Low Account Balances And Checks In the Mail

I checked my Discover card statement online today. It's a big one, $1200. It has my Christmas presents and airline ticket from last month. I checked my two bank account balances and neither one has enough money to cover $1200. Payday was last week so I won't be getting another direct deposit for about 10 days. That would still be enough time to pay the bill because it isn't due until Feb. 1st but I don't like having such a low balance available. I thought that I might need to transfer some money out of my money market fund just in case but then I got 2 checks in the mail. One from my Mom for the solar motion light that she got me for Christmas (Thanks Mom!) and the other from my next rental guest. The rent money is actually 3 weeks late and when I opened the letter, the check is a little short. My guests forgot to include the $100 cleaning deposit and the $400 refundable security fee. Hopefully they will send another check right away. They are supposed to move in on the 22nd. But anyway, once I deposit those 2 checks, I will have more than enough to cover my Discover bill.

This next months credit card bill is going to be super low. So far I have only charged $30 for gas and $70 for groceries. I shouldn't have to go to the store until February but I will be buying more gas once I have an extra 20 minute commute each way. I spent more than I had to at the store today but I was still pretty good. I bought 2 giant Arizona green tea jugs because I drink one a week, they were on sale and I don't want to have to go back to the grocery store next weekend when I have to move. I also bought vanilla ice cream (I'm weak), frozen perogies, mac and cheese, yogurt, and milk even thought it was almost $3 for HALF of a gallon. My best buy was a jar of Ragu spaghetti sauce for 50 cents. It was on sale for $1 and I had a coupon for 25 cents off. The cashier was joking around and told me that they didn't accept coupons. I thought he was serious because this is the first time I have used a coupon in a very long time. I told him that he had to double the coupon for lying to me, and he did.

Then I went to Walgreens because I couldn't find everything at the grocery store. I got a few more things and 2 bags of bows for presents for 10 cents each. I couldn't help it. 10 cents? I love bows but I am a bow hoarder. I don't like to use them because people throw them away. I am one of those people who collect bows as people open their presents.

I still didn't get 2 things. Generic Zantac was on sale at the grocery store but I thought it might be cheaper at Walgreens. Nope. And neither store had the kind of lotion that I like which is Vaseline with sunscreen in it. I will have to put it on my 'next time I go to Walmart' list.

By the way, my Mom is feeling better and out of the hospital. That is a huge relief. It is such a scary thing when someone I know suddenly becomes ill. Everything changes. Well, hopefully this year will get better as the days pass by.