Ima Saver's Personal Finance Blog

I did my grocery shopping yesterday. We have a very nice, new Ingles. They remodled the store and few years ago and doubled it in size. We have the biggest Ingles in the state of Georgia.
I was very upset to visit the store yesterday and find out they had moved all the aisles and ALL of the products. I could not find anything and the place was a mess.

I did save $5 using my advantage card; I had two no use gas days ($4) and the stock market went up ($1), so $10 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $10,835.00
today 10.00
new total $10,845.00

We did quite a bit of christmas shopping this weekend and spent $300. First we bought an artificial tree for $90 complete with lights. We use to always put up a real tree, but that is a lot of work.
I bought one of those pull up trees, but they really don't look very good in the daytime. Dh got the tree all put up and decorated. He got all the lights outside put up a week ago, so we look very christmasy.
I got a good deal on a drill he has been needing. It was usually $189 but we got it on sale for $99. My husband, being a builder, goes thru a lot of tools.

My husband was sick all night Wednesday night. He stayed home from work yesterday; unusual for him. He goes to work even if he is sick.
This morning, he passed a kidney stone. What a relief! This is about the 6th one he has had, but it has been a while.

On Tuesday, I found a quarter in a newspaper machine. I have been keeping track of found money this year, and I am NOT very lucky.
The last time I found a coin was on July 9th of this year. I have never found any paper money.

My grand total for the year, $1.06! Hey, I'll take it!!

I took my coin jar to the bank yesterday! I have one and so does dh. I keep mine counted, so I know how much went to dh. I also saved $7 using my Ingles advantage card, so I have a total of $47 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $10,788.00
today 47.00
new total $10,835.00

Dh worked most of the day today putting up the christmas lights. Our neighbor put some up this weekend but he left them on all night! I am too frugal for that. We put our lights on a timer so that they come on about dark and turn off at 9 pm.
The stock market went up 3 points on Friday and I had a no use gas day, so $3 for the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $10,785.00
today 3.00
new total $10,788.00

I ordered my chase rewards check the other day. It use to be that you ordered the checks in increments of $50 each time. Now, you can order whatever your point rewards total is. Today, I got a check for $76, I also got a dollar bill in the mail and have $2 for yesterday's no use gas day! A total of $79 for the $20 challenge!

Prev. total $10,706.00
today 79.00
new total $10,785.00

I have always been a mayonaise user but my dh loves only miracle whip. He takes his lunch to work every day and has for 35 years. He has been eating ham sandwiches a lot lately (cause of the thanksgiving left over ham.) He ran out of his miracle whip. I could not believe that a jar has gone up to almost $6. I knew groceries were high, but that is rediculous.
I did my grocery shopping yesterday. With the help of my Ingles advantage card and some coupons, I managed to save $10 to add to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $10,192.00
today 10.00
new total $10,202.00

opps, I forgot that my social security check came in today. That is another $504 to add to the total.

Prev. total $10,202.00
today 504.00
new total $10,706.00

We went out to dinner last night to celebrate my birthday. Even with a nice tip of $6 plus, we only spent $30. It was our first time out in over a month and we really enjoyed it.
I stayed home a lot this week and have several no use gas days. I know the stock market went up once or twice, so I am adding $10 (plus my pinecone check) to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $10,179.00
today 13.00
new total $10,192.00

I got my free turkey today at Ingles. It feels like a birthday present. When you spend $50 a week in groceries for 6 weeks, they give their customers a free turkey. It was worth about $17.
I also was underbudget on my electric bill this month, so I have $60 to add to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $10,119.00
today 60.00
new total $10,179.00

Or maybe is a a ham day. It is for us. I hate to cook a big turkey for just the two of us. I was born on Thanksgiving day, a long time ago. My mother said that she had fixed a lot of food the night before but did not get to eat any of it!
WE have no plans for the day, dh has even gone to work. I stayed up most of the night to watch Gone with the Wind, one of my favorite movies!

The building supply store that we do business with, use to send me a rebate check every few months. A few months ago, they started a new system. We can take the rebate money off of our balance if we pay off the balance by the 10th of the month.
This month, I had a huge bill for the spec house we are building. My rebate amount came to $925, which I am adding to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $ 9194.00
today 925.00
new total $10119.00

I did my grocery shopping yesterday. by using my advantage carad, I was able to save $20 which was added to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $9174.00
today 20.00
new total $9194.00

I had two no use gas days in a row, both Sunday and Monday. I will add $4 to the challenge money!

Prev. total $9170.00
today 4.00
new total $19174.00

I was an army brat. My father served in both world war one (he lied about his age) and World War two. I don't know where he was in the first war, but he was in Germany and France during world war two.

I got a pinecone check in the mail today from a survey I took last week. They also sent me a free product to try out, so I will get another check in a week or two.
I had another no use gas day today, so that is $5 more to add to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $$9165.00
today 5.00
new total $9170.00

I got a nice check in the mail today from Edward Jones. It reflects an accumalation of dividends on stock I own thru their company. Of course , it gets added to the challenge.

Prev. total $9000.00
today 165.00
new total $9165.00

Finally, I had a no use gas day, so $2 more to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $8998.00
today 2.00
new total $9000.00

Finally!

I had not mentioned it, but my oldest granddaughter got married last month. It was an outdoor wedding and very nice. She looked beautiful! I gave her a wedding gift of cash. Every young couple can use the money! My mother always gave cash gifts on birthdays and christmas and I sure appreciated it.

The stock market is way, way down this morning. I am assuming that it has something to do with the outcome of the election.

I hope everyone voted. I feel like this is a very important election. I know that some of you said you did not like either candidate, but I think it is important to choose one and vote. Voting independent this year would be a wasting of your vote.
So, go and vote!

It is only 5 pm. but it is getting so dark outside. I do not like the time change!
I did my grocery shopping today and saved $7 using my Ingles card. That will be added to the challenge money.

Prev. total $8991.00
today 7.00
new total $8998.00

The building supply that we do business with, gives us a rebate. Usually it is in the form of a check and we get the check randomly.
Well, they have decided to give us a discount on our bill every month instead. So, this month's rebate came to $303 which I will add to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $8688.00
today 303.00
new total $8991.00

Happy 1st day of November! November is not my favorite month, even tho I was born on Thanksgiving day! It is getting cold now and we had our first hard freeze last night, so all my pretty flowers are dead.
We only had one trick or treater last night, so plenty of candy left over. I usually buy what my husband likes so it won't go to waste!
I took my puppy to the vets today. She had a lump on her back. It turns out it was only a reaction to the rabies shot. I am glad it is nothing serious!

Happy Halloween to everyone. It is one of my favorite holidays cause we are usually invited to a party. I love to get dressed up. But, no party this year. The people that usually have it, have their house up for sale now.
So, we are staying home to pass out candy to the trick or treaters tonight.
I finally turned the heat on yesterday. It has been so cold and windy here; we actually saw snow flakes in October.
I got a dollar in the mail yesterday and Monday was a no use gas day, so $3 added to the$20 challenge.

Prev. total $8685.00
today 3.00
new total $8688.00

I stopped and bought gas today. Regular has come down to $3.49 a gallon. I find that regular works in this corvette just fine, but it did not in my 2004 corvette. I had 2 no use gas days this week, Monday and Thursday. That means I have $4 to add to my challenge. ($2 a day every time I stay home)

Prev. total $8681.00
today 4.00
new total $8685.00

I kept my electric bill under $100 this ast month. That means I am $60 under budget which can be added to my $20 challenge fund.

Prev. total $8621.00
today 60.00
new total $8681.00

Hubby and I went down to the courthouse and voted at 8 am this morning. I like this early voting. It is so much easier than standing in line on election day!
Make sure you vote this year! This is an important election.!!

Today is October 25th, just two more months til christmas. Are you ready!! I am not, but we have cut way back on christmas in the past few years. I only buy for my hubby. I give the granddaughters each a check so they can buy what they want!

My usual check came into the bank today (social security) I always save it and transfer it to my ING savings account. Of course, I also add it to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $8117.00
today 504.00
new total $8621.00