Squinting

I think it's time for new glasses. I've had this prescription for about 2 years and it seems like my eyes are getting tired much faster lately. That, plus I find myself having more headaches and more problems with dry eyes.

I already know that the dry eye problem can be alleviated by using artificial tears, and I have used that kind of product. It does help. But it's becoming more difficult to read the words on the page or computer screen. I find myself squinting or tilting my head to get my glasses into just the right position, then I get tired and my neck hurts!

Soon, I'll set up an appointment at the eye doctor's office, where my younger daughter works, for a new eye exam to see if I need a new prescription. Of course, I'll want Daughter to help me pick out stylish and becoming glasses, even though she actually works in the contact lenses department of this rather large clinic.

I think that once I get new glasses, I won't tire as quickly when I'm working on schedules or inventory or truck orders. I might even enjoy reading a real book again from time to time!

Blowing a gasket

I had a bit of a blow-out with one of my associate managers today. I've had to revise the November schedule three times now, twice to make sure managers were scheduled correctly and once so that the upcoming holiday labor needs could be met. I've been trying to make it to where we all, myself included, can have at least two Sundays off each month plus some other weekend times.

I've done it this way so that I can once again go to church, and others can do so as well, if they so desire. I'm still taking the lion's share of the "poop shifts", though. Well, my associate manager today declared she can't work some of the closing shifts. Now, I've spent long hours into the night to get the schedule done so what she said just scalded me, and I went off on her. After all, changing for her means I close the store 17 days out of 30, and I'm not even supposed to be doing that!

Maybe I'm just tired, I don't know, but later on she apologized then sat down with me to explain some things and offered to switch some of the closing shifts I had with some of her mid-shifts. ::sigh:: We both apologized to each other then and got back on good, solid footing with each other. I think she's beginning to understand how difficult it can be for me, when I'm making these kinds of decisions and trying to be fair to everyone including myself.

Now to get one of the other managers to understand these same things and agree to be more flexible with her schedule!

Surroundings matter

If you're going to outfit your home office, you should select furnishings that appeal to your own personal sense of style. This will help you get your mind where it needs to be when you're working from home. My personal style is very eclectic. I like the warmth of wood and the comfort of upholstery. I also like to have southwestern decorations around me.

Whether you favor modern furniture, mission style furniture, antique furniture, or a mix of all, just be yourself in your own office. You will be able to work more efficiently and more effectively if you are comfortable in your surroundings.

General Manager responsibilities

I've had two days off in a row, which is highly unusual for me. In fact, even one day off often means I have to still show up at work for one reason or another. So far, that hasn't been necessary. My managers haven't even contacted me about the bread order, which means they are finally able to take care of that themselves. That takes some of the burden off me.

Being a General Manager of a restaurant shouldn't mean dealing with minor, daily tasks. It should mean running the business end of the store and delegating some responsibilities to associate managers. Thus far, I've had to do everything but it's getting better. I've been teaching others how to carry part of the load - the part they are supposed to carry - so that I can concentrate more on overseeing the business.

See, I have to report to supervisors and to the director of operations about what goes on in my store. But if I'm working a crew position, handling things other managers should be handling, and not having time to acquire the needed reports, then I'm not doing my job effectively. One thing is for certain - I have learned a lot about running a business!

Insurance

I've bought another vehicle, which means getting car insurance for it. I did that as soon as possible so I could be driving it right away. See, in our state you have 30 days to pay the sales tax and get the vehicle licensed, but you must have car insurance before you drive the car anywhere at all, even without the tax and license being paid. I'm sure there are similar restrictions in other states, so this comes as no surprise to most of you.

The last car I bought was priced low enough that the lien holder didn't require full coverage. I wasn't making a whole lot of money then, so I got the state minimum requirement for liability insurance. The dealership where I got the car had a low cost plan in place where you could pay about $3 a month more and guarantee the car would be paid off if it was wrecked, had at least 70% damage, and the wreck wasn't your fault. I took them up on the offer, but was glad I never had to use the payoff insurance.

I got my newer vehicle from a different dealership and they don't offer that, plus the vehicle was priced higher, so I went with full coverage for it. It makes sense to me to be covered just in case, God forbid, I got in a wreck. I opted for the highest deductible so that my monthly payments would be lower. I have a pristine driving record, which helps me get a lower priced policy.

Weighing all the options makes good sense to me. I don't want to be left out on a limb, but I also don't want to be paying any more than necessary to get the coverage I need for my vehicle.

Time off and time on

I think one of the most difficult aspects of my job is creating the schedules. After looking over the "requests off" calendar, looking at the hours of availability for each person, and keeping in mind who is a minor and who isn't, I can begin to get schedules in the works. I begin it all at home.

I use photocopies of the calendar pages, plus notes on availabilities, to begin a one-page schedule for both managers and crew. I like to see it all on one page first so I can make sure I don't have anyone closing at night then opening the very next morning.

After a couple of hours of juggling things around so that everyone has decent scheduled hours without infringing on the hours or days they need to be off, I save it to my computer. When I go to work, I use a built in scheduling program there to insert names and times, which generates a schedule I can print out.

Still, even after all this there is always someone who will say, "I can't work XXX. Remember? I told you that last week." No, I don't remember. You have to write it on the "requests off" calendar or you can forget it, because I certainly will!

I have a lot on my mind where the restaurant is concerned - more than what one person spoke into my ear while I was busy doing other things. Sometimes I think I want to get baby bedding to hand out to these kids. Especially the ones who claim they didn't know they were supposed to work a certain time or a certain day. So, why didn't they look at the schedule?!

Vacation!

Finally. I'm getting a vacation! I'll be going to Branson at the end of October with my Mom, Sis, and Brother-in-law. I'm really looking forward to this trip. It's just for a few days, but it will be a welcome getaway for me after all the days and hours I've spent at work since becoming the General Manager of my store.

The great thing about this trip is that I can see shows that rival those of las vegas hotels. This is probably the next best thing to being in Las Vegas since so many of the acts have theaters set up for those of us in the central part of the country.

I'll be saving part of my next two paychecks for shopping and shows. We'll be staying in Sis' camper trailer, which is well-appointed and quite comfortable.

Business tool

One of the best tools I have for my own home based business and for my job is my laptop. I take it with me everywhere I go. I use it for my regular job, making schedules and creating forms and flyers for work. I also use it to keep track of appointments and to keep track of my money.

I journal with my laptop and write my shopping lists with it. I create documents for presentations at work and I go online to do my online business.

There is no place I go that I don't take my laptop with me. In fact, my bag is getting worn out and I need to get a new one. The laptop bag has all kinds of neat pockets to store pens, pencils, note pads, memory cards, card reader, cords, aircard, and many other things I would now feel lost without.

Job hardships

With all the media hype about the economy, the rise in gas prices, and the fear of banks, insurance companies, and mortgage companies failing, it may be time for some to be looking for jobs in Las Vegas or in other areas of the country. Locally, a couple of the really big companies closed down awhile back. This left many families with some tough decisions to make since some of them had both husband and wife working at the same place.

Things to consider when looking for work in an area away from your home are:

• Cost of living in another area
• State and local tax rates
• Schools
• Housing costs
• Homeschool laws
• Climate and weather
• Culture and history

It could be that you're just as well off staying where you are if some of these factors don't fit your lifestyle or standards.

Mobile office

I have made a major purchase recently, and I'm hoping I can use it for business so that I can take it off my taxes next year. See, I bought a Ford Explorer. It's got lots of room in the back for hauling things, like things I buy to put on eBay. It's even got a luggage rack on the top.

I can use my laptop in it just by using my inverter, the one I have in my car, so my laptop battery won't run down. That means that I can blog or keep track of expenses right on my laptop without having to keep notes on paper.

The Explorer isn't new, but it's in pretty good shape. I think it will get me everywhere I need to go if the weather gets bad this winter plus it will be like my mobile office for other purposes.

Success

It takes a fair amount of determination to achieve any level of success in life. Of course, you first have to decide what your own definition of "success" really is. For me, it's a strong desire to have a home and land, just enough to plant a small garden, and to afford regular bills and my dream car.

For those just starting out in life, it might be a purpose for the crib bedding they've had their eye on. Or, it could be a yacht on which to sail around the world. Regardless, if you don't keep your dreams off the shelf and fresh in your mind, you may never meet with any success.

It also helps to keep in mind that success isn't the end of the journey of life. It's just a landing place until you stretch yourself to reach out for your next dream.

Desperate times

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." Isn't that how the saying goes? And these times of high gas prices which have resulted in a definite void in a lot of people's wallets are the kinds of times that saying refers to.

My "desperate measures" are really just ordinary, common sense ways to try to stay afloat until my income catches up with the ever-rising prices. Here are some things I do:

• Limit driving as much as possible. I occasionally have to take people to work where I am a manager. I can't eliminate those trips. However, I have informed everyone that they must pitch in for gas money or they will wind up missing work.
• Do more home cooking. Along with everything else, the cost of eating out has risen significantly.Find frugal recipes that you can use to feed your family for less. The internet is replete with them.
• Haunt flea markets and thrift shops for items you need. I always feel a great sense of victory when I find something I really need, and I don't have to pay retail prices for it. Some may view these items as the castoffs of others, but any item that is both useful and needed is really a bargain in the rough. Every item in your home doesn't have to be off-the-rack new for it to have value.
• Adjust your thermostat up in the summer and down in the winter. I realize this is old news to you, but it's still a smart bit of advice. If you have screen doors and screens on your windows, open them at night to let the fresh, cooler air flow through your home. That fresh air will do you a world of good and will save you $$ on your electric bill. Use "draft dodgers" around doors in the winter and add heavier curtains to the windows to help insulate rooms and retain the expensive heat.
• Stay at home for entertainment and snacks. Renting movies from one of the online businesses will keep you from driving to the movie store or to the theater. New releases are only a few months old, and worth the wait so the whole family can have a fun movie night without the expense of going out. That tends to reduce my enjoyment anyway! Serve up home popped corn, kool-aid or juice, and throw some big pillows in the floor.
• Keep desserts simple. Fresh fruit, cut into bite sized pieces and kept in a tight container in the fridge serve as a great substitute for sugary desserts. Fruit is also more healthful, of course, and your family is more apt to indulge in a handful if it's been prepped and properly stored. To add glamor, layer it in stemware with some vanilla yogurt and serve it by candlelight.

This is just a handful of things you can do to help reduce your personal spending. Some things will not change - your rent or mortgage, your car payment, etc. But making a family effort to save money can be as much fun as just going out and spending it.

Too hot for words

The recent extremely hot weather has prompted us to do a few things differently until there's a break in the heat wave. For instance, Son has put black roll up shades and curtains in his room to block the sunlight that heats his room up nearly all day long. His room seems to have the most sun exposure in this house.

As hot as it is, we already know that too many people cranking their ACs down during this hot time is a huge pull on our energy company's resources. This can result in brown outs or even the occasional black out. So, we are moderate in our usage and maintain the thermostat at a slightly warmer temperature reading. It's still nearly 30 cooler than the outside temperature, so it's quite comfortable, especially after we've come in from the heat.

Unless one of us is actually using a room, the lights in that room are turned off and the AC vent is closed. The door is also closed. I see no point in lighting and cooling any portion of the house that isn't in constant or regular use. It's one thing to be going in and out of the room, but it's another if we have no plans to use the room for several hours of the day.

Each of us reducing our pull on resources helps to reduce the carbon emissions our use can cause and it helps our own budget, too.

Detoured, not derailed

Take a clue from those whose time seems the most filled - if you have a lot to do, you get a lot done. It doesn't seem like it should work that way, but in fact, those who seem to have super busy lives always seem to get almost everything accomplished that they planned to, and they do this with such grace that it seems effortless.

While it's not truly effortless, the fact is they don't sit and agonize over every little task that's put before them. They have routines in place and they stick with the routines. Certainly, they aren't immune to the surprises life may toss at them, but they don't allow these surprises to push them too far off track of what their goals are. This is because they know what to expect from the rest of their routine and they know what they have planned to do on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis.

Life surprises are generally no more than a hiccup in their plans. Of course, tragedy will shift everything, and those aren't the surprises I'm referring to. I am referring to those normal interruptions that may send some of you completely off track. Those incidents that pop up and derail your whole day.

Being that easily derailed could mean that you aren't maintaining a good, solid routine to start with. Not a routine that is your dictator. One that you are in control of.

Take time to relax

While it's important to generate income in diverse ways, it's just as important to have ways to relax and refuel your mind. For me, it's watching movies. I love movies and they help me relax. For others, it might be sports or clubs. For some, it could even be in the form of playing games on their xbox 360. That would be my son's way of taking his mind off things for a time and just having some fun.

Whatever you choose, be sure it's not something that's not detrimental to your health.

Thinking successfully

I was fortunate to be invited to work in the position I currently hold. Not many people are asked to apply for a managerial position. In my company, most start as crew. I never had to go through that process, though. In fact, I was offered the job when I was already working for another company. I've worked hard since then to not be a disappointment to the supervisor who placed her faith in me.

Some of the managers have been talking about finding new work. For some reason, they aren't satisfied with their jobs, even though they only recently advanced from crew to manager and got a nice pay raise in the process. They are, in fact, putting their applications in to other places. For all I know, they are filling out San Francisco resumes and moving away. They are just not satisfied with either the job here or the location.

I think they'll find, though, that where ever they work, there are both bad and good things. A job, and your life, is pretty well what you make of it and depends on your own attitude and goals going in. No job can be more than you put into it. Working toward the success of your employer is one way to achieve in better success for yourself.

The other is, of course, developing your own niche business and not having an employer at all.

Travel write offs

Some travel is allowed as a tax write-off if you are associating it with your business. While lately, there have been very few trips I've made that I can use as business trips, the day will come when I'll be sent to further my skills as a McDonald's manager. Part of that is paid for by the corporation, but part of it will be my responsibility. This means that if I am sent out of town and wind up staying in Hilton Head rentals, the company will pay for my stay there but I will have some minor expenses that they won't cover.

At some point in my management experience, these trips will occur. Last week, another manager was sent to Chicago where she stayed for 4 days to attend classes and to meet with people higher up in the company. She went by plane, but I think if they send me there, I'll see if they will give me a gas allowance and let me drive. I am just not wanting to fly..lol

Keeping all receipts

Since I wound up owing income tax this year, I've learned to keep every single receipt. I do mean every one of them. From gas purchases for my car to pens and pencils, they all stay in a file.

I have a 12 pocket file folder I use and the receipts are placed in the pockets for each month. Once a month, I sit down and sort them into categories. This way, I'll know exactly what the purchases are for and will have them well organized when I have my taxes filed next year.

I also download and print my bank statements and my PayPal statements. The great thing about PayPal is that you can actually download the whole month or you can sort the downloads by type of transaction, so you get a better idea of what you've received in PayPal and what you've spent.

Keeping up with every dime spent may seem tedious and unnecessary, but to me it's worth it if I have more that I can deduct as expenses. For instance, I was estimating the miles I drive instead of keeping track of the money I spent on gas, oil changes, etc. I have no doubt that I will come out a little better by having the exact amount spent in front of me.

Computer desk or counter?

Where I work, the computer monitor is hung using a tv mount up on the wall. That's pretty nice. It frees up the limited space on the desk so that other things can be there. The server towers are on a strong shelf high above the desk, so there's no risk of getting mop water or other spills on them. Servers aren't cheap and they do have to be protected.

The desk is actually a high counter with a tall desk chair you roll up to it. The only problem there is that I'm pretty short, which means I have to practically leap up to get to sit on the chair! Then, my feet are dangling because the foot rest ring on the chair is no where near close to my feet. I had a large box under the counter to prop my feet on, but someone got rid of it so I'll have to find another one.

I'm sure this is all arranged so we can access the computer without sitting all the time, which is fine. But when you're short like me, even the counter is too high for comfort. I would have preferred a conventional desk in that area, but I wasn't asked my opinion. Oh, well. I have things the way I like them at home. :)

Working harder

As much as I want to stay home and operate a business, my "in real life" job is sure sucking the energy out of me. Yesterday, for instance, I wound up working almost 11 hours because two people didn't show up for work. When the mid-shift manager and crew member came in, it would have only been the two of them to do everything in the store if I had left, so I stayed until the evening crew people and manager showed up.

I've been stuck there with only one other person before, and I know how difficult it is to run the store that way. Customers don't seem to understand it, either. They see there are only two people doing ALL the work, and they still get angry if their food isn't in their hands in under 30 seconds. Get a grip, people. Try doing this yourself and maybe you'll understand then!

In the meantime, I'm still searching for more ways to generate income at home so that some day I can say goodbye to the rat race and become human again.

GonnaBe

You may have a child in your home who shows exceptional talent in some way, such as acting, singing, dancing, or playing a musical instrument. He or she may even be gifted in making videos. The problem comes when your child decides he wants to share his talents with others in a more professional way. Getting into the entertainment industry can be a daunting challenge for everyone, but moreso for children because they also need to be protected.

A group of people connected with the entertainment industry have launched a website just for children like yours. There, you can post a resume, list the talents and interests of the child, and possibly make contact with interested persons in entertainment. This could lead to a nice career for a child who is focused on entertaining others.

There are humorous videos on Gonnabe.com, to give you an idea of some of the talent that's available. The GonnaBe.com site is set up to allow bright children to connect with those who can help them begin their careers in entertainment. Along the way, Gonnabe.com also adds these videos to their list of things they are doing to stay busy and keep us all entertained.

Children on GonnaBe.com come from everywhere and the families are from all walks of life. The creators are experienced in the entertainment industry and have set up the site so that children can not only gain exposure but also develop their talents more fully. GonnaBe will help find training for specific areas of entertainment so the child presents herself with her best foot forward. It helps to develop confidence and goal-setting.

Let your job set you free

As badly as I want to work from home full time, I still have to work outside my home for now. I have some benefits from my job that I'm not ready to turn loose of just yet. I'm not at retirement age, and I can't cover the cost of those benefits right now.

When I look around at the crew members I manage, though, I start thinking that if they just would "work" instead of lallygagging around, they could get more hours, earn more, and be better able to meet their own personal expenses.

One in particular comes to mind. I won't mention names, but all too often I find this young man leaning up against a piece of equipment, doing nothing. When I find him with "nothing to do" and unwilling to do secondary duties, I send him home. I don't need him there if he's just going to be lazy. So, as a result, he wound up with a minuscule paycheck this last time, and wasn't at all happy about it.

I told him he has to actually work when he's at work. If he wants a bigger paycheck, then he must make himself a valuable employee. Not only that, but he must follow the directions of all other managers while he's there and not take an attitude with them. (I had to call him on this just yesterday when he smarted off at one of the assistant managers.)

The problem is, he's not the only one who behaves and reacts this way. I respond the same way with them all. I'm not a mean person, but if I or another manager is working circles around someone because they won't complete their own tasks, then they can go home. Don't need 'em.

So, the key to earning more money, besides winning the lottery or inheriting some rich uncle's fortune, is actually applying yourself where you work. You may also find you have chances for advancement if you put out extra effort in your outside job. This can lead to more earnings and actually less physical work for you, which can help you in the long run to attain your dreams of self-employment. You'll have more energy to devote to developing a home based business, and you'll have more income to use for start-up costs.

Getting on board the HDTV train

By now, everyone should know that early in 2009 you'll have to have an HDTV or a converter in order to view anything. While many cable companies will compensate for this by converting the HD signals that are sent to users of analog televisions, not everyone will be so fortunate. However, the good news is that many HDTVs are now a lower price than ever before and are even comparably priced to analog televisions, which are rapidly going the way of the dinosaur.

A few months ago, Son and I bought an HDTV that was brand new and remarkably low-priced. Probably because the refresh rate on it is less than some of the current models, but it plays great and the picture is wonderful on it. My DVD player works on it, whereas it didn't work at all on my old analog TV. The only thing I didn't do was shop for HDMI cables when I bought the TV. Son did, though, just a couple of weeks ago.

See, he wanted one to hook his game machine, which will play BluRay disks, to his television. A few days ago he brought the whole setup downstairs to hook to my TV, and I was amazed at the difference in picture clarity.

Are these things something we "need" to have a full life? Probably not. However, because I don't watch commercial television at home, they really do help when it's time to sit and relax after work! And, since HD and BluRay are here to stay, we might as well step into our own future and have them in our home.

Motivations for a home business

Friday proved to be a long and tiring day, and a motivating factor for me to more intensely pursue my dreams of working completely from home. I got to work at 1 PM, as scheduled, and was supposed to get off at 8 PM. However, when a supervisor called saying they needed several people from our store to work at another one because too many people there had not shown up to work, I was left with the choice to go to the other store or stay at the current one while others went. I opted to stay.

See, either way meant I would have to close. Instead of going home at 8, as scheduled, I would either go home at around midnight where I was or even later at the other store, since they stay open two hours longer. I was already tired and it was near the scheduled end of my shift when all this transpired, so I chose to stay.

This left us with myself and only one other person to operate the store and do all the closing procedures. We wound up leaving at 11:45 with all the most vital ones done, but we did skip over some things that weren't make-it-or-break-it important. Having just spent two hours doing the work that would normally be done by at least 4 people, we were really too tired to go much further.

I do like my job, but it's shifts like that which really light a fire under me to have a home business! What spurs you on to achieve that goal?

Home buying

As long as we're talking about the economy, we might want to address the concerns many have with mortgage lenders. Right now, interest rates are down. Often, this translates into more difficulty in obtaining loans because lenders can't get the return on the loan that they'd like to get. However, with a little shopping around, a home loan is still obtainable.

For younger people, buying a home really is a good investment. At my age, it's not possible to pay one off before I hit the grave. But my children can do this with no problems. They've got many years ahead of them. The thing that always concerns me is when a young person or young couple buys a home with intent of making money selling it in the near future. To me, a home is for living in, for raising children in, for welcoming grandchildren in. When someone buys a home with the intent to raise a family in it, I think the value of it is far more than dollars and cents can measure.

Even if, at some later point, they decide to sell and move, the love they've shared in that home and the care they've given it will make them winners. It will also help garner buyers who are interested in a home as a home and not a commodity.

Is the economy really going down the tubes?

I wrote an article on one of my other blogs concerning the state of our economy. I've got to say, we are all running in fear, panic, and paranoia where the economy is concerned. And it's just that kind of reaction to current conditions that actually causes more woes.

I say, dig in and do what you can in your own personal life to improve your little corner of the economic world. See, it's all of us added up that create the economy. How we do our jobs or how we run our home business has an impact. It may seem like a small impact, but it's there, nonetheless. Understanding that each and every individual who contributes in a positive way to the economy helps improve it will be our financial salvation. We can scream and cry and kick against the "powers that be", but they didn't create things the way the are now. We all did.

Over time, the economy rises and falls. How we respond is what's important.

So, what can you do without? How can you personally save money? How can you create a niche in the business world? How can you give back?

Home networking

Since we are a family which really enjoys geek stuff, we are thinking about setting up a home networking system. This means we'll need to look at and probably buy used cisco to save some money on equipment we will need. We have plans to install a signal booster, too, since our cell phone service just doesn't get the signal to us out here. That renders our air cards practically useless until we take our laptops into town and access the internet through our wireless server there.

We are essentially paying for wireless internet every month for no good reason. Now, I really like this kind of connection, but it seems like a waste of money to only use it a few days a week, as we are now. So, the home networking really is our best option.

It's time again for a few tips that may save you time, money, or both. Saving money is almost as good as earning it!

• Washing dishes. Wash dishes as you dirty them so you don't have a huge load of them later. One simple trick is to keep a sponge that has the green scrubbie backing on it handy all the time. Mix a few drops of dishwashing detergent and water in a small bowl. Keep that next to your sink. Then, every time you dirty a plate, glass, or cup, just wash it up right away. Of course, wash pots and pans the usual way to rid them of grease and other food particles.
  
• Laundry. Many people I know of make the bed first thing when they arise in the morning. While this may seem laudable, why not try leaving it turned down while you get your shower or get dressed for the day? This airs out the bedding instead of trapping all the odors inside the bedding. When you go to bed at night, again let the bed air out before getting in it. You'll find the bed stays fresh smelling and clean a lot longer.
• Floors. Using a dust mop daily on hard floors helps keep down the dust, pollen, and other things that fly up into the air when you sweep. This will help reduce allergies and sickness. Spray your dust mop with something like Endust so it will trap those things. Then, you can toss the mop head into the washer to get it clean.
• Hard surfaces. Use a single cleaner for all hard surfaces. I use a "scrubbing bubbles" wannabe for everything from counters to stove to vents to walls. Test an inconspicuous area on the wall first to make sure it's going to be ok to clean it with the bubbles. I also use it to spot clean carpet and have even used it on my leather sofa with no ill effect. This product cleans, disinfects, and removes odors everywhere. And you can buy it for only $1!
• Vacuuming. One of the easiest and lightest vacuum cleaners to use is a stick-vac. It's not much heavier than a broom and it's ideal for both carpeted and hard surface floors. It doesn't need bags, so you save money there. It's also less expensive to purchase. I have back problems and this kind of vacuum cleaner works the best for me. I can even use it on upholstered furniture, drapes, and stairs because it has a few attachments.
• Wet towels. After your shower, hang your wet towel over your shower rod. This helps prevent it from mildewing. Also, if you think about it, the towel really isn't dirty. After all, didn't you just dry off your clean self with it? You can probably get another use from it before you toss it into the laundry.
  

Comparing prices

Around here, gas prices have both risen and fallen on practically a daily schedule. On my way to work, the price may be "low", then on my way home, it's risen up to 20 cents higher per gallon. I'm not exactly sure why there is all this fluctuation every day, but I am sure that it's high even when the price seems to drop a few cents. Adjusting my budget to include gas is growing ever more difficult, but there is no public transportation in our rural community, so it has to be done.

I do shop around for gas for the lowest price I can get while still avoiding a certain gas company that has Communist ties. I won't mention the name here. It's easy enough to research this online. But shopping around for gas doesn't mean I drive all over the place. It only means that I keep a sharp eye out while driving and I don't let my gas tank go so low that I am forced to get gas at the first place I come to.

Of course, I do this sort of comparison shopping everywhere I go. I check prices to make sure I'm getting the best deal. It's the only way I know of to keep a reasonable budget intact. Even with online sources, it's a good idea to check around on the internet whether you're shopping for shoes or diet pills, to be sure you are finding what you need at a reasonable price.

Become debt free

To save some interest, now may be the time to participate in a balance transfer credit card companies offer new customers. Moving a balance from a high interest credit card to a zero or low interest credit card just makes good sense in these tough financial times.

Obviously, you will also want to reduce your credit card balances as soon as possible. The more you owe, the more interest you are paying and it can take years to clear even a small credit card debt if you only pay the monthly minimum. Endeavor to pay your whole balance monthly on those cards you've just received. Begin paying off older credit cards, starting with the one that has the lowest balance. Get it paid off quickly so you can whittle away at other credit card balances and work toward becoming debt free.

Debt is not the regular monthly bills such as lights and water, or the other regular expenses. Debt is the money you've got borrowed and are paying interest on.

Save a trip

Well, I wound up actually only taking one paid vacation day, so that means I have several more to use up before the end of the year. The other days I took off were just regular days off for me. But, I did have a few days' rest at least, and I was glad for that.

I'm off today, but that doesn't mean it's time to relax too much. I'll be heading into town after awhile to pay my car payment and do a little shopping. Gas jumped yesterday from 3.73/gallon, which is what it was when I filled my car, to 3.95/gallon. That's the price of it when I was on my way home from work.

I tell you, the rapid rise of gas prices sends me into shock every time it happens. Yet, we still have to drive to get to work and to places for shopping, don't we? This means very carefully planning each and every trip. For instance, when I go to work, I try to also run a short errand on my way. That way, I don't have to make an extra trip into town and use gas faster.

I shop locally as much as possible. Driving in stop-and-go traffic in Big Town just uses my gasoline up that much faster, besides making the car run a little hot. By shopping at stores in Small Town, I can save some gas. Small Town doesn't offer every single thing I can find in Big Town, but it offers a pretty wide variety so I can pretty well do all my shopping there.

Any time you save money, it's as good as earning money. The old saying "A penny saved is a penny earned" was never truer than it is now. Becoming frugal is a must.

Vacation fat

The problem with taking even a few days of vacation time is the weight that's gained. At least, it's a problem for me. I tend to be less active and eat more on days like that, so I wind up with tighter fitting clothes when I do go back to work. However, it does feel good to just be able to relax for a few days without having to worry about getting ready for work, even though I did spend a good deal of the time getting ready to go to the camp site and visit with my family.

After the big meal yesterday of barbecued pork, baked beans, pasta salad, potato salad, and various desserts, I'm pretty sure we'll all be looking for the top fat burners to get rid of what's been left on our hips!

Save money making your laundry soap

Often, when we run into financial difficulties, the first thing we think of is "How do I make my own laundry soap?" Now, what you've spent on laundry soap isn't the problem. It's what you've spent on everything that's the real problem. Learning to make your own laundry soap isn't going to put your bank book back in the black again.

If you want to feel the satisfaction of making your own laundry soap, you're certainly entitled to that. You can't save yourself from foreclosure or repossessions by doing this, but it is a nice little trick to know nonetheless.

All you need is a bar of real soap. It can be Ivory or home made soap. Shave or shred it so that you can put it in a 4 quart pot on the stove. Add two quarts of water. Simmer until the soap is completely melted. Pour this into a 5 gallon bucket and 4 gallons of cool water. This will set up into a sort of gel that you can use for laundering your clothes and treating stains. It's kind of a slimy feeling goop, but you can use two cups of this gel to wash a full load of laundry.

Since Ivory soap is so inexpensive, generally around .25 a bar for the personal size, you've made your laundry soap for mere nano-pennies a load.

Now, you've done something financially responsible and taken a baby step in the right direction. You can apply this mindset to the rest of your budget, finding ways to cut costs and spending. First off, though, contact your creditors and let them know you very much intend to pay them. See if you can work out a plan that you can afford for getting caught up. Not a permanent plan. A temporary one that will bring you up to current on your debts. Then, continue paying until you have your debts cleared out.

Creditors don't have repossession or foreclosure as their goal. They just want to be paid the money you promised to pay them when you made the debt. Contacting them before proceedings begin can stay the proceedings and put both your and your creditors' minds at ease.

Soap is very basic, but it's not the end-all-and-be-all of debt management.

Laundry by hand

Since we've moved, I've been lacking a washing machine and dryer. So, how am I keeping my clothes clean? The old fashioned way. I'm hand washing everything in my bathtub. It's more time consuming, but it works if you want to try it sometime. Here's what I do.

• Separate clothes by colors, as you normally do
• Fill the bathtub half full of water, as hot as you can stand it
• Add a capful or so of your regular detergent
• Wash your whites and light colors by swishing them about in the water and picking them up to scrub them together by hand. Wash each item this way
• Let the clothes sit in the tub for about an hour, soaking in the soapy water
• Rinse the clothes in cold water and wring out all the excess water you can
• Hang to dry outside or where ever they can drip without damaging the floor
• For colors, just use cooler water for washing and cold water for rinsing

If you have some particularly difficult stains, you might want to add a few drops of detergent to those spots and use a scrub brush to really work the detergent in. Even better, of course, is to use old fashioned lye soap on the stains because it works better than anything you can buy.

I'm beginning to think I need to invest in a rub board so I can do a better job of washing the clothes!

Vacation plans

I won't be going any further than about 25 miles away during my vacation. See, my Mom, Sis, and brother in law will be camping at the river. This is an annual camping trip where all the family members who can make it come by for fun, food, and fellowship. Sometimes, family members drop in. Other times they camp out, too. Saturday will be the "feast day" where we'll have barbecue sandwiches, baked beans, and all the trimmings. It will start at around noon and go all afternoon.

The reason it's this way is so that folks can come and go, and not be limited by any certain dinner time.

I'm thinking I'll get my fishing license and maybe wet a hook in the river while I'm there. I have a lightweight rod and reel, so I'll have to fish away from the strong current.

At least for this week, I can take some time for myself. I don't have to concern myself with Fenphedra reviews or work schedules after tomorrow. I can just relax, dress up my house a little, and visit all I want with my family.

Two days off

I have had two days off in a row. That's very unusual for my job, and it's only happened a few times. However, this week starts my vacation days. I'm only taking part of them now and will take the rest later on. These are paid vacation days and I get a full week. Last year, I go three days because I'd been working there less than a year at the time. It's nice to know that days off won't mean I lose any pay!

These two days off, though, are part of my regular schedule. I needed them. For one thing, I wanted to be off on Memorial Day so we could have a family cookout. Then, I wanted to be off today just to catch my breath and possibly get some other things done in my house. It seems like even when I have a day off, I've got so many errands to run that I can't get anything done here.

I'll spend the rest of the afternoon piddling around, putting things where I want them, and maybe even starting a glass painting project I have in mind for the windows on the front door.

Tracking spending

Throughout this move, I have tried to be very diligent in keeping good records and receipts for everything I do and purchase. This includes my gas, which has risen to the highest I've ever seen it, and keeps on rising. No, not everything is deductible but everything is important so I can know exactly where I've been spending money. I don't like to see my bank accounts go down without knowing precisely why.

I really believe the passport to success is partly in being keenly aware of what we spend and partly in being careful to not overspend. I know that sounds simple enough, but there are too many times our wallet gets empty and we can't even remember what we did with the money. The reason for this is that we often purchase things without thinking. That soda last week. The doughnut yesterday. The pack of gum this morning.

Little things eat away at our money without us even realizing it. One way to combat this loss of funds is to keep a small notebook and enter every single thing we purchase, along with the price. Do this for two weeks and you will be surprised by how much you spend without thinking. This will also help you to rein in some of your spending on frivolous items so that your cash can be better used for what's really important in your life.

We are mostly moved into the new house. The smaller third bedroom, upstairs, will be used for office space and crafts. If someone eventually needs to rent a room, then I'll rearrange things up there to accommodate a bed for someone. Until then, though, it's my own space to do with what I want.

All I've done up there so far is put boxes in the room that have the things in them that will go there. Nothing has been taken out of the boxes yet. I have a nice two-shelf work table I can put in there. It's actually in my bedroom right now, but I don't like it in there. It doesn't suit the general theme of the room, so it would be better utilized upstairs for crafts and office stuff.

The room isn't very large but it does have a surprisingly generous sized closet with shelves on both sides. That will make it easier to store and organize what's up there. I'll add some of my own shelving to the room so it's not in such disarray.

Getting moved

It looks like the moving adventure is about to begin again. I'll be hauling a lot of stuff in my car. My son will have to do the same in his car. The more we can take that way, the less we'll have to move using a truck. Quite honestly, it's very tempting to buy a bus so I can transport more things and larger things. I'm really anxious to get moved.

I won't be renting a moving truck this time, though. I just can't afford that again. So, I'll have to enlist the help of Younger Daughter's boyfriend plus a couple of other people with pickup trucks to get things like my appliances and large furnishing moved. Nevertheless, I'm really itching to get started and begin staying there all the time!

Shoestring decorating

The fun thing about moving is meeting the challenges of decorating and accessories without breaking the budget. The house I'm moving into has loads of potential and is beautiful inside and out. I don't want to hide the beauty behind too many accessories.

The kitchen, for instance, has an interesting bar with 1" by 1" board shelving below it. I like the open look of that and feel it would be a great place for things like a variety of baskets, interesting platters, and other serving pieces. Not too many, though, because I'd like the shelves to show their open feel.

So, some things I think I can pick up on a shoestring budget are:

• Interesting baskets
• Second-hand lamps
• Thrift shop dresser that can be painted
• Shower curtain and liner from discount store
• Wicker storage cubes

I am a huge believer in things being multi-functional. This means that items that are decorative must also have a real purpose in my home besides being just "another pretty face".

eBay ideas

Some of you may be very interested in either selling on eBay auctions or opening an eBay store. Either one is super easy to do and you get a pretty quick payoff when items sell. The thing is, finding things to sell.

You can start with some of your own things that you no longer use. Items from the attic or garage, or even from your personal things like jewelry or good clothes, can find a new home while you clear up some space and generate some extra income.

When selling your own items, be sure to have clear pictures and precise descriptions. If the picture of that gold anklet is blurred or pixely, it's likely that potential buyers will click on to other items that they can see more clearly. Do a little photo editing to make the picture pop and show the details better. Make it something irresistible.

Down time

Something I rarely do for myself is allow some down time. I rarely do this because I always feel like I have to be productive every waking moment. I know this isn't true, and I bet you know it, too, and still act the same way I do. I've got modern conveniences at hand, and yet I still manage to crowd every minute with something instead of taking advantage of a few lazy hours.

It's entirely possible that I need to get a yoga dvd and do something just for me. Something that will be relaxing and healthful at the same time. Something that will help me refocus on what's really important besides just working and keeping house all the time.

Of course, I'm always open to suggestions about ways to incorporate some down time into my busy schedule. So, tell me what you do and offer all the suggestions you want!

Invitations

No doubt you know that this is the time of year when weddings abound. Most young couples choose springtime for their wedding. It's a time of new beginnings, and that's well reflected in weddings, which is a new beginning in life.

By now, most wedding plans have been finalized, but there still may be some details to iron out. For example, you may be looking for the perfect bridal shower invitations so that the young bride will have a successful shower and come away with many things she'll need in her new home. The bridal shower can occur before the wedding or after the wedding. The timing isn't as important as letting people know about it far enough in advance so that they can add it to their calendars.

When inviting people, send out to at least twice as many people as you expect to attend. Invariably, some those who accept might not actually show up. Other things in their lives may get in the way. Others simply won't accept the invitation due to other commitments. If you get about half those invited to attend, you'll be doing well.

Also, understand that not everyone who accepts will be able to fulfill all your expectations about your registries. There will be some who will want to think outside the registry box and give things they have found invaluable in their own homes and lives. These are often the best gifts and the most useful!

Failure is success

Failure is success. I know that doesn't make much sense, but it's true.
Well, it's true if you use your failures as learning opportunities. A failure just means you missed the mark somehow and it gives you a chance to learn what you've done wrong and what you can do differently the next time.

Everyone has failures in life. It's not the end of the world. Repeating the failures and expecting a different result just doesn't work, though. I know that seems obvious, but it seems like so many people think that if they "try that again", somehow this time it will fly. Not likely.

Take advice from those who have met with success, even after several failures. They know what they're talking about. This is not to say you should be taken in by every offer to have overnight success. There's really no such thing. It takes hard work and smart work. Just as those with addiction problems should seek drug rehab, those with success problems should seek "success rehab". Applying the tips and advice from others will bring you closer to reaching the goals you've set for yourself.

Lower entertainment costs

When we move, I'll have to get a satellite dish or just forget about watching commercial television. I've sort of gotten hooked on HGTV since we've been living in town with our friend, but I'll get over it, I'm sure.

I'm not really wanting to spend the money on satellite reception. I'm really a cheapskate. So, I'll be back to just watching movies when I want to watch TV. We've got hundreds of movie DVDs now, so there's plenty of good viewing.

When I spend any money on entertainment, such as movies, I tend to migrate toward the clearance bins at the local stores. I've found some great movies for $5 and often less. For instance, Hastings often has sales that offer a second movie for a penny. You can't beat that price at all, and it applies to all lower priced movies. They are usually previously owned movies, but they've all turned out great with no problems on the disks.

How do you save money on entertainment?

Loving the love songs

You know, I do love a good deal. And, I like to try things out before I make a decision about them. I figure most of you are the same way or you wouldn't be here, reading this blog. Besides generating extra income it's important to spend your current income wisely. When something wonderful comes along that's actually free, then so much the better, don't you think?

Because I like a wide variety of music, I like to be able to listen while I'm on my computer or even add songs to my cell phone. I don't like paying a lot for music like that, though. So, I found out about a site called MP3 Rocket where I can get free, legal downloads. It's refreshing to find free music downloads that I don't have to worry about. Today, I downloaded some music by Il Divo, a fantastic Italian quartet. Their voices blend like something magical and romance is in the air when I listen to them.

MP3 Rocket is an easy program to download. You decide if you want to add the Ask toolbar and if you want to be included in future emails. Select the kind of connection you have and you will get your download started right away. I have an aircard that has a 3G connection, so I selected "Cable/DSL" because my connection is pretty fast. It only took a couple of minutes to download, then I did the setup and was ready to get some music of my own choosing.

I looked at the music offered. It's even rated and you know just what the file size is before you begin your download. It was added to my "Library" and I'm playing my first selection as I type this! I chose "Unchained Melody", a favorite of mine. These guys will make chills go all over you listening to that song! It's just that beautiful. The sound is crisp and clear.

Oh, yeah. This is definitely a tool I'm going to be getting a lot of use from! Can't wait to put these songs on my SD card and transfer them to my phone!

There is a wide variety of genres available, so there's no doubt you can find whatever sort of music you really love. By the way, you can also view TV shows and movies with this software.

Reminisce

One thing about being the age I am now is that I don't have some of the problems that beset younger women. On the other hand, I have new ones that only come with age. High blood pressure, aching joints, and tired feet at the end of the day. I also don't have young children or teens to look after anymore.

I miss those days. The days of diaper changes and breast feeding. The days of baby's first steps and baby's first words. The days of baseball practice and Sunday School programs. Even the days of teenage independence slathered with acne treatment.

If you are in the midst of raising your children, these are the days to treasure and make mental notes about. You can't retrieve them once they're gone. Savor every day and every accomplishment of your children while you can. Far too soon, they are gone and building their own lives.

Job news

Things haven't gone quite the way we'd hoped as far as the home purchase goes. So, it looks like we'll be renting again, at least for awhile, until we can figure something else out. In the meantime, I'll just keep working and budgeting and hoping for a place we can call our own.

I've been transferred to another store and I'm glad of that. Just as many hours but far less stress in the new location. This means I'll have more energy to devote to other lines of income and get them developed. I've got plans for an eBay store and need to get that up and running as soon as possible.

The job transfer could open doors for me to move up in the company and make more money. As long as I'm working, I might as well shoot for being a salaried manager instead of an hourly one, don't you think? We plan to move a little closer to that location so the drive will not be so bad, and that will give me more time for my online auctions and other income ideas.

Photography

My sister uses her computer for her home business. She's a photographer and freelance journalist. This could be a good option for some of you. Sis took college courses and got a degree in journalism, which included photography. She learned about taking good pictures, various photography techniques, darkroom, and history.

Doing this work has meant she needed to bump up her dell memory to accommodate all the photographs she loads to her computer for editing. She takes her photography equipment just about everywhere with her, ready for the odd photo op that may present itself.

She also interviews people in the counties around her for articles of interest in the newspaper. She's learned a lot of the history of her area doing this and earned money in the process.

One other thing she does is teach in the public schools under a special program in our state, known as Artists in Education. These are classes that last about two hours a day for a week and may be anywhere in the state. She is compensated for her time, her materials, and given an allowance for staying over in the area for those days.

You may have an interesting field of work that you could use in this manner and earn some extra money through it.

Work schedule

Scheduling at work has been crazy lately. People who are on the schedule and don't show up will tell me, when I call them, that our general manager said they could be off. However, the GM didn't make a notation of it nor did she replace them with other workers. This makes it very difficult to work effectively. I don't have enough crew people to do the work.

All I can do is step in at various points and fill in the gaps as best I can. By the end of my shift, I'm so exhausted I can barely walk and I'm never sure if I've gotten everything done that I'm supposed to as a manager.

This also makes me a bit grumpy because I feel "under the gun" too much of the time. I've expressed my concerns about all this to my GM, but it hasn't really changed for the better.

Sparse furnishings

Our temporary digs at a friend and co-worker's house are pretty bare-bones. Not a lot of furniture. Nothing much on the walls. No end or occasional tables to set a cup of coffee on. Well, except for the cube table that's being substituted for a tv mount, that is. The TV sits on the side of the room opposite the sofa, so using that table for a cup of coffee would be mighty unhandy.

I may not be much better off when we get into our house, but I do have a nice coffee table I can use.

Extended work hours

I'm not really sure when I get a day off again. As far as I can tell by the schedule, I won't have one for a few more days. I wind up working 6, 7, and up to 10 or 12 days in a row without a day off due to the lack of managers available for all shifts. Some of our managers are part-time or are students, which means that those of us who are out of school or don't have other commitments wind up working extended hours and more days to fill in the gap.

I have to admit, though, that if I don't get some time off then I might need to look for term life insurance quotes, because my feet are killing me!

The work goes on

I'll be closing at work again tonight, but at least we close at 11 PM instead of midnight as we do on Friday and Saturday nights. Last night was particularly difficult. Business didn't slow down at all so it was hard to do pre-closing tasks. Add to that the fact that three people didn't show up at all, and you have a recipe for disaster. However, we made it through and finally closed a little after midnight. Yes, people were still coming in and ordering food right up till midnight!

There are tournament ballgames going on, which is what is keeping us so busy. Before and after every game, the store is overrun with young athletes and their parents, siblings, grandparents, and long lost uncles and cousins, seeking a meal.

I'm thankful, though, that I do have a job. Many in this area have seen layoffs in the past few months including layoffs from one of the biggest employers around here.

After you're gone

Now that I'm involved in buying a house, I am going to have to get serious about buying term life insurance, too. If something were to happen to me, I'd want my debts to be cleared in full so that none of my kids has to pay them off. This includes the house. I don't want to leave bills behind when I pass on.

I can tell you from experience, it's hard enough when someone you love passes away. But when you are haunted and hounded by the bills they didn't pay, and they didn't have life insurance, it makes the loss even more difficult.

Cost of moving

I wound up spending more in the past couple of weeks than I normally do. Why? Because of moving my stuff from my old residence to some storage units.

First, I had to rent another unit.

Then, I had to rent a moving truck. I intended to have the truck only 24 hours, but we couldn't get it all loaded and moved to the unit in that time period due to our work schedule. I wound up keeping it 48 hours instead, which added to my cost.

Another cost was that of boarding my dog for a week while we moved things. She was getting pretty upset with all the activity. Plus, she needed some veterinary attention. Boarding her for a week and having her needs taken care of wasn't cheap, but it was worth it in the long run. She was in a stable place while all the other activities were taking place.

Those three things nearly depleted my bank account. Thank goodness I get paid on the 20th!

One of the pluses is that the deposit on my electric bill has accrued so much interest over the years that the electric company will owe me money after the final bill is taken out of it. It should be enough to easily get the power and water turned back on when we move into a house.

Spring opening

The days are definitely getting longer and with that comes less reliance on electric lights in your home for extended hours. Opening window blinds and curtains to let the natural sunlight in will help you reduce your electric bill during these pleasant spring days. Opening windows to freshen the house also cuts down on your cooling bill and sometimes even your heating bill.

If your house cools down a lot at night and is well insulated, then warming it up a bit in the morning may just be a matter of opening the windows and letting the warmer air in.

After being shut up all winter, the house needs a good airing out anyway. Unless you have terrible spring allergies and must have your home climate control running at all times, letting the spring air in will work wonders for your home's freshness levels. It will also work wonders for your own sense of well-being. There's something emotionally and spiritually refreshing about spring breezes blowing through open windows that's hard to explain.

Rapid Refund payday loans

OK. Show of hands: Who used a Rapid Refund to get your tax refund back faster?

Why?

A "Rapid Refund" is not your tax refund at all. It is a high interest loan on a short term basis. It's tempting to want to get all you can as quickly as possible, but unless you are having an emergency situation, I recommend going through the normal channels to receive the refund.

You'll pay exorbitant fees to get your refund in your hands. Fees you could use in your own budget instead of lining the pockets of both the lender and the tax preparer. These are worse than payday loans in that they prey on people's desire to get fast cash.

To me, it's pure insanity to pay those high interest rates and fees. If you get your returns in early enough and e-file, you'll get the money in your account in a reasonable amount of time anyway. Couldn't you use that extra money yourself?

Keeping good records

You know, it doesn't matter if you sell Avon cosmetics, create crafts to sell online, or are involved in Branson real estate, keeping good records is a must. This includes every little expense that is associated with running your business, from that package of paper clips to a new computer. Document it all, even things you aren't sure about. Your tax prep guy will let you know what's acceptable or you can visit the IRS website and try to decipher what they have there for rules and guidelines.

If you don't receive a 1099 from places where you earn money, then you must be sure to document the income carefully, missing nothing.

I keep a 12 pocket folder so I can add receipts and other paperwork to it each time I have something that's business related. Then, I create a monthly rundown of income and expenses. The past few months I've worked so much and driven so much that I didn't allow time for perfect record keeping, but I still download my bank account transactions daily and my PayPal transactions monthly so at least they are on my computer when I get ready for them. Because both the bank and PayPal only keep these downloads available for a limited amount of time, it's vital to do those in a timely manner.

Filing day

I will be going to see my tax preparer in just a little while. It took me some time to pull all my records together, print them all out, and print out a summary of income and expenses, but I did finally get it done. I had to do all this in between packing boxes and taking things to the storage units.

I am hoping that I've spent enough in '07 to not have to pay in any taxes. Naturally, getting a refund would be great, but right now just breaking even would make me happy, too. Of course, filing means I'll also get the tax rebate that's been all over the news. I don't know how that will work. If I do wind up owing taxes, I'd love it if they could just take it out of the rebate!

Furniture shopping

As always, I'm on the lookout for the best deal so my purchasing power is at its best. Because we're moving, I'll be looking at furniture catalogs, sale papers, and the classified to get the furniture I need to fill in the gaps in the new residence. I may only be able to add one piece at a time, but eventually I'll be surrounded by things I love to live with.

See, I believe in having the furniture and artwork around us that appeals to us personally, whether or not it's the "latest fashion". Furniture is such a big purchase that we need to only buy those pieces we'll enjoy for years to come. If they are too faddish or aren't cozy, we begin to eye them with disdain and regret having spent the money on them. Nothing irks me more than wasting money!

Sunglasses

Over the past year, I bought quite a few sunglasses to resell. The problem is, I haven't actually attempted to market them yet and I really need to get going on that. What I have on hand is enough to get me started, and although they aren't beautiful vintage sunglasses, they will work just fine. I wear a couple of the styles myself and always get compliments on them.

Since it's springtime, I think I'll get out what stock I have, start taking pictures of them, and perhaps begin marketing them.

Work hours

It looks like I'm going to have to check out how many hours I've got in at work so far. I don't think they've got them all accounted for and I want to make sure I do get paid for all of them.

This past week of working and moving has me pretty tired, but I can't stop now. I've got to keep forging ahead and making progress. But, it's not real progress unless I get paid for the working part!

Home based business

Without a doubt, the ideal home business is based on the internet. Either through selling at auctions, freelance writing, or telecommunicating for your regular job, using the world wide web lets you stay at home to work or do your work from St. John villa rentals while you're enjoying a lovely trip. But to work on the internet means you do have to discipline yourself to actually work and not waste your days.

Be prepared to:

• Engage in social networking online
• Schedule your time just as you would for any job
• Take notes throughout the day of your ideas and thoughts regarding your business
• Keep meticulous records of expenses, income, travel, and time allotted for your business

No matter where you operate your home business from, treat it like a real business because that's what it is.

Planning for the unplanned

I do all I can do to ensure I have sufficient income to pay my bills plus get a few things extra. That works out pretty well for me. But without medical insurance, all the other plans I make could go straight down the drain. Illness and injury are definitely things we never really plan for, aren't they?

Medical insurance is the exact thing we need if we are working for someone else or working for ourselves because either way, not being able to work and paying high medical bills can cost us more than we can imagine. With insurance, at least we know the medical stuff is fully or partially covered.

Financial update for March

Of course, I'm not going to give you a lot of fine details for this update, but I just thought you might like to know about the progress that's been made. It might inspire you to stretch your own boundaries!

• McDonald's Stock - So far I've invested a little under $400, having it taken out of my pay at the rate of $20 per paycheck. This means I'm investing only $40 a month for now. As of today, my dividend earnings are under $20 and that is reinvested right back into stock. When I accrue enough stock and earn a more substantial amount, I'll have at least part of it sent to me or direct deposited. For now, I'll just let it ride and let the dividends work for me. Next pay raise, I'll up my contribution.
• McDonald's 401K - With my last pay raise, I added 401K to my investments that are directly deducted from my paychecks. It was tempting to pass on this so I'd have a few extra dollars in my pocket, but I decided I'd rather have the extra dollars later in life, when I'll really need them! I'm only contributing $15 per paycheck right now, but may change that to a percentage of my pay so that it's more variable but still works for me.
• PayPal CashBack - I'm very careful to use my PayPal debit card as a credit card so that all purchases through it are awarded the CashBack Bonus. It's only 1%, but over a month's worth of purchases it does add up and bump up my PayPal balance a bit. My CashBack Bonuses for March totaled $6.59, so that's pretty decent. Can't get rich with it, but it's better than getting nothing in return. Besides, that amount only lacks .40 covering one month's hosting on one of my blogs, so using the debit card is almost as good as getting a hosted blog for free!
  
• PayPal Money Market - This is quite variable as it depends on the current money market rates plus the available balance in my PayPal account. March Money Market only paid $1.19, but that's $1.19 I didn't have before, so I'm not really complaining. It's paying at 2.96%, which is half what it paid when I first joined. I'm really hoping this goes back up again.
• Bank debit points - My debit cards accrue points now. This started in November. I can get some points using them as debit cards, but more if I use them as credit cards. For each account, I've earned about $20 worth of points. I'll check it again later in the year and maybe I'll have earned enough to finance Christmas purchases!

All of these are ways the money I earn works for me, even if it's in small ways. As time goes by, some of these things will grow so that my money earns more for me. As a widow, having multiple streams of income is vital.

Besides my regular job at McDonald's as a manager, where my pay is pretty good according to the pay of most jobs around here, I also do some freelance writing assignments that I'm paid for. I average around $400 a month with those. I also occasionally sell on eBay and ThisLittlePiggyStaysHome auction sites, though not as much as I used to. That's something I've got to change, and I will as soon as this move is over and I'm settled into my new home.

For some fast cash, last night I sold two old vehicles I had here. It was only for $50 each, but that's $100 in my pocket. The guy will come back and buy the other one in a day or two, and I will have cleaned up my yard and made money in the process. I might also see if he wants any of the other scrap metal around here. I figure $30 or so should be enough for it, and it gets even more stuff off the property.

I did actually get in some overtime at work, which is very unusual. But with the opening of a new store in the Other City, and the resulting lack of managers and crew to man the store, several of us were able to get extra hours in by working there. I don't count on overtime, so I'll probably just take that amount and sock it away for a rainy day, and operate on my normal budget with the regular pay.

Spending the extra money

So, you're earning the extra money you wanted to earn, and you're saving money on your budgeted items like utilities and groceries. What are you doing with the extra money?

I recently got a raise and when I did, I opted into the 401k where I work, using the money from the raise as my part of the investment. It's not a lot, but over time it will add up, and my company is matching my contributions.

There are other ways to make the extra money you're pulling in work for you including putting it into a CD or high yield savings account, buying some of the land for sale Branson has to offer, investing in Forex or other options, investing in stocks...the list goes on. The main thing is to take at least a part of the extra money and use it to work for you so that later you can draw from it.

Packing the last

When I move the last things out of this house, I'm also taking out the light bulbs. When I moved in, there were none in here and since then I've put in all compact fluorescent bulbs to save electricity. They aren't cheap, I can tell you, but they paid for themselves the first month after I put them in.

My electric bill dropped by a good 30% just using these bulbs. I had no idea just how much power regular incandescent bulbs could pull, and I am consistent in turning lights off in rooms that aren't in use.

Lights!

I am hoping that when we move into this other house we're looking at, the bathroom lighting is brilliant. Right now, there's just a single ceiling fixture in the bathroom so fixing my hair or putting on make-up is a hit-or-miss proposition. What I'd like is lights on each side of the bathroom mirror as well as across the top so that there really aren't any shadows on my face or hair and light from a window doesn't cast it's own shadow.

Of course, I'll also want regular lighting in the bathroom so I can have a choice as to which I want to use for what purposes.

Coffee club

I have recently joined a well-known coffee club and expect to get a nice coffee maker along with my first shipment of coffees. Of course, I'll have to keep an eye on my membership so that I get things done in a timely manner. I don't want to receive coffees I haven't actually chosen.

This holds true if you've joined a movie club, book club, or wine club. Make the minimum number of selections and make sure you get your order returned on time so you aren't sent what they select for you. Have the subscription costs deducted automatically so you won't be late with the payments. Keep the club membership for as long as you feel you need it and the minimum purchases are made, then discontinue it if everything hasn't turned out as you'd hoped.

Since I am a coffee drinker, I think I'll be a member for quite awhile!

Increased cost of living

Cost of living
With the cost of living increasing by way of gas prices, which ultimately affect everything else, it's tempting to use the extra money from a pay raise for one's own, immediate needs. But money spent is gone forever. I'd rather have the money working for me so that at some time in the future I can retire and not be one of the millions of retired persons having to choose between food and medicine.

Gas here is now around $3.10 a gallon locally, and I realize it's much higher in other places. Where I've been going to work lately, the gas is up to $3.18 a gallon for regular. Around here, Valero has the cheapest gas but I've used it and wound up with engine problems. So sometimes, cheap isn't the best way to go. But, remember that the cost of petroleum directly affects the cost of all other consumer goods. It may not cause an increase immediately, but it will eventually make the cost of your groceries and other items go up.

Invest in your own future
This is why, when I get a pay increase I apply it to something that will work for me instead of adding the increase to my regular budget. I use pay increases for things like 401k contributions, stock options, auction selling, or domains.

Adding to income in the here and now
I also find ways to increase my auction sales at eBay and TLPSH auction sites. These are easy to list auction sites that can yield a pretty big return for a very small investment. Online auctions allow you to work any time you want and from any location. I can post auctions from my laptop, regardless whether I'm home, waiting to clock in at work, or visiting my Mom. The primary consideration is making sure I have pictures of the items already uploaded to my laptop and quick descriptions saved in Notepad.

Shopping frugally
Bear in mind that every meal doesn't have to have meat. Meat is expensive, and too much of it is actually detrimental to your health. So, having meatless meals several times a week can help your budget and your health.

Shopping for house brands is good unless the product just simply doesn't do the job. I've found that house brands of bleach and detergents really don't work as well as the name brands. However, there are other cleaning products that work just fine whether they are plain label or house brands. For example, "scrubbing bubbles" from the .99 store works just as good as the national name brand of this type of product. The name brand is around $3 a can, so that's a good savings for a product you can actually use all around the house and not just in the bathroom.

Basics like rice, beans, flour, and other grain based foods are perfectly fine in plain label or house brands. Grain is grain, no matter who packages it.

I actually prefer the cheapest green beans on the shelf. They are odd cuts and an occasional stem, but they are tasty and appear more like the green beans I pick and cook myself! On the other hand, canned corn can be pretty bad if it's not picked and processed correctly, so your best bet is to get a name brand for corn. Most other veggies, though, are just fine in plain label or house brands.

Remodeling

About 15 years ago, my husband and I remodeled a house that was probably about a hundred years old. It wasn't a classic home. Just an old farmhouse that had fallen into disrepair. That remodel job, crude as it was, taught me a lot about building, materials, and tools to use. I feel confident that I could do it again, if needed, and probably save tons of money on contractor work. Of course, I'd have to have the electric and plumbing done by professionals, but I could do much of the construction myself.

I actually built my own kitchen and bathroom cabinets in that old house. There hadn't been any, nor were there closets. The house wasn't constructed with them to begin with! Using a trusty festool circular saw, I was able to cut the lumber and create kitchen cabinet doors that looked like little barn doors. They suited the old house very well, and I did a green wash on the wood for an antique appearance, sanding the corners of the lumber to look like years of wear. I use simple hammered brass hardware to further give an old look to them. They are quite inexpensive but served the purpose perfectly.

Have you done any home projects lately?

Things I want to look for

When I move, there will be some things I want to look for to go in my house. Things like new coffee makers (mine has seen better days), comforter sets, pillows, and throw rugs. I love new things and these things will help make my new dwelling a real home.

What I already have of them are worn and pretty well gone beyond their usefulness now. See, I don't buy new things until the old really are worn out. I'm not a person who shops seasonally for new things just because they are in fashion. I get what I really like to live with for a long time when I make new purchases.

Adjusting to Daylight Savings Time

It "feels" earlier than it is right now. I've got to keep a sharp eye on the time, so I can get my shower, get dressed, and go do what needs doing before I have to go to work. At least my laptop time changed automatically, so I just keep looking at that so I won't run late today.

I know it will be a couple of weeks before I adjust to the time change. It's always that way. Just when I get a sense of the hour of the day, the time changes again and I have to readjust and develop a new sense. Well, at least I'll have extra daylight hours to plant my herbs...at least on the days I don't have to work those hours!

Payments and banking

Since I have to be at my workplace at 4 to pick people up to take to the other city, I really need to get around early enough to run by and make my car payment. Yeah. I haven't had a chance to do that yet. I haven't even picked up my paycheck from work, and it was there on the 5th!

All this traveling to another city to work has certainly thrown a kink into my normal activities, you know. I barely have the time to do my laundry and get a shower. I was off work yesterday, but so exhausted I wound up napping off and on all day. I just couldn't get moving, not even enough to do a little housework.

My bank account is running low so I have got to see about cashing my check, if they have enough to do that at work, and making my car payment in cash.

Working away again

I'll have to go to the other city to work again this afternoon. I'm not too crazy about doing that. It's extra wear and tear on my car and extra gas to buy. I was offered only $10 for all this driving, which isn't nearly enough to cover it. I've already figured that I used $15 in gas so far, and today will use more.

I may just log my miles, times, and the dates then see about taking it off my taxes next year. I think it would work out better financially to do that instead of accepting a pittance for driving and it not working out to be enough.

I wonder if all this driving and extra stress from working in another store would affect life insurance quotes, should I choose to get them? Does a life insurance company look at things like that?

Fast shift

My shift was pretty long at work in the new store yesterday. They don't really have their own employees yet, which means borrowing managers and crew from surrounding stores for awhile. Even though I wound up working nearly 10 hours there, we were so busy that the time went by pretty quickly. It was probably a good thing that I couldn't see a clock from most locations in the store, though, or it might have really hit me how long I'd been on my feet.

At one point, my supervisor looked at her Patek Aquanaut watch, then looked at me and asked me if I was OK. I don't know if the hard work and long hours of the day were showing in my face or what, but she changed my duties so I wasn't working as hard!

Snowfall less than expected

Thankfully, the predicted snowfall mentioned in the previous post never did really hit the way it was thought it would. The highways were simply wet, even though it did snow and sleet. Driving wasn't bad at all and we only got about 4 inches of snow in the areas hit the heaviest where we traveled.

Probably the worst thing was the cold wind, which seemed to cut right through our clothing when we got out of the car. Once in the motel room, we were able to get comfortable, though, and the next morning the roads were OK when we headed to the work location.

Keeping the water flowing

It looks like we're going to be hit with another round of winter weather. There is currently a winter storm watch in effect for our area of Arkansas and it's predicted there could be 2 to 4 inches of snow.

Because I have to work in a store that's not in my usual city, that means a longer drive there and back, with passengers. So, I really hope none of the predicted snowfall materializes until long after we're all safely back home again! This also means I'll probably need to keep the water dripping a little to avoid broken water lines. At least something like that is easy to adjust with my Delta faucets. I can achieve just enough of a drip to keep some water flowing without running my water bill up too much.

I'm always mindful of how much water we use, how much electricity we use, and how much heating gas we use. Everything is going up in cost which means I have to be even tighter with my utilities.

Needs and wants

As I grow older, I find my needs and wants decreasing. In fact, many of them have disappeared. I need food and shelter, but I don't need fancy food or an extravagant dwelling place. Simple foods eaten in a humble home are sufficient for me.

Furnishings can be simple and functional, too. I have a wonderful leather sofa and a couple of comfortable occasional chairs. I don't need a Baldwin baby grand sitting in the corner. I can't play anyway!

I have a four-board farmhouse table and six ladder-back chairs to go with it. You can keep your Duncan Phyfe dining room furniture.

Simple, functional, easy to care for - that's my heart's desire. What's yours?

Moving closer to Mom

I'm home again, after visiting my Mom for about a week. You know what? A week just isn't long enough! I really hate leaving her house, and maybe soon I can move closer to her and see her daily instead of every few months.

This is another one of the reasons I have for wanting to work from home more and work at McDonald's less. My dear Mom turned 86 yesterday, and I am greedily wanting all the time I can have with her while I still have a chance. If something happens...when something happens...to her, I don't know that I will be able to shake off the grief and regrets if I don't find a way to spend more time with her now.

My car

I've been driving my car for over a year now. It's been OK so far, but I know it had nearly 100,000 miles on it when I got it so it probably won't keep going a lot longer. I'm going to be looking at cars again and will be trying to see if I can get in a Mustang this time. If I have to make car payments, they might as well be for the kind of car I really want!

I know going in that my car insurance for a Mustang will be higher than it is for my Mercury Sable. After all, it's a sports car and insurance companies automatically assume that I'll be dogging it around, putting me at risk for tickets and accidents. Now, I've got absolutely no tickets anywhere on my record. The only accident I've ever been involved in was the fault of a drunk driver who side-swiped me when he was trying to pass me on a two-lane road. Not my fault at all!

I guess I need to be checking around about insurance if I plan to actually get the car of my dreams.

Manager meeting

We are having a managers' meeting at work today, which means I have to go in two hours early. The meeting probably won't last very long, but I have to drive almost 30 minutes to get to work, so there's no way I'm coming back home again, then going back to work at 5.

I love being in the country, but one of the disadvantages is not being in close proximity to my work and shopping. Still, I feel the trade-off is worth it for now. I'm not sure I'd make a good city dweller!

The distance to my job and shopping, though, is just one of the reasons I want to create income from home. I'd like to know I can pay all my bills and live comfortably without having to leave my house for hours every day, have certain clothes only for my job, and use the gas in my car for traveling back and forth to work.

Right now, I'm spending about $30 a week for gas. The way I look at it, I'm actually reducing my work income by $120 a month because of that. Add to that the wear and tear on my car and additional maintenance because of all the miles driven, and the cost of driving to work and back goes up to an estimated $200 per month. (I'm averaging the more frequent oil changes and tire replacement that accrue over a year's time.) Some of that money would be spent anyway for normal activities, but it would be far less.

I'm also doing laundry more often because I need to keep my work clothes clean. Of course, I'd do laundry but it wouldn't be as often so I wouldn't be spending as much on detergent, water, and electricity. If I worked from home, I could reduce my laundry expenses by about half. I estimate that now, I'm spending $15 a month on laundry detergents, and I'm using about $20 a month in additional utilities.

Since I only wear skirts to work, I'm having to make sure I have pantyhose or tights in good condition. Those are purchases I wouldn't have to make as often if I were only working from home. Tights can cost up to $9 a pair, unless I find them on sale. Pantyhose can cost up to $5 a pair since I wear support hose at work. I replace a few pairs a month because of runs. Before, I only bought hose or tights a few times a year! So, the hose/tights cost me around $20 a month.

The shoes I wear to work cost me about $25 a pair. I wouldn't buy them at all if not for working! I would only buy shoes I like that are on sale, and those only a couple of times a year. Because I'm on my feet through my whole shift, my work shoes wear out and become uncomfortable in a couple of months. Some there claim to wear theirs for a year, but their shoes are cracked on the sole and on the upper, and the inner support is shot, so they're actually wearing them far beyond their usefulness.

So, today, I'm having to cut my home time short because of a managers' meeting. I already feel I don't have enough time at home to accomplish the things I need to!

Selling your passion

You already know that I sell books and curriculum online. Books really are my passion when it comes to owning them or generating income with them. That's what makes it so easy for me.

Your passion may be other things - antiques, jewelry, clothes, or even tech items or automotive accessories. Whatever it is, then that's the thing you'll have the most success selling. See, your passion comes through when you write your descriptions of the items. People can read more than a dry description. They can read some of your excitement about what you're selling.

A good description that's fattened up with your excitement always leads to more sales.

Up and down weather

I'm visiting my Mom while my Sis is in the hospital. I have to tell you, the weather has been just crazy the past couple of days, though. When I got here, it was breezy and cool. Then, it turned icy and cold. We even had freezing rain.

Today, though, it has warmed up enough to melt the ice and make the yard muddy. I thought I was going to need thigh high boots just to take my Sis' dog for a walk! By the end of the weekend, there are supposed to be more storms and rain, so I might need to have a canoe then!

Coin collecting?

Some of you may be able to make a decent side income by delving into rare coin collecting. Naturally, you'll want to make sure what you are buying really are rare coins and not knock-offs or valueless coins. It's best to do some research and enlist the help of experts, such as those at Monaco Rare Coin, to help you buy and sell the coins that will net you the most profit.

Being able to recognize valuable rare coins takes time and education. And, knowing the value for resale takes the same time and education as buying them in the first place.

You might want to be involved in the trade organizations such as the Professional Numismatic Guild, the American Numismatic Association, the Professional Coin Grading Service, the Numismatic Guarantee Corporation of America, or The National Silver Dollar Round Table, just as the experts at Monaco are. These organizations focus strictly on collectible and valuable coins that you may want included in your portfolio.

Give back my pen!

One of the things that really bugs me at work is how people think it's ok to borrow my pen or pencil and just go home with it. I paid for my writing instruments, and I'd like them returned to me. However, lately I've taken to getting the free logo pens from my bank. It doesn't matter if they return those or not, but I've noticed I do get those back!

They write very well, but I guess people aren't interesting in getting sticky fingers when it comes to a pen that's got a business name imprinted on it.