FrugalMomLA

A Rare Visit to My Blog

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:13:00 +0000

I haven't been blogging much since the summer. I've been very focused on my business and my two boys. But, in light of the collapse of the economy as we know it since September, I feel that I was WAAAYYY ahead of the curve in practicing frugal ways. I'll be interested to see how Americans respond to this crisis. Granted, according to news reports, October saw an almost 3% decline in consumer spending. Considering that 2/3 of our economy depends on consumer spending, that is significant. But, will Americans change their ways? There are so many blogs to help with frugal living, least of all mine.

Have I changed my habits? Well, not too much although tomorrow I will go to the local kids' toy swap to see what I can find for holiday gifts for my boys. I don't plan on many new toys or clothes, in fact, for them. Thank goodness they're not yet old enough to realize tags would indicate that they are new, not used!

Deceptively Delicious Works!

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:51:00 +0000

I just picked up the Deceptively Delicious cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld at the library. The idea behind this cookbook is that you puree fruits and vegetables and then include them in the recipe so that the kids won't even notice. I've tried quite a few of the recipes so far including the French toast, PB&J muffins, frozen smoothie popsicles, brownies, scrambled eggs, and chicken rice balls. The French toast and scrambled eggs have worked out the best so far. I have similar cookbooks like Moms' Mealtime Makeovers, Healthy Kids Cookbook and Super Baby Food but I've found these recipes to be the most "user-friendly". I've been pureeing my own fruits and vegetables but I'm wondering if some people use baby food?

In any event, I like knowing that my children are getting more fruits and vegetables than they otherwise would have if I used a standard recipe.

Who's Your City?

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:54:00 +0000

I picked up Who's Your City at the library today after hearing the author, Richard Florida, interviewed on NPR. He rates cities according to your stage in life, budgetary constraints, and lifestyle, i.e. straight or gay. The chapter on Superstar Cities which are cities that attract major talent but tend to be expensive because of huge price run-ups such as San Francisco, Boston, San Diego, Portland, etc. has an interesting argument at the end. I will quote part of it.

"I can't help but wonder whether this dream [home ownership] doesn't belong to a bygone industrial era.... Strangely, our system of home ownership dramatically limits mobility, and, in a country where nearly two-thirds of residents are tied to their houses, this means that the economy will suffer.

The creative age may well require alternative forms of housing-something between ownership and renting. In many markets today, it makes more financial sense to rent rather than own."

So, for those who feel excluded because they rent rather than own, take heart. Renting allows for more mobility. And, for those who own homes but feel that they are forsaking the American Dream if they want to rent, here's an argument that basically says mobility could allow for creativity.

Check out the Festival of Frugality--My post was included!

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:57:00 +0000

My post on Is Being Frugal Patriotic was posted at this week's Festival of Frugality #132! Thanks, Budgets Are Sexy!

Suburban Garden Update

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 02:24:00 +0000

I'm pleased to report that my vegetables are growing pretty well. I have four corn stalks, three bean stalks, three tomato bushes and two basil plants. Most are doing well although a few are looking a bit yellow in terms of leaves. Perhaps poor drainage or not enough water? Granted, a week ago, we had a huge hot spell three days in a row with over 100 degrees.

And, I'm waaaayyy behind on the Millionaire Mommy Next Door Abundant Life Challenge. She's on Day 11 with $102,000 so I'll just jump to Day 11.

How I'd Spend It:
10% to Church
10% to Charity of Choice
50% to College Funds
30% to Invest

How I'd Earn It:
Implement the new marketing system for our business. If I can get that going, I believe our revenue will increase by at least that much.

What I'm Grateful For:
My parents whom I miss since they're on vacation right now! I appreciate my parents, and have much more so since I turned 30 (which was a while ago). Parents have wisdom and patience and now that I have children, it's all the more I appreciate what they endured. Sometimes children can try the patience of a saint! And, they're wonderful grandparents, too!

Is being frugal patriotic?

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:37:00 +0000

I'm working on creating a Statue of Liberty costume for the 4th of July festivities. I had been looking at costumes online which range in cost from $16.99 to $99.99 and so I figured I could probably make one myself for less. I found an easy online "how to make a Lady Liberty costume" which includes buying material for the draped dress and making all the accessories--the crown, torch and book. I found the perfect green material on sale (!) which cost $3 in total for a yard and 1/2. I'll use foam sheets for the rest of the accessories and find a book to hold.

But, in preparing for the 4th of July, I found myself thinking about our current economy and whether it's been part of America's history to be frugal. And, for the most part, I'd say, it's been a resounding yes. (In my former life, I taught US History to high school students which is why my mind wandered to our country's past.) I can think of so many times and eras where Americans had to tighten their proverbial belts to make it through. In the pre-Revolutionary era, colonial Americans made their own herbal teas and spun their own yarn to make their own cloth when they faced taxes on products and decided to boycott English goods. In the early part of the 1800s prior to the Industrial Revolution, most Americans were farmers so they were used to growing their own fruits and vegetables and then canning and storing. Just think of the life as described in Little House on the Prairie! Even with the Industrial Revolution in full swing by the late 1800s after the Civil War (another period of deprivation), the majority of Americans were frugal--only the middle-class and the wealthy began to have leisure time. And then, let's not forget the first half of the 1900s included World War I, the Great Depression and World War II. Both World Wars featured meatless days, Victory Gardens, etc. but the World War II saw the imposition of rationing and serious lack of consumer goods and durables. The Great Depression was America's greatest moment in Frugal History where people had to live with less. So, really, the excess consumerism of the Baby Boomer generation from the 1950s on through today accounts for just about 30% of our history, and it's our recent history to boot. So, I'd have to say that there's a long tradition of being frugal and if we were to look back at some of our books on homemaking (Catherine Beecher comes to mind), I imagine we'd find a wealth of great frugal ideas. We should be proud of our frugal heritage and call on it now in these challenging economic times.

Abundant Life Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 13:14:00 +0000

I forgot to include the other part of how to bring the money into my life! How to make that much money and show gratitude!

Day 1: $100 - Send out a postcard for $99 PC tune-ups to customers and prospects.
Gratitude: I'm grateful that we've been in business for 12 years.
Day 2: $200 - Sell our blue couch/chair that's in our garage.
Gratitude: I'm grateful that we live in a beautiful neighborhood with a community pool where the kids can swim and a lake where my husband and I can go out on the boat.

Now onto Day 3: $400

Spend: Have a birthday party bash for my youngest son at an indoor party place.
Earn: Send out letters to clients explaining our newest 24x7 Automated Remote Management service.

Gratitutde: I'm grateful for a wonderful husband who's a great dad to our two boys. He took them to the local Touch-A-Truck event yesterday and went swimming with them. He said he had a great time and that interaction with them was the greatest Father's Day gift he could have.

Millionaire Mommy Next Door: Abundant Life Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:21:00 +0000

Millionaire Mommy Next Door has decided to stretch her mind and work on the laws of attraction by listing what she'd spend starting with $100 on the first day and then doubling it for 30 days (ultimately reaching close to $53 billion on Day 30). I'm going to join the challenge! What a great idea!

Day 1: $100 to Spend
Sushi dinner with husband ($65)
Bouncy house rental for the boys ($35)

Day 2: $200
Spa treatments (Facial, reflexology, manicure)

The Opportunity Cost of Rising Gasoline Prices

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 23:10:00 +0000

Let's say that now you're paying almost $30 more per gallon than you used to (based on filling up 15 gallons at $4.50/gallon whereas you used to fill it up for $2.50/gallon). Here are some items and services that you could have bought, used or otherwise engaged those $30:

Saving
Investing
Buying dinner for four at an inexpensive/fast food restaurant or dinner for two at a moderately priced restaurant
A haircut
7-8 coffee drinks at Starbucks or Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (although I hesitate to even list this since frugalistas like ourselves probably wouldn't be buying expensive coffee drinks, would we?)
Two CDs or DVDs
1.5 months of a Netflix subscription
Clothes--at a garage sale about 10-20 items; at Old Navy, maybe 4-5

The list could be endless. The point of this is that there is an opportunity cost to rising prices and I'm sure we'll be changing our behavior if we haven't already. Does it seem to you like there are fewer cars on the freeway?

Frugal Transgression

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 15:19:00 +0000

So, we had our family portrait done a week ago and we went back yesterday to choose the portraits and, in the end, spent three times as much as I budgeted for. That means we won't go on vacation for a long weekend like we'd planned this summer but I think the portraits will be worth it. The family portrait will be on canvas and looks so professional. I really didn't want to spend that kind of money but our kids are young (and I know that they grow up fast--at least that's what everyone says!) and the photos are, oh, about 100 times better than what we've gotten from Sears and J.C. Penney. So, I pride myself on being frugal but there are times where I think the value of what we're buying is worth the price. I guess this is my frugal transgression for the time being. What have your frugal transgressions been?

Suburban Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sat, 31 May 2008 01:31:00 +0000

My oldest son decided he wanted a garden this year and honestly, I probably wouldn't have done anything had he not insisted despite the fact that I designed our backyard to have a very small plot for the express purpose of a garden. When you have two young children and work almost full-time, planting a garden is lower on the list than say, getting some rest. But, I want my boys to appreciate Mother Earth and I also want some fresh produce and who knows, maybe I'll save some money but already my watering bill has gone up so I doubt it. I'm rambling. I've included a photo of said garden and you might be wondering where the vegetables are. If you can't see them, then that's perfect! I'm trying to keep it hidden from the rabbits who are proliferating like, yes, rabbits. The weeds currently perfectly obscure the vegetables. We're growing corn, beans, tomatoes, and, if I remember to get some, basil. It would perfect if I could grow a mozzarella bush! I can just taste the promise of Caprese salad this summer. Yum!

Life in the Fab Lane

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sat, 31 May 2008 00:56:00 +0000

So I was channel surfing and chanced upon Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane, the ex-model turned high-fashion billionairess, on the Style channel. She decided to see about reducing her carbon footprint by consulting with a Green Coach. It turns out that Kimora's carbon footprint is around 27 whereas the average is 7. So her house is so large she probably gets lost and she has a fleet of cars and planes. Perhaps this is why she's above the average??? Anyway, I had to laugh. All of us trying to do the frugal thing are so outweighed by her excess. And, I've been reading the story of Stoneyfield Yogurt and how they've made it their mission to be Carbon Neutral so that their carbon footprint is at least mitigated by alternative pro-earth choices. I'm impressed that their green ways have been profitable and beneficial. It seems that going green and being frugal go hand in hand.

I've been considering how to make our business more green. We can do a lot to help people reduce their expenses and carbon footprint but giving them the tools to work remotely and go paperless.

The Price of Taking Care of Our Children

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Wed, 28 May 2008 21:27:00 +0000

So, how do you put a price on childcare? My friend (the one whom I've been trying to help) revealed that she's paying a woman who speaks barely any English and doesn't drive, $15/hr for watching her kids, cleaning the house and doing the laundry! She defended this amount by saying it's hard to find people who really care about her children and whom she trusts. I feel this is too high--hello! I'll do this for her! Anyway, she was adamant that this was standard pay for nannies/caregivers in her area. And, of course, this woman's not paying taxes on this money. She didn't buy my suggestion that she talk to her and say that because of the number of hours involved, she was going to lower her hourly rate for fear that she'd leave.

I send my 3 year old to a private daycare/pre-school and pay about $690/mo. which equates to about $4.70/hr. There are 3 teachers in his class of 20 children, and about 16-18 are there on any given day. So, this is what works for me. Thank goodness my oldest child is now in kindergarten because I was paying twice that monthly amount last year!

OK, enough of that. On to my visit to the children's consignment store which I felt was very unproductive. They didn't take many of the clothes so after waiting 3 months for my drop off appointment, I received $10 for about 6 items. Won't be doing that again!

Healing Your Financial Soul

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sat, 17 May 2008 04:04:00 +0000

I promised I'd be thinking of ways to help my friend who is frustrated by what she sees as an endless road of debt. And, in the past week, I've sent her an email mentioning a few blogs such as Get Rich Slowly, Finally Frugal, and Being Frugal . I also sent her the link to Twenty Ways to Spend Less and Earn More by Digerati Life. And, I also mentioned the Dave Ramsey method which The Simple Mom is reviewing in parts. I've heard nothing back from my friend as yet but she's not very good about checking email. I won't take it personally since I think she's in a place where she knows she has a problem but isn't quite sure how to proceed. And, if she acknowledges this issue, then she might also have to take some pro-active steps to change her spending behavior. (And, that's always hard!) For example, she was saying that a "dream house" that she's been eying for the past two years is in foreclosure and she'd love buy that house. But, in the next sentence she says she's thinking of downsizing. So, until she decides which path she takes, it's not going to be easy. She's read Rich Dad, Poor Dad and likes the premise but I can see her mind is not yet in tune with her actions. It's funny, too, that I think I know what she should do, that it's all so clear to me! But, in my own situations, I don't always have that clarity! Do you?

Spa Confessions

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sun, 11 May 2008 15:00:00 +0000

For Mother's Day, two of my friends and I went to a day spa for some pampering and then had lunch at The Corner Bakery. It's always fun to get together with the girls. We all work and we each have two boys. We've known each other since high school. As usual, we ended up talking about our work, our boys, the upcoming election and personal finances. My friend who's the family physician whose husband is a teacher who definitely makes more than me seems to be facing tough financial times since they've refinanced their current home to pay off other debt so their mortgage is upside down and the other house they own is also in the same position so they feel completely tied to a difficult situation. I really sympathize with her. It's funny because I wish I had her large current home of over 2300SF and a rental property but, obviously, there are challenges. And, the cost to heat and cool such a large house! I mentioned that there are blogs aplenty about personal finance and frugal living so perhaps she'll look at some. She's a wonderful photographer, too. I imagine she'd be able to start doing small jobs and get a lot of referrals quickly. I want to help her and will continue to think of ways.

How have you helped your friends in tough financial situations?

Cinco de Mayo for the Frugal-Minded

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The good news for those with light wallets or the desire to keep their money in their wallets is that there's great Mexican food to be had all over LA whether from taco trucks, little stands, or restaurants. I'm going to try to impress myself by listing as many Mexican restaurants by memory as I can. Most will be from the SFV as that's my stomping ground but here goes:

El Taco Llama - multiple locations
King Taco - multiple locations; they get better the closer they are to East L.A.
Tacos Mexico - multiple locations
El Cabanita - Glendale/Montrose
La Fuentes - Reseda
Melodee's - Reseda
Mission Taco - Canoga Park
El Coyote - Hollywood/LA
Casa Vega - Sherman Oaks
Mexicali - Studio City (stick to appetizers for lower priced fare)
Los Toros - Chatsworth

So, there you have it. Some restaurants worth checking out if you're in the area!

I'd love to hear about your favorite cheap Mexican eats!

We'll be at home with the boys making our own Cinco de Mayo feast with fajita chicken tacos, guac and dip, corn, refried beans and margaritas (maybe!)

Hasta la vista!

Women's Small Business Expo - LA

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sat, 03 May 2008 02:14:00 +0000

Since the kids were born, I haven't had much time to go to conferences and seminars like I used to. I also haven't had as much sleep, gone on vacation, or spent time refining my gourmet culinary skills! But, I digress.

Anyway, I decided that a business expo/day-long conference might energize and revive my spirits. Indeed it did! Linda Hollander, the Wealthy Bag Lady, put on a great day-long conference on April 30 at the Ayres Hotel in Hawthorne (close by LAX). It was a super line-up of speakers including Susan Solovic, the keynote speaker and Founder of SBTV.com (Internet TV for Small Business) as well as many others. It was great! I got to spent time with fellow women business owners from NAWBO-Ventura County when we drove down and back through rush hour LA traffic. (That's a blast! Actually, it was really fun and traffic isn't a problem when you have nice companions!)

We had speakers on marketing, sales techniques, networking, making money off the Internet, and becoming a media celebrity. (The last isn't going to happen--I don't even post a picture on my blog!) But, they were all great and had wonderful information to share. There was an exhibit going on as well throughout the day.

Go to the Women's Small Business Exp to find out more. And, the date has been set for next year--April 29! Same location.

Science Center and BBQ

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:43:00 +0000

On Saturday, we took the kids to the Orange County Discovery Science Center to see the Clifford exhibit which, naturally, although that's what they'd requested to see, they liked the least. They enjoyed the Dino Quest area and all the other cool science experiments like the pulleys, the tornado, etc. We were able to save some money by using our AAA membership for the admission price. We've been working on their table manners/restaurant manners so we went to Denny's for breakfast to start the day and they were remarkably well-behaved. We took our lunch with us so that was a good savings since the other option was Taco Bell or Pizza Hut in the center. Afterward, we had an early dinner at Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ which was not a frugal meal by any means. Sandwiches start around $9 or $10 and most are $12. Most entrees start at $12. DH and I split the BBQ Porch Platter with 3 types of BBQ meat and two sides for $25. The boys split a kids' meal. We all had drinks and dessert and DH bought two bottles of BBQ sauce, $4 each. I should be happy it ended up just under $70. However, by this time, the kids' behavior had deteriorated to a large degree so it was not a pleasant, relaxed meal like in the morning. So, while I'd say that $20 for breakfast, $35 for admission to the Discover Center and $70 for dinner is pricey, it's still far less than a day at Disneyland or Legoland!

Are we the richest country on earth?

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:15:00 +0000

Per capita, Americans make the most money per year than any other country in the world. But, we have a very low savings rate and we borrow money from credit card companies, mortgage companies, and banks to maintain our lifestyle. So, where does that leave us? I don't know enough to write a treatise on the subject but it seems to me that if we're constantly leveraging our assets to create a cash flow to keep up with the Joneses, that this is not a sound principle. Gone are the days when people aspired to own their own homes free and clear although there are some good arguments to be made for the advantages of using the tax-break for mortgages. Also, there are other ways to gauge wealth and riches. Are Americans healthy and happy? Do we find spiritual fulfillment? So, I don't know that we are but it seems to me that we should all take stock of where we are in all areas of our lives to find a balance. And, in the midst of personal decisions, the government is creating an inflationary situation which never helps. So, perhaps we are the richest country in the world still but I think that on a personal and institutional level this question is worth considering.

Getting on the Green Bandwagon

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 14:53:00 +0000

If you're interested in saving the environment along with your money, there are numerous websites that can help you in your goals. Try Tech Forward if you want money back for your tech purchases. Choose your product from their list, pay the fee and they'll guarantee a buy-back price for you and they'll provide packaging and then recycle or resell it. A new magazine and website, AllGreen or www.allgreen.com contains articles on living a green life in all areas. We know that green has caught on in this country when there are reality TV shows and an entire channel devoted to the topic!

If you're interested in investing in green stocks, you could consider the New Alternatives fund or the Spectra Green fund. Both had returns of over 25% in 2007. Keep your eye on them!

Get the Scoop! (The Free One that Is!)

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:58:00 +0000

From my SIL, a Frugal Queen...!

Free cone day is coming to Ben & Jerry’s on Tuesday, April 29^th from noon – 8 p.m. Yes, it’s a free single scoop cone, any flavor! (Note on the pic below that the date is for LAST YEAR so don't go on April 17!)

And the following day:

Visit Baskin-Robbins® on Wednesday, April 30^th from 5 – 10 p.m for 31 cent scoop night
and help us honor America’s firefighters. Participating stores will reduce prices of small ice
cream scoop to 31 cents. At some locations, you may also have an opportunity to make a donation
to your local fire charities.

Fun Day Trip to San Pedro - Free, Almost Free, and Not Free!

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:41:00 +0000

A special thanks to Nicole Radoumis who wrote this post below on Peachhead:
*************************************************************

There are several places in San Pedro I used to take my kids when they were
little. Most are free or cost VERY LITTLE!!!

The Cabrillo Aquarium _www.cabrilloaq.org_ (http://www.cabrilloaq.org) is
very nice and has a wonderful touch tank. From there you can hang out on the
beach for a while and have a nice picnic.

Not too far from there is the Maritime Museum. _www.lamaritimemuseum.org_
(http://www.lamaritimemuseum.org)
It has replicas of many battleships and passenger ships throughout history.
The docks are right there and huge boats dock. The kids loved to see them
up close.

Right across the parking lot from the Maritime Museum is the San Pedro Port
of LA Red Car Line Trolly. _www.railwaypreservation.com_
(http://www.railwaypreservation.com) This is the old railway that used to connect to the
trolly/trains running from LA to the Harbor back in the 40's and 50's. It's only
$1 per person and the kids get a fun little coloring book!!! the trolly
/train only runs Fri/Sat/Sun....

From there, you can go to Ports O Call Village
_www.parkhurstartgalleries.com_ (http://www.parkhurstartgalleries.com)
and walk around the little shops. There is a little ice cream shop the kids
loved. There is also Fisherman's Wharf where you can go on Friday or
Saturday nights during the summer and get a wonderful lobster, shrimp or other fish
dinner pretty cheap. (Ok, it's not the BEST lobster in town, but it is fun)
The meal is huge so beware - one meal can feed a couple kids! You pick out
your fish item and they cook it up for you. They add some potatoes and
veggies and pour it out on a tray - fun stuff and VERY messy! My kids used to
love this place.

Another fun place in San Pedro is the Marine Mammal Rescue Center
_www.marinemammalcenter.org_ (http://www.marinemammalcenter.org) it is free to the
public and you can see the animals, take a quick tour and watch feeding times!!!

Right next to the Marine Mammal Rescue Center is Fort MacArthur museum and
Osgood Battery. (Walking distance) _http://www.ftmac.org/_
(http://www.ftmac.org/) You can walk through the old armory battery and take a tour with a
guide talking about San Pedro during WW2. Very interesting stuff. Kids have a
lot of room to run around and get to see things that might spark their
interest (Especially school age kids!)

Not too far from Fort MacArthur is Angels Gate Park with the Korean Bell of
Friendship and Pagoda. _http://www.sanpedrochamber.com/champint/korenbel.htm_
(http://www.sanpedrochamber.com/champint/korenbel.htm) This is one of the
most beautiful parks overlooking the ocean. You can even do whale watching
from this high vantage point, or just have a nice picnic and fly some kites
(or watch others fly theirs!!!)

Last but certainly not least..... Schedule in advance a reservation for
Papadakis Taverna in San Pedro _www.papadakistaverna.com_
(http://www.papadakistaverna.com) . Very Fun Greek Restaurant walking distance from the Maritime
Museum. Tell them that Nicole RADOUMIS sent you (the magic word is Radoumis...)
they know my family well and will treat you very well!!!

Have fun!!!!

Both a Borrower and a Lender Be!

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:36:00 +0000

More and more we're hearing about peer-to-peer lending networks. It seems to me that these networks will become increasingly more important in the days ahead.

Through various blogs and magazines, these three networks have caught my attention:

Prosper.com
Lendingclub.com
Kiva.com

I hope to become a lender and a borrower through one or more of these in the near future. I love the idea helping someone out. I like win-win situations. If I can lend money at 10-15% to someone who's paying 20% or more on credit card debt, then benefits both of us. Also, these networks allow you to lend small amounts as well as large. And, I might want to borrow in the future for a franchise idea that I'm considering. I've signed up for Prosper.com using my oldest son's savings account in the hope that I'll be able to get a better return on his money than his current <1% interest! It takes a day or two for the process to get started so I'm still waiting to officially become a member. I've enjoyed looking through the lists--the majority are for debt consolidation but there's a diversity of requests-business loans, remodeling, honeymoons, etc.

Smackdowns at Jellyfish!

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 22:14:00 +0000

I couldn't resist the heading, which I created by myself by the way. I have lifted this blog post wholesale off Erica.biz written by Erica Douglass who temporarily "retired" since she became a millionaire before age 30 but she's now out of retirement. Anyway, here it is, from November 2006:

(I have not verified accuracy or credibility of info below.)
**************************************************

Like many of you, I use Froogle to search for prices. Unfortunately, this means Google has made a ton of money from me. I knew about this, and had previously made a habit of just searching through Froogle and then going to the website I wanted directly instead of “clicking through” on Froogle. But that’s a pain in the butt, and doesn’t really help me that much.

Enter Jellyfish. Like Froogle, they take a cut every time you buy from online retailers. Unlike Froogle, instead of buying Googlers more free food, you get the cash (well, they split it with you, but it’s still better than pumping up GOOG a few more cents.) They have the same set of retailers Froogle does, including Staples.com, Buy.com, Barnes & Noble, and other places you already shop. With every purchase you make through Jellyfish, you get cash back. Combined with already-good free shipping offers through most retailers, this is an excellent way to save a lot of money this holiday season and not have to deal with ridiculous lines and lack of parking at malls and brick-and-mortar stores.

Jellyfish also has their “Smack of the Day”, which gives you the opportunity to get first-run items at discount prices. Basically, it’s a reverse auction. You agree to buy the item for the full price from one of their retailers, and the amount of cash back you get increases every minute until they sell out of items. The Smacks start at 10AM PST/1PM EST every day. Apparently this Friday they’re doing “Smack Friday” and they’ll put up a new product every two hours. That is also worth checking out. I’ve already earned $54 of cash back by using Jellyfish. Screw you, Froogle!

I also use Woot.com to get good deals on discontinued or overstock items. Woot is an interesting site — they only sell one item per day, and the item goes up at 10PM PST/1AM EST and lasts until it sells out. Occasionally they will do a “Woot-Off”, where they sell 1 product continuously until it sells out, then put up another product… I got several Christmas gifts on the last (48-hour-long) Woot-Off.

Disclaimer: The Jellyfish links above put me (slashchick@gmail.com) as your referrer. I don’t put ads on this blog and have never made a dime off of it, and I think Jellyfish is neat. Woot doesn’t do referrals, but I also think it is neat, so I threw it in there as well. I ask that you keep the referral there if you enjoy reading my blog; it doesn’t change your amount of cash back, but it gives me a little something to buy Christmas gifts with. Go buy your Christmas gifts on Jellyfish too, and you can have a little something for yourself as well. Thanks!

Success, frugality and other questions to ponder

noreply@blogger.com (SmallBizMom) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 03:37:00 +0000

I've been reading a book called Raising Lifelong Learners which basically asserts the idea that parents should encourage the magic of learning--during playtime, at school, while doing household chores, etc. It's a wonderful book brimming with super ideas. I'll post more on this later.

In the meantime, family is still in town and we're swamped at the office and I'm over-committed on all sorts of committees and groups, whether it be for business, at my son's school, at church, or something else so I'm feeling overwhelmed. I need to take some time to consider what my priorities are, including this blog. One of the issues I'm contemplating right now about my blog is its title. To some extent "frugal", to me, means a life of denial and that's not always so fun. Also, to be successful in business, one needs to think big, to imagine the possibilities, to set lofty goals, to spend money to beget money. All of this is at odds with my personal life and I want these to jive, so to speak. What alternative title can I use that will encompass all that I am--a mom, a business owner, a careful spender and investor, etc? I don't want my children to think that a life of denial is how we reach success although I do encourage moderation, respect for the environment, and avoiding excess. I've chosen a school for my son, in fact, that helps students explore their own potential and to think big. If that's what I believe, I have to live that way, too, in all areas of my life, and living frugally, in my mind, is unfortunately defined as living with a scarcity mindset although living frugally also means living wisely, consciously, and carefully while still having abundance. It's just a question of semantics and the power of words. I'd like to choose wording that reflects possibility and abundance but also moderation and sensible spending. I'm wondering what that word or phrase might be.