Money Hacks Carnival #112 - The Savannah Edition

Welcome to the #112th Edition of the Money Hacks Carnival, featuring Savannah, GA. Since I'm always talking finances, and most of the people in this carnival are always talking finances, I thought I would pick a theme that is off topic slightly.

Just three years ago, my family and I moved to Savannah and fell in love. There is a reason why people told us that they had always wanted to visit Savannah or had visited and wanted to return. It is a beautiful historic city dripping with Southern charm, architecture, history, ghost stories, art, natural beauty, and lots of good food and drink. As a guest to my blog today, you will learn a bit more about the Hostess City of the South.

Editor’s Picks

Jason presents Evil Interest posted at Live Real, Now.

Joshua Noerr presents Personal Finance Makeover posted at JoshuaNoerr.com, saying, "A simple no nonsense approach to your personal finances."

MoneyNing presents 10 Situations in Which DIY is More Expensive posted at Money Ning, saying, "DIY is not always the most cost effective way of doing things."

FMF presents 21 Best Money Tips Ever posted at Free Money Finance, saying, "Some great money tips from personal finance experts."

Jason Price presents Christian Financial Stewardship: Uncommon Examples posted at One Money Design, saying, "There are examples of financial stewardship that aren't quite as common or often discussed as saving, spending and giving. However, they are just as important."

Career

Ramsay presents Do You Think Like A Billionaire? posted at Need Money Tips.

JohnQ Stakes presents 9 Pervasive Myths About Choosing an Occupation posted at Masters in Occupational Therapy, saying, "Choosing an occupation is a daunting task. With the amount of misinformation abounding on the subject, this post singles out the biggest myths."

J. Savings presents 3 Ways to Cut the Costs of a Job Hunt with a Little Online Ingenuity posted at Budgets Are Sexy, saying, "These days, we're expected to be always on when it comes to searching for a new job: that means keeping a close eye on what job opportunities are out there, as well as networking and sending out the occasional resume!"



Debt & Credit

Carmen presents The Best Black Cards in the Business posted at GoBankingRates, saying, "There are few status symbols that are coveted like a black card, which today is widely recognized as the most elite credit card offering from any card issuer. But the truth is most of the perks you hear about are financial urban legends conjured up by overzealous status worshipers. We're here to put the myths to rest and separate fact from fiction."

PT presents Credit Card Cash Advance: Bad Financial Move or Good Emergency Plan? posted at Prime Time Money, saying, "These transactions are almost always a bad idea. Learn why in this post about cash advances using a credit card."

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Balance Transfer Credit Card Tips, Facts and Traps posted at The Digerati Life, saying, "Here are some helpful tips on dealing with balance transfer cards."

The Smarter Wallet presents How To Get A Credit Card That's Right For You posted at The Smarter Wallet.

freefrombroke presents Different Bank Cards And Their Uses posted at Free From Broke, saying, "Various kinds of banks cards and their uses."

FYCR presents Can I remove accurate negative information from my credit reports? Fix Your Credit Reports.com posted at Should I hire a company to fix my credit reports for me?, saying, "Surprisingly you can remove accurate negative information from your credit reports."

Economy

FlBlogger presents Inflation or Deflation? What’s The Evidence Say? You Decide. posted at 20s Money, saying, "Examining the evidence that points to either inflation or deflation."

Mike Collins presents 7 Things Worrying the Middle Class posted at Saving Money Today, saying, "These are 7 common concerns keeping the middle class up at night."


Frugality and Saving Money

The Saved Quarter presents Dialing for Dollars: Cell Phone Savings posted at The Saved Quarter.


BIFS presents Fit in a Fun Friday - Expensive Dreams posted at Budgeting in the Fun Stuff, saying, "This is about keeping yourself in check while saving for big expenses."

Mrs. Frugal presents How to Save for College Without Sacrificing Your Retirement posted at Cool to be Frugal.

Sun presents Honor Previous Financial Choices posted at The Sun’s Financial Diary.

Anthony Samuel presents Disneyland Package Deals Offer a Great Vacation Opportunity posted at Personal Finance Analyst.

Rob presents Save Energy by using Motion Sensing Light Adapters posted at Energy Saving Gadgets.

Income

Online Dividends presents $100 Checking Bonus at Chase posted at Blogging Banks.

Neal Frankle presents How To Generate Income During Retirement posted at Wealth Pilgrim, saying, "Are you wondering how to generate income during retirement? Here are 4 great ideas you can start on today without spending an arm and a leg or all your time."

Investing
Super Saver presents I Avoid Financial Advisors with These Characteristics posted at My Wealth Builder.

Dividends4Life presents 5 Dividend Stocks Building Superior Long-Term Returns posted at Dividends Value, saying, "Ned Davis Research examined the relative performances of stocks between 1972 and 2006 and established a link between rising dividends and superior long-term returns. The study found S&P 500 stocks that consistently increased their dividends produced total returns (dividends + share price greater than those that did not increase their dividends."

James& Miel presents The Benefits of Investment Portfolio Diversification posted at Dual Income No Kids, saying, "Having a variety of investment options and choices available is very helpful to investors!"

Darwin presents How to Invest in Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn posted at Darwin's Finance, saying, "Ever wonder how to invest in Facebook, Twitter and other companies that aren't publicly traded? Here's now - if you've got the money!"

Dan presents Bond King Gross Declares Real Estate to Beat Stocks and Bonds – How to Play It posted at ETF Base.

CheapO presents 5 Stocks That Doubled Recently posted at Cheap Stocks, saying, "5 stocks that have doubled in the last few months."

Zach Scheidt presents Three Industries for Building Short Positions posted at ZachStocks, saying, "The market environment is changing after the Goldman Sachs (GS) announcement. Three short areas to consider pursuing for trading profits or to hedge long exposure."

LearnSaveInvest presents How Wealth Building Is Like Growing A Tree posted at Learn Save Invest, saying, "Your wealth starts by the planting of a single seed. With regular saving and investing it grows strong and provides you the freedom you want."

Other
Camille Hensley presents Top 50 Project Management Blogs posted at Masters in Project Management, saying, "The following list may help you stay on top of these requirements, as the 50 project management blogs listed here are written by the best in the field."

Craig Ford presents Best Personal Finance Software 2010 posted at Money Help For Christians, saying, "This post helps identify some of the best personal finance software options available."

2 Cents presents Your Life Balance Sheet posted at Balance Junkie, saying, "Your financial health is only one part of your life. This article looks at it in the context of the big picture."

Miss Bankrupt presents How Much is an A and Paying for Good Grades posted at Miss Bankrupt.

Michael Pruser presents 15 Ways to Slash Your Cell Phone Bill posted at The Dough Roller.

Kate Kashman presents Why Your House Won’t Sell (Or Rent) The Paycheck Chronicles posted at The Paycheck Chronicles, saying, "Trying to rent or sell your home? Use this checklist to figure out why it isn't happening."


Taxes
Kyle presents Tips to Help Prevent Last Minute Tax Filings posted at Suburban Dollar.


That about wraps it up. I hope you enjoyed your virtual tour of our city and are planning your (next?) visit with us. In the meantime, submit your blog article to the next edition of money hacks carnival, hosted by Learn Save Invest using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Photo credit: Dizzy Girl, faungg,& jimdeane

8 Items to Buy in Bulk

1. Diapers/Wipes: They typically are much less expensive in bulk and you know you don’t want to find yourself without them, so go ahead and buy them. Just make sure you don’t overbuy in sizes while they are growing quickly. Yes, you can return them to the store to exchange them for a larger size, but that’s no more convenient than having to go out to buy them last-minute, so buy in bulk when you see a good deal, but buy smart size-wise.
2. Light bulbs—You don’t want to go out to the store because the lights are out.
3. Batteries—You don’t wan to go to the store because the lights are out and the flashlight is dead.
4. Sugar—If you’re using sugar, you’re likely making a dessert. If you are unable to make a treat because you are a ½ cup sugar short, someone is going to be unhappy. Go ahead and buy ahead…it will keep. Get flour too. It freezes.
5. Meat—Buy when you see a good price and freeze what you don’t immediately need before the “use by” date. You can often get meat cheap just because you buy in bulk.
6. Soap/Deodorant—See a good price on your favorite? Go ahead and get it. You’ll use it eventually. And the rest of us don’t want to be around you when you’ve run out of it.
7. Pasta/Rice—Keeps forever, easy to store, small packages, and makes an easy no-brainer side with almost any meal.
8. Breakfast Cereal (cold & hot)—If you get these at a good price, stock up. They will not expire for a while, they are a great quick breakfast, the kids can often fix it themselves, they can be a yummy late-night snack, great for when the power is out and you can’t cook dinner. Too many uses. Too many reasons to go ahead and buy in bulk.

Disclaimer—Some people will be toilet paper on this list. I certainly love stocking up on a good deal. This won’t go bad. It is one of the most basic needs for your household. However, it is large and bulky, so storing too much of it can easily be a hassle. Get a lot, but not so much that you have to walk around it to perform your daily tasks.

Photo credit: bouts

Introductions...(Adam) Baker from Man vs. Debt

In this new series of interviews, my plan is to introduce you to bloggers whose stories and/or advice I have enjoyed or found most helpful.

Man vs. Debt is an inspirational blog of a family who stared their debt in the face and decided that they wanted more out of life than the slavery that debt brought them. Baker and his wife Courtney sold off all of their excess belongings to pay off consumer debt and stockpile cash. They used this money so that they and their toddler daughter, Milligan, could travel abroad for one year. Their story is certainly out of the norm and proof that you can do anything you set your mind to when you are not tied down by materialism!

I recently spoke with Baker via email about his blog and life. This is how it went:

Me: You have an outstanding personal life. Please tell my readers a little about your interesting livings/travels.
Baker: Ha ha, well...thank you! My wife and I recently sold all of our possessions, paid down a bunch of debt, and spent a year traveling through Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand with our 1-year-old daughter.

It was a blast (lots of ups AND downs) and we learned a lot about ourselves and what we wanted in the future!

Me: How incredibly liberating was it to be free of the consumer debt? Did it weigh more heavily or less than student loans?
Baker: Yes, it weighed much more heavily. We ended up paying down $18,000 in consumer debt. Even though we still have $50,000 in student loans, it still felt like a HUGE accomplishment. Our consumer debt represented a lot of bad decisions and a lot of "stuff" that limited our freedom.

It's extremely liberating to have it gone. We never want another car payment, jewelry payment, or credit card. We aren't done with the battle yet and our student loans are next. The consumer debt was a big first step and very motivating!

Me: I've never thought about debt representing bad decisions, but that must be why it is so liberating to be free from it! Do you ever feel "guilty" about traveling before being free of the student loans and having no retirement plans at the moment?
Baker: At first we struggled with it. Lately, though, I've very proud of how we handled it. We set-up a goal to explore overseas, but we did so responsibly. We set out to eliminate our consumer debt and ended up saving over $17,000 in cash, too. Sure we could have fought for another 2 years to eliminate ALL our student loans, but I think we found a great balance.

We are ready for the next chapter of the fight now, having spent the last year abroad. I'm looking forward to knocking out our student loans and then having the full power of our income to save/invest in the best way we can!

Me: I love seeing how responsible you did travel--how you stuck with a severe budget just like you had to when paying off your debts. Quite responsible! Do you find you have more supporters or more nay-sayers that comment on your family's plans?
Baker: 99.9% far, far, far more supporters. I've worked very hard and been very lucky to build a community that generally loves to see people become empowered. They love to support people, including our own journey.

Anytime you share as much details as we have, you'll always have negative people come out of the woodwork. It's part of life. But these people can't even come close to the power of all the supporters and fellow people on their own journey towards freedom.

Me: That's awesome. Do you plan to travel abroad again once retirement comes around or is this your "once in a lifetime"?
Baker: We plan for travel to be a sustained part of our life, forever. That being said, it will most likely be much slower now. We would ideally prefer a 6 months home, 6-month traveling type of schedule. Maybe even 6 months in one location. We love the lifestyle, but still want the eventual security of a place called "home".

We certainly won't be waiting for retirement, though. We aren't huge fans of the traditional outlook on "retiring". :-)

Me": It doesn't look like you guys have a traditional view of pre-retirement either. =) When you were getting out of (consumer) debt and saving for your travels, what is the most extreme move you made to accomplish your goal?
Baker: Some people consider cutting up and canceling all of our credit cards to be extreme. It really wasn't for us, but I understand why it may appear that way to some. There were a few months during our "intense" period, where we spent very, very little money. We didn't eat out, we didn't go out (elected for board games with friends), and we were selling our possessions like maniacs!

It's not a pace we'd want to keep for any sustained period, but these brief moments of intensity helped us reach our goal ahead of schedule!

Me: What did you do to keep yourself motivated when attacking your finances so fiercely?
Baker: We kept framing our journey as giving us the freedom to travel abroad. By framing it in this way, it was much easier to stay motivated. We weren't just getting out of debt to get out of debt. We wanted to empower ourselves to live a certain lifestyle. By setting and keeping clear goals it helped us out!

Me: Do you ever find yourself wanting more of the "stuff" that you rid yourself of previously?
Baker: Absolutely. It's easy to head back to crutches that we've always lived with.

On the road it was hard to accumulate a lot more, because we had to carry it. If it didn't fit in the backpack, we didn't take it. Fairly simple!

Since being back home in Indiana for a couple months, we can feel the old urge creeping back in. It's so easy to starting filling back up closets and rooms with random "stuff". We are doing are best to fight it off!

Me: Who are your favorite bloggers to read?
Baker: Chris Guillebeau is by far my favorite blogger to read and my biggest role model when it comes to blogging/business.More of my current favorites include, J.D. Roth, Gary Vaynerchuk, Leo Babauta, Jonathan Fields, Brett McKay, Glen Allsop, Corbett Barr, Dave Navarro, and Steve Kamb.

Thanks again for participating and letting my readers get more acquainted with you.

If you are more interested in learning about Baker's travels and methods, please visit him over at Man vs. Debt and browse around--you can even see where they have documented all of their belongings and how they are both eliminating and adding those as needed--how awesome is that?! You can also purchase Unautomate Your Finances, his ebook that has received rave receives across the personal finance blogosphere. At his site, you can now purchase it for a reduced price!

If you want to follow Baker and his family down the road of the rest of their journey, join his MvD Militia, follow him on Twitter, and/or fan Man vs Debt on Facebook (and add Baker as a friend too!). Or you could just get his feed through your favorite reader or email like I do. I can't wait to see where life takes them next!

WFMW - Keep Sand from Sticking

Two weekends ago, I took the kids to the beach (that's the joy of living in the southeast...call it a a trade off, if you will, for our extreme summers).

With a little preschool boy who LOVES to play in the sand and surf and a 9-month old daughter who loved to crawl in the sand then proceed to eat it, I faced the challenge of keeping a desert-full of sand out of my car on the way home.

How to do it?

Open the diaper bag and apply baby powder to the kids before putting them in the car. The powder absorbs any excess moisture and the sand brushes right off! It's magic!

If you don't have to carry a diaper bag, put some in your beach bag...you can even just get a small travel-size that doesn't take up much room for this task.

Seriously...it's brilliant and it truly works for me!

Check out We Are THAT Family and see what works for everyone else!

Photo credit: bundun2002

8 Items for Your Diaper Bag (other than diapers)

1. Change of Clothes for Baby—You never know when your little bundle of joy will need a new set of clothes because of spit up gone berserk or a leaky diaper.
2. Change of Clothes for Mom—Okay, not an entire outfit…but a shirt wouldn’t be a bad idea (although I don’t do this, I know of many who do). If Junior decides that projectile spit up would be a fun game, it doesn’t make the remainder of your errands fun while you walk about getting looks from people who seem to assume you have no idea your shirt is drenched and you smell of vomit.
3. Small plastic/garbage bags (for clothes) / Ziploc for diaper—Some type of baggie for wet/soiled clothes will keep those clothes from soiling everything else in the diaper bag. And sometimes you can’t change baby in a location that is convenient to a garbage can (seriously…it happens more than you realize), so a baggie for a dirty diaper can be a lifesaver as well.
4. Hand sanitizer—Many times I have found myself needing this after a diaper change. Sometimes it is because I am using the passenger seat of a car as a changing table. Sometimes it is because I have taken baby inside a restroom at a restaurant and others don’t look kindly on you for laying them on the floor while you methodically wash both hands with hot, soapy water. You can often one-hand wash if only one hand got dirty. But with a doozy of a diaper, more cleaning is required and sanitizer becomes a necessity.
5. Diaper rash cream—You never REALLY need diaper rash cream until you don’t have it. It’s a good thing to keep in the bag at all times. If you don’t want to over-buy the stuff, don’t worry. When you sign up for new mom freebies all across the internet (and at the hospital), you’ll get several different samples to try. These are great for this purpose. Or you can write your favorite company and request a sample or just tell them how much you like their product. I got lots of samples of my favorite that way!
6. Snacks—Sometimes a baggie full of Cheerios can be a God-send when trying to finish up your shopping with a fussy toddler. Don’t go overboard, but a box of raisins or a bag of Goldfish will get you through!
7. Toy—Always a huge help during eating out. If the child is too young to eat from the menu, this will keep them occupied while parents eat. If the child CAN eat from the menu, sometimes this will do when the crayons they (sometimes) provide don’t entertain. NOTE: Personal parenting tip from me…if your child is old enough to not need a diaper bag, they are old enough to not carry around toys with you at all time…don’t subject yourself to be their walking toybox. Let them learn patience.
8. Burp Cloth/bib—This should go as an obvious one if a meal will be included in the outing, but even it is isn’t, this can be a great spit-up or drool fixer.

Photo credit: jds-emma

WFMW - Greatest Tips Edition

Today's theme for Works for Me Wednesday over at We Are THAT Family is our "greatest tips" edition. Since I've been participating in WFMW for just over 2 years, I have submitted a number of tips to the series.

So included in my Greatest Hits are those tips that have brought me the greatest number of hits on my blog. These are tips that people continually are searching for when they land on my blog. I figure if people are googling the answers to these questions, they must be worth reposting.

So here are the tips that bring the most traffic to my site. Hope you find something you can use!

WFMW - Using Trip Meter on Car

WFMW - High Value Coupons!

WFMW - Pharmacy Tracking

WFMW - How NOT to Cut People Off

Ooey, Gooey, Chocolatey Goodness

No More Funky Towels!

Big No-Nos with Fabric Softeners

Works for Me - Toddler Hand Washing

WFMW - Fire Safety in the Home

WFMW - Baby Bath Aid

Free Circus Tickets!

Flag Etiquette

Frugality is Not Always Worth the Money

Head on over to this special themed WFMW and see what works for everyone else too! I know I could use some new tips!

8 Ways to Encourage Your Child

1. Thank them—You can thank them for the most menial of tasks and their eyes will light up. You like to be appreciated and so do they. They will then begin to learn how to be polite and how to respect and appreciate others.
2. Listen to them—It is so easy to just “Mmmm Hmmmm” through a conversation with my 4-year old. But he’s not stupid. It hurts when others do it to me, and it hurts him when I do it too. Nod at appropriate moments, look at them when they are speaking, and don’t interrupt. They will feel important when you take this time out for them.
3. Apologize when deserved—Sometimes we screw up. We aren’t perfect and shouldn’t pretend to be. When we are in the wrong to our children, we should have the humility to admit it to them and ask for their forgiveness. They will respect you even more.
4. Tell them you love them—You cannot do this too much. Even when they grow to be teenagers and they act like they don’t want to hear it, there is security in knowing their parents love them.
5. Support their interests—As long as their interests are healthy, they don’t have to be the same as yours. You may not know the rules of martial arts sparring, but it doesn’t mean you can’t learn to be a good cheerleader for them. If they love plants, animals, and dinosaurs, take them to the natural science museum even if you’d rather gouge your own eyes out. They can enjoy their hobbies and you will love to see them so enthralled. And you might learn a new thing or two yourself.
6. Hug them…all the time—Yes, tell them you love them all the time, but don’t be afraid to physically express it too. There is something comforting and reassuring about the human touch. Study after study has shown evidence the children thrive when exposed to the human touch rather than just words.
7. Play with them—I know you are tired at the end of the day, but make memories with them. No, you don’t have to be their best friend, but you can be their playmate sometimes. They will remember it and you just might have some fun yourself!
8. Be a good role model—Your words can only carry so far. And they will get you nowhere if your actions are in opposition to those words. You can teach your child how to achieve their goals by showing them how you achieve yours. Be the person you want them to be. They love you more than they will ever let on, and want to make you proud.

Photo credit: brownjeans

8 Ways to Reduce Your Electric Bill

1. CFLs—You can (and probably have) read all about these bulbs across the internet. They save money by burning less power and doing it for longer. Make sure you contact your trash collection or city to find out the proper way to dispose of them though!
2. Unplug appliances not in use (vampire energy)—Just Google “vampire energy.” If you don’t know what it is, it is sucking the money out of your pocket. Unplug appliances not in use.
3. Ceiling Fans—Being raised in the Southeast without central heat or air, I know the importance of a ceiling fan. In the summer you can use it to circulate the air. Even warm air is more refreshing when it is moving rather than stagnant. In the winter you can turn it the opposite direction to redirect the hot air that has risen to the ceiling back towards the floor.
4. Hot Water Heater Blankets or better yet—tankless hot water heaters—We spend a lot of power (electric or gas depending on your set up) to heat water that sits in a tank and waits for us to use it. Buying a water heater blanket can prevent loss of heat from your water heater. Just touch the outside of the water heater. If you can feel warmth, you are losing heat and therefore, paying to heat water that is not even in use yet! Buy a blanket for it at any home improvement store. If you have a little more money to spend, remove it altogether and replace it with an inline or tankless water heater. We have a couple of these at work and they are AMAZING! Instant hot water…very hot hot water.
5. Turn off the TV—How often is your television on for background noise? While you are reading or on the computer? While you are watching dinner? While you are in another room? If you are specifically sitting down watching a show/movie purposefully, turn it off.
6. Natural Light/ Turn off the lights!—I always turn off lights when I leave a room. It was something I was taught throughout childhood. It has followed me to adulthood obviously, as it is second nature to me. I also use natural light throughout the day to prevent having to turn on the electrical lights.
7. Use non-peak hours—Contact your power company and find out if they have peak and non-peak hours. If you use high-energy items, such as a dryer or dishwasher, during off peak hours, you can save on your bill.
8. Change air filters—Change the AC/return air filters once every 30 days or buy washable ones. The reusable ones are cheap and regardless of what they say, are only good for about 30 days at a time. The dirtier your filters, the harder your unit has to work. So spend a tiny bit more a month and change your filters often.

As a side note, most power companies and co-ops will come out to your house and do an “energy audit” for free. Just call and request a free audit and they can look and suggest other improvements for your specific home

Photo credit: vancanjay

Introductions...Ninja from Punch Debt in the Face

In this new series of interviews, my plan is to introduce you to bloggers whose stories and/or advice I have enjoyed or found most helpful.

Punch Debt in the Face is a blog that I've been reading for about 3 months now. I really enjoy his take on finances as well as reading about his personal life. And as a bonus, each post comes with its very own original stick figure artwork. I recently spoke with Ninja, the author and illustrator of this blog, about his life, blog, and financial advice:

Me: Please tell my readers a little about your personal life.
Ninja: Well, I do blog anonymously (out of fear some crazy blog reader will stalk me, cut my skin off, and wear it) I am open to sharing a few things about myself. I'm a 24 year old dude, living in San Diego. I've worked for the federal government as an investigator for a little over two years now. I'm newly engaged, and look forward to my wedding this August. Besides that I love Dr. Pepper, personal finance blogs, playing tennis, and Dove cucumber and green tea body soap. I hate cats (sorry cat lovers), chocolate, and negative people. If you want to know more, check out my "About Me" page.

Me: So why the name "Ninja"?
Ninja: That is a really good question. One that I don't have the answer to. Ninjas are pretty awesome though and I guess I just wanted to be a little awesome!

Me: You're very financially wise for your age. Where did you learn financial responsibility at such a young age?
Ninja: Honestly, I learned it from a friend. He is a financial analyst for a major bank and has his stuff together. We had a conversation about compound interest one day and how awesome it is. I don't ever plan to have a uber-high paying job, so I needed to figure out how to get rich on a blue collar salary. I decided to start reading some PF books and blogs. After a few months of taking in all that I could, I figured I wanted to join on the fun and start my own blog that caters to the twenty something crowd.

Me: Being so far "ahead" of other people your age financially, when do you hope/plan to retire and just enjoy the fruits of your savings?
Ninja: I don't know if I'll ever retire. I'm too darn active to just sit on my butt all day. After all, one can only play so much golf before they want to do something else...right? That said, I would like to have the ability to "retire" at 50. I put retire in quotes because I won't necessarily stop working, I'll just have the ability to do something else, like work part time, or work for a non-profit. I have laid out my plan to being filthy stinkin' rich here.

Me: If only I'd been as knowledgable at your age (but I guess you hear that all of the time).... What advice would you give those younger than you to help them see the importance of getting a good start financially?
Ninja: Quit waiting for tomorrow. Most of my friends don't contribute to retirement, they don't pay down their debt, and they don't live within a budget. They think that they can wait until "tomorrow" to do that. Sad thing is, tomorrow never comes for them. They keep living outside of their means. When they are 60 years old and realize they only have $20 in their retirement accounts, they will realize the mistake they made. Ask anyone over the age of 40, if they wish they would have saved more when they were 20 and see what they say. The time to get your financial act together was yesterday, yeah that's right yesterday. Quit reading this stinkin' interview and go put some money in your savings account.

Me: Do you consider any debt "good" (or worthwhile) debt?
Ninja: Umm, I actually wrote a post about this called "Good debt is for dumb people". So to answer your question. No. While I can understand why people would take out student loans to get an education or take on a mortgage to buy a house, I wouldn't call that debt "good". I prefer to think of it as "less bad." I plan to take out a loan when I buy my first house, but I'd be lying if I said I was super excited about taking on hundreds of thousands of dollars of so-called "good" debt. People often forget that a degree does not guarantee a higher income, or that their house will not ALWAYS increase in value. So please don't go in to debt, just because some bank has convinced you school loans/mortgages are good.

Me: Would you consider taking some money from savings (not retirement) and paying a huge chunk of it as a down payment? Living in CA, I doubt you would probably 100% pay for it up front, but was curious how much you'd be willing to put down on a house?
Ninja: Ya know, I've done a lot of thinking about how much I want to be able to put down when I purchase my first home. I don't really have a set amount or percentage that I will actually put down as that will depend on the market, interest rates, location, etc. Ideally, I'd be have $100K in the bank come time to purchase a home, but I don't know if that means I'd put $10K down or $50k down. One thing is for sure, I don't plan to rent forever.

Me: What is your thinking in keeping student loans while you have enough cash to cover them (even before the engagement!)?
Ninja: Ah, the student loan dilemma. I have blogged numerous times about this issue. On November 18th, 2009 I finally had the ability to pay my $15K student loans off in full. I outlined why I decided to hold on to the loans for a bit longer in this article. Basically I'm in a period of transition and am waiting for things to settle down a bit more before I deplete the majority of my savings account. In my defense, I would like to mention that, even though I haven't paid the loans off, I have still reduced them greatly. I brought them down over $10,000 last year. Had I paid only minimum payments, I would have only contributed about $2,000 towards them. I have made a resolution to pay them off by the end of the calendar year.

Me: I love reading the various topics (including, but not limited to financial topics) on your blog. What topics usually get the most feedback on your blog?
Ninja: I've found that I tend to get the most feedback when I come up with an article that everyone can contribute to. I wrote an article asking people to share their Financial Secrets and it was wildly popular. People also seem to enjoy when I rant about something like my honeymoon or the role of men and women in a relationship. Stirring a little personal finance controversy definitely gets people to chime in with their two cents. People don't really respond when I write about investing, saving, or debt. Nope, they want my engagement story or why I think being a girl is worst than being a boy (financially speaking of course).

Me: Congrats on the engagement! What is your biggest fear about combining finances with Girl Ninja when you two are married?
Ninja: For those that don't know, Girl Ninja is my fiance. I honestly am not scared at all about combining my finances with her. In fact, I can't wait. She is debt free which is super sexy. She is a teacher and makes a decent living. I'll be 25, she will be 23 when we marry. Our combined income will be between $80,000 and $100,000 (depending on if she gets a teaching contract). I'm pretty excited about sharing all of my life with her, including my money. She wouldn't be debt free if she had bad spending habits, so I have nothing to worry about.

Me: Who are your favorite bloggers to read?
Ninja: I basically read any personal finance blog I can find. I don't have a favorite as enjoy reading multiple points of view. Before I started my blog though, I was consistently reading Budgets Are Sexy and The Simple Dollar. If you (the reader) have a personal finance blog, drop me a line 'cause I would love to check it out.

You can find Ninja and his artwork over at his blog, Punch Debt in the Face or on Twitter at @punchdebt. Go pay him a visit. You will be entertained by his writing and his commenters (including his mom, Mom Ninja). If you're really smart, you'll add him to your blogroll, reader, or however you keep up with the blogs you read. Personal finance really is fun around his site.

8 Friends to Have

1. Mom Figure—Someone who has “been there.” Someone who mothers you at times. Someone who offers advice not from formal education, but from life experience. Maybe it actually is your mother, but maybe it isn’t. Either way, she’s invaluable.
2. Someone from Childhood—It’s nice to have a friend who has known you “all your life.” Seriously…someone to remember the good ole’ days with. Someone who can giggle over silly memories with. Someone who understands why you once were in love with the school jock. Someone who used to braid your hair. Someone who was with you when you got your first speeding ticket. Someone who celebrated when you got your driver’s license. It’s nice to have someone who truly knows where you’ve come from.
3. Someone just like you—You need someone to agree with you. You need someone to let you know that you’re not crazy (at least not by yourself). You need someone to validate your feelings. You need a friends who is on the same page as you.
4. Someone who is your polar opposite—But you also need someone to challenge you. You need someone who doesn’t enable you. You need someone who gives you new perspective. You need someone with a different viewpoint. You need someone who isn’t afraid to argue with you.
5. Mentor—It’s wonderful to have someone to look up to. To see someone who is in a position that you would like to be in one day. You can emulate them. You can question them about their successes and failures. You can find out how they came to be who/where they are. You can learn so much from them!
6. Mentee—It’s humbling and self-esteem building to have someone look at you as you look up to your mentor. You can teach them, as teaching often makes us better learners. You can influence them. You can watch them grow. They can bring new perspective and ideas when you are set in your ways. They can question your motives and provide insight just out of their curiosity.
7. Accountability Partner—You need someone that will hold you to your own beliefs. You need someone who is not afraid to hold you accountable for your actions. You need someone who knows your weaknesses and can coach you through them. You need someone who is firm, yet non-judgmental. You need someone who will tell you the truth when you lie to yourself.
8. Neighbor—Sometimes you don’t even have to know them well. Sometimes it is good just to have someone to shoot the breeze with. It’s okay to have someone to just talk the surface things with (as long as that is not what ALL of your acquaintances are). It’s good to have someone you can share your tools with. It’s good to have someone that has nothing in common with you but a property line. You can learn from one another, as you likely came from different walks of life. You need someone close who knows you and your routines in case something is someday awry, someone will notice. You need someone to smile at you as you pull into your driveway or speak to you as you get the mail. You need a neighbor.

Photo credit: lhumble

Introductions...Brad Chaffee from Enemy of Debt

In this new series of interviews, my plan is to introduce you to bloggers whose stories and/or advice I have enjoyed or found most helpful.

One of the blogs that I have really enjoyed reading recently is Enemy of Debt. I recently spoke with Brad Chaffee, the brains behind this blog, about his life, blog, and his financial advice. This is how it went down:

Me: Please tell my readers a little about your personal life.
Brad: I'm a 35 year old husband and father of three beautiful children. I recently quit my job so that I could be a SAHD/WAHD and work on starting my financial counseling business. I love being a father and take every chance I can to spend time with my kids. We are also debt free (except for the house), after paying off just over $26k of debt in 20 months.

Me: How awesome to be debt free! What inspired you personally to get out of debt?
Brad: One man inspired me, but what he really did was help us understand why it was so important to get out of debt. It all started with Dave Ramsey's book The Total Money Makeover. The book just made complete sense and made us feel like we could do it after all. after that Financial Peace University kept us motivated and taught us a lot about ourselves in the process. It was the very best decision we have ever made and THE only New Years Resolution we ever completed.

Me: That book was our inspiration to really ramp up our efforts as well. Do you still read/listen to Dave Ramsey to stay on track or are you pretty self-motivated now?
Brad: Actually I do. I have his audio book The Total Money Makeover, and I listen to it regularly, but the main thing is I coordinate and lead Financial Peace University at my church. When you throw my God given passion, those classes, and my wonderful readers into the mix, it definitely helps me to stay motivated. That's not to say I do not have my occasional mishaps, because I do, but they tend to be more controlled these days. ;)

Me: What was the biggest change in your life that made getting out of debt possible?
Brad: Intensity and focus made it possible but first we had to address the very problem that caused us to be where we were at the time. Our behaviors needed to change, and once we did that, it was all she wrote. We started a budget, stopped borrowing money, sold our "stuff", and became intensely focused on saving money and paying off our debt. We learned a lot about contentment during that time, which was what gave us the strength to get rid of our beloved "stuff".

Me: Clutter is such a stress for me. Do you find your home (and life) less cluttered now after selling all your "stuff" and better evaluating purchases?
Brad: Well, we did sell all of our expensive stuff but the rest of the clutter we have, we just now started to get rid of. Just like with our debt, it took us a while to realize we were collectors of stuff, even if it was cheap stuff. The problem for us isn't buying a lot of things anymore, as much as it is not getting rid of the things once they lose their usefulness. Baby clothes, toddler clothes, our clothes, you name it, we had extras. We are seeking to become minimalist in every way, even if it is not to the extreme of others. I'm looking forward to it.

Me: What was the most extreme measure that you and your wife took in paying off debt?
Brad: We sold everything we could! Our car, big screen tv, my XBOX 360, and anything else we could get our hands on. Probably the most extreme thing, at least in most people's eyes was that we did not go on vacation, buy each other gifts, and we cut up the credit cards for good. This year was the first time we bought each other birthday presents in 2 years. We made them good ones too, because we earned them. The sacrifice was worth it!

Me: Did people think you had lost your mind? Did you find any unexpected support in the process?
Brad: I of course had my non-believers, but for the most part they were co-workers and friends. My boss for example said he didn't need a Total Money Makeover at first, but after hearing me tirelessly rant about it, he became convinced he was wrong. Now he's paying off debt like a champion. Best part is, he's getting married soon, and him and his fiancee are on the same page. I have more than a hunch, that they will end being very successful in life. I'm very proud of them both!

There were people that said I was crazy for cutting up my credit cards to never borrow again, and I did receive some emotionally confused looks from others during that process. My dad for instance said that you just can't live without a car payment, or credit cards. He's of course got the mindset that he "is" his credit score. I'm financially responsible and I use cash, but my credit score is not calculable. I'll live. :)

Me: What is your personal spending weakness?
Brad: It used to be video games, electronics, books and eating out. Since becoming debt free we have slipped a little in the eating out department but we are still maintaining our plan to save our Fully Funded Emergency Fund of $15,000 by the end of 2010. We are almost half way there already so we should reach that goal. We ask ourselves a lot more questions before we buy anything these days. Do we need it? Can we wait? How will it affect our plan if we buy it?

Me: Those are all great questions for any purchases. What did you find to motivate you when you got sick of living meagerly in order to knock out your debt?
Brad: We took a break for one month. All the money we could have thrown at our debt snowball went to doing something nice. we took a small weekend trip to Washington D.C. (Free zoo, and museums made that trip nicer, but we still spent a pretty penny on hotels. was it worth it? Absolutely! We were refreshed and ready to get back on the train when we returned to the plan the following month. I would say that month saved us because we were close to getting burned out. Usually when that happens to people they never return, so I recommend a ONE MONTH break. Then it's back to business!

Me: Taking a month off is a great tip...especially if it is going to be a long haul. I would expect that it takes a lot of discipline to get back rolling though.
Brad: You can't just take a month off and go wild, there still needs to be self control and the understanding that you still have goals. Spend a few hundred dollars on a 2-3 day trip somewhere, enjoy yourself and get back to it. I would be very careful when putting a specific time frame on it though because then it makes your attempt to get back on more challenging. I say just be realistic. when I talk about taking a month off I just mean for you to take a month's worth debt repayment money, and spend it on some frugal family fun. We didn't spend quite all of our debt snowball for that month, but we did blow about $500.

Me: What inspires you to want to help others become debt free?
Brad: Hope! I want to inspire and motivate people to find the hope that being in debt steals from people. That hope is hard to find when you have tons of debt, no savings, and someone waiting for your each and every one of your paychecks. Debt has a funny way of making you believe you cannot do better for yourself. Inspiring people to become debt free is my passion and my purpose, and I intend on changing lives a little each day.

Me: What an awesome goal. What is your favorite success story that has been shared with you?
Brad: There really is not one single story that stands out the most, because to me success no matter what, is something to celebrate. But I would have to say that the best debt free stories are the ones where the person loved debt, credit cards, and everything else that made them broke, only to do a complete turn-around after realizing they were doing it wrong. The stubborn ones make for the best stories!!

Me: Now we want to know what you are reading. Who are your favorite bloggers to read?
Brad: I enjoy reading Budgets Are Sexy, Punch Debt in the Face, Deliver Away Debt, Out of Your Rut, and Engaged Marriage. Those are the ones I most consistently read each week, but there are tons more I make sure to check up on from time to time. .


You can find Brad anytime at his blog, Enemy of Debt. He also contributes to the Self Reliance Exchange and can create some custom graphics for you at Logos4You. Go pay him a visit. Better yet...add him to your blogroll, reader, or however you keep up with the blogs you read. I guarantee that you'll learn something while you're there.

Thanks again, Brad! I'll be there (debt free) with you one day...soon!

8 Ways to Save Money on Baby

1. Don’t buy the gadgets/bottles/pacifiers until they are born—You have no idea what they are going to like. Wait and see if they take a pacifier. See what type of bottle works for them, see if you will actually use the gadget.
2. Breastfeed—This saves a LOT of money just on food. You can spend anywhere from $25-$60 a week on powdered formula. Breastfeeding eliminates this need. Even if you are a working mom as I am. The purchase of a $250 pump has paid for itself in just 2 months or so when weighing it against the cost of formula. Breastfed babies also do not get sick as often, so you might be saving big on doctor’s visits as well!
3. Don’t Overbuy Clothes/Take Hand-me Downs/Leave Tags On—For clothing, do not overbuy. I know they are cute. But both of our children have had clothes that they never wore because they grow SO FAST when they are tiny! That’s why there are six possible sizes of clothing before they are 1 year old! Take any hand-me-downs you are offered. Even if they are stained or look “loved,” you will need those types of clothes for your child as well, so take them. We have saved HUNDREDS if not thousands of dollars because we have family and friends that gives us lots of hand-me-downs. Leave the tags on when you do buy or someone gifts them to you. You can return them. I promise.
4. Request Samples—We have an entire can of formula in our pantry in case we even need it for Abigail. It’s a retail value of $30. We paid nothing. It was a free sample. You can also get lots of diaper rash cream, lotion, shampoo, diapers, etc for free just by requesting them. Signing up for some baby clubs online who send out loads of free samples. Take the samples offered from most hospitals in a free diaper bag (usually with the name of a major formula maker on it somewhere). Just google “Free baby samples.” You’ll get more than you bargained for.
5. Buy gender-neutral items—This helps greatly if you end up having more children later. You can always reuse clothes, toys, bedding, blankets, etc if they are not too gender specific with the first one!
6. Ignore Baby Registry Suggestions—Don’t depend on a store to tell you what to register for…they are trying to sell you things, remember? Get the bare minimum. The rest you will figure out if you need later.
7. Freecycle—Join your local freecycle (google it). There are people just wanting to give stuff away to avoid the hassle of trying to sell it. You also can ask for baby items on there. You’d be amazed what people are willing to part with once they know someone else needs it!
8. Swap Childcare with Friends—You keep all the kids one night. They keep all the kids one night. You both get a night out, you both get free childcare, and both sets of kids get a playdate.

Bonus: If you can spend money to save, buy lifetime furniture—Yes, it is a bigger investment up front, but both of our children have “lifetime” furniture. Their cribs become toddler beds, then they can become daybeds. Or we can skip right to a full-size bed. All with just adding a rail that you can purchase with the bed. Easy. The changing table is actually a full-sized dresser. This is furniture that they can take with them to college. We’re done.

Photo credit: nbphotogfy

8 Items to Carry in Your Wallet

1. Identification—Whatever picture ID you have needs to be on you at all times. For so many reasons. This is a no-brainer.
2. Insurance Cards (Auto/Medical)—You need all insurance info on you as well. Usually when you need this information it is not a “let me run home and get it” situation. Be prepared.
3. Cash—For emergencies. Although it is rare to come upon some place that does not take a credit or debit card, they do still exist.
4. Credit Card—For emergencies that your cash or possibly your bank account cannot handle.
5. Blood Donor Card—This is great to have on hand so a hospital knows your blood type. Don’t make them use of the “universal” supply when you could get the stuff that matches you exactly. Leave the universal stuff to someone who is actually unknown.
6. Medical Emergency Info—Do you have some type of disease or disorder that might need to be known in an emergency if you were not able to communicate this? Diabetes, allergies, epilepsy, heart disease, etc…so many things could go wrong if medics are not aware of existing conditions.
7. AAA Card—Whether a belt broke, you ran out of gas, or you have a flat, make sure you have someone to call that can help. Also helps to have when checking into a hotel, renting a car, or dining in some restaurants.
8. Family Photos—I’ve read that a wallet is more likely to be returned if it has family photos in it. And who doesn’t want to stare at their loved ones from time to time. I don’t know a single parent who doesn’t like to brag on little Timmy. Might as well have a picture to go along with the story.

Photo credit: lusi

WFMW - Need Financial Opinion

Okay...so this may be the wrong forum in which to ask this, but I'm going to anyway.

I need as many opinions as I can gather on a personal financial decision.

Chip and I are undergoing a Total Money Makeover via Dave Ramsey's book of the same title. We have made a lot of headway on our debt (see tomorrow's update if you want to celebrate with us), but still have a way a go.

We have our baby emergency fund of $1000 in place.

We are knee deep in paying off our debt. We have tackled two smaller credit cards and eliminated them from our lives (happy dance!). We are about to pay off some medical debt and start in on one of our two remaining credit cards...both of which are enormous, I'm ashamed to say.

So part of Ramsey's teachings are that all retirement contributions should stop until debt is paid off. I currently contribute the equivalent of $450 a month into my 401k at work which is matched at 50% (in other words...along with my $450, work will put in $225 for me). I'm 30 years old, so this has a LOT of time to grow still.

We estimate that we can have our debt paid off in approximately 1 year at the rate we are planning to move. We hope to make it sooner, but 1 year is aggressively realistic.

I get that once we are debt free I can contribute even MORE to my 401k (which will pick up again as soon as debt is gone), and therefore get more matched, but the thought of losing 1 year of contributions makes me wary.

What would you do? Would you throw that $450 a month at the debt and knock it out more quickly or would you leave it alone and use what you have now in take-home pay to knock out debt while continuing to fund retirement? Am I just being too careful or am I being smart to want to keep funding retirement?

Asking for help will hopefully work for me. If you want to see what works for everyone else, head over to Rocks in my Dryer, who is guest hosting this week!

8 Ways to Prepare for the Worst

Welcome new comers via the Carnival of Personal Finance. Please feel free to kick off your shoes and stay a while if you would like. For my regular readers, please go check out some other great posts at Four Pillars' posting of the Carnival.

1. Set up Life Insurance—Talk with your spouse and insurance agent and decide what you want it to cover. Do you want to set them up for life? Do you want them to be able to just pay off the debts? Do you want them to be covered until retirement age? You decide and purchase a policy that works for your budget and your needs.
2. Will—This is vitally important…especially if you have children. Don’t have your children be wards of the state until everything can be sorted out. Have this in place to know how your possessions will be handled in an untimely demise. Most people don’t get a chance to plan their death.
3. Living Will—Decide if you want a living will and get that set up if you do. Don’t make your family make this decision for you, as the result could lay heavy upon them for the rest of their lives.
4. Power of Attorney—Decide who is authorized to make decisions for you and your estate if you are incapacitated in any way.
5. Executor of estate—Someone needs to make sure business is taken care of properly when you aren’t around to see that it is.
6. Guardianship for Children—Who do you trust to raise your children? Who has the means? Whose parenting style do you appreciate? Who is willing to take on the responsibility? This is not a decision to be taken lightly.
7. Share Banking/Account Info—Make sure you share your account information with your spouse. If you are suddenly not able to make decisions about banking, bills, or accounts, make sure they are educated in how and what to do.
8. Decide who controls children’s inheritance—Who controls the money you leave behind if the children are minors? This may or may not be the job of the person who gets guardianship. That is up to you and your spouse. Choose wisely.

Friday Faves - Elderly Couple Impromptu Piano

An elderly couple walked into the lobby of the Mayo Clinic for a checkup and spotted a piano. They've been married for 62 years and he'll be 90 this year.

Check out this impromptu performance. We are only as old as we feel. Enjoy! They certainly do.

Peer to peer lending. What is it?

There has been a lot of buzz across the financial blogosphere lately about peer-to-peer lending. After looking into it, I found a number of financial blogs that I trust giving it their “thumbs up.” So I wanted to know more. What is it? Why would anyone be interested?

With the crises that the banking industry has experienced lately along with the shady methodologies that credit cards have been using to get more and more of your money, fewer and fewer people want to deal with them.

We’re in the number who are tired of the financial chaos and feeling ripped off by credit card companies when we have been good customers (both in giving them our money as well as being reliable in payments). What other options were there?

Peer to peer lending is one of those options.

What is peer to peer lending?
It’s just what it sounds like. Regular people offer their money up to borrow. Regular people apply for a loan. The rates are lower than many bank loans and certainly lower than credit card rates. So that is definitely a plus for the borrower. The rates are higher than CDs, savings accounts and other short-term investment options, so that is a huge plus for the lender. Everyone wins!

Lending Club is one of the prominent names in this business of putting lenders and borrowers in touch with one another. And the site is growing by leaps and bounds as more people realize the benefits to participating in this community of people who are all personally involved in getting the most for their money without abusing the other party.

Only people with good credit history are allowed, so this is definitely not a shady place for people who have no where else to go. This is for people who are honest, dependable, and trustworthy and can prove it with their track record.

Borrowers:
So do you have a credit card with an outrageous balance that you want to get rid of within three years? You can consolidate your cards here with a loan (up to $25,000) at a rate lower than you will be able to find with another card. And you won’t be a slave to a bank.

Do you want to take out a private student loan? These guys might can help you. Practically any legitimate reason for taking out a loan can be done with these guys.

Lenders:
What about the lenders? Well, they can invest as little as $25 and the lender choose the level of risk they are willing to take. You can invest all of your money into one loan, you can appropriate your funds into as many different borrowers as you can stretch your money to diversify your portfolio. You can choose higher risk borrowers for larger interest collection or more stable borrowers for safety. It’s all about how you want to invest, but with returns greater than any other short-term method of investment. In fact, they boast an average 9.6% return on your money. Try that with a bank.

So if you are interested in getting more for your money as an investor, or getting a loan that you are willing to pay off in 3 years or less for an interest rate lower than most lenders can offer you, Lending Club might be worth a few minutes of your time. The best part to me? Knowing that there are real people behind the money and not big-business bankers who are taking all-expense paid vacations on government bail-out money.

Have I used them?
No. But I seriously considered it for loan consolidations before I fully got on board with Dave Ramsey. I have realized that we will be able to pay off all of our credit card debt without a consolidation in about 12 months. So although I could go through Lending Club and get a better rate than my cards offer for that 12 months, I am just going to stay where I am and stick it to the banks by paying off the cards and closing the accounts in an insanely quick amount of time.

However, I am considering using this as a short-term investment option once we are free to make those decisions with our money (aka—after our debts are gone and we have a good savings padding). I like what they do (which is why I am referring you to them now) and would like to have a part in it once we get to use our money the way WE want to.

So go give it a look-see and let me know what you think.

The links and banners on this article and on my sidebar are paid affiliate links/banners. Regardless of the pay, I firmly believe in Lending Club and its methods (or I would not be affiliated with them). All of the above opinions above are my own and are not affected by the affiliation in any way.

WFMW - Weighing pre-bagged produce

My Works for Me Wednesday entry this week is a trick I just recently learned. I felt like a totally moron for not realizing this myself, but now that I have learned, I think you should too!

When at the grocery store, you can often buy pre-bagged produce...such as a 10 lb bag of potatoes or a 3-lb bag of apples and you buy them by the bag (for instance, this week our Food Lion has a 3-lb bag of tangerines for $2.99).

Well, they probably do their best to weigh and get each bag as close to the predetermined weight as they can, but you just can't be spot on every time. So I weigh the bags now.

Yep...if I'm going to pay $2.99 for a bag of tangerines, I would rather pay $2.99 for a bag that weighs 3.01 lbs than one that weighs 2.86 lbs. I get more for my money that way.

So it seems silly and maybe a bit picky, but I think it is smart use of my money, so I'm doing it.

What about you?

Visit We Are THAT Family to see what works for everyone else!

8 Items Your Baby Really Doesn’t Need

To everyone who has joined me here today via the Festival of Frugality, the Silver Edition, hosted by Frugal for Life, please feel free to pull up a seat, kick back, and enjoy your stay. I'll offer you some ice-cold sweet tea while you visit, if you would like.

For my regular visitors, go check out the 223rd edition of the Festival and check out some other great posts there.

1. Nursing pillow—I love our Boppy. I truly do. It’s great for feeding the kids when you don’t have a regular pillow around, for cuddling them, for tummy time when they are tiny, and for lounging for them (although not unattended). But you could seriously use a regular pillow or the arm of the sofa for the same purpose in nursing.
2. Expensive High Chair—We never owned a high chair for Patrick. We will not be buying one for Abigail. For the time that she could not sit up for herself, we put her carrier in a chair at our dinner table so she could be with us while we eat. This continued to be the method to sit her upright for feeding until she could sit upright by herself. Now that she does sit upright by herself, she uses a booster seat that adjusts in height and has a tray for her that just attaches on to our regular dinner chair. We put a towel under it to prevent huge messes on our upholstery, but otherwise, there is no need to have a “high chair.” Yep. $20 is all we need to sit her at our table. Since it was handed down from Patrick, this $20 purchase lasted through two children. And since it is all plastic, it will clean up nicely for resell or consignment.
3. Changing Table—You have other options here. You can use a dresser for the tabletop and the drawers to store the supplies. Or you can just use a changing pad and a bed or the floor. Seriously…why is there a piece of furniture for this purpose?
4. Diaper Genie—Yes, we have one. Yes, we pay for those refills. It’s dumb. A trashcan (and all of those plastic shopping bags we have acquired) emptied regularly works just as well. And if you get a seriously bad diaper that requires you to don a hazmat suit, take it outside to the garbage can.
5. Hooded Towel/Tiny Washcloths—You know what these are? Tiny versions of the real thing. I bet you already own the real thing. The extra fabric in the full size version will not inhibit its use with baby in any way. Use a real one. The hooded ones are cute and all, but if you want your child to wear a hood, make it out of that extra towel that they are wrapped in.
6. Bottle Warmer—You know what really, really works? Running hot water. Or if you want to be greener, a pot of hot water. For even less water waste, a slow cooker turned on warm with water in it. You don’t need something named “bottle warmer” to warm a bottle.
7. Nursing Chair/Stool—I typically cross one leg over another or sit with them crossed together. I would use a stool if it were there, but it’s not. So I don’t. And I’m okay with that.
8. Wipe Warmer—My mom bought one of these for Patrick when he was little. We used it because it was cute and he did like a warm bum in the winter months. But we had to buy refills. And we had to keep water in it to prevent it from being a fire hazard, and it burned electricity 24/7. And that cold bum? They get over it quickly.

And just so I can go on a tirade...here are some honorable mentions:

• Bumbo—seriously…children all over the world have learned to sit upright all by themselves for centuries. I don’t think your child will be advanced in their educational development because they sat upright 4 weeks before they would have anyway.
• Baby lotion/Soap—a natural soap gets the cleaning done and is good for sensitive skin and many babies have naturally moist skin and don’t need to moisturizer. Although it does smell really good.
• Expensive Bedding—They wet it. They spit up on it. They cannot use the comforter until they are much older. Some people argue that a bumper is not safe. So why are you buying this for them? Get a mattress cover and a couple of fitted sheets to meet the baby’s needs. (Yes, if you look in our nursery, you see a bedding set. We splurged. If we didn't have the money for it though, this is definitely not a necessity)
• Infant shoes—They cannot walk. They do not need shoes. Some argue that shoes are actually BAD for them at a young age. Yes, it is cute, but so are their socks.
• Stuffed animals—They cannot sleep with them. They cannot play with them for a while.
• Baby detergent—Any dye/fragrance free detergent will do. All Free & Clear or Arm & Hammer are great. And you will not have to take out a second mortgage to buy them.
• Bottle sterilizer—It’s called a dish washer. You probably already have one. Or you can boil them occasionally. Don’t buy another unnecessary gadget.

8 Items to Carry in Your Vehicle

1. Jack—Preferably for your particular car. Cars have different points on them where the manufacturer recommends you lift it for changing a tire. Make sure your jack is suitable for this task.
2. Flashlight—In your glove compartment is best. You never know when you might need to read a map in the dark, look under the hood, or just search for your keys after they have fallen under your seat.
3. Atlas/GPS—This is a must in our house. We are “fancy” enough to own a GPS, but a relatively updated atlas is always in the car with me. That way, on long trips, I don’t have to remember to pack it! This has helped us find new routes to avoid major traffic delays, find scenic routes, find ourselves when we were lost, and honestly provided entertainment for me while Chip drove (read through some of the names of towns in the index…some are hilarious). The time we had a rental car with a GPS on it, we found a totally different scenic route that I never would have mapped out myself!
4. Jumper Cables—Maybe they are for other stranded motorists because you are a good Samaritan and are willing to help others. Maybe they are for your car in case you leave your lights on in the parking lot at the mall. Regardless, these are great to have on hand. For an alternative, you can carry chargeable battery packs made to plug into your outlet for a jump start, but these don’t stay charged indefinitely, so you might still find yourself stranded with this one.
5. First Aid Kit—You never know when you might need it. For yourself or someone else. Just a good item to have while using a major piece of machinery at high speeds.
6. Spare Fuses—Step 1—locate your fuse panel (often on the dashboard side on the passenger side). Step 2—buy fuses for your major components. Or just get a multi-pack. They aren’t expensive and very easy to replace yourself.
7. Tire Gauge—Great for knowing if you need to add air (or bleed some out if they are overfilled for some reason. Know your tire manufaturer’s optimum pressure for proper use of this tool
8. Fire Extinguisher—Many an auto fire could be quickly doused and major catastrophes avoided if more people had one in their cars. Of course, most people don’t, so if a fire ever starts, there is no way to stop it before a fire department arrives. By that point, you may have lost the entire car. More importantly, you could save someone’s life.

Also noteworthy—your owner’s manual. In the glovebox. At all times. So many questions could be quickly answered just by referencing this tool that your car’s manufacturer provided for you.

WFMW - Easier on the Tastebuds

The little girl is truly growing up.

She's totally into baby food these days. She loves it. She is like her mom and has a big relationship with her food. There is hardly anything she won't eat.

Except peas. Oh, she does not like peas. Just like her brother was at that age. Honestly...I don't really like them either, so I can't blame either of them. But it is surprising how many jarred baby foods (like the dinner and combination ones) have peas in them. I want her to like them. But she just doesn't. And it seems that she can certainly pick out the ones that have peas in them and turn her nose up quickly.

I've found a trick that helps her eat these more readily.

Refrigeration.

After a few tries with a particular food that she consistently rejects, I will cap it off and put it in the fridge in order to give it another go the next day. I've heard that sometimes it takes multiple tries before you like a food. So I will try again.

Amazingly, she eats even her least favorites when they are chilly.

So I now can take out one that she typically doesn't like, refrigerate it, serve it cold, and she eats much more of it than when it is room temperature.

I have no idea why. Maybe the chill feels good on her teething gums. Maybe the chill takes away some of the impact of the flavor. Whatever it is, it seems to work at our house.

Go check out We Are THAT Family to see what works for everyone else! (By the way...she's got an amazing tip today, so you really should go check it out!)

8 Ways to Appreciate Your Husband

Since Valentine's is right around the corner, I thought this would be a good time to remind you to let your husband know how much you appreciate him as a husband, father, and man.

1. Cook a special meal—The way to a man’s heart sometimes really is through his stomach. This is a representation of him being the head of his home and you fulfilling some of the most basic of domestic duties. It doesn’t have to be gourmet…it just have to be something he likes. It shows you are serving him, you were thinking about him, and you love him. He gets it. He really does.
2. Thank him for working—Men have an innate need to provide for the family. Sometimes they feel unappreciated. And truly, when the everyday tasks become truly everyday, it can be easy to forget that he does it for you and for his family. It can be easy to forget to thank him. But he needs to hear it.
3. Allow him hobby time—Men need “me time” just like you do. Allow him time to fish, hunt, work in the garage, or whatever he likes to do. No, this should not predominate his time and he should not spend more “me” time than family time, but he needs a break just like you do. Give that to him as long as the hobby is healthy.
4. Give him time to unwind from work—Don’t talk his head off as soon as he walks in the door. Don’t throw the kids at him because you have had them all day and frankly, you are tired of them. Give him some allotted time to just unwind. Maybe it’s 10 minutes. Maybe it’s enough time for a shower. Whatever the two of you can agree on. But give him time to decompress. He will them be able to return the favor to you.
5. Make sure the house is clean—A man’s house is his castle. And even when he understands that you are busy too, he doesn’t want a dirty castle. It’s similar to item #1—it shows some domestic duty on your part and makes him feel appreciated.
6. Leave notes with lunch/briefcase—Remind him that you love him. He likes to be reminded through the little things.
7. Thank him for the little things/honey-dos—You have a big long list for him to accomplish on his day off. Do you thank him for it? You should. He wants to do his part around the house, but that desire wanes when he feels unappreciated.
8. Surprise him—The way to a man’s heart isn’t always through his stomach. Enough said.

Photo credit: Bob.Fornal

8 Phone Numbers a Baby Sitter Needs to Have

1. Mom’s Cell—In case dad’s phone isn’t on.
2. Dad’s Cell—In case mom’s phone isn’t on.
3. Grandma’s phone—In case mom and dad are somewhere they cannot turn on their cell phones.
4. Neighbor’s phone—For local needs that don’t require a family member’s help.
5. Doctor’s phone—Phone number for the child’s doctor.
6. Poison control—So important. Make sure they also know what to do with the information they are given by poison control (for instance, what “inducing” means in case they are told to induce or not to induce vomiting).
7. Pharmacy—In case they need to ask if it is okay to give Tylenol to an infant and how much. Make sure they know enough about any conditions your child may have before you allow them this freedom.
8. Your own house—So they can call if they are going to be late arriving.

Photo credit: Garrettc