Checked out this calculator on Smart Money
and found out that with the amount we have saved, if we didn't save any more - and made 8 percent interest on what we have so far -- we would have $26000 a year income in retirement.

Obviously, we are going to keep on saving, but it was interesting to see. Oh by the way, that was not including social security. Which I don't count on.

Okay. We took a nice beating yesterday. But, all seems to be doing all right today. It's time to take this opportunity to buy low.

Scary what can happen in a day. UGLY

This is pretty neat. Restaurant.com you can buy $25 gift certificates to restaurants for $10.

I checked it out for my area and it seems like most are the newer restaurants. Since I am a picky eater and we don't go out to eat that often -- we tend to stick with our favorites. But, I figured I'd throw it out there for everyone else. It's a great deal if you don't mind trying out newer places.

Funny how things change. About 10 years ago, my older brother bought me a year subscription to Kiplinger's. I would skim through it but really didn't get into it.

NOW, when I get it out of the mailbox -- I actually smile. Silly, I know. But, I love that magazine. I now read it cover to cover. It just shows how much I've grown up in the past 10 years and how much I've learned by reading and reading and reading more about financial stuff.

Now, I subcribe to Kiplinger's, Money, SmartMoney, Fortune and Forbes.

Anybody, know of any others that I should subscribe to?

Saved $10 in vendor coupons today at the grocery store. Adding to the challenge.

I am $41 under what I saved last month for my challenge. I am still hoping to beat it. Only a few more days legt.

Well, I had a doctor appointment today and my friend that was going to watch the daycare kids for me couldn't make it. So I brought the kids with me to the doctor.
It wasn't that big of a deal and it saved me the $20 I would have paid her. I'll add it to the $20 challenge for this month.

Also, received a $4.00 mail in rebate check in the mail today. I will be adding that to the challenge this month also.

Wow, what a great tool they have on this site for checking to make sure you are on track with your retirement savings. I read about it in the newest Money magazine. So I did a quick check and we are right where we should be. I will go in again another time and make sure my estimates for what we will need monthly are right.

I don't carry a lot of cash. I don't even own a debit card. I use my cash back credit card for most purchases.

Although, I use my credit card like a debit card. Which is to say that when I make a purchase I subract it from the checkbook. When I get the bill, I simply add up my highlighted items in the check register and write a check to the credit card company. I found this to be the best way for me. No surprise credit card bills or dreading opening the bill and cash back is the icing on my cake. (which makes a nice Christmas Savings account)

January
$100 late fee from our tenants
$140 watched extra kids during school break.
$540 watching an extra child full-time ( this is income above and beyond what I normally bring in)
$25 watched extra child because their regular daycare was closed due to weather
$20 watched extra child
$27 coupon savings for month.
Total January $852 ($352 above goal for month) Whoo HOOO.

I think I will update this monthly. But so far for February, I have $575. Go Me.

Okay,long story short. At the beginning of 2007, I started saving money that I wouldn't ordinarily save. I planned to put this towards a personal loan that I have. I have been keeping track in a notebook and putting the money into my ING account under Found Money Fund.

So, I will need to add $20 to it for it to be my official $20 Challenge.

Here is what I have done so far:

Each time I go to the grocery store I take my coupon total and put the money in the bank. (in the past, I used coupons but never put that money back) It is amazing to see how that money accumulates!!!
Each time I watch an extra child above and beyond my normal wages, that money gets put into the account. (I do child care)
Late fees from rental income.
My goal for each money is $500. So $6000 for the year.

Well, one of my non-financial goals this year was to put all my vhs tapes to dvd. (only the family videos)

I saw a great deal for a combo player/recorder for $99 at Big Lots and went ahead and bought it.

I did my first DVD today and it went nice and smooth.

Can someone tell me where to find out more about the $20 challege. I get bits and pieces of information but wanted to know more about it. It sounds like something I already started this year on my own. Basically, putting back found money that I wasn't counting on. Thanks.

I recently received a bill for my subscription for the Sunday newspaper for $138 for the year. Which breaks down to $2.65 a paper. Humm, the paper only costs $1.50 to buy at the store. This was a 77% markup. I always thought that when you subcribed you got a better rate since the company could count of your purchase.

So, I called customer service and told them I wanted to cancel my subscription because the rate was 77% higher than what I would pay at the store.

She than gave me the "half-price" rate. So I got a year subscription for $69. It pays to call!!!!!!!