I'm cooking up a storm. This way I'm not going to be tempted to eat out for meals next week.

As I type cornbread is in the oven. A meatloaf is in one slowcooker and cafe chicken is in the other.

The cafe chicken is a new recipe but I think its going to be excellent on some rice with veggies

* 1/4 cup strong coffee
* 1/4 cup ketchup
* 2 Tbsp brown sugar (i used splenda)
* 2 Tbsp Worstershire Sauce
* 1 TBSP vinegar
* 1 TBSP lemon juice
* chicken

Mix and cook in slow cooker. I might end up thickening it when its done but this should be tasty and tangy when its done. Would probably work really nicely with beef too. The original recipe calls for cooking it in the oven and basting. That sounds like work compared to doing in the slow cooker.

Dang I'm getting hungry.

A good day. 4 bags of garbage and one bag to go to a thift store.

About 1/2 was kitchen garbage - science experiments, what was I thinking when I bought that stuff, and stuff that was empty but the box was being saved(for what I had no idea). The rest was mainly old papers for the most part. Much of that got shredded - tax stuff from 10 years ago, paperwork from a car bought in 1992. Getting my paper stuff under control hasn't been easy but last nights search for pension documents was a wake up call for me. Time to get it organized and keep only that which is relavent such that I can find it.

And as I've been home a no spend day! Woo hoo!

Not sure if I am going to do any shopping today. I'm more feeling like doing stuff around my cave

I'm going to do flylady day today I think (www.flylady.net for anyone who hasn't yet joined that cult).

My objective is to get 5 bags minimum of garbage/clutter/crap out of here. I want to move ahead on making my place a home and not a "place for stuff". Its way better than it was a year or two ago but the more I do the more I want to do.

I'd also like to make a meatloaf and mashed cauliflower (like mashed potatos but without the guilt). I better take the beef out of the freezer if I want to do that

I found the other pension statement. So I can bring them both into the office on monday. They'll let me know what back service I can buy into the pension plan with them.

Added up the amounts. These two pensions total $592.06 per month starting at age 65 .. and one of the pension plans has some overcontribution money in it, $2,632.05 as at August 31, 2001.

Dang. Good thing I am getting my house in order financially. I think I was *this* far from forgetting I had these amounts.

Spoke to our Pension person in HR today and asked about if we can put money from other pension plans into our plan. She confirmed that yes our plan allowed that. This is very unusual as these are Defined Benfit plans and not the normal Defined contribution plan that most employers offer these days. All I need is the pension statement that I got from the old employer when I left their employment.

Once I bring the paper in she'll send it to the actuaries or whoever calculates what that money, if transfered, would buy as past service in our pension plan. And the quote is no obligation *whew*. The biggest bonus with this is my boss is an actuary and I can go to him once I get the numbers for advice (its not like my salary information isn't something he knows).

I found one of the statements. I left this company in the late 90's. The pension will pay about $500 a month when I turn 65. Dang - that's actually real money.

I haven't found the other one but I'll keep looking. I think as I do that my paper shredder may get a good workout. A rental agreement on a place I haven't lived in in 10 years is hardly a peace of paper that is needed in my life. I'm sure I'll find more gems than that though

I'm snowed under at work. Like 4 feet under. I've warned all my coworkers if they don't make sure it goes on my to-do list it won't get done. If they don't take me seriously it is to their peril - though honestly I'm not really taking work from them right now - if they aren't careful and are in reach too long I'll cheerfully delegate it though.

Trying a frugal(ish) recipe tonight - and low fat 2 cans of corn, a can of black beans and a large jar of salsa along with 4 chicken breasts sliced are in the slow cooker. Okay so maybe not that frugal but the only ingredient I didn't have was the black beans and they were well less than a dollar. Easy, low fat and healhty. I love all the ingredients so I don't see how it can't help but be good. I'm hoping to have this for tomorrow lunch - so I can review tomorrow.

Every once in a while the strangest jobs fall my way. This time its researching how many adults have leaky bladders and how much it costs for the diaper sand pads and "adult bladder control products".

Part of the research is fine - I will just websurf the sites for depends, attends, and poise at work. The computer department might get some giggles - but that doesn't really worry me - they aren't at the site I work on so its not like I'll see them looking at me as they point and giggle.

So here I am at my local drugstore tonight standing in front of the "adult diapers" writing down prices, websites and what's in the package.

I found prices. I've found prevalence. Now all I need to do is find out how often on average one would change an adult diaper or pad. *hmmpf* I think I'll just ask a mother how often they change a toddler who is in the "diaper training" stage - and extrapolate that to older adults. Or maybe more research on their websites.

The good news is that I didn't have to buy any as part of my research. I'm hoping to avoid that really. However on a practical note I'll know the odds are I might need this stuff in the future.

I just howled when I saw this - and it emphasised the message of ensuring one does save for the future.

Last night I had to get some US cash and some Canadian money. I'm heading to the US today.

My bank has ATM's that give out money in both currencies (does the entire money change conversion for you, debits your count and hands you the cash in the appropriate currency). Since I've discovered these machines I've not taked to a teller in a bank. That's probably been 2 or 3 years.

Well last night I tried to use the card. It wouldn't go in the machine. Great I think, I've failed bank machine card insertion. Nothing like not being able to operate the bank machine to feel like a total loser.

I ended up going in and doing my transaction with a teller. Its been so long doing that it was almost like it was my first time ever *grins*

It was pretty nice actually. She was friendly and did all the paperwork for me. That was nice - I didn't realise we no longer had to fill out those little slips.

The nicest surprise of the day? There was no line up

Spoke to my boss today about my pensions from previous employers. He suggested I contact both my former employers to find out a) why they haven't sent me statement and b) to see if my pension amounts are portable. He isn't 100% sure if I'm supposed to get the statements but he thinks I am and regardless he says it makes sense that I ask.

Thinking about asking prior employers to do some work on my behalf does bring a smile to my face.

He suggested I find out if my prior pension vested amounts are portable and can be transfered into my pension plan with my current employer. That would get me a bigger benefit from here. Buying "back service" I think is the expression I have heard used when someone does this.

I have heard of doing this. Now I just have to figure out if there are any reasons I can't do this and if this makes sense for me.

It feels good to be thinking about this money but it also seems a bit scary. Time to educate myself more on the ins and outs of pension plans.

If nothing else, reading about them will ensure a few nights of good sleep!

I'm shopping today. Store was out of what I had gone there for. So I wasn't in a great mood. This sets the context for the rest of this post.

I go up and down the aisles to see if there are any good coupons. Found some including one for $1 off milk - my favourite "super duper filtered" brand - and they are good til Dec 31st. Needless to say a couple went into my purse. Found some other new ones to add to the trains I'm starting.

So I get to the "feminine papers" section of the store. There is this box attached to one of the shelves. Of course I grab one of what's in them to see if it includes a coupon. No coupon, no instructions but a "lift and sniff" feature. I lifted, I sniffed (not that I had to very hard those things always are overpowering once you open them). Cheap perfume-y smell. The sort that reminded me of woolworths or woolco.

Excuse me? Mr Manufacturer of feminine goods, but if I want to smell pretty I'll use perfume. I wear your products so I don't stink and stay clean. I thought the objective of them was so you didn't smell!

Been a busy day. First out for brunch in a trendy area of town.

Afterwards for some reason I was quite the little flybaby. Two drawers in the bedroom cleaned out. Three bags cleaned out(I seem to like stashing stuff in bags, the coffee table found (I was right it was under that pile'o'stuff), a good straighten in the kitchen, paperwork shredded, filed, organized or tossed as appropriate. Whew!

Set up coupons for three trains I'm starting that will to go out in the next few days.

Went to the post office and mailed (using all new postage) two trains, one belated envelope I owe someone and a couple of RAOK's.

I got curious yesterday and today did a quick google for a quiz on investing and risk tolerance. I was quite happy to find a site not sponsored by a bank, mutual fund company or other corporation (no need to get more spam mail in my email account that I hae specifically for that stuff). I found a quiz at:

http://www.rce.rutgers.edu:8080/money/riskquiz/default.asp?

The first time I tried the quiz I scored a 29 - lowest score in the high risk tolerance category. I did it another time and scored a 28 highest score in the moderate category or investent risk taker. Figures I do it twice and don't manage to be consistant.

I guess this means I really don't need to be keeping that jar of pennies in the freezer.

I get the theory of borrowing money at low interest rates to invest it at a higher rate. And I'm reading the blogs of people who make this work for them. Work the Credit card offers of zero percent interest, borrow the money in just the right way, transfer to the 0% card, all the while investing and earning money on this "free money".

I get it. My finance degree admires them for working the system. Take opportunity and seize it. Bleed those credit card companies dry. I really do like it. I wish it was for me.

It isn't for me though. I don't want be in debt in order to make money. I don't want to be leveraged. Its not within my risk tolerance. I'm a fuddy duddy who is happy at being financially solvent for the first time in many years. If I wasn't doing so much cross border stuff I'd lose my visa and just keep a debit card. I rarely use my visa unless I'm in the US. I like not owing people money. It feels good. It feels nice not to have bills looming over my head.

Maybe its because I'm lazy. I don't want to be as diligent as I would need to be in order to make sure I danced the dance perfectly to ensure that I never had to pay a late fee or any other rip-you-off payment the CC companies create to gouge consumers.

I keep thinking of that poor Aussie fellow who played with dangerous animals and died. I know its not a nice analogy but it keeps coming to mind.

So this little lazy risk adverse girl is going get her thrills on this money making strategy not by doing but by cheering on those others who make it work for them. So excuse me while I go oggle and admire their daring-do while keeping my pennies in a jar in the freezer *grins*

I could have done several things tonight. All administrative, all would have only taken me a few minutes each. They are all things I need to do to move my savings along or take advantage of some points programs I'm in - ensure I'm registered properly etc.

But have I done anything tonight? Nope not a thing (unless watching an episode of Crossing Jordan and CSI Miami count - and you'd think after yesterday I'd never want to watch CSI Miami again).

So why am I procrastinating? Am I afraid to succeed? Why do I indulge in behavious that don't get to where I want to be. Okay so they'd have involved the phone and I dont really like the phone.

So now rather than just do what I need to do I'm writing about it and not doing it.

*sigh*

And ole and frugal meezer, he decided that two can shower as cheaply as one!

I'm merrily having my shower this morning - doing my weekly body polish routine and I look down and low and behold Mao has joined me for my shower. This isn't the first time he's decided that he wants to shower. The water doesn't bother him at all. He just merrily stands there licking at the water droplets in the tub. I'm not sure if he even notices the water at all. I'm the one who gets worried - I like a hot shower - that he'll be scalded or something. So wasn't long before I picked him up and removed him from the shower.

After I finished my shower he went back into the tub.




Afterwards he enjoyed being blown blow dry. I assume that a cat who doesn't enjoy it woudn't sit still for it - I wasn't holding him down or restraining him from leaving in any way.

..the darn store changed the pattern.

Went to the "continually has an inventory blow out sale" kitchen stuff store all prepared to buy a new set of china - an everyday set. I wanted the ones that match my mugs. I had bought mugs in 4 different colours at this chain earlier in the year - navy, green, red and yellow/gold. They had a pieces in each colour and mixing the four colours then.

But they have discontinued the navy blue and replaced it with the rather nice mid greyish blue. But the plate that has the 4 colours combined still has the navy blue place settting. Therefore they really haven't replaced it properly.

Okay so this is low on the list of natural disasters. Yeah, so its not even on the list. But it was enough to throw me for a loup. Then I started looking. I think the green is a different shade and they have two styles of plates and a new style of mugs too.

I know this isn't true open stock. But I wanted to get the 4-colour plates which went with my cups and then some solids too. Hard to do when you can't mix and match like you wanted to.

I may still go back and buy (I did replace the mug I had broken with the same style in the same colour) but I'm not quite sure what I want to do.

I may check the superduper sells everything but the kitchen sink (and may sell that too) Superstore grocery store and see what they have.

But today I limited my spending there to less than $4.

It was nice that you were all at the grocery store today. It was wonderful seeing three generations of a family do things together, and yours was truly an inspiration to us all with respect to how close knit you are. It is wonderful how you all communicate. No raised voices, everyone having their say with intense long deep involved conversation amongst you all.

Now if I may make a small request, please move your family meeting elsewhere. Anywhere other than the junction of two aisles at a busy grocery store on a Friday night. Say why not move the meeting to your home. That way we who would like to get home aren't standing around waiting for your meeting to finish.

Thank you for your consideration,

A tired shopper wanting to get her groceries done.

While I live in Canada I travel to the US at least once a month as my boyfriend lives in PA. While I'm great with coupons on my home turf I'm trying to become a better consumer when I'm in the states and maximize my savings. These are a couple of my goals for september for some of the "odd things" I want to do to enhance my savings.

- to follow up on at least on of the razor offers I've completed. I keep filling out pages that say they are going to send me a free razor. Intuition, Venus. Schick. I'll be amazed if one every turns up in my mail.

- to complete at least one rebate offer, preferably one in the US and one in Canada for a product I use. Maybe razors even!

-to make a large ALDI shopping list for when i'm next in the states for basics, - cream cheese, milk, pam, sweeetner, etc and to buy said items there. Items where I don't care about brand names.

-To join the Rite Aid savings program for monthly rebates and stuff (there is one on my route home that I found last time that is easy to get to.

Exciting eh?

My visa bill came today. Ouchies. I pay for the subscription a friend and I have to dinner theatre - its a good deal but at $40 each for 5 shows each it adds up - and that's the half price mid week deal
She'll pay me back on an "as we go basis" But ouchies. That was a chunk of change.

Then came the rest of the expenses from my vacation. All are from the States where it is hard for me to use my debit card due to the different systems and where to get cash out each bank along the way is charging a pretty penny. Not that visa doesn't. Just easier to do it tht way. But not easier when the bill comes.

Note to self: Carry more cash when travelling to the US.

The bill isn't due until the end of September but I want to get this paid off. It is the only debt I have. Balance was paid off last month. I don't want to get back into the land of owing.

After a 3 year battle I tossed out most of my plants this past Sunday. I've been battling mealybugs. Dabbing them with alcohol did nothing. Soap did nothing. Other sprays did nothing, dada zilch. Malathion - which should kill man, beast and any living thing was merely a mealybug treat.

I wasn't very frugal. I tossed most of them out containers and all. To be totally correct I selected the ones to be tossed and my boyfriend did the dirty deed and dumped them down the garbage chute.

While I had a small financial investment in the plants most of it was a time and energy investment.

I kept about 8 plants - two spider plants that seem immune to everything, and some ivy's. I'm going to spray them all in the next few days and then give them a month. Any bugs and I'll have to get rid of all the remaining plants.

A few containers I did keep (some of the smaller ones for my plants at work). I'll need to sterilize them. I don't have a dishwasher and most are plastic. Maybe a nice bleach bath with a couple of cups of bleach and a prewash in insecticide. I have just as large a collection of plants at the office as I have at home. Errr. As I had at home and no way I want those infected.

Today was one hell of a day at work. Tomorrow should be just as fun. *Sigh* It might even be more fun as I now have computer issues thanks to needing files that are too large for the programs I use to handle. Being an underwriter is no glamorous - yeah right!.

Oh well, the highlights of today:

-limited spending to breakfast $2.62
-a coworker brought me a coffee so I didn't have to pay for that
- another coworker picked up some nayonaise (vegan mayonaisse) for me at Whole Foods saving me a trip there
-got two antiprocrastition tasks done - no not all of them, but two of them are off of the list
-filed my 10 items
-threw out well over 20 items
-got my american coupons organized (Woo hoo) and can send them on to pastures where they may be used and appreciated
-found a bag of clutter in the kitchen from a car clean out. Got rid of it - tossed, filed, going to goodwill etc
-got a bag of stuff ready for goodwill
-dishes done, counters and stove wiped down.
-lunch is ready for tomorrow. Not sure if i'll make breakfast or buy it out. I'm going to try to make it to save the $2.62

I'm finally unwinding too. A stressful day works me up and makes it hard for me to sleep

The paper challenge is moving along. Got rid of way more than 20 pieces of paper again today and filed my obligatory 10 things.

In the mess I found two more cheques to cash in the pile, and a gift card for a book store. Decluttering pays :

First for the good stuff today.

-Limited spending out to one cup of coffee.
-Worked on my paper challenge (more than 20 pieces of paper tossed and 10 filed
-Came to a decision to keep no more than about 12 identical coupons. My coupon collection is overflowing and giving me fits. I can't find coupons I'm looking for, so weeding it down is the only sensible way to go. Coupons are part of my paper problem. This needs to be solved going forward.
-Am set up for another no unplanned spending day tomorrow with the proviso that if i buy a coffee it is not cheating - some days I just need a second cup.

The not so good stuff

- too ditzy to bake today. The cold must be affecting some of my brain cells. Made something that would have been bran muffins had I followed the recipe. Too bad I didn't do that.
-Had a short temper today and let things get to me. Low blood sugar didn't help - I was really hungry by supper time - likely too hungry.

Oh reading this, the good definitely outweighted the bad.

I am coming down with a cold.. actually it has been coming for a few days and has moved solidly into my sinus cavities. Blech.

I am proud of me for doing a number of things today:

- putting away the laundry
- decluttering 5 tops - 4 for garbage and 1 to go to the boyfriend (stains etc.. the garbage ones are garbage)
-putting the celery seed I bought into a spice jar rather than leaving it in a baggy (I've tossed many a random bag of bulk spices in the past as life is too short to deal with old mystery spices)
- setting up the coffee maker for the morning as well as thawing a breakfast pita
-getting my lunch ready for tomorrow so I have it for work
-filing about 10 items
-tossing out about 30 random pieces of paper

My goal for this week is to, every day throw out at least 20 pieces of paper and file at least 10 pieces of paper.

For some reason the more clutter i get rid of the less I need. I love how this works. It is counter intuitive that is for sure.

I'm hoping to limit my "food out" spending tomorrow to the cost of an additional cup of coffee or a coke if for some reason I want one. I can't do a no spend day as I need sweetener.

I bought gallon jugs of the Arizona Diet Iced tea at Aldi for $2.57 each a few weeks ago. I have no idea if that's a good price or not and no time to go out comparison shopping.

I guess I'll just trust Aldi. I'm trying to bring about a quart of this to work every day so I don't go out and buy coffee or worse, pop.

Loblaws is an upper end Grocery store. The prices are okay if you shop sales and coupons. Quality is good though.

Anyway some marketing dude who must shop at the hoity toity grocery stores for gourmets came up with the slogan "Amazingly low prices".

As compared to what?

I mean really. Prices on basic groceries are about 20% higher for the same product as the lower end stores.

I don't mind marketing slogans but must you insult our intelligence with them?

Thanks to a dental visit where the freezing didn't work, I'm not going to be calling ING tonight or Air Miles.

The freezing did finally take after they did a Gow-Gates block. I'm actually still frozen and the freezing is bothering me (I guess it is starting to come out). Good news - after that I felt nothing.

Calling is on hold until tomorrow!

Travelling up to my parents is a killer gas wise. Gas is 1.145 per litre here. Ouch. At home it was a mere 96cents when I left. Seeing that price differnce during the course of a day really hurts.

The visit is going well. Mom is frail but isn't as frail as I was worried she might be. Got a fright when they called earlier in the week and told me they found her sleeping on the floor. From what everyone can figure that is what she was doing. No signs of injury from a fall.

Dad is thinking of renting an apt rather than buying a place when he sells this house. Might make sense. He's 74 and doesn't need the fuss of maitenance and upkeep.

Didn't spend much today. Tomorrow I'll need to fill the tank for the ride home. OUCH.

Didn't plan for it to be a spendy day. Rejoined weight watchers. I have lot of weight to watch. I bought a 12 week membership. I need to get serious about losing. A 12 week membership is 3 months. I am hoping to lose 20lbs. It would be great to lose 20lbs in the next three months.

Bought the cat his condo. I ended up getting $5 off the price! Woo hoo! I'm not sure what she did but it worked for me regardless. Being a regular and bringing your cat in occassionly is a good way to make friends at the pet store.