Frugal Sisters

My Carnival - What You Need To Know About Job Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:23:00 +0000

Since I am still on the fence of losing my job, I thought that I would put together some blogs to help us through this problem. Before I give you some great blog articles I did want to say that I still don't know anything for sure about my job. It does look like I may be transferred to another division in my company. This is great since they do more of what I love to do which is web development. It looks like I need to get back to learning code again.

The Digerati Life tells her own story if losing his job and links to a job tracker. She also has a few links to look for a new job.

My Dollar Plan has some tips to help you get through this rough time in your life. He give you ideas on what to do with your benefit like your 401K. Find out what program your company offers to those who are being laid off. What you need to do to get a new job.

Moolanomy shows you four ways to help you keep the job you have before the pink slips start to show up.

One thing about getting laid off is that you have a chance to start over in a new career field. Dumb Little Man has 5 steps to help you create a career plan.

I found an article "The Layoff Survival Guide" that many news websites have been reporting on TV these days. I know this is not a blog article, but I thought that it had such good information that I could not pass it along.

I hope that you are able to get some good tips from the above article that will help you get through a job loss and I hope it becomes a positive time in your life.

Old Fashion Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:40:00 +0000

This year I am hoping for a Thanksgiving and Christmas like when I was a kid. Few presents and more family fun.

When I was a kid we always looked forward to the presents under the tree, but what made it fun was getting all the family together at my Grandparents house. It was a small house and a lot of people crammed into every corner. But we had enough room to play pinochle, Uno, or Hand and Food (something like Canasta). Sometimes there was a puzzle being put together on the kitchen table that at some point during the day you would sit for a couple of hours and put in a few pieces. Before Santa made his way out of the bathroom (a long story), Grandma and her brothers would get their musical instruments out and play while us kids would sing Christmas songs.

Unfortunately Christmas these days is eating dinner and passing around the presents then leaving as fast as you could. Christmas with the family was a 2 hour stop over instead of an all day event.

I am hoping that this year it will become extended to at least a 4 hour family gathering. I plan to bring some playing cards and encourage some pinochle and Uno games to be played. We don't have the musicale instruments for Christmas caroling any more, but at least we can have some fun playing card games again. (Family members be prepared, you have been warned!!!!) I may even bring a puzzle or two.

What are you planning this year for Christmas? Maybe bring back some fun traditions from your childhood.

Wasting food and money

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:15:00 +0000

A co-worker and I were just talking about our food habits. We both have a problem buying healthy food with good intentions of changing our diets only to forget about food until it is stinking up the refrigerator. I go to the grocery store and buy fruits and vegetables with good intention of eating better and losing weight.

I have found that I buy more than what I can eat before it goes bad, like fruit. Last week I bought a small bunch of bananas, half dozen apples and two bunches of grapes thinking that my husband would help me eat it all before it goes bad. I should realize by now that my husband says he is going to eat this fruit and never does. So I end up either throwing the fruit away after it goes bad or baking a pie or bread. Then I don't eat the pie or bread fast enough before it goes bad.

All this waist of not only food but money. I am now going to make a vow to limit the amount of food I buy and how much we keep at home. This will save us money and storage space in the house.

Mentally going through what I have at home, I should not have to buy groceries for a month other than bread and milk. Really I just need to take the time and make my own bread before all the ingredients go bad. So I just need to buy milk. I think that I will go through my cabinets and even donate some can goods to food shelters.

How much food do you throw away? Can you cut down on the amount of groceries you by in order to save money and food waste?

A Less Commercial Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:27:00 +0000

A positive twist to the down economy is that Christmas is looking to become a family affair again and less about what presents you are getting or giving.

Last night on the news they interviewed a mother who will be staying home this year instead of flying to stay with her children. She had decided to get a holiday job to make a little extra cash. Unfortunately, stores are not hiring much Christmas help this year. In fact most companies are downsizing their staff instead of the normal holiday increase. No jobs, no money, and fewer crowds at the mall means fewer presents under the tree.

What does that mean for families around the world? It means you may actually have to spend time talking to family members. It will mean less time trying to figure out that new electronic gadget and more time actually playing games with your kids. It also may mean a less hectic holiday season.

For those of us who have been complaining for years about a commercialized Christmas just may get our wish this year of a more family oriented old fashion Christmas.

Helping Friends and Family Financially

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:18:00 +0000

With the economy in a downward slope and people losing jobs, you will have someone in your life that will need help financially. How do you decide to help that person or let them fend for themselves?

I have a few family members that have taught me a lesson in helping financially. You learn to quickly figure out who you can give money to and it will help them out of a bind and who will try to suck your savings dry and then move onto a new victim.

There are people who have made bad decisions or lost their jobs and need a quick loan to help them through a ruff time. Sometimes they will pay you back and sometimes they will consider it a gift. In my book you should always consider giving money to anyone a gift. Never expect to get your money back. If you do get paid back, consider it a bonus. With this in mind, never give more than you can spare. If you don't have the money to give as a gift, then don't even offer to give any amount of money.

Then there are people who just ask for money and never dig themselves out of the crisis. There is always a reason that they never have enough money to pay bills and are in constant danger of losing their car and/or house, having utilities turned off, and no money for food. They will take your money as long as you give it to them without a second thought of really paying you back. Most of the time they don't really use the money for what they tell you they need it for. You give them $200.00 to pay the electricity and they actually blow it on alcohol, drugs, or gamble it away. Of course they have asked five people for that same $200.00 to pay the electricity bill and may get $600.00 of which some goes for bills and the rest they blow.

Giving money to these people really does not help them. You are only enabling them to continue to make bad financial decisions or finance a bad habit. It is a proven fact that if they receive a million dollars they will be back in the same situation they were in before within a year. The only thing you are doing by giving financially inept people is depleting your own ability to grow your savings or buy that item you have been saving six months for.

Yes it is hard when you get the guilt trip from a family member, but they are playing on your emotions to fund their shopping habits, alcohol problem, gambling problem, or drug addiction. They want you to be responsible for their finances instead of taking on the responsibility for their own lives.

My rule is if someone is asking for money to pay a bill then I go with them and pay the bill. If someone wants money for food, I will go to Aldi's and buy a bunch of food and drop it off at their home. I very rarely give them actual cash. You will find out fast if they really wanted the money for bills or food or just to blow. If I really want to help someone, I have given a homemade gift certificate of a certain amount to go toward a bill to a family member for Christmas or birthday present. It worked out well.

The decision is ultimately up to you on if you want to help someone or not. I just want to caution you not to let someones financial problems drag you down with them.

No Spending Days

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:17:00 +0000

On my Google page I have a widget "I Will Teach You To Be Rich" which is a blog like this one. Right now he is running a series of articles on tips to save money. Today's tip is scheduling a no spending day. A mini version of Margaret's no spending month.

I don't usually schedule a no spending day, week, or month, but there are days that I don't spend any money. When I was single I would challenge myself on how many days in a row could I go without spending any money. Other than filling up my car with gas, I could usually go a week and still have the same $40.00 in my wallet.

It has become a little more difficult to do that these days with 3 business and a full time job. I have not been able to successfully live up to Margaret's no spending month, but I think that a no spending day or work week is a more achievable goal for me. Since today is a Holiday and I have plenty to keep me busy at home I have scheduled it as a no spending day. I will try to extend that out to Friday when I am going out of town for a business convention.

What about you? Would scheduling a no spending day be a more achievable goal? Could you extend that out to a no spending work week? Eventually I hope to work up to a no spending month.

The Layaway Plan is Back

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:22:00 +0000

I remember when I was younger that my Mom would always have stuff in layaway at Wal-Mart. Of course I followed the tradition when I was old enough to pay for things myself. It seems that layaway has come back into vogue.

Last week while in the checkout line at Wal-Mart I heard someone talking about putting their Christmas presents on layaway. I thought, wow, I have not heard that in a very long time. It seems that people really are trying to stay away from credit cards this year and going back to an old favorite of paying with cash.

MSNBC readers also think that cutting out the credit cards this Christmas season and going back to the layaway plan is better for their budget. No more credit card bill shocks and buyers remorse in January. Shoppers still want to have a nice Christmas, but are opting to pay for presents before Christmas instead of paying the credit card companies for 12 months or more.

K-Mart seems to be one of the few stores that still offer layaway. TJ Maxx Corp., Goody’s Family Clothing Inc., Marshalls Inc. and Burlington Coat Factory Direct Corp are a few other stores that are now offering a layaway plan. If you are hoping to use layaway to stay within your Christmas budget this year, ask the customer service department to make sure that the store does offer layaway. I just called Wal-Mart and they only offer layaway in the Jewelry department.

Not only does putting those Christmas presents in layaway keep the credit card bills to a minimum, but you don't have to find hiding places so the kids don't find them.

One last note, WHAT HAPPENED TO THANKSGIVING!!!! I heard Christmas music at Wal-Mart last night and November 1st, they were putting up a Christmas tree. Some people have already decorated their house for Christmas. I may buy Christmas Presents throughout the year to save money and time, but I refuse to put up any kind of Christmas decoration or play any Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. What happened to the turkey and Pilgrims?

Are you planning to put Christmas presents in layaway this year?

Save Money While Shopping On-Line

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:26:00 +0000

I ran across an article on MSNBC today that had a bunch of web sites that give you discount codes, sales items, and special offers. It also has a link to a .pdf file that has 7 web sites that can save you thousands of dollars.

Happy shopping!!!

Diet and Saving Money

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:27:00 +0000

I am relieved to know that I am not the only person who is having a hard time balancing both finances and losing weight at the moment. No Credit Needed seems to be doing OK, but has a hard time focusing on more than one thing at a time.

Since our last cycle of IVF failed, I have gone on a feeding and spending frenzy. I know it is emotionally related, but I really need to get both diet and finances back in check.

I am having some buyers remorse on the Amazon Kindle even though it will save me some money in the long run. But I should have saved that money to pay for the repairs on my car (over $500.00) and medical bills (over $2000.00).

My anniversary was last weekend. We celebrated by taking my niece and a friend to a Haunted House and a midnight viewing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. For some reason we felt we had to pay for everyone. We ended up spending over $200.00. That included eating out for almost every meal from Friday to yesterday.

Now that I can have caffeine and anything else I want to eat, I have been making up time. Left over Halloween candy has been calling me and I have not been resisting. I have been doing some aerobics and taking long walks the last few days, but I have still gained weight instead of losing. Yes, some of it is due to gaining some muscle, but most of it is from all the chocolate.

Over the next few days I am going to get my finances back in order and limit myself to one piece of candy a day. To keep myself too busy to eat junk and spend money I have made a plan to finish a long list of projects before the end of the year. Some of these projects will bring in money and clear up some clutter in my house.

Are you having problems balancing your goals to save money and lose weight? Please give me your tips?

Eating Healthy While Sticking to a Budget

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:17:00 +0000

I am on a theme these days with articles on eating healthy while keeping to a budget. I am still sticking with that theme and so is MSNBC. This article gives some really good suggestions from dietitian's to help stretch your food and lower your grocery bills.

Instead of buying a lot of meat, use smaller portions with other foods. Use left over turkey for a breakfast sandwich or add it to a egg burrito. Use more eggs. They are less expensive and you still get your protein. Add more beans to your meal. Again they are cheep and have plenty of protein and fiber.

Make more casseroles and soups. Use leftover veggies and meat to make casseroles and soup for dinner the next day. It is easy and makes the food you made one night taste different the next.

Last week on Oprah, she had a cook take two roasted chicken and made three meals for a family of four. You don't have to eat all the meals in one week, but it is a good way to stretch the meat and broth.

Using a crock pot to cook while you are at work is an excellent way to not only cut down on electricity bills, but have a meal ready for you when you get home. There are plenty of cookbooks that have really good recipes for cooking with a crock pot.

How do you use left overs to create a healthy meal for your family?

Vampire Awarness Day

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:00:00 +0000

This is just too funny and practical to pass up. BeingFrugal.net uncovered a Best Buy promotion to help you save money by unplugging or turning off the power switch to electronic devises that still use electricity when turned off. You have to watch the YouTube video at the bottom of the article. A little cheesy, but funny all the same and it will save you some money.

Eating Cheap May be Making You Fat

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:21:00 +0000

It seem that the economy is slimming down our wallets and expanding our waste line. People are going for the cheap food these days instead of quality because they don't have the money to go to the health food stores anymore.

With food prices rising 6% in the last year, people are starting to exchange whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables for lower costing foods like mac-n-cheese and dollar menus at McDonald's. It has been shown in studies that when money gets tight, people start buying higher calorie processed foods with very little nutrition that add pounds.

A mother of 3 teenagers expresses her fear of being able to feed her family and their health.

'Michna said she feels the problem acutely because she remembers what it was like to buy quality food, including meats, fish, fresh fruits and vegetables. “Eating fast food was a once in a blue moon option only,” she said. “Now even a lemon costs a dollar or more and they used to be 10 cents.”

“We are forced to purchase the unhealthy and fattening low-cost premade frozen meals or to eat out getting the dollar menu specials as I no longer can afford to feed my kids the healthy foods they deserve,” she said. “We eat a lot of Top Ramen, that’s for sure.” '

Not everyone agrees with this philosophy including myself. Cooking more at home with frozen vegetables and less meat still gives you plenty of nutritious food on the table. Make extra and take left overs for lunch the next day.

A lot of MSNBC readers feel the same way.

"Not everyone agrees that hard times have to decimate a decent diet. Dozens of readers told msnbc.com that they’ve reduced their food costs and improved their health by cooking more at home, cutting back on expensive kinds of meat and produce, relying on leftovers and reducing waste. "

You can also watch the sale ads to buy produce that is on sale. I know that I buy more fresh fruits and vegetables when there is a $10.00 coupon for Shop-N-Save or Schnucks. Farmer's markets are almost over for the season, but you can still get a few good buys on squash and tomatoes.

People like Michna just need to be tough how to stretch a dollar on food that is healthy. I do think some of the problems is that eating a dollar burger at McDonald's is more convenient than cooking a healthy meal at home.

What do you think? Is high food prices and lower income an excuse to eat more junk food or is it because people don't want to learn how to shop for deals and cook differently at home?

Conservative Borrowing

noreply@blogger.com (Lil Frugal Sis) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:55:00 +0000

MSN.com had an article this week titled "Need a Loan? Borrow Like It's 1975" This article states the differences between borrowers in 1975 and the current day borrower. It describes many statistics regarding credit cards, car, and mortgage loans.

Credit Cards: Only about 40% of people in the US had at least one credit card and now it is more around 75%. The minimum payment on credit cards in 1975 was approximately 5% as opposed to the 2% of the balance that is required today. In 1975, 63% of credit card users paid their balance in full each month, whereas now days, only about 45% do today.

Car Loans: Most car loans in 1975 given for a 2 to 4 year term and usually required a 20% down payment. Just a few months ago lenders were giving loans on a 9 year term with no money down.

Mortgages: In 1975, adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) rarely existed. Most lenders required a 20% down payment and only allowed home buyers borrow up to 2.5 times their yearly salary.

In my opinion, (and many lending entities are already doing so) lenders should go back to some of these basic standards. Most people do not understand the consequences of borrowing money. I watch many TV programs and read a lot of financial forums where people are talking about how much debt they are in and how they are unable to pay it back. Borrowers need to think about the following points before borrowing any sum of money:

*Borrowers need to consider the 3 C's: Credit, Capacity, and Collateral.
*Save up for items that are important, it makes you appreciate them more.
*Don't stretch yourself thin. Stuff happens and if you live paycheck to paycheck, then you won't have the money to cover yourself if something goes wrong.
*Don't let lenders tell you what you can afford. Run the numbers yourself and give yourself wiggle room. Make sure you will still be able to have and build on your savings.
*Plan for the worst and hope for the best.
*Insurance is absolutely necessary so plan that into your budget.
*Remember to consider taxes (property tax, income tax, sales tax) into your budget.
*Always budget using your net salary. This includes figuring your salary after your 401K and savings contributions.
*Remember, if you are buying a house, no matter the age, it will always need repairs. If you don't include repair costs in your budget (at least yearly budget) then you will be even more stressed when something breaks.
*Don't forget to include groceries, gas, utilities, pet costs, medical and dental expenses and entertainment when budgeting for a big ticket item. These are costs that are inevitable.

Kids and Money

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:08:00 +0000

Again Oprah has hit a very popular subject these days. How to teach you kids about money. There are many philosophies out there. Should you give your kids money or make them earn it? Should a freshman college student have a credit card? Oprah hits on many of these subjects and more.

With the economy these days, some families have no choice but to teach a lesson on saying no. The first family Oprah interviews talks about sharing their budget with their teenagers. No, the daughter doesn't like going shopping at the thrift store, but she understands why they can't buy new clothes at the mall.

Suzie Orman is back giving advise to Mom's wanting to do the right thing for their kids. And one father gives his daughter a letter full of financial tips for graduation instead of a bunch of expensive presents. He does put money into a bank account and the kids have a debit card. But when the money is gone, it is gone. They don't get more until it is payday.

One book that Oprah highlighted on a show a few years ago was "Capitate Your Kids". The author talks about age appropriate finances. At a certain age, the parents gave the children an allowance and also gave them responsibility to pay for certain things like birthday presents for friends. I don't have children, but if I did, this book would be my bible.

How do you teach your children about being responsible for money?

Get $50.00 of Kindle

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:22:00 +0000

Oprah announced a new favorite thing last week. It was the Kindle by Amazon. I have been looking at it for a while now. I thought about getting one for myself. Something you can buy for a friend or yourself for Christmas this year.

What is a Kindle? It is an electronic book. According to Oprah it is the best electronic book out there. It is very easy to use and you can actually read the book almost like it is in your hands. The cost of the books are much less than buying the actual paper copy, only $9.99 unless marked otherwise. You can download newspapers and if you don't know the meaning of a work, you can look it up. You don't need a computer to download any book.

You no longer have to wait to go to the store, have to time to go to the library, or get the book through the mail in order to start your next book. This is also a very good way to save a few trees. It is light weight and thin enough to carry in a bag. A great item for those who do take public transportation or just read at lunch time.

You can save $50.00 on a Kindle by using the password OPRAHWINFREY until November 1st. You can also save another 10 percent on the The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.

If you have been thinking about buying a Kindle now is the time to get it. Even though I have stacks of books to read, I may just buy this to take it with me and leave the big books at home.

What do you think? Is it worth the money?

Lower Gas Prices, More Money in Your Pocket

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 10:30:00 +0000

Since I have been driving to work again, I am happy as a clam that gas prices have dropped considerably. According to some of the news reports, it may drop even more. I may just get my wish of $2.00 a gal or less. Maybe I should wish for $1.50 a gal. Hey, why not shoot for the stars.

So, what are you planning to do with the extra cash? I plan on putting more into a savings account and pay off bills. According to news reports that is what most people are doing. With the job market on a downward slop, most people are still scared to spend money. Smart people are using any extra cash to pay off bills and put into savings.

Are you going to drive more or stick with taking public transportation or car pooling? In a pole, people are still looking at saving money by not going anywhere unless they have to. They are not going to go back to their SUVs either. More and more people are sticking with their small cars that get high gas mil age. Most people are not going to change their habits anytime soon. One person interviewed in an MSNBC report says that he doesn't plan on making any changes until the economy is stable for at least 3 to 4 months, maybe even a year.

With gas prices going even further down, what are you planning to do with any extra cash?

Using Less to Save More

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 10:30:00 +0000

Get Rich Slowly posted an article about using less to save a few pennies here and there. The pennies could add up to a few dollars after a while. Most things I do already but there was a couple of things I didn't even thinks about.

Like using less dishwasher soap. I just filled up the soap thing and turned it on. For now on I am only using half the amount.

Using less toothpaste. I don't even pay attention to how much toothpaste I use. I was thinking about going to baking soda after I use up what I have. To make the tooth paste last even longer I will only use a small amount.

Changing your oil every 3,000 miles is something that was made up to get you to spend more money. I actually do read some things in my cars owners manual. The maintenance schedule is the most important. In my Escape I can go 5,000 miles before I need to change the oil. In the Pontiac Sunbird I had, it recommended changing the oil every 7,000 miles. I usually go with the owners manual.

Shopping once a month. I use to shop once a week, now I just shop when I have a long list of items that I need and I can't stall any longer. I usually try to hold out until there is a $10.00 coupon at Shop-N-Save. I do go by the store and pick up milk and some fruit every week and a half or so. I have had to buy bread more this month because my dog has decided he likes to eat a loaf or two when he gets bored (we fixed that problem). It does save me a lot of money by stretching out the time between shopping trips.

I was dreading this summer because my husband has this annoying habit of watering the grass. Thank goodness we had enough rain this summer that he didn't even get the hoses out. That saved us a tone of money on the water bill.

J.D. has a few other items on his list, but those were the ones that caught my attention. He also had an article about a new financial blog from Consumer Reports called Tightwad Tod. I checked it out and it might be a blog you want to put on your reading list. There are a couple other blogs that I have added to my favorites from Consumer Reports. Check it out.

What other items do you cut down on to save money?

New Round of Stimulus Checks

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:37:00 +0000

Will a new round of stimulus checks really help the economy or just put the U.S. Government deeper in debt? I think it will just put the U.S. Government deeper in debt and more vulnerable of an economic takeover by another country.

In and MSNBC article some Congress men and women along with some economist feel that Congress should use the money to build bridges and roads. This would create more jobs. Some feel that a tax break should be given to those who buy a house or convert their homes and businesses to cheaper forms of electricity like wind and sun. One thing that wasn't suggested was building a public transportation system in cities and counties that don't have anything or improving what they do have. That would help create jobs and help people save money. Maybe I should write my Congressman.

I feel that any of the above suggestions would help the economy more than sending a check in the mail. Most people would only put that money into a savings account or pay off bills. People are not just going to blow extra money anymore. People are scrambling to save every penny in case of a job loss or medical emergency. I feel the Government will be wasting time and money if they just mailed out more checks.

What do you think? Would you want a check or a stable infrastructure?

World Economy and Starbucks

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:10:00 +0000

Going through the news this morning I found a couple interesting articles. One was from MSNBC stating that the U.S. isn't the only country in a financial crisis. A Newsweek article that says how bad the crisis will be in your neighborhood depends on how many Starbucks you have.

U.S. isn't the only country that is in crisis these days. It seems that the snowball effect that started here has gone around the globe. Banks across the world have been lending money to U.S. banks that are now closing it doors. So, the world banks are now having problems meeting their bills. Other countries are now using government funds to shore up their own banks before they all crash into dust.

What does this have to do with Starbucks? According to Newsweek, the more Starbucks you have the worse your economy is going to get. Starbucks followed the housing industry. The more houses being built the more Starbucks were built to supply the demand.

"At first blush, there's a pretty close correlation between a country having a significant Starbucks presence, especially in its financial capital, and major financial cock-ups, from Australia (big blow ups in finance, hedge funds and asset-management companies; 23 stores) to the United Kingdom (nationalization of the nation's largest banks). In many ways, London in recent years has been a more concentrated version of New York—the wellspring of many toxic innovations, a hedge-fund haven. It sports 256 Starbucks. In Spain, which is now grappling with the bursting of a speculative coastal real-estate bubble (sound familiar?), the financial capital, Madrid, has 48 outlets. In crazy Dubai, 48 Starbucks outlets serve a population of 1.4 million. And so on: South Korea, which is bailing outs its banks big time, has 253; Paris, the locus of several embarrassing debacles, has 35."
So, how many Starbucks do you have in your neighborhood? In my small community, Starbucks just opened a store. I guess that means we are not going to do to bad.

I don't see things turning around anytime soon. I am no expert on the economy, but even the experts are saying that things are not going to get any better for a year or more. I am betting on the more.

Is the sky falling?

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:12:00 +0000

According to an MSNBC article there are a few people out there including my husband that think the sky has already fallen. I am starting to feel like it is 1999 waiting for the computers to crash all over again.

Some of the people mentioned in the article have gone to the extreme. They have cashed in their paper money and have gold and other metals to use as money. They have positioned themselves so that they have a home and property to sustain themselves and their families for 6 months to 2 years.

I have to admit that I did stock up on food and gas six months before 2000 New Years day. A couple years ago I bought some books on how to survive in the wilderness if I absolutely needed to. I mostly bought those books because I was curious, not because I was preparing myself to live that way.

Alan and a few others believe that you need to stock up on food, bullets, and medical supplies. Even underground shelters are seeing an increase in sales. Something that hasn't happened in over a decade or more.

Me, I am a little in between. I don't think the economy has hit bottom yet, but I don't think we will be going back to Laura Ingels' way of life either. Although, you could save a lot of money by living that way. Maybe the Amish can start giving classes to make extra money for themselves.

What do you think? Is the economy going to go down so bad that it will be worse than the Great Depression? Are you going to take classes to learn to sew, fix guns, or medical classes because the economy is going to crash or because you want to save money?

Family Financial Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:54:00 +0000

Sorry I have been MIA this last week. A lot of personal stuff was going on. I was catching up on my financial blog reading and Get Rich Slowly had an article about setting financial goals.

It did get me to thinking, maybe I can use that to get my husband to save more money. Going over our bills and spending this year, we have been doing much better than the last two years. But there is still a lot of room for improvement. If my husband could cut down on his credit card spending we could save $18,000 next year. That is a good down-payment for a house. Alan has been pushing me to buy a house for well over a year now. I have been stalling because we just don't have the money for a down payment and we definitely can't afford to pay for two houses at one time.

Maybe setting a goal will help curb his spending. I can cut some of my spending as well. But I have already cut out a lot. Now I just need to stay away from the book stores and start going back to the library.

What kind of financial goals have you set?

Bob Green and Coupons

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:03:00 +0000

I receive an e-newsletter from Bob Green (Oprah' Diet GooRoo). I was very surprised to see that this weeks major article was about clipping coupons. Here is the article in its entirety.

By Beth Sumrell Ehrensberger, M.P.H., R.D.

In these tough economic times, we're all looking to save a buck. One easy way to do this is to use coupons. In fact, they can cut your grocery bill down by as much as $40 a trip! (That's a savings of more than $150 a month if you go shopping once a week.) Try these coupon-clipping tricks to save time, effort, and of course, cash.

Know where to look. Store and newspaper circulars are the most obvious choices when hunting for coupons. But don't forget the Internet. There are entire sites devoted to coupons. And if you have a specific brand in mind, check out the manufacturer's Web site; they may offer printable coupons. Although you have to do more digging for them, they can offer a greater value.

Clip and chat. Finding coupon clipping a little arduous? Snip while you're doing something else you enjoy. Browse the newspapers while you're on the phone or watching TV. If coupon clipping is still too tough to fit in, or you forget, at least make sure to take a last-minute look at the store circular as you wait in line.

Get organized. If you're clipping ahead of time, sort coupons by category (for example, dairy, meat, produce) before you go shopping for quick reference. When you make your shopping list, highlight those grocery items that have a coupon. Set them aside or paper clip them to the top of your list! If you have coupons with you, you'll use them!

Don't fall for "deals." Coupons are meant to save you money, but if you have to buy multiple items to save 50 cents, it's probably not worth your while because you'll either get bored of the food or it will go bad before you can eat it all. And remember, it's not a good deal for your body if the product is not nutritious.

Websites of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:30:00 +0000

A local new channel has the website of the day. Lately with the slow economy, they have been featuring some really good websites to help you save money.

Billeater.com can help you lower your utilities, insurance, and ATM fees.

The Layoff Survival Guide is unfortunately becoming very popular. It tells you what you should do in the first 72 hours after you have been laid off.

To help you understand the news reports about the stock market you can go to Wall Street Glossary. Not that this does me any good. I still have problems. This is more Margaret's cup of tea.

Post any other websites that you find in the comments.

Kiplinger's Report

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:26:00 +0000

For those of you who have not at least subscribed to the e-news from Kiplinger, I recommend you do that. The news letter always has some really good information.

Tuesday I received this email news letter that talks about what they see the economy is going to do in the next few months. What's Next For The Economy? says that most of the doom and gloom will be over by this time next year. Not to say that there are still going to be bumps in the road, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it isn't a train.

Let me know what you think of the article.

New Debit Card Scam

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:00:00 +0000

Do you use your debit card to pay at the pump? You may want to check your account more often. It seems that new technology is helping thief's steel money from your account after you use your debit card at a gas station.

MSNBC reports that crooks are installing hard to spot card readers in called skimmers on top of the card readers at gas stations. Some have fake key pads or cameras that record your pin number. They take the information home and make their own ATM card. They go to a local ATM and empty out your bank account.

"In Las Vegas, police have discovered even more sophisticated technology – wireless transmitters installed inside the pump. “They can actually sit in the parking lot with a laptop and get real-time information as victims use their card,” explains Lt. Robert Sebby of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Because there’s nothing on the outside of the pump, there’s no way you can tell the pump is compromised."

'Why steal debit card numbers? “With a credit card you have to go and buy merchandise and then you have to fence it or pawn it,” Det. Visnaw explains. “With a debit card, you’re getting cash money.”'

Most of these scams are in California, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Washington. The crooks like to do this on 3 day weekends because it takes longer to get to your account. By then they can steel more money.

Ways to get around this is to pay with cash or go inside and use your debit card. Be careful some people have a three day weekend this weekend.