My husband had his first car accident yesterday. It was one of those chain reaction things. A vehicle with no lights stopped suddenly and everyone put on their brakes.
He drives a heavy van full of tools and he just could not stop in time. He ran into the car in front of him.
Luckily no one was hurt and there were just a few scratch marks on the other car. He did damage his bumper and grill to the tune of over $1000. So, I guess we will have to pull some money out of savings to pay for the two vehicles. At least he did not get a ticket.
The braves won yesterday and I had a "no gas " day, so I will add $2 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $11,581.00
today 2.00
new total $11,583.00

Today is actually memorial day, so i wanted to wish everyone a good day. I am going to play bridge all afternoon, so i won't be here on saving advice until tomorrow.
At least it will be a no spend, no gas, day!! Enjoy your day!

For two nights in a row, we stayed home for dinner. The first night, we would up eating about 10 pm.
Last night, my dh was cooking ribs. First he boiled them, with the lid ON.
Of course, they boiled over and really made a mess. Then he smoked them on the grill and that took forever.
By the time the food was ready, we didn't even want to eat.
Then we had all the clean up to do.

I bet we spent just about as much as going out to eat. The food (ribs, hamburger, potatoes, lima beans) came to about $10. A half bag of charcoal is about $2.50.
Plus the dishwasher was full so I had to run that after one meal. (I usually only have to run it once every two or three days)
Our normal meal out runs about $16 and sure is a lot more fun than cooking and cleaning up.

Yeah, dinner out tonight.
However, I will add the $20 saved to my challenge, plus the braves won for another $1.
Prev. total $11,560.00
today 21.00
new total $11,581.00

Ok, I walked 2 miles yesterday and I had a $2 off coupon for toilet paper at the store. I will add that $4 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $11,556.00
today 4.00
new total $11,560.00

It is a special day for me because my father fought in world war I and world war II. He was stationed in France and later in Germany.
I kind of wish we would celebrate memorial day on the correct day, May 30th. I guess I am just old fashioned.

My little adopted kitten went to her new home. She will have a 7 year old boy to play with, plus another cat and dog.
When my friend came to pick up the kitten, she brought me $10 worth of beer and would not let me pay her back.
I did my grocery shopping early this morning. The store was just about dead. I saved $4 using my advantage card, so I am adding that to the $10 I would have spent on beer for dh, to my challenge money.
Prev. total $11,542.00
today 14.00
new total $11,556.00

I slept in late this morning, planning to go grocery shopping this afternoon. When I got up about 10:30, I got a frantic e mail from a friend on my local forum. It seems that the humane society had a persian kitten going up for adoption today at 11:30. Problem is, she has to work til 3:30 and she wanted the kitten.
I emailed her back to get the details and by 11 am., I was heading out the door. No breakfast, heck, I didn't even wash my face.

Mai ling is now residing in a pet carrier in my living room, awaiting her new owners.
Well, I can't spend any money when I am kitty sitting, so I am staying home.
My little Holly is so jealous!

Well, my favorite restaurant is going to close Monday for memorial day, so we will have to cook.
Ribs were on sale and we haven't had them in ages. I don't like them but dh sure does. I can just eat a hamburger.
I saved over $3 with my advantage card and the braves won last night, so i will add $4 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $11,538.00
today 4.00
new total $11,542.00

I am getting together all my challenge money so that I can make a deposit tomorrow. I need to get that money busy earning some interest. I forgot to add the ridge money for the week.
Prev. total $11,373.00
today 165.00
new total $11,538.00

Just got another check in the mail from nfo my survey today. That is $10 more to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $11,363.00
today 10.00
new total $11,373.00

I am on a local forum in the area I live. However, we have a lot of people on the forum who are from Florida. Most of them plan to move here someday and some have second homes.
We are meeting with 2 new couples tonight for dinner. They are both up here on vacation and want to get together.
As for my challenge money, I manged to walk over a mile, do 20 flights of stairs and the braves won, so $3 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $11,360.00
today 3.00
new total $11,363.00

My electric bill came yesterday. It was slightly under $90. ($88) Since I budget $160 a month, I have $70 to add to my challenge money today.
I am sure the next one will be much higher and it is continuing to warm up, but so far, I have only run the air condiditoning one time. It gets cool at night, which I really like.
Prev. total $11,290.00
today 70.00
new total $11,360.00

My husband has built about 70-80 homes in this area. He stays friends with everyone he builds for. That is bad sometimes, because every time they need something done for their home they call him. They all must know that he works 7 days a week.
Anyway, he was called to come over to a house he built, to cut out the counter top so that a new oven could be installed.
Yesterday, he came home with an envelope. Inside was a check for $50 for his labor.
That was nice and goes into our challenge money.
Prev. total $11,240.00
today 50.00
new total $11,290.00

I got a check for $538 in the mail today. I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $10,702.00
today 538.00
new total $11,240.00

It was a productive day. I had a dollar off coupon when I picked up pictures at CVS. Then I bought diet sprite on sale and saved over $3. I usually drive to Murphy on tuesday to buy liquor, but I am not going this week. That saves at least $6 in gas money. I will add that $10 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $10,692.00
today 10.00
new total $10,702.00

We don't use our american express card a lot, but we used it enough to get back $56 this years. I am going to add it to my challenge money.
Prev. total $10,636.00
today 56.00
new total $10,692.00

We had dinner out for free last night. We got called a month ago, to look at some damage in a home.When this guy came up to spend a week in his retirement home, he walked into find the house flooded.
He go the water turned off and called my husband to look at the damage. What my husband found was that the house was structurely unsound and it had nothing to do with the leak.
The builder had neglected to put in, two bearing walls and the whole house was sagging.
Well, he is going to sue the builder and I hope he gets some money to fix the house.
Because we made a couple of trips over there, he wanted to take dh and I out to dinner. He brought along an architect friend, so he and dh talked "shop" all night. (about the house and what to do)
Anyway, he bought our dinner, so I am going to add $20 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $10,616.00
today 20.00
new total $10,636.00

Well, the braves won one of the two games they played and I walked two miles on my treadmill. I also stayed home and used no gas yesterday, so i can add $4 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $10,612.00
today 4.00
new total $10,616.00

I read an article today that said if you could save 2 times your annual salary, you had a pretty good chance of being a millionaire. Because you would keep saving, but your money would also grow at a good rate.

I have dropped my husband's term insurance so I am now adding the premiums to my challenge money each month.
Prev. total $10,572.00
today 40.00
new total $10,612.00

Well, we have been invited to two graduations this week. Both are on the same night, same time, but different schools.
I just finished writing checks to send to both of the soon to be high school graduates, so I am spending money. But they deserve it.
One of them is the little orphan girl that I have been helping out. I will not be able to go to her graduation.
The other one is my granddaughter, and I will be at her graduation for sure.
How in the world did I get old enough to have a granddaughter that is 18 already??
Boy time flies by too fast!!

I have another seven dollars to add to my challenge money. I bought a steak on sale for dinner tomorrow and it was $4 off. Then, my favorite sugar free candy was on sale, so I stocked up and saved another $3.
Prev. total $10,565.00
today 7.00
new total $10,572.00

Wow, it was 36 when my husband left for work this morning. I love it. It is still 65 in the house , so no heat no air. But 36 on May 19th??
I have the ridge money to add to my challenge money today.
Prev. total $10,400.00
today 165.00
new total $10,565.00

Well, I am back from grocery shopping. I only spent $30 for the week's worth of groceries. Of course, we eat out every night, almost. We also got invited out for dinner one night next week.
I managed to save $5 using a coupon and my advantage card. I will add that to my challenge money.
prev. total $10,395.00
today 5.00
new total $10,400.00

Well, the braves didn't win their last two games, soI can't add any money to the challenge. I did walk a mile and did my 20 flights of stairs, so I do have $2 to add to the challenge money.
Prev. total $10,393.00
today 2.00
new total $10,395.00

Last week it got hot. It was in the mid to high 80's every day. I finally gave in and turn on the air conditioner.
Now, we are getting a cool snap. I love it. No air and no heat! That is a great way to save money.
On the other hand, I am spending a lot of money buying special food for my elderly dog. She won't eat any dog food at all. I am feeding her ham and chicken. However, she is worth it. I want her last days to be as good as possible.

Well, I had a no spend day today. I did fill up the car with gas. It had gone up almost 20 cents a gallon down town, so I bought it on the corner while it was still cheaper.
I walked a mile today, did 20 flights of stairs, so that is another $3 (no spend day too) to add to the challenge money.
prev. total $10,390.00
today 3.00
new total $10,393.00

My favorite ice cream is breyer's low carb vanilla. It was on sale today for buy one, get one free. So I saved $5, which I will add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $10,385.00
today 5.00
new total $10,390.00

$8232.00. According to the social security flyer that we all get before our birthdays ever year, that is the most money I ever made in one year.
I check on my interest in my 3 local accounts every day and I keep a running total.
Yesterday, my interest for the year, surpassed $8232.00, more than I have ever made working.
I guess that is why they call it "having your money working for you"

It is a nice cool day today, about 70 degrees. I love weather like this. Nothing has to run, no heat or air.
I am making my own "bottled" water today, plus I have plenty of left overs from last night's dinner.