I did my grocery shopping yesterdaysince we did not play bridge. I was surprised to find that I saved $13 using my Ingles advantage card.
We did however spend money yesterday. DH had to replace his worn out cell phone. He has had it for over 6 years and it quit working. He uses it all the time to order materials. That cost us $96 but he will get $50 back in a rebate check.
I don't know if he has figured out how to use the phone yet, but he is playing with the camera part of it. He took a picture of the dog and of the floor. I am happy NOT to have a cell phone!
I will be adding the $13 grocery cash plus a small $3 check to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $6266.00
today 16.00
new total $6282.00

It has been very hot here. It is almost 90 degrees here today. I am paying the last of the under budget electric bills for a while. This bill was $60 under budget but both a/c's running full blast, I am sure I will have a much higher bill next month.

The braves won their last two games; the stock market went up today, so that makes a total of $63 to add to my $20 challenge today.

Prev. total $6203.00
today 63.00
new total $6266.00

I found a penny today. Like some of you, I decided to keep a total of the change I find for the year. Not too many change droppers around here. My biggest find was 2 quarters in a vending machine on Jan. 6th. Since then, I have found 2 dimes and 4 pennies for a grand total of 74 cents for the year!!
I saved $7 using my Ingles card at the grocery store today, so I will add that to my challenge.

Prev. total $6196.00
today 7.00
new total $6203.00

I own 558 shares of Wendy's stock. Today I got aa dividend check from Wendy's. It was for 2 cents a share! Now, I am $11.16 richer! I will add that to my challenge!

Prev. total $6185.00
today 11.00
new total $6196.00

I have not seen I love Lucy reruns in years. All of a sudden, I have found a bath of them on tv. I forgot how cute some of the shows were. Sorry, but I think tv was much funnier in the "good old days"

In honor of father's day, we will be having steak for supper tonight! (of course, he will have to fix it himself) I saved $2 today at bi lo.

Prev. total 6183.00
today 2.00
new total $6185.00

p.s., I meant to say batch! not bath!

I got another pinecone check today. That makes 4 of them in the past month. They also sent me a free product to try out.
Yesterday, the stock market went up; and the braves won. With my pinecone check, I have $5 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $6178.00
today 5.00
new total $6183.00

We have a land closing this afternoon. I swear, I am becoming land - poor.
This is the 7th lot that we have bought in the past year and a half. There is a land company in Tennessee that is going around buying large land tracts around here and then having huge land sales! I have got to quit going!

But the prices are so much better than they were just a few years ago. We bought two lots with beautiful long distance mountain views. They were selling for $120,000 each a few years ago. We got them for $45,000 and $40,000.

The lot we are closing on today is a lake view lot with a private boat dock. It is just beautiful!

I did my grocery shopping today and I saved $7 with my advantage card, so I will add that to the challenge.

Prev. total $6171.00
today 7.00
new total $6178.00

My dividend check from Tim Horton arrived today. It is for $29 and some change. I also saved $2 when I bought canberry juice on sale this morning. This will be added to the challenge. I had a great time playing bridge all afternoon.

Pre. total $6140.00
today 31.00
new total $6171.00

My dog Molly is pure white. She looks like a maltese, but she is a actually a maltipoo. (mother was a pure black poodle)

Today, I took the garbage bag out of the container and left it sitting on the floor of the pantry. (Molly's room) When I came back, she had ripped into the bag and gotten into the spagetti sauce I had thrown out yesterday. Boy, what a sight! Her face was red!!! Bright red!!

I threw her into the sink and scrubbed and scrubbed on her. She looks better, but still a little pink!

The braves won yesterday and I am having a no use gas day today, so $3 added to the challenge.

Prev. $6137.00
today 3.00
new bal $6140.00

I used a $2 off coupon today to buy some hair coloring. I have been doing my own hair coloring for about 40 years. It is no telling how much money I have saved by not going to a beauty parlor.
I also got several ace coupons in the mail today for $5 and $10 off merchandise. I shall use them when I buy dog food.
I got a pinecone check for $3 and the braves won last night. That is a total of $6 for the $20 challenge with the ace coupons to be counted when I use them.

Prev. total $6131.00
today 6.00
new total $6137.00

Imentioned yesterday in my blog, that we had charged the appliances for the spec house, to our Sears card. Then I found out that Sears charges 25% interest on their cards. No, I am not paying the 25% interest. I will pay the card off in full next week like I do all my credit cards. I use credit crds that pay me back for using them. I generally earn a $50 check each month cause dh shops at home depot so much. I get 3% back at home improvement stores.

Ths stock market went up yesterday and today and the braves won their last two games; that's $4 more for the challenge.

Prev. total $6127.00
today 4.00
new total $6131.00

I am continuing my $30 a day challenge. I vowed to put away $30 a day starting on Jan 1st, 2012.
May had 31 days, so I managed to save $930 to put into my ING account. I am not adding this to the $20 challenge.
However, yesterday the stock market went up slightly and the braves won, so I will add that $2 to the $20 challenge.

prev. total $6125.00
today 2.00
new total $6127.00

I did my grocery shopping today and I managed to save $10 using my Ingles card. Of course, I will add this to the $20 challenge!

Prev. total $6115.00
today 10.00
new total $6125.00

I love to play bridge. We play every Monday afternoon at my house. However, last Monday was a holiday, so we did not play. It felt good to get back to bridge this afternoon.
The braves won yesterday; I had a no use gas yesterday and a $3 pinecone check came in the mail today. That is $6 for the challenge.

Prev. total $6109.00
today 6.00
new total $6115.00

For several years, we have been getting rebate checks from a local building supply place. I love getting the checks; but they seem few and far between. Sometimes, I only get 2 per year.
The manager of the store has suggest that we get a discount every month that we pay the bill on time. That is fine with me. I will just write myself my own rebate check each month. I always add that to the $20 challenge.
So, this week, when I pay the bill, I will add my $91 rebate check to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $6018.00
today 91.00
new total $6109.00

WE had planned to be in our first car show for the year, last night. My husband has a bright red 1933 ford victoria, which is quite "souped up"
The Sears delivery guys were supposed to deliver the appliances to the spec house between 2-4. Then dh would come home, primp the car a little and we would take it to the show at 5 pm. I don't usually go, cause the show is out in the hot open field at Wal Mart's, but yesterday the weather was cool. I was even going to take my baby, Molly, with me.
Well, the appliances did not arive until almost 7 pm, so we did not go to the show at all.
No braves game last night either, as they got rained out. Thank goodness they finally stopped their string of losses. They had lost 8 in a row. Finanlly, they won the last 2, so I will add $2 to the challenge.

Prev. total $6016.00
today 2.00
new total $6018.00

I add the interest from my ING account to my $20 challenge every month. This month, I am adding $103.00

Prev. total $5913.00
today 103.00
new total $6016.00

I aws $60 under budget on my electric bill this month. I am sure this will be the last month for a while, to be under budget. It is getting hot and thee A/C is kicking on every afternoon, which is the biggest expense for me. I got my little Molly's shots all up to date today, so I am good for a while with her.

Prev. total $5853.00
today 60.00
new total $5913.00

Happy graduation for many who are graduating tonight. Our little town's high school will be having a graduating service. I have a girlfriend whose daughter is graduating down in Florida.
It has not been a good week. The stock market was down all week; the braves lost 4 games in a row and my little Molly was sick and had to go to the vet. She is much better now.
I stocked up on sprite zero on sale and saved $10 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $5783.00
today 10.00
new total $5793.00

Although my dh has been building a spec house this year, he has also been busy on other projects.
He built a large house about 10 years ago. The owners wanted to turn their open back deck into a family room, so dh did that for a few months.
My bridge partner wanted a new garage, do dh has built that for her and her hubby.
Then, people he built a house for two years ago, wanted their basement finished up, so dh has been working on that.
He just finished up the basement yesterday and came home with a final check to cover the expenses. On top of that, they gave him a $300 bonus in cash!

Now, I must add that to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $5483.00
today 300.00
new total $5783.00

I took my dog into get groomed today. She is a maltipoo and pure white. She looks so pretty and smells so good now. I know it is a luxury, but I love getting her groomed.
I did my grocery shopping while she was being groomed and saved $5 using my advantage card. The braves won both Sat. and Sun., so that is another $2; for a total of $7 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $5476.00
today 7.00
new total $5483.00

I got a pinecone check in the mail today for $3. I had a no usse gas day for $2 and the braves won. That is $6 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $5470.00
today 6.00
new total $5476.00

I got my first mother's day card today. It was from my maltapoo (maltese and poodle) Molly!

I had a no use gas day yesterday, so $2 will be added to the challenge.

Prev. total $5468.00
today 2.00
new total $5470.00

I like May. Usually you don't have to run the heat or air. It is a little warm, so the a/c does run some in the evenings. The braves won Sunday and I had a no use gas day yesterday, $3 for the challenge.

Prev. total $5465.00
today 3.00
new total $5468.00

WE got a nice rebate check from a building supply company today. They have been sending us rebate checks for years, but you just never know when you are going to get one. They never come monthly like I wish they would. I am, as usual, adding this to my challenge money.

Prev. total $4921.00
today 544.00
new total $5465.00

We went to a cinco de mayo party last night. We got there early. Each couple put $5 in the pot and drew a name of a horse that was running in the Ky. derby. Of course, we did not win. I think dh's horse came in last.

Then we played a game that involved toilet plungers and toilet paper. Iwas on the winning team and received a free bottle of toilet cleaner.
I do not like mexican food, so I filled up on dessert instead. (always my favorite)

The braves came from behind to win last night and I had a no use gas day, so $3 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $4918.00
today 3.00
new total $4921.00

DH attended his first ever major league ball game yesterday. I was so excited for him.
He built a house about 10 years ago for a couple that retired to this area from Atlanta. He was the head of trade and tourism for the state of Georgia.
As we do for most couples we build for, we remained good friends with them.
Last summer, my dh turned their ourdoor back deck into a large (500 sq.ft.) family room. They were so thrilled with how the room turned out, they wanted to take him to an Atlanta Braves game!
I was invited to, but I am terrified of traffic; I won't even travel on the interstate at all.

So, the guys took the day off and went to the daytime game yesterday. My husband loved it, even tho he mentioned that you have to drive 75 miles per hour, or get run over. The other guy did the driving. He has lived in Atlanta all his life, so he was use to it.

Dh could not get over all the huge buildings in Atlanta. We have lived all our lives in small towns.
He is ready to go back. He will invite the friend to go to a daytime game next year, if the friend will drive. Even dh didn't like the traffic!

Sadly, the braves did not win. They did, however, come from behind the night before (May2nd) to win. I got a dollar bill in the mail yesterday, so $2 will be added to the challenge..

Prev. total $4916.00
today 2.00
new total $4918.00

I am adding the ING interest I received last month to the $20 challenge. The amount is going down each month cause I am using the money in the ING account to finish up the spec house.

Prev. total $4811.00
today 105.00
new total $4916.00

Today is the first of May, so happy May day! When I was a kid in Virginia, we had a big maypole and aa carnival at my school. I guess they don't celebrate it like that any more.
Yesterday, the stock market went up ($1) and today I took all my change to the bank ($39), so I will add that to my challenge money.

Prev. total $4771.00
today 40.00
new total $4811.00

A few years ago, I decided to sell some stocks so we could use the cash to build spec homes.
When I sold the two stocks, home depot and Merck, they must have just declared a dividend. When I got my checks, it seemed that I still owned a small fractional share of each stock.
I have kept these shares, thinking I might reinvest in the drip programs, but have decided against that.

So, I sent off the forms to sell these small shares. Yesterday in the mail, I got a check from home depot for $102.00 I aso got a $3 check from Pinecone and and $50 rewards check from my Chase mastercard. I get at least $50 from Chase every month. They pay 3% back on home improvement and dh spends a lot at home depot every month. (he is a builder)

So, that is $155 I can add to the challenge today.

Prev. total $4520.00
today 155.00
new total $4675.00