Friday Fiscal Wellness Check, July 3, 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, June 26 to Thursday, July 2. I just sort of list things as they come up.
- Update to an old. Months ago I poorly stitched up a tear in my nice sheet set but bought a single fitted before doing so as I kept putting it off. I also tucked the repaired sheet away, and have still been using the cheap replacement. Finally this week, remembering it was "repaired", I swapped it back on when sheets were changed. Honestly, what a difference in my sleep! The quality is so much better I felt more relaxed. Getting a second set of high quality linen sheets is on my wish list and want to never use cheap sheets again!
- Paid all bills to ensure no fees and know exactly how much is available. I try and true up my planned budget with actuals at least once a quarter so with June done, that'll be a task this month. Things will be tighter for the next six months since the account I used to reimburse part of my health insurance premium is running out and I'm still covering my daughter until January.
- Layered CVS coupon with in-store loss leaders to buy a few grocery items. I got away from doing this as the coupons haven't been great and CVS is normally so expensive.
Opportunities to add Funds/Windfalls
- Entered receipts in Fetch, played MS Rewards, and a few surveys.
- Maybe I'm getting a little over focused on little stuff, but realized I have a checking and savings in another bank getting nothing for interest. Why keep? I use these to manage parts of my extended/ sinking funds budget, it's where my large CD is held, and keeps a relationship with a local bank (free notary any time as one example of a benefit.) I checked minimums needed to have no fees and transferred over other funds to the high yield account. This will give me an additional $19.25 in passive earnings each month.
Non-Thrifty or Frugal
- Maybe I'll be able to move this to the "saving on needs" but not yet. Overall, I tracked my investment this year in vegetable gardening at $84. This doesn't include the raised beds bought two years ago. My seeds were $1.76, so the lettuce seeds have been paid for as we have had the second salad of my greens. I try to remember that my gardening attempts are as much about hobby as producing food, but will track for myself my ROI. This is a very early glimpse. Rounding to nearest dollar, bib lettuce greens, $2 a bag. ROI status, -$82.
- I'm frustrated with myself after finding a$100 prepaid card from my husband's last work perk and tried to activate it. Apparently it started incurring fees 6 months after so it became worthless after 10 months.
Then, there are often other things that impacted my check book that came up without much planning or notice, an extra optional or necessary expense, or an all-out splurge.
- A good, all surface rechargeable stick vacuum with attachments was on sale for 40% less, and was $30 less than a generic brand. I went ahead and bought it for my son. He's starting to feel tapped out on things for his new place even though he's been sourcing as many things as possible second hand or on sale.
Fri - Chicken, garlic rice, steamed carrots
Sat- Tuna pasta salad, cheese and crackers
Sun- Late lunch so it was dinner too, sandwich and fries grabbed after running a few errands
Mon- Vegan chili and rice ( despite the heat but older daughter was over after being gone all weekend)
Tues- Pork loin, big salad ( my greens)
Weds- Leftovers
Thur- Rotisserie chicken, pita, veggies and hummus
I guess many get today off in the US since the 4th falls on a Saturday. My kids are doing work on the little cabin, hauling stuff out of the basement as it's going to be reinforced, repaved...something to ensure the foundation doesn't collapse, then prep it to actually make useable space for sleeping and hanging out. I'll be home with pets, trying to jeep them calm as firework sounds rumble, though will go to a party tomorrow for a few hours. My daughters also helping her cousin Sunday so I'll have grandpup and if not brutally hot, I'd like to get out to the nearby county park. How was your week?
We're under that horrific heat dome here in central Ohio. It is already about 90 with a heat index of 105 here at 10:15. Seriously? I water the garden at 6:30 a.m., apologize to the lettuce that wasn't expecting this heat, get a walk in before 7:15 when I can, and avoid going outside unless absolutely necessary (and then only in the car). We have the AC set at 80 and that works for us. With regard to meals, I try to think of things that do NOT hear the kitchen up!!
ReplyDeleteOn the upside of $$, bought chicken drumsticks at 99 cents/pound at Meijer; 9+ pounds for about $9 and I put 12 2-drumstick packs in the freezer just this morning!
Great findvon chucken drumsticks. I like to cook them up in the crocpot, then use air fryer to "fry" them up. I laugh at 2 per package. My son will eat 4 minimum. Stay cool.
DeleteOh I understand about sheets! White, 100% cotton (preferably percale weave) here. I only use a fitted sheet, as I have (we all have)a down comforter with a (you guessed it) white, 100% cotton cover. Honestly, it makes such a difference in how we sleep. No top sheet means I only have to buy a fitted sheet. And, lately, I have been lucky in finding these in the thrift shops, particularly for the kids’ full size beds. Sometimes I have found good quality entire sheet sets on deep clearance making them even cheaper than open stock. When that happens I make the purchase and use the top sheet to make pillowcases, (with French seams)napkins or to back my quilts.
ReplyDeleteI’m with you, I will never use poor quality sheets.
My big win: I neglected to roll over a chunky cd. I got the notice it was coming due, and then proceeded to forget it, so it got automatically rolled over to a flexible cd. Yesterday, I had to go to the bank to deposit the rent check from my farmhouse, and my account rep was behind the window. (When she is in between appointments she would rather work a window than sit in her office.) I mentioned what happened, and she said that since it’s flexible I can turn it over before the 3 months are up, and made me an appointment for Tuesday to do so!
I hope you are managing the heat. We are high 60’s here, gray, but the fire danger is still extremely high. But climate change? Yeah, nothing to see here folks. ::screams into the void::
-Meg B.
I mostly strip the bed, wash dry, and remake with same set except when I do the flannel switch over. I'm going to keep my eyes open at sales or thrift. I don't care if they match- just want comfort. I'll transition to a duvet once this quilt has seen better days as a bed topper, but I do like the weight of it with a sheet, year-round almost. Its nearly 10 years old atvthis point
DeleteRed Land Cotton is a very high quality cotton sheet brand. It is popular in this state bc the business is here. I am picky about sheets, have to have cotton. It is hotter than blazes here. We had 110 heat index yesterday. My oldest son got to go home from work early last night bc a rat snake (not venomous) shorted out most of that north Alabama city’s electricity. It was a skinny 5 and a half foot long snake. Other than hearing about that excitement, I am just walking, cooking, working, and cleaning! I made potato salad, will make coleslaw and have hot dogs with watermelon and ice cream for the 4th. The town fireworks are a block from my house. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteI'll take a look at that brand. Hoping to find on sale prevention thrifted. On first glance, a very set is so expensive.
DeleteNo more poly cotton sheets for me either... they just bobble in time. I don't care too much about matching and specific colours (although pref not pink or purple!) I just buy whatever is good quality And on sale!
ReplyDeleteAfter all, most of the time I'm in the bedroom the room is dark and I'm asleep !
The one I bought for back up was supposed to be over 500 thread count, but still was bad and pilled immediately. I'm with you, Im less concer rd with bayern ir color at thus point.
Delete100% agree with you on good quality sheets. We all spend so much time in our beds; they need to be as comfortable as possible. Have a happy 4th of July!!
ReplyDeleteI dont treat myself well often enough and still have not replaced my mattress. Sleep is essential and mine has not been good. Happy 4th.
DeleteInteresting read today! I hadn't thought of it but it makes sense to invest in good sheets, given how much time we are with/next to them. I love flannel ones in the winter months.
ReplyDeleteUntil I experienced the difference back to back nights, I wasn't thinking too hard either but now, no turning back to cheap poor quality. I love my flannel ones...come out in late October or November and away in April.
DeleteI am now at a point where better quality sheets are the norm, but I'd never thought much as to the impact that might have on sleep as well, so you've given me something to think about, Sam, in my never ending senior citizen quest for better sleep.
ReplyDeleteMy blood is boiling, however, at the idea of service fees rendering a gift card useless over time. That is illegal here in California.
Its because itcwasxa prepaid debit MasterCard, not a gift card. It woukd have been a cash reward for a promo but as he passed away, they thought it would be less hassle for me to get it in a debut card. Lesson learned. I never realized how poor some sheets are until I had a night to night comparison.
DeleteI would have been so frustrated as well at the gift card, but you definitely had plenty going on in your life at that point, so release any guilt or frustration & remind yourself that you tried. We are also obsessed with good sheets, but have found the highest quality from Costco to be really very good. We all do insist on silk pillowcases at home,w which I discovered because I'm losing so much hair & it's supposed to be good for it. A friend brought it for me as a gift a while back. Everyone has tried it & loved it, so now all of us have silk pillow cases. Nick asked for some for his dorm ;-) They feel so much cooler, no matter the weather!
ReplyDeleteWe are super lucky & have not had hot weather. It was 75 and gorgeous in Lake Tahoe over the 4th of July - Hawaii Planner
Clearly, good sheets for the win. I think I have a silk case from a Fab, Fit, Fun box when the girls and I were getting one to share. It wasnt used, but I might have passed on to a friebd. I'll check. Yes, I was not thinking clearly that year.
DeleteYes I’ve found the good more costly sheets at Cost Co (maybe like hotel brand) to be very good. also Casaluna at Target for linen. (And my son’s favorite pillow which I’ve going try). I find pillows hard! My very old pillow is about to the end! I’ve fairly liked the coop pillow but not perfectly and have tried many others! For awhile it was kind of liking IKEA (which thinking about some of their sheets are nice too. In the past have gotten some soft amazing 100% cotton duvet sets there.)
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