Money, may I?

I don't like the idea that money/financial conditions determine how we spend our time. Of course you can do free things like....

• visit the library....but you have to show government ID for a library card, which means you pay taxes, which means it's not quite free....
• go for a walk...what barefoot and naked? That ain't free either.
• just sit....outside? Then you'd get a fine for loitering. I give up!!!

So if we need money to live, I need more of it! Here's a (hopefully) profitable follow up to the Money I want you back! post....

Some new short term goals (and accomplishments!):

1. The Polar Bear and I decided to eat out once a week. That makes it so much more special, plus we'll have more spending money for the road trip in a few weeks.
2. Let's try a BYOB spot - most of the bill is in drinks anyway.....
3. I got my refund from Expedia!!! It took FOREVER (actually, 2 weeks) and blood sweat and tears (well, just a series of phone calls at every hour of the day), but I got my refund for the cancelled flight (resulting from that silly ash cloud). Money's in the bank!!!
4. Summer's here, so we're going to spend as much time outside doing as many free and active things as we can find. First big thing - the Tulip Festival!
5. One day a week, my girls and I get together for a "Do-Tell Potluck Episode" once a week. 5-6 of us get together, bring a dish and a bottle of wine, and have us a feast! Splitting platters beats splitting bills!

And revisiting the ones from last week:

1. I still need to turn in my receipt for work this week (to be reimbursed for food and travel on a recent work-related trip). The finance girl is out till May 19, so I've got to wait till then. That's what I get for dragging my feet.
2. Just sent the H&R Block guy an e-mail about my refund (it's 2 weeks overdue, honey!)
3. Made an appointment to consign my preloved clothes. The Polar Bear and I took some items to a drop off consignment shop and made an appointment for this coming Monday at another one. Gotta keep several pots brewing!
4. REALLY spend less when I go to the grocery store tonight. I haven't been to the store this week yet. Will probably survive on the goods I got last week (tubs of spinach can last a long, long time!)
5. Bring lunch every day this week. Grade A for last week! This week I need to do a lot better.

This one's not a goal - more of a confession. While galavanting across Europe (actually, I was pretty much stuck in one place), I missed a payment on my Dell account - uffa!!! So I called today to make an immediate payment and politely asked the representative to waive the $15 fee they charge to make the immediate payment. Money's in the bank (or, in this case, not as much was taken out :)

I'm on my way to being a financial grown-up. I'm so ready!!!

ciao for now!
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