The braves won yesterday, the stock market went up and I won one game of mahjong. That is $3 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $9840.00
today 3.00
new total $9843.00

Happy mother's day from me, also. I got my first payment slip on the new van yesterday. It is very low interest, so we financed the whole thing. I had too much money set aside in the van envelope, so I can put the rest on the challenge.
Pre. total $9785.00
today 55.00
new total $9840.00

The stock market was up yesterday. The braves pulled it out of the fire in the 9th inning and won yesterday. I stayed home all day and used no gasoline. I will add that $3 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $9782.00
today 3.00
New total $9785.00

I have used the envelope method for over 40 years and I love it.
Sometimes when I fund something and pay it off, I just keep adding the money to the envelope anyway.
A few weeks ago I paid off my car, but I keep funding that envelope. I also have what I call my "ridge" money. That was some land I had been making payments on, but have since paid off.
so, I have $760 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $9022.00
today 760.00
new total $9782.00

That is all I hear on tv lately, doom and gloom. I know gas and food prices are up, but as a life long saver, that has not affected my life too much. I have decided to just BE HAPPY!
The stock market was up on Tuesday and the braves won their last two games, so I will add $3 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $9019.00
today 3.00
new total $9022.00

I finally received a check from inbox dollars. I ordered it on March 23 and it came yesterday. It took me 15 months to earn $30 (the minimum) and then they take out $3 for handling fees. I have decided that I am not going to mess with them anymore. I had to click on that site 1000 times to earn that much.
The braves won Sunday and I won 2 games of mahjong, so with my check, I have a total of $30 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $8989.00
today 30.00
new total $9019.00

I went grocery shopping early this morning. I saved $6 using coupons and my grocery card.Last night the braves won and I won 3 games of mahjong, so that totals $10. I also have my term insurance money to add to the challenge, for a total of $50.
Prev. total $8939.00
today 50.00
new total $8989.00

I did my net worth yesterday, it went up about $17,000 but that is because the stock market went up for the month. The stock market went up yesterday, the braves won and I won 3 mahjong games, so that is $5 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $8934.00
today 5.00
new total $8939.00

Well, one thing about playing this mahjong game, it certainly is adding money to my $20 challenge money. I won 5 games yesterday and the stock market went up, so that is $6 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $8928.00
today 6.00
new total $8934.00

I got three checks in the mail yesterday, $94.68 from state farm (refund), $5.00 from a pinecone survey and $3.43 from over payment on my car pay off. That is a total of $103 to add to my challenge money.
prev. total 8825.00
today 103.00
new total 8928.00

I got two coupons in the mail for a free container of Beneful. That is the only dog food my little Holly will eat. So, I cashed them in yesterday, saving myself almost $4. I will add that to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $8821.00
today 4.00
new total $8825.00

I was bragging about not using the heat or a/c for two weeks, yesterday. Well, last night, the heat ran all night. We had a pretty good frost on the ground. I hope the hummingbirds did not freeze.
Yesterday was not a good day for the braves or the stock market, but I did win 6 mah jong games, so I will add that $6 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $8815.00
today 6.00
new total $8821.00

I have not run the heat or a/c for about 2 weeks now. I love that. Actually, it got pretty cool last night, but the house only got down to 64. I have it set (heat) at 63! I guess I need to start reading the meter every day like I use to and writing it down. I have been happy with my power bill all winter.
Yesterday, i won $4 games of mahjong, so I will add $4 to my challenge.
prev. total $8811.00
today 4.00
new total $8815.00

Today is the day I play bridge so there will be no money spent today. The gals are coming over to my house and I am glad. One gal broke her leg 3 months ago and we have been playing at her house for a while. I am sure Holly (my puppy) will be thrilled to have company and not stay home all alone.
I did win 3 games of mahjong yesterday, so that is $3 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $8808.00
today 3.00
new total $8811.00

Today was just a nice sunday! My dh took the day off to cut grass and wash cars. (and do house work) It rained a little, but that did not stop him.
Later, we went to a local home show for a while. Then we went out to look at the big house he is building. It is so impressive looking inside.
I love the rock they are putting up, but it is so expensive!
Tonight, we are going out for 50's night at our favorite restaurant!!
I played mah jong yesterday and won 6 times, so that is $6 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $8802.00
today 6.00
new total $8808.00

Yesterday was a spendy day for me. I had to take my poodle, Holly to the groomers and he lives 14 miles away from me. Since I was close to Murphy. N.C. (about 10 miles) I decided to kill the 4 hours over there. So, I went to Wal Mart and bought stuff! I tried to also do my grocery shopping, but wound up going to Ingles also. I am glad I do not go to Wal Mart very often. They are going to be building one in our area soon and I will have to stay out of it!!
Well, the braves won last night, the stock market went up and I won one game of mahjong, so that is $3 to add to my challenge fund.
Prev. total $8799.00
today 3.00
new total $8802.00

I bought a jumbo c.d. at a new bank in a different town in January. They were advertising 4.8%
Of course, all the good rates are gone now and the highest I can find is 3.4% and I have a c.d. coming due next weeek.

Yesterday, I get a call from the head teller at the new bank. For a short time, they will be offering c.d.'s paying 4% and she wanted to let me know. You better believe that I will be there next Thursday when my c.d. matures.

The braves won last night, the stock market went up and I had a no spend day, plus won 2 games of mahjong, so $5 will be added to the challenge.
Prev. total $8794.00
today 5.00
new total $8799.00

I hear that a lot, I would love to have your husband build me a house, but i can't afford him! Why?? They don't even know what my husband charges!!
He works by the hour, he does not ever give a contract price! He doesn't know what materials are going to cost 3 months from now.

I went to a picnic yesterday and a lady from Fla. was there. She had looked at a house my husband was building and said, "oh, the house is awesome, but I could never afford him to build me a house"

The last two people that he built a house for told him that he did not charge enough!! The one lady has built several spec houses and she paid the other builder twice what my husband was charging an hour.

Plus, he saves people money cause he can do so many things. He does the plumbing and electrical. He does all the tile work. He can do rock work. He puts down, sands and paints all the hardwood floors. He does the paint and trim. He builds all the cabinets in place. He can do all the cabinets in a big house (labor and materials) for under $10,000. Go to a cabinet place and get an estimate for cabinets in 2 kitchens and 3 or 4 bathrooms!! Try $40,000 and up!!

I asked my husband last night why he thinks people tell me that they cannot afford to hire my husband to build their houses.
He said it is because we live in a big nice house and drive nice cars!! Do you think that is the reason?
I guess they don't know that I save like crazy and don't buy anything that I really don't need.

Oh well, yesterday I got a check for $551 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $8243.00
today 551.00
new total $8794.00

I sat down this morning and went over all my budget envelopes. My electric bill was under $90, so I had $70 left over for the challenge. Of course, I also had my ridge money and now I have extra money because I have paid my car off, but I continue to fund that envelope. I had several other envelopes that were very over funded, so i took that cash out to put in my challenge money also. It might as well be earning interest even if it is only 2.23%. All in all, I came up with $1335.00 to add to my challenge money. It has been a good day!!
Prev. total $6908.00
today 1335.00
new total $8243.00

For the past two years, I have been a member of Inbox dollars. It took me a whole year of reading their ads, to earn my first $30. (And they keep $3 of that for s & h)
This past year, it took me 15 months to get to the $30 range. (you can't redeem any earlier) I requested a check on March 15th, but they will not send it until May 1st.
I have decided to drop out of Inbox dollars when my check arrives. It is just not worth having to read 1000 ads to get $27.
I like NFOmy survery very much and Pinecone also. I just did a pinecone survey yesterday. They send their checks out immediately.
I won 4 games of mahjong yesterday and the braves won last night, so that is $5 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $6903.00
today 5.00
new total $6908.00

I don't like Ingles very much, but I haven't much of a choice. Our town has Ingles and Bi lo and Bi lo is fairly new. Ingles is cheaper, so that is where I shop.
They have been advertising the ice cream I like (low carb) at 2 for $6 all week. But they only had one flavor, and I like vanilla.
I have checked the store out every day, no vanilla.
I ran there this morning to make xerox copies and the sale ended last night. Now that the ice cream is regular price, they have plenty of vanilla. grrrrrrrrr!
Well, the stock market went up on Friday, the braves won and I won 6 games of mahjong, so that is $8 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $6895.00
today 8.00
new total $6903.00

I have a few more dollars for the challenge to add; the dow went up one point yesterday, the braves won a game, and I won 5 games of mahjong yesterday, so that is $7 to add to my challenge money. also, I notice that my pay off check for my car cleared the bank yesterday, so my car is officially paid off!!
Prev. total $6888.00
today 7.00
new total $6895.00

I am taking a new route to town now, because the bridge is out for two weeks. (repairs) Now, everyday I pass a very dumpy old mobile home and every time I pass it, the outside light is on. Day or night, that light is on!
Dh knows the guy that lives there; he has done siding work for dh. Dh says he is always complaining about not having much money, but he won't work more than about 4 hours a day.
Apparently, he is not very motivated to work or turn off his lights to save money.
Well, yesterday the stock market went up and I saved $2 using my bi lo card, so I will add $3 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $6885.00
today 3.00
new total $6888.00

I went out to read the meter on the propane tank this morning. I still have 18% left, or 180 gallons. That should be plenty to get me thru til it warms up. During the dead of winter, we were using 5.45 gallons of propane per day. Right now, we are using 1.75 gallons per day. We start using the heat in mid October and usually continue til about May. Thank goodness it is cheaper to ust the a/c than the heat.
I keep the heat set on 63, but i can not stand warm weather, so I keep the a/c pretty low, about 70.
The braves lost, but the dow went up and I won 4 games of Mahjong yesterday, so $5 gets added to the challenge.

Prev. total $6880.00
today 5.00
new total $6885.00

I mailed my checks off today to pay my federal income tax and my state income tax. I was actually pleased that I did not owe as much as I thought.
I had a lot of capital gains this year, but apparently the rate is pretty low right now. I have had H and R block due my taxes for the past 25 years!

On the challenge front, I had a no spend day yesterday, walked a mile and won 4 games of Mahjong, so that is $6 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $6871.00
today 6.00
new total $6877.00

For the past two days, I have been wearing shorts. Now they are calling for snow flurries tonight!! Brrr. The heat has not run in several days, but I am sure it will kick in today. It is set at 63 degrees.
The braves won their last 2 games, I walked a mile and won two games of mahjong yesterday. That is $5 to add to the challenge today.
Prev. total $6866.00
today 5.00
new total $6871.00

This past week has been so hectic. I have been trying to help my husband out with all the changes he needs to make to the house he is building; also picking out stone, paint, tile, etc. etc. On top of that, we have been buying a work van. I feel so behind, but I am catching up.
Today, I got up real early and did all the errands that I have put off. I got my banking done, picked up prescriptions that have been sitting, grocery shopped, hit the dollar store for some needed mailing supplies. etc.
I also turned in all my change so I have $40 to add to the challenge. I saved $5 using my Ingles card. I tried a new drug prescription card that I got at the library for free. It saved me $3 off my $22 prescription, so i will add that money to the challenge also.
Prev. total $6818.00
today 48.00
new total $6866.00

I have been kidding around today, but I need to get back to the challenge. I did my grocery shopping yesterday and using coupons and my advantage card, I saved $10 to add to the challenge.
Plus the market went up.
Prev. total $6641.00
today 11.00
new total $6652.00

This internet stuff is great sometimes. I have made a lot of new friends using this computer. I am on a local forum and last night, we met with a new couple from Florida. There were 8 of us and all 4 women had met over the computer.
We went out and had a very nice dinner together last night.
Yesterday, I had a no gas day and I won 4 games of mah jong. That is $5 more to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $6636.00
today 5.00
new total $6641.00

I paid the electric bill today. It was only $80, which is $80 under budget, so I will add that to the challenge money. I also had a no spend, no gas day yesterday, plus won 3 games of mahjong, so that is another $5.
Prev. total $6551.00
today 85.00
new total $6636.00