- Give up cable; watch DVDs or listen to CDs, both of which can be checked out from the public library
- Listen to the radio (some wonderful radio shows are on public radio stations, generally on the lower parts of the dial)
- Have friends who play instruments (free entertainment for your parties!)
- Use the Internet at the public library
- Plan potluck events with your friends (generally cost less to make your favorite recipe and to share, than to buy pre-made dishes from restaurants or grocery stores)
- Free Wi-Fi at Starbucks, Barnes and Noble and McDonald’s
- Go to your public library for reading material
- Sign up at Groupon web site (deals on fun things to do at a discount)
- Request a free phone number from Google Voice
- Send special occasion greeting cards from web sites that offer free eCards
Have other ideas? Share them here, on my blog! :)
Friday, February 11, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Money Saving Transportation Tips!
- Buy a used car and take care of it!
- Compare home and auto insurance policies every couple years to make sure you are still getting good rates.
- Make friends with mechanics.
- Live within walking distance of a grocery store, restaurant, bar, movie theatre, billiards.
- Live within walking distance of a train or subway station.
- Run errands during the week when you are already out and about!
Got more ideas? Share them by commenting on this blog entry! :)
- Compare home and auto insurance policies every couple years to make sure you are still getting good rates.
- Make friends with mechanics.
- Live within walking distance of a grocery store, restaurant, bar, movie theatre, billiards.
- Live within walking distance of a train or subway station.
- Run errands during the week when you are already out and about!
Got more ideas? Share them by commenting on this blog entry! :)
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
More Money Saving Tips :)
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| Photo by Laura Moody. Taken at Frying Pan Farm Park, Fairfax, VA. |
Personal items / Food items
- Learn to comparison shop at grocery stores - Trader Joe’s generally has the best prices on my everyday items
- Eat less, but more frequently, of fruits, vegetables and nuts during the day and save the larger meal for the evening (if fruits and veggies are not in season and cost tons, keep an Amazing Grass product in your refrigerator to get those essential vegetables in your body)
- Learn to sew
- Join your local Freecycle.org community (ask and you shall receive!)
- Check out Craigslist.org (free and for sale sections have some great deals)
- Purchase what you need at local thrift stores or yard sales (insert your zip code at the Goodwill.org web site to find a thrift store near you and visit Craigslist.org for your city and locate any yard sale posts)
- Clip coupons and also search for them online before making a big purchase
- Shop at discount stores and always check clearance racks at mainstream stores
- Buy powdered soup to use at your whim when sautéing veggies, making casseroles or use it as a base for broth when making soup
- Make your own salad dressing with vinegar and oil and spices in your pantry (look for recipes on the web)
- Ask for tropical plant cuttings from friends and relatives…pothos plants and philodendrons are hearty and root in water if you make a cut just below a root nub…
Got any other ideas?! Comment on this blog :)
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Money Saving Tips Equal Living Rich!
It is always prudent to watch what you spend... here are some tips on how to stretch your dollar. :)
Home Tips
- Compare home and auto insurance policies every couple years to make sure you are still getting competitive/inexpensive rates
- Buy and insert an adjustable thermostat for your home
- Unplug lamps, nightlights and laptops when not in use
- Make friends with people who enjoy fixing up houses
- Learn to fix things by researching your projects first on the Internet, at the library
- Clean with vinegar and baking soda
- Plant a garden
- Go to sleep early and wake up early, keeping the house at a cool temperature with no electronics on!
This is the first part of a series. Come back again to see what I share next!
Got tips of your own? Post them here!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Soft Landing in Spite of His Choice
My domestic cat Scooter is an adventurer. He likes to explore, whether it be out back taking a tour of the mini-forest or in my own kitchen, jumping right in the thick of my dishwashing, which translates to always visiting the inside of the dishwasher before it is completely full.
Recently I purchased a power washer for some yard maintenance. It’s a nice useful tool that came in a decent size box that of course, has lived in my kitchen since it came home with me.
One night, I woke up half way through my sleep cycle and was parched. I went downstairs to pour a glass of water. While at the frig, I hear a small meow coming from an unfamiliar place. Scooter had fallen into the power washer box and landed on the bedding that I had precariously placed on its edge when I was doing laundry earlier that evening.
He looked up, rather sleepily and seemed to be trying to explain that he was stuck, but looked very comfortable in spite of his circumstances.
I thought to myself, isn’t that just like God and His plans for us? Even though we may make choices that seem like good ideas at the time, there is always the chance of them back-firing and having consequences we had not considered. And yet, there is our loving Father, catching us when we fall and providing comfort in the thick of the mess. All we have to do is Thank Him and wait for His Will and guidance to lead us back on track.
I was happy to lift Scooter out of the box and place him on a chair, but do you know that he rather liked it in there after all? He had climbed back in after I left the kitchen and of course could not get out when I came back. Silly kitty! So I rescued him again and put the box in a different place.
As humans, I hope it will not take most of us too long to learn from our initial mistakes. Repeating the same destructive or unwise patterns over and over again is not only a waste of precious time, but it does not allow us to grow as quickly and successfully as we could or should. God wants so much for His followers to live full, productive and fruitful lives. We would do well to heed life’s lessons and respond with vigor and grace, rising from our transgressions and morphing into more learned individuals.
I am so glad to be living in the day and age of blogging! It is wonderful to be able to share stories. The re–telling of events often helps others to recognize better choices in their own lives. Blessings occur for both the storyteller and the recipient. I hope you live well, have many adventures and become very, very wise!
Recently I purchased a power washer for some yard maintenance. It’s a nice useful tool that came in a decent size box that of course, has lived in my kitchen since it came home with me.
One night, I woke up half way through my sleep cycle and was parched. I went downstairs to pour a glass of water. While at the frig, I hear a small meow coming from an unfamiliar place. Scooter had fallen into the power washer box and landed on the bedding that I had precariously placed on its edge when I was doing laundry earlier that evening.
He looked up, rather sleepily and seemed to be trying to explain that he was stuck, but looked very comfortable in spite of his circumstances.
I thought to myself, isn’t that just like God and His plans for us? Even though we may make choices that seem like good ideas at the time, there is always the chance of them back-firing and having consequences we had not considered. And yet, there is our loving Father, catching us when we fall and providing comfort in the thick of the mess. All we have to do is Thank Him and wait for His Will and guidance to lead us back on track.
I was happy to lift Scooter out of the box and place him on a chair, but do you know that he rather liked it in there after all? He had climbed back in after I left the kitchen and of course could not get out when I came back. Silly kitty! So I rescued him again and put the box in a different place.
As humans, I hope it will not take most of us too long to learn from our initial mistakes. Repeating the same destructive or unwise patterns over and over again is not only a waste of precious time, but it does not allow us to grow as quickly and successfully as we could or should. God wants so much for His followers to live full, productive and fruitful lives. We would do well to heed life’s lessons and respond with vigor and grace, rising from our transgressions and morphing into more learned individuals.
I am so glad to be living in the day and age of blogging! It is wonderful to be able to share stories. The re–telling of events often helps others to recognize better choices in their own lives. Blessings occur for both the storyteller and the recipient. I hope you live well, have many adventures and become very, very wise!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Og Mandino – Have you ever read his books?
Be sure to search for his name on the web. His organization has a wonderful web site and it is chock full of positive information to assist us in this journey called Life!
One thought featured in his book called “The Greatest Salesman in the World” is “I will be master of my emotions.” While it is so important to put on your best face in spite of circumstances, I also believe that it is so very necessary to give yourself time to experience and take in what has just been divulged, what you must be forced to accept, what you have just learned that caught you off guard in a positive or negative way.
(Notice that I say positive or negative… as surely either could have consequences.)
I received some sad news today and lickety-split my synapses went into overdrive. I went down the path of imagining what might happen next, what choices I should make and when. These are all good things to consider, but they were absolutely an immediate reaction to the news. As the day ended and I had time to wind down, I realized that perhaps those morning thoughts ought to be cornered for a spell…not an eternity mind you, but just tabled for the short term.
Above all, praying must occur before any actions take place. Living in the moment, making decisions at the drop of a hat, certainly those times happen, but I am reminded that God loves people and has a plan for each of our lives. He wants what is best for us, irrespective of what might seem like daunting circumstances. Asking for His guidance is prudent and leads to more time spent in peace than otherwise. His will shall always be done and I trust that those who love God will be lead where He sees fit!
One thought featured in his book called “The Greatest Salesman in the World” is “I will be master of my emotions.” While it is so important to put on your best face in spite of circumstances, I also believe that it is so very necessary to give yourself time to experience and take in what has just been divulged, what you must be forced to accept, what you have just learned that caught you off guard in a positive or negative way.
(Notice that I say positive or negative… as surely either could have consequences.)
I received some sad news today and lickety-split my synapses went into overdrive. I went down the path of imagining what might happen next, what choices I should make and when. These are all good things to consider, but they were absolutely an immediate reaction to the news. As the day ended and I had time to wind down, I realized that perhaps those morning thoughts ought to be cornered for a spell…not an eternity mind you, but just tabled for the short term.
Above all, praying must occur before any actions take place. Living in the moment, making decisions at the drop of a hat, certainly those times happen, but I am reminded that God loves people and has a plan for each of our lives. He wants what is best for us, irrespective of what might seem like daunting circumstances. Asking for His guidance is prudent and leads to more time spent in peace than otherwise. His will shall always be done and I trust that those who love God will be lead where He sees fit!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Paint, Raincoats, Stain and Beauty
Who would have thought that those 4 words had anything in common?
Last weekend, at a home improvement store, I walked down multiple aisles trying to make sense of the rows of paint and stain in order to choose the right can of chemicals for my outdoor fencing.
I enlisted the help of an employee who shared a wonderful analogy with me when describing the difference between paint and stain.
He said, “Think of the paint as a raincoat. It covers the wood up and protects it. The stain however lets the beauty of the wood shine through. It is protected by the stain but it does not cover it so much that the beauty does not shine through.”
I replied, “Then that is all the more reason people should not wear raincoats. Their beauty would be covered up.”
The employee laughed and we both smiled as he handed me the stain for my back fence.
It rained all week here and I only wore my raincoat once.
Last weekend, at a home improvement store, I walked down multiple aisles trying to make sense of the rows of paint and stain in order to choose the right can of chemicals for my outdoor fencing.
I enlisted the help of an employee who shared a wonderful analogy with me when describing the difference between paint and stain.
He said, “Think of the paint as a raincoat. It covers the wood up and protects it. The stain however lets the beauty of the wood shine through. It is protected by the stain but it does not cover it so much that the beauty does not shine through.”
I replied, “Then that is all the more reason people should not wear raincoats. Their beauty would be covered up.”
The employee laughed and we both smiled as he handed me the stain for my back fence.
It rained all week here and I only wore my raincoat once.
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