Sunday, March 31, 2013

Regroup

Time to regroup the blog.  Back from Haiti, it was a phenomenal experience.  It makes you very aware of how lucky we are to be born in the United States and how very blessed we are.

Last week's financial transactions didn't get done and I combined them with this weeks, will update on Friday.

Hope everyone had a very blessed Easter.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Financial Friday

Trying to pack for trip, leaving on Sunday, cannot wait.  Haiti here I come.  I am hoping for a life changing experience, probably have put too high of expectations.  I want to make a difference. Am having a little bit of restlessness.

Anyway money $$$$$.

Paid $300 on Mastercard.  I want to be at my goal of 8700, but I have used this card for a few items for the trip so in actuality I am not going to update the tickler bar until after I get the bill and pay for any charges made this month.

Paid $367.18 on American Express.  Weird number I know.  I charged $167.18 on this card and will not be charging anything else.  Will pay off what was charged and a little extra.

Worked 1 hour of overtime.

Didn't hear from the job I put an online application in for (hate those) ...so very random if you get selected.  But, am going to put in for a promotion where I am currently working.  If I get it I dread telling my boss, like will be so sick and unable to sleep dread it.

This paying off my credit cards is going slow.  There is a big job fair on 04/03 for a new grocery store in town.  That is where I am contemplating getting a part-time job.  $12.50 for cashiers, not bad for part time.  I will get tired but I need to get moving on these debts.  It was so much more fun to buy the stuff than it is to pay it off.  Plus there are things I want to purchase with cash once the debt is under control/paid off.

Only one book on e-bay sold for $34.00, greatly disappointed but my husband is right that it is not the right time. Will try again at the end of the summer.   Huge yard sale coming up this summer too, 1/4 of the garage needs to be cleaned out.

Now the big dilemma is how much knitting to take.  Will I even get the needles on the plane.  We have a 4 hour layover one place and 9 coming back.  If I have nothing to do I will shop which is not a good thing.  So a book and knitting to occupy my time will definitely help.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Menu Monday

Moneysavingmom.com has a menu that she puts up every week.  I started, I stopped, it is so much more efficient do make a menu.  You use up what you have in your refrigerator and freezer saving money plus the stress of not having to come up with a menu is so nice.  I only make a menu for suppers, lunch is left overs or you are on your own for cooking.

Monday - Pork Loin with cream sauce; rice.  Recipe  Super yum.
Tuesday - Chicken enchilada casserole.
Wednesday - Roast with vegetables.
Thursday - Chili with grilled cheese
Friday - Roasted chicken
Saturday - Ranch Burgers
Sunday - Off to Haiti

My son is home from college (spring break) this week so a lot more food is being consumed.  My son-in-law takes the leftovers to work with him instead of buying junk food.  He works third shift.  All the other people he works with survive on chips, energy drinks and junk food, not good.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Financial Friday

This week is a bit of a downer.  I wish people on e-bay would bid.  I have about $600 in textbooks listed, a lot of people looking but no one bidding.  I'm sure they will wait until the end but it is a little frustrating.  I am hoping to sell at least $300.    If they don't sell I will put them on Amazon or something like that and just let them linger.

I got 4.5 hours of overtime this week which is wonderful, probably will next week too so that will help tremendously on the next paycheck.

Got paid this week.

I deposited my son's tax return, I had fronted him the money.

I have taken over my daughter and son-in-laws savings accounts since they are too irresponsible.  They now have $5700 saved since I took it over about a month ago.  I am also making them start paying me back ..... so this paycheck had them give me $50.  Her husband is all for it, my daughter is not too excited about this arrangement.  They would have nothing if I didn't do it and they would never move out which is the ultimate goal.

Goal this next week is to pay out the $250 (son and daughter $) and also portion out this paycheck.  I just need to decide how much goes where.  Also need to get out cash from savings for my Haiti trip.  Leaving one week from Sunday.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

To Do Sunday

I have decided to change my weekly to do list to Monthly.  I have great weeks and then not so great weeks.  Maybe if there is not so much pressure each week it will work out better and I won't feel like such a dismal failure.  It is at least worth a try.

Am really trying this month to sell some of the items on my shelving unit.  Then hopefully in May have a yard sale and clean out the garage.  There is so much to do and it is so easy just to waste time and pretty soon another month is over.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Financial Friday

Excellent week financially.

1. $40 won at the casino.  You will never hear when I lose because I don't play with my own money.  My husband gives me $40, if I lose it that is fine, if I win I have to pay him the money back and I get to keep the excess.  It is a total win for me.  He likes going to the casino, I go because he wants to. If it wasn't for him wanting to go I would never go.  What a huge waste of money.

2. My son's $200 federal tax return came so he can sign that over since I gave him an advance on it.  That will go directly to credit cards.

3. Payments were made on both credit cards this week -
          $340.13 to MC new balance: $8900
          $375.97 to Am Ex new balance $26540

4. Have listed a book to sell so hopefully that will go.

5. Applied for a different job....not totally qualified but maybe they will take a chance if the perfect person doesn't show up.

6. Had a meeting on my Haiti trip.  Because of donations and fundraising our trip expenses at this point are going to be under $200.  Our minister is pretty sure there will be other donations to cover that, what a blessing.

Other than that which I think is good. Anytime the balance is going down on the accounts it is a good week.

Goals to achieve financially in March:
1. Have MC balance at $8700. (may use the tax return to pay on this)
2. Have Am Ex balance at $25900.
3. Decide if I am going to continue with my cell phone plan.  I hardly use my phone and need to look into a prepaid or some other type of phone.  My son is on my plan also and he hardly ever uses his phone.  It is $115.00 monthly that seems like a total waste of money.

The coordinator in Haiti has certain things, wants so to speak, for the mission groups.  This time on the list is teaching 4-5 older kids at the orphanage to knit.  How could that be more perfect?  Right up my alley although I have never taught anyone how to knit so may need to practice.

Cleaned out the freezer today, what a waste of money.  Threw a bunch of old vegetables out that were very freezer burned.  I really thought I would like a chest freezer but I really prefer an upright.  It seems to me an upright is so much easier to find what you have stored.  This summer I think I am going to sell the two chest freezers we have and buy a nice upright.