I was hoping I had enough point from MyPoints to get a $10 gift card to Wal-Mart to put towards the AC, but I didn't have enough. Intead I went through MyPoints (I earned 2 points per dollar!) to purchase it. There was no shipping fee, since it is getting sent to our local store and we will pick it up there. tax was $4.80. Overall total: $100.80 Yay!

I used money from the EF, but when I get my stiumulus payment (anyday now, people!) I will replace it.

Old EF Balance: $981.83
New AC: -$100.80
-----------------------------
New EF balance: $881.03

Did some online grocery shopping tonight. By paying via my checking account, I save $1 off my order. Had a $5 coupon off the order, and then saved $2.50 for selecting a non-prime delivery time. $8.50 going to the challenge.

Old EF Balance: $973.33
Peapod discounts: $8.50
-----------------------------
New EF balance: $981.83

So, the 4 Lizzie Borden books I put on Crigslist the other day have sold. All 4 went for just over $28, which works out to $7 each. That's great as far as I am concerned! It is about what they would have sold for in a used bookstore, and about what I paid for some of them.

Adding that to the challenge/my EF. THISCLOSE to $1,000!

Old EF Balance: $944.95
Lizzie Borden books: $28.38
-----------------------------
New EF balance: $973.33

Bleh. So, I was excited that the $100 worth of books I listed on Craigs list were going to sell. Turns out she only wants the Lizzie Borden books, not all of them. I was hoping to use that $100 for the new AC.

But, at least I have the money in the EF for the AC. And this $30 I am getting for these books will go towards replacing that $100. I just hope these other ones will sell now, too.

It looks like the book I listed on Craigslist are going to sell. I am just waiting for a payment ia paypal and for the woman to pick them up. Looks like I will be getting $95 for 4 Lizzie Borden books and 5 Hetty Green books. It is OK for me, but a great deal for them. 2 of the Hetty Green books sell for $60 each in the used bookstore I used to work in. But I know that if I brought them down there I would get store credit for more books (which I so do not need) or %20 in cash, which wouldn't be much, esp considering the hour drive there and back. So, I am selling them at a deep discount, taking a hit, but being happy with the $ anyways.

And, this means that I can use that money to buy our AC instead of taking some out of the EF.

Blah. It figures. I have almost fully funded me EF, and am just about set to start putting all extra cash to my CC debt. What happens? Two semi-expensive needs arise.

Our AC from last year in kaput. We could always not have one in the bedroom, but with the heat of the summer, combined with my always being overheated from the MS, and my MS symptoms getting worse in the heat, we really need one. We don't have one anywhere else, and I need it to be cold to sleep. Plus, I just really need one place where I can strip down and cool off when I am having an attack. So, we need a new one. Luckily I found one online at Walmart.com for under $100 that should work nicely. Our bedroom is not too big, so we don't need a 10,000 BTU or anything like that. The best part? Walmart.com will ship it to our local Walmart for free, and we can pick it up there (as opposed to having it shipped to our house for $18).

The other need, which is going to be a bit more that $100, is my glasses. I've had the same prescription for over 2 years now, and I need a new one. And, I need new contacts. The few I still have left are an even older prescription than my glasses. I don't want new frames; I love the ones I have. It's just the new lenses and contacts. I can always not get contacts, but I hate wearing my glasses in the summer. Or, since I will only be wearing my glasses in the house for a few hrs a day, I can just get new contacts and not new glasses. Argh, decisions, decisions.

I know we are taking $100 out of the EF for the AC. Not sure where the money for the contacts will come from.

Whatever happens, though, I am going to pay off this CC debt!!!

Received two mini checks in the mail yesterday. One is for some payout of a lawsuit filed again immigration for over taxing people who traveled outside the country in the early 2000's. I got a whole $9.19! Whoo-hoo!

I also got my first Pinecone check yesterday. I can't believe how fast it came! I did the survey only a week or so ago. Very impressive. So, that's another $3 to add to my $20 Challenge/EF.

Now that I have made the decision to save the EF to $1,000 and throw the rest at debt, I am getting excited to get rid of the debt. Time to start listing some things on craigslist and ebay again!


Old EF Balance: $932.76
Pinecone check: $3.00
Immigration check: $9.19
-----------------------------
New EF balance: $944.95

I've done some thinking this weekend over that debt vs savings argument my mind was having. I think that the point of not really being secure financially with credit card debt is a very key one. But, I also like the security of having a savings, so if something come up that I need (car repairs, fort instance) I don't have to put it on the CC, thereby giving myself more debt.

So, I have decided to take some of the FAB advice I got here. When my EF hits $1,000 I will stop saving and start putting all extra money towards paying off my CC debt. Now, I know it seems like that will take forever, since my EF is currently only $176.17 But here is the hidden part of this plan. I am going to take the $756.59 I have in my personal savings and transfer that to my EF. Thereby giving myself almost the $1,000 in my EF I want. Personal savings can be rebuilt up when this debt is gone.

Lookit, I'm being responsible.

Yay me.



Old EF Balance: $176.17
Personal savings turned EF: $756.59
-----------------------------
New EF balance: $932.76

Whoo-hoo! Free money! Ok, not a lot, but every tiny bit of interest helps!


$20 Old Balance: $727.88
April Interest: $1.15
---------------------------
$20 New Balance: $729.03


Old EF Balance: $175.83
April Interest: $0.34
---------------------------
New EF balance: $176.17

Today is payday (yay!) so my automatic savings went into my $20 savings and my EF.

$20 Old Balance: $607.78
Payday deposit: $25.00
-------------------------------------
$20 New Balance: $727.88



Old EF Balance: $135.83
Payday deposit: $25.00
-------------------------------------
New EF balance: $175.83

Feeling pretty sad about the state of my savings accounts lately. Added $15 to the EF. Gotta get that built up.

Old EF Balance: $135.83
Random contribution: $15.00
-------------------------------------
New EF balance: $150.83

Decided to start putting a monthly contribution into my EF. Otherwise, at the rate it is now, it will NEVER hit $1,000!

Old EF Balance: $110.55
March interest: $0.28
Monthly contribution: $25.00
-------------------------------------
New EF balance: $135.83

Have a little extra cash right now, so I put $10 into the EF and $10 into the Taxes/$20 fund. Also, interest from Feb.


Old EF Total: $100.30
Addition: $10.00
February interest: $.25
---------------------------
New EF Total: $110.55


$20 Tax Old Balance: $462.20
Addition: $10.00
February interest: $.93
-------------------------------------
$20 Tax New Balance: $473.13

So, it looks like we will be getting an extra $1,100 in March! Yay!!!! Great timing, too, with the move! I have already budgeted it all out:

$200 for the move (truck rental and treating friends and family to dinner afterwards)
$100 extra to LBCC
$100 extra to ATTCC
$100 extra to grocery budget (after the move, we will need to restock basics)
$100 into the $20/Taxes account to replace the $100 I had to steal out of it for groceries this week
$100 for new apartment things (dinning room rug, computer desk)
and the big one...$400 to the EF!!

I am actually excited to get the $1,100 so I can start transferring it around! Who knew paying bills and saving could be so much fun?

WOW! A whopping 30 cents!!! LOL

Old EF Total: $100.00
January interest: $0.30
---------------------------
New EF Total: $100.30

I got a nice sweater from Mums for X-mas, but it didn't fit right, and there were no other sizes for me to try. So, Mums returned the sweater, and have me the $24 instead. I really want to put it towards a fun savings, but right now my two $2o Challenges are for my EF and my taxes. They're not fun! So, I am putting $5 of it into the EF to bring the total to $100 and I think the other $20 I will use to purchase a computer game I've wanted for a while, which conviently, is only $20.

Old EF Total: $95.00
Sweater money: $5.00
---------------------------
New EF Total: $100.00

Today me and the BF were out doing some errands and we found some cash on the ground. Fist we found a penny at the post office, but then on the way back to the car, we found $2 on the sidewalk. No one was around, so we picked it up. That plus $1 that I won on a scratch ticket I got in my stocking at X-mas starts the 2008 Challenge. I am also adding in the interest the EF account earned last month and a mini amount cuz my OCD likes even numbers.

Old EF Total: $90.29
Found: $2.01
Scratch Ticket: $1.00
December interest: $.31
OCD deposit: $1.39
---------------------------
New EF Total: $95.00

And then, in my other $20 account, the interest I earned in December plus an odd OCD amount are getting added in.

$20/UF Old Balance: $73.32
December interest: $.19
OCD deposit: $1.49
----------------------------
$20/UF New Balance: $75.00

(Overall 2008 Challenge amount: $6.39)

Interest for November and $5 to get it going

Old EF Total: $85.00
Interest added: $.29
Just because: $5.00
-----------------------------------------
New EF Total: $90.29

Old EF Total: $81.88
Interest added: $.29
Added b/c I have OCD and like even numbers: $2.83
-----------------------------------------
New EF Total: $85

*sigh* How I wish this was bigger!

Saved $1 at the grocery store w/a coupon Saturday and $1 at CVS w/a coupon tonight. And bonus, I got about $5 in usable coupons from CVS today, including one for $3.50 off ANYTHING. I think I am going to combine that with a $1 off coupon I have for a package of those disposable heat pads. I had a pulled muscle in my shoulder that has been killing me, and I LOVE those things, but I refuse to spend $8 for a 3 pack. However, $3.50 for a 3 pack is doable.

Old Vegas Total: $549.56
September Interest: $1.99
Coupon Savings: $2.00
--------------------------------
New Vegas Total: $553.55


Old EF Total: $81.67
September Interest: $0.21
------------------------
New EF Total: $81.88

Payday! I love these days.

Old EF Total: $61.67
Psychic Faire $: $10.00
Just Becasue $: $10.00
------------------------
New EF Total: $81.67

Hoping to hit $100 soon!


Old Vegas Total: $624.18
Stole from Vegas: $124.00
half.com DD: $15.38
Payback from stealing: $24.00
Psychic Faire $: $10.00
--------------------------------
New Vegas Total: $549.56

And I will replace that other $100 asap!

This past weekend was my MONEY MAKING EXTRAVAGANZA!!!

Eh, it went OK. I made about $40 at the yard sale, which was disapointing, b/c I made over $200 on the one I had in the srping. That $40 is gone, went to groceries.

I made a profit of $70 at the psychic faire. (Made $90, but spent $20 to support them). $5 went to mailing boks out from half.com sales, $10 went to picking up meds, and $5 is staying in my pocket for fun money. Of the $50 left, I am going to split it between the ATT CC, Vegas, and my EF. $30 to the CC, $10 to Vegas and $10 to the EF.

This friday is payday, and I have about 6 hours of OT on it, so it should be a decent paycheck.

This last week I thought my cell phone had died. It got wet, but now it is working, just acting a bit funny. Anyways, it looked like I was going to have to get a new one, but I didn't have the money. I would have to wait to payday. Not a big deal.

BUT it made me think about what I would do if a real emergency came up and I didn't have the money. Sometimes you can't wait to payday. I'm going to be adding a little to the EF as I can, to help get it going again. Then after Vegas, it will become my main $20 challenge again.

Old EF Total: $51.50
Interest: $0.17
Deposit: $10.00
------------------------
New EF Total: $61.67

OK, only by a little, but as I have learned here, a lot of littles add up fast!

So, had $15 from last paycheck leftover this morning so I added $10 to Vegas and $5 to EF. I also replaced another $50 in the Vegas fun from that $200 I took out a couple of weeks ago. I've now replaced $150 of it and if there is enough in this paycheck I will put back the other $50. If not, well, I get paid in 2 weeks.

Old Vegas Total: $433.42
Leftovers/Payback: $60.00
-------------------------
New Vegas Total: $493.42

Old EF Total: $46.50
Leftovers: $5
----------------------
New EF Total: $51.50

Today is my 1 year anniversary for writing here. Thank you all so much for the advice, the words of wisdom, the support, the encouragement, and even the tuff-lovin when I needed it.

You all totally rock!!

Since I've started this blog, I've had 348 enteries, 564 comments and 55,787 visits!!!

In honor of this blogoversary, I have transferred $5 to my Vegas account and $5 to my EF.

Old Vegas Total: $416.56
Blogoversary Gift: $5
-------------------------
New Vegas Total: $421.56


Old EF Total: $41.50
Blogoversary Gift: $5
----------------------
New EF Total: $46.50

Lucky e-mailed me sugesting I deposit that $1.07 I had left in my cheking into my EF. Fab idea!!

Thanks Lucky!

Old EF Total: $40.43
Deposit: $1.07
-----------------------
New EF Total: $41.40

I'm not really doing anything to add to my EF right now. I'm saving for Vegas and working on paying down the CC first. But I did get interest this month, so here's my new total:

Old EF total: $40.27
Interest earned: $.16
-----------------------
New EF total: $40.43