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Archive for October, 2011

Halloween on the square

October 30th, 2011 at 08:39 pm

We have a big halloween party downtown on the square every Saturday before Halloween. We have always gone to it to see all the kids (and adults) dress up. Several times, we have dressed up ourselves and walked around. Then we go out to eat.
Last night, it was so cold and windy we decided to stay home.
I miss not dressing up and going to a Halloween party. We have friends that use to throw a huge Halloween party every year, but she has not been in good health lately. The fun part was my husband's costumes! He always won first prize, he was so funny looking!
I had a no use gas day yesterday and the stock market went up on Friday, so $3 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $18,723.00
today 3.00
new total $18,726.00

Another visit to the vets

October 28th, 2011 at 07:22 pm

I took my older dog, Holly back to the vets today. I took her to a specialist 2 months ago and he put her strickly on Hill's prescription diet, nothing else.

Well, she hates it and won't eat it , so I have been force feeding it to her. She is so skinny now, but is so hungry all the time. I have spend a lot of money on her the past few months, but she is certainly worth it. We are going to try a different type of food, but I can only buy it at a vet's over in North Carolina. I will get some next week and hope she likes it better. (she has always been a real picky eater)
I got my usual s/s check yesterday and will add that to my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $18,237.00
today 486.00
new total $18,723.00

We solved the "no back seat" problem

October 26th, 2011 at 06:23 pm

I mentioned that we had company all last weekend. It was a lady that I have known since junior high school.

We were invited to a big party Saturday night and wondered how we were going to get there? We have 5 vehicles (3 corvettes, one hot rod and a work van)but none with a back seat.

We decided to call our town's one and only cab company. We would make arrangements for them to pick us up at home, take us to the party and then come back and get us.

So, I called to get prices. To take us one way, about 7 miles was about $30 including a tip. No way was I going to pay $60 in cab fare just to go to a party.

My husband solved the problem. He put an ice cooler between the two van bucket seats and I rode in style, on a red cooler!

The party was great and so was the food!

I stocked up on diet sprite for sale today at Ingles and saved $8 to add to the challenge!

Prev. total $18,229.00
today 8.00
new total $18,237.00

Catching up!

October 25th, 2011 at 06:42 pm

I have been gone for a while from this site. First, my dh went to Fla. for his father's 90th birthday. I stayed home with the dogs. Then, my computer got sick and had to be professionally cleaned.
My best friend who I have known since 8th grade came for a 3 days visit. So, it seems like there has been no time for savings! So, back on the saving trail for me.
I am paying some bills today and I have $650 in the corvette envelope and $90 left in my electric envelope. (Thank goodness that bill went down a lot, but now I have to buy propane)
Anyway, $740 will be added to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $17,489.00
today 740.00
new total $18,229.00

Been kind of quiet!

October 19th, 2011 at 10:16 pm

I haven't been on here in the last few days, but I have been reading. My dh left to go to Fla. last Friday morning and came back on Monday night. It was his father's 90th birthday!
I stayed home to take care of the two puppies! It was a long four days and I really missed him. However, I did have 3 no use gas days, so that is $6 to add to the challenge.
This weekend, I have an old girlfriend coming to visit me. We are invited to a big bar b que bash (800 people) on Saturday and then to a party on Saturday night. Our problem is transportation!

In case you don't know, we have 3 corvettes (no back seat) a 1933 ford victoria hot rod (no heat) and a work van. (no back seat) I would NEVER drive with my friend. She is a terrible driver and I get car sick easily.

Prev. total $17,483.00
today 6.00
new total $17,489.00

rates lower

October 14th, 2011 at 09:39 pm

I noticed today that ING lowered their interest rates on their electric orange checking account. They went from .0114 to .0110. Not that big of a change but I am ready to see rates start to rise. I just gave away an old railroad bond dated 1869 and way back then they were paying out 7%. You sure can't live on your interest now a days.

Pinecone

October 14th, 2011 at 09:26 pm

I did another pinecone survey last week, so I have another $3 check to add to my challenge money.

Prev. total $17,483.00
today 3,00
new total $17,486.00

counting my change!

October 14th, 2011 at 07:19 pm

I throw all of my loose change in a jar and take it to the bank every two months or so. Today, I took it in and came home with $37. That will be added to my $20 challenge fund.

Prev. total $17,443.00
today 37.00
new total $17,480.00

The party was great!

October 11th, 2011 at 09:18 pm

The surprise birthday party we went to last night was great. Everybody brought food, so the hostess did not have to do a thing and there was plenty to eat.
We all enjoyed the brand new room that dh built onto the house.
The birthday boy really did enjoy the gift I gave him; a 1869 coupon bond of the Blue Ridge railroad company, all framed. (He is big into trains) It will look good in his train room.
The hostess insisted that we all bring home our own leftovers, so we have appetizers for tonight.
Another friend called and invited us to dinner for tomorrow night.

I did my grocery shopping today and even with dh with me (can't work cause it is raining) I saved $6 with my Ingles card. I will add $1 to that cause the stock market went up yesterday, for a total of $7.

Prev. total $17,436.00
today 7.00
new total $17,443.00

Neat present!

October 10th, 2011 at 04:26 pm

We are going to a surprise birthday party tonight. This is for a guy we built a house for about 10 years ago. Dh just finished turning their large outside deck into a large sunroom, addding on about 450 square feet.
This guy is a model railroad hobbiest and has a huge layout of model railroads in his basement. His is the 2nd largest layout in the state of Georgia. (Strangely, the largest is also in this town, Blairsville, Ga.)
I have a neat birthday gift for him. It is a bond issued by the Blue Ridge railroad company in 1869. It is a thousand dollar bond paying interest at 7%.
It is a coupon bond. It is very nicely framed. I have had it for about 30 years, but I think he will enjoy it more than I. Dh has it very nicely gift wrapped and ready to go.
I am playing bridge all afternoon, so today will be a no spend day and also a no use gas day. In honor of that, I will add $2 to the challenge.

Prev. total $17,434.00
today 2.00
new total $17,436.00

Another check

October 8th, 2011 at 03:02 pm

Another check arrived unexpectedly in the mail yesterday. It was for $55 and was from Home Depot. I had returned something a few months back and it showed up as a credit on my Home depot card, so they mailed me a check.
I also got a good deal on hair coloring. (No, I am really not a blond) I had a $2 off rite aid coupon, plus a cash register receipt for $4 off, so I got $7.99 hair coloring for $1.99. This will all be added to my challenge money along with $1 I saved using another coupon.

Prev. total $17,372.00
today 62.00
new total $17,434.00

Unexpected check

October 7th, 2011 at 02:45 pm

I got an unexpected check in the mail yesterday for $70. Like I do with all unexpected money, I add it to the challenge.
However, we were invited out to dinner Wednesday night. It was a couple that my dh built a new house for, about 10 years ago. They hired him two months ago to turn their deck into a sunroom. He just finished it this week.
They gave him a thank you card and $250 in cash. Quite a surprise! I am letting him keep the money cause he needs new tires for his work van. That will certainly help out!

Prev. total $17,302.00
today 70.00
new total $17,372.00

Citi bonus check

October 6th, 2011 at 08:39 pm

I received a check from my new Citi credit card in the mail today. They promised if you charged $500 in the first 60 days, they would give you a bonus check for $100. I charged my dog's vet bill ($500) and met the requirements very quickly. Of course, I paid it off immediately. I am adding this money to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $17,202.00
today 100.00
new total $17,302.00

Where have you been??

October 6th, 2011 at 03:59 pm

SAving advice, for some reason I have not been able to come to this iste for the past two days. I have missed you all. I don't know if it was just my computer, which has been acting up, or if this site has been having a problem. Anyway, I am so happy that I could get here today! I am going to a land auction today. I already bought 5 pieces of property since last December, so I really don't need any more. But I may find a real bargain!

Bridge day!

October 3rd, 2011 at 11:06 pm

I went to the bank this morning to cash dh's paycheck. It is a smaller check than usual cause he did not work this weekend. I hope I can keep up the $30 a day challenge.
I played bridge all afternoon, so it was a no spend day, plus I won at bridge. All around wonderful!
We picked up a few items at Bi lo yesterday and with my bi lo card, I saved $4. That will be added to my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $17,198.00
today 4.00
new total $17,202.00

Brrrr....it's cold!

October 2nd, 2011 at 03:54 pm

It dropped down to 40 degrees here in the mountains this morning. The house inside is down to 64 degrees. I have little Holly on a heating pad to stay warm. Bigger Molly can handle the cold weather better than Holly.
We spent the afternoon with a mother and her son yesterday. They are from Wisconsin. Son got a real good banking job here and moved into the fanciest subdivision in the area. His home has 7500 sq. feet.
Mom wants to build in the same subdivision as the son. However, she wants a 2500 square foot house with basement for $200,000. That just can't be done.

They went to a company that operates in several states and they advertise that they build home for $48 a square foot.
What they don't tell you is that the price does NOT include the following; permits, septic tank, grading, rough in plumbing, digging the basement, the basement itself and the floors. The price starts inside from the walls up. They also hire the cheapest subcontractors that they can hire to do the work as fast as possible.

My husband builds every house as if he is going to live in it himself and his workmanship is the best ever. We showed them 3 of our houses and they were in awe that dh could do all of the work by himself.
plumbing, electrical, tile work, hardwood floors, staircases, cabinets, built in furninture, rock/sone laying, etc. They said he really had a lot of talent.

But, I don't feel like we will get the job cause the most important thing to them was the price. Dh works by the hour, so we do NOT give a contract price.

I give them every paid bill, so they know to the penny what the house cost. I have done it that way for 27 years and I will continue.
It works for us!

$30 dollar a day challenge.

October 1st, 2011 at 10:51 pm

On August the 31st, I started what I am calling " a $30 dollar a day challenge. I am trying to save (and put in a canister) $30 every single day. Some days, it has been rough, but so far, I have been doing it.
In the 33 days since this challenge has started, I have saved $990 which I have put in my ING electric orange account. (I am not adding this to the challenge)

I also earned $149 in interest on my ING account and I AM adding that to my challenge money.

Prev. total $17,048.00
today 149.00
newe total $17,197.00