Daily $ Log

A Spot for My Daily Hell Yeah's! in the Realm of Money

4.August.2018

• Found a very nice but moderately damaged internal frame pack for Mo at the thrift store. Nothing I can't fix up with materials I have on hand. I paid $20, cost new would have been $150+.
• Harvested beans and tomatoes.  

3.August.2018

• Harvested beans.... 

2.August.2018

• Other than bills, August has been a no spend month :)
• Harvested a ton more green beans. Shared some along with some walking onions with a neighbor, thus building social capital.
• Started planning a September backpacking weekend to the the Olympic Wilderness coast. Found all the maps and tide charts I need online, so no need to purchase anything! More details on this cheap trip will be forthcoming!

1.August.2018

• Received a $10 rebate I put in for months ago for a computer part we needed. Yay!
• Continued to cook for kids out of pantry and to eat my meal preps.
  

31.July.2018

• More harvesting of the beans (and a few tomatoes).
• Had to pick up toothpaste and dog food, and that's all I bought.
• Stopped by library to get a book and a magazine I wanted to read.
• Pieced together information from the internet on a new planning system I want to use instead of buying the book, since the library didn't have it. 

30.July.2018

• Ate my prepped food and made simple dinner for kids.
• Fought urge for coffee out and stayed home with DIY ice coffee.
• Processed tons of garden beans instead of letting them go to waste. Need to harvest more tomorrow! First zucchini in as well :)
• Decided to make do with free running apps instead of buying an all-in-one app. 

29.July.2018

• Meal prepped for the week. Two of the four recipes made more food than I expected, so I didn't make the other two. That means there's enough food in the fridge to feed at least me for another week. Will only need to shop for kids next week.
• Spent rest of day visiting with sis and kids, so no money spent. 

28.July.2018

• Sat at home most of day, no money spent.
• Picked up a book from library, instead of ordering it online. Good thing, too, as it didn't have the info I wanted.
  

27.July.2018

• Went to the lake for a day of paddling. Brought our own food, etc, so no cost.
• Was exhausted, but still came home for cheap homemade food instead of getting takeout. 

26.July.2018

• Bought necessary household items but none of the extras I was wanting. Self restraint for the win!
• Harvested an epic crap ton of green beans, a few wax peppers, and a few tomatoes.
  

25.July.2018

• Used our guest passes to the Y to take my sister and her kids swimming at the fancy indoor pool/lazy river. We needed something free/cheap to do and this was perfect :)
• Took snacks with us.
• Came home for dinner instead of staying out longer and eating out. 

24.July.2018

• Dedicated today to studying. No chance to spend cash.
• Booked Mo's ticket home, choosing the date, carrier, and flight times to minimize the prize. No checked bags and no special seat requests.
• Used a free drink credit for a coffee so I could continue to study with a change of scenery.
• Kids got home late, threw together a quick dinner of hot ham & cheese sammies instead of ordering in. 

23.July.2018

• Went to the BBQ with the inexpensive bean salad, so no need to pick up any expensive booze or food to bring!
• Made up a fresh batch of ice coffee to continue controlling that coffee addiction.
• Arranged to borrow some children's life jackets for the niece and nephew so we can take them out on the kayaks later this week. Better than buying for a once a year use! 

22.July.2018

• Mailed Mo her meds since she couldn't fill them out of state due to our insurance not being honored. Cost $3.75 in shipping but would have cost over $150 to refill them where she's at.
• Meal prepped all my meals for the upcoming. Easy, healthy, cheap.
• Also prepped a bean salad for a BBQ coming up this week -- cheap and tasty. It will taste better after a couple of days marinating in the dressing. 
• Picked up two discounted life jackets for kayaking. Cheaper than paying retail and much cheaper than being fined for not having the required PFDs onboard.
  

21.July.2018

• Went to a train museum with visiting family today. Convinced everyone to bring along a picnic lunch, which went over exceptionally well and was cheap.
• More bean harvesting.   

20.July.2018

• More harvesting of beans and topsetting onions.
• Meal planned and grocery shopped, sticking to the list.
• DS17 brought home free broccoli he was gifted from his volunteer gig at the farmer's market. 

19. July.2018

• Picked beans from the garden.
• Hung out with visiting family but didn't go anywhere or spend anything. 

18.July.2018

• Took advantage of free tutoring at school
• Continued to eat (and enjoy) my meal prep so no temptation to eat elsewhere. 

17.July.2018

• I spent absolutely no money today.  

16.July.2018

• Stuck to my prepped food meal plan. Healthier, easier, and cheaper than grazing all day.
• Didn't buy anything on Prime day.  

15.July.2018

• Decided to try my hand at meal prep (I need to drop these pounds, grr). Planned out and made a week's worth of lunches and dinners for me. 
• Put together a menu plan for the rest of the family (teenage boys need to eat very different than 40-something women). Opted for easy summer meals with the goal of transitioning the boys to cooking their own dinners (trading off nightly). These two things should cut down on any food splurges this week!
• I want to start running. Skipped over all the fee-based beginner programs and found a nice free one that I can customize to my own fitness level.
• Harvested walking onions, green onions, and some peppers from the garden.  
• Kids wanted ice cream and with temps in the mid-90s, I don't blame them. Spent $6 on a 5 gallon tub of ice cream and a box of 12 waffle cones at the grocery store. That's equal in cost to what two single scoops in a regular cone cost at the local ice cream shop. (Plus, they get six days of ice cream instead of just one!)

14.July.2018

• Mo only took a carry-on and didn't pre-reserve a specific seat, so no carry-on or seat fee.
• After she left I felt restless. I fought the urge to go out and instead putzed around the house. Good thing, too! Met the new neighbors, which are a FIREd couple in their 50s that are hardcore into hiking and backpacking. We hit it off and are planning to share a backyard bonfire as well as trip planning resources in the near future.

13.July.2018

• Dinner was still made up of vacation leftovers. 
• Picked up some granola bars for Mo to take on the plane, thus avoiding airport snacks on her long layover.

12.July.2018

• Came home today and only bought gas on the 4 hour drive back home.
• Did have a coffee date with Mo after being away, but we waited until the afternoon so we could take advantage of the "buy one get one" happy hour.
• Brought back all uneaten food from the trip, which will equate into two or three meals. 

11.July.2018

• All meals from home, packed our lunch and snacks for the day in the park.
• Once again used my mom's pass for entry into the park.
• The day's entertainment was more than 15 miles on assorted park trails -- perfect and free!
• For the evening, found a free beach on Flathead lake near the cabin for a bit of swimming and splashing. 

10.July.2018

• Cabin food all prepped at home. Packed a lunch for when we were out.
• Used my mom's lifetime senior pass to get into Glacier NPS (yes, she was with us - saved $35!)
• Explored the park but spend nothing at any of the assorted vendors.
• Dinner around the campfire back at the cabin. 

9.July.2018

• Road trip -- only cost was gas!

8.July. 2018

• Made breakfast burritos.
• Prepped all of our camp food for our Glacier trip. No need to buy any food.
• Left meals in the freezer for those not going on the trip.
• Harvested garlic from the garden.
• Filled reusable bottles with shampoo, etc, instead of buying over-priced travel sizes. 

7.July.2018

• Fought the coffee shop study urge and studied at home with homemade coffee.
• Cheap date -- hit a happy hour for a half price beer and shared appetizer, did some thrifting (only purchased the one item being searched for), then home to Hulu and chill.

6.July.2018

• Picked up a library book
• Got a free coffee at a local cafe. The only cost is that I volunteer on a science outreach board and am "paid" in coffee.
• No spend day!

5.July.2018

• Went grocery shopping, but was running late to class. Needed food stat. Made a quickie avocado sammie to eat in the car instead of grabbing something from a vending machine.
• Used an old hanger to rig up a hook to hang my backpack off my desk so it isn't sitting on the floor collecting pet hair. I was tempted to go buy a command hook but putting kept putting it off.
• Made a detailed food plan for DS13 and I's trip to Glacier Park so I could pick up the supplies when shopping today. We booked the air bnb back in January -- $75 for 3 nights. We have an annual pass, so park entrance is free. I'm bringing all food. Only expense will be gas in the Prius. 

4.July.2018

• We didn't go anywhere (except on our evening walk). So no gas or money spent on holiday shenanigans. The kids were perfectly happy playing video games all day with Mo!
• I made the patio into an impromptu cafe with homemade ice coffee and my laptop, instead of going to a real cafe to work.
• Wrote out the grocery list and a meal plan for next week. The meal plan covers the meals two of us will have on our camping trip, and the meals the two will have at home.
• More spending than savings, but shopped around to find the best airfare for Mo to go and say her final goodbyes to her mom :(.......
  

3.July.2018

• Reused supplies from last quarter instead of getting new ones for class.
• Remembered to return library books -- combined the errand with my evening walk for free entertainment.
• Made mac and cheese for dinner, using the milk and cream cheese I froze before vacation so they wouldn't go bad. 

2.July.2018

• Took a snack to class today knowing I would be staying late. 
• Experimented with cheap TVP to make a vegan chili topping for nachos -- it was a success.
• Fought the (very strong) urge to go out for coffee today and had coffee at home instead.
• Using the free My Fitness Pal app to restart my stalled weight loss. We shall see...
• Made more falafels for lunch salads.
• Reused the disposable drain cleaning tool for the umpteenth time to clear the hair from the bathroom sink. Why would I throw away a durable plastic tool? Because it's gross to clean? Yeah, right.
• Needed a hanging pot for newly rooted cuttings. Had them in a regular scavenged pot but cats are now showing interest in the plants. Remembered that I had a wire hanging basket frame that long ago lost its liner. Set pot in frame and voila! Free indoor hanging pot.

1.July.2018

• Mom took me to lunch today. Popped into the shop to get cat litter since the restaurant was nearby, thus combining trips.
• Fertilized garden with coffee grounds and compost.
• Went on a long evening walk for entertainment.
• Homemade ice coffee instead of the cafe.
• Made a fresh jug of ginger ale for the kids. 

June 2018 Spending Report

•  $226.25 Household items. This seems high for what is essentially toiletries and pet items. Ug. 
•  $2248.00 Bills. 
•  $73.35 Gas. This includes our road trip vacation as well as our normal usage for driving far and wide on a couple of weekend hikes. I love our Prius!
• $902.13 Entertainment. Yep, this is a huge amount. To be fair, this includes the cost of our 10 night vacation, so pretty awesome really.
• $68.44 Miscellaneous. This was an oil change and gifts for my niece and nephew. Nothing I regret!
• Total: $3518.17. Next month, household and entertainment spending should be way down. But, we do have plane tickets to buy for my wife to go say her final goodbyes to her mother, whom we just found out has entered hospice. 
• (Yes, we have no grocery costs. As of spring, my income has become almost solely grant, scholarship, and work study. This makes us eligible for food benefits. After much discussion between the spouse and myself, as well as with my academic advisor, it was decided that we would take advantage of these benefits as they allow us some room to build a cash buffer for the future. Judge if you like.)

30.June.2018

• Found one of my required textbooks at the public library. The other two I am opting for the ebook only to save on cost.
• Walked to library (instead of driving) to get said book.
• Date night at home. Going to make a big pot of Thai drunken noodles (cheap and tasty) with a side of Trader Joe's California rolls. Add in a cheap six pack of a local beer, our patio, and Hulu = cheap night in. 
• Had to get a little firm with the YMCA, but now it appears my refund from their mistaken overcharge has been handled.

29.June.2018

• Went on a long walk for evening entertainment.
• Sat on the patio and enjoyed homemade ice coffee.
• Made hummus instead of buying prepared stuff. 

28.June.2018

•  Stopped by the college and took care of my scholarship and grant stuff, thus saving on future college/living expenses.
• Made a meal plan of inexpensive meals and then went shopping at the cheap store (Winco) with a strict list. Was able to get enough to restock the larder for $50, which will last until our food budget resets in a week.   
• Bulk cooking FTW! Made a batch of breakfast burritos. Also, made a pitcher of ice coffee, falafel patties for lunch salads, hummus for snacking, lentils for dinner bowls, and set fresh bottles of ginger ale to ferment. No ingredients for the above needed to be purchases, since we had these items in the pantry.
• Yoga at home using the free Down Dog app.

27.June.2018

• Packed a lunch and snacks for the drive home. Even made iced coffee last night to give us a caffeine fix after lunch.
• Drive took longer than expected thanks to traffic. Pushed through and didn't stop for snacks or dinner.
• Even though we walked in the door well after 6:00 pm, full exhausted, I ran to the grocery store to get a few supplies to last us until I can do a proper shop.
• All we spent today was the ferry fair and some cash on groceries -- not bad! 
  

26.June.2018

• Breakfast and dinner in our B&B room. Lunch was a picnic that we packed ourselves. Only food splurge today was ice cream on the beach.
• Spent the day hiking/exploring Fort Flagler's beaches, forests, and ruins -- no cost since we already have a park pass.
  

25.June.2018

• Breakfast and dinner in the room. 
• Explored the waterfront district but didn't buy anything.
• Went to a local state park (using our annual park pass) and explored beaches, a lighthouse, and the old military ruins. Hours of fun for free!
• Evening walk on the beach near our Air BnB. Enjoyed a free sunset :)
  

24.June.2018

•  Kid didn't want to ruin new shoes climbing on beach rocks at the tide pool beach, and he forgot his hiking shoes. Stopped by Goodwill and got a $2 pair of throw-away shoes so he could still join us.
• Took a picnic lunch and snacks with us to the beach and tide pools. Other than the shoes, this was a no spend day!
• Skipped the national park beach (fee area) for a free state recreation day use site -- same ocean, similar tide pools, still wonderful!
• Dinner and breakfast both in the room. Relaxing in the hot tub as evening entertainment.
  

23.June.2018

• Window shopped the cute waterfront areas, but didn't purchase anything.
• Lunch out at a local sandwich shop, but no drinks. All other meals/snacks self catered.
• Did a hike in a river restoration area -- free!
• Explored a familiar beach -- also free!
• Sick kid and e-room visit :( but no charge due to insurance. Thanks, Obama!

22.June.2018

• Picked up two inexpensive children's books from the whale museum as gifts for my niece and nephew. Supported both the museum and a local illustrator/writer with the purchase!
• Car picnic while waiting for the ferry instead of eating lunch out.
• Arrived at our last vacation rental. Stopped on the way in to get food at the grocery store for the rest of our trip.
• Recovery day, so other than some travel we just kicked back on our rental or walked the beach.
  

21.June.2018

• Breakfast and dinner in room.
• Picked up snacks at the grocery store to take on tour (instead of getting food at snack stops).
• Used a paid tour to get to the state park to whale watch -- got the benefits of a ride and an all-day tour (entertainment) for one cost, instead of paying for both a tour AND a taxi. (Tour bus let us jump off at the park, and then picked us up 3 hours later when they did a later tour).
• Did some geocaching for evening entertainment.
• Got kiddie scoops of ice cream for half the price of single scoops. Cheap vacation treat.
• Enjoyed complimentary coffee in hotel instead of splurging on much desired fancy lattes.

20.June.2018

• Got lunch at a pizza buffet for cheap -- $6 per person all you can eat.
• Visited an ocean-side park to hang out and explore while waiting for the ferry (Cheaper than looking for paid entertainment in town to kill time).
• Took walk-on ferry to San Juan instead of paying to bring the car over.
• Enjoyed complimentary hotel coffee instead of buying fancy coffees. 

• Picked up groceries for breakfast/dinners instead of eating out.

19.June.2018

•  Brought water bottles with us so no need to buy drinks. Even made coffee in room.
• Lots of hiking -- Whatcom park and the beach. Free entertainment!
•  We explored the old town areas, but didn't buy anything at the plethora of gift shops.
• No drinks or appetizers for our one planned meal out today.
• Someone forgot sunglasses, a necessity for sunny days by the water. Made a detour to a dollar store instead of opting for the convenience of more expensive options.
• Self catered breakfast, snacks and dinner.

18.June.2018 

• Packed food for our road trip - snacks and lunch.
• Told kids to order what they would eat at our planned dinner out. This saved because the picky kid ordered $4 cheesecake slice instead of a $14 entree he wouldn't eat.
• Stopped by the grocery store to purchase food to self cater the bulk of our meals.
• When on a beachside walk instead of going shopping or a similar spendy tourist activity.

11-17 June Spending Report

•  $39.76 Household Items (Soap, meds, toothpaste, animal food -- that sorta thing.)
•  $36.43 Gas (High this week -- normal fill up + a top off for road trip.)
•  $53.87 Entertainment (This includes pre-paying the ferry tickets for our vacation.)
•  $51.13 Misc (In this case, the oil change.)
•  $88.87 Bills (Phone and car insurance.)
•  Total: $276.06

17.June.2018

• Used spruce cones and needles from our front yard as free mulch for the garden paths in the back yard. Not only free mulch, but saves us the need to pay for yard waste removal.
• Used our manual reel mower and edging shears to mow and edge. Exercise and no gas/electric costs.
• Potted spiderwort cuttings into an existing pot using soil I already had.
• Dyed my hair at home using a $5 men's kit that allows you to use just what you need and reuse the rest later. Each kit last me about 6 months since I only do my bangs.
• Older boy needed shoes. We shopped and found them on sale. I ignored the "buy 1 get 1 half off" promotion. We only needed one pair, so the promotion would have cost me 50% than I needed to spend.
• Successfully ate down the fridge before our trip - no waste. What we didn't eat or freeze is going with us as road food, or because we can use it while on our trip (like my Silk coffee creamer). 

16.June.2018

• Trimmed my own hair, including bangs. Even put in some long layers to frame my face.
• Homemade ice coffee instead of hitting a coffee stand.
• Using free Google Photos to back up and store my photos, thus freeing up space on my phone AND preparing for our eventual cost-saving switch back to Android. 
• Contacted the YMCA for an over-charge on dues, which I had been putting off because introvert... Refund on its way.
• Made bookmarks and a card to send my nephew for his birthday. Will gift the actual book when he comes to visit in a few weeks (tradition to give birthday gifts during the annual summer visit instead of paying to ship items).
• Picked up a couple of books at the library for vacation reads. 
• Date night consisted of hunting down a few local geocaches for a challenge (free), stopping for Chinese takeout ($15), picking up a sixer from a local brewery ($8), and binge watching Star Trek NextGen (free). Also, topped off the gas tank while we were out. ($11)