Bargains This Week and an Insult??

Not me!

My biggest bargain this week was .99 cent per lb chicken legs - sold in a bag of 64 for $14.82 which is dead cheap at about 24 cents a leg (sorry vegetarian readers).  The only downside to this purchase was that it leaked chicken juice all over the checkout.  It was a special which I am sure they were wiping up after all day.  I brought it home and delved it out into bags of nine legs which is dinner for two and lunch the next day for hubby as I have a gag reflex that kicks in on eating leftover chicken (weird I know).   That works out to 21 individual portions.  If I had more room in the freezer I would have bought more but already have 4kg of chicken breasts and a turkey in there - enough poultry for a long time.

My insulting bargain of the week:  at Salvation Army I found this really nice red blouse which is half casual half dressy. When I got home I went to record the purchase with the receipt - and realized that they gave me a 30% off discount.  IT WAS SENIOR DAY and I am 43.  Oh well, I am taking the discount with a grain of salt.  I contribute regularly to their stock as take all castoffs there.  I am pretty sure she just forgot there are a few non-seniors in this town as this is somewhat of a retirement community.  Total for the blouse was $2.62.

Hubby just laughed at me - he has yet to receive a senior discount for anything and he is 51.  I am not sure he would be laughing if it happened to him.  

Have a great week everyone!

Investing in Your Home

Whether you own or rent it pays to invest in your own happiness.  When we decided 1.5 years ago to downsize to a home half the size of the last one there were certain features in our "basic" home that we decided to invest in.  There is a golf-course community within one mile of our home that has some very nice homes but for the same size home were $100,000 to $150,000 more than we paid.  We do not care about the name of our neighborhood.  We wanted an open concept home with a nice back yard in a good neighborhood on a quiet street.  We were hoping for four bedrooms around 2100 sq foot.  We looked at this home at 1750 sq foot and three bedrooms, open concept on a keyhole street with just the right size West facing back yard and fell in love.  One room is our office which is incredibly important as we knew hubby was working from home (I  was not originally intending to work with him as we didn't realize he would get so busy so fast).  In a home this size we cannot afford to devote a whole room for guests so we have a multipurpose room that holds the hamster (who moves to the office when we have guests), hubby's drum set and guitars as he is musically inclined, and sofa couch for guests.  If two kids come at the same time we have a very large couch and a queen size air bed as well which can be set up in the living room.  

Our list for of wanted upgrades: 

Fence on the right hand side of the property.  For some reason there was a fence on only two sides and  we wanted privacy in our backyard.  Fortunately the neighbors on that side bought their home around the same time as we did, and they have a well behaved dog needing a fence.  We paid half and they paid half and then we spent most of the summer staining the rest of the fences- of which we need to do another coat this summer.  

Outdoor living room set.  We picked out this set at Home Depot (Martha Stewart Living) even before we put an offer in on the house.  In the past we have had patio tables and chairs(huge and sold when we left Alberta) and we felt we would get a lot more use as an outdoor living room.  We were so right.  So far this Spring we probably have spent 30 hours sitting in these chairs.  The roofline completely protects them and we only have to bring in the cushions for the worst part of our wet winter.  Due to facing west if sunny the patio furniture is in direct sun every evening.  It is our reading nook and a nice place to have a cocktail or coffee and watch the birds as the bird feeder is about five feet away.  I looked for used sets before we bought and couldn't find anything close to what we wanted.  By the time we bought the set it was $100 cheaper than when we first looked at it - it pays to buy patio furniture in early summer versus early spring.  The black mats directly beneath the furniture are two exercise mats that we used to have in our old home, brought back from Alberta  last month when we cleaned it out.  The straw looking tray on the coffee table was purchased at a thrift store.  The clay sun was a souvenir from one of our many past trips to Mexico and wind chimes were a housewarming gift from Mom.  The two black plant pots were purchased last summer for either side of the garage.  This year as I am spending less on flowers I bought two dahlias (which the bugs don't like) and planted some flowers from seed around them.  When they fill out in a month or two those pots will go back out front.  The rest of the flower pots were extras from Mom.  The BBQ is about five years old and hauled from Alberta when we moved. 

Hot tub.  Something we have always wanted.  It is directly around the corner from the outdoor living room and right off the indoor livingroom/diningroom- but you cannot see it when you are inside!  Since I took this picture yesterday hubby has put earth around the edge of the newly poured concrete to replace grass that was disturbed in the construction phase.  It is a two person hot tub and we bought the floor model for an $800 discount.  We love it.  Paid for with money from selling furniture out of our Alberta home and hubby's income tax check.

Small garden shed.  We have bought one but need to construct it within the next week or two - an inexpensive kit shed to hold the lawnmower so we have more room in the garage.  

These were all planned purchases and the total was $14000, mostly from the fence and hot-tub.  We spent most of the weekend enjoying this backyard and it was so worth it as I see thousands of hours in our future here.

As for those rhododendrons?  They will live at least until next Spring.  The original plan was to take them out this year as they are monstrously large and only bloom four weeks in May, and as you can see they are nearly done for this year.  I will not kill them as have been told by a landscaper they have a small root ball so we will likely give them away and put in more lawn, and a small raised bed area for a garden.   In the mean time I am growing herbs and tomatoes in pots (tomatoes are still in the garage as I started them from seed late) and have planted green onions in the backside of my front of house flower bed.  Nobody knows but me :)

All this money was planned for - if you are thinking of downsizing be prepared to spend some money making your smaller home your vision.  We are now mortgage free, and living rich in a smaller home.

  

Sunday in Pictures

We had a lovely Sunday which I decided to document in photos.  First, orange strawberry pancakes which used up a dried out orange and some strawberries that had been frozen to prevent waste.  I got to use the vintage ceramic reamer (juicer) that Mom gifted me during her de-clutter.  I love the colors and have never seen another like it.  

 We also enjoyed some of the on-sale watermelon with breakfast - Brown Mouse (his name is Brown Mouse, he is our pet hamster) joined in.  I just woke him up so he looks funny but watermelon is one of his favorite foods.

We decided to go for a walk and explore the grounds of the Filberg Lodge which is full of lovely old growth trees and flowers.  The Estate is right on the ocean and one of Comox's treasures.  A very large art show called the Filberg Festival is held here every year which we hope to attend.

 There are benches and picnic tables if you wish to bring your own lunch or stop and enjoy the view.

 There is also a  tea house with ocean view but we had just had breakfast so that will wait for another visit.

 A nice day for fishing - no idea what they are fishing for though.

 We really are blessed with both views of ocean and mountains here in the Comox Valley.

 The flowers were lovely.  I have no idea what these big purple ball flowers are called (let me know if you do) but I would love some in my flower beds.

 These poppies were georgous.  I have not altered the color - this is straight from the camera.

A Totem Pole.  The Komox First Nation  settled here calling the area "land of plenty".  The town of Comox is named after the original inhabitants.

The rest of our long weekend is being spent doing yardwork and company work - no rest for the wicked when you are self-employed.  Cheers everyone!

The Travel Fund Grows

This picture was taken July 2011 on our trip to Costa Rica.  We had rented a jeep and were aimlessly exploring and decided to stop for a burger on the side of the road.  While we were eating at the picnic table I spotted something in the trees beside the Hamburger stand.  There were three small monkeys foraging for lunch.  I snuck up with my brand new Rebel T3i camera and started taking pictures.  Hubby came over and we stood there for 20 minutes just observing them, one of the most memorable unplanned moments of the trip.  I took over 1000 pictures that trip.  I spent good money on that camera and have taken at least 1000 more pictures since.  We only spent about $30 in souvenirs which tells you where our priorities lay - in the experience.

I love traveling.  It is my thing.  I am at my happiest visiting new cultures and experiencing new places.  For ten years I was a travel agent for Thomas Cook Canada managing a travel agency.  I left that business only because the business itself changed to where it became difficult to make a living.  I still have an extreme love for travel.

We haven't traveled much since our trip to Costa Rica as spent most of the time concentrating on our downsize and move.  Now all of that is done we are saving for the next big trip as I don't believe in taking vacations on credit.

I just received a large income tax refund of $1630 so $1480 of that has gone into the travel fund, and $150 has gone into the sealed pot for Christmas 2013. We are traveling by ferry and car to Oregon for a family wedding in September but will mostly be visiting with American family and will only be gone for five days.  Funds for that trip have already been saved.  This new money is the start of saving for our next International adventure.  Where are we going?  I prefer to leave that up in the air right now as have found that our money goes further when we take travel specials that only generally come up within three months of travel.  This trip will either take place early December 2013 or Spring/Summer 2014 depending on how busy our business is and how much money we can save before the trip.

Possible options are Europe, South America, Central America or the Caribbean.  My preference is to go to a country that  neither of us have been.

I spent 13 hours yesterday working at our Provincial Election to put additional money into the travel fund and  Christmas fund.  It was an extremely long and tiring day but so worth it when I know what the end result will be.

What are you saving for?

New Kid In Town

Pine Siskin on the left, Gold Finch on the right

We have some new birds to the feeder lately joining the Pine Siskins, a pair of Gold Finches.  They come by about every three or four days and one day they came as a pair so I know it is more than just one.  Today  little lady is probably back at the nest keeping the chicks happy.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Garden Centres are Like Crack

Courtesy http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.ca

I am sure I am not the only one who salivates over herbs and flowers, lusts after lawn ornaments and feel like Budget Smudget when you set foot in Home Depot or Canadian Tire (for us Canucks).  Greenhouses and nurseries?  Don't get me started.

I have tried to restrain myself this year, using only a gift certificate the kids got me for Christmas for flowers and seeds.  I have enough pots but yesterday I nearly fell to temptation when purchasing birdseed over a very pretty pot of ornamental ivy.  I was also drooling over the birdbaths.

How am I going to get around this?  The ornamental ivy, well, I just need to get over it.  The birdbath will go on my Garage Sale wishlist.  I have a few other items I am looking out for this year like a new set of white dishes for my Mom and possibly some white twinkle lights in the backyard.  Yes, I could go out and buy these things but there is no fun in that, only money out of pocket. Waiting to find exactly the right item at a garage sale is way more fun for me.

What is on your Garage Sale wishlist?

Lunch in Victoria

A couple of weeks ago when I spent a few days at Mom's house decluttering and painting we had to make a quick drive into Victoria for her Doctor's appointment with a specialist.  We ended up arriving much earlier than necessary so decided to drive down to the waterfront and have lunch, Mom's treat.  We ate at the Flying Otter Grill where the food is very good and you can watch float planes take off next door.  Victoria is really a lovely city, and even if you only have a few hours, fun to explore.

A shot of the Empress Hotel.  They have afternoon tea here every day if you want to partake, something I have never done.  A couple of years ago we stayed nearby in early December and really enjoyed how they decorate both the hotel and the harbor for Christmas.

At one time Victoria was on our radar for possible places to live, but due to the much higher price of real estate (about twice as much as further north on Vancouver Island) and congestion due to tourism in the summer we decided to cross it off our list.  It is still a wonderful place to visit though.

Busy Bees

We have been busy bees the past two weekends fixing up Mom's place as it went on the Market Thursday.  She gets possession of her condo in two weeks time so at this stage it is just window dressing with purging here and there.  We have cleaned carpets, done numerous dump runs, several Salvation Army drops, painted her bedroom, porch and deck.  Every room in her home has been touched.  She now has to live like that until it sells - the tough part of selling your home.

Hubby has to fly away this weekend for business so I plan on travelling to her house and cooking her a nice meal for Mothers Day.  Her gift (which she knows about already) is not more stuff.  I found a great deal on Travelzoo for a wildlife viewing tour that the three of us will go on in early July for the day.  It was 60% off per person and we get to spend the day on the Ocean together doing the tourist in your own back yard thing.  If you enjoy travelling and haven't checked out Travelzoo you should do so as they email you both local deals and International ones (*this is not a paid review, I just discovered them and wanted to share).

We have had some glorious weather the past few days with pure sunshine and 26 degrees celcius. There have been walks on the beach, hot tub time, and I have finished reading two books this week on the backyard patio.  When working I love the fact that I can take coffee breaks in the backyard and watch the birds for a few minutes before getting back to it.  Our home has really become everything we envisioned it to be when we bought it - so happy we made the right choice.

Cheers!

April Budget Results

First, thank you to all the well wishers regarding paying off our mortgage.  It doesn't mean our habits will be changing, just that we now can save to do a few things we love like travel more.  I rarely talk about retirement savings so will just say this - we have substantial retirement savings tucked away after working over the years for companies who paid pensions.  Instead of leaving the pensions with the companies that we left behind we manage our own pension investments.  Our plan is never to rely on government funds like the Canada Pension Plan or Old Age Pension but rely on our own assets and investments therefore if they cut them we will be okay no matter what.  After we made the leap this year to self employment we make less but our standard of living has gone up so much that it is far more likely we work later in life, not because we have to but because we want to.   I realize everyone is not in the same fortunate position we are, and certainly don't want to dish out any advice in that regard so limit my sharing here to the things everyone has to deal with each month - like groceries, clothing and hair!

April Grocery Budget 
$425 - Actual Spent was $435.87

Includes all over the counter medications, personal grooming items, soaps, cleaners and household items for two adults who eat at home 99% of the time.

Previous months overage $53.16 plus this month's overage $10.87= $64.03 year to date overage

Coupons used  - Zero!

This was a very odd month grocery-wise.  I was away from home ten nights, seven in Alberta emptying out that home for sale and three at my Mothers helping her fix up her home for sale.  Our Alberta expenses and groceries all were paid for by furniture sold so I have not included them in this month's budget.  We ate out a good bit more than I wanted to this month but with all that was going on we could have done much worse.  We did splurge on eating out on Friday night to celebrate the end of our mortgage - but not worth mentioning the restaurant as the food was not good and I would not bother to go there again.  Once again, food that is prepared with love at home often tastes far better than those meals eaten out with rare exception.  For the first month in years I used zero coupons - likely due to the fact that I was away so much. When home I cook from scratch and usually those items are not ones I can use coupons for.  I did a shop for some easy to prepare convenience foods for hubby while I was at Mom's so those cost a little more as he is a great cook but prefers to only cook full meals for others, not just for himself.

This week there was a great dollar days sale where I bought bread, frozen veggies, 3 lbs onions, strawberries and yogurt.  The grocery stores have these sales as loss leaders, but they certainly don't make any extra money off me.  It was at one of the more expensive grocery stores and every item in my basket was $1.

I still have a half full freezer:  a turkey which I hope to cook this month, a ham, 2kg of frozen chicken breast, ribs, hot dogs, hamburgers, bacon, and a little fish.  I need to find a good sale on pork, beef, and fish this month. Now that things are settling down a little I hope to play catch-up on the grocery budget this month to reduce the overage from the last two.


Hair Budget
Annual budget $250 - Left in Budget $208.53.

This month spent $18.65.  Remainder of hair budget for rest of year is $189.88

I had a haircut earlier this week, way overdue as a result of a busy month.  I still have one color in the cupboard  to use in the next two weeks.  Likely there will be no hair expenses in May as my next haircut is scheduled for the first week of June.

Clothing Budget
Annual Budget $200 - $187.25 left

This month I purchased a Bianca Nygard(high end Canadian designer) red blazer for $5 to go with a dress already in the closet that will work perfectly for the wedding we are attending in September.  The same day I also found a nice Spring purse and Liz Claiborne T-shirt.  Total spent this month - all at the thrift store - was $15.15.

Remainder of hair budget for rest of year is $172.10.

Christmas 2013
This year a goal of mine is to have Christmas saved for well in advance.  We always pay cash so no post-Christmas hangover but with self-employment December is one of our quietest months for work so if we save up over the year things will be much easier on us.  We joined SFT's Life After Mortgage sealed pot challenge and have been feeding it extra bits of money every week, this week an additional $10 went into the pot.  I also have $40 in amazon.ca gift certificates saved up so far (after using up balance of them for a new laptop battery in February) for use at Christmas as well from Swagbucks (click here if you want to join Swagbucks).  Unlike most of those who joined the challenge, I will be breaking into mine at the end of June to count it up and do a bank deposit and then will continue saving until the first week of December when the challenge ends.

Have a great week everyone!

Mortgage Free Finally!!

Sunset in Comox (credit given to hubby and his iphone)

This week we quietly celebrated becoming mortgage free with the sale of our Alberta home completing on April 23rd.  It gives you such a personal sense of freedom to know that you own your home outright - something rarely achieved these days.

We still have bills, as everyone does, but we now have a bit more breathing room to do the things we want to.  

How did we do it?  

Hard work and living below our means.  We never tried to keep up with the Joneses even when we could have.  We quietly chipped away at the mortgage debt on our secured line of credit at it at every opportunity, while at the same time refusing to add any more debt to the pile.  We ate in rather than eating out.  We always bought used cars just a couple of years old versus new or leasing and paid for them in cash.  We take good care of our things so they last.  We cooked from scratch, used coupons, shopped garage sales and thrift stores.  We discuss finances as a couple on a weekly basis.  We pay off our credit card bills in full every month and primarily used them for point programs so don't end up paying interest.  We never pay retail, always looking for a sale.  We manage our own investments.  We plan purchases, do the research, avoid impulse buys and save up for wanted items.

It wasn't easy but now comes the payoff - a future of not paying another cent in interest to anyone.  If you dream of paying off your debts or mortgage the time is now to start planning how to do that so it can happen to you to.  

Time to Celebrate!