I got my new phone bill for March -- well, at least I got the bill amount, not the actual bill yet. It was about $4 more than my previous bill, so I decided to take a closer look - considering the problems with my landline recently.
Well, one thing I noticed right away was that I had 15 extra calls. *I have the measured rate which gives you 25 outbound calls a month, then charges $.08 per extra call.
So I called the phone company. I asked to have those charges refunded, plus I asked about how many extra calls there were for the March bill. 59! So, I got those charges refunded as well.
That was a total of $5.93.
Then I called my cell phone company to see what I could do about the spam text messages I'd been getting. I found out that those numbers couldn't be blocked because they weren't real numbers. My only options were to block text messages for a period of time, or change my number.
I opted to block text messages for 3 months. Hopefully by that time my number will go out of the spammers systems. I also got those charges refunded.
That was a total of $1.80
Savings: $7.73
Spent some:
I bought a Sportbrain Personal Assistant (pedometer) off of Ebay for a total of $18.
I went to Walmart and got 3 gallons water (refill); two tops and a pair of Khaki pants (on clearance) for $29.86.
* Have to give myself a shout out here -- the pants? They were a FULL SIZE smaller than the last pair of pants I bought -- and they FIT! Woo Hoo!
Next I stopped at CVS. I had dropped my prescription off there on Friday - but of course they were busy and it would've taken forever for them to get to me.
So, when I got there I picked up my prescription and handed the pharmacist my 2nd coupon. Then I paid for my prescription with the gift card I'd received previously.
So - the prescription was $26.99. Subtract the $25 gift card = $1.99 spent. Plus I have another $25 gift card for the next prescription. (Oh, not to mention I earned $1 CVS extra care buck, so my next prescription should only cost me $.99!) 
Last, I stopped at Whole Foods to pick up some more quinoa. I had a choice of getting a 1 lb bag that wasn't sorted or washed for $1.69 or getting a 14 oz box that was pre-washed and sorted for $2.79. I decided to take the route of convenience and bought the box. But, because I had brought a reusable bag (purchased at Walgreens a few weeks ago for $.99) I got a $.05 bag discount. So, I spent $2.74.
Walmart = 29.86
CVS = 1.99
WholeF = 2.74
Total Spent = 34.59
Saved = 7.73
Difference = $26.86
ETA:
My Tivo was getting close to running out of programing since its not been connected to the phone line since last Saturday. So, thanks to my dad making me keep all those odds and ends of phone cords, I was able to stretch the phone cord which usually connects to my actual phone in my bedroom, all the way out to the living room! At first I was thinking I was going to have to go buy another phone cord, because the one I had wasn't long enough. But then I kept digging around - and found ONE short phone cord from when I got my current computer - and that made it just *barely* reach. My Tivo is now happily updating - so no worries about missing a new episode of Lost or Survivor on Thursday.
Saved Some, Spent Some - Bit of a Woo Hoo!
March 16th, 2008 at 07:29 pm
March 16th, 2008 at 07:48 pm 1205696930
March 16th, 2008 at 07:55 pm 1205697333
March 16th, 2008 at 08:05 pm 1205697958
There are a lot of ways to use it, but I have really only used it in the simplest form. (1 part quinoa to 2 parts water/broth) I take 1/2 cup of it, then after washing it (although I won't have to that with this box!) bring it to a boil in one cup water, then simmer for 10 - 12 minutes. I also add a Tbsp of Nutritional Flakes for added calcium and Vitamin B-12 - it also adds a bit of extra flavor.
Sometimes I'll add mushrooms to it, sometimes frozen (small) veggies, sometimes just a bit of honey. It is SO good and so good for you. The only somewhat annoying thing about it is having to wash it - and in the last batch I got (before this) it required a LOT of sorting out the rocks - so it can be kind of time intensive outside of the actual cooking time.
You can also grind up quinoa and use it as a "flour" in breads and or pancakes. It also is good cold, so you could make a batch at night - eat some for supper hot, then have some for lunch the next day cold.
March 16th, 2008 at 08:07 pm 1205698067
Hmm . . . I haven't actually gotten the ECB yet, so I was just assuming (hoping) that they could be used on prescriptions.
March 16th, 2008 at 08:39 pm 1205699981
March 16th, 2008 at 08:46 pm 1205700379
March 16th, 2008 at 08:57 pm 1205701076
Thanks FHW. I will have to save it for one of those deals.