Saving Money Idea

How often do you go to the grocery store? We had a habit for a while of going several times a week. We are either blessed or cursed with a Thriftway very near our house, so we would just walk there. Especially in the summer. We've come to realize this is not the greatest for our budget and have been focusing on going to Safeway once a week.

Here's an interesting article about how you can save money by cutting down the trips you make to the grocery store. It suggests once-a-month shopping trips!!!! I'm not sure I could get my act together that much, but it's an interesting idea. I do also like the idea of 2x/month. That might be more doable for us. We definitely notice that we spend more when we go numerous times a week (especially if it includes a Starbucks run!)

~t

TheNewsRoom

I just "mashed" my first news story! Not only was it totally free, it was also quite easy. I have been looking at expanding the content on Musings, and I really like the idea of mashing select news stories. I think it's a great way to use your blog to create a difference as well. In general, I think the news focuses a little too much on tragedy, so I liked this story about Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in London making a new "green" (aka environmentally friendly) version of Prince Charles. I visited Madame Tussaud's back in '96, and I loved it. (Of course, it might have been more environmentally friendly, just to leave the old one. But hey, I still give 'em credit.)

So, how did I accomplish my cool news mashing? I used The News Room. Not only do they provide relevant, timely news, but you also can make money via advertising with CPM starting at $1. Nice. There's tons of video and content choices and you can earn prizes like vacations, electronics, and cars just for participating. The choices are conveniently organized by category so you can find the type of news that will fit your blog best. Categories include: US, Local, World, Business, Politics, Health, Sci-Fi, Entertainment, Sports, Life, Press Releases, Reference, and Campaign 2008, for all you politicoes out there. (My story was from the Life section.) You can also mash it from my blog, too. Cool.

Check it out!

~t

Thoughts on Credit

Credit cards can be a life saver, when used wisely. Conversely, they can chain you to debt when used unwisely. The best credit cards, obviously, are the ones with the lowest interest rates, so you'll want to shop around and compare credit cards if you're in the market for one.

It's easy to be sucked in by cash back credit cards, but be careful. The cash back is only a reward if it is not actually costing you more money in the long run. (i.e., Are you paying more in interest than you're getting back?) If you can pay off your credit card each month, I'd say go for it. Otherwise, remember, you're not really gaining anything.

I have not always had a lot of extra money in savings for an emergency or last minute opportunity. Credit cards have helped me immensely in these situations. The best thing I have done is to use a credit card and then switch it on a 0% balance transfer, thus saving myself a lot of money in the long run. If you pay your bills and maintain good credit, these types of opportunities can really be helpful. Just remember to try to pay them off as soon as possible!

Good luck!

~t

Got it!

Well, the road is not over, but it's getting slightly less bumpy. I GOT THE JOB! Thanks to everyone for your thoughts, prayers, and kind words. I will be starting part time on Monday and hopefully going to full time/30 hours-ish in the next month or so. I have decided to not really blog about my work because I don't think that's a good idea. It feels like something I should keep separate, so I will. But, I will be working. I have mixed emotions about it. I know Zane and I will miss each other. Plus, especially in the beginning, I'm not sure it will even be enough money. However, I'm excited to be learning new things and meeting some people in my new hometown. So, in a word: Yay!

~t

Want to learn more about investing?

I have been interested in the financial world for a while. But let's face it, for the newbie, it can be somewhat intimidating, especially if you don't have a lot of money. Once again, you gotta love the internet. There's a site called Stockwire.com that aims to make things easier for the "microcap and small cap investor". I had to put that last phrase in quotation marks, because I really had no idea what it meant. I figured it was small, because they are also called "penny stocks".

I'll take a moment here to educate both of us. The U.S. Securities Exchange Commission Website defines Micro Cap stocks as such, "The term 'microcap stock' applies to companies with low or 'micro' capitalizations, meaning the total value of the company's stock. Microcap companies typically have limited assets. For example, in cases where the SEC suspended trading in microcap stocks, the average company had only $6 million in net tangible assets — and nearly half had less than $1.25 million. Microcap stocks tend to be low priced and trade in low volumes."

See, the key here at the end was "low priced" and "trade in low volumes". That means most people can affort them. However, they can be a bit of a gamble, so you need to make sure you do your homework before you invest, even if it is just "pennies". That's where stockwire.com can be helpful.

They have a lot of resources for you to use to learn more. You can:

• Watch video tutorials on how to invest in Penny Stocks.


• Read more on their blog.


• Research stock profiles and market data


• Connect with other members in their Traders Lounge


• Get regular E-newsletters (and access past issues)

You'll find most of these features are only available once you become a member. But the great news is, membership is completely free! The site itself is very professional and high-tech. It's also got a cool Web 2.0 vibe with lots of pictures, videos, and interactive elements. Check it out.



~t

Insurance!

I tend to trust in the wisdom of the universe. But I still believe in the importance of insurance. Kevin got into some trouble a few years ago when he let his car insurance lapse. Unfortunately, that's just when his accident happened and he lost his car. This goes on his record for something like 7 years. That is something you don't want to have to experience.

So, since then, we've been very good about keeping our insurance up to date. I tend to find something I like and stick with it, but it's a good idea to home insurance on the same policy with your car insurance. Usually, companies will give you a discount when you "buy in bulk", so to speak.

I know that none of this is any fun to deal with, but it goes a long way towards making sure you can enjoy some peace of mind, especially if something happens (like our roof just blowing off in a windstorm!) We were really glad we had good insurance then.

~t

Leukemia Information

Cancer is such a heartbreaking disease. It can be especially so when you realize there is a chance it was preventable. If you have cancer, following is an important question for you. Was your Cancer Caused by solvents? If so, you may be entitled to legal compensation. Leukemia411.org has important information on:

Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
Leukopenia
Chronic myologic leukemia (CML)
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas (NHL)
Multiple Myeloma
Myeloma
Leukemia Lawsuits

If you feel as though solvents, maybe have been involved in your instance of cancer, you can contact the legal team at leukemia411.org. They will evaluate your case and see if you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Every little bit helps.



~t

Car Insurance

Caspian likes to talk about the day he'll be able to drive. He's very much looking forward to it, even though he only just turned nine. I am NOT looking forward to in the slightest, especially based on the way he space-walks through some of his days now! Aye yih yih. And then there's the question of automobile insurance. How much do teenagers add to your premium? I don't even want to think about it.

GEICO, however, does think about that and much more. They have an entire online library devoted to teen safe driving. One part of that is some great tips on "teens and trucks". Sample topics covered include passing trucks, staying out of trucks' blind spots, avoiding sudden stops near trucks, and more.

~t

Money Money Money

So, how's everyone doing with money after the holidays? Well, if you've been following around here, we don't really have a huge amount of income these days. Hopefully, that is about to change. However, none of us are any strangers to loans, and I imagine if we really need to, we'd be able to get some money for at least the short term.

Of course, my mom has had her share of mortgages, including one on our current home. Kevin had a whopping student loan that he ignored until we were married and I forced him to deal with it. They were actually a number of loans that turned into debt consolidation loan. That was very handy indeed, and I'm sure saved us some money after all the money we squandered letting it go for so long. Oops. Well, I didn't feel qualified to nag until we were officially married. Of course, it's best to take care of these things rather than let them go. We're still paying on that one. But I've been helping Kevin and his credit score out, thankfully. Otherwise our only option might be a bad credit loan.

We've been working pretty hard to get all these things paid off, so hopefully we will be financially stable and debt free in the future. Perhaps even the near future. I guess a job might need to come first.

~t

Small Business Blog: IncParadise.com

From being part of a startup organization and from starting our own home-based business, I know that owning a small business is a huge responsibility. It's good to have resources available to help you understand the ins and outs of some common business issues. Check out this link for IncParadise.com for some free business info. Some recent entries have great information on taxes, business debt, and retirement benefits for small business. They also offer help for incorporating online, including kits that make it much easier.

The site is pretty basic looking, but easy to navigate and read, which is important, especially if your time is at a premium. And as a small business owner (or potential one), it seems that is always the case. Isn't it funny how people think being your own boss will save you so much time working and you end up doing so much of the work yourself anyway? That's why it's great to have expert help when you have important financial and legal questions.



~t

Credit Cards

I think credit cards are worth talking about at this time of year. It has long been a goal of mine to be financially independent, and the first step towards that is getting out of debt. I have certainly used my share of credit cards in my life and I could be again. I think the trick is to use them responsibly and be smart about it. That means, first of all, being informed on credit card news.

One thing that can help a lot is 0% balance transfers on higher percentage rate cards. Make sure you read the fine print, however, so that you know the long term commitment you are making is worth the original savings. My favorite is when they extend the 0% for the life of the remainder of the loan.

There are a lot of places to get credit card advice. I suggest reading up from a number of different sources and really being informed. The sooner you can get the debt paid off, the better. Again, make sure to read the fine print so that you don't end up being committed to something that doesn't help you in the long run.

~t

PayPerPost Affiliates

It seems lately that I get on a theme for a few posts and run with it. Well, I seem to have a PayPerPost theme today. What can I say. I heart PayPerPost. I heart blog money.

And what's not to love about PayPerPost's new affiliate program? It's rad. You just put a sweet button up on your blog, and if people click it, sign up, and make it through the approval and posting process, then you get $15. That's THREE times what PayPerPosties got for referrals until now, and more than you get a lot of other places for referrals as well. I chose the button with their catchy slogan, because I love to sing it, "Get paid to blog about the things you love."

To hear the slogan, and see PPP CEO Ted Murphy clowning, watch this:



Ha ha ha...even Zane loves this video. He's pointing to it and saying, "On. On."

The button to join PayPerPost is on my sidebar, it looks like this:




You should click it and join PayPerPost. (Assuming you meet the requirements, of course.) Get in on the fun!



~t

Is it a PPP Christmas?

PPP stands for PayPerPost, the company that pays bloggers to write blog ads, of course! If you've been reading along, you've heard me wax poetic about my adoration of PayPerPost. Now, they're asking, "Hey, whatcha gonna spend all your awesome money on?"

I guess that depends on how you look at it. Is it on Christmas gifts? I guess--cuz I bought some. But really, right now the cash is just going into the "general keep my family alive and warm fund". How much have I made? $845.76. Wow! I didn't even realize it was that much. It's part of my financial plan of "multiple streams of income."

Now, here's the thing. I've been investigating a lot of online moneymaking opportunities lately. I can honestly say that we haven't really found anything that compares to PayPerPost. Anyone else who's investigated online opportunities starts to get suspicious. Do they really pay? I can say, "Oh YEAH!" for PayPerPost. Of that $845.76, I've already received $512.11. And I've only been doing this since mid-October. Pretty rad, huh? I think so.

Not only that, but it really is fun to write for PayPerPost. There is a lot of freedom, choices, and great support. There's a fabulous forum where you can really get to know your fellow bloggers. There's always some interesting new thing to write. The company itself is smart and fun. Hey, just check out this vid of CEO Ted Murphy if you don't believe me. Yeah, he's a catfeesh. Ok, maybe that's not the best example of smart. But trust me, folks, he is, and he's got a great crew working with him.



~t

Need Book Keeping Help?

When I worked at my last job, we had more than a few book keeping nightmares before we found the right individual to take care of our books. The problems is, you can get someone for less money, but then you're playing a risky game with a very important part of your business. Or you can pay a lot of money and feel like you might be getting more than you need. It's tough to strike a good balance.

A good way to work towards that balance is a new company that offers quickbooks book keeping. This is a service devised especially for small businesses based on their own needs. After having worked with thousands of companies, they know what needs to be done and strive to do it in as simple and cost-effective way as possible. Then they pass that savings on to you. Also, there are no long-term contracts, so if you find your needs change or you decide to bring your book keeping in-house, it's not a problem. They'll even train the person who's taking it over.



~t