And just can't get into the mood to work. The last 5 days have been so relaxing and yet I had accomplished so much. I sent out the invites to my son's b-day party, sent out the kids xmas letters, updated quicken with a new debt reduction plan and goals, put together my shopping list to complete my xmas shoping and Dec. birthday shopping. The house is clean and dinner is planned for the week. Vacation recap:
Nov. 23- No spend day/ no driving
Nov. 24- DH spent $120.00 on groceries (and he only went for eggs and milk??)
Nov. 25- No spend/no Driving
Nov. 26- $15.50 on Gas, 66.32 at Target on gift and formula- Only one more month of formula- can't wait- will be a $20.00 wkly savings!
Nov. 27- No spend/no driving
Nov. 28- .27 for lunch- had a gift card from the company for $7.00- will have lunch and dessert for tomorrow too!

that I haven't been able to sleep- 5 1/2 hours since Sat. night- Ugghh! However, with all this free time I'm finding I have been able to get alot accomplished. Prepared the envelopes with mailing and return labels for BD invites and Xmas letters. Sent in a couple rebates, rcv'd 55.78 in rebates yesterday- yeah! I have re-organized my office-on-the-go binder- I put in a section for cards with a BD / anniversary and other special occasion list- I always seem to remember these late, so cards are always rcvd late- hopefully this will change it. re-worked my budget and savings plans- automated almost everything! House is clean, xmas gifts are wrapped, grocery/errand lists started for this coming weekend. And I have gotten closer to catching up on my son's scrapbook for his 1st year. I should be tired right??

Nov 20-no spend day- Woo hoo!
Nov 21- $3 on stamps
Nov 22- Should be a no spend day
Nov 23- vacation day- baking pies for Thanksgiving- planning another no spend day
Nov 24-day with family- no spend day

Saving money by bringing b-fast and lunch, drinking free water or hot cocoa. Minimizing my driving since I have been taking the SUV. Hanging all laundry and cooking dinners at home (except last night- DH treated since he thought I would be exhausted with my sleeping schedule lately!- I was OK with this!) And not using the credit cards- Its been almost a full month without using them!!

Have a great Thanksgiving!

since my last post. Things have been hectic here at work and at home. And to top it, my little one got sick! He is finally feeling better and I'm getting back to life. I'm trying to finihs up xmas shopping. His family gives out lists and doesn't pull names til Thanksgiving. I got the kids lists so one step closer to being finished. I have also created my little guys first birthday invites and printed the xmas letters to the kids- they are just waiting to be mailed- think I'll wait a bit for that!

$$ Update:
11/14- No spend day
11/15- birthday /xmas and gas =$145.16
11/16- groceries (thnakgiving meal too!)= $131.27
11/17 & 18 - No spend days
11/19-out with DH for dinner and shopping- he needed clothes then off to target for more formula/diapers=$99.04, DH spent $114.49 on his clothes.

Total for Nov= $1,145.59. It looks like I am way over budget, I have to keep telling myself that I had saved for the large steam cleaner purchase and the vet. So if I didn't include those, I would be at ...719.05- which is within budget - feelin' a little better!

I was an expensive one, however, most of it was bugdeted for.

It was my parrot's annual check-up and since she hasn't been acting right lately I requested that blood work be completed, so my usual $80 check up and $18 pedicure was turned into a total $168.00. The Bird is fine- we are guessing she is just a little stressed.

Filled up the tank for $30 then took a trip to Sears, who had their 10% sale Sunday night, so I finally purchased my steam cleaner for the house - came to 258.54, however, I also got another 10% rebate, which will be mailed tomorrow. I also stopped at target for formula, bread and milk- 54.64.

Total for this month so far...770.12 (ouch)

Though it has been a filled with busy work...I am currently working on way too many projects already here at work and I'm starting to worry I may be forgetting to do things or get back with folks. I guess I'll figure it out when people start yelling!

This should be another no spend day! YAY! I did however forget to post my laziness on Nov 8 and had a pizza & breadsticks delivered for dinner with tip = $18.

So total for Nov. is 243.97.

Can't really think of anything that I have done to save money beside the usual, bringing in b-fast & lunch, cooking dinner at home, etc.

On Monday I attended a conference in Il called Smart Women, Smart Money. There were several speakers with several topics, some good, some not so. I was interested in the statistics they shared regarding women and money - they were eye popping. Basically women live longer and make less since we usually take a leave for family. WE have all heard it, but the folks in this conference put numbers around it. It definitely helped validate some of my financial moves, and help me recognize where I need improvement.

So today I finally completed out 2 forms for automatic savings that I have been sitting on for weeks. So starting in Dec. I will have $250.00 sent to money market, $250.00 sent to Roth, and $200 sent to my sons college fund every month. I also have 7% going into my 401k. Now I just need to continue to focus paying off my cc debit- scheduled for repayment by March 06. Then on to the cars/mortgage- focus on this next year...

Spending for today has been minimal- $1 on treats - bake sale for United way.

Total spent this month= $225.97

Usual money saving tactics: brought b-fast and lunch from home, drank free water and hot cocoa- laundry tonight will be hung to dry. Dinner will be made with items at home...

I have had 3 successful no spend days, Nov. 1,4,& 6.

Sat. we ate out then went to Target for some household items and formula=90.87
Mon. Went to conference downtown ($10 for parking and tips, but didn't drive so I saved there) and then met my mother at target to pick up pictures, dog food and Halloween sale items for next year= 74.30. Actually I shouldn't have to buy anything for atleast the next two Haloween parties since I bought all the papaer products on sale. I think its called spending money to save?

Then today I broke down for afternoon coffee- have had a horrible day and needed a pick me up.

Total spend for Nov.~224

Saved money by: Not driving on Sunday or Monday, hung all laundry, brought in breakfast and lunch, ate dinner with desserts at home, kept heat low (70 degrees), bought sale items to prevent paying full price in the future.

Glad this week is almost over, its been hectic at work! I'm looking forward to a little R&R this weekend.

Planning on making homemade pizza tonight, and tomorrow making corn and potato chowder with enough to freeze for another meal. Sunday I think we might head out to eat.

Other things I need to complete this weekend are: Updating quicken - 2 weeks behind, finish filing my paperwork- about a month behind, but got alot done last night, and planting my bulbs for next spring. Planning my weekend shopping and look for any coupons. I am also starting on the letters from Santa that get sent to all the little people in my life, and our annual xmas letter. I need to find the paper and type it up. Since I have this perfection issue it takes a while with all the re-writes...Hope I can get this all completed by Sunday night!

Spending log:
11/3/05-spent 41.25 on gas for SUV

Total spent this month: $45.25

Saved money by: bringing my b-fast & lunch, drinking free water and hot cocoa, made baby food, hung clothes to dry, turned off heat for the last 2 days( house is staying around 73 since it gets warmed up from the day's sun. The house is new and extremely well insulated (My old house was 35 years old and lots of drafts!), trying to drive "better" to increase my Mile per gallon ( I got a lead foot!), and organizing/planning my purchases and errands to reduce my urge to buy!

on the $$$ front.

Nov. 1 - No spend day
Nov 2 - Spent $4 on books for the little man. This was at a rummage sale here at work, where the proceeds go to united way.

Things I have been doing to save money:
air drying all laundry, heat set at 70 degrees, making all meals and desserts at home, drinking free water at work, and limiting my driving since I have to drive the SUV for a while. I have spent some time hunting around on the internet for the best deals on supplies for the upcoming holiday parties, including my little mans 1st b-day party.

New month and what a way to start it! Today my Xmas and a CD account matured and I took that money ~$3000 and put it towards my CC debit. I love watching the numbers go down! Almost there, by March 2006 all CC debit should be gone! And close to paying off one car- maybe July 06. That will leave one car and the house. Can't wait!

Last night I spent the evening making baby food, muffins for our breakfast this week, and little jello and pudding cups for our lunch (I won't buy the prepackaged) Today I am making a double batch of beef stew, so one for dinner and the other for the freezer. I was planning on making an applie pie, but got some bad news and will be attending a wake this evening instead. (much rather be baking).

I saved money today by: bringing my b-fast and lunch, drinking free water, turned down a lunch shopping trip to Target (hard to do!), laundry will be hung to dry (evening load today!), and I hope to get the plants started (didn't get to it last night)