I am always glad when January is over. It is the longest, coldest month of the year to me. (I know, February is just as cold)
I ran to Walmart's to get a few items that are cheaper than at Ingles. It is so nice to see the sun shine after the last few gloomy, snowy days.
I am not spending any five dollar bills, so I have one to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $1058.00
today 5.00
new total $1063.00

The weather man predicted 6 inches of snow last night, but it did not happen. I am actually glad. It was fun when I first moved here, but now I don't really want it to snow. My dh stayed home all afternoon, bored to death.
It is supposed to snow today, but so far, no snow, so he went to work.
I just got back from Ingles and CVS and between my advantage card and free CVS bucks, I managed to save $6. I also had a five dollar bill, so I will add $11 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $1047.00
today 11.00
new total $1058.00

I received a $50 award check in the mail today from my credit card company. That will be added to my challenge money.
Today was a NSD. My dh came home from work early cause we were expecting heavy snow. It has snowed, but melted already, so he could have worked all day. It is suppose to snow all night, so probably no work for him tomorrow.
Prev. total $ 997.00
today 50.00
new total $ 1047.00

I had another c.d. come due today. Too bad that I have to renew it at a much lower rate. 2% is the highest I can find anywhere.
Gosh, in the good old days when c.d.'s paid 8% interest, I didn't have any money. Now, I have money and can't earn decent interest.
I had to mail some reference letters at the post office, so I got a 5 dollar bill in change. Yesterday, the stock market went up slightly, so a total of $6 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $991.00
today 6.00
new total $997.00

I had a certificate of deposit come due yesterday. I earned $8386 in interest for the year. I am so glad when I got the c.d., I took it for 2 years and it is paying 4%
I did my grocery shopping yesterday and according to the receipt, I saved $6 using my store card and coupons. I will add that to the $20 challenge plus my check which came into today for $486.

Prev. total $499.00
today 492.00
new total $991.00

I picked up a couple of NY strip steaks at Bi Lo yesterday and saved $5. I also had a no use gas day on Monday, so I have $7 to add to my challenge money today.
Prev. total $492.00
today 7.00
new total $499.00

As I mentioned in my blog yesterday, I am no longer going to spend $5 bills, I am going to save them all and add them to my challenge money.
I already save all of my change and take it to be deposited every few months.
Mary Hunt had a few more tips in her newsletter yesterday.

She suggested that you take money that you save using coupons or store cards, and deposit those sums in your savings account. ( have been doing that in the $20 challenge for 3 years now)

She also suggested that you tax yourself every time you use an ATM and put that money in savings. You decided how much the tax will be. I have never used an ATM in my life, so that won't help me.

When you go out to eat, order water and pay yourself $1 every time you do that. Save that money! (I always order water, never soft drinks, coffee or tea.)

Rack up rebates whenever you can. I do that IF it is something that I really need.

Pick up one thing that you will give up just for this year. It might be manicures, fancy coffee, french fries, hair done, cigarettes, etc.
This the the one I am having a hard time with. I never get my hair or nails done and I don't smoke or drink coffee.

Well, I had a no use gas day yesterday and spent no money, so I have no $5 bills to add, but I do have $2 for the no use gas to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $490.00
today 2.00
new total $492.00

I don't know if any of you get the newsletter, debt proof living, but I do and enjoy it very much. It used to be called "Cheapskate Monthly" and is written by Mary Hunt.
In her latest newsletter, Mary suggests that we make a vow to select a specific denomination of currency, like the $1 or the $5 bill, that you will NOT spend this year, but save instead!
She also suggests that we hoard all coupon or store card savings and pay that in a savings account.
That is just what I have been doing in the $20 challenge. I add all coupon/card savings to the challenge and I have been adding all my $1's.
I have 3 one dollar bills to add today, but I am going to quit spending andy $5 bills. In my wallet, I had three $5 bills, so that will be added to my challenge money today.
Anyone want to join me??

Prev. total $472.00
today 18.00
new total $490.00

If any of you are car buffs, like my dh, the Barrett Jackson car auction is on every night this week and during the day on sunday! So, we have stayed home every night this week to watch it. His dream some day is to attend in person, with a blank check in hand!!
Good news this week about Monkeymama's husband's surgery and Amber's new job. My good news is that the electric bill was $50 under budget even with all the christmas lights on every night. I will add that to my challenge!
Prev. total $422.00
today 50.00
new total $472.00

I am thinking of monkey mama and her dh today. Her husband is scheduled for brain surgery tomorrow and I know she must be worried to death. I believe she said that if all goes well, he can come home on sunday.
Let's all keep monkey mama and her husband in our thoughts and prayers for the next few days. Thanks everyone!

I stopped at the dollar store to get batteries and deodrant cause they are cheaper there than elsewhere. I was looking around the store and I picked up a new rawhide bone for my puppy, Molly, she has worn her out one out! It was only $1, much cheaper than the last one I bought.
I gave it to her when I got home and she has not quite chewing on it yet. (2 straight hours so far)
I also stopped at Bi Lo and bought New York strip steaks on sale. I saved $10 on the steak, which I will add to my challenge account.

Prev. total $412.00
today 10.00
new total $422.00

I had a nice bridge day yesterday. I actually had a few good hands. I did my grocery shopping a few days ago and saved $8 using 2 coupons and my Ingles card. I also had a no use gas day on sunday, so I have a total of $10 to add to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $402.00
today 10.00
new total $412.00

We have a resort about 15 miles away from the house. It is a golfing resort and has a fancy restaurant.
I know that I have mentioned that my husband and I eat out a lot, but our dinner bill is usually under $20 for both of us. (Italian food) We are allowed to brown bag it, so no cost to us for drinks.

Last night we met the man we are building a house for at this resort. He suggested we get steaks for dinner. The cheapest steak dinner was $32.95. I have never paid that much for a meal in my life!
Instead I got a chicken/pasta dinner that was quite good and cost $22.95. The customer ordered a surf and turf meal that was $42.95; dh got a chicken dinner that was the same cost as mine.
I tried to pay the bill, but the customer insisted that he pay. He had eaten there the night before, so he knew the prices.
I think next time I will suggest we eat at our local place in town.
However, i am having some great leftovers for lunch today! Yum!!

I made it for 2 straight weeks without going out to eat. Now, if you didn't know it, I have been eating out 5 days a week for several years.The owner of the restaurant that I go to, calls me a stock holder!!
I have been trying to do better this past year! Last night, was the first night I have gone out to dinner in 2010!

Plus, I had a gift certificate, so I saved $20 on my meal. I am adding that and another dollar (cause the stock market went up yesterday) to my challenge money.
Prev. total $381.00
today 21.00
new total $402.00

I have listened to the news about Haiti all day today. I had the good fortune to visit Haiti 4 times while on cruises. It was so much fun to ride horses to the top of a mountain to see an old "fort". You didn't exactly ride the horse. One guy pulled the horse and the other one pushed the horse. It was straight up!!
We did that on our honeymoon. My dh's two "guides" had memorable names. One was John and was one Kennedy!
The country was beautiful, but so poor even back then, over 30 years ago. People lived in grass huts and had nothing. There was very little work to be had and cruise ships really helped the economy, Then sadly, cruise ships quit going to Haiti.
My heart goes out to all the people of Haiti.

My father was in the service for over 30 years. On his early 50's, he retired to Florida. In just a little over a year, he had a heart attack and died. It was a week before my 10th birthday.

My mother had never worked in her life. Women didn't work in the 1920's and 30's. She had let my father handle the finances and did not know that his military pension would stop when he died.

She had to find a job and she went to work at a small ladies dress shop chain, called, "Virginia Dare"

When I was 12, she got me a work permit and I starting working there on weekends, afternoons, holidays and summer vacations.

I was hired to be the "stock girl" but the manager soon learned how good I was with math and I loved to run the register. (You had to know how to count back change back then)

So, she had me doing the books every afternoon at closing. I would take all the sales tickets to the back room and balance the books. The adding machine that I used was NOT electric. It had to be hand cranked! I balanced the books and made up all the deposits.

I got paid a grand sum of $3 per day ( 8am to5:30 pm). I used this money to buy my clothes, school supplies, movies, etc., but I always managed to save a bit. My mother just could not afford to do anything but feed me and give me a home to live it.

I am very glad that I got this experience at a very early age and I never felt sorry for myself that I had to work. I think it took a lot of burden off my mother not having to buy things for me. She taught me one thing. Only buy something IF all your bills are paid first and you really need it. I never saw my mother buy herself anything in all those years!

I found a extra $100 in my car payment envelope, so I am adding that to the challenge.
Prev. total $281.00
today 100.00
new total $381.00

Today is my blog anniversary. I started this blog on Jan. 13th, 2006. Four years of being on Saving Advice! And I have enjoyed every minute of it! Plus, I have saved money too!!

We are finally able to get out of the drive way and go to town. We have been snowed in since Thursday afternoon. My dh made it to work this morning, although he says the last road is very icey. I hope he can make it home ok tonight.
I rode into town a little while ago to pick up a few groceries. According to my receipt, I saved $3 which I will add to the challenge money.
I am ready for spring!!
Prev. total $278.00
today 3.00
new total $281.00

We have been stuck at home since early thursday afternoon. We have snow, but not that much. Georgia is not really equipped to handle snow.However, it has not gotten above 30 degrees, so nothing is melting.
We have stayed home and spent no money. However, since my dh can't get to work, he is not making any money either.
As a matter of fact, he is driving me crazy cause he has nothing to do. I don't see how he could ever retire.
I have been studying up on mutual funds and decided to order up some new prospectus and applications.
The stock market went up yesterday and I have had two no use gas days in a row, so I can add $5 to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $273.00
today 5.00
new total $278.00

Today is elvis' birthday! They are playing his movies on tv all day long. I loved his singing, but did NOT like his movies very much.
Well, I know today will be a NSD cause we are snowed in. My dh has nothing to do and is driving me crazt. He did decided that we should add a family room onto the house this spring, so he drew up the house plans. That will mean adding 900 sq. ft. onto our 3200 sq. foot house! Our house is big enough!!(plus we have an eff. room and bath in our other 2 car garage.)

I noticed today that gasoline (premium which I have to use) is up to almost $3 a gallon. A friend of mine had propane delivered today and it was $2 a gallon. I paid $1.39 a gallon back in September.
I got the doctor bill for my colonoscopy and it was $1900. The last time I had a colonoscopy, the other doctor charged me $400. Prices just keep rising.
It is snowing now, so I have been going thru paperwork and throwing lots of old things away.
I do my budget weekly and put cash in my envelopes. Sometimes an envelope gets over funded because of 13 weeks in a quarter instead of 12.
I had a no use gas day yesterday for a savings of $2 and I have an extra $155 in my envelopes to add to the challenge money.
Prev. total $116.00
today 157.00
new total $273.00

In June of 2008, my bank was offering a good deal. A free checking account that paid 3.1% interest if you kept a balance of $1000.
I opened 3 checking accounts; one for my personal checking, one for my business checking and one that I called my "savings" checking account.
My husband is a builder and we need to keep a lot of cash liquid in case we build a spec house. Right now, the house market here is very soft, so we are sitting on the cash.
Well, last June, the 3.1% ended and the rate dropped to just under 2%. In the past few months, the rate drop to under 1.5% and the 1.24 % Yesterday, the rate dropped to uner 1% (actually, .0088%) and this is for a fairly large sum of money. I stopped at the bank to open a C.D and their rates have dropped a lot just since last Friday.
I use to dream of making enough interest to live on. When I was younger, banks paid 5-6% interest and higher on savings accounts. Even more on c.d.'s!
I guess I will just let it sit (the money) earning practically nothing!!
I did save $5 using my Ingles advantage card this morning and the stock market went up yesterday, so that is $6 more to add to my challenge.
Prev. total $110.00
today 6.00
new total $116.00

I had a productive weekend this week. I spent almost all afternoon filing and throwing things away. I have a lot of mutual fund and stock forms, and I have just been letting them stack up. I took care of all that today.
I did spend a little money today at the grocery store. It is the first money I have spent this year and it was under $9. It is so cold here, it has not made it out of the 20's today and won't!

I have six $1 bills and they will be added to my challenge;
Prev. total $104.00
today 6.00
new total $110.00

I woke up to snow this morning. It snowed for several hours and is quite cold, but it really did not stick to the ground.
My handy man hubby is home for the weekend. He is putting in new baseboard in the breakfast room. He also decided to add a plug right behind the record player, so we do not have to use an extension cord. (Which we keep unplugged because of the puppy) Now, we can just plug in behind the table where puppy cannot reach) I don't know how anyone can live without a Mr. Fixit!

I have started the new year off right. I have not spent one penny. I had two no use gas days in a row, and I will add $4 to my new challenge money.
Prev. total $100.00
today 4.00
new total $104.00

Well, I am ready to start a new year. I hope 2010 is a great year for all my SA friends.
I am ready to start my $20 challenge today. I have a crisp new $100 bill to get my challenge started.
Prev. total 0
today $100
new total $100