Hi, everyone.

I am still trying to come up with more ways to spend less on stuff. As you know, I have been paying more attention to stuff I spend money on, like iced tea at convenience stores and such and applying the funds I don't use for that to paying off cc #1. Today, I also discovered that at my work's cafeteria where I sometimes buy lunch and iced tea, they have something called a fountain drink card where you can buy 10 refills (you must bring a refill cup which I already have) ahead of time for $6.00 plus tax or $6.56, which comes out to about 65 cents per refill. Yea. So, I have still been resisting going to convenience stores because that is usually $1.19 to $1.30 per 32 ounce drink depending on which one I go to. But at the work cafeteria, I can use the fountain card and save a lot of money. So, I bought one and have been using it for when I do buy iced tea on work days. Of course, I am also still making tea at work and drinking that much of the time, but sometimes, I want to get out of my office and do something different for a little bit. I am going to figure out the difference between what I was paying and what I am paying now and pay that to cc #1.

Woo-hoo! Spending less money on trinkets, blinkets, and shineys nets you more money to pay on debts and necessities. Sound obvious? Yes, it is, but some of us have to consciously remember WHY we are spending less money on stuff like cups on ice tea from a convenience store so that we can some day be out of debt. I have been consciously thinking about this lately and instead of buying iced tea every day, I have been making my own in a pitcher and drinking that. I also bought a 12 pack of sparkling seltzer water and added lemon juice and stevia for a refreshing, non caffeine beverage. Anyway, I am sending an extra $5.00 to cc #1 just because I have funds to do so due to less spending on stuff.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4722.02

cc #1 extra payment $5.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4727.02

Hi, everyone. I get paid tomorrow. I have already allocated funds for 1/2 of the mortgage and written out checks for a savings deposit, the trash bill, and the water bill.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4552.02

$40.00 Regular Savings Deposit
$5.00 AAA/Car Tax Savings Deposit
$5.00 Escrow Savings Deposit
$23.00 House Savings Deposit
$22.00 Car Savings Deposit
$75.00 cc #1 payment

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4722.02

Hi, everyone. It's a day off, heck two days off, for me, but I still got paid today, so more dollars are going to savings, debt, and retirement. I have already allocated for 1/2 of the mortgage payment and car insurance.

Old 2015 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4392.02

$40.00 Regular Savings Deposit
$20.00 Car Savings Deposit
$20.00 House Savings Deposit
$20.00 AAA/Car Tax Savings Deposit
$20.00 Slush Deposit
$40.00 cc #1 payment

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4552.02

Hi, everyone.

It has been quite a week at my house. Our air conditioner is finally functioning at peak capacity. It turns out the reason why the fan kept running all the time even if we had it turned off is because of two reasons: something called a relay was malfunctioning and a wire was hooked up wrong. Anyway, it's all fixed now. The weather has been rather cool here this last week, so we have not had the A/C on for at least four days. And because we have our new windows, we have had the windows open that entire time. For the last five years, we have not been able to open windows on cooler days because the windows did not open at all.

Also, today the deposit for my rebate from mrrebates came in and went right back out to cc #1. Woo-Hoo! So, here is my updated 52 Week Challenge Balance.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4381.58

mrrebates deposit $10.44

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4392.02

This brings the balance for cc #1 to $4496.78.

Hi, everyone. I got my Pinecone deposit today and my husband got his check, so here is the update to the 52 Week Challenge.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4309.10

Husband's payment to cc #1 $67.48
Pinecone Deposit $5.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4381.58

This brings the cc #1 balance to $4507.22.

I also got an email from mrrebates about my rebate of $10.44 being available. So, when that arrives in the bank account, I will send it to cc #1 also. Woo-Hoo!

Hi, everyone.

I just got a payment of $5.00 from Pinecone. As soon as it clears, I will send it right to cc #1.

My garden is doing well. My kale and lettuce are about 3 inches hall! In another few weeks, they will be ready for picking. Yummy!

I transferred money the other day to make the escrow payment. The transfer finally cleared, so I mailed the check today.

Tomorrow, my husband's check clears and $67.48 of that will go to cc #1.

I will post an updated cc #1 balance tomorrow after both payments clear.

Hi, everyone.

I just got paid today, so more money is going to debt, savings, and retirement.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4114.10

Regular Savings Deposit $40.00
cc #1 payment $75.00
Car Savings Deposit $20.00
House Savings Deposit $20.00
Escrow Savings $10.00
AAA/Car Tax Savings Deposit $10.00
Slush Deposit $20.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4309.10

Hi, everyone. We have been working really hard keeping up with making regular payments with extra principal. We have been keeping up those increased payments even though we refinanced last year, reducing our required payment. We received our most recent statement. Our balance is down to $65,872.65! Woo-Hoo!

I am going to start counting the principal reduction (regular principal + extra) in each payment towards my 52 Week Challenge.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3956.56

Mortgage Principal Reduction $157.54

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4114.10

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3947.56

$9.00 reimbursement from a friend for a purchase

I sent it to cc #1

Current 2015 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3956.56

Hi, everyone.

I got paid yesterday, so more money went to debt, savings, and retirement. Here are my amounts.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance $3820.11

Regular Savings Deposit $40.00
Slush Transfer $20.00
DH's payment to the credit card #1 $67.45

New 52 Week Challenge Balance $3947.56

Also, other recent frugal activities include 1) planting kale, spinach, and arugula for a winter garden, 2) buying clear plastic containers cheap to use as covers for garden when it gets really cold this winter. I plan to plant some lettuce tomorrow. This winter garden will contribute significantly to my being able to eat organic veggies this winter without breaking the bank.

Hi, everyone. I occasionally order things online and access most vendors I deal with for that through mrrebates in order to get deals like free shipping and rebates. I cashed in my rebates today and so will get $10.44 on October. As soon as it clears, I will send it right to the credit card and update my 52 Week Challenge Balance.

Hi, everyone. More progress to report on the 52 Week Challenge here. I just got a Pinecone deposit in the amount of $5.00, so I sent it directly to cc #1. Woo-Hoo!

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3695.11

Pinecone deposit $5.00

Current 2015 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3700.11

Hi, everyone. Several days ago I got a $25.00 Toluna suurvey check in the mail. I deposited it and as soon as it cleared, I sent it to cc #1. Woo-Hoo! This feels great.

I should be able to cash in at mrrebates before the month is over. That will be about $10.00.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3670.11

cc #1 payment $25.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3695.11

Hey, everyone. I just got the latest mortgage statement. I am almost under $66,000. Woo-hoo!

Hi, everyone. I get paid again tomorrow, so more money will be going to debt, savings, and retirement.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3570.11

Regular Savings Deposit $40.00
Car Savings Deposit $20.00
House Savings Deposit $20.00
Car Tax/AAA Savings $20.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3670.11

I plan to also pay $100.00 to cc #1 tomorrow.

Hi, everybody. Well, it seems I have only about $243.00 left of the reimbursement and my husband and I have chosen to use it for both of us to go see a new doctor in town.

Tomorrow, I get paid and so here is my update of the 52 Week Challenge. As always, more money is going to debt, savings, and retirement.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3392.66

Car Savings $20.00
House Savings $20.00
Regular Savings $40.00
Slush Deposit $20.00
cc #1 payment $77.45

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3570.11

Hi, everyone. In the mail today, I got something I had actually forgotten all about, a rebate check for Dickinson's astringent for $4.99. I have already deposited it and authorized payment to cc #1. This brings my 52 Week Challenge Balance to $3302.66. Woo-Hoo!

And now for something to give you a giggle, especially if you are a Star Trek fan. This shot came from an original Star Trek series episode called "The Trouble with Tribbles" that aired in 1967.

Hi, everyone. I got a survey deposit from Pinecone. I will pay it directly to cc #1.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3382.67

Pinecone Survey Deposit $5.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3387.67

Okay. I have been disbursing more of my reimbursement money, so at the bottom is an update of everything I have done so far.

Specifically what's changed is:

$50.00 cc #1 payment

$50.00 another $50 on trip out of town next week

$100.00 slush money redirected towards door bell installation

$82.63 from the other things I have not thought of category (money I spent purchasing a doorbell, transformer, and doorbell button at Home Depot)

Total done yesterday and today is $282.63 .



1118 REGULAR REIMBURSEMENT FUNDS
-50 part of trip out of town (DONE!!!)
-60 house savings (1/2 DONE!!)
-60 car savings (1/2 DONE!!)
-100 regular savings
-200 yard light/doorbell installation allocation (DONE!!!)
-100 cc #1 (DONE!!!)
-75 escrow (-20 TOWARDS THIS SO FAR!!)
-40 fun money
-100 extra slush (redirected towards yard light/doorbell) (DONE!!!)
-283 other that I have not thought of ($82.63 of this spent on buying new door bell at Home Depot)
0


This brings my 52 Week Challenge Balance up a little bit to $3382.67.

So, if you recall in my last financial post, I still had $58.00 of my $500.00 reimbursement left. Well, today I sent that to cc #1.

Also, I finally got the second part of my reimbursement in that amount of $1118.62. I have already sent $80.00 total to house, car, and escrow savings. I have also allocated $200.00 for the yard light and doorbell replacement.

$1118.62
-50 1/2 of trip to fayetteville
-60 house savings (1/2 DONE!!)
-60 car savings (1/2 DONE!!)
-100 regular savings
-200 yard light/doorbell (DONE!!!)
-100 cc #1
-75 escrow ($20 TOWARDS THIS SO FAR!!)
-40 fun money
-100 extra slush
-283 other that I have not thought of
0

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $2885.25

$80.00 Savings Deposits
$58.00 cc #1 payment
$200.00 set aside for home repairs/maintenance

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3223.25

Hi, everyone. So far, I have only received $500.00 of my total conference reimbursement (it comes from 2 different places). I had a lower balance on cc #2 that what I thought, so I have adjusted my original plan as follows.

$500.00 Total Reimbursement Part 1

$192.00 cc #2 payment (the balance is now $0!)
$ 50.00 cc #1 payment
$100.00 yard light allocation
$100.00 trip out of town at end of month allocation

So, with all of that, here is the update to my 52 Week Challenge Balance:

Prior Balance: $2443.25

Payments and Set Asides: $442.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $2885.25


I still have $58.00 left out of the $500.00 after all that. I think I may put it on cc #1 because it really needs to be paid down.

This is me right now. I'm so excited!! And this is only the beginning. I have about $1100.00 coming probably tomorrow to spend on debt, savings, etc.

Click on this video of the Pointer Sisters to see just how excited I am to pay off debt and allocate funds for things that I really need.

https://youtu.be/YwKRM_835uk

Hi, everyone. The first part of my conference reimbursement just came by mail today. Here is my plan for how to spend it. I have already paid all but about $300.00 of the costs from the conference trip charged to cc #2 with funds I already had saved over the last year from regular deposits, survey payments, etc., so after paying off the $300.00, the rest is gravy. One of the things I want to do is set aside some funds to replace our yard light which is currently using a mercury light and lots of kilowatts, making our electric bills higher unnecessarily.

$500 Total Reimbursement

-$100 1/2 of funds for out of trip at the end of the month

-$300 cc #2 payment

-$100 yard light allocation

0

Hi, everyone. I got paid again today, so more money went to credit card debt, savings, and retirement.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $2343.25

Regular Savings Deposit $40.00
cc #1 payment $40.00
slush $20.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $2443.25

I will put more money into slush and credit card tomorrow.

Hey, everyone. My mortgage is down to $66,187.11. Woo-hoo! We have been paying the amount that we would have to pay if it were a late payment for about 4 years now and it has made a real difference in the balance. Some day, I would like to increase it, but this is management and affordable now.

I should be getting my conference reimbursement (a total of over $1600!) in the next few days and will disburse it when I get it. I have paid all but about $200 of the total trip cost on cc #2 out of money that I set aside through survey checks, rebates, and regular savings deposits. That money is a separate account than regular savings so that I don't affect other savings needs.

Well, this month is a three paycheck month for me, so Yay! I have a little extra money and the only thing I have to buy for the next is groceries. So, I sent an extra $60.00 to cc#1. I also put $80.00 into slush.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $2203.25

cc #1 $60.00
Slush deposit $80.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $2343.25

Hi, everyone. Well, today was payday (I am usually paid on Fridays, but tomorrow is a holiday), so more money went to savings, debt, and retirement. Also, last Wednesday, I left on my conference trip and returned on Tuesday night. After returning, I also claimed my travel rewards on cc #2 which I used for the trip. After claiming the travel reward, I emptied out my professional account, as shown on the left to pay most of the rest of the bill. That amount covers almost everything, including what I spent on fun stuff, food, hotel, airfare, subway fare, and my share of the rental car. I will also get a reimbursement check from my employer. I am not sure of the amount yet, but in general, I plan to pay off a large amount on cc #1, put money into regular savings and house savings, and also have a outside yard light replaced with something more energy efficient. That is as specific as I can get until I know the exact amount. It may seem counter-intuitive to save my own money to pay off the purchase when I know I will get reimbursed for some of it, but the truth is the amount I get back is only guaranteed up to $500 per year for out of state travel, so I have to save some of my own money also.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $2095.25

Regular Savings Deposit: $40.00
House Savings Deposit: $20.00
Car Savings Deposit: $20.00
Travel rewards from going on conference trip $28.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $2203.25

I am not counting the amount I paid out of the professional savings to cc #2 in the challenge because I already counted it. However, I will count the reimbursement once I receive it.

One more cool thing that happened recently was on the day I was returning from my conference, my husband who stayed home was supervising the installation of 3 new windows in our home.

Hello, everyone. I needed to buy some T.N. Dickinson's astringent pads for my face today. There was peelie attached that I thought maybe was a coupon, but it's actually a rebate for the full price of the item. Woo-hoo!

http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/t.n.-dickinson%27s-hazelets...

So, if you use this product, look for the peelie to get your rebate! This will be $4.99 back for me. According to a comment I saw online, it should take around 4 1/2 weeks to get it. I will apply it to the credit card when I get it. I like this free stuff that keeps coming my way.

I also bought a used bathing suit at the humane society store today for $2.00. Yesterday, at another thrift store, I bought 2 pairs of khahi type slacks and 2 shirts for a little over $2.00 because it was on winter clearance! I badly needed some stuff like this, so this was a boon to me. I don't know why it was on winter clearance, because you can wear khakis pretty much year round, but I am not going to refuse it. That's for sure.

Hi, everyone. I just cashed in 75,000 Toluna survey points for a $25 check. It could take up to 8 weeks to get it. Ugh, but it's something. It will go directly to the credit card bill unless I have some other bill needing to be paid when I get it.

Over the holiday weekend, I took 2 Pinecone surveys. Today, I got the email that said points had been awarded in my Pinecone account. I previously had a 100 point balance and after the email, had a 1100 point balance. I quickly cashed in 1000 points for $10.00 paypal. I will get it in a few days and apply it directly to the credit card. My husband will get his check on Monday and $37.48 of it will also go to the credit card. And I will also get my mrrebates deposit of about $10.00. I am just swimming in it. How do I keep bringing it in?