Ima Saver's Personal Finance Blog

I use to love to go dancing and we lived near Daytona Beach, so we would go nightclubbing once in a while. When we moved here in 1984 to a dry county, that stopped.
Finally someone opened up a little honkey tonk that had a live band on sat. nights. (byob) and we went every sat. night and listened and danced. About 8 years ago, they closed and I have not danced since.
Last night as we got home after dinner, they were playing one of the songs they use to play at the honkey tonk, a fast song. I told my husband to turn the music up and I got out and danced til the song ended.
Hey, he kidded me about being a little out of breath, but I got to dance!!

It is going to be an expensive month, medically, this month. My dh has an appt. this afternoon with his eye doctor to be tested for glaucoma. Then he has to go back again to the same doctor next week. Then a dentist appointment next week.
Since he has always been self employed, we have never had health insurance. (Well, we did, paid in $90,000 and never got one penny in claims)
So we pay full price for everything. I do put aside $100 a week to help pay for medical expenses.
Other than that, it should be a no spend day except for our usual eating out tonight.

My husband called from the job, he needed a pitchfolk to spread some mulch being delivered at the house he is building. He hated to drive home and back (30) miles and lose time from work, so he called me to see if I would bring him the pitchfolk. But first I had to see if it would fit in my vette. It did. The newer ones have lots more room than my old 78 vette.
Stopped by the store to get a free container of dog food, but my coupon did not work right, so I paid for it instead. However the cashier told me what to do next time, so I will use it up tomorow. Bought some lemonade and sprite on sale, so I saved $2 with my advantage card, plus $2 dollars doing my walking and my stairs yesterday, for a total of $4 to add to my challenge $$.

Prev. total $4546.00
today 4.00
New total $4550.00

When I first moved into my new home, I filled it with many live plants. Not having a green thumb, the plants started looking puny! I have been replacing them with fake plants. I have been buying the good ones, so they look nice.

Yesterday, my final 2 plants arrived, 2, 4foot trees to put on each side of the french doors, in my all-white living room.I finally got my kitchen back today and being out of it since Sunday. The paint is dry and I got everything put back in the kitchen.
Then I unpacked my two new trees. They come with christmas lights. Of course, where I put them, there are no plugs. Fortunately, I married Mr. can do almost everything, so he can run some wire and put light plugs in for me.
Then I can turn on the christmas lights all year long.
Merry Christmas, everyone!!!

Well the first quarter of the year has gone by. How is everyone doing with their $20 challenge. I am pleased with mine.

Woke up this morning to the sound of rain and hail. Blue sky this afternoon, so thought it would be safe to go to town, I was wrong. I had just gotten to the bank (Monday is pay day for us) when it started to hail. Big Hail.
I don't know how much damage hail can do to a plastic car but I went and parked at the best western motel, under the canopy until it stopped. It is bad enough that my husband spent a hour washing it yesterday.
I did get in my walking and stair climbing yesterday, so am adding $2 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4544.00
today 2.00
new total $4546.00

Did you ever see one of those old comedy shows, where someone is painting a floor and paints themself into a corner?
Well that almost happened here!
My dh informed me he was going to resand and paint our hardwood floor, 3 coats.
So I took everything I thought I would need out of the kitceh for 2 days. I have an ice cooler, water, glasses, diet sprite, liquor, snacks, checkbook, all my bookwork, microwave, garbage can, etc, well you get the picture.
He painted last night. Everthing is great.
He paints the second coat this morning and exits out the garage, ready to now go to work while coat #2 dries today.
In the kitchen, he forgets his wallet (license, credit cards, money) his cell phone and his car keys!!
The he says, why didn't I remind him of that!!! I got everything I would need out of the kitchen: he couldn't remember to move his few personal things?? MEN!!!

His next move is to try and jump on the counter top and walk across them , then leap over to another counter top. I visutalize him breaking his neck, so I stop that.
I mention that I knew where a second set of keys are, I have an expired driver's license of his, and I will loan him money. The phone he will have to do without. He is gone and for once, I am glad!!!

Home from the grocery store. Went to bi lo to get steaks for dinner on the grill and they were on sale, we saved $5. I also noticed that my brand of hair color was on sale, so I will go back next week and get it earlier than I need it. I tend not to do that, and I should.
Went to Ingles and bought the rest of the groceries. Even with DH with me, I only spent $38. (he looks at everything) I got $4 off using my advantage card, So I have $9 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4535.00
today 9.00
new total $4544.00

It was 29 years ago today that my darling husband proposed to me. On the beach, all dressed up from an evening out. Guess what I said? As I said, somewhere else, I have been on a date every night since that night 29 years ago. We never go our seperate way at night, it is always a date. Dinner out, getting in the jacuzzi, grilling on the back porch, watching the sunset, picnicing at the park or our mountain view lot, or us just sitting on the deck listening to the creek, the two of us have our date every night!

We went crusing last night. We have a 1933 ford victoria that we only take out once in a while. It can't be driven in the rain, it has no windshield wipers. (they are not cool)
It also has no heat, so it sits in the garage in the winter time.
DH got it out and polished it all up and out we went to dinner.
After we are, we drove all around town, thur all the shopping areas and around the town square. My Dh turned 55 last month and still likes to cruise town!!
Keeps us young.
Most people are surprised when they find out our age.

I usually keep track of my mutual funds, Ira's, stocks in a notebook and put the value down the first of each month. I was very upset to see that one stock was only worth half as much as last month. It could not have gone down so quickly. So I did some research on the stock and finally found that they had issued a stock split. Now I have twice as many shares. I know they are not worth any more, but it is still nice!

I have just turned on the air conditioning and put on shorts. While I love not running the heat. I hate to put the a/c on so soon in the year. It gets so hot upstairs. We put the treadmill right in front of the window, so that doesn't help either. I need to do more of my exercising in the morning! Happy April 1st!!

Yesterday was a beautiful day, nice and warm. Today is nice too, my husband left for work this morning wearing shorts. Today is very windy or I would be out taking a walk. I walked for 30 minutes on my treadmill and walked 20 flights of stairs yesterday, so I can add $2 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4533.00
today 2.00
New total $4535.00

I first visited this site about the end of December, I don't know how I found it. I have learned so much. I never was much on looking at flyers to see what was on sale. If I don't need it, I don't buy it just cause it is on sale.
I was never much one to clip coupons because we only have a weekly paper and it does not carry coupons.
Since I have been reading this site, I have learned so much and saved a lot of money too. I have been real pleased with the $20 challenge.
I just want to say thanks to Jeffrey and Nate for providing this site. Hey, it is so good, I will pay you to let me come and visit every day. Thanks!!!

Well I am really excited about the new pay day loan people buying this sight. I am sure we will all learn a lot.
I have a local site that I post to.
I mentioned today that I was getting a job at a local college teaching cooking. It did not take too long for people to say "April Fools!"
They know that I eat out every night and I really don't like to cook!!

I took a pretty ride in the country today to take our taxes over to H and R block in a town about 25 miles away. There is a back road without too much traffic. It is still pretty, but I think how much this area has changed since they put in a four lane highway. I moved here 22 years ago and there was not even a McDonald's then. I kind of miss the good old days.
I walked for over thirty minutes yesterday, so I can add $1 to my challenge money today.
Prev. total $4532.00
today 1,00
new total $4533.00

Since I have been on this forum, I have become much more aware of the prices of things. My husband asked me to buy some shaving gel, he was all out.
I had no idea what the price was, so I went to the drug store nearest the library, figuring that it would be cheapest at a drug store. It was $2.99 so I got it. (the man has to shave)
When i went to Ingles, it was $2.49 there. I was mad that I had paid 50 cents to much, but I didn't want to drive all over town.
I am surprised that the grocery store is usually just as cheap as the drug store.
Well, I did get a good deal on some vitamins I needed. When I scanned them using my advantage card, i got $3 almost off of it, so I will add that to my challenge.
Then i went and took my doggie to visit my husband at his job site. His worker showed up for the first time since Monday. People here don't like to work more than about 20 hours a week, so they don't!
Prev. total $4529.00
today 3.00
new total $4532.00

I visited the spec house being built across the street from our spec house yesterday. The living room is two shades of green. The kitchen and dining room was bright yellow. The bedroom and bath were dark brown and the whole downstairs was painted bright blue.

Come and visit my house across the street. It will be painted all white inside!! I guess I don't have much imagination. My own home is all white inside, walls, carpet and furniture. (can you tell we have no kids)

I met with a lady that I met over the computer today for lunch. She was very easy to get along with and we had plenty to talk about. She lives in Fla. but they want to retire here someday and have a vacation home here right now. We spent a nice two hours just talking.
Then I went to visit the house my husband is building. Not a square room in the house, but it will really be neat looking, I think!
Isn't it funny what you think someone will look like when you first met them?
She thought I would be this little old gray haired lady!!
I did manage to walk for 30 minutes on my treadmill and do 23 flights of stair. Plus I saved over a $1 on some cookie mix (that I shouldn't buy, but like too) My new friend even paid for my lunch, but I am not going to add that to my challenge since I left the tip. So I have $3 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4526.00
today 3.00
new total $4529.00

I am so happy, I have been trying to get into the blog site all day and it says this page can't be viewed. Has this blog been moved to another site?

BTW, we didn't freeze to death. The propane truck came Monday afternoon, and right after that, this site went down (for me anyway) I was told I was set up for propane for tomorrow, but we have a little "in" with this company. We use them in all of the houses we build, so they gain a customer every time we build a house. Most people do not spend the money to buy and bury their tank. We got a "deal" on ours, so we did.
Then we found out a year later, that we had bought a "hot" tank. (It was such a good deal cause it was stolen.(

Boy, it is good to be able to view this site again. It has been off for a while for me. I paid all my end of the month bills yesterday and had $55 left over in my electric bill budget. Plus I have to put in $2 in challenge money for walking more than 30 minutes on my treadmill and do my stair climbing. I can add $57 to my challenge money today.
Prev. total $4469.00
today 57.00
new total $4526.00

Well I checked my propane tank the first part of february and discovered I had about 300 gallons of propane left. I thought I had plenty to last me the rest of the winter.
Thought I would check it out today and to my dismay, I now have less than 5% in my tank and it is going to freeze tonight. Now, they will come up and put propane in on a Sunday for a $50 fee. But I am going to chance it and hope that the propane lasts until tomorrow and that they can bring some tomorrow.
If you don't hear from me, you will know that I have frozen to death in my house!! Just kidding!

WE love to cook on the grill, it doesn't matter how cold it is, we grill outside.
So I did my grocery shopping this morning and picked up something for the grill.
Dinner was ok last night, when you have 8 people at a long table, it is hard to talk. There was another large party of 8 next to us, so it was noisy, too noisy.
I don't know if it was because all the people we were with are so rich, or because I was a waitress, but rich people often seem rude at a restaurant. They had to ask about everything. Told the waitress if the fries were cold, she would have to take them right back. Like she cooked the fries!! Right??
Anyway that annoyed me, probably her too!
I always tip super well, so we get really good service.
We even tip the cook once in a while.
Anyway, at the grocery store, I got hamburger for $1 off, plus saved $3 with my advantage card.
I walked 20 flights of stairs and walked 45 minutes on my treadmill for another $2 in challenge money, so I will be adding $6 today.
Prev. total $4463.00
today 6.00
new total $4469.00

Well it is snowing in georgia, but not sticking to the ground. We are going out to eat tonight and 6 friends have decided to join us. I like them all, but as I mention in another post, they are all wealthy, high maintence women. You would never see them buying their and their husband's clothing at Wal mart's. So, i kind of feel out of place around them.
I managed to walk 25 flights of stairs plus do 37 minutes in my treadmill, so I will add $3 to my challenge money.
prev. total $4460.00
today 3.00
new total $4463.00

ps. just nine more months til christmas!

I have to go to the bank to make a big withdrawal, $20,000. The money goes out so fast when you are building a spec house. The cost on concrete here is terrible.
Well I walked 25 flights of stairs and walked 30 minutes on my treadmill, so I can add $3 to my challenge money today.

Prev. total $4457.00
today 3.00
new total $4460.00

We brought home a gecko. Oh, not a real one, but a wooden gecko. We are friends with the people who own the restaurant that we eat at every night.
They are getting ready to open another restaurant right next door, Dos Geckos is the name.
Someone gave the owner a pair of wooden geckos, but one was broken. My husband brought it home and is fixing it.
Stayed home yesterday, so I save $1 in gas money, plus earned another $2 for walking 21 flights of stairs and walking on my treadmill for 30 minutes. I will add that $3 to my challenge money. I also got my first survey to fill out today and I am supposed to be paid $2 for that, but I won't count it til I add it.
Prev. total $4454.00
today 3.00
new total $4457.00

That show is helping me to get exercise. I tape it for my husband to watch. We both think it is the silliest show on tv. I keep watching to see if some of our locals will be on.
We watch it commercial free, so I am up and down the stairs about 8 times, while taping it. That is good, cause I hate to sit still very long!

When I move to this area, 22 years ago, there were no liquor store because there were lots of moonshiners.
I don't know if we still have a lot of moonshiners, but we still have no liquor store. I have to drive to a different state, so that is what I did yesterday.
I also worked on my stair climbing challenge and my treadmill challenge, so i can add $3 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $4451.00
today 3.00
new total $4454.00

I walked up and down stairs 28 times yesterday, for a total of 896 steps. I decided to add $1 to my challenge money every time I climbed the stairs 20 times, $2 if I climbed 25 flights or more. Here is my $2

prev. total $4449,00
today 2.00
n
ew total $4451.00