I stopped back at rite aid to stock up on the sugar free candy. It is almost 40% off and candy is good for quite a long time. I also used my rite aid card which is good for 10% off of Tuesday. I only saved $4 altogether, but hey, $4 is $4 which I will add to my challenge.
Prev.total $16,234.00
today 4.00
new total $16,238.00

Today was a great day! The braves won their game last night! The stock market went up a lot today! I got to play bridge today and never went set!!
What more could anyone ask for?

I will add $2 to my challenge fund.
Prev. total $16,232.00
today 2.00
new total $16,234.00

Today has been busy. First we had dinner at friends last night and did not get home til after midnight. So, I overslept until 9:30.
Today is pay day and bridge day, so I had to get to the bank and post office early. I reminded myself that I am all out of sugar free candy and need to get some.
However, I didn't think of that when I left the house and I took my little Holly dog with me. So into, the drug store she went with me cause I will not ever leave a dog in a hot car no matter what.
She was the hit of the store. The hit for me was discovering that my sugar free candy was on sale, 70 cents a bag off. I got 5 bags (some for dh too) and saved over $3 which I will add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $16,229.00
today 3.00
new total $16,232.00

I had a no spend day yesterday. Actually, I never even left the house until we went over to some friends for dinner last night. These are people we built a house for , about 5 years ago. We usually stay good friends with people we build for, which is nice.
So it was a good day.
I walked a mile, the braves won, I used no gas and heck, I even got a free meal. (hamburgers, my favorite food) She even gave me all the brownies she made to bring home for my bridge group.
I will add $3 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $16,226.00
today 3.00
new total $16,229.00

I recieved a check from Pinecone yesterday for $5. I also walked a mile, but the braves and the stock market did not co operate yesterday. I will also add my ridge money for a total of $171.

Prev. total $16,055.00
today 171.00
new total $16,226.00

We are invited to a birthday party tomorrow night. So today, I bought a gift certificate to my favorite restaurant to give as a gift. People always like free food, as least I do.
The stock market ended up yesterday, I walked a mile and did 20 flights of stairs, so I have $3 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $16,052.00
today 3.00
new total $16,055.00

I turned my change jar in at the bank this morning. I do this about once a month. I had $34.01 (where did the penny come from, I don't save pennies, I use them)
On my way home, I stopped and bought some hood chocolate milk, using a $1 off coupon that I had. So, I have $35 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $16,017.00
today 35.00
new total $16,052.00

Well, the braves have won two games in a row and the stock market went up, so i have $3 to add to my challenge money. I have not been exercising much the past few days cause my knee is hurting me. I need to get back on the treadmill.
Prev. total $16,014.00
today 3.00
new total $16,017.00

I guess I don't go to that bank enough for the people to know me. The first time I went there was with my husband in his carpenter work clothes.
I asked if we could open an account and get the high rate they had been advertising in the paper.
The lady behind the desk told me no, because you had to put in $50,000 to open the account. I told her I would put in $100,000.
She opened the account.
I went today to see what the new rate would be on C.D's. Sadly, it has gone down from 5.75% to 5.35%.
I renewed it; this time they wanted my driver's license to see if it was really me. Hmmmm......

Ok, back to the challenge. I bought n.y. strip steak on sale yesterday (enough for two meals) and saved $8, I just bought prilosec at Ingles where is was $5 off, plus I had a $4 off coupon, so I saved $9. The braves won their game, I walked a mile, plus another one for today, so I have a total of $20 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $15,994.00
today 20.00
new total $16,014.00

MY first certificate of deposit is coming due tomorrow. It was for 6 months, earning 5.75%. I made $2,796 in interest for the past 6 months.
I have to go into the bank tomorrow to roll it over. I am sure that I will if I can get at least 5.25% or more.
I am thinking about taking the interest out as that puts me over the fdic limit. Well, actually, it doesn't. I forgot that if you have two names on the account, you have double the insurance.
I got a check from ace hardware on a rebate that I sent in. I usually do not mess with rebates, but this was for a tool that my husband needed. The check was for $10 and I walked a mile, so I have $11 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $15,983.00
today 11.00
new total $15,994.00

I got my electric bill today and I am pleased. I have a very large house and I am home all day.
I budgeted $160 for my bill each month. During the winter, because I heat with propane, my bill is around $100. It is summer time when my bill is the highest, up to $160.
Since this is the first full month of summer, I expected the bill to go up, but it was only $110. So I have $50 more to add to my challenge.
In the bad news, (besides the stock market down again)my dh is taking his van in for a new transmission on Monday.
They don't take credit cards, so we will pay cash.
this will be the first time I have had to pull cash out of my money market this year and that will hurt. It will cost close to $2000!!
But it is nice to know that is it no problem to cover it.
Prev. total $15,933.00
today 50.00
new total $15,983.00

It is too depressing. The dow is down almost 300 points right now.
On the bright side, the market was up yesterday, I walked a mile and did my 20 flights of stairs. I can add $3 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $15,930.00
today 3.00
new total $15,933.00

I am very happy with my long distance provider, Lightyear. My bill is almost always under $5 a month.
A few months ago, Lightyear said they would have to start charging a $3 fee each month called a paper invoice fee.
I sent them the info to have the bill charged to my credit card each month instead.
Now it is charging to my credit card, but I am still getting a statement (which says don't pay) and the $3 fee.

I called Lightyear and a very nice woman explained to me that I had to request and e mail bill. Then that paper fee is going to disapear.

As a matter of fact, she is even going to give me a $3 credit on my next bill.

So I am taking that $3 plus $1 cause the braves won last night, to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $15,926.00
today 4.00
new total $15,930.00

I am making up my deposit to take to savings today, so I decided to go ahead and include this week's ridge payment and also the check that I get the 4th Wednesday of the month and add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $15,223.00
today 703.00
new total $15,926.00

I woke up to a wonderful rainy day in Georgia. Our lakes and creeks are low because we have had so little rain this year.
However, Tuesday is usually my liquor run day and I didn't go last week at all.
So I was glad to see the sun finally came out this afternoon and I was able to go after all.
I stopped by Ingles and got a roast that was $2 off.
The braves won yesterday and the stock market went up, so that is $4 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $15,219.00
today 4.00
new total $15,223.00

Today is my bridge day and the gals are all coming over here.
I ran to the bank first thing this morning so that I could cash dh's paycheck and put the money in the envelopes. I like to do my budget on Mondays.
My dh took his van in to be looked at. He has been having transmission problems. They tell him it will take $1800 for a rebuilt transmission.
I hate car problems. I would rather buy a new car than get something fixed over and over again. We have only ever had one used vehicle. It was a work van.
We had it for a year and fixed it over and over again.
I wish he would just buy a new one!

Oh well, I did my walking and stairs yesterday, so I have $2 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $15,217.00
today 2.00
new total $15,219.00

It was a good day yesterday. I walked for over a mile, the braves won by a big margin (one guy went 6 for 6), I had a no spend and no gas used day. I will add $4 to my challenge money. Later, we are treating ourselves to a frugal lunch out at waffle house.
prev. total $15,213.00
today 4.00
new total $15,217.00

As usual, once a week, I add the Ridge money to my $20 challenge. It is for property that I financed for 12 years and paid for in 2.
Prev. total $15,048.00
today 165.00
new total $15,213.00

I love nfomysurvey. This is about the 9th check I have gotten from them this year. If any of you new people are interested, send me your first name and your e mail address and I will be happy to send you an invitation.
I also bought steak on sale today and used a coupon, so that was another $5 plus the $10 check to add to my challenge.
Prev. total $15,033.00
today 15.00
new total $15,048.00

Well, it finally happened, the dow closed at 14,000 yesterday.
In september, I figured out how to list all my mutual funds at Vanguard, so I can just look there every day to see what my funds are worth.
When I started on Sept. 21, my mutual funds were worth 254K; as of yesterday they are worth 310K.
I am pretty happy with that increase because I have not added one penny to my mutual funds in ages. I have been trying to build up cash these past 5 years so we can build spec houses for cash.
Well, the stock market went up, the braves won, I did my 20 flights of stairs and I had a "no gas use" day, so I have $4 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $15,029.00
today 4.00
new total $15,033.00

My husband is constantly called to do handyman work on all the houses he has built over the past 23 years. He really does not have the time (he works 7 days a week)but sometimes he does it.
Last week he was called to wire a house and install outside fans on all the porches. Also, to install a dead bolt.
The people were from florida, so i had to send them a bill.
When I send a bill, I do not count it in his regular paycheck, which I write out every Sunday night and cash on Monday.
So, a check came in the mail yesterday for payment and I am going to add this to my $20 challenge. It was for $170. (it included some materials)
The braves and the stock market let me down yesterday, but I did walk a mile and did 20 flights of stairs. So I have $172 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $14,857.00
today 172.00
new total $15,029.00

Well I have a few more dollars to add to my challenge money. The stock market went up yesterday, I walked over a mile, did my 20 flights of stairs and I saved $1 on some candy I bought for dh. That is $4 more to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $14,853.00
today 4.00
new total $14,857.00

I forgot to add my money to the challenge yesterday. Actually, I did not forget. I got busy helping my husband. He has taken over a new house to fix! The builder was let go and there are so many things undone. The hardwood flooring is mostly done, but they ran out. We can't find the same flooring, so he is going to take the flooring out of the closet to finish the main room and put different flooring in the closet. Then we picked out tile for all the bathrooms and the laundry room. We were at home depot forever it seems. They never seem to have anyone to help you find the stuff. I am sorry, I use to love the store and even have stock in it, but they are not very customer friendly.
Anyway, the braves won on sunday, I walked over a mile and did my 20 flights of stairs. So that is $3 more to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $14,850.00
today 3.00
new total $14,853.00

I am getting close to the $15,000 mark and my goal is to have $20,000 ( or more) in my saving challenge for the end of the year.
I saved $2 using my advantage card, the braves won and I did 20 flights of stairs. Didn't quite get in a mile on the treadmill.
Prev. total $14,846.00
today 4.00
new total $14,850.00

I was going to wait to make a deposit in my money market savings, but since I got those two checks yesterday, I thought i would go ahead and make up a deposit to put in first thing Monday morning.
My biggest problem was I have plenty of checks, but I have used up all my deposit slip.
I mentioned that at the bank and they ordered some for me and they came already; so now I can make deposit as often as I want. Might as well have that money sitting in the money market earning 5.25% then in my cash box at home. So, I will add this week's Ridge money to the challenge too.
Prev. total $14,681.00
today 165.00
new total $14,846.00

My dh brought home a check last night. It was to pay us back for bills we had paid for a customer.
I checked my business checking account last night and we have quite a bit of our money in it. We have quite a few outstanding checks from over 5 years ago. Obviously, they are not going to clear and are lost.
Plus the account earns interst and I let that accrue. When we take something back to home depot for return, that money does not come out of checking, even tho I have already deducted it.
So I decided not to put this check in the business checking but to add it to my challenge money to earn more interest.
prev. total $13,909.00
today 772.00
new total $14,681.00

Friday the 13th was a good day!! The stock market went up, the Braves won, I walked over a mile, did my 20 flights of stairs and had a no use gas day! So I am adding $5 (one dollar for each thing) to my challenge money.
Prev. total $13,904.00
today 5.00
new total $13,909.00

I got a check from Edward Jones in the mail today. I guess it is dividends on some of the stock that I have there. It goes straight to my challenge money.
Prev. total $13,719.00
today 185.00
new total $13,904.00

I dropped term insurance on my dh a few months ago. Instead, I take that money and add it to my challenge once a month.
So, today, i will add that money.
Prev. total $13,679.00
today 40.00
new total $13,719.00

In honor of Friday the 13th, I am adding $13 to my challenge money. (That will also cover the mile I walked, the flights of stairs and the fact that the stock market went up big time yesterday)
Prev. total $13,666.00
today 13.00
new total $13,679.00