mom-from-missouri's Journal

DH spent most of the day with a tractor mechanic. We thought we had an $800 part go out. Turns out it was that part, but not the entire part--just a $9 relay switch inside it. Still had to pay the labor to the mechanic, but we got off with a $159 bill instead of more as we thought.

We also lowered the bill by splitting the visit fee with some other farmers. We all scheduled the mechanic the same day, so he split up the visit and milage fee between us all. (living where we do, milage kills you as most deisel tractor mechanics are in KC)

Instead of rolling my change, I called the bank. They run it through their change counter for free. So, I did that. (My old bank charged 3% to do this, which is odd, because it is the SAME bank, just different branch i this town), and I have the same accounts I always have, I just added DH to them....

Anyway, I have that to add to my $20 challange. My change is from several sources--mainly from cleaning out the cars, the pop machine we own proceeds, found on the ground money, and to break the girls of talking sassy, they now pay me a quarter when they talk back (broke that habbit real quick!) or if they get caught leaving lights on when we aren't home. I also got some money from the consignment store earlier this week.

I am also counting my money saved from using coupons. So far this year, I have invested $5 in newspapers to get the coupons, and have saved $30.


I took all my money to the bank awhile ago and it is now in a savings account. (I already had the savings account, but moved what was in it back to my checking so I could keep this money seperate). So, I now have $220.15 total, sitting in the bank.

I don't plan on spending this money on anything, unless I see something I can buy to turn into even more money. Although, I may change it into our money market account later on to get more interest.

So, I guess I need to go out and get a few stock up items. Which seems silly, when we have plenty of food, but I need to get items that are fireplace/grill friendly should the electric go out again.

Right now it is raining. The temp is to drop and then around 4 snow is to start. If it is just snow, we are ok, but it is the rain that concerns me. This is how the last "big one" in December started. The rain took down a large number of power lines.

I have everything on chargers now, cell phones, lanterns, weather radio, and the tractors and bobcat are plugged in. Before, we had to use one to dig our way out with, and of course we will have to feed hay. If we get them all plugged and well charged, hopefully one will start!

Will need to get milk, small packages of ground beef (easy to do chili, shephards pie..over the fire or in the cast iron), potatoes, buns, bread, and probably a few cans of soup. Probably won't hurt to get a little more lamp oil also.

Also, I need to start laundry. Last time we would of run out of some clothes if the laundry had not been caught up, which means several loads back to back, so I will have to use the dryer.

The kids had a 4H meeting tonight for their horse project. I took all my coupons from the Sunday paper and managed to get them all cut out, plus I also educated a mom on how to use them with the Walgreen ad and Dollar General ad to get free shampoo, toothpaste and such. I think she was going to go home and dig her coupons out of the trash!! I haven't got very far, but so far it looks like I will get some free ajax and purex. We don't like ajax, so I will take it into church for the kitchen there.

I did't get my change rolled either, so that is now on tomorrows list.

I did put off going to the store. DH thought we were getting low on food (HA HA), but I came up with stuff for stirfry for supper. I also found some sausage in the freezer, so tomorrow I think we will have sausage and bisquits and gravy for either lunch or supper. I also found another small package of beef in the back of one of the refrigerator freezers, so I think I will mix that with some ground venison and make a meatloaf for Thursday.
I also found a chicken (behind some veggies on the veggie shelf) so I put it back on the poultry shelf where it belongs. We just finished off some homemade chicken and noodle soup, so it will be about a week before I do chicken again. We also have a ton of okra to eat from the garden as well. Its already breaded and frozen.

Next month we plan to butcher, so I am trying to empty out the freezers as much as possible before hand. It will make room for the new meat and will less in them I can take a more accurate inventory of what we have left.

Only money spent today was to buy a gallon of milk, and to top off my fuel tank in the car. During the winter I like to keep it full for 2 reasons: 1, it gives me extra weight in my little car should I get stuck, and 2, will keep me running longer -with the heater on-should I get stuck.

DD1 was fairly frugal. She found a website where she could rent textbooks, so she did that this term. They arrived in the mail today. Much cheaper than buying them.

I am going to start it with $10 roll of quarters I found in my vehicle while cleaning it out to get ready to sell it. I think these are left from a 2003 vacation. I had 4 rolls for the toll road, payphones (was in an area where there was no cell coverage) and laundrymats.

Tonight if I have time, I am going to roll change. DH has a pop machine at work and brought home the change from it. For about a $25 investment in soda, he can get back $50.


Total $10

I now have a signed lease, so I for sure have the house rented out. I have a couple weeks to get it all ready--it needs a good cleaning, and some painting. And, since it was vacant awhile, a few things need some attention--a couple ceiling tiles came down (no biggie to put back up) and a bird cracked a window pane (left his feathers behind for evidence). They will be moving in a month from now, so I have plenty of time to get my work done. That is a relief!!

I was so proud of myself for the money I saved last week by getting my ink cartridges filled at Walgreens for $10 each.

Now, this week Walgreens has refillingon sale for $5 each.

Does anyone know if Walgreens is one of those places that will refund you the difference if something goes on sale?? And, if they do, I wonder if they would on this since it is a 'service' instead of a product...

My people did come through!! so, We got some books to use for home schooling and finally, a microwave!! I can eat some of that boyscout popcorn later tonight for a snack. I didn't realize how much we used ours till it quit.

I estimate I saved between $80 and $100 by getting the microwave from freecycle. I know they have ones cheaper at walmart, but not the size we need for a family of 7, and with the features I like. This free one had it all.

Is there a way to start at the top and flip from blog to the next blog without going back to the main page each time??

I thought I did it one time on this site, but have forgotten now how. (or maybe it was on a different site)

I was supposed to meet 2 people today. Both are getting postphoned. One to get a microwave-she went out for a few hours according to her DH and forgot and left the microwave in her trunk and took it with her, and the other did a no show on me for some books. I left her a VM, she may have just forgot. Maybe I will hear back from her later.

It is raining again today, but melting the snow away. Since it is a little warmer, I have the heat down on 63 and its about 66 in the house.

The ink cartridges I had refilled at Walgreens are working well. I am glad my mom passed that tip on to me. It will save us quite a bit of money! I refilled 2 for less than I normally pay for one. I'd do it myself, but I could not figure out how to do it.

I decided to mop the kitchen floor.

Sounds simple right?? NO.

First, I hit the end of the mop on the ceiling-right on a canned lightbulb and broke it. It was an $9 CFL one too. So, fast forward its all done, and I rinse off the mop in the butlers sink and somehow in thinking I am turning on the light, I hit the garbo button, and the string mop and the garbo met..So, 20 minutes untangeling that mess.

But, the floor is clean in the kitchen. Its a bear to keep that clean. Its 100 year old barn wood with lots of nicks and 'character' marks in it. Places where dirt likes to hide.

I have had a couple of people stop and look at my truck at the end of the driveway for sale. I guess if they are real interested they will call. I don't have the price on it, just the year, make and phone number.

I posted on free cycle when ours died, and I got a response. So, tomorrow I will pick it up. It is the same type as the one we just killed, but this one works!! We really need 2 again, one for each kitchen (we have a second kitchen in the basement where our homeschool room is, and to use when canning), so maybe I can save one more from a landfill and save my pocketbook some too.

I am going to try and get out today to pick up my ink cartridges that I left at Walgreens to be refilled (43 miles round trip-but we need them for our school work). It rained, then we had snow-which has melted, and neighbors have gotten stuck on our gravel road and had to be pulled out with a tractor. But, the county just dumped some gravel on it this morning, so I think I will try it. Driving my little car in mud will be a first for me. Being a stick shift, that will be in my favor, and its so light weight-maybe it wont sink???(LOL) DH and a couple friends picked it up one day as a joke.

I also am getting some cookbooks and recipe cards off free cycle for my daughter as well.

It seems like lately when I go to take a survey, I don't meet the profile they are looking for....so, no $ earned, no points earned. I'm getting that on lightspeed, greenfield, survey spot and zoom. It didn't used to be like that, seems it just started a couple weeks ago.

My dad called awhile ago. While we were talking he mentioned he thinks another depression is going to start. He said times are changing. Several years ago, he would only see 3-4 forclosures in the local paper per month. Now there are 10-20 a day in the local paper. He also said the same houses have been for rent and for sale advertised for months-one has been listed for over a year. He also noticed something I've noticed here lately-people have their lights off. It used to be when I'd go down the road at night I'd see houses with every light on. I don't see that like I used to.

I think my dad is probably on the right track. He lived through the depression of the 30's, and is a very smart education person holding several degrees. He said he is just seeing a lot of signs and thinks it will get worse for a lot of people before it gets better.

That makes me happier that I now live on a farm with food to eat. At least I can keep my family fed.

The people who looked at the house want it. So, now its just a matter of getting together and doing the paperwork. I also have some painting to do and a few minor repairs. Yee Haw.

Snowed today about 3 inches and still coming down. So, I did not go out and had a no spend day, no fuel used day. DH was supposed to be off, but went to work for a 9 hour meeting. It counts as OT and they provided his lunch, free, so he had some fuel used, but no money spent.

I have only driven my suburban 3 times since July. So, I have just moved it to the end of the driveway with a FOR SALE sign on it. It is snowing again, ucky, and some guy got stuck on our road a little bit ago, so tis the season for a 4X4, which my suburban is. I also put it on craigslist. Its customized, fully loaded, no rust, great shape, runs well, has TV..... Its ideal for a trip (I used it to pull our camper all over the US of A, and it was wonderful)

To be honest, I don't get any responses from craigslist-well, I guess I have twice-out of probably 200. We just live so far out and none of the people around here must use Craigslist.

We had shrimp and crab for supper, and as usual, I ate too much.

I have a gal looking at my rental tomorrow, and another who wants to look at it if the first one doesn't take it. (She doesn't want to make the trip for nothing if its already rented).

My ebay auction ended with watchers and no lookers. I am down 75 cents for list fees on it. So, tomorrow I will take the items to the kids consignment store and go that route. What I had listed was a lot of school uniforms, which normally go quickly. The Christian schools near here use the same uniform, so I will try to consign them. I do need to get a can of spray starch first. I noticed before that the clothes I had ironed with starch I got more for... This store pays you up front for your items, instead of making you wait until after they sell. I just will take them in and leave them, then they call after they have gone thru them and you go pick up your money, and the clothes they don't want.

I have a rental that has been vacant for several months. Problem is, its "too nice" and my rent is based on that. Its in a college town, and I'd rather have it empty than torn up by college kids. Usually it rents to an air force family, but with the war, and lot of the wives are going onto base housing, or some with young children are even moving back to be closer to their family.

I had a gal look at it before, but was locked into a lease until next month. She is clean, decent, has no police record (I check that because evectioned persons, drug users and sex offenders have applied in the past). She is widowed, has a child and her widowed mom lives with her. She just wants a bigger place and this house is near a park and the library, and she does some home child care, so she can walk her kids to their daily activities. Well, she called today, and she is still interested and wanted to know if the house was still available. So, we will see how she likes it when she sees it on the inside. Her main income source is SS she gets and that her son get from her deceased husband, plus his benifits. Then, her mom splits everything with her 50/50. She is in her early 40's and the mom is retired, and they seem very responsible. So, hopefully it will be rented, and I can get that off my back!!

DH took DD1 out for a "date" tonight. They went to dinner and a movie.

So, I took dd3,4 and 5 out to use their pizza hut book-its. We did all right.
The book-its are for a free personal pan pizzas (one for each child). But, pizza hut was out of personal pan dough. They were also out of individual size dough.

So, they each got a medium--for free. Then I had a coupon for a free medium pizza when you buy a large specility.


Since they were out, the manager also gave us our drinks free. So, including tax and tip, it cost us $20 for 5 pizzas (all medium or large size) and 4 drinks. I brought home 2 1/2 boxes of pizza. And, he gave me my coupon back for the free pizza, so I can reuse it--it is on a saver card, no exp. date, and also gave the girls back their book its to reuse.

So, I froze one of the pizzas, and in a couple weeks when DH is on nights, we will reuse their bookits and bring their pizzas home to eat and I will heat the one I froze, and we will eat again for totally free.

Meanwhile, we also have enough pizza for lunch tomorrow for the 5 of us that will be here at lunch time, and probably still some left over.

So, 3+ meals for 4-5 people for $20 on take out isn't bad. I figure it will be around $1.53 each. (13 meals for $20)

Oh yea-the pizza hut manager also gave us to go cups full of soda as we left. (We had eaten in there tonight rather than bringing it home to eat)

DD2 has issues. Serious issues. Issues that are wrong and hurt other people. (She also has mental issues--for real, that we think stem from a serious head injury she had years ago)

2 years ago, she stole DH credit cards and used them. She also stole a pad of his checks from his then current bank account, and also found checks from 2 old closed accounts. She wrote checks on them. She signed his name and the name of her deceased mother on them. No one ever bothered to check her ID.

Bottom line, she was caught, arrested, did time in several jails--adding up to about a year. She went to court, several times, and the involved banks, FDIC insurance and credit card companies slapped her hands, said bad girl, and dropped charges after she paid a partial restitution.

Now she is back out in the world again.

We on the other hand, had to get a new bank account, prove over and over we were innocent, change drivers license numbers, get new credit cards....

Now once again, we are suddenly getting phone calls from pay day loan companies wanting her, and our checks are being denied by places that use the telecheck and clear check systems. Once again, we have to prove we are innocent.

She used our address and phone number for payday loans when she no longer even lived here.

The check clearing companies have once again been faxed all the court documents. Now that they see it is a criminal deal, they refuse to talk to us. So, we have no idea if she is at it again, still had some of the checks she stole, or if these were old checks that never went to court. Since it is criminal, we "dont have the right to have that privilaged information"--even though we are the victims.

When will this end??

Yesterday it was almost 70 outside. Today, it is thundering, cloudy and SNOWING and 31 degrees. It was in the 20's this morning.

I got some yard work done yesterday--and was going to finish it today, but so much for that. The neighbors dog got into the trash (by they way, my red rider bb gun took care of that issue!), so there is still a little trash to pick up that blew into the pasture, and some branches from the ice storm still on the ground.

We were able to keep the heat off or down to 60 for 2 days, but it is on today. It is a damp cold, and I am feeling it even though I have on long johns under my sweats and heavy socks. And, the heat is at 67. I think I need to bake something. That will warm me up--and some hot tea

I told the girls that this year I want to see them conserving both electric and water. They have made a game of it. The like to pretend they are their Amish cousins, and they try to not use any. So far, they are doing real good. I just got so tired of flipping off lights and coming home pulling in the driveway to find every light in their rooms and closets on shining out the windows. I threatened them that if I continued to catch them wasting electricity, I would split the next electric bill between the 3 of them and have them pay it!! I think the threat worked.

It was almost 70 degrees today. But, since all our snow has melted, it is a muddy mess. Tomorrow morning it is supposed to be in the 20's, then warm up to the 40's as the day goes along.

DD3 had a youth group bowling party tonight. She had to borrow money off of DD5 to go. I noticed 2 interesting things this evening:

DD5 told DD3 that when she pays her back, she owes her $4.25. She is charging her sister 25 cents interest....
And
DD3 bought no snacks with her money. She ate before she went and after she got home. I saw her looking at the snack bar, and the look on her face when she saw that a small drink was $2 was priceless. Instead, she went to the water fountain!!

For $5 she got to bowl for 2 1/2 hours. Her sisters and I read and watched her. She had fun. I also clipped my Sunday coupons and sorted them into my envelopes.

Still no bidders on my ebay auction. Its some school uniform peices--brand new. Got lost when we moved and just resurfaced. I wish they still had the tags on them--if they did, I'd return them to the store.

I noticed just awhile ago, that people are selling grocery coupons on ebay. How are they doing that? It states on the coupon that they are not to be sold. I thought it was illegal. Am I missing something here? If you can do it, I might try it--I have a huge box of them right now.

I guess I missed the last fuel price increase. When I first got my little car I could fill it up for just under $20. It has an 8 gallong tank.

Girl Scout cookies are coming in. Got some today at church that DH and the girls ordered. The gal I ordered from will have mine next week.

Other than fuel and GS cookies, the only money spent today was $1.25 for the Kansas City Sunday paper. It is full of coupons, so should pay for itself.

For the next month, I am going to try and do no grocery shopping (excluding milk & eggs) except for what I can get free or nearly free with sales and coupons. The pantry and freezers are full so we need to eat them down some.

Took the girls to the city for a quiz match today. They did real good. DD#3 team won 6 out of 7, and DD#4 and 5 team also won 6 out of 7. DD4 and DD5 both were high scorer at at least one match. I couch the team DD4 and 5 are on, and their team did very very well today--the best they have done all season. In March they go to the district contest, so I hope this trend lasts!

On the way home we stopped at Michaels Crafts. DD5 used her Christmas Gift certifcates and bought some things. Each week in the paper Michaels has a coupon for 50% off one item. So, my daughters have decided to take turns each week as to who will use their gift certificates, so that they can each use the coupon from the paper to get that extra bang in the buck. Its saved DD5 $5 today. She was very happy about it.

We also stopped at Walgreens. I started out with a bill of close to $60 before I handed over the coupons, and got it down to $25 after the coupons. I have my receipt taped to my calendar, & at the end of the month I can mail in my rebate stuff and get around another $12 back.

I didn't need anything that I bought. It all went into the basement pantry. But, it is all stuff we use--toothpaste, deoderant, puffs, dawn, tide.... This time I went to a different walgreen-it was not the one closest to home, but still on our way home from the city. I handed them all my coupons--store ones and manufacture ones,& they took them all off. I had done this before, then I had another Walgreen tell me I could not use both on the same product. Well, this time I did use both, plus I will get some rebates coming. And, we don't need to buy dishsoap, toothpaste, air freshner, laundry soup, deoderant or puffs for several months.

Usually I don't buy air freshner, but it came free if I bought a candle. The oust candle things were one sale, buy 1 get one 1 free, so I picked up 2 and had a coupon for the air freshner for one, and $3 off for the other.

I posted a WANT on freecycle for a microwave. I figured it can't hurt to try. What really bums me is I gave DD2 our other microwave awhile back. Oh well..

Still no bids on my ebay auction. 2 days to go, but I do have a watcher now.

And lastly, do people really buy a new artificial Christmas tree and decorations every year??? Have you seen how many ar posted for free on craigslist?? What a waste!!

The microwave is trying to die. It has an error code that translates into short in the key panel. If we push the proper series of numbers, it will work for about 2 minutes, then its gone again.

I found the book and paperwork on it. It is a kenmore, 16 months old. Normally we don't have trouble with Kenmore, but first it was the icemaker in the fridge a couple months ago, now this. This one came from the Sears dent store, so there was no warrenty. But, we paid only around $50 for it and its a $200 microwave, so it could be worse.

Now, do I get another or wait awhile??? Meanwhile, we have tons of boyscout microwave popcorn.....Guess DH can take it to work to eat it.

Thankfully my daughters were in the basement and found it not long after it started. But the bad part is, it was dripping on my computer that is in the basement classroom. Ugh. DH fixed the leak, I tried to dry out the computer the best I could-will give it a day or so then see if it was damaged or not. It was not bad enough to turn into the insurance.

OK. 1 day down, 364 more to go...

I ate right today.

All of Christmas is packed up and put away.

Cleaned in the basement today. Went through some boxes. Found several items that I listed on freeycle. Started an ebay pile, and found items to give as Christmas for 2008. I now have 6 things in the Christmas 2008 box!!!!

Listed 1 auction on ebay.

Cleaned out my dressers.

All the laundry is caught up.

Will get to bed before midnight.

Went up and down the basement and upstairs steps about 20 times-that should count as some sort of exercise....

Entered 2 items in a writing contest. Will see how it goes. I've won 2 lately. The ones I think will win, don't, and odd ones often do great. I thought these were real good, so probably will get zelch.

And best of all, none of my kids got into trouble today!!!! YEE HAW

Stayed home today. Spent no money. Took down the tree and decorations. I think I have all the decorations, but usually I find a stray one hiding out weeks later.

I think my gal I was going to do child care for has fallen thru. She no longer responds to my emails. My understanding is her parents were encouraging her to drop out of school. I hope that is not the case. She had 2 years left to graduate. Being 16 and having a baby is one strike against you, but dropping out of school will not help it any.

I am going to make January my declutter month. I already listed some stuff on craigs list (including my suburban--anyone want to buy a 99 in mint condition with 4x4 tv with VCR???), and some stuff on freecycle. I just sold some stuff on ebay, and will start going through the closets again to find some more outgrown clothes for ebay.

I am also going to try (once again) to find some type of work I can do from home. To recap, I live in the extreme rural, no DSL available, in fact our cells normally don't work here. Our town has no industry-just several small businesses mostly owned by the same family. Nearest town that would have jobs is 30 miles one way. Plus, we homeschool, so I need to be home the majority of the time. So, if anyone has any work at home ideas that do not require highspeed internet or selling, let me know.

I also again have a vacant rental. This one is a house. Last occupents were military and are overseas now. Its been vacant 2 months now, with no takers. But, a college in the same town starts up next week, so maybe when the students come back it will rent. Meanwhile, I am paying the taxes and house payment out of my depleting savings.

I am getting seed cataloges in the mail, and can't wait for spring. Of course, since we have 6 inches of snow on the ground, it will be a long while before it is a reality.

Made our own pizzas for supper tonight. They were good. Should have enough left over for one more meal out of them.

We never left the farm today. Was nice just to stay in, and no money spent.