Yummy Saves

Had a nice lunch out with a friend today at Swiss Chalet. Last time we went I picked up the majority of the bill and this time she balanced it by picking up the majority of it.

So a nice relaxing lunch out for $7 today and the opportunity to catch up with a good friend! Life is good!

Uh huh.. yeah I know

Bought a patio set marked down to half price and a piece of indoor outdoor carpet for my balcony. My dad visited and he has a mini van and that way I was able to get the set assembled.

Looks great out on my balcony - of course today is pretty cool and its not the greatest to sit out there but it will be nice to when the weather again gets to up to those ridiculous normal summer temperatures again.

Bonus was Dad did all the cutting for the rug and helped me assemble the furniture. For an older dude he's pretty able still. He just turned 75 but he has more energy than most 55 year olds out there

Woo Hoo...

A friend and I had tickets to see Travis Tritt last night at Casino Rama.

Despite the bad traffic we got there about an hour early (the ride took about 2.5 hours but we had left lots of time - cause it really should take an hour but with long weekend traffic...). So I decided I would spend $20 playing on the slot machines. Lost $10 on the nickel slots. Then watched my girlfriend play for a while. Then put some money in the quarter slots. Ended up with a voucher for $27.10.. so I made an entire $7.10 last night. I figured I'd stop there while I was ahead!!!

I got a surprise in the mail. I had applied for a carry back of a capital loss from last year to the year before. I had though I might get an extra refund of around $300.

Revenue Canada sent me a cheque today for $580. Woo hoo! Given the issues at work this is going right into my emergency fund.

Not all reassements are bad!!!

Life remains pretty busy.

Got the cheque from the insurance company for my appointment last week. Had another dental visit this week but only about 50% will be reimbursed after the $50 deductible and the 80% coinsurance.

I have bought my lunches out. That has to change next week but have been pretty good iwth my dinner. Had a lovely one out last night but it was paid for by my date. I don't mind paying my way but I also enjoy being courted and treated to a meal.

There are a number of big ticket items I want but with the continiuing stresses at the office I'm conserving cash. While some are "sort of needs" most come under the heading of wants. Yes I sort of need a new couch (mine was torn up by the cats) but there no need to make the purchase right now etc...

Its a good lesson for me to start separating needs and wants again and learning to make do with what I have or adapt it. I might look into craigs list or freecycle a bit but other than that I need to stop coveting.

My date Saturday night went well. We went to my favourite neighbourhood restaurant and enjoyed a meal out on the patio I had a delicious and non creamy portabello soup followed by shrimp and bacon crepes that were also not too creamy. My date had steak. We sat, relaxed, ate, and caught up.

After we headed out to a nightclub. The floor show at midnight was "quite" something. Think latex covered "nun" with a strapless dress and two naughty school girls. Any vulgarity, of which there was quite some, was overshadowed by the incredibly bad acting. Ignoring the adult plot a third grader could do better. We walked out on it after a few minutes and found a quieter corner to chat and people watch.

Sunday I had a quiet no spend day at home. Found the floor of my spare bedroom, decluttered some drawers and got rid of quite a bit of crap. Felt good. Rest of the day was lazy which was really nice!

I have had a hankering for some nice make up so I cashed in some of my drug store points and bought some of the good stuff today - Lise Watier foundation and base - yeah I bought the "you need'm both line hook and sinker". She did my face for me using both and I LOVED the look.

Along with some other odds and sods I needed the amount I spent out of pocket was less than $14.

I'm happy. And all made up for a date tonight curtesy of Make Up girl at the drug store.. (alas I'm of the age where make up makes me look younger and not older .. *sigh*)

I got about 81% on my French test. Not bad for studying under 2 hours for it.

Had a picnic today at lunch with the french teacher and the other student in my class. That was very nice.

Boss wants to talk to me about things that will give me more challanges at work and told me he'll be needing me to do more quotes. I'm not overly excited by that. So then the big one I was to be assigned to me isn't coming to me cause someone else wants it. Seems I can't win for losing at work. They assigned me a small pain in the butt one that I'll work with the new guy on - and make it into a training exercise - that is the best of a bad thing.

Started the day at work for 2 hours studying for my french test. Did the french test (i take french at work for work so studying at work seems reasonable to me, and my boss didn't protest).

Then a dental appointment for a cleaning. A tooth is chipped so I'm back next week for an unchipping.. err.. filling

Home and realise the chicken I was going to make was bad despite being three days before the best before date. Realised that this was the third time this happened. So it might be something to do with the fridge. So i defrosted the fridge/freezer compartment, to see if that might help and frankly I want to ask for a new fridge but it was so bad I figured I better do that first. $16 of chicken thighs tossed in the garbage.

Did laundry

Got all the ice out of the freezer area finally. Dumped much of it on the balcony to melt there.

Mopped floor in kitchen (defrosting the fridge's freezer makes a mess)

Got laundry.

Realised some a$$ stole my big purple bathsheet from out of the dryer. Damn I'm annoyed - that was the only bathsheet that was large enough to cover all of my fat A$$.

Made bed. Am in bed.

Tomorrow has to be better right?

I am going to go to work today - I have a french test at noon I haven't studied for so the hours before then aren't for work but to study for my french test.

Then work. Ick. But as a friend suggested to me yesterday more than a day hiding from it isn't a good thing for me mentally. I hate it when friends are right but I'm not going to bite my nose to spite my face.

So back to work. I'm pretty sure nothing more will happen with respect to the letter I'm supposed to get until next week but who knows.

Today's fun events are capped off by a dental appointment at 5pm. Those services should be paid for by my dental plan. My dental plan (my employer is my insurer, one of the "perqs" of working in insurance) isn't one of the most generous however so who knows.

Then home and hopefully I'll have some energy to do a few chores that have been put off way too long.

After the fuss yesterday I slept for 14 hours last night. Feel tired still today but like there is hope with life.

I'm going to not make any rash decisions about my job until I get the letter. But I'm going to put off any large purchases and generally tighten my belt. I have no need that I know of for going on a spending spree for the next little while, so I won't. I have an funded emergency account.. I'm well off considering.

I'll update my resume in the next week or so and start seeing what is out there too.

Also thinking about going to 4 days per week and working 10 hour days. My boss in onside with me in all of this, and focussing on other areas of my life now might be a good thing.

After a great couple of weeks off, recharging and enjoying myself I go back to work today to find out I'm in lots of trouble. Seems one of the sales people is upset at my lack of enthusiasm and the Snr VP suddenly had this memory of me being negative at a presentation he gave. My boss and I don't remember me talking at that presentation but we do remember that I was upset after. Some of his comments were quite hurtful and I guess it showed on my face and he remembered that. So my boss is writing me up a warning and I have three months to shape up my attitude as he was clearly given the direction to do so by Senior Managment.

This was told to me an hour after my vacation ended today. So much for being relaxed and happy. With all the changes in my life ,work has been the one stabilizing thing in my life. I'll do my best to be miss cheery about everything and see what is up. Amazing while I'm not the cheeriest of the lot in the department it is the large groups I've quoted on that are the ones that have sold. Peter thinks it is bad luck and will pass so long as I'm seen as positive.

I had just come to the decision to buy my sewing machine. I will be putting that off until things settle down.

Got my vacation pictures uploaded to the web if anyone wants to take a look. This was my vacation a week or so ago to Nova Scotia, Canada and Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada.

I'm very struck by the beauty of PEI and definitely want to visit there again. This is not saying I didn't like Nova Scotia but I have been there many times and have had many opportunities to enjoy it's beauty.

If you care to look the pictures are available at

http://

I'm home again. Got the pleasure of grocery shopping today. $50 quickly gone. But at least have basics again, so won't be eating out too much.

Vacation was great! It seems impossible that I am going back to work on monday - I'd like another week or two off to be honest.

I Picked up my prescriptions today.

Paid 10% of the bill 43.00

Glad the rest went on the drug card and gets paid by the insurance company and I don't have to ante up first and wait for reimbursement.


A drug habit costs..

Just realised I have been blogging here for more than a year.

Thank you for all of you for your comments on my posts. I've come a long way in the last year, and you have all helped me on my journey to being more financially secure.

Money for the first time in my life has become something positive - a tool I can use to enhance my present and my future - rather than a worry in my life. Its a nice feeling!

I look forward to the rest of this my second year of blogging here....

I've enjoyed today. Been lazy and relaxed. Did a little bit of decluttering but not much else.

It was a no spend day

Woo Hoo!

Yes, I have to confess that we tried to smuggle Jergens Gradual Tanner and Lubriderm SPF 15 lotion to Toronto. However, A and I were caught by the salwart airport security. She was caught trying to smuggle on 150ml of Jergens self tanner and I surrendered my Lubiderm 300ml lotion once I realised that nothing could slip by the steadfast and vigilant gaze of the three young vibrant blondes manning the security counter.

We were then prohibited from going further until we had placed our potions, creams and devilish lotions into 1litre plastic bags supplied by our trustworthy goverment. Never mind that the other airport we travelled from allowed us to bring them in larger size bags. Of course being the frugal souls we are instisted on packing our stuff into the little bags ourselves. We wanted to make sure, in our frugal way to ensure if stuff had to get left behind it wasn't the expensive stuff A told those behind us in line that we might be awhile and that they might want to try another line. We were worse than the little old lady in front of you in the check out line at the grocery store purse diving for 2 pennies.



They were kind to us in that they did not demand I be able to seal my bag when they let me through. I think they were afraid I'd just repack it until I got it to work holding up the line for hours. Anyone who has seen what I can put into a small purse realises that I do have the ability to make much fit into a very small space.

I got so confused that I almost forgot to put my bag on rollers so it could be scanned - they had to remind me.

And yes we had them all laughing and joking with us by the time we were through - hell our flight was delayed and we had time to kill and they were there until the end of their shift regardless!

More holiday posts sure to come. We got home tonight after lots of delays. The airport at Toronto was closed for a while (hours?) due to a huge thunderstorm. This meant the plane picking us up that was starting in Toronto and returning with our flight was late

The most fun we had though was in checking in our lotions and potions. I have a pic of that but haven't uploaded it yet. Lets just say we had to ditch items over 100ml and we were able to creatively pack the rest.

I got home after midnight and am still tring to unwind.

Oh they charge those in steerage (I think they call it economy) $1 for a chocolate bar and $2 for a small thing of pringles on the plane. Yes highway robbery is alive and well and the coach robbers are now employed by Air Canada

Found an internet connection (free at the inn we are staying at) so am indulging my internet fixation. I'm so addicted it isn't funny.

The holiday has been great. The weather was great for Peggy's Cove but it rained cats and dogs while we went to Lunenburg and Mahone Bay. The Bluenose was out so we didn't get to tour that. One day I'll manage to be there for that.

Today we are on PEI. Went to Green Gables where they have done a nice job of fixing up the house to authentic late 1900's style. There was a gorgeous nature walk we did too!

Tomorrow we see a bit more of the lsland before heading back to Nova Scotia for a few days before heading back to Ontario.

Be back in a week or so unless I hit an interent cafe!

I'll miss reading and posting!

But I'll say hi to Green Gables and the Lake of Shining Waters as well as Peggy's Cove and Mahone Bay for you all!

I got my oil changed today. New guy at the place. I said. "I know my oil is low" (the light was flashing on - yes I do know that is VERY BAD - why do you think I did an oil change oday. ) so pleasedon't lecture me, fill it and do it quickly please". He was polite, did what I asked even filled the washer fluid up with the fluid I had already.

I got none of the 'tude you get from oil change guys that usually involves $100 extra in charges. Oh and the service was $31 posted and he rang it in for me at at $22 plus tax. He just said "I give you a deal". Crappy Tire pit stop. I'm a happy camper. Took about 10 minutes too.

I'm a very happy customer.

Thanks to crappy traffic I was late meeting my friend for dinner. We had a great dinner at Swiss Chalet and were able to have a really good talk.

Yea - another meal out.

On the way home I stopped at a clothing store and in the 10 minutes before they closed found the cutest top. Black, of course, but with these pretty pink flowers all over it. Very girly girl. Made me feel pretty. I think I'll wear that today - assuming I ever get moving today

Then home to find I am almost out of cheques. Looking around to see if I can find a Canadian source that is cheaper than the bank (who seem to charge enough to make their entire annual profit on each box of cheques). Lot of great US places but I don't know if they send to Canada or not.

Anyone know of a decent place to order cheques in Canada. Don't have to be gorgeous although that is a bonus. Would like them to be cheaper than the bank costs though and from some place reputable.

Did errands at lunch. Ended up spending more than I wanted to. Got a couple good deals (75% off) on an over the counter drug I sometimes use. All the rest of the things were items that were on my list that I needed.

I picked a lunch sandwich up at the grocery store. A picnic roast beef wrap (roast beef, shredded cheddar, mustard and sweet pickle) for $2.00. It was excellent!

Off to meet a friend for dinner. When I get back from vacation I really have to get the eating out under control.

Going on holidays starting on friday so I have lots of little things to get done.

All fiddly things unfortunately and none that I really want to do so I'm pretty much procrastinating. Not a good thing to be doing but very much human nature to do so.

Ever notice the correlation between the speed and efficency of service at a fast food place and the number of people milling about behind the counter.

Its definitely an inverse relationship. The more people the slower the service.

This insight brought to you by a person who needs to stop eating out so much.

I made a black and white version of the purse I made last week yesterday. The pictures aren't the greatest I'm afraid. I have to admit that it went much faster the second time which is likely not surprising.

Oh the first part of the title has nothing to do with the date. Went for two tests yesterday in the morning - as part of my "well woman" checkup.

The tech was gentle. The first two mammogram x-rays were easy. A bit of flattening and done. No where near pancake flat.

The second two involved sticking the (thankfully slightly rounded) edge of the machine in my armpit, rotating each girl in turn and squishing them. Not comfortable but less painful than all those gyn things where they warn you that you may experience some momentary discomfort.. Actually easier than those dental bite wing xrays (I hate those) - as at least it didn't trigger my gag reflex.

The build up was painful. The exam was fine. I probably need to make sure from here on in to say how bad it was to scare the future generations of women like I was scared before I went (traditions are important)

The bone density test was fine though it had my foot and hip in a weird position. Most amusing was all her questions about my undies. Do they have zippers? metal? pins? buttons? Obviously there is a whole category of panties I have yet to explore. A zipper on underwear?

Thanks to our provincial health care these tests were free. I'll contact my doctor in a bit about them although I'm sure if there is anything his office will be contacting me fast.

Spent some money on self maintenance after that with some waxing and a pedicure. Then got the end of McD's drive through for brunch.

A nap and some quilting were my afternoon. In the evening I went out on a date. It is nice to be taken out. Was a nice evening and I enjoyed his company.

We won't see each other for a bit as we both have trips out of town scheduled but we are planning to see each other again!