Friday Fiscal Wellness Check. October 16, 2026

                                                   


         

     I think I'm Blogger and phone glitch free for the time being. I've been reading other blogs and trying to comment but it was hit or miss. So many good posts the last few weeks! Blog world is a favorite frugal activity.

     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. I thought I'd have a home focused week once home Sunday night, but forgot I had both a doctors appointment and consult with the oral surgeon referred by my dentist. I'm facing a wisdom tooth extraction. The extended summer like weather changed what I wanted to spend time on Monday, but was reasonably productive, then we dropped back i to fall. Here's my recap of Friday, October 9 to Thursday, October 15. I list things as they come up. 

Use it Up/Avoid Waste
  • We all brought too much food for the weekend, but uneaten food was taken home and used. I sent G with a container of wild rice soup as she was heading to her mom's on Sunday.
  • Two meals ( plus leftover for 2nd night) made this week with freezer finds.
Avoiding Spending/Saving on needs 
  • Thrifted a couple pieces of clothing...not necessities, but both ( not Mickey specific) a chambry shirt as a light weight cover up and draw string cotton pants were on my look list.
  • As we brought mostly food, our only eating out the three days was a happy hour while exploring boutiques and thrift stores.
  • Leveraged and layered promos for two birthday presents for SIL's and my daughter, plus a Christmas or birthday present for my son.
  • Received both flu and Covid booster with no copay and was able to time with my quarterly blood draw and avoided an additional trip out of town.
  • Used $5.44 of an old McDonald's gift card for a meal deal for lunch after clinic and before stopping to see MIL. I enjoyed every sip of the Diet Coke!

Opportunities to add Funds/Windfalls 

  • Entered receipts in Fetch.
  • Earned Kohls rewards for pick up order and Kohls cash that will go towards the holidays. I selected a Kohls near the clinic I got shots and blood draw, so didn't go out of my way.
  • Just announced, Social Security payments will go up by 3.6%. I'm hoping to bank any increase as part of continuing my emergency fund balance and tighten my spending to 2026 levels despite everything being more expensive. 

 Non-Thrifty or Frugal

  • Property taxes, necessary, but a big expenses twice a year.
  • $216 out of pocket  cost on oral surgey  consult. Ouch-it was the additional x-ray that pushed the OOP so high as I'd already had my one per year covered x-ray at my regular dentist. The extraction is next Tuesday, but after insurance will be $85 more OOP.

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.

  •  My sister and I  went to see Verity, as we wanted to compare to the book. We went on Tuesday bargain night with free popcorn, so not really much of a splurge but was not a need and definitely optional. As for a review, let's repeat at least it was Tuesday bargain night.

  Daily Dinner Diary (Friday 10/9 to Thursday, 10/15). 

Fri -  Wild rice soup, fruit, cheese, artisan bread

Sat- Sandwiches and butternut squash soup

Sun- Leftover sausage gnocchi my friend left for me from Fridays lunch. Here's her recipe and it definitely made more than 6 servings, and was more hot dish than soup it was so rich and thick. Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup recipe

Mon- Shell pasta with homemade sauce from freezer made with random tomatoes, steamed zucchini from daughter's garden

Tues-  Marinated chicken thigh in a wrap. My son came over after a work job, ate dinner with me before I went to a movie and took his cats home. I sent him home with the leftovers, plus some of the too many bananas I bought for the weekend. He may have raided my freezer for some chicken wings ( which  I grab for him from butcher counter when on sale) and a TJ pilak paneer as he hasn't had a chance to grocery shop after being gone through Saturday, then working and catching up on sleep after wonky travel. 

Weds- Pepper and sausage sauce from freezer with elbow macaroni and topped with mozzarella 

Thur-  Repeat of Wednesday

Leftovers/ Added to Freezer:

  • Last two portions of wild rice soup which I plan to pass on to my youngest (her favorite).
      I won't need to eat nothing but beans and rice,  but can't help feeling some austerity measures are in order the next few weeks and months. I'll need to  make some soups and stock up on yogurt, cottage cheese, and other soft foods as I was told being over age 25, the healing for wisdom teeth is a few weeks longer and may experience nerve numbness that could last weeks. I've woke up with a headache and sniffles, plus outside it's cold and rainy so I'm not visiting MIL just in case more than allergies. I need a full day home. How was your week?

   

          

Comments

  1. AprilOctober 16, 2026 at 6:47 AM

    TAKE that full day home!!! Especially with sniffles and a headache! This household is running on high overload right now--most of it unavoidable (and a chunk of it not our doing), and I keep looking for ways to add slivers of margin into my day.

    ReplyDelete

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