We put up signs last week, I printed up 300 fliers to put out and our spec house went up for sale. (We are just doing the sheetrock now)
WE had our first lookers yesterday. My dh called me and said bring over the covenants, they will be back. They came back yesterday afternoon.
They came back again today. They gave me a deposit check for $2500!!!
I am so excited. Of course, my dh houses usually sell first because they are such quality. He does all the inside work completely by himself, I mean everything, paint, trim, tile, hardwood flooring, cabinets, etc.
We asked $400,000and the offer was for $400,000! (maybe too cheap?)
It is a 3500 sq. ft. house with 12 foot ceilings, a courtyard with pond, and a killer mountain view on 1.7 acres!!
I am doing the dance of joy and adding that money to my challenge money!
prev. total $13,814.00
today 2,500.00
new total $16,314.00

I have been reading and writing down the readings on my electric meter all summer long. The past two days has been the lowest usage for the past three months, only 21 kilowatts each day.
It is nice to know that our electric bill will start going down now and i can add that to my challenge money.

It was cold and in the 50's this morning and now I have a fan blowing on me to keep cool. My meter has been moving very slowly thank goodness!
I did manage to save $1 from walking, one for stair climbing and a $1 off coupon at the store, to add to my challenge money.
prev. total $13,811.00
today 3.00
new total $13,814.00

We got our first lookers at our spec house today. They came back and took a picture and that is a good sign.
With this slowing housing market, I was getting (and still am) worried.
We started our building small mountain homes with a view and they sold quickly. Some how this house is going to be 3500 square feet and cost over $350,000 just to build.
I just think about all the interest I am losing on this money. However, at least I am not paying interest on the house.

I wish the weather would stay just like this. It is cool, 72 and sunny and pretty. It will be a good night to go out to eat and then cruise the town in our '33 vicky!! That is just what we will do!

No good mail today, it all went in the garbage. I did get a coupon from L'oreal for a free High intensity pigments liquid makeup.
I found it at the store for $12.99, but it is all so dark. Do any of you with light skin use this make up. I was kind of afraid to try it! But I hate to waste a $12.99 coupon!

Soem of my favorite sugar free candy is half price at the store. It is not advertised, so I hope that doesn't mean it is being discontinued. I stocked up on it and saved $5 to add to my challenge money.
prev. total $13,806.00
today 5.00
new total $13,811.00

Last night was my first night to wear a sweater outside. I wanted to sit on the deck by the creek, but we had a light rain. So we sat on the back porch deck instead, dh, me and Holly.
She loves to go out on the deck and everytime one of us gets up to refill our drink, she gets in our chair!
We cooked pork chops and hamburgers on the grill last night.
I bought some sugar free candy that was 41 off yesterday. That plus the $20 we saved not going out to eat, gets added to my challenge money.
prev. total $13,785.00
today 21.00
new total $13,806.00 Meant to say that the candy was $1 off!

It sure is nice to see the electic meter is slowing down. Instead of a reading in the high 50's and 60's each day, it has slowed back down to the 30's (kilowatts) I know we still have a few warm days coming,but I love saving on my electric bill.
I am thinking about how to save gas money to add to my challenge. Gas is going down quite quickly, I sure hope this lasts!!

I received my first pinecone check for doing a survey, yesterday. You all were right, they sure pay promptly. I saved $3 in coupons at the grocery store, so I have $8 more to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $13,777.00
today 8.00
new total $13,785.00

We ate at TGIFriday's, friday night. The next day I looked at the bill; I paid $7.99 tax on a $40 tab. That is 20%, so i called them and was told that that is what sevier county charged for everything, 20%!!
The next night, I ate somewhere else, this time my tax was a little over $5 on an $82 tab. No where near 20% not even 10%!!
I would have never done this before I joined this forum, but I am writing to the manager, sending the two bills, and asking for a refund of the overpaid tax. Wish me luck!
(By the way, I did tip the girl $10 on the first check, so I am not being a cheap skate)

I got hot dogs on sale a few weeks ago, buy one pack, get one free.
My dh has beeen taking them for lunch everyday. Yesterday we got invited over to a hot dog and beer cook out.
Last night, dh asked if we could go get KFC so he could have chicken for lunch today instead of hot dogs. He is hot-dogged out!!
I had a coupon for $1 off the KFC, plus I know I walked at least 3 miles in Gatlinburg, so I have $4 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $13,773.00
today 4.00
new total $13,777.00

Well, I have gone 3 whole days without adding anything to my challenge money. That will not do.
I thought about the challenge while on my mini vacation.
Saturday morning, with my dh off real early to the car show, Idecided to forego my expensive waffle breakfast. Instead, I hiked to McDonald's for a biscuit and glass of water. So, I saved about $5 which will be added to my challenge money.
prev. total $13,768.00
today 5.00
new total $13,773.00

It feels so good to be back home, in a nice big house, not a little motel room. I tried to be a little frugal on this trip.
We had a fairly cheap (for us) dinner out the first night. We went to TGIFridays and I had just potatoe skins and dh had a burger. We did share a bottle of wine.
DH really wanted steak the next night, so we had a splurge night, with filet mignon and a bottle of wine!
Anyway this trip was paid for out of the money from my "charge card" envelope cause I haven't been charging much.
DH got to look at a million old cars, and I caught up on lots of money magazines and Mary Hunts book, cheapskate money makeover.

I am leaving this morning to go to Gatlinburg. Now, don't you guys go doing anything exciting while I am gone. I know I will never be able to catch up on all the blogs I will miss while I am gone! I sure will miss this site and I am going to try and practice being as frugal as possible while I am gone!!It will be a car show for dh and lots of reading for me and Holly. (no shopping, I hope)

WE are packing tonight, heading out to gatlinburg in the morning. I hope this cool weather is in Gatlinburg too. It has been a perfect day today , no air running the entire day. If I had screens, I could really cool the house down, but alas, they are packed up in the attic.
We are also saving by not going out for a big meal tonight, just burgers at Wendy's! We have a $20 off coupon that we must use it or lose it by tonight, so we will head to Home Depot and buy something for the spec house.

I took my first pinecone survey today. thank you so much to the person on here, who gaves me the information to sign up. Thanks a bunch. I am looking forward to my first check!! I hope. I do the click thru ones also, but at 3 cents a clip, it takes forever to get my total up to $30, that is when you get paid.

Went to bi lo yesterday and picked up a few items on sale. I saved almost $2, so i will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $13,766.00
today 2.00
new total $13,768.00

I read somewhere that the only credit score that counts is equifax? Is that true? If so, why do we have 3 agencies reporting?

My hsband has just about finished a house (she needs shower doors) and the lady is moving in and going to spend the night, tonight.
So, she wanted the a/c heat installer to come by and hook her up, so she can run the heat tonight.
I am sitting here in shorts and 80 degrees wondering why she is going to run the heat tonight?? (She is in her 80's)

My water bill was so late last month, it came the day it was due. so I had paid it (drop it off in a box at the bank)before the due date and I paid $20, because I was not sure of the amount. I wound up with a $3 credit. I have budgeted $20 for the bill, so I now have $6 left over to add to my challenge money.
prev. total $13,760.00
today 6.00
new total $13,766.00

I am going to gatlinburg, tenn. this week. we go every year, to the car show in Pigeon Forge, but we like to stay in gatlinburg so we can walk to everything.
We usually spend at least $500. It is about $200 for the motel room and the rest is food and gas.
The place we like to eat is expensive. By the time we have filet mignon, a bottle of wine and leave a 20% tip, we blow close to $100 just for dinner.
The place we LOVE for breakfast is the pancake pantry. It is so good, but so expensive. Breakfast, which is usually cheap, runs close to $20 with a tip. I just get a plain waffle and water and that is $7.
Food is just expensive in a tourist town. I am going to try and cut down on my expenses this week, but having at least one cheaper dinner, I hope.
I really hate to blow the money but this is one trip my husband looks forward to all year long.
If you have read my blogs, you know my husband works 7 days a week, so this is a real treat to him.

I am back from the bank, with $20's in hand. Got all my envelopes and did my budget for the week.
We stayed home for dinner last night and saved that money, so i will take the $20 that we saved and add it to my challenge money.
prev. total $13,740.00
today 20.00
new total $13,760.00

My husband usually works 7 days a week, starting on Monday and ending on Sunday. So, Monday is my usual payday. Of course the banks were not open yesterday, so today is pay day. I AM REALLY BROKE TOO. This seems funny cause I have quite a bit of money sitting in envelopes that I could borrow, but i don't. I have been doing things this way for so long, I never worry about cheating!

The restaurants are all closed around here, so we are eating home tonight. dh came home from work at 5 and is cutting grass, so i am going to actually cook. I guess that will be some money to add to our challenge account.
I am feeling pretty broke today. Usually payday is on Monday and I had to go into my misc. envelope to buy some prilosec. I will pay it back tomorrow.

I was going to have a no spend day until I realized my husband had run out of prilosec which he takes daily. Had to run to the store and get some. I did get in my walking and my stairs yesterday, so that is $2 more to add to the challenge.
prev. total $13,738.00
today 2.00
new total $13,740.00

I bet my husband is the only one celebrating the day the correct way, he is laboring!!

It is cool and rainy this morning. I hope that means it will say a low electrical power day like yesterday. It is nice on savings, but makes it hard to get the grass cut.
Hope this does not spoil anyone's picnic!

I have been reading my meter every day at noon and recording the amount of kilowatts of electricity I have been using. for the first time since June, the kilowatt reading was under 30! It was 29. It really helps when it is cool like this. I still expect a large bill this month, but I feel sure it will be under my budget and next month's bill will be even lower. I love that, cause I add the difference to my $20 challenge.

I ran to Ingles to get something for dinner home tonight. It is so quiet in the store on sunday mornings. I found kleenex on sale and had a coupon for dog food. I also found 15 cents! I saved $4 at the store, plus I walked for 30 minutes yesterday, so i have $5 to add to the challenge money.

Prev. total $13,733.00
today 5.00
new total $13,738.00