March 2012 Budget Challenge

[LaineyB]

My turn lol, then just have to do the final on my February one.

Fixed Expenses:
Rent (+ utilities): 0/$1150
Phone/Internet/Cable: 0/$134
Cell Phone: 0/$115
Transportation: 0/$180
Preschool: $190
Loan: $100

Variable Expenses:
Groceries and Stockpile: 0/$100
Savings: $50
Emergency fund. $50
Roller Derby $56



Total March 2012 Expenses to date: $0 (plus Rent)

Coupons Used: $0
Change Found:$0

SPEND Days to date: 0/31

NO SPEND Days to date: 0/31


Goals:
- get vacation fund money put away, including paying my dad for the tickets.
-go through the kids toys and clothes get rid of what doesn't fit.
- start getting ideas for anniversary

[Jasminenicole]

Okay, I did the budget challenge in January and although I did well on it, I forgot to post updates! So I am going to try it again! My budget looks small mainly because everything is cut in half (my boyfriend still has trouble sticking to a budget so we keep our money separate)

Fixed Expenses:
Rent: 0/$400
Phone Bill: 0/$60
Hydro: 0/$45
Internet: 0/$15

Variable Expenses:
Entertainment: 0/$50
Gifts: 0/$20
Clothing: 0/$50.00
Transportation: 0/$50.00
Groceries: 0/$200

Left over for emergency fund/float: $170.00[/COLOR]

Spending days: 0/31
Coupons/Savings:
No Spend Days: 0/31

Goals:
Donate clothes or take them to the consignment shop
Plan out mini garden (no yard to do it in so it will be done in little planters)
Use up all the eggs sitting in my fridge (i.e huge baking spree!)
Make frozen dinners
Discover new vegetables and Fruits (try focusing on seasonal)
Maximize work while still in school
Find new house to rent

[Valiant]

Jasminenicole: a mini-garden is a great idea; I suggest plastic pots since they hold water better than clay ones, just one plant for a small pot, and 3-4 plants for larger pots, so the roots have enough space. Large planters are good for multiple plantings, such as a group of herbs or a big planting of lettuce, or beet greens or Swiss chard. Beans do better spaced evenly apart in window box type of planters, set on the steps.

A storm moved through here a few days ago, so finally there is snow again, which is what the crops will need as the ozone/electrolytes, etc. revitalizes the soil. Hopefully, the freezing winter temps did not kill my perennial roots, since there was so little snow, but since my plants are very close to my unit, they have that protection.
The deer didn't eat off my grapevine this winter, or bed down on my raspberries in my backyard. I put some upturned tomato cages throughout, and that may have deterred them, but mostly we have had a huge upheaval in wildlife population caused by the widespread flood of 2011, and the coyotes are also hunting them, so the numbers are less. Wildlife has been really stressed this past year.

Lekate, you are a very busy person with your type of work schedule; and that makes for further complexities in commuting and shopping.
We are all different, that's what makes it interesting...and whatever works out for us as individuals is what is important.

[sotsuguyou]

Having a bit of an insomnia moment so it's time to think of what needs to be done later today...

- Organize papers and run shredder
- Fill out applications (COMPLETED)
- Run to the bank (COMPLETED)
- Start CRA tax forms (I do mine old school with a pen and paper) - I'm still waiting on 1 T4 slip so I can't out right finish it
- Make some pizza dough (COMPLETED)
- Update my banking ledger

[Valiant]

Today:
- income tax
- fill out my MP's latest survey (now appearing frequently in my mail) with only 2 sentences: telling him to cross the floor from the Conservative party, and that Mr. Harper should resign.
- roast a roast (what else would you do with a roast?)
- other paperwork
- listen to instrumental music

- practise my piano and guitar:
some improvements to my hands in the last few months, so can now stretch my RH 1 octave apart on the piano again, after a few moments of technic (painful, though, used to be able to easily span 11 or 12 keys); arpeggios clumsy, 3 and 4 note chords improving, tempo adagio - moderato, occasionally allegro, can read lower levels of music correctly again with few errors, brain has re-circuited enough to enable me to read more LH chording notes and apply to RH improv patterns.

Guitar is the hardest to manage, due to the need for much greater strength and stamina in LH, which I no longer have. Stretch is inadequate for most chords, strength inadequate for prolonged effort. Have altered chord patterns to play as semi-broken chords, or with altered fingering, but brain is taking some time to get used to these changes. Single notation phrases on frets is fair-good. RH improving, since a different type of strength and narrower stretch is required for classical technic, and is within my capabilities. Cannot do the usual LH preparatory finger & hand stretches, the pain is too intense (I just about pass out). So...will be spending more time on hammer-ons & pull-offs, glissendos, slurs, practising some old favourites and adding technic touches I can handle.
A workable plan.

I've missed playing my instruments so much in the past few years...only played my piano 2-3 times a year, guitar a few dozen times a year, including lesson-times.
That deprivation alone is enough to almost drive me crazy, if I had let it get to me. But I've tried to be patient, because I'm learning how slow this healing process is.
I used to practise for 7 hours straight, only taking brief breaks, but now it's only for a few minutes at a time, or the occasional hour when I lose track of time because I get so involved in what I'm doing. For the first few years of my illness, my brain was too tired and confused to cope with anything this complex. But as it has been healing, I can think and remember again, and the music and technic is coming back to me; songs I thought I'd lost forever have come back to me again, my memory is returning, and my abilities slowly returning.

But the most important thing that needed healing, and still does, is my spirit and soul, which was also crushed and weakened by my illness.
Thank God, the surge of life and energy, the love and joy of music, still wells up in me, and can overflow in my work.

[bobbiegirl2010]

Valiant, your words are as always so inspirational I pray that you continue to heal and regain strength. I really enjoy reading all of your updates so I hope that your computer continues to work.

Here in Ontario it still looks like winter. We had freezing rain yesterday followed by a couple inches of snow overnight. I am really looking forward to spring after this crazy winter we have had!

Have a great day everyone

[bobbiegirl2010]

To Do List for the rest of this week and weekend:

- Put together March Break Activity and Meal Schedule for Daycare (I already found some great free activities) - Started. Will finish through the week

- Go through hand me downs in storage and pull out next size up clothes for both girls for spring - Done

- Box up small size clothes and put back into storage - Done

- Make a list of items girls still need after going through hand me downs (both girls will need rain boots and spring coats - not sure what else yet) - Will work on next wknd

- Clean up office and other paper clutter around house - Done

- If I have time, start organizing income tax paperwork (I most likely owe money so I am not in a hurry to file...) - maybe next wknd...

[sotsuguyou]

- practise my piano and guitar:
some improvements to my hands in the last few months, so can now stretch my RH 1 octave apart on the piano again, after a few moments of technic (painful, though, used to be able to easily span 11 or 12 keys);

Wow Valiant! You have "piano hands"! Best I can do on a good day going slow is a 9th. Prolonged octaves give me trouble as it is. 11th and 12ths...impossible for me. Mr. Rachmaninoff would have loved you.

Music is a wonderful thing and I totally understand what you mean by missing it. I'm glad you're slowly getting better and is able now to get back into again.

I'm totally inspired by you. *goes to practice piano too*

[Jasminenicole]

Today:
Grocery shopping: Catching the end of this weeks deals
Giving my landlord our notice
Roast both of our roasts (they were BOGO at metro this week)
and cut the pork roast into chops.

[sweetproserpina]

Fixed Expenses:
Rent: Paid as per rate
Phone/Internet: 0/70$
Cable: 0/37$
Water:0/106$
Electric: n/a, bill next month
Visa: 0/300$
Student Loan: $104 - paid

Variable Expenses:
Groceries and Stockpile: 0/$300
Home Improvement: 0/100$ (painting the living room and hall!)
Spring Clothes/shoes for DD: 0/30$
Other:

Coupons Used:
Other Money Made:

SPEND Days to date: 0/31
NO SPEND Days to date: 0/31

Goals:
- Keep food budget under 300$
- Find preschool for DD for Fall
- go to EYC every morning I'm at home with DD
- make 200$ of 'other money' this month
- yoga every other day
- potty-train dd!!

To do this Month:
- Paint! Living room, hall, DD's table and chairs etc.
- Clean out DD's closet
- order new point-of-lay chickens
- organize spices/baking cupboard (use bulk barn coupon to replenish stock)
- plant potatoes and lettuce seeds

To do today:
-Finish menu plan, and go over new flyers for deals/shopping list
- fill out passport application
- put extra mason jars in basement

So far, so good. DD and I went to the early year's centre this morning and had fun Also resisted buying a timmy's drink on the way home, and just had tea when I got home. Yay!

[sweetproserpina]

Valiant- so glad to hear that you are starting to feel a bit better! I too, hope that your computer stays operational! We would miss your guidance and spirit here in our little thread
I loved the quote you used at the top of your post:
spring up, O well, within my soul...and make me whole
beautiful..

[Valiant]

Thanks for all the lovely comments, folks!
And I see that you've all been busy, busy; wonderful to read about all that is being accomplished.

Finished the income tax; Gaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh! Still have to do the 2nd draft and all finishing documents, etc. My eyes are so bleary; I've been working on it non-stop for about 7 hours.
Sure hope I did it right...and we never know if the people on the other end will do it right either, until months later.


After-Taxes Milkshake:

1 frozen banana
1 cup Corn Pops
2 1/2 cups milk
1 heaping tbsp. soy flour or powder
2 heaping tbsps. peanut butter
1/4 tsp. vanilla
3-4 tsps. sugar

Break the frozen banana into 3-4 pieces; put all ingredients in blender, and blend on low, then medium and high to finish.
Pour into very large glass; add drinking straw.
RELAX & ENJOY, allowing the experience of the milkshake to obliterate the memory of doing your taxes.

[sotsuguyou]

I could use one of those too except I'm going to be bad and use chocolate soy milk and a scoop of vanilla ice cream

[bobbiegirl2010]

[bobbiegirl2010]

My advertising is finally working! Today I finally got a call for my Daycare business. She is looking for fulltime care for her son starting in May.







I think the phone interview went well so I am looking forward to meeting with her and finalizing everything. I am very excited for the prospect of more work since I have been doing only part-time childcare for 3 school age boys since September.

Also yesterday I received one of my rebate cheques for $231.00 that I will be depositing directly into my emergency fund

This is all very good timing considering my recent problems with EI (which is still not resolved btw...)

So I need to add a few more items to my to do list:

- Update and print off daycare forms

- Make sure my house is extra clean (including my office which is kind of a disaster right now)