TimeLine - Steps 1 to 14

Time Line - Steps 1 through 14

August 2nd, 2006

The Experiment: Double a found Penny to One Million Dollars according to the premise and rules of the free report "How to Double Your Way to One £Million in 28 Steps", by Stuart Goldsmith, Hanman Associates Ltd.

(a). Obtain Free Report
(b). Study Report
(c). Complete feasibility study and analysis

Feasibility Study and Analysis results:

Feasibility: Not Feasible
Analysis: Experimenter needs Psychoanalysis
Completion Probability: Improbable, most likely Impossible
Conclusion: Conduct Experiment



Step One

Objective: Find a penny ($0.01) lying on the ground, or be given it without asking for it.

Running Total coming into this Step: $0.00

Date Completed: August 5th, 2006. (Day 3 of Experiment)

Number of Days Required to Complete Step: 4 Days

Completion Scenario:
August 5th, 2006 - Found one penny ($0.01) while shopping with wife at Wholesale Club Store.

Grand Total: $0.01



Step Two

Objective: $0.01 - $0.02

Running Total coming into this Step: $0.01

Date Completed: August 9th, 2006. (Day 7 of Experiment)

Number of Days Required to Complete Step: 4 Days

Completion Scenario:
August 9th, 2006 - Traded one penny ($0.01) for two pennies ($0.02) with the handyman that cleaned the gutters. He was reluctant at first but when I told him it was for an experiment I was doing and that I would send him a complete copy of this log he said he just had to do it because of curiosity.

Side Note: He only had a nickel so I went and got five pennies and exchanged them with him for the nickel then gave him the original penny I found and he gave me two pennies from the five I just traded with him. I do not believe that this violates any of the rules. (Making change for someone.)

Grand Total: $0.02



Step Three, Four and Five

Objective:

Step Three: $0.02 - $0.04
Step Four: $0.04 - $0.08
Step Five: $0.08 - $0.16

Running Total coming into this Step: $0.02

Date Completed: August 10th, 2006. (Day 8 of Experiment)

Number of Days Required to Complete Step: 1 Day

Completion Scenario:

August 10th, 2006 - After leaving Walmart we then stopped at another plaza and I found a Dime and a Penny ($0.11) outside of the Papa Gino's in the parking lot thus completing Steps Three and Four.

Running Total: $0.13

I then went to Burger King and found a penny ($0.01) at the base of the counter after ordering our food. There was a family in front of me waiting and I asked the guy if it was his. He said, "No", and I said "Mind if I have it", I asked mostly because I had to bend down right in front of them to pick it up. He said it was OK with him. I said that I had already found Eleven cents today and he said,"Did it all make sense?" I said "That's an interesting way of looking at it, I believe it does."

I then turned around and saw another penny ($0.01) lying under a divider wall. I went and picked it up. My wife had gone to wash her hands and when she got back I told her I found two more cents.

It was turning into a successful evening. I had found thirteen cents so far for the day and it wasn't over yet.

While we were eating I saw a penny ($0.01) in a pile of dirt that one of the employees was sweeping up. I asked her if she would mind if I had that penny and she said,"OK". It was a 1955 wheat penny. I asked her if she found change every day and she said that she did, about ten cents a day plus other things. She said she takes it home and saves it.

Running Total: $0.16

On the way home I stopped to fill up my wife's car at the HessGas Station and found a penny ($0.01) at the base of the gas pump.

Grand Total: $0.17

Note: According to Rule # 1 any found money can be carried over to the next Step.



Step Six

Objective: $0.16 - $0.32

Running Total coming into this Step: $0.17

Date Completed: August 13th, 2006. (Day 11 of Experiment)

Number of Days Required to Complete Step: 3 Days

Completion Scenario:

August 12th, 2006 - Found one penny($0.01) at Burger King in Milford on the way to a Family Reunion where I hadn't seen some of my Uncles and Cousins in nearly 40 years.

Running Total: $0.18

August 13th, 2006 - While out shopping with my wife I found one penny($0.01) at Big Lots checkout.

Running Total: $0.19

Then we went to Wendy's and had lunch and I found two pennies($0.02) in the parking lot while walking over to Staples Office Store.

On the way back to the car afterwards I found in the parking lot an unopened package of Canon Photo Paper Glossy, 4"x 6", 100 sheets. It was a great find that I may be able to use as an opportunity to turn into cash in the future. (Amazon.com has a price tag on it at around $9.95 - $12.33)

Since this was a found item it qualifies as now part of my stake. If I trade that item for cash it will then be considered a trade according to my interpretation of the rules. At first I considered that if I sold it I could keep any money that is made from this find and apply it, according to Rule #1, to the "Stake", even if it leap-frogs me to higher steps as a result. But the more I considered the rules the more I felt uncomfortable with that decision. Even if I find money, say one cent on the first step and then trade with someone that one cent for four cents I can only complete step two and the remaining two cents will need to be taken as profit. The same must be said for a found object. If I trade that found object and receive more than I am allowed to in order to complete the current step then I must take the profit and not use the funds to leap-frog to higher steps.

Running Total: $0.21

We then went to another Mall and went into the Dollar Store and I found two pennies($0.02)

Running Total: $0.23

I then found a dime($0.10) near the pay phone in front of BlockBusters.

Grand Total: $0.33



Step Seven

Objective: $0.32 - $0.64

Running Total coming into this Step: $0.33

Date Completed: August 14th, 2006. (Day 12 of Experiment)

Number of Days Required to Complete Step: 1 Day

Completion Scenario:

August 13th, 2006 - My Wife and I stopped at a local Grocery store in town and I found a dime($0.10) near the bulletin board.

Running Total: $0.43

August 14th, 2006 - I needed Twenty-One cents($0.21) more to complete this step. I offered to trade Twenty-Two cents($0.22) for Forty-Four($0.44) with Robin, a person I know. She agreed but when she went to get her change she asked if I would take Fifty cents ($0.50) instead and I said,"Sure!" I gave her the Twenty-Two cent($0.22) and she gave me two Quarters($0.50).

Math: $0.43 - $0.22 = $0.21 + $0.50 = $0.71

In this case the extra Six cents($0.06) can be consider not part of the agreed upon trade and it is the equivalent of someone giving you the money. According to Rule # One you can apply money given to you, provided you did not ask for it, as though it were found money so the Six cents($0.06) will be applied to the next step. According to my interpretation of the rules money given to you, without asking for it, is the equivalent of found money.

I told her I would provide a copy of this log when I completed the experiment.

Grand Total: $0.71



Step Eight

Objective: $0.64 - $1.28

Running Total coming into this Step: $0.71

Date Completed: August 15th, 2006. (Day 13 of Experiment)

Number of Days Required to Complete Step: 1 Day

Completion Scenario:

August 15th, 2006 - My Wife had to go to the book store to look for some technical manuals for her job. On the way I decided to look for and pickup some cans or bottles on the sides of the road in the hopes of maybe raising some funds for "DTAMP". I stopped twice and picked up 16 beer bottles and cans. I wasn't sure if they were "returnables" but I stopped into the Wine store in my local small town and they were able to take 6 Bottles and 6 Cans for a refund of sixty cents($0.60) (two quarters and a dime).

Math: $0.71 + $0.60 = $1.31

Since these bottles and cans are found items(free) they can be applied to the "Stake". When I traded them for money, I only needed ($1.28) to complete Step Eight, so the additional Three cents($0.03) has to be removed as profit. So I am up to $1.31 but subtract $0.03 = $1.28

Running Total: $1.31 - $0.03 = $1.28

Grand Total: $1.28



Step Nine

Objective: $1.28 - $2.56

Running Total coming into this Step: $1.28

Date Completed: August 19th, 2006. (Day 17 of Experiment)

Number of Days Required to Complete Step: 4 Days

Completion Scenario:

August 15th, 2006 - After leaving the book store (see previous Step) at Shaw's Plaza my wife and I stopped into a Dollar Store where most everything was marked for more than a dollar??? On the way out I spotted a penny($0.01) near the exit and picked it up.

Running Total: $1.29

I checked out a Bus Stop and found another penny($0.01).

Running Total: $1.30

Outside of Shaw's Super Market I found Two cents($0.02) sitting right on the Pay Phone ledge in plain sight.

Running Total: $1.32

We went into Shaw's and I went to the CoinStar Machine and found One cent($0.01) hidden under the handle. I started to leave and looked back to see a Dime($0.10) sitting under the bottom edge of the machine on the floor. I picked it up.

Running Total: $1.43

After my wife was done food shopping we left Shaw's I went over to the picnic table where the employees sit for their break outside and found One cent($0.01) on the ground under the table.

Running Total: $1.44

While walking to our car I spotted something and walked past it but decided to go back and picked it up. It was what looked like a fake gold hoop earring. Perhaps I will be able to use it in some way to raise funds but it will be difficult.

We drove to another Plaza with a KMart. In front of Kmarts I found a Blue BBQ charcoal lighter under a bench. It was in working condition and I will attempt to sell it to someone to raise some cash to add to the Stake. (They sell in the stores for about $1.99)

Running Total: $1.44

Walked over to Hannaford's Super Market and 4 teenagers were using the CoinStar machine and fooling around. After they were doneI inspected the machine and found a dime($0.10) wedged into the top edge so you could barely see it. I took out my keys and used them as a tool to slide the dime out and retrieve it.

Running Total: $1.54

Coming out of Hannaford's in front of the store I spotted a penny($0.01) in a hole in the pavement in a puddle. I pulled it out. The water was slimy. I could see why nobody picked it up before.

Running Total: $1.55

August 16th, 2006 - Stopped at Walmart because my wife needed to get a few items. I found a penny($0.01) just outside the front door.

Running Total: $1.56

In the entry way in Walmart I found one penny($0.01) sitting under the gumball machines. I realized that those penny gumballs weren't a penny anymore but rather they were a quarter each. Man have times changed. No wonder I was able to find a penny there. I figured kids wouldn't just let a penny get lost when they could get a gumball for one until I saw that the gumballs were now twenty-five cents. Its been a long time since I bought a gumball from a machine, probably over 30 to 40 years or so.

Running Total: $1.57

On the way out of Walmart I saw a penny($0.01) in front of the soda machines but couldn't pick it up because kids were standing in front of the machines buying sodas, talking, etc. They kept stepping on the coin but no one saw it. Then one of the maintenance guys started talking to us about the new renovation of the store and showed us pictures of his son and new granddaughter and by the time the conversation was done new people moved into the kids place. Eventually everyone moved along and I was able to pick up the penny.

Running Total: $1.58

August 19th, 2006 - I turned in for "Return" 20 beer bottles at Five cents a piece for a total of One Dollar($1.00). This was the first Dollar Bill I have received since starting the D.T.A.M.P.

This gives me a running total of $2.58 but since I only needed $2.56 to finish Step Nine I need to remove two cents($0.02) of profit.

Running Total: $2.56

Grand Total: $2.56



Step Ten

Objective: $2.56 - $5.12 (Call it $5.00 to make it easier.)

Running Total coming into this Step: $2.56

Date Completed: August 22nd, 2006. (Day 20 of Experiment)

Number of Days Required to Complete Step: 3 Days

Completion Scenario:

August 19th, 2006 - After returning the beer bottles I went back to look at some stuff someone had put out on the side walk in town with a "Free" sign on it. After looking over the stuff I decided to take a (GE Caller ID Phone, made by ATLINKS USA, Inc, Model No. 29267GE3-B). Also I picked up a (Sony 900 Mhz Cordless Telephone, Model No. SPP-N1000). Last, I took a (Corel Gallery 2 ClipArt Computer Software). I am hoping to take advantage of these three "Found" items for DTAMP in the future if possible.

Running Total: $2.56

I found One cent($0.01) in front of Brooks Pharamacy behind a public mailbox. The coin was nearly completely buried in sand and only a small portion of the edge of the coin was revealled. I spotted the edge and dug out the coin. There may have been additional coins buried there but I couldn't dig through it at the time.

Outside of Wendy's at the pay phone someone had lost a little green army man. I picked it up in case I can find a way to make a bundle off of it.

Running Total: $2.57

I then went to the Timpany Plaza and next to the Stop & Shop SuperMarket I tried to recycle some soda cans and plastic bottles I had found. The machine kept rejecting some of them but I managed to get two accepted for Ten cents($0.10). I was also fortunate enough to have found that someone had left Five cents($0.05) already loaded on the machine but hadn't taken the receipt for it so I was able to get a total of fifteen cents($0.15).

Running Total: $2.72

I found One cent($0.01) inside the Dollar Tree store.This is the second time I actually found a coin in the aisles of the store as opposed to near the registers or the front door. The first time was the first penny I found.

Running Total: $2.73

Picked up Two cents($0.02) while walking through the parking lot at Timpany Plaza.

Running Total: $2.75

August 22nd, 2006 - I turned in for redemption beer bottles collected from the sides of the road I live on. I haven't gone very far up the road as of yet and I have still found quite a few bottles and cans. Turned in 45 bottles for $2.25 (two dollar bills and one quarter). This brings me up to the Five dollars($5.00) specified in the Manual to complete Step Ten.

Running Total: $5.00

Grand Total: $5.00



Step Eleven

Objective: $5.00 - $10.00

Running Total coming into this Step: $5.00

Date Completed: August 26th, 2006. (Day 24 of Experiment)

Number of Days Required to Complete Step: 4 Days

Completion Scenario:

August 22nd, 2006 - Stopped at the Post Office and found one cent($0.01) in the parking lot.

Running Total: $5.01

August 22nd, 2006 - Picked up three garbage bags of beer bottles and cans in a short area (maybe an eight of a mile) of the road I live on.

August 26th, 2006 - After sorting and cleaning all the bottles and cans I took them down to the Wine Store for the five cent return. It turned out to be 65 Bottles for $3.25 and 21 cans the machine took for $1.05 and 17 cans that don't go into the machine for $0.85 for a total of $5.15. It was paid out in a five dollar bill and a dime and a nickel. It is the first $5.00 bill I have received so far.

Running Total: $5.01 + $5.15 = $10.16

Cost of Operations: I had to rent some garbage bags for the collection of cans and bottles. The cost was tallied at Fifteen cents ($0.15) leaving me with $10.01. If the bags are not salvagable to be returned for standard garbage usage then I will be forced to pay more money.

Overflow: Had one cent($0.01) to much to go into the next step. Removed as profit

Running Total: $10.16 - $0.15(Cost of Operations) - $0.01(Overflow) = $10.00

Grand Total: $10.00



Step Twelve

Objective: $10.00 - $20.00

Running Total coming into this Step: $10.00

Date Completed: September 2nd, 2006. (Day 31 of Experiment)

Number of Days Required to Complete Step: 7 Days

Completion Scenario:

August 26th, 2006 - Picked up three more garbage bags of beer bottles and cans on the second part of the road I live on. Did a rough count and it looks like around 125 to 150 bottles and cans picked up that may be returnable. While picking up the returns I also picked up about three bags of regular garbage. The road looks a lot nicer now but it was a lot of work. My wife says it is enjoyable driving down our road and not seeing all the trash.

I am not sure if I am going to be able to get enough from just looking on my road in order to finish this step, it may be possible. I am going to need 200 bottles and cans and I cleaned off my road pretty good. I still have miles of other dirt roads in the area to check so I am hoping I will be able to find the rest. The thing I noticed is I picked up at least five to ten cans that have been thrown there since I last went through the area so there seems to be a never ending supply.

Running Total: $10.00

August 29th, 2006 - I dropped off cans that had been collected for refunds today. Returned 101 cans and 3 plastic bottles for a total of $5.20 from the Wine Store in Town. Their machine rejected one of the coke cans and I tried it over at the Stop & Shop, later that day, while my wife was shopping for food. The machine there took it and I got another five cents($0.05). That made $5.25 for the day.

Running Total: $15.25

September 2nd, 2006 - After sorting all the beer bottles that remained and determining that they are returnable I returned them to the Wine Store in town today.On the way to the store I picked up more bottles and cans to try to get enough to complete Step Twelve. In the end I had 75 bottles and 3 cans that had to be turned in manually, meaning the machines don't take them. In addition I returned 6 bottles and 11 cans by machine for a total of 95 bottles and cans worth $4.75.

I also found 2 Swiffer Mops and one ten foot Extendable Window Cleaning Sqweegee that looked like it only recently was thrown into the woods. I may be able to make some money off those finds in the future.

Running Total: $20.00

Grand Total: $20.00



Step Thirteen

Objective: $20.00 - $40.00

Running Total coming into this Step: $20.00

Date Completed: September 18th, 2006. (Day 47 of Experiment)

Number of Days Required to Complete Step: 16 Days

Completion Scenario:

September 2nd, 2006 - On the way home from completing the trade and finishing up on Step Twelve I stopped to pick up more bottles and cans on a road connected to the one I live on and began finding a lot more cans and bottles. Twice I hit theMotherLoad when I found a twenty-four case of Coors Light filled with the empty cans and another Twelve Pack filled with the empty cans. I picked up a dozen cans and bottles on my road again after only a short time that had just been thrown there. It is scary to think that people are driving while drinking on our curvy and dangerous road.

I also found a Wiffle Ball in great condition. Although I didn't pick them up I found a car stereo and two car speakers, but they were in bad shape.

I am doubtful that I can complete Step Thirteen collecting up bottles and cans but by my estimates I have gotten over 450 bottles and cans so far just on my short road, many of which were not returnable. The other roads around me are a lot longer and I have done a sampling of them and found two garbage bags full on just 100 yards or so on one of the roads. But winter will be coming soon so I will need to do the collecting quickly if I want to get another 400 bottles and cans to complete Step Thirteen.

Running Total: $20.00

September 3rd, 2006 - Stopped at Walmart and found a penny($0.01) in the entryway in front of some gum machines. Also on the way out in the same entry way someone had dropped three pennies($0.03) in front of a kiddie ride. They must have dropped it while I was in the store because it wasn't there when I had walked through earlier. I also found in that entryway a discarded Plastic Coke Bottle worth a five cent return. Total found Four cents($0.04) .

Running Total: $20.04

Went out in search of bottles and cans and found around 100 returnable and many non-returnable bottles and cans. With yesterdays find I am close to 200 more bottles and cans for trade. Another 200 and I will complete Step Thirteen.

Running Total: $20.04

September 4th, 2006 - Brought down the bottles and cans to be returned to the Wine Store in Town. One glass bottle machine had ten cents($0.10) still on it and another machine had a plastic bottle in the reject slot, I tried it in the machine and it took it. So that was a free fifteen cents($0.15). Turned in 150 returnables in all for $7.50. I didn't bring down any of the glass bottles today and some of the cans that were crushed that I reformed so they can go into the machines. I think I have another 50 to 60 or so that I can return in the near future. Total today $7.50

I went to shopping today with my wife and found another fake gold hoop earring. At first I thought it was the match to the one I found in Step Nine but it was different. I am doubtful I will be able to do anything with it to make money at this point but you never know.

Running Total: $27.54

September 8th, 2006 - Brought down the bottles and some plastic and cans. I asked the owner of the wine store if I could leave the non-returnable bottles and he looked at them and most of them had parts of the labels missing. He took them and gave me money for those. I thought I would have to throw them out but I profited from them as well. In all I turned in 75 Bottles and cans for a total of $3.75

I went to a shoe store and I found another earring in the parking lot! That makes three in all since starting the Double to a Million Plan.

Running Total: $31.29

September 9th, 2006 - Went on another Bottle and Can safari and covered a lot of distance picking up four large garbage bags and one plastic containers worth. Haven't counted them yet but I do not think I have enough to cover what I need to complete Step Thirteen. But I might make it to Step Fourteen eventually. I also found a brass exterior light fixture. I may be able to use some parts off of it to make something.

A jogger stopped and asked me some questions and thanked me for cleaning up the miles of road he lives on. At least someone appreciated it.

September 10th, 2006 - Took a walk with my wife at a Wildlife Conservation area and noticed a lot of bottles and cans thrown around at the entrance to the trail. I picked them up and got about 25 or so bottles and cans. Yesterday I did a count of what was picked up during the day and counted over 200 which is more than enough to complete Step Thirteen once they are returned. In addition during the walk we went into another area where there was a lot of disgarded rusted steel parts lying around. It was junk just corroding away. I think these may be worth some money and I may go back and collect up the junk metal lying around and see if I can sell it in some way, perhaps as salvage or on ebay.

September 14th, 2006 - I have been wondering how I was going to get rid of all the non-returnable bottles I have collected up over the weeks. But after my wife mentioned to a co-worker what I was doing he said he would take them and put them in to his recycling container to be taken. That's great. Thanks Keith.

September 17th, 2006 - I took another walk with my wife through the Wildlife Conservation area and on the other side picked up about 26 pounds of scrap steel that had been discarded and lying rusting for the last 50 years or so.

Running Total: $31.29

September 18th, 2006 - I went to the Doctors and on the way home I stopped at three places that had "FREE" signs out with a bunch of junk along side the road. I didn't get much because most of it look fairly picked over. I did take seven Christmas Coffee Mugs that were in good shape.

Later in the evening I took down the Bottles and Cans to the Wine Store in town and turned in 41 Beer Bottles(non-machine), 76 Beer Cans(non-machine), 46 Cans in the machine, 8 Plastic Bottles in the machine and 4 glass bottles in the machine for a total of 175 bottles and cans @ five cents a piece comes to $8.75.

Overflow: Had Four cents($0.04) to much to go into the next step. Removed as profit

Running Total: $31.29 + $8.75 = $40.04 - $.04(overflow) = $40.00

Grand Total: $40.00



Step Fourteen

Objective: $40.00 - $80.00

Running Total coming into this Step: $40.00

Date Completed: October 09th, 2006. (Day 68 of Experiment) Columbus Day

Number of Days Required to Complete Step: 21 Days

Completion Scenario:

September 21st, 2006 - Found Three cents($0.03) on the counter at Burger King. I asked them if they wanted the money but the cashier said that I could take it, they weren't allowed to take tips.

Running Total: $40.03

September 23rd, 2006 - Took a trip down near Newport Rhode Island for a couple of days, visiting my Parents who were vacationing there. I found a Penny($0.01) on the floor at Anthony's Restaurant in Middletown. The shrimp was excellent there.

Also in the place we were staying my Father found a penny($0.01) and gave it to me for DTAMP.

September 26th, 2006 - Today I went out and searched for more bottles and cans and found about four garbage bags full. Many of them were non-returnable unfortunately. I did a rough count and it looks like I may have as many as 190 or more that I can return. I will try to find more before returning them.

Running Total: $40.05

September 30th, 2006 - While shopping with my wife at Walmart I found a Dime ($.10) under a Coke machine.

I decided to try to make some artworks to sell, so I purchased a frame for $3.00. I think this is the first money I have used to invest in a project.

Rundown: $40.05 + $0.10 = $40.15 - $3.00(expenditure) = $37.15

October 2nd, 2006 - Rebuilt someone's computer and received $21.00 for the work I performed. Applying these funds to DTAMP.

Running Total: $58.15

October 3rd, 2006 - I took back the Bottles and Cans for return that I had accumulated over the last several weeks. The machine wouldn't take some of them.

Return Statistics: 53 Bud Bottles manually, 23 Bottles by machine, 17 Plastic Bottles by machine, 48 Cans by machine and 46 Bud Cans manually for a total of 187. 187 @ $0.05 = $9.35

The owner of the store said that one of the times I returned bottles before he had over paid me $0.50 for 10 bottles. So I told him to take off the $0.50 this time.

$9.35 - $0.50(overpaid) = $8.85

I went out on several roads afterwards and picked up about four garbage bags more. Need to do an accounting of them. Many of them on one road where not returnable so it wasn't very profitable. I will be looking for a place where they take recycleable aluminum by the pound.

Running Total: $67.00

October 9th, 2006 - I was able to take 151 Bud Cans, 100 Bud Bottles and 9 Coors to the Wine Store and received $13.00 for the 260 Total Returns. This has brought me up to $80.00 and completes Step Fourteen.

I also started to collect up more Bottles and Cans on the roads around my house and even went onto bigger highways to see if I could get more. Will continue to accumulate them for another return. My local roads have pretty much all been covered and things have become very sparse.

Running Total: $80.00

Grand Total: $80.00

How to Double Your Way to a Million in 28 Steps
D.T.A.M.P. - Double To A Million Plan