During the past year, I’ve had opportunities to learn more about our colonial patriots (via children’s school projects) and a leadership program I was blessed to participate.  So, I thought I’d start this newsletter with some good quotes from our Founding Fathers (not all of whom were believers in Christ).
 

Quotes from Thomas Jefferson

1. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

2. Never trouble another with what you can do yourself.

3. Never spend your money before you have it.

4. Never buy a thing you do not want, because it is cheap, it will be dear to you.

5. Take care of your cents: Dollars will take care of themselves!

6. Pride costs us more than hunger, thirst, and cold.

7. We never repent of having eat too little.

8. Nothing is troublesome that one does willingly.

9. How much pain have cost us the evils which have never happened.

10. Take things always by their smooth handle.

11. Think as you please, and so let others, and you will have no disputes.

12. When annoyed count 10, before you speak, if very angry, count 100.

Benjamin Franklin 

Poor Richard’s Almanac was a yearly Almanac published by Benjamin Franklin from 1732 - 1758. The publication included information on weather, planting schedules, lunar cycles, and more. Poor Richard’s Almanac is most famous for its insightful quips and quotes.
Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett’s partner and Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, is supposedly a fan of Poor Richard’s Almanac.  I have read that Munger has been a student of Benjamin Franklin’s writings for a long time.  People like Munger, and you and I, can learn from Ben Franklin and others who lived before us who were good stewards. 
Next time you find yourself helping a young person with a project, see if you can learn a few facts, too.  Perhaps you might expand your financial knowledge through the experience of others!

Below are a few favorite quotes from Poor Richard’s Almanac:

“Light purse, heavy heart”

“Necessity never made a good bargain”

“If you’d know the value of money, go and borrow some”

“Beware of little expenses: a small leak will sink a great ship”

“Drive thy Business, or it will drive thee”

“If you know how to spend less than you get, you have the philosopher’s stone”

“As Pride increases, Fortune declines”

“Little Strokes Fell great Oaks”

“Content makes poor men rich, Discontent makes Rich men poor”

“No gains without pains”

“Great spenders are bad lenders”

“He that drinks fast, pays slow”

“He that waits upon fortune, is never sure of a dinner”

“Haste makes waste”

Looking for 2010 goals?

By now you’re probably either pursuing some of your 2010 goals or you are in dire need to set some and move forth!  Spring is the perfect time to make a few changes.  The cumulative effect of just two or three achieved goals over the next decade is life-changing!  You do not have to climb Everest this year!  Just take a few steps ahead towards long-term goals and you will certainly achieve great things for you and your family.

Here are Michele’s ideas to consider.  Pick one or two or even three.  Then, just do them! 

1-Read a book on a financial topic monthly or quarterly (depending on your free time).  Learn!  Learn!  Learn!

2-Review your invoices/bills every month and search for new charges, increased fees, etc.  Call your service providers immediately to investigate.  This year, companies are going to look for ways to make-up profit margins from the last two years of decline.  Guess what?  Your wallet might be a source they’re considering!

3-Investigate bank interest rates and account fees.  If you are not receiving interest on your checking account, then take that as a sign to switch banks.  Credit unions are usually the best bet for lowest fees.  You might be able to save $100 and/or earn $100 this year with a simple banking change!

4-Keep a “to do” list of financial decisions, actions, and interests.  Prioritize them and start working on these.  When you read a book or magazine and glean a new idea, write it down to investigate/consider.  (Make sure you seek counsel from wise friends who have made great financial decisions before you make any major investments or changes in your financial plans.  There are loads of people writing financial advice articles these days who do not have the credentials to give advice!)

5-Do something new for yourself and your family to improve health.  This could be exercising or taking vitamins.  Maybe this is the year you implement “healthier snacks.”  Long-term, you can save money by keeping your family healthy.

6-Order your credit report and see if you need to “clean it up.”  Sometimes when you close department store cards, these are not reflected in reports.  Spend a few hours in 2010 doing this clean-up!  (NOTE:  I just did this and I ordered from all three credit reporting agencies.  I ordered both mine and my husband’s.  The total internet time was about an hour.)

7-If you don’t have a will, this is the year to get one!  If you have one, is it updated?

8-Flexible spending accounts.  Most people with dependent care expenses already know the value of using pre-tax dollars (up to $5,000 is allowed by the IRS) for dependent care.  For those in the 25% tax bracket, this saves you about $1250/year.  If your employer has a flexible spending program, join it during your open enrollment in 2010.  You can use the healthcare contributions for co-pays, dental visits, prescriptions, etc.  You have to research your employer’s individual plan and its restrictions.  The point is you can save money using these accounts.

9-Challenge yourself in one spiritual area.  Maybe 2010 is your year to pray fervently for friends who don’t know Christ?  It would certainly be a great year to pray for America and her leaders!  Consider volunteering in a ministry this next year.  Start with a small enough commitment that you’re sure you’ll fulfill and grow from there.  With so many Christian ministries in need, this is the time to step up and volunteer! 

10-Help a friend.  Find one person (more if you’re ambitious) in 2010 who needs YOUR help and then help them.  Ideas are helping with anonymous financial gifts to families who are in need, donate used clothing to families (good reason to clean out closets), volunteer to babysit a family for free to give parents a date night, give your “excess” to friends (might be extra craft supplies to your child’s teacher). 

WEBSITE RECOMMENDATION

Thank you to Christina who introduced me to www.ebates.com.  This site has a program where if you register and then shop via the site, you get a percentage of your purchases returned to you.  This idea is similar to many credit card “rewards” programs. 

When I shop at this site, I also use a rewards credit card.  I consider it a “double dip” because I get the ebates rebate plus one from my credit card!

Even if you gain a small refund, it is better than nothing.  Give this site a try!  Walmart.com is one of the stores linked to ebates.  I’m thrilled to get a rebate when I order my photos on line!

EXCURISONS

Consider inviting a friend on your next excursion.  This can reduce transportation costs for all involved if you share a ride.  Additionally, some venues offer group pricing and you might qualify for lower entry fees.

1-If you live in Metro DC, check out www.spiritofamericatour.org for FREE tickets to concerts/performances at the George Mason Patriot Center in September.  This is a great family outing and helps foster patriotism in your children.  Support our country’s military!

2-Greensprings Park in Fairfax County.  This park has several lovely garden areas where you can sit and read or walk for exercise.  Take a picnic if the weather permits.  The park is free!

3-Looking for a location for a family outing or birthday party?  Consider the options in the Entertainment coupon books.  We have been able to have a few more family outings at putt-putt, laser tag, and restaurants utilizing such coupons.  Thus, if you are going to spend money on a party, challenge yourself to do so with some type of coupon!

4-Christmas Lights.  Put this on your calendar for December! Enjoy a ride around your community looking at lights.  Each child gets two votes and you can decide the house with the best decorations.  If you are really inspired, you could bless the homeowner with a Christmas gift of cookies or treats.  Our church has Bibles that we’ve given our neighbors.  Maybe a trip to the bookstore could yield an inexpensive “gift award” Bible for less than $10 to leave as a “thank you” to the winning home! 

5-Amusement Parks.  Last year we had a seasons pass to Six Flags.  We visited parks in GA, MD, and NJ.  Thus, we got three different parks for the price of one.  Great value if you plan to visit more than one state with a Six Flags Park.

On a related note, we have found many parks (eg. Hershey Park and Dollywood) offer a preview option.  If you buy tickets for use on April 12, for example, you can enter the park on April 11 to preview the park.  Entry into the preview event is typically late in the day.  However, you still can enjoy 3-5 hours of park time and help give you a better plan for the day you’ve paid to see your venue (know which rides to ride first, where to not ride, etc.).

6-Baseball season is fast upon us.  If you live near a city with minor league baseball, plan a family night out on an evening with a promotion such as 2-for-1 nights or free food with tickets.  Minor league baseball is fun at less than half the price of MLB!

7-NHL Hockey.  If you are a hockey fan, find out where your local team practices and attend a practice.  Most are free and you can see players “up close.”

8-For those in Fairfax County VA, don’t forget there are some ice skating and putt-putt venues at local recreation centers.  I used a coupon recently to take my oldest ice skating at a local rec center.  We had fun and I saved a little money with the Entertainment Book coupon.

MISC TIPS

The first three are courtesy of Mary Hunt’s free ezine. 

1-Here’s one for moms of preschoolers.  Give ordinary food a new name to make dinnertime seem fun.  Your children will “eat it up”! For example, cut up leftovers from your refrigerator.  Call this meal “Bits and Pieces.”  For more creativity, allow the kids to eat using toothpicks (versus silverware).

2-Having problems with a sink or tub drain?  Open it up with a plunger!  Grab a short-handled plunger. Fill the sink or tub with cold water and plunge continuousely.

3-Often at the end of a long day, it’s hard to come up with dinner ideas.  Alternative to the fast food run, you can stop by your local grocery and purchase “ready to eat” items from the deli.  Watch your spending, because often single serving items are more expensive!  You can be creative here, too, and purchase containers with enough food to take to work the next day.  Then, take dinner to your local park for a picnic.  Hopefully, this variation of a quick dinner will result in healthier eating (salads, rotisserie chicken, veggies) and give you a much needed break in kitchen time.

4-Search for coupon codes on Google or a similar search engine when shopping on-line. 

5-For UPROMISE college savers, let me recommend you install the Turbo Saver feature.  This feature helps you identify when you’re ordering online from Upromise partners.  This helps you ensure you gain the extra percentage credited to your child’s 529 College Savings account.

6-In previous e-zine articles, I’ve talked about shopping on your state’s sales tax-free dates to purchase children’s clothing and school supplies.  This is the year to take advantage and stretch your dollars!  I typically purchase extra items, such as extra pens and pencils, to put in my kids’ Christmas stockings.  Mark your calendars for August to remind yourself to do this!

7-WINTER FUN.  So, what did you do during the 2010 blizzard?  We made s’mores at my home!  This tasty treat is yummy, fun, and inexpensive.  Kids think it’s great to roast marshmellows over a fireplace or candle.  We also had great smiles with hot chocolate from The Dollar Tree!  Lastly, I made loads of crafts with my daughter because I had the supplies on-hand when the blizzards hit.  Thus, there was a reward for having a few items in the basement which were purchased with 40% off Michael’s coupons!

8-If Disney is on your 2010 agenda, you can volunteer with a charity and earn a free ticket to Disney for one day’s entrance.  Details are at Disney.com.  Your entire family can volunteer if they meet the requirements, and this can save you some bucks!  If you are planning a week at Disney, there are many deals involving the Disney Dining program, such as some or all of your visit possibly with free food—so call and ask Disney for the valid/applicable promotions.
Lastly, let me share three “new” ideas I’m personally implementing this year to stretch my finances.

1-Summer Camp.  Historically, my children spend about three weeks in day camps until my husband finishes teaching for the school year.  This year, I’m exploring camp options to find some more economical and to add variety for my kids.  I’m also going to take a week off (to avoid one week of camp fees) and plan a week of “Mommy Camp.”  We hope to visit the Shenandoah Valley one day, see a couple of museums and historical sites, and spend a day or two relaxing at the pool with a picnic, of course!

2-Forestry Management.  I have hired a forestry consultant to help me with some land I own.  The idea is to manage the acreage better to produce a better forest (future income potential) and to short-term harvest some timber to cover property taxes.  If you own forested land, this is not the time to sell lumber, but it might be a great time to thin your trees and prepare for the future!

3-Vacations.  Initially we were planning a trip to Florida.  Instead, we have decided an alternate location in Tennessee.  By selecting a different location, we’ll save about $1,000!  We are also visiting family during part of the trip, which will reduce hotel stays.  As you plan trips, find a family-friendly option and consider visiting for shorter periods or driving to a site that is not as far from home.  Will we get to FL as a family?  Maybe, but not this year.  One great advantage of traveling during this poor economy is the plethora of coupons and travel deals.

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If you have a frugal idea, I’d love to hear from you.  Please use the link at this website to share your thoughts.

Need a speaker?  If your community or church group is seeking a speaker, please email using the form in this website.  I would love to share some encouragement and the love of Christ with your group!  As many of you are familiar with my ministries, I speak not only on financial topics, but also on spiritual topics and about our family’s adoption experience.

And I also provide limited one-on-one financial planning and counseling by appointment.  Contact me if you are interested in discussing your counseling needs.
A big “thank you” to Lake Ridge MOPS for the fun time we shared in February 2010.
I look forward to speaking to a Ladies Bible Study group in April in Suwanee, GA

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Joy!  Michele