Today I added another $32.00 to my $20.00 Challenge account. It is the monthly savings from my cancelled trash service.

We have spent a lot of unexpected money on gasoline the last couple of weeks. A close family member has been in the hospital for two weeks. It takes about $20. in gas everytime we go to the hospital. I am thankful we had the extra money.

I was just curious how long other people drove their cars? We have three cars..a 1993 Ford Escort, 1994 Chevy Lumina, and a 1996 Ford Explorer. All run great and look pretty good.

I don't like car loans! LOL What age is your vehicles?

I am making a deposit into my $20. challenge account today. $159.09 from some Health Account reimbursement money.
I now have $465.54 in my account.

WooHoo! I was able to add $97.45 into my $20.00 challenge account this morning. I now have $306.45 in the account. I got that from a ShopAtHome rebate check and a sewing job I did.

I am amazed when I go to a bank to do some business that is more then a regular deposit or withdrawl, that the bankers seem to have problems with it! Today I went to my bank and said I wanted to do a direct transfer of two of my IRA's into their bank. The young lady ( who specialized in new accounts...she wasn't "just" a teller) said she started working there last October and she had never opened an IRA!! Took me an hour...glad I was not in a hurry! LOL

I decided to organize my budget into a nice format like I have seen others do. I guess I am kind of amazed at how much money some people can put into retirement savings. So, I was surprised when I started working on this......seems Uncle Sam takes quite a bit... $896.00 in taxes from paycheck and also $170.00 each month for real estate taxes is included in the monthly bill catagory.


Monthly Gross Income $4480.00

Federal, State, Local Taxes $896.00
Tithe $500.00
Medical Insurance $504.00
Monthly Bills $880.00
Food/Household $400.00
Gasoline $200.00
Cash spending allowance $220.00


Saving for new truck $500.00
Regular savings $380.00

TOTAL $4480.00

Hubby does work overtime some so I use the overtime and the regular savings to save in ROTH IRA's.

Got a question for you tax experts. I haven't found the answer yet!

I sold a stock. When figuring the "cost" of the stock that I sold, do I add the dividends that I received while I owned the stock as part of the cost?

May I have your thoughts on this question, please?

If I am currently in the 15% tax bracket and doubt that I will ever be above that.

About six years until retirement at age 60.


My question:

What advantage would a ROTH IRA be over just saving the same money in a regular taxable saving account considering I will never be in a different tax bracket?

Just wondering what other's thoughts on this would be.