$$: NPR, Gas, Groceries, Health Care, & ….. Paint

Posted on | October 16, 2008 |

Oh, what a day!  I had a car at my disposal all day.  It was heaven.

Spoiler Alert:  Son, if you’re reading this stop now or spend the next two months already knowing what you’re getting for Christmas.

NPR — $120.00
Several weeks ago The Son discovered NPR.  Since then we’ve gone from debating whose iPod to listen to while in the car to never listening to music at all.  Now all we listen to is NPR (National Public Radio).  He’s hooked; and I admit that I don’t mind at all.  I don’t mind that he’s hooked and I don’t mind listening only to NPR because I’ve become quite a fan myself.

Anyway, the other day NPR started their fund drive (yes, as annoying as PBS’s fund drives).  And you know how they always offer those “gifts” for various levels of donations made?  Well, they were pushing a doohicky called a Radio Bookmark.  It’s a thumbdrive that you put on your keychain or wherever and when you’re listening to NPR and have to get out of the car for whatever reason (like you’re reached your destination and if you don’t get out right now you’ll be late for class), you click on the Radio Bookmark and it creates a timestamp.  Then, when you get home to put the Bookmark in your USB port on your computer and using the timestamp it find program you were listening to.

Now, The Son is not a gadget hound.  In fact, The Son is notoriously difficult to shop for because he never wants anything.  But I could literally feel the desire emanating from him while the DJ’s (is that what they’re called on NPR) were talking about this Radio Bookmark thingy.  Really.  His interest was palpable.  Then, later in the day and during a different car trip, the Radio Bookmark was again being touted as the coolest thing since Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, The Son actually said he’d love to have one!  [Now it's probably difficult for the general public to understand how entirely unusual it is for The Son to make such a comment so you'll have to take my word for it that his direct comment was entirely uncharacteristic.]

My first reaction (and my second and third and fourth) was that it sure sounded cool and I’d love to get one for him but no was was I going to spend $120 just to get a cool freebie for The Son.  I love the kid to death but there are limits, you know.

Today however, whether in a moment of weakness or simply a different way of looking at things, decided that 1) spending $120 on The Son for Christmas was entirely in line with my expected budget; 2) why not donate to NPR — we both love the programming and it’s like streaming homeschooling any time we’re in the car; and 3) how often do I get a chance to get him something he really wants?  So I did it.

In all honesty, I’m still questioning my sanity.  And I’m dreading the next 100 years of repeated pleas for additional donations from NPR.  But what’s done is done and I have high hopes that The Son will gets lots of use out of his Radio Bookmark (and equally as high hopes that I’ll get it in time to give it to him for Christmas).

Colonic — $70.00
My IBS-racked gut is still suffering the side-effects of my thyroid surgery.  Yesterday I was miserable and the knowledge that I had an appointment today is what got me through.  As painful as it is to spend $70, it can’t even begin to compare to how painful this procedure continues to be for me or the on-going pain I experience because of my overly sensitive digestive system.

Costco — $3.74
Lunch for The Son who accompanied me on my shopping errands this afternoon.  He took his latest book and enjoyed a Chicken Bake and soda while I shopped.

Costco — $
I can’t find the receipt right now but never before have I emerged from Costco spending so little.  I bought a massive bag of miniature candy bars for Halloween (I threatened everyone with severe punishment if that bag is opened before the 31st) for $12.99 and a two-loaf package of Rudi’s organic Whole Wheat bread.

Costco — $40.93
The Tank needed gas so I pumped 13.927 gallons at $2.939 (!) per gallon.  The odometer read 132,899.

Sherwin-Williams — $10.50
Drum roll, please.  Yes, ladies and gents, we have a winner.  Suburban Wife has finally chosen a color for the exterior of her house.

No one who knows me well will be in the least bit surprised to discover that the winning color isn’t actually an official color at all.  I bought two more quart color samples today and, of course, neither were right.  In desperation, I found an empty paint bucket and mixed my own color.  I hit it on the nose with my very first attempt (and yes, I went on to try two more combinations but neither was as good as the first one).  The painter is coming by tomorrow morning to pick up the paint sample so she can go buy it in the quantity she’ll need for the project.  I’m very concerned about how accurately Kwal will be able to match what I’ve mixed up but I have no option but to have faith in their abilities.  I’ve done my part and am more than happy to now pass the responsibility on to the (hopefully) capable shoulders of my painter and her crew.

and last but not least

Kroger — $101.88
The Son, The Husband, and I took the grocery store by storm this afternoon and did our best to fill the cart with an interesting hodge-podge of food items.  Actually, we were working off a list but with those guys in tow you never know what you’ll come across when emptying the grocery bags (and, yes, they were my handy-dandy reusable nylon Chico bags).  You’ll notice that I bought things I don’t normally buy like soda and chips and waffles.  I was stocking up on snacks and breakfast goodies for the surprise birthday party I’m throwing for The Daughter this weekend.  You’ll see a rather large charge on my Saturday $$ report for the pizza party.  The snacks are for the girls who come over after the pizza party of a movie-night sleepover.  And, no, it’s nowhere near The Daughter’s birthday.  This is a Happy-16th-really-quick-before-she-turns-17 party.

• 2 packages house-brand toilet paper — $6.39/ea. (saved $1.50/ea.)
• 12-pack of Sprite — $4.00 (saved $0.39)
• 12-pack of Mug’s Root Beer — $3.67 (saved $0.72)
• Kettle potato chips — $2.50 (saved $0.49)
• Doritos nacho cheese chips — $2.50 (saved $0.25)
• Kashi cereal — $3.79
• 2 dozen Nest Fresh eggs — $2.50/ea. (saved $1.19/ea.)
• Keebler chocolate chip cookies — $3.89
• Hungry Man chicken dinner — $2.50
• Marie Callendar’s pot pie — $2.29
• Marie Callendar’s frozen dinner — $2.78
• frozen Shrimp Scampi dinner — $7.99 (The Husband picked out for himself; he makes the money, he can spend it how he likes)
• butternut squash — $3.43
• Kroger ice cream — $1.88 (saved $1.61)
• Breyer’s ice cream — $4.99 (saved $0.70)
• Best Foods mayonnaise — $3.29
• Private Selection dijon mustard — $2.39
• Hillshire Farm ham — $4.19
• 1/2 gallon Horizon chocolate milk — $3.39 (saved $0.30)
• gallon Horizon 2% milk — $4.99 (saved $0.20)
• 2 boxes whole grain frozen waffles — $2.47/ea. (saved $0.82 ea.)
• Cascadian Farm fruit spread — $3.00 (saved $0.30)
• gallon distilled water — $0.69
• 1#Horizon salted butter — $5.49

Related Posts for Further Reading

• Day 203: Duct Tape, Parking, Food, Easter, Clothes
• Day 179: Gas, Gifts, & More
• Day 106: Car stuff, Church stuff, Christmas stuff and a big Stupid Tax
• $$: Meat and Potatoes
• $$: Dec 8 - Medical Expenses and Christmas Gifts
• Day 263: Crocs, Lemonade, a Book & Gasoline (ouch!)

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