Who else is in the $20 challenge with me? I have started on my 3rd year doing this $20 challenge. I find it a fun way to save a few dollars every day and keep a running total.
Oh, I always saved money out of paychecks before, but I never kept track of the small sums I am saving. Now, when I use a coupon on get a sale using my advantage card, I put the cash into my $20 challenge. The same goes for not using any gas that day, doing surveys, unexpected checks in the mail, rebates, discounts, the stock market going up and even when the braves win a game.
Small sums do add up. I know I have saved an additional $20,000 plus for each year I have been doing the challenge.
I know that is not possible for many of you, but anything extra saved is good.
Come on, I challenge you. It is the first full day of spring. Spring into the $20 challenge with me!!

I got another small check in the mail to add to the $20 challenge. It was from Tim Horton stock. Normally, I reinvest all my dividends, but I never bought the Tim Horton stock, I got it when Wendy's spun off the stock.
I was checking on the interest I earned last month (February) compared to the interest earned in January. It was $350 less in February.
That is because I had too large C.D.'s come due the end of January and I had to roll them over into C.D.'s paying less interest.
My goal in life is to some day live off of my interest on C.D.'s.
Dh has never worked anywhere to get a pension; he has always been self employed. I never worked anywhere to get a pension either.
We do have IRA's but they are not worth much any more.
I can see where a big drop in interest from one month to another would really hurt. It would be hard to get by without that $350 for the month.

Of course, I am not using that interest money to live on yet. Nor am I using the big $580 in social security I get every month. I am still saving the money. But I know that someday, I will have to live on that money.

$20 challenge

Prev. total $4728.00
today 13.00
new total $4741.00

Today is the first day of spring, my favorite time of the year.
Dh has not worked much this week, so I took him grocery shopping with me yesterday. Big Mistake. I spent twice as much as usual. However, I did save $6 using my advantage card, so I will add that to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $4722.00
today 6.00
new total $4728.00

My husband built two big deer feeders which we fill with corn every night. Last night, we counted 15 deer at the feeders. He had to go refill the feeders after they ate all the corn. It is so neat to watch them running around the yard.
As for the $20 challenge, I saved $2 on ground beef yesterday, the stock market went up and I won 4 games of mah jong.
Prev. total $4715.00
today 7.00
new total $4722.00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I am wearing my green shamrock today!
I am irish and my grandparents were born in Ireland. I don't know much about them. Sadly, my grandfather died before I was born and my grandmother died the same week as my father, when I was almost 10 years old.
I don't know when they were born. My father was born in 1899, so I suspect my grandparents were born in the 1870's
I do know that my grandmother was named Julie and I was named after her.

Anyway, wear your green so you don't get pinched today!!
I got a small $4 check in the mail yesterday and I won 3 games of mah jong, so I have $7 to add to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $4708.00
today 7.00
newe total $4715.00

Do you remember Popeye's friend, Wimpy? He loved hamburgers. Well, so do I. That is why I am such a cheap date. I get a hamburger usually, when we go out to eat.
We got invited out to a friend's house for dinner last night. She served hamburgers, yum!! We had a really nice time too.
I stopped by the store this morning after cashing dh's paycheck. Bi Lo had BOGO sprite and my favorite cheese at about half price. I also got a free can of dog food. So, I saved $5 plus had a no use gas day yesterday. That is $7 more dollars for the $20 challenge.
Prev. total $4701.00
today 7.00
new total $4708.00

This week I had a very frugal week. As most of you know, my dh and I eat dinner out a lot. We go to a place we enjoy, brown bag it (drinks free) and usually spend less than $20 for dinner. Plus we take home leftovers for lunch the next day.
This week, we stayed home five nights, straight, from Sunday thru Thursday.
I had several no spend days as well plus a couple of no use gas days. The stock market went up the past two days, so I am contributing $10 to my $20 challenge cause I have not keep track of it for about 3 days.
Prev. total $4691.00
today 10.00
new total $4701.00

p.s. The $20 for dinner is for both of us.

I was not able to use my computer all day yesterday. When I tried, all I got was "cannot find server" I turned it off and would wait a few minutes, but I could never get on the internet. Boy, what a boring day!!
Today, it was the same, so I called customer service at Windstream. I got a recording and it told me to unplug my computer and wait for 2 minutes. It worked! (You can tell I know nothing about computers at all)
The stock market did go up 2 days in a row, I won two games of mah jong on Tuesday and I save $6 using coupons on my grocery shopping yesterday, so that is $10 more to add to my challenge.
Prev. total $4681.00
today 10.00
new total $4691.00

I write my husband's paycheck out on Mondays because he usually works on the weekends. Yesterday might have been his last normal paycheck for a while.
He has never been without work in the 32 years that we have been married.
However, he is almost finished with the house he has been building and he has no other houses lined up to build.
We could build a spec house, but there are hundreds of new houses in this area, just sitting, waiting to sell.
So, we will just wait, hoping that the economy will pick up.
I won 4 games of mah jong yesterday, so I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4677.00
today 4.00
new total $4681.00

Yes, that is what I am doing. Today was bridge day and the other ladies can't stand the cold like I can. I keep my house about 63, but when they come over, I turn it up to 68.
So, I got the house up to 68. Next time I looked, it was 70 in here. When I came upstairs, it was even hotter. So, now I am sitting here in shorts so I won't have to turn on the A/C. This is really nice!
I had a no use gas day yesterday and won 5 games of mah jong, so I have $7 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4670.00
today 7.00
new total $4677.00

We drove the hot rod for the first time in months last night. It does NOT have heat, so we don't drive it much in the winter. Yesterday, it warmed up to 72, even tho it was snowing a week ago.
So, we put on sweaters and drove the car out to dinner, then we cruised the town. The hot rod is a 1933 Ford victoria.
I did my grocery shopping yesterday too and saved $10 using my advantage card and some coupons. I will add that to my challenge.
Prev. total $4660.00
today 10.00
new total $4670.00

My dog is well now according to the vet today. When I took her a month ago, my bill was $400, ten days later it was $200 and today it was $115. But she is certainly worth the money. She had infected ears and a bladder infection too. I made an appointment to have her groomed next week.
With all the medicine we have been putting in her ears, she looks a little ragged. I have been calling her mud flap, cause that is what her ears look like.
So, I am glad that expense is over and I can get back to saving. I won 6 games of mah jong yesterday, so I will add that to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $4654.00
today 6.00
new total $4660.00

Let's hope she goes out like a lamb. We had windy blowing snow all day long. Fortunately for us, it has not stuck to the ground yet; it was too warm. Our biggest danger of the power going out is the wind right now.
My dh actually worked outside in this crummy weather all day long.
I got a rebate check for $50 from my chase reward card yesterday. That makes $800 I have gotten back on this card in little over a year.
Prev. total $4604.00
today 50.00
new total $4654.00

I am so glad this is the last day of february. That means that spring starts next month. Yeah, spring! Also, daylight savings starts on March 8th. I am all for more daylight too.
I saved $5 using my advantage card at Ingles yesterday and also won 4 games of mah jong, so that is $8 going into the challenge money.
Prev. total $4596.00
today 8.00
new total $4604.00


opps, I meant to say 3 games!!

I bought a can of progresso chicken noodle soup about a year ago. I am NOT a soup eater. This week, I came down with my first cold in years and I decided that chicken soup would help. I ate it and found it to be very good.
I went to the store to buy a few more cans yesterday to discover that the soup was $2.41 per can. I was shocked on the price!! Luckily, it was on sale at more than $1 off, so I bought three cans and saved over $3 dollars. I also won 2 games of mah jong yesterday, so that is $5 more to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4591.00
today 5.00
new total $4596.00

Yes, for the first time in over a week, the start market went up. (It is down today) I am not adding much to my challenge money because of this down market. However, I can add $1 for yesterday's up day, $3 for winning three games of mah jong and $2 for having a no use gas day. Every little bit helps!

Prev. total $4585.00
today 6.00
new total $4591.00

I get a check the 4th Wednesday of each month for $582 so I will add that to my $20 challenge. I also paid my electric bill and still had $80 left in my envelope so I will also add that to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $3922.00
today 663.00
new total $4585.00

Queen elizabeth, who has a personal fortune of 475 million, is cutting back this year. She has breached etiquette by wearing the same outfit more than once in public in the past year. Can you imagine that??
This came from a short article in the debt proof living newsletter that I get once a month.
Can you imagine not wearing the same outfit twice? Heck, I have two pair of jeans that I wear every single day, all week long.
I did play mah jong a lot the past few days and won 8 games, so that is $8 I will add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $3914.00
today 8.00
new total $3922.00

It is george washington's birthdy today. I have decided to celebrate by saving all the ones I have in my wallet and adding them to the challenge money.
I have 5 one dollar bills.
I saved $4 on steaks that I bought today.
I had a no use gas day = $2.
I won 2 mah jong games =$2.

I also got a $3 check from Pinecone in the mail. So that is a total of $16 to add to my challenge money.

Prev. total $3898.00
today 16.00
new total $3914.00

I have not been blogging as much, so I know I am getting behind on the small sums of money that I try and save every few days for the challenge.
I did my grocery shopping yesterday and saved $9 using my advantage card.
I know I had a couple of no use gas days this week. I have also won several mah jong games this week. So, I am adding $20 to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $3878.00
today 20.00
new total $3898.00

I just got another unexpected check in the mail. This one was from the car insurance company and was for almost $22 This it the 2nd check that I have received this week and it will be added to the $20 challenge.
However, this has been an expensive month. I spent $600 on vet bills in the past 10 days and my husband went to the chiropractor yesterday for a cost of $215. He has another appointment today and 3 more next week.
I know that I am so lucky to have hardly ever been sick in my life. (knock on wood) I have only ever been to a doctor two or three times since I was a kid.
Prev. total $3856.00
today 22.00
new total $3878.00

I was working in the kitchen this morning and hear an ad on tv. I am not sure who the ad was for, but I heard someone say, "If you have credit card debt, it is probably NOT your fault".
Now, why would it NOT be your fault?? Who forced a gun to your head and made you put charges on your credit card??
If there was a real emergency in the family or a big hosptial bill, I can understand that. But most people charge because it is something that they want.
I use to charge when I wanted something, but I changed. I decided that I needed to save up for it instead. It has worked out well for me.
I received $59 in interest on my business checking account today. I love having checking accounts that pay interest. So, every month I transfer the money to my $20 challenge account. Opps, I typed $59, but it was really $69.
Prev. total $3787.00
today 69.00
new total $3856.00

I ordered a heater that claimed it would heat 1000 square feet. My dh was finishing a new home and had no heat. As you all know, the heater's claims were not valid. It could not even heat one room, so we sent it back.
The company did credit back the money that they charge on our master card. But it cost over $27 to ship it back.

So, I wrote a letter and asked for a refund of the UPS charge and I enclosed the bill. (They said ship it back at their expense) I figured I would never hear from them, but yesterday I received a check for the full amount. so, for a 42 cent stamp, I got $27 back.

I also cashed in the change in my change jar and received $31. I will add this $58 to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $3729.00
today 58.00
new total #3787.00

I got to go to my one and only elvis concert 32 years ago today. I still have my ticket stub and the poster that I bought that night. They are in my "Elvis" room.
We had front row seats and Elvis was wonderful. He never sang better!! No wonder he was named "Entertainer of the Century"
I have $50 from my aarp envelope to add to my challenge.
Prev. total $3679
today 50
new total $3729

Friday the 13th was a good day for me. First of all, I saw an article that said people were really getting shocked about their high electric bills. My bill went down last month.
While I was reading the article, I found a quarter on the ground.
Then I got my rebate check from a building supply place that we use. It was for $515 and will be put immediately in my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $3164.00
today 515.00
new total $3679.00

I love Friday the 13th. 13 is my lucky number. I got married to my wonderful husband on Friday the 13th. My P.O. box is 13. My phone number starts with 13. When we moved to the mountains, our zip code ended in 13. When I got my new vette, the tag number ended in 13. My dog's rabies tag starts with 13.
I bet you can't even guess what the last two numbers in my husbands social security number are? You got it!!
I have $590 built up in my "new car" envelope, so I am adding that to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $2574.00
today 590.00
new total $3164.00

I hate to buy make up. I have always thought that the cost of make up is way too high too. I don't wear a lot of make up, never have.
But I do have super dry lips, so I have to use lip gloss or lipstick all the time.I was almost out of lipstick and knew I had to buy a new tube at a cost of over $6. (what a rip off) So, I was happy to find that they had my shade on sale today, buy one, get one free. So, I saved over $6 which I will add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $2568.00
today 6.00
new total $2574.00

Yesterday, I spent some time looking for the cookie jar. 32 years ago, my friend gave me a 4 piece tupperware canister set as a wedding present. I always used the largest canister as a cookie jar (canister). It was bright orange and really hard to miss. I have a large walk in pantry and always kept it in there.
Yesterday, we played bridge and I was looking for the cookie jar. It took me forever, but I finally found it in a cabinet below the telephone.
It seems that my cleaning ladies found it sitting on the counter and put it away. But, not in the pantry.
Well, we had our cookies (and other stuff) and enjoyed our bridge game. I won't leave it sitting out anymore on the countertop.
Sunday, I played a lot of mah jong and won 7 times. So, that is $7 to add to the $20 challenge.
Prev. total $2461.00
today 7.00
new total $2468.00

I had an expensive day yesterday. I took my sweet dog to the vets and they ran all kinds of tests. She does have an infection in both ears, plus a problem with her urinary tract. We have medicine for both problems and I have to take her back in 10 days, then in 30 days. total cost, almost $400, but of course, she is worth a million to me.

I did take her home to rest and then went back to town to grocery shop. Using my advantage card, I saved $6. The stock market went up yesterday, so that is another $1 to add to the challenge.
I did update my net worth last week, but we won't even talk about that.

Prev. total $2554.00
today 7.00
new total $2561.00

I was snowed in yesterday, so I played mah jong all day. I won 5 games plus had a no use gas day, so that is $7 to add to the challenge money.
Prev. total $2547.00
today 7.00
new total $2554.00