Saturday Around Town

Here's what got accomplished on Saturday--

* Charity Donation.....check!

Some of what went to Salvation Army today........

*  Shopping Done.....check!

Then we went to Big Lots so I could show Hubs the calendar I wanted but they didn't have it in a desktop model.
sigh.

But I thought these were cool......

This is an antidote to that  "Life is Good" crap you see everywhere......lol  But a bit too negative even for me!

And I found your calendar Sonya Ann ...........

Hubs found a Christmas gift for me there and I found some underwear and food items like canned clams for $1.20, even cheaper than the local market on sale at $1.50 a can.  Yes!

Then off to Kohl's and I spent my $15 in Kohl's Cash on 2 Christmas presents and am OOP $8 & change.

* Tasty Lunch......check!

Then off to lunch at Breakers Brewery........

*  Clothing Procurement......check!

Next was Kmart to get some free toiletries with doubled coupons plus Q-Tips I'd have to actually spend money on.  But the cashier said 2 of my coupons(of which I used 2 others earlier in the week with NO PROBLEM)wouldn't scan into their system.
So the toiletries were left behind as NO, I am NOT paying $15 cash for this stuff thankyouverymuch! ;-)

Then I bought 3 sweaters(I was down to 1 sweater in my closet it won't last the Season).  These sweaters were all on sale for 40% off and I had a $5 off a $35 or more purchase coupon and after using my $40 gift card for transferring 1 prescription to KMart a couple of months back, I paid .57¢ OOP.
Sweet.

*  Toiletries Run.....check!

Then it was off to Rite-Aid for this stuff........

4 x Hall's cough drops BOGO sale=$4.38
2 x Rolaids BOGO sale=$5.79
4 x Gerber baby foods sale but Wellness disc. was better($1.51 ea.)=$6.04
SubTotal......$16.21

Coupons Used
2 xx $1/2 Hall's Cough Drops ManuQ=$2.00
1 x Rolaids BOGO ManuQ(up to $5.50)=$5.50*
Coupon Total......$7.50

$16.21-$7.50=$8.71
I used $8 in +Ups and put the .71¢ on a free R-A gift card paying $0 OOP.

I earned $6 in +Ups(2 x $3 Gerber wyb2).
Spent down my +Ups by $2 but we are all set for cough drops this Winter.

* I couldn't remember if you can use a BOGOQ with a BOGO sale item at Rite-Aid and the cashier didn't remember either so she just tried to scan it on and it worked!  Woohoo!  2 free Rolaids bottles for free.  Well not really since the limit on the BOGOQ was $5.50 and the items were $5.79 so I paid .29¢ for 2 bottles.  Maybe that's why the BOGOQ on a BOGO sale item worked, since it wasn't technically free?


*  Food Shopping......check!

Then it was off to the local market to pick up .69¢ Powerades and home.
While in the market I spotted this novelty Holiday item.......

I might just have to break down and buy someone this stuff.  The price point is $3.99 so it isn't prohibitive to my budget.  ;-)

Another busy day today of getting the errands down--more Rite-Aid and Food Shopping.
TTYL,

Sluggy

 

Random Friday Evening

*  So I went to KMart today and got these......

2 packages of Ziploc containers=$6.00
I used that $5 off $5 of stuff Q the Register spit out earlier this week at KMart and paid $1.06 OOP.
I have a $1/2 Ziploc containers Q activated on Savingstar so these will cost me .06¢ in the end.
And I qualified for a $5 rebate/refund at Savingstar for buying $22+ worth of Ziploc items in the past few weeks.

I am set for plastic bags/containers for quite some time to come.

*  I was looking around in my Blogger stats tonight and among the terms that people who search on google, ones that directs them to MY blog is the usual cat hoarder or cat lady(which have been very consistent as terms that land searchers on my blog since I did that post on the cat hoarders on that HOARDERS A&E show years ago.  But I saw a new search term.......Ugly Gingers with Big Heads.
???? LOLZ

*  In important news......I am finished Christmas shopping(basically).  I am awaiting 1 online order and someone is getting an IOU for 1 present but it is finished!
Yay!

And I have the bulk of it all wrapped already.  I had to rewrap one because I forgot to label it last week and I couldn't remember exactly whom it was for. Duh.

Now I just need to mail off 5 boxes.......3 are ready to go and I'll finish up the last 2 this weekend.

*  I will be retrieving College Boy next weekend.  Didn't I just go get him?! lolz  He will be home until late January.  I am sure he is thrilled.  ;-)

Time for bed.
We've got lots of errands to run tomorrow and decorating to do.

Sluggy
 

More Rite-Aid

Well I lied.
I went back to Rite-Aid to spend those Spin Brush Qs.

I found a work around the $5.99 get $3 +Ups but now it's BOGO Free for the rest of the week.
If you buy one Spin Brush, I figured it defaults to the $5.99 sale price.
But I was wrong.
But them I figured out that if you buy the higher priced Spin Brush at $11.29(at my store)and not the $9.99 Spin Brush it still triggers the $10 wyb $10 Up Reward Deal AND you get the 2 x $3 +Ups for buying 2 brushes and you don't have to buy toothpaste too to get the $3 wyb $10 +Ups.
Yah, I am slow sometimes...... 8-(

2 Transactions but I took 1 photo of everything together(except for the sodas which I don't feel like hauling in from the garage).

2 x SpinBrush BOGO=$11.29
4 x Gerber Baby Foods(used Rain check which made them free)=$0.00
SubTotal......$11.29

Coupons Used
1 x $2/1 SpinBrush IPQ=$2.00

$11.29-$2=$9.29
I used $9 in +Up Rewards and paid .29¢ OOP.

I earned $15 in +Ups(2 x $3 SpinBrush, $3 wyb $10 Arm&Hammer, 2 x $3 Gerber wyb2).

Even though the Gerber baby foods were free with my Rain Check(from earlier this year)I still got the 2 x $3 +Ups. 8-)))


Then I attempted to use the 2nd $3 off $30 Catalina Q the Cat machine spit out during Sunday's transaction.  I had to use the Wellness card that I already bought Vaseline, Gerber and SpinBrushes on so I had to find other things I needed that would give me a small OOP and/or more +Ups.



2 x Ziploc bags on sale=$6.00
2 x Axe Deodorant on sale=$9.00
4 x 7-Up soda on sale=$5.00 *not pictured*
3 x Coke 12-packs on sale=$9.99  *not pictured*
2 x Choc. covered Cherries BOGO=$1.99
SubTotal.......$31.98

Coupons Used
1 x $3/$30 purchase CatalinaQ=$3.00
1 x $1/2 Ziploc IPQ=$1.00
2 x $1/1 Axe Deodorant VideoValuesQ=$2.00
1 x $3/2 Axe Deodorant Load2CardQ=$3.00
1 x $1/3 7-Up 2 liters IPQ=$1.00
1 x FREE Coke 12-packQ(my coke rewards)=$3.33
1 x $3/1 Coke 12-packQ(my coke rewards)=$3.00
Coupon Total....$16.33

$31.98-$16.33=$15.65
I used $15.59 in +Ups and paid .06¢ OOP.

I earned $5 in new +Ups($2 7-Up, $3 wyb2 Axe).

Actually I spent $2 more in +Ups on this transaction because the cashier forgot two of my Q totaling $2 so he did a post-transaction coupon thingy and I got $2 in cash back.

$24.59 in +Ups used and $20 in new +Ups earned....or rather $26.59 in +Ups used and $20 in new +Ups plus $2 Cash.

8-)))

I also bought a couple of gift cards(for Xmas presents so comes out of a different budget than food/toiletries)and got $12 more in +Up Rewards for those to use on more free toiletries...woohoo!

$41 +Ups going forward and $2 Cash.
Plus the Ziploc bags count toward a $5 rebate I am working on. 2 more boxes of Ziplocs and I am there.

I'll use that $5 off $5 KMart Coupon I received earlier this week to buy 2 boxes of Ziploc containers for $6, pay $1 OOP and get that $1 I paid out back from a Savingstar Q for $1 of 2 Ziploc containers I activated, then I'll get the $5 rebate on Savingstar sor spending $22+ on Ziplocs too.  8-)))

I spent .35¢ OOP and brought home $77.51 worth of goods from Rite-Aid this trip.

Now I am TRULY done at Rite-Aid until Sunday...... ;-)

Sluggy

Holiday Giveaway.....1 Week to Enter

It's time for a Holiday Version of Sluggy's Boring Blog Box Giveaway!

I put stuff I got for free(or almost free)into a box and give it away.
No toiletries this time.
It's all about giftie type items.

So here are the goodies that are available to win this time.......

1 Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar(cabernet matinee)
1 Lindt bag of Chocolate(hazelnut)
1 Boyd's Bears Bear in Stocking(can be hung on tree as an ornament)
1 Note Pad with magnetic on back
1 set of Ceramic Coasters with American flags on them
1 laser-cut Greeting card with Peace Sign incense holder and incense
1 Longaberger soap and nail file set
2 Mini bottles of Cologne(Tabu and Chantilly)
1 Enameled Curious George Ballpoint Pen
1 set of 4 Reusies fabric bags(for lunch items)
1 set of Winnie the Pooh and Piglet label pins
1 Bozo the Clown with Clip/Key Ring
1 Enesco Belsnickel Santa Ornament
1 Holiday Oven Mitt with Winnie the Pooh
1 Holiday Oven Mitt with Pillsbury Doughboy

 

 

Here's more of a close-up of the goodies.......

 

 

 

  I'll leave this giveaway open until December 12th, next Friday, at 11:59pm.    The next day I'll put all the valid entries into a container and draw out a name and that person wins.  Hopefully I can get this to you before Christmas if I close it on the 12th(except if it winds up going to a winner in Canada).

There is a limit of ONE ENTRY per Day by leaving a comment on this blog post.

To get 2 additional Bonus entries, you can do this once---

Post about my Giveaway on your own Blog or on Facebook with a link to this post.  This will earn you 2 additional entries for each action.  Please leave 2 additional comments on this blog post for each additional Bonus entry. 


 Disclaimer--This giveaway is open to those with mailing addresses within the US or Canada only.
If you are in Canada, you will receive a smaller box of goodies, as the shipping rates internationally are ridiculous and I am not taking out a mortgage on my house to pay to ship this stuff.  ;-)
**
If you need this shipped to Canada, I'll have to change the box and it's contents a bit.  I can ship a plain box weighing up to 4lbs. via 1st class mail, which, while more than the flat rate Priority to US addys, is still affordable.  These prize boxes usually weigh 7 or more lbs. when full, so if the winner is in Canada, I'll let them pick and choose which of the items they prefer sent in their box, until the box weighs 4lbs.  I hate to have to do this(not ship ALL prizes to them)but I would hate it even more to exclude them totally from entering the giveaway.

***NOTE***
Please make sure there is a way for me to contact you in your comment.  If you're not a registered Blogger User please put your email when you leave a comment(or email me your email addy privately if you don't want the world to see your email addy) so I can get ahold of you if you win.

 

Remember that if you don't have a profile on Blogger(with your email)and are just a Google member and I am not in your Google "Circles" I can't access you or your email.  If I can't contact you then you can't win.  Thanks!

So let's get this started!

Sluggy

$24K Savings Challenge.......November Update

Every year I keep a close eye on our monthly expenses and our monthly income.
Our income is mainly the salary my Hubs draws from his job.  We have money taken off each paycheck from the top to put into savings, before we even get our hands on it.  This money that's taken goes into various pots....life insurance, health insurance premiums, long term care insurance premiums, investments and retirement savings.  It's automatic so we are never tempted to NOT put it into savings.

Once the automatic savings amounts, plus taxes and medical/dental/vision premiums are taken out, it leaves what we get to "live on".  From this amount we budget for bills, both monthly and irregular bills(semi-annual, annual etc.) and our variable bills(like food, eating out, clothing  etc.)  Anything left over once our monthly expenses are paid, I put aside into a Savings Challenge. 

For 2014 I am continuing my Yearly Savings Challenge.  I am raising the Goal amount slightly to $24,000 this year, $4K more than my goal for last year.

On to the November report.....

I have posted my November End of Month $24K $AVING$ CHALLENGE Totals.
Check out the Savings Challenge page tab at the top of the blog for the specific numbers HERE.

I have 2 goals each month.....
The 1st is to actually finish each month in the black and not the red.
The 2nd is to hit the targeted savings amount of $2,000.

I have to report that we finished up November with a large chunk of change.
The extra amount we ended the month of  November with?.......$2,877.50.

Income

We had $2753.83 left over from our income after our monthly expenses were deducted.
The lower utility bills with College Boy away at school have helped us keep more of our income.
 

Other monies received in November totaled $123.67.  This included interest made on non-retirement accounts.

This brought us to our gain of $2,877.50.
Since we have no debt, this goes into savings.

Outgo

As for the expenses this November, here are the good and the bad side of things....

HERE are the GOOD THINGS

*  The cable/internet was $89.68 lower than our new normal of about $40 because of a refund on a portion of October's bill when we got rid of cable.

*  The water bill went down another $5.10 from October's bill.  That's a total decrease of $37.79 since July's bill, the last bill with College Boy home fulltime.
*  Phone charges were approx. the same as last month.
 *  Electric bill was up $57.77 because the heat was on all of November, where it was only on sporadically in October.  We had our new heating unit repaired and didn't have to rely on the other electric heating system in the house.  I think the mini-split system is more efficient as we've never had a November heating/electricity bill under $200 before this month! 8-)))  Even though the electric bill was higher this month from last, I am putting this item under the "Good Things".

 

HERE are the BAD THINGS

 

*  Cash spending increased by $70. 
*  The credit card bill(paid off each month)was up $574.34 from last month's bill.  Mostly due to some Xmas shopping and our OC mini-vacation.
*  We had some irregular spending too--a charitable $ donation, Kohl's Xmas shopping cc bill and final Vet expenses for our doggie.   Yeah, that last one was bad in more than the financial way. 8-(

 

The Food Budget costs for November are in another post, which is located HERE.
 

The 2014 GRAND TOTAL.....
With 11 months accounted for, our Savings Grand Total for 2014 is $26,353.19.
 

We have surpassed our goal for the year and there is one more month to save even more $!
Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!

I will be curious to see how much we can sock away in December.  I am hoping at least $1K.  With Christmas and traveling plans(expenses)I don't want to get my hopes up any higher than that.  Last December we put away just over $1,200.
It would be nice to have that kind of a cushion going into January as our medical high deductible resets and I'll be paying retail for some pricey drugs. 8-(
  

 

Looking ahead for December......

*  I will continue to do this Savings Challenge and report in each month on how it is going.

*  We have no irregular bills due in December.

 

So how was your November financially?
  

Did you spend less than the income you had in November?
Did you stay within your budget or not?
Did you pay off any debts or put extra toward your mortgage principle or into savings in an emergency fund or a retirement account?

If you posted your financial progress on your own blog, leave a link in the comments so we can go check out your progress too and celebrate with you or commiserate with you!

Sluggy