Friday, November 30, 2007
A Cookie A Day - Day 4 - Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip
| By Agatha Curtis A Cookie A Day...Day 4 - Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip  Off and on, I like to cook. My favorites are old fashioned recipes (by today’s standards). I prefer to use real margarine (instead of fat free—don’t use real butter due to budget woes) and real eggs (instead of soy egg substitute), so I get a lot of my recipes from those cookbooks put together by the wonderful ladies and gentlemen raising monies for their churches and communities. These cookbooks can often be purchased at your local thrift stores and Goodwill for very little money, but you will get some of the best cooking you ever tasted from them. The recipes are the cream of the crop and usually taste-tested at church suppers, bake sales and family holiday get-togethers. Hope you enjoy this recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Mrs. Field’s Chocolate Chip Cookies (from Our Best Home Cooking, by the Ladies Auxiliary, Nelson Creek Volunteer Fire Department, recipe by Walteen Curtis) 2 c. butter 4 c. flour (self rising) 2 c. white sugar 5 c. oatmeal 2 c. brown sugar 3 c. nuts 4 eggs 24 oz. chocolate chips 2 Tbsp. vanilla Cream butter and sugars together; add eggs and vanilla. Mix remaining ingredients together; add with first mixture. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 6 minutes or at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. |
Thursday, November 29, 2007
A Cookie A Day - Day 3 - Miracle Peanut Butter Cookies
| By Agatha Curtis A Cookie A Day...Day 3 Miracle Peanut Butter Cookies  (based on recipe from Beany Malone Cookbook, by Lenora Mattingly Weber) I used to love the Beany Malone series of books when I was growing up so, naturally, I was thrilled when I found this cookbook at a local library book sale. The miracle of these cookies is that they don’t require flour and still taste great. They’re light and crisp and absolutely addictive. I also found this recipe with a variation on www.recipegoldmine.com This is a great recipe site with tons of recipes, including restaurant favorites. Their variation was called No Flour Cookies and the variation was adding a Hershey’s kiss in the center before baking. Try it, you’ll like it! 1 cup white sugar 1 large egg 1 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) 1 tsp vanilla Mix all ingredients and drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 8 to 10 minutes, depending on your oven. Labels: cookie recipe, miracle peanut butter cookies, peanut butter |
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
A Cookie A Day...Day 2
| By Annie Maxwell A Cookie A Day...Day 2 Not exactly a cookie, but fudge can be a great Christmas gift to give (or receive)! Adding a little piece of peppermint to the top will add some Christmas spirit to your gift. The best fudge I've ever made was the No Fail Fudge, or Fantasy Fudge as I've heard it called (with marshmallows).  Kraft has a recipe which I think is one of the best, and omitting the nuts will result in this recipe being very frugal ($5 or under for a batch that will yield enough gifts for several people): 3 cups sugar 3/4 cup margarine 1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk 1 pkg. (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate pieces 1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme 1 cup chopped nuts 1 tsp. vanilla Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 2 to 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234° F., stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate pieces until melted. Add marshmallow creme, nuts and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour into a greased 13-by-9-inch pan. Cool at room temperature. Cut into squares. Makes 3 pounds. Courtesy of ThatsMyHome.com. This website also has other fudge recipes which you may find useful in gift giving. I can remember one time when I made the fudge for a boss at Christmas, and accidentally substituted almond flavoring for vanilla. The fudge was still delicious! |
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
A Cookie A Day...Day 1
| By Annie Maxwell A cookie a day keeps the doctor away is my motto! Today's recipe is one of my favorites, and can be used as a base for a number of ingredients. No Name Cookies:  1/2 c. butter 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 c. honey 1 egg Mix these ingredients together. Then add: 2 c. self-rising flour Stir. Now for the fun part - this is almost a sugar cookie taste, and I usually add: 1 tsp. ginger 1 tsp. cinnamon But I have added nothing before, and they taste fine. You could experiment with different spices, add vanilla or another liquid flavoring (almond might be worth trying). You could also get the kids involved and add M&M pieces, chocolate chips, etc. Or just sprinkle some sugar or chocolate sprinkles on top. Ice them if you're so inclined. Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 7 minutes. I like my cookies mushy, so I don't leave them in for very long. |
Monday, November 26, 2007
What's For Dinner?
| By Lynn Forgy I belong to several different Yahoo groups, ranging from frugal cooking to freecycling. I was sent a link today, CookingByNumbers.com, and wanted to share it. You check the ingredients that you have on hand, click submit, and possible menu items and recipes are given.  Another link, FruitFromWashington, allows you to enter in your ingredients, and converts the measurements for you. There are also some recipes on the bottom of the page that you may find useful. Other websites that I check frequently because of their frugal recipes are: Living on a Dime Hillbilly Housewife Miserly Moms There are many other websites out there that offer cheap recipe ideas, and many more that can slightly modified to be frugal. Use your imagination! Labels: cheap dinners, Frugal recipes |
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Cyber Monday
| By Lynn Forgy Black Friday has come and gone, now we're gearing up for Cyber Monday. (I wonder what percentage of employees spend an hour or more of their "work time" shopping online on Cyber Monday?). I signed up on a website - Ebates.com, and on initial sign up you can receive a gift card for $10 or $5 cash (after a purchase of course). Many online merchants will be offering specials, discounts, free shipping, etc. For example, I get 2-5% cash back (from ebates) when I purchase a DVD series that my daughter has requested for Christmas. Add to that the 15% discount I get from the online merchant, and I have saved approximately $20. Compare online merchants to find the best deals - if you can use a discount code to get a percentage off, and they offer free shipping or some other deal, you save not only money but the time and gas it would take to drive to a store and buy the item. Online shopping is a lifesaver for me! I don't waste a lot of time trying to find the perfect gift - instead, everything is right at my fingertips, just waiting for me to find the best deal! Another helpful aspect of online shopping is that I don't overspend (or at least I don't overspend as much as if I was in a store). If you do shop tomorrow on Cyber Monday, good luck, and Happy Hunting! |
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Pre-Black Friday Thoughts
| By Lynn Forgy It is 9 pm as I'm writing this, Thanksgiving evening, only 3 hours to go until the official start of "Black Friday". I am not participating this year in the festivities and chaos that, in my mind, are synonymous with Black Friday. I refuse to get up before the rooster crows and venture out into the 30 degree weather, awaiting the bell that will toll at 5 am in Wal-Mart, signifying the beginning of the snatching and grabbing, shoving and running, snarls and swearing, and general grumpiness. (That was my experience last year, at least in the first half hour of opening, after which most of the shoppers tended to be more calm - perhaps they were sleepwalking). Instead of shopping, and I really would like to go but unfortunately since it is so close to the end of the month I have spent all my hard-earned money on bills and debt, I will be cleaning the house, going to my part-time job for several hours, then driving to a tree farm here in town where I will saw down the Christmas tree and lug it home (for a VERY LOW price of $15). Contentment - a word that doesn't seem to be used very often in our society. We always seem to want more, then when we have obtained whatever we wanted in the first place, we're not content and we want more. Or as the old saying goes, "I don't want all the land, just the land that is next to mine". Being content does not necessarily mean that you do not try to your current situation (your dead end job, your out of control debt, etc.), but that you can accept your situation and you will be happy with little, or happy with a lot - whatever the Good Lord has chosen to give you, you will be content. Dictionary.com defines contentment as "satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else". I do not think it is a contradiction to be "content" with what God has given you, yet still striving and working towards a goal. I certainly do not think that God wants us to be in debt - after all, a debtor is slave to the lender. Concluding this long random rambling, if you are content, satisfied with what you have and who you are, why would you need to spend your hard earned money on more "things"? You don't need to spend $50 on a pair of jeans (you could get the same or similar pair from Goodwill for $4) - why not put that $50 towards your credit card debt? Material objects will not make you content; you may be satisfied for a very short period of time, but you will not be content for long. Labels: contentment, satisfied |
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Financial Links
| By Lynn Forgy The holiday shopping season is almost here and I want to post some of my favorite financial/frugal/freebie links.  To keep you motivated, check out WhatsTheCost.com. Is spending $400 on a Christmas gift for Junior really worth it??? HotCouponWorld.comTons of freebies, coupons, Black Friday ads, and more. You name it, it's probably there. LivingOnADime has lots of information and links. Frugal Living has pertinent information, recipes, etc. Visit FreebieCat for more freebies. Visit Freeflys for even more freebies.  |
Black Friday...Continued
| By Lynn Forgy People have been anticipating for weeks, and in some cases months, Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving, the biggest shopping day of the year. Some have their strategies planned out, lists made, budgets tweaked, and their shopping attire laid out and ready for the alarm at 3:00 a.m. (For tips on getting ready, please see my previous post.) For those of you who do not plan to venture out this Friday into the chaos, perhaps you're waiting for Cyber Monday. Then again, maybe you were smart and did all your shopping the day after Christmas last year and you plan on sitting at home on Friday laughing at the rest of the world. If you're like most people, however, you probably haven't even started your Christmas shopping yet. If you haven't, I would suggest taking some time to make a list of who you need to buy presents for and what types of items they would most likely want to receive. Then take a look at the completed list and ask yourself a couple of questions - is there anything on the list that you could make? Buy secondhand? Etc. I know, you're probably thinking that most of your gift recipients want a present that has not been manhandled by previous owners. However, making a committment to yourself that you will not pay for this year's Christmas with plastic but will instead use CASH may make you feel better about giving your boss a gift basket made up with things you've found for $3 at the local Goodwill. Cheap, Frugal, and Free Christmas gift ideas: 1) Gift baskets - baskets can be purchased at yard sales, thrift stores, etc. for very little money ($.50 to $1.00). Trust me when I say that most people will not know that the basket is not brand new. Find a nice looking basket and you have the base for your gift. Fill it with things that you think someone would like - small coffee samples ($1 at Target), a couple of coffee mugs (again, $.50 from Goodwill - just check carefully for chips/marks), cinnamon sticks, a book ($1-$2 from Goodwill), etc. There are so many things you could use to fill a basket that you don't have to purchase brand new. The time you put into making the basket will more than make up for where it came from. 2) Tin of ?? - tins can be bought at thrift stores, etc. Fill the tins with baked goods if you can bake, and if not you can buy a bag of really good candy or chocolates and put them in the tin. Adorn the top of the tin with a big fat bow. 3) Books - if you have a book lover to buy for, why not try a secondhand bookstore? Or you could search Bookmooch.com for a hard-to-find book. 4) Freebies, samples, coupons - these abound on the internet, and in fact this is our theme this Christmas - all gifts must be free. I have a very large bag full of freebies in my closet, just waiting for the Christmas tree to arrive so that they can be wrapped and placed under the tree for Christmas morning. It is important to be mindful of the fact that if you spend more than you budget and plan for, you will have to pay for it later. No one wants to be paying for Christmas months after the fact, so use your imagination and say NO to consumerism! Ignore the commercials - turn off the TV (you'll save money on your electric bill)! |
Cheap-O Challenge Update
By Perry Christmas Previously, My Debt Free Life posted about an upcoming challenge for our readers, promising more details to follow. After much haggling and commiserating between the writers and editors, we have decided on the rules as thus: 1) To be considered as an entry in the Cheap-O Challenge, the contestant must submit, in 250 words or less, their frugal life strategy. The submission must contain what exactly the contestant is doing to be frugal, and how he or she is managing to maintain that frugality. 2) Contestant submission must contain the writer's full name and address, as well as email address to be considered. A writer may also include a pseudonym if he/she wishes to remain anonymous, but in order to receive the prize the writer must also submit his/her legal name (if pseudonym and real name are submitted, when posted on My Debt Free Life only the pseudonym will be used). 3) All entries upon submission become the property of My Debt Free Life. 4) Prizes will be awarded upon the completion of the Cheap-O Challenge.  *Please submit all entries to us via email. Thank you, and good luck! Labels: Cheap-O Challenge, contest, prize |
Monday, November 19, 2007
Thanksgiving - What to do with all the leftover turkey
By Lynn Forgy Thanksgiving is almost upon us - already the birds are in the refrigerator thawing, people are purchasing their items for the big meal, some are even cleaning their houses. Once all the hubbub has died down, all that remains of the fabulous feast is too much turkey! What can you possibly feed your family that involves so much turkey, and for several days in a row? 1) Turkey tacos - Use in place of chicken or beef. Just add taco seasoning ($.33) and shells ($.88). 2) Vegetable soup - 1 can of chicken broth ($.43), 1 or 2 cans of Veg-All (generic $.45 x 2 = $.90), and add the turkey. I season my vegetable soup with whatever spices are handy in the cupboard (salt and pepper of course, but I am known to be creative in this department. Just read the labels on the spices and it should tell you what types of dishes a particular spice is best used in). 3) Cheesy Turkey and Rice Casserole - Use the measurements on the back of the rice box to figure out how much rice your family will need, add condensed soup ($.50 for 1 can) and water, some grated cheese (about 1 cup, $.90), 1 can of peas ($.50), and you have a lovely and tasty dish. 4) Turkey Pot Pie - You will need 1 can of Veg-All ($.45), 1 can of condensed soup ($.50), add turkey, and the crust can be either homemade or you can mix up a batch of Bisquick and put dollops on the top of the pot pie to form a crust. Granted, these recipes contain turkey, but perhaps your family will not notice as much if the turkey is used just like you would use any other meat. Use this time to be creative in the kitchen! Labels: leftover turkey, Thanksgiving, turkey recipes |
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Black Friday
| By Lynn Forgy The alarm clock beeps at 3:00 a.m. You jump into the shower while the coffee is perking and in record time you're showered, dressed, fully caffeine-ated and ready to go! Why the hurry? It's the day after Thanksgiving -- Black Friday! The day most people begin (and for some end) their Christmas shopping. Sales, discounts, coupons abound. Crowds of bleary-eyed men and women pushing and shoving their way to the display case only to be told by the salesperson that whatever item you are looking for is gone, and in fact disappeared off the shelves 2 minutes after the store opened. I must admit, however, that last year when we went shopping on Black Friday, it was a lot of fun. Yes we were tired, and yes there were some not too happy people that did not wake up early enough to beat me to the last I-Dog, but it was nice to be surrounded by Christmas decorations and songs, Christmas shoppers, and Christmas cheer.  This year, our Christmas presents cannot come from the store so there is no need for me to shop on Black Friday. In fact, my Christmas presents will all be bought online. (In case you're interested - we usually have "themes" at Christmas when exchanging presents. One year all items had to be bought at thrift stores. One year the presents could not cost more than $5. This year, however, is the ultimate test - all items have to be free. The only restrictions are it cannot be alive, dead, or smelly. ) If you are venturing out this year for the Black Friday sales, there are some tips that you should follow.  1) List - You should make a list of the people you need to buy for, as well as noting what type of item you have in mind to get them. You may not be able to find the exact item on your list for a certain recipient, but at least you will have an idea of what you would like to get them. 2) Coupons - If you have coupons, don't forget them! Sale papers should be taken with you as well if applicable. Find out which stores will be offering Early Bird Specials, Midnight Madness, etc. sales. 3) Footwear - Wear comfy shoes, because your dogs will be barking at the end of the day! 4) Snacks - Pack some snacks on your bag - granola bars, crackers, a bottle of water, trail mix, etc. You will need to keep your energy level in order to survive this marathon. 5) Plan - You should plan your strategy to make the most of your time. Some stores will be opening sooner than others, or there may be a store that you know will be busy first thing but it is the only one that will be selling item X. 6) Divide & Conquer - If you have a large family, put your little army to work! Give each member of your family (or if you have small children you may want to pair them with an adult and make a team) a list and go! You could even make a contest out of it (the first team to find all the items on the list and get to the checkout counter wins cookies). 7) Reason for the Season - Lastly, remember the reason for the season. Don't get so caught up in the gift giving and consumerism that you forget the reason why this holiday exists in the first place.  Check out Black Friday ads here! Labels: Black Friday, Christmas, shopping, shopping strategy |
Friday, November 16, 2007
A Word About Surveys
| By Lynn Forgy Since mid-September, I have been trying my hand at making extra money by completing surveys. I have 4 companies that I regularly do surveys with or read emails, and to date I have made the following: American Consumer Opinion - $6 (for 1 survey!). I got a check in the mail on Wednesday. I haven't qualified for a great number of the surveys, but $6 is better than what I had before. Sign up now! Inbox Dollars - $10.68 (you can make more if you buy items from their advertisers, but since I am trying to MAKE money and not spend it, I complete surveys and read the emails for cash). Click on the box below to sign up.  Hit$4Pay - $18.02 Sign up now! All you have to do is read the emails. Your 2 Cents - $14.00 ($10 of that was made with survey this week). Sign up now! Other companies that I've signed up with that do not offer cash incentives, but rather you can use the points you've earned to get items (such as bags, cameras, etc.) include: Global Opinion Panel, Lightspeed, and Mindfield. This is not a get rich quick scheme, but it might be a nice way to make a little extra money to put towards your debt, from the comfort of your own home. Labels: increase income, surveys |
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
DEBTSMART®: Manipulating the System
| by Scott Bilker Scott Bilker is the founder of DebtSmart.com and the author of Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt, Credit Card and Debt Management, and How to be more Credit Card and Debt Smart. Receive The 5-Year Loan Amortization and Analysis Worksheet at no cost when you subscribe to the FREE DebtSmart Email Newsletter today! Friday night and the phone rings... you know the call, it's late, the last bite of dinner on your plate, and all you want to do is watch TV and relax. Guess who's calling? Yes, it's a mortgage company that's trying to sell a refinance deal! The girl asks about my mortgage, my rates, and my credit card debts--and I do reply. After all, I'm always curious about getting a better loan (plus, I like to throw them off their scripts). I ask her what their best rates are. She tells me that it depends on my credit history. I said, "Okay, say I have a credit rating like Bill Gates. NOW what's your best rate?" She said that she can't quote a rate; however, the loan officer would let me know. So, I agreed to have the loan officer give me a call. On Monday, while I'm trying to set up the new DVD player, the phone rings. Guess who? It's the loan officer. Let's just call him Kevin. Well, okay, so Kevin is really his name. I'm not going to change names to protect the innocent. Kevin starts his spiel about how he can save me money on my $110,000, 30-year, 6 7/8% mortgage and $15,000 of credit card debt. I asked him what his best rates are and he told me it varied depending on my credit score, which he could check if I tell him my social security number--I don't think so! There's no way I'm giving that out over the phone. If his deal sounds real, then I'll ask for paperwork to be sent through the mail. I told him to assume that "my credit history is the best of anyone on earth and in this universe. Now, what is your best rate?" He told me 6.5% with 1 point. He went on to explain that, unlike other mortgage companies that ask for the 1 point at closing, they "conveniently" include that amount in the mortgage principal. I told him that 6.5% isn't that much better than my 6 7/8% (6.875%), and when you throw in the 1 point, then your "best" loan is really around 6.6%. That's when he asked me what my credit card rates are. I told him that my credit card debts are at about 1.99% APR, which are a little high since I had the entire $15,000 at 0% for the prior 20 months. Kevin said that I'm really not getting 1.99% and that there's no way I ever got 0%. He said, "Tell me where I can get those credit card rates?" I told him to look in his mailbox. That's where many great credit card deals are found. And most really good ones are offered from your current banks. He still didn't believe me and said that if I look at my statement, I'd see that I was really paying 16% or more. I explained that when I had those 0% deals, my credit card statement would arrive and show a balance of $15,000, and under "finance charges" the total is "$0.00." His response was, "Think about it, Scott...why would a bank give you 0%. They're not making any money!" I said, "To get new customers." Kevin then told me that it doesn't make sense that they would do that. I said, "Well then, does it make sense that Publisher's Clearing House gives away $10 million, or that McDonalds gives away millions in prizes? Why do they do it? To get business." Why do the banks offer 0%? Because they think that I'm going to forget that the offer ended and let my rate bounce to 15% (or more). I'm not! I'm simply going to transfer my balance to another low-rate offer when their offer ends. Overall, the bank will make money because most people (not DebtSmart readers--we're all too "debt smart") are not going to notice that the rates have been increased or will be too lazy to continue transferring balances. After I told Kevin how I keep transferring my balances, he said pretentiously, "So you're manipulating the system." I said, "I'm taking advantage of my best loan options. You just called me and are trying to get me to transfer my mortgage and credit card debt to YOUR bank. If I decide to use your offer, am I then 'manipulating the system'?" That comment really caused Kevin's brain to freeze up. Almost as locked-up as Windows 98 with 20 open applications. He was forced to shut down and restart. He finally replied with, "Well no." "So then, if I use the other bank's offers, I'm 'manipulating the system,' but if I use your offer, then I'm not. Is that right?" Kevin said, "Well I guess you're just being smart." You see my friends, there is a stigma about transferring balances. People say that you're "credit surfing," that you're "manipulating the system", "using Peter to pay Paul" (I don't owe Paul anything) or "paying one credit card with another." Hear me on this...DON'T listen to these myths. Don't be brainwashed by this dogma! It's always DebtSmart to use your best loan options! It's doesn't matter how many times you switch cards. You're always going to save money when you pick a better loan deal. Kevin changed the subject by trying to give me numbers for his refinancing deal. He said that my payments, with his 6.5%, 30-year mortgage for my $110,000 would be about $750.00 per month. Of course, with my calculator always handy--I told him that the payments are more like $695.28. In fact, they are exactly $695.28. He said that he's including his 1 point fee in the payment. Well then, according to my numbers, the payment is $702.23. I asked him how he's coming up with $750. Kevin said, "It's obvious that you have a calculator there." My response was "Yeah, I have a calculator here. What do you have there? Whatever you have doesn't seem to be able to come up with the correct payment." Finally, since he can't talk about facts anymore, he starts to get emotional and says, "Look, I've been doing this for years. I do this all day. What do you do over there at Press One?" "I write and publish books, I run a web site, write an email newsletter." However, I never did mention to Kevin the subject matter. Lastly, I should say that Kevin was nice, and I do want to thank him for calling because it resulted in this informative article. Visit DebtSmart DEBT SMART ®: Manipulating the System by Scott Bilker Labels: Debt Smart, DebtSmart |
Monday, November 12, 2007
National Debt
| By Lynn Forgy I found the following real-time clock on the internet (I hope you haven't eaten yet)...
(Courtesy of: Zfacts) Labels: National debt |
Life After the Budget
| By Lynn Forgy I've written briefly about Budgeting. This is a basic first step and an absolute must! Keeping track of expenses and income is an accountability tool - if it's not written on the budget, then you shouldn't spend it. As Dave Ramsey says, you have to make every dollar scream. No one family's budget is the same, but there are basic categories and expenses - such as utilities, rent or mortgage, electric bill, etc. Crown.org has a free budget worksheet that is easy to use. You should adjust the budget and the budget categories to fit your family. There are percentages that you can use as guidelines for what a typical family should spend in each category. Again, Crown has a PDF listing of percentages for singles, families of 4, etc. Once you have established your family's budget, your written game plan for the month, you're ready to move on to the next step: the emergency fund. For a low income family, this is $500 according to Dave Ramsey, and $1,000 for other families. You can think of the emergency fund as a cushion - if your dryer conks out, rather than paying for it with plastic, you can pay cash from your emergency fund. This is for emergencies -- an emergency is NOT "I need a haircut", or "I HAVE to have that outfit".  The next step, and the one I'm still on, is to pay off your debt, excluding the house. Most people suggest paying off the lowest balance debts first, disregarding the interest rate. Others say you should pay off the highest interest rate debt first. The idea behind paying off the smallest balance first is that you build momentum, and once you see some progress you're more motivated to continue on the road you're on. If you are having trouble deciding whether you should start with the lowest balance or highest interest rate, there's a website that will calculate the benefits and show you which method will cost you the least amount of interest. Click on the link Whatsthecost.com to calculate.  Since I'm still stuck on the previous step, it's not as easy for me to speak about the following steps, which are: Save 3-6 months living expenses (and DON'T spend it), followed by 15% to your retirement fund and/or funding child's college fund, then paying off your mortgage. You can get more details on these steps by visiting Dave Ramsey's site. Becoming debt free, as I'm learning, is not an instant, overnight process. It takes time, commitment, and dedication. You do have to sacrifice in the short term, but the results are worth it. Imagine not having to go to a job that you hate, day after day - without debt, you could afford to take a lesser paying job doing something that you really love and that glorifies God.  Labels: budget, Crown.org, Dave Ramsey, debt free |
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Thanksgiving or Autumn Wreaths
| By Lynn Forgy Being thankful for what we have, spending time with friends and family, and of course eating until we waddle are Thanksgiving traditions. Spending inordinate amounts of money on Thanksgiving decorations seems to be a Thanksgiving tradition for some as well. But it doesn't have to be. Many crafts can be made, and made frugally, that you can proudly display for the Thanksgiving holiday. WREATHS Welcome your guests to your home with a wreath on your front door. I have seen wreaths made out of everyday items that are beautiful and inviting. Some ideas: 1) Acorns - I have a cornucopia of these in my yard and harvested some yesterday. After washing them and spraying them with a clear acrylic spray to make them shiny and also to preserve them somewhat, I will glue them (with a hot glue gun) onto a heavy duty cardboard backing, in a wreath shape. You can add as many layers as you'd like. Finish it off with a bow and you're done!  2) Pine cones - These are abounding this time of year. Snag some, and glue them in a wreath shape onto heavy cardboard backing. You could spray these with acrylic spray to give them a shiny look, or choose a color such as metallic silver or gold for a more artistic feel. Add a bow and hang it on the door!  3) Mother Nature - Check out your yard or other local sites (with owner's permission, of course) for items that you can use for your Autumn or Thanksgiving wreath. Corn cobs (properly preserved), holly, etc. can add an interesting twist to your wreath. Just use your imagination! Labels: acorn, autumn, fall, pine cone, Thanksgiving, wreath |
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Financial Fitness - A Diet of Sorts
| By Lynn Forgy Cutting back on expenses often feels like cutting back on calories - losing "financial" weight can feel a lot like being on a diet. In a sense, you are on diet but rather than affecting your physical health (although it might do just that), your financial health is being improved. This process doesn't have to be complete drudgery or lacking in fun. You and your family could treat cutting back on expenses as a game, or find creative ways to increase your income. Treat it as a family affair. One of the main reasons why “diets” fail is that they deprive us. But you do not have to live like Ebenezer Scrooge in order to trim expenses. (Do I detect a Bah Humbug?) Turning off lights when you’re not in the room, turning your thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer, unplugging appliances not in use, etc., can reduce your monthly bill. Ta da – you’ve just taken off the 1st “pound”. “Diets” may not fit into your everyday life – tracking expenses, making budgets, etc. can be time consuming. BUT it is worth it. Rather than spending an inordinate amount of time every day doing this, you could make it a weekly activity. Or if you find you’re spending most of your weekend filling out budgets, tracking expenses, etc., why not spend 10 minutes each evening doing it? The trick is to make it fit into your life. Another important thought to mention is that it takes 3 weeks to form a new habit. You should “diet” daily for 3 weeks for your new healthy habit to take effect. “Diets” may not be budget-friendly. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on budgeting software, fancy tablets, and the like. Old-fashioned pen and paper, or an Excel spreadsheet works wonders. Dave Ramsey’s website offers free budgeting worksheets so there’s no excuse for not starting your diet. “Diets” can slow your metabolism – Severely or radically cutting back may actually decrease your motivation or inclination to stick with your new program. “Dieting” is only solving half of the problem. To effectively lose the financial weight, you should make this a newfound lifestyle. Having less stuff does NOT make you a lesser person. And just because your child is not wearing a $400 pair of UGG boots with a Louis Vuitton purse that cost more than 5 car payments does not mean you don’t love him or her and certainly doesn’t mean you’re the meanest parent on the planet. Labels: diet, financial fitness, money management |
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Yard Sale Success Tips
By Agatha Curtis Most of us like to go to yard sales. We find bargains, oddities, and necessities. On the other hand, we really don’t enjoy having yard sales. They can be hard work, time consuming, and frustrating. We’re going to give you several tips to help you have the best yard sale ever. MERCHANDISE First, make sure you have enough items to justify your time and trouble. If you have only 3 boxes of clothes and 1 box of toys, maybe you could join with a friend who is planning a yard sale at their house. When it comes to merchandise, more is better. Weed out the items that don’t work, are stained or are broken, and put them in a big box labeled FREE. Customers are put off by clothing that is missing buttons, torn, or stained with paint, etc. Not too many folks can repair small household appliances anymore, more’s the pity. However, these items make great eye catchers and create instant goodwill when they are free. Plus, it saves hauling them off or loading up your trash can. This is especially good for those leftover partial cans of paint. Variety is also good. In our area, furniture is always a big draw. Canvas your neighbors and family. Maybe you don’t have any furniture you want to part with, but your mom may have an old recliner she would like to sell. The family next door may be trying to find a home for their old kitchen table. Think about what sells well in your area and try to incorporate those items into your sale to draw more customers. Once they’re there, who knows what they might decide to buy? PRICING If you have a lot of items for your sale (and I hope you do), pricing can be a big chore. Most people use masking tape or stickers for each item and write on the price and possibly the name or initials of person selling when there are several contributors. Try taking a hint from Goodwill. They tag their items with little plastic colored strips and then put a sign by the front door, telling you what color is on sale for the week. We suggest using a variation of their method. Pick 4 or 5 colors and assign a price to each color. Make a poster showing which color = which price. Obviously, some items will have to be priced individually, but maybe you can price most items by color coding. You can staple, tape, or rubberband the colored paper to your item. Construction paper is pretty cheap and allows you to choose the size of the price tag. Or, you can buy the colored stickers (in the office supply section at the store.) Don’t overprice your items. Nothing turns off buyers faster. If your clothing items are in really good shape, you paid a lot for them and you don’t want to sell them for $1 - $2, take them to a consignment shop or sell them on EBay. On the other hand, don’t underprice either. If you’re not sure what your price should be, do a little searching online or ask friends and family for advice. DISPLAYING MERCHANDISE If you don’t have enough tables or shelves, try to borrow some. Or make shelves from boards lying across chairs or sturdy boxes. Get as many items up within arm reach as possible. Some of your customers are going to get tired of bending or stooping down to look in all those boxes. Some may be physically unable to do so. You’ll lose business. Sheets or blankets on the ground work well for kid’s toys and books. Keep fragile and expensive items close to your checkout area, away from the children and the hustle bustle of the crowd. If you have to use boxes, sort by type--baby clothes, men’s clothing, books, etc. SIGNS After 30 years (off and on) of having yard sales, we had a new idea about signs. Make yours in the shape of an arrow, a fat one. Use bright, eye catching colors and use the same colors for all signs. Make your lettering large and easy to read. Don’t put too much information--your address and day/date/time of sale should be enough. Using 2 colors will make your signs stand out from the crowd; red and yellow, pink and green, whatever you like. Use big, bold, dark lettering that can be easily read from passing cars. Finally, be sure to go back out and take down your signs as soon as your yard sale is over. You may be able to reuse them and you’ll keep the “sign police” happy. SHARE THE FUN If you can, work with your neighbors to plan a community yard sale. Who wouldn’t want to save time and gas by finding 4 or 5 yards sales within walking distance? Not only will you draw more buyers, you can share the cost of advertising (if you use ads), share the cost of permits (if your town requires one), and you’ll be able to shop your neighbor’s sales for goodies! REFRESHMENTS Unfortunately, we have never had much success over the years with selling refreshments at our yard sales. The kids always wanted to do this in some form or fashion, lemonade, cookies, fudge, and so on. I have only a couple of tips in this area. Try selling cold bottled water or cans of pop. If you buy the kind your family drinks anyway, you’re not out any extra money for what doesn’t sell. If your kids want to earn some money by selling rice krispy treats or something they can help make, I think it helps them to learn the value of working to make money. You may have to prepare a Plan 2 in case their goodies don’t sell. I’m pretty sure my family and friends were the buyers of most of these goodies over the years. Who could resist kids or candy? ORGANIZE Before you decide to have your sale, sit down and plan out the details. Make a list of chores that would need to be done to get you set up and running on the day. Don’t forget the following: 1) Lots of change, especially one dollar bills. Cash only—No checks is a good rule 2) Chairs for you and your helpers 3) Secure cash box or maybe an apron with pockets? 4) Make rain-day plans, just in case 5) Line up lots of helpers for set up and for take down and haul off—you really, really don’t need to do all of this by yourself 6) Breakfast, snacks, lunch for you and your helpers 7) Figure out the parking for customers and make sure your car isn’t blocked in 8) If haggling isn’t your thing, find a friend or relative to help you with the sale 9) Decide beforehand what you want to do with the sale leftovers. Have another sale, donate, or check out flea markets in your area. Maybe you could find a buyer for “one price takes all”. Be prepared with a price, just in case someone does make you an offer for all that is left. 10) Wear comfortable, warm, layered clothing and comfortable shoes. Keep a big cup of your favorite coffee, tea, or cocoa on hand for energy. 11) Don’t hover over your customers. Be available for questions or haggling, but most folks like to take their time and browse without feeling watched or pressured. On the other hand, if you see them pick up that tomato red bathrobe that you really want to see gone, don’t be afraid to let them know you’re willing to let them have a bargain if they’re interested in it. 12) After the sale is over and all leftovers have been disposed of one way or another, make sure you have kept the rest of the day free to collapse with a good book or movie and your favorite snack. You deserve it! |
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Cheap-O Challenge
| By Perry Christmas My Debt Free Life is proud to announce an upcoming contest for our readers - the CHEAP-O CHALLENGE. Prizes and rules will be posted within the next week, so check back for details!  Labels: Cheap-O Challenge, contest |
Earning extra Holiday cash
| By Agatha Curtis I've made a list of some ideas that could generate extra Holiday cash, services you could offer that others are willing to pay for: 1) Cut the tree and bring it home and set it up 2) Decorate the tree  3) Take the tree down after Christmas and dispose of it 4) Address the envelopes and stamp and mail the Christmas cards on time (they would have to sign them) 5) Make cake in a mug as gifts and sell them -- try them out first -- buy mugs at goodwill, etc. (25 or 50 cents each) 6) Make cookies and sell them in tins (Christmas, etc again picked up at goodwill, etc) 7) Elves for hire - to help by cleaning, making cookies, decorating, ........  8) Wreaths for sale 9) Christmas yard sale--make several of each item--bibs, cake in mug, wreath, small decorated tree, cold weather baskets--cocoa, mug, cookies. 10) Go to their house and wrap their gifts for them |
Monday, November 05, 2007
Increasing Income
| By Lynn Forgy My earlier post today was mostly a vent - if you read it, thanks. I've been obsessing on Murphy all day, and rather than continuing to mope and whine, I need to take action. I've started a list of things (it's small now, and in the beginning stages, but I hope to add to it as time goes on) that I can do from home to make some extra money, working around my full time and part time jobs, family, and home.  1) Writing - this can include writing and submitting various articles to paying sites (blogs, etc.). Over the past several weeks, I've seen several sites that pay anywhere from $5 to $100 per article, on numerous topics. Another media outlet that warrants further research would be local newspapers. Selling an ebook, either online through your own site, ebay, etc., is an option as well. 2) Ebay - I keep coming back to this because I love the idea of being able to find anything and everything in one place. I have two books to list (similar books have sold for $20 and up - I paid $2), and I also bought a vintage Christmas decoration last weekend at a local thrift store that I would like to list. 3) Transcription - this could include data entry, any kind of typing, etc. My career as a legal assistant/paralegal has enabled me to do research (online, from home) for people. A good place to advertise for free is craigslist. Perhaps you can build your own website (there are many free websites that will do this for you, and will also host your site for free - the only catch is the advertising bar across the top). Sending emails to business owners in the field in which you want to work may also be a good way to get the word out about your new service. Referrals are very important as well. Be creative with the marketing! 4) Holidays - Thanksgiving and Christmas are fast approaching. Many people will be shopping for presents or food, having their houses cleaned, and doing things to get ready for the holidays. Maybe you have a craft or some type of homemade item that you can sell - this is a great time to do it! 5) Hobby - Do you have a hobby that you can turn into cash? I love antiques, so finding an old treasure and selling it for a profit would be my way of turning a hobby into cash (although it's not always easy parting with an item). Maybe you love writing - try selling a story or article online. Something that you're passionate about, and by your enthusiasm can make others passionate about, is a great place to start. TO BE CONTINUED... Labels: ebay, hobby, holidays, homemade craft, increase income, writing |
Murphy's law
| By Lynn Forgy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: “Murphy's law is an adage in Western culture that broadly states that things will go wrong in any given situation, if you give them a chance. "If there's more than one possible outcome of a job or task, and one of those outcomes will result in disaster or an undesirable consequence, then somebody will do it that way." It is most often cited as "Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong" (or, alternately, "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time, in the worst possible way" or, "Anything that can go wrong, will," or even, "If anything can go wrong, it will, and usually at the most inopportune moment").” Does this sound familiar? When I was growing up, this was a way of life – and it usually happened in 3s, if not more often. For instance, one day you find out you need a root canal. Bam – there’s a minimum of $1,600. Two days later, your HVAC system conks out. Bam, Bam - $4,000. That evening, you run over a nail and need a new tire. Bam, Bam, Bam - $75. The kids need new shoes because their feet have grown three sizes since last winter, the electrical bill has gone up 10% over last year, the water company is charging more for usage, and the list goes on, and on, and on… How do you deal with the continual punches that you receive? Well, if you follow Dave Ramsey’s plan perhaps you would have the $1,000 Baby Emergency Fund to help with any unforeseeable expenses. Maybe you’re on Baby Step 3 and have the 3-6 months living expenses set aside, all your debt paid off (except for your house), and these are not major catastrophes for you. If so, congratulations! But what if you’re just starting out, or your income is not enough to allow you to progress that quickly through the Baby Steps? If you’ve cut expenses to the bare bones and still aren’t progressing, then increasing your income might be where you need to focus. For me, the obstacle affecting my ability to increase my income is time. I have a full-time job, a part-time job, a house and a family to care for. Finding time to do anything else is somewhat difficult, but the other choice is to continue down the path of debt. Labels: baby steps, increase income, Murphy's law |
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Frugal Thanksgiving - Decor
| By Lynn Forgy Frugal and Thanksgiving don't seem to go well together. When I think of Thanksgiving, my mind conjures up images of a cornucopia of food, a bountiful table overflowing with delicious dishes and yummy desserts, lovely centerpieces, and a beautifully decorated table. Having said that, I do think it's possible to have all of the above, yet still work within a budget. Many of the autumn and Thanksgiving decorations can be made with leaves that are found in your yard. Pine cones are easily found, too. Use your imagination! If you have children who are able to help you decorate, even better (I've always found that people are more forgiving in my attempts at decorating if I say that my child helped me). So let's start with the Thanksgiving decor. LEAF STAMPS:  1. The best leaves for this project are still attached to the tree. Find leaves that are turning colors but aren’t completely dried out. You need one leaf for each color you will paint. 2. Press the leaves in the pages of a heavy book. Leave overnight. 3. Remove leaves from the book. Look at the underside of the leaf. Brush off any debris, pollen or dust that may have gathered there. 4. Fold a piece of construction paper in half. 5. Hot glue the front side of the leaf to the construction paper so that the underside is facing up. The underside has the veins and lines of the leaf, the front side is smooth. 6. Using a paint brush, paint the underside of the leaf with a generous amount of paint. Be careful to paint only the leaf and not the construction paper it is glued to. 7. Using the leaf as a stamp, press it down carefully onto the white paper. Hold it in place and gently rub the construction paper so that all areas hit the white paper. 8. Carefully remove the stamp and repeat this process with your other leaves and colors. 9. Allow to dry completely. From: Kaboose EXTERIOR DOOR WREATHS: 1. All Leaves  Bunches of preserved fall leaves can be easily wired onto a wreath form. Decorate with a few artificial sunflowers. 2. Rectangular Leafy Wreath  Materials * Styrofoam wreath form (or a wire form) * Sheet moss * U-shaped florist's pins * Florist's wire * Hot-glue gun * Preserved fall leaves * Fall ornament (optional) Instructions 1. Create a wreath hanger at the top of the wreath using sturdy wire wrapped around the form and bent into a hanging loop. 2. Cover a Styrofoam wreath form with sheet moss using U-shaped pins to attach the moss. (On a wire form, wrap thin florist's wire all the way around the wreath to secure the moss.) 3. Next, use U-shaped pins or dabs of hot glue to attach preserved or artificial leaves all around the wreath. 4. If desired, hang a pumpkin ornament in the center. From: Better Homes & Gardens PILGRIM HAT CENTERPIECE:  Filled with potted mums or other fall flowers, this fun centerpiece will top off your Thanksgiving table in fitting fashion. CRAFT MATERIALS: Black felt, square yard Terra-cotta pot Permanent red marker Black poster board Carpet tape Yellow poster board Time needed: About 1 Hour Pilgrim Hat Step 1 1. Tape a square yard of black felt to your work surface and set a terra-cotta pot (ours is 7 inches tall and 7 1/2 inches across) on its side at one edge of the felt, as shown. Roll the pot, tracing along the top and bottom edges with a permanent red marker as you go, then cut out the felt arc. Pilgrim Hat Step 2 2. Next, cut two 15-inch circles, one from black poster board, the other from the remaining black felt. Set the pot upside down in the center of the poster board circle, trace around its rim, then cut out the inner circle to create a large ring. Now trace the rim of the pot in the center of the felt circle and cut an asterisk in the center, as specified. Pilgrim Hat Step 3 3. Tape the felt circle atop the poster board ring. Set the bottom of the pot on the asterisk and slide the brim up to the rim of the pot. Attach strips of carpet tape to the outside of the pot, then tape one end of the felt arc to the side and wrap the arc around the pot, sticking it to the tape. 4. Trim away any excess felt. For the finishing touch, tape on a buckle cut from yellow poster board. From: FamilyFun |
Friday, November 02, 2007
Water, Water, Everywhere?
| By Lynn Forgy Here in the South, we have been made very aware of the drought that is plaguing our area. "WILL WORK FOR WATER" seems to be the way that we're heading.  This morning, there was a story on Yahoo News about a little town called Orme located in Tennessee. A portion of that story follows: By GREG BLUESTEIN, Associated Press Writer ORME, Tenn. - As twilight falls over this Tennessee town, Mayor Tony Reames drives up a dusty dirt road to the community's towering water tank and begins his nightly ritual in front of a rusty metal valve. With a twist of the wrist, he releases the tank's meager water supply, and suddenly this sleepy town is alive with activity. Washing machines whir, kitchen sinks fill and showers run. About three hours later, Reames will return and reverse the process, cutting off water to the town's 145 residents. The severe drought tightening like a vise across the Southeast has threatened the water supply of cities large and small, sending politicians scrambling for solutions. But Orme, about 40 miles west of Chattanooga and 150 miles northwest of Atlanta, is a town where the worst-case scenario has already come to pass: The water has run out. You can read the full story at Yahoo, or watch the video by following this link.  Saving or conserving water is something that we must do, but an added benefit could be noticed in our wallets, too. 1) Reduce your shower to 5 minutes (You'll save up to 1000 gallons a month) 2) Take a “Navy” shower – Hop in the shower just long enough to get wet all over, turn of the water and lather up from head to toe, then turn the water on long enough to rinse off, and jump out 3) When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water 4) Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full and you could save 1000 gallons a month 5) Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks, so that every drop goes down you not the drain 6) Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost instead and save gallons every time 7) Wash your produce in the sink or a pan that is partially filled with water instead of running water from the tap 8) Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak. It's easy to fix, and you can save more than 600 gallons a month 9) Direct downspouts and other runoff towards shrubs and trees, or collect and use for your garden 10) Reduce the amount of laundry – reuse bath towels, hand towels, pajamas, to cut down on the amount of laundry 11) If it is an emergency that you wash your car - Use a commercial car wash that recycles water 12) Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save 4 gallons a minute. That's 200 gallons a week for a family of four 13) Bathe your young children together 14) Drop that tissue in the trash instead of flushing it and save gallons every time 15) When you give your pet fresh water, don't throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs 16) To save water and time, consider washing your face or brushing your teeth while in the shower 17) When you are washing your hands, don't let the water run while you lather 18) While you’re waiting for your shower water to heat up, use a bucket to catch that water and use it to fill up your toilet tank or washing machine  References: Water Use It Wisely and The Divertex If you have any water saving ideas, let us know!! |
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Autumn Colors Simple Craft
By Agatha Curtis We have a few weeks until it’s time to decorate the house and the table for Thanksgiving. Why not use some of nature’s decorating tips? Take the kids for a rambling walk and gather some colorful leaves. When you get back home, spread newspapers outside out of the wind, lay the leaves out and spray with clear acrylic spray (found in the spray paint department of your local store). It won’t take long to dry. Turn the leaves over and spray the other sides. This spray will seal them enough to last for a little while and you can use them, carefully, to decorate for the holidays. Don’t put them where small children can play with them or put them in their mouths, please. Maybe while you’re out walking, you could also hunt for a few acorns or pine cones to mix with your leaves. These also add a nice touch of the outdoors to your display. A very simple indoor craft for young and old is making colorful leaves from old crayons and wax paper. This one has been around for a long, long time.  Take your leftover, broken crayons in the colors you choose for your leaves and use a cheese grater or slicer to reduce the crayons to shavings. If you don’t have a grater, use a paring knife to grate just like you would a carrot, carefully. Mix the colors together or keep them separate and choose your mixes. Lay a thick cotton towel on your table top to protect the surface and lay a square sheet of wax paper on the towel. Sprinkle your crayon shavings on the wax paper in a thin layer. Lay another sheet of wax paper (same size) on top and then place a thin cotton towel on top of that. Preheat your iron (no steam) to low-medium heat, depending on the thickness of your towel, and slowly move the iron over the towel until the crayons have melted and fused with the wax paper layers. Before you iron, make sure you haven’t dropped any shavings on your towel outside of the wax paper or you’ll have melted crayon on your iron and your towel. If you can keep the sprinklings to the basic shape of your leaf, it will be easier to cut out. After you have fused the crayons to the wax paper, cut around the crayons in the shape desired. You can mount these leaves on colored paper, cardboard, or leave them as individual cutouts. Children love this activity and even the younger ones can, with guidance, handle all phases except the ironing (and maybe the grating). These crayon leaves make wonderful presents, too. Proud relatives and friends will be delighted to receive something beautiful and crafted by your young ones. |
