Cercis' Journal

Tax Time

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 22:39:08 PST

Am I the only one who does taxes at more than one place?

I did 2 free online programs. It always amazes me how I can enter the same information and come up with 2 different numbers. Not largely different, but different none-the-less.

OUCH!! Gas

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 21:15:53 PST

$2.679 for regular. Just yesterday it was $2.599. I didn't get it yesterday because I thought I didn't have time. That will teach me.

Almost $30 for less than 11 gallons. I'm glad I don't drive much. My car is only getting about 22mpg because it's all city driving. The fastest...

Science fair update

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 19:40:26 PST

We finished the volcano. The only thing we bought was spraypaint.

We made the base using a water bottle which had the top cut off. Inserted a container which held single serving applesauce. Built newspaper around it, taped that down and then papier-mache over the top of...

Hee, hee

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 19:33:26 PST

Well, I called it. He spent $35.

On the good side - he bought the stuff we needed for my clothesline and actually strung it up. AND he brought home chicken for supper.

He also bought himself some underwear (needed because he's lost a lot of weight and has only about 4 pair...

So what will DH come home with today?

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 15:32:06 PST

He's buying supplies to finish the science project - paint and posterboard. He's also supposed to buy bananas.

That's his list - should be less than $10 right? We'll see what's in the bags.

Frugal Science Fair

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 19:21:25 PST

So last week we got notice that the science fair is this Tuesday!!

Now, I knew there'd be a science fair so you'd think I could just start whenever and be prepared right? No, the teacher has to approve the projects and she won't do that until the date is announced.

This is one...

AAAAHHHH Scholastic Books

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 18:21:28 PST

So we got an order form for my kindy kid. I generally just throw these away, but this time I actually looked through it.

I found a whole set of books we've been considering for about $1.50/book. These are a minimum of $3/book in the bookstores. You can't even find these used...

Frugal garden containers

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 22:45:41 PST

Crown Tire planters:

(image copyrighted and used by permission)

Crown tire planters are nothing new. People have been doing them since the 50s. They are harder now with radial tires, but still possible.

To start:
1) cut one wall of the tire into zigzags

2) (this...

Trike-a-thon, or Who Thought it Would Be a Good Idea for an Early Morning Event

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 16:44:20 PST

on a Saturday???

This morning was trike-a-thon at 9am in the park that is a ways away.

So, the alarm goes off at 7:30. We get up, eat b'fast and send the kids to get dressed. I get dressed, dh goes out to wrestle with the bike rack and the bikes.

Of course, the tires need...

Profit sharing plan at work

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 21:19:40 PST

So, they will pay 3% of my salary into the profit sharing plan whether I contribute at all. I have to fully vest to take all their contributions with me, but that doesn't seem so bad.

So now, I have to decide what I want to contribute. It isn't entirely clear to me if my contribution...

Free soda

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 21:12:06 PST

One of our clients brought in 4 packs of soda. It was a gift to the ladies who had helped him. They never took it home and it's been three days.

So today, I again got the shakes (our 10:30 clients came at 10:00 and I didn't get a snack until 11:30, I can't go that long without...

Frugal Garden Art

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 21:03:28 PST

This image is copyrighted but is used by permission.

Gazing globes are a big thing in gardens and have been for a few years. Once, they were only metallic and reflective, but now you find them in handblown glass and all kinds of other nice colors. The only problem with...

Low Energy Day

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 19:38:16 PST

Which sucks for work. I've got sooo much on my plate right now and I was so tired I actually had the shakes. I fought off going to the vending machine, though, so I'm proud of myself.

I ended up falling asleep on the couch. Good thing my kids are old enough to follow the rules...

Digital Cameras

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 22:04:18 PST

I've spent the last year and almost half thinking I lost our digital camera in the move (our old one). I hadn't seen it, I mentioned it to DH once and he said he didn't know where it was, so I've been upset about it.

Yeah, turns out he didn't know where it was *right then*. He...

Frugal Family Night

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 19:54:27 PST

Tonight was Jenga. We were hoping for a quick game because we walked to the library after supper.

It wasn't quick. We got to 31 complete levels. Even the 5yo did great!

Walking to the Grocery Store

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 21:22:19 PST

This is supposed to save us money. If you walk 1) you use less gas and 2) you can't buy as much because you have to carry what you buy.

Our first mistake was getting a cart rather than a hand basket.

We needed milk, so dh bought 3 half gallons (we buy organic milk). Then he...

One Year Anniversary

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 20:43:22 PST

Tomorrow I've been at my job for one year.

I've learned a lot in that year. I had never written a will, a power of attorney, a medical power of attorney (didn't even know they were separate documents) and a directive to Physicians. Last week I put togther an outline for my boss...

Beach Sunday

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 13:23:59 PST

Yesterday was the first time we've gone to the beach since christmas. Way too long.

It's a not completely frugal day - we use about 3 gallons of gas - which is $8 right now. PLUS, we have a fish place we love to stop to eat. It isn't too expensive - about $25 for the 4...

Minimum income required?

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 21:50:26 PST

On another board people were saying that it's very hard to have a nice life on $50k or less.

The median household income in the US (median means that exactly half make less and half make more) is $44k. So over half the households in the US are not living a nice life?

I just...

Terri Schaivo

cercis11@yahoo.com (Cercis) — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 18:27:25 PST

One year ago today, Terri Schaivo died.

One year ago Tuesday, I started working at my job. We still have clients tell us "I don't want to be like that" and we do a lot of Directives to Physicians.

This is such a simple document. And it doesn't have to be "right to die" as some...