I had a discussion with the building supply company that we buy most of our building supplies from, the first of the year. I mentioned how Home Depot was always offering us couons for 10% off. They agree we had been loyal customers for 22 years and have spent a lot of money there over time. They agree to give us a rebate check once in a while and we got one in January of this year,which I added to my challenge money.
Since then, no checks.
I took in all of my statements for the past 6 months and left them to be forwarded to the home office. So, I am hoping that we will get a big check from them in the near future. It is no guarantee, but I am hoping!!

Happy 60th birthday today to President Bush!!

We went to Home Depot last night. We had a coupon for 10% off, so we stocked up on items we need for the spec house we are building, saved $143.
I had planned to just go to Wendys for a $5 dinner and put the rest in my challenge money.
However the power went out in town (big storm) so we had to come home. Luckily we had power, so we had an omelete and corn beef hash.
So I have $20 to add to my challenge account.
prev. total $6569.00
today 20.00
new total $6589.00

I have been looking for Halloween costumes today. I know I am a bit early, but I wanted to get one before they sell out. So far, every costume I have liked is sold out.
All of the women, but me, at these parties, like to dress cute and sexy. I like to look funny!! I like to make people laugh! And, so far, I have!!

Holly is off getting her grooming done today. I take her in about every 6 weeks. It is something I could cut way down on to save money. It is $32 to have her bathed and groomed. DH and I have not paid anyone to do anything to our hair in over 20 years!!
But she does sleep in our bed and is always on the white couch sleeping, so I do want her clean. I know I could bathe her myself, but no way would she let me clip her! She won't even let me look at her feet. Guess i will just have to sacrifice something else to have a pretty dog!(she is a 5 pound poodle)

Had a wonderful 4th of July with some new friends. We met over the internet and they have a vacation home here. We spent the evening there with a cookout and lots of great fireworks.
I usually put $20 in my challenge when we don't go out to a restaurant, but since I bought some things for the cookout, I will only add $10 to my challenge money.
prev. total $6559.00
today 10.00
new total $6569.00

I can't get over how many people I saw buying water today. Now, I love water, but paying for it. they were buying cases of water at $5 a case. What a waste of money.
Since water is my main drink, I have a water distiller. I paid about $100 for it 10 years ago, and I make my own good tasting water. I use it about every other day and it has paid for itself!! Ilove well water, I wish my next house would have that.
I had it at my last house. The only bad thing was, when the power went off for 7 days, we had no water. You can get by without a lot of things, but not water!! I keep about 12 full gallon jugs filled all the time.

Went back to Ingles today to get the deal on diet sprite again..4-12packs for $10 plus 3 free 2 liter bottles. Saved $10 plus I need to add in $3 for walking 60 minutes and doing 20 flights of stairs.
Prev. total $6546.00
today 13.00
new total $6559.00

I have been so happy over the grocery savings I have had the past two days. I saved on everything I bought at Bi Lo, the other day, I spent about $10 and saved about $10. Yesterday, I got $20 worth of diet sprite for $10.
I told my dh about it and he thinks I am kind of goofy, but I love it.
Then, in yesterday's mail, I got a coupon for a $5 container of dishwasher gel, free!!!
I am going to the store today to pick it up and see if I can get some more of that great diet sprite deal!! I guess it doesn't take much to make me happy!!

I took the glasses that I purchased yesterday, back. They were not comfortable and a bit heavy. I got my almost $20 back. i went to family dollar store to buy a birthday card and some batteries and found glasses there for $5. I think that is where I got my glasses, the last time.
So I picked up a pair of reading glasses to have the next time I have a problem with my glasses. I have several glass cases, so I am going to leave them in the glove box of the car. That way when I leave mine home, I will still have a pair in the car.
So, for less than $10, I left the store with a new pair of glasses, 8 batteries and a birthday card. Good savings!

I just went to Ingles to get sour cream, but they had coke products on sale. I always stock up when they have diet sprite 4/$10 (12 pack cans) So, I not only saved $6 but they were giving you 3 free liters of sprite for another almost $4 in savings. Between that and saving quite a bit on steaks at Bi lo, I feel like I can take the $20 I saved and put it in my challenge money!!
prev. total $6526.00
today 20.00
new total $6546.00

My dh can do almost anything!! Last night he fixed my glasses, that I love. My $5 glasses. So, I am going to take back the one I bought yesterday and see if I can get a refund!! I also saved some money today but washing some blouses that I usually had dry cleaned. They look fine!!

I went to the grocery store today. I am going to a 4th of July cookout and they asked me to bring chips and paper plates. (they know I don't like to cook obviously)
I found both items on sale, yeah!! But I also found porterhouse steak on sale. I saved over $8 on steaks alone!! I have been marinating 2 pork chops, but who wants that, when you can have steak. My DH can take the pork chops for lunch this week. (give it to Mikey, he'll eat anything)

I messed up my glasses today, the little comfort things that go behind your ear, one came off and in trying to put it back on, I punched a hole in it.
Lucky for me, i can buy glasses anywhere, but these had been so comfortable and I have had them for about 5 years.
I went to the drug store and got a new pair, but I already know they are heavier, don't fit as well, etc.

I got a good deal with the 5 years on my $5 glasses! Wish I remembered where I bought them!

I colored my hair this morning as I have been doing for about 35 years. I don't know how much money I have saved doing it over the years, what does it cost to have it done in a salon?
Plus I saved $2 on the coloring itself, got it on sale!!

My husband is a builder and really believes in insulating a house well. Georgia has never had any building codes, so many of the builders put as little insulation in a house as they could get away with. The poor owners will have to pay high power bills the rest of their lives.
I have my house temp set at 76 degrees. Although it has been 90 all day outside, it (the a/c) just ran for the first time today. It is nice to have a well insulated house and it saves money too.

I just got back from grocery shopping; the store was full, but they had plenty of help, so checking out was not too bad. I had several coupons, plus a few things were on sale with my advantage card. I manage to save $9, which is really good for me. I will add it to my advantage card.
prev. total $6517.00
today 9.00
new total $6526.00

I mean I will add it to my challenge money, not my advantage card.

I am still reading the elec. meter every day. I read it several times and write it down. I think it has helped me to conserve electricity.
I am trying to get the daily usage under 50 kwh. That is hard to do without using the a/c, but I have done pretty well so far. It helps that we have had really nice cool nights, like 60 degrees. I budget $160 a month for elec. and what I don't owe goes into my $20 challenge money. These next three months are the hardest cause it is so hot.

That is the name of my husband's car. It is a 1933 ford victoria, hence the name Miss Vicky. We took it out to eat last night. It was almost out of gas, and my husband was out of allowance, so I sprang for $20 for gas for the car. Hey, it is the least I can do for a man that works 7 days a week!!

Well, yesterday I walked for 20 minutes, did over 20 flights of stairs and stayed home and used no gas all day, so i have $3 to add to my challenge money:
prev. total $6514.00
today 3.00
new total $6517.00

Wow, half of the year is gone already. I remember when i was a kid, it use to take forever for christmas to come. Now it seems like it comes in two months. Oh well, they say time goes fast when you are having fun, so I must be having fun!! We took the hot rod last night. I had to loan my husband $20 to put $3 a gallon gas in it. It is only the 2nd time we put gas in it all year. Of course it had to rain coming home. (we have no windshield wipers on the car, that is not cool looking)