I have always loved Halloween. I love getting dressed up. Usually we have a party to attend. My dh has won first prize in costume the past two years and I have come in 2nd. This year, the lady who gives the party has been ill, so no parties this year.
Our little town celebrates Halloween on the square downtown. For the past few years, we have dressed up, walked the square and then had dinner out in our costumes.
This year, it is pouring down rain, so it looks like we won't be dressing up. But, we will be back next year!
The stock market went up on Thursday (down badly yesterday) and I had a no use gas day, so $3 more to the challenge.
Prev. total $15,130.00
today 3.00
new total $15,133.00

I am still setting aside all my one dollar bills each day to add to the challenge. I have 4 of them to add today. I also save all of my change. My regular end of the month check came yesterday, so I am also adding that to my challenge.
Prev. total $14,543.00
today 587.00
new total $15,130.00

It was a beautiful day today. Especially, after yesterday's all day rain. No heat, no air today; the weather is perfect and I got all my errands run.
The free dinner last night was delicious and I am going to take $20 to add to the challenge; cause that is what the dinner would have cost us at least!
Prev. total $14,523.00
today 20.00
new total $14,543.00

We are going out for a free dinner tonight. About once a week, I receive something in the mail about a free dinner and you have to listen to a presentation after the dinner. It usually has something to do with money, annunities, insurance, etc. (You will start getting these when you get older)
We never attend, but tonight we are going to go. First of all, it is being held at my favorite restaurant, so I know the food is good. Second, the owner, asked us to come. So, free meal, here I come. I think the talk with be about better insulation for our home. (which we don't need)
I had plan to get my grocery shopping all done today, but it has poured rain all day and I did not want to get all wet.
So, I had a no use gas day and another $2 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $14,521.00
today 2.00
new total $14,523.00

Yesterday, we attended a giant party and cook out. What started out as a simple cook out 27 years ago has turned into an outdoor party for over 800 people. I don't really like bar b que, but boy are the desserts good! People come from all over Georgia to attend this party. It is called the Blairsville bash. It was a cool day, but the fall colors look great up here in the mountains.
I did spend money yesterday! We went shopping afterwards at Alexander's, This is a local store that opened in this area in 1947 and over time, it started carrying everything. It was mobbed with tourists yesterday. I got myself some new tennis shoes which I badly needed.
I just checked my wallet and I have 8 one dollar bills to add to the challenge!
Prev. total $14,513.00
today 8.00
new total $14,521.00

If you ever saw the the tv show, perfect strangers, you would know that when ever Balki got happy, he did the"dance of joy"
Well, that is what I am doing right now, because my dh got another new house to build.
There is absolutely nothing going on here in our area. There are hundred of spec homes for sale now, many being foreclosed on and sold by the bank. I am amazed at how many people I know that are listed in the paper under foreclosure.
He was lucky enough to get a new house to build this summer and he is working on it right now. Yesterday, He shook hands (that is our only contract) with a couple planning on retiring next year.
So, he will have two houses to work on, and for that I am so thankful.
(It helps that he builds every house as tho he was going to live in it himself, so it must be perfect.)
This new customer is the head of a building inspection group (he has 58 inspectors working under him) and he said he had never seen a house framed more perfectly than the one my husband is building now!

My electric bill came in $70 under budget and I found $140 extra in my envelopes for the quarter, so I am adding $210 to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $14,303.00
today 210.00
new total $14,513.00

I stopped and got a 5 pound bag of puppy food for my puppy, Molly. She likes Purina puppy food and my local Ace store carries it. I had a $5 Ace rewards card, so the puppy food only cost me 85 cents and will last a month.
I am adding the $5 I saved, plus my ones, $3 to the $20 challenge.
Prev. total $14,295,00
today 8.00
new total $14,303.00

I got up early this morning and went and did my grocery shopping before the store got too full. I saved $7 using my Ingles card, plus I had 4 one's left over from yesterday. That is $11 more to add to my challenge money.
prev. total $14,284.00
today 11.00
new total $14,295.00

That is what it is like today, in the North Georgia mountains. Cold and occasional rain all day. Too bad there is a big festival at the park and also a big car showing going on. I am only going outside when the pups need to go potty.
I had a no use gas yesterday ($2) and 2 one dollar bills to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $14,280.00
today 4.00
new total $14,284.00

We are expecting temperatures at below freezing this weekend, but I still have not turned on my heat. I live close to N. Georgia gal, so our weather is just alike. I wish I had a fireplace that burns wood, like she does.
Yesterday, the stock market went up and I had a no use gas day, so $3 to add to the challenge. I don't have any one's to add, cause I didn't spend any money!
Prev. total $14,277.00
today 3.00
new total $14,280.00

The dow first hit the 10,000 mark in March of 1999. Well, we all know that the market went way down and yesterday, finally made it back to the 10,000 mark again. They are calling it "the lost decade"
I went grocery shopping at Wal marts yesterday and spent almost $15. So, I got no one dollar bills back to put into the challenge for today.
To celebrate the 10,000 down, I will add a $5 bill to my challenge money.
Prev. total $14,272.00
today 5.00
new total $14,277.00

ps I meant to say to celebrate the 10,000 DOW, not down.

Well, I know I will not win the "longest before turning on the heat" contest, so I decided to start "who will be the first to put up your christmas tree" contest?
I know someone in fla. or California will probably win the no heat contest. Heck, I have been to central Florida in January and we had to use the a/c.
It gets cold here. I live in the mountains and my county, Union, has the highest peak in Georgia.
The first winter we lived here (in a travel trailer while building our house) the temp. got down to 22 degrees below zero. that's cold.

So, I am starting a contest to see who will be the first to put up their christmas tree!
You see, when we first moved here, we had a live tree every year.
Now, the granddaughters are all grown up and moved away and there is just the 2 of us. I put up a small tree the past few years, but I really didn't like it.
I decided to order a bigger tree this year, one with the lights already on it. It is just a tree that you pull up from the box and it is already assembled.

Well, the tree came in on Oct. 6th and I wanted to see if I liked it or would I have to send it back. So, dh opened the box and put the tree up.
I like it and I am keeping it, so unless you have your tree up already, I win the contest!!!!!
Let's see who comes in 2nd!
I have 4 one dollar bills left over from yesterday to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $14,268.00
today 4.00
new total $14,272.00

After a day and night of rain, the creek is full to the top. It is so nice to walk outside and hear the rushing water.
I had a no use gas day yesterday and the stock market went up also. That is $3 for the challenge, plus I still have 3 ones left over from yesterday. I didn't go anywhere, so I spent no money.
Prev. total $14,262.00
today 6.00
new total $14,268.00

It is a rainy day in Georgia. Normally, I look forward to Mondays, cause it is pay day and bridge day. Today, the banks are closed and we cannot find a fourth for bridge either.
However, yesterday, I had a no spend day and a no use gas day, so I will add $2 to my challenge account.
Yesterday, I started a "save your dollar bills" challenge, so i will have to use a $5 bill to pay the challenge, getting 3 one's back in change. I hope I don't spend them today; then i can add them to the challenge tomorrow. This could really start to add up.

I keep my $20 challenge money in a metal money box and deposit it about one a month.
Prev. total $14,260.00
today 2.00
new total $14,262.00

I don't seem to be saving as much this year as I usually do. I read here somewhere that one person was saving all their dollar bills.
So, I have decided to do that too. And I challenge anyone else on here, to start setting aside all your dollar bills from at least now til the end of the year.
I already save all my change; now I am going to start saving all my one's!
I just checked my wallet and I have $9 in one's to add to the $20 challenge.
Prev. total $14,251.00
today 9.00
new total $14,260.00

The fall colors are almost here and the leaves are falling. My little Molly puppy is facinated by leaves. She tries to pick up every leaf she sees when I take her out to potty. Now there are leaves everywhere and it is driving her crazy!
The stock market went up yesterday and I bought 2 packs of bacon on sale, so I have $4 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $14,247.00
today 4.00
new total $14,251.00

I feel like I have spent most of this year in the vet's office. First my older dog, Holly, got sick in February and we had all kind of tests plus blood work done. She got current on all of her shots.
Then we got Molly, the puppy. She came with a terrible ear infection which we worked on for months. She got all her shots. Then she got spayed.
Holly got her teeth cleaned and she too came down with an ear infection which I have been treating forever.
I figured that I have spent about $2000 on vet bills this year.
Today Holly ears passed inspection! I hope I have no more vet visits for a while.
The stock market went up yesterday and I got a pinecone check for $3, so I have $4 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $14,243.00
today 4.00
new total $14,247.00

I got my statement from Edward Jones the other day and noticed that I had $175 just sitting in their money market account from some dividends that had accumulated. I called and asked for a check, so i could put it in my account and get some better interest. So, I am adding that to my $20 challenge account today.
Prev. total $14,068.00
today 175.00
new total $14,243.00

I just got back from Wal Mart. I never have said that very often in the last 25 years. You see, the nearest wal mart was 50 miles away, round trip, in another state.
Last month, they opened a new walmart here in our little town, and it is only a little over 2 miles away.
I have been comparing prices, and wal mart is not all the cheapest. I got a great deal on cranberry juice. I am used to paying $3.50 and this was on sale for $2. However, I was looking at diet sprite (we drink it with cocktails at night) and it was more expensive. So, was the dog food that I buy.
I paid my 10th of the month bills yesterday and I have $100 built up in my water/garbage envelope, so I am adding that to the challenge today.
Prev. total $13,968.00
today 100.00
new total $14,068.00

Today is the first tuesday of the month. If you have a rite aid card, they will take 20% off your merchandise that you buy on the first tuesday. I didn't buy much, but today I saved $4 using my rite aid and Ingles advantage card and I will add that to the challenge money.
Prev. total $13,964.00
today 4.00
new total $13,968.00

Yesterday was bridge day at my house. A fun day with very little cost involved except for a few refreshments. Everyone knows that all I drink is water (and cocktails at night) so if they want something else, they bring it with them. The stock market went up yesterday ($1) and I saved $3 using CVS bucks to get a new hair brush which I badly needed.
Prev. total $13,960.00
today 4.00
new total $13,960.00

The braves are playing their last game of the season, so no more contributing to the $20 challenge when they win. I have also stopped contributing every time I win a game of mah jong, cause I win a lot of games!
Right now, I have started concentrating on more no drive days and more, no eat dinner out days. I used to eat out 5-6 times a week and we have cut back to more like 1-2 nights a week.

Well, we do. I guess we could save a bunch of money if we didn't. Of course I have two dogs that eat very well. We have at least 3 or 4 bird feeders out in the back yard that we fill with sunflower seeds constantly. We also have a hummingbird feeder up except for winter time. (they even get bottled water)

Dh built a feeder for corn kernals to feed the deer every night. We always get the same 4 deer early; Ralphie, alice, trixie and Ralphie;s baby) We also feed at least one groundhog, Abraham, who likes corn too. Other deer come when it gets darker and there is never any corn left over. (squirrels like it too)

I did buy some baby back ribs and hamburger on sale today, so I will add the $7 I saved to put into my $20 challenge.
prev. total $13,953.00
today 7.00
new total $13,960.00

Well I checked at my tax office and found out even more about homestead exemption. In the state of Georgia, they give you a $2000 exemption off of the 40% value of my home. I looked up what the state of Georgia thinks is 40% of the value of my home and it has me listed at about $414,000. At 40%, does that mean that I live in a million dollar home?? Wow, that sure changes my net worth! I think I need to ask someone about that!

It is getting quite cold here, especially at night. My older dog was so cold, she got under the covers with me this morning. So, I got out a heating pad that she can sleep on at night. The puppy has a lot of hair, so it does not seem to bother her.
I headed to CVS this morning cause prilosec was on sale for $5 off. I also got a bonus $3 cvs dollars. I will add the $5 to my challange money now and the $3 when/if I use the bonus bucks.
Prev. total $13,948.00
today 5.00
new total $13,953.00

Well, I checked my bank balance last night at 5 pm and I was still $16,000 richer. I never get on the computer when my dh is home, so I did not get to check again until just now.
Yup, they found the error and the $16,000 is no longer in my checking account. I knew they would find it. I use to work for a savings and loan and we did our bookkeeping by hand, no computers. We had to balance out to the penny every afternoon and we stayed until we found the money.
Oh well, it was fun while it lasted!