Friday Fiscal Wellness Check November 5, 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, October 30 to Thursday, November 5. I list things as they come up. 

Use it Up/Avoid Waste
  • Made a batch of potato, cheese, and broccoli  soup. It was just OK, not sure why it didn't quite hit ( probably tiring of soup). But, I used 1/2 the remainder, about 2.5 cups, plus 6 eggs, a little milk, and about 1/2 cup more cheese to make a tasty egg bake. It had sort of a Spanish Tortilla vibe. Then, I turned the rest into a pasta bake with freezer find cheese and the last of a never ending bag of elbow macaroni.
    Reconstructed bland soup into an egg bake

Avoiding Spending/Saving on needs 
  • With the stock market being quite unsettled, even though I'm fairly conservative in retirement, I decided to decrease my next withdrawal. I'll both tighten my spending on basics, and use a cash account at least for November. This should help weather the impact in the long-run. Did I mention two different meals from an inexpensive soup+leftovers? I'm not panicky, but neither do I want to be an ostrich and ignore a few things I can better manage.
  • Speaking of leftovers, I ate leftovers pretty exclusively on Sunday and Monday, which really helps me not have to think about meals, saves me money by avoiding waste, and puts a bit of budgeting control in my hands. 
  • I put my flannel sheets and a blanket on my bed. I plan to keep the heat low at night ( and not quite as low) during the day. I know my house is well insulated as the heat didn't kick on all week. 
  • The ads weren't even worth stopping for cherry picking, so including a flat of wet dog food and laundry soap, spent just $40 on household and groceries. I passed on buying diet soda too. It's just gotten way too expensive as a regular beverage.

Opportunities to add Funds/ Windfalls 

  • Entered receipts in Fetch and got back on MS Rewards. Here's a link if you'd like to check it out. MS Rewards I get points and you'd get Welcome bonus points. 
  • Did a Patient Health Survey and earned a $10 reward. These little rewards here and there will come in handy for holiday shopping and activities.
  • Received a $10 birthday voucher for Kohls, no other purchase required. Minimally I can use it for Godiva chocolates for MIL as I include each year with her gift.

 Non-Thrifty or Frugal Expenses

  •  Paid the biannual life insurance bill-extra expense, but perhaps I shouldn't say its optional or not necessary, so moved to account for it here. 

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.

  • It'll be part entertainment line, part out of my holiday fund but splurged on a ticket with my sisters/SIL to see A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie. It's been 40 years since I last saw a live production of it, with my brother. I don't remember how I got to be the recipient of his other ticket. We're seeing a matinee on December 5th, then meeting my BILs and one sister that doesn't want to go due to her mobility issues and minimal interest in live theater, for a happy hour meet up. It'll be more cost-effective than a dinner and evening experience even if a splurge. 

  Daily Dinner Diary (Friday 10/30 to Thursday, 11/5). 

Fri -  Potato, cheese, and broccoli soup,  pb&j sandwich 

Sat-  Frozen pizza and after 11 days of soft food, having something with texture, even though I ate carefully, was very welcomed.

Sun- Leftover day ( pizza, egg bake, squash soup)

Mon- Reconstructed potato cheese broccoli soup, into a pasta bake, topped with cheese found from the summer in the freezer. Apple slices

Tues-  Hot Hoagie sandwich on French bread with cheese and meat I froze this summer after I hosted book club

Weds-  Homemade French bread pepperoni and green olive pizza (using some of the loaf I bought for hot hoagies)

Thur- another round of French bread pizza

Leftovers/ Added to Freezer:
  • Nothing and used up a few lingering items.
      My daughters coming over today to help me with a few things and she's going to pet sit pup tomorrow and stay through Sunday.  I think we'll do burrito bowls for supper tonight as I have plenty of ingredients and leftovers for her for tomorrow. Tomorrow is a full sisters day and Sunday we're celebrating same daughter's birthday that was last Saturday. How was your week?

   

          

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