I have gotten off to a good start on my new challenge. I have challenged my self to save $30 a day. so far, I have put away $30 every day in January. That means I have $930 to add to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $ 808.00
today 930.00
new total $1738.00

I recieved another rewards check from my Chase master card. We earn $50 every month. Last month it was 2- $50 checks. We get 3% back from home improvement places like Home Depot and guess what? My dh is a builder, so he goes there just about every day!

Prev. total $758.00
today 50.00
new total $808.00

I turned in my coin jar at the bank today. I also took all of coins that dh has been putting in a can. Together we had about $39. $15 of that is his, the rest I am adding to my $20 challenge. I also had a no use gas day yesterday, so a total of $26 is going to the challenge money.

Prev. total $732.00
today 26.00
new total $758.00

Today I got my raise. My social security check went up $18 a month! So, $504.00 will be added to my $20 challenge fund.

Prev. total $228.00
today 504.00
new total $732.00

I stayed home all day yesterday even tho we desperately needed groceries. The reason; it was raining and my dh spent two hours cleaning my car on sunday. I was not about to take it out in the rain!
There is not much prettier than a clean, red corvette. Today, I went to the store and stocked up. I saved $5 using my advantage card and $2 for the no use gas day yesterday.

Prev. total $221.00
today 7.00
new total $228.00

My dh took the day off today. He had a little drawing to do (he does his own house plans) and since then, he has vaccummed, mopped, cleaned toilets and is finishing up in the kitchen.
After that, he is going to wash ALL the cars which have not been washed in two weeks. (Very unusual for our cars to go unwashed more than a few days. I should have known he had a car fetish when he washed his car at my house on our second date)
Speaking of car fetishes, he has been watching Barrett Jackson auction (cars) every night this week. Last night, some of the cars were selling for over one million; then over two million! I could not believe that anyone would pay that much for a car.

Well, back to my little meager life; I am having a no use gas day and I got a $3 pinecone check. $5 more dollars will be added to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $216.00
today 5.00
new total $221.00

It rained all night last night! Today the creek is very full and very noisy! My poor dh is trying to lay rock outside in this weather. I don't know how he is doing that!
The stock market went up 4 days in a row this week and I had a no use gas day yesterday, so $6 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $210.00
today 6.00
new total $216.00

My electric bill was $40 under budget this week. I consider that pretty good cause we had both inside and outside christmas lights on the entire month.
The stock market went up yesterday and today, so I have a total of $42 to add to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $168.00
today 42.00
new total $210.00

I have not made homemade lasagna in several years. There is just the two of us, and it seems to last and last. I have been buying th Stouffer's frozen lasagna and it is only $4 for a small one. (We split it in half)
Monday night, because of no bridge, I made lasagna from scratch. I know it cost more than $4, but boy was it good. We had it for dinner last night too, and there was still enough for both lunches today.
It was so good I think I will make it again next week.

My dh always takes his lunches to work. The subs he uses always go out to eat every day. (roofers, dry wall guys, etc.) I wonder how much money he has saved by taking his lunch to work for the past 28 years! Even when I worked in a restaurant (waitress), I always took a sandwich to work with me.

I am having a no use gas day today, so I will add $2 to the challenge.

Prev. total $166.00
today 2.00
new total $168.00

We had to call off bridge again today. We have not played since before Christmas! I really miss it.
Well, I did my grocery shopping today instead of tomorrow. I saved $10 using my advantage card today, so that will be added to the $20 challenge.

Prev. totatl $156.00
today 10.00
new total $166.00

I am having another no use gas day. I figured out that one trip to town and back uses about a half gallon of gas, or slightly under $2 per trip. When I stay home, I add that money to my $20 challenge.
Now yesterday, I used my husband's car and his gas. I wish I could count that! I drive it once in a while cause he hardly ever does. It is a 2008 and just turned over 14,000 miles.
Having low milage on a car really saves us in car insurance premiums.

Prev. total $154.00
today 2.00
new total $156.00

It is staying lighter outside each day and I sure like that. I hate when it gets dark before 5:30. It is real cold today, but at least the sun is shining.
I had a no use gas day yesterday, so I am adding $2 to the $20 challenge. I also just finished doing a pinecone survey.

Prev. total $152.00
today 2.00
new total $154.00

I just realized this; today is my blog anniversary. I started this blog on January 13th, 2006. It has been six years since I started. I have really enjoyed all the folks I have met on this site!

I just looked it up, and that was a Friday the 13th too. (I have a perpetucal calendar)

I love Friday the 13th. Dh and I got married on Friday the 13th back in 1977! Good luck to all of you.
I bought chicken on sale (2 off) yesterday and received a pinecone check, so $5 is being added to my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $147.00
today 5.00
new total $152.00

It was snowing this morning when I got up. Thank goodness it did not stick to the ground. We went down to the real estate office to list our new house , that dh is building, for sale!
It is not quite dried in, but we wanted to do it today, cause it is Friday the 13th!

Last year, I challenged myself to put aside $30 a day in a canister. This is part of my 2012 resolutions. I am doing well and have not missed a day. I added $300 (10 days) to my ING fund today.

A no use gas day Monday, so $2 to the challenge.

prev. total $145.00
today 2.00
new total $147.00

Today is Elvis' birthday. Every one knows I am a big fan of Elvis.
In my home, I have an Elvis bedroom. It started with I went to an Elvis concert and bought a picture of him. I had it framed. I still have my original ticket stub, plus tickets to his not perfomed next concert.
I have all my old original 45 records still in the jacket sleeves (with his picture on them) plus all of my old albums.
I have the original newspaper from Memphis on the date of his death.
The colonel wrote a poem about him, and I have a signed copy of that poem. I also have his drummers, drumsticks, also signed. (D.J.Fontana)

I even have a framed picture of Elvis shaking hands with President Nixon in 1970. Lots of other stuff in that room, all Elvis! Even in my red corvette, I have a big throw with a picture of Elvis!

Yesterday, I found two quarters! I know lots of you have good luck at find change, but I don't. I bet I did not find $1 in coins all of last year.
So, I am off to a good start this year, with a 50 cent fine in a newspaper stand machine.
This is added to my coin jar. I will turn it into the bank and add it to the challenge at the end of the month.

Fianlly, after some miserable weather this week, we are having a nice, sunny day. It snowed on Monday and has been bitterly cold since then. Add the fact that the wind has been about 40 mph and you have some really cold days.
It is nice to have some warm sunshine today.
I bought steak on sale this morning, so I have $3 to add to my challenge money.

Prev. total $142.00
today 3.00
new total $145.00

We got snow last night! It did not get much higher than 27 here today. My dh tried to make it to work. But the house he is building is in a subdivision with steep roads to the top. (that is why the house has such a great view) So, he has been home most of the day.
I had a no use gas day ($2) and the stock market went up, so $3 more to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $139.00
today 3.00
new total $142.00

Brrr. it is freezing here and the wind is blowing about 40 mph. I feel so sorry for my dh, who has to work outside in this weather. Actually, he is inside the house, but no garage doors, no soffits, etc. mean it is just as cold in the house as outide.

We are almost completely with groceries in this house. Last night we went to visit with friends and had to stop by Wendy's for supper, which was not very hot. But we enjoyed the visit.

Today, I went grocery shopping so we can eat this week. I saved $6 using my advantage card, so I will add that to the challenge.

Prev. total $133.00
today 6.00
new total $139.00

Today, I will start the $20 challenge again. I have been doing this for about 5 years. I add in the money that I earn in my ING account (electric orange) and I use to count the interest earned in my money market account.
I use the money market account to build the spec house and now the rate has dropped to 1/10 of one percent, so I will not add that any more.
Yesterday, ING paid me $133 in interest, so I will use that to start off my 2012 challenge.

Prev. total 000.00
today 133.00
new total $133.00

On Aug 31st, I made a decision to try and start saving $30 a day. I managed to put $30 in a large canister every day but the 4 days my dh went to visit his father in Florida. (He did not work that week)
I take the money and deposit it about once a month in my ING account. That is the one day is paying the most interest, .0094%.

So far, I have put away $3630 in my 4 month quest to save more money.

I have decided to continue this in 2012. Starting today, I am putting away $30 a day. I wish some of you could join me. It would not have to be $30, it could be $5 or $10; whatever works for you. The important thing is to do it everyday.

Anyone want to join me??

Happy new year to everyone! We went to a great party last night. There must have been 50 people there, even our county commissioner was there!
I have spent the morning figuring out our net worth. I hated to see that it had gone down, but it did. The stock market did not help either.

Of course, we bought 6 pieces of property this year. We paid cash for a couple, but have mortgages on three of them. However, they were all bargains.
I just got the tax bill on one of them. (in North Carolina) The land was appraised at $100,000, but we paid $28,900 for it. (Only one acre)
I am going to appeal the appraisal in April.
We plan to build spec houses on each property.

Let's hope 2012 is a much better year for the economy!