Ima Saver's Personal Finance Blog

I got my chase reward check for $50 yesterday. I have gotten at least one check each month since I got their mastercard, for a total of $1000. I also saved $6 on steak that I bought at Bi Lo yesterday, so a total of $56 to add to my challenge money.
prev. total $11,042.00
today 56.00
new total $11,098.00

I heard on the news that the savings rate is finally going up after more than 20 years. People are finally saving again. I remember when my parents saved and paid cash when they wanted to buy something new. What a concept!!

I sat down to pay my EOM bills this morning. My electric bill was only $100 and I budget $160 per month for it. I also had extra money left in my water/garbage envelope and blue cross envelope. all in all, I have an extra
$280 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $10,762.00
today 280.00
new total $11,042.00

It is June 25th today. Just 6 more months til christmas!

My usual monthly check came in yesterday and of course, was immediately added to the $20 challenge.
I have been kept very busy house breaking the new puppy. She is getting the idea, cause she licks her lips when she goes. she knows she is going to get a treat when we go inside.
But she is still have plenty of accidents. Good thing she is so cute!
She has had an ear infection, so that was costly. Hopefully it will be cleared up when we go back to the vets this monday.
Prev. total $10,179.00
today 583.00
new total $10,762.00

I am having another good day, just like yesterday. My puppy (knock on wood) has not had one accident so far today. I take her out every hour.
I did my grocery shopping this morning and saved $6 using my advantage card.
Then I received a check for $15 in the mail from the Tim Horton company, so I have $21 to add to my challenge money.
There is a big car show here tomorrow at the park, but I am not going. It is supposed to hit 100 tomorrow, so I will stay home in the A/C!
Prev. total $10,158.00
today 21.00
new total $10,179.00

I have had a good day so far. The braves finally won a game ($1). The stock market went up. ($1) I had a no use gasoline day. ($2) And I got a check in the mail from wendy's for $8. (dividend) That is $12 for the challenge.
Prev. total $10,146.00
today 12.00
new total $10,158.00

I am trying to house break the puppy and it is really time consuming! I give her a treat when she goes outside, but she is still having so many accidents!
Anyone have any suggestions?

I have had two no use gasoline days this week. Gas here (premium) is now up to $2.80 a gallon, so it adds up. I will add $4 ($2 a day) to my challenge money.
Prev. total $10,142.00
today 4.00
new total $10,146.00

We received a letter in the mail yesterday from the couple whose new house, my husband just finished building.

They were thrilled with the house and said that my dh was the best builder in the world and it was the best house they had ever had built! The letter went on and on and they even praised my bookkeeping.

We were totally shocked to find a check for $1500 they were giving dh as a bonus!
I am certainly adding that to my $20 challenge!!

Prev. total $8642.00
today 1500.00
new total $10142.00

I went to put an ad in the local paper for a round table and 4 chairs that I have. The lady taking the ad, asked if she could come and see the furniture. I told her sure and she came on her lunch hour and bought it. She got a good deal for $100 and I got $100 to add to my challenge money!
Prev. total $8542.00
today 100.00
today $8642.00


ps, and I didn't have to pay for the ad!

My rite aid rebate check finally came in. It was for $6 plus the braves won last night, so I will add another $1 to the $20 challenge.
Prev. total 8535.00
today 7.00
new total $ 8542.00

Yesterday, I found a quarter. I know some of you keep track of the change that you find, so I think I will do the same. I very seldom find any coins on the ground, they are usually in the coin holder at newspaper stands. I stop to look at the headlines and coins catch my eye. I never tell dh, he thinks I should let someone else get the change.
I picked up a few things at the grocery store and saved $4 on a few things. I will add that to my challenge.
Prev. total $8531.00
today 4.00
new total $8535.00

I saw a stand in place fence in one of my catalogs. It seperates one room from the other thus keeping the puppy off of the carpet. (we had been using a make shift fence, but it was a real pain.
My husband came home early last night and built the same fence for about $20. It was $150 in the catalog and that does not include the shipping.
The spindles in the catalog fence were only 3 1/2" apart. But, my husband decided that was not far enough apart, so he made them 2 1/2" apart.
Do, you know that puppy was able to squeeze right thru that? (She has a lot of hair and looks much bigger)
However, an hour later and a trip to Home Depot, we now have a nice, step over fence and we can confine the dog.
I am so glad I did NOT order that fence and we certainly saved money.
Good thing too. I took the puppy in for her third puppy shot and by the time I got out of the vets, I had spent $132 and I have to go back in 10 days. Dogs are expensive but they are worth it for all the happiness they bring you!

I generally keep a tally of my net worth the first of every month. This month, I did look up the figures on my mutual funds and stocks on the first, but I did not get around to tallying the total til yesterday. I forgot how time consuming it is to have a new puppy.
My net worth is back up. It is not as high as it was the first part of September, but it has come back a lot, thank goodness.
Hope you all have had an improved net worth this month also!

I opened 3 checking accounts last summer, one for business, one for personal and one for local savings. They all promised a rate of 3.1% til the end of June 2009. Well, that is fast approaching, and I wonder what the rate will drop to? Heck, it is even hard to find 2.5% on a good c.d.
I am sitting on a lot of cash waiting til the housing market picks up, so I don't know what I will do.
I did get a good deal on ragu spagetti sauce this morning. Bi Lo had it for 99 cents a year, so I bought 4 and saved a least $4. Plus the braves came from behind to win yesterday, so I have $5 more to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $8526.00
today 5.00
new total $8531.00

I haven't forgotten about the $20 challenge, I have just been busy with the new puppy, Molly. She is so sweet, but has sharp puppy teeth!
I have not kept up with the braves this week, but I know the stock market went up yesterday and I saved $5 using coupons and my Ingles card today. I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $8520.00
today 6.00
new total $8526.00

We got a new baby girl puppy on sunday. She is a malti-poo. Her mother was a poodle and her father was a maltese. She is so cute, but not house broken at all. As a matter of fact, she has never been outside, on the grass and never worn a lease. So far, she seems to be getting along with my little poodle, Holly.
I did get a rewards check from my Chase mastercard yesterday for $50; the braves won on sunday and the stock market went up yesterday. That is $52 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $8468.00
today 52.00
new total $8520.00

I check my bank accounts every day and today I discovered a deposit of $250. It was my stimulus check from the government. It will go straight to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $8218.00
today 250.00
new total $8468.00

My regular check came in, today. It comes into my bank on the 4th Wednesday of the month. I am taking my check ($583), the interest paid by my business checking account ($70) and my AARP insurance money ($50) to add to my $20 challenge, for a total of $703.00
Prev. total $7515.00
today 703.00
new total $8218.00

That is how much I earned in interest in my savings account this month. The reason it is so much is that I had a CD come due on May 1st. They were only going to pay 2.2% interest so I put the money in my savings.
I opened 3 new checking accounts last July because my local bank was offering 3.1% interest on checking accounts, good until June 30th 2009.
I opened a personal checking , a business checking and a checking account that I use for my liquid savings account.

Just one more month and that nice rate will run out. I can't seem to find any bank that is paying more than 2.6% on C.D's any more. Sure hope the rates start to rise again. Remember the good old days when you could get 5% interest on your money?
I saved $4 at the grocery store today using coupons and the braves won last night, so $5 more to the challenge.
Prev. total $7510.00
today 5.00
new total $7515.00

I got another check in the mail yesterday. It was from Pinecone for $3. I have been expecting a check from rite aid for a rebate. The last rebate I mailed in must have been lost in the mail. I did this rebate online a month ago and still have not received the check. When I check the status, it says I did not fill in my receipt. When I fill in the receipt, it says "you have already submitted this" I don't know if this is a scam or not, but I can't seem to ever get a check from them.
Oh well, the braves won yesterday so with that and the Pinecone check, I will add $4 to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $7506.00
today 4.00
new total $7510.00

I hope all of you have a great weekend. I was brought up that memorial day was May 30th and I still celebrate on that day. My hd has been doing lots of landscaping around the yard and it looks great. I now have some beautiful double knock out roses. Of course, he has been spending money but the yard looks very nice.
The braves lost last night, but they won the previous two days and the stock market went up, so $3 to add to my challenge.
Prev. total $7503.00
today 3.00
new total $7506.00

I kind of wondered why my $20 challege was not going as well as it has the past two years. I forgot that when I paid off a piece of property called "The Ridge" I started putting that money into a car fund. I am still doing that but have forgotten to add it to my challenge money. This morning, I added $480 to my car fund and another $80 for being underbudget on my electric bill. that is $560 more to the challenge. I guess I should go back and figure out how much Ridge money I have saved so far this year and bring my challenge up to date.
Prev. total $6943.00
today 560.00
new total $7503.00

May has been an expensive month so far. My dh changed eye doctors and he went in for a complete exam. The exam and new glasses came to $840.
Then my cook top started acting up. Two of the burners suddenly had a mind of their own and would boil things on low. We had to spend almost $900 to get a new one. Luckily my dh could install it himself.
Today, dh is home and doing landscaping. I don't even want to know how much he has spent today on his trips to home depot and Ace.
Well, the good news is that I got an unexpected check for $19 from state farm and the braves won 4 0f their last 5 games. That is $23 more for the challenge.
Prev. total $6920.00
today 23.00
new total $6943.00

I have had 2 no spend, no use gas days in a row. so, i will add $4 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $6916.00
today 4.00
new total $6920.00

Today is my anniversary. I have been married to my wonderful husband since May 13, 1977! Gosh, time flies when you are having fun!

Most of you know I am an Elvis fan and I have an elvis bedroom filled with elvis "stuff" For Christmas, I bought myself and dh an elvis dash figurine to pick in our cars.
Dh refuses to let Elvis be stuck to the red and yellow vette's dashboards, so elvis is forced to stand near the cupholder. However, he falls over a lot and then his feet come out of the stand and we have two pieces.
After constantly putting "Elvis " back together, my dh superglued him into his stand! In both cars!!
So, it is nice to have elvis in just one piece, while I drive down the road!! (I still wish I could stick him on my dash)
I also keep a large Elvis throw blanket in the back hatch area of the car. Everyone knows the red vette is mine when they see elvis inside.

I really did! Also, my dh bought me another orchid for mother's day. He bought me one for valentine's day and I have not killed it yet, so he got me another one. I don't know anything about orchids but this one is awfully wet, so I took it out of the outside pot and hope it will dry out. Dh says he has had it for a week (at the house he is building) and has not watered it at all.
I did my grocery shopping this morning and saved $7 using coupons and the Ingles advantage card. The braves won yesterday, so a total of $8 to add to the challenge.
Prev. total $6908.00
today 8.00
new total $6916.00

I paid my mid month bills today. I budget $20 a week for water and garbage. Usually my bill for water is $18 a month and I pay for garbage $75 for every quarter ( 3 months). I have over $100 left in the envelope, so I am adding the $100 to my challenge account.
Plus, I got a $10 check in the mail from nfomysurvey, so $110 is a good addition today!

Prev. total $6798.00
today 110.00
new total $6908.00

Premium gas is now $2.35 a gallon for premium. I hate seeing it going up again. However, I have really cut down on my driving and I think a lot of americans have.