SOMEONE IS MAKING A PENNY



CashHappySon gave me two cents to go in the $20 Challenge Fund! Didn't I tell you he loves to get rid of the money in his pocket?? ...it's like he is money repellent. Okay, I'll do it. I'll be his money magnet. Pick me - pick me!!!

He GETS money all the time, but he won't hang on to it! Oh well, I WILL!!

"Ever notice how it's a penny for your thoughts, yet you put in your two-cents? Someone is making a penny on the deal!" ~Steven Wright

$20 CHALLENGE
26.86 balance
+0.02 repelled
_____
26.88 Sept MTD

41 Hut Hut HUUUUTTTTTT



Yesterday evening CashHappySon donated 41 cents to keep Piggy fat and sassy! This is money for the $20 Challenge. Ahhh, yes, stretching the ol' pigskin!!

$20 CHALLENGE
26.45 balance
+0.41 HUT
_____
26.86 Sept MTD

Squirreling It Away - NASDAQ Going Down



Making a clean sweep of the wallet and there was 1.93 in the change pocket, so I'm squirreling away the .93 into Piggy for the $20 Challenge.

The $1.00's worth of quarters stays just in case I ever need to make a phone call from a pay phone....well, I haven't needed to do that for about ten years, BUT "you just never know", my Mamma always said!

$20 CHALLENGE
25.52 balance forward
+0.93 squirrely Shirley wallet sweep
_____
26.45 Sept MTD

I don't think I'm going to bring down NASDAQ just yet, but like Mamma said..."You just never KNOW!"

"Nasdaq suffered a black-eye when an errant squirrel caused it to shut down for the third time in three weeks. Brokers were furious. It was the second time a squirrel struck; in a now-famous incident in 1987, an unlucky squirrel climbed into the main electric power line in Trumbull, Conn., with a piece of aluminum foil. His demise felled the sensitive equipment in the Nasdaq computer center there." -William Power, The Wall Street Journal Online

PENNY BADUNKADUNK

Welll....this is embarassing, but I'm telling it anyway. Too funny not to tell....Last night I was in the bed, rolled over, reached around to pull up the sheet and found a penny stuck to the rumpus!

Hahahahaa...

how did this get there???

All I can come up with is that it was on the couch from when the husband was sitting there earlier in the day and I was laying there before going to bed.

Maybe it had fallen out of his pocket?

Hilarious! I rolled and The Hubster wanted to know what I was snortling & snorkling about!!! heheheeee

Well, ya'll said I was lucky at finding money...it was dark and I was hoping it was a quarter, but alas, when I turned on the light it was only a penny.

Now, I've taken some measurements and based on my calc-u-mu-lations - the girth x length (omgaudddddddd - when did that thing fall to gravity???) divided by the hip ratio, I oughta be picking up more than a penny back there!!



If I can't laugh at myself who can I laugh at?

So, my friends, if you're looking for MORE money...might I suggest that you look behind you!!



Adding it to the $20 Challenge!

HOOT!

CashHappySon just contributed .36 to Piggy from off of his entertainment center.

$20 CHALLENGE
25.15
+0.01 badunkadunk find
_____
25.16
+0.36 entertaining
_____
25.52 Sept. MTD

Make That A Combo Please!



This week I did save $4.07 all together from my allowance combined and so I divided it.

$2.04 to the $20 Challenge and $2.03 went to the Bank Run yesterday.

$20 CHALLENGE
23.11 balance
+2.04 combo
_____
25.15 MTD


BANK RUN
$5.34 balance
+2.03 9/16
_____
$7.37 MTD

Just you wait, one of these days I'll SUPERSIZE my combo!!

The Penny Tumble

Received in the mail .01 cent in one of those advertising come-ons. Sorry fellows but I won't tumble for a penny! But, uhhhh...thanks anyway! Adding it to the $20.00 Challenge.


$20 CHALLENGE

23.10 balance
+0.01 come-on snubbed
_____
23.11 September balance forward

GRACIAS DOUGHBOY!!



Yesterday's coupon savings added to $20 Challenge in Piggy.

$20 Challenge

11.60 balance forward
11.50 coupon savings
_____
23.10 September MTD

A Big Shout Out to My Corporate Sponsors Pillsbury and Old El Paso (among others I can't recall for the life of me at the moment) for the coupons! Gracias Doughboy!!!

And thanks to all you SavingAdvice.com forumites and blogmasters for inspiring me to get back in the coupon game. Me and my checkbook thank you too!

Oink! Oink! Oink!

Piggy just got fed a quarter by CashHappySon! He's such a good child!


$20 Challenge

11.35 Sept. balance to date
+0.25 found in CHS's pocket
_____
11.60 balance forward

Taking Out The Cash
a/k/a Sweeping Up

People People PEOPLEEEEEEEEEEE...

CashHappySon and FrugalSon both work at fast food central. They bring home money most every night.

From where?

In the TRASH!!!

CashHappySon found $5.76 last night. The five was from a five dollar bill. FrugalSon usually cleans the parking lot and it too is often full of coins.

I've talked to their manager about it - for one fact - neither work the registers so that's not an issue but I wanted to be sure where this moolah was coming from.

Yep, sure enough, people have their ticket and change in their hand when they go to put their trays up and sometimes cash money goes into the can right along with the receipt.

See - Listen to yo'Momma - don't put that money in your mouth, you never know where it's been!

How wasteful and mindless we peeps can be about our money at times!!

Here's hoping that all of you negligent people will shop our store and throw your money where my kiddos will find it!

Why?

Because CashHappySon put the .76 into Piggy for the $20 Challenge.

When you make a deposit please remember, No Checks, Cash Only!

$20 CHALLENGE

10.59 Sept. MTD
+0.76 wasteful burger nut
_____
11.35 balance forward


HiHo HiHo down the mortgage goes!!



Try this link to sweep up your own savings:

Seven Large



(Photo Credit: Coins In A Bottle by Degno DiAnima)

On the $20 Challenge last night FrugalSon gave me 7 cents to add to Piggy! YaaaaBuddy!! I almost fainted over because he so rarely turns loose of a cent, but twas good for him and good for me!! Atta Boy!!

$20 Challenge

10.52 September To Date
+0.07 Seven Large
_____
10.59 balance forward

(Large - isn't that supposed to mean thousands?? Well SOON then!)

Putting In My Two Cents



"Two Cents" photo by Skez


CashHappySon gave me 2 cents to put in Piggy for the September $20 Challenge.

10.50 balance
+0.02 Two Cents
_____
10.52 balance forward

YTD Cummulative Total $32.57

Adding 10 cents I found in the console of the car to my $20 Challenge money!



10.40 balance for September
+0.10 console dime (description: thin)
_____
10.50 balance forward

Just DO IT!!

"THEY" say you can save a lot of money if you just fold it over and put it back in your pocket.

Not me man! I find money in my pocket and I'm gonna spend those suckers.

So to just get the month off to a pleasing start I just took a 10 spot and 40 cents out of my grocery money and put it right on over towards the $20 challenge.



What's challenging about that you ask? As well you should. The Challenge FOR ME is to leave it there all month!

We shall see - my pretties. Perhaps I'm a reformed spender and can really be a member of Keeper's Anonymous. This is a test. I repeat THIS IS A TEST. Only my pride will be hurt if I fail.

Any passing grade I get will go straight to paying off the mortgage!

Stay Tuned. Grade will be posted on 09/30.

What? I'm the teacher's pet? You bet your sweet patooty I am! Isn't she loverly?? I mean, aren't I loverly? Yeah well...Toots keep your stinking paws out of Piggy I don't care how cute yo'Momma thinks you are!! (who would dare to deflower Piggy?

}}}ahem{{{


...well, it's been known to happen - but always in the dark!)

$20 Challenge - September

$00.00 beginning balance
+10.40 Just Do It (grimace, grimace)
______
$10.40 balance forward

Jumbo Jumbo aka The Bologna Wars

Okay who ate the last of the bologna and bread and didn't bother to tell me???? GRRRRRRRRRRR!!! Nor did you write it on the list???

Nothing like a hardworking husband trying to pack a lunch with no bread and no bologna at 6:30 a.m. saying sweetly, "Honey is there any bologna anywhere?".

Of course I was just at the grocery store yesterday picking up stuff for the last of the August birthday dinners and could have picked it up -- so back I trudge.

$.79 Loaf of bread
$.75 bologna on sale
____
1.54
.12 tax
____
1.66

Rounding up the total and writing a check for $2.00, leaving .34 to add to my $20 Challenge and try to catch up with Ima? PRICELESS!

I mean I MUST MUST MUST be compensated for feeling like a goof-ball writing a $2.00 check, can you imagine my chagrin if I'd of had to write one for 1.66. Couldn't be done!

$20 CHALLENGE
20.71 balance
+ .34 spoils of war
_____
21.05 balance forward

And yes, we managed to pack his lunch. Thank the Frugalista blood that runs thru my veins, you'll remember that poor hamsteak that I'd made into portions for 5 meals. Guess who got nice little ham steaks for lunch. Bread? We used the Hamburger Buns that were in the cabinet. Battle won. Now to the wars.

Can you people not see the grocery list on the refrigerator? Is it too much to ask that you PLEAAAAAAAAAAASE write down when you use the last of something?

!!!!!!!PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!

ZIPPITY DO DAW

Well never let it be said that there are no benefits to doing char woman work! I was cleaning out a bottom dresser drawer when I heard a little jingle.

FOUND: 19.66 I had stuck back there in April in a ziplock baggie. Now why? Can't remember!! Probably going to take it to the bank but must of forgotten it before it ever got there! I love when this happens!



Keeper's Anonymous - Thanks Bookie for going first. My name is LuxLivingFrugalis. I'm a keeper too! I stick money back in interesting places. Hard times aren't going to catch me totally unprepared it seems. I am a Keeper! You're a Keeper Too!!

Yes, I do use ziplocks, but you can see that I put them to good use!!

$20 Challenge

$1.00 Balance
.05 from son who found it in his floor
_____
$1.05
19.66 ziplock Charwoman's Reward
_____
20.71 Balance Forward

WOO-LEE-WOO-LE-WOOOOO-HOOOOO!!!!!

So there --- August Challenge met and August $20 Challenge Conquered!!!

26 Aug 2006 -- Ohhhh yeah - I'm adding that .19 from CashHappySon's car repair fiasco the other day to my $20 Challenge money.

.81
.19+
____
1.00 Balance Forward

Advocating for your children really pays - huh? Maybe not in cash, but in the long run he'll learn to stand up for himself. Wish I'd taken a picture of the giant hole that mysteriously appeared in his oil pan.

Find A Penny Pick It Up



26 August 2006 - I found a penny laying upon the carpet in my bedroom. And to think I could of sacrificed it unknowingly to the Vacuum God! EGADS!!

Adding it to the $20 Challenge

.80
+.01
____
.81 Balance Forward


"The things I was pursuing were vanity, and that vacuum—the eternity in my heart—was beginning to rise up to question them." -Some guy in Pennsylvania

Neat entry here about the wisdom of picking them up:

Bring out the guns...

...for a 21 gun salute that is.

Found on the side table up under the edge of the coaster 21 cents. Here we go adding it to the $20 Challenge.

.59
+.21 Ta-da!!!
____
.80 I'm gaining on you Ima Saver!! The cash is piling up over here!

Found under the keyboard to add to my $20 Challenge money.

.34 on hand
+.25
_____
.59 Balance forward

Piggy has been prominently placed and decorated with a sign soliciting donations!



I was thinking of carrying him with me to the grocery store to see if I could hustle some cash from my loving community neighbors, BUT, as he was a gift from my Dadio he's too precious to me to do that with. However, Piggy & I shall put our heads together and come up with something!!

We shall overcome!!

Okay so what do you do with a challenge?

You meet it.

Hi Challenge, nice to meet you.

I've been trying to read everyone's scope on the $20 Challenge. Everyone's seems a bit different and tailored for their own needs.

The decision I've made is to try to come up with an extra $20 or more a month to cut my mortgage principal. Well Hello Challenge!!


Now this is sad...

go ahead....


get a tissue. I'll wait...


Okay, I have exactly .34 cents in my wallet. No, really. Only 34 lincolns to jingle in my pocket. But that's where we're starting today the 23rd. Payday isn't until the first. Nine days from today.

Now I do need groceries, but there is money in the checking for that, but the wallet alas is a sad and lonely creature. Not to worry folks, there is a debit card in here as well, along with a coupon for a free party taco, so you know I'm not gonna starve.



This precious .34 is the beginning. Of course,I most likely won't get to $20 this month being that I'm starting so late, but we're going to mount an effort here!

.34 seed money 08/23