The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly - October 3, 2010

It has been a few weeks since I did this.  So much for a "weekly" series.  But you all know how it goes.....

If you are new to this...this is my weekly recap of the financial situations that fell into each category.  It is completely subjective, as my ugly might not be that bad to you.  But when you look at what was good and what was bad, and then analyze it based on past weeks....it becomes easier to see trends.  This week seems to focus on Home Improvement.

So let's get to it.

The Good:  I am happy to report that my "extra" $700 was not because I forgot something major!!!  I am glad that I put some aside for bills, and used the rest on our regular expenses of gas, food, and the like.  And it came in handy this week when we had to buy winterizing fertilizer (hello, $43 a bag!!!).  

Additionally, I was able to buy 3 smaller pumpkins ($4.56) and some fall flowers ($12.99) for my scarecrow vignette in front of the house, without guilt.  I love decorating for the fall (heck, I like decorating in general!), and the little scene is much more well rounded and cute now.  And the $18 I spent didn't break the bank, and I will get lots of pleasure from it.

The Bad:  This one actually happened last Saturday, but since I didn't do a round up last week, I am sticking it here.  I gave into peer pressure on a purchase.  I bought a spooky tree for my Ghost vignette that I started last year.  It was $50.  I used cash that I had been saving for some new clothes for me when I get into the next smaller size (which by the way....ain't going so well).  So it didn't go against any budgeted money.  But it probably wasn't the wisest decision.  I was going to wait until after Halloween when things go on clearance....and she convinced me that being a cool seasonal item, and there was only 2 at the store....the chances that they would still have it after Halloween was small.  So I bought my spooky tree.....and it is awesome!!!!  But I know I didn't need it.

The Ugly:  Home improvement projects can get expensive without proper planning.  And in an effort to thwart that from happening, we have created an entirely new problem.  We are going to paint our hallways (upstairs and downstairs), stairwell, and alcove area.  And have the money put aside already for this project, and hopefully some new lights.  But the color....*sigh*   We have never had so much problem getting the color right in all the rooms we have painted.  I swear, the little paint chip and the color on the wall are different.  

We have been buying sample jars, and so far, have put 10 colors up, and while we are getting closer....I am not sure we are there yet. Sample jars range in price from $3-$4, depending on where you get them. (For what it is worth, we have discovered that Lowe's has the best value....7 ounces for $2.94, vs 2 ounces for $3.99 at another place)  We have a batch that are too "fleshy," a batch that are too "gold,"  and a batch that may be too "dark."  (and the lighting in the hall stinks, so getting a good look is tough.  In these pictures, the one we are leaning toward looks darker than it is in real life).

We have spent about $35 already on testers.  While this is way better than spending $25 on a gallon and finding out it isn't right, we might need to get some more, upping the total to closer to $45....and we haven't even actually started!!  I really want the lights for the project, so I have not been using the money put aside for this project for all the testers.  But at some point we have to call it a day.  The latest batch is closer to what we want, and there is about a 70% chance we will actually PICK one of those.  But I think they may be too dark and may want to get 1 or 2 more testers.

So, how about you.....what are your GBUs for the week????