I am so sick it's ridiculous. Thank goodness the workmen were working outside so that I could sleep in. I went to bed at 9:30 last night and slept pretty well, but woke up every four hours or so coughing. Which is what the cough syrup dosage was for, every four hours. But fortunately I did get back to sleep. My skin hurts, my joints ache, and I am running a fever of 100.3 and can't get warm.

I went to the doctor this afternoon. DH had to drive me because I couldn't focus at all. It's not the flu which I feared, but borderline walking pneumonia. My bronchials and windpipe ache beyond belief right now. I ended up with four prescriptions, $25, $15, $15, and $7.55. My breathing was so bad he gave me an inhaler of albuterol, which I haven't needed in a couple years, and a nasal spray. I've also got an antibiotic (one that won't make me sick to my stomach this time) and the really good cough syrup which is helping already. I am so wiped out though. I have dozed off and on all day, I can't read a book, though I can read the computer a bit, and I can watch television for about 20 minutes before I doze again. I don't rember the last time I was this tired.

Let's see, other expenses have been 3/4 tank of gas for $63.73, $1.51 for a McDonald's double cheeseburger, and $25.71 for groceries. Also DH had to pay a deposit on the security system upgrade that we will be doing when he comes back home next time of $225. That's half up front, half the day of. DH also treated his dad to dinner yesterday at Subway spending $12.37, after he helped DH put up the drywall in the bathroom. I think that is everything.

I added .74 to the coin jar today.

I spent .50 on parking meters.

I spent $37.50 today, $30 for three types of the Boar's Head deli meats that we will divide up and freeze for DS's lunches for the next month and $7.50 for a bagel sandwich, small chips, and pickle spear for DS's lunch today as we were completely out of everything that he isn't allergic to and I was really, really behind on everything this morning and I had to pick DH up at the airport.

I went to the dentist at 11:30 to have some chips repaired and my portion was $68, so paid that, too.

I don't normally give people money. I have a thing about the people on the corners with their "Please Help" or "Will Work for Food" signs wearing brand new looking Nike shoes and name brand jeans. Totally possible that they bought them at a thrift store, but when I am wearing my three year old no name jeans and off label shoes, I'm very unreceptive.

Still, this girl approached me in the parking lot today and she was semi-hysterical. I mean, either she was a top notch actress or she was genuinely upset. Her story was that she'd just left the local community college (was nearby, check) and she'd run out of gas on the Guide (scariest road in town to break down on, it's five lanes across and busy (also nearby, check), none of the nearby gas stations will loan out gas cans because they never come back (I've heard that before), and she didn't have any money on her and her roommate was in classes until late. The Home Depot was nearby but they didn't loan cans and one cost $10 (about what we paid the last time we bought a gas can). And she had only managed to collect a handful of change and most of it was Canadian (also, likely, lot of Canadian shoppers come here).

Meanwhile, the entire time she was talking I was checking her over. Worn jeans, plain t-shirt, not a fancy name-brand coat, and Payless Shoe Source type shoes. Her eyes were clear, showing no sign of drug use, and she had a well-used backpack on her shoulder with the community college logo. If she was scamming, she was incredible at it and deserved the $20 I gave her. She started crying that I gave her enough to not only buy the can, but some gas, too. I just told her it was okay and that I would hope someone would do the same for me or my daughter if we were ever in a similar situation (though we have AAA just so we don't get in that situation, but I didn't say that!).

She smiled at me and calmed down a little and said she just couldn't believe anyone would do that. Then she said she hoped one day she might be in a situation where she could do the same thing for someone else. Made me feel good even if it was a scam. Though I watched her walk over to The Home Depot and then I had to swing around to drive past it on my way out of the shopping center and saw her go into the store, so I feel relatively confident I did the right thing in giving her the money and I hope she has a chance at some point to pay it forward.

I've run a bunch of small errands this morning and in keeping with my method of never spending ones or change, ended up with $9.10 to add to the coin jar.

I filled up the gas tank at $4.06 a gallon, paying a total of $67.56 for 16.6 gallons. Ouch. It is cheaper over at Costco, at $3.99 a gallon, but it was not worth driving across town and waiting in the line there for a half an hour to get slightly cheaper gas.

I also picked up baking powder and cocoa for making DS's birthday cake which I will do right after I pick up his sister from school and make a deposit of all that coin jar money, finally, at the CU. And I got some OTC cold medicine. I am still fighting this dang cough and I'm tired of the constant tickle so cough syrup it is.

Did a survey this morning. I now have $8.15 in my account, but can't cash out until it hits $10. And of course it takes them two weeks to credit anything to the account before you can cash it out, which is ridiculous, but what are you going to do?

The laptop fund is now fully funded. I am going to start saving up for the next one, though, at the lesser rate of $100 a month. There is just too much that might go wrong with 3 laptops and a netbook in the house. And my computer and the netbook are the only ones with service contracts because the two of us tend to drop things a lot. I've used mine already. It's paid for itself and then some and I have another year and a half left on the contract. I imagine I will at least need a new battery by then, though it's still holding it's charge. That was always the nice thing about the Vaio batteries.

DH got tabs for the Crown Vic yesterday. It ended up costing $42. It's supposed to be $33 according to an initiative several years ago, but they're always finding some way to creep it up. So now I just need to worry about getting the brakes fixed. The steering fluid needs to be flushed as well. I am saving up partially for it and then using the tax return money to make up the difference.

So, I had to get a new driver's license this year. DMV is still the oh-so-enjoyable experience it ever has been. $25 for that and now they make you take your glasses off to have your photo taken. Something to do with facial recognition software. If I had known that I would have at least put concealer on under my eyes. Glasses really hide the dark circles. Still this picture is 50 times better than the last one.

While at the DMV I suddenly realized that DD turned 15 and a half on the tenth, which means she can now test for her learner's permit. Oh, my is that going to be an interesting experience. She downloaded the .pdf file for the book and has been studying it all weekend.

So the time has come to start saving up for a brake job for the Crown Victoria. We've just been letting it set, because we rarely need two cars, but it needs $800 worth of work. We figure she can use it when she gets her license to drive herself to school and back. We haven't wanted to sell it since there are a few rare occasions when it is nice to have it and we knew there'd soon be another driver in the household.

It's also probably better to learn to drive in it before she learns to drive the van. It's a nice, safe car that is easy to drive and easier to park than the van. Once she has experience with it, we will let her learn to use the van. So we decided we'd take the money for the brake job either from the inheritance or the tax return, whatever comes in first. That and her driver's ed class will be the only non-debt repayment that we've allowed for out of either of those sources of money.

$800 seems a relative bargain to get our 20 year old (in otherwise excellent shape) car drivable again.

As for me, I turned 42 today and it has been a great day. My husband bought me a lovely glass rose tea light candle holder (and some books off half.com that should be here sometime soon) as well as the talking scale I wanted (but that he opened last week, forgetting it was my gift). DD made me a calighraphy water color of a sea horse. And my mother and son deep-cleaned the living room so DH could bring the treadmill in from the garage so I can walk on days the weather is cruddy.

The grocery store bakery happened to have a set of white cupcakes with white frosting that they hadn't gotten around to putting sprinkles on so we got that for my cake. And we're having my favorite tacos for dinner (that I didn't have to cook).

Last night was great, too. DH and I went to Outback for a pre-Birthday dinner. I had $42.05 worth of gift cards. Dinner cost $47.55 and we left a $10 tip because the kid was amazing. I had Kookabura wings (mild), celery with bleu cheese, a side of mixed vegetables (they have the best mixed veggies!), a bowl of baked potato soup (I meant to get a cup but said bowl, so DH and I split it instead) and a glass of Strawberry Lemonade. Oh, and maybe 1/3 of the rye bread. Delicious. I brought home half the Kookaburra wings and celery with their scrumptious blue cheese, which I will use up on extra celery I have here.

The mortgage posted to my account. The new mortgage balance is now at $18,544.28.

I added $6.70 to the coin jar.

We filled up the gas tank on the van for $53.84.

We paid $4.74 for a prescription.

I need to pick up psuedophederine, a NyQuil/DayQuil pack, and potassium today, so that will likely be a little pricey.

I have sent a total of $4600 to credit card debt.

DH had to pay $900 for a round trip ticket to work and back. He waited too long and the return part was twice as high as it should have been. *sighs*

I am trying to determine what to make for dinner tonight. Maybe pizza. I still have one of those Rustic Crusts, leftover spaghetti sauce, and some mozzarella cheese. There are a few meatballs left from last night's meatballs so I could crumble them on top of the pizza. I also have yellow onions so could dice some, saute them for a couple minutes, and throw them on as well. Oh, I think there's a ham end as well I could dice up. That sounds good. Not too much work and we can have a laid-back Friday night.

The new mattress is great to sleep on. I've now had two really good sleeps on it.

The PA took x-rays of my hip on Thursday. There is nothing wrong with the bones, so he thinks it is either muscular or nerves. He changed my physical therapy orders to lower stress therapy. If I am still in pain in 2 to 4 weeks he wants to send me to a neurologist, and possibly get an MRI of the area. I really don't want to pay for an MRI right now as we have started our deductible all over again. Oh, I know I have the $2500 set aside already, but I hate to blow through it this soon in the year.

We did run $2500 through the HSA though, just in case.

I added $4.10 to the coin jar today.

I put $5 in a Salvation Army kettle.

I spent $10.90 at the grocery store.

I got gas today. It was $3.249 per gallon and I put in 16.213 gallons @ $52.68.

I am out of cash until Friday, but I have $67 in the checking account.

The bonus check did not come today. I thought it had, but it was only DH's paystub from Friday arriving in the mail (as we have direct deposit). Way to get my hopes up and watch them fall. DH will probably be home (Wednesday) before it shows up, but I live in hope.

I am mostly over my cold, just still have the cough lingering. My knee feels better but my hip hurts like blazes. These new physical therapy exercises are hard on it, but do seem to be strengthening my knee.

I don't normally go out and about on Black Friday. I'm more of a curl up in bed with a book all day sort of person after Thanksgiving, but we had an appointment for an oil change and the stuff they do at the first 5000 miles, so rotated tires, checked fluid levels, etc. One of the things that we got for buying the car in this model year was free maintenance for the first two years. This is not a maintenance package that we paid for in advance, it was simply one of the perks Toyota was offering this year. But I had totally forgotten about it, so I assumed I would be spending $60 or so today on that. It was nice to be reminded I wouldn't need it.

We haven't actually hit 5000 miles yet, but I figured I would soon (it was 4,640, so close enough) and I didn't want to bother with it myself while DH was gone so best to do it a little early while hes home and be done with it, especially before I have to drive down to Seattle on the 9th.

After the van was done we filled up at Costco at $3.47 a gallon. We paid $45.35. I about fell over. We haven't filled a tank for less than $50 in forever. And then of course when we got back home we saw a station at $3.39. Oh, well. Anywho, after Costco we headed up to Fashion Bug in Marysville. We figured it was enough off the beaten path that it wouldn't be swamped with shoppers, and it was around 3:15 when we got there so it wasn't bad at all and plenty of parking right in front.

I found a parka for the winter like I've been wanting. There were two I liked, identical but for color. One was purple and one was a jewel tone blue. The purple one clashed with my gorgeous blue purse so I went for the blue, which I liked better with my skin tone anyway. It was $99.99, but marked down 40%, so we paid $59.99. It's really warm and should be much more useful in warding off the cold winter mornings than my ski jacket has been. That's all we bought there.

On the way back we stopped at the Outback in Burlington and had dinner. I had an appetizer plus a baked potato for my dinner and DH had a burger and baked potato, plus baked potato soup. There was also the rye bread and we each got a strawberry lemonade. It came to $31.88 and we left $40. The server did a really good job so we tipped a little bit extra. It was nice to have a little date with DH without the kids along.

When we got back home my nephew (who was born when I was 9), his wife, and my great nephew were here visiting my mom. My eldest sister was also here. We all visited for a while. My great nephew is just 18 months old and he is such an adorable baby. He's very verbal and you can understand quite a bit of it, too, and also very active. This is the first time they've been up here since he was born that I've not been too ill (bronchitis, stomach flu, and recovering from surgery the three previous visits) to be around him. Usually I have to stand in the doorway for a minute and that's about it, but this time I actually got to interact with him and talk to everyone else. And my nephew's wife announced that she's pregnant again and the baby will be here in June.

Today was also payday and DH's reimbursement check for changing his flight so he could work those extra weeks came in the mail today as well. That is $145. Which is perfect, since we've already absorbed that cost. It should about cover what we need to give his sister between cash and gas to help her out right now.

I am exhausted, but I have been running all day. I had two medical appointments today, one at 11:00 and one at 2:15. And DS had early release at 12:15. DH had an appointment at 1:00 so he dropped me off at my first appointment, picked DS up after school, then we switched and I took DS and the car, ran home for a quick lunch and DS stayed with my mother while I ran to my doctor's appointment at 2:15. DD got out of school at 2:15 so DH walked from his appointment to the high school (six blocks), then he and DD walked from the high school to my second doctor's appointment (eight blocks), and then we all went home together.

Life with one car can be a little tricky sometimes. Well, technically we have two cars, but the battery is dead in the Crown Victoria and it needs new brakes, so...eh. One car. We'll charge the battery when we are ready to get the brakes fixed. But that's $700 I just don't see spending right now. We may end up trading it in at some point on a small, more gas efficient used car before getting it fixed, but not until our credit card debt is paid off and we can pay for it in cash.

Most of the time we really can get by with one, but DD will be 16 in August and it'll be a little more complicated with 3 drivers in the family. DD has more and more activities and I really am getting tired of playing chauffeur all the time and it's only going to get worse. I think we'll go as long as we can stand it though and then shell out for something in the $5000 range.

DH's family has put his grandparents' place on the market for $189,000. It's a fairly big house on a half acre with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, an old fashioned parlor, living room, decent sized kitchen with pretty modern appliances (less than five years old), a garage, and a double carport. I think it's a steal at that price, but they are pricing it to sell. Apparently the state won't get any of it, since the rental on it paid for the nursing home care. So whatever it sells for, DH will inherit 5%. If it sells for the $189,000 it'll be around $9000 after the realtor's fee is taken out. Not a bad little windfall. It's in a prime neighborhood, but the market is bad all over the county, so who knows when it'll sell?

I added $3.67 to the coin jar today. 11 cents was found money. The rest was change from buying bread and milk at the grocery store. I've really got to download the manual to my mom's bread machine so I can go back to not buying bread.

DH picked up two prescriptions today. It was supposed to be 3 but DH didn't know that and it had been called in on Friday so it was in a separate bag on the shelf and the pharmacist didn't see it. So we'll have to go back. I guess maybe we'll to WalMart tomorrow since we have to go back that way and I need to buy at least 2 pairs of smaller jeans.

Anyway, the one prescription was $10 and for some reason the other one was free when it's usually $2.99. I am wondering if we've hit some kind of cap for the year? We've certainly spent enough on medical (probably just around $10,000 for our portion) and I know there's a cap somewhere, but I was thinking it was $12,000. Although it's entirely possible we've hit that amount out of pocket, too. I did accidentally shred some statements before we set up the HSA and I know at least one of them was for around $1000 and the other close to $600. I'll have DH look it up.

I forgot to mention that I filled up the gas tank for $53.31. It was running on fumes, and I am still not used to filling it on less than $65. But it is down to $3.49 a gallon. The last time I filled up it was $3.69 and the time before that $3.89 so I am really liking this general downward trend. Let's hope it lasts through the holidays.

I made the kids do a general clean up of the back of the van. It was getting ridiculous and I told them both that no one would be sitting in the front passenger seat on cold mornings on the drive to school if the back didn't get spic and span pronto. Front seats have warmers in them so this is a major threat. Those seats can be cold in the morning. I never thought I'd love such a "useless" and "luxury" gizmo, but I really do.

I am still in love with our van and our choice to get it still feels like the right one for our family (even if we could have gotten an almost as nice one that was five years old and didn't have everything we wanted for a lesser price and the interior wood was weirdly colored and it was white on the outside). I was expecting to feel a little bit of the shiny wear off by now, but nope...still shiny! And the fact that I can stretch out the bad leg whenever I need to and the easier accessibility with getting in and out reinforces my decision every day. There's a lot I am frugal with and a lot I am willing to give up, but I am happy to have splurged on this vehicle, despite how nervous I was about it at a time.

It's getting a lot of that winter dirt on the outside, so we'll be taking it up to the $13 car wash (wash and wax) this week. Since we plan to drive this car for at least ten to fifteen years, maintenance is important to keep it looking nice. Also going to have to schedule an oil change as the little warning screen popped up saying so. I do love having more than an oil light or an engine light.

Gadgets can be useful. The other day at the courthouse when I was getting my temporary disabled parking permit renewed for another six months I somehow or another locked the steering wheel. Not on purpose, but I must not have straightened it out in the parking space. Anyway it wouldn't start (totally freaking me out), but then the screen pops up saying that I had locked my steering wheel and I needed to unlock it while starting the car, so I knew exactly what to do. Otherwise I might have sat their quietly freaking out then called AAA and looked mighty stupid.

I am happy with the choice of the vehicle, even if it was an expensive one. We pinch in enough other areas and physical comfort really is important when you are disabled.

...but here I am awake anyway. Woke up at 7, just like every morning. Fortunately the kids did not and are sound asleep and I just might be able to snooze for a little while anyway. Last night I was so tired I basically just waited up for Fringe (not that much emotional satisfaction after waiting 2 weeks without it for some resolution that should have happened in this episode, but didn't) and then fell face first into the pillow and zonked out.

I only got halfway through paying the bills yesterday, just stuff that either needed to be mailed off or electronically paid to hit due dates. Today I will be doing the ones that aren't due until mid-month and hopefully squeezing out at least $1000 to send to the January/future medical fund.

Next week I hope to bank almost 2/3 of the entire paycheck. I've got to make the car payment and send an additional bit to the credit card, but that should still leave me around $2500 to $3000 to put in the bank at ING.

Mom paid me back the $2 she owed me for picking up bread and I had .57 in the bottom of my purse so I put that in the coin jar.

I also got gas yesterday and forgot to mention it. It was $57.59 to fill it. It has dropped to $3.59 a gallon, which was nice to see. Last time I filled up it was $63 something for the same amount of fuel.

Going shopping today at Costco (I wish they would open early so I could go now while the kids are asleep) to do some stocking up. I need the organic mashed potato flakes like yesterday. Been out for a month and am getting really tired of peeling potatoes almost every night. I also want to pick up some more of their black pepper chicken kits. The ingredients list is safe for my son's dietary issues, it is so fast to make (15 minutes start to finish) and is delicious and way cheaper than grabbing takeaway. I also need some fresh fruit and veg and some flour and sugar.

Mom wants help today expanding the chicken yard. They keep getting out so she wants to give them more space so maybe they won't be so tempted. I hope it doesn't take long because I have a lot of stuff on my to do list today that requires not being at home. It does need to be done though as I am getting sick of chasing down escaped chickens. All four of them are laying now. The banty started on Wednesday. Her eggs are about 2/3 the size of the regular chicken eggs and will probably take two to make up for the difference in size when eating.

I will try to be back later with an accounting of all bills paid from this paycheck.

Have I really not posted since Wednesday? I guess part of that is that there just is not that much for me to do financially until this coming Friday and the other part of that is that I have been chain-reading the Vatta's War series by Elizabeth Moon (lighting one book from the previous book, sort of thing, badly mixing metaphors). I had forgotten how intriguing her writing can be and how hard and fast it sucks you in.

I did fill up the gas tank on Friday at $63.28 for 16.969 gallons.

I added $5.82 to the coin jar so will definitely hit my EF goals for the month. I have no cash left, but I have $23.96 left in checking. $15 of that will go to DS hot lunch costs this week and that leaves enough to buy a gallon of milk if I need it, but I bought two on the weekend that were marked $2 off each (which is awesome for organic milk) and they should make it until Friday.

I have plenty of fruit and veg and frozen meat, so I'm good on groceries otherwise. I am going to need to find a major sale on green beans, though. Since Costco stopped carrying the S&W brand and I hate their Kirkland brand (which surprised me, because usually Kirkland is decent on most things) I have had to be buying it when it goes on a good sale.

I am a little picky on green beans since we eat them almost every day. S&W, the generic Haggen store brand, or Trader Joe brand are my preferences. I prefer the first two since they go on sale on occasion, but TJ's at least tastes good. I can't stand other store brands or Del Monte (which again I don't get, because I like other Del Monte products, just not the green beans). I used to love Western Family, too, but I haven't seen those around in ages. They used to have great case sales, too.

I had my MRI on my knee on Friday. I will hopefully know something mid-week. I'm mixed on what I want. If they find something it means it can be fixed and maybe I'll have a chance at not being in pain, but it also means more surgery. If they don't find something it means there is nothing to fix and I get to have chronic knee pain, difficulty walking, and random swelling for no apparent reason for the rest of my life, but no surgery. *sighs* It's never an easy choice, is it?

I have physical therapy tomorrow and have the $60 set aside for that (wasn't including it in the other money I had left since it is earmarked). It's the only thing that keeps me walking these days, I honestly do believe.

The diet has gotten a little bit...squidgy the last few days. Working on getting it back in top form again. Didn't gain any weight from it, but not for lack of trying. *snorts*

So another bill from Virginia Mason came, but this one is only $45.07 and is for a couple of the follow up appointments.

But the good news was Allstate sent us our Safe Driver Refund. If you go your six months without an accident they give you a partial refund. It's just $20.30 but it's something. It was too late to go deposit it when I received the mail so I will do that on Monday along with the $13 in the coin jar. It will go into the Safety Net portion of the Emergency Fund at local CU#2. Step by step, bit by bit.

But the day was perfect. We ended up getting done early at the nutritionist's office so DH and I were able to drop DD off at her friend's house (DS was with grandma already) and make it to the theater for the 2:15 showing of Fright Night instead of the later 5:20 showing. So we got matinee prices, but since it was in 3-D we had to pay for the glasses rental so not much savings there. Tickets were $11.75 each so $23.50. Then DH and I ran over to the driver's licensing place for him to renew his license, which is $25 now (ouch) but is also now five years instead of four.

Then we went out to dinner at the pricey steak house. We did some things we rarely do, like ordering drinks and appetizers. We each had a non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri and I got barbecue wings and he got teriyaki wings. He got goulash and I got salad with bleu cheese dressing, which the meals came with along with Texas Toast. He had a 10 ounce medium New York steak, loaded baked potato, and green beans and I had a 6 ounce filet mignon, rare, Bavarian potatoes, and green beans. No dessert as we were full.

We brought home half each of our appetizers (so will have those for lunch tomorrow). I brought home a third of my filet, some potatoes and the Texas toast. My son ate the filet and the toast and my daughter put in a claim for the potatoes if there were any left before we even went.

Dinner came to $79.80 and we left a tip of $15.20 based on the pretax amount of $73). Our waiter was excellent and he even remembered us from when we used to go more often last year.

So all told $143.50 was spent today. It'll be a long time before we splurge like that again, but it was worth it this once as a combo celebration of DH's birthday and our 21 years being together anniversary that he'll miss next month.

I thought the movie was really good for that sort of movie. The acting was top notch, the story was intriguing enough, and we had the theater to ourselves. It was nice not to have people talking around us or have to smell the stink of movie popcorn (I find it smells sickly after all these years not eating it). We had great seats with no seats in front of us so we could stretch out our legs. My back is doing better, too, and it didn't lock up so that was nice.

Okay, now I'm off to balance the checkbook.

Oh, oops, I forgot, DD had to pick up her schedule from school this morning. We paid $35 for an ASB card and $40 for a yearbook (it is $60 if you wait until spring), so that was an additional $75 out for spending.

...and waiting for the painkillers to kick in, I did a minor bit of money housekeeping. The checkbook is now completely balanced to the penny. It helps to have been away from it for a week and to have had everything clear in that amount of time. It was off by just under $4 and I easily found the mistake this time (not in our favor).

I cleaned out my purse of all change and added $2.91 to the coin jar. I set aside all of our receipts from the trip to go over tomorrow and see how much the final damage is, though I don't think we spent over $1000 all told and most of that was for food and lodging. Only filled the gas tank 3 times and one of those time was considered a regular fill up for the rest of the month so came out of regular gas money, not trip gas money.

I still need to go through DH's wallet and collect his spare change and his loose bills. He took all my loose bills when I went into the hospital and I didn't get them back. I think there is around $20 there which will go into the coin jar.

Friday was payday. It was shorter than usual by about $200. I think they may be reallocating how they take out medical. Chris got his check stub in the mail so he is going to go over it with the other ones for the month and see if he can catch what is going on.

Anyway, I set aside $700 into temporary savings at CU#1, $350.29 of which is to pay for the bills that come due August 1 through 4, our next payday being the 5th. The rest is for medical savings. Then I have $200 for groceries until the 5th and DH is getting his $100 allowance for the next six weeks.

I also set up the August Budget template. I am going to have to split the Amex bill this month and pay $350 when it is due on the 4th (minimum payment is $61) and the rest of it on the 5th as it has a bit of extra vacation spending. The $350 will cover the part that is affected by interest, the rest would be on the next billing cycle anyway so will not have interest charged on it by not paying it before the 5th, but I like to start the month with it totally paid off and so that no interest accrues on that card.

Well, seems like the meds are starting to kick in so I'm off the try to get some more sleep. Hopefully everything all came out coherently. It is sometimes hard to tell when I am this zoned out.

I made my coin jar deposit at CU#2 into the safety net portion of the Emergency Fund. The exchange rate was excellent as between my $41 in American and $20 in Canadian, I had a deposit of $60.62. That's almost at par! Anyway that brings the safety net up to $307.03. I also transferred $100 to ING into the Emergency Fund there so my total EF between the two is now $1545.51, so I have hit my goal of $1500 in the EF by the end of August, and a whole month early. My next goal is to hit $2000.

I also paid bills today for the rest of the month. There is nothing else due between now and the 1st.

$__33.08 (4 prescriptions, medical)
$__90.00 (physical therapy, medical)
$___9.38 (walk in clinic, medical)
$_100.00 Cash Out
$__44.89 (phone, old house)
$__37.68 (garbage, new house)
$_125.00 (laptop, 18 months same as cash)
$__65.56 (internet)
$_100.00 Emergency Fund
$1000.00 Holding Tank for Medical
$_757.82 Car payment with an extra $250 to principal)
$_500.00 Holding Tank First week of August bills
------------
$2863.41

The remaining amount of this paycheck will be spent on our road trip for hotels and food and $100 to clothes and toiletries. $1000 of next week's paycheck will be set aside for medical and $200 for groceries.

I'm really starting to feel like we are getting ahead of the game, paying bills early and setting aside money for future expenses. We are still a bit paycheck to paycheck, but I think we're pulling ahead now by a couple of weeks worth of expenses.

So I didn't make it to CU#2 to make a deposit today. I totally spaced it. I had to have a fasting blood draw today and I had to wait a half an hour after I got there because it was busy. I was starving by the time I got in the back. No up front money there, but insurance never covers 100% of labwork so there will be a bill sent.

Then I went to physical therapy so $90 there. I was able to walk up the entire flight of stairs and back down again with only one foot per step instead of two, which is major as I haven't been able to do both in a long time. Maybe there is hope for this knee yet.

We are going through the homemade lemonade like crazy because it has been so hot, so I bought more lemons and sugar today and ended up with money for the coin jar, $4.18.

I had to get gas today as the little warning light had come on, so I didn't quite make it until DH came home, although I could have. I had more gas than I thought because when I filled the 20.9 gallon tank it only did 16.812 gallons. It was $3.479 a gallon so I paid $58.49 for that. Not bad for 3 weeks (DH filled it up on a Monday so technically 22 days).

I got a bill in the mail today for a medical thing I have already paid. They cashed my check two days before they sent the second bill out. Um...way to be on the ball people, does your accounts receivable not talk to your accounts payable?

I was quite annoyed by this bill because they wrote across it in all capital letters about how it was past due and were all vaguely threatening and used exclamation points. They mailed this bill on the 27th (supposedly) but it didn't even arrive until today and the place is in town, so it's not like it was coming from California or Texas or Virginia or something. Mail turn around is no more than 2 days if it is a local mailing.

I paid that bill two weeks after I recieved it. There is certainly no need for antics like this. If it had been 30 days or something I could see them getting a bit antsy, but it was sent and cashed well before the due date listed (which was actually the 30th so they sent out the past due bill before it was due) so I do not get this. I am going to call them tomorrow and tell them what I think of it, though. I don't appreciate this sort of thing at all.

Well, today was payday and I did some major debt repayment as well as taking care of quite a few of the regular bills. The MC's are all paid off again and the VISA is firmly under $20,000. I feel completely back in control again, both with the credit cards and with the no eating out. Day 4 on that challenge is going well.

I went to the grocery store and picked up a few items. One of them was gnocchi. One of the things my son really misses about going out to eat is going to olive garden and getting chicken and gnocchi soup so I got him a package of gnocchi and a box of organic free range chicken broth. We still have a couple of leftover pieces of chicken so tomorrow I will make him some chicken and gnocchi soup. My chicken soup is almost gone so I don't mind making another soup so soon.

Okay, so bills paid are below:

$1457.40 BoA credit cards
__500.00 Amex
__300.00 Mom's utilities
__100.00 Emergency Fund at ING
___16.70 Electric Bill Old House
___37.61 DH Life Insurance
___32.20 Me Life Insurance
___41.00 Old House Insurance
___83.98 Car Insurance
___39.37 Security System Old House
__155.00 Storage
__375.86 Old House Mortgage
__200.00 Cash
__100.00 groceries
__193.20 Dentist
__106.94 Medical


Car insurance has gone down with the Sienna by $11.63 a month or $69.78 for a six month term.

Of the cash $90 is to pay for physical therapy on Tuesday and $100 is for fireworks. Not sure what that extra $10 is for but it will likely end up in the coin jar. I have $62 left in checking if I need to buy milk or anything else this week, but since I already went grocery shopping I don't think I'll need anything besides milk. Maybe some hot dog buns if we decide to have a cookout on Monday and I am too lazy to bake some myself.

Bills left this month (other than the first new car payment) are pretty minor. There is just phone for the old house, internet, and garbage for the current house. Everything else is paid. That leaves almost $3000. So the majority of the next paycheck and the one after that will go to pay first week of August bills, to savings for upcoming medical, and to pay for our little trip around the Olympic Peninsula before we go to Virginia Mason for my surgery.

I am trying to make the gas left in the Sienna last until Wednesday when DH gets home. I have about 1/8th of a tank, but only have 3 minor driving excursions between now and when DH comes home. I sort of hate pumping gas with a passion. Well, it's more waiting in the long gas lines at Costco, but close enough. There is half a tank in the Crown Victoria so if I need to use that car one day instead I will.

Before DH and I took the vehicle down to have it Scotch Guarded, we filled up the tank. It cost $56.19 for 15.358 gallons at $3.659 a gallon. I have found Scotch Guarding to be worth its weight in gold over the years. There are stains I never thought we'd get out of the couch that came out because it had been protected. We got melted wax crayon out of the back seat of the last car even. I will get it back late tomorrow afternoon. They gave us a Corolla as a loaner. Not impressed, but at least it wasn't an itty bitty little Yaris. I can feel the difference in my body after driving it.

The Sienna is definitely better for my disabilities. Apart from comfort of seating it also allows for easier entry and exiting. In the smaller car I have to use my cane to get out and it's a real struggle. They say the Corolla and Matrix are virtually the same car, but they really are not. I can really tell the difference there. There is also ten times the lumbar support in the chair (of the Sienna) and my low back does not ache while driving it which is great because once is starts to lock up and spasm, I'm pretty much no good for a week.

We took DH to the airport today. He is supposed to text when he gets up to work safety, but usually forgets.

I had my physical therapy in the middle of the day and am pretty sure the therapist was trying to cause permanent damage a few times. It was probably the most painful session I've ever had. But the walking was easier this evening so maybe it is worth it all.

Before DH left he empited out his wallet and had $3.28 for the coin jar and five dollars in ones, all to go to the EF eventually. Bit by Bit it grows.

My mother managed to fall again, tripped face first into the chicken coop. Her glasses dug into the bridge of her nose and her nose itself is an ugly shade of brown, all puffy and swollen. And she managed to sunburn herself something fierce. She's doing okay, but I really wish she'd be more careful. When we move out we will definitely not move too far away if we can help it. If she's going to keep falling (it'd been months since the last fall) than she needs people around to make sure she's safe. *sighs*

We'll get our car back tomorrow afternoon after the kids get out of school. I am glad we do not live too far from the dealership.

Today was a very busy day. We went to the insurance company and got the insurance switched over to the new car. It will be $110 less per year. We got an in person estimate for having the Crown Vic detailed. Only $200. I was very surprised, I was expecting double that, but apparently we've cleaned up the worst of it ourselves. We do need to try to replace the gaskets on the door, though. May not be possible to find them as it is a '92 and obsolete despite the fact that I see dozens of them still driving around all the time. We may just have to buy a car cover to put over it so water and snow melt don't leak in during the cold season.

I scheduled an appointment with the dentist for Wednesday morning as that filling is still hurting me when I chew. Put a call in to schedule the scotchguarding of the new car, but ended up on voice mail. I called the billing service for DS's surgery because for some reason they had billed it to my MIL who was the emergency contact instead of me or my husband who are actually responsible for the bills. Got that all straightened out. That bill is $522.90 so I will send that off tomorrow now that I know it will be credited properly to the correct account.

I still need to schedule an oil change for the Crown Vic. Will do that after the detailing though, which will be done on Thursday. Probably should just schedule it for Friday then. So a lot of vehicle expenses this week, but we knew that.

DD and I meet with the dietician tomorrow and DS goes to the dentist with DH for a filling. I am glad he is home for it as I have a hard time with my kids getting needles poked into them. Then DD meets with the oral surgeon on Wednesday for a consult on her wisdom teeth which are pushing against her back molars and causing pain. They are also preventing the dentist from getting at a couple of tiny cavities he needs to seal, not fill, I think he said. So dental will be spendy this week, too. We may need to dip into the emergency fund, but I will try my best not to.

I put four ones and 19 cents into the coin jar today.

I am exhausted. Long story short, they came through for us with the red vehicle, knocked five more thousand off the price of the Sienna, threw in a bunch of free perks (free maintenance for two years), discounted offers like attaching a trailer hitch for cost of parts if we wanted one. And a warranty that covers all the electronics in the car at a discounted price.

They entered the information into the computer at 2.9 percent and sent it into whatever database that stuff goes into, and they get a phone call one minute later (not an email or an instant message, but an actual phone call) from BoA asking if we would agree for them to buy the loan. Considering how much BoA already owns my soul, I was hesitant. They offered a 2 percent interest rate if we would let them buy our loan. The lady we were working with said they wanted it bad because we were such an excellent credit risk. We went ahead and agreed to it. At least all of our debt is in one place now, with a very user friendly internet banking site. The Toyota one is not so much.

Our salesman said that all the other salesmen kept coming over and petting the car all morning and took a poll saying it was the prettiest Sienna in five counties. I had to laugh at that. It is gorgeous, I'll admit.

When we were in with the lady doing paperwork she was talking to us about what our salesman had said about us, that we were the nicest customers he'd ever had (and actually we were his first that he did the whole test drive through sale with in 2008), so he was very happy when we wanted to work with him again. Of course we did. He's such a nice guy, low pressure, good at his job, is extremely thorough in explaining things, and a genuinely good person.

The most important thing of all is the comfort level, though. With my disabilities it makes getting in and out of low to the ground cars difficult. This one makes it so much easier and the seats are incredibly comfortable. Everyone has enough legroom and I didn't hurt when we got out of it. It is everything we could have hoped for and it fits nicely into our budget. I'll miss the Matrix, but I have no regrets for getting a vehicle we can afford now when such good offers are thrown at us.

Oh, we drove away with a full tank of gas from them, too. I didn't feel so bad about having so much gas in our trade in after that. Especially since it is a 20.9 gallon tank as compared to a 12 gallon tank.

DH did some searching on line and discovered that it might not be the starter in the Crown Vic after all and that the battery was just so dead for so long that it couldn't be jumped, but it might start if we left it on the charger overnight. So we did that and voila, it started right up.

We drove it around for a bit and then we took it to the gas station and put air into the tires, then over to the local do it yourself car cleaning place and vacuumed out a bunch of pine needles under the hood. We had some Clorox wipes that we used on the doors and dashboard (one of the doors still needs work) and we did some of the seats. We took it over to the self-car wash and did a presoak and then a high pressure hose. It got off most of the dirt and pollen. We spent six dollars doing all that.

This morning we took it into the regular car wash and got their top of the line wash and wax which was $13. Then we swung over to Kmart and picked up windshield washer fluid, a thing for reattaching the rearview mirror, and some adhesive for some other bits that are loose inside the car.

DH will take it over to the detailer for an estimate. The carpets need to be seriously steam cleaned and the seats need a more heavy duty cleaning than we can give them without renting equipment, but for having sat there for a year, it seems in pretty decent shape. We'll also take it in for an oil change sometime this week.

The car is worth about $2000 in a private sale according to KBB for the shape it is in (or will be in after it is ready for sale) so I don't feel bad about spending a couple hundred dollars to get it into salable shape. It's a 92 luxury model (we bought it used in 98) and has a modern sound system that we put in in 2008 that you can plug an MP3 player or flash drive directly into. It is quite nice, just dirty. It's also pretty low on miles for a twenty year old car, in the 120,000's.

My PT is looking for a good and reliable car and I am thinking of broaching the idea of giving her the car in exchange for 15 to 20 free sessions. She's always talking about how she barters with other professionals for things, and if I could free up that $90 a week for something else that would be awesome. Right now her husband is laid off and going to school and they are dealing with only having one vehicle working. I'd love it if she'd go for it.

While we were at the dealership yesterday getting the oil changed and the brakes checked, tires rotated, and a new rear windshield wiper put on, the guy in charge of used car sales asked us if we would ever consider trading it in. We said yes, but not until next year when it was paid off and we bought a Sienna.

He then offered us $2000 above what it is worth as a trade in (according to KBB), which is also about $2000 more than we still owe on it. He said that people are wanting our particular model really badly right now because of gas mileage and also because of the paint color. Our paint color is really popular, a gorgeous, bright metallic blue, but they can't get it anymore because the paint factory that made it was wiped out in the Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami. He said he could probably sell it within the week. So if we were to accept his offer it would be paid off and we'd have $2000 as a downpayment on something else.

So we decided to go see if "our" new car salesman was there and we could test drive some Siennas. He was. They had one certified used and the others were all 2011's. We test drove the 2007 and it was in really nice condition. It had been owned by some grandparents who rarely had kids in there, usually about once a month. It had been maintained at that dealership so they had all the records of it, too, and our salesman was the one who originally sold it. It was a really sweet car. I just didn't like the interior wood paneling which was sort of an orangey tortishell color. It was also just gray on the outside and I don't like that.

Then we went to test drive some of the new ones. We really loved the way they handled. All of them, not just the new ones. But all the colors were really bland, pale blue, silver, gray, and white. The white was actually very pretty, but we've had a white car in the past and they just show dirt at a tremendous rate. I want a red one, and I'm willing to wait for one, because when we buy this next car I want to keep it ten to fifteen years and I don't want to be unhappy with the color.

Well, they must be really hungry at that dealership because they were all, "Is there a number we can give you so that you'll buy one today?"

I was all, "I'm sure there is," but I wouldn't name it. They offered us the 2.9% financing for five years. I said I wanted the weekend to think it over, and we needed to come back and test drive with the kids, make sure the legroom thing was going to be a good fit for them. I'm sure it will be, but I'm drawing this out because I don't want to be rushed. The kids are not getting any shorter and legroom has become a real issue in the Matrix.

Turns out the payments for the Sienna would not be terribly much more than we are paying now and it would be a five year loan that after the first year we could throw more money at, probably pay it off in 3 if we wanted to. I'd just have to adjust our debt repayment by a couple hundred dollars a month. Our car insurance would actually go down because of the massive amount of safety features. It's almost a wash.

I'm still not convinced, though. They said they could get a red one down for us with the stuff we want within 24 hours, so if they actually have it there today when we take the kids, I'll believe they are really, really ready to bargain. I just wish we hadn't just filled up the gas tank in the Matrix a few days ago. I wonder if we have enough gas cans to siphon most of it out?

We cleaned out the car on the off chance we go for this, and if we don't, hey, we have a clean car. The kids are a little sad about trading in the Matrix, but they knew it was coming next year, so they will deal. We get to keep our vanity plates, too, they will just transfer them over.

We'll see how it all falls into place. I know with all the driving to Seattle we'll be doing with the surgeries and follow ups, having a more comfortable vehicle may be important. Especially right after when I have to be somewhat reclined to be in less pain.

I still think we should wait until January, or at least December, but I am getting really tired of fighting with my daughter of legroom in that car. And DH thinks we should just get it now and be done with it for comfort's sake. My mother thinks we should, too, since it's mostly a wash. We will see, I guess.

The older car is all charged up but it won't start. It is making that ugly clicking sound that means, in my experience anyway, that it needs a new starter. *sighs* Still, we need to do this. That car has much more leg room and is easier to get in and out of with my knee. The Toyota is fine when I am driving and can have the seat all the way back (because my son is still little and he sits on that side) but in the front passenger seat it's not very comfortable, because my long-legged daughter sits behind it and it can't be all the way out. DH does all the driving when he is home because my knee aches if I can't stretch it out all the way so I don't drive anymore than necessary.

I wish we could get that Sienna now. *sighs again*

We went to the courthouse today to get tabs for the older car (which we are in the process of getting going again). I'm not particularly fond of the way the courthouse is set up. The handicapped access is on the far end from where the most commonly done things are, licensing and tax assessor offices, as well as where you need to go through the metal dectector to get to the second floor for jury duty. So if you don't want to deal with their stairs or if you don't have a wheelchair that can attach to the chair lift, you have to walk the entire length of the courthouse and back from the handicapped parking.

I got my permit right before we went to Virginia Mason, but the more I've used it, the more I've noticed just how inconvenient it can be for people who have difficulty walking but aren't in wheel chairs. Like at rest areas. I've always had a pet peeve with rest areas anyway, because for some unknown reason the women's bathroom is always on the side where the truckers park (who are typically made up of 90% men) and the men's bathroom is on the side where the cars park. Cars that generally have women and children who go into the bathrooms with women.

I do not get the sense of this. Never have. Well, the handicapped parking spots are even further from the women's restroom than parking in a regular spot. So while you can get in and out of your car easily and up the ramp to the sidewalk, it is an even longer walk to the bathroom than it should be. And if you don't want to walk through the cloud of smokers you have to go even further out of your way.

Oh, well. End rant.

Anyway the tabs cost us $43.75. When DH gets back from picking DD up at school we are going to put the older car on the battery charger and get it charged up, then take it to the car wash if there is still time. So that will be around $13.

ING paid its interest on my savings account today, a whopping .70 bringing the total of my EF there to $828.06. I finally made it to CU#2 to deposit my coin jar savings. I added in a spare twenty dollar bill to my rolled coins and ones. The deposit was $66.50. This brings the part of the EF there to $285.91.

$828.06 ING EF
+285.91 CU#2 EF
---------
$1113.97 New EF Total

We got gas today at $3.62 per gallon. It's really dropping. We got 11.172 gallons for $40.54.

I paid $90 for physical therapy yesterday and $25 for a prescription. This is the medicine that cost $150 before we hit our medical deductible. Much, much more reasonable.

We are taking the car down on Friday for an oil change and to check the brake pads and see if they need replacing since last time we took it in they said the next time the pads might require replacing. What with how many times we will be going to Seattle in the next several months I want to make sure we stay on top of that. We also need to change the back windshield wiper. It stuck to some ice this winter and it got pulled free unevenly and it's stopped wiping properly since, leaving massive streaks every time we use it.

We may test drive a Sienna while we wait at the dealership. Still a year off (at the very least) from buying one, but I'd like to see how it handles.

So I noticed when I was at Costco yesterday that gas prices had dropped significantly to $3.69 per gallon. On our trip to Seattle and back I noticed quite a bit in the $3.74 to $3.79 range. Our previous fill up had been $4.09 a gallon. Everything I am reading keeps having gas prices going up, up, up, but what I am seeing is that they are going back down, even on a holiday weekend. I am curious as to whether this is a local thing or if the rest of you have noticed a downward trend in your area the last week or so?

First off, I put $3 in ones and $1.23 in coins into the coin jar today, eventually destined for the EF. I also went to the grocery store again as I had totally forgotten to buy deli meat for the kids' lunches when I did my big stock up. Plus we were out of fruit bars and rice bars so I got some of those as well, and they had a good milk sale going on, so I went ahead and stocked up a bit. The milk doesn't expire until the 25th so there is plenty of time to drink it and I shouldn't even have to set foot in a grocery store again for several days. I'm hoping at least ten days. I spent a total of $55.52.

I had physical therapy today so that's another $90 out the door. I really wish I didn't have to go every week but when I skip a week it starts getting hard to walk properly again, and the last thing I want is to go back to using a cane. It screws up my shoulder, scapula, elbow and arm and I end up limping which makes my other leg and hips hurt. I guess for now it is a necessary evil.

DH contacted me that he did suspend the Toyota payment for this month so I was able to pay the other two medical bills, $31.71 and $96.51. I also sent $100 off on the 18 months same as cash computer loan. Even though I have the money to pay this, I'd rather collect interest on it when I'm not being charged any interest o the loan, which will be paid for long before the time is up.

That house that we like so much has been taken off the market because it didn't sell. I am hoping that means they are going to let it sit for six months and then relist and make it look like a new listing. With all the information I've gathered about that house, if it is put back on sale by the time we are ready to buy again, we can probably get the price way down, since no one has bought it despite three price reductions and I'm thinking they'll just be happy to be rid of it at that point.

DS went back to school today and he had a good day and had no pain. He didn't eat breakfast though and he didn't want to take a lunch because they got out early. I made him take a couple of rice bars so he'd at least have something if he did get hungry. His appetite is way off though since the surgery. He's lost five pounds and if he keeps eating like that he's going to lose more. Which considering he was 10 pounds overweight at his last physical isn't a bad thing but I don't want his nurition to suffer at the same time. He did eat half a piece of chicken, some watermelon, some potatoes and a glass of milk for dinner though so at least he isn't starving.

DD is doing well on her prediabetes diet. Her face has gone from being quite round to having a pointy chin and cheekbones and she's only been on the diet since the 3rd. That's only 13 days. She says all of her tops are getting loose, too. I've been following the diet for the last 4 days and I can already see a change in my face and feel a change in jeans as well. So it seems it is working quite well for us both.

I watched the documentary Fat Head (after someone here rec'd it) the other day with the kids (they got such a kick out of it, it's so funny and entertaining) and it really describes well what has happened over the last couple decades in our country. Plus it really explains in a very understandable way how insulin works with protein and how it works with carbs. I'd definitely rec it to anyone who wants to learn why our weights in America are so screwed up. It's not new information (at least to me) but it is presented in a way that would be very helpful for those who haven't done the reserach themselves.

Finished reading The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritson. I swear that woman has a very grisly mind, but her books are can't put them down sorts. I'm already well into The Keepsake. It is so nice to be able to read again. Now that I'm used to them my trifocals are worth their weight in gold.

Also bought gas today. $44.74 for 10.92 gallons at $4.09 per gallon. Yeeps.

Very little going on today. Car insurance of $95.61 and house insurance of $41.00 came out on autopay today. Tomorrow or the next day life insurance will come out for both DH and myself. On the 5th storage autopay will come out, and then nothing until the 12th.

I will mail off the electric bill tomorrow and pay the AMEX online.

I paid out $90 for physical therapy today. DH gassed up the car before I took him to the airport. It was $3.99 per gallon at Costco and he got 8 gallons for $31.92. We also put a smidgeon over 4 gallons in his dad's truck last night, but that was at $4.03 a gallon and was $16.20.

I went to the grocery store and got milk, strawberries, and medication from the pharmacy. Altogether it was $71.17.

We are making up strawberry/banana/orange/pineapple smoothies and freezing them in rocket shaped Popsicle™ molds so that DS will have some dye free, artificial ingredient free, homemade Popsicles™ after his tonsilectomy. Mom is also going to make some homemade ice cream for him to have.

The new chicks are growing so fast. They already have distinct personalities. The cuteness factor is off the charts.