Dh and I went to a land closing this morning. We have attended 3 land sales the past 6 months and bought a lot at each one of them. (For less than half of the original price)
At the last closing, I noticed after I got home, that I was charged $50 for UPS overnight fees. We went to the closing in person, since it is only 4 miles away.

I carefully checked the closing papers today to make sure we were not charged the overnight fees again. When I mentioned to the paralegal that we had paid that fee in December, she immediately wrote me a check and refunded the $50. I am so happy that I mentioned this.

The braves won twice, the stock market went up yesterday, so $53 will be added to the challenge.

Prev. total $11,126.00
today 53.00
new total $11,179.00

When I first joined saving advice I was eating dinner out almost every night. Well, the economy has changed and now we eat most of our meals at home. When you do splurge to go out to eat, it seems like a real treat. Plus, I always bring home enough for another meal or two.
I put out more food for the food pantry. Again today, I did not see anyone else do this.
I ran to the store to get hamburger for supper tomorrow and saved $2 (It was on sale) When I got home, there was a check in the mail from Wendy's for $11. That is a dividend of about 2 cents a share. Oh well, $13 more for the challenge.

Prev. total $11,113.00
today 13.00
new total $11,126.00

I wonder how the food drive for the food bank went today. I drove into town to buy steaks on sale and I did not see even one bag of food hanging off of anyone's mailbox. I live in a very nice neighborhood and no one had put anything out. I had two bags, one outside the mail box and one inside. I have so more food for tomorrow's pick up. I don't see why everybody can't help out a little.
I got a pinecone survey check today for $3, the braves won and the stockmarket went up yesterday ( a little) so I have $5 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $11,108.00
today 5.00
new total $11.113.00

lucky 13!

I am adding my money market account interest to my $20 challenge. I did not use to add interest until I made a 4% loan (several) to some friends. The interest was really nice, so I added it to my challenge money. Sadly (for me) they paid me back, so I put the money into ING and into a money market account. I am taking the interest I earn every month in these two accounts to add to my challenge money.

Prev. total $10,193.00
today 105.00
new total $10,298.00

I ran to the grocery store today to get something for dinner tonight. It seems like the price of everything has gone up lately. I got a 4 pack of cottonelle toilet paper. The price was now $3.76 for a four pack; that is almost $1 a roll. Luckily, I had a coupon for $2.50 off. With that, and my Ingles card, I saved $6 on my small purchase. The braves won last night and again today, so that is $8 for my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $10,185.00
today 8.00
new total $10,193.00

That is the verdict when I took my older dog to the vet yesterday. Her knee is out of the knee joint and that is why she is limping. The vet is going to try a series of shots to see if that will help,otherwise, the only thing to do is surgery. She is 11 now and may be getting to old for surgery. At least I feel she is not acting in any pain.
The braves won last night and I had a no use gas today, so $3 will go to the challenge.
Prev. total $10,182.00
today 3.00
new total $10,185.00

I keep a running total of my mutual funds over at Vanguard. I have noticed that my total mutual funds has been going steadily down since the end of April. I have lost over $20,000 in value in about 6 weeks. I sure hope this economy picks up soon, The stock market did go up a bit yesterday and the braves won 2 days in a row, so I have $3 for my challenge money.

Prev. total $10,179.00
today 3.00
new total $10,182.00

I did my grocery shopping yesterday. I am trying to buy a lot of extra food for the food bank. The Post office is doing a food drive for them on June 17th. There are so many people out of work around this area. Just today I noticed that a pet store that has been here forever is closed and empty.
Most of the work is construction and there is just nothing going on. It is even hard to get materials. My dh tried to order some hardwood flooring two weeks ago and was told yesterday that they can't get it for another two weeks. He is going to have to pay more and get it at home depot.
I saved $7 using my Ingles card yesterday and the braves won, so $8 gets added to the challenge money.

Prev. total $10,171.00
today 8.00
new total $10,179.00

Dh is still home for the 3rd day in a row. His back is better but still not up to laying any hardwood flooring. He did manage to cut the grass on a riding mower. He also is well enough to go to the antique car show on the square today. Another spendy day. We did have our grading guy haul away a bunch of limbs and take down a dead tree.
I saved $2 on hamburger on sale at the store and the braves came from behind to win in the 9th; so $3 more can go to the challenge.

Prev. total $10,168.00
today 3.00
new total $10,171.00

I have gotten behind in the $20 challenge and I really don't know how much I owe. I know the braves have won 2 out of the last 4 games. The stock market went up one day this week and on Monday, I had a no use gas day. That adds up to $5 but to be sure, I am adding $7 to the challenge today. Dh is still not working and has gone back to the chiropractor today.

Prev. total $10,161.00
today 7.00
new total $10,168.00

I am adding the interest on my ING account and my money market checking account to my challenge money. The ING account credited the interest today, so I will make the addition.
Prev. total $10,015.00
today 146.00
new total $10,161.00

We got some really nice rebate checks in the mail. Dh attended alunch at the local building supply and one of the vendors was talking to him about his product. It is like hardiplank siding, but better. The company was offering a$250 rebate to first time users. Dh picked up the form and we mailed them the receipt cause we just used it on our spec house. Today the check for $250 came as well as a check for $416 which is a rebate from our building supply place.
$666 today just for buying stuff we needed for building. Sweet!

Prev. total $ 9349.00
today 666.00
bew total $10,015.00

The party we went to last night was great! Lots of good food, drinks and live music!
I did my grocery shopping this morning and saved $12 by using my Ingles card. Of course, this will be added to the challenge money.

Prev. total 9337.00
today 12.00
new total 9349.00

We had to go to Blue Ridge this morning to get some tile at the home depot there. (It is where North Georgia gal lives) They were out of the tile at our Home depot.
There was an awful lot of traffic on the road. You all be careful driving this weekend.
We are invited to a Memorial day party tonight. I have a tie dye shirt that looks like the flag, so I think I will wear that. I must look true American!
The stock market went up yesterday and I got aa dollar bill in the mail for a survey I did, so $2 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $9335.00
today 2.00
new total $9337.00

Whenever I take my puppy to be groomed, I miss her so much while she is gone. That happened this morning and I am so glad she is home with me now. She is already 2 years old, but until she quits snitching my slippers and shaking them, she is still my puppy. She is the sweetest thing and now she smells sweet too. I never regret the money I spend on the dogs grooming.
I really don't know how anyone can live without a pet. My dogs are a joy to me! I haven't been on a trip or vacation without a pet in over 30 years. I just can't leave them behind!
I got a check in the mail from pinecone, the stock market went up yesterday, the braves won and I found a dollar in an old purse for a total of $6 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $9329.00
today 6.00
new total $9335.00

We were under budget on the electric bill again this month. This probably will not happen for the next several months. It is starting to get warm here and we will have to run the air conditioning. As usual, I will add this money to the $20 challenge. I am so glad that Jeffrey started this challenge several years ago. Even tho he does not feature this challenge anymore, I am still sticking to it and I have saved a lot of money.
Prev. total $9269.00
today 60.00
new total $9329.00

We sold the spec house. My dh's spec houses always use to sell quickly and usually to the first couple that looks at it. This time it was no different. The first couple that looked at it offered the price we were asking. We are going to have to convert the garage into a rec room, but dh has done that before. He is the best carpenter in the world, so it will look good.
WE felt so good about it! We have not sold a spec house since 2006, so we had no idea how long this would sit on the market. (dh has been building custom homes, but he likes spec homes better)
We looked at land last night and made an offer, so we have the next property lined up for another spec.

I guess we need to celebrate!!

My usual e.o.m. check came in today, so I will add that to the challenge money.

Prev. total $8783.00
today 486.00
new total $9269.00

A bear came the other night and tore up all the feeders. This happened last year too, but we were able to straighten them out. This time, they had to both be tossed and they were pretty expensive. They were squirrel proof, but apparently not bear proof.
I went back to Ingles today to stock up on some more sprite zero. It was half price this week, so I saved $10. I will add this to the challenge.

Prev. total $8287.00
today 10.00
new total $8297.00

I got some good deals at the grocery store today. I usually pay $4.98 for a 12 pack of diet sprite; today it was 4/12 packs for $10. I got several meals worth of chicken for under $4. Dh is going to cook it on the grill tonight and have lunches for the rest of the week, plus supper tonight. All in all, using my advantage card, I saved $15 which I will add to my challenge money.

prev. total $8272.00
today 15.00
new total $8287.00

The monthly interest got added to my account at my local bank. I am adding the interst I get there and in my ING account to my $20 challenge. I use to have the money loaned out at 4%. Now i am getting a pitiful 9/10th of 1 percent.
The good news is that we got our first lookers at the spec house we put up for sale last Friday the 13th.
Prev. total $8157.00
today 115.00
new total $8272.00

I was watching the braves game this afternoon. Things did not look very good. The Braves were down 1 to 0 and it was the bottom of the 9th with two outs. Well, they did it, they tied the game with a home run and finally won the game in the 11th inning.
I said to my self, if they come from behind to win, I will be adding another $5 to my challenge. So they won last night and today, for a total of $7 to the challenge.

Prev. total $8146.00
today 7.00
new total $8153.00

I had to turn the heat back on when I got up this morning. It was a gloomy looking day, but I got to play bridge all afternoon. Yesterday , the braves won and I had a no use gas day today, so I have $3 to add to my challenge money.

Prev. total $8143.00
today 3.00
new total $8146.00

We went out to dinner on our anniversary and the owners of the restaurant insisted that they pay for it. Dh had done some work there last week and I told them, no charge. They have been our friends for years.
I did my grocery shopping this morning and somehow managed to save $13 using my advantage card, plus the braves won Thursday night and Saturday afternoon, so I have $15 to add to my challenge money.

Prev. total $8128.00
today 15.00
new total $8143.00

Today I called a real estate agent to talk to her about listing the spec house that my dh is building. The outside is finished and the drywall inside is all done. It is on a remote road so we have not had any lookers.
The realtor can not meet me tomorrow because she has some clients coming into town and needs to spend the day with them.
Instead she is going to meet me on Friday at 1 p.m. I am serious, she suggested the time!

That is the 13th hour of the 13th day of the month, Friday, May 13th. 13 is my lucky number! I hope that is a good sign. Also, this Friday the 13th is my anniversary!

The stock market went up yesterday, I saved $3 on steak at Bi Lo and a friend repaid a small $50 loan yesterday. That is $54 for me to add to my challenge.

Prev. total $8064.00
today 54.00
new total $8118.00

I am taking my corvette payment money each month and adding it to my $20 challenge. Dh still has not found out that I paid off the car two months ago. shhhhhhhh................

Prev. total $8064.00
today 660.00
new total $8724.00

The braves won last night and the stock market went up today. The weather is perfect here and all the flowers and rose bushes are in full bloom. I have a coosa dogwood tree that is beautiful. (Only one I have ever seen)
What a beautiful day!

Prev. total $8062.00
today 2.00
new total $8064.00

I want to wish all of the ladies here at saving advice, a very happy mother's day. We are just having a quiet day here, with dh outside doing yard work.
I had a no use gas day and saved $6 using my Ingles card yesterday, so $8 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $8054.00
today 8.00
new total $8062.00

It is still cold here in the north Georgia mountains. I woke up to the heat running this morning and I only keep it set on 64. It was so cold Thursday morning that we had to cover all the new plants cause we got frost. I will be glad when it warms up.
The stock market went up yesterday; the braves won last night and I saved $3 on some items for sale at Bi lo. That gives me $5 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $8049.00
today 5.00
new total $8054.00

My Atlanta braves came thru for me yesterday and won both of their games. ( They got rained out on Tuesday, so played 2 games on Wednesday) I will add $2 to my challenge fund.

Prev. total $8047.00
today 2.00
new total $8049.00

I just filled up my car for $4.30 a gallon. I use premium in the corvette and it cost me over $60 to fill it up.
Yesterday, we got our tax refund. I did not file until April 15th, so I thought that was pretty fast. We also got another check. My dh did a small job for a former customer and we received the check yesterday for $115. I had a no use gas day, so will add that $2 to the $115 check for a total of $117 for the challenge.