My husband and I celebrate Valentine's Day at a really nice restaurant either a couple of days before or after the actual day. The normal restaurant prices are highly inflated on Valentine's Day.
With both our busy work schedules we have to take turns cooking and it's often alone (so that we can at least eat together). So for Valentines, instead of just cooking together, we both look for a recipie that we'd normally not try (and with some expensive and exotic ingredients), and we buy really expensive wine ;). Maybe not the most frugal, but definitely spices up the "in home date"
(PS - we also each buy/make a romantic CD each to listen to all night).
Actually there were people who predicted this years ago. People like Ron Paul and Peter Schiff. Go to Youtube and watch any of the videos on there. Go to www.mises.org and you'll find plenty of articles on there. Read your history and you'll find plenty of people that have been warning us.
"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them (around the banks), will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." Thomas Jefferson, Letter 1802 to Secretary of the Treasury, Albert Gallatin
Valentines day doesn't have to be expensive. I always make a special dinner from scratch- usually five courses- appetizer, soup, salad, main entree and dessert. With nice flowers , soft music,a really nice bottle(s) of wine, and lots of time ( and a Saturday night this year), we should have a pleasant evening that my lovely wife and I will enjoy. We prefer eating at home in the quiet of our own home rather than a noisy,overpriced restaurant.
My frugal Valentines Day flowers ideas are the exact same as in the article posted. I learned long ago that paying $80 for a dozen roses is just not worth it when you can get just as great a bouquet for $30 if you choose other flowers. The best tip for a heartfelt bouquet of flowers is to find a good florist and talk discuss with them ahead of time a variety of flowers that work well together. Then you can pick and choose the flowers you think your other will love.
I am preparing a chocolate fondue with angel food cake bits, strawberries, grapes and fresh pineapple to feed to my husband. This will give us the opportunity to talk and enjoy each others company as a fondue takes a while....
This year I am going to help my daughter save money. I am inviting her family over for dinner with a fully decorated table and dining area. After dinner I am going to surprise her with a sleepover for the grandkids so she and her husband can go to a movie, something they love to do. They can then enjoy a quiet night to be friends and lovers. And Grandma wins aloso.
My husband looks at his valentine and leaves it on the table and I grab it and put it away for next year. It took him 3 years to realize what I did. We had a big laugh.
Fortunately (for me) I have a completely frugal husband, who goes to the grocery store daily (after work) and finds mega deals. So, on Valentine's Day, if he finds a beef tenderloin, or even a lobster (to which at the end of that day, they are often 1/2 price) he will pick up a wonderful surprise and make an elegant surf and turf candlelit dinner.
I am grateful that knows the deals and it helps to have a good repoir with the store workers. When we go there together, you'd think he worked there!
Our anniversary is at the same time; we celebrate both with a nice dinner at an Asian restaurant and talk about our lives up to this point, and where we want to go.
I think especially right now with the recession that people should stop buying into all of this propaganda. We have too many days that we are supposed to "celebrate" buy going out and spending a fortune.
The best way to spend a "special day," such as Valentine's Day would be to spend time with that special person. Make your wife or girlfriend breakfast in bed, make her a candle lit bath filled with rose petals, plan to give each other massages, bake cookies together, etc. The day will be special by just spending time together and doing special things that we don't have time to do everyday.
Spent a good 2-3 hours reading this and another of Julie's post. Great info and thanks for sharing your ideas Julie.
I enjoyed reading Tri's posts and JimDaGeek's too.
I'm overwhelmed with this wealth of info, but here are my points:
1. It appears sensible to reduce as much of your principal balance as you can afford, if your interest rate is higher than if you can invest that money (opportunity cost).
2. The thing with these accelerated payoff programs or Julie's DIY program or investment is, how many people actually will stay in their home for the next 30 years? or even 15 years? Probably not many.
3. How does the program work with a recessionary economy and where home values are less than the loan balance?
4. No one can say anything is certain anymore. I think you do what you think is best with the info you have. Many Baby Boomers are helpless financially as they see their entire life savings wiped up to 40% in just one year! Diversity of plans is a good idea when it comes to wealth building and debt elimination.
5. Time horizon is important either with investment or accelerated payoff. Someone about to retire and has a huge mortgage vs a recent grad with a new home & career will not utilize the same strategies because their goals are different.
I know that "yes person" perfectly. Everything you asked him to do he will answer "yes" even if he has no time, even if he is tired and has something else to do. That is not alright. Firs because he must consider his own objectives as priorities and second because taking so many responsibilities he will never get to finish them all in time.It's not good either for him of for the person asking the help.
I keep my own accounts with the help of an Excel spreadsheet, and compare them with the yearly statement that I receive from the Bank. Sometimes there are small differences that happen due to interest changes during the year.
I then adjust the figures for the rest of the tenure and wait for the next statement.
i suppose you may be right in one way.. but then again, it all comes down to planning correctly.
im young (20yrs old) and i can say that buying a house in cash seems like a worth while goal for me. im still in college and im not even sure what my major will be! but i do know that WHATEVER career i choose i am going straight to the trailer park after i graduate.
if i live in a trailer park for about 10-15 yrs.(depending on the job) and save save save save and save some more. i should have an ample amount of money and job experience to move to canada (B.C.) or Spain and purchase a home cash.
i dont care if its a beautiful home or just a nice place to relax from work, i'll find something (possibly foreclosed) and give it all the T.L.C. it requires.
i dont want the stress of having a morgage ... i dont think i can even spell it right. anyway.... i just want a couple of bills to pay and a lil pot to enjoy and just live my life the way i want.
it's possible. and you DONT have to be rich.
there are tons of foreclosed properties for sale. and flipping houses is always a good business to accumulate a profit. foreclosed homes is where it is all at people!!!
look into it and you might even find your dream home
My husband and I celebrate Valentine's Day at a really nice restaurant either a couple of days before or after the actual day. The normal restaurant prices are highly inflated on Valentine's Day.
With both our busy work schedules we have to take turns cooking and it's often alone (so that we can at least eat together). So for Valentines, instead of just cooking together, we both look for a recipie that we'd normally not try (and with some expensive and exotic ingredients), and we buy really expensive wine ;). Maybe not the most frugal, but definitely spices up the "in home date"
(PS - we also each buy/make a romantic CD each to listen to all night).
Actually there were people who predicted this years ago. People like Ron Paul and Peter Schiff. Go to Youtube and watch any of the videos on there. Go to www.mises.org and you'll find plenty of articles on there. Read your history and you'll find plenty of people that have been warning us.
"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them (around the banks), will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." Thomas Jefferson, Letter 1802 to Secretary of the Treasury, Albert Gallatin
Valentines day doesn't have to be expensive. I always make a special dinner from scratch- usually five courses- appetizer, soup, salad, main entree and dessert. With nice flowers , soft music,a really nice bottle(s) of wine, and lots of time ( and a Saturday night this year), we should have a pleasant evening that my lovely wife and I will enjoy. We prefer eating at home in the quiet of our own home rather than a noisy,overpriced restaurant.
My frugal Valentines Day flowers ideas are the exact same as in the article posted. I learned long ago that paying $80 for a dozen roses is just not worth it when you can get just as great a bouquet for $30 if you choose other flowers. The best tip for a heartfelt bouquet of flowers is to find a good florist and talk discuss with them ahead of time a variety of flowers that work well together. Then you can pick and choose the flowers you think your other will love.
I am preparing a chocolate fondue with angel food cake bits, strawberries, grapes and fresh pineapple to feed to my husband. This will give us the opportunity to talk and enjoy each others company as a fondue takes a while....
This year I am going to help my daughter save money. I am inviting her family over for dinner with a fully decorated table and dining area. After dinner I am going to surprise her with a sleepover for the grandkids so she and her husband can go to a movie, something they love to do. They can then enjoy a quiet night to be friends and lovers. And Grandma wins aloso.
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This is awesome advice. I've often considered this, but just never thought of how to approach it. This weekend, I'm calling everyone.
I use a white cake mix-make 24 muffins and ice them with pink or red frosting. I put little love notes inbetween the cupcake and the frosting!
I would keep Valentine's Day to a "homemade" theme using things made that are already at home.
My husband looks at his valentine and leaves it on the table and I grab it and put it away for next year. It took him 3 years to realize what I did. We had a big laugh.
Fortunately (for me) I have a completely frugal husband, who goes to the grocery store daily (after work) and finds mega deals. So, on Valentine's Day, if he finds a beef tenderloin, or even a lobster (to which at the end of that day, they are often 1/2 price) he will pick up a wonderful surprise and make an elegant surf and turf candlelit dinner.
I am grateful that knows the deals and it helps to have a good repoir with the store workers. When we go there together, you'd think he worked there!
Our anniversary is at the same time; we celebrate both with a nice dinner at an Asian restaurant and talk about our lives up to this point, and where we want to go.
I think especially right now with the recession that people should stop buying into all of this propaganda. We have too many days that we are supposed to "celebrate" buy going out and spending a fortune.
The best way to spend a "special day," such as Valentine's Day would be to spend time with that special person. Make your wife or girlfriend breakfast in bed, make her a candle lit bath filled with rose petals, plan to give each other massages, bake cookies together, etc. The day will be special by just spending time together and doing special things that we don't have time to do everyday.
Just some alone time!
Spent a good 2-3 hours reading this and another of Julie's post. Great info and thanks for sharing your ideas Julie.
I enjoyed reading Tri's posts and JimDaGeek's too.
I'm overwhelmed with this wealth of info, but here are my points:
1. It appears sensible to reduce as much of your principal balance as you can afford, if your interest rate is higher than if you can invest that money (opportunity cost).
2. The thing with these accelerated payoff programs or Julie's DIY program or investment is, how many people actually will stay in their home for the next 30 years? or even 15 years? Probably not many.
3. How does the program work with a recessionary economy and where home values are less than the loan balance?
4. No one can say anything is certain anymore. I think you do what you think is best with the info you have. Many Baby Boomers are helpless financially as they see their entire life savings wiped up to 40% in just one year! Diversity of plans is a good idea when it comes to wealth building and debt elimination.
5. Time horizon is important either with investment or accelerated payoff. Someone about to retire and has a huge mortgage vs a recent grad with a new home & career will not utilize the same strategies because their goals are different.
I know that "yes person" perfectly. Everything you asked him to do he will answer "yes" even if he has no time, even if he is tired and has something else to do. That is not alright. Firs because he must consider his own objectives as priorities and second because taking so many responsibilities he will never get to finish them all in time.It's not good either for him of for the person asking the help.
I love sending an e-card to my special loved one....very quick and personal.
I keep my own accounts with the help of an Excel spreadsheet, and compare them with the yearly statement that I receive from the Bank. Sometimes there are small differences that happen due to interest changes during the year.
I then adjust the figures for the rest of the tenure and wait for the next statement.
Regards
I like to make a special meal including homemade chocolates.
pv-nrt...not mrt
We rent a new video game to keep the kids occupied then sneak off to our room with the Hershey's syrup and the can of whipped cream.
Wink wink
Hey thanks for putting that together really appreciate it :)
i suppose you may be right in one way.. but then again, it all comes down to planning correctly.
im young (20yrs old) and i can say that buying a house in cash seems like a worth while goal for me. im still in college and im not even sure what my major will be! but i do know that WHATEVER career i choose i am going straight to the trailer park after i graduate.
if i live in a trailer park for about 10-15 yrs.(depending on the job) and save save save save and save some more. i should have an ample amount of money and job experience to move to canada (B.C.) or Spain and purchase a home cash.
i dont care if its a beautiful home or just a nice place to relax from work, i'll find something (possibly foreclosed) and give it all the T.L.C. it requires.
i dont want the stress of having a morgage ... i dont think i can even spell it right. anyway.... i just want a couple of bills to pay and a lil pot to enjoy and just live my life the way i want.
it's possible. and you DONT have to be rich.
there are tons of foreclosed properties for sale. and flipping houses is always a good business to accumulate a profit. foreclosed homes is where it is all at people!!!
look into it and you might even find your dream home
hope i helped out.
c ya.