06
Dec
Seeing the USA in a Van: Why?
Brenda Curtiss

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People have often asked me why I am traveling the USA in my campervan. I have wanted to explore the USA all my life but as a single parent most often worked in management, typically 60 to 70 hours a week to take care of us (my now adult, married and on his own for a long time, son) on one income. And don’t get me wrong I was very thankful for the opportunities God gave me and saw me through. But it left little time for trips and being a single parent left little money for hotels, so we often went camping in neighboring scenic areas as my son was growing up. Being an only child it was a great time for him to play with other kids, earn ranger badges, go tubing or just sit around the campfire roasting marshmallows. I found that exploring the National Forest & Parks or cool little towns was a passion for me as well.
Fast forward to years later to about 2 years ago: The downturn in the economy plus some other major life shifts literally changed the overall substance of my life in many areas from finances to health. Although monies were and are much more limited at this point in my life, otherwise it is a perfect time to indulge that nomadic side of me that has always given me a desire to explore and experience God’s amazing artistry! My son recently got married and I figured now while I am not yet a grandmother and I am telecommuting, that it was far better to travel the USA in my little campervan and live life, than sit in a room somewhere watching it on TV. I have also always loved the NW Pacific area + have a love for Orca Whales so decided one area I definitely will visit & spend a bit of time in is the NW Pacific area, Vancouver, Port Townsend et cetera & one of the highlights of that area will be an Orca Whale Watching Tour as well. I also plan to do a scenic train ride in CO & am visiting National Parks + traveling Scenic Byways & Great American Roads along the way. There are so many wonderful discoveries to make and I meander along taking my time exploring all kinds of wonderful places and people treasures along this awesome journey. There are some challenges, mostly due to the limited income, and or health issues but I am happy, thankful & blessed and the silver linings are amazing! :) ♥

I love to photo journal and take photos along the way and love to share my travels and experiences! So c’mon and share this journey with me and let’s make this journey a good one day by day as we meander across the USA! So many wonderful things, places and people to discover! I love it! You in for the ride? (You can take a look at where I have been so far via my travel albums.) OK then! I would love to hear from you. Blessings for the Journey, Brenda (& her oh so adorable Papastzu pup Gabriel)

Take a gander at my eBooks & eReports & let me know what you think!   http://lordandcurtiss.ws/eBooks_eReports

You are also invited to check out my 1500+ (& growing) photos of my travels on my facebook: www.facebook.com/brenda.curtiss  (just inbox me and write: “from your blog”)

Category: Alternative Dwellings, Camping, Divorce - Separation, Economy, Finances, Frugality, Great Money Saving Ideas, Lay-Off/No Job, Life Events, Mobile Lifestyle, Mobile Living, Motivational, RVer - Full or Part Timing, Tough Times, Van Dwelling, Week-End Warrior  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  Leave a Comment
10
Dec
Impressive Gifts ~ Ideas to: Buy On The Cheap!
Brenda Curtiss

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Gifts can literally be a hardship if you are stretched financially. But I feel giving gifts is an important & special privilege. One idea that I have used over the years that has saved a whole lot of money & taken a lot of pressure off, is starting & maintaining a “gift closet”. What I mean by that is that throughout the year when you come across amazing deals that you think would be perfect for a particular person or just a cool thing you could use for a variety of gift occasions, pick them up & put them in your gift “closet”. When unexpected events come up or a birthday or other occasion hits you when money or time is tight you have it covered. Because you are only buying when you see incredible values that strike you, you save a lot of money & it is a lot of fun. You can often get a $50 gift for $10 or a special beautiful find you can’t believe is in the dollar store that you can put aside for those times you have surprise occasions as well. I enthusiastically recommend keeping a gift closet! You can also pick up pretty gift bags, bows etcetera to have the ability to have a gift available & ready at a moment’s notice!

Whether you need multiple gifts or a gift for one individual, you can often find beautiful, excellent items at the dollar stores. You may find a candle & an incredible little plate to sit it on to make a beautiful classy gift. There are many different items at any one time that would make an excellent gift. For kids you can get a couple coloring books, some crayons, a paint set & maybe a sidewalk chalk set all for $5 plus tax! Your choices are only limited by your imagination. You may want to purchase a basket or baking dish or other container to create a gift “basket” with an assortment of items from tools (maybe they have a tool belt to “display them in) to baby shower items to a spa assortment. The dollar stores, and I am referring to the dollar stores where all items are sold for $1, are also an excellent place to get cards, gift bags, bows, ribbons, party hats, plates, favors & more. Before you go in, set a limit for yourself as to what you will spend as it is extremely easy to overspend on all the great deals you come across.

The next type of store to check out is the Family Dollar & Dollar General type stores that typically feature an assortment of $3, $5, $7 & $10 deals. After that, comes the discount department stores such as Wal-Mart & Kmart. As in any shopping, check sales papers and have a specific amount you will allow yourself to spend. You don’t have to spend much money to get a nice gift. Another super easy gift to consider is a certificate from www.restaurant.com for $25 or $50 or more toward a restaurant of the recipient’s choice from the 1500+ restaurants that participate in the program. You can first check their area via city or zip code, but typically there is a large & varied assortment of restaurant they will be able to choose from. The standard price for the certificates is $10 per $25 amount on the gift card. However, they often have promos for as little as $3 (recently they had a $2 promo!) per $25 increment! I bought a gift certificate a couple of weeks ago for $50 for a grand total of $6! You submit your recipient’s geographical area (city & state or zip code), name & email, and write a message to go with the certificate which is then delivered to their email when you specify. Your recipient only sees the total amount of the gift certificate as a gift from you, in my recent gift that was $50, when again, I paid only $6! Be sure & sign up for their email promos for big discounts.

If you often buy gift cards for gifts, another discounted site you need to be aware of is: CardPool www.cardpool.com You can buy gift cards here for up to 30% off their value & they are shipped to your recipient with your gift message for free! They only carry cards with no expiration date and no fees, so they are redeemable for the full face value. Nice listing of gift cards to choose from. Don’t have to go to the store & up to 30% off? Good stuff! (You can also cash out any unused gift cards you have that you do not want for up to 90% of their value, or trade them out for other gift cards.)

Excerpts from the:

Setback Survival Guide

How to Keep Going When Life Kicks You in the Teeth!

188 page eBook of Money Making & Money Saving Real Life Solutions! http://www.setbacksurvivalguide.com Published September/2010

We are so confident you will be blown away by the quality & depth of the content, that we have a No Questions Asked, Money-Back Guarantee!

Category: Economy, Family, Finances, Frugality, Great Money Saving Ideas, Life Events, Memory Lane, Tough Times  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  111 Comments
15
Oct
Work for Yourself Business Ideas for the Creative
Brenda Curtiss

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The Artist/Artistic/Creative

  • Illustrated Maps - Create a cool looking map of an area and sell spots to the featured businesses with additional info (their tag line, hours, specialty, etc.) You can put attractive coupons on the bottom of the map or in a flyer that goes with it for additional income. You can have a theme for the map that is unique for that area. For example, if it is a town known for it’s roots in gold panning you could make that a theme, if they are known for skiing or a particular sport, or, if it is a scenic town or surrounded by stunning natural beauty. Other ideas/themes may include: big city, fashion industry, hiking, kayaking or a particular area like “China Town”. Maybe it is a town known for it’s railroad roots. Whatever best

defines the unique appeal to that area/town/community, make that the prominent feel & theme of the map. You need to make a sample mock up of what your map will look like. Once you have done a couple, you will have “previous area examples” you can show. Until then or even in combination with them, create a simple display notebook with an example of the overall layout idea of the map & a couple detailed drawings of businesses and areas that are well known. Go to several of the key prominent businesses and offer them a great deal to be featured so others will want to be a part as well. Be sure to include any well known areas such as a community, state or national park. If you have creative ideas and are a good artist you can make a very profitable business with these fun maps. If you are a good sales person & people person and not an artist, but know one who can share your vision for the project, you can strike up a deal with he/she to provide the drawings and overall map instead of you. To promote your map also speak to the chamber of commerce and heavily visited places in (or nearby) the area to get permission to leave maps for distribution. That way you will have a number of key spots to give examples of where they will be distributed in addition to the businesses that will be featured on the map. Let business owners know that all the streets & most businesses will be on the map. But if they are not a “featured” (paid) business they will have a small square (for example) that will indicated the business name only, whereas the featured businesses will be illustrated with cool drawings (show them examples in your mock-up) with their hours & any short key phrase they want (Example: “Best Homemade Pies in the State!”). Of the initial distribution of “X” number of maps, tell them how many they will get for free (e.g. 25 to 50) and that they will be distributed free to visitors via various locations in addition to featured businesses. If asked how much additional copies to them would cost & how

much they will cost for a reprint after the initial distribution is completed, be prepared to give them an answer. Make sure you include copies in your initial distribution to visitor centers, the chamber of commerce, libraries, hotels, restaurants, mega-churches, civic centers, & other popular locations that would be frequented by visitors as well as those that live in the community. You will not only make an excellent profit, but also be a hero to the town as long as you produce beautiful nice quality maps. Make sure you visit printers and work out a good deal based upon quantities. Knowing your minimum number of the initial distribution will be key in your sales efforts. Establish the type of paper (a mid to heavy weight glossy works well, but a nice matt finish could be a great fit too.) Whatever you choose, make sure you take it along as a sample, along with your mock-up samples and stay with it, stay true and honest in all you say and produce, and you will have plenty of “new” towns, communities or areas, to do “next”. Again, make sure each business owner that pays for a spot on the map gets a specified # of maps to keep in their place of business including at least one laminated one to display. Any # past those provided “free” can be bought for a reasonable cost for them to provide for their customers. Make sure you initially provide a liberal number for distribution and subsequent orders should be inexpensive to purchase thereafter. Although the resells will bring in extra monies, but most of your monies will come from the original spots sold and from those featured in the accompanying coupon flyers. Here is the website of a cartoon map company for an example: www.mapcomarketing.com/index.html

  • Murals - Paint murals inside or outside of homes, childcare facilities, churches, restaurants, etcetera. Create a display book of sample ideas. If you use stencils as a part of your murals, make sure that examples of the stencil work is included in your samples as well. Be upfront in that you use stencils as well as do
  • freehand”. Suggested reading: Three ways to Make Money Painting Murals http://searchwarp.com/swa554350-Mural-Painting-Three-Ways-Make-Money-Painting-Murals.htm

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  • Custom Mailboxes - Paint mailboxes with unique eye pleasing scenes or matching colors/themes to the home, with the owners name stenciled on it. Offer a variation of at least 5 types of fonts. Come up with some unique ideas you feel will work for that area. If it is a sea-side community, include various shells, maybe one with dolphins, a sea horse, an ocean scene or a lighthouse for example. If it is a northern area with a woodsy feel follow suit with that feel. Or, you can just coordinate with the style and colors of the home itself. Again, have pictures of a few mailboxes you have completed. To get started paint & stencil your own and several friends mailboxes and photograph them for examples. Be sure and continue to take pictures to add to your portfolio. In addition to personalization (house number/name, etc.) here are a few ideas to get you started: http://www.morganic.com/TLC/Mailboxes/mailboxes.html and http://www.uniquedecoronline.com/hand-painted-mailboxes.aspx

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For Writers/Publishers:

  • Business Directories, Restaurant Guides, Travel Guides, etc. in various areas. You will want to include coupons and incentives for your publications. You can interview shop owners, restaurant owners, etc and include special features about the businesses. Don’t forget the B&B’s. Everyone will want to keep the booklets in their establishments as it gives them credibility as well as bringing them additional notoriety and business from the coupons and/or discount incentives. A suggested resource to consider: http://www.pubmart.com/publish.html
  • Write & publish eBooks. Write about what you know well and you feel would help others. Do enough research to determine if your subject is appealing & marketable. Focus on creating something that will strongly benefit others & the profits will follow. How to Actually Make Money Selling eBooks www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-actually-make-money-selling-ebooks/ This article has a lot of specific information including excellent links to related sites.
  • Blog &/or Write for other’s blogs. You can set up you own domain through www.godaddy.com inexpensively, but you do need to be a bit tech savvy to set-up & navigate your blog site well. To set up your own blog for free check out: www.blogger.com I suggest this site because although it is free, there is still a decent level of easy integration that can be done with it. There are still a number of professional bloggers utilizing the Google blogger site. Once you build a consistent following, you can choose to set up your own domain site & redirect your readers. You can utilize the forum at www.problogger.com for free. (The site has become a paid subscription site but you can get a lot of info from the forum.) Also successful six-figure blogger Steve Pavlina has a good deal of helpful info/articles about blogging, to get you started: Blogging For Money http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2008/02/blogging-for-money/ & How to Make Money From Your Blog http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/05/how-to-make-money-from-your-blog/

o Writing for Other’s Blogs - Write for Blogs: http://www.writeforblogs.com/ PayPerPost Blog Marketing: https://payperpost.com/ Constant Content: http://www.constant-content.com/ How to get Paid to Blog - Paid Blogging Networks: http://www.ehow.com/how_2100793_paid-blog-paid-blogging-networks.html Information + listing of several paid blogger network sites.

  • Write web content for websites, aka a Website Content Writer.

Per Wikipedia: A Website Content Writer is a person who specializes in providing relevant text content to websites. Their expertise lies in adapting themselves to whatever particular website demands of them to compose. Most of their work centers on marketing products or services that sites are selling or endorsing. Writing online is very different from composing /constructing content for printed materials as surfers tend to scan instead of read, skipping what they think is unnecessary information and hunting for what they really want. It’s estimated that 79% of users scan web content. It is also said that it takes 25% more time to scan content online compared to print content. Content writers must have the skills to not only insert paragraphs and headlines with keywords for Search Engine Optimization purposes, but also to make sure their composition makes sense so that they will be able to tap their target market. Check out www.elance.com & www.guru.com for freelance jobs available. Example websites of Web Content Writers: www.websitecontentwriter.org/ & http://writerpro1.com/ Following is an informative site that lists a number of sites to further aide you. To investigate if this may be a good avenue for you: www.freelancemom.com/home-business-ideas-website-content-writer.htm

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Sell Handcrafted Items, Related Supplies or      Vintage Items (20 years or older) on Etsy.com)       http://www.etsy.com You pay .20 per item to list it for 4 months & when your item sells you pay a 3.5% transaction fee. If you make any kind of unique or attractive handcrafted item or are a supplier of related items or are into vintage clothing & have an eye for what would sell, this is an excellent site to check out for many reasons. It’s aesthetically pleasing, easy to use, easy to list, and easy to navigate for the novice. You can set up a shop on Etsy.com without having to be html savvy. Etsy is well linked (according to a recent SEO & Social Media Analysis, etsy.com was found in 0ver 1100 keyword phrases in search engine results with the major search engines), has become increasingly popular & known. Plus it enjoys a loyal following of buyers & sellers.

Excerpt from the: Setback Survival Guide where you will find hundreds    more tips, links and resources to many little known money making and money saving strategies covering *12 categories of real life solutions in the Setback Survival Guide.  *Note table of contents at http://www.setbacksurvivalguide.com

188 page eBook packed full of specific Money Making & Money Saving Real Life Solutions

Category: Uncategorized  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  161 Comments
02
Oct
Determine Your Best Fit: Working for Someone Else vs. Working for You
Brenda Curtiss

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When you consider our current economic challenges, coupled with the technology now available: cell phones & land lines with unlimited call plans, widespread internet access, video conferencing (made super easy via Skype), web conferencing, etcetera, etcetera), the opportunities abound for those so inclined to create their own employment. That said, it takes determined, self-disciplined individuals to work for themselves. In times past, it was thought that working for someone else guaranteed a check coming in consistently, and often benefits coming along with that. But in today’s economic forecast no one has any real guarantees. Working for someone else, you usually know what to expect, what hours you will work and when you will get paid. For many (most) that is the way they choose to go. For some it is definitely the best way to go. For those who can apply themselves and work independently and take the risks, working for themselves can be a great choice. Again, in this economy there are no guarantees that even the big established company will keep going and/or keep you as a long-term employee, much less provide benefits. So it really comes down to you, who you are and what is the best fit for you. If you are not the type personality to work solo or develop and manage your own business, it will most likely fail or stress you greatly. However, if you are one that does fit that personality profile, there are many more options you can consider.

The pay-off can ultimately become far greater in various ways from monies to flexibility in work schedules and family time. Although, having those flexibilities is a great boon, you shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that your time working will be less, as many if not most small business owners work far more hours than the average employee would. For me it is a no brainer, I can go either way for various reasons, but self-employment gives me the life options I desire at this point in my life. Risks make everyone a bit anxious, but if your stomach knots up even when you think about going into business on your own, it’s probably not the best option for you. To help you evaluate further, take some of the tests below to better understand yourself and what the better options are for your personality type, then delve into the next few sections of this guide dedicated to helping you find optimal ways to make an income/money. I suggest you read through both sections, as many of the opportunities presented (e.g. direct sales companies & telecommuting) would work well for many in both groups.

Free Online Tests to Help Determine Your Best Fit:

http://www.41q.com/

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

http://www.keirsey.com/sorter/instruments2.aspx?partid=0

http://www.ipersonic.com/career/?gclid=CO_6kvrS5KMCFcvr7QodoWVQqw

http://www.careerpath.com/

After you access your personality type, best career options, and natural aptitude, I suggest you do some self-assessment. Are you excited at the prospect of starting your own business with just a few expected butterflies or does it scare the living daylights out of you? Use the tests, but listen to yourself too.

Taken from the Setback Survival Guide. 188 page eBook published in late 2010. You will find hundreds more tips, links and resources to many little known money making and money saving strategies covering *12 categories of  real life solutions in the Setback Survival Guide .  *Note table of contents at: http://www.setbacksurvivalguide.com

(Email the author at brenda@brendacurtiss.com after purchase & mention reading this blog to get a special report for free: Super Cool Websites of Unique & Easy Ways to Make & Save Money.)

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Category: Economy, Finances, Frugality, Lay-Off/No Job, Life Events, Mobile Lifestyle, Tough Times  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  4 Comments
25
Sep
Unique Easy Ways to Make Some Money Fast!
Brenda Curtiss

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In a pinch? More month than money? Following are a handful of websites that allow you to make (& save) money in some really cool unique ways! Got a cell phone you aren’t using? Check out Gazelle.com! How about gift cards? Got any that you haven’t used that you would rather cash in? Check out Cardpool.com! Take a look:

  • Gazelle - www.gazelle.com Gazelle offers an easy and fast way to sell or recycle gadgets. If you have any electronic gadgets that are sitting around in drawers unused (cell phone, laptop, ipod, camera, etc.) just enter it into their search to find out exactly what they will pay you for your item. Cool concept & site!
  • CardPool - www.cardpool.com Have any unused gift cards you don’t expect to use? You can cash them in at this site for up to 90% of their value in cash or trade out for other gift cards if you choose. Nice listing of gift cards to cash out on. (You can also buy gift cards here for up to 30% off & free shipping! Don’t have to go to the store & up to 30% off? Oh yeah, I’m loving this!).
  • Rent it Out - www.rentalic.com Rent out just about anything. List your item(s) for free, when it is rented, the site gets 5% of the transaction when processed.
  • Buy Online & Get Paid from 1% to 10% in Cash! – ebates.com http://www.ebates.com/ Join for free & get cash back when you shop at over 1200 (& growing) stores. They partner with Walmart, Target, Kohls, Home Depot, Lego, Staples, eBay, QVC, Camping World, Old Navy & hundreds more!

Taken from the Setback Survival Guide. You will find hundreds more tips, links and resources to many little known money making and money saving strategies covering *12 categories of  real life solutions in the Setback Survival Guide .  *Note table of contents at http://www.setbacksurvivalguide.com

A book about saving money shouldn’t cost you a lot of it. With 188 pages of revenue saving and generating advice, we believe that it’s extremely under-priced. But we’re not selling it based on its value, we’re selling it based on your need. So stop being setback and start being set for life. Published September 23, 2010

Check it out: http://www.setbacksurvivalguide.com (Email the author at brenda@brendacurtiss.com after purchase & mention reading this blog to get a special report for free: Super Cool Websites of Unique & Easy Ways to Make & Save Money.)

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Category: Economy, Family, Finances, Frugality, Great Money Saving Ideas, Lay-Off/No Job, Life Events, Tough Times  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  60 Comments
05
Sep
~Unique $10 or less Gift that will make you the talk of the party!
Brenda Curtiss

This is a super gift idea I love to make! It’s all in the packaging that people absolutely love! Whether it is for a baby shower gift, birthday, anniversary, graduation, get-well, thank you, housewarming or Christmas gift… they will be the hit of the party! You can make them for any occasion! I have made these for gifts several times and they have always been received with huge smiles! The most memorable was 2 that I made for a friend’s baby boy-baby-shower-items2shower. She was having twins (one boy & one girl) so I did two of them!  There were all kinds of amazing gifts, including  some very expensive ones. I spent about  $20 total for the two gifts and yet everyone was picking them up, oooing & awwwing them before & after the gifts were opened. And my friend I made them for loved them! In fact, I had moved out of the area and about 7 years after that shower, I reconnected with that friend via email & she brought up again how much she loved those “baby shower” gifts I made!  Years later, she has pictures of them in her baby books & mentioned them to me again! It made me smile a deep down smile! The contents were similar for each of the 2 gift bottles I made that day, but with variations including items & ribbons with slightly different color combinations. I put ababy-shower-1 small teddy bear in each, plus various baby gifts such as small rolled up baby blankets & cleaning cloths, a rattle and various other baby related items I bought from the dollar store. When I purchased them I noted the colors, so that each would have different but similar items. Next I purchased ribbons in 3 colors. You don’t have to use three colors, I just personally like to.  I know how to make bows as I was a florist many years ago, but if you aren’t a prticularly good at making bows, just buy a cool ribbon “bow” that matches the colors of your ribbons or that has ribbons that stream down from it.  

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The secret to this cool idea is that it is basically an illusion. Even when you turn the bottle around to the back, you have to really look at it to see the “cut” slit down the back of the bottle. The hardest part is holding the slit open to get your items placed inside the bottle (It hurts & you could cut yourself on curlybowsthe cut plastic if you aren’t careful. You may want to wear thin gloves.) You will also need tissue paper as a filler to hold items in place. You can get white or soft colors, your choice. But I suggest using 1 soft color so you don’t take away the impact of the gift items inserted in the bottle. You will want to purchase 1 item for the main attention focus that takes at least 1/3 of the space in the bottle, but no more than 1/2 the space. For this gift my focus item was a little cute teddy bear. You will then purchase a few items to fill in the rest of the bottle space in front & back. It only takes a few items to do so. If you use the dollar store you can get really cute items and spend no more than $10 for everything including tissue paper and ribbon/bow! What a cool gift for such a great value! Wait ’til you hear everyone go on & on about it! People are literally fascinated withteddy_bear_cute1 them! But the most awesome experience is to see the gift recipient’s eyes light up and the smile & puzzled look as to how you got those things in there! Every gift I have given inside of a clear bottle like this has been a huge hit!

Start with a clean dry 2 liter (or any size or type) plastic soda bottle.  Use a sharp knife or box-cutter to cut a slit from 2 or 3 inches down from the top to a couple inches from the bottom. If you are using a bottle that has a harder plastic base at the bottom as some soda bottles do cut to that base. If it is clear plastic all the way down allow at least 2 inches uncut at the bottom of the bottle. At the top of the slit, make a vertical cut so you have a “T-shaped” cut (see diagram).

Visually get an idea where you want to place the items inside the bottle. Insert tissue paper on the bottom of the bottle (or if a spa bottle or theme gift you can place glass decor beads or river rocks, etcetera) then place your focus item in the bottle and surround with gently scrunched tissue paper followed by the various items you haveorchid chosen. Work on the front first and then fill in the back with an item or two and tissue paper as well. If you are doing a spa items gift or birthday gift for a woman you may want to add a few silk flowers with your tissue paper throughout the gift. If it is a New Year’s party gift for the host you may want to put little party horns throughout… use your imagination… there is no limit to what you can do! Once the bottle is completed with the gifts, gently move the “slit” back into place.  Another optional idea you can do, is glue a ribbon around the cap & a matching ribbon around the bottom of the bottle also if you choose to. (Make sure your “seams” are in the back of the bottle.) Now tie your ribbons around the bottom of the cap & cut the ribbons to stream at various lengths down the bottle. If you know how to “curly cue” the ribbon by running the edge of your sissors or a knife along the back of the ribbons, you may want to curly cue some of them. Last make and secure a nice full bow to the cap, over your tied ribbons. Or, just adhere your store bought bow with streamers and/or curlies.  Attach a cute little gift card and you are good to go! One warning: Once you make one of these, expect people to hint (or full out ask) you to make them one for their next gift occasion!

Category: Economy, Family, Finances, Frugality, Great Money Saving Ideas, Inspirational, Lay-Off/No Job, Life Events, Memory Lane, Motivational, Tough Times, Uncategorized  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  6 Comments
21
Aug
“We don’t want to lose our home, please help!”
Brenda Curtiss

Ginny of Central Ohio asks: “We are desperate to keep our home, but I don’t know how we are going to be able to meet our monthly expenses, particularly for our home. We don’t want to lose our home, please help!”

Ginny, Please look through some of my posts here as there are lots of ideas on saving in many different areas, from the basics (food, transportation) to entertainment. I suspect some of these additional areas would be of help to you as well. As far as your home, I assume art-houseyou are referring to a home you “own” and are paying a monthly mortgage. First, as you probably know by now, there are several different subsidy type programs available now through the stimulus plans  put out by the government. One of the most helpful has been the new parameters and options on having mortgage loans re-assessed. Often the monthly payments have been reduced to up to ½! Whether these programs will be of help to you will depend on many factors including how long you have had your home, how much investment you have made into it thus far, area of the country you live in, etcetera. There are some people that have literally been able to retain their homes due to these programs.

Secondly, consider bringing  in a room-mate. Can you open up a bedroom (and bath) to rent? Check your lease/mortgage/home-owner and/or property association agreement(s) and make sure you are not in breach to do so. Home owners can most often rent out a room (or rooms/basement/etc.) or share their home without many, if any restrictions. So many people are displaced with the recent downturn of thepeople3 economy that your opening up a room(s) in your home to an individual, couple or even small family, could be a tremendous blessing to both families or individuals. Make sure that you get references and check people out if you don’t know them. You could certainly bring in a substantial amount of monies on a monthly basis to help you retain your home. There may be someone in your current neighborhood that has lost their home and wants to keep their children in the same schools and not have further displacement in their family life. Your coming together could be a tremendous blessing to both families. You may want to sit down and discuss these options with your spouse and children to pave the way. If you find the right “fit”. Be sure and sit down with the prospective individual/couple/family, and discuss specifics prior to their moving in or there are any agreements made, so you are all “on the same page” and understand the parameters for all concerned. Determine if & when kitchen and/or laundry priviledges will take place or if everything is seperated or if you will share some meals. Do you split the refrigerator and cupboard areas between the families? There are many specifics to discuss or lay out. All of these things are unique to you and the person, couple or family moving in. It is important that these things are discussed openly up front so everyone feels comfortable with the new “arrangements”.

Additional note for renters: You may also be able to consider bringing in a room-mate. However, check your lease agreement and with your property manangement before pursueing this option. Make sure you are not in breach of your lease toapt do so. Many apartment complexes will allow a new roommate as long as they register with the property management.

Ginny (& all out there in similar situations): There are options you can take to save in many areas, but most will require you and your family to step out of your comfort zones. Many times, we find when we do take the courage to make necessary changes, they result in experiences that are ultimately good for us and our families in the long run. Good Luck Ginny! Please feel free to ask any further questions.  

The very best to you & yours, Brenda

 

Category: Alternative Dwellings, Divorce - Separation, Economy, Family, Finances, Frugality, Great Money Saving Ideas, Lay-Off/No Job, Life Events, Tough Times  61 Comments
16
Jul
~What were you doing when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon?
Brenda Curtiss

On July 20, 1969 American Astronaut Neil Armstrong made history by being the first man to walk on the moon. It was a huge event, a momentous occasion that anyone of age tomoon-small1 remember it, will never forget. I was 11 years old. My Father, a Precision Sheet Metalist, worked for Grumman Aerospace at Cape Kennedy.  He felt truly honored to work on the panel inside  Apollo 11. I remember him bringing home patches and other momentos, even the autographs of Neil Armstrong & the other Astronauts going on that mission.  I remember the night that Neil Armstrong landed on the moon very clearly. apollo-11-patch-small1Our entire family, My Dad, Mom, myself at 11 & my 3 younger sisters (at that time: 10, 7 & 3) also sat on my parent’s bed (the only time we ever did that) and watched the fuzzy black & white image on TV. The excitement rose as I heard those now famous words: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” It wasn’t until years later as an adult, that I realized the impact of that historical event in America’s history, a part of history I was a part of in my own small way. If you were of age to remember it, then it is a part of your history as well.

So where were you and what were you doing when Neil Armstrong took those first steps on the moon on 7/20/1969?

 

Category: Family, Inspirational, Life Events, Memory Lane, Motivational, Questions for You, Trivia  Tags: , , , , , , ,  256 Comments
06
Jun
~What do we do for entertainment that doesn’t cost a fortune?
Brenda Curtiss

Kathy of South Carolina asks: We used to go out to eat a lot and take our family of 5 out to the movies. Just about everything we did costs quite a bit when the whole family was involved. (Skating, movies, eating out) My husband and I had date night at least twice a month usually with the traditional dinner and a movie. We have had to cut our expenses drastically during this recession and not sure what to do for entertainment! Any ideas for us?

Absolutely Kathy! There are many cost effective forms of entertainment. Check your local paper for free events like concerts on Main Street or in the park. Get familiar with your local library. If you have young children they often have daytime story hour (You can sit in with them). Additionally, many libraries have free movie nights for the entire family. Don’t forget to check out local or neighboring publications for nearby walking or hiking trails, waterfalls and scenic or historic areas you all can explore and enjoy. For you and possibly your older children; if you discover cool shops along your way, pick up postcards or ideas (note how something is made to duplicate it or just appreciate it’s artistic value) instead of purchasing items.

couple_on_benchFor your date time with your husband: In lieu of going out to dinner at your favorite restaurant, either go for the lunch or brunch specials or enjoy desert anytime after you have had dinner at home. (Another tip: Whenever, eating out consider ordering water as beverages are often the most overpriced items on the menu unless you are going to be there for a while and make use of the refills). Another idea for date “night”: Walk on the pier or down Main Street or wherever you find the area enjoyable and sit on a bench looking up at the stars or gazing out at the ocean or a lake and just enjoy each other. For the more personal adventure: Maybe consider a bath for 2 by candle light and a nice (but inexpensive) bottle of wine.  J

Back to the family ideas: Cook out on the grill or better yet go to a park to grill or take a picnic and let the kids play on the swings.  (You don’t need steaks or fancy eats, they’ll love hotdogs or hamburgers or even P&J sandwiches!) Find a park or public area with ducks & geese (be careful of the geese they can be a little aggressive at times) and feed them stale bread. (The kids will love throwing out a few pieces of bread in the water and watching the ducks clamor to get them.) Check out the discount movie theatres or special pricing deals (at off times such as Saturday morning before noon, some theatres will have strongly reduced prices). Go to an arboretum and enjoy the flowers and butterflies or take a paddle boat out on a local lake…

For a weekend outing, forego the theme park, go camping in a county or state park with lots of low or no cost activity options (if you don’t have equipment, consider borrowing it).

There are so many great low cost things you can do if you open yourself to new experiences and kids_feeding_ducksdiscoveries. You might find that you have been missing out on a whole lot by taking the easy road (like a big meal out and/or movies out with all the super expensive eats) of “entertainment” for so long! Hey, have fun out there! If you don’t feel like getting out… why not grab a good book or put on some music (or both) and light a few candles and relax for a while. Life doesn’t have to be expensive to enjoy. The simple things, laughing hilariously at a silly joke, relaxing in a hot bath to candle light, gazing out over a lake or waterfall, watching your kids play in the park, reading a good book or writing a good book, painting a sunset or watching a sun rise or set… now that’s what I call living at it’s best!

Category: Camping, Economy, Family, Finances, Frugality, Great Money Saving Ideas, Inspirational, Life Events, Motivational, Tough Times, Week-End Warrior  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  60 Comments
06
Jun
~Would you finance a new car?
Brenda Curtiss

Bonnie of South Florida asks: My husband has been laid off recently but we need another vehicle. I have a good job but we can barely pay our bills. Our 1985 Taurus needs repairs constantly. Since prices are so good right now, would you finance a new car?

2000jettaIf you had said that both of you were working, I still would have advised against financing a new vehicle right now. Given your current circumstances I would strongly advise you go another route. I am sure this is not the answer you are looking for. Let me explain the whys of my answer:  First, there are other costs to consider in addition to the cost of the vehicle. I constantly hear car commercials tempting all in ear and/or eye shot to save on gas by turning in their SUV or Van and buying a smaller more gas efficient vehicle. They offer to so very kindly take that “gas guzzler” off of our hands.  They are selling cars & bottom line that is all they are interested in. It astounds me that people will actually fall for their “invitation”. Buy a new car, pay more for their car payment (or pay a car payment), pay more for insurance, even property taxes in most states is more on a newer vehicle and when all is said and done they are paying maybe $300 to $500 more per month and yet somehow they justify it because they are saving on gas and occasional repairs? The costs far outweigh the advantages. If the car you are driving is to the point that it is costing excessive monies in repair you may want to consider saving your money to buy a used vehicle outright. Be sure and take it to a mechanic to check out before buying anything. Also, check on craigslist or auto trader or in your local newspaper if you search for it and take your time, you can find an excellent deal during these tough economic times.

The white car pictured above is a “2000 Jetta” posted on craigslist for $4000 or best offer. It would need to be checked out by a mechanic but if it is mechanically sound as promised and just nearly as nice as the photos, it is a great deal! A couple months ago I found (also on craigslist - although I also searched auto trader & a number of resources) and purchased a 2000 high-top conversion van (not a lot of them available) in excellent shape with decent mileage for just under $3000. Prior to finding it (it took me several months) I came across several from the $5000 to $11,000 range also year 2000 and some that I didn’t like as mynewtomevan-2000astro-markiiiconversion-14nearly as much as the vehicle I finally bought. It is a buyer’s market. But that doesn’t mean you won’t need to take time and effort to find the best fit and value for you.  I would suggest you save your money for a vehicle. If you can’t afford to save for it, you certainly can’t afford to finance a new vehicle for several years plus pay the higher insurance.  I don’t know what overall percentage your husband’s income contributed to your total income, but I am sure you are already having to change many of your spending habits as a result of his not working at this time. Bringing additional long term monthly stress on your finances would not help matters. Do you know any good mechanics that can help you keep your current car in good repair until you can save for a “new to you” vehicle of a later model maybe a 2000?

 

Category: Economy, Finances, Frugality, Lay-Off/No Job, Life Events, Tough Times  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  One Comment
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