Friday Fiscal Wellness Check April 10, 2026
For my Friday posts, I copy the previous week, delete the old and update as I go along the week. This helps me add as the week goes on. Here's my recap of Friday, April 3 to Thursday, April 9. I just sort of list things as they come up, then edit before publishing.
- Ham bone from Easter for future soup, plus a meals worth of cut ham was put in the freezer
- After sending leftovers home with my sister and daughter, used remaining leftovers during the week
- Easter dinner foods was pretty much all loss leader ingredients, plus, as mentioned above, yielded more meals.
- While at my daughters babysitting grandpup and pup to give kitten more time to explore without the big dog, I ran to the cheese store and scored multiple bags of seasoned cheese curds at $3 per pound. They freeze well and still taste squeaky fresh. It's a Wisconsin thing!
- Moved cell phone from CC to bank payment auto pay to receive $10 per month credit which far exceeds the CC cash back rewards.
Opportunities to add Funds/Windfalls
- Uploaded Fetch receipts and added to my MS Rewards points.
- Found a bit of change sorting laundry and added to my card can for poker nights
Non-Thrifty or Frugal
- Adopting and more supplies for little mister was both a one-time and ongoing expense (by son) but love is priceless
- The water bill increase that was projected last summer, added to the plumbing issue in March meant my water bill was double this quarter. I'll need to figure out what's a permanent increase and what part was one time, but regardless, I need to increase my budget. It'll still be years before the city has the water issue fixed even with the new fees to go towards the upgrades in the system.
Then, there are often other things that impacted my check book that came up without much planning or notice, an extra optional expense, or an all-out splurge.
- I was tempted at the cheese store by a beautiful chicken salad sandwich on a huge croissant so splurged. It was well worth the $5.99 as both the croissant and salad were fresh and delicious. It was both my lunch and dinner which meant the leftover chili I brought for my daughter and I became her lunch the next day too. Justification.
Fri - Baked Italian chicken, garlic green beans, leftover baked spaghetti
Sat- Fish filets, tater tots, salad
Sun- Easter dinner ham, au gratin potatoes, green beans hotdish, salad, dinner rolls, deviled eggs
Mon- leftovers (son at home and brought with me for daughter), other half of my chicken salad croissant
Tues- Chicken tortellini Alfredo soup and garlic toast, salad
Weds- Homemade flat bread with sausage, onion, artichoke, and spinach
Thur- Pork loin, bakedcsweet potatoes, steamed carrots
I've a few things to do today. I'll stop by my sisters to get the Kindle we're both borrowing for reading the book for book club tomorrow night, The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenberg. The Kindle owner sister said it was an entertaining and fast read. I've been slowly reading The Salt Path by Rayner Winn, the UK best seller which met with some controversy about fabrication of the back story. I bought my copy for 50 p at a National Trust used book store. Have you read either? Finally, I will substitute teach for a half day this afternoon. I needed a job to not have to start the process again to be on call and this worked for my and pups schedule. I'll probably take a few more 1/2 days before the end of the school year if they come up, then reevaluate for fall. How was your week.
A great round up of your busy week.
ReplyDeleteI read The Salt Path and really enjoyed it but that was before the controversy - I’ve recently listened to a BBC podcast about the whys and wherefores which I also enjoyed.
Alison in Devon x
I'm just exploring it so far, but have a night and rainy weekend ahead for reading.
DeleteA $5.99 sandwich that was excellent sounds like a deal. I sent Sam to pick up Subway for us yesterday (it was a day) & we got two footlongs for $11, paid for with a gift card. I can turn mine into two lunches, but he eats his in one go. I assure you they weren't as high quality as what you got!
ReplyDeleteThat was a good deal on the cell phone discount paying through direct withdrawal Via credit card - a much better savings. - Hawaii Planner
It was definitely a cut above Subway and ate over two meals, very fairly priced. I gave a $15 Subway card won at a game night and will use for a bogo deal at some point.
DeleteWe had cheese curds via poutine when in Quebec a few years back. They reminded me of firm cottage cheese. Are there primary recipes they are used in? I've never encountered them as an ingredient in any of my cookbooks, hence my question.
ReplyDeleteAfter so many years of focusing on our finances in retirement, the self evaluation I do prior to really any expenditure is pretty hard wired. Perhaps as a result of giving away so many items during our two home sales. I'm now aware that anything I purchase will likely end up in my ongoing Donate pile which tends to squash many of my spending urges.
Not cottage cheese texture at all. Think more what good cheddar woukd be before pressed into a block or a wheel. I use them as part if a meat and cheese platter but also just anywhere you might use cheddar cheese. They of course come unseasoned but the clearanceroutine. seasoned. These are what deep fried curds are as on bar/ appetizer nenus before battered and deep fried. Definitely the cheese of good poutine. It's been a rough few years figuring life out but I'm back dialed into really maximizing my dollars for a quality retirement on my terms.
DeleteI haven't read either of those books but they sound interesting and I am always looking for recommendations. The only way I have ever had cheese curds was deep fried and they are delicious!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I love a good deep fried cheese curds. They sell batter mix in the cheese store and on weekends, there's a cheese curd truck outside. I use them just like any other form of cheddar cheese. Delicious.
DeleteI haven’t read those books but will look into them. I used to be a voracious reader, but somehow, lost my way. My most recent checkout “Three Wishes” by Lianne Moriarty. I am struggling to finish it not because I don’t enjoy it (I love all her works) but because I struggle to sit still at home long enough., instead of jumping up and tending to something else. What I need to do is pick up my books and make myself comfortable in one of the library chairs and start reading!
ReplyDelete-Meg B.
I read The Salt Path before everything blew up; good read.
ReplyDelete