Well, we stayed home for dinner last night. The nice thing was, it was left overs from Sunday night, so all I had to fix was some rice a roni
prev. total $13,687.00
today 20.00
new total $13,707.00

I saved about $20 not going out to eat, so that is added to my challenge money!

I have a little bit to add to my challenge money. They had large bags of charcoal on sale yesterday, so I bought one. We use a half bag of charcoal every time we cook out. That cost is about $2.25 per cook out. You really could run the oven a lot cheaper than that, but food tastes better over the grill.
I get tired to buying a bag for $4.50 every week, so I got a really big bag for a few dollars more. I figured I saved about $2 there and $1 for walking 30 minutes.
Prev. total $13,684.00
today 3.00
new total $13,687.00

Last night I had a dream that I was getting some money back from an airline ticket agent. (strange since i don't fly) Bad thing is, I woke up before i got the money.
Ok, well, I saved a little today. I need some ham for sandwiches and it was on sale, so I saved a dollar. Then I went to Bi lo and bought the kind of hot dogs we like, it was buy one, get one free, so I saved $4 there. (We only like the expensive ones) I walked 30 minutes yesterday, so that was a total of $6 to add to my challenge money.
prev. total $13,678.00
today 6.00
new total $13,684.00

I got all the bills paid today. I only had $5 left over in my electricy envelope this month, but at least I stayed under budget.
I also saved $3 using coupons at the grocery store today, so that is $8 more going into my challenge money.
prev. total $13,670.00
today 8.00
new total $13,678.00

I have been walking on my treadmill this morning and watching the Daniel Boone marathon. Does anyone remember Fess Parker? He played Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett. I loved both!
I had a Davy Crockett clubhouse, which was actually an old tool shed made out of tin!
This morning I needed to make a deposit to the bank, so I took my change in to be counted. I have $32 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $13,638.00
today 32.00
new total $13,670.00

We had dinner home last night. My husband says he is starting to really miss eating out. You see, he has always done most of the cooking because he likes to cook on the grill. Now, with this heat and as hard as he works, he says he just doesn't even feel like cooking outside anymore. I guess it is back to going out to eat at night unless I can figure out to make other stuff he likes! I will add $20 to my challenge money from staying home.
Prev. total $13,618.00
today 20.00
new total $13,638.00

My husband came home with a check yesterday. It was from the guy he is building for. The guy is so happy with the work that he gave my husband a bonus. Now, this has happened before, but not in a while. The check was for $3000.00 that I will add to my challenge money.
prev. total $10,618.00
today 3,000.00
new total $13,618.00


YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been trying to get a good rate on my husband's favorite magagine. I ordered it in March for $36. It never came. I finally got the company to send me back my money. Then I tried magsforless and paid them $6.55 but later I heard some complaints about them. So I was ready to protest on my credit card, but the magazines arrived today. My dh will be so happy.
I walked for an hour yesterday, so i have $2 to add to my challenge.
prev. total $10,616.00
today 2.00
new total $10,618.00

We ate supper at home last night, 3rd night in a row. I bought some ribs to cook on the grill, so that was $10, but dh will get 2 lunches out of it also. So I figured i saved about $10 not eating out.
I went to the drug store today and got 4 notebooks for a dollar on sale.
I use a different notebook for every job that Gary does, so that is something I will definately use, saved at least 50 cents.
I needed shoe laces, mine broke in fla. and I haven't worn those tennis shoes since. I found some and with my $1.50 off coupon, I got them for 20 cents.
So that is a total of $12 to add to my challenge.
Prev. total $10,604.00
today 12.00
new total $10,616.00

We stayed home last night so dh could get the grass cut. I fixed supper but before we ate, we sat outside listening to the creek and the crickets.
dh mentioned that there were no nosy katydids last night, also no lightening bugs. I guess that means summer is coming to an end.
However we still have summer's heat!
We stayed home, ate in, so I can add $20 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $10,584.00
today 20.00
new total $10,604.00

This has been another quiet weekend since my husband works 7 days straight. The last day he had off was about June 3rd. I stayed home all day yesterday, so i saved $1 in gas money and another $1 for walking 30 minutes. I put it in my challenge money.
prev. total $10,582.00
today 2.00
new total $10,584.00

Ihad a colonoscopy done a while back and it was much more expensive than the first one. This one was over $2000 and I have no insurance.
I got the pathologist's bill for $500, so i wrote and asked if they accepted master charge.
I just got a letter back saying no, they don't, but I can make whatever payment is comfortable for me, every month.
Plus, the lowered the bill from $500 to $350, so i saved $150. I will add that to my challenge account cause I have a medical envelope with money in it. ( I was going to charge it to get the 1% back in cash)
prev. total $10,432.00
today 150.00
new total $10,582.00

It is day 6 of no spending. I had some milk, unopened, expiring today, so I made a cheese cake. I only buy the smallest container, but we seem to waste so much of it. My hd does not drink milk and I like the Hood low carb choc. milk. So milk, usually gets tossed. I have two dogs, but I read somewhere that milk is not good for dogs. Anyone heard that? Well I have been doing some walking on my treadmill, so I will add $3 to my challenge money.
Pre. total $10,429.00
today 3.00
new total $10,432.00

My dh gets an allowance every week, most of which he spends on gas.The past two days, he has taken garbage from the two job sites to the dump and he pays cash. so, out of pocket, $12 for garbage that is not even ours.
I asked him this morning if he had any money and he said he had a few dollars. That has to do him until Monday night.
So I took $20 from the misc. envelope and gave it to him.
I put $20 in the envelope every week. After checking it, I found there was $200 in there, that is way too much. Obviously, I have not needed the money in a while.
I will add that $100 to my challenge money:
Prev. total $$10,329.00
today 100.00
new total $10,429.00

I also add in the money I save using coupons or my advantage card or bi lo card. It is hard to have anything to save if you are not sending. Well, I did at least walk 60 minutes, so i can add $2 to my challenge money.
prev. total $10,327.00
today 2.00
new total $10,329.00
I meant to say spending, not sending.

We stayed home for dinner last night. supper was just left overs from Sunday night, so we really did not have to cook. I will add the $20 I would have spent dining out, to my challenge money,
prev. total $10,307.00
today 20.00
new total $10,327.00

I subscribed to one of those lower cost places that promises magazines subscriptions for less.
That was March 11th. I have called them 5 times,but I just get a recording. The last time I called I said I was going to the better business bureau and complain. I got a call back and they promised to send my money back.
That was 2 weeks ago, but I got a check today. No address printed on the check! Wonder why?? But I will add that $36 to my challege money and hope the check does not bounce!

prev. total $10,271.00
today 36.00
new total $10,307.00

That is about how long it has been since my dh took a day off. He is working again today, but will come home early to cut grass. I should do it, but our mower is about worn out and I can't get it in gear. It is time for a new riding mower or move to a house without all this big yard. (2 acres of grass)
I ran to the store and got some potatoes for supper.
I need some vitamins too. The CVS was having buy one, get one 50% off on wet and wild makeup. I like their lipstick (it's cheap) so I bought two items that my dh can give me for christmas. Saved $1 there and got $2 more for walking 60 minutes, so $3 more to my challenge.
prev.total $10,269.00
today 3.00
new total $10,271.00

It is cool, about 70 and raining today. It was so cold in the grocery store that I had to wear a jacket. Lucky I had one left in the car. I love it but I know the hot muggy days will be back. At least my A/C is having a day off.
I did not buy a whole lot but used some coupons and saved $4. I will add that to my challenge money.
prev. total $10,264.00
today 4.00
new toal $10,268.00

It has been a long, hot, dry summer. Our weeping willow tree is not looking too good, so we decided to water it last night. Problem is, we also forgot to turn off the sprinkler and it ran all night. That won't help my water bill. But if it saves the tree, it will be worth it.
I did my walking, stairs and saved $3 using coupons yesterday, so another $5 to add to my challenge.
prev. total $10,259.00
today 5.00
new total $10,264.00

We stayed home last night and watched the turtle crawl around on the porch for a while.Then i put him/her down by the creek, so I hope he is doing ok today. anyway, we cooked out on the grill last night and saved the money we would have spent going out. That is another $20 for the challenge.
prev. total $10,239.00
today 20.00
new total $10,259.00

I paid my insurance yesterday and I have $30 left over in my envelope. It looks lonely there, so I am adding to my challenge money.
prev. total $10,209.00
today 30.00
new total $10,239.00

Stayed home last night and ate left overs. We sat outside even tho it was cooler inside. Our puppy loves going outside on the porch, so we did it for her. This is the longest heat wave I have ever seen. We get a few days in the 90's but not three weeks straight like now. We even watered the weeping willow tree for an hour cause it is not looking too good.
I walked for 60 minutes yesterday plus did not go out for dinner, so I have $22 to add to my challenge money.

prev. total $10,187.00
today 22.00
new total $10,209.00

I have a fireplace in my bedroom, with built in cabinets. I have my financial papers in those cabinets, also my saving tins, one with a picture of someone sitting in a lazy boy (retirement fund) one of my red vette (pay off car) and one of the view of Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in Georgia! (pay off the acre and a half that overlooks that view. I noticed a small white "tub" like a diaper wipe tub thing in my cabinet. I looked inside and low and behold it has $50. It is my money (my husband never has any) but I forgot what I was saving it for. Anyway, I will put it towards my challenge money.
Prev total $10,137.00
today 50.00
new total $10,187.00

I was expecting to eat leftovers last night for supper and putting that $20 i saved in my challenge money. Instead, dh came home and wanted to go out. Fine with me, the leftovers will hold over for tonight, I guess.
So, the only money I can put into the challenge is the money I saved using a coupon and getting the 10% tuesday discount at rite aid, a big $2. Oh well, $2 is $2!
prev. total $10,135.00
today 2.00
new total $10,137.00

I usually do my liquor run on Mondays or tuesdays. I have to drive to North Carolina to buy liquor. I am skipping that drive this week, so I will be saving at least $6 worth of gas, so I will add that to my challenge money.

Prev. total $10,129.00
today 6.00
new total $10,135.00

We had dinner at home last night and I made lasagna. I usually put away $20 for my challenge money when I eat at home, but this time I will take out the cost of the fixings. I had nothing, even my ragu was out of date, so i spent about $10 buying the ingredients.
The most expensive thing was a large container of cottage cheese. ($3.09) I only needed a little, but they had no small containers.
So DH took cottage cheese for lunch today.
I will add $10 to my challenge money. also, My DH worked until 7:30 instead of 6, so that is 1 1/2 hrs. of more pay for him.
prev. total $10,119.00
today 10.00
new total $10,129.00

Monday's are my get paid days and do the budget days. I get an allowance every week, some of which I keep in my wallet and some I keep in my good old bank bag. That way if I ever lost my wallet, I would not lose a lot of money.
It had to be the spend no money challenge from last week cause I have some of my allowance money left over. The nights I did not go out to eat, I added that money to my challenge money, that was 3 nights.
But I still have some money left over, so I am adding that to my challenge money today.
Prev. total $10,069.00
today 50.00
new total $10,119.00

I got my grocery shopping done plus all the ingredients to make tonight's lasagna. With my advantage card and coupons, I saved $9 to put into my challenge money.
prev. total $$10,060.00
today 9.00
new total $10,069.00

I walked 2 miles today, so I will add that $2 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $10,058.00
today 2.00
new total $10,060.00