It has been a couple of weeks since I did a financial accountability report. There isn't a whole lot to say except that we continue to be as frugal as possible around here. I am determined to stay on this track despite the additional income we have right now. Building up the savings account with specific goals in mind in first priority (new tires, enough money to live on next summer if I don't find a summer job , a nice emergency fund) with repairs/maintenance to the house and car being second. And I've challenged myself to have more zero dollar days (days where no money is going out for any reason) than days when I spend within the month. So this is how the financial picture looks so far this month:
9/1: $0
9/2: $0
9/3: paid Direct TV bill, mortgage, car payment, insurances (car & work)
9/4: $59.77 at BJ's wholesale club..bought laundry detergent, fabric softener, yogurt and milk.
9/5:$0
9/6: $0
9/7:..earned money doing cleaning job..$12 for ingredients needed for dish to take to anniversary party next day; also used cash from cleaning job
9/8$ $48.64 on gas for SUV paid in cash from cleaning job
9/9:$0 ( youngest son treated us to pizza)
9/10:$ 1.39 on Popeye's for dinner
9/11: $0
9/12: $0
9/13: paid utility bills (electric, natural gas, internet): I also deposited half the money needed for 4 new tires on SUV into the savings
9/14: $ 46.54 on gas for SUV; $384 on groceries; $ 11.76 on a kitchen tool; $77.01 total on household cleaner/papergoods/health & beauty items; $10 on clothing
I think this was a pretty good two week period, half the days were zero dollar days with no money going out.
With my first full paycheck following a long dry spell over the summer came the opportunity to do some serious restocking of the pantry shelves. Before heading to the stores I spent some time reviewing what we still have on hand. Our dry goods are pretty well stocked, we needed a few items here and there but mostly what we needed to restock was the freezer. We also needed a few fresh produce and dairy items. I took a look at what remains of my September menu plan and made a list then hit the road. I was apprehensive about shopping on a Saturday but with the new job hours I don't have much choice. I got out early and was surprised at how smoothly it went.
. I deal with GFS on a daily basis in my job and enjoy the top quality products they have available. I went there with the sole purpose of purchasing frozen vegetables, K-cups, and Veggie chips. Once I looked at their sale ad though I quickly made an adjustment and decided to stock up on pastas. They had 2 pound bags of Primo Gusto pastas on sale for $2.99 each. I bought one bag each of linguine, fettucine, farfalle, and penne. I also bought a 2 lb. bag of La Choy frozen stir fry veggies, a 2 lb. bag of mixed veggies, a 2.5 lb. bag of frozen peas, and a 2 lb. bag of frozen cut green beans, a jar of beef base, the large bag of Veggie chips I wanted as well as a large bag of crushed Oreo cookies pieces (I have a recipe in mind for these), a 3 box package of Nantucket blend K-cups, a box of Darjeeling tea, a box of Orange tea, and a box of Cranberry Apple tea, a 2 lb. bag of mixed dried beans for soup, and a #40 scoop for making cookies at the GF's house. I spent a grand total of $93.41 for all of the above (the scoop, $10.99 + 77¢ tax comes out of the household budget under kitchen tools,$81.65 from food budget ).
I knew before I even reached the doors this was going to be expensive. I needed a few nonfood household items I was totally out of, dishwasher detergent and paper towels, and another we were going to need desperately if we ran out, toilet paper. I like to buy all of these in bulk so that we have the supply around for a while. We aren't big users of paper towels but it is handy to have them when needed. I got all three of these items as well as a lovely fall colored shirt with long sleeves off the $10 bargain table in addition to my food items. I am slowly adding to my work/social occasion wardrobe. Quite a number of my practical t-shirts are showing signs of wear and tear and with working the aftercare I can't hide behind an apron like I can in my cafeteria position. I need to be presentable to the parents when they pick up their children, so I need to step up my game, clothes-wise. This shirt is the first step towards this. 
I came home with a dozen eggs, 4 slim jims (treats for the kids), 2 containers of their Fit & Active whipped topping (to use in a dessert I am taking to a family reunion picnic next weekend), 3 cans mandarin oranges, 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce, 2 cans cream of chicken soup, 2 cans cream of mushroom soup, 1 can pineapple chunks, 1 bag mini marshmallows (also for the dessert), 1 box pierogies, 1 bottle each of 100% grape juice, 100% cranberry juice, 100% apple juice, cranberry-pomegranate juice, tomato juice, and ruby red grapefruit juice, 2 bottles steak sauce, 1 jar coffee creamer, 1 jar Miracle Whip, 2 cans crescent rolls, 1 box multigrain 'cheerios', 1 bag sweet potato chips, 8 pck of Reese peanut butter cups (a treat for college age daughter on her first full week of working aftercare), 2 bags baby carrots, one bunch celery, 1 block NY sharp cheddar, 1 value pack frozen salmon fillets, 1 value pack frozen tilapia fillets, 1 bag frozen mussels in tomato-garlic sauce, 3 lbs. frozen BLSL chicken breasts, 1 jar honey, 1 bottle Pumpkin spice syrup, 1 bottle Apple butter syrup (both of these were seasonal items that I thought we'd try), 2 boxes granola bars (college age daughter requested these for packing in her backpack), 1 bag shredded mild cheddar, 2 packages kielbasa, 1 bag string cheese, 2 packages cheddar brats, 1 roll breakfast sausage, 1 pint lowfat cottage cheese, 2 packages pudding cups, 1 2 pack romaine lettuce, and one tub of pretzels. Total cost $113.89 all from the food budget. 
I find I really need to take a quick moment to vent about something that seems to be a habit with my internet service provider. Once again they have moved my billing date without notifying me. For the second time in a year. Why? No one in customer service could say. Personally I think it is a scheme to collect late charges from customers who regularly pay on time.
I am still trying to get used to the new longer work hours schedule and to do so without whining. After all three of my aftercare colleagues carry the same schedule that I do and have families to care for as well. But to be honest last night was the first night I didn't feel completely wiped out when I arrived home. My planned schedule for the evenings went totally out the window as well. But there is good news too. 
Last month when doing the shopping I purchased a marked down package of three lamb shoulder chops. Not a cut I normally buy but they were a steal. I had settled on Moroccan Glazed lamb chops for dinner on Tuesday, I pulled out the package and stuck them in the refrigerator to defrost while at work. A quick check with the kids and I figured on just the sons being home. 
Then I lit the grill and tossed on the chops. Meanwhile I quickly prepared some white and wild rice pilaf and steamed some peas in the microwave. Dinner was ready in under 20 minutes. 
It has become obvious to me that I am going to have to sit down this weekend and make myself some type of schedule for after work activities during the weekdays. This week, although a short one, I find myself dragging myself home, making some type of dinner, cleaning up from dinner, then collapsing in a chair. Not good. None of my chores at home are getting done and with weekends being spent with GF no time there to do anything either. Routine is one of the things I thrive on and I need to get myself into a groove. I am hopeful that by the end of September this plan I've devised will be second nature. 
I decided to combine my weekly financial report with my monthly summary. We had yet another extremely frugal week. I credit this to both long work hours and short amounts of money in the bank.