Great tip for those who work from home, have a flexible work schedule or stay home with their children: ask your CSA about taking an active volunteer position in exchange for reduced prices. I am part of a core group of people who volunteer 3-5 hours every two weeks to meet the delivery, then sort the fruits/veggies into boxed "shares" ready to be picked up by members. I am able to bring my kids along, and there are usually other kids for them to play with. Built in playdate, AND great exercise for me.
In exchange, I pay nothing for my share, valued at $50. NOTHING. I know it's a money-time tradeoff, but I figure that's an hourly rate of $10, at least. Not too bad for local and organic food that I can build a meal plan around!
I always found it easier to keep the basics on hand and have some extras in case I ran out. Family of five. Then I was doing better financially so I would buy extra of somethings to have on hand. I was unemployed this year for several months and we were very blessed to have that food stored. We had some home maintenance expenses, car expenses, and dental work done. So food wasn't really in the budget. I am also interested in where the husband in the above post found the online list of expiration dates of food?
Excellent article. I think many people miss the deep structural issues that are going to impact our economy for a long time. We didn't get into this mess in a couple of years and we won't work off the excesses in a couple of years either.
I wrote a piece recently about why i thought the next 18 months would not be a good time to be in the stock market.
Hello
yes, I've just began about close to a month ago buying a little extra. Lately the main things I've stocked are toilet tissue, soap, toothpaste among many other personal items. This week looking to grab a few extra food items for freezer/storage shelf. The reason for the extras is due to the possibility of a layoff coming ahead. There have already been some situations that have taken place over the past month that has put me kind of on edge. With seeing this arise I've started trying to prepare while I do have the money to do this. If you can, always try to stock up on the essentials you never know what may come your way.
I am a firm believer in stockpiling. Emergencies happen all the time, and they aren't just the weather related kind. I have many times been able to live off mostly my stockpile for a month or so, while scraping the cash together to pay some large bill coming up. I am thinking right now of the $1200 root canal and the $3000 transmission replacement. Stuff happens and you need to be prepared.
I can feed my family well for at least 2 months on what I have on hand and probably another month on random, not necessarily balanced foods.
This is my first visit to your site (it was advertised as a "Kim Komando Cool Site") but I'm a bit suspect of the authenticity of the contributors when the byline for a photo has the following grammar and punctuation usage:
"Are you looking to hire a financial advisor but worried they might be next Madoff."
1) Doesn't this sentence scream for an article (in grammatical usage, a word that combines with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun, and may also specify the volume or numerical scope of that reference), e.g. ... worried they might be THE next Madoff....?
2) Isn't this entire sentence forming a question? Wouldn't it end with a question mark?
I am suspect of the editors of this content (are they familiar with the English language?, and as a result, the content itself. If you can't put the quality into the copy, why even bother? Sorry, it's very pertinent as it goes to quality of contentn.
Here we have free, excellent help in these financially troubled times. The information is thorough, comes in small packets and is concise. Way to go.
What's not to like? My primary knock is the ad, specifically not flagging it as an ad at the beginning. I almost quit listening then. Secondly, ad placement. I'm certainly no expert on advertising, but my own preference (after not having to have ads at all) is that you lead with your information, break part-way through with something like "Now here's a brief cutaway to pay the bills...." so as to avoid the question of actually endorsing the product then finish with the meat.
As to complaints about "reading" the podcast. I agree that a more conversational style is better--- but that comes with practice and experience. Perhaps delivery from an outline rather than the actual script would help. Key to dealing with time constraints is practicing beforehand and assiduously avoiding riffs.
That being said, I say HOORAY! for these podcasts and keep 'em coming. I'm a subscriber already.
I think the smartest way to treat credit cards in general as from my own personal experiences, is simply to pay off any remaining balance in any credit card by the end of the month so you won't have to worry about having to pay penalty or interest rate fees. Another option: just use a debit card that has a visa logo so you only spend what you currently have in your account. That is exactly what I now do.
You all should go to Japan....The people there are actually insulted by tips and refuse them! I spent 3 years there and it took us quite awhile to get used to not tipping. They also offered refills without any problem. However the people there are respectful enough to NOT share meals. And the prices are decent the food good and the servers are POLITE. It was a pleasure to eat there.
A friend of mine complained that the terms of her credit card had changed. They were raising her interest rate etc. I said "They own the credit card. If you don't like it I would stop using that credit card and shop around for one with better terms." I don't think she was very happy that I said that!
I agree with nicole. i personally love buffets, but young children should be left at the table or at least carried so they are above the sneeze guard and cannot reach the food.
If you're in any way eligible to be a member of a credit union and you have not yet signed up, you are a fool. Get out of that bank and get yourself into a credit union. Do it right now.
If, for some reason, you find yourself ineligible to join a credit union, let me give you a hint. Often universities will have a credit union attached for students, faculty, and alumni. Maybe you don't fit any of these credentials. But you can donate to the alumni association of the university, which in many cases will make you an "alumni." Now you're eligible to be a part of the credit union!
I will never go back to banks; my credit union is just too good.
A: You can download our uninstall utility called AvClear or AvClear4 (it depends on the version of avast! installed on your computer). More information is available here: http://www.avast.com/i_idt_1337.html.
If I were you, I would do another download and reinstall this program.
I have used AVG and promptly replaced it with Avast.
I just didn't like AVG's performance where, I think, Avast is a much better program.
I pulled the above uninstall info from 'Help' tab of my Avast program.
Just my thoughts.
Good luck w/your uninstall issue. I hope this info will cause you a better PC performance.
Am new to this area, and haven't yet found any Persian (Iranian) food markets...am looking for things like bulk basmati rice, dry sabzi, good yogurt, and other Iranian foods.
In relation to this discussion, in southern CA there are many Persian stores and their prices on produce are great!
Probably to the point where it could be called hoarding. I learned when I was young to always keep a lot of food on hand. Now, I've taken it to a new level. I can my own sauces, soups, jams, etc., and I store massive amounts of standard pantry goods: honey, flour, sugar, yeast, beans, rice, pasta, dried fruits and veggies, canned veggies, milk, fruit and meats, etc. We also store water, and have a propane grill and a butane stove.
In addition, I keep my freezer stocked as well as my fridge. This has come in handy many times for me. During Ike, we were without power for about a month. All the foods in my freezer helped not only us, but also the less-prepared neighbours. None of that food went to waste (though largely because we were willing to share it; otherwise I would have pressure canned all the meats). Aside from Ike, finances have been a mess the last year. This has resulted in me frequently refusing to go to the grocery store for up to a month at a time and we still get to eat because I store food. We don't have a lot of space, either. Much of my food storage is in large rubbermaid bins I stack on top of one another.
There are a lot of types of emergencies - not just natural disaster types. Keeping some food on hand to at least carry a person a few months is a good practice.
I had no idea where to go to get this stuff for free. Thank you so much -- the Spybot thing found & "destroyed" all kinds of malware. Handiest, most practical tip EVER on Wisebread.
I have always been the one that purchased all things that were on a great sale...if it was 2 for $5.00, then two it was...I also have the container in the garage for emergencies complete with clean and fresh under garments...a person can never be too ready! When Yk2 was upon us, I was ready...it was all in vain, however, in the recent days, I caught a show on TLC called "HORDERS". Oh my gosh! I am too afraid of becoming one of those and so I gave a ton of my reserves to the local food bank...in the case of a disaster I will have to rely on the fact that I hope good karma comes my way because I gave so much to the food banks...no one can accuse me of being a "HOARDER"...priorites you know! :)
It's not that hard, as long as you're willing to do without. We bought a cheap house, spent our labor fixing it up, then sold for almost double a few years later. Invested that in a better house to suit us for a long time, and got a 15-year loan. Paid extra on the loan, and it was gone in 12 years.
Two cars over 100,000 miles - maintenance is cheaper than a monthly payment.
Budget for the big expenses, and pay off the credit card every month.
This doesn't completely avoid the problem, of course, but the most important thing about a credit card is: Never buy anything that you can't pay for at the end of the month. If you can't pay off the balance in full each month, you're spending too much. In other words, treat your credit card as if it was a debit card, while keeping the advantages of a credit card.
That avoids interest payments altogether. (Assuming you make your payments on time, of course.) If your card company decides to impose an annual fee, there dozens of other card companies you could switch to.
Great tip for those who work from home, have a flexible work schedule or stay home with their children: ask your CSA about taking an active volunteer position in exchange for reduced prices. I am part of a core group of people who volunteer 3-5 hours every two weeks to meet the delivery, then sort the fruits/veggies into boxed "shares" ready to be picked up by members. I am able to bring my kids along, and there are usually other kids for them to play with. Built in playdate, AND great exercise for me.
In exchange, I pay nothing for my share, valued at $50. NOTHING. I know it's a money-time tradeoff, but I figure that's an hourly rate of $10, at least. Not too bad for local and organic food that I can build a meal plan around!
I always found it easier to keep the basics on hand and have some extras in case I ran out. Family of five. Then I was doing better financially so I would buy extra of somethings to have on hand. I was unemployed this year for several months and we were very blessed to have that food stored. We had some home maintenance expenses, car expenses, and dental work done. So food wasn't really in the budget. I am also interested in where the husband in the above post found the online list of expiration dates of food?
Excellent article. I think many people miss the deep structural issues that are going to impact our economy for a long time. We didn't get into this mess in a couple of years and we won't work off the excesses in a couple of years either.
I wrote a piece recently about why i thought the next 18 months would not be a good time to be in the stock market.
Read the update on my Stock Market Prediction Here
Greatly enjoyed the article but am saddened by where I see our country going for a while.
Hello
yes, I've just began about close to a month ago buying a little extra. Lately the main things I've stocked are toilet tissue, soap, toothpaste among many other personal items. This week looking to grab a few extra food items for freezer/storage shelf. The reason for the extras is due to the possibility of a layoff coming ahead. There have already been some situations that have taken place over the past month that has put me kind of on edge. With seeing this arise I've started trying to prepare while I do have the money to do this. If you can, always try to stock up on the essentials you never know what may come your way.
Stock your heart out!
D
Sharon is the author of The Frugal Duchess: How to Live Well and Save Money.
Great idea! I like the way you break down the numbers and show the value of living close to the office.
Thanks for the response!
I do the same thing and when I use coupons, I have a big smile at the end.
I am a firm believer in stockpiling. Emergencies happen all the time, and they aren't just the weather related kind. I have many times been able to live off mostly my stockpile for a month or so, while scraping the cash together to pay some large bill coming up. I am thinking right now of the $1200 root canal and the $3000 transmission replacement. Stuff happens and you need to be prepared.
I can feed my family well for at least 2 months on what I have on hand and probably another month on random, not necessarily balanced foods.
This is my first visit to your site (it was advertised as a "Kim Komando Cool Site") but I'm a bit suspect of the authenticity of the contributors when the byline for a photo has the following grammar and punctuation usage:
"Are you looking to hire a financial advisor but worried they might be next Madoff."
1) Doesn't this sentence scream for an article (in grammatical usage, a word that combines with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun, and may also specify the volume or numerical scope of that reference), e.g. ... worried they might be THE next Madoff....?
2) Isn't this entire sentence forming a question? Wouldn't it end with a question mark?
I am suspect of the editors of this content (are they familiar with the English language?, and as a result, the content itself. If you can't put the quality into the copy, why even bother? Sorry, it's very pertinent as it goes to quality of contentn.
I love robots
Here we have free, excellent help in these financially troubled times. The information is thorough, comes in small packets and is concise. Way to go.
What's not to like? My primary knock is the ad, specifically not flagging it as an ad at the beginning. I almost quit listening then. Secondly, ad placement. I'm certainly no expert on advertising, but my own preference (after not having to have ads at all) is that you lead with your information, break part-way through with something like "Now here's a brief cutaway to pay the bills...." so as to avoid the question of actually endorsing the product then finish with the meat.
As to complaints about "reading" the podcast. I agree that a more conversational style is better--- but that comes with practice and experience. Perhaps delivery from an outline rather than the actual script would help. Key to dealing with time constraints is practicing beforehand and assiduously avoiding riffs.
That being said, I say HOORAY! for these podcasts and keep 'em coming. I'm a subscriber already.
I think the smartest way to treat credit cards in general as from my own personal experiences, is simply to pay off any remaining balance in any credit card by the end of the month so you won't have to worry about having to pay penalty or interest rate fees. Another option: just use a debit card that has a visa logo so you only spend what you currently have in your account. That is exactly what I now do.
You all should go to Japan....The people there are actually insulted by tips and refuse them! I spent 3 years there and it took us quite awhile to get used to not tipping. They also offered refills without any problem. However the people there are respectful enough to NOT share meals. And the prices are decent the food good and the servers are POLITE. It was a pleasure to eat there.
only the gum video is still there...
DO NOT USE TOOTHPASTE OF ANYKIND UNLESS YOU WANT TOTAL LOSS OF A CD/DVD!
A friend of mine complained that the terms of her credit card had changed. They were raising her interest rate etc. I said "They own the credit card. If you don't like it I would stop using that credit card and shop around for one with better terms." I don't think she was very happy that I said that!
I agree with nicole. i personally love buffets, but young children should be left at the table or at least carried so they are above the sneeze guard and cannot reach the food.
If you're in any way eligible to be a member of a credit union and you have not yet signed up, you are a fool. Get out of that bank and get yourself into a credit union. Do it right now.
If, for some reason, you find yourself ineligible to join a credit union, let me give you a hint. Often universities will have a credit union attached for students, faculty, and alumni. Maybe you don't fit any of these credentials. But you can donate to the alumni association of the university, which in many cases will make you an "alumni." Now you're eligible to be a part of the credit union!
I will never go back to banks; my credit union is just too good.
Q: I can't uninstall avast! What to do now?
A: You can download our uninstall utility called AvClear or AvClear4 (it depends on the version of avast! installed on your computer). More information is available here: http://www.avast.com/i_idt_1337.html.
If I were you, I would do another download and reinstall this program.
I have used AVG and promptly replaced it with Avast.
I just didn't like AVG's performance where, I think, Avast is a much better program.
I pulled the above uninstall info from 'Help' tab of my Avast program.
Just my thoughts.
Good luck w/your uninstall issue. I hope this info will cause you a better PC performance.
Am new to this area, and haven't yet found any Persian (Iranian) food markets...am looking for things like bulk basmati rice, dry sabzi, good yogurt, and other Iranian foods.
In relation to this discussion, in southern CA there are many Persian stores and their prices on produce are great!
Probably to the point where it could be called hoarding. I learned when I was young to always keep a lot of food on hand. Now, I've taken it to a new level. I can my own sauces, soups, jams, etc., and I store massive amounts of standard pantry goods: honey, flour, sugar, yeast, beans, rice, pasta, dried fruits and veggies, canned veggies, milk, fruit and meats, etc. We also store water, and have a propane grill and a butane stove.
In addition, I keep my freezer stocked as well as my fridge. This has come in handy many times for me. During Ike, we were without power for about a month. All the foods in my freezer helped not only us, but also the less-prepared neighbours. None of that food went to waste (though largely because we were willing to share it; otherwise I would have pressure canned all the meats). Aside from Ike, finances have been a mess the last year. This has resulted in me frequently refusing to go to the grocery store for up to a month at a time and we still get to eat because I store food. We don't have a lot of space, either. Much of my food storage is in large rubbermaid bins I stack on top of one another.
There are a lot of types of emergencies - not just natural disaster types. Keeping some food on hand to at least carry a person a few months is a good practice.
I had no idea where to go to get this stuff for free. Thank you so much -- the Spybot thing found & "destroyed" all kinds of malware. Handiest, most practical tip EVER on Wisebread.
I have always been the one that purchased all things that were on a great sale...if it was 2 for $5.00, then two it was...I also have the container in the garage for emergencies complete with clean and fresh under garments...a person can never be too ready! When Yk2 was upon us, I was ready...it was all in vain, however, in the recent days, I caught a show on TLC called "HORDERS". Oh my gosh! I am too afraid of becoming one of those and so I gave a ton of my reserves to the local food bank...in the case of a disaster I will have to rely on the fact that I hope good karma comes my way because I gave so much to the food banks...no one can accuse me of being a "HOARDER"...priorites you know! :)
It's not that hard, as long as you're willing to do without. We bought a cheap house, spent our labor fixing it up, then sold for almost double a few years later. Invested that in a better house to suit us for a long time, and got a 15-year loan. Paid extra on the loan, and it was gone in 12 years.
Two cars over 100,000 miles - maintenance is cheaper than a monthly payment.
Budget for the big expenses, and pay off the credit card every month.
Before you know it, you'll be free!
This doesn't completely avoid the problem, of course, but the most important thing about a credit card is: Never buy anything that you can't pay for at the end of the month. If you can't pay off the balance in full each month, you're spending too much. In other words, treat your credit card as if it was a debit card, while keeping the advantages of a credit card.
That avoids interest payments altogether. (Assuming you make your payments on time, of course.) If your card company decides to impose an annual fee, there dozens of other card companies you could switch to.
I've been using these recipes for years, and here's where they originated from:
http://www.jerrybaker.com
Enough with all the hypotheses - go to this site and all your questions will be answered.