Ima Saver's Personal Finance Blog

I had a very frugal day yesterday. I spent no money. I used no gasoline. I did not even go out for supper last night, instead, we had breakfast for dinner. So, I figured i saved at least $20 by staying home and I will add that to my challenge.
Prev. total $15,344.00
today 20.00
new total $15,364.00

I just paid $4.30 a gallon to fill up. I am starting to keep track of my milage and gas usage by writing everything down. I get almost 19 mpg and the cost to me is almost 23 cents a gallon.
The best way to save money is to just stay home. I only drove 55 miles this past week.
Too bad my dh cannot control his driving milage. He has 3 houses going, all in different directions. One house is in another state about 25 miles away.
I am giving him $120 a week for gas now and I think I will have to increase this very shortly.
So, I only spent $12.82 for gas this week. That doesn't sound too bad until you think about it. I bought less than 3 gallons of gas today.

I got two more checks in the mail yesterday. Now one check was only for 40 cents.
Years ago, I bought some stock in Food Lion. I held for a while and then sold. Somehow, I must still have one share left cause every once in a while I get a tiny check.
Then, the building supply store that my husband uses for all his purchases, send me a rebate check. They said they are going to do this monthly instead of just a few times a year.
So, these two checks total over $1,015.00. A nice addition to my challenge money.
Prev. total $14,329.00
today 1,015.00
new total $15,344.00

Well, hubby just dropped by to show me the two new magnetic signs he had made for his van. The new signs have both of his license numbers. He is licensed to build now, in both North Carolia and in Georgia.
In Georgia, he was the 399th person to get his license. All in all, about 15,000 people have gotten licensed in this state.
That does not seem like a lot of people for an entire state? I would think there would be more licensed builders than that just in the city of Atlanta!!

Well, today should be a no spend day cause I am playing bridge all day. Boy, it sure is hot and both a/c's are plugging away today!!

My little dog Holly is turning into a little piglet. She has always been a picky eater and prefers people food. My vet told me I could no longer give her people food cause she has a sensitive tummy.
For over 3 weeks now, she has had nothing but dog food and she has NEVER eaten dry food. She likes cesar canine cuisine in the little tubs. Those things cost almost $1 and she eats a full one every time I feed her. She only weighs 6 pounds, but it cost a fortune to feed her!!
Well, the braves and the stock market have both let me down lately, but I did win 5 games of mah jong, so I will add that money to my challenge.

Prev. total $14,324.00
today 5.00
new total $14,329.00

Yep, that is today's date, June 7th, 2008. I am thru being upset with myself for the silly accident I had with the car yesterday. Over 50 years of driving without one ticket or accident is pretty good. So, I will just concentrate on saving money instead.
Today my husband took his hot rod, (1933 ford victoria) to the car show, so he is having a hot day sitting outside. I have been to so many car shows, I chose not to go.
I am staying home and having a no spend, no use gasoline day, so I will pay myself $3 fo that.
Prev. total $14,321.00
today 3.00
new total $14,324.00

This has been a terrible day. The stock market went down almost 400 points, oil shot up to almost $140 a barrel and I had an accident with my shiny red vette.

This was my very first accident since I got hit by someone running a stop sign when I was 18.
It was my fault. I turned too sharply next to planter and the planter tore a big hole in the fiberglass. I have always been so careful with my cars and never had a scratch on one, so this just looks terrible to me!! I am glad it was NOT the new car or I would have run away from home!!

I received another check in the mail. It was for a small job that my husband did last month. Since it did not go into his paycheck, I will just add it to the challenge money.
prev. total $14,065.00
today 256.00
new total $14,321.00

$20,000, Here I come!!

I am paying some normal bills today and have cleaned out some of my envelopes; ie, term insurance, ridge money, elec, christmas, etc. I mention christmas cause I already have my christmas fund fully funded. I did not spend much last year, so I will put the money from the christmas envelope into the challenge money for the rest of the year.
I have a total of $570 extra that I can add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $13,495.00
today 570.00
new total $14,065.00

Well, I am starting to read the electric meter and write it down every day. I think it helps me to be more aware of how much electricity I am using. Mainly, the air conditioner. However, I do appreciate that it does not cost nearly as much to cool the house now, as it does to heat the house. It use to be exactly the opposite.
I hope I can stay under my budget amount of $160 a month.

After reading about it, in Debt proof living newsletter, I decided to figure out my gas mileage. So, I filled up last Sunday (10 days ago) and again just now. (wed. afternoon)
I had driven a total of 95 miles. It took 4.94 gallons to fill up my car at a cost of $20.69

95 miles divided by 4.94 gal.=19.23 mpg
$20.69 cost divied by 95 miles = 22cents per mile.

All of my miles are in town driving, so that is not too bad. Too bad so many of our cars need premium gasoline.

Have you figured out how many miles per gallon (mpg) your vehicle is getting??

Do any of you know of anyone that drives a hummer?? I saw on the news yesterday that they may quit making those cars. They use so much gasoline that no one wants to buy them anymore.
In my small town, there are many hummers. A lot of Real estate agents bought them to take their clients out to look for property.
We talked to someone yesterday that bought a great big diesel pick up a few months ago for $50,000. When gas went up, he tried to trade it in for something smaller. All he can get on a trade in for this NEW truck is about $30,000.
Thank goodness, I usually only use 10 gallons of gas a week!!(or less)

I just got back from the net worth site that many of us use. My net worth increased by 1.52 percent in May. Most of my stocks and all of my mutual funds went up in May, for a total increase of over $24,000. I added in some savings also.

The interest I earned in May went down a little even tho I had more in savings than I did in April. I had one c.d. that was paying 5.5% and it rolled over into a new rate of 3.6%, so that made the biggest difference. I made a total of $2,037.17 for the month.

I went grocery shopping yesterday armed with a bunch of coupons. I bought a roast that was $4 off and we are staying home and having that for supper tonight. All in all, I saved $16 using coupons and buying things on sale. The braves FINALLY won and I won 3 games of Mahjong, so I am adding $20 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $13,475.00
today 20.00
new total $13,495.00

I got a chase reward check in the mail today. That makes 7 $50 checks I have received so far this year. That is $350 just for using and paying off my credit card each month.

Prev. total $13,425.00
today 50.00
new total $13,475.00

I took my change jar to the bank this morning. I put all my change except pennies in the jar every day. It adds up. I have $34 to add to my challenge fund.
Prev. total $13,391.00
today 34.00
new total $13,425.00

My end of the month check arrived and, as usual, I am putting it in my challenge fund. You might has guessed by now that it is a social security check that I have gotten since January 2007. I have never spent one penny of it.
I save it so it will earn interest. Someday, I will have to live on that interest. I know I could never live on this social security check.
Prev. total $12,840.00
today 551.00
new total $13,391.00

I also received a check from NFO my survey yesterday. It is an easy way to make extra money to add to my challenge account. If anyone wants to join, just e mail me with your first name and email address and I will sign you up.
Prev. total $12,830.00
today 10.00
new total $12,840.00

I received my stimulus check in the mail yesterday. Since it is extra money, i will add it to my challenge money. That sure helps the balance.
Prev. total $11,630.00
today 1.200.00
new total $12,830.00

Well today is the last day of my favorite month. I finally had to turn the a/c on for the first time, it is warming up. I guess it is time to start reading the power meter every day. That helps me to keep costs down in the summer.
I had a great time at the blue Jean ball last night. They had an auction, but I did not buy anything.
Yesterday, I had a no use gas day, so I am adding $2 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $11,628.00
today 2.00
new total $11,630.00

This is the real memorial day! I had a spendy evening yesterday, had friends over for pizza. Tonight I am going to a blue jean ball for the SAFE house (for battered women) It is $80 a couple but it IS for a very good cause. Lately, I have been hit up for so many donations it seems. I have written two checks to the cancer society and one for Parkinson's disease.
On the saving side, the stock market went up and the Braves finally won, so I can add $2 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $11,626.00
today 2.00
new total $11,628.00

We got an Ace rewards card in the mail today for $35. I can't add it to the challenge, but we can use it when we stock up on birdseed. That has gone up to $27 a 50 pound bag.
The stock market went up yesterday and I won 2 games of mah jong, so $3 is added to my challenge money.
Prev. total $11,623.00
today 3.00
new total $11,626.00

Well, yesterday morning, I was $1500 richer. Somehow, the bank had given me a deposit for $1500 that I did not put in my checking account.
This morning, it is gone!! I am sure they discovered their mistake. I was going to talk to them about it when I make a deposit today.
The stock market went up yesterday and I won 2 games of mah jong, so I will add $3 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $11,620.00
today 3.00
new total $11,623.00

I check my accounts on line almost everyday. Today i noticed my checking account had gone up by $1500?? I did write out a check for $1500 last Friday, so I wonder if there was a mistake made? I think I got credited for the check and it should have been a debit.
I am sure the bank will discover the error. Yes, of course, it they do not, I will tell them. I like free money, but this is an obvious mistake!!

I forgot to add the $4 I earned in mahjong on Sunday. That goes straight to the challenge money. Anything I can do to save money, I will do it and playing games seems like a fun way.
Prev. total $11,616.00
today 4.00
new total $11,620.00

I subscribe to Debt proof Living. It used to be called Cheapskate monthly.
This month's addition mentions that dog owners spend around $2000 per years on pet related purchases.
It also says that a typical american family of four with a moderate food budget spends an average of $904 a month on groceries!
Now, I know I eat out a lot, but i spend about $40 a week for the two of us. We spend about $100 a week eating out. That really seems like a lot of money, $904 a month. What do you think??

I went grocery shopping this morning. I like goingon Sunday mornings cause the store is usually pretty empty, but today there were lots of shoppers. Stocking up for this weekend's cook outs, I guess.
I got a good deal on hamburger that had been marked down, saved $4. I also got a 2 liter of diet 7 up for a quarter cause I had a dollar off coupon. I had a coupon for a free container of dog food. Using my coupons and store card, I saved over $5, not counting what I saved on the hamburger. So, I will add that $5 to my challenge money.
Prev. total $11,611.00
today 5.00
new total $11,616.00

I purposely stayed home all day yesterday, so saved $2 in gasoline; the braves won and I won 2 games of mahjong. Therefore, I have $5 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $11,6o6.00
today 5.00
new total $11,611.00

Last night, we had dinner at home. It was not planned. The restaurant that we usually eat at, had lots of employees graduating last night. Even the two owners who work there, had a graduating senior. I wonder who cooked?
So I am taking the $20 I saved and putting it in the challenge. I also saved $4 using a coupon yesterday for a grand total of $24 to add.
Prev. total $11,582.00
today 24.00
today $11,606.00