Some easy ways to put money in your pocket

I found a great article in Women's Day by Mary Hunt about ways to put money in your pocket. Sounds good, right? Here are the eleven ideas, in short form:

1. Entertain the family for free. If you've got a Bank of America card you can go to a bunch of museums for free through April 2009 on the first weekend of each month. Check out http://bankofamerica.com/museums.
2. Get a good rewards credit card, and then pay your balance in full each month.
3. Gather your books and list on cash4books.net - get cash and pay no shipping fees!!
4. Start a blog for free (try blogger.com), and place ads on it for a small income, depending on the amount of readers
5. Do it yourself. Pick something that you pay someone else to do, learn how to do it, and just do it.
6. Take advantage of online rebates
7. Shop your life insurance.
8. Refinance your car loan
9. Tap into H2O - switch from bottled to tap water and save a bunch!
10. Ask for lower interest on your credit cards (just call the customer service, tell them you're receiving offers to transfer the balance but you'd like to stay if they can match the offers).
11. Save on children's clothes. Try consignment shops.

Why not give a few of these a try and slip a few dollars back into your pocket?

A.C. Moore Coupon

Unfortunately this is only good for the rest of today, but maybe someone will be able to scooch over and grab a great deal!!!

Free Six Flags Tickets!!

Not too long ago we got to go to Six Flags Great Escape in Lake George for FREE :) because of Six Flag's Read to Succeed Program. Gotta say - loved it! I just checked the website, and registration is now open at the above link for the 2008-09 school year. If you have children in K-6 check it out. If you're part of a homeschool group, order for the group, or part of a school, let your teachers know. Registration wraps up in early October, and they tend to run out of kits soon!! Happy reading and playing!

Hannaford Coupon

I have a Hannaford's grocery store right down the road from my house, so I end up there a lot, but I very rarely see coupons for them. It's a conflict between my cheapness in not wanting to spend gas to get to another store, and not wanting to shop without lots of coupons and deals. Sooooo, I was thrilled to learn that Hannaford has an online coupon available right now, good through September 14. It can be printed multiple times, as far as I can tell, and is good for $5.00 off $50. Good stuff! Enjoy!!

Eating healthy and spending less

I found this list of tips on a blog that I visited lately, makingmommyhot.com . Some great tips to help make eating healthier a little bit easier on your wallet.

So if you’re committed to healthy eating, here are a few tips to accomplish that without stretching your budget to its breaking point:

Shop in season. Most of the fruits and vegetables at your local supermarket have traveled an average of 1,500 miles. With the recent rise in fuel prices, that trip not only hurts the environment but your wallet as well. By tailoring your tastes to produce that is seasonally and locally in vogue, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint and your grocery bill, as well as enjoy fresh and tasty food.

Invest a little to save a lot. Living healthier may require a bit more when it comes to time, effort, and money, but the payoff is huge. And if you play it smart, you can minimize the necessary investment on many fronts, each of which is entwined with the other. For example, you can save money by prepping your own produce or making your own juice. And by spending some cash on quality appliances-juicer, mandoline slicer, specialized peelers-you can turn these tedious chores into fun, easy activities that you’re more likely to set aside time to do.

Grow your own. If you’ve got a yard, what are you waiting for? Start a garden. Pick a plot in your yard that gets a sufficient amount of sunlight (at least six hours a day), and if you’re a first-timer, start small-a 10-foot-by-10-foot square is a great beginning. Head to a local nursery or home center (they’ll advise on which fruits and vegetables thrive in your area) to get the supplies you’ll need: plants, seeds, soil, hoe, rototiller, and more. And even if you don’t have a yard, you can still grow carrots, lettuce, herbs, tomatoes, and peppers in containers on a patio or at a windowsill that gets lots of sunlight.

Buy frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Many experts agree that the process of freezing and canning fruits and vegetables doesn’t diminish the nutritional value of these foods. If you’re concerned about taste, you can boost flavor by adding a variety of spices. Many recipes allow for the substitution of fresh vegetables with canned or frozen ones; in fact, by using canned tomatoes in a sauce or a soup, you can save as much as 70 cents per pound.

Source

Orange juice tip

Hey - a small, but easy, money saver. If you buy several containers of OJ (not concentrated cans) on sale and want to be sure they last, store all but the one you're using in the freezer. If you have just a bit left, store it in an ice cube tray to later throw into seltzer or Sprite for a tasty treat. Clever, eh? :)

God's Minimum Financial Standards for Couples

I found this article from Crown Financial Ministries that has some really good food for thought in it!!

The Word of God has basic principles that govern every aspect of marriage, including His minimum financial standards.

Although often these biblical principles are in marked contrast with the world’s ideas concerning money, if couples will dedicate themselves to living by God’s principles they will avoid many potential financial problems.

The OPM principle
The primary financial principle taught to married couples by the world’s financial institutions is called OPM, or Other People’s Money.

However, this principle is nothing more than a credit mentality and a credit standard -- the ability to borrow that allows couples to buy things they really cannot afford to buy.

This principle works great during the early years of marriage, because it allows couples to accumulate a lot of things they otherwise cannot afford to buy.

Unfortunately, there always comes a day of reconciliation, when the bills for all those things comes due.

Before they realize it, because they built too much too quickly, using too much debt, married couples find themselves in debt far beyond their ability to repay.

God’s minimum standards
God requires minimum financial standards of finance in marriage for His people.

If couples establish these minimum standards and determine to make them an essential part of their financial management, they will, without a doubt, lay a strong foundation for a healthy and balanced marriage.

The following are four primary minimum standards of finance found in God’s Word that all couples are encouraged to adopt.

1. God owns everything.“We have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either” (1 Timothy 6:7). Once couples accept the fact that God owns everything and that they have been chosen to be stewards or managers of God’s property, it’s important for them to manage according to His principles and standards.

   It’s how we faithfully manage what He has given us that will determine whether He will give us greater things to manage. “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things” (Matthew 25:23).

   So, since in a marriage a husband and wife are one, the financial assets and incomes of both husband and wife should be merged and they should operate from a unified financial management base, rather than from a separate and independent management base.

2. Think ahead and avoid problems.“Which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:28) Too often couples put off planning until they are so deeply in debt that it seems impossible to get out. By then it is too late to plan, except for crisis planning. Couples need to begin planning by writing down their goals and objectives, which should include a yearly balanced budget.

   These goals and objectives need to be reviewed yearly. Obviously one of the first goals is to avoid financial bondage by staying out of additional debt and committing to pay off existing debt.

   This doesn’t necessarily mean that they shouldn’t borrow, but borrowing to buy consumables, such as gifts, vacations, and clothes, should be avoided. This type of credit debt will put a couple back into insurmountable debt faster than they can pay themselves out of it.

3. Keep good records.“By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches” (Proverbs 24:3-4). It is impossible for couples to have their finances under control unless they understand the basics of good bookkeeping.

   Recently it was discovered that less than two out of 10 couples know how to actually balance their checkbooks. This means that many married couples seldom know how much money they have to spend or how much they are spending.

   Couples should develop their financial plans together and work together, but there should be only one bookkeeper in the home who pays the bills. Two bookkeepers invite bookkeeping disaster.

4. Get educated.“The na ve believes everything, but the sensible man considers his steps” (Proverbs 14:15). Most financially na ve couples are not stupid regarding money; they are just ignorant and do not understand how borrowing and interest rates work. As a result, their primary concern becomes “How much are the monthly payments?” rather than “How much is this going to cost ultimately?”

   In addition, many times the na ve people borrow more money than they can repay because they have no budget. In essence, they have no idea where their money goes each month or how much credit their income can support.

   Couples need to learn financial management and budgeting and use that information to avoid debt or financial problems.

Conclusion
God’s Word provides standards for managing money that are essential for marital unity. If couples study these biblical principles, learn them and put them into practice in their marriages, and adhere to those standards no matter how tempted they are to adopt the world’s standards, their marriages will be strong and will remain sound.

Pay less for gas

I've seen a few variations on this at different spots, but wanted to share a good list of simple ways to reduce the incredibly awful amount that we are paying for gas.

1. Check your tire pressure, monthly with a gauge when cold. Correct pressure is in owner's manual and on driver's side door jamb.
2. Don't idle. If you'll be idling for 30 seconds or more, better to turn off the car and restart.
3. Slow down. Dropping from 70 to 60 mph can increase mileage by as much as 18%.
4. Drive steadily.
5. Lighten up. The heavier the car, the more gas needed. Carrying extra junk in the trunk? Take a few moments to empty out.

These won't come close to making driving cheap, but every little bit helps!

Grocery savings

A good list of ways to save money at the grocery store, from To Be Debt Free. .

1. Plan ahead: Map out your meals for the entire week. Go through your cabinets, fridge and pantry, making a list of any items you’ll need for your planned meals.

2.Cut coupons: Savings of 25 cents here and 75 cents there can add up fast.

3.Look for sales: Ads for savings are what make the Sunday paper so thick. Take advantage of them. Look for flyers throughout the week, pay attention to TV commercials and check junk mail for coupons before you throw it away.

4.Shop around: Don’t limit yourself to one grocery store. One store may have great dairy prices but overpriced produce. Another could have good meat sales, but your favorite cereal is too expensive. Pick and choose what you’ll buy from each store. However, if you bring sales flyers from the competition, many stores will match the price.

5.Go generic: Just about every product has a generic counterpart at a much lower price. Buy these products; you can get the same thing for a lot less money.

6.Don’t stray from your list: If you didn’t write it on your list, you don’t need it.

7.Bring your calculator: Is 24 ounces for $1.00 better than 36 ounces for $1.25? Bring a calculator with you to figure out the best deal.

8.Buy in bulk: It never hurts to stock up on items you use frequently. Bulk is often cheaper, so fill your cart. Be sure that you are able to use the item before it goes bad.

9.Don’t shop on an empty stomach: Everything looks good when you’re hungry. Eat before you shop so you’re less tempted to pick up anything and everything that looks good.

10.Check your receipt: Before you leave the store, take a glance at your receipt to make sure everything checks out. Items may ring up at an incorrect price or be scanned too many times.

11.Grow your own food: Plant some herbs and vegetables in a small garden out back. You may not be able to replicate the produce aisle, but it can help cut your grocery bill.

How to save money when you don't have any

I so much realize how important it is to save money, but how do I do it when we are stretched so thin? I found this article that had some great tidbits in it...


Not having an emergency fund is the first step into the deep hole of debt.

With the economy forcing people to take a hard look at their finances, more people are realizing that they need to create an emergency fund, but how do you find the money to begin an emergency fund when you are just making ends meet?

Here are seven simple ways to find money to begin an emergency fund, which will allow you to create that all-important buffer for your finances.

Rearrange Your Current Costs

The least painful way to create an emergency fund is to rearrange the way you currently spend your money without actually giving up anything.

Chances are that you are paying much more than you need to be for a lot of the services you currently subscribe to such as cable TV, Internet access and phone service.

Calling these services with a competing offer in hand and asking for a better deal will often reduce the amount you are paying while keeping the exact same services you currently get.

The same can be done with home and car insurance as well. It usually costs companies much more money to find a new customer than it does to give you a discount, so they are often willing to give discounts to keep you from going to the competition.

You can then take the money you save to begin your emergency fund.

Play Saving Games

There are a number of saving games that you can play to get your emergency fund started. The most common of these is creating a money jar where you empty all your loose change at the end of each day, and collect the money at the end of the month to use for your emergency fund.

A wide variety of money games like this can serve the same purpose.

Increase Your Income

If you have already tapped all the ways that you know how to save money, another option is to make some extra money.

There are a number of ways that you can accomplish this, including finding a part-time job, doing freelance work or starting your own side business.

You can begin a number of jobs that cost very little money to create, and the extra money gained can become your emergency fund.

Sell Stuff

In all likelihood, you have way more stuff in your home than you need. A simple walk around you home looking into the closets, garage and other storage spaces should readily confirm this.

If you haven't used it in the past year, you probably don't need it. Instead of keeping it in storage and letting it gather dust, have a garage sale, put it up for sale on Craigslist or list it as an auction on eBay.

Set aside any money earned to initiate your emergency fund.

Pay Yourself

The reason that the IRS takes money out of people's paycheck each month is because if they didn't, they know that most people wouldn't have the money to pay their tax bill come April 15. They want to make sure they get their money, so they take it upfront.

You should have the same attitude with your emergency fund and pay yourself first when your paycheck arrives. Have a set amount taken out of each paycheck before you pay any other bills that gets transferred into your emergency fund.

Another way to accomplish the same goal is to finish paying off a recurring bill such as a credit card or car payment. Instead of using this newly freed up money to buy new things, keep paying it, but this time to yourself earmarked for your emergency fund.

Set Up an Account

When setting up an emergency fund, you will want to open up a separate account so that the emergency fund money isn't mixed in with your regular spending money since mixing makes it much easier to spend the emergency fund money on nonemergency things.

Online banks often offer money promotions for opening accounts, which can get your emergency fund started just for setting it up.

Pay Yourself for Things You Use

One of the easiest ways to always have an emergency fund available is to learn to pay yourself to use things you already own.

Getting into this habit ensures you have a mini emergency fund for all the things you use on a regular basis and puts you in a position of never having to buy things on credit again.

Embrace one of the above ways to begin the emergency fund, and give yourself a bit of breathing room.

by Jeffrey Strain

And the garden grows..

Well, our time and work in the garden is beginning to pay off. We can now pick tomatoes, peas, and lettuce in the backyard. These beans are growing like crazy, but no veggies to eat yet. Saving money, eating healthier, and just fun :).