Ima Saver's Personal Finance Blog

This is the first month I have not had a payment due on my corvette. I took the money out of the bank last month and paid it off. So, I am still putting the weekly amount away in the corvette envelope. I plan to add that monthly to the $20 challenge.
I have $810 to add to the challenge today. My payment was only about $600 something, but I sometimes have a week of extra money in my envelopes. It feels great having that money to save instead of paying it out on a car!

Prev. total $4131.00
today 810.00
new total $4941.00

My usual monthly check came in today. As a matter of fact, it came a day early. It is supposed to be here on the fourth wednesday of the month. I never cash the check, I just add it to my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $3645.00
today 486.00
new total $4131.00

I am underbudget on my electric bill this month. I budget $160 and the bill was $105. Of course, this will go up as soon as I turn the a/c on. However, I think it cost me more to heat the house than to cool it. I have paid $2500 for propane (for heat) this year. I will add the $55 to my challenge money.

Prev. total $3590
today 55
new total $3645

We have always had a lot of wildlife in our backyard. All, but the deer have disappeared since winter started. Last night, I saw our two ducks had returned. This morning, the ground hog came out. (Last year we had a mama ground hog and 3 babies) So, I hope more will be around later.
I guess they know that today will be the last day of winter and spring is starting tomorrow!
I had a no use gas day yesterday, so $2 to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $3588.00
today 2.00
new total $3490.00

They look so pretty and are a sure sign of spring. We have two of them in our front yard. I hope this warm weather continues. It is warmer outside and inside the house cause I have no screens and can't open the windows. (It is a long story. we do have screens, but dh does not like them, so they are in the attic)
I just received an $11 check from my stock in Wendy's and I had a no use gas day, so I will add $13 to my challenge.

Prev. total $3575.00
today 13.00
new total $3588.00

Not everybody celebrates their car's birthday, but I do!! I think anything that gives me an excuse to eat cake, should be celebrated!!!
Today my car is one year old. I got it on St. Patrick's day which is kind of neat, since I am Irish!
The car gas 3967 miles on it, so it should be around for a while.

I opened a money market account last month, so I could keep some cash in a local bank to use for the spec house. The highest interest rate I could get was 9/10th of 1 percent. today, it paid me $159 in interest, so I am adding that to my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $3416.00
today 159.00
new total $3575.00

Don't forget to wear something green! Even if you are not Irish. I am Irish. My grandparents were both born in Ireland. I don't know what year they came to this country. My father was born here, in Mass, in 1899.

We live at the bottom of the hill in our subdivision. There is a huge ugly pine tree in my neighbor's yard and it always blocked the view of our house as you came down the street. I have always wanted that tree gone!
It died a few years back, but it was still standing. Today, someone(??) hired a tree company and they took the tree down. It took them many, many hours, but it is gone, gone, gone!!

I saved $3 on steak today, so I will add that to my challenge.

Prev. total $3413.00
today 3.00
new total $3416.00

Not me! I think the 15th of March is a great day. Today, my little Molly was born 2 years ago. She is my malta-poo puppy and probably the sweetest dog I have ever owned. (I have had at least one dog since I was 3 years old) I will have to fix her something special for her birthday dinner tonight.

I also found a dime today, lucky me. I stocked up on diet sprite also since it is a real good sale. My dh and I don't drink soft drinks, except with mixed drinks after dinner. According to my grocery receipt, I saved $14 today, so that will be added to my challenge.
I will have to check out bi lo tomorrow when steaks go on sale.

Prev. total $3399.00
today 14.00
new total $3413.00

My dh only worked until 4 pm this afternoon. So, he took off early and is now out cutting the grass!! Are you kidding me?? We just had snow Thursday!

After that he is planning on washing the 2 corvettes and cleaning up the house for my bridge group tomorrow.

I just went to CVS to pick up some pictures that I left to be developed. I took several pictures of my little dogs. They like laying on pillows in the sunshine in the kitchen. I am planning on sending one of the pictures to the lady that I bought my puppy, Molly, from. She seems to like to know how her puppies are doing and I sent her a picture when Molly was little. Molly is full grown now. And, oh so cute too!

While at CVS, I got conditioner on sale and saved $4. I will add that to my challenge money.

Prev. total $3395.00
today 4.00
new total $3399.00

Don't forget to "spring ahead" tonight and set your clocks forward an hour. I love daylight savings time and it staying lighter longer at night! Spring is only 8 days away, even if it did snow Thursday night here.

I ran into town to get a few things I needed at Bi Lo.
Just as I got into a line, the computer went down and all of the registers quit working.
Working a register was my very first job.

I went to work at age 12 (with a work permit) and was hired as a stock girl at a retail store. It was soon obvious that I was good with money, so I ran the register and did the books. Back then, all registers were manuel and you had to know how to count the change back, cause the register sure did not tell you anything.

I can't believe that there is not some kind of a back up system in these big chain stores.

I stood there for over 30 minutes and nothing happened. I offered the manager $20 for my $17 worth of groceries and she took it. Not very frugal, but I needed the stuff and did not want to make another trip back to town later.

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

Prev. total $3393.00
today 2.00
new total $3395.00

Our weather has been terrible this month. First of all, it has been so windy. It is like a hurricane every day. Plus it it cold and wet. I am so ready for spring. I know it is only 11 days away, but it sure does not feel like spring. I see buds on the trees, but I am still wearing my heavy coat.
It is raining right now and the creek is very very full.
I did my grocery shopping yesterday and managed to save $4 using my advantage card. The stock market went up, so I am adding $5 to my $20 challenge fund.

Prev. total $3388.00
today 5.00
new total $3393.00

A few years ago, when gasoline was so high, I determined that I spend about $2 on gas every time I made the 10 mile trip to town. So every time I stay home and do NOT use gas, I add that $2 to my $20 challenge.
I had 2 no use gas days this weekend, so I am adding the $4 to my challenge money.

Prev. total $3384.00
today 4.00
new total $3388.00

We have not heard from Broken Arrow in a long time. I miss him!!

I got a letter and a check from bank of america this afternoon. The check was for $10 and is a refund for paying off my car early. It says the car is paid in full and I will receive the title soon.

I got my car new on March 17th, 2010, so it took me less that a year to pay it in full. It helped that I paid a lot extra each month.
The car looks brand new; I only have 3,865 miles on it. I haven't even had to have the oil changed yet. It should last me for quite a while.
(shhhh, don't tell you know who)

I will add the $10 to my challenge and when the next payment comes due, I will add that to my challenge money also.

Prev. total $3374.00
today 10.00
new total $4484.00

I love this extra hour or so of daylight we are getting now. It use to be dark by 5:30 pm., now it is still light at 5:30. Plus daylight savings time is not that far away.
Gas has really gone up here. It is now $3.80 for premium. I am trying to drive as little as possible. I had a no use gas yesterday, the stock market went up, so I am adding $3 to my challenge money.

Prev. total $3371.00
today 3.00
new total $3374.00

WE have used the same guy to install our heat/airconditioning systems for over 20 years. We even used him in our first house.
Yesterday, he came over to start the installation at our spec house.
Dh was telling him about his expensive trip to the emergency room ($7500) and his gall bladder surgery. When dh told him that his hospital bill was over $12,000, the guy asked how dh was going to pay it.
Dh said, I already paid the bill in cash. (we paid in full and received a 15% discount)
The guy could not believe that anyone could have that much cash in a savings account.

This is a middle age guy with two grown children and his own business. I guess he has never had any money put aside in his entire lifetime. I wonder what he is going to do if he ever has to retire?

The funny thing is, he eats out almost every meal. Every breakfast and every lunch, he goes out to eat. He could save a lot of money by bringing his lunch to work like my dh does.

On saturday, I mailed a large check to Melrose credit Union in Briarwood, N.Y. I wanted to open a certificate of deposit. They are currently paying 2.9% for 5years.
Yesterday, I emailed them to see if they got my check and opened an account for me. I got an e mail back saying that my account was open and they gave me the account number.
Even with my very little computer knowledge, I was able to come up with an ID and password and to view my account.
So far, I am very happy with my Melrose credit union experience.

I made 3 personal loans to a couple last year and I have been adding that interest to my $20 challenge. Well, last month he inherited a lot of money, so they paid me off. No more nice loan paying 4% interest.

So, I put that money into ING electric checking paying 1.25% interest. As is my luck, within days, the rate went down to 1.14%. However, it is still better than what I can get locally, even for a c.d.

I am still going to report the interest to my $20 challenge, however, it will be a lot less than it use to be.

Prev. total $3310.00
ING 61.00
new total $3371.00

I wonder if it will go out like a lion? That is just an old saying. It is a beautiful day today, while yesterday was stormy and windy.
Yesterday was a good day money wise. I received a one dollar bill in the mail for a survey and a check for $50 from Chase rewards. Both will go into my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $3310.00
today 51.00
new total $3361.00

Could this be a sign that spring is just around the corner? I hope so. The temperature was set on 64 but it was actually 66 in the house when I went to bed. The temp was still 66 when I got up this morning. I am ready for some warmer weather.

I had two no use gas days this weekend, so can add $4 to my $20 challenge.

Prev. total $3306.00
today 4.00
new total $3310.00

Well, in the last 3 months, I have cashed in all 5 of my c.d.'s. I can't find any place that is paying a decent interest rate, so I have decided to send part of that money to the Melrose credit union in New York state. They are offering a c.d. paying 2.9%. I have never invested in a c.d. for more than one year before, but I have a feeling that rates are not going to go up for a while.
I mailed a check off to them this morning and I will report back and let you know what happens.

I have 5 ones to add to the challenge.

Prev. total $3301.00
today 5.00
new total $3306.00

ps. the cd is for 5 years, so that is kind of scary!

If you asked me what my favorite color was, I could not tell you. It dawned on me today, that I have driven a red car since 1987. That was a red bronco. When I gave it away in 1997, Ibought a red sports rally camero. In 2004, I bought a red corvette. When it got "sick" last year, I traded it in on another red corvette. I guess red, is my color.
I had a not use gas day yesterday, ($2) and saved $2 using my Ingles advantage card today.

Prev. total $3297.00
today 4.00
new total $3301.00

I just went to fill up my car. I paid $3.70 a gallon for premium today. It is hard to believe! Maybe this will encourage me to have more "no use gas days"
I also paid my electric bill. It was $50 under budget so I can add that to my challenge money. I had to stock and get car tags yesterday cause it is hubby's birthday today. It was $700 for the tags, ouch!!

Prev. total $3247.00
today 50.00
new total $3297.00

I am paying off my car today. We have an agreement that he can never buy another car until the last car is paid off. So, I don't want him to know that I am paying it off.
The car is only 11 months old and has 3700 miles. We don't need a new car. His car is 3 years old and has 11,000 miles.
I had 3 c.d.'s coming due today at the bank, so I cashed them in. No one is paying anything in interest. I have a money market paying 9/10 of 1 per cent, so I put the money there.

I have decided to take my car payment money and add it to my $20 challenge each month. This month the corvette envelope has $815 in in, so I am adding that to the challenge money. I also got my regular check of $486 today, so that will be added too.

Prev. total $1946.00
today 1301.00
new total $3247.00

My husband is like a new man since he has this procedure in the hospital last Friday! He can eat anything he wants and he has no pain! I wish we had done this months ago!!
I saved $5 using my Ingles card today and I had a no use gas day yesterday ($2) so a total of $7.00 to the $20 challenge.

Prev. total $1939.00
today 7.00
new total $1946.00

This was my very first hospital experience. Believe it or not, at my age, I have never been in a hospital. (except for being born) Although, dh had been in a hospital once when he had his appendix out, but he was a teenager. So, this was his first experience in a hospital in a very long time.

The people are so caring and nice. Even the food was decent. The only complaint we had was that the nurses kept coming in to do tests and take blood all night. I came home to be with the dogs, but dh got no sleep that night.

The doctor told him yesterday that he had to take the day off and rest, so he did. (Me too) But he has gone back to work today.

I have 4 $1 bills to add to the challenge.

prev. total $1935.00
today 4.00
new total $1939.00

34 years ago yesterday, I met and had my first date with my husband. I did not expect to spend this anniversary day in the hospital all day.

It started with him walking up in pain yesterday morning. He has been having this problem for months and it is just getting worse and worse On tuesday, he had an MRCP and no gall stones could be found.
He was all set to have a EGD procedure on March 18th, but that is a month away.

So, I took him to the emergency room first thing. They gave him some medication, a shot, pill, etc. to ease the pain. Of course, all other kind of tests too.Finally after 3 hours, the doctor wanted to send him home, but I said, no, the pain will just come back when he gets home. He still was not feeling very much better.

She called his family doctor and then they admitted him to the hospital. The specialist that he had been seeing for this problem called at 2 pm and said they would proform an ERCP at about 4:30 yesterday. (this procedure is where they put a tube down your throat to look at everything!)

They found the gallstone! Even tho the MRI did not show anything! He is home today and feeling so much better!! I don't know how much money we spent yesterday (no insurance) but it was worth it.!!

Now he can eat again!

As I have mentioned several times, I made 3 loans to a couple last year and they have been excellent about making timely payments as I knew they would.
I have been happily adding the interest earned to my $20 challenge each month.
Sadly, last week they paid me off, but I still have one weeks interest to add to the challenge.
I opened my an electric orange checking account at ING with the money and will continue to add that interest.
I also redeemed a c.d. that matured and opened a money market checking account at my local bank. I will also add that interest to my challenge amount.So, for the month I have earned (and been paid) $160 in interest.

Prev. total $1775.00
today 160.00
new total $1935.00