Most of you know that dh and I eat dinner out, almost every night except Sunday. It is just our form of entertainment!

Last night, he wanted to watch the Barrett Jackson auction, so we went to KFC and got a bucket of chicken. I had a coupon, so we got 10 pieces for $10. I made some rice and we had a nice dinner, with enough left overs for a couple of lunches.

Since I usually spend about $20 for dinner out and this time I spent $10, I will add the other $10 to my challenge money!!

Prev. total $1057.00
today 10.00
new total $1067.00

They are calling for snow and ice to hit us sometime tonight, so like everyone else in my county, I went to the store to stock up on a few things.
We will stay home and cook dinner in tonight, so we won't be out, stuck , somewhere. That thrills my husband, so he can watch the Barrett Jackson auction again tonight!
So, I got some hamburger, a roast, milk, potatoes, and a cake to comfort me if I am snowed in.
I also picked up some prilosec because dh is almost out and has to take it daily.
I had a coupon for $4 off the prilosec and I saved another $4 using my advantage card.
That is $8 more to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $1049.00
today 8.00
new total $1057.00

The stock market took another big dive today. I don't see how anybody's net worth is going to go up this month unless something happens.
The stock market did go up yesterday and I had a no spend day, so I have $2 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total 1047.00
today 2.00
new total $ 1049.00

Pennywise asked where did people keep their challenge money. I have a cash box that I have had for years and years. Every time I get any cash or check for the challenge, I put the cash/checks in there, plus I keep track of the running total on a notepad I keep right by the computer. Once a month, or more, I deposit this money into my money market local account, now paying 4.1%. So far, I have not added on the interest it is making, but I think maybe this year I will. Even tho it is not in a separate account, it is pretty easy to figure out how much interest it earns each month. Just take the total times .041% and divide by 12. I think I will start doing that at the end of this month.

I did a very short survey for Pinecone,so I was not sure if I would be paid or not. Sometimes you take a survey to qualify.
But sure enought, I got a check for $5 in the mail yesterday. They are so prompt. I also saved $4 using some coupons I had at the grocery store, so I have $9 to add to my challenge money!
Prev. total $1038.00
today 9.00
new total $1047.00

I got a sample of a new deodrant in the mail yesterday. I get to try it out and then take a survey on it, in about 2 weeks. It is a win-win. I already got paid for a survey, I got the deodrant for free and I will get paid for a follow up survey.
Of course, it is not a whole lot of money, but as we have all really learned these past 2 years, a dollar at a time (or two or three) really turns into big bucks after time.
I have always been a saver, but I am so glad that this site came up with the $20 challenge two years ago. It has really helped me to save more than ever!!

Fed ex just came and left me a tiny, flat package. In it was a gift card for $100 from citi bank.
I remember now. They had a promo that if you opened a credit card and charged $300, they would give you a $100 gift card to home depot.
Well, I opened it, charged my motel room in October, but citi put the charges on another card I already had open. So, rather than argue about that over the phone, I just forgot about it.
I certainly know what we will use it for; we will buy a new toilet to replace the one that leaked upstairs. So that is $100 we get to keep in our pocket,so I am adding that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $938.00
today 100.00
new total $1038.00

I signed up for two new classes on Thursday, one for bridge and one for computers, so I stayed busy all day yesterday. They offer lunch at the church between classes for only $5, but I came home and ate lunch here instead.
I had a no spend day yesterday plus the stock market went up, so I am adding $2 to my challenge.
Prev. total $936.00
today 2.00
new total $938.00

I have had two no spend days in a row, plus the market went up yesterday, so there is $3 more for the challenge.
Prev. total $933.00
today 3.00
new total $936.00

I had a small AARP life insurance policy on my husband. A few months ago, the price went up, so we decided to drop it and just self insure ourselves. I have kept up the small premium and I will just pay it into my challenge money. So, I have $50 to add today.
Prev. total $883.00
today 50.00
new total $933.00

I received a check from Chase bank yesterday. It is for using my chase master card. It use to take me several months to get a check for $100 on my GM card, but Chase lets you redeem for $50 when you have 5000 points
The check was ordered last week, so it came pretty quickly.
I should have enough points when I get next months bill, to redeem the points again.
I love being paid back for charging. They pay back 3% on home repair and we use the card mainly at Home Depot for supplies for our customers.
This will be added to the challenge.
Prev. total $833.00
today 50.00
new total $883.00

I have $8 more to add to the challenge money. Using my advantage card at Ingles today saved me $5. I walked a mile yesterday, did 20 flights of stairs and used no gas, so that was $3 more.
Total $8.

I have used the envelope method all my life. I just divide monthly bills up, intoo 4 weeks and put 1/4 away each Monday. Occasionaly, because there is an extra Monday in the month, my envelopes are over funded!!
I always add my extra electric money to the challenge each month.
Today, i am adding the extra cable tv money. For some reason that envelope hold about $50 more than I need to pay my cable tv bill, which is about $40 a month. So, I will add in the $50!
Prev. total $775.00
today 50.00
new total $825.00

We were supposed to meet friends for dinner last night. There driveway is very steep and it never got higher than 25 yesterday, so they were stuck at home. We could get out alright but knew the restaurant would close early because of the weather, so we decided to stay home and eat in.
I had a no spend day yesterday, walked 20 flights of stairs and saved $20 not eating out, so that is $22 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $753.00
today 22.00
new total $775.00

another check came in the mail yesterday. It was from Sears. We got a rebate back from a promo when we bought our new refrigerator in November. So, I now have $65 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $688.00
today 65.00
new total $753.00

I got notice from Blue cross/blue shield several months ago that the premium of dh's health insurance is going up. It seems to go up every few months. (I don't have any)
I started funding for the higher premium several week ago, so now that I have paid this month's premium, I have $80 left over in the envelope. So, I am getting a real good start to the 2008 $20 challenge and going to add that money to the challenge.
Prev. total $608.00
today 80.00
new total $688.00

I got my electric bill for the month. It was $70 under budget, so i am adding that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $ 538.00
today 70.00
new total $ 608.00

I am ready to start my 2008 challenge today. I will start with a check that came in the mail for $538!!

Prev. total $ 0
today 538.00
new total $ 538.00

I ended 2007 with a total of $26,271.00 and I am very happy with that.

of 2007. I saved $5 using my Ingles advantage card yesterday, plus the stock market went up Friday and I had a no spend day. That is $7 more dollars to add to the challenge making my total for the year $26,271,00.
I am thrilled with that and hope I can do this well next year. My goal was to hit $20,000!
Prev. total $26,264.00
today 7.00
new total $26,271.00

2008 challenge, here I come!!!!!!!!!

I am ready for 2008!! And i am looking forward to the new $20 challenge for 2008. I am proud of what I did for the challenge this year. I had a goal to hit the $20,000 savings in the challenge for the year and I surpassed that.
That does not include my regular weekly savings or any interest earned either.
Well, there is still a few days left of 2007. I used a dollar off coupon when I went to the store yesterday and the stock market went up 2 points, so that is $2 more to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $26,262.00
today 2.00
new total $26,264.00

I go my favorite sugar free candy on sale yesterday, half price. So, I picked up 5 bags for dh to put in my stocking. Yes, I often buy my own gifts, he does not have the time to go shopping.
So, I saved $5 on candy, I walked a mile on my treadmill and the stock market closed up on Friday; $7 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $26,255.00
today 7.00
new total $26,262.00

Today is the first full day of winter. I don't know about you, but it has seemed like winter for well over a month. We have had the heat running for aoout 2 months.
Winter is not my favorite season, so I am glad it is here and will be over in 3 months.
Yesterday, I seem to buy everything on sale at the grocery store. Using my advantage card, I saved $10 which I will add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $26,245.00
today 10.00
new total $26,255.00

We sold an older couple one of our spec homes a few years ago. They called and asked if they could have copies of the house plans because they were planning on installing an elevator.
I sent them the plans and received a check for $15 yesterday. They said it was for blueprints and mailing fees. Great I will take it and add it to my challenge money.
Prev. total $26,230.00
today 15.00
new total $26,245.00

I had lunch out with my new friend. I have written about the $20 challenge in the other local forum that I am on. When she invited me to lunch, she said it was her treat and for me to put the money I had saved in my $20 challenge.
So thanks, sue, I am adding $6 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $26,224.00
today 6.00
new total $26,230.00

I am having lunch out today with a new friend. She just recently moved here and is on the local forum once in a while. I am excited to go and have lunch with her and learn more about her life. I know she just moved here and lives all alone. I think that is very brave. I have been married all of my adult life. Even though I got a divorce, I met my dh right away and I was only single for about 5 weeks. So, I have never lived alone.
Yesterday, I saved $3 using my Advantage card and also the stock market went up, so that is $4 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $26,220.00
today 4.00
new total $26,224.00

Just one week until it is christmas day. Since joining this forum, I find I am not the only one cutting down on christmas. Many of you do not spend a lot of money on gifts. I use to, but I have stopped that over the years.
My dh and I do exchange gifts, but they are just little things. I do send checks to my granddaughters so they can buy what they want.
I am going to give my three favorite waitresses, $50 each this week. They take such good care of us during the year!
I am adding my ridge money into my challenge money today, cause I want to make a deposit to my savings on Friday.
Prev. total $25,890.00
today 330.00
new total $26,220.00

It is pretty cool this morning, below freezing. I have to keep my house a little warmer today cause my bridge group is coming over. I have had 2 no spend days in a row and today promises to be #3. I made a roast in the crock pot last night and it was so good. There is enough for at least 3 lunches.
I saved $5 the other day using my Ingles card, so I need to add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $25,885.00
today 5.00
new total $25,890.00

We went to a christmas party last night. The food was soooooo good! I wonder how much weight I gained?
The only bad thing about the party was the location. These people live at the very top of Georgia, i swear.
It was on a road so steep it was scary. Many time we were in the clouds and could not even see the road.
We did NOT go out to dinner last night, so we saved $20 which I will add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $25,865.00
today 20.00
new total $25,885.00

I just went and checked my propane tank to see how I was doing. I had 100 gallons left over from last winter and I put 400 gallons in the tank in mid October.
I have a 1000 gallon buried tank, so I had approx. 50% worth of propane.
Well, it has been almost 2 months and I still have 42% worth of propane left. Iam very pleased with that.
I keep the temp. in my house set at 63. If I worked all day, I would keep it even lower. My little dog gets cold easily, but she has a heating pad to sleep on.
Well, yesterday, I walked a mile on my treadmill. I have done 34 flights of stairs in the past 2 days. The stock market went up. I had a no spend day and I never used any gas at all. So, I am adding $5 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $25,860.00
today 5.00
new total $25,865.00

Yesterday, I had a no spend day. I did go to my computer class, but that was free. I don't think I am really catching on to this class. Yesterday, we did something with "words" but when I came home to practice, I found that I do not have that icon on my computer.
Oh well, the stock market went up yesterday and I had a no spend day, so I have $2 to add to the challenge money.
Prev. total $25,858.00
today 2.00
new total $25,860.00