Well Nuts

The emergency I talked about saving up for has arrived before I had a chance to start saving!  My mom is in the hospital and I'll be winging my way to Tucson to see her.  Our saving grace is that we have been paying off our credit cards very quickly and it's tax season so the money from our tax return will help pay off the plane ticket out there.

For any reader who is still smoking Stop before its too late.... consider it the ultimate way to save money!  You won't be paying for the smokes and you will be healthier so you will have less medical bills later!  Not to mention the emotional savings of your family not having to live through your health deteriorating knowing that sooner rather then later you'll be out of their lives for good.

Save Money Live Better

This is slogan of one of the biggest retailers in the country and well the saying is true... The more money you save the better you will live they really don't want you to save money.

Yes they can brag about their everyday low prices but what they really want is for you to spend spend spend.

I can practically guarantee that if you go into Wal-Mart you will come out having spending money on something you hadn't intended to buy!

That being said I'm not really here to slam Wal-Mart...Really I'm not!  If people chose to shop there that is their choice and Wal-Mart is doing what is best for them.

I'm actually more interested in their slogan..... Save money Live Better!

If we all lived by this motto would the country be in the dire straits they are in?

If we had been saving away for a rainy day would there be so many foreclosures even with the banks screwing everything up?

Any financial expert will tell you to save away at least 6 months of living expenses so that if an emergency hits you will be prepared and we don't.

Now if you've been one of the folks who have been with me for a while you know that I"m currently working part time and my whole paycheck is going straight into an untouchable savings account so we can buy a house aside from that we don't have anything saved for a rainy day.  This is foolishness on my part because if that sudden misfortune happens there goes the money saved up for our home.

Starting today I'm going to create our emergency nest egg.    My first goal will be $25,000 set aside for emergencies.  I am going to start simple with $100 a pay check which will give me $200 a month and by the end of the year $2400.  Not a big chunk out of the $25,000 but its a start.  I will also try adding any money I save from coupons plus all the money from our change jar.  Those will be flexible numbers but it will add up. 

Now to help me keep going I'm going to start a running tab and post how much I've saved up each month to hopefully encourage you to join me.  I really do believe that if we had been saving up as much as we could during the good times we wouldn't be in the sad state we are in now and NOW is as good a time as any to change how we do things!

It's Times Like These

I started out today ranting about the world..... I deleted it!  There is enough bad stuff out there I don't need to add to it.

Instead I will make a suggestion... Hey everyone go check on your neighbor.  Ask them how they are doing?  Would they like to stop over for a cup of coffee and a friendly chat?

I think its time to reintroduce the concept of neighborhood.  We've become so technically advanced that we don't even talk to each other any more.   Have you ever been in a restaurant and seen two people sitting together hunched over their phones and wonder if they are texting each other?

I think we have cut ourselves off a little too much with technology and we need to start talking to real people again.  Maybe if each person cared for the people right next to to them and remembered to offer others help when they need it the world would be a little brighter in the process.

Quilting ... From Scraps to Cozy

 

 Last Thursday I had my first quilting class. The classes were a Christmas present from my Hubby.  I will hopefully be turning those lovely scraps you see into a cute little quilt.  I had started to learn how once before but the friend who was teaching me was also part of the military and had been stationed someplace else before we got very far.  Now I'm trying again it won't be a very large quilt but I'm hoping the colors and the chicken pattern will turn out nice.

I love the idea of turning little scraps of fabric we would normally throw away into something so useful.  When I finish it up I'll post a picture and you can tell me what you think.  If I can become proficient enough I can give them out as gifts and maybe even give one away here... OH the possibilities of a few scraps of cloth it just boggles the mind.  Of course I'll have to have some help since I've never been what you would call a fashion plate.... jeans and a shirt ... that about sums up my style.  I'm absolutely terrible at matching up colors and patterns and what not so I'll probably have to enlist the aid of the in-laws and my hubby to help with the mixing and matching, but that's what family is for right?

Wish me luck... Ok?

Walking In a Winter Wonderland

Ok....  without the snow it's not much of a wonderland but with the cold air finally descending on us this is the perfect opportunity to discuss spending time outside in the cold.

As you may know if you've been reading for a while, I walk to work as often as I can.  It's not HAVE to it's WANT to.  I know every step I take gets me one step closer to buy the home with a nice piece of property so I can finally have my chickens.  Heck with the cost of gas right now each step is two steps closer!

But as Mother Nature reminded me yesterday no matter how much time you spend outside this winter be prepared.  Yesterday I wasn't so prepared and froze my tushy off on the walk home.  It was a beautiful morning and I headed out to work with just my light coat on.  Usually I wear a fleece sweater underneath but it was so warm I left it home.  MY mistake was not checking with the nice weather folks because by the time I left work the temperature had dropped low and a wicked wind picked up.  I was cold the moment I walked out the door. 

Lucky for me there are plenty of stores on the way home so I did a little browsing in several stores on the way home to warm up.

My mistake is not an uncommon one.  Many people have gotten stuck with out proper preparation and sometimes fatally so.  It's always best to be prepared for the unexpected in my case layers of clothes to keep the wind out and the heat in, and I could have stuffed a hat and gloves in my pocket just in case.  Which would have save me cold fingers and ears.  So make sure you cover all the winter time bases before you head out the door.  It's better to be prepared for the unexpected and not need it then to need it and not have it.

Trust me today I will have my layers, my hat, gloves, sunglasses (keeps the wind out of my eyes) and maybe even a pair of leggings in my backpack so I can add an extra layer to my legs if its really cold after work.

The Humbling Power Of Nature

I'm not talking about the Hurricanes or the Tornadoes, Earthquakes or Volcanoes, though each of those are spectacular in their own rights.

  I'm talking about Germs!

These microscopic lifeforms who have the power to lay us flat with out us knowing we are under attack until it's too late.  

I am now in the final stage of such an attack.  My nose is still stuffy and I can still feel a weight in my chest that makes me have to take a deep breath because of the feeling of lack of oxygen.  

Though it is impossible to totally prevent such an assault all together there are things you can do to help keep them at bay.  

With the crazy weather we've been having, switching between warm and cold from day to day I thought it would be a good time to go over the simple steps to help keep everyone a little more health this winter.

• Washing your hands.This is the number one preventative for keeping the germs at bay.  It is my personal suggestion you use plain soap not the antibacterial soap.  They both work just as well but there have been studies  that show antibacterial soap can make the germs that survive stronger and who wants a stronger cold germ.
• Carry Hand Sanitizer . This Alcohol based gel can kill the germs when you can't get to the sink.
• Keeping your hands away from your face. Eyes and Ear and Mouth and Nose ..  keeping your hands away from these body parts is essential to keeping colds at bay.
• Using your own stuff. Don't use someone else's phone, keyboard, pen, drinking glass, or any other item where a cold virus can lie in wait.   If you must borrow from someone else the take some of that hand sanitizer you're carrying around and put it on a tissue and wipe said object with it before using.  Since it is alcohol based it won't damage electronics.... just don't go overboard!
• Eat Right and Exercise.  The healthier your body the better it can fight off those tiny invaders and keep you healthy.
• Avoid crowds.  Coughs and sneezes can travel pretty far from the body so if you can manage it stay away from crowds during the cold season since not everyone is polite enough to cover up.
• Disinfect.  There are common areas touched by everyone such as a door knob.  Wiping or spraying these area with disinfectant will help keep everyone healthy.

When and if you get sick these steps can also help you prevent the further spread of illness to your family and co-workers. Don't forget to be polite and cover  your cough or sneeze with your elbow not your hand.  Your hands touch everything ....Your elbow ...Not so much!

Take a Step Back and Watch the World Go By....Then

This has got to be the most hectic, crazy and totally insane time of the year.  If you don't believe me then stop your shopping for one moment and watch the crowd go by.

People are so intent on themselves they push, shove, grumble about those who are moving slower, complain about long lines and utter rudeness rules the day.  Every year it seems to get worse you can see it in the head lines... Lady Pepper Sprays other shoppers, A robber shot a Black Friday shopper, a man was stabbed outside a Sacramento mall.

Try these ideas  for a change.

Slow down and smile at the next person you see.  REALLY mean it .. Put your whole heart into it.  Then do it again and again.  Watch as you see face after face smile back and a little of their grumpiness fades away.  

Start up a conversation with the person next to you while you wait in line.  Not a negative one about how horrible the wait is or how someone tried to grab a sweater you selected out of your hands.  Find something happy to chat about.  Did you see how beautiful they decorated the town tree this year?

Volunteer... Need I say more.  Well I will anyway.  One of the best ways to help you feel better and help others is to volunteer.  We human beings are social creatures and we are happiest when we are helping each other out.  Don't believe me?   Go ahead and try it then tell me how you feel. 

It's The Most Spendiest Time Of The Year

Well it's finally December so I guess I'm ready to talk about Christmas.

I find myself hating media outlets more and more this time of year.  The commercials are so obnoxious especially the ones that stress Gifting Yourself.  Their whole goal seems to be to turn the Season of giving into the Season of Greedy!

So I've decided in order to combat the Season of Greedy I will use this month to explore all the heart felt home made gifts people can come up with to share their love for their family and friends without breaking the bank.

Lets start with your local library.  There are so many creative books out their that you can use to find inspiration for your creations.  Here is a list of a few of my favorites to help you start your search.

Simply Homemade Food Gifts by Jennifer Darling

Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen by Georgeanne Brennan

Food for Friends : Homemade Gifts for Every Season by Sally Pasley Vargas

 These are just a few of the wonderful books available for Free at your local library and a great place to start your search for a Homemade Christmas.