I am stocking up on diet sprite. It is the only thing we drink w/ mixed drinks because it has no calories or caffeine. A 12 pack here usually goes for close to $4.50 each, but this week it is on sale for 4 for $10. That just saved me $8 which I will add to the challenge money. I also got a free watermelon from Ingles.
Prev. total $11,098.00
today 8.00
new total $11,106.00

I got my chase reward check for $50 yesterday. I have gotten at least one check each month since I got their mastercard, for a total of $1000. I also saved $6 on steak that I bought at Bi Lo yesterday, so a total of $56 to add to my challenge money.
prev. total $11,042.00
today 56.00
new total $11,098.00

I sat down to pay my EOM bills this morning. My electric bill was only $100 and I budget $160 per month for it. I also had extra money left in my water/garbage envelope and blue cross envelope. all in all, I have an extra
$280 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $10,762.00
today 280.00
new total $11,042.00

My usual monthly check came in yesterday and of course, was immediately added to the $20 challenge.
I have been kept very busy house breaking the new puppy. She is getting the idea, cause she licks her lips when she goes. she knows she is going to get a treat when we go inside.
But she is still have plenty of accidents. Good thing she is so cute!
She has had an ear infection, so that was costly. Hopefully it will be cleared up when we go back to the vets this monday.
Prev. total $10,179.00
today 583.00
new total $10,762.00

I am having another good day, just like yesterday. My puppy (knock on wood) has not had one accident so far today. I take her out every hour.
I did my grocery shopping this morning and saved $6 using my advantage card.
Then I received a check for $15 in the mail from the Tim Horton company, so I have $21 to add to my challenge money.
There is a big car show here tomorrow at the park, but I am not going. It is supposed to hit 100 tomorrow, so I will stay home in the A/C!
Prev. total $10,158.00
today 21.00
new total $10,179.00

I am trying to house break the puppy and it is really time consuming! I give her a treat when she goes outside, but she is still having so many accidents!
Anyone have any suggestions?

I have had two no use gasoline days this week. Gas here (premium) is now up to $2.80 a gallon, so it adds up. I will add $4 ($2 a day) to my challenge money.
Prev. total $10,142.00
today 4.00
new total $10,146.00

We received a letter in the mail yesterday from the couple whose new house, my husband just finished building.

They were thrilled with the house and said that my dh was the best builder in the world and it was the best house they had ever had built! The letter went on and on and they even praised my bookkeeping.

We were totally shocked to find a check for $1500 they were giving dh as a bonus!
I am certainly adding that to my $20 challenge!!

Prev. total $8642.00
today 1500.00
new total $10142.00

I opened 3 checking accounts last summer, one for business, one for personal and one for local savings. They all promised a rate of 3.1% til the end of June 2009. Well, that is fast approaching, and I wonder what the rate will drop to? Heck, it is even hard to find 2.5% on a good c.d.
I am sitting on a lot of cash waiting til the housing market picks up, so I don't know what I will do.
I did get a good deal on ragu spagetti sauce this morning. Bi Lo had it for 99 cents a year, so I bought 4 and saved a least $4. Plus the braves came from behind to win yesterday, so I have $5 more to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $8526.00
today 5.00
new total $8531.00

I haven't forgotten about the $20 challenge, I have just been busy with the new puppy, Molly. She is so sweet, but has sharp puppy teeth!
I have not kept up with the braves this week, but I know the stock market went up yesterday and I saved $5 using coupons and my Ingles card today. I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $8520.00
today 6.00
new total $8526.00

We got a new baby girl puppy on sunday. She is a malti-poo. Her mother was a poodle and her father was a maltese. She is so cute, but not house broken at all. As a matter of fact, she has never been outside, on the grass and never worn a lease. So far, she seems to be getting along with my little poodle, Holly.
I did get a rewards check from my Chase mastercard yesterday for $50; the braves won on sunday and the stock market went up yesterday. That is $52 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $8468.00
today 52.00
new total $8520.00

I check my bank accounts every day and today I discovered a deposit of $250. It was my stimulus check from the government. It will go straight to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $8218.00
today 250.00
new total $8468.00

My regular check came in, today. It comes into my bank on the 4th Wednesday of the month. I am taking my check ($583), the interest paid by my business checking account ($70) and my AARP insurance money ($50) to add to my $20 challenge, for a total of $703.00
Prev. total $7515.00
today 703.00
new total $8218.00

That is how much I earned in interest in my savings account this month. The reason it is so much is that I had a CD come due on May 1st. They were only going to pay 2.2% interest so I put the money in my savings.
I opened 3 new checking accounts last July because my local bank was offering 3.1% interest on checking accounts, good until June 30th 2009.
I opened a personal checking , a business checking and a checking account that I use for my liquid savings account.

Just one more month and that nice rate will run out. I can't seem to find any bank that is paying more than 2.6% on C.D's any more. Sure hope the rates start to rise again. Remember the good old days when you could get 5% interest on your money?
I saved $4 at the grocery store today using coupons and the braves won last night, so $5 more to the challenge.
Prev. total $7510.00
today 5.00
new total $7515.00

I got another check in the mail yesterday. It was from Pinecone for $3. I have been expecting a check from rite aid for a rebate. The last rebate I mailed in must have been lost in the mail. I did this rebate online a month ago and still have not received the check. When I check the status, it says I did not fill in my receipt. When I fill in the receipt, it says "you have already submitted this" I don't know if this is a scam or not, but I can't seem to ever get a check from them.
Oh well, the braves won yesterday so with that and the Pinecone check, I will add $4 to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $7506.00
today 4.00
new total $7510.00

I hope all of you have a great weekend. I was brought up that memorial day was May 30th and I still celebrate on that day. My hd has been doing lots of landscaping around the yard and it looks great. I now have some beautiful double knock out roses. Of course, he has been spending money but the yard looks very nice.
The braves lost last night, but they won the previous two days and the stock market went up, so $3 to add to my challenge.
Prev. total $7503.00
today 3.00
new total $7506.00

I kind of wondered why my $20 challege was not going as well as it has the past two years. I forgot that when I paid off a piece of property called "The Ridge" I started putting that money into a car fund. I am still doing that but have forgotten to add it to my challenge money. This morning, I added $480 to my car fund and another $80 for being underbudget on my electric bill. that is $560 more to the challenge. I guess I should go back and figure out how much Ridge money I have saved so far this year and bring my challenge up to date.
Prev. total $6943.00
today 560.00
new total $7503.00

May has been an expensive month so far. My dh changed eye doctors and he went in for a complete exam. The exam and new glasses came to $840.
Then my cook top started acting up. Two of the burners suddenly had a mind of their own and would boil things on low. We had to spend almost $900 to get a new one. Luckily my dh could install it himself.
Today, dh is home and doing landscaping. I don't even want to know how much he has spent today on his trips to home depot and Ace.
Well, the good news is that I got an unexpected check for $19 from state farm and the braves won 4 0f their last 5 games. That is $23 more for the challenge.
Prev. total $6920.00
today 23.00
new total $6943.00

I have had 2 no spend, no use gas days in a row. so, i will add $4 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $6916.00
today 4.00
new total $6920.00

I really did! Also, my dh bought me another orchid for mother's day. He bought me one for valentine's day and I have not killed it yet, so he got me another one. I don't know anything about orchids but this one is awfully wet, so I took it out of the outside pot and hope it will dry out. Dh says he has had it for a week (at the house he is building) and has not watered it at all.
I did my grocery shopping this morning and saved $7 using coupons and the Ingles advantage card. The braves won yesterday, so a total of $8 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $6908.00
today 8.00
new total $6916.00

I paid my mid month bills today. I budget $20 a week for water and garbage. Usually my bill for water is $18 a month and I pay for garbage $75 for every quarter ( 3 months). I have over $100 left in the envelope, so I am adding the $100 to my challenge account.
Plus, I got a $10 check in the mail from nfomysurvey, so $110 is a good addition today!

Prev. total $6798.00
today 110.00
new total $6908.00

Finally, the braves won, so I can add $2 to my challenge. I also had a no use gas day yesterday, so that is $2 more. Gas is up to $2.35 here (premium) ugh!!
Prev. total $6794.00
today 4.00
new total $6798.00

We stopped at the grocery store last night to pick up a few things. Cranberry juice was on sale, cheetoes were buy one get one free and NY strip steaks were $2.99 a piece! I spent $10 and saved $10. I am adding that $10 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $6784.00
today 10.00
new total $6794.00

I really love the month of May. All the tree leaves are coming out now, the dogwoods are in bloom and everything looks so spring! Plus, I have not had to run either the air or the heat so far this month. That certainly saves money!

I did my weekly grocery shopping yesterday and using my Ingles card, I saved $5. I will put that towards my challenge money.
Prev. total $6779.00
today 5.00
new total $6784.00

I did my net worth yesterday. It did go up a little thanks to the stock market. We are lower in cash, but we are using our own money to finish this house, so I had to transfer $10,000 to my business checking. Then bank will pay us back when the house is done.
We made a trip yesterday to North Carolina to pick out carpet for the new house. Then we stopped at Lowe's to pick out knobs for all the cabinet doors and drawers. We had to buy over 150 knobs and that adds up after a while. Houses always cost more than we think they will. Oh, I have $6 to add to my challenge money; the stock market went up 2 days, the braves won 2 games and I won 2 games of mah jong.
Prev. total $6773.00
today 6.00
new total $6779.00

When I was a kid, we use to celebrate the first day of May at school. we usually had a May pole and a carnival at school.
Well, I celebrated today by going to the bank and cashing in my C.D. They were only offering me a rate of 2.3 % for a jumbo c.d. I am still getting 3.1% in my checking account til June 30th, so I stuck the money in there for now. I had hoped someday to live on the interest on certificates of deposit, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen for a while.
The bank was having customer appreciation day today, so they were mobbed. Besides my check, I also got a free hot dog and some free tomato plants. Yesterday, I got a reward check in the mail from my Chase Mastercard company for $50. That will go towards my $20 challenge.
Prev. balance $6723.00
today 50.00
new total $6773.00

I was watching the Honeymooners on tv last night and Ralph was going to ask his boss for a 5 cents an hour raise. I remember get those type of raises, wow, a whole $2 a week raise. By the time you paid taxes, you barely even noticed the raise.
It is amazing how little we worked for way back then. (and how hard we worked)
Well, the stock market went up on Friday, the braves won 2 games this weekend and I saved $2 using coupons yesterday, so $5 will be added to the challenge.
Prev. total $6718.00
today 5.00
new total $6723.00

I forgot that I got my regular check on the last Wednesday of the month and I always add that to my challenge money. It is for $583 and I will also add the interest, $45 that I earning in my business checking for a total of $628. This month I am donating the interest in my personal checking to the local cancer drive.
Prev. balance $6090.00
628.00
new balance $6718.00

Today, I got asked my NFO my survey to take a short survey for 10 points. I took it and then they offered me a longer survey for 740 points. I jumped right on it. (that is a total of $7.50)
I now have enough points to cash out, so I did and I should get a check in the mail soon. I also ordered a $50 check from my chase mastercard rewards programs. Don't you just love getting checks in the mail? I do!!

I haven't added to the $20 challenge in a few days. My electric bill came in $60 under budget and I have $40 left over in my AARP envelope. I saved $4 at the grocery store on Tuesday, for a grand total of $104 to add to the challenge. That brings me over the $6000 mark!

prev. total $5986.00
today 104.00
new total $6090.00