Great list there Andrea! I think the main thing we can learn from all of that is plan, plan, plan ahead :)
Many couple (especially younger couples) end up leaving all manner of things till the last moment, which inevitably drives up the cost for many services. Human nature I suppose.
I think a cool thing to build out of hashed jeans would be a cover for a 3-ring binder. I'm from AZ, so I would put the AZ flag on the front, in different tones, but all blue. It's simple enough as a design, but I don't sew much and I don't know what's required as far as a machine for sewing through denim. It's just an idea at this point, and I am saving my jeans.
I did make a backpacking stove stuffsack, that was padded and perfectly sized. Used all recycled materials, including a pillowcase portion for the inner lining and a shoelace for the drawstring. Plus the patch for variety. Still using it!
thanks for this tip. but now what will i do with all of my new found free time - time i used to spend stalking websites of stores where i've made purchases...?
Not all mothers are able to breastfeed - sometimes the milk just doesn't come. And, depending upon the lifestyle of the mother - breastfeeding may not be best for the child. As the director of a teen parenting program - many of our young mothers do not eat nutritiously enough or abstain from drugs/alcohol for us to encourage nursing - both result in nutritional problems for the child.
If formula is the milk of choice - do what is best for you and your child. If your baby seems to thrive on store brand milk - then why not take advantage of the savings! I suspect there are only a couple manufacturers of formula - and the only thing that is changing is the label. Our program hands out brand name formula because we get it donated for free from the manufacturer...no other reason. What matters is that the baby is healthy.
Linsey, great note about the club sodas. I can do regular club soda with a lime wedge when I'm out drinking with friends (more than one alcoholic drink is beyond my allowed diet), but I found recently that my local grocery store stocks a huge variety of flavored club sodas in 20 oz. bottles. And at around $.60, they're a great cheap option too, without having to buy fresh fruit and chance it spoiling before you use it.
Starbucks will sell *any* of their flavors in the large pump-sized bottles for less than the smaller bottles of Torani. (I think other chains (Caribou, say) would also do this.)
It's definitely a great deal and you can get a wider variety of flavors than you'd find at the grocery store.
Interesting . . . kind of like prayer beads in the Middle East, or those worry stones I see every once in a while at gift shops. I think many of us who don't necessarily suffer from anxiety still have our fair share of nervous energy to work off from time to time. Good idea. Thanks for posting.
I always keep a few rubber bands in my purse for "just in case". I use them when I have to go to the doctor. My anxiety makes me just about cry when I have to go, so I play with my rubber band on my wrist (popping it, turning it around, etc...) and it kind of calms me down. Just a thought.
While I generally agree that having some of your money invested internationally is a good idea, I'm not sure that 25% is the one true amount for all investors. In particular, since many large American companies do quite a bit of business overseas (both sales and manufacturing), just investing in an S&P 500 index fund gives you considerable international exposure.
If you have no investments at all, I'd suggest starting with something like an S&P 500 index fund. Only when that got pretty good sized would I suggest that you needed to think seriously about selecting an international fund to complement it. (That's for people living in the US with their income in US dollars. If a large fraction of your income or expenses is in another currency, that should also feed into your investment portfolio decisions as well.)
Tea, coffee, cola, energy drinks and chocolate share the same nerve toxin (stimulant), caffeine. Caffeine, which is readily released into the blood, triggers a powerful immune response that helps the body to counteract and eliminate this irritant. The toxic irritant stimulates the adrenal glands, and to some extent, the body’s many cells, to release the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol into the blood stream.
If consumption of stimulants continues on a regular basis, however, this natural defense response of the body becomes overused and ineffective. The almost constant secretion of stress hormones, which are highly toxic compounds in and of themselves, eventually alters the blood chemistry and causes damage to the immune system, endocrine, and nervous systems. Future defense responses are weakened, and the body becomes more prone to infections and other ailments.
The boost in energy experienced after drinking a cup of coffee is not a direct result of the caffeine it contains, but of the immune system’s attempt to get rid of it (caffeine) An overexcited and suppressed immune system fails to provide the “energizing” adrenaline and cortisol boost needed to free the body from the acidic nerve toxin, caffeine. At this stage, people say that they are “used” to a stimulant, such as coffee. So they tend to increase intake to feels the “benefits.”
Since the body cells have to sacrifice some of their own water for the removal of the nerve toxin caffeine, regular consumption of coffee, tea, or colas causes them to become dehydrated. For every cup of tea or coffee you drink, the body has to mobilize 2-3 cups of water just to remove the stimulants, a luxury it cannot afford. This applies to soft drinks, medicinal drugs, and any other stimulants, As a rule, all stimulants have a strong dehydrating effect on the bile, blood, and digestive juices.
Get the real scoop on caffeine at www.CaffeineAwareness.org
And if you drink decaf you wont want to miss this special free report on the Dangers of Decaf available at www.soyfee.com
There was this tea I bought once that really had a nice dark roasted nutty flavor. Wish I could remember the name of it, but it was made by one of those popular flavored tea brands you can get at the grocery store.
I went caffeine free when we were doing the fertility treatment thing a while back. God it was hard, but I did do it, so at least I have some skills when I eventually need to cut back again.
I was reading this entry and thought, "Hey, I know a little something about this!" How funny to see our link included in your entry. Thanks for sending some traffic our way and I couldn't agree with you more on the store brand versus the name brand formula!
We had great luck with Costco's Kirkland label formula. Instead of $25 for one can of brand name, we paid $20 for TWO cans at Costco. If your child is happy on generic formula, might as well save the extra $$ for college!
Did your research turn up recommendations for how to make the switch? When my son (ahem...many) years ago needed formula as a supplement, I started with store-brand and didn't switch. But whenever I switch my cat's food, the vet says to start with a mixture before switching over completely. So for example, day one - 25% new, 75% old, day two - 50-50, etc. I would think for a baby, the switch should be even more gradual.
Having a full 25% of your portfolio invested in foreign equities is wise in today's global economy and helps you participate in stronger currencies. Investing in large multi-nationals domestically also helps you reap the benefits of foreign currencies that are outpreforming.
There is an added form of diversification you get from owning stock in companies that are doing and growing their business abroad than you get from a firm whose revenues are solely based on one economy.
We tried the store brand Similac and it just didn't work with our little guy. It took us a while to try to figure out what was wrong, but we finally realized that he started getting fussy when we switched from "real" to store-brand. I'm cheap -- so I had no problem saving money, but it wasn't worth the stress.
Great list there Andrea! I think the main thing we can learn from all of that is plan, plan, plan ahead :)
Many couple (especially younger couples) end up leaving all manner of things till the last moment, which inevitably drives up the cost for many services. Human nature I suppose.
I think a cool thing to build out of hashed jeans would be a cover for a 3-ring binder. I'm from AZ, so I would put the AZ flag on the front, in different tones, but all blue. It's simple enough as a design, but I don't sew much and I don't know what's required as far as a machine for sewing through denim. It's just an idea at this point, and I am saving my jeans.
I did make a backpacking stove stuffsack, that was padded and perfectly sized. Used all recycled materials, including a pillowcase portion for the inner lining and a shoelace for the drawstring. Plus the patch for variety. Still using it!
man that was freakin crazy but it probly works DOES IT??????? TELL US?? im going to do it.
thanks for this tip. but now what will i do with all of my new found free time - time i used to spend stalking websites of stores where i've made purchases...?
I am truly addicted to caffeine. I love it and have to have it. Coca Cola is my drug of choice. :)
I know that I consume way too much soda, but I still consume it in massive quantities. Just can't stop!
That was pretty amazing.
Thanks, that looks like a good site. Coincidentally, I've recently been looking for a service like that.
Not all mothers are able to breastfeed - sometimes the milk just doesn't come. And, depending upon the lifestyle of the mother - breastfeeding may not be best for the child. As the director of a teen parenting program - many of our young mothers do not eat nutritiously enough or abstain from drugs/alcohol for us to encourage nursing - both result in nutritional problems for the child.
If formula is the milk of choice - do what is best for you and your child. If your baby seems to thrive on store brand milk - then why not take advantage of the savings! I suspect there are only a couple manufacturers of formula - and the only thing that is changing is the label. Our program hands out brand name formula because we get it donated for free from the manufacturer...no other reason. What matters is that the baby is healthy.
You wouldn't toy with me, would ya? That sounds like heaven to me. I'm such a coffee hussy.
Haha, Patrick, I did at first too.
Linsey, great note about the club sodas. I can do regular club soda with a lime wedge when I'm out drinking with friends (more than one alcoholic drink is beyond my allowed diet), but I found recently that my local grocery store stocks a huge variety of flavored club sodas in 20 oz. bottles. And at around $.60, they're a great cheap option too, without having to buy fresh fruit and chance it spoiling before you use it.
Starbucks will sell *any* of their flavors in the large pump-sized bottles for less than the smaller bottles of Torani. (I think other chains (Caribou, say) would also do this.)
It's definitely a great deal and you can get a wider variety of flavors than you'd find at the grocery store.
Tisha,
Not only is your comment chock full of junk science, but you are clearly a shill just posting to get some links to your own commercial web site.
Did anyone else read that as 10 Kinky Drinks? Would have made for an interesting topic.
Interesting . . . kind of like prayer beads in the Middle East, or those worry stones I see every once in a while at gift shops. I think many of us who don't necessarily suffer from anxiety still have our fair share of nervous energy to work off from time to time. Good idea. Thanks for posting.
I always keep a few rubber bands in my purse for "just in case". I use them when I have to go to the doctor. My anxiety makes me just about cry when I have to go, so I play with my rubber band on my wrist (popping it, turning it around, etc...) and it kind of calms me down. Just a thought.
While I generally agree that having some of your money invested internationally is a good idea, I'm not sure that 25% is the one true amount for all investors. In particular, since many large American companies do quite a bit of business overseas (both sales and manufacturing), just investing in an S&P 500 index fund gives you considerable international exposure.
If you have no investments at all, I'd suggest starting with something like an S&P 500 index fund. Only when that got pretty good sized would I suggest that you needed to think seriously about selecting an international fund to complement it. (That's for people living in the US with their income in US dollars. If a large fraction of your income or expenses is in another currency, that should also feed into your investment portfolio decisions as well.)
Tea, coffee, cola, energy drinks and chocolate share the same nerve toxin (stimulant), caffeine. Caffeine, which is readily released into the blood, triggers a powerful immune response that helps the body to counteract and eliminate this irritant. The toxic irritant stimulates the adrenal glands, and to some extent, the body’s many cells, to release the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol into the blood stream.
If consumption of stimulants continues on a regular basis, however, this natural defense response of the body becomes overused and ineffective. The almost constant secretion of stress hormones, which are highly toxic compounds in and of themselves, eventually alters the blood chemistry and causes damage to the immune system, endocrine, and nervous systems. Future defense responses are weakened, and the body becomes more prone to infections and other ailments.
The boost in energy experienced after drinking a cup of coffee is not a direct result of the caffeine it contains, but of the immune system’s attempt to get rid of it (caffeine) An overexcited and suppressed immune system fails to provide the “energizing” adrenaline and cortisol boost needed to free the body from the acidic nerve toxin, caffeine. At this stage, people say that they are “used” to a stimulant, such as coffee. So they tend to increase intake to feels the “benefits.”
Since the body cells have to sacrifice some of their own water for the removal of the nerve toxin caffeine, regular consumption of coffee, tea, or colas causes them to become dehydrated. For every cup of tea or coffee you drink, the body has to mobilize 2-3 cups of water just to remove the stimulants, a luxury it cannot afford. This applies to soft drinks, medicinal drugs, and any other stimulants, As a rule, all stimulants have a strong dehydrating effect on the bile, blood, and digestive juices.
Get the real scoop on caffeine at www.CaffeineAwareness.org
And if you drink decaf you wont want to miss this special free report on the Dangers of Decaf available at www.soyfee.com
There was this tea I bought once that really had a nice dark roasted nutty flavor. Wish I could remember the name of it, but it was made by one of those popular flavored tea brands you can get at the grocery store.
I went caffeine free when we were doing the fertility treatment thing a while back. God it was hard, but I did do it, so at least I have some skills when I eventually need to cut back again.
I was reading this entry and thought, "Hey, I know a little something about this!" How funny to see our link included in your entry. Thanks for sending some traffic our way and I couldn't agree with you more on the store brand versus the name brand formula!
Breast to cup. Just lucky I guess. Formula is crap anyway.
We had great luck with Costco's Kirkland label formula. Instead of $25 for one can of brand name, we paid $20 for TWO cans at Costco. If your child is happy on generic formula, might as well save the extra $$ for college!
Did your research turn up recommendations for how to make the switch? When my son (ahem...many) years ago needed formula as a supplement, I started with store-brand and didn't switch. But whenever I switch my cat's food, the vet says to start with a mixture before switching over completely. So for example, day one - 25% new, 75% old, day two - 50-50, etc. I would think for a baby, the switch should be even more gradual.
Having a full 25% of your portfolio invested in foreign equities is wise in today's global economy and helps you participate in stronger currencies. Investing in large multi-nationals domestically also helps you reap the benefits of foreign currencies that are outpreforming.
There is an added form of diversification you get from owning stock in companies that are doing and growing their business abroad than you get from a firm whose revenues are solely based on one economy.
We tried the store brand Similac and it just didn't work with our little guy. It took us a while to try to figure out what was wrong, but we finally realized that he started getting fussy when we switched from "real" to store-brand. I'm cheap -- so I had no problem saving money, but it wasn't worth the stress.