Decided to take my coin jar to the bank, so I can add that to my challenge money. It had $81 and some change in it, so i added the change back and am putting the $81 in my total.
We had framers on our new spec house. we pulled the permit 5 months ago, today and this is the first time wood was being put on the house. Things take time here in the mountains.
Of course, it rained at noon, so they all went home. Maybe tomorrow.
Prev total $4340.00
today 81.00
New total $4421.00

i recieved 2 $5 off coupons from my grocery store, Ingles. But I had to spend $50. So I added up my purchases as I shopped. I use to have to do that when I was young, only had so much money.
So with my advantage card savings, that came to almost $8. (I round up) I will add that to my challenge money.
prev. total $4332.00
today 8.00
new total $4340.00

My Holly (5 lb. toy poodle) chased her first squirrel today. I caught her before she fell into the creek. The day was so pretty I just stayed home and took a walk, so a no spend day so far. I can add a $1 in gas money to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4331.00
today 1.00
new total $4332.00

Well the old vette got me to town and back safely. The clock didn't work and neither did the speedometer, but the 8 track player worked fine.(Anyone need to explain what an 8 track it)
I got to the bank and picked up a few things we needed at the grocery store. Since I did not go to town yesterday, I will add $1 of gas money plus I saved $2 at Ingles with my grocery card for a total of $3.
Prev. total $4328.00
today 3.00
new total $4331.00

Well, I stayed home all day, so i always add $1 to my challenge money when I stay home. I figure that I spend $1 going to town and back, a round trip close to 10 miles. (this was yesterday) I did book work most of the day. We did go out to eat last night as usual. It seemed so funny to go out in the old vette. It seems so small, the new ones are much bigger now. My dh said, did we really use to go on vacations in this car? We did, a lot of them.
Prev. total $4327
today 1
new total $4328

I spent most of the afternoon paying bills for the houses under construction. Got everything done and another 10th of the month bill arrived about 4 pm. It has been lost in the mail. The city, state and zip did not show on the bill thru the little window.
Darn, now I have to get everything out again. I did get a check from home depot for an overpayment or something. It was for $10.75, so I will round up and add $11 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4316.00
Today 11.00
new total $4327.00

UPS guy came today, my husband finally has some dress pants and blue jeans that will fit him since he lost 35 pounds. I hated to spend the $95 but he has been looking like he is wearing someone's cast offs for months now.
I ran major errands today, bank, grocery store, liquor store, drug store because I might be without a car the rest of the week. We have 2 other cars, but I won't touch my husband's hot rod and the old vette is just that, old. I will take it to town if need me.
I had to buy some more prilosec and it was $5 off with my advantage card, so I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4311.00
today 5.00
new total $4316.00

Forgot my totals

Prev. total $4310.00
today 1.00
New total $4311.00

Just got back from Bi Lo. DH wanted to cook steaks out on the grill tonight. I spent $24 and I can eat out at my restaurant for $16. We also got squash and some cookies on sale. I saved $1.38 with my bi lo card and found a penny. I will add the $1 to my challenge money. I throw all my change (except pennies) into my change jar and I will add that total when I take it to the bank.
Spent $13 buying bird seed at Ace, but that is ok. I am cooking a roast in the slow cooker, so that will be dh's lunch for several days. It is too pretty to stay inside today. Let's all go outside and play!!

Gosh I never have lunch out two days in a row, I feel like I have really blown it. I talk everyday on a local forum for our town and 2 gals were meeting for lunch and inviting everyone else. It was mexican and I don't like mexican food, so today they changed it and one e mailed me asking me to come. I had met her once and we hit it off. So I went and we all had a great hour together. But I spent $3.50 on a plain burger with water.
Did my grocery shopping for the week and only spent $40. I got a roast on sale and I will fix that with potatoes in the crock pot and it will be 3 or 4 lunches. I saved over $3 on it.
All total with my advantage card my savings today totaled $5.95 so I will add $6 to my challenge money.
I have signed up for some of the free samples here, but have not received anything yet.
Prev. total $4304.00
Today 6.00
New Total $4310.00

Ok, I splurged and went to blimpies. I have been wanting a turkey sandwich from there for ages. It cost me $3.95, but I will have half for lunch tomorrow.
Went to rite aid with a coupon to buy 8 light bulbs for $1, They were out and won't give those things, where you can get them later. I have never been good on coupons, so i can see that the early bird gets the worm.
I did go to Ingles and write down some prices so I can do some comparison. I got over $2 off my few purchases and I spent less than $5. I also stayed home all day yesterday, thereby saving $1 in gas, so I will add the $3 to my challenge money. (It would have been $6 if I had gotten the light bulbs.)
prev. total $4301.00
today 3.00
new total $4304.00

I am upset with myself not having anything to add to my challenge so I went thru my budget envelopes.
I still hae $120 left in my credit card envelope after I had paid my cc bill last week.
But I ordered almost $100 worth of new pants for my husband from Penny's. He has lost 35 pounds and kept it off this past year. When he gets dressed to go out and has not yet put on his belt, his pants fall down!
Plus they look all baggy, like he is wearing someone's hand me downs.
So I decided I had better keep $100 in my credit card envelope, but I do have the $20 left over to put in my challenge money.
Prev total $4281.00
Today 20.00
New total $4301.00

My challenge is going slowly the past few days. I have looked at things on sale, like BLOGs , but if I don't need it, why buy it. I saved a big 7 cents yesterday using a senior citizens card. That is depressing because I don't feel like a senior citizen. I have long blond hair,like to dance (fast) and leather coats with fringe on them.
WE have had company at dinner the past two nights also. The same man! He was waiting for us when we go to the restaurant. Maybe I should rent an office! That would be kewl! (we use to say cool, but I understand the spelling has changed now.
Well I am not going to add my 7 cent savings cause I am trying to keep my challenge money in dollars only. I have added it to my change jar.

I took my little dog Holly to the groomers this morning. It is so lonely here without here. I stopped at the CVS and used a $2 off coupon I had, so I will add that to my challenge. Ialso got a new coupon from there for $2.50 off, but I have not used that yet. My husband hurt his back today, so he came home to get some aspirin.
I did spend some money, almost $100. My husband has lost 35 pounds and all his pants are just downright baggy. I usually get things at Wal mart, but could not find any size 34's with a 29 inch inseam. I finally had to order out of a penny's catalog, both jeans and dress pants. Plus I blew $4.10 on sugarless candy! Then it will be $32 for my doggie's hairdo! I spend nothing on my hair and $32 on my puppy every 6 weeks or so. Oh well! She is worth it.
Prev. total $4279.00
today 2.00
new total $4281.00

I feel like a moonshiner when I make my liquor run. we are a dry county. They sell liquor and wine in Murphy. N.C. about 25 miles from here. They sell beer and wine on the county on each side of us, but no liquor. Murphy sells no beer. We folks spend a lot of time driving and our tax monies in other counties.
I decided to drink the bottle of dark rum that I was given, even to I don't like dark rum as well. But I figured that would save me money and it did. i did not buy any rum today, so i saved $12 to add to my challenge. I also stopped at the grocery store and bought something I had forgotten and I saved $3 with my advantage card. So that was $15 saved today.
I went into one of those discount grocery stores and looked around. They had a lot of off brand products and dented and banged up looking stuff. They did have a great deal on low carb ice cream, but 25 miles is a long drive, plus I had several other places to go before I came home.
I had to make a really big withdrawal today to put towards our spec house ($38,000) but I waited til after 2, so I earned another $3.73 in interest.
Prev. total $4263.00
Today saved 15.00
new total $4279.00

Stayed home all day yesterday but my husband worked half a day. Then he came on and worked some more. He cleaned the house and moved the ice maker from one garage to the closer garage and got it hooked up. He washed his van, the hot rod and the old vette.
He did not touch the new vette. I know he can't stand to look at the bumper where it got hit a few days. We have an appt. Mar. 7th to take it in and leave it for 3 or 4 days.
We cooked ribs and potatoes on the grill and I made some cube steaks in the crock pot.(I don't like ribs) We have enough left over for two lunches for dh.
Relaxed in the hot tub last night. I have figured out if I do not go to town every day, I save about $1 in gasoline money, so I will add that to my challenge.
Prev. total $4263.00
today 1.00
new total $4264.00

We went to a bonfire and cooked hot dogs on a stick. I don't think I have ever done that before. We stayed outside all night, with a coat, it was pretty comfortable.
We were all strangers, meeting for the first time. We are on a local forum for our home town and decided to get together. Only 9 attended but we had a nice time. You had to have four wheel drive to come up the driveway, so the vette could not make it. Thank goodness for phones, they came down and got us.
I think I will just stay home today, so if I do it will be a no spend day. My husband went to work but said he would be home early.
I am so glad that his work is starting to pick up, it has been a lean past two months, waiting and waiting on concrete people.
Since I did not go out to eat like I usually do (every night but Sunday) last night, I will take the $20 I saved and put it in my challenge money. so the total is
prev. total $4243.00
today 20.00
new total $4263.00

We are going to a bon fire tonight. I haven't been to anything like that since I was a kid. The couple that invite us, we have never met. We have all met over a local forum and talked there, but none of us has met. It should be interesting. The only thing worrying me is that their drive way is so steep, you have to have four wheel drive, which we don't have. They will have to pick us up at the bottom of the drive.
I don't like steep driveways, heights make me nervous.
I went grocery shopping this morning and looked for something cheap for supper tomorrow night. I got 4 cube steaks for $2, which I will cook in the crock pot.
Then I have been doing book work and paying bills for the past two hours.
I used my advantage card and a free coupoon, and I saved about $5 which I am adding to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4238.00
Today 5.00
new total $4243.00

I had to go to the grocery store or my outside dog was going to starve. I usually buy what is on sale, if possible, but I got her favorite food today. they had a big bag (8pounds) marked buy one get one free.
Ingles lets you just buy one item and get it for half price when they offer bogo's (I know what that is now thanks to this site) That plus another coupon got me more than $5 in savings to add to my challenge money.
Then I took my little dog and we went to visit my husband's job site. So far with the land and the concrete for the basement, we have almost $110,000 in this spec house. Things are just going sky high around here. We built our first spec house for about $100,000 4 years ago, and now we have more than that in just some land and concrete. Oh well, I am just fortunate to have the money to pay cash.
Prev. total $4233.00
Today 5.00
New total $4238.00

My husband came home from work, covered with red geogia clay. Good thing I had washed his other pairs of jeans today. He had to change clothes in the garage. He is working on plumbing and all this rain doesn't help either.
We are having someone look at our house at 5 pm so I am cleaning up a little. They have a SIL that is a builder, but they just like the way our house looks and wants my dh to draw the plans for their new home.
I could not think on anyway to add to my challenge money except to just stay home today. I figured that every time I make a trip to town and back, it cost $1 in gas. So I will just add that dollar to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4232.00
today 1.00
new total $4233.00

I tried to open a savings account with Umbrella bank to get the 4.6%, but they will only open accounts on line. Darn!!

Normally Monday is payday and the day I do my budget. Then banks were closed yesterday so I did the paycheck and the envelope method today.
I budgeted $160 for electricity this month and this month is was under $90. So I have $70 left over to place in my challenge money.
I went and paid $370 for car tags today. I have an envelope that I put in $100 a week. That pays for car tags, car insurance, house insurance and property taxes for the year, so it didn't mess up my budget, I already had the money.
Prev. total $4162.00
Today 70.00
New total $4232.00

I thought of a way to save some money. My dh and I like cocktails in the evening after dinner ( and during) I usually drink white rum and diet sprite.
After cheaning out behind the bar to install our new wine cooler, I have discovered that I have a bottle and a half of dark rum.
Although I don't like dark rum as much as white rum, I have decided to drink it up thus saving some money not buying white rum.
It is a sacrific, but I am willing to do it if it means adding to my $challenge$ money.

Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got a nice surprise this morning, I got a call invited us out for dinner.We had planned on going out anyway, but now I won't have to pay for it.
Well it is raining, what else is new. That is all it seems to do lately. My husband can't work when it rains cause all of this houses are just getting started and the work is all outside work. Rain, rain go away.
Guess i will take that $20 I would have spent tonight and put it in my challenge money.
Prev. total $4142.00
Today 20.00
new total $4162.00

Tomorrow will be presidents day so all the banks will be closed. I am excited about putting my challenge money to work earning some interest, especially since I got a big check yesterday.
I went grocery shopping and saved about $6 with my advantage card which I have applied to my challenge money. Most of the money saved was an $8 roast that had $4.00 off. so it is now in the crock pot cooking for supper.
Prev. bal $4136.00
today 6.00
new total $4142.00

Well, I spoke too soon. I mentioned house plans that my dh has been working on for over 3 years and he has not been paid for anything.
Today I opened the mail and the check was there!! (doing the dance of joy)
The weather here is terrible, raining now with sleet predicted for later.
We had planned on staying home because of the weather but now we need to go out and celebrate!!
Poor dh is outside working in this terrible weather right now. It is about 32 outside and wet, but warm inside.
29 years ago I met my dh, so this is sort of an anniversary for us. Happy Day!! Have a wonderful weekend.
Prev. total $2964.00
Today's ck. 1172.00
New total $4136.00

I just watched the Oprah show. this one family spends $100 a day eating out all three meals. She never cooks or does dishes. That makes me feel a little better since I eat out everynight. But they also make double what we do.
Well it has been a no spend day. I never went to town so couldn't spend any money. I should have picked up a few groceries, they are calling for snow and sleet to come in tomorrow. Hopefully, we won't starve.
I go my electric bill today and it went down by $12, to $88. I was happy about that. That means I will have some extra money to put towards my challenge money when I pay that bill and that makes me happy.
I sent a bill out several weeks ago for a set of plans. My husband tends to do a lot of free stuff for people that talk to him about building.
He has worked with one couple for 3 years. They have bought and sold land 3 times and have changed their plans so much. He has drawn and drawn on them. Finally he finished them and I mailed them off and they were pleased.
But when I send a bill, they did not pay. If they won't pay for the plans, they won't pay for their house.
Guess it is a good thing we found that out early.
If I ever get a check, I will put it in my challenge money, but I won't let it upset me now.
At least we won our lawsuit and have not been re sued, so i will do the dance of joy today!!

I mentioned about a month ago, that we were sued by a guy for $7000 for some silt fencing (he says) He really wanted the money to pay for a new drive way. Anyway, we won the case and did not have to pay him anything, but he had 30 days to refile and take us to another court. The 30 days are up, and unless something has been delayed by the mail, I think we are free and clear of this.
My husband said he would go to jail rather than pay the man a penny!!
So, no jail time yet.
we stayed home and cooked on the grill last night. That is a big thing for me, to stay home any night but Sunday. We got to sit in our warm jacuzzi and just talk.
I am really getting motivated in reading all the ways you guys save and spend your money.
I can see my biggest problem is eating out every night and not buying things on sale.
Yesterday, I saved $2.60 with my advantage card, so I have rounded it up (which I am going to do so I don't have to mess with a bunch of change in my challenge money box) to $3 plus I know I saved at least $20 by not eating out last night. So that is $23 for my challenge money.
Prev. total $2941.00
today 23.00
newe total $2964.00

Iknow I could save some grocery money if my husband went to jail, but it is nice having him around!! Have a wonderful day!!

Do you all count the interest that you receive in your challenge money? I did count the few dollars I got in my ING account, but I also have a savings that earns interest every 3 months and a money market checking that pays me interest every month. Should I count this?
I know this is not a contest to see who can make the most, but I want to be fair. any suggestions would be appreciated. and thanks.

Just got back from North Carolina. It is so pretty out today, I need to get my puppy and go sit on the deck over the creek in the sunshine. Still lots of snow on the ground.
I had to make a liquor run, plus stop by and pay a bill, so I saved 39cents!
I am really trying to get into saving money. I have never been one to find coupons, the only time I use them is at the grocery store.
I was trying to find a cheaper deodrant so i really checked them out today at Rite Aid. I was surprised to find that most deodrants are not aerosol, they are stick types. They were having a sale on some stick types that were 2/$4 but if you had a coupon they were 2/$2. I went and got a store flyer and cut the coupon out. Then I notice that the hair color I need was $2 off if you had a coupon, so back I went to the flyer. That means I saved $4. I hope the deodrant works for me, but I don't think my husband will try it. The brand is soft n dry.
I hate paying 4-5$ for one can of arrid extra dry, and we have used it for 30 years.
I didn't spend any money on Valentine's day. I gave my husband the free card I gave him last year, and sent a friend an e card over this computer.
My challenge stands at:
Prev. total $2937.00
Today 4.00
New total $2941.00

Come on Holly, let's go sit on the deck and listen to the creek!!!

I just did all of my budget envelopes. I have $60 left after filling them all, so I will add that $60 to my challenge money. This feels good cause my husband has not worked much the past 3 weeks. I hope he can get started back tomorrow, weather permitting.
Prev. total $2877.00
today 60.00
new total $2937.00