Tuesday noon

 I got some sleep, got up, did my God time, started the laundry and the dishes.  I signed up with Angi's list to get a fence guy.  I had a good experience a few years ago, and I already got a call back from a guy, BUT this time I kept getting text messages to download the app.  Not only that I got a call from some woman in India who quoted me way less than I know the job should cost, said she could send someone out today all I had to do was give them my credit card.  Needless to say I said no.  I want a good job not one that will blow down in the next thunderstorm and would rather have a professional fence guy do the work.  My neighbors in #2 have a sagging fence on their street side and it looks terrible, and they just had it done a few years ago.  She went with the lowest bidder.  I don't want to do that.  

And the guy I spoke to on the phone is nice, he said he would try to save money if at all possible and I said great, my husband died and I work at Walmart.  He went "Oh!" so I know he's not going to overcharge me.  And everything I said is true.  Ron's right there on the bookcase.  So we will see.  I'll get it done.  

I just need to finish the dishes, do some meal prep, dishes from that, hang up my clothes when they dry, and do up my pills.  Also relax.  Catch up on some sleep which means, ideally, a nap.  Right now I am just being lazy and taking a little time.  

I also need to work on my budget.  I'll get around $600.  Water bill is about $30.  Other utilities I will budget $150 because I have not been running the systems.  So $200 for utilities.  Then I need to look at my rides how many of them do I need.  Plus $250 into the escrow account.  

So I got depressed over that and took a nap... woke up and checked my email.  Got my tax refund.  It was more than a month's pay!  So the first thing I bought was a bottle of green gobbler drain line cleaner to clean out my drains.  That set me back $23 a little trouble on my budgets...but OK with this.  

Now the huge thing is not to be stupid.  So I am going to be very careful spending it.  Oh yeah I can pay off the credit card.  That is about it.  And leave the damn thing at home when I go to work.  😂

OK I did that.  No more work snacks.  

So the fence guy seems cool he is coming out Friday.  Not to do the work just an estimate.  Hopefully my posts are in good shape if they are he says that saves me a lot of money.  But I have someone who is going to help with it (my aunt calls her the Fairy Godmother).  

I am just so happy to get out from under that credit card it was almost up to $300.  That may not seem like much but it was, percentage wise, a big chunk of my pay and I don't like owing money.  Oh I need to get the clothes going in the dryer.   

 Well the blouses are dry but the jeans aren't.  I need to decide if I want to spend some of the refund check on a dryer vent cleaning.  

I still have a decent "lump" left so that's good.  But I am going to think very clearly before I spend anything.  I think I will still carry the credit card for emergencies but be very selective in what I consider an emergency.  Snacks?  Not.  

I am really focusing on eating unprocessed food.  Stuff I cook.  So that cuts the food budget way down.  I am meeting the fence guy Friday afternoon but Friday morning I can run to the dollar store and get a strainer so I can rinse my rice.  Or I thought I saw something in my lower kitchen cabinet I may be able to pry it out and see if it will work.  

It also helps I have cut out the soda that saves a ton of money.  Years ago someone I know got involved in an MLM and was trying to sell me instant drink mix with caffeine.  I didn't bite.  Besides you can buy that stuff at Walmart for way cheaper.  Ron used to like the electrolyte energy lemonade mix.  I got rid of all that after he died but the store still sells it.  

I have been really queasy all day it is unpleasant.  I am going to let my rice pot finish and then make some more tea.  Probably rice for dinner.  I am just not hungry.  

That's it for now.