• Join the Dairy Queen Blizzard Fan Club and receive a coupon to buy one / get one free - Click here.
• Rachel Ray Nutrish Dog Food sample - Click here.
• Download a free kids music album offered by Mega Bloks - Click here.
• Mighty Leaf Tea sample - Click here.  (Kroger card # not required)
• CouponMom.com is giving away free downloads of three ebooks to help save money on your groceries and drugstore purchases - Click here.
• Create your own free paper Hallmark card - Click here to get more information from Thrifty Jinxy.
• A free Toby the Train coloring book - Click here to request one.
• A free sample of Aveeno Nourish hair care collection - Click here.
• Eucerin Plus Smoothing Essentials for relief of your dry skin - Click here.
• Old Spice Body Wash sample - Click here.
• Do you need another refrigerator magnet?  Here’s an interesting one from GarageSaleCow.com

How to Save Money

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Saving money is one of those tasks that’s so much easier said than done. There’s more to it than spending less money (although that part alone can be challenging). How much money will you save, where will you put it, and how can you make sure it stays there? Here’s how to set realistic goals, keep your spending in check, and pay yourself first.

Steps

1. Set savings goals. For short-term goals, this is easy. If you want to buy a video game, find out how much it costs; if you want to buy a house, determine how much of a down payment you’ll need. For long-term goals, such as retirement, you’ll need to do a lot more planning (figuring out how much money you’ll need to live comfortably for 20 or 30 years after you stop working), and you’ll also need to figure out how investments will help you achieve your goals.
   • Kill your debt first. Simply calculating how much you spend each month on your debts will illustrate that eliminating debt is the fastest way to free up money. Once the money is freed from debt payment, it can easily be re-purposed to savings.
2. Establish a timeframe. For example: “I want to be able to buy a house two years from today.” Set a particular date for accomplishing shorter-term goals, and make sure the goal is attainable within that time period. If it’s not attainable, you’ll just get discouraged.
3. Figure out how much you’ll have to save per week, per month, or per paycheck to attain each of your savings goals. Take each thing you want to save for and figure out how much you need to start saving now. For most savings goals, it’s best to save the same amount each period. For example, if you want to put a $20,000 down payment on a home in 36 months (three years), you’ll need to save about $550 per month every month. But if your paychecks amount to $1000, it might not be a realistic goal, so adjust your timeframe until you come up with an approachable amount.
4. Keep a record of your expenses. What you save falls between two activities and their difference: how much you make and how much you spend. Since you have more control over how much you spend, it’s wise to take a critical look at your expenses. Write down everything you spend your money on for a couple weeks or a month. Be as detailed as possible, and try not to leave out small purchases. Assign each purchase or expenditure a category such as: Rent, Car insurance, Car payments, Phone Bill, Cable Bill, Utilities, Gas, Food, Entertainment, etc.
   • Keep a small notebook with you at all times. Get in the habit of recording every expense and saving the receipts.
   • Sit down once a week with your small notebook and receipts. Record your expenses in a larger notebook or a spreadsheet program.
5. Trim your expenses. Take a good, hard look at your spending records after a month or two have passed. You’ll probably be surprised when you look back at your record of expenses: $300 on ice cream, $100 on parking tickets? You’ll likely see some obvious cuts you can make. Depending on how much you need to save, however, you may need to make some difficult decisions. Think about your priorities, and make cuts you can live with. Calculate how much those cuts will save you per year, and you’ll be much more motivated to pinch pennies.
   • Can you move to a less expensive apartment or house? Can you refinance your mortgage?
   • Can you consolidate your debts so that you’re not paying as much interest?
   • Can you save money on gas, or give up a car altogether? If your family has multiple cars, can you bring it down to one?
   • Can you get a better price on insurance? Call around and make sure you are getting the best price you can. Consider taking a higher deductible, too.
   • Can you drop a land line and either only use your cell phone or save money by calling over the internet for free with services such as Skype?
   • Can you live without cable or satellite TV?
   • Can you cut down on your utility bills?
   • Can you restrict eating out? Buy food in bulk? Start using coupons? Cook more at home? You might be able to save a lot of money on food.
6. Reassess your savings goals. Subtract your expenses (the ones you can’t live without) from your take-home income (i.e. after taxes have been taken out). What is the difference? And does it match up with your savings goals? Let’s say you’ve decided you can definitely get by on $1500 per month, and your paychecks amount to $2300 per month. That leaves you with $800 to save. If there’s absolutely no way you can fit all your savings goals into your budget, take a look at what you’re saving for and cut the less important things or adjust the timeframe. Maybe you need to put off buying a new car for another year, or maybe you don’t really need a big-screen TV that badly.
7. Make a budget. Once you’ve managed to balance your earnings with your savings goals and spending, write down a budget so you’ll know each month or each paycheck how much you can spend on any given thing or category of things. This is especially important for expenses which tend to fluctuate, or which you know you’re going to have a particularly hard time restricting. (E.g. “I will only spend $30 a month on movies/chocolate/coffee/etc.”)
8. Stop using credit cards. Pay for everything with cash or money orders. Don’t even use checks. It’s easier to overspend when you’re pulling from a bank or credit account because you don’t know exactly how much is in there. If you have cash, you can see your supply running low. You can even bundle up the predetermined amount of cash allocated for each expense with a label or keep separate jars for each expense (e.g. a bundle/jar for coffee, another for gas, another for miscellaneous). As you pull money from a jar for that particular expense, you’ll see how much remains and you’ll also be reminded of your limit.
   • If you need to have credit cards but you don’t want the temptation of having them available to use day-to-day, restrict that section of your wallet with a note or picture reminding you of your savings goals.
   • Credit cards are not inherently evil; it’s all about your self control. If you use them responsibly (i.e. completely pay them off every month), you can benefit from them. But the reason most credit card companies make money, however, is because people end up spending money that they don’t have. Unless you are one of the people who can religiously pay off the balance in full every month, you’re better off foregoing the promotions that credit card companies use to lure you in (cash back, introductory APR, airline miles, and so on).
9. Open an interest-bearing savings account. It’s a lot easier to keep track of your savings if you have them separate from your spending money. You can also usually get better interest on savings accounts than on checking accounts (if you get interest on your checking account at all). Consider higher-interest options such as CDs or money-market accounts for longer savings goals.
10. Know where your money is. And how much of it, too. If you accidentally overdraw your bank account, you will incur hefty bank fees; worse yet, the place you paid with that check may slap a bounced check fee on top of that, and send the check in again, resulting in a second overdraft fee from the bank! So just a few cents missing to cover that check could result in over $100 in fees. To avoid that, you should always know how much money you’ve got in your account(s), so you never cut a check for more than what you have.
    • Look into checking and savings accounts that pay interest. Also, consider CDs (certificates of deposit) for longer-term savings with low risk.
11. Pay yourself first. Savings should be your priority, so don’t just say that you’ll save whatever’s left over at the end of the month. Deposit savings into an account (or your piggybank) as soon as you get paid. An easy, effective way to start saving is to simply deposit 10% of every check in a savings account. If you get a check or sum of cash, say 710.68, move the decimal point one place to the left and deposit that amount: 71.07. This works well and requires little thought; over several years, you’ve a tidy sum in savings. Over decades, you’ll be a millionaire.
    • You can set up an automatic transfer from your checking account to your savings account.
    • Many employers allow you to deduct savings from your paycheck. The money is directly deposited in your savings account so you never even see it on your paycheck.
    • You can also have investments for retirement taken directly out of your pay, and the taxes may be deferred with this option.

Video

Tips

• Always OVER estimate your expenses and UNDER estimate your income.
• If you can afford to share things you have, from food to living space to appliances, try to do so. What goes around comes around when it’s between close friends, soon enough, you’ll find your friends doing the same, and everybody benefits.
• Have a professional shopper go through your closet before you hit the mall. They will help you assess what you already have and what timeless items you can invest in to create more looks from those you already have. There are services that do this (e.g. Visual Therapy in NYC and TimePros in Los Angeles). Remember that this service can cost a pretty penny. Don’t use this method unless you have a tendency to make $250 - $400 shopping trips!
• Have a hobby? Match your funds. One important habit for saving is if you have a hobby, such as model airplanes, scrapbooking, dirt biking, scuba diving, etc., set a hard and fast rule that whatever you allow yourself to spend on your hobby, you match those funds to your savings. For example, if you buy yourself a $45 pair of riding gloves, another $45 goes to your savings. Serious about saving? Try doubling your matched funds! These savings plans will do two things: Save money regularly and quickly, and really show you how much you are spending on your hobby, when it costs you twice as much.
• If you receive unexpected cash, put all or most of it into your savings, but continue to set aside your regularly scheduled amount as well. You’ll reach your savings goals sooner.
• If you vacation normally, use the web to search for affordable vacation deals instead of paying full retail price. Some sites offer very discounted vacations by partnering with resorts across the country. Essentially, you are required to go on a 90 minute sales-pitch to buy a timeshare at the resort, and in exchange you receive an extra cheap luxury vacation and often freebies like theme park tickets, gas, or dinner certificates.
• Make purchases with paper money, not exact change, and always save the change. Use a piggy bank or jar for your coins. Coins and change may look insignificant but when accumulated over time they can help you save. Some banks now offer free coin counting machines. When you redeem your coins, ask to be paid by check so you won’t be tempted to spend your newfound cash.

Warnings

• Do not go out “window shopping” with any money on you. You will only be tempted to spend money you cannot afford to lose. Only shop with a predetermined shopping list.
• After a long week of working, you may want to indulge in some luxury, telling yourself, “I deserve this”. Remember that the things you buy are not gifts to yourself; they are trades, products for money. Say, “Of course I deserve this, but can I afford it? If I can’t afford it, I’m still a worthy person, and I still deserve to meet my savings goals!”
• Unless you’re in truly desperate financial straits (like 10 seconds from eviction and your three children are starving) don’t try to cut corners connected to health. Basic preventative care for yourself, your family, and your pets might cost you a $60 office visit or a $30 heartworm pill today, but the skipping it will contribute to expensive problems and heartache down the road.

Related wikiHows

• How to Buy Nothing
• How to Retire in Your 30’s
• How to Teach Your Child About Budgeting
• How to Wake up from the American Dream
• How to Save Loose Change
• How to Start Saving Using a CD Ladder
• How to Reduce Expenses

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Save Money. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

personal finance

One of the rituals I picked up from my mom was spring cleaning.

There’s just something about it that shakes off the winter blues.

And besides that …

It really helps to get our home & stuff organized and in good repair.

(Which always saves us money!)

Here is a basic spring cleaning checklist to get you started:

• Clean out those cupboards - Toss out the items that are past their expiration date.  It’s also a good time to get rid of the junk food and stock up on healthier items.
• Dusting - I hate dusting!  But it is especially important if anyone in the home has allergies (Like my husband Craig.) First, hit all those hard to reach spots that are so darn easy to neglect.  You know … the top of the fridge, ceiling fans, moldings, etc.  Don’t forget to start at the top of the room and work to the bottom.
• Windows - Use one part white vinegar to one part hot water in an empty spray bottle.  Combine your homemade window cleaner with old newspapers and you’ve got a pretty frugal way to let the sunshine in.
• The Walls - They may not look dirty … but they probably are!  Gently wipe away the dust and grime, with  gentle liquid soap mixed with water, and a soft rag or sponge.
• Carpets and Upholstery - Move the furniture away from the walls and vacuum those spots that can be neglected.  Take furniture cushions outdoors if possible and smack them around a bit.  Use carpet cleaner for spots and stains if necessary.  Just go crazy and vacuum everything - it will look awesome when your done!
• Purge Unused Possessions -  Enough said

Oh my goodness am I excited!

We are getting almost $6K for income tax refunds!

Normally we do not receive such a large refund -

Because we have our withholding set to just cover our income tax expense.

Maybe a little bit back …

But never six thousand dollars!

FOR HEAVENS SAKE THIS IS SO COOL

Craig and I sat down after work this afternoon and mapped out what we are going to do with it.

We are going to be GOOD and do the (mostly) responsible thing with it.

Three thousand will pay off the rest of our co-pays and deductibles on my recent surgery and doctor visits.

The rest is going into savings …

(Minus $100 to take our sons out to dinner with us.)

I’m really proud that we sat down together, talked it out, and both agreed on a responsible course of action with this money.

It’s so lovely when we are on  the same page financially speaking -

Because that doesn’t always happen …

Now does it?

Have a terrific day!

dawn @ iowahippiechick

The administration at Today.com has decided to discontinue allowing it’s bloggers to participate with Entrecard.  (So, this will be my last top dropper post.)

Here are my March and final top droppers:

• Sound of a Soft Breath 
• Scandinavian Ways 
• Themelib
  
• Computer Aid
• The Frugal Housewife
• Blogger Templates
• The Way I See It
• The Toy Report
• Random Ramblings
• All Contests

Thanks so much to all my top droppers … I appreciate your dedicated dropping!

I’m a little sad to take down the Entrecard widget

-I also wanted to highlight a cool new blog that has terrific money-saving ideas.  It’s called “A Cheap Chick’s Ray of Sunshine.”  The blog author’s name is Julie and I really think you’ll like her.  Here is her story in her own words …

Welcome! This site was inspired by a shopping addiction and corporate layoffs. My name is Julie and until a little over a year ago my husband and I were managers in Corporate America. We made comfortable salaries and I enjoyed shopping. A lot. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t do designer bags or jewelry. I do, however, know every Ross, Marshall’s, T.J. Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, etc., etc., in my metropolitan area. Need something at Target? That will be a quick 2 hours and $300 dollars and I’ll probably forget what I went there for. No problem, I’ll just run to Walmart……. Anyway, when my husband and I found ourselves “downsized” out of a job we were forced to change. It’s been an interesting journey, sometimes painful, but I’ve learned some pretty cool stuff. One of my favorite things is that freebies exist, the other is how to stretch a buck like its silly putty. I hope you like my little corner of the world and find some useful information along the way.

Pretty relevant stuff don’t you think?

So head on over and check out A Cheap Chick’s Ray of Sunshine.

You won’t be disappointed!

Have a terrific day!

dawn @ iowahippiechick

• How to save up to $2,000 a year  by Real Simple Magazine.
• R.I.P., cable TV?  by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine.
• Four Old-School Reasons Why You Can Thrive in this Recession by Sonia Simone at Copyblogger.
• How to find free stuff by Lori Bongiorno an environmental journalist.
• Cash for trash: Reuse stores make use of refuse by the Associate Press.
• Swapping: Shopping for the new economy by Trystan L. Bass at Green Picks Blog.
• Keep Track of your Donations by the “Cents”able Momma.
• 10 New Ways to Revive Old Denim by Lynnae McCoy
• Freebie Friday: March 27th, 2009 by Amy Clark at the MotherLoad
• Seven Powerful Steps That You Can Use To Save $14,342 in The Next 6 Months by Neal Frankle of Wealth Pilgrim.
• My Top 5 Saving Strategies by Little Miss Know It All.
• And last but not least … a few new-to-me-blogs worth checking out - Small Farm Living, The Un Mom, and It’s Hip to Save.

Have a terrific weekend,

dawn @ iowahippiechick
personal finance

I haven’t yet, because I’m still waiting for our accountant to complete our 2008 income tax returns.  Hopefully he is done soon, because the quicker we fill out & file Cody’s FAFSA, the better I’ll feel.  (And then I can finally tick that off my spring to-do list!)

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) takes a bit of time, but is usually worth the effort.  “Most people underestimate their eligibility for financial aid,” says Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid (a financial aid web site.)  And to qualify for almost any financial aid package … federal, state, or scholarships & grants from private schools … the student must have filled out a FAFSA.

Here is a checklist of documents needed to fill it out for 2009/2010 -

• 2008 federal tax return.
• W-2 forms.
• Records of untaxed income, such as Social Security, welfare payments and tax-exempt interest income.
• Bank statements.
• Mortgage statements.
• Brokerage statements.
• Student’s Social Security number and, if available, driver’s license.
• For business owners, the company’s financial statements or corporate tax returns.
• Records of any child support paid to or received by former spouse.
• Records of medical and dental expenses paid in 2008.

You’ve probably rounded up most of these for filing your income tax anyway …

So why not give it a shot and file a FAFSA for the college student in your house?

You just never know -

It might end up saving some money on 2009 fall / 2010 spring tuition this school year.

And wouldn’t that be SWEET!

personal finance

(Makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

8 ounces whole-grain penne rigate

¾ pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons chili powder

¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups skim milk

1 cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese

1 /3 cup chopped, fresh cilantro

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting oil; drain and set aside.

Place chicken in a zip-top bag. Add cumin, coriander, chili powder and pepper. Toss to coat. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly done, about 5 minutes.

Add onions, peppers and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile whisk flour and salt into milk. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and stir in cheese. Remove from heat and stir until cheese is melted. Add cilantro and stir to blend.

Add pasta to chicken mixture. Pour cheese sauce over all and stir to blend. Spoon into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through and bubbling.

• Get a free sample of Parent’s Choice Milk DHA & ARA or  Gentle  Formula - Click here.
• If you like lemonade … check out All Bran’s new Fiber Drink Mix with 40% of your daily fiber needs - Click here.
• Free toilet paper from Cottonelle … and a sample of their flushable moist wipes - Click here.
• Do you have damaged hair?  If the answer is yes - Click here to get a free sample of Roots of Nature Remedies to fix it.
• Crest is still giving away samples of their new Advanced Seal Whitestrips - Click here before they are all gone!
• A coupon for a free Attune Probiotic Bar is yours for the asking - Click here to sign up.
• A free sample of Caress Evenly Gorgeous Exfoliating Body Wash - Click here.
• Many spring craft ideas for the kids from Crayola - Click here to check them out.

Have fun signing up for some freebies and have a terrific day!

dawn @ iowahippiechick

personal finance

It’s taken me awhile to digest the whirlwind of activity from last week.  Especially since my traveling companion (who also happens to be my sister) lives in a very different income bracket than me …

She is quite wealthy.  In fact a self made millionaire.  Which is not usually an issue between us.  Seriously.  Because to me she will always be my-baby-sister no matter how fat her bank account is.

But …

It’s weird traveling with someone with a lot of money.

We had a $400 meal one night - a $400 meal.

She treated, obviously.   But oh my, it was hard for me to handle her spending on one meal, what is one month worth of groceries for me and Craig.  It truly was a lovely meal in a lovely restaurant … but $400 … oh my!

I think I’m still dizzy from the whole experience.

Here I was worrying if Craig had remembered to use the $6.98 in CVS reward bucks that were set to expire while I was out of town and she’s throwing down $400 for dinner.

It was weird to say the least!

So where do you stand on the whole “Very Spendy” meal spectrum?

Would it be something you would relish and savor?

Or would it freak you out - like it did me?

personal finance

Last night, Craig and I went to a live performance of Rain-The Beatles Experiment.  It was  so much fun.  The show was held at the performing arts center, up on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa.  The tickets were a little “spendy” for our budget.  But we knew the show was coming over a year ago.  Which gave us plenty of time to save the money for them. 

Since Craig and I are both huge Beatles fans … it was well worth the expenditure. 

If you are a fan, too, definitely check out the show if it comes to your town - 

You won’t be disappointed!

Shifting gears a bit …

I won’t be posting this week.  In about an hour, I’m leaving to catch a plane in Chicago. Then I’m flying to Las Vegas for Spring Break.  It will probably be Sunday before I’m back on line. 

Everyone have a terrific week!

dawn @ iowahippiechick

You’ve got to act fast if you want this one …

Because it is only available until 10:59 am EST, on Saturday March 14th.  You will be prompted to become a member of Oprah dot com before being allowed to download the book.  Personally, I think it’s worth the effort.  Here is the link and you check it out for yourself.

Simple soup suppers are one of mine and Craig’s favorite meals.  They taste great and always save us money on our grocery bill. 

Italian Sausage Soup

(Prep: 30 minutes)  (Cook: 1  1/2 hours)

Ingredients

1 pound Italian sausage - casings removed

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 medium carrot, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 stalk celery, chopped (1/2 cup)

8 cups chicken broth

1  (14  1/2-oz) can diced tomatoes

1  (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup dried orzo pasta or finely broken cppelini pasta

Finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Crusty Italian bread (optional)

 Directions

In a 4-quart Dutch oven, cook sausage, onion, carrot, and celery over medium heat til sausage is no longer pink.  Drain well.  Add chicken broth, undrained diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, rosemary, basil, thyme, fennel seeds, and bay leaf.  Bring to boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.  Add pasta and return to boiling.  Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes more.  Remove bay leaf.  Serve with shredded Parmesan cheese and the bread.  Makes about 11 cups (8 servings)

I just love this photo!

Cody took it last spring …

Which might just give you a clue as to what it is -

Did you guess it yet?

Or give up?

All right I’ll tell you -

(If you didn’t come up with it yet …)

It is a mountain of used sandbags.

The sandbags that saved downtown Cedar Falls, from the crazy flooding back in spring of 2008. 

The sandbags that volunteers spent over 24 hours straight, filling and stacking, to save our downtown businesses from destruction.

I just love that …

Local residents, residents from neighboring towns, and even college kids from the University of Northern Iowa -

All took time out of their busy lives, to volunteer for filling and stacking sandbags.  

They banded together for a common good …

I just love that …

1. Containers or canisters in the kitchen - Large ones are useful for holding flour or sugar.  And they can also hold wooden spoons and utensils.  Smaller ones can hold tea bags, coffee, dried beans, matches, etc.
2. Containers for office use - Mayonnaise size jars make terrific pencil/pen holders.   Baby food size work for paper clips and rubber bands.
3. As decorative objects - I once filled an antique glass jar with potpourri and added a lamp kit to the lid … turning it into an interesting lamp.  I’ve also layered different dried beans in quart canning jars to display in my kitchen.
4. For use in the bathroom - They can hold Q-tips, cotton balls and Epsom salts.
5. To hold homemade gifts - Play dough for the kids.  Bean soup mixes. And dry ingredients for cookies or cakes.
6. For kid items - Terrific for craft items … such as glue, glitter, crayons, ribbon, and stickers.
7. Family or individual banks -  They make an easy container to toss change into.  You can individualize them for different savings goals.
8. Food - We have used the large ones to store bagged dried beans, rice, brown sugar, powdered sugar, and other bagged or bulk purchased food items.
9. Gratitude - Every Thanksgiving we write what we are grateful for and put the papers in our gratitude jar.  Then we take turns pulling out the collected slips of paper to read.
10. Seed Storage - In the fall (after I’ve dried the seeds I’ve collected from my garden) I store them in small glass jars.
11. Keepsakes - I’ve saved ticket stubs, greeting cards, and other small items in them.
12. Gag Gift - I read this one somewhere (don’t remember where) but it was funny.  After coming back from vacation, label them warm air from “?” or cold air from “?”  Silly I know … but funny nonetheless!
13. Nature collections - When my boys were young we would have multiple jars filled with their collections.  One would have the rocks they collected.  Another may have had the bugs they were brave enough to pick up.  Still another had their “sticks” or acorns that were precious to them.

thursday thirteen

• A grocery coupon and deal forum at The Full Cup (Savings by the cup full.)
• The top 50 blogs networked under “Freebies” on Facebook.
• To make changes positively … use the First 30 days.
• That Dr. Seuss just had a birthday … check out the website … I love Dr. Seuss.
• More wisdom from Wisebread … 15 real simple ways to save thousands of dollars.
• The Copper Cauldron tells why she “Etsy’s to feed her addiction.”
• The Authority Directory has … 5 positive traits that are exhibited by a successful manager.
• 33 free business resources for work at home moms … courtesy of the at home mom blog.
• 31 days to build a better blog … from ProBlogger.
• Seventeen best links to really (free stuff) … from Greener Pastures: Personal Finance.
• Bargains4wahms … tells us about earning money from university studies.
• She also has a moneymaker for us from Target … check it out here.

personal finance

 My oldest son Dillon’s new 9-week Old English bull dog baby!

wordless wednesday

Yesterday as I was opening the mail, and it happened, my first panic attack.  The trigger was a benefits paid  statement from our health insurance - But there were no paid amounts to be found.  All I saw were denials for payments on my recent surgery, to the tune of $22K.

YIKES …

My heart started racing.  My face felt warm.  And the room started to feel really small.

A panic attack …

Luckily the problem solver in me managed to surface, even through the flood of panic.  I found the insurance company’s 1-800 number and called it.  The woman on the other end of the line talked me through the problem -

An overzealous claims processor had closed the claim too early - before they had received some necessary paperwork.

Damn, I hate this insurance company! 

Don’t get me wrong -

I’m grateful we have any health insurance at all. 

But this company aggressively tries not to pay legitimate claims. 

They mail paperwork dated 10 days earlier than you receive it, with a-must-return-by-date that is usually the very next day. 

It is so nerve racking!

personal finance

To say, “I can’t afford it!”

To which I reply, “Thank goodness!”

My dad and my husband Craig both have the tendency to live by the motto - I deserve it.  Which in theory I stand by them 100%.  But theory needs to be balanced out by reality.  Which boils down to - Can you afford it? 

To which the answer varies.

For example, yesterday Craig and I were grocery shopping together.  We enjoy this time together - most times.  But yesterday was different.  Craig was crazy nuts on some of the items he was wanting to buy.  Our allotted grocery budget would have been shot.  We would’ve ate like kings for three days … and peasants for four of them.

It’s all about choices and consequences.  I want to eat healthy for all seven days!  (And I know so does Craig.)  He just sometimes gets in those moods where he wants what he wants. 

But he is getting much more open to me saying, “We can’t afford it.“  He realizes, that by us staying within our budget, we have been able to accomplish much more with our money.

It’s not easy to stay on budget.  Sometimes we get real pissy with each other.  But we recover fast. Because we actually do want the same things in the long run. 

Crazy doesn’t even begin to cover how messed up our lives would be if we didn’t live within our means …

(Now my dad - he’s a whole other story.  I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get him to behave with his money!)

personal finance

This past week while trolling the blogosphere - I noticed quite a few posts on gratitude.  Isn’t that terrific?  Especially during these difficult times we are living in …

This ability to ask the question - What do I have? (And be thankful for it.) Instead of the question - What do I lack? Allows us the opportunity to be grateful for the simple blessings in our lives, and will ultimately give us the strength to overcome such difficult times!

• If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.   -Meister Eckhart
• Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.  - Marcel Proust
• Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul. - Henry Ward Beecher
• Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful. - Buddha

In this spirit of gratitude …

I would like to show a little link love in honor of my February Entrecard Top Droppers.

1. Themelib 
2. The Frugal Housewife
3. Guilty Pleasures
4. EZGreatLife
5. Blogger Templates
6. Sound of a Soft Breath
7. Cinnamon, Spice & Everything Nice
8. All Contests
9. Junkfoodaholic
10. For Your Health

Photo Credit: Craig

• “Cents”able Momma has four easy steps to cut laundry costs.
• Bargains4wahms has end of February coupons at (coupons.com).
• Being Frugal is Fabulous has an interesting frugal tip for us.
• Common Sense With Money has started a series on stockpiling.
• Everything Finance has a review on David Bach’s new book, The Finish Rich Dictionary.
• Foximus Frugal Living has ten steps to saving on new furniture.
• Frugal Dad writes about recession-proofing your debt snowball.
• Frugal Upstate has a book review on The Wealthy Barber.
• Getting Ahead says baking soda is our friend.
• Half Price Full Pantry tells us about printable CVS coupons.
• Keeping The Kingdom First is keeping it centsable with frugal tips & tricks.
• Little Miss Know It All has frugal Friday FAQ.
• Northern Cheapskate’s guest blogger Susan, writes about how she lives without the Sunday paper.
• One shares tips on how to stay afloat with water conservation tips.
• SavingAdvice.com writes about lifestyle diseases and personal finance.
• SimpleMom has 16 energy boosters that won’t leave you depleted.
• Sisterly Savings has 10 money saving tips on eating out.
• The Single Frugalton has a money saving idea to keep in touch with the special people in your life.
• Wisebread has 15 real simple ways to save thousands of dollars.

Photo Credit: Cody

personal finance