Ima Saver's Personal Finance Blog

I just read mjrube's blog about paying $105 to get her hair colored every few months. I just figured out how much money I have saved doing it myself for the past 35 years, $21,000!!!!
I have got to tell my husband about this.!! I never dreamed that it cost that much!!

The check I have been waiting for finally came in yesterday's mail. It was much more than I had hope for and will really give me a big boost in my challenge account. The check was for (drum roll please) $3,091.00
Added to my challenge money.
prev. total $6646.00
today 3091.00
new total $9737.00

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Iwalked for an hour yesterday and also did my stair climbing, that adds $3 to my challenge.
Just used a $2 off coupon on a $3 item; $5 more dollars to add to my challenge account.
prev. total $6641.00
today 5.00
new total $6646.00

I got a brand new GM card that pays you to use it!! it pays back 1% of the purchases in cash or 3% on a GM car.
We had an american express card that did the same thing, but only once a year. With this card, you can get your money when you accrue $100.
I have already got $19.32 built up this first month, that is almost $20 for free! Of course, we will pay this off as soon as the bill comes in.
Most of the charges were for building materials, for our spec house and another house dh is building.
We are starting another house and will be charging even more materials.

Well, I am waiting for a big check to come in. The first of the year, after I joined this forum, I talked to the bookkeeping dept. of the building supply store where we buy most of our materials. I mentioned how I get a discount several times a year from home depot. I think everyone gets them if you open a home depot account, but hey, 10% off is great and we stock up then.
I asked about getting a rebate on the money we spend at the building supply. (they won't let you charge on your credit card, so we can't earn 1% back like we do at home depot)
Anyway, they agreed and a few weeks later, I got a big check.
That's it, haven't heard from then since.

so, On July 6th, I took my 6 months worth of invoices and asked again. Again, i was told they would send us a rebate check.
Still waiting!! It would really help my $20 challenge!

It is really storming here right now. I kind of expect the power to go off at any minute. We lost it one day this week and one day last week. I guess it will cut down on my power bill.
I am still measuring my kilowatts per hour. It cost 21 cents to distill my water, but still cheaper than buying it. I am happy to say that the treadmill only cost less than a penny a day to run!! It is the big things, like air conditioner and hot water that really run the bill up. (Oh and dryer too)

I got in my 30 minutes of walking and 22 flights of stairs for $2 for my challenge money.
Then i saved over $2 with a coupon and I found my husband's shampoo with a free conditioner. He uses vo5, which is only a dollar, but I saved a dollar for the conditioner, so that is $3.
I don't know why I did not buy more of the shampoo/conditioner and stock up. I guess I was not sure how it would scan on the u-scan.
I will go back this weekend and get some more. For now:
prev. total $6636.00
today 5.00
new total $6641.00

A few days ago, I received an autograph book in the mail from my FIL. He wanted my dh (his son) and I to sign it.
It was old, dated 1942.
I need to mail it back today and I sure hope it will arrive safely. I would hate to have his 64 year old book lost in the mail.
I don't know if anyone does autograph books any more. I had one when I was a kid, but probably threw it away.
I do have an old one, 1880, that is pretty neat. The autographs all start, to Julie! (that is my name)

I just called to book our room for our trip to Gatlinburg in Sept. for the car show. We have been every year for the past 22 years. I called our usual place, near town, only to be told that their policy changed yesterday and they no longer allow pets.
Well, I have never been anywhere without Holly, so i managed to find another room at the far end of town. It will mean a lot more walking, but she is worth it.
I did 35 minutes of walking yesterday and also had a stay home, use no gas day, so i will add $2 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $6634.00
today 2.00
new total $6636.00

This site is getting to me. Last night I dreamed about finding money. first i found, a nickle, then crossed the street and found a dime, then another, and another. I had a hand full of coins and then found 3 folded up bills. I was so happy, I hated to wake up!!

I did get in my 20 flights of stairs and over 30 minutes walking yesterday, so i can add $2 to my challenge money.
prev. total $6632.00
total 2.00
new total 6634.00

Well, I guess I saved a few cents. I heard a loud boom and my power went out. so I went to town and hung out for a few hours. I bought some charcoal at the dollar store and saved 59 cents, plus I found a nickel on the floor. Filled my tank with gas for a little over $21.

I got up early this morning. It is getting so hot here, it is hard to walk on my treadmill in the afternoon without turning on the air conditioner. Since I have been reading my meter every day, I am really aware of how my electricity I use and the air condidioner is the main culprit right now.
So I already have in most of my walking for the day. My next house will have an exercise room in the basement where it will be cooler, instead of upstairs, in front of a big sunny window!!

We ate at home last night, my dh wanted to clean house. So he did, and then we cooked on the grill. So I will add that to my challange money.
prev. total $6612.00
today 20.00
new total $6632.00

I figured we saved about $20 eating at home.

I got bored today, so i went to town. I really had nothing to go for, just bored from staying home two nights in a row.So i wasted gas and went to town, spent $10 on candy and lipstick. I also got 2 new t shirts for that $10 also, they were on sale for $2 each.
My husband ruins all his shirts because of his work, so he always needs new t shirts. I will stick them away for christmas.

Well, it was for my dh. He got up at 7 and went to work, then came home at 5:30 to start on the yard work. He mowed, weed eated, raked and clean up the back porch. He finally finished about 9 pm. He hasn't had a day off in over a month. He then cook hamburgers on the grill last night, but actually let me clean up the kitchen, he was so tired.
He says he is coming home early tonight to clean house and we will cook out again. Now, before you think I am the laziest person in the world, you have to understand my dh.
He is a perfectionist, everything has to be done perfectly, so he has to do it himself!
I have to admit, I have enjoyed doing no housework for the past 30 years!! But, I really need to get him a maid!!

Well, I did my required walking the past two days plus had a coupon for $1 off the dog food I got today, so that is $3 more for my challenge money.
prev. total $6609.00
today 3.00
new total $6612.00

I have been reading how some of you have found change, even bills and I have been jealous cause I have really been looking. All I have found this past 6 months is 1 penny. Yesterday, passing a newspaper stand, I found a dime in the little change cup.
We went out to eat last night, and I told my dh about the dime, just as we were passing another newspaper stand. Low and behold, I stuck my fingers in the change cup and came up with 2 quarters. Maybe my luck is changing!!
I was excited, but dh thought I was nuts!

I did really well at Ingles today. I only bought what I needed and mostly things on sale. I am not great with coupons, but with them and my advantage card, I saved $20 at the grocery store, best I have ever done! I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $6589.00
today 20.00
new total $6609.00

Anyone thirsty? I have stocked up all this week at the big coke product sale and now have 240 cans of diet sprite at bargain prices, but 10-2 liter bottles of sprite that I got for free!! I estimate that this has saved me $100 off of regular price, plus the bottles for free.

We tried someplace new for dinner last night. We got put out on the porch, with a party of about 20, half were kids. The noise was deafing plus they made a mess! Why don't people control their children.
The entire group left a tip of $3 which really upsets me because I use to be a waitress.
The entire place was understaffed. I had talked to a waitress from there a few months earlier and she had to quit because she was only making $130 a week in tips.
Waitresses only make $2.13 an hour and really count on their tips to live. They have to pay their tax and s.s. out of that $2.13.
After they left, another couple came in with a 3 year old that whined and cried the whole time.
By the time we left, we both had headaches, plus they forgot part of my dinner (baked potato) Oh well, we won't go back!

Besides the money I am saving for my challenge money, I also have other savings. I try to pay myself first everyweek. I aim for 10 % of my dh's pay, and if I don't reach that, I come as close as I can. Of course, I save for Christmas, I have a "car fund" , I take what I was paying on my husband's van every month and put that money in there, now that the van is paid off.
I also started a fund to pay this property off really early!!

Someone on here asked me if, when I save $20 by not eating out, if I take that money and really put it in savings.
I really do. When I use a coupon, or my advantage card, or get a survey check, unexpected check (not pay check)I put it into my challenge account.
I physically remove the amount from my wallet and put it in a cash box that I have. About once a month, I deposit that money into my savings under the sub title, challenge money.
So I really have added $6589 to my savings since Jan. 1st!!

I had a discussion with the building supply company that we buy most of our building supplies from, the first of the year. I mentioned how Home Depot was always offering us couons for 10% off. They agree we had been loyal customers for 22 years and have spent a lot of money there over time. They agree to give us a rebate check once in a while and we got one in January of this year,which I added to my challenge money.
Since then, no checks.
I took in all of my statements for the past 6 months and left them to be forwarded to the home office. So, I am hoping that we will get a big check from them in the near future. It is no guarantee, but I am hoping!!

Happy 60th birthday today to President Bush!!

We went to Home Depot last night. We had a coupon for 10% off, so we stocked up on items we need for the spec house we are building, saved $143.
I had planned to just go to Wendys for a $5 dinner and put the rest in my challenge money.
However the power went out in town (big storm) so we had to come home. Luckily we had power, so we had an omelete and corn beef hash.
So I have $20 to add to my challenge account.
prev. total $6569.00
today 20.00
new total $6589.00

I have been looking for Halloween costumes today. I know I am a bit early, but I wanted to get one before they sell out. So far, every costume I have liked is sold out.
All of the women, but me, at these parties, like to dress cute and sexy. I like to look funny!! I like to make people laugh! And, so far, I have!!

Holly is off getting her grooming done today. I take her in about every 6 weeks. It is something I could cut way down on to save money. It is $32 to have her bathed and groomed. DH and I have not paid anyone to do anything to our hair in over 20 years!!
But she does sleep in our bed and is always on the white couch sleeping, so I do want her clean. I know I could bathe her myself, but no way would she let me clip her! She won't even let me look at her feet. Guess i will just have to sacrifice something else to have a pretty dog!(she is a 5 pound poodle)

Had a wonderful 4th of July with some new friends. We met over the internet and they have a vacation home here. We spent the evening there with a cookout and lots of great fireworks.
I usually put $20 in my challenge when we don't go out to a restaurant, but since I bought some things for the cookout, I will only add $10 to my challenge money.
prev. total $6559.00
today 10.00
new total $6569.00

I can't get over how many people I saw buying water today. Now, I love water, but paying for it. they were buying cases of water at $5 a case. What a waste of money.
Since water is my main drink, I have a water distiller. I paid about $100 for it 10 years ago, and I make my own good tasting water. I use it about every other day and it has paid for itself!! Ilove well water, I wish my next house would have that.
I had it at my last house. The only bad thing was, when the power went off for 7 days, we had no water. You can get by without a lot of things, but not water!! I keep about 12 full gallon jugs filled all the time.