I just got two weeks of vacation. I thought long and hard if I wanted to take a two week vacation, or a one week, but I decided mini vacations (ie. long weekends) would work better for my temperament.

It appeals to my frugal side because with a two week trip comes hotel, gas and food expenses (although we travel with a cooler and stay at hotels with breakfast included).

If I take extended weekends though, I have something to look forward to throughout the year. And chances are we would be visiting friends or family, so our hotel costs would be covered because we wouldn't have any if we stayed at their houses.

Must pass this along, for any parents out there, or anyone who interacts with children.

Check out www.zwaggle.com

It's a great site where you can trade children (and adult) items. No money changes hands, it's a bartering system.
So cool, and the more parents (or whomever) you can pass it onto, the better....

S. was in LaCrosse all week to training for his new position at work... so I had the house/bed all to myself. Needless to say, I didn't sleep great last night with him tossing and snoring next to me ; )

The studio is coming along nicely... we traded work with our neighbor. He put in our door and screen door, and S. did some computer stuff for him. Since our neighbor is a carpenter it took him a lot less time then it would have taken S. to put the doors in.

So thought of the day: Barter when ya can.

We're turning our second garage into an office/photo studio for S. We've been doing all the work ourselves, so it's been slower going, but we're saving money and we're know it's done correctly.
We rented a dumpster and have a bit more room to fill it up, so the stuff that was left in the rafters of our other garage (by the previous owner) will go into the dumpster... whatever can't be recycled, of course.
Then S. ran new electric, put in a bunch more outlets, and ran the speaker wire and a USB cable in the studs, so once we insulate and put up the walls you will not see the wires.
The next step will be to take down the garage door (and freecycle it), then build a wall in the open space...
I'll be happy when it's done : )

Yesterday saw us combining errands (and splurging on a movie... Wanted).
We ended up getting four free loaves of bread at the bakery outlet place, because we finally filled up the card. Unfortunately they no longer do the punches : (

So thought for the day: Even though the store cards track your spending, you can still save money, so I say, "Sign me up."
And if your wallet/purse is getting too fat, keep them in your glove box and just pull out the card you'll need for whatever store you're going into.

Months have past... mother-in-laws have left (our house)... life is back to being good.

I found out that Home Depot has a recycling program for CFLs (ya know those funny looking light bulbs that every magazine and green program is telling you to switch to.)
This is excellent, because I was just thinking the other day.... okay, CFLs are great (and we've switched all of our bulbs to them), but they contain mercury. So when all the CFLs give out where are we going to go with them... but now we know, Home Depot.

On a side note, in the olden days people who made wool felt and fur felt hats would use mercury, and too much mercury in your system can make you crazy, hence the term mad hatter... (Alice in Wonderland, anyone?)

It is cold here in Wisconsin (about -10 below, and feels like -30 below). Even though the heat keeps going on, it still feels cold in the house, but when you look out the window at the frost covered trees, it sure is pretty.

A lot has happened since I last wrote, the biggest thing being my MIL coming to live with us... it's been a challenge so far, but we're plugging along one day at a time.

I'm also working full time at the library, which is wonderful. What a great way to spend one's day, surrounded by books.

And S. is very busy with various art going-ons, including a solo show in October... never to early to start planning for that (frames to buy, mats to cut, etc...)

More frugal thoughts and ideas coming very soon, hopefully tomorrow.