BEGIN!
I recently read an article that quoted “Victory is in the word ‘begin’!” I totally agree. Too often we succumb to the mundane or mediocre because we are not willing to begin seeking a change or a goal or an answer. Instead, we wallow in self-pity because this is an easy place to rest. Hey! You can camp in self-pity for a lifetime!
Not me! Not you! If you are reading this article it is because the Lord wants you to begin. Start right now pursuing whatever it is that the Lord has laid on your heart!
Maybe this year is the year to improve your stewardship of your finances or of your time. Perhaps this is the year to live more healthy and begin making better dietary decisions or better lifestyle choices.
Whatever you are interested in improving, you can absolutely see improve but you have to BEGIN. You’ve no doubt heard the saying, “A journey of a thousand miles is started with one step.” Take time today to identify what you want to improve. Next, figure out one step you can begin this week. Then, do it!
If you have been reading my website, you can easily see I have steadily preached “stewardship” for manSpy years…actually, most of my adult life. Thus, I hope the Lord will allow me to find new ways to be a better steward this year.
Here are some areas where I’m looking at my own life. I am considering my vocational skills. I am beginning to pursue a new certification for this year. Keeping oneself marketable is critical regardless of the economy. However, in today’s fast changing world, it’s imperative to always learn and improve.
Another area I have already begun pursuing in 2009 is reading more books about financial topics. I don’t know what I will learn, but I am sure I can glean new information and ideas. Even more so, I want to model for my children that their mom is a reader! I want reading to be a priority for our family this year. You can’t read enough!
Spiritually, I am in a place where I feel very blessed. Despite recently losing my mother, I feel extreme peace about the hope of seeing mom again in heaven. I definitely sense the Lord’s mercy and grace. I have been trying to start or to begin my days with reading from a Psalm that has brought me great peace this past year.
I hope this bi-monthly newsletter will encourage you to begin pursuing some new ideas and to begin actively working towards goals for this year!
RAYS OF SUNSHINE!
In our tough economic times, not all is glum! God is still in control! He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He cares for YOU! Pray daily for the Lord to guide you in financial matters. Read God’s Word about financial topics. Do not be afraid to tithe or give beyond because you cannot outgive the Lord!
For those who have saved and who live frugally, this is a time where there are deals to be had. Further, as you think about 2009, plan ahead and save for the events you want to pursue. For example, monthly set aside money for a trip or vacation. Set aside money now for Christmas 2009. Then, when your vacation or Christmas time arrives, you are prepared.
Scout your local coupons and newspapers for restaurant deals. Many establishments are offering discounts, such as “kids eat free” or buy one get one free to entice you to dine with them. Also, there are options like www.restaurant.com where you can purchase dining at a steep discount. I’ve even received coupons from numerous fast food establishments via the mail and free newspaper inserts.
While many people have experienced cuts in their lifestyle, this is a great time to re-evaluate your priorities and determine what you really need versus want. For example, this economy is motivational for paying off debt. Also, this is a great time to balance your budget and live within your means. While everyone else is trimming their lifestyle, you can be in vogue and trims yours, too!
Deals! I’m not advocating spending, but if you are going to spend, there are great opportunities available. Take Disney for example, who I have heard dvertised free days/nights and free admission on your birthday. You’ll want to check Disney’s website for their current promotions. I receive frequent emails from AirTran Airways and I know many cruise ships and resorts are hungry for your dollars. If you want a vacation, this might be the time to get more for your money!
Every month, take one financial area of your life and research to determine if you can achieve a better deal. For example, start with your cell phone plan. Talk with your local carrier to see if you can obtain lower rates, more minutes, etc. Next month, research car insurance. Continue this trend throughout the year to examine your life insurance, health insurance, cable tv, etc. Do you want to keep a land-line phone plus your cell? If so, reduce your services on one of your phones and use the other for your primary.
Keep yourself marketable and professionally competent. As you do make cuts, try to find economical ways to keep your professional skills sharp. Read books from the library about your profession. Go to lunch monthly (you can sit in the break room with your meal you brought from home) and talk with colleagues about current business trends/issues. Read newspapers or magazines at your employer’s office or the library. When your employer offers training, take it! Stay sharp and try to do it for as little cost as possible.
Network! Keep in touch with friends via email and reach out to people more than just the annual Christmas card. Your network could provide you with information about job opportunities (should you need that info) or about local events (like free festivals, sales at favorite stores, etc.)
FRUGAL IDEAS
With the global economy down at this moment, it seems everyone is looking for ideas to save money. Take advantage of this frenzy of savings opportunities to try new ideas, educate your family with information, etc. If you have an idea you can share with me, I’d love to hear what your family is dong to live more frugally.
1-After the election, I sat with my children and explained that Obama and his colleagues were going to raise taxes. This meant less money for our family. My young children easily understood this situation. Thus, when we are out somewhere and a child makes a financial request I do not wish to honor, I remind them “We are living in Obama times!” Instantly, my family ceases to beg for toys, etc. and they get a grim look on their faces and say, “Ok, mommy.” Hard to believe this works like a charm, but it does.
The point is that you need to explain to your children that going forward there is less disposable income. Even preschoolers can understand this point. You don’t have to lecture them about politics, but you can use the current administration’s policies to your advantage and teach some basic economics to boot!
2-Next time you gather with a group of friends, ask everyone to bring at least one idea on how they’re stretching their dollars in this economy. Also ask your friends to call you when they come across deals. This way, you network to help one another catch opportunities to stock up on favorite cereals, canned goods, etc. when they’re featured on sale in your local market.
3-Challenge yourself this week to find a way to save $20. Keep a notecard in your wallet and document your progress. Make this a game for yourself! You might be surprised at the number of times you decline spending money in order to achieve this simple goal. If you succeed, take the $20 you would have spent and use it to either pay an extra $20 on current debt or to invest it. As my introductory article implies, you have to begin somewhere in order to achieve your savings goals!
4-Bless your friends by sending out emails or phone calls once a quarter to share ways you’re living frugally. You would be surprised how you will bless others and also encourage people towards good stewardship.
5-During Spring cleaning, identify items you no longer need or use. Find a way to bless someone else with what you no longer need. There are many ways, such as internet sites, your church, or local charities, to “recycle” used clothing and housewares.
FREE FUN!
Below are a few ideas I garnered from a book by Peggy Epstein called Great IDeas for Grandkids! 150 Ways to Entertain, Educate, and Enjoy Your Grandchildren Without Setting Foot in a Toy Store! No, I’m not a grandparent, but what struck me about this library book was the idea that it contained “fun for free.”
As a parent, I rarely run out of things to keep myself busy. However, I sometimes struggle with entertaining my children—especially on cold and/or rainy days. Here are a few ideas that I hope will spark others for your family. Sometimes, it’s enjoyable to find a new creative outlet for starting conversations and spending time with your children.
1-DOTS: Draw a line of eight evenly spaced dots at the top of a piece of paper. Next, make eight more dots on a line that is below your first. Ensure that your dot lines up with the one above it. To play, take turns drawing a straight line between two dots. Every time you complete a box or square, place your initial in the box. The one with the most squares wins. This is a great game for passing time while waiting on a sibling to complete a music lesson or while you wait in a restaurant.
2-SIMON SAYS: The traditional game can be fun in and of itself. Why not try an advanced version by giving multiple commands. This might be a good educational game for little ones who are learning to listen to more than one request.
3-GUESS WHAT GAME: Fill a sack with a number of household items. Take turns having each person close his eyes, reach inside the sack, and touch an item. The “contestant” has to guess what he is feeling. This can be placed with simple items, like cotton balls, Q-tips, a toothbrush, etc. This is fun for rainy days.
4-START A COLLECTION: Find something your child might like to collect. Then, over the coming year, build a collection together. When I was a child, I collected stamps and rocks. I would get the rocks as we vacationed or as I played outdoors. My stamps were collected from incoming mail and I had a number of relatives who kept their stamps for me as well. You could collect cool pencils, photos of animals, coins, or whatever you have available at little or no cost.
5-IMAGINARY TRIP: Research with your child a place you would like to visit one day. Enjoy the process of reading about the location, seeing photos on the internet, etc. Then, if the Lord allows, you could one day “take a dream trip.” And if the real trip is not possible, then at least you have had an imaginary trip.
6-COLLAGES: With a bottle of glue, a piece of construction paper and some pictures from a magazine, you can have an instant collage art project. You can also glue beans and/or pasta on paper to create a collage with texture.
7-WHAT’S CHANGED HERE?: Let your child look at a room. Then, have him close his eyes. While his eyes are closed, remove an object from the room. Have your child open his eyes and try to guess what has changed.
8-WHAT IF?: This game can be loads of fun for the imaginative family. Take turns asking questions and letting others in your family answer. Here are a few questions to get you started: What if pigs could fly? What if the lights go out during a storm? What if you are stuck on an island? What if you forgot your homework? You can even use this game to help your family develop real answer to real scenarios that might be faced later in life.
9-CELEBRATIONS: Find an occasion to celebrate, such as National Hat Day, and wear hats. Even better, create a reason to celebrate that has special meaning to your family. For example, you could celebrate the 100th day of school or you could celebrate if team X advances in the NCAA tournament during March Madness. The options are limitless. You can celebrate inexpensively with such options as allowing your child to create the dinner menu from items from your pantry or having your family wear a particular color for one Saturday.
10-NAME THAT TUNE: This might take a bit of coordination, but you could gather a few CDs and have a game of “name that tune.” You could get real creative and use hymns if you are trying to teach your children to appreciate hymns.
You can pick up Peggy’s book in your local library to glean more great ideas! Maybe you can find other similar books and build a notebook of games, outings, etc. to use for the coming year!
MISC
1-Mary Hunt’s e-zine often shares recipes and food info. Like many families, mine spends a fair amount of its budget on food. Below are a few ideas from Mary Hunt about inexpensive ways to feed your family in a healthy way. And if you have not subscribed to Mary’s fabulous e-zine or read her books, you owe it to yourself in 2009 to do so! She’s marvelous!
BROWN RICE. Good for side dishes, rice salads, fried rice, casseroles, soups and stew. Brown rice is high in fiber and protein. Price per serving: 10 cents. A two-pound bag costs about $1.99 (on sale) and contains 20 servings.
BLUEBERRIES. Available year round frozen, blueberries are packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids. Blueberries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them the top choice of doctors and nutritionists. Not only can they lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they are also anti-inflammatory. Price per serving: 66 cents. A two-pound bag of frozen blueberries costs about $3.99 (on sale) and contains 6 1/2 cup servings.
MULTIGRAIN PASTA. Great in hot or cold pasta dishes, you can substitute whole wheat pasta in most pasta recipes. One serving (2 ounces uncooked) contains 9 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Got picky eaters? Make the switch gradually by substituting a portion of your regular pasta with whole wheat. They won’t even notice. Price per serving: About 28 cents for a 2-ounce (uncooked) serving. A 13- to 16-ounce box or bag of dried pasta costs about $1.79 to $1.99 (on sale) and contains six to eight servings.
FROZEN VEGETABLES. Serve them alone as a side dish or add frozen vegetables to pasta dishes, soups and stews. Price per serving: Around 25 cents for a 1 cup serving. Frozen vegetables come in 12- to 24-ounce bags that cost anywhere from $1.75 to $2.25 and contain 6 to 8 cups, depending on the vegetable and the size of the bag. You can buy a bag of frozen organic green beans at Trader Joe’s for $1.79. A bag of petite peas will cost $1.19, and a 16-ounce bag of frozen chopped spinach costs $1.29.
CANNED TUNA. Solid white albacore or chunk light in water is great for sandwiches, casseroles, salads or served straight-up with crackers. One serving (3 ounces) provides about 500 milligrams of Omega-3 fatty acids. Price per serving: About 62 cents. You can buy a 6-ounce can for about $1.25, or a 12-ounce can for about $2.57 (on sale).
2-Meatless Meals: When I first married, I had a pasta entree at least once or twice a week. Great food and great financial savings! Then, my husband went on a diet where carbs were considered evil. So, the last 8 years, pasta has been served less in my home. This year, 2009, is going to be the year, pasta and rice re-appear in moderation. Why? Meatless meals, like pasta and veggies, is an excellent source of nutrition for less money. Spaghetti is always a great stand-by, but I like to mix pasta, fresh veggies, a small amount of fat free mayonnaise, and some salad dressing (for flavor). With Mary’s ideas above, I can add tuna occasionally and even have an entree with meat!
3-I’ve written many times about Aldi’s grocery store chain. As many families search for economical food, be sure you go to www.aldi.com to find an Aldi’s near you. In Northern VA, this is one of the least expensive food venues!
4-What can you do with your junk mail (besides shredding it upon opening—be sure you destroy your mailing address, etc.)? Take the envelopes and use them! A couple of options I’ve found helpful are to use them to hold photos during an evening when you’re organizing your pictures in albums or to use them as scratch paper (for phone messages or keeping score during family game times). Another idea is to use them to hold coupons in your purse. See, there is a bright side to that junk mail!
EXCURSIONS
This past weekend, my family enjoyed the City of Fairfax Chocolate Festival. Events were free and we enjoyed a fun family outing. As retailers and tourist stops seek to draw people this Spring, be on the look out for free festivals. Mark your calendar for the first weekend in February 2010 to visit Fairfax’s Chocolate Festival.
Check out your local town’s calendar for other free events ranging from health fairs to craft shows to air shows. Some historical sites offer a special day where you can enter the museum or home for free. Call and ask. Battlefields are a fun family outing because you learn history, often view a museum or movie about the battle, and can have plenty of room to walk/hike or throw a frisbie. As you plan your monthly family outings, you might find you can have a year of excursions with little cost to you.
If you have a frugal idea, I’d love to hear from you. Please use the link at this website to share your thoughts.
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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.
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Joy! Michele