Since I put up my christmas tree so early, (it came in in October and I wanted to see if I liked it enough to keep it) I decided to put some presents in front of it today.
About three years ago, I made a great purchase at QVC. For about $25 I bought a selection of beautiful christmas gift bags with tissue paper.
Since it is just dh and I (I sent the granddaughters checks), we re use the bags over and over each year.
So, in just a matter of a few minutes, I got about 10 gifts assembled and under the tree. (We don't give expensive gifts, just things like shirts, socks, good stuff to pig out on, etc.)

Ho Ho HO!!

In case no one has noticed, today is Friday the 13th. The only Friday the 13th of the entire year. I got married on Friday the 13th, so it has always been a lucky day for me.
I had to take my puppy in today to get groomed. She had gotten terrible matted. ( a maltese) They really had to shave her down to get out all those mats, but she looks real cute. (and a lot skinnier)

That is all I am eating today. I am having a colonoscopy tomorrow.
I am thinking about Fern and how much she disliked the moviprep she had to drink. I start drinking the same thing at 6 pm, then I have to get up at 4 am and drink another quart.
You don't realize how hungry you will get. I have not had anything but two popcicles since before midnight last night and will not get to eat until about 11 am tomorrow! My tummy is certainly protesting.
At least the rain has stopped. The cream is so full, it almost came out of it's banks.
I have not added to the challenge in a few days, but I have 7 $1 bills to add today.
Prev. total $15,148.00
today 7.00
new total $15,155.00

How are foreclosures in your area? They are really bad here in this small town. We only have a weekly paper, but it is full of foreclosures every week. Sadly, I recognize a lot of the names. The biggest real estate brokerage house in town is even being foreclosed on. It once had over 50 employees. This has been going on for over a year, I don't see any signs of anything getting any better. I just wonder how your area is doing?

It is time to start collecting for your local food pantry or food bank. Actually, anytime is a good time with so many people being out of work.
If you still have a job and can afford it, please pick up a few items to donate. Here is some of the things they want:
canned potatoes
canned peas
bagged rice
canned chicken and tuna
chunky soups
peanut butter and jelly
powdered milk
mac and cheese

Please help out if you can. I buy 3 or 4 items every week and will take them in before thanksgiving.

I check my bank accounts almost every day and noticed that the bank had lowered the interest rate they pay. When I first opened these checking accounts, the bank was paying 3.19 for an entire year.
We have to keep a lot of cash in the bank for building spec houses. We never take out a loan to build a house, so I was pretty happy with that rate.
When the end of the year was up, the bank lowered the rate to 2% in July. Last month, they lowered the rate to 1.75% and today I noticed it was down to 1.49%.
I can remember the good old days when banks paid 6% and 8% and people could actually live on their interest if they were careful.

Lux got me to thinking about that? I have 2 plots that my mother purchased when I was a little girl and my father passed away.
Thanks to Lux, I was able to find a website with a phone number to call, but I was wondering if any of you know the average cost today?

Once a year I have to complete my husband's building license renewal for the state of North Carolina. Even tho we live in Georgia, N.C. is only 10 miles away and he has built houses there also.
N.C. requires you to turn in a financial statement to prove your net worth.
When I first joined this site, I discovered networthiq, so I pretty much do my net worth every month. That made doing the renewal pretty easy.
Our networth did go up slightly, but we are not saving nearly as much as we did in previous years. I have to blame this on the economy. My dh is just not working as many hours as he use to. He only has one house going now, as opposed to two or three.
However, I am just grateful that he has work at all and even small amounts of savings are better than none at all.

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

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.

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

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!

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!

One thing I like about computers is that I can track my balances at the banks; checking, savings, and Certificates of deposit.
I check my balances every day except on the weekend and keep track of all my outstanding checks.
Imagine my surprise when I checked my balance this morning and found a $16,000 error made today, in MY favor!
Of course, I know they will find it when they balance this afternoon, but it is fun to see a much larger sum in my checking account, even if just for a few hours.

I hate to remind you all of that, but the time is fast approaching! Three months from today! The braves won their last game and I had a no use gas day today. $3 more to the challenge.
Prev. total $13,891.00
today 3.00
new total $13,894.00

Well, the rain in North georgia has finally stopped for a while and the sun is out! Dh managed to go back to work today but came home a little early. He is trying to get the grass cut before dark. (We have 2 acres, all grass)
The braves won twice in a row; the stock market went up yesterday; and I had a no use gas day. That is $5. Today, I saved another $5 by using my Ingles advantage card at the grocery store, so that is a total of $10 for the challenge.
Prev. total $13,868.00
today 10.00
new total $13,878.00

What a pain in the neck that can be. Our county changed everyone's address this week to update their 911 system. Most of us have the same street, but all of the house numbers have changed. I have so many account, mutual funds, individual stocks, etc. and I will have to change the address on all of them.
Oh well, the stock market went up on Wednesday, the braves won on Wednesday (I am a day behind) and I saved $3 using my Ingles advantage card, so $5 more to add to the challenge fund.
Prev. total $13,130.00
today 5.00
new total $13,135.00

I had to run to the bank this morning to cash dh's paycheck, so I turned in all the change I have saved for the past month. I have $34 to add to the challenge money.
Prev. total $13,089.00
today 34.00
new total $13,123.00

I got a pinecone check for $3 yesterday. I did two surveys in a row, so I should get another check this coming week. The braves won 3 games in a row, so that is $6 more to add to my challenge account.
My dh made it home safely from the car show in Pigeon forge. The best thing was, he did NOT find a car he just has to have. You can tell we have never been apart very long, I really missed him and he was only gone 13 hours!
Prev. total $13,083.00
total 6.00
new total $13,089.00

Yes, I am home alone today. For the first time in over 25 years my dh has gone to the Shades of the Past car show in Pigeon Forge,Tn.
I have a fairly new puppy, so I stayed home with both dogs. In a way, we have saved money, cause we generally spent about $500 for a motel room two nights and many nice meals out.
But it sure felt funny to wish him a good trip at 5 am. this morning. We are almost never apart other than his work.
The braves have won their last two games and since I have no singles, I am adding $5 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $13,078.00
today 5.00
new total $13,083.00

I picked up my older dog from the vets yesterday and paid a $274 vet bill. I had paid $150 on tuesday. This was for teeth cleaning and 2 extractions.
I have figured out what I have spent on the two dogs this year and it comes to $1800. Of course, I am so lucky that my medical bills for the past three years, has come to 0.
I called an made a doctor appt. yesterday. When the receptionist asked me what I was coming in for, I said, I am coming in for nothing. I have not been there for 3 years and I am afraid he will drop me as a patient.
Holly has another ear infection, so that means I have to go back to the vets in 10 days. I am so glad I have the money to keep my babies well.
The stock market went up two days in a row, the braves won a game and I had a no use gas day on Wednesday, so I can add $5 to my challenge money.
prev. total $13,073.00
today 5.00
new total $13,078.00