As I mentioned this morning, I did have one item sell on eBay so I'm adding $25.74 to the challenge. The new total is $412.57.

I finally had the missing eBay buyer pay up on an item -- 3 weeks after the auction closed -- so I'm adding $5.30 to the challenge. The new total is $386.83.

I sold one of Mini Me's dresses on eBay today. After shipping, I made $8.01 on the deal, which brings my challenge total up to $381.53.

My husband and I have re-thought our tropical getaway and have decided to push it back to late May since Spring Break is now out due to having to pay taxes on the booming side business.

The good thing about pushing it back is that we'll be saving $1,000 on the package since it will be in between high and low season where we're going. Also, we won't be pulling Mini Me out of school. The original plan was to have her miss 3 days of school so we could extend our trip a few days past the end of break.

Assuming a certain client forks over some dough soon to the booming side business, I should have all the cash in hand for this trip by the end of March.

A good thing that came out of this endeavor is that I've decided to start putting 25% of the booming side business' income into the tax savings account just to play it safe. If nothing else, I'll have more money next spring to pay down the debt and take another trip.

Sold and shipped something else on eBay this morning for a profit of $13.65. That bring my challenge total up to $373.52.

I made another $18.05 on eBay -- after shipping. That brings my challenge total up to $359.87.

I was dismayed that one of my items sold and the buyer immediately sent me a message saying she didn't mean to bid on it and would I just relist it. Well, yeah, but are you going to pay the relist fee, lady???

Helpmefriend was

questioning how I was coming up with my challenge money.

Aside from the fact that there's no written-in-stone rules for the challenge except for those you set yourself, I usually don't sell on eBay so it's not money I would normally be making.

Unlike some participants, I don't count things like coupon savings, walking stairs, etc., in my challenge money. Instead, as I explained when I first joined the challenge, I am only counting income above and beyond my base income that is stated on my spending plan. That base income is $8316.00 a month. Anything beyond that goes into the challenge.

The additional income usually comes from extra projects that I take on in my work, but I've also started to sell my stained glass supplies on eBay to supplement that income and to clear out the basement mini mart to make room for a new freezer. I also get occasional royalties and survey checks that I'm putting toward the challenge.

I can't see adding money for things like no spend days and exercising when those activities aren't bringing in any extra cold, hard cash -- just saving money I already have (or don't have in some cases) -- so thus my rules for the challenge.

I sold a couple more things via eBay today, so I'm adding $21.78 (after shipping) to the challenge. My new total is $341.82.

Despite their being no mail today, I did go to the postal drop place and ship some eBay stuff off, so I'm adding $21.69 to the challenge. The new total is $320.04.

I just sold a book on Amazon so I'm adding another $8.02 to the challenge. I'm up to $298.35.

I got a couple more payments from eBay sales to the tune of $10.11 (after shipping and packing supplies), so my grand total is now $290.33.

Also, I've been "tagged." I'm not sure what that means -- do I now have some sign that says "Kick Me!" on my back? Am I contagious? Did someone spray paint my ever-expanding ass while I wasn't looking?

I need to go figure this out before I respond, but once I do I'll get back to you all.

While I was off writing about my

debt and savings, someone paid for another eBay item and I made $17.20 to add to the challenge.

My new total is $280.22

I had some more eBay money come in today, plus a royalty check, so I'm adding $60.61 to my challenge money. My total's now up to $263.02.

I decided to skip all the activities I mentioned previously, and instead went to return some library books and stopped by the post office to mail another eBay item. After postage, I added $3.59 to my challenge money, which brings the total up to $202.41.

I just came home to a freelance check today that put me over the minimum amount of income I had planned for the month. After I put money away for taxes on that check, I'm adding $137.74 to the challenge today. My challenge total is now up to $198.82.

I made another $41.31 (after shipping and fees) on eBay. That brings the challenge total up to $61.08.

I'm still waiting to hear from two other buyers from my auctions that closed yesterday. A third buyer is sending me a money order.

I also have 10 more items up for sale that will close over the weekend, plus a basement full of stuff to post still.

I was thinking about how dangerous this would all be if I were tempted to bid on items myself, but I'm not in the least bit interested in even "window shopping" for stuff on eBay so my compulsive shopping tendencies aren't kicking in. Good thing....

Today my first eBay auctions closed. Although I sold everything I posted, only one bidder has paid up so far (it's only been a couple hours since they closed so I'll give everyone a while before I start panicking....)

However, the one person who did pay up, promptly deposited his money into my PayPal account and I promptly mailed the item. Minus the shipping cost, I made $12.36 to add to my challenge money, which now is up to $19.77.

I sold a book on Amazon this morning. After shipping, that leaves me $6.16 to add to the challenge so I'm up to $7.41 now. I almost have enough for two gallons of gas for that new car...

While emptying the dryer just now, $1.25 fell out of someone's pants. As the one and only laundress in this household, the money automatically becomes mine, so I'm putting it toward the challenge. I'm on my way.....

I have begun the liquidation of my stained glass supplies by posting 12 books of patterns on eBay. I also posted some of them on Amazon.

I kept everything fairly simple, so here's hoping they sell and I can start the $20 challenge.

If not, I will have to count on the freelance job coming through. I finished another project today and billed the client $150. Because I worked the other job so much last month, I only have to make $70 in freelance money this month to cover my basic spending plan income in January. I'm well past that amount already, so even if the auction stuff doesn't bring a decent price I'll do OK this month on the challenge.

Initially my plan is to split the extra income between savings and debt. Usually, I'm a firm believer in the 1/3 split, but I'm not feeling the need to fund my immediate needs right now as much as I'd like to fund the new car.

I have a whole room of supplies for making stained glass. However, I have not done anything with it in more than 8 years and do not anticipate getting back to it.

In the interest of de-cluttering and raising funds for the $20 challenge -- and thus paying off debt faster and/or saving for a new car faster -- I'm thinking of selling all my supplies.

I've never sold anything on ebay before, but I think I'm ready to give it a go since I've been reading up on it and feel inspired by DisneySteve.

My plan is to start small -- maybe sell some hand tools or something that is easy to ship. If all goes well, I hope to at least have my now-defunct hobby area cleaned out by summer.

Another thing weighing on my mind lately has been whether to participate in the challenge and -- assuming I did -- what "rules" I would follow.

I've decided that I need to rise to the occasion and join in all the fun, so for my challenge I'm going to keep track of all the extra income I make -- and save or put toward debt repayment -- above and beyond our household base salary of $8,316 a month. This does not include money I already have earmarked for savings or debt repayment -- just anything extra I put toward these categories from extra money that comes in. This also doesn't include dividends from investments, which are automatically reinvested as it is.

The tricky part for me will be to not blow that extra income -- as I've been known to do in the past.

I could get really optimistic and say I'll also count any money leftover from the basic spending plan at the end of the month (i.e. any of that $8,316 that I don't spend or put toward previously budgeted debt repayment), but I figure there's little chance of that happening -- since it never did in 2007 -- so why kid myself....

Since it's so early in the month, I have no extra income but I anticipate a few extra bucks later in the month so wish me luck.