The More Things Change The More They Stay The Same

 With the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and the disastrous pull-out of US forces from Afghanistan recently this song from 1967 has been an ear worm in my head........

Sluggy

Frugal Friday 2021.....the September 10th Edition

 I've been gone all day running errands and I am bushed!  So this will be a brief Frugal report.

*  We cooked/ate at home all week, except for Labor day.  Tried to use a gift card for Subway but they had the nerve to be CLOSED on Monday! humph  So Hubs got us Burger King and forgot to use the gift card.  #fugalfail

*  I did a teeny tiny bit of shopping to finish off some Ibotta rebates this week at Walmart and Rite-Aid(as always the R-A stuff cost me "nada").

*  I got a bunch of food bank stuff gathered but didn't get it up to the church where it's housed.  I suppose I'll dump it all into Hubs car before I take off for Virginia next week.

*  I jumped on a great deal with NCL and Hubs and I are off on another cruise in December to the Caribbean mon!  Ok, so it's not that frugal but we did get 4 extras and the flights to Miami thrown in so I'm calling this a win. ;-)

*  We only needed to use the a/c 1 day last week, and all laundry was done during off peak hours so the electric bill will be lighter in September(maybe). 

* I found money!

Last Friday these 3 pennies were next to my car in the parking lot of Walmart.

On Tuesday I found this dime under my self-checkout at the Walmart in the town South of here and the penny in the foyer as I was leaving the store.

Money Found This Week... .14¢
Money Found This Year.....$15.13

What frugal wins did you have this week?
Let us know what went down in your world this past week!

Sluggy

Last Rite-Aid Trip & Walmart This Week

 I only did a very small transaction at Rite-Aid last week.  I needed 8 items for a $1 Midweek Marker Bonus.....

2 x Aveeno lotion BOGO50%=$5.23
1 x Vick's Pure Zzzs clearance=$2.37
1 x Berri Fit drink 20% Gold discount=$2.23
1 x Evolve shake drink 20% Gold discount=$2.79
2 x AirHeads candy bags on sale=$4.00
1 x Almay eye palette clearance=$2.74
SubTotal=$19.36

Coupons Used
1 x $1/1 Evolve hangtagQ=$1.00

$19.36-$1.00=$18.36 +.64¢ tax=$20.00 paid for with Bonus Cash/gift card.

No BC was earned but I earned $12.20 on Ibotta counting the $1 Bonus for hitting 8 rebates(the Berri Fit drink qualified for 3 rebates).  So I spent down all the BC on one card.

I hit Walmart yesterday to do a $5 wybuy 10 items Mid Week Money Maker Bonus........

1 x Softsoap hand soap=$1.98
1 x 9 Elements cleaner=$4.94
1 x Barilla pasta=$1.28
1 x Rise coffee drink clearance=.38¢
1 x Rimmel mascara clearance=$3.97
2 x Rimmel face make-up clearance=$2.00
1 x Breakstone cottage cheese/fruit cup=$1.06
1 x Core coconut protein bar=$1.98
1 x CB sliced Provolone cheese=$2.98
SubTotal...$20.57

Coupons Used
1 x $2/1 9 Elements ManQ=$2.00
1 x $2/1 Rimmel eye ManQ=$2.00
1 x $1/1 Rimmel any ManQ=$1.00
Coupon Total..........$5.00

$20.57-$5.00=$15.57+.47¢ tax=$16.04

While I only did 9 'different' rebates, there were 2 separate rebates for the Softsoap, giving me 10 rebates total.

I earned back $16.38 on Ibotta plus another $5 for the Bonus for doing at least 10 offers, making it $21.38 in rebates and a $5.34 moneymaker for these items.  I also used part of a $25 free gift card from Fetch to pay so it was Zero OOP on all this.  The coffee will go to Ex-College Boy, the dark face make-up and the mascara will be donated or go in a giveaway and we'll use the rest.

I did purchase other non-Ibotta items(some canned goods for Hubs, some clearance items and a pork butt to smoke)so the overall trip wasn't free but cost me $11.52 for everything bought.  That total will show up in next Monday's post when I do my weekly spending on groceries/toiletries/etc.

I also tried to find the free spicy Hormel pepperoni at 2 different Walmart stores but neither of them carry that type.

Sluggy

Income & Spending 2021.....the August 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 August report---

I had 2 goals for August.......
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 August in the Black(for a change).
The amount we ended the month of August with?....$36.38

Income or Funds We Can Access

The "income" in August---

* 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 $436.44

Total "Income" for August.....$5,630.67

Expenses in August---

* Healthcare Premium for August was $1,971.99(paid for with RMSA reimbursement)
* Irregular bills in August were $1,173.00(house insurance, trip cash, Oldest birthday check)

* Variable Expenses in August came to $2,449.30
Total Expenses....$5,594.29

$5,630.67-$5,594.29=$36.38

Slush into August of $39,033.52 in that Fund, add the $36.38 in overage and we get $39,069.90 going into September's Slush Fund.
The Slush Fund on it's Page(tab at the top of the blog)shows an addition of $36.38. rah.

Outgo

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

HERE are the GOOD THINGS

*  Internet was the same as in July.

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

*  The electric bill was $3.79 lower than in July.

*  The cell phone went down by $82.25 from last month.

*  The water bill was $5.15 lower than in July.

*  The MC c/c was $1,032.10 lower than last month.

*  My Amazon Visa was $2,716.60 lower than July.(Cruise related stuff all paid for in July.)

HERE are the BAD THINGS

*  The gas bill was $46.78 higher than last month.(Trip to MD accounts for most of that gas. Gas has been crazy expensive for here.)

*  3 irregular bills were due in August--annual home insurance, a birthday check for our oldest son and extra $$$ was taken for the trip to Alaska.

The Food Budget costs for August 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 August---The only variable bill that went up rather than down in August was gas for the cars.  I'd call that a win.
 

THOUGHTS going forward into September 2021---Well the gas costs will be high again as I have a trip down to see my brother and his wife and a side trip on the way home to see my Sissie. ;-)  Groceries shouldn't be too high as I won't be here to shop and Hubs won't. lolz  I paid ahead on my Amazon card so all the crap I bought in Alaska and barely fit in my luggage home won't be haunting my credit card....just half of it.

We have 2 big irregular bills coming due in September--Long Term Care premiums and our School taxes(which of course, went up again).  There will be a money meeting later this money to see whether to tap the 401K or just withdraw for these from the non-retirement savings.  More in the next monthly report on that.

We also made a big money decision which kicked in during August but I'll talk about that another time as it really won't affect our income/spending until Hubs Medicare kicks in about 20 months from now.  This matter will get it's own blog post in time.

So how was your August financially? 

Did you spend less than the income you had in August?
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 Dining Table

   The "I Have to Cook Again, Blahs!" Edition...

One of the best things about the weeklong cruise was NOT having to meal plan or cook anything.  It was lovely.  The only effort was deciding where to eat and picking out what to eat. lol

I had this sort of breakfast a few times-scrambled eggs(not from powdered!)a piece of bread w/orange marmalade, thin crisp bacon and cantaloupe(2 pieces).  I have to say they had some of the best fruit on this cruise, especially the 'loupe.

Now it's back to real life dang it! ;-)

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned--

1. Sunday--Nothing

2. Monday--Nothing

3. Tuesday--Nothing

4. Wednesday--Nothing
5. Thursday--Nothing

6.  Friday--Nothing

7. Saturday--Nothing

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

1. Sunday--Whatever you could scrounge up.

2. Monday--Kielbasa sandwiches, some frozen veggies(don't remember what)

3. Tuesday--Domino's Pizza, Watermelon

4. Wednesday--FFY(I had a PBJ sammie)
5. Thursday--Chinese Take-out and Watermelon

6.  Friday--Steak, COC, Caesar Salad(I just had the COC)

7. Saturday--BLTs, Watermelon

We got home at 1:03am EDST on Sunday morning from the airport.  It took me 3 days to adjust to the time zone change and to get my brain working on a meal plan again. ugh.  We had no fresh produce except for a plethora of tomatoes in the garden and 1 sad cucumber.  In order to have BLTs I had to get to the grocery store for bread.  Unfortunately I found much more food to buy besides bread. lol

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

* 1 pack of chicken/apple sausage

* 1 Cab Round Steak

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

* 1 lb. of Pepper Bacon

* 2 Steaks

*  1 pack of Kielbasa

I spent $1232.82 on food/toiletries/HBA last week at Walmart.  This brings our food/toiletries/paper goods Total to $122.82 for September so far. 

There are 24 shopping days left in September.

I've earned $50.37 on Ibotta in September.

I've earned $0 on Checkout51 in September.

I've earned $3.00 on Coupons dotcom/Paypal in September.

I've earned $3.50 from Aisle.

I've earned 7740 points from shopping on Fetch in September which equals $7.74.

I've earned 6,025 points from food shopping on Shop Kick in September which equals $24.10.

I've earned 12,367 SB from food shopping on Swagbucks in September which equals $12.36.

That's $56.87 in rebates(not counting the Shop Kick/Swag Bucks/Fetch)on $122.82 in grocery spending so in reality it's $65.95 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 38.26(without "regular" Rite-Aid trips)for September and the monthly savings total for September comes in at 38.26%.(w/out R-A).

Leftovers going into this week....nothing.  Oh gosh, I have to cook a LOT! lolz

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

1. Sunday--Spaghetti w/Chicken Meatballs, Salad, Garlic Bread

2. Monday--Fend for Yourself or Take-out Subs

3. Tuesday--Lobster, COC

4. Wednesday--Cook-out Foods
5. Thursday--Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches, Green Beans

6.  Friday--BLTs

7. Saturday--Leftovers or FFY

What do I need to buy to fix everything on this menu?  Lobster obviously.  And I'll need to either make bread or hit the bread store and buy corn on cob.  Might hit a produce stand too depending on if I have the energy to make and can my pepper relish this week.

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