Making Cents Of It All

Financial - Put 15% into retirement. Thanks to our 401K plans, this is easy.  - Pay for first and second part of driveway. The first part got done on the 5th and 6th. - Grocery Budget of $400 average for the year. I spent $456.50. My total for the year is $3481.63. My monthly average is $386.84. I have a su rplus of $118.37. - List 25 new items on eBay and Craigslist.  Did it. I sold a 3 Wii games, a pin, a book, a movie, and a hat. I'm getting annoyed with eBay so I may take a break for a while.  - Work extra shifts when available. I worked an 8 hour shift that was supposed to be 5 hours,   and an extra 5 hour shift.  - Go over our budget with Hubby. We do it every month.   - Go over the kids budgets with each of them. Did it. - Do FAFSA Started it. Need to finish - YD apply for scholarships She has been doing some whenever she has free time.  - Help YD start to fill out college applications We started! Garden      - Plant peas and kale for fall picking

Youngest daughter and I went on a shopping spree. I know you are thinking what is this doing on Friday Freebies then. Well, we went shopping with other people's money. Recently Hubby and I needed some clothing items. We are going to a wedding and I borrowed a dress from my sister. Unfortunately, we are not the same size shoe. Hubby has been needing a new belt so we went to Sears while they were have a special. If you spent $50 you got $25 back in reward dollars. So that is what we did. I also managed to get a $12 free cash added onto my card.  YD is in a skit at school. They wanted everyone to wear the same thing. They are doing a 50's look. They wanted  black pants, black top, red sneakers and a red scarf for around her neck. She needed red sneakers.  We went to Sears to see what they had.  They had this pair on sale for $14.99. I used the $12 free cash since you have to use all of that in one transaction. Then I paid the rest with some of the $25 we had earned. I

Fall is here. We will be apple picking and pumpkin picking this month. Halloween will be celebrated. College applications need to get going. The driveway should get finished. Christmas shopping will kick into high gear. Windows will be open and the AC and heat will be off. The gardens will get cleaned up. It will be busy but fun.  Financial - Put 15% into retirement. - Pay for the second part of the driveway - Grocery Budget of $400 average for the year - List 25 new items on eBay and Craigslist.   - Work extra shifts when available.  - Go over our budget with Hubby - Go over the kids budgets with each of them.  - Finish filling out FAFSA - YD apply for scholarships - Help YD fill out college applications Garden      - Dry seeds from all plants to use next year - Dehydrate/dry more herbs - Clean up small garden - Start to clean up large garden Family -  Go on a date with Hubby   - Go apple picking - Go pumpkin picking - Celebrate Halloween Per

Meat was on sale this week at Stop & Shop. You could get 2 value packs of either chicken legs, thighs or combos. I got thighs. They were 69¢ a pound. Pork chops were on sale for 99¢ a pound.  The plastic wrap was marked down to 49¢. We don't use it often but for that price I will buy it.  The graham crackers were 57¢. We are still doing fire pits and making smores so I was happy to get them. I don't mind a damaged box.  My total for Stop & Shop was $10.53.  I also got this juice for free. It was supposed to be a 4 pack of small ones but they never got them in. The manager let me get this instead.  Staples sent me another voucher. I spent 3¢ A few days later Staples was at it again. YD came with me this time since we were going right to the mall after and it is close by. It cost me 28¢ after a $10 off $10 purchase. They must have a glitch in their system because every week we are getting one. They are different codes a

Hubby and I went on a date to a free home show. We try to go every year. We get to see what new items have come out and we get to talk to several vendors for similar projects. It is held at a college nearby and has free parking and free admission. We brought our reusable water bottles and apples in case we got hungry. We even got some freebies. It was a nice way to spend the morning.  I went back to the eye doctor. My eye is doing so much better. The top layer is totally healed. The second layer (there are apparently 5 layers) is not fully healed yet. I have a second kind of drop now and I go back in 2 weeks.  My ear was bothering me so I put some drops that are homemade in it. It is 1 part vinegar to 1 part alcohol. My ENT told me about this years ago when I would constantly get swimmers ear. I do it twice a day for 3 days when I start to feel something. Most times it goes away.  The garden is still going well. I made another batch of sauce. I canned 4 quarts, we

I apologize in advance. I am going to vent a little so if you don't want to read this I totally understand.  Feel free to come back another day.  I was at work and a newish (is that a word) coworker who is older then me started talking to me. I don't really know her but it was a slow time at work so we started talking. She preceded to ask me what my other job was. I said I don't have another job outside of my home. Just this one. She then asked did I work there full time? I explained that only management was full time (thank you Obama). She then went on and on about how LUCKY I am that I only have to work part time and what does my husband do and make. First off, I barely know you so there is no way I am telling you what my husband makes. 2nd thing, LUCK has nothing to do with it. It is called hard work.  I have been told many times over the years how lucky I am. And they are correct. I am very lucky for many reasons but not the reasons they are saying. I am lucky th

Hubby and youngest daughter got free tickets to a Jets game thanks to a vendor of Hubbies. They were in a suite that had free food and drinks included. I was told there was regular football food such as hot dogs and chicken fingers but there was also different kinds of wraps, salads and sausage and peppers. There was popcorn, chips, fruit, veggies, and cookies too. They had a great time.  My garden is still holding on. I picked several times last week. This bowl full was over 11 pounds, This basket weighed in just under 18 pounds, and this picking was just over 12 pounds. I have been cooking up a storm processing as much of it as I can. I also have been using it in all of our meals.  My sister got another Staples voucher for $10 off a $10 order. She is still out of the country so she emailed me the coupon. We are well supplied in school supplies so I hit the kitchen department. They had Dawn on sale for $3.99. They are the very large bottles. The wipes