Ima Saver's Personal Finance Blog

Ou A/C unit upstairs quit working. I had the downstairs unit replaced last year. I have always had a lennox, but my regular dealer does not carry them anymore. I replaced it with a trane that has a heat pump. Let me say, I do not like the heat pump at all. My winter bills are double what they use to be and the house seems very cold.
I was happy that the Lennox unit upstairs just need repairs. It is working now I am happy to say. I have not yet received a bill for the repair.

Does anyone watch the tv show, "Alone"? We have been watching it because a local man, from here in Blairsville, Ga. is one of 10 participants on the show. Somehow, we have missed the past two weeks.
We are wondering how he did? We think the show is over now, because someone has seen this man, back here, at home.
Does anyone know who the winner is? (Our local's name is Alan Kay.)
I have my $20 challenge up to $13,537.00.

Are eggs high in your area? I just paid $3.95 for a dozen large eggs.
Dh has an egg for breakfast almost everyday. He gets up early and fixes himself a big breakfast before he goes to work. He takes his lunch, but he tends to eat light during the day. (especially during this heat) I myself, eat cereal about an hour after I get up. $3.95 seems high to me, but I guess everything is high these days! I can't believe that I spend almost $100 a week for just two people. (in groceries)

I have not been able to get into the vanguard website to check on my mutual funds since I started trying last Saturday. Has anyone else had a problem with this?

Braves have not done well these past two weeks. They have only won about 4 games out of the last 16.
Last night they played thw world champion San Francisco giants.
Not to surprisingly, when I checked the score, the braves were down 6-0 in the 5th inning.
They made a great comeback and win on to win 9-8 in the 12th inning. Since iput in $5 for every win and $1 for every run they score when they win, I was able to fatten up my $20 challenge last night.
The total now stands at $13,496.00

I got the interest from my GE capital bank account and also my Barclay dream account. The interest was $31 and $3 respectively. The dream account has a maximum of $1000 that you can add each month. They promise to give you a 5% interest bonus on the interest after 6 months. Of course, that will not amount to much, but I have added the max every month and made no withdrawals. I will add this to the $20 challenge:

Prev. total $13,426.00
today 34.00
new total $13,460.00

That means interest day! Unfortunately, not too much interest any more. I am holding a mortgage on the last house we built, so the money is not sitting in the bank earning interest. However, it is earning even more interest for me in a 4 1/2% mortgage. It just will take me a long time to get the money back.

I have a savings account at My savings direct earning 1.24% interest. This month I received $104 in interest. I also opened a new account for my mortgage payments. (This has earned a whopping 50 cents so far) I will add the $104 to my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $13,322.00
today 104.00
new total $13,426.00

I hit the bank this morning to make two deposits. I took my coint jar inalso, to be counted. I had $43 in coins which I added to the $20 challenge:

Prev. total $13,263.00
today 43.00
new total $13,306.00

I use my credit cards to make money. I have no idea what the interest rate is, because I never pay any interest. I always pay my cards off in full each month.

My husband has a Chase credit card that pays him back 3% from home improvement stores (up to $2000) each month.
I was using a capital one quicksilver card which pays me bac 1 1/2% on any purchase each month.
I charge things that I usually pay cash for each month, like my electric bills and my many car insurances. I check first to make sure that they do NOT charge me 3% to use my charge card. (Like they do if you are paying your property taxes with a credit card.) That would completely defeat my purposes. But, My electric bills and insurance payments do not charge a fee.
I immediately put the cash I would have spent in an envelope and when the charge card bill comes in, I pay it off in full.
This month, I earned $42.68 from quicksilver and $60.51. I get these back in the 1) actual check and 2)deposit to my checking.
As you can see, I have earned over $100 this month, just for using my charge cards.

That is the only way I would reccommend that anyone use charge cards!

A quicksilver check arrived. That is from my credit card company, capitol One. I only use credit cards to get cash back. This one pays 1 1/2% back and i pay it off in full every month.
I dusted off my dave ramsey books, Financial Peace. I am going to give them to the young couple that bought our spec house. They are about 20 years old, but I think they can still be a big help.

$20 challenge
Prev. total $12,628.00
today 42.00
new total $12,670.00

June 20th was our 1 year anniversary of the closing on the last spec house we built. These people were "the customers" from hell!
We have dealt with many many people over the last 30 years, but they were by far the worst.

They called weekly, always complaining about something. They were going to sue us cause they got a pot hole in their gravel drive about 5 months after they moved in. Their shower door towel bar fell off twice! They wanted the living room a diffeent color.
WE talked to their previous builder and he said they called him all the time complaining. Even the fence guy, who installed their fence, is still getting 3 calls a week, complaining about the fence. I guess their joy in life is to complain about something.

Our one year anniversary on that house was up on June 20th and we went out to eat to celebrate!
We have not heard from them since. (knock on wood)

I added a rebate from my building supply place of $453.00 to my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $12,161.00
today 453.00
new total $12,614.00

I forgot to add my last month's s/s check to the $20 challenge:

Prev. total $11,632.00
last month 529.00
new total $12,161.00

WE closed on the house this afternoon and everything went just fine! Now, I can just sit back and wait for those checks to start rolling in!

Tomorrow is the big day. We are closing on our spec house. I am just as excited as the young couple that is buying it. It is nice to see them so happy.
We will not be coming home with any money. All of their down payment goes to the real estate agent for her comission.
I am paying the closing costs. The bank had estimated $7000 in closing costs, but they are coming to only $2500. (No inspection fee, appraisal fee or points)
I am holding the mortgage on the property, so this will be part of our retirement monthly income. Of course, I plan to save it until we need it to live on. Right now, my husband still works full time.

$20 challenge fund $11,623.00

I opened a new savings account at MYSavings Direct. They are paying the highest rate for savings accounts that I can find; 1.24%
I wish I could find a local savings account paying a decent rate, but no such luck.
I will be using this account to make special deposits.
I plan to save every mortgage payment check that I receive starting in August. The mortgage payments will go on for 25 years, but of course, I won't be here.
I also plan to add any additional money that I receive from dividends stocks, (i only have 3) cash back on credit cards (I have 2) and any rebates.
It will be fun to watch it add up.

My $20 challenge stands at $11,607.00.

Adding my GE bank interest to my $20 challenge looks like this:

Prev. total $11,564.00
today 30.00
new total $11,594.00

Well, we met with the young couple that are buying our spec house on Friday afternoon. We are financing it for them. We are going to go thru an attorney to make everything legal.
We are talking about a mortgage of $241,000 and they will put down $12,500 (which will cover the real estate commission.
After we went over the paperwork (our realton was there), we showed them around the house in case they had any questions.
They want to close as soon as possible, which is fine with us! Possibly this coming week, for sure by next week. I gave them a key.
They were so excited, they asked if they could give us hugs! I love hugs!
I told them to move in whenever they wanted. DH went to cut the grass there yesterday and found that they had already moved in some furniture.
They told me that this would be their best 4th of July ever!

It is nice to be so young and buying your first brand new house! I am excited for them too!

Remember I told you that we had a contract on our spec house (that dh built) Well, the contract fell thru. The young man is self employed and does not have proof of income for the past two years.
WE got the sad news on Saturday. Well, yesterday, I called them and offered to finance the house for them.

They were so excited; they kept saying, "You must be kidding, right?"
Nope, I wasn't kidding. We will hold the mortage just like a bank. The bank was going to charge them 4 1/2% interest, so that is what I am charging. We are going to meet with them this afternoon to go over all the details.

I am excited for them too!

The Braves hit two home runs last night. I decided a few days ago to add $5 to my challenge every time they hit a home run. I am keeping the money in a seperate container and will add to challenge when the total builds up a little.

I received my interest from My savings direct for the month of June. It was $120 which I will add to my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $11,402.00
today 120.00
new total $11,522.00

Well, the 2nd quarter has ended for the year. I get my Melrose credit union interest on the last day of every quarter. This time my 2 c.d.'s earned $1627 and $386. That makes my total $2013 for the past three months.
When I first opened these c.d.'s almost 5 years ago, I thought the interest rate of 2.9% and 2.8% were terrible. Now I am glad I have them. I have not found a better interest rate for c.d.'s anywhere else.

Asusual , I will add that to my $20 challenge:

Prev. total $ 9376.00
today 2013.00
new total $11,389.00

June 25,2015. Just six more months til Christmas! I bet you did not even want to be reminded.

Our gift giving has cut down considerably the past few years. Neither my husband or I really need anything, so we give each other the usual stuff, socks, underware, candy, etc.
The grandchildren and great granddaughter all get checks. That way they can buy what they want.
I still have a "Christmas" savings account.
I had my first "christmas Club" account over 50 years ago and the tradition still continues.

$20 challenge balance $9326.00

I received a $102 dividend from my qualcomm stock today. I will add that to the $20 challenge.

New total $9321.00

We accepted the offer on our spec house from the young couple that has been wanting it for several months.
I lowereed the price by $20,000a and agreed to pay their $7000 in closing costs. We weill be losing money on the house after we pay the real estate commission, but we just wanted to be rid of the house and the lawn upkeep. (It is also next door to the couple that made our lives miserable this past year, and I would do anything to get away from them.)

Now, we have to wait 21 days for due diligence (whatever that is) to see if the mortgage and other requirements (appraisal, inspection, etc.) go thru.
I am adding $1 for the first day, $2 for the second day and so on, until we know that the house sale is definate. That is one way to spice up my $20 challenge. The balance as of today is $9209.00.

Happy father's day to all our male SA posters!! To the ladies, please wish your dear hubbys a happy father's day for me.
We celebrated last night by going out to eat. Yesterday marks the end of one year, since we sold our last house. The couple turned out to be the most annoying couple we have ever met and they bothered us constantly. (Their shower towel bar fell off twice, things like that) Our one year warranty on their house is up, and we celebrated that too!
I earned $52 back on our chase credit card, so I am adding that to the challenge.

Prev. total $9146.00
today 52.00
new total $9198.00

I got a check from my Capitalone quicksilver visa card. It was for $13 which I will add to my challenge.

Prev. total 9100.00
today 13.00
new total $9113.00

My husband called me yesterday on his way home from work. He saw a small dog almost get hit on a busy road. He picked up the dog and went to several houses in the area, but noone knew his owner.
He calle me, wondering what to do, and I told him to
bring the dog home.
I called him Lucky. Lucky for him, he had on a harness with his rabies tag number. We went back to the area and I went door to door, but no luck. Lucky spent the night in our garage.
Our dogs, Molly and Abbey, could hear "Lucky" out in the garage and they kept whining.
So, last night, they slep with me. Molly in the bedroom chair, and Abbey in my bed.
Abbey wanted to play, but she finally let me sleep.

Today, I called the vet (with the tag number) and they
found Lucky's owner!!! His name was Buddy and he is 14 years old. He got out of the gate and they had been looking for him. The woman told me that she did not sleep all night!! They were so happy and came to get him immediately.
WE did a good deed and maybe that will bring us good luck. (On selling the spec house, we got an offer, but are waiting on financing)

Buddy was a happy dog when he left with his owners and we feel real good about that!

$20 challenge
balance: $9098.00

Single guy made a comment that he would not like to visit Georgia in the summertime unless I lived in the mountains. I do live in the N. Ga. mountains. Many people do not realize that Georgia has mountains. (in my section)
I live close to Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in Georgia. Our building lots usually have some beautiful mountain views.
I live in a tri state area. I am only about 10 miles away from North Carolina and about 15 miles away from Tennessee. It's a nice place to live.

I did my grocery shopping today and saved $15 using my
advantage card. As usual, I will add that to my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $9054.00
today 15.00
new total $9069.00

Whatever that means!!

We ae building a cabin in a gated lake subdivision and yesterday we were given our own personal gate code.
Come and visit me. (code #1313)

WE got an offer on our spec house for sale. It is a young couple and they really want the house. It would be their first home.
They were turned down by the bank. They only have 5% to put down and their payment would be about $1300 a month. She makes good money, but he is self employed and cannot prove his income. I don't have any idea what their credit score is like.

I bought my first home at age 21. My monthly payment was $96.00
I might mention that I made $1 an hour and my husband made $1.25 back then. The house was new and cost $12,000. Because of that house, I became mortgage free at age 32 and have never had a mortgage payment since then.
The bank also wants about $7000 in closing costs. I have no idea what that is for, but we were going to pay the closing costs for them. I feel bad for them; they were so excited.