Books I read in January

One of my 101 106 in 1001 is to keep a running list of the books I read for a year. I saw this and thought it was a nifty neato way to keep that list. Don't worry... they aren't affiliate links. I totally stole this from PalmTree Pundit. (The idea of keeping track of what I read and the widget.)

**Update** Obviously, it was too nifty neato for me because it didn't work. I tried to do one of those Amazon widget things. So here is the list, the old fashioned way.

-Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic - John de Graaf, David Wann, and Thomas H. Naylor
-Simple Menus for the Bento Box - Ellen Greaves and Wayne Nish
-Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book of Homeschooling - John Holt
-Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence - Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin
- Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home - Martha Stewart
-If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans - Ann Coulter

Notice there aren't any classics on the list. I am starting Don Quixote (again) this weekend.

Mini - Me: Dave Ramsey Style

This video is adorable, and the kid is spot on. What I think is even better is the fact that these kids will never forget it. Like Dave Ramsey says... they have changed their family tree. $55,000 of debt in only 9 months is amazing!!!



I know I have posted 100 or so things today but I just had to share.

HT to Chris Thomas at Pour Out

Roasted Ratatouille

Ratatouille is normally a stew - or a darn cute mouse - but we love it roasted, too. (The stew, not the mouse.) It is a great side dish, but served with a starch (brown rice, polenta, couscous, bread or pasta) it makes a filling main dish. You can toss some fresh basil leaves on top, but I never bother. Sometimes, the simpler the recipe the better it tastes.

Roasted Ratatouille
2 large red bell peppers, seeded and cut into chunks
1 eggplant, cut into chunks
2 zucchini, quartered and cut into chunks
5 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise and seeded
2 shallots, peeled and sliced lengthwise
2-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
As you cut your vegetables, toss onto a cookie sheet. Drizzle liberally with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat vegetables evenly. Roast until just tender, about 15 - 20 minutes. Enjoy.

Before roasting

After roasting

Don't mind my bad pictures. With my little 4.0 mega pixels Kodak EasyShare, this is about as good as it gets.

David Smith Lost 400 Pounds... and I am a schlub

My name is David Smith, I used to weigh over 630 pounds, I lost 401 pounds through diet and exercise. chrispowell.com has everthing you need to know as far as how I did it, it is a great resource if you need help. Consider it my BluePrint to success!!! My best friend Chris believed in me when others thought I was a lost cause.

There are countless websites that show my story as well, google my name and weight loss and you will see a few. http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/David630lbs/ is my bodyspace it shows a lot of my before pics. I'm not afraid to show any of my pics. I want people to relize that anything is possible, if they want it.

I was recently on Oprah and I currently have some other major media stuff coming up. I'm a success story that needs to be told! My weight loss has been documented from the start on television. I recently have had major skin removal surgeries that were filmed as well. Three so far with 30 pounds removed and I have 18 feet of scars. I currently am bodybuilding and I am going to be certified through ACE to become a personal trainer soon. I have a lot going on for someone who shouldn't be here, but I am!!!

Just remember that my past made me the strong driven man I am today, I almost died, so I know whats at stake. I'm here for a reason!!!

From David Smith's MySpace page.

ht to Get Fit Slowly

Help Love Without Boundaries give 10 children a second chance at life

Anne has asked everyone to post this on their blogs. Please consider donating (it is only $10!) and spread the word. They have less than 24 hours left to win.

Apparently, Love Without Boundaries is in a dead heat with another group, that is holding keg parties and signing up college students in exchange for beer. How nice is that? Sheesh.

My message is a bit long today but I hope you will read it to the end. We have just 24 hours left in the Giving Challenge contest on Facebook. 24 hours to try and stay in the lead. And we can’t do it without you.

As I type this, I am staring at the photos of 12 babies who are hurting because they were born with heart disease. Their eyes truly haunt me, first because they are orphaned and as a mother it is hard to accept that any child has to be sick without a mom or dad to comfort them... but second because I know that without surgery, the pictures I have of these children might be their last. Do you know how small a baby’s heart is? And how fragile an orphan’s life is when that tiny heart has a defect? These pictures are of children who are blue, children who are tired, children who NEED OUR HELP.

I also have on my desk the photos of children whose hearts we have healed. They stare out at me with pink cheeks and smiles, and in many…with their new adoptive families. THIS is what it is all about. Saving lives, giving a second chance, and allowing a child to find their family and know complete love.

In the next 24 hours we have a chance to give the GIFT OF LIFE to 10 more children in need. The charity with the most unique $10 donors at 12 noon PST on February 1st will win $50,000. Heart surgery in China averages just $5000 per child, so with that prize….ten children can have a second chance at life.

I am not going to ask you today to find 10 more donors, or even 5 more donors to help us. I am asking you to find just ONE person in your life that hasn’t donated and to ask that person to please help you save a life. For just $10. If all of us do this, we could have over a thousand new donors in just one day.

How often do we spend $10 on things that last just a moment?

$10 for two fancy coffees, $10 for a movie and popcorn, $10 for a dinner out. How about for today, for the next 24 hours, we all find $10 for something that will last a LIFETIME. $10 to save a baby’s life and allow a priceless child (who is orphaned and totally innocent) to get a second chance at finding a family to love them.

Find just one friend in the next 24 hours, and encourage them to join our cause and donate. $10 for the life of a child. Of all the money you have spent this week….this might be the most important.

Thank you EVERYONE for keeping LWB in the running for the top prize. We love our supporters and give thanks everyday for the amazing generosity, compassion, and kindness you show to those who live as orphans each and every day. We truly are a family, bound together by the belief that every child born on this earth matters.

Here’s the link! Love Without Boundaries Foundation

Let’s do it for the kids.

Amy

Here is how you go about opening a facebook account if you don't have one:
1. Go to: www.facebook.com
2. Click on the "Sign Up" button in the middle of the screen.
3. Enter the various information.
4. Facebook will then send you an email confirmation.
5. Access your email and click on the email confirmation
6. Once you have an Facebook you should go to this site:
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/view_cause/51591
7. Once at this site you can donate to the LWB Facebook Cause

Show me the funny!

Apparently these come from Prime Cut Meat Market in Twin Falls, Idaho. I'm not sure how old they are but I am guessing the 80's. (Cuz I 'm a sleuth like that.)

Для моих русских друзей - (That means 'For my Russian friends' according to Babblefish... so it is, you know, probably wrong.)



You're welcome.

ht to Serious Eats

Weekly Menu - Rerun Edition

Between two 'sick meals' and running out of time so I have to improvise, last weeks menu got all kinds of messed up. I ended up moving all of the recipes that used canned goods or fresh that will hold for a bit to this week and using all of the ones that require the fresh vegetables that won't hold last week. Not only that... how do you put something called "Egyptian Lentils and rice" on your menu, double check your shopping list, and still forget to buy lentils?

By the way... 10 points for whoever can tell me who is in the picture and why I used it. How much am I dating myself with that picture??

Menu Plan - Week of 1/31-2/06

1/31 - Thursday
Roasted Ratatouille, Brown Rice Pudding

2/01 - Friday
Vegetarian Golabki

2/02 - Saturday
Korean Steak (Bulgogi), brown rice

2/03 - Sunday
Diana's Egyptian Lentils & Rice

2/04 - Monday
Tomato and White Bean Soup, Apple Crisp

2/05 - Tuesday
Barefoot/WtEB Turkey Meatloaf, steamed broccoli

2/06 - Wednesday
Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers, Cucumber Salad

Reason 998,547,367 why we homeschool

A new friend just came over. He was going to walk and I told him he is not allowed to come over if he is going to walk because it is too cold. He told me it is ok because he is "part warm blooded." He said that he used to be all cold blooded but after he met his step-dad he became part warm blooded.

This kid is a Freshman in high school and is dead serious.

Another Snow Day

Yes, another snow day. It is currently 3° with a -20° wind chill. Yes, -20°. And people wonder why I want to move.

So today we have a friend over. Good, because it is too darn cold to do anything but sit under blankets and sip hot cocoa. The boys will probably play xbox all day and I will sit on the couch... wrapped in blankets and sipping hot cocoa.

There is surprisingly little snow on the ground (maybe 4 inches?) but by Friday morning we are supposed to have six more inches.

Moving - again

I can't get into specifics but Marty talked to his regional manager about moving. Basically, we just have to say when and where. Of course, we aren't going to move if it is a bad career move, but we are seriously thinking about stopping the debt snowball and putting all of that money into a moving fund and trying to move by Oct/Nov.

I don't know how I feel about using debt repayment money to move. On one hand, the money we spend moving would go a long way toward paying off our debt. On the other hand, we can pay debt off from anywhere, so why not take an extra 6 months to pay the debt and be happy in the process? We are kind of lucky in that the job part of relocating is the hardest part, and that will be done. Marty has a job, so it is just a question of us getting there and finding a place to live.

I have no idea how much a big move like this would cost. I picked $10k as the goal, but that number is pretty arbitrary at this point.

So far, I know that a moving truck will cost between $1200 and $2500, depending on what company we use and what size truck we get. Marty's company might pay for the truck, too. (They paid to move us here but since we are requesting the transfer, I don't know if they would pay. I am assuming not and if they do we will consider it a bonus.)

Then there is gas for our van and the moving truck, hotel rooms for 2-4 nights (depending on where we go), food for the move, first and last for rent/deposit, any utility deposits, a hotel for probably a week while we look for a place (unless I luck out and find one online)... the list is endless.

Right now there is a 90% chance that if we go, we will go to Florida. There are 11 restaurants in Florida and 6 are either in Orlando or within 30 minutes of Orlando. The boys are pretty excited about the idea of moving to the Orlando area, because Florida residents get a resident discount on annual passes to Disney. For the 5 of us it would be right around $2300 for a year long pass to all of the parks, including the water parks. (f the numbers I found online are accurate. Don't try to buy a resident pass and get mad at me if the numbers are different.)

Florida Resident Premium Annual Passport (PAP)- unlimited admissions to the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, River Country (when operating), Pleasure Island, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, Disney Quest and Disney's Wide World of Sports during regular operating hours. No blackouts apply. PAP also includes free parking.

I know Mickey would welcome us with open arms.



So what do you think? Is it wrong to spend your debt snowball to move? What would Dave do??

How Many Five Year Olds Could You Take In A Fight?

17

I think my short arms and the fact that I have never actually been in a fight really hurt me here. The fact that I would have no problem picking up a 5 year old and using them as a weapon probably saved me. LOL Not bad for a girl though, right?

HT to Chris Thomas at Pour Out

Use TaxAct, and use it now!

Remember when I said I was going to use TaxAct to do my own taxes this year? I did yesterday and I can't recommend it enough!

It took me about 30 minutes to complete my return - and only that long because I am one of those anal people who insists on checking and quadruple checking everything. And then doing it again.

One thing I would recommend though is to seriously double check it. We were ready to efile and decided to check it against last years return to make sure it looked the same. (I know. Dork.) That is when I realized that I had forgotten to put in my student loan interest paid. We also almost missed the renters credit the state of Michigan gives us because we didn't know if was called the 'homestead' something or other. Once Marty caught that we hadn't included that information we went back and found where to include it.

We sent our return last night around 9pm. This morning our Federal return has already been accepted by the IRS and our refund should be deposited on February 8th. We are still waiting to hear back from Michigan.

One more thing - if you plan to efile, have last years return handy. You have to have either your adjusted gross income or PIN from last year.

Quote of the day 1.28.08

Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim. - Nora Ephron

Gas and Electric Usage - December Bill

I forgot to up[date when we got Decembers Gas/Electric bill.

Our bill for 12-12 to 1-12 is $194.77. Last year our December bill was $237.80.

December 2006
Electric 00992 kwh
Gas 00125 ccf

December 2007
Electric 00847 kwh
Gas 00096 ccf

I don't think we did too bad... considering that most of the month looked like this:

Dave Ramsey on Larry King Live

Did you miss Dave Ramsey on Larry King Live? You can see the transcript here.

California Hawaii Dreaming

Marty and I were chatting yesterday about Hawaii (what else?) so I started to look up houses for sale. I found some houses cheaper than what they would be here.

For example:

This house in Pahoa (Island of Hawaii - you know... the Big Island) was originally listed at its appraisal price, $269,000.00. It is brand new construction with 3 bed rooms, 2.5 baths, 1248 sq. ft. Because the family is being transferred to Australia, they need to sell it quickly. It is currently listed at $169,000. For an additional $20k you can buy the empty lot next to it, too.





I came across a lot of house that needed to be sold because the owner is being transferred internationally. Is Hawaii the stopping ground for people being sent to Australia and Asia? It would make sense if it were, but it probably doesn't make sense to buy a house where you are only living temporarily.

Honestly though, this house is too big for us. When we are finally able to move the boys will all be over 18. (Unless we decide to say "to hell with it!" and do it without such a huge security net. Maybe just a big one will do?) We would be happy with a nice 1 or 2 bedroom place and no $800 a month electric bill, thankyouverymuch.

Another interesting thing about housing in Hawaii is that many of the houses have these small guest house/cottage things out back. Quite a few of the rental properties I have come across are these back cottage things. Not that I want to be a landlord, but having an additional $1200 or so to pay toward your mortgage is a big incentive!

Help Germans Ask Their President: 'Why isn’t Homeschooling Allowed?'

German President Angela Merkel has a website where it is possible to ask questions of her directly. It has been reported by Germans that those questions that receive the most number of "plus" signs will receive an answer. German homeschoolers are asking homeschoolers from all over the world to vote in favor of this question. Click here and then click on the plus sign to register your vote to have President Angela Merckel answer the question "Why is homeschooling not allowed in Germany?"

Germany is a federal republic in which states are responsible for education. In all of Germany, states treat homeschooling as illegal, and parents are fined thousands of dollars, put in jail or have child custody taken away by the government. Incredibly, federal courts have chosen to interpret the federal constitution against parents and have ruled that it is an “abuse of parental rights” to homeschool. The only solution will be if German states change their laws. In order for this to happen, public officials, including Angela Merckel, will have to realize that German public policy regarding homeschooling is out of step with the rest of free democratic societies that embrace pluarlism in education and recognize that parents have the right to homeschool their children.

Thank you for helping homeschoolers in Germany seeking freedom to educate their children at home. Your vote counts!

HT to The New Unschooler

How did I miss this?

I have to get one of these! How in the world did I miss it? I watch and listen to Glenn Beck almost daily. I must have fallen asleep or something.

Speaking of Glenn Beck... anyone know the name of the song he was playing today? (The one about the new roller skate and key, not the National Anthem of the USSR.) The friend that was with us in the car kept singing it so I want to get it for him. He is eight, so I am sure his mom will appreciate it.

Update: Well duh me! It is called Brand New Key. I found a video on YouTube (of course.) Now I just have to find the MP3.

Finally, a conclusion

I know I said that I wouldn't talk about this any longer, but I just had to let you all know what happened. (I just got home, so that is why the update is so late.)

I called The Lampo Group to confirm the address and was told that they would not accept opened product, because they can't resell them. I tried to explain that Jeanette (the woman I spoke with yesterday) knew that the product was opened, blah, blah, blah. The woman just kept saying "You will have to speak to a supervisor..." and transfered me. I got a voice mail box so I hung up. I figured that there was no point talking to a supervisor if they could not accept returns, and that I would just resell the ebay kit.

Five minutes later my phone rang. It was the woman I spoke with telling me that there has been some mis-communication. She spoke with Jeannette and was told that a credit had been issued yesterday. Long story short... they are giving me 100% of my money back and will not accept the kit back. I tried to explain to her that if I am keeping the kit, I will pay for it. It was my 'mistake' (whether based on misinformation or not, it was still my mistake) and I will pay for it. She said that "We want you to keep it and use it, because we know that it works."

Now who feels like a schmuck?

So now I have two kits. We have decided to either donate the ebay kit to someone or sell it and give the money to charity.

I would like to think it was my mad writing skills - what with my über persuasive 1:30am email - but honestly I just think that they are just nice people who were tired of dealing with me.

See how I always manage to make things way more complicated than they need to be?!

Quote of the day 1.25.08

Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do and damned if you don't. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Where should we move?

We want to move to Hawaii as soon as we can. Unfortunately, 'as soon as we can' is 5+ years from now. I am not spending those 5+ years in Michigan. Michigan is a beautiful state with wonderful people and if it were located somewhere else, I would stay forever. Michigan is too north for me. It is 10° out right now. Earlier, it was 0°. I can't take it any more.

Marty and I have been talking a lot lately about when we move. The only thing we have right now is that it has to be warm. Not North Carolina warm, either. When I was in Miami it was 75-85° and I loved it. When I was in Dallas it was 120° and I loved it. When I was in Los Angeles it was 75-80° and if there hadn't been 9 million people trying to do the same things we were, I would have loved it. That kind of warm.

The state also has to be homeschool friendly and have a decent cost of living. (Sorry California!)

I will save you the process, but here is the list:
* Arizona - Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Phoenix, Yuma
* Florida - Kissimmee, Mary Esther, Ocala, Orlando, Pensacola, Sanford, Tallahassee, Tampa
* Georgia - Albany, Athens, Columbus, Dalton, Douglasville, Ft. Oglethorpe, Macon, McDonough, Savannah, Warner Robins
* Louisiana - Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport, West Monroe
* Mississippi - Flowood, Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Ridgeland, Southaven, Tupelo
* Texas - Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Beaumont, Burleson, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Houston, Hurst, Killeen, Laredo, Lewisville, Lubbock, Lufkin, McAllen, Midland (Wouldn't that be funny?), N. McAllen, Odessa, Round Rock, San Angelo, San Antonio, San Marcos, Sherman, Waco, Wichita Falls

This is just the cities where Marty's employer has restaurants. He loves his job, and doesn't want to leave the company. So I took all of the states that passed the temperature and homeschooling friendliness test, and this is the list I came up with.

So I am asking all of your help. If you know anything about any of the cities listed, please fill me in! We won't be moving until we are debt free and have saved a big moving fund, but it is never too early to plan.

My letter to the daveramsey.com Webmaster

I wrote the webmaster of daveramsey.com. Here is my 1:30 am letter, which I probably should have waited until tomorrow to write. You know, when I will be able to think clearly.

I wanted to let you know that I will be returning the FPU membership kit that I purchased from you.

I purchased FPU through daveramsey.com because the website states:
"Get a lifetime membership with the purchase of this Membership Kit... Enhance your FPU experience with online features including budgeting software, an active discussion community, bonus articles, videos and more."
http://www.daveramsey.com/shop/Financial_Peace_University_Mem_P614C36.cfm

We decided that the cost above and beyond what we could purchase the kit on ebay for was worth it because of the lifetime budgeting software, discussion community, etc.

I had to call and speak with someone about something else and found out that the budgeting software and discussion community are only available for a short time, not the ’lifetime’ that is implied. It was only after you log in to the MRC – after purchase - that it states that the budgeting software and discussion community are available for a limited time. I feel that this is misleading. While I am sure it wasn’t intentionally misleading, I do hope that you correct it before someone else makes the same mistake.

Thank you-

For the record:
1) this is the last time I will mention this because I am sure you are all tired of hearing about it
2) I really don't think it is written to be intentionally misleading. Who knows... maybe I am the only one who reads it this way?
3) I hope that Jeannette (I think that was her name. She had a southern accent and spoke really softly...) was right when she said that I can return the kit. I have already won the ebay auction and the only thing worse than having a kit you paid too much for is having two kits.

Now that the auction is over...

I was able to find FPU and TMMO on ebay for $86 with $15 shipping. Combined with the $10 to ship FPU back to The Lampo Group I am still ahead $37. Not a lot, but enough to make me happy. I would be happier if I didn't have to pay $10 to ship it back, or wait 14 business days for the credit on my debit card, but what can I do, you know?

This has just turned into a big headache.

I just wish they would change their website.

Woman who turned off heat to save energy freezes to death

How very sad that someone felt the need to turn their heat off to save energy. I know that energy prices have gone up, but there has to be a better way to save money!

Woman who turned off heat to save energy freezes to death

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (AP) - A woman who apparently turned off the heat in her home to save energy was found frozen to death in her bed, a LaPorte County official said.

Deputy Coroner Mark Huffman said Stella Chambers, 61, was found under the covers in her bed in her rural Michigan City home on Monday. She was wearing a hat and several layers of clothing, he said.

"She definitely must have had an issue with the utilities. Unfortunately, it didn't do any good," said Huffman, who ruled the cause of death hypothermia from exposure to the bitter cold inside the home.

Some of the windows inside the residence were iced over, and the water in the toilet was frozen solid, police said.

Investigators found the pilot light on her furnace was burning, although the thermostat was turned off. Several electric space heaters were in the home, but all of them were either shut off or unplugged.

"She was trying to conserve energy. There was no reason financially to have turned it off," Huffman said.

The woman's cousin, Ralph Martin, said conserving energy was an example of the frugal life she tried to lead.

"She may not have realized how cold it was going to get," Martin said.

HT to Sense to Save

Volunteering

I have been looking for an organization to volunteer with for a while now. Last weekend at the mall, I found it.

Mid-Michigan Heart Savers is a group that supports families of children needing heart surgery. They do everything from raise money to make and deliver care packages to sitting with the kids at the hospital so that the parents go home and take care of things there.

I spoke with the founder today. She said that they are trying to put together a fund raiser for the week of Valentines day. I volunteered to help in any way that I can.

Buyers Remorse? - Update

I called The Lampo Group. Seriously... the nicest people ever. I can return it, but we have decided not to.

By the time I pay to have it shipped back to Nashville, buy the older (but never opened) kit on ebay, pay to ship the new kit here, buy TMMO (free in the kit from The Lampo Group. I loaned mine to someone and she moved. Can you believe it?) it is only $10 less than what we paid. Of course, I was ready to do it. Marty - who actually thinks these things through - said that he thought it would just be better to keep the one we have. There were two envelope system thingies included in the one from The Lampo Group that we will not use (we already have one) so I am going to sell those. It could end up costing us more to go through all of the hassle of returning it.

I did tell the woman why I was interested in returning it and she said she would be sure to let the web developers know so that they can take a look at it. Hopefully they will change it so that others don't make the same mistake.

Lesson learned, I guess.

Buyers Remorse?

Our FPU came today. It was like Christmas around here. There was so much in that darn box! I am having a little bit of buyers remorse, though. I am not remorseful that we bought FPU... just that we bought it from daveramsey.com

I see brand new FPU kits on ebay for right around - and often less than - $100. We decided to buy it from www.daveramsey.com because the website was pretty darn misleading. This is what it says-

Get a lifetime membership with the purchase of this Membership Kit. Only one kit is required per family. Included with your membership are:
* Course Materials
The Membership Kit provides everything you need to attend a class in your area.

* Access to the Member Resource Center
Enhance your FPU experience with online features including budgeting software, an active discussion community, bonus articles, videos and more.

* Lifetime Benefits for Your Family
With your lifetime membership, you and your immediate family can attend an FPU class anywhere, any time, at no extra charge.

So I buy it thinking I would get lifetime access to the forum, budgeting software, etc.

When the package arrived today there was something in it that says-

Start using this FREE resource today!
*Register your lifetime membership.
*Talk to FPU members online.
*Complete your homework online.
*Watch exclusive Dave Ramsey videos.
*Access helpful tools for each lesson.
*Enter drawings to win special prizes.

So it looks to me like my free lifetime membership includes the ability to talk to other FPU members, use the budgeting software, etc. right?

Wrong.

I had to call them again (for some reason it wouldn't let me register) and happened to ask. The forum, budgeting software, etc. are only free for 15 weeks. Then after I bought it, I log on and see this -

Access to FPU and to the MRC content is lifetime, however, a few of the tools are being provided by MyTotalMoneyMakeover.com, Dave's subscription-based Web site, and will only last for 15 weeks. These resources, the My Money tools, Community Forums, and Journal are meant to give you additional help for your first Financial Peace experience.

So, is it just me? Did I miss read? Because I swear that to me it reads that those things are free for 'lifetime.' These things aren't a huge deal, but had I realized that they were only for 15 weeks, I would have bought from ebay for a lot less.

I am already so mad (at myself) because years ago I had one of the free grandfathered memberships and we decided to purchase a membership (some books and other things.) Instead of using a new name - so I could keep the free grandfathered membership - I used the free name. A year later when I didn't renew the membership, of course there was no way to revert to the free grandfathered membership.

So now I messed up my free membership and have now over paid for FPU because of a misleading website. Is it any wonder I am in the situation I am in? Imagine how bad I mess everything else up if I can't even purchase something correctly.

Weekly Menu - Zen Vegetables Edition

Well, here I am. Back to Fat Smash. I am afraid to step on the scale, really. Ugh! Oh well... the last time I did Fat Smash the weight just melted off. I just have to learn to stick with it - even when I am stressed. I am working on that.

I bought a few insulated bags ($4 for 3 at the thrift store) so that Marty and I can always be prepared. I pack a lunch for Marty to take to work but always forget to take something with me when I will be out all day. Hopefully the bags will help me remember.

As usual, all meal are served with a salad, fruit of my choice, and cut fresh vegetables.

Menu Plan - Week of 1/24-1/30

1/24 - Thursday
Tomato and White Bean Soup, Apple Crisp

1/25 - Friday
Roasted Ratatouille, Brown Rice Pudding

1/26 - Saturday
Homemade Meatless Burgers, Italian Green Beans

1/27 - Sunday
Diana's Egyptian Lentils & Rice

1/28 - Monday
Tuscan White Bean Soup

1/29 - Tuesday
Vegetarian Golabki

1/30 - Wednesday
Ribollita

You know, stuff

The play dough was a huge hit! The girls (and Ethan) sat at the table for at least an hour playing with it.

The xbox 360 was a huge hit, too. We had to take it back and go to Saginaw to get another one, but after we got it home the boys disappeared into Christian and Alex's room and were only seen at feeding time.

Today is another snow day. I think every school in Mid-Michigan is off today. At 5:30 they said that we had 8 1/2" of snow, and could expect 6-8 more. At 9 the Weather Channel said we would only get 2-4 more. Either way, that is too much stinking snow!

Marty and I both started Phase 1 of Fat Smash again today. Ethan and I ran to the Salvation Army and found three nice insulated bags - one for Marty to take his food to work, one for me to toss some snacks in when I am out and about, and a big one for lots of snacks or lunch when we are all out and about. Not a bad haul for $4.

I managed to get a few of my 101 in 1001 list done.
10. Figure out where to stash BEF (Baby Step 1) - We decided on ING Electric Orange checking account. We went with the checking account vs. savings because with the checking account you get an ATM card. That takes care of our fear of needing the money - for an emergency, of course - and not having instant access to it.The interest rate is lower, but we don't keep the BEF as a money making account.

22. Figure out how to make a backup disk for my computer. Thanks to mom_of2boys for explaining it to me. I tried to make a backup, but I think I did the wrong thing. It took hours, and then at the end it said something about not being able to do it because no disk was available? I don't know. Andre is going to walk me through it.

43. Do something special with just Rhiannon (borrowed niece.) - On Saturday we went to the Mall for a Kids day things. Rhiannon and I suck away and grabbed some popcorn and cotton candy, and did some crafts.

52. Post this list to my blog. - I did that as soon as the list was done.

101. Find or make a template for this blog that doesn't drive me so crazy. (Or find someone who can fix this one.) - Done! Like it?

Right now the boys have a friend over to play xbox and I am sitting here freezing while I plan next weeks menu. I turned the heat up a bit when the girls were here because it was coooold. At one point it was 0° with a -12° wind chill.

Oh, remember how I told you that I ordered FPU and that Dave Ramsey has the nicest employees? Apparently, they are pretty darn quick, too. I ordered it at 4:35pm. At 5:51 I got an email saying that UPS had already picked it up and it will be here on Wednesday. Dang!

Dave Ramsey's employees are the nicest people

I just bought FPU through Dave Ramsey's online store. When I received the confirmation email I realized that I had forgotten my apartment number. (Duh!) I called The Lampo Group to see if they could fix it. I spoke with three different people and all three were incredibly nice.

After a weekend of dealing with the worst customer service in the history of bad customer service (Target) it was really nice to deal with nice, sane people who obviously enjoy their jobs... or at least don't hate them.

Library of Congress puts thousands of photos on Flickr

This has to be the coolest thing ever. Library of Congress puts thousands of photos on Flickr.

They are divided into two categories:
1930s-40s in Color

These vivid color photos from the Great Depression and World War II capture an era generally seen only in black-and-white. Photographers working for the United States Farm Security Administration (FSA) and later the Office of War Information (OWI) created the images between 1939 and 1944.

News in the 1910s

Welcome to the daily news scene from almost a hundred years ago, as photographed by the Bain News Service in about 1910-1912. We invite your tags and comments! Also, lots more identification information. (Most of these old photos came to the Library of Congress with very little description.)

HT WWdN

My first 'anti-Compact' purchase

Can you believe that I had to make my first new 'anti-Compact' purchase on Friday? And it was a box. I had to buy a box. How ridiculous is that?

I had to send Christian's MP3 player back today. Guess who too the box that the last one was sent to us to the recycling center on Tuesday? Ayup. Me.

So on Friday I spent 77¢ on a box and $1.57 on bubble wrap. I hang my head in Compact shame.

Speaking of shame... can anyone recommend a good website for herbs and spices? I had to buy turmeric, thyme, dill cream of tartar and whole nutmeg pod like thingies (what are those things called anyway? Just 'whole nutmeg'?) it was around $20. Granted, the nutmeg pods were $7 of that, but sheesh!

Financial Peace University - Week 2

Woohoo! Another week down. So far, we are loving it. In fact, we like it so much that we have decided to buy a brand new kit. (We got ours second hand and it is missing a few things. We were unaware of that until today. Oy!) We decided that it is an investment that we are willing to make. So we are.

We are having company this weekend, so we will sit down next week and work on all of the forms for this week (contract, budget, allocated spending, etc.) We have been budgeting for a while, but usually by the end of the month we get lazy. Nice, huh? I still do one every month, though.

1 - Super Savers - Done!
2 - Cash Flow Planning - Done!
3 - Relating with Money
4 - Buying Only Big, Big Bargains
5 - Dumping Debt
6 - Understanding Investments
7 - Understanding Insurance
8 - Retirement and College Planning
9 - Buyer Beware
10 - Real Estate and Mortgages
11 - Careers and Extra Jobs
12 - Collection Practice and Credit Bureaus
13 - The Great Misunderstanding

MP3 player update

I know you are all on the edge of your seats waiting to hear what happened, so here goes.

I had to threaten to sue them in Small Claims Court. Once I did that, they tried to call my bluff by saying that since I threaten legal action they were no longer allowed to deal with me. I called her bluff by asking for the phone number to the legal department. After she stammered for a minute, she put me on hold. A few minutes later she came back with the number.

I called the legal department and left a voice mail explaining the problem and asking for the address to have the papers served to. (I had called small claims court and was told that 1) yes, I had a case that was perfect for small claims court and 2)I could have them served by registered mail since they are in Oklahoma.)

An hour or so later I got a call from a very, very nice guy who said the woman from the legal department called him and asked him to personally take care of it.

They have no idea what is wrong, but suspect that it might be the power adapter.

Once we send his MP3 player back, they will send us a new power adapter and a new player. He gave Christian the option of having the same player that he has now, or the new one with a bigger screen. He is getting the new one. Once we have it, I am to call with the serial # for the 2 year extended service plan. Hopefully, we won't need it.

I Won!!!

OMG! I won! Woohoo! I got this email today:

We are delighted to inform you that your EMAIL Account has won you 500,000 GBP from the City Lotto END of Year program held in London.

You are to contact the claims director with the following:

Ref: CLUK/475061725,
Batch: 7056490902/188 and
Serial Number: 7917/06
Contact: Mr. David Newton

Email: claimsdirector***@hotmail.com
Yours Faithfully,
Mr. Ian William

It must be real... They are giving away all of their money and can't even afford their own domain name. Hotmail is the obvious choice, really.

101 in 1001

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

My List
Italicized items are in progress
Strike-throughed items are completed

Start date: Thursday, January 17, 2008
End date: Thursday, October 14, 2010

Health and Fitness
1. Reach my 'goal weight.'
2. Workout five days a week for 3 months straight.
3. Give up sugar for a week.
4. Take a multi-vitamin daily for a month.
5. Eat no chocolate or candy for 30 days.
6. Take part in a walk to earn money for a cause.
7. Start to wear sun screen - Seriously. I am going to look like I am 90 soon.
8. Keep a food journal for 90 days x2 [0/2]

Financial
9. Finish FPU.
10. Figure out where to stash BEF (Baby Step 1) 1-22-08 (Changed our minds. We are sticking with the brick and mortar bank. How old and paranoid are we?)
11. Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball. (Baby Step 2)
12. Save 3 to 6 months of expenses (Baby Step 3)
13. Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement (Baby step 4)
14. Build wealth and give! (Baby Step 7)
15. Finish our will (ai-yi-yi! This should have been done- oh - 16 years ago?)
16. Finally finish my price book.
17. Make a household inventory for insurance purposes.
18. Go one month without spending any money at all - except for food and bills, of course.
19. Get a job that's not in retail, if possible.
20. Keep track of every penny spent for a month.
21. Start to learn about investing. (There is a website out there that lets you invest fake money and tracks how you do. Of course, I can't remember it. )

Home and Garden
22. Figure out how to make a backup disk for my computer. 1-18-08 Thanks mom_of2boys!
23. Make a backup disk for my computer. 1-23-08
24. Compile a list of 25 snack ideas - that the family will actually eat. 11-04-08
25. Compile a list of 25 lunch ideas - that the family will actually eat.
26. Have two rolls of (old) film developed (onto a CD rom) a month.
27. Cultivate a window herb garden.
28. Sell or donate 101 items.
29. Get a rug for under the dining room table.
30. Finish making my headboard.
31. Organize recipe binder.
32. Organize computer.
33. Start a household binder.
34. Memorize/create ten new 'go-to' recipes and keep ingredients on hand at all times.
35. Get rid of all books I don't have a reason to keep.

Personal
36. Have friends for dinner once a week for a month.
37. Send a note or card to someone weekly for two months.
38. Get a professional massage.
39. Get a mani-pedi.
40. Have a weekend away with just Marty. (No kids)
41. Spend the day at a spa.
42. Mail a secret to PostSecret
43. Do something special with just Rhiannon. - 1-18-08
44. Spend one whole day doing nothing but reading.
45. Find out all the family birthdays, anniversaries, and email addresses. Send cards to everyone for 1 year.
46. Update my address book.
47. Have a family night - that doesn't involve the TV - once a month.
48. Find a 'pen-pal' in Hawaii. (Can I still call it a pen-pal since I am not 12??)
49. Send my nieces cards for no reason x10 [Sydney:2/10, Shelby 1/10, Rhiannon 1/10]
50. Keep a quote journal for one month.

Self-Improvement
51. Attempt a conversation in a foreign language.
52. Post this list to my blog. 1-17-08
53. Learn to cook 10 new dishes.
54. Send a care package to a soldier.
55. Make an effort to procrastinate less for a month.
56. Make a list of at least five positive things that happen each week for a month. x6 [0/6]
57. Learn to sew.
58. Participate in as many Photo Friday challenges as I can.
59. Complete a 26 Things project. - if they ever start them again.
60. Pick a cookbook I already own and make every recipe (that doesn't include foods that I can't eat) in it at lease once.
61. Read at least one of the books to win a Pulitzer Prize from each of the last 10 years.
62. Have 15 minutes of 'quiet, alone time' everyday for a month.
63. Go one day without saying something sarcastic.
64. If that works, try one week. [0/1]
65. Forgive someone who doesn't deserve it - and mean it.
66. Donate $2 for each item from this list not completed to my charity of choice.
67. Focus on learning about one new country a month x12 [1/12]
68. Re-read the Constitution.
69. Re-read the Declaration of Independence.
70. Memorize all countries and their capitals in the European Union.
71. Memorize all states alphabetically, and their capitals.
72. Complete at least 3 acts of 'random kindness' a month x6 [3/6]

Adventure
73. Take one day trip a month. x12 [0/12]
74. Have a clam bake.
75. Have a Super Bowl party.
76. Take a family weekend to Niagara Falls. - Since we have moved to Mississippi, I am changing this to New Orleans.
77. Take the boys to Germany.
78. Start Letterboxing
79. Visit Hawaii - or at least plan our trip.
80. Eat real Southern fried chicken once without guilt.
81. Eat real BBQ once without guilt.
82. Drive somewhere spontaneously this summer.
83. Go to the Renaissance Fair.
84. Build a snowman. - Moved to Mississippi, so doubtful this will happen.
85. Spend an afternoon picking up trash by road/riverbank/etc.
86. Leave 200 notes or quotes of encouragement in unexpected places. [1/200]
87. Dress up for Halloween.

Entertainment
88. Watch at least 10 movies from the All-Time 100 best films list. [1/10]
89. Watch entire Northern Exposure series.
90. Release at least 50 Where's George bills. [2/50]
91. Take at least one photo a day of something that interests me for a month.
92. Spend one day doing nothing but watching movies. Aim for 7 movies.
93. Watch the entire Lord of the Rings series in one sitting.
94. Watch all of the Harry potter movies (that have been released) in one sitting.
95. Watch five musical films that I have never seen before. [1/5 - Sweeney Todd]
96. Throw a party for no reason.
97. Watch at least 20 Oscar-winners for Best Director. [0/20]
98. See at least 20 Oscar-winners for Best Documentary [0/20]
99. Learn one all purpose mildly dirty joke.
100. Put a video on You Tube.
101. Find or make a template for this blog that doesn't drive me so crazy. (Or find someone who can fix this one.) 1-17-08

Reading
102. Read at least one suggestion from each category in TWEM.
103. Keep a list of all books I read in 1 calendar year.
104. Post that list on my blog.
105. Read one book set in each state. [0/50]
106. Read the newspaper when it is delivered to me, rather than stare at it guiltily and then tossing it into the recycle bag.

The MP3 player from H-E Double Hockey Sticks

I am so mad. Christian's MP3 player stopped working again last night. This is the fourth time this things has had to be replaced. It just shuts off by its self and then won't power back on. What the heck? Gee... maybe this is why they no longer sell it?

The last time it was sent back I told them that if it happens again I just wanted my money back. They said I would have to talk to a supervisor to do that. So when they open I get to call and demand my money back. Good times.

Weekly Menu - Eat, Drink and Be Merry For Tomorrow We Diet Edition

Woohoo! House guests and then a diet. What more could I ask for?

Actually, I love house guests and Fat Smashing isn't so bad either. Most of the recipes I will be using for Phase 1 come from the book Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker: 200 Recipes for Healthy and Hearty One-Pot Meals That Are Ready When You Are - a book that I love and would buy if I, you know, bought things. If I ever come across it used, it is so mine!

My brother, vegetarian SIL, and picky niece (5yo) will be here this weekend. I am forbidden from serving beans, because picky niece had a meltdown the last time, so when I saw Kris post Ellie Krieger’s Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce and that Christine's daughter loved the mushroom barley soup I knew they would be the perfect guinea pigs.

As usual, all meal are served with a salad, fruit of my choice, and cut fresh vegetables.

Menu Plan - Week of 1/17-1/23

1/17 - Thursday
Greek Penne

1/18 - Friday
Pizza

1/19 - Saturday
Mushroom Barley Soup, Beer bread

1/20 - Sunday
Ellie Krieger’s Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce

1/21 - Monday
Vegetarian Jambalaya (I will probably add sausage for the people who want it)

1/22 - Tuesday
Kids: Baked Vegetable Stew with Biscuits on top
Adults: Bean and Vegetable Ragout, brown rice

1/23 - Wednesday
Kids: Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas with Gooey Jack Cheese
Adults: Arroz non Pollo

Scammed

I just got my very first scam call! A woman called and said that she was from a collection agency, and was collecting a debt from my old bank. She said that I own $372 to my old bank. Hmmm...

I told her to stop calling me and immediately called the bank. The woman from the bank said that no, I don't owe fees (I knew that) and that they have been getting a lot of calls about this scam lately. She recommended that I call the phone company and block the number. The calls are coming to my cell phone, so I called T-Mobile. They can not block calls and suggested that I call the police. He said that one call from the police is usually enough to get them to stop.

If she calls back I am going to call the police and ask them to give the number a quick call. I'm not sure if they will, but it is worth a try.

The Year of the Challenge - 101 in 1001

You guys have heard of 101 in 1001, right? If not, basically you come up with 101 tasks that you want to complete in 1001 days (about 2.75 years.)

I have been thinking about doing it for a while now... since we lived in Detroit. (1 1/2 years ago.) I have been working on a list since then, and have finally decided to commit to doing it. Oy! 2008 seems to be the year of the challenge around here, so what the heck, right?

I am almost done with it. As soon as it is done I will post it here, because posting here keeps me motivated. Knowing all of the tens of people who read my blog will be reading it and will know I failed is a great motivator.

So if you are bored with all of my self help crap I have been posting lately, I'm sorry. This is where I am at right now.

Speaking of that - why is it that all of the things I have been working on and failing at miserably at since oh, *forever*, suddenly I am kicking butt at? I'm not sure what my motivation is. I'm not sure I want to know, because then it might go away. Maybe it has something to do with turning 35? You know... middle aged. *shudder*

Daddy's coming and he's bringing Dave Ramsey with him

A video of Grace, a 3yo whose parents listen to Dave Ramsey. This is her reaction when they tell her that they should cut her 'Princess Express' credit card. Priceless!



ht to Pet Peeving

Hey you! Yes you...

If you are in Michigan, don't forget to vote today.

Updated

I updated the 'The Numbers' section over there to the right. I added a 'total debt paid' section, and updated our moving fund info.

We have lowered our moving fund amount because it is doubtful that we will be transferred until maybe the fall. We are moving locally in May, so we budgeted for that. Once we pay down some more debt we will start a bigger moving fund.

I will continue to post the debt pay down, when I remember to. Not sure anyone cares, though. Maybe once we get our income tax back and I can post big numbers and not just what was paid from one paycheck it will be way more impressive? lol

Nothing like planning ahead...

CNN just did a story about how Detroit is suffering because of job loss and foreclosures. The woman was in Shelby Township, talking about how there were eight foreclosures on the street she was standing on. She was standing on my old landlords street. There were only 10 houses.

His youngest kid was a senior in high school, the oldest was in college and he decided to sell his modest house in St. Clair Shores to buy this giant, ridiculously extravagant McMansion in Shelby Township. I know that he paid $600k+ for his house, and he got a deal ($75k off) because it was the last house to sell. I also know that when he bought the house he bragged to me that he got it for cheap because the economy was tanking.

Maybe it is just me but when your income is based on the income of others, buying a 600k+ house when you know the economy is tanking isn't such a good idea? I also know that by the time we moved he was working a "real" job - for the first time in his life - instead of living off of his income from rental properties.

Cake, clubhouses, cousins and consignment

Ethan made a cake yesterday so this afternoon we took it to the clubhouse and shared with the puzzle ladies. Ethan went swimming and I soaked my old bones in the hot tub. I am going to miss that hot tub when we move. I tried to get some pictures of the condition of the place but there were too many people.

Basically, the clubhouse is falling apart. There are wires hanging from a light, the "river rock" floor is coming up and the window at the end of the building is falling out. Oh, and there is the brown goo that is dripping from the wood ceiling. Lovely. I talked to the new manager and told her that 1) I was going to file a complaint with the city and 2) the ambulance drivers who came to pick a neighbor up are filing a complaint because there is no street sign (private drive.)She said she hopes so, because then maybe she can get the maintenance guy to fix things!! I was speechless.

I called the city building department but she said there is nothing that they can do about it. She suggested that I call the health department, so that is on my list for tomorrow. The woman from the city did call the maintenance guy and told him that people were complaining. He said that he isn't surprised... and of course did nothing to fix the problems. Luckily, the pool is still ok to use. Just kind of bad looking and falling apart.

Next weekend my brother and SIL are coming up for a visit. I am so glad. I love visitors! We will exchange Christmas gifts. The boys will get their XBox and the girls will get their zoo membership and homemade Play Doh. Actually, I will probably wait to get their zoo pass because theirs doesn't expire until June and they are talking about moving to Florida. The last time they were here my SIL said she wanted to go in March. That would suck to have a zoo pass to a city you no longer live in, so I will wait.

My SIL is in Florida right now. My brother sent her for her birthday. I know. Couldn't you just die? I got slippers - that I bought for myself - for my birthday. I guess that is one of the perks of being debt free, right? I told my brother that she should have taken her resume with her, but I wouldn't be surprised if she did indeed do just that. I hope so. I need a place to winter. I told Marty that is he isn't transferred to somewhere warm by next winter the boys and I will be camping out in SIL's best friends back yard. I haven't told her that yet. lol

Marty has noticed that my seasonal depression hasn't been as bad this year as it usually is. I'm not sure why. I know that I have made a conscious effort to work through a lot of it. I have also just decided to go with the flow with a lot of the symptoms. Seriously. Why do I fight to get out of bed at 6:30-7am when my body wants to sleep until 11? It is strange, but when I sleep until my body wakes up on its own I get more done in the day that I do when I wake up 4 hours earlier. I am in a much better mood, I don't have the carb cravings (as much) and life is just better for all involved. Of course the boys love it because they get to sleep in, too.

Oh! I found what is supposed to be a good consignment shop today! Ok, I didn't find it today... the woman that used to work at our pool told me about it months ago when her friends opened the place. I was reminded of it today by the new pool lady who does all of her shopping there. I'm not holding out too much hope, though. This same woman went on and on about how her husband won't eat anything with any tomato product and she won't eat anything with onions... as she was making chili (with onions) for their dinner. I will probably check it out Tuesday on errand day. I'll let you know.

Cheap, environmentally friendly "Homemade Febreze"

Since we are on a 'green' cleaning kick, I thought I would share another great recipe.

I make my own Febreze type spray. Diana's (of potato soup fame) shared her recipe and I have been using it ever since.

She just mixes fabric softener, water and baking soda in a spray bottle.

Because of the size of my spray bottle I usually use 1/4 cup fabric softener, 2 cups water, 2 TBS baking soda.

If you don't have liquid fabric softener, just soak a dryer sheet or two in the water overnight. If you don't want the scent you can just use water and baking soda.

Diana swears by this spray, and she has big stinky farm dogs. I swear by it and I have big stinky teenage boys.

Picture from flickr

Keeping Track of Goals

Screen Shot of the working 'Joe's Goals' example.

Millionaire Mommy Next Door shared a great resource that I thought I would pass on.

Using Joe's Goals you can keep track of your goals, and how often you accomplish them. It takes just a minute to sign up and add your goals.

Inspired somewhat by Benjamin Franklin's 13 Virtues, I built Joe's Goals to make it stupidly simple to create, track, and share your personal goals. It is a productivity application that is actually easy enough to use.

There is even a "Get Inspired" section that shows you a cloud of the most popular goals users are tracking.

Cheap, environmentally friendly "Homemade Soft Scrub"

This recipe was shared on a message board I frequent. The OP couldn't remember where she found it, but I am glad she did.

Earth Scrub
2 cups baking soda
1/2 cup liquid soap
(you can use dish soap, laundry soap, bubble bath, shampoo...whatever you have on hand)
2/3 cup water
2 Tbsp. Vinegar

Mix the first three together, then add the vinegar last because if you mix it with the baking soda, it'll foam up!

Put in a recycled squeeze bottle - I use an old body wash bottle - and use it on sinks and counter tops.

Simple, green cleaning

I spent most of the day cleaning. I have been using the cleaning recipes and "cleaning kit" idea from Down to Earth and am really happy with them. Those of you looking for simple, green cleaning ideas and recipes should check them out.

Simple cleaning
Green cleaning - the bathroom
Green cleaning - floors and furniture
Green cleaning - the kitchen

The boys have a friend over tonight and are watching a bunch of movies I don't like so I am going to hide in my room with a book. See you all tomorrow!

Payback time

I just did the energy analysis at my gas/electric company's website. I have to say, some of the information surprised me. For example...

Who hasn't heard the old tightwad tip to wrap your water heater? According to Consumers Energy, wrapping your water heater will cost you between $11-19 and will save you $2-3 a year. Air drying your dishes instead of running the "dry" cycle on your dishwasher will save you $7-12 a year.

Now I know that all of these small things add up. I know that by doing a handful of them we could save $100 a year, or more... Maybe?

Enter Payback Time
Before you decide to do anything, figure out how long the payback time is. Payback is when the cost of the item is offset by the money you will save. For example:
If I spend $10 on a widget that will save me $2 a year, the payback time is 5 years.

Cost ÷ monthly savings = Payback time

(Ok, it can be a little more complicated, by factoring in the life of the new product vs. life of the old product, etc. but you get the idea.)

Example: According to estimates, changing all of your bulbs to compact fluorescent will save you $38-47 a year. I found compact fluorescent bulbs at Sam's Club, and was able to change most of the bulbs in my house for around $18. My local club has an 8 pack of 13 watt (60 watt equivalent) for $12.73. (They have a 10 pack available online for $24.33 + shipping.) So my payback time was less than a year.

Go Mom!

Give this mom a medal!

OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for three weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet.

'Mean mom' sells son's car after misdeed

Maui Eye Candy

Honomanu Bay

Polo Beach
The Blowhole

Maui Country Church

Weekly Menu - The seriously, why are we not in Hawaii? edition

The "edition" really has nothing to do with the menu. It is just a question we have been asking ourselves a lot lately. But that is a post better saved for another day. Let's just say that we are running out of reasons.

Anyway... Another boring, use it up week. We plan to start back to Fat Smash full force soon. We would have started this week, but there is a lot of food we need to use up! Fat Smashing takes up a lot of room in my fridge. (Just the yogurt we go through is mind boggling!)

As usual, all meal are served with a salad, fruit of my choice, and cut fresh vegetables.

Menu Plan - Week of 1/10-1/16

1/10 - Thursday
Greek Stuffed Zucchini (adults), Baked Vegetable Stew with Biscuits on top (kids)

1/11 - Friday
The Barefoot Contessa's Turkey Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli

1/12 - Saturday
Pasta Alfredo, bread

1/13 - Sunday
Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Black Beans (w/ tomatoes, onions, cilantro and other good stuff)

1/14 - Monday
Breakfast for Dinner - French Toast, hashbrowns

1/15 - Tuesday
Balsamic Roast Pork Tenderloin, Steamed broccoli

1/16 - Wednesday
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

The amazing picture above is of Sunset Beach Park, Oahu and was found on flickr. We will most likely end up on Maui, so I will post some Maui eye candy for your viewing pleasure.

Quote of the Day 01.08.08

The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want. - Ben Stein

From Dave Ramsey's Website

DIY : Income Tax

I have been thinking a lot about income tax. Dumping a big chunk of money on to my debt is great fodder for daydreams.

What bursts my little daydreaming bubble is the thought of paying $300+ to have my taxes done.

Each year, we go to H&R Block... because we always have. We get the rapid refund... because we always have. No thought, just an automatic "Yes please!" Talk about stupid tax!

Last year while sitting in the office watching the nice gentleman fill in the blanks on the computer program, we had an epiphany. Why in the world were we paying someone to do something we could easily do at home?

Not wanting to wait until the last second, I decided to start looking around for income tax preparation software.

There are plenty out there. Being the cheapskate frugal minded person that I am, I of course looked for the cheapest. It turns out, the cheapest is also the highest rated. Go figure!

We have a pretty straight forward return (we aren't self employed, don't own rental property) so you should look around and see which TaxACT product is best for you.
Compare TaxACT products

For us, it is the TaxACT Online Ultimate Bundle For $16.95 you get both Federal & State Tax Form Software, free e-file (Turbo Tax charges $17.95 per return!) free tech support and best of all, 100% accuracy guaranteed (If you are assessed a penalty due to a calculation error in TaxACT Online Deluxe, they'll pay the penalty & interest.)

Don't forget! If you earned $54,000 or less in 2007, you can use Free File to prepare your taxes online beginning in mid-January 2008.

(Photo from flickr)