I just checked with the vanguard mutual fund. I have all my mutual funds listed there, so that I can see the value of all my mutual funds with out having to go to each mutual fund company.
I took a hit of about $10,000 because of yesterday's stock market drop.
However, I am not too upset.
I started keeping track of my mutual funds at vanguard on Sept. 21st. According to my notes, I am still $20,000 ahead of where I was on 9/21, so that makes me happy!!

It is a beautiful day here today. I drove over to Murphy, N.c. to get the drafting vellum we have been needing. I picked it up last week, but it was just plain paper, no grid. Expensive paper too, $250 for 100 sheets.
I had a coupon for $4 off of prilosec so i bought that today. I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4186.00
today 4.00
new total $4190.00

Since I have learned how to check on my accounts on the computer, I do this almost every day. That way, I can keep track of what checks have cleared, because I write a lot of business checks.
When I checked today, my business checking had gone down about 19K since yesterday.
What was missing was the almost 19K that I had deposited on Saturday to pay a big drywall and insulating bill.
The bank said they are having some problems and to check back this afternoon. Gosh, I hope nothing bounces in the meantime.
The deposit showed up yesterday when I checked, but has disappeared today. I don't really understand why?

Well, after quite a ruckus yesterday, it is time to get back to the $20 challenge. I got in my walking and my stairs yesterday, had a no spend and no gas used also, so I am adding $5 to my challenge money. I played bridge all day today at my house, but the refreshements were pretty cheap. We all drink water and we gorged on some kissables and cheapie sugar wafers. (the kissables were half price after valentine's day.
prev. total $4181.00
today 5.00
new total $4186.00

I am so happy that I have this forum to come to. Everone here is so kind and nice to each other. It is nice to be among people who are interested in the same things as I am. Yesterday was not a very good day, but I hope today is better.

women who frequent a local forum forum that I am on.
They don't like the fact that I talk about saving money.
They check out what I say on this forum to see if they can find out anything to put on the local forum to critize me.
They did that today!
One is thirty two years old. I owned my own house free and clear, when I was 32 years old, she doesn't.
They critize that I am not frugal because I own a corvette.
I own a corvette because I have been frugal all my life. I think it is pretty childish to have someone follow you around on the different forums. What an exciting life they must have!!

Well, I walked 2 miles on my treadmill today, so I earned two dollars which I will add to my challenge money.
prev. total $4179.00
today 2.00
new total $4181.00

I am still reading the electric meter and recording it everyday. I really think it makes me more aware of how much power I am using. The nice thing is that my bill has been under $100 for the past 4 months. That is money I can add to my challenge money!!

I did my grocery shopping today and using my advantage card, i saved $5 to add to my challenge fund.
Prev. total $4174.00
today 5.00
new total $4179.00

I finally got my little Holly groomed. She has not been groomed since the first part of November. We had an appt. for Dec. 28th and my groomer took sick leave for at least 6 months.
I have been looking for a good groomer all over.I have heard horror stories about some of the local groomers, so I have been very careful.
I finally got an e mail from another lady who is very particular about her dogs, telling me of a new guy that recently moved here.
I just got back from picking her up and I am thrilled. She looks great and was only there for 2 hours instead of the usual 6 hours. It may seem expensive, but I think groomers do earn their money. I bet she enjoys not having all that hair hanging in front of her eyes.

The interest on my 5.25% money market account got added to my account yesterday. I love earning interest. I told my husband that our net worth increased by $1793.73 yesterday and he said, how? I was surprised!! I said, it is one month's interest on our money market account. He does not seem to realize that when we are building a house, we are losing a lot of money in interest. Buyers should be aware of that also. We lose about $2000 a month in interest. We use our own money to build. If we had to borrow from a bank, we would be paying even more interest.
Anyway, it was nice to see that $1793 added to our account, plus I have more interest being payed to a jumbo c.d. that I opened. I am keeping track of how much interest I earn each month.Wow, I like this!

I had a nice day at my bridge class. Teacher only teachs for a few minutes and then we play the rest of the time. I decided to go and buy more of that valentine's day fudge that is on sale. They put so many preservatives in that stuff, it will last a month and look at all the money I am saving!! (wink)

Thank goodness my husband likes cheap shampoo, vo5, which you can get for 99 cents. The last few months, Ingles has been selling the Shampoo and conditioner together for 99 cents.
I just checked under the counter cause my husband told me he needed conditioner. He has 9 bottles of shampoo left over but no conditioner. What is he doing?
He doesn't have much hair anymore.
Well, at least he won't run out of shampoo any time soon.

I love it. It is my favorite food, just plain old chocolate fudge, no nuts.
So of course when the grocery store had their bakery valentine's day fudge on sale for about half price, I had to SAVE money and buy it. So, I saved $2 on the fudge and $3 using a CVS coupon today. That is $5 more to add to the challenge money this month.
Prev. total $4169.00
Today 5.00
new total $4174.00

My electric bill came yesterday. It was a little higher than last month, but not bad. It was $100, but I budget $160 each month, so that is $60 out of the envelope and into my challenge money.
prev. total $4109.00
today 60.00
new total $4169.00

I drove all the way to N.C. and paid $270 for drafting paper for my dh. He just opened it and I will have to take it back, it has no grids on the paper. No one carries this around here, so it had to be ordered. I sure hope they take it back and will send it back. It just won't work. I wish I knew a place to order it on line. We are so in the boonies!

Well, I got in my walking and my stair climbing yesterday, so I have $2 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4107.00
today 2.00
new total $4109.00

I had to drive to N.C, to pick up some drafting paper for my husband. I can not believe how much I had to pay for 100 sheets of paper, almost $270!! It is not nice weather , so I came straight home and did not spend anymore money today. Property taxes are going to be due next week, so there is going to be lots of money going out in the next 7 days. Just happy that we have the money!

I forgot to add my ridge money to the challenge this week. Today is another pay day but since it is a holiday, I won't be going to the bank today. So payday will be tomorrow and more ridge money will be put in the envelope.
As I have explained before, my Ridge money is money I was paying monthly on a beautiful piece of property. I paid it off when we closed on our spec house and I am still budgeting for it. This way I can add the money to my $20 challenge.
prev. total $3942.00
today 165.00
new total $4107.00

Wow, I had a good week, thirty years ago. On Feb. 15th, 1977, I got to go to my first and only elvis concert. I had front row tickets.
Three days later, I met my dh. He was a blind date set up by a mutual friend. It was love at first sight!!
We are celebrating tonight with a steak dinner!! February 18, 1977!!

We have been out looking at land all afternoon.It has been real cold and the wind is blowing 40 mph.
We went to one new subdivision that has no finished roads yet. Because of all the snow, we just parked on the main road and walked all over. We were frozen when we made it back to the car. Luckily, the car was warm cause we took our puppy with us. We drove around and got out several more times. We found 2 or 3 lots we really liked that had pretty good views. Now, we have to find out the prices. I am sure they will be priced $70,000 to $90,000. That seems awfully high for a cabin lot, but what can you do??

The snow is starting to melt cause there is so much sunshine today. It is still bitterly cold outside. But I think we are going out looking for land today. We found a new subdivision that looks promising.
I know real estate sales are terrible right now. There is 555 homes for sale in this county and 750 in the next county and we live in a very rural area. However, my husband is the best (honest he is) builder in the area and his homes have always sold quickly.
I love having the money sit in my money market account earning 5.25% interest but it is time to buy a lot. I hate giving up that $60,000 to $70,000 to buy a lot, but that is what it takes.
Also, we can't decide on a floor plan until we buy the lot.
We always try to buy something with a view and we need a plan that will show off the view to the best advantage.
That makes a difference in the view is in the front or in the back.
Guess we will bundle up and head out shortly.

We had a cheap dinner at home last night. It looked like we would not get any snow, so we dressed and headed out. We had not gone a mile when it started snowing hard so we turned around.
Back home, we had an omelete and corn beef hash for dinner. Well, at least we saved money. Right now we are "snowed in" with only about an inch. In Georgia, there is not much snow equiptment. We have to wait for the sun to thaw out the roads.
The birds are really active this morning; it is time to fill the feeders back up.

I got another check from Pinecone. I love getting these free checks in the mail all the time. It is amazing how quickly they add up. Adding it to the challenge money:
Prev. total $3937.00
today 5.00
new total $3942.00

What has happened to the updates on the $20 challenge? I added some money to my challenge today and it is not posted to the right>>>>>>>>>>>>
Nothing has posted new to the $20 challenge since Feb. 15th? Anyone know??

I just got back from Bi Lo. Snow is supposed to come in tonight. According to Bookie, he is already getting it and he is about 125-150 miles away from me. So, I stocked up on steak.
Bi Lo often has good steak specials on the weekend. I got enough for two nights, just in case. According to my grocery receipt, I saved $8, so I will add that to my challenge money.
prev. total $3929.00
today 8.00
new total $3937.00

They are calling for snow to come in tonight, so I am going to go to town and buy some meat for dinner. We usually don't go out to eat when they are calling for bad weather. We have nothing with four wheel drive, so we don't take a chance. Maybe I can find something on sale for dinner!!
Last night our waitress hit us up for money. She is collecting for a lady that picks up stray cats and has them spayed. A very good cause, so of course, I did donate.
I think everyone should have their animals spayed. That being said, I am ashamed to say, I do not have my little Holly spayed. Just as I was planning to do that, I heard about a puppy that was spayed. Something went wrong, and they had to put the puppy to sleep. I could not bear to lose my baby!! However, she only goes out on a leash!

I did my grocery shopping today. I did not need much, so I saved very little. I did have a coupon for $2 off, so i will add that to my challenge money.
prev. total $$3927.00
today 2.00
new total $3929.00

Kendra is the name of the teen age girl we have taken an interest in.
Kendra does not have a cell phone or a car. Kendra has very few clothes.
I do not know a lot about her, but I do know that both of her parents have died and she is an orphan.
She is a senior in high school and lives with her two brothers.
She works at the restaurant we go to every night, and you have never seen such a hard worker.
She does not live with her brothers for free, she has responsibities. She has to pay the electric bill and she is upset because this month the bill is $150.
Kendra needs glasses. The owner of the restaurant talked to one of the clubs in town and they are going to pay for her glasses.
I gave Kendra money at christmas time and again on valentine's day. She practically jumped for joy!!
I think if each of us would help just one person, life would be so much happier.
I plan to keep helping Kendra. She wants to go to college. I don't know how she will do it (no money and no car) but I will be glad to help her.

There is valentine candy on sale all over. I usually don't buy it. However, the 3 ladies I play bridge with all love the new candy, kissables. (Hershey little kisses with a candy coating, like m and m's)
They had it on sale today, the all valentine red colors, so I saved some money for my next bridge refreshments. So I will add $3 in candy savings plus a dollar for walking a mile yesterday to my challenge money.
Prev. total $3923.00
today 4.00
new total $3927.00