Since I have to go to the bank today to deposit that $28 from Mums and Dads, I figured I would see what was in CITB and take it with me. Lo and behold: $20! We had a full roll of quarters and $10 in $1 bills. Sweet!

Adding it to the challenge!

Old EF Balance: $654.10
CITB: $20.00
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New EF Balance: $674.10

One of the financial books I am reading right now is "The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches" by Jeff Yeager. It's really funny and full of great advice. Kind of reminds me of the Tightwad Gazette with a redneck twist. LOL

Anyways, one of the chapters I read yesterday was about buying a home. Yeager suggests buying your starter home, and then keeping your starter home for the rest of your life. He talks about how this is what our parents or grandparents did, and it makes sense to me. Mums and Dads are in the fisrt home they every bought, 30+ years later. MY grandparents built their first home and lived there until they passed away. I realize this is not possible for everyone, if you move, or get a new job too far away, or have more kids than bedrooms, etc. But for a good majority of people, I suspect this is possible, and I think this is something I'd like to aim for (after I buy a house, of course. )

Along with this, I was watching HGTV this morning (I am addicted) and a family wanted to see their house because they outgrew it. It was a HUGE 3 bedroom, 2 bath house. The family was the husbnd and wife, and a 2 year old child. Part of the problem was that the kid had his bedroom, and the extra bedroom was fied with a computer and desk for the parents and then nothing else but toys for the kid. It was crazy!
And I couldn't help but think, what a waste of money!

Not only are they going to spend more on this bigger new house, and on maintaing a bigger house, heating a bigger house, etc., but then there is all the money wasted on all those toys that the kid probably never uses. Don't get me wrong, toys and fun are important for kids, but does a toddler really need enough toys to fill 2 bedrooms??

It just reinforced Jeff Yeagers idea of buying a starter home, and making it work for you, not you working for it.

Last night Mums and Dads came up and we all went out to dinner. It was a lot of fun, and the food was delicious. Before they went home, Mums rooted trough my yard sale stuff and found a big planter she wanted and Dads found a shelving storage unit he wanted. I told them to take them for free, but they insisted on paying me for them. Awww, thanks Mums and Dads!! So, my "pre-yard sale" earned me $28 for my $20 Challenge.

Old EF Balance: $626.10
Pre-yard sale: $28.00
--------------------------------
New EF Balance: $654.10

Not much interest, but hey, at least it is earning something!

EF:
Old EF Balance: $624.53
Interest: $1.57
--------------------------------
New EF Balance: $626.10


House Fund:
Old House Fund Balance: $25
Interest: $.01 (lol)
--------------------------------
New House Fund Balance: $25.01


Personal Savings:
Old Savings Balance: $25.00
Interest: $.41
--------------------------------
New Savings Balance: $25.41