Monkey Mama's Monkey Money Blog

Holiday Update +Turkeys

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:18:25 PST

**Dh went shopping for T-day today. My mom slipped me $40, and he spent about $40. It's potluck-y, so not like we needed to spend much. We may feed 25 people. We will have more food than we could ever eat. Dh's family does the holidays BIG! (Since we moved to cheaper lands,...

Heat & Banks

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:47:16 PST

I'm officially out of the heat challenge - a week earlier than last year.

I am not dissapointed at all - it's all the weather's fault.

In fact, I was starting to wonder if I was getting hormonal, because the cold hasn't particularly bothered me. This morning it was 61 inside,...

Tales of the GPS

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:40:27 PST

My time has been filled up and busy, but a break from real life leaves me feeling pretty refreshed.

My folks visited Sunday and stayed quite late actually. I went to bed quite a few hours later than usual!

Monday night I drove to visit them and stayed up too late again!

Woke...

Just an Update

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:53:41 PST

**Made progress on the grocery bill mystery. (Bill was quite large last 2 months).

Um, dh went to Safeway because he had a coupon/promotion to spend $50 and get $10 off Kohls. I told him, "No Thanks" since I can't walk into Kohls and just spend $10. It's the "no spend month!"...

Being Adventurous & Productive

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:51:02 PST

**Today I had a seminar but it turned out to be right down the street from my office. So I dropped off my lunch in the fridge and drove over for lunch. Answered some calls and e-mails, and time to spare. Will probably stop by on my way home to grab my leftovers - but that's about...

New Tax Credit & Price Match

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:10:23 PST

I guess I will always find it ironic that nonsense spreads through the forums like wildfire (i.e. The Dems want to take away your 401ks!). & yet a lot of real and true tax law passes rather quietly. Maybe it's ingenious on the part of politicians - "Look over there!" so you don't...

Not Much Going On...

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:55:38 PST

**Well, dh is set up for a MRI after all. We have been told that his symptoms are not in line with a stroke or a brain tumor, but they want to dot their i's and cross their t's. Basically, his other doctor does not agree with not doing further testing.

Which is fine. Financially,...

Consequences of Having Cash - Prioritizing

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:18:47 PST

The consequence of possibly getting our cash in order within a year, is that when you have cash it is easier to spend it.

In theory anyway. Dh and I are not the greatest examples as we can be a bit of cash hoarders. But by the same token, I do feel like we are about to explode...

Various Updates...

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:16:14 PST

**Financial Update: Dh was surprisingly on board with hoarding cash for 2010. We both know if the market dips that we will be snatching up cheap stock though. I guess in the end it's rather win-win. Either we get in a strong cash position, or we buy more cheap stocks, in 2010....

Health Update

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:11:39 PST

Dh seems to be fine, so phew.

His first doctor appointment didn't go so well. Doctor mentioned the word, "Stroke," though she really didn't have a clue. At that point it flipped me out a bit, considering my dad had a stroke this year, etc. I thought maybe I had been in complete...

Pay Those Bills Late

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:39:21 PST

What is one secret to squeezing out more savings? Pay your bills "late!"

Actually, the deal is, someone in the forums was asking about a budget problem and not getting paid for 30 days or something. They were concerned about their mortgage payment. If they were that tight for...

Asthma

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:13:02 PST

LM was unofficially diagnosed with asthma today.

I am $150 poorer, but glad that the nebulizer is quite affordable! Phew! (We didn't have prescription coverage for a time, and I think that now we do?)

Um, doc says he does not have swine flu, and probably did not have it in...

Chores, Chores, Chores

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:07:43 PST

"Productivity" must be in the air. It is definitely a fall thing.

**Counted kids' money today, and BM has a $50 deposit. It is so funny how crammed full his piggy bank was with $1 bills. Mental note: check his piggy bank more often.

For now, BM is the saver (he is like dh:...

Holy Cow - Halloween

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:48:23 PST

We bought a small bowl of candy, and expected to have tons leftover. Our neighborhood can be hit and miss, but usually no one Trick or Treats much. Sometimes we are lucky to get 5 people, though we have had maybe one year (in 8?) that was crowded. Since we border a gated community,...

Lots of Updates

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:27:09 PST

**Feeling rather caught up at work. November will be slow, but I will barely be in the office anyway. I have a lot of 3-day weeks ahead. Vacation days, holidays, continuing education, etc. I will enjoy it because end of December will get kind of crazy, and it's all downhill from...

Airfare Deals

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:28:17 PST

A trip to Denver ($100+taxes - for roundtrip) looks pretty tempting about now:

http://luv.southwest.com/servlet/cc6?kOHpjQSRCBQTVlgLOlhgxPh...

Would be an opportunity for LM to meet Great-Grandma.

We had such a lovely trip last time - just BM and I.

Just concerned about visiting in the weather. I only go up to the snow on sunny/clear days. Wouldn't have a clue how to drive on ice/snow. & I can't predict the weather!

Though I could finagle a day off work, I can't afford to get snowed in, either... (Has happened before - buried under a few feet of snow).

But, I thought I'd share the deals.

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ETA: We briefly considered it, but decided we have no snow clothing/winter clothing to speak of. & we are cold whimps, and it just doesn't make much sense. Thinking we may road trip to visit Grandma next summer though. Or maybe another deal like this will materialize next summer. Will see!

Monday, Monday

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:56:48 PST

Weekend was productive.

Cleaning progress was made, and the dryer vents were cleaned.

Though I could probably do a once over in every room - to get them all sparkling top to bottom, they probably look better than they have in years. (TIME is key here. Time is not something...

Almost got a Plasma TV

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:02:56 PST

Crisis Averted!

No - it wasn't a crisis. We have already decided, for various reasons, to keep our current HDTV up in our bedroom. & to replace our main TV with a HD Plasma, next year. Prices have come down so much, if nothing else.

Dh has wanted our main TV to be a HDTV...

Weekend Doings

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 07:53:44 PST

**Friday night we dropped off BM at school for a "Parent's Night Out." Was a fundraiser for the 5th graders specifically, but I was impressed at the idea (seemed like an easier way to make money than last years' fundraisers). Anyway, BM REALLY wanted to go, so we said, whatever....

SanwichThins - Yum!

monkey0mama@gmail.com (Monkey Mama) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:08:55 PST

Fiber optic internet has been useful. I downloaded Quicken to my new Netbook today. It turns out I needed to remember my Quicken login, and it took a while to track it down. But, phew, I did.

Anyway, I asked dh how long it would take to download (quoted something like 20 minutes...