Tip of the Day 6/14/11

Summertime is a great opportunity to expand our reading base.  Every summer I set a goal of reading something specific besides my normal pursuits and interests.  One summer I read The Complete Works of Shakespeare, another summer I read Emily Dickinson, and another summer I read The Bobbsey Twins and Nancy Drew books.  This summer I have chosen biographies/diaries of women; the first one is Louisa May Alcott and then Anne Morrow Lindberg.  I continue reading the things I normally do and between each of those books I read one of the special summer category.  It has been a great way to re-read favorites and expand my horizons.  This is a great way to get children to read something they normally wouldn't pick up. 

Tip of the Day 6/13/11

Summertime and reading go hand-in-hand.  How do you stop the frustration of lost and overdue Library books and DVD's?  Place a bag or basket by the door you use to enter and exit the house.  All items stay in the container unless being read or watched and only one item per person can be removed from the basket at a time.  As soon as the book is read or DVD is watched, return it to the basket.  Keep a printout of the items with the due date and a pencil in the basket, when the item is removed initial the item, mark it off when returned.  This will help in the search if the item is missing .  

Tip of the Day 6/7/11

Now that all the cobwebs are knocked down and swept away let's sweep those decks and patios and sidewalks and porches.  Create a clean and inviting area around your home that people will want to spend time in and enjoy.  A clean deck draws people outside.  Everyone likes to drive up to their home and see a clean front porch and sidewalk.  Set a standard in your neighborhood, you might inspire the neighbors to "keep up with the Jonses."  The outside is still a part of your home and requires cleaning just like the inside.  Make it a clean place to be.

Tip of the Day 6/6/11

Summer and warmer weather means cobwebs, inside and outside our homes.  No one likes to sit down on the deck or walk out the door into a cobweb.  To avoid this ugly incident from happening to you or you friends and family take a broom and sweep all the edges of the doorways and under the awnings and pergolas around your home.  Sweep under your outdoor furniture and around the back of the seating.  Sweep the broom through the air under trees and other overhangs, anywhere there might be the chance a web has formed.  This will lead to a much more pleasant outdoor experience for everyone.

Tip of the Day 6/4/11

Let's head to the nearest Farmer's Market today and plan our menu for the next week.  This time of year it is great to go to the market and choose the freshest in season produce and plan your menu based on what it is instead of planning a menu then shopping for the needed ingredients.  Experiment and substitute with different herbs and vegetables.  If the recipe calls for potatoes, try a rutabaga instead.  Salads topped with fresh crisp veges and fruit with just a little steak, chicken, or seafood are perfect.  Grill the meat one night cooking an extra serving to cut up the next night and serve in a salad.  Cook a big pot of fresh green beans, new potatoes, and onions with a little ham or bacon and you have a meal with cornbread or other crusty bread.  Simple is the key to summer meals.  Be daring at the Farmer's Market.  I always ask the woman at our vege stand (we have them on almost every corner) what she would recommend doing with certain produce.  The seller is always willing to make a recommendation.  Enjoy the bounty of the season.

Tip of the Day 6/2/11

Another great money tip:  Every time you pay for an item using cash (which I hope is the majority of the time) break a new bill.  Never use your change in a store except for pennies.  Save ALL of your change and it will add up very quickly.  Designate it for a specific purpose and it will motivate you to save it all.  Set it aside for your monthly pedicure or use it to treat yourself once a week to that Starbucks you are craving.  I set mine aside and use it to garage sale every week during the summer.  In the winter I just keep saving it and then when garage sales start in the Spring I have plenty to shop with.  Start a good habit today.  

Tip of the Day 6/1/11

As we begin a new month it is a great time to begin a new habit.  For the next month write down every penny you and everyone in your household spends each day.  Note the amount and what it was spent on.  At the end of the month examine the purchases and evaluate where you could have saved over the month.  You will be astounded at the results.  It is a great motivator to really pay attention to where your money goes and how you could do a better job saving toward those things that really matter.