Money, Money, Money, Money....MONEY!! (Sing along...)

Image by LividFiction via Flickr

:All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy." ~ Spike Milligan

Everyone I know is having a hard time in the "financial" department.  In fact, I just indulged in my weekly reading of my horoscope and it, once again, said I'll be feeling the strain of my budget....sigh.

I'm still lucky even if I don't have a penny to spare when I've paid the bills and stocked the kitchen.  It's because I was able to pay the bills and stock the kitchen that I'm able to say that!

We live relatively frugally.  The few things we treat ourselves to include satellite TV, high-speed internet and the occasional beef roast.

What we do to be able to keep these "treats" is relatively simple but effective.  If you are looking to cut costs and are serious about it, here's what we do:

• Cut coupons- Don't say you don't have the time.  15-minutes one per week can save you a lot of money.  If you are paying full-price for everything, you are literally throwing away your money.  You can even print out the coupons you want to use online.  You have no excuses.
• Stock pile when items you use are on sale at a really good price.  Sometimes the items we use go on sale but I know that a better price might come along in the next month or two.  Wait for the better price.
• Make from scratch rather than buy convenience food.  Spend one day a month browning down the ground beef, freezing your own pasta sauce, making your own soups, etc.  Fill your freezer and you'll actually be eating better and healthier.
• Use your crock pot.  It's cheaper than turning on the stove or oven and you can cook cheaper cuts of meat to have them come out like they are top-cut.
• Get used to having beans instead of beef once in a while.  They are packed with protein, fill you up and are guaranteed to be cheaper than any beef sale.
• Buy second hand.  Goodwill and even Salvation Army have designer duds!  Did you know that you can get a designer top or jeans for under $5.00??  (Just a thought- buy your underwear brand new.  The alternative is just gross.)
• If your child wants a new toy, check out a garage sale, flea market or even Craigslist.org.  A bleach bath makes almost anything like brand new.

Hopefully this helps someone.  I know that once-upon-a-time I was looking for the same kind of ideas and tips.  It worked for us.

Happy budget cutting!

Kelly

Some rantings and thoughts needed...

Image by jelene via Flickr

I've had a bee in my bonnet, so to speak, the last couple of weeks.

One of my daughter's best friends is my niece.  I love my niece, but the things she has been saying to my daughter has made me question what she is learning and who she is learning from?

The first incident happened when my niece told my daughter that if she doesn't go to church, she's going to hell.  Now, I was raised Roman Catholic and I believe wholeheartedly in God.  I also believe that the Roman Catholic Church and much of what they teach was only inspired by God through man.  

My daughter was concerned for her soul at this upsetting news!  I explained to her that I believe that God is a loving being and that worship and honor can take place in any setting in many different forms.  Thank goodness she is open-minded and seems to have accepted this as the truth.

The second incident happened when my daughter proudly shared the news of her sister's new employment at one of the most prestigious restaurants in our region.  She was hired as a chef after taking the initiative to learn as much about the culinary arts in her own way.  It was a pretty big deal!

Anyway, after hearing the news my niece said that she couldn't be a chef.  She could only be a chef-in-training.  The only way she could ever truly be a chef is if she went to college.  

You could have knocked me over with a feather.  Seriously?  You can only earn a title after you've gone to college?  

I believe that she's being told that the only way for her to be anything at all is through a college education.  That's a crock- just ask all of those college graduates who can't find work and are slaving away in factories or fast food joints.  It's not a guarantee.  Period. 

Where is she getting this from?  Is it the school?  Is it from home?  Either way, the narrow-minded judgments of a pre-teen are astounding to me.  

My goal is to raise my kids with a "to each his own" attitude with the exception of clear right and wrong values.  What kind of world pressures a pre-teen into this kind of thinking and judgment? 

Whew.  I needed to get that out.  It's scary to me that in a world that should be learning tolerance and acceptance to hear that this thought process is being taught so young.

I'd love to hear any thoughts or about other's similar experiences.  

Even if you don't have anything to add, thanks for making it through this!

Kelly

Ch...ch....ch...changes.....

Image via Wikipedia

So, life is continuously throwing kinks in what I wish would stay a well-oiled machine.  Yet the changes, albeit stressful, can bring about new ideas, perspectives and even a greater appreciation for what I have in my life.  I'm not typically a philosophical person, but I have my moments....

My family is always at the top of my list when I consider and appreciate what I have around me.  I have a very large extended family, but I'm talking about my husband and kids.  I've mentioned my kids a few times, but now it's my husband's turn.

My husband is a guy's guy.  He's not particularly sensitive and when I try to talk emotions and feelings with him, he's like a deer caught in the headlights.  It's not comforting that talking to him gets nowhere, but he has his moments.

Recently Dan, my husband of 17-years, had one of his finest moments.  I was at the emergency room having my blood drawn.  It was suspected that I had had a stroke.  During this time, my blood pressure was so high that any bit of stress caused me to pass out.

Having blood drawn has never been something I am good at.  With the high blood pressure, it was almost impossible to hang on to consciousness.

So, I've had the blood drawn and my head is between my knees.  I'm trying not to pass out.

Dan feels that this is the perfect time to tell the technician about how when his mother was sick and in the hospital, the chemicals in her IV were so strong that they started to eat through her skin.

I'm barely hanging on and this man feels it's the right time to talk about decaying flesh.  My anger reflex overrode everything I was experiencing and I said through clenched teeth, "NOW is NOT the time for that story, Dan!"

As I look back now, that man has provided me with priceless moments over and over again.  He doesn't do it on purpose.  He's just a guy who is clueless.

While it was awful at the time, it's hysterical to me now.  It's also why I can look at him and just grin sometimes.  I know the next instance of him being a "guy" is just around the corner.

Guys are wired differently.  No matter how your guy is wired, try to see the ridiculousness and ignorance of what they do.  It's really priceless.  And even a bit endearing.

Kelly

It's all Relative...

Image by mtsofan via Flickr

I love relationships.  In fact, I think that's why I love writing women's fiction.  You MUST have a great, complicated and palpable relationship between your main characters if you are going to have any kind of success.

Some might call my love for a relationships more of a love for psychology.  I'll admit to having a fascination for wanting to understand what makes someone murder or even become a serial killer, but the way men and women interact truly mesmerizes me.

Readers have to be able to relate to characters in order to want to read a story.  I do get tempted to try and write about the "perfect " man, but reality and flaws somehow make the story far more interesting and believable.  Of course, the woman could be perfect but we want to be fair to the guys....:D

Yet the main characters in a book or any story aren't the only ones who make relationships interesting.  The supporting characters are sometimes even more important or lovable than the leading gal and fella.

Take a look at all of the relationships around you.  Step back and work on understanding why someone did something or what they might have been feeling at the time.  You might surprise yourself with a bit of insight!

Observe.

Kelly

How Do I Love Thee....?

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

I love writing.  I love my slow cooker.  I love one more thing just as much as I love the aforementioned things.  I love home schooling.  We have home schooled for 9-years now and we are proud unschoolers!

If someone were to ask me the one thing I love about home schooling/unschooling, I couldn't stop with just one. There are so many different things I love about educating my kids at home that have evolved over the years and all seem to be equally important and valuable.

One of the top things I find beneficial about home schooling is the relationship I've been able to cultivate and nurture with my two daughters.  I remember being a teenager and how much friction there was between my parents and me.  As I look back on it, it was such a waste.

My girls and I are almost forced to find a way to compromise and deal with each other during the good and the bad times.  I hate to use the word "forced" because it happened naturally over time.  I cannot express the amazing satisfaction that comes with having a teenage girl come to her mother and ask a question I wouldn't have dreamed of asking my parents!

The learning process is another huge benefit from the way we have chosen to educate out children.  I never learned nearly as much in my school years as I have by simply living life with my children.

Not only do I continue learning, the unschooling process has nurtured my ability to write!  I've always loved writing, but school made it a chore.  I avoided getting back to writing until we started home schooling.  Now writing is a way of life just as much as is home schooling!

Watching my children learn and follow their interests is something that can't be described adequately with words.  I especially love how my oldest daughter's life has played out through this process to this point.

If our oldest daughter had been in school, she would most likely have been pushed into the science or math area because she is extremely bright in both of those areas.  Yet she is just as bright and creative when it comes to art and writing!

When it came down to finding the path she most wanted to pursue as she entered adulthood, she found a deep love for food and cooking.  As most unschoolers know, cooking is both science and the creative arts all wrapped into one!  Without her GED, our daughter has become a chef at one of the most esteemed restaurants in our area.

As my blog post gets a bit too lengthy for my liking, I think I'll get off my soapbox for now.  Just know that I could go on and on about the joys and benefits of home schooling/unschooling!

I feel a bit inspired to sit in the yard with my girls today and write.  How many other moms around the world can say that and actually do it?  Gosh, I'm lucky!

Hug those kids whether they go to school or are wonderfully insulated at home,
Kelly

The Proverbial Apple....

Image via Wikipedia

I am lucky enough to have my daughter as a writer.  We will never be competitive writers, which means that we can always support each other without compromise.  Having such a gift is truly immeasurable.

My daughter showed signs of an interest in the Fantasy genre early on.  Believe it or not, her imaginary friend was a dragon.

I write women's fiction.  Trust me, it's a bit embarrassing for both of my daughters and they wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole.

Anyway, my daughter has started her own blog here.  She informed me that my blog must be about something specific (she has chosen writing prompts- ambitious little snot).  I guess that's if I want to be taken seriously as a writer.  I'm not sure that's the goal of my blog.

Upon reflection, I have discovered that my blog is about me.  It sounds awfully narcissistic, but I think I can live with that.

Writing is frustrating.  It ebbs and flows with each day and is often unreliable.  I'm going to stick to what I know best for MY blog- me.

Kelly

Stupid is as Stupid Does..

Image via Wikipedia

So, life continues to be caught in a vicious cycle of PMS and I am directly in its path.  It's okay, though.  I still have far more blessings than I do doo-doo.

Obviously my writing time has taken a hit lately, but it's good to be back commingling with the written word.  Even better is the fact that I've actually had a bit of flow with my writing and that is a rare thing!

My post will be short today so that I can continue to take advantage of my creativity burst.  Yet know that whatever life hands me, I'll probably include it in a story.  I'll never run out of those little tidbits!

Kelly