$20K Savings Challenge.....June Update

In our family we save money. It is important to us to put money aside for "rainy days".  You know.....those unexpected days when things happen in your life that you can't plan on, but that DO happen and they cost you money you didn't know you'd need to pay out.

Our income is mainly the salary my Hubs draws from his job.  We have money taken off each paycheck from the top to put into savings, before we even get our hands on it.  This money that's taken goes into various pots....life insurance, investments and retirement savings.  It's automatic so we are never tempted to NOT put it into savings.
Once the automatic savings, plus taxes and medical/dental/vision payments are taken out, it leaves what we get to "live on".  From this amount we budget for bills, both monthly and irregular bills(semi-annual, etc.) and our variable bills(like food, eating out, etc.)  Anything left over once our monthly expenses are paid, I put aside into a Savings Challenge. 

For 2013 I am continuing my Yearly Savings Challenge.  I am going to keep the Goal amount at $20,000 again this year.

On to the June report.....

I have posted my June End of Month $20K $AVING$ CHALLENGE Totals.
Check out the side bar to your right for the specific numbers.

I have 2 goals each month.....
The 1st is to actually finish each month in the black and not the red.
The 2nd is to hit the targeted savings amount of $1,666.67.

I have to report that we finished up June in the black!
The extra cash amount we ended the month of June with?.......$844.79

Income
We had $629.95 left over from our income after our monthly expenses were deducted. 

Add in 2 per diem expense reimbursement check, 2 stock dividend checks, a tow reimbursement and a refund on our car insurance(from removing daughter from the policy)and we have another $214.84 not spent this month.  This brought our gain to $844.79 for June.

 

Frankly, I am shocked that we had this much leftover from June's income because it seemed we experienced way higher than normal outgo.  But looking over the Good/Bad bullet points, besides the credit card bill, everything else wasn't so bad compared to last month.

Outgo

As for the expenses this June, here are the good and the bad side of things....

HERE are the GOOD THINGS

 

*  Music lesson bill was half of it's usual amount due to teacher being away for half the month.

*  The electric bill was almost $56 less.
*  The food/toiletries bill was less than my budgeted $400 each month.

*  The cost of our prescriptions was half of what it was in May.

*  Cash withdrawals were $20 less than last month.

*  The doctor bill co-pays were under $80 this month.(Last month was over $1500.)

HERE are the BAD THINGS

 

*  Quarterly garbage bill due.
*  The phone bill was up by $2+.

*  The water bill doubled, as predicted in last month's report.  This was mainly due to the repair and refilling the pool and is expected every May or June.

*  The credit card bill....OH!, the credit card bill....lol  It was $1857+ MORE than last month.  This will be going down to $1409.21 more than last month when the freezer gets returned.  Still too high. 8-(

The Food Budget costs for June are in another post, which is located HERE.

We came in under budget by $119.26 last month.

The 2013 TOTAL so far.....
With 6 month behind us, half the year, our Savings Grand Total for 2013 stands at $12,571.63.  Only $7,438.37 left to save and 6 months left to accomplish this.

That comes out to $1,238.06 per month for the next 6 months to reach the goal.

Looking ahead for July......

*  Still waiting for medical bills to come in.  I don't know what the hold up is, but since we switched doctors to our insurance/health provider affiliated doctors, we haven't had to pay any co-pays at visits.  This is something new for us. 
 

*  I suspect once we get the new a/c system installed this month and the heat ratchets up the electric bill will increase moderately.

*  Last July we had a $1500 car repair bill.  Hubs car needs some maintenance work so it will go in for that this July.  I hope the bill is not anywhere near last July's total though.
  

*  The annual homeowner's insurance is due in July.  Last year it was $596.  Will be curious to see  how much it goes up this year.  Between that bill and the semi-annual car insurance bill which comes due in August, we need to stay as frugal as possible(outside of the planned home renovations/repairs we are paying for in July/August)with the bills.

So how was your June financially?  It was pretty much a wash for us in terms of getting ahead.
 

Did you put ordinary living expenses on a credit card last month and not pay it off in full when due?
Did you spend less than the income you had in June?
Did you received any "extra" or unexpected money in June like a tax refund, a dividend or bonus at work, and what did you do with those funds?
Did you stay within your budget or not?
Did you pay off any debts or put extra toward your mortgage principle?

If you posted your financial progress on your own blog, leave a link in the comments so we can go check you out your progress too and celebrate with you!

Sluggy

Freedom......Not So Much Anymore in America

* Please excuse another serious rant on the important stuff in life today.  I'll get back to posting lighter fare and nonsense soon.

In light of yesterday being the 4th of July and our country celebrating the founding of our great country, I want to talk about freedom.
Seems apropos to do so now, right?

We puff out our chests every year at this time and congratulate ourselves on being Americans and being the "Land of the Free".

But how free are you really?

Let's look at your economic freedom, shall we?

Brought to you by the fine folks at Bankrupting American.....

See a large view HERE.

When will the endless appetite for redundant and stifling legislation at both the state and federal level stop?
When they have driven all businesses(except the megamillion ones)out and more than half of Americans can no longer find jobs?

Here's a great little site to poke around at.  I caution you though, as what you may find there may challenge your concept of freedom and how free you, as an American citizen, really are, compared to other Americans.

There was a fairly comprehensive study done at George Mason University comparing each states' level of freedom in many categories.  The states were then ranked #1-50 on each point, as well as given a ranking for their overall Level of Freedom for each citizen wherein.

Go have a look at the data HERE.
You can click on each category that was measured and see how you, as a resident of whichever state, rank in our country's Freedom index.

Here in Pennsylvania, we got an overall ranking of 31st out of 50.  We got a better score than all of our neighbors except for Delaware.  But considering that we border some of the most unfree states in American(New York, New Jersey, Connecticut & Maryland)THAT isn't saying much!

The least free states in America are, in order from 50th to 46th....New York, California, New Jersey, Hawaii and Rhode Island.

The most free states overall are, in order from 1st to 5th......North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, New Hampshire and Oklahoma.

Of course this study is using data from 2011, but it does show a general trend of how the states compare to each other at present.

So how does your state rank?
Are you surprised by it's ranking on any of the categories measured?
Do you still feel "free" after reading this?

Sluggy
 

Independence Day Trivia Quiz Answers

1.  What is the correct date of our declaring independence from England?  Hint-it's not July 4th.

* The written resolution for independence was adopted at a vote on July 2nd, so that is the actual date of the document.  The Continental Congress spent the next 2 days amending the wording before finally deciding they were done "running their quill pens through it".
John Adams believed July 2nd would be celebrated by generations to come with much gaiety, pomp and celebrating, as he wrote to his wife Abigail in MA, in one of his well-known letters home to her.

Here are his actual words with misspellings from that letter.....
"But the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.
I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."

2.  Philadelphia is where the Declaration of Independence was voted upon and signed in 1776.  What was the most widely spoken language by residents of Philadelphia in 1776?

* While the obvious answer is English that is not quite right.  This area of PA was settled heavily by German immigrants and at the time of the revolution, it was more common to hear German being spoken and see business signs of local shops written in German.

3.  Which 3 American Presidents have died on July 4th? 

*2 of these are fairly easy....Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died within hours of each other on the 4th in 1826, the one thinking the other one still survived.  The 3rd President was James Monroe who followed them to the grave in 1831 on the 4th.

4.  Who were the "Committee of Five"....the group of 2nd Continental Congress members selected by that body to come up with a document of independence?

* The committee was made up of delegates John Adams of MA, Thomas Jefferson of VA, Benjamin Franklin of PA, Roger Sherman of CT and Robert Livingston of NY.

5.  Who designed the current version of the US Flag?

* A teenager Robert G. Heft living in Lancaster Ohio with his grandparents at that time, in 1958.  Designing a new flag when Alaska and Hawaii were poised to become the 49th and 50th states, Robert "Bob" Heft was a high school student.  As part of a school project, he designed a new flag and received a b- for his work from his teacher.  After his design was chosen from over 1500 ones sent to then President Eisenhower, his teacher upgraded Bob's grade to an A, as he had promised Bob.
Robert Heft spent his career as a teacher and died at the age of 68 in 2009.

6.  What bird did Benjamin Franklin propose be the emblem/seal for our country?

*Franklin believed the North American Turkey was the best choice.  He believed the turkey to be a noble bird.
Adams wanted the eagle but Franklin objected to this, as it was a long held emblem of many European countries, which they were trying to break free from. 

Franklin wrote:
"I wish that the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country, he is a bird of bad moral character, he does not get his living honestly, you may have seen him perched on some dead tree, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the labor of the fishing-hawk, and when that diligent bird has at length taken a fish, and is bearing it to its nest for the support of his mate and young ones, the bald eagle pursues him and takes it from him.... Besides he is a rank coward; the little kingbird, not bigger than a sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the district. He is therefore by no means a proper emblem for the brave and honest. . . of America.. . . For a truth, the turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America . . . a bird of courage, and would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British guards, who should presume to invade his farmyard with a red coat on."

7.  It is well known that Francis Scott Key wrote the words to the Star Spangled Banner, our nation's anthem.  And that he wrote in his journal, what was to become the lyrics for the song, while onboard a ship in Baltimore Harbor, while British forces bombarded Fort McHenry in 1812.  But do you know why he was onboard a ship in Baltimore Harbor?

* Key was having dinner on board a British ship at the invite of 3 British naval officers on the night of 13 Sept, 1814.  He was there with the American Prisoner Exchange Agent to negotiate the exchange of American prisoners being held.  Key was a lawyer who's client, Dr. William Beanes of MD, was among those being held.
Key was unsuccessful at releasing his client but he got a really well known song out of the deal.
The Star Spangled Banner did not become our official anthem until 1916 under Woodrow Wilson and then by a congressional resolution in 1931 under Herbert Hoover.

8.  How many versions of the American flag have there been since 1776?

* There have been 28 official versions of the American flag, sort of.
The flag as we know it, red and white alternating stripes with a field of blue and stars, has undergone 26 modified versions, so 27 versions of that design.  The first officially recognized flag, adopted in December 1775, had alternation red and white stripes but instead of a blue field and stars, there was a St. George's Cross/Union Jack in the upper left corner.

 

 

 

The 13 Colonies Flag of June, 1777

9.  The original Declaration of Independence was printed on parchment, but the original copies, to be distributed among the citizens in the 13 colonies were printed on paper. Who printed the original copies of the Declaration of Independence and where?

* Though Franklin would be the obvious answer, because he was, among other things, a printer by trade, the original paper copies of the Declaration were printed in Philadelphia by a printer & book seller named John Dunlap.  He was an immigrant from Ireland,  a successful printer in the city and secured a contract with the 2nd Continental Congress supplying for their printing needs.
The type of sheet he printed the Declaration on was called a "broadside" in the printing trade.  It was typically a large sheet, printed on one side.  It was similar to today's poster.
(As an aside, by July 9th someone had translated and published the Declaration into German in Philadelphia so the bulk of the citizens in that city could read it.)


10.  How many copies of the original Declaration of Independence printed in 1776 are known to exist today?

* There are 26 copies known to exist today.  Approx. 200 were printed up in 1776.  One was discovered in 1989 by an amateur collector at a PA flea market hidden behind a framed painting he paid $4 for.  He later sold his discovery at auction for $8.14 million.
In 2009 the latest discovered copy was found in The National Archives in Britain among some papers that had been intercepted by the British in the 18th century, during the revolution.  This brings the number of original copies in the hands of the British Archives to 3.


11.  How many members of the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776?

* The original, original declaration was printed on paper and only John Hancock signed this one.
The official declaration was printed on parchment(the wording was engrossed into that material, not just lying on top of the surface, so it would be better preserved)and was not signed until August 2nd of 1776.  Eventually 56 delegates signed the document.  There is debate on when certain people had signed.  It is widely held that most of the delegates signed on Aug. 2nd, but there were some who were not present(weren't even elected to Congress until after that date)who have signed.  When it was all over with, 56 signatures were affixed to the parchment.
By the way--The oldest signer was Benjamin Franklin of PA at 80 and the youngest was Edward Rutledge of SC at 26.

12.  Of the signers of the Declaration of Independence how many also signed the U.S. Constitution?

* Only 6 Declaration signers also signed the Constitution; Benjamin Franklin of PA, George Read of DE, Roger Sherman of CT, Robert Morris of PA, George Clymer of PA and James Wilson of PA.
By the way-Roger Sherman, the cobbler from CT, was the only member of Congress who signed all 4 of the documents important to the founding of the USA.  He signed the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Articles of Association and the Articles of Confederation.


I hope you've learned something from this little trivia quiz.  I know I did. ;-)

Sluggy

The Man & The Myth

Interesting short film on George Washington.

Enjoy!



Sluggy

Independence Day Trivia Quiz...Happy 4th of July!

In honor of our country's liberation from the tyranny of King George III of England in 1776, here is a little Trivia Quiz about our National celebration and assorted things having to do with this holiday.
See how much you actually know about these little known facts about our history.

1.  What is the correct date of our declaring independence from England?  Hint-it's not July 4th.

2.  Philadelphia is where the Declaration of Independence was voted upon and signed in 1776.  What was the most widely spoken language by residents of Philadelphia in 1776?

3.  Which 3 American Presidents have died on July 4th? 

4.  Who were the "Committee of Five"....the group of Continental Congress members selected by that body to come up with a document of independence?

5.  Who designed the current version of the US Flag?

6.  What bird did Benjamin Franklin propose be the emblem for our country?

7.  It is well known that Francis Scott Key wrote the words to the Star Spangled Banner, our nation's anthem.  And that he wrote in his journal, what was to become the lyrics for the song, while onboard a ship in Baltimore Harbor, while British forces bombarded Fort McHenry in 1812.  But do you know why he was onboard a ship in Baltimore Harbor?

8.  How many versions of the American flag have there been since 1776?

9.  The original Declaration of Independence was printed on parchment, but the original copies, to be distributed among the citizens in the 13 colonies were printed on paper. Who printed the original copies of the Declaration of Independence and where?

10.  How many copies of the original Declaration of Independence printed in 1776 are known to exist today?

11.  How many members of the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776?

12.  Of the signers of the Declaration of Independence how many also signed the U.S. Constitution?

 Answers will follow tomorrow, if anyone is sober enough by then to read them(and didn't shoot off their hands). ;-)



Sluggy