I hadn't made any progress towards my $20 Challenge really since the later winter/early spring. But this week I got back on the ball, and started again. Small deposit from half.com

Old $20 challenge balance: $11.23
Half.com DD: $17.14
--------------------------------------
New $20 Challenge balance: $28.37

It's time again for my annual MS Fundraising Walk. As with last year, I
do not expect anyone here to donate to this cause, and I totally understand if nobody does. I was never going to post this, but a few people have asked where and how they donate to my team in the MS Walk.

Second, again, please don't feel like I am hitting you guys up for money (we are, after all, ALL trying to save and be more frugal!). The words and support you all have given me re: my MS has been the biggest gift of all, and I can never thank you all enough. THAT is what means the most to me.

But, like I mentioned, a few people asked for this info, so I am posting it. To those people, thank you from the bottom of my heart (and wallet!). You (and everyone else here) are all so special and totally rock!!

*hugs to everyone*

The MS Walk will be April 4th, in Dartmouth, MA. It's a six mile walk (no, I probably won't walk the whole 6 miles, but my team members all will). My team is called the Errington Clan, and right now we have 5 members. We're just shy of hitting $500, but still a bit away from out goal of $1,500!

To donate to the National MS Society 2009 MS Walk on behalf of my team, please click here: Errington Clan MS Walk.

Search for us by our team name (Errington Clan) or by a particpant (Becki Errington). All donations are tax deductible, and you can donate by check or CC (I suggest check...avoid CC debt!!! LOL). You can donate on behalf of the whole team, or in sponsor of one person, and your donations can be made anonymously if you like.

Again, thanks to everyone for ALL the support!!!

When we moved to our apt in Quincy last year, we had to give them first and last (no security). They kept the last months rent in an account where it earned interest until we moved out. We got the check for the interest and it was $54.71! Adding that to the EF. This makes me hit my goal of $200 by the end of Feb (a little late, but at least I hit it!), and gives me a start for towards a total of $300 by the end of March.

$20 Challenge/EF Old Balance: $184.69
Check from Quincy apt: $54.71
------------------------------------------
$20 Challenge/EF New Balance: $239.40

$20 Challenge/EF Old Balance: $184.46
Feb interest: $.23
------------------------------------------
$20 Challenge/EF New Balance: $184.69

Old Personal Savings: $110.21
Feb interest: $.18
-------------------------------
New Personal Savings: $110.39

Old House Fund Balance: $16.49
Feb interest: $.02
--------------------------------
New House Fund Balance: $16.51

Got a DD into my checking account today for some sales from earlier in the month on half.com. $34.42.

Haven't been able to put anything aside the last couple weeks, so this is going into my EF. I really want to put it into either personal or couch savings, but I know how important the EF is right now.

$20 Challenge/EF Old Balance: $150.04
Half.com DD: $34.42
------------------------------------------
$20 Challenge/EF New Balance: $184.46

Stopped by the bank today to deposit some rolled coinage from CITB. Had a full roll of quarters. Adding it to the EF.

$20 Challenge/EF Old Balance: $140.04
CITB deposit: $10.00
------------------------------------------
$20 Challenge/EF New Balance: $150.04

Whoo-hoo! Halfway through my Feb goal of adding $100 to the EF. If I can keep this up, I'll hit $1K before 2010.

In other money news, I picked up some groceries today. Spent $40. I got:

*lg package of mozzarella cheese (8 cups)
*lg package of Mexican mix cheese (8 cups)
*package pepperoni
*loaf of bread
*pk of 8 large tortillas
*mushrooms
*buffalo chicken lunch meat
*sliced cheese
*2 lbs of pizza dough
*box of pasta

For dinner this week we'll have chicken enchiladas (already have the chicken and sauce), pasta with shrimp, mushrooms, cheese and tomatoes (already have shrimp, and tommys), homemade calzones (which will actually give us 2 meals each, they are so big), and chicken and veggies with rice (have all of it already). I think that $40 for all that is a great deal, considering it is dinner and lunch for 2 all week.

I did great this week with finding money. I found another dime and 3 pennies. Whoo-hoo! New Pennies on the Sidewalk total: $.98

I just got a DD from half.com for $15.05. I also just transferred $15 from my paypal account into my checking. Now, to decide where to out the $30.05. I want to add some to my personal savings. I need to get a move on with my couch fund. But I know I should add more to the EF. So, I guess the best way to figure it out is $10 into each account.

Old Personal Savings: $100.21
Online sales: $10.00
-------------------------------
New Personal Savings: $110.21


Old House Fund Balance: $6.49
Online sales: $10.00
--------------------------------
New House Fund Balance: $16.49

$20 Challenge/EF Old Balance: $129.99
Online sales: $10.05
------------------------------------------
$20 Challenge/EF New Balance: $140.04

Wah-hoo! Another half.com sale. I seem to be selling way more DVDs than books lately, but hey, who cares, right? Another DVD went today for $4.51, bringing my Feb Ebay total to $29.07

Brought home $55 today, so that also makes it a Happy Thursday.

I forgot to mention it, but I found a dime on the ground the other day. New Pennies on the Sidewalk total: $.85

I decided to help my EF along I would transfer in 10% of what I made from work this month. That comes out to about $20. The extra $.78 is rounding down to the nearest dollar in my checking.

$20 Challenge/EF Old Balance: $109.21
10% of income: $20.78
------------------------------------------
$20 Challenge/EF New Balance: $129.99

Little bits, but at least there is something.

$20 Challenge/EF Old Balance: $109.09
Jan Interest: $.12
------------------------------------------
$20 Challenge/EF New Balance: $109.21


Old Personal Savings: $100.00
Jan Interest: $.21
-------------------------------
New Personal Savings: $100.21


Old House Fund Balance: $6.48
Jan Interest: $.01
--------------------------------
New House Fund Balance: $6.49

Counted up the change in my CITB, and was able to roll $12 worth. Adding it to my EF.

$20 Challenge/EF Old Balance: $97.09
CITB Deposit: $12.00
------------------------------------------
$20 Challenge/EF New Balance: $109.09

And I managed to hit $100 this month. I would love to hit another hundred in February. But honestly, this first hundred may not even stay in here. Depends on how much I make at work this weekend. I need $48 to pay my LBCC bill, and about another $30 for a second bill. And then there is the matter of having money to survive on for the next week or so.

Let's hope I have a busy night tonight!

Got payment for 2 of mu 3 Ebay items that just sold. Not taking the full amount out of paypal since I need to pay Ebay fees. And not all of what I do take out of paypal will go to the $20 Challenge (have to pay shipping). But, here is what I felt comfortable pulling out from today's sales.

$20 Challenge/EF Old Balance: $74.90
Half.com DD: $22.19
------------------------------------------
$20 Challenge/EF New Balance: $97.09

So close to $100. When I get the payment for my other item that sold today ($15) I will hit my mini-goal of $100 in the EF.

I want to hit $1,000 in my EF this year, and I figure over the course of 12 months I can come up with it. Even better would be if I could do it all with Ebay/online sales. My Ebay Challenge is $100 a month, and to get my EF to $1K by 2010, I need an average of $84 a month or so.

I like those numbers.

Got my DD from half.com for $31.20 Yay! I want to put it all in the EF, but I need some of it for basic bills and stuff. So I am going to put half in the EF and keep half in my checking for regular things.


$20 Challenge/EF Old Balance: $57.80
Half.com DD: $17.10
------------------------------------------
$20 Challenge/EF New Balance: $74.90

Just got a DD in my Palpal account for a Pinecone survey. I love that they DD with Paypal now. Saves me a trip to the bank.

Adding it to my EF. I am still waiting for a refund of $59 or so from paypal. A buyer issued a claim saying they never recieved the package I sent (in Mexico). So Paypal debited my account the amount of the sale in case their is a refund. Once that gets refunded all the money I have made in Ebay this month will be there (all the money did was decrease the amount my balance was in the negative) and I can add that to my EF as well.

I was wondering if anyone knew: either the buyer or I can raise the claim to a dispute within 20 days of when the claim was made. Of that doesn't happen, does the buyer get a refund automatically or is it assumed we worked things out/he got his package? Thanks!

$20 Challenge/EF Old Balance: $54.80
Pinecone check: $3.00
------------------------------------------
$20 Challenge/EF New Balance: $57.80

I just checked my checking account to see what my balance was. I discovered I had X hundred dollars and $4.71 I decided to round down so my balance was an even number and take the $4.71 "extra" and throw it into my EF.

Kinda my little way of being able to have additional money when I know I really don't.

$20 Challenge/EF Old Balance: $50.09
"Extra": $4.71
------------------------------------------
$20 Challenge/EF New Balance: $54.80

Hello all. My sister just sent me this link. It is a FREE download of Suze Orman's new book 2009 Action Plan.

Just click on the link and follow instructions. You will need Adobe Acrobat to view it, but there is a link on this page to download that free as well.

I checked it out and it is the whole book, all 227 pages!! The link is only good until January 15th!


http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20081119_tows_bookdow...

And if you would normally buy this book, add the cost of it to your $20 Challenge!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LOL, Damn, BA beat me to the punch! Just say BAs post. Oh well. Just shows great minds think alike!

I had a good amount of money to deposit today at the bank. There was a check from BF, a check from a survey I did, rolled coins from CITB, and cash from work Sunday night. It came to $105.35

After depositing that, I moved some of it around into my savings accounts.

Old Personal Savings: $94.94
Tally-Up Transfer: $5.06
-------------------------------
New Personal Savings: $100.00 (Goal met!)

Old House Fund Balance: $5.38
Random transfer: $1.10
--------------------------------
New House Fund Balance: $6.48

So, this means that my savings goal of $100 is DONE! YAY!

And I have the first deposit into my $20 Challenge of 2009. All my $20 Challenge Money goes into the EF, so here is the new total:

$20 Challenge/EF Old Balance: $40.09
Survey check (1st deposit of 2009!): $10
------------------------------------------
$20 Challenge/EF New Balance: $50.09
(halfway to 1st EF goal)

While my 2009 EF goal is $1,000 I am aiming for $100 right now (small goals work better for me) so I am halfway through that first mini-goal. Wa-hoo!

Got a few tidbits to add to my $20 Challenge.

Old Personal Savings: $91.74
December Interest: $.20
Pinecone: $3.00
-------------------------------
New Personal Savings: $94.94

Old EF Balance: $40.00
December Interest: $.09
-------------------------------
New EF Balance: $40.09

Old House Fund Balance: $5.37
December Interest: $.01 LOL
--------------------------------
New House Fund Balance: $5.38

Oooh, big numbers, eh? LOL

About 2 months ago I bought a book on Half.com, but I never received it. The seller just refunded my money. Since it is not money I was missing before, I won't miss it now. I'm transferring it to my $20 Challenge.


Old Personal Savings: $82.66
Half.com refund: $9.08
-------------------------------
New Personal Savings: $91.74

Just got a payment from Pinecone in Paypal. I also had a small balance in there left over from Ebay sales last month. Transferring it all to my $20 Challenge.

Old Personal Savings: $77.64
Pinecone: $3.00
Paypal balance: $2.02
-----------------------------
New Personal Savings: $82.66

Went to the grocery store today and cashed in a large trashbag of bottles and 1 and a half large trashbags of cans. Got $4.45 for them all. And then I found a nickle there, so my total "income" today was $4.50. Threw the $.50 into Cash in the Bag, and am adding the $4 to my $20 Challenge.

Old Personal Savings: $73.64
Cans and Bottles: $4
-----------------------------
New Personal Savings: $77.64

New Pennies on the Sidewalk Total: $2.10

I am feeling much better today. Thanks to everyone for you kind words and encouragement.

Today is relatively low-key. I have some stuff to get done around the house, then need to take BF to work later tonight. I think I am going to an Overeaters Anon. meeting tonight. I think it will give me a boost to get healthier and loose some of this horrid weight.

I think today will be a low spend day. I have to fax something, which will cost a couple of bucks at most. I also need to hit the grocery store, but I am limiting that to $30.

Last night I stayed up wicked late (3am) but I got some writing done. Also cried a lot and smoked a little to calm down. I feel much calmer today. Still can't find the $10.

Oh, but I did get a $3 payment from Pinecone for a survey I didn't even realize was a paid survey! I'm adding that plus some change to tally up my EF to an even number.

Old EF Balance: $36.14
Pinecone: $3.00
Tayy Up: $.86
-------------------------------
New EF Balance: $40.00

Hee hee hee, I get such a small amount in interest right now. But still, every penny counts! *smile*

Old EF Balance: $36.05
Nov. Interest: $.09
------------------------
New EF Balance: $26.14

Old House Fund Balance: $5.32
Nov. Interest: $.05
--------------------------------
New House Fund Balance: $5.37

My old laptop has been acting iffy lately. It is overheating, smelling like burned rubber, and the screen has been flickering. I know soon, it is going to crash. It's about 5 1/2 years old, so it has had a good run.

I've been worried that it will go and I won't be able to afford a new one. Then, something fantastic happened!

BF is getting a new laptop. His is dead. Mums and Dads said they would get one for him, and he could pay them back for it. And they decided to have one of his X-mas gifts be money towards his laptop, so he only has to pay back part of it. And they offered the same deal to me!

We got the new laptops last night! It's a Compaq Presario. I heart it. Windows Vista, which I don't heart, but it's not too bad. 2 GB of RAM, 160 GB hard drive. CD/DVD player and burner, Wireless internet card... The only thing I don't have on it that I use a lot is Microsoft Office. Usually it is $150 to buy the Office 2007 version I use. But Microsoft had a sale and I was able to get it for $69.99! More than half off! YAY! I used money in my personal savings for it, so I didn't even have to charge it.

In addition to the Office purchase, this laptop is only going to cost me $200!! The laptop originally was $550, but Best Buy had a sale going and it was $150 off, making it only $400! Then, Mums and Dads were going to give me money for X-mas and also for my b-day (in March) so they said instead of doing that, they will put what they were going to give me towards the laptop, and that amount is $200.

Original price: $550
Best Buy sale: -$150
Holiday and B-day: -$200
------------------------------
Laptop price: $200
MS Office: $69.99
------------------------------
Total: $269.99

I am so excited! I heart my new laptop! *grin*

Oh, also, my $20 challenge/savings update:

Old Personal Savings: $143.65
MS Office: $70
--------------------------------
New Personal Savings: $73.65

Laptop Balance to Pay Off: $200

Feels good to have something to put into the Challenge! Today I transfered $50 from my paypal account to my Savings. This was from Ebay profits. Yay! *smile*


Old Personal Savings: $93.66
Ebay profits: $50.00
--------------------------------
New Personal Savings: $143.65

Note: EF is at $36.14 (which if I need more, I will use what is in the Personal Savings).

Note: House Fund is a sad and lowley $5.37

I got a $3 deposit into my paypal from Pinecone today. Yay. *smile* I think I am going to throw it to our savings account. It has been so longs since I've been able to put anything in there. It is a small amount, but it gives me a feel-good boost. Plus, we still have $30 in our checking and I am working tomorrow.

I also need to update with the interest I earned in October. I totally forgot about it. *smile*

Personal Fund Balance: $190.00 Withdrawl: -$100
Interest: .42
Pinecone: $3.00
------------------------------------
New Personal Balance: $93.42

Old House Fund Balance: $100.96
Withdrawl: -$100
Interest: .32
------------------------------------
New House Fund Balance: $5.32

Old EF Balance: $33.80
Interest: .05
------------------------------------
New EF Balance: $36.05


I still plan on replacing the $200 I took out earlier when I get my freelance check, but I honestly don't know if I will be able to. I am thinking at this point I may just combine the personal fund and the house fund. And sad as it is, I can't decide if I want the personal fund to be for the new couch, or the house fund to be for the new couch. Gah! LOL

I recently added a few bucks to each of my 3 savings account, just to balance them at an even amount. No real reason why, just wanted some nice even numbers.

Old Couch Fund Balance: $186.27
Tally Up: $3.73
------------------------------------
New Couch Fund Balance: $190.00

Old House Fund Balance: $100.96
Tally Up: $4.04
------------------------------------
New House Fund Balance: $105.00

Old EF Balance: $33.80
Tally Up: 2.20
------------------------------------
New EF Balance: $36.00

Small addition to the Couch Fund...

Old Couch Fund Balance: $179.16
10% paycheck: $7.11
------------------------------------
New Couch Fund Balance: $186.27

Sold another book on galf.com. This one was for $60, so after fees and shipping, I ended up with about $55. Yay! New couch, here we come!

Old Couch Fund Balance: $123.45
Half.com DD: $55.71
------------------------------------
New Couch Fund Balance: $179.16

Happy October everyone!! It's my FAVORITE month!!!

Some small additions to my $20 Challenge:

Old Couch Fund Balance: $92.24
September Interest: $0.05
10% Paycheck: $31.16
------------------------------------
New Couch Fund Balance: $123.45

Old House Fund Balance: $490.68
Withdrawl for bills: $-290.68
------------------------------------
Updated House Fund Balance: $200.00
September Interest: $0.96
------------------------------------
New House Fund Balance: $200.96


And I sold a book for $60 on half.com today, but I will wait to add that in until I get the direct deposit from them in the middle of the month.

Just got a half.com direct deposit into my account this afternoon. What a nice surprise! I didn't think I'd get it for another week or so. More to the Challenge.

Old Couch Fund Balance: $69.53
Half.com DD: $22.71
------------------------------------
New Couch Fund Balance: $92.24

What a great money day!