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Archive for September, 2015

Leaves are turning

September 28th, 2015 at 06:40 pm

The leaves are turning colors in my area alrady. I wonder if we will have an early freeze?
I entered my chase rebate check to my $20 savings challenge. The new total is:

$20 challenge Balamce $16,120.00

My biggest Visa bill ever, $16,991.00

September 27th, 2015 at 03:51 pm

I got my biggest visa bill that I ever have gotten, in the mail yesterday. It is for $16,991.00.

DH charges everything that he buys for work at home depot. I have a Chase credit card that pays me back 3% of purchases for home improvement, which is what all home depot purchases are classified.
However, the 3% is only on purchases up to $2000 or $60 back in a refund check. On the rest of the purchases, I get the usual 1%.
This big bill was for $16,000 worth of windows and doors.
Of course, I am paying it off in full this week, so there will be no interest to be paid. I have already requested my refund check of $209.00 which Chase will send directly to my checking account. It is a nice little perk.

Sept. 25th

September 25th, 2015 at 04:38 pm

Just 3 more months until Christmas! Actually, Christmas gets easier and easier as I get older. But, I must say, it is sure not as much fun as it used to be.

$20 challenge update

September 23rd, 2015 at 03:32 pm

I recieved my s/s check today and put it into my $20 challenge as usual. My new total:

Old balance $15,335.00
today 529.00
new total $15,864.00

Last appliance still standing!

September 22nd, 2015 at 07:12 pm

We moved into our new house in Aug. of 1995. I had all new appliances, double oven, stove top, refrigerator, dishwasher, washer and dryer.
I have replace the refrigerator twice and replaced the dishwasher, stove top and dryer once over the past 20 years. My double oven went out in Feb. of this year, but I still have the lower oven working.
Lucky, I don't do much cooking and really don't need to ovens, but I will have to replace it with a double oven someday.
My washer is still working; it is the last appliance still standing. I guess it will be the next to go!

Isn't it fall yet?

September 20th, 2015 at 04:16 pm

Is today the first day of fall? I don't have a single calendar with the mention of fall on it.
However, the leaves are starting to fall and it is pretty cool in the morning.
I like the fact that neither the heat or the a/c has been running this week. That helps on the elecric bill. I use to add the savings from the electric bill to my $20 challenge. I budget $160 per month, and during the fall and winter months, the electric bill would go way down. Now, with a new heating system which now includes a heat pump, the winter bills are even higher than the summer bills.
I do not like heat pumps and will NEVER have one put in again. ( in our spec houses) I trusted the guy that has done our heat and a/c work for over 20 years. He reccommended the heat pump. He quit carrying Lennox systems and now carries Trane.
Believe me, Lennox is better and that is what we
still put in our spec houses.

$20 challenge update: $15,274.00

Citi double cash card

September 16th, 2015 at 04:12 pm

I applied for the Citi double cash card about 2 months ago and I have been using it.
The only credit cards we use, are the ones that give us cash back.
I have one card that pays 3% back on home improvement purchases, but only up to $2000 in purchases, then 1% after that. That comes in handy, since my husband spends a lot at home depot for his building business.
Then we have the Capital one quicksilver card which gives us 1 1/2 % back on purchases.
The Citi doublecash card pays 1% on purchases and 1% when you pay your balance, so I get 2% but I have to wait until I pay the card each month to redeem.Yesterday, I got my first check for $39.77, which I will add to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $15.197.00
citi check 39.00
new total $15,236.00

(as you can see, I do not add the odd cents.)

2nd mortgage check arrived!

September 15th, 2015 at 07:43 pm

We received our 2nd mortgage check in the mail yesterday. It is wonderful to be earning a nice interest rate again. Our mortgage holders sent a very nice note with the check again, thanking us, just like they did last month. It is wonderful to be appreciated; I appreciate them too! I sent the money off to our "right" account at My savings direct along with some savings. Our new total are:

Right (Wright) account $ 8565.00
$20 challenge $15,181.00

9/11

September 11th, 2015 at 11:46 pm

It is time to take a moment and remember September 11th.

Mysavingsdirect

September 11th, 2015 at 03:48 pm

What a bummer. Yesterday, Mysavings direct lowered their rate from 1.24% to 1.09. After all these years, it is hard to believe these terrible low savings rates.

visit #2

September 10th, 2015 at 05:08 pm

My husband went back to the foot doctor yesterday. He explained that his foot was feeling no better. He was given another shot and charged $195. We have now spent $450 for 2 visits and his foot still feels the same. This shot did not seem to help either. We don't know what to do next?

Building supply rebate

September 8th, 2015 at 04:20 pm

WE got a good rebate from thebuilding supply place that we do business with, mostly because the bill was so high. (Over $13,000) So I have 1 rebate of $620 to add to my $20 challenge.
Also, I have to go to home depot today. For some reason they charged me $19.98 for a propane tank??
I have always had a charcoal grill and have never used a propane tank. (escept for the 1000 gal tank to heat my home) I am hoping to get that taken off of my charge card without any problems.

Prev. total $14,488.00
today 620.00
new total $15,108.00

Happy Labor Day

September 7th, 2015 at 03:10 pm

I hope everyone is having a happy day. To my husband, labor day means a day to labor. In the almost 40 years we have been married, he has never had a paid day off. So, today he is working as usual. I, on the other hand, am playing bridge, which I love.
I hope you are all enjoying your day off.

Dinners out!

September 6th, 2015 at 03:53 pm

This has been a busy week for us. Thursday night, friends from Fla. (they have a 2nd home here) asked us to go out to dinner with them. We really enjoyed it.
Friday night, hubby came home from work to say that we had been invited over to dinner at another friend's house. (We became friends when we built their house 15 years ago. We have since built a "vacation cabin" for them in this same town! Yes, they drive 6 miles to go on vacation about once a month and love it.)
Last night, the people we are currently building a house for, invited us to meet at a restaurant for dinner. The food was wonderful, but a bit crowded because of the long holiday weekend.

It is wonderful to have friends to go out to eat with, but we are looking forward to having dinner at home tonight. Just us and our fur babies, Molly and Abbey!

Foot doctor

September 5th, 2015 at 03:52 pm

My hubby has been limping for aa few months, so this week he went to the foot doctor. They gave him a shot and some insoles for his shoes, to the tune of $254. He felt better for a few days,but now he is limping again. They have suggest $400 custom made arch supports. I am not sure if he will spend the money. He goes back this Wed.

Interest day

September 1st, 2015 at 07:33 pm

Today, I got interest on my accounts. The total was $103 at My savings direct, $5 at Barclays and $25 at GE bank. I am adding that to my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $14,290.00
today 133.00
new total $14,423.00

Barclay dream account

September 1st, 2015 at 03:57 pm

Well, I have a Barclay dream account. They promise to pay an extra 2.5% on the interest you have earned for six months, plus 2.5% more if you have made no withdrawals on your account.
The catch is, you can only deposit up to $1000 per month. So, on my account today, I earned $4.54 in interest plus a bonus of 68 cents ( 34 cents and 34 cents for the 2 bonuses.)