A silly reason to be jealous

I was talking to a friend today, and she paid $3.99 a gallon for gas on Sunday.

Today I paid $4.07, down from $4.19 last Friday. Needless to say, I coasted into the station today, and still didn't fill my tank.

I think it's pathetic that we were both excited about our deals.

I think it's more pathetic that I was jealous of the price she paid for gas.

What's next?

Week Two - No Spend January

Hmm ... this is tough. Not the no-spending part, but the tracking part.

January 5: $4.57 at the O'Hare Oasis on our way back from the airport.
January 6: $11.38 at Borders for calendars and what not ... DH had $80 in gift cards/store credit to spend, so he got a pile of books too.
January 7: $4 at the car wash because I couldn't see, and I figure the $4 there is cheaper than my $500 deductible; $78.72 at the grocery store for the week. It should last a bit longer than that, though. Did I also mention that I am doing the Great Freezer & Pantry Cookdown. Over the last two months we seem to have acquired an odd assortment of ingredients and random pieces of meat. January is typically one of the three months during the year when we do the Great Freezer & Pantry Cookdown. I'm not sure why I have a jar of plum jam in the pantry, but I'll be using it next week!
January 8: I returned the crack filler, and then spent an additional $1.06 for some batteries. Watch batteries are so expensive, especially if you consider their size - the size per dollar ratio is not in favor of the dollar.
January 9: I returned some things at Target and got $10.03 back. I did spend $43 at Michaels, on a gift card, to finish a project that I had started and some things for the kids to paint. I also spent $6.14 at Jewel for dinner - the first store didn't have what I needed.


That is $95.84, plus what I've already spent. I don't anticipate going anywhere or spending any money Thursday or Friday this week, and the weekend is looking pretty harmless too.

Happy New Year!

It's January 1, 2008. We survived another year, and welcomed 2008 in semi-grand fashion, with a house full of friends and a midnight dip into their (outdoor) hot tub for my husband. I am too cold, even in the summer, to even contemplate getting into a hot tub when it's 10 degrees outside. Call me crazy, but a member of the Polar Bear Club I will NOT be.

In the spirit of the New Year, everyone is talking about resolutions. I don't make them. I prefer to set a goal for the month/year/season and see if I can do it. I don't vow to exercise more, eat less ... not for me.

For January, I've decided it's a no-spend month. This means that the only money we spend will be from the gift cards given to us, or on bills (gas, electric, etc) or on things that we truly need, not want. It really makes you think about what you're buying and why you're buying it.

In February, we are talking about taking a long weekend and going to Wisconsin Dells with the kids for a mid-winter break.

In March, The Husband will take Q to Arizona to visit his (The Husband's) grandparents. They are in their 80's ... there may not be too many more chances to visit, so we're doing it now. The Bee went with her Dad two years ago, so now it's Q's turn.

Today, we filled the gas tank in my car (gulp) to the tune of $56.78. I hate the gas station. Granted, I was at an eighth of a tank, but I still hate it.

I'm off to spend the rest of a lazy day with my kids and husband. I like January 1st.

Grand Total spent in January: $56.78 (which, is the keys 45678 in a row - nice start!)