The great depression

There is a big article today in the paper on the great depression. For lots of people I think it's sometimes a fantasy. Something that happened centuries ago or something like that. In truth it really wasn't that long ago and you would think after how devastating it was that lesson would have lasted far longer than it did. I talk to people about downsizing, but it seems to be something that is impossible for most. I know there have been many times I've thought I'm not going to go back to living like that. Lot's of people have said that it can't last, but I think the fact that they dropped the prime rate to almost nothing is an indication that not only can it last, but it will for far longer than we want to imagine. I mentioned the other day to a friend of mine that it's time to get rid of luxuries and start living a simpler lifestyle. She said there isn't that many to get rid of, but I think there are. I started paying more attention to my mom lately and her stories. Stories of eating conrmeal mush, and watered down potato soup. I remember my grandmother talking about buying bologna and grinding it up and adding mayo and pimento to stretch it out farther. Can you imagine? I never had cable until about 10 years ago. We just watched the regular channels. There are many things we take for granted as normal when in reality they are luxuries.
Now I'm not saying to get rid of everything. That way of living always leads to binge spending. But I do think we all need to look at what we can truly do without or do ourselves rather than paying someone else to do it, because I do think it's going to get worse, a lot worse than it is already. My goal for starting this blog was to truly work on the crown principals to financial freedom. So far I have never made it past step one. I'm determined to do better next year. It's not a resolution, just a determination to change the way I am living and start moving in the direction I want to be, which is financially free. I will be posting starting next month on my progress on my money map. You can find more details on the money map at www.crown.org
It changed a lot of the way we were doing things but we still have a lot to work on. My friend Maureen once said that people do not want to change until the pain of not changing is greater. I think that's true. The debt causes me great pain, and I want to be free of it. For my friends that are reading this, I hope you will encourage me next year as I struggle and pray for my success.

amazon toy sale

Amazon.com is having a really impressive toy sale with as much as 70% off. The sales change daily so don't wait if you want something. This includes arts and craft stuff great for homeschooling with a pretty neat microscope for the young beginner. Check the toy outlet section.

Spices/Seasonings

I was looking through my spices today to see what I have on hand as I begin the christmas cookie baking. I got a little irritated when I found 4 duplicates on the shelves. One of them I will use as I use it a lot but the rest no way. I don't even know what I bought coriander for let alone two of them! So I gave one to my mom and started organizing them. I then decided to find out how old they were and how long they are supposed to last. Here is what I discovered.
Ground spices last 2-3 years
Whole spices 3-4 years
seasoning blends 1-2 years
Herbs 1-3 years
Extracts 4 years.

If you have anything in a tin can it's at least 15 years old. (Had one of those)
If it is from Baltimore it is at least 15 years old. (Had one of those)

Shows how often I look through my spices. The good news is, the stores usually do half price sales around this time, not to mention you can get a lot of stuff at Dollar tree or the 99cent store.

Btw, you know you have too much time on your hands if you are organizing your spices!

Freebies

Walgreens

Scotch Magic or gift wrap tape 2 for $2
$2 easy saver rebate
Final price free

Reynolds wrap .99 with ad coupon
$1 coupon
Final price free

Kelloggs cereals $1.99
$1 coupon
Final price .99

Both Rite Aid and Walgreens have the Bayer countour glucose monitor for free.

That's it for this week

Update:
Walgreens has tons of in ad coupons for christmas stuff. Looks good.

help GI's phone home

Purchase phone cards for GI's to phone home during the holidays. Or you can puchase care packages also.
www.uso.org

We are not freezing!

Well I have had no work for 3 going on 4 weeks now. It has been very stressful to say the least. The good news is we are not freezing! My awesome husband got our fireplace insert that was given to us going tonight. It is downright hot in my house right now and we are using no pg&e we can't afford. HaHa. It feels good to not worry about that right now. Not to mention, thanks to the grant we were given by the county, they are coming in the morning to trim the trees and take a couple of dead ones down so that will give us some more firewood. God is continuing to provide for our needs in so many ways. I don't know how we are going to pay for our medical insurance yet, but I'm feeling confident that God will provide. I don't think my house has ever been this warm in the entire time I have lived in it. Wow, it feels good!

Matthew 6:25-27
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or
about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the
body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or
reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not
much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to
his life?

This weeks freebies

Walgreens
Colgate toothbrush or total toothpaste $2.99
$2 register rewards
$1.50 coupon www.colgate.com
Final price .49 profit

Reach ultra clean dental care 2/$6
$6 register rewards
Final price free or a profit if you have coupons

Rite Aid:
24 hour timer or 6 outlet surge protector $5
$5 rebate
Final price Free

Phillips ear buds $4.99
$4.99 rebate
Final price Free

Gillette Fusion razor $9
$5 rebate
$4 coupon in last sundays paper
Final price Free

There are also 2 diabetic meters you can get for free and donate.

Double coupons at Kmart

For one week only Kmart will be giving double coupons. It looks like from the internet they will double up to $2 but it's hard to read the ad. I'm on my way there now so I'll give an update later. Remember think donations. This is a great way to buy stuff that is greatly needed in shelters like toothpaste. Have Fun!

Update:
Ok, so they will double the coupons up to $2 but if your coupon is more than that they are only giving the face value. They will not honor internet coupons. You can only use 4 of the same coupon at a time, and a total of 75 coupons per trip. The no internet coupon thing really irritates me. There is a way for them to make sure you are not photcopying them, but rather than training their checkers they just decided to not honor them. Grrrr. Oh well, at least they still did the double coupon deal. Here is how I did after coupons.
Zest .39
Oil of Olay Free
Tampax 1.49
Dep hair gel .49
Cat treat Free
Pledge .50
Lipton noodles and sauce .50
BBQ sauce .99
I saved 28.52 off my bill. Not too bad. I was hoping to do better but the no internet coupon thing killed me.

Contentment

My friend Amy got me thinking this morning on spending. I started looking for a biblical perspective on this. I didn't find anything other than staying within your budget and giving to others. There is a lot of discontent when it comes to spending and society has encouraged us to buy it anyway on credit even if you can't afford it. We are never satisfied with what we have because there is always something new and better out there. Ken told me that he used to dream of a 32 inch tv. Well that is what we have, but he isn't satisfied with it. Now he wants one of those flat screen tv's as big as he can get it. I just want to be satisfied with what I have. I'm tired of wanting something new because it's better than what I have. I don't want to need a new computer every year, or a new car, or a new whatever. While I appreciate how everything improves I'm just sick of spending. God has provided well for me and I would like to be content with what he has supplied. Is finding contentment even possible in this world? Well as my friend Amy so succintly said, "I'm pretty sure I won't find it at the mall." Here is what Crown has to say on contentment. Contentment is so far removed from many Christians that it seems that they will never be able to find it or be at peace. However, contentment is not something that must be searched for and found. It is an attitude of the heart. Once the attitude has been modified and all has been transferred to God, contentment will be evident.
For the full article go to www.crown.org and search for contentment.

Back from the trenches

Well it was another crazy shopping day as usual, although not as bad this year. The economy is definitely taking a toll. There were far fewer people this year, and there were lots of stuff left over. For the first time ever one of the walmart employees told me they were still honoring the black friday price if there was any leftovers after it ended. My best deals were Walgreens, They paid me to buy some toothpaste, and deodorant. Plus I got paper plates, napkins, and 2 dozen eggs for $3 total. My best gift deals for christmas shopping were $29.99 for a $99 set of pots and pans for my son from Macys, and $29 for the $79.99 fly fusion pentop computer for my other son from Target. Awesome deals! I only spend a third of what I usually spend this year which was great and the other great part is I'm totally done shopping too. Some of the gifts are very small but I'm just not going to let myself feel bad about it. I can't go through another christmas in total debt. That makes me feel even worse. Besides, some of my best christmas memories are from handmade gifts I used to give as a kid like a tin full of my uncles favorite homemade cookies. I can still see him popping one in his mouth instantly with such a look of pleasure on his face. I remember a particularly awful christmas one year when I could only buy my kids things from dollar tree. My son Josh commented it was the best christmas he ever had. I can't tell you how much I cried that day, but my kids were totally satisfied. For years I have made up for that awful christmas by buying more than I could afford. I have to stop this. My kids are ok, and I know they do not want me to be in debt. Christmas is not about absolving my guilt. This year I will spend my time with my eyes on Jesus where it should be, and my bank account intact.

Romans 13:8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

Feeling blessed

Well the economy tragedy has hit me personally now. I knew it was a matter of time before I started seeing these types of patients. I admitted a man this morning who had diabetes. He lost his job a couple of months ago, his wife left him when he lost his job, and he became homeless. While living in his car or off of his friends generosity one of his feet became infected. It looks like the infection is in the bone so they will be removing his foot today. My heart just breaks for him. I couldn't help feeling so blessed that in spite of the bad economy we still have a home to go to, and health insurance in the event we get sick. Yes, we are struggling right now, but God has blessed us and taken care of us. I know He is with us and helping us with our difficulties. So today I am truly thankful and feeling blessed that my family is with me, and we are all healthy.

Yes, I'm thankful

I have been spending a lot of time thinking about what it was like when I was really poor, and what I'm thankful for. I really wasn't unhappy being poor either, and life was sure a lot simpler than it is now. There are a few things though I'm grateful I don't have to do anymore.
I'm thankful I don't have to go to the dump anymore to get rid of my trash.
I'm thankful I don't have to go to the laundromat
I'm thankful I have more than one channel to watch on tv
I'm thankful for central air and heating and not just a woodstove.
I'm thankful I don't have to ride the bus.
I'm thankful I don't have to buy clothes at goodwill or yardsales unless I want to.
I'm thankful I don't have to buy my toiletries at the swapmeet.
I'm thankful I have mail delivery at my house.
I'm thankful I have a stove and not just a hotplate and a toaster oven.
I haven't been working much lately, but I do have a lot to be thankful for. God has always taken care of my needs, and I know he will continue to do so.

Black Friday

Well the ads are out for all the Black Friday shoppers. I look forward to this every year as the bargains are fantastic. They have a great website I found this year with all the Black Friday ads for all the stores. www.tgiblackfriday.com. It looks like I have to work so I won't do much this year. I haven't been working anyway so it's not like we have lots of money. Good thing I planned to spend within my budget!

Shop smarter

There was an article in the Fresno Bee on last Thursday on shopping smarter for food. It had some interesting contrasts to most of the usual advice. It actually advised going to the store more frequently so you aren't stuck there for a long time. I found that interesting. I like to go to the store, but I know lots of people don't, so I guess for the people who don't this will work better than the weekly or monthly shopping. They do admit that this choice takes more time though.
It did say to stick to a list, and to plan your meals and to plan around the stuff you already have on hand. Ok, that sounds good so far. It mentioned $2 per serving recipes on pamperedchef.com Thanksgiving recipes less than $1 a serving at gotmilk.com, and the federal government recipe collecton at recipefinder.nal.usda.gov. (I had no idea they had that!) Another surprise is they recommend driving around to different stores. Now that surprised me with the price of gas, you must be kidding, although I suppose it's better now. They say it won't cost extra gasoline if you choose retailers that are part of your normal routine. My friend Amy mentioned a store recently that she stops at as part of her normal routine. I don't have a normal routine so that wouldn't work for me. I never know where I am going to be.
He gave some local advice which is nice. Grocery Outlet has organic food, and beginning in January the Ashlan and Blackstone store will begin carrying fresh meat. They recommend Asian markets for produce. Organic produce can be found at Farmers markets and the Vineyard on Shaw and Blackstone is a great source. They also recommend the produce at Food Maxx on Blackstone and Barstow. Another recommendation was trying some of the ethic stores like Bertos meat market, Lindas Seafood market, Louie Kee market for weekly meat specials, King poultry live and fresh chicken. Vallarta market has the freshest chile's. Whole Foods Market offers a value tour and they have a one day one item sale every Wednesday.
I think it's so interesting that everywhere you look there are articles and advice to help you save. Mostly it's about groceries though. I wish there was something that could magically cut my utility bill in half besides not using it!

Free Dr. Pepper today only

Today is the day to get your free Dr. Pepper coupon. Go to the Dr. Pepper website and fill out a form and your coupon will come in the mail. The website is running a little slow but I did it eventually.

Here are the Free's until next Sunday.

Walgreens
Colgate total advance toothpaste $3.49
$3.49 register rewards
$1 coupon
Either Free or $1 profit.

Russel Stover private reserve oval tin $7.99
Buy 2 and get $10 easy saver rebate
B1G1F coupon in last weeks paper
Final price $6 or with coupon Free with $2 profit.

Rite Aid
Garnier Fructis Shampoo or conditioner $2.99
$2.99 rebate valid only on purchase on 11/28
$1 coupon
Final price free or $1 profit

Phillips universal 3 device remote $4.99
$4.99 rebate valid only on purchase on 11/23-11/29
Final Price Free

GE 6 power strip outlet $5
$5 rebate
Final price Free

There will be a lot more of this to come. Remember This Friday is Black Friday and if you are brave enough to go out at 4am there are lots of great deals. This Thursdays newspaper will be the biggest one of the year. Read your ads carefully and do your rebates promptly as they are usually very short lived.

more frees

Walgreens

Almay one coat mascara $6.99
$6.99 rebate
Final Price Free

Rite Aid
St. Ives apricot scrub or elements $4.99
$4.99 rebate
$2 coupon www.stives.com
Final price free or $2 profit

Grants and blessings

I spent a lot of time this summer looking for a grant to replace my 40 year old air conditioner. I never did find a grant for that but I did find one for the 23 year old roof on my house that needs to be replaced. Crown recommends keeping a fund for stuff that you know you will replace, but of course I did not know this when we bought the house 20 years ago. Why doesn't someone give you a manual when you buy a house? The housing authority has some grant money available for certain areas in Fresno County for their revitalization program. Finally living in the tower district has it's perks! They guarantee they will start the work on or before December 8th, so hopefully it won't rain too much before that. I have had multiple repairs on the roof in the last 12 years. When it began leaking again last year everyone that looked at it flat out refused to fix it. I finally begged someone to do another repair but he told me it would only last a year and the year is up. I can't tell you what a blessing this is for us. Not to mention they will do some other repairs that we desperately needed. We even got to pick the color of the roof! That was too funny. Personally I could care less what color it is as long as I don't spend every day that it rains anxiously looking at the ceiling. Today we found out we could get the plumbing leak we have under the house covered as well so now I don't need to worry about how we were going to pay for that too. I may have spent the last two weeks barely working, but God is still taking care of our needs. So many people have blessed us this year with what we needed. When we refinanced our house this year it basically was only enough to pay for the legal fees to get the title released to me. (Long divorce story) I was really upset, disappointed, and anxious about what we were going to do about the rest of it. God has shown us the path to doing absolutely everything that we wanted to do when we refinanced except replacing the air conditioner and the windows but neither of them were really necessities anyway, just wishes. Somehow we replaced Ken's car that just died, repainted the house, repaired our fence, got a new roof, repaired the structure damage to the garage, fixed our plumbing, trimmed and removed trees, and new grass to the backyard. All of this cost us about 1/4th of what it should have. Not to mention we were able to bless at least two other people that we know of with work when they desperately needed it. How awesome is that? In the book debt free living by Larry Burkett there are many stories by others who had desperate situations with money. They began living their lives according to Gods principles and received many blessings as a result. I read that book and it truly inspired me. I never expected it to happen to me, but it did. I am overwhelmed with how much God loves me and cares for me, particularly when I didn't feel my needs were worthy enough for His notice. I began this blog because I was feeling discouraged with how I was doing on my own money map, but as I'm writing this I am realizing how truly blessed I have been, and I'm now feeling truly inspired for the coming year.

Thanksgiving planning

The sales are beginning at the grocery stores for the holidays. I went to Winco today and got a 15lb turkey for under $5. It is 30cents a pound when you buy $25 worth of groceries. Vons is giving a turkey for $4.88 with $25 worth of groceries or Save Mart is giving a free one when you buy $100 worth of groceries. Personally I don't think it's worth it to shop there. According to my mom the previous butcher turkeys that are 16 to 20 pounds are a waste of money. The reason why is that there is more bone per pound than meat. You should figure 1 pound per person to determine the size of the turkey. I'm planning to buy more turkeys to cook throughout the year for lunchmeat. Far better and cheaper than the deli stuff. Thanksgiving isn't too expensive if you make your own stuff. Personally I love to make my own stuff. I even make pumpkin pie from the pumpkin itself. Squash is in season so you can buy all kinds of great stuff to make that's really inexpensive. Now if only the weather would catch up to these winter dishes!

Cutting grocery costs

Cut grocery costs

How does saving more than $1,000 per year on groceries sound? With a little planning, it's easy. Trim just $25 per week from your food bill and you'll net $1,300 by the end of the year. Here's how:

1. Eat out of your pantry. Take an inventory of what's lying around and plan meals around those items. You'll not only get rid of lingering groceries, you'll reduce your shopping list for the week.

2. Get in and out quickly. Statistics show that after 30 minutes of shopping, you'll spend 50 cents for each additional minute you're in the store. Stick to your list and you'll save about $60 a month.

3. Know your prices. Keep a list of the items you buy often and their cost. You'll know when you're getting a bargain.

4. Buy sale items. Build your grocery list around sale products. If one of your nonperishable household staples (such as canned goods) is on special, buy extra.

5. Use coupons. Clip coupons in store flyers, newspapers and magazines and at Web sites such as www.coupons.com, www.valpak.com and www.coupons.smartsource.com.

6. Choose generic. Trim 10 percent off your bill with store brands; they're often the same as name brands where it matters--inside the box.

7. Shop less. Shopping monthly, not weekly, at warehouse clubs can save you more than $2,000 a year.

8. Shop seasonally. Fruits and veggies taste better--and are often cheaper--when they're in season. Substitute frozen or canned varieties for out-of-season produce.

9. Find a bakery outlet. Pay $1 for a loaf of bread instead of $3. Outlets generally don't sell outdated goods, so bread won't go bad any sooner than a grocery store loaf would.

10. Check your receipt. Cashiers can make mistakes that cost you money, so look over your receipt before leaving the store.


Bonus tip

Plan your meals: Draw up a weekly menu and grocery list. You'll save time and money by making your shopping more targeted and efficient.

stockpiling

I came across this article the other day. I love to stockpile items for later. Particularly when times are hard like right now, and when Derrick says mom I need some paper, I pull out the notebook paper I bought on sale for 9 cents. When Ken and I got married I had at least a two year supply of soap. He thought it was weird until he saw me shop. Soap for free? Yes that is what I paid or at least close to it. I can remember buying dish soap for 19 cents a bottle. When Powerade came out they put out a free coupon. I went down to the Fresno Bee that day and dug as many coupons out of their trash I could find. We had Powerade for months and we didn't spend one penny on it. Sometimes buying only what you need can take on a different meaning. The lady at the store thought I was crazy when I bought 20 bottles of dishsoap, but I knew I needed it. Not like you aren't going to wash dishes for the rest of your life and 19 cents is far better than 1.99. Below is some great advice on Stockpiling.

Since the economy began heading south this year, the shopping advice from local and national media has been “try not to buy more than you need at one time” which makes me cringe every time I hear it.

While it may seem counter-intuitive to shop for something you don’t need and buy a boatload of it, if you’re buying an item at its rock bottom price and you can stock up on it, then you won’t have to buy it later at full price.

The key to this strategy? Add one or two sale items a week that weren’t on your list that you’ll likely use anyway. Use coupons to sweeten the deal and buy as many as you can at that price. Today at Target, 150-sheet lined notebook paper was on clearance for .12 cents each. Needless to say, at a savings of 88% off full retail, I bought enough paper for the kids that I won’t need to buy it again for several years. I’ll toss it in a Rubbermaid tub and pull it out when we need it.

As you begin to shop this way, keep a few things in mind:

How much can I budget on building my stockpile each week? Take a percentage of what you currently spend and reallocate it to shopping for long-term-use deals.
Will my family use up the product before it expires? My kids go through one jar of peanut butter a week, so when I can get it for less than .50 cents per jar, I buy at least 52 jars to get me through a whole year.
Do I have room to store these items in a way that makes sense? An investment in storage totes, shelving and a deep freezer can help you save in the long term.
If you can incorporate this tactic into your personal shopping routine, you might spend a little more at first, but ultimately, it will reduce your groceries costs more each month. A few years of shopping this way, I’ve cut our grocery bill down to about $200 a month. My family could live off the products stored in the garage for several months if we ever came on tough times. And best of all, I can take the money we save and use it somewhere else.

Love of money

The Scripture teaches that money is not the solution to money problems. In fact, it says that whoever loves money never has enough, and that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Money problems are heart problems and can only be solved by a change of heart initiated by repentance (see 2 Chronicles 7:13-14).

I received this the other day and I have been thinking about it a lot. When I was dirt poor I used to believe that if I had more money things would be better. I craved the ability to get credit cards. I wanted nice things that I couldn't afford. No surprise that when I started making literally double what I used to make I still had money problems. As christmas approaches I am determined to change my heart and repent on spending above my means. I am determined to enjoy the holidays and not spend the following year paying for it or working ridiculous hours in order to have more money to spend. I will spend this year with my eyes on God and not on how many gifts are under the tree. I think I already feel less stress!

This weeks freebies

Walgreens
Colgate toothpaste $2.49
$1 easy saver booklet coupon
$1.50 coupon on www.colgate.com
Final price Free

Clabber girl cornstarch
2/$1 in ad coupon
$1/2 coupon in last sundays paper
Final price 2 Free

Progresso soup
4/$5 in ad coupon
$1 and $2 coupon off 4 on www.tinyurl.com/3oc9x5
Final price as low as .05

Energizer rechargeable battery $7.99
$5 easy saver coupon
$2 coupon on package
Final price .99

Reach Crystal clean toothbrush $1.79
.99 in ad coupon
buy one get one free
Final price 2/.19

election day freebies

After you vote today run by starbucks and get your free coffee, then you can proceed to chick fil a's and get your free chicken sandwich. Then you can drop by wendys for your free jr. Frosty. If you still have room after that run over to ben and jerrys between 5 and 8 and get your free ice cream cone. If you are lucky enough to still have a krisy creme you can get a free donut. Happy voting today!

Attention Kmart Shoppers!

Kmart in other parts of the world where they still have a super K have been doing several double coupon events, except California of course. Many people, (including me of course) have been writing to Kmart asking them to extend this to our neck of the woods. I'm happy to report the day is coming! On Nov. 30 to Dec 6 our Kmart will be giving double coupons.
What this means?
Get out your coupons everyone. The goal is to get as much as possible for free or as little as possible. Don't limit this to what you yourself will use. Cut out every coupon you can find and think donations. Financial problems are at an all time high with shelters bursting at the seams. You can donate all the toothpaste, shampoo,diapers, etc. you can get your hands on. How this works? Usually you will match your coupon up with the sale items first. If it's on sale it is already less money making doubling even better. Check Kmarts policy on coupons too. Most will only double to one dollar and some limit how many coupons you can use that are the same. Example: three $1 coupons on Cheerios. They will only double to the price of the item, so lets say you have a $1 coupon and the cost is $1.50, you will only get $1.50. After you do the sale items then match your coupons with the smallest item in order to get the most out of your double coupon. I can't wait! There hasn't been double coupons here in years. Do I hear a blue light special calling..........

Voters: Free ice cream tomorrow

Go to Ben and Jerrys with your I voted sticker between 5-8pm and get your free ice cream cone. Happy Voting!

College

According to the newspaper when the economy is bad, people entering college goes up. I guess that is true because I am currently taking a class right now to complete my degree. College can be free or really cheap. Almost everyone qualifies for the Board of Governors grant or the Pell Grant making tuition free at city college. My money saving technique for books almost always works, unless the instructor has written their own book for the course. I go to the college as soon as the book list is out and get the isbn number inside the textbook, then I contact the instructor and ask if the previous years addition will be ok. There are very little changes from year to year generally so you aren't missing much. You can buy the previous years additon used off the internet for practically nothing making your investment very little. If you ever need anything from the newest additon you can always go to the library at the college and look it up. Of course you can always just use the library book althogether and pay nothing. You could also take the class with someone buy one book and split the cost. You could even do something fun like take a swimming class. So far I have never taken a class for pleasure but you know what, the swimming class would cost me nothing compared to my gym membership that I pay $35 a month for. Wow, that's a lot of money per year I could be saving, not to mention you kind of have to show up if it's a class! Shhh. Don't tell my husband!

More frees, great coupons, discounted newpaper

Holidays are the best time for coupons. Todays coupons were awesome! I found a website where you can get a discount on the Fresno Bee right now for Thursday thru Sunday for about the same price I pay now for the Sunday only paper. www.discountednewspapers.com

Here are the Frees for this week:

Walgreens:
Glade wisp flameless candle $5.99
$2 easy saver catalog
$3 coupon in todays paper
$5 pink peelie on package
Combine the easy saver catalog coupon with one of the others
Final price .99 or $1.01 profit

Natures Bounty vitamins $3.99 on sale Buy one get one free
$2 coupon www.naturesbounty.com
Use two coupons and possibly get two free

L'oreal age perfect procalcium radiance protector $19.99
$19.99 rebate
$1 coupon www.loreal.com
Final price free with $1 profit

Rite Aid:
SoyJoy single serve nutritional bars 10/$5
$5 rebate
Final price free

Gum toothbrush $1.99
$1.99 rebate
Final price free

Both stores have glucose monitors for free. Think donations for people who can't afford them.

Show up, Lord

I received this email the other day. I have prayed for this many times, although sometimes the outcome is far different from what I was expecting! I'm trying to work overtime right now to catch up on some bills from when my mom was in the hospital and also to pay back Ken's parents for the help they gave us during the crisis. My shift was cancelled today at the hospital. When you are desperately trying to work and then you can't get any work all you can do is pray for God to show up and take care of it. I'm sure there is a reason I am at home today. If nothing else I will go to church instead which is nice since I have missed a lot of it lately. Last week I worked until 6pm and was sent home early so I got to go to church. Maybe that is my message, He wants me in church right now, and will show me how to take care of the finances without skipping church to do it. Please God, show up today and show me the plans you have for me.


Show Up, Lord


Ah Lord GOD! . . . Nothing is too difficult for You.
Jeremiah 32:17

How many times have you prayed for God to "show up"--that He would reveal His purpose and power and presence in an unmistakable way?

Some people might say, "Aw, that's just the way Christians talk. No one really expects God to 'show up' or do anything." Well, it's not just talk if God can actually do it. Look at the context for today's verse:

Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The LORD of hosts is His name; great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds
(Jeremiah 32:17-19).

This passage tells me that God can break through the most desperate situations in your lives and transform them into trophies of His grace. He can intervene in the lives of your friends and family members--even those who are running hard from Him right now--and turn their whole world around.

Sometimes we grow weary of praying for God to act. When an answer to prayer doesn't immediately come, we can become impatient. We're tempted to quit after a while. But never misjudge God's silence as inactivity. He is working and waiting for the right time to show up, to leave no doubt that He's the One who makes all the difference (see also Isaiah 64:4).

Persevere in prayer.

Rite Aid Free stuff today only

I meant to post this sooner. Rite Aid has a bunch of stuff you can get for free or even a profit. Today only. The rebates cover most if not all of the cost and if you have coupons for the products you may even make a profit!

Kotex
Suave Lotion
L'oreal age perfect radiance perfector tinted moisturizer
Citre shine miracle, shine mist, pomade, gloss gelee, miracle serum, and aerosol serum.
Charles Worthington Dream hair shampoo or conditioner.
Oral B artica toothbrush
Dentaburst teeth cleaners
Axe shower gel
GE power souce 6 strip outlet
GE indoor extention cords
Sally Hansen lip treatment
Adidas deodorant, body wash, or body spray.

dr. pepper update

On nov. 23 go to www.drpepper.com to get your free 20oz dr pepper.

Dr. Pepper

I read in the paper today that Dr. Pepper will be giving a free soda on 11/23. Something to do with a long standing joke they had with guns n roses. I'll keep an eye out for this one.

Free taco report

Zach and I went around to taco bell yesterday. We ended up with 7 free tacos. Yes, we spent a little gas, but it was fun to spend time with my son. He ate 6 of the tacos too! I doubt we saved any money, but I find having my kids in the car with me a great time for us to talk and connect. So even though we probably broke even on the cost, the time with my son was priceless.
This is part of an email I got today. It made me feel good about yesterday.

The sobering truth is that you can be in the same house or the same gym with your children but be clueless about what's really going on in their lives. Yet connecting can be something as simple as walking into each child's bedroom, sitting down and asking a few questions. It can be a quick outing for a milkshake or a hamburger. It can be stepping out on the porch together on a Sunday afternoon, just to check his or her plans for the week or ask if he or she needs to talk, to let your child know you're there to listen.

When you pursue this kind of heart-to-heart relationship with your children, you're actually following God's example. Wouldn't it be wonderful (someday) if your kids could say of you, "My parents have 'searched me and known me.' They know not just 'when I sit down and when I rise up,' but they also 'understand my thought' and are 'intimately acquainted' with who I am and what I'm like"?
That's the definition of an involved parent. Not just watching how well they turn a somersault.
I hope that Zach says that about me someday.

Articles

I worked a lot this weekend so I had the opportunity to read some magazines while I was at lunch. Almost every magazine has money saving tips in it now. Some are really great while others not so great. It's easy to see why we have so many problems with money. One article I read was about finding money. It started off good suggesting you turn in all the gold you might have in your house for money. Then there were several more suggestions on how to borrow. Borrowing is never a good idea. Jesus calls for us to be free from bondage, and debt is bondage. Bondage leads to ruin and destruction. Boy do I know that one. I'm still cleaning up the mess of debt from my previous marriage twelve years ago. I'm getting closer to the end of it but as you can see it has been a very long time. I have learned a lot from this lesson and continue to learn still.
I read another great article on an experiment a man and his family did on not spending any money for a month, other than essentials for housing, utilities, and food. Everything else like eating out, parking, clothing, toiletries, internet, and even gasoline were off limits. They even had a plumbing crisis in the middle of it but rather than calling a plumber for an expensive repair he borrowed the neighbors internet and repaired it for ten cents. (He says the look on his wifes face when he actually fixed it was priceless!) At the end of the experiment they save two thousand dollars and donated the money. Most of us have far more than what we need. I am evaluating myself what we really need and what we don't. Could you take the no spending challenge?

sticking to the plan

I'm spending a lot of time reviewing the spending plan and reading the crown materials. Ken and I also use the mvelopes program from crown that is attached to all of our accounts. Sticking to the plan is hard. Breaking old bad habits is hard. It takes a lot of discipline and time. I often find myself spending money that I shouldn't because I'm tired and I haven't kept track of where it is supposed to go. One thing I do that I wish I didn't is that I will often buy lunch at work because I am too tired to prepare something to take with me because I didn't have time to plan ahead. It is expensive to do that even at the hospital where food is less than fast food. My goal right now is to try to plan ahead for lunches so I can stick to the plan. I'm praying every day to just stick to the plan.
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it. 2Timothy:14

10 steps to get out of debt

Howard Dayton’s 10 Steps to Getting Out of Debt
by Crown Financial Ministries


1. Pray. Ask the Lord's guidance toward "D-Day" – debtless day. As you eliminate debt, the Lord blesses your faithfulness.

2. Establish a written budget. This helps with planning ahead and seeing where you can cut back.

3. List assets. Consider each item -- furniture, cars, etc. -- and determine whether you should sell any assets.

4. List liabilities. Most people don't know exactly how much they owe. A list of liabilities gives you an accurate picture of your current financial position.

5. Establish a debt repayment schedule for each creditor. Decide which ones to pay off first.

6. Consider earning additional income. Pay off debts with additional earnings.

7. Accumulate no new debt. Start pay for everything with cash.

8. Be content with what you have. Limit television watching and magazine reading. The more you watch, the more you spend. The more you look at magazines, the more you spend.

9. Consider a radical change in lifestyle. Temporarily reduce cost-of-living expenses.

10. Don't give up! Getting out of debt is hard work, but freedom from debt is worth the struggle.

Free tacos

Taco Bell is giving out free tacos on Tues Oct 28 from 2 pm to 6 pm because of a stolen base in the World Series.

Top 3 budget boosters

This is a good time to call the phone company, cell phone company, cable, satellite, etc. Find out what you can do to reduce yours costs. I call the phone company often as they are constantly lowering their fees. I changed cell companies and saved over $300 a year with better service! We needed a new roof on our house and I found a grant available with Fresno County. We should be receiving our new roof in a few weeks! Check out the link below for the top 3 budget boosters.

http://www.moneylife.org/2008/10/top-3-budget-bo.html

Free Haircut

Read about the new free haircut offer on SMPs of Herbal Essences. You have to buy 2 bottles, then enter the codes on-line, then print a redemption form. Mail the redemption form along with CRTs toHerbal Essences HairCut Offerc/o TLC Marketing1 Faneuil Hall Marketplace 4th FloorBoston, MA 02109A voucher will be mailed to you with a list of participating salons. Limit 2 vouchers per household. Expires 6/30/09.

Great deals Oct 19-25/2008

Walgreens Oct 19-25/2008
L'oreal cleanser 6.99
6.99 easy saver rebate (easy saver rebate booklet available in the store)
$1 coupon http://www.loreal.com/
Final price $1 profit

One touch glucose monitor $29.99
$29.99 rebate in box
Final Price FREE

Alka Seltzer plus cold original flavor only $4.99
$4.99 register reward (coupon given after purchase)
Final price FREE

Oral B cross action pro health or vitalizer toothbrush $4.49
$4.49 in register rewards
Final Price FREE

Pert Plus shampoo $3.49
$2.50 easy saver coupon
$1 coupon http://www.pertplus.com/
Final Price FREE

Rite Aid
Digital converter box with remote $40
If you applied for and received the government issued coupon this deal is Free with the remote. Awesome deal as the coupon usually just covers the converter box.

coupons/rebates

Did your mom ever cut out coupons? Mine did, so it has always been a part of my life. I get the sunday paper every week just for the coupons. (Well I do read it sometimes) Coupons has always dictated what food we had, what toothpaste we used etc. Why pay full price if you don't have to. Yes it takes a little time, but I think it's worth it. It frees up money you can use/give elsewhere. When Ken and I met I saved an average of 60% off my grocery bill. He could not belive it. Yes, I spent two hours at the grocery store, but I believed the results were worth it. It is a little harder now due to the end of double coupons in the central valley, but it is still possible to get really good deals. Walgreens has become my new favorite store. Every week there are many items to get totally free. You can do the same at Rite Aid and Longs, although their deals are a little harder to do and less plentiful. Since groceries are one of the only areas where you have some flexibility on what you spend I'm determined to make the most of it. We have had to totally revise our budget/spending plan due to the price of gas which has brought me back to coupons and rebates. I'm sorry I ever left it. I had forgotton how much fun it is to buy things for free. My kids love it because they never know what to expect. You also find new recipes based on what you come home with that have become real favorites. There is a great website http://www.refundcents.com/ that for a small fee you can learn about money saving deals daily. I will share the best ones, but I really encourage you to try it out. I have been able to save at least 2-3 thousand a year with coupons and rebates. Not a small amount. When I was doing this full time I literally received a check in the mail daily from rebates. Very often that was what we used to put gas in the car, or the free stuff became birthday or christmas gifts. Wouldn't it be nice to give the money you save or the items you get to others? You won't even miss it as you are spending it now anyway. It's a great way to be able to contribute, as if you did read the papers ,the homeless shelters and the womens shelters are bursting at the seams due to the economy.
When we give to the poor, the Lord will protect us, answer our prayers, and bless us with His joy. Isaiah 58:6-11

A beginning

Ken and I had another conversation about money last night. Wouldn't it be nice to never worry about money or have a need to talk about it ever again? Money is something I have struggled with my entire life. My parents never talked about money, and I never knew if we had any, if there were any problems, what they did with it, etc. I had an allowance for a short period of time in my early years but after my parents divorced that was the end of it. I was a saver in the beginning, always saving up for things I wanted. Then as money became tight for my mother I didn't have an allowance anymore so I skipped lunch at school so I could have some money. Sometimes I used my bus money for things and hitchhiked or walked instead. When I started working I had no idea what to do with such large amounts of money so I would tend to spend it all as soon as I got it. Later when I ended up on welfare with my own baby I learned more about budgeting out of necessity or we would be homeless. I still had no idea how to figure out how much rent I could afford in order to have money for other things. I did become an expert at finding money to pay for things I needed and resources for other stuff we needed. Eventually I went to school, became a nurse, and became self supporting. Sort of. I still had no idea what to do with money. My life has been one big crisis with money. When we had it we spent it, and when we didn't, we suffered. I made a conscious decision one day to get control of my money. I started reading lots of books to try to figure it out. One book said she guaranteed that we were spending $1,000 a month more than we thought we were. We laughed histerically until we added it up. A sobering $1,200. That explained why we never had any money even though we have a decent income. We attended a workshop on becoming financially free by Crown ministries. What a relief to find out we were not complete idiots, just bad planners. We are trying hard to be better planners. I'd like to say we have it all figured out and we have no more money problems, but we don't. We are still trying, but I would like to share what we have learned in hopes that others will benefit from it as things are very difficult right now in this economy. I hope that others will share with us also so we may encourage each other to reach our final destination of becoming financially free. I encourage everyone to start out with Crown ministries Money Map. It is a free program on their website you can sign up for. In destination one there is a guideline for starting a spending plan. We are in the process of revising it again. The Bible actually holds 2,350 verses dealing with money, so he obviously intended to give us a lot of help in an area that is important to us all. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of wordly wealth, who will entrust true riches to you? Luke 16:11