Good Early Morning,
Well today is the last day of 2010 and I have already been up since 5 am with a certain little 3 year old of mine, who really thinks it is his job to wake the sun. :)
Well as many of you know I have a new goal for 2011. To be able to save as much money as possible to get debt paid off for us. I am tired of wasting my and my husbands money and this isn't the way we want our children to learn to handle money. So I bought a new printer last night so that I can find coupons online. I watched a TV program the other night called "Extreme Couponing" on TLC. It was a real eye opening experience to say the least. I am no way going to be able to get into the league that they people are in but I definitely want to make it so I spend less on my groceries and have more money for other things.
So to start off this journey I want tell people about a sale that is starting today at Lebanon Village Market (LVM). They are having a stock up sale on cereal, ground turkey, potatoes all at great low prices. There are several coupons out online for Cheerios that can bring the price down to about $1.50 per box maybe less. We are going to make a trip up there today and take advantage of it!
Well I hope this helps some of you out. I will also be sharing our experiences over this next year that I am hoping will help everyone out.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Great Changes coming in 2011
Good Evening Everyone,
Well here in New Hampshire we are hiding under a large blanket of white cold snow. It started snowing last night and I think that it has finally stopped. Now the winds are kicking up and causing lots of snow drifts.
Here we are sitting at the cusp of 2011 and for my world there are lots of changes going on in the horizon. We have a very ambitious goal of becoming very self sufficient. So I am planning on adding to our chicken flock in two different ways. We are going to add more laying hens. We currently have 11 after losing on already this winter. So I am thinking of adding between 7-13 more layers in the spring. We are also going to start raising some meat chickens. These only take about 8-12 weeks to raise and then will fit nicely into our freezer.
I have already started to plan out my garden for next year. We have always planted directly into the soil. Unfortunately the soil here in NH isn't always the best so we are forced to add to it. I am not interested in adding alot of chemicals into the dirt. This half the reason why I have a garden is to avoid the extra chemicals. So this year I am doing raised beds and the only additives I plan on using is manure and compost.
I am considering doing a small CSA type program for any of my followers or friends that are interested in having fresh veggies, eggs and possibly meat birds but do not have the time or place to do this. If you are interested feel free to contact me for more information.
Well here in New Hampshire we are hiding under a large blanket of white cold snow. It started snowing last night and I think that it has finally stopped. Now the winds are kicking up and causing lots of snow drifts.
Here we are sitting at the cusp of 2011 and for my world there are lots of changes going on in the horizon. We have a very ambitious goal of becoming very self sufficient. So I am planning on adding to our chicken flock in two different ways. We are going to add more laying hens. We currently have 11 after losing on already this winter. So I am thinking of adding between 7-13 more layers in the spring. We are also going to start raising some meat chickens. These only take about 8-12 weeks to raise and then will fit nicely into our freezer.
I have already started to plan out my garden for next year. We have always planted directly into the soil. Unfortunately the soil here in NH isn't always the best so we are forced to add to it. I am not interested in adding alot of chemicals into the dirt. This half the reason why I have a garden is to avoid the extra chemicals. So this year I am doing raised beds and the only additives I plan on using is manure and compost.
I am considering doing a small CSA type program for any of my followers or friends that are interested in having fresh veggies, eggs and possibly meat birds but do not have the time or place to do this. If you are interested feel free to contact me for more information.
Monday, December 13, 2010
How to Make Homemade Bath Bombs
How to Make Homemade Bath Bombs
This mom has perfected how to make homemade bath bombs or fizzies. You have got to check them out. I simply can not wait to try this one!
This mom has perfected how to make homemade bath bombs or fizzies. You have got to check them out. I simply can not wait to try this one!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
MISSING DOG ALERT
ATTN All my NH and VT Friends: MISSING DOG ALERT!!! Missing since Saturday evening: female, black-tri Australian Shepherd, vicinity Dothan Rd in White River Junction – close to Norwich and to Hartford Village as well. She is very friendly, barks a bit and goes by the name Brandy. Reply if you have any information. Thank You
Monday, July 12, 2010
Budget Boot Camp
I have signed up for this thing. This "thing" is a budget boot camp. It is lasting for 90 days and the goal is to take all the little tips that we have learned from places and actually put them together. So I have had to make a grocery list-easy right? Not so. I actually have to stick to buying only what is on it. Then you wonder where are the items from that list coming from? The first real challenge is to create a Meal Plan. OK so this needs to be a bit more than just a list saying ok Pizza on Friday.
I have always wanted to create a meal plan that I could rotate through different meals and know that I already have the ingredients in the house. Of course always throw eventually a new dish to try and if it goes over well add it to the rotation.
So I printed out this template [ here ] on how to make a meal plan. You can download the Meal Planner PDF file [ Here].
So I started out great then I didn't follow what I had started and it fizzled out. So I am going to try again.
Oh I forgot to tell you where you could go and join this Boot Camp. HERE TO ENTER BOOT CAMP
I have always wanted to create a meal plan that I could rotate through different meals and know that I already have the ingredients in the house. Of course always throw eventually a new dish to try and if it goes over well add it to the rotation.
So I printed out this template [ here ] on how to make a meal plan. You can download the Meal Planner PDF file [ Here].
So I started out great then I didn't follow what I had started and it fizzled out. So I am going to try again.
Oh I forgot to tell you where you could go and join this Boot Camp. HERE TO ENTER BOOT CAMP
Monday, June 7, 2010
Inspirational Story :The Beautiful Flower In The Broken Pot ~Author Unknown~
Inspirational Story
The Beautiful Flower In The Broken Pot
~Author Unknown~
Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to out patients at the clinic.
One summer evening as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see a truly awful looking man. “Why, he’s hardly taller than my eight-year-old,” I thought as I stared at the stooped, shriveled body. But the appalling thing was his face, lopsided from swelling, red and raw.
Yet his voice was pleasant as he said, “Good evening. I’ve come to see if you’ve a room for just one night. I came for a treatment this morning from the eastern shore, and there’s no bus ’til morning.”
He told me he’d been hunting for a room since noon but with no success, no one seemed to have a room. “I guess it’s my face… I know it looks terrible, but my doctor says with a few more treatments…”
For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me: “I could sleep in this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the morning.”
I told him we would find him a bed, but to rest on the porch. I went inside and finished getting supper. When we were ready, I asked the old man if he would join us. “No thank you. I have plenty.” And he held up a brown paper bag.
When I had finished the dishes, I went out on the porch to talk with him a few minutes. It didn’t take a long time to see that this old man had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body. He told me he fished for a living to support his daughter, her five children, and her husband, who was hopelessly crippled from a back injury.
He didn’t tell it by way of complaint; in fact, every other sentence was preface with a thanks to God for a blessing. He was grateful that no pain accompanied his disease, which was apparently a form of skin cancer. He thanked God for giving him the strength to keep going.
At bedtime, we put a camp cot in the children’s room for him. When I got up in the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded and the little man was out on the porch.
He refused breakfast, but just before he left for his bus, haltingly, as if asking a great favor, he said, Could I please come back and stay the next time I have a treatment? I won’t put you out a bit. I can sleep fine in a chair.” He paused a moment and then added, “Your children made me feel at home. Grownups are bothered by my face, but children don’t seem to mind.” I told him he was welcome to come again.
And on his next trip he arrived a little after seven in the morning.
As a gift, he brought a big fish and a quart of the largest oysters I had ever seen. He said he had shucked them that morning before he left so that they’d be nice and fresh. I knew his bus left at 4:00 a.m. and I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us.
In the years he came to stay overnight with us there was never a time that he did not bring us fish or oysters or vegetables from his garden.
Other times we received packages in the mail, always by special delivery; fish and oysters packed in a box of fresh young spinach or kale, every leaf carefully washed. Knowing that he must walk three miles to mail these, and knowing how little money he had made the gifts doubly preciou s.
When I received these little remembrances, I often thought of a comment our next-door neighbor made after he left that first morning.
“Did you keep that awful looking man last night? I turned him away! You can lose roomers by putting up such people!”
Maybe we did lose roomers once or twice. But oh! If only they could have known him, perhaps their illnesses would have been easier to bear.
I know our family always will be grateful to have known him; from him we learned what it was to accept the bad without complaint and the good with gratitude to God.
Recently I was visiting a friend, who has a greenhouse, as she showed me her flowers, we came to the most beautiful one of all, a golden chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. But to my great surprise, it was growing in an old dented, rusty bucket. I thought to myself, “If this were my plant, I’d put it in the loveliest container I had!”
My friend changed my mind. “I ran short of pots,” she explained, and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn’t mind starting out in this old pail. It’s just for a little while, till I can put it out in the garden.”
She must have wondered why I laughed so delightedly, but I was imagining just such a scene in heaven. “Here’s an especially beautiful one,” God might have said when he came to the soul of the sweet old fisherman. “He won’t mind starting in this small body.”
All this happened long ago - and now, in God’s garden, how tall this lovely soul must stand.
The Beautiful Flower In The Broken Pot
~Author Unknown~
Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to out patients at the clinic.
One summer evening as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see a truly awful looking man. “Why, he’s hardly taller than my eight-year-old,” I thought as I stared at the stooped, shriveled body. But the appalling thing was his face, lopsided from swelling, red and raw.
Yet his voice was pleasant as he said, “Good evening. I’ve come to see if you’ve a room for just one night. I came for a treatment this morning from the eastern shore, and there’s no bus ’til morning.”
He told me he’d been hunting for a room since noon but with no success, no one seemed to have a room. “I guess it’s my face… I know it looks terrible, but my doctor says with a few more treatments…”
For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me: “I could sleep in this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the morning.”
I told him we would find him a bed, but to rest on the porch. I went inside and finished getting supper. When we were ready, I asked the old man if he would join us. “No thank you. I have plenty.” And he held up a brown paper bag.
When I had finished the dishes, I went out on the porch to talk with him a few minutes. It didn’t take a long time to see that this old man had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body. He told me he fished for a living to support his daughter, her five children, and her husband, who was hopelessly crippled from a back injury.
He didn’t tell it by way of complaint; in fact, every other sentence was preface with a thanks to God for a blessing. He was grateful that no pain accompanied his disease, which was apparently a form of skin cancer. He thanked God for giving him the strength to keep going.
At bedtime, we put a camp cot in the children’s room for him. When I got up in the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded and the little man was out on the porch.
He refused breakfast, but just before he left for his bus, haltingly, as if asking a great favor, he said, Could I please come back and stay the next time I have a treatment? I won’t put you out a bit. I can sleep fine in a chair.” He paused a moment and then added, “Your children made me feel at home. Grownups are bothered by my face, but children don’t seem to mind.” I told him he was welcome to come again.
And on his next trip he arrived a little after seven in the morning.
As a gift, he brought a big fish and a quart of the largest oysters I had ever seen. He said he had shucked them that morning before he left so that they’d be nice and fresh. I knew his bus left at 4:00 a.m. and I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us.
In the years he came to stay overnight with us there was never a time that he did not bring us fish or oysters or vegetables from his garden.
Other times we received packages in the mail, always by special delivery; fish and oysters packed in a box of fresh young spinach or kale, every leaf carefully washed. Knowing that he must walk three miles to mail these, and knowing how little money he had made the gifts doubly preciou s.
When I received these little remembrances, I often thought of a comment our next-door neighbor made after he left that first morning.
“Did you keep that awful looking man last night? I turned him away! You can lose roomers by putting up such people!”
Maybe we did lose roomers once or twice. But oh! If only they could have known him, perhaps their illnesses would have been easier to bear.
I know our family always will be grateful to have known him; from him we learned what it was to accept the bad without complaint and the good with gratitude to God.
Recently I was visiting a friend, who has a greenhouse, as she showed me her flowers, we came to the most beautiful one of all, a golden chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. But to my great surprise, it was growing in an old dented, rusty bucket. I thought to myself, “If this were my plant, I’d put it in the loveliest container I had!”
My friend changed my mind. “I ran short of pots,” she explained, and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn’t mind starting out in this old pail. It’s just for a little while, till I can put it out in the garden.”
She must have wondered why I laughed so delightedly, but I was imagining just such a scene in heaven. “Here’s an especially beautiful one,” God might have said when he came to the soul of the sweet old fisherman. “He won’t mind starting in this small body.”
All this happened long ago - and now, in God’s garden, how tall this lovely soul must stand.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Government Announces 2 Big Crib Recalls - Project Economy News Story - WMUR Manchester
Government Announces 2 Big Crib Recalls - Project Economy News Story - WMUR Manchester
WASHINGTON -- The government recalled thousands of Simplicity and Graco cribs Thursday, warning that babies could suffocate or strangle in them. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said the Simplicity recall was linked to at least one death and involved thousands of cribs, possibly hundreds of thousands, though many had previously been recalled for other defects. The agency said about 217,000 Graco dropside cribs made by LaJobi were also being recalled. The problem with both types of cribs stems from hardware failures. In the case of the Graco-branded wood cribs, the side that moves up and down -- the dropside -- can break or detach, creating a dangerous gap between the crib mattress and dropped side. A baby can become trapped and suffocate or strangle. The commission and LaJobi have received 99 complaints of dropside problems with the cribs. None involved serious injuries. A retrofit kit will be available to consumers to prevent the dropside from moving, making all four sides of the crib stationary. The Simplicity recall is for all of the full-sized cribs with tubular metal mattress-support frames. Those frames can bend or detach, causing the mattress to collapse and creating a space that a baby can roll into, become trapped in and suffocate. A 1-year-old boy in North Attleboro, Mass., became trapped in his Simplicity crib and suffocated in 2008, according to the commission. "CPSC urges all parents and caregivers to not attempt to resell any Simplicity crib to a thrift store, at a yard sale or online," said agency spokesman Scott Wolfson. "These recalled cribs have killed far too many babies and need to be kept out of homes and daycare centers." Simplicity has been the subject of almost a dozen recalls since 2005 and its cribs and bassinets have been linked to 13 deaths. The commission had previously recalled all Simplicity dropside cribs. With the latest recall, nearly all Simplicity cribs have now been recalled, possibly hundreds of thousands. Simplicity and its successor company, SFCA Inc., are no longer in business, so the agency doesn't know exactly how many cribs were sold. Additional Resources:
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
WASHINGTON -- The government recalled thousands of Simplicity and Graco cribs Thursday, warning that babies could suffocate or strangle in them. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said the Simplicity recall was linked to at least one death and involved thousands of cribs, possibly hundreds of thousands, though many had previously been recalled for other defects. The agency said about 217,000 Graco dropside cribs made by LaJobi were also being recalled. The problem with both types of cribs stems from hardware failures. In the case of the Graco-branded wood cribs, the side that moves up and down -- the dropside -- can break or detach, creating a dangerous gap between the crib mattress and dropped side. A baby can become trapped and suffocate or strangle. The commission and LaJobi have received 99 complaints of dropside problems with the cribs. None involved serious injuries. A retrofit kit will be available to consumers to prevent the dropside from moving, making all four sides of the crib stationary. The Simplicity recall is for all of the full-sized cribs with tubular metal mattress-support frames. Those frames can bend or detach, causing the mattress to collapse and creating a space that a baby can roll into, become trapped in and suffocate. A 1-year-old boy in North Attleboro, Mass., became trapped in his Simplicity crib and suffocated in 2008, according to the commission. "CPSC urges all parents and caregivers to not attempt to resell any Simplicity crib to a thrift store, at a yard sale or online," said agency spokesman Scott Wolfson. "These recalled cribs have killed far too many babies and need to be kept out of homes and daycare centers." Simplicity has been the subject of almost a dozen recalls since 2005 and its cribs and bassinets have been linked to 13 deaths. The commission had previously recalled all Simplicity dropside cribs. With the latest recall, nearly all Simplicity cribs have now been recalled, possibly hundreds of thousands. Simplicity and its successor company, SFCA Inc., are no longer in business, so the agency doesn't know exactly how many cribs were sold. Additional Resources:
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Looking for a Sitter or Nanny?
How many parents have had to go and look for a Sitter or Nanny for their kids? Most at some point in time. Well here is a site that I have joined that is helping me to find safe sitters for the kids. Many of these people have already been background checked and for those that haven't you can do one yourself right from their site for a very small fee.
You can post any job need that you have for free and see how many people apply. From their you can see their scheduled availablity, rates and qualifications. Really a one stop shopping. They also have pet sitters, elder care, housekeeping etc. I think that it is great so far. I posted my job and got some responses and possibly have found a sitter that can meet our needs.
Follow this link and see if you can find someone for your life.
You can post any job need that you have for free and see how many people apply. From their you can see their scheduled availablity, rates and qualifications. Really a one stop shopping. They also have pet sitters, elder care, housekeeping etc. I think that it is great so far. I posted my job and got some responses and possibly have found a sitter that can meet our needs.
Parents: Hire a Caregiver
- Post a job and let qualified babysitters and nannies come to you.
- Search for the perfect babysitter or nanny using over 50 different criteria.
- Access babysitter and nanny profiles with photos, experience, skills, and more.
- View babysitters' and nannies' background checks, references, and parent reviews.
Follow this link and see if you can find someone for your life.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Less is More: Ways to Simplify Your Life
This article was posted by Maria Gracia of Get Organized Now. When I read it I just had to share it.
The society in which we live is all too often obsessed with how much we have. We spend a lot of time accumulating things and have a hard time giving things up. All the extras can add up and stress us out. Below is a list of 15 things that we can do with less of in order to help simplify our lives and free up our time.
1. Limit commitments
Many of us have a hard time saying no. Even when we're overworked and overbooked, many of us feel guilty telling people no. It's time to learn that it's okay to say no and not feel guilty. When you have too many commitments, you aren't able to fulfill them to the best of your ability and you add unnecessary stress to your life, not to mention all the time that those commitments eat up. Next time you're already committed and asked to take on more, gracefully apologize and say no--remembering that next time the need arises you may not be so busy.
2. Shorten To Do lists
Get rid of all the post-it notes and scraps of paper on which you've jotted down things to get done. Consolidate everything into 2 lists. One list should be your to do list for work and the other one for home. Each list should only contain the most important things in order to keep your lists short.
3. Control wasteful actions
Think about your typical day. How much of that time is spent doing things that don't really have a purpose? Things like watching hours of TV and pointless Internet surfing often draw us in and waste more of our time than expected. Gain back some of this time by making such activities more difficult to do or by avoiding them altogether.
4. Reduce clothing
Many Americans have closets and drawers full of clothes, much of which they haven't worn in months or even years. Look through your clothes. Take out anything that doesn't fit, is out of style, or hasn't been worn in over six months. Donate these items to a local charity, sell them at a garage sale, or give them to a friend who could use them.
5. Donate books
Books that aren't useful anymore and ones that you do not intend on reading again are just creating clutter. Go through your books and weed out all of your clutter books, including college textbooks, reference and self-help books you don't use any more, and books you'll never read again. Either sell these items at a garage sale or donate them to a friend or charity.
6. Consolidate email accounts
If you have multiple email accounts, consolidate them. Send out that mass email to let people know you're changing your email address. Keeping track of more than 2 email accounts is a great waste of time. Keep 1 personal account and 1 work account.
7. Focus on fewer goals
Having goals is a great thing, don't get me wrong. Everyone should have goals, but working toward too many at one time can be detrimental to your success. Focus on only 2 or 3 goals at a time and you will find it much less stressful and much more enjoyable as you achieve more success.
8. Curb credit cards
Credit card debt is a major problem for many Americans. One way to avoid this problem and stress is to limit credit card use by limiting the number available to you. Scale back to only 1 credit card and 1 backup. If this just won't do for you, try scaling back the number of cards you keep with you in your purse or wallet.
9. Reduce banking institutions
Let one bank supply all of your banking needs. Some banking institutions consolidate all of your accounts onto one statement each month, reducing the number of papers to sort through and file. It will also reduce the number of websites you have to login to each time you want to check balances and activity online.
10. Reduce bills to mail
There are many recurring payments that we make each month, from cable bills to car and mortgage payments and even utilities. Sign up with the companies or your financial institution to have these charges automatically withdrawn from your checking or savings account. Other than saving you time and the hassle of mailing in your payments, it also saves you any late fees you may otherwise incur in the process.
11. Eliminate car clutter
Get rid of the trash and anything else that doesn't belong in your vehicle. Keep a small bag in your vehicle for any garbage that may accumulate while you're driving. Make sure everything that belongs in your car has a place. Most commuters find that they do some of their best thinking while they're on the road. It's rather hard to think and keep your mind clear when the space around you is a mess. It's also not a very good environment in which to decompress after a long day at work.
12. Control communication
Email, IM, cell phones, paper mail, Skype, Twitter, Facebook, and forums can all rob us of our precious time if we're not careful. Allow yourself a reasonable amount of time to communicate with friends and family, but don't let it overwhelm your day. Schedule certain times during the day for such communication, but only allow a certain number of minutes and stick to your schedule.
13. Plan dinner choices
Create a weekly dinner menu. It can be something as simple as 10-day rotation of chicken dish, pasta dish, veggie dish, etc. Need more variety? Combine your favorite recipes into one binder and make weekly dinners from that one recipe book.
14. Quit multi-tasking
Stop multi-tasking! Generally people are less productive when they multi-task. It adds more stress and makes things more complicated. Stick with a single task until you can cross it off your to do list and then move on to the next thing.
15. End gossip
Gossip creates drama whether it's at work or in your personal life. Eliminate the majority of this drama by not repeating any of the gossip you hear. It'll make you a more enjoyable person to be around and a better friend.
The society in which we live is all too often obsessed with how much we have. We spend a lot of time accumulating things and have a hard time giving things up. All the extras can add up and stress us out. Below is a list of 15 things that we can do with less of in order to help simplify our lives and free up our time.
1. Limit commitments
Many of us have a hard time saying no. Even when we're overworked and overbooked, many of us feel guilty telling people no. It's time to learn that it's okay to say no and not feel guilty. When you have too many commitments, you aren't able to fulfill them to the best of your ability and you add unnecessary stress to your life, not to mention all the time that those commitments eat up. Next time you're already committed and asked to take on more, gracefully apologize and say no--remembering that next time the need arises you may not be so busy.
2. Shorten To Do lists
Get rid of all the post-it notes and scraps of paper on which you've jotted down things to get done. Consolidate everything into 2 lists. One list should be your to do list for work and the other one for home. Each list should only contain the most important things in order to keep your lists short.
3. Control wasteful actions
Think about your typical day. How much of that time is spent doing things that don't really have a purpose? Things like watching hours of TV and pointless Internet surfing often draw us in and waste more of our time than expected. Gain back some of this time by making such activities more difficult to do or by avoiding them altogether.
4. Reduce clothing
Many Americans have closets and drawers full of clothes, much of which they haven't worn in months or even years. Look through your clothes. Take out anything that doesn't fit, is out of style, or hasn't been worn in over six months. Donate these items to a local charity, sell them at a garage sale, or give them to a friend who could use them.
5. Donate books
Books that aren't useful anymore and ones that you do not intend on reading again are just creating clutter. Go through your books and weed out all of your clutter books, including college textbooks, reference and self-help books you don't use any more, and books you'll never read again. Either sell these items at a garage sale or donate them to a friend or charity.
6. Consolidate email accounts
If you have multiple email accounts, consolidate them. Send out that mass email to let people know you're changing your email address. Keeping track of more than 2 email accounts is a great waste of time. Keep 1 personal account and 1 work account.
7. Focus on fewer goals
Having goals is a great thing, don't get me wrong. Everyone should have goals, but working toward too many at one time can be detrimental to your success. Focus on only 2 or 3 goals at a time and you will find it much less stressful and much more enjoyable as you achieve more success.
8. Curb credit cards
Credit card debt is a major problem for many Americans. One way to avoid this problem and stress is to limit credit card use by limiting the number available to you. Scale back to only 1 credit card and 1 backup. If this just won't do for you, try scaling back the number of cards you keep with you in your purse or wallet.
9. Reduce banking institutions
Let one bank supply all of your banking needs. Some banking institutions consolidate all of your accounts onto one statement each month, reducing the number of papers to sort through and file. It will also reduce the number of websites you have to login to each time you want to check balances and activity online.
10. Reduce bills to mail
There are many recurring payments that we make each month, from cable bills to car and mortgage payments and even utilities. Sign up with the companies or your financial institution to have these charges automatically withdrawn from your checking or savings account. Other than saving you time and the hassle of mailing in your payments, it also saves you any late fees you may otherwise incur in the process.
11. Eliminate car clutter
Get rid of the trash and anything else that doesn't belong in your vehicle. Keep a small bag in your vehicle for any garbage that may accumulate while you're driving. Make sure everything that belongs in your car has a place. Most commuters find that they do some of their best thinking while they're on the road. It's rather hard to think and keep your mind clear when the space around you is a mess. It's also not a very good environment in which to decompress after a long day at work.
12. Control communication
Email, IM, cell phones, paper mail, Skype, Twitter, Facebook, and forums can all rob us of our precious time if we're not careful. Allow yourself a reasonable amount of time to communicate with friends and family, but don't let it overwhelm your day. Schedule certain times during the day for such communication, but only allow a certain number of minutes and stick to your schedule.
13. Plan dinner choices
Create a weekly dinner menu. It can be something as simple as 10-day rotation of chicken dish, pasta dish, veggie dish, etc. Need more variety? Combine your favorite recipes into one binder and make weekly dinners from that one recipe book.
14. Quit multi-tasking
Stop multi-tasking! Generally people are less productive when they multi-task. It adds more stress and makes things more complicated. Stick with a single task until you can cross it off your to do list and then move on to the next thing.
15. End gossip
Gossip creates drama whether it's at work or in your personal life. Eliminate the majority of this drama by not repeating any of the gossip you hear. It'll make you a more enjoyable person to be around and a better friend.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Go Green, Save Green
Go Green, Save Green
Setting up an earth-friendly environment will help you leave the world a healthier place and save you money, too. Where’s the downside? There is none!
1: BRIGHT IDEA: Fluorescent bulbs use 70-75% less energy and last 8-10 times longer than regular incandescent light bulbs.
2: FRIDGE FACTS: Vacuum the coils under your fridge twice a year to keep it running efficiently, using less energy. Set your fridge to the lowest setting necessary to keep food cool and fresh.
3: PULL THE PLUG: Many electronic devices and chargers suck up energy even when they’re off. When you leave the house, turn off all lights, unplug phone and battery chargers and turn down the heat or A/C.
4: FLUSHED AWAY: If you don’t have a low-flow toilet, leave a plastic bottle or container full of water into the toilet tank in the back of your toilet. It will flush just as well and cut your water waste in half.
5: SINK SMARTS: Turn the water off when you’re not using it. Like when you’re brushing your teeth. When you are washing at the sink, a pencil-thin flow of water is all you need.
6: STEM THE TIDE: Low flow showerheads and faucets save a huge amount of water. Some new low flow showerheads use air pressure to keep the stream just as strong.
7: BUY LOCAL: In the grocery store, check the produce’s green footprint by seeing where it came from. Buying local fruits and vegetables supports local growers and saves the energy it takes to transport foreign produce and keep it fresh.
8: GO PAPERLESS: Reduce junk mail by selecting paperless billing whenever it’s offered. Sign up for direct pay or find a bank that offers free check-writing services to save time and the cost of stamps and envelopes.
9: GREENER CLEANERS: Most cleaning products available today contain chemicals that can be harmful to you, your belongings and the environment. Baking soda and vinegar – also known as the makings of a volcano experiment – are also great for cleaning almost anything in your house.
10: BYOB: Bring your own bags to the grocery store to cut down on bag waste. When at the store, stick with the outer aisles, where the fresh food is. Fresher food requires less packaging and processing, and it’s healthier, too!
11: GIVE UP THE BOTTLE: Plastic water and soda bottles and cans waste tons of natural resources each year. Buy a reusable Neoprene bottle for drinks on the go. You’ll save a lot of money buying your drinks in larger portions or drinking filtered tap water.
12: DRYER SMARTS: When using the dryer, empty the lint tray each time to reduce drag on the machine and eliminate a common fire hazard. Better yet, shut the dryer and hang your clothes outside instead.
13: TWO DEGREES: Turn the thermostat up two degrees in summer and down two degrees in winter, setting your thermostat to 68 in winter and 72 in summer. Turn off the A/C whenever you can, open wide the windows and take in the fresh air.
14: CHARGE IT: Standard disposable batteries end up in landfills, and leach harmful metals, lead and acid into the air, water and land. Instead, buy rechargeable batteries, which can be charged and reused up to 1,000 times. Rechargeable batteries may be more expensive but the costs are often outweighed by long-term savings and environmental benefits.
15: PAPER TRAINING: Ditch the paper towels and napkins and go for cloth instead. It looks nicer, and conserves water and forests of trees from destruction. Use toilet paper and tissues marked with the recycling symbol showing that it’s made from recycled paper. Don’t worry, the paper is clean. It’s also eco-friendly.
16: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE: The 3 R’s are the biggest rules in going green. Reduce waste wherever possible. Reuse what you can. Recycle what’s left over.
Thanks goes out to www.beinggirl.com for this wonderful article.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Click it and Save
Many experts warn about wasting money on frivolous items when you are surfing the net. But did you know that you can actually use the Internet to save you money? All with one quick click of the mouse.
- dealalerter.com This website can track prices on all sorts of items and then you can receive an alert when the price drops. Helping you to find the best deals.
- mygrocerydeals.com These guys scan all the circulars in all 50 states every week. You can search for all the good deals at your local grocery store. Just another way to making becoming more green an easier way of life. No circulars means no extra waste.
- retailmenot.com Here you can find coupon codes for great discounts on all your online purchases.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Time to tame the Paper
So now that we have begun to streamline all the people in our lives. It is time to get a handle on the ever growing piles of papers all around us.
Paring Down the Papers
If you are like me you are always loosing the paper that you wrote another list on. Whether it is the grocery list or important phone numbers. Well make your life easier and ditch the paper and turn to Springpadit.com This is one place that you fan go to manage all the lists in your life without creating a single sheet of paper unless you decide to print something.
A Great Favorite of mine is this next site. Qipit.com
After you register on this site it is so easy to use. Use your cell phone camera or digital camera to take a pic of just about anything you would want to save. Such as a child's drawing, a recipe etc..You just email the pic to Qipit.com and they will email you back a PDF file that you can save on your hard drive and ditch the original paper. How easy is that? You still have whatever it is that you needed without adding to the pile of paper.
Owners Manuals. Do you really need them? Most likely not. Thanks to the wonderful Internet and sites like ManualsMania.com or TheUserManualSite.com you can find all the answers that you are looking for on just about any appliance.
Next Time join me for more information on how to Fine Tune your Finances.
Have a wonderful and Blessed Day,
Kris
Paring Down the Papers
If you are like me you are always loosing the paper that you wrote another list on. Whether it is the grocery list or important phone numbers. Well make your life easier and ditch the paper and turn to Springpadit.com This is one place that you fan go to manage all the lists in your life without creating a single sheet of paper unless you decide to print something.
A Great Favorite of mine is this next site. Qipit.com
After you register on this site it is so easy to use. Use your cell phone camera or digital camera to take a pic of just about anything you would want to save. Such as a child's drawing, a recipe etc..You just email the pic to Qipit.com and they will email you back a PDF file that you can save on your hard drive and ditch the original paper. How easy is that? You still have whatever it is that you needed without adding to the pile of paper.
Owners Manuals. Do you really need them? Most likely not. Thanks to the wonderful Internet and sites like ManualsMania.com or TheUserManualSite.com you can find all the answers that you are looking for on just about any appliance.
Next Time join me for more information on how to Fine Tune your Finances.
Have a wonderful and Blessed Day,
Kris
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
New Year, New Tips
With the New Year here most of us are making Resolutions. Now most of these won't last past January but you can turn a New Year's Resolution into a lifestyle change for the better.
How many of us are always saying "I wish I could be more organized."? Well now you can. With updates I am going to show you all new ways to make your life more efficient for the real world.
STREAMLINE SCHEDULES:
The majority of us spend at least half our day connected. Whether that is via laptop, cell phone, Facebook, Twitter, the list goes on and on. So why not take advantage of all the options? You can keep your old wall calender but why not add a mobile on too? There are plenty of options out there. Such as google.com/calendar that allows all members of a family to update information with a single log in.
Or how about Cozi.com? Here you can list everyone's activities and even color code them. When you are all updated simply send the list to your phone and you will always know who is where and what time you need to be there.
What happens when you are in charge of a group and you are trying to plan events? It is so hard to schedule something that works for everyone. Why not use Doodle.com ? You can create an online poll that contains possible dates and times for your event. You can send invites to all the members, allowing them to log in and choose the dates/times that work best for them. Best part is this eliminates multiple emails and the dreaded phone tag.
How many of us are always saying "I wish I could be more organized."? Well now you can. With updates I am going to show you all new ways to make your life more efficient for the real world.
STREAMLINE SCHEDULES:
The majority of us spend at least half our day connected. Whether that is via laptop, cell phone, Facebook, Twitter, the list goes on and on. So why not take advantage of all the options? You can keep your old wall calender but why not add a mobile on too? There are plenty of options out there. Such as google.com/calendar that allows all members of a family to update information with a single log in.
Or how about Cozi.com? Here you can list everyone's activities and even color code them. When you are all updated simply send the list to your phone and you will always know who is where and what time you need to be there.
What happens when you are in charge of a group and you are trying to plan events? It is so hard to schedule something that works for everyone. Why not use Doodle.com ? You can create an online poll that contains possible dates and times for your event. You can send invites to all the members, allowing them to log in and choose the dates/times that work best for them. Best part is this eliminates multiple emails and the dreaded phone tag.
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