Our Family's Finances - Weekly Wrap-Up

Expenses - I did two big shopping trips – one at Trader Joe’s ($53). I try to go there only once per month because it’s a bit farther from me than other grocery stores (it’s only 5 miles away, but I have 4 grocery stores within 1 mile of my house!), but I screwed up and forgot to buy some things that I normally buy, so I’ll have to go back before the month’s up. And I went to Giant ($31), stocking up on many loss leaders and using several coupons. I also went to a nearby store for last-minute things and spent $11. My husband spent $20 trying to improve the door in the basement so we don't have future floods. If it works, then it will be much better than the thousands we estimate we'd have to spend to fix the design of our basement entryway.

More year-end costs - $8 for a t-shirt for my daughter’s school. I signed my son up for a class for the summer for $53. I also went to a community-wide yard sale and spent $5 including some items that I hope to resell for more.

Deals – I used a great number of coupons at Giant, buying cereal for $1.20, barbeque sauce for 30 cents, grapes for $1 per pound, several pounds of bananas at 33 cents per pound and BOGO Breyer’s ice cream (my favorite!). I got such good deals that I think the food I bought this week will last us more than a week. I got $10 off the class for signing up early.

Income – I sold something on eBay for $25. I sold something on Amazon, netting me only $2. Blah! And something on Craigslist for $15 (cost $2.50). I have a lot more planned for eBay for next week.

Investments – I still haven’t invested any of the $4,000 that I need to invest in education and retirement this quarter. Again, I have until the end of June to do so.

Giving – I volunteered to be my daughter’s Girl Scout Troop leader for next year. I had wanted to do it in the past, but their meetings were during the day and it would have been hard with a very wild, toddler boy in tow. Now, their meetings are after dinner so I think I can swing it.