Monday Accountability Post

orangehills · December 2015

1. How MM was your weekend? 2. Any progress towards your goals? 3. What's your favorite Christmas tradition?

orangehills · December 2015

1. It wasn't great... we had a 1st birthday party/house warming at our house, and I finally made it to Costco, first time after moving, so I spent about $450 in food and stocking up on stuff for the house. 2. Yes! So, I had a post last week of whoa is me because of our HVAC unit going out. Well, last week, we had $13,100 of unexpected money come our way. A bonus for my husband, and refunds from our old mortgage bank and insurance from moving. So, that will pay for the new water heater and HVAC unit that we'll have to get this year, and we can still put our money budgeted for an IRA in no problem, and our savings comfortable covers our new tires and backtaxes from our old house, and we'll still end next year well over our 6 month efund goal. Woo!! 3. I just like watching certain movies (Muppet Christmas Carol) and looking at lights and then family time on Christmas day. Those all make me feel the most Christmasy.

simplyelise · December 2015

1. How MM was your weekend?

Pretty good. Just under $50 on groceries, $27 on date night dinner, $14 on a movie and $2 on dollar store candy, and $42 on Christmas gifts. Only xmas spending left is a $50 charitable donation in FIL's name and we're going to do $25 gifts to each other by going clothes shopping together.

2. Any progress towards your goals?

Nothing this week. And major bummer because we just got the EOB from my medical procedure in November and that's going to cost us about $500. That was all post-deductible, so cheers for only paying 10% of the cost, but still. And I've got one more medical test tomorrow, so it's probably just going to keep coming. We already paid about $360 this month in medical bills and it's really frustrating when we can't reach our goal debt payment amounts.

3. What's your favorite Christmas tradition?

My family wasn't ever big with traditions. We didn't even do santa growing up. My husband and I have started a new year's tradition of cheese fondue and action movies. That's the only thing really coming to mind!

csuave · December 2015

1. How MM was your weekend?
Good. We had a pricey lunch on Saturday, $30, but it was really nice and the only money we spent all weekend. And we saw that the movie theater by the brunch place is showing It's a Wonderful Life for free so we will go to that tonight for a nice Christmasy evening out.

This weekend may also lead to an annual higher personal expenditure though. I have an old school family plan with 4 dumb phones. My mom is getting an iphone for Christmas so I did some research for it. Now that we are adding data to our plan I'm thinking about getting the iphone 5s for $1..which will actually cost me $180 per year to share the data with my mom. So I'm looking at increasing my phone costs now, which isn't a big deal because it will be fine in my budget but still that $1 is going to cost a lot more than $1. Sly marketing!

2. Any progress towards your goals?
Staying the course. It looks like we will end 2015 in pretty good shape for our goals.

3. What's your favorite Christmas tradition?
Traditional Polish Christmas Eve dinner. Mmm pierogies. My in laws have even added a modified Polish dinner to our every other year celebration with them. It is very sweet of them to welcome me to their family that way.
I also love the family time, church service, festive atmosphere, tree decorating and cookies.

brij2006 · December 2015

1. How MM was your weekend?

Not too MM, but it was all budgeted.
$137 on groceries for Christmas (we're hosting) and regular groceries

$38 at the movie theater, but this will be reimbursed since it was a Mystery Shop

$70 at Target for 2 books for DD for Christmas, a humidifier, and a couple groceries.

2. Any progress towards your goals?

Just plugging away. We should have enough left over this month to cash flow the cost of our 1/4 of a cow this week (will stock us up on beef for 1 year).

3. What's your favorite Christmas tradition?

Christmas Eve candlelight service.

It's at 9pm this year. That may end horribly for DD. Her bedtime is 7, and she doesn't make it much past 7:20.

cbee817 · December 2015

1. How MM was your weekend? It was ok- groceries ($134), gifts for teachers ($80), gifts for DH's family ($80)

2. Any progress towards your goals? No change this week

3. What's your favorite Christmas tradition? Watching It's a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve night. Also for the last 5 years, it's getting the presents under the tree for the girls, filling their stockings, and writing a note from Santa (DH eats the cookies).

short+sassy · December 2015

1. Didn't do too much. On Saturday, after completing our p/t job, my H and I had a brunch buffet at Harrahs. The buffets were free with a coupon I had, but paid $8 for tips.

2. Paid $2100 toward HELOC when I got paid Wed. (not all of that was my paycheck, I wish, lol)

3. We put the Christmas tree up yesterday.

The only tradition I've still upheld from childhood is getting a can of black olives in my stocking. It's a weird one, lol. As a child, I saw on movies and in stories that people often got an orange in their stocking. I asked my mom why my sister and I didn't get oranges. She asked me, "Do you want an orange in your stocking?" I said, "Sure, that would be cool. But, you know, I'd rather have a can of black olives." My sister chose to get a can of garbanzo beans instead of an orange. And the tradition began, lol. What can I say? We were weird kids.

Now that I'm moved away from my family, my H got a kick out of our weird little tradition and now he makes sure I have a can of black olives in my stocking every year.

julieanne912 · December 2015

1. Spent about $85 on groceries as I did all my holiday baking this weekend. Bit more than I budgeted, but oh well, I stocked up on the staple ingredients since prices are always good this time of year.

2. Nope, no progress. I get paid Thursday.

3. We spend Christmas with H's family so my childhood traditions are no longer

I would like to do Christmas at our house sometime so I can do "my" stuff.

Growing up we always had salami cheese and crackers with granny smith apples for dinner, since we usually were at church and mom needed a quick, but "fancy" dinner.

We also always got gelt in our stocking, even though there's pretty much zero jewish in my background. My mom even did this when we were at her house as adults.

Also when I was a kid, my grandma, who passed when I was 13, always gave us pencils with our names printed on them in our stocking. I'll probably do that when I have a kid in school.

vlagrl29 · December 2015

1 - I'm going on week 3 of sinus infection which blows so we didn't do much. Friday night we saw star wars and ate dinner out at Olive Garden. Saturday was a day spent in bed for me but I did order chinese delivery at evening for DD and me while DH was working a wedding reception. Sunday DD saw santa so we paid for a print and went to Michaels to get some crafts for DD to give the grandparents for xmas. Don't remember numbers and am too tired to look them up

2 - I finished the calculations for transfers in and out of the HSA. That's done! This morning we had Empire flooring come out and give us a quote for the hardwood floors I want (kitchen, family room, hallway, master bedroom). They are having a 50% off sale right now - it came out to $10,100. The guy told us that we could probably put a lower offer in and get it. So hard to turn down! Now I have a number to save for - I'm thinking probably 8k. Goal is to have it in a couple years. Savings will start in January.

3 - Probably having xmas day just by ourselves as a family at our house. Sleep in, stay in pjs, open gifts and just relax.

short+sassy · December 2015

vlagrl29 said:

1 - I'm going on week 3 of sinus infection which blows so we didn't do much. Friday night we saw star wars and ate dinner out at Olive Garden. Saturday was a day spent in bed for me but I did order chinese delivery at evening for DD and me while DH was working a wedding reception. Sunday DD saw santa so we paid for a print and went to Michaels to get some crafts for DD to give the grandparents for xmas. Don't remember numbers and am too tired to look them up

2 - I finished the calculations for transfers in and out of the HSA. That's done! This morning we had Empire flooring come out and give us a quote for the hardwood floors I want (kitchen, family room, hallway, master bedroom). They are having a 50% off sale right now - it came out to $10,100. The guy told us that we could probably put a lower offer in and get it. So hard to turn down! Now I have a number to save for - I'm thinking probably 8k. Goal is to have it in a couple years. Savings will start in January.

3 - Probably having xmas day just by ourselves as a family at our house. Sleep in, stay in pjs, open gifts and just relax.

Hehe...I think they are one of those companies that is always having a 50% off sale. At least in my area, their commercials always advertise "Buy two rooms, get two free".

vlagrl29 · December 2015

short+sassy said:

vlagrl29 said:

1 - I'm going on week 3 of sinus infection which blows so we didn't do much. Friday night we saw star wars and ate dinner out at Olive Garden. Saturday was a day spent in bed for me but I did order chinese delivery at evening for DD and me while DH was working a wedding reception. Sunday DD saw santa so we paid for a print and went to Michaels to get some crafts for DD to give the grandparents for xmas. Don't remember numbers and am too tired to look them up

2 - I finished the calculations for transfers in and out of the HSA. That's done! This morning we had Empire flooring come out and give us a quote for the hardwood floors I want (kitchen, family room, hallway, master bedroom). They are having a 50% off sale right now - it came out to $10,100. The guy told us that we could probably put a lower offer in and get it. So hard to turn down! Now I have a number to save for - I'm thinking probably 8k. Goal is to have it in a couple years. Savings will start in January.

3 - Probably having xmas day just by ourselves as a family at our house. Sleep in, stay in pjs, open gifts and just relax.

Hehe...I think they are one of those companies that is always having a 50% off sale. At least in my area, their commercials always advertise "Buy two rooms, get two free".

I'm sure they are. As it gets closer we will talk to a contractor to see how much they charge and get more samples from lumber liquidators.

lbonga1 · December 2015

1. Didn't spend much this weekend. I was working Friday and Saturday. Spent $63 on groceries on Friday evening, and nothing on Saturday. DD1 fell and jammed her thumb really bad on Sunday, and I thought she broke it, so we spent 4 hours in the ER. Luckily covered by insurance. Kids love to hurt themselves when their primary care isn't available...

2. Just staying the course.

3. I've always opened one present of my choice on Christmas Eve. FI had a similar tradition as a kid, but parents always chose the gift to open, and it was always Christmas pajamas. I think some years if we do Christmas Eve by ourselves, we'll put together a gift box for the kids for Christmas Eve with Christmas pajamas, a movie, popcorn, and hot cocoa.

@csuave I don't know what carrier you have, but Best Buy is having a sale right now on the iPhone 6 for Verizon and Sprint for $1 with a 2 year contract.

PurpleBookmark · December 2015

1. Good - Friday we spent $23 out to eat (planned and budgeted), Saturday DH used a gift card at the movies and I spent $127 on groceries (budgeted) and Sunday we spent $0!

2. None this week

3. I love Christmas Eve, we go to church, have breakfast for dinner and open one gift. We also always seem to catch a random 15-20 minutes of It's a Wonderful Life late that night lol.

dragonstarjk · December 2015

1. How MM was your weekend? It was pretty good. $20 gas, $80 groceries (under budget) and $25 to go see Star Wars.

2. Any progress towards your goals? We got an $880 discount off the porch because of the lower cost of concrete, woohoo!!! Instead of paying that towards the debt, we've decided to use it to replenish some of our savings that we drained for the porch, since we already have a payoff plan for the whole amount.

3. What's your favorite Christmas tradition? My mom's homemade candies--almond roca, caramels, peanut brittle, fudge, divinity......not many people I know can make homemade candy like mom

abrewer5 · December 2015

1. How MM was your weekend? Not the best. Finished up Christmas shopping and a few other things so it was pricey. I can't remember exact totals off the top of my head...

2. Any progress towards your goals? Not a pay week, so nope.

3. What's your favorite Christmas tradition? For the most part I don't like Christmas (I'm such a Grinch), but I do enjoy spending time with my family so I guess just running around to see everyone on Christmas Day. H and I for the past 3 years have had his parents and grandparents over Christmas Eve for dinner.

als1982 · December 2015

1. How MM was your weekend? Fair. Spent $50 on groceries, $30 on alcohol and $14 to watch the last 7 episodes of Mad Men.

Also finished Christmas shopping, which unfortunately we went over budget on, but should be able to catch up by the end of the month.

2. Any progress towards your goals? About $600 to student loans.

3. What's your favorite Christmas tradition? We don't really have anything specific, so I'd say just having the opportunity to see our families.

Xstatic3333 · December 2015

1. Any time you spend the weekend in NYC you expect to part with some money, but I did stay within budget. Many meals were purchased for me by my friend's family, but I treated for two breakfasts ($37 total), a couple of rounds of drinks ($46 total), and spent $60 on gifts and $34 on myself shopping at the holiday markets. I can't call this a MM weekend, however, because on Thursday we bought a new gas range. The model we've been stalking was on sale for over $300 off, with two years of 0% financing on a card that we already have open (Sears). We'll plan to pay it off much sooner of course, but since we aren't debt-averse I feel okay about our decision to make this purchase, and very, very excited to be rid of my stove from the '70s that only cooks at two temperatures, crazy heat and super crazy heat.

2. Over $500 to savings, $350 to Care Credit

3. Our favorite, sadly, isn't happening this year. We used to have dinner with some great family friends on Christmas Eve, but this year many of them will be traveling.

short+sassy · December 2015

Xstatic3333 said:

1. Any time you spend the weekend in NYC you expect to part with some money, but I did stay within budget. Many meals were purchased for me by my friend's family, but I treated for two breakfasts ($37 total), a couple of rounds of drinks ($46 total), and spent $60 on gifts and $34 on myself shopping at the holiday markets. I can't call this a MM weekend, however, because on Thursday we bought a new gas range. The model we've been stalking was on sale for over $300 off, with two years of 0% financing on a card that we already have open (Sears). We'll plan to pay it off much sooner of course, but since we aren't debt-averse I feel okay about our decision to make this purchase, and very, very excited to be rid of my stove from the '70s that only cooks at two temperatures, crazy heat and super crazy heat.

2. Over $500 to savings, $350 to Care Credit

3. Our favorite, sadly, isn't happening this year. We used to have dinner with some great family friends on Christmas Eve, but this year many of them will be traveling.

I'm smiling you spent more money on drinks than breakfast . A sign of a great NYC trip, lol.

Congrats on the new stove! It is always such a relief to get a replacement for an old item that I'm guessing has been driving you nuts for awhile. When we first bought our house, I wanted at least a 25 cu/ft fridge, but bought a smaller used one to get by. I stalked sales for almost a year and always visited the clearance appliance aisle at Lowes and HD. I finally found a 25 cu/ft. side by side on clearance. Normally $1200, on sale for $800, and I got them to knock another $100 off. Then used a 10% off coupon. When all was said and done, I got it for almost half off the normal price. So gratifying and worth the wait!

Xstatic3333 · December 2015

short+sassy said:

Xstatic3333 said:

1. Any time you spend the weekend in NYC you expect to part with some money, but I did stay within budget. Many meals were purchased for me by my friend's family, but I treated for two breakfasts ($37 total), a couple of rounds of drinks ($46 total), and spent $60 on gifts and $34 on myself shopping at the holiday markets. I can't call this a MM weekend, however, because on Thursday we bought a new gas range. The model we've been stalking was on sale for over $300 off, with two years of 0% financing on a card that we already have open (Sears). We'll plan to pay it off much sooner of course, but since we aren't debt-averse I feel okay about our decision to make this purchase, and very, very excited to be rid of my stove from the '70s that only cooks at two temperatures, crazy heat and super crazy heat.

2. Over $500 to savings, $350 to Care Credit

3. Our favorite, sadly, isn't happening this year. We used to have dinner with some great family friends on Christmas Eve, but this year many of them will be traveling.

I'm smiling you spent more money on drinks than breakfast . A sign of a great NYC trip, lol.

Congrats on the new stove! It is always such a relief to get a replacement for an old item that I'm guessing has been driving you nuts for awhile. When we first bought our house, I wanted at least a 25 cu/ft fridge, but bought a smaller used one to get by. I stalked sales for almost a year and always visited the clearance appliance aisle at Lowes and HD. I finally found a 25 cu/ft. side by side on clearance. Normally $1200, on sale for $800, and I got them to knock another $100 off. Then used a 10% off coupon. When all was said and done, I got it for almost half off the normal price. So gratifying and worth the wait!

Thanks for the congrats! Yes, I'm so excited. With our old range we've had to manually light it, which I can deal with, but the bigger issue is that it has so many books and crannies it's impossible to keep clean, and for gas the heat control sucks. This one will match the nice dishwasher that we lucked out into getting for free when we moved in. It's always fun to snag a good deal on a big purchase.

Re. the drinks-my BF invited, in addition to me, both her mom and future MIL to come dress shopping. They are both nice, but intense. I was invited to calmly keep them in line and remind them to focus on what she wanted. They actually requested that I do this, and it was really necessary. By the time she, her FI, and I safely deposited the moms at their hotel, we were super ready for a few beers! Such a good time!

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