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Archive for March, 2010

power outage!

March 31st, 2010 at 07:08 pm

I heard a loud noise about 6 pm and the power went out last night. I had purchased 2 heavy duty lanterns that I keep charged up, so I thought, no problem. Both of them would not work. Of course, I have candles which I used instead.
We decided to go out to eat dinner, hoping the power would be back on when we got home. But it wasn't!
I was more worried about the dogs than anything. They are little and they get cold easily. The older dog sleeps on a heating pad, but I am scared to let the puppy have one, cause she is still chewing.
Thanks to good insulation, the temperature in the house did not drop much and they got the power back on before 11 pm.
I got a check (dividend) from the Tim Horton company yesterday for $18 plus saved $6 using my Ingles advantage card.
I will add that to my challenge.

Prev. total $6046.00
today 24.00
new total $6070.00

My dog's prettier than your dog!

March 30th, 2010 at 06:31 pm

Just kidding! I am thinking about the old kennel ration jingle! My puppy, Molly, went and got groomed today. She is a malta poo and is pure white. She looks so pretty now! And smells good too! ( a malta poo is half maltese and half poodle)

It's funny, but I have not been to a hairdresser since I was in my early twenties, but I don't mind spending money on dog grooming.

I got some unexpected cash today. A loan that I made to a friend was paid back today, so I am adding that to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $5216.00
today 830.00
new total $6046.00

Drove the new car!

March 29th, 2010 at 04:25 pm

I drove the new car for the first time today. My husband had washed it and waxed it when we brought it home 12 days ago, so I did not want to get it dirty.
Well, he washed his car (the yellow one) yesterday, so the new car was then considered the dirtiest, so I had to drive it. It now has a total of 89 miles on it.
I noticed that the $20 challenge is gone, but it works so well for me, that I am keeping it up. I got a $5 bill at the bank today (paycheck cashed) and I am adding it to the challenge.
Prev. total $5211.00
today 5.00
new total $5216.00

$20 challenge

March 28th, 2010 at 07:52 pm

Someone asked me about the $20 challenge, so I will explain the best I can.
About 4 years ago, savingadvice started a $20 challenge.
You start out with $20 and see how you can add to that. You do it anyway that you want. Some use the $20 to buy materials to make things to sell.
I save money by using coupons and my store cards. At the end of the receipt, it tells you how much you have saved that shopping trip.
I take that actual cash and put it into a cash box.

Some people sell on e bay, others have garage sales and add the money.
I save all my change and turn it in once a month. I save all unexpected checks, rebates, chase reward money, stock dividend checks, odd job checks, survey checks, etc.
I also put away a dollar when the stock market goes up; I save all $5 bills I get in change.
Any unexpected money that comes in, other than my husband's paycheck, gets added to the $20 challenge.

When I started getting social security I added that to my $20 challege cause it was money I was not use to receiving. I have never spent a penny of that money yet.


I also pay myself $2 every day that I do not use any gasoline.

We went out for a very nice dinner with the customer that we are building a house for. We both had chicken marsala which is one of my favorite dishes.

I had a no use gas day yesterday and have a 5 dollar bill from change, so $7 will go to the challenge today.
Prev. total $5204.00
today 7.00
new total $5211.00

Shocked!

March 27th, 2010 at 03:52 pm

I too was shocked to see all the changes in the savingadvice forum. I had a really hard time logging in. I never log out cause this is my favorite forum, so I was a little nervous about not being able to post. Did that happen to you this morning? I am not very good at computers, so I hope I can get this all figured out quickly!

Challenge has really helped me!

March 26th, 2010 at 06:04 pm

This $20 challenge has really helped me. I get excited everyday trying to figure out a way to save money and add to the challenge.

I am just sorry that more of you are not involved in the challenge. When it first started, it was more of a contest and we even won prizes, but the biggest prize was how much money we saved and how our net worth grew.
It is also fun to earn thousands of dollars in interest.

I used a $4 off coupon at CVS today (had to buy dh some razor blades) so I will add that to the challenge money.
Prev. total $5200.00
today 4.00
new total $5204.00

It was a good mail day!

March 25th, 2010 at 09:59 pm

It was a good mail day for me today. I have been waiting on 2 checks for over 10 days and they finally came today. One was for a repair job that my dh has been doing for the past month. So, I have another $600 to add to the challenge fund.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that it is just 9 more months til christmas!!

Prev. total $4600.00
today 600.00
new total $5200.00

Adding 2 checks to the challenge.

March 24th, 2010 at 07:59 pm

I received my usual monthly check for $486 today. Also, in the mail, I got a check for $6 from GMAC. I paid off my car last week and the check got there early, so I got a little back.
Prev. total $4108>00
today 492.00
new total $4600.00

Good day at the grocery store!

March 23rd, 2010 at 09:49 pm

I found a lot of bargains at the grocery store today. Boneless, skinless chicken tenders were under $2 a pound, so I stocked up. I only had one coupon, but with that and my advantage card, I saved $12 today which will go into my challege fund.
Prev. total $4096.00
today 12.00
new total $4108.00

DH sold his work van!

March 23rd, 2010 at 02:37 pm

DH had to buy a new work van 2 years ago. He got a house to build in North Carolina and his old van just wasn't going to make it. He keep the old van, thinking that he might use it when the newer van was getting worked on.

Well, that has not happened, so he sold the old van this week to one of his workers for $1000 (It was a 2001 dodge van) The worker is going to pay him $250 a week and I am going to add that to the $20 challenge for the car fund.

I also got the electric bill and it is $70 under budget for the month, so I will add that to the challenge also.

Prev. total $3776.00
today 320.00
new total $4096.00

snow

March 22nd, 2010 at 04:28 pm

This is the 3rd day of spring and it is snowing in North Georgia!
I have kind of gotten behind on watching the stock market. From what I heard, it went up 4 days out of 5 last week, so I owe $4 to my challenge. I also received a $3 pinecone check, so I will add a total of $7 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $3769.00
today 7.00
new total $3776.00

Adding interest

March 21st, 2010 at 04:28 pm

When we bought the new car last week, I decided to get really serious about my car fund, which is part of my $20 challenge.
So, I have decided to add the monthly interest on my savings account to the $20 challenge.
I am getting 1.74% interest, but now that the bank has been taken over, the rate will probably be lowered.
However, as of today, I am adding the interest money of $168 to my $20 challenge-car fund.

Prev. total $3601.00
today 168.00
new total $3769.00

OMG, another bank failed!

March 20th, 2010 at 05:03 pm

Well, I am not having much good luck lately. About 6 weeks ago, a local bank of mine failed. I had a large sum on money tied up in c.d.'s there, paying 4% for another year. They immediately lowered my rate to 1%, so I withdrew all the money.
I opened c.d.'s in another bank with the money. Best rate I could get was 2%.

I logged into my accounts this morning to see that the fdic has taken over the other bank. That means my rates will be lowered again.

Wow, 2 banks of mine failed, within6 weeks.
This town only has 4 banks and another failed yesterday also. I did not have any money in that bank.

I wonder what will happen next?

Happy first day of spring!

March 20th, 2010 at 03:06 pm

Have a happy first day of spring. I sure am ready for it! Aren't you? We sat outside on the deck last night with both dogs. First time in about 6 months! However, they are calling for snow on Monday! Well, it has to warm up early.

A sign of spring?

March 19th, 2010 at 03:47 pm

Two of my neighbors are out cutting their grass this morning. I hope that is a sign of spring. It is still very cold here and I had to order more propane. I have never used a completely full tank before. (1000 gallons)

A small check came in from Wendys yesterday, so I will add that to my challenge money. (aka car fund)
Prev. total $3593.00
today 8.00
new total $3601.00

New car!

March 18th, 2010 at 02:06 pm

We picked up our new car last night. I had a bit of a tear in my eye when I left my old red corvette there. I really loved that car.
Can you guess what kind of car I got?

I saved $6 using my advantage card, so I am adding that to my challenge (car fund) money.
Prev. total $3587.00
today 6.00
new total $3593.00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

March 17th, 2010 at 02:53 pm

My grandparents were born in Ireland, so I know for sure I am half Irish. I don't know what the other half is.
I think my husband is really on board with me to save as hard as possible to pay off this new car we are getting.
Yesterday, he sold his old work van to one of his workers who needs a vehicle. It is a 2001 dodge van that he is selling for $1000.
I think the worker is getting a good deal.
When he pays us, I will add that money to the new car fund.
I had a real good deal on prilosec yesterday at CVS. I had 3 coupons, one for $2 off, another for $4 off and still another for $3 off, so I saved a total of $9 which I will add to the challenge money.
Prev. total $3578.00
today 9.00
new total $3587.00

Getting serious about the car fund

March 16th, 2010 at 06:13 pm

Several years ago when I paid off my husband's work van, I decided to take that payment money ($100 a week, $400 a month) and keep putting it away for a car fund. Well, I did do that, but if it was a short week, that was the one envelope that I did not fund.

I was able to pay off my car with the money a year early, so we could get dh a new car and only have one payment.

Now, I am getting a new car this week and yesterday I sent in a check to pay off the yellow vette even tho I was very very short in the car fund. I just took the money out of my regular savings.

I have decided to take all the money that I contribute to the $20 challenge and put it all in my car pay off fund!
I am going to keep track of it in a separate ledger and hope I can get this new car paid off in about 2 years.

I am going to start today with the 3 $5 bills that I have in my wallet.

Prev. total $3563.00
today 15.00
new total $3578.00

Beware the Ides of March!

March 15th, 2010 at 10:14 pm

Well, I think it has been a pretty good day. I played bridge all afternoon and my puppy, Molly had her first birthday today!!

Who designs these cars anyway?

March 13th, 2010 at 07:29 pm

Bad news about my car. It needs a new fuel line. That part is only about $45, but it will cost about $3000 in labor to repair the car. They will have to take the entire car apart including taking out the motor and the transmission.
I think we may be going car shopping this afternoon.
I got a $5 bill in change yesterday, so I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $3558.00
today 5.00
new total $3563.00

Good bye, Big Red

March 11th, 2010 at 03:01 pm

My beautiful red corvette got towed away this morning. I was supposed to go to a bridge class yesterday and the car would not start. When I got out, I noticed a big puddle under the car. It was gasoline. My dh could not get under the car (too low), but he guesses it is the fuel pump.
The fuel pump went out on us when we went to Florida for my class reunion. It cost $2000 to get it fixed and we were stuck there an entire week.
Now I will have to drive ole yeller (newer yellow corvette) while Big Red get repaired.
However, if I know my dh, Big Red will soon be going to car heaven. He doesn't like vehicles that give us trouble.

Now ole yeller only has 8000 miles on it, but I just don't like the fact that you use no key to start the car or even unlock it. You carry a fob and the car senses that you have this fob! It locks and unlocks itself when you near the car. If the battery goes dead in the fob, there is a trick way to get in the car, but I will be darned if I know how.It also will not let you get out of the car if the motor is running or if the person with the fob has walked away from the car. Isn't that weird?
Well, the stock market went up yesterday and I have a no use car day yesterday, even if it was not planned.
$3 more to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $3555.00
today 3.00
new total $3558.00

False advertising?

March 9th, 2010 at 09:04 pm

I have a friend who wants to build a small rental house in another city. Of course, she wants the house built as cheaply as possible.
People always think my husband is too expensive because he builts everything so perfectly and does all the work himself.
Of course, she said, I can't afford your husband.

She got a bid from a large company that builds in many, many states.(in the south) Their ad says that they can build a house for $48 a square foot.

The house she wants to build is simple and about 1600 square feet. We usually estimate a plain house at about $100 a square foot; a fancier place at about $110 a square foot. So, I told her it would cost about $160,000 to build the house. (if we built it)

If they could build the house for $48 a square foot, it SHOULD cost $76,800.
However, when she got their quote, the total came to $160,000. You see they don't tell you about all the things you DON'T get for your $48 a square foot. You don't get permits, a septic tank, grading, excavation, crawl space or basement, concrete, or even the floor put on the house. Plus anything extra like hardwood flooring or hardiplank all cost you extra.

When my husband quotes a house at $100 a foot, that includes everything, even porches. (does not include landscaping or driveway paving)

I am sure she will go with this company because she considers them to be such a bargain. To me, it is just false advertising.

Actually, to be considered the best builder in the area, I think my husband is quite reasonable.

Handy man work

March 7th, 2010 at 10:26 pm

My handy man husband did some extra work on the neighbor's house while they were away on vaction. He had to work on the door locks, change out all of the faucets and do some tile work. They just got home and paid us $300. I will be adding that extra money to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $3255.00
today 300.00
new total $3555.00

nfomysurvey

March 6th, 2010 at 09:16 pm

I got another check from nfo my survey yesterday for $10. I always love getting these little checks in the mail and it will be added to my challenge money.
Prev. total $3245.00
today 10.00
new total $3255.00

Bridge money

March 6th, 2010 at 04:30 pm

I have been playing bridge with the same group of ladies for about 2 years. Last year, they decided to put in a dollar each time we played to go out to lunch. I thought it was kind of silly , since it is obvious that we all can afford to go out to lunch anytime we want.

Two of the ladies' husbands are retired; one a retired CEO of a bank. The other lady's husband is a pilot for a big airline. My husband is a builder and probably makes the least amount of money.
However, I became the "holder" of the money.

Yesterday, we had our lunch out and I split up the money. We each got $23. I am adding my $23 to my $20 challenge money.

Prev. total $3222.00
today 23.00
new total $3245.00

Pleasant day!

March 5th, 2010 at 09:03 pm

I had a pleasant day today. I met with my bridge friends for lunch today and then we played cards for a while. Yesterday we had a no use gas day, the stock market went up, so $3 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $3219.00
today 3.00
new total $3222.00

Pinecone

March 3rd, 2010 at 10:31 pm

I received two things from pinecone today. One was a check for $3 for a survey I did a few days ago. Another was a package containing a new product that I am going to try out. After I try the product out, I will take another survey about it and get paid again. I love pinecone!!
Prev. total $3216.00
today 3.00
new total $3219.00

stocked up!!

March 3rd, 2010 at 08:25 pm

Enought of this snow and being out of everything! I managed to get out to the grocery store and bought more than I have bought in years! I really stocked up on the only food my oldest baby (poodle) will eat. She is such a picky eater but loves people food. But is upsets her tummy, so she has to eat a certain type of dog food. I was down to one pouch left for her. Fortunately, my puppy will eat dry food, so she was fine.

According to my Ingles receipt, I saved $5 using my advantage card. I also had a no use gas day yesterday (cause I was snowed in) and that will add $2 more to my challenge total.
Prev. total $3209.00
today 7.00
new total $3216.00

Snowed in again!

March 2nd, 2010 at 05:09 pm

What is with this weather. We are snowed in again. Dh tried to go to work this morning, but had to turn around and come back home. We live in North Georgia, not in Alaska!
I filled up my car with gas on Sunday. I had to pay $2.95 a gallon. I don't think gas prices will ever go down. I can remember when I could fill my tank for $3. Good old days!
I did get a 5 dollar bill in change at the gas station, so I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $3204.00
today 5.00
new total $3209.00