11/30/06 Spending

Today is pay day thank god! I had $2 cash in my wallet all week and was not allowing myself to get any more!!!! I even turned down dinner out with a friend this week until payday rather than getting more...I'm so proud of myself!

$120 on groceries that should get me through til I go home, including I picked up the supplies for food I need to bring to various holiday parties.

$1000 to my chase credit card
$14.92 to Verizon for my home phone (thinking I should cancel this line)
$25 at Color Me Mine on a gift for someone for Christmas

11/29/06 Spending

$00000 again....getting tired of soup for lunch though...

11/28/06 Spending

$35 for Homeowners Association

11/27/06 Spending

$0!!!!

11/26/06 Spending

$15 on breakfast at Chilis at Ohare
$2.78 on milk
$35 on parking at airport for 9 days (what a deal!)

11/25/06 Spending

$9.23 on mid afternoon lunch at Panda Express
$9.50 on movie tickets for Happy Feet

11/24/06 Spending

$4.00 on breakfast (and small donation to Ronald McDonald House) at McDs.
$110.69 at Ann Taylor Loft on sweater and jewelry for the theater that night!
$23.37 on new dress socks (6 pairs) at Target

11/23/06 Spending

Nothing...its Turkey Day!!!

11/22/06 Spending

$196 on ugg slippers for dad and step mom for christmas
$7.00 on cat toys/dog bones for Christmas presents for Altoid, Redd, Squeakers, and Aria.
$4.25 on a gingerbread latte at starbucks
$9.15 on dinner at chipotle (why oh why doesn't chipotle open in Harrisburg?????)

11/21/06 Spending

$50 on Thanksgiving groceries
$335.53 for my second mortgage payment (I wish these both got paid at the same time!)

11/20/06 Spending

$3.46 at McD's for breakfast
$11 for dinner at Chili's
$3.03 for milk

11/19/06 Spending

$4.57 at Panera for breakfast
$16.15 at Meijher on a rug for my brother for Christmas
$25.62 at Target on towelsfor my brother for Christmas

11/18/06 Spending

$6.50 at Starbucks at the HBurg airport for a latte and water.
$287 at Cingular on a new cell and blue tooth headset...there's a $50 rebate coming on this though.

11/17/06 Spending

$17.86 at UPS store to ship the last two items sold in ebay which I FINALLY got paid for
$10.66 on knitting needles for Christmas Present project

11/16/06 Spending

$31 at CVS for packing tape, deodorant, shampoo, batteries and a magazine.
$21 at UPS store to ship more ebay sales
$87 at Tres Chic salon and day spa on my hair color and cut.

11/15/06 Spending

UPS Store $9 to ship another sold purse
$6.67 for lunch
$.65 for some skittles for afternoon snack.

And..sold my old mini ipod on ebay for $108.25!!!! There was lots of crazy last minute bidding!
Also sold a pair of shoes...but for way less than I wanted to (or what I paid for the barely worn things).

11/14/06 Spending

$13 at Post Office for shipment of sold bags
$20 at UPS store for shipment of OTHER sold bags
$6.54 at starbucks for breakfast
$18.77 on water bill
$36 to capital one

11/13/06 Spending

$9.86 for lunch (and afternoon dessert) at Panera
$29 for Curves Membership (too bad I don't go)
$9 at UPS Store to ship sold purse

I'm in the money.....

Well..not really.... You know how McDonalds had Monopoly last month? Well...I'd gotten some stamps but then I didn't go back...and I had to stop while driving someone back to Hburg Thursday and ended up getting more. I didn't look at them then, but I looked when I got in the car to drive to Virigina this weekend..and I swear I had the missing railroad. I then let my mind drift away since I wouldn't be able to see for sure until I got home. So yesterday as I'm driving back from Virigina, I see the little stamps and start fantasizing about what I'm going to do with my $5million.

Consider of course that approx half will go to taxes...so I'll get about $2.5 Mill to put in the bank. First thing I'd do is pay off my credit cards and school loans and then buy an SUV...either splurge on a Mercedes or just do a done up Honda Pilot. Then I'd call the realtor and put the house on the market and the cats and I would hit the road for Chicago. (Guess I would have to give my notice by then - but I'd make sure I didn't do that until I actually had the check deposited).

Upon arrival in Chicago, my mom and I would go to the bank and I'd pay off her house for her. I'd then leave it to her to decide if she wanted to stay in it or not...but at least its paid for and if she decides to move she'd have a ton of equity. Then I'd start looking for a place of my own. Now I don't want anything too outrageous...because I'm thinking I want to live off the interest of my $2.5 mil .... or whats left of it after I buy my mom's house and my new car. So I'm thinking either a nice (but not too big house) in Naperville close to the family...or a hip condo in downtown Chicago close to shopping and with lake views.

Eventually if I get bored with living off my money I may go back to school.... Also may finance mom while SHE goes to college since she never got to go and really likes school. I've always wanted to breed puppies...so I could have puppies around me all the time...but I'd need more land to do that. I would definitely GET a new puppy the minute I moved into my new place...be that where it may.

Eventually I may also find some small condo out in California so that I can come visit all my fantastic friends out there whenever I want to.

Thats about the jist of it...but then I got home and saw I did not in fact have the winning stamp. And I was quite upset.

That said, last week I put up 9 pieces of my beloved coach collection on ebay. All the auctions are now over and I sold 8 of 9 items. All together I sold them for $332.25. The S&H I charged for all those auctions comes out to $91. I think my shipping costs won't be that high...so that will help cover the ebay fees of $34 and the paypal fees for those using a cc instead of their bank account. I know I paid WAY more than that for them....but I priced to sell figuring its like found money for me. It will make a nice contribution to my Christmas shopping fund - particularly since this is the month the extra money for my company car gets deducted from my paycheck. After Thanksgiving I may take a look at all my accessories for other items I should part with. And maybe review the bags one more time. I'm also thinking I have a couple of almost new pairs of shoes that I got great deals on, but aren't as comfy as I thought that I may sell. The one pair I got for $75 during Nordstrom's half yearly sale earlier this year - but normal price is $175....so I may make a nice profit off those!

So...I may not have $2.5 million....but I have more than I woke up with!

11/12/06 Spending

$4 on gingerbread latte
$71 at coach outlet on hair scarf and passport wallet
$43 at Yankee Candle outlet
$68 at Michaels on more felting yarn for gifts

11/11/06 Spending

$5 at McD's for breakfast and donation to Ronald McDonald House
$1.27 on a cookie
$76 on 2 pairs of jeans

Meet Heidi

I'm visiting my aunt and uncle in Virgina this weekend. Here's a picture of their boxer Heidi.

11/10/06 Spending

$11 on lunch and dinner for today
$4 on pins for my felted flower gifts for Christmas
$8 on shipping of my first sold purse

So long...

Green suede carryall...I'll miss you more than you know..... But I like the $95 I just added to my Christmas shopping funds. Hope my other auctions do as well...no other takers yet...just some watchers.

My first birthday present of 2006

I love that even 3000 miles apart Michelle and I are still so in sync with one another.

Let me start by saying...Michelle is the BEST gift giver I've ever known...she has this knack for remembering some little thing you said you loved, wanted, etc...but never would have thought to buy yourself. And she remembers and gets it! I LOVE my birthday and Christmas just because I'm dying to see what thing I always wanted and never thought to buy that she would give me!

I on the other hand...not that great a gift giver. When its time for me to buy...I'll remember that a person TOLD me something that I should remember...but I don't...and I just figure something out. But this year...I was SOOOO excited for Michelle's birthday.

Michelle took a sushi making class last year with Seattles top sushi chef. Now she and the girls make sushi every so often. On one of my trips to Color Me Mine earlier this year...I noticed they had sushi plates and wasabi dishes. I thought...how perfect! And I made Michelle a fabulous set of dishes for her birthday, in colors to flatter her regular dishes..and sent them along with some chop sticks.

So yesterday my birthday present arrives..a large heavy box. I open the top to find a little note that reads "Happy Birthday. I had this present for a while, so I'm sticking with it, even after my birthday present". Now Michelle and I have had several discussions since I moved about the fact that there's no place for me to run and pick up sushi quickly in Harrisburg - not like when I'd get it at Safeway while picking up a latte. And she's told me repeatedly that I should start making my own sushi at home - that its not really that hard....

So the minute I read the note from Michelle - I knew what was in the package.


Guess I need to run to the store for some cucumbers (since there's no good avocados in PA this time of year).

11/09/06 Spending

$4.87 at Starbucks (no more venti gingerbread lattes on the turnpike! yikes!).
$28 at Color Me Mine - It was supposed to be a present for someone else..but it was so cute..may need to keep it!

I can't believe I'm selling some of my Coach!

I'm sure none of you thought the day would come, I know I didn't. But as part of my new cost awareness, I've decided to sell some of my Coach items which are not getting much use. Here's a taste of a few of the items. Be sure to check out my listings!

Item Number 280047076736

Item Number 280047091125

Item Number 280047076736

Item Number 280047085922

Item Number 280047082742

11/08/06 Spending

$4.25 on Venti Maple Mocha for Breakfast
$3.91 on McDonalds for afternoon snack on drive home from Baltimore.

11/07/06 Spending

Another goose egg! Yeah!

11/07/06 Spending

Another goose egg! Yeah!

Correction $50 on my school loans

11/06/06 Spending

Dropped $300 a dinner.... But it was expensed so it doesn't count....

That puts today at $0! I'm so proud of myself!

Mean...but well rested...mommy

So....ever since I brought home my little bundles of joy last February...my sleep has suffered....

Originally they played all night long...and as time passed...Zella started behaving and Joey started getting worse. He jumps on top of me...licks whatever part of my skin is not under the blankets....starts nibbling my nose of the licking doesn't get his desired attention. Talks at the top of his lungs.... Just generally keeps me from getting any sleep.... It usually starts about 4am...and I throw him off the bed every 20 minutes or so til I finally get up. And on weekends the latest I ever even try and sleep is 8am.

Recently Joey expanded his torture to include laying on my pillow at the top of my head...and pawing my head..and CHEWING my hair.

My mom has asked all along why I didn't just lock them out...and I guess I don't have a good answer...Zella is such a sweetie...that I don't mind her being in bed with me. And I didn't want to separate them by closing her in and him out..plus then she couldn't get to the litterbox.

But the hair chewing was the last straw for me....so last week as I was getting ready for bed I noticed that both cats were not in the room....and closed the door. Zella did come over and start trying to pry the door open...but it only lasted about 30 minutes and she gave up. I did hear some playing early in the morning but it wasn't as disruptive as it is when they are on top of me.

So...I feel a little bad because my babies don't get to cuddle with me at night...but I've slept better this past week then I have since I brought my little babies home! I even slept until 10:30am on Saturday!!!

11/05/06 Spending

Nothing!!! Wanted to go to Hallmark and use up my birthday coupon...but made myself stay home so I wasn't tempted to spend too much money!

Instead I worked on my knitting at home. About 2/3 of the way through another poinsettia - and I got the first one felted. Its drying now so I can put it together.

Also got caught up on my netflix movies...I've been bad the past few months letting them sit and instead doing PPV....but part of my reduced spending is no more PPV....better to make good use of my netflix membership.

11/04/06 Spending

$25 on a flu shot at target
$6.87 on size 10 double point knitting needles required for Christmas present making
$44.52 on 10 skeins of assorted wool yarn for Christmas present making

Already got two mini birdhouse ornaments made. Working on a pointsettia now.

11/03/06 Spending

Lunch was expensed today....

Stopped at Target on the way home...spent $77.42.

Purchased: Crock Pot, Cat LItter, Garbage Bags, Laundry Detergent, and some assorted Crockpot Classics frozen meals for the new crock pot.

Staying in tonight so thats it for today!

New regular blog feature

Okay...I'm putting myself on a self imposed spending ban....between stuff for the house....and being bored out of my mind and shopping online (since I can't go out and shop in this crappy town).....and my coach habit..... I've allowed myself to up the balance on my credit cards .... and I'm not going to share the amount...because ANY balance is bad....but this is really bad. And in another 18 months is when I get moved again....I'd like to have some equity in my house by then so I don't have to finance 100% next time.... And I don't want a lot of debt looming over me because I'll have to buy a car again next time I move since I won't get a company car anymore.

So....in order to help keep myself accountable...I'm going to report my daily purchases on my blog! I'm allowing myself necessities....and some entertainment on weekends....but other than Christmas shopping I'm really trying to not spend money.... And I'll not be including eating out when I get to expense it to work! Oh..and I've decided when I eat out...I'm not using my debit card anymore...I'm paying cash...that helps me realize what I'm spending better!

Since its the second I"ll get this month up to date and then plan to update every day....

So.....

11/1
Mortgage/Taxes/Insurance = $963 (don't hate me yet...second mortgage is due later in the month for another $350 ish)
Phone = $15
Cell = $56
Power = $51
Sewer = $41
Cable / Internet = $131
Morning latte = $4.01
Interim Property Taxes = $396
3Q local income tax = $129
Credit card payment = $1000

11/2
Afternoon latte = $4.01

I guess if Chicago is "inland north" and midland is close to that this is right....

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Inland North   You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop."
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