Money Saving Challenge - The Past Week

Since I have some free time tonight, I thought I would post. In our quest to pay as much cash as possible to build our brand new home in New York, I have been doing as many things as possible this past week in order to save money and reach our goal.


- We received our Home Owners Insurance Policy in the mail which is due in a couple of weeks. We spent the time to research quotes. We are changing companies and will save $80. this policy year.


- We received our $185.20 electric bill for the past month in the mail. Even though it was $17.+ higher than this time last year, I was happy with it. It was 2 degrees warmer on an average day than last year and we used 70 less KWH. All of the $17. is nothing but a rate increase since last year. So all of those big and little things that we do that I have blogged about have paid off.

- Deposited $ 154. in rebates into our home savings account today.

- Received a postcard coupon for a free meal at Pei Wei for their new Japanese Chile Beef Ramen.

- We donated over 100 hardcover books to the Salvation Army.

- Sold 5 Hardcover Books to Cash4Books.net and will get a check from them soon. I love doing business with them because they pay the postage to mail the books to them.


- I continue to do my points programs and SwagBucks.

- Cooking outside on the patio table using the crockpot and Nesco Roaster as much as possible and also grilling a lot of filet mignon that we had stockpiled.

- Saved $10. with a coupon on something we had to buy.

-We continue to eat from the stockpile. DH is happy to see all the meat in the freezer getting used.

- The built in cleaning system on our pool wasn't working. DH took it apart and found that a part had broken. Rather than pay labor for someone to come and fix it, DH ordered the parts and will fix it himself. The cleaning system has a 10 year warranty so we saved the $90. cost for these parts.

- While I was running errands last week, I stopped at the cheap gasoline station and filled up for $2.56 a gallon.

- I snagged $60. in CVS giftcards getting 2 prescriptions and the manufacturer of one of the drugs ate $20. of the 30. co-pay. Make sure when you are getting your prescriptions that you check here first:

http://www.internetdrugcoupons.com/


- When we need milk, eggs or orange juice, I purchase it with CVS ECB's or giftcards.

- I have baked bread, cookies and muffins from scratch.

- Snacks have been air popped popcorn, sunflower seeds and rice cakes.

- We have researched every option on the new home that we are building so that we make sure to get everything that we want.

- I continue to research the area that we will be moving to so that I know where everything is.

- We continue to watch our electricity and water usage so as to not waste precious resources and the money they cost.

- I had my hair trimmed last week and used a 25% off coupon from the Entertainment Book to defray the cost. I decided to color my own hair at home using a Free Nice N Easy Haircolor Kit. I had not done this in a long time and was surprised at how easy it was. Now I have my light brown hair color back.

- I gave myself a manicure using almost free nail polish that I have stockpiled.

- For exercise, I have been using the recumbent bike and swimming in the pool daily.

- I have been picking up free movies at Blockbuster so that DH and I have date night at home. I have coupons right now for 6 free movies. Nothing better than seeing a movie and popping some popcorn and making ice tea in the privacy of our own home.

- We are making decisions on what we will sell at a garage sale and what we will sell through Terry's Consign and Design. A great deal of furniture will not be going with us since styles are so different in New York.

- I am on the advisory board for a major clothing manufacturer and received a $ 10. gift certificate from them last week.

- Last Christmas one of the gifts that I got from my son and DIL was a Coldstone Creamery Giftcard. Every time that I tried to use it, their machines had trouble reading it. The store people tell me this happens all the time. Up until last week, when I tried to use it, they have tried twice and it has gone through. Last week, before I went I checked the balance online so I knew I had $ 8.96 left on it. I tried to buy some containers of ice cream to use it up and it wouldn't work. The cashier tried a second time and tells me that it is registering a $ .00 balance. I told him that could not be right and he basically said too bad. I was really annoyed this time. So I came home and called corporate. The manager of the store I frequent called me and I explained how much trouble I have had. He said the cards that you buy online from corporate are terrible. They rarely work. He had them issue me a new card with $15. on it. I told him I hope it works. He said if it doesn't to talk with him and he will make good on it. In my estimation, my time was worth nuch more than the extra $6.00 they are giving me. I will be telling my son not to buy one from them again. I really appreciate his thoughtfulness, but these cards aren't worth the aggravation.

Please leave a comment and let us know what you have been doing to save money.