I watched a video of an interview between Doug Wilson, a cessationist, and Mark Driscoll, a more charismatic preacher. It was a charming discussion regarding how they differ on how and whether the Holy Spirit is active today. By the end, my impression was that they agreed far more than they would have originally thought, and I loved how they remained friendly and funny all the way through, not becoming tense. That easy, friendly attitude comes more readily and you can allow for differences if you know that the basics of faith in who Christ is, and what He has done, are firmly in place in all parties of your discussion. Then you know that you still converse with a brother or sister in the faith, and the differences are just grounds for iron sharpening iron, a good and productive practice of fellowship in Christ.
Our family used to go to a cessationist church. Soon after we started there, the pastor started on a sermon series that ran about 20 or 30 sermons long on how the gifts of the Holy Spirit had ceased. At the time I believed him entirely and thought I had received a thorough and scholarly rendering of the subject. Later we started at another church, where our pastor lent me a couple of books by Jack Deere that came at it from the opposite point of view. I don't remember whether I thoroughly agreed with him by the time I finished reading his works, but I do remember re-reading 1 Corinthians 12-14 and realizing the Love chapter was nestled in like the pull-out corsage that was nestled in the midst of my bridal bouquet...the only problem being that most people pull it out and forget the bouquet surrounding it, all about the spiritual gifts. Why would God have so much in the New Testament about His supernatural works and what to do with them, if they were not going to be present for His church after the canon was closed?
I know that my kneejerk response to these books would have been to never even read them if I had received them in the wrong timing. By the time I got them, though, I had come to realize how stifling the power of the Holy Spirit in the first church had brought about the series of events that had caused us to eventually leave: We had found that the pastor was plagiarizing sermons because he said emphatically that he was "not capable of writing a decent sermon." He had been working as a pastor for years, and had not been writing any of his own sermons in the process. Where is the power of the Holy Spirit? Could he not access His inspiration to come alongside and equip him for this vital work of service? No--he'd already established that the Holy Spirit is not very active in the present day, and he would not have even considered that possibility.
There was one observation that Doug Wilson stated, that our world is a strange and magical place. I avoid the flippant use of the word "magic," but in this use it is well-stated. His stance is that the Holy Spirit is not so fully active as many Christians claim; but he knows that many supernatural things occur that no man can explain. Many of these are evil, and those fall into the category of magic, Satan's activity that is often a counterfeit of God's use of power; sometimes it is just sheer evil activity without so much reference to God as opposition to His work. Wilson acknowledged a few supernatural nudgings of the Holy Spirit that bring a Christian response, or that bring an unbeliever to salvation, but other than that he didn't really have much to say about whether God works miracles in these days.
I think that if a person would acknowledge that we live in a strange and magical place, but wouldn't acknowledge that God is doing anything supernatural, they would be saying that Satan is doing more to communicate with the people here than God is. I believe the opposite is true. Hopefully the Scriptures illustrate just how much the Holy Spirit is an essential worker in helping us to see God's divine hand. Our very understanding of the Scriptures is His doing, or it would come across as foolishness. Our initial response to God, our salvation, is His doing. Psalm 19:1 says that the heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the works of His hands. But without the Holy Spirit drawing us in that direction, our hearts would never see God in it.
The Holy Spirit is more active than just that, too. Probably not so much in our United States as overseas, probably not in the ways that are practiced in far too many churches, that undisciplined, out-of-control, disorderly and self-glorifying way....no, but don't you hear story after story of how He works in the lands where Christianity is illegal, or persecuted, or otherwise stifled? Where the Word of God is hardly present, where people have no natural contact with His Church, there are stories of people hearing a voice, having a dream, being directed to a place where they hadn't intended to go, making some supernatural discovery that leads them to salvation in Christ. If you read the writings by or about missionaries, these stories are plentiful in their world. I am thankful that our world is not limited to the things we can sense as the natural world; I am thankful that God has left the supernatural impact present. There's a war going on in that realm, and sometimes we feel its presence. There's a spiritual realm that sometimes breaks through the natural world and makes itself known. I'm glad to know even that the evil is there, so I can appeal to my God to help me; I'm glad to know that our good and holy God is there, acting and speaking to me in the present day, coming alongside as my Paraklete, my Help, my Comforter. Where would I be without Him? I would be doomed, hopeless, blind and separated from my Creator. Hallelujah! He is an active, ever-present, supernatural help in all my life (John 14:16-17).
Friday, April 20, 2012
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
My Mind Instructs me in the Night
I've been working on a project that has become something of an obsession. The general idea is to create an online store. But I don't know how to make a website (yet) and I don't want to rely on one of those ready-made ones that you can get for really an amazing low price. I have a feeling that eventually the price would rise and kill my idea...or that their limitations would hamper what I'm doing. Maybe not. But first I wanted to learn everything I could about websites.
In the process I have learned an incredible amount about the amazing resources available online, and realize just how easy this whole thing will be. I've checked out some books. I didn't know that you can build a webpage on Microsoft Word! Wow. And I have, last I checked, 17 pages of links that have to do with starting a business, building a website, or finding work online. I think I could blog forever about this! But not today.
The fantastic thing about this is that even though in this obsession, I've felt that I haven't been as deep into God's Word as I want to be, as I usually am (though I haven't neglected it, it just hasn't been as much at the forefront), I woke up this morning with some terrific ideas about this business idea. I know they're from God. I know that I can use them in setting up my business to His glory.
One thing is that I can put a percentage of what it makes toward a cause my Katie woke me up to, the sex slave trade. Her church did a seminar about it, and she went to Nepal lately on a missions trip to see how her church could make a hole in it there. They worked through the organization, She is Safe. Katie learned a lot before and during her trip and inspired me, but I was thinking, "What can one (pretty broke) person do?" I felt helpless to do much for her cause, though I cared about it. But without my even thinking I was building this business idea for that purpose, God connected the dots for me.
Then He also showed me, also in my sleep, the other ways this could glorify Him. I could have a blog connected with the business that could help others see the way to build their own online shop; therefore once I get my feet more or less on the ground with this, I could help others out of financial hopelessness. That's so exciting to me!
The icing on the cake? I even have a name for my business now, and I didn't strain my brain to find it; it was in my head when I woke up. I'm not telling what it is until the business is unveiled. But I'm excited. I tried finding a website with it online. There wasn't one; chances are it's available. Is God not amazing? Yes, we knew that!
Psalm 16:7 I will bless the LORD who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
In the process I have learned an incredible amount about the amazing resources available online, and realize just how easy this whole thing will be. I've checked out some books. I didn't know that you can build a webpage on Microsoft Word! Wow. And I have, last I checked, 17 pages of links that have to do with starting a business, building a website, or finding work online. I think I could blog forever about this! But not today.
The fantastic thing about this is that even though in this obsession, I've felt that I haven't been as deep into God's Word as I want to be, as I usually am (though I haven't neglected it, it just hasn't been as much at the forefront), I woke up this morning with some terrific ideas about this business idea. I know they're from God. I know that I can use them in setting up my business to His glory.
One thing is that I can put a percentage of what it makes toward a cause my Katie woke me up to, the sex slave trade. Her church did a seminar about it, and she went to Nepal lately on a missions trip to see how her church could make a hole in it there. They worked through the organization, She is Safe. Katie learned a lot before and during her trip and inspired me, but I was thinking, "What can one (pretty broke) person do?" I felt helpless to do much for her cause, though I cared about it. But without my even thinking I was building this business idea for that purpose, God connected the dots for me.
Then He also showed me, also in my sleep, the other ways this could glorify Him. I could have a blog connected with the business that could help others see the way to build their own online shop; therefore once I get my feet more or less on the ground with this, I could help others out of financial hopelessness. That's so exciting to me!
The icing on the cake? I even have a name for my business now, and I didn't strain my brain to find it; it was in my head when I woke up. I'm not telling what it is until the business is unveiled. But I'm excited. I tried finding a website with it online. There wasn't one; chances are it's available. Is God not amazing? Yes, we knew that!
Psalm 16:7 I will bless the LORD who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Casting Pearls
Just recently I was in an online theological discussion with a number of others with a variety of takes on biblical truth. The more we talked the more differences appeared. At first it seemed like a discussion, but the more differences appeared, the more it became a debate, an argument; the tone started changing from one with various perspectives to one of hanging onto personal status quo. At that point discussion is no longer productive, and I signed off. In the meantime, however, a lot of wildly different beliefs were shown and each would produce a Bible verse or a non-scriptural mantra.
One of the first confusions I encountered: The two words, "with favor" left out of the verse Habakkuk 1:13a, Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You can not look on wickedness with favor seemed to confound the conversation. Even when it was pointed out that the verse has those words, people argued about the inconsistency about God not being able to look upon sin, that if He couldn't, how could Jesus come to earth and walk and eat with tax collectors and sinners? They asked where in the Bible it said that God couldn't look upon sin. The problem in showing that...is that the Bible doesn't say that. They didn't want to hear the whole of Habakkkuk 1:13, that proved just an annoyance to their (s)train of thought.
Then the definition of sin became an issue. One woman asked why God doesn't like sin...which I thought would be easy to clarify, since sin is defined by whatever offends His holiness...that anything apart from faith is sin (Rom. 14:23). But it wasn't that easy. She told me to think, that God gave me a brain, and that my thinking was circular. Well, since my thinking is circular and hers is clearly not, we had a communication gap that I did not know how to bridge. I thought about it later, and I imagine that her definition of sin is more cultural, that to her way of thinking, sin is anything that offends people morally...which is a very vague, changeable, arguable, and powerless definition. Sin defined by culture can vary greatly, even in the same culture over a short period of years, as we've seen here in the United States. Sin defined by biblical truth, by God's holiness, is a constant, a standard, sure and fast, compelling those who fear God to live in obedience to Him. If I were just accountable to the culture I wouldn't feel compelled not to sin, but only to hide that which would bring unwanted human condemnation. If I didn't care what people thought, I would have no controls in my life at all...which is just how I think many, if not most, people live.
There are times when you can think that a conversation is going to be workable, that the people you are discussing things with will be receptive to biblical truth. When that goes out the window, it's time to move on. In this case it seemed that if they are destined to come to know Christ, the time was not then, and the messenger was not me. But I hope I "put a rock in their shoe" as an elder in our church would call it. When excitement turns to exasperation, it's likely that you're casting your pearls before swine and you might as well save your breath. But God's word does not come back to Him void; I hope I may have given her one in a string of pearly biblical truths that she may have to go collecting, a little here, a little there, that may someday come together and become a cohesive thing of beauty.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Bin Laden's Death and the Variety of Christian Responses
Each person’s reaction to Bin Laden’s death tells something about how we align ourselves with God, or about what aspect of God we perceive, and relate to, most vividly. I expect that we can find scriptural backing for any reaction that we express, assuming therefore that it reflects the very character of God. In Bin Laden’s death, I realize that the military did what was right as far as I can tell, and for any reduction in terrorism, we can rejoice; still, our personal reaction to Bin Laden’s death itself is, I think, an opportunity for self-examination, that we might be aligned with God’s will for such lost people. The fact that there is such a vast variety of responses to his death even among Christians is stunning, when since we have the mind of Christ, I would think we would be fairly like-minded. This variety tells me that we all view a different emphasis of Scripture truth applied to the life and death of Bin Laden (and perhaps any unbeliever).
Perhaps we want to implement God’s sense of justice (Deut. 16:20), and our main concern is gladness that justice has humanly been served.
Perhaps we want to express His hatred of sin (Hab. 1:13), and we are therefore glad that one less sinner is wreaking death and destruction on the planet. God can’t look on sin with favor, because He is holy; and it isn’t that we ought to look on the sin of men with favor, but because we aren’t entirely holy, and have experienced the guilt of sin, perhaps we can call to remembrance that darkness and an understanding of the unbeliever’s urgent need for salvation.
Perhaps we want to exact God’s vengeance (Romans 12:19), and so as Muslims celebrated 9-11, we might dance and celebrate in the streets at this victory, knowing that they may see it on their news reports half a world away. Though…we might in this forget, because of the emphasis placed on the three words, vengeance is Mine…that indeed, it is His alone, that in the same breath He says not to take our own vengeance. Vengeance is an attribute of God that clearly doesn’t belong to us.
Or perhaps it is sorrow, that Bin Laden never realized in all his earthly life the knowledge of God that would have transformed his thinking and his actions, that would have particularly made a huge difference in at least the last ten years of the world’s history (Ephesians 2:11-12) and in his personal eternity; he died to end a destructive, fruitless and hopeless life.
Or perhaps it is mourning, realizing that God’s desire is that none should perish, and that everyone should come to salvation (2 Peter 3:9). In light of this verse, I think that God is grieved that Bin Laden died still separated from Him and therefore condemned to an eternity in hell.
I’m sure I’ve missed some of the variety of responses, but this probably covers the bulk of them. I think our reaction may illuminate how we perceive our own salvation to have occurred. Did it occur because we were worthy, that God saw something good in us that made Him want to redeem us more than our unsaved neighbors? Did it occur because we would become something good so readily after being saved, and since God knew that, He chose us? Or did it occur in a way that would never make sense to us this side of heaven? It seems that Christians’ perceptions tend to fall into these three categories pretty clearly. In fact, I think I’ve fallen into all of these categories, especially at the beginning of my Christian walk; I probably still forget, too, in the present, just how only one of these categories truly fits. Nothing we have done contributes to our own salvation: it’s not by our works of righteousness; apart from Christ we have nothing to offer God (Titus 3:5; Rom. 3:10-18; Isa. 64:6). Even David didn’t claim righteousness of his own doing.
If we believe that we had something good in us that caused God to choose us, then we believe a blatant lie that has nothing to do with the Scriptures and we need to go back and re-examine them. I think that this stance is what brings us to hold and display the most prideful of attitudes toward unbelievers; we think that their inferiority is established by the fact that God has chosen us and has not deigned to choose them. Anything that comes from such a prideful perspective so muddles our witness that the love of God toward unbelievers becomes virtually obliterated and it’s no wonder that unbelievers come away with the view of Christians being hypocrites.
If we believe that God foresaw that we would become such a good and helpful addition soon after salvation that it caused Him to save us, then we are again dead wrong and we need to take another look at the Scriptures. At least in this instance a person could attribute that stance to the progress we make in our sanctification; but still, that is God working in and through us, not anything that is brought about by any of our goodness, so we’re still completely off base. This view is also likely to cause a distorted view of God’s love and salvation in our approach to unbelievers.
It is only God’s grace and mercy that has saved us (Ephesians 2:8); it was nothing in us before we were saved, and remains all His grace and mercy even now. We are, apart from Him, completely as unworthy and would be as completely unregenerate as the worst of sinners. Therefore even Hitler and Bin Laden were both as worthy as we are to receive salvation (which is, not worthy at all); we have no grounds to rejoice in their death.
We sing, “Lord, give me Your eyes for just one second, give me Your eyes so I can see everything that I keep missing, give me Your love for humanity,” and then spew violent reactions to the news of Bin Laden’s death. There are many traits of God that we will imitate and show to unbelievers; this incident makes me see all the more the truth of 1 Corinthians 13, a whole chapter devoted to God’s love shown through the believer…no chapter devoted to the goodness or superiority of the believer. If we show no other trait of God to anyone, we should show His love. We should put aside our assessment of the person’s worthiness, because all of humanity shares in that same need for the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, including ourselves.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Cutting Expenses (First Edition)
I originally posted this to my facebook account but thought more accessibility to more people might be in order. So here it is! I put this together out of concern for those who seem to be struggling financially but inexplicably--where both the husband and the wife work and they still barely get by, for example. I could tell stories of how our financial picture doesn't make sense...but that's not the point of this blog. God has been gracious to help me be a frugal sort, which has been very needed in my life, and I want to help others to have that mindset as well, especially in these times.
My area of financial skill is more in the area of knowing a bargain and getting by on the least possible. I’m not a financial guru or a budgeting fanatic, but I also enjoy compiling resources and I love getting the best deal possible; I hate wasting money. I don’t personally know the quality of each and every one of these resources. Use God’s wisdom and the common sense He gave you in how you use them, but generally I think they could do most of us a great deal of good!
Another note: How did I find this stuff? I looked in magazine articles (from magazines I’d already bought at the library for 25 cents each); I used google; and I checked out library books. When I reserved the library books, I was shocked at how fast ALL of them showed up on the holds shelf waiting for me. Apparently no one checks out books on saving money. I don’t know why, in this economy.
Please respond with any further information (including warnings about websites) that you would like to share...
CHRISTIAN FINANCIAL MINISTRIES:
Crown Financial Ministries, originated by Larry Burketthttp://www.crown.org/
Dave Ramseyhttp://www.daveramsey.com/
Sound Mind Investinghttp://www.soundmindinvesting.com/index1.php
Debt-Proof Living, originated by Mary Hunthttp://www.debtproofliving.com/
(has an optional $29 membership fee that enables you to use their repayment plan.)
GENERALLY LOWERING BILLS:
Tip Hero: Your Guide to Saving Money:http://www.tiphero.com/
190 Resources for Saving Money:http://www.wisebread.com/resources
168 Frugal Tips to Make Your Dollar Stretch:http://beingfrugal.net/2008/04/03/frugal-tips-to-survive-a-recession/
125 Tips to Save Money:http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/125-tips-to-save-money
101 Ways to Cut Your Spending This Year:http://beingfrugal.net/2010/01/06/101-ways-to-save-money/
Compare low rates on monthly bills:http://lowermybills.com/
Frugal Living worksheets:http://frugalliving.about.com/od/frugalliving101/a/Frugal_Wkshts.htm
40+ Ways to Survive a Recession:http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/survive-recession
How to Get out of Debt Fast:http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/out-of-debt-aug05
16 Rules about choosing which debts to pay first:http://www.operationthreshold.org/Links/Sixteen%20Rules%20About%20Choosing%20Which%20Debts%20to%20Pay%20First.pdf
Woman’s Day Magazine articles on saving money (some by Mary Hunt; Look at “Debt Reduction” rather than their “Saving Money” articles):http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Money/Saving-Money/WD-Saves!.html
Miserly Moms:http://www.miserlymoms.com/
Rapid Debt Repayment Plan:http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/debt-reduction-tips
Debt Management Resources:http://www.wisebread.com/debt
Check out these books at the library for free! http://www.sno-isle.org/:
Debt-Proof Living: the complete guide to living financially free, by Mary Hunt, 332.024 HUNT
The Complete Cheapskate, by Mary Hunt
Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey
The Money Answer Book: quick answers to your everyday financial questions, by Dave Ramsey 332.024 RAMSEY
The financial peace planner: a step-by-step guide to restoring your family's financial health, by Dave Ramsey 332.024 RAMSEY
Pricele$$: Straight-shooting, No Frills Financial Wisdom, Dave Ramsey332.024 RAMSEY
Financial Peace Revisited, by Dave Ramsey 332.024 RAMSEY
More Than Enough: the ten keys to changing your financial destiny, by Dave Ramsey
Grow Your Money! by Jonathan Pond
Your Money, the Missing Manual, by J.D. Roth
The Power to Prosper: 21 Days to Financial Freedom
The Ultimate Cheapskate’s Roadmap to True Riches, by Jeff Yeager
The Sharing Solution: How to Save Money, Simplify Your Life, and Build Community, by Janelle Orsi & Emily Daskow
Money Talks and so can We, by Ron and Judy Blue (Christian)
The Little Book of Big Savings, by Ellie Kay
Living Rich for Less, by Ellie Kay
Half-Priced Living, by Ellie Kay
101 Small Business Ideas for Under $5,000,by Corey Sandler and Janice Keefe
Freedom of Simplicity: Finding Harmony in a Complex World, by Richard Foster
The Busy Family’s Guide to Money—USA Today, by Sandra Block, Kathy Chu, and John Waggoner
MONEY CRISES:
How to Handle a Money Crisis:http://www.christianity.com/Christian%20Living/Features/11546733/
How to Deal with a Financial Emergency—Coping with a Financial Crisis:http://financialplan.about.com/od/personalfinance/a/FinancialCrisis.htm
Why You Need an Emergency Fund:http://financialplan.about.com/od/savingmoney/a/emergencyfund.htm
Bankruptcy:
The Bankruptcy Dilemma:http://www.christianity.com/Christian%20Living/Features/11622661/
BANKING:
FNBODirect.comhttps://www.fnbodirect.com/01d/html/en/
E*Tradehttps://us.etrade.com/e/t/home/beta-c?PageName=hpcontrolg%3FPageName%3Dhp_beta
ING Directhttp://home.ingdirect.com/
HSBC Directhttp://www.us.hsbc.com/1/2/1
ATM FEES:
Find out which ATMs are free for your bank; avoid others; use point-of-sale machines (such as at grocery check-out) instead to access cash. Don’t use for-fee transaction machines at gas stations.
BUDGET:
The Best Budgeting Tools:http://beingfrugal.net/2008/03/07/best-budgeting-tools/
Budgeting 101: Everything You Need to Know About Budgets:http://financialplan.about.com/od/budgetingyourmoney/tp/budgeting-101.htm
Managing Money: Budget Basics:http://financialplan.about.com/od/budgetingyourmoney/a/BudgetBasics.htm
How to Create a Frugal Budget:http://frugalliving.about.com/od/frugalliving101/ht/Frugal_Budget.htm
GIVING:
ECFA: “Helping Christ-centered organizations earn public's trust through developing, maintaining accountability standards and God-honoring ethical practices.” You can find out a lot about charities through this website.http://www.ecfa.org/HomePage.aspx
EMPLOYMENT:http://www.monster.com/
http://www.careerbuilder.com/
FLEXIBLE EMPLOYMENT (I don't personally know these sites):http://www.momcorps.com/
Home-based Working Moms:http://www.hbwm.com/
http://www.alpineaccess.com/en/
http://liveops.com/
http://www.arise.com/
http://workingsolutions.com/
http://repsforrent.com/
http://acddirect.com/
FOOD:
Grocery shopping: Make sure you go to the least expensive stores: Winco, Walmart, Costco…
Even then, know your prices and only buy when the sales are good!
Locate Organic fruit and veggie co-ops:http://www.localharvest.org/
Couponing:http://www.cellfire.com/deals.php
http://www.couponcabin.com/
http://couponing.about.com/ - Type in “grocery stores that double coupons”http://www.couponmom.com/
http://mommysavesbig.com/
http://mygrocerydeals.com/
http://www.retailmenot.com/
http://shortcuts.com/
http://www.thegrocerygame.com/ (I don't know about the others, but this has a fee-based service; still, it might save you money.)https://www.angelfoodministries.com/ (This is a nationwide ministry.)http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/supersaver-secrets-0907
Saving money on groceries:http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/for-the-home/11-tips-to-cut-grocery-bills/
Shave $150/week off your Grocery Bill:http://money.cnn.com/2005/12/20/pf/grocerybills_startmoney_0601/index.htm
COOKING:
Free Recipes:http://allrecipes.com/
Cheap recipes:http://www.miserlymoms.com/frugalrecipes_updated.html
Saturday Throwback: 65 Cheap, Healthy One-Dish Meals with Good Leftover Potentialhttp://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/2010/09/saturday-throwback-65-cheap-healthy-one.html
20 Cheap, Healthy Dishes Made from 10 Pantry Staples:http://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/2008/07/20-cheap-healthy-dishes-made-from-10.html
Cheap, Healthy Salad Dressings: 102 Light Recipes:http://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/2008/04/cheap-healthy-salad-dressing-102-light.html
Find recipes that use ingredients that you already have at home:http://www.supercook.com/
Low-cost healthy recipes from the USDA:http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/
Once-a-Month Cooking, by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg
The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook, by Erin ChaseMORTGAGE:
Refinance for a lower rate, and a shorter term if feasible.
Best Financial Move: 15-year Mortgagehttp://financialplan.about.com/cs/mortgagesloans/a/15YrMortgages.htm
A 15-year Mortgage Isn’t for Everyonehttp://www.marketwatch.com/story/a-15-year-mortgage-isnt-for-everyone-2010-08-30
INCOME TAX:
Adjust withholdings?http://irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p919.pdf
DAYCARE:Does it pay for Mom to work outside of the home and put the kids in daycare? Snohomish County median childcare rates for school age children was 412/mo.; for infants to preschool, $758/mo.
Enter that into the following website:http://moneycentral.msn.com/personal-finance/calculators/Adding_a_second_income_calculator/home.aspx
You’re likely to find that even having one young child in daycare often causes the mom’s income to evaporate completely. If not, you’ll at least find out what your hourly earnings are coming out to. I quit working when my husband was earning $9.50 part-time. We never went on public support...and it was 1 1/2 years before he got a better job. I don't remember clearly, I imagine we were in debt by the time that was through...but we probably were to begin with, too! I do remember realizing how little difference it made in our finances that I wasn't working.
YOUR ACTUAL HOURLY WAGE:
http://www.justmommies.com/articles/hourly_wage.shtml
CREDIT COUNSELING:
Consumer Credit Counseling Service
800-388-2227http://www.consumercredit.com/
Debtors Anonymous:http://debtorsanonymous.org/
National Association of Personal Finance Advisors:http://napfa.org/
COMPARE CREDIT CARDS:
http://www.creditcards.com/
http://www.bankrate.com/
http://lookupcreditcards.com/
And never sign up for store credit cards for any one-time bonus! Their interest rates are sky-high, and they won’t do your credit rating any good.
BALANCE TRANSFER OPTIONS:
(Always read the fine print.)http://www.cardtrak.com/
http://www.indexcreditcards.com/
CREDIT REPORT:
Free credit reporthttps://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp
FICO Score report with $16-50 fee:http://www.myfico.com/Default.aspx
Books:
Your Credit Score, Your Money, and What’s at Stake, by Liz Pulliam Weston
AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS:
Check your charge card statements and make sure each month that no automatic renewals are applied for things you don’t want any more.
INSURANCE:
If there is a stay-at-home mom or you work from home, see about getting “For Pleasure Only” car insurance coverage rather than the usual which covers commutes etc.
Don’t sign up for roadside assistance if you also have another program such as AAA.
Read this article for other ways to save.http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/insurance-savings-may07
Various articles on saving money on insurance:http://www.wisebread.com/topic/personal-finance/insurance
HEALTH INSURANCE WEBSITES:http://www.medhealthinsurance.com/
http://www.gohealthinsurance.com/index.html
http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS:
Rate doctors, hospitals and nursing homes:http://www.healthgrades.com/
NIH re: Medical trials:http://clinicaltrials.gov/
Financing plan for Medical Care:
http://www.carecredit.com/
(payment over 90 days without interest)
Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs:http://www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/index.htm
Partnership for Prescription Assistance:http://www.pparx.org/
http://www.needymeds.org/
Books:
Healthcare for Less: Getting the Care You Need—Without Breaking the Bank, by Michelle Katz, MSN
99 Practical Ways to Save on Prescription Drugs, by Noel Magsino, 615.1
HOME ENERGY USE:
Home Energy Audit:http://hes.lbl.gov/
Energy-saving resources:http://www.blackenergy.com/
http://www.smarthomeusa.com/
Light Bulbs: Compact flourescents.
Lower your electric bill:http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/deals/13-simple-ways-to-lower-your-electric-bill-22933/
Tips for Saving Energy:http://www.otpco.com/SaveEnergyMoney/Tips4SavingEnergy.asp
http://www.fypower.org/res/tools/energy_tips.html
Low-income energy bill assistance:http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/
Save Money on Heating Costs:http://financialplan.about.com/od/savingmoney/a/HeatingCosts.htm
Save Money on Your Home Expenses:http://financialplan.about.com/cs/frugalliving/a/101YourHome.htm
GARBAGE:
Do you often have more garbage than you can fit in your trash can, and have to pay for extra pick-up? Make sure you’re recycling everything you can, especially if pickup of recycling is free; it will reduce the amount of trash pickup that you’re paying for.
FRUGAL BLOGS:http://www.wisebread.com/
http://www.centsible-sawyer.com/
http://beingfrugal.net/
http://www.5dollardinners.com/
The Simple Dollarhttp://www.thesimpledollar.com/
Five-Cent Nickelhttp://www.fivecentnickel.com/
REDUCE INPUT FROM MARKETERS:
Cancel Unwanted Catalogs:http://www.catalogchoice.org/
Do Not Call:www.donotcall.org
Avoid Junk Mail:
Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
11 West 42nd St.
P.O. Box 3861
New York, NY 10163-3861
(Send them a postcard with “Take me off your mailing list” and with your address on it.)
FITNESS CLUBS:
If you don’t use them, cancel your memberships.
CHEAPEST GAS:http://gasbuddy.com/
http://gaspricewatch.com/new/default_V3.asp
http://fueleconomy.gov/
RESTAURANTS:
If you want Red Robin or other restaurant food where takeout is an option, you’ll save yourself the cost of a tip by taking it home with you rather than sitting there in the restaurant. You’ll also be less likely to buy the drinks that cost $4-10, or desserts, that you can provide at home for so much cheaper.
Restaurant Gift Certificates:http://www.restaurant.com/index.asp?Entertainment Coupon Books:http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml
http://www.valpak.com/coupons/home
http://www.valpak.com/coupons/home
http://www.rewardsnetwork.com/
http://www.upromise.com/welcome
BOOKS:
Trade with or borrow from friends. Go to the library or buy used at thrift shops.
NEWSPAPERS:
Cancel your newspaper and read news from various providers online.
Top 100 newspapers by circulation:http://newspapers.com/top100.html
World Magazine (Christian):http://www.worldmag.com/index.cfm
Fox News:http://www.foxnews.com/
Voice of the Martyrs:http://www.persecution.com/
TELEVISION, PHONE, and INTERNET:
Bundle onto one carrier. Make sure that you don’t pay for any services that you don’t need, such as call waiting and premium TV channels.
Maybe drop your land phone line and just use cell and Skype.
Get free TV online:http://www.hulu.com/
Free long distance:http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/home
Free directory assistance:
800-FREE-411 (you have to listen to a brief ad first)
COMPARISON SHOPPING:http://mybargainbuddy.com/
http://slickdeals.net/
http://www.pricegrabber.com/
http://www.mysimon.com/
http://www.bizrate.com/http://www.shopzilla.com/
ONLINE SHOPPING:
Ten dos and don’ts of online shopping:http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Money/10-Dos-and-Don-ts-of-Online-Shopping.html
ONLINE REBATES:http://www.ebates.com/
http://www.upromise.com/welcome
HAIR SALONS:
Go to a beauty school or find out how to do your hair for yourself. Same with manicures, pedicures…http://frugalliving.about.com/od/beautyhealthcare/tp/Save_on_Haircuts.htm
How to Do Your Own Manicureshttp://www.ehow.com/how_5222073_do-own-manicure.html
How to Give Yourself a Pedicurehttp://www.ehow.com/how_2554_give-yourself-pedicure.html
MOVIES:
Buy them at thrift shops; trade with friends; rent from Redbox for $1/night; watch those that you’re already getting free with your cable channel; rent them on your cable channel; or if you go to Regal Cinemas theater, seehttp://www.corporateboxoffice.com/c-2-discount-movie-tickets.aspx to buy tickets in quantity and get a discount.http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml Buy a coupon book that has movie discount coupons.
COFFEE:
Make lattes at home and save $3/day, $15/week, $60/mo., $720/year!
Use a reusable metal filter to make coffee; then put the coffee in a thermos to keep it hot.
Bring your own mug to refill at your coffee shop if it provides a cheaper price.
Find specialty coffee recipes online.
How to Make Flavored Coffee Syrups:http://www.tiphero.com/tips_3203_how-to-make-flavored-coffee-syrups.html
HOUSEKEEPING:
Give your kids a job chart. Learn to make your own cleaning supplies using things such as vinegar and baking soda; but if you have a front-loading washer, don’t make your own laundry detergent like so many people are doing, thinking they’re saving so much money. You need “h-e” detergent (not a brand, a designation of low-sudsing detergent) or the suds will get into the mechanics and wreck the washer. That’s what happened to our last washer. If you hear it sounding like a plane taking off and you’ve been using ordinary or homemade detergent, it’s probably already on its way down. Ours sounded like that for a year or two and then just gave up. Homemade Cleaning Products:
http://www.tiphero.com/tips_3219_homemade-cleaning-products-for-all-your-cleaning-needs.html
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/make-your-own-non-toxic-cleaning-kit.html#http://www.greenyour.com/home/housekeeping/cleaning-products/tips/make-your-own-household-cleaning-supplies
http://www.inhabitots.com/2008/12/28/how-to-make-kid-safe-homemade-green-cleaning-supplies/
HOME REPAIR:
Become acquainted with doing things yourself. Chances are, with 90% of maintenance and repair, you can find out enough information and buy enough tools to accomplish a task without professional help. (I've fixed washing machines, a microwave, a dryer, ranges; replaced electrical outlets and plug-in cords, installed sinks...after a while it's a little frustrating not to have to hire someone, since you can do it yourself, when you really would rather not.) Find a website that can help you or if that fails, go to a hardware store and ask any store employee or even a friendly customer who might be able to answer your questions. Before you leave home, get all the necessary details: brand, measurements, etc.; maybe bring in some parts that you've taken out to replace. Appliance stores often sell appliance parts; you can't expect to find them at hardware stores.
eHowhttp://www.ehow.com/
Do It Yourselfhttp://www.doityourself.com/
Popular Mechanicshttp://www.popularmechanics.com/
YARD CARE:
I spend about $40/year on fertilizer; a mailer comes around with an estimate that they could fertilize our yard throughout the year for more than $400. Why would I pay them?
Gardening websites:http://gardening.about.com/
http://www.garden.org/
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/
http://www.gardenguides.com/
http://www.sunset.com/garden/
Lawn care:http://search.sunset.com/st-results.html?Ntt=lawn+care
Lawn and Garden Almanac (specific to your zip code):http://www.weather.com/activities/homeandgarden/garden/
LOCAL SIGHTSEEING:http://www.greaterseattleonthecheap.com/
http://www.seattleattractions.com/whattodo
http://www.citypass.com/seattle (sometimes available at Costco)
Entertainment Coupon Books:http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml
TRAVEL:
40 Most Useful Travel Websites that can Save you a Fortune:http://www.wisebread.com/travel-resources
http://www.costco.com/Home.aspx
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/homepage.jsp
http://www.travelzoo.com/ – sign up for “top 20”http://www.bookingbuddy.com/ (searches the other discount travel sites)http://www.bestfares.com/index.php
http://www.smartertravel.com/
http://www.reserveamerica.com/
http://moments-notice.com/
http://www.rvrental.com/
http://shawguides.com/
http://www.roadscholar.org/
http://www.acacamps.org/
http://www.wildernessvolunteers.org/
STARTING YOUR OWN SMALL BUSINESS:
Business cards:http://vistaprint.com/
Small Business classes:http://sba.gov/
800-UASK-SBAwww.sba.gov/womeninbusiness
Small Business Planner:http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index.html
“The Small Business Know-How Resource”:http://liraz.com/
The Entrepreneur Network:
800-468-8871
http://tenonline.org/
Website Creation:
http://www.snappages.com/
Serv-U FTP File Server:
http://serv-u.com/
(don’t ask me what this is…I found it categorized under starting your own business…)
Women Entrepreneurhttp://www.womenentrepreneur.com/
Top Ten Work-at-Home Scams:http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Money/Top-10-Work-at-Home-Scams.html
How to Make Money at Home:http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Money/How-to-Make-Money-at-Home.html
National Association of Women Business Owners
800-55-NAWBOwww.nawbo.org
Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
800-634-0245www.score.org
Smart Money and their Small Business page too:http://www.smartmoney.com/
http://www.smsmallbiz.com/
National Association for the Self-Employed
$120-$480/year; can get you group health insurance rateshttp://www.nase.org/Home.aspx
Work at Home Kit:http://workathomekit.com/
Moms Work at Home Site:http://momsworkathomesite.com/
http://hiremymom.com/
RETIREMENT:
Retire Rich: A Seven-Step Plan to Jump-Start Your Savings and Quit Work in Style:http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/retire-rich-savings-aug06
Social Security benefits:http://ssa.gov/
How to Find a Job in Retirement:http://www.smartmoney.com/personal-finance/retirement/how-to-find-a-job-in-retirement/
Books:
Retirement Breakthrough: The Safe, Secure Way to Guaranteed Income You Can't Outlive - In Any Economy, by Richard W. Duff 332.024
401(k) MATCH: Sign up to participate in whatever amount your company is willing to match. If a company matches 5% at $40,000/year, that gives you an extra $166/mo. income!
CHEAP OR EVEN FREE USED STUFF:
Craig’s List:
http://skagit.craigslist.org/
Freecycle:
http://www.freecycle.org/
Thrift Shop: Value Village (Bring a bag of castoffs in when you come, and get a coupon and a tax receipt in return.)
http://www.valuevillage.com/
FREEBIES:
Custom Online Radio:
http://www.pandora.com/Wi-Fi:
http://wififreespot.com/Sheetmusic:
http://www.mutopiaproject.org/Computer help:
http://www.protonic.com/index.php
Foreign Language instruction:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/Free Photo Organizer:
http://picasa.google.com/
My area of financial skill is more in the area of knowing a bargain and getting by on the least possible. I’m not a financial guru or a budgeting fanatic, but I also enjoy compiling resources and I love getting the best deal possible; I hate wasting money. I don’t personally know the quality of each and every one of these resources. Use God’s wisdom and the common sense He gave you in how you use them, but generally I think they could do most of us a great deal of good!
Another note: How did I find this stuff? I looked in magazine articles (from magazines I’d already bought at the library for 25 cents each); I used google; and I checked out library books. When I reserved the library books, I was shocked at how fast ALL of them showed up on the holds shelf waiting for me. Apparently no one checks out books on saving money. I don’t know why, in this economy.
Please respond with any further information (including warnings about websites) that you would like to share...
CHRISTIAN FINANCIAL MINISTRIES:
Crown Financial Ministries, originated by Larry Burketthttp://www.crown.org/
Dave Ramseyhttp://www.daveramsey.com/
Sound Mind Investinghttp://www.soundmindinvesting.com/index1.php
Debt-Proof Living, originated by Mary Hunthttp://www.debtproofliving.com/
(has an optional $29 membership fee that enables you to use their repayment plan.)
GENERALLY LOWERING BILLS:
Tip Hero: Your Guide to Saving Money:http://www.tiphero.com/
190 Resources for Saving Money:http://www.wisebread.com/resources
168 Frugal Tips to Make Your Dollar Stretch:http://beingfrugal.net/2008/04/03/frugal-tips-to-survive-a-recession/
125 Tips to Save Money:http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/125-tips-to-save-money
101 Ways to Cut Your Spending This Year:http://beingfrugal.net/2010/01/06/101-ways-to-save-money/
Compare low rates on monthly bills:http://lowermybills.com/
Frugal Living worksheets:http://frugalliving.about.com/od/frugalliving101/a/Frugal_Wkshts.htm
40+ Ways to Survive a Recession:http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/survive-recession
How to Get out of Debt Fast:http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/out-of-debt-aug05
16 Rules about choosing which debts to pay first:http://www.operationthreshold.org/Links/Sixteen%20Rules%20About%20Choosing%20Which%20Debts%20to%20Pay%20First.pdf
Woman’s Day Magazine articles on saving money (some by Mary Hunt; Look at “Debt Reduction” rather than their “Saving Money” articles):http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Money/Saving-Money/WD-Saves!.html
Miserly Moms:http://www.miserlymoms.com/
Rapid Debt Repayment Plan:http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/debt-reduction-tips
Debt Management Resources:http://www.wisebread.com/debt
Check out these books at the library for free! http://www.sno-isle.org/:
Debt-Proof Living: the complete guide to living financially free, by Mary Hunt, 332.024 HUNT
The Complete Cheapskate, by Mary Hunt
Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey
The Money Answer Book: quick answers to your everyday financial questions, by Dave Ramsey 332.024 RAMSEY
The financial peace planner: a step-by-step guide to restoring your family's financial health, by Dave Ramsey 332.024 RAMSEY
Pricele$$: Straight-shooting, No Frills Financial Wisdom, Dave Ramsey332.024 RAMSEY
Financial Peace Revisited, by Dave Ramsey 332.024 RAMSEY
More Than Enough: the ten keys to changing your financial destiny, by Dave Ramsey
Grow Your Money! by Jonathan Pond
Your Money, the Missing Manual, by J.D. Roth
The Power to Prosper: 21 Days to Financial Freedom
The Ultimate Cheapskate’s Roadmap to True Riches, by Jeff Yeager
The Sharing Solution: How to Save Money, Simplify Your Life, and Build Community, by Janelle Orsi & Emily Daskow
Money Talks and so can We, by Ron and Judy Blue (Christian)
The Little Book of Big Savings, by Ellie Kay
Living Rich for Less, by Ellie Kay
Half-Priced Living, by Ellie Kay
101 Small Business Ideas for Under $5,000,by Corey Sandler and Janice Keefe
Freedom of Simplicity: Finding Harmony in a Complex World, by Richard Foster
The Busy Family’s Guide to Money—USA Today, by Sandra Block, Kathy Chu, and John Waggoner
MONEY CRISES:
How to Handle a Money Crisis:http://www.christianity.com/Christian%20Living/Features/11546733/
How to Deal with a Financial Emergency—Coping with a Financial Crisis:http://financialplan.about.com/od/personalfinance/a/FinancialCrisis.htm
Why You Need an Emergency Fund:http://financialplan.about.com/od/savingmoney/a/emergencyfund.htm
Bankruptcy:
The Bankruptcy Dilemma:http://www.christianity.com/Christian%20Living/Features/11622661/
BANKING:
FNBODirect.comhttps://www.fnbodirect.com/01d/html/en/
E*Tradehttps://us.etrade.com/e/t/home/beta-c?PageName=hpcontrolg%3FPageName%3Dhp_beta
ING Directhttp://home.ingdirect.com/
HSBC Directhttp://www.us.hsbc.com/1/2/1
ATM FEES:
Find out which ATMs are free for your bank; avoid others; use point-of-sale machines (such as at grocery check-out) instead to access cash. Don’t use for-fee transaction machines at gas stations.
BUDGET:
The Best Budgeting Tools:http://beingfrugal.net/2008/03/07/best-budgeting-tools/
Budgeting 101: Everything You Need to Know About Budgets:http://financialplan.about.com/od/budgetingyourmoney/tp/budgeting-101.htm
Managing Money: Budget Basics:http://financialplan.about.com/od/budgetingyourmoney/a/BudgetBasics.htm
How to Create a Frugal Budget:http://frugalliving.about.com/od/frugalliving101/ht/Frugal_Budget.htm
GIVING:
ECFA: “Helping Christ-centered organizations earn public's trust through developing, maintaining accountability standards and God-honoring ethical practices.” You can find out a lot about charities through this website.http://www.ecfa.org/HomePage.aspx
EMPLOYMENT:http://www.monster.com/
http://www.careerbuilder.com/
FLEXIBLE EMPLOYMENT (I don't personally know these sites):http://www.momcorps.com/
Home-based Working Moms:http://www.hbwm.com/
http://www.alpineaccess.com/en/
http://liveops.com/
http://www.arise.com/
http://workingsolutions.com/
http://repsforrent.com/
http://acddirect.com/
FOOD:
Grocery shopping: Make sure you go to the least expensive stores: Winco, Walmart, Costco…
Even then, know your prices and only buy when the sales are good!
Locate Organic fruit and veggie co-ops:http://www.localharvest.org/
Couponing:http://www.cellfire.com/deals.php
http://www.couponcabin.com/
http://couponing.about.com/ - Type in “grocery stores that double coupons”http://www.couponmom.com/
http://mommysavesbig.com/
http://mygrocerydeals.com/
http://www.retailmenot.com/
http://shortcuts.com/
http://www.thegrocerygame.com/ (I don't know about the others, but this has a fee-based service; still, it might save you money.)https://www.angelfoodministries.com/ (This is a nationwide ministry.)http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/supersaver-secrets-0907
Saving money on groceries:http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/for-the-home/11-tips-to-cut-grocery-bills/
Shave $150/week off your Grocery Bill:http://money.cnn.com/2005/12/20/pf/grocerybills_startmoney_0601/index.htm
COOKING:
Free Recipes:http://allrecipes.com/
Cheap recipes:http://www.miserlymoms.com/frugalrecipes_updated.html
Saturday Throwback: 65 Cheap, Healthy One-Dish Meals with Good Leftover Potentialhttp://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/2010/09/saturday-throwback-65-cheap-healthy-one.html
20 Cheap, Healthy Dishes Made from 10 Pantry Staples:http://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/2008/07/20-cheap-healthy-dishes-made-from-10.html
Cheap, Healthy Salad Dressings: 102 Light Recipes:http://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/2008/04/cheap-healthy-salad-dressing-102-light.html
Find recipes that use ingredients that you already have at home:http://www.supercook.com/
Low-cost healthy recipes from the USDA:http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/
Once-a-Month Cooking, by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg
The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook, by Erin ChaseMORTGAGE:
Refinance for a lower rate, and a shorter term if feasible.
Best Financial Move: 15-year Mortgagehttp://financialplan.about.com/cs/mortgagesloans/a/15YrMortgages.htm
A 15-year Mortgage Isn’t for Everyonehttp://www.marketwatch.com/story/a-15-year-mortgage-isnt-for-everyone-2010-08-30
INCOME TAX:
Adjust withholdings?http://irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p919.pdf
DAYCARE:Does it pay for Mom to work outside of the home and put the kids in daycare? Snohomish County median childcare rates for school age children was 412/mo.; for infants to preschool, $758/mo.
Enter that into the following website:http://moneycentral.msn.com/personal-finance/calculators/Adding_a_second_income_calculator/home.aspx
You’re likely to find that even having one young child in daycare often causes the mom’s income to evaporate completely. If not, you’ll at least find out what your hourly earnings are coming out to. I quit working when my husband was earning $9.50 part-time. We never went on public support...and it was 1 1/2 years before he got a better job. I don't remember clearly, I imagine we were in debt by the time that was through...but we probably were to begin with, too! I do remember realizing how little difference it made in our finances that I wasn't working.
YOUR ACTUAL HOURLY WAGE:
http://www.justmommies.com/articles/hourly_wage.shtml
CREDIT COUNSELING:
Consumer Credit Counseling Service
800-388-2227http://www.consumercredit.com/
Debtors Anonymous:http://debtorsanonymous.org/
National Association of Personal Finance Advisors:http://napfa.org/
COMPARE CREDIT CARDS:
http://www.creditcards.com/
http://www.bankrate.com/
http://lookupcreditcards.com/
And never sign up for store credit cards for any one-time bonus! Their interest rates are sky-high, and they won’t do your credit rating any good.
BALANCE TRANSFER OPTIONS:
(Always read the fine print.)http://www.cardtrak.com/
http://www.indexcreditcards.com/
CREDIT REPORT:
Free credit reporthttps://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp
FICO Score report with $16-50 fee:http://www.myfico.com/Default.aspx
Books:
Your Credit Score, Your Money, and What’s at Stake, by Liz Pulliam Weston
AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS:
Check your charge card statements and make sure each month that no automatic renewals are applied for things you don’t want any more.
INSURANCE:
If there is a stay-at-home mom or you work from home, see about getting “For Pleasure Only” car insurance coverage rather than the usual which covers commutes etc.
Don’t sign up for roadside assistance if you also have another program such as AAA.
Read this article for other ways to save.http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/insurance-savings-may07
Various articles on saving money on insurance:http://www.wisebread.com/topic/personal-finance/insurance
HEALTH INSURANCE WEBSITES:http://www.medhealthinsurance.com/
http://www.gohealthinsurance.com/index.html
http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS:
Rate doctors, hospitals and nursing homes:http://www.healthgrades.com/
NIH re: Medical trials:http://clinicaltrials.gov/
Financing plan for Medical Care:
http://www.carecredit.com/
(payment over 90 days without interest)
Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs:http://www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/index.htm
Partnership for Prescription Assistance:http://www.pparx.org/
http://www.needymeds.org/
Books:
Healthcare for Less: Getting the Care You Need—Without Breaking the Bank, by Michelle Katz, MSN
99 Practical Ways to Save on Prescription Drugs, by Noel Magsino, 615.1
HOME ENERGY USE:
Home Energy Audit:http://hes.lbl.gov/
Energy-saving resources:http://www.blackenergy.com/
http://www.smarthomeusa.com/
Light Bulbs: Compact flourescents.
Lower your electric bill:http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/deals/13-simple-ways-to-lower-your-electric-bill-22933/
Tips for Saving Energy:http://www.otpco.com/SaveEnergyMoney/Tips4SavingEnergy.asp
http://www.fypower.org/res/tools/energy_tips.html
Low-income energy bill assistance:http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/
Save Money on Heating Costs:http://financialplan.about.com/od/savingmoney/a/HeatingCosts.htm
Save Money on Your Home Expenses:http://financialplan.about.com/cs/frugalliving/a/101YourHome.htm
GARBAGE:
Do you often have more garbage than you can fit in your trash can, and have to pay for extra pick-up? Make sure you’re recycling everything you can, especially if pickup of recycling is free; it will reduce the amount of trash pickup that you’re paying for.
FRUGAL BLOGS:http://www.wisebread.com/
http://www.centsible-sawyer.com/
http://beingfrugal.net/
http://www.5dollardinners.com/
The Simple Dollarhttp://www.thesimpledollar.com/
Five-Cent Nickelhttp://www.fivecentnickel.com/
REDUCE INPUT FROM MARKETERS:
Cancel Unwanted Catalogs:http://www.catalogchoice.org/
Do Not Call:www.donotcall.org
Avoid Junk Mail:
Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
11 West 42nd St.
P.O. Box 3861
New York, NY 10163-3861
(Send them a postcard with “Take me off your mailing list” and with your address on it.)
FITNESS CLUBS:
If you don’t use them, cancel your memberships.
CHEAPEST GAS:http://gasbuddy.com/
http://gaspricewatch.com/new/default_V3.asp
http://fueleconomy.gov/
RESTAURANTS:
If you want Red Robin or other restaurant food where takeout is an option, you’ll save yourself the cost of a tip by taking it home with you rather than sitting there in the restaurant. You’ll also be less likely to buy the drinks that cost $4-10, or desserts, that you can provide at home for so much cheaper.
Restaurant Gift Certificates:http://www.restaurant.com/index.asp?Entertainment Coupon Books:http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml
http://www.valpak.com/coupons/home
http://www.valpak.com/coupons/home
http://www.rewardsnetwork.com/
http://www.upromise.com/welcome
BOOKS:
Trade with or borrow from friends. Go to the library or buy used at thrift shops.
NEWSPAPERS:
Cancel your newspaper and read news from various providers online.
Top 100 newspapers by circulation:http://newspapers.com/top100.html
World Magazine (Christian):http://www.worldmag.com/index.cfm
Fox News:http://www.foxnews.com/
Voice of the Martyrs:http://www.persecution.com/
TELEVISION, PHONE, and INTERNET:
Bundle onto one carrier. Make sure that you don’t pay for any services that you don’t need, such as call waiting and premium TV channels.
Maybe drop your land phone line and just use cell and Skype.
Get free TV online:http://www.hulu.com/
Free long distance:http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/home
Free directory assistance:
800-FREE-411 (you have to listen to a brief ad first)
COMPARISON SHOPPING:http://mybargainbuddy.com/
http://slickdeals.net/
http://www.pricegrabber.com/
http://www.mysimon.com/
http://www.bizrate.com/http://www.shopzilla.com/
ONLINE SHOPPING:
Ten dos and don’ts of online shopping:http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Money/10-Dos-and-Don-ts-of-Online-Shopping.html
ONLINE REBATES:http://www.ebates.com/
http://www.upromise.com/welcome
HAIR SALONS:
Go to a beauty school or find out how to do your hair for yourself. Same with manicures, pedicures…http://frugalliving.about.com/od/beautyhealthcare/tp/Save_on_Haircuts.htm
How to Do Your Own Manicureshttp://www.ehow.com/how_5222073_do-own-manicure.html
How to Give Yourself a Pedicurehttp://www.ehow.com/how_2554_give-yourself-pedicure.html
MOVIES:
Buy them at thrift shops; trade with friends; rent from Redbox for $1/night; watch those that you’re already getting free with your cable channel; rent them on your cable channel; or if you go to Regal Cinemas theater, seehttp://www.corporateboxoffice.com/c-2-discount-movie-tickets.aspx to buy tickets in quantity and get a discount.http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml Buy a coupon book that has movie discount coupons.
COFFEE:
Make lattes at home and save $3/day, $15/week, $60/mo., $720/year!
Use a reusable metal filter to make coffee; then put the coffee in a thermos to keep it hot.
Bring your own mug to refill at your coffee shop if it provides a cheaper price.
Find specialty coffee recipes online.
How to Make Flavored Coffee Syrups:http://www.tiphero.com/tips_3203_how-to-make-flavored-coffee-syrups.html
HOUSEKEEPING:
Give your kids a job chart. Learn to make your own cleaning supplies using things such as vinegar and baking soda; but if you have a front-loading washer, don’t make your own laundry detergent like so many people are doing, thinking they’re saving so much money. You need “h-e” detergent (not a brand, a designation of low-sudsing detergent) or the suds will get into the mechanics and wreck the washer. That’s what happened to our last washer. If you hear it sounding like a plane taking off and you’ve been using ordinary or homemade detergent, it’s probably already on its way down. Ours sounded like that for a year or two and then just gave up. Homemade Cleaning Products:
http://www.tiphero.com/tips_3219_homemade-cleaning-products-for-all-your-cleaning-needs.html
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/make-your-own-non-toxic-cleaning-kit.html#http://www.greenyour.com/home/housekeeping/cleaning-products/tips/make-your-own-household-cleaning-supplies
http://www.inhabitots.com/2008/12/28/how-to-make-kid-safe-homemade-green-cleaning-supplies/
HOME REPAIR:
Become acquainted with doing things yourself. Chances are, with 90% of maintenance and repair, you can find out enough information and buy enough tools to accomplish a task without professional help. (I've fixed washing machines, a microwave, a dryer, ranges; replaced electrical outlets and plug-in cords, installed sinks...after a while it's a little frustrating not to have to hire someone, since you can do it yourself, when you really would rather not.) Find a website that can help you or if that fails, go to a hardware store and ask any store employee or even a friendly customer who might be able to answer your questions. Before you leave home, get all the necessary details: brand, measurements, etc.; maybe bring in some parts that you've taken out to replace. Appliance stores often sell appliance parts; you can't expect to find them at hardware stores.
eHowhttp://www.ehow.com/
Do It Yourselfhttp://www.doityourself.com/
Popular Mechanicshttp://www.popularmechanics.com/
YARD CARE:
I spend about $40/year on fertilizer; a mailer comes around with an estimate that they could fertilize our yard throughout the year for more than $400. Why would I pay them?
Gardening websites:http://gardening.about.com/
http://www.garden.org/
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/
http://www.gardenguides.com/
http://www.sunset.com/garden/
Lawn care:http://search.sunset.com/st-results.html?Ntt=lawn+care
Lawn and Garden Almanac (specific to your zip code):http://www.weather.com/activities/homeandgarden/garden/
LOCAL SIGHTSEEING:http://www.greaterseattleonthecheap.com/
http://www.seattleattractions.com/whattodo
http://www.citypass.com/seattle (sometimes available at Costco)
Entertainment Coupon Books:http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml
TRAVEL:
40 Most Useful Travel Websites that can Save you a Fortune:http://www.wisebread.com/travel-resources
http://www.costco.com/Home.aspx
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/homepage.jsp
http://www.travelzoo.com/ – sign up for “top 20”http://www.bookingbuddy.com/ (searches the other discount travel sites)http://www.bestfares.com/index.php
http://www.smartertravel.com/
http://www.reserveamerica.com/
http://moments-notice.com/
http://www.rvrental.com/
http://shawguides.com/
http://www.roadscholar.org/
http://www.acacamps.org/
http://www.wildernessvolunteers.org/
STARTING YOUR OWN SMALL BUSINESS:
Business cards:http://vistaprint.com/
Small Business classes:http://sba.gov/
800-UASK-SBAwww.sba.gov/womeninbusiness
Small Business Planner:http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index.html
“The Small Business Know-How Resource”:http://liraz.com/
The Entrepreneur Network:
800-468-8871
http://tenonline.org/
Website Creation:
http://www.snappages.com/
Serv-U FTP File Server:
http://serv-u.com/
(don’t ask me what this is…I found it categorized under starting your own business…)
Women Entrepreneurhttp://www.womenentrepreneur.com/
Top Ten Work-at-Home Scams:http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Money/Top-10-Work-at-Home-Scams.html
How to Make Money at Home:http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Money/How-to-Make-Money-at-Home.html
National Association of Women Business Owners
800-55-NAWBOwww.nawbo.org
Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
800-634-0245www.score.org
Smart Money and their Small Business page too:http://www.smartmoney.com/
http://www.smsmallbiz.com/
National Association for the Self-Employed
$120-$480/year; can get you group health insurance rateshttp://www.nase.org/Home.aspx
Work at Home Kit:http://workathomekit.com/
Moms Work at Home Site:http://momsworkathomesite.com/
http://hiremymom.com/
RETIREMENT:
Retire Rich: A Seven-Step Plan to Jump-Start Your Savings and Quit Work in Style:http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/retire-rich-savings-aug06
Social Security benefits:http://ssa.gov/
How to Find a Job in Retirement:http://www.smartmoney.com/personal-finance/retirement/how-to-find-a-job-in-retirement/
Books:
Retirement Breakthrough: The Safe, Secure Way to Guaranteed Income You Can't Outlive - In Any Economy, by Richard W. Duff 332.024
401(k) MATCH: Sign up to participate in whatever amount your company is willing to match. If a company matches 5% at $40,000/year, that gives you an extra $166/mo. income!
CHEAP OR EVEN FREE USED STUFF:
Craig’s List:
http://skagit.craigslist.org/
Freecycle:
http://www.freecycle.org/
Thrift Shop: Value Village (Bring a bag of castoffs in when you come, and get a coupon and a tax receipt in return.)
http://www.valuevillage.com/
FREEBIES:
Custom Online Radio:
http://www.pandora.com/Wi-Fi:
http://wififreespot.com/Sheetmusic:
http://www.mutopiaproject.org/Computer help:
http://www.protonic.com/index.php
Foreign Language instruction:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/Free Photo Organizer:
http://picasa.google.com/
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