Ima Saver's Personal Finance Blog

I have been walking on my treadmill this morning and watching the Daniel Boone marathon. Does anyone remember Fess Parker? He played Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett. I loved both!
I had a Davy Crockett clubhouse, which was actually an old tool shed made out of tin!
This morning I needed to make a deposit to the bank, so I took my change in to be counted. I have $32 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $13,638.00
today 32.00
new total $13,670.00

We had dinner home last night. My husband says he is starting to really miss eating out. You see, he has always done most of the cooking because he likes to cook on the grill. Now, with this heat and as hard as he works, he says he just doesn't even feel like cooking outside anymore. I guess it is back to going out to eat at night unless I can figure out to make other stuff he likes! I will add $20 to my challenge money from staying home.
Prev. total $13,618.00
today 20.00
new total $13,638.00

My husband came home with a check yesterday. It was from the guy he is building for. The guy is so happy with the work that he gave my husband a bonus. Now, this has happened before, but not in a while. The check was for $3000.00 that I will add to my challenge money.
prev. total $10,618.00
today 3,000.00
new total $13,618.00


YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been trying to get a good rate on my husband's favorite magagine. I ordered it in March for $36. It never came. I finally got the company to send me back my money. Then I tried magsforless and paid them $6.55 but later I heard some complaints about them. So I was ready to protest on my credit card, but the magazines arrived today. My dh will be so happy.
I walked for an hour yesterday, so i have $2 to add to my challenge.
prev. total $10,616.00
today 2.00
new total $10,618.00

I closed a savings account yesterday (almost) and took out the 107K I had in there to take to a bank a block away offering 5.25%.
I thought it was so funny when the teller asked me how I wanted it??
Of course, I said cash!! I would have loved to have a shopping bag full of hundreds!!
But all I got was a check!
I wonder if you can get large amounts of cash ??

I have felt badly the past several months because all my cash has been sitting in 2 different accounts, each earning about 4%.
I keep watch the topic that lists the different on line banks and the good rates they are paying.
I wanted to open an account, so i could get at least 5% on my savings, but I hesitated because I need this cash to build this spec house and it is handy to be able to transfer the money locally.
Yesterday, a new ad in the paper, our local bank is offering a new money market account that pays 5.25%
I was there at 9 am this morning when the bank opened to close one account, (well I left $600 in here so I won't lose the interest) and went an opened a new account!!
I am tickled about this!!

I decided that I need some office supplies. I want a notebook with dividers so that I can put my different savings and money market checking accounts statements inside and keep them all together in one big book.
I also wanted some of that green column paper and a invoice book for my husband hours.
No green column paper to be found, no dividers and the ivoice book was $4.

I came home and found a notebook I could use. I took out the dividers in it, turned them around and will reuse them.
Now I need to find something else that will do for an invoice book.
As for the green column paper, I will have to wait on one of my very few (one so far this year) trips to walmart.
I know I saved at least 6 dollars today by making do with what I have.

We ate supper at home last night, 3rd night in a row. I bought some ribs to cook on the grill, so that was $10, but dh will get 2 lunches out of it also. So I figured i saved about $10 not eating out.
I went to the drug store today and got 4 notebooks for a dollar on sale.
I use a different notebook for every job that Gary does, so that is something I will definately use, saved at least 50 cents.
I needed shoe laces, mine broke in fla. and I haven't worn those tennis shoes since. I found some and with my $1.50 off coupon, I got them for 20 cents.
So that is a total of $12 to add to my challenge.
Prev. total $10,604.00
today 12.00
new total $10,616.00

Just saw an ad in the paper and it looks like I will be changing banks tomorrow. I like to keep my cash locally because we need it for building houses.
The bank is advertising a new 5.25% rate. I have 107K sitting at another bank earning 4.14%. It is a savings account.
I can't close the account because I would lose the $634 in interest I have coming, but I feel sure I can draw out 106K and open a new account.
It pays about $3.20 a day more. That does not sound like much but over a year that is $1168.00
I use to make about $20 a day in tips. That is the same as not working 58 days!!

We stayed home last night so dh could get the grass cut. I fixed supper but before we ate, we sat outside listening to the creek and the crickets.
dh mentioned that there were no nosy katydids last night, also no lightening bugs. I guess that means summer is coming to an end.
However we still have summer's heat!
We stayed home, ate in, so I can add $20 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $10,584.00
today 20.00
new total $10,604.00

My husband put in 77 hours on his job last week. He is the hardest working man I have ever seen. We had a good paycheck today, so I can put extra into our savings this week!

I took my doggie to be groomed this morning and I feel so lost without her. I can see why older people are much happier when they can have pets.
I have been so attached to the last two, that I have never been on a trip without them. I have a gift certicate for $500 to the Grove Park Inn in Ashville and we won't go because of their no pets policy!

This has been another quiet weekend since my husband works 7 days straight. The last day he had off was about June 3rd. I stayed home all day yesterday, so i saved $1 in gas money and another $1 for walking 30 minutes. I put it in my challenge money.
prev. total $10,582.00
today 2.00
new total $10,584.00

When I wrote to the pathologist, I also asked for my test results. I did not want to pay for an office visit just to find out. The tests were benign!! Yeah, it is a good day!!!!!!!

Ihad a colonoscopy done a while back and it was much more expensive than the first one. This one was over $2000 and I have no insurance.
I got the pathologist's bill for $500, so i wrote and asked if they accepted master charge.
I just got a letter back saying no, they don't, but I can make whatever payment is comfortable for me, every month.
Plus, the lowered the bill from $500 to $350, so i saved $150. I will add that to my challenge account cause I have a medical envelope with money in it. ( I was going to charge it to get the 1% back in cash)
prev. total $10,432.00
today 150.00
new total $10,582.00

It is day 6 of no spending. I had some milk, unopened, expiring today, so I made a cheese cake. I only buy the smallest container, but we seem to waste so much of it. My hd does not drink milk and I like the Hood low carb choc. milk. So milk, usually gets tossed. I have two dogs, but I read somewhere that milk is not good for dogs. Anyone heard that? Well I have been doing some walking on my treadmill, so I will add $3 to my challenge money.
Pre. total $10,429.00
today 3.00
new total $10,432.00

I just heard on tv, that dolphins shed their skin as often as every two hours. so, they never get wrinkles. I wish that would happen to me. I have never spent much money on make up, but one thing I have used all my life is ponds cold cream.
I think it has helped, I have very few wrinkles.
I did order some wrinkle cream from QVC after hearing about how great it worked. I tried it, nothing happened.
I sent it back and got my $20 refund. I did the same for some pills I ordered. I am tired of paying for products that really don't work!
From now on, I am getting my money back.

On aug. 18, 1984 I moved to this area. I left a town that I had lived in for over 30 years. Boy, things were sure different when we moved to the mountains from the "flatland" Florida.
We moved onto land that no one had ever lived on. The first settler to that county came in 1832 in conestoga wagon. His relatives still have the wagon. They lived right across the river from us.

Is it my imagination, or are we getting a lot more blogs these days? I always spent the first part of my morning reading them, but now every time I come back to the computer, there are a dozen more! I appreciate all the tips, I just wish some of them could be combined! I hate to skip any of the blogs!

My dh gets an allowance every week, most of which he spends on gas.The past two days, he has taken garbage from the two job sites to the dump and he pays cash. so, out of pocket, $12 for garbage that is not even ours.
I asked him this morning if he had any money and he said he had a few dollars. That has to do him until Monday night.
So I took $20 from the misc. envelope and gave it to him.
I put $20 in the envelope every week. After checking it, I found there was $200 in there, that is way too much. Obviously, I have not needed the money in a while.
I will add that $100 to my challenge money:
Prev. total $$10,329.00
today 100.00
new total $10,429.00

Our restaurant has changed their policy. Instead of going up front and paying the bill, you pay your server. Now you no longer get back your exact change. Instead, the server rounds up the bill. I was supposed to get $6.52 back in change last night, instead I got $6.50! I don't begrudge the server the 2 cents, but I had already left her a $6 tip on a $23 bill. Somehow, that doesn't seem right! I must be cheap!

We got an invitation to a Halloween party today. It is the lady that gives the great parties.
She invited us to her first one and we have never even met. Someone just told her we liked dressing up and going to parties.
My husband won the 1st place prize in halloween dress up contest.
She had a 50's party this summer and even tho I was a pretty funny looking Elvis, I did not win. I did win the dance contest. I gave my prize away; I guess I should have sold it, It was 1/2 hour massage!
I am looking forward to it!

I also add in the money I save using coupons or my advantage card or bi lo card. It is hard to have anything to save if you are not sending. Well, I did at least walk 60 minutes, so i can add $2 to my challenge money.
prev. total $10,327.00
today 2.00
new total $10,329.00
I meant to say spending, not sending.

I have no clothes lines or drier racks, so i have to use the dryer. However, I drape the clothes all over things and let them air dry as long as possible. When my dh got home the other night, the first thing he thought was the dryer was broken.
When I told him why I was doing this, he thought I was kind of silly.
I realize now that I have always been a non spending person so he has never lived with any one that was a spend thrift.
He has never worried about money cause I have never given him a reason to worry. I don't think he has any idea what some people go thru, with money problems.
He has it pretty good!

I forgot to mention that yesterday was the 29th anniversary of elvis's death. I still have the ticket stub to the only concert of his I ever attended. The really funny thing is that I still have the "jumpsuit" I wore to the concert. It was a memorable week for me.
After seeing Elvis on Feb. 15th, 1977, I went on a blind date 3 days later with my dh!!

I have been missing Ray, but I just read that she is having an extended vacation. she is out camping and river gazing. It reminds me of how lucky I was to live on a beautiful, remote river for 11 years. My house was right on top of the river, but so hidden by trees that the tubers and canoers could barely see it. We sat outside by the river every night and just listened to it.
I live on a very nice big creek now, so it is almost the same, but no canoers. We do get lots of deer. I had a mamaa deer and spotted baby in my back yard, just a few days ago. Life is good.

I just got the mail. Home depot sent me a $20 off coupon if i use my credit card. (their card of course)
I have to spend at least $100, so for most people that is really not a good deal. However, I am building a house for sale, so it is no problem for me.
I try not to use this gift cards or rebate if it requires me to spend money I don't need to spend.
But this house definately needs a lot of stuff, like 4 toilets! So that $20 will come in handy!

I talked to the nice lady that is doing a show on the book, "Good deals and geat adventures that you absolutely can't get unless you are over 50"
I wasn't much help to her, cause I live in the boondocks. The closest mall is a 4 hour trip, round trip. I have not been in years!
We have to drive to another state to go to wal mart and to buy liquor.
We are a dry county, so we have no chain restaurants, like Ruby Tuesdays or TGIF.
I love living here. I am not a shopper.
If I need some jeans, I order from QVC. Sure they charge me shipping, but how much does it cost to drive over 200 miles to buy something. I figure about $27 for my car, a half tank!

I need to go and borrow the book from the library. I am sure there are a lot of good deals in the book, but the best deal I think I have already figured out.

I just eat out locally where I can brown bag and not pay for drinks.
I just buy something when I really need it.
I don't spend much money, I try and save it instead.

My puppy was due for her grooming today, but the groomer was out sick. So that is$32 I saved today, but I won't add that to my challenge cause I will just have to pay it out later. She still looks pretty good except her ears. She gets them in her food, no matter how little a bowl I give her. I guess she needs a pony tail holder!