April fools

April is a new month, and I'm looking forward to getting my food budget more in line. Plus, we'll be paying off the Prius with the stock money, so were going to have that monthly payment go into sinking funds. I think for us always have the big expenses not saved for hits us hard, so I'm determined to change that this year. We did get hit with owing taxes which was kinda a shock, but well be ready next year. Plus with 2 adult children still living with us it seems hard to get ahead.

So, I think my savings challenge is going to be put at least $500 in sinking funds,
*pay both car tags $180
*put birthday money for my daughter aside $200
*put Costco membership money aside $50
*put AAA membership aside $150

So that's almost a $1000 extra.
My husband should get his quarterly bonus this week and that might be close.
He is going to take $400 and buy a zoom, which is primarily for work but he deserves it . He works pretty hard.
So that should do it.

Thanks to  2 bloggers for comments, here's there links , ( I'm practicing)

20andjuststarting

Well sorry those links are not working, I just going to have to try again20and just starting
Yes, I think that one is working now,
The other LivingthesimplelifeIwant

Sunday night chit chat

• 
  http://halfdozendaily.typepad.com/my-half-dozen-daily/
• Reading: notorious Nineteen by evanovich. So funny! Trying to read Vince Flynns  
• Watching: I'll be watching Castle in a little while.
• Listening to:nothing but my son is listening to Irish music.
• Baking/Cooking:let's see, we had southern fried tofu, a tiny ham, macaroni salad, beans, and I did make a cheese cake.
• Happy you accomplished this week:paid some big bills, our property tax!
• Looking forward to next week:pay week!
• Thankful for today: just to feel good! 
• Bonus Question: Do you wear slippers around the house?actually I always wear a slip on shoe, I can't go barefoot at all anymore, so I always have some sort of shoe on.
• Thanks to. Carla's 1/2 dozen daily!

Weekend to do list

So, the vw  battery was not working right, so it's figured out for now. I made a deal with my daughter, I'll pay for the battery, BUT CLEAN YOUR CAR!!!!!
So to do this weekend
*work Saturday
* grocery shop for Easter dinner, I've been putting it off
* tidy  house, it's not too bad
* 1 or 2 loads of laundry
* walk if not to tired
* figure out a reasonable budget for April . Money has been flying out the door since our stock money was deposited. I knew this was going to happen , so initially I'm ok. Bought hiking boots for my son to the tune of $137. But he actually needs shoes , and when he went backpacking last weekend, ended up with really bad blisters.
* cook Easter dinner, Sunday
* menu for week, is almost done.
* work on mini goals for April


 Menu for week so far:
Sunday Easter , ham, southern fried tofu, macaroni salad, some sort of dessert .
Monday, sloppy joes, and griller joes( vegetarian )
Tuesday: chicken pot pies
Wednesday: large salad, pasta
Thursday: crock pot tri tip
Friday: tacos or pizza
Saturday: sandwich Saturday 


Mini goals

Go on our camping vacation alone, to Malibu
Walk more on weekend, push to an hour, hour and a half
Museum, ( didn't do last month)
New restaurant ( didn't do last month)

Thinks that it for now, I see my oncologist Wednesday, never fun, and get a zometa treatment, never fun.

Tahoe, I love it!

Lake Tahoe is my favorite place on earth . Just spent the last 2 days with my wonderful husband there. This is part of his work territory so the room is essentially free and then we add meals.
It was nice to just get away from it all. Came home to the house pretty cleaned up ...
Made a tentative menu for the week
Thursday: grilled chicken/ tofu. And salad
Friday : sloppy joes / tofu griller sloppy joes
Saturday: caprese paninis
Sunday: Easter , ham, southern fried tofu , macaroni salad, cheese cake
Monday: left overs
Tuesday: ?

So I need a few more days ,
My daughters vw continues to be a pain in the ass,with not starting . She doesn't seem to care and expects us to figure it out.  I'm thinking sell the damn thing. Right now it looks trashed on the inside , so she doesn't seem t o care about it.

The budget is out of whack still with food , but I plan on getting it straight this weekend.

March wrap up!

Weekly Money Mash Up 3/25.  Hosted by simply stacia.

1.  The most money I’ve spent last week was for _____.propane at $300.

2.  A low-cost or free thing I did this past week was _____.walking in the park.

3.  The one thing I did for another was _____.cook, and drive my son and his friend to go backpacking, before I had to go to work.

4.  Something I really need to accomplish this week is _____.keep walking, update my blog, organize budget stuff, go away with my husband over night for work .

5.  Do you celebrate Easter?i am an atheist,humanitarian, and from way back , a woman who always has celebrated the seasons. Easter is an old pagan celebration, way before it was the Christian one. I love to celebrate new spring.

Above is from Stacia's blog. I like her down to earth approach.

So, we finally recieved the stock money my husband sold, but not after waiting 14 days. He finally had to call and have them overnight a new check. So one more thing on my bucket list is accomplished. Also, now we can pay our IRS tax, which is really what started this whole ball rolling. 

Because I live with an incurable cancer, although in remission, I still feel there's certain things I need to get in order. The student loan mess is one of those. I know they will keep mine in discharge but I wanted all of them in discharge. I'm sure they will separate out my husbands and well have to deferments on those. We have no extra money every month, my 18 is in junior college , lives at home and we give him a monthly allowance. Hopefully he's getting a job. 

Then my soon to be 28 year old daughter also lives at home and only works a part time job. She gives us money for her cell phone and car insurance and a little food money. 

So I know there no way we can afford another payment .the government does not mess around with student loans so, you just have to play by the book. If he can't get a deferment, which I hope is NOT the case we a screwed.

Well, enough of that, I feel good, my blood works stable and I'm here to appreciate life every is single  day

Just a little less: Minimalist Monday: The Path to Minimalism

Just a little less: Minimalist Monday: The Path to Minimalism

Monday, Monday!

Weekly Money Mash Up 3/18.  Hosted by simply stacia.

1.  The most money I’ve spent last week was for ___food, food, food.

2.  A low-cost or free thing I did this past week was ____went for a great 2 hour hike with my sweetie!_.

3.  The one thing I did for another was ___cook!__.

4.  Something I really need to accomplish this week is ___great my food budget straightened out!__.

5.  Do you “spring clean” your house or apartment?  

Yes, I follow Flylady.com  and do a weekly zone. I have done this now for 2 years I think, maybe 3, and it's the best thing ever.
Planning  menus for the week, and. Playing with budget numbers.
I'm disappointed I'm not losing any weight. I'm doing WW on line and keeping track of food, but I seemed stalled. I have a long way to go so I need to just hang in there.