Well, I am waiting for a big check to come in. The first of the year, after I joined this forum, I talked to the bookkeeping dept. of the building supply store where we buy most of our materials. I mentioned how I get a discount several times a year from home depot. I think everyone gets them if you open a home depot account, but hey, 10% off is great and we stock up then.
I asked about getting a rebate on the money we spend at the building supply. (they won't let you charge on your credit card, so we can't earn 1% back like we do at home depot)
Anyway, they agreed and a few weeks later, I got a big check.
That's it, haven't heard from then since.

so, On July 6th, I took my 6 months worth of invoices and asked again. Again, i was told they would send us a rebate check.
Still waiting!! It would really help my $20 challenge!

I got in my 30 minutes of walking and 22 flights of stairs for $2 for my challenge money.
Then i saved over $2 with a coupon and I found my husband's shampoo with a free conditioner. He uses vo5, which is only a dollar, but I saved a dollar for the conditioner, so that is $3.
I don't know why I did not buy more of the shampoo/conditioner and stock up. I guess I was not sure how it would scan on the u-scan.
I will go back this weekend and get some more. For now:
prev. total $6636.00
today 5.00
new total $6641.00

I just called to book our room for our trip to Gatlinburg in Sept. for the car show. We have been every year for the past 22 years. I called our usual place, near town, only to be told that their policy changed yesterday and they no longer allow pets.
Well, I have never been anywhere without Holly, so i managed to find another room at the far end of town. It will mean a lot more walking, but she is worth it.
I did 35 minutes of walking yesterday and also had a stay home, use no gas day, so i will add $2 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $6634.00
today 2.00
new total $6636.00

I did get in my 20 flights of stairs and over 30 minutes walking yesterday, so i can add $2 to my challenge money.
prev. total $6632.00
total 2.00
new total 6634.00

We ate at home last night, my dh wanted to clean house. So he did, and then we cooked on the grill. So I will add that to my challange money.
prev. total $6612.00
today 20.00
new total $6632.00

I figured we saved about $20 eating at home.

Well, I did my required walking the past two days plus had a coupon for $1 off the dog food I got today, so that is $3 more for my challenge money.
prev. total $6609.00
today 3.00
new total $6612.00

I did really well at Ingles today. I only bought what I needed and mostly things on sale. I am not great with coupons, but with them and my advantage card, I saved $20 at the grocery store, best I have ever done! I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $6589.00
today 20.00
new total $6609.00

Someone on here asked me if, when I save $20 by not eating out, if I take that money and really put it in savings.
I really do. When I use a coupon, or my advantage card, or get a survey check, unexpected check (not pay check)I put it into my challenge account.
I physically remove the amount from my wallet and put it in a cash box that I have. About once a month, I deposit that money into my savings under the sub title, challenge money.
So I really have added $6589 to my savings since Jan. 1st!!

I had a discussion with the building supply company that we buy most of our building supplies from, the first of the year. I mentioned how Home Depot was always offering us couons for 10% off. They agree we had been loyal customers for 22 years and have spent a lot of money there over time. They agree to give us a rebate check once in a while and we got one in January of this year,which I added to my challenge money.
Since then, no checks.
I took in all of my statements for the past 6 months and left them to be forwarded to the home office. So, I am hoping that we will get a big check from them in the near future. It is no guarantee, but I am hoping!!

We went to Home Depot last night. We had a coupon for 10% off, so we stocked up on items we need for the spec house we are building, saved $143.
I had planned to just go to Wendys for a $5 dinner and put the rest in my challenge money.
However the power went out in town (big storm) so we had to come home. Luckily we had power, so we had an omelete and corn beef hash.
So I have $20 to add to my challenge account.
prev. total $6569.00
today 20.00
new total $6589.00

Had a wonderful 4th of July with some new friends. We met over the internet and they have a vacation home here. We spent the evening there with a cookout and lots of great fireworks.
I usually put $20 in my challenge when we don't go out to a restaurant, but since I bought some things for the cookout, I will only add $10 to my challenge money.
prev. total $6559.00
today 10.00
new total $6569.00

Went back to Ingles today to get the deal on diet sprite again..4-12packs for $10 plus 3 free 2 liter bottles. Saved $10 plus I need to add in $3 for walking 60 minutes and doing 20 flights of stairs.
Prev. total $6546.00
today 13.00
new total $6559.00

I just went to Ingles to get sour cream, but they had coke products on sale. I always stock up when they have diet sprite 4/$10 (12 pack cans) So, I not only saved $6 but they were giving you 3 free liters of sprite for another almost $4 in savings. Between that and saving quite a bit on steaks at Bi lo, I feel like I can take the $20 I saved and put it in my challenge money!!
prev. total $6526.00
today 20.00
new total $6546.00

I just got back from grocery shopping; the store was full, but they had plenty of help, so checking out was not too bad. I had several coupons, plus a few things were on sale with my advantage card. I manage to save $9, which is really good for me. I will add it to my advantage card.
prev. total $6517.00
today 9.00
new total $6526.00

I mean I will add it to my challenge money, not my advantage card.

I am still reading the elec. meter every day. I read it several times and write it down. I think it has helped me to conserve electricity.
I am trying to get the daily usage under 50 kwh. That is hard to do without using the a/c, but I have done pretty well so far. It helps that we have had really nice cool nights, like 60 degrees. I budget $160 a month for elec. and what I don't owe goes into my $20 challenge money. These next three months are the hardest cause it is so hot.

Well, yesterday I walked for 20 minutes, did over 20 flights of stairs and stayed home and used no gas all day, so i have $3 to add to my challenge money:
prev. total $6514.00
today 3.00
new total $6517.00

I took my coin jar to the bank yesterday. I count and add all of my coins before I put them in the jar. The machine said I had $106. My count was $108. I guess I need to take the jar in everytime I get to $20 to see if the machine is correct. Not much I can do about it. I did find a quarter to start my change jar again. I also walked for 40 minutes on my treadmill for another dollar. So I can add $107 to my challenge money today.
prev. total $6407.00
today 107.00
new total $6514.00

Buying things only when they are on sale!! I try and keep 2 of everything, so we do not run out. 3 weeks ago , my husband used the last of the Miracle Whip so I got out the spare jar, and then put miracle whip on my grocery list. Hey, that stuff is about $3.30 and my dh won't use anything else.
So, I left it on my list, with the note to buy it when it is on sale. (I did the same with olive oil) I found olive oil on sale last week and today miracle whip was down to $1.98.
What didn't I do this before. I got sliced ham (for sandwiches) for $1 off, so today I saved $2.30. I am going to add that $2 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $6405.00
today 2.00
new total $6407.00

Plus, I looked at one of the soft drink vending machines and found a quarter. wow, I never find any money!!

I got in my exercise yesterday, over 30 minutes of walking pluss 22 flights of stairs, so I can add $2 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $6403.00
today 2.00
new total $6405.00

Since it is the end of the month and the end of the quarter, does anyone add interest into their challenge money.? I earned over $8 in my checking account last month.

I ended up buying more hair color today. I just got some the other day, but both drug store were running it for $2 off, so now i won't have to buy any for a while. I also got conditioner for $1, so i saved $3 today. I will add that to my challenge.
prev. total $6400.00
today 3.00
new total $6403.00

My husband came home at 5:30 last night, and started cutting our 2 acres of grass. Then he did the weed eating. He scrubbed off the back porch and then washed my car. Of course, we stayed home and had supper in, so we saved at least $20. Plus I did my stair challenge, so I have $21 to add to my challenge money.
prev. total $6379.00
today 21.00
new total $6400.00

I drove to Murphy N.C, on a liquor run and they are repaving the road in North Carolina. As a result, I was in the car about 1/2 hour longer than I expected. I usually drive there every monday or tuesday. I guess I need to start going on Saturdays when the road crew is off. I got stamps at the post office and filled my car up for about $22, so I should be set for the week.
The rain has finally stopped and that means that dh may come home early to cut grass. If so, I will cook supper. Too bad is has to be chicken again. When i bought the chicken this weekend, it was BOGO. My husband will not eat meat if it has been frozen, so I will have to cook it whether we go out or not. I did get in my 30 minutes of walking and 20 flights of stairs yesterday, so I can add $2 to my challenge money.
prev. total $6377.00
today 2.00
new total $6379.00

Well I got a check for $1 for a survey I took, plus I walked 30 minutes yesterday, so I will add $2 to my challenge money. It rained so hard today I did not go anywhere but the bank to cash the paycheck.
Prev. total $6375.00
today 2.00
new total $6377.00

Boy, the creek is full!!

I had planned on staying home and saving gas money today, but after the power was off for several hours, I decided to go shopping. I remembered how to open the garage door, so i got the car out.
I went to home depot and bought a chandlier to hang in the powder room of the house we are building. We have one for our powder room and I think it looks neat!
Then i went to Ingles and got several things with coupons, saved $4, so that can go into my challenge money.
prev. total $6371.00
today 4.00
new total $6375.00

My dh requested boneless chicken to cook on the grill tomorrow. I thought I remembered that bi lo had a buy one, get one free on boneless chicken.
Sure enough, I got a free pack of chicken which we can either freeze or cook up and have for another meal or lunches. That saved a minimum of $5 which I will add to my challenge money.
prev. total $6366.00
today 5.00
new total $6371.00

Well i walked for over 30 minutes on my treadmill and walked up and down 22 flights of stairs, so i have $2 to add to my challenge money.
prev. total $6364.00
today 2.00
new total $6366.00

Or is it grey? I have needed to color my hair for a few weeks, but determined I would wait for a sale. Both the local drug stores advertised it on sale this week, so with my coupon, I got $2 off. I also walked 30 minutes yesterday, so I have $3 to add to my challenge money.
prev total $6361.00
today 3.00
new total $6364.00

I got my walking up to 60 minutes yesterday, and at $1 for each 30 minutes, that will add $2 to my total.
Prev. total $6359.00
today 2.00
new total $6361.00

We received our american express credit card bill today. Because my dh puts a lot of home depot charges for the houses he is building, on the card, we get a rebate once a year. It came today, so I am going to add $515.00 to our challenge money.
prev. total $5844.00
today 515.00
new total $6359.00

I stayed home all day and didn't spend a dime. I filled up the car with gas last night, total $21. I didn't think that was too bad, compared to some people.
I walked on my treadmill for 30 minutes yesterday, so I am adding $1 for that and $1 for a no gas day. A total of $2 for my challenge money.
Prev. total $5842.00
today 2.00
new total $5844.00