$500 Challenge - Results

In April, I took on the challenge issued by Family Balance Sheet to find $500 around the house. I succeeded! Well, if you can count each of my "finds" below!

Here is what I did:

1. Reimbursement Check Found – forgot to cash previously $60.75, it's been sitting in a bag, just waiting to go to the bank - duh, that was a no brainer!

2. Submitted Lawnmower Class Action Settlement Claim. It says up to $35 is awarded. Easy enough!

3. Sold trailer $300 (Does it count if my husband sold it?)

4. Found $.75 in lunchbox that I almost never use.

5. Returned Cans at the store that have been cluttering the garage for $6.65. Killed two birds with one stone on that one! Cleaning and making money.

6. Saved $120 on my Internet bill, just by calling and renewing the contract for 1 year instead of paying month to month. We're not planning on moving in the next year anyway, so that was a pretty good deal for me.

7. Redeemed Reward points for a $50 gift card from credit card rewards program. The points were just sitting there accumulating.

So the grand total for the month was $573.15. Not bad. Wish I could do that Every Month!


In addition, I was dead-set on NOT going over on the grocery budget, which I have a small habit of doing. Not because we eat a lot, or eat extravagantly. It's because when I see a good price on things like whole wheat pasta and canned beans and tomatoes, I stock up. Oh, and I also found a great deal on cheese last month. But, in my experience, awareness is the key to budgeting, and knowing when it's OK to go the $30 over, and when it's not. I didn't spend a lot in some of the other categories, so I was able to make it work.

I hope one of my "finds" can help you too. If mine didn't help, maybe you can find some tips at one of the blogs linked to this page Family Balance Sheet.