Ima Saver's Personal Finance Blog

Not many people are taking the $20 challenge anymore. I enjoy it, cause small sums really do add up after a while.
I bought steaks on sale yesterday and saved $6 plus the braves won last night. That is $7 more to add to my $20 challenge money.
Prev. total $12,091.00
today 7.00
new total $12,098.00

I got my propane bill in the mail yesterday. Last year my bill was $1832 and this year it is only $965. So, it is only half of last year's. I have a large 1000 gallon tank and it lasted the entire winter. We run the heat from mid Oct. to mid april.
Propane prices are much cheaper than they were last summer, so I decided to fill up even tho it is so hot. I do keep my house pretty cool (63 degrees) but we have a large house (3200) sq. ft., plus we heat a double garage with a bathroom and eff. apt. upstairs.
I budget $40 a week for heat and I will continue to do so. No telling what propane will cost next time I fill the tank.

I don't think he has taken an entire weekend off in the 25 years we have lived here, except on vacations!
Of course, he is NOT laying around, watching tv.
Yesterday, he cut grass (2 acres) weed eated, and spread mulch. Today he is trimming bushes. He has washed and waxed all 3 corvettes, even the old one.
I can hear him vaccumming out in the garage right now. Of course, he fixed dinner last night and will do so again tonight. I wish I had his energy.
He took me grocery shopping yesterday and I saved $6 using my advantage card. The braves won 2 games in a row, so that is $2 more, for a total of $8 to add to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $12,083.00
today 8.00
new total $12,091.00

Today, we had a spendy day. Since dh is not working as much, he has decided to completely retile the back and front porch. Of course, he can do all the work by himself, but he had to order the tile. It cost us almost $1600 but will really look good.
We also went to Wal Mart for the first time in a year and spent $56! However, some of that was for beer and you can't buy that where we live!
We did have some Ace reward cards, so we redeemed them for some light bulbs, a new leash, puppy food and 5 pair of working gloves. It is fun to get things for free!

I hope I did not make anyone mad about my post about cell phones yesterday. I realize that they are wonderful in an emergency, but some people I know just can't afford them.
I know a couple in their mid forties. They have a teenage daughter. They have no checking account and no saving account, but they all have cell phones. To me, a cell phone is a luxury item.
I guess the neat thing about everybody having one, is that in an emergency, I can borrow someone else's phone!!

My dh is just starting a house. Then land has been cleared and a crew is putting up forms for the poured basement walls, so there are about 10 men working there right now. Every single one of them has a cell phone, and they talk on them all the time.
Personally, if I was paying them, I would not allow a cell phone on my job. I don't want to pay someone for talking on the phone all the time.
Plus, how can they all afford it? They do not have good paying jobs. One guy told my dh, that his wife had run up over a $1000 phone bill last month. I don't understand this cell phone craze at all. I also heard on tv, that text messaging while driving is now considered more dangerous than drunk driving.

No, I don't have a cell phone, nor do I want one!

Our net worth went up last month, mostly because of the stock market doing better.This slow down in building is really hurting the area that we live in. We know of so many people who are out of work and are losing their homes. It is so very sad.
Our neighborhood is mostly older people and they are all doing ok cause they are retired. There are 3 young couples here and I think one of them may be moving out. I don't know if they were foreclosed on or not? I sure hope things start to get better soon.
I had a no use gas yesterday and the stock market went up two days in a row.
Prev. total $12,079.00
today 4.00
new total $12,083.00

I got a pinecone check in the mail yesterday. The checks are only for $3 now, but the surveys are much shorter and you get them more often too. I have not even deposited the check I got about a week or so ago.
The stock market went up on Friday and the braves won yesterday, so that is a total of $5 to add to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $12,074.00
today 5.00
new total $12,079.00

I rarely if ever find any money, not even a penny! I look all the time, but never do I see any change on the ground. Today, I got lucky, I found a quarter in the newspaper stand. When I was self scanning my groceries, I put 5 pennies in the pay slot. When they did not register, I hit the button to get my pennies back. I got them, but I also got another quarter and a dime too! So I found 60 cents today, the most ever!

Do you remember what you did 50 years ago! I was in my first and only weddding. Oh, I have been married twice, but I just had a small at home service. This was the first wedding (in a church with reception) that I was ever in. It was my sister's wedding. No, the marriage did not last, but she was married for 19 years to the same man.
I remember going to a baseball game with my uncle, getting sun burned and almost being late to the wedding!

Boy, July went fast. I can't believe it is time for the kids to go back to school. I keep hearing about "end of summer" sales. Heck, I thought summer ended on Sept. 20th!
When I was a kid, we went back to school the Monday after labor day, not the first part of august!
Anyway, I had a no use gas day on Wednesday, plus saved $4 using my advantage card at the grocery store, so that is $6 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $12,068.00
today 6.00
new total $12,074.00

The bear that got into the bird feeders last month, came back again this weekend. It knocked down both feeders and emptied them out. (I had just filled them) I guess we need to start taking them in, every night! We live in a very nice subdivison, but there are woods across the creek. Apparently, the bear lives in that woods. It makes me a little nervous to know there is a bear that close. (I have small dogs)
Well, sunday, the braves won ($1), the stock market went up yesterday ($1) and I had a no use gas day on Sunday ($2).

I did splurge and buy a large red bull at Hallmark today. The bull is named El Toro and he moves and sings a love song. He even came with batteries. I got a good deal on him, he was $20 but marked down to $1. Heck, the batteries were worth that. I am giving that to my husband as a gag gift and then he will probably be given to the puppy to play with.
Prev. total $12,064.00
today 4.00
new total $12,068.00

It is about 85 here today, but I went ahead and ordered propane for tank today. Last year, I called all around and the cheapest I could find was $2.45 a gallon and I have 1000 gallon tank.
This year, I found it for $1.49 a gallon and because I own the tank, they will sell it to me for $1.39 a gallon!
I am excited that it will be a little cheaper to heat the house this winter. Actually, if I get 850 gallons (you cannot fill a tank to 100% capacity), I will save about $900. So that is really a LOT cheaper!

i was bored yesterday and turned on QVC. (the shopping program) I found myself writing down the numbers on several garments that looked really cute on the model.
I use to order a lot of things from QVC but I have broken that habit. I saw some really cute blouses yesterday, but they were all long sleeves. I had to remind myself that I NEVER wear long sleeves, I am always too hot. I don't spend any time outside in the winter, so I have plenty of blouses that I seldom ever wear.
SoI had a NSD and used no gas also.($2) The braves won ($1) and the stock market went up. ($1) That is $4 to add to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $12,060.00
today 4.00
new total 12,064.00

I did my grocery shopping today. Last week, I looked for the mini oreos and the store was out of them. Today, I looked again, still out!! So, I went to Bi Lo to buy some, but there were none to be found!
Mini oreos are one of the favorite snacks for my bridge playing Monday group. They are a one bite cookie and your fingers stay clean!
Is somebody out there stacking up on these tiny cookies?? What will we do on Monday!
We also like the new candy, kissables, but they are very difficult to find also.
Oh well, we will manage somehow.

I got my usual monthly check yesterday for $583. The braves won 2 games ($2), I had a no use gas day yesterday ($2) and the stock market went up yesterday ($1). So a total of $588 will be added to the $20 challenge.
Prev. total $11,472.00
today 588.00
new total $12,060.00

I have two young women who come once a week to clean my house. They work as a team and are very fast.
One of them is in the process of getting a divorce and has 3 children in school.
The other lady also has 3 children in school and a husband who does carpentry. Of course, nothing much is going on around here, so he is not working.
These hard working gals are the sole support of their families, but I do wish that they would handle their money more wisely.
Every day, they stop and buy their lunch and something to drink. They eat right before coming to my house. I want so much to tell them how much they would save if they would just brown bag it and take a few minutes to eat lunch here. Or stop at the park a few miles away.
But it is none of my business so I keep my mouth shut.

The braves won their last two games ($2), the stock market went up yesterday ($1) and I got a check from pinecone for doing a survey ($3), so I will add that to my $20 challenge money.
Prev. total $11,466.00
today 6.00
new total $11,472.00

DH is smoking his first turkey. First, he went to work today until 2 pm and now he has the turkey in the grill, smoking it. We got the turkey for free, but I seldom ever cook turkey. It is just too much for the two of us. He has decided that he is going to have lunches for work for the next two weeks or until he is sick of turkey.
So, He is now out cutting grass and checking on his turkey.
Obviously, we have had a bear in our yard, cause dh just informed me that there is a BIG huge poop out by the garden and it is full of berries!
As for the $20 challenge, I got a check from NFO my survey for $10 and I had a no use gas day yesterday, so $12 for the challenge!
Prev. total $11,454.00
today 12.00
new total $11,466.00

I thought once spring got here, the deer would really slow down. But they still come to the feeder several times a day. We see a lot of them around 8:30 every night, but I also see a few of them in the daytime. My dh buys the feed (corn) out of his allowance.
Yesterday, I had a no use gas day ($2), the market went up slightly ($1) and the braves beat the mets. ($1) That is $4 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $11,450.00
today 4.00
new total $11,454.00

Do you have a lot of foreclosures in your area? We seem to. The paper is filled with foreclosures notices every week. I am amazed at how many names I know or at least recognize in the paper. I feel so sorry for these people.

Sadly, our area has really grown in the past 10 years and everyone here became a builder. Our grading guys (both of them) became builders. Doctors and lawyers became builders. Everyone that could borrow money became a builder. Now, we have hundreds of spec homes in this area, just sitting empty, up for sale. I am afraid it is going to take a long time for our area to recover.
However, now that the state is requiring all builders to become licensed, we have a lot less builders in this area.
That is good, but I am afraid it came too late.

My dh has really been working around the house. He has had some time off this year since he finished his last two houses. He has pressure washed the house and has been working in the yard.
He has planted lots of rose bushes and other blooming plants; our yard looks wonderful.
Well, the braves won last night and the stock market went up 3 days in a row, so I will add $4 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $11,446.00
today 4.00
new total $11,450.00

Hubby came home last night with a new washer, so I am back in business. It is amazing how much wash I do with a new puppy. Lucky for me, my husband is very handy. He was able to take the old washer out and install the new washer in less than 30 minutes. I am just lucky that he found a washer in stock and did not have to order it. I am also lucky that he knows how to do almost everything. (except electronics)

This past year has been a bad year for appliances for me. I had to replace the dishwasher, the refrigerator and last month, my dh installed a new cooktop. Today, while washing almost Every towel in the house, my washing machine quit on me! All I have left of my original appliances in my double oven and my dryer.
Last month, my dh had to have his windshield replaced and the two dogs have had over $1200 in vet bills, with 3 more appts. ( and possibly surgery) scheduled for next month.
Dh went to the dentist last week and was told to come back this month for a new crown.
We want to retile the front and back porches but keep putting it off because of all this expense.
I wish Murphy's law would go away for a while!

We went to a party Saturday night. It was a "christmas in July" party and they had an upside down christmas tree. I had seen them in catalogs, but never in person. They are really kind of neat and certainly room saving.
This Christmas party was to benefit our local animal shelter, which is a no kill shelter. We all brought presents for the animals. I brought dog food and wrote out a check.
It really was lots of fun and a nice thing to do for the shelter.
I finally took my change to the bank this morning, so I have $43 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $11,403.00
today 43.00
new total $11,446.00

Well, I just read lizajane's blog about her dream of meeting me, so I will have to confess. I had an outstanding dream last night also.
I dreamed of Elvis. He was young and handsome and so was I. Best of all, he was my boyfriend!!
Now, I have been an Elvis fan since I was a kid and my first 45 was "Don't be cruel" I have an Elvis bedroom with all my old 45's and 33's decorating it, plus many other memoribila. Even Col. Parker's poem and signature and signed drumsticks from D.J. Fontana! (his drummer)
I have been an Elvis fan for over 50 years and this was my very first dream of elvis!!

I got an e mail from the IRS yesterday. It states that I have a refund coming and I need to fill out the form in the e mail and send it back to them.
Does that sound possible? I know I never gave them my e mail address and I have no intention of filling out a form!
What do you think? The refund was only for $247 and I don't want to take any chances!!

Ok, I have so far spent $441 on my new puppy. She still has an infection in both ears and now we found a lump on her back. She will have to go back again next month. In the meantime, my older dog has to go in for blood work so that she can have her teeth cleaned next month. I guess we are working for the dogs right now, but they are both worth it.
The stock market went up slightly yesterday, the braves won 2 games and I had a no use gas day, so $5 will be added to the $20 challenge.
prev. total $11,398.00
today 5.00
new total $11,403.00

I have been falling behind in my postings. Have a new puppy takes a lot of time out of my day. I have not kept up with the braves or the stock market. I do know that the braves won 4 times in a row last week, so I will add $4 to my challenge money. I also got a rebate check from a building place for $288, so that will be added also.
I did spend about $25 on some refreshments for a 4th of July party I went to on Saturday, but other that that, I am pretty much in budget. My puppy has an ear infection I have been treating for a month and I sure hope she gets a clean bill of health on Thursday. I have really spent a lot of vet bills this year!
Prev. total $11,106.00
today 292.00
new total $11,398.00

It is a very happy day for us!! It is America's birthday and we are going to a party/cookout today! Well, tonight really. We have some friends that have a big blow out every 4th of July and they also set off great fireworks too!
So, I am really looking forward to being with a lot of friends tonight!!

My local bank lowered the rate on their accounts yesterday. They went from 3.14 to 2%. This is money I keep in savings for the day when building starts picking up and we start building spec houses again. I guess I should shop around for some short term C.D.'s.

I am stocking up on diet sprite. It is the only thing we drink w/ mixed drinks because it has no calories or caffeine. A 12 pack here usually goes for close to $4.50 each, but this week it is on sale for 4 for $10. That just saved me $8 which I will add to the challenge money. I also got a free watermelon from Ingles.
Prev. total $11,098.00
today 8.00
new total $11,106.00