Frugal Fridays

It's Frugal Friday!

If you would like some frugal tips click on the icon above. It will take you to a website dedicated to Frugal Tips.

I happened upon this website Retailmenot.com by accident the other day. I am quite excited about it. You can get "coupons" for free shipping and other things here that you can use for purchases at various merchant websites. I just saved $6.39 on an order from Christianbook.com. I am getting ready to order from Vitacost.com and will be able to save 8% on my order. This will off-set my shipping and handling costs plus a dollar more for that order.

Go to the website and type in the name of the web merchant you'd like to order from and see if they have coupons!

Retailmenot.com

Christian Book Distributors Coupon Codes - all coupons, discounts and promo codes for christianbook.com

A BILL COSBY WHITEHOUSE

I HAVE DECIDED TO BECOME A WRITE-IN CANDIDATE.
HERE IS MY PLATFORM:

(1) 'Press 1 for English' is immediately banned. English is the official language; speak it or wait at the border until you can.

(2) We will immediately go into a two year isolationist posture to straighten out the country's attitude. NO imports, no exports.
We will use the 'Wal-Mart's policy, 'If we ain't got it, you don't need it.'

(3) When imports are allowed, there will be a 100% import tax on it.

(4) All retired military personnel will be required to man one of our many observation towers on the southern border. (six month tour) They will be under strict orders not to fire on SOUTHBOUND aliens.

(5) Social security will immediately return to its original state. If you didn't put nuttin in, you ain't gettin nuttin out. The president nor any other politician will not be able to touch it.

(6) Welfare - Checks will be handed out on Fridays at the end of the 40 hour school week and the successful completion of urinalysis and a passing grade.

(7) Professional Athletes --Steroids - The FIRST time you check positive you're banned for life.

(8) Crime - We will adopt the Turkish method, the first time you steal, you lose your right hand. There is no more life sentences. If convicted, you will be put to death by the same method you chose for your victim; gun, knife, strangulation, etc.

(9) One export will be allowed; Wheat, The world needs to eat. A bushel of wheat will be the exact price of a barrel of oil.

(10) All foreign aid using American taxpayer money will immediately cease, and the saved money will pay off the national debt and ultimately lower taxes. When disasters occur around the world, we'll ask the American people if they want to donate to a disaster fund, and each citizen can make the decision whether it's a worthy cause.

(11) The Pledge of Allegiance will be said every day at school and every day in Congress.

(12) The National Anthem will be played at all appropriate ceremonies, sporting events, outings, etc.

Sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes but a vote for me will get you better than what you have, and better than what you're gonna get. Thanks for listening, and remember to write in my name on the ballot in November.
God Bless America !!!!!!!!!!!
Bill Cosby!!!!!!!!

Marsha's Musings: Thou Shalt Not Covet

This past Sunday we listened to a sermon by Alister Begg on the 10th commandment. I never thought of this before, but he said the commandments on killing, stealing, adultery and lying all have to do with actions. But the commandment on coveting has to do with the heart attitude that lies behind the actions.

He brought us to the passage where Jesus says.

Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

How often do we look at the catalogues, go window shopping, look at what someone else has, and say to ourselves, "I really want that. I'd like to have one just like that." How often do we want something so badly that we are willing to go out and put it on credit when we don't really have the money to buy it? How often do we tell someone how lovely that dress looks on them while saying in our hearts, "Boy, I wish I had one like that!" Or if you are a guy, you comment on some one's car while thinking, "I wish it was mine!"

I look around my house and all the possessions we have and wonder how we got into such a mess of clutter. Could it be covetousness? Did we really need all this stuff? No! So why do we have it? Is it making my life easier? NO! It's making my life more difficult because I don't have places for it all and it makes it hard to clean around it. So why do I have it? It's time to pass it on to someone who needs it and wants it. But, in getting rid of it, I need to be careful to not bring more in to replace it.

Marsha's Musings: Ever feel so tired you could drop?

I am exhausted tonight. Two road trips in less than two weeks and over four days gone from my home, three and half to help my mom and dad recover from recent medical problems and an evening and a whole day traveling with my husband for his work to help keep him awake on the roads plus all the daily stuff....it all adds up to just being plain too tired to move.

I really long for just five days in a row where I don't have to go anywhere, but that won't happen for at least another six years or more.

Yesterday while I was sitting in a supervisor's office in some strange CSO in another city miles away from home, trying to entertain myself and my son while my husband was in his meetings, I read some more in Jerry Bridge's Respectable Sins book. I read the chapter on Unthankfulness. Wow. It hits me where I live. He says we are commanded to be thankful in all circumstances.

This is difficult for me when I am so exhausted. But that's what Scripture says. "Give thanks in all things, for this is the will of God..." This might be a paraphrase as I don't have my Bible handy right now. But that is the meaning of it if not the exact words.

Ok, so what I can I give thanks for....

1. My husband has a job and supports his family faithfully
2. I have a husband
3. That I homeschool and it affords me the flexibility to be able to travel with my husband so he can attend his meetings
4. That God gives me the strength I need to travel with him.
5. That I can get all kinds of reading done while sitting at the office waiting...reading that I normally do not have time for at home
6. That sometimes while waiting for him I am able to find good bargains at nearby thrift shops or dollar stores on things I will use and need.
7. That it gives me a break from the monotony of the daily grind
8. That God teaches me new things about Him and my relationship to him in the reading I bring along.
9. That God has kept us safe on the roads
10. That we get to stop in and visit my parents regularly to see how they are doing.

Homeschool: What Qualifies You to Homeschool Your Kids?

Last year when I went to the fair with my kids, we sat down to eat lunch at a table and across from us was a man and his wife. Because we entered the fair with our homeschool group, we were required to wear tags identifying us as part of the homeschool group. It was school day and all the school kids wore tags identifying them with whatever school group they were there with. That is how we got in free.

So here we sat down to eat. This man saw our tags and began asking us about homeschooling. He wasn't just a curious person, he was out "to get me". I don't remember the whole conversation because it took place a year ago, but I do remember this question....

What makes you think you are qualified to teach your kids all those subjects?!!!

He caught me off guard. I wasn't sure how to answer him, so I just said, "Well, we have curriculum that pretty well explains things so the kids can learn it." He wasn't very satisfied.

How would you answer this question? In looking back, I might answer it this way if I had a second chance:

I may not have a teaching degree, but I know my kids far better than any public or private school teacher does. I know what their learning style is and how they learn best. Therefore I can tailor the curriculum to how they best learn. Public and private school teachers don't have that luxury and so many students do not get to learn in an environment that best suits them. As a result, many are left behind or passed on to the next grade without knowing what they need to know. This is what happened to me in the public school system and I decided I wasn't going to let it happen to my kids.

Bible Reading Journal & Schedule

I am excited about this project that I just finished. I have long wanted a Bible reading journal that included a "Read the Bible in a Year Schedule" as well as each day having a guide for things to look for in my reading. Each day, I have a space to write the date and the scripture references that I read. Then there is space to write a promise, a command to obey, a timeless principle, how this applies to me today and a place to write your own prayers. I look forward to getting my first copy and using it.

You can click on the link above to go the description page for this book where you can purchase your own copy.

Teaching kids to pack for trips

We are getting ready for another road trip today. Packing is always a huge task for me because not only do I have to pack my clothes, the dog’s stuff and any other incidentals, I also have to pack food too because of my gluten intolerance and my husband’s soy allergy.

I am so glad that when my children were as young as four years old, I taught them how to pack their own things for a trip. I started out by making a packing list for them. When they could not read, I drew pictures of what they were to pack, wrote beside the picture what it was and a number to indicate how many they should pack. After their bag was packed, I would double check it for missed items. After doing this for each trip, they finally learned what to pack for a trip and now all I tell them is how long the trip is and how many pairs of socks or underpants to pack. I rarely double check their bags now. They are 12 and 15. I might ask them if they got their pajamas in or retainers, but I rarely look to see. This has taken a huge load off my shoulders!

Happy packing!

Sufficient Grace Publishing

http://stores.lulu.com/marsha-iddings

Sufficient Grace for Suffering Saints

http://middings.blogspot.com/

Devotional: A Purpose for Suffering #10

1 Peter 4:12 ¶ Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Have you been broadsided by some trials lately? Peter says it's not a strange thing. He was referring no doubt to the persecution that Christians were undergoing at the time. As I look at the news and the things that are happening in our world today, I think true Christians are in for some persecution soon. Indeed, some are already being persecuted for their faith, not only in China and other places, but right here in our own "Christian" nation. Are you prepared for that, or will it come as a surprise, a "strange" thing?

While Peter may not have been specifically referring to the suffering of ill health, disabilities, or undesirable circumstances, his words can a do apply to these areas as well. If you are human, and I suspect you are, suffering and trials are going to come into your life at some point in time. It is not a strange thing to have fiery trials test you. It is part of the human experience. Yet many, if not most of us, react as if it is unfair that trials happen to us.

Peter says we are to not think it strange and that we should actually rejoice in our trials because then we have a taste of what Christ went through for us to purchase our redemption. What's more, the trials we have can work to change our perspective in life. Instead of being so attached to the things of this world, suffering can cause us to look forward to Christ's return and the day we are taken up to heaven where all tears will be wiped away. What a day that will be!

Are you allowing your trials to shift your perspective from one that is worldly to one that is heavenly? We have cause for rejoicing because for the true Christian, one day our sorrow and suffering will be ended. Do you have assurance of this? If not, then perhaps a reading through the Gospel of John and the book of Romans would be a good idea. You can't afford to not have your heart set right with God, as the only other alternative is eternal suffering in Hell.

Just for Fun: Year Book Yourself

Go to Year Book Yourself to have some fun!
Here's the fun I had there!

www.factcheck.org

Check out the link above for unbiased reporting on both presidential candidates. You'll learn the lies the both candidates are telling.

When it all comes down to it, we are going to have to choose the least of two evils when we vote for president. Which evil will you vote for?

Just the Facts

Frugal Friday Tips!

It's Frugal Friday!

If you would like some frugal tips click on the icon above. It will take you to a website dedicated to Frugal Tips.

What to do about Christmas cards?
In the last couple of years I have been doing photo cards from Costco. They cost $15. That's not bad, but I need to cut costs further this year. I was going to make some prints of a family photo we had taken for the church directory, but I discovered it had been taken in such a way that when I had prints made up it cut part of my husband out of the photo...back to the drawing board!

I discovered that Picassa, our photo program, will take four photos and make a photo collage from them. Great! I printed a test run to see what it would print out like and it looked like it would print out with the four photos in a square, leaving a strip of blank white where I could write a message. I sent it in to Costco for a trial run. It didn't work. It got stretched out, pixilated, cut off my husband's head and my daughter's head! Sigh. Back to the drawing board again.

By the way, all these test runs were free. We had a bunch of free photos coming to us from Costco.

So, ok, we have no suitable family photos for this year's Christmas card. I honestly don't feel like making the effort to do one...just one more thing to add to my already busy schedule. So I am just going to order cheap Christmas cards from Christianbook.com. They have some really nice ones for a really reasonable price. You can just go to the search box on my side bar and type in Christmas Cards and it should take you there.

I'll send regular cards with a short personal note typed up on the computer this year. Maybe next year we'll have a decent photo we can send...In the mean time, I'll save a little money by not doing a photo card.

Marsha's Musings: A Warning for Wilderness Times

I was reading in my Faith Journal and came across this:

Psalm 106:13 ¶ They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: 14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. 15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

1. They forgot God's past blessings
2. They jumped ahead of God, not waiting for His counsel
3. They craved and wanted things besides what God had provided
4. They tested God by murmuring and complaining. Psalm 106:25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.
5. God gave them what they wanted
6. The consequence was a lack of spiritual fruitfulness---leanness in their souls

When God takes me through wilderness times via difficult circumstances--whether physical, or issues with loved one's health, or emotional circumstances--whatever may be causing me distress, I need to be aware of the danger of forgetting God's past provision and blessings, not listening to His counsel, and complaining against God. My spiritual growth is more important to Him than my comfort physically or that my circumstances be as I want them to be. His will is that I be sanctified and grow in holiness.

Psalm 106:24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word: 25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.

Complaining is equal to despising God's provision, disbelieving God's word and disobeying Him. Complaining is a grievous sin against God. Complaining is the opposite of being content. The Bible says,"Godliness with contentment is great gain." I can not be content and complain at the same time. The two do not go together.

Homeschool: What To Do When Crises Interrupts Your Homeschool & Life

This past week has been a difficult week for me as both my parents had health crises arise. My mom ended up in the hospital in one town for three days and my dad ended up having to have emergency eye surgery in another town three hours from where my mom was hospitalized. My sister took the brunt of the mess in the beginning of the week, bouncing back and forth between Walla Walla and Spokane. While she was doing that, I was dealing with my own physical issues that made me sick for three days, but I continued in spite of feeling awful, packing frantically and trying to get everything set for my husband and daughter while I and my son were gone. The Lord was faithful and I felt better, so we left on Thursday and spent through Sunday morning with my parents after they came home to recover.

I’ve had other crises in my life that have broadsided our homeschool and life for extended periods of time. How does one maintain equilibrium during these times? What about homeschool?

I have learned some things by experience. Yesterday, I went to the mail box and here was a homeschool magazine with an article about this very issue. It was so appropriate and the author mentioned some things I needed to be reminded of.

What can you do when life broadsides your life and homeschool?

· Maintain your communication through prayer and Bible reading with your Lord. When life gets crazy, often this is the first thing to get neglected. Don’t let it happen, as this is one of the most stabilizing things you can do during unstable times. Let God’s Word comfort your heart and give you direction.

· Decide what MUST be done and what can slide during this time. Decide what household chores must be done and what can slide. Don’t try to do it all. This adds stress to stress. Do only the essentials when in survival mode.

· Try to re-establish “normal” as best you can. For instance, try to stick to some form of routine such as meals at certain times of the day. Bed-time routines, and other routine things that were done before, you might try to re-establish or continue those. There is comfort in routine for you and your kids. Having a routine where you know what comes next without having to think about it is good during times of crises. It brings back some normalcy to your days for you and your kids. Depending on what your crises situation may be, you might need to establish a “new normal”. Whatever it is, try to establish routine for yourself & your family.

· If life is too hectic during crises times to do much schooling, then maybe you can drop a couple of subjects during this time and just do the bare essentials. Or perhaps schooling isn’t going to happen at all, then realize this is life in the real world and your kids are learning life lessons during this time. Don’t fret about how behind they will be in their schooling. When the crises settles, start adding lessons back into the schooling. If you find your children need review, then review and go from there. But don’t fret. That adds stress to stress.

· Don’t be afraid to let your friends, homeschool support group, and church family know you are in a crises. Let them help if they offer. Sometimes they might offer to bring in meals or if your children are young they may offer to babysit etc. Graciously accept help that is offered. It will lessen your stress levels. When all has settled and life has returned to normal or a “new normal” if that is the case, then take the time to write a short thank you note to them.

· Don’t feel guilty about taking time out for yourself. You need to have time to regroup and clear your head. When I was at my parent’s this past week, when I was confident that they were ok alone for a while, I went for a long walk with my son to the grocery store instead of driving. It was a good way to distress and get away from things for a bit. Another day I took a long hot shower and just spent some time enjoying the heat on my neck and shoulders. Small things like that can go a long way to helping you distress. Another of my favorite destressors is to lay on the floor on my back with my feet up on a chair or couch for 15 minutes with my eyes closed. I spend a few minutes deep breathing and just relaxing. It really makes a difference in how I feel when I get up again.

I hope this is helpful to you. One thing I always remember in a crises that helps me is “Just do the next thing.” This keeps me from just sitting down, spacing out and not getting anything done.

Homeschool: Real World Living

If you homeschool, have you ever had someone accuse you sheltering your kids from the "real world"? We have. I have a few questions for them.

1. When your kids grow up and get a job, are they going to be in an environment where everyone they work with is their same age? In the school system, they are in classes all day with kids their own age. Is that the "real world"? In homeschooling, they learn to relate to people of ALL ages.
2. When there is a family illness in an extended family member (grandma, grandpa etc.) do you take your child with you to care for that person if they live outside your town and it requires them to miss school? Most would have them stay with friends or relatives in the same town so they would not have to miss any school and can still have "fun". In homeschooling, you pack up the school books and take the kids along. You may not get any schooling done, but your children learn what it is like to think about others instead of themselves. It's a difficult lesson for some to learn as I discovered this past week, but that is real life in the real world and few traditional schooled kids learn it.
3. What about grocery shopping? How many traditional schooled kids are required to go to the grocery store with their parents to get groceries? Mine are due to the pain it causes me to pick up the heavy items. (Helping others is real world education) At the store I take them through the self check isle and they learn to scan the items, push the right touch screen buttons, run the credit card through the kiosk and pack the groceries out. Real world skills. How many public schooled kids do this? I never see too many at the store learning these skills even on days when we go after public school is out. The kids I do see with parents are too busy begging for stuff and giving their parents a hard time to be of any help at all.
4. What about getting along with siblings 24/7? Now here is some "real world" stuff. Kids that are traditional schooled are separated from their siblings almost all day. When they do go home and are around them, many don't get along at all and have very little time to learn to get along. (Not all families are like that that traditional school. It depends on what the discipline at home is like and how much time parents actually spend with their kids working with them on these things outside of school) Most often sibling rivalry dominates the day at home. In homeschooling, siblings are around each other almost 24/7. There is ample time to learn interpersonal relationship skills. I have been blessed with two kids, a teen and a pre-teen (boy and girl) that get along very well and missed each other a lot when we were separated for three and a half days this past week. They talked to each other on the phone for 30 minutes each night we were separated and when we got back they were so happy...laughing and having fun. It was a joy to hear them. This is the real world...getting along with siblings and family members.

These are just a few areas of the "real world" my kids live in. It doesn't even touch the surface of the many facets of the "real world" I could point out. Those who complain that homeschooled kids are sheltered from the "real world" don't know what the real world is. It certainly is not the age segregated world of the school system.

Devotional: A Purpose for Suffering #9

1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

As I read the verses above, two things stand out to me.

1. Our suffering in the body can be a vehicle to sanctification, purifying us from sinful lusts. Earthly desires begin to pale as eternity begins to come into clearer view.
2. Our suffering can give us a more God centered focus on His will. It says to arm ourselves with the same mind (referring to Christ). The NIV version uses the word attitude, which speaks volumes to me. I have a struggle with my attitude sometimes. But I really like how the English Version for the Deaf says it: "So you should strengthen yourselves with the same kind of thinking Christ had."

What was the thinking Christ had as He suffered? What was foremost in His mind and heart was that He do the will of God the Father.

Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

When suffering touches our lives it can either produce the results listed above, making us better spiritually, or it can make us bitter. How you respond to the trials and suffering in life will determine whether they make you better or bitter.

1. Are you responding with the attitude Christ had, focusing on what His will would be? Are you allowing your trials to sanctify and purify you? Are you becoming better spiritually or are you becoming bitter? Talk with the Lord today and ask Him to help you to respond with a godly attitude to the trials of life.

Marsha's Musings: God is Faithful

This has been a very difficult week and it would be tempting to dwell on all the negatives, but I am trying to think on the positives.....

1. My mom is doing much better
2. I've been learning patience
3. I've been learning to lean on God's strength in my weakness
4. My dad, while having complications, it's not serious.
5. My son and I have had opportunity to help out with some yard work.
6. I've been feeling pretty good in spite of being exhausted.
7. God is still good even when life throws me lemons.

Quote of the Day

"Learn from the mistakes of others----you don't have nearly enough time to make them all yourself.---Tristan Gyberd (1954-)

Frugal Friday Tips

It's Frugal Friday!

If you would like some frugal tips click on the icon above. It will take you to a website dedicated to Frugal Tips.

Christmas will be coming up on us before we know it. I've been thinking of ways to save money this year on Christmas. I know for some of you this particular tips may be a little late. But you can do this next year. Many Hallmark shops and other stores have inventory clearance sales. Keep in mind who you need to buy gifts for and start looking in January for clearance sales items that fit your gift giving needs. Keep all your finds in a box in the closet. Don't forget to keep notes of what you have bought and who it is for, so you don't duplicate and buy too much for one person to the exclusion of another. If you do find good deals on several items for one person and end up with extra...save it for birthdays.

We did this back in the early spring and yesterday I got my box out, decided who I would give everything to and now I have a list of who I still need to buy for. It shouldn't take me very long to shop this year and I'll be spending a lot less!

Health Food: Kefir

Have you ever made kefir? Last spring a friend of mine gave me some kefir grains. They look like cauliflower, but are floppy and rubbery. You store them in filtered water in the fridge when not in use.

I learned to make kefir from milk first. You put these funny grains in the milk, cover the jar with a clean cloth and let it sit on your counter for 24 hours, or I put mine inside a stock pot and set a heating pad on low in beside it. The first time I tried it, I kept expecting to smell sour milk, so I kept going over and sniffing it.

When it was done, it was thick and tasted like buttermilk. I've been doing kefir off and on since last spring. I decided for the fun of it, I'd see if it would culture soy milk. I had read that the only safe soy products are fermented ones. It works! It tasts good too.

I understand you can order kefir grains off the web. I have not done this. But I bet if you Google it, you'll find some.

Quote of the Day

"The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook."--William James (1842-1910)

Marsha's Musings: Apples

Almost 9 years ago, we moved into this home. It has an apple tree in the garden area, but the first year we saw they were all buggy and wormy, so I never bothered with them since. Just let them all fall and rot. I didn't figure there was anything worth getting.

This year I was up there picking my raspberries and got to looking at the apple tree. I discovered to my delight that there were actually quite a few good apples on the tree. I started picking. I found that even the wormy, buggy apples weren't all that bad. You just cut out the bad spots and there was still a lot of really good apple left.

So I have been making apple crisp (gluten free of course) and Saturday a friend and I worked together to prepare ten trays of apples for the dehydrator. We'll split them between us when they are done. I still have a lot of good apples left!

My physical therapist gave me a bunch of apples that were too ripe from his dad's orchard and I see in my dehydrator book that I can make fruit leather from these. I am anxious to give that a try as soon as the apples are done.

I am just delighted that the tree is giving us good fruit. It is crisp and sweet. Praise to God for His provision!

Quote of the Day

"Understanding is knowing what to do; wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is actually doing it." --Tristan Gylberd (1954-)

Marsha's Musings: More Quiet Time Reflections

Here's another one of Paul's prayer in Colossians 1:9-14. Here's his prayer list for his fellow believer's this time: He prays that they....

1. may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
2. may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him
3. be fruitful in every good work
4. increase in the knowledge of God
5. be strengthened with all might for patience, longsuffering and joy
6. giving thanks to God

I love reading Paul's prayers. It challenges me as I pray for my fellow-believers. What do I pray for most? Temporal issues or spiritual issues? Paul focuses on the spiritual.

Just in Case you wondered....

....with all the upheaval that is going on with my parents and the travel I will be doing to go take care of them etc., if you wonder how it is that I keep putting up posts every day...well, you can stop being impressed. I wrote all of them last Saturday and dated them to post on the days I wanted them to post. So my blog goes on without me until Sunday. After that, unless I have time to do some posts from my parents, it may get slip pickin's for a while, but I bet I will have some time over there to write a few posts.

I have no news as of this post, but I should hear something tonight or tomorrow about my Dad and his surgery and I'll call my mom again tonight. I call her twice a day.

I'll have more news tomorrow after my Dad sees the doctor. As far as I know my mom is stuck in the hospital until Thursday. She is in isolation. How Boring!!!! Poor lady.

Marsha's Musings: The Cool Factor

My “Cool Factor” seems be on the rise lately with my teen-age daughter’s friends. I am not trying to be “cool”. Just having fun being myself and they think I am cool because of it.

It’s a huge blessing from God that my teenage daughter’s friends tell her she has a “cool” mom. Most teens think their parents are old fogies that aren’t worth the time of day. My daughter thinks it’s hilarious her friends like me and tells me all about it.

I really think homeschooling has had a huge factor in her attitude toward us and most of her friends are homeschooled too. If she and they were public schooled…I’d be nothing but an old fogie, I’m sure.

I love the fact that so far, I have a good relationship with my teens….oh, sure, there are times when attitudes flare, but for the most part, we get along great, have fun and spend time as a family. It can’t be beat. I hope it continues through the highschool years and beyond.

I Need Your Prayers....

Life has gotten very complicated in the last 24 hours. My mother was taken by ambulance to the hospital last night. She has an intestinal infection and will be there at least until Wed, maybe Thursday.

Today, my dad got a detached retina. My sister is taking him to Spokane for emergency surgery tomorrow and will stay with him up there and bring him home Wed. If there are complications she will have to leave him there and come home because she can't take very many days off work at a time and I will have to go to Spokane to get him.

Thursday, if I am not driving to Spokane, I will be driving to Waitsburg to take care of both my parents in their home for a couple of days or more.

I honestly do not know where I will be when. Life is very confusing at this point Please pray for me and my family.

To The Sufficient Grace Blog Update List Group

To those of you who were on my Sufficient Grace Blog Update email list, I wanted you to know that I will no longer be sending out the Blog Update. My list accidentally got deleted and I don't know who all was on it to be able to rebuild it.

I am not upset about it. God is soveriegn and I think it was His way of eliminating one more thing on my weekly to-do list.

I still have and plan to maintain my Devotional Email List. If you were on the Blog update list and would like to be added to the Devotional Email List just send me an email with your request to truthsetsfree@clarkston.com . I post my weekly blog post links in that email too.

Marsha

Marsha's Musings: Clutter & Chaos

Egad! I went to the first of two moving sales my friends are having before they move across country. They are clearing out 30 years worth of accumulated stuff. She was appalled that they had allowed themselves to accumulate such clutter. It was a wake up call to myself as I look at the clutter we have accumulated in 25 years. We are not far behind.

Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we just keep bringing more in when we don't have places for the stuff we have? R.C. Sproul says, "Chaos is the result of a lack of self-discipline." Ouch!

As I look around my home, I see places that have not been dusted in a while. Why? Because it's too cluttered. There is too much stuff to work around. There is wisdom in simplicity. Another friend I have, has a home that is very Spartan. I look around her living room and kitchen and see only the bare essentials for living. The counters are bare and clean. The living room is pleasant and homey with only a basket or two with books or magazines. It must be a pleasure to clean and quick to do too!

How I long to have a home that is comfortable, yet not cluttered. I have made a small start this week. I cleaned out a spot by the door that had stuff collected there from as far back as 1999! Then I tackled the key basket on the wall above. It had a photo in there from 1999 as well! From there I tackled my basket of books by my rocker. I decided to limit myself to two books at a time and all others I put out of sight.

Where will I work next? My hutch needs some decluttering. Maybe I'll head there next. It actually feels good to take the bull by the horns and put him where he belongs for once! I just hope I can continue and not burn out. Just taking it a step at a time, one spot at a time...maybe I'll conquer this mess over time.....

Devotional: A Purpose for Suffering #8

1Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

The refiner sits when he purifies the silver and gold.

Malachi 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

He heats it up over the fire and the impurities come to the surface where they can be skimmed off. The fire must not be too hot or it will harm the precious metal, but it must be hot enough to cause the impurities to rise to the top. And so the refiner sits by the gold or silver to make sure it is not harmed in the process and the heat is just right. He skims the impurities off as they rise to the top and he knows the process is finished when he can see his own reflection in the gold or silver.

So it is with us. When the heat is turned up in our lives through either physical affliction or difficult circumstances, it is then that we discover the hidden sins of our hearts. They come to the surface just like the dross that the heat brings up from the depths of the gold as it is refined and purified. Our Lord sits, as the refiner, next to us and helps us work on those sins so that we might be purified. Our sin, past, present and future is forgiven through the blood of Jesus shed for us on the cross. Knowing that our sin is already forgiven frees us from the bondage of guilt so that we can face those sins in our lives and work on getting victory over them with God's help.

Is the heat turned up on you today? Take heart. The Refiner is there sitting right beside you. He knows exactly what He is doing and what His purposes are in your life. Persevere through the trials and you will come forth as gold.

Marsha's Musings: Quiet Time Reflections

I just love Paul's prayer in Philippians 1:9-11

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

This is a prayer we can pray for each other! Here are the things to pray for:

1. That our love would abound more and more in knowledge (this means study!)
2. That our love would abound more and more in discernment (being able to judge between what is good and bad, what is Biblical and what is not)
3. Why? So we may approve the things that are excellent (strive for excellence in God's sight)
4. Why? That we might be sincere (no alterior motives, hyposcricy, or wearing masks)
5. Why? That we might be without offense (no one can point to us as being bad examples)
6. Being (continually) filled with the fruits of righteousness by Christ Jesus
7. Why? All to the glory and praise of God.

This is powerful stuff! This gives me something to aim for!

Frugal Friday Tips

It's Frugal Friday!

If you would like some frugal tips click on the icon above. It will take you to a website dedicated to Frugal Tips.

Mmmm, there is nothing more satisfying than a chicken soup on a cool day! Here's how we are frugal with chicken...Costco sells precooked whole chickens for $4.99 each. On a busy shopping day, this makes a super easy quick meal at an affordable price. Albertson's may have a similar deal from time to time. Check with your grocery store and see if they do this.

We eat the chicken with some mashed potatoes and vegetables and some sort of fruit dish. Then my husband de-bones the chicken for me and saves the bones. I freeze or refrigerate the chicken meat. Then if I have time, I start a stock pot of chicken stock. If I don't have time, I put the bones in the freezer for another day.

I put the bones in the pot with three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, cover them with water and let them soak for an hour before I turn on the heat. This starts the process of drawing all the minerals out of the bones. After an hour I add more water, as much as I think I can store in my freezer. I add one carrot cut up, one onion cut up, one piece of celery cut up and turn the heat up to let it simmer. I let it simmer for 24 hours to three days, checking it occasionally to see if I need to add water. If you use a stock pot you shouldn't loose much water. I skim the stuff that floats to the top. At the end I throw in a bunch of parsley and boil it for 10 ten minutes. Using a fine mesh strainer lined with cheese cloth and a canning funnel, I fill my jars leaving head room for expansion when it freezes. Now you have a wonderful broth for soup base!

With the left over chicken and some vegetables and noodles you have a wonderful soup. You can make several pots of soup with it....Not bad for the cost of a carrot, stalk of celery, an onion, some parsley and a $4.99 chicken!

Homeschool: Drive Through History

We watched Drive Through History Ancient Greece with David Stotts tonight. For the first time my kids actually enjoyed learning history! This is a great series! It is put out by Focus on the Family.

The thing that impressed most was learning that God used Alexander the Great, a wicked man, to pave the way for the Apostles to spread the Gospel. Because Alexander the Great wanted to conquer the then known world, he spread a common language along with his conquests. This made it easier for the Gospel to be spread.

It's neat to think on this. God uses wicked people to advance His plans and purposes. I have no need to be anxious about the coming elections because God will still advance His plans and purposes in spite of who gets in the White House. It doesn't mean everything will come up roses. Sometimes God uses wicked leaders to bring down judgement on nations that reject Him. But it does mean I can have peace knowing that whatever happens, God is in control and Satan is on a leash.

Marsha's Musings: Health Foods on a Budget?

This is where I have a problem. I want to be frugal, but when it comes to the grocery budget, being frugal doesn't work so well with special diets. I see people bragging about how much they save with coupons at grocery checkout and how cheaply they feed their families by planning meals around the sales ads. This might work for someone whose family and themselves can eat just about anything on the grocery shelves.

But how can I cut the budget when I am trying to work around a gluten-free, soy-free diet? Gluten free specialty foods are quite frankly, very expensive. Soy-free items are just plain hard to find. My husband won't eat my gluten free bread because it is too dense for his liking. Besides it is more expensive than the one soy free bread I have found. The only loaf of soy free bread I have found is a very small loaf that cost $3.50. Ouch. My gluten free bread is over $4.50 a loaf. Double ouch. A bag of rice noodles for a cassarole is $4.95. Triple Ouch!

Then there is the fact that most of the foods you find on coupons are very unhealthy. Now I don't claim to never buy foods that are not healthy, once in a while we need a little fun. But unless we go vegetarian, which isn't as healthy as they claim, eating cheap doesn't seem to be in the cards for us.

I can be and am very thankful that we have enough money to put food on the table, clothes on our backs and a roof over our heads. God has been very good to us. I don't mean to belittle His provision for us. I am just trying to figure how to stretch His provision a little further.

Marsha's Musings: Windows Vista

Do any of you have Windows Vista? Are you happy with it? So far I have yet to find anybody who is really happy with Vista. I borrowed my husband's computer today and was frustrated to no end with it. My post on Celiac took me twice as much time to type up and post on his computer because I'd be typing along and all the sudden the insertion point would jump somewhere in the middle of the post and start typing there. It just pretty much would type where ever it pleased at any moment without any warning. Then it decided to highlight and delete one of my sentences. I typed that sentence three times over because three times it highlighted and deleted it as soon as I finished it. I honestly almost gave up because I didn't think I would ever get that sentence typed to stay.

My husband says he hears a lot of people have the same issues with Vista. Do you? It seems like it would be a nightmare for a secretary that is trying to take dictation. I'd be in tears if I to use Vista on the job.

Marsha's Musings: Celiac Disease

Did you know...

1. 3 million Americans have celiac disease?
2. only 100,000 Americans know they have it?
3. it takes an average of 9 years to get it diagnosed?

In my case, I think I had it all my life, judging by the severe bone loss and muscle problems that I have. I was diagnosed in 2003 after mouth sores became so bad that I could barely eat. My doctor tried for 4 months to diagnose what the trouble was, even putting me on medication they give to AIDS patients for mouth sores. I finally diagnosed myself when a person on a message board suggested I look into Celiac. I discovered of the list of possible symptoms, I had 13 of them! I went on a two week gluten free trial but when all my mouth sores disappeared within three days and only returned when I ate something with gluten, I decided I had my culprit.

Of course the damage of being mal-nourished for over 45 years is pretty long-standing and I may never gain a completly symptom free life. That is a lot of nutrition to make up for! But God is good and I know He has a good purpose in mind for me just the way I am. One day, I will be healed when I reach heaven. Now that's a day to look forward too!

Homeschool: Math Woes

My son has a hard time in Math. It doesn't help much that math not my best subject either.
He had some problems like this:

53+74+N=234

He was supposed to find what number N should be. It's easy...

1. Add 53 and 74
2. Subtract that sum from the grand total
3. the difference is the number that is N

Sounds easy. I explained it to him several times over and he just doesn't get it. It's all Greek to him. The problem is that when there are too many steps to solve a problem, he gets all befuddled and lost in the process. His brain goes into over-load. How do I explain this so he can understand?

You know, it's like this for people who read try to understand God too. Only with God, He is unfathomable. My mind goes into over-load when I try to fathom God and how He is eternal, without beginning or end, he is in my past, present and future all at once and He is sovereign over all of it. I suppose understanding math for my son is like me trying to understand God. It just stretches the brain in directions it doesn't want to go.

Marsha's Musings: Quiet Time Reflections

I read Psalm 115:1-8 in my Quiet Time. It says,

Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, because of Your truth. Why should the Gentiles say, "So where is their God?" But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.

Here's another one on God's sovereignty. Why should I give glory to God?

1. Because of His mercy
2. Because of His truth
3. Because He is in heaven (He is over all)
4. Because He does whatever He pleases (He has all power)

I love it when I read the Bible and stuff like this just jumps off the pages at me!

Spurgeon On Good Nature and Firmness

Do not be all sugar, or the world will suck you down; but do not be all vinegar or the world will spit you out. There is a medium in all things, only blockheads go to extremes. We need not be all rock or all sand, all iron or all wax. We should neither fawn upon everybody like silly lapdogs, nor fly at all persons like surly mastiffs. Blacks and whites go together to make up a world. Hence on the point of temper, we have all sorts of people to deal with. Some are as easy as an old shoe, but they are hardly ever worth more than the other one of the pair; others take fire as fast as tinder at the smallest offense and are as dangerous as gunpowder. To have a fellow going about the farm as cross with everybody as a bear with a sore head, with a temper as sour as spoiled milk and as sharp as a razor, looking as surly as a butcher's dog, is a great nuisance; yet there may be some good points about the man, so that he may be a man for all that. But poor soft Tommy, as green as grass, and as ready to bend as a willow, is nobody's money and everybody's scorn. A man must have a backbone, or how is he to hold his head up? But that backbone must bend, or he will knock his brow against the beam.

Whoo Hooo! We won the Grand Prize!

We get two free nights at the Couer d' Alene Resort and free registration to the Family Life Marriage Conference!!!! Yippeee Skippeee! I am so excited! Nov. 7-9 is when we go! I can't wait! It'll be like another 25 Anniversary Celebration!

Homeschool: Schedule

Do you have a schedule for homeschool?
Some do and some don't. Each homeschool is different. I've read many homeschool magazine articles on this. Some are adamant that you must run a strict schedule with certain things getting done at certain times. Others don't agree with this. They say that is the beauty of homeschooling...you can be flexible!

Personally, I think a balance between the two is best. I have a schedule for when we do school. We always do it in the morning hours unless we have a bad morning and then we "slop" over after lunch a little. Do I have a schedule for what time we do each subject? No. Each weekend, I print up the list of assignments that my kids are supposed to accomplish each day during the week. I let my kids decide the order of when they do them. Now there may be some assignments that need the computer, so I ask my son to do those earlier so he is not conflicting with when he sister needs the computer.

What about where the kids do their work? Some say they must have a desk to do their work at. I disagree. My daughter does the bulk of her work at the desk because she uses the computer a lot. But sometimes she sits with the computer on the bed. If she is doing a reading assignment, she likes to recline on her bed. My son likes to do his school work reclining on the couch in the living room. This is how they each do their work best.

Often, when I have been reading homeschool articles, I have felt guilty because they make me feel like I am doing it the wrong way. Hog wash!!! This is the beauty of homeschooling...we can take into account our children's learning styles, which includes where and how they do their work. If you get the best work out of your child when he/she is sprawled out on the floor, then go for it! This is just my 2 cents worth. What are your thoughts?

What Have I Been Doing?

I have been pre-occupied lately. I have two new book projects I've been working on. The first one is a Symptom Detective. It's a book with charts for you to record what you eat, vitamins/herbs, medications that you take, the weather, activities and symptoms that you have. The idea is if you have troublesome symptoms that your doctor can't seems to find the answers to other than throw pills at it, you can do some detective work of your own and possibly track down the offending triggers by finding patterns between what you are exposed to and your symptoms. I made this book for myself, but decided others might want to use it too. So it is for sale at my Lulu store. Click on the icon of the book at the top of my sidebar to take you to my store.

The second book I am working on isn't ready yet. It will be a Bible Reading Journal. It will have a page for each day of the year where you can record what you read, a promise, a command, how it applies to your life and write out your prayer for the day. In the back of the book I will have a Read through the Bible in a Year reading schedule. The Bible reading schedule is the tedious part...typing in all the reference for each day for four different books of the Bible. But eventually I will get it done and have it ready to go too. The Bible Reading Chart will coincide with "The MacArthur Daily Bible". I decided to do it this way so when I am on the road I don't have to take the bulky Bible to keep up on my daily reading...I will have the chart in the book that tells me where to read for the day and I can pack my pocket-size Bible instead. See, there is method to my madness.

Frugal Friday Tips

It's Frugal Friday!

If you would like some frugal tips click on the icon above. It will take you to a website dedicated to Frugal Tips.

Take a look at the Dollar Stretcher! You can subscribe to their email newsletter that comes filled with dollar stretching ideas each week. I will past my latest newsletter that I recieved here so you can see what kinds of things are in it.

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Dollar Stretcher For Parents

"Living Better...For Less"
September 24, 2008
Volume 10, Number 39

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Subscription Information:
"The Dollar Stretcher for Parents" is a free newsletter.

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be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and
applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if
advice is safe and suitable for his/her own situation.

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IN THIS ISSUE

Introduction

Inflation Fighter
10 Things You Can Stop Buying at the Grocery Store
by Carol Charron
Live less expensively, eat healthier, and be more
environmentally responsible

In The Dollar Stretcher Community
Meatloaf Recipe Needed
Do you want a good meatloaf recipe? Check these out.

Keeping Kids in the Game with Creative Financing
by Kathleen Frassrand
Finding a way to fund your child's extra-curricular activities

Dollar Stretcher Community Poll
Swiffer(r) WetJet(r)
Does the Swiffer(r) WetJet(r) make mopping easy?

Inflation Fighter
My Story: It's Not About the Money
contributed by CC
Raising kids in tight times

Readers' Tips

On Stretcher.com This Week

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Introduction
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com

Hello to all my Frugal Friends!

Won't keep you long. Just wanted to point out an interesting
blog entry called "Bun In the Oven, No Bread In the Bank" at
. It contains some great
advice for the mother-to-be.

Also, we're sending this newsletter using new software. You
may notice some formatting changes. Please bear with us, it's
a learning experience!

All the Best!
Gary

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Inflation Fighter
10 Things You Can Stop Buying at the Grocery Store
by Carol Charron
Live less expensively, eat healthier, and be more
environmentally responsible

1. Packaged Meat - What's so great about buying a chicken
whole? It's like getting Thanksgiving dinner any day of the
year. You have this easy to cook, beautiful chicken and it
becomes a Sunday dinner on baseball night with a simple rub of
oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Who can't pull a chicken
out of the fridge and do that? You can even prepare it the
night before and have your teenager put it in the oven at 3pm
the next day. With the leftover bones and loose meat, do what
Grandma used to do. Put them in a stock pot or slow cooker and
make soup.

As for the other cuts of meat, the bigger the quantity, the
better the price. If you can't afford to buy beef by the whole
or half side, find a sibling or a neighbor that will go in for
half with you. No more living at the whim of market prices.
You will save money and have a freezer full year-round. You
can even inquire at the local 4-H fair for an animal you can
buy after prize time. This is going to be a shock to you city
folk, but that's where they go after the show. The piggy goes
to market!

2. Juice - It's healthier to eat your fruit whole. You get
necessary fiber from the skins and the flesh. Stop paying for
packaging and do it right. If you need to drink something,
squeeze it from whole fruit one glass a time.

3. Microwave Popcorn - I had no idea how far removed we had
become from the real thing until I recalled memories of my dad
shaking the old pot on the stove to make real popcorn to my
kids. I thought it would be fun to share that experience with
them. When I made it, my kids loved it so much they won't let
me buy the microwave stuff anymore. I now have a jar of
kernels that I keep next to the stove near my bottle of oil.
Yeah, it has real butter/margarine and real honest-to-goodness
salt, but I control how much. It's a lot cheaper than the
packaged stuff, and the taste will drive you wild. You'll
wonder how we ever became converts to packaged microwave
popcorn. You won't miss it.

4. Vegetables - You should be buying them locally at the
Farmer's Market to support your local farmers and local
economy. We are simply slaves to our grocery store habit. When
you grow it yourself, you can use everything. Recycle cuttings
to make soups, and what you have left over you can compost,
supporting next year's garden. If you don't have land, make a
potted garden.

5. Cookies - The sky is as limited as your pantry and your
Betty Crocker(r) Cookbook. Make them from scratch. Your kids
will like your cookies better than the packaged cookies.

6. Spray Cleaners - You could pay $3 or $4 for that spray
cleaner. That said, check the prices on vinegar, ammonia and
bleach (not to be combined with each other, of course) at your
local dollar store. Most of the time, when you buy a spray
cleaner, you are getting the same ingredients in better
packaging. Save your spray bottle, and when it's empty, you
can clean it and refill it with these money savers.

7. Bottled Water - By now, you have heard how awful all that
packaging is for the environment. Here's another case of
paying for convenience. Buy some portable bottles and save a
bundle by doing it yourself.

8. Herbs - Most of us only use four or five herbs in our
kitchen. From seed, you can have herbs fresh and ready to cut
in just a few weeks. My basil plant is thriving.

9. Bread - Like the chicken in the oven, throwing four or five
ingredients into a bread machine is the easiest thing in the
world. Do it at night before you go to bed and wake up to
fresh bread the next morning. You can even make use of the
dough-only function to make a pizza.

10. Trash Bags - If you buy fewer packaged foods, you will
have less trash. If you compost your fruit and vegetable stems
and peels, you will have even less trash. If you recycle your
cartons, milk jugs and egg cartons, you will have less trash.

We've been sold a lot of imaging and branding through
advertising that has convinced us that we need to buy this
brand, that bag, this carton. What we really need to do is
live less expensively, eat healthier, and be more
environmentally responsible.

Take the Next Step:
>> It's a win-win-win situation! You can be friendlier to your
waste, wallet and earth all at the same time. Start with the
list above. Is there something here that you're willing to
stop buying? Give it a try. You'll love the rewards.
>> Subscribe to our new weekly "Inflation Fighters" newsletter
by sending
;

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In The Dollar Stretcher Community
Meatloaf Recipe Needed
Do you want a good meatloaf recipe? Check these out.

http://community.stretcher.com/forums/t/6634.aspx

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Keeping Kids in the Game with Creative Financing
by Kathleen Frassrand
Finding a way to fund your child's extra-curricular activities

With family budgets stretched to the breaking point, many
parents are canceling their children's costly extra-curricular
activities. Before pulling out of little Katie's violin
practice or Johnny's soccer team, consider some creative
financing strategies.

>> Know what you need. Calculate exactly how much money each
activity will cost. Be sure to include money for gas in your
budget. Fuel prices can significantly increase the "true cost"
of classes. Have a designated saving spot for all the cash you
accumulate. This can be as simple as an envelope with
"Gymnastics" on the front, or you can open a free savings
account at the bank. Having a separate location for earmarked
money ensures that it won't get sucked up in household
spending.

>> Host a garage sale. When a favorite sport is at stake,
children will give up a lot more of their unused toys and
possessions. Clean out the closets and the garage and put it
all up for sale. Not enough stuff? Ask friends and family
members to donate their unwanted items too. When sale day is
over, be sure to stash the cash in a special spot.

>> Birthday cash equals swim team splash. Instead of receiving
another sweater or high-priced toy, ask Grandma to pitch in to
the sports fund instead. Most relatives would rather help pay
for a sport or activity that lasts all year then a toy that is
discarded after a week. Who knows, your child might just hit
the jackpot and get both the funds and the must-have new toy!

>> Get creative with the household budget. Drop those expensive
drinks and switch to water. Make one meal a week vegetarian.
Clip coupons, shop sales, and make a weekly menu. Raise you're
A/C by one or two degrees. Skip the brand-new wardrobe and
stick to outlet and consignment shopping. Even a few dollars
here and there add up to big bucks over the course of a month.

>> Stop the small spending and start a coin jar. Carrying cash
in your wallet ensures that you will spend it. Stop the fly-
bys at the convenience store and the drop-ins at the donut
shop. When you do spend cash, immediately place your change in
a coin jar. The bucks add up and help push the sports fund
over the top.

>> Split up the weekly allowance. If your children are old
enough to earn an allowance, they are old enough to help fund
the cost of their activities. Designate a portion of allowance
to be added to the sports fund. Still short? Children can do a
variety of jobs around the neighborhood to help raise money.
Babysitting, lawn mowing, gardening, and dog walking are just
a few options.

>> Try trading services. Small business owners love to trade
services. Can you build a website in exchange for some classes
or coaching? Can you scrub the gym once a week? How about
offering to hand out flyers or donate some time answering
phones? The possibilities are endless so don't be afraid to
ask.

>> Donate blood and platelets. It's a win-win situation. There
is great need for blood and platelets donation in the United
States. Blood donation centers often give gas cards, gift
cards, and even cash as a thank you. When redeeming a gas
card, be sure to swap the corresponding cash out of your gas
budget and into your sports fund.

>> Look for scholarships. Many organizations offer
scholarships, and not just for school. Some are willing to
fund sports and other activities that help children grow and
develop a good moral character. Call around to the different
clubs and organizations in your area to see what is available.
Don't forget to talk to the heads of your sports organization,
as some offer scholarships to the truly needy.

>> Use credit card cash-back bonuses. Using credit cards wisely
can make you money, but only if you pay off your charges each
month. Be sure your credit card has a cash back program, and
pay all of your bills with that card. When you've racked up
enough bonus cash, request a check. Remember to deposit the
money directly into the sports/activity fund.

Sports, music, and specialty classes don't have to be
sacrificed just because money is tight. Get creative, find the
funds, and enjoy watching your children blossom in their
chosen activity.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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Dollar Stretcher Community Poll
Swiffer(r) WetJet(r)
Does the Swiffer(r) WetJet(r) make mopping easy?

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/08/08sep22p.cfm

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>> Inflation Fighter <<<<>> Subscribe to our new weekly "Inflation Fighters" newsletter
by sending
;

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Readers' Tips

<<<<>>>>
The Obstacle Course

Kids are inactive so often these days that it pays (in health
benefits and saved activity fees) to give them something fun
to do in their own backyard. Here's what we did. We created a
rearrangeable obstacle course and activity range from things
we already owned. This works great for birthday parties, too.
Use an old tire, a bucket, some balls, a ladder, a step stool,
a baby pool or dishpan, scarves, and so forth. At each
"station," there is an activity to be done or an obstacle to
be overcome. For instance, they have to step through the rungs
of the ladder as it lays on the ground or juggle tennis balls.

This can be tailored by the kids' ages and what you have on
hand. If you have a swing set, include it in the activities.
You can do all of this in a very limited space also. Keeps
them active for a long time. Prizes are optional!
JD

<<<<>>>>
Friends Who Cook Together

Find a friend, and maybe one afternoon a month, to prepare
meals in bulk, separate into freezable containers (zipper
freezer bags work well) and have them to take out of the
freezer and heat up for meals. If you do this with another
busy mom, you can buy the ingredients in bulk at a place like
Sam's Club or Costco and split the cost. Believe me, the five
to six hours that you spend will save you tons of time in the
long-run.

I have found that before you start cooking, if you do all the
prep work like chopping onions, etc., it helps a lot,
especially if you have several recipes going at the same time.
The first time my mom and I did this, it took a lot longer
because we didn't prep first. There are a lot of websites out
there that give ideas on meals you can prepare in bulk for
this purpose. If you do it with a friend (or
husband/children), it makes it even more fun and it's good
bonding time with your kids if they are of an age
where they can help. One of my regular things to make is
marinara sauce and it freezes well (and stacks well) in the
zipper bags. Keeping a list of what you've prepared helps,
too.
Alyce

<<<<>>>>
Baby Food on the Go

When my children were babies, I was frustrated with trying to
take baby food on the go and not having a place to keep their
spoon clean. I started using plastic toothbrush holders and
they worked beautifully! They are cheap, easy to find, and as
an added bonus, you can hand them to your baby as a "rattle"
of sorts. The spoon shakes inside, making a rattle noise. I
have given these as baby gifts (with spoon included) over the
years and have received many thanks for the ingenious idea.
Tracey K. in Bismarck, ND

<<<<>>>>

What would you do with an extra $100? Last month, Janice of
Henderson, NV won a $100 check just for sending in a favorite
time or money saving idea. This month it could be you. Just
send your suggestion by mailto:Tips@stretcher.com.

If we use your tip in any of our publications, we'll send you
the next three issues of our print newsletter as a "thank you"
and you'll automatically be entered into our monthly $100
drawing!

If you'd like more great money saving ideas from readers, you
can subscribe to our twice weekly "Dollar Stretcher Tips" by
sending a blank
;

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

On www.Stretcher.com This Week:

editor's note: Hotmail and WebTV users may have trouble with
some addresses. Please access them from our front page


Money
http://www.stretcher.com/money/index.cfm
<<<<>>>>
FDIC Insurance Protects, Except When
A look at what's covered and what's not covered by FDIC
insurance

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep10a.htm

Protection in Troubled Times
What happens to your assets when a brokerage, bank or employer
pension goes under? A hint: not everything is covered by
insurance

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep16a.htm

Jean Chatzky Answers Readers' Questions
The best-selling financial writer addresses questions about
how to secure a sound retirement

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep10b.htm

10 Do's and Don'ts for Borrowing Money
If you follow these rules, you will likely lead a fiscally
solvent lifestyle that will keep you out of trouble

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep10c.htm

Talk about Money before Marriage
It's crucial to discuss finances with a potential mate before
walking down the aisle

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep15a.htm

7 Brainless Borrowing Behaviors
Some loans are bad by design. But other loans can turn into
bad deals if consumers follow these strategies

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep15b.htm

Fame & Fortune: Maria Bello
"Mummy" actress always chooses love over money when it comes
to her movie roles

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep12a.htm

Six Ways to Insure Excess Deposits
Want to insure your deposits for more than the FDIC limit at
one bank? Here are six ways to do it

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep10d.htm

Shorten CD Ladder in Low-Rate Environment?
Experts caution that shortening the ladder on CDs when the
interest is used as income is a bad idea

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep17a.htm

Bank Unlikely to Sweeten Refinance Rate
It's rare for originating lenders to give deals to borrowers
based on past loan agreements

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep16c.htm

Get Aggressive if You Suspect ID Theft
Take steps to fight back if you suspect your identity has been
stolen

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep11d.htm

Avoid Holding Uninsured Bank Deposits
Make sure you keep your money safe

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep10e.htm

In Critical Condition
http://www.stretcher.com/critical/index.cfm
<<<<>>>>
When Chapter 7 Becomes Chapter 13
Even in Chapter 7, a high income might require you to pay back
creditors

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep16b.htm

Just Starting Out
http://www.stretcher.com/startingout/index.cfm
<<<<>>>>
Credit Unions Help Young Adults Save
Credit unions can be a great choice for savers with little
money and a thin credit history

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep11c.htm

Secured Card Offers Road to Good Credit
A secured credit card can help a newlywed build a credit
history

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep12d.htm

Family
http://www.stretcher.com/family/index.cfm
<<<<>>>>
Keeping Kids in the Game with Creative Financing
by Kathleen Frassrand
Finding a way to fund your child's extra-curricular activities

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/08/08sep22g.cfm


My Story: It's Not About the Money
contributed by CC
Raising kids in tight times

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/08/08sep22h.cfm


Home and Auto
http://www.stretcher.com/homeauto/index.cfm
<<<<>>>>
Lowering Your Natural Gas Bill
by Renea Winchester
One phone call could reduce your winter heating bill

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/08/08sep22b.cfm


Tips on Trading in Your Car
by Mark Albertson
What you should do before heading to the dealership

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/08/08sep22d.cfm


Two Costly Car Insurance Questions
Two rare but important issues can impact a driver's insurance
claim

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep12b.htm

Car Dealer Advertising Often Slippery

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep12c.htm

Refi Boom Might Not Follow Bailout
A dramatic drop in mortgage rates has motivated some
homeowners to wonder if they should refinance. A better
question might be: Are they able to refinance?

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep11a.htm

Can't Sell? Try Swapping Your Home
Want to move but an unsold house is keeping you in place?
Maybe a swap could solve your problem

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep11b.htm

No Special Program for Closing Costs
A couple won't find a special program that pays housing
closing costs

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep15c.htm

Lifestyle
http://www.stretcher.com/lifestyle/index.cfm
<<<<>>>>
Clorox(r) Bleach Pens(r)
Are bleach pens as good as they claim? Or are there cheaper
alternatives?

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/08/08sep22a.cfm


Benefit Changes Season
by Tamara Wilhite
Prevent sticker shock from surprise medical bills

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/08/08sep22c.cfm


Emergency Preparedness
by Stephanie Stambaugh
Because you can't afford not to be ready

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/08/08sep22e.cfm


10 Things You Can Stop Buying at the Grocery Store
by Carol Charron
Live less expensively, eat healthier, and be more
environmentally responsible

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/08/08sep22f.cfm


Your Taxes
<<<<>>>>
Taxes on Per Diem
When figuring whether or not per diem is taxed, take into
account your "tax home"

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep16d.htm

Moving an IRA to Another Bank
How often you can transfer retirement accounts depends on the
type of transfer

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep15d.htm

Estimated Tax Deadline Looms
Some folks face fall tax chores as their fourth 1040ES payment
is due September 15

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep15e.htm

New Tax Rules Could Cost Second Homeowners
Starting next year, owners of multiple homes can't use a
loophole to reduce taxes. Find out what it will cost you

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep15f.htm

Real Estate Taxes for Ex-Pats
An ex-pat married to a non-resident alien needs to weigh the
merits of a second U.S. home

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep11e.htm

Are Insurance Settlements Taxable?
Typically, insurance payments for property damage or physical
injury are not taxable

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep10f.htm

Everything Else
<<<<>>>>
Readers' Tips

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/08/08sep22t.cfm


From Dave Ramsey
<<<<>>>>
The $1,000 Oil Change
I couldn't even believe we were stupid enough to purchase the
$1,000 maintenance package in the first place

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep11f.htm

I Trusted a Credit Card Rep
Just because they say one thing doesn't mean they're going to
do it

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/08/08sep11g.htm

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Decision-Making Tools

For Your Home
>>
Rent or Buy Your Next Home?
>>
Mortgage Calculator
>>
15-Year or 30-Year Mortgage?
>>
Fixed or Adjustable Rate Mortgage?
>>
Mortgage Points Adviser

For Your Car
>>
How much car can you afford?
>>
Buy or lease your next car?
>>
Your next car: New or used?
>>
Auto Loan Calculator
>>
Is a hybrid car right for you?

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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Copyright "The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." 2008. ISSN: 1531-5126.
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