Ima Saver's Personal Finance Blog

Since I put up my christmas tree so early, (it came in in October and I wanted to see if I liked it enough to keep it) I decided to put some presents in front of it today.
About three years ago, I made a great purchase at QVC. For about $25 I bought a selection of beautiful christmas gift bags with tissue paper.
Since it is just dh and I (I sent the granddaughters checks), we re use the bags over and over each year.
So, in just a matter of a few minutes, I got about 10 gifts assembled and under the tree. (We don't give expensive gifts, just things like shirts, socks, good stuff to pig out on, etc.)

Ho Ho HO!!

The older I get, the more tired I get of being ripped off. When I use to buy something, (anything) and there was something wrong with it, I just put up with the problem. I don't do that anymore.
I bought some oreo cookies last week and when I opened them on sunday, they were all broken up. I took them back to the grocery store and asked for a new package of cookies. No problem even tho I did not have a receipt. I did that a few months ago with some mints I bought. They were all melted. I have taken back sour cream that had gone bad. From now on, receipt or not, I take it back! It is my hard earned money, not Ingles!!
I did have 2 no use gas days ($4)and 3 one dollar bills left over. Plus I got a $3 pinecone check in the mail yesterday. That gives me a total of $10 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $15,276.00
today 10.00
new total $15,286.00

It is a beautiful sunday day. dh has even taken his hot rod for a ride to Ace Hardware. It is warmer outside of the house than on the inside. I took my puppy to be groomed Friday and she looks like a different dog, they took off so much hair.
I have 5 one dollar bills to add to my challenge.
Prev. total $15,271.00
today 5.00
new total $15,276.00

I took all of my change to the bank this morning. I try not to spend any of my change except for pennies. It adds up. I have $36 to add to my challenge today.

Prev. total $15,235.00
today 36.00
new total $15,271.00

In case no one has noticed, today is Friday the 13th. The only Friday the 13th of the entire year. I got married on Friday the 13th, so it has always been a lucky day for me.
I had to take my puppy in today to get groomed. She had gotten terrible matted. ( a maltese) They really had to shave her down to get out all those mats, but she looks real cute. (and a lot skinnier)

Ok, I did it almost. I kept track like wonderlake suggested! In case you don't know what I am talking about, I had a colonoscopy yesterday.
I started taking the moviprep at 6 pm on Tuesday night and finished it up by 3 am Wednesday morning. So, I spend all of the night and the next morning going to the pottie!
Then, I spent the rest of yesterday afternoon sleeping, but went out for a nice dinner. Boy, it sure was good to get to eat after having nothing but a few popcicles for 37 hours.
I am adding $80 to my $20 challenge in honor of the colonoscopy!!
Prev. total $15,155.00
today 80.00
new total $15,235.00

That is all I am eating today. I am having a colonoscopy tomorrow.
I am thinking about Fern and how much she disliked the moviprep she had to drink. I start drinking the same thing at 6 pm, then I have to get up at 4 am and drink another quart.
You don't realize how hungry you will get. I have not had anything but two popcicles since before midnight last night and will not get to eat until about 11 am tomorrow! My tummy is certainly protesting.
At least the rain has stopped. The cream is so full, it almost came out of it's banks.
I have not added to the challenge in a few days, but I have 7 $1 bills to add today.
Prev. total $15,148.00
today 7.00
new total $15,155.00

What a beautiful day it was today. Almost 80 degrees and still some fall leaves to look at. We rode around for a while and spent no money except under $5 at the grocery store for tonight's supper.
I had two no use gas days on Thursday and Friday and the stock market went up, so that is $5 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $15,143.00
today 5.00
new total $15,148.00

How are foreclosures in your area? They are really bad here in this small town. We only have a weekly paper, but it is full of foreclosures every week. Sadly, I recognize a lot of the names. The biggest real estate brokerage house in town is even being foreclosed on. It once had over 50 employees. This has been going on for over a year, I don't see any signs of anything getting any better. I just wonder how your area is doing?

It is Thursday morning and I have 5 one dollar bills left in my wallet. So, into the $20 challenge they go!
Prev. total $15,138.00
today 5.00
new total $15,143.00

It is time to start collecting for your local food pantry or food bank. Actually, anytime is a good time with so many people being out of work.
If you still have a job and can afford it, please pick up a few items to donate. Here is some of the things they want:
canned potatoes
canned peas
bagged rice
canned chicken and tuna
chunky soups
peanut butter and jelly
powdered milk
mac and cheese

Please help out if you can. I buy 3 or 4 items every week and will take them in before thanksgiving.

I check my bank accounts almost every day and noticed that the bank had lowered the interest rate they pay. When I first opened these checking accounts, the bank was paying 3.19 for an entire year.
We have to keep a lot of cash in the bank for building spec houses. We never take out a loan to build a house, so I was pretty happy with that rate.
When the end of the year was up, the bank lowered the rate to 2% in July. Last month, they lowered the rate to 1.75% and today I noticed it was down to 1.49%.
I can remember the good old days when banks paid 6% and 8% and people could actually live on their interest if they were careful.

Except for the $20 challenge, I have not done very well in adding to my savings account this year. It seems like so many things have happened. My vet bill was over $1000; my dh had two eye exams plus new glasses for a cost of over $1000, we got 2 new bedroom chairs and a breakfast table and chairs; ($2500) liability work insurance was $1500, new tires were over $600; it just seems like there has been something every month. My husband has been cutting trees and we need someone to haul them off, but I asked him to put that off for a month or so, so that I can finally put a little something in our savings account.
Gas is almost $3 a gallon here for premium. I had 2 no use gas days this weekend and the stock market went up yesterday, so I can add $5 to my challenge account.
Prev. total $15,133.00
today 5.00
new total $15,138.00

Lux got me to thinking about that? I have 2 plots that my mother purchased when I was a little girl and my father passed away.
Thanks to Lux, I was able to find a website with a phone number to call, but I was wondering if any of you know the average cost today?

Once a year I have to complete my husband's building license renewal for the state of North Carolina. Even tho we live in Georgia, N.C. is only 10 miles away and he has built houses there also.
N.C. requires you to turn in a financial statement to prove your net worth.
When I first joined this site, I discovered networthiq, so I pretty much do my net worth every month. That made doing the renewal pretty easy.
Our networth did go up slightly, but we are not saving nearly as much as we did in previous years. I have to blame this on the economy. My dh is just not working as many hours as he use to. He only has one house going now, as opposed to two or three.
However, I am just grateful that he has work at all and even small amounts of savings are better than none at all.

I have always loved Halloween. I love getting dressed up. Usually we have a party to attend. My dh has won first prize in costume the past two years and I have come in 2nd. This year, the lady who gives the party has been ill, so no parties this year.
Our little town celebrates Halloween on the square downtown. For the past few years, we have dressed up, walked the square and then had dinner out in our costumes.
This year, it is pouring down rain, so it looks like we won't be dressing up. But, we will be back next year!
The stock market went up on Thursday (down badly yesterday) and I had a no use gas day, so $3 more to the challenge.
Prev. total $15,130.00
today 3.00
new total $15,133.00

I am still setting aside all my one dollar bills each day to add to the challenge. I have 4 of them to add today. I also save all of my change. My regular end of the month check came yesterday, so I am also adding that to my challenge.
Prev. total $14,543.00
today 587.00
new total $15,130.00

It was a beautiful day today. Especially, after yesterday's all day rain. No heat, no air today; the weather is perfect and I got all my errands run.
The free dinner last night was delicious and I am going to take $20 to add to the challenge; cause that is what the dinner would have cost us at least!
Prev. total $14,523.00
today 20.00
new total $14,543.00

We are going out for a free dinner tonight. About once a week, I receive something in the mail about a free dinner and you have to listen to a presentation after the dinner. It usually has something to do with money, annunities, insurance, etc. (You will start getting these when you get older)
We never attend, but tonight we are going to go. First of all, it is being held at my favorite restaurant, so I know the food is good. Second, the owner, asked us to come. So, free meal, here I come. I think the talk with be about better insulation for our home. (which we don't need)
I had plan to get my grocery shopping all done today, but it has poured rain all day and I did not want to get all wet.
So, I had a no use gas day and another $2 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $14,521.00
today 2.00
new total $14,523.00

Yesterday, we attended a giant party and cook out. What started out as a simple cook out 27 years ago has turned into an outdoor party for over 800 people. I don't really like bar b que, but boy are the desserts good! People come from all over Georgia to attend this party. It is called the Blairsville bash. It was a cool day, but the fall colors look great up here in the mountains.
I did spend money yesterday! We went shopping afterwards at Alexander's, This is a local store that opened in this area in 1947 and over time, it started carrying everything. It was mobbed with tourists yesterday. I got myself some new tennis shoes which I badly needed.
I just checked my wallet and I have 8 one dollar bills to add to the challenge!
Prev. total $14,513.00
today 8.00
new total $14,521.00

If you ever saw the the tv show, perfect strangers, you would know that when ever Balki got happy, he did the"dance of joy"
Well, that is what I am doing right now, because my dh got another new house to build.
There is absolutely nothing going on here in our area. There are hundred of spec homes for sale now, many being foreclosed on and sold by the bank. I am amazed at how many people I know that are listed in the paper under foreclosure.
He was lucky enough to get a new house to build this summer and he is working on it right now. Yesterday, He shook hands (that is our only contract) with a couple planning on retiring next year.
So, he will have two houses to work on, and for that I am so thankful.
(It helps that he builds every house as tho he was going to live in it himself, so it must be perfect.)
This new customer is the head of a building inspection group (he has 58 inspectors working under him) and he said he had never seen a house framed more perfectly than the one my husband is building now!

My electric bill came in $70 under budget and I found $140 extra in my envelopes for the quarter, so I am adding $210 to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $14,303.00
today 210.00
new total $14,513.00

I stopped and got a 5 pound bag of puppy food for my puppy, Molly. She likes Purina puppy food and my local Ace store carries it. I had a $5 Ace rewards card, so the puppy food only cost me 85 cents and will last a month.
I am adding the $5 I saved, plus my ones, $3 to the $20 challenge.
Prev. total $14,295,00
today 8.00
new total $14,303.00

I got up early this morning and went and did my grocery shopping before the store got too full. I saved $7 using my Ingles card, plus I had 4 one's left over from yesterday. That is $11 more to add to my challenge money.
prev. total $14,284.00
today 11.00
new total $14,295.00

That is what it is like today, in the North Georgia mountains. Cold and occasional rain all day. Too bad there is a big festival at the park and also a big car showing going on. I am only going outside when the pups need to go potty.
I had a no use gas yesterday ($2) and 2 one dollar bills to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $14,280.00
today 4.00
new total $14,284.00

We are expecting temperatures at below freezing this weekend, but I still have not turned on my heat. I live close to N. Georgia gal, so our weather is just alike. I wish I had a fireplace that burns wood, like she does.
Yesterday, the stock market went up and I had a no use gas day, so $3 to add to the challenge. I don't have any one's to add, cause I didn't spend any money!
Prev. total $14,277.00
today 3.00
new total $14,280.00

The dow first hit the 10,000 mark in March of 1999. Well, we all know that the market went way down and yesterday, finally made it back to the 10,000 mark again. They are calling it "the lost decade"
I went grocery shopping at Wal marts yesterday and spent almost $15. So, I got no one dollar bills back to put into the challenge for today.
To celebrate the 10,000 down, I will add a $5 bill to my challenge money.
Prev. total $14,272.00
today 5.00
new total $14,277.00

ps I meant to say to celebrate the 10,000 DOW, not down.

Well, I know I will not win the "longest before turning on the heat" contest, so I decided to start "who will be the first to put up your christmas tree" contest?
I know someone in fla. or California will probably win the no heat contest. Heck, I have been to central Florida in January and we had to use the a/c.
It gets cold here. I live in the mountains and my county, Union, has the highest peak in Georgia.
The first winter we lived here (in a travel trailer while building our house) the temp. got down to 22 degrees below zero. that's cold.

So, I am starting a contest to see who will be the first to put up their christmas tree!
You see, when we first moved here, we had a live tree every year.
Now, the granddaughters are all grown up and moved away and there is just the 2 of us. I put up a small tree the past few years, but I really didn't like it.
I decided to order a bigger tree this year, one with the lights already on it. It is just a tree that you pull up from the box and it is already assembled.

Well, the tree came in on Oct. 6th and I wanted to see if I liked it or would I have to send it back. So, dh opened the box and put the tree up.
I like it and I am keeping it, so unless you have your tree up already, I win the contest!!!!!
Let's see who comes in 2nd!
I have 4 one dollar bills left over from yesterday to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $14,268.00
today 4.00
new total $14,272.00

After a day and night of rain, the creek is full to the top. It is so nice to walk outside and hear the rushing water.
I had a no use gas day yesterday and the stock market went up also. That is $3 for the challenge, plus I still have 3 ones left over from yesterday. I didn't go anywhere, so I spent no money.
Prev. total $14,262.00
today 6.00
new total $14,268.00

It is a rainy day in Georgia. Normally, I look forward to Mondays, cause it is pay day and bridge day. Today, the banks are closed and we cannot find a fourth for bridge either.
However, yesterday, I had a no spend day and a no use gas day, so I will add $2 to my challenge account.
Yesterday, I started a "save your dollar bills" challenge, so i will have to use a $5 bill to pay the challenge, getting 3 one's back in change. I hope I don't spend them today; then i can add them to the challenge tomorrow. This could really start to add up.

I keep my $20 challenge money in a metal money box and deposit it about one a month.
Prev. total $14,260.00
today 2.00
new total $14,262.00

I don't seem to be saving as much this year as I usually do. I read here somewhere that one person was saving all their dollar bills.
So, I have decided to do that too. And I challenge anyone else on here, to start setting aside all your dollar bills from at least now til the end of the year.
I already save all my change; now I am going to start saving all my one's!
I just checked my wallet and I have $9 in one's to add to the $20 challenge.
Prev. total $14,251.00
today 9.00
new total $14,260.00