I went to CVS and saved another $8.87 and 4 extra bucks and $4 off a $20 purchase. I think I'm done making the Walgreens/CVS runs for toiletries for a while. DH and I rarely use up toiletries (I just found out that he's been using the same bottle of shampoo for like 5 years!) so getting too many is just a waste.

I also agreed to fill out what we watch with Neilson and got $30 cash from it! I was expecting a check or somethingonce I sent it back completed, but they sent cash now.

New additions: $ 38.87
Previous total: $ 218.71
Total, since 4/15: $ 257.58

Well a week-and-a-half ago, I went to CVS and saved a bunch of money combining coupons and using Extra Bucks. I was really excited about that and how much I could save. So today I decided to try out Walgreens and their rebate program.

After everything was done I spent a total of $36.08. I had $35.61 worth of coupons/savings which I’ll add to the challenge. I’ll be getting another $16.46 ($18.10 on gift card) back from the rebate, but I’ll add that when I get it. Today I got nearly $70 worth of stuff for less than $20! I could have saved (and spent) more, but I decided to only get items that we really use on a frequent basis. Like they had mouthwash on sale (and I had a coupon), but we already have a bottle and it’s lasted us forever since we never really use it.

Despite the wonderful savings, I’m sort of kicking myself because I could have saved another $3. The Walgreens add had a razor for sale with a coupon in the EasySaver catalog. Well I didn’t realize that it was an actual coupon that I needed, and not just an automatic thing like at CVS. It wasn't until I was figuring out how to send in the rebates that I realized I hadn't used the actual coupon. But I still used a manufacturer coupon so all was not lost. I just figure it was a $3 lesson on how to save money and I won’t ever make that mistake again. Besides, I’m still doing a lot better than I would have been doing.

I also got a check $5 from pinecone.

New additions: $40.61
Previous total: $178.10
Total, since 4/15: $ 218.71

DH is in the Navy, so he has the standard buzzed head. I often cut his hair myself, but every once in a while he'll get it cut by a professional. Well I cut it last night and I said something like, "well we saved $5." Well apparently I was wrong and it costs $8 to get it on base and about $10 in-town!! Holy cow, apparently I should be cutting boys' hair! So I'm adding that $8 to the challenge and never letting someone else cut it again!

We went grocery shopping today and had about $40 left in our budget. Using coupons we saved $3.10 and only spent about $30!

New additions: $11.10
Previous total: $167
Total, since 4/15: $ 178.10

I was feeling a little intimidated at first, but in less than 2 weeks I've managed to save $178!! Amazing.

I'm also excited because DH and I finally looked into Roth IRA's. We're planning on opening them AND maxing out our 2007 contributions next month!! More on this to come.

This may seem weird to some of you, but the fact that my husband gets paid on the 15th and 30th really messes with the budget. Our budgeting software (Money) tracks the money from the 1st to the 30th…as one would imagine. However, because of this it looks like we have a negative balance for most of the month. Then on the last day of the month we get paid and interest is credited and *whoosh* we have a positive balance (ideally…there were times when that didn’t happen).

It just makes keeping track of where we are and where we should be more difficult. It also creates a different sentiment. When I look at our budget I see, “oh, we’re only $900 in the hole this month” instead of “yay, we are saving an additional $200 this month.” Not a good feeling or motivator. You wouldn’t think that one day would make a difference, but it does. I also want my budget to match our actual accounts, so pretending he got paid on the first would probably be an even bigger hassle.

We put most everything we can on credit cards, and pay it off each month, so we don’t have to worry if we actually have the money in our checking account at the time or not, especially since we have bills due throughout the month.

Anyhow, I’ll make due. It really just involves an added step of subtraction, but it’s still a hassle.
Thanks for letting me rant.

I got $15 from tutoring.

Last night we went out with friends and the bartendter/waitress gave me a mistake beer ($3) and gave us our appetizers ($6)for free!

New additions: $24
Previous total: $143
Total, since 4/15: $167

*I went shopping at CVS and through coupons and extra bucks I saved $18! Plus DH and I got a lot of the toiletries that we've been needing.

*Got a check from Pinecone for $5.

*We also got our rebate from setting up our new phone and DSL, so that's another $100!


Previous total: $20
New additions: $123
New total: $143

It is so encouraging and interesting to see everyone else's $20 challenge grow and grow. So I've decided to start it myself. I think it will be exciting to see it grow...at least I hope it will grow!

I am very tempted to cheat and add the $10 that I've already deposited from Pinecone, but since that was a while ago I'm not going to. I'm forcing myself to start at the beginning as it will make the ending that much more meaningful.

I am in awe of the others here who already have hundreds and thousands in their $20 challenge. It's also a little intimidating, but I just have to remember that many started in January and me saving anything is better than saving nothing!

With that said:
$20 Challenge total: April 15: $20

I am applying to pharmacy school this year and I got my first acceptance letter!! Yay!

Now comes the hard part. That school wants a $750 non-refundable deposit to hold my spot. Normally this wouldn't be a problem but I have no idea if I'm going to be able to go to their school.

My husband is in the Navy and there are currently 4 places (all corners of the US) that he could be stationed. We won't know which one it will be for a couple of months. On top of that he'd be stationed in Maine and the school is in New Hampshire so we wouldn't be able to live together anyway...but we'd be 1-2 hours away.

I'm leaning towards just paying the deposit as a safety net, cause I'd hate to end up in Maine and not going to pharmacy school. (I will be receiving $10K from my father's life insurance policy that I'm putting toward school, so the actual amount of the deposit isn't much of a problem).

My acceptance to this school does bode well for my acceptance to the Florida school. That is really our first choice, for him to get stationed here in Florida and me go to school here. This would mean no moving (yay) and we get to actually live together (double yay)!! Now we just hope that the Navy and the pharmacy school gods all agree that we stay here in Florida.