Friday Fiscal Wellness Check. September 4. 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, August 28 to Thursday, September 3. I just sort of list things as they come up. I know my WIS is somewhat redundant but my Fridays are a more overall check into how I'm doing in terms of financial wellness instead of daily tracking each expense. 

Use it Up/Avoid Waste
  • As my daughter stayed here, I sent her leftovers to work for her lunches.
Avoiding Spending/Saving on needs 
  • Got a credit on a shirt that I decided was smaller than I like for the cruise but the vendor didn't want it sent back. The shirt will work for my sister so eill pass on to her, who wasn't happy with the fit she ordered. She was able to send her original back. Funny how sometimes they don’t bother and other times they do with returns.
  • Prepaid 5 months of doggie daycare for a savings per session.
  • Cherry picked a few loss leaders when I shopped for a few specific items needed for the weekend.

Opportunities to add Funds/Windfalls 

  • Entered receipts in Fetch, played MS Rewards. I did a couple of Saga surveys. 
  • This was for my daughter, but I helped her do some longer budgeting and then renewing her relatively sizeable CD. She'll earn over $1,000 in interest before next maturity date. 

 Non-Thrifty or Frugal

  • My daughters car needed more than just an oil change. I still include somethimg for her car in my budget while she's been figuring out her career path with apprenticeships and various certificate programs to enhance her skills, but with very low pay. Still, $449 was a hefty chunk but gives me peace she's in a safer car.

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.

  • I picked up and paid for the Thai food and sandwiches. My daughter's roomates parents generously used their truck for my daughters bed and a few other bigger things that would have been a struggle in my crossover. 
  • I met my son to review and figure out a few things condo/financial related. I ordered dinner for us before a meeting so we could save time. 

  Daily Dinner Diary (Friday 8/28 to Thursday, 9/3). 

Fri -  Roasted beef and pepper jack sandwich on a bun, baked potato soup at my sisters

Sat- Toast, handfull of Totinos pizza rolls

Sun-  Pad Thai then later Paneara sandwich

Mon- Chicken chow mein, from a can, crispy noodles, rice  ( I specifically bought for a night my youngest would be here as its a convenience food favorite of hers she will rarely buy.)

Tues-  Homemade tomato, onion, and zuchini sauce over penne pasta

Weds- Frozen supreme pizza

Thur- Crockpot curry ( both daughters here whiIe had a meeting) basmati rice, panini for son and me on the fly 

Leftovers/ Added to Freezer:

  • No leftovers as they were eaten by myself or daughters.

          At the risk of criticsm, I've been having a few down, mentally and physically overwhelmed, days. Pups having more nights that he can't settle, my daughters move has been much more stressful than it should and is leaking into chaos here. She's got some out of pocket medical expenses that I'll help her with; funds are available but she's anxious and that hits me. Financially, I'm stable and managing my fiscal game plan without stress. Despite an expensive week, with the exception of so much take out and extra car expenses, I'm good with my fiscal wellness. Money management feels like an area I can handle when the parts of life that are supposed to be soft get hard . How was your week? 

  

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