Insurance

This whole insurance thing scares so me... how do you know what to get. And life insurance is just really insane, because of my disabilities, and other factors, it is high. Right now it is too high while we are paying off bills so I am trying to find alternatives.

I was looking at Mortgage insurance but it is kindof a rip off, because the monthly fee never goes down but the value of the policy goes down. But maybe it would be okay for the short term. I hate to waste money, but I am afraid to go on any further and be not covered. So today I am going to call in to the Dave Ramsey radio show and get his opinion on this. I will update this this afternoon....

End of the year Donations

Science department faces budget cuts...
Due to budget restraints, Math classes are being slashed by over 50%...
Football, water polo, and tennis to be cut from 2010/2011 school budget...

Just imagine if these were the headlines you were reading instead! What would you do?

The fact remains that most of us think of art as recreation, or hobbies, but we don’t think of it as necessity. I always believed that the those in the educational departments felt that way as well. With art being the first to go when budget cuts come down. So I was surprised when I came across a letter from the U.S. Secretary of Education to the School and Education Community leaders at the beginning of the school year:

"At this time when you are making critical and far-reaching budget and program decisions for the upcoming school year, I write to bring to your attention the importance of the arts as a core academic subject and part of a complete education for all students. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) defines the arts as a core subject, and the arts play a significant role in children's development and learning process... “The arts can help students become tenacious, team-oriented problem solvers who are confident and able to think creatively," he stated. "These qualities can be especially important in improving learning among students from economically disadvantaged circumstances. "

I was shocked to learn that based on studies produced by the national Arts Education Partnership, the President's Committee on the Arts and theHumanities, the GE Fund, and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation:

82.6% of 8th graders earned mostly As and Bs who were involved heavily in fine arts

30.07% of the respondents who participate in fine arts performs community service where only 6.28% of the respondents who do not participate in fine arts perform community service.

Students who are not heavily involved in fine arts have more than double the chance of dropping out of school by the 10th grade.

Sadly these cuts have come to pass, and are still to come, so how do get our children access to art? What can we do to give our children every opportunity to grow and experience a well rounded education that utilizes all subjects including art. Arts Council of Tulare County, they offer community events and art programs that raise awareness of the importance of arts, organize art based venues, offer support to local artists, and bring art into our classrooms.

The Art in Education program sends local artists into the schools; educating students in art through demonstrations, performances, and hands on art creation. A program that reaches an average 14 school districts, 26 schools, impacting 4670 students a year.

First Friday Art Tour and Art in the Alley are brand new venues to the valley reaching hundreds of people each night during their seasons. While still maintaining the Tulare County Fair, and the Art Hang in the Visalia Convention Center.

You can help in many ways, you may choose to sponsor an event, or simply pledge $20 and support art education. Either way the Arts Council is appreciative of your support of any size.

To give a year-end donation, contact the Executive Director David Castro, at 559-625-1520 or David@acoftc.org. If you are not in my area, then consider locating your local Arts Council and lending your support!

Thank you!

Christmas... Dave Ramsey style!

Its a Dave Ramsey Christmas... but this year we did decide to squeeze out a few gifts for the kids and for parents who lived in the area, no shipping this year. Our budget is a shocking $5 per person. I knew that this was crazy, cut somehow it was doable. Now I know what you are thinking... $5 why bother. The hardest part is getting past the idea that you are only spending $5 on a person, I mean mentally that is really, really hard, but doable. I think that even if they did find out that your budget is the size of a pea, that they don't really care, and if they found out you are trying to pay off your bills and be debt free they still wouldn't care. They would probably even be excited and or proud of your endeavors.

I decided that if I was going to work with this budget, I was going to have to really flex the creative muscle. First I put everyone's money in envelopes so I wouldn't go over at all. The hardest part was putting things back when I new even with taxes I wouldn't have it. Seperate envelopes would have been much easier because I was more tempted to over spend, using a seperate envelope would have helped me mentally, you know "self.... there is really on $5 in there so you have to choose between bath salts or candle to go with the bubbles and lotion"

Another key to this was to not just blanket shop. I knew that I didn't want to just pull out my printing block and make 30 prints of a christmas scene, or crochet a bunch of doilies. I wanted to let each person know that we were thinking of them individually, personalize it.

So my daughter and I headed out to shop. Now for the girls it was easy. For my mother-in-law who just moved into a new apartment I made a basket of bubbles, candles, pretty soap very easy, and at the good ole' dollar store, very cheap, but shockingly nice. I found a beautiful necklace at target on clearance, for my niece who is a teenager now and rolls her eyes alot... in fact I am sure that just now as I write this she just rolled her eyes and doesn't even know why. Michaels had 80 piece art kits on super sale $2 each and at this point the younger kids just know that their aunty loves art and that is just what they are going to get. I got a larger art kit for my nephew, it has some pastels in it. I decided that I was going to print some online lessons to include with it, and go to walmart and get a couple of packs of their cheapy copy paper, I use it for alot of practice drawing or trying out new techniques or supplies 500 sheets for $2 is great to add into their kits for practically nothing each.

I was lamenting over what to get for my father-in-law for christmas, the budget was only $8... normal budget was only $5 but I was under budget on some others (if you can believe that) and was able to increase here. Still it was hard. So it hit me on the way out the door when I was checking the time... he likes tools. A tool clock. So I went to micheals with my 50% coupon and paid only $3.50 for battery operated clock mechanics that comes with the arms and everything. Then I stopped at Harbor Freight and found the cheapest circular saw blade I could find right about $3. Then I picked up a little pack of washers, I was lucky to find a small container with mulitple sizes.. including very large, like a half dollar. I went home and started assembly. Fumbling through, ad-libing, and using washers to make hole smaller and a couple of smaller ones to fit inside the hole so it won't wiggle, (my husbands idea). And a sharpie to write in the numbers, they have number kits you can buy but I thought that a sharpie was just as good. And as it turns out there are a ton of instructions online for these... so google it!

Also another gift I made that is was perfect was for my other mother-in-law. Her kitchen decor is apples, so at Michael's my daughters mission was to find an apple stamp, and not only did she do that but she said look mom this one is only $1 so we can get this cute house too, its also $1! Love that kiddo... so we got that some ink, some felt, and went next door to Lowes and bought 4 tiles. We stamped them, glued little felt squares on the four corners, and I am going to use hairspray cause I forgot to buy spray fixative. Great gift, a project I found online also.

So this is how christmas went this year, I didn't list everything but I think you get the picture. Though I have not seen the results yet, I do believe it will go well.

Merry Christmas!

Impulse buying!

Impulse buying is obviously a big problem for me, its my nature I am like this with everything. We are getting better about it over the last year and though it sucks, we are beginning to see the fruits of that labor with 3 paid of credit cards so far. I just like saying that over and over.

Waiting overnight is difficult but it does give you a chance to stew it over. I think that looking at the budget while thinking about it also can be helpful. You know remind ourselves why we are doing this. The 90 days same as cash still gets me cause I still, even now, will try and tell myself that I can pay it off before the 90 day.

Our last biggest purchase, was that stupid car, and boy I am still dizzy when I think about how I managed to convince myself that we needed it. I like talking to my husband about things, especially when we are on the same track. When I am weak, he is strong and mindful of our mission to freedom!

Significant purchases

When I think about a significant purchase, I think $50. We would have to talk about it or least know that we have the money or in the past, know that we had a place on the credit card for it. So even though it is a low number, it was still kinda high for us.

My biggest problem is "treating myself" We like to go to the movies or out to eat oh and art stuff. I am really good at treating myself to those items and I can justify it real easy. It is still a real problem for me. I start calculating in my head, okay I have ___ in the account and its so many days till payday or my next big job. Which is hilarious, cause when I see a math book I get all paranoid and sieze up... "I can't do math" "I am just not a math person". But if I want to buy something, I sure can whip up some figures in a flash.

Since our new expedition in the financial responsibility world, about the only success I can really claim is that I have come across an excellent deal on a kiln, and though I REALLY WANT ONE! and I can make ware to sell and make up for the cost of it and make the money back fairly quickly, and the money is in the EMERGENCY fund... I have not given in. Instead I am selling the boat in hopes of raising the money to buy one for cash.

Grown up 1 screaming stomping kid in me 0

My first card

I still remember my first credit card... it was a citibank card and I was at COS and they had there little card table set up, and I was snared. It wasn't even hard for them. I was only 19-20 I had an apartment with a friend, that I couldn't afford so my husband-to-be (as it turned out) was paying for it.

So of course I could get a card, and did you know they gave me a $2000 dollar limit. I mean me, I was bringing home maybe $200 a month! I was excited and of course, I put it away for emergencies, like shoes, and pizza. But no worries cause every time I got to my max limit, you know those nice people raised my credit limit, so I wouldn't have to worry. But that doesn't really end there because after I got married, I still found myself enamored by credit cards. I felt grown up, like I was officially an adult. I would be at the mall and see those credit card tables with free items, and I would plow people over just to get in and fill it out.

Soon, the debt was very high. We were losing control, and several years later as we stood in bankruptcy court worried that someone was going to show up, that credit card card had grown to over $20,000... yes there are 5 digits there... I really did hate to see that go, but maybe it is more about failure than it is loyalty. Maybe if I can hold on a little more then I could fix this mess I made.

But that was a long time ago, and unfortunately not the last of my financial mistakes, and now we are on track for greener pastures.

1st day of Vacation

1st lunch at home since school is out goes something like this:

honey are you hungry...

yes momma...

soooo do you want a ham sandwich or a burrito....

I'll take a chicken sandwich...

honey I don't have that right now, do you want ham sandwich or a burrito..

okay I'll take peanut butter...

AGAIN (she says with strain in her voice) I haven't been to the grocery store yet!! do you want ham or a burrito...

ok I'll take toast...

YOU CAN'T HAVE JUST TOAST do you want me to do a grilled ham and cheese...

yeah but no cheese! grrrr...

this is going to be a loooooong 3 weeks

A new idea of Debt

Its funny that until I had taken this course, I had not realized that credit cards are fairly new concept, Visa is only about 30 years old before that it was another company that was around for only 20 or so years, but doesn't it seem like it has always been around. Archeaologists are digging around and finding Mastercards carved into bone as we speak. In fact, when I think back I don't remember my grandparents having debt. I mean I always thought we were "poor" and we were, you know we struggled, we became really good at creative cooking with welfare cheese. But the only bills were rent, utilities, etc.

I still remember when I first got a credit card my income was about 4000 per year, I was in college. I was so excited, I felt so grown up, like an adult you know. But this is how it is presented to us, watch your credit score, fica score, you have to get credit in order to have it. Like this is our knew ssn or something, "who are you?" well I'm 675.

Like a fish, I and many others have grabbed a bite of that bait and that was it. At this point I am toying with the idea of counting up how much we spent on finance charges, but I am afraid that would be so much that I might get too depressed. Its important to look to the future.

Do you know what you can do when you don't have any debt or payments.... anything you want

Abraham Lincoln's debt letter to his brother

This is an interesting link I have found, and wanted to share. I have wondered to myself as I read it, would I have the courage to do this... hmmm.

Dave Ramsey: Abraham Lincoln's debt letter to his brother

Cash Flow Planning... isn't that a business form

Cash flow spending, that is an odd thing to consider when we are talking about personal spending. But really smart when you think about it, its not like all of the money comes in at the beginning of the month right. The nerd in me is like YES! But the free spirit in me wonders, can we pull it off, let alone keep going with it. I think yes. If we stay on path.

The funny thing is whenever I would work on the "budget", which was more like a bill list, I would never include thinks like food, clothing, gas. It was just easier that way, kind-of fly by the seat of our pants, if we ran out we ran out. Which I recognize even during that time, that it was out of control. We are working on this budget, and its nice to know that the first few times it is going to be morphing alot... too much for this, oops need more pad here! But that is okay, it is okay to make adjustments, nothing is written on stone tablet.

The envelope system may not work out. My hubby is not comfortable with it, and when I have cash, I tend to spend it faster, weird huh! so I am going to create a more customized check register system that will suit our needs better. To be completely honest, I already kind-of have it in my head, just a matter or testing it out.

Too bad Togni Branch isn't around anymore, they probably had exactly what I was looking for!

Living on a budget!

Budgets, when I think of the word budget I think, no more shopping! Gone are the days of sitting at the Corner Cafe eating a delicious omelet, hot coffee, and looking into the eyes of my hubby as we talk about our week. Living on a budget has always had a negative connotation to it, something like, well we need new tires gonna have to live on a budget...

Luckily over the past year or so I have gotten very insane about balancing the checkbook, and after very early on in our marriage, when I accidentally bounced a check at the local super market I also have gotten in the habit of using a calculator. Still even with those habits in place the word budget strikes fear. I freak out a little when I hear it because the habits were still there, spend every dime leaving only a few dollars till payday.

well hears to the future!

Money & kids

This new vision is something I want to ensure that our kiddo not only knows but that it is a way of life. No student loans, credit cars, saving up for a car and not buying into credit card debt, and maybe just maybe even paying for a house with cash. Doesn't that sound a little ridiculous, I thought so too, however, I hear about it quite often now... now that I have opened my ears to it. We have been told for so long that we must save for a down payment, buy a car with no money down, get a credit card and make regular payments, preserve your credit score, that we know no different. But we are determined to change that for her, to ensure that her life is different, and better, save your money for a car, save your money for that new furniture, be patient and your reward is that your life will never be chained down to another person, and the economy will survive. Because the economy is not dependent upon your credit card, it is dependent upon your ability to spend responsible.

When I think about what I learned from my parents growing up, there is not much to write about. We were very poor, lived off welfare, "government cheese", and other such things. So saving wasn't at the top of the list, if there was a list. Not to say they didn't try, I was raised by my grandparents, and the were disabled and retired, and struggled. But they tried, God love em' Not a cycle I wish to repeat.

Marriage and money? oi!

So we are working on Marriage and money. This topic is quite touchy some say it is the number one reason for divorce, which is very scary considering a future with the person you love is hinged on a checkbook. I don't think so... instead I wonder if it is the lack of communication or a plan concerning finances, and a secure future. How far can we go in a boat without a navigation system, or at least a compass.

One of the topics covered in this lesson was separate checking accounts. I hear about many couples who keep separate accounts, bills, even divvy up household expenses. That concept is something I couldn't see working in our household. I feel like that would also drive separation within the marriage, once you begin to tear a sheet of paper, it is weakened, and soon will begin to further split, maybe into 2 pieces. Now that we budget for entertainment and pocket money, I feel like I get to spend a little more freely, a little more equally (I'm a shopper).

Recently, I also posted our additional paid off debt. I have learned that it is now exciting to not only pay off debt but to close those accounts, checking the mail daily waiting for the letter of closure. I am however resisting the urge to frame them, my child does have friends, and I would like for them to not think that I am completely nuts (or at least know the truth). When I think about our communication style for money, I am happy that they have generally not been screaming matches, and we have been on the same page, however it was the wrong page! We never had financial goals other than, how to spend spend spend, and also finagle being able to run out and buy something that we wanted. With our budget in place I see our path and future, and it does feel secure, even clear.

FPU Quick Update!

We have paid off another credit card! Its so exciting we are on track and going, even in the face of Murphy standing on our doorstep a time or two!

Saving for Wealth.... ok now this is just overachieving!

It really kicks me in the butt to think that if we had put away $100 per month that we would retire with more than a million dollars... I mean seriously people! Why were my ears closed to this very valuable information. Did I miss it. Of course, in my defense, the thought of becoming a millionaire was foreign. I think for most people that is true. Coming up with $100 a month even as a dumb kid fresh out of my families house even when I was completely broke. I think I could have pulled this one out.

The eye opener for this session is the budget, now I already had a little budget, but it was more of a guide to know how I can spend after the bills were paid... ugh wasted time wasted money! Well woulda, coulda, shoulda, lets not dwell and lets not certainly forget. There were lots of things I forgot like little things, however if we are diligent and follow it, I discovered a good amount of money in the fund to pay off credit card debt even faster. This discovery is even after paying the minimums. Now had we been behind on bills there are steps to take that you can still do this, and make it and that is good news.

We just got to keep our eye on the prize, and keep taking these baby steps. Savings, college funds, and making sure that from now the family tree does not have a bank attached. When I think of debt, I imagine a large iron ball attached to my neck dragging me down with a chain that is incredibly long, and wrapped somewhere around a credit card! Someone get those bolt cutters quick!

New concept.... saving for emergencies and purchases! What is up with all this crazy talk!

Saving for emergencies AND purchases! I don't know, that seems foreign somehow. Who plans for emergencies anyhow, isn't that what insurance is for.... oh wait we're not talking about ambulances? You mean put money away so the next time you look at your tires, and determine that they must have made a mistake at the tire shop 8 years ago, and accidently put on racing skids!

I think our idea, and probably most peoples idea of an emergency fund is... pray like mad until something gives, or a loan shark... eh hem I mean loan company comes along and "helps". So here we are at class, and some questions are put forth. What was the last major unexpected financial crisis you face? How would that have gone differently is there was... gasp... money in a savings account?

Well I think the last major one was when I lost my job, our shop, and the car in the same quarter. Well that was quite the zinger, not to say that there was no other crisis, but when I think major that is what appears. So had we discovered Dave Ramsey earlier, and we had a fully funded emergency fund, it wouldn't have been so devastating. You know like being punched in the stomach and just for kicks rip out the carpet from your feet so it was easier to kick you in the ribs cause your flat on your back... oh sorry rambling a little.

Maybe things would have been different altogether, you know saved up cash for the car instead of financing, or at the very least, rather than panic about those events, taken a deep breathe, and thought about the next step, rather than run around like a crazy person.

Now my favorite questions are "dream big ones" you know what would you do if you won the lottery! Well I am a little small town so I am okay with this one: What if you were debt free (except your home) and had $10,000 sitting in the bank just for emergencies? How would your life be different? How would you be different?

Dreams would come true... I would be sitting in my studio downtown, throwing and firing all day beautiful pottery and sculptures, painting on occasion. Selling my art and maybe others too, but at a bargain so that everyone can see it. Then go home wait for my family to come home, cook dinner, and enjoy seeing them, and hanging out. Thinking about this for a moment makes me smile. I get excited, cause in a short time and with these little goals my husband and I have acheived already, I think that this is reality, this can actually happen. This is motivation! This I can do. I would never get a loan again, and in fact when I think about this little dream I start rolling around numbers in my head thinking... how much do I need to put away to make this happen, what can I do to acheive this goal and how long will it work.

This new thought process is funny because when I would think of this before I would think to myself, how can I crunch the numbers for the bank, how can I convince them to loan me the money. This concept of paying cash and saving for things is not extreme thinking anymore, just different thinking. I hear the testimonies on the radio everyday. This is real cause right now it's happening to us, little by little we are progressing from the depths of financial despair to financial freedom.

This is awesome!

Big dose of Financial reality or Financial Peace University lesson 1

Today is lesson one of financial peace university. It was relatively easy to go through, the layout was very nice, easy to use. I had video issues, but learned it was because I had left a ton of stuff on my desktop running in the background.

So far we are off to a good start, the emergency fund is in place. Though we had to dip into it, it is nice knowing that it was there, no panic! We will have to budget tonite and be ready to stay on path.

I had an ah-ha moment today when I was looking at quickbooks... it seems we really eat out alot, now I consider ubakes and as well or anything like that, not fully prepared by me as dining out. it is my weakness.. my solution is to time manage better and to cook better meals, or some that kind of similiar to what we get when we go out. Maybe I will even squeeze in some healthier stuff!

So though tonite will be boring and busy, I look forward to moving through these steps to financial freedom!

Quickie: Acorn Squash!

okay so I heard this tip on one of those cooking shows... I think it was called Lets Cook or something like that on create tv . Anyhow, focus... he was cooking a butternut squash in the microwave. Now I have always cut it in half put it in a bowl of water, cover it and cook, just like the directions, however this guy left it whole, stabbed it a few times with a knife and put it in the microwave.

So tonite I tried it... but I only had an acorn squash, and to my surprise it worked. I cooked it about 10 minutes but probably could have gone another 5 minutes, as I had some hard spots. I pulled it out and cut it in half and scooped the seeds, and scraped it into a bowl, it was pretty fast and seeds practically fell out.

This worked perfect if all you wanted was some mashed squash in a hurry. However if you were going to do something else with this or make some yummy stuffed squash rings then I would not. I do not think it will save time in those instances, plus you don't get that toasty roasted flavor that you can get in the oven or on a grill.

All in all, it was good!

Financial Peace... the experience

Dave Ramsey has been a blessed discovery in our lives, and during veterans day, they gave a way to all veterans a free 16 week course to the Financial peace online class! My husband and I are both veterans of the United States Marine Corp and I am excited to start this session.

I decided that I will be posting my experience of taking this class on this blog, now I won't be posting the class, however I will be posting the experience as I process this new direction in our lives. I am excited that we will be able to teach this to our daughter so that by the time she becomes an adult, she will have a strong foundation to begin her life.