Spent no money today. I think so far this month I have only run the clothes dryer 3 times, and I have not used the commerical car wash in probably 2 months. (I've washed it by hand with the bucket--about 10 gallons each time, plus a little more from the hose to rinse it off). I will have to buy gas tomorrow, as DD #2 has a dr appt in the city--about 147 miles round trip. Got a bunch of odd jobs done around the house over the weekend, that my friend helped me with. This probably saved me about $250 for not having to pay a handyman.

Weird. I made an entry yesterday, but its not here today. Spent nothing today, but will have to later tonight. Somehow one of our elves, "not me" and "I don't know" dumped the last 2 rolls of toilet paper in the wet tub-so, will be going on a TP run.

I also have a male friend, who is coming up tonight to do some "honey-do's" for me. I may need to buy some materials or tools for that. We kind of trade off work. When he goes and gets hay, he has to have a flasher, so I do that for him and help him with gardening and yard work. For some of you....a flasher is not that kind of flasher. Its the truck behind the oversized hay trailer & tractor with the flashing lights on...gee, get your minds out of the gutters...

Got some m-m's out of the machine at work. I've been bad-2nd day in a row. Other than that, no money spent. Tomorrow though, I will need to get gas (its down to $2.56 a gallon now), and renew the twins girl scouts for this year, at $25 per girl. Its also their turn to take snacks to scouts, and I need to buy some cereal, as somebody snuck into it and spilled a bunch of it (one of those short people that live in my house named "not me" and "i don't know".) But, after that, should be no more money spent till Thursday when a couple of bills come out of my checking account.
If the weather holds, next week I have workmen coming to tear down my sunroom, and rebuild it. A storm damaged it, it leaks badily now, and is starting to get rot. The first snow will take in the roof, and since 3 of the walls are glass, best fix it now, so those walls are not broken. I think it will take around $2000 to do all that, and I also have a list of other jobs for them as well. I have 3 doors I want replaced--just the doors, not the frames. 2 years ago I replaced the windows with energy eff ones. But did not do the doors. So, now I want the doors done. If it is anything like the windows, they will pay for themselves the first winter, exp 2 of them on the north and west sides.

Had to have popcorn. Was craving it like crazy, so I bowed down before the mighty vending machine. Could have gotten 4 of them for that price at Aldi's. Did have some at my desk, but ate the last of it and forgot to bring in more....

I finally got the quick claim deed from my ex, and refinanced the house today. I went with refinancing it thru ING. Very very simple process, at 1.5% lower interest than the bank, and the closing costs were only $1162-the bank wanted $3572 to close. It will bring my payments down to about 1/3 of what I am paying now, but, I can pay extra principal (to equal what I am currently paying now) and have it paid off in about 7 years. I can't believe the savings in the interest. My current mortage was over 9%. I spent only $25 today, on gas. Stayed out of the vending machines all day at work. I will have to go to the store tomorrow--need to get a bug bomb-found some critters in the house that I don't want...

I spent no money today! Yee Ha. Yesterday, I spent $38 on lunch items. If I did my figuring right, I have enough stuff for school lunchs for 5 weeks with that shopping trip. That also included buying 3 containers which will actually fit in the girls lunch boxes-they are round TV dinner type rubbermaid containers. The lids on them are tight. I refused to use non-disposable lunch containers, except for zip lock baggies, which my girls bring back home, and I wash and reuse and reuse. I also reuse their juice bottles over and over. When we run out--after awhile they do seem to disappear, or the dishwasher melts them if they fall thru, I buy them store bought juice again, just to get the bottles. Seems silly, but it is cheaper than buying just the juice containers. I make their juice up (or milk) the night before, then freeze. Then, the frozen bottle acts like an icepack for their lunch. Also bought the Sunday paper yesterday--lots of good coupons in there that I can use at Dollar General, and about get my items for free, since their prices are so low.

Today was a no spend day. Actually, I guess I even saved some money. I hand washed the truck in the driveway (cheapest car wash in town is $6 now) and trimmed the girls bangs myself--3 X $4, so guess I came out $18 ahead for today.
Tomorrow I will have to have the kids in afterschool care, for a total of $15, but I guess it isn't that bad, as tomorrow is 8 hours of overtime (mandatory, due to Katrina). This is my 2nd day of mandatory overtime this week, in addition I also worked Sunday (scheduled) at time and a half, plus the holiday. So, my pay for this week is about an extra $700 before taxes. This week and next week will be on the same check, and next week I will have a day off to take daughter #2 to the dr, so it will help even it back down some.

Got money in the mail today. One was a postcard telling me my walgreens card had been credited with $14 from rebates (basically, since they were on sale, had rebates & i had coupons, I made money on the items for the rebates), and also got a rebate for $7 from propane gas I got for the BBQ grill.
My parents (who live in the country) have a creek that runs thru their property with lots of big rocks. I think I am going to get a bunch of those rocks out of the creek, and make a fire pit in the yard. We can use it to cook out over this summer and fall. My plan is to dig a circle (about 3 foot accross), layer some sand or gravel, and circle the circle with the big rocks. Then, just put in the wood and roast the marshmellows. Cheap fun!!