3catslady
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Post by 3catslady on May 8, 2012 5:25:53 GMT -5
update: 7 NSD, 7 NEO, $0 in savings. I may eat out tonight or at least grab a pizza or maybe even a hoagie from my favorite place. I will wait and see. I have at least 7 meals in the freezer and more in my pantry so maybe I won't eat out. Does that confuse any one else besides me? No matter, I have only had 3 or 4 hours sleep and I have been laying (lying) ( I get those two confused) over there for the last hour. I can't shut my mind off and I hate that. I suppose I should be putting this in my journal instead of on here but here is where I am at the moment.
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on May 8, 2012 8:05:00 GMT -5
3cats: I get you on the nocturnal rambling. ;D I often find myself exactly where you were this morning! Rocky Mtn Saver: 2/31 NSD, 3/31 CSD (<$5). I had a CSD yesterday. I brought lunch to work, but ran out of midmorning snacks and bought one instead. Bad Rocky! I brought lunch again today, which is kudos for me, because I have to admit that I much prefer to eat lunch out. And I brought more midmorning snacks, so I won't have any excuses today. I have a commencement ceremony directly after work tonight, so I may or may not have a NSD depending on what the group decides to do afterward. I haven't had a lot of NSD's yet, so I'm thinking cheap thoughts.
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dakota4600
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Post by dakota4600 on May 8, 2012 9:40:33 GMT -5
4 NS/CS
Honey/SES- Thanks for the tips on the jam. I had read about the under ripe fruit, but what I got from the farmer's market was all pretty ripe. The few that weren't ripe I did toss in. It does taste really good. DS insisted on having jam in his yogurt for breakfast so I opened a jar.
SES- I will be trying the yogurt this weekend. I think except for Sunday it is a low key weekend.
Start- You are in a great place if you can choose not to work with rude people. WAY TO GO!
3cats- I have that feeling often about wanting to eat out even if there is food in the house. You aren't alone.
RockyMtn- Have fun tonight hopefully they will do something low key.
MRslynch- Prayers sent.
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redwagon
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Post by redwagon on May 8, 2012 10:15:58 GMT -5
honey - yay for not smoking! Stay strong! And I have a few tiny lilac bushes but they probably won't flower for a few years yet. Can't wait! Hope we're still in the house when they do!
sbcali - great job on your winnings, and congrats to DH on the job!! Such a great week for you guys!
start - that's a good idea. now I just need to make room in the freezer...
I'm doing well over here. Fairly no-spendy lately. Lots of cooking going on. Blue made beef stew that was amazing last night (perhaps because there was red wine in it and I haven't had wine in weeks). And tonight he's grilling. Thank god for grilling season. I can make him cook way more often and he enjoys it! Woohoo!
The only downer was we got a speeding ticket up near Boston on Saturday. I had JUST told Blue to slow down and two miles later, after NOT slowing down, cop. Figures. I'm making him pay for it. And he's cool with that. He felt really bad. It's his first ticket. I hugged him and welcomed him to the club to make him feel better lol. But he's still paying. He blamed my bright green car, which I'm sure didn't help. Ah well. Live and learn.
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azmom
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Post by azmom on May 8, 2012 10:52:42 GMT -5
I'm in for May! I have so much to catch up on but it makes my heart happy to see so many old friends participating this month! So many things to comment on. I will have to finish up this post later today because I am taking my DD to a playdate a splash pad in a few minutes. Muttleyn: CONGRATS Red: Glad the BABIES are doing great Mrs. Lynch {{{HUGS}}} and I will be praying for your cousin, wife and newborn. sbcalimom: Congrats to DH and good luck on the move. When I moved Honey gave me this incredible list that made moving so much easier. I had a month to pack up a two story house and it went surprisingly smooth. Dakota: I can't believe Mini D is already 4!!! CRAZY Constanz: Good to see you back I'll have to catch up on the rest later....sorry for whoever I missed this time around. Yesterday was payday so I was able to get a rough budget. Anything outside of this budget between now and the 22nd (next pay day different budget) will be considered a spend day: Groceries/Gas $300 Teacher Appreciation Gifts: $50 B-Day/Mother's Day Gifts: $150 Race Entry Fee: $45 End of the Year Baseball Party/Trophies $100 Fun Money: $40 I really NEED the accountability. It has become way to easy to just buy things here and there. Not crazy expensive things just things that will get me in trouble in the long run. Like a coffee here, donuts there, snack bar, yogurt. I just buy it without blinking or thinking and that will get me in trouble. Also, I have fallen in love with Chipotle and have become obsessed with their chicken salads. I seriously think I have eaten there 4x this week and they are not cheap! Happy No Spending ~azmom anotherhousewife.com/~
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redwagon
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Post by redwagon on May 8, 2012 11:01:24 GMT -5
azmom - it's so easy for those small purchases to add up! I've been better about bringing lunch, but I'm allowing myself to go out today for grilled cheese and tomato soup. As long as it's not a daily thing I think I can allow it. Good luck with your budget!!
So I started a blog for the babies. Feel free to check it out! redfishbluefishhavingtwofish.blogspot.com I only have one post so far, but it's a start!
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on May 8, 2012 11:05:10 GMT -5
I really NEED the accountability. It has become way to easy to just buy things here and there. Not crazy expensive things just things that will get me in trouble in the long run. Like a coffee here, donuts there, snack bar, yogurt. I just buy it without blinking or thinking and that will get me in trouble. Also, I have fallen in love with Chipotle and have become obsessed with their chicken salads. I seriously think I have eaten there 4x this week and they are not cheap! Yeah, those little mindless purchases are what get me too!! For me, it works better to use cash, because I definitely spend easier and more when I whip out the plastic. Being here helps, too, because accountability works wonders.
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startsmart
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Post by startsmart on May 8, 2012 11:15:02 GMT -5
honey - do you have that packing list on your blog? I'm sure sbcali would appreciate it azmom- chipolte is one of the easiest to recreate at home too! Can you wrap that into your grocery budget? This time of year in my area the fresh stuff is so cheap. Here's a taste (lol) of what I bought this weekend: 2 pounds of tomatoes, 50c/pound head of iceberg lettuce, 50 cents white onions, 30 c/pound green peppers, 50c/pound I also pick up zucchini or squash when it's under $1/pound and saute it for burritos, tacos, etc. Costco also has large flour tortillas, 30 in a pack for under $3. All that's needed is some beef or chicken, sprinkle some cheese on top and cook rice for a Chipolte style meal If you like a little crunch too save the broken bits of chips and mix them into a burrito bowl. Costco also has those huge 4 pound bags of tortilla chips that last forever. Much more cost effective than a tiny bag of air. Also bought strawberries since the roadside farm is picking already - so so good, fresh and ripe (none of those frankenberries) and cheap. I'm going to return all the strawberry baskets I've collected over the years and try to trade them for some free fruit I'll let y'all know how that goes!
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singlemomky
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Post by singlemomky on May 8, 2012 11:29:29 GMT -5
AZMom - go to recipegoldmine dot com! Along the left hand side is a category "Restaurant". Page 9 under the Cs are several Chipotle recipes.
I have not used any of those recipes, but I have used this site many times for other 'fake outs' with good success.
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dakota4600
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Post by dakota4600 on May 8, 2012 12:00:13 GMT -5
Singlemom- That site looks awesome. I'm definitely going to pin it so I can find it again later when I have more time to look up some favorites from different places.
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Honeylioness
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Post by Honeylioness on May 8, 2012 12:22:32 GMT -5
mrslynch - So sorry to hear about your cousin's family. Smokey - I will gather the box tops and labels up and send them off to you this week. startsmart - I have been opening the doors and windows of my office whenever the weather allows this last week and have started washing all the hard surfaces. 3cats - I completely understand about not being able to shut off your brain. I have that problem as well - especially recently. sbcalimom - startsmart beat me to it as I was thinking of sending you my moving/packing tips as a reference if you wanted it. You can find the posts and things to keep in mind from some notes I made for azmom a few years ago. It can be found at: honeylioness.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=frugal&thread=37&page=1
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constanz22
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Post by constanz22 on May 8, 2012 19:53:24 GMT -5
Wow, I managed another complete NS today! So far, so good!
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3catslady
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Post by 3catslady on May 8, 2012 21:57:53 GMT -5
I have a spend day. I went down to the hoagie place and bought myself 2, one for tonight and one for tomorrow. I came home and found a bowl of chicken and noodles and vegetables, like a casserole in my refrigerator. Just when I think I know her, she pulls something like this. Any way, I now have meals for 3 more days. It is a good thing mine are frozen or canned so I can eat her chicken. 7 NSD, 7 NEO and $100 in savings.
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on May 9, 2012 8:06:00 GMT -5
Rocky Mtn Saver: 3/31 NSD, 3/31 CSD (<$5).
Had a NSD yesterday, surprisingly. Commencement ran long (surprise, surprise!), so everyone just wanted to call it quits afterward. I think we're going to go out for lunch this weekend instead, so that'll work better anyway. Today should be CSD.
constanz: Good job on the NSD!
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3catslady
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Post by 3catslady on May 9, 2012 10:17:25 GMT -5
Just a random question ;D: Do you use place mats? Are they cloth or plastic or another fiber? This may sound silly to some of you, but since I finished the dishcloths, I feel useless. I've got 21 sets of the dishcloths done and in plastic bags sitting in my room. I've got enough yarn to make probably 21 more sets. On top of that, I have 20 shawls ready to take over to the Church and two 18 gal tubs of yarn left. Any suggestions?
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on May 9, 2012 10:20:09 GMT -5
3cats: I don't use placemats, actually. My sisters who have kids use them, but the vinyl kind that are easily washable. Wish I could help on your yarn dilemma! Sooooo, I guess it won't be a CSD after all. Just got an estimate from the vet's office for some work the cat needs done today. ~$600. She's been a pretty cheap pet, so I guess I can't fault the money. But I wish she'd learn how to floss properly!
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startsmart
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Post by startsmart on May 9, 2012 11:50:30 GMT -5
3cats- why not make more dish rags and then package them up to sell? It would be a great fundraiser for a charity you support or for your own rainy day fund. Plus if you need any testimonials about how awesome they are I'm sure you have plenty of us here who would send you a few words Or, you can create packs of 2 and gift them to women moving out of group homes and shelters when they get back on their feet.
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mizbear
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Stand back. I have a budget, and I know how to use it.
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Post by mizbear on May 9, 2012 17:43:27 GMT -5
Mom has lots of yarn so she is making lap blankets and afghans for the nursing home.
But yes I use placemats and coasters at home.
It drives DM bonkers. But it's one of the few girly traditional things I do. Most of my placemats are cloth- but not all.
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Honeylioness
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Post by Honeylioness on May 9, 2012 21:01:44 GMT -5
SES - Thank you so much for the conversation the other evening. How did your meeting go? azmom - Hello again. I know how those little expenditures can add up when you are not looking. 3cats - That was a nice surprise, your daughter-in-law leaving a meal for you. And I do use place mats, and startsmart had a good idea as well .. making little gift kits for local charity gift bazaars. Rocky - Yeah, my cats don't floss either dakota - You are going to be getting a package from me in the next few days .... ignore it please and forward it to singlemomKY ... I had a HUGE brain blip and sent the boxtops to you instead of Smokey. SingleMomKY - See note above. For some reason I wrote down that mini-D collected the boxtops. Which I should have realized was not correct as mini-D is only FOUR. Question and a request for feedback:I have received a couple of calls the last month or so about temporary positions. So far I have talked to the recruiters and even met with a couple of them face to face. My dilemma is this - if I was offered one of these temp positions, does it make financial sense for me to take it? By cutting expenses to the bone - no occasional cup of coffee, no monthly hamburger, nothing for charity, clothes or entertainment, and including a drastic increase for gas and/or transportation costs AND taking into consideration that I would lose the 80% reimbursement of my monthly COBRA payment (currently $547) if I go off Unemployment the rough numbers look like this: $ 18.00 - Average hourly rate of temp work offered $ 579.60 - Net weekly pay after taxes $2,316.00 - Estimated monthly take home $3,072.00 - Budgeted monthly expenses This means I would need to take $800 a month out of my savings/emergency fund each month to just break even. In six months my savings would be gone. I know a lot of people advocate taking any job just to get your foot in the door, but when it is a temp only position with no possibility for converting to a permanent position with benefits .. is it worth it or feasible to take the temp position even though it would actually "cost" me money? Additionally, if I apply for unemployment again after October 2012 the benefits I would receive would be a LOT less than I receive now because it would then be based on my DUI payments and the much lower temp earnings. I would be interested in hearing what other people think.
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on May 9, 2012 21:23:06 GMT -5
Well, the hits keep rolling in this week. Just when money things have me really down, a friend from church passed away very unexpectedly this morning and reminds me what bad stuff really is. He had hip surgery on Monday but last we had heard he was recovering fine. In other news, DS's crib got converted to a toddler bed today. So far so good. Honey - I really don't know. Best of luck with whatever you decide. $800 is a lot to be running in the red every month (says the family that based on our budget runs about $100 to $200 in the red each month - not actually how it works out, last year we broke even). At $800 a month you would have no hope of just being able to say oh I over budgetted a few areas. I don't have enough of a feel for your job market or even enough experience job hunting to be able to give you good advice.
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3catslady
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Post by 3catslady on May 9, 2012 21:33:57 GMT -5
Honey: in PA the claim runs for a year. If in that time you work a temp job and it is over in 6 months, you can then reopen your claim and draw from that until your claim runs out. It is like your claim is suspended for the time you work. Then you open another claim and continue drawing. I don't know how that works in other states. Just ask at the job center. They will tell you what to expect.
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sbcalimom
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Post by sbcalimom on May 9, 2012 21:59:22 GMT -5
Honey: Thank you so much for your amazing list. I am totally printing that and using it to help me. As far as the unemployment question, I would hesitate to take something that left me that much in the red that didn't have any potential for permanence AND could influence UI negatively later.
3cats: have you done beanies for babies? I know a lot of hospitals have programs where you can knit hats for NICU babies or full term babies. They would be quick and easy and not require a ton of yarn.
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startsmart
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Post by startsmart on May 9, 2012 22:06:32 GMT -5
Honey - does that negative $800 budget include the expenses associated with work (gas for the car, parking, work clothes, misc expenses)? I would stick to your minimally acceptable wage with either full time or temp work.
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Honeylioness
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Post by Honeylioness on May 9, 2012 23:37:55 GMT -5
sbcalimom - Glad you found the list and tips helpful. When you grow up as I did, moving every 2-3 years, you learn a few things along the way
startsmart - The shortage is primarily made up of my COBRA payment where I lose my 80% subsidy going off unemployment. It also accounts for an increase in my Auto line item to account for increased gas usage and parking OR the cost of the commuter train and subway fees.
This may be the first time I have ever posted my actual numbers. And I have gone through it several times but it is pared down as much as possible. Living in the Northeast the cost of utilities are pretty high as are other things due to this being a higher COL area than other parts of the country.
Projected Fixed Expenses $1,153.00 - Mortgage/Rent $ 225.00 - Condo Fees $ 110.00 - Electricity (avg) $ 83.00 - Natural Gas (avg) $ 12.75 - Cable (for reception) $ 18.00 - Water/Sewer (avg - Paid Quarterly) $ 145.58 - Insurance - Auto $ 25.00 - Insurance - Home (avg - Paid twice a year) $ 17.94 - Juno: DSL $ 90.84 - Verizon (local & unlimited long dist) $ 15.94 - Cell Phone $ 32.92 - LTD $ 30.00 - HSBC $1,959.97 - Total Fixed Expenses Projected Variable Expenses $ 300.00 - Groceries/Cat Food $ 550.00 - Pharmacy/ Medical $ 200.00 - Gas / Auto Items $ 0.00 - Clothing/Gifts $ 10.00 - Meals Out/Coffee $ 20.00 - Entertainment $ 0.00 - Fabric/Craft $ 0.00 - Dues (Costco/AAA) $ 0.00 - Subscriptions $ 20.00 - Alcohol $ 0.00 - Charity $ 0.00 - Household $ 0.00 - Parlee/canning $ 10.00 - Other $1,110.00 - Total Variable Expenses $3,069.97 - Total Expenses $2,316.00 - Temp Pay Take Home ($18/hr w/ 2 exemptions) $ 753.97 - Amount to be transferred monthly from savings
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on May 10, 2012 8:19:18 GMT -5
Honey, how long have you been looking for work? How long is the temp gig? Are you certain that there would be no chance to move into a permanent gig? I've worked several times at temp gigs that were converted to full-time permanent jobs after 3 months.
So, what does everyone think I should do about my CSD yesterday? Outside of the vet visit, I spent $4.85. Of course, the vet visit was $596! Should I be kind to myself and call it a CSD and disregard the vet bill, or should I be firm with myself and call it what it was? ;D
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dakota4600
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Post by dakota4600 on May 10, 2012 8:47:42 GMT -5
Another 2 NS, 6NS/CS for the month. Just being back here has made me more cognizant of it. The auditors are hopefully wrapping up today and I'll be able to get back to my real job. Honey- I would stick with holding out for a better paying job, unless by turning it down you are risking losing the UI benefits. And I will forward on the boxtops to singlemom. Muttley- Hope the transition to the toddler bed goes smoothly. Rocky- Do you plan/budget for pet expenses? If so and it can be covered by the budget (even accruing a few months) then I'd count it as a CSD. If the money has to come out of savings or another budget line, then I'd be firm and call it a spend. 3cats- I only use the vinyl placemats for mini-D. A couple years back when Mini-D was in the hospital for a week, he got a blanket through Project Linus. They have people donate handmade blankets/afghans/quilts and give them to kids in the hospital. Here is the link for the PA chapters. www.projectlinus.org/chapter.php?StateKey=PA#tgt.
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on May 10, 2012 8:53:28 GMT -5
dakota: I hate when the auditors are here! We're about to enter that season, too. I don't budget for pet expenses because they're pretty minimal. Food/litter just comes from the grocery category. She's technically my mother's cat, so mom usually picks up the bill for her vet visits. I okay'd the dental work yesterday and I'm volunteering to pay for the bill since it's so much larger than normal. Mom is on a fixed income. But I think you're right, I should call it a Spend Day as the cash is being taken from other budget lines. Plenty of time in the month to make up the CSD!
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startsmart
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Post by startsmart on May 10, 2012 9:38:15 GMT -5
Muttelyn - so sorry to hear about your friend from church. The sudden losses are sometimes much harder to handle. Hope you can spend some time with the family and find comfort. My parents have lost several close friends in the last year (cancer for two) and commented that the time spent together after the death was in some ways more important than before.
Rocky Mt Saver - why not pay the cat bill and label it a spend day and then set aside $50 a month for cat maintenance fees? At the end of the year you'll have a nice cushion in case something comes up your mom can't pay and if kitty lives a long, healthy life then you can plan a weekend trip funded by the cat emergency fund.
Honey - I still think it's a tight budget assuming no emergencies, flat tires, utility increases or socially obligated gifts required. With your budget now and the unemployment are you able to cover everything or most everything? What's your out of savings amount per month now (if you can't cover it all with unemployment)? My Mom wrapped up a temp job last week that she started in December as a 2 week job but faced the same problem, once they re-evaluate her unemployment she'll get bumped down because for one quarter she made some money which lowers the payment. She's glad to be working but it's tight, especially with my Dad laid off for several months.
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on May 10, 2012 12:21:40 GMT -5
startsmart: That might be worth considering. The cat is getting older, although she's in pretty good health generally-speaking. And at least if I got to spend the cat fund on a vacation or new furniture next year, she'd be contributing to the household in some way!
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redwagon
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Post by redwagon on May 10, 2012 13:19:31 GMT -5
Muttley - so sorry to hear about your friend. My condolences.
Felt like crud last night so we got Chinese. Having it leftover tonight. I think I could eat pork fried rice every day...
And very excited to not be going anywhere this weekend. Staying fairly close to home. No weddings, no filling up the gas tank three times (I have an 8gal tank so it's not totally crazy), no dressing up. In fact, I'm wearing my "I grow twins. What's your superpower?" tshirt on Sunday to announce the twins to blue's family. Should be fun. Had a doctor's appointment today and everything continues to go well. Yay!
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