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Archive for April, 2009

Found 2 quarters!

April 29th, 2009 at 07:54 pm

I found 2 quarters today. I never have much luck finding a penny on the ground, but I have pretty good luck spotting change in the newspaper vending machines. Of course, I save all my change and turn it into the bank for the $20 challenge every month or so. Do you save your change?

This is kind of insulting!!

April 28th, 2009 at 06:03 pm

I live in a very nice house, tax appraised at about 1/2 million. I have quite a bit of cash in local banks, sitting in jumbo certificate of deposits.
Yesterday, I got a renewal master card in the mail, my GM mastercard.
I have not used it in a while and they lowered my crdit limit to $300. What can you do with a $300 limit?
My fico score is over 800, so I feel kind of insulted! Would you?

$2 raise!!

April 27th, 2009 at 03:21 pm

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

My forgotten check!

April 25th, 2009 at 08:49 pm

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

Nice survey!

April 25th, 2009 at 06:32 pm

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!!

Another $100 for the challenge!

April 23rd, 2009 at 01:57 pm

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

My life in crime, part 2!

April 22nd, 2009 at 07:00 pm

Well, yesterday, I admitted to stealing a puppy when I was 3 years old.
I will have to admit, that is not the only puppy I ever stole.
I owned a small rental home that was not in the best neighborhood. The neighbors next door, who were renting, got them selves a puppy.
They both worked, so they kept the puppy tied up outside all day. It was tied up with shoelaces, so it could only move around about a foot in distance. Of course, it constantly knocked over it's water bowl.
The puppy cried all day.
I would go and fill it's water bowl and pet it several times a day.
The puppy was crawling with fleas. I mean a million of them.
Finally, I could stand it no longer. I couldn't call the humane society because the neighbors would know it was me, so I cut the shoe strings and took that puppy home with me.
The first thing I did was fill the tub with warm water and give that puppy a bath. The water was black with fleas floating off of him. I then took the puppy to the vets to get his shots. Later, I was able to find him a very good home.
Some people just should NOT own pets.

A very young thief!

April 21st, 2009 at 06:38 pm

I was remembering my first dog this morning. I am a dog lover, as was my grandmother.
I was over at her house with my mother one day. I was a little over the age of 3. The neighbor's dog had had a litter of puppies and all but one (the runt)had found new homes. My grandmother was upset cause the neighbor's kids were dragging that puppy all over the neighborhood and it was cold outside.
My grandmother told me to go and "Take" that puppy and then take it home with me.

I can still remember finding the puppy in the garage and putting the little thing in my coat pocket. I got in the back seat of the car and would not get out til my mother drove us home.
My mother did not discover that I had that puppy til we got home then she called the neighbor to apologize. They said for me to keep the puppy and lucky for me, my father agreed.
I had that sweet dog until I was a teenager. But I was a very young thief!

Singing in the rain!

April 20th, 2009 at 02:45 pm

That was my dh, yesterday. He came home from work early (5 pm) to cut the grass. He had no more than just started, then it started pouring. He took off his good hat, put on a coat and continued cutting for over 3 hours. He was so soaked, he had to undress in the garage. He looked so funny!
The braves won yesterday ($1) and I had a no use gas day ($2). I took in all my change to the bank this morning and got $33 for it. So I have a total of $36 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $5950.00
today 36.00
new total $5986.00

Dance of joy!

April 19th, 2009 at 04:17 pm

Most of you know that my husband was building a very large spec home (4800 square feet) for another couple and the home got foreclosed on. The bank took the house back and then hired my husband to finish it. (He was only two months away from finishing it)
He had to sign a contract and was told he could get draws when he submitted bills on how much work was completed.
Well, he submitted his first bill on april 10th after we had over $15,000 of our money in the project.
By now, we have over $20,000 in the house (buying appliances, sinks, toilets, light fixtures, quartz countertops, etc.), so I was getting a little antzy! I have never dealt with a bank before.
Yesterday, I was so happy to see that the bank had deposited almost $15,000 into my checking account for the first draw. I feel so much better now!

I did my grocery shopping today and saved $8 using my advantage card. I will happily add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $5942.00
today 8.00
new total $5950.00

Still running the heat!

April 18th, 2009 at 02:10 pm

Well, it is April the 18th and the heat is still turning on every day. It did warm up yesterday to about 70, but it is still getting in the 30's at night. The dogwoods are blooming and it is getting pretty here, but I am ready for spring. We filled up our propane tank in October, which was a mistake since the price has come down since then. I am thinking about filling up this summer when, I hope, prices are lower. We have 1000 gallon tank, so it is pretty expensive to fill up.

Electric under budget!

April 17th, 2009 at 06:57 pm

I am very happy with my electric bill. When I moved into this house 13 years ago, I set a budget of $160 per month cause that was the highest bill I have ever had. Even tho the price of a kilowatt has risen, I have never gone over $160 in one month. I think that is pretty good, cause I am home all day and I have a pretty good size house. (3200 sq. ft. plus garage apartment)
I got my bill yesterday and it was $98. Of course, I know it will go up when the air conditioning goes on, but I am still pretty happy with it.

Two no spend days!

April 16th, 2009 at 09:42 pm

I had 2 no spend, no gasoline use days in a row, tuesday and Wednesday. The stock market went up yesterday and I walked a mile. That makes a total of $6 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $5936.00
today 6.00
new total $5942.00

Happy IRS day!

April 15th, 2009 at 01:44 pm

Well, there really isn't anything happy about it! I am just glad my taxes are done and are mailed in. I owed again this year, both federal and state. I sent in my estimated tax today also. I am just glad it is all over for another year!!

Braves won!

April 14th, 2009 at 03:20 pm

The braves won 3 games in a row this weekend, so I need to add $3 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $3933.00
today 3.00
new total $3936.00

After Easter sale

April 13th, 2009 at 10:44 pm

I use to shop the day after easter to get stuff on sale for the following Easter. I liked getting cute things on sale for the Easter basket. I did not buy candy of course. It really saved a lot of money at Easter time.
Now, I don't have any baskets to fill, so I don't buy anything.
I did look today for some Easter colors M&M's on sale today, but they were sold out.
Did you get anything on sale?

Saved money on "Money"

April 12th, 2009 at 02:46 pm

I saved money on Money magazine. I have subscribed for years, but in January, I decided not to renew for a while. I got an offer in the mail yesterday to renew for $10 less than normal. So, I am taking them up on their offer.
Happy Easter day to all!!

opps! Wrong table!

April 11th, 2009 at 03:28 pm

We ordered a new table and 4 chairs for our breakfast room about a month ago. My dh went over to pick them up in North Carolina. He has the chairs, but they sent the wrong table!
So, now we will have to wait another month for the right table to be sent.
Oh well! The good news is I got a $3 check from Pinecone and I had a no use gas yesterday worth $2 to the challenge.
Prev. total $5928.00
today 5.00
today $5933.00

I got a good deal on a ham!

April 9th, 2009 at 08:54 pm

Ingles recently sent out a flyer with lots of coupons. I clipped all the ones for things I always use.
They had a spiral sliced ham on sale for $1.58 a pound. plus a coupon for another $1.50 off. So, I bought a $30 ham for about $12. All in all I saved $30 today using coupons so I will add that to my challenge money. (and now, I have easter dinner)
Prev. total $5898.00
today 30.00
new total $5928.00

nice savings

April 8th, 2009 at 07:51 pm

I stopped at the grocery store after picking up my taxes at H and R block. I only bought three things, but they were all on sale so I saved $5 there. The braves won last night's game, so I have $6 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $5892.00
today 6.00
new total $5898.00

"I never look at the price"

April 7th, 2009 at 02:35 pm

Yesterday, I was playing bridge with 3 other ladies. We were talking about soup cause one lady had not been feeling well and was eating lots of soup.
She mentioned Progresso soup, chicken noodle.
I had purchased a can of that soup on sale for about $1.50 and I liked it. However, when I went to get another can of it, the price was $2.50. I just can't make myself pay that much for a can of soup and I told her that.
She said that whenever she goes grocery shopping she never looks at the price of anything she buys so she is always shocked at how much her grocery bill is weekly.
Gosh, I can't imagine not looking at the price, can you?

long hours this week!

April 7th, 2009 at 12:12 am

We should really save money by not eating out this week. My dh is working both jobs and is working late tonight. I did pick up something for dinner, but it is so late now and he is not home yet. (after 8 pm). I think we will just have sandwiches.
The braves won their first game and I won 2 games of mah jong, so that is $3 to add to the challenge money.
Prev. total $5889.00
today 3.00
new total $5892.00

This is spring??

April 6th, 2009 at 04:37 pm

I guess so. The leaves are coming out on all the trees and shrubs. However, they are calling for snow tonight and tomorrow. Hey, I don't live up north. I live in Georgia!!! We don't need snow in april. Oh well, I have no say in the weather! We will see what happends. At least the braves won their first game!!

Look how much I have saved!

April 5th, 2009 at 04:26 pm

I talked to a friend this week and she mentioned that she got her hair trimmed and colored every other month. The cost was $125.
So, I figured out that I have saved over $27,000 over the past 37 years by coloring my own hair. Surely my money would have at least doubled over 37 years, so I have saved over $50,000 just by coloring my own hair. I wonder if my dh knows what a bargain I am? lol

where are all the workers?

April 4th, 2009 at 03:50 pm

My husband took on a remodel job that involves removing part of the roof. It is a 3 man job, with 2 men on the roof and one (the strongest and youngest) on the ground handing up the wood.
He hired 3 men to work.
Not one day this past week did all 3 show up on one day.
Dh is trying to work on the big job, the foreclosure house he is trying to finish inside.
He is over there today trying to work, but today only one man showed up.
There is no work around here, but you still can not get the locals to work full time.
He called me last night to see if we could cancel dinner out which we had planned. He wanted to work until 8 pm.
His plan now, is to go to work at the remodel job every day, work til 4 pm, then go to the foreclosure house and work until at least dark every night.
Poor guy, he has always had this problem. I can remember him leaving for work before dawn and working til after midnight! Many nights!
Guess we will be eating at home for a while the next few months.
Since we stayed home, I am taking the $20 we saved and adding it to the challenge money. Plus I will add $1 for the stock market going up and $2 for winning 2 games of mah jong.
Prev. total $5866.00
today 23.00
new total $5889.00

$200 more for the challenge!

April 3rd, 2009 at 04:58 pm

I put an ad in the paper for my GE profile refrigerator. I asked for $200 or best offer. I showed it yesterday and the lady (a local) wrote me out a check for $200.
So, that will be added to my challenge money today!
Prev. total $5666.00
today 200.00
new total $5866.00

A check from Wendy's!

April 2nd, 2009 at 10:04 pm

I got a check in the mail from the Wendy's Arby's group. I do have over 500 shares of stock, but I have no idea what the check is for. But it is $8 and change I will add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $5658
today 8
new total $5666

Eating home more often!!

April 2nd, 2009 at 03:07 pm

Well, the past month or so, we have started to eat dinner at home more often. For the last couple of years, we have eaten out almost every night. Mostly, because I got tired of planning meals and cooking. Second, we can usually eat out for less than $20 for both of us. Third, there is no clean up involved.
I guess it is the economy, but we have decided to eat at home more often. It does not have to be a big meal. We often have breakfast for dinner. The other night, I just had a grilled cheese sandwich.
We have noticed that the restaurant is not as busy during the week as it used to be. So many people in our area have lost their jobs, cause this is mainly a construction town.
Yesterday, the stock market went up and I won 2 games of mah jong, so $3 goes to the challenge.
Prev. total $5655.00
today 3.00
new total $5658.00

My husband ran off with another woman!!

April 1st, 2009 at 01:58 pm

April Fools Day!!


(still happily married after 32 years)