Back to the full time job today

I'm back to my full time job today for 2.5 days then off for New Year's Day and then back to work on the 2nd.

This new job has turned out to be horribly boring where I truly have absolutely no work and I don't really think it has to do with it being the time of year that it currently is. I know that things usually slow down around Xmas but I work for the CFO and our year-end is right around the corner so it is the busiest time of year for the finance department with the budget, business plan and impending audit yet I have absolutely no work. I sit there for eight hours and do nothing. It's horrible and I am regretting accepting this job. I can't even read blogs or do anything on the internet to pass a little time as our office is a cube farm and everyone can see my computer screen.

The NHL team told me before Xmas that they would be making their decision and contacting candidates after the Xmas break. I really don't feel that that is going to be good news. Who knows what is going on with them internally right now but I really think they would have offered it to me by now if they were going to.

With regard to my Tim Horton's RAOK from Saturday morning, the car behind me in the drive-thru had an order of just over $5 so I paid for their order and I hope they Paid it Forward but have no way to know. My boss at my part time job gave me a $15 Tim's GC for Xmas so this really didn't cost me anything and I hope it brightened someone's day.

RAOK/Pay it Forward

Today I plan to a Random Act of Kindness (RAOK). It is very rare that I go through a Timmie's Drive-thru as I really do not like their coffee at all but today on my way to work I think I will go though and get a tea and pay for the person behind me. I love the idea of doing this and adding a little bright spot to someone else's day. Now, if they've ordered much more than a few dollars worth of stuff I don't think I'll be picking up their tab (I know of someone who did this and the car behind them ordered $17 worth of stuff) but a few dollars worth and I'll get it for them.

Who knows, maybe I'll start a chain and they'll Pay it Forward.

Boxing Day Shopping

I wasn't about to venture into an actual mall today but there is a little strip mall with a Reitman's, Payless, etc, in it right by my house so I did a little bit of Boxing Day shopping today and came home with:

- pair of jeans regular $69.99 30% off @ $48.99 (only had one wearable pair before)
- twin set shell regular $29.99 50% off @ $14.99
- twin set cardigan regular $44.99 50% off @ $22.99
- sweater $19.97

Oy Am I Stuffed!

Christmas Eve was lovely. I hosted and had some family over last night for finger food and presents and it was great. I ended up with a migraine though, which I still had this morning when I woke up so that was not so good.

Today was spent out of town at my cousin's and that was really nice as well. She had a house full and it was very enjoyable. Why I ate dinner tonight at 6:30 I have no idea as I was still full from lunch at 1:30. I guess it was just too good to resist and the saskatoon pie simply was calling my name.

Today was also a successful NSD bringing my total so far to 6 so I'm not sure that I am going to make my goal of 10 but I am going to try.

I think now that I'm back home I am going to change into some comfy clothes, plug in the tree, pop in a DVD and snuggle up on the couch with the cats.

Total NSD: 6

'Tis the Season!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Extra Pay Periods

Given the way the pay periods fall this month and next, there is an extra pay period. So, today it felt really good to put an extra $1,200 onto the LOC.

I used the debt calculator on GVO's website and depending on how prime fluctuates (I am locked in at prime), I will be able to have that LOC paid off in 24 months by making monthly payments of $850. Actually, it could probably be paid off a bit sooner as 2009 is a year with 27 pay periods. This is an anomaly that happens every 11 years and there will be three months (rather than two) this coming year where I will get three pay cheques, January being the first. That is, if I remain at this job where I am on this pay schedule (*still* waiting to hear from the NHL team).

I was making payments of $1,200 but feel good with the $850 figure as it won't leave me strapped for cash due to the pay cut I have now taken and the debt will still be gone in no more than 24 months.

A Significant Pay Cut

So I now have received my second pay cheque for the month from my new job and have a good idea of how much I will be bringing home each month and it is almost $1,000 less than the job I just left. That is pretty significant and I am really going to feel it.

I am going to sit down at Christmas and figure out how much I can realistically put towards my travel fund, emergency fund and retirement savings while still maximizing my debt repayment. I had been putting $1,200 toward my LOC (consumer debt) every month and I am afraid now that that may no longer be possible.

Still have a migraine

Ugh. I still have this darn migraine. I've been getting them a lot again lately - usually have one again now 2 - 3 days each week. It's horrible.

So today I went to the doctor after work and he changed the preventative medication I was on to a new one that has shown great success for migraine sufferers.

Today I spent:

$61.04 on Rx (my 20%)

$28.93 Boston Pizza
This definitely was not essential but because of feeling awful from this migraine and not having slept much all week due to it and also because I got home after 7pm tonight and did not feel like cooking, I got take out. It's enough for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow.

Successful NSD

This will be a very short post as I have a migraine and do not feel well at all.

I just wanted to report that today has been a successful NSD.

Total NSDs: 5/10

I Love Free Stuff - printable coupons for free food!!

Some of you may be staying away from Maple Leaf products but I don't feel that there is any real reason to do so. Food is made with batch numbers and different types of food made by one company are not all made at the same place. As such, I have been eating Maple Leaf products for the past few weeks and I'm still kickin'!

Maple Leaf emailed out printable coupons for free food so on the way home from work tonight I stopped and got the following for free:

- Olivieri pasta (spinach and cheese)
- Olivieri sauce (Rose)
- Fresh Entree - Mediterranean chicken somethingorother
- Fresh Entree - chicken & mushroom somethingorother

I think I am going to print more of these coupons and stock up on some more Olivieri pasta and sauce since they freeze well.

They also had coupons for weiners and bread but I don't eat either one (well, bread on the rare occassion but I rarely buy it).

I love free stuff.

Today's spending

It's a mighty cold day and I did not want to venture too far from home. I was hoping today would be a NSD but I decided to put gas in my car as it was getting low and the temps are at -25 and I did not want my gas to freeze. I also had to get my Eagles ticket today so decided to pick up the other things I need, allowing me to do all my spending today and have a NSD tomorrow.

Today I spent:

$233.50 Eagles ticket
$21 gas (67.4!!)
$31.50 booster thingy for my car (better to be safe than sorry)
$3.15 dollar store on gift bags
$17 small gifts
$13 t-shirt
-$15 returned a t-shirt

ETA - additional spending today:

$42 bus tickets for my sister as she is not working and money is tight
$20 - 2 $10 Tim's GCs

$233 for Eagles Tickets - Ouch!

Tickets went on sale 2 minutes ago and I got row 16 on the floor. Cost is $233.50 (ouch) but it will be SOOOO worth it. The Eagles are amazing. This may seem like a lot to pay for a concert ticket but I am used to paying this and more for Bon Jovi so this doesn't really seem like a lot to me.

I normally would not have gotten that far back on the floor as I am really short and it is not that easy to see but I had row 11 on the floor for a Bon Jovi show last year and I could see quite well so I am hoping that a few more rows back will still allow me to see fairly well.

I need to tweak the budget now to cover this unexpected expense.

Never spent so much on groceries in all my life!

Never do I spend anywhere near $100 on my weekly grocery shopping but I had a coupon for 100 Airmiles with a purchase of $100 at Safeway so I stocked up on food for the next 3 weeks (will need to buy more perishables) and on things like bathroom tissue and paper towels.

Today I spent:

$133.30 groceries at SW ($18.74 in club card savings)
$8.38 windshield washer fluid
$3.15 dollar store

I intend to hole up for the next two days and keep warm and entertained by watching DVDs, so it should be easy for the weekend to be NSDs.

-27 for a daytime high??

Yikes, we were doing so well with warm temps and no snow up until a week ago. Since then it has been snowing a bit - still don't have a lot of snow - but this weekend daytime highs are supposed to be -27.

I don't have to work this weekend so am planning to just hibernate with the exception of going out for groceries tomorrow, though I may go for them tonight.

2 NSDs in a row and a little extra cash

It feels great to be able to say that today has been another NSD. I was tempted to stop at Subway on the way to my part time job but didn't and was pleased to see that they had a potluck lunch here today and there was lots left over for us part-time staff to have for dinner.

I also made a little bit of money today as I delivered some Avon orders and made $45. I had a $45 unexepected expense last week so that extra money will go directly to covering that expense.

I am anxious to get my next pay cheque so I will know how much I will bring in every month as I want to sit down and plan out my goals (EF savings, retirement savings, vacation savings, etc.) for 2009 but until Iknow what I'm bringing in each month I can't do that.

Total NSDs: 4/10

A Successful NSD

Today I did not venture anywhere but to work and back home. I was supposed to have a massage tonight (cost would be reimbursed by my health plan) but my therapist called and is really sick so she had to cancel. So, today has been a successful NSD.

Total NSDs: 3/10

The Eagles Are Coming!!


I was so excited to hear the concert announcement today saying that The Eagles are coming. I love The Eagles and there is no way I am not going to this show. Last time the tix were well over $200 each and I presume they will be again but it is not until March and I can tweak the budget between now and then to accommodate this expense.

I love brunch

My birthday was last weekend and my mom took me out today for Bday brunch and it was very nice. Just about broke my neck walking to and from the car though as we had a bit of snow and then freezing rain all day yesterday so it is super icy outside.

I am now off to treat myself to a pedicure.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...



I put the tree up today. Note the cat sitting under it - LOL! After seeing the pic I did a bit of ornament re-arranging but this is the general idea.

Nickelback is coming!

I got Nickelback tickets today and got really great seats. The tix were approx. $95 each. I'm sure it will be a great concert.

Where did all the money go?

I just got paid, received my pension funds from my last company (only 3 months worth of contributions) and my EI payment. This is how I allocated the money:

  • $816.96 to LOC ($400 mortgage principle, $211.96 consumer debt principle, $205 interest accrued in November)
  • $2, 880.16 to rebuild EF

December's living expenses have all been allocated for and I have enough funds put away for January's living expenses so therefore will be splitting my Dec. 19th pay cheque and putting 50% toward my LOC and 50% toward the EF.

I also will still have two pay cheques from my part time job that can be allocated as necessary.

An awesome deal

I went to Mark's Work Wearhouse last night with my $10 off coupon to see if there was anything I could find around $10 for maybe a stocking stuffer or something but there really wasn't anything small that caught my eye. I started browsing the ladies wear and found a fully lined, grey blazer on sale for $39.99 down from $49.99 so, as I need more blazers and such for the office, I decided to get it since with the coupon it would be $29.99. It ended up ringing up at $24.95 so I got it for $14.95 + tax.

I love getting a good deal.

Today has been a successful NSD.

Total NSD: 2/10

The gov't gets you every time

So because I've never been on EI before and therefore knew very little about how it works, due to their waiting period and how they accounted for my part time income, I only received about half of what I had anticipated.

I received my first pay stub yesterday from my new job and the money will be in my account tomorrow. For the past several years I have worked where the employer paid 100% of the benefit premiums so I am not used to having these deductions. They only come to about $50 so it's not that big of a deal and they only come off once per month not every pay.

I also received the cheque for my pension contributions yesterday and promptly deposited it into the bank.

I now need to sit down tomorrow night and go over my budget and determine how much needs to go toward the EF and how much I can put on my LOC.

EI Claim Approved!

My claim was approved and I am quite happy about that. I will only get 6 weeks worth of benefits and some weeks I will not receive the full benefit as the income from my part time job decreases the amount EI will pay (there are weekly allowed earnings but I surpassed the limit 2 or 3 of the weeks). Since I was employed full time again as of last week, my benefits only cover 6 weeks.

They sure don't pay very much. Worked out to an hourly wage, it is less than I make at my part time job. The money will be deposited into my bank account Thursday of this week and I am expecting somewhere around $1,800 if I calculated correctly.

I will need to update my sidebars as I have not kept them up-to-date as my EF decreased. I'm also making a LOC payment shortly so will need to update that as well.

It is 10% Tuesday at Safeway today so I will be stopping to pick up some groceries tonight after work so this will not be an NSD. I plan to pick up some of the things I can buy ahead of time for my Xmas Eve gathering.

EI Claim

I spoke to a lady from EI today and she needed clarity from me on some of the things my last employer told her as to why I quit. I am so ticked off as they blatantly lied.

Oh well, she said she'd make a decision on my claim this afternoon and would call me if the decision was negative. Well, she did not call me back so I am hopeful that means she approved my claim. It would be great to get some backdated income for Oct and Nov to help replenish my EF.

I should be able to log on tomorrow and see if a decision has been made. *fingers crossed*

The month is off to a proper start...

....being that today has successfully been a NSD. I am going to have to figure out what to take for lunch tomorrow as well as dinner as I have to work at my part time job tomorrow night and I would really like for tomorrow to be a NSD day as well.

I looked at my mutual funds online yesterday and they've actually gone up quite a bit since I looked at them last (about 10 days ago). I hope that continues but know it likely won't.

I still have not received my cheque for my contributions into the pension at my last company and wish it would get here. I was expecting it last week.

Total NSDs: 1/10