Frugal Sisters

Do It Yourself fun Halloween tricks

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:45:00 +0000

I am at home enjoying a day off and watching Ellen. She has Steve Spangler on with some really cool things for your Halloween party. Go to www.ellentv.com and scroll halfway down the page and his trick are in video form. You can use things around the house and some dry ice. Happy Halloween!

Tips from the Illinois Treasurer's Office

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:28:00 +0000

With the holiday season upon us (yes, the holiday season now starts with Halloween), I thought this tip from the Illinois Treasurer's office was perfect timing.

Have you ever sat down to a nice, home-cooked dinner only to have it interrupted by a phone call that sounds something like this:

Caller: “Hello! Is this Mrs. Smith?”

You: “Yes it is. Who is this?”

Caller: “Mrs. Smith, this is Sandy with ABC Company. We have an exciting new product available for you…. Since you’ve been a valued customer for so many years, to show our appreciation for your business, we’d like to offer this new feature to you at absolutely no cost for three months. If you are happy with the benefits, simply do nothing and a small fee of $5.99 will be added to your statement each month. If you’re unhappy with the product, simply call to cancel your subscription and you will be billed nothing!”

Sound familiar? After a long day of work, what is the easiest response to end this conversation quickly and return to your dinner already cooling on the table? “Sure… whatever.”

Do you know how quickly those “Sure…whatever” responses can add up? If you’re still trying to discover the amount of your monthly Debt Reduction Challenge pledge, we’ll help you uncover another money saving opportunity this month by auditing your creditor statements. Some of you will identify in this step ways to pledge more, for the Challenge, which will allow you to pay that debt off even sooner!

In Step 6, you will gather and review each and every bill or creditor statement you receive every month to better understand exactly what you’ve been paying for. Let’s get started!

If you don’t have a central location where you keep your monthly bills – a desk, a kitchen drawer or the top of your dresser, now is the time to get organized. Collect all of the bills you pay each month in one place. Make sure you include bills or statements for:

· Credit cards

· Utilities

· Phone (including cellular, landline and DSL/internet service)

· Bank accounts

· Investment services

AUDIT PROCESS

1. With statements in hand, begin reviewing each of them and look carefully at each itemized charge. Highlight any charges you don’t understand or consider questionable..

2. Next, contact each of your creditors about the statement in front of you. Once on the phone with a representative, ask for an explanation of any charges you do not understand. NOTE: Do not be intimidated or insecure about requesting an explanation for charges.

3. Ask to have any unused products/services appearing on your statement cancelled. In addition, if you can prove through your statements that these services have gone unused for some time, ask for the cancellation request to be retroactive to recover the costs from previous months – in some cases, you may receive a credit for an additional month or two.

4. The final step is to explain that you are researching all of your expenses in an attempt to reduce your overall monthly costs. Explain that you intend to research some competitors but, before you do, you want to make sure that you are already receiving the services that most meet your needs. During this conversation, be sure to ask the question: “Is there anything I can do to reduce the amount of my monthly bill?” In some cases, you’ll be able to reduce the bill by giving up some of the features (premium cable channels, mobile internet service, etc.) This is a good time to evaluate whether you really need all of these services or if there is a product/service you can exchange that will provide you cost-savings without completely eliminating the feature.

VALUABLE PEACE OF MIND OR HUGE MONEY MAKER?

The debate continues whether credit card insurance provides a valuable benefit to the consumers who choose to purchase it. Some (mostly the insurance issuers) will argue that it provides valuable peace of mind during tough economic times. Most credit and consumer experts agree – the money spent on credit insurance is typically better spent paying down debt balances so payment insurance isn’t necessary.

At the typical rate, the premium on a monthly balance of $4,000 would cost $30 per month or $360 over the period of a year. Critics argue that a life insurance policy would cost less and pay more benefits.

The bottom line? Be cautious when signing up for services by phone, letter or other means. Make sure you understand the benefits, how they are paid and most importantly the opportunities for disqualification – will your payments really be made if you become ill or unemployed? If you’re not certain, apply that money (sometimes as much as $100 per credit card each month) toward your debt. You already know the benefits you’ll receive from doing so!

Free book and coupons

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:19:00 +0000

Oprah is offering free download of "An Ex-Mas Feast" part of the book "Say Your One of Them" and a $3.00 coupon for the book at Target. Go to Oprah.com to get your coupon. Go to the Oprah bookclub to sign up for the live web event and download your fee book.

Menu Planning Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Lil Frugal Sis) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:36:00 +0000

Wow, the past two weeks have been incredibly busy. Between training for my new position at work, sewing DS's Halloween costume, and dealing with health issues, I have had no time to do anything around the house. I HAVE to set aside some time this weekend to clean my house and do some organizing. Not that my house is completely wrecked, but it definitely needs some tidying. I am not really sure what I have planned for meals this week, but here is the general idea:

Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, and sausage
Wednesday: crockpot roast, potatoes, carrots, green beans
Thursday: baked chicken breast, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, acorn squash
Friday: Not sure
Saturday: Not sure
Sunday: Homemade pepperoni pizza

Uses of Aspirin

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:22:00 +0000

The Today Show had a segment about uses of Aspirin. I was surprised that like so many other products, Aspirin can be used for household cleaning.

Some things I already knew like putting an aspiring in the vase for cut flowers so that they last longer and may save your life if you are having a heart attach.

Some other uses are:

1. Crushing the aspirin and adding a little water to make a paste and putting it on pimples to help them dry up or on bug bites to help with the itch and sting.

2. "Remove egg stains from clothes. Did you drop some raw egg on your clothing while cooking or eating? First, scrape off as much of the egg as you can, and then try to sponge out the rest with lukewarm water. Don't use hot water -- it will set the egg. If that doesn't completely remove the stain, mix water and cream of tartar into a paste and add a crushed aspirin. Spread the paste on the stain and leave it for 30 minutes. Rinse well in warm water and the egg will be gone." - Reader's Digest

3. "Use as garden aid. Aspirin is not only a first-aid essential for you, but for your garden as well. Some gardeners grind it up for use as a rooting agent, or mix it with water to treat fungus conditions in the soil. But be careful when using aspirin around plants; too much of it can cause burns or other damage to your greenery. When treating soil, the typical dosage should be a half or a full aspirin tablet in 1 quart (1 liter) water" - Reader's Digest

4. "Revive dead car batteries. If you get behind the wheel only to discover that your car's battery has given up the ghost -- and there's no one around to give you a jump -- you may be able to get your vehicle started by dropping two aspirin tablets into the battery itself. The aspirin's acetylsalicylic acid will combine with the battery's sulfuric acid to produce one last charge. Just be sure to drive to your nearest service station." - Reader's Digest
( the battery will not last long after you do this and you will have to replace it since the aspirin will destroy the battery, but it will work long enough to get you to safety.)

Web sites you may want to check out for more uses are:

Reader's Digest

HubPages

Gomestic

Menu Planning Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Lil Frugal Sis) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:45:00 +0000

Sorry I was absent last week, but I was out of town for work and had limited time to myself. This week is going to be busy too, so I am going to try to keep meals pretty simple

Monday - Taco's
Tuesday - Steak, side noodles, peas, corn on the cob
Wednesday - meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans
Thursday - Spaghetti w/garlic cheese french loaf
Friday - Chicken Primavera
Saturday - Burgers and fries
Sunday - Not sure yet

The American Cancer Society:

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:36:00 +0000

This is Cancer Awareness month. Go to The American Cancer Society: to find out more about cancer and what you can do to help find a cure.

Shared via AddThis

Taking Advantage of Being Young

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:20:00 +0000

I was reading an article on MSNBC News about Generation Gap in the recession. It talks about how much money people in retirement have lost and how much 35 and younger have gained.

In this type of recession those who are retired or near retirement have had to change their way of thinking. Most have grown up with the idea that you work for a company for 30 or more years and you retire with a nice pension and health benefits. Not realizing that the health benefits could change and they could lose so much money when the stock market fell. With rising health care cost, the elderly are the hardest hit.

On the upside, the younger crowd is taking advantage of the situation by buying their first new car, first house, and investing in the stock market. It is much easier for the 30 and younger crowd to buy a new car with the cash for clunkers deal and a new house with a tax credit of up to $8,000 for buying a new home. With stocks prices so low, younger people are able to get into the stock market and potentially make money in the next 20 years.

Me, I am in the middle. My car didn't qualify for the Clunkers for Cash and I already own a home, so no new home owner tax deal for me. I do have some money in a 401k that is finally making some money. We are taking advantage of lower interest rates and refinancing our home, which will save us a big chunk of money that will go into a savings account.

The article did say that the 30 and younger generation has been hit the hardest with layoffs. One advantage of being considered middle age. Most of us still have jobs or have the experience and school to get a job. Those 20 to 30 and 55 and older are having a more difficult time keeping or finding jobs.

No matter where we are in age or what type of economy we have, there are ways to take advantage of the situation and look on the bright side of things. How can you take advantage of a slow economy?

Oprah's Book Club Coupon

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 14:15:00 +0000

If you are wanting to buy the newest Oprah book pick "Say Your One of Them", she has a coupon on her website. The coupon is for $3.00 off at Target.

Oprah is also having a clearance sale on items at the O Store. A great time to pick up something for someone on your Christmas list.

Family Fun & Frugal Day

noreply@blogger.com (Lil Frugal Sis) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:21:00 +0000

Today was a great family fun day. DS got me up at 7:30 this morning and we ate our breakfast together. DH got up around 8:30 to join us. While I was in the shower, DH took DS to visit DH's mother. When they got back we all went to Borders and I used my 20% off coupon and the Borders Bucks I had. We got 3 books for $5.52. Then we at lunch at Red Robin because I had my free birthday burger coupon to use. DS even ate "real food", I was amazed. Although we told him we were at the Krusty Krab and the burger was a Krabby Patty like on Spongebob Squarepants. After we ate we went to a local park where they were having an antique tractor show. They also had a small petting zoo, bounce house, corn maze, helicopter rides and carnival games for the kids. We didn't do any of the activities that cost money, but we still had fun. DS did not want to leave. When we finally got home, DS took a nap and I did the dishes and some cleaning around the house. Tomorrow should be an easy day of more cleaning and laundry.

Found Some Great Deals this week!

noreply@blogger.com (Lil Frugal Sis) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:50:00 +0000

There are plenty of great deals to be had this week so I thought I would share a few. Walgreens has a lot of free after Register Rewards including:
Dentek Floss picks - coupons.com has a $2off coupon you can use as well
Fusion Razor - There was a $4 off coupon in this weeks newspaper P&G insert
Halls Refresh Sugar Free drops - there was a $.75 coupon in this weeks insert (either Red Plum or Smartsource)
Herbal Essences Shampoo or Conditioner - with $1 coupon from P&G newspaper insert
Emergen-C Booster
Oral B 1-2-3 Advantage toothbrush
Vaseline Sheer Infusion Lotion - $1.50 coupon available on Vaseline website
Chapstick fresh effects lip balm
Robitussin to Go
Walgreens also has Dr. Pepper 12 packs on sale 4 for $10.92(use coupon in ad) which is only $2.73 per 12 pack. That is an amazing price now days. Today and tomorrow only, you can get $5 off a $25 purchase by using this coupon.
Monster vs Aliens came out on DVD today and my DS really wanted it. I don't usually go out and buy DVD's as soon as the movie comes out, but I found a really good deal at Best Buy. They have a 2 disc DVD set for $19.99 and you get a free B.O.B. plush toy with purchase. I had a $5 rewards certificate so I ordered online with free in store pick-up.
I will keep you posted on any other deals I find this week.

Menu Planning Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Lil Frugal Sis) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:06:00 +0000

This week was interesting. I was sick for the first part of the week with allergies and really didn't feel like doing anything. However, yesterday I managed to get a lot of things done around the house. My DH went to visit his sister, so DS and I had the day to ourselves. We hung laundry outside, washed and cleaned out my car, made oatmeal cookies and apple pie, and we cleaned the house. After all that, DS must have been exhausted because he fell asleep at about 4pm, so I was able to get some writing done. Also, we still had the pot roast leftovers from earlier this week, so I made beef pot pie instead of chicken. So here is the menu for this week:

Monday - Oriental broccoli chicken with fried rice
Tuesday - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans (missed from last week)
Wednesday - Chicken & Broccoli fettuccine Alfredo (missed from last week)
Thursday - Taco's
Friday - Chili
Saturday - Homemade pepperoni pizza
Sunday - Leftover Buffet (probably)

New Posts

noreply@blogger.com (Lil Frugal Sis) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:20:00 +0000

All,
I have posted some new reviews on my other blog, Titles in Review. Click here to check them out and find out more about downloading books for free.

Lower Prices for Games

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:57:00 +0000

In an MSNBC article, Wii and some other gaming companies are cutting the prices of the most popular games just in time for the holiday season.

Nintendo has announced that they are cutting $50.00 off the Wii to compete with the new lower price for the XBox and Playstation. $50.00 isn't much, but the new lower price of $199.00 includes: the Wii Remote controller, Nunchuk controller and Wii Sports software.

According to Consumer reports the Wii is a great family friendly game that gets you off the couch, but the graphics are not that great and like I said earlier, the Wii's are hard to find.

The Xbox 360 has better graphics than the Wii, but the professional didn't like the noisey controler and it cost to play games on line. You also have to buy expensive special accessories for certain games.

Playstation 3 has fewer games than the other two and it is more expensive espcially now that Wii has lowered the price.

Even though Wii's are hard to find, they seem like the better deal to me. Great for parties, getting i a good workout, or just having fun and getting physical all at the same time.

If you are thinking of buying a new gaming system for Christmas, now is the time to start saving and maybe even putting one on Lay-a-way.

Wait until after Sunday when the price is cut by $50.00.

Back at Being Frugal

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:34:00 +0000

Sorry for being MIA lately. Life has been crazy. Things are now slowing down enough to get caught up on all the things I have been neglecting including this blog.

I am done with summer school and decided to take the fall semester off and maybe even the spring semester next year. I have to many commitments these days and some of those commitments will be over next April/May.

Because I have been busy with other commitments, I have not done so well in the saving money department. In fact I have spent a lot of money the last month and now paying for it. I have a credit card bill again. My frugalness was thrown to the wayside and now I ready to embrace it once more.

I have decided not to go on a spending freeze since those don't seem to work for me. But I am looking at new ways to save money like downloading free e-books on my Kindle (Thanks Margaret) and going to new coupon web sites (thanks Aunt Paula). I even went to Goodwill yesterday and found some really good deals including a great outfit for Halloween. I am keeping busy with the new toys and using some of them to make money to pay off the credit card.

I started this blog to keep me on track and now I am using it to get me back on track. I can't promise that I will be posting daily, but I will be posting on a more regular basis again with new wonderful tips.

Menu Planning Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Lil Frugal Sis) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:38:00 +0000

This weekend was busy! We didn't make it to all the events we were invited to so I apologize to Catrina and James for not being a your parties. I did manage to can green beans and make salsa on Saturday before we had to leave. My refrigerator and cabinets are starting to look a little bare so I think by next week, I am going to have to go grocery shopping. Here is the menu for this week:

Monday - Roasted Chicken, green beans, garlic butter potatoes
Tuesday - Chicken and broccoli fettuccine alfredo
Wednesday - Pot roast, potatoes, carrots
Thursday - Steak, baked zucchini, corn, side noodles
Friday - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans
Saturday - grilling with friends
Sunday - Chicken pot pie

E-Books and Phones with Book Apps

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:25:00 +0000

Hi, my name is Tina and I am addicted to gadgets and books. When you can combine the two, I am in heaven. This is why I had a very hard time resisting the urge to buy the Kindle last Christmas. Since then a number of e-book readers have flooded the market. Some of the new phones now have e-book readers as well.

One thing I am also addicted to is Consumer Reports. They compared the Kindle with the Sony Reader and the Kindle won out bar far. The Sony Reader is a little more complicated to use and you have to connect it to your computer in order to download the book. Kindle is ready to use out of the box and you can download any book without a computer.

Other Readers have been listed and their functions on Wikipedia. It lists the reader and the functions in a nice spreadsheet. I never new there were so many e-book readers available. And at the bottom of the article lists a few mobile phone text viewers as well.

PC World has a great review of the new e-book readers coming out in 2010. PC World does stress one very good point. The e-books that are available are not compatible with all e-book readers. Each reader uses a different format to display the text. So far the Kindle is the winner on the number of books that are available for download. Of course the new Kindles are also the most expensive.

Things to keep in mind before purchasing:

Ease of use
price of the reader
price for the available books (Suvudu has free books to download for Kindle, Sony Reader, and Scribd)
available books in the correct format
Size of the reader and size of the screen
Options that you want like voice reader, storage space, touch screen, etc.
If you travel a lot, an e-book reader weighs much less than an actual book (it may save you money and space in your suitcase or carry on bag)

CNN has a good article on e-book readers that doesn't so much as compare the readers as how they are affecting the economy and the environment. If you are trying to go green, buying an e-reader. It save on printing, shipping supplies, cuts pollution by not having to ship the books in planes, trucks, etc.

E-book readers are catching on, but there are some who love the feel of a real paper book in their hands. I think that publishing paper books are still going to be around for a while. For me it depends on where I am on if I use the Kindle or have a paper book. I like to use the Kindle at the gym or keep it with me. It is much lighter than some books and takes up less room. At home, give me a paper book.

Free Book Download

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:57:00 +0000

I was going through some old emails and found one that Margaret sent me about a website that you can download free books. Since she isn't going to share the find, I will help you out.

" Suvudu Free Book Library. We know it can be hard to navigate the countless fantasy and science fiction series out there and figure out which ones are right for you. Well, we're here to make those tough decisions a bit easier on you. With the Suvudu Free Book Library, you can read the first book in some of our most acclaimed series absolutely free! We're kicking off the library with five full-length novels for you to sample, but we'll be adding new titles on a regular basis, so be sure to sign up for our newsletter so you're the first to find out what our newest free offerings are! "

Margaret has also started a book review blog and she has a couple of good reviews on new book series. The Hunger Games seems like a really good book to read and I may just have to borrow it.

Suvudu has and option to download the books to a e-book reader like Kindle. I have also started using my Kindle that I bought last Christmas. It is pretty cool to use and easy to read. You can download books for less than the book itself and you can start reading within seconds of the purchase. The great thing is that I don't have to lug big books around with me to read and I don't have to make room in my house for yet more books. The bad thing is that if I don't want to keep the book, I can't resell it. If I like the book, I can't loan it out to someone else either.

Tomorrow I will compare other e-book readers. Maybe it will be an item to put on your Christmas List.

Organic Food Coupons

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:24:00 +0000

More money saving web sites from Aunt Paula.

http://www.Stoneyfield.com

http://www.HorizonOrganic.com

I know that I love Stoneyfield yogurt.

TD Ameritrade and Suze Orman

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:47:00 +0000

For those who are wanting some really good tips on retirement, Suze Orman is announcing a new retirement program with TD Ameritrade.

Tune in on:

Saturday, September 19 at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET

Sunday, September 20 at 1 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET

Please check your local listings for QVC channel information.

Tips from Personal Finance Hour

noreply@blogger.com (Lil Frugal Sis) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:13:00 +0000

Every Monday, I listen to Personal Finance Hour with JD Roth and Jim Wang on BlogTalk Radio. Actually, since I never get a chance to listen to it live, I download it from iTunes on Tuesday. This week they had a guest on the show, Gregory Karp the author of Living Rich by Spending Smart and 1-2-3 Money Plan. Gregory had a ton of great tips that made me think of my frugality in a whole new direction. He also gave a few smaller tips that I jotted down for future reference.

“You can’t out earn dumb spending.” I liked this one. Simply put, just because you make more money, doesn’t mean you are any better off if you increase your spending as well. I can certainly relate to this. When I worked for a mortgage company in college, I got promoted from Customer Service Representative to Loan Officer. The day after I got my promotion, I went out and traded my car (that I had only had 1 year) in for a SUV. My payment doubled, insurance went up and I was paying way more for gas. It was like I didn’t get a raise at all. I have no idea what I was thinking. I ended up hating the SUV and I traded it in for a car 13 months later.

“Financial anorexia could damage happiness.” This tip is on the other end of the spectrum. Just like anorexia can damage your body by depriving it of essential nutrients, extreme frugality can deprive your mental and perhaps physical wellness. If you are so obsessed with watching how much you spend, that you never allow yourself to have fun, then you could be just as miserable. On the radio show, they compared it to people who find multiple uses for dryer lint. Really? Dryer Lint? Though it is a good fire starter, I do not use it for anything. However, I do find myself teetering on the line of extreme frugality sometimes. Like last night, I was making chicken fried steak and I threw away the excess flour that I used for dredging. Then I realized that I could have used some of that flour to make milk gravy. So I went to the trash can (which I just put a new liner in) and scraped off the top layer of flour that was not touching the bottom of the liner or the sides. Extreme? Yes, but nobody but myself eats gravy in my house and the heat from cooking probably killed off any germs that came in contact with the flour.

“Buy insurance to prevent financial disaster not financial annoyance.” This was another tip that I loved. Basically what Karp is saying, don’t buy extended warranties, cell phone insurance, protection plans, etc. because they are rarely worth the money. I have been suckered into a few of these in the past, but never again. Life, health, auto, and homeowners are essentially the only insurance you need because any one of those things can cause financial ruin. If you lose your cell phone, replacing it will be an annoying unexpected expense. However, if buying a new cell phone breaks the bank, you probably should not have had a cell phone in the first place.

“Experiences appreciate while things depreciate.” I am on the fence with this tip. Mostly because I think it depends on your level of enjoyment for the experience as opposed to the physical item. Karp compared it to buying concert tickets rather than buying the CD because you will enjoy the concert more than just buying the CD. However, in my experience, though I have some great stories, the concerts are not as fun as sitting in my car blasting the CD on my way to work. On the other hand, I would definitely enjoy going to the zoo more than buying an elephant.

Some of the other tips he gave need less explanation than the former. Here is the list:
* Re-shop term life insurance because rates have gone down. But don’t wait too long because they have recently started to edge up again.
* Dry razors before putting them away after shaving. Rust makes them go dull faster than whiskers.
* Read Consumer reports before making large purchases
* Buy contact lenses online
* Try pre-paid cell phone service if you don’t use cell phones often.
* Look into cheaper forms of land line service, such as magic jack to cut telephone bill.

Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency

noreply@blogger.com (Lil Frugal Sis) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:41:00 +0000

Yesterday I posted that my DH and I spend $2200 on something last Saturday and today I am revealing what we purchased. Last Monday DH and I went to Lowes and requested a measuring and estimate for new replacement windows for 2 bedrooms and our den, a total of 6 windows. Those were the last rooms in our house that did not have new windows and they are in bad shape. They barely kept out the rain let alone the drafts because they are single pane and old. So we went to Lowes because we have used them for our previous window replacements and our carpet and we really like their service. Also, (don’t freak out) they are offering 6 months no interest, no payments if you use your Lowes credit card for purchases $299 or more, they had Pella windows 15% off and I had a $25 coupon. We have had our Lowes card for years and have used it to do all of our remodeling. I have always paid off the card before the promotion period is up. Needless to say, we got our estimate back and it was very reasonable, so we ordered and paid for the windows on Saturday. So why did we decide this was a good time to buy windows when we just spent a ton of money on DH’s new business prospects?

Because right now is a great time to update windows, entry doors, heating and cooling, etc. because of the tax credits available. The government is offering a 30%tax credit (up to $1500) if you update the above listed items with select energy efficient products by 12/31/10. Click here for details and a list of all the products available for the tax credit. That means that we are going to be able to claim approximately $660 in credit on our taxes for the windows. We are considering replacing our front door as well, but DH will be able to install that himself.

Did you know about the tax credits available? Have you taken advantage of any of them?

Tomorrow’s post: Great tips from BlogTalk Radio: Personal Finance Hour with JD Roth and Jim Wang.

It Is the Best of Times, It Is the Worst of Times

noreply@blogger.com (Lil Frugal Sis) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:47:00 +0000

A lot has happened the past few weeks. I was offered a promotion at work last Thursday and I accepted it the next day. The promotion put me in a managerial position, but it is in a new department that I have only interacted with occasionally. The move is a good one and it is in the right direction to help me further my career with the company. Of course, the promotion came with an increase in salary as well. However, my DH’s job outlook is not as positive right now. There have been several layoffs within his company over the past few months and everyone that did not get laid off had to take at least a 5% pay cut and a 6 month suspension of the companies 401K match. We have a back-up plan in place in case he does eventually get laid off and we have our emergency fund to fall back on if necessary. Also, if we had to, we could live off my salary alone as long as we didn’t have any exorbitant unexpected expenses.

The back-up plan that I referred to above is that my DH wants to start his own business if he were to get laid off. He is very skilled and we just purchased some new equipment so that everything is in place. The equipment cost more than what I pay for groceries for two years, but he has already made up some of that cost in side jobs using the equipment and by selling some of his old equipment. He also has a decent client base already and he often gets referrals from those clients, so I think his business will do rather well and our overhead costs will be minimal.

I have also been doing a lot of canning lately. Our garden produced excellently this year and we have had a ton of surplus. I gave away some, but I canned and froze most of it myself. My DH had to put an extra shelving unit in our storage room to accommodate all the jars of jam, butters, relishes, sauces, and beans that I canned. My MIL gave me about 5 dozen jars and I had coupons for lids. I bought a pressure canner from Amazon with a gift card that I got from one of the survey sites that I have membership to and I got a regular canner from my great aunts estate auction. Therefore, I had relatively low costs involved in the canning I did, so I will definitely come out ahead since I won’t have to buy those items from the store. Between canning and having our own chickens, I have been able to cut our grocery budget in half. Now, if we could only get a few cows…..JK!

I think we have gone crazy with spending lately. One would think with my DH’s questionable job security and the status of the economy that we would be cutting back extremely. However, most of our spending has been justified, such as our $2200 purchase this past Saturday. Visit Frugal Sister tomorrow to see what we bought and why it was one of our best investments this year.

Menu Planning Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Lil Frugal Sis) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:22:00 +0000

After a long hiatus in posting, my life has finally slowed down enough that I can start writing again. I have so much to post that I think I could post a new article every day and not run out of material (but don't hold me to that). Never the less it is Menu Planning Monday so here is my menu for the week:

Monday - Chili and cornbread
Tuesday - Salmon, pasta and peas
Wednesday - Chicken fried steak, potatoes, green beans
Thursday - Roast w/ potatoes and carrots
Friday - Meatloaf w/mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts
Saturday - Going to a barbecue
Sunday - Going to be busy, I'll be lucky to get some Ramen noodles and grilled cheese on the table.

Lawn Mowers

noreply@blogger.com (Tina) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:23:00 +0000

We have been having some problems with push mowers the last couple of years. I wanted to try using a reel mower and bought one.

Reel mowers would be great for very small flat yards with grass that doesn't grow very fast. I learned that if you have ruts, the reel mower does not work very well. It took me over an hour to mow what would have taken half hour. I would have had to mow the yard at least twice a week so that rotary would work like it is suppose to.

I then tried a new self propelled lawn mower with speed control. You move the handle up or down to adjust the speed. I didn't like this mower very well. When I pushed the mower up hill I also moved the handle which made the self propel run faster. You can lock the handle, but it is a pain in the butt to use.

Then I tried a Troy-Bilt self propelled with a Honda motor. I love it. It is quiet, uses half the gas the that the old mower and it is very easy to start. I would definitely recommend it.

I was disappointed with the reel push mower. I was hoping to save some money on gas, but it does not work with my lifestyle or yard. I hope this saves some time and money for those of you who are looking to buy a new mower.