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Archive for December, 2007

Thank you!

December 12th, 2007 at 04:09 pm

I got an email from Jeffrey yesterday telling me I got second place in the November contest! So thank you to all who voted for my story!

Yesterday was my first full day at home after a long weekend in Chicago. The damage -- $46 spent on gifts, $102 on food (including tea at the Drake, drinks, and treating my son's family at Lulu's) and $33 on gas to the airport.

Yesterday I paid my phone bill ($50) and had my cat's stitches out ($40).

Today I have to get stamps so I can send Christmas cards. I'm also getting ready for a two-week trip to Florida -- leaving on Monday, I think. But I hope I won't incur any more expenses till then.

November recap

December 6th, 2007 at 03:08 pm

This is a bit late, but I had to pick myself off the floor when I did my totals!

November was an expensive month for me. My biggest expense was my two vacations, which cost $652. After that came vet bills, at $510. Then came gifts, at $241, and clothing, at $120. I paid $63 in fees (NC has a vehicle tax I was not aware of). Then, the usual: $45 for my cell phone, $26 for a prescription, $22 for gas, $18 for entertainment, $18 for personal items (including a haircut), $8 for eating out, $8 for a car wash, $6 for household supplies.

I tried hard to keep down costs on vacation, but let's face it, vacations are expensive! I have two more this month -- a weekend trip to Chicago (tomorrow) -- and two weeks in Florida over Christmas. But hey, this is what retirement is all about!

The vet bills were unexpected, though it seems by this time I should be expecting them! My dog has gone through a lot, with skin infections and surgery, but he seems to be doing well now. The most recent expense was stitching up a wound my cat got in a fight. It never ends!

I am not too freaked out about the gift total -- November is the birth month of my son and grandson and best friend, and some of the total went to Christmas gifts, also.

Clothing was a bit high -- but I got such good deals! Okay, I will have to restrain myself a little more. I'm retired, after all, and don't need a big wardrobe. But I did need more casual clothes, since my work warbdrobe had been pretty dressy.

As I said, with two vacations in December, it won't be a cheap month either. But the Chicago plane fare is already paid, and my Florida vacation should only cost me gas and a couple of nights in a hotel. My cousin has moved to her Florida house for the winter, and that's where I will go for vacation. I'm not staying with her for the whole winter, because pets are not allowed there for an extended period of time. (Rules of the condo association). My cousin has a good network of friends down there, as well as her parents, so I am not needed as much. I will probably go again for two weeks early in January or February.

Anyway, with my cousin in Florida, that means I will have food expenses here in NC. We have a very stocked pantry, which I am welcome to use. I will try to keep my food costs down to a bare minimum. It will be a good challenge!