Month 9: Debt Repayment Update

After last month's standstill, this month we started back up making progress toward debt repayment. This month we're down $460 which leaves:

$53,340

The summer has brought with it extra expenses. This month, most of our excess money went to:

- Our summer getaway - two large payments down, one more to go

- Increased childcare costs since B hasn't been in school

- Gas - Travelling to cottage country on the weekends and visiting with friends/family has meant more money spent in gas than usual but very much worth it

Otherwise, nothing really new to report on the finances front. 

On my desk: Happier at Home

After finishing up my Masters I've been yearning to read for pleasure - though I actually get great pleasure from reading academic articles. Maybe a topic switch was more in order. I've been reading this book on my breaks and lunch at my desk at work. I enjoyed the Happiness Project so much and since one of my resolutions this year was to make my house a home this seemed like the perfect fit when I saw it on display at the library. It also happens to be in large print which is good for me since my eyes are getting worse by the day and I haven't been able to find the time to get to my optometrist for an appointment to get a new prescription.

I miss this place.

Last weekend on a rainy Sunday morning we piled in the car and took off for a drive and ended up at my alma mater and the place where R and I met. We frolicked around the quiet campus with the boys and our wee dog. We pretty much had the place to ourselves.

I'm getting the itch to go back to school.

Electricity reduction success

Our last year of household electricity consumption on the bill!

Just got the electricity bill in the mail today and this June our consumption was half of what it was last June. Two big factors: 1) the weather has been slightly cooler than last year and 2) we haven't really used our A/C except for the odd evening.

Besides saving a bit of change, I've noticed something else about not running the A/C often too.. the heat hasn't really bothered me as much this year. Many people have made remarks to me about the heat and quite honestly, I hadn't even noticed. We'll see how the rest of the summer pans out but I think halving our consumption from last summer will be totally doable the whole summer through. 

This weekend R is headed off for a fishing trip so I think I will try to get some more window caulking done.

Oh Canada!

A few days late but goodness do I ever <3 data-blogger-escaped-1.="" data-blogger-escaped-2.="" data-blogger-escaped-almost="" data-blogger-escaped-amazing="" data-blogger-escaped-are="" data-blogger-escaped-b="" data-blogger-escaped-both="" data-blogger-escaped-boys="" data-blogger-escaped-br="" data-blogger-escaped-can="" data-blogger-escaped-canada.="" data-blogger-escaped-canoe.="" data-blogger-escaped-canoe="" data-blogger-escaped-content.="" data-blogger-escaped-for="" data-blogger-escaped-have="" data-blogger-escaped-he="" data-blogger-escaped-hearts="" data-blogger-escaped-how="" data-blogger-escaped-in-laws="" data-blogger-escaped-in.="" data-blogger-escaped-in="" data-blogger-escaped-is="" data-blogger-escaped-last="" data-blogger-escaped-long="" data-blogger-escaped-makes="" data-blogger-escaped-more="" data-blogger-escaped-my="" data-blogger-escaped-n="" data-blogger-escaped-now="" data-blogger-escaped-on="" data-blogger-escaped-our="" data-blogger-escaped-out="" data-blogger-escaped-own="" data-blogger-escaped-paddle="" data-blogger-escaped-relaxing="" data-blogger-escaped-rides="" data-blogger-escaped-so="" data-blogger-escaped-spent="" data-blogger-escaped-started="" data-blogger-escaped-staying="" data-blogger-escaped-taking="" data-blogger-escaped-than="" data-blogger-escaped-thanks="" data-blogger-escaped-the="" data-blogger-escaped-them="" data-blogger-escaped-this="" data-blogger-escaped-to="" data-blogger-escaped-tried="" data-blogger-escaped-very="" data-blogger-escaped-was="" data-blogger-escaped-water="" data-blogger-escaped-we="" data-blogger-escaped-weekend.="" data-blogger-escaped-when="" data-blogger-escaped-year="">