CB in the City

I drove to work this morning in order to avoid the street-sweeping parking dilemma, and so I could bring a package to mail (way too big and heavy for the train). The package is books (that I've already read) for my sister and shirts (which I find at Goodwill) for her husband. This is a regular thing I do for them. They need all the help they can get, but it is so hard to help them because they are so childish and wasteful. This is something I'm comfortable with.

I believe this is the last round of street-sweeping this year. Now we move to the snow schedule, which will mean moving the car for plowing whenever we get 4 inches of snow. I do get text messages from the city about when to move the car -- I would never keep up otherwise!

Yesterday I spent about $40 on CDs and a DVD for my son's birthday. I signed up for a free trial of Amazon Prime so I can get free 2-day shipping. So now I have everything I need for his birthday except the cake!

I found a dime in the station yesterday -- my first find in a while.

I forgot to say -- it was $40 for $65 worth of stuff -- I had Discover cashback rewards to help pay!

It was a nice weekend. On Saturday, we had my grandsons' eighth birthday party. Just family -- he already had his "friend" party. Since I had already given the Medieval Times outing as a birthday present to both boys, I just gave him a couple of "doodle" books (finish-the-picture), a key chain, a card game and an ornament. The other gifts were not as showy as I thought they might be. We had chili and a simple lemon cake. A good day!

Before the party, I did three loads of laundry ($4.50) and grocery-shopped ($72). I also bought a Street Wise magazine from a vendor ($2). My good deed.

On Sunday, I stayed in all day, except for one trip to the dumpster! I made homemade beefaroni and cranberry bread, as well as an indulgent bacon-and-egg breakfast for myself. My son and the boys came over in the afternoon to watch the Bears game. The boys tried the beefaroni but it was too spicy for them (I flavored it for myself, not expecting it would be shared). My son liked it, though! We all had popcorn during the game, and the boys wheedled me out of granola bars, their favorite treat at Grandma's. I wish I could give them cookies and treats like a real old-fashioned Grandma, but my son's family is very strict about the boys' eating habits. Even the granola bars are frowned upon.

When I grocery-shopped, I bought a 12-lb frozen turkey for $6.14! Not sure when I will cook it, but I expect the meat to last for quite a few weeks once I do!

Next weekend we will celebrate my son's birthday. He always wants chipped beef on toast, so that's nice and economical! I have a game for him in my game stash, but otherwise I am not ready gift-wise. I'll check out his Amazon list today. I may have to give him a gift-is-on-the-way coupon. His real birthday is on Thanksgiving weekend, which is why we are celebrating early, and why I am caught short.

Got a cute birthday picture of my granddaughter in her new pajamas, playing with her toy food in her play kitchen. So nice of my DIL to make that special effort to thank me!

I got my Amex card registered for Small Business Saturday. I've got a list of places to shop -- I'm ready to go!

Well, it's pay day, and I made my mortgage payment and paid off my Discover bill. I am trying to pay off the Citi bill, but their website is not working, so I'll do that later. In order to pay off these two big bills, I withdrew $500 from the slush fund. Hoping I can cash flow next month's Discover bill.

I got my $100 bonus from Citi -- that is, I got it rolling -- I don't have the check yet. I had problems ordering it because of my problematical address. I have a 1/2 in my address, which many software programs convert to "5" or to "12" and then my mail is mis-delivered. So aggravating. While I was ordering the check from Citi, the system refused to process it because of the "invalid address" -- which their software had created -- no duh! There is no 5365, I agree. Please put in the address I gave you and there would be no problem! Geesh. I really can't stand it. I did finally talk to a representative but it took an hour of waiting. I'm still not sure the problem was solved, but the rep says so.

So my snowflakes have now increased by $100!

In other good news, we got a memo from the President yesterday that there will be an across-the-board 3% raise in January. I think that may have been announced, or alluded to, before, but anyway, it's good to know I'll have a LITTLE extra coming in.

We will also have the capability to set aside pre-tax dollars for mass transit expense, starting in January. That should help a bit, too.

I've decided I'm going to get the $300 Target gift card on Black Friday (with the 10% discount). That will help with the Discover challenge, and then will help after the challenge, too, when I'll be going back to frugal living.

And I think I will get the Bose. That, the $300 Target card, the crown, the balance on my couch re-cover, and my regular living expenses should total a bit over $2000. The Bose will be my Christmas present to me this year. (I always like my gifts to myself the best!)

In December, I'll have another dentist payment, trip expenses, and Christmas gifts to meet the $2000. In January, the last month of the challenge, I will get the mattress & box spring. I'll squeeze in a new TV and DVD player if there's room, financially. That's my plan.

Then it's back to austerity, but with an extra $400 to sweeten the deal.

After adding in this month's Discover Cashback Bonus, I exceeded $1000 in snowflakes! Woo hoo! Last year I logged about $800, and the year before, $500, so I am working my way up every year! I haven't checked to see if my Citi bonus is there -- that will bump it up!

I mailed my granddaughter's birthday gift yesterday - $16 postage. I had a new shrink-wrapped package of play food I bought at a garage sale, and to that I added a pair of pj's (also new, also from garage sale), a skirt and top (truly new, a Kohl's deal), and three pairs of tights (new, from Goodwill). I think it made a nice assortment for not a lot of money.

My grandson's birthday party is this weekend. My big gift was the Medieval Times trip, but I have little gifts to open, too. Some "doodle" books, a card game, a key chain and a special Christmas ornament. I'm going to suppress the urge to get something else. I know that others will give him "big" gifts, which will make mine look puny, but as I said, my big gift was already given.

I bought breakfast today at the station - $4.

I am thinking of getting a Bose system. I have been without any musical player/radio for a long time now. I see that Bose has a player that also attaches to a smartphone, which seems like a smart option to me. I have really missed my music and would like to play my CD's again. And I like the idea of something very small but with good sound. Still thinking...

I'm also turning over the idea of getting a new TV. My current one is a tube TV (perhaps the last one in the universe?). It still works. But I don't know how long it will last, and I've been thinking I should probably upgrade to a flat screen while I have the money. It won't be an option after retirement. And I do love my movies.

Both of these things have come to mind after I let go of the idea of a washer/dryer. But I'm not ready to pull the trigger yet!

I took the day off yesterday. Since I was getting my temporary crown, which I knew would be a long appointment, I decided I might as well take the day and get other things done. I began the morning getting my blood drawn at the doctor's office. They are checking for cholesterol levels and thyroid function. I tried to get my shingles shot, too, but I have to make an appointment for that. I'll try to get it along with my follow-up appointment for the lab results.

Since it was a fasting test, I was starving afterwards, so I went around the corner to Le Peep. I had a coupon for 50% off an entree. Final bill for a skillet breakfast and hot apple cider was $8, but I left a $2.50 tip, based on the original price. Never stiff the poor waiter when you're getting a deal!

I had three Kohl's coupons -- $10 off, $5 off, and 30% off. I combined them and bought two bras, two pairs of socks, and a top and skirt for my granddaughter's birthday for $61. Still seemed rather high to me, given the discounts, but whatever. I'm happy with the purchases.

Then I went to the luggage repair place and picked up my Samsonite suitcase. It was there getting new wheels. It cost $60, but the bag is in great shape and is a quality piece, so worth a good repair. I could buy a new bag for $60 but it would not be such a good bag.

I had some lag time before the dentist's appointment, so I went to Goodwill. Found three shirts for my BIL, some classy ornaments to use as gifts, and a toy dragon for the toy box - $17 in all.

Then I went to the dentist, where I spent a grueling afternoon and paid $353 for it! Which is probably only half the cost it will be in the end. The tooth which needed the crown was a big problem -- mostly filling with a thin wall of enamel, and the filling went under the gum line. I was lucky not to need a root canal. I also had a cracked filling replaced in the adjoining tooth while I was under the Novocaine. Even with just the temporary crown in place, that side of my mouth looks so much better! I will pay the balance of my payment when I get the permanent crown on December 2; the total will depend on how much insurance pays, but I expect I've only paid about half.

After the dentist, I bought a big milk shake for dinner. I'm going to to be very careful with this temporary crown, because I don't want to keep going back to get it replaced -- that's happened to me before!

I was exhausted when I got home from all the dental stress! I went to bed early, feeling pleased that I got a lot done!

It's here! It's here! My "new" dining room set is in my dining room! It looks wonderful and I am thrilled. I will post pictures after I get my couch back so you can all get a sense of my charming little condo!

My brother brought it down from Michigan and drove back the same day. Right away, in fact. He wanted to get home to spend time with his wife before she left for the week (she commutes to Houston, no kidding).

He allowed me to treat him for lunch, but would not take money. He says we will "settle" later, because he feels he should contribute to my sister's airfare for Thanksgiving. However, I can tell it bothers him that she does not pay her own airfare. He understands her less than I do, and I don't blame him, she's hard to understand! But paying for her to come for Thanksgiving was my gift, and if he doesn't really want to contribute I am fine with paying for his gas, etc. It really was an incredibly nice gesture.

We had lunch at the local pie shop and it amounted to about $20.

My new set seats six comfortably, and I also have a new hutch, which I've already decorated with my crock collection and some teapots. There are several drawers in the hutch which I have yet to fill. More storage space! Mind boggling!

My son and nephew did most of the work of hauling the old set out and the new set in. They also took two of my air conditioners to the basement. They forgot the one I had already taken out of the window -- I think maybe I can handle that one myself.

I did three loads of laundry - $4.50 - and on Saturday I bought lunch at McDonalds - $4. I did not grocery shop, but tonight I'll be picking up a few items at Walgreens. I may shop for veggies in the station, too, if I have time between trains.

Tomorrow I'm scheduled to get the crown, and I think I will take the whole day off and get my blood work done in the morning. I am going to be tested for cholesterol levels and thyroid function.

I had dinner in the city last night with three friends, one of whom is the person who encouraged my university job application. It was a lovely time, but I learned a few things that are making me feel a little down today.

First, I learned that the job hasn't been filled yet, even though they dinged me! That hurts. I wish they had waited until the final decision was made. This makes me feel like I was an easy elimination. My friend, who has taken herself out of the selection process, was clearly surprised that I had gotten a ding.

Secondly, I found out that the husband of a friend of mine has lost his job. She has not been communicating with me and I sensed something was wrong. This is SO not good, because they have always lived high, and I will bet anything they have massive debt. I will try to reach out to her today.

Dinner itself was wonderful. It only cost $31 with tip included -- that's rare in the city! I had a half-order of both cannelloni and lasagna and a glass of wine. Salad and bread, too! It was very delicious.

I took the train, so there was no transit cost.

My brother will be arriving Sunday morning to deliver the dining room set! I'm so excited!

I found a quarter in the station this morning! I always like to add in the big coins!

The plumber did not come yesterday. It turned out he had to go to the emergency room, so of course I am not at all disgruntled. I will just have to reschedule.

I did do a little investigation on my own, though. The hall closet that I had hopes for does NOT back up to the kitchen, as I thought, but to the exterior stairwell. That's not good. The only hope for that closet is if there are pipes in the side wall which service the condo on the other side. Not sure exactly where the two condos touch -- I need a building map! I would also need to have an electrical outlet installed in the closet.

The bedroom closet, which backs up to the bathroom and was another possibility, is too small. I think a washer/dryer may be impossible in my unit.

I COULD have one in the kitchen if I sacrificed the dishwasher, but a dishwasher is more important to me than a washer/dryer.

My knee is much improved, so it is not so hard to get to the basement any more, but eventually the stairs WILL be a problem as I age. I guess at that point I will have to think about new housing. Didn't think it would be an issue so soon.

Oh well, I think maybe I just saved more than $1400!

I'm waiting for the plumber to arrive -- he is the one with the power to say yea or nay about a washer/dryer in my condo. Here's hoping!

My brother texted me yesterday that he can borrow his in-laws' big closed trailer to bring my dining room set down. He also said I don't have to come up there -- he will deliver, as long as I can line up help at this end. I just need to figure out a time my son and nephew can help with all the heavy lifting. I will definitely pay for my brother's gas, and will probably take him out to dinner, too. I just wish I could figure out a way to charge the gas, but I guess that's out of my control!

My former boss who works at the museum emailed me yesterday to set up a dinner date. Her treat. She wants some input into how to set up the research/prospect management department in her new workplace. She doesn't have personal experience in the field, other than the time she supervised me. (I handle it all by myself; my bosses generally never know how it's done. One of the ironies of my field.) She wants to meet next week, but that's when I'm getting a crown, so eating out might be dicey. I assume I will get a temporary crown first, so maybe it will be soup and soft foods?

Tomorrow I'm meeting my OTHER former boss, the one who recommended me for the university job. I hope she can tell me who got the offer; I'm dying of curiosity! I'm going along with two other friends to an Italian restaurant downtown, and I'm really looking forward to the great food -- and the company, of course!

I should report on NaNoWriMo. I've written about 3500 words. I have another chunk of text to add from yesterday, maybe another 1000 words. I'm not going very fast. I hope I can catch up a bit on weekends. My story is very loose; mainly it's just thoughts running through someone's head while they ride the train, but I'm still finding it hard to move forward! I'm afraid it's pretty boring. Oh well. No one ever has to read it.

I got a free lunch at our wellness fair yesterday, and picked up a bunch of freebies like ice packs, toothbrushes and floss, pens, and whatnot. Every little bit helps!

So now I'm working on my November spending on Discover. As a reminder, I have to spend $2000 to be on track to get my $400 bonus. So far I have put my train ticket ($78), a dentist bill ($55), and about $24 in sundry spending on the card.

Tomorrow a plumber will come to my home and evaluate my setup for the possible installation of a washer/dryer. I'm pretty sure I will have to go with the washer/dryer combo, as venting will be a problem. What I don't know is whether I can connect to a water source. The kitchen is too small to install anything, but there is a closet on the other side of the wall. I think it may be possible to run a pipe through the corner cabinet in my dining room and hook up to the kitchen pipes. Tomorrow will tell. If it will work, I will be looking at an LG appliance that sells for at least $1000. But will certainly make my life much easier!

Two other November expenses -- I have an appointment at the dentist to have a crown put in (around $450 after insurance) and another $450 to go the upholsterer. So I think November spending is pretty much spoken for, if the timing turns out right.

I also need to figure out how to get my "new" dining room set from Michigan to home. I texted my brother and he said he is thinking about logistics. He has a van and a trailer (open) -- not ideal, but cheaper than renting a truck! I'd like to get it done before it snows -- seriously snows, that is.

I'm testing a new grocery shopping strategy this month. Instead of stocking up weekly, I'm going to stop at Walgreens on the way home from the train for anything that is really needed. My Walgreens has a pretty extensive grocery section. The prices on most things are comparable to my regular grocery. Mostly, this will force me to use my pantry and freezer items. I'm going to see how long I can stretch it! Last night I bought a bottle of wine for $6.

I still haven't heard anything about the job, following my interview. I am assuming that they have made an offer to someone else, who has not yet accepted. I am not on pins and needles at all -- I've just quietly gone back to pre-retirement mode, and feeling a little relieved! That said, I did reach out to my friend at the museum, and she said that a job there is still a possibility, but the department reorganization hasn't happened yet.

Update: just got the ding letter from the university. It's official. I wasn't selected. So that challenge is closed -- on to the next!

Car Repair/Maintenance - $2121
Furnishings/Equipment/Decor - $948
Housing - $677
Gifts/Charity - $480
Groceries - $179
Utilities - $118
Eating Out - $88
Vet/Pet Supplies - $52
Phone - $51
Fares/Parking - $41
Gas - $32
Entertainment - $32
Vacation/Travel - $30
Household Supplies - $15
Laundry - $11
Medical/Health - $6
Personal - $2

Grand Total - $4883

This is my highest-spending month all year, and no wonder, with the car repair bill! Plus, my furnishings spending includes the $500 dining room set and the $450 toward couch recovering. Gifts are a little high because of the plane ticket I bought for my sister, and some birthdays. Everything else is pretty much in line. Fares are low, because I was late in buying my train ticket, so it will go on November's recap; and laundry is suspiciously low! Methinks I forgot to record some of it. Oh well!

Yesterday was the day of our outing to Medieval Times. It was really fun, though I recommend going with children! As adult fare, it's a little silly. Though the riding and falcon demonstrations were very impressive! And I am amazed at the physical prowess of the jousting knights!

I ended up paying $10 more toward a tip for our server, and $9 for a dragon keychain, which I bought secretly and will give to my grandson for his birthday this month.

Today I hope to get my hair cut, and maybe I'll even take in a movie. Though I should work on my NaNoWriMo. I've got about 1000 words so far, but today I'm having trouble getting myself started.

I got a $55 bill from my dentist with no information about what it's for -- it's marked 60 days overdue, even though it's the first bill I got. I will have to check on it; I thought everything was covered by insurance.

I also got a check returned marked "wrong address." It was for one of the speakers at our recent event. I sent him reimbursement for his expenses, using the address he gave me. I don't know if I addressed it wrong, because the sticker was slapped over the address. I guess I'll try to call him tomorrow.

I also got two credit cards in the mail -- replacements for cards cancelled because of data breaches. I don't even really want these cards; may see if I can just cancel.

I forgot to buy my train pass on Friday, so I'll either have to go the station today or pay on the train on Monday. It seems like the last time I tried to buy a ticket on Sunday the station was closed. (I'm not talking about the downtown station, which is always open -- but it's pretty inaccessible by car.)

I did three loads of laundry yesterday, costing me $4.50. Which reminds me, I'm going to try to look at washer/dryers today. I also have to drop off dry cleaning (once again, if that is doable on Sunday).

Meanwhile, I'm heating up a batch up meatballs in marinara sauce which I'm going to freeze in portions for meatball sandwiches. Yesterday I made breakfast 'hot pockets" made from crescent roll dough, cheddar cheese and mushrooms.

It was a bitter cold and windy Halloween! I missed out on the trick-r-treating, but I think it was a good year to do so. The grandsons say that it was still fun, despite the spooky weather.

Big flakes, too! They said that it might happen. Poor kids -- snow on Halloween! At least our little neighbor who is dressing up as Olaf the Snowman will be warm. My grandsons are going as the Kratt brothers, so I guess they'll have to layer up under their safari jackets.

No real financial news. I am planning to buy my train ticket this evening in the station, hoping that it will post later so it can go toward my November Discover bill. Tomorrow I'm going with my son's family to Medieval Times, but I'm also going to try to get a haircut, get some laundry done, and check out washer/dryers.

I have more laundry than usual because I found two sweaters my cats had peed on. Last winter I discovered (belatedly) that if I put my sweater drying racks on the floor, they would pee on them. I thought I caught them all, but when I pulled these two sweaters out, they had that distinctive smell. Ugh. Hope I can get it out, after they set all summer. I now use the drying racks on the dining room table, and I tilt them against chair backs, so the cats can't get on them.

I brought in a breakfast sandwich today, but quickly put it in the freezer when I realized there was free breakfast in the break room. Big, soft oatmeal raisin cookies, which I call breakfast cookies! Okay, not the greatest breakfast, but no worse than muffins.

Last night I went to bed early because a pain in my foot was driving me crazy. It is a neuroma, which is a swelling in the nerve or inflammation around the nerve at the base of a toe. It comes and goes. When it's inactive, my foot is fine, but when it's active the pain is excruciating. I took three Advil and tried to read in bed to distract myself. I finally fell asleep and this morning my foot is fine.

It is the same leg in which I suffered the broken ankle -- don't know if there is a relationship, but at any rate, there is no treatment other than pain management.

The social security talk I attended yesterday was very informative. Most of it I knew already, but some things were clarified for me. I learned that if my ex were to die, I would receive somewhere between 75% and 100% of his survivors benefit -- EVEN IF I MARRIED AGAIN! And I wouldn't have to wait till age 66 to collect. Of course, he is healthy as horse, and I don't wish him ill!

I learned that I have three months after retirement to secure my Part B Medicare supplement. (I already have Part A). He advised that I talk to my doctor to see what plans he accepts. I looked on the website, and it looks like Blue Cross/Blue Shield Medicare Advantage would be a good choice.

I learned that I can continue to work after receiving benefits, but my benefits would be reduced if I earned more than $15,480 annually.

All very interesting!

No spending yesterday or this morning.

Our payroll office is proposing that salaried employees switch from our current once-a-month pay schedule to twice a month. Not bi-weekly, but two fixed pay days each month. I'm not sure what the advantage is for the College, but they are pushing the idea that it will make it easier for employees to manage their money.

I, for one, find it much easier to manage on a once-a-month schedule. All my bills are once a month. I pay for everything I can on a credit card, so my basic expenses are pretty much once a month, too. I think the people who want two paychecks a month are the ones that don't pay attention and don't manage well -- and two paychecks aren't going to help.

But I'm a short-term employee now, so I will go with the flow.

Today I'm going to a informational session on social security. I went to basically the same thing last year; this year I'm just going to make sure there haven't been any updates that I need to know about.

The director at the university where I interviewed indicated that they might reach a decision tomorrow. I hope so. I will be glad to have it settled, and not remain in limbo.

They haven't asked for references -- which I think is not a very good sign! Of course, they have my former boss right there as a reference and advocate.

Yesterday I made a big goof in my role as treasurer for my professional organization. I got an email invoice from a photographer who provided services at our latest conference. She requested that it be handled through PayPal, if possible. Somehow, I translated that as having to set up an invoice in PayPal, which meant I was billing her! I immediately realized my error (but not before the invoice went out) and sent her an apology. She was very nice about it and said she had days like that, too. Geesh! I hate it when I do things that are so "senior!"

Well, it's done. It was a good day, overall. I talked to six different people and took a research/writing test and an editing test. I feel that I presented myself well and that people liked me and enjoyed talking to me. I learned that I was one of four finalists. That said, I still don't think I'll get the job. But I'm glad I had the experience. But I guess I feel like it's more of a possibility than I did before. It was great to get the inside view of a big fundraising operation that works well.

After the 3-hour interview, I drove to a far western suburb to pick up tickets for Medieval Times. I'd bought them at a special price through our suburban newspaper publisher and had to go to their main office to get the actual tickets. But it was a pretty day for a drive.

When I got home, I couldn't park because of street sweeping, so I went to the grocery. I wasn't going to shop this week, but since I had to go somewhere, I thought I might as well. I spent $58. In addition to some fresh fruits and vegetables, and the few pantry items I needed, I stocked up on coffee, both Keurig and in the bag. They were on clearance. The bag coffee was Dunkin' Donuts, Apple Pie flavor and Eggnog flavor. I'm looking forward to trying them.

Other spending was $12 for parking (at the interview site) and $6 for breakfast at Starbucks, because I got there early.

So it's back to reality today.

Oh, and by the way, the wool suit worked out great and I was so pleased that I didn't have to shell out for a new one. I did notice, though, that my scarf had a $10 price tag on it! It was a small sticker on the underside of a tag, so I don't think anyone would have noticed it. Hey, at least it wasn't .50, like most of my scarves!

I'm going to wear the suit I already have for the interview. I tried it on, and it fits, though it's a bit tight. I moved the buttons on the jacket and the button on the pants. It will do, especially after it loosens up a bit after wearing (it's wool).

Being wool, it may be too warm for the day, since we're having unseasonably warm weather. But tomorrow is supposed to be colder. Anyway, I don't think anyone will register what kind of fabric I'm wearing.

It's plain charcoal gray, and I'll wear a black shell and a black and white scarf.

My backup outfit is a pair of cream-colored pants and a black jacket with white pinstripes. I'll wear that if it turns out to be really summery weather.

I just couldn't see investing so much money in an item of clothing I won't wear much, for the sake of a job I probably won't get anyway.

It wasn't a spend-free weekend, however. I wrote a check to the upholsterer for $450. Unfortunately this expense came too late to help with the Citi bonus and too early for the Discover bonus. Phooey. So I wrote a check, which was the upholsterer's preference.

I also spent $31 on kitty litter and cat food. No groceries this weekend. I'm going to live on what I have in my pantry and freezer.

Also spend $1.50 on a load of laundry.

I'll be glad when tomorrow's over. Even when there's not a lot at stake, an interview is a stressful experience!

Gee, the weeks go so fast now. My retirement will be here before I know it.

Unless, by some miracle, I DO get the university job. It's kind of strange preparing for the interview on Tuesday. I feel pretty relaxed, since I'm just going through the motions. I'm going to be myself and enjoy the experience. Learn what I can. Try to connect with the people. I don't feel any pressure to come up with a "script" with all the right buzzwords. I'm past that kind of stuff. My experience speaks for itself. Anyway, the only reason they would take me above the "powerhouse" candidates I'm competing with is because they like me better! So I'm better off being genuine. It's my strength, actually.

That said, I do want to look good! I'll get a manicure this weekend. My hair is fine, doesn't need a cut yet. I'll figure out the clothes this weekend, whether it's wearing something from my closet or buying something new. I'm glad I already have nice footwear.

The weather is supposed to be really nice this weekend, so I'm going to be sure and get outside! Maybe a walk along the beach, while I can still do it!

Train troubles. Missed the early train, missed the NEXT one, and got to work after 9! AUUuuugggghhh!

I would have driven after the first miss, but I didn't want to take the car into the city tonight. But guess what, my dinner in the city was cancelled. AAuuuugggghhhh!

I had to go straight to a meeting after I got to work, and now the day is half gone and I've done basically nothing.

No money news, except I threw away $2.20 on a cup of coffee this morning while I killed time in the station.

And I guess it's good money news that my dinner was cancelled, because now the cost can go on next month's Discover bill!

I'm wearing another of my $1 Goodwill purchases -- this one an argyle sweater. Totally pleased with the way it looks and feels!

I did laundry last night ($1.50). I'm gradually switching from doing all my laundry on weekends to doing laundry when I have a full load. I think it will save overall.

I did not try on the suit that I'm hoping to wear for the interview. I don't know whether it truly slipped my mind, or if I am avoiding the issue. I do have a feeling I'll be shopping for a suit this weekend.

I bought caramel corn in the station last night ($4). This is truly my new vice. At least I get the kind with the nuts so it has some nutrition.

I cooked two pounds of sausage links in the oven, so I will have those for mobile breakfasts. If I combine them with Grands biscuits they will make a good breakfast sandwich.

Last week I bought a couple of boxes of Keurig cups that were on the clearance shelves. I had a nice surprise this morning when I tried one -- it is actually more of a cappuccino than coffee, and very tasty! I've never had a Keurig before that includes the creamer.

Soon it will be time to buy my train pass. However, I think I will wait till the last day. I would prefer for it to post in November. That will probably mean waiting in a line, as there are many who wait till the last day! Probably not because they are managing their credit card bonuses, either!

Well, it turned out to be a rather spendy day yesterday. It cost $89 to send the car seat to my son. The first quote was $135, so the folks at the UPS store really worked with me to get the cost down. They essentially created a smaller box so I wouldn't have to pay for the larger standard size. I'm going to send them a thank you note today, because they were so helpful.

Yes, I know sending them money to buy a new one would be more logical, but the fact is, they really want this particular car seat because their daughter was so comfortable in it.

I also bought gas for $32.

I got a call from the university to set up an interview time. I am going through the process. I asked them to set me up for next Tuesday. Now I have to figure out something to wear. My last "interview" suit I gave away after losing weight. I do have a suit that I bought at a resale shop, but I think it is probably too small now. I could wear contrasting pants and jacket, but that is not optimal for an interview. Or I could buy a new suit. Money issues aside, that is not an easy solution, as I usually need to have the pants shortened. I know, I know, I should have been thinking about this before. I think I was afraid that buying a suit would jinx me.

Since I'm reasonably sure I'm not going to get the job, I'm not pumped up to get a new suit. On the other hand, I don't want to come looking rag-tag. I'll think about this. (Maybe the suit I have will fit, after all! I'll try it on tonight.)

I believe I have now spent enough on my Citi card to get the bonus. I have to find the terms to make sure, but I believe it was $1500 in spending within three months. That's about where I am. The bonus will be either $100 or $150 -- not sure about that, either! I'll get it all figured out for sure today.

If I have met the terms, then I will spend only cash for the last 10 days of this month. I would try to go no-spending, but I am committed to going out to dinner on Thursday. Come November 1, it's back to putting purchases on the Discover card.

It was a quiet weekend. I was supposed to work on Saturday for Homecoming, but one of my co-workers insisted on taking my shift, since she was going to be stuck there anyway. It was very nice of her.

On Saturday morning, my couch was picked up by the upholstery team. The owner was supposed to call with an estimate, but she hasn't done so yet. I'll call her today if she doesn't make the call herself.

I grocery-shopped on Sunday, spending $54, so I could use my $5 off $50 coupon. I bought some pricey vinegars and oils. I've been making my own salad dressing and I wanted to branch out into new recipes. The toasted sesame oil alone was $7.99, so I hope it is worth it in the end.

I made a big pot of chili, ate two servings and froze the rest. I also made muffins and boiled eggs for breakfasts-on-the-go. I had plans to make a chicken stir-fry dinner, but that didn't get done. I'll make it tonight.

I made some popcorn on the stovetop, which pretty much didn't pop. I Googled for possible reasons, and read that I should soak it in water, then store in the fridge. I'm giving it a try. Apparently popcorn should not get too dehydrated.

I did just one load of laundry. None of the other bins were full, and I don't like to run small loads, since I'm paying a set price.

Someone must have opened the door of my dryer, because when I went down to get my load, I found a dryer full of wet clothes. Who would do that, and not start it up again? I couldn't start it up again without another trip up and down the stairs to get more change.

I was so ticked off I just took all the wet clothes to my condo and hung them up. They turned out fine, though it was a bit of a hassle, and it meant my shower was unusable for a day.

Today I drove in so that I can take the car seat to a pack 'n' ship place. I'll get gas, too.

On Wednesday I'm meeting my former boss for dinner, along with another co-worker. It will be downtown, so not cheap, but I'll take the train and not attempt parking downtown again!

My former boss, who recommended me for the university job, called me yesterday to give me what I call the "soft letdown." She said she was withdrawing from the selection process, and leaving it up to the director of the department. She said there were a lot of impressive resumes rolling in, including people who had been turned down for the director position when it was filled a few months ago.

This is no more than what I expected. I knew that the competition would be fierce.

She encouraged me to continue to go through the process, whatever that means. I don't know if I'll even get an interview. If I do, I'll go through the routine, but I am not holding out much hope.

The other position, the museum job, has not materialized. My other former boss has received a promotion, so I am not sure she even has jurisdiction over the same department any more. At any rate, she has not given me any updates on whether the position was ever created.

I am curiously untouched by this. Even though continuing to work would be financially advisable (and I'll do it, if I can), I am excited by the prospect of free time, lazy mornings, and unstructured hours. I am not afraid of stringency. I've already had so much of it in my life, I don't look at it as something that is frightening. I will have enough -- just enough. And after I'm 70, when I'm drawing my full Social Security, I'll have a little more.

My plan is to intensively journal about my experience and try to produce a book. I'll probably do a lot of my journaling here, so you'll all get a preview! I'll be doing this mostly for myself; I realize that such a book won't be a hot seller, or perhaps not even publishable! But nowadays there's always self-publishing on the internet, right?

In other news, I continue to find coins almost every day, and my "found money" is growing. So are my snowflakes. I added $3 from Pine Cone today.

Following on the heels of our college president's resignation, we are now hearing that our Vice President for Financial Affairs is leaving. I'm now wondering if there is a financial scandal to be uncovered. Or if the higher administration is just seeing the college as a sinking ship. I'm glad my time is so short, and that my retirement funds are secure in TIAA-CREF.

When you feel good after spending on something, it was probably money well spent!

This morning I bought an airline ticket for my sister to come for Thanksgiving. It was a good fare, $286. It went on my Citi card, so now only $183 is left to spend before reaching the bonus level. That should be easily done in regular spending.

This is not only a gift for her, but for the whole family, because Thanksgiving is just not Thanksgiving if my sister isn't there!

I had an awful day yesterday. Without going into detail, I basically got blamed (publicly) for not doing something I did not know I was supposed to do. It is very possible I forgot, but I have no memory of being told. Today the issue is all resolved, and no one is unhappy except the original blamer, and I think she had an agenda of her own. Anyway, it made for an awful day. I'm glad it all came out okay. And it makes me wonder if I really want to go on working even if I am offered a new position. I don't mind work, but office politics is something else!

At least I got a free lunch yesterday, because pizza was brought in for a good-bye party, and there is enough left over for lunch today!

AND, I didn't find any coins this morning, but I found two "Super Saver" stamps in the station, which I'm saving for a Cuisinart pan at the grocery! My cheap Bialetti frying pans have already lost their non-stick quality and the white interior is looking grungy. So I guess that experiment was a predictable failure!

Whew! My pay day tasks are done. When I logged into Discover this morning, I realized that the $1908 for the car repair did NOT get included in this month's bill, so the transfer from my slush fund was unnecessary. I transferred back, with a little extra. I had a small Citi bill to pay, and I almost freaked out when I couldn't find my account on the site. Then I realized that I have two accounts with different id's and passwords. So that is paid. I transferred my mortgage payment from the e-fund (both held by the same credit union). I have started doing this for the sake of convenience; it is much easier than writing and mailing a check. The e-fund gets replenished regularly, anyway. Every paper check I receive goes there, as well as the "sweep" at the end of the pay period.

I updated the sidebar. Even with the stock market drop, my net worth has stayed pretty steady. The only part of my portfolio that is affected by the market is a small portion of my retirement fund, and the Cap One Sharebuilder account. That, by the way, is just fun money -- I got $75 for opening the account, then another $75 because there was some confusion about getting credited for it, so I got the bonus again. So it's mostly just free money. It's fun to watch it grow. I would have added to the account, but I've been focused on buying the condo, growing my e-fund, and my retirement fund.

So it will be NEXT month, when the big bills come in, and the slush fund really gets hit.

I have to spend about $500 more this month to get my Citi bonus. Looking at mattresses yesterday, I realized a good set will cost more than that, so I think I'll wait until later. I will probably spend another couple hundred this month on regular stuff. I have several ideas kicking around for the other $300, but nothing decided yet. If worse comes to worse, I'll get myself gift cards for groceries, Home Depot and PetSmart, to use later.

The tire repair was $212, including the mount and balance. I don't think I got any bargain, but I do have BIG tires, so I knew it wouldn't be cheap.

I got to talking about grocery shopping with the auto shop dealer, and he sent me a link to something called Instashop. It's a grocery delivery service like Peapod, but with only a $3 delivery charge, and it's local. He also sent me a link to get $10 off my first order. I actually like to go to the grocery store, but I might check it out in order to get the $10 off.

This morning I bought breakfast at Corner Bakery ($4). I didn't really have anything to pop in my bag, though I did pack lunch.

My financial tasks today are to send my check for the dining room furniture to my brother's MIL, and to buy quarters at the bank. I'm clean out, and the laundry is still piled up.

Tomorrow is payday. I will have to take money from the slush fund to pay my Discover bill. I was hoping the big car repair bill would cycle over to next month. I suppose it doesn't matter. Money spent is money spent.

Speaking of money, I'll be mattress shopping this weekend. I'm investigating whether I can get a Holder mattress, which is an Indiana company. My Holder was the best mattress I ever had. But if I have to haul it myself from Kokomo (the nearest factory) it would be too expensive. I don't think they sell in any stores except their own, but we'll see. I have sent an email to their customer service department.

I was pulling away from the curb Saturday morning and immediately knew something was very wrong. I pulled over and saw that I had a flat tire. Very flat. There was an auto shop very close by so I limped there on the rim. I guess I shouldn't have done that, because the dealer said that driving on it, even a short distance, made the tire unrepairable. They could not find a suitable replacement tire on the weekend, so the car is still there. The mechanic said the tires overall were in great shape, so only the one replacement is needed.

I have no idea what might have caused this. Last time I drove, Thursday evening, it was fine.

So I'm thinking -- no problem, this will help me meet the $750 I need to spend on my Citi card! This must be what it's like to be rich. To feel that spending is no problem.

Later that day I took my son and grandsons to see "The Boxtrolls" ($24) and I spent $71 at the grocery store. I also spent $6 on a prescription, earning a $25 gift card since it was a new prescription, and I had a coupon.

I also found .40 in change in various places! As you can see on my sidebar, I'm getting close to $1000 in snowflakes! (That was helped along by a Discover cash back bonus of $18.)

I also did two loads of laundry for $3.

Sunday was a wasted day. I got a few things done in the morning, but at noon my son's family picked me up to go to my ex's house for a cookout. I was happy to be invited, but we ended up staying till 7 pm, way past my tolerance level, and I had no getaway car. Oh well, at least it was extra time with the grandkids.

I'll be happy to have my car back tonight, assuming it will be ready today!

My work toward the Discover bonus is already done this month. When I dropped off the car yesterday morning, I asked them to investigate the sticking lock on the driver's door, and to fix if they could. They did, and it added another $300 to the bill. All together, with taxes added on, the car repairs cost $1908.

So, December spending quota -- done! And my car is in tip-top shape now.

I realized the other day that I still have the Citi card bonus to work on, and that I need to spend $790 in this last month to get the $100 bonus for that. (Duh!) So I'm switching to Citi for normal expenses, and I may use it to buy a new mattress/box spring. I also need to ship a carseat to my son in Florida (long story) and that will probably be a bit pricey.

My couch will be picked up (to get recovered) on the 18th, but I'm not sure if I will need to pay at that time. Probably not until it is finished, which will be in early November.

I will also have some costs for transporting my new dining room set. I will be using brother express, but I will be paying his gas and any related expenses that come up.

Also in November, I'm getting a crown on one of my molars. That will be about $400 after dental insurance kicks in. November will bring Christmas expenses, Thanksgiving travel, and Black Friday (I'm going to try to snag a TV this year, but only if I find a great deal.)

Before the Discover challenge ends, I want to get a washer/dryer installed. That might be a December or January project.

It will be both weird and a relief to go back to frugality in February. Right now that seems a long way off, but it will go quickly.

In other news, my cousin sent me a check for $431, paying for the airline travel associated with getting her to Florida. I thought she would only pay a portion, so this was a nice surprise.

Dropped my car off this morning for exhaust replacement. I also asked them to look at the lock on the driver's side which is getting stuck. That added another $70 to the bill just for the diagnosis.

Since I arrived too early, I stopped and had breakfast at Panera. Their breakfast sandwich is definitely a cut above fast food! It was delicious and HOT! $7 for the sandwich and coffee.

I spent another $1.50 on laundry last night. Still have several loads to do before I get caught up.

I'm planning chicken fajitas for dinner tonight. I brought in lobster mac & cheese and mashed sweet potatoes for lunch (the last of my leftovers from the expensive restaurant dinner).

Brought in my last box of Keurig cups, so I must make a new order.

I'm wearing one of my "new" $1 blouses from Goodwill today. It's one of those happy buys where the blouse fits perfectly and looks good. It looks more professional than what I usually wear, and that's a good thing!

I said yesterday my financial task of the day was to question a medical bill I received. I'm so glad I did. The person I spoke to couldn't have been nicer, and it turned out that the medical provider had sent the bill to the wrong insurer, and that's why it was turned down. So that's $88 off my plate!

I made an appointment yesterday to have my car's exhaust system replaced. It will be upwards of $1400. However, even though my car is old, I am not ready or willing to buy a new one at this time, and I'm not ready or willing to go carless yet, either. So I'm going to invest this money to get me through another few years (I hope) with this car, which has been good to me.

I am also following up with the upholsterer. They are very busy, so will probably not pick up my couch for another three weeks (and they will keep it for two).

When I was at my brother's house this weekend, I helped his mother-in-law move some stuff in her house. I learned she had a beautiful full dining room set that she was trying to sell on Craigslist. I made an offer of $500, and she accepted. I will have to figure out how to get it home, but my brother is willing to help out with his van and trailer. The set includes a table with two leaves, six chairs and a hutch. It is really quality stuff, too. My only regret is that I can't pay with my Discover card!

So I'm really ticking off the big things I need to get done. Next I will tackle the washer/dryer situation.

Last evening was a night of trying to get back on track. It's always so hard to be away from home for the weekend and then come back to face another week of work, while all the home tasks are undone. I did manage to do one load of laundry ($1.50). I made myself some cheese quesadillas for dinner, but did not get to the dreaded task of unloading/loading the dishwasher.

For tonight, I'm thawing a chicken breast. I'll probably saute it, and make some mashed potatoes on the side. It's very large, so I may cut up some of it to flavor soup.

I packed some frozen mac & cheese for lunch, as well as some green beans, both left over from my restaurant dinner of Thursday night.

I bought breakfast at the station this morning ($4).

Last week I order some stuff from Amazon (free with gift credits) and it is trickling in. Last night I got a book for my grandson's Christmas. Didn't realize it was paperback! But, oh well, free.

We had big news at work yesterday -- our President is leaving. He will finish out the school year, but there will be an interim in place who will do most of the work while he executes his job search. I have expected this for some time, but now is an inopportune time, as we were just beginning to gear up for a capital campaign. Guess that will be on hold now.

I'm not too concerned one way or the other, since my time here is limited.

My financial task today is to question a radiology bill I got for my hospital visit. Since everything else was covered, I wonder why the radiology bill was not. I may not get anywhere, but I'll ask. HMO's. Sigh.