I read the All You article with interest. I am curious what your old budget looked like, when you lived on your husband's $17,000 salary. Even living frugally how were you living on $17,000 a year for a family of 6? My mortgage alone costs nearly that. Would love to hear how you did it!
I have had the internal booster on 3 phones. I only get shotty signals in my office. Everywhere else is OK. These give a better signal for me. 2 bars more on average. I have not seen any damage done to my phones with these personally.
As with anything, think, don't believe everything you read (even the review I posted). It's a judgment call on your part. I can only tell you what has worked for me personally.
I have no idea how they work and how well. They come across as gimmicky to me. But, if anyone has good experiences with them, let me know. Research is neverending.
We did a lot of research on the mixers before we bought the Kitchenaid. I heard about the problem with the plastic transmission covers. We were very concerned when we heard about people, (bread makers, in particular,) who had to throw out their Kitchenaid after a year or so of use. What I learned was, they replaced the plastic with some sort of metal. But people were complaining about those as well, saying they were very fragile and flimsy. While this is not really an endorsement of Kitchenaid, (I believe if you are a serious breadmaker, doing a lot of kneading, I think a more industrial strength mixer is in order,) the thing with gluten-free bread is that you don't need to knead it. So that's why we finally settled on this. If you do need a lot of kneading, everything I read seems to steer you away from the Kitchenaid brand. I think I recall Hobart being a good brand, but I'll have to look into that.
We got the Kitchenaid with the strongest motor possible as well, (thank you, Costco, on a super sale,) so, we'll see how this works out. If it fails, I promise to write about it. So far so good. I believe in reading every review you can get your hands on before you make any big ticket purchase, (for me, that's over twenty bucks.)
I was an outwardly-successful looking woman in her early 30s - attractive, healthy, excellent career. And I felt like a miserable failure. My doctor diagnosed me with mild depression after a 10 minute conversation, put me on anti-depressants and referred me to a therapist who tried to help me get to a place where I could realize my "real goals" of marriage and family.
It's taken 4 years to get off those drugs and get their after-effects out of my system. Drugs I never needed. Drugs I was prescribed so that I could numbly carry out a "normal life," when the real problem was that I didn't want that life.
For those who bristled at this review's suggestion that medication is unnecessary, I am certain that was not the intent. These drugs are overprescribed at a terrifying rate, which marginalizes those who truly need them.
To those railing about women blaming things on an oppressive society, I can tell you that from my personal experience, YES, "American psychology" really did attempt to push me right back into a traditional woman role.
Your money will be wasted on these Kitchen Aid mixers, the problem with the mixers are the transmission covers, made of plastic, the covers will warp because of heat build up, and allow the gears to mesh improperly causing more heat resulting in transmission failure. Kitchen aid offers no solution in fixing the problem. I'm a bread maker and I have used up 4 of the mixers before locating the failure mode. Kitchen Aid flat out lies about the mixers being capable of mixing bread dough.
Very informative, Our family has been trying to go gluten free for some time now. About 90% of what we eat is organic so it is already hard enough to stay within the budget. I have read that going gluten free has some positive affects with kids whom have ADHD. This is all good stuff and I like your idea with the mixer.
Sonja, we could have written this post. We have the same kitchen tools but not just because we are also frugal. Gluten-free stuff tastes so much better when you make it at home, doesn't it?
I like the idea of what this plan is teaching. Its easy to think that most people know the correct answers and follow them, but that is not the case. Just listen to the radio and see how many credit card debt relief commercials come on the air.
I would add one comment about credit cards. I do not have a problem transfering a balance to a low interest credit card, but then stop using it, till it is paid off or moved to another card. You can beat a bank's rate sometimes, but watch your credit score doing this.
I would rather keep my whole paycheck than to have part of it taken away. I may get part of it back but with out intrest. I am a supporter of The Fair Tax. It would replace all the taxes we have now with a sales tax on new goods and services. You would never file an income tax form again. You would keep every penny you earn no matter how you earn it. Prices would be lower because businesses would no longer be paying business taxes. All citizens with a social security number would get a check every month to cover taxes on everything up to the poverty level. There are so many other reasons this is better than what we have now. Go to http://fairtax.org to find out more.
Missouri is in the process of passing a state version of The Fair Tax.
Thanks for the ideas and inspiration. I'm going to go get a rice cooker after you reminded me that pot I have to watch can be a lower-maintenance cooker.
The reason for cooking "normal-looking" foods like gluten- free bread and pasta is to satisfy all the members of the family and not make one person have to eat a special diet all by himself. Good work making that enormous adjustment!
i bought one thinking i would get so much use out of it, but honestly i used it until the bags ran out, and now buy ziploc bags.. I still have the machine, but it never comes out of the pantry. I am starting to do the once a month cooking. I am doing more like once every 2 weeks cooking..and still havent pulled it out. If some one trys to tell you you'll save money becuase you will reuse the bags, its not true. once they are sealed they dont seem to work the same anymore, that maybe because i tried to use them minimuly. Ziplocs work well, and they are not to much money. one more thing is i tend to only buy what i am going to use, and we tend to not have alot of left overs..that is one big reason we dont have alot of use for it.
I agree with you and have discovered the fun of spaghetti squashes. It is definitley healthier. Having said that, I know that if I didn't find a way to bring bread and pasta into our lives, my husband would go back to offending his intestines with gluten. Sometimes you gotta do what's best as a whole. I've been having fun exploring and getting creative with ways to make this as normal, and inexpensive of an endeavor as possible. If you are able to live gluten free with fresh vegetables, I think that's fantastic and I admire you.
But we are recovering foodies who need to have cheesy noodles from time to time. Thanks for your comment! Good health to you!
I am not sure I understand why you need those things. I am gluten intolerant and we simply do not eat bread, pizza, baked goods, etc. It is healthier to eat veggies instead. Discover squashes, get creative with potatoes, etc. It is a wonderful world without gluten, unless you go out to eat--then it is a real bummer finding food, especially if you are also dairy intolerant.
If you live near Atlanta. The Children's Museum of Atlanta sells it in 5lb and 10lb buckets for $10 and $20 dollars. If you do not live near Atlanta maybe check the children's museums in your area.
I agree with many on this post. There's a bit of truth in every opinion. It's important to understand that there are good sides to the industry, there are also bad sides, and even ugly sides. Such is the case with every industry though. In the end ... I believe if one really does their research and investigates entrepreneurship... they will find a gem of opportunity awaiting within this industry. It's legal, It's fair, of course it's not for the faint of heart..nor is it easy... very similar to any venture. It's up to the individual to make any venture they endeavor to succeed in to be successful.
Thanks for the kind comment. I'll be posting a noodle recipe this week along with a "how to" on how exactly to make them without having them turn into a sticky disaster.
We are Italian food afficianados in this house and absolutely cannot go wothout pasta.
@John - Thanks! I like the term debt management because, although often debt is bad, other times it can actually be good (as in a mortgage or leveraging), and sometimes it's just plain necessary. If we know how to manage it, then we'll be all the better at blasting and killing it! (smiles)
@David - Great score! I'm glad you saw an area for improvement by virtue of the questions too. That's what I was going for!
In terms of closing the credit cards you don't use: you have a great point. Here's the scoop:
A) If you are carrying debt, then closing out accounts you don't use will reduce the amount of overall credit available to you, thus increasing your ratio of debt to available credit. This can make your score go down.
B) If however you're not carrying much or any debt, then closing out accounts you don't use will reduce the number of credit vehicles you are carrying (which increases your score - especially if you have a bunch of dormant credit cards lurking around), and you'll be more likely to be approved (and be able to negotiate interest rates) for larger loans like mortgages.
Sold it on eBay for nearly what I paid for it. Goodbye AT&T!
I go Straight Talk on the Verizon network. Bought it at Walmart and it's an amazing deal. The Samsung Finesse is a very cool smartphone and paying only $45 a month for unlimited everything is the best deal going!
I read the All You article with interest. I am curious what your old budget looked like, when you lived on your husband's $17,000 salary. Even living frugally how were you living on $17,000 a year for a family of 6? My mortgage alone costs nearly that. Would love to hear how you did it!
These are pretty strange. I would never try any of these. As for the internal antenna booster, here is a review page link:
http://home.pacbell.net/mtom168/internalantenna/
I have had the internal booster on 3 phones. I only get shotty signals in my office. Everywhere else is OK. These give a better signal for me. 2 bars more on average. I have not seen any damage done to my phones with these personally.
As with anything, think, don't believe everything you read (even the review I posted). It's a judgment call on your part. I can only tell you what has worked for me personally.
I have no idea how they work and how well. They come across as gimmicky to me. But, if anyone has good experiences with them, let me know. Research is neverending.
We did a lot of research on the mixers before we bought the Kitchenaid. I heard about the problem with the plastic transmission covers. We were very concerned when we heard about people, (bread makers, in particular,) who had to throw out their Kitchenaid after a year or so of use. What I learned was, they replaced the plastic with some sort of metal. But people were complaining about those as well, saying they were very fragile and flimsy. While this is not really an endorsement of Kitchenaid, (I believe if you are a serious breadmaker, doing a lot of kneading, I think a more industrial strength mixer is in order,) the thing with gluten-free bread is that you don't need to knead it. So that's why we finally settled on this. If you do need a lot of kneading, everything I read seems to steer you away from the Kitchenaid brand. I think I recall Hobart being a good brand, but I'll have to look into that.
We got the Kitchenaid with the strongest motor possible as well, (thank you, Costco, on a super sale,) so, we'll see how this works out. If it fails, I promise to write about it. So far so good. I believe in reading every review you can get your hands on before you make any big ticket purchase, (for me, that's over twenty bucks.)
I was an outwardly-successful looking woman in her early 30s - attractive, healthy, excellent career. And I felt like a miserable failure. My doctor diagnosed me with mild depression after a 10 minute conversation, put me on anti-depressants and referred me to a therapist who tried to help me get to a place where I could realize my "real goals" of marriage and family.
It's taken 4 years to get off those drugs and get their after-effects out of my system. Drugs I never needed. Drugs I was prescribed so that I could numbly carry out a "normal life," when the real problem was that I didn't want that life.
For those who bristled at this review's suggestion that medication is unnecessary, I am certain that was not the intent. These drugs are overprescribed at a terrifying rate, which marginalizes those who truly need them.
To those railing about women blaming things on an oppressive society, I can tell you that from my personal experience, YES, "American psychology" really did attempt to push me right back into a traditional woman role.
Your money will be wasted on these Kitchen Aid mixers, the problem with the mixers are the transmission covers, made of plastic, the covers will warp because of heat build up, and allow the gears to mesh improperly causing more heat resulting in transmission failure. Kitchen aid offers no solution in fixing the problem. I'm a bread maker and I have used up 4 of the mixers before locating the failure mode. Kitchen Aid flat out lies about the mixers being capable of mixing bread dough.
Unfortunately, a lot of CFPs, and most freelance writers, know only enough about life insurance to be dangerous.
Life insurance premiums, with a couple of relatively narrow exceptions, are generally not tax-deductible in the United States.
Very informative, Our family has been trying to go gluten free for some time now. About 90% of what we eat is organic so it is already hard enough to stay within the budget. I have read that going gluten free has some positive affects with kids whom have ADHD. This is all good stuff and I like your idea with the mixer.
Thanks
LOL this sounds so funny im actually gonna try it!
Sonja, we could have written this post. We have the same kitchen tools but not just because we are also frugal. Gluten-free stuff tastes so much better when you make it at home, doesn't it?
I like the idea of what this plan is teaching. Its easy to think that most people know the correct answers and follow them, but that is not the case. Just listen to the radio and see how many credit card debt relief commercials come on the air.
I would add one comment about credit cards. I do not have a problem transfering a balance to a low interest credit card, but then stop using it, till it is paid off or moved to another card. You can beat a bank's rate sometimes, but watch your credit score doing this.
Our family just went vegan, so I think we have some similarities. Some foods are much more expensive, others are less.
I think that you just have to shift your "frugality" to search out savings on other products.
There are out there to be found.
I would rather keep my whole paycheck than to have part of it taken away. I may get part of it back but with out intrest. I am a supporter of The Fair Tax. It would replace all the taxes we have now with a sales tax on new goods and services. You would never file an income tax form again. You would keep every penny you earn no matter how you earn it. Prices would be lower because businesses would no longer be paying business taxes. All citizens with a social security number would get a check every month to cover taxes on everything up to the poverty level. There are so many other reasons this is better than what we have now. Go to http://fairtax.org to find out more.
Missouri is in the process of passing a state version of The Fair Tax.
Thanks for the ideas and inspiration. I'm going to go get a rice cooker after you reminded me that pot I have to watch can be a lower-maintenance cooker.
The reason for cooking "normal-looking" foods like gluten- free bread and pasta is to satisfy all the members of the family and not make one person have to eat a special diet all by himself. Good work making that enormous adjustment!
i bought one thinking i would get so much use out of it, but honestly i used it until the bags ran out, and now buy ziploc bags.. I still have the machine, but it never comes out of the pantry. I am starting to do the once a month cooking. I am doing more like once every 2 weeks cooking..and still havent pulled it out. If some one trys to tell you you'll save money becuase you will reuse the bags, its not true. once they are sealed they dont seem to work the same anymore, that maybe because i tried to use them minimuly. Ziplocs work well, and they are not to much money. one more thing is i tend to only buy what i am going to use, and we tend to not have alot of left overs..that is one big reason we dont have alot of use for it.
I have a high score. Well, because I don't have a big debt now. But consider future, if I buy a house, my situation would be totally different.
Make a good plan and keep a backup funding are the keys to your healthy financial plan.
Oh, forget to say, I have a score 62. :)
G
Member of Amazon Coupons
I agree with you and have discovered the fun of spaghetti squashes. It is definitley healthier. Having said that, I know that if I didn't find a way to bring bread and pasta into our lives, my husband would go back to offending his intestines with gluten. Sometimes you gotta do what's best as a whole. I've been having fun exploring and getting creative with ways to make this as normal, and inexpensive of an endeavor as possible. If you are able to live gluten free with fresh vegetables, I think that's fantastic and I admire you.
But we are recovering foodies who need to have cheesy noodles from time to time. Thanks for your comment! Good health to you!
I am not sure I understand why you need those things. I am gluten intolerant and we simply do not eat bread, pizza, baked goods, etc. It is healthier to eat veggies instead. Discover squashes, get creative with potatoes, etc. It is a wonderful world without gluten, unless you go out to eat--then it is a real bummer finding food, especially if you are also dairy intolerant.
If you live near Atlanta. The Children's Museum of Atlanta sells it in 5lb and 10lb buckets for $10 and $20 dollars. If you do not live near Atlanta maybe check the children's museums in your area.
a lot
I place my clothes rack in the spare bathroom tub.
I agree with many on this post. There's a bit of truth in every opinion. It's important to understand that there are good sides to the industry, there are also bad sides, and even ugly sides. Such is the case with every industry though. In the end ... I believe if one really does their research and investigates entrepreneurship... they will find a gem of opportunity awaiting within this industry. It's legal, It's fair, of course it's not for the faint of heart..nor is it easy... very similar to any venture. It's up to the individual to make any venture they endeavor to succeed in to be successful.
Here's a terrific resource by a famous economist for individuals who are skeptical: http://www.paulzanepilzer.com/
I am believer!
Thanks for the kind comment. I'll be posting a noodle recipe this week along with a "how to" on how exactly to make them without having them turn into a sticky disaster.
We are Italian food afficianados in this house and absolutely cannot go wothout pasta.
Sonja
@John - Thanks! I like the term debt management because, although often debt is bad, other times it can actually be good (as in a mortgage or leveraging), and sometimes it's just plain necessary. If we know how to manage it, then we'll be all the better at blasting and killing it! (smiles)
@David - Great score! I'm glad you saw an area for improvement by virtue of the questions too. That's what I was going for!
In terms of closing the credit cards you don't use: you have a great point. Here's the scoop:
A) If you are carrying debt, then closing out accounts you don't use will reduce the amount of overall credit available to you, thus increasing your ratio of debt to available credit. This can make your score go down.
B) If however you're not carrying much or any debt, then closing out accounts you don't use will reduce the number of credit vehicles you are carrying (which increases your score - especially if you have a bunch of dormant credit cards lurking around), and you'll be more likely to be approved (and be able to negotiate interest rates) for larger loans like mortgages.
Sold it on eBay for nearly what I paid for it. Goodbye AT&T!
I go Straight Talk on the Verizon network. Bought it at Walmart and it's an amazing deal. The Samsung Finesse is a very cool smartphone and paying only $45 a month for unlimited everything is the best deal going!
Who needs an iPhone? LOL!