IT "CENTS" TO ME FOR MONDAY - JANUARY 5th

Hello everyone and Happy Monday,

How are you all today?  I am doing well. The crazy busy holiday season at work has slowed down some. Although, there's still some mess that we're trying to clean up from that. I also have inventory coming up at the end of this week. That means I will literally be working from 9 p.m. on Friday until 6 a.m. on Saturday counting things.  I'll be super tired....but then I won't have to work again till the following Monday.

Okay, so one of my BIG goals for this year is create a home management binder that I can record all my finances, goals etc. I really need to get my budget under control this year. I don't overspend. I always live within my means, but I'm not a good saver. So I'm getting better at that this year. Plus, my BIG BIG goal is to really make a dent in paying off my student loans.

It may take me awhile, but once I pay off student loans and my car, I'll be completely and totally 100% debt free :)  I'll be blogging about that more specifically soon, because it's on my heart to do that as a way to motivate myself, keep myself accountable and hopefully encourage others that no matter where you're at financially, there is always something you can do, even if it's just a small step (like using a cash envelope system) to improve your financial situation.

Why am I doing this?  I want to be able to give big and to give without hesitation and participate in ministry opportunities as they come up. I can't do much of that, because of this financial burden that hangs over me...but also, I just don't like having that weight on my shoulders.

I am a fan of Dave Ramsey. Click here to go to his website or click here to go to his page on Facebook. I don't even remember how I first heard about him. It's been quite a few years now, but I do remember somehow getting a copy of the book "The Total Money Makeover" and it changed my life and set me on a path of working towards being completely and totally debt free. 

I suppose everyone has to make their own choices and for me, this is the right path to follow and it hasn't been easy.  I stopped using credit cards in 2003 and finally paid off all of my credit card debt in 2007. That's another story for another time, too...but wow, it was HARD WORK...but oh so worth it, because when I sent in that final check and paid it all off, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders and I felt so free. 

I'll show you all a few pictures of my home management binder in just a moment, but two other websites that have been so helpful and encouraging to me are The Budget Mama and Money Saving Mom.  I'm not married, nor am I a mother, BUT I have found these sites along with quite a few others to be invaluable and so encouraging in my journey towards being a better steward of my money and towards getting out of debt once and for all.  If you do visit either page, please tell the nice ladies there that I sent you :) :)

I've always had some sort of planner in the past but I never really used them. However, I have found the desire to keep a written record of my finances and just being organized, in general, to be really helpful in keeping myself on track, creating more time in my day etc.

I needed a new planner, but I couldn't afford to pay the cost for a new one and certainly not even one of those really fancy ones that come in PDF format, where you can print out whatever pages you want. Although they are fantastic and worth every penny, in my opinion. My heart's desire this year is to live as frugally as possible and only spend money when I absolutely have to. Fortunately for me, I did find a couple of sites that offered some free, very basic but extremely useful printables which I promptly downloaded and printed out. 

The only one I actually paid for was a really basic, but extremely useful home management binder from Sheri Graham called The Intentional Planner. A one year subscription only costs me $5 and I can download all the files for this year that I want. It's designed for someone who is a homeschooling parent, but many of the categories are useful for anyone, including finances, setting goals, blogging, daily and monthly calendars etc.

This is what the front of my planner looks like. I was able to edit the PDF file and call it "Heather's Home Companion".  I reused a pink three-ring binder that I received from a women's Bible study a few years ago and probably saved myself at least $5 by doing that instead of buying a new one.

I have the daily and monthly pages located in the front of the binder. I like having an entire day on a page AND having an entire month at a glance spread out over two pages. I like having an entire day on a page, so I have lots of space for writing out details of my day, what I spent, goals, memory verse or  whatever else I need to keep track of. Having a month spread out over two pages is also helpful for me, because I like to write down when my bills are due and when I get paid. It helps to have a literal visual, so I know exactly what bills need to come out of which paycheck.



 

I haven't settled on which day on a page style I like yet. So I'm using the one from the Intentional Planner and also one that was a free download from Ann Voskamp's website "A Holy Experience" As soon as I find the link for the latter, I'll come back and post it here.  I don't need anything overcomplicated. This is easy, practical and it's got a bit of beauty added which is always a plus :)  I actually forgot I had these. It was fun to find these again.

 

Also, as part of my goal of keeping  a record of my finances, goals etc. I am also keeping track of things I'm thankful for each year. I am participating in the Joy Dare / Count 1,000 Gifts over at Ann Voskamp's site "A Holy Experience" The easiest way to find out more about that is to click here and visit her page on Facebook or here to visit the page that goes with the book "One Thousand Gifts". 

It's so important to me to remind myself to be grateful for all of the blessings that God has given me - big and small and to remember to find joy even in the most ordinary of things. So I've been participating in the Joy Dare as much as possible, and writing down things I'm thankful for - anything that makes me smile, laugh etc. 

I also happened to find this printout that a lady in my church Bible study printed on her home computer a long time ago. It's a monthly challenge to write down at least one thing that we're thankful for everyday. It's also from Ann Voskamp's website "A Holy Experience" .  I don't know if this particular download is available any longer, but I sure am glad that I didn't throw it out. 

This is what the inside looks like. As it happens, I have January in front, so I better get started. I've been faithful to keep up with each day's Joy Dare, but I don't think you can ever be too thankful for things or to seek joy in the everyday things of life. Take it all and look back at the end of the year and say "Wow, God really has done a lot. I have a blessed life" :) :) :)

That's a good start for now. As I start using my "home companion" a little bit more, I'll let you know how it's working out. I'll give you a review at the beginning of February, plus maybe a few more sneak peaks into how I like to organize my single life on paper. 

That brings up a random thought.  I am single and have never been married.  One of my dreams is to be a wife and mother, but it all has to happen in God's timing, because He knows best and He clearly knows how to give the best gifts, Amen? :) :) :) So while I'm waiting for that, there's nothing that says I can't work on my homemaking skills right now.

I'm not just talking about cooking and sewing etc...but also really incorporating faith into every aspect of my life and how I decorate my home etc. One of my heart's desire's is to make whatever place I call home, a real place of hospitality - biblical hospitality. I'm not even sure how to define that other than I know it's more than just about the "stuff" It's about people. I want my home to be a place where people feel welcomes and encouraged and that they leave happier than when the arrived at my door.

Oh, the wheels of ideas are spinning. I need to get all of my ideas down on paper. God is so creative and He's created us with creative minds and talents to use to love on and serve others and for His glory :) :)

Alrighty, friends,  that is the news from the ocean shores of California today.

Extra love and hugs for the New Year,

Heather

p.s. I also participate in a fun daily photo challenge with the nice ladies over at Middle Places.  Click here to visit their blog. I found this group purely by chance while looking for a fun daily photo challenge to participate in. It has turned out to be such a delightful group of women bloggers. I'd encourage you to check it out.

IT MAKES "CENTS" TO ME for MONDAY - DECEMBER 22nd

Hi everyone,

How are you? I've got a little bit of a cold, which has made working this crazy retail season a little challenging. I am resting a lot and drinking lots of fluids.  Thankfully, I'm making it so far :)

Have you noticed that gas prices have been dropping in your area? I have. I haven't been keeping track of prices, but I think gas is less than $3 a gallon in my area.  I was at exactly a half tank of gas.  So I drove to Whole Foods, bought a Sunday paper and got $20 cash back to fill up the tank...and based on my previous experience at the gas station, I "knew" that $20 wouldn't fill it up. Well, I guess there's a first time for everything.  Not only was the $20 more than enough. It only cost me $17 to fill up a half-tank and get it above the "full" line.

Here's a pic of me looking across the street at another gas station and thinking, I really am glad to have money to put gas in the car.  Now I have $3 dollars left over. What will I do with it? I will put it into my cash envelope and specifically the one marked for "gasoline"...so I'll have a fund ready to go for the next time I need to fill up.

After work, I needed to do a little bit of shopping. One thing I always ask myself lately is 1)Do I really need it? 2) Is there something I have at home that can fulfill the "need" that I have until I can afford to pay for the item I want?  Well, I had two things on my list - new heavy duty black socks to wear while I"m at work and a contour make-up brush. 

I decided the contour make-up brush could wait, because I have another brush that can serve the same purpose. However, I really needed the socks. They seem to get lost all on their own.  I ended up buying a set of 6 pairs of Gold Toe heavy duty cotton black socks. They are guys socks, but I love them because they're so comfortable. It's the perfect thing to put on my feet when I'm spending all day on the sales floor at work. It makes being on my feet so much easier. When my feet are comfortable, I can work better :)

This is what I ended up purchasing last night after work.

I needed the socks and I knew that I'd get my 20% employee discount. What I forgot about is that they were also eligible with a 20% off coupon. The socks originally cost $20 for  set of six. With taxes it would have cost $21.50. When I got to the register, the associate reminded me that I could use a coupon. That was a really nice surprise. That's $4 extra dollars that I saved....that translates to eggs, bread, or some coffee or a gallon of gas...or something like that...so with the coupon and my employee discount, it ended up only costing me $13.76 with tax.

That represents a savings of 36% off of the original price. I'm happy with that.  I'm very happy with that :) :) 


What are some things that you've saved money on lately that brought a smile to your face? 

Oh, after work, I went for an ocean drive with my father. I was wiped out after a super busy sales day. It was a beautiful evening and it was still just light enough to see some things. I loved driving past Old Fisherman's Wharf because the lights from the buildings were dancing off the surface of the water...just beautiful :)

I've got three more work days before Christmas and then things will slow down just a bit before New Year's Day :) :) :) 

I plan on going out for coffee and a visit to Asilomar State Beach on Christmas day. What about you all? If you celebrate Christmas or some other holidays, what plans do you have?

I pray that you will all have a very Happy Holidays!!!!  That is the news from the ocean shores of California today.

Love and hugs,  Heather :) :) :)

IT MAKES "CENTS" TO ME FOR FRIDAY - DECEMBER 27th

Hi everyone,

How are you? I'm doing really well.  I am happy to report that I am feeling better and no longer sick. That's been like that for awhile now and the antibiotics really helped.

I was in Whole Foods this morning and going to buy a gluten free shampoo, when I found another one that I use was on sale AND it had a coupon on the bottle.  While I do eat gluten free for health reasons, I don't necessarily have to use gluten free body and haircare products. 

Here's a photo of the shampoo that I use. It's a really good brand that leaves my hair soft and shiny. Plus, the area that I live in has hard water, which can sometimes make my hair feel like straw, but this shampoo seems to counteract that really nicely.  In any case, here is a photo of the shampoo that I purchased today:

This was really cool.  I normally like to buy my products via Vitacost to save money. However, my budget is tight and I don't have enough money to place an order and get free shipping. So I have no problem just buying individual items at Whole Foods or another store when I absolutely NEED them. In this case, I needed a new bottle of shampoo, but it's one that is good for my hair and my skin.

I've used the 2Chic ultra sleek shampoo from Giovanni.  Just so you all know, I am talking about this product because I LOVE IT and IT WORKS FANTASTIC.  I was not paid in any way. I'm simply blogging about this because I love the product and at a fantastic price.

This bottle of shampoo normally costs $8.99 and with general sales tax of 7.5% comes to $9.66.

Now here's the cool thing. It was on sale for $7.19 AND it had a coupon pasted on the bottle for $2 off the purchase of any Giovanni product of $5 or more.....so I saved some major chaching...because I was able to combine both of those discounts along with my 10% mall employee discount and I only paid $5.18. 

That is a savings of about 46% off of the original cost. That's a great savings.  Now I can get shampoos for much cheaper than this, true....but this is one thing that I don't compromise on in terms of the quality of the ingredients.  I'm a really careful shopper and save in other areas, so I can afford this because it's important to me.

I also got paid today and gave every dollar a name.  I budgeted 10% of my gross paycheck for tithe and have that all in cash and ready to go for Sunday. 

God has been really faithful to me as I've been faithful to manage what is His to begin with.  It's been really interesting, because my budget is working out. I still have to be careful with how I spend my money and there are still things that I need and want. However, all of my current bills are getting paid easily and that is a huge praise ;) :) :)

It's going to take me awhile to reach my goal, but I will get there :) :)

Enjoy the weekend.  The weather here in Monterey is absolutely beautiful today. It's so warm. It feels more like summer than winter.  That is the news from the ocean shores of California today.

Love and hugs, Heather :) :) :)











IT MAKES "CENTS" TO ME FOR FRIDAY - NOVEMBER 15th

Hi everyone,

How are you today? How has your week been?  My week has been crazy and good and everything in between.  We're starting to get into the "BUSY" season at work. It'll stay busy until the end of the year.

I very rarely spend money on new clothes because I am on a really limited budget, so it's not worked into my budget, even when I really could use some new clothes. However, today was payday, and I decied that some new shirts for work were really needed. My goal is to have enough work clothes in my closet, that I could have one new outfit to wear every day of the week for 7 days, so that I don't have to wash the same thing over and over again.

I happened to be working in a department today that sells Ralph Lauren clothes for women. So I took a look at some basic long-sleeve tops. I ended up purchasing two black and one dark gray top.

Now listen to how I saved some serious "cha-ching" aka money, on the tops that I purchased today.  Most employees at work have a store credit card that they use.  We are required to have one in order to get the employee discount. However, there is also the option of having a prepaid store card. That's the one that I took, since I MUST put money on it FIRST before I can use it. 

So I happened to be looking at these tops, because I've purchased Ralph Lauren tops in the past on clearance and I've always had good luck with them. They also wear really well in the wash and still look good. so I know it would be a good deal, even if they were full price.


I saw these tops.  They are normally $32.98 each. However, they had a clearance tag price of $29.99 each.  When I checked the final price at the register, they were ringing up at $24.99 each. That's great !!! There was also a "use your card" discount of 20% on sale and clearance.

So I used my prepaid card and got 20% of the current clearance price. That dropped the cost of my tops to $19.99 each at the register.

So with all three tops together plus 7.5% sales tax, my total came to $64.47..

But wait, it gets so much BETTER.  Since I am an employee, I also get an additional employee discount of 20%. So that will bring my overall total down to $51.58.

Before I go into how much of a percentage I actually saved, let me throw in a picture of the cute little pocket on the left arm of each of the tops.  I don't normally like pockets on the front of any top. This is small, subtle and on the side. So strictly from a style viewpoint, this is fantastic.

Okay, if I had paid regular full retail price for all three tops and 7.5% sales tax, this would have cost me exactly $106.36.

However, since they were on clearance, there was a 20% "use your card" discount and my 20% employee discount AND the fact that I paid cash on my card FIRST....well, now my 3 designer tops only cost me $51.58 with tax.

That means I saved a GRAND TOTAL of 52% off the original retail price with tax. I'm really proud of that.

Now my next goal is to start building my collection of work pants. I literally have one pair that I wash every day. In fact, I will wear one of my new tops to work tomorrow.


Next week, I'll share more about how I give every dollar a name. I get paid every week, which is really nice. It's making "giving every dollar a name" much easier.

That is the news from the ocean shores of California today. Love and hugs to you all, Heather

IT MAKES "CENTS" TO ME FOR FRIDAY - NOVEMBER 1st

Hi Everyone :) :)

I hope you all had a really good week. My week was really busy. I had all these ideas for other blog posts that I wanted to write about this week and I just didn't get around to it. It's probably a good idea to start putting these things down on a calendar and writing a little bit here and a little bit there - as time allows.

I don't really have a blog post about saving money today BUT I am going to share a couple of things that I thought you'd find interesting.

The first is a link to a video from the Dave Ramsey website. Actually, I saw it posted on the Dave Ramsey page on Facebook.  Every so often they'll post really neat and inspirational stories of people who have gotten out of debt.  This is one that was some serious inspiration for me for a few reasons.  Here's the link below.  Watch the whole thing in its entirety:



The decision to be completely and totally 100% debt free is a choice that I have made for myself. It's a decision that will look different for everyone based on different circumstances etc. However, this video was really inspiring to me for so many reasons.

This is a young woman, who with her husband, perservered through some very difficult circumstances to reach a personal goal that they had set for themselves. People made fun of them. That didn't stop them.

What caused me to literally break down in tears was when I learned....well, I'm not going to spoil it. That's why I HIGHLY recommend you watch this whole video and then you'll know why it caused me to break down and cry.

What I carried away from this is that if you want something bad enough, you will find a way. God will make a way.  It may take me awhile to reach that goal, but with God ALL THINGS are possible.  Plus, I'm not going to let the objections of a few dictate my life or throw me off my goal.

I spent most of the morning and part of the afternoon with my very good friend A. from church. She's a mentor and good friend. We went went shopping at Costco and also ate lunch there. While there and on the drive home, we talked about all sorts of things including money etc and setting priorities while working my way out of debt etc.

My mind was so focused on paying bills that I was not eating while at work. Yes, I admit it and it was a very bad thing. So we talked about how paying bills are important but I must take care of my body first. So we brainstormed some really inexpensive things I could bring to work and eat on my lunch break. 

A. gave me a huge box of these fast noodle packages that her daughter brought back from Vietnam. They work just like the Top Ramen noodles that you buy in the store. So what a blessing and that's a HUGE savings right there.

Some super duper cheap things you could bring just to give you a protein boost while at work:

hard-boiled eggs

peanut butter


I'm living on a soda-pop can budget right now and these are two very easy and inexpensive things that I can do right now.

In any case, I'm really having to sit down and rethink my priorities. I'm not giving up on my goal of getting out of debt. What I am doing is just rethinking how I do things.

So I'll have more to add to this as time goes on. So keep checking back here and read my updates. As I think of things, I'll add it here and save  some for next Friday, too. It's been a huge day of revelations for me about finances, how to treat my body well etc.

I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Keep it kind, of course :) :) I love hearing from all of you :) Have a great weekend.

That's the news from the ocean shores of California today. Love and hugs to you all, Heather :)

UPDATE: November 1st at 8:40 p.m. PST
The same friend that I was talking about earlier, came back again later today and brought her daughter with her.  She had all this extra food that she just blessed my father and I with. I was so humbled and thankful.  I don't often talk about the difficulties in my life, because I would rather foster an attitude of gratitude and be thankful for the many, many blessings that God has given to me.

However, this practical act of love was amazing.  So now our cupboard and freezer is comletely stocked. There are lots of things that I can bring with me to work, to give me that needed protein boost during the day.

I find that for my body, protein is a necessity throughout the day to keep me going.  So it'll be interesting to see how things change at work, because I'm making sure that my body and health are a top priority first while still keeping my goal of paying down debt and saving money at the forefront.




IT MAKES "CENTS" TO ME FRIDAY FOR OCTOBER 18th, 2013

Hi everyone,

Wow, is my head ever swimming. It seems like I was in a rut in terms of how I was going to come up with a game plan for knocking out my student loan debt etc. Now that I'm starting to turn my dream into a concrete vision, all these ideas are swimming around in my head.

I am starting with small baby steps. 

One thing that I like to do is to make a list of things that I'll be "needing" in the future.  Here is a list of things that I will definitely be needing at some point, but I don't have to buy them right away:

First thing, the word "Einkaufszettel" is German for "shopping list". I still write it out that way, ever since I lived in Germany as a study abroad student. 

In any case,  these are things that I'll be needing to buy in the near future.  The MAC lipstick and lip gloss are really nice, neutral colors that I can wear anytime. It's funny, because I'm almost out of both colors.

I almost stopped by work to buy some today after church. However, I didn't really have a piece about it and I kept asking myself the question: Do I really NEED this right now or can I wait just a little bit longer before I plunk down money for this?

My answer was: I CAN wait and I will wait a little bit longer.

One thing I have learned is that just because you have the money to buy something RIGHT NOW doesn't mean you have to.  So I will wait until I'm completely out before I replenish my make-up inventory :) 


I do wear braces, so dental floss is a MUST right now.  I go through that stuff really fast.  The same for the toothpaste. Since I'm paying out-of-pocket for my orthodontic care, I want to make sure that I get my money's worth and that means taking very good care of my teeth.

The toothpaste is gluten free and so is the shampoo and conditoner on my list. I do use the Raspberry Shine. Here's a photo again of the conditioner:

I was paying $8.99 a bottle for the shampoo and conditioner and probably about $6 for the toothpaste.  They are gluten free products and those things are important to me. So I am willing to make the sacrifice for those things.

HOWEVER, a very sweet reader sent me a private email the other day and told me of a really great site, where I could get my conditioner for much less. The site is called Swanson Vitamins.  Click here to visit their site. I found my conditioner listed here for about $4.98...yeah, my jaw dropped to the floor, too. With as often as I use this product and even factoring in shipping, I won't be buying it at my local store anymore.

There's also another site called VitaCost that has awesome natural and organic products at really great prices. Click here to visit them. The last time I checked I found my shampoo and conditioner selling here for about $4.98 a bottle and my special toothpaste for $3.98 a tube. the BEST part is that shipping is free on orders over $49 and they often have free shipping specials on smaller orders.

I don't normally spend that much at one time on my hair and body care products. However, with such great deals, I can afford to make a BIG purchase now, knowing that I'm saving a LOT of money in the long run. 

Today is payday. I'll let you know what I end up ordering, what the total is and what I ordered.

UPDATE at 6:23 p.m Pacific Standard Time:

Hi everyone ;) :) Okay, so I ended up having to place my order as a "guest", but I was able to reset my password this afternoon after work.  WOW, did I save a boatload of money...at least a lot for me.

After work, I went to my local store where I usually most of these products I'm about to tell you about.  If I payed full price (including tax) for everything I ordered today, it would have been $91.99.

As it happens, with my VitaCost order I only paid $50.31. There was no tax and it was FREE shipping because I ordered over $49 worth of product :)

That's a savings of 45%. That is HUGE in my checkbook and that frees up that much more money to put towards paying off bills etc.  I just placed the order this morning and it should arrive in 1-4 business days.

Here's the breakdown of what I purchased. I will highlight in BLUE what the regular retail was and factor in the taxes at the end.  Unless otherwise specified, I only ordered a quantity of ONE of certain items. In other cases, I ordered multiples because it's something I know that I will use consistently.

South of France Bar Soap Acai Pomegranate - 8.8 ox
$3.94 / $6.39

Desert Essence Dental Floss - Tea Tree Oil - 50 yds
$2.29 x 4 qty / $3.99

GUM Eez-Thru Floss Threaders - 25 pieces
$2.96 / $3.29
I will say that this one came as a surprise, because I didn't even know that VitaCost carried this, but they DO :) :) :) I use these ALL THE TIME to help me with flossing. They're necessary in order to floss the teeth while going through the process of braces on the teeth.

Auromere Herbal Toothpaste Fresh Mint - 4 oz
$3.44 / $5.99

Desert Essence Organics Shampoo Raspberry Shine for All Hair Types - 8 oz
$5.29 x 3 qty / $8.99

Desert Essence Organics Raspberry Conditioner Red Raspberry - 8 fl oz.
$4.98 x 3 qty / $8.99

So here is the breakdown again. Hopefully it's a little easier to see this way:

Vitacost Order total (no tax/free shipping) - $50.13

Regular Retail (including sales tax 7.5%)  - $91.99

That means I saved a total of 45%. What does that mean?

Serious CHACHING back into my wallet :) :) :)

I can hardly wait for my VitaCost order to arrive. When it does, I'll show you all a photo. In the meantime, enjoy this vintage beauty :) :) It's a vintage Ford Mustang that I saw in the mall parking lot a few days ago:

That's the news from the ocean shores of California today. Love and hugs, Heather :)


IT MAKES "CENTS" TO ME FRIDAY FOR OCTOBER 11th, 2013

Hi everyone,

How was your week? Mine was interesting. It was a mix for me, but for the most part it was very, very good.

The photo above was taken in the Carmel Valley. I just love how the mist/fog sits atop the mountains in the morning. It always reminds me of when God spoke to Moses on the mountain top. That and it's just magical and beautiful, like something out of a story with knights and princesses :)

Okay, so this week, I "officially" start blogging about my journey to becoming completely debt-free.   I'll also be blogging about what I do to save money on every day things. 

So first off, I stink at keeping certain papers organized. Oh, I keep them all in one spot, but I don't file them. I'm talking about my bills from the orthodontist, my small student loan bills etc. I always pay them on time every month but I'l explain a little bit more towards the end of this post.

The only really BIG, UGLY LIKE AN ALBATROSS AROUND MY NECK debt that I have left to pay are my student loans from college.  Once those are paid off, I'll be completely debt free.  I"m working on increasing my income to make that happen.

However, I'm also looking at what I can do RIGHT NOW as well.  I am NOT an expert by any means, but getting this out in the open is helpful to me personally and hopefully it'll encourage you that you can do something as well, no matter how small to manage your money a little more responsibly.

Now for me, my overall bills each month aren't that many. I only have four in total.  But there are three that I have each month that once they're paid in full will free up a LOT of money each month that I can actually start paying on my student loans. Phew...are you confused yet? I am feeling totally overwhelmed, but a girl has to start somewhere right?

So these are the bills I'm going to pay off from smallest to biggest. Once the smallest bill is paid off, then I'll roll that payment over to the next bill and pay all that off. It's like a debt snowball :) :)

Here they are:

1) ECSI - a small student loan from college

2) Verizon Wireless - the plan is to pay off the rest of the contract period EARLY, so I can put that money towards paying off my student loans

3) Orthodontist - Once that is paid, there are no more monthly payments, regardless of how long I have to wear these braces on my teeth.

Once I get my organizational act together, I'll come back and update what the actual dollar amounts are here :)

One of the items that I buy often are USB flash drives.  When I take photographs, I leave them on the original SD memory card and then buy a new one when it's full. I also transfer copies to a USB flash drive. That way, if something  happens to the SD card, for example, I'll have copies on the USB flash drive.

My previous USB flash drive was completely full and I had to wait till I had enough money to buy another one. This is one of those things that I will definitely have to budget for on a regular basis.

This USB flash drive my dad purchased for me at Radio Shack. It has the best price of any place local to me. It is 16 GB for only $14.99 plus tax. So it ended up costing me a total of $16.11 (including tax)

I also received a register coupon for $10 off my next purchase of $50 or more. Normally I ignore coupons like that, but in this case, since I KNOW that I'll be needing this particular item on a regular basis, I can budget and stock up on more.  It will equal almost 20% with tax when it's all said and done.

On a comletely DIFFERENT note, I do budget for slightly more expensive things.  In this case, I also bought a gluten free conditioner.  I have a very strong intolerance to all foods that contain gluten in them.  As it happens, it seems that my skin and hair also respond to hair care and body care products that are also gluten free. So  I sacrifice other things so that I can afford this conditioner. It works great. It does the job well:

This is an 8 fl oz tube of "Red Raspberry" conditioner from Desert Essence. The whole line of products is wonderful, but I like this scent the best.  It costs $8.99 at my local Whole Foods store. However, I get a 10% discount because I work at the mall. So it only costs me $8.70 (including my 10% mall discount and tax) That equals $1.09 per ounce.  I don't use very much at all, so this product actually lasts me a very long time.

I'm sure there's a website where I can order more in bulk and save even more, but until then I'll continue to buy it at Whole Foods.

Desert Essence DID NOT pay me to talk about their conditioner. I'm just blogging about it because I LOVE this product. It works wonderfully well.  It also is fantastic because there is hard water in the area where I live, so it still leaves my hair feeling soft and shiny instead of dry and crispy.

That's the news from the ocean shores of California today. Love and hugs to you all, Heather

p.s. Update on Friday - October 11th at 9:30 a.m.  One of my BIGGEST inspirations in my desire to become completely and totally debt free is Dave Ramsey. Click here to go to his Facebook page. Click here if you want to visit his website. You can listen in live to his radio show every day Monday through Friday. The shows are also archived to listen to later on.


In any case, I saw a really nice, simple article on five easy ways to lower your heating bill. Click here to read the article.

I've got sone more posts all lined up for later this weekend and next week. I'm so excited to be blogging again. It's a real creative release. You all out in the blogosphere are awesome :)

I would LOVE to hear what you all do to save money on anything.  Stop on by for a visit and leave a friendly comment.  That's the news from the ocean shores California...again :) Love and hugs to your weekend, Heather :)

IT MAKES "CENTS" TO ME - SATURDAY - APRIL 14th

Hi everyone,

Okay, how are you all doing today? I decided to move my "It makes "cents" to me" posts from Friday to Saturday. That's my natural week, anyway from Sunday through Saturday.  So here goes. This is what I spent my money on this week. 

First was a Sunday newspaper from April 8th for $1.61.  It costs $1.50 plus tax. 

Next stop was at Trader Joe's on Monday - April 9th:

Total spent was $33.06:
- TJ's organic dark truffle chocolate bar
- 2 packages of applewood uncured bacon
- 2 packages of Applegate organic beef hotdogs. This is a great product, 100% organic and it only costs $4.99/package at my local Trader Joe's store.
- TJ's "Simple Cashew, Almond & Cranberry" trail mix
- big bag of "Cuties" citrus fruit
- 4 bottles of TJ's sparkling mineral water "lemon" plus a $0.20 return bottle deposit

Then on April 12th (Thursday) we shopped at Whole Foods:

Total spent at Whole Foods was $27.86:
- 20 oz. drip coffee with cream and sugar
- 2.19 pounds of organic Navel oranges
- 1 package of applewood smoked bacon
-1 Dagoba organic dark chocolate bar (54%)
- 1 croissant
-1 bagel
-"Natural Home" magazine

Oh, I stopped at the store on Friday the 13th to get some raw milk.  I incubate it for 24 hours when I make yogurt. It's the only form of dairy that my body tolerates well.  I've done lots of research and feel it's okay to drink this. However, I realize that's not for everyone.  Whatever milk you drink, make sure it's ORGANIC that comes from cows that haven't been treated with hormones or anti-biotics...but that's just my opinion. You have to take charge of your own health. Okay, I'm over my health "soap box", back to what all this cost:

$10.78 for two glass bottles of milk I didn't get a photo of this, but normally there's an addition $1.50 bottle deposit per bottle. However, since I returned my glass bottles, I didn't have to pay another deposit.

I also made a stop at Whole Foods...again. Hmm, I should buy stock in this store. I shop there a lot. I love this place. I spent a total of $24.59 at this place:
- 20 oz large mocha
- 1 package of applewood smoked bacon
- 1 Dagoba organic dark chocolate bar
- 2 nutty sticky buns
- 4 gallons of spring water with a total of $0.40 cents in return bottle deposits

Later that afternoon, my dad and I got the crazy idea to "walk" to Trader Joe's and back.Yikes..and we live up in the hills. In any case, it was a really good walk. Here's what we bought there:

Total spent at Trader Joe's was $15.53:
- 2 packages of frozen berries (for smoothies)
- Half gallon of unsweetened coconut milk
- 3 bananas
- 1 big bag of "Cuties" citrus fruit

Oh, I also spent $4.99 on another bag of TJ's "Simply Cashew, Almond & Cranberry" trail mix. This is good stuff...plain and simple.


Today I went to Rite Aid and Whole Foods.  I found a nice package of blank cards.  There are some people I want to thank for all the help they've given to my dad and I. In any case, here's what I bought at those two places:

Total spent at Rite Aid was $5.35:
1 set of blank cards (qty of 10) for $4.99 plus tax


At Whole Foods I spent a total of $31.24:
- 1 bagel
- 1 croissant
- 1 can of wild pink salmon
- 1 pound of organic lean ground beef
- 1 Dagoba organic dark chocolate bar
- 1 package of applewood smoked bacon
- 1 dozen organic eggs
- 20 oz. drip coffee with cream and sugar

OH, and I almost forgot,  my dad and I started participating in a local CSA program here in the area. We ordered a box of fresh, organic fruits/veggies plus 1 dozen organic eggs. We received all of this for just $27 dollars.  I'll write another post on this next week. This is pretty cool:

So that is it for this week.   I spent a total of $174.91 on food alone. That works out to $87.46 per person (between my father and myself). That is higher than I wanted, BUT remember a lot of this we're going to freeze and it will last awhile. So I'm hoping that this coming week, we'll spend a little less.


Don't forget to enter the fun giveaway over Homestead Drying Racks. Click here to read my post about the giveaway. It's really fun everyone. Plus, they just came out with a beautiful, FREE e-zine that you can download for your information and reading pleasure. 

That's the news from the ocean shores of California today. Love and hugs, Heather 

IT MAKES "CENTS" TO ME FRIDAY

Hi everyone,

Wow, my goal was to only go shopping ONCE this entire week...and I went to the store SIX times this week.  Until I learn to drive, which will be in the next few months, I have to rely on the kindness of neighbors and church family for rides to appointments etc.  So when I'm near the store, I'll stop and buy something, because I might not get a ride for awhile. That's just something I've noticed.

I'll give you the break-down of what I purchased this week. I did stock up on lots of organic beef.  The freezer is "full", meaning we've got more beef in the freezer than previously thought. We're also doing really well with vegetables, too. 

I don't have any "food" photos to show you. However, I did take a photo of this Izze glass soda bottle. My father likes to drink Izze. The thought occured to me that this would make a really cute, whimsical flower vase:

March 4th, 2012 - Sunday at Whole Foods: $21.40:
- 2 croissants $4.58 - a "want, not a need"...oh yeah, these croissants are super spendy, but they're super GOOD. They come from a local French bakery here in town.
- 20 oz. drip coffee with cream/sugar $1.90 - a "want, not a need"
- 1 Izze soda $1.49 - a "want, not a need". There was a $0.05 bottle deposit on this bottle.
- Applewood smoked bacon.  We do eat a lot of bacon in our house. It's good bacon, with no bad things in it.
- Whole Foods brand conditioner.  This isn't a food. However, I needed some more, because my other conditioner had run out.
-TAX: $0.40
- Out of this total, I'd say $8.99 was spent on real food and $3.99 on miscellaneous (anything that is non-food right now)

  March 5th, 2012 - Monday at Trader Joe's: $33.95:
- 4 lbs. of organic ground beef 85/15 (This runs about $6.50 a pound and is the BEST price on organic beef that I've found in the stores so far)
- Trader Joe's organic dark chocolate truffle bar $1.99 - a "want, not a need"..but wow, it's some really tasty good chocolate
- 1 bottle of sparking mineral water, lemon-flavored.  My father really likes these.  It comes in a plastic bottle. It's about $1 less expensive than the Whole Food's version in the glass bottle AND it comes with a $0.10 bottle deposit.
- 7 jumbo, sweet onions (these taste FANTASIC when sauteed/carmelized in a pan) These are great with eggs in the morning, or anytime.
- TAX: $0.08 cents.  Out of the money spent today, $31.88 spent on food.

I have decided that I won't include the "wants" in my food totals.  I'm trying to discourage myself from thinking of these things as necessary.  They're not bad...chocolate bars, coffee etc.However, I need to redirect my spending, and it's still a challenge for me.  By laying it all out here for you (which isn't easy to do), it helps me to realize just where my money is going.

This next photo is the bottlecap to the Izze soda that my father drank. I love cute bottlecaps.  I'm collecting them, so be used for a future craft project sometime in the future. Isn't this cute? It has such a lovely retro vintage appeal to it:

March 7th, 2012- Wednesday at Trader Joe's: $9.97:
Now this was interesting because I"m staring at the receipt and it's not listing the items that I purchased. However, I do know that I purchased some healthy trail mix for dad and some organic dark chocolate. So I'd classify both of those items as "wants and not needs"
- TAX: $0.22

March 7th, 2012- Wednesday at Whole Foods: $39.18:
- 1 croissant $2.29 - a "want, not a need"
- 1 classic roast rotisserie chicken
- 1 croissant $2.29 - a "want, not a need"
- Applewood smoked bacon
- 20 oz. drip coffee with cream/sugar $1.90 - a "want, not a need"

MISCELLANEOUS SPENDING TODAY:
$45 - Haircut/style.  My hair was in really BAD, BAD shape. It was so overprocessed from coloring my hair at home, that the ends of my hair were literally falling out/snapping off.  The lady who cut my hair...wow, that was providence. She was at this meeting that I went to after church last Sunday. I went to hear a former missionary from Russia give a talk.  The rest is history. Needless to say, this woman did a fabulous job with my hair. Maybe I'll post a pic sometime this week.

PEET'S COFFEE: ca $2.60 for a large cafe au lait...a definite  "want, not a need"...wow, coffee was OUT OF CONTROL today. 

I was remarking to my father, that his empty Izze soda pop bottle would make a really cute, simple flower vase. Here's a close-up of the bottle. What do you think? What would you use this bottle for?:

March 8th, 2012 - Thursday at Whole Foods: $76.62:
- 20 oz. drip coffee with cream and sugar $1.90 - a "want, not a need" This is the LAST coffee that I'll be having for awhile.
- 4.45 lbs of organic, yellow onions
- 3.86 pounds of sweet onions
- 3 lbs of organic ground beef
- organic, broccoli crowns. I'm not sure what the weight was...but  bought 7 of them. They're perfect for steaming.
- 2 cartons of organic, grape cherry tomatoes
- Applewood smoked bacon
- Izze - sparkling black raspberry soda $1.49 - a "want, not a need" It's one of my dad's favorites.  It also comes with a $0.10 cent bottle deposit.
- 2 breakfast sandwiches $10.30 - a "definite want, and not a need" Neither of us were interested in cooking anything yesterday morning.
TAX - $0.86
Out of the total I spent at this store, $58.02 was spent on real food.

March 9th, 2012 - Friday at Trader Joe's: $29.44:
- 3 lbs of organic ground beef
- Trader Joe's organic dark chocolate truffle bar $1.99 - a "want, not a need" 
- Applewood smoked bacon
Out of this purchase today, I'd say that $27.45 was spent on real food. 

I actually had an appointment with my naturopathic physician and my chiropractor today. So since I was going right by Trader Joe's, I used the opportunity to pick up some more meat. Our freezer is nicely stocked now.

I'm not sure what else I'll be doing today. I'll be looking for a job. The weather is FABULOUSLY BEAUTIFUL today, too...so a walk outside is definitely in order. I've also been working really hard to finish knitting some socks for my aunt, too. What are you up to today? 

What are you doing this weekend?  I'll be getting together with some ladies in my Tuesday morning Bible study. We'll be enjoying tea, coffee, and muffins together and listening to one of my friend's share her story. I'm so looking forward to this. It will be fun :) :)

That's the news from the ocean shores of California today. Love and hugs, Heather.