Started the shopping

So this past week I took some time to start writing out what I'd like to give for gifts this year. I write out the possibilities for the boys, then do the math to see how much things cost and then begin the fine tuning process.

This year I also included the stocking and S gifts. I don't always include the stocking stuff when I am figuring things out and boy things really can add up. It was a good lesson for my husband, who just buys willynilly til he's out of money, and doesn't really think about WHAT he is buying. I don't know if he learned anything, but I did try.

We had parent teacher interviews last week and I had a bit of downtime on the second night between visitors. I started buying things at Amazon.ca last year and I have to say I love it. I am speaking primarily of electronic items. Our only option here in town for such things is Walmart. It's always such a zoo when I go there and there is no guarantee they will have the game/games I am looking for. Then comes the joy of waiting my turn for the blue vested key holder to have time to come to me and pull said items out of the locked case. Then the line to pay. I don't mind Walmart for the regular items but there is something about that electronic department that sends me a quiver.

Enter Amazon.ca. I go there via my airmiles account and pay with my BMO airmile card so win win there. I can see immediately what they have, or do not have. I choose the ones so I get the 'super saver free shipping'. clickity click and it's all done.

I even have it delivered to my school so I don't have to worry about getting to the post office before it closes.

It's only a small % of the shopping I do, and I think our local walmart will do just fine without my small purchases like that, so I don't feel guilty.

As soon as the amount shows on my CC, I will pay it off via online banking from the Christmas account.

I did not have to spend gas to get there. I did not have to brave the cold. I did not have to fight to find a place to park, wrestle through the aisles and wait at the register.

Well, for those purchases, that is. for the rest....see above chaos and plant me in it front and center.

What % of the shopping you do, is online?

A quiet weekend for a change

Usually our world is busy with DS1s hockey and DS2s scouts or band or curling but comparatively, it was a quiet weekend.

DS1 did some reffing for hockey so that earned him a bit of gas money for the upcoming month. I have him well trained. We have an envelope  where he puts his ref money and writes down the date and amount. Then if he takes some out for gas, he write that down as well. He has a habit of spending whatever is in his wallet so it's a start to teaching him how to save for upcoming expenses.

DS2 had a quick band workshop in the city. We got him to the bus by 7:30 AM yest and he was home by 2 PM.

With the day off on Friday, lots of the running around was already done before the weekend started. What a treat. I got some cooking and baking done. Today was couch day. I watched Elisabeth and then Elisabeth: the Golden Age on the History Channel. I have been wanting to watch those forever and this was the perfect day for it.

A bit of cleaning is next on the list to be followed by watching the Riders in hopes they win and earn their spot in the Grey Cup!

supper is at mom's. Delicious.

happy weekend y'all

A busy morning at the bank

I was fortunate enough to have the day off....and SMART enough (two weeks ago) to book time with two folks at the bank for appointments.  It's rare that both those things occur LOL

I accomplished four things today:

1) I took the $1500 I had saved over the past year and applied that to my RRSPs. That gives me a teeny lil amount of $2500 in there, but it's better than the $0 I had in there this time last year.

2) I filled in the paperwork to start a TFSA with our local credit union. The interest rate is 1.25%. That is not the 2% I know some online banks offer but I am just not familiar enough with things and confident enought o venture to a bank I cannot actually go to and see. I popped the $2000 I had in my savings for EF into this. One of the downsides of this is that if I need the money for a true Emergency, I have to go to the bank to fill in a paper to get it.

3) I finally changed over my basic savings to a High Interest Savings. I use the word "high" loosely as it is only at 1%.  But it is infinitely better than the 0.150% that the 'regular' savings was getting. I closed out the 'old' savings account


4) The bad news is that there is only the $1000 of my Christmas savings and the $275 of my summer 2011 savings in that account now after everything else was moved out.

Not bad for 37 minutes of actual 'in bank' time. LOL

now onward to my day off. wheeeee

I have to admit...........it's nice

It's cold out. not winter cold but 'I'm not ready for winter' cold. it's a long week ahead. DS2 and his father are gone to Scouts. DS1 is here and like the 16 year old walking stomach he is..............he guzzles the last of the milk.

I check the downstairs fridge and grrrr softly to see that there is zero milk left.

but I'm in my jammies as I bustle about doing laundry and dishes.

I don't WANT to get dressed and go to the store so there is milk for morning.

WAIT a minute!!! DS1 has a license!!!!!!

big smiles for mama

Off DS goes to the store to get milk for morning.

There are definitely perks to him having a license.

Planning for Christmas

There isn't snow on the ground..........yet...........but it's a coming. With report cards handed out and parent teacher interviews next week, it's clear that my Christmas clock is ticking.

I was over budget last year and I don't really want to do that again so planning is essential.

Now I know some of you bought your presents in March, but I have not yet started. I've been thinking about it, but not yet started. Right now I am just mulling over the list of things I will need to purchase over the coming month so I can proportion the money correctly. Here is what I have so far...

• Christmas tree
• Christmas offering at church
• Postage for Christmas cards
• Christmas cards (I have)
• Wrapping paper and tags (I have)
• Ingredients for Christmas baking
• Staff Christmas party

Gifts for:

• Husband
• DS1
• DS2
• My parents
• My new great nephew
• stocking stuffers for the cats
• Secret Santa at work
• something for my student 'teacher in training'

Anything I might be missing???