Grocery store savings from scanning frequent rewards card

Here is the tally of money saved on groceries in 2007, simply as a result of giving the cashier my rewards card to scan. My philosophy: no rewards card, no debit card. Sometimes the cashier asks for it; sometimes they don’t. Doesn’t matter—when I provide it, I love seeing the “minuses” come off of the cash register, even if it’s “only a few cents,” as one cashier smartly remarked to me. 2007 savings at the grocery store: $133.30. (All I did was tally the savings figures printed on the bottom of my receipts) This is what I was able to pull up immediately from Quicken (see 12-28-07 Blog entry) because we debit most of our groceries; the amount is actually more, as I haven’t yet added the amount saved on groceries from the cash receipts. I will quote this figure to the young lad next time, as I hand him my frequency rewards card to scan.

Quicken (R TM) & Quickbooks (R TM)

I am an avid user of Quicken, financial software by Intuit that came pre-loaded with my Gateway computer back at the top of the millennium in 2000. My goodness, that's eight years ago. Prior to that, James and I used the old-fashioned Budget Sheet (visit http://www.rollingenterprises.com/MEDIA___RESOURCES.html to download your Personalized Budget Sheet for FREE) and Excel. We still use the Budget Sheet--established in our household in the mid-1990's--when payday rolls around; and the Excel spreadsheet when organizing our tax information for our Accountant.

As for Quicken, I don't know how our home would have been able to fiscally operate without it. In my opinion, it is user-friendly and has so many features that help me to stay financially organized. I like it because:
• it's similar to inputting entries into a transaction register;
• it automatically calculates my balances once I input an entry; so long as I keep the entries updated (e.g., debit transactions),
• it reflects a more accurate "real-time" balance than my bank. I could download Quicken data with my bank records, but I haven't gotten that far. Instead, I place my Quicken screen side-by-side to the bank's online screen so I can compare figures, see which checks have not yet been cleared, and reconcile my records to match that of the bank;
• I can create summaries, pie charts and graphs (e.g., how much money spent on gas and groceries in 2007);
• And much more!
Since I am also a small business owner, I have long wanted to become familiar with Quickbooks. I understand that it's integrative. If so, this is appealing to me, because right now, when I have a book sale, I go into my address book to add a book patron; my inventory spreadsheet to update the inventory; and Quicken to log in the revenue.

The South Side Innovation Center (SSIC) is providing training on Quickbooks for four sessions in January 2008. Cost: $40, but $20 for Southside Entrepreneur Association (SSEA) members (see 12-12-07 entry). Savings: $20. The benefit will far, far outweigh the cost for me.

Bargain hunting for tissue in bulk

The cold season is here. I've gotten my flu shot, but I still have the sniffles. I've never done this before, but I ordered boxes of tissues through the office supply catalog, because I can get six (6) boxes containing 100 tissues per box for $5.49. That's 92 cents per box; less than 1 cent per tissue. Okay, I won't get carried away. Free S&H, I guess because it's the holidays. Not bad, considering that tissue in the grocery store can cost me around a buck per box, averaging 70 tissues per box, a penny per tissue. Sorry, got carried away again. Yet, every time I look around, I'm running out for more. This should last us awhile.

What I am personally grateful for this Christmas Day

Unfortunately, Thanksgiving got so busy that I began drafting my journal entry to describe the things that I am most grateful for; and then time flew by and now Christmas is here! So here is the list -- I am thankful to God for:

- salvation in Jesus Christ; for God "finding" me at an early age as a little girl attending Catholic parochial school. Christ's journey as depicted through the stations of the cross held significance for me even then;

- James, my wonderful husband of 15 years;

- the basic necessities of life that I never ever want to take for granted: food, a roof over my head; clothing; transportation; utilities such as heat and all-the-while remembering and helping those who don't have these things;

- good health; and all-the-while remembering those who live with disabilities or chronic illnesses every single day;

- family, friends, three church families (as a result of moving around so much);

- jobs that we love--took a long time to truly discover what is it that I was made to do.

Apart from basic necessities and our occupations, notice that most of this list has absolutely nothing to do with money and material possessions. Here's wishing that you tremendously enjoy the non-tangible aspects of your holiday season.

Assessing needs versus wants and desires – even in the midst of holiday shopping

While out last-minute Christmas Eve window shopping with my sister and niece, the only thing I really needed was a can opener. I found a pretty red one for $14.99, on sale (or so I thought) for 10 bucks. You see, I've had my can opener for as long as James and I have been married, but I must've laid it down somewhere and forgot it, after taking soup to work. Turns out, the can opener was 12 bucks, because the sale sign that I saw was for the Day-after-Christmas-early-bird-price. Hmmm--do I come back day after Christmas beginning at 6 a.m.? I pondered? Nope, my time and my sleep is valuable to me. My sister then turns to me and asks, "What do you need, want, or desire as a gift?" To which I responded that her and her daughter visiting us is more than enough, and that I'm very happy, grateful, and content. "Materially?" she prodded. I told her I didn't want to tell her stuff just for her to buy and waste her money on things I don't really need, and that the can opener I just bought is all the kitchen really needs. She then proceeded to pull out the 12 bucks to gift me for the can opener!

Remember to ask for your receipt

I used my debit card to pay for my only-once-in-a-while fave coffee. The cashier asked me if I needed a receipt. How am I supposed to remember the amount paid for the coffee in order to log into Quicken if I don’t have a receipt—particularly because I used a debit card? (To read more about Quicken, see 12-28-07 entry) This would have been the case even if I make manual entries into a passbook. Remember, companies are getting so cheap now-a-days that they don’t want to even pay for the paper to print receipts on. But I can't say that I blame them if the customer truly doesn’t want or request it.

Business association early bird membership

I joined the Southside Entrepreneurs Association (SSEA). Should have cost: $100 for 2008 membership. The deal was to sign-up by January 28, and the cost of the 2008 membership will include free prime local radio advertising spots. Saved $50.