Thank you to everyone who sent such kind words to me upon the loss of my brother. I am back home now. The funeral and the coming together of family was very healing. I am looking at everything in a new way now, knowing that I should take nothing for granted. Ironically, I am appreciating life more.

After I got home, I spent a few days reorganizing my files. It was a huge task, because when I moved, several boxes were dropped and the files spilled out. Also, I had files dating back to the 80's. I threw away TONS of paper. But now I am ready for tax season.

My resolutions: Besides blogging more frequently, I have resolved to eat healthier (that's a new one, isn't it?) and exercise more (ditto). I'm going to keep up on my filing now that my files are so neat. I'm also going to do monthly resolutions.

For January, I am resolved to spend nothing that is not necessary. With all my traveling in November and December, and the funeral in January, my finances are a wreck. I need to do some catching up.

Once again, thank you. You are such good friends.

I was planning to post today about my New Year's resolutions -- one of which was to blog (or try to) every day. I've really been letting it go.

But I got bad news early this morning, so I will only share this for now. My big brother passed away suddenly from a heart attack yesterday evening. He was only 66. He leaves his wife, four children, and five grandchildren, as well as two sisters and a brother. He was shoveling snow after a big snowfall, which he probably shouldn't have been doing, but it was so typical of him to tackle a job that was too big.

I'm still in shock.

He was a very religious man, so if you are of like mind, please say a prayer for his family.

I say it was a crazy year because I retired in the middle of it, which makes my annual financials a bit crazy.

But I'll start with December 2007. My biggest expenditure was $331 for vacation/travel. I took a weekend trip to Chicago and and a two-week trip to Florida, so all in all, it wasn't bad. There were no hotel costs, and a lot of my food was provided by relatives.

My next biggest expenditure was $318 for car insurance -- a semi-annual payment.

I spent $286 on gifts -- probably unavoidable, considering the season. But spending on gifts is something I need to address in the coming year.

Vet/pet supplies was only $69. I say "only" because I've been averaging $262 a month in that category since retiring. I have only two pets but they've had lots of issues. My 13-year-old dog, especially, has had a lot of trouble, and I'm afraid I haven't seen the end of it.

I spent $50 on my cell phone bill. It is usually $45, but I bought a ring tone, and I guess there were some extra taxes, too.

I spent $31 on an oil change. Could have done better, but I was in Florida and didn't know where to go.

Gas was $28 (not counting the gas I spent on vacation).

I spent $24 on miscellaneous items, and $16 on groceries. For most of the month my cousin was providing the food, but she is staying in Florida this winter, while I stay here, so I will have a grocery bill again till she comes back in the spring.

I spent $15 on clothes -- two long-sleeved tops I found in Florida, about 75% off.

I spent $24 on personal items, household supplies, entertainment, and fees & services.

All told I spent $1191 -- $542 in monthly expenses, and $648 for big-ticket things.

My annual spending was interesting.

My largest expenditure was $16,520 on credit card repayment. Whoo-hoo! (I was able to do this because I sold my house.)

I also paid off my car for $6343.

I paid $4500 in mortgage payments before I sold my house in June.

I paid $3623 in home improvements before selling my house.

I spent $3139 on vet/pet supplies. As I said, it was a tough year for my animals.

Spending on my own health was $2841.

Vacation/travel cost me $2434.

I paid $2311 for utilities.

I spent $1563 on gifts (and charity).

Car insurance was $1413.

Moving expenses were $1010.

Groceries were $633. That was from January to June.

I spent $600 on lawn care. That was also from January to June.

Eating out cost me $548.

Gas was $476.

Fees & services: $410.

Clothing: $385.

Miscellaneous: $238.

Entertainment: $225.

Personal items & haircuts: $204.

Car Repair & maintenance: $131. (Wow, what a good year! Buy Toyota!)

Garbage: $107.

Snacks: $17. (This is just things I pick up to eat while I am out, doesn't count meals out).

The grand total was $51,073. Monthly average was $4256, which is about $1000 more than it was last year. However, paying off my credit cards really jacked up the total. And I'm sure glad I did it!

I can hardly wait to see how 2008 falls out.

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.

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!

My sister and I traveled to Michigan for Thanksgiving -- our usual gathering spot for the holiday. We left on Tuesday and arrived home on the following Sunday. The trip cost me $363. The way breaks down: $230 for hotels, $81 for gas, $47 for eating out, and $5 to "board" my dog (he stayed at my cousin's house and I bought dog food).

We got good prices on hotels using coupons. Each night was $59 plus tax. I paid for three of the nights and split the other with my sister. She paid for the food we brought to our brother's, who was hosting. We split the gas. Found good prices all the way -- mostly under $3. We also spent one free night at a friend's house.

While there, I went to a children's clothing outlet and spent $99 on Christmas gifts for my grandson and great-niece. Got four nice outfits for my grandson in the next size he will grow into, and a fleece sleeper for my grand-niece. I also went to a very posh consignment shop and bought myself two tops and two pairs of pants, plus a sweater for my cousin, all for $34. So I did a bit of splurging.

It was a great time with the family. There were 18 of us for dinner, which included my sister-in-law's parents and niece, and the new girlfriends of my son and my nephew. Plus there were more people in and out during the long weekend. There was lots of card-playing and playing with babies. A good time. A highlight was a trip to my nephew's father-in-law's farm, where a new Shetland pony has been installed.

My next trip is a long weekend in Chicago on December 7-10. I've already bought the airline ticket. I'll stay with my son. Hopefully, this trip will be cheaper!

Many of you already know my story, but maybe some of you don’t….

I retired at age 58. I didn’t have a lot of money – still don’t – but I had a 403b through my work which I had been contributing to (modestly) for 23 years. Because my years of service plus my age equaled 70, I was eligible to retire and draw from my fund without penalty.

However, the proceeds from the fund are quite slim, and I had debt, a house payment, and all the various expenses that go with owning a home. I didn’t think retirement was an option – maybe not even till age 70!

Enter my cousin. She is a retired real estate agent, who is on disability for a rare disorder known as NCS. She is financially secure, but her health problems were making everyday living difficult. After her husband left her several years ago, she was struggling on her own. She and I began to talk. We talked and talked and talked, and the upshot is that I decided to take my early retirement and move in with her.

I sold my house and paid off my debt. I moved from Indiana to North Carolina. Meanwhile, she had built on an extra “suite” to her house so that I would have a comfortable area of my own. She covers all the housing expenses, though we argue about things like light bulbs and toilet paper. I think I should pay for my own, she thinks I shouldn’t.

Food was a sticking point at first. Our original plan was to split the grocery bill, which seems logical, but when I realized that she spent four to six times as much on her groceries as I did, I honestly told her I could not afford to spend that much. We struck up a deal that, since I was going to do the cooking and shopping anyway, she would pay for the groceries, and I would contribute my skills in keeping food costs down.

Some of you know she has been hard to convince! She likes her comforts, and it’s been hard to persuade her that cutting the food bill does not mean beans and rice every day! But we are slowly arriving at an area of compromise, and I think she appreciates my efforts to keep her costs in line.

I realize that I have been very lucky to have this unusual opportunity. There are drawbacks, of course. I had to move farther away from my children and some dear friends. And most importantly, I have chosen a life in which I am dependent on my cousin’s continuing goodwill. Some people wouldn’t be able to do that, but I trust her to the core. She has even willed her house to me, knowing that I would be financially compromised if she were to pass away prematurely.

I understand that not everyone can retire early, but everyone can keep their eyes open to opportunity and be willing to make big changes. I could have turned down this offer and plodded on as before, but I have taken a leap and changed my life for the better.

It is totally awesome to wake up each morning – and go back to sleep if I want to!

I just got back from a vacation which didn't cost me much -- $283. I went back to Indiana for my grandson's first birthday, and also visited old friends. I stayed about a week, but due to the kindness of my friends and family I only had one night's hotel stay, and spent little on food ($58). I spent $112 on gas and $54 to board my dog.

Although gas prices are rising, I was able to find good deals on the road, including a big fill-up at Sam's Club. I also got a free flu shot at my old place of employment (a retiree's benefit) and I got a haircut which was $10 cheaper than I can get at home. I stopped at my old favorite Goodwill and spent $52 on 4 pairs of pants, 3 pairs of jeans, 2 sweatshirts and a sweater set -- finds which delighted me! For entertainment along the way I listened to books-on-CD from the library. It was a good trip.

My grandson really pulled in the loot. I brought what I thought was an appropriate gift for a one-year-old -- three baby books, a little stuffed toy, a cup with his name on it, and some pajamas. I think everyone else way outspent me, which was kind of embarrassing, being one of the grandma's -- but honestly, how much does a one-year-old need? Not that my son and daughter-in-law weren't appreciative, but still.... I know that some of the people who gave big gifts were not all that financially stable, either. Oh well, you have to figure that it cost me to make the trip, and most of the others were local.

I am making another trip next week for Thanksgiving. It will be interesting to see how that compares.

This is the third time I've tried to make this entry! The last two times -- yesterday -- they just went off into cyberspace, so I just HOPE this is a go!

I finished up the month of October in pretty good shape -- until my dog had to have surgery (a lipoma opened up and became infected). That was $560. My other spending was under my goal of $600. That included a plane ticket, gifts for two birthdays and a new baby, and four new pairs of pants (but one from a thrift shop). So I'm pretty happy. Now I will have to tighten my belt even more, because not only do I have to pay back my emergency fund, I have two road trips coming up -- one for my grandson's first birthday and one for Thanksgiving.

Back to my dog -- I am just thrilled at the outcome of his surgery. He is 13 years old and I was prepared to have to put him down. (And cried buckets of tears before taking him to the vet.) Now he is frisky and happy again and the wound site is healing well. I feel blessed.

This week I've spent a little more than usual. I bought a new electric griddle ($21). I didn't move my old one to the new house; it was so old and cruddy. But I found I missed it, so I got a new one at Wal-Mart.

I also bought a sketch pad ($4) and clipcase ($6), hoping to do some spur-of-the-moment sketching. I used to be pretty artistic -- I wonder if that talent is still there?

For my niece's new baby I sent a Wal-Mart gift card ($25) and a greeting card (.48).

While shopping at Lowe's with my cousin, I found a shower caddy ($20). The one I had, while new and in good condition, was too short for tall bottles, and there wasn't anyplace I could set a razor where it wouldn't fall through. It also had no hooks for a pouf! So it just didn't work too well.

My cousin bought me an electric fireplace. I'm sitting in front of it now! It is for my sitting room, which has no vent and is always cold. She insisted on paying, though I did argue with her. It is very cute -- fake cherry wood and about three feet high. It has fake flowing logs and fake flames which really don't look too bad! Wouldn't do for a public area, but it looks great here! And it really pumps out the heat.

I'm off today to do some errands, so there will be a little more spending today, but my total spending this month is $336. Still in line!

In the past week, I've had photos processed ($5), bought a birthday gift for my sister ($24), ordered some pants for myself ($59), and paid my cell phone bill ($45).

The photos were pics of my grandson, which my daughter-in-law put on the Walgreens photo site. I picked out my favorites and had them printed. I really like this system. I get great photos quickly and they are only .19 a print. I don't have photo-printing capability on my computer, so this works great for me.

The birthday gift was two tops for the price of one at Penney's. They are summer tops, but have 3/4 length sleeves, and I chose autumnal colors -- moss green and salmon. So I am crossing my fingers that they won't seem like an unseasonal gift at the end of October.

The pants I ordered from LL Bean. I have a hard time finding pants to fit, being just a little too short and just a little too heavy for standard sizes. LL Bean sells stretch cordorouy pull-on pants in petite length for $29.50. I tried on my cousin's and they fit perfectly, so I ordered two pairs. They should get me through the winter, along with the jeans and khakis I already have.

Soon I am going to the vet for a consultation, so that will be another expense to add. I also need to buy a baby gift for my niece, who recently had her third son. So I'll probably get a Wal-Mart card -- I'm sure she doesn't need much!

So far this month, I have spent $259. Since I try to keep to down to $600, I am right on target!

Last night my cousin was planning on having her sister bring Chinese for dinner. Since my aunt and uncle are visiting, and my sister and her husband were there when we were placing our orders, we planned on a big family dinner.

Her sister called late in the day and said that she was sick and couldn't do it. So I stepped in and said, "Let's have a leftover night!" I didn't get too much protest, so I warmed up some leftover pork roast and vegetables, made mashed potatoes, salad, glazed carrots and deviled eggs, and laid them all out buffet style. They were AMAZED!! They couldn't get over what a good dinner I had made "out of nothing." They are not used to making do.

My cousin even said I should write a book about using up leftovers. Poor dear, she doesn't know it's been done and done and done. This is all new to her. It gave me a chuckle. Maybe now she will be more willing to let me help with the grocery budget!

Retirement has really changed my money outlook. I no longer have this big whomping debt I have to smash up. My expenses are few. I have enough coming in. It's almost weird. I'm realizing that while I was working and a homeowner, I didn't have the means for my (modest) lifestyle, and now it's better.

My biggest challenges will be keeping my emergency fund full and having enough money to travel and visit my children. And to keep my dog and cat healthy.

Recent spending: I treated my uncle and cousin to breakfast at a local diner ($20). I bought a backpack to use while walking ($11). I bought a used book at the library (.25). I bought some birthday gifts for my grandson ($46). I paid my Netflix bill ($18). I got my hair cut ($22). And I bought a jamocaccino at a cafe ($5). That was a waste! It wasn't even very good! But it did give me the leeway to sit and read in comfort while I waited for my cousin to be done with her doctor's visit.

Next month I will make two trips to the Midwest. One for my grandson's first birthday, and the other for Thanksgiving. And in December I am hoping to make a trip to Chicago to meet friends and Christmas shop. So these are the things I need to be saving for.

BTW, it's cold here today! I broke out my turtlenecks!

Finally, all the unusual expenses are over and I got an idea of what my typical post-retirement expenses will be.

My biggest expense was $498 for vet/pet supplies. Most of that was vet fees for the treatment of my dog's abscess. I'm happy to report that his belly is almost completely healed, and he is his old self, so it was money well-spent. I was afraid, old as he is, that it might be the end of him.

I spent $93 on gifts. There were two birthdays this month, a baby shower, and I also stocked up on cards.

I spent $69 on furniture/equipment -- mostly little things like a jewelry box, file boxes, frames, bath mat, etc.

I spent $45 for my cell phone bill and $31 for a prescription. $24 went to entertainment -- my Netflix fee and a book.

I only spent $23 on gas and $21 on eating out. $5 on personal items and $1 for a snack somewhere.

Altogether, if you factor out the vet bill, I only spent $386. I paid the vet bill from my emergency fund (which I've already replenished this month). That is well below my interest income, which was $591.

So I'm feeling pretty good!

I'm not doing so well at getting through the month without spending. Yesterday I had to fill a prescription ($26) and buy a baby shower gift ($32) -- which I have to mail today.

I also had two family birthdays this week -- both my cousins. I did not spend much there, but used a Barnes & Noble gift card to buy them books. The books cost $8 above what the card covered. However, I also had to buy cards, and I ended up buying cards for my sister to give as well. The cards cost $11 for four of them -- more than the gifts! Because I was pressed for time, I ended up buying them at a gift shop, so they were expensive. Luckily I had gift bags on hand, so there was no wrapping cost.

Because of the big vet bill, I have blown my budget for this month. I had to take $$ out of my emergency fund. I hate to do that, even though that's what it's for! I may not be done with vet bills yet. My dog still has an open sore on his belly, so I'm going to call the vet and ask if he should have another round of antibiotics.

Also, my cousins' birthdays are this month. I hope there are some good things in my gift stash -- or I can use my Barnes & Noble gift card.

I need to refill a prescription. Even though I've been bad about taking it, I should refill it.

My haircut can wait until the first of October. I did find a place that charges only $22 for a cut if you come in with washed hair and pass up the blow-dry. That is what I prefer to do anyway. I never really like what stylists do. I know this place does good hair; my aunt has already tried it out.

I have decided to start walking again. I've been getting next to no exercise since I moved here. I figure that a walk to the grocery store is doable; also the walk to my other cousin's house. I think I can even walk to Wal-Mart. Now that the weather is finally cooling off, walking is a more attractive option.

But in a good way. My aunt and uncle, who are loads of fun, are visiting for a month (though they will be off at a timeshare for a week of that). This brings my sister and my other cousin here on a regular basis, so they can get in their visiting, too.

Yesterday was football Sunday, so we had a groaning board of food. The refrigerator is stuffed with food, and so are the cabinets. In fact, there is food on the counters because there isn't room in the cabinets. I have stopped trying to make my cousin be frugal with food. Clearly, she needs to have LOTS of food around and doesn't care a bit about the cost. I find it very hard to manage -- I just hate trying to find something in the fridge -- and I know a lot of it will go to waste, but I am outnumbered. So I will let it go.

My dog is still doing better. His E collar is off, and though he occasionally licks his belly, he is not chewing on it. He is much perkier and back to his old self.

I haven't spent anything at all since the vet visit, unless you count the $40 phone bill. If I can keep that up, maybe I will get through the rest of the month without going over my limit.

On Saturday I gave a woman a lift home from the grocery store. She was planning to walk a couple of miles with many bags of groceries -- I honestly don't know how she thought she could do it, but she said there were too many deals to pass up. Her car had been totaled, she herself was quite crippled up from the wreck, and her son didn't show up to give her a ride. When I took her home, it was a sad little trailer. Certainly made me feel appreciative of what I have.

Just dropped my dog off at the vet for a followup and more treatment for his infection. He is doing much better. However, the Elizabethan collar he is wearing is causing a commotion. My cousin's dogs are afraid of it, and bark and try to nip at him. Also, my cousin is quite worried about how her elderly parents, who are coming for a long visit starting this weekend, will fare with a big, rampaging dog who keeps bumping into everything. She brought up the collar at least fifty times yesterday -- not outright telling me to take it off, but obviously trying to get me to do it. I want to give him the best shot for recovery, so I'm holding firm. If the vet says today that it can come off, then I'll do it.

That's not money-related at all, is it? The money part is that today's visit will be another vet bill. I only budgeted $200 for vet/pet supplies, and have already spent $335, so that is blown out of the water.

I also budgeted $50 for furnishings/equipment, and spent $55 yesterday on a jewelry box, file boxes, a bath mat, a frame, and a pole for hanging my tapestry. And I spent $23 of my $30 budget for gas. So this budget obviously needs some work.

On the good side, I have $80 in my regular savings account which has accumulated from little things. When it gets up to several hundred, I'll transfer it to the money market, which is my emergency fund. I have $10,268 in there now, and my goal is to keep it above $10,000, so I'm doing all right there.

My dog, who is 13, recently developed a terrible abscess on his stomach. He has been chewing on it since Saturday, but the Labor Day holiday has made it impossible for me to get help for him. The only option is an emergency vet clinic, which I called on Sunday, only to find there was a 3-hour waiting period. With my restless dog, not an option. I've also been told it costs $400 to walk in the door.

So a friend who is a nurse practitioner, and who prescribes for her own pets, wrote me a prescription for an antibiotic, which cost me $4 at Wal-Mart. (Love Wal-Mart and their $4-for-generic policy!) I've also been giving him Benadryl. Still, he is worrying it constantly, and it is very shocking in appearance. We were both awake till three last night while he bit and chewed on it, and I tried to get him to stop. I am so glad I can go to the vet tomorrow. Why do emergencies always happen on holidays?

I was so worried about the dog today, I opted out of the traditional family outing to get ice cream at Chimney Rock. We did grill steaks outside last night with my sister and her husband, so I guess that was my Labor Day celebration.

Finally, I am starting to get an idea of what my regular expenses will be in retirement. August was still an expensive month, because of a vacation ($503), car insurance ($287), and various fees connected with getting established in NC ($283). But on regular, monthly expenses I spent only $504, which was well under my goal of $600.

I spent $54 on medical (doctor's bill from a visit in May), $74 on phone (which included some extra charges for having a new account), $68 on vet/pet supplies, $42 for a wall hanging, $72 for gifts, $27 on eating out, $10 on gas, $13 for clothing, $51 for entertainment, $56 on personal items, $10 on household supplies and $13 on miscellaneous.

I'm very proud of the wall hanging. I bought it yesterday at a furniture store that is liquidating its stock. It is a green and white toile tapestry, quite large and heavy. It will cover the fuse boxes in my TV room. It was originally $148 and I got it for $42. It's gorgeous!

I spent $250 on groceries this month, but since my cousin and I were both out of the house on vacation this month, that is not especially low.

I've set up a budget for next month:
$30 - prescription
$40 - phone
$200 - vet (my dog may need minor surgery)
$50 - furniture/equipment
$50 - gifts
$25 - eating out
$40 - entertainment
$40 - personal
$20 - miscellaneous

That is only $525; pretty aggressive.

I also want to spend only $400 of my cousin's money on the groceries. That is aggressive, too, especially since her parents (my aunt and uncles) will be visiting for two weeks. But I will try.

I passed my driver's test with no mistakes this time. Whew! Spent $20 for the license, then $30 for vehicle inspection. I think I'm official now.

I also spent $10 on lithium batteries while I was shopping with my cousin. She, in comparison, bought three lamps and four sets of blinds. In all fairness, though, one of the lamps was for my area of the house. She insisted! She is very generous. Yesterday some handymen came and put up a split rail fence around the driveway. They charged $300 and she gave them $325. That's just the way she is. Sometimes I wish I had the money to be that way, but I have to settle for watching my pennies!

Well, on Friday I decided to take care of the last step in getting Carolina-ized. I went to get my driver's license and license plates.

It turns out that, unlike Indiana, you have to go to two separate locations -- and, in fact, a private subcontractor actually supplies the plates! I went there first, and paid $223, most of which were one-time fees. I had to pay $5 of it in cash for the notary, which caught me off-guard. I did have $5 in cash, just barely, but had to pay most of it in change! Glad I had a lot of it!

With plate in hand, I then set out to find the driver's license bureau. Luckily, I made a stop at Mickey D's first ($4.85) because I sat at the bureau for two and a half hours! I actually had to put my name on a list to wait to GET A NUMBER! It was so overcrowded and over-regimented that I couldn't even ask anyone what I needed to do. Turns out I had to take a "written" test (on computer), which I FLUNKED because I didn't have the book to study! I know very well how to drive, but I don't know the little ins and outs of NC laws, so I missed 6 questions. Had I missed only 5 I would have passed. So I get to go back and take the test again on Monday. I will be there at 8 a.m. this time, and I hope they let me go straight to the test-taking!

This is so annoying! I kept telling everyone I was really good at Jeopardy, but no one seemed amused.

I'm back from my swing through the Midwest. My sister and I went to a family reunion in Michigan; then after she went home I visited my son, grandson and friends in Indiana. I was gone about 10 days and overall had a great time. Looks like it cost about $410, which includes food, gas and some hotel stays.

Now it's time to buckle down on finances! I'm going to try to get through the rest of the month on as little as possible. Should be not too hard, as there are only 11 days left in the month!

Now that I'm retired, Monday is my new errand day. So much less stressful than Saturday!

I went to the post office and bought stamps ($8.20), went to the library and checked out four books (one of which is John Middleton's "Detox Your Finances" -- which I'll review for you guys), went to Animal Supply House and bought cat food ($14.10), and got gas ($10.05).

My only "deal" was using a $2 coupon on the cat food. Also, I am topping off the tank whenever gas prices are lower than the last time I filled up -- so I bought gas even though I was only a quarter down. Gas was $2.72 a gallon. I hope it goes lower yet.

On Thursday I am heading out on another trip, this time to Michigan for a family reunion. I'll be driving with my sister, and her son has already offered to pay our hotel bill as an early Christmas present! Woo-hoo!

In other news, my son sold his house in Kansas City, so they are now in packing mode. I feel for them! Just having moved myself, I know what a hassle it is. But I'm so glad they'll be in Chicago -- they will be much more centrally located in terms of family.

July was quite a month for me. My move was completed in June, but July brought many transition expenses.

After paying off all my credit cards in June, I still had bills trickling in for final payments, which totaled $98. Likewise, last utility payments came to $138.

Vet bills came to $555, and included microchipping my cat, getting his teeth worked on, and a big supply of Rimadyl for my dog's arthritis.

I bought a new headboard for my bed, and many small items such as a laundry sorter, shoe rack, and drawer organizers. I also ended up buying a new TV/DVD player and a stand. All told, I spent $488 on furniture & equipment.

My really big bill was for health/medical. I spent $2352, most of which was my insurance premium for the rest of the year. I also filled a prescription for about $25.

I took a vacation in Kansas City with my kids. It was $448 for airfare and food.

I paid $526 to settle up my homeowner's insurance, which had been bundled with my mortgage payment.

My other expenses were pretty normal. $70 for gifts, $26 for eating out, $26 for gas, $58 for household supplies & miscellaneous, $17 for a haircut and personal items, $32 for entertainment (Netflix, a movie, books), $31 to get my oil changed.

All told I spent $4865! Way more than usual, and my income is less! But this month will be more normal and I'll get a more realistic picture.

Oh, and I had a grand total of 3 no-spend days. That will change this month, too.

I am proud to report that I spent only $315 of my cousin's $$ for groceries. My goal was to come in less than $400. She was previously spending $5-600 just on herself. I hope she isn't feeling too deprived -- in my opinion we have had some wonderful meals, but I'm sure my frugal ways have been a shock to her. She was pleased with the cost, though!

Blew the budget yesterday when we went to Jack Stack for lunch. I picked up the bill, which was $68+ including tip. I felt compelled to do the treating, since we went at my request. It's the last time I'll be in Kansas City, and I wanted some good barbecue. It WAS good barbecue.

My son's open house went very well, according to the realtor. At least four parties who were "very, very interested." However, no word yet of an offer. The realtor wants to do another open house next Saturday. I won't be here to help out -- I'm heading back to North Carolina tomorrow. But with any luck, an offer will come before then.

I did a little pre-calculation of my spending this month. It's been a very high-spending month. Most of that is due to transition expenses -- paying off last utility bills, paying the annual premium on my health insurance, transferring services. I've also bought quite a few things to set up my new space. It won't be till next month that I'll get a true picture of my normal spending.

I'm spending a week in Kansas City with my son's family. Naturally, there is some spending involved, but I feel like I'm keeping it under control.

On my first night here, I used a gift card and treated the family to dinner at Outback Steakhouse. Actually came away with $$ left on the card, only $7 out of pocket for the tip.

The next day, we all had to vacate the house at lunchtime so that potential buyers could look at the house. My DIL and I went to McDonald's, and I treated, for $10.25. That evening the kids treated at a pizza place, while more lookers trekked through the house.

The following day I spent about $45 on groceries, planning to eat in -- but yet again, we had lookers at dinnertime! So we ate at Culver's, going Dutch. My portion was $7.50.

We also went to Babies R Us, so we could pick out a gift from the baby's aunt. My DIL did a great job selecting three outfits and a "tiny diner" (a plastic mat to cover the table edge at restaurants). I chipped in about $3, the amount over the $40 Auntie contributed.

Last night I babysat while Mom & Dad went out for dinner and a movie. That was a nice, frugal way to give them a real treat.

The kids are moving to Chicago, and facing the prospect of having to sell their house for no more than they paid -- which means they will need to bring a check to closing. Today is the open house. Please let there be an offer today! They are so stressed.

Anybody know the deal with Shadow Shopper? I am getting emails saying they are desperate for mystery shoppers in my area and they're offering a free membership. I'm kind of interested, but afraid of a scam. Has anyone dealt with them before?

Had an awful night with my cat last night. He sneezed and snorted all night long. I was so concerned I closed his kitty door so I could take him to the vet this morning.

The vet wasn't too concerned about his sneezing (which had subsided by daylight), but found a tooth that was causing him pain and needed pulling. While he was under, I had him microchipped as well. So that was $310 I wasn't planning on spending. I do hope the little bugger is feeling better, though.

Tomorrow I am catching a plane for Kansas City to spend a week with my son, daughter-in-law and grandson. I'm sure that visit won't be cheap, either! So it is a big-ticket month for me. At least I have the money, and it's not going on credit cards! I still revel in my debt-free status!

My cousin, sister and I went rug shopping yesterday. My cousin wanted to put two area rugs in her L-shaped breakfast room. We pretty quickly found the 6 X 8, but we also had to find a coordinating round rug with a 5' diameter. We spent hours (it seemed) and were on the point of choosing something only so-so when, TA-DA! One of the salesmen plopped down a round rug for someone else to view, and it was perfect! What a laugh we had! Luckily, the people who had asked to see it didn't want it!

I think we did pretty well price-wise -- for the two rugs and pads it was about $800 -- and they were a very nice quality.

Afterward we went to McDonald's for dinner and ate in the car. My cousin paid for it all.