Brain Dumping Alert

*  First off, let's go with something NICE.
I get to show off what arrived in the mail earlier this week.....

It's the little wallet CARLA made me for winning the drawing in Week #3 of her Feb. Double Challenge.  Isn't it cute??!!  And she did it in my favorite colors of purple and green.  I haven't had a chance to figure out how I will utilize this(aka what crap I'll put in it)but I am sure I can find the PERFECT way to use it.   Toting coupons to the store comes to mind as an option...... 8-)
Thank you Carla!  I DO appreciate it.

Now everybody go click on the link(which is her name)and read her blog, ok?

Back to my Dumping.....

* Remember back last month when I went on a tirade about those Living Social(boo hiss!)coupons for McDonald's(boo hiss!) that #2 Son was charged to use, even though the items they were for were already paid for?  Go HERE-Social Coupons Suck-to read up on what the heck I am talking about.

Anyway, I had contacted via email both the local owner/franchisee and Mickey D's Corporate in IL.
And I got responses from both within a week.....so they get points for customer service AFTER they gave us BAD Customer Service.  I guess I should give them bonus points for that, huh?

The local owner's mouthpiece(aka some lackey in their business office who gets paid to deal with unhappy customers)emailed back and apologized profusely, saying not that they were at fault, but that this particular employee must not have been trained in how to deal with these social coupons.  So they passed the buck and put the blame on some kid making minimum wage being a grease monkey/burger flipper/register jockey, never mentioning that ultimately it is a failure of the system the owner put into place and the kids MANAGER, thus the owner didn't take responsibility.
So I get a "sorry" but no mention that they cheated my son out of his money(which he had to pay for these FREE items)NOR was their a mention of them SENDING HIM A CHECK TO REIMBURSE HIM FOR THE CASH THEY TOOK FROM HIM!
Basically it's a "Gee Kid, sorry we screwed you over and we'll try harder not to screw the next kid out of their money but we are not going to pay you back, even though we agree that we were wrong." response.
Nice huh?

So then a bit later we get an envelope in the mail......

 A letter from Corporate "Customer Satisfaction Department" with a $5 Arch Card inside.
The letter was all...."thank you for contacting us.....we appreciate hearing from our valued customers blah blah.....it's our pleasure to send you the enclosed blah blah blah....if you have any additional comments please call or write blah blah....etc."
Not a mention of "sorry we screwed up" or "sorry we didn't live up to your standards" etc.  I bet this is a standard form letter they send out whether you write them and say you are the best thing that happened in their lives or that you say you gave them food poisoning.
Just a plain unadulterated BULLSHIT Letter!
With a bribe inside.

Can you tell this did NOT please me?
I want my money back, not scrip worth more of their nasty food!!

But at this point, I am taking a big old cleansing breath and letting the stench of rancid grease leave my nostrils.
Besides......it's March and

......Shamrock Shakes are back!

Yah, I am a hardass but crumble at the mention of frozen minty vanilla dairy-like substances.


*  While we are on the subject of BULLSHIT.....
I love how much Colleges and other Higher Institutions of Learning have become snake oil salesmen!
Not really, I am being sarcastic. ;-)

So here are 2 pieces of mail we received a couple of weeks ago....

One from each of our kids colleges, made out to the "Parents of XXXX".
Look at the top envie and you might be able to make out the last line under the return address.
It says...."Final Exams Information Enclosed".

This is how they get your attention and get you to open. this. envelope.  (Unless you have gotten more than one at this point.)
If you are a parent and haven't gotten one of these yet, you are thinking, "Gee, this must be important!?  It's about my kid and their final exams this semester.....is something wrong?.....are they flunking out?......are their grades bad and they are on academic probation?.....this can't be good news, so I must read this and ASAP!"
And if you don't know any better, your blood pressure shoots up, you tear into the letter and your heart starts pounding double time.

And then you see what this Urgent Information really is.....
It's an "offer" to send your kid a "Final Exam Care Package"......a box of snacks and crap, that this company that has a "deal" with your kid's school offers to send to your kid, for the current low discount price of $55.

Yes, the school is selling you a box of Twinkies, Chips, and cheap novelty toys worth about $15 via this Care Package business they get a kickback from.  Ok, call it a commission, it's still shady for a school, a STATE FUNDED SCHOOL, to be using their student body's parents to make a quick buck(What? they don't already get enough money out of the parents??!!) because, there are parents out there who either don't have the time or just feel plain guilty because they don't personally hand pick and mail a box of snacks and novelties to their kid(s) at college during final exam time.

The literature in the sales pitch leans very heavily on "not having your kid be left out when all his friends in the dorm get THEIR cool $55 dollar box"......of junk.
Oh the shame! of having parents that don't love me enough to waste 55 of their hard earned dollars on $15 worth of ho-hos, candy bars, salty snacks, yo-yos and party hats.
All very essential requirements in order to be able to pass your final exams no doubt!  Why not just send them gift cards to Starbucks, 7-11 and Dunkin Donuts, that way they can go get 2 Ginormous Double Expressos, a 6 pack of Red Bull and a dozen Chocolate glazed donuts!

I can buy toiletries for a family of 5 for 4 MONTHS on that $55....not plunk it down on a little box of crap that will be consumed or in the trash within 3 days.

Good Lord!.....talk about treating your almost adult children like 5 year olds.....


* Thank you and love to everyone who wished me luck/prayers/advice in regards to my daughter and her "what am I doing with my life?" angst.
It's been a rough week emotionally- full of talking, yelling, planning, eye rolling, money finagling, crying, sighing, storming out of the room, and frustration.

And that was just how I was this week....

And we have come to a consensus--Daughter will finish up the semester/year where she is.  And if she still feels that what she wants to do is what we are hearing now(hey, a LOT can change in 2 months, especially when they are 19!), then she will let her current school know that she won't be coming back and she'll come home and go to school locally.  Because NOT going to school is NOT on the table as an option.
She's explored 2 local college's programs and between them, she can become what will make her happy.
The 1st one has already accepted her into the upcoming Fall semester and she is still on the fence whether to go with this one or finish the application for the 2nd school's program.

And now for my Saga Words of Wisdom when it comes to kids......
In the end, as far as your kids go, you can't live their lives for them.  You have to let them go down the road they choose.  But you can make sure they make the best choices that affect that journey by helping them explore all the options and possible scenarios each of these little decisions affects who they become, where they go and what the journey through life will be like for them.

I am more confident today that the Daughter has opened her eyes to what life can be/will be/is like after school if she stays on the road she wants to go down.  She is making more informed decisions and we have to let her make them.

She knows we have her back but we expect her to do for herself at a certain point in the future and there is no living in mom and dad's basement until you are 30 if you keep changing your mind and don't stick to something.
At least I know she won't end up like her cousin who is suppose to graduate high school this Spring, who still doesn't have his learner's permit, let alone a driver's license, nor has he gone out to get some kind of part time job even though he turns 18 very shortly, and now has decided he needs to take a year off in between high school and going to college(though he has yet to take the SATs or anything), because high school has been just so so stressful and he needs to take some time off. (Ok, I am stopping now, because I don't know how to make the Emoticon Face for WHAT I am feeling toward him, nor do you want to see what will begin spilling from my fingertips from this point on regarding this subject.)

So like Forrest Gump, that is all I will say on that subject, for now. '-)
Except to put my "view of life in a humorous light" spin on it and say I can't help feeling that given her career path now, Daughter is going to be Homer Simpson when she grows up.....

*  As for the Genealogy I have hooked up with someone(still alive)who is a cousin of my father and she has lots of family history/information for me!  I am so grateful since this line is one I have very little information for in these generations.  I have family stuff from earlier and later so this fills in info I am missing and plugs up some of the many holes.
This is the line that has the most interesting skeletons in the closet....but not in a good way, so it will be interesting to see what her "spin" of this family stuff is.
I'll just say that people and information was kept from me or lied about growing up and I didn't learn/hear the correct details until I was a 37 year old woman.
Oh heck, maybe I should save all this for the book.... 8-)

*  As for the money stuff, we are on track this month with the money.  One paycheck in with another one coming next Friday.  Bills are being paid as they come in. No unexpected expenses so far and we'll have plenty to save and put a piece of that toward the local volunteer fire dept. fundraiser too.

Ok, I lied about no unexpected expenses....
Remember the sink full of dishes yesterday?

Well I ended up loading the dishwasher for #2 Son, popping the gel tab into the door compartment and closing the door and turning the thing on.
Only the computer doesn't recognize that the door is shut.....and the latch is loose.
Since Hubs is NOT handy, we will be paying for at least a repair person and possibly a repair.
If it's the computer board, it's possible we'll be paying for a new dishwasher.
Ugh.

But at least we have ca$h to pay for that and not have to use a credit card.
And the reason we have spare cash is......
*We have a very big SHOVEL aka Hubs salary.
*We have had a fair share of luck in keeping a job(not that this doesn't involve a bit of hard work too)
*We don't spend our money on a lot of "wants".

No we aren't perfect on avoiding the unnecessary spending in life.  Goodness knows, we've had our fair share of slip ups in that department, plus our kids are always at the ready to fritter away our money!lol
But at the end of the day, we exert a good amount of mastery(aka control)over our piece of wealth.

And by combining the income with the control we were able to pay off our house in 2007.
Before the financial world around us went a little bit nuts.
And actually I dug out the paperwork and remembered that we paid the house off on March 15, 2007.
That was yesterday!
So Happy Mortgage Burning Anniversary to US!
And I am just realizing we became totally Debt-Free on the Ides of March.  Spoooooooky!!lol

Ok, my brain is emptied for now.
So what's on your mind lately?


Sluggy

You Can Go Your Own Way

I am stealing Mark's "Use a Song title for a Post title" gimmick today.

Well it's Thursday of the week my Daughter came home for Spring break.
Do you know what my first thought this morning was?
I should have started drinking this week long before today!

My week has been that good.....so far.

It hasn't been bad, it's just been strange.
I have lots to do around here but the daughter's current state of affairs just has me spinning my wheels and wondering what is coming next.
I just sit here all day doing genealogy research(looking for some stability in my past perhaps?), playing free cell, listening to Pandora, reading blogs and contemplating writing something.
I only get up from the computer to go sit in front of the tv or deal with an immediate need like making a meal or dealing with the dogs or doling out money to needy teenagers.

Oh, I did spend some time outside yesterday as it hit 60 something here.
But I hardly even noticed anything.

So daughter has been going to doctor appointments and filling up prescriptions(5 so far!) and using all the gas in my car.  Heck, I don't even have to leave home to spend money lately, do I?lol

Add in that #2 Son has been moody as hell and not very pleasant to deal with this week.  He and Daughter do NOT get along at all and haven't for the last few years.  And he is taking the opportunity with my being preoccupied  with her stuff to fall down on his chores even more than he already does.
#2 is suppose to load/unload the dishwasher.  Here is what I found in the kitchen when I came down this morning.....

Needless to say, I am not amused.....

Daughter has had a chat with the community college folks this week and she goes today for another chat with the baby Penn State folks(one of the many PSU satellite campuses around PA).
Then we sit down tonight and hash it all out and try to figure out what she wants to do after she finishes this semester at her current school.

It's not helping me not feel on edge about all this since the few in real life I have told(mostly family and our physician who she job shadowed with)are surprised and speechless at first.

I have to keep reminding myself that it's her life and no matter what I think and no matter how much I worry, I can't make these decisions for her.   I may feel she is making a mistake by choosing what path she decides to go down but I have to let her go her own way.



She needs to make mistakes and learn from them.  I just hope she takes to heart the lessons they present and that we don't regret the financial hits this will cost hubs and I......and her.

Sluggy

Who Would Have Thunk?

Who would have thought that in spring of 1880 there could be so MANY woman named Mary O'Brien(O'Brian) that got off a ship from Ireland(or by way of England from Ireland)into the USA?!

After the last 3 hours of looking for one particular woman by that name, I can, with a fair amount of certainly tell you you that approximately 4 MILLION did! lolol

I found her husband fairly quickly because I guess Morris O'Brien is not as common a name in that era or not as many Morrises(Morri?...what's the plural of Morris?)emigrated to America in 1880.

Ok, another hour on Mary O. and then I'm onward to the kids, Honora(Anura), Mary and Margaret.
Oh great!.....they named their daughter Mary too.
Why couldn't they have more imagination when naming their kids, right?

Sluggy--who is going back into the suckhole of ancestors

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

Here's a NEW POST for Sluggy's Boring Blog Giveaway Box......Enter Now!

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.

There are only 11 entries so far on last week's Giveaway post.  Now I KNOW more folks than that read what I babble on about!  

Geez, I can't even lure lurkers out of lurkdom with a giveaway?   ;-)

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

1. a book about being alone and the gifts of solitude called, "STILLNESS" by Richard Mahler

2. a tube of Aqua-Fresh Toothpaste(because you can never have enough toothpaste)
3. a package of Airborne tablets(because we aren't out of cold season yet)
4. a bottle of Body Wash(because you get dirty everyday!)
5. a tube of Ladies' Degree Deodorant(because, well...you know! 8-P )


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 on any topic you wishe for a valid entry on THIS POST.  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.

PS-Nobody is entering every day yet!  Hardly anyone is entering more than once a week right now!  Where are my everyday peoples??

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 and  you can do these 2 each every week!....

1. Put my blog on your blog's Blogroll.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST with the URL of your blog so I can make go check it out. If I'm already on your Blogroll, say so in this extra comment/entry.
2.  Blog about this Giveaway on your blog or on a Message Board.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST 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

Where I've Been

I am here......it's just I am not all here.

I am just not myself lately.
Since my Daughter's meltdown I just haven't had any 'umph'.
My energy is just drained.  I guess you'd say my energy is being used up in the worrying about her.
I just know there isn't much of me leftover for much else.  I drag through the day and do the bare minimum I need to do like fixing food, bathing, moving clutter around in the house and planning meals.
Oh, I am just a great big ball of FUN lately, aren't I?

I do have enough "whatever" to sit here and read blogs though, but I just can't bring myself to call up enough brain power to comment much.  Yeah, I run my mouth on a blog post here and there but I'm getting into a very negative place in the space between my ears and yeah, nobody wants to read crap I write when I am in that spot.
So I just don't.

I am having a hard time focusing on anything much.....except for genealogy.

I took another blog I started to be a clearing house for rebate offers and turned it into a personal journal where I can post about the shit I've been through in life and family stuff and how I see the family stuff.
Most of that sounds very negative as well but I feel I need to vent it or explode some days.  Maybe it will help me work through some stuff I feel....maybe not.   I just know that I need to get this stuff out of my head some days.

I have always been a big fan of that show "So Who Do You Think You Are?" on NBC.  Saw all 6 of the 1st Season episodes a couple years ago and was HOOKED.  It got me to begin searching around for my family history.  Of course I didn't know WHAT I WAS DOING AT ALL! and over the last 2 years I would start and stop over and over again looking casually online for family. 

I found a distant relative who is something like 94 years old 2 years ago who had done a shit ton of research on 1 line of my ancestors.  This gentleman's great grandfather was the  younger brother of my great great grandfather....or we share a great grandfather born in 1825...his is a 2x great, mine a 3 x great.  He even charted the lines of all the descendants from this shared relative.  His great uncle(my 3 x great gf)was so prolific that the gentleman I am related to had to put my branch of this family on it's own web page. hehehehe

Here is a photo of my great great great grandparents, Hugh and Sarah "Sally" Vassar.  Hugh died in 1895(Sally in 1902)so this was taken around 1880.

I also found Hugh & family on the 1860 census(pre Civil War VA)with my then 5 year old 2x great grandfather, John "Jack" Alfred and his siblings living on a farm near Scottsburg, VA in what was then Halifax County. 

Anyway, finding out all that made me hungry for more crumbs of information, so about a week ago I dropped a wad of cash and finally joined Ancestry dotcom.
So this should speed up my search.
Especially since I am finding it the biggest SUCKHOLE for my time, bar none!!!

I can sit here for HOURS sifting through Censuses and crap....it is not funny the time I can waste!

The BEST(very sarcastic here!) thing is......Hubs could give a rat's ass about genealogy and family history.  Of course he doesn't know much about his family's past but he is all good with that.

I even spent some time trying to suck him in but searching on his families(Hey! I told him I'm doing this for our kids, so they know about their ancestors on BOTH sides!).  He put up with helping/being interested with it for one evening and now he is done listening to me talk about this.  I start and he gets this look on his face of annoyance.  Now he knows how I've felt all these years when he went on and on about his job or his co-workers(people I don't give a rat's ass about!)and was forced to pretend to be interested. ;-)
So I guess I have to shut up about it with Hubs and just tell my other blog and all of y'all instead.....until y'all get tired and stop reading me.lolol


Sluggy

March Food Spending Week 1+, Meal Plan March Week 2

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 the dream kitchen from 1955.....
Well you'll have to go HERE and watch a short film to see it.  It's a 13 minute film ad selling appliances and new homes from 1955.  It's very cute!  Then we can discuss what you saw.

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--Leftovers
MONDAY--Tacos or Taco Salad, Corn
TUESDAY--Veal Parmesan, Pasta, Salad
WEDNESDAY--Birthday Meal out-Red Lobster
THURSDAY--Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
FRIDAY--I can't remember what we had...leftovers?....but it wasn't take-out as I had planned
SATURDAY--Hubs got Burger King, he didn't like my plan lol

Friday Hubs picked up Daughter from college for Spring break.  I think we had leftovers.  I know we didn't get Chinese take-out as planned. 

The weekly food spending was $91.43. $20+ of that was stocking up on corned beef briskets at $2.29 lb.  No $100+ shopping trips for me this week!  

It's the 12th day of the month and I've already spent $250.63 my food budget for the month!  I have $49.37 left from my original $300 kitty for food.  I do have $176.80 leftover from Jan. and Feb.'s kitties which I will dip into if I need it, but I'll try my hardest to avoid spending that.


Going into March Week 2+ I have many leftovers.  Mostly it's just one helping of something and not enough for an entire meal plus 1 big dish of the casserole I made last week and now a good sized amount of leftovers from Sunday's dinner.

This week's menu.....

SUNDAY--Roasted Turkey, Stuffing, Potatoes, Green Beans, Cranberry Glop
MONDAY--Leftovers
TUESDAY--Daughter's making dinner
WEDNESDAY--Corned Beef, Cabbage, Potato
THURSDAY--Leftovers
FRIDAY--homemade Pizza, Salad
SATURDAY--Chinese take-out

This menu gives us 4 new meals, 1 take-out(at Daughter's request) and 2 nights of leftovers. 

Items needed to buy for this menu are...cabbage. I've got everything else here already in the freezer or the pantry, except for the unknown meal Daughter is fixing.

I am trying to get Daughter to limit what she cooks to items we already have the ingredients for.  I did buy some red and yellow peppers on Saturday and she wants to make "something" chicken so I am pulling for Fajitas.  We would need to pick up mushrooms and sour cream for that though, but I have the onions, cheese(found more cheddar stashed in the freezer so I am not out yet), spices, tortillas.....oh, and the chicken too. ;-)

My mission this week on leftover nights is to make sure the turkey leftovers get eaten.  I am not a fan of leftover turkey but the others will eat it.

We'll be buying milk as usual.

So far I don't see any stocking up opportunities, except for more corned beef.  

So what is everyone else eating this week?

Sluggy

Friday Fun!

I hope everyone has something awesome planned for the weekend.
Me?  Not so much.
The Daughter is coming home later today so I'm just trying to get some cleaning done before Hubs gets home with her.  Then I am off to nap and get ready for the many many hours of "what am I going to do with my life?" talks to follow.


I need some laughter today, so I am sharing this clip I found.  It's the original cast of Spamalot with David Hyde Pierce and Tim Curry.

If you are reading this Joe Z., this is for you.....




Sluggy

Kids and Money

SonyaAnn posted yesterday about her car insurance woes.
Her post was very timely to me, since we are going to be making some big changes in my family soon that will involve vehicles and insurance.

After our 3rd car-the one the kids used to get around in-was totaled last May, we didn't replace it.
At that time, #1 Son was finishing up his 2nd year of college and not home, Daughter was going to be attending college that Fall for the first time(so she no longer would be living at home and needing the car for work or school)and #2 Son was still almost a year away from turning 16 and being eligible to get his learner's permit.
So we didn't replace the car last year.

We put the money we got for the totaled vehicle, last May, aside and Hubs added the little bit of cash he got from his mother's estate with it and we planned to find a $5K or so "beater" car for #2 Son to learn on and use while he finishes high school.

Now let's throw a monkey wrench into the plan.

Daughter has been having second thoughts about her career path.
Ok, a bit more than second thoughts.  After finishing up her first semester at college with a 3.80 grade pt. average, and  after doing a job shadowing with our family doctor over Winter break, and after having her interview at the medical school that her college has a program with and passing that interview so that now she is guaranteed a seat in the medical college when she graduates with her Biology degree, after another 3 years of school, she has decided that she no longer wants to be a doctor.  She told her father and I this after she went back for her 2nd semester the end of January.

I was disappointed that she didn't even finish out the first year before deciding to do a 360 degree turn in her plans.  But it's her life, right?  We told her to slow down and not do anything hasty, but a couple weeks after returning to school, she had changed her major to education and found a new adviser in that dept.
So she suddenly is very sure she no longer wants to be a doctor and she is suddenly just as very sure that she does want to be.......a science teacher.
She says she has had this idea in the back of her mind for a very long time, however this was the first time we, her parents, have heard Daughter voice this career path.

Not to get into much detail here, but currently Daughter had abandoned the Teaching thing and is rethinking her life and may be moving back home after her 1st yr. of college is over.

Basically after having a meltdown at school she wants to finish up the year and come home.
Now she is talking about going into Engineering at this point and transferring to someplace close to home and living at home and commuting to school.  But it's not a 4 year degree in Engineering, she is talking a 2 year Associate degree and/or Job Training to be a engineering technician.....like the kind that comes to your house and fixes your electrical wiring or some kind of mechanical engineering.

The bottom line is though she is real good at being a student and taking tests, etc. she does NOT want to do it for any longer than she has to.  She wants to get out there and work with her hands AND her mind.
At least that's what I am hearing this week.....

Not sure if her new educational plan will pan out or if it's just another "idea" that she is trying on, but I do know that she'll be moving back home for now.  I have suggested that if she doesn't know what she wants to do yet, to get a job and work for a year and take some time to think hard about what to do next.

One thing for sure though.....she'll be living here and she'll need a vehicle to get to work and/or school.

So now I have to figure out if SHE needs to buy the car in her own name and have her own insurance policy or if we need to buy another car and keep her on our policy(and she can make car payments to us once she gets a job).

And where does all this leave #2 Son and his needing a vehicle to get his first part time job?.....driving himself to all his band rehearsals and performances?......driving to a local college in another year if he participates in the High School program where Seniors take college courses?

Paying for 5 cars and 5 drivers on our car insurance policy plus all that gas and maintaining all those cars?
Just kill me now......

Sluggy

My Rite-Aid Trips on Saturday...Short & Sweet

I have +Ups that weren't expiring until 3/11 so I wasn't going to darken Rite-Aid's door last week.
Until I saw how miserable the R-A ad for the week of March 4-11 was, so I hopped up into Rite-Aid last Saturday afternoon to use some +Ups...

1 x Stop Pain spray on sale=$6.00
2 x Right Guard Deo on sale($2.99)=$5.98
1 x Cella cherry w/20% disc.=$.26
SubTotal....$12.24

Coupons Used
1 x $3/2 Right Guard items IPQ=$3.00

$12.24-$3.00=$9.24
I used $9 in +Ups and put the .24¢ on my gift card.
I received 2 x $1 +Ups back for the Right Guard items.
I'll submit for a $6 refund on the Stop Pain spray thru the SCR, making my "cost" $1.24 for these items.

(Spent $9.24 in +Ups and gift card, get back $8 in cash and +Ups.)

Then I went home and got my Pantene ManuQ I had forgotten to clip from the inserts and got this.....

2 x Pantene conditioners on sale=$7.00
2 x Right Guard items on sale=$5.98
SubTotal....$12.98

Coupons Used
1 x $3/2 Pantene ManuQ=$3.00
1 x $3/2 Right Guard IPQ=$3.00
Coupon Total.....$6.00

$12.98-$6.00=$6.98+ $.06tax=$7.04
I used all my +Ups that were expiring in the next 2 weeks.  I couldn't use either of the $1 +Ups I got in my previous transaction however, as when the tax would come off when I used one, it would put my total in the -.02.  I could have added another Cella cherry to use one of those $1 +Ups and then put .24¢ on my gift card but I didn't feel like doing that.
So I used $6 in +Ups and put the $1.04 on the gift card instead.
I received $4 in +Ups back(2 x $1 Right Guard, $2 WYB2 Pantene).

This transaction "cost" me $3.04".  (Spent $7.04 in +Ups and gift card and got back $4 in +Ups.)

Now if I was smart and more on the ball, I would have gotten to Rite-Aid earlier in the week when they still had that new "Ice Shine" variety of Pantene.  There was a double dip last week....with the weekly Pantene Deal($2 +Ups WYB2 any variety)and the monthly $1 +Ups Deal(WYB1 Pantene Ice Shine variety).  I could have gotten $4 in +Ups back instead of just $2 if I had bought that new Pantene variety, making my Pantene FREE and the Right Guard .50¢ per item.  But they were cleaned out by Saturday of course so my Pantene was $1 a bottle.
Oh well.
Still a good price.  ;-)

Now let's analysis why I bought what I did--
The Stop Pain was bought soley to turn $6 in +Ups back into cash.
The Right Guard deo/body wash because we are running low on men's deo and wash.  There are 3 stinky guys in our house.....'nuff said.
The hair conditioner was for #2 Son as he is almost out and requested more.
The cherry candy was obviously a 'filler' item.....cheap and chocolate.....2 very important criteria for me!lol

So what is everyone else buying at Rite-Aid this week?

Sluggy

Super Tuesday is Here......Whoop-de-doo!

In celebration of Super Tuesday here is an explanation of how the current crop of Bozos in Washington think and how we should all be saying, "WTF drug are they all on?!?!"......
Did they all flunk out of Home Ec101 in high school?  Oh wait.....being mostly MEN they were trying to be cool, playing motorheads in the school Shop class while "handling your finances" was being taught.
 

What this country needs is to send a whole mess of us frugal, budgeting homemakers to Washington DC.
Not only would we balance the budget and end the deficit, but we'd cook everyone a really nice meal and send them home with leftovers.

Let's start by putting the lot of them into the "time out corner" for not playing nice with each other.

Sluggy

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

Here's a NEW POST for Sluggy's Boring Blog Giveaway Box......Enter Now!

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.

There are only 11 entries so far on last week's Giveaway post.  Now I KNOW more folks than that read what I babble on about!  

Geez, I can't even lure lurkers out of lurkdom with a giveaway?   ;-)

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

1. Airwick compact Air Freshener(lavender fragrance)
2.  Colgate Toothpaste(to go with last week's toothbrush)
3. Avon Leg Cream(shorts season is coming!)
4. Visine  Eye Drops(hayfever season is coming!)


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 on any topic you wishe for a valid entry on THIS POST.  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 with the URL of your blog so I can make go check it out. If I'm already on your Blogroll, say so in this extra comment/entry.
2.  Blog about this Giveaway on your blog or on a Message Board.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST 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/March Food Spending Week 4 &1, Meal Plan 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 the "kitchen of tomorrow" from 1945......

This post-war kitchen of the future was thunk up by the Western Pines Co of Oregon.  If you can't make out the copy of the ad, they refer to this as a "Living Center", not a kitchen.  They predict that the mechanical innovations that would free women up from the drudgery of kitchen work would be air conditioning, a quick freeze unit and no splash sink with sliding grill.  They referred to the desk and hutch as a "dish secretary and food budgeteer".  And get a load of the flat screen TV! mounted above the combination "fireplace incinerator heating unit".  Take note of the Venetian blind type separator curtain/blind over the peninsula.  They say this will be "electrically operated" and when closed will separate the cooking area from the dining area.  What crazy thinking for the 1940's!lol

Up til this point, natural wood finishes were not what was done in a kitchen.  Wooden cabinets(more in freestanding furniture or furniture cabinet forms like Hoosier cabinets)were standard, but mostly this furniture sported painted finishes.  
Before the metal built-in cabinetry that was "modern" in the 1930's, wood in the kitchen was standard, but this wood concept and finish, while a return to the previous era was also new in it's form and treatments.
This ad didn't actually show the kitchen prep areas so I don't know how I feel about this kitchen.  I do think all that Ponderosa pine reminds me of wood paneling from my childhood that everyone had in their finished basements.  This ad also reminds me of old camper photos. lol

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--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

Everything was served as planned.  Since I had a whole chicken to roast, instead of doing my traditional preparation for the Pecan Chicken, I roasted the bird, then sliced off the breast meat and prepared the sauce and put those slices under the broiler with the sauce and nuts for those who wanted their bird sauced.  Me?....I had my bird roasted and plain and Hubs ate the dark meat parts.  #2 Son is the only one who wanted the sauced version so this worked out for everyone.

The weekly food spending was $159.20.  I already speechified about spending $121.53 in ONE shopping trip HERE.  The next day, Saturday, Hubs and I went to the other local grocery store and dropped another $37.67.  That trip was to pick up tomato products, 2 lbs. of fish fillets, OJ, 1/2lb of deli meats and 6 bags of salad greens.  This was the shopping trip I had planned to make last week.

It's the 5th day of the month and I've already spent more than HALF my food budget for the month!  I have $140.80 left from my original $300 kitty for food.  I do have $176.80 leftover from Jan. and Feb.'s kitties which I will dip into if I need it, but I'll try my hardest to avoid spending that.


Going into March Week 1+ I have a few leftovers.  Mostly it's just one helping of something and not enough for an entire meal.  We ate some leftovers on Sunday so there is little left now.  The only exception is leftover chicken from the roasted bird.  I am planning to use that in a casserole type dish this week.

This week's menu.....

SUNDAY--Leftovers
MONDAY--Tacos or Taco Salad, Corn
TUESDAY--Veal Parmesan, Pasta, Salad
WEDNESDAY--Birthday Meal out
THURSDAY--Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
FRIDAY--Chinese take-out
SATURDAY--Breakfast for Dinner

This menu gives us 4 new meals, 1 eating out, 1 take-out(at Daughter's request) and 1 night of leftovers.The veal is Hubs request, the tacos are #2 son's request and I need something easy to fix on Sat.

Items needed to buy for this menu are...veal patties. I've got everything else here already in the freezer or the pantry.  The tacos, parmesan and chicken casserole will use the last of the shredded cheeses.  The tacos will also use up the last of my ground beef stash.
We'll be buying milk as usual.

So what is everyone else eating this week?

Sluggy

Chit-Chat....Sunday Night Edition

It's the Sunday Night Chit-Chat!

Here's my favorite blog photo from last week......

There is nothing better than a hot guy.....well, maybe one that can make you laugh too!


What are you........
Reading?

 Still got this baby on tap from 2 weeks ago.  I confess I haven't cracked it open since then.  Just not feeling a good read lately...plus no time with all the decluttering I was doing in February.
This week perhaps....

Watching?
At 9pm there is a new episode of Hoarders on TLC...aka the Car Wreck Station because whatever is on is weird/sad/terrible/freakish but you just can't look away.
I guarantee that at some point this coming week I'll be decluttering again, due mostly to having watched this car wreck show.

Listening to?
A little swing and ska music.
Currently liking and tapping my toes to this....



In a lot of ways I feel I was born in the wrong time.

Cooking/Baking?
No baking here.  I cooked 5 meals last week.  We had leftovers one night and the guys had fast food the other night. Nothing I haven't made before.  I haven't felt like making new stuff, because, well.....it takes effort.

Happy you accomplished this week?
The Week #4 Decluttering Challenge.  'Nuff said.

Looking forward to next week?
The Daughter is coming home for Spring break.   Hopefully we'll be able to spend some quality time together.  We need to have a long talk at least.

Thankful for today?
*My kids.  They they are the source of much grief and worry in my life, they are a great joy to me.
*That my investment college fund actually went up and stayed up last week.  It tanked right before we sent #1 Son away to college(in 2008) for the first time and I've been waiting until it recovered to take the money out to use it for school.  Thankfully only a small piece of his college $ was in there and we didn't have to rely on it while it was down the toilet.
*That the taxes are done and submitted.  That's a load off my shoulders.

Go see Carla HERE to link up and play along.


Sluggy

A Snappy Tune and A Cultured Lesson to Start Your Week

I have mentioned from time to time on the blog that I studied voice while in college.
During this time I worked my chops on anything from musical theater tunes to light operetta to classic opera, as well as lieder(art songs of the 19th century).

This vocal training required me to sing in foreign languages, as most lieder and opera were not written in English.  Though there are translations of most every song into English, when you study singing, you sing in other languages. That's just a given if you are serious about it.

 While I can't necessarily speak or understand these tongues, I did pick up a smattering of French, Italian and German. Singing in a foreign language is different than learning to speak that language.  While you need to be clear enough in pronunciation to be understood in that tongue, you also have to often change or adjust pronunciation to make the notes you produce more pleasing to the ear.
Ok, so I am babbling at this point.

I just wanted to share an aria(this means a song in operatic terms)with you all, that I always enjoyed performing.  It is a typical operatic brindisi.  Brindisi simply means " a drinking song".  Many Italian operas included them.  It was, as it were, one of the parts of the standard "let's write an opera" formula employed by composers/lyricists back in the heyday of opera writing.
A Brindisi was most always a merry upbeat tune.
This example is pretty much the most well-known brindisi.....as sung by the incomparable Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti....



I am sure you are familiar with that merry tune.  It's from the equally famous opera La Traviata by Guiseppe Verdi.  My one sentence synopsis of this opera.......It's about a French Courtesan(prostitute)who dies of consumption(TB)after she finds her true love(sort of).

I have always found that song to be amusing since this tune is sung at a party to celebrate Violetta's(the hooker)recovery from an illness.....only she really hasn't recovered, has she?lol

On to my favorite Brindisi....
It's from the opera Lucrezia Borgia by Gaetano Donizetti.
It's based on the legend of that wickedest of them all Borgia's, Lucretia.
Before Italy was known for the Cosa Nostra(the Mafia), they had the Borgia family.  Look them up sometime....
A funner bunch of people you'd be hard pressed to find! ;-)

Here is a painting that was thought to be a portraiture of Lucretia, done in 1515 by Veneto...

Anyway the one sentence plot of Lucrezia Borgia is something like this.....Though warned about staying away from Ms. Borgia by a soothsayer, 2 friends end up getting caught up in her world, get poisoned and die, right after she reveals that she is the mother of one of the two friends.

The friend of the guy who is revealed to be Borgia's son is called Orsino.  The singing part was written for a contralto voice.  Men are not naturally able to sing in this higher register and are either bass, baritone or tenor register singers.

Back in the 1800's  in Europe, in the operatic world, men were castrated before puberty hit in order to turn them into contralto singers.  This was a common practice in this field of work.....giving up your gonads and being able to father children in order to enjoy the accolades of being a successful and adored opera star.....a eunuch but an opera star nevertheless.
This practice of castrato was not outlawed in Italy until the 1870's.  A whole segment of teenage boys breathed a sigh of relief in Italy at that time I am sure. ;-)

On a side note, when I googled castrati this is one of the photos that came up....

So this particular brindisi since that time has been sung by a woman, because contralto is the lower regsiter in a woman's vocal range.  So that is why you have woman commonly playing man's parts in opera today.
Now you can go work that nugget of knowledge into your next cocktail party conversation.

The brindisi is called "Il segreto per esser felici".   In English it is "The Secret of Being Happy".
Yes, sing about happiness as you are being poisoned by the wine you are drinking.
You just have to love those crazy opera composers and their sense of humor!

Without further delay and babbling, here is Daniela Barcellona in an actual performance a few years back of Lucrezia Borgia, singing this brindisi......Godetevi questa! <---that means "Enjoy This".......




Sluggy

What Happens.....Things I Can't Believe!

.....when you bring a 16 year old boy grocery shopping with you?
You over spend and buy crap, that's what!

Though #2 Son had his birthday over a week ago, we still hadn't had his birthday cake.
He couldn't make up his mind between a cheesecake or an ice cream cake.
Well he finally decided on the ice cream cake so I took him with me to Weis "Pound me in the ass" Markets on Friday to get it.....amidst much eye rolling.  While we were there, I wanted to see about using some IPQs I had that were expiring that day.....cue MORE eye rolling when I told him this.

The ice cream cake was $17.99.

Walking over there we go past a display of Pepsico/Frito-Lay snacks, as Weis is having a "Spend $25/Get $5 off your order instantly" Deal.  The only snack we had left in the house was popcorn, so #2 Son talked me into buying Cheetos, Fritos, Doritos and 3 boxes of Capn Crunch cereal.  After sale prices, Qs and $5 discount that came to $13.50
Then he wanted JD breakfast biscuits.
Next he saw the White Castle sliders.....they must have jumped into the cart while my back was turned.
Then he asked me to get him some deviled crab cakes for $3.87.  At least this was 'food' and I said yes.
2 containers of muffins from the 50% rack was next to fall into the cart.
And then there was that Marie Callendar pie on sale for $5.99.
Unplanned kid suggested spending was $38.62...plus the ice cream cake....sigh.....
Maybe I should have sent him to wait in the car after getting the cake.

I did get some things I wanted and had come there for....salmon, boxed GG veggies, whipped cream in a can, Greek yogurt, a block of Cheddar cheese.

And I used my expiring Mighty Dog Q on 12 cans of dog food for $4.60 after sales/Q, 2 bottles of Welch's 100% juice for $2 each after Qs and my Hormel chili Qs for 4 cans of chili at $1.17 can.

I did have a Happy Accident--I spied a whole rack of Hormel pepperoni that had $2 store discount stickers on them as they were close to the sell by date.  Weis was hiding the pepperoni from me.  We found a rack of some off brands and of course, there was NO pepperoni by the deli meat/hot dog/bacon case OR down by the pizza supplies. Weis hates me and likes to hide shit from me, but I outsmarted them and found a rack of Hormel in the middle of the frozen food aisle....now that's logical.....WTF!?!.....

They were regular price of $3.99 so were 50% off with the $2 discount Q....plus I had Qs that took an additional .50¢ off each package, making each one $1.49.  I got 6 packages to put in the freezer.  The good thing about sliced pepperoni is you can freeze it for years and when you need some you don't have to thaw the whole package, just pull out what you need.  Since it's sliced it's easy to just pull off a handful or so.

And the bacon you see in the photo is an expensive brand from Lancaster PA that goes for $4.99 reg. retail.  It was on sale this week for $4 a package this week and I found 3 packs with $2 store discount Qs on them, so $2.00 each for these 3 packages.  Score!

I left the store $121.53 poorer.
I saved $69.93 or about 36%.
And I got 30¢ off a tank of gas.  I NEVER spend enough in one transaction to qualify for gas points....well, until now! lol

I can't remember the last time I spend into the 3 digits at one time at the store.  And I went and checked my records and I can't find a record of spending $100 or more in one transaction since I started this blog and started keeping track of my spending in March of 2009.  I haven't done that in at least 2 freaking years!!
And yes, I am that nerd that has a record of all her grocery and drug store receipts since March of 2009.


Go on!
Give me a date and I'll tell you where I shopped and how much I spent.

I.
Am.
Seriously.
Pathetic.

And I STILL can't believe I spent $121+ at ONE TIME in the grocery store!!

Sluggy

$20K Savings Challenge.....FEBRUARY Results for 2012

Ok, here is my February Savings Challenge Update post for 2012.
This post is NOT about bragging or showing off.  It's just what we are able to save given our income and being able to hang tough against "unconscious" spending.

Just to update, My Savings Goal for the Year in 2012 is $20,000.  It's well below what I've saved in previous years I know.  But we also have a goal of paying for 4 home improvement projects at Chez Sluggy this year.  We plan on cash-flowing these projects with the additional money we save.

On to the February report.....

I have posted my FEBRUARY End of Month $20K $AVING$ CHALLENGE Totals.
Check out the side bar to your right for the specific numbers.

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 $1,666.67.

I have to report that we finished up February in the black!
The extra cash amount we ended the month of February with?.......$1,889.15!

Income
We had $1,867.30 left over from our income after our monthly expenses were deducted.
Add in $21.49 in Rebates applied against the food expenses & .36¢ in interest and  you get a total of $1,867.30.

Outgo
Traditionally February has been a very tight month for the money.  Besides the usual expenses we have  semi-annual car insurance payment in Feb.  Add in that February is usually the highest electric bill of the year and this makes for heavier expenses.  Most years if we do not go into the negative in February I am happy.  Having leftover cash this year is thrilling! 8-)

As for the expenses this February......

HERE are the GOOD THINGS

*  While the electric bill was high(as our heat is electric and it IS Winter!), the mild temperatures in Jan./Feb. kept our bill over $100! lower than the previous year's bill.

*  The cash withdrawals were relatively low and I underspent on the food budget in February.

*  The credit card bill(which is paid in full each billing cycle)was under $700 this month.

HERE are the BAD THINGS

* Car insurance premium.  #2 Son just turned 16 in Feb.  I am dreading how much it goes up once he goes to get his Learner's Permit....bleh.

* I wrote a check for our state taxes as we always end up owing a bit on the state form.

The Food Budget costs for February are in another post, which is located HERE.  I underspent my food budget by about $93, as we ate down supplies from the freezer/stockpile last month and I stayed out of the grocery store for the most part.

YEAR-TO-DATE GRAND TOTAL.....
With 2 month behind us, our Savings Grand Total for 2012 is $2,993.91.

We surpassed our monthly goal in Feb. so now we are only $339.43 behind for the year.

So how much did YOU save in February?  Did you spent all your income or did you put something aside?

Do you have an emergency fund of 6-8 months worth of expenses?
Do you have debt?

Start living below your means NOW and put some money away for emergencies and/or start paying down your debt.
And once you get debt-free, continue to throw that debt repayment money into savings.  You won't believe how fast you can accumulate wealth once you have no debt!

It is NEVER too early or too late to SAVE SOMETHING.
And the amount you save is NEVER too small!
Anything you can spare will go a long way to make you more financially secure in this crazy unstable world we live in.

So come along and Challenge Yourself to Save Money each Month Toward a Realistic for YOU Savings Goal or Debt Goal!

Not everyone can shoot for $20K, I fully get that!
But everyone can shoot for some number, right!?

Find a money goal that works for you and put that number out there for everyone to see.  Put it into paying down your debt, put it into savings, invest it or put it toward the principle in your home mortgage....just get busy and do this!

It will help keep you accountable to your goal if other eyes are on you.
Put it out there online and let us all stalk your money too. ;-)

So how was your February financially?
Did you spend less than you made?
Did you stay within your budget or not?

Leave a comment and share with us what you did with your money, both the good and not-so good.   Do you have any tricks or tips that help you to end your month before the money runs out?    Let us know!
If you posted your financial progress on your own blog, leave a link in the comments so we can go check you out too!

Sluggy

A Piece of My Youth Fades Away....

Well us Boomers that grew up in the late 1960's got a kick in the head yesterday, when news came that Davy Jones, late of the musical group, The Monkees, died at age 66.
Suddenly a whole lot of us are feeling quite old and vulnerable.

I was a big Fan.  I had much older brothers so in our house, The Beatles reigned supreme but with my little 7 yr old teeny bopper self, I was all about The Monkees, The Jackson 5, The Partridge Family and Bobbie Sherman.
This is the only album I could find yesterday when I dug out my vinyls....

I believe at one time I had all their albums....I wore out a copy of "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd." and I broke my "The Monkees Headquarters" album. I could only play the songs closer to the center of the disc, after I broke a piece off of the record.lol

Here's one of my favorite songs from THE MONKEES album. I tended to gravitate to the funny songs.....

Though they had many detracters, there was talent in that group.
Watch this funny clip and listen closely....



Now listen to it again, done by the artist who made it famous....



Yep, a Monkee wrote that.

Here he is singing it, back in the 1990's.



My Fav. of the 4 was Mickey.
But here is one of my favorite songs that Davy had the lead vocals on...



He played a mean tamborine, didn't he? ;-)

And to put a personal spin on this, Davy Jones has a home about 1.5 hours from where I live in PA. He kept and raced horses there and enjoyed blending into the community there. People left him alone and he would spent time there out of the spotlight.

And for Bonus points tell me what was the Hit A Side to this B Side tune on one of their 45rpm record Singles?

 R.I.P. Davy Jones.  You helped a generation of youth sing.

I'm off to watch this video below and go work on my Monkees Walk.......



Sluggy

February 2012 Budget Results.......Food and Toiletries Spending

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for FEBRUARY 2012.

I have posted February's totals on the right side bar under Total Grocery Savings for 2012 and updated the Yearly Totals.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in February.  If you aren't interested in that much detail, just skip to the bottom for the Totals Summary.

My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Pet Supplies, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable.We are a family of 5(3-5 at home this month)& 2 dogs. No kids under 16.
******************

BIG LOTS
OOP  $19.35

Value  $35.50

Savings  45.50%

BAKERY OUTLET
OOP   $7.45
Value   $38.92
Savings  80.86%

PRICE CHOPPER

OOP  $5.98

Qs/Ads  $9.14

Value  $15.12

Savings  60.45%

RITE-AID DRUG STORE
OOP  $9.05 in cash($24.92 with $15.87 put on my free Rite-Aid gift card)
Qs/Ads/+Ups  $412.71

Value  $437.63

Savings  97.93%

SHURSAVE STORES(small local independent affiliated stores)
OOP  $173.69

Qs/Ads  $122.42

Value  $296.11

Savings  41.35%

I don't track Rite-Aid's +Ups here, nor CVS's ECBs & Walgreen's RRs. They will be included when used on purchases under "Coupons".   I'll keep track of what rebates are received monthly.  Rebate money/gift cards will be considered 'income' & will go into the Food/Toiletries budget, offsetting the Out of Pocket. Cash will go immediately into the Budget kitty, while Gift Cards will be calculated in when spent.

REBATE CHECKS RECEIVED IN FEBRUARY

Mondavi Wine.....$1.00
Pinecone...$6.00

Rite-Aid SCR....$14.49
Subtotal........$21.49

GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES
Nothing

TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received...$21.49

COUPONS and FREEBIES

2 Knives--Giveaway win
2 x Coca-Cola 12-pack Q

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 97.93%, the Bakery Outlet at 80.86%, and Price Chopper at 60.45%.

I shopped at 5 different stores in February.


TOTAL Out of Pocket........$215.52

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$607.76

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$823.28

TOTAL Savings of...................................73.82%


TOTAL of CASH Rebates........................$21.49
TOTAL Out of Pocket After Rebates........$194.03
TOTAL Savings including Rebates...........$629.25
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$823.28
TOTAL Savings After Rebates...................76.43%

This closes out the February spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
We continued to eat down the freezer and didn't do any restocking on frozen foods....except for those whole roasters I bought.  We spent well below our budgeted amount for food again in February.  I think this was in part due to consistent meal planning and sticking with the menu, cutting down on our eating and sticking to simpler foods(not buying much processed or prepared foods and buying items closer to their natural state and buying a narrower range of items).  A simpler diet will help to keep your food costs down.

I want to note something here.....while I used quite a few Qs at Rite-Aid, no Qs were used at Big Lots, Price Chopper and the Bakery Outlet, and I hardly used any Qs at the Shursave grocery store(since they don't accept internet printed ones).  With most of the items I purchased, either they didn't have a Q available or the store didn't allow Q redemption.  Even without using Qs, by just buying on sale, I was able to realize a savings rate of at least 40%.  So if you arranger your purchasing so that you don't pay regular retail price, you can still save a very nice amount!
Of course everyone wants to save 70% or 80% off of their food bill.  But even if you don't use Qs you can still save 40% if you shop strategically by buying items when they are at the lowest price point in the supermarket sales cycles.

LOOKING AHEAD TO MARCH.....
We'll have an extra mouth or two to feed for 1/3 of the month.  No Birthdays or special  food occasions, except for St. Patrick's Day.
I'll try to pick up some corned beef briskets on sale for stockpiling.  I like to get briskets and slice my own for corned beef sandwiches.  Much less expensive than buying corned beef at the deli counter....it's about $9 a lb. around here these days!  I can buy a 4+lb. brisket on sale in March for what they charge for 1 lb. of it sliced at the deli counter.

I will be keeping my food budget at $300 for March.  I will hold the excess from Jan.($92.32) and Feb.($84.48)that I did not spend in reserve, which gives me an extra $176.80, should a great food deal come around this month.

How did you do in February with your Food Budget? 


Please leave a comment or link to your post and let us hear about your progress!  By sharing our struggles and efforts we can help each other stick to our budgets and learn to be better guardians of our resources.

Sluggy

One Last Bit of February Decluttering Porn & Short Fat Ken Dolls

Let's close out February on this Leap Day in style, shall we?
How do we do that?
Why with Decluttering Porn, that's how!

Micro Machines Star Wars Action Fleet vehicle set
Micro Machines Star Wars Playset
McDonald's Playset
Lord of the Rings Mt. Doom Figure set
Star Wars role playing card game
Set of Miniature Teddy Bears
GI Joe action figures Keychain set
Power Rangers Trans-Armour Cycle with figure
Micro Machines Star Wars Endor Playset
4 x Micro Machines Star Wars vehicle sets
Small Soldiers stuffed toy
Power Rangers Card game
2 x 101 Dalmatians pens
101 Dalmatians cookie cutters
Hot Wheels truck

Set of John Wayne Racing Champion Cars
Small Soldiers Chip Hazard Room Defender figure
Star Wars Ep.1 Anakin's Pod Racer
2 x Micro Machines Star Trek Vehicles sets
Power Rangers mini Megazord figure
Power Rangers Zeo Ranger figure
2 x 101 Dalmatians mini pillows
2 x 101 Dalmatians water globe toys
Set of Dilbert magnets
2 Throw Blankets
12 Political Beanies

Star Wars Micro Machines Endor playset
Beast Wars Micro Machines playset
Numi blooming tea set
Pink & Yellow Power Ranger Dolls Set
20 Posters
4 Johnny Lightning cars
Drew Carey Doll
Small Soldiers Archer figure
Power Rangers playing cards
3 hand dyed Beanie Babies
Set of Power Ranger cupcake papers
Hot Wheels set of Reggie Jackson cars

81 more items outta here!!

Yes, turns out this was NOT the brilliant idea I thought it was years ago.
The Drew Carey Doll has not become a much sought after object of desire.....

...unless I want to take the doll out of the box and sell him as a "Short Fat Ken in Suit".  Which is what this guy does....he's hit on a formula to unload a buttload of these dolls.  Check out  one of his auctions HERE.

And speaking of Drew Carey, has anybody seen him lately?  I dare say he's looking mightily hot....

He's single, funny, rich, a Libertarian, is a close personal friend of Craig Ferguson and he gives money to libraries. 
Damn.....some days it's too bad I'm married! ;-)

I'm sure Drew would be thrilled to know he was included in a blog post about porn.....

But I do love his tv work.
And the various openings to each of the 8 Seasons of his tv series.....

Sluggy