Hope everyone had a great weekend! I know that I did. We celebrated my dad's birthday with some great seafood, hung out, went to my nephew's playoff game, and had a lot of down time.

Right now, I'm taking some time tonight to pack food for work tomorrow and some snacks to keep in my desk drawer.

Hope everyone had as great a weekend as I did!

I love our state parks. We've got a bunch of different ones around here. $3.00 to get in, annual pass is $27. I keep meaning to buy an annual pass, but haven't yet.

I went to one of the bigger ones, with woods/fields surrounding a large man-made lake. There's fishing, camping, hiking, boating, picnic areas, tennis, volleyball and frisbee golf.

I walked one of the larger trails and only planned to go part way then turn around becuase it was 7.1 miles. I ended up deciding to just keep going at what I thought was the halfway point, but it wasn't. Then I got mixed up on another trail it intersects with and ended up walking a total of 8+ miles.

I'm tired, but it was sooo worth it.

-The sky was clear
-There was a breeze
-The lake was pretty
-It was fun to see canoes on the lake
-I saw lots of neat foliage
-There were benches along the way to stop & enjoy the different scenary
-I encountered groundhogs, frogs, bright lime green toads, what I think was an opossum, bunnies and bunny babies, butterflies, dragonflies, and a snake.
-I got a chance to listen to the sounds of the woods AND some great music on my mp3 player.

And the result of the hike was that I was tired, relaxed and just downright happy. Definitely worth $3.00!

Tomorrow, I am meeting a friend and we are walking along the water in a different park. This is a county-run park, so its free.

Yesterday was a no spender! wooo. DId get a free Redbox movie - but free still makes it a no spender!

Still packing breakfast, lunch & snacks 100%. I also have pretty much quit drinking soda - which will definitely save me money in the long run. I haven't had any weight loss benefits though and I'm assuming thats becuase I was drinking diet soda.

I am currently shopping auto insurance, which is always fun. I need to save any dollars I can! Wish me luck

Also, it finally cooled down here & I was able to turn the A/C off. SOoooo glad to have the windows open. I prefer fresh air AND its a money saver.

No news on the roommate front though. BOooo

I live near a beach - about 1.5 hours away, but everyone travelling to that beach goes through my area to get there. Roads are backed up, people are jerks in traffic, and the beaches get crowded. So while a lot of friends & coworkers go down to the beach this weekend, I will not.

I have a limited entertainment budget, so my goal is to entertain myself at home. I really just want to rejuice my mental batteries and get my house in order. Especially since I did not do that this weekend.

I already have plans in mind: renting some movies from REdbox, starting redecorating in the downstairs bath (no money out yet - just removing things, spackling and sanding), treating a little mold in my basement, gardening, hitting the gym and just resting.

What are you planning on doing for the holiday weekend?

Last week, at the gas station, I accidentally hit debit instead of credit when paying. I was in a rush & just went with the debit. A few days later, I noticed a $1.50 service charge to my checking from that transaction. I though (and this was dumb) that it was due to my hitting debit by accident and the gas station charged me the fee.

Enter today, when I went to the company ATM (Which has always been free to use) and withdrew some funds. No notice came up at the screen or on the receipt. An hour later, I went online to my checking and found another $1.50 fee. My own bank is charging me a service fee! I've been with them 10 years and this has never happened.

So I called. Turns out that they sent notices back in March that going forward, you get 2 free ATM withdraws at other banks, then they would be charging. I explained that I did not get notification and that I do not recieve paper statements. Since I balance my checkbook off the online, I never even open my online statements - becuase I've already seen all of the activity. LESSON LEARNED - always check statements, even when you have the online activity.

So I explained that I had missed that info the statement & why. And I just asked "is there anything you can do for me?". They credited the $3.00 back. Going forward, I'm on my own though.

I have to rethink the bank I"m with. Good customer service and free checking. But if there's another bank with free checking and no fees at other ATMs, I might switch.

As soon as I hung up the phone, I printed out the statement with the account changes. Yep, the info was all there. Still, I saved myself $3.00!

I'm so glad for the weekend. Now if only the work day doesnt drag on!

Yesterday, after work, a friend & I walked 3.5 miles around the college town near work. She lives right off the Main ST. After the walk, some friends had text us that they were at the bar around the corner from her place, so we stopped by. 3.5 mile walk, followed by 1 beer! haha - And I was able to do it while on my Weight Watchers. Friends bought the beer, so no spending there.

I did stop at the grocery store & bought 10.45 worth of stuff. I got a new brand of popcorn, which was on sale, but its awful, so I"m returning the 3 other boxes (they were $1 each).

Today, I have a happy hour after work, but I'm only going for 1 drink. Its more of an obligation than something I want to do, so I'm hoping to leave early & head over to the gym.

I have LOTS of things on my To-DO list for this weekend. I really want to get my house/life organized again.

And in less positive news, my airbag light came on in the car, but I can't figure out why. Googled the problem, but didnt get any answers. Probably just a funky sensor, but still annoying.

Well, the roommate is gone (as of last month) and I'm looking for a new one. In the meantime, my budget is TIGHT.

So I am grocery planning, meal planning, gift planning & entertainment planning

I am lowering the cable bill (it was increased with the roomie). I am hoping to keep the air/heat off as much as possible to lower the electric/gas. I am utilizing the library more and am working to stay home & have friends over more often.

Today, my work group volunteered for a thing called "Beauty in the Community". We do yardwork for homes that house special needs people. Couple hours weeding, mulching, trimming & we headed out to lunch. Spent $17, but worth the good company.

Tonight I stayed in and am watching dvds from the library.

Tomorrow, I'm hanging out with a friend - hoping to keep it a free day. We'll see how it goes.

The heat is on today (has been since Sunday due to the crazy chilly weather we're having)

I am a social person, but I also am a homebody. Contradictory, I know, but I love to go out with friends, then come home & putter around the house.

I had a conversation recently with a friend about renting versus buying. And to me, buying was the right decision. But for him, it wasn't.

So I've been thinking about the reasons that I'm house happy.

1. I love watching the cats running up and down stairs
2. Seeing my plants basking in the sun
3. Making dinner in the kitchen
4. Sitting on the deck in the summer
5. Looking at the field behind the house from my bedroom window.
6. My walk-in closet
7. The airflow from the front to back of the house when the windows are open
8. The wildlife outside - lots of birds and bunnies
9. Having a place of my own and a sense of ownership and responsibility

Its amazing that just looking around and seeing the plants can make me smile. Its so simple for me.

Of course, there are problems - maintenance, repairs, money, roommates (on occassion). But to me, its absolutely worth it!

What about your home makes you happy?

This weeks's spening (so far)
Monday - no spend Packed breakfast & lunch
Tuesday - no spend Packed breakfast & lunch
Wednesday - packed breakfast & lunch
.55 soft pretzel
19.85 groceries
Thursday - no spending for food at work - packed
5.65 veggies at produce stand
40.60 gas
Friday - packed breafast, no lunch at work
.55 soft pretzel

I am heading to the hospital today. A good friend of mine is having back surgery & I"ll be keeping the family company in the waiting room. I packed lunch for work, but found out the surgery got moved up & I'll be heading to the hospital at 10. So no lunch at work for me! HOpe I get to eat the food at some point though. I plan on offering to get lunch for the family - sandwiches or something. So today will be a spender

Lots of plans for the weekend... hope everyone is doing well!

HH

Well, its been quite a while since I've been on the site. Checked in once in a while, but nothing more than a quick stop in. Lots of changes to the site, I will have to get used to them.

I've been in a chaos with finances and am working to get my spending under control.

I'll be looking to update my actual debt, my budget and to start holding a STRICT budget and get the debt back down.

Good to see you guys!

HH

Turns out I have a pretty big nodule on the thyroid and this Monday, I went to a specialist. Im going to have surgery and half my thyroid removed. IF while they remove that half, the pathology comes back cancer, they will remove the whole thryoid. But the chance of cancer is about 10%. So hopefully that wont happen.

I've never had big surgery, so I'm kinda freaked. I am concentrating on getting things together before the surgery in 2 weeks. I'll be in the hospital for a day or two, then at my parents for a couple more days. I'll definately be out of work for at least a week. Luckily my work has a very good leave program and I won't be losing any pay.

We all know I like to make lists! So here it is!

1. Finish filing taxes (DONE)
2. Pay bills for the next couple of weeks
3. Make master list of all accounts/online information
4. Have cash stash to give mom & dad (for any supplies while I'm staying with them)
5. Secure roommate to feed cats while I'm gone (DONE)
6. Contact HOA members to let them know I'll be unavailable for a week or two
7. Contact insurance to make sure there is nothing that needs to be done prior to the surgery. Also confirm estimates on deductible. (DONE)
8.Reschedule dentist appointment
9. Find someone to take my concert ticket (date is too close after surgery)
10. Notify the party time job (may put job at risk)
11. Complete leave paperwork for full time job. I have to use 5 sick days before it kicks in. Then I have up to 7 weeks paid leave at 100% pay. I am pretty sure I wont even get anywhere near that much.
12. The weekend before surgery: clean house, do laundry the day before, clean litterbox, clean out any perishibles from fridge


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In other news, today is a snow day! I'm getting some of my to-do list done. And I'm going to have a movie day with the roomie. We have leftover beer from the party and in honor of the snow, I made jello shots! And of course, in between movies & eating, there will be shovelling. Can't forget about the shovelling.

So I did a tentative run of my taxes. I always do them by hand AND online to ensure I'm not missing anything. And the first version I did says I'll get back $1331 federal and 397 state!

I had some extreme things happen that caused my itemized deductions to greatly change my taxes. I can guarentee this will not happen again next year!

Still - 2/3 ($1152) of any refund I get will go to my credit card and 1/3 ($576) will go to my vacation fund. Yay.

So, I take a medication that my Employer's contract says has an over the counter equal. Its not exactly the same & the over the counter does not help my condition. So I pay for taking a "Preferred" medication. Last year, they FINALLY came out with a generic version, but the plan still considered it "preferred". So I was paying $120 for a 3 month supply.

I just ordered my refill through their mail order service and was only charged $20 for a 3 month supply. THey're finally considering it a true generic!! This is saving me $400 a year.

Now my dilema is that I priced my HSA with that medication as being $120. So I'm going to have an extra $400 in my HSA budget. Given my health issues lately - (I have a sucky immune system). That might get used up. And if it doesnt, I'll order an extra supply of contacts, or new glasses.

So, I returned to the basement last night to find that most of the mold that had been attacked by bleach was dead. It appears that scrubbing isnt as necessary as time is! So I am holding off on calling the experts and am having another bleach/water spray session. Here's hoping!!

I have a call into a local repair man. I need to replace the ceiling fan/light in the living room. I would tackle the project myself, but I'm not comfortable doing that. So I'm sure it'll be a couple hundred out of pocket. But it'll be worth it. I need lighting back in the living room! haha

Well, Thursday, the seasonal part time job asked me if I wanted to stay on. They think they have a position for me. WOO HOO!!

Also, I was put in touch with a friend of a friend who was looking for a place to stay. We met today, he saw the house, we hit it off & he is moving in. Fairly quickly too. YAY for rent money!! $450/month plus whatever increase to the cable services he wants (DVR, ect).

This comes at a good time because I need to deal with some mold on my basement wall in 2 corners. (this is the SOMEWHAT part of my title!) I tried handling the job myself (bleach and water), but because the previous owners painted over the cement, its proving hard to remove. To be completely safe, I want professionals to handle it.

Roomie is moving in next Saturday, so I'm hoping to get someone in to work on the mold this week. Hopefully ASAP.

So the first months rent will (partially) be used for the mold removal. I plan on budgeting a portion of the income and setting it aside for increased utilities due to a 2nd person in the house. The rest, after the mold expense, is going to my credit card!

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Looking at today: I spent roughly $10 on lunch for my mom & myself, plus $4.08 in 4 movie rentals at Redbox. I bought $9 and change on groceries.

And I spent the rest of the day attempting to remove mold in the basement. What I find REALLY ironic, is that was the plan for today before my friend even called me about her buddy looking for a room

Tonight I'm watching rented movies & vegging.

Tomorrow, I am hitting Lowes for closet rods to install for the rented room and the Farmer's Market for veggies. Then I work the ptj (part time job) from 1:30 to 10.

Sunday, I'm helping my sister set up her computer and doing brunch & a gift exchange with friends. YAY!

Hope everyone had a GREAT New Year! I know I already am. Even with the disasterous attempt at mold removal!

So, I've spent about $91.21 in the last 2 weeks for medical expenses. Obviously, I've been sick. I'm on my 2nd round of antibiotics, this time its for twice a day for 10 days.

I'm still working the part time job and with being sick. I've literally worked & slept. Which means that I have not followed a meal plan and have been eating out. But not too excessively.

Thank Goodness I finished my Christmas shopping early! And that I'm not hosting anything. I have been tracking spending 100% and managed to send 100% of my first part time job paycheck to my credit card. I'm gonna pay that thing off soon!

I'll try to catch up with everyone. If I dont get back here this week, please have a good holiday!

So, (I'm sure you all remember), I'm working a part time job. Its seasonal, so I probably only have about 5 weeks more of work. (Unless they keep me on... Oh please, oh please!) There is an all black dress code. I can wear another color underneath, but the main pieces have to be black.

I have 2 black shirts (that actually fit) & only 1 pair of suitable black pants.

I also have a limited wardrobe for my business casual full time job. And I definately can wear black pants, shirts & sweaters there.

Last week, I used $20 in gift cards (earned with cc points) and a $10 gift card to Old Navy & bought a black long sleeve shirt & sweater ($0 out of pocket).

This week, I had another $10 coupon. I got 2 more black shirts. But couldn't find any pants. ($0 out of pocket)

Next week, I'll have another coupon $10.00, but I'm gonna splurge on NON black clothes

Still, I need another pair of black pants. I could use them at my full time job as well. My seasonal job sells black pants. And I have a 30% off coupon plus 20% employee discount. So this week, I'm going in search of black pants Hopefully for $12.00 or less.

Other than that though, I DO NOT need any more new clothes, regardless of the discount!!

Tonight is my first time off from the ptj this week. I am doing laundry, picking up a little and then heading to a friend's house for a movie

I'm also off tomorrow, and unless I find out my good friend can go get a Christmas tree with me, I'm staying in. Catching up on tv, cleaning the house, making a meal plan. All that fun stuff I need a little couch time! hehe

Happy Sunday!

Yesterday was a good day. I hung around the house & just got a few things done. Last night, I got all dressed up for a Christmas party for my friends work. They had Casino night with fake money, a buffet dinner and open bar. A good time was had by all. I spent $3.00 for tips for the bartenders at the bar.

Today, I sold a 13 inch tv (that was given to me free several years ago) for $20.00 off Craigslist. Then I went to the Farmer's market for my weekly veggie/fruit fun. $10.51 spent.

This afternoon, I'm heading to the Playhouse to see Legally Blond with my mom & sister. Tickets were a gift from my mom and we'll probably do an early dinner out afterwards, so I'm looking at $10.00 spent or so.

I had $20.00 left in my entertainment spending budget. Minus $3 for the tips last night, I'll have plenty for dinner out.

This upcoming week is very busy. I start the new part-time job. I"m prepping by planning out clothes (new dress code for part time job) & food.

Monday, I'll work my f/t job 7-4pm, then the 2nd job 6-10

Tuesday, F/T 7:30-4pm, P/T 6-9

Wednesday, F/T 7:30-5pm, P/T 6-10

Wish me luck!

I have cereal measured out for 5 days. I made 2 pasta salads for lunches Mon & Tues. I took 2 sloppy joes & 2 meatloaves out of the freezer. I already measured out snacks of animal crackers and carrots. I made 2 new pitchers of fruit punch & pink lemonade and have reusable water bottles set up.

So I'll have food for breakfast, lunch at the the F/T job, come home for dinner (quick), pack food for the next day & have snacks at the P/T job. Definately doable.

I've got a goal for this weekend. Stay home & clean & organize instead of dealing with crowds at stores or spending

So tonight, after I got home from work, I did the following:

-Cleaned out the entry closet & purged items
-Cleaned downstairs bath, organized vanity cabinet and wiped baseboards and trim around all doors
-Washed entry floor. Did baseboards & trim in entry.
-Cleaned kitchen, polished table & chairs, washed dishes, wiped down all cabinets, wiped blinds. And even pulled out fridge, vacuumed coils & washed floor behind it. And wiped top & inside of hood over oven. Can I just say ew!
-Cleaned living room, organized bookcase, dusted & vacuumed, wiped down baseboards and all glass table tops.
-Meal plan
-Finalized budget (2nd time!) for 11/30

So now I am beat, but happy. I watched tv while cleaning and I feel better now that I purged some junk, and have a pile for good will.

And because all I did was go to work & come straight home, I had a no spender! yay!

Tomorrow, I am tackling the upstairs - hall, linen closet, bedroom, spare bedroom & upstairs bath. Definately doable!

Just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to all. Even though I'm a day late!

I'm at work today, booo! But I enjoyed spending time with family. It was very low-key with just the immediate family (my parents, my sister & my nephew).

I'm planning to have No spenders today & tomorrow, with a little grocery shopping on Sunday.

Unfortunately, I've taken some hits lately. I haven't really gone into them on here, but money is even tighter than before and I still have a $200.00 car repair to get done soon. Ugh. There are going to be a lot of No spenders in my future - out of Necessity. Wish me luck

I was talking with a friend about saving money and during the conversation, I realized there are a lot of things that I do routinely that I don't even recognize as being frugal anymore. To me, they're just normal! Please add any everyday frugal things you do!

1. Air drying most of my laundry.
2. Turning off the dishwasher after the rinse cycle. No heat cycle for me, air drying works just fine!
3. Turn off all lights but the room I'm currently in. (Sometimes) watch tv in the dark in the evening.
4. Routinely use the library for free books and movies
5. Trade DVDs and books with friends instead of buying new ones
6. Wash clothes in cold water
7. Unplug microwave, toaster and kitchen radio. Only plug in when in use.
8. Make ahead meals, package in individual portions & freeze
9. Meal plan
10. Measure out cat food to appropriate portions so I don't over feed (and therefore overspend OR make the cats obese!)
11. Pay bills online as much as possible
12. Get free checkbook registers from the bank. Yes, I use a register as well as online banking!
13. Use junk mail envelopes as scrap paper
14. Use a programmable thermostat to control heat and a/c use.
15. Wear appropriate clothes and use appropriate bedding for the season (sweater & sweats in winter, shorts & tanks in summer. Down comforter & extra blanket in winter, Light blanket and cotton sheets in summer).
16. Do my own nails.
17. Eat meals at home as much as possible. Pack lunches for work.
18. Keep pitchers of water & lemonade or fruit punch in fridge at all times to help limit soda use
19. Use the Farmer's Market and Produce stand for fresh (and cheap) fruits & veggies
20. Hand wash dishes and only use dishwasher for full load, bigger messes and dishes used in cooking meat.
21. Upload photos online instead of printing out every one. Back them up on free websites
22. Invite friends over for movie and game nights. (This is just fun for me!)
23. Research big purchases for quality items and price
24. Browse thrift shops for clothes/household items.
25. Use work printer instead of one at home (work allows this)
26. Repurpose items. Old tv tray is now a plant stand, ect
27. Repair clothes. Put buttons back on coats, hem pants
28. Use email instead of regular mail to stay in touch with friends
29. Use Hulu and Comcast On Demand to catch up on tv shows instead of renting a DVR from the cable company
30. Reorganize the closet every few months, putting clothes at the back towards the front. Its like shopping, but in my own closet! I love finding a sweater that I hadn't seen in a while
31. Keep a small gift stock. Birthday cards, gift wrap and bags, small generic gifts
32. I'm happy to take 2nd hand items off the hands of friends and family if they're done with them. I've gotten furniture, extra linens, clothes, and books that way. And I've given some too!
33. Spend a lot of time outdoors. I like walking in the park, going to the beach, hiking, all of which are mostly free activities
34. Use websites for crosswords, soduku and card games and other forms of entertainment
35. Do as many home repairs myself as possible. Utilize how-to books and do research online. I'm sometimes overwhelmed in this area, so when I complete something on my own, I'm super proud of myself!
36. Use towels and dishrags in the kitchen. Limit paper towel use.
37. Use less of the recommended amounts of laundry detergent & dish detergent. You really only need a portion of what the packaging tells you
38. Use reusable water bottles instead of throwaway ones
39. Make do with what I have. For example, I have a great fridge where the icemaker doesn't work. My dad and I determined this is not a fixable problem. I went and got a 3 pack of ice cube trays from the dollar store & just make them myself now. No need for a whole new fridge.
40. Reuse ziplock baggies
41. Wear stuff out. I have a VERY old, inherited vacuum. With a clothespin on the cord because it no longer retracts properly, electrical tape and scratches and dents. BUT it still works great!
42. I use (and immediately pay off) credit cards for routine purchases to earn bonus points and promotions. In the last 2 months, I've gotten $50.00 from my Old Navy account alone.
43. Use mail order company for long-term medications
44. Use Health Savings account for pre-tax medical spending
45. I grow my own basil, oregano and mint. This is something I just started in the last few months, but is a pleasure to look at and to eat and SO easy to maintain
46. I reuse plastic grocery bags for trash can liners and kitty litter cleanup
47. Use Craigslist, visit garage sales only when looking for specific items
48. Utilize the dollar store. I find deals for shower liners, holiday decorations, food, over the counter medicines and toiletries.
49. Give and take plant clippings. Free way to add to a garden!
50. Do all my own yard work. Grass cutting, weeding, ect.

Put a bunch up on Craigslist this week. I already have someone stopping by the house at 4 today to pick up 4 sofa pillows and 2 - 18 quart storage bins for a total of $15.00. Yay

Through an ad on Craigslist, I also applied for a marketing research program thats going to be setting up shop at the local university. Hopefully that'll pan out.

And to round things off, I replied to 2 posts for places to stay. I REALLY need to find a roomie!

I was out of work by 11 today. Woohoo! I came home & wanted to do something productive before being lazy. So I cleaned out the linen closet. Moved a couple of towels to the 'rag' pile. And moved a few more to the good will pile. That way I have more space!.

After that, I took 2 pounds of ground turkey and made meatloaf muffins with 1 pound and sauteed the other pound with onion. I separated both out into individual portions for the freezer.

Then I made myself a nice tuna sandwich and hit the couch. I started watching Season 1 of Criminal Minds from the library & took a nap.

Today (FINALLY) was a no spender! yay

Well, I was hoping for a no spender today, but instead paid a $0.25 library fine & grabbed bread to take over my mothers with dinner. She offered me a free meal, then calls back and asked for the bread. How could I say no? lol

Tomorrow I work a half day. I'm hoping to get a bunch of stuff done around the house. We'll see!

Today's 5 Things:

1. Update spending tracker and balance budget
2. Gym
3. Make To-Do list around the house
4. Clear out email Inbox
5. Send rest of photos from cruise to friends that requested them.

Soooo... this Daylight Savings change is really messing with me. I want to go home & snuggle under a blanket instead of getting errands or house stuff done or going to the gym

Today, I had to force myself to run my errands (my 5 Things for today). I hit the library, the Walmart, the produce stand and came home & made food for tomorrow and FINALLY finished uploading the 600 + digital pics that I had from the cruise. That last one wasn't such a hardship! And I could do it curled up on the couch under a blanket.

Here are a few unnecessary pics!









*Edited to add - no, I'm not in any of the pictures

I leave Sunday morning & I have a big to-do list to complete this weekend. I want to be prepared to step right back into my daily frugality and organization.

When I leave on Sunday, I will have a clean house, a meal plan for the following week, a grocery shopping list & freshly cleaned bed linens

Tonight, my 5 things are:

1. Organize photos on computer (DONE)
2. Clean kitchen (DONE)
3. Clean living room (Working on it)
4. Clean out car (DONE)
5. Make meal plan & grocery list for 11/2 when get back from cruise (DONE)

I woke up yesterday with a full-blown migrane. There was no chance to pre-empt some of the pain with my normal migrane meds. I did what I could, then called my sister who came over with some soda & crackers. I was too sick to even down that, so she drove me to the medical aid unit. $30.00 copay and one shot later, I was feeling better. Not 100%, but much better than before.

I didn't pack any food for work today given my problems yesterday. And I'm not up to making dinner, so I grabbed some on the way home. Unexpected spending, but definately needed.

I did try to plan 5 Things for today. Mostly sitting down

1. Laundry (DONE)
2. Change sheets (DONE)
3. Meal plan tues - sun (DONE)
4. Budget for rest of this pay period & next pay period. (DONE)
5. Packing list for trip next week (DONE)

Oh yeah, I'm leaving for my cruise on Sunday. I can't wait!! Cruising from Baltimore to Orlando then over to the Bahamas. I have a ton of stuff to do at home before I leave. My mom will be stopping by & taking care of the cats.

I work for a big company which sites across the country. So we usually have multiple options to choose from. Its that time of year and once again, I'm comparing my benefits to make my choices for 2010.

VISION: There's only 1 Vision plan option, so I'm going with it I wear glasses & contacts, so I definately need the insurance!

2009 Per Paycheck Cost: $3.80
2010 Per Paycheck Cost: $3.53
2010 Per Paycheck Savings: $0.27


DENTAL:

Plan A 2009 Per Paycheck Cost: $7.00
Plan A 2010 Per Paycheck Cost: $7.00
Plan B 2010 Per Paycheck Cost: $7.45
Plan C 2010 Per Paycheck Cost: $5.05
2010 Per Paycheck Savings With C: $1.95

I currently have Plan A because their cost was not always as high and my dentist, that I've been with for years, was not in any of the plans. The office manager would always discount me and I wouldn't end up paying a difference for being out of plan. That has changed since a new office manager has taken her place.

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to break up with my dentist and I've done research to find a new one. I'll be able to switch to plan C.


MEDICAL:

A little background: I have always with one insurance company (B) since I was a teenager. I loved their customer service. But last year, I switched to a new plan (A) due to costs. I wasn't as happy with (A) and was considering switching back to (B). However, that has changed now that I have evaluated the plan options:


I took more than Cost into consideration.

- Plan C covers both in & out of network providers, but only 90% In Network after deducatable and 70% out of Net work.

- Plans A & B cover mostly the same things. However A does not require referrals, which is why the cost is higher. I have a very good relationship with my primary care physician and feel confident that if I need referrals, I will be able to get them and in a timely manner.

Plan A 2009 Per Paycheck Cost: $29.00
Plan A 2010 Per Paycheck Cost: $22.70
Plan B 2010 Per Paycheck Cost: $64.79
Plan C 2010 Per Paycheck Cost: $38.04

So ultimately, I decided to stay with Plan A.

2010 Per Paycheck Savings with A: $6.30


In conclusion, my premiums will be going down a bit. This is good because I am increasing my HSA amount from $1000 to $1100 this year.

Today was a good day. We had great weather, work was not boring for once, I stuck to my Weight Watchers plan, went to the gym and hung out with a friend tonight. I'm home now, catching up on some email & packing stuff for work food & gym clothes.

AND I still have the heat off, even though its getting cold at night. I'm probably going to pull out my down comforter this weekend.

While at work (and totally allowed), I made some calls as part of today's 5 Things. I got into it and made a few more that were on my to do list.

Today's 5+ Things:

1. Called the vet about cat vaccinations (DONE)

2. Call Comcast (DONE) & got them to bring my bill back to under $100 for cable, phone & internet. My last promotion ran out & the bill jumped up $50 bucks. I got them to knock it down by $60! Woohoo

3. Call eye doctor to determine when I need to come in again (DONE)

4. Research dentist recommendations from coworkers. I need to find an In-Network dentist. Next, I need to break up with my current one. I'm not looking forward to it because I've been with them for like 6 years. (DONE)

5. Research 2010 Benefits changes. There are some small changes, so I'm weighin my options. I have time to decide & I'll definately post about my decision (DONE)

6. Called Home Owners insurance to verify new policy info. My rates actually went down $1.00 from last year and I did some research and I feel like I am still getting a very competitive rate!

7. Redo Meal plan through Sunday. Life happens and I made some changes yesterday & today. All for the good. Had some really yummy pasta for dinner tonight! (DONE)

8. My standards: go to gym, make dinner at home, pack food for work & pack gym bag (DONE)

As it hits the last quarter of the year, a lot of upcoming financial things come into play.

- Open Enrollment for Insurance. Got the email today and am hoping to go over the options this week. I am not happy with the (cheaper) plan that I currently have and am going to switch back to the moderately priced one that I went with in years prior. The price difference was not worth the problems and hassle that I had this year.

- Holidays. I'm hoping to get Christmas shopping done by the first week of November. Usually my goal is the end of October, but since I'll be on a CRUISE the last week, I'll give myself the extra time.

- Winter. I need to winter-proof the house & car. And get new tires!

- Homeowners Association Fees - $75 per year. Due November. Tonight, I went to the annual meeting for the first time since I bought the house 2 Octobers ago. There was a minimal amount of people although there are 177 houses in my neighborhood. And at the end of the meeting, they were choosing board members. Guess who got volunteered by a whole group of strangers to be Vice President? Moi Well, maybe I can help make some changes or at least learn about the HOA. Its basically a meeting every two months with possible small projects thrown in. Something fun anyway!