Is now $319.75. Since the last update, I added coupon savings (for items I would buy anyway-such as my suave shampoo that was free after the coupon), an ebay sale and winnings from writing.

Well, sears was supposed to issue me a CREDIT on my CREDIT CARD for when they overcharged me on a repair visit. They even went as far as to tell me to subtract the amount off my next payment, (which I did not do).

I never got the credit.

But, in todays mail I got a check for $26.06. They actually owed me $29.60.

But, at least I got something (5 phone calls and 3 letters and an email later).

I will put it in my challange money, so $245.15 + 26.06. Also saved 6.25 in coupons (which I am counting, because I used part of the $20 to start with to buy the paper to get the coupons...) I gave them the coupons last, after I paid, so I got the cash back. I will deposit it with my check from Sears.

$277.46 new challange total.

I won $25 in a writing contest and that gives me $25 more to put into the $20 challange. Thus my total to date for the new year is $245.15. I have this money actually sitting in a savings account. It is not earning much interest, but once it gets up there a little more, I will transfer all but $200 of it to my money market that is earning 5.7%.

I want to leave a $200 balance in this savings so that the account will have no fees (saving $1 a month if under $200). I could put it all into my money market, but this little savings account does 2 things for me.

#1, it acts as an overdraft for my checking account. I have it set up so that if it is used for overdraft, the money is put back into the savings at the next deposit. This is free my my type of account, and I would rather have this set up than bounced check fees. Last I remember reading the bank was charging $30 per bounce check, in addition to a $27 fee for each day your checking account is in the negative. I don't write big checks (those come from DH account) so $200 if more than enough.

#2. This account I can access by my ATM card, or at the bank which is just down the road 8 miles. It is easy access should we have an emerg or need to leave town when the banks are closed. My money market account is more complicated to get money from. I can write a check from it, but checks can only be drawn on that account if they are written over $250.

So, bottom line, I have easy access to a small amount of money, but have to think twice before getting to the larger amount that earns more interest. DH uses his credit union which is actually located at his worksite, and only open 9-4 M-F. So, this system works well for us.

I do wish I could find more places online to submit writing for pay to. Any good ones that you all want to share??

2008 Challange money total 245.15

Instead of rolling my change, I called the bank. They run it through their change counter for free. So, I did that. (My old bank charged 3% to do this, which is odd, because it is the SAME bank, just different branch i this town), and I have the same accounts I always have, I just added DH to them....

Anyway, I have that to add to my $20 challange. My change is from several sources--mainly from cleaning out the cars, the pop machine we own proceeds, found on the ground money, and to break the girls of talking sassy, they now pay me a quarter when they talk back (broke that habbit real quick!) or if they get caught leaving lights on when we aren't home. I also got some money from the consignment store earlier this week.

I am also counting my money saved from using coupons. So far this year, I have invested $5 in newspapers to get the coupons, and have saved $30.


I took all my money to the bank awhile ago and it is now in a savings account. (I already had the savings account, but moved what was in it back to my checking so I could keep this money seperate). So, I now have $220.15 total, sitting in the bank.

I don't plan on spending this money on anything, unless I see something I can buy to turn into even more money. Although, I may change it into our money market account later on to get more interest.

I am going to start it with $10 roll of quarters I found in my vehicle while cleaning it out to get ready to sell it. I think these are left from a 2003 vacation. I had 4 rolls for the toll road, payphones (was in an area where there was no cell coverage) and laundrymats.

Tonight if I have time, I am going to roll change. DH has a pop machine at work and brought home the change from it. For about a $25 investment in soda, he can get back $50.


Total $10

Just got an email that a book sold on half.com. So, more money to my challenge money. The book was only 75 cents, but they paid $3.10 for shipping. Usually the shipping is over, so I may actually make a whole dollar. For those of you who don't know, half.com figures the shipping price themselves--based on the seller and buyers zipcodes. Sometimes they are right on, sometimes short, sometimes long.
Had 3 regular lightbulbs burn out today-replaced them with CLF's. I already had most replaced, but not all. 2 of todays were in closets-I didn't replace the closet ones earlier as they are rarely one. The other was in a fixture in a ceiling fan that I honestly thought I had already replaced, as it is used daily.

I wrote an article for thriftyfun.com and won $25. They have already paypaled it to my account. I am adding it to my very meger challange money.

Sold a girls raincoat for $8.89. By the time the fees come out, I will count $8 towards my challenge. So, $105 plus $8, I now have raised $113 thus far this year.

I had a couple things sell on ebay, and some stuff I sold off of craigslist.org. My total is now $105. I went ahead and moved it out of paypal and into my checking account. I paid the water bill with it. Since we had to water stock the last 2 months due to the below freezing temps, it was higher than normal.

One of my ebay sales did a paypal this morning:
old total $27.70
sale 6.60
new total $34.30

Sold a pair of jeans on ebay. So, adding $7.70 (the selling price-postage was extra) to my challenge. That now makes a total of $27.70.

I think I will leave the money in my paypal account as it is earning over 5% interest and will be easier to track that way.

The books I sent off to cash4books still have not arrived. I am not counting any of the money till I get it in hand.
I have another ebay auction ending later today that has a bid on it already.

I sub taught today. Can I add that to my challenge? I had to pay to get the job, passed the break even point, and have come out ahead (will be ahead when I get the check next month). In MO, you have to pay $65 for the fingerprinting and background checks annually. So, the first sub or two that you do, are just to recoup your cost.
So, would that count?