By the time you read this, we're close to closing on our new house up in the mountains....and hoping we can get our trailer full of furniture into the house before it's really blizzarding! We should be okay; Fort Garland is not supposed to get as much snow. (Our part of Colorado has at least 6", and it's still coming down.) But still... 'ifs.'
It's clear that our frugal choices in the past have had a lot to do with why we can afford this move. A lot of questions went into this purchase -- and a lot of 'fleeces.' But this is God's house, not ours. It will be interesting to see why He's bringing us to Fort Garland.
FRUGAL HITS
*Stayed home while the guys went hunting -- except for a jaunt Sunday to go to church, and look at a bed for sale. Brought corn dogs to our friend's house, and we played Ticket to Ride. (Yes, she beat me.)
*Cooking ahead: made peanut butter, oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies for the hunting guys, as well as beef stew and pigs in blankets.The guys brought back the leftover food they'd purchased -- and we split that three ways.
*Got some videos via Ebay, including Patton. (buy 2, get 1 free special) My haul included several Christmas videos for us, our friends and our kiddoes. Also some books on frugality. (I find it very amusing to buy frugal living books at a great sale price...)
*I waited to sell stocks until the dividends were paid - for the house payment. We also cashed in the piggybanks change -- $39 and change!
*We're paying less for insurance, both for medical expenses, and for the new house. Please tell me why our total, for the house, truck and fifth-wheel, is less than what we've been paying for just the truck and fifth-wheel.
*11.99 haircuts for both of us -- thanks, Great Clips!
*$25 discount for a dinner at Fogo de Chao -- but it was still pricey. (No matter -- Son #1's birthday dinner was worth it.)
*Royalties from Arcadia for Ghosts & Legends, Colorado Curiosities and the Ghostly Tales kids book.
*Had to walk away from a penny at the airport. (It was stuck underneath some wired mesh -- and the security guy was standing close by.) The Brick thinks it's very funny that I'm bothered by this...like an itch I can't scratch.
*Royalties from Quarto Group. (For Crazy Quilts, my book for Voyageur Press. Somehow they'd used a very old address.)
*An antique 18-volume set of Charles Dickens novels -- for $46, shipped, via Ebay. (And yes, it was a counteroffer. Never take the first price, unless you really think it's a bargain!) I'll love reading these this winter.
*A leather couch for $50 on Facebook Marketplace -- plus a round dining table with four chairs thrown in. Friend Tommy helped us lug them home.
*A beautiful carved bed, with matching nightstands, also from Marketplace -- for $140! I realized, with the possible exception of student housing (which was furnished), this will be our first headboard/footboard in nearly 40 years! The money always seemed better spent on other things...
*Friends also gave us a chest of drawers, an armoire and set of dishes. Friend Bert will help us lug these to our new home. Yes, we are very grateful for the help of friends, especially now.
*Investment dinner at a fancy seafood restaurant (with enough leftovers to supplement two more meals) -- and another one at Chili's. (That one was a mortuary's 'I See Dead People'-type seminar.) Plus another, this one at a schwanky (as Nonconsumer says) steak restaurant. Plus a fourth dinner at Rodizio Grill. Why are all the investment companies sponsoring these right now??
*Back to using the library -- a lot. I'll switch to the Fort Garland library when we move, which isn't as big -- but hey. At least there IS a library there. I'll continue to use the Castle Rock one for appraisal appointments -- and stop-bys. (I love that place.)
*BOGO coupons used at the Castle Rock library used booksale - two of them. Plus some kids books (50 cents each) for our Michigan nieces and nephews.
*Had my eyes checked -- fortunately, 1) the exam was free, and 2) my Medicare supplement covered the glasses (2 pair, both with antiglare). The good news: my current glasses were a little blurry because my eyesight has actually improved a little!
*Got some homemade salsa from friends -- which needed some oomph. Mixed in the leftovers from a bag of Doritos salsa verde chips. Problem solved. Also a bag of tomatoes (which Ruby squashed).
*Lunch with a friend - who not only covered my salad, but gifted some incredible Russian bowls, plus a serving spoon. Thank you, Karine.
*Appraisals done, and reports sent off.
*Made a little money answering questions for Quora -- and a $3 gift card from Swagbucks. (You get a 50-point bonus on Swagbucks if you buy a giftcard on your birth month with your saved points. It's easy to earn these, and doesn't cost a cent -- you can, too!)
Also: a $5 giftcard for filling out a survey.
*Free burgers at Red Robin -- twice. Each time, we stretched the leftovers into a second meal. (What can I say...it's a tradition.)
We've also enjoyed Chili's current "Three-For-U" special: unlimited drinks, chips/salsa or soup -- and a choice of several entrees. (I usually pack up most of the latter, especially when the Brick orders chips, and I get the soup.)
*Half-price day at the thrift shop! I had to fight through the crowd, but got several great buys, including binoculars (birthday present), a cast iron Japanese teakettle ($7), a sweater for the Brick ($6), various hand towels and placemats for the new house -- and a lovely antique hand-painted lemonade set (pitcher and cups) for $28. Also two fancy-pants crystal goblets for $7 each. (Hey, it was for a good cause.)
We did get some things a few days earlier on my scouting day, including a much-needed suitcase ($15), some embellishments ($1 each), a half-gallon plus quart-sized blue canning jars ($6 and $3, respectively), two pairs of jeans and some hunting pants (about $5 each). The discount was 'only' 20% off -- but it was worth it. Another trip (also 20% off) netted a pair of fringed moccasins, some birthday cards -- and a few items for the house.
*Made sure the power was switched on at the new house. (It's gotten much colder around here - didn't want to arrive to frozen pipes.) Also the mail. And the insurance.
*Made an appraisal trip to Las Vegas -- and stayed at the Excalibur. (The Brick came with.) The plane tickets were very reasonable -- but we had to argue to get the promised $30 daily food credit. Then we had problems using it! I was working during the day sometimes, and nearly every place we could use it at closed on Wednesday (the day we got there). Note: don't expect much to be happening in Las Vegas foodwise on Tuesday or Wednesday. Thurs - Sat was easier...but the food was overpriced. Figures.
We were careful on our spending there. (And NO gambling.) Friends took us to dinner and a show -- the Duprees. (They were incredible.) I did get a hoodie from the Shelby museum. We got another hoodie and a t-shirt...all on sale. One went to Daughter #1, who took care of Ruby for us. (Her partner got a Red Robin giftcard.) The t-shirt went to the friend who gave us a ride to and from the airport. (He was not suitably grateful - the stinker.)
*Half-priced lights for this year's Christmas tree. I'll use them on the deck as well.
*Grocery buys: a large pumpkin, on National Pumpkin Day ($2.99), 52-cent fall bouquet (it's lovely), $1.99 Oscar Mayer hotdogs (the best), 3 peppers for a buck - several bags, 18-pk eggs for 99 cents (whaaat??), cukes 68 cents, free Quaker granola bars, spaghetti sauce (81 cents a jar), large apple pies, $3.21 each (King Soopers). Bags of Chunky Chips Ahoy cookies ($1.92 each), tins of loose English Breakfast (about $4 each - Walmart had them for nearly $12), a kilo of Italian coffee beans ($16.54) .glazed pecans ($2.40 for 4 oz - a real steal), fried onions, $1.10 each, Lindt chocolate bars at nearly half-price (Amazon Warehouse). Ironically, my 72 case lot bargain of Crackerjacks (also Amazon Warehouse) arrived -- a single 1 oz. box for $20.54! (It was refunded -- thank you, Amazon.)
FRUGAL MISSES
*Our local King Soopers offers some great bargains -- and has the distressing habit of 'forgetting' to credit coupons and sale prices. They got me THREE TIMES. Fortunately, the customer service people refunded the overage. (I get the feeling they know me now.) Unfortunately, they also nailed me for buying the wrong brand of corn dogs -- which meant a $2 mistake for each box. (sigh) At least I had something to eat while the Brick was hunting. (I gave a box to friends, too.)
*Spent $10 or so at Dollar Tree on Christmas decorations. And LOVED it. (The Brick said I came out with a big smile on my face.) As the 'dog-shaming' memes often say, "I am not sorry." This may seem like a pittance to you, but for a Hollander like me, it's a lot.
*Some mac and cheese was so bad, even Ruby wouldn't eat it. (The cheese was 'going,' so I couldn't blame her. At least she ate some.) Lost a chunk of ham, too -- I think it's what was giving us gas. (ahem) Ruby did eat that. (Maybe she got gas, too... but how would we know?)
*Had to rent a closed trailer to take the furniture down to the new house, because of snow. Ah, well...
*Didn't go to Albuquerque's Balloon Festival. We had hoped to, since Phenomenal Gems, our kids' business was there vending. (They did great, by the way.) Just didn't feel up to it, and had deadlines to meet, anyways.
Whew -- after expenses, including the Las Vegas trip, we came out ahead in September -- just in time to use that money for the house payment. (August's expenses were much nastier.)
Last month's report is here-- and the October 2022 report is here. Plus the 2021 (Michigan) version.
We're looking forward to a more peaceful November.
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