*Received a $10 off at Kohls in the mail - no strings attached. LOVE these. Though they usually have the intended effect - buy more than I would anyway.

I am thinking of buying underwear. Something I needed. Now it will be free.

I can't say I will be able to resist the clothes... Could always use clothes... But I will try.

If I am lucky my mom will send me her $10 too. (She did last time).

*I was VERY stressed looking at the credit card once I subtracted out the new computer purchase and airfare to Denver. As I voiced my stress out loud to dh and thought about it it seemed there was a good $300 void there. He asked me if I had considered the fridge repair. Doh.

Nope, forgot. That makes much more sense. Leaves about $600 for gas and groceries and ideally nothing else, for the rest of the month. Almost half way through the month and enough food to feed the army, and no long driving plans. !!!! We'll see. The less we spend of the $600 left, the less we will have to pull out of savings for all this other stuff.

I wouldn't get too excited. BM has a dental consult today. For all his cavities. Ugh. My savings is vanishing before my eyes with all this stuff. Nope, didn't budget for numerous cavities for a 4-year-old. Likewise, my dentist was nice enough to take him (he is CHEAP) but now we have to have a consult with the ped. At least I already have one we had a good experience with (with LM). Reminds me I need to take my checkbook so we can get 10% cash discount. !! That's something. So consult today and fillings to come... Kind of double charged in a sense since we already did a consult. But that's how it works out. I think we will switch the kids to the ped dentist. The ped dentist is local - that is good. My dentist just wants nothing to do with kids. But we tried... I realize now if he is just going to send them to the ped when anything is wrong, we just have to make that leap.

*Dh's computer stands at $700 today. We'll see. He is building it himself and so though I am not sure this is cheapest in the end (original quote was more like $300 from him) I think he is getting 10 times the computer he expected so figured might as well get what he wants and what will last and be useful for a long while. & hopefully won't die in 4 years.

BM is really enjoying watching the whole thing - he loves figuring out how things work, so this is just fascinating to him.

I'll ask dh what he thinks the whole system would retail for, for comparison. I can't say he is saving much, but that he sees much advantage to a self built machine.

In the past he pushed this method for cost savings, but can't say I am convinced this round.

ETA: Dh assured me his system would be $1k brand new, and of lesser quality. We are up to about $775, or $700 after rebates. So I guess there is cost savings there. We'll see when all is said and done. The last $75 was unexpected - needed a new power supply after all. (I imagine there could be more unexpected purchases as he works on it).

I am still frustrated this is not the top dog computer. That one will need to be upgraded one of these days as well - more for his work. But things are not where he wants them to be right now - he wants blu-ray for one - on his computer. So holding out.

We usually only upgrade that computer and hand down the rest. IF we replace it every 5-10 years, it's just not a big expense for everyone in the house to have a computer. Our *system* is just way *off* since the NEWEST computer bit the dust. *sigh* Now "top dog" is like 6 years old and "second-tier" will be brand new. & one hand-me-down computer bit the dust. We have just never had a computer completely die before. I am still quite annoyed about the whole thing! Though obviously we will survive. The kids still have a computer, "ancient computer" and dh will probably hand down "top dog" in a couple of years.

*Dh has a $100 focus group today. Yay! He'll probably cough up another $200-$300 for the computer and the rest can probably be covered from this month's budget. If we're lucky we won't have to touch savings for the computer. Phew. Lm will be at school and I will lunch with BM and take him to the dentist. Just works out. Tempted to drop him off at preschool, but just want that $100 to be PURE profit! I can take a couple of hours off work instead.

*Send my in-laws good vibes/prayers. Dh's grandma owns a vacation home in the Sierras, and after something like 50 years, Allstate suddenly dropped her. So as of October or something she has no insurance on the home. She is meeting with a new insurance agent today to see if they will take her on. (They are dropping fire coverage to all homeowners in the area).

I mentioned in a post earlier I was rather loyal to my insurance company (mostly because they always have been the cheapest. But I don't feel it's worth it to jump ship for a very few dollars). But this is a wonderful reminder of how not loyal the insurance companies are to you. BAH to Allstate. (Not my company or I would probably drop them in protest).

Anyway, they dropped by for dinner last night on their way to the house for a couple of days.

*As far as my retirement accounts go, they are holding steady. I keep saying I am lucky in that I am young enough I just don't have that much to lose. I seem to be adding money in as fast as it goes down, so the balance is rather steady. I've already been through worse so I know this is just the game. (2001 was right off the bat for me - out of college - and we lost some money we will never recover - tech stocks). So this round is faring much better. Just dollar cost averaging in, and I know when the economy improves, my balances will rise.

I was talking to my dad last night about the economy and such and he admitted the same. He said he was putting so much in that his balances were holding steady. (Even as he probably nears the million mark).

I had never thought that much about it. Though I am quite sure it will be harder to stomach the market gyrations at those levels, I hadn't thought as much that with time we will probably contribute more. So if nothing else, less likely to slide backwards.

My dad is probably putting $40k/year into savings. But then again, they have gotten a lot of inheritances and stuff lately, so probably much more. They seem to be doing well enough.

My dad admitted last night he would consider retiring if not for healthcare. He is 57.

I think I will send him the private insurance rates for our insurance. They really aren't horrid. Not for someone in their position. Plus, my dad is one of those types who will never stop working.

I do know he is holding out for some vesting in his start up, and maybe even they will get bought out and make it big. So I know he is holding out for some of that as well. But I was kind of surprised to hear his analysis. It's not cheap, but would get him through to medicare age. They have the money. I just wonder if he had even priced it.

We have always been privately insured so I never entirely understood COBRA (when it is more expensive than better/private insurance) and loyalty to employment for measly benefits. I think just so few people even shop around. The primary reason I have never taken employment benefits is they sucked and were more expensive. The same held true when I worked for a giant int'l corporation and now that I work for the small mom/pop.

So I was rather surprised when my dad told me the only thing holding him back from retirement was health benefits. I wonder if I could convince him otherwise. (Truth is he will probably consult enough on the side to cover insurance and then some, anyway).

*My boss is flying back today and I will stop being the top of the totem pole.

Thank Goodness!!!!! LOL.

I know today is not over, but aside from the alarm going off, the week has been rather calm. Knock on wood. I will be glad to shed this role though and actually have some time to get my real work done.

Tonight my boss will be back on alarm duty - so phew.