I just got back from the drug store. Besides our regular prescriptions, I decided to renew the pills that dh got in Feb. for a sore throat. (they kill the bacteria)
He is just getting over a sore throat and was so grateful for the pills that I found. Lucky I write on the bottle what pills are for.
Gosh, I did not remember that the pills cost $52! But I will just reimburse myself out of the medical envelope.
I picked up a few things at Ingles and saved $3 with my card and a coupon. I walked a mile yesterday, so I have a total of $4 to add to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $18,061.00
today 4.00
new total $18,065.00

$8232.00. I just got out my social security sheet that you receive a few months before your birthday.
That was my highest paid year and it was in 1989!
They year I got married was the first year that I worked full time. I earned $2710 in 1965.
I guess no matter how little you make, you can always save a little of it.
What is really amazing is that I have saved over $18,000 in my $20 challenge just this year.
That is double and more of my highest paying year!! Not bad!!

Vote tomorrow! I had a no spend, no gas used day yesterday. I haven't had one of those in ages. I got in over a mile on my treadmill, so I will take a dollar for walking and a dollar for no gas used,and add it to my challenge.
Prev. total $18,059.00
today 2.00
new total $18,061.00

I hate that sometimes I miss some of the blogs when there is more than one post that day. That is how I missed out on Tina's healthy challenge.
I already pay myself $1 to walk a mile on my treadmill, but I see some of the gals are paying themselves to drink a lot of water, which is so good for you. I am really convinced that I am so healthy for my age because I never drink coffee, tea, soft drinks, just water. (Ok at night I do have cocktails)
So I am going to start measuring my water intake and aim for 2 quarts a day. I think you are supposed to drink 8, 8ounce glasses a day and that is 2 quarts. Am I right??
Anyway, I just got out a 2 quart container and filled it with water. Of course I will drink over ice, so I will probably get more than 2 quarts if I drink it all. I will pay myself $1 for that also.

I for got to get the mail yesterday,so today I just walked out to get it. I got a check from Pinecone for a survey I took about a week ago, plus I earned $1 walking a mile on my treadmill. that is $6 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $18,053.00
today 6.00
new total $18,059.00

I got a new cell phone at radio shack yesterday. Had a great gal trying to explain everything to me, cause most of what I need to know, is not in the booklet.
Went back to ask more questions today, but I got a tall guy. He was super nice, but I am short and even standing on my toes,I could not see what he was doing.
Turns out, I have no service here at home,that is why I couldn't do anything.
Well, I got a few things from the grocery store, used my advantage card and saved $2 more to add to my challenge.
Prev. total $18,051.00
today 2.00
new total $18,053.00 p.s. the new cell phone is for dh. I said I would never have one and I won't . I hate talking on phones, so I am sure not going to carry one around with me.

I haven't had any money to add to my challenge the past few years. Yesterday I got a free cell phone but had to buy a case. I got 10% off, so I save $2. How can those tiny cases cost $20? anyway:
Prev. total $18,049.00
today 2.00
new total $18,051.00 Opps, I mean money to add the past few days. sorry!

I, for one, do not like these shorter days. This is when I started my habit of eating out everynight. I can not stand the thought of sitting around watching tv at 6 pm. Ican't wait til april when the time will change back.
I did save a dollar at the grocery store today and walked for 2 miles, so I have $3 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $18,046.00
today 3.00
new total $18,049.00

We had dinner and free drinks at the big Halloween party last night. Since I did not spend any money, I thought I should add $20 to my challenge money. We usually eat out on Sat. nights.
Prev. total $18,026.00
today 20.00
new total $18,046.00

Tonight is the big night for halloween parties. I am looking forward to the one I am invited to.
Yesterday I got my dh some prilosec for $3 off regular price. Today, I bought some N.Y. strip steak on sale, saving another $3. so I will add that $6 to my challenge money.
prev. total $18,020.00
today 6.00
new total $18,026.00

I have $8 to add to my challenge money. I got some great deals at Bi Lo today. I got steak on sale, bought BOGO frozen dinners plus got 4 boxes of my favorite cookies, BOGO!
Prev. total $18,012.00
today 8.00
new total $18,020.00

I just stayed home today, played on the computer and walked on my treadmill. I have $2 to add to my challenge money for walking and not using any gas today. so here is my total:
prev. total $18,010.00
today 2.00
new total $18,012.00

Steak for supper and I got it on sale. Big old Porterhouse steaks!! I also bought 2 frozen apple pies on sale also. All in all, I saved $10 using my store cards.
This will be added to my challenge money.
Prev. total $18,000.00
today 10.00
new total $18,010.00

I have always budgeted $40 a week for my electric bill. That is the highest bill I have had in the past 10 years. Even tho the cost of power has gone up, I have never gone over $160. It was $150 something in August!
I got the bill yesterday and it was $68. Yeah! that is $90 left over to put in my challenge money.
Prev. total $17,910.00
today 90.00
new total $18,000.00

We stayed home last night, mostly to avoid the pest that comes and sits with us every thursday night at the restaurant. (He takes a class on Thursday nights and always comes to spend the evening with us instead of his wife)
I had a coupon for KFC. It was for a bucket of chicken for $8.99 plus tax. I noticed a bucket has gone up to $10.59, but somehow after she did the coupon, I only paid $7.05 and that included the tax. Dinner for 2, plus 2 lunches for $7.05, wow!
I figured that saved me at least $10 that I can add to my challenge money.
prev. total $17,900.00
today 10.00
new total $17,910.00

I am back from my bridge class. We are covering a lot of material in just a little bit of time. I am really enjoying this and hoping to find a place to play after the class ends.
I did buy ice cream yesterday at half price, plus I walked 2 miles, so that is $4 more to add to my challenge money!
Prev. total $17,896.00
today 4.00
new total $17,900.00

A few more dollars to add to my challenge money. I went to the grocery store and picked up all of the things I went without all week. I use coupons and my advantage card and I saved $5.
Prev. total $17,891.00
today 5.00
new total $17,896.00

My husband finished the house plans and we got a check for it. I have $1347 to add to my challenge money.
He has draw houseplans for over 35 years. He does it by hand, so it is quite time consuming. An architect would probably get $8-10 thousand dollars for the same set of plans, drawn on a computer. I like the fact that he saves his customer so much money.
Prev. total $16,544.00
today 1,347.00
new total $17,891.00

Wendy's bought a Tim Hortons a few years ago and I have had stock in Wendy's for a long time. (My favorite burger)
Wenday's just split off Tim Hortons, so now I have 172 shares of Tim Hortons. I am not sure if I want to keep the stock or not!They did send me a check for a partial share, so I do have $22 more to add to my challenge.
Prev. total $16,522.00
today 22.00
new total $16,544.00

Finally, I have some money to add to my challenge. It has been hard cause I have not been spending for a week, so I don't save on coupons and my store card! I did take my change into the bank and have $30 to add to my challenge money!
prev. total $16,492.00
today 30.00
new total $16,522.00

My husband has been working on plans for an addition to a house. The man wants a basement, with a garage above, then a rec room/guest room above that. It will be almost 3000 sq. feet of heated space.
This place is going to be so detailed. it is for a dentist that is going to retire. My dh has been putting the guy off for years cause he does not like to do additions.
My dh has been working on the plans for almost a year. We met with them yesterday and they have finally finalized the plans except for adding one door and a few windows.
I think my dh is going to get paid after a year of working on them.
I will add that money to my challenge money!!

I have been balancing the checkbooks this afternoon. I am such a nerd, that I actually enjoy it. We actually have 4 checking accounts, but 2 are money markets, so they are easy.
The business one is the hardest. I talked to someone the other day who said she had never balanced a check book in her life.
Gosh, that is hard to believe, I have to have mine correct to the penny!
Haven't been spending any money lately except for eating out. I did walk a mile and get in my 20 flights of stairs, so that is another $2 to my challenge money.
prev. total $16,490.00
today 2.00
new total $16,492.00

I am not going to make a liquor run to North Carolina this week. I just bought extra last week. So I figure that I save about 2 gallons of gas for a savings of over $4. I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $16, 486.00
today 4.00
new total $16, 490.00

I am taking the money I save each week (old price compared to new, lower price) on gasoline and adding it to my challenge money. I would have spent that money on gas if the price had not gone down so much. I figure it is a savings of at least 50 cents a gallon.
My car took almost 8 gallons to fill up, so I will add $4 to my challenge money.

Prev. total $16,482.00
today 4.00
new total $16,486.00

Doesn't seem like I have done much to add to my challenge lately. It is hard to believe that there is only 2 1/2 months left in this year.
Well I did put in 2 miles on my treadmill, so i can add $2 to my account.
Prev. total $16,480.00
today 2.00
new total $16.482.00

They are having a car show on our little town square tonight. We will go there first before going out to eat dinner. Our restaurant is just 1/2 block off the square so we can walk around.
I did do my grocery shopping today and only spent $16. I saved $2 using my advantage card.
prev. total $16,478.00
today 2.00
new total $16,480.00

I think I waste money when i buy milk. We hardly ever use it, so when it expires I use it to make a cheese cake.
Anyway, I saved a dollar at the deli today and walked a mile on my tread mill, so I have $2 to add to my challenge money.
It is kind of warm today, but I still have not run air (or heat)for 17 days straight!
prev. total $16,476.00
today 2.00
new total $16,478.00

i am working on getting dh licensed as a builder in Georgia. It doesn't matter that he has been licensed in N.C. forever, that doesn't count. I finally got the general liability insurance and we got the paperwork down to be notorized. The notary's husband is a builder also. He turned in his paperwork in Feb. and still does not know if he will be grandfathered in!!!
The people at the newly organized state building dept. don't seem to know what they are doing.

In N.C., I just sent in 4 sheets of paper, one of which is a financial report.
With the Ga. paperwork, I am sending in building permits, letters from people he built for, his picture, bank statment, etc.
I wonder if we will ever know? Oh well, he has enough work lined up to last a year, maybe we will get licensed by then.

I stopped at Ingles, only to buy fresh bread, but I wound up getting several things that were on sale, so I saved $3 more to put into my challenge money.
Prev. total $16,473.00
today 3.00
new total $16,476.00

It has been 15 days in a row, since I have run the a/c or the heat. The electric bill should look good this month. I bought advil onsale yestersday and saved $2. I also filled up with gasoline last night. I am going to start saving the difference in gas money. since it has gone down about 30 cents a gallon and I needed 10 gallons, I am putting the $3 I saved into my challenge money. so,
Prev. total $16,468.00
today 5.00
new total $16,473.00

I love pay day. I get to come home and put all the little twenties into their respected little envelopes. Always nice when there is enough for all the envelopes. My husband, being self employed works different hours and he is paid by the hour. so the paychecks do vary!
I have walked a mile today and I saved a dollar buying deli ham on sale. I will add this to my total for the $20 challenge.
Prev. total $$16,466.00
today 2.00
new total $16,468.00