Income & Spending 2021....the July Report

Now that we are living on an annuity and 401K$ withdrawals(some months), I am still going to keep track of our monthly spending and income, and hopefully we'll still be able to live BELOW our means and I'll have some leftover monies each month to tuck aside.

I am trying to be as transparent as I can with how much is coming in and how much is going out.  8-)

On to the July report---

I had 2 goals for July.......
The 1st is to actually finish the month in the black and not the red.
The 2nd is to try to have a little cash leftover at the end of the previous month to tuck back into a slush fund.  This slush fun may be to apply toward unforeseen bills that are coming due in subsequent months, to spend on "extras/wants" during the year or to just sit there and grow until the end of 2021.

I can report that we finished up July in the red.
The amount we ended the month of July with?.....-$2,978.08

Income or Funds We Can Access

The "income" in July---

* Monthly annuity payment of $3,222.24(after tax withholding)
* RMSA(Healthcare account)reimbursement of $1,971.99
* Interest earned on non-retirement accounts of $214.19

Total "Income" for July.....$5,408.42

Expenses in July---

* Healthcare Premium for July was $1,971.99(paid for with RMSA reimbursement)
* Irregular bills in July were $3,405.86(Clothing, Cruise, Airline Tickets)

* Variable Expenses in July came to $3,008.65
Total Expenses....$8,386.5

$5,408.42-$8,386.50= -$2978.08

Slush into July of $42,011.60 in that Fund, subtract the $2,978.08 in shortage and we get $39,033.52 going into August's Slush Fund.
The Slush Fund on it's Page(tab at the top of the blog)shows a reduction of $2,978.08 for July.

Outgo

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

HERE are the GOOD THINGS

*  Internet was the same as in June.

*  The WAM was the same amount taken as last month.

*  The electric bill was .25¢ lower than in June. lol

*  The gas bill was $32.66 lower than last month.

HERE are the BAD THINGS

*  The water bill was $6.48 higher than in June.
*  The cell phone bill was higher by $91.96 in July.  This is due to Hubs getting a new phone.

*  The MC c/c was $1,532.94 higher than in June.(Not much was charged to that card in June.)

*  My Amazon Visa was $2,730.89 higher this month(Alaskan cruise  and plane fare to Seattle x 2 anyone?)

*  I also paid for some clothes to the tune of $74.97 in July.

The Food Budget costs for July are in another post, which is located HERE.  Food costs are included in the credit card payment(mainly but sometimes our WAM cash too).

FINAL THOUGHTS on July---I knew July's financials wouldn't be pretty as the Slush Fund took a big hit what with taking the cruise/flight costs from that fund instead of withdrawing money earning "real" interest.  I am ok where we landed on spending in July.
 

THOUGHTS going forward into August 2021---Most of the vacation is paid for already but I suspect there will be incidental costs to cover still plus the dog boarding bill when we return.  Until the trip we are just going to concentrate on staying home, not spending money we don't have to, planning the next house project and using up some foodstuffs.

*Sluggy chants, "I will NOT do Ibotta, I will NOT do Ibotta, I will NOT do Ibotta.....". ;-)

So how was your July financially? 

Did you spend less than the income you had in July?
Did you stay within your budget or not?
What did you do with any money leftover at the end of the month?
Did you pay off any debts or put extra toward your mortgage principle or into savings, in an emergency fund or a retirement account?
Or did you blow it on a want?

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 or commiserate with you!


Sluggy

This Week on the Zucchini Dining Table

 The "Zucchini Deluge Continues-Stop the Madness!!!" Edition...

Here are the latest loathsome veggies zucchini we picked on Sunday.  Plus there was one picked on Thursday and tempura-ed for dinner.  I am about done with zucchini for a lifetime.  It wouldn't be so bad if the green beans were more plentiful and the chipmunks hadn't eaten our broccoli seedlings. sigh  Oh we got another cuke too.

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned--

1. Sunday--Clam Chowder, Biscuits

2. Monday--Leftover Lemon Pepper, Zuke in tomatoes, rice

3. Tuesday--Breakfast for Dinner

4. Wednesday--Stuffed Zuke w/Beef and Onion, Rice
5. Thursday--No Clue(Hubs night to cook)

6.  Friday--Tempura Zucchini and Fish

7. Saturday--Fend for Yourself and Zuke Casserole

I will also be making bread pudding this week for Hubs(his fav)with some Thomas' mini croissants taking up room in the fridge that no one has eaten and some of the excess milk on hand.

And this is what really happened.......

1. Sunday--Clam Chowder, Biscuits

2. Monday--Leftover Lemon Pepper, Zuke in tomatoes, rice

3. Tuesday--Breakfast for Dinner

4. Wednesday--Fend for Yourself
5. Thursday--Hubs made pork chops, Spanish zuke dish, mashed taters

6.  Friday--Tempura Zucchini and Fish

7. Saturday--Stuffed Zuke w/Beef and Onion, Spanish Rice

4 meal with zuke and I am sure on Wednesday at least one of us had a zuke leftover in our dinner. lol  Zucchini overload anyone??

I used the half of loaf of French bread leftover from last week's Breakfast for Dinner meal  and we had it again this week.  I'm in use stuff up that will go bad mode right now.

What got put into the freezer last week....

* Nothing

What got taken out of the freezer and used...

* 2 Pork Chops

* 1 lb. of Pollock fish

* 1 lb. of Ground Beef

I spent $67.67 on food/toiletries/HBA last week.  This also included the almost free($1.58) ice cream I picked up at CVS, $2.31 spent at Ollie's and $25.36 I spend at Ocean State on the "free food" table-got a $25.36 gift card back-and forgot to put into July's total.  This brings our food/toiletries/paper goods Total to $67.67 for August so far.  Take out the July "Oops" and it's $38.42 strictly in August.

There are 23 shopping days left in August.

I've earned $70.88 on Ibotta in August.

I've earned $0.00 on Checkout51 in August.

I've earned .75¢ on Coupons dotcom/Paypal in August.

I've earned 3,158 points from shopping on Fetch in August which equals $3.15(It's actually more but I've been lazy about submitting my receipts.).

I've earned 3,175 points from food shopping on Shop Kick in August which equals $12.70.

I've earned 2,355 SB from food shopping on Swagbucks in August which equals $2.35.

That's $71.63 in rebates(not counting the Shop Kick/Swag Bucks/Fetch)on $67.67 in grocery spending so in reality it's -$3.98 spent after the 3 rebate apps I count until I cash out on the other three apps. 8-)))

My savings percentage for last week was 69.38%(without "regular" Rite-Aid trips)for August and the monthly savings total for August comes in at 69.38%.(w/out R-A).

Leftovers going into this week....a little corn casserole, zuke tomatoes, rice. clam chowder, biscuits, Spanish zuke dish, 2/3 of a stuffed zucchini. And carrot cake.

Here is this week's "food plan".....

1. Sunday--Leftover fish and one of the zuke sides

2. Monday--BLTs

3. Tuesday--Leftovers

4. Wednesday--Hot Dogs or Brats, Potato Salad, Cuke Salad
5. Thursday--Lasagna, Salad

6.  Friday--not sure yet

7. Saturday--Chinese take-out

What do I need to buy to fix everything on this menu?  We are all set to make this menu(except Friday and the take-out on Saturday).

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Was last week's plan successful, did you go off plan or did you not even plan what was going to be eaten last week?

Any great deals on food at your stores this week?  

Sluggy

 

$5 Weekend Bonus-Done

 I went to Walmart armed with a $25 Gift Card(gotten for free through Swag Bucks)and a few coupons.  I needed 12 rebates to earn a $5 Weekend Bonus so I bought all this........

The 3 boxes of Twinings Irish Breakfast Tea were just a happy clearance find at $1.50 a box and didn't have a rebate attached.  The Degree body wash/soak and massage soap bar were a Shop Kick deal only($3.40 in pts)and $3 off in Coupons.  The Cover Girl concealer that I bought was a $1.50 moneymaker(on clearance for $1 and I had a $2.50/1 face coupon).  The One by Poise package was a Fetch Rewards($3 worth of pts. for it)and a Shop Kick deal($2.80 worth of pts.)plus I had a $3/1 Q.  The mini boxes of Werther's sugar-free candies were a Swag Bucks deal($2.96 paid and $3.00 back in Swag Bucks).

The rest of the items(plus the Werther's)were my 12 Ibotta rebates; 2 x Quaker S'mores oatmeal, Pringles French fried onions, Smart Water, Rold Gold pretzel twists, free Chex cereal(qualified for 2 separate rebates), better than free Crayola crayons, 6 pack of Craisins(qualified for 2 separate rebates), Jet-Puff marshmallows(also gave back .80¢ on Shop Kick), the Pure Protein bar and the 2 Safeguard Hand Soaps. I actually had 13 rebates because of a couple of items qualified for 2 rebates each.

Take out the non-rebate items(the tea)and I spent OOP after coupons and gift card $14.57.  I earned $21.14 from Ibotta individual rebates, the $5 Weekend Bonus so $26.14 on Ibotta so an $11.57 moneymaker on just Ibotta.  If my store had had more of the freebie items I could have paid even less.  Even including the clearance tea bags it's still a $7.07 moneymaker. 8-)))

I also earned $3.60 on Shop Kick, $3 on Swag Bucks and $3.27 on Fetch though I don't "count" those until I cash out for a gift card and use it.

Done any rebate shopping lately?

Sluggy

Frugal Friday.....the August 6th Edition

 Not much happened this week noteworthy as frugal but here are the highlights......

* No eating out or take-out at all.  This is a big win for us!

*  I did a smallish Walmart haul.

This(plus 2 items not pictured)turned out to be a $27.88 moneymaker.

* I also went to Weis(PMITA)Markets on Thursday just in time to use that .75¢ Catalina I found in the trash at Weis a couple of weeks ago.  I picked up a couple of peaches(our first of the season here), a couple of tomatoes for BLTs again and salads, a yogurt(45¢ after Q and rebate), a box of Zantac(a $2.81 moneymaker after double Qs), a big bottle of Heinz ketchup for .99¢ after store Q, a box of Kraft mac and cheese(.65¢ after rebate), a small can of dog food the puppies eat(.69¢ after rebate), 4 small cans of cat food for $1 total after double rebates(to take to my brother's kitties)and 3 boxes of cold cereal for .49¢ after double Qs(one of which I'll keep and the other two bound for the food bank).  I also bought a store brand Onion Dip because we have Fritos and well....onion dip! ;-)
Total OOP was $10.13 w/sales tax and I should receive $1.40 in rebates back on that spending.

*  I found money!!

Not much this week, at first.......

A penny at Walmart last Friday.  It was at the door as I loaded the groceries into the car and looked down under the cart  and it was staring up at me. 8-)

Then .11¢ last Saturday at my Rite-Aid.

Nothing else until Thursday at Weis(PMITA)Markets.  There were 4 pennies in the change slot of my self-checkout.  So I peeked into the slot of the other empty self-checkout on my way out of the store and spied a nickel and 4 more pennies to come home to live in my found change envelope.

Total Found This Week... .25¢

Total Found This Year....$13.03

*  I did a tiny bit of Rite-Aid shopping.........

The 6 packs and body wash Irish Spring are free this week at Rite-Aid($4 on sale and use the $2 in-ad Q + get $2 in Bonus Cash back for each one).  You will be sales tax on these though depending on your state, which made them a grand total of .24¢ here after Q and BC.

Not a lot of good deals this week unless your store has some 75% clearance items you need.  Next week there will be a $15 off WYSpend $60 in-ad Q however and I am hoping for some good Qs to pair with that but not holding my breath.

*  Continuing to use up garden goodies here.  We picked 3 more cukes and 1 zucchini this week.   I made more pickles and I've had two salads with fresh cuke.  I also put a sliced up zuke into the pickling brine.  There was zuke in the carrot cake, tempura zukee spears(which will be making another appearance soon), and a Spanish dish called Calabacin al Ajillo-grilled zucchini coins with garlic and parsley.  Still to come are a zucchini gratin casserole and a stuffed zuke(like a stuffed pepper dish)because this one is a big sucker and the seeds need to be scraped out of it first.  

After that I am raising the white flag of surrender and grating up the rest of any more zukes and throwing them into the freezer for baking season. lol

Now we wait for the tomatoes to ripen.......

July overall turned out to NOT be very frugal but for a reason(hello paying for Alaska flights and trip!)so I'll take any wins I can at this point. 8-)))

Any frugal wins at your house this past week?

Tell us all about them!

Sluggy

Walmart Ibotta Haul From Tuesday

 This will be my last Ibotta haul until September rolls around.  I went to Walmart on Tuesday to finish my Lunch Money $10 Bonus(needed 11 offers)and my $1 Midweek Bonus(needed 10 offers).  The offers overlap so getting 11 offers gave me $11 total(plus the rebates on the specific offers too).

I bought everything in the photo in addition to one more almond milk(Hubs already opened that one).
It was 12 offers done as the dog food and the Almay qualified for two separate offers each.

The cover girl lip gloss wasn't an Ibotta offer but it was on clearance for $1 and I had a $1.50/1 IPQ so I got .50¢ in overage to apply to something else for buying that.  The trial size Old Spice deo and body wash were also not Ibotta offers(though the Flipz and the Kotex pads were both SK and Ibotta offers along with some scan kicks I did in store) I got back $6.44 worth off points from Shop Kick as well.

I also cashed out for a $25 Walmart gift card on Shop Kick to use.

SubTotal.....$31.86
Coupons.......$4.45
Gift Card...$25.00
OOP.............$2.41

Earned back $19.29 regular rebates, $11 Bonus offers so $30.29 on Ibotta, making this a $27.88 moneymaker trip.

Sluggy