I had a busy day today.
Went to see the accountant, and we did my tax return. Because I earned so little last year, I didn't have any extra deductions to lower my tax rate, but I was eligible for a credit for being below the poverty line.
So my combined federal and state refund was $921, but I was charged a $125 fee for services. Plus I paid a couple bucks for parking. So in the end I lose a little. Oh, well, every little bit helps.
When that was done, I decided to stop into Bristol Farms supermarket, which was right up the street. I'd never been in one and decided to look around and see what the fuss was about. BF is a very expensive, upscale fancy-schmancy local chain, and I wasn't planning to buy anything, but I decided to try their own brand of tortilla chips and also their bagged popcorn (not the one with the cheese, the plain popcorn) to try. The popcorn will be eaten Sunday night while watching the Oscars. I also skidded to a stop when I noticed that they devote a tiny section to foods made in the UK. Most items are candy, though not all. Some are American brands that make specialized items for the UK. I bought a can of Heinz beans with tomato sauce, suitable for vegetarians. I figured, what the hell. Maybe I'll even put them on toast...
After I left Bristol Farms I went to PETCO because I had a coupon for 10% off my total purchase. I bought:
1 new scratching post, a nice tall one so the cats can really stretch when they scratch.
A lot of Fancy Feast canned food, with four manu coupons
Three different cat toys. Two I put into use when I got home, the third I put away for later.
Since they had a Buy three get one free sale on all cat toys, I got a fourth, which really isn't a toy, but a thingy that you put catnip toys into to revive when the original catnip goes stale and loses its potency. You put the toy in, then add fresh catnip, close it and shake it. I'll have to try it and see if it's worth the money.
2 refilled 16 oz jugs of cat litter.
After I finished at PETCO, I went to CVS Pharmacy as I had a 20% off my total coupon, valid either today or tomorrow only. I bought:
2 cans of chocolate covered almonds, BOGO free
3 bags of pumpkin seeds
3 plastic letter-sized reusable envelopes, two black and one red, which come in handy for keeping documents and paperwork together. I wanted clear, but they only had the colors above, which is fine, since that will keep certain documents more private.
2 packages of Oreo cookies, with one manu coupon
By the time I was finished at CVS, it was five minutes to 12 and I was starving. I was planning to pick up lunch somewhere and take it home, so I started to head to either Hungry Pocket for a falafel sandwich, or, for a really cheap lunch in light of all the money I'd spent today, to Burger King for a veggieburger and fries. But as I was on my way, I passed SanSai Japanese Grill. I didn't really want any veggie rolls, which I usually get there, but I knew I could get a large entree-sized salad. So I stopped and got a large salad, with veggie tempura and edamame as sides. $14 for everything. Took it all home, ate half the salad and the tempura and a little of the edamame, and put the rest away for later.
And oy vey, I'm still planning to go to Ralphs supermarket either tomorrow or Monday to buy produce and some other groceries.
(Waiting for the coupon inserts in Sunday's newspaper.)
