Tiger's Tale: Budgeting for your pet

    There was something wrong with Tiger.  The first time I saw him jump up from a nap looking terrified and making the most pitiful noise, I didn't know what was happening.  He stopped before I had time to react and hid under the futon.  Maybe he had a nightmare I thought, and made a mental note to keep an eye on him.  Later when he seemed like he was having trouble walking, I realized that something wasn't right.

"What?"

      As I took him to the vet, terrified that I wouldn't be able to pay for treatment, I realized that in my financial planning I had neglected to save for a sick cat.  Hundred of dollars and several vet visits later I realized I should have.

      Pets, like people can get sick at any time.  The older the animal (Tiger is 13 now), the more likely he or she is to get sick.  As I think back, I should have known to save up.  When Tiger was a Kitten, he had some messy stomach trouble for a little while.  The vet never did figure out what caused it, but was more than willing to give him some medicine.  Lucky for me the medicine worked.  Our family dog from high school and college got diabetes at age 5.  It is not a matter of if your pet will get sick or hurt, but when.  

    Pets can be beloved members of the family.  And I was more than willing to do what I could to take care of Tiger, but planning for the unexpected will be a part of my job as a pet owner from now on.
    It has been over a year since I rushed Tiger to the vet, and I'm happy to say he is doing much better.  He was diagnosed with kidney failure, but thanks to a good vet and some prescription cat food he is back to his old self.

Tell me about your beloved pet.

Why I Stopped Couponing

     For those of us who live in the South East, today begins a very important week: Super Double Coupon Week at Harris Teeter stores.  If you are unfamiliar with Harris Teeter's coupon policy, Harris Teeter grocery stores will double coupons up to $.98 but on Super Double Coupon week they will double coupons up to $2.  This usually results in a frenzy to get the best deals before they are gone.  I know, I've been there.  You can get some items for very little money or sometimes even free.  For example if an item costs $4 and you have a $1.50 off coupon, you can purchase that item for $1.  If the item happens to be on sale that week it is even better.  Imagine the same $4 item is on sale for $3 that week.  After you double your coupon, you will get it for free.  I don't know about you, but I'm a big fan of free.  So why with all these savings available, am I not scouring sales papers in an effort to get free groceries?
     In my efforts to be more frugal, I started couponing about a year and a half ago.  And continued for several months.  In that time I came to several conclusions.
                    1. Couponing saves a lot of money
      Couponing is not for everyone, but many people find that it's a great way to feed their families for a reasonable price.  In fact, I recommend trying it for a while and seeing if it is for you.  The true savings is not in the coupon itself (often only a few cents off the price), but in pairing that coupon with sales and specials (such as double or triple coupon deals).  You could search the local advertisements yourself, or you could find one of numerous sites that match them for you.  For those in the South East I recommend Southern Savers, but there are other sites for different regions.  These sites often have excellent tutorials on how to get started.
                    2.  Most of the food coupons are for processed food and cleaning products
      If you didn't already know, I am on a quest to loose weight and keep it off (30 lbs so far).  I put a lot of research into the best way to accomplish this and one thing I've learned is to avoid processed foods whenever possible.  Most contain high fructose corn syrup and/or large amounts of salt.  They also often contain harmful chemicals.  I have decided to eat few if any of these foods and therefore many of my coupons are rendered obsolete.  As for cleaning products, they can indeed be useful, but I am trying to reduce the amount of chemicals in my home.  Most cleaning products are full of harmful chemicals.  Plus you can save nearly as much money by making your own.
                  3. Couponing takes time
     There are several methods of couponing.  Some cut out all the coupons and file them in a coupon filer or a binder.  Other's file the coupon flyers, use their favorite website to match the coupons for them and then cut out only the ones they plan on using.  I have tried both methods and they both take a significant amount of time.  Whether or not you can spend the time on this is up to your own schedule and priorities.

     Couponing is a great tool for saving money.  But for myself, the scarcity of coupons for healthy products, added with the significant amount of time involved led me to stop.  I may eventually go back, but for right now, I find other ways to save.  But that doesn't mean I won't check out coupons.com on occasion.  It is Super Double Coupon week after all.

Do you use coupons?

New Years Resolutions 2012

   In a blog about changing your life, I would be remiss if I did not write about new years resolutions.  Tomorrow is New Years Day. It is the time when people everywhere promise to make changes in the coming year, but few of them last until February.  Does this mean we should give up on the whole resolution business? No.  We should instead examine our previous attempts and fix whatever we did wrong.
   One common error is that we often make our resolutions vague.  Without a clear plan of action, we almost never achieve what we set out to do.  For example, we may say we want to loose weight, but if we do not plan how we are going to bring this about, we will probably to loose anything.
   Another common error is to set unrealistic goals.  In our weight loss example, if I say I want to loose 75 pounds by the summer, I am setting myself up for failure.  Instead I could try to loose a more reasonable one to three pounds a week.  As long as you are taking steps towards your goal it is okay if it takes a while.

 
  Finally, don't be discouraged by your mistakes.  One of my goals for last year, was to learn how to keep a container garden for vegetables and herbs.  I have always had a bit of a black thumb and for years I gave up on growing plants.  But last year I decided to give it a go.  Well needless to say it did not go well.  After I planted we had a freak rain storm that completely swamped my pots and killed my little plants.  I was very discouraged, but now I know not to put the pots where they get all the runoff from the roof.  I don't know if I will succeed this year, but even if I fail, I will learn from it.
  So what are my resolutions this year.  I am not going to count my three goals as resolutions, because I am already doing them.  Instead, I am making smaller goals to help bring about the larger ones.

Resolution 1: Once again I am going to attempt to grow my own herbs and vegetables.  Do the upside down tomatoes really work?
Resolution 2: Pay off my car.  I'm not sure if I can actually do this in a year, but I can at least pay off most of it.
Resolution 3: Finish my novel. Okay I confess I've made this resolution every year since 2006, but with all the time management skills I'm learning I can pull this off.
Resolution 4: Remember to send people birthday cards this year.

What is your New Years Resolution?

Huzzah!! No More Credit Card!!

   Woo Hoo!  My days of paying my credit card bill are at an end.  Monday evening I went online and paid off the remaining $249.  For the first time in my adult life I have no credit card and no credit card payment.
   When I was younger, I believed that credit cards were a part of life.  I fell for the line: "you need a credit card in case of emergency."  At first I rarely used it,  I maintained a zero balance for several years.  Then I needed a little extra one month, so I used the card.  I intended to pay it off just as soon as I had extra.  But the next month I was a little short as well.  I did not have enough income and I had no emergency fund.  Eventually, I stopped using the card, but I still had a large balance.  Some months I had to decide if I was going to pay my car payment or my credit card payment.  I needed my car, so the interest and penalties soared.   For the past couple of years I have cut costs, found a better paying job, and payed extra on my two cards.  About two years ago I paid off my Discover card, and now the visa is finally gone.

   Never again!  I am prepared now.  If an emergency were to happen today I do not need a credit card.  I have an emergency fund for that.  I will never again be under the thumb of a credit card company.  I can now handle emergencies without them.  Neither do I have to worry about my credit score, for I no longer intend to borrow money from anyone.  If I don't have the cash, I won't buy it.  And if I'm sort on money again, I have one less bill to pay each month.
   Now to work on the car payments.

DIY Savings: Detergent

 In the quest to save money, DIY (Do it yourself) can sometimes save a bundle.  I plan on sharing various DIY money savers in future blogs.  Today, I will focus on a recent project of mine, making my own detergent. I have heard of making my own cleaners many times, and finally decided to try it.  About a month ago, I bought my ingredients and tried it out.  So far, it works just as well as the store bought variety and costs a lot less.  If you do a google search for home made detergent, you can find a dozen recipes.  The one I recommend is at a website called DIY Natural.  The directions are very simple and there are only three ingredients.  Plus is is made with simple natural ingredients for those of you who worry about chemicals.
      I also plan on making my own dishwashing detergent once my supply runs out.  Since it uses many of the same ingredients as laundry detergent, I will not have to spend any money.  I found a recipe that looks good at yahoo finance.  I will let you know how it works.
How do you DIY to save money?

Update: I tried the dishwashing detergent and it works great

Why I Joined a Gym

A couple of months ago, I mentioned in a post that I was considering joining a gym.  The problem is that I am not only trying to get healthy I am also trying to get out of debt.  I am cutting back on any extra expenses in order to use the money I save to pay down on my debt.  So why did I join a gym?  Why didn't I just start jogging in the mornings or use my workout videos?
  Everyone has there own set of challenges.  I have tried and failed to loose weight many, many times.  Before I started this time, I first thought back on all of my previous attempts to figure out what went wrong.  The answer I decided was accountability.  When I work out on my own, I tend to get caught up in other things and never get started.  It's not that I don't like to work out, I do, but I get caught up in a TV show or a book or realize I need to do the dishes.  The next thing I know it is time for bed and I still haven't worked out.  The times in my life when I have worked out the most consistently where when I had someone to work out with.  I couldn't put it off if I had someone waiting for me.  In grad school, I went to the gym with my friend Vanessa.  When I live overseas, my roommates and I took karate.
   So what does this have to do with the gym?   Well, I needed someone to work out with.  Most of my friends live too far away to work with.  As for the friends who live nearby, I have a crazy schedule and so do most of them.  I might be able to do one or two days a week with them, but that is not enough.  So I thought of the gym.
   The gym I go to is called Omni and it is right across the road from my apartment.  I have actually been a member in the past so I was already familiar with the facilities.  The deciding factor were the classes.  Classes meet at the same time every week.  Unlike working on my own, I can't put them off.  As I keep going to the same classes, I get to know people and they will know if I do not show up.  I have picked three classes I can attend on a regular basis and I try not to miss.  So far it's working.  I am working out 3-4 days a week for the first time in years.  My clothes are fitting better, and I feel stronger.
   The gym may cost a little extra per month, but I believe that the benefits to my health far out way the price. It's not for everyone, but it works for me.   How do you workout?

TIP:  If you do decide to join a gym, it may be possible to talk their price down.  I paid no joining fees and my monthly payments are less than they quoted, because I talked them down.

Saving On Groceries with Angel Food

   Has anyone seen the prices at the grocery store?  I'm looking at the Harris Teeter sales for this week and what strikes me is how high the sale prices are.  So when I try to shop on a budget, I often find myself buying a lot of carbs and not a lot of protein.  One way I combat this is through Angel Food Ministries.

About 90% of this is from Angel Food

   Angel Food Ministries was founded in 1994 by Joe and Linda Wingo of Monroe, GA.  It is a ministry to provide affordable food to people across the United States.  The concept is simple.  Every month Angel Food publishes a menu on it's website.  http://www.angelfoodministries.com/  This menu has several options or boxes. This month the boxes range from $17 (Just 4 Me- After School Fruit and Veggie Box) to $55 (Pastor Joe's Premium Box).  You can buy one box or a combination of boxes.  This is open to everyone.  They do not check family size, income level, or background.  There is a deadline for order's each month.  To find out what it is you must first find a host site.  The host sites are primarily churches (for my non-christian friends you don't have to be a christian for this I've never had anyone preach at me) you simply type in your address and chose the location most convenient for you.  This site will have list it's deadline and pickup time.  In my area there are about three host site's nearby.  The good thing about that is I can choose the one with the best pickup time for me.  For example, this month my online order deadline is August 21 and my pickup time is August 27 from 12:00pm to 2:00pm.  It is extremely important to pick up on time.  They will not save the food.  Any boxes leftover will be donated to a food kitchen.

  So is it worth the trouble?  Well that depends.  Usually the answer is yes.  I look at the menu every month an d decide.  But as a comparison,  let's look at this month's menu and compare it to Harris Teeter sales.  I tried to pick Harris Teeter sales that were similar to what Angel Food was serving.  This month:

 Angel Food's Bread of Life                                   Harris Teeter

1 deli sliced ham                                                    Deli sliced meat: $3.50

Roger Wood Sausage Dogs                                   Beef Franks $4.50

Ground Beef                                                          Ground Beef $7.99

Boneless Chicken Breast 1.5lbs                              Boneless Chicken breast $2.47lb (1.5lbs=$3.71)

Chicken leg quarters 4lbs                                       Chicken Drumsticks $1.27lb (4lbs=$5.08)

Ground Turkey 1lb                                                 Frozen Turkey Breast $1.37lb (1lb=$1.37)

 Steak Burgers 1.5lb                                               Boneless Chuck Steak $3.97lb (1.5lbs=5.96)

Mac and Beef                                                         Quick Sides $3.99

10 other items                                                       

Total: 18 items                                                        Total: 8 items

Cost: $35                                                                Cost: $36.11

I hope this helps.  How do you save money on groceries?

UPDATE:  Sadly, since writing this post Angel Food Ministries has gone out of business.  They will be greatly missed.  I will write again if I can find another similar program.

Goal 1: Finances the Dave Ramsey way

"If you live like no one else, later you can live like no one else."

Dave Ramsey

Goal 1: Get financially fit.
   A couple of weeks ago I mentioned in the book The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey.  This book centers around a series of baby steps.  Step 1 is "Save $1000 fast".  I have finished this step, and it is an enormous relief to know that it is there.  If something were to break, I have the money at to fix most minor problems.  Step 2 is "The Debt Snowball".  I am working on this one now.  Depending on the amount of debt and income, it can take anywhere from a few months to a few years.  The idea is simple, write down all you debts in order from smallest to largest.  Make minimum payments on all debts except for the smallest one.  Scrape together all the extra money you can and use it to pay off the smallest debt.  When that is paid off, use the money you were paying on that to pay off the next smallest debt.  By the time you get to the last one you are using the same amount of money you were when you started, but paying off debt at a faster rate.  Step 3 is "Finish the Emergency Fund".  Dave says "kick Murphy out.".  You should ultimately have three to six months of expenses saved up.  That way if you loose a job you still have enough money to live on for three to six months.  Plus if your car dies, you could buy a cheap used car paid for in cash.  Step 4 is "Maximize Retirement Investing."  Step 5 is "College Funding."  Hopefully with this your kids will never know the pain of student loans.  Step 6  is "Pay off the Mortgage."  Step 7 is "Build Wealth Like Crazy."  If you finish all seven baby steps, you will have complete peace of mind when it comes to finances.
   I highly recommend this book along with Dave's book Financial Peace.  Dave also has a program available in many churches called Financial Peace University.  I have not taken this course yet, but would like to in the future.  Have any of you taken it?  If so, feel free to share your experiences.

Goal 1: Get Financially Fit

"How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time."

Dave Ramsey

Goal 1: Get financially Fit.  

About a year ago, my best friend, Karen, started telling me about Dave Ramsey.  Based on her recommendation I bought his book The Total Money Makeover. Thanks to Dave, I now have an emergency fund, and am paying off my debt.  I realized that if I am diligent, I can do this even with what I am making now. First, I am cutting back on my spending. Second, I am putting any extra money I have towards paying off my debt. Third, I am putting money into savings, so if something like a car or computer breaks down, I can pay in cash. Finally, I am looking for any way possible to earn extra money. Garage sale anyone? What are you doing to get financially fit?  

The Three Goals

God, Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to Change the things I cannot accept,

And the wisdom to know the difference.

Serenity Prayer

Change is possible. There are three general areas of my life I have wished to improve upon for a long time. I have worked on each of these three goals for many years,  

focusing on one or another for periods of time. Although I have experienced limited 

success, for the most part I have not been able to obtain my goals. I believe that this is because in focusing on one area I neglect the others. Ultimately I plan to achieve all 

three goals and therefore must change my behavior in all areas to succeed.

So what are my three goals?

Goal 1: Get financially stable
Goal 2: Get healthy
Goal 3: Get organized

I will be posting once a week (probably on Wednesdays) about achieving these goals. In doing so, I hope to keep myself accountable to you, the reader, and to encourage any of you who may share my struggles. The change starts now.