Changing up the chore charts again!

The other night I showed Hubby the file I keep of all the past chore charts/cards that we've tried. He was impressed. Honestly, I could probably write a book.

I find that every 6 months or so I have to fiddle with the chore chart system that we're using. Now that my kids are older (10, 13 and 15), we've gone to a money-earning system.

You'll notice that there are a number of important things missing from the pay schedule below. Keeping their room clean, doing homework, helping with the dishwasher -- that's just part of living in our family. They won't get paid for that. I also wanted to reward effort. You work, you get rewarded.

Here's what we're trying:

DAILY JOBS
Bring in the mail $.05
Help make dinner $.50
Weeding, per 15 min. $.25
Write in journal $.25
Read an entire New Era $2.00
Read a Conference talk $.25

WEEKLY JOBS
Empty and re-line a garbage $.10
Bring in garbage/recycle bin $.05/ea

check off when completed

Total Toilet Treatment: $.50
Master
Boy’s
Girls’

Clean Sink and Counter: $.20
Master
Boy’s
Girls’
Laundry room

No-smudge Mirror: $.10
Master sink
Master door
Boy’s
Girls’

Clean with scrubbing bubbles $.50
Master shower
Master tub
Boy’s tub/shower
Girls’ tub/shower

Vacuum one of these areas: $.25
Down.hall & media room
Recreation room
Sewing and piano rooms
Up. TV & Master bedroom

Vacuum Stairs $.75

Super shake-a-rug (outside) $.10
Kitchen sink rug
Rug by cubbies
Front door rug
Both kids’ bathrooms
Master bathroom rug
Outside front porch rug
Rug on garage porch
Back patio rug

Wipe all upstairs windowsills $.50
Wipe all downstairs windowsills $.30
Mow the lawn $3.00
Mow the orchard (ask Dad 1st) $2.00
Super-Sweep the garage $1.00
Wash the outside of car $.75
Wash the outside of truck $.75
Wash car windows in & out $.50
Wash truck windows in & out $.30
Vacuum car interior $.75
Vacuum truck interior $.75


This past week my oldest and youngest each earned $.80. But my middle child earned a whopping $9.00! She's motivated to earn money towards girl's camp.

They pay 10% in tithing and 20% into savings. The rest they can spend.

I think it's important to teach kids how to work, but it's also important to teach them how to manage money. To help teach them about the value of a dollar, we also give them a larger quarterly amount, with the biggest payment coming in August to help cover school clothes. Then, throughout the year they're in charge of budgeting their money to pay for clothes, candy, presents, etc.

This has done wonders for my middle child. Before we tried this system, she'd ask for everything that her heart desired. But once we turned her share of the budget over to her, she began weighing the importance of name brand vs. second hand clothes. It's made her a much more value-oriented shopper.

Lest you think we're making our kids pay for everything, rest assured that we buy all their food, pay for their sports and activities, and even purchase any socks or underwear. (No teen or tween wants to spend hard-earned cash on socks or underwear!)

What works for your family? In another 6 months or so, I'll be fiddling with our system again and would love having your ideas to draw from. Please share!

Use the Power of the Pen for Tracking Dollars or Calories

It's Monday. The day I usually step on the scale. Well, this morning the number wasn't good. And I know why. I haven't been writing down what I eat or tracking carbs/calories.

When I keep a food journal or track what I eat, I inevitably lose weight. But when I wing it, I gain weight.

It works inversely for money. If you don't track your money, you lose it. And if you write down or keep track of what you spend, you're more likely to watch your savings account gain funds.

I'm fairly good at writing down what I spend. I'll just have to apply those same principles to tracking what I eat. Knowledge is power!

Now, on a bit of a different track, I've been thinking a bit about this crazy economy that we're experiencing. It's making me nervous.

I usually try to put everything I buy on my Discover credit card. (I have the Preferred Membership at Sam's and get 2% cash back on all my purchases -- 6% back on gasoline purchases at Sam's.) I keep my receipts and deduct them from the monthly budget as if I've spent cash. The way I look at it, I'm getting paid to budget.

But here's the thing . . . I pay for what I've purchased a month later. All the things I buy in November come out of my checking account in December. When Elder Robert D. Hales came to our Stake Conference in September, he mentioned that the Church stays a year ahead when spending money. In other words, the budgets for this year are created from funds garnered last year.

That idea has stuck with me. In fact, just this morning I'm realizing that I need to change how our family budget works. I'd like to follow the example of the Church Finance Department. Realistically, we ought to be able to stay a month ahead. And seeing as how we're really a month behind, I've got some work to do.

I'll be honest. I'm not excited about trying to switch over to becoming a month ahead in December. I'd like enjoy the holidays by spending money on others. But given the times we live in, now is a good time to take control of our family finances.

I'm going to do a little calculating and make a three- or four-month plan that will ease us into becoming a month ahead in our budgeting. The first thing I'm going to do is stop using the credit card. I can resume it once we've accumulated a month's worth of budgetary funds in the bank, but until then it will be simpler and more motivating to spend cash or write checks.

Don't get me wrong. We do have a Rainy Day savings account that we can turn to if we were to lose income or suffer a large unexpected expense. But by staying a month a head in our budgeting, we'll have that much more to fall back on should the worst happen, like if my husband lost his job.

There is no such thing as being over-prepared.

This and That . . .

My sister-in-law forwarded this photo to me. It reminded me of a friend whose sister just found out she's got breast cancer. I'm joining the fight against breast cancer bandwagon. In fact, I'm up for fighting all types of cancer.

And now, before I forget, here's a link to the report created by the consultant hired to look into the costs of a County Wide Library system. I'd love to know that you think about having a county-wide system. My gut reaction is that there's no time like the present to work toward providing library coverage for every county citizen. But I haven't read the report. I don't know what tax increase would need to be made to fund a county-wide system. Give me a week to read the report and do a little thinking before you hold me to my opnion. :)

Finally, let's not forget that is Money Management Monday. USU economics professor, Tyle Bowles, wrote a letter to the editor that appeared in Thursday's edition of the Herald Journal. I think it is great food for thought, and I'm reprinting it here. Let me know what you think.

Bailout Gets More Disturbing

To the editor:

In this paper (Oct. 31) and in a series of radio interviews, I spoke out against the $700 billion government response to the nation's financial problems. My opposition was based on the economic merits, or lack thereof, of the specific legislation. As it turns out, I did not fully appreciate the most negative aspect of this legislation. This grandiose extension in the role of government has resulted in a substantial movement of the line in the sand that separates resonable from unconscionable proposals for government intervention into the economy.

Now, U.S. auto companies are asking for a $50 billion handout. (This is in addition to the $25 billion already promised.) They are not even going through the fiction of making the arguement that their failure would constitute a systemic failure. Rather, the auto companies are being slightly more honest than were the financial firms. They acknowledge that government money would be used to fund, among other things, the health costs and pension benefits of members of the United Auto Workers Union (UAW). And here is the rub: this proposal has immediate and considerable political suport, and few are pointing out the immoral nature of this proposal.

Democratic government derives its strength from its moral legitmacy. When the primary function of government becomes thinly veiled policies that take from the politically unpowerful (and who could be less politically powerful than unborn future voters) and give to the politically powerful (e.g., UAW, teacher's unions, the ethanol lobby, Fannie Mae, etc.) it loses that legitimacy. The effect on society is corrosive and dangerous.

Although our democracy has been gradually sliding toward this corrosive state for a generation, the recent dramatic increase in the pace is remarkable and deeply disturbing.

Tyler Bowles, Weston, Idaho

Budgeting: Do what works for you

It's money management Monday, and today we'll be discussing everyone's favorite subject -- budgeting! Now, no sighs. No moaning. No pulling out your hair.

My message today is to know thyself.

As a visual aid I've scanned an account book that belonged to my great-great grandfather, John Andrew Kofoed. He kept the books for a blacksmith shop. I've included a sample page for Royal Crockett. I don't know who Royal was, but my grandfather's mother's family were Crocketts. Anyway, the point these visual aids are helping me make is this -- I have at least one ancestor who enjoyed keeping books. He also had great penmanship. Is it any wonder that I like to track money down to the penny? And I like to do it by hand. Sure, I make a form on the computer, but then I write down purchases and the amounts spent in the month by hand. Like great-great-grandfather, like great-great-granddaughter.

There are many ways to keep a budget. Some people like to use cash. They divide up the money for various budget categories into envelopes at the first of the month. Then they use the cash for purchases. They track their spending by watching the amount of cash that is left in the envelopes. When the cash is gone, it's time to stop spending.

Techno budgeters use Quicken or other brands of computer software to track monthly income and expenses. They can print out charts and graphs. I know women who track their budget using their bank accounts. Income is deposited into checking. They automatically transfer a set amount from checking to savings every month to cover long and short-term savings. What's left in checking is what the family has to spend for the month. When the account starts getting low, it's time to put the brakes on shopping and spending.

In some marriages, the husband does the bookkeeping. In our home, I do it. (I like to tell Hubby that he makes the money, and I spend it!) No matter who keeps track of the money, it's important that both husband and wife have a say in the family budget. Both should be aware of where the money is going. Honesty is the best policy.

How do you budget? Have you tried a method that didn't work for you? Do you know the financial state of your union?

Okay. That's it for money management today. To finish up today's post I have a couple domestic items to post. First of all, here is a recipe for a laundry treatment that removes the yellow underarm stains that deoderant often leaves on white shirts. (Think husband's Sunday dress shirts.) My friend Julie N. came across this on KSL's Studio 5. It orininated with USU Extention. Oh, and Julie says it works best for fresh stains. She also sprays it on ring-around-the-collar.

Yellow Under-arm Stain Remover

4 c. water
1 c. liquid laundry detergent
1 tsp. meat tenderizer.

Note: Julie cuts the recipe in 1/2 and puts the liquid laundry detergent and meat tenderizer in a 16 oz. spray bottle. She then adds water until the bottle is full. It's a little more concentrated than the original recipe, but she says it works. (I'll be trying it today.) Also, spray the stain remover on the offending shirt while a batch of laundry runs. Soak it good, being sure not to let the stain treatment dry. Then launder. Voila! White underarms.

I'm always looking for dinner ideas, and I thought you might be too. So I'm posting our family menu for the week. Be warned, it may just be a lie.

Money Management Thoughts from Middlemarch

I read Middlemarch by Greorge Eliot back in April of 2007 after Sister Susan Tanner mentioned it in her talk at General Conference. And this weekend I watched the BBC production on DVD. (The book is long and a bit dry. I'd suggest going with the DVD if you're interested in the story.) The outcome of the book has left me contemplating matters of money management.

I don't want to spoil the book/DVD for you, but Miss Rosamond Vincy and Doctor Tertius Lyndgate eventually marry. And despite their love and mutual attraction, they never fully realize the joyful possibilities of marriage due to conflicing philosophies about money.

As I was watching the DVD, my son was at our computer working on his fantasy basketball team. Near the end of the movie emotions ran a bit high. Rosamond cried, Dr. Lyndgate raised his voice, and my son immitated them -- much to my annoyance. But Bug's partial interest did give me an opportunity to warn him about marrying a "high maintenance model" -- a woman whose self-image is wrapped up in what she wears, buys, and acquires.

I don't know if any of my warning sunk in, but you can bet that I'll be repeating it in the future. And also trying to raise all my children not to be high maintenance individuals.

Do you have any tips?

My husband once refered to me as a "low maintenance model." He meant it as a compliment. After watching Middlemarch, that's exactly how I'm going to view it!

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Note: I'm going to be cutting back on my blogging. (Must get projects/shopping done for Christmas.) I'll be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Given the financial outlook for our country, Monday's posts will be on money management. Wednesdays will be wacky. And I'll try to keep things fun/funny on Fridays.

Save Money on Eyeglasses . . .

If you wear prescription glasses, you must check out the following websites:

Zennioptical.com: It's where I got my new set of glasses. (See photo at the bottom of yesterday's post.) Those glasses cost $14.90 including shipping! Really! I chose this pair, and have been very pleased. I also ordered my son's new glasses from Zennioptical.com. They are perfect.

Another site that offers deals on glasses is 39dollarglasses.com. The gal who cuts my hair has ordered from them, and both Zenni and 39dollarglasses were featured in November's issue of Reader's Digest.

The only drawback to ordering your glasses on-line is that they aren't fitted to your face when they arrive. I took my son's pair and my own into Shopko Optical and said, "Can I pay you to adjust my glasses? I didn't buy them here." The man smiled and said, "We don't ever charge to adjust glasses." And then he whisked them off, adjusted them and worked at it until they fit us perfectly. (Thanks, Brett!)

Now, if you've just bought expensive prescription glasses, don't feel bad. Get yourself some inexpensive prescription sunglasses. Or a pair of trendy glasses that you've always wanted, but couldn't bear to spend over $150 on.

Life is too short to wear glasses that don't call your name!

Economy may lead to another 'Greatest Generation'

Don't look now, but yesterday I received my very first political vote. My friend Linda went to vote early. Not knowing any of the candidates for School Board, she wrote in my name. I feel victorious already. (How did she know that I've been entertaining political ambitions?) Anyway, this paragraph is the start of my official write-in campaign for school board. I won't be campaigning anywhere else, and I don't plan to win. But if you feel the need, you can write me in as a candiate for the School Board.

In other news, I read this morning that Senator Orrin Hatch has been in the U.S. Senate since 1976. That is way too long! Let's do something about that next time he comes up for re-election. If we as Americans are really serious about stopping politicas as usual, we ought to eject members of Congress who have made careers out of being politicians. I don't think that's what our Founding Fathers had in mind when they set up our government. A good motto to remember is, "Out with the old and in with the new!"

Switching gears now . . . Let's discuss the economy. I know, everyone's favorite subject of late. We're all getting sick to death of the doom and gloom of the market crash and the billion dollar bailout provided by the government. But here's the thing -- what was the outcome following the Great Depression? Only one of the most prosperous eras in U.S. history. Could that happen again? I'll lay out a plan that raises the possibility of just such a thing happening.

First of all, the marketing arm of the Live Within Your Means movement needs to kick their message into high gear. I consider myself a member of the Live Within Your Means movement, and there's nothing I love like a good marketing campaign! The challenge is how to get the American consumer on board and excited about good, sound fiscal managment.

I say, play to everyone's desire to be good parents. If we as American's bite the bullet and tighten our belts, we could very well be setting up our children to become another 'Greatest Generation,' akin to the men and women who came of age during the Great Depression and World War II.

Will it be easy? Is raising children ever easy? Is it easy to let actions speak louder than our words? No, but it is possible.

Start by listening to Big Band music. It's fun. It's peppy. It's what The Greatest Generation listened to. I've got some '40s era music playing as I write, and it never fails to fill me with positivity! Positivity! Just what America needs.

Of course it's going to take more than positivity to turn America around. It will take action. No more sitting on our big behinds and letting the media dictate what we think. Blog for goodness sake! Get real information out there.

For example, did you know that 24% of Americans carry no debt? I saw that statistic in my paper yesterday. The source was the Federal Reserve Board. The AP article quoted Greg McBride of Bankrate.com as saying, "This entire credit crunch is a wakeup call to anybody who was attempting to borrow their way to prosperity."

There you have it. Borrowing is never the way to prosperity. We've got to give consumers new standards to look up to. It's time to re-read The Millionaire Next Door and rediscover what wealth is all about. Another good resourse for anyone trying to find ways to save money is The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. I own a copy, and she changed my attitude about saving money. Ms. Dacyczyn (prnounced 'decision') made saving money into something fun, a challenge to rise and conquer. You can borrow my copy, but spending the $16 and reading the book from cover to cover could change your life.

The organized labor unions would have you believe that the rich are getting richer because 'the man' is keeping the workers down. But the truth is that the rich are getting richer because they're out of debt. Americans have been trying to look prosperous by living a consumer credit lifestyle. Repeat after me, "borrowing is never the way to prosperity."

Look at those who came through the Great Depression. They avoided debt like the plague. And what eventually happened to the American economy? It was incredibly stable because people were purchasing what they could afford. Purchasing with cash.

You can't be a victim of the economy or anthing else if you take action and DO SOMETHING! The government isn't going to solve our problems. We ARE the government. It's our money they're spending. Currently our government encourages citizens to live on credit. That must change. Living on credit is no way to live. Not for citizens or for government.

As long as we're going through a market correction, let's get things correct. Households aren't the only ones who should be tightening their belts. Let's demand the same of our government. No more pork. Let's hold the government to the same standards that we have for ourselves. Imagine what the dollar would do against the other currencies of the world if the U.S. opperated without debt. We truly would be a world super-power.

To achieve a more stable economy, there are four little words that all American's need to learn, understand and repeat often. They are, "We can't afford that." It's good for kids to hear from their parents. It's good for couples to say to one another. It's good for congress members to say when discussing new and old spending.

In his book, The Greatest Generation, Tom Brokaw found that those who lived through the Great Depression and World War II could attribute their successful lives to the values of "duty, honor, economy, courage, service, love of family and country, and, above all, responsibility for oneself."

It's time to revisit those values. Time to live lives that will strengthen our families and our country.

Ways I Save Money . . .

This morning as I was washing my hair, I realized that despite what my husband might think, I am pretty good at saving money. It was the shampoo that reminded me.

I did a price comparison on shampoo over a year ago and found that my local beauty supply store had an awesome deal on shampoo in gallon containers. I bought two. Then I bought re-fillable squirt containers at Wal-Mart for each shower. I'm not going to spend a lot on something that just gets washed down the drain. (Photos included.)




Another thing I do is buy food in bulk when it comes on sale. Which means that I read ads and compare prices, and always carry a calculator in my purse.

See the green Bissel vacuum in the food storage photo? That's another way we save money -- clean our own carpets. (It really came in handy each time we had a child who was potty training.)

Food storage is something my church leaders counsel members to accumulate and rotate. I find that growing a garden and canning what we grow really cuts down on grocery costs. Also, cooking from scratch is cheaper and healthier than buying ready-made foods or eating out.

By doing laundry only once a week, I save on the cost of electricity, natrual gas, water and laundry products. Running full loads is the most cost-effective way to do laundry. It also allows me to track what my kids are throwing in the wash. I've had to lecture my oldest daughter that just because she's worn something doesn't mean it's dirty. My kids have been taught to use their senses: if something looks dirty, it's dirty. If it smells dirty, it's dirty. If it feels dirty, it's dirty. If is doesn't look, feel or smell dirty, it's not dirty. Hang it up! Loula Belle has been warned that she can't get new clothes until she learns how to take care of the clothes she currently has. (Excessive washing wears out clothes and mothers!)

The best way to save money is to keep a budget and spend less than you make. Remember, budget is NOT a four-letter word!

Best Analysis of the Billion Dollar Wallstreet Bailout

Americans everywhere are watching to see what Congress will do about the proposed 700 billion dollar bailout. We've taken the Wall Street Journal for years, but I've never read it like I'm reading it now.

My gut reaction is that the bailout is bad news for America. I wrote to my U.S. representatives over a week ago urging them to use caution and discretion.

In all my reading and watching of the news, I found the most thoughtful and convincing analysis from my local newspaper this morning. Kim Burgess, of the Herald Journal, interviewed USU professor Tyler Bowles. You can read his take on the bailout by clicking here. (It's at http://hjnews.townnews.com/articles/2008/10/03/news/news02.txt)

My favorite quote from Professor Bowles is, "We do know that the world only ends once, and this probably isn't it."

A video that puts my zit in perspective

I have a monster zit on my chin. (See photo at right.) You know, the kind that looks like a small red dot on the surface but has a sub-skin surface area the size of Montana. That is what my zit is like.

I'd like to forget about it, but I keep accidentally bumping it and reminding myself that it's there.

Finally, after a morning of zit-induced grumpiness, I found something that kept me distracted from contemplating my zit for a full five minues. Plus I belly laughed. When I wasn't crying over the balance of our retirement funds.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. (BTW I found it on the Protein Power blog.)

Here is the Post I Promised ...

I promised to write about how to live within your means. This is that post.

If you'd like greater financial freedom, the following video has the answer:



Now I have fulfilled my obligation to spread the good word of financial freedom. I can now return to my regularly scheduled blog posts.














Okay, since you're still here it's obvious that you want me to share some of my personal tips on saving money. Here they are ...

Never buy new furniture. When people come to visit and see your Early College Student decor they will gladly give you their gently used furnishings when they get new ones. Besides, it's much less stressful to have your children learn to potty train on used furniture. Also, when your daughters spill the nail polish remover on your kitchen table and it eats off a large part of the finish, they won't die. And neither will you.

Never buy new vehicles. And be sure to live at least an hour from both sets of grandparents. When your old cars become so old that they are no longer reliable for travel to the grandparents' houses, you'll be surprised at how inexpensively you can purchase a used car from your own parents.

Don't go shopping. If you go bargain hunting, you'll find bargains. If you go shopping, you'll buy something.

Don't look at sales ads. This in an important part of managing your money. Looking at sales ads only makes you want to own what is being advertised. They may even make you feel like you are depriving your family of a lifestyle that everyone else is enjoying. Everyone else is not living a lavish lifestyle, that's the evil of advertising working its deceitful ways on your impressionable mind. Don't believe what you see in advertisements.

Make a list and stick to it. Never go shopping without a list. At the bottom of every list write "etc." That way if you find a bargain, you can purchase it and hold your head up high, knowing that you stuck with your list!

If you need any additional tips or have questions, just let me know.

Politics and Economics: Cartoons for Thought

Here are some cartoons that say a lot about our ecomonic climate.

Real Life Adventures has found something positive in our ecomomic downturn.

And Holbert, a political cartoonist for the Boston Herald, illustrates a paradox of politics and ecomomics.

These cartoons would be really funny if the reaility they expose didn't make you want to cry.

An Apostle Came to Stake Conference

This weekend was our Stake Conference featuring a visit from Elder Robert D. Hales. I attended the Saturday Adult session with my husband, Sunday's general session with my family, and a special Stake youth fireside with Hubby, Bug and Loula Belle.

I'm not going to review all that Elder Hales said, but wanted to touch on what he said to the adults on Saturday night. As he began his address, he pointed out that we live in turbulent times and referenced the upheavel in the financial markets that has taken place lately. He found it interesting that those who speculated in the market and made large profits over the last decade now want the government to bail them out -- all while avoiding too much loss. Elder Hales said, "The government doesn't have money. The money for government comes from the people." Those are sobering words.

Here at Belly Acre Farm we get the Wall Street Journal. I've made a point of reading all about Black September -- why it happened and whether or not the government's bail-out is going to work. Basically, the government had to become involved to restore confidence in the marketplace. Failure to do so would have caused greater market instability not only here in the U.S. but around the world. I'm not happy about the government bail-out, but I can see the reasons behind the action.

Elder Hale's councel to the adults of our Stake was to get out of debt. (Where have we heard that before?) He also pointed out that when a couple or family can sit down together, look at their finances and say, "We can't afford that," they are on their way to greater financial control and stability. "Debt," Elder Hales pointed out, "is troubling because it is a form of bondage."

I married a man who is naturally frugal. But in our relationship, he makes the money and I spend it. I am not naturally frugal. Money conscious, yes, but frugality hasn't been easy for me. Fortunately, we've been budgeting since the day we got married over 15 years ago. Once we agree on a budget together, I'm free to spend within those limits. We have never gone into debt for anything other than our home.

In upcomging posts I plan to share and swap ideas on how to live within our means. How to stretch dollars and save for a rainy day. So get those frugal juices flowing. I'd love to hear what you and your family are doing to get out of debt.

Must-have Miami Transportation

If you're going to Miami, you MUST use Invinity Destination Tours and Transportation! Their Miami phone number is: (305)910-3930. You can reach them by e-mail at: vanshuttleservices@yahoo.com

We arrived at Miami International Airport and took a taxi van from the line-up outside the terminal -- a yellow cab or something. Every other time we needed transportation we had the priviledge of using Infinity. The concierge at our hotel lined us up with them, and boy, are we glad!

They handled our transportation from the hotel to the cruise ship's port. Because we had a full day in Miami after the cruise before our flight home left, we signed up for their Everglades tour. It was the highlight of our trip, and very affordable as well!

We wondered what to do with our luggage while on the tour, but Infinity took care of it all. They picked us up from the port, stored and transported our luggage while we took a bus/shuttle to the Everglades, then reunited with us in Miami and took us to the airport -- all for the price of the Everglades Tour -- a bargain!

Best of all, every employee we dealt with from Infinity was courteous, friendly and honest. (Okay, a couple were jokesters and did have us wondering if our luggage was in Orlando. But in the end, everything was just how they said it would be.) Their services are efficient, affordable and trustworthy. I'd use them again in a heartbeat!

(Just in case you were wondering, my husband took the photo of the alligator at the top of this entry right from our boat. Amazing!)

Living My Dream . . .

I’ve changed my mind. As usual. I was all gung-ho to write and market “Annie Investigates: The Column written by a dog about dogs for kids.” But life is happening, and I don’t want to miss a moment spending it behind the computer under a deadline. (How spoiled am I that I can just make up my mind not to try to earn a living?!)

I’ve realized that I like doing things. Lots of things. Things like de-junking, cleaning and re-arranging the girls’ bedrooms. Then planning mini-makeovers for their rooms by painting a little and sewing a lot. Projects give me a buzz. Especially completed projects. Have I ever told you that I designed and managed the making of a set of picket fence beds? True story. This picture proves it. (I tried to get Better Homes and Gardens to market the plans in their magazine, but never heard back. Their loss. Perhaps you’ll see a future post of picket fence bed plans. Would you like that? They’re fairly inexpensive. I completed them in 2000 for a cost of $75 each – and I paid someone $50 to make the end-posts. My husband, dad and brother helped out for free.)




Notice that this bed has two matching head/foot boards. That’s because Lou decided that she wanted to have a “couch” bed. And she wanted to have the two tall headboards (minus the pickets – which really made me sad) so that she could have an arm rest. Despite making Beans livid that I’d changed her bed without her notice, I think that the girls like the change. And I’m looking forward to painting and sewing up cute “couch cushions.”

I’ll post photos when they’re finished. But don’t hold your breath. I firmly believe that fabric needs aging. I choose fabric, buy it, and then let it sit for an average of 2 years before completing the intended project. But as my girls are also on board for this project, I foresee using young fabric.

I hope you don’t mind – I’m going to engage in a little bit of show and tell. You know how I said that I love projects? I made the bedspread on the picket fence bed (there is a matching set), and I made the bedspread and dust ruffle for my own bed (photo below). The fabric for my bedspread was aged about three years. Hence it turned out smashing!



Speaking of smashing, I dispatched two young roosters this morning. (Okay, it was more ‘wringing’ than ‘smashing.’) It was awful watching them die, but I told myself that my Grandmother Glenna would be proud. You might think I’m crass and violent, but let me explain. We wanted to get four baby hens this spring as future egg-layers. When my neighbor said that her son’s preschool class was hatching chicks and I could have as many as I wanted for free, I jumped at the chance. (A dollar saved is a dollar you can spend later for something better.) Knowing that the hatch would be straight run – roughly equal in males and females – we decided to get six chicks, hoping that we’d get at least three hens.

In the end we have four hens but two roosters. As I’m a penny pincher, I couldn’t stand the thought of feeding two roosters to maturity and then disposing of them. I decided that today was the day. Originally I’d intended to use the French method (Off with their heads), but remembered that wringing their necks would work too. Unsavory and detestable as the job was, I feel tough, gritty, and strongly connected to my pioneer ancestry.

In fact, I’ve decided that if more people lived with a pioneer mentality, we’d have a much healthier society. The environment wouldn’t be today’s hot-button issue. More families could afford to have just one wage-earner. Fewer spoiled-rotten children would populate our schools. All this if most people in America practiced the time-tested pioneer motto:

Use is up.
Wear it out.
Make it do.
Or do without.

Easier said than done, of course.

Lighthearted Diatribe on the Economics of Diapers and Tampons

It’s nearing the end of the month, and Thursday’s shopping trip was more about comparing prices than purchasing multiple items. I bought three gallons of milk, but needed to price shampoo and conditioners as Sam’s Club no longer carries their Member’s Mark line that I’ve come to depend on. I figured that as long as I was going to be at Sam’s Club and WalMart I might as well compare prices on the two items that I’ve been thinking about on and off for over a year – disposable diapers and tampons.

It all started when my hormones when wacko. I ended up having a light “monthly” flow that went non-stop for about 6 months straight. Needless to say, I was fed up with needing to use tampons. Fed up with paying a small fortune for them, but unwilling to consider the alternatives. The last time I’d spent so much money on paper products was when my children were in diapers. Hmmmm. Diapers. I recall that when my kids were in the hey-day of diapers, a single one cost around $.06 each. (I’m roughly as old as the dinosaurs.) The tampons I was buying – the plain Jane ones in cardboard and paper wrappers – cost close to that, but I was unsure of the exact numbers.

I don’t know about you, but the thought of tampons costing as much as disposable diapers drove me nuts. Diapers incorporate high tech ingredients and coverings to deliver super techno absorbing abilities. They’re made up of:

Polyethylene Film: plastic used as back-sheet and to help stop liquids from leaking out of the diaper.

Hot Melts: used to glue the different components of the diaper, such as the pad and the elastics.

Hydrophobic Non-woven Polyethylene: used as a top sheet for the leg cuffs; it will not allow water to pass through.

Hydrophilic Non-woven Polyethylene: the main top sheet in contact with the baby skin, allowing the liquids to flow into the diaper core.

Elastic: used to improve the fit of the diaper and usually made of polyurethane foam, rubber or lycras.

Lateral Tapes: used to hold the diaper in place once it is on the baby; made of polypropylene and hot melt.

Frontal Tape: used to allow for multiple repositionings of the lateral tape without tearing the back-sheet; attached to the front of the diaper with adhesive; reduces the thickness of the poly film without the risk of potential tears associated with the lateral tapes.

Cellulose: Used for the construction of the pad. It aids in the integrity and absorbing capacity to the diaper. It comes from pine trees. Liquids are absorbed due to the capillaries in the void spaces between the fibers and the surface tension angle between the fiber and the water.

That sounds like a lot of science to me. Compare that to what it says on my Tampax box under ingredients:

cotton and/or rayon fiber, rayon and/or polyester overwrap, cotton cord, and cotton and/or cotton/polyester thread.

Doesn’t sound very complicated to me, and certainly not equivalent in cost to the process that produces disposable diapers.

And now for the results of my pricing research. To simplify things I’ll just stick with the prices at WalMart, mostly because that’s where I found the cheapest price on tampons, and everyone can shop at WalMart – no membership required. The cheapest plain Jane tampon was the Equate brand at .10 each. Tampax tampons cost $.14 each for any size absorbency.

The least expensive diapers at WalMart are the White Cloud brand. A stage one diaper (closest in size to a tampon) costs $.14 each – the same as a Tampax brand tampon. (I was right!)

Of course prices go up from there. Tampax Pearl and Playtex Gentle Glides with plastic applicators were the most expensive tampons -- $.20 each. Pampers were the most expensive disposable diapers -- $.24 each for a stage 2. Huggies’s stage 3 diapers in a large box (just think how large a stage three diaper is) cost $.21 each – or the same as a high end tampon. Can you believe it?

Despite the anger that wells within me each time I think of tampon manufactures making their fortunes at the expense of menstruating women, I’ve had a great laugh over my economic research. Mostly because my hubby is a cutie.

Hubby had a Utah Beekeepers Association meeting on Thursday at a local restaurant. Our neighbors have a few beehives and were in attendance. When Nancy asked Hubby what I’d been up to lately, Hubby told her about my research project pricing diapers and tampons. Just thinking about my mild-mannered husband having a conversation with our neighbors about the injustices of diaper and tampon pricing makes me laugh until I snort.

My pricing expose my not make a dent in the pricing of tampons, but it did accomplish something. It got at least two men (Ron and Hubby) talking about diapers and tampons. Now that’s a miracle!

Inexpensive Care for Sensitive Skin

Last year when I was working at the university’s bookstore during rush, a student with flawless skin came through my check-out. Being the shy, backward person that I am, I asked what she used on her face to enjoy such radiant skin. (Okay, I may not have used the word ‘radiant.’ But then again, maybe I did.)

Fair maiden was more than happy to divulge her beauty secrets. And although I’ve been using her regimen for over a year now, I feel ready to share it with you. Yes, I still have freckles and occasional breakouts (mostly due to hormonal imbalances), but for the most part my skin feels younger. And my wallet feels fatter.

To remove mascara and eye make-up: baby oil gel. It doesn’t run like regular baby oil and wipes off great with those circular cotton pads. Put a small amount (less than pea size) on your left ring finger pad. Touch right and left ring finger pads together to share gel and then rub over eyes using a light, circular motion. Once eyes are good and raccoon-y, wipe off with cotton pads.

Twice daily facial cleanser: baby wash. (I use Johnson’s.) Best part of this is that even if I open my eyes while my face is good and sudsy (Yes Dear, that tie patched those pants), it doesn’t hurt my eyes!

Evening astringent: Equate-brand (Wal-Mart) astringent for sensitive skin.

Moisturizer: Cetaphil Cream

When I switched to the above products, the redness across my cheeks that I’d been fighting for a couple years went away. (Unless I’m experiencing a hot flash. Nothing works to rid the face of redness during one of those. Urh!) And these new skin care products are much less expensive than the Mary Kay regimen that I was using. Also, my skin is hyper-sensitive. Even Clinique’s eye make-up remover bothered my eyes. So if these products work for me, they’ll probably work for you. And best of all, there’s no multi-level marketing involved!

Eating Like Ethiopians . . .

Happy days are here again!

It's the first of the month, and that means I've got a whole month's budget to spend!

We way overspent in May and as a consequence, I thought it would be a good idea to put the brakes on our spending. So our family has been scrimping lately and eating our food storage -- even powdered milk -- as a lesson in money management. Bug has said that we've been eating "like Ethiopians." But as of today, it's over!

Whew!