Friday Fiscal Wellness Check, May 29, 2026

                               


           For my Friday posts, I copy a 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, May 22 to Thursday, May 28. I just sort of list things as they come up, then edit before publishing. 

Use it Up/Avoid Waste 
  • With just myself home Memorial Day weekend, I used it as an opportunity to use up bits and "one of" items for meals. I got the refrigerator good and tidy.
Avoiding Spending/Saving on needs
  •  I chose not to meet a couple sisters for dinner out on Friday. The timing just wasn't great with having all the pets and I really was looking forward to a quiet night and starting the last Outlander season. (I said yes to the pets instead of sisters.)
  • No heat or AC over the weekend, but by Monday it was getting a bit hot inside as temps warmed outside, but used AC just to cool down before going to bed and kept shades and blinds drawn late afternoon to keep sun out. 
  • Call out to Cecilia and a recent post plus bonus Watching Brief link, tracking price comparisons. As she writes from both a New Zealand and US perspective/ knowledge/experience ideas and awareness are global. For those confused that an America first agenda isn't negatively impacting the rest of the world or just don't care (not you dear readers), reading blogs like hers might open eyes a bit. 
  • My car tab notice came, due in June and are jyst over $100 less than last year.
  • My refund from canceled insurance was applied (would have been due in August) and is pretty close to three months of the new. And going forward, I can pay monthly, by CC and earn points, and better manage cash flow. Every effort helps these days.

Opportunities to add Funds/Windfalls 

  • Entered receipts in Fetch, played MS Rewards, and a few surveys.  
  • This is mixed: subtract-add to funds. As I was essentially my son's bank, I used funds in a CD for purchase. Between him finding a property less than budget and closing costs and fees lower than estimate, there was a significant balance. Rather than open another CD, I moved the balance into the newer high yield account that actually has .4% more in interest, plus is more accessible should it be needed this fall. Not huge, but annually is $85 more passively earned than in a CD. 

 Non-Thrifty or Frugal

  • Four family graduations this year and I put cash or checkin cards this week. Gift line in budget took a stretch, but other months are lower.
  • I was about to plant and realized I didn't have nearly enough soil in the garden bed so bought more plus a compost mix. I also went ahead and bought three tomato plants, two golden jubilee and a cherry tomato plant. We'll see what my total gardening costs come out to be compared with results. 

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 stocked my son up on a home cleaning supply kit, ensuring he'd have the basics at hand pre-move in. I did this for both girls when they had their first "adult" living space, but as son stayed in his last college apartment for 15 months after graduation, then to Florida, then California,  I didn't get to help him out. It's a one and done, right down to toilet brush and rubber gloves, but he was very appreciative. The cost though, eye watering.
  • Made additional food shelf donation.

  Daily Dinner Diary (Friday 5/22 to Thursday, 5/28). 

Fri -  Frozen chicken and pepper empenata

Sat- mini French bread pizzaa from leftiver bits

Sun- Spinach salad with nuts and dried berries, 

Mon- BBQ chicken legs, orso pasta salad, veggies and dip 

Tues- Pizza hotdish

Weds- Cream cheese and olive juicy loose hamburgers 

Thur-   Pineapple and teriyaki brats, watermelon 

      The weekend will be yardwork plus a meetup with friends for a walk, then beverage of some sort. I'm going to try to use my bike a bit too since I'm finally feeling myself for the most part, just don't make me laugh, sneeze, or cough too hard. I'm car pooling with family to a graduation party about 90 minutes away on Sunday and my daughter will be here for pup. How was your week? 

  

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