Cheap Cheetah's Savings Adventures

Sorry it has been a while and but I wanted to share this with you. I live in New York and there is a Casino in Yonkers that's 30 minutes ways and me and my partner went to day to see the place. We set a budget of $100.00 for each of us to spend. We came back with our $100.00 plus an extra $500.00 that would go toward the $20.00 challenge. Gambling sometimes pay off. only sometimes.

Last Balance $42.40
Addition $500.00
New Addition $542.00

Won $10.00 on scratch off will be added to $20 challenge

$25.00 old balance
10.00 Scratch Off
$35.00 new total

Now it's time to start the new year off right, I put my $20.00 aside for this challenge to start. Listed some book I had around the house on half price and I sold a book for $5.00 this is added
start
$20.00
$5 (book sold)
Total $25.00

Note; To all my ebayers out there the ebay fees for 2007 are going up to .40 cents instead of .35 cents.Just wanted to let you know.

Went to the gym yesterday and I found my first .25 cents and walking home I found .10 cents so for the new year I start my street change with

.35 cents

The last day of 2006 and I am really ready for 2007. My goals is to lose 50lbs and to put some major money into my retirement, vacation, and debt acct. I owe my mother 65,0000. over the course of 10 years and I have to make her first $7,000 payment today. Thank God I saved for that and that was hard to do but I did it. And the $20 challenge for me starts today. I wish everybody a happy and safe new year. Also this year I am starting to count all the money that we spend on eating out and food shopping. We spent $800.00 in a 2 month period. That's to much for 2 people. I will do better this year! Oh well happy 2007!

I never used coupons that much because I never seemed to get any good coupons to use. But effective christmas eve I will be using couponds when I can get them for the tings that I use and I will be putting the money away toward my $20 challenge that I will also start today.Reason for the renewed coupon interest is because My co-worker gave me a cute coupon holder for christmas that I want to use and to save money of course.
I rolled coins last night total $85.00 this goes toward $20.00 challenge and vaction.
I made sure to buy some dolls and race cars and give to toy for tots I do this every year. The feeling is priceless.

Just want to say To all Have A Happy And Safe Holiday!

The holidays are here and I am rushing them away. I can't wait for 2007 so that I can really focus on my goals of losing weight before my July cruse, Getting a tenant into the other house that we have, we are in the process of fixing it up to rent out. And Looking more into puting money away for retirement. That part is scary to me.
good news my boss at work stated that she is taking us out for to lunch christmas and she paying Yea!
Nothing to much on the saving front. Just trying to get the bill payed for the month. Even thought I have an so called extra check(I get payed bi weekly) this month can you believe that it's spent already on bills.
Hope everybody have a safe and blessed holiday.

Just got a notice about my property tax bill it will be going up a extra $120.00 for the year 2007. I remember when I used to pay $350.00 every quarter now I am paying over $600.00 every quarter forthe same piece of property tax. Things keep going up and My salary never catches up to the bills.
I will be glad when January get her then I can start looking for a part-time job to help me with these bills.
This month so far saving has been zero and spending has been excessive with eating out more then we need but to. This will all be cut on in 2 weeks we are going to be doing a lot of belt tighting in the new year.

Thanksgiving was wet, cold and we stayed in and cooked,slept, and watched T.V a good day.

Friday we went to a guy who was selling barbies bought $200.00 worth( I collect barbies) But these are good for resale. they are old and mint in box. Yea Barbie!

Saturday Got a free scratch off won $40.00 which will go toward $20.00 challenge.

Sunday. Cleaned the basement and listed things on ebay for the christmas season.

Overall saved a little spent a lot but I am looking forward to Dec 1th to really start my saving plan.

Happy Thanskgiving to all. Now Tues was as follows, My partner is retired and works parttime on computers at a school, Another job came in for in to work at a different school on computers so he will be working 2 days at one school and 2 days at another Yea. This spells extra money for our trips. Me I took advantage of ebay's 20 cent sale and listed a whole lot of things for the holidays. I won $4.00 in scratch off tickets. So yea again Tuesday was a very good day for making money. My spending has been out of control with thanksgiving and buying extra food items and eating out we spend into uptil now about $200.00. But staring tomarrow things will be different.

This was a suprise to me, Yesterday was payday, My co worker was saying how her paycheck was low and asked me to look at it to see why. When I looked at all her deduction from her check. Money was being deducted from her check in the amt of $150.00 every 2 weeks form her credit card company's collections dept. Because she owes them $4000. it was 2000.00 but with interest and late payments it turned into 4000. I was so made at her and shocked at the same time. We make little as is for people living in New York and for her to go and let someone take her money for her stupid purchases that was probably not need. she could have taken that $150.00 and put it in saving for her kids or something that would benefit her in the long run. I tried to explain to her what was going on with her paycheck and her answer to me was "that's part of life being in debt and I said "yea ok" and walked away.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, My office mates today were talking about having a x-mas party. They decided to have the party at the Olive Garden in Manhattan and they stated that they wanted $10.00 each from each person in the group gift for the manager's gift. she's nice but... $10.00 is kinda expensive for my right now. oh well guess I have to skip something else to make up for.
As far as Thanksgiving I am going to Pathmark food shopping they have the 10 items for $10 sale. Me and my mate are doing this holiday very quite a small dinner for two and some videos that we get from the library. That's all for us.
With the holidays here so is the spending.

Just wanted to share a interesting event yesterday. Yesterday I went to an estate sale. The man that was having the sale was giving everything in the house away for free. He said he just wanted to get rid of it. There was a fair amount of people inside not to much stuff was in the house. But I came away with a nice boiling pot in white, camera, tape recorder all free. I love when you get free stuff don't you.

I am losing the $20.00 challenge, I am putting my energy else where. I will start fresh on Dec 1, 2006. My goal is to get to $1000.00 by Dec 1 2007

I seem to alway find coins in parking lot, So far I have found 8 cents last week
change total = .41

Beside the weather being nice, We had a great sunday selling at the Flea market.Yesterday we said we were just going to try to make the rent and the inventory which we did to day was our profit and yea we made over $200.00! And I met a guy that said he would sell me some old barbies from his daughters who are now grown up and do not want them once he gets them out of the Basment. Did I mention I love barbie olds ones at that. And I am proud of myself I did not spend one dime at the flea market. We brought our own food and drink. So all day I spent basking in the sun and making money.
We still have a long way to go for our bills and vaction to be paid off.But by doing flea markets for the holidays hope that put some extra in our pockets. Thanks to all for all the great support that you give that is why I love this place. There are always great people here.

This is the weekend that me and my partner do a weekend flea market. We do this event every year. Today was a good day we made over $150.00. Which will go toward growing our flea market business and bills. We hope Sunday will be a little higher.
On another note I failed at just taking $40.00 weekly to work with me this week. But I am going to try again until I get it right. I spent about $25.00 over what I was suppose to this week. But over all this has been a very good money week for me With found money and unexpected money comming my way.

Yea! For November so far . Just got an unexpected check from the city for a tax progam that I have with my home mortage. The governer gave us a $57.00 refund. Yes I love unexpected and found money don't you. This will go toward my Alaska Cruse Next year.

Me and my partner was going to takes somethings to the flea market to sell today. We both looked forward to earning some extra money for the holidays and for the bills. But The wind was kicking at about 30-40 mph. It was just to windy to sell outside. This flea market was outside. We went to the flea market that we were going to sell at to see who was there and we found out that if we would have set up selling there it would have been free instead of the normal $35.00 because not to many vendors was there or customers for that matter. Oh well we have another flea market event comming up for this weekend. Hope that we can do that one weather permitting.

I never really realized that food is expensive. Gone are the days That I could get a bag of groceries for under $20.00. What really made me start to truly track my food expense is that today me and my partner went to pick up a few things at the supermarket( Pathmark) and we came out of there having spent $90.00 for a few bags of things. We stuck to the items that were on sale for 10 for $10.00. Which comes out to $1.00 each.We also bought some cold cuts, fish and some other meats all on sale. beause of this expense that from now on I am going to track how much we spend on food and eating out and how many times we go. Our goal is to cut our food bill for 2 people to less then $100.00 a month. I know that we spend more then that now.
On the good news tip we returned soda bottle and got $1.50 back YA!

Total
Spent Food $90.00

Saving
Returned Bottles $1.50

We must do better!

Ebay had a 20 cent sale yesterday and I listed so much my hand and eyes hurt.Hopefully I will be getting some sales to add to my $20 challenge. So far it's been dead when it comes to making money. My goal for the end of the year is to make a $100.00 so that way I can start the new year 2007 fresh.

My union was giving a retirement seminar for it's members over the course of 3 nights. I went to the first class last nigth. It was an eye opener for me and informative. They told us about the benefits that we will recieve when we retire, They told us about wills and estate planning, and investments that they have for their members. I was the yongest one in the room as far as years of service that I have with the city. I have 12 and I thought that was a lot. But I have met people who have 25-45 years of service. They called me the youngester in the group. (smile) I learned a lot and I am glad that I went. I wanted to stop working in 3 years but I don't think I can because I will not be cover for my medical if I leave before retirement. But I did realize that I have to save a Lot Harder for retirement Then what I am doing now.
Total
Larning alot from seminar priceless.

Ok I cheat when it comes to gambling sometimes, But I sometimes get coupons from Lotto, and the coupons are buy one get one free. So when I buy a lotto ticket or scratch off I get 2 for $1.00 which comes out to 50c a piece. I got the coupons recently. And since I give my mother and Aunt scratch off as part of their chrismas gift. What I am going to do this year is use my coupons so that I can get 6 scratchs for $3.00 instead of $6.00. That's 3 dollar saving for me. Hey might as well use them. Or they will go to waste right.

Total
Saving $3.00

I just found out yesterday that the city will put an extra $300 in your 401k plan if you have one with them. This is the first time that the city has ever given it's workers anything in their 401k. Since they do not matching funds. The extra $300.00 will be put in starting 2007 and every year after that they will put in $300.00. Yea that's an extra tax free $300 toward my retirement. I like that!

Hi all I had a great weekend for ebay. I went to some garage sales and I found some vintage barbie items and dolls that are going right on ebay this weekend. My partner found some Ho trains and buildings, and some plastic water guns from the 50's. We spend under $20.00 for a box full of things. YES!!!. I hope with the buying seasons here that we do well on ebay

Totals
Starting amt $27.00
Bought Items $15.00
Have Left $12.00

Saturday and the day started cold and nasty. BUT..... It ended up being a good day. Why becuase I went to some good garage sales today with my $15.00 from the $20.00 challenge. And I said to myself that I will not do any christmas shopping. I stop buying gift for people about 4 years. But I came across some nice things at the garage sales yesterday in total I spent on gifts $5.00 and I got a nice set of cross pens , a candy dish a leather belt set,and a glass candle holder set all new and in their boxs. See that is why I love garage sales. You can find some great stuff even in New York sometimes? I also find some intresting things that I can list on ebay and half price so that I can recoup my $5.00 back for the xmas gifts.
Has anybody put themselves on an allowance for the week and failed? I am trying to put myself on an allowance of $40.00 for the week which $20.00 of that is transportation. and I have $20.00 left to do as a please. Well every week that I try and do this I fail. I always spend $5-10 dollars more then I am suppose to. Has anyone else had problems staying on a weekly allowance like me?
Also wanted to say thanks to all for sharing their stories and information with me. Thanks again

Totals
Garage sales $ 7.00
Food Out(lunch) 6.00
Total $13.00

Savings Total 0

When I switched to a new home owners insurance company. I informed my mortage company which they pay out of my escrow account. I sent all the information to the morage company so that they can pay the new insurance company. But because I switched to a new insurance company in the middle of the year. I have to pay the $225.00 that was owed for year 2006 and the mortage company stated that they will start paying the bill in 2007. When the new insurance cycles comes due. That's $225.00 out of my pocket. There goes the pay raise that I got. Oh well easy come easy goes.

Spent $225.00
Saving 0

Here's the story I was on a very crowed NY subway comming home from work .We were packed shoulder to shoulder in that subway car and it was hot. I was standing next to a man who had his shoes covering something on the subway floor. He kept looking down at his shoes so I looked to and I saw that he had 2 pennies that he had found on the subway floor. When he got off he bend down scooped them up and walked off the train. Needless to say there goes my 2 cents. And here I thought I was the only one in NYC picking up change. Fat chance! I did get 1 penny from co-worker

total now is .33

It was a beautiful day today and I enjoyed it being off of work and I found 28 cents in the parking lot today.

Last Total .04
Found .28
New Total .32