Random Stuff from Sluggy

*  A personal loan offer......again!

I am forever receiving stuff like this.  Personal loan offers to pay off my credit card debt.
Umm, don't these folks ever look at my credit report first?  If they did they'd know that I don't have credit card debt and haven't had any since the early 1990s. lolz
I use credit cards but responsibly.....and pay off the balance before the end of each billing cycle.
The interest rate on these loans range from 5.99% to 28.99%.  I could see if you have a c/c balance with a higher interest rate transferring your debt to this but that person ain't me! 8-))

*  Some more crap you can buy if you have more money than you can spend.............

A gold plated musical porcelain box that says, "My Granddaughter I Love You With All my Heart".
Actual size is 4"L x 3.5"W x 1.75"H.  Also adorned with 5 sparkling "jewels".
For the bargain price of $59.95 + $9.99 shipping plus sales tax for your state this can be yours.
Yeah.  This fine offering is from the ubiquitous Bradford Exchange.
I'd say a much better way to say I love you to your grand kids is to take that $59.99 + $9.99 and sales tax and buy them a Savings Bond or invest it into a 529 Plan so they can someday go to college.  There are much better ways to honor your progeny than wasting $$ on crappy trinkets.

*  I got a few goodies this week at Rite-Aid.  The Valentine's candy was 75% off.....

Lots of goodies to stick into giveaway boxes....woohoo!

*  Speaking of Valentine's Day, here are the flowers Daughter got from her Fiancé......

Sort of droppy at this point(Vday was almost a week ago)but pretty white and pink tulips.


*  I also found this 75% off at Ollie's"Good Stuff Cheap!" last week..........

An entire box of King Size Oreo bars for under $2.00.

*  Here's a photo I took of the Full Snow Moon the night we took Ex-College Boy out for his Birthday Dinner.......

Sort of foggy out that night and the photo didn't do it justice on my phone.

*  Here's what we got the next morning..........

More snow and sleet and then freezing rain. STill digging out today.  bleh.  It's suppose to get close to 50F later today and then mid 55'sF on Sunday.
Crazy Winter.


*  Also from our friends at the Bradford Exchange, a Playful Pup necklace........

A sterling silver-plated pendant, from your choice of 30 dog breeds, hand painted enamel puppy with movable legs and tail(actual size of dog is about 1/2 inch).  Also on the included 18" silver-plated chain is a silver plated heart charm engraved with "I Love My(name of breed)" along with a "genuine diamond".
For the low price of $79(payable in 4 installments of $19.75)plus $9.98 shipping and sales tax this can be yours! ;-)

Have I mentioned yet how much I DESPITE getting these leaflets urging me to buy crap like this anytime I buy ANYTHING online?!?!?

*  And lastly I found this photo of someone we all know and love...........

The person in question is pictured on the left in this very very very old photograph. *snort*

Oh, she is going to hate me for this......

Any guesses? ;-)



Sluggy

Stuff Lately

We've had good things and bad things going on here lately......

* Crazy weather!  Snow then temps up to 50F and now snow is on the way later night again.  AND it's suppose to hit 50F again this weekend....crazy and it's a wonder we aren't all sick!

* Last week the Brother in-law and Nephew's apartment had issues.  First their hot water heater sprung a leak and then their heat went out(both are gas appliances).  Nobody else had their heat out in the building but their unit.
So between nephew working and them running to the apartment to wait for workmen to show up they were living here for 2 days.  It's a good thing we had 2 spare beds right now, huh?
And that stack of pizzas I got for real cheap last week sure came in handy to feed extra mouths too.

* Hubs is finally back at work, working from home as he isn't cleared yet to return to the office by his doc.  He has his last physical therapy session the end of this week.  I suspect at his next appointment with the "saw bones" in a month he'll be cleared to return to the office.

If you hear a sonic boom at your house from the cartwheels I'll be turning, don't be alarmed. ;-)
This little episode has confirmed for me that once Hubs does retire he needs to find something to do away from the house!  Kim I just don't know how you stand it....*snort*

And moving to a one level house with a detached garage with an apartment space above it(meaning plumbing and electricity and heat)would be really, really peachy keen!!!
If I can't get him to be away from home with an activity at least with those accommodations I can persuade him to use that apartment space as his office/man cave/whatever and leave the house for hours at a time. 8-)

Even the Daughter has made comments that he is driving HER crazy and she isn't here for long stretches between part time work and school.  I am getting sympathy from her too about putting up with Hubs so I know it's "not me" here. lolz

* Besides just holding things together I've had a mission to reorganize our household files.
I've made great progress going through the files.
Here is pile of stuff I weeded out to pitch.

It filled two grocery bags.

Here is a stack of now empty folders/hanging files.

And here are the papers I still need to file.

This has taken me weeks!  The filing is Hubs' job and I don't think he's filed anything in over a year!!!
Ugh.

* I also have been sorting things in the garage.  Since Hubs' accident in early December I haven't been vigilant about putting groceries away much, meaning there were grocery bags strewn about the garage.  It got to a point where it was a big chore just to find anything out there when it came time to cook, so since the weather has been warmer lately I've gone out there to organize and actually empty grocery bags and put things away on the shelving.

* I also took out shipping boxes that have been piling up since the Holidays and burned them in our fire ring on Monday.  That's been wonderful to get those things out of here too.

* We are suppose to get snow late tonight into Thursday morning.  Hubs can't shovel snow now so it falls to me and Daughter to deal with and we both have back issues so we have to take it slow and careful.  It shouldn't be too bad when she has to leave for school in the morning but then it falls to me to clear the driveway before she gets home around 5pm.  I see a fair amount of Tylenol and shoveling in my future for tomorrow.  8-(

We just have to keep our heads down and push through to Spring and keep on keeping on.

And now you are caught up on the doings at Chez Sluggy.

Sluggy

In The Weeds....

Literally and figuratively in the weeds here!

That's why I haven't posted lately.
#2 son home from school still....it's deer hunting season in PA so they had off on Monday and today is Parent/Teacher conferences.
But he's had pitt orchestra rehearsals and orthodontist appointment.
Plus I am dealing with Daughter's medical issues and medical insurance provider long distance from college which makes me want to spit nails!
And the phone rang 23 times yesterday.....have I mentioned how much I detest talking on the phone lately?
And the eBay screwball buyers have come out of the woodwork and I am behind on getting things listed because I have been packing and shipping like a wild woman and have no time left for listing.
I haven't even done a menu for this week...ack!
And I am so tired I actually drank a cup of coffee at the Orthodontist's office....it was free so what the hell, right?lol

And the weather.....can I just say that the weather is crazy lately?
It's 60 degrees outside...it was 62 yesterday.
This is northern PA.....this is late November....WTF?!?!
It should be 25 degrees and snowing.
It's like in 2007 when it was 70 degrees and we had a tornado on Dec. 1st.
Wacky weather.......

My shrubbery is so confused.
Here is what my forsythia bush is doing.....

It's BLOOMING!
Likewise my Magnolia tree and the massive Rhododendron bush have budded out because they think Spring is here!
Sigh........

If this keeps up we'll need to mow the lawn again this weekend......in December. lolol

I'll be back later after I get something accomplished.

Sluggy

"The Time has Come," the Walrus said, "To Talk of Many Things..."

First things first.....here's a Rite-Aid shop from Saturday evening.....

I burned about $12 in +Ups on those trash bags.  The rest of it was free at sale prices and Qs.  I put .61¢ on my gift card and didn't get any +Ups.


And I finally got up to Rite-Aid Sunday late afternoon.  The plan is to roll some +Ups into cash and get some freebies too.  Here is what I got....

1 x Thermacare on sale=$3.19  *My 20% wellness disc. lower than sale price
1 x Keri Lotion on sale=$6.99
1 x Desenex powder on sale=$6.99
1 x Snickers candy bar=$.70  *20% wellness discount applied
2 x Colgate Toothpaste on sale$2.99=$5.98
2 x Sardines on sale BOGO50%=$1.93
2 x Valentine's candy 90%off=$.20
SubTotal....$25.98

Coupons Used
1 x $3.99/1 Thermacare In-Ad Q=$3.99
1 x $1/1 Keri Lotion IPQ=$1.00
2 x $1/1 Colgate Toothpaste IPQ=$2.00
Coupon Total.....$6.99

$25.98-$6.99=$18.99+$.11 tax=$19.10
I used $19 +Up Rewards and put .10¢ on my Rtte-Aid gift card.
I received back $6.88 back in +Up Rewards(2 x $2 Colgate, 2 x $1 for each can of Sardines and $.88 for the Snickers bar).
I'll submit for 2 SCRs...$6 for each the Keri Lotion and the Desenex, so $12 in cash rebates.

I got $18.88 'back' in +Ups/Cash and spent $19 in +Ups.

So did this transaction again, minus one of the Valentine's candy using BIL's card....

$25.88-$6.99=$18.89+$.14 tax=$19.03
Used $19 +Ups again and put .03¢ on the gift card.

Now, I totally don't understand why my tax was .03¢ more when I bought .10¢ less of products here.lol



Altogether I managed to 'roll' $24 in +Up Rewards into $24 in cash rebates.  I only bought what we'd use or eat too.(Hubs loves sardines....bleck!)

Here are the numbers....
THESE TRIPS
Number of Transactions.....3
Total Spent....$.74 (put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$100.08
SCR qualified for...$24.00
Other Rebates earned...$0.00
Gift Cards earned....$00.00
+Up Rewards earned...$13.76
+Up Rewards spent...$38.00
+Up Rewards left to spend....$137.75

TOTALS--March Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......3
Total Spent....$.74 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$100.08
SCR qualified for....$24.00
Other Cash....$0.00
Additional Rebates....$0.00
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for March SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 2/28.....$161.99
+Up Rewards spent....$38.00
+Up Rewards earned....$13.76
+Up Rewards left....$137.75  includes ALL +Ups not just ones from this SCR period


I still have a boatload of +Ups that expire on March 15th.  I'm considering spending them down & rolling them into SCRs by buying a couple of electronic thingys that are giving $20 SCRs this month.  That might be the solution to carrying these things from month to month.  It's getting tiring finding ways to roll so many.  I can spent 1/3 down,  roll 1/3 into rebates and keep 1/3 for rolling into more +Ups PLUS get a couple gifty type items for giving out later. 
What do y'all think?   Good idea or should I just buy a year's supply of toilet paper or something with them all?





 So if you were starting from 0 +Ups, here is what I would buy this week at Rite-Aid....
First buy 4 cans of sardines for $3.86 OOP.  You'll receive $4 in +Ups back.
Then buy 2 tubes of Colgate Toothpaste....the on sale for $2.99 size.  Use 2 $1/1 ManuQs.  Add in a small filler item(90% Vday candy or something that's about .10¢).  Use your $4 in +Ups to pay.  Some stores will adjust down your +Ups, so you "could" possibly not add a filler item to your $3.98 total and they will adjust your $4 in +Ups down so no OOP.  You'll receive $4 back in +Ups for the 2 toothpastes.
Then see if any of the SCR items available this week in the SCR Directory are things you can use.  Most of them will end up costing .99 after the SCR.  You could save your $4 in +Ups for next week's sale or roll them via a SCR item into cash back.  IE-Get the Comtrex at $4.99 this week.  Spend your $4+Ups plus $.99&tax(or $0 OOP if you have a Q for it) and submit your receipt info. for the $4 SCR on the Comtrex.  By doing this, you spent $4.85+tax OOP and you will get back $4 of it via SCR, so you will be OOP .85+tax and you will have 2 cans of sardines, 2 tubes of toothpaste and a box of Comtrex.
5 items for .85¢ OOP.



When I got back out to my car at Rite-Aid Sunday late afternoon, it was coated in ICE!  I had a nice slide back home.....
The ice storm kept going and going for hours.  We lost power a few times before I decided maybe I should shut down the computer for the duration. 
Yes, I am quick witted like that sometimes.
Before I went to bed the Snunder(Snunder=Snow+Thunder) and Lightning began.


I woke up to this......

Bright sunshine and about 5 inches of snow with an inch of ICE under it.
Who ordered this!!??!!




And the dogs were feeling squirrely.

The beagle with the back problems has decided that jumping up and sleeping in "Daddy's chair" is something she needs to be doing.  So little "Miss Jealousy" chihuahua decides she needs to be in the chair too so she can bark at the beagle.  Doesn't it look like the beagle is pleading with me to "get her off of my chair Mom, puhleeeez!" 


I broke down on Saturday and bought a Netflix membership.  Ok, so it's free the first month.  I love movies but I don't buy them, nor do I go to the movies since I consider both of those huge wastes of my money.   And we don't have any rental places close enough that would entice me to get in a car/go rent a movie/watch movie/get back in a car/return movie before the time limit expired or I owed more money for keeping it.  Plus our library's collection of free rental dvds is miniscule and is mostly made up of Disney drek and kiddie films.  I've seen enough kiddie films to last me a lifetime thankyouverymuch!lol

I can deal with paying $9.99 a month to see all the movies/shows I want without leaving my sofa.
At least until it gets to the point where I have seen everything I want to see or I don't utilize it enough to make it cost effective or everything left to see has to be ordered on dvds they mail me and can't be seen instantly.
This 'lifestyle inflation' will be re-evaluated every month.

I still have no Meal Plan done for the week yet and no clue what I am serving for dinner tonight....it's 4:45pm by the way....
I felt it was more important to watch a film about the history and evolution of Skateboarding with my 15 yr. old instead.
Yah see?....Netflix has already become a suckhole......

So what's up in your corner of the world today?

Sluggy

I Wish It Would Make Up It's Mind!

Here's what my back deck looked like on March 30th....

2 Inches of SNOW and 28 degrees!

The next afternoon, March 31st I snapped this photo with my good hand.....

The Forsythia Bush is blooming.....and the temperature was 74 Degrees!!!
Yesterday is hit 80 Degrees here.  Less than 48 hours after the snow fell.

Just.
Plain.
Nuts.

Sluggy