Ima Saver's Personal Finance Blog

Just wanted to wish everyone a very happy valentine's day! We don't spend money on each other for this holiday. I like flowers, but I like the kind that don't die! We might go out to dinner tonight to celebrate!

The weatherman is calling for snow tonight, so I did some grocery shopping today. I play bridge on Mondays, so I usually wait til Tuesday to do the grocery shopping. But I thought I had better get a few things in case we are snowed in tomorrow.
According to my receipt, I saved $6 using my Ingles advantage card, so I will add that to the challenge money.

Prev. total $2805.00
today 6.00
new total $2811.00

Yesterday, I asked dh to please go and see how much propane we had left in our tank. (for heating)
Last year, I spent about $2000 on propane.
I know I have a big house, two story, plus we also heat one of the garages that has a bathroom and a bonus room above it.

Last year I filled my tank in October and then I had to get 300 gallons more in February. My tank is 1000 gallons, so it is quite expensive to fill.
He came back in the house to tell me that the tank is still 50% full!!! What a nice surprise! I had filled it in October and expected to have to order more this week. It looks like I can get by the rest of the winter with what I have!

I had a no use gas day on Wednesday and the stock market went up a little yesterday, so $3 more to the challenge.

Prev. total $2805,00
today 3.00
new total $2808.00

I got a check from Edward Jones company today. I have some stocks there and some of them pay dividends. Every once in a while, when I get a statement, I notice that I have some money in my cash account. They probably pay interest, but I am sure it is very low. So I generally request a check once or twice a year.
Today I got a check for $137 which I will add to my $20 challenge fund.

Prev. total $2668.00
today 137.00
new total $2805.00

I did my grocery shopping today. According to my receipt, I saved about $5 using my Ingles advantage card.
However, I got a great bargain on a giant cookie! It was one of those huge chocolate chip cookies that people buy for special occasions. I got one for my birthday years ago in Florida!
It was normally $8.99 and I got it for $3. I don't care a bit that it has footballs on it; it was a bargain to me! But, since I didn't really NEED the giant cookie, I am not going to count that in my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $2663.00
today 5.00
new total $2668.00

I just noticed on my blog today, that I have had over 2 million visits, so far!
Nothing monetary going on today. I had a no spend day and played bridge all afternoon. Tomorrow, I plan to do my grocery shopping and I hope to save a few dollars using my Ingles card.
I had hoped to have a no use gas day, but my dh really needs his allowance money today. I give him $100 a week which he mostly uses to put gas in his work van. He also buys food for the deer every week. It is fun to watch them come and eat every night.

Today is super bowl sunday. That is about all the news stations are talking about. Yesterday, I heard that 60% of the American people do NOT watch the superbowl. Count me in as one of the 60% who never watches the superbowl, not that there is anything wrong with those who do.

My first husband was a big sports nut! Especially football and basketball. Not only did he watch every game that came on tv, he became a Pop Warner football head coach. He spent all his time at practice or at games.
He was a licensed builder, but he never did any of the work himself. He hired his brother and other workers. I did all the payroll and bookkeeping.

After we divorced, he built a house or two, but with no one to do the bookeeping, he found house building was getting in the way of being a football coach, so he gave up building. (Maybe it's true, behind every good man, stands a good woman)

Of course, being a football coach meant no pay, so his standard of living with down pretty quickly. He did remarry, which helped. Then he could live with his in laws! Which he did, for years!

All that, just for football! Oh well, every one enjoy the game!

I had a no use gas day yesterday, so another $2 will got to the challenge.

Prev. total $2661.00
today 2.00
new total $2663.00

I got a very nice rebate check in the mail today. It is from a building supply place. We spend a lot of money there, and once in a while, we get a rebate! As usual, the check will be added to my $20 challenge!

Prev. total $1890.00
today 771.00
new total $2661.00

The market is up over 100 points today with just 20 minutes to go until the close.
I had a no use gas day yesterday, so that is a total of $3 to add to my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $1887.00
today 3.00
new total $1890.00

I updated our net worth yesterday. Although our cash balance went down, our real estate investments went way up. (Because of all the money we are putting into the spec house)
The stock market went up last month, so did all my mutual funds and stocks, except one. Wendy's!!
I had a no use gas day yesterday ($2) and I got a dollar bill in the mail from a survey place.

Prev. total $1884.00
today 3.00
new total $1887.00

I did my grocery shopping yesterday. I stocked up on sprite zero which was on sale. I got the price down from 42 cents a can to .25 cents a can. Then I saved $4 buying a 12 pack of toilet paper.
According to my receipt, I saved a total of $16 using my Ingles advantage card and I spent less than $60 for the week.
I had a no use gas day on Monday, so that is a total of $18 for the challenge.

Prev. total $1866.00
today 18.00
new total $1884.00

I am adding the interest I received on my ING checking account to the $20 challenge today.

Prev. total $1738.00
today 128.00
new total $1866.00

A new month is here! That means we are rid of one month of winter! This month has an extra day cause it is leap year. My birthday was the day before Thanksgiving last year. This year, it will be the day after Thanksgiving because we are adding a day!
My grandfather was born on Feb. 29th, so he only had a birthday every 4 years.

I have gotten off to a good start on my new challenge. I have challenged my self to save $30 a day. so far, I have put away $30 every day in January. That means I have $930 to add to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $ 808.00
today 930.00
new total $1738.00

I recieved another rewards check from my Chase master card. We earn $50 every month. Last month it was 2- $50 checks. We get 3% back from home improvement places like Home Depot and guess what? My dh is a builder, so he goes there just about every day!

Prev. total $758.00
today 50.00
new total $808.00

I turned in my coin jar at the bank today. I also took all of coins that dh has been putting in a can. Together we had about $39. $15 of that is his, the rest I am adding to my $20 challenge. I also had a no use gas day yesterday, so a total of $26 is going to the challenge money.

Prev. total $732.00
today 26.00
new total $758.00

Today I got my raise. My social security check went up $18 a month! So, $504.00 will be added to my $20 challenge fund.

Prev. total $228.00
today 504.00
new total $732.00

I stayed home all day yesterday even tho we desperately needed groceries. The reason; it was raining and my dh spent two hours cleaning my car on sunday. I was not about to take it out in the rain!
There is not much prettier than a clean, red corvette. Today, I went to the store and stocked up. I saved $5 using my advantage card and $2 for the no use gas day yesterday.

Prev. total $221.00
today 7.00
new total $228.00

My dh took the day off today. He had a little drawing to do (he does his own house plans) and since then, he has vaccummed, mopped, cleaned toilets and is finishing up in the kitchen.
After that, he is going to wash ALL the cars which have not been washed in two weeks. (Very unusual for our cars to go unwashed more than a few days. I should have known he had a car fetish when he washed his car at my house on our second date)
Speaking of car fetishes, he has been watching Barrett Jackson auction (cars) every night this week. Last night, some of the cars were selling for over one million; then over two million! I could not believe that anyone would pay that much for a car.

Well, back to my little meager life; I am having a no use gas day and I got a $3 pinecone check. $5 more dollars will be added to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $216.00
today 5.00
new total $221.00

It rained all night last night! Today the creek is very full and very noisy! My poor dh is trying to lay rock outside in this weather. I don't know how he is doing that!
The stock market went up 4 days in a row this week and I had a no use gas day yesterday, so $6 to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $210.00
today 6.00
new total $216.00

My electric bill was $40 under budget this week. I consider that pretty good cause we had both inside and outside christmas lights on the entire month.
The stock market went up yesterday and today, so I have a total of $42 to add to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $168.00
today 42.00
new total $210.00

I have not made homemade lasagna in several years. There is just the two of us, and it seems to last and last. I have been buying th Stouffer's frozen lasagna and it is only $4 for a small one. (We split it in half)
Monday night, because of no bridge, I made lasagna from scratch. I know it cost more than $4, but boy was it good. We had it for dinner last night too, and there was still enough for both lunches today.
It was so good I think I will make it again next week.

My dh always takes his lunches to work. The subs he uses always go out to eat every day. (roofers, dry wall guys, etc.) I wonder how much money he has saved by taking his lunch to work for the past 28 years! Even when I worked in a restaurant (waitress), I always took a sandwich to work with me.

I am having a no use gas day today, so I will add $2 to the challenge.

Prev. total $166.00
today 2.00
new total $168.00

We had to call off bridge again today. We have not played since before Christmas! I really miss it.
Well, I did my grocery shopping today instead of tomorrow. I saved $10 using my advantage card today, so that will be added to the $20 challenge.

Prev. totatl $156.00
today 10.00
new total $166.00

I am having another no use gas day. I figured out that one trip to town and back uses about a half gallon of gas, or slightly under $2 per trip. When I stay home, I add that money to my $20 challenge.
Now yesterday, I used my husband's car and his gas. I wish I could count that! I drive it once in a while cause he hardly ever does. It is a 2008 and just turned over 14,000 miles.
Having low milage on a car really saves us in car insurance premiums.

Prev. total $154.00
today 2.00
new total $156.00

It is staying lighter outside each day and I sure like that. I hate when it gets dark before 5:30. It is real cold today, but at least the sun is shining.
I had a no use gas day yesterday, so I am adding $2 to the $20 challenge. I also just finished doing a pinecone survey.

Prev. total $152.00
today 2.00
new total $154.00

I just realized this; today is my blog anniversary. I started this blog on January 13th, 2006. It has been six years since I started. I have really enjoyed all the folks I have met on this site!

I just looked it up, and that was a Friday the 13th too. (I have a perpetucal calendar)

I love Friday the 13th. Dh and I got married on Friday the 13th back in 1977! Good luck to all of you.
I bought chicken on sale (2 off) yesterday and received a pinecone check, so $5 is being added to my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $147.00
today 5.00
new total $152.00

It was snowing this morning when I got up. Thank goodness it did not stick to the ground. We went down to the real estate office to list our new house , that dh is building, for sale!
It is not quite dried in, but we wanted to do it today, cause it is Friday the 13th!

Last year, I challenged myself to put aside $30 a day in a canister. This is part of my 2012 resolutions. I am doing well and have not missed a day. I added $300 (10 days) to my ING fund today.

A no use gas day Monday, so $2 to the challenge.

prev. total $145.00
today 2.00
new total $147.00

Today is Elvis' birthday. Every one knows I am a big fan of Elvis.
In my home, I have an Elvis bedroom. It started with I went to an Elvis concert and bought a picture of him. I had it framed. I still have my original ticket stub, plus tickets to his not perfomed next concert.
I have all my old original 45 records still in the jacket sleeves (with his picture on them) plus all of my old albums.
I have the original newspaper from Memphis on the date of his death.
The colonel wrote a poem about him, and I have a signed copy of that poem. I also have his drummers, drumsticks, also signed. (D.J.Fontana)

I even have a framed picture of Elvis shaking hands with President Nixon in 1970. Lots of other stuff in that room, all Elvis! Even in my red corvette, I have a big throw with a picture of Elvis!