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Archive for April, 2006

Net worth

April 30th, 2006 at 11:24 pm

About once a month, I figure out my net worth. I started doing that over 10 years ago. It is fun when the net worth increases and not so fun when it decreases. I did it today and was happy to see my net worth has increased a little this month.
I wish I could start back contributing to my mutual funds. Ever since we started building spec houses 3 years ago, I feel like I need to keep a lot of money in money market accounts. I keep it locally, so I can get it quickly, so I miss out on some of the higher rates from the internet banks.
On the other hand, it is nice not to have a loan at the bank to make payments on.
We have a friend who built a $300,000 spec house that he has not sold in almost a year. I am too scared to ask what his payments on the house are!
Fortunatly, all my husband's houses sell before they are ever finished. We have already had someone tell us they want this house and we just have the roof trusses up. We don't know what the house will sell for??

advantage card

April 30th, 2006 at 03:50 pm

Our primary grocery store is Ingles. Not much competion in this town. We have a bi lo, but it is usually more expensive.
I did my grocery shopping yesterday at Ingles. I always use my advantage card,which sometimes gives you discounts on certain products.
For the second week in a row, they had pork chops on sale, so that is our dinner for tonight. I saved about $3 using my advantage card, so I will add that to my challenge money.
previous total $4876.00
today 3.00
new total $4879.00

Love this place

April 29th, 2006 at 09:31 pm

I just love this place, savingadvice.com. This is my favorite, is it called web site? I am sorry, I know nothing about computers but I sure am getting some good saving advice on here.
Plus, everyone is so friendly.

Beautiful spring day

April 28th, 2006 at 08:09 pm

It is a beautiful spring day here. I saved a dollar in gas by staying home yesterday. I really needed a few things from the store, so i went into town today. I had a coupon for $2 off of the hair color that I needed, so I saved $2 there. Picked up a few things at the grocery store,but nothing that was on sale. The store was crowded but no one at the self check out, so I got out quickly. I wonder why no one wants to use those things??
prev. total $4873.00
today 3.00
new total $4876.00

No spend day

April 28th, 2006 at 04:51 pm

I stayed home yesterday and didn't spend a dime. Didn't even use gas. I made meatloaf and mashed pototoes for about $3 for dinner, plus enough for our lunches today.
We sat outside, but it turned cool. Had to put on sweaters but we still enjoyed the outdoor time.

elvis has left the building!!

April 27th, 2006 at 05:15 pm

That is the way every concert ended. I only got to see one Elvis concert and he was great. I had front row seats too. I still have the ticket stub and a framed elvis poster that I bought that day.
When we moved into this house, I turned one of my bedrooms into the Elvis room. I have all my old 45's and albums displayed in there along with other elvis stuff!! I have signed drumsticks from his drummer and the Colonial signature on a poem he wrote. I was invited to a 50's party and if I can get the costume, i will go as elvis!!

Got my car dirty

April 26th, 2006 at 08:49 pm

Got my car dirty, driving in the rain today. My DH spent 2 hours cleaning it on Sunday, but I needed to go to the store.
I stocked up on the store brand of oyster crackers. They are 99 cents compared to $2.85 for the brand name and we like them better.
I got ground beef on sale and used a coupon for dog food, so I saved $3 to add to my challenge money.
previous total $4870.00
today 3.00
new total $4873.00

Electric bill

April 25th, 2006 at 04:28 pm

I paid the end of the month bills this morning. I budget $40 a week ($160) a month for our electric bill, based on the fact that is the highest I have gotten. Now it might go up this summer because they have raised rates and running the a/c is my biggest expense.
Today I paid the bill and it was $86, so the remaining $74 can go to my challenge money.
prev total $4796.00
today 74.00
new total $4870.00

Pay day!

April 24th, 2006 at 09:24 pm

Today is our payday. I love cashing the check and coming home and putting the money in our budget envelopes.
I am always happy when there is enough for all the envelopes, because my husband's hours can vary sometimes. When I am a little short, I can skip the christmas envelope and also the van payment envelope.
The van got paid off last christmas, but I keep putting the money in the van payment envelope. I deposit it once a month to my "pay off my vette" fund. It works for me.
I have $3 to add to my challenge money, $2 for doing my walking, and one for not going to town one day, saving gas.

Prev. total $4793.00
total 3.00
new total $4796.00

babbling creek

April 24th, 2006 at 05:16 pm

Last night we sat outside, right over the creek and enjoyed ourselves. I set up a bar on the creek, so we could make our drinks and not have to go back into the house to get ice, misc. It was so enjoyable and we had a great, no money spent, day.
Later, we moved onto the deck by the house and cooked pork chops. ( We have a deck that is right over the creek, about 50 feet from the house) It was so relaxing! I know we should sell this house and take the profit, but I love that creek!

Dusting the Car

April 23rd, 2006 at 04:39 pm

My husband got up to go to work and decided to take the day off instead. He spent the first two hours, cleaning the car and washing it, even under the hood. Then he borrowed my new "free" swifter duster to dust the car inside.
Now he is out cutting the grass. He can't stand to sit still and I am glad. I don't know how someone can live with a couch potato!
He wants to go on a picnic, but we have no food in this house!
Had dinner out with a couple that we have nothing in common with. They just show up once a month or so, and join us.
I am looking forward to just being alone with my husband tonight. I am marinating some pork chops I got on sale, so we should have dinner for less than $3 tonight!

sore knee

April 22nd, 2006 at 09:03 pm

Well, I am sitting here with an ice bag on my sore knee. My knees have hurt me for quite a while and today, it felt like it was swollen.
I go my 30 minutes of walking and 20 flights of stairs in yesterday, so that adds to my $20 challenge.
But it looks like I will have to take it a little easier today. Oh well, I have stayed home all day and not spent any money. We are eating out tonight. A couple we don't particularly care for says they may join us! They do that a lot, they never ask, they just show up. Sorry, it just irks me! I would rather stay home.
prev total $4791.00
today 2.00
new total $4793.00

The cardinal's granddaughter?

April 22nd, 2006 at 04:08 pm

A few years ago, we had a male cardinal that just drove us crazy. He kept hitting the window right by my side of the bed. Then he would sit on my husband's van and peck at the window. That happened for a couple of years, then he vanished.
Yesterday, I saw a female cardinal and she kept flying to the same window, and pecking at it. This morning, she woke us up at the crack of dawn. I hung some alum pans on the little tree in front of the window.
She is sitting at the window above right now, watch me type.
I wonder if she is the daugher or granddaughter of the first cardinal?

$20 challenge

April 21st, 2006 at 10:00 pm

I received a coupon for a free bag of dog food in the mail today. Now, I have to find a pet store that sells it.
Went grocery shopping today and saved $3 with my advantage card, so I will add that to my challenge money.
Still no heat and air running, that is really nice!
Prev. total $4788.00
today 3.00
new total $4791.00

Dinner by candlelight

April 21st, 2006 at 02:21 pm

We had dinner by candlelight last night. Not romantic, the power went out right before we were going to eat. We had a bad storm, so we ate by candlelight and lightening. The food was still good and we saved a little money by staying home. It was thundering this morning, but my husband went onto work. Neither one of his houses are dried in, so if the weather gets too bad, he can't work and doesn't get paid.

Eating at home tonight!

April 20th, 2006 at 09:46 pm

We are going to eat at home tonight. Of course my dh wants to cook on the grill so I had to run to the grocery store to get charcoal and meat, so I spent $10 today. I will still be saving at least $10 by staying home, plus he will get his lunch out of this.
I did my stair and walking challenge yesterday, so I am adding $2 to my challenge money.
prev. total $4786.00
today 2.00
new total $4788.00

I also got my free swiffer sample and a coupon for $1.50 off the dog food my little dog is eating now.
Now I need to go and walk!

Sunday, Monday, Happy Days!!

April 20th, 2006 at 06:10 pm

I was invited to a 50's party last night. Everybody has to dress like the 50's, which means poodle skirts and shirts for the women,
I started checking these out at a site a friend told me about. An outfit will run about $80 before shipping. And that is just my outfit!!
I love to dress up and go to parties, but I hate to spend a fortune on something I will probably never wear again! Any suggestions??

Eating the dog's food

April 19th, 2006 at 09:06 pm

I bring home part of my dinner every night to share with my little Holly. I was so hungry this afternoon, I just ate the food meant for her. Taste pretty good too. Now the sun is shining after the terrible thunderstorm this morning. I have had 2 no spend days except for dinner out last night.

Thunderstorm

April 19th, 2006 at 04:37 pm

I am in the middle of a thunderstorm right now. Older dog, Lucy is scared and locked in the garage. Little dog, Holly is lying on top of the couch and barks if it thunders too loudly. She is not scared a bit.
I did my stair challenge yesterday and walked on my treadmill for 60 minutes, so I have $4 to add to my challenge money.

Prev. total $4783.00
today 3.00
new total $4786.00

opps, I typed $4 when I meant $3, sorry!!

Our waitress, Julie

April 18th, 2006 at 03:14 pm

I have always tried to talk to our waitresses and encourage them to save money. I tell them how I started off waitressing over 20 years ago and how I put 10% of my very low tips, into savings and into mutual funds.
Last night, our waitress Julie, told us that she has saved over $500 and put it in a certificate of deposit. I am so proud of her.

Bomb scare!!

April 17th, 2006 at 09:43 pm

I had a hard time going to town today. Every place I wanted to turn, it seems the road was blocked off by a sheriff's car or an ambulance.
I finally made it to Ingles and bought some sausage I forgot to get on Saturday.
When I got home, I got on our local forum and found out there was a bomb scare at the courthouse, so that is why all the roads were blocked off!!
I have done my budget for the week and I always look forward to that.

My egg won!!

April 16th, 2006 at 07:50 pm

We just had a nice dinner at a couples's house (we built their house), there were 2 other couples, for a total of eight. She fixed a nice ham dinner, We had bloody mary's out on the deck overlooking the mountain view.
She had a big basket full of easter eggs as a centerpiece on the table.
After dinner, we all got to choose 3 eggs and there was a prize in one of them. I just had a feeling that purple was going to be the winning egg, so I took the only two purple eggs.
I won!! And there was a $10 bill inside my plastic purple egg. So, I got a free meal and $10 to add to my challenge.
prev. total $4773.00
today 10.00
new total $4783.00

Happy Easter everyone

April 16th, 2006 at 03:00 pm

Just wanted to say Happy Easter. We are invited to an easter brunch at a friend's house today at noon. Wish we could hunt for eggs like back in the good old days!!

Miracle Whip

April 15th, 2006 at 06:55 pm

I am proud of myself. I have not been real good about being frugal until I found this site.
Oh, I was frugal when I was poor, but now I am, because I want to be.
My husband was making tuna salad and ran out of miracle whip, so he got out a new jar. (I always try to have 2 of everything)
Then I put miracle whip on my grocery list to get last week. It was $3.32 so I decided not to buy it. I wrote the price down, determined to check it every week.
After all, one jar will probably last for months, we don't eat many sandwiches.
I just got back from shopping and that same brand was on sale for $1.99 today.
I saved $1.33 and I am so proud! (Maybe I should go back and get another??)

Anyway, I saved $6 in grocery money which I will add to my challenge.
prev. total $4767.00
today 6.00
new total $4773.00

How fast can dandelions grow!!

April 15th, 2006 at 04:40 pm

Wow, they are cut down, one day and back the next day. But it is good to see spring arriving, even if it does bring dandelions. Actually I think they are pretty. I need to get to the library to make copies before they close, then on to the grocery store. Happy Income Tax Day!!

Check in the mail

April 14th, 2006 at 10:36 pm

Well, I got a check in the mail today from Edward Jones. I have an account with them for stocks I own and somehow I have accumulated $165 from dividends or something.
I called and asked for the money. I am sure it is earning little interest, so I need to put it with my challenge money to earn over 4% interest! I also saved over $2 buying my favorite sugar free candy on sale, so i will add that too.

Prev. total $4600.00
today 167.00
new total $4767.00

Wow, I am excited!!

Free Lunch

April 14th, 2006 at 06:35 pm

I had a free lunch today, my bank was having customer appreciation day, so I went and got two hamburgers. (one for my dh)I also broke my diet and got a piece of cake. I won't buy it, but free, who can resist?
I also got some gardening gloves, flower seeds and a manicure set free from the bank! Not bad!!

Didn't dine out last night.

April 14th, 2006 at 03:02 pm

We stayed home and I fixed supper last night. I made a roast and potatoes in the crock pot. That cost me about $10, but I saved $10 to put in my challenge money. Wow, two nights, not eating out this week. Plus, I got two more lunches for my dh and one for me.
My bank is having customer appreciation day today and I am going to see if I can get a free lunch. They ususally serve hamburgers if you are willing to wait in line for a while.
I also met my walking and stair climbing challenge yesterday,so I have $12 more to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4588.00
today 12.00
new total $4600.00 Yeah!!

Checking the mail

April 13th, 2006 at 07:52 pm

I did business with Edward Jones a few years back and bought some stock thru them. I have stayed away from the stock market the past 5 years and just let things ride.
I got some mail from them yesterday, a summary of my account. I notice there is about $165 just sitting in a small saving account, earning about 1/2 percent interest. I guess those are accumulated dividends or something.
Anyway, I called and asked and they are mailing me a check. I can add that to my challenge money and put it in a savings account paying over 4% when it comes in. I won't add it to my total until I get it, but it will ge a nice addition!

Beautiful spring day

April 13th, 2006 at 07:11 pm

It is a beautiful spring day today. I am trying to stay home more and eat out less, so i went to town and bought a roast. I wound up spending about $10 all together, but we will have leftovers for dh's lunch.
I have my taxes ready to mail, now I have to start another project I have been putting off.
The state of Ga. is requiring all builders to be licensed and we have to jump thru hoops and a lot of paperwork to get grandfathered in.
I have been putting it off because we will now have to spend $4000-$10,000 a year in general liability insurance. Since my husband makes about $50,000 a year, that is a big hunk of our pay. Plus we have been doing this work for 22 years and never had a claim.
oh well, it has to be done!!


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