As much as I am trying to stockpile no-spend days, a few dollars keep trickling out. I went out for lunch twice this week, both standing "dates" I have -- and I do enjoy them. On Wednesday I went out with my boss and yesterday with my old friends from library school days. Lunch was pretty reasonable yesterday -- soup, roll, cookie and drink for $6.00, counting tip. Then I owed my handyman $34.96 for supplies. I also picked up some new pictures of my grandson for $2.42.

My home projects are coming along. The new tile backsplash in the kitchen is installed, and it is beautiful. I still have to seal it and add one strip of trim. This morning I painted my laundry room and took down the old wire shelf. I was going to try to keep it, but once I got up close to it, I could see that it is in pretty bad shape -- bent and corroded -- so I will have to replace it. A wall-to-wall "wood" shelf would be a big impovement and probably, hopefully, not too expensive.

Sadly, there is an area of carpet that does have to be replaced despite all my efforts to clean it. There are two spots where my departed cat, who had diabetes, used as a potty. I have cleaned them with every product known to man, but the smell always returns. I am sure it is in the pad, and maybe even the floor. The good news is that I can replace the little hallway with a "L" going into one room and take care of both areas, and it's not a big area. The bad news is that there will be a visible seam in the bedroom entryway. It's the best I can do. I can't replace the whole room, and I don't want to, the carpet is only a couple of years old.

Today my handyman will lay the tile in the bathroom and I will pay him the $250 we agreed upon. So even if I stay home all day, this will still not be a no-spend day.

I'm leaving this Friday for a 5-day weekend in Kansas City with my son and his family. I'm really excited about it, but haven't yet done a thing to get ready. Oh, I did make arrangements for my dog to stay at the vet. Besides being boarded, he will get his annual checkup and his manicure. So that won't be cheap, but it's one of those necessary things. I also have to reserve a seat in the "limo," (really a bus) to the airport. That will be cheaper than parking my car at the airport -- not much, but every penny counts right now. And always!

Speaking of pennies, I found .11 this week! And a friend gave me two .50 coffee coupons. I don't use coupons much -- I would rather just get store brands or shop at Aldi -- but I will use these. I like good coffee.

I had another meeting with a retirement counselor and learned quite a bit. He recommended that I shift my portfolio so that I have 10% invested in real estate, just to help even out the ups and downs of the market. He also recommended that when I retire I should designate part of my income to a lifelong annuity and put part into an account from which I can make systematic withdrawals myself. That way if I need a chunk of money I'll have it.

I spent nothing at all on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Today I went out to lunch with my boss. I used a 2-for-one coupon at a Mexican place, and we each got an entree and drink for less than $5. I got a big plate of loaded nachos with tofu, pinto beans and queso sauce. Yum!

I came home today to see that my new handyman has started work. The new kitchen lights were installed (they look GREAT!), and the baseboard in the bathroom was pulled off. And he has a mobile workshop set up in my garage. I can hardly wait to see what happens tomorrow.

So far in the month of March I've only spent money one day -- but it was a doozy! On Saturday I filled the tank ($25), bought groceries ($41), filled a prescription ($24), bought four new light fixtures ($116), bought tile & grout for my bathroom floor and kitchen backsplash ($127) and bought wood putty to fix a kitchen drawer ($3).

My son's friend was planning to start work today on installing the tile, but when I came home from work, nothing had been done. I see he did leave some supplies in the garage, so he did at least make an appearance. I assume he was called away to work, because he works for a contractor on call.

I went to the new and improved Aldi's, and was I impressed! Not only have all the fixtures been replaced, but their stock was much improved! Many more upscale items than they had before -- not that I bought any, but it's nice to know I can get smoked salmon if I want it.... I had a coupon for $5 off a $30 order -- I tried to hit $30 on the nose (even used a calculator as I shopped), but I must have missed a few items, because the total was $31.99 after the $5 was subtracted. Oh well. Then I had to go to Kroger to get my Activia yogurt -- that is one thing Aldi is not carrying yet.

I went to Menard's for my house stuff. The tile I ended up buying was not on sale, but was reasonably priced, and it's purty! I got my best deal on two of the light fixtures, however -- only $10 apiece. They'll go in the bathrooms. The other two were more expensive, ~$45 apiece, but they will be much more visible since they'll go in the kitchen.

I meant to paint the laundry room and pantry this weekend, but I couldn't make myself do it. Nor did I do the state tax, but that was because I simply forgot. Must not let that slip by!

Yesterday I forgot to report that I had 13 no-spend days in February. All those snow days were good for something!

Today I sent $459 more to credit cards. I took it from savings -- basically, it is my emergency fund, but I am so determined to get these cards paid off. Once I get back to where I was before the kitchen remodel I'll feel better.

Of course, the bathroom remodel is coming up. Not a remodel, but I am replacing the vinyl floor with tile. It is a small room and I think I can do it without too great a cost. A friend of my son's will do the labor -- but I will pay him a fair price, he needs the money.

I checked my retirement fund, and I have already regained some of the money I lost in the market dip. That makes me feel better, too.

I was reimbursed today for my prescription sunglasses -- sort of. They cost $156 but I only got $98. That's what was left in my 2006 flexible spending account. I assumed they would take the rest from my 2007 account, which has $300. I'll call them tomorrow to ask about it.

It's pay day!

I made some good progress on my credit card debt. I sent in $1039, which almost pays off all the home improvements I charged last month. I was able to do this because I really cut down in other areas. I spent nothing this month on home improvements, clothing, car repair/maintenance, entertainment or snacks. Groceries went from $174 to $111, gifts from $130 to $75, eating out from $69 to $27, gas from $50 to $21, household supplies from $37 to $9, personal from $20 to $7. Last month I spent $254 on furnishings/equipment -- this month it was $41. Overall I spent more than a thousand less. Areas where I DID spend more were medical/health (new sunglasses), vacation/travel (airline ticket I will use in a couple of weeks), pet supplies (stocked up at PetSmart), and garbage pickup (I pay quarterly).

I'm very pleased. I hope to do the same next month!

My Aldi (which I thought was closed) has remodeled and reopened. I got a couple of coupons in the mail -- one for $10 off a $40 purchase, and one for $5 off a $30 purchase. They expire at the end of March. I figure I can feed myself on $70 worth of Aldi food this month, and spend $55. I'm certainly going to try, anyway.

I talked to my cousin who will be my house-mate after I make the move down South -- she has been working on her budget and told me she's been spending $600 on food -- which she thought was high. Uh, yeah! I've got a lot to teach her!

I had a nice surprise on Wednesday, when I looked at my bank account online and saw that a deposit of $206.22 had been made to my savings account. I called the credit union to tell them it was not my deposit, but it turned out that it was overpayment from my escrow, so it was, indeed, mine. I immediately used it for an extra credit card payment, before I was even tempted to spend it. That's a nice boost toward getting my new kitchen paid off.

I've made an appointment with a TIAA-CREF counselor to discuss my annuity payments, which will begin after my retirement. I did this several years ago, so I have an idea, but now that I am so much closer I can get a better estimate of the monthly payout. Also, I need to find out what papers I need to sign!

Yesterday I spent $3.83 on photo development, and that's pretty much it for spending for the week! I went to the library yesterday to pick up some new books for my reading addiction, and also picked up my state income tax form, so I will take care of that this weekend.

Yesterday a colleague retired and the department threw a bash. The hors d'oevres were substantial enough to make dinner unnecessary. It got even better today -- there were enough leftovers in the breakroom fridge to make a very nice lunch! In fact, today's dinner was only some cheese and crackers because I was not very hungry.

Also yesterday, I spent $156 for prescription sunglasses -- but it will be reimbursed from flexible spending. I like the sunglasses -- I think they make me look very cool for a granny.

Today I spent nothing, and overall it's been a pretty quiet month financially.

Oh -- I did sign up for a free trial of Netflix today. I signed up for the $4.99 plan, because I have a funny feeling I'm going to like the service. One DVD at a time is fine with me.

I hate when I have to contradict myself! I said there would be no more splurges in February. But then I wanted to take advantage of the $15 rebate from PayPal. So I ordered a chili pot from Cooking.com. It is a Calphalon pot, offered at the greatly reduced price of $29.99. (I can't remember what the retail value was, but if you know Calphalon cookware, you know it's high). With shipping the final cost was $38.98. Subtract $15 and it's a very fine pot for $24.98. I am slowly collecting Calphalon, and this was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. I also desperately needed a pot this size -- I have a huge one, I have a skillet, I have some small sauce pans, but nothing intermediate. So I feel pretty good about this splurge.

I also donated $6 at work for retirement gifts.

It snowed again yesterday -- not as dramatically as it did on Tuesday -- but enough to make me decide to stay in this weekend. I have been enjoying my time with a mix of reading, playing computer games, cleaning and laundry. I also made a big batch of muffins and froze them in little snack bags, and cooked three pounds of hamburger and froze it in one-pound portions.

I truly intended to put another coat of paint on my cabinets, but I CANNOT get the paint can open. What really frustrates me is that I got one of those easy-open Dutch Boy containers. I cannot turn the lid. It was closed by the guy who put in my floors (he touched up the molding afterwards). He probably screwed the lid on with all his strength, but all MY strength will not open it. I would have been better off with a traditional metal can; at least I could have pried it open. Sooooo -- I guess I'll take it to work tomorrow and see if any of the he-men there can open it. If not, I guess I'll take it back to Menard's and throw myself upon their mercy.

I got a call from my eye doctor saying that my new prescription sunglasses are in. They are a little over $150 -- just perfect -- that will use up the rest of my flexible spending. Now I have to spend $300 more out of this year's account before I retire. What was I thinking? I shouldn't have put anything in flexible spending this year!

Speaking to you live from under the snowdrifts...

The snow in my driveway came up to my waist! The snow on my patio was at tabletop level!

It started snowing yesterday and just wouldn't stop. Then it blew around all night. Work was canceled yesterday afternoon and all day today. Woo-hoo! I spent most of the morning, however, shoveling the drive. I will be sore tomorrow, but I got some incredible exercise!

Once I dug out, I went to the grocery store (and it was not mobbed -- that must have been earlier!) I spent $58.37. I totally forgot I was going to challenge myself to spend only $50 the rest of the month! I made some good buys though -- I got a nice big piece of round steak for $1.89 a lb. and I stocked up on mackerel and brown rice, both on sale. I use a lot of both, as my dog eats them (I make his food and do not buy commercial dog food). Also, part of my spending was $13.50 for two OXO mixing bowls. They were marked down and I've been wanting them for a long time. So I haven't really overspent my grocery budget. But the bowls will be my only splurge this month.

Other than that, no financial news. Tomorrow the temperature is supposed to drop, so the weather excitement is not over. I am feeling very glad to be safe and warm inside.

And it went straight to the credit card I used for my kitchen remodel. It was a little over a thousand. Unfortunately, I still have about a thousand more to pay off, and that's what I'm going to concentrate on in the next few months.

I was feeling kind of bad about that, but then I told myself that I made good choices and got professional work done where I needed it, and did it myself where I could (painting). I'm not a high-income person, so managing a remodel at all is a good thing. I WILL pay it off in two months.

You may be wondering why I used a credit card at all, and did not save up for it. The problem is that I am on a tight timeline. I have to make a move this spring or summer, because the cousin I am planning to live with needs me now. She is disabled (with a disease so rare none of you, probably, has ever heard of it). If I don't join her soon, she will have to hire help, and the window of opportunity for me will be gone. I really want to go live with her, so I can retire and finally spend some time doing things I really want to do, like writing and doing art. Plus, I will be in a milder climate, and only 20 minutes away from my sister. It's a great opportunity for all of us.

So I need to sell my house, and to do that in this awful market, I felt I needed to upgrade the kitchen. I'm also going to put down ceramic tile on the bathroom floor, but I have a friend who will do that (at a fair price, of course). Then -- big garage sales, the sale of the house, and the move to Carolina!

If I don't sell it by August, I think my son is interested in renting when his lease is up. The only problem with that is that the rent will be a bit steep for him. My house payment is more than he pays in rent now, and I will have to charge at least enough for the house payment since I won't be working -- I'll be getting free room and board, but no income other than my pension, which will only provide about $1000 a month before taxes. That will be enough to cover my needs, but not enough to augment the house payment.

So these are the things that are constantly whirling around in my mind. But for now I will concentrate on paying off the remodel and finishing up the kitchen. Yes, I STILL have painting to do, but I'm getting close.

Before it was a deep freeze. Now it is a deep freeze with lots of snow. Brrrr! I wish I could report that winter weather has curbed my spending, but I continue to spend without going anywhere!

I bought a ticket to fly to Kansas City in March, so I can visit with son, DIL and grandson. It was a good price so I grabbed it -- $118.

Then my office ordered lunch in for a birthday celebration. My portion was $7, plus another $3 to chip in for the birthday folks.

My son's birthday was on the 6th, but since the snow was plummeting down yesterday, I canceled our dinner out. We will get together for lunch or dinner this weekend.

Meanwhile I just burrow in every evening. My office is cold -- even when I dress in layers I am practically shivering. It is a relief to come home and just get under blankets and vegetate.

Tonight I will have a frugal dinner of red beans & rice. I hope to make this a record low month for grocery spending. I've already spent $30-something but from now on I will try to make the most minimal purchases I can. I've got to cut back somewhere, so groceries it is!

January was a blowout month for me. I spent $3594, which is a new high -- more than $400 over my average spending last year. The biggest expenditure was $1061 on home improvement -- no surprise, that mostly went to new flooring. Other categories:
Mortgage - 760
Utilties - 325 (includes phone & cable)
Car Payment - 270
Furniture & Equipment - 254
Credit Card payments - 206
Groceries - 174
Gifts - 130
Eating Out - 69
Gas - 50
Insurance - 47
Household Supplies - 37
Miscellaneous - 34
Fees/Services - 32
Clothing - 31
Medical/Health - 28
Car Repair/Maintenance - 26
Personal - 20
Entertainment - 20
Vet/Pet Supplies - 18
Snacks - 2

If you take out the unusual expense of buying a new floor and microwave, it isn't so bad.

The furniture & equipment category included having a new microwave installed, as well as a new kitchen rug, a new comforter, a vaporizer and a can opener.

I also had 9 no-spend days in January, which is pretty good for me.

I started out February by spending again on my favorite splurge, gifts. I sent flowers to my daughter-in-law on her first day back to work after maternity leave (she was feeling really sad about taking the baby to daycare) - $38. And I bought a teddy bear and balloon for a friend who just finished chemo - $12. I've reconciled myself that gifts are important to me, and I am willing to make cuts in other areas as long as I can continue to give to others when I really want to.

This weekend I am staying home and I'm not planning to venture out at all. It's bitterly cold outside. I've been cooking -- I made some broccoli cheese soup and cooked off a bunch of ground beef, and froze the cooked meat in 1-cup portions. Living alone, it can be a challenge to cook for one, but I think having meat in the freezer in small portions will help a lot.

My one regret is that I didn't make a library stop before the weekend began. I have only one book, so I'll have to pace myself! I'm watching TV more than usual -- "Groundhog Day" was on this morning, and, ironically, I don't mind seeing that movie again and again. I think it carries a great message about making the most of your life day by day.

I reached my financial goal of the week, when I filed my taxes. However, I didn't get by free, like I thought I would. I THOUGHT the TurboTax was free if you didn't do state taxes. Turns out, it costs $30 if you choose the "maximize my deductions" option. Didn't know that till the end, when they asked for my credit card number. Sigh.

The good news is, my refund will be $1077, which will go a long way toward paying off the new flooring.

I bought coffee and minipads today for a grand total of $8.91.

My goal next week is to file my state taxes. This time I will do it on paper via snail mail.

My plan for no-spending days this weekend fizzled out in somewhat of a spending frenzy. First of all, I forgot I had to refill a prescription ($25), and, since my pharmacy is in the grocery store, I went ahead and bought groceries for $32. Then I thought, well, I'm spending, so I might as well get gas ($16). That was Friday night.

On Saturday morning, I thought, I won't spend, but I'll use my coupon for a free haircut and I'll visit my friend while I'm in the neighborhood. First I stopped at my friend's. There was no answer when I knocked at the door, but my cell phone rang, and it was her, telling me not to come in, she had the flu. I asked her if there was anything I could do, and she asked if I would mind picking up a case of Sprite. Which I did ($8). After I dropped it off at her house, I went to the hairdresser. They told me I could get in in about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes passed, the receptionist came up and said, sorry, we got mixed up, your hairdresser isn't free for an hour. Well, I didn't want to go all the way back home, and by this time I was hungry, so I walked to a nearby restaurant where I had biscuits & gravy and coffee ($7). Finally got my hair cut and, though it was free, I gave my hairdresser a $2 tip.

On Saturday night it turned cold. I turned up the heat, but I was still freezing. I was also very congested and the dry air was making it worse. So this morning, after a very bad night, I decided I had to take care of myself. I went to Walmart and bought a new warm comforter ($63), a vaporizer ($10), and OTC medicine ($12). While I was there I got cat food ($6), and a paint tray ($2). I also peeked in the clearance aisle and found a stainless steel electric can opener for $5, which I couldn't resist. On the way home I realized I neglected to buy one thing I really need -- a feminine hygiene product -- so, I can't count on a no-spend day tomorrow either!

Maybe I should never say I won't spend anything!

This is my fourth no-spend day in a row! Tomorrow I will try to make it five. On Saturday I will have to grocery shop, so that'll be the end of my streak -- unless I try to hold out until Sunday. Hmmmm, a challenge!

No spending today. Actually I came to work without any cash, other than change in my wallet. That made it easy to decline being in the pool for Powerball. Now, I will really be upset if they win!

I've decided to set myself one financial goal per week. This week it was saving one-dollar bills (which, of course, I will continue through the year.)

I think next week it will be to do my taxes. I should have my W-2 by then. I will also do it myself, and will not pay a fee, not even to TurboTax. My taxes are pretty simple, so there's no reason to pay for it.

I just realized that I borrowed this one-goal-per-week idea from TinaPBeana, so I give her full credit!

Pretty uneventful day. But uneventful is good. It usually means no spending.

I decided to save $1 bills -- whenever I come home with any in my wallet, they will go to the drawer where I am collecting them. So far I have $6.

Since I don't spend a lot of cash, I don't expect that they will accumulate too quickly. I almost always pay with the debit card. But if I save them until Christmas I should have a nice stash.

My best friend became a grandmother yesterday. She is lucky that her granddaughter was born right here in town -- lucky for me, too, because I got to share in the fun.

My spending yesterday: I spent $10 on a baby gift -- sunglasses and headbands, and $9.53 on photo development. I also made a run to Target, where I spent $15.89 on a throw rug for the kitchen, $13.67 on groceries, and $1.90 on paper towels, and 3.28 on padded mailing envelopes.

I also got my oil changed ($26.26), ordered a tool set from Amazon for my son's birthday ($3.50 after coupon), and also got him the Collector's Edition of Pirates of the Carribean Dead Man's Chest at Border's ($26.49). I got a pet hair brush at Walgreens ($4.23) when I was picking up the photos.

In the evening, I bought a $7 box of peanut brittle from a little girl who came to my door.

On the income side, I found a nickel, and my son bought me lunch at Culver's.

Analysis: I was pleased with the baby gift. I had already given her a nice shower gift, but I wanted a token gift to take to the hospital. I looked at a lot of things that cost more, but settled on the sunglasses and headbands for their "cute" factor, and the fact that they would fit in a small bag, saving .50 right there. The baby's parents loved them.

The photo development was a bit of splurge. I usually pay .19 a print by going online. Yesterday I took my memory stick to Walgreens and paid .29 a print to have them done right away. I wanted to be able to just hand my friend the prints, and she was delighted.

The package of padded envelopes has a coupon inside for $5 in tape products. Haven't investigated it yet, but I think that will make it a good buy.

I used a .50 coupon for the groceries. Something I rarely do, I'm not a coupon queen. Would have been more effective if the item had been on sale, but, on the other hand, it was something I needed.

The tool set, obviously, was a great deal. I had a $25 Amazon coupon from Chase. I also got free shipping, so I got a $28.50 set for $3.50.

The DVD, on the other hand, was a savings attempt that failed. My son had the title on his Amazon wish list. I had a 25% off Border's coupon, so I thought I'd be smart and get it at Border's. Well, the DVD was "on sale" so the coupon wasn't accepted. When I checked later on the Amazon site I saw that their price was about $5 lower. Don't know if I would have had to pay shipping -- that would have made it a wash.

The pet brush was an impulse buy -- I'm constantly battling pet hair everywhere because my husky/chow mix is a prolific shedder. This was one of those soft rubber brushes, and it does seem to move the hair pretty well. Doesn't really pick it up, though.

Everything else was pretty routine. The rug was not on sale, but moderately priced, and it was the right color and pattern for my kitchen.

Alas, I made the mistake of answering my door, and, of course, it was a child selling candy. I can never say no, so that was $7 out the door.

Today I'm not going out at all, so it will be a no-spend day.

Oh, and, I'm sorry to report, I did not win the Powerball jackpot. Back to the drawing board.

Thank you to those who gave me suggestions about my computer problems. I think I have figured out that while my broadband provider is upgrading, there are little "interruptions of service" that slow things down. Anyway, some friends have also complained about slow internet service, and that's what we've decided.

I've been delinquent the past few days - just too busy and too tired to log on. I've done a little spending -- I went to a baby shower today and was able to give two gifts that were discounted -- one, a set of receiving blankets half-price; two, a book I bought with a Border's coupon. The one thing I got from her registry was duplicated by someone else, so that was too bad, but at least she has the gift receipt. While I was there, I got a call from a good friend who told me her daughter-in-law checked into the hospital and will deliver at any time! Sort of ironic I got baby news at a baby shower. I also paid $10 toward the lunch, cake, etc. The gift total was about $30.

Last night another friend convinced me to go Goodwill shopping. I spent $13.10 and got two sweaters, two tops, and a pair of gloves. It was Senior's discount day, so I got 30% off -- and one of the items was 50% off.

I spent $2.52 on new photos of my grandson, and $1.00 on cookies from the vending machine. I also chipped in $4 for a good-bye gift for a co-worker, and, because she is a special friend, I bought her a mug, coaster and funny refrigerator magnet for $28.06. No bargains there, but they are all awesome and just right for her.

Somewhere in there I also spent $24.43 on a prescription, but that will be reimbursed. I have more than $150 left in my flexible spending account that I have to use up by March, or I will lose it. This has never happened before. I will have to think of ways to use it up. I have an eye appointment coming up -- that will help.

I talked to my retirement counselor and he let me know how the process worked and what my benefits will be. It will cost me $386 per month to continue my medical insurance -- I guess that's not bad, though more than I pay now. To continue my life insurance will be $33 per month. Life insurance is not so important any more, with my kids grown, but I do want to have something to pay for my funeral when the time comes, so I'm thinking that over. I would hate for my kids to have to pay funeral expenses -- it was great that my mother's funeral was all taken care of, and at that sad time we didn't have to think about the cost. I'd like to do that for my kids, too.

I don't know why it is, but I have a lot of trouble navigating this site. The really frustrating thing is it always starts out fine. I get to the home page, I read a few entries, maybe make a few comments. Then I'll get stuck. A page won't load. I'll stop and try again. Eventually I'll get to the point where it is so slow I just leave the site entirely. If I don't make an entry right away, I can't do it. I just end up sitting watching the flag wave. This has happened over and over and over.

I would be a lot more active on this site if it weren't for this problem. I just wondered if anyone else experienced the same thing. My computer works fine on other sites, and my computer at work navigates this site just fine. I don't understand it.

Anyway, I have no financial news. I stayed home and spent nothing yesterday, and I'm planning on the same thing today.

Here I was all set to go to Aldi's yesterday -- I turned into the drive -- and right over the curb, I was so surprised. It was closed! Really closed, as in boarded up, and trucks hauling away the fixtures! Thank goodness I didn't damage the car in that little maneuver.

So I went to Kroger instead, and spent $75 instead of the $40 I was planning to spend at Aldi. Not that Kroger is THAT much more expensive, but I do a totally different kind of shopping there because of the variety. I did save $36, according to the receipt. That doesn't count picking out store brands instead of name brands. It was a lot of money, but I am well-stocked now, and I really haven't been very well-stocked ever since my Christmas trip. The rest of the month I will only buy perishables and fill-ins.

I also went to Target and bought some Einstein blocks and receiving blankets (~$20) for a shower gift, and tomorrow I will add a book when I go to Border's. I didn't make it to Border's yesterday, because by the time I finished grocery shopping I was so tired I was like the walking dead. I decided I was running a slight fever. Took three Advil and lay on the couch all day reading "The March" by E.L. Doctorow -- a great Civil War yarn; I recommend it.

Before I pooped out, I also bought gas. I had half a tank, but the price was a tantalizing $1.95 per gallon, so I filled up for $11.10.

I'm still a little under the weather today -- and the weather is awful, cold and rainy -- so I will stay in and it will be a no-spend day. In fact, I showered this morning but put on clean jammies instead of clothes. My favorite kind of day!

I haven't had a no-spend day in a while, and won't today either. Yesterday I went out to lunch with friends at an Irish pub; the day before I bought a candy bar from the vending machine. Today I have to grocery shop.

After having spent so much on my kitchen, I'm losing enthusiasm for my small economies. I have to psych myself up. One thing I will do today is shop at Aldi's. I have to take my car to the dealer to get something reprogrammed (a manufacturer's recall), and the dealer happens to be very close to Aldi. So I will shop there, first time in months. I'm also limiting myself to $40. That will go pretty far at Aldi's.

I'm also going to go to Border's with a 25% off coupon to get a baby shower gift -- probably "The Baby Whisperer" if it's in stock. Then to Target, to get something like blankets, something that's on her list.

I found a dime yesterday and was thrilled and amused at the same time. I've spent about $3500 on my kitchen and I'm happy to get a dime? I guess every little bit helps!

Sorry I've been out of touch the last few days. I've been overwhelmed by my home improvement schemes, both financially and physically.

Remember the microwave with the door that wouldn't quite open? I exchanged it for a different one with a door that is inset (not edge-to-edge). So it opens quite easily and I am happy. Unfortunately, it cost me $129 more -- partly because it was a more expensive model, and partly because I had to pay another installation fee. I don't resent that, I know the guy has to be paid for his work, but jeesh.

I got my bill for the balance of the flooring replacement - $987. I think I will use one of those checks that Bank of America is always sending me -- it's a 2.99% interest rate and I should be able to pay it off with my tax refund. My tax refund will have to cover other bills, too. My Discover card has been run up with all kinds of miscellaneous charges, because paying for the appliances took all my cash. I usually pay the Discover card in full every month, but I don't think I will be able to next month. So I guess I'll use another B of A check and wait for the refund.

I don't like to be in this position, but I just had to get moving on the house. I really need to relocate this summer because my cousin is really struggling with her disability, and needs someone there.

The good news is that the kitchen is looking beautiful! I took all the wallpaper down and just have to finish the painting (olive gray -- very sedate and restful). I did manage to fall off the kitchen counter while pulling off wallpaper from above the cabinets, but luckily landed on my feet -- hard. I'm okay, but I have a few bruises. Didn't stop me from getting back up there to finish the job!

Since Tuesday I've been without a refrigerator or stove, because my kitchen floor was being replaced. Today my NEW kitchen appliances were delivered. They look great, but I am just a little bummed because the microwave door doesn't open all the way -- not the fault of the appliance or the installation, it's just wedged in too tightly. This house is too small in every way. I hope potential buyers will see the charm and not the cramped space.

Anyway, I've been eating peanut butter sandwiches and granola bars most of the week. Today I broke down and bought breakfast out -- an omelet and hash browns at a local family restaurant. Then, even though my appliances were in, I still had no fresh food on hand at suppertime, so I went to Taco Bell and got nachos. Haven't had them for ages and I had a real craving. Altogether I spent $14.

I still have lots of painting to do in the kitchen and also have to take down wallpaper -- ugh. I haven't had good experiences doing that.

I just finished putting the first coat of paint on PART of my kitchen walls, and I'm already disgusted. I only painted the areas behind the appliances, because my old appliances are out in the garage, and the new ones will be delivered tomorrow. I was hoping one coat would do it, but I clearly have to do another. True, most of it won't show, but some of it will. I hate painting. I'm not good at it. And it's messy.

After a no-spend day yesterday, I spent $79 today -- basically, $31 on paint and supplies, $35 on new knobs for the cabinets (my second attempt at buying knobs; I had to return the first set because of color disparity), $5 on toilet paper and $8 on floor vents (one of which I will have to return because it's the wrong size). As I said, I hate home improvement.

I also got a refund from Wal-Mart because I bought a drill at the self checkout the other day and managed to charge myself twice. I probably wouldn't have noticed if I weren't keeping receipts and logging my spending every day!

I'm taking tomorrow off, first of all to get a mammogram, and second of all to wait for my appliances in the afternoon. And I will put that second coat of paint on..... Sigh.

Oh my God!!! My floors are all done and they are GORGEOUS! I'm so happy I've done this! One thing I like -- besides the warm, homey appearance -- is the QUIET of these floors. They are not "clacky" at all, but seem to actually mute footsteps. I think my dog is a little freaked out!

This was money well spent.

Now I have to paint the kitchen walls before the new appliances are delivered. I have tomorrow evening, and Friday morning. I should go get the paint tonight, but I'm too tired.

I didn't spend anything today, and I scored a lot of free food at work. Most of it was not good for me, but someone put out oranges to share. I had one for lunch, and there were still some left at the end of the day, so I brought one home.

I am pondering the $20 challenge. If I do it, I will use the money I raise toward home repairs, rather than put it in savings. Home repair is what I really have to do now. But I don't have any bright ideas yet for how to spin $20 into something greater. I have already done all the traditional money-saving things for a long time, like brown-bagging etc. -- so I have to really think to come up with something new.

Totally off-topic -- as much as I regret the passing of Gerald Ford, I am enjoying all the coverage of Grand Rapids. I moved there when I was ten and lived there until I was 15. They were very happy years for me, and I love seeing the city on the national news. Gerald Ford's childhood home was not far from mine, and I went to the same high school -- but he was already a Congressman when I lived there, so we weren't buds. He did come to one of our band concerts once!

I have compared my spending in 2006 to the previous year, and found I spent less! (Not much) But the trend has always been a little MORE every year. When I went over the categories, the only category in which I spent significantly less was medical. Hmmm. I don't have much control over that, except for trying to develop healthy habits.

Like everyone else in the world, developing healthy habits is on my list of New Year's resolutions. To be more explicit, I'm going to exercise 30 minutes a day and eat at least 3 servings of fruit/vegetables. I hope it results in lower health costs, but you never know. My higher health costs in previous years were due to surgeries -- a hysterectomy that was unavoidable, and lasik eye surgery that was a gift to myself.

My new flooring has been laid in the entryway and bathroom. It's so beautiful! It really looks like wood, but it's vinyl tile. Tomorrow they will lay it in the kitchen and laundry room. So far I haven't gone into debt to pay for it, but I've only paid half. I have paid in full for the new kitchen appliances, however. It's almost sad that the house will be so pretty -- for someone else.

Any way you look at it, I'll be spending more as I get my house ready to sell. But as soon as I do that I will retire -- 2007 will be a year of big changes!

Two days after Christmas, and I'm just lazing around at my cousin's house. I've spent nothing since Christmas Eve, which is easy to do when you're at someone else's house!

My sons are on the way down to join me (they are visiting their dad, about 45 minutes away). Best part, grandson is coming, too!

Better get my gifts ready!

It's Christmas morning in Florida. When I arrived, on the evening of the 23rd, I was just in time for the parade of boats through the canals. They were all strung with Christmas lights and it was beautiful. I had a front row seat, right from my cousin's porch!

Since then we have been enjoying the unusual Christmas sights of herons and egrets frolicking in the pond, and chameleons performing mating rituals on the stoop. Everyone is complaining about the overcast skies and rain, but it's so WARM! How weird to go outside barefoot in December!

Yesterday we shopped for our Christmas meal -- which is mostly a turkey dinner from Publix. I also bought a nice bamboo cutting board for my son, who had commented that he needed one, some makeup brushes for me, some magazines for my sister, some pet grooming tools so I can TRY to catch some of this free-floating dog hair before it settles all over my cousin's house. As my cousin paid for the food, my Publix trip was $62.

I met my sister at a Best Western in Atlanta on the way down -- the cost for staying there that night, along with the fee for having a dog along, was $103. I paid about $45 for gas from Indiana to Atlanta, and about $12 for meals on the way down. I also bought a little lamp at a Cracker Barrel for my cousin for $15.

My sister paid for gas and meals from Atlanta to Florida.

Hope everyone has a very merry, wonderful Christmas wherever they are!

Aha! At last! Yesterday was a no spend day.

Today is our second luncheon at work. I'm picking up a meat & cheese platter on my way to work -- will contribute $3 toward the cost -- everyone else has paid up. Yesterday's lunch was fabulous -- and I got a free dinner, too, because the nice person who brought shrimp & cocktail sauce sent the leftovers home with me. Shrimp cocktail for dinner? Works for me!

I'm almost packed for my trip to Florida. Tonight I need to tidy up the house (a friend will be coming in to feed my cat, so I don't want to leave it a mess). I'm also going to see "Pursuit of Happyness" tonight with another friend. It was actually planned for yesterday, but we both decided last night was better spent getting ready for our respective trips. She's flying to California. I'm driving her to the airport at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning and from there I will continue on to Atlanta, where I will meet up with my sister and spend the night. Then it's on to Florida the next day.

I hope I will be able to check in with you guys while I'm on vacation. I'm packing my computer!