Week #4 Low Spend & Declutter Challenge....I'm Done!

I have officially finished CARLA'S FEBRUARY DOUBLE CHALLENGE MONTH.....yay!  Here are my results with photos for Week 4.

First the Mini-Challenge....which was to put yourself FIRST!  Do something for yourself for a change.
And I did but with mixed results.
I spent a whole $1.99 on myself and rented a movie I had been wanting to see.
The movie?...."The Help".  I also want to read the book but will do that through the local library.

While I didn't feel guilty for spending the money and taking the time to watch it twice in one sitting(lol), I do, in a way, regret watching it.
Loved the movie, loved the fine acting.
But it made me ball like a baby!
Seriously.
Boo.
Hoo.

Even now I think about the story and I start getting weepy.
I am trying for the life of me to figure out WHY it affected me so.
I am not someone who cries at movies.....
Weird.

Onward to the Low Spending Part--
Feb. 22....spent $26.25 taking #2 Son out to Red Robin.  His meal was free! ;-) Went to Rite-Aid but no actual money was spent.
Feb. 23....no spending
Feb. 24....Went to Rite-Aid but no actual money was spent. Hubs & I got take-out, spent $19.50.
Feb. 25....$13.61 spent on groceries.
Feb. 26.... no spending
Feb. 27....$3.98 spent on groceries and I filled my car with gas-$48.01.  ouch....*sigh*
Feb. 28....$4.90 spent to mail our federal taxes.
I'm adding in Feb. 29 and I am staying home and don't plan on spending anything that day either.

No frivolous or unconscious spending this week....food, gas, taxes.  While the eating out is not a NEED, we can afford this little bit and budget for it, so the week is all good. 8-)

Onward to the Decluttering Part--

This final week was the DREADED CHALLENGE.
At my house, that is the garage.
We don't park cars in the garage.
I use it for storage.  With a large food & toiletries stockpile and selling toys now and again(which also means I need storage for shipping boxes), I have a lot of crap in my garage.  Add in storing certain household goods out there, a christmas tree, Hubs tools and workbench, window air conditioners, extra paint and flooring and anything else the kids & Hubs throw out there, my garage is quite a beast to tame.

Here are the pics I took BEFORE and then AFTER spending an hour or two out there 5 of the last 7 days.

From the middle of the end of the garage driveway BEFORE.....

And AFTER......after putting things away, putting things back where they belong and moving the tubs of toys into the living room...ugh.....

The left side of the garage from the driveway BEFORE......

And AFTER.....not much moved but straightened....

The rightside of the Stockpile BEFORE.....

And AFTER rotating some, putting bags away, organizing some.....

The right side of the garage near the door into the house BEFORE.....

And AFTER, not quite showing the same spot....the boxes are empties for shipping stuff and the tubs are our recycling storage set-up.  I did get rid of enough toys to empty 2 plastic tubs, which I can now freecycle.....

The other side of the Stockpile, standing at the back of the garage looking out BEFORE.....

And AFTER.....a little can straightening and a lot of shipping supplies straightening....

Standing in the same spot, shooting to the right instead of the left BEFORE.....

And AFTER......shipping stuff is organized and shelving taken apart but still deciding what to do with it....

 By the door into the house  BEFORE....

And AFTER-2 different shots because I didn't stand in the same spot for this After shot.....bags of food put away, boxes relocated or emptied, etc.....

Hubs workbench area is still a disaster but it's not MY disaster so I didn't show it. lol
I still have work to do out there but the garage is much improved and easier to find stuff.

I am glad for participating in this Challenge mostly because it got me moving on some things I've been putting off or ignoring.  Having to be accountable helped me just DO IT!
Now it's on to MARCH and to decide what to undertake going forward.

So how was your February?
Did you get some task started or completed that you've been putting off or dreading?

Sluggy

Sluggy's Boring Blog Giveaway Box......Enter Now!

  The BORING BLOG BOX of FUN GIVEAWAY 2012 Edition is OPEN!

Sluggy's BORING BLOG BOX GIVEAWAY is Ready!

Just to recap, I put things in the box(mostly what I have gotten for free or almost free)each week and when the box is filled we draw a winner from all the entries received.

Here is what went into the Box today.....

1.  A Reach Toothbrush
2.  A package of 2 AA Batteries.
3.  A 2 bar package of Olay Soap
4.  A handcrafted  Madri Gras Ty HALO Beanie Baby

Yes, this is my handiwork.  Hand dyed holding a mask and wearing his own Mardi Gras beads.


If this is your first time, please go read all the rules for these Giveaways HERE.

Time to enter.....You can enter on this Giveaway post until I post another set of items for the Giveaway--which is usually about a week.

1 entry per person per day on THIS POST.  Leave your name/email addy and a comment for a valid entry on THIS POST only.  When I post again about this BORING BLOG BOX GIVEAWAY entries on this Post will be CLOSED and you must post on the New Giveaway Post to enter.  I hope this isn't too confusing. ;-)  There will be a link on the top of the side bar to the current Giveaway Post.

Please NOTE--You MUST be a follower to enter the Giveaway.  If you aren't one, just click on the "Follow" button on the right hand side of my blog to become a follower.

There are 2 ways to get extra entries....

1. Put my blog on your blog's Blogroll.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST only with the URL of your blog. If I'm already on your Blogroll, say so in your extra comment.
2.  Blog about this Giveaway on your blog or on a Message Board.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST only with a link to your blog post or the message on the board.

Again, you can enter on this post until I put another Giveaway Post up and then you need to enter on the NEWER Post.

Any questions?  Just email me.

Happy Entering!! 

Sluggy

February Food Spending Week 4, Meal Plan February Week 4+ & March Week 1

I love searching around for old photos and advertisements featuring kitchens from years gone by.  These are mostly the kitchens from my youth in the 1960's-1970's or earlier.

This week I give you another kitchen of 1945.....

 Even though it's post-war there is still heavy linear design influence from the Art Deco styling of the 1930's.  The color scheme is very period, but in a pastel palette played against pops of black detailing.  There is a coordinating breakfast nook or morning room past the sliding glass door on the left.
The big deal here is the massive "picture window" located over the sink.  This feature became the standard into the 1950's and beyond for most any suburban tract home kitchen.  Moms across North America could now watch their precious kids playing in the back yard while still taking care of kitchen drudgery like hand washing dishes.

This nifty feature sort of distracted homemakers from complaining about not having an automatic dishwasher that was touted heavily in those "kitchen of the future" ads during the 1920-1930's.  We know the technology was developed so why the gap in production once the war was over?  I am sure if men stayed home in the traditional homemaker role of that era, automatic dishwashers would have been standard in every kitchen! ;-)

Enough of that, onward to the Meals and Food Spending. 8-)

Last week's meal plan is in the books.  Here is what actually happened....

SUNDAY--Toasted Chicken with Veggies, Stuffing(boxed)

MONDAY--Quiche, Tossed Salad

TUESDAY--Pork Chop with Maple Glaze, Mashed Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts

WEDNESDAY--Red Robin Free Meal for #2's birthday

THURSDAY--Breakfast for Dinner(Hash and Pancakes)

FRIDAY--Chinese Take-Out for Hubs/I, #2 Son was out with friends
SATURDAY--homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Most everything as planned but on different days.  Instead of leftovers night I took the leftover roast chicken and veggies, added a bit more veggies to it and made a large pot pie.  Hubs finished it up on Sunday for lunch.

The weekly food spending was $51.51. Most of that was buying whole roaster chickens at .88¢ lb.  Approx. $20 of stuff at Big Lots, some apples and onions and a gallon of milk and that's about it.

Almost 4 Weeks in and I've spent $207.26 of my $300 February food budget.  $92.74 left for the month plus $92.32 leftover from January that didn't get spent.  I've got 3 days left in the month so I doubt at this point if I'll exceed my budget for February.  Yay me! ;-)

Going into February Week 4+/March Week 1 have NO leftovers!  Imagine that?lol

This week's menu.....

SUNDAY--Hubs/#2 Son had Burger King, I had a big salad with nuts and fruit

MONDAY--Ravioli, Salad

TUESDAY--Pecan Chicken, Sweet Potatoes, Cauliflower/Carrot blend

WEDNESDAY--Meatloaf, Green Beans, Smashed Potatoes

THURSDAY--Fish, Rice, Teriyaki Veggie Melange

FRIDAY--homemade Pizza, Salad
SATURDAY--Leftovers

This menu gives us 5 new meals, 1 eating out and 1 night of leftovers.  The fish meal moved from last week's menu since it wasn't cooked/served.  Meatloaf is Hubs request and Pecan Chicken is #2 Son's request.

Items needed to buy for this menu are... salad greens.  I've got everything else here already in the freezer or the pantry.
We'll be buying milk as usual. The only stocking up opportunities I see so far this week are salmon for $5.99lb., and tilapia for $3.49lb.(and I have Qs for the tilapia, so $1 less per lb.)

Those bagged salad kits are on sale for $1.99 this week, so I'll be eating those a lot for lunch and serving them with 2 dinners.

So what is everyone else eating this week?  

Sluggy

Rite-Aid Hijinx......Lotions and Satellites

When last we left out intrepid Rite-Aid shopper she had completed 5 transactions last Sunday and had finished off the $20 +UP Reward Deal on her card.

The last transaction done on the BIL's card tracked $11 in qualifying items and brought him to $84 toward the WR +UP Deal.
That transaction by my accounting should have brought his card to $87 toward the Deal, as there were $14 in qualifying items, according to the Buy & Save pamphlet.
So BIL's card stood at $84 in tracking, not $87 and I couldn't figure out why.

The Neutragena still hadn't updated....from buying the wrong 2 bottles, to returning them and then rebuying the 2 right bottles to get the monthly $10 +UP for buying $25 worth.  I think the cashier didn't actually rering the 2 correct bottles when I did the return and rebuy, so the system didn't recognize the correct bottles, I either had to call CS and explain all this or buy another bottle that cost at least $7 to get me over the $25 threshold.  I still had to make at least $13 in purchases anyway and I had +UPs to burn so I pondered just buying another $7 worth of Neutragena in that $13 I had to spend.

Then I did this transaction on Wednesday on his card....

4 x Hormel Compleats at $1.99=$7.96
1 x GE Lightbulb raincheck from last week using In-Ad Q$3=$.99
1 x Colgate Toothbrush on sale=$2.49
1 x Vaseline Lotion new one on sale=$2.97
SubTotal....$14.41

Coupons Used
2 x BOGO IPQ Compleats=$3.98
1 x $1/2 Compleats Load2card eQ=$1.00
1 x $1/1 GE Lightbulb ManuQ=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Vaseline Lotion ManuQ(AllYou mag)=$1.00
Coupon Total....$6.98

$14.41-$6.98=$7.43
I used $7 in +UPs and put the .43¢ on my gift card.
I received $3.50 in +UPs back($1.50 Colgate,$2 Vaseline).

*And I KNOW those Compleat things are nasty....but Hubs likes some of them to take for lunch at work.*

BIL's card showed $6 more in tracking(the lightbulb, the lotion, the toothbrush)toward the $20+UP Reward, for a total of $90, but my figures said it should be at $93.

I had now bought 3 bottle of Vaseline Lotion(limit 2 $2+UPs per card), 1 on my card and 2 on BIL's card.  I had bought 1 of each variety...Aloe, Coca Butter and Original and the Coca Butter had not tracked for the Reward on Sunday.  So went over and checked the shelf where it was kept and solved the mystery.....the Coca Butter variety had NO Buy&Save shelf tag, so it didn't qualify.  Weird 2 of the varieties counted and 1 didn't?
So I returned the Coca Butter and rebought another Aloe.
Nothing OOP and now the tracking is showing correctly at $93.

And then we come to Friday's Fun......*Sluggy rolls her eyes*.....

Still needing to buy $7 worth of stuff to get to $100, I bought this.....

 It came to $7.19 with my 20% discount.  I used +UPs to pay & put the .19¢ leftover on my gift card.  This purchase "should" have triggered both my $10 +UP Reward WYB $25 Skincare that was tracking at $18 pre-purchase AND my $20 +UP Reward WYB $100 in qualifying purchases that was tracking at $93.

But as my cashier(the manager)was completing the transaction, the Satellite went offline.
The Satellite that communicates with Headquarters and tells the register computer to print the +UPs on your receipt.  The other customer at the 2nd register was in process at the same time and lost their +UPs as well.
Plus the +UPs I used to pay were now "dead" and couldn't be returned to me to use again.
UGH!

So we waiting a few minutes for the system to get back online and tried a return and re-buy, the manager giving me cash for my now dead +UPs I had used to pay.
And my receipt printed out the message "Thank you for your purchases.  You have received your $20+UP for Winter Rewards."  They system thinks it printed my rewards out already and I got nothing.
**Face plant**

The manager went into the office and got on the phone with CS right then and they are sending the $30 in +UPs due my BIL's card.  She said they aren't allowed to just give me cash or a gift card this time, because $30 is too high a value. 

I'm finished with the Winter Rewards and have $35 in +UPs and have $30 more coming, for a total of $65+UPs to spend.

I have $15 +UPs expiring on 3/11, so I may take next week off from Rite-Aid.
We both deserve a break from each other.....

Sluggy

The MOST Boring of Boring Blog Giveaways....It's Baaaack!

After a year in hibernation, I am bringing back.....

SLUGGY'S BORING BLOG BOX of FUN GIVEAWAY!!


I did this a couple of years ago and it was a big hit.  I think it's time to bring some fun back into my blog, don't you?

Here is what you can win.....

And just WHAT IS THAT, I hear you ask??
It's the inside of a USPS Priority mail box of course!

It's empty just now.....
But it won't be when you win it!

Here's what I am going to do.

I am taking a Flat Rate mailing box.
And I will add prizes to it as the weeks go along and I'll post pictures of what I have added, when I add it.
And when it's full, I'll draw a name at random and one of my lucky readers wins whatever is in the box!

And just what are the prizes?
Glad you asked!

The prizes will be items I pick up in my couponing travels for free or almost free and/or samples I have requested from companies that I feel compelled to share with my readers.
So you won't win Ipads or a Free Car but it will be stuff you need/have to buy and use anyway, so why not win it and not have to pay for it! 8-)

These will NOT be company sponsored Giveaways!  No company will send me stuff to giveaway.
These boxes will be filled with items I have purchased myself.  Payment for the items and the postage is coming out of my pocket.  Ya see how much I must love y'all?lol


Now I have no clue how long it will take me to fill a box.  It all depends on the size of what I throw into the box and how many items it takes to fill it.  From past experience, the process takes 3-4 weeks to fill.

So what are the rules?
1.  There will be multiple ways to enter per week.  Details will be spelled out in each Giveaway Post.  I'll post that a New Box Giveaway is ready to start and then let the entering begin!
On the right side of my Blog, right at the top will be a LINK to the current Blog Post about the Giveaway  where you are to leave your entry/comment.

2.   Besides just saying, "Here's my entry" & leaving your email addy, you will have to post some kind of a comment in your entry.  Talk about an amazing deal you got that week, what a wonderful person you think I am(LOLOL), something that happened in your life, a goal you have or have attained, how you killed some debt that week, what your weather is like, a story or joke or a link to a website we might like.....just post Something!

3.  You MUST be a follower of my blog to enter AND when the Giveaway Winner is announced, you must STILL be a follower.  No following, entering and then unfollowing.  If the name I draw is not a follower,  then I will draw another winner.
If you don't know how to follow, just look on the right sidebar for where it says "followers" and there should be a FOLLOW BUTTON you can click on.  If you are still having problem, email me at my addy in my "About Me" section and I'll try to help you sign up to follow the blog.

4.  Since the box is being mailed Priority Flat Rate mail, you must live where this can be mailed to.....meaning only people with US mailing addresses.  
** Not to leave out my Canadian friends, if someone in Canada wins, I WILL ship the prize box to them, however, 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.  The Frugalista in me just can't see paying the $35 just for postage to ship this to Canada that it would cost.
 
5.  When the Prize Box is full,  I'll post a LAST CHANCE Post with the last date/time to enter for the current Giveaway.  After the Giveaway is closed,  I will use Random Generator to pick the Winner of the Giveaway. 

6. I reserve the right to change or amend the rules or end the Giveaways at any time.   It's my Giveaway so we play by my rules. ;-) 

I think that covers everything that needs covering.

So look for the 1st Prize Box Giveaway to begin Monday!

Sluggy

Wave Bye-Bye as It Goes Out the Door

Here's a quickie before I go out the door with a couple of bags of goodies for the food bank.
It's not food per se but toiletries are welcomed at my local food bank.
And thanks to Rite-Aid, I've got all this to give.....

10 bottle of contact solution
23 tubes of toothpaste
3 boxes of hair coloring
1 tube of denture adhesive

Then it's off to do some banking, food shopping and if my back is ok from yesterday, I'm going back into the garage to lift and tote around stuff out there.  Yesterday I gleaned this lot plus 2 more boxes of stuff for the Salvation Army.  I'm hoping to fill Hubs trunk for another full donation to Sallie's this weekend.
Maybe another post later....maybe not.

Sluggy

My Huge Head Diva Self

While I was going through boxes in the living room the other day, as part of Week 3's Decluttering Challenge I came across some old photos and momentoes.

One of them is an old photo of Yours Truly at about 2.5 years old. 
The story behind this photo......My grandmother had paid for a professional photographer to come to our house and take my photo while I posed in front of a white sheet.  My mom had taken one of the pictures that resulted from this photo shoot and shellac-ed it onto a plaster frame that had been painted gold.
Yes, we were high end, rich folks back in the early 1960's......lol

Anyway, as I mentioned in #2 son's Birthday post yesterday, that large, nah HUGE! heads run in my family, I thought I'd give you a looky loo at My Diva Self in about late 1960.

Is it me or does this look like someone took a cute little toddler's body and plopped a Rocky Dennis head down on it? ;-)

 And yes, we both have the "Ginger" think going on too!

Sluggy

More February P*rn of the Decluttering Variety!

You may have seen some of this stuff in one of my Feb. Decluttering Challenge posts.  This post is all about getting that crap and more outta the house.

Round 2 of Decluttering Porn for February........

2 Hoodies
2 Vans Shirts
1 Glass Rose
2 Pillsbury Doughboy Ornaments
3 Winnie the Pooh silver Charms
1 Power Rangers Backpack, Fanny Pack and Wallet

2 Throw Blankets
2 Weirdohs Model Car Kits
1 Star Trek Masterpiece Figure/Book Set
5 Star Trek Action Figures
2 Die-Cast Cars 1:32
4 Star Wars Action Figures
2 Star Wars Candy Dispensers
2 Diabetic Lancing Devices

9 Craft Kits
4 Miniature Disney Figures
4 Kid's Puzzles

1 Thomas the Tank Lunchbox
1 Safari Shuttle Sunoco Truck
5 bottles of Lotion
2 T-shirts
11 Boyd's Bears Pins
2 Sticker Sets
2 Partridge Family Bus die-cast Cars
1 Small Soldiers Model Kit figure

1 Address Book
1 Set of Playing Cards
2 Books
1 Toy Story Night Light
1 Kid's Musical Toothbrush
1 WWE Ceramic Mug
5 tubes of Glitter
1 Castanet

75 more things have left the building!
I'm off to the garage to start in there......

Sluggy

Babbling Wednesday & Birthday Time!

***It is with sadness that I write that Precious' blog, Frugal Makes Cents, is no more.   She posted about a week ago that she was going to end her blog.  I left a comment about her leaving the blog up as a reference tool for frugal seekers, as she had many good ideas included within over the years.

I went yesterday to see what other comments had been left and if someone had taken over her "Money Saving Challenge" for 2012, but I can't access the blog, as it's been privatized and I haven't been invited to view it.
*sigh*

I guess she's going to use it for other things and not leave it up for a frugal reference tool.
If anyone knows if someone is going to Host the Money Saving Challenge, please let me know.
I thank you....

***While Hubs and I completed filling out the FAFSA forms this past weekend, I didn't actually submit them until Tuesday evening.   I also found out I could efile the older 2 kids' federal taxes.  Did 1 and once it was accepted by the IRS, I efiled the 2nd one yesterday.  Beats having to mail them to the kids for signatures and then having them pay to mail them certified/return receipt requested.  Too bad Hubs and I can't efile our federal return or tele-file our state return.  Gots to go OLD SKOOL with the paper returns.....

***I can't believe how many things I have crossed off my "To Do" List for February so far.  This coming week is all about cleaning out & organizing the garage.  I need to get Hubs to drop off the Sallie's load in his car so I can load him up again.  The donations are backing up here....

*** I also can't believe the weather we've had this Winter!  Tomorrow is suppose to hit 50 degrees here and Friday 54 degrees....INSANE!!!  Usually by this time, it looks like this around here.....

 OR like this in really bad years.....

Not what it actually looks like today....

***Today is my baby's birthday.  16 years ago today I was in labor and trying to pop his massively large melon head out my HooHa.  The week preceding his arrival, our region was facing massive flooding from a late February Winter snow melt-off combined with days upon days of rainstorms.

My water broke as I rolled over on the sofabed at home at 5:30am.....I had been sleeping there as my regular bed had been too uncomfortable to sleep on since December.  Dropped 2 kids at friend's house and Hubs, my mother(who had flown up from VA for the birth)& I drove to the hospital.

Got hooked up to PIT around Noonish, to get things cranking along.  Around 2 o clock is when the pain got heavy.
I was going to attempt another no epidural/drugs delivery.  By 4 I was pushworthy.  His head was down and engaged in the birth canal but he just coudn't/wouldn't leave.  The nurses had me standing on the bed, hanging onto a bar which they set up over the bed(think gymnastic apparatus!) in a semi-squat position.  This power position and gravity was to help me squeeze him out.
After almost 4 hours of this, interspersed with mind blowing contraction pain, I threw in the towel and BEGGED for a C-section.

And about a half an hour later at 8:26pm, the youngest was pulled from my abdomen and commenced hollering.  Hubs still remarks about how freaky it was to be sitting next to me in the OR while the doctors had my ueturus sitting out on my abdomen, chatting away with him, while they cleaned up large amounts of scar tissue from an emergency appendectomy I had undergone when I was 30, before putting me back together.  Yes, good times!

And they fished #2 Son out not a moment too soon, because by the time they stitched me up and got me cleaned up and back to my room and got the morphine flowing(ah!), it was Thursday and nearly time for ER to come on tv and I never missed that show!lol  That boy would rue the day he interfered with his momma's shows.....

And we found out why there was no way on God's green earth he was coming out the other way.  The doctors(I got 2 for this procedure...I am special!lol)said his head was the largest they had every seen(well, for a non hydrocephalus baby).  The nurse measured it when they take all those vital statistic thingys and his head was literally the size of a toddlers.  He was a big boy anyway at 9lb. 11oz.  So between my 5'1" frame with a normal sized pelvis and his melon head, there was no tunnel egress for him!lol

And both his mother(that would be me)and my oldest brother had exceedingly large heads when we were young so it runs in our family.  My brother had a genius IQ so I like to think that WE both needed those larger than normal heads to hold all those brains WE had......well, that's my story anyway.

Because of the C-Section, #2 Son and I had an extended stay in the Maternity Ward.  Between my surgery/stitches and his high Billirubin count(and his time under the lamps with his cool shades), we became fixtures on the ward.  By the time we came home, my mother was worn out from watching the older 2.   Pres. Clinton came to town while we were lazing around the ward but he didn't stop by the hospital.  I still tell #2 Son that Clinton came to town to celebrate his birth.....so what if the town the hospital was in was declared a federal disaster area that week due to the heavy rains, massive snow melt and unseasonably high temperatures that caused flooding.....the presidential visit was all for HIS birthday!

#2 Son has always been my quiet child.  He is introverted and is not one to yammer on or show off, like his older siblings.  We never thought he'd talk when he was young, as his siblings never shut up long enough to give him a chance to speak!lol  When he was born his sister was 3 and his brother was 4.5 years old.  Yes, I had 3 kids under the age of 5 at once. ;-)
#2 Son is my last hope for producing an artist.  #1 Son had a talent for performing/acting and he studied music for awhile put lost interest in it.  Daughter is the least gifted in the artistic realm but she has continued with playing her guitar.  #2 Son has a gift for visual arts(though he doesn't believe what his teacher and I see there) and he has a passion for music.   He eats, drinks and breaths music.  Though he gets good grades in all his classes, if he didn't have music, he'd probably decide to drop out of school now that he's old enough to do so.(And it's not like I'd allow that anyway!lol)  Being an introvert, he can take or leave the whole social aspect of high school.

He lives for music.  And I am thrilled to say that he is making progress in his skills and music loves him back.
Happy 16th Birthday #2 Son!!!

Sluggy

Week 3 Low Spending & Decluttering Challenges Results

Week 3 of Carla's Double February Challenge is done....at least for me it is!

First the Mini-Challenge.....where you are suppose to help someone.  That would be today, when I used my mechanically prowess to help #2 son with his problem.
Yah see, his friend gave him a guitar flanger pedal for his Birthday.  It's a little hunk of metal and plastic that you plug your electric guitar or bass into and it distorts the sound the instrument produces.  #2 son says "this pedal makes your guitar sound like it's on acid."
Okay....
Anyway, it worked for the first few minutes he used it but now it won't work at all.  He's been nagging me to order him a new one on Amazon since Sunday.  No, he can't wait to take it to the music store and see if they can fix it first.  He has to go out and drop $30 on a new one.....and pay for Express shipping to boot!
So "hell no you don't need express shipping" mom goes on Amazon.....and she starts reading the reviews on this item since she knows nothing about guitar flangers, heck, she didn't even know what a flangers was until #2 son told her about them.
And mom reads in a review that there is a battery inside this nifty little device, so mom asks #2 son if he has opened the flanger up and changed the battery inside.  To which he responds no.
You see where I am going with this now, don't you?
So mom opens and changes out the 9Volt battery and Voila!....It's a miracle!!....his Flanger works!
I saved him $30.
Of course after all that I don't get a thanks mom....he just grumbled some more when I told him he owed me $4 for the battery. ;-)


As for the Low Spend part.....
Food shopping.......$73.02
I actually spent money on something other than food though.  #2 son is in need of new footwear as he has holes in every last pair now.  So I went on eBay and bought him 2 pair of Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers.  We usually hit the Converse outlet in Rehobeth Beach to get them for a discount price but he wore the last pair out sooner than expected.  I got them on eBay and with the shipping they were the same price as at the outlet-but without paying for gas for the car to get there.lol
2 pair Converse....$72.98

As for the Decluttering Challenge.  This week was the Productivity Challenge.
I am working on my dining room/living room.
I don't think I was very productive though.

Before I show you my living room, let me explain that it isn't really a living room yet.   I've used it for storage....stored various things over the years.  First we moved here sort of in a hurry so it held lots of moving boxes.  Then after I got that stuff put away we got another load of my mother's things....my mother passed away the week before we moved here. So the next 2 years, as my brother settled her estate, we had to cart my inheritance stuff home from VA and find places for all that stuff. Then my eBay inventory grew so some of it got shoved into the living room.  At one time the room was wall to wall boxes of crap.....very similar to one of those Hoarding shows, except without the trash and animal feces. lol
We also had 4 dogs-one of which was very destructive-at one point and there is a white carpet in that room, so we had to gate off the living/dining room.  The destructo dog is gone but we still have 2 dogs, 1 of which is paper trained but she also considers the dining room her toileting area, so we still have to gate the rooms off.

I have almost gotten the living room emptied at this point.  I am tired of waiting for the last 2 dogs to pass on to fix up my living room, so I am working on getting repairs made and the room painted and furniture bought so we can use it as a living room.
*Deep Breath*

Here are the before shots.....

 That old rug is there from when the Xmas tree was up.  Not quite as bad as leaving your lights on your house all year, but close.lol

 Tubs of eBay merchandise that hasn't sold yet....and that isn't even listed right now.lol

I emptied the ugly plastic shelving unit and got rid of it.
I also got rid of 2 boxes of trash.....

And I gathered all this to donate......

And here are the after shots.....

I cleared the paperwork off the table(for the most part).  The stuff in the chair are my Xmas presents I still haven't opened. lol

I washed and rehung the curtains.

 I gleaned and restacked the eBay merchandise that's left.

 Other than sending some Christmas stuff back upstairs where it belongs and trashing that plastic shelving unit, I still need to work on this part of the room at another time.

The same goes for the table at the bottom of the stairs...though some of this is stuff that is going upstairs.

So that is that.  I am not done but progress was made this week.

Sluggy

Wild Fun with the Hubs on President's Day!

This is a quickie post while I sit and rest from tackling my Week 3 Decluttering Challenge today.

Hubs had off for the President's Day holiday yesterday so we did something wild and crazy.....well, wild and crazy for a couple of old coots like us.
We had lunch at Bob Evans(I used a Coupon too!)and then we went to Big Lots to walk off lunch and bought groceries.
Yes, we live life on the EDGE!!

*Hubs wanted some applesauce cups for when he brings his lunch to work. $1
*I needed a bottle of garlic powder as I am almost out.  While I like to use fresh or minced in the refrigerated jar, I use the powder for certain things....like in pizza sauce. $1
*The conchiglie(seashell)pasta was my idea.  I haven't been able to find this shape/size around here for a good price at the grocery stores.  I like this shape for making mac & cheese or to interchange with rigatoni when I make rigatoni and sauce, as it holds the sauce well like a rigatoni noodle. $1
*The chocolate graham crackers were half price, as they are coming up on the USE BY date on the box.  Contrary to what a lot of folks think, just because the Use By date is past, doesn't make the crackers inedible or toxic. ;-)  I hope to get a chocolate graham crusted pie out of the box IF I can keep them out of #2 son's clutches!lol $1.25
*We were out of wet dog food so I picked up these cans for a good price for Pedigree.  I use wet dog food as a condiment on the kibble and real food blend I give the puppies....like a sauce to tempt them to eat.  It helps with the chihuahua because she is so picky and won't eat real food(veggies & fruit scraps either alone or mixed with meats).  Using this gets her eating and she doesn't realize there is real food under it until it's all gone.  Yes, I am a master of dog psychology.....lol  $1.15 each
*Prego is our favorite jarred sauce but it's hardly ever on sale here at the grocery stores.  This jar was HUGE and even less expensive per ounce than the Ragu and such at the grocery stores on sale.  Since we can't use a huge jar up nowadays in 1 meal with only 3 of us at home, I'll have to make multiple meals in a single week that call for spaghetti sauce OR make 2 lasagnas or such and freeze one for later OR wait for the other kids to come home to cook something and use it. $4
*My favorite purchase was the cans of 100% juice concentrate.  I had a EUREKA! Light Bulb Moment in the store yesterday when I saw it.  This concentrate requires you to add 3 cans of water to reconstitute it to full 100% juice strength.  I've been trying to get #2 son to drink less juice, even though it's not the nasty loaded with HFCS or cane sugar varieties.  It's loaded with calories, even if it's 'natural' and he should drink more water and less juice.
So I am going to buy this and pull the trick I use to pull when my kids were little.....water down their juice.  I can make it less sweet but still sweet enough so he won't notice.  Less calories, less natural sugar and more water consumed.  Yes, I am a Sneaky McSneakerson and don't you dare rat me out to my kids! $1 each

Back to the dining/living room now....

Sluggy

February Food Spending Week 3, Meal Plan February Week 4

*I am taking part in Precious' MONEY SAVING CHALLENGE again for 2012.  You can find her blog FRUGAL MAKES CENTS and a list of other participants and their blogs  HERE.

Check it out.  You might find some new ideas for incorporating frugality into your life there!*


I love searching around for old photos and advertisements featuring kitchens from years gone by.  These are mostly the kitchens from my youth in the 1960's or earlier. 

This week I give you the kitchen of 1945.....

 With the war over, the US saw a flood of servicemen coming home and a rise in the marriage rate and the numbers of new households being formed.  It ushered in a time of economic growth and innovations having to do with domesticity and the home.
While this kitchen in many ways is stuck in the materials and design of the 1930's(the lino patterned floor, the color scheme and the lack of coordinating cabinets, appliances-color and fabrication, etc.), there is a VERY domestic feature this one showcases--the "Baking Center".  This was a large cabinet/door-ed area that combined tool and pantry storage and work space.  You closed the door when not in use and your kitchen looked neat as a pin with nary a spatula or tea towel out of place or showing.  Your kitchen could look ready for a ladie's magazine photo shoot at any time.

I am liking this design idea enough to consider it for our next home.  What do you think about it?

Enough of that, onward to the Meals and Food Spending. 8-)

Last week's meal plan is in the books.  Here is what actually happened....

SUNDAY--Burger King burgers(in celebration of an excellent report card, at #2 son's request)

MONDAY--leftover Enchiladas

TUESDAY--Hubs is taking me out to local Asian restaurant, I'll make cheese steak for #2 son

WEDNESDAY--Spaghetti & Meatballs(homemade meatballs leftover in freezer), Spinach Salad

THURSDAY--leftover lasagna or tv dinners in the freezer(these are old and need to be used up)

FRIDAY--leftover spaghetti or burritos and leftover corn  *I had a PBJ sammie & strawberries.

SATURDAY--Quiche, Salad

Maybe not on the night it was suppose to happen, but we pretty much had what was planned, except the Roast Chicken and Veggies, since I couldn't find whole chicken for a good price last week.  *Sunday the local store had it for .88¢ lb. so I bought 2 yesterday morning....this trip goes under Week 4 food shopping spending.

The weekly food spending was $35.12.  1 trip to the local grocer where I mostly stocked up on OJ concentrate and then bought celery, strawberries, chicken breast, pie shells, ice cream and a cherry pie for Hubs.  Hubs picked up 2 dozen eggs at Price Chopper on sale for $1 dozen.

3 Weeks in and I've spent $155.75 of my $300 February food budget.  $144.25 left for the month plus $92.32 leftover from January that didn't get spent.

Going into February Week 4, we have an entire quiche leftover.

This week's menu.....

SUNDAY--Toasted Chicken with Veggies, Stuffing(boxed)

MONDAY--Quiche, Tossed Salad

TUESDAY--Pork Chop with Maple Glaze, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sugar Snap Peas

WEDNESDAY--Red Robin Free Meal for #2's birthday

THURSDAY--Leftovers(quiche or chicken or pork chop or ?)

FRIDAY--Fish, Rice, Teriyaki Veggie Melange
SATURDAY--Not sure yet....maybe Chinese take-out or Breakfast for Dinner

This menu gives us 4 or 5 new meals, 1 or 2 eating out and 1 night of leftovers.

Items needed to buy for this menu are...the whole chicken which I bought Sunday.  I have all the other ingredients on hand.  I'm using up a bag of potatoes, carrots, celery, older box of stuffing, a rice mix, 2 bags of frozen veggies which are getting "long in the tooth".

We'll be buying milk as usual. The only stocking up opportunities I see so far are some jarred mandarin oranges(I can't stand the ones in metal cans), more whole chickens and flounder @ $3.99lb.

I might go hog wild and spend $60 this week...yikes!lol

So what is everyone else eating this week?  

Sluggy

Sunday Night Chit-Chat

It's Sunday night, which means it's time for Chit-Chat with CARLA.

I

This is a shot I caught last week of my 2 goofy dogs.  Every day around 3pm Cherry the beagle lays down and rolls on her back and just lays there and waits for Penny the chihuahua to notice.  When Penny notices she comes over and starts barking at Cherry, as Penny just can't stand it when Cherry lays there belly up.  Penny yaps and yaps until I either come over and roll Cherry over and tell her to stop begging for a belly rub or I pick up Penny and give her pets.
Usually I'll just go get their dinner bowls ready and they forget all about this "one upmanship" game. 8-)

If you haven't guessed they are both female and they both want to be top bitch.lol

Reading?

A funny book called "Do Over".  This guy goes back to watershed moments in his life that went badly and attempts to do-over his life.  He's done-over his horrible Kindergarten experience so far.  fun stuff....


Watching?

At 9pm EST I'll try to watch Hoarders.  After that I'll be primed to go gather up some things for Salvation Army.  It's my AA meeting.....keeps me motivated.


Listening to?

Hubs has some Harry Potter movie on behind me.  Plus the beagle is snoring.....the music of my life.lol

Cooking/Baking?



I went to the grocery's this morning and bought 2 roasting chickens.  I cooked one with veggies today for dinner.  That sure hit the spot!  And there is enough meat for another meal/dish or a big bowl of chicken salad.  I've never been a big fan of "salad" meat spreads(besides tuna)but we are craving chicken salad lately around here.  ;-)

Happy you accomplished this week?

Got taxes x 6 finished(and 4 of them filed online/via telephone) and we got the FAFSA x 2 filled out(but I still need to submit those online on Tuesday).  It's a weight off my mind and shoulders....and NOW I can get my dining room table cleaned off....yay!!!

Looking forward to next week?
Catching up on my Week 3 Decluttering Challenge.  Monday is set aside to get most of it done.

Thankful for today?

Everyone is mostly healthy, roof over the head, no big problems at the moment with the kids, no big expenses or repairs this month(other than the ones I planned for)and enough money put away for what may come that I don't have to worry about it.

Sluggy

Sunday in the Rite-Aid with Sluggy

I stopped back into Rite-Aid yesterday as I had to go out to the local grocer's so I picked up this....

1 x Got2B hair product on sale=$3.99
I used a $3/1 ManuQ and paid $1.05(w/tax)on my gift card.
It's a Winter Reward qualifying item, so BIL's card has $57 tracking toward the $20+UPs Reward going into Sunday.
My card has $74 tracking going into Sunday.

Sunday's rounds began with this transaction on my card.....

1 x Brainstrong toddler vitamins on sale=$13.00
I used $2/1 IPQ HERE (click where it says to get coupon)
$13-$2=$11.
I used $10+UPs(2x $5), put $1 on the gift card.

I received $13+UP back.

Now I goofed bigtime, as I thought this item was a qualified item for the Winter Reward.
Nope....but with that $2Q it was a moneymaker, so still worth buying.
And who can't use more free vitamins, right?lol

Tracking on my card remains at $74.
Carry forward $23(1x$10, 1x$13)in +UPs.

On BIL's card I then did this....

4 x Colgate toothpastes on sale $3.50=$14.00
I used 1 x $1/1 Colgate Total toothpaste ManuQ(that's all I had).
Total was $13 and I paid with the $13+UP I received in the previous transaction, so ZERO OOP....my favorite kind of OOP. ;-)

I received $14 back in +UPs(4 x $3.50+UP)AND 1 x $10(for getting to $25 in Colgate/SoftSoap spending....remember Friday's Soft Soap purchase.)=$24 +UPs.

Tracking on BIL's card is now at $71.
+UPs carrying forward $34($10,$10, 4x$3.50).

Another transaction on BIL's card.....

3 x 12-packs Coke on sale $3.66=$10.98 *regional sales price*
1 x Brainstrong vitamins on sale=$13.00
1 x Vaseline lotion(the new one)on sale=$2.97 *not pictured*
2 x Cella cherry w/20% wellness discount=$.52 *not pictured either*
$27.47 subtotal.
I used 2 x Free Coke 12 pack Qs earned with codes from MyCokeRewards, $2/1 Brainstrong IPQ(see above), $1/1 Vaseline ManuQ(1/29 RP insert), so $10.32 in Qs.
$27.47-$10.32=$17.15....I used $17 in +UPs(1x$10,2 x $3.50)and put the .15¢ on my gift card.

I received back $18 in +UPs($13 vitamins, $3 Coke, $2 Vaseline).
Added $13 in tracking to BIL's card for a total of $84.  It should have rounded up to $14($10.98+$2.97=$13.95), making the total $85, but the system may due so at a later date if I have some odd partial dollar amounts.

+UPs going forward are $35($13, $10, 2 x $3.50, $3, $2).

Then I did this transaction on my card....

4 x Colgate toothpaste on sale $3.50=$14.00
1 x Vaseline(the new kind-Total Moisture) on sale=$2.97
1 x Cella cherry w/20%wellness discount=$.26
Subtotal of $17.23.
I used 1x $1/1 Vaseline ManuQ and the total was $16.23.  I used $16 in +UPs(1x $13, 1x $3)and put the .23¢ on my gift card.
I received $16 in +UPs(4 x $3.50, $2 Vaseline).

Added $17 to my tracking for a total of $91 for my card.
+UPs carrying forward.....$35(1x $10,2x $2, 6x $3.50).

If the system doesn't right itself I'll need to call CS.....yet again!.  BIL's card didn't get credit for $12.00 of the Neutrogena skin cleanser we bought on Friday evening.  We got credit for $18 of it(3 of the bottles)but not for 2 of the bottles(we bought 5 total).  We bought 2 types of cleanser that didn't qualify so returned it and rebought the proper ones.  The system is slow to record, correct and update that change so we'll give it another couple of days before we go chew someone's head off.

IF that $12 in spending kicks in, BIL's tracking goes from a total so far of $84 to $96.
I'll either buy some little thing to get to $100 this week or wait until next week and get the Stopain topical analgesic that qualifies AND has a SCR attached to it's purchase.

Then the last transaction on my card.....

5 x Colgate toothbrushes on sale $2.49=$12.45
1 x Cella cherry=.26¢
Total of $12.71.
I used $12.50 in +UPs(3x $3.50, 1x $2), put the .21¢ left on my gift card.
I received 4 x $1.50(1 for each of the 1st four toothbrushes)=$6+UPs.
And why did I buy the 5th toothbrush if I didn't get any +UPs for it?
Because I needed to get my Colgate purchases over $25(remember the toothpaste I bought earlier?), so I qualified for the Buy $25/Get $10 in +UPs reward.
I figured with the $16 in +UPs associated with this purchase(and a cost to me of $12 in +UPs)it was a no brainer and I should do the Colgate $25/$10 Deal.

So I got 4 $1.50 +UPs for the toothbrushes, 1 x $10 +UPs for spending $25 and this purchase put me over $100 and I got the $20 Winter Reward +UP for a total of $36 in +UPs for this transaction.

I have $58.50 in +UPs going forward, one card is done with the Winter Reward and the other will be at $96/$100 spending when the system slogs things forward.

There is light at the end of this long Winter Reward tunnel! ;-)

So what are you buying this week at Rite-Aid?

Sluggy

Rite-Aid Hocus Pocus!

I have 2 Wellness cards to get to $100 in qualified spending by March 3rd in order to earn a $20 +Up Reward on each.

Card #1 has $74 in qualified purchases on it at the moment.
Card #2 has $23 in qualified purchases up to Friday evening.

Word around the blogs is that those $15 +Ups earned for buying the reading glasses earlier this week?....They are only scanning in for $7.50, half of their value, when you try to use them to pay for your purchases.
Rite-Aid is playing games with the +Ups so if you didn't take advantage of the Glitch and only got the amount of +Ups for the glasses you were suppose to, they are screwing you!
Well done Rite-Aid, well done..... 8-(

So I made a point of getting rid of the 2 glasses +Ups I had on Friday night.

On the Card #2, I bought 13 bottles of the Soft Soap hand soap that was on sale this week for .97¢ a bottle.
This counts toward a monthly deal--Spend $25 in Colgate and/or Soft Soap items and Get $10 +Ups.
Subtotal on those was $12.61

I also bought 5 Neutragena facial cleaner items, with a subtotal of $20.95 after Qs.

Total for those lots of items was $33.56.
I "tried" to use my 2 $15 +Ups.
They rang up for $7.50 each.
Night Manager fixed them so I got the full value off.
$33.56-$30=$3.56+ $.72tax=$4.28 OOP put on gift card.

I received 2 x $5 +Ups for buying 5 Neutragena items(The Deal is Buy 3/Get $5 +Ups-limit 2, but the second set, only buying 2, instead of 3, triggers the 2nd $5 +Ups.).
I also  got a $10 +Ups for the monthly Skincare Deal(Buy select brands/types of skincare products worth $25 or more/Get a $10 +Ups).
So I have $20 in +Ups going into next week.

Going into next week....
Card #1 has $74 in qualified spending.
Card #2 has $53 in qualified spending.

Now for the monkey wrench.....
My $13(they rounded it up from $12.61)for the Soft Soap/Colgate monthly Deal is tracking on the receipt as "$25 ADVIL $10+UP"
WTF?!?!lol

If everything pans out, I figure I have 4 transactions to do next week(2 on each card), which will get me to or close to both $20 Rewards and increase my current $20 in +UPs to $35.50 in +UPs(and use $1.73 of my gift card in the process).


Well stay tuned to see how this all works out next week....IF it works out......lol

Sluggy

You Like Me, You Really Like Me!

This is the Versatile Blogger award which I was presented with by B-Kat over at Slay The Monster.
She just paid off her mortgage by the way, so go give her a nice pat on the back, won't you?

There are 2 rules that come with this prestigious honor....yes, make it sound like a grand event now, don't I?lol

Rule 1--Pass on this Versatile Blogger award to 5 other deserving VERSATILE bloggers!
And the award goes to.....

A Mom Money and More
Finally Frugal and Happy
Pay The Bills or Feed the Kids
Two Girls One Budget
Our Simple Lives


The second rule is to tell you 7 random things you don't know about me....oh, like anyone cares!
If you have nothing better to do(contemplating one's navel comes to mind), here are my 7 things.......

1.  My Great Uncle once gave me 4 wild rabbits he trapped, to raise as pets.  Within 1 year I had 52 rabbits.
2.  The high school I attended no longer exists.
3. I have driven a Chevy Chevette around Manhattan(more than once)and almost had it stolen once in Times Square.
4.  I have never attended a high school Prom.
5.  I have sung with the Naval Academy chorus and it was broadcast on the radio.
6.  In high school, some friends and I stole a duck out of a pond because we needed it to appear on stage in a skit we wrote.  It was returned with nary a feather out of place.
7.  I worked for awhile in Brooklyn with the sister of Michael Tylo.  If you ever watched "The Guiding Light", you know he played Quniton Chamberlain(aka Quinton McCord).....of Quint and Nola fame.....or "Quola" as die-hard GL fans refer to them as a couple......

Therefore, if I ever have to play "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" I can link to Kev in 3 moves....

I worked with Teri Tylo, who is sister to Micheal Tylo, who worked on GL(from 1981-1985/1996-1997) with Kevin Bacon, who played Phillip Spaulding (from 1981-1982).

And this proves that you NEVER know what you'll find here! ;-)

Sluggy

Friday Fun!

Here's a fun song I have liked since I heard it when it was included in an off-Broadway Revue in 1979 called ONE MO' TIME. This show premiered at The Village Gate and has been resurrected a couple of times in various venues.

I have often thought this number would have made a good audition piece for me, back when I was still in the theatre world.

Done in this clip by the most excellent cabaret artist Catherine Russell.

I dedicate this song to SonyaAnn......

 Enjoy and have a good weekend!


Sluggy

Look for This Guy!

I am not a fan of the whole American Idol thing but.....
If you watch that show, watch for the guy, second from the right in this photo the next time they perform....

I have a "loose" connection to him.
One of my old beanie  baby friends-who I have actually spent time with in 'real life' too.....anyway, he has a daughter named Jade Bartlett who is an aspiring singer/songwriter/actress living in NYC.  She is the songwriting partner of that guy in the photo, Nick Boddington.  He auditioned and got picked to go to Hollywood for the show.

And he's there now, trying to win, or at least get some attention from the industry's "Powers That Be" to take his career to the next level.
I believe American Idol is on tonight so if you watch be sure to look for him.

 He and Jade also make up an alternative country singing group called
Wonderland Robbers.

Here is a recent Youtube video of them for your viewing/listening pleasure.....




Sluggy