Lets do good news first..

Taxes are done! Filed them last night and got a text (love that!) confirmation that they have been accepted by the IRS. $2076 is our total refund. This is a lot more then normal, so I was very surprised. I know many say to try to reduce your withholdings so that you are not giving the IRS an interest free loan, and I agree with that, but it is nice to get a couple grand back in one lump sum. I would prefer it to be less then $1500 though, $2K seems to be getting high, so I need to look into changing that a little.
This year DH is deciding what to do with the money. The plan is to put the $76 into savings. Then the $2000 we are taking on a mini get away for DH's BD in March, either going to MN or SD for a little casino time. We have a system when we gamble (penny machines! LOL) that we put in $10, and if we get that up to $20 or higher then we will cash out, and we won't play that specific money again. That wat we are guaranteed to not go home empty handed. This system works very well for us so that we can play a long time without losing a lot. Anything that we bring back we will put against the mortgage principle. Who knows maybe we will even come home ahead!

And now the bad news......

Got a notice from the mortgage company yesterday that our Escrow Account came out behind last year, and to make up the difference our monthly mortgage payment is going up $94.05 a month. So almost a $100 jump and no extra reduction of principle. YUCK. I am hoping whatever we bring home from the tax refund and put towards the house will help balance out the additional monthly amount. It's a bummer, but we will still make great headway this year.

Just realized we are at 400K hits! That's great! Thanks again to everyone for reading and commenting!

We made it through January without buying any groceries! Well I did buy 2 gallons of milk, but that is it. We got rid of so much food in our pantry and freezer. Out of the pantry, tons of soup, boxes of rice-a-roni, macaroni and cheese, dry noodle mixes, chicken helper, pasta sauces, oatmeal, cereal, and canned fruit. And out of the freezer, lots of chicken breasts, pot pies, TV dinners, shredded cheese and bags of veggies.
DH is making the call on what we will buy for February. He would like to go another whole month without buying anything except for milk. I think this is a great idea as we did find a lot of things that needed to be used up before they went bad, but it is very hard for me to pass up the super deals I see at the grocery store. I am not much of a "grocery" shopper. I normally keep the house pretty well stocked and then just go buy things when they are on super good sale and don't have to worry about ever making a $100+ shopping trip or buying things when they aren't on sale or I don't have coupons for. But DH knows what he is doing, so I will follow his lead on this one, so far it's working great.

Nice little jump here! Plus we finally got our last W2 today! YEAH!

Current Focus = Long Term EF $520/$1000

Current Balance $23,950.00
+$100.00 to Long Term EF
+$100.00 to Sept 2013
+$100.00 to Retirement Hold Account
+$250.00 to Home Improvements
New Balance $24,500.00

Bingo Money (cash) $1000.00
ING $20,975.00 ($4620.00 Bingo Money)
Home Improvements(cash)$850.00
HSBC $1675.00
Total = $24,500.00

CVS has tons of great clearance right now as the are getting rid of winter scents to make room for spring/summer. Scored some great deals for the rummage sale inventory today.

Dial Naturals Tangerine and Guava Bar Soap 3pk
Regular Price $3.29
-$2.47 Clearance Price
-$1.00 Coupon from CVS Machine
Final Price +.18 Money Maker!!
(Marked for $2.00 for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold for $2.00 at 9/4/14 rummage sale
Profit = $2.18

Dial Naturals Tangerine and Guava Body Wash 16oz
Regular Price $5.99
-$4.50 Clearance Price
-$1.00 Coupon from CVS Coupon Machine
Final Price $.49!!
(Marked $3.00 for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold for $2.50 on 6/10/14 on FB
Profit = $2.01!!

Softsoap Vineyard Escape Scrub BodyWash 15oz(Bought 3)
Regular Price $4.79
-$3.60 Clearance Price
Final Price $1.19 each!
(Marked $3.00 each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold all 3 for $3.00 each at 8/23/13 rummage sale

Nivea Powerfruit Bodywash 16.9oz (Bought 3)
Regular Price $5.79
-$4.35 Clearance Price
Final Price $1.44 each!
(Marked $3.00 each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 1 for $3.00 at 6/15/13 rummage sale
*ETA - Sold 1 for $3.00 at 9/5/13 rummage sale
*ETA - Sold 1 for $2.50 (4 for $10 deal) on 3/20/14 on FB
=$4.18 Profit on Nivea!

Clairol Nice'n'Easy Hair Color (Bought 3)
Regular Price $9.29
-$6.97 Clearance Price each
-$2.00 Mfr Coupon each
Final Price .32 each!!
(Marked for $3.00 each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 2 for $3.00 each at 8/23/13 rummage sale
*ETA - Sold 1 for $3.00 at 9/5/13 rummage sale

This Is It Michael Jackson DVD (Bought 3)
Regular Price $24.99
-$22.00 Clearance Price
Final Price $2.99 each
(Kept one for myself and marked the other two $6.00 each for the rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 1 for $6.00 at 9/4/14 rummage sale
*ETA - Sold 1 for $6.00 at 10/1/16 rummage sale
Profit = $6.02

Then 2 purchases to keep:

Febreze Car Vent Clips (Bought 2)
Regular Price $3.99
-$1.00 Sale Price
-$2.00 off 2 Mfr coupon
*Received $1.00 EB on each
Final Price .99 each!

Orabase Oral Pain Reliever
Regular Price $8.42
-$6.37 Clearance Price
-$1.00 Pelly Coupon on Product
Final Price $1.12!!

If I sold everything for what I have marked would be a profit of $31.87, plus it was all purchased on a FREE CVS Giftcard so actually would be $51.16!
We have 2 CVS stores, so may need to check out the other one for some more great deals!!

February 2013 Mortgage Payment

Balance $115,700.00
+$265.15 Interest
+$319.07 Escrow
-$1537.95 Regular Payment
-$446.27 Principle Payment
New Balance $114,300.00

Well the $24K was short lived. Hopefully our last W2 will get here soon so we can get our taxes done and get a nice big bump up to savings!

Current Focus = Long Term EF $420/$1000

Current Balance $24,175.00
-$200.00 To checking to help cover Christmas
-$28.00 To ROTH IRA
+$3.00 Even Out Amount
New Balance $23,950.00

Bingo Money (cash) $1000.00
ING $20,675.00 ($4620.00 Bingo Money)
Home Improvements(cash)$600.00
HSBC $1675.00
Total = $23,950.00

Check your newspaper inserts for $3.00 off Poise products, this coupon is also available in this months All You Magazine. I got 2 from the newspaper and one from my magazine,so got 3 Free Poise Items at Target!


Poise Hot Flash Comfort Body Cooling Towelettes 20ct
Regular Price $2.99
-$3.00 Coupon
Final Price - Free!!
(Marked for $1.50 for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 1 for $1.50 at 6/15/13 rummage sale
*ETA - Sold 1 for $1.50 at 9/5/13 rummage sale
*ETA - Sold 1 for $1.50 at 9/22/14 rummage sale
Profit = $4.50

Menards

The Planet Straightner and Defrizzer (Bought 5)
Regular Price $9.99
-$4.00 Sale Price per bottle
-$5.00 Rebate per bottle
Final Price .99 each!!
(Marked $3.00 each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 1 for $3.00 at 8/23/13 rummage sale
*ETA - Sold 3 for $3.00 each at 9/5/13 rummage sale

All-Purpose Cleaner (Limit 2)
Regular Price $2.97 per bottle
-$2.97 Rebate per bottle
Final Price - Free!!
(Marked $1.50 each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 1 for $3.00 at 8/23/13 rummage sale
*ETA - 1 Bottle broken so we are keeping for ourselves

Saw Blade (Limit 3)
Regular Price $3.49 each
-$3.00 Rebate each
Final Price .49 each
(Marked for $2.50 each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 2 for $2.50 each at 6/15/13 rummage sale
*ETA - Sold 1 for $2.50 each at 8/23/13 rummage sale

Carpenters Pencils (Limit 2)
Regular Price $2.00 each
-$2.00 Rebate each
Final Price - Free!!
(Marked $1.50 each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 1 for $1.50 at 9/5/13 rummage sale
*ETA - Sold 1 for $1.50 at 9/23/16 rummage sale

Valley Greene Brand Garden Seeds (Bought 20)
Regular Price .59 each
On sale for 20 for $1! Just .05 each!!


CVS

Suave 22.5oz Conditioner (Bought 2)
Regular Price $1.77
-.89 Clearance Price
-.50 each CVS Coupon Machine Coupon
Final Price .38 each!!
(Marked for $1.50 each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 1 for $1.50 at 9/23/16 rummage sale

Good n Natural Protein Bars (Bought 5)(2 not pictured)
Regular Price $1.27
-.28 Sale Price each
-.99 Coupon for FREE Bar (5 coupons)
Final Price - 5 bars for FREE!!

Current Focus = Long Term EF $620/$1000

*ETA - Had to go back and add in another $20 to the ING accounts, guess I forgot to add a $20 somewhere.

Current Balance $23,755.00
+$100.00 Anniversary Crusie
+$100.00 ING Sept 2013
+$100.00 ING Long Term EF
+$100.00 Retirement Hold Account
+$20.00 Addition Mistake
New Balance $24,175.00

Bingo Money (cash) $1000.00
ING $20,900.00 ($4620.00 Bingo Money)
Home Improvements(cash)$600.00
HSBC $1675.00
Total = $24,175.00

So I just realized that we could go through all of January with only paying for gas and utilities! That would be fabulouso!

Food - DH mentioned yesterday that he would like to not buy any groceries this month (except for milk). We have tons of food in the cupboards and freezer, and he wants to try to use some of that up. Good plan hubby! Also we have giftcards for TGIFridays, Applebees, and Ruby Tuesdays that we got from Christmas, so our weekly eating out would easily be covered with those.

Toiletries/Misc - We are well stocked on everything, but if something did come up, I have my $100 CVS giftcard I got for Christmas, and also $30 in Target giftcards.

Gifts - We have no babies, weddings, BDs or gift holidays in January, whoo hoo!

Entertainment - We are pretty busy all month and have been going to the gym a lot, so other then the normal bills or netflix, cable and internet, nothing else should be needed.

Can't wait to see a nice tiny Discover bill for January!

I had a coupon for $2.00 off any hair care item that I got in the mail from CVS. Went and scoped out their clearance and got myself another FREE item!



Garnier Fructis Wonder Waves Spray
Regular Price $3.99
-$2.00 Clearance Price
-$2.00 CVS Coupon
Final Price +.01 Money Maker!!
(Keeping this)

TreSemme' Fresh Start Dry Shampoo (Bought 2)
Regular Price $2.57
-$1.29 Clearance Price
-$2.00 off 2 TreSemme products
Final Price .28 each! (Free CVS GC)
(Marked $1.50 each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 2 for $1.00 each at 9/4/14 rummage sale
Profit = $2.00

Culturelle Probiotic (Bought 2)
Regular Price $26.49
-$16.49 Sale Price
*Received $10.00 EB
Final Price - FREE!!
*ETA - Sold 1 for $5.00 at 8/23/13 rummage sale
*ETA - Sold 1 for $5.00 at 9/4/14 rummage sale
Profit = $10.00

Emerson Coin Counter
Regular Price $9.99
-$7.50 Sale Price
Final Price $2.50! (Free CVS GC)
(Marked for $5.00 for rummage sale)
I thought about getting more of these, but don't like to buy too many large items to resell, especially if I actually have to pay anything for them.
*ETA - Sold for $5.00 at 9/5/13 rummage sale
Profit = $5.00

Countour Next EZ Meter
Regular Price $19.99
-$10.00 Sale Price
*Received $9.99 EB
Final Price - FREE!
(Marked for $7.00 for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold for $7.00 at 9/5/13 rummage sale
Profit = $7.00

Peanut M&M 12.60 bags (Bought 2 for my Mom)
Regular Price $4.29
-$3.22 Sale Price
Final Price $1.07 Each!!
(Keeping this)

*ETA - I have sold everything that I purchased to resell in this entry and my profit was $24.00!!

Getting back to normal after the holidays. All the Christmas stuff is down and packed away. I went through it while I was packing it up and got rid of a few things, pulled out 3 to sell.

Finally got back in to the extra room to work on it some more. I am making it a New Years goal to work in that room for 15 min a day. I got the stockpile shelf all organized.


Here is the inventory:
96 double rolls of tp
10 Deoderant - DH
7 Deoderant - Me
17 Bottles Dishsoap
9 Shave Foams
1 Cream Shave
4 Shampoo (Most of these are in the toiletry closet)
4 Conditione(Most of there are in the toiletry closet)
2 Boxes Pur Absorb
18 Bottles 24oz Mountain Dew
2 (2) Liter Bottles of Pop
40 Gatorades/Powerades
5 Bottles Juice
10 Boxes Hamburger Helper
5 Jars Spaghetti Sauce
6 Cans Mandarin Oranges
3 Souper Meals
6 Ramen Noodles
6 Boxes Cereal
5 Jars Planters Peanut Butter
7 Chow Mein Meals

Items for rummage sale
6 Bottles Water (5 more cases in the basement)
9 Cases Pop
2 Boxes Capri Sun
4 Koolaid Juices

Great trip to CVS today!



Suave 22.5oz Conditioner (Bought 2)
Regular Price $1.77
-$.89 Clearance Price
-$1.00 Coupon from CVS Coupon Machine
Final Price +.12 Money Maker!!
(Marked $1.50 each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 1 for $1.50 at 9/4/14 rummage sale
*ETA - Sold 1 for $2.00 at 9/4/14 rummage sale
Profit = $3.74

Mars Candy (Bought 2)
Regular Price $1.19
-.44 Sale Price
*Received .75 EB
Final Price - FREE!

So I got 2 bottles of conditioner and 2 candy bars and made .24!!

Also it's time for quarterly extra bucks! I scanned my card and got $4.50 for my Quarterly EB, and $2.00 for DHs Quarterly EB. Then when I made my purchases, DHs card printed out his EB again! So I got $8.50 in FREE money today!

I had $20 leftover from a previous Biggest Loser, so I threw that in the EF, then added another $5 of my own to get it to an even $500.00. Tomorrow is payday for me, my checks have been sweet with OT pay, but not making any additional transfers right now as the extra pay is going to the Christmas bills.

Current Focus = Long Term EF $500/$1000

Current Balance $23,740.00
+$20.00 from Biggest Loser to LT EF
+$5.00 to LT EF
+$100.00 to Retirement Hold Account
-$112.00 to Roth IRA
+$2.00 Even Out Amount
New Balance $23,755.00

Bingo Money (cash) $1000.00
ING $20,580.00 ($4620.00 Bingo Money)
Home Improvements(cash)$600.00
HSBC $1575.00
Total = $23,755.00

Happy New Year everyone! DH brought home $300 in Christmas money from the in-laws. He is keeping $50 for fun money and the other $250 I put towards the Long Term EF. We are already almost half way to that goal! Also added in our ING Interest.

Current Focus = Long Term EF $475/$1000

Current Balance $23,455.00
+$250.00 Christmas gifts to Long Term EF
+$12.02 ING Interest
+$22.98 Even Out Amount
New Balance $23,740.00

Bingo Money (cash) $1000.00
ING $20,565.00 ($4620.00 Bingo Money)
Home Improvements(cash)$600.00
HSBC $1575.00
Total = $23,740.00