What a relaxing night...Hubby went out with the guys, and the kids were playing Xbox upstairs. It was just me and the pup, watching whatever I felt like, and mindlessly surfing the net. I don't get enough nights like this!

While surfing, I went on the websites of the 2 grocery stores I frequent. I'm able to load coupons right onto my bonus club card, so they'll come off automatically at the register. I also will get a $2 off my next order just for registering. So that was cool. I also did some swag surveys, and a few things like that. Finally, I balanced my checkbook, which I haven't done for a few weeks.

No sports for the kids this weekend, due to the holiday. They're going to grandma's for a sleepover tomorrow. Hubby and I are going for dinner and drinks with friends (already budgeted under entertainment). Looking forward to sleeping late and relaxing all weekend! Woohoo!

Today is the 20th anniversary of our first date! It's convenient to have it on February 16th. We never celebrate Valentine's Day. Instead, hubby gets me flowers today (much cheaper) and we order take-out from the local Italian place (cheaper than eating out, but still special).

On the downside, I have to look into my HELOC. I think they may have applied one of my extra payments toward my next interest payment instead of principle. Wouldn't be the end of the world (I'd just take my normal interest payment and put that toward principle), but it's frustrating to have to spend time making sure I have my story straight. I called the customer service guy last night and he didn't see the discrepancy...

I'm still plugging along. I received my Direct TV credit, but I won't be getting anything back from Cablevision. I also made it to the post office and mailed a bunch of cds and books I sold through half .com.

I have another $60.48 to transfer to the HELOC. $50 is from a rebate card, and another $10.48 is from the sale of a gift card. Making good progress. I read Jean Chatzky's book on paying down debt $10/day a while back. I need to dust it off and take another look at it. I like the slow and steady approach.

In other financial news, we avoided taking out dinner tonight. I made the worst pork tenderloin ever! It just wasn't good. Hubby suggested we go for Chinese food instead, but I held my ground and insisted we have ravioli from the freezer. They were actually really good! Unfortunately the pork was a waste, but at least I didn't compound the problem! I'm so uninspired with dinner...

So KIF in Texas has inspired me to try Swagbucks. I signed up and have been blowing through the surveys and other stuff. I've already gotten enough points to redeem a $5 Amazon gift card! I have a $20 credit from some other offer I took advantage of earlier this year, so this'll put me at $25. The credits don't expire, so if I keep at it, I'll have a nice chunk of change in there around Christmas time.

KIF, question for you: Is the $5 Amazon card the best deal? It seems like it is by a long shot, when you calculate swagbucks/dollar, but I wanted to make sure I'm not missing something.

I deposited my 2 checks from yesterday in the Bank, and the $42.22 from Half .com hit. So I'm transferring $131.34 to the HELOC.

I called Direct TV about the status of my credit. The check went out on 2/7, so I should be getting it any day. Unfortunately, it was $16 less than I thought, because of some movies we rented in 2006 that we were never charged for. Seems they pulled the info off of the access card when we returned the box. They don't miss a trick. Also called Cablevision. I thought I was getting a $17 credit from them but they said no, it was applied against my last bill. They're probably right, but I asked them to send me a copy of my last bill so I could make sure.

I have to get to the pet store tomorrow to get dog food, but it will be no out of pocket, as I'll use my discounted gift card . Sunday I'll stop by my dad's. A quiet weekend in store...

I got two checks in the mail today. The first was a $50 rebate for a new laptop that I bought in January. The second was an unexpected check for $39.12 from DD's coach (a refund for an overpayment).

The first thing I thought was, "I should put these toward the HELOC!". Then I tried to talk myself out of it. Technically, the check for the laptop should really be deposited in the bank under my "Other" category, because that's where I paid it out of. And the check from the coach should really go into the kids' "extracurricular" category, because I'm going to have to pay fees in a few months for the spring season.

But then the bug took hold of me. The laptop is already paid for, done deal, last month. So why bother putting the cash there when I can pay down the HELOC? And I've already budgeted for DD's fees in April. Why put this check toward that when I can put it toward my debt?

I face the same issue with my half .com deposits. Usually I subtract the amount that I pay for shipping from the total they give me, and only put that toward the HELOC. But the shipping costs have already been paid, usually the previous month due to the timing issues with the payments. Why not put the whole amount in?

This is a whole new way of thinking for me. Last year, I would've cashed the checks and gone out for drinks with the ladies . At best, I would've just deposited it back in the bank. Actually doing something productive with it like paying down debt is unheard of for me. I'm hooked!

...and I made out great.

First stop: Rite Aid
Transaction 1:
2 Finesse conditioners (13 oz + 33% bonus) for $6.00.
Tax $.42.
Total OOP $6.42, got $5 UP reward back.

Transaction 2:
Coldcalm Tablets (60 ct) for $5.99.
Revitalens contact solution for $4.99.
Total $10.98, used $5 UP reward from Tx 1.
Total OOP $5.98.

So total, total OOP = $12.40, and I'll get $10.98 back for the Tx #2 items through single check rebates, for a net spend of $1.42.

Next stop: Walgreens

Transaction 1:
Right Guard body wash 13.5oz for $3.99
Minus $1 peelie coupon on the bottle = $2.99.
Tax $.28
Total OOP $3.27, got $3 register rewards

Transaction 2:
Veripur Hand Sanitizer 3oz for $3.99
Used $3 register reward from Tx 1 = $.99
Tax $.28
Total OOP $1.27, got $4 register rewards

So total total, got both items for $.54, which is basically tax.

Next stop: Bank. Deposited $60 in change from piggy bank, which I transferred to HELOC. Woohoo!

Final stop: CVS. Had a $10 ECB that was expiring soon, so I bought 2 Poland Spring 24 packs @ $3.33, 1 Trident gum @ $.99, and 4 padded envelopes for mailing books and cds/dvds. They were b1g1 free.

Total: $12.13 - $10ecb = $2.13, plus tax $.38 = $2.51 OOP, and I got a $.99 ecb back for the gum.

Phew, now I'm beat, hanging out on the couch with my pup. I'll stop at the post office to mail 2 books and a dvd on my way to pick up the kids from school.

I'm taking a vacation day tomorrow. Hubby is going out of town on business, so I have to drop the kids off and pick them up from school. In between, I need to clean my house top to bottom, do laundry, and hit the post office, CVS, WAG, and Rite-Aid. Aggressive schedule, but I can do it. I need to take some time tonight and get organized with my coupons, etc. I'm really annoyed because my dog got to a couple of the coupons I needed (scamp!). It's a good thing he's so cute!

Hubby being gone does keep the grocery bill down, as the kids and I will live off of whatever we have in the house. I got a dozen eggs for $.99, which was a pretty typical deal a few years ago, but lately the price has skyrocketed, so $.99 is pretty good.

I also have to, have to, have to start pulling our tax stuff together. I'd rather go to the dentist! Speaking of which, I need to set up that appointment as well

I put $60.97 toward my HELOC principle today. The bulk of it ($44.85) was from a bonus check, $6.50 was a rebate from December that finally came in, and $9.62 was from a shopping program called NextJump. I'm in good shape to meet my $150 target this month. I have a half .com payment coming soon, and some other reward checks. I also have a piggy bank full of coins that needs to go to the bank, hopefully this week. Slow and steady wins the race.

I received my Petsmart gift card in the mail today. That was fast! The kids went to Grandmas for an impromptu sleepover. Hubby and I are going to take out from a local place. We thought about going out, but the weather is could and rainy. I'd much rather hang home in comfy clothes drinking a nice bottle of wine and watching a movie on tv.

And I totally took advantage of the kids being out of the house by gathering an entire bag of garbage to be thrown out. Half of the bag was from my bathroom, where I cleaned out the cabinets, threw out expired medecine, etc. And now I have a much better sense of what I have on hand. The rest of the bag was just clutter and garbage that we don't need, can't sell, etc. Junk. The kids are total pack rats though. Can't get anything past them!

This is shaping up to be a pretty good weekend...

I took advantage of today's Groupon deal: 50% off $20 B&N purchase, good through April 11th. I also had hubby take advantage of the deal as well. Both kids got B&N gift cards for Christmas that they haven't used yet, so I thought this would be a good deal to take advantage of.

The kids are 12 and 10. I'm trying to get them to start thinking frugally (uh, good luck with that). Apparently, they did not inherit my frugal genes, at all.

One thought I had was to have them help me do the weekly grocery list. I wanted to give them my grocery budget ($100), and have them look through the sale ads and clip the coupons, and if they came in under $100, I'd split the difference with them. But then I had visions of eating bread and water every night, so that won't fly. So then I figured I'd let them be responsible for just the coupon / bonus club savings and I'd make out the rest of the list, but I had visions of them clipping every coupon in the insert. Hmmm. I think this is going to be one of those trial and error type of things.

I have a quiet weekend in store. I need to hit the bank and post office tomorrow (had a few more half .com sales), and the kids have basketball games. We're expecting a wintry mix (surprise), but these days, 2-4 inches doesn't even make me blink an eye. No plans for the Superbowl. We have a soccer game early in the day, and we'll have "fun food" (chili, nachos) for the game.

Nothing better than a cheap, restful weekend...

Hubby braved the icy driveway and brought up the mail. (They really do deliver in rain, sleet, snow and dark of night)! I thought this was going to be another one of those banner mail days, with one great envelope after another. Close, but not quite. I got a Staples reward check for $16, and another check for credit card rewards for $26. I also saw an envelope from Direct TV, which I thought was my $133 credit from when I cancelled my service BACK IN DECEMBER! They said the check was set to be cut on 1/31. Alas, it was just an advertisement. So I'm glad I got something, but I thought it would be a lot more...

Ended up with a snow (ice) day. Kids were home from school, and I was home from work. It was great. I was totally productive, made pancakes for breakfast, cinnamon streusel muffins for snack, a great dinner, and caught up on a ton of work and personal stuff. Ah, if every day could be like this, but without the crummy weather.

So tomorrow I MUST get to the bank and the post office. And wait for my Direct TV check in the mail :|

I had 2 "A-Ha" moments today. Looking back at them now, I feel pretty stupid for not thinking about them sooner...

#1) I spend about $200/month to commute. (Actually $300, but my company gives us $100/month toward public transportation). I haven't really stopped to think about this in a long time. The $100 from the company goes onto a credit card, along with $130 that I take out pretax from my paycheck. The rest comes out of pocket. I usually just buy my ticket and go about my business without a second thought. Well today when I went to get my February monthly, the clerk actually read out the total. "That'll be $234". (The subway adds another $70 on to the total). There's not much I can do to lower it. It's definitely cheaper than driving, and I'll switch to weekly tickets if I'm going to be out of the office alot.

#2) Why have I not been buying discounted gift cards for things that I buy all the time anyway? I had a gift card to sell, so I've been checking out a few of the sites. A great example is PetSmart. I easily drop $50/month there between me and my dad. They sell the cards at 7% off. That's $42/year! AND I'M SPENDING THE MONEY THERE ANYWAY!! So I bought an $86.17 card for $80.14 (and I used your link R@50)! I can also get Home Depot/Lowes and others that I know I'll use. I'm kicking myself for letting that opportunity slip through my fingers all this time.

I made it to the post office today before the storm hit. I mailed 2 cds. I need to go back tomorrow with a book and the gift card. I made dinner in the crock pot before work, so no work there. I'm just spending some time getting caught up and hoping my power stays on. Good luck everyone!

Reading everyone else's posts, you can practically track this storm from Illinois east. Looks like we're all going to get hit with more snow, and this time ice, and sleet, and wintry mix. Lovely. Watching the news, I still have no idea what's going to hit and when. I'm planning on going into work tomorrow (I take a train, which is significantly better than driving). We'll have to see about Wednesday. Perhaps a work at home day is in order.

But enough about the weather. Turning to my finances, I made my first gift card sale today. Through a work-sponsored program, I can occasionally get gift cards at really good discounts. I usually try for cards that I'll use (Lowes, Home Depot, etc.). But in this case I was able to score a $50 Omaha Steaks card for $25. I've ordered from them in the past, and I like their food, but it's ridiculously expensive. So, I checked out the giftcardrescue .com site that Retire@50 mentioned in her post. They'll buy it for $37.50. I have to send it 1st class mail with tracking, but even if that's $2.50, I'll still clear $10, which will go to my $20 Challenge and HELOC. Good deal.

I will try to get to the post office tomorrow if possible, to mail the 2 half .com cds. Someone also claimed a book from my paperbackswap ,com account, so I'll mail that as well. Slowly, slowly decluttering this house, and making a few bucks along the way.

I found a penny today. I was on line at Staples, and as the lady in front of me was checking out, she dropped it. She heard it drop, looked down on the floor, then continued with her transaction and walked out of the store. I was amazed. This isn't the first time I've seen this happen and I always wonder, "what would their threshold be?" Would they have stooped down for a nickel, or a quarter, or a dollar bill? So I picked it up. $.03 for the year and counting...

Not 100% yet, but feeling much better today...

I had a pretty good financial day. I went to Rite Aid for dad. I got contact solution cleaner free after rebate (and a $1 money maker because there was a $1 coupon taped to each box). Also saw a free after rebate for a 6-pack of Snapple. DD loves this stuff, but I'll only buy it when it's on sale, so I picked it up for her. I have a few extra forms, so if anyone wants one, let me know and I'll send it along.

Went grocery shopping for myself as well and spent $101. I've been doing ok keeping my weekly shopping to around $100. At first I thought I might have to go back later in the week for some more meat and veggies, but I think I can scrounge enough around the house to get by.

And I sold two more CDs on half .com. They're not flying off of my shelves the way they did when I first posted them, but if I can get rid of a couple each week, I'd be happy.

I just saw the weather and we're getting MORE snow Tues/Wed and again on Saturday. I can't remember a winter like this in a long while. I'm well stocked though, and would gladly take another work at home day if it's really bad.

After my crazy, hectic week I am completely worn down. I came home from work yesterday unable to swallow. Fortunately a hot bath, glass of wine, and bowl of ice cream (in that order) helped immensely. Didn't have a great night sleep but am feeling a little better now.

I had DD's basketball game this morning, DS's this afternoon, and a fundraiser at school this evening. (I'd blow the last one off except that I'm signed up to work it). Tomorrow DD has a soccer game, then I'm headed down to dad's for a few hours. I'm trying to fit in some laundry and housework as well.

So no rest for the weary, but I am taking it as easy as I can. Hopefully Monday will be better.

Nothing going on on the financial front. I closed out January's books and have to put together the February budget to see how it shakes out. I also should start pulling together our tax info. I got my electronic W-2, and I've been seeing emails or receiving most of my other tax stuff. I'm just procrastinating because I know we're going to owe...

After two days of getting absolutely nothing done, I picked up the pace and made some good progress today. I got a copy of my 1/31 paycheck, and set up all of the month end transfers. We'll end the month within budget, although dollars did shift among categories. Bring on February!

I also made it to the bank, post office, and dry cleaner before the snow made the roads really bad. I didn't get DS his haircut because the place closed early. So now all that awaits me through the end of the week is the mound of laundry and housework. That'll have to wait until tomorrow .

I'm swamped all over this week - work, home, kids, etc. And it's only Tuesday! I have to spend some time tomorrow balancing the checkbook and getting caught up. I also have to get to the post office and mail a few packages. Finally, need to take DS for a haircut.

I did make it to the grocery store on Sunday. I was hoping to keep it to $100 and came in at $100.46 after bonus club and coupons. Woohoo. That's it through the end of the month if possible, which will require some creative menu planning to use up what I have in the house.

Not much else to report on the financial front, but I wanted to make sure I checked in...

3 inches of snow. Got a call at 5:45 that school opening was delayed 2 hours. DS did stay home sick, so I am working from home today as well. Great way to spend a Friday!

I went to the post office and mailed all but one book, which is an odd shape. Hmmm, I'll have to figure that one out. Went to the bank to deposit checks, the CVS, which was STILL out of Tom's toothpaste, the dry cleaner (love that he knows me well enough to give me the 10% discount without the coupon) and got the belated Christmas gift. All done.

When I came home from the bank I transferred $14.50 from my account to the HELOC principle. I appreciated Laura's entry about throwing small amounts at things. I've transferred as little as a couple of bucks at a time this month. I know if I wait to make one big transfer at the end of the month, the money will magically disappear. So I've gotten into the habit of transferring as it comes in. While it's tough to feel like it's meaningful change this way, I know one day I'm going to look at the balance and think, "wow, I've really knocked this down". Slow and steady wins the race...

I avoided the grocery store today. The only thing we really need is ice cream, and we're going to dinner at a friend's house tonight, so we'll have dessert there. I'm inclined to just get ice cream tomorrow, and use what I have and try to hold off doing real shopping until Monday or so. I'm limiting myself to $100 to spend through the rest of the month, so the longer I can go, the better.

Just enough to cause a 2-hr delayed opening for school. That way, I can justify working from home instead of going into the office, and the kids will be off to school. (Actually, DS is a bit under the weather, so there's a chance he may stay home anyway).

I have so many errands to run! I need to go to the post office and dry cleaner. I also need to pick up a very belated Christmas gift for someone we're going to see tomorrow night. Along with laundry and cleaning the house, it'll take up quite a bit of time.

I received an email from secondspin. com. They're giving me $37 for my second order. It was supposed to be more, but one of the cds was missing a disc (completely my bad - I knew it, but forgot to put the disc back in the case) and the other disc was scratched. Still, I'll take the $37. Also looked at my half. com account and I should be getting a chunk of change from all of the books/dvds I sold earlier this month.

On the flip side, I'm still waiting for a big credit from Direct TV. We changed to FIOS, and I'm due a credit of $133. They said that they wait until 30 days after the equipment is received before cutting the check, and that it's controlled by computer, so they can't expedite it. Just a cheap excuse for them to keep my money longer. I also need to follow up on a $17 credit from Cablevision.

There's never any shortage of things to do...

Spent some time today taking advantage of deals at Rite Aid and CVS. I think Rite Aid is my new favorite store! They started a program similar to CVS ECBs, and they still do their monthly rebates. In addition, they've been running these "Buy $100/Get $20" promotions. Unfortunately, they count your totals after coupons and discounts, but still a good deal.

I like the CVS program also, especially since the Extra Care Bucks started printing out immediately. My problem with both of these stores is when they run out of the sale merchandise. Toms Toothpaste is the only kind my kids like, and there are deals for it all over this week. They were out of stock at the first CVS and Rite Aid I went to. At least I was able to pick up a tube at the second Rite Aid I was at.

I need to pull together the CDs and book I sold over the weekend so they can go out in the mail tomorrow. I also have to work up the energy to do a load or two of laundry. Hats/gloves in particular. It's going to snow/sleet AGAIN!! Ugh!

We got together tonight with a family in town whom we haven't seen in ages. I spoke with them on Thursday and suggested we get together, but it wasn't final until this morning. My original plan was to make (cheap) chili, but it was too late for the crock pot, and I was going to be in and out at sports all day, and so couldn't leave the stove on. Ended up deciding to order out for pizza/italian, and it cost $70 for 8 people. (I do have a ton of leftovers for tomorrow, but still). That doesn't include an additional $25 or so for chips, dip, soda, etc.

This is covered in the budget under "Entertainment", so I'm not going to sweat it, but it is a LOT more than I think we should be spending for an informal get together with friends To be prepared: Should have planned on the visitors earlier and gone with the crock pot option. *sigh*

Aside from that, 3 more sales at half .com, which will go out on Tuesday. Also got a $25 gift card at Drugstore .com for $10 through the perks club at work. Keep racking it up!

Grrr! I haven't logged onto Paypal in ages. When I try to sign on, it asks me 2 security questions to verify my identity. In one case, they give me the last 4 digits of my checking account number, and ask me to verify the entire account. In the second case, they give me the last 4 digits of my cc, and ask me to verify the entire account. Problem is, that credit card was lost/account closed long ago, and I no longer have the card on me. (I could probably go digging through old files, which looks like what I'll need to do, but I'm trying to avoid it).

Anyway, I've tried every "contact us" option on the site and they either 1) make me answer the security questions before I can get any farther (!) or 2) give me the automated chat agent, who can only ask me basic questions. Can't get a phone number or email address either. SO Frustrated!

In other news, I received a $3 Rite Aid rebate from December. I'll deposit that and transfer it to the HELOC. Other than that, tonight is all about balancing my checkbook and paying the mid-month bills...

Today was the polar opposite of yesterday. Hectic from the minute I got up until now. It was a low-spend day, except for the (planned) fast food for dinner, and $7.50 for something I needed to get for DS's classroom.

I heard back from Second Spin regarding my first sale. I submitted $14.50 worth of dvds, but they didn't accept 2 because they were heavily scratched, so I'm coming away with $11.50. I'll take it. I also sold another cd on half. com, so I'll need to drop that in the mail tomorrow. And finally, someone ordered a book from my paperbackswap .com account, so that'll go out tomorrow too. Love all of this decluttering!

I'm off to bed now. I've got to get a good night's sleep!

I had one of those rare nights without a ton of stuff to do, so I rented the documentary Maxed Out. It's all about the predatory practices of credit card companies and the crushing debt that people have found themselves in. Wow! I found it really interesting. I went in with the mindset of "let the buyer beware" and people need to take responsibility for their own choices and all of that. Clearly in some of the cases they highlighted, the people were in no position to understand the impact of what they were doing, and were sold a bill of goods. And the debt collection guys (and girls) could not have come across as bigger sleazebags. Amazing that people do this for a living. I'd have to come home and shower after work!

I've been wanting to watch it for awhile. I ended getting it for free. I received a $5 credit for Amazon on demand thanks to some DVDs I ordered from there as Christmas. It cost $2.99 for a 48-hour rental, so I still have enough for another movie.

It was a really quiet day. Snow day for the kids, so we were inside, I got some laundry done, made a great dinner, and just hung out and puttered. My favorite kind of day...

I was inspired by Laura's post about her bank fees. My main checking account is at Bank of America and last month, a $14 monthly maintenance fee was charged to my account. I didn't take the time to pursue it, until today. I called the customer service rep and inquired about it. She changed my account from Regular Checking to MyAccess checking and as long as I have a direct deposit (which I do), there won't be a fee. She also credited me the $14.00, which I promptly transferred to my HELOC principal, bringing the balance UNDER $45K!!! Thanks Laura! I probably would've forgotten about it if not for your post.

I also moved $300 into the emergency fund. I received a $300 reimbursement from my dental insurance for the kids' checkup last fall. Because the bill has long since been paid, I figured I'd move the money into the emergency fund. I have $75 from the FSA coming back from last year as well which will also go to it. The goal is to get it to $5k by the end of the month. (I'll take whatever I need from my 1/31 check to get it there).

So I have about $400 left from my 2010 FSA. I can apply 2011 charges to it through 3/15. That'll inspire me to make appointments with all of my doctors (which I'm so bad about), then DH can get his contacts and I'll get prescription sunglasses to use the rest of it up.

I ran all of my errands today and am set for the snow. Just got a call that school is cancelled for tomorrow, and I'm working from home. I went to the A&P ($92.50 in groceries for $54.30, after bonus card and coupons). Also made it to the bank, post office, and Staples (had to fax something for dad). It feels good to be all set...

This was a tough week! Hard to get back into the swing of work, school and activities for the kids after the holiday break. Plus I was getting the house in order after Christmas week guests, and going to the post office daily to mail my dvds. Very hectic.

To top the week off, I had to issue a refund for one of the DVDs I sold. Apparently it didn't arrive in the envelope. I had absolutely no problem refunding the money, but I could have done without the lecture about my poor packaging skills. I read the email thinking, "I bet someone lives with you and has to listen to this every day!". One thing I can't stand is people who take themselves too seriously.

I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend. A few sports for the kids but that's it. I have tons of laundry to do, sprucing up the house, and finding more stuff to declutter and sell. The tree and decorations need to come down as well.

All in all, I'm in great spirits as I finish the first week of the year. Tracked all of my spending, stayed within budget, and made a few extra bucks to boot. 51 more weeks to go...

No entry yesterday. I had a bad day at work, ended up staying late, and ordering pizza for dinner. (Cooking the chicken I had out was SO unappealing, and my DH let me choose the pizza topping to make me feel better)! Anyway, I had no interest in getting on the computer at all.

Today was much better, though. I sold another dvd on half. com, and won two gift card offers through my work's corporate perks program. The first was $25 off a $50 Foot Locker gift card, and the second was $25 off a $50 Walmart online order. I'm in the running for 2 more tonigh - a $50/$100 Home Depot and a $50/$100 Amazon. They're tough to win, but I'll try.

One bummer - a half .com member wrote me and said she received an empty envelope that she thinks had one of my DVDs and was looking for a refund. She's going to confirm my address, and if it's mine I'll give the refund. Bummer, but I don't want my rating to take a hit.

I didn't make it to the post office (again) today. But it's on the agenda for first thing tomorrow, before we get buried in the snow. I have 2 half .com dvds, a paperbackswap .com book, and dvds for secondspin .com. I also need to check into SEPs for DH. Busy, busy...

I sold 2 more dvds on half.com, one for $2 and one for $3.75, so I'll package them up and get them out tomorrow. I also listed a bunch of books on half, which I didn't have a chance to do a few days ago. I still have a load of kids' books to add, so that will be my goal over the next week.

Took advantage of a great deal at Rite Aid. They had a program during the holidays, get $20 if you spend $100. They also have a wellness card, and I had a 10% coupon from that. I do all of the grocery shopping for my elderly father, and so I go to Rite Aid for a lot of his toiletries. Anyway, I spent $89.29 and ended up paying $57.54. He pays that bill, but the amount (actually $59.32 for some reason) is being applied to their next $20/$100 promotion. So I'm in good shape to get that as well.

I'm shooting to clean, do laundry, and declutter today. It's my dog's first birthday, so we'll be celebrating that too! Have a great day everyone!

Unfortunately, I totally let the finances go. No big issues, I just didn't pay attention to any of it! I need to get back on the wagon now. I'm frugal by nature, and am very uncomfortable not knowing exactly where my money goes.

So...I drafted up a budget for 2011, that I have every intention of sticking to. I plan to get back to blogging more regularly to help keep me accountable.

I'm in pretty good shape debt-wise. Just my mortgage and home equity loan. The goal is to put $1000/month plus any extra, unexpected income toward the HELOC. (Balance is $45k). If I can do that and stick to my budget, I'll be set.

Despite my lack of posts, I've been lurking on the site, as always, and am so proud of my "frugal friends". You guys are doing great and inspire me every day. Here's to a great 2011!

I made it to the CVS and Shoprite this morning all by myself. I was able to get my hands on a few good deals.

I had a $5/$30 ECB. CVS ran a promotion if you buy $25 worth of Proctor & Gamble you'd get $10 ECB back. I got a 12-pack of Bounty paper towels and 13 Puff tissues. I also got a tube of Clearasil normally $4.99 for $1.99, thanks to a CVS coupon and a mfr coupon, and a pack of envelopes to mail books, which was $3.99. Altogether, spent $34.84, minus the $5/$30 and the $3 Clearasil coupons. Got it down to $26.84. I used a $10 gift card I got from Mypoints, and $8 in ECBs, for a total out of pocket of $8.84 + tax. And I got the $10 in ECBs from the Proctor and Gamble stuff to use next time.

Then I headed to Shoprite. I got a free Smart Balance sour cream ($.99-$.50 coupon doubled). That was the only freebie, but I got some good deals. Cherries are in season, $2.29/lb. A whole watermelon was $3.99. And I had a $1.50 coupon for Buitoni pasta, so I bought Angel Hair for $1.99, which I ended up getting for $.49. But here's the kicker: I got $.95 for recycling bottles and cans (had plastic too, but the line for that machine was too long, so that'll have to wait until next time), and I got $.20 for using canvas bags. So that was an extra $1.15. I want to get in the habit of this more, because it's free money and there's absolutely no reason not to take advantage of it.

Planned the menu for the week, mostly using things we already had around the house. It's a start...

Ouch...My daughter had a soccer tournament this weekend and it was absolutely beautiful out! Unfortunately, I'm still not in sunscreen mode (usually don't get there until mid-June or so), and by the time I put some on it was a bit late. I'm now a shade of reddish-purple that will last for two days, be replaced by peeling, then I'll be back to my super-white self. Will I never learn?

Aside from the money I saved on sunburn (which I'll spend on aloe), we saved some money this weekend. It wasn't really "savings", more "cost avoidance". We were originally going to put the pup in the kennel, but they're closed Sunday and Monday, so we would have had him in there for 5 days @ $25/day. We really only needed him in there for 2, so that would have been a huge waste (and I would've missed him terribly). So a friend of mine who walks dogs took care of him Saturday ($20), and Grandma took him today. So I avoided $105.

The tournament is about 1.5 hours from the house. We normally stay in a hotel close by on Friday and Saturday but because of the pup, we stayed home and drove (really early in the morning!). So I avoided $125/night for the hotel, plus dinner out on Friday night, for an avoidance of about $300.

It wasn't a totally free weekend, though. We paid gas and tolls, breakfast out each morning, and lunch with the team today. (Oh, and a tournament t-shirt, which I got at the end of the last day so it was marked down to $12 from $18),

And I found 2 quarters over the course of the day, so I was excited about that.

Tomorrow will be a slow day. Sleeping late, then hitting the grocery stores for ONLY the really really good sale items (that means no hubby, no kids with me ).