Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Sunday, March 28, 2010

The Ugly Attitudes of Entitlement

Mary Hunt made a post on her blog today about the The Ugly Attitudes of Entitlement


I feel this is applicable to both adults and children. It is our responsibility to teach responsible spending to children. There are alot of adults that have to learn to curb their instant gratification too.

The Importance of Starting To Save Early for Retirement

I know it is hard to convince young people the importance of saving for retirement when they first start working. I was in my mid 20s when I started and it was weird to think there were more years until retirement than how old I was. But when you start early you have the power of time and compound interest on your side. Also, if the employer matches your contribution, you are leaving money on the table by not investing.

It may be difficult to put aside that extra money but if you make cuts in other places, before long it will become a habit. I consider it another bill so I arrange my budget around it.


Importance of saving early for retirement

Friday, March 26, 2010

Book Review of Kaleidoscope

I am a book review blogger for Thomas Nelson Publishers. I received a free copy of the book in order to review it. This is the only compensation I received for this review.

Kaleidoscope – Seeing God’s Wit and Wisdom in a Whole New Light
By Patsy Clairmont

”Kaleidoscope” is a collection of stories by Patsy Clairmont relating stories from her life to several verses from Proverbs. Each chapter begins with a verse from Proverbs, then a witty story and ends with a few questions to help you relate the verse and story to your life. At the end of each chapter are a few more verses that relate to the verse of the chapter. Each chapter is only 3-4 pages so it is easy to pick up and read whenever you have time. It could also be used as a daily devotional book by reading a chapter are reflecting on it each day.

Patsy is speaker from Women of Faith events. This is the first book I have read of hers. But I am looking forward to reading and hearing more from her.

I highly recommend “Kaleidoscope”.

Thomasnelson.com
Product Details
Format: Jacketed Hardcover
Trim Size: 5.70 x 8.40 x 0.90
Page Count: 208
Retail Price: $16.99 ISBN: 1400202701
ISBN-13: 9781400202706
Style#: 9781400202706

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

It's How you Look at Things

This past weekend our area experienced our almost yearly flood. After surviving a record flood last year and similar conditions this year, early predictions were for a flood of the same as last year. The river crested about 4 feet below last year’s crest. Over the past year I have been taking steps to think about things differently. Positive thoughts create positive actions. Although things were worse closer to the river and out of town, the atmosphere in the city seemed different than last year.

The same principle can be applied to the state of the economy. Even though there are a lot of people who are unemployed and are in dire straits. There are a lot of people that think it is worse than it really is because of the way they think about it. If you listen to all of the hype in the media about how bad everything is, you are going to start to believe it.

I have not been paying much attention to the news and have had opportunities coming in many different ways.

So one way to change your life may be to change the way you look at life.

Book Review - The Financial Fairy Tales

I was given the opportunity to review the book, Dreams Can Come True by Daniel Britton of The Financial Fairy Tales. Daniel has written a series of stories to encourage young readers to learn about money, enterprise and the business in life. A couple of words on his logo are Learning before Earning.

Dreams Can Come True tells a story of Tom, who is the son of a woodcutter who wants a horse of his own but can't afford one. He gets a job in a stable and gets to work with the horses and also gets to ride them. His uncle teaches him how to start a business and also how to teach others what he does and have them help him earn money.

It is a great story teaching kids how to work and save for things they want. I feel part of the problem with some kids is instant gratification and not having to wait for things that they want.

I feel financial literacy is very important and this is a terrific book to teach those lessons and I highly recommend it.

CVS and Walgreens savings

On Sunday I saved about $45 in about a 1/2 hour, including driving time between stores by using sales, coupons and ECB.

Yesterday I saw this blog post about free shampoo and there were a few things I needed at CVS again so I stopped yesterday and used my $9 of ECB that I earned on Sunday. So I got about $15 worth of items for $3 out of pocket.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Free Kids Workshops

Home Depot and Lowes both have Kids workshops, usually on Saturday mornings. Home Depot doesn't have any currently but Lowes has a workshop to make a kaleidoscope next Saturday, 3/27


Michaels craft stores also have free In-Store events for both children and adults.

Free Painting Workshop at Home Depot

There will be a Martha Stewart Painting Workshop at Home Depot on April 15th.




Interior Painting Featuring Martha Stewart Living
With a little painting know-how, even projects with a small budget can make a big difference. Find out how by registering for our 90-minute Do-it-herself workshop. We'll cover the following topics and more:
Learn how to choose paint and paint colors using the Martha Stewart Living color center
See the tools and materials you will need for a professional finish
Prepare and mask walls and trim for paint
Watch and learn the best methods for painting ceilings, wall, and trim
Thursday, April 15 2010 from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Watch for Kelloggs coupons

Keep an eye out for specially-marked Kellogg's cereal boxes. They contain multiple $1 off coupons. You'll find them in the following cereals:


Corn Pops
Froot Loops
Rice Krispies
Frosted Mini-Wheats
Frosted Flakes
Apple Jacks
Nutri-Grain Cereal Bars
Corn Flakes
Raisin Bran

This week Target has some Kelloggs cereal for 4/$10. One box of Rice Krispies I bought had the coupons in it. Also, this week at Target, if you buy 4 boxes you get a $5 gift card to use on a future purchase. Target sale is good thru Saturday.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Target Cereal Deal

This week Target has selected Kelloggs cereals and pop tarts on sale for 4/$10. If you buy 4 items you get a $5 gift card to use on a future purchase. I had 4 $1 coupons so I will end up getting the 4 boxes for $1 total. Some of the boxes have $5.00 of coupons inside ($5.00 of coupons is mentioned on the box) I had bought one of these another time and used those today.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Two Observations At the Grocery Store

I noticed two different situations at the grocery store today. The first one was a mother and her daughter (who was about 10-11 years old). The daughter had the grocery list and checked off the items as they found them.

The other was at the checkout, there was another mother and her daughter about the same age (10-11 year old). They were in the line next to me and I got there as they were paying. The daughter swiped the credit/debit card through the machine. This is fine if she realizes where the money comes from. In many cases, kids see their parents using credit cards or writing checks and they think that is all that is to it.

I have posted before about using real life experiences to teach children about money, etc. Both of these situations are perfect examples of this. As long as you explain where the money comes from.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Womens International Summitt for Health

Womens International Summit for Health is being held in celebration of International Women’s Day. On March 8, 2010, women from all around the globe are invited to attend W.I.S.H. (the Women’s International Summit for Health) – a series of free on-line interviews with leading health and wellness experts who answer the most pressing questions faced by women of all ages and from all cultures. This incredible summit is produced by Tera Warner, the dynamic force behind the web sensation, The Raw Divas [www.therawdivas.com].

Women can register online for W.I.S.H. at www.wishsummit.com and listen to the entire series of interviews for free from March 8-19, 2010.

For 10 days, women will come together to hear the stories and share the wisdom of a star-studded list of 40 speakers. In the first week, W.I.S.H. presenters explore the subjects of sensuality, spirit, food, and relationships. The second week’s stimulating topics include fitness, beauty, health, money, attitude and family. Whether it’s the kids, the cellulite, the hot flashes or steamy romances, W.I.S.H. promises to bring women’s pressing questions to the agenda and get them answered!

Starting on March 8, you will have 10 days so Visit the speakers page on the WISH website, and take note of the dates, the callers, etc. and book yourself up to 4 hours every day so you can attend these calls for FREE.

The calls do not have specific times, just specific days. You’ll have 24 hours to review each set of calls. That’s plenty of time and juuuust the right amount of pressure to make sure you do it

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Recap of "The Smart Cookies"

The Smart Cookies: Guide to Making More Dough
How 5 Young Women Got Smart, Formed a Money Group and Took Control of their Finances.

The 5 women in the book were on Oprah a few years ago after they started a money group.

The book is a mixture of financial lessons and information and their personal stories of working their way out of debt.

Chapter 1 - The Taboo Topic: Starting the Conversation about Money.
in our society it seems like money is a taboo subject with many people.

Chapter 2- Know Your Numbers: Four Facts You need to know about Your finances
To sit down and figure out your income, how much you owe, how much you save and invest and how much you have to spend.

Chapter 3 - Whose Life Are You Living? How to Create and Afford the Life that You Want.
Planning your perfect day
Power of Positive Thinking
Create a Vision Board to reinforce what you want
The "Rather" Factor - what you would rather do with the money than what you have a choice to spend it on. (dinner out with friends or saving it towards a bigger goal)

Chapter 4 - If the shoe fits, you don't have to buy it. How to be a smart spender
What kind of spender are you
Arm yourself with a plan
Living large on less
Be a Fashionista (for less)

Chapter 5- Deflate your debt: 6 simple steps to get you back in the black
Good debt, bad debt, credit cards

Chapter 6 - Make More Dough: Easy ways to earn extra income
Find out what you are worth
Get the raise you deserve
Consider job or career change
Earn extra cash
Change your pasttime or passion into income

Chapter 7 - Watch Your Dough Rise: Everything you need to know about investing

Chapter 8 - Home $weet Home: How to get real value in Real Estate

Chapter 9 Join the Group: A Step by step guide to starting a money group

The book had alot of helpful information and was a quick read.