savings

I have been scattered brained and had the hum drums. 

 Morning routine is on autopilot even if it takes me all day.  Clothes washed and either on drying rack or clothes line. Dishwasher unloaded, put away and reloaded if anything is sitting there. Dust mop is every other day That's usually done by 8, no later than 10.

Then it's either into the gardens or on the computer. When it's damp and/or cold , it is computer. If it's going to rain before noon even if damp and cold it's the garden. I like late morning or early afternoon but it changes depending on the temperature of the day. 

Then I take something off the list that is a priority.

Monday was dentist. I paid cash to get a 5 % discount which was better that the cash back I would get on my credit card. 

Tuesday with chiropractic and errands with a late visit from Brother. Used cash back card. 

Wednesday even with feeling like crap and trying to deal with the insurance that was Daddy's. Helping E and M as they got things around for the house sitter and us taking Molly and Dolly, two Belgian work horse, E's small pasture is connected to our pond and the feed trough (they get some oats besides the grass) is at our gate thanks to N that left his feed trough when he sold us the house. AND another visit from Brother as he got more mail from the same ins company for me.

Thursday was finance day which I promptly screwed up paying  off a credit card with MY account instead of the joint acct. Thankful that the bank caught it and I got money shifted so I wouldn't get an over draft fee.  DUH.  We decided that anything we saved through the cash back or coupons/clearance/discounts etc would be transferred to savings.

Friday We stopped down to A and B's to check out their hanging pots. I found marigolds and basil for the gardens and begonia's for parents and brothers graves. B gave us a discount because Hubby hauls sometimes for A. I went to library to get stuff for Daddy's life ins (another policy jumped up) and have it faxes. Lady there that witnessed my signature (not notarized) asked where I grew up. Then told me where I had grew up and who I was. Was clueless of who she was. We grew up together and I hadn't see her in almost 50 yrs but since I look like MOTHER she recognized me.

Saturday we checked out the local farmers market (dud) and got 2 fig trees and 2 cherry trees on discount when getting the dog food from TSC. Then we went to the nursery and got hanging basket for MIL and then to Walmart and got fountain grass at $3 and calla lilies half price. They are tender perennials in this area but I can put them in pots and deal with them that way. We dropped off the hanging basket to MIL. She was complaining of being cold and Hubby told her to put some clothes on instead of a tank top and pair of shorts. It was 58 outside not 85. I don't think she liked how he answered her but I had bit my tongue from not saying the same thing. FIL said he had told her repeatedly to put more clothes on. He is bringing it up to the doctor today(Tuesday). We then used coupons for Arby's FIL gave us that they would not use. Got one meal free with purchase of a meal.  We stopped and ate a the park near by and watched frisbee golf contest.  Since we ate out late we had a snack of popcorn.

Sunday I fixed French toast (using last of bread) stuffed with cream cheese and raspberries from the freezer for lunch. We had odds and ends for dinner.  All 6 kids , 3 grandchildren, 4 friends and one grandson's ex girlfriend text me Happy Mothers day. 

Monday. I called and priced my eye exam at our old place $150 without insurance. I already know what I spent on glasses. I went to Walmart at noon. Had the same eye exam for $60 saving $90. They were able to reuse one of my glass frames. I still ended up with 5 pairs of glasses (4 new frames in children's size), it would have been 4 but I know myself and need to have 2 sets of reading glasses. I could go without my long distance as the eye sight has improved in that part.  Thank heavens as at one time I was nearsighted in one and farsighted in the other.  That isn't as drastic now. I got long distance sunglasses $30 off, long distance glasses 20%, 2 reading glasses  20% off and the glasses for mending used my frame. Children's frames are cheaper and fit me better with the difference in costs almost 40%.  All told, I save $200 with the discounts etc and over $1300 of what it would have cost me at the old place AND I put it on the cash back card.

I went to the grocery store and got some meat for special meals, basic veggies (carrots, celery, potatoes, ice burg lettuce, cucumber. PLEASE QUIT being freaking cold with freezes and frosts Mother Nature) no fruit, dairy, and junk food... yes, junk food , chips, candy, coke a cola, root beer and ice cream for floats.

Tuesday... a sad day, a very sad day.... the pasta serving dish that matched my Nonna's can not longer be used. It has a large crack but not all the way through YET. There are no replacements . I spent HOURS trying to find one. SIGH... So I settled for 1 quart bowls (the size is a match) and went with  4 different colors to match the dishes I have. I finally found a soup tureen to replace the one my kids put in the oven to heat up chili (clueless as the bowls were on the table and they could have heated it up in the bowl in the microwave). Needless to say that dish was NOT oven proof. I found replacements at kohl's on sale, used codes, free shipping and  my cash back card. 

BEST NEWS ... J priced out the basement. Highest bid was $20, 000 , next one was around $15,000 that he came down to $12,000 when he heard that J was also bidding. J said less than $7,500... he thought closer to $5,000 depending on if we use the blocks we have or if we want all pour concrete. He is deducting $10/ hour for the time Hubby works on the job with him. ALSO said if we had it dig out on the sides and the block removed before he starts(2-3 wks as he is finishing a job and planting) that it would drop the cost of the labor. ALSO he is only going to work Saturdays (which is not a big deal for us) so Hubby isn't missing work himself to help on this job AND it will be easier to deal with the dogs only on 1 day a week. He thought 3 Saturdays barring rain. We are going to put up fence around that area to stop the dogs from going down there but also stop Charlotte from leaping on to that roof as she runs from back to front of the house for front to back. Don't want her to fall in when the roof is off while doing the basement. 

Blessed Be everyone