I am VERY grateful that we have the UI benefit to help my husband and I get through a very difficult time. He just lost his job and without the benefit we WILL be faced with losing our home and everything else we have worked so hard to build. Not a position I want to be in at age 55. We are ALL at the mercy of the big decision makers in the companies we work for and are just a decision away from poverty. Try walking in the shoes of Americans that have fell victim at no fault of their own and then talk smack about UI.
Hi Julie: I loved the post! My husband and I have been married 32 years and I agree with all the ideas. The topic of staying married has EVERYTHING to do with your financial well being! Divorce splits your assets, gives a percentage of your money to lawyers, realtors and moving companies and breaks up a family, causing untold damage to your children.
Marriage is a marathon. No one runs a marathon without expecting it will be hard sometimes! Let's face it--if divorce was the answer--everyone that's divorced would be supremely happy! That's not the case with most of the people I know!
I also think self care is very important. No one can meet all your needs. You are primarily responsible for deciding to be happy and meeting your needs--not your spouse! The tough times usually don't last! Remember the expression "This too Shall Pass" during a difficult time--with the right attitude, it always does!
It should also be noted that a person can only get cashback from eBay for a limited number of purchases. I think the limit is 12 and I have not personally verified this limit but I have read about it in other forums (dealighted, fatwallet).
black people spend their money on flashy cars and gator shoes is because we don't expect to live. A 401K, savings account, mutual funds, 30 year mortgage, sure, it all sounds nice. but the reality is in 5 years, i'm going to be pulled over by hostile police, i'm going to hear gun shots, i'm going to be in the wrong place and i can only hope not at the wrong time. so yeah, i'm going to flash and shine because all i have is today and tomorrow i want to be remembered.
i think it's sophomoric to compare the psychological/economical state of black america to white america.
How about viewing what you do as how it affects you and not try to compare yourself to others?
Everyone has a reason, or a lack of one, for their lifestyle. Once you decide to compare yourself to them, it leads to disaster. If they are not riding a bike, you feel superior. If you are not riding a bike, you feel inferior. Neither promotes anything positive.
As you cannot possibly know what someone else's life is all about, it's better to just live your own without comparisons.
Love your site!
Gotta take issue with your "loggers ripping out trees...."
We must remember that in the U.S. we replace/replant many times MORE trees than we harvest. It's an amazing thing. No, I'm not in the industry, I'm just a country bumpkin who loves the land and as a private timber ground farmer/owner, try to be a very, very good steward. But do your research, we plant and replenish so many more than we take.
Also, look around your home and yard. What's left without our gorgeous wood products?
Great site, great input, great food for thought.
I'm in the process of looking into health insurance for myself and so have read this thread with interest. I agree with the comment that it is really important to consider the maximum out of pocket for a policy. It is also really important to read through the list of Limitations and Exclusions for the policy, since the policy will absolutely not cover these items.
It is an interesting position. Be careful if you've.had previous legal troubles. I worked hard in training the first week- only to have an official demand my badge, materials, and handheld computer be immediately returned because of "bad" fingerprints. No documentation or justification whatsoever....
When there was all the drama about kids shoplifting canned air and huffing it some companies switched their ingredients away from abusable substances... Is it possible that the people who have not had success with the canned air method might be using one of those brands? I don't know that the ingredients make a difference but it seems like they could.
I've been trying for a few months to write an article on this topic, and I keep failing. Mine was using the concept of pride - how it pride in yourself and your stuff can actually be a key to frugality. I always think of these photos I see of old Parisian men who go to the same cafe every morning wearing the same hat and jacket that they have doubtlessly had for 30+ years - their pride in their belongings and their carriage is an asset because it makes them stand out, gives them a certain sense of identity (if not to themselves, then at least to others - "It's that one old guy, who wears the green fedora; you know who I'm talking about!"), and gives them no reason to buy a new hat every year.
Personal pride (occasionally bordering on egotism) is also an asset if wielded correctly - if you believe that you are awesome, you can present yourself well to others, who will believe in you by virtue of your own confidence. Being slightly egotistical means that you generally won't take much guff, either, which can keep you from forming unhealthy relationships with people who treat you badly.
So, yeah, right on. You can harness these emotions to your benefit for sure!
Why is it the government's job to take care of things that people are perfectly capable of doing themselves? I agree that people should help others less fortunate and in need of help, but why should the government tell me how to do that, who to help? Why should the government force me to support things I don't believe in? Why can't I choose my own ways to give back to society? Why can't I simply help those I love and the causes that I'm passionate about? Why can't I choose?
Having a harmonious relationship has a *ton* to do with money.
And not only at the extreme: avoiding costly divorce. Working together as a team greatly enhances a couple's ability to save money and work together for long-term goals.
One trivial example: being able to work out an amicable schedule for cooking and cleaning reduces the extent to which a couple will rely on take-out and cleaning help. Another example: can you work creatively to share paid employment and childcare, or will you solve the problem by throwing money at it, hiring a full-time nanny for instance when you might have found less costly solutions by cooperating?
In general, cooperation is thrifty and conflict is expensive.
yep i just almost fell for a scam that sounds almost identical to the scammer clamp.I believe he also uses the alias:vincenthenson41@gmail.com and his story is that he is losing his house and needs to sell a nissan pathfinder 2006 fully loaded with 54,000 miles,navigation,leather,the works for only $4,750 and when i went back on craigslist to see if the car was still posted lo and behold it was gone.he too said to use the ebay account for the transaction.
i actually work for the bank and people have called in about if their information has been stolen when using a non affliated atm machine that doesn't go with their bank card. if you noticed in the videos, it is only the atm machines that you swipe because they can put the camera/card readers. i tell most people to try to use atm machines that are not swipped slots, but sucks your card in. unless, thieves have found a way to to copy the card information when the card gets sucked in to the atm machines itself.
What about SEX? No mention of it? A very important part of a relationship and no mention of it. Next concern. You are married for 24 years and you don't know your spouse? You still tell each other stories that you haven't heard before? Twenty Four years? Even Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band knew each other after 20 yrs.
I was most surprised by the following:
"However, at least we do not live in a country where paying for faster medical treatment privately is technically illegal."
Here in the Netherlands we are very firmly against this. How can it be a good thing that someone with more money get's better / faster medical treatment. How can it even be justified that you kids gets immediate treatment, while someone elses has to wait for weeks?
@Brenda, #19
It's not about everyone getting an equal share. It's about everyone getting at least a minimum standard of good healthcare and education and such.
And if money is one's only insentive to go out there and work, I would say there life must be quite sad.
24 years. It's gone by rather quickly. The tangible evidence of a 21 year old college student in the house kind of throws it in our faces. We've already done some of the "in sickness an health" and "richer or poorer" stuff and found teamwork in solving problems, not whacking at each other, works the best. We both have totally different perspectives, don't always come to concensus, but realize that's good. I am the tightwad, my husband the spendthrift. I taught him how to save for big things. He showed me how to have fun now. He handles the tax returns, I do the books. Every November we talk out our financial goals for the coming year and put them into the budget. This year we eliminated our personal "allowance" and stuck it into a family fun fund. If something doesn't work (some gripes have come from the kids on this one), we'll evaluate and retool. That's one place where finances and marriage mix. What do other people do?
You say your tax rate is nearly 50% and wonder why we get so much less? Because over half of all Americans do not pay ANY taxes. If we ALL paid a 52% tax rate we would have a lot more money to throw around, but only the top 1-3% of Americans are paying that much in taxes.
(Also, employers pay a lot more in that system than simply 7.65% for medicare for each employee - all the paid time off they are required to provide is just one example).
Essentially instead of taxing Americans 52% and giving them back chunks of money all year long for vacations and childcare, we simply don't tax the "poor" in the first place.
And no one bothers to mention the biggest problem with trying to compare America to a system like that. The Netherlands is an extraordinarily small country!!!!! Both geographically and in population. Besides which they are extremelly homogenous with regard to religion and values and ethnicity and background, making it much easier for everybody to accept and agree on things for the "common good."
Wow...I can't believe Murrieta is actually being talked about! :) Yeah, I live there and I've seen those unfinished townhomes. It's not many, but it looks so depressing. There are finished, occupied homes around it and I can't imagine being one of those who have to look out their window and see that stuff. Everything looks so aged, even the chain link fence that's supposed to keep people out. Honestly, I'm surprised that the structures are still standing. I'm sure someone could probably set fire to them, and no one would really care. I mean, obviously someone would, but I'm just saying. That's sad.
The run on confused me. Don't think of this as one process, but several jobs done on different days. The wash is made in one bucket, and then moved to the still (pot) later. Looks like you tried to do it in the same pot. This is essentially beer. Once in the pot (still) you steam off, don’t boil. Collect what is steamed off. The first bit is heads. Because there are multiple compounds in the wash, the lower temp in the beginning steams off methane and some oils, this is heads. Taste bad. Too much at this concentration can poison you too. You can tell from the smell, taste and temps of the wash as to when you are done with this part. Now what comes out is liquor. Lightning is specific to corn wash. All corn gives you more flavour. You get more yields from adding sugar. When the temp starts to go up, you are running tails. Same as before, extra stuff you don’t want. You can tell the same way, taste, smell and temp. If you can get these out, you can keep hangovers almost completely away. Running thru a filter, read way above, helps that and smoothes it out.
I am VERY grateful that we have the UI benefit to help my husband and I get through a very difficult time. He just lost his job and without the benefit we WILL be faced with losing our home and everything else we have worked so hard to build. Not a position I want to be in at age 55. We are ALL at the mercy of the big decision makers in the companies we work for and are just a decision away from poverty. Try walking in the shoes of Americans that have fell victim at no fault of their own and then talk smack about UI.
Hi Julie: I loved the post! My husband and I have been married 32 years and I agree with all the ideas. The topic of staying married has EVERYTHING to do with your financial well being! Divorce splits your assets, gives a percentage of your money to lawyers, realtors and moving companies and breaks up a family, causing untold damage to your children.
Marriage is a marathon. No one runs a marathon without expecting it will be hard sometimes! Let's face it--if divorce was the answer--everyone that's divorced would be supremely happy! That's not the case with most of the people I know!
I also think self care is very important. No one can meet all your needs. You are primarily responsible for deciding to be happy and meeting your needs--not your spouse! The tough times usually don't last! Remember the expression "This too Shall Pass" during a difficult time--with the right attitude, it always does!
It should also be noted that a person can only get cashback from eBay for a limited number of purchases. I think the limit is 12 and I have not personally verified this limit but I have read about it in other forums (dealighted, fatwallet).
http://cool-mo-dee.blogspot.com/
black people spend their money on flashy cars and gator shoes is because we don't expect to live. A 401K, savings account, mutual funds, 30 year mortgage, sure, it all sounds nice. but the reality is in 5 years, i'm going to be pulled over by hostile police, i'm going to hear gun shots, i'm going to be in the wrong place and i can only hope not at the wrong time. so yeah, i'm going to flash and shine because all i have is today and tomorrow i want to be remembered.
i think it's sophomoric to compare the psychological/economical state of black america to white america.
How about viewing what you do as how it affects you and not try to compare yourself to others?
Everyone has a reason, or a lack of one, for their lifestyle. Once you decide to compare yourself to them, it leads to disaster. If they are not riding a bike, you feel superior. If you are not riding a bike, you feel inferior. Neither promotes anything positive.
As you cannot possibly know what someone else's life is all about, it's better to just live your own without comparisons.
Thanks for these tips. And thanks for the link to the Cashback % Notifier. Very useful. I've set an alert and will wait see what happens :)
Folks should check out A Full Cup for couponing & other deals.
afullcup.com
-H
I recieved credit counseling through this one site http://www.freerateupdate.com/credit-card-debt They lowered my rate without even hurting my credit score! Hope this helps!
Love your site!
Gotta take issue with your "loggers ripping out trees...."
We must remember that in the U.S. we replace/replant many times MORE trees than we harvest. It's an amazing thing. No, I'm not in the industry, I'm just a country bumpkin who loves the land and as a private timber ground farmer/owner, try to be a very, very good steward. But do your research, we plant and replenish so many more than we take.
Also, look around your home and yard. What's left without our gorgeous wood products?
Great site, great input, great food for thought.
I'm in the process of looking into health insurance for myself and so have read this thread with interest. I agree with the comment that it is really important to consider the maximum out of pocket for a policy. It is also really important to read through the list of Limitations and Exclusions for the policy, since the policy will absolutely not cover these items.
It is an interesting position. Be careful if you've.had previous legal troubles. I worked hard in training the first week- only to have an official demand my badge, materials, and handheld computer be immediately returned because of "bad" fingerprints. No documentation or justification whatsoever....
When there was all the drama about kids shoplifting canned air and huffing it some companies switched their ingredients away from abusable substances... Is it possible that the people who have not had success with the canned air method might be using one of those brands? I don't know that the ingredients make a difference but it seems like they could.
I've been trying for a few months to write an article on this topic, and I keep failing. Mine was using the concept of pride - how it pride in yourself and your stuff can actually be a key to frugality. I always think of these photos I see of old Parisian men who go to the same cafe every morning wearing the same hat and jacket that they have doubtlessly had for 30+ years - their pride in their belongings and their carriage is an asset because it makes them stand out, gives them a certain sense of identity (if not to themselves, then at least to others - "It's that one old guy, who wears the green fedora; you know who I'm talking about!"), and gives them no reason to buy a new hat every year.
Personal pride (occasionally bordering on egotism) is also an asset if wielded correctly - if you believe that you are awesome, you can present yourself well to others, who will believe in you by virtue of your own confidence. Being slightly egotistical means that you generally won't take much guff, either, which can keep you from forming unhealthy relationships with people who treat you badly.
So, yeah, right on. You can harness these emotions to your benefit for sure!
Why is it the government's job to take care of things that people are perfectly capable of doing themselves? I agree that people should help others less fortunate and in need of help, but why should the government tell me how to do that, who to help? Why should the government force me to support things I don't believe in? Why can't I choose my own ways to give back to society? Why can't I simply help those I love and the causes that I'm passionate about? Why can't I choose?
A penny saved is a penny earned, but a lesson learned can save you more than pennies.
-Dan Malone-
Dear Kym and Tbag,
Having a harmonious relationship has a *ton* to do with money.
And not only at the extreme: avoiding costly divorce. Working together as a team greatly enhances a couple's ability to save money and work together for long-term goals.
One trivial example: being able to work out an amicable schedule for cooking and cleaning reduces the extent to which a couple will rely on take-out and cleaning help. Another example: can you work creatively to share paid employment and childcare, or will you solve the problem by throwing money at it, hiring a full-time nanny for instance when you might have found less costly solutions by cooperating?
In general, cooperation is thrifty and conflict is expensive.
yep i just almost fell for a scam that sounds almost identical to the scammer clamp.I believe he also uses the alias:vincenthenson41@gmail.com and his story is that he is losing his house and needs to sell a nissan pathfinder 2006 fully loaded with 54,000 miles,navigation,leather,the works for only $4,750 and when i went back on craigslist to see if the car was still posted lo and behold it was gone.he too said to use the ebay account for the transaction.
i actually work for the bank and people have called in about if their information has been stolen when using a non affliated atm machine that doesn't go with their bank card. if you noticed in the videos, it is only the atm machines that you swipe because they can put the camera/card readers. i tell most people to try to use atm machines that are not swipped slots, but sucks your card in. unless, thieves have found a way to to copy the card information when the card gets sucked in to the atm machines itself.
What about SEX? No mention of it? A very important part of a relationship and no mention of it. Next concern. You are married for 24 years and you don't know your spouse? You still tell each other stories that you haven't heard before? Twenty Four years? Even Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band knew each other after 20 yrs.
I was most surprised by the following:
"However, at least we do not live in a country where paying for faster medical treatment privately is technically illegal."
Here in the Netherlands we are very firmly against this. How can it be a good thing that someone with more money get's better / faster medical treatment. How can it even be justified that you kids gets immediate treatment, while someone elses has to wait for weeks?
@Brenda, #19
It's not about everyone getting an equal share. It's about everyone getting at least a minimum standard of good healthcare and education and such.
And if money is one's only insentive to go out there and work, I would say there life must be quite sad.
24 years. It's gone by rather quickly. The tangible evidence of a 21 year old college student in the house kind of throws it in our faces. We've already done some of the "in sickness an health" and "richer or poorer" stuff and found teamwork in solving problems, not whacking at each other, works the best. We both have totally different perspectives, don't always come to concensus, but realize that's good. I am the tightwad, my husband the spendthrift. I taught him how to save for big things. He showed me how to have fun now. He handles the tax returns, I do the books. Every November we talk out our financial goals for the coming year and put them into the budget. This year we eliminated our personal "allowance" and stuck it into a family fun fund. If something doesn't work (some gripes have come from the kids on this one), we'll evaluate and retool. That's one place where finances and marriage mix. What do other people do?
You say your tax rate is nearly 50% and wonder why we get so much less? Because over half of all Americans do not pay ANY taxes. If we ALL paid a 52% tax rate we would have a lot more money to throw around, but only the top 1-3% of Americans are paying that much in taxes.
(Also, employers pay a lot more in that system than simply 7.65% for medicare for each employee - all the paid time off they are required to provide is just one example).
Essentially instead of taxing Americans 52% and giving them back chunks of money all year long for vacations and childcare, we simply don't tax the "poor" in the first place.
And no one bothers to mention the biggest problem with trying to compare America to a system like that. The Netherlands is an extraordinarily small country!!!!! Both geographically and in population. Besides which they are extremelly homogenous with regard to religion and values and ethnicity and background, making it much easier for everybody to accept and agree on things for the "common good."
Wow...I can't believe Murrieta is actually being talked about! :) Yeah, I live there and I've seen those unfinished townhomes. It's not many, but it looks so depressing. There are finished, occupied homes around it and I can't imagine being one of those who have to look out their window and see that stuff. Everything looks so aged, even the chain link fence that's supposed to keep people out. Honestly, I'm surprised that the structures are still standing. I'm sure someone could probably set fire to them, and no one would really care. I mean, obviously someone would, but I'm just saying. That's sad.
I checked out istopover and will defs use them for my next trip to NYC. Thanks for sharing this little gem.
The run on confused me. Don't think of this as one process, but several jobs done on different days. The wash is made in one bucket, and then moved to the still (pot) later. Looks like you tried to do it in the same pot. This is essentially beer. Once in the pot (still) you steam off, don’t boil. Collect what is steamed off. The first bit is heads. Because there are multiple compounds in the wash, the lower temp in the beginning steams off methane and some oils, this is heads. Taste bad. Too much at this concentration can poison you too. You can tell from the smell, taste and temps of the wash as to when you are done with this part. Now what comes out is liquor. Lightning is specific to corn wash. All corn gives you more flavour. You get more yields from adding sugar. When the temp starts to go up, you are running tails. Same as before, extra stuff you don’t want. You can tell the same way, taste, smell and temp. If you can get these out, you can keep hangovers almost completely away. Running thru a filter, read way above, helps that and smoothes it out.