Today is a snow day, as will be tomorrow. My boss called me earlier this morning to say she was keeping the office closed. We are currently under a Winter storm warning which is expected to dump over a foot of snow in our area. I won’t deny that I was relieved with her decision to close the office as I wasn’t looking forward to being out on the roads today. Thankfully it shouldn’t hurt my paycheck as I’ll take vacation time to cover the lost hours.
In other happenings since my last post, I didn’t end up paying the surgeon’s bill in full. When I called to make the payment on Friday, they asked me how much I wanted to put towards the bill. Hmm, I didn’t know I’d have that option! Since I don’t want to keep this bill around forever, I said I’d pay $300/month. The money is in our savings account, but for now, I enjoy having a bit more of a cushion. I’ll see what happens come tax time and may opt to pay it off then.
Last week we received $175 worth of Lowes gift cards from rewards cards. Hubs stays in a lot of hotels, so these rewards do add up. Personally, I am glad we never see the bill for these hotels as they are paid directly by his employer. I’m sure I’d cringe at the cost as he stays in some pretty nice places! Hubs wants to build a dock this Summer so these gift cards will come in very handy to offset the supplies he will need. In a few weeks, I should also be able to add another $25 via Swagbucks. Building a dock has been a project Hubs has wanted to do since we moved here 2+ years ago. Since it isn’t a true need, I feel a bit better about it by offsetting the expense in this manner.
I am currently enjoying a free month of Netflix. So lovely they wanted me back and gave me this offer. I have already canceled the plan so there won’t be any charge made to our account. Providing we don’t lose internet or power with today’s storm, I may just do a little Netflix binge-watching.
My spending remains low for the month. I did stop for a few groceries this past Friday. Spent $36.38 bringing my grocery total for the month to $81.32. Hubs will be home in a few days so this week I will need to do a bit more “regular” shopping which will significantly add to my low spending. If it were just me, I think I could make it for the rest of the month without spending anything more in this category. Too bad Hubs doesn’t consider eating a banana for breakfast or a yogurt for lunch as full meals. It sure would help stretch the budget if he did. Lol As for gas, my total is now at $49.50. I’m sure I’ll need to fill up (or top off) my gas tank twice more this month. At some point, I’ll write a post on how much we budget for different categories.
No snow as of yet, but heavy fog and it is getting windy. Could the weather man be wrong? Even if he is, it’s still nice to have a snow day!
I can relate to the banana for breakfast. Sometimes I wake up and I’m just NOT hungry. A simple glass of milk or a piece of fruit will do. That’s a big score on the Lowe’s gift cards, yay!
That’s how I am in the morning. I seldom feel hungry until noon.
Sounds like you are doing well. I remember the snow from the Dakotas when I was little. I often skip breakfast, and a yogurt for lunch is fine with me.
Our friends and family thought we were crazy for moving to such a snowy area, but we love it! The snow has been coming down steadily for the past several hours. Looks like the weatherman was right after all!
Hi Lucy, sorry about your weather. Last week we left 6 inches of snow in Ohio when we went to visit our relatives in Arizona. We had a great time, and brought some navel oranges back from their orange trees, they are so good. Stay safe, and I am looking forward to seeing how you do your budget. PS, I couldn’t survive on just a banana or yogurt for a meal. 😉
I bet it was a nice break from the cold! Yum, fresh oranges! Providing we don’t lose power, I’ll probably do the budget post tomorrow.
I am jealous of your food budget, but mine is starting to stabilize. It’s that first month ‘need to get the basics’ is costing more than anticipated, but I am almost there. However, I am finding more and more ways to make my food stretch and not waste any.
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I wish I could say it was going to stay low for the month. With Hubs coming home for a week my next trip to the store will be much higher. Not complaining, though. I am always happy to have him home!
That is great that you did not have to pay the surgeon’s bill in full! I dislike having to pull money out of savings to pay for unexpected expenses it drives me crazy. Good luck with the snow, I hope you get to Netflix and relax.
Thanks! They will get it eventually, probably sooner than later as I really hate owing anyone money. As of this morning, it is still snowing. Later today I’ll have no choice but to get outside and clear the driveway.
Oh yes! I can eat PB crackers all day long but now that he is home….we spent 465.00 on groceries this month. Granted I had let the pantry and freezer get pretty empty, but still. 465.00!!!!!!!
Ouch, ouch, ouch! I am now a smidge over $200. I plan on making one last trip to the store this weekend to get Hubs some of the staples he likes to have with him. Hopefully, I can keep my spending at under $100.