Lizajane's Personal Finance Blog

Installing Christmas lights

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:33:19 PST

As I was driving to my class this morning in a nearby city, I saw a sign hanging on one of the light poles. "Christmas lights installed, call xxx-xxx-xxxx".

I'm sure it's not a new service, but I don't recall seeing it offered before. It made me wonder if the person offering the...

What a way to run a business!

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:43:23 PST

A month ago, my husband bought some rubber boots at a local farm store. Of course, he didn't try them on, but he asked if he could return them if they didn't fit. The man told him yes.

They didn't fit. He has wide ankles and not a lot of flexibility so I knew there was no way he'd...

Slow-paying side job

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:59:03 PST

I got a check today for my work through May for a mail decoy company. When I get something in the mail, I just log it and it takes a minute at the very most. So, for the past year, I've been doing this. DH thinks it's stupid, but the way I see it, that's money I didn't have before...

Last minute lunch and over-budget already

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:36:06 PST

It's week 2 of trying to limit grocery spending to $40 a week, and I'm already over this week's limit by $10. Hopefully, next week I can scale it back a little to make up for it.

I've been trying to make a list during the week for the following week of everything we need or are...

2 days til payday

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:10:01 PST

I don't like living this close to the edge. I can't wait for payday to come, but the majority of the money is already earmarked to pay various bills. Somebody called tonight about taking a look at one of our horses, but I don't know if they'll really come thru or not. It would be nice!

Nothing...

Too much clutter & coke rewards

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:39:25 PST

You know you have too much clutter when...you trip over something in your junk room. I have got to get to that room and do some organizing and down-sizing. I tripped yesterday climbing over a dog crate which was wedged betwee a file cabinet and a table. I slammed into the desk and...

Gorgeous day!

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:49:13 PST

(Don't read if you are having lousy weather wherever you are, because I don't want to depress you!)

It's GORGEOUS here today!!!! Mid-70's with quite a stiff breeze, but it's hardly November weather at all. I'm loving it. I spent the morning listing some things for sale online, while...

Grocery updates and to-dos

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:05:18 PST

It's been a long time since I posted any updates on coupon savings for the year and average per week. I finally figured the tally, and so far this year on grocery, household supplies and dog food it looks like this:
Before coupons = $6,647
After coupons = $4,853
Savings ...

Possible side job - any tips?

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:50:44 PST

An acquaintance called me today and asked if I'd be interested in setting up a web site for their business. It's a service business, so they aren't selling any products on the web site - it would just be informational, with a description of services, pictures, references, etc.

I've...

I don't want to be the parent

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:13:14 PST

I had an interesting, if not frustrating, conversation with hubby today. He went to look at an old, I think '34, truck somewhere yesterday that someone told him about. (I'm gonna get his friends and family duct tape for gifts to tape their mouths shut!) He wants it, really, really...

How much time do you spend online?

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:00:06 PST

Just curious...how much time does everyone spend online "playing" each day, on average? (not counting time spent making money blogging or doing surveys or selling online)

I have a routine almost daily of checking 2 email accounts, reading some blogs, and checking for coupons. Somewhere...

Shopping after work

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:52:32 PST

I did some grocery shopping tonight after work. With the time change, it was already getting dark, but in one case it worked to my advantage. As I exited the store, the street light was glinting off something on the ground...a nice shiny dime! Kind of makes up for the fact that the...

Planned leftovers and 1 year ago today!

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:23:58 PST

I just finished making a delicious dinner and have planned leftovers to take with me to work tomorrow. Round steak with peppers & onions, cooked in some black bean flavoring mix I've had in the cupboard forever. The steak came from some my MIL gave us last year from a cow they butchered....

$10 rebate and other tidbits

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:14:50 PST

I love getting rebates in big chunks. The mail today brought a $10 rebate. I think I sent it in less than a month ago, so it was fast too!

We are muddy, muddy, muddy around here. Yesterday brought 3-4 inches of rain, and it was already muddy before that. There is still standing...

Bank overdraft charge

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:02:24 PST

We hit a new low, and were overdrawn in our checking account yesterday. $30 in charges. Yuck! Fortunately, hubby happened to check before he went somewhere and wrote a check because we were expecting his social security deposit to go thru around the 23rd to 25th, like it always does....

Thank you all for your kindness

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:31:59 PST

You guys really are the best! I was pretty down in my last post, and you are all so nice, luring me back in.

I'm traveling and visiting relatives this week, and stuck with a s-l-o-w dial-up connection. My connection at home isn't lightning fast, but it seems like it now!
While...

3 weeks since I posted

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:47:36 PST

I don't know what happened. I'm almost at my 1 year anniversary for blogging, and I just haven't been in the mood. Ok, even after I wrote that I "don't know what happened", I realized that wasn't exactly the truth. I really DO know what's happened. Our finances are a mess right now,...

Pennies and dimes, and other tidbits

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:51:27 PST

Two or three days ago, I found a penny at one store and a dime at another. Yesterday, it was the same thing. I don't know what the significance of that is, but maybe third time is a charm and some wonderful luck (other than finding pocket change) will come my way. I'll keep looking!...

Fleas...ugh!

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 09:58:31 PST

I hate fleas. I can't seem to get rid of them on my dog(s), no matter what I do. We only keep one dog in the house, but now she's had puppies and they have fleas too! (They aren't in the house anymore. Once the puppies turned 3 weeks old, I moved them all to our barn.) There isn't...

"That's our policy"

ejwglenn@yahoo.com (Lizajane) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:33:58 PST

I've never really heard those words when they've meant something good, until today. I noticed that 2 items on my grocery bill didn't ring up at the price on the shelf. They rang at $2.20 instead of $1.99 each. I had a coupon for $2 off each one, so the plan was that I would get them...