2023 Savings Challenge

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HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: 2023 Savings Challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

LWolfT wrote: Mon Feb 20, 2023 12:53 pm I don't want to pry, but is there any way your brother could help out a bit more with your parents, like help (or help more) with groceries or buying them the Burger King meals?
You're not prying - that's a reasonable question.

He probably would if I asked him to - but it's him that takes NY Paid Family Leave to take my parents to medical appointments (PFL only pays 67% of your pay and has to be taken in full day increments) and pays for the gas to do so. His boss was letting him do it on the clock but now he has to use PFL.

Between the two of them and all their various appointments with various doctors, he has been running them at least 3 times a month since November, plus when one is in the hospital, he takes the other to visit.

I am more than happy with what he is doing. I hate to drive and especially hate driving with my parents in the car and I really hate missing work for any reason. My brother doesn't mind missing work, likes driving, and puts his ear buds in to tune out my parents - so all good.
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: 2023 Savings Challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

Cat to vet to the tune of $158.60. Two checkups and a possible surgery to follow(too soon to tell but Vet is VERY optimistic that the eye can be saved) so more will be spent.

There is so much love in this cat - DD is absolutely smitten (she and her SO will be doing the meds thank goodness). I can't really spend time with him with all the baby gates up to keep the cat from the dogs (for now - they will be brought together slowly over time when the cat is better). DD's part of the house has a door - so not an issue with her dog.

The vet said the cat may be in some pain but is clearly not in distress - so no pain meds for now as they are topical and can impede the healing process. He is purring and eating and rolling in catnip and loving on the kiddos so whatever pain he has must be tolerable.

Bless his little feline heart - he is the sweetest thing!! He was even loving on the Vet after she hurt his eye and gave him some nasty dewormer medicine.
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
floridacatlover
Posts: 8056
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:21 am

Re: 2023 Savings Challenge

Post by floridacatlover »

I think that YOU are smitten with Felix, too. Heck I’m even smitten with him just hearing about that sweet boy even though I don’t even know what he looks like but I’d like to cuddle him.
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: 2023 Savings Challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

floridacatlover wrote: Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:13 am I think that YOU are smitten with Felix, too. Heck I’m even smitten with him just hearing about that sweet boy even though I don’t even know what he looks like but I’d like to cuddle him.
Trust me, Felix would love to cuddle with you too!

I wish I could post a photo of him. He is a large "tiger" cat - many shades of black and gray with a big area of shiny black fur running from behind his ears to the middle of his back. He has a big head and HUGE paws - and one green eye (I assume two green eyes but we can't tell yet). His mouth is HUGE when he yawns and those teeth look dangerous!

Sadly he has lost some hair around his backside and back legs. The vet said she expects it is due to stress and it will grow back.He is a "head butter" - will butt his head against you and he "kneads" relentlessly and it can hurt (but he wouldn't hurt anyone on purpose).

And - SCORE!! that sweet boy is using his litter box and is a very neat and tidy boy. DD put a small, shallow cardboard box with litter in it in the back of his kennel and he used that during the night too. Poor guy, I hate that he has to sleep in there - but it is roomy - and safer for all the critters - and for me - I don't need to get in the middle of a sudden cat/dog encounter.

He is already "spoiled" - we gave him straight up canned food when we got him home and now he appears to be holding out for that and doesn't want to eat his dry food.

You're not wrong - I am kind of smitten.
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
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MackerelCat
Posts: 7257
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:44 pm

Re: 2023 Savings Challenge

Post by MackerelCat »

When cats are stressed out, they will overgroom their legs and flanks like that. Our boy Ollie looked awful before we got Dora, but having a buddy has helped him a lot and most of his hair grew back.
Mackie
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: 2023 Savings Challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

I need to catch up my spending tracker and see where I'm at budget-wise. I dread seeing the total that I have spent on account of my parents, sister, and the cat - but I need to know where I'm at.

Also need to catch up on scanning receipts into Fetch and a couple other apps. Does anyone else use Receipt Hog?

Going to try to skip grocery shopping for this week. I have a lot of potatoes and frozen vegetables to fall back on, some pasta, baking supplies, canned fruit, etc. It is doable if I don't "fall into lazy."
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
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