N(L)S Challenge – Wk 4

Week 4 of the No (Low) Spend Challenge is done!!  Only 1 more day to go.

Jan 22
$6 Parking

Jan 23
$6 Bus fare

Jan 24
No Spend Day :)

Jan 25
No Spend Day :)

Jan 26
$61.01 Gas

Jan 27
$104.79 Groceries
+$14.11 returned merchandise

Jan 28
$75 ‘Find your purpose’ seminar
$17.82 breakfast & lunch
$2.26 Shower caps

Grand Total: $272.88 – $14.11 = $258.77
2 No Spend Days!!
Coffee Tin Change Pile: $17.07 + $33.13 (debit usage) + ???

Another week without using my credit card!!

Only 1 more day. One more day.  Then it’s on to the next challenge.

N(L)S Challenge – Wk 3

Sorry for the delay.  But the week-end was awesome!!

Week 3 of the No (Low) Spend Challenge is done!!  Only 1 more week to go.

Jan 15
No Spend Day

Jan 16
$100 deposit on Princess’ class trip

Jan 17
$3 reed for Diva’s clarinet
$113.41 groceries

Jan 18
No Spend Day :)

Jan 19
$73.08 Costco groceries

Jan 20
$20 Diva’s volleyball shirt

Jan 21
$16.88 tights & pantyhose
$75.68 dresses for my kids & Aunt’s present

Grand Total: $402.05
2 No Spend Days!!
Coffee Tin Change Pile: $17.07 + $20.93 (debit usage) + ???

Another week without using my credit card!!

This week was alright.  I was hoping for a less expensive week but after careful perusal of my kids’ closets I realized they had nothing that would be appropriate for a ‘semi-formal’ party.  And if it wasn’t winter … we would not need tights & pantyhose.

 

The week-end

The week-end was fantastic.  I am now recovered!

Saturday I attended a birthday party for one of my Aunts from my Dad’s side.  For a party without liquor and dancing it was pretty good!! She was happy and seemed to enjoy herself.  Her sister and brother came from the States to celebrate.  It was a great mini family reunion.

Sunday I along with most of my relatives who went to the party went ice skating.  It was cold.  I did not skate.  Instead I let my kids try it out.  I have never skated in my adult life and figured trying to get use to skating with my kids who are also shaky would be a recipe for disaster.  After that we all went to my Dad’s for food and football.

It was a great week-end.

And it didn’t cost too much!

Spending report to come tomorrow.

 

 

One tenth

Last night was a weak moment.  I spent far longer than I would like to admit drooling over a pretty watch.  It is amazing how in life we can justify stupid irrational decisions.  Last year I fell in love with a watch … until I saw the price.  Now I am lusting after another one whose only redeeming quality other than it being pretty is that it is 1/10th of the price of the original watch.  1/10th!?!  **shaking my head**

It’s a slippery slope people, watch out.  (pun intended!!)  LOL

It is no secret that I like pretty sparkly things.  But I am trying hard to keep it all under control.

I don’t need to buy things.I don’t need to buy things.I don’t need to buy things.

Maybe if I say it often enough maybe it will sink in.

On a different note, once this month is over and the no (low) spending is relaxed just a little, I will turn my coffee tin change pile officially into a “Sealed Pot“.  It will not be opened again until December 2, 2012. At that time it will either magically turn into a watch or be put towards Christmas shopping.  Either way a WIN-WIN.

 

 

Lust

Maybe it’s the lack of spending but lately I find myself fixated on this.

 (Source)

To make matters worst, I have actually tried it on.

It looks fabulous on.

Out desire to have expensive gadgets OUT!

MUST. STAY. STRONG.

Wk-end recap

Saturday was spent lounging on the couch like royalty.  I manage to get rid of 1/2 my emails.  That, some filing and a load of laundry was it for me.

Saturday night I was trolling the internet like I usually do and I came across recipes for bread and oatmeal chocolate chip muffins.  Both of which I had all the ingredients for. Since I am trying to spend less …

Sunday was one busy day.

I was productive.  I was on a roll once I got started.

1. Vacuumed and dusted my room
2. 5 loads of laundry
3. Baked bread
4. Baked oatmeal chocolate chip muffins
5. Made meat sauce and spaghetti for dinner
6. Vacuumed the living room and hallway

The bread and muffins turned out very well.  The kids polished off a few muffins for snack.  The bread recipe had a lot less ingredients than my Grandmother’s recipe so it was a lot lighter.  It was very easy to make.  It was less bread than I usually make so I may have to make some more mid-week.  I made a loaf and 4 rolls.  So we shall see how long that lasts.

Tonight’s dinner will be leftover meat sauce and pasta with some bread with some garlic butter and cheese.

N(L)S Challenge – Wk 2

Week 2 of the No (Low) Spend Challenge is done!!  Only 2 more weeks to go.

Jan 8
No Spend Day

Jan 9
$200 part 2 of 3 of Diva’s QC trip
$2.81 spare key
$12 bus tickets

Jan 10
$14.47 groceries
$6 parking 

Jan 11
No Spend Day :)

Jan 12
$25.04 Costco
$40.51 gas 

Jan 13
No Spend Day

Jan 14
No Spend Day

Grand Total: $300.83
4 No Spend Days!!
Coffee Tin Change Pile: $17.07 + $9.98 (debit usage) + ???

My intention with this challenge was to always use cash (paper money).  While I did not use credit this week, I did use debit.  Which means I didn’t add a lot of change to my coffee tin.  So I am keeping a running total of what my change would have been had I spent cash and then add it to the change pile.

The surprises never end.  Princess came home on Friday with a deposit request for her end of year trip to Ottawa.  They would like $100 by Jan 26 to secure her spot.  The sooner the school gets a cheque the higher on the list she will be and more likely to go as it is first come first served.  They need a minimum of 50 kids to go.  I don’t know what the cut off point is before they start a second bus or even how many kids they would need to justify getting a second bus.  So tomorrow I am going to send my child to school with a post-dated cheque so her name can get on the list.

The budget was re-arranged AGAIN.  I am willing the rest of the month to be less “exciting”.

Irritations

Home

Yesterday my children FAILED.  I asked them to tidy up the kitchen when they got home and it fell on deaf ears.   I found them in their favourite spots on the couch.  Of course when the steam was coming out of my ears they were ready to ‘help out’.

NOT. IMPRESSED. AT. ALL.

I told them to try again.  So we shall see what this afternoon brings.

Money

On the financial side of life, I am not a fan of the beginning of the year.  I am not sure what the Federal and Provincial Governments are smoking doing every year but I don’t understand why my pay cheques are $100+ less than I expect them to be at the beginning of the year and $200+ more towards the end of the year.  Can they not figure out how to make it consistent?  Do they not expect me to be working at the end of the year???

Sadly, I based my budget on a taxation calculation I found on their website and rounded down to the nearest hundred and I am still short.  ARGHHHH. *shaking fist*

Personal

Old age came to visit me this morning.  And left behind one aching shoulder.  I have a sharp pain in my left shoulder that hurts when I breathe deeply or raise my arm.  So this made washing my arm pits especially fun this morning.  TMI?

Work

Speaking of TMI … I don’t know about you but I work with some very ‘special’ folks.  And yesterday one of these ‘special’ people told me that she had to throw out a box cutter.  Okay by me, what do I care.  I figured that you must have a good reason to do so and was willing to leave it at that.

BUT NO.

My co-worker decided to share with me why she had to throw out company equipment.  And since I had to hear the tale I am sharing it with you.

Turns out my co-worker went to the bathroom and after she was finished doing #1 the box cutter fell in the toilet.  She fished it out with her bare hands, THEN put it in toilet paper and threw it in the garbage. And washed her hands 3 times.

Now I ask you:

1. Why did I need to hear that story?  And trust me when I tell you I am not alone is the knowledge of her bathroom excitement.  She shared this adventure with many other people in the office.
2. If this happened to you, would you tell anyone?

Apron strings are cut

Yesterday went okay.  I would love to say it all worked out like I wanted but life doesn’t usually go like that.

Since I only stipulated that my girls were to call me when they got home and do their homework, that was ALL they did.

Hmmmm, I think their mother needs to learn to communicate her desires better.

I got home and found my children in their regularly scheduled spots … on the couch … in front of the TV.  The dirty dishes were still in the sink.  The clean dishes were still in the dish drainer.   At least homework was done.

So today, I asked that the kitchen be tidied up after homework is done.

We shall see how that turns out.

Cutting the apron strings

I have two great kids who have been singing the “I’m old enough and responsible so I should get to go home after school instead of going to the after school program” song for quite some time now.

I am not completely convinced.

Colour you shocked I’m sure.

BUT.

I did let them stay home by themselves over the Christmas holidays and other than being bored, they were alright.

AND.

They are the oldest kids at the after school program.  They don’t always arrive before I get there because of after school activities or dilly-dallying, so what am I paying for?

My reasoning for not letting them go home was based on where we live and they would have to take 2 buses to get there while passing a mall.  Do you see where I am going here?

BUT.

They have friends who live even further away than we do who go home on their own so I am conducting an experiment in responsibility.

Last night I cut an extra key because even though they attend the same school they never seem to leave at the same time. This morning the extra key along with the spare key was sent to school with my daughters with strict instructions to call when they got home.

Now I wait to see what will happen.

My babies are growing up.  This is the first second step in letting go.  I’m not sure I am ready.

I have spent a great deal of time day-dreaming about the days when my kids would be more independent so I could regain some of my own life back.  Now that it’s happening it is bittersweet.

I only have a few more years to shape them into productive members of society.  Hopefully a few more years of influence, so that I can help them stay on the right path.

I am excited to see the women they will become, but not yet ready to let go of the children they were.