While I’m excited by this challenge and incredibly motivated to win it and meet the $500 goal, let’s be honest. It’s a Saturday and I have a whole month ahead of me to come up with the cash. So I sat back and looked at obvious places to gather extra money.

For guys, their pockets and dressers probably have some hidden change lurking around. For a gal like me, it’s this beast:

No, not the actual beast photo bombing the background. Her name is Zelda and she’s a walking money pit in her own right, but I love her. I’m talking about the purse.

I haven’t cleaned it out in ages. Who knows what might be hidden inside…

Dear lord, it’s worse than I thought. I’m beginning to understand why my husband calls it a trash bag. No turning back now. Time to unpack it to find the gold.

Well this is just embarrassing. A million pens that seem to disappear whenever I need one, a roll of plastic doggy poop disposal bags, and four leftover peanut butter cookies wrapped in saran wrap that I forgot I brought home from the office….

Ah, there it is. Amongst cough drop wrappers and binder clips. And a random rabies vaccine cat tag from 2012. Life is funny like this.

Behold the GOLD!

So shiny, so pretty. $2.18 closer to my goal. And I didn’t even have to get up from my seat.

Day 1

Amount accrued: $2.18

Left for the win: $497.82