Support & encouragement for military wives and their families! All the tips you need to create domestic bliss! You can make money from home - learn how! Get your family's finances in order! Find the Hot Mama Diva within! Cut out the chemicals and live healthier! 5 minute snacks to gourmet meals - hey mom, what's for dinner! Chat with other mom's like you!
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What Should Your Financial Goals Be?

  1. Accurately track all household income and expenses for a month.
  2. Make a budget together based on #1.
  3. Include savings as part of your “monthly expenses” (goal: 10% of your gross income).
  4. Keep monthly debt (mortgage/rent, car payment, credit cards, etc.) below 36% of gross monthly income.
  5. If you have credit card debt, budget more than just the minimum monthly payments.


Set a Good Example for Your Kids:

  1. Don't shop as a form of recreation.
  2. Be responsible in paying bills.
  3. Initiate discussions about money.
  4. Allow them the opportunity to earn money.
  5. Teach them that they can spend their money, but that saving and giving to charity/tithing is important, too.

Cheap Eats, Independence Style

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Whether you are entertaining this July 4th or going to a party, be sure and check your local grocery store flyer before you menu plan.  Remember, it’s OK to let your guests contribute to the meal if they offer.  I usually ask for a side vegetable or dessert, because I have trouble deciding what to make, myself!  In fact, tomorrow, my company is bringing fruit and desserts, so I can take care of the rest! 

Here are some tips on finding cheap eats for your celebration.

1.  Flyer shop — This week I saw chicken breasts for $1.99 a pound.  I love to marinate these and throw on the grill.   Also on sale was London Broil again for $1.59.  High-end hotdogs are on sale for $2.49 a package.  Chips are half off at $1.88.  Condiments, like ketchup and mustard are 5 for $5. 

2.  Buy local produce that is in season.  You will get the best tasting veggies and fruits and pay less for them.  Farmers markets and even your local grocery store will carry local produce for cheaper than anything that traveled to get to the market.  For us, it is Long Island corm (12 for $1.99) and fruit from New Jersey (blueberries at $1.99 a pint).

3.  Make your own.  Cakes and cookies are almost always cheaper to make yourself, as are salads (potato, cole slaw, mixed green salad).  You pay for convenience and often the ingredients aren’t better quality than if you made it from scratch.

4.  Stretch the meat.  Add seasoned bread crumbs and parsley to hamburger meat to get more burgers per pound of meat.  Slice boneless chicken breasts on a diagonal to make the meat go farther.  Serve with rolls so guests can make their own sandwiches.

5.  Pasta is a good filler.  Need to round out a meal in a flash?  Boil some pasta and throw in assorted veggies, like peas, carrots, broccoli, etc. When cool, dress with your favorite salad dressing or oil and balsamic vinegar.

Whatever you choose to cook, shop well and make your dollar go farther!  Enjoy and  Happy 4th of July!

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Tip of the Week

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Treat your money like a shampoo bottle — a nearly empty one, that is. 

Have you ever forgotten to buy shampoo and were down to the last drop and so you made a tiny bit go a long way and got the job done, only to realize the next morning that you had forgotten once again to buy the shampoo?  Before you knew it you had gotten three more shampoo jobs out of a bottle you may have thrown away had you had a nice full bottle waiting to be opened.  I know it sounds ridiculously simple, but try treating anything that you consume (money, dishwashing liquid, soap, food, etc.) as something you don’t want to waste one bit of, and then watch how much further things stretch when you don’t feel like there is an endless supply of everything.

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Pet Wise

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Any pet owner will tell you, they will spare no expense when it comes to keeping their pet healthy, even if it really hurts the wallet.  Nowadays it makes a lot of sense to get pet insurance to protect you from an emergency that can become a real financial crisis.  Here are three tips for getting more bang for your buck from PetsBest.com, a pet insurance company.

1.  Talk with your vet.  Your vet is probably very familiar with the different insurance plans and might be able to give you feedback that will make it easier to choose a provider.

2.  Look for flexibility.  Unless you don’t mind choosing from a network of vets, make sure your vet is covered by the plan.   Also, make sure that coverage is far-reaching, from preventive treatments and screenings, to illnesses (even serious ones, like cancer), accidents, and routine care.  It’s also important to be insured for  after-hour emergencies and surgical procedures. 

3.  Check out the insurance carrier.  You want to pick a firm that is licensed in your state, because there are standards that they would need to meet.

Pet insurance can really help lighten the stress of an illness, and protect your finances.   

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Never to Old to Learn — Or Teach

 

This week, my Mom is visiting.  I’m so happy to spend uninterrupted time and to laugh and talk.  I can think of no one better to celebrate Independence Day with than her.  She and my Dad forged their own path, on their own terms and never depended on anyone but themselves.  They were able to make the most of their resources because they had the freedom to make choices.  Now that she’s in her eighties, and I’m about the age she was when I was born, I find her insights even more valuable to me (if that is possible).  I know that she and Dad did without for many years, yet home was warm and loving, nutritious food was always deliciously prepared and she did it on a shoe string.  Most important, they didn’t put off planning for the future and being responsible with their retirement money.  Sure, they could have used more money running the day-to-day household, but they understood the importance of planning, and they did not want to end up dependent on their kids.  So they made room for it all in one very small budget.  I will, as always, pick her brain this week and I hope to share some of her trade secrets and wisdom with all of you. 

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Tag Sale Lessons

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Like all mothers, I am constantly answering questions and trying my best to explain things in a way that my five year olds can grasp.  I’m also trying to point out things to them to notice so they can make connections with the way things work in life.  When the boys received $20 each in gift money, their eyes lit up and they were intent on spending the whole thing.  My husband and I explained that they would have $10 each to spend and that $5 would be saved and $5 would be given away.  Of course the giving away was the toughest concept for them to grasp, but after some gentle coaxing, they started to understand that some people don’t even have $1 to spend and the money can really help them.

The boys wanted to go to a fair one of the local churches was having, and they took their money.  It turns out the church was also having a tag sale fund raiser for the church and local charities.  The kids were itching to spend and we turned them loose.  It took them a while to decide, but 20 minutes later they each found toy laptop computers.  As we went to pay, we were shocked to find out that they were just $1 each.  The boys ran back and picked up a few books and videos and that was another $1.  They didn’t spend all their money and we even gave extra, as a donation.  They never asked what to do with the rest of the money and, believe it or not, they are still playing with the laptops (which ironically, teach math along among other subjects).  Is it because they picked it out and paid for it themselves?  Perhaps.  Regardless, they learned that you don’t have to spend a lot; in fact it can be fun to find the bargains and help a charity at the same time.

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