Reading Suggestion: The I Do Cookbook for the Bride and Groom

I use this cookbook on a weekly basis.
Amazing recipes and great menu planning ideas.
Makes a great gift for newlyweds!
For more information see: www.idocook.com

Reading Suggestion: How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

You don't need to spend a lot of money on learning resources for your kids. This book is worth it's weight in gold! Very easy to use and I've found it very effective with my kids. You don't have to do the program in 100 days...I just did 10 to 15 minutes a day.

Amazon Review:

SRAs DISTAR® is the most successful beginning reading program available to schools across the country. Research has proven that children taught by the DISTAR® method outperform their peers who receive instruction from other programs. Now for the first time, this program has been adapted for parent and child to use at home. Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is a complete, step-by-step program that shows patents simply and clearly how to teach their children to read.

Twenty minutes a day is all you need, and within 100 teaching days your child will be reading on a solid second-grade reading level. It's a sensible, easy-to-follow, and enjoyable way to help your child gain the essential skills of reading. Everything you need is here -- no paste, no scissors, no flash cards, no complicated directions -- just you and your child learning together. One hundred lessons, fully illustrated and color-coded for clarity, give your child the basic and more advanced skills needed to become a good reader.

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons will bring you and your child closer together, while giving your child the reading skills needed now, for a better chance at tomorrow.

Reading Suggestion: The Total Money Makeover

I love Dave Ramsey! He changed the whole way I look at money!

Radio talk-show host and bestselling author Ramsey (Financial Peace) is less a financial analyst and more of a preacher, which explains both his popularity and the appeal of this book, which just might gain a wide audience. The bedrock of his system is simple: work hard, pay what you owe and stay out of debt. His main commandment is "Pay cash." He first exhorts the reader to take "baby steps," which are designed to build on each other: first, save $1,000 as an emergency fund; then, pay off all debts from smallest to largest; save a larger three-to-six-month emergency fund; finally, start to save for college and pay off your home mortgage. Ramsey understands the difficulty in putting these steps into action, and therefore packs his book with personal testimonials from everyday people who have used his system and have become debt free, with obvious struggles. The key is what Ramsey calls "Gazelle intensity," which is to live a financial life the way a gazelle saves itself from an attacking cheetah-"outmaneuver the enemy and run for your life." While Ramsey provides some helpful charts and graphs so readers can keep track of their efforts to follow his steps, the strength of this book is that it is a straightforward motivational tool. He provides the brutally direct truth about the hard work it takes to become free of debt, and his directness is a great part of the book's charm.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Reading Suggestion: The Tightwad Gazette

This is a must read! Tons of great ideas!

Amazon.com Review
Though tightwad seems like a derogatory term, author Amy Dacyczyn wants to assure you that it's okay to be a penny-pincher. This self-styled "Frugal Zealot" wrote and published The Tightwad Gazette for over six years to spread the frugal gospel. Each issue contained tips from her personal experience and from her many readers. The wealth of information contained in all these issues has been compiled into one volume for the first time. You'll find literally thousands of ideas for saving money, from the simple or practical to the difficult or bizarre. On the simple, practical side, Dacyczyn advises would-be tightwads to keep track of price trends at several stores in a "price book" and to buy in bulk when prices are low. Other, stranger offerings include tips for turning margarine-tub lids into playing-card holders, old credit cards into guitar picks, and six-pack rings into a hammock or volleyball net. More helpful are inexpensive recipes for making homemade versions of pricey, well-known products and ingenious ways to fix broken or damaged items. The book's disorganization encourages browsing, but the detailed index will point you to the exact page for specific items. Dacyczyn's occasional "thriftier than thou" tone is balanced by the friendly support for frugality that infuses every page. She even reminds her readers that it's okay to "sweat the small stuff"--because this small stuff is the essence of frugality. --C.B. Delaney

Product Description
At last--the long-awaited complete compendium
of tightwad tips for fabulous frugal living!

Amazon.com Review
Though tightwad seems like a derogatory term, author Amy Dacyczyn wants to assure you that it's okay to be a penny-pincher. This self-styled "Frugal Zealot" wrote and published The Tightwad Gazette for over six years to spread the frugal gospel. Each issue contained tips from her personal experience and from her many readers. The wealth of information contained in all these issues has been compiled into one volume for the first time. You'll find literally thousands of ideas for saving money, from the simple or practical to the difficult or bizarre. On the simple, practical side, Dacyczyn advises would-be tightwads to keep track of price trends at several stores in a "price book" and to buy in bulk when prices are low. Other, stranger offerings include tips for turning margarine-tub lids into playing-card holders, old credit cards into guitar picks, and six-pack rings into a hammock or volleyball net. More helpful are inexpensive recipes for making homemade versions of pricey, well-known products and ingenious ways to fix broken or damaged items. The book's disorganization encourages browsing, but the detailed index will point you to the exact page for specific items. Dacyczyn's occasional "thriftier than thou" tone is balanced by the friendly support for frugality that infuses every page. She even reminds her readers that it's okay to "sweat the small stuff"--because this small stuff is the essence of frugality. --C.B. Delaney

Product Description
At last--the long-awaited complete compendium
of tightwad tips for fabulous frugal living!

Stain Removal

Stain Removal

Usually, I just use some of my homemade laundry soap and scrub it in, and throw it in with the wash.
But for the stubborn stains, try this:

HOT WATER (enough to fill a big, clear plastic tub) , equal parts(about a cup of each) BIZ and the blue DAWN LIQUID DISH DETERGENT.

I throw all the stained clothes into the tub of hot water ( make sure the clothes are all the same color, don’t mix colors and whites) and let it sit for a couple days. if the stains are still there, I leave them in the water up to a week. then I dump the entire tub of clothes and soapy water into the washer. If there’s still stains, I repeat the process. (THIS FORMULA IS VERY SLIMY SO WEAR GLOVES)

For heirloom pieces, the only difference is rinse it well and then lay the item on a big towel, roll it up like a long snake, and then wring the excess water out. Hang it to dry.

It’s worth a try, the fabric/clothes are ruined anyway so why not try it out!

I’d love to get some comments on this subject, so let me know what you think! (success? bad experience? I want to know!)

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is one of my most requested recipes. Instead of going out for Chinese, try this one tonight:

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2 pkgs. Ritz crackers, crushed
1 1/2 T. Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. season salt
Mix these together, put in bowl.

1 (8oz.) container plain yogurt, put in another bowl
1/2 c. melted butter (to drizzle over chicken)
8 chicken breasts, cut in 1/2 and pat dry
Dip chicken pieces in yogurt, then dip in cracker crumbs, set on 13 x 9 inch pan, not touching each other. Now drizzle melted butter over chicken. While baking, make sauce.

Sauce:
1/2 c. ketchup
3/4 c. water
1/2 small can drained crushed pineapple or tidbits, add just before serving
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 T. cornstarch, min in 1/3 c. water to thicken
1/4 c. vinegar (apple cider)
Simmer 30 minutes. Serve over rice. Baking time: 45 minutes. Temp: 350. Serving Size: 6-8.

The Cost of Raising Children

Can you believe how expensive it is to raise kids?!?!?!
I take this as a challenge and think that I can do a better job for way less than this:

The table below shows the estimated annual costs of raising a child, based on a survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The table shows costs based on a family with two children on a per-child basis. The data comes from the Consumer Expenditure Survey by the U.S. Department of Labor, conducted from 1990-92.The figures have been updated to 2001 dollars using the Consumer Price Index. The USDA ends its cost survey when a child legally becomes an adult at age 18. It does not include any estimates for sending your children to college nor does it offer any cost estimates if your child remains in your home as a dependent after the age of 18. The College Board reports that in the 1998-99 school year, a resident student at a four-year private college will spend about $23,578 a year; a student at a public college will pay $9,008 a year. See the footnotes¹ below for further information. If you're a single-parent family, use the Single-Parent Family table.

Dual-Parent Family

Age of Child	Housing	Food	Transportation	Clothing	Health	Child care/ Education	Miscellaneous	Total
Before-tax income: up to $39,100
0 to 2	2,500	910	780	370	460	840	630	6490
3 to 5	2,470	1,010	750	360	440	820	680	6,630
6 to 8	2,380	1,300	880	400	510	560	680	6,710
9 to 11	2,150	1,560	950	450	560	340	720	6,730
12 to 14	2,400	1,640	1,070	750	560	240	900	7,560
15 to 17	1,940	1,780	1,440	660	600	400	660	7,480
Total	41,520	24,600	17,610	8,970	9,390	9,990	12,720	124,800
Before-tax income: $39,100 to $65,800
0 to 2	3,380	1,090	1,160	430	610	1,380	980	9,030
3 to 5	3,350	1,260	1,130	420	580	1,530	990	9,260
6 to 8	3,260	1,600	1,260	470	660	980	1,030	9,260
9 to 11	3,030	1,890	1,330	520	720	640	1,250	9,190
12 to 14	3,280	1,900	1,450	870	720	470	1,250	9,940
15 to 17	2,820	2,110	1,840	780	770	810	1,010	10,140
Total	57,360	29,550	24,510	10,470	12,180	17,430	18,960	170,460
Before-tax income: $65,800 and up
0 to 2	5,370	1,440	1,630	570	700	2,090	1,630	13,430
3 to 5	5,340	1,630	1,600	560	670	2,270	1,650	13,720
6 to 8	5,250	1,970	1,720	610	770	1,560	1,690	13,570
9 to 11	5,020	2,290	1,800	670	820	1,090	1,720	13,410
12 to 14	5,270	2,400	1,920	1,100	830	840	1,900	13,170
15 to 17	4,810	2,530	2,330	1,000	870	1,470	1,660	14,670
Total	93,180	36,780	33,000	13,530	13,980	27,960	30,750	249,180

Single-Parent Family

Age of Child	Housing	Food	Transportation	Clothing	Health	Child care/ Education	Miscellaneous	Total
Before-tax income: up to $39,100
0 to 2	2,240	1,010	730	330	220	530	380	5,440
3 to 5	2,550	1,060	640	350	330	720	500	6,150
6 to 8	2,710	1,340	740	410	390	650	670	6,910
9 to 11	2,600	1,550	530	420	490	310	540	6,440
12 to 14	2,600	1,550	620	710	520	400	520	6,920
15 to 17	2,760	1,690	970	830	520	300	600	7,670
Total	46,380	24,600	12,690	9,150	7,410	8,730	9,630	118,590
Before-tax income: $39,100 and up
0 to 2	4,820	1,560	2,220	470	510	1,290	1,580	12,450
3 to 5	4,820	1,650	2,130	500	690	1,620	1,690	13,410
6 to 8	5,290	1,980	2,240	570	790	1,510	1,870	14,250
9 to 11	5,180	2,380	2,030	580	950	880	1,740	13,740
12 to 14	5,190	2,380	2,110	950	1,000	1,260	1,720	14,560
15 to 17	5,340	2,470	2,290	1,090	990	1,030	1,800	15,010
Total	92,850	37,110	39,060	12,480	14,790	22,770	31,200	250,260

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture. Estimates are based on 1990-92 Consumer Expenditure Survey updated to 2001 dollars using the Consumer Price Index.

¹ The figures represent estimated expenses on the younger child in a two-child family. Estimates are about the same for the older child, so a family of two would then double the total cost. Thus, a family with two children and an income of less than $39,100, could expect to spend somewhere around $249,600, for two children by the time they each had reached age 18. If you have only one child, the USDA assumes you'll spend slightly more on that child and suggests multiplying the total expense for the appropriate age category by 1.24. If you have three or more children, the USDA assumes you'll spend slightly less per child. To estimate expenses for each child in a family with three or more children, multiply the total expense for each appropriate age category by 0.77. For expenses on all children in a family, these totals should be summed.

Budgeting Ideas

I think we can all agree that our parents lived a very different way of life than we do today. I was helping my mom clean out a closet the other day and we stumbled upon a small pamphlet that was written in 1978 that included various ways to save the average family time and money. I started reading several pages aloud with my mom and we laughed until we cried!! Did people really live like this?? Life is so much easier today with dependable disposable diapers, easy bill pay, and five dollar pizza places. A lot has changed in 30 years!! But, I think there is still some to be learned from those that have gone before us.

Here’s a list of my favorite ideas to save you time and money that still may be relevant in today’s world:

· * Set up a monthly cooperative dinner party where each couple brings one course for the meal. Besides being an enjoyable evening, there’s minimum work and expense. Play some games and it’s a fun date night!

· * If you work and buy your lunch, take a brown bag lunch several days to save money.

· * Stock up when products go on sale. It’s smart to have a food-storage of products that you need and you’ll use!

· * As a general rule, the more preparation you do in the kitchen, the less costly the meal will be. You pay for everything the food processing company does! Use that kitchen of yours! Not only foods, but cleaners and toys for the kids can be made in the kitchen that will save you money!

· * When you don’t have time for a regular shampoo, you can use baby powder to dry clean your hair. Just sprinkle a little powder through your hair and brush out. The powder will absorb excess oil and leave your hair ready for a quick set.

Here’s a list of money saving ideas that are for the die-hards:

· * When baby grows too long for his one-piece ropers that snap at the crotch, cut and hem them to make T-shirts.

· * Recycle stained baby clothes by sewing a “bib” over the stained area. Cut a pretty scrap of fabric onto the bib--large enough to cover the stained area. Trim with rickrack and attach to the garment front.

· * Don’t throw away your old shower curtain. Use it to make a cute little rain outfit for your toddler with poncho and rain hat to match. Add bows and decorate with pinking shears.

Previous generations have learned to use, re-use and recycle to accommodate tougher financial times. We can learn from them and adjust our way of life to fit the challenging economic times we’re in today!

Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole

Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 8 oz Swiss cheese, cubed
• 8 oz ham, diced
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup milk
• 1 box of stuffing
• 1-2 T. butter

PREPARATION:

Brown chicken and place chunks in baking dish, add cubes of swiss cheese and small pieces of ham. Mix cream of chicken soup with 1 cup of milk; mix well and pour over all. In a separate pan, melt butter, pour in dry stuffing, mix. Pour stuffing over casserole. Bake about 30 minutes at 350° or until tender and bubbly.

Crock Pot Lasagna

Crock pot Lasagna

12 lasagna noodles, uncooked 1 jar spaghetti sauce ¼ c water

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained 1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 carton (16 oz) cottage cheese 2 c mozzarella cheese

1. Break noodles in half. Place half of the noodles in the bottom of greased crockpot. Stir Italian seasoning into meat and spread half over the noodles already in crockpot. Layer half of the sauce and water, half of the cottage cheese, and half of the mozzarella cheese over beef.
2. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low heat 4-5 hours. Do not cook more than 5 hours.

Kool Aid Play Dough

Make something else with Kool Aid this summer...
This is always a hit at my house:
Kool Aid Play Dough
1 cup Flour
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 pack Kool Aid
1/4 cup salt
2 Tbsp. cream of Tartar
1 Cup water
Mix Flour, salt, cream of tartar, and Kool Aid in Medium pot. Add water and oil. Stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. When mix forms a ball, remove and knead.
Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Our Family School...putting some purpose into summer...

We are having a summer of life skills. I want my kids to learn how to clean, cook, ride a bike, swim...you know, just the basics of life. Sugardoodle.net has some great summer lesson plans that have helped us have some structure to our summer and given me the chance to help my kids with some math and reading skills. Of course we have hours of free play and run around and play time, but it's nice to make something meaningful happen this summer.
We're also trying to be more active as a family. We've found city walking trails, we've taken the kids to the high school track and let them run and ride to their hearts' content, we've gone swimming...all for very little-to-no cost.
At the beginning of the summer, I had the kids pick something they wanted to learn how to do. My little guy wanted to learn how to make pancakes, my little gal wanted to jump off the high dive. We've tried to have learning and teaching moment everyday.
We're having a great summer!!

Another Favorite...

www.disneyshopping.com is another favorite kids' clothing website.
They have an outlet as well. Look for their free shipping events...

Kids Activities...

Gotta love the public library for free summer fun.
We get movies, books, and attend activities for free all year long.
Love it.

Children's Clothing for Less

I have a rule: never spend more than $5 on a piece of clothing for my kids. I know of people that have a $3 limit. I always check with thrift stores first...but I've heard that yard sales are the way to go for the cheapest prices available.
For new clothing items, I have found the The Children's Place has incredible sales. Check out their outlet online...just go to www.childrensplace.com and click on the outlet icon.
Do you know of any other great websites with great discounts?

Homemade Baby Wipes

Try to buy a good roll of paper towels for less than a dollar and you'll get a batch of these baby wipes for about $0.50.
Making your own baby wipes will not only save money, but you will know that no harsh or drying chemicals are touching your baby's bottom.

What You Need:
· Round plastic container (Rubbermaid #6 or #9 works well)
· Thick, strong roll of paper towels
· Sharp knife to cut paper towel roll in half (Be Careful!)
· 2 cups hot water
· 2 Tablespoons baby shampoo or baby wash
· 1 Tablespoon baby oil

Here's How:
1. Cut the roll of paper towels in half with a knife.
2. Mix liquid ingredients in container.
3. Place the paper towels in the container with the cut side facing downward.
4. Secure lid tightly and allow to sit until all liquid is absorbed into the paper towels.
5. Turn the container upside-down and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
6. Open container and 'start' the roll by removing the cardboard center and pulling a towel from the inside of the roll.
7. Wipes are now ready to use.
Tips:
1. Save the other half of the roll for use next time you make wipes.
2. Make sure the container is closed tightly after each use to prevent drying out.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Use your kitchen for more than just food preparation!

Once you get the hang of this, it's sooo easy. One batch costs me about $1.50 and lasts a couple of months. And that's doing a load or two everyday. It works great with front loading washing machines as well. For me, this works as well as Tide...try it and let me know what you think.

Here’s what you need:
- 1 bar of soap (I use Fels-Naptha because I feel like it cleans the best)
- 1 box of washing soda (look for it in the laundry detergent - it comes in an Arm & Hammer box and will contain enough for six batches of this stuff)
- 1 box of Borax (contains enough for lots of batches)
- A five gallon bucket with a lid (or a bucket that will hold more than 15 liters - ask around - these aren’t too tough to acquire)
- Three gallons of tap water
- A big spoon to stir the mixture with
- A measuring cup
- A knife
Step One: Put about four cups of water into a pan on your stove and turn the heat up on high until it’s almost boiling. With a knife, start shaving strips off of the bar of soap into the water. Keep the heat below a boil and keep shaving the soap. Eventually, you’ll shave up the whole bar, then stir the hot water until the soap is dissolved and you have some highly soapy water.
Step Two: Put three gallons of hot water (11 liters or so) into the five gallon bucket. Mix in the hot soapy water from step one, stir it for a while, then add a cup of the washing soda. Keep stirring it for another minute or two, then add a half cup of borax. Stir for another couple of minutes, then let the stuff sit overnight to cool.
And you’re done. When you wake up in the morning, you’ll have a bucket of gelatinous slime that’s a paler shade of the soap that you used. One measuring cup full of this slime will be roughly what you need to do a load of laundry.

Financial Defense 101

Welcome to Financial Defense 101!
One of the best parts of any Financial Game Plan is the Financial Defense. What is Financial Defense? In a quick definition, Financial Defense is getting the most for your dollar. It’s using what you have and coming up with new solutions to get what you want. It’s stretching your dollar and getting you the best deal.
I’ve taken a personal challenge this year to be the best financial defensive player on our financial game! I want to keep our life-style, but for less. I don’t want to give up the family vacations, but I do want to spend less for them. I don’t want to live off beans and rice and rice and beans, but I do want to spend less on what we eat. I can’t forgo the disposable diapers, but I do want to spend less on baby care products and stretch my dollars so that one day I can pay for my kids’ education. Raising a family on less is a challenge! And that’s my challenge to you: become a Financial Defensive Player and spend less on what you want most!
In this blog, I want to explore different ways to make and save money. For the last couple of years, I’ve been experimenting with new ideas and concepts and I’ll post my best finds on this blog.
For your best Financial Game Plan, please join me on my way to Financial Independence through Financial Defense!