Ross and I were interviewed last month on the internet radio program "Healthy Wealthy and Wise". The show shares with listeners how to be physically, financially, and spiritually fit.
The segment that we participated in dealt with the financial realm of health (surprise, surprise :-) We share about why we made the decision to get out of debt and the emotional issues that occurred along with that decision. May the Lord use our words to grow His Kingdom.
Healthy Wealthy and Wise (finances)
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Lost and Found
Over the Thanksgiving break we went to my in-laws home to celebrate the holiday with family. It is always an enjoyable occasion as they truly sacrifice their time and their home to our family so that we can have some R&R.
In spite of their hospitality and my excitement about going, I always tend to leave for the trip holding my breath. Leaving our normal family routine of chores, little to no t.v. viewing, and regular bedtimes can cause all of us to become a little selfish. I'd like to think that it's just the kids fighting over the remote or absentmindedly leaving dishes lying around. But Ross and I can overindulge in laziness just as easily as the kids. I feel like we become lost...looking for what we can get rather than looking for what we can give.
Our family rotates holidays between two sets of grandparents which means we will not be with my in-laws for Christmas. Therefore, we have a tradition of exchanging Christmas gifts during our Thanksgiving time with them. This year, we each received $100 from them to spend as we wanted--a huge blessing.
We went shopping on Friday. I took Morgan to look at some clothes in one of the department stores and Ross took the boys to go and look at some items in another department store. We met back about an hour and a half later. Looking at Ross I could tell that he was upset. Morgan and I were late in arriving, but his face conveyed that this was not the entire reason he was angry. My eyes scanned the rest of the party for clues as to what had happened. Hunter had a shopping bag and seemed fine. Then I looked down to Blaise whose face was downcast. Instantly I knew what had happened, but asked the question anyway.
"Why does everyone seem so down?"
"Because someone lost his money," my husband retorted.
Right on cue Blaise came over to me and buried his head in my stomach. 'Oh, no,' I thought. 'How do we handle this?'
We let Morgan and Hunter go off by themselves to look around the mall while we stayed with Blaise. Ross recounted to me what had happened, the places they had already searched, and the frustration he was understandably feeling. Blaise is a kid who does whatever he does with gusto. Somehow in the midst of him doing something his money got lost. An accident, yes, but unfortunately one that came at a big price! After talking about it, we decided that we would handle the situation this way: anyone in the family who wanted to could give Blaise $20 of their money. But only if they wanted to do so. Ross joked with me and asked, "What if he only gets $20?" "From who? You?" I joked back.
After finishing up at the mall, we walked out to the van, got in, and Ross shared with the kids what we had decided. Immediately, both Morgan and Hunter, piped up and said "Okay" and passed their money forward. Immediately. Not begrudgingly, not with an attitude, not with a comment or question. Almost instinctively. I cannot express how proud I was in that moment to be the mom of my kids.
Right then and there my heart rested in knowing that what I thought was lost had been found.
In spite of their hospitality and my excitement about going, I always tend to leave for the trip holding my breath. Leaving our normal family routine of chores, little to no t.v. viewing, and regular bedtimes can cause all of us to become a little selfish. I'd like to think that it's just the kids fighting over the remote or absentmindedly leaving dishes lying around. But Ross and I can overindulge in laziness just as easily as the kids. I feel like we become lost...looking for what we can get rather than looking for what we can give.
Our family rotates holidays between two sets of grandparents which means we will not be with my in-laws for Christmas. Therefore, we have a tradition of exchanging Christmas gifts during our Thanksgiving time with them. This year, we each received $100 from them to spend as we wanted--a huge blessing.
We went shopping on Friday. I took Morgan to look at some clothes in one of the department stores and Ross took the boys to go and look at some items in another department store. We met back about an hour and a half later. Looking at Ross I could tell that he was upset. Morgan and I were late in arriving, but his face conveyed that this was not the entire reason he was angry. My eyes scanned the rest of the party for clues as to what had happened. Hunter had a shopping bag and seemed fine. Then I looked down to Blaise whose face was downcast. Instantly I knew what had happened, but asked the question anyway.
"Why does everyone seem so down?"
"Because someone lost his money," my husband retorted.
Right on cue Blaise came over to me and buried his head in my stomach. 'Oh, no,' I thought. 'How do we handle this?'
We let Morgan and Hunter go off by themselves to look around the mall while we stayed with Blaise. Ross recounted to me what had happened, the places they had already searched, and the frustration he was understandably feeling. Blaise is a kid who does whatever he does with gusto. Somehow in the midst of him doing something his money got lost. An accident, yes, but unfortunately one that came at a big price! After talking about it, we decided that we would handle the situation this way: anyone in the family who wanted to could give Blaise $20 of their money. But only if they wanted to do so. Ross joked with me and asked, "What if he only gets $20?" "From who? You?" I joked back.
After finishing up at the mall, we walked out to the van, got in, and Ross shared with the kids what we had decided. Immediately, both Morgan and Hunter, piped up and said "Okay" and passed their money forward. Immediately. Not begrudgingly, not with an attitude, not with a comment or question. Almost instinctively. I cannot express how proud I was in that moment to be the mom of my kids.
Right then and there my heart rested in knowing that what I thought was lost had been found.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Car Talk
Our car is getting older. It is a 2001 model. Needless to say I've been thinking about the next vehicle that we might purchase and exactly how we would purchase that vehicle.
We have savings enough to cover expenses for at least three months if Ross were to lose his job. We are consumer debt-free and don't want to go back into debt to pay for a new car. So in October we decided to create an additional savings account for a vehicle.
So far there is just about $100 in the fund. It seemed almost embarrassing at first to have an account for a car with so little money in it. But God reminded me that no money will be saved if I do not open an account in the first place. So I did my job of opening it and I'll let God do his job of filling it up.
Today I went into the bank and saw the guy behind the counter working that had waited on me the last time I made my deposit into our "car fund", which is how it's labeled. I secretly hoped that he wouldn't be the one to wait on me again as I made my meager deposit of $20 into the account. But wouldn't you know it, "I can help the next person in line," he calls to me.
"I'd like to make some deposits," I say as confidently as possible. I had some other money to put back into the bank as well. I plug in the numbers for my account as his eyes scanned the screen.
"Ah, yes, the car account, I remember," he said knowingly.
"Yep, we're saving up for our next car."
"You know we can help you reach that goal in less than 24 hours. Have you seen our interest rates lately?"
"No I haven't," I answer politely.
"2.99% for any loans up to 3 years."
"We don't want a loan. We want to buy a car with cash," I answer with a smile.
He nods and doesn't press the issue. Surely he saw what I did. Only $100 in the bank...But isn't it just like God to bring about such a conversation with this particular teller so that He can be glorified in seeing what only God can do.
We have savings enough to cover expenses for at least three months if Ross were to lose his job. We are consumer debt-free and don't want to go back into debt to pay for a new car. So in October we decided to create an additional savings account for a vehicle.
So far there is just about $100 in the fund. It seemed almost embarrassing at first to have an account for a car with so little money in it. But God reminded me that no money will be saved if I do not open an account in the first place. So I did my job of opening it and I'll let God do his job of filling it up.
Today I went into the bank and saw the guy behind the counter working that had waited on me the last time I made my deposit into our "car fund", which is how it's labeled. I secretly hoped that he wouldn't be the one to wait on me again as I made my meager deposit of $20 into the account. But wouldn't you know it, "I can help the next person in line," he calls to me.
"I'd like to make some deposits," I say as confidently as possible. I had some other money to put back into the bank as well. I plug in the numbers for my account as his eyes scanned the screen.
"Ah, yes, the car account, I remember," he said knowingly.
"Yep, we're saving up for our next car."
"You know we can help you reach that goal in less than 24 hours. Have you seen our interest rates lately?"
"No I haven't," I answer politely.
"2.99% for any loans up to 3 years."
"We don't want a loan. We want to buy a car with cash," I answer with a smile.
He nods and doesn't press the issue. Surely he saw what I did. Only $100 in the bank...But isn't it just like God to bring about such a conversation with this particular teller so that He can be glorified in seeing what only God can do.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
The Bottom Line
For the past year I have been mentoring a woman in managing her personal finances.
I first met her during a talk that I gave to young adults. She is a middle-aged woman but was invited to the talk by a younger friend of hers. After I spoke, she asked if we could meet individually so that I could review her current situation and see if there was anything she could do differently. I have to admit that I was kind of intimidated. During my talk she interjected on several occasions to discuss tips that she was already implementing to save money. From what she shared, it seemed like she was doing plenty to cut back in spending. What did I possibly have to offer her?
We ended up meeting about three months later, about a month into the new year. She told me what her monthly expenses were, showed me what debt she owed, etc. Then she told me that she had just received her income tax return.
"That's great," I said after seeing that she had received a little over $3,000. "What do you have left?"
"Nothing," she replied. "I put it all towards the bills."
"What did you pay?" I asked.
"I paid off my rent for the next four months and paid off some of my debts."
My heart sank. I was thankful that she had a mind to pay bills, but how unfortunate that she had made paying her rent in advance a priority. Let me explain...
Rent does not have interest. When someone rents, that bill comes around every month. It doesn't go away unless the person moves. Debt (i.e. loans) do have interest and do go away once they are paid off. The interest on a debt can make paying it off cost more than the original debt itself. Therefore, when there is an opportunity to put a large chunk of money towards a debt, DO IT!
My friend equated security with having the roof over her head taken care of for a couple months. Also, it was her largest monthly bill. So in her mind she probably felt some peace in knowing that this big payment was taken care of for a while. She was thinking in the present rather than in the future.
Last month when she and I met, we discussed the upcoming income tax payment that she is expecting to receive. We did an exercise where each of her debts were listed on a piece of paper and she said which ones that she would pay with hypothetical amounts of money given as a refund. Before declaring what money would got towards debt and spending, we first made sure to calculate what the tithe would be.
It always amazes me the difference between what a person is saying about what they do with their money versus what they are actually doing with their money. I am not judging because I can be a culprit of this paradox as well. The bottom line is we all have lessons that we can learn about how to be better stewards of the money with which God entrusts us.
I first met her during a talk that I gave to young adults. She is a middle-aged woman but was invited to the talk by a younger friend of hers. After I spoke, she asked if we could meet individually so that I could review her current situation and see if there was anything she could do differently. I have to admit that I was kind of intimidated. During my talk she interjected on several occasions to discuss tips that she was already implementing to save money. From what she shared, it seemed like she was doing plenty to cut back in spending. What did I possibly have to offer her?
We ended up meeting about three months later, about a month into the new year. She told me what her monthly expenses were, showed me what debt she owed, etc. Then she told me that she had just received her income tax return.
"That's great," I said after seeing that she had received a little over $3,000. "What do you have left?"
"Nothing," she replied. "I put it all towards the bills."
"What did you pay?" I asked.
"I paid off my rent for the next four months and paid off some of my debts."
My heart sank. I was thankful that she had a mind to pay bills, but how unfortunate that she had made paying her rent in advance a priority. Let me explain...
Rent does not have interest. When someone rents, that bill comes around every month. It doesn't go away unless the person moves. Debt (i.e. loans) do have interest and do go away once they are paid off. The interest on a debt can make paying it off cost more than the original debt itself. Therefore, when there is an opportunity to put a large chunk of money towards a debt, DO IT!
My friend equated security with having the roof over her head taken care of for a couple months. Also, it was her largest monthly bill. So in her mind she probably felt some peace in knowing that this big payment was taken care of for a while. She was thinking in the present rather than in the future.
Last month when she and I met, we discussed the upcoming income tax payment that she is expecting to receive. We did an exercise where each of her debts were listed on a piece of paper and she said which ones that she would pay with hypothetical amounts of money given as a refund. Before declaring what money would got towards debt and spending, we first made sure to calculate what the tithe would be.
It always amazes me the difference between what a person is saying about what they do with their money versus what they are actually doing with their money. I am not judging because I can be a culprit of this paradox as well. The bottom line is we all have lessons that we can learn about how to be better stewards of the money with which God entrusts us.
Bus Stop
Coming in this morning from my second grader's bus stop, God reminded me of something I take for granted. All of the families who are regulars at are bus stop are believers in Jesus. It is not uncommon for us to have conversations about the goodness of God, share about what He has been teaching us in our lives, as well as pray for each other right there on that corner.
Including ours, their are a total of five families represented at the bus stop. Our kids play together in the afternoons and see our faith lived out as we encounter life's difficulties.
During our conversations while we wait for the bus, our kids are playing, laughing, but also listening. They hear the prayer requests, they know the struggles, they sense the problems. Then later down the road they hear of the triumphs, see the successes, and witness the miracles. They are getting it.
On more than one occasion I have lamented over the fact that I have not been consistent in training my children to read the Bible for themselves. But today I am reminded that actions can speak louder than words.
Including ours, their are a total of five families represented at the bus stop. Our kids play together in the afternoons and see our faith lived out as we encounter life's difficulties.
During our conversations while we wait for the bus, our kids are playing, laughing, but also listening. They hear the prayer requests, they know the struggles, they sense the problems. Then later down the road they hear of the triumphs, see the successes, and witness the miracles. They are getting it.
On more than one occasion I have lamented over the fact that I have not been consistent in training my children to read the Bible for themselves. But today I am reminded that actions can speak louder than words.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Joy in the Mist
I absolutely love being a homemaker. Nothing makes me feel more complete than the work that I do to care for our family. One of my favorite tasks is grocery shopping.
Some may think I'm crazy. But I get such joy out of writing up my grocery list during the week of our payday and then going out and tackling that list, at the end of the week. I am like a cat ready to pounce on the deals, bargains, and sales that out there for the taking.
My first stop this week was Karns. I got their 10lbs of ground chuck for $2.79 and their 10lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts for $1.99. Of utmost importance is knowing what the going rate is for these staples. I was sharing with a friend once that just because something is a BOGO or is on sale does not mean that you are getting the best price, in particular at the mainstream grocery stores. I know that I can get chicken breasts for $1.79 at the lowest on sale at Karns or Price Rite, so I'm okay with $1.99. On one very occasion I happened upon ground chuck on sale for $1.99 at Giant, but the going rate is anywhere from $2.69-$2.79, so I am fine with the price I paid at Karns. There are times when I'll shop for the yellow tag meat (mentioned in a previous post). In this case I wanted to stock up and I had a coupon for $5 off a $50 Karns purchase. Buying the meats helped me to reach that amount.
Other deals they have this week are five 8oz. chunk or shredded Kraft cheeses for $10 minus an additional $5 off with a coupon in their weekly circular which can be picked up in the store on found on-line. In other words, I got 2-1/2 lbs of cheese for $5 which amounts to $2/lb! This is an amazing price for cheese! The best part is that I can go back and get the deal additional times. Fabulous!
Lastly I picked up a loaf of Sara Lee bread that was on sale for 2 for $3. I only got one--do you know that if something says "2 for $5" or "10 for $10" that you don't have to get that amount? I thought this was common knowledge but my sister questioned me about this once so apparently not everyone does know this. If you have to buy a certain amount it will be listed. For example, Karns' Turkey Hill ice cream was 3 for $6 and it said in the ad "must buy 3". Otherwise you can buy whatever amount you want and figure the price by what you buy. So, I bought one loaf of bread, used a $1 off coupon from a newspaper that I don't pay for which a kind newspaper lady regularly brings to our house, and my bread costs me 50 cents! I'm lovin' it!
My final grocery stop was at Sharp Shopper in Middletown. I cannot say enough about this store. The prices are insanely low and you can always find what you were never looking for but cannot live without :-)
On this trip some of the highlights were bags of granola for 69 cents/lb. I wasn't looking for granola, but I can certainly use granola. Trail mix, yogurt parfaits, muffins...the possibilities are endless. They also had Helluva Good mozzarella chunk cheese for 79 cents/lb. I picked up three of those puppies. Cheese is a staple in the Webb household (hence the need for a return trip to Karns mentioned above). Their Kraft Macaroni and cheese is 3/$1.00 which at that price I will pick it up every time. I just cannot see paying $1 for a box of mac and cheese that feeds 1-1/2 people in our family. Mayo was on my shopping list and I picked up a jar of Miracle Whip light for 99 cents. Sharp Shopper is a store where there are certain staples that are sure to be there, past items that have made a brief appearance never to return again, and definite surprises awaiting shoppers with each visit. For these reasons, it is my favorite grocery store.
James 4:14 says,
What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
When I think about the joy I get out of being a homemaker, it floors me to realize that there is going to be an even greater and lasting joy in being eternally in the presence of my Savior. In the time being, I am finding joy in the mist.
Some may think I'm crazy. But I get such joy out of writing up my grocery list during the week of our payday and then going out and tackling that list, at the end of the week. I am like a cat ready to pounce on the deals, bargains, and sales that out there for the taking.
My first stop this week was Karns. I got their 10lbs of ground chuck for $2.79 and their 10lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts for $1.99. Of utmost importance is knowing what the going rate is for these staples. I was sharing with a friend once that just because something is a BOGO or is on sale does not mean that you are getting the best price, in particular at the mainstream grocery stores. I know that I can get chicken breasts for $1.79 at the lowest on sale at Karns or Price Rite, so I'm okay with $1.99. On one very occasion I happened upon ground chuck on sale for $1.99 at Giant, but the going rate is anywhere from $2.69-$2.79, so I am fine with the price I paid at Karns. There are times when I'll shop for the yellow tag meat (mentioned in a previous post). In this case I wanted to stock up and I had a coupon for $5 off a $50 Karns purchase. Buying the meats helped me to reach that amount.
Other deals they have this week are five 8oz. chunk or shredded Kraft cheeses for $10 minus an additional $5 off with a coupon in their weekly circular which can be picked up in the store on found on-line. In other words, I got 2-1/2 lbs of cheese for $5 which amounts to $2/lb! This is an amazing price for cheese! The best part is that I can go back and get the deal additional times. Fabulous!
Lastly I picked up a loaf of Sara Lee bread that was on sale for 2 for $3. I only got one--do you know that if something says "2 for $5" or "10 for $10" that you don't have to get that amount? I thought this was common knowledge but my sister questioned me about this once so apparently not everyone does know this. If you have to buy a certain amount it will be listed. For example, Karns' Turkey Hill ice cream was 3 for $6 and it said in the ad "must buy 3". Otherwise you can buy whatever amount you want and figure the price by what you buy. So, I bought one loaf of bread, used a $1 off coupon from a newspaper that I don't pay for which a kind newspaper lady regularly brings to our house, and my bread costs me 50 cents! I'm lovin' it!
My final grocery stop was at Sharp Shopper in Middletown. I cannot say enough about this store. The prices are insanely low and you can always find what you were never looking for but cannot live without :-)
On this trip some of the highlights were bags of granola for 69 cents/lb. I wasn't looking for granola, but I can certainly use granola. Trail mix, yogurt parfaits, muffins...the possibilities are endless. They also had Helluva Good mozzarella chunk cheese for 79 cents/lb. I picked up three of those puppies. Cheese is a staple in the Webb household (hence the need for a return trip to Karns mentioned above). Their Kraft Macaroni and cheese is 3/$1.00 which at that price I will pick it up every time. I just cannot see paying $1 for a box of mac and cheese that feeds 1-1/2 people in our family. Mayo was on my shopping list and I picked up a jar of Miracle Whip light for 99 cents. Sharp Shopper is a store where there are certain staples that are sure to be there, past items that have made a brief appearance never to return again, and definite surprises awaiting shoppers with each visit. For these reasons, it is my favorite grocery store.
James 4:14 says,
What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
When I think about the joy I get out of being a homemaker, it floors me to realize that there is going to be an even greater and lasting joy in being eternally in the presence of my Savior. In the time being, I am finding joy in the mist.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Praise Him
During praise time in my prayers, I try my best to stay focused on God rather than me. My intentions are to let Him know how I admire His character and not just what He does for me...I am struggling with doing that this morning.
God is doing an amazing work through my book. I see and hear about that work in the testimonies of those I come in contact with on a regular basis. Yesterday, a friend came up to me with a big smile on her face wiggling her fingers in front of me and excitedly declared, "I didn't get my nails done!" Not too long after that a man approached me to talk about how he now realizes that he needs to get his whole family involved in when he sets up his budget. A woman spoke to me of how she caught her husband's attention because she was reading my book (she is not an avid reader like he is). He is not a believer and he asked her if it had "spiritual stuff" in it. She said that yes it did. Since that time, she has seen the book mysteriously relocating to various locations in the house without her laying a hand on it. Several people I spoke to have been challenged to take a second look at their grocery spending to see how they can shop smarter. And these are merely the stories that have been shared with me. There are many more that I may never hear.
Beyond the testimonials of others, God is developing a testimony out of me. My confidence is growing. God is so evident in my life right now that I struggle to doubt Him in anything. For so long I wrestled with whether Personal Finances Personal Freedom would amount to anything. But God has been bringing about opportunities that I never dreamed would be possible. Father, I praise You for Your undeniable work in my life. Thank you for the privilege of fanning my gift into flame!
God is doing an amazing work through my book. I see and hear about that work in the testimonies of those I come in contact with on a regular basis. Yesterday, a friend came up to me with a big smile on her face wiggling her fingers in front of me and excitedly declared, "I didn't get my nails done!" Not too long after that a man approached me to talk about how he now realizes that he needs to get his whole family involved in when he sets up his budget. A woman spoke to me of how she caught her husband's attention because she was reading my book (she is not an avid reader like he is). He is not a believer and he asked her if it had "spiritual stuff" in it. She said that yes it did. Since that time, she has seen the book mysteriously relocating to various locations in the house without her laying a hand on it. Several people I spoke to have been challenged to take a second look at their grocery spending to see how they can shop smarter. And these are merely the stories that have been shared with me. There are many more that I may never hear.
Beyond the testimonials of others, God is developing a testimony out of me. My confidence is growing. God is so evident in my life right now that I struggle to doubt Him in anything. For so long I wrestled with whether Personal Finances Personal Freedom would amount to anything. But God has been bringing about opportunities that I never dreamed would be possible. Father, I praise You for Your undeniable work in my life. Thank you for the privilege of fanning my gift into flame!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Why Does God Allow Suffering?
Today during my morning walk I had a billion thoughts floating around in my head. So much so that about a block into walking it dawned on me that I hadn't yet read my scripture card. Glancing down at it with anticipation I smiled on inside as I read a favorite and familiar verse.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:16
How I love this verse! Passing the townhouses further down in our development I began to meditate on what the word "ordained" means. Allowed. Permitted. Cleared. Approved. Then I remembered specific times in my life of abuse, marital turmoil, parenting struggles, financial devastation...God okay-ed all of these parts of my life. They were given clearance to be a part of my story. And in every instance they have built me up as a person, made my life better, and given me more faith in Jesus.
Why does God allow suffering? Because it reminds us to trust in Him and not in ourselves.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:16
How I love this verse! Passing the townhouses further down in our development I began to meditate on what the word "ordained" means. Allowed. Permitted. Cleared. Approved. Then I remembered specific times in my life of abuse, marital turmoil, parenting struggles, financial devastation...God okay-ed all of these parts of my life. They were given clearance to be a part of my story. And in every instance they have built me up as a person, made my life better, and given me more faith in Jesus.
Why does God allow suffering? Because it reminds us to trust in Him and not in ourselves.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
My Book
This morning I went for my walk around 5:30am. Even at this early hour the humidity and heat of the day were nearly unbearable. I am a heat-lover by nature so oftentimes the A/C is my mortal enemy. However on this stifling day, I returned from my walk with much love for the whirring heat pump doing its job of cooling our home.
This heat wave reminds me of a time when our heat pump didn't work in the dead of summer. It was seven years ago when our youngest was a baby. We needed $10,000 to get a new one and we didn't have one dime of it. Seeing our youngest lying in his crib outlined by a pool of his own sweat was a wake-up call for us. If we didn't get our money together right then and there, our children would continue to be casualties.
Ross and I took our own personal classes on money management. We checked out books from the library, read, shared, and applied what we learned to our lives. Our commitment was to get out of the $40,000 worth of consumer debt that had us bound. But we committed to doing it in obedience to God. We didn't stop tithing, we didn't take on extra jobs (God didn't tell us to), we didn't use any get rich quick programs. Mostly we began being more responsible with what money we did have. (Read Matthew 25:21) To our amazement, in two short years all of the debt was gone!
I've written about our victory in a book called Personal Finances Personal Freedom http://olivepresspublisher.com/ The story is a quick read of a little over 100 pages. I assure you that in reading it you will uncover hope for managing your money and direction on where to begin.
This heat wave reminds me of a time when our heat pump didn't work in the dead of summer. It was seven years ago when our youngest was a baby. We needed $10,000 to get a new one and we didn't have one dime of it. Seeing our youngest lying in his crib outlined by a pool of his own sweat was a wake-up call for us. If we didn't get our money together right then and there, our children would continue to be casualties.
Ross and I took our own personal classes on money management. We checked out books from the library, read, shared, and applied what we learned to our lives. Our commitment was to get out of the $40,000 worth of consumer debt that had us bound. But we committed to doing it in obedience to God. We didn't stop tithing, we didn't take on extra jobs (God didn't tell us to), we didn't use any get rich quick programs. Mostly we began being more responsible with what money we did have. (Read Matthew 25:21) To our amazement, in two short years all of the debt was gone!
I've written about our victory in a book called Personal Finances Personal Freedom http://olivepresspublisher.com/ The story is a quick read of a little over 100 pages. I assure you that in reading it you will uncover hope for managing your money and direction on where to begin.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Face Lift
Today I was feeling down. It was one of those days where I focused on all of the balls I was juggling in the air rather than thinking about Who was holding them up there. Needless to say I was feeling kind of low and overwhelmed. The last place I wanted to be was church.
When I arrived, the men who opened the doors for me said "hello" and asked the usual question, "How are you?" to which I responded the usual "Good, how are you?" After getting past the doors, I went into the office to drop of our tithes and was confronted by two members with some encouraging words. They shared with me about my demeanor and how that spoke volumes about me before they even got to know me. Wow, what an unexpected lift!
Later on in the evening, a friend encouraged me as a writer to continue on in my craft and to not give up. Something I really needed to hear. I've been stagnant with the arrival of summer and our family home all day together. So writing has been on the back-burner. She reminded me that I need to do what I have been created to do--a much needed exhortation.
Lastly as I was leaving, two friends stopped me to chat. I had recently sent an email to one of them, and through that she connected with my blog. She told me how much she enjoyed it and let me know that reading it had been a blessing to her. Her words brought a smile to my face.
On the drive home from church, I saw clearly how although church was the last place that I wanted to go, it was exactly where I needed to be. God used His people to lift my face up from my problems towards His love.
When I arrived, the men who opened the doors for me said "hello" and asked the usual question, "How are you?" to which I responded the usual "Good, how are you?" After getting past the doors, I went into the office to drop of our tithes and was confronted by two members with some encouraging words. They shared with me about my demeanor and how that spoke volumes about me before they even got to know me. Wow, what an unexpected lift!
Later on in the evening, a friend encouraged me as a writer to continue on in my craft and to not give up. Something I really needed to hear. I've been stagnant with the arrival of summer and our family home all day together. So writing has been on the back-burner. She reminded me that I need to do what I have been created to do--a much needed exhortation.
Lastly as I was leaving, two friends stopped me to chat. I had recently sent an email to one of them, and through that she connected with my blog. She told me how much she enjoyed it and let me know that reading it had been a blessing to her. Her words brought a smile to my face.
On the drive home from church, I saw clearly how although church was the last place that I wanted to go, it was exactly where I needed to be. God used His people to lift my face up from my problems towards His love.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Trash to Treasure
While I was walking earlier this week I spotted a familiar white pick-up cruising through our neighborhood. When I saw this truck for the very first time, I thought it was one of our neighbors. However after spotting it on several other occasions, I realized that the driver does not live in our neighborhood. He makes an appearance every Wednesday, though. Wednesday is trash day.
The driver of the truck comes through our neighborhood looking to find refuse, stuff that lacks value to its previous owner. He takes what might have been tossed into a landfill and salvages it for his own purposes.
Our God is like the man in the white pick-up. He sees us in our sin, destined for hell, and rescues us to be His forever. Although we may have been tossed out by others like yesterday's trash, in His eyes we are today's treasure.
The driver of the truck comes through our neighborhood looking to find refuse, stuff that lacks value to its previous owner. He takes what might have been tossed into a landfill and salvages it for his own purposes.
Our God is like the man in the white pick-up. He sees us in our sin, destined for hell, and rescues us to be His forever. Although we may have been tossed out by others like yesterday's trash, in His eyes we are today's treasure.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Little by Little
Yesterday Morgan and I made a date to go clothes shopping for her. Because of how much she's grown in the past year and a half, she's needed to replace almost everything in her wardrobe except for t-shirts.
Purchasing a whole new wardrobe can be expensive. When I let my husband know of the need a few months back, he suggested that we budget a set amount of money each month to fund this need. Do I have the smartest husband on the planet or what?! By setting aside $30 each month for Morgan's clothes, we don't break the bank and we capture store sales that cycle around specific months or seasons. Below I have listed some tactics that I use when shopping for clothing.
Purchasing a whole new wardrobe can be expensive. When I let my husband know of the need a few months back, he suggested that we budget a set amount of money each month to fund this need. Do I have the smartest husband on the planet or what?! By setting aside $30 each month for Morgan's clothes, we don't break the bank and we capture store sales that cycle around specific months or seasons. Below I have listed some tactics that I use when shopping for clothing.
- Sign up for email notifications of one or two stores that you like and frequent. Kohl's emailed me a $5 coupon, mailed me 3-$10 coupons, and I get coupons emailed to me for 20% off any purchase. I have combined these for free merchandise! Only do this for one or two stores because the emails may come daily which can be annoying.
- Go to Salvation Army Family Store on Wednesdays. This is their 50% off day for clothing. Their prices are already low, but add an additional 50% off and you really save! Yesterday I got Morgan a pair of skinny jeans ($7.99), a pair of jean shorts ($2.99), and got myself a top ($3.99) all for only $7.50. The skinny jeans were brand new and both the jean shorts and the top looked brand new.
- If you have some time on your hands, you can shop in the "bin rooms" at the Goodwill--one is in Harrisburg on Cameron Street and one is in Lancaster on Lincoln Highway. All of the clothes are mesh-mashed into large bins so that you have to sort through them to see if anything suits your fancy. But you only pay 85 cents per item. Perfect for those who love the thrill of the hunt...and own a pair of comfortable shoes.
- Don't forget about Gabriel Brothers. This is my go-to store for great deals on new clothing. They regularly have clearance racks loaded with off-season clothing priced in the range of $1-$7. We found two tops for Morgan for $2 each--same shirt in two different colors that she can wear with practically anything. These are the kinds of deals for which Gabes is notorious.
- Ross Dress for Less is the place to find a nice dress at a decent price. I don't mind paying a little more here than what my frugal nature normally allows because it's worth it. Ross has excellent quality, selection, and style. Whenever I need to find a dress for an event or to freshen up my wardrobe, I make a bee-line to Ross. I also love the name :-)
- There is a Clarks shoe outlet in Hanover, PA about an hour drive from Harrisburg. Every May and September they have a sale during which some of their shoes are available for as little as $19.99. Believe you me it is worth the drive for comfortable, quality, stylish shoes. We went there last month and spent $35 dollars for 3 pairs of shoes and a pair of socks by using a coupon and a frequent shopping card reward. These are shoes that normally cost upwards of $60 each so it is quite the bargain.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Too Proud to Beg
Following my workout with a friend this afternoon, I decided to postpone lunch and a shower to run some quick errands right down the road. I had to go to the bank and then to the CVS both of which are within a one mile radius of our home.
After finishing up at the bank, I hopped into my car and put the key into the ignition to start the engine...well, at least that was my plan. My car had other plans. I could get the key into the ignition, but I couldn't get it to turn forward.
This same thing had happened to me in the past and I was never really sure why it happened. But I wasn't too worried because eventually the key would always turn and I would head on my merry way. So I tried a couple of times in a row like usual, but still could not get it to turn. I prayed, I praised God that at least I had a car and at least this predicament was only car trouble not sickness or marital issues. I called Ross and left him a message asking him to pray for me. I tried again, still nothing.
It was hot and my windows were in the up position. I decided to go for a walk thinking I would be cooler this way and it would give the car some time to straighten itself out. During my walk I saw two police officers in their cars sitting side-by-side at the adjoining convenience store. Then I saw two former members of my church riding turning into the convenience store their motorcycle. I waved hello and they waved back. I also found a penny and picked it up (see earlier post) I circled back to my vehicle after the walk and tried to start it up. Still stuck!
I thought about the two police officers. I didn't want to ask them for help for two reasons. 1) I thought that they may not know what to do and have me call AAA or 2) They may come over to the car only for it to start up and me to feel stupid. But nothing was working and it was very hot so I decided to walk up and talk to them. On the way over, a AAA truck pulled up to the gas pump. I was half way over to the policeman and thought again about what I should do. 'If I go to the AAA guy, he's probably going to tell me that I have to call in my request so that it's official. And he'll probably be all grouchy for me taking him away from what he's doing.' I slowed my steps in the direction of the officers, 'But the AAA guy knows all about vehicles and if is available he can best help me with my problem.' I did a 180 and started back towards the tow truck that I had passed.
"Excuse me," I timidly spoke, "I can't get my key to turn in the ignition. I do have triple A but I wasn't sure if I needed to call it in or if you can just help me."
"Sure, I can help. Where's your vehicle?"
I point out my vehicle still in the bank parking lot.
"I'll be right over."
For the sake of time and condensing this post I'll sum everything up to say that he served me with a great attitude, got my key to turn, and told me why it keeps happening to me. Now I know what to do when I have this problem in the future. It made me think about what my pastor preaches about so often--God sends help our way, but we don't like who He sends it through so instead we just make up our minds to suffer. God sent two policemen, two friends, and a AAA truck to help me with my car trouble...he also sent the trouble to reveal to me my sin of pride.
After finishing up at the bank, I hopped into my car and put the key into the ignition to start the engine...well, at least that was my plan. My car had other plans. I could get the key into the ignition, but I couldn't get it to turn forward.
This same thing had happened to me in the past and I was never really sure why it happened. But I wasn't too worried because eventually the key would always turn and I would head on my merry way. So I tried a couple of times in a row like usual, but still could not get it to turn. I prayed, I praised God that at least I had a car and at least this predicament was only car trouble not sickness or marital issues. I called Ross and left him a message asking him to pray for me. I tried again, still nothing.
It was hot and my windows were in the up position. I decided to go for a walk thinking I would be cooler this way and it would give the car some time to straighten itself out. During my walk I saw two police officers in their cars sitting side-by-side at the adjoining convenience store. Then I saw two former members of my church riding turning into the convenience store their motorcycle. I waved hello and they waved back. I also found a penny and picked it up (see earlier post) I circled back to my vehicle after the walk and tried to start it up. Still stuck!
I thought about the two police officers. I didn't want to ask them for help for two reasons. 1) I thought that they may not know what to do and have me call AAA or 2) They may come over to the car only for it to start up and me to feel stupid. But nothing was working and it was very hot so I decided to walk up and talk to them. On the way over, a AAA truck pulled up to the gas pump. I was half way over to the policeman and thought again about what I should do. 'If I go to the AAA guy, he's probably going to tell me that I have to call in my request so that it's official. And he'll probably be all grouchy for me taking him away from what he's doing.' I slowed my steps in the direction of the officers, 'But the AAA guy knows all about vehicles and if is available he can best help me with my problem.' I did a 180 and started back towards the tow truck that I had passed.
"Excuse me," I timidly spoke, "I can't get my key to turn in the ignition. I do have triple A but I wasn't sure if I needed to call it in or if you can just help me."
"Sure, I can help. Where's your vehicle?"
I point out my vehicle still in the bank parking lot.
"I'll be right over."
For the sake of time and condensing this post I'll sum everything up to say that he served me with a great attitude, got my key to turn, and told me why it keeps happening to me. Now I know what to do when I have this problem in the future. It made me think about what my pastor preaches about so often--God sends help our way, but we don't like who He sends it through so instead we just make up our minds to suffer. God sent two policemen, two friends, and a AAA truck to help me with my car trouble...he also sent the trouble to reveal to me my sin of pride.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Dusting Up on My Discipline
Today as I went about cleaning our bedroom, the gray fuzzy coating over top of our dresser drawers spelled it out pretty clearly. It was time for a dusting. I got the rag and dusting can out from under the kitchen sink and trudged back up the steps. This is my least favorite chore.
I shook the can, sprayed the rag and then put the can down on the dresser. The tinny sound that I heard when I placed it down confirmed what I thought to be true. I was almost out of spray.
The reason this is significant is because I have never had to buy dusting spray for over 13 years--the length of time that Ross and I have been married. When we first married my co-workers bought us a basket full of cleaning supplies that included about 6 institutional-sized bottles of Pledge. Combine this with the fact that I am not an avid duster and suffice it to say that we've been covered all these years.
I feel like dusting is one of those things that you can do regularly if you want to, but if you don't who's really going to know? Especially in my bedroom. But when I stop and think about it, my husband sees the bedroom. He would know. And not dusting shows him that I don't care about him, especially since he has allergies.
This thought reminded me of the discipline of reading God's word regularly. I often fool myself into thinking that I don't need His word everyday. If I still look good on the outside, who's really going to know that I'm dusty on the inside. The answer is that God knows. And not reading his word shows Him that I don't care about Him, especially since He wrote it for me.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. This scripture is in the Bible and speaks to what I have just written. I'll leave it to you to go get your Bible, dust it off, and find out where the verse is.
I shook the can, sprayed the rag and then put the can down on the dresser. The tinny sound that I heard when I placed it down confirmed what I thought to be true. I was almost out of spray.
The reason this is significant is because I have never had to buy dusting spray for over 13 years--the length of time that Ross and I have been married. When we first married my co-workers bought us a basket full of cleaning supplies that included about 6 institutional-sized bottles of Pledge. Combine this with the fact that I am not an avid duster and suffice it to say that we've been covered all these years.
I feel like dusting is one of those things that you can do regularly if you want to, but if you don't who's really going to know? Especially in my bedroom. But when I stop and think about it, my husband sees the bedroom. He would know. And not dusting shows him that I don't care about him, especially since he has allergies.
This thought reminded me of the discipline of reading God's word regularly. I often fool myself into thinking that I don't need His word everyday. If I still look good on the outside, who's really going to know that I'm dusty on the inside. The answer is that God knows. And not reading his word shows Him that I don't care about Him, especially since He wrote it for me.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. This scripture is in the Bible and speaks to what I have just written. I'll leave it to you to go get your Bible, dust it off, and find out where the verse is.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Freshening Up My Make-Up
Yesterday as I was under the hair dryer in the beauty salon, I saw the woman next to me freshening her make-up. After just having had her hair washed and blown dry, she needed to re-apply the make-up that had gone AWOL in the process of getting her hair done. In my chair I sat thinking, 'I don't understand why she wears make-up. She's already beautiful. Or is the make-up what makes her beautiful?' In the end I wasn't sure.
Today I was at a friend's home. She has been dealing with some family issues and I have the privilege of visiting with her once a month or so to give godly counsel on the issues that she faces each day. I say it is a privilege because I am only worthy to enter into such an intimate place in her life by the grace of God.
Before leaving her home, I prayed with her as is my usual custom before departing. She told me that she felt better since we got to talk and that she always feels more at peace after talking to me. Then she told me that I have a beauty about me without even wearing make-up. She told me that my beauty is my peace and that it shows. "We should sell it as a cream," she joked. "Twenty-five dollars for a jar sound good?"
As soon as I got back to my house I turned to 1 Peter 3:3,4 which reads,
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of a gentle and quiet spirit, which of great worth in God's sight.
It is humbling when people give such compliments. I think about how just moments earlier I lashed out at my son prior to putting him on the school bus. (By God's grace I apologized to him afterwards). So for my friend to tell me that she sees me wearing a disposition of peace makes me want to be better for Christ...to freshen up my make-up.
Today I was at a friend's home. She has been dealing with some family issues and I have the privilege of visiting with her once a month or so to give godly counsel on the issues that she faces each day. I say it is a privilege because I am only worthy to enter into such an intimate place in her life by the grace of God.
Before leaving her home, I prayed with her as is my usual custom before departing. She told me that she felt better since we got to talk and that she always feels more at peace after talking to me. Then she told me that I have a beauty about me without even wearing make-up. She told me that my beauty is my peace and that it shows. "We should sell it as a cream," she joked. "Twenty-five dollars for a jar sound good?"
As soon as I got back to my house I turned to 1 Peter 3:3,4 which reads,
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of a gentle and quiet spirit, which of great worth in God's sight.
It is humbling when people give such compliments. I think about how just moments earlier I lashed out at my son prior to putting him on the school bus. (By God's grace I apologized to him afterwards). So for my friend to tell me that she sees me wearing a disposition of peace makes me want to be better for Christ...to freshen up my make-up.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Conversation Starter
Our son is working on a project in his social studies class. It involves looking at a problem that might plague a modern day family and then outlining a solution to that problem. Guess what problem he picked. Credit card debt.
After showing me the initial stages of his project, I asked if I could give him some help by sharing the process that we went through to get out of consumer debt. He accepted, and I began to tell him our tale focusing on three important principals: setting up a budget, living below our means, and creating an emergency fund.
Little did I know all of the questions that this discussion would generate.
"How many credit cards did you have?"
"Why do we eat out just because we have a coupon when we could save more money and not eat out at all?"
"I heard you talking to a lady one time who said that she had nine credit cards at one time. Why does a person need so many credit cards?"
"What do you do when an unexpected expense comes up? Where does the money to pay it come from?"
I was pleasantly surprised by all of the thoughts that so quickly came to his mind. Needless to say I enjoyed answering all of these questions because I love to discuss managing finances. But more than this, I am happy to see that my son is thinking about matters that many people don't even consider until they reach adulthood.
After showing me the initial stages of his project, I asked if I could give him some help by sharing the process that we went through to get out of consumer debt. He accepted, and I began to tell him our tale focusing on three important principals: setting up a budget, living below our means, and creating an emergency fund.
Little did I know all of the questions that this discussion would generate.
"How many credit cards did you have?"
"Why do we eat out just because we have a coupon when we could save more money and not eat out at all?"
"I heard you talking to a lady one time who said that she had nine credit cards at one time. Why does a person need so many credit cards?"
"What do you do when an unexpected expense comes up? Where does the money to pay it come from?"
I was pleasantly surprised by all of the thoughts that so quickly came to his mind. Needless to say I enjoyed answering all of these questions because I love to discuss managing finances. But more than this, I am happy to see that my son is thinking about matters that many people don't even consider until they reach adulthood.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Do Nothing
Today is my birthday and I have a "me" day planned. It's all about me. I plan to go where I want and do what I like to do.
While I was getting myself ready to go walking this morning, I decided to bring along a scripture card. I always get ready in the dark so as not to disturb Ross. I also pick out my scripture card in the dark so that I won't know what verse I have until I read it outside while I'm walking. Here's what today's card read:
I was meant to read this today, on my birthday. The two words that spoke to me were "selfish" and "vain". Then I thought about how vain has two meanings: 1) A person who is all about themselves and 2) Fruitless, unsuccessful activity. Putting these two meanings together, God spoke to me that a person who only cares about themselves will not be successful. It is so important to Him that we help others along every day--even on our birthdays.
So today I am reminded to be vigilant for an opportunity to meet the need of another; to not be impatient in the checkout line but instead to start a conversation with those around me; to give a sincere and well-thought out greeting to the cashier at the drive through; and to engage in the art of doing "nothing".
While I was getting myself ready to go walking this morning, I decided to bring along a scripture card. I always get ready in the dark so as not to disturb Ross. I also pick out my scripture card in the dark so that I won't know what verse I have until I read it outside while I'm walking. Here's what today's card read:
I was meant to read this today, on my birthday. The two words that spoke to me were "selfish" and "vain". Then I thought about how vain has two meanings: 1) A person who is all about themselves and 2) Fruitless, unsuccessful activity. Putting these two meanings together, God spoke to me that a person who only cares about themselves will not be successful. It is so important to Him that we help others along every day--even on our birthdays.
So today I am reminded to be vigilant for an opportunity to meet the need of another; to not be impatient in the checkout line but instead to start a conversation with those around me; to give a sincere and well-thought out greeting to the cashier at the drive through; and to engage in the art of doing "nothing".
Monday, March 11, 2013
Money for Nothing
While I was out walking this morning, I saw some money on the ground.
Many people wouldn't even bother. I mean is it really worth it to slow my stride, bend over, and pick up three objects that have been who knows where all for a mere forty-five cents? Yes.
Forty-five cents may mean not having to break a twenty in the grocery store or at a restaurant. Forty-five cents is almost half of a dollar--and almost everybody would stop to pick up a dollar. I've found that when I begin to value my money (even down to the pennies) God sees fit to trust me with more.
'...Well, done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.' Matthew 25:21
Many people wouldn't even bother. I mean is it really worth it to slow my stride, bend over, and pick up three objects that have been who knows where all for a mere forty-five cents? Yes.
Forty-five cents may mean not having to break a twenty in the grocery store or at a restaurant. Forty-five cents is almost half of a dollar--and almost everybody would stop to pick up a dollar. I've found that when I begin to value my money (even down to the pennies) God sees fit to trust me with more.
'...Well, done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.' Matthew 25:21
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Center Stage
I got a word picture the other day of what it looks like when I lose my cool with my kids.
I was approaching an intersection where the traffic light was not functioning. A policeman stood in the middle of the street directing traffic. Looking at his countenance and seeing his gestures, it was plain to me that he was stressed. This is understandable as directing traffic is probably one of the most difficult tasks that a policeman has to do. It requires knowing and using the correct hand signals, monitoring traffic flow, as well as the need to be vigilant of several things all at once.
As I sat waiting for my turn to go, I noticed that some drivers who came to the intersection were not interpreting his hand signals correctly or were not responding to them quickly enough. Their incorrect or delayed response caused a change in his countenance from 'stressed' to 'frustrated'. In his frustration over one car's antics he briefly threw his hands up in the air which I interpreted as 'What in the world are you doing?' Of course other drivers approaching the intersection who did not see what had happened previously are looking at the hands go up and thinking, 'Okay, what does that mean I'm supposed to do?' They then are misguided because of the policeman's frustration and remain confused about what they need to do.
This scenario reminded me that with my kids, I am on center stage. They are looking to me, like that traffic cop, for direction. When I blow up, lose my cool, jump down their throats, whatever you want to call it, I am throwing them off course and confusing them about what they need to do. Yes, being a parent can be stressful. However God has called me to this role in my children's lives where I must perform to the best of my abilities so that they can be stars.
I was approaching an intersection where the traffic light was not functioning. A policeman stood in the middle of the street directing traffic. Looking at his countenance and seeing his gestures, it was plain to me that he was stressed. This is understandable as directing traffic is probably one of the most difficult tasks that a policeman has to do. It requires knowing and using the correct hand signals, monitoring traffic flow, as well as the need to be vigilant of several things all at once.
As I sat waiting for my turn to go, I noticed that some drivers who came to the intersection were not interpreting his hand signals correctly or were not responding to them quickly enough. Their incorrect or delayed response caused a change in his countenance from 'stressed' to 'frustrated'. In his frustration over one car's antics he briefly threw his hands up in the air which I interpreted as 'What in the world are you doing?' Of course other drivers approaching the intersection who did not see what had happened previously are looking at the hands go up and thinking, 'Okay, what does that mean I'm supposed to do?' They then are misguided because of the policeman's frustration and remain confused about what they need to do.
This scenario reminded me that with my kids, I am on center stage. They are looking to me, like that traffic cop, for direction. When I blow up, lose my cool, jump down their throats, whatever you want to call it, I am throwing them off course and confusing them about what they need to do. Yes, being a parent can be stressful. However God has called me to this role in my children's lives where I must perform to the best of my abilities so that they can be stars.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Extreme Couponing?
For the month of February we included razor refills in our budget. They are so incredibly expensive these days! In the end, we decided allot $20.00 to razors by trying to find some deals and use some coupons.
I went to CVS because I had $1.00 in extra bucks. Also, we got an extra $3.00 off from a 20% on-line coupon. Four razors cost $15.49, but in the end we only paid $12.18 and, got a $5.00 extra bucks reward coupon for towards our next purchase. Cha-ching! We were under budget and I was happy.
Slight problem, they were not the right razors. So I go back to the store to return them. They are opened...I hope they still take them. Yes! They do take them back and I pick up the correct ones. The woman at the counter is having difficulty scanning my receipt in order to return the first set of razors. So instead she just returns them using the UPC code. Little did I know that when she returned them this way, it did not factor in my previous discounts. Therefore, although I paid $12.18, she returned to my card $16.42!
Then she proceeds to ring up the new razors. I remembered that they were discounted, but not until she gave me my total did I realize how much the discount was. For 8 razors the cost was $6.37 (half of what I spent initially for double the quantity) plus I had my $5.00 in extra bucks. So it rang up as only $1.46 for 8 razors.
And in case you didn't do the math...I was paid to buy 8 razors....
$12.18-$16.42=($-4.24)+$1.46=$(-2.78)
I am in no way am I an extreme coupon gal. But God is an extreme God. And I recognize that He can do these kinds of things for our family with absolutely no effort on our part. Just as He can pay me to purchase something, He can pay off my mortgage without me paying anything towards it. He's just that good!
I went to CVS because I had $1.00 in extra bucks. Also, we got an extra $3.00 off from a 20% on-line coupon. Four razors cost $15.49, but in the end we only paid $12.18 and, got a $5.00 extra bucks reward coupon for towards our next purchase. Cha-ching! We were under budget and I was happy.
Slight problem, they were not the right razors. So I go back to the store to return them. They are opened...I hope they still take them. Yes! They do take them back and I pick up the correct ones. The woman at the counter is having difficulty scanning my receipt in order to return the first set of razors. So instead she just returns them using the UPC code. Little did I know that when she returned them this way, it did not factor in my previous discounts. Therefore, although I paid $12.18, she returned to my card $16.42!
Then she proceeds to ring up the new razors. I remembered that they were discounted, but not until she gave me my total did I realize how much the discount was. For 8 razors the cost was $6.37 (half of what I spent initially for double the quantity) plus I had my $5.00 in extra bucks. So it rang up as only $1.46 for 8 razors.
And in case you didn't do the math...I was paid to buy 8 razors....
$12.18-$16.42=($-4.24)+$1.46=$(-2.78)
I am in no way am I an extreme coupon gal. But God is an extreme God. And I recognize that He can do these kinds of things for our family with absolutely no effort on our part. Just as He can pay me to purchase something, He can pay off my mortgage without me paying anything towards it. He's just that good!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Once Upon a Time
(I wrote this post on the first day of February. My computer was acting up that day so I am just now getting around to posting it)
Today while driving along the road, I saw a blue and white
blur out of the corner of my eye.
Something about that blur was familiar to me; so much so that I turned
my head to look at it. A-ha! That’s it!
The Penn State Shuttle.
Seeing it took me down memory lane. This mini-bus transports staff, faculty, and
students between two Penn State campuses—Penn State University Park and Penn
State Hershey Medical Center, the latter of which I worked at for all of my 13
years in nursing.
My schedule for today included grocery shopping and
volunteering in my younger son’s classroom.
Four years back, my schedule would have included giving opioid growth
factor to a pancreatic cancer patient and participating in a meeting to recruit
participants into a new research protocol.
I enjoyed my job and truly felt fulfilled by what I was doing.
Seeing this shuttle whiz by reminded me of the pride I took
in being a Hershey Medical Center nurse.
Whenever I would share with people that I was not only an RN, but an RN
at Hershey Medical Center, it carried weight.
In my eyes, the association with this prestigious hospital elevated me
above the average Joe. I derived much of
my self-worth from my career.
Later that same afternoon as I walk into the elementary school office, the
secretaries say “Hi” and joke with me. Several
children in the cafeteria wave in recognition.
A girl in my son’s class walks to the back of the line as usual so that
she can walk to the classroom holding my hand.
These are my accolades now. I
enjoy my job and truly feel fulfilled by what I am doing.
Addendum: The very next day while walking into Giant I see a man collapsed on the floor outside the pharmacy. The staff are gathered around him trying to assess the situation. I hesitate to assist because it seems as though there are enough people at the scene already. Eventually I walk over, tell the staff that I am a nurse, and ask if I can help. Turns out they had been seeking medical staff in the store until the ambulance arrived, and were glad to hand over the reigns to me. With my youngest child situated close-by, I begin an assessment. Once a nurse, always a nurse.
Friday, January 25, 2013
God Answers Prayer!
At the beginning of the month I asked God to give me an electronic toothbrush.
Today I got this.
Be encouraged. God answers prayer!
Today I got this.
Be encouraged. God answers prayer!
Monday, January 14, 2013
Graphic Art
I shared in a couple of posts about the process of refinancing our mortgage. We now pay a lower interest rate, the length of our loan has decreased, and our monthly payment is only $12 more. Good stuff!
When we closed on our new loan, the agent shared that we would be receiving a check for $1000 and some odd dollars as a refund. Apparently banks overestimate the closing costs on a loan to make sure that they cover any possible scenario. She also said that our first payment on this loan would not be due until February.
The temptation was certainly there to spend the money. We momentarily discussed home improvements, talked about how technically they would be an investment since we'd be adding value to our home. But in no time at all, our practical natures overrode any further attempts of rationalizing. We came to the agreement that we would take the refund check plus our current monthly mortgage payment for January and use them to pay down the principal of our new loan. Any payment that can be made towards the principal of a loan is a bonus because when you pay down the principal, you also automatically eliminate potential interest that would have to be paid. Looking at the graph below (thanks to my techno-savvy husband), you can see that by putting this money towards the principal, we saved almost half a year in bank payments.
I cannot wait to post this graphic when God performs His miracle with our mortgage!
When we closed on our new loan, the agent shared that we would be receiving a check for $1000 and some odd dollars as a refund. Apparently banks overestimate the closing costs on a loan to make sure that they cover any possible scenario. She also said that our first payment on this loan would not be due until February.
The temptation was certainly there to spend the money. We momentarily discussed home improvements, talked about how technically they would be an investment since we'd be adding value to our home. But in no time at all, our practical natures overrode any further attempts of rationalizing. We came to the agreement that we would take the refund check plus our current monthly mortgage payment for January and use them to pay down the principal of our new loan. Any payment that can be made towards the principal of a loan is a bonus because when you pay down the principal, you also automatically eliminate potential interest that would have to be paid. Looking at the graph below (thanks to my techno-savvy husband), you can see that by putting this money towards the principal, we saved almost half a year in bank payments.
I cannot wait to post this graphic when God performs His miracle with our mortgage!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Guess How Much I Paid for All of This?!
Woo Hoo! Did I get a wheel of a deal today!
I went to Weis Markets this afternoon to spend what was left on a gift card we received for Christmas. There was seven dollars and some change left on the card, so I decided to use it to buy lunch meat.
Last week I was at a different Weis Markets and they had a pastrami lunch meat "yellow tag special"*. I decided to look at this Weis for the same deal. They didn't have any yellow tag lunch meat, but they did have BOGO lunch meat for $4.99. At a retail grocery store like Weis, $2.50 for a pound of lunch meat isn't a bad deal--especially since I had a gift card. I grabbed two hams and two turkey ready to make my way up to the register. Then I noticed something. All of the turkey lunch meat packages had a 55 cent "save now" coupon stuck to them. I feverishly calculated the savings in my head. 'If I buy turkey lunch meat, between the BOGO and the package coupons, I save four bucks!' Without hesitation I put back the two ham packages and grabbed two turkeys in their place.
At the register, I gave the cashier my Weis card, she scanned the four package coupons, and I used a $1.00 off coupon I'd received during my last trip to Weis for trying a new beverage. All total I paid only $5.87 for four-one pound packs of lunch meat and a can of Goya beans. You gotta love it.
**The phrase yellow tag special is my own creation. Many of the grocery stores in the area have reduced prices on their meats that will be past the "purchase by" date within the next 1-2days. I hunt for this yellow tag meat when I am in retail grocery stores like Wal-Mart, Weis, Giant, and Price Rite. However the discount stores that I shop at, like Sharp Shopper, already have this same meat reduced and frozen for purchase at a cheaper price. And that's exactly what I do with the yellow tag special meat when I purchase it from--freeze it for later use.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Confession
All right, time to own up to the truth. There are times when I am prideful about where we stand financially. Because I am so very aware of this, whenever we counsel individuals on personal finances, I have to remember back to the place where we were before we got to the place where we are today.
Of course God knows my heart and knows where my pride can take me. So He sees fit every now and again to give me check-ups. One check-up that I had last week was having a bank card purchase denied at both Sears and Costco. This happened on a Thursday and, because Ross didn't get paid until the next day, there wasn't enough money in the bank to buy what I had planned. I could just hear God saying, "Remember who's in charge" or "You ain't all that" (As you can see I've never placed an ethnicity on God :-)
Today I was reading in Ephesians 1:3. It says,
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
This verse caused me to realize that financial blessings here on earth amount to nothing. People want them, but they're not what matters most. The blessings that we ought to be after are those that last and have divine value. Amazingly enough, those blessings already belong to we who have Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior! We just don't equate it with value because of our finite minds.
From this lesson, I am going to purpose to remind the believers who I counsel of how rich they already are in Him. Now is the time to accept and celebrate our spiritual blessings!
Of course God knows my heart and knows where my pride can take me. So He sees fit every now and again to give me check-ups. One check-up that I had last week was having a bank card purchase denied at both Sears and Costco. This happened on a Thursday and, because Ross didn't get paid until the next day, there wasn't enough money in the bank to buy what I had planned. I could just hear God saying, "Remember who's in charge" or "You ain't all that" (As you can see I've never placed an ethnicity on God :-)
Today I was reading in Ephesians 1:3. It says,
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
This verse caused me to realize that financial blessings here on earth amount to nothing. People want them, but they're not what matters most. The blessings that we ought to be after are those that last and have divine value. Amazingly enough, those blessings already belong to we who have Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior! We just don't equate it with value because of our finite minds.
From this lesson, I am going to purpose to remind the believers who I counsel of how rich they already are in Him. Now is the time to accept and celebrate our spiritual blessings!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
To Market To Market to Empty the Pig
With yesterday being the last day of Christmas Break, I took the kids to the bank to empty their pigs.
Allow me to explain.
Whenever they receive money, the first thing that they do is set aside their tithe from what they've received. Then they divide the remaining money in half between two categories: spend and save. The spend money they can use to buy things for themselves or for others. The save gets put away until their piggy banks are stuffed. Having had a generous Christmas season along with several allowances under their belts, their little piggies were ready to go to the bank!
The teller at the bank was kind enough to indulge their competitive side asking who thought that they had the most money in coins. Blaise looked him right in the eye and told him he already knew he had the most (turns out Morgan did :-) Often times the kids will balk at having to put half of their money into savings. There is so much that they lay their eyes upon and have to have. After it was all said and done, Morgan and Hunter both had more than $100 each to put into their bank accounts and Blaise had over $40. It was a blessing to see their excitement over saving rather than spending.
As challenging as it can be to hear the complaints about putting money away, I'm thankful for this discipline that they've grown accustomed to since they were small. And one day, sooner than they realize, they'll be thankful for it as well.
Allow me to explain.
Whenever they receive money, the first thing that they do is set aside their tithe from what they've received. Then they divide the remaining money in half between two categories: spend and save. The spend money they can use to buy things for themselves or for others. The save gets put away until their piggy banks are stuffed. Having had a generous Christmas season along with several allowances under their belts, their little piggies were ready to go to the bank!
The teller at the bank was kind enough to indulge their competitive side asking who thought that they had the most money in coins. Blaise looked him right in the eye and told him he already knew he had the most (turns out Morgan did :-) Often times the kids will balk at having to put half of their money into savings. There is so much that they lay their eyes upon and have to have. After it was all said and done, Morgan and Hunter both had more than $100 each to put into their bank accounts and Blaise had over $40. It was a blessing to see their excitement over saving rather than spending.
As challenging as it can be to hear the complaints about putting money away, I'm thankful for this discipline that they've grown accustomed to since they were small. And one day, sooner than they realize, they'll be thankful for it as well.
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