This first writing project deals with the circumstances, people and events in our past which have led to our present financial habits. I proposed this topic as the first of our group writing project as I had been planning to write something about our background and why we live the way we do.

We are one of those people who have a somewhat complicated history. In our first 25 years, we had lived in 3 different countries and called approximately 20 different places “home.” After several hours of attempting to put it all in prose, we have finally given up and decided to put our family financial history and relevant events in timeline format (and with authentic pictures), for your sake and ours.

A note before we begin: The time periods used to head each section are names of actual time periods from history; however, they are not all in correct historical order, but rather arranged to fit eras of our lives.

Pre-History

• 1978 July – Oakland, CA
  Mother, an art student from Taiwan, marries a young engineer and flight instructor from Japan whom she feels sorry for because he is poor and alone.

Ancient History

• 1979 March – San Francisco, CA
  Penelope arrives.
• 1980 November – San Francisco, CA
  Madoline arrives.
• 1978-1980
  Father cannot find decent work and receives gifts of money and private airplane (in hopes of stimulating flight instruction business) from our maternal grandmother.
• 1981-1987 – Tokyo, Japan
  Father moves family to Japan for better work opportunities. Father becomes a workaholic and makes a lot of money, buys himself computers and other gadgets but won’t give Mother money for food or clothes. Mother relies on grandparents for help and begins giving English lessons to neighborhood children after learning Japanese.
• 1987-1988 – Taiwan
  Father tells mother to leave and take us with her. Mother files for divorce and we are sent to live with various relatives in Taiwan while Mother works to build up a successful multi-level marketing business in Japan and Taiwan.

The Middle Ages

• 1988 July – Kauai, Hawaii
  Mother marries a spendthrift, workaphobe, and tax evader among other things disguised as a romantic gentleman in a ninja suit.
• 1988-1994 – Several locations on Oahu, Hawaii
  Mother continues to work at multi-level marketing business, Forever Living Products, bringing in as much as $10,000 per month for several years. Stepfather also helps by dressing up in business suits; however, the level and efficacy of his participation is questionable. 

  For the first we few years, we enjoy an idyllic childhood living in nice houses, one with a swimming pool, with a menagerie of pet cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits, mice, fish and birds. As we get older, our mother begins to share her worries about our stepfather’s shopaholicism. He goes through one expensive phase after another – chess (during which he buys several costly chess sets and strategy books), golf, motorcycles, guitar, etc. She is also constantly worrying about his tax debt and his refusal to do anything to remedy the situation.

• 1991 – 2000 – Family Business
  Staring around age 12 and 10, Madoline and I become partially responsible for helping to manage the family business, as Mother and Stepfather become the area General Managers and run the warehouse for product inventory. Our duties include helping customers (called distributors) with product purchases, explaining the various purposes of the products, taking orders, retrieving and carrying products to customers’ cars, monthly inventories, compiling and mailing monthly sales summaries to the main office. We continue to help out in this business till around part-way through college, at times running the business solely in Stepfather’s place in later years.
• 1994 December – Hawaii Kai, Hawaii
  Mother is diagnosed with stage 4 cancer with 6 months to live. She begins preparing a will, appoints Stepfather legal guardian, names a trustee to set up our trust funds for the life insurance policy left for our future and education – $100,000 each for our education, $500,000 for the purchase of a permanent residence. Knowing Stepfather’s spendthrift nature, she allots $100,000 for his personal use. One month prior to Mother’s passing, the trustee of Mother’s estate is changed to Stepfather.

Imperialism

The following take place in several more locations on Oahu, Hawaii each successively less expensive than the previous.

• 1995 October
  Mother passes away, Stepfather collects the life insurance and begins spending money immediately. He purchases a new car – on credit so as to retain the cash for investing – and ignores calls from lawyer to set up trust funds.
• 1995 November
  Stepfather meets a man called “Grandpa” who has the investment opportunity of a lifetime; give him $250,000 and he will receive $6 Million in 2 months. Stepfather gives “Grandpa” $250,000 – without our consent, of course.
• 1995 November – Early 1996
  In anticipation of millionairehood, Stepfather spends money as if already a millionaire – takes a party of 10 to the Superbowl (including airfare, hotel and $1,000 tickets), takes entire family of which he is the oldest of nine to Phantom of the Opera, hosts a presidential campaign in Hawaii, etc.

The Great Depression

• 1996 Spring
  “Grandpa” proves by all appearances to be a fraud, though Stepfather continues to hope and chant “Our ship will come in.” All $800,000 is gone, new car is repossessed despite Stepfather’s efforts to hide it a ten-minute walk from house. IRS comes calling for back taxes dating to the 1970’s. All that is left is a modest residual income which would be sufficient for us all to live on if he didn’t spend next month’s check before it arrived.
• 1996 Summer
  Stepfather pushes for me to go to college one year early. When I do not want to do so, he resorts to asking for charity from a classmate’s affluent father. (We are unaware of this until after graduation.)
• 1996 -1997
  Stepfather begins to use the word “frugal” in family discussions, a concept he manages to abide to in theory; in practice, he continues to purchase computers, surfboards, and miscellaneous useless things which are somehow supposed to make him rich.

The Age of Enlightenment

• 1997 May
  I graduate high school and win the Sterling Scholarship for Foreign Language and receive a check for $4,000. Because Stepfather needs money, I endorse the check to him.
• 1997-2002 – Higher Education
  Madoline drops out of high school 2 years early, and does one year of independent study by correspondence in order to save Stepfather $16,000 in tuition, and enrolls in college one year early. We graduate college (with honors ) with the aid of scholarships and the residual income left by our mother. Even though the income is enough to support our very modestly priced education, getting the money from Stepfather to pay our class fees and insurance is like pulling teeth.
• 2001-2002 – My First Job
  I enter the work force after graduating, my first job being a contract 9-month receptionist/secretary for our college’s admissions office. I earn $9.00 an hour and work 30 hours a week. It’s a great first job where I discover I have an affinity for administrative work and enjoy counting how much I make every minute as I work (15 cents per minutes ).

The Great Schism

• 2002 June
  At the time of Madoline’s graduation, we sever ties with Stepfather due to a number of irreconcilable differences. When Madoline graduates and my contract ends, we get full-time jobs together. By sharing a house and all our expenses, we are able to put away about $1,000 a month. After a year at this job, we decide to leave Hawaii and try our luck in California.
• 2002 July – 2003 January
  We hire an attorney to help us deal with Stepfather and manage to transfer Mother’s residual income to us. By this time, the business has dwindled and the income is reduced to about 10% of what it was when our mother was alive and developing the business.
• 2003 February – Tokyo, Japan
  Biological Father now decides he wants daughters again after almost 20 years because he finds himself $80,000 in credit card debt from eating out and buying expensive presents for his girlfriends, and suddenly realizes family is important. Unfortunately for him (and for us), we have long ago stopped considering him as our family. Also, he asks us to help pay his debts which does not sit well with us.

The Age of Discovery

• 2003 May – Our First Apartment
  We decide to try living in the Bay Area, where we had been born. Because we will use up almost all our savings on the move, we look for the most inexpensive place we could find. We find a tiny place on Craigslist – and by tiny I mean 240 sq. ft. – an apartment behind a couple’s garage that will let us arrange the rental over email and let us bring all our pets for $650 a month. (Right: Approx. 1/3 of our First Apartment)
  We pack up our things (3,000 lbs. worth of furniture including our piano which we have had since childhood and couldn’t part with, books and mementos of childhood and our mother) and pets – our 4-year old dog, 16-year old cat, and 22 mice. The apartment is so small that we barely had room left after moving all of our things in.
• 2003 May – Our First Car
  After a couple of scary and extremely uncomfortable experiences walking in our new neighborhood to run errands, we decide we need to buy a car asap. Knowing almost nothing about car shopping and credit, we get tricked into a 24% APR.
• 2003 June – Our First Real Frugal Experience
  Having used up all our savings on the move and down payment on the car, and our monthly check having been delayed, we have $100 in the bank. One night we dig through all of our things, pockets and purses for spare change to buy groceries. Even after our check arrives, we go about setting up our apartment as inexpensively as possible because the amount of the income is unpredictable and unreliable. We begin to find creative alternatives for thing we need.
• 2003 Summer & Fall – Our Second Apartment
  As we are still trying to figure out what we want to do, we temporarily apply for and get jobs as sandwich makers at Togo’s Eatery. After a month, the owners of Togo’s offer us managerial positions at a new upscale pizza shop they are opening in Fremont. The apartment turns out to be in violation of several California building codes, and gets extremely hot, with temperatures above 100 degrees on the hottest days. As we are about to start our new jobs in Fremont, we upgrade to a 400 sq. ft. studio apartment. 

  As limited space continues to be an issue, we go to Lowe’s and bring home a carload of lumber and build ourselves a freestanding 8′ x 6′ loft over our beds with for our computer, cushions and other diminutive furniture. This loft is disassembled for a future move, and later recycled into cabinets, this computer desk (with hand-carved feet shaped like horse hooves), a shipping supply cabinet and beds for our dog.

• 2003 September – Our First U-Haul
  To save money, we rent a 10′ U-Haul for our short distance move from Hayward to Fremont. It’s my first time driving a truck, which is quite scary, but when it’s all done, we can’t help but feel just a little bit proud that we’ve done it all ourselves (except for the piano).
• 2004 March – Our First Credit Cards
  Ever since the car loan fiasco, we have been trying to learn about credit. A regular customer of our pizza shop who works for Bank of America advises us to apply for a credit card. We apply for and get our first credit cards and begin building credit histories. Biological Father wants us to add him as an additional user. We say “no.”
• 2004 Tax Time – Our First Time Filing Self-Employment Tax
  Our first tax season is a disaster. I have no idea about where to start and what forms I need to fill out for the income from our mother’s business. I spend days reading the IRS website and countless forms and instructions. I finally figure it all out and mail out our return on April 15th.
• 2004 June – Our First Loan Paid Off
  We have been saving up to pay off our car loan early (23 months ahead of schedule).

The Dark Ages

• April 2004 – Los Angeles
  Our 16-year old cat is diagnosed with kidney disease in November 2003. He becomes seriously ill in February 2004 and needs constant and costly care. As our pizza shop job does not pay very well due to business problems, we decide to move to Los Angeles for more employment opportunities.
• April 2004 – Our Second U-Haul (Actually Budget Rent-a-Truck)
  Again, to save money, we rent a 15′ Budget Rent-a-Truck for the move from Fremont to Van Nuys. This time the experience has gotten old, and the time constraints to return the truck in 3 days is more than a little stressful. We load the truck and hire a Bay Area piano mover to put the piano in the truck on Day 1, make the 8-hour drive and check into the apartment on Day 2, unload the truck and hire a Los Angeles piano mover to unload the piano on Day 3, and return the truck before 9:00AM on Day 4. We swear then and there as we rub our sore backs that this is the last time we ever U-Haul it.
• 2004 Summer – 2005 Summer – The Lost Year
  Having lost our dog to an accident and our cat to kidney disease in early 2004, we suddenly find ourselves a little aimless. Where we used to be content to stay at home and read or watch DVDs, we now find ourselves restless. For a few months, we wander one shopping mall after another as soon as we get off work (a depressing sales job working for a bald man who shouts a lot), buy more clothes than we need, and are reluctant to go home to an empty apartment. 

  Then we decide to quit our jobs and enroll in some arts classes at the local community college, and re-settle into our frugal habits. We become so frugal that we literally don’t do anything or go anywhere except to the library and to the grocery store. We stop going out except to walk the malls for exercise and window shopping.

The Industrial Revolution

• 2005 July – Franga Designs
  One day, while shopping for a Star Trek Enterprise model for my cousin, I discover eBay. Thus begins Franga Designs, our dog and horse clothing and costuming business named after Mother, which later becomes an online store.
• 2005 October – House Hunting
  Madoline’s designs are an instant hit and we begin to receive many requests for custom designs. Our one-bedroom apartment (638 sq. ft.) is completely covered in fabric, patterns, sewing and photographic supplies that we barely have room to walk. We decide it is time to expand our work and living space, and after all the moving around, that it’s time to buy a house and settle somewhere permanently.
• 2005 November – Homeowners
  We find a charming 3-bedroom house with a nice yard in California City. We make an offer and escrow closes November 22, 2005. To celebrate being homeowners, we go to see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (matinee), which to this day remains one of my favorites.

The Modern Era

We are still in the process of settling in our home; with our frugal and DIY mentality, it takes longer to get things done. So far we have replaced all the carpet in our house with our own homemade flooring made from plywood that we sawed into floorboards, built a wall-length and -height shelf for our books and fabrics, and fixed up second hand furniture.

We try to save money wherever we can and build up our savings. Having been privy to our stepfather and our biological father’s mistakes and our mother’s constant stress over finances, we are paranoid about spending and debt.

If you are interested in finding out more about us, please visit the More About Us page.

* * *

About the PF Bloggers Group Writing Project

The Personal Finance Bloggers Network currently consists of 8 active personal finance and frugal living blogs. The Group Writing Project is a monthly project wherein each blog will write a post on a pre-determined topic and publish it on the same day of each month. Be sure to visit the PF Bloggers Group Writing Project page for the others!

Related posts:

• Is “Simple Living” Just Another Term for “Giving Up?”
• Finance Blog Carnivals of Late
• Learning From Our Mistakes: Our First (Auto) Loan
• Closing Your Credit Cards Can Hurt Your FICO Score
• Warm Weather Food Safety Tips

My suggestions are divided into the following subsections:

• Summer Hobbies – activities with lasting benefits and meaning
  
• Summer Studies – develop skills that will be useful in life
  
• Summer To-Do’s – a few ways to get your life or home in order
  
• Summer Fitness – ways to keep cool and stay fit
  
• Summer Pet Bonding – make your pet happy and you healthy

Summer Hobbies

Here are some ideas for catching up on tasks that may have been neglected during the year.

• Write in your journal
  Write about your past year, what’s on your mind, who and what you like and dislike, your daydreams, anything. In future years you will be glad you did it and also amused by your younger self. You think you will always remember what happened when, but as time goes by, memories do fade and become forgotten. (Trust me, I’m speaking from experience and I’m not yet 30 and have a memory better than most.)
• Make a family video
  Go around the house and take a video of your family going about its regular business. You will be glad for the memories one day.
• Scrapbook
  Organize family photos, report cards, birthday cards, artwork, concert programs and other keepsakes from the past year into a scrapbook.
• Reading
  Reading (even fun fiction) can help improve your mind, vocabulary, grammar and writing skills. If you go to the library, you can read in an air-conditioned environment without having to pay for the air-conditioning or the books.

Summer Studies

Yes, summer should be fun, but there’s no reason it can’t be both fun and productive.

• Learn a new language
  The benefits of learning languages are endless. Learning a new language can help you to:
  • Get ahead in your career
  • Make new friends from different parts of the world. When you show an interest in someone’s language or culture, they are often appreciative and take an interest in you in return.
  • Improve your English (or first language)
• Learn to play a musical instrument
  Music enhances the mind in many ways. Studies have shown that children who study music at an early age do better in school than those who don’t. Aside from that, it is also just plain fun.
• Learn to sew
  Sewing is a very useful skill to have regardless of your gender. You can learn to mend clothes, make your own clothes and other things for your house, which can save you a lot of money. Older and more skilled children can even make their own clothes for the coming school year. Check out one of our earlier articles for more info: Save Money by Sewing Your Own Clothes.
• Take a computer class
  Learn to type properly, use a spreadsheet or database, design websites, make presentations, etc. Most jobs these days involve computer use, so knowing as much as you can about computers might help you get a higher salary.

Summer To-Do’s

A few suggestions for improving life at home and getting ahead on the coming year.

• Get a head start on your Christmas shopping
  This could save you time and money because you can shop at your leisure and take advantage of summer sales. Leaving your shopping to the last minute usually costs more because you are up against a deadline and usually have fewer options.
• Sort through your stuff
  Go through your clothes and things and prune out those you no longer want or need. You could donate the things you no longer need or hold a garage or yard sale and make some money to put into your college or retirement savings.
• Re-arrange your room or home
  Re-arranging your room or home can have a positive impact on your life. A change can be uplifting and produce an overall feeling of well-being and accomplishment, renew your energy and increase productivity.
• Clean out your computer
  Ideally you would do this several times a year, but if you use the internet and download a lot of things, it’s a good idea to clean out your computer on a regular basis. If there are programs you don’t use, uninstall them. If there are files that you no longer need, delete them. Clean your registry if you’ve had the computer for a while. Keeping your hard drive from getting too full will extend its life.

Summer Fitness

A few suggestions for staying cool and healthy this summer.

• Mall Walking
  Walking in an indoor, air-conditioned mall is a great way to get exercise away from the heat and smog, and you can also save on sunscreen. You can even window-shop during your walks, but if you think you might get too tempted, leave your money and credit card at home.
• Swimming in an indoor pool
  Swimming is another low-impact exercise (safer than running) which increases endurance, muscle and cardiovascular strength. Try to swim in an indoor pool whenever possible or wait until early evening to avoid sunburn.
• Ice Skating
  Not only does it let you get away from the heat, but it’s a good low-impact and aerobic exercise which will help strengthen your bones and cardiovascular system. Taking some lessons and learning to skate properly can be worth the money.

Summer Pet Bonding

If you have a pet, spend some quality time together. Not only will you make your pet very happy, he/she will help make you healthier. (How Pets Help People)

• Take your dog to obedience school
  Obedience school is good for socializing and teaching discipline. There is nothing wrong with repeating obedience school for fun and refreshing both your memories.
• Teach your dog new tricks
  There are lots of fun tricks you can teach your dog: beg, spin (in both directions), roll, speak, catch a ball or frisbee, etc. You can also teach your dog to be helpful around the house: closing the door or brining you something you dropped. Dogs enjoy feeling helpful and learning new things can keep mature dogs’ minds sharp.
• Take your dog for long evening strolls or hikes
  If going hiking, be sure to take another person along, bring lots of water and plastic bags, and make sure your dog’s feet are protected from rough terrain. For your dog’s and other hikers’ safety, never let him off-leash on a hiking trail.
• Enter your dog in a 4th of July costume contest
  Make a fun costume for your dog and enter a costume contest or parade. (Sorry, for the self-promotion, but if you don’t want to make your own costume, check out some of our patriotic dog clothing and costumes at Franga Designs.)

Well, I hope some of these suggestions prove helpful in making your summer both fun and productive. Vas-y t’amuser!

Related posts:

• June 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Under the Weather – Recommended Reading
• No-Air Conditioning Summer Part 1 – How It Started: No-Heat Winters
• Language Lesson ~ Frugality is a Virtue
• Frugal Thermodymics Part I: Limiting Sources of Heat in the Home

Originally posted 2008-06-09 05:28:43.

For our very first Frugaltroph article, we decided to feature our new favorite frugal dessert. Whenever we bake a whole cake, it often begins to go stale before we’re halfway through it. Therefore we came up with the idea of Cup-o-Cakes, an easy, time- and money-saving way to prepare personal-sized cakes as a snack for yourself, to enjoy with a friend or everyone at your dinner table.

How to Make Cup-o-Cake

1. Prepare cake mix as directed in an airtight container. If you do not consume a lot of cake, just mix 1/3 of a pack of cake mix with 1 egg and cut the other ingredients (oil and water) to 1/3.
2. Store unused batter in the refrigerator.
3. When you feel like having cake, put a few spoonfuls of batter in a microwaveable cup or mug. Do not fill cups more than 1/2 full because the cake will rise quite a bit.
4. Microwave for about 1 – 1½ minutes or until cake is fully cooked.
5. Top with frosting and sprinkles if desired.
6. Eat or wrap as gift.

Sack/School Lunch: Tup-o-Cake

If you have children or bring your own lunch to work, imagine how nice it would be to have a beautiful, personal sized cake for a snack or dessert. To do this, follow the same directions for Cup-o-Cake, but make it in a small microwave-safe Tupperware or food storage container. Top it with frosting and/or sprinkles to make your children feel special.

For convenience, you can prepare a week’s worth of Tup-o-Cakes on Sunday evening.

Varying Cake Flavors

• Swirl different cake mixes together
• Change frosting colors and flavors
• Mix in chocolate chips
• Top with jam
• Mix in blueberries, mashed bananas and other fruits
• Top with maraschino cherry
• Use brownie instead of cake mix
• Top with instant pudding instead of frosting
• For the health & weight conscious, mix some oats or bran into your batter before cooking
• Layer different colors of cake mixes in your cup or container
• Add vanilla, lemon, almond or other extract in your cake mix

Benefits of Cup-o-Cakes and Tup-o-Cakes

• Saves utilities: eliminates oven preheating and baking
• Saves time: only requires 1 or 2 minutes to cook a cake
• Saves money by buying in “bulk” and using as needed
• Prevents waste from making more than you can consume
• Reduces risk of forgetting and burning a whole cake
• Portion control

Cost of a Cup-o-Cake

We tend to eat small servings and usually use about 2 tablespoons of batter in an 8 oz. cup. With cake mix at $1.00 or $1.50, we estimate the cost of each serving to be around $0.20 including the egg, oil and frosting.

Gift Ideas

A Cup-o-Cake makes a great gift for any occasion.

• Present it to a friend or co-worker on his/her birthday.
• If giving a mug as a gift, you could prepare a Cup-o-Cake in the new mug as part of the gift.
• Add candles for a birthday.
• For coffee lovers, make a coffee flavored cake.
• Wrap the Cup-o-Cake in cellophane and tie with a ribbon.

Family Member’s Birthday

On your child or spouse’s birthday, prepare a Tup-0-Cake with his/her lunch. Put pretty frosting on it, or write Happy Birthday in frosting or candy letters, include a candle or put a bow on the Tupperware.

Be creative and have fun.

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• Chilled Asian Style Noodles with Spinach and Garlic Sauce
• Basics for the Young, Single and Frugal
• Introducing Frugaltroph
• Make It Do: Frugal Forever
• Fast & Frugal Recipe: Spaghetti with Hot Dogs

The Holidays are fun, or they’re supposed to be, but sometimes it gets hard to remember that when you have people coming over and a hundred things to get done on time. A good way to take some pressure off when hosting a large Holiday dinner party is to have a Party-Preparation Party the day or a couple of days before the actual event.

When you issue an invitation to your home for a Holiday dinner or party, friends and family usually ask if they can do anything to help. If you have your hands full, take them up on it to relieve some of the stress of hosting a dinner or party. Close friends and family usually won’t mind lending a hand or seeing your house a little messy; in fact, they would probably prefer to help out than not, so they don’t feel guilty for letting you do all the work.

To make things easier for you on the day of the main event, ask them if they would be willing to come over the day before to help you prepare by cutting vegetables and preparing things for cooking or baking the next day. They could also help put up decorations or tidy up the house a little.

One year, our cousin was having a Thanksgiving dinner party and Madoline and I went over and spent an evening cutting vegetables and straightening up for him (he lives with a brother and they were a little messy). We had a good time hanging out in the kitchen, something we didn’t get a lot of chance to do because we all had busy lives, so it was fun and the work didn’t feel like work.

If you’re hosting dinners and parties this year and feel a little overwhelmed, give it a try. Most of us already have our hands full during non-Holiday seasons, so don’t be embarrassed if you need a little help around the Holidays. And you can make the preparation fun by turning it into a party of sorts.

Instead of making it just a cook and clean session, schedule in a little rest and relaxation too. Remember, the point of all this is to help relieve stress in preparing for the main event, so it’s not supposed to be a fancy to-do. If you’re not hosting a dinner or party this year but someone close to you is, suggest the idea to them.

Hosting a Party-Preparation Party

• Choose a few close friends and relatives that you are comfortable having around when the house isn’t perfect, who are comfortable with each other, and whom you are comfortable asking for help.
• Put on fun music to listen and sing to while you’re working.
• Have some snacks and drinks around (easy snacks that don’t need preparation – i.e. cookies.)
• Take breaks to chat and enjoy each others’ company.
• When you’ve finished your preparations, have a drink – tea, coffee, hot chocolate or eggnog – and some dessert to unwind a little before they go home.

Everyone will probably be busy and in a hurry to be somewhere or do something from now through New Year’s Day, but it’s important to take some time to relax.

Research has shown that heart-related illnesses claim more lives during the Holiday Season than other times of the year. Researchers attribute this to changes in diet, increased alcohol consumption and emotional stress; they also speculate that people tend to delay treatment because they’re busy. (Deaths Peak During Hoiday Season)

So remember, the Holidays are meant to be a celebration. If you’re feeling stressed, don’t be afraid to ask for help. After all that’s what friends are for. And friends are what the Holdays are all about.

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• Interesting Reads From Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #13
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Food safety practices should actually apply all year round, but in summer and any time of warm weather, regular precautions might not be enough. For example, you might be able to leave food unrefrigerated for several hours in February without seeing any major effects, but the same practice may not work for you in August when the environment is warmer and bacteria multiply faster. Also, just because you can’t see any change, it doesn’t mean it’s not there.

Everyone knows that food goes bad, but it occurs to me that the average person might not be privy to all the specific details. Madoline and I worked in the very non-glamourous industry of food services for about 10 months in 2003 (more details in Our Family Financial History). When first hired, we had to go through food safety training and learned a lot of things that we otherwise may never have known had we not happened to get jobs in the industry.

Practicing safe food handling and storage will not only save you money by preventing food waste from spoiling, but more importantly, it will protect your family’s health. For some of you, it might be common sense, but my experience with the general public and relatives is that these are things the average person is simply not aware of. I won’t go into detail about bacteria and all that fun stuff; this is just a basic introduction to food safety.

Hand-Washing

These hand-washing practices should apply everywhere, not just in the kitchen, and especially when using the restroom – and even more importantly, when using a public restroom.

• Before handling food – be it preparing, eating or storing – wash your hands.
• Wash your hands in hot water and with an anti-bacterial soap.
• When finished washing your hands, do not use your hands to turn off the tap. Whatever bacteria was on your hands (and the hands of every other person who used the sink before you) is also on the faucet handle.
  • When in your own home and you are able to control the cleanliness of the facilities, this may not be as vital as opposed to a public facility. When at home, I often use my wrist or forearm to turn off the tap after washing my hands.
  • When in public, use the paper towel with which you dry your hands to turn off the tap – after drying your hands on it. Yes, it leaves the water running for a few seconds longer, but it keeps your hands germ-free. I also use the same paper towel to open restroom exit doors before disposing of it. This may seem overly paranoid, but you never know when you’re in public what other people have touched and left on a door handle or faucet for you to pick up (and later ingest).
• If using a towel, make sure the hand-drying towel is clean and used only for hand-drying. Change them frequently as damp towels in warm weather can mildew quickly. If using paper towels, make sure the paper towel roll is clean – hasn’t fallen on the floor, isn’t often handled when hands are dirty or used for cleaning around the house.

Some people may call this behavior paranoid or obsessive-compulsive, but it is important to be aware that bacteria is transferred by touching. This is an important factor when it comes to safe food handling. When working in food services, we were taught that if your hands touch anything that has not been sanitized, they are dirty and must be washed again before handling food.

Food Preparation & Storage

• When preparing hot food, it should be heated to above 170° F (77° C). If you don’t have a food thermometer, a good way make sure it is sufficiently hot would be to heat to boiling point, which is 212° F (100° C).
• Try not to leave hot food sitting out for longer than 2 hours.
• Try to keep hot food above 140° F (60° C) if not being consumed within 2 hours to keep bacteria from multiplying too fast.
• Cold foods and meats should be stored at temperatures below 40° F (60° C).
• After 2 hours, store the food in the refrigerator.
• Always wash your hands before and after handling raw meat, poultry, fish and dairy.
• Use an anti-bacterial dish detergent – at least for items used in preparing meats.

We’ve probably all left food out for more than 2 hours and have never gotten sick from eating it. I myself have done it and still do it sometimes, despite knowing the rules. But I feel is important to be aware of the correct practices and keep them in mind when dealing with food.

And remember that bacteria multiply faster in warm environments. So try to take more precautions than you usually would when handling and storing foods in warm weather. Teach your family the importance of good hand-washing and food safety habits. For the whole family to be healthy, it is important for each member to do his or her part.

One Last Tidbit – Grocery Shopping Carts

Shopping carts are one of the germiest things to be found in public. According to an article on ABC New, shopping cart handles have more germs than a public restroom. People touch it after handling food and money; kids stand or sit in them and teethe on them; food, raw meat juices and milk leak in them; birds poo on them in the parking lot; etc. It seems grocery stores have become more aware of cleanliness issues in recent years and some now offer sanitizing wipes for shopping carts.

When we lived in L.A. there was only one store in our neighborhood that offered cleansing wipes for shopping carts. Their prices were higher, but we often opted to shop there just because of it. If your grocery store doesn’t offer sanitation wipes, suggest it to the manager. Our local grocery store offers them and I always wipe down my shopping cart upon entering. The amount of black gunk that comes off it really quite frightening.

These were just a few basics garnered from from memory of training I received 5 years ago. For more information on food safety, visit FoodSafety.gov.

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While generic brand items, especially groceries, seem to have improved in recent years, there are still many things that you need to watch out for that may seem to save you money at the time of purchase but may end up costing you more in the long run.  With the advent of the Dollar Store, it has become very easy to find “bargains” on everyday personal and household things, but as we all know, cheapness and quality don’t always come hand in hand. Save yourself – money, time, aggravation and, most importantly, your family’s health – by not saving on the following things

9 Things to Not Skimp On

• Cheese

  A few cents per ounce can be the difference between delicious and gross. Luckily for us, the generic brand at our grocery store is really good. A lot of cheap brands of cheese are bulked up with potato starch which has a horrible texture.

• Shampoo and Conditioner

  Occasionally I fall for those 97¢ bottles of shampoo and conditioner because they smell like strawberries or coconuts. But experience has taught me that these yummy hair products promote an increasingly scruffy appearance. The difference in the quality of your hair after a single wash with a good shampoo is worth $3-$5 dollars a bottle. And a 40 oz. bottle of Pantene or Herbal Essence is very economical.

• Electronics

  Cheap electronics may save you money at the time of purchase, but it adds up when you have to make the purchase 3 or more times within the period that a well-made product would have served you. Not to mention the time lost and significant inconvenience. $20 or $30 more spent on a reliable brand will infinitely pay off in the long run.

• Batteries

  Cheap generic brand batteries don’t last as long as brand name batteries and may not be as well-constructed. Battery fluid is toxic so it is worth spending a few more dollars to make sure yours are leak proof, especially if you have children or pets.

• Household cleaners

  Kill germs, not your family. Cheap and little-known brands may cut corners and not list harmful ingredients. Overexposure to certain toxins lead to things like skin irritation, respiratory problems and cancer.

• Bakeware

  If you grease your pans and still have to pry out your food with a knife and spend more time scrubbing the pans than eating, upgrade your bakeware and you will be able to eat more of your baking.

• Dollar Store Pencils

  Dollar store brand pencils like “A+ Homework” will find you spending more time trying to sharpen the pencils than actually writing. The wood and lead are of such poor consistency that they splinter from beginning to end. If you are lucky enough to achieve the likeness of a sharpened pencil, it doesn’t write as well. And we won’t even go into the eraser.

• Pet Food

  Better quality pet foods will keep your pets healthier, improving your finances and quality of life. A pet with kidney disease, cancer, or other illness may cost you $1,000 or more a month. Poor diet in young animals may affect the development of joints, immune systems, and intelligence. I have also read that certain artificial food colors causes aggression in both people and animals.

• Human Food

  For the same reasons as pet food.

Related posts:

• Festival of Frugality #140: The Frugal Quotes Edition
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• Interesting Reads From Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #19

All activities listed below are FREE of admission charges unless otherwise noted (some activities are free on particular days or at particular times of day). Those that are not free cost $5 or less per person. Parking fees are noted whenever possible. Depending on the distance and number of persons in your group, public transit may or may not be less expensive. Check out an earlier post I wrote on How to Save Gas and Time by Using Google Maps, which includes tips on looking up public transportation directions and fares.

General & Sight-Seeing

The Grove Fountain Photo credit: r3m3dy

Our favorite frugal activity was walking malls and pretty places to both sight-see and get some exercise. Here are some of our favorite places to walk. Note that even though these include shopping centers, you do not need to shop in order to enjoy the scenery and atmosphere!

• Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade

  Grab a drink or ice cream cone and just enjoy the scenery and street performers. Check out Santa Monica Pier while you’re there. You don’t have to spend money on the rides, just enjoy the scenery, have a look at the famous carousel built in 1916.

  More information: Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade

• The Grove

  A very pretty outdoor mall with cute buildings and a park-like setting with fountains and outdoor seating. Includes free events such as Movies in the Park, Girls Night Out, Music in the Park, etc.

  More information: The Grove

• Farmers Market

  

  The Farmers Market isn’t only a place to shop for groceries, but they host free events all year round including a Summer Music Series; Family Fun with music, arts & crafts; Fall Festival with marching band, petting zoo, pig races, etc.; Holiday Festivities including music, Menorah lighting, caroling and a toy soldier band; Mardi Gras with Cajun bands, mask making, etc.; and the Gilmore Heritage Auto Show featuring more than 100 vintage and classic cars. (Photo credit: andy castro)

  More information: Farmers Market Events

• Downtown Burbank

  “Come Out and Dance” with live bands with free dance lessons, fine arts festivals, Halloween trick-or-treat, Holiday Cheer and more in Downtown Burbank.

  More information: Events in Downtown Burbank

Entertainment

• The Hollywood Bowl Museum

  The Hollywood Bowl is the world’s largest natural amphitheater which has hosted symphonies, opera, jazz, ballet, presidential addresses, rock concerts, etc. The grounds are open to the public to during the day to see the amphitheater. During the summer months, the Bowl offers rehearsals every Tuesday, Thursday & Friday, from 9 AM to noon. Admission to the rehearsals is free. The Hollywood Bowl museum is open to the public during the day year-round, and nights before concerts.

  More information: The Hollywood Bowl

• TV Studio Audience

  Attend a TV show or sitcom taping as studio audience. Tickets are free, but you may be there until midnight. A great way to see your favorite stars live and an episode of your favorite show before everybody else.

  More information and tickets: TV Tickets, Audience Unlimited

Universal Studios Hollywood

• Film Screenings

  Before films are released, they are often screened to audiences for input. Los Angeles, being the film capitol of the world, is full of films waiting to be screened. However, this one is more based on opportunity striking, because you often need to be invited. We used to go to the malls a lot, sometimes for shopping and sometimes just to walk, and perhaps 1 out of 4 times, we were approached by people looking for film screening audiences. After the film, you are asked to fill out a questionnaire of what you thought of the movie, and you might be selected to stay behind with a small group to answer questions and provide more feedback.

  More information: Tips for How to Attend a Free Movie Screening

• Universal City Walk Summer Block Party

  Free entertainment and movies at Universal Studios City Walk (no admission fee) seven nights a week during the summer. But to save on parking, you will want to find free or low-cost parking elsewhere and walk up to the City Walk.

  More information: Universal Studios City Walk

• Grand Performances

  Grand Performances presents free performing arts that reflect the best of global culture and inspire community among the diverse peoples of Los Angeles.

  More information: Grand Performances at California Plaza

Outdoor Activities

• Night Hikes at Griffith Park

  The Sierra Club leads free 2-hour hikes open to the public to view nightlife and birds. They encourage you to bring binoculars to better see the wildlife.

  More information: Night Hikes

• L.A. Mountains

  Several parks that have free group hikes through several canyons and ranches. Some have a $1-$5 parking fee, but the hikes are free.

  More information: L.A. Mountains Hikes and Events Calendars

Art & Culture

The Getty Villa

It is recommended that you check with each institution regarding admission and parking fees prior to visiting as the information may change.

• The Getty Center

  “The Getty Center presents the Getty’s collection of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present against a backdrop of dramatic architecture, tranquil gardens, and breathtaking views.” Admission is Free, but parking is $8.

  More information: The Getty Center

• The Getty Villa

  The Getty Villa, located in Malibu, is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria.

  More information: The Getty Center

• Skirball Cutural Center

  A great cultural and historical museum which offers free admissions on Thursdays and other free events such as film screenings. We once attended a great exhibit on Albert Einstein here.

  More information: The Skirball Cultural Center

• Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

  The largest arm museum in the western United States. On the second Tuesday of each month, general admission to the permanent galleries and non-ticketed exhibitions is free to all. After 5 pm, you may pay what you wish. Evening special: Vehicles entering the 6th Street parking garage after 7 pm park for free.

  More information: Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

• Los Angeles Public Library

  This is one of our favorite places in the world – a 5-story building full of books. Aside from books, it is also a center of art and architecture with its distinctive sphinxes and rooftop pyramids. Docent guided tours are available daily. Parking is $1 Flat Rate for cars entering after 3PM, and on Saturdays and Sundays.

  More information: Los Angeles Public Library Tours

Educational

• Travel Town Museum

  A combination transportation museum and recreation center located at the L.A. Zoo. Has a miniature train ride tour of the perimeter of the museum for a small fee. Picnic tables and barbecue facilities are available on a first come, first serve basis. Admission is free, parking available on Museum premises.

  More information: Travel Town Museum

• Griffith Observatory

  Located at Griffith Park, Griffith Observatory’s grounds, exhibits, and telescopes are open and free to the public each day the building is open. The Observatory also offers programs, special events, and public star parties.

  More information: Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory

• California Science Center

  “The California Science Center offers fun and informative permanent exhibits presented in interactive worlds. Through hands-on experiences in our galleries, you’ll learn about human inventions and innovations, the life processes of living things and more.” Admission to permanent exhibits is free, additional charge for IMAX and special exhbitions. Parking is $6.

  More information: California Science Center

• Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society – Hollywood Museum 27

  Museuem and exhibit of firefighting history dating back to the 1880s including a library and learning center on fire and life safety for both children and adults.

  More information: LAFD Historical Society

• Barnes and Noble Storytime

  Barnes and Noble bookstore offers storytime for children, toddlers, and beginning readers. This is a nationwide program. Check the events calendar for the schedule of the store closest to you.

  More information: Barnes and Noble Store Events Calendar

• Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

  Exhibits and public programs to educate kids and families about the ocean, its animal and plant life. Children under 12 enter free, adults pay a suggested admission of $5 ($2 minimum).

  More information: Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

Sources for More Free Events and Frugal Activities in the Los Angeles Area

• This week in … Guides to events such as concerts, movies, hikes and other activities in the area (some free, some not)
  
  • Burbank
  • Santa Monica
  • Pacific Palisades
  • Beverly Hills
  • Malibu
  • East San Fernando Valley (Encino, Sherman Oaks, Studio City & surrounding)
  • West San Fernando Valley (Calabasas, Woodland Hills, Tarzana & surrounding)
  • Southern California

• Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation
  Guide of activities, programs and classes offered through the parks and recreations. Some may be free and some for a fee.
• Parents Connect Activity Calendar – Los Angeles
• Eye Spy L.A. Free Things to Do in Los Angeles
  

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• Save on Groceries, Auto Repair, Movie Tickets, Dining, Travel, Recreation and More with the Entertainment Book: Currently 50% Off
• Festival of Frugality #140: The Frugal Quotes Edition
• Our Financial Lent: Giving up Chocolate and Ice Cream for a Month to Save $14

Yes, I know I’m a little late in the game. Having seen references to Twitter all over the web in recent months, I finally decided to check it out and signed up this past Sunday. Twitter is a great, easy and fun way to interact with people – specifically for me, personal finance bloggers and blog readers.

What is Twitter

Basically, Twitter is a social networking website, but much simpler than Facebook or MySpace. You simply log-in to your account and type in your 140 character (or less) update to tell your friends and family what you are up to, what’s going on in your life, what you are thinking/doing/reading/watching/etc.

You begin by “following” other people – friends, family, classmates, etc. – subscribing to their updates. You interact by typing updates of yourself, and reading and replying to your friends’ updates. Eventually people will start following you. (Read to the end for a list of useful Twitter Tools and Tips.)

How Twitter Relates to Our Fourpence Worth

There is a great network of personal finance bloggers on Twitter. By following them, I can:

• Get to know my fellow personal finance and frugal living bloggers
• Know when new blog posts are published
• Discover new blogs
• Keep up with what other personal finance bloggers are writing about
• Keep abreast of personal finance blogosphere happenings – blog carnivals, group writing projects, blog networks, etc.
• Find interesting things to share with my readers [you]

Follow Me on Twitter!

I’d like to invite you to follow me on Twitter. It’s an easy way for me to get to know you, my readers, find out what’s on your mind, and hopefully be able to make this blog more useful to you by writing about topics that interest you.

My Twitter Page:
http://twitter.com/PenelopePince

Twitter Tools and Tips

Since I”m new at Twittering and these following resources have been useful to me, if you’re new – or even if you’re not new – maybe they’ll be useful to you too.

For Personal Finance Bloggers and Blog Readers

• A list of 118 Twitter Users Who Blog About Money (plus more under Comments)

Graphics

• Cute “Follow me on Twitter” graphics for your site, email signature, online profiles, etc.
• More cute Twitter Graphics and Icons (like the one above)

• Follow me on Twitter badges / logos / buttons (very artsy graphics)

For Bloggers

• Twitterfeed tells your followers about new blog posts using your RSS feed (requires OpenID)
• How to Use Twitter – Tips for Bloggers
• 9 Benefits of Twitter for Bloggers
• 7 Ways to Use Twitter to Promote Your Blog and Build Traffic
  
• The networking benefits of using Twitter
• 17 Ways You Can Use Twitter: A Guide for Beginners, Marketers and Business Owners
• 7 Ways to Use Microblogging Services for Traffic and Brand Exposure

URL Shorteners

Because each Twitter update is limited to 140 characters, you’ll want to use an URL shortener to save space.

• Tweeter Burner ties into your account and allows you to track how the links you share are doing (how many clicks)
• TinyURL seems to be the most commonly used URL shortener

More Twitter Tools & Apps

• Official Twitter Application Downloads Site
  
• Twitter Apps (Official Twitter Blog)
• Twitter Forge – Twittown
• Twitter Tool Box: 60+ Twitter Tools
• Twittermania: 140+ More Twitter Tools!

• Top 21 Twitter Tools and Help Websites

• Twitter Tools 2nd Edition

• Twitter Fan Wiki Apps
• Firefox add-ons for Twitter

Cool Stuff

• Twittervision – Shows you tweets being sent all over the world in real-time (ok, with a slight delay – less than a minute). I like the 3-D globe one that spins. It’s really fun to read all these tweets being sent all over the world in various languages.

Interesting Stuff

• Twitter as News-Wire

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• Favorite Christmas Memory
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While browsing the WiseBread Forums today, I came across an interesting thread in which a member asks: Is “Simple Living” Just Another Term for “Giving Up”?

Several members responded with various opinions:

• There is a difference between simple living and forced poverty.
• Not everyone enjoys the rat race.
• It’s a choice.
• It’s a form of retirement.
• Some live the frugal life because they have no other choice.
• Frugal does not mean “easy,” but instead takes work and ambition.
• It’s the means to an end.

I thought I’d add my own opinion to this and go more into why we live the way we do – sort of a continuation/elaboration on Our Family Financial History which tells how we came to be where we are today. The answer to this question, as evidenced above, is different for everyone depending on your station in life – age, personal goals and lifestyle preferences.

For us, the last answer, “It’s the means to an end,” is closest to our view of “simple living” or “frugal living.” For me, simple living is not just another terms for “giving up.” I like to think of it as “saving up” and making it possible to “live it up” in future years.

Though, I think this has much to do with where we are agewise in our lives. Madoline and I are in our late twenties and we have many years ahead of us. But for someone at midlife, retirement or late-life, it would probably be different.

Our Reasons for Frugal Living are:

• To pay off our house as soon as possible
• To save up to attend graduate school
• To save up for a replacement car when the time comes
• To make sure we and our pets have enough (or more) to live on in later life
• To be able to live as comfortably and healthily as possible in later life
• To be able to help extended family who may need assistance
• To be able to travel and see the all the places we’ve been wanting to see
• To own a small farm on which to keep horses, sheep and dogs
• To be free of debt and worry
• To be able to have the things we want be they large or small
• To be able to pay our taxes – sad, but true

Frugal Living as a Choice

At this time in our lives, we cannot really afford to not live frugally. Our business is still in its development stages, and we are still considering other career paths. Because we prefer to avoid debt and our business is small, we have been using our cash to invest in sewing machines and materials for the business.

So for us, frugal or simple living is a choice because our present lifestyle is also a choice. At this time, we’d like to have a shot at making our business work because we prefer to work for ourselves and be able to work from home so we can be with our dogs who are our closest family. This is the reason we bought our house where the closest city is 40 miles away. We could move to a large city and get full-time jobs if we really wanted or needed to, but for now, we want to try to make our business work.

Frugal Living as a Means to an End

One of the ways in which we hope to make our fortunes is by investing. This also requires some capital other than regular savings and and emergency fund. So that is another reason we live frugally – to save as much money as possible to invest.

How about you? Do you live frugally? If yes, what are your reasons? And if no, why not?

Related posts:

• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Pecuniary Links ~ August 2009 #1
• Short Term vs. Long Term Savings with Bulk Buying
• Resisting the Urge to Splurge
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A few months ago, we put a link on our blog for Dogs in Danger, a website featuring shelter dogs who are due to be euthanized if they do not find a home very soon. We had hoped placing the link would result in some adoptions of needy dogs. Well . . . . good news! It worked! Although we didn’t end up with one of the dogs on this website (the suitable ones being too far away), looking at all the pictures and descriptions of poor homeless dogs made us finally decide to adopt. After all, an adoption would benefit all parties. It would provide a home and family for the dog while making our business more efficient and hopefully more lucrative.

Another reason for adopting at this time is that foreclosures are causing many owners to give up their pets. By taking a dog out of a shelter, we could make room for another, reducing the euthanasia statistics by one. When the digit 1 represents a life, it’s not such a small number after all.

We began searching online for dogs at local shelters who might be a clothes model, pet, and little sibling for Luwie and Wolfie. There were so many cute ones that we were actually tempted to take two . . . or even three. But finances being a consideration, we had to be practical and choose only one.

There was a dog at the Lancaster Animal Shelter who instantly caught our eye. She was listed as a chihuahua, though we think she is half Italian greyhound or whippet. The poor little dog had actually been recently adopted and returned with the complaint that she was too big for a chihuahua and was very nervous and unhappy to be back at the shelter. Not only was she physically perfect for the job, having a neutral color and clean outline, but she was (and is) incredibly sweet and submissive, and went limp like a ragdoll when picked up.

With a payment of just $38.00, this little girl became our Sophia (pronounced “so-FYE-uh” in the 18th century way), Sophie for short. And we are glad to announce that everything worked out happily. We are fond of Sophia, who is our first toy dog, and she seems quite satisfied with us. Wolfgang is delighted to have a new friend and Ludwig is beginning to get curious about her after raising his eyebrows (he really does) and saying “What’s this?” for 24 hours.

Sophia has started a new life as a little princess with a big wardrobe and has reached the happy ending of the doggy fairy tale which is a “forever home.” Of course, we couldn’t wait to dress her up and already made her two new outfits. Isn’t she lovely?

* * * * * * * * *

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• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #3
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• Introducing Frugaltroph
• More About Us

If this is your first time here, please have a look around and consider subscribing to our RSS feed, which can be delivered in various forms of web based readers as well as email.

Our Fourpence Worth is all about frugal living and making smart choices in personal finance. We write about things we have learned and are learning as we strive for financial freedom and we offer tips for saving money in various aspects of life: personal, home improvement and decoration, family, money management, pet care, frugal recipes and more, as well as our opinions on current affairs related to our subject.

To give you an idea of the kind of topics we write about, here are a few of our posts that have done quite well in the blogosphere:

• My Favorite Money and Time Saving Websites
• Simple Solutions to Staying Out of Debt
• Resisting the Urge to Splurge
• Monopoly Game Expansions for Learning Money Management and Investment Principles
• Frugal Travel Begins Before the Trip: Vacation Preparation Checklist
• Guide to Safe and Smart Traveling with Pets
• Fast & Frugal Recipe: Yakisoba (Japanese Chow Mein)

Check out the “Most Popular Posts” section on the sidebar to the right (below “Categories”) for more popular posts. To learn more about us and this blog, please visit About this Blog and More About Us.

Thanks for stopping by!

Penelope and Madoline

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As kids, Madoline and I loved playing Monopoly. We enjoyed accumulating property, building hotels and watching the money roll in. We used to play to the extent of having to use calculators to keep track of our individual wealth after exhausting the bank’s supply of cash. When our cousin Mabel arrived in April for her 3-month sampling of the American life, we pulled our Monopoly game back out as part of her introduction to American culture.

Mabel seemed to have born with more than usual bad luck. Since childhood, she has been prone to little (and sometimes not so little) mishaps and accidents of all sorts as well as general ill fortune in all aspects of life – family, personal, professional, etc. Her ill luck also obviously carries over to pretend life, Monopoly included.

During our first Monopoly game with Mabel, Madoline got so tired of Mabel landing on her hotels and unable to afford rent that she devised a lottery system for the game in the hopes that Mabel would win a few jackpots and be able to pay her way. (We don’t like to end the game when someone runs out of money because otherwise it would end too soon.)

Lottopoly, as we call it, was an instant success – for Madoline and me that is. Despite purchasing 3 tickets per lottery that first day, Mabel didn’t win a single lottery. Madoline and I, on the other hand, grew richer and richer, and the Lottopoly became the highlight of the game.

We have since invented more expansions to add some spice to our Monopoly games. All of our expansions have to do with making, saving and investing money, and are a fun way to teach children, and even grown-ups, basic money management and investment principles. Players have to learn how to budget their cash and not over-invest or face penalties for early withdrawal of invested funds.

We have decided to begin publishing a series of Monopoly Expansions here at Our Fourpence Worth. Each game expansion comes with forms that you can download and print for free in PDF or JPG format and detailed instructions for playing with your friends and family. We will begin posting Monopoly Expansions for different money management principles, Certificates of Deposit (CDs), Foreign Currency Investments, Lottopoly and more starting this week.

Monopoly is a fun and fairly inexpensive way to teach kids basic money management skills. I would definitely recommend it to parents who are looking for frugal and beneficial diversions for keeping kids entertained during hot summer days.

Check back tomorrow for the first Monopoly Game Expansion!

Related posts:

• Monopoly Game Expansion #1: Personal Savings Account
• Welcome MSN Money Central Smart Spending Readers!
• Monopoly Game Expansion #3: Certificate of Deposit
• Monopoly Game Expansion #5: Income Tax Edition
• Monopoly Game Expansion #2: Personal Checking Account

As for actual gifts, we believe most mothers would appreciate something you made or put some thought and effort into. Below are some suggestions for Mother’s Day gifts. Ideally, you would do some of these things all year round, but Mother’s Day is a good time for them too. Not all of these ideas will suit everyone, but hopefully some of these will work for you and your mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, wife, or any other maternal figure in your life.

Note: Not all of these suggestions are really “frugal” as in “cheap”, but they are frugal in that they are ideas for prudent, useful and practical, but still meaningful gifts that show you’ve put thought and effort into it and, therefore less likely to go to waste as many commercial Mother’s Day gifts tend to.

Hobby Gift Baskets

A few suggestions for baskets you can assemble. You can often find nice baskets at dollar stores or at thrift stores for a very low price. Many of the items recommended in the following list (i.e. books and music) can be purchase used and still in good condition. Used items often clean up nicely with a bit of rubbing alcohol and a paper towel. And even purchased new, these items still make useful gifts with lasting benefits.

• For the Literary Mom
  If she likes to read, scour used books stores and library sales for books she would like (mysteries, vintage books, classics, etc. – paperbacks suggested) and assemble a book basket. You could even include a few snacks to enjoy while she reads (cookies, chocolates, cocoa, tea or coffee mix).
• For the Crafty Mom
  A basket of yarns, fabrics, sewing, knitting or crochet supplies. You could pick out a craft instructions book, find a project she might like and assemble the necessary supplies for that project.
• For the Musical Mom
  CD’s, sheet music, and music books. You might pick a particular theme such as Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy, romantic piano, or Italian opera or music from her youth. For older moms, you might have to include a CD player. For pianist moms make or buy a cushion for the piano bench (the unpadded ones are incredibly hard even for young bodies).
• For Moms with Pets
  Assemble inside a new litter box or pet bed: treats and necessities such as grooming supplies, pet vitamins, hair catching tools, odor control, collars and leashes, training equipment, hair bows, super odor suppressing cat litter, car restraints (seat belts), and/or an obedience class paid for by you.
• For the Gardening Mom
  An assortment of seed packets with flowers, spices, fruits, and vegetables. The frugal mom may save a lot of money growing her own produce. For areas with insect problems, herbs such as lavender may deter bugs from the home. You can also include a book on using herbs for health and beauty and include seeds for the plants described.
• For Culinary Moms
  Collect free recipes online to present on index cards or a handmade book. You might choose recipes based on a theme, such as appetizers, a certain ethnicity, a favorite ingredient, or health benefits. You might wish to include few kitchen gifts like a baking pans, knives, silverware bought on clearance (we got ours for under $5), cheese graters, rolling pins, seeds for herbs or young herb plants. Instead of a basket, you could give a blender filled with fruits and smoothie recipes.
• For the Scrapbooking Mom
  Scrapbook supplies and the promise to provide future memories for her to document. Look for creative scrapbook materials such as pretty paper salvages from greeting cards, gift wrapping paper, and nice packaging from things you buy. Ribbon, beads, lace, small toys, letters of the alphabet cut from magazines, cards, and used books. Doilies and decorative embellishments can be purchased at half price or less after a holiday. Glue and scissors might be useful too.

Home and Garden Help

• Clean her house for her (this is one of those that may not suit all personalities)
• Tidy her garden or yard for her
• Go through her house and look for things that need minor (or major) repairs and maintenance and fix them if you can, or arrange for professional assistance if necessary
• Clean all her windows, inside and out. This is a sure way to brighten a life.
• Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries if needed. Install a carbon monoxide detector if she doesn’t have one.

Favors and Services

• Make a nice breakfast and clean up afterwards
• Wash her car, vacuum the interior, clean the upholstery and carpet, take it for a tune up and oil change, check and inflate the tires if needed, and preset her favorite radio stations.

Flowers

• Buy some flowers to plant for or with her (small plants and flowers are often available for under $1.00 at garden centers and even drugstores like Rite-Aid)
• Instead of cut flowers, which while nice, are not very frugal because they only last a few days, you could give her a vase for putting flowers from other flower gifters (this way she’ll think of you every time someone else gives her flowers)
• Give attractive artificial flowers that last all year round. You could even fashion them into curtain tiebacks or trim a hat with them (just use hot glue).

Health and Fitness

• If she doesn’t get enough exercise due to weather, time, environmental or other constraints, consider a Pedal Exerciser that she can use while sitting at home – i.e. on the couch while watching TV. (We bought one of these for ourselves when we lived in the Bay Area where it was cold in the winter, and our grandmother took it because she said it was perfect for her situation.)
• Dumbbells in a pretty color. For the non-athletic mom, you might get a pair of 2 lb. dumbbells.
• Make slipcovers for her stationary bike, treadmill, or other exercise equipment.
• Spend the day with your mom, watching DVDs and pedaling or doing some other aerobic exercise.

Pets

While pets are not considered a frugal gift for the giver or recipient, they can bring a host of other benefits that make the cost worthwhile. Pets are especially good for elderly people who live alone and can use the companionship and are capable – physically, mentally and financially – of caring for them. If your mother lives alone and is fond of animals, a nice gift would be to help her adopt a pet. There are thousands of cats and dogs in need of good homes, and studies have shown that pets bring many health benefits, both physical and mental, to their owners including:

• Lower blood pressure
• Lower cholesterol
• Lower stress and anxiety levels
• Fighting depression and loneliness
• Faster recovery after illness
• Overall better health and fewer doctor’s visits

However, don’t surprise her with a pet. Rather, discuss it with her ahead of time and if she likes the idea and is sure that it is a commitment she is capable of taking on, go to a local animal shelter, pet rescue or other pet re-homing organization together and spend some time choosing a suitable pet for her. Be sure the animal you choose is suitable for in various ways:

• Type of Pet
  While both dogs and cats provide companionship, dogs tend to be more interactive and require more attention and maintenance than cats. Cats and dogs are not the only types of pets to be had, however. Birds, mice, gerbils, hamsters, chinchillas and guinea pigs also provide a presence and can help fill the space and quiet of an empty apartment or house.
• Size and Weight
  Make sure the animal is a size and weight that she can handle. If it is a dog, it should be a weight that she can easily control when walking on a leash.
• Age of Pet
  For elderly persons, mature pets are often more suitable, as they do not require as much physical interaction and activity as young animals, and will have reached a more stable mental, social and emotional level.
• Home Environment
  Make sure the animal will be compatible with the living space. Size isn’t necessarily the only factor to consider, but disposition. A small but high energy dog may or may not be suitable for a small living space, and there are older and larger dogs that can live happily and comfortably in smaller living spaces.

There is no end to the benefits and happiness pets can bring people, especially elderly people who live alone, so if you think your mother might be a suitable candidate for pet ownership, here are a few links to websites with more information on pet ownership for the elderly:

• How Pets Help People
• Animals and Your Health: The Benefits of Pet Ownership
• Safe Dog Breeds for Elderly People
• The Pets for the Elderly Foundation
• The Importance of Pets for Elderly People

Again, remember that pet ownership, regardless of the size or type of pet, is a responsibility not to be taken lightly and sprung on your mother without prior research and consultation with her.

These are just a few suggestions. Whatever you choose to do, remember that what your mother will appreciate most of all is the thought and effort put into the gift and not the monetary value of it.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Related posts:

• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #3
• Under the Weather – Recommended Reading
• Pecuniarities (Our Fourpence Worth) 1 Year Anniversary
• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)
• Frugal, Unique and Meaningful Valentine’s Day Gift & Date Ideas, Plus Budget Tips

With numerous “How to Save Gas” tips all over the internet, such as this one on WikiHow: How to Save Money on Gas, I figured I wouldn’t do one here because they can be easily found elsewhere. So this post won’t be about the most common suggestion such as: Unload all unnecessary weight, leave early, drive slower, etc., but rather on how you can use tools provided by Google Maps to save you gas and time.

With gas prices constantly rising and the economy as it is, we can’t go wrong saving even tiny bits of money and gas here and there. Even if we shave off only .1 mile on a daily trip, it will add up to something.

Google Maps has been getting fancier and fancier with satellite images, trip planners with multiple destinations, re-route tools to discover shorter routes and more. Many of you probably already know about this, but it is possible that some do not, so I thought I would do an in-depth guide on how to use Google Maps to help you plan and re-route trips, be they long or short distance.

This is a rather long guide (mostly due to the number of images), so here is a table of contents of the sections contained in this post:

• How Google Maps Can Help You Save Gas and Time
• How to Re-Route Trips on Google Maps
• Driving Directions and Route Options
• Traffic Conditions
• Satellite Image Street Views
• Foreign Travel
• Fun Stuff & Research
  • Photos and Wikipedia
  • What does your house look like from the sky?

How Google Maps Can Help You Save Gas and Time

• Re-routing drives for daily errands, trips to the grocery store, to your kids’ schools, church, the bank, post office or homes of friends and family.
• Planning routes with multiple destinations to consolidate your trips.
• Avoiding left turns, which according to UPS (UPS Delivers Gas Saving Tip), saves gas because it prevents waiting in traffic.
• Satellite images of street views can show you what unfamiliar destinations look like so you can know what to expect, which side of the road your destination is on, which lane you should be driving in and prevent you from wasting time by getting lost.
• Traffic conditions look-up for live traffic or a specific day and time can help you plan your departure time and estimate driving time.

How to Re-Route Trips on Google Maps

The re-route tool can help you save gas by planning the most efficient route for your drive.

1. Enter in your starting and ending locations. You can type an address or the name of the location. It helps to include the city and state.
2. The site will generate a map with a route.
3. To the right is a map with the route marked with a blue line.

   Tips: To shift the map, place the cursor on the map and a hand tool will appear. Simply drag the map to center your area of interest on the screen. You can also click on the small arrow on the bottom right-hand corner of the map. A small square box will pop up showing the current are. Click and drag the blue box to shift the map. If you use your scroll button, the map will zoom in (up) and out (down).

   

4. To the left are driving directions, distance and estimated travel time.
5. Don’t take for granted that the default route shown is the shortest option.
6. Place your cursor somewhere on the route.
7. A small circle will appear under your cursor.

   

8. Click on the circle and drag to another street.

   

9. As you drag the route to different streets, a small text box pops up to show you the driving distance and estimated travel time of this new route.

   

10. Release the cursor and the directions to the left will update with a new route, distance and travel time.

    

11. One-way streets
    When you try to re-route a trip where there are one-way streets, Google Maps will take them into consideration and show the closet alternative. If you insist on driving on a certain one-way street (keep dragging to the same street), it will map out a route for you.
    

Driving Directions and Route Options

1. Method of travel: Driving, public transportation, or walking (Walk when at all possible. This is good for your health and wallet!) For public transit, the directions show the fare compared to the driving cost for the trip. How cool is that?!

   

2. Check the box if you wish to avoid driving on highways.
3. Click on this link if you need reverse directions to get back from Point B to Point A.
4. Click on the camera icon to see a satellite image of that location. Also works if you click the numbered link before each direction.

   

5. Click the plus “+” or minus “-” to show or hide the driving directions.
6. Click on the small blue arrow to expand the map (make it full-screen width) and hide the directions panel on the left. Click again to bring back the directions.
7. Click the “X” to delete the location. Will let you enter a new one.
8. Click the “Edit” link to edit your location.
9. Click to add a destination to your trip.

   Click and drag the new destination to re-order your route.

   

10. Click on the “km” or “miles” links to change to change distance calculations to kilometers or miles.

Traffic Conditions

The Traffic tool can show you live traffic conditions on freeways as well as estimated traffic conditions for specific times on any day of the week (estimated based on past conditions). Simply click on the “Traffic” button and a window will pop up. If the bold text reads “Live traffic” and you wish to see a specified time and day, click on the change link to enter your choice.

Tip: You may need to shift the map to see the highways.

The colored lines on the freeways correspond to the color guide in the Traffic box. A red line means the traffic is between 10 and 25 MPH, a red line means 25 to 45, etc.

Satellite Image Street Views

Click on “Street View” and a little yellow man will appear on the map. Click and drag the little yellow man to a location you would like to view.

Click on the arrows to advance in the specified direction. You can go straight to following the road or make turns to see the surrounding street view.

Tip: If your map does not show the “Street View” button, use this link: Google Maps Street View

Foreign Travel

Google Maps is available for many foreign countries. Below is an example for a trip from Tokyo, Japan to Kochi, Japan. Because Japan is primarily a public transportation/walking country – very few people drive there, but rather take taxis and trains, and Kochi is an island separate from mainland Japan, the trip directions includes directions for walking, bus, train and plane as well as the cost of transportation fares for the trip in the local currency.

Fun Stuff and Research

Photos and Wikipedia

Click on the “More” button for an options to show photos and Wikipedia entries on landmarks and places.

Click on a photo thumbnail for a larger view.

Click on the Wikipedia icon for an excerpt from the Wikipedia entry on the landmark. Includes a link to the full article.

What does your house look like from the sky?

For me, this is mostly a fun thing to find and look at my house and seek how it looks from above, but it could conceivably come in handy too. Wondering if your roof is missing any tiles? Take a look on Google Maps!

Related posts:

• July 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Google Search
• Our Fourpence Worth has moved. Please update your feed readers.
• Privacy Policy
• Welcome MSN Money Central Smart Spending Readers!

Originally posted 2008-07-24 12:25:05.

• Disposable trash receptacles. Food cartons stand up nicely and are good for catching bits of trash while you are cooking, saving you the cost of trash bags. The foil-lined and plastic bags inside these cartons are often sturdier and more leak-resistant than trash bags proper and are ideal for holding food scraps and bones.
• Throw-away cat litter boxes. Very few people relish the task of dumping out cat litter, lifting liners full of sopping litter, or scrubbing the gray-brown clumps from the bottom and sides of cat litter boxes. You can avoid this age-old task by cutting a rectangle from of the side of a cardboard carton instead of opening the top, filling this homemade commode with litter, and throwing the entire litter box away once a day. These litter boxes can be set on newspapers or other floor protectors if you have large cats.
• Cheap homemade notebooks. Use flat cartons as book covers, using one narrow edge as the spine. Paper can be stitched or stapled in folded sections or simply stacked. To be efficient, cut the box to fit the size of the paper rather than cutting the paper to fit the box. I made an exception with the sample pictured here because the idea of a notebook in a Jello box was too good to resist. Affix the pages to the spine with hot glue. If you want a bookmark, glue a piece of ribbon or string to the spine before gluing the pages. These are good for address books, shopping lists, anything. They can be covered with pretty paper or fabrics for a fancier look.
  
  

  

  

   

• Storage and desk organizers. Cartons covered with paper or spray paint can be used for storage on shelves or desks. Cereal boxes can be cut into trays for holding paper and file folders. I have covered all sorts of boxes with gift wrap paper (bought on sale) and Japanese rice paper (received as gift) with good effect. A good coat of varnish preserves these items for years.
• Gift boxes. For presents to family members, recycled cartons should be acceptable. After all, they will be wrapped . . . or not.
• Craft materials for children. Encourage creativity by having children make useful or decorative items with the nice cardboard from food packaging. Providing a wastebasket (or cardboard carton) at the project area will prevent mess. Some possible crafts are:
  • Doll houses. Simple or multi-level doll houses (or horse barns) are easy to make. Boxes can be stacked or adjoined, with doors cut between them. Plastic from packaging provide transparent window glass. Furniture is easily procured from cardboard and small cartons (Jello again). These houses can be papered, carpeted (old towels?), or painted. If used as cozy homes for small pets make sure they include no unsafe materials as rodents and guinea pigs tend to eat their homes.
  • Message box. Cover and decorate cartons for each family member to hold mail, messages, gifts and treats. They can resemble mail boxes, bear the owners name, and be hung on bedroom doors. It is also easy to cut boxes into heart shapes as pictured.
  • Picture frames. Cut one face of a carton into a frame and use the other face as a backing. Cover with paper, fabric, lace or other trims (flowers, candy, knickknacks). Glue on three edges, leaving one edge for inserting artwork (or photo), or glue entire frame with artwork inside.

Related posts:

• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #2
• April 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Pecuniarities (Our Fourpence Worth) 1 Year Anniversary
• Blog Carnivals
• Covering Cardboard Cartons: The Simple Suitcase (Storage Box)

Originally posted 2008-03-17 06:38:26.

An interesting experiment would be to forbid a young child to ever touch the piano, after all it is a very expensive instrument. One can easily imagine how much higher the piano instantly rises in that child’s estimation. One then promises the child that he or she will be “allowed” to begin learning the piano at a certain age. Even better then, if someone in the family—a parent, older sibling or cousin—were to frequently play very charming pieces of the kind accessible to children. Pieces from the Romantic era are very suitable for this purpose (e.g. Fϋr Elise & Doll’s Dream), should be repeated often and might even have stories invented about them. It is very natural that the child will aspire to play these pieces someday, and a united goal has been formed without duress.

When the long awaited birthday or predetermined date is come, the parent or guardian sets a time limit in which the child is allowed to practice the piano (concentration usually lasts 15-30 minutes so it is better to set too short a time than too long) and strictly enforces it. What happens after this point is too individual to generally state, but I think it is likely that practice will be less dreaded, more concentrated and the end will seem to come too soon. Eventually the child may become proficient enough that the proficiency itself will be a great motivation and make strict regulation of practice unnecessary.

The above scenario may strike some people as unusual and even unnatural. I am not instructing that the reader follow this method and neither will I discourage it for I see no harm in it. It should be remembered however that playing music is a privilege whatever our age or skill level. It should not be a thing to be suffered and should a child find a certain piece particularly odious, it may be for the better to change it for one that better pleases. If a child really despises the art, it may not be too harmful to allow him or her to give it up, for nearly everyone who gave up playing the piano at a young age lives to regret it and it is never too late to begin learning again with the knowledge of years lost as a valuable lesson learned.

Related posts:

• Under the Weather – Recommended Reading
• Motivating Children to Practice Music (Part 3)
• Motivating Children to Practice Music: Introduction
• Tuning Your Own Piano: A Skill With Many Unexpected Benefits
• Motivating Children to Practice Music (Part 4)

Originally posted 2008-02-21 19:57:34.

As I mentioned in my previous post, Frugal Travel Begins Before the Trip: Vacation Preparation Checklist, it is the preparation that determines how much fun you will have; the better prepared, the more you will be able to enjoy your trip. And again, the way to travel frugally is to travel prepared. So to follow up that post, I wanted to share some tips for helping your entire family enjoy your summer vacation. Most of these suggestions will help save you money by avoiding costly situations such as tips for staying in a hotel with your pet, keeping your dog healthy and safe to prevent costly vet bills (either immediate or future), and also just maintain your pet’s general well-being.

Safe and Smart Pet Travel

• Finding Pet Friendly Lodgings
  Hotels are becoming more and more dog-friendly as businesses realize how many people consider their pets a part of the family and wish to travel with them. Do a search for Pet Friendly Hotels (or Discount Pet Friendly Hotels) to find lodgings at your destination. However, do not rely solely on the word of the pet friendly referral site; even if you will be booking your hotel stay through a referral site such as Expedia, which allows you to search for pet-friendly hotels, always double check the hotel’s pet policy on its official website. Some referral websites contain outdated, incomplete or simply wrong information on hotel pet policies. Some hotels may have accepted pets at one time but no longer, or have pet type, breed or weight restrictions. Sometimes, the easiest thing to do is to just call the hotel and ask.

  When calling a pet-friendly hotel, be sure to:

  • Ask if they accept the type, breed and weight of your pet
  • Ask if there is a non-refundable pet fee (some hotels do not charge a non-refundable pet fee, something called a “cleaning fee”, and others charge as much a $150 per stay)
  • Ask about daily fees – per pet, per stay, etc. (most hotels charge per pet, per day)
  • If you are bringing more than one pet, be sure to check that they allow more than one pet per room
  • Any other pet policies you need to know about

• What to Pack when Traveling with Pets

  • If traveling by car, I highly suggest a doggie seat belt. This is both for your pet’s protection as well as your own protection. In fact, regardless of distance traveled, dogs should always be buckled in. This makes sure they do not disturb or distract the driver in any way, and prevents them from being flung out of the car in the event of an accident. A 30-mph collision with a 30-lb. dog creates a 900 lb. force that can severely or fatally injure both dog and human passengers.
  • To avoid extra hotel cleaning charges, I suggest bringing:
    • An upholstery cleaner
    • Baby wipes to clean your pet’s feet after playing outdoors
    • Paper towels
    • To clean up after any accidents, an pet safe cleaner so that the pet doesn’t get ill from stepping in it and ingesting it by licking its paws
  • Identification and license with your cell phone number printed on the ID in case your pet gets lost. Include emergency contact information for a relative, friend or neighbor who can care for your pet in the event something happens to you.
  • Food and water dish.
  • Dry and not messy food.
  • Non-greasy treats for keeping your dog from being bored and misbehaving. Non-greasy to prevent carsickness and vomiting. We like carrot sticks which are healthy and be be cool and juicy.
  • When packing your own drinks, make sure you bring enough drinking water for your pet. Dogs get very thirsty when riding in cars.
  • Consider a pair of doggie sunglasses to protect from corneal sunburn. Long term exposure to the sun can result in blindness in old age.
  • If your dog is an indoor dog and will be walking outside, consider a pair of doggie boots to prevent injury from hot pavement, broken glass, rough road surfaces and sharp rocks. Dogs who live indoors tend to have softer paw pads that are more sensitive to outdoor surfaces.
  • If staying in a place with hardwood flooring, bring a pair of doggie shoes to prevent damaging wood flooring with nails.
  • If your dog will be staying indoors a lot, you might consider bringing some housebreaking pads (large sizes are available for large dogs) and encourage them to use it if confined indoors for long periods of time.
  • If your dog is used to playing outdoors and doing his business outdoors, look up the locations of a few dog friendly parks in the area before you leave. Some hotels object to letting your dog do his business on hotel property. A dog park might be more amenable to such transactions.

• Pet Health and Safety While Traveling

  • Preventing heat stroke
    Remember that dogs are naturally warmer than we are; even when we are comfortable with temperatures in the 80s, they can be hot, especially if they have longer hair. Heat stroke can cause permanent brain damage, so monitor your dog very carefully. If he is panting, that means he is hot.
    • If driving during summer, freeze a container of drinking water, which will be ice by the time you depart. Bring it in the car and allow your dog an occasional sip as it melts. Don’t let them have too much ice-cold water at one time.
    • 
    • A wet bandanna tied around the neck can help keep cool.
    • Consider a dog cooling jacket as pictured to the right. (Click on the picture to see details.) There are also cooling mats for hot dogs to lie on. These are good for staying at home during warm weather as well.
    • Keep your dog in the shade as much as possible. When parking, look for shady spots.
    • Never leave your dog in the car by itself or with young children. Have at least one older child or an adult remain in the car and keep the air conditioning on.
  • Don’t let your dog ride with his head out the car window. As much as they love it, it is very dangerous. My windshield was recently cracked by a flying pebble while driving 50 mph.
  • Never let your dog off leash unless in an enclosed area intended for dogs, such as a dog park or until inside your lodgings. Leave his collar and ID on even when indoors.
  • Don’t have young children hold the leash. The gentlest dog can get excited or frightened in unfamiliar surroundings. Even small dogs can be very strong when excited, which can be dangerous for both dog and child.
  • Don’t forget prescription medication such as heartworm preventatives. Don’t administer medication early for convenience; pack the necessary dosage and give it when it is due.
  • Don’t change your pet’s diet for the trip. Bring the same foods as he would eat at home. Tip: Pets who subsist on a varied home-cooked diet are less prone to diarrhea with diet changes. For more information, check out our article on Cooking for Your Pet at our Franga Designs website.
  • If you are traveling to an area with pests such as mosquitoes, fleas and ticks and diseases not found in your home area, be sure to prepare for it. Ask your vet for disease prevention advice.

• At the hotel

  Pets get very nervous when away from home. Even if they are normally very calm and friendly at home, this may change when in unfamiliar surroundings.

  • Never leave your pet unattended in the hotel room. Nervousness and stress can cause them to make messes, damage property and make noise that might disturb other guests.
  • Hang the “do not disturb” sign on the door to prevent housekeeping from accidentally letting your pet out and either party from injury.
  • Bring a familiar toy from home, and set out your pets things such as food and water dish.
  • If your dog is crate trained, setting up the crate in the room might make him feel more secure.
  • To reduce barking at sounds of other guests outside your room at night, keep him active during the day so that he sleeps better.
  • Clean up after accidents immediately to prevent stains and odors from soaking in. Use an upholstery cleaner on beds, rugs and chairs. Wipe your pets paws and other dirty parts to prevent soiling the room.

Boarding Your Pet

Traveling with pets is a big responsibility, but when done right, it can be very fun. If you feel like it’s too much work, consider boarding your pet at a reputable boarding facility. When looking for a boarder, don’t choose the least expensive one. Ask your veterinarian, friends and/or relatives for recommendations of reputable boarders with whom they have had good experiences.

A veterinary clinic that offers boarding isn’t necessary the best choice. A facility dedicated for the purpose may be better as the employees’ main focus is taking care of boarded animals, while a veterinary clinic (especially a small one), has ill animals to see to. You don’t want to scrimp when it comes to the health and safety of your pet; you want to make sure that you can enjoy yourself on your vacation without anxiety about your pet. Of course, there will still be some worry, but knowing that he/she is well taken care of will help a great deal.

If you do board your pet, take a few familiar items from home such as a bed and toys to help your pet feel more at home at the boarding facility.

Well, I hope some of these suggestions help you and your pet to have a nice summer vacation. Buon viaggio!

Related posts:

• Welcome MSN Money Central Smart Spending Readers!
• June 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Under the Weather – Recommended Reading
• Frugal Travel Begins Before the Trip: Vacation Preparation Checklist
• Booking Flights Early Could End Up Costing More

Originally posted 2008-06-02 12:29:17.

You may not know it, but you may be waging long term biological warfare on yourself and your family. There is increasing awareness about the harmful effects of exposure to chemicals such as pesticides and household cleaners, but did you know that air fresheners are also poisons?

History has taught the human race that bad smells mean disease and infection, so naturally we all want our homes filled with good smells. Unfortunately, chemicals used to carry these good smells into your home may give you lung problems and cancer. You should be especially vigilant about uses of air fresheners if you have cats because cats can be fatally poisoned by airborne substances absorbed through the skin.

Here are some alternatives you might consider to aerosol or plug-in air fresheners. You can make or purchase these items made with natural plant oils.

Scented candles

Scented candles are ideal for bathrooms as they are resistant to humidity. Light these whenever needed. They are great for eliminating odor from strong smelling foods after cooking or eating. I like to read and write by candlelight and always have votive candles in wine glasses on my desk.

If you are afraid of fire, place short, fat candles in heavy glass jars. Small flames usually extinguish themselves when a candle is dropped, but if you want to be extra safe, place candles in sturdy glass jars taller than the candle, so that the flame is contained should the jar tip. Light sunken or hard to reach candles with a burning spaghetti noodle.

Potpourri

Keep in bowls, pouches, out of reach of pets and small children who might eat sweet smelling things. You can even pull out the poly-fill of a stuffed animal, mix potpourri into the fluff and re-stuff. A scented stuffed animal can be placed on shelves, in drawers, or near your bed if it contains sleep enhancing herbs. Do not give an herbal toy to children or pets unless you are sure that the ingredients are safe.

Cloth Sachets Filled With Dried Herbs

Good for keeping your clothes fresh and bug free. You can make or purchase very pretty ones. Add scented oils if desired for a stronger scent. We use cedar filled pouches for closets and inside the piano.

Pomanders

These are scented balls made with oranges and cloves (instructions below) that last for years. They are natural, very fragrant and deter insects. Pomanders can be decorated and hung in your closets, around your home, and in your car. They can also be placed in drawers and storage boxes. You could make a bunch for Christmas ornaments and then redistribute them for use around the house after the holidays.

Fresh flowers

These don’t last as long, but are not expensive if you have a garden.

Pet Perfumes and Colognes

If your home has pet odors, you might consider using colognes and perfumes formulated for pets. If your pet is prone to allergies, ill, very old, or very young, you should get your vet’s recommendation for a product. Remember that not all products marketed for pets are entirely safe and that products formulated for dogs may be harmful to cats. The best air freshener may be a bath for your cat or dog. If odors are cause by skin conditions, herbs with antibacterial and anti-fungal properties may be helpful. But always research ingredients so that you do not accidentally poison your pet.

How to make a pomander

You might want to make a dozen or more at a time because a pomander will last forever (unless they get wet).

1. Take an orange, lime, or lemon.
2. Prick holes in the skin with a large needle and insert whole cloves until you have a prickly ball. For a neat appearance, space the cloves like longitudinal lines on a globe.
3. Cure the pomade by rolling it in powdered herbs and letting it dry for several weeks.
4. During the drying process, coat regularly with powdered herbs to prevent mould. Pomander will shrink as it cures.
5. Decorate with ribbons and flowers if desired.
6. To renew scent after long use, treat with essential oils and roll in powdered herbs.

Powdered Herbs for curing pomanders (use one or more)

• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Clove
• Myrrh
• Nutmeg (toxic to cats and dogs)

Some Common Fragrance Herbs

• Lavender
• Lemon
• Rose Geranium
• Rose
• Orange
• Cinnamon
• Allspice
• Bayberry
• Pine
• Citrus
• Sandalwood
• Mint

Recommended Reading
Air Fresheners: Are they bad for my health?

Related posts:

• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #10
• Free Printable Gift Accessories by Madoline Hatter
• Tricky Treats for Trick-or-Treaters: Healthy and Useful Alternatives to Halloween Candy
• 7 Cost-Cutting and Safer Alternative Household Tips
• Life Is Too Short to Sleep On Low Thread-Count Sheets

Originally posted 2008-10-02 06:00:38.

Expansion Difficulty/Complexity: Medium-Easy

This Certificate of Deposit was the second expansion we created for the game (invented by Madoline) of Monopoly. After the Lottopoly (coming soon), I find this to be the most fun. The interest rates are rather high compared to real-life CD’s, but they help to illustrate the point that investing pays off, and it is so much fun watching the money add up.

Objective

To learn the system and benefits of saving and investing via Certificates of Deposit (CD’s).

How to Play

• Download and print the Bank of Monopoly Certificate of Deposit Form (includes rules).
• Banker
  Designate a player to be in charge of CD’s. This person will receive and deposit into the bank the money to be invested, fill out the CD form, keep track of players’ passing of “Go,” calculate interests and penalties, and pay out the earnings from the bank.
• Opening a CD
  Deposit the amount to be invested in the bank and fill in the player’s name, opening balance and term of deposit. The term is the number of “months” or circuits around the board. Deposits may only be made on the turn when a player passes or stops on “Go.” Once a deposit is made and the term is set, it may not be changed.
• Marking off the months
  When a player passes “Go,” the banker marks off a circuit under 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Months. This indicates the passage of time. If a player purchases a CD for 1 month, his account is considered mature after one full circuit of the board. 2 months require 2 full circuits, and 3 months require 3 full circuits.
  Note: Going to jail does not constitute a circuit as one does not pass “Go.”
• Payouts
  When a player passes “Go” for the last time, his/her earnings are calculated and the balance paid out.

Click on the image below to see a sample

Terms

• Interest Rates
  1 Month = 10%
  2 Months = 30%
  3 Months = 60%
• Penalty for early withdrawal
  $50 per month. If a player makes a deposit for 3 months but must withdraw it after only 1 month due to need for cash (to pay rent, taxes, etc.), he is charged a total of $100 dollars early withdrawal penalty and earns no interest.

Additional Notes

• There is no limitation as to the number of CD’s a player may have open at any time.
• CD’s may only be opened on the turn in which a player passes or lands on “Go.”
• A player may opt to immediately re-invest the closing balance of a CD by opening a new one.
• Early withdrawal requires complete withdrawal. If the player wishes to invest a smaller amount, he must wait until he passes “Go” and open a new CD.
• Tip: Use a different color pencil or pen for each player when players open multiple deposits.

Visit OurFourpenceWorth.com/Monopoly for more Money Management and Investment Monopoly Expansions!

The Monopoly game is copyrighted by Parker Brothers, a subsidiary of Hasbro. All expansions are original creations by Our Fourpence Worth and shared for personal use only.
Commercial use of these rules, forms and images is prohibited.

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• July 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Monopoly Game Expansion #2: Personal Checking Account
• Monopoly Game Expansion #1: Personal Savings Account
• Monopoly Game Expansion #5: Income Tax Edition

Originally posted 2008-06-25 06:00:16.

My dog Luwi (“loo-vee” short for Ludwig) loves movies. Ever since he was a puppy, he has been fascinated with the television, especially scenes with animals or action. He would jump up on the TV and lick or bite the screen when he saw something exciting. Naturally, he was equally if not more captivated by the remote control, the all-powerful apparatus that could switch the wonderful television on and off.

Over time, however, Luwi became more and more fascinated with the remote control, to the point of obsession. While he still loves the TV and watches it, his focus has shifted more to the remote control. When we mention any of the words “TV,” “movie,” “watch,” “DVD,” and anything else related to the activity in question, he runs to the remote control and stares at it with a mad gleam in his eye.

Whenever we pick up any of the remote controls, he jumps up in “ready position” and doesn’t take his eyes off the remote till we put it back down, and he continues to stare at it until he’s sure we’re finished with it. If and when he can, he steals the remote control to hold or guard on his spot on the bed. He still watches the TV, but I believe his enjoyment of it is less than it used to be because he is now obsessed with getting the remote control rather than watching TV.

Luwi is a good example of how we, people and animals, can forget the original reasons why we do certain things. Many of us are concerned with saving money becuase we want to be able to live comfortably or happily without the stress of being in debt. But we can sometimes get too caught up in the act of saving money and forget our original reasons for doing so. If you ever find yourself spending hours and hours looking for a better deal rather than spending that time doing something more productive or enjoying time with your family just to save a few dollars, you have forgotten.

The same goes for making money. In the beginning, many people want to make money so that they can provide a comfortable life for their families. Over time they sometimes forget and get caught up in making money, become workaholics, and instead of spending a weekend afternoon playing with their kids or pets, they’re locked away in the office working (or blogging ) and shouting at the kids or pets to keep it down.

I am not saying it’s bad to want to make or save money. Just don’t let it consume you the way the remote control has consumed Luwi. An activity he used to enjoy has turned into a vigil rather than a hobby. He is now more concerned with the state of the remote control than what is actually happening on the screen and has completely forgotten the point of it all.

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• Pecuniary Links & Pecuniarities Update ~ July 2009 #1