Leftover Valentine's

If you have leftover Valentine's Day cards from the kids then use them to put in note in your kids lunch boxes.


Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

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Do you like where you live.

A reader asked this. Please let us know what you think.

We currently live in Naples FL. It is a very expensive area and we cannot afford a home (we
have a small one bedroom condo that we own). We would like a small house - cabin and are
wondering if we should sell and move to a more affordable area such as the Midwest area-
Kansas, MS, etc. Anyone living out there - I'd love to hear what you think of the area. We have
no children and are in our early 40's. Thank you!



Just my .02. But yes, I would move if that is something you want to do. Since you live in FL already then I will assume heat and humidity don't bother you much.

I hate living in Kansas. I'm an outdoor person and I love to garden. Unfortunately, you can't do that in Kansas if you have CFS. The heat and humidity about kill me. We usually have about 2-4 weeks of spring and 2-4 weeks of fall and then it's either really cold or really hot.

I do like the fact that housing is cheap and people are nice for the most part. The attitude here does leave something to be desired. Jobs aren't that great but a lot of people think "this is all I will ever have" type attitude and don't strive to improve their lives much. They aren't happy working in the aircraft plant or wherever but don't strive to improve their lives by saving as much as they can to get out of there. It's a "I have to spend it now because I deserve it because I hate my job type attitude." In reality they get paid very well but just throw away money.

That I don't like. I like people who strive to improve themselves and don't wallow in pity. I do know that kind of attitude is all over the country but it is more prevalent here. On the other hand people do help a lot, are very kind and considerate.

I must say that even though I don't like here, I would stay if it meant we could pay off our debt and get some good savings to move back to Colorado with a larger down payment for house. Housing is about 2-3 times what it is here. Mike is looking for work both here and there so who knows what will happen.

Different parts of the country have different pros and cons. Living in the city vs. the country has differnt pros and cons.

I have lived in several different states both city and country and there are different ways to save money in all of them. I get people all the time saying "i can't save because i live in ......" Well the truth is you can save if you want to. It will be in different ways but you can. In NY the cost of living is way higher but so are the incomes more than in KS.

Anyway, that's my .02. Back to her question. Do you like where you live? What are the pros? What are the cons?




Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

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Keep Aloe in the kitchen

Today I was pouring boiling water into my teapot and dumped some on my foot. Don't ask me how, I'm just born clumsy.

As I was standing there with my foot in the sink running cold water on it Mike laughed and said I should mention again to be sure and keep a bottle of Aloe Vera in the kitchen.

I have kept my Aloe in there for years and it comes in handy quite often! LOL


Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

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Winter in Kansas.

Since both mom and my brother's wife are blondes we love blonde jokes around here. Here's a great one my brother sent today! Enjoy!
Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com


As a trucker stops for a red light, a blonde catches up and stops behind his truck. She jumps out of her car, runs up to the trucker and knocks on the door. The trucker lowers the window, and she says, "Hi, my name is Heather, and you're losing some of your load."

The trucker ignores her and proceeds down the street. When the truck stops for another red light, the girl catches up again. She jumps out of her car, runs up and knocks on the door. Again, the trucker lowers the window. As if they've never spoken, the blond says brightly, "Hi, my name is Heather, and you're losing some of your load!" Shaking his head, the trucker
ignores her again and continues down the street.

At the third red light, the same thing happens again. All out of breath, the blonde gets out of her car, runs up, and knocks on the truck door. The trucker rolls down the window. Again she says, "Hi, my name is Heather, and you're losing some of your load!"

The trucker shakes his head and when the light turns green, the trucker revs up and races to the next light. When he stops this time, he hurriedly gets out of the truck and runs back to the blonde. He knocks on her window, and after she lowers it, he says,

"Hi, my name is Kevin. It's winter in Kansas , and I'm driving the SALT TRUCK!"




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Elly's Shoes

I bought Elly a really nice pair of white leather shoes for school at the thrift store for $2. She didn't like them because they were all white. We were going to decorate them with some jewels and fabric paint but that would be costly.

I was wandering down the isles of the big W the other day and found some cool shoe laces for $1.150. I got a pair and she loved them! $3.50 for pair of shoes that looks brand new and are now "cool" to wear. :-)

Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

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Mother's Day Sale

We had several people ask we are going to be having another crazy sale like we did last Nov. The answer is yes! In mid April we are going to be having another HUGE sale on Not Just Beans for Mother's Day. (For some reason Mike would like to park in the garage this tornado and hail season. :-)

So make your list and start saving up now!

Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

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Meds in the kitchen

A reader sent this tip after our newsletter tip on storing meds in the kitchen to free up bathroom space. We keep our meds above the toaster and mom keeps hers in a drawer so we don't have this problem but it is a good tip to remember.
Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

I wanted to tell you I was keeping my prescriptions over the sink in the kitchen and
pulled one out and the lid was loose--needless to say--my whole bottle of pills fell into the
dishwater. My doctor had to write a new rx and told me this happens all the time and do not
keep them over the sink anymore! Just wanted to warn people about that little mishap. Thank you. Helen


******
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The PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE

I thought this was wonderful! Roxie sent it to me today and I had to share. I liked the comparison to life as a railroad track instead of hills and valleys. I always feel like we in the middle of crisis but things can always be worse. I really liked his insight!
Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

About Rick Warren (The PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE)

You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having "wealth" from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren,

"Purpose Driven Life " author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California .

In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:

People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.

One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me.

I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend
trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal.
God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.

We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.

Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.

The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.

God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.

We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.

This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.

I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.

Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.

No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.

And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always some thing good you can thank God for.

You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.

If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness,
"which is my problem, my issues, my pain." But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.

We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her.

It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.

You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.

Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy

It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.

So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.

First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.

Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.

Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.

Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.

We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?

Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?


When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You
more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do.
That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD. Difficult moments, SEEK GOD. Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD. Painful, moments, TRUST GOD. Every moment, THANK GOD.

Newsletter changes.

Thanks everyone for all the responses to the newsletter. We asked because the main reason people unsubscribe is they say twice a week is too much for them.

So I think we are going to have two seperate newsletters. One for saving money and one for grocery savings.

I appreciate all the input! It has been very helpful for us to know what you like and don't like!

Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

It's ok to let some things go.

Today is the first day in MONTHS that I have almost felt normal! I'm not sure happened but I sure feel better today. I have been so sick that it has been all I can do to force myself out bed, to do the dishes and pack orders.

It's funny because you don't realize how being sick constantly really affects you. I keep trying to do "normal" things when I'm sick and it just doesn't work. That's why I look the way I do in the painting picture. :-) If I can't do it, I can't do it and I need to remember that.

That got me to thinking that people need to stop being so hard on themselves at times when life just isn't normal. Ok, so we haven't ever had normal around here but you get my point.

When you have a new baby, if the house doesn't get cleaned don't worry about it. Keep up the dishes and laundry and forget the dusting.

When you have toddlers, it's ok if you feel like you're going to loose your mind. If all you can do is go sit out in the car by yourself and read a book for 10 minutes when hubby gets home from work, then do it.

When your sick, go out to eat or grab a frozen pizza if you need to. Your family won't die from a few "unhealthy" meals.

People need to remember to work with what they have and stop worrying so much! Don't be lazy and do what you can but give yourself a break when you need it!

Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

Just Be Nice!

Today while I was taking Mike to work this woman's van stalled in the middle of the intersection. She couldn't get it started.

Well, we waited about 1 or 2minutes and then people started honking at her! We were 4 cars behind her and not one of the guys in the cars in front of us would get out and help her, they just honked. Like honking was going to help her move out the way faster!

Mike jumped out and helped her push it out of the way as soon as we realized what was wrong.

The point... help people when then need it and don't just sit ther and honk! One day you may be in their shoes and need the help!

Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

Homemade Laundry Soap Question.

From: Kathy M

Question: I used to make my own laundry detergent (the Fels
Naptha/Washing Soda recipe) and was very
satisfied with it. We recently bought a brand
new washing machine that is a high-efficiency
machine. The manufacturer recommends only high
efficiency (or "he") detergents. While the
machine uses a lot less detergent, it is still
expensive to buy. Are there any recipes for home
made high detergents that would be safe for a
high efficiency machine? It was probably the
most expensive thing I've ever bought, other than
a house or car, and I don't want to do anything
to damage or shorten the life of the machine.
Thanks!
Kathy


I used the Fels Naptha homemade soap. The reason you have to use "he" soap is because the other stuff studs to high. The Fels Naptha doesn't suds so it will work just fine.
Tawra


Visit us for money saving tips and free recipes!
www.LivingOnADime.com

Check it out!

We are are John Tesh's website!
Cool!
Tawra

10 Ways to Make One Small Bathroom Work

10 Ways to Make One Small Bathroom Work
by Jill Cooper

Remodeling or adding a bathroom can be a major expense. I remember when 2 bathrooms use to be considered a luxury and now a bathroom for every person is thought to be a necessity. If you still happen to be in the dark ages like me and have only 1 bathroom, here are a few suggestions to help you make 1 bathroom work.
Place a vanity or table with a mirror in the bedrooms especially the master bedroom and girls' rooms. All hair curling and blow drying can be done in the bedrooms. This can free up a lot of bathroom time.

My brother had 3 daughters so needless to say bathroom time could be a problem. Instead of the expense of adding a whole bathroom he had just a sink put in one of the bedrooms to help free up the bathrooms.

Stagger shower times. If you have 4 people all trying to take showers in the morning, it's just not going to work, so have different family members take showers at different times. For example:

Young children could take their baths at night.

Mom could take a soothing bath in the evening instead of a hurried shower in the morning.

Some family members can take their showers on Monday and others on Tuesday taking turns. Before you have a heart attack about not showering every day, remember that most dermatologists will tell you a shower everyday is not good for you.


Have everyone get dressed in their bedrooms and not the bathroom. Use a bathrobe to walk to the bathroom. Use the shower, put on your robe and go back to the bedroom to dress.

Limit shower times or the amount of time each person is allowed to use the bathroom in the morning when everyone needs the bathroom and things are especially hectic. Save those long soothing hot showers and baths for less hectic times of day.

If you must put your makeup on in the bathroom when others need it, learn to put it on in 5 minutes or less.

Do you have 5 people in your family and only one towel rod in the bathroom? Don't panic. Hang an attractive rod behind the door in each person's bedroom. When they are done with their showers, they can carry their damp towels with them to their rooms to hang them up. When it's shower time again, they can grab it after they slip on their bathrobes and head for the bathroom. When the towel is dry they can toss it in the hamper.

If your bathroom is short on storage, keep extra supplies in another room (things like toilet paper, shampoos, and even your towels and washrags if you're desperate). It is best if the room or closet where you store extras is close to the bathroom. I recommend keeping a couple of extra rolls of toilet paper in the bathroom, but not 12 rolls.

Keep your medicines in the kitchen. Most of us take them into the kitchen anyway. You can even keep your first aid kit in the kitchen. Think about it -- half the time when you get burned, it happens in the kitchen. When someone gets cut, they are very rarely in the bathroom when it happens. In our house, first aid moments usually happen at meal time when I'm trying to get dinner ready, so why go all the way into the bathroom when you are already in the kitchen?

Buy a make up organizer or use a decorative box for your make up and keep it on the back of the toilet. You could also get a organizer that hangs on the back of the door to hold all kinds of things. Buy a shower curtain with pockets or put shelves in your shower.

Some of these suggestions may take time to get use to but with a little practice like many other things they can become easy habits.

Reader Tip

Tawra-

I thought since you are sending out information about taxes, I'd send you this in case you haven't already seen it. My girlfriend just filed her taxes with this credit and it saved her $60 on her taxes. This might be of interest to your other living on a dime readers. For verification, I've included the link to Snopes.com for reference.

Happy Tax Season!

Adrienne Jacobs
Loveland, CO

I thought you might find the following article from snopes.com interesting: http://www.snopes.com/business/taxes/excise.asp

My brother found this.

It looks interesting. Tawra

http://www.priceprotectr.com/

Reader Tip

I wanted to share a website with you for saving
money on cosmetics, it is called:
eyeslipsface.com.

All products on the site are
only $1.00 each including eyeshadows, blush,
etc. The only exceptions are the makeup cases
and the custom compacts (still a great value as
each component is still only a $1 for case and 4
products to go inside.) The shipping and
handling is $5.00 and perhaps friends can order
together to save on that cost.

I placed an order and it arrived quickly and I was very
pleased with the products.

I especially like the blush brush and blush and the lipglosses.
They are getting alot of press in the various
women's magazines where I found them listed!
Hope this helps someone to enjoy a new look for
less! Thanks for your newsletter and I also love
Aldi! Have a great weekend!
Marlene (originally from CT, now living in SC)

Grocery Tips Content

Win a Ben?!?

What did Ben Franklin know about saving money that could help families today?

2007 marks over 300 years since his birth and the lessons he learned then are still true today. He'd still be encouraging people to use their money wisely. Not only was Ben Franklin an inventor and statesman, he was one of the most quoted public figures ever. And some of his most famous quotes focused on saving money.

What would Ben Franklin think of our modern economy? Would he still think that 'a penny saved is a penny earned' in a world that includes online grocery flyers and websites featuring money-saving tips?

Since MyGroceryDeals.com and TheDollarStretcher.com are sure that Ben would encourage people to use modern tools to save money they've teamed up to create “Ben’s Grocery Challenge”

For eight consecutive weeks beginning Feb 19th the two sites will be encouraging visitors to share their best grocery related money-saving tips. Visitors to Mygrocerydeals.com and TheDollarStretcher.com will help select the best tip. Every week, the person with the best selected tip will win a Ben ($100 bill). As well, all voters will also have a chance to win a $100 Ben bill at the end of “Ben’s Grocery Challenge”. It's a simple as that!

Ben Franklin was well known for encouraging people to contribute to the common knowledge and to benefit from others' wisdom. We think that old Ben would be pleased to see thousands of people discover and share ways to save at the grocery store.

Find Ben’s picture on www.mygrocerydeals.com or www.TheDollarStretcher.com to start participating in “Ben’s Grocery Challenge”!

Living On $500 a month.

We are getting close to getting how mom lived on $500 a month. This will be part one.

It has 400 ways she used to save money so she could live on $500 and pay off her 35K in debt in 5 years on $12,000 a year income.

We are going to be sending it to the printers in a couple weeks. Let me know if you are interested that way I can have an idea of how many to print up. This book will not be put in e-book form.

Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

P.S.
A couple of questions have come up. It will be about 120 pages and around $10. We were going to try and have it up in e-book form in march but we have decided to do a print version which will be about 8-10 weeks (hopfully less).

This is not the story of her life. She is still working on that. It is the tips and tricks about how she saved so she could live on so little. How she did clothing, kids (that would be me :-), emergencies (wait until you hear the roof and car stories :-) and just about everything else.

I hope that clears a few things up. Tawra

Saving the burned pan.

Well, I burned the hamburger tonight so I thought I would post how to save your pans when they are badly burned. It's really simple and will save a trip to the store to get a new pan.

Put baking soda (1/2 cup or so) in the bottom of the pan and fill with water. Let simmer for an hour. Most of the burned on stuff should come off. If not then use a SOS pad to clean it off. If that doesn't get it all off then take a razor blade and scrape off the remains. It works like a charm!

Tawra

Stock up for Easter!

Stock up on the day after Valentine's Day for 1/2 price candy for easter baskets!

Tawra

Valentine's On A Dime

Check out these Valentine's Day Ideas!
Tawra

Valentine's On A Dime

Poetry On A Plate
The $6 Gourmet Valentine’s Dinner for Two

10 tips for a fun — but frugal — Valentine's Day



Also here's a treasure hunt if you need an idea for your husband or wife.

TREASURE HUNT
Take your spouse on a treasure hunt. Send an email message or mail a card with the first clue. Set the clues all over the house, car, yard, and neighbors yard. At the end have directions to a mystery spot for a picnic, movie, dinner out or to you all decked out on the bed. Use your imagination and have fun. It’s the simple things people remember.

Roses are Red
Violets Are Blue
Run to the Fridge
To Find a Clue

Now that you’re here
It’s all clear
It’s a treasure hunt!
Now to the shed, my dear.

I love you so much
Yes, a bunch and a bunch
Look in the pantry next
where we keep your lunch.

Don’t grow weary
My sweet deary
To the bathroom you go
For a note that is cheery!

Are you getting excited for you treat
My dear who is sweet?
Out by the birdbath where the birds go
Tweet, tweet.

This is the last one
Did you have fun?
Downstairs to the bedroom
Now let’s go have fun.

(Note to the reader. We were gonna play Bingo in the bedroom. ;-) What were you thinking?!)

Tortillas and Sopapillas

I haven't tried it but it sounds good.
Tawra

From: Gloria K.

Tawra,
Just wanted to share an easier way to make flour tortillas and sopapillas. Just use homemade
baking mix and flour in equal amounts, from one cup each to whatever you need, and enough warm water to make a pliable dough, not too wet or too dry. You're now ready to make as many tortillas or sopapillas as your family wants!

Elly's room makeover

We got Elly's room makeover on the site. Check it out! Tawra

Paying Cash for a house.

Below I was talking (venting :-) about how people really need to just start paying cash for everything including their house.
I received this question about it below so I thought I would clarify myself.


"How is it possible for a married couple living on 30K to buy a house with cash? The national average for a house is right around $200,000. If you made 30K, didn't pay taxes on it, and did nothing but save it,it would take over 6 years to pay cash for a house. Where do you live in the meantime and what do you eat? It doesn't seem possible. Is it? "

Ok, Here's the deal. I mis-spoke. What I meant to say was a couple making 30K each could easily pay cash for a house. Yes, it would take much longer if you made 30K total as a couple.

If a couple made 60K, lived on 30K of it and then saved the other 30K they could pay cash for a 200K house in a little under 7 years and save about $400,000 in interest give or take. (that's just a guestimate:-) I would have much rather paid for a house in 7 years than 30!

I see couples who make this much and more out of college all the time but they are in hawk up to their eyeballs with new cars, new furniture etc. Even if you didn't want to wait that long you could still buy the house and pay off it early. I would at least rent for 2 or 3 years and save up 100K to have a sizable down payment in case someone lost a job.

The problem is people don't make financial security a priority. People complain when they have a lost a job, or want to stay home with the new baby that they can't because of all the bills. In reality most people can if they would just put living debt free in the top half of their list of priorities.

Although even if you just earned 30K there are ways. There are houses for under 100K all over the place. Yes, they are small but it's a couple starting out you don't need much. It would be great to have it paid off when the kids start coming along.

Anyway, sorry I mis-spoke I hope that clears it up!
Tawra

A good laugh for all you moms out there!

THIS SHOULD HAVE YOU LAUGHING

For Mothers and Grandmothers Everywhere (and Aunts)

Potty Talk

A 3-year-old tells all from his mother's restroom stall.
By Shannon Popkin

My little guy, Cade, is quite a talker. He loves to communicate and does
it quite well. He talks to people constantly, whether we're in the
library, the grocery store or at a drive-thru window.

People often comment on how clearly he speaks for a
just-turned-3-year-old. And you never have to ask him to turn
up the volume It's always fully cranked. There've been several
embarrassing times that I've wished the meaning of his words would have
been masked by a not-so-audible voice, but never have I wished this more
than last week
at Costco.

Halfway, through our shopping trip, nature called, so I took Cade with me
into the restroom. If you'd been one of the ladies in the restroom that
evening, this is what you would have heard coming from the second to the
last stall:
"Mommy, are you gonna go potty? Oh! Why are you putting toiwet paper on
the potty, Mommy? Oh! You gonna sit down on DA toiwet paper now? Mommy,
what are you doing? Mommy, are you gonna go stinkies on the potty?"

At this point I started mentally counting how many women had been in the
bathroom when I walked in. Several stalls were full ? 4? 5? Maybe we could
wait until they all left before I had to make my debut out of this stall
and reveal my identity.

Cade continued, "Mommy, you ARE going stinkies aren't you? Oh, dats a good
girl, Mommy! Are you gonna get some candy for going stinkies on the potty?
Let me see doze stinkies, Mommy! Oh ? Mommy! I'm trying to see
in dere. Oh! I see dem. Dat is a very good girl, Mommy. You are gonna get
some candy!"

I heard a few faint chuckles coming from the stalls on either side of me.
Where is a screaming newborn when you need her? Good grief. This was
really getting embarrassing. I was definitely waiting a long time before
exiting.

Trying to divert him, I said, "Why don't you look in Mommy's purse and see
if you can find some candy. We'll both have some!" "No, I'm trying to see
doze more stinkies. Oh! Mommy!" He started to gag at this point. "Uh oh,
Mommy. I fink I'm gonna frow up. Mommy, doze stinkies are making me frow
up!! Dat is so gross!!" As the gags
became louder, so did the chuckles outside my stall I quickly flushed the
toilet in hopes of changing the subject. I began to reason with myself:

OK. There are four other toilets. If I count four flushes, I can be
reasonably assured that those who overheard this embarrassing monologue
will be long gone. "Mommy! Would you get off the potty, now? I want you
to be done
going stinkies! Get up! Get up!" He grunted as he tried to pull me off.
Now I could hear full-blown laughter. I bent down to count the feet
outside my door.

"Oh, are you wooking under dere, Mommy? You wooking under DA door? What
were you wooking at, Mommy? You wooking at the wady's feet?" More
laughter. I stood inside the locked door and tried to assess the
situation.

"Mommy, it's time to wash our hand s, now. We have to go out now, Mommy."
He started pounding on the door. "Mommy, don't you want to wash your
hands? I want to go out!!"

I saw that my "wait 'em out" plan was unraveling. As I sheepishly opened
the door, and found an open sink, I thought, Where's the fine print on the
'motherhood contract' where I signed away every bit of my privacy? But
as my little herald gave me a big, cheeky grin while he rubbed bubbly soap
between his chubby little hands, I thought, I'd sign it all away again,
just to be known as Mommy to this little fellow.


Shannon Popkin is a freelance writer and mother of three. She lives with
her family in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she no longer uses public
restrooms.

Milk for .95 a gallon!

I found a great deal last week. I got milk for .95 a gallon! It didn't even expire for 13 days! I got about 10 gallons and filled the freezer. We go through about two gallons every 7-10 days so that will last us a little while.

The dairy guy said that they had "gotten some bad dates" whatever that means and so they had to put this milk on sale and get it out to make room. Just ask your produce, dairy and meat managers when they mark down their items. Then time your shopping trip around it so you can get the best deals!

Yeah! That will make up for the huge price jump in eggs now!

Tawra

Warm and Toasty!

This is the week to buy electric blankets and mattress pads! My SIL found them for 50% at Walmart the other day. We got a new heated mattress pad for $40 and it was wonderful! It was nice to climb into a warm and toasty bed.

Get them now and save!

Tawra

A bunch of spoiled brats!

Wow! What timing. I was just thinking of this very thing when this showed up in my inbox. I don't know who wrote it but they wrote exactly what I was thinking! I was going to write an article on it myself but now I guess I won't waste my time! :-)

As far as my .02 to go along with this. We are of the mindset that you shouldn't for the most part have any debt for any reason at all. Maybe unexpected medical bills but there is no reason people shouldn't pay cash for a house, cars, college, everything should be paid for in cash.

Yes, we were dumb and shouldn't have paid for our cars and medical bills or business loans even with 0% credit cards. We were not trusting God and we have hopefully learned from our mistakes. Now we know better and will be paying cash unless it's a huge medical emergency.

Kids get out of college and make 30K plus a year! There's no reason a young married couple can't live frugally and pay cash for a house. The problem is, we are just a bunch of spoiled brats and we need to get over it and stop whining!

Now, onto the story. :-)
Tawra



Made in the USA: Spoiled Brats

The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right? The same magazine that employs Michael (Qurans in the toilets at Gitmo) Isikoff. Here I promised myself this week I would be nice and I start off in this way.

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3s of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I starting thinking, ''What we are so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all involved. Whether you are rich or poor they treat your wounds and even, if necessary, send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home, you may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of having a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes; an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells. Just ask why they are going to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book and do a TV special about how he didn't kill his wife but if he did he was insane!

Stop buying the negative venom you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

I close with one of my favorite quotes from B.C. Forbes in 1953:

''What have Americans to be thankful for? More than any other people on the earth, we enjoy complete religious freedom, political freedom, social freedom. Our liberties are sacredly safeguarded by the Constitution of the United States, 'the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.' Yes, we Americans of today have been bequeathed a noble heritage. Let us pray that we may hand it down unsullied to our children and theirs.''

I suggest we sit back and count our blessings for all we have. If we don't, what we have will be taken away. Then we will have to explain to future generations why we squandered such blessing and abundance. If we are not careful this generation will be known as the ''greediest and most ungrateful generation.'' A far cry from the proud Americans of the ''greatest generation'' who left us an untarnished legacy.

A question about Tithing

I noticed that you give a sizeable amount in tithes. I am a Christian myself and give regularly but I can't help but worry that perhaps giving less to the church might make your budget more lenient, say for emergencies and the such. I firmly believe that we should all live within our means and that the Lord will provide the rest. However I also believe that we play an active role in helping ourselves, saving for our children's education etc. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading and learning through your articles.
Many blessings,
Abdeli

Dear Abdeli,
I need to update the budget but yes, we have $500 in savings for emergencies. We won't put in more until all our debt is gone. We have some debt from Mike's video equipment that we need to pay off first.

No, I don't think you should ever stop or lower your tithe to save some money.
First: Because we made some stupid financial decisions doesn't mean that it's God's responsibility to fix it for us. He can if he wants but that's the consequences of us trusting in the credit cards and not Him.

Second: That's like slapping God in the face saying "I don't think you can take care of me". God gives us everything we have. It's the least we can do to give him back 10% to help others.

It's contradictory to say say "I can't help but worry" but then turn around and say but we "if we live within our means the Lord will provide the rest". If you worry then you aren't trusting God. Taking money from God to pay for your kids education (which I don't believe parents should do anyway for the most part) and to "help yourself" is not letting him take care of you.

It's all about trust. We either trust him or we don't. In a few weeks we are going to be coming out with how mom survived on $500 a month. She has a lot of examples of trusting in there and how God did the "impossible". That doesn't mean that you go out and eat, put your kids in a bunch of activities, and spend what you want and then expect him to come through in a time of crisis. Most people are more than able to have at least $500-$1000 savings if they really wanted to. Even my mom who lives on about $500 a month has that much saved.

Anyway the point is, He asks that we depend on him and not ourselves.

I'm glad that you enjoy our articles! Thanks for letting us know!

Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

Think outside the box.

I found some Hershey's kissables on sale for .50 a bag. The kids don't need that much candy and Mike and I don't eat them but they would make great chocolate chip cookies! I can get four batches of cookies out of one bag of candy! That's a pretty good deal!

Tawra

A reader tip for saving on gifts.

We got most of our Christmas presents for family and friends this way:

Staples is giving away $3 of merchandise for every used inkjet cartridge brought in, and will accept up to 3, or $9 worth, on a single day/visit!

We’re also enjoying getting some of the gourmet coffees and goodies we would not buy (in Christmas gift packages there) ….but, hey, they’re free! And we’re picking up fun office supplies that are much fancier than we usually get.

We can get cartridges from work. Be aware that they accept only certain brands though……we’d give you the list, but two different clerks have given us two different lists. (HP was on both, though.) Another clerk said they’ve been doing this promotion for awhile, “but no one knew about it.” And they’ll be doing it “for quite awhile to come,” she said.

We would respectfully request that this item be considered for posting on the Blog or Newsletter site, please…..and maybe also ask readers for ideas of how to use this offer to benefit others. For example, we would like to give the free copy paper (and other stuff) to our Church and to the Crisis Pregnancy Center near us, etc.

Thank you so much for the Blog and E-Newsletter---we continue to get lots of helpful info for our family.

Sincerely,

G and K


Tawra: Post a comment or send us your ways to save on gifts! We would love to hear them!