I thought I lost my car keys today. I always carry two sets luckily. They are on those keychains that unlock the doors and open the hatch (trunk) for you.
I alway use key chain #1 and I went grocery shopping. When I got into the car to come home, I could only find key #2. I dumped my purse, went back into the store, looked all around the ground, basket, etc.
Finally, I found the key when I was unpacking the groceries. The wind was blowing real hard and my purse tipped over a little. The key fell into a bag of groceries and it was the last thing I unpacked when I got home. I have never lost my car keys in my life.
The good news was that I saved $6 using my Ingles advantage card.
Prev. total $23,636.00
today 6.00
new total $23,642.00

Yup, that is right!! Just two months from today is christmas day. Not a biggie for me, I have no family to buy for, except my darling husband. It is getting really hard to even find something to buy him. He has everything he wants, as do I!
Back to the challenge, the stock market went up on Monday and Tuesday, I had a no gas use day on Tuesday, I walked a mile yesterday and saved $1 using my bi-lo card; that makes $5.
Then I recieved a check for $538 and an nfomy survey check for $10, to I have $553 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $23,083.00
today 553.00
new total $23,636.00

I drove our new car for the first time today. It seems so different.
There is no keys. You just push a button to start the car and to shut off the car. You also push a button to open the doors.
When I first got in and pushed the button to start, nothing happened. But then the car "told" me to step on the brake. Then it started!
Well, I made it to the bank and back, safe and sound, thank goodness!
This car manuel told me to use premium gas only. In my red corvette, it says to use regular, but when I do, I hear a pinging noise. Guess I will use premium for both of the cars. The blue corvette (1978) requires premium and does the 1933 ford victoria.
The only vehicle that takes regular is my husband's work van.
Yes, you are reading right, 5 vehicles for 2 people!! Good thing dh has a very low maintenance type of wife!!
I turned in all of my change for the month and have $40 to add to the $20 challenge.
Prev. total $23,043.00
today 40.00
new total $23,083.00

Well, I have certainly had about 10 days of not being frugal at all.
First of all i went to my class reunion in Florida, so I stayed in a motel and we ate all of our meals out.
Then, the car broke down and it took $1800 to get the fuel pump replaced. We also spent $300 on a rental car while we were there.
We had ordered a new car in July and it was waiting for us when we finally got back, so I put down a BIG down payment.
I always have a car fund that I contribute to every week. That is just part of my budget. I actually have enough in my car fund to pay cash for the car but don't tell my husband. He is very good with money except for his weakness with cars.
At least he is better than his younger brother.
All that guy talks about is racing. He goes to the races every week somewhere and all he watches is speedtv. (I would not have been married to him very long)
He also has 6 horses, 2 dogs, 4 cats, 11 vehicles, a boat and 2 ATV's.
So, it is back to be frugal this week. I found steak at Bi Lo on sale so I saved $4 which I will add to the $20 challenge today.
Prev. total $23,039.00
today 4.00
new total $23,043.00

This is just the nicest time of year. The leaves are turning beautiful colors. The temperature is about 70, just about perfect for me! No heat running and no air conditioning. We should have a nice power bill this month.
I just got back from grocery shopping and I saved $3 using my Ingles card.
Prev. total $23,036.00
today 3.00
new total $23,039.00

Well, after a terrible vacation and trip, it was a nice surprise to find a $1200 check in the mail waiting.
When I started this challenge last year, I asked the local building supply about giving us a rebate.
I told them that often we get coupons from Home Depot for 10% off, but we stay pretty local to the local company.
So, they agreed to send us a rebate check once in a while, depending on what we spend.
I don't ever know when I am going to get it or how much, but I sure do enjoy it when it comes. I will add this to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $21,836.00
today 1,200.00
new total $23,036.00

I used my 10% off on Tuesday card at rite aid today and saved almost $2. I also used no gas yesterday for another $1. Then there is the ridge money of $165 for a total of $168.
I want to get this in the bank tomorrow, so I am going to get a deposit ready this afternoon.
Prev. total $21,668.00
today 168.00
new total $21,836.00

Happy columbus day, everyone. I kind of wish they would go back to having the Holiday on the correct date, which in this case, would be Oct. 12th.
I am having the ladies over for bridge this afternoon, so looking forward to that.
The stock market finished up on Friday, I walked a mile yesterday and I had a no use gas day also.
So, I will add $3 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $21,665.00
today 3.00
new total $21,668.00

Because I learned that my American Century fund returned over 53% over the past 12 months, I am adding $5 to my $20 challenge fund.
Plus I have not added the ridge money for two weeks, so that is another $330 to add.
Prev. total $21,330.00
today 335.00
new total $21,665.00

MY dh said I embarassed him last night. You see when I go to the store, I stop and look at the newspaper stands and read the headlines in the paper.
I also check out the change slot and yesterday I found 2 quarters.
Last night at the restaurant, i read the headlines and found another quarter. He thinks that is embarassing. I think it is free money.
I kept the air off all day (and heat)plus the stock market went up, so that is $3 I can add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $21,327.00
today 3.00
new total $21,330.00

Yesterday I had a no spend day. I stayed home and used no gasoline also. I also earned $2 for keeping the heat and air off, $1 for walking and $1 for using no gas.
today, i saved $5 using my Ingles card, so I have a total of $9 to add to my challenge money.
I also found 50 cents in the newspaper display box which i will add to my change jar.
Prev. total $21,318.00
today 9.00
new total $21,327.00

Well, the braves won't be playing any more ball games until april and I have quit doing flights of stairs because my knees hurt, so I needed a new idea to add money to my challenge.
I have decided to pay myself $2 a day every day that I do not run the heat or the airconditioner. I know it will only work this month for a while because it will freeze sometime before halloween, but heck every little bit helps.
So I am adding $2 to my challenge for a no heat, no a.c. day yesterday
Prev. total $21,316.00
today 2.00
new total $21,318.00

Well, the dow hit an all time high yesterday, so I am adding $5 to my challenge money to celebrate!
Prev. total $21,311.00
today 5.00
new total $21,316.00

I forgot to add the ridge money last week, so I have two weeks worth to add today. That is $165 for each week for a total of $230.
Prev. total $21,081.00
today 230.00
new total $21,311.00

Well, I haven't added any money to the challenge in a few days. The braves only have 2 more games to play, so that is coming to an end tomorrow night.
But they did win last night and I walked a mile, so I have $2 to add to the challenge.
I also sent off $3000 to open a money market account with Vanguard. They are still paying about 5%, so i will send some money there out of my local bank which has lowered its rate to 4.75%
Prev. total $21,079.00
today 2.00
new total $21,081.00

I take a local finance class every thursday and I really enjoy it. There a very few people in the class and i wonder why? Of course, it is taught by a young man from Edward Jones and all they sell is load funds. I have all my mutual fund money in no load funds.

The stock market has gone up two days in a row, so I will add $2 to my challenge account.
Prev. total $21,077.00
today 2.00
new total $21,079.00

This should be my last big electric bill for the year. August is usually the hottest month. I was surprised to see that this bill was a few cents lower than last months. I budget $160 a month because that is the highest bill I have ever gotten since living in this house for 11 years. This month's bill was under $117 which is not bad. I have a really big house plus 2-2 car garages, one with an eff. apt. above it.
My envelope with the electic money has kind of built up and I have $120 left over in it to add to the challenge.
also, the stock market was up and the braves won, so I will add $122 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $20,955.00
today 122.00
new total $21,077.00

I have been wondering what others think about leaving their money to someone in the family who just squanders their money and is not a saver.
I have seen it happen. I know one 20 year old who got a lot of money from her grandfather's passing and blew it all in less than a year.
And she had nothing to show for it.

I am thinking about my FIL. He is giving his house to his three sons. It will be sold and 2 of the sons will squander the money in less than a month.

I am not leaving anything to my adopted daughter. She has had 38 years to get her act together and it just is not happening. She is still on the "system", does not work and only gets in touch with me when she wants more money.

I honestly want to leave my money to people that will take care of the money and put it to good use.

What are you going to do?

Yesterday, I saved $4 at bilo buying meat on sale and the braves won, so that is $5 more to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $20,950.00
today 5.00
new total $20,955.00

Well I need to get back into my savings mode. DH and I discussed our situation and we are just not going to automatically offer to pay for the whole roof. At first, we are going to offer to pay for just 1/3 and ask them to get loans. If they don't want to, we are going to ask that either we quit claim our share of the house to them or them to us. We don't care. We just want to be out of the mess.
We can't take care of a house that is 600 miles away.
Plus, things are really slowing down here and who knows how much longer we will have work to support ourselves.

So, I have my term insurance money to add to the challenge today, plus I walked 2 miles and the braves won on Friday (I forgot to check on Sat.)but I will assume that they did and add $55 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $20,895.00
today 55.00
new total $20,950.00

ps, the braves won, so I won't take the dollar back!!

That is what the braves have done, won 3 games in a row, so i owe $3 to the challenge. The stock market went up 2 days in a row, so that is another $2 to add. I also got a $5 pinecone check in the mail, so there is $10 more going into my challenge account.
Prev.total $20,885.00
today 10.00
new total $20,895.00

We went out for dinner last night. We talked to a young man we have been trying to help with a problem. (He bought a very poorly constructed house)
When we got up to pay for dinner, we discovered that he had paid for our dinner which was very nice.
I will add that $20 saved to my challenge money.
Prev. total $20,865.00
today 20.00
new total $20,885.00

Someone asked me if I just save money on paper for the $20 challenge, or physically put the money away.
Everytime I blog about the $20 challenge I have the money, bills or checks, sitting right next to me.
When I finish my blog, I immediately go and put the cash/checks into a money box I keep in this room.
Once or twice a month, I take that money to the bank and put it in my money market account to earn 5.25% interest. I keep track of the amount on paper.
Today is one of those days. Got to go and get the money in the bank before 2 pm. bye!!

When I did my budget last night, i realized that I had not added my ridge money to the challenge last week. So today, I will add my ridge money for both weeks ($165 a week) plus, I walked a mile and the braves won their past two games. That is a total of $333 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $20,532.00
today 333.00
new total $20,865.00

Last night and this morning, there was a nip in the air, a bit of coolness. It was about 52 degrees when I got up in the morning. I love the weather when it is like this.
Of course, the electric company probably doesn't. I will have at least a month (I hope) of this cool weather, which means no a/c or heat probably. The a/c has not run yet today, not even upstairs where it gets so hot.
I should have a decent electric bill next month. This month should be my highest of the year.
I went to the grocery store this morning to buy something for dinner and saved $4 on steak. I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $20,528.00
today 4.00
new total $20,532.00

I haven't put anything in my challenge money for a couple of days, but the braves shocked me by coming back to win their game in the 13th inning last night. Also, the stock market was up for two days in a row.
I also received at $22 check from state Farm. I had received 2 checks earlier for the vette and the van, but did not think I would get anything for the other two because they are classified antiques,but I got a check on the 33 ford victoria . So that is $25 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $20,503.00
today 25.00
new total $20,528.00

The stock market finished UP on Monday and Tuesday; the braves won last night and I walked a mile on my treadmill yesterday. That is $4 more to add to the $20 challenge.
Prev. total $20,499.00
today 4.00
new total $20,503.00

I took all of my change to the bank today. I also took all the change that has been sitting on my husband's dash in his van.
He did not want to donate it to the challenge, so I am giving it back to him.
I had $40 in change, he had $12.
I also stopped and bought his prilosec for $6 less than usual, cause it was $2 off and I had a $4 off coupon.
That is $46 that I can add to my challenge money today.

Prev. total $20,453.00
today 46.00
new total $20,499.00

Today is bridge day at my house, so I have been quite busy. I did get to the bank and the grocery store for some bread and deli ham. I did my budget when I got home and discovered that I need to add my Ridge money to the challenge, plus the $1 I saved with my store card.
Prev. total $20,287.00
today 166.00
new total $20,453.00

I was frugal, even on my mini vacation this week. We went to Gatlinburg. I had received a coupon for $8 off any appetizer, so i ordered the potato skins for my entree. (I love them and still can only eat half of them for my meal)
So my meal was only 99 cents. (However we did splurge on a bottle of wine for dinner)
The next morning, my husband left really early to go to the car show in Pigeon Forge. The place we like to eat breakfast (pancake pantry) was about a mile away (we walk it) and it was so hot. So, I stayed at the motel and ate 2 little sugar donuts that the motel provided.
Anyway, I am adding the $8 I saved plus $2 cause the braves won the past two nights for a total of $10.
prev. total $20,277.00
today 10.00
new total $20,287.00

Opps, I forgot to mention that we had to stop at the drugstore and buy a new razor for my husband. When we got to the register, it scanned $3 less that the listed price, so i guess it was on sale. I need to add that $3 to my challenge money also.
Prev. total $20,277.00
today 3.00
new total $20,280.00