but we also..
Used our $5 Costco chicken to its fullest potential. This week we managed to get 3 dinners, 2 lunches, and a large quantity of broth (1/2 to be used later in the week and 1/2 frozen), which is great because we are almost out. That chicken is a huge money saver for us.
With the Husband home, he has embarked on a weatherizing campaign. Today involved caulking external seals on our front windows. Thank goodness! He even dug through the garage to find the caulk and caulk guns which we both knew were there.
The Husband is also doing a decent job of picking up some odd work. He managed to earn about $200 thus far, with promises of a bit more.
An old colleague/friend bought me lunch today, which was very nice. I ate 1/2, and took 1/2 home to the Husband. With our food budget so out of control, these things have to be stretched. It wasn't unusual to my friend, as I typically only eat a half portion at this particular restaurant.
That is mostly it for this week. I still have clothes and some miscellaneous items to sell, but I think my earning will be less. Also doing an overnight with my moms dogs, which she will thankfully pay me for. There are rumblings of the Husband going back to work. It is far far far from anything concrete. I am trying to just focus on surviving without dipping into the savings at the moment. Focus on the here and now, not the what might happen. Plus, I don't want to jinx anything.
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