So...you may find my update a bit premature, however, as I make an auto deposit on the first of every month, I figured I'd update it now as no other deposits will be made prior to.

Hope all is well and you continue your personal finance "stroll".

So...plans for the yard sale are taking shape. Saturday, 9/2/17 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The items for sale will be tagged and priced. Between myself, my better half and kids, each one of us will add our initials to our item(s) to ensure the money is paid out accurately.

I, for one will be adding my proceeds to the New Car Fund, which was funded a few times this past week so progress continues.

I am pretty excited about the "sale". Again, I have never coordinated one but really enjoy going to them. This time, I am going to try to market it for a full scale "blue lite special". Let's hope for good weather and spendy visitors.

So...I redeemed credit card cash rewards for a total of $5.80. This is going directly into the New Car Fund of course.

I think a month or so ago I may have blogged about gathering some items for a yard sale. The initial though was that my parents would house the sale and I'd simply contribute some goods to it. Well, it sounds as if my mother is going to put off having it until next summer. That doesn't work for me.

You see, I am the type of person that once I get something in my head, planned or unplanned, I tend to move forward with great tenacity and focus. At times, this has backfired and put me in a "line of fire" that looking back, was foolish and careless, heroism aside. Other times, it has proven tactful and necessary with positive results.

Consequently, when my mother announced the sale of the century, I went through my entire house and although not a pack rat or the type to hoard anything, I couldn't believe how many items I found I really didn't need, would ever use or otherwise wanted anymore. Useless to me.....treasures for others.

All this leads me to a decision...next Sunday, I think I am going to have a yard sale. Nothing fancy...a sign at each end of my road. Maybe have a friend post something on Facebook (I do not do social media) and setup a table or two with my "goods". My thought is, worse case scenario, I can enjoy a pot of coffee in the morning and some tasty water in the afternoon, read a good book and share some laughs with anyone who wishes to visit.

Good night all!

So...my kids and I drink gallons upon gallons of water! Although chlorinated and filtered through carbon, we just can't bring ourselves to drink the well water at our house. That said, after much due diligence, the cheapest way to obtain drinking water is to purchased cases of bottled water. Yes, I have refilled them at my better half's house...however, most generally, we place our empties in the blue recycling bin and grab a few cases when they are on sale.

Anyway....the bin fills up. Shocking I know and of course, this phenomenon remains a mystery to the kids. Now, how have times changed and for the better for me you ask? Well, when I was a young man, I would have fallen all over myself to gather any/all can's and bottles to return for money. I sold worms, mowed lawns, did odd jobs, ran errands, etc., to earn gas money, comic book money, candy and ice cream money and so on. If I had a monthly bin of water bottles sitting there for the taking, totaling ~$4.00, I'd be on it like white on rice.

And that is exactly what I did this afternoon. And from the recycling center, I went to the night drop box at the bank and made my deposit into the New Car Fund....all the better for me!

So...sitting in my car, watching and waiting, I decided to visit my Quicken register and see if I could find any "loose change". Low and behold, by simply moving those dangling "cents" from a few of my accounts, I added $7.47 to the fund. I'll update my side bar now and keep my head down this weekend as we visit some festivals for some dead presidents both metallic and paper.

So...might any of you know of any Personal Finance Vlogs? Youtube shorts that target all the wonderful things we discuss on SA!

I am really not interested in a data dump or over the top economic hyperbole. Just something fun, intriguing and versed in the tips and tricks of money saving, debt reduction, etc.

Thanks a ton everyone!

So...$3.56 in credit card cash rewards get's deposited into the New Car Fund tomorrow morning.

Just think, what kind of car I could have if I had $1,000,000.00 in credit card rewards going in instead of $3.56. Wow!

So...as you know, I paid a bit too much toward my auto loan payoff. When I last spoke, I knew I was going to get about $61.00 back from the bank. Well, the lien release and over payment check came in. $61.15! I immediately threw it in my New Car Fund and updated my side bar.

Pretty please with how this fun account is growing. Every penny saved is a penny I won't have to take from other savings as I am really going to try to not finance a single dollar....I have ~22 months to save. Wish me luck.

Also, if anyone wants to donate, for every dollar you send me along with a self addressed stamped envelope, I'll provide an autographed wallet sized photo of myself. They make great dart targets or mouse hole covers. I'll provide my address upon request. Enjoy your weekend!

What is the true definition, as applicable to this site, of a "Snowflake".

Thanks a ton!

So...I have spent a lot of time in my car this week.
Sitting, parking, driving a little bit, parking again, sitting....yawn. Although my focus needs to be on spot during all this parking and sitting, I am human and at times, find myself drifting off into that awakened coma. I digress.....

This afternoon, just as I pulled into the hotel parking lot, I noticed this shimmering reflection between a section of the blacktop and curb. I parked, got out of the car and walked about three feet down the lot from my car.

Holy mac-a-noly: One nickel and twenty two pennies. $.27 in total. I must admit, stopping along the way to bend over and grab a lonely penny off the sidewalk is one thing, however, kneeling down to snatch a cluster of change in the parking lot did bring out an odd sort of feeling. Embarrassment? Theft? Was anyone looking? Did some little boy or girl drop their "money" and now the big bad man is stealing it?

In any event, I stopped at the front desk and asked the clerk if anyone had mentioned dropping any money or change in the parking lot. Holding the loot in my hand, showing him the find, he looked at me with a slightly cocked head...you know...the same tilt you get from a dog staring intently at you wondering why you look and/or sound so funny.

Realizing I had just thrown this young man into a confused state of morality, I ask that he contact me if anyone inquires. I'd be checking out Friday morning and if nobody takes claim, I'd consider it "finders keepers".

$.27! One of my biggest finds! It'll go into my loose change jar at home and at some point, raise its hand, volunteering to contribute towards my next new car.

So...I have spent a lot of time in my car this week.
Sitting, parking, driving a little bit, parking again, sitting....yawn. Although my focus needs to be on spot during all this parking and sitting, I am human and at times, find myself drifting off into that awakened coma. I digress.....

This afternoon, just as I pulled into the hotel parking lot, I noticed this shimmering reflection between a section of the blacktop and curb. I parked, got out of the car and walked about three feet down the lot from my car.

Holy mac-a-noly: One nickel and twenty two pennies. $.27 in total. I must admit, stopping along the way to bend over and grab a lonely penny off the sidewalk is one thing, however, kneeling down to snatch a cluster of change in the parking lot did bring out an odd sort of feeling. Embarrassment? Theft? Was anyone looking? Did some little boy or girl drop their "money" and now the big bad man is stealing it?

In any event, I stopped at the front desk and asked the clerk if anyone had mentioned dropping any money or change in the parking lot. Holding the loot in my hand, showing him the find, he looked at me with a slightly cocked head...you know...the same tilt you get from a dog staring intently at you wondering why you look and/or sound so funny.

Realizing I had just thrown this young man into a confused state of morality, I ask that he contact me if anyone inquires. I'd be checking out Friday morning and if nobody takes claim, I'd consider it "finders keepers".

$.27! One of my biggest finds! It'll go into my loose change jar at home and at some point, raise its hand, volunteering to contribute towards my next new car.