Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, October 27, 2008
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?
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?
Friday, October 24, 2008
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
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.
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.
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