There's been a move toward being frugal lately, but this article's title kind of drives me crazy. "How to get groceries for free": MSN uses it to attract attention, of course, but still. Gleaning was originally a way for the poor to have food, not for the average Joe/Jane to lower his/her grocery bill. Grrr.
On the positive note, gleaning is a great thing, and a member of our former church in Raleigh started a gleaning ministry for the community. He had a rough time starting it the first year because he was the only one who'd go pick food and haul it back to church, but he strove on and did great things. After Saturday pickup, he'd bring the stuff to church on Sunday and take donations for the food. Then, on Monday, he'd distribute to the local shelters. The donations were used for one of our church's ministries to feed needy kids in our area. The ministry is growing, and the outreaching is multiplying. That's what gleaning is all about!
So if you have time and are able, look into gleaning for your community. It's a great way to give back!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Make Love, not Debt, This Valentine's Day
Well, it's that time of year again. Valentine's Day. The time when I start to think about falling off my get healthier kick only to face massive amount of candy at every grocery store. When I'm glad I don't have a TV to remind me "Diamonds are forever" or to hawk some celebrity's new perfume to me. When I'm glad I've gotten to the chapter in Annie Leonard's Story of Stuff to dissuade me from wanting any new jewelry.Valentine's Day is a lot like Christmas, in my opinion. The whole reason for the holiday is completely forgotten. Even if you're going the secular route for Christmas, at least you can tell the story of a man named Nicholas (now popularly known as Saint Nick) who disguised himself when he'd give poor orphans stuff they really needed to survive. How many people know who St. Valentine was or what he did to merit a holiday?
Here's my take on Valentine's-if you insist on buying something for your significant other, then please don't use debt to do it. Have the money in your bank account before you use it. I've pledged to have a Debt Free Valentine's Day. Will you do the same?
I digress. I'm really writing this because of this article and its related charts from the National Retail Federation.
The trends are pretty significant. If we can have a $20-cheaper V-Day in 2009 and 2010 with our relationships intact (based on divorce rates not fluctuating too much between the 2005-2009 period), then why can't we stay frugal?
The trends are pretty significant. If we can have a $20-cheaper V-Day in 2009 and 2010 with our relationships intact (based on divorce rates not fluctuating too much between the 2005-2009 period), then why can't we stay frugal?
Check out this quote:
Couples this year will spend an average of $68.98 on their significant other or spouse, up from $63.34 last year...As usual, men will spend the most on Valentine’s Day gifts. The average man plans to shell out more than twice as much ($158.71) as the average woman ($75.79).Isn't that kind of obnoxious? Men are more or less expected to shell out more on their ladies than vice versa. What kind of equality is that? Poor dudes, especially since they don't know the ecological and inhumane horrors required for the production of the jewelry they will almost certainly feel required to purchase.
On top of that, can anyone really afford to buy such expensive gifts just six or seven weeks after one of the most expensive Christmases on record? I know we're officially out of the recession and all, but our national savings has plummeted while national use of credit is creeping upwards steadily again.
If you used credit to buy Christmas gifts, then you shouldn't consider buying a Valentine's gift. At all. Explain why you're not spending money honestly ("Honey, I want to pay this credit card bill off so we can save money later and do something really special and create a memory that will last forever" should go over pretty well). If you absolutely must give a gift, then get creative. Make something for less than $10. There are tons of frugal sites that have great ideas.
So, DG, what are you doing for Valentine's Day? I have no idea. I refuse to pay local baby-sitters the going rate of $10/hr/kid. That gets really expensive really quickly for three kids! I'll probably swap a night of baby-sitting with one of my girlfriends and celebrate a week or four late. I'd like the hubs and I to DO something together. LivingSocial has a $20 2-hr painting class deal right now. Maybe we can take advantage of that. I'll let you know whenever we get around to celebrating. At the very least, we'll share a glass of white wine and a piece of "nice" chocolate (the "fancy" flavored stuff Aldi is selling right now). Without a doubt, our Valentine's Day will be DEBT FREE.
Challenge: The whole idea of the holiday is LOVE. What does your sig o absolutely love, and how can you do something related to that inexpensively and sincerely? It's a tough one, I know, but you've got a fabulous brain. I know you'll come up with something fabulous!
-Domestic Goddess out.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Financial Lessons from Disney's "The Princess and the Frog"
There are a few things in The Princess and the Frog that get to me in a negative sense, like the voodoo and the stereotypes. But the things I really love about the movie are the financial lessons that can be easily drawn from it.
Tiana, a poor black girl with serious talent in the kitchen, lives in Jazz Age New Orleans and shares her father's dream to open a restaurant. Although Tiana's father dies before they can accomplish this goal, Tiana does everything she can to realize the dream. Her work ethic and willingness to sacrifice to accomplish her dream are commendable. She works two jobs and saves all of her tips/income so she can purchase a suitable building for her restaurant. She doesn't go out with her friends to spend money on a fleeting good time so she can save money for her restaurant. Despite being ridiculed by one of her bosses for working so hard and wanting to open her restaurant, she stays focused and keeps her eyes on the goal. Shortly before she is turned into a frog, Tiana realizes she has finally saved enough money to buy the restaurant and makes arrangements to purchase it. At the end of the movie, we see Tiana's dream realized in the form of a jazzy, fun restaurant crowded with people. Her persistence, dedication, and willingness to sacrifice allowed her to achieve her lifelong goal, and I think it is safe to assume she is fulfilled by the daily requirements to keep her business running.
On the other hand, Dr. Facilier, a voodoo practitioner, accomplishes his magic because he borrows from his "friends on the other side." He takes their power with the promise to give them more in return. In essence, he's got a black magic credit card. Unfortunately for him, he fails to pay the debt when his "friends" come calling. They drag him off to their black magic world as he screams promises to pay them off if he can just have more time.
Could the picture be any clearer? Tiana works hard and saves to accomplish her goals. Dr. Facilier borrows magical power, and when he can't repay off his substantial debt, gets dragged off to some unimaginably horrible place. Tiana gets to live happily ever after because she doesn't owe anyone anything. She is in charge of everything she uses because she paid for them in full immediately. Dr. Facilier didn't know it, but he was owned by those he borrowed from. When they came calling, his life of ease was over. His ending was scary.
Perhaps Americans should take these illustrations to heart. Have a plan, and save to accomplish your goals, like Tiana. You're much more likely to have a happy, fulfilling ending.
If you live on easy credit, beware what will come to get you when you don't repay your debt. Because despite what most Americans think, in the end, our credit card debts really are our fault. We signed the line, indicating we'd read through the terms and conditions. We didn't bargain for a lower interest rate. We indicated we understood we'd be held accountable for repayment according to the lender's terms. Therefore, we need to pay back everything we used. This is not an easy thing to do because most of us spend way more than we should.
While you're learning good lessons from The Princess and the Frog, be sure to teach them to your kids as well. The sooner kids learn fiscal responsibility, the better. Teach them to save well before they hit college and are inundated with credit card offers. Yes, there is a requirement to have parents co-sign, but we all know how easy it is to forge a parent's signature. Don't let easy credit kill your kids' financial future by the age of 22. Teach them now what credit is, how to use a debit card, and how important it is to save. America will be a lot better off because of it.
-Domestic Goddess out.
Tiana, a poor black girl with serious talent in the kitchen, lives in Jazz Age New Orleans and shares her father's dream to open a restaurant. Although Tiana's father dies before they can accomplish this goal, Tiana does everything she can to realize the dream. Her work ethic and willingness to sacrifice to accomplish her dream are commendable. She works two jobs and saves all of her tips/income so she can purchase a suitable building for her restaurant. She doesn't go out with her friends to spend money on a fleeting good time so she can save money for her restaurant. Despite being ridiculed by one of her bosses for working so hard and wanting to open her restaurant, she stays focused and keeps her eyes on the goal. Shortly before she is turned into a frog, Tiana realizes she has finally saved enough money to buy the restaurant and makes arrangements to purchase it. At the end of the movie, we see Tiana's dream realized in the form of a jazzy, fun restaurant crowded with people. Her persistence, dedication, and willingness to sacrifice allowed her to achieve her lifelong goal, and I think it is safe to assume she is fulfilled by the daily requirements to keep her business running.
On the other hand, Dr. Facilier, a voodoo practitioner, accomplishes his magic because he borrows from his "friends on the other side." He takes their power with the promise to give them more in return. In essence, he's got a black magic credit card. Unfortunately for him, he fails to pay the debt when his "friends" come calling. They drag him off to their black magic world as he screams promises to pay them off if he can just have more time.
Could the picture be any clearer? Tiana works hard and saves to accomplish her goals. Dr. Facilier borrows magical power, and when he can't repay off his substantial debt, gets dragged off to some unimaginably horrible place. Tiana gets to live happily ever after because she doesn't owe anyone anything. She is in charge of everything she uses because she paid for them in full immediately. Dr. Facilier didn't know it, but he was owned by those he borrowed from. When they came calling, his life of ease was over. His ending was scary.
Perhaps Americans should take these illustrations to heart. Have a plan, and save to accomplish your goals, like Tiana. You're much more likely to have a happy, fulfilling ending.
If you live on easy credit, beware what will come to get you when you don't repay your debt. Because despite what most Americans think, in the end, our credit card debts really are our fault. We signed the line, indicating we'd read through the terms and conditions. We didn't bargain for a lower interest rate. We indicated we understood we'd be held accountable for repayment according to the lender's terms. Therefore, we need to pay back everything we used. This is not an easy thing to do because most of us spend way more than we should.
While you're learning good lessons from The Princess and the Frog, be sure to teach them to your kids as well. The sooner kids learn fiscal responsibility, the better. Teach them to save well before they hit college and are inundated with credit card offers. Yes, there is a requirement to have parents co-sign, but we all know how easy it is to forge a parent's signature. Don't let easy credit kill your kids' financial future by the age of 22. Teach them now what credit is, how to use a debit card, and how important it is to save. America will be a lot better off because of it.
-Domestic Goddess out.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Don't Ask, Don't Tell...Why?!
So, the Don't Ask, Don't Tell rule is getting some serious discussion and limelight these days. Bah, humbug is what I say. Sure, I'm a Christian, and I believe homosexuality is a sin. I believe it's a choice because men and women fit together a little too perfectly (in every aspect of the phrase) for me to be convinced that homosexuality is a born trait.
At any rate, alcoholism is a sin, too, and I've gotten beyond tipsy a few times in my life. So I'm a sinner, too. I'm a repeat offender in a lot of areas, and nobody tried to subdue my ability to serve in the military. In fact, if I'd turned into an alcoholic while in the military, I would have been provided treatment programs and given special medical attention/counseling.
It's so infuriating to hear people say, "Well, if they (because politicians obviously don't represent their constituents at all, ever, right?) let gays serve openly in military, I'm getting out." Sure you are. The military is one of the most stable, well paying (at any rank, don't believe what anybody says-they just refuse to factor in all of their benefits) jobs available right now. It doesn't take a whole lot of skill to get into the military. Once in, you're taught everything you need to know. You're encouraged to continue your education. You have all sorts of reduced rate products available to you. There are special organizations for any need you can possibly dream of: the Exceptional Family Member Program, the Personal Financial Management Program, spouse support groups, children support groups, etc. And this is just from my knowledge of the Marine Corps. I'm certain the bigger services have even more programs available.
Anyhow, with this issue going to court, I wonder how many people are actually preparing their dissent papers so they can attempt to separate from the service upon Congressional and Supreme Court approval to allow gays to openly serve in the military. I'm guessing maybe 1% of people who feel that way may have even started wondering how to even begin that process. If service members aren't going to go through the hassle of attempting to get out because they oppose the policy, then why is there such a hullabaloo everywhere else? Just let them serve.
Now, I can see where higher level managers might be worried with the logistics of allowing openly gay persons serve in the military. Who are they going to room with? Are they going to be allowed to live out of unit quarters in on- or off-base housing just because of their sexual orientation (this is usually a privilege allowed for more senior servicemembers)? If gay people are allowed to room together, will heterosexual folks be allowed to live together? It could be a logistical nightmare...but if we're saying no to able-bodied people who are willing to serve just because of a logistics problem, well, we've got some serious issues.
And if anyone doubts the ability of a homosexual (particularly in the case of males) to serve well, let's just look at that famous conqueror, Alexander. They called him "The Great" for a reason-he was a military genius, and he loved men as much as I do. Well, I love one man, but you get the idea.
Plus, why is the military getting all hissy on this issue? If the military is so straight-laced, then there should be public outcry against all the strip clubs and bars found within three miles of any military installation. The only area the military is still "conservative" in is that of adultery, and even that is hard to prove.
So I guess my point is, if there is an underwhelming movement for current servicemembers to leave the military upon permission for openly practicing homosexuals to enter it, then let's make it happen. This is the land of the open-minded, isn't it? I mean, if Suzy Q. can sue McDonald's for handing her a hot coffee that she dumps all over herself as she drives away and win the suit, then what gives? We can't pretend we have scrupulous morals when ridiculous lawsuits like that win...or even worse, when legit lawsuits go nowhere because the accused has enough money to tip the scales of justice in their favor. C'mon, let's get real here!
The United States of America was founded on conservative, Christian ideals. The Puritans were all but kicked out of England for being too conservative, for goodness' sake! So sure, we could call this a Christian nation when we were founded. But America is not that anymore. America is a liberal, relativistic nation with no solid foundation for its morals, making us secular. So why are people getting all wrapped up about secular people acting in secular ways?
If Christians want to change the way the nation does stuff, then they need to start acting on their convictions! Christians need to start spreading the Word and loving people the way Jesus did. Because I know Jesus would be the first One to invite Himself over to a rich gay dude's house to show him some truth. Jesus would also the first One to include me in the brood of vipers for adding things to His word. From the beginning, we've been called to love God and love each other as we love Him. That doesn't mean we have to join in the sinning, but it does mean we need to reach out to the sinner and love him or her genuinely. This is a serious case of What Would Jesus Do, and I know the answer: He'd do the radical thing and just love people they way they are and reach out to them, no matter what they have done or are doing. He did it over and over again as a man, and He's still doing it today.
Challenge: This is a hard one. Love like Jesus does.
At any rate, alcoholism is a sin, too, and I've gotten beyond tipsy a few times in my life. So I'm a sinner, too. I'm a repeat offender in a lot of areas, and nobody tried to subdue my ability to serve in the military. In fact, if I'd turned into an alcoholic while in the military, I would have been provided treatment programs and given special medical attention/counseling.
It's so infuriating to hear people say, "Well, if they (because politicians obviously don't represent their constituents at all, ever, right?) let gays serve openly in military, I'm getting out." Sure you are. The military is one of the most stable, well paying (at any rank, don't believe what anybody says-they just refuse to factor in all of their benefits) jobs available right now. It doesn't take a whole lot of skill to get into the military. Once in, you're taught everything you need to know. You're encouraged to continue your education. You have all sorts of reduced rate products available to you. There are special organizations for any need you can possibly dream of: the Exceptional Family Member Program, the Personal Financial Management Program, spouse support groups, children support groups, etc. And this is just from my knowledge of the Marine Corps. I'm certain the bigger services have even more programs available.
Anyhow, with this issue going to court, I wonder how many people are actually preparing their dissent papers so they can attempt to separate from the service upon Congressional and Supreme Court approval to allow gays to openly serve in the military. I'm guessing maybe 1% of people who feel that way may have even started wondering how to even begin that process. If service members aren't going to go through the hassle of attempting to get out because they oppose the policy, then why is there such a hullabaloo everywhere else? Just let them serve.
Now, I can see where higher level managers might be worried with the logistics of allowing openly gay persons serve in the military. Who are they going to room with? Are they going to be allowed to live out of unit quarters in on- or off-base housing just because of their sexual orientation (this is usually a privilege allowed for more senior servicemembers)? If gay people are allowed to room together, will heterosexual folks be allowed to live together? It could be a logistical nightmare...but if we're saying no to able-bodied people who are willing to serve just because of a logistics problem, well, we've got some serious issues.
And if anyone doubts the ability of a homosexual (particularly in the case of males) to serve well, let's just look at that famous conqueror, Alexander. They called him "The Great" for a reason-he was a military genius, and he loved men as much as I do. Well, I love one man, but you get the idea.
Plus, why is the military getting all hissy on this issue? If the military is so straight-laced, then there should be public outcry against all the strip clubs and bars found within three miles of any military installation. The only area the military is still "conservative" in is that of adultery, and even that is hard to prove.
So I guess my point is, if there is an underwhelming movement for current servicemembers to leave the military upon permission for openly practicing homosexuals to enter it, then let's make it happen. This is the land of the open-minded, isn't it? I mean, if Suzy Q. can sue McDonald's for handing her a hot coffee that she dumps all over herself as she drives away and win the suit, then what gives? We can't pretend we have scrupulous morals when ridiculous lawsuits like that win...or even worse, when legit lawsuits go nowhere because the accused has enough money to tip the scales of justice in their favor. C'mon, let's get real here!
The United States of America was founded on conservative, Christian ideals. The Puritans were all but kicked out of England for being too conservative, for goodness' sake! So sure, we could call this a Christian nation when we were founded. But America is not that anymore. America is a liberal, relativistic nation with no solid foundation for its morals, making us secular. So why are people getting all wrapped up about secular people acting in secular ways?
If Christians want to change the way the nation does stuff, then they need to start acting on their convictions! Christians need to start spreading the Word and loving people the way Jesus did. Because I know Jesus would be the first One to invite Himself over to a rich gay dude's house to show him some truth. Jesus would also the first One to include me in the brood of vipers for adding things to His word. From the beginning, we've been called to love God and love each other as we love Him. That doesn't mean we have to join in the sinning, but it does mean we need to reach out to the sinner and love him or her genuinely. This is a serious case of What Would Jesus Do, and I know the answer: He'd do the radical thing and just love people they way they are and reach out to them, no matter what they have done or are doing. He did it over and over again as a man, and He's still doing it today.
Challenge: This is a hard one. Love like Jesus does.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
21st Century Women and Money
I stumbled into an article that bothers me a bit. Strangely enough, there are still a lot of "modern" women in relationships who cede their financial matters to men. (So there, Destiny's Child with your "Independent Women" songs!) Weird. I thought I was the only one who still happily turned over the keys to all family money matters. Apparently not, much to my (selfish) relief:
Why do we do this? No idea about you, but here's my reason: I'm lazy. My grandfather and dad taught me all about budgeting, saving, and giving as a kid/teenager, and I managed my finances rather well during college. I gave regularly to my charities of choice, my IRA was funded, and all of my bills were paid on time. As soon as I got married, which just happened to be the day after I graduated from college, I handed the financial keys over to my husband.
Bless him, he tries hard to keep me in the financial loop and involve me in the two-year budget plan he's designed for us. I'm just not super interested. I know where my investments are, our debts are paid off (praise God!!!), and our budget is detailed enough to let me know where I can "borrow" from in case I overspend on the groceries (what SAHM really needs regular dry cleaning?). My husband does everything he can to give me an equal say in the budget. Since I know he tries so diligently to involve me, I repeatedly scourge my brain to come up with different versions of, "Whatever you think is best." I'm sure it frustrates him to no end, but I hope he's comforted in the fact that I really do trust him that much.
In my own defense, I do my best to keep receipts and plug them into Quicken so we can have an accurate picture of where our money is going. And I track certain sections of the budget in my head and on a white board in the kitchen. But still, I'd prefer to leave all financial matters in my husband's hands.
Why, though? Am I just washing my hands of the responsibility/burden of making financial decisions? Do I not want to hear any semblance of "I knew we shouldn't have done xyz"? Do I think I don't understand financial jargon? I don't know. Maybe I really am just that lazy. This should be an interesting conversation starter for my husband. I'd LOVE to hear his opinion. That's the great thing about being married-you always get the truth, and it's usually filtered through rose-colored glasses. :) And yes, I adore my husband. He's worth his weight in nuclear-grade plutonium.
Here's another thing that really caught my eye within the same article quoted above:
We have three daughters, so I guess our financial training isn't going to be too unequal. We've already beaten the idea of saving into their heads. Every coin they find gets placed into our three part bank. The girls like giving to the church the best. The "bank" (savings portion) is second most popular while the spending slot has the least. That's encouraging.
Funny anecdote: I gave our two older girls $1 to spend at a rummage sale. The older one found a pair of princess shoes that she quickly picked up and paid for. The younger one carefully examined everything and talked to me (as best as a 2 y/0 can) about the items she liked. In the end, she decided to keep her $1. A few days later, we were heading to the mall, and I gave the girls another $1. The younger said, "Me have two now!" When my eldest protested the unfairness of the numbers, I had a lovely chance to explain the difference between saving and spending all over again. The point is, despite all the teaching we do, it's our kids' responsibility to put the lesson into action. As parents, we need to make sure we take the time to teach our kids properly.
Second, why in the world would we (parents) talk to our girls differently than we would our boys regarding money??? Most Americans would agree that women are perceived as bigger (that is, more frequent) spenders than men. Wouldn't that make it more of a priority for parents to give their daughters a solid financial foundation?
I'm thankful I had such good financial training as a kid. I understand everything my hubby tries to include me in, and I know I am able to contribute intelligently to financial conversations (should I choose to). How would I feel if I didn't know what was going on, though? It would be a source of constant irritation that would provoke me to one of two courses of action: 1. figure it out (hard to do without a lot of time to invest) or 2. ignore it by letting my husband do everything. It's nice to be able to choose to let my husband everything instead of being forced to do so.
Challenge: Figure out how you feel about finances. If you want to change that feeling, take action to do so. If you're a parent, make sure you provide good lessons (both verbal and by example) to your kids (regardless of gender!) about how to handle money. Check out the budget planning resources from BeatingDebt.org to get you going in the right direction.
-Domestic Goddess out.
...It's not just older women who leave the big money questions to their husbands. Despite strides in the workforce, traditional roles are still common at home. Women as young as their 20s frequently defer financial decision making to their spouses or even their fathers.
Why do we do this? No idea about you, but here's my reason: I'm lazy. My grandfather and dad taught me all about budgeting, saving, and giving as a kid/teenager, and I managed my finances rather well during college. I gave regularly to my charities of choice, my IRA was funded, and all of my bills were paid on time. As soon as I got married, which just happened to be the day after I graduated from college, I handed the financial keys over to my husband.
Bless him, he tries hard to keep me in the financial loop and involve me in the two-year budget plan he's designed for us. I'm just not super interested. I know where my investments are, our debts are paid off (praise God!!!), and our budget is detailed enough to let me know where I can "borrow" from in case I overspend on the groceries (what SAHM really needs regular dry cleaning?). My husband does everything he can to give me an equal say in the budget. Since I know he tries so diligently to involve me, I repeatedly scourge my brain to come up with different versions of, "Whatever you think is best." I'm sure it frustrates him to no end, but I hope he's comforted in the fact that I really do trust him that much.
In my own defense, I do my best to keep receipts and plug them into Quicken so we can have an accurate picture of where our money is going. And I track certain sections of the budget in my head and on a white board in the kitchen. But still, I'd prefer to leave all financial matters in my husband's hands.
Why, though? Am I just washing my hands of the responsibility/burden of making financial decisions? Do I not want to hear any semblance of "I knew we shouldn't have done xyz"? Do I think I don't understand financial jargon? I don't know. Maybe I really am just that lazy. This should be an interesting conversation starter for my husband. I'd LOVE to hear his opinion. That's the great thing about being married-you always get the truth, and it's usually filtered through rose-colored glasses. :) And yes, I adore my husband. He's worth his weight in nuclear-grade plutonium.
Here's another thing that really caught my eye within the same article quoted above:
Studies show that parents have the single most important impact on financial behaviors and knowledge...Few families have frequent conversations about money, and when the topic comes up, they "speak to their daughters differently than their sons."First: Another argument for the importance of having parents who are involved with their kids. Amazing! It makes me glad I'm a SAHM now, though I know there are tons of ladies who do a fab job of working and raising their kids "right." Personally, I know I'm doing a better job mothering as a SAHM than I did when I was working.
We have three daughters, so I guess our financial training isn't going to be too unequal. We've already beaten the idea of saving into their heads. Every coin they find gets placed into our three part bank. The girls like giving to the church the best. The "bank" (savings portion) is second most popular while the spending slot has the least. That's encouraging.
Funny anecdote: I gave our two older girls $1 to spend at a rummage sale. The older one found a pair of princess shoes that she quickly picked up and paid for. The younger one carefully examined everything and talked to me (as best as a 2 y/0 can) about the items she liked. In the end, she decided to keep her $1. A few days later, we were heading to the mall, and I gave the girls another $1. The younger said, "Me have two now!" When my eldest protested the unfairness of the numbers, I had a lovely chance to explain the difference between saving and spending all over again. The point is, despite all the teaching we do, it's our kids' responsibility to put the lesson into action. As parents, we need to make sure we take the time to teach our kids properly.
Second, why in the world would we (parents) talk to our girls differently than we would our boys regarding money??? Most Americans would agree that women are perceived as bigger (that is, more frequent) spenders than men. Wouldn't that make it more of a priority for parents to give their daughters a solid financial foundation?
I'm thankful I had such good financial training as a kid. I understand everything my hubby tries to include me in, and I know I am able to contribute intelligently to financial conversations (should I choose to). How would I feel if I didn't know what was going on, though? It would be a source of constant irritation that would provoke me to one of two courses of action: 1. figure it out (hard to do without a lot of time to invest) or 2. ignore it by letting my husband do everything. It's nice to be able to choose to let my husband everything instead of being forced to do so.
Challenge: Figure out how you feel about finances. If you want to change that feeling, take action to do so. If you're a parent, make sure you provide good lessons (both verbal and by example) to your kids (regardless of gender!) about how to handle money. Check out the budget planning resources from BeatingDebt.org to get you going in the right direction.
-Domestic Goddess out.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Long Live McDonald's
This pair of photos, taken by Sally Davies, shows a standard McDonald's Happy Meal fare. The picture on the left was taken on Day 1 of Ms. Davies' experiment. The picture on the right is Day 180. Wowzah! I can't imagine how that meal is maintaining its good looks, but I need to know because imagine how well preserved I could be, too! Maybe McDonald's should take their secret to the beauty industry...
Just looking at this meal gives me the creeps. Granted, I usually order my kids the chicken nugget and apples meal, but still. I can't even begin to count how many Happy Meals I've eaten in my lifetime. What could that stuff have done to my insides???!!!
Now, I'm not going to blame McDonald's for making me fat. That's my own fault for not using up more calories than I consume...and that's the case for most people who are out of shape, no matter what they tell you. Getting in shape (use more calories than you consume) is as easy in principle as preventing debt is (spend less money than you earn).
But still...maybe whatever McDonald's is using in their "100% USDA-inspected ground beef" patties is not the healthiest thing for me to consume. Ah, organic meat is looking better and better, despite its cost (I bought 3 regular-sized, organic, free-range, etc. chicken breasts for $10.50 at Wegman's vs. 12 really large, mass-produced, "normal" chicken breasts for $8.90 at Sam's).
Maybe it's time for our little clan to finally go vegetarian...I doubt that would work very well. The kids don't eat any vegetables other than baby carrots and the occasional broccoli sprout. It will be a huge experiment, I'm sure. Maybe my consort and I can be the vegetarians and the kids can have organic chicken nuggets. Or maybe I'll be eating my salad or beans or quinoa while everyone else slices into a juicy steak without me. We'll see!
Today's challenge: Think about where your food came from and what you think it should look like in 6 months. If it's not completely decomposed in your mind's eye, then don't eat it! :D
-Domestic Goddess out.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Beginning to Look Like Christmas
Imagine my chagrin when I find Christmas trees prominently displayed at Sam's Club instead of giant bags of miniature candy. I get it, Sam's doesn't want me to get fat because I'm going to stuff the bags in my freezer and leave my lights off on Halloween night. Nice of them. But really? Christmas trees? In the first week of October? Give me back my Halloween and Thanksgiving festivities, if you please! Hmph.
Thanksgiving is actually my favorite holiday. It has all the togetherness and home cooking of Christmas without as much stress and definitely without the commercial drive to buy everything in sight. In all frankness, I'm not really looking forward to Christmas this year. I'm sick of buying and giving presents to people who don't really want them or need them. Just how many iPod gift certificates does a person want in their lifetime anyway? And how does that make any kind of positive difference in anyone's life? I'm turning more and more into a Scrooge every day.
That being said, I still want to get something for my kids and my husband. I like buying them stuff because I get to see them enjoy (or at least use) their gifts. Isn't that the point anyway? How can we truly enjoy giving when we have no idea how the gift impacts the person?
This year, I want everyone who feels compelled to buy me something to go to AdventConspiracy.org and donate money to Living Water International instead. Wouldn't it be cool to be part of fixing a global problem? As many serious global issues as there are, this is one that is rather easy to mend. And I don't have to know the people to know how they're impacted. I've hiked around for days and had to carry all my own water on me. Having water fresh and close by is such a blessing. I am always so glad to be able to turn on the tap and drink my daily 3L of water. I'm sure the people receiving the "gift" from the LWI folks will be much more grateful than I ever could be.
Something Christmas-related that did crack me up was this article from MSNBC. Call me mean, but check this out:
If she's only "buying food", then why was she at the MALL OF AMERICA???!!! Does that seem strange to anybody else? If you're trying to lose weight, you stay away from buffets. If you're trying to save money, you stay away from malls-especially one like that. I'm sorry, but it's just funny. I'm find zero humor in her difficulty finding work, so please don't think I'm horridly unfeeling and mean. It's just the journalist's choice to include that location with that quote is unintentionally hilarious to me.
Aside from that strange humor, the article has good news for all you folks still planning on celebrating a typical over-the-top American-style Christmas. Apparently, we haven't spent enough in stores this year, so they're going to seduce us into parting with our money by offering their stuff at great prices...read: a SALE. I used to be such a sucker for that word. Now it usually only works in the grocery store. Buyer beware! Do your research before buying anything on sale, especially if it's from a chain store. Trust me, they are going to make their money somewhere, so stick to your guns and buy only the bargain you've validated!
Here's a good Christmas challenge: Review your gift list and see how many people you can trim from it. If you don't really want to give the person a gift out of love or out of desire to fulfill one of their needs, then why are you giving it to them? If you must give them the gift due to familial standing or something like that, then give a donation in their name instead. That way, you can help a cause you truly believe in vice giving the person something you bought at the last minute. Just a thought.
-Domestic Goddess out.
Thanksgiving is actually my favorite holiday. It has all the togetherness and home cooking of Christmas without as much stress and definitely without the commercial drive to buy everything in sight. In all frankness, I'm not really looking forward to Christmas this year. I'm sick of buying and giving presents to people who don't really want them or need them. Just how many iPod gift certificates does a person want in their lifetime anyway? And how does that make any kind of positive difference in anyone's life? I'm turning more and more into a Scrooge every day.
That being said, I still want to get something for my kids and my husband. I like buying them stuff because I get to see them enjoy (or at least use) their gifts. Isn't that the point anyway? How can we truly enjoy giving when we have no idea how the gift impacts the person?
This year, I want everyone who feels compelled to buy me something to go to AdventConspiracy.org and donate money to Living Water International instead. Wouldn't it be cool to be part of fixing a global problem? As many serious global issues as there are, this is one that is rather easy to mend. And I don't have to know the people to know how they're impacted. I've hiked around for days and had to carry all my own water on me. Having water fresh and close by is such a blessing. I am always so glad to be able to turn on the tap and drink my daily 3L of water. I'm sure the people receiving the "gift" from the LWI folks will be much more grateful than I ever could be.
Something Christmas-related that did crack me up was this article from MSNBC. Call me mean, but check this out:
Such basics will likely resonate with consumers like Muna Abdushukui, 29, who lost her job working in a gift shop two months ago, and has had a hard time finding work.
Abdushukui, who was at the Mall of America in Minneapolis recently with her 3-year-old daughter, said she's just sticking to the necessities.
"I'm buying food," she said.
If she's only "buying food", then why was she at the MALL OF AMERICA???!!! Does that seem strange to anybody else? If you're trying to lose weight, you stay away from buffets. If you're trying to save money, you stay away from malls-especially one like that. I'm sorry, but it's just funny. I'm find zero humor in her difficulty finding work, so please don't think I'm horridly unfeeling and mean. It's just the journalist's choice to include that location with that quote is unintentionally hilarious to me.
Aside from that strange humor, the article has good news for all you folks still planning on celebrating a typical over-the-top American-style Christmas. Apparently, we haven't spent enough in stores this year, so they're going to seduce us into parting with our money by offering their stuff at great prices...read: a SALE. I used to be such a sucker for that word. Now it usually only works in the grocery store. Buyer beware! Do your research before buying anything on sale, especially if it's from a chain store. Trust me, they are going to make their money somewhere, so stick to your guns and buy only the bargain you've validated!
Here's a good Christmas challenge: Review your gift list and see how many people you can trim from it. If you don't really want to give the person a gift out of love or out of desire to fulfill one of their needs, then why are you giving it to them? If you must give them the gift due to familial standing or something like that, then give a donation in their name instead. That way, you can help a cause you truly believe in vice giving the person something you bought at the last minute. Just a thought.
-Domestic Goddess out.
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