My little Holly had some problems this morning. She gets groomed once an month and has her anal glands "expressed" The groomer had to cancel last month and had not been well enough to go back to work.
So Holly had a problem last night and required a bath this morning.
Now I know why I pay the groomer $32 to bath and clip her. She was not a happy camper at all.
Luckily my dh stayed home and helped me. It takes two people to bathe that 6 pound dog. Gosh she is a tough little puppy to handle, but I love her.

I have started my new bridge classes. Now there is very little teaching and a lot of playing.
One lady played today that has been playing for about 50 years. (the teacher's wife) When things did not go her way, she just got up and quit! She was my partner too! Now I like to win too but she knows that we are beginners and don't know everything. I hope I mellow out when I get to be 80!!

Interest on your savings is a nice thing. We kind of keep track of how our mutual funds and/or stock is doing, but I never keep track of how much interest I am earning. This year, I got a notebook and starting this month, I am going to keep track of how much interest I earn each month. Does anyone else do this?

My bridge lessons start this afternoon. I enjoy the game, the only thing I miss is, I get so far behind on these blogs that I love to read. Well, I won't spend any money playing bridge!

It really makes me mad, cause I am losing $56 a day. I have worked hard most of my life, and I have never ever once, made $56 a day. I usually worked for minimum wage!
We build a spec house which we sold months ago. The people are in no hurry to close cause they have not sold their other house.
We finished the house up mid December. I called for inspection on the 13th. I knew it would be hard to close by christmas, but I had hoped by the end of the year.
The lawyer the bank used, closed the entire week after christmas.
The first week in Jan., I got a call. The closing will be Friday, Jan.19th at 2 pm.
That is when the owner's plan to be here and to close.
In the meantime, I am losing over $56 a day in interest and it is really upsetting me!!
Please notice the closing time. I will lose three more days of interest because I can deposit the check until after 2 pm on Friday, so interest does not start until Monday.
When this thing closes, I will be doing the dance of JOY!!!

I don't use a lot of make up, but I do use eye shadow and eye liner. Why does that stuff cost so much. It is terrible. I went to CVS this morning and used a $4 off coupon that i have, so i will add that to my challenge money also.
Prev. total $1687.00
today 4.00
new total $1691.00

I walked a mile yesterday plus did 20 flights of stairs. I also had a stay home day which means I saved on gas. I pay myself for each of these actions, so I have $3 to add to my challenge.
Prev. total $1684.00
today 3.00
new total $1687.00

Our co worker accidently bashed my husband's van's taillight with a piece of plywood and broke it.
when dh took the van into get the brakes worked on, the mechanic there broke one hubcap and lost the other.
My husband must have his vehicles as perfect as possible, so of course, he ordered new hubcaps and a new tail light. The bill yesterday was $225. $225 for somebody else's mistakes.
Of course the mechanic said the hubcap was broken and the other one missing. Believe me, they were not!

I am not making my N.C. liquor trip today so that will save me at least $2 in gas money. I also walked a mile yesterday, so I have $3 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $1681.00
today 3.00
new total $1684.00

My husband has to take prilosec every day. I am so glad it is now over the counter. It use to cost us $130 an month, now it is less than $30.
I had a coupon for $4 off, so I went to get some today. The large size was $5 off at Ingles today, so I saved $9 in total. add to the challenge:
Prev. total $1672.00
today 9.00
new total $1681.00

I don't know if all grocery stores do this or not, but I notice it a lot at Ingles. There will be a "on sale" sign on a item, but when you check out, it scans at regular price.
I bought some sugar free pre packaged pudding for my husband's lunches as a treat. They were marked 2 for $4 or $2 each. When I got home, I noticed on my receipt the price was $2.88. I got ripped off for 88 cents. I think the store does this to hundreds of people a day. The last time I bought kleenex, it was the same thing, on sale, but scanned out at regular price.
I wonder how much the grocery stores make extra each day?/ (I know, I should take the receipt back and demand the money)
From now on, I am going to scan my own groceries so I can catch it right away.

Anon asked me if I had any experience with internet banks. I got a coupon for a free $25 to open an account at ING bank, so of course, I did.
I had planned to add more money to the account and also open one at GMAC. However, my local bank is paying 5.25% interest, so I have stayed with my local bank so far.

Today is the birthdate of elvis Presley. He would have been 72, but he died at the young age of 42 back in 1977. Happy elvis day!!

I am having a no spend day today. I am just staying home, watching hubby draw houseplans. Even my little Holly wanted to come upstairs to be with us.
Since I am using no gas, I guess I will add $1 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $1671.00
today 1.00
new total $1672.00

It is true, my husband did not go to work today. Of course, he is not laying around doing nothing. He got up at 7 a.m., fixed his breakfast and is drawing up a set of house plans for a friend's son.
Of course, he will make a little money on this, but not as much as he usually makes on a set of house plans.
He will probably charge the friend about $250. If you order them out of a magazine, you would probably spend $750 or more. Hand drawn plans are expensive. He has no computer knowledge, so he designs and draws the plans by hand. When he gets paid, i will add that to the challenge money.
I have spent the whole morning paying bills for the houses we build and our personal bills. Good thing i like bookkeeping.

Well, I had a pretty good mail day today. I got two checks in the mail, one was a $10 check for a pinecone survey and the other check was $245 that someone owed me.
I went back and got some more hair coloring while it was on sale. I had a $2 coupon and there was another $1 coupon on the box, so I saved $3 there.
I will add this $258.00 to my challenge money.
prev total $1413.00
today 258.00
new total $1671.00

It is a pretty day and I am just thinking about my wonderful husband. He has always been such a hard worker.
I think that is why we have all the things we have. He has never worked a 5 day, 40 hour week.
Even though, for many years, he never made decent money, he always worked long hours to make up for it.
We got used to eating dinner at 10 at night because he would work from 8 am til 9 pm.
He has always worked 6, ususally 7 days a week.
when I worked at the restaurant, I was head waitress. What that means is, when someone calls in sick, you work their shift. So, I know what it it like to start work at 9 am and work til 10 or 11 pm.
When I left this job is was because my husband wanted me to stay home with him in the evening. I only made between $20-$40 a day, so he decided to work even longer hours so i would not have to work.
Now, maybe you know why I indulge him when he wants a fancy car. He is worth it!!

I used to live in volusia county, fla for many years. we had a fellow that fixed appliances and we always called him Mr. Shorty shorts, cause that he what he always wore.
He thought himself to be god's gift to women. This was in the 70's. He had thick black hair, wore heavy gold chains and those shorty shorts! Even on his repair calls, he wore those shorts.
We moved to the Georgia mountains 22 years ago and my husband built houses. Imagine our surprise when a customer bought appliances and they were installed by: you guessed it, Mr. Shorty shorts. He has moved here.

Last night, we went to dinner. Who sat next to us, but Mr. Shorty shorts and his wife!!!
It was Jan. 5th and can you guess what he was wearing. Right again, those shortie shorts!! In January!! (Mr. shorty shorts is at least 65 and still thinks he is a ladies man)

I just got back from making a bank deposit and picking up a few things. I got two items at Ingles, coupons for both, for a saving of $1.25.
I then got my hair coloring with a coupon for $2 off. Before I started the challenge last year, I always paid full price and never looked in the drug store flyer. Now, I notice that rite aid has the brand I use on sale about once every two months.
I went to Bi Lo to get eggs(the ones my husband likes) and they had n.y. strip steak on sale. I got 4 nice big steaks for $12, enough for 2 meals. That was a savings of $8. all in all, I saved $11 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $1402.00
today 11.00
new total $1413.00

I bought a beautiful piece of property two years ago. It has a drop dead mountian view and we hope to build a house there some day.
I financed $64,000 thru a local bank. I have been making extra payments every month so i have the balance down to under $24,000.
The bank changes the rate and the payment once a year. The rate always gones up and the payment comes down. Ihowever, keep making the original payment plus extra on the principal each month.
I also make the payment every 28 days instead of once a month. They give you a coupon book once a year.
Well, I made a payment in Nov. and my next payment is not til Mar. 2nd and I have run out of coupons.
I have been saving in a special savings account I call "The Ridge" for the past two years (My $20 challenge money went into this) and I know have enough money to pay off the property.
As soon as we close on our spec house, I am going to the bank and pay this property off.
Therefore, I decided to take my payment money I have saved for the last two months and add it to this year's challenge.
It might as well be in the bank earning 5.25% interest.
Prev. total $ 87.00
today 1315.00
new total $1402.00

Wow, I have had over 200,000 visits to my site. Boy, am I flattered!! I am going to toast each and every one of you at dinner tonight!! Cheers! (and thanks)

Well, I have had a no spend and use no gas day. I put $1 in my challenge money when I use no gas to go to town. My bridge game got cancelled at the last minute.
I also had a crummy mail day. everything went in the garbage.I got 6 catalogs today. Who wants to buy anything 10 days after christmas.?
Prev. total $86.00
today 1.00
new total $87.00

There is a sticker in my refrigerator that says my frig uses 843 kwh per year. that is only 2.3 kwh per day. My electric runs about 9 cents per kwh. so it is costing about 21 cents a day to run it, or $75.55 a year. that is a lot cheaper than I thought for an appliance that runs 24/7.

Well I just earned $1. I took a survey about diamonds. Yes, I do have a few, but they are all pretty old. I inherited 2 diamond rings and I won a diamond ring when I sold tupperware. I still have my original engagement ring, but I need to get it fixed. The stone fell out. My dh bought me a diamond watch for an engagement present.
Currently, I pretty much wear rings that I bought from QVC!
I like this survey place. The points add up quickly. I have already gotten 2 $10 checks and I only need about 160 points to get another $10 check. The other survey place I do will not issue a check until you hit $30. At 3 cents a click, that takes quite a while. I have been doing that one for a year and no check yet.

I am going to go and play bridge this afternoon. So i should have a no spend day today. The bridge classes start back next week, so that will be good.
I walked a mile yesterday and also did 20 flights of stairs, so there is $2 for my challenge money.
Prev. total $84.00
today 2.00
new total $86.00

I took my change jar to the bank today to see how much I had saved. I save all my coins, except my pennies. I try and use them all up. Anyway, I came home with a little over $40 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $44.00
today 40.00
new total $84.00

We had a great dinner out last night. I get so stir crazy when I stay home several nights in a row. We had lots of left overs to bring home too. My dh made up a big pot of ham and bean soup last night. That will be his lunch for the next week or so. The ham was free so the only cost was the beans and some pototoes. I am not a soup lover, so I will eat the leftovers from last night.
Today is a pretty sunny (but cold) day, so I will probably make my liquor run to North Carolina.
It sure would save me money if this county wasn't dry and I didn't have to drive to another state to buy liquor. Well,I have been here 22 years, so that is not going to happen anytime soon.

Seems like there are lots of new people and new blogs starting in 2007. Lots of people are joining me in the $20 challenge and that is fun! It seems easier to start something like this at the beginning of the new year! Let's all save like crazy!!

It has been a while since I climbed 20 flights of stairs, but I did it yesterday. I also walked a mile on my treadmill. that is $2 more to add to my challenge money. Everyone really seems excited about the $20 challenge and it is so good to see so many people jumping on the band wagon.
Prev. total $42.00
today 2.00
new total $44.00

Well, we are all excited about the new $20 challenge for 2007. I started my new year by eating at home.
One of you asked why i eat out so much instead of saving the money and eating home. Well, number 1, I really don't like to cook and number 2. I hate tv. It seems like the tv is always on when we eat. (dh likes to watch)
But mostly it is because my husband works long hours, 7 days a week. When he comes home in the evening, we like to go out, on a date.
We brown bag our liquor and set ups, so there is no charge for that. We have a long leisurely dinner, for at least 2 hours and we sit and talk the whole time.
I know it is wasting money, but it is our entertainment. We don't go to movies, or bowl, or play poker, etc. etc.
We just enjoy dining out.
We do get inexpensive meals, usually spending $20 or less.
We could not afford this when we were young, but now we can. I don't spend much on groceries, obviously.
Anyway we saved $20 staying home last night, so I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $22.00
today 20.00
new total $42.00