Ima Saver's Personal Finance Blog

We went over to the big house my dh is building last night. someone dropped off an old dog about a month ago, and dh has been feeding it so it won't starve.

The was the first time I got to see the master closet finished. It looks great. It is huge. It has a place to hang long things, like gowns. It has all kinds of shelves for shoes, purses, sweaters, etc. Lots and lots of rods to hang clothes, and best of all, 26 built in drawers! Even a built in seat to sit on to put you shoes on. Boy, it is a neat closet!! Ya'll are all invited to come over and see this house!!

Ok, I used no gas yesterday and the braves won a game, so I have $3 to add to the challenge money.

Prev. total $20,911.00
today 3.00
new total $20,914.00

Because of the hurricane, it looks like the price of gasoline will be going up for a while. That does not affect me a whole lot because I do not do much driving, but my dh does. The house he is building now is about 25 miles away, one way. What I am most worried about is the shortage of gas for the next few weeks. They say the refineries will be shut down for about 10 days.
I guess when his work van runs out of gas, he will have to carry his tools in a corvette. At least he will be going to work in style!! lol

That is how much I earned in interest on my personal checking account this much. Hey, that is almost $22 more than I had for doing nothing. I like free money!!

I meant to say, this month!!

I sure wish we could get some of that rain here, where I live. It is so dry here in North Georgia. I live on a creek and I have never seen it so low. I am glad we don't have hurricanes or much bad weather, but it sure would be nice to get some rain.
I did my grocery shopping early, yesterday instead of Sunday. According to my receipt, I saved $3 using my store card. I will add that to my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $20,908.00
today 3.00
new total $20,911.00

My last post made mention that gas had gone up $1 since yesterday in our neighborhood. Then I went down town. Gas is still under $4 in town but up to $4.95 premium near where I live. I will try not to use those stations in the future even tho they are more convenient. The stock market went up yesterday and the braves won 3 gams in a row. That is $4 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $20,904.00
today 4.00
new total $20,908.00

Gasoline in this area went up a dollar since yesterday. Some of us were warned and filled up our tanks. I don't drive that much, so I only spend $11 to fill up my tank, but my husband spent over $100. They say the price went up because of the pending hurricane, but oil was down to $100 a barrel yesterday. Raising the price because of what MIGHT happen, does not make sense to me!! Did gas prices go up where you live?

I got a rebate check in the mail today for $4. I don't do many rebates, only if it is for something I really need.
What is disappointing, I did a rebate for rite aid back in July and never received the $9 I was suppose to receive for buying prilosec and something else. I wonder if there is any way I can check on this.
I also have not been adding my "ridge money" to my $20 challenge because I have opened up a new car fund with that money. If you knew my husband, you would know why we HAVE to have a new car fund.
I have $315 to add to that fund, for a total of $319 to add to the challenge account.
Prev. total $20,585.00
today 319.00
new total $20,904.00

I decided to treat myself to lunch out yesteday since I had a bunch of errands to run and nothing at home to eat. I wanted my favorite food, a hamburger. So, I stopped at Burger King.
When did a whopper Jr. go from $1 to $1.50? I could not believe that I paid that much for such a tiny hamburger. It sure is NOT a whopper! It is tiny!
I got my last one on memorial day and it was $1.
I did buy a frozen pie and had a $1 off coupon, so I will add that money to my challenge money.
Prev. total $20,584.00
today 1.00
new total $20,585.00

I played and won 3 games of mah jong yesterday plus I had a no use gas yesterday; so that is $5 I can add to my challenge money.
I also received a $3 check from a survey I did for Pinecone. I really like the fact that the surveys are much shorter now. We picked up a bucket of chicken last night from KFC. I had a coupon, so we got 10 pieces of chicken for $12. That was our supper and will make 3 lunches for my husband this week.
Prev. total $20,576.00
today 8.00
new total $20,584.00

I got another check in the mail today. This time it was a dividend check from Tim Hortons. I ususally reinvest all dividends, but I was never asked on this stock. It was a spend off from Wendy's. I will add it to my challenge money.
Prev. total $$20,562.00
today 14.00
new total $20,576.00

I am like BA, I am watching Fannie and Freddie fall to below a $1 in cost. At one time, I had thought about buying stock in one of them; glad I didn't.
I get sticker shock every time I go to the grocery store. I went today. I bought 2 baking potatoes today and they cost $2.16. A tiny jar of mayo was $3.18. Prices are just rediculous.
According to my advantage card I saved over $3, so I will add that to my challenge.
prev. total $20,559.00
today 3.00
new total $20,562.00

We went on our first vacation of the year, 3 days in Gatlinburg, Tenn. My husband loves old cars and every year they have a show in Pigeon Forge called "Shades of the Past"
We stayed at a nice hotel right down town, had several excellent meals and really enjoyed ourselves.

However, all that changed when we got home. There was a message on the answering machine that said someone had found my husband's youngest brother dead in his house. He had not been sick. He was only 47. Needless to say, we are in shock. They will do an autopsy to determine the cause of his death.

Hug your family!

We are going to Gatlinburg today. There is a car show in Pigeon Forge that my dh has not missed in 25 years.
Gatlinburg is the reason we moved to the mountains. I had lived in Fla. since a child and so had dh. When we married we went on cruises on vacation.
One year, friends asked us to go with them to Gatlinburg. I fell in love with the mountains and shortly after, we found an acre in the mountains on the toccoa river and bought it. The cost of the acre was $13,000. (Now they go for $250,000) We moved to the north Georgia mountains and have loved it this past 25 years.
I have changed a lot in 25 years. Now I can go to Gatlinburg and not buy anything! Just love the good food that you can get there!!
See you soon!!

We got up early this morning. dh set the alarm cause he had to be at the dentist in another town at 8 am, so we got up before 7a m.
We have been putting out corn for the critters in the yard. We have seen a mother deer and her spotted baby several times in the evening.
This morning, she was out there eating and she had two spotted babies with her. Twins!! They are so cute.
I did manage to stay home and use no gas at all yesterday. I have about given up on the braves, they are not doing well at all. but they did win one of their last 5 games. So, I will add $3 to the $20 challenge.
Prev. total $20,556.00
today 3.00
new total $20,559.00

I got my new credit card in the mail today. Last Monday the fraud dept. at chase called me to see if I purchased $252 worth of make up. Of course, I had not, so they told me to cut up my card. It has seemed funny not to have a credit card for the past 8 days. Not that I have needed it, I am just use to having my credit card with me.
I am glad the fraud dept. was on the ball!!
I try and remember to check my statement every day, but it takes about two days for something to post to my account.

I paid off my citi charge card yesterday. Over a year ago, I got an offer to write a check for anything I wanted, for no fee and no interest for 13 months. I figured I could put it in the bank and earn interest on it, so that is what I did.
I did not know what my credit limit was, so I only wrote the check for $5000. I figured that I made about $200 in interest on that free money.
I wish I would get more offers like that.

I stayed home all day sunday and Monday and used NO gas, so I will pay the $4 I saved into my $20 challenge.
Prev. total $20,552.00
today 4.00
new total $20,556.00

I did my net worth today. It has increased a little since last month. I have not been putting as much into savings as usual.
Now, that I have a personal checking that pays as much interest as my savings account, I have open several sub accounts in the account and are keep track of the money on paper.
One account I opened was a "house account" I need to have some things fixed up around the house. First, I paid to have the house cleaned for 2 days.
Next my dh wants to take a few days off to pressure wash the house and retile the back porch. We also need a couple of items of new furniture, so I have been putting most of my "other" savings into this "house account" (I keep the $20 challenge money separate. This is my usual weekly saving out of the paycheck)

I got another check in the mail today. It was from my Chase mastercard. It is a reward check for charging on my mastercard. so far, this is my 11th $50 check that I have received this year for a total of $550. Got to love this free money and I pay off that master card every month, so I pay no interest. This will be added to the challenge money.
Prev. total $20,502.00
today 50.00
new total $20,552.00

That surprises me. I thought that the only person that worked on labor day was my husband. Well, so far, the market is not doing very well. I guess oil prices are a big worry. I got my electric bill on Sat. and it was $40 under budget. So, I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $20,462.00
today 40.00
new total $20,502.00

I got my end of the month check in direct deposit this week. It was for $551. I have never spent a penny of this check. I am saving it for my "old age". Heck, you are only as old as you feel!! And I feel young!!
Prev. total $19,911.00
today 551.00
new total $20,462.00


Yeah! One of my goals this year was to save $20,000.00 in my $20 challenge and as of today, I have done it!!

And that is what the day means to us, it is a Labor day. Dh has gone on to work as he has every labor day for the past 30 years. That is how long it had been since he has had a paid day off!
Hope you are enjoying your day, if you are off work today!!

The economy is getting pretty bad in our area. I just noticed that a real estate company that has been here for ages, has closed down. No body is looking for real estate and no body is buying anything.
I have a friend who is experiencing some rough financial times right now. I know that this is depressing her right now but she is trying to work thru her depresssion by going shopping a lot.
I think we all should be saving as much money as possible right now.
When the going gets tough, the tough do NOT go shopping!!

I just came back from grocery shopping. I cannot believe the cost of food anymore!! We eat out almost everynight and I still spent about $80. I can't imagine what you must spend to feed children too.
Our local food bank is out of food so i am picking up some extra to donate.There is very little work here since our main industry is home building. There is none of that going on and so many new houses just sitting unsold!
I am so thankful that I have a good emergency fund to live on should we have too.
I did use a coupon and found hamburger on sale, so I have $6 to add to my challenge fund.
Prev. total $19,905.00
today 6.00
new total $19,911.00

I have been busy with going with my dh to doctor's visits for the past two days, so I have not put anything into my challenge account. The stock market went up, the braves won and I had a no use gas day today, so that is $4 more I have to add to my challenge!

Prev. total $19,901.00
today 4.00
new total $19,905.00

I mentioned yesterday that our medical fund (that I fund myself) took a big hit this week with about $750 in expenses the past two days.
We had medical insurance for years and never used a penny of it, although we spent $90,000 in premiums.
A few years ago, we dropped the insurance, but everyone has warned me how stupid that was.
Well, I decided when I was young, that I would never be sick! So far, that has worked out well for me!! I have only been to the doctor's twice in my life.

However, my dh does get sick once in a while. So, we went ahead and got medical insurance on him, but with a $10,000 deductible. It runs about $200 a month. I am holding on, waiting for medicare!! But I am putting away $400 a month in a medical fund!!

Our medical fund fund is taking a hit this week. We paid out $140 to find out that dh does NOT have to have a colonoscopy done this year and today, I took him to the oral surgeon. That bill was $695 but they knocked off $85 cause we don't have insurance.
Even tho he got put to sleep, he wanted to go back to work this afternoon. I made him stay home and rest. Just so glad that we have a medical fund when we need it. I put aside $100 a week for this.

dh went to the doctor last month for a check up. The doctor suggested that he needed a colonoscopy and stated that he no longer did them. Dr. set him up with a specialist, and we went there yesterday. It was $140 charge just to become a new patient.
We see the specialist who says that dh does NOT need a colonoscopy for another 3 years. He only does them once every ten years if no polyps were found the first time.
So, we paid out $140 for nothing plus lost at least 4 hours of work!! grrrr...

For the first time in months, I can hear the creek. I have lived in the mountains for almost 25 years and this is the lowest I have ever seen the creek. Finally yesterday and today, we got rain. I love it!!
Last night, we stayed home and had breakfast for dinner. I am sure I saved at least $10 for not eating out, so I am adding that to my challenge money!

Happy Rainy Day!!
Prev. total $19,891.00
today 10.00
new total $19,901.00

Yesterday, Gamecock asked me what I did with my challenge money tha I saved on the $20 challenge.
No, I do not have a separate account for just the challenge money, but it might be a good idea to see how much interest it earns.
Instead, I add it (challenge money) about once or twice a month to my regular local savings account that is payig 3.1% interest.
I keep track of how much I save on paper and put the actual cash and checks in a cash box each day. Then, every few weeks, I deposit it so it can earn interest.
This past week, I had 5 stay at home and use no gas days. It cost me about $2 to go to town and back, so that is $10 in gas money that I have saved. I will add that to my challenge money.
Prev. total $19,881.00
today 10.00
new total $19,891.00