Today is bridge day at my house, so I have been quite busy. I did get to the bank and the grocery store for some bread and deli ham. I did my budget when I got home and discovered that I need to add my Ridge money to the challenge, plus the $1 I saved with my store card.
Prev. total $20,287.00
today 166.00
new total $20,453.00

I was frugal, even on my mini vacation this week. We went to Gatlinburg. I had received a coupon for $8 off any appetizer, so i ordered the potato skins for my entree. (I love them and still can only eat half of them for my meal)
So my meal was only 99 cents. (However we did splurge on a bottle of wine for dinner)
The next morning, my husband left really early to go to the car show in Pigeon Forge. The place we like to eat breakfast (pancake pantry) was about a mile away (we walk it) and it was so hot. So, I stayed at the motel and ate 2 little sugar donuts that the motel provided.
Anyway, I am adding the $8 I saved plus $2 cause the braves won the past two nights for a total of $10.
prev. total $20,277.00
today 10.00
new total $20,287.00

We just got back from our trip to Gatlinburg. It was fun, good food and my dh loved the car show. But it is still so good to be back in my nice BIG house instead of in a small motel room. Because we take our little dog, we never seem to get a nice BIG room. I didn't go to the car show cause it is out in an open field and way to hot for me!!
However, there is NO place like home!!!!!!

I finally got around to computing the interest that I earned for the month of Augusut on savings. It came to $2352.80, my best month so far. I know I should have more money in the stock market and less in cash savings, but that interest looks so nice!

Opps, I forgot to mention that we had to stop at the drugstore and buy a new razor for my husband. When we got to the register, it scanned $3 less that the listed price, so i guess it was on sale. I need to add that $3 to my challenge money also.
Prev. total $20,277.00
today 3.00
new total $20,280.00

I thought that the braves lost Wednesday night, but they came from behind in the 9th with 2 men out, to win the game. The stock market finished up yesterday, so that is $2 more for the challenge.
Prev. total $$20,275.00
today 2.00
new total $20,277.00

We are leaving today to go to a car show in Gatlinburg. So, we will spend a bit of money, but we have not had a vacation in over a year. We usually go in May on our anniversary, but we had an elderly ailing dog and we could not go.
My husband has gone to this car show every year for 28 years. I hope he does not find a car that he "has" to have.

The finance class is great, plus we got a great big workbook to keep. I know pretty much everything he is teaching but I am enjoying the people in my class. Too bad we have such a bad turn out. Everyone seems to stick their head in the sand when it comes to talking about money. It is like a taboo subject.

I just got an e mailed from my best friend. Her husband died last Friday and they had the service on Sunday. She was telling me of the costs; $7000 for the funeral and $3800 for the plot, plus $1600 for a marker (not headstone)
I had no idea a plot would cost so much.

when my father died, my mother bought 4 plots. She and my father are buried in 2 of them and I have the deed to the other two.
I do not plan to ever move back to Florida so I guess I should sell these plots. I don't know what a plot would cost around here. I guess I need to check into that. Depressing thought!

I am taking some classes at one of the local churches starting today. The cost is $25 but you can take as many classes as you can fit in the day. They are held on Thursdays only.
So I am taking bridge classes this morning and then I will take a finance course this afternoon.
I will let you know if I learn anything new.

They are always nice to get, a check in the mail. This one is from NFOmysurvey and is for $10. Of course, it is added to the challenge money.
Prev. total $20,265.00
today 10.00
new total $20,275.00

The stock market was up yesterday, the Braves won and I walked a mile. That is $3 more for the challenge.
Prev. total $20,262.00
today 3.00
new total $20,265.00

Today should be a busy day. I have to take my little dog to be groomed. The guy that does the grooming lives quite a few miles away.
I usually drop her off and make a liquor run to Murphy, N.C. but we are going to Murphy on Friday, so I guess I will just come back to town and run errands.
The groomer charges $32 to bathe and groom Holly. I don't even want to know how he gets her to hold still. She won't sit still for me or even allow me to touch her tail. It is definately worth the $32.

I did my grocery shopping really early this week. Tomorrow I have to take my dog to the groomers and Thursday I am starting two new classes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The morning class is bridge and the afternoon class is about finances.
I stopped at rite aid after shopping to get some sugar free candy and found it was on sale. My conditioner, that I desperately needed, was buy one , get one half price. So I saved $6 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $20,256.00
today 6.00
new total $20,262.00

This was a nice, long weekend. We got to make money having a garage sale, got invited to a dinner party on Saturday night and got invited for another dinner out on sunday night. Last night, we sat outside by the creek and enjoyed cocktails with our little dog. Then my dh grilled steaks on the grill. It was a really perfect weekend.
Since we did not go out to eat all weekend, I am going to add $20 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $$20,236.00
today 20.00
new total $20,256.00

The braves have certainly let me down lately, they haven't won a game in a while. The stock market is closed and I have been to busy to walk this weekend. I guess all I have to add to my challenge money is the Ridge money today.
My husband will have a short paycheck this week since he took for all day Saturday for the garage sale and a half day yesterday for a car show he attended.
When that happens, I just don't fund my Ridge account or my Car account. This is money I am saving towards my next new car.
Prev. total $20,071.00
today 165.00
new total $20,236.00

I hope everyone has a great labor day. My dh has always treated labor day as a day to labor, so he has gone off to work. But we did attend two cookouts this weekend, one on Friday night and one last night.
We will cook out on the grill by ourselves tonight!

I like that site, networthiq.com. I now track my net worth on the first day of the month. (sometimes the 2nd)
My net worth is up over $12,000 for the month. some of that had to do with my stocks and mutual funds being higher and some of it is just addding to savings and the interest also.
I have been so lucky so far this year (knock on wood) beause I have not had to make one withdrawal due to an emergency. I mean, we did have to pay out to get the van fixed, but I managed to save up the money in advance. Anyway, it was a good month.

I figure that I saved $20 not eating dinner out last night ( went to a cook out) plus i saved $3 off on steak this morning at bi lo. I will add $23 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $20,048.00
today 23.00
new total $20,071.00

Last night we went to a hot dogs and beer outside party. It was lots of fun and actually cool enough on top of the mountain, to have a fire in the fire pit.

When we stood in line to get food, I could not get the mustard bottle to work, so as usual, my husband put the mustard on my hot dog.
I thought about most of my girl friends and the friend whose husband just died on Friday.
I would be lost without my dh. He is a perfectionist. Perfectionists do everything themselves so it will be perfect. When my dh gets inside a house he is building, he does all the finish work himself, no help at all. The painting, the trim, the hardwood floors, the tile, the cabinets, everything.
At home, he does everything, the yard, the housework, the cooking.
A month ago, we were invited to a party and I got a platter of sandwiches from Blimpies to take to the party.
Then sandwiches were not cut in small enough pieces and I mentioned that on another forum. One lady spoke up and said, well why don't you cut them smaller. I said, goes my husband is going to want to do that.
Just for a test, I called dh on the phone at work and asked him if I should cut the sandwiches smaller. He replyed, no, I will do it when I get home. After 30 years, I know that he prefers to do everything, so i just let him.
I certainly hope that nothing ever happens to my dh, I would be completely lost without him. I would, however, know how to handle the money!!

We are invited to a hot dog and beer party tonight! Time to sit and relax after a very busy day!

I had my first ever garage sale in this house. DH had lots of old tools he wanted to get rid of, so he priced them cheap or said, what will you give me? We had a ton of free stuff to just give away also.
The sale started at 10, so we got most lookers at about 9 am., but I had priced yesterday, so we were about ready for them.
We made $405 which will go towards my challenge money. Drum roll please!!!

Prev. total $19,643.00
today 405.00
new total $20,048.00

I did it, I hit $20,000!!!!!!!!!!

My best friend took her husband off the ventilator on Thursday afternoon. Friday morning, he passed away. It was such a peaceful death, I wish we could all go that way. I don't know what she will do next. She will probably continue working because she has to. They were never good with money. They just recently (last year) purchased their very first home but it was a bargain at $86,000.

I received a check from Tim Horton yesterday for $11. I will add that to my challenge.
Prev. total $19,632.00
today 11.00
new total $19,643.00

I am chasing $20,000!!

Well, Happy first day of the month. I hope it starts cooling down. It is 63 here right now.