I just got back from the spec house that my dh is building. I have not been there in 2 months. I have to brag, it is the prettiest house inside that I have ever seen!!
It has a mountain view, a lake view and is on a creek.
The house is 4600 square feet under roof. It has a huge master bedroom with a separate sitting room with marble fire place. The master bath is huge and the closet is the size of a bedroom.
The house has 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 power rooms, a big rec room, 2 complete kitchen, a media room, laundry room.The kitchen is huge with a breakfast room, a large pantry and a computer room off of the kitchen. The tile floors in the house are all heated. Much of the upstairs is hardwood flooring. There is a wine cellar, a jetted tub, a gas grill outside and a waterfall in the foyer.
The homeowner's association dues are only $300 a year and amenities include a clubhouse with heated pool, an exercise room, a coffee shop and tennis courts.
There is more ( like anderson doors and windows, tiled decks, instant hot water) but I can't remember them all.
I wish you all could see this house!! (Oh and a fancy formal dining room with fancy trim, 12 foot ceilings with treyed ceilings in almost every room.)
The list goes on and on but it is a beauty!!

I usually figure out my net worth on the first of the month. Last month, it went down quite a bit because of the stock market, so I did not post it on networth iq. However, I can not hide from the fact, so I did post it this month. It went up a little from last month, but mostly just from savings. Mutual funds are still down by $27,000.
It is nice to see a straight line up ^^ every month, but it just can't always happen.

My dh went to the doctor yesterday. He has not had a colonoscopy in 8 years, so he decided it was time for one.
The doctor says he no longer does that procedure and dh will have to see another doctor the doctor #1 uses. So, dh pays the office visit of $45.
They set up an appt. with doctor #2 to JUST make an appt. to have the colonscopy at the hospital outpatient.
The cost for this appt. JUST ro make an appt., is $140! What a rip. This appt. for the colonoscopy could be made over the phone. Dr. #2 does not even need to see dh>

I need to have one too. I wonder if I could tag along and we could get 2 appts. for the same price?
The last one cost me $2000 and we have no insurance. I wonder what this one will cost??

I can always remember what I was doing on this date in 1959. I was in a wedding, the only wedding I have ever been in. It was my half sister getting married. My mother was married twice, so we had different fathers. we were not one bit alike. She was tall, with red blond hair and I was short with brown hair. She was nine years older than I was and we were never close.
I have no idea how my mother was able to afford the wedding; we were so poor. My sister had graduated from college and was teaching, so perhaps she helped pay for the wedding.
The marriage lasted 19 years and i don't think it was very happy. I never saw my sister as a happy person. She was really nothing like me.
When my mother died, she left her husband and moved into my mother's house. She took everything and I got nothing. After that, she never spoke to me again.
But, i still remember my one and only wedding.

We went to the sears store today to pick out the new appliances for the house we are building. By buying and paying for the appliances this weekend, we will get 20% off the price.
We have to watch our customers money also.

Foreclosures!! That is all they are talking about on the news.

When I was 21, I bought my first house. I worked very hard to pay that house off. Back then there were no IRA's and I had never heard of mutual funds. Of course, I was too poor to pay the stock market, so I saved and pay my house off by age 32.

A lot of younger people on this board don't believe in paying your house off early; they believe they should take any extra money they have and invest it. I totally respect their ideas and understand where they are coming from.

However, I just realized why we have been able to live on low salaries all of our married life, NO MORTGAGE!

When dh and I got married 31 years ago, we were making $12,000 a year combined and that was before taxes.

Most people today are paying out close to 1/3 of their paychecks on the mortgage, PMI, taxes and houses insurance.

I can not imagine having to pay out thousands a month for a house payment.
Best of all, I never have to worry about a foreclosure on my home.

I am not trying to change anyone's mind; this is just what works for me!!

We eat dinner out a lot, almost every night. I have decided to try charging my meals. I noticed that my chase rewards card give me back 3% for home improvements, so we use it a lot at Home Depot. But, it also pays 3% for dining out. Now, I have always hated to charge meals out and have never done it. But I like the idea of the 3% back.
So, I am going to try it for a while and see how it works. I am bringing the bill home with me and putting the cash that I would have paid in an envelope. I will see how this works out.

That is what my husband told me yesterday when the checks for my new personal checking account.
My business checking paid a small amount of interest (1/2 of one percent) but I have never had a personal account that paid any interest.
My bank began offering checking accounts paying 3.14 % interest and guaranteed for a whole year.
Now, I don't keep much money in this account; i just let the money sit in the envelopes. Now that I am making interest, I will put the money in this checking account and keep track of it on paper.
I had almost $900 in my "heating" fund and another thousand or so in the property tax and insurance fund.
That money is sitting now in my new personal checking account. Making me a little more money!!

Our car "told" us last night that we have low tire pressure. Sure enough, dh checked it and there is a nail in the tire. This car only has 2500 miles on it and he does not think these are the kind of tires that can be fixed (plugged) He is thinking that we will need a whole new set of tires. These corvette tires are very expensive, about $2000 for a new set of tires. I hope something else can be done. These are tires that cannot go flat, that is why the car has no spare. Oh well, at least we have the money!!

The good news for the day, I found a quarter and 2 pennies at the store today. So, 27 cents towards the tires!!

I was thinking about the two parties I went to this weekend.
One was a 4th of July party with fireworks and grilling and the other one was "christmas in July) (We all brought gifts and money for the local humane society.)

The first party, everyone wore shorts and we all pigged out on food. I would say about 1/2 the people there earn more than my husband and 1/2 earn less.

Last night's party was much more formal. Everyone at that party earns more than my husband and lives in 1/2 million dollar houses. (We do too, but my husband is a builder, so that helps, plus my house is paid for)

All of the women were so dressed up. They all had their hair done, their names done, etc. They all wore fancy sandals with their toenails painted. I have not painted my toenails since I was about 10. I am sure they all had pedicures too!!

Two of the people there had just had face lifts this year.

I really did not fit in there cause I have never had my nails, toes or hair done and I just wore jeans and a black shirt!

Guess which party was the most fun??

I want to wish everyone a very happy, 4th of July!! It is so great to live in america!!

I was playing bridge with 3 ladies yesterday and I mentioned that I save at a bank that is now paying 3.1% interest on any checking account that maintains a $1000 balance.
One of the ladies has just turned 62 and now gets a social security check every month. I don't know how much, but since she was an interior decorator, I assume she gets a pretty good check. (I get $551 a month)
She was bragging that her husband still gives her an allowance (he is an airlines pilot) plus she gets this new check to spend and she spends it all.

So, when I was talking, she asks me why I was saving my money and not spending it all. I did not want to be rude, so i just said, I will leave the money to friends and the animal shelter, but I really thought this.
She is having a new home built and the house is being completely financed by the bank.
My real answer was, because I never wanted to have a mortgage when I was 62!!

My dh, being a builder, has built for so many people who are older and have full mortgages on their new homes. I haven't paid a mortgage payment in years and years.

I realize that saving money is my hobby. I enjoy it and think it is a lot more fun than spending money for "stuff"

I love the first of each month. I do my net worth on that day, and it really motivates me to save more. Especially when the stock market is going down, like it has been doing this past month. I think my net worth will go down for the month, but that is ok!! I have been doing well with my cash savings!!

We had a wonderful evening last night. we met with several friends out at a pavillion over looking the lake, with the georgia mountains in the background. It was so beautiful!!

We cooked hamburgers and hot dogs over the grill and had lots of desserts. I can't say it was free cause we all kicked in some money, but it was certainly enjoyable and that's what money is for. This should be a great week. I have two more parties to go to, next weekend. Happy Birthday, America!!

We have a group here in my hometown that all met each other on the computer. About once or twice a year we meet, for a "gathering". We also meet for lunch once in a while.
Tonight we are all meeting at a pavillion and we are going to have a cookout. I think we will have a lot of fun tonight. Everyone is supposed to bring desserts, so I am looking forward to all that chocolate!!

My bank has a great offer this week, a checking account that pays 3.1% interest and the balance only has to be $1000.

I have 2 money markets there, currently paying 2% (use to be 5.25%) with a minimum of $50,000.

So, I just converted my 2 money markets into 1 checking paying 3.1%

I also have a business checking for dh's business that I have had for over 13 years. Sometimes it has a lot of money in it, and sometimes it doesn't. For 13 years, I have been getting 3/4 of 1% in interest on that account.

I just switched that to the 3.1% so I will start earning decent interest on my business account for the first time ever.

Best part of all, the bank guarantees this rate for 1 full year and you can still use your old checks and account numbers!!

I am doing a happy dance right now!! I got my car back from the body shop!! It looks good as new! Everyone needs a red corvette. (at least I do)!!

So, it is a happy day for me!!!!!!!!

Amber asked me when I got a new car. I certainly did not mean to hide it. My husband is a "car" guy. He works 7 days a week to pay for his "toys"
We have a blue corvette that we bought new in 1978. I drive a 2004 red corvette.
Dh wanted a new car, so this time he chose a 2008 yellow corvette.
All of the cars are paid for except the one that I call "ole yeller".
Oh, we also have a 1933 ford victoria that is a hot rod.
Two work vans round out the picture!!

That is us, just your typical 6 vehicle, 2 people family!!

I had a comment on my blog yesterday from Ron. He said, he wondered if I was a shut in because I never seemed to do anything.
This is for Ron. No, I am not a shut in. When I moved to this area, the only job I could get (because I was not local) was as a waitress. I waitressed for many years for very little money. I was the head waitress which means I had to fill in when someone could not work. Most days, I worked from 9 am. til 10 pm.

After many years, my dh asks me to quit so that he would not have to be alone every night. Since I had saved so hard for so many years, I was able to "retire". That is something that everyone on the forum is striving for, retirement!!

I am an active healthy woman in my 60's. I keep busy. I do all the bookwork for my husband's business and take care of all the finances.

I walk on my treadmill every day, read, play bridge and mahjong, dance, go to parties, enjoy the creek and my little Holly.

Every night, I go out on a date with my wonderful husband of 31 years!!

No, Ron, I am not a shut in!!

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.

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!!

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!!

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 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 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??

Today, in my little town, they are having a memorial day parade.
I am sorry, but Memorial day is May 30th, not May 24th!!
My father was in both WWI amd WWII. I wish I knew more about what he did in the war, but he died when I was a little girl and I never got to ask him. I do know that he was over in Germany and France during WWII. I also know that he was a member of some kind of secret service and my mother often did not know where he was.
I think we should honor all our troops, both alive and passed on, but please remember that next Friday is Memorial day.