January 3, 2013- #2: Money Saving Challenge
This morning besides writing my first post of the day, I made DH and I homemade egg mcmuffins for breakfast. I eat a lot of eggs. I always have. DH does not eat as many as I do. I figure that I have no cholestorol problems so they haven't hurt me.
I had planned on making a large pot of bean soup for dinner tonight. However last night when I put the ham bone in the crockpot along with some water and the pan drippings, I realized that I didn't have any navy beans., I had a basket of beans in my pantry but no navy beans. So I made the broth overnight and pulled all of the bits off the ham this morning and left them in the broth. I will also add some ham along with onions and spices when I put the beans in the soup. So the broth is refrigerated until tomorrow morning. We will have one of those cheap Jack frozen pizzas that I purchased the other day for dinner instead. Lunch was a tossed salad and some apple slices.
Having called Rite Aid this morning to make sure DH's prescription was ready this time, I ventured out in the snow. It was snowing here most of the morning. After picking up the prescription, I stopped at Top's and picked up the above bag of navy beans for the soup. Cost was $ 1.59 so I now have $ 171.73 left in my grocery budget for the rest of the month. I will soak them overnight in water and then cook the soup in the crockpot all day tomorrow.
The mail today brought a $ 3422.44 town and county tax bill due the end of the month. It wasn't a surprise. I knew it was coming and so I will write a check the end of the month and happily pay it. These bills are one of the reasons you need to save a lot for retirement. This is a small bill compared to our school tax bill in September.
I spent the early part of the afternoon putting away the Christmas tree and ornaments along with some other Christmas decorations. Now it really seems like a new year with all of that done. DH spent a good part of the morning fixing our humidifier on the furnace. It keeps getting clogged. After all of the years of owning humidifiers, he is really getting frustrated with this one. We have had the people who we bought it from and installed it come and repair it last year. But again now it is clogging. So DH has now sent a letter to the company who made it showing his frustration with their product. I swear companies today make products to break. UGH!
Now I will be washing a load of clothes in cold water in the HE washer and hanging them in the basement to dry. That is going to be about it for today. I am tired since I didn't sleep well last night. So besides cooking the pizza, it will be rest and relaxation. We have a Netflix DVD here so perhaps we will watch that.
Please feel free to leave a comment and share what you have done today to save some money.
15 comments:
Made pancakes for breakfast & I have the heat off. I'll turn it on about an hour before hubby comes home to warm up the house.
Wow you have high property taxes. Because we bought a house owned by husband's grandmother we have prop 13 taxes of only 1200 a year total. That was a smart move we made thankfully. If not they would be over 4000 a year. I guess not everything is more expensive here.
I just found your blog and already very interested after a couple of weeks. The one thing I keep seeing is some initials that I don't understand like Q and oop and something with the washer initials there also not sure what they mean. Any tutorial for us beginers to your blog? Thanks and enjoy seeing how you can wring even more money out of everything. Nancy
Hi Tracy,
I hope you are bundled up. I used to turn the heat down to 60 when DH was at work and bundle in sweaters and sweatshirts.
Hi Elaine,
Yes we do. It is very expensive to live in NY. Taxes are really high here. I only paid $2500. a year total in AZ for property taxes and school taxes. Your $1200. is really low. It was a very smart move on your part.
Hi Nancy,
Welcome to my blog. Sorry I don't have a tutorial. But I will try to explain them when I use them. For now: Q is coupon or coupons; OOP is out of pocket; HE for the washer stands for High Efficiency.
I had a good day yesterday. I worked from home (with the heat turned down to 66). Then I brought DD in for a check up and they didn't have me pay a co-pay because they owe me money from an overpayment I noticed. When we got home I had the kids help me make pizza using homemade crust and sauce. Last night I kept on studying the seed catalogues so I can plan my spring gardens.
Does your BJs have navy beans? Mine only sells pintos, black beans, and lentils. I wish they had navy beans and kidney beans too. The small bags seem to go so fast when you're used to the ten pounders! I hope you got some rest.
Hi Jillian,
Yod did have a good day. Even though it is frigid here, I guess it isn't too early to plan the garden.
I don't know if mine does. I was going to check next time I go. I hope they do. The little bags are so expensive.
Hi Precious!
I made an unusual breakfast but quite delicious using up leftover egg yolks for breakfast.
Lunch was tuna salad sandwiches for everyone.
Dinner was crockpot parsley potato soup.
I've lowered the heat down to 62 during the day, to be honest, I'm freezing (I know its my blood thinners). I am so bundled up I can't even move lol. Then I bring it back up to 66 before the kids come home.
All food is being used, mandated timed showers, all lights and pc's etc off if your not using it.
If you have a Price Right near you they have goya brand dried beans and their brand beans for a very good price. The variety is great too.
Hi Didi,
It's so good to hear from you. I was thinking about you this morning.
You are doing well trying to save your dollars. Make sure you are really bundled up today if your wind is as bad as ours. Our house is creaking. Poor DH has to keep chasing the garbage cans. I wish the garbage men would get here.
Thanks for the tip. But no Price Rite here. I am going to check some other stores next time I go out.
I will need to do this tonight and 'catch up' I can't get Blogger on my computer at work (need to upgrade my browser, but we all know work won't allow that!). So tonight when I go home, this is on my to do list :)
Hi spaghetti,
It sounds like a good plan.
Greetings! I'm in the UP of Michigan. I found your blog a few weeks ago and love it! I'm practicing a lot of the same strategies you use. But, there's always room for improvement for me; i think you've nailed it!) Keep up the good work!
Welcome momsav! Fellow Michigander, I'm in Traverse City.
Hi Momsav,
Thanks for the nice compliment. Welcome to my blog. We have a few MI people here.
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