Buying A Car AKA Throwing Money Away

Hubs and I hashed out the "getting another car or two" issue last week and I am happy to report that he sees it my way.
So we will be buying 1 used car, not 2. 8-)

So now the issue becomes, how much to spend and what to buy?

I am leaning toward a vehicle with.....

A-low miles
B-but a low price
C-high gas mileage
D-not expensive to repair/purchase replacement parts
E-a safe car
F-lower insurance quote

And yes, I KNOW I can't have it all....lol
It's all a balancing act really, isn't it?

A newer car will be pricier and the insurance will probably be more but will be safer, have better fuel efficiency and lower miles on it.
While an older car will be less expensive to purchase, have lower insurance rates and easier to repair/afford parts.

So dear readers, if you were having to purchase a used car for your 19 and 16 year old teens to drive, keeping all these points in mind, what specific car would you look for?

How much would you spend?  Remember, we are paying cash for this.
Do you have a particular make/model you would consider?
Does gas mileage and/or mileage on the vehicle concern you?
Any other point you see that I am not considering?

I am so dreading shopping for this.
But I want to get it done before the Daughter comes home from college.
Because if she goes with her dad to car shop, she'll be pressing him to buy some cool sports car thing with a big sticker price.

Sluggy

Out & About on Tuesday

The Orthodontist check-up went well.  #2 Son goes back in 3 months and only has to wear his retainers at night now.  We are at the end of that very long "Teenager in Braces" Phase of  his life.  The wisdom teeth have all been pulled, the braces and elastics worn and removed and he's on the second set of retainers now.
And the bill was paid up front(with a discount for paying in full)2 years ago in Jan. of 2010.
I know #2 is thrilled to almost be done too!


So I went ahead and hit the grocery store while I was out and gussied up(dressed) on Wednesday.
I had a $2.50 WYSpend $35 Catalina Q from Weis, so between things I needed(eggplant)and things I can use later, I worked up what turned out to be a $45 order(before coupons).
They still had the Healthy Bites magazines in the store with those Weis store Qs in them.
And I printed off some Weis Qs off of their Facebook page.
And here is what I got.  The only thing not pictured are the 3.20 lbs. of eggplant and the 4 gourmet burgers that were discounted.  We ate those last night.  And I'm just too lazy to get the eggplant out of the fridge now. ;-)

1 x Marcal 8-pack Paper Towels on sale $5.99    (with double stacked Qs makes it $3.99)
2 x Edy's fruit bars on sale $3.00=$6.00   (with Q makes it $5/2)
3.30 lbs. of eggplant=$3.27   (on sale for .99¢lb.)
1 x 4 pack bakery dept. muffins 50% off=$2.24
1 x Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches=$5.99    ($3 store Q makes it $2.99)
2 x store made gourmet burgers=$5.26     ($2 store Q makes it $3.26 for 1.4lbs. meat)
2 x Full Circle tomato paste on sale(.89)=$1.78    ($1 Weis Q makes it .39 can)
1 x Weis Olive Oil on sale=$3.99    ($1 Weis Q makes it $2.99)
1 x Weis dressing on sale=$2.00    ($1 Weis Q makes it $1.00)
1 x Weis mayo on sale=$1.50     ($1 Weis Q makes it .50¢)
3 x Weis napkins on sale .88¢=$2.64
1 x Weis ketchup on sale=$.88    ($1 Weis Q makes it -.12¢)
1 x Weis barbecue sauce on sale=$.8    ($1 Weis Q makes it -.12¢)
2 x Weis pasta on sale .88¢=$1.76
1 x Weis pickle relish on sale=$.88
SubTotal....$45.06

Coupons Used
1 x $2.50 WYSpend $35=$2.50
1 x $1/1 Marcal Towels ManuQ=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Marcal Towels Weis Q=$1.00
1 x $1/2 Edy's fruit bars ManuQ=$1.00
1 x $3 Instant Store discount on Jimmy Dean product=$3.00
2 x $1 Instant Store discount on Gournet Burgers=$2.00
1 x $1/2 Full Circle products Weis Q=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Weis Olive Oil Weis Q=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Weis dressing Weis FB Q=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Weis mayo Weis FB Q=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Weis ketchup Weis FB Q=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Weis barbecue sauce Weis FB Q=$1.00
Coupon Total.....$16.50

$45.06-$16.50=28.56 + .48¢ tax=$29.04 OOP

$60.15 reg. retail, savings of $31.59 which is a rate of 52%.

There are 4 Qs on the Weis Markets Facebook page--$1 of each of mayo, barbecue sauce, salad dressing and ketchup or mustard.  The Weis brand barbecue sauce, mustard and ketchup are part of the "Buy 8 Items for .88¢ each Deal".  So if you buy in multiples of 8, you get these Q items for free AND 12 cents per item carried over to go toward other purchases in your order.

I still have a few things to pick up at the other grocer in town and I might go back to Weis to get a Bottom Round Roast at $3.99lb and some more free condiments and other .88¢ items.  My oldest is moving into an apartment this Fall at school and will be cooking for himself, therefore I'll be looking to pick up cheap or free pantry goods for him when I hit the stores between now and August.

I said I would spend $35 this week but I might end up spending a bit more, to the tune of $45 or $50.
Yes, I am a wastrel.....lol

Sluggy

If I Only Had Half The Energy....

My weekend was pretty quiet here.
Hubs went and priced dishwashers.
Me?  I stayed home.  I prefer not to go to big box stores on weekends.

I stayed home and didn't spend money on Saturday.
On Sunday #2 son's school band hosted a Jazz Festival at the high school.  Hubs signed me up to work it.  Darn nice of him, won't it? ;-)

What I thought would be a 2 hour shift working the concession/food table turned into 6 hours.
I did get to see son's band perform however which made up for the working part.
And the food sales netted some profits for the band.

But I had no energy left for the rest of Sunday and went to bed at the unheard of hour of 8-ish pm!
And Monday I dragged my ass around all day and had no umph.  The rainy and cold weather didn't help I am sure.  And I slinked off to bed again at around 9pm.
Of  course, I woke up bright and bushy tailed at 4am this morning!  I figure I'll be ready for a nap around noon today.

And it's another grey, chilly, rainy day around these parts again.
I've got to haul #2 Son to the Orthodontist this morning and I guess I'll hit the grocery store while I am out and get that chore out of the way for the week.

Here's something to wake you up and get your motor started.  This gal is mighty perky.  Generally I can't stand perky but here it works.
Turn your speakers up and dance along.......

Enjoy!

Sluggy

April Food Spending Week 3, Meal Plan April Week 4

Presenting the vintage kitchen for this week, the 1929 kitchen.....

This goes way back, before Kitchens had all those built in cabinets and imposing appliances.  Look at the size of that refrigerator?  At least it's "modern" and uses electricity and not a big chunk of ice, which was still common at that time.  The stove/oven looks much different on Queen Anne style spindly legs, doesn't it?  And the work area is just looks like a desk.  I do love the dining alcove though, don't you?

This ad was for an advertisement for General Electric wiring in your kitchen.  Notice all those newfangled electrical outlets and switches.  1929 was still the early days of bringing electricity into the average home.
I know many folks want to go back to earlier times and ways, but just how far back would you want to go?  To the pre-electric kitchen times?  How many modern conveniences would you be willing to give up to live in those earlier times?

Onward to the meal plans!
And here is the meal plan that actually happened last week.....

SUNDAY--Lasagna, Salad
MONDAY--Sloppy Joes, Corn

TUESDAY--BBQ Chicken, Asparagus, Rolls
WEDNESDAY--Tuna Sub or Philly CheeseSteak Sub
THURSDAY--Roast Pork with Dried Fruit, Rolls, Brussell Sprouts
FRIDAY--Leftovers
SATURDAY--Burger King

The Pork Roast was a flop, which is a shame, since I had such high hopes for that one.  I fell asleep Saturday afternoon, so Hubs went to Burger King.  He bought me a Whopper, with cheese for dinner.

I NEVER get cheese on those(it just ruins it!lol)and every time he buys me one, he gets cheese on it and every time I yell at him that for the 1 millionth time I detest cheese on them and we have a big row over it where I tell me I've told him before "no cheese" and he insists I never told him or I told him "with cheese".  Then I tell him don't ever buy me a Whopper again, if I want one I'll buy it myself, and he storms off that I don't appreciate him thinking of me, and I holler back that I do appreciate it but I'm just tired of picking cheese off my Whopper.
But I digress.....

The weekly food spending was $37.82 this past week, with about half of that being for paper towels.

I talked about my shopping trip last week, HERE.  And then Hubs bought a box of baggies for .99 + tax.

Anyway, $153.50 spent for the month with 8 days to go now.  I have almost half of my $300 food budget left at this point so I am in real good shape for staying under budget for April.

Value of food bought is at $315.60 so my savings rate is just under 51.40%.  And that's with 20 coupons used so far this month.--2 MQs Peelies, 5 store Qs, 1 Catalina Q and 12 instant discount Qs.

************************

In terms of leftovers, I'm going into this week with only a big hunk of Roast Pork left that nobody wants to eat, so it will become condiment for the doggies dinners. ;-)

This week's menu.....

SUNDAY--Leftovers or Burritos
MONDAY--Tacos or Taco Salad

TUESDAY--Beef Pie
WEDNESDAY--Pasta with Sauce, Veg(Escarole?)
THURSDAY--Grilled Chicken, Rice, Mixed Veggies
FRIDAY--Eggplant Parmesan, Garlic Bread
SATURDAY--Leftovers

This menu gives us 5 new meals and 2 night of leftovers. Sunday was a quick meal/leftover night as I worked the Jazz Festival that my son's band hosted all day and I wasn't about to cook dinner when I got home.
We are having the Taco night that didn't happen last week, this week.  Wednesday will be a quick meatless meal, as the School Band Concerts are that night.
Eggplant is on special this week at the store so I am making Parmesan this week.  It's a rather big production to make and I may make a second pan to freeze.  I have part of  loaf of bread I'll be using up by making the garlic bread for Friday's meal.

As for items I need to buy for this week....the greens for Wed. night's meal, lettuce, sour cream for tacos and the eggplant. 

We'll be buying milk as usual as well.

As for stocking up opportunities there are a few--butter for $1.69lb., turkey breast for $.99lb, orange juice for $1.39 carton.  I'll be picking up some fresh fruit this week as well.

With what I "need" this week and the stock-ups, I'll spend around $35.  If some deals crops up, then it will be more.

So what is everyone else eating this week?

Sluggy

Another Ghostly Image From My Past

Still in scanning hell here. I've progressed all the way up to 1964! At this rate, I'll be doing this project when they cart me out toes first.....

Doesn't this photo just need a halo over my head and a pair of wings?
Yeah, that's me....Saint Sluggy at age 5!lol

I wonder how many pennies my mom had to squirrel away from her household budget to afford to have that photo taken?  It's one of those fancy pants Olan Mills Studios deals ya know.....

Cherubic Sluggy