Christmas 2013 at Chez Sluggy

Christmas morning before we had to chisel #2 Son out of bed at the crack of 10.....

#2 Son missed  breakfast of scrambled eggs, Smithfield salt-cured ham(sliced ever so thin)and Great Aunt Lula's Rolls.....

Presents waiting to be opened.....

 

 

Max the dog says, "Get that boy out of bed already, willya?!?!".
 

Seems like all our ornaments anymore are "kiddie" themed.....sock money, peace bear, Lamb Chop, Dudley the Dragon, Power Rangers, Pokémon, Big Bird......

Doing my Carol Merrill impersonation.....if you are under 40, Google the name.....

Me--

Carol--

Finally!
He lives........well, after his morning coffee.....

Opening gifties of smelly stuff......

From my brother and his wife.....

Look!
Santa left us an old beagle under our tree.....just what we wanted......

Hubs Secret Santa gifties.......I think these books are going to lead to more expenses, but hopefully, with yummy results!

Hey! It isn't Christmas without sox and undies.....

#2 Son opens his "big" gift(a new $$$ amp), plugs in his bass and cranks up the volume.....thankfully the windows didn't crack!......

Note to self--next time you give a gift like this, be sure to wear earplugs when you come downstairs....

There are never any pictures of me opening up presents.......must be because I am the only one who takes photos.

Can you believe the beagle slept through that?!?  Now I KNOW she is deaf....

The second batch of rolls waiting to go into the oven.....

.....so they can turn out like this.....Hey! Who stole 3 rolls?!

 

After presents and while food was cooking I set about setting the table.  We are still using that folding camping table for the dining room table, but no excuse not to put out the Christmas dishes and good table linens, right?
So I found a gold tapestry table cloth that was the proper length to cover it and pulled out some coordinating cloth napkins.
But for gosh sakes, look at the size of the TAGS on them!

Couldn't hide them when I tried to fold the napkins either......they kept flapping out.....

Snip, snip, say, "Goodbye Martha!".  If you want to come to dinner here, you have to be an unobtrusive guest.....

What an egomaniacal witch she is to have to have a tag that large on a napkin!
I can see a tablecloth(the tag on the table covering was the same size),but a skimpy 12" x 12" piece of fabric too?
Heck, I could probably seam these together and make another napkin! lolz


Forgot to photograph the dinner(too busy eating it), but here is one of the desserts, a Trifle.
Except I don't own a trifle bowl.....oh well, it still tasted fine.

It was a cheap dessert since it used up some items I got cheaply that needed using.....a chocolate Entenmann's cake from the bakery outlet($1), 2 packs of instant vanilla pudding($2), half a container of leftover Cool Whip from Thanksgiving(.44¢), a few squirts of aerosol whipped cream(.50¢)and a bag of frozen strawberries($1-Dollar Tree).
It was by far the biggest hit with the young'uns....

No pictures of the dinner guests, just the desserts.....Hey!, you saw them on my Christmas Eve post and they hadn't changed much in the 18 hours since then.....lol

So how was your Christmas Day?

Tomorrow we take down the tree and decorations and pack 'em away for another year.....

Sluggy

 

 

 

 

Using Those Leftovers

We got 7 inches of white stuff today/last night.
Plus it was bitterly cold & windy despite the sunny day earlier.

Ok, who do I contact to get this snow stuff discontinued?
I don't remember subscribing to this weather!  Take my name off that list please.....


As per my post earlier in the week, here was the Meal Plan for the rest of the week(after we got back home NYE).....
Wednesday--Chicken Parmesan
Thursday--Cod
Friday--Lamb Chops
Saturday--Pork Chops

We had the Parm Wednesday and Pulled Pork(leftover pork roast and coleslaw I made) Thursday.
(I put all the Cod I got on special in the freezer because we had to use the pork.)

Today I went digging in the fridge and found 1 slab of rib roast plus the ribs Hubs had sliced off that had tons of meat around them.
I totally forgot about that leftover from Christmas dinner!

So instead of chops tonight, I boiled the bones down, did a sauté of onions and celery, added potatoes, green beans from the freezer and had Hubs pick up a bag of frozen carrots(sliced).  A little flour to thicken and some browning and fresh ground pepper gave us Beef Stew for dinner.....

We had leftover homemade rolls from Christmas dinner to sop up the juice.

No additional food cost except for $1 for the bag of frozen carrots.....everything was sourced from provisions already here.
And there is enough for 4 more servings, so at least 1 more meal's worth.
A great filling, rib sticking and warm meal for a beastly frigid night!

Tomorrow either lamb or pork chops are on deck with stuffing, apple sauce and Brussels sprouts.

Then I get to make a menu for next week.....oh, the thrills of my life just never end. lolz

We've got Stew and Pulled Pork leftovers, Cod and either Pork or Lamb(depending on what we eat tomorrow night)already here for next week.  Only 3 more meals to go for next week's plan to be completed.  If the cold & snow continues and I don't want to go out in it, I have 2 hunks of lasagna and quiche in the freezer I can thaw out for meals.  That just leaves 1 more meal to thunk up and buy supplies to prepare.

It looks like next week will be a light grocery shopping week.  Sounds good to me!  8-)

Sluggy

Net Worth Report/Changes....2013 to 2014

I started doing a monthly Net Worth statement in January 2013.
So on the heels of reporting in on my 2013 $20K Savings Challenge here is the change in our Net Worth from Jan. 2013 to Jan. 2014.......

This includes all the monies I get my hands on and don't spend(net income, dividends, interest, side income, tax refunds, etc.)during the year, plus all the retirement monies.  I don't include the house value(since we couldn't liquidate it and need to live SOMEWHERE)and the value of the stock we own(a tiny little amount), nor do I include the College Account monies(since that's technically not "our" money but the kids' money....even though it "was" our money to begin with lolz).

Anyway, our Net Worth from January 2013 to 2014 went up $62,734.61.

Most of that up tick is due to increases in the retirement monies because we spent $23,611.66 on emergencies(house improvements, repairs and supplies, car expenses) and vacation spending/travel last year from the $28,907.08 I saved in 2012, so we are only "up" $5,295.42 in the monies I control for 2013 from 2012.

I hope that last bit made some sense. ;-)

$62K is good but not great at this point in our journey to retirement.....but it's still better than a poke in the eye, right?

Sluggy
 

$20K Savings Challenge.....December Update & GRAND TOTAL for 2013

In our family we save money. It is important to us to put money aside for "rainy days".  You know.....those unexpected days when things happen in your life that you can't plan on, but that DO happen and they cost you money you didn't know you'd need to pay out.

Our income is mainly the salary my Hubs draws from his job.  We have money taken off each paycheck from the top to put into savings, before we even get our hands on it.  This money that's taken goes into various pots....life insurance, health insurance premiums, long term care insurance premiums, investments and retirement savings.  It's automatic so we are never tempted to NOT put it into savings.
Once the automatic savings, plus taxes and medical/dental/vision payments are taken out, it leaves what we get to "live on".  From this amount we budget for bills, both monthly and irregular bills(semi-annual, etc.) and our variable bills(like food, eating out, etc.)  Anything left over once our monthly expenses are paid, I put aside into a Savings Challenge. 

For 2013 I am continuing my Yearly Savings Challenge.  I am going to keep the Goal amount at $20,000 again this year.

On to the December report.....

I have posted my December End of Month $20K $AVING$ CHALLENGE Totals.
Check out the Savings Challenge page tab at the top of the blog 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.
But seeing as I hit the $20K goal in October, we'll just see how much more I can sock away in December.

I have to report that we finished up December with a little pile of cash to tuck away.
The extra cash amount we ended the month of December with?.......$1,281.68.

Income
We had $1,157.18 left over from our income after our monthly expenses were deducted.
 

Other monies received in December totaled $124.50.  This brought us to our gain of $1281.68 for December.

Outgo

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

HERE are the GOOD THINGS

 

*  Cable, Phone, Water were all approx. the same amounts as in November.

*  I spent under $300 for food/toiletries in December.  (This almost makes up for overshooting that budget by $180 last month).
*  I didn't buy any living room furniture yet so no spending there. 

 

HERE are the BAD THINGS

 

*  $310 more was spent in cash over November's total of cash spending.  I blame Hubs paying cash for Christmas stuff.

*  The electric bill was $100 MORE than November's bill.  I blame the cold weather/turning the heat up.

*  We had unexpected pet related spending of $104 due to the dog having ear infections.
*  The credit card bill was almost $500 MORE than November's bill. I blame Christmas again.

 

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

The 2013 GRAND TOTAL.....
With all 12 months accounted for, our Savings Grand Total for 2013 is $24,033.60. 
 

We surpassed our goal by $4,033.60!  8-)))
 

Looking ahead for January and all of 2014......

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

*  I need to sit down with Hubs and have our Yearly Financial Meeting to go over how and what we spent on in 2013 and see where we need to cut back, change or expand the spending for 2014.  We'll break down the monthly spending and analyze how we did financially in each category.  Then we'll look ahead into 2014 and try to anticipate where we'll need to put our money toward and how much we can hope to save.

*  Figure out how much of the money saved in the year before's 2012 Savings Challenge didn't get spent in 2013, so it can now be tucked away permanently into a savings/investment instrument.  Going forward into 2014, any funds saved in 2013's Savings Challenge now become our mini-emergency fund for 2014.  Any emergencies that can't be paid for using extra income each month after the bills are all paid will be paid for out of this $24,033.60 Savings Fund.(Then when 2015 rolls around whatever was saved in 2013 and not spent on emergencies/extras in 2014 gets tucked away permanently into savings.)

*  January credit card bill will once again be large like December's(due to Christmas and travel expenses)but will be paid off this month.  No interest paid evah! ;-)

*  The quarterly garbage bill is due this month.

*  Semi-annual car insurance will be due in February so I need to keep an eye on credit card spending in January so we don't have to dip into the Savings Challenge funds to pay the insurance.  It's just a matter of watching WHEN we spent not so much NOT spending on something.

 

So how was your December financially?
  

Did you spend less than the income you had in December?
Did you stay within your budget or not?
Did you pay off any debts or put extra toward your mortgage principle?

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

Sluggy

MY January Spending Challenge

Lots of my online friends and bloggers I read are doing what is termed a "Fiscal Fast" or having a "No or Low Spend January".

Since January comes after the biggest spending Holiday in the year(Christmas and/or Hanukkah)AND since January is also the beginning of the year and everyone talks about turning over a new leaf/changing their bad habits, it makes sense to want to tighten up on the old purse strings for a bit.

What doesn't make sense is to do one of these challenges and then go back to wonton shopping once it's over or to stock up crazy amounts of items right before the Fast/Challenge before you have to stop spending so you can make it to the end of the time frame you have chosen.

I guess doing one of these challenges gets you into a better mental state in regards to money but does it really affect your bottom line for the year?

If you spend more before a challenge in order to make it through one, aren't you just spending the money you would have spent during the time when you aren't spending?
If you go without during a challenge and then go out and buy the things you denied yourself for that time period when it's over, how is that reducing your spending over the long haul?
In my mind, it's just moving when you spend/what you spend around in time.

What you need to do more than one of these challenges is to examine your habits and change the ones that are making you spend too much $.  

Changing what you expect in life in regards to "things, consumables and experiences" and then where and how much you spend your money on them is the REAL challenge.

That or finding a way to make more money if you don't bring in enough to satisfy your needs and wants.

Perhaps changing your spending(or rather delaying your spending)for a week or month CAN lead you to develop new money habits, which is what you really want.......better habits about money.

But I find that, unless you put Christmas spending on a credit card and are wary of the impending delivery in January of a c/c bill, January may Not be the best time to avoid spending money.

You can find some good deals after the Holidays so it might be a real good time to spend some extra money to stock up on things you need now rather than later.

Who hasn't gone to Target or some other store after Christmas to buy some clearance Holiday items?  Along with all the décor and gift wrapping stuff on deep discount, there are food and paper products(either with Holiday colors or themes or specialty foods only carried for the Winter holidays)and you can get them now to put away for use later or use now.  Personally, if I can get Christmas toilet paper for 1/2 of what I pay for plain old white toilet paper in January, I'll use it in February to October or whenever it runs out. ;-)

An if you have kids, there are clothing and toy deals to be had too!
Why, I spent a few minutes on New Year's Day buying some Christmas presents for 2014.
So do you think I am crazy for doing this?

Crazy like a fox is more like it.
The store in question only has a storewide clearance sale this week plus I had a $X off $XX coupon I could use, so I'd be crazy not to buy it now for half or more off what they will charge me come next November.  I don't go nuts buying Xmas presents ahead but do buy if I know I can use it and I have the space to store it until next Winter....and most importantly, I have the money to afford it now.

So I'm spending $30 in January instead of spending $65 in November.  If I were to save that $30 in an investment instrument for 10 months instead, would it grow to $65 by November?  No way.
Financially it makes more sense for me to spend it now.

So the best of luck to all of you during your no-spending challenge!
I hope it goes well and gets you to really re-examine how you handle your money because that's the only lasting goal if you really think about it.

But me?.....I'll be scooping up the deals I can use, if and when I find them in January.  8-))

Sluggy


 

Happy Rite-Aid New Year!

Had to spend or lose $16 in +Up Rewards Jan. 1st......

1 x R-A brand Pepto-Bismol w/20% discount=$3.19
1 x Light bulb on sale=$3.99
2 x Pantene Shampoo on sale=$7.00
1 x Northern TP RAIN CHECK=$5.37
1 x Reese's holiday candy 50% off=$2.14
SubTotal.....$21.69

Coupons Used
1 x $3/2 Pantene(Sunday P&G insert)=$3.00
2 x $1/1 Peelie Qs on Pantene bottles=$2.00
Coupon Total.....$5.00

$21.69-$5.00=$16.69
I used my expiring $16 in +Up Rewards and paid .69¢ OOP.
Then I received back $5 in new +Up Rewards($3 lightbulb, $2 shampoo).

The peelie Qs were a happy surprise but left me $2 short on spending all my expiring +Ups, so I grabbed that candy.  I should have made a new plan before I hit the check-out and bought something $2 worth that was a bit more useful.....sigh.  But it isn't like the chocolate won't get eaten....lolz

We are now good on tp and shampoo again after the last month's deals, though I do have 1 more rain check for tp.  I should find something else to spend +Up Rewards on going forward.

I'll probably curtail R-A shopping for a few months once all my +Ups are spent....which should be in the next couple of weeks.  Hopefully a sale comes up on Peroxide soon so I can just load up on that.

Sluggy




 

Jumping into the Spending for 2014

I've been asked how I spend so little on groceries/toiletries in a year in relation to how many people I am feeding/providing products for.

Well, playing "the drugstore" game at Rite-Aid helps mostly with the toiletries/hba/cleaning and paper products.

I also utilize other stores like grocery outlets, restaurant supplies, bakery outlets, discount outlets, gardening and farm stands, etc.  Basically anywhere I can get items for a lower price.  And yes, I am known to buy groceries while on vacation. 8-)

I cook from scratch a goodly amount.

I keep a price book so I know when to buy food(at the lowest price in the sales cycle)and I stockpile moderately and only what we will eat.

I ALWAYS grocery shop with a list and a calculator.  Nothing goes into my cart unless I have figured out what it's costing me.

I meal plan but I am also flexible about it.

Let's talk about that last point a bit, shall we?
Hubs and I went to the grocery store this afternoon.  We've been out of town so we needed to make a menu plan for the rest of this week and pick up some edible provisions as I haven't shopped in over a week.

I had a menu(sort of)planned out.....
I had cooked a pork roast marinated in whiskey and black pepper flavors before we left which #2 Son didn't eat, so that went on the dinner list as pork sandwiches with coleslaw(buy a bag of pre-shredded and make a slaw sauce to add).
I was going to do portabella mushroom caps w/a parmesan treatment and use some spaghetti pasta leftover as a side for a meal.
I had some kielbasa in the freezer I could make a meal of.
That was about all I'd come up with before we left....3 meals.

I didn't plan on buying lots of meat today but that is what was the best deal in the store. 8-)))

Once we got to the store I saw that bagged slaw was not on sale but whole cabbages were, so I bought a small head for $1.10 vs. a bag of slaw for $3.49.(I have carrots shreds I can add at home and I have a knife.lol)
I have rolls in the fridge I got on the discount bakery rack a couple of weeks ago I can use with these sammie's after steaming them to soften them up.
1 meal, Friday's, is done!

Over in the fish dept. there was a 1.91 lbs. container of Cod marked down to 50% off($6.99 lb. reg.).
This is enough for 2 meals for our family of 3 once I take it home and cut it up and portion it out into bags-1 to cook tomorrow, 1 for the freezer.  US caught wild cod for $3.50 per meal.
I had no intention of buying and cooking cod this week but because of this deal, cod is now on the menu.

Over in the meat dept. I found boneless/skinless chicken thighs marked down to .84¢ lb.  There were cheaper non boneless/skinless thighs also for about .70¢ lb. but those packages were large quantities and I don't have room in my tiny freezers so I "settled" for the .84¢ lb. ones.
Now instead of mushroom parmesan, chicken parmesan is on the menu for tonight.

Boneless Pork Loin was on special(today is the last day)for $1.78 lb. so I picked a small one up(7 lbs.)  Saturday, I'll cook some "chops" for dinner and slice the rest up to portion out, bag up and put into the freezer for later.

They also had reduced lamb chops(50% off)so I picked up 4 chops and will serve them on Sunday, so 1 of 7 meals for next week are bought as well.

And now my menu for the rest of the week plus Sunday is finished and the food bought.
Plus I have an extra fish meal, leftovers on the chicken meal for #2 Son to munch on, probably some pork sammies and fixings leftover and boneless pork chops enough for 2-3 more meals(depending on how many Hubs and #2 Son want at a sitting).
I also bought lunchmeat for sandwich lunches, green leaf lettuce, a loaf of bakery made rye bread-they made too much so it was $1.19 a loaf, and a large container of pumpkin spice creamer(that was a marked down whim for #2 Son and it rang up wrong so I got it free!).
The bread was a happy find.  Bread was on the list but not rye...until I found it for $1.19 a loaf. ;-)

I spent $41.01 and got 7-8 dinner main courses bought, plus a few other things.

If there are no good specials on meat next week, I'll just pull out the extra cod and 1 meal of pork chops I got and froze today,  then add in a few meatless dishes and the leftover chunk of meat lasagna I froze last month and another meat in the freezer to complete next week's menu.

Sluggy


 

Money Thoughts for 2014

Take control of your LIFE.....Don't let money control you, YOU make a plan and control the money.

Pay yourself first in 2014. (Take 10% off the top of your net income and put it away for when you won't have an income, because whether you like it or not, some day you won't.  It may hurt now, but you will be so glad later that you did this.)

Live intentionally and spend intentionally.

Enjoy your money, spend it on the priorities in your life, use it for good, spend it wisely, have a little fun, but put a little aside for emergencies.

Money is a tool.  Take care of your tools.

When 2015 rolls around, make sure you can say that you lived below your means in 2014.

Sluggy

Ringing Out the Old...Good Riddance to 2013

I've been looking back at 2013.....both what I hoped to achieve/do/be when the year was new and contemplating how much(if any)of it came to fruition.

And I think I can safely say that I am GLAD to be kissing it's ass goodbye.
Seriously.

Except for a few highlights, 2013 was one of the least favorite years.
I guess almost dying will color your experience of a year that way, huh?

I never got around to posting a Grand List of Goals for 2013, frankly because I didn't get around to it early in the new year and when I did start forming them, well, I had a health crisis so that sort of(frivolous by comparison)thing just flew out the window. 8-)

I did do a monthly goal list in 2013 but I didn't keep those lists when the particular month was over.  Sometimes I rolled anything not accomplished into the next month and sometimes I just let them drop off.

Overall I can look back and see that I didn't read as much as I had hoped, didn't sew as much as I had planned(still am not sewing here!lol), and didn't see the number on the scale I wanted to by year's end.

But on the other hand, I got healthier, changed some bad habits/lifestyle choices, reached out more to others(friends AND family), appreciated my Hubs more, and cleared out things from my life.
Even with that almost dying thing happening, maybe 2013 wasn't so bad.......nah, it still sucked. lolz


I will say that we did experience some good things in 2013 so it wasn't all bad here at Chez Sluggy.

First the Personal Lowlights of 2013(bad things first, good things last, so we can end this on the positive).....

5.   How much financial "outgo" happened this year....between car repairs and replacements, dental problems, home repairs and remodels and new heating systems that don't work and college outlays, it was an expensive year.
4.  Various small crisis my kids' experienced in 2013....#2 Son's accident was the worst of those things.  Nobody died or was seriously injured physically or emotionally but I'm the mom, so I worry.
3.  Losing one of our last 2 dogs.
2.  Having a child(almost grown though)move her life 1200 miles away from us.
1.  Experiencing a health crisis that almost took me down.

And now the Highlights of 2013.....

5.  #1 Son finished college and transitioned smoothly into the working world.....not the dream job he wanted but it's a good start.
4.  #2 Son made strides toward adulthood(got license, good work ethic at school and his job, developed a passion for music, formed a plan for beyond high school and was happier socially, etc.)
3.  Keeping on track financially despite the unforeseen monetary pitfalls that had to be addressed so Hubs can retire in a few years.
2.  Did a lot more traveling and connecting in real life with friends and reconnecting with family.
1.  Made strides in turning my life around-from taking better care of my health, to cleaning out clutter and old ways that were weighing me down, to being a better steward of our money.

**At this point the hotel internet went down and took the last half of my post with it, because we had to check out so I couldn't save what I had written.  Of course, it was deep and profound but I can't remember 2 minutes ago, let alone 8 hours ago, so no one will ever see it now.
So trust me, it was awesome.....lol!**

2013 was a mixed bag of good and bad, with one really big bad.   But even the bad stuff can end up making you better if you learn the lessons it teaches. 
While I am thankful to still be among the living, having a health crisis kicked me in the ass, which is what I probably needed.  I got serious about my health and got myself out of a rut I had been in for years.  I have changed behaviors, let go of some emotional baggage, am appreciating certain people more and leading a more balanced and fuller life.

You can leave now 2013.  I appreciate the lessons you taught me but you have overstayed your welcome!
Bring on 2014!!
I still have a lot of work to do on myself but I'm taking names and I'm gonna kick ass......

Here's to all my readers, friends and family who have accompanied me on this journey through 2013.
May 2014 be brighter and better and our paths be full of opportunities!  Cherish those people in your life and keep those who have gone before you alive in your hearts.

Here's to us all......

Sluggy
 

My Mystery Giftie Revealed!

You may have seen this mystery box that was under my tree last week......

Well on Christmas morning we opened it up and revealed the contents.....

A really nice set of ceramic coffee/tea mugs that came in their own stand.  Now to figure out where to put this.....

The colors were spiffy too!
Especially this one.....

That picture was bad, here's a better one with the true color.....

And don't I look spiffy as well drinking from this awesome purple mug??

Do you see how large they actually are when they aren't stacked?
I got curious so I filled one and emptied the water into a measuring cup to see how much it holds.....

Holy Moley!!
3 Cups......

These aren't mugs, these are colorful measuring cups!

Or TANNER thanks I like to drink a lot!.......lolz

Thanks "T"!

You are awesome......

And why do I look like a cartoon turtle in this bad selfie?

Sluggy

Food & Toiletries Spending.....December Update & YEARLY Grand Totals

Onward to December's food spending report & closing out the 2013 Totals.....

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for DECEMBER 2013.

I have posted December's totals on the Total Grocery Savings for 2013 Page located HERE and have updated the Yearly Totals there.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in December.  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 at home this month)& 1 dog. No kids under 17.
******************

MAINE SOURCE(restaurant supply store)
OOP  $21.69
Value  $30.87
Savings  39.74%

RITE-AID
OOP  $4.19
Qs/Ads/+Ups  $360.58
Value  $364.77
Savings  98.85%
 

SHURSAVE STORES(small local independent affiliated stores)
OOP  $68.08

Qs/Ads  $54.17

Value  $122.25

Savings  44.31%

WEGMAN'S
OOP  $39.92
Qs/Ads  $8.00
Value  $67.08
Savings  40.50%

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $151.23

Qs/Ads  $130.57

Value  $281.80

Savings  46.33%

I am no longer adding my rebates received into my food budget directly. I will use them on food on occasion and will note that when used.  I will keep track of rebates/gift cards/certs received here as before however.

REBATE CHECKS RECEIVED IN December.....$0.00

GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES....$0

TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received...$0.00

COUPONS and FREEBIES

1 x Free Coke 12 pack Q from MyCokeRewards

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 98.85%, Weis at 46.33% and the Shursave Market at 44.31%.  My WORST savings rate was 39.74% so I think I did exceptionally well in December on the value of what I got!
I shopped at 5 different stores this past month.

TOTAL Out of Pocket........$285.11

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$581.66

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$866.77

TOTAL Savings of...................................67.10%

This closes out the December food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....

I went into December wanting to cut my food/toiletries budget by $100, to $300 budgeted for ALL purchases, to make up for overspending in November by about $120.
I met that challenge.
Go me! 8-))

In December, total savings percentage for the year has gone UP 6.32% over November's year-to-date total of 60.78%, to 67.10%. 

If you add my November and December food spending together it comes to $867.89, which makes my monthly average $433.95 for those 2 months.  I am still over my $400 goal per month for Nov./Dec. but I got close.

As you can see my Savings Rate in December remained high, partly because of my Rite-Aid shopping.
Without the Rite-Aid totals added in, my December Savings Rate is 44.04%.  Achieving a savings rate in the 40's is what I strive for.  Add in Rite-Aid totals and my overall Savings Rate hits  67.10%.
 

We kept the food spending under $300 this month but still splurged on Prime Rib Roast for Christmas dinner(plus fresh seafood on Dec. 23rd) and ate very well otherwise all of December. 

So what is my secret to spending so little on groceries and toiletries?

I chalk this up to.....

* I buy loss leaders.

* I use a smallish assortment of coupons(to buy things I would have bought anyway).

* I use a price book, tracking to stock up when groceries where at their rock bottom price in the sales cycle.  I never pay full price for anything that will eventually go on sale....ok, maybe not never but very infrequently.

* I buy items on instant markdown and substitute them for other ingredients that are more expensive that week(or keeping those marked down goods for later in the freezer).

* I cook from scratch a good deal of the time, because it makes sense and I have to watch what I eat and have to keep my sodium intake low.

* I buy in season whenever possible.

* I have started to cook/serve/eat less food at meals so we have little to no food waste.  Sometimes I purposely cook more than we are going to eat for planned leftovers.

This is NOT to say that I don't follow/do all this all the time.  I do splurge and pay more for some things occasionally or just don't bother due to boredom or lack of energy, etc. or make mistakes.  But more often than not, these are my guidelines and how I keep more money in our pocket.

If you have other ideas or guidelines you follow please leave a comment and share yours with us all.
 

 

Here is the run down of the Grand Totals for my Food & Toiletries Spending for 2013--
 

2013 Total Saved $4,008.31

2013 Yearly Total Value of Items  $8,569.13

2013 Yearly Total Spent $4,560.82

2013 Yearly Savings Total of  46.77%

Yes, I saved almost HALF of what I would have spent if I just ran to the store and bought whatever/whenever I felt like buying by thinking ahead and exercising some restraint over my behavior.

 

The average monthly food/toiletries spending this year was $380.07.  We kept our food/toiletries spending average BELOW $400 per month in 2013.

 

How much did you spend on food in December?
Do you track your yearly food spending....if so how did you do this year?
 

Sluggy

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy.....I Need a Drink!

Yes, we are stranded in a motel off an interstate today.
Like Sonya Ann we are having really miserable luck with cars lately.  Maybe she is causing this bad luck?  Ok, I need to think that because if it's not her, then this is all on me.

Anyway, in the midst of a jolly good time spending time with our #1 Son on the west coast of PA, the car decided to misbehave.  It was too bad to ignore and attempt to limp home and cross fingers that we didn't break down somewhere on the road on the way home.

So Hubs is 2 miles away sitting at a Firestone Car Repair Center with the chariot and I am stranded in a motel room by the interstate watching it snow outside......

How nice!
Wouldn't you want to spend your vacation in this way too? lolz

So keep our chariot in your prayers today that the work gets finished so we don't have to extend our stay and that the weather holds out so we can get home.

Fun, fun, fun!

Sluggy

Moms + Beer=Questionable Behavior

I am one gal who is all about having a good time, but let me just say that if you are 2 years old, it is cute if you stand up on a table in a restaurant and dance but it's so wrong to do this if you are 40-ish mom and your 10 year old-ish kids are with you........

Great role modeling lady!  I hope your daughter doesn't end up a pole dancing stripper....not that there is anything wrong with being one......8-)))

Hey! I've made some questionable life choices in my 50+ years, but that one?  Never.  But then again, I'd probably be buying them a new sturdier table.......

Sluggy

 

Guess Where I Am Today?

This morning I saw gigantic lobsters and fishies!

Then it was some fashionable décor.....

With matching accessories!

A visit with a frisky pooch too......

More as it unfolds......

Sluggy

Is It Saturday Yet?!?

I got my errands run today.

First off, eye doctor appointments for #2 Son and I before the year ends.

 

I am still half blind as the doc had to dilate my pupils this time.......gak!
#2 Son had to drive us home.

What do you think of these beauties?

$200 VOGUE frames.....Verrrry Purple with rhinestones running down the side arms.

Very attractive, especially with that mad scientist hair I had going on today......

Forgot to take a pic of the frames I DID get, so y'all have to wait until next year to see them.
Yes, I am a big tease.....

After spending $137 OOP on 2 sets of lenses and frames(we gots real good vision benies!), we went next door to Ollie's(Good Stuff Cheap!)to look for this.....

Found 3 canisters(I am addicted!)and #2 Son talked me into buying a few other things too for him with some leftover Xmas money.

I didn't buy these however.....

Miniature Mr. Potato Heads.
Soccer Spud and Dancing Tater for $6.99.......really?! lolz

And yes, they were actually selling a box of rocks in the toy aisle.....

Read what is included in the box.....
6 Paints
They don't mention there are rocks in the box, but the box does say Makes 10 "Projects".
"Projects" is code for....rocks!
Believe me, there are 10 rocks in that box.
I pulled out my back picking it up and shook it.
Trust me.

I wonder how much extra you pay for buying a box of rocks with 6 paint pots inside, instead of just buying 6 paint pots and going outside and finding your own rocks?

I think anyone who buys this doesn't need the rocks since they can just shake a few out of their head.  ;-)

Next stop was Sallie's to drop off that last load of 2013 I posted pics of earlier this morning.
And as Monty Python would say, "And there was much rejoicing in the land.....rah!".

Then some Wendy's to sustain #2 Son so he had the strength enough to drive me home.

But there was a stop at the gas station to fill my car's tank and a stop at the Credit Union to fill my wallet before we pulled into the driveway. 8-)

Then a solo trip to Rite-Aid to spend those expiring +Up Rewards.

Used 5 rain checks(free cashews, free "Dream Sheets", .59¢ facial tissue, $4.37 toilet paper-after Qs and rain check-and FREE baby shampoo-after Qs/rain check), bag of Rolos and candles were 50% off, big candy bars about .40¢ each after Qs/sale, 4 bottles of spices for the pantry came out to .75¢ each and the Finesse was $1 a bottle after +Ups received.

All in, I spent $1.64 OOP(including tax)after using my $36.98 in +Up Rewards and Qs.
I received $5 in +Up Rewards back(2 x $2 wyb2 Finesse, $1 wyb2 J&J shampoo-even though the shampoo was FREE after rain check/Qs. 8-))

I put a small dry rubbed pork roast in the crockpot for #2 Son to eat off of the next few days(pulled pork sammies!) and the dog has been fed.

After I post this I am going to take a nap and do a little clear cutting(zzzzzzzzzzzzz)because I got up before 6 am. this morning.
Bleh.

So what did YOU get done today??

Sluggy





 

So Over This

To add to that last storage unit rental check I wrote earlier this month, here are the lovely words I received in an email this morning from Paypal.....

"inkFrog inc. canceled your automatic payments."

Say bye-bye auction management company. ;-)

Another 2013 goal achieved!
Go.
Freaking.
Me.

Sluggy

The End is Here!

No, not for this blog silly!
The end of the Great Purge of 2013!!

This is the last load I can drop at Salvation Army for 2013......

                Ty Beanie Buddies

           An entire outgrown teen's wardrobe(the stuff still in great shape).....lol

   Another, now empty storage bin

     More Beanies!

And my old guilty pleasure, Beanie cards.......more addictive than playing the lottery....lol

   A stack of fabric no one on Etsy wants and I can't use.

It's great to be rid of so much unnecessary stuff.  Not that I got all of it banished from Chez Sluggy but we made a discernible BIG dent.

Now I get to sit down with a pile of donation sheets for 2013 and add this all up.....YIKES!
If you don't hear from me for a week or two, don't worry, I'm just buried in paperwork.  8-)

Then it's onward to the dreaded FAFSA x 2.  Sorry I had to mention that one......

Sluggy

Christmas Eve Decluttering Porn & Thursday's Plan

Wow!
No posts this morning?
I guess everyone is out there sleeping off Christmas......at least, all MY friends are.....hehehehehe

As promised in my title, a bit of porn......

Add in two empty storage tubs I no longer need to this donation lot, that I didn't get a picture of before they headed out the door.


Hubs only had off Wednesday so he's back at work.  No lazing around the house and being slugs the rest of this week for us!  I might as well get a jump on things that need doing so here are my 5 goals for Thursday......

* Pay the last of the monthly bills and get them mailed.  DONE!

* Work on gathering 1 last donation lot for 2013 which will include some more business merchandise, some odds and ends and outgrown clothing from #2 Son as well.  He gleaned 2 garbage bags of outgrown duds from his dresser....no wonder he didn't have room in there for any of the clothes he actually wears! lolz  In Progress....an all day job

* Finish copying all my auction management/eBay listing html codes into Office so I can pull the plug on my subscription to the auction management company and that monthly fee on Dec. 27th.
Didn't even start yet.  sigh

*  Work on my December Food Budget post and Yearly Totals as I won't be spending any more $$ at the grocery store this year.  We have enough leftovers and foodstuffs in the freezer to get through the next week until New Year's Day.  DONE!

*  Lastly, figure out how to spend my expiring +Up Rewards at Rite-Aid and actually go use them before Friday night.  DONE!

* I might take a break and watch a movie too if I get enough done.  Didn't happen and I still have stuff to gather for tomorrow's trip to Sallies.  sigh

Sluggy

Ho Ho Ho

Go watch this film HERE about one guys journey to becoming Santa Claus.

Sluggy

Merry Christmas!

Dear George,
Remember no man is a failure who has friends.
Thanks for the wings,

Love 
Clarence




Sluggy

Scenes from a Christmas Eve

 No duck decapitations or waiters singing this year.........



     Fortifying myself before we left......two shots please!.......

   Hubs yelled when I made bunny ears on the brother in-law......geez, ruin a girl's fun howaboutit?!
 
With 4 you get eggroll?


The fortune from my cookie.....how very true!......

  Christmas eve selfie....ho ho ho......
 
Well what do you know?  We got more snow this evening!


The lights are actually red, not pink. 
Yes, Sluggy's porch is LIT......shuddup Judy, Frances and Sonya Ann!



Off to proof my rolls and hit the sheets before Santa lands in PA.  I hope he has plenty of rock salt or Sleigh Insurance! ;-)

Sluggy

A Little Handel on Christmas Eve

 A little seasonal Handel for your listening pleasure.......



 And although the Hallelujah Chorus is part of the Easter section, it's often performed at Christmas time.
Here is a cute version.....
 

Sluggy