Ima Saver's Personal Finance Blog

I have been trying for three days to redeem my rewards for the month on my Chase card. Fianlly, I gave up trying on my computer and just placed a phone call to redeem. I don't know if it is because my computer is so old, but I keep getting the page that said "internet explorer cannot display this page." I get that when I try to look up my account in Navy Federal. I know I need a new computer, but when I tried out the ones at the library, I could not use those either. I am afraid to get s new computer, because i have no one to help me learn to use it.
Anyway, the chase rewards check will be mailed to my checking account, so I will add that to my $20 challenge:
Prev. total $2654.00
today 42.00
new total $2696.00

A few months ago, I bought myself a large green piggy bank covered with daisies. I had been putting all my change in a jar, but I thought Miss Daisy was a much cuter alternative. I just pulled the plug and I turned in $60 worth of coins to my bank. This will be added to the $20 challenge;
Prev. total $2578.00
today 60.00
new total $2638.00

We are awaiting the big winter storm that is supposed to be hitting our area and about 70 million other people. We have a wind advisory, a flood advisory and a snow advisory. The snow is suppose to start about 6 pm. So far, we are doing ok!

Today, we are getting our first real snow of the season. I know it has snowed before, you can see the snow on the mountains in the distance. We live in the mountains and the highest peak in Georgia is Brasstown Bald, here in Blairsville, just a few miles away. As a matter of fact, the cabin we are building (and have already sold) has a wonderful view of Brasstown Bald and the mountains.
The snow came down quickly starting about noon and has already covered the ground. I called dh and he came home from work. He does not want to get stuck over at the cabins.
Because we live in N. Ga., we don't have much of a snow removal system. Snow is pretty, but I am glad it does not usually last too long.
I talked to Navy Federal Credit Union yesterday. They got the check I sent them and they opened my Certificate of deposit over the phone.
Unfortunately, the great special that they had on c.d.'s ended on Sunday. It was 2.5% for 30 months.

I have a big c.d. coming due on Feb. 28th and I had planned to put it all in this Navy Fed. C.U. special cause they thought it would last until April.
Now, I will have to find some place else to put it.

Navy Federal still has a 20 month c.d. for 2% but the maximum amount is $20,000. This c.d. I just opened was perfect, cause it had no maximum, but, sadly, I won't be able to take advantage of it cause it has closed.
I hope something else good will open up about the time I need it.
(p.s., I did get to open up a c.d. special for the 2.5 rate, but only one.)

I got a check today from my citi credit card. They pay 1% on all purchases and 1% when you pay on the card, for a total of 2% back. I will add that $123 to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $2429.00
todays ck. 123.00
new total $2552.00

My little dog, Molly, was diagnosed with diabetes on Dec. 29th.
Molly is a malta-poo. Her mother was a pure black poodle and her father was a pure white maltese. Molly takes after her father and looks Maltese.
We first started out giving Molly one shot of insulin a day. She has to go back to have her blood checked every few days.
The 2nd week, Molly started getting 2 shots of insulin per day.
I read in an online column about diabetes and dogs, that one couple gave their dog a treat every time they have to give her a shot.
I asked my vet if Molly could have a treat at "shot-time". She replied, yes, give her a piece of chicken.
So, we have cooked up white meat chicken for Molly.

When Daddy gets home, it is time for the shot. Molly paws at her bowl until I feed her, her regular dog food. (Call of the Wild) Then, she runs to the counter top where we keep the needles and jumps up and down. She knows it is "shot" time and, most
importantly, "Chicken treat" time. She can hardly wait, she is so excited.
She gets her shot, then gets her treat! She seems to love it! (so does the little one, Abbey, who also gets a piece of chicken just for being cute.)

It makes me feel so much better to see that Molly is happy over getting her treat that she looks forward to the shot that precedes it! I wish I was that brave! (I hate shots, even if I get a treat.)

Do any of you have any good advice for a good mutual fund to open for a child? Years ago, I used American Century Gifttrust for my granddaughters, but it is no longer offered. I have a great granddaughter now.

I was reading Sarah's blog and noticed that she was coming up on her 10th anniversary.
I decided to check my start date and found that I started on Jan. 13th, 2006. So, it is my 10th blog anniversary too.
I have really enjoyed this site and all the nice people that I have met. As a matter of fact, it is my favorite site.
Update on my $20 challenge:

new total $2389.00
That is thanks to a great start because of the interest I earned on my Melrose credit union c.d.'s of $2065.00 on Jan. 1st.

Well, I am attempting to open up a new c.d. at Navy Federal Credit Union.
Since my old computer won't let me get into the website, I have been trying, the old fashioned way.
I called Navy Federal and opened a very small savings account. (required) That gave me an access number.

Today, I sent a letter and a check to open a c.d. They have a special c.d. offering right now; a 30 month c.d. that pays 2.5% interest.
I have a big c.d. coming due from Melrose credit union next month. The most they are paying right now is 2.4 and you have to tie your money up for 60 months. (5 years) This seems like a much better deal.

Fingers crossed that I can open one up the old fashioned way. I will let you know. If it works, I will send my Melrose credit union money there next month if they have the same 2.5% deal for 30 months.

I am so glad that my mortgage holder is so prompt in paying her mortgage each month. The amount is due on the 25th of each month, she dropped the check off today, Jan. 11th. Of course, it goes straight to savings.

Today, I order my citi credit card reward. It came to $ 123.50 and i should get a check for that in less than 2 weeks. This of course, will be added to my $20 challenge.

I went to the library yesterday so see if I could use one of their computers. I had a terrible time, it was nothing like mine. It did have a mouse, but nothing else was familiar. I did get one librarian to help me get "into" it, but I have no idea what she did. I was not even able to move the page I was on, up and down. I was so frustrated that I almost cried.

I mainly use a computer to handle my finances. Since no local banks pay a decent rate, I keep several accounts at online banks and transfer the money (for building the spec house) when I need it. I am trying to open a new account at navy federal credit union, but apparently my computer is so outdated, that I cannot get into view my account. Dh is not help, he has never used a computer. He suggests that I just keep our money locally and forget about trying to earn any interest.

I am finally ready to get a new computer. I got mine in 2006, my first. I had never used a computer in my life. When I worked, there were no computers.My computer has been telling me that I need to update my browser for over a year, that support has ended for windows 8.
I am not sure what that means, but I did try and get into a new account at Navy Federal Credit Union and I could not get access because my computer is so old.

Any computer suggestions? Remember, I need something really easy and something I am already use to like my Dell computer with a mouse. (No laptop for me)
I am a great grandmother and am really not into the new modern things. I don't have a cell phone or any other kind of devise. I need something really simple to use and understand.
(Maybe this is what my grandparents went thru when automobiles first came on the scene. My grandmother, on my mother's side , was born in 1873. On my father's side, they were even older than that.)

I recieved a dividend from my Lam stock. When I first bought it , it was called Novellus. I only bought 56 shares. I loved playing the stock market about 20 years ago, but now I do not bother with it anymore. I have had better luck with mutual funds.
I will be adding this dividend of $16 to my $20 challenge:

Prev. total $2204.00
today 16.00
new total $2220.00

I took Molly to the vet yesterday to have her diabetes (sugar) checked. She has made no progress at all.
They switched her to a different insulin. This one is novolin n and the cost is about $140 for a small bottle. The needles I bought at Walmart were NOT correct, although a pharmacy worker told me they were.
I had to buy more needles, 60 of them for a month's use.

Poor Molly now hoas to have 2 shots a day. One in the morning and one at night. I pray that these shots will do the trick and her sugar will be under control.

I take her back on Thursday for testing! I will take the diabetes medicine that I already purchased and donate it to someone who needs it. Keep Molly in your prayers!

I took my sweet dog, Molly to the vets last week. She has been drinking a lot of water and urinating a lot. I thought it might be a bladder infection.

I was so upset when the vet told me she has diabetes. She is only 6 years old. I cried and called my husband, then he cried.
She will have to have a diabetes insulin shot every day for the rest of her life.
We got the insulin and needles and started her on it right away. My husband is giving the shots. If ever a dog was good about getting shots, it is Molly. You could not ask for a sweeter dog.
The insulin in very expensive, $50 for a tiny bottle and you have to use a new needle everyday. However, there is no amount of money that would matter to me, Molly is worth a million dollars!
We go back again tomorrow for her to be retested. I
see no difference in her yet. I read that most dogs have to have 2 shots a day. We have to be careful to feed her at the same time and don't leave any dogfood down for the other baby, Abbey.
Hardest on my husband is that we cannot give her any snacks after our dinner.

Have any of you dealt with a diabetic dog? Of so, any advice you can give me would be appreciated.

I am adding my last three months of interest from the Melrose credit Union. This was posted to my account as of Jan. 1, 2016. This will rally give a boast to my $20 challenge.

When I opened this C.D. almost 5 years ago, I was afraid that I was making a mistake to tie up so much money for 5 years. The interest rate was 2.9% and I thought, surely, rates will get better than this over time. Turns out, it was a good idea, since I have not seen any rates higher than 2.9% for a 5 year c.d.
As a matter of fact, it will come due the end of February and I don't know what I will do with it then.
The highest rate I can find now, is 2.4% for 5 years. At my age, I hate to tie money up for that long. I don't know what to do?

$20 challenge:

Prev. total $ 103.00
melrose int. 2065.00
new total $2168.00

Every year I do the $20 challenge. It was started on this site about 8 or 9 years ago, I think.
Basically, you start with $20 and you add it it any way you want to.
I always add my Ingles advantage card savings at the grocerystore, the rebates that I get at our local building supply, all my credit card rebates, dividend checks, interest earned, my s/s since I have never spent a penny, garage sales and any other extra money that comes my way. I don't work any longer, so this is my way of contributing to the household income.

I ended the 2015 challenge with $21,315.00. My goal was to hit $20,000 for the year and I did.

I am ready to start the new $20 challenge with the interest that was credited to my four savings accounts today. They pay about 1% interest.

Mysavings direct 2 accounts $83
GE savings bank 13
Barclay bank 7

$20 challenge total $103.00

I just want to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year. Let this be a great year for saving!

Instead, we are under a flood watch. The creek came out of its banks yesterday and more rain is forecast thru Monday. Right now, the creek has gone down a little bit and I am glad. It is a wet and warm christmas.

Merry Christmas to all! Dh and I will be alone for christmas, but I can't think of anyone else that I would rather spend christmas with! Have a great day!!

Today (or yesterday) is the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year. I like the fact that it will be staying light out longer now.
The people who are buying our cabin are coming to see it this week. They are wishing for snow, but so far this year, no snow!
I think they will be please with what they see. DH has finished the stairs, the railings, the trim and is just starting to build the kitchen cabinets. I am hoping that we can have a closing in January.
My $20 challenge is doing well:
Total balance for the year $21,267.00

We got invited over for Christmas dinner by the young couple that bought our last house. I thought that was so nice of them to think of us.
They both work and have a 2 year old duaghter, so I told them that we appreciated it very much, but they needed to spend the day, resting up and enjoying each other. It warms my heart to think that they wanted us to come over.

For the first time since June of 2006. I noticed that Mysavingsdirect lowered their savings rate from 1.09% to just 1%. It is so hard to make any interest on your savings these days.

I received a check from my citi charge card today for $99. I am so lucky that I can charge materials for the house we are building to our personal charge card. Of course, All of my charge cards are paid off in full each month so I never pay a penny of interest.All reward checks are added to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $21,144.00
today 99.00
new total $21,243.00

We went to a christmas party last night at the home of one of our friends. We built their house. (It seems we make good friends with all the people we build for.)
The young couple that bought our last house was at the party. They bought us a beautiful gift basket.
We are holding the mortgage on their home because they had trouble getting a mortgage. They finally sold their condo in Florida last week, so that has helped them out financially a lot! I am so happy for them!!
Hey SA friends, I need your advise. What do I call the young couple.? My mortgagees? There are NOT my tenants, they own the house, I just hold the paper!
I am not sure, I need your advice.
They had there beautiful baby girl (she is 2, almost 3, with them. I had a gift for her. A special BIG piggy bank and a child's purse with lots of coins to put in her new bank. Might as well get her to start saving while she is young!

I got the sweetest note from my youngest granddaughter yesterday. (She is 25)
She said that she wanted to thank me for the wonderful christmas memories that she had as a child.

"If it wasn't for you and grandpa, Christmas would have been awful. I wanted to thank you and tell you that I will never forget it. Not just the gifts, but the fact that you guys came and picked us up, played with us, did stuff with us, let us destroy your closet, spent time with us. For us, that was the best memories that we have (she and her older sister)
That was my favorite time, when we got to come to your house"

My 2 granddaughters were left by their mother, when they were only 3 and 5. They lived with their father and step mother. We looked forward to the days we got to go and pick them up. We all squeezed into the corvette. Yes, 4 people can fit into a corvette, when 2 of them are small people!
Their favorite thing was to play dress up in my closet. They love to put on all my dressup (cruise) clothes and high heels and put on fashion shows for hours! We did not mind the "mess" in the closet at all. It was fun for us too.
Those were some of my best memories of christmas too. I wish I could have kept my two little granddaughters forever. Now they are both beautiful, grown up women.

DH put the christmas tree up this Sunday. We have decided not to put up the outdoor lights this year, since he is so busy working on two houses. I am happy up to have the lights from the tree.

$20 challenge update:

new total $21,096.00

I totaled up my Maww account for the month of November. I acquired the following money:

Building material discount
(2 houses) $ 627
Citi credit card rebate 76
mortgage interest 900
chase card rebate 43
s/s check 529
mysavingdirect interest 84
GE bank interest 12
Barclay bank interest 6
Barclay credit card rebate 248

Total for the month $2525.00

This is the money I earned in the Maww account, which stands for Money aquired without working.
It won't be this high next month. The building material discount will start to go down as the houses are now both dried in.
Still , it makes me feel good that I am able to contribute to the family finances even tho I no longer work.


y husband is not a high earner. He makes about $60,000 per year. That seems like a lot to me since I have never earned very much, but in today's standards, that is probably a low income. We have never had a real high income, ever. But as I say, it is not what you make that counts, it is what you keep.

I watched that old movie last night. I still think it is a wonderful movie, even if it is older than I am. (Hard to believe) Has anyone else seen it?

I watched extreme cheapskates on tv last night. I don't know if it has been off the air or what, but I have not seen it in a long time.
I consider myself frugal, but I have to draw the line when I see some of the poeple on the show.
I do not buy much in the way of clothes any more, but I draw the line when it comes to dumpster diving for food from a grocery store, or not flushing the toilet. I think some people go too far!