So I dug through pockets, drawers and bottoms of purses. I came up with $27.81 and this will be the start to my 2007 $20 challenge. I am looking forward to it. I'm not setting a goal amount but will put in as much as I can from extra money earned, change saved, and coupons.

I'm going to ask Dh if he would like to join and we'll have a contest to see who can save the most! My bet will be on me...

Good luck to all my fellow challengees!

I'm looking forward to starting this challenge for 2007. Last year I saved $898 between January and May and then started adding in money with Dh and got totally confused and ended up quitting. This year it's going to be mine, all mine!!! Dh is on his own challenge!

I am going to start with whatever change I have lying around, so it may not equal up to $20, but it will be close. I will be adding in whatever I don't spend from my blow money and anything extra (found money, money saved from using coupons etc.). I will not be using gift money or money out of our regular account that, as a family, we didn't spend. Leftover blow money is okay to put in because it's mine anyways!

Let's get this party started!

Ds's kindergarten class had a cookout today with all the kids and their parents. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and had juice, coffee, cookies and watermelon...all free of charge. Best of all, Dh and I picked up a TON of free pre-cut wood that people had brought for the campfires, and then weren't needed because there was way too much. Nobody wanted to take their wood home, and we weren't allowed to leave it there, so we cleared it out! Now we have plenty for our fireplace and our outdoor firepit. Very nice! (one parent handed me the wood that she'd just paid $5 for at the gas station--they have a gas burning fireplace at home and have no use for the wood. I offered her the money, but she declined.)

The money from my savings bond that my Dad cashed in on his trip ended up being $497 US. I'll be exchanging it and I think it's equal to $535 CDN. We would like a large dining room table. Our current one is glass topped and only seats 4. This might be a good use for the money, if I can find one I love.

We are organizing a neighbourhood garage sale for July 8th. I can't wait to make some money and declutter the garage! We are using the money to help fund our summer vacation to West Edmonton Mall and Drumheller...dinosaur bones, here we come!

So my Dad just called from New York, where he's visiting relatives. He's cashed in my savings bond that I was given when I was born and it came to almost $500...once I convert this into Canadian funds it will be closer to $600...no small potatoes for my Challenge. I would like to have a plan for this money. It was given to my by my grandparents, who have both passed away, and I don't want to see it engulfed into the general account and frittered away on who knows what!

The problem (???) is that there isn't anything that I really need or want! I guess for now I'll just hold onto it.

Where do you keep your challenge money? I currently have almost $200, and it's in my drawer in a special red envelope!

My workplace sponsored a motivational day, themed around the "Amazing Race". There were 10 teams of 4, and we had to race through the lower mainland, finding clues, and completing challenges. My team came in last, but I think we had the most fun. There were teams that actually RAN the whole day...we sat and had coffee, enjoyed the views, chatted with people along the way...it was a great day and one of the ones that really makes me appreciate my job!

It was also a no spend day, so I'm adding $1.00 to my challenge money! Dh has agreed to go with the June challenge of not using our credit cards for anything other than the down payment for ds's braces...the $2200 will add up to lots of points for free groceries. I have the $2200 in our EF so it will be paid off at the end of the month, but I want the $22 in free food!

FIL won a roast beef in a meat draw at the club he belongs to and he gave it to us. This is awesome! We have all these guests this weekend,this will be perfect for dinner and I'll have enough left over to make some meals for FIL!

We were passing by a shopping centre yesterday at lunchtime and dh noticed a hot dog stand. We had 4 kids with us, I figured we could all have a hot dog and pop for about $12.00, everyone was hungry, and it would save me having to go home and forage a lunch for everyone. When we walked up to the booth, we find out it's a promotional FREE lunch for one of the stores! Free hot dogs, pop, chips and cake for the 6 of us...and $12.00 added to my challenge money! Yay!

I filled the van up with gasoline and saved $4.50 on my grocery purchase. I also got $2 off Doritos with a coupon, so they were the same price as the chips that I normally buy. Since I wouldn't have bought the Doritos without the coupon, I'm not counting this in my challenge...I'm just reporting.

Total: $154.87

I was buying some jarred fruit at the store yesterday when I realized that the bottom shelf had $1.00 off coupons from the store for the fruit I was looking at. THEN I saw the jars in the back had $1.00 off manufacturers labels! I paid .49 cents a jar instead of $2.49!!! I bought 4, and saved myself $8.00 to go in my challenge envelope.

Toothpaste was 58 cents for the first 6, as opposed to 98 cents so I bought 6 and saved $2.40.

Total: $150.37

I filled up with gasoline and got a grocery store credit of $3.58, so I added that to my challenge.

I'm going to add all the change in my change jar for this month. I'll start that fresh in February.

I'm also adding in $14.42 from our electric bill. We are on a monthly installment plan, and we've just been notified that's the amount it has gone down because we've been using less electricity...go laundry racks, go!

My husband has started calling me 'Heatmiser' because anytime anyone in the house complains they're cold, I tell them to put on a sweater! Ha Ha Ha!

Total: 69.91+ whatever is in the change jar. I'll be back...

...added in the $70.06 from the change jar.

Total: $139.97

I went to fill up on gas and got a rebate of $4.51.

Total: $51.91

Dh took all our bottles and cans to the recycling depot today and was given $10.40! We put it all in our challenge envelope!

Total: $47.40

I was given a New Year's scratch and win...won $2.00...I might be able to do my whole challenge on scratch and wins! LOL!

Total: $32.00

I was given $5.00 by a customer today to buy a drink...I decided to pass on the drink and add to the stash!

Total: $37.00

I am so excited to get this started!

I started with $20.00 and added $10.00 from a scratch and win ticket that I got for Christmas.

Total: $30.00