Nancy58's Personal Finance Blog-$20.00 Challen

Well, It's been longer than I wanted since my las entry. With taxes finished and returns received I decided to update my $20.00 Challenge again.
I did our taxes online vs the accountant with a savings of $142.50 and I've sewed 2 pairs of pajama pants at a total savings (after expenses) of $18.00.
Here are the savings per day:
March 4 & 5 - NS $2.00
March 6 - CT $2.50
March 7 - NS $1.00
March 8 CT & OOL - $12.50
March 9 CT - $2.50
March 10, 11 & 12 - NS $3.00
March 13 - CT & NS $3.50
March 14 CT & OOL $12.50
March 15, 16 & 17 NS - $3.00
PREVIOUS TOTAL: $211.98
ADDITIONS: $203.50
NEW TOTAL: $415.48

One thing I want to clear up is that I have combined trips and also No Spend Days because I purchase gas on one of the days I combine trips so I don't consider it as spending "again" when I drive.

I'm currently sewing a queen size 90"x 106" quilt for our bed. I have to total the costs to date and then do some searching as to what it would cost to purchase one made by hand. It will probably take me through the summer to complete it considering I plan on planting a small garden to save on produce costs.

Hope all are doing well with the challenge. I have read and commented on a few and it seems that anyone doing this is constantly looking for new ways to save/recycle and re-think how they live their life...a good thing for Mother Earth!

I can't believe that it's been just over 1 month since I last posted. I have been very busy sewing clothes and have started a quilt for DH and my bed...it will be quite big 90"x108" without the border. Taxes are finished and we should be receiving a small refund from each Federal and State returns. Well here goes my listings for each day. Just occurred to me that some might not know what my abreviations stand for- NS= No spend day, CT= Combined trips(saving gas),OOL=Only on list(no extras/impulse purchases), SP= Save on Postage, S/RC=Sew/Repair clothing(instead of using as a rag)and RC= Rolled coin.
Jan28th -NS $1.00
Jan 29th-NS $1.00
Jan 30th (BD)CT $3.50 and NS $1.00
Jan 31st NS $1.00
Feb 1st -CT $3.50, NS $1.00
Feb 2nd -CT $3.50, OOL $10.00
Feb 3,4&5 NS $3.00
Feb 6th CT $3.50, OOL $10.00, S/RC $3.00
Feb 7 NS $1.00
Feb 8th CT $3.50, OOL $10.00, SP .39
Feb 9, 10,11, 12 NS $4.00
Feb 13 CT $3.50, NS $1.00
Feb 14 NS $1.00
Feb 15 CT $3.50, OOL $10.00
Feb 16,17,18,19,20 NS $5.00
Feb 21 CT $3.50, OOL $10.00
Feb 22 CT $3.50
Feb 23,24,25,26 NS $4.00
Feb 27 CT $3.50, NS $1.00
Feb 28 CT $3.50, OOL $10.00
Mar 1,2,3 NS $3.00, SP .78

TOTAL $123.67
PREVIOUS $88.31
NEW TOTAL $211.98

I still have to figure out the savings for doing my own taxes versus the Accountant that DH uses(Used!!) and the savings of making my clothes VS the cost of purchasing them. The abrev. for sewing (making) clothes will be SC and will take the cost of fabric and notions needed to make item and subtract from the cost of a comparable item in the store.

Hope everyone is continuing on this journey we started in the beginning of the year. Promise to be better about writing more often.

I just wanted to say thank you to all who took the time to write to me and wish me a Happy Birthday. That was so nice and unexpected!! I should know by now that people who all have something in common tend to bond as a family type relationship.

I'm in the middle of doing my taxes but hope to post an update to my $20 challenge tomorrow or Monday. It is going very well.

Again, thank you to all who took the time to write to me. Thanks!!

I've been in the middle of an upheaval here at home. DH has been temporarily change to the day shift at work (for 3 weeks so far and counting). This may not seem like a big deal but when you are used to working or setting up your day based on working the 2nd shift for over 29 years, it IS a big deal. Both of us do nothing more than get up, work and sleep.It's kind of like when a baby has days and nights mixed up...remember those days!! So needless to say, DH is working today, I babysat my grandson for 7 hrs and now playing catch-up on housework and writing my blog. I decided this takes precidence.
I'm going to list by date and amount saved, just to save time:
10th -$2.50 combined errands
11th -$1.00 NS (No Spend)
12th - $1.00 NS
13th - $1.00 NS
14th - $1.00 NS
15th - $12.89 Combined errands, purchased only what was on list and saved postage on mail
16th - $1.00 NS
17th - $3.50 combined errands and NS
18th $1.00 NS
19th - $1.00 NS
20th -$1.00 NS
21st - $1.00 NS
22nd - $1.00 NS
23rd - $12.50 Combined errands and only on list purchases
24th - $1.00 NS
25th - $2.50 Combined errands
26th - $1.00 NS
27th - $1.00 NS
So that's been it. For a total of $45.89 Saved since my last update. I want to come up with additional ways of saving money but feel brain dead right now. If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to email me or put it in a comment about my blog.

I think that everyone doing this challenge has such inventive ideas, unfortunately I don't have the time to read all of the blogs to read what others are doing.

PREVIOUS TOTAL - $42.42
CURRENT TOTAL - $88.31

I really had a great savings day today. First I combined errands, another stop and grocery shopping in one trip. (add 2.50). I also bought what was on my list, actually they were out of stock of a couple of items/brands I wanted so I just skipped them, didn't purchase more expensive just to have it. (add 10.00) I also salvaged a pair of PJ pants and did some fancy sewing to correct a tear and replaced the elastic in the waistband. (add 3.00). I also found 5 pennies in and around the house. (add .05)This was total savings of 15.55 for the day!!! I'm really getting into thinking about what and why I spend and do I REALLY need it.

Previous total-$26.87
Current total-$42.42

Well DH has been off from work for 3 days now...he has gone out each day and spent!! I shouldn't complain to much since he finished the garage with the cabinets he picked up from the side of the road the night before trash day. For under $100 he leveled and installed the cabinets, recycled some old boards for the 1st layer of the counter top and then bought a 4x8 piece of sanded plywood for the top layer, 2 2x4 pieces of pegboard, screws, ass't. hanging pegs for the pegboard he installed on the wall behind the cabinets. The garage really looks great!!

I've had 2 "no spend" days (add $2.00) and have been working on losing weight. Lost 9.5 # so far, just under 3 weeks. I'm cooking less so I figure that I need to work on more ideas when I don't use the stove/oven or other utilities. Will come up with something...any ideas???

PROGRESS:
Last: $24.87
Current: $26.87

Well, since life is giving me lemons right now, I decided to make lemonade!! I had my kitchen light go kaput! Tried to rewire a new switch but it was the circuit board so yesterday DH and I picked out a moderately priced replacement ($30.00) and I installed it after he went to work. I "earned $.39 for saving postage and $2.50 for combining 5 errands with 2 other preplanned outings. I did have a "No Spend" day on 1/1 and 1/2 so add another $2.00 so I'm up to $24.89.

I also was thinking about adding amounts that I get from those coupons that the cash register spits out if you purchase certain (unknown) items. I got a $1.00 and $3.00 coupon on 1/4 when I went grocery shopping. They are "savings" on your next purchase, so since my aim it to stick to my list I would actually be spending less or saving the amount of those coupons. What do you think? I'd appreciate any input on this one. I don't think it's "playing fair" if you add $$ from something that you currently do now. The idea is to be creative and find "new" ways of saving $$.

Thanks to all of you who have read and commented on my blog. I really appreciate the input and it's nice to know that others are like minded as far as financial conscienceness goes!!

Hope yoou all have a great weekend !!

I spent a couple of hours challenging myself to come up with some new or novel ways of saving money for the challenge. It was only after I reread the list did I do NOT "feel right" about "paying" myself for those things I [u]should be doing anyway. Here's what I've decided to do:
1)+$.39 for each time I saved postage by using online bill paying or walking/biking around town to pay local bills.
2)+$1.00 for each "NO spend" day
3) +$10.00 when I only buy what is on my grocery list.
4)+$2.50 (approx. cost of a gallon of gas) for combining any/all errands into the day that I need to be somewhere(MD's, Nursing Home,etc)
5) add actual change found around the house or in the cars and any rolled coin.
6)+$3.00/item for repairing usable clothing instead of putting it in DH's "rag bag for use in the garage.
7)Add actual cost of vegetables/fruit in the supermarket, that I grow in my own yard instead.
8) Add actual cost of refurbushing furniture VS buying a replacement. (Cost of materialsused to refurbish subtracted from the cost of a new item = savings into Challenge fund.
9) Prepare our own taxes this year instead of using DH accountant(will use the actual cost of last years preparation minus the cost, if any of doing it online this year).

Well, for now these are the things that I will be doing. I need to add up any amounts since 1/1/07 and will post that amount. I'd like to hear from anyone reading this your thoughts about my ideas.

Hi all, I've decided to put my brain to work since I am a very lucky woman who's DH prefers to have me home then in the big, cold corporate world. (He saw the cold, ugly side when we were dating 8 years ago!!)

This is my first challenge and I really want to put some serious thought into how I will be increasing the $20.00. Once I have a few ideas I will list them on my blog for people to read and use. I believe that if someone has a good idea for saving money or spending less, that it should be shared, for all to consider if it would work for them. One BIG collective brain trust working for the betterment of all involved.

Well, that's it for now, but I'll be working on ideas. I hope that some of you who read this and have not signed up for the $20.00 Challenge will decide to sign up and be creative, like the rest of us!! Good luck to all!!