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Archive for April, 2009

Mystery gardener

April 28th, 2009 at 02:15 pm

A few days ago I pulled into my driveway and noticed something was different. Someone had cut down my Impatiens. They had been cut to ground level! I asked my oldest if he had done it because he had commented that they were looking bad. He said he hadn't. (I agree they weren't looking their best, and I was going to transplant them in the back yard.) So I then asked the rest of the family and they said they didn't do it either.

Actually, it's kind of funny that these plants bothered someone so much that they had the balls to trespass and cut them down. Evidently it was someone that knows my schedule. They also cleaned up very nicely. Not a leaf left behind.

Other things I have done to lower the electric bill

April 21st, 2009 at 02:46 pm

Anything that generates heat uses alot of energy. Oven, microwave, coffee pot, hair dryer, clothes dryer, etc. How do I know this? After Ike, we were running on a generator for 4 wks. (hard wired into the house) and when we used any of these things the generator would "bog down." This had me watching things very closely as gas was extremely expensive and in short supply.

I air dried our clothes, put coffee in an insulatd thermos, cooked on the grill or with a crock pot, and so on.

I am still implimenting these thing in an effort to go green and save a little money and I have reaped the rewards. (Though I still can't remember to turn off the computer at night) LOL!

Electric bill reduced further!

April 20th, 2009 at 12:31 pm

Due to unplugging some items when not in use we have reduced our bill I am in total awe of the difference it has made.

We are all electric and our bill this time of year usually runs abound $200.00. This last bill is $117.00!!!! If I figured it corectly, thats a 41% difference. WOW!

Extra principal payment

April 16th, 2009 at 02:04 pm

For the past year we have been making an extra principal payment on our mortgage monthly. It has already knocked quite a bit off our balance. I am really gung - ho about paying this thing off, but life keeps throwing obstacles in our way.

Just recently we had to take my SUV in for repairs (that cost over $500.00), We still need a new mattress etc, etc, etc.

Updated my sidebar to show escrow and emergency fund deposits. Slowly but surely we'll get there.

How much for a yearbook???

April 15th, 2009 at 01:50 pm

DD brought home a yearbook order form yesterday. The cost is $60.00! That's a little steep IMO. Evidently the school is justifying the cost by saying it is now in full color and the class with the most sales gets rootbeer floats. Well, I thought of not purchasing one, but can't do it. So bye-bye $60.00.

Adding $7.00 to the challenge for coupons bringing the total to $56.00.

Starting the $20 challenge *Better late than never*

April 14th, 2009 at 02:00 pm

Rolled my change a few days ago and am depositing $47.00 into the challenge. started out with more but had to fill some plastic eggs for the hunt with some change. Also adding $2 for no heat or air cond.

On a different note, we will be adding more than usual to the escrow acct this month due to not adding any these past few months. I've been very leary of letting the checking acct. get too low. I always like to have a buffer should anything come up. I actually have panic attacks if it gets too low. Sad, but true. (Does anyone else expierece this kind of thing?)

Instead of contributing to the Roth, my DH and I decided we will just keep adding to the emergency fund. I will update my sidebar accordingly.