I received the following comment today from a reader about my earlier post Simple Solutions to Staying Out of Debt:

“All good advice – sadly, it is harder than it sounds. But then again, the more you make the more you can spend, so figuring out how to live within your means is a lesson we should all learn at an early age!”

Yes, it is harder than it sounds; almost everything is. But what it all boils down to is common sense, self-discipline and keeping your priorities in mind. It is true that it would be ideal to learn such lessons at an early age, but there is no reason why an adult can’t learn to control his spending and live within his means if he truly wants to.

Don’t get me wrong. I am human and I know how hard it can be to resist spending on things you want. For example, here is just a snippet of some of the things I have been coveting for a long time – some for years.

• A laptop computer
• My favorite TV shows on DVD (Friends, X-Files and many more)
• Subscription to cable (which we haven’t had since 2001)
• A cushy armchair for reading in my bedroom
• The complete British and French editions of the Harry Potter books (I collect foreign editions of Harry Potter books)

These are just a few of the things that cross my mind at the moment, but I know there are more. Over the years, I have been tempted more than once to buy some or all of these things, but I know the danger of giving in to the urge to splurge, because spending or getting what you want is addictive. Oftentimes, when you get one thing, you want or need to get more things to go with it.

I know it’s annoying to hear these words because they’re so “self-help-ish” (I myself can’t stand self-helpers and trite inspirational “don’t underestimate the power of the mind” stuff), but -

The tools for fighting the urge to spend are:

• Recognizing your priorities
• Rational thinking (not rationalizing)
• Self-discipline/self-control
• Will power
• Rewarding yourself

Recognizing Your Priorities

For most of us, our main goal is simply to “save money” or “save as much money as possible,” and that works well enough. But maybe for some of us, that goal simply isn’t enough. If you have a strong penchant for spending, you may need more clearcut reasons than “to save money” in order to curb your spending. So you will need to contemplate the following question.

Why do you want or need to save money?

Is it …

• To save for a down payment on a house of your own?
• To save for a replacement car?
• To save for marriage and a family?
• To save for a personal or family emergency?
• To stay out of debt?
• To get out of debt?
• To achieve financial freedom?
• To make sure your loved ones are provided for?
• To make sure you have enough to live on should you lose your job?
• To be able to retire when you want or need to?
• To make sure you have enough to last through your retirement?

Knowing and reminding yourself of your priorities at all times will help make achieving your goals easier.

Rational Thinking

Rational thought is necessary in order to succeed at anything including spending and saving money. When tempted to spend on something you don’t need or can’t really afford -

Try to look at the item in question with objectivity (without emotion) and ask yourself the following questions (The “it” in the following questions can apply to any kind of expenditure. Buying a tangible item, a service, eating out, etc.):

• Do you really need it?
• If yes, why do you need it?
• Are your reasons for needing it valid?
• Can you really afford it?
• What do you already have that can be used instead?
• What will its value be 6 months down the road? 1 year? 5 years?
• If it is a tangible item will you still be using it?
• If it is an intangible or transient item, is it really worth spending money on it that you would otherwise never see again?

Also consider:

• The potential value of the money saved from not spending it and saving or investing it. Use the savings calculator on Prune Your Spending and Watch the Savings Grow to see how much a little money saved over time can become.
• If you really think you have enough money saved for your future or financial goals.

Self-Discipline/Self-Control

No one likes hearing about discipline. It implies strictness, lack of freedom, and unpleasant tasks. But without self-discipline, one can never achieve success or financial freedom. So when confronted with a tempting expenditure:

• Plan A: Walk Away
  The best way to exercise your self-discipline when confronted with temptation is to simply walk away – or close the browser window (and clear your browsing history and cache to make it harder to accidentally happen on it again.)
• Plan B: If you can’t walk away, then wait.
  If you have a hard time walking away from the temptation, then at least wait. Convince yourself that you are not flat-out denying yourself what you want, but rather waiting for a sale or a price reduction. You will often find that by the time the price has decreased, so has your desire for the item.

  If it turns out you do still want the item, at least you will be spending less on it. Also, by delaying your expenditure, you can earn a little more interest on the money to be spent.

Will Power

You will find that as you practice self-discipline, your will power will grow. There will come a time when you can see something you really like and simply be able to admire it and move on without a struggle.

Rewarding Yourself

Living a life devoid of treats and denying yourself everything you want is not living. So it is alright to reward yourself on occasion. Only you can decide how often and how much you should treat yourself to, but here are a few suggestions for how to figure out what works for you.

Start by setting a goal for yourself. It is important to make it a reasonable goal. Goals can be measured in time, amount of money, achievement or any other way that suits your lifestyle. When you achieve your goal, reward yourself with a little treat within reason.

Setting a goal

• Time
  Set a timeframe in which you decide you will not make unnecessary expenditures. If you have a regular habit of spending money everyday or every few days, you might want to start with a shorter goal and work your way up to the ideal timeframe.
• Amount of money saved
  Instead of putting all your money in your checking account, open a savings account (if you don’t already have one.) Put all your non-regular-expense money (anything not for necessities such as rent, bills, groceries, gas, etc.) into this savings account. When you have saved up to a certain pre-determined amount – $500, $1,000, etc. – then you can allow yourself a little treat.
• Achievement
  This could be for achievement in any area of your life – career, personal, weight-loss, etc.

As time passes and you achieve your goals you might find the success of achieving your goals to be more rewarding than spending money. In an ideal world, that would probably be enough. But for most of us human beings, it probably isn’t.

So remember, it is important to treat yourself once in a while. It doesn’t have to be a big treat. It could be as little as an ice cream cone, a reasonable item of clothing, a new CD, etc. But if you find yourself treating yourself every other day, something is wrong. I can’t tell you exactly how long and how much your goals should be. It is different for everyone and something you need to figure out for yourself. That’s why it’s called personal finance.

In closing, I will share

How I rational thought my way out of the items on my wish list (mentioned above)

• A laptop computer
  Reason I don’t need it: I already have a desktop computer.
• My favorite TV shows on DVD
  Reason I don’t need it: For now, I can watch what DVDs I have and TV shows online. I know I’ll eventually get them, but what’s the hurry?
• Subscription to cable
  Reason I don’t need it: An occasional DVD purchase is cheaper than subscribing to cable and I’ll end up with an asset instead of just putting money down the drain.
• A cushy armchair for reading in my room
  Reason I don’t need it: I can read on my bed. Someday I will get an armchair when the time is right and when I can afford a nice one.
• The complete British and French editions of the Harry Potter books
  Reason I don’t need it: The fun of book collecting is acquiring each edition book by book over time. If I got all the books at one time, I’d need to find a new hobby.

Treating Myself

On the other hand, I did treat myself to a rather expensive gift last fall. I have been a musician since I was 5 years old, and have wanted to learn to play the violin since I was a teenager. Last fall, I purchased myself a Suzuki Student Violin for $170. Being more expensive than most of our regular purchases, I considered it a late birthday/early Christmas/early next birthday present for myself. My violin is and will be one of my most favored possessions for a long time to come.

Related posts:

• Pecuniary Links ~ July 2009 #2
• July 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Welcome MSN Money Central Smart Spending Readers!
• Pecuniarities (Our Fourpence Worth) 1 Year Anniversary
• Frugality to the Extreme: Would You Eat Out of the Dumpster?

Originally posted 2008-06-27 06:00:38.

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.

Expansions Difficulty/Complexity: Easy

This is a cash-free version of the game wherein all transactions are handled through personal checking accounts and recorded in individual check registers. Each player is responsible for his own account and must record all transactions – payment and receipt of rent, taxes, bribes, etc. in his check register.

Objective

To teach children (and some adults) how to accurately record transactions and balance a check register.

How to Play

• Download and print the Bank of Monopoly Personal Check Register (includes rules)
• Instead of distributing cash at the beginning of the game, players record the opening balance at the top of the check register (in the right-hand column under $ Balance). If playing the original Atlantic City Monopoly game with the distribution of 2 x $500, 2 x $100, 2 x $50, 6 x $20, 5 x $10, 5 x $5 , and 5 x $1 bills, the opening balance is $1,500.
• Instead of using cash, all transactions are recorded in the check register under Deposit (+) and Payment (-), and all money belonging to the player is totaled in the $ Balance column.

Click on the image to view a sample check register

How to Use the Check Register

• For each transaction, begin by recording the date and/or time. Since most games are played within one day, you may opt to record the time of each transaction instead of the date. We suggest placing a clock on the table in a spot easily visible by all players.
• Enter a brief description of the transaction. For example, “Luxury Tax,” “Rent – Board Walk,” “Passed Go.”
• When making a deposit record the amount in the Deposit (+) column, add it to the existing balance and record the new balance in the $ Balance column.
• When making a payment, record the amount in the Payment (-) column and subtract the amount from the existing balance and record the new balance in the $ Balance column.
  • Examples of transactions that belong under Deposit (+):
    Passing “Go,” collecting rent and utilities, Chance and Community Chest bonuses (bank error, dividends, income tax refund, etc.), mortgaging property, selling houses and hotels
  • Examples of transactions that belong under Payment (-):
    Paying rent, utilities, income tax, luxury tax, school tax, poor tax, hospital bill, etc., buying property, building houses and hotels, un-mortgaging property.

Transactions Between Players

When one player must pay another player – rent, Chance or Community Chest, etc. – he debits the amount from his account under Payment (-). The player receiving the funds adds the amount to his account under Deposit (+).

Optional Overdraft and Negative Balance

Instead of declaring bankruptcy and leaving the game when a player’s balance reaches $0, the player can be charged an Overdraft Fee of $25 per transaction that creates or maintains a negative balance. For each round that the balance remains negative (upon landing on or passing “Go”), the player is charged a 10% overdraft penalty. This is a good lesson in the snowball effect of debt.

Optional Personal Checks

To train youngsters how to properly make out checks, personal checks are also included (page 6) for practicing on game transactions.

Click on the image below to view a sample check

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

Related posts:

• Monopoly Game Expansion #1: Personal Savings Account
• June 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Monopoly Game Expansion #5: Income Tax Edition
• July 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Monopoly Game Expansion #3: Certificate of Deposit

Originally posted 2008-06-20 06:30:05.

My spring cleaning therefore begins with using up these scraps as fast as possible and disposing of the remaining shreds. One easy way to use fabric scraps is to make patchwork berets which are highly individual and as colorful or demure as you choose. My recent hats are very colorful as I have a large variety of small pieces to deal with, but I intend soon to make some with fabric choices limited to one or two tones.

 

I have two styles of patchwork berets pictured here. Each beret is a 16 inch circle gathered onto a 22 inch band and took less than half of a day to make. The brims are optional and stitched on afterwards. The first beret is composed of truly small scraps of pretty fabrics (velvet, satin, cotton prints, suede, & corduroy) appliquéd to a circle of an ugly blue-green cloth that we once purchased for some inexplicable reason. The stitched edges were concealed by sewing white lace on top, which gives the whole piece a sugary, frosty look. You can use other trims such as ric rac, ribbon, or dimensional fabric paint to cover these edges. I opted for a white satin bow at the top instead of a pom pom (fitting for children) or a silk daisy and finished it off with a pieced together brim and three buttons in different colors.

The second hat is made of five pie-shaped pieces sewn into a circle. I made the pattern on my computer using the simple drawing tools common to word processing programs and added ½ inch to each edge for sewing. I then joined two or tree pieces of scraps to get a piece from which a section could be cut. These five piece were joined, lined with flannel (two leftover pieces joined together) and gathered on a patchwork band. The brim is made from leftover suede, stiffened with iron-on stabilizer. A button tops off the hat.

These hats are possibly too colorful for some people, but they are nice when worn with conservative clothing such as white shirts and coats. They can also be pieced together entirely from scraps of one fabric or the remnants from sewing a garment which becomes a matching accessory. Lining is optional and can add warmth or durability. The flannel pieces I used were from sewing a nightgown and old-fashioned ruffled caps. Other good fabrics for lining hats are: fleece, cottons, satin & faux fur. When you have enough hats for yourself and your family, produce them as Christmas, birthday, and baby gifts, saving the money you would spend buying presents.

Related posts:

• Pecuniarities (Our Fourpence Worth) 1 Year Anniversary
• Affordable Storage Solution: Covering a Cardboard Box to Make a Treasure Chest
• Our Favorite Sources for Affordable Fabrics
• Elegant French Memo Board from Thrift Shop Picture Frame
• The Frugal Art

Originally posted 2008-03-27 16:48:57.

I will be the first to admit that I LOVE television and movies. I have been an avid TV-watcher since I was a kid. To this day, I can still remember the schedule for my favorite show, a cartoon called Doraemon, when I was 6 years old and living in Japan – Friday nights at 7:00 on Channel 10. Despite being a pretty intelligent kid — I read a lot and got good grades — I loved television. Some of my favorite shows as a kid (now living in the States) were Flipper, Lassie, Saved By the Bell, Full House, Growing Pains, I Love Lucy, etc.

I haven’t changed a bit as far as this area of my personality is concerned (as a matter of fact, I have passed my love for video entertainment on to my dog), but can proudly say that I have survived since 2001 without cable. For some reason, our TV doesn’t work without paying for cable. We don’t get any local channels and antennae don’t work — don’t ask me why. But for almost 8 years, my appetite for video entertainment has been sated solely by DVDs. Luckily, I am one of those people who can watch the same movie over and over (even more than once in the same day) and still enjoy it, so we haven’t gone broke feeding my addiction.

Then last year, I learned about this marvelous site called Hulu, a network approved video hosting site for watching free TV shows and movies online, and I have to say, life has vastly improved — not that I wasn’t happy before, I’m just even happier. I was now able to watch shows that I’d only vaguely heard or read about such as House, and have discovered an array of new shows that I had never even heard of that have come on air since 2001.

Free and Legal Online Videos

Since then, I have learned a lot about where, when and how to watch TV shows online and thought I’d put together a list/guide of websites for those of you who are considering cutting off cable, because you can live without cable these days and still be able to watch all your favorite television shows and keep up with local, national and international news.

Pros of Online Video Viewing

• You can watch what you want when you want
  • New episodes are usually available for about a month
  • Some canceled shows make 1 or 2 seasons available for free online viewing
• You can catch up on episodes you missed from current and past seasons
• Commercial breaks are shorter than on television — most are 15 or 30 seconds
• You can pause, rewind or fast forward during play so you can visit the facilities or fetch more popcorn
• You can watch your favorite episodes again and again as long as it’s still online
• Most sites have a notification system where you can have alerts sent to your email when new episodes of your favorite shows are posted
• It’s free!

Cons of Online Video Viewing

I haven’t really come across any except that my computer screen isn’t as big as our TV. But you might be able to circumvent that by connecting your computer to your TV if you are technologically savvy.

Some shows don’t release new episodes until 8 days after the original TV broadcast, but you still get one new episode a week, just one week behind the TV watchers. But as long as you have a decent internet connection, you shouldn’t have many problems.

Websites for Watching Free TV Episodes and Movies

There are a couple of different types of websites that offer free video viewing. One is the Network sites, the official homepages of the television studios or channels. These sites have official pages for each of their shows with information and interactive material such as photo galleries, games and forums for their fans. The other is the online video service sites which host video content from various networks.

The official network sites seem to offer more HD videos (see Technical Requirements below) than the online video services, which mostly offer Standard-Res or HQ (360p or 480p) videos.

Online Video Service Sites

These sites have current and new episodes as well as offer more back episodes of previous seasons and canceled shows than the network sites do.

• Hulu
  • Hosts videos from over 100 content providers including FOX, NBC Universal, MGM, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros. and more.
  • Offers free full movies, full episodes, clips from films and TV shows, news, talk shows, and more.
  • Includes past episodes and seasons not available on the network sites.
  • Past seasons of current, older and canceled shows include: Arrested Development, New Amsterdam, The Journeyman, The Riches, Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, The O.C., One Tree Hill
  • My favorite shows on Hulu: House, Bones, Crusoe, Burn Notice, Battlestar Galactica, Life, Monk, Psych, The Office, 24
• TV.com
  • Many of the videos on this site are streamed from Hulu, but it also offers videos from CBS which aren’t available on Hulu.
  • The CBS site is sometimes a little slow, so I watch CBS shows here.
  • Offers quite a few shows in HD quality video.
  • What I watch on TV.com: NCIS
• Fancast
  • This site also streams a lot of videos from Hulu, but also has episodes not available on Hulu. For example, it has the pilot episode of Psych which isn’t on Hulu.
  • What I watch on Fancast: Friends
• Joost
  • Originally a download desktop player service, Joost recently launched an online viewing service; however I find the search function could be improved.
  • Content from from CBS, Showtime, HBO, TheWB.
• Sling
  • Still in beta, this site streams videos from Hulu as well as CBS and others.
• TidalTV
  • Still in beta, this site offers a large selection of TV channels including Animal Planet, National Geographic, Wall Street Journal, The Travel Channel,  and lots more.
  • Selection is vast, but video quality isn’t quite as high as other sites.

Official TV Network/Channel Sites

Entertainment

• FOX
  • Home of 24, Bones, House, Fringe
  • Offers HD quality video
• NBC
  • Home of The Office, Crusoe,  Life, My Own Worst Enemy, 30 Rock, Heroes and many more
  • Offers HD quality video
• USA
  • Home of Burn Notice, Monk, Psych and The Starter Wife
• CBS
  • Home of NCIS, CSI, Numb3rs, How I Met Your Mother
  • Offers HD quality video
• ABC
  • Home of Desperate Housewives, Lost (which I saw for the first time last night), Pushing Daisies, Grey’s Anatomy (which I’ve not yet seen but seems popular)
  • Offers HD quality video
• Sci Fi
  • Home of Battlestar Galactica, Eureka, Sanctuary
  • Includes enhanced episodes with commentary by the film makers
• FX
  • Home of Damages, Nip/Tuck (which I’ve not seen)
• TheWB
  • Show include Chuck, One Tree Hill, The O.C., Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Smallville, Gilmore Girls, Firefly and many more
  • I’ve watched 1st season episodes of Chuck here, which aren’t available on Hulu or other sites.
  • Still in beta
  • Has more commercials than the other sites
  • Cycles through seasons of shows so you can watch them in order
• The CW Network
  • A joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS with a target audience of women between age 18-34
  • Shows include 90210, Privileged, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Superatural, Smallville and more
• ABC Family
  • Shows include 7th Heaven, Greek, Gilmore Girls and more
  • Also has a couple of full length movies
• TV Land
  • Classic TV such as The Andy Griffiths Show, The Beverly Hilbillies, etc.
  • This site seems to rotate available shows and episodes and advises bookmarking the above page and checking back frequently to see what’s on.

Educational

Shows and video clips on all things educational – history, animals, environment, science and more.

• The History Channel
  • A vast collection of full episodes and video clips on an array of historical subjects including American History, Military History, famous speeches
  • Shows include Ancient Discoveries, Cities of the Underworld, Moster Quest and more
• National Geographic
  • Videos on a variety of subjects: Animals, Environment, Science & Space, Travel & Culture, Specials and News
  • My dog especially enjoyed the clip on Arctic Hares
• The Discovery Channel
  • Full episodes of 2 shows and clips from scores of others on a variety of topics including animals, current events, environment, archaeology, technology and more
• Animal Planet
  • Full episodes of shows including Untamed and Uncut, Pet Planet and Living with the Wolfman
  • Scores of other videos on all things animal-related: wild and domestics, informational and political
• PBS
  • Current events, history, arts, cooking and more
  • Includes shows such as Frontline, NOVA, NerdTV, WIRED Science, Julia Child and more
• HGTV
  • Home and garden channel with shows on home decorating, improvement, buying and selling
• The Food Network
  • Including shows such as 30 Minute Meals, Ace of Cakes and more

News

Local, National and International News, Politics, Economy, Personal Finance, Technology, and more

• CNN
• MSNBC
• BBC
• C-SPAN
• Wall Street Journal

Technical Requirements

Video Quality

You need a decent internet connection (preferably DSL or Cable and faster). There are various video quality levels available and you have an option depending on your internet connection.

• Standard Resolution: 360p — 1,000Kbps or higher
• Hi-Res/High Quality (HQ): 480p — 1,500Kbps or higher
• High Definition (HD): 720p — 3,500Kbps or higher

Computer Requirements

• Internet Explorer 6.0 or above, Firefox 1.5 or above, or Safari 2.0 or above
• JavaScript and Cookies must also be enabled
• Adobe Flash Player 9.0 or above
• Microsoft Windows XP SP2, Microsoft Windows Vista, Macintosh OS X, or Linux

Related posts:

• Wall Street Journal Giveaway Winner and Carnivals of the Week
• Friday Fun: Meme Me! 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Me (Penelope Pince)
• My Favorite Money and Time Saving Websites
• Feeling Sorry for the Little Guy in the Battle Between Brick-and-Mortar and Online Shopping
• Watch “Sandra’s Money Saving Meals” and “The Dave Ramsey Show” Videos Free on Hulu

Originally posted 2009-01-26 06:00:33.

If you have never seen Fiddler on the Roof or want to see it again, you can watch the full movie free on Hulu at: http://www.hulu.com/watch/26704/fiddler-on-the-roof

Funny Money Quote from Fiddler On the Roof

Tevye: Again with the rich! What’s wrong with being rich?
Perchik: It’s no reason to marry. Money is the world’s curse.
Tevye: May the Lord smite me with it. And may I never recover!

If I Were a Rich Man

One of my favorite songs in this movie is If I Were a Rich Man, wherin Tevye fantasizes of the (sometimes imprudent) ways in which he would live his life and spend his money were he a wealthy man. Play the video below to watch it performed as can be done by none other than the great Topol. (You can watch the whole movie here, too, if you’d like.)

Fiddler on the Roof: If I Were a Rich Man – Lyrics

“Dear God, you made many, many poor people.
I realize, of course, that it’s no shame to be poor.
But it’s no great honor either!
So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?”

If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I’d biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn’t have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man.

I’d build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen,
Right in the middle of the town.
A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below.
There would be one long staircase just going up,
And one even longer coming down,
And one more leading nowhere, just for show.

I’d fill my yard with chicks and turkeys and geese and ducks
For the town to see and hear.
And each loud “cheep” and “swaqwk” and “honk” and “quack”
Would land like a trumpet on the ear,
As if to say “Here lives a wealthy man.”

If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I’d biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn’t have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man.

I see my wife, my Golde, looking like a rich man’s wife
With a proper double-chin.
Supervising meals to her heart’s delight.
I see her putting on airs and strutting like a peacock.
Oy, what a happy mood she’s in.
Screaming at the servants, day and night.

The most important men in town would come to fawn on me!
They would ask me to advise them,
Like a Solomon the Wise.
“If you please, Reb Tevye…”
“Pardon me, Reb Tevye…”
Posing problems that would cross a rabbi’s eyes!
And it won’t make one bit of difference if i answer right or wrong.
When you’re rich, they think you really know!

If I were rich, I’d have the time that I lack
To sit in the synagogue and pray.
And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall.
And I’d discuss the holy books with the learned men, several hours every day.
That would be the sweetest thing of all.

If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I’d biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn’t have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man.

Related posts:

• Free Printable Craft Template: Birdhouse with Siding, Stucco Walls and Tile Roof
• Expensive Lessons: Knowing When to Call it Quits and Call in a Professional, and the Price of Spinelessness and Regret
• May 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #4
• Motivating Children to Practice Music: Introduction

Originally posted 2008-08-10 10:00:53.

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.

Conversion of a Common Coniferous Conundrum

When we moved into our own home, my sister and I decided to make our first Christmas a memorable one, which included the purchase of a 7 foot tall Christmas tree. Another occasion which came with taking possession of the house was our going to the sanitation office and signing up for trash pickup, at which time we were warned that sanitation engineers would refuse to empty any trash container which was overfilled. To make sure we understood what it meant to overfill a trash container, the sanitation department employee showed us several photographs of a trash container into which a Christmas tree had been rammed with the lid in various half-hearted attempts at closure. Happily, this specific offense we will never be tempted to commit. For why on earth would two practical people like ourselves throw away (or reduce to mulch) a perfectly good used Christmas tree?

Almost as soon as we wrestled and tilted our Christmas tree into a position which passed for perpendicular, I began scheming at the potential uses of this sizable item which would become available as soon as December 26. However, to make the best of the purchase, we left the tree decorated well into January. After divesting the tree of it’s ornaments, we sawed off the branches while the tree was still standing, leaving a few attractive stumps. The branches were easily disposed of without upsetting the sanitation department. We then sawed off the part of the trunk that had been standing in water and were left with a 6+ foot tree trunk.

My original plan was to convert the tree trunk into a coat rack for our entryway. This was to be achieved by inserting wooden pegs near the top, attaching to the base curved furniture legs to suggest tree roots, and possibly adding a wire bird nest in which to deposit objects like keys and fake eggs. The whole was to be painted a uniform color and varnished. I then shopped around for several months without finding the feet I had wanted and therefore the plan was changed.

My sister had begun playing the violin and was considering the purchase of a music stand. So, we decided to make a music stand instead of a coat rack. I measured the tree trunk and found that after cutting off the top for a music stand, the remaining section was just the height for a table. We had also been in the market for a small table. Each project took approximately two days and cost us next to nothing because we used small remnants of wood, leftover paint, and the only new materials were glue, nails, and screws. Although we painted the music stand blue and the octagonal table green, they make a very nice pair and we declare ourselves very satisfied with the results. But we are not skilled carpenters so you can form your own opinion from the pictures.

 

There really is no limit to what can be done with the nice piece of organically shaped wood that is a Christmas tree. One might turn it into a curtain rod, a chair, a stool, a ladder (decorative), balustrade, fence post, easel, or a rail to which to tie a goat when milking it to make cheese.

Related posts:

• Frugal Christmas: Skipping the Tree and Presents This Year
• Holiday Blog Carnivals
• Favorite Christmas Memory
• Free Printable Templates: Christmas Candy Stripe and Plaid Carrier Gift Bags
• Interesting Reads From Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #12

Originally posted 2008-12-27 08:30:47.

The ingredients are as follows:

• Tortilla chips
• Chili
• Salad*
• Salsa
• Ranch Dressing

 

* I like to use the prepped salad mixes to save time as it doesn’t cost much more than buying fresh produce and saves preparation time.

Additional optional ingredients for a fancier (but less fast and frugal) version:

• Taco meat instead of chili (made with taco spice – i.e. McCormick’s)
• Sour Cream
• Guacamole
• Olives
• Jalapeños
• Shredded Cheese

Preparation

1. Put a layer of Tortilla Chips on the bottom of the plate
2. Add Chili on top of the Chips
3. Microwave for 1 minute to heat up Chili (You can also heat the chili on the stove but it would create another dish to wash.)
4. Add Salad on top of Chili
5. Drizzle Salsa and Ranch Dressing on top
6. Any additional toppings as desired. I don’t like cheese and sour cream so I use Ranch Dressing, but you can use whatever you like.

Done!

Related posts:

• Fast & Frugal Recipe: Spaghetti with Hot Dogs
• Fast & Frugal Recipe: Yakisoba (Japanese Chow Mein)
• Fast & Frugal Recipe: Super Easy Pizza
• Fast & Frugal Recipe: Vegetable & Rice Teriyaki Bowl
• Our Financial Lent: Giving up Chocolate and Ice Cream for a Month to Save $14

Originally posted 2008-03-15 20:17:50.

I have no trouble with the yarn I purchased for myself; these I keep in resealable plastic bags organized by fiber type. The real trouble is the accumulation of “interesting” yarns which my grandmother—a highly skilled knit and crochet artist—gifted regularly to me as a solution to her own yarn buildup. These yarns come in a larger variety of fibers than I usually buy and range in appearance from extremely beautiful to frightfully gaudy. There is rarely enough of one type of these miscellaneous yarns to make a whole project.

I have now resolved once and for all to reclaim the hours I spend reorganizing yarns for more profitable use. Having just become aware that many people are troubled by yarn accumulation and resort to giving away or donating materials which had cost them money, I would like to share my solution for disposing of yarn without waste.

Convert yarn into useful items

Yes, this is done by knitting or crocheting. You may say that not having time to knit and crochet was the cause of your problems. I do not insist, however, that you make the project you planned when you purchased the yarn. Instead of painstakingly following patterns and counting stitches, easily dispose of your yarn of by forming them into square or rectangular shapes. Knitted or crocheted squares and rectangles can be sewn into charming pillows. These pillows may be plain or trimmed with lace crocheted from more of your extra yarn. Crocheted squares make very charming blankets, large or small, for yourself, children, or pets.

It is logical to use one type of yarn for one project, but I did make one blanket from an incredible hodgepodge of my grandmother’s old yarn including silk, wool, natural & synthetic fibers of all colors and sizes. I expected the resulting blanket to be quite ugly, but was proven wrong. Each crocheted square has a resemblance to something such as strawberries, owl feathers, Japanese kimono fabric, etc. The whole is unified by a white border and is only slightly lumpy due to the combinations of so many types of fibers and has been machine washed and dried without warping or shrinking. This blanket which rid me of a great box of yarn is my favorite throw for reading in the winter.

These easy projects can be done while watching television and made shorter by the use of large crochet hooks or knitting needles. I myself knit and crochet in the evenings while watching a DVD and pedaling an exercise bike. Avoid wasting the money already spent on your yarn and save extra money by making something you would otherwise buy. Some easy rectangular projects are: blankets, pillows, scarves, arm and leg warmers, bags and purses, square pockets or patches for clothing, bed skirt or ruffle, curtain valance.

 

Uses for odd bits of yarn

After you have made useful things out of your yarn, roll the leftovers into neat balls and store them on a basket for miscellaneous use. Some possible uses of yarn remnants are:

• Tie yarn around rolled up paper containing handwritten or typed messages. This is a economical substitute for greeting cards, note cards, and gift tags. Insert a sprig of herb or small flower under the yarn for a special touch. 8.5” x 11” papers look fine, but smaller pieces such as 3” x 4” are prettiest.
• Use yarn instead of ribbon to tie around a present. Two strands in related or contrasting colors look very nice.
• Tie around papers such as computer printouts, research papers, poetry and manuscripts to keep them together.
• Use to secure sets of stationary and envelopes for attractive storage on your desk.
• Bind notes, music, recipes, & scrapbooks by threading yarn through punched holes in paper. I use this method to secure sheet music in manila folders. Paper bound this way can be easily added to, reorganized, or taken out for use. Attractive covers can be printed on card stock.
• Crochet trims such as ruffles, lace, or furry cuffs onto plain sweaters and gloves.
• In crafts such as with plastic canvas which can be purchased for about $0.3o a sheet, creating attractive small storage solutions (see monogrammed suitcases pictured).
• Yarn can often substitute for twine and string.
• Stitched with blunt needle to secure braided hair on your head.
• Hang Christmas ornaments or Easter eggs from ceilings, windows, or other places.
• Use as embellishments: threaded through fabric or baskets, in bows, tie closures for clothing and boxes, curtain tiebacks, decorative stitching.
• Holding some desperate broken thing together.
• Replacement shoe laces?

Related posts:

• Free Printable Templates: Gingham Mini Carrier Bags
• Free Printable Templates: Holiday Snowflake Gift Tags, Treat and Mini Carrier Bags
• The Financial Woes of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Public Domain Music: Music you already own!
• Frugal, Unique and Meaningful Valentine’s Day Gift & Date Ideas, Plus Budget Tips

Originally posted 2008-02-29 15:55:08.

Here is simple home decoration project to spruce up your walls or sides of cabinets that have an electrical outlet or light switch plate. This electrical outlet pictured to the right is in a conspicuous place in our house and I found the yellowish white plastic color rather offensive, so I came up with the following easy solution for turning an ugly necessity into a decorative piece.

How to decorate an electrical outlet or light switch plate

1. Find an old unused picture frame or buy a small picture frame from a dollar store or thrift shop
2. Make sure the inside of the frame fits around the outlet or light switch plate
3. Take out the glass and save it for other crafts
4. Clean and paint the frame if necessary or desired (The one pictured above was painted with gold enamel spray paint)
5. Paint the electrical outlet if desired. You can use small bottle of acrylic paint from the craft or hardware store, usually about $1.79)
6. Paint any wall area that will show inside the frame, if desired
7. Glue the frame onto the wall

This treatment is suitable for electrical, cable, and phone outlets as well as light switch plates.

Related posts:

• Elegant French Memo Board from Thrift Shop Picture Frame
• Thinking inside the box: Some Uses for Cardboard Cartons
• Save Money on Clothes: Shop the Juniors’ Department
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• The No-Budget System

Originally posted 2008-04-19 05:59:00.

When I got online today, one of the first things that caught my eye (after “Pringles can designer buried in his work”) on MSN.com was this headline: “Frugalists find bargains in trash,” and of course I couldn’t help but click on it. I thought at first it was just about people digging up some still usable knick knacks or gadgets, but it turns out there are people, called Extreme Consumerists, who actually dumpster dive to set their dinner tables. And these aren’t homeless and very poor people, but people that have full-time jobs, own their homes, and are quite well off.

One woman interviewed about her unique lifestyle says that despite her affluence, she still worries about not having enough money, and by eating out of the dumpster, she can use her money to splurge on things she really wants like a new laptop computer or a pair of nice sneakers. Everything she eats comes out of the dumpster except for milk and butter.

Now, I am all for frugality, but this to me just seems a little too extreme. Having done a brief stint in the food services industry, I am very wary about food safety and sanitation. On our first day at Togo’s (sandwich shop), we were taught that hot food had to be kept at over 170° F and cold foods under 40° F in order to prevent bacterial growth. Also, if you touch anything other than food or sanitized items, you must wash your hands with antibacterial soap in hot water in order to kill bacteria on your hands.

A dumpster filled with food contains more than just [clean] food. Who knows what it has held in the past even if it looks clean. These large metal containers sit in the sun all day incubating bacteria, and even if it has been recently emptied it is still a hotbed of germs.

Dumpster diving for food is something I hope to never have to do. If for some reason I ever ran out of money, I would find other ways to make money to buy food. In my opinion, it’s not worth it to risk getting food poisoning, E. coli or Salmonella (which can cost you a lot more unless you can also dumpster dive for a doctor and medication too) to save a couple of hundred dollars a month.

There’s a reason “Healthy” comes before “Wealthy” in the famous quote by a very wealthy (and wise) American. (Though maybe “Wise” should have come before “Healthy.”)

What do you think? Would you eat out of the dumpster for a new computer or pair of sneakers?

Links mentioned:

• Pringles can designer buried in his work
• Frugalists find bargains in trash

Related posts:

• June 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Festival of Frugality #140: The Frugal Quotes Edition
• Festival of Frugality #152: Affected by Recession Edition
• No Year’s Resolution
• Hosting Festival of Frugality and Money Hacks Carnival Next Week

Originally posted 2008-06-03 14:04:33.

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.

Related posts:

• 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.

Some objects do not need any modification to take on the new role of cabinet. For example, I have for many years used a faux antique birdcage to store attractive books. I also have an attractive wire puppy crate that is no longer in use which could store and display childhood stuffed animals. Other things can be become cabinets with simple additions and changes. Wooden boxes can have lids attached with hinges or wire. An unused aquarium can be polished or painted with glass paint and given an improvised lid. I have often contemplated the potential of spiral bindings from old notebooks to serve as hinges and have yet to try it.

Because looking expensive is not our first priority, my sister and I have a hobby of making cabinets from pine boards, scraps of plywood, and found items. These handcrafted cabinets can be used alone, stacked, mounted to a wall or placed on shelves and furniture. They add whimsy to our rooms and are ideal places to stash things which would otherwise accumulate on horizontal surfaces. Please allow me to introduce a few of our favorite cabinets.

 

• The blue and white cabinet which we call “Little Paisley” is decorated with 2 pretty note cards received in the mail, framed with lace and varnished. The handle is twisted wire. It holds rolls of paper for drawing.
• The yellow cabinet has a glass door made with a picture frame from a thrift shop and decorated with a scrap of velvet and fringe. It currently resides near the piano and contains songbooks.
• The white cabinet with star appliqués holds bags of polyester fill and sewing supplies. It also has a twisted wire handle.
• The “Kennel” cabinet with wire doors contains infrequently read books and 3 miniature dogs which my real dog used to steal off my shelf. I meant to buy wire for the doors but decided to use some more of the big coil of wire we already had. Instead of hinges, I hammered dowels into drilled holes. I don’t mind the slight crookedness.
• The littlest cabinet with the pink interior has a birthday card glued and varnished to the door. This one keeps my bedroom closet pretty by holding odd items such as lotion and rubbing alcohol. My bedroom closet is actually my personal library (my sister and I keep our clothes in the master bedroom) so this cabinet also serves as a bookend.

We are very fond of our cabinets for their flaws and individuality. They are versatile and easily change location or purpose as needed. Those who like projects of this sort should assign drawers or containers (or cabinets) for the purpose of tidily accumulating materials. Potentially useful items are:

• Greeting cards people have sent you. These are often rather expensive and should be given a permanent use.
• Any paper with tasteful patterns or artwork for decoupage. Old calenders can be recycled here.
• Attractive things that are inherently useless, fallen or broken off other items: silk or plastic flowers, miniature and doll house items, buttons, charms, rope, ribbon, pebbles, puzzle pieces, playing cards, party favors, old hair accessories, non-genuine jewelry, etc. Just about anything you fancy that can be affixed by glue will do.
• Things that can serve as door knobs or handles: large beads, teacup or mug handles, ceramic figurines, chess pieces, golf balls, small thread spools, interesting caps from perfume or cosmetic bottles, anything that is easy to grab and pull. Handles can be entirely decorative or absent if you wish.
• Potentially interesting doors are: old picture frames, wire shelving from small refrigerators and ovens, actual doors apparently fallen off other furniture or houses, art on canvas or in frames, book covers abducted from large old books (make sure the book is truly badly conceived, badly written, and in bad condition before harming it!), anything relatively flat and attachable. If you find a great door, make a cabinet to fit it.

Related posts:

• Pecuniarities (Our Fourpence Worth) 1 Year Anniversary
• DIY Step Stool Cupboard
• Switching to Paperless Statements to Save Money, Time and the Planet
• How to Save on Paint for Home and Craft Projects
• Our Family Financial History

Originally posted 2008-02-28 15:39:39.

Whenever I used to hear this quote, my reaction would be something like “Yeah, okay.” I’d figure that it was probably true but never really gave it much thought, and it pretty much went in one ear and out the other. But now that I’m getting a little on in years (the big 3-0 inching eerily closer), I’m beginning to see why this quote is so-oft quoted.

Some of you may have noticed that my posting has been a little inconsistent lately. As I explained in my recent roundup of personal finance articles, our cousin has been visiting us since April (and will be here until July 8th). Because most of our relatives live overseas, when we do see each other, it is usually after a span of several years. Despite the physical distance between us, we have always been very close to most of our cousins, and consequently, there have been a lot of late nights of catching up on the last half decade or so – chatting about other family members (there are a lot of us), reminiscing and laughing about our childhoods and complaining about the “grown-ups” who still treat us like children even though most of us are now in our late twenties and early thirties.

While these late night chats have been priceless, they have also taken a toll. We often all stay up together till about midnight, and after the others turn in for the night, I usually spend several hours catching up on work (for our other businesses or this blog), and it isn’t unusual for me to go to bed at sunrise. While it’s great to have these quiet and uninterrupted hours in which to work, there is also a price.

In the past couple of years of working at home, Madoline and I have gone through several periods of reversed sleep cycles. These reversals are often triggered by a few days or weeks of staying up late to work on holiday and seasonal rush orders for our dog clothing/horse costuming business, resulting in habitual late bed- and rising times. At the worst of these times, we go to bed around 8 or 9 in the morning and wake up in the mid- or late-afternoon. On these days, even if we get 8 hours of sleep, we are not much better than zombies, and needless to say, our productivity is greatly inhibited.

We have found that “Late to bed and late to rise” (despite getting 8 hours) often results in:

• Unrestful sleep due to light and noise
• Waking up headachy or dizzy
• Inability to function without coffee
• Dizziness or headache persisting through the entire day
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mental slowness such as taking a lot longer to do math in my head
• More mistakes – mental and physical
• Getting less work done

When our sleeping schedules reach this point, usually about twice a year, we have to perform a major overhaul which involves a couple of miserable days of forcing ourselves to stay up as long as we can and going to bed as close to nighttime as possible, gradually shifting our sleep cycles back to waking up in the morning. When we finally succeed at waking up around 5 or 6 in the morning, there is a complete change.

The results of “Early to bed and early to rise”:

• Waking up without feeling sleepy or tired
• Mental acuity
• Better energy and mood throughout the day
• The day feels longer (in a good way)
• Better control of mind and body (working faster and making fewer mistakes)
• Getting more work done

So, I can now attest that Mr. Franklin’s statement is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. And based on my experience, going to bed around 9:00 or 10:00pm and getting up around 6:00am reaps the best results health-wise (studies have found that sleeping at night is healthier because the body requires sleeping in complete dark in order to completely rest and build defenses against diseases), wealth-wise (because you can get more done in less time), and wisdom-wise (because your mind works better when your body is feeling better).

Off to bed I go. : )

Related posts:

• Life Is Too Short to Sleep On Low Thread-Count Sheets
• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #5
• Frugality to the Extreme: Would You Eat Out of the Dumpster?
• Funny Money Lessons from Fiddler on the Roof: If I Were a Rich Man
• Make Your January 1, 2009 Home Mortgage Payment Today to Cut Your 2008 Taxes

Originally posted 2008-06-15 06:33:18.

Language Lesson ~ Frugality is a Virtue
(Re-Post: Original post date February 24, 2008)

In modern times where the spending of money is oftentimes equated with power and status, the word “frugal” or “frugality” seems to carry an almost negative connotation and be associated with stinginess or miserliness (if you look it up in a thesaurus). However, if we go back to the actual definition and etymology (origins) of the word, we see that frugality is really a positive trait and nothing to be at all ashamed of.

“Frugal” or “frugality” is defined as “characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources”, “prudence in avoiding waste”, and “prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful”.

The word frugal descends from the Latin frugalis, which has been associated with words such as “virtue” or “virtuous,” “honest,” “worthy,” “deserving,” “useful,” “thrifty,” “simple,” “profit” or “profitable,” “value” or “valuable,” “economical,” “temperate,” “sober,” and also “fruit” from frux or fructus, the root of the word “fruitful” which is defined as “yielding,” “profitable,” “productive” or “producing abundantly.”

The word “economy,” which is often associated with frugality, is defined as “management of expenses or resources”. It desecends from the Latin oeconomia and the Greek oikonomíā, which meant “household management”, derived from oikos “house,” nomos “managing”, which comes from nemein “manage” (and also I believe, the root of the Old English niman and the modern German “nehmen” which means “to take”).

Now that you’ve been so lucky as to have been subjected to this fascinating language lesson, in future if anyone makes fun of or criticizes your frugality, you may proudly and nicely, or not so nicely if they’ve been very rude as there is no excuse for rudeness, enlighten them as to the true and noble origins of your lifestyle.

Related Reading:
Language Lesson ~ Finance: A Fine Word by Penelope Pince

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Sources: Online Etymology Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Babylon Latin Dictionary, Germanic Etymology

Related posts:

• Language Lesson ~ Frugality is a Virtue
• March 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Honestly Frugal: the Ethics of Saving Money
• Basics for the Young, Single and Frugal
• Interesting Reads From Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #20

Originally posted 2008-05-22 06:00:30.

Looking for Blog Carnival Hosts

We are looking for personal finance, frugal and green living bloggers to host editions such as this starting October 22, 2009. Hosting a carnival is a good way to gain traffic to your blog, so if you are a blogger and are interested in hosting, please visit the hosting guidelines page to learn more and apply.

Now on with the carnival!

I thought I’d celebrate Fall TV Premiere month with a stroll down memory lane of one of my favorite shows from my college days, Friends. Thanks to TheWb.com, I am now able catch up on the last few seasons which I have yet to see because we stopped getting cable in 2001.

Below are a few clips from this great show. Enjoy!

Editor’s Picks

• Fiscal Fizzle presents 7 Ways to Find Your Financial Heart.
• Budgets Are Sexy presents Finance is really not that complicated.
• Get Rich Slowly presents Sweating the Big Stuff.
• Man Vs. Debt presents Negotiation Tips For Beginners.

Frugality

• Suburban Dollar presents Be Frugal, Not Cheap.
• Pay Less For Food presents Nine Simple Ways to Avoid Supermarket Impulse Purchases.
• Modern Tightwad presents Updated: Top Fifteen Garage Sale Rules.
• The Financial blogger presents 4 Tricks to Save Money on Groceries: How to Cut Your Grocery Bills by 20% while being lazy.

Jobs, Income & Economy

• Bible Money Matters presents Dealing With A Job Loss: What To Do When You’re Laid Off.
• Gather Little By Little presents What I Don’t Like About Mary Kay and other Multi Level Marketing (MLM) Companies.
• Christian Finances presents 25 top careers without a degree .
• Darwin’s Finance presents Best Places to Work: Surprising Survey Results and Analysis.
• The Happy Rock presents Necessity vs Luxury: Research Shows That The Economy Shapes Our Perspective.
• Don’t Quit Your Day Job… presents The Minimum Wage Mistake.

Debt, Credit & Loans

• PT Money presents 0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards: Using them Effectively.
• The Digerati Life presents Secured Credit Cards To Boost Your Credit.
• Banker, Saver presents Compare Auto Loan Financing Options Before Buying A Car.
• The Smarter Wallet presents Avoid Bankruptcy! Information To Help You Stay Afloat.
• Money Help For Christians presents Good Debt vs. Bad Debt.
• Financial Highway presents Basics of Credit Score and Credit Report and How often to Check.

Saving & Investing

• Bargaineering presents Roth IRA Account Explained.
• Free From Broke presents 9 Reasons You Need An Online High Yield Savings Account.
• My Dollar Plan presents Writing Bylaws for Your Investment Club.
• Go To Retirement presents Asset Allocation Strategies and Online Calculators.
• Good Financial Cents presents Understanding Your Beneficiary Options for IRA’s and 401k’s.
• Investing Toolkit presents Facing Investment Risks: Watch Your Money!

Well, this wraps it up for today’s carnival. Be sure and submit to next week’s edition which will be hosted at Fiscal Fizzle.

Thanks for stopping by!

Related posts:

• Pecuniarities is Hosting the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights This Week!
• Finance Blog Carnivals of Late
• Pecuniary Links ~ July 2009 #2
• Carnival of Pecuniary Delights Giveaways: Cute Piggy Bank Magnet Prizes for Hosting and Submissions
• Pecuniary Links ~ August 2009 #1

Ingredients:

• Any frozen cheese pizza (store brand or name brand on sale) from the grocery store. Frozen cheese pizzas can be had for as little as $2.00 per pizza when on sale. And we have found store brand pizzas (Stater Bros in our case) to be quite good.
• Any toppings you desire – olives, mushrooms, pineapple, mandarin oranges, ham or Canadian bacon, spinach, garlic, onion, etc. One can or package of toppings can make you several pizzas, so the cost per meal is divided into the number of meals.

Directions:

1. Open frozen pizza and preheat oven as directed
2. Put your desired toppings on the pizza. We recommend moderation with toppings.
3. Bake in oven

Homemade Pizza Tips:

• If using fresh vegetables, do not over-dress, as they can produce excess moisture and cause the crust to not fully bake.
• Mushrooms are very moist toppings and are best sliced thin and used in moderation.
• Always drain canned vegetables and fruits, and squeeze juice out of pineapple chunks.
• Garlic is best if added first on top of the cheese and under the other toppings. This allows the garlic flavor to seep into the cheese while baking and prevent burning.
• A little sprinkle of oregano, basil or cilantro on the cheese and under the toppings also adds a nice subtle flavor.
• A little Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top in the last few minutes can add a desirable flavor.
• If everyone likes different toppings, each person can top his/her own section of pizza.

This method is less expensive than buying a frozen pizza with toppings, as cheese pizzas are often much cheaper, and your own purchased toppings will last you through several more pizzas. It may or may not be less expensive than making your own crust (I haven’t calculated), but it is definitely faster, easier, tastes good and shouldn’t cost you more than $3-4 for one pizza.

Related posts:

• Fast & Frugal Recipe: Super Easy Taco Salad
• Fast & Frugal Recipe: Spaghetti with Hot Dogs
• Fast and Frugal Recipe: Mediterranean Pizza Toast
• Fast & Frugal Recipe: Yakisoba (Japanese Chow Mein)
• Fast & Frugal Recipe: Vegetable & Rice Teriyaki Bowl

Originally posted 2008-03-31 14:33:44.

We’re hosting the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights this coming Thursday September 17th, 2009.

Personal finance, frugal and green living bloggers, get your submissions in by Wednesday 6:00 PM Pacific Time to be considered for inclusion in this edition!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this fairly new carnival, please visit this the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights website for more information.

Looking for Blog Carnival Hosts

The carnival schedule is open starting the 22nd of October 2009. Hosting a carnival is a great way to get targeted traffic to your blog, so if you blog about finance, frugal or green living, visit the hosting guidelines page to apply.

Our host blog requirements aren’t as stringent as some of the other carnivals so this is a good opportunity if you are a newer blogger and don’t yet meet the requirements to host other carnivals. We only ask that you maintain the quality of the carnival by only including content of lasting value.

Visit the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights site for more information and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

I’ll be back soon with a new post!

Related posts:

• Carnival of Pecuniary Delights Giveaways: Cute Piggy Bank Magnet Prizes for Hosting and Submissions
• Finance Blog Carnivals of Late
• New Personal Finance and Frugality Blog Carnival: The Carnival of Pecuniary Delights
• Giveaways Ending Soon! And Hosting 2 Blog Carnivals Next Week
• Pecuniary Links ~ August 2009 #1

But here are a couple of notable reads from fellow Pecuniary Associates from this past week that I think you’ll enjoy.

• Living Well On Less is planning a frugal road trip and talks about how she and her husband will make it frugal, healthy and simple.
• Counting My Pennies’s cat recently had surgery and she found herself readily agreeing to have anything necessary done regardless of cost. (We’d be the same way with our dogs.) She talks about priorities and when she will scrimp and when she won’t in What do you value?

We also had our post Short Term vs. Long Term Savings With Bulk Buying included in the 17th Carnival of Pecuniary Delights: Online Slang Edition hosted at Budgets Are Sexy (apologies for the delay in linking back!)

Ciao!

Related posts:

• Pecuniarities is Hosting the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights This Week!
• Pecuniary Links ~ July 2009 #2
• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Finance Blog Carnivals of Late
• Carnival of Pecuniary Delights Giveaways: Cute Piggy Bank Magnet Prizes for Hosting and Submissions