Listed below are all of the college football bowls that will be taking place over the next few weeks, plus the payout offered for each bowl. It all adds up to $128,050,000.
That is a disgusting number. For football. It turns my stomach.
So many people in financial trouble. An auto industry about to go bankrupt. The average American being told to "dig a little deeper" for charities this year, yet there are millions being shelled out for college football teams to come play games.
Seriously. Where are our priorities?
EagleBank Bowl
Payout: $750,000
Navy vs. Wake Forest
New Mexico Bowl
Payout: $750,000
Colorado State vs. Fresno State
St. Petersburg (Fla.) Bowl
Payout: $1 million
South Florida vs. Memphis
Las Vegas Bowl
Payout: $1 million
BYU vs. Arizona
New Orleans Bowl
Payout: $325,000
Troy vs. Southern Mississippi
Poinsettia Bowl
Payout: $750,000
Boise State vs. TCU
Hawaii Bowl
Payout: $750,000
Hawaii vs. Notre Dame
Motor City Bowl
Payout: $750,000
TBA vs.Central Michigan
Meineke Bowl
Payout: $1 million
North Carolina vs. West Virginia
Champs Sports Bowl
Payout: $2.125 million
Florida State vs. Wisconsin
Emerald Bowl
Payout: ACC: $750,000; Pac-10: $850,000
California vs. Miami
Independence Bowl
Payout: $1.1 million
Louisiana Tech vs. Northern Illinois
PapaJohns.com Bowl
Payout: $300,000
Rutgers vs. North Carolina State
Alamo Bowl
Payout: $2.25 million
Northwestern vs. Missouri
Humanitarian Bowl
Payout: $750,000
Nevada vs. Maryland
Holiday Bowl
Payout: $2.3 million
Oklahoma State vs. Oregon
Texas Bowl
Payout: $750,000
Rice vs. Western Michigan
Armed Forces Bowl
Payout: $750,000
Houston vs. Air Force
Sun Bowl
Payout: $1.9 million
Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh
Music City Bowl
Payout: $1.7 million
Vanderbilt vs. Boston College
Insight Bowl
Payout: $1.2 million
Kansas vs. Minnesota
Chick-fil-A Bowl
Payout: $3 million
LSU vs. Georgia Tech
Outback Bowl
Payout: $3.2 million
Iowa vs. South Carolina
Capital One Bowl
Payout: $4.25 million
Georgia vs. Michigan State
Gator Bowl
Payout: $2.5 million
Nebraska vs. Clemson
Rose Bowl
Payout: $17 million
Southern Cal vs. Penn State
Orange Bowl
Payout: $17 million
Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech
Cotton Bowl
Payout: $3 million
Texas Tech vs. Mississippi
Liberty Bowl
Payout: $1.8 million
Kentucky vs. East Carolina
Sugar Bowl
Payout: $17 million
Utah (12-0) vs. Alabama (12-1), 8 p.m. (FOX)
International Bowl
Payout: $750,000
Connecticut vs. Buffalo
Fiesta Bowl
Payout: $17 million
Texas vs. Ohio State
GMAC Bowl
Payout: $750,000
Tulsa vs. Ball State
BCS National Championship
Payout: $17 million
Florida vs. Oklahoma
Showing posts with label Money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Money. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Paid Clicks
I do several programs that help earn small amounts of spending money. Three of these programs pay me for just clicking on stuff. It takes about 10 minutes out of my day, and it does take awhile to get enough to cash out, but it's worth it. It probably adds up to $100-$115 a year just for clicking.
The first program I use is Send Earnings. They send me e-mails with clickable links in them. You can take advantage of some of the offers and earn more money (I ordered my Entertainment book through them and made $8). Mostly I just click their links, though (some of the things that come up after you click on the email link say "Click here for confirmation of reading this email". Make sure you click that. It's usually under the picture in black writing.) You can also play games, do surveys and shop through their program to earn money.
Click here to sign up for Send Earnings:
The next program I use is called InboxDollars. It's exactly like Send Earnings.
Click here to sign up for InboxDollars:
With both Send Earnings and InboxDollars you have to have $30 in your account before cashing out. It takes a long time, but keep clicking. It grows. You get $5 for each when you sign up.
The 3rd program I use is QuickRewards. They pay whenever you request it. There is not a minimum cashout, and they pay through PayPal or gift cards (it's your choice). I usually wait until I have at least $10 to cash out.
With Quick Rewards you can earn money by clicking on their daily emails, clicking their daily offer links, doing surveys, answering their daily trivia question and shopping. Lots of ways to earn money there.
Click here to sign up for Quick Rewards:
The first program I use is Send Earnings. They send me e-mails with clickable links in them. You can take advantage of some of the offers and earn more money (I ordered my Entertainment book through them and made $8). Mostly I just click their links, though (some of the things that come up after you click on the email link say "Click here for confirmation of reading this email". Make sure you click that. It's usually under the picture in black writing.) You can also play games, do surveys and shop through their program to earn money.
Click here to sign up for Send Earnings:
The next program I use is called InboxDollars. It's exactly like Send Earnings.
Click here to sign up for InboxDollars:
With both Send Earnings and InboxDollars you have to have $30 in your account before cashing out. It takes a long time, but keep clicking. It grows. You get $5 for each when you sign up.
The 3rd program I use is QuickRewards. They pay whenever you request it. There is not a minimum cashout, and they pay through PayPal or gift cards (it's your choice). I usually wait until I have at least $10 to cash out.
With Quick Rewards you can earn money by clicking on their daily emails, clicking their daily offer links, doing surveys, answering their daily trivia question and shopping. Lots of ways to earn money there.
Click here to sign up for Quick Rewards:
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Money Saving Sunday
I blogged about my newfound love for Google Reader a couple of days ago, and in that post I included some of my newfound "frugal" blogs. The ladies that write these blogs are on top of things when it comes to getting stuff for free or nearly free, and I decided to join them in their quest to save money. I've always been a penny pincher (thanks, Mom!) but the authors of the blogs I read take frugality to new levels. I was inspired, so I'm going to chronicle my Money Saving Sunday for you. I didn't do too bad, actually!
I took Camryn (10) and Aiden (7) with me, because it's just more fun to find deals when you have company (plus, it's a great opportunity for them to learn how to save a buck, too!) I mapped out my journey, taking the most gas-saving route possible.
We started at CVS, where I got:
(2) Nature's Bounty Vitamins (which were B1G1 free; I had 2 coupons for $2 off each)
(1) 24-pack of Nestle Pure Life Water (on sale for $4.99; I had a coupon for $1 off)
(1) Swiffer sweeper starter kit
(1) Swiffer duster starter kit (had a coupon to get this free with purchase of the sweeper kit)
(4) All Small & Mighty concentrated detergents (they were B1G1 free and I had 4 coupons: 3 for $1 each and 1 for $.50)
I had $6 in Extra Care Bucks (ECBs) from a previous visit. My total before coupons and ECBs was $68.68. I only paid $25.32. Since I bought $10 worth of Swiffer products I got $5 in ECBs, plus $2 in ECBs for buying the vitamins, $1 ECB for buying the water and a $2 off $10 coupon for a future visit. That gave me $10 in ECBs! Those ECBs spend like money, so they're good on any future purchases. Remember that.
Our next stop was Bath & Body Works. B&BW is having a Columbus Day sale, which meant they had certain Wallflower scents on sale for $6 (regular price $12.50). I use those things all the time (because I'm a scent junkie and like the house to smell nice!) Before I left home I printed out 2 coupons to get free Scentports ($12.50 value) when you buy $15 worth of merchandise. I gave Camryn $20, a coupon, 3 of the $6 Wallflower refill boxes and one of the Scentports. She paid for her stuff and got the free Scentport. I bought 3 Wallflower refill boxes and got a free Scentport as well. We spent $36 and got $25 in free product. Not bad.
I had to gas up the van, so I popped into a rather new gas station and was pleasantly surprised to find the price to be $2.89 a gallon for regular unleaded. MUCH better than the almost $4 we were paying (due to shortages and hurricanes) a mere 2 weeks ago. It was the first time in a LONG time I've filled up the tank for under $50.
Walgreen's was the next place we stopped. They're currently offering a $10 Register Rebate (basically a coupon for $10 off your next shopping trip) when you buy 3 bottles of Children's Dimetapp medicine. The Dimetapp is currently on sale for $3.99 a bottle; I had 3 coupons for $2 off each bottle. I paid $10.47 for 3 bottles of cough & cold syrup (much needed at our house... we're completely out!) plus a bag of Airheads candy ($1.64 on clearance) and a package of Hershey's Special Dark candy bars ($2.14, also on clearance). The $10 coupon printed out and I stuck it above the visor in the car for use later. Remember that, too.
After leaving Walgreen's we hit another CVS. I picked up 2 bottles of fabric softener (not on sale, but I desperately needed it!) and a black Halloween wig for Camryn (not on sale either, but it was a decent price at $4.99 and it was necessary to complete her Cleopatra costume.) Total spent: $4.25 after the ECBs, plus I scored another $2 off $10 coupon for my next CVS trip. It's tucked safely away for a future visit.
We moved on to Target, where I spent way too much (I never get out of Target for less than $200! Is that sad?!?) I had tons of coupons for Target. This week they have 6-packs of Lever soap (hubby's new favorite) on sale for $3.79. I had printed 4 coupons for $1 each and had another for $.50 off, so I bought 5 packs (we're set for soap for awhile, huh?) Suave kids' shampoo is $1.69 this week, so I got one bottle and used my $1/1 coupon, making that shampoo a mere $.69. Hostess Snack Cakes (for lunch boxes, doncha know) are $3 each this week, and I had 2 coupons for $.75 off. Not bad. The best deal was the Archer Farms brand stuff... it's all 15% off this week, and Target has printable coupons out there. I scored some tropical juice for $1.08 each (I found these in clearance for $2.08 a bottle, and I had $1 off coupons), 2 cans of Honey Roasted Almonds ($2.89/can sale priced minus $.50 each with coupons), and 4 boxes of Archer Farms cookies ($2.11/box minus $.50 each with coupons). I also picked up 3 bottles of my favorite shampoo (Neutrogena 2 in 1 for dry scalp), which is $5.99/bottle. I had 3 coupons for $2 off each bottle, which is pretty good for a shampoo I use a lot. I also bought 2 games for Aiden's classroom (items from his teacher's wish list). I had coupons for those, too (and one game was even on sale! Score!) My total at Target was $167.54, but before coupons it was $191, so that's not a bad deal for stuff we need.
After Target we stopped for ice cream. My frequent buyer card was full, so we got a free cone. Cha-ching!
Bloom (a local grocery store) was next. They were offering triple coupons this weekend, so the place was a madhouse. I had been in there on Friday (twice, because they only let you triple 20 coupons at a time. I made one trip in, paid, put groceries in the car, went back in, paid, and left to go pick up the kids... I went back today because I had 14 more coupons to use!)
When we got to Bloom my frequent shopper card wouldn't work so we could get the self-scanner thing (a must at Bloom, because it's SO MUCH FUN to use and makes the trip much quicker!) I'm glad it didn't scan, because I noticed something going on while I was standing at customer service. Cashiers were handing out stickers with customers' receipts. I asked the CS rep what that was all about and she explained the Cook Happy program. When you spend $1000, you get free cookware. Now, $1000 sounds like a lot of cash, but over the course of several months that does add up. I know our monthly food budget is $600, so it wouldn't take me long to spend $1000 if I shopped at Bloom all the time. (Plus, they give a percentage of my purchases back to the kids' school.) Since I was in Bloom twice on Friday and didn't get my stickers, the CS rep was nice enough to look at my receipts and give me my Happy Points. Cool!
In three trips to Bloom this weekend I purchased a total of $221.36 worth of groceries and paid only $113.95 after store specials and coupons were deducted. That's a savings of $107.41! And no, I didn't buy stuff we won't ever use. I only bought stuff we use all the time (In fact, tonight we had the Angus ribeyes that I got on Friday, and we are stocked up on Campbell's soup. I see lots of soup -n- sandwich nights in our future! Yum-oh!)
We were tuckered out after Bloom, but as we were leaving I remembered I hadn't bought milk. I ran into (yet another) Walgreen's on the way home and bought 3 gallons of milk. I used my $10 off certificate that I'd earned buying the cough medicine, so I paid a whopping $1.37 for that milk.
When we got home and everything was put away, I put on a DVD that I'd gotten in the mail. The kids were supposed to watch it, then I fill out a survey and return the DVD. When they get the DVD back, they will send me a check for $7. That pays for the gas I spent running around today and then some!
All in all a very satisfying day. I don't know if I could do this running around every Sunday, but I feel like I accomplished a lot today.
I took Camryn (10) and Aiden (7) with me, because it's just more fun to find deals when you have company (plus, it's a great opportunity for them to learn how to save a buck, too!) I mapped out my journey, taking the most gas-saving route possible.
We started at CVS, where I got:
(2) Nature's Bounty Vitamins (which were B1G1 free; I had 2 coupons for $2 off each)
(1) 24-pack of Nestle Pure Life Water (on sale for $4.99; I had a coupon for $1 off)
(1) Swiffer sweeper starter kit
(1) Swiffer duster starter kit (had a coupon to get this free with purchase of the sweeper kit)
(4) All Small & Mighty concentrated detergents (they were B1G1 free and I had 4 coupons: 3 for $1 each and 1 for $.50)
I had $6 in Extra Care Bucks (ECBs) from a previous visit. My total before coupons and ECBs was $68.68. I only paid $25.32. Since I bought $10 worth of Swiffer products I got $5 in ECBs, plus $2 in ECBs for buying the vitamins, $1 ECB for buying the water and a $2 off $10 coupon for a future visit. That gave me $10 in ECBs! Those ECBs spend like money, so they're good on any future purchases. Remember that.
Our next stop was Bath & Body Works. B&BW is having a Columbus Day sale, which meant they had certain Wallflower scents on sale for $6 (regular price $12.50). I use those things all the time (because I'm a scent junkie and like the house to smell nice!) Before I left home I printed out 2 coupons to get free Scentports ($12.50 value) when you buy $15 worth of merchandise. I gave Camryn $20, a coupon, 3 of the $6 Wallflower refill boxes and one of the Scentports. She paid for her stuff and got the free Scentport. I bought 3 Wallflower refill boxes and got a free Scentport as well. We spent $36 and got $25 in free product. Not bad.
I had to gas up the van, so I popped into a rather new gas station and was pleasantly surprised to find the price to be $2.89 a gallon for regular unleaded. MUCH better than the almost $4 we were paying (due to shortages and hurricanes) a mere 2 weeks ago. It was the first time in a LONG time I've filled up the tank for under $50.
Walgreen's was the next place we stopped. They're currently offering a $10 Register Rebate (basically a coupon for $10 off your next shopping trip) when you buy 3 bottles of Children's Dimetapp medicine. The Dimetapp is currently on sale for $3.99 a bottle; I had 3 coupons for $2 off each bottle. I paid $10.47 for 3 bottles of cough & cold syrup (much needed at our house... we're completely out!) plus a bag of Airheads candy ($1.64 on clearance) and a package of Hershey's Special Dark candy bars ($2.14, also on clearance). The $10 coupon printed out and I stuck it above the visor in the car for use later. Remember that, too.
After leaving Walgreen's we hit another CVS. I picked up 2 bottles of fabric softener (not on sale, but I desperately needed it!) and a black Halloween wig for Camryn (not on sale either, but it was a decent price at $4.99 and it was necessary to complete her Cleopatra costume.) Total spent: $4.25 after the ECBs, plus I scored another $2 off $10 coupon for my next CVS trip. It's tucked safely away for a future visit.
We moved on to Target, where I spent way too much (I never get out of Target for less than $200! Is that sad?!?) I had tons of coupons for Target. This week they have 6-packs of Lever soap (hubby's new favorite) on sale for $3.79. I had printed 4 coupons for $1 each and had another for $.50 off, so I bought 5 packs (we're set for soap for awhile, huh?) Suave kids' shampoo is $1.69 this week, so I got one bottle and used my $1/1 coupon, making that shampoo a mere $.69. Hostess Snack Cakes (for lunch boxes, doncha know) are $3 each this week, and I had 2 coupons for $.75 off. Not bad. The best deal was the Archer Farms brand stuff... it's all 15% off this week, and Target has printable coupons out there. I scored some tropical juice for $1.08 each (I found these in clearance for $2.08 a bottle, and I had $1 off coupons), 2 cans of Honey Roasted Almonds ($2.89/can sale priced minus $.50 each with coupons), and 4 boxes of Archer Farms cookies ($2.11/box minus $.50 each with coupons). I also picked up 3 bottles of my favorite shampoo (Neutrogena 2 in 1 for dry scalp), which is $5.99/bottle. I had 3 coupons for $2 off each bottle, which is pretty good for a shampoo I use a lot. I also bought 2 games for Aiden's classroom (items from his teacher's wish list). I had coupons for those, too (and one game was even on sale! Score!) My total at Target was $167.54, but before coupons it was $191, so that's not a bad deal for stuff we need.
After Target we stopped for ice cream. My frequent buyer card was full, so we got a free cone. Cha-ching!
Bloom (a local grocery store) was next. They were offering triple coupons this weekend, so the place was a madhouse. I had been in there on Friday (twice, because they only let you triple 20 coupons at a time. I made one trip in, paid, put groceries in the car, went back in, paid, and left to go pick up the kids... I went back today because I had 14 more coupons to use!)
When we got to Bloom my frequent shopper card wouldn't work so we could get the self-scanner thing (a must at Bloom, because it's SO MUCH FUN to use and makes the trip much quicker!) I'm glad it didn't scan, because I noticed something going on while I was standing at customer service. Cashiers were handing out stickers with customers' receipts. I asked the CS rep what that was all about and she explained the Cook Happy program. When you spend $1000, you get free cookware. Now, $1000 sounds like a lot of cash, but over the course of several months that does add up. I know our monthly food budget is $600, so it wouldn't take me long to spend $1000 if I shopped at Bloom all the time. (Plus, they give a percentage of my purchases back to the kids' school.) Since I was in Bloom twice on Friday and didn't get my stickers, the CS rep was nice enough to look at my receipts and give me my Happy Points. Cool!
In three trips to Bloom this weekend I purchased a total of $221.36 worth of groceries and paid only $113.95 after store specials and coupons were deducted. That's a savings of $107.41! And no, I didn't buy stuff we won't ever use. I only bought stuff we use all the time (In fact, tonight we had the Angus ribeyes that I got on Friday, and we are stocked up on Campbell's soup. I see lots of soup -n- sandwich nights in our future! Yum-oh!)
We were tuckered out after Bloom, but as we were leaving I remembered I hadn't bought milk. I ran into (yet another) Walgreen's on the way home and bought 3 gallons of milk. I used my $10 off certificate that I'd earned buying the cough medicine, so I paid a whopping $1.37 for that milk.
When we got home and everything was put away, I put on a DVD that I'd gotten in the mail. The kids were supposed to watch it, then I fill out a survey and return the DVD. When they get the DVD back, they will send me a check for $7. That pays for the gas I spent running around today and then some!
All in all a very satisfying day. I don't know if I could do this running around every Sunday, but I feel like I accomplished a lot today.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Simplicity
As I sit here listening to the House debate the bailout bill on C-SPAN, I'm struck by two thoughts. Maybe I'm blissfully naive, or maybe I'm just too simplistic, but it seems so clear to me how to fix this mess.
(1) Save money. Don't spend everything you have, and that will leave you with CASH reserves. If you stick to your budget and don't overspend, you won't NEED to borrow money and therefore the credit markets won't need saving.
(2) Will these companies really learn a lesson if the government fixes their problems? Seriously? How many times has that worked for people? You never learn if you don't have to learn hard lessons the hard way. If my kids do something wrong, I let them work it out. Forget your homework? Deal with the consequences. Hit your brother? Deal with the consequences. Sign a mortgage you cannot afford? Tough. I never put pen to the paper if I don't fully understand something. It's your fault that you can't pay for your house, because you chose to sign your name to something YOU DID NOT UNDERSTAND and therefore CANNOT AFFORD. Home ownership is not a God given right. You have to be able to PAY the PAYMENTS, Jack.
On the 3rd day of my freshman year at the University of Alabama, I got the overwhelming urge that I didn't need to be there anymore. I called my mom and she told me to come home. I went home and cried with her and talked to her and she made it very clear that if I wanted to quit UA, I had to take care of the withdrawal process on my own, as well as find a new school and get myself enrolled ASAP. She didn't do a lick of that for me, and I'm glad she didn't. I was scared stiff, but I am a stronger person because I bailed myself out. Anytime I wanted to quit something from that day on, I actually thought through the difficulty of removing myself from the situation vs. seeing it through. I LEARNED from having to take care of my own messes. I was 18. How old is Lehman Brothers? See what I mean?
Now, I know that there's a huge fear of the economy collapsing. But I think it would be a sort of financial cleansing. My mom's dad was a teenager when the stock market collapsed in 1929. Having to live through that time in our history made him a very frugal man. He was very careful with his money and eschewed borrowing money; I'd go out on a limb and say that the majority of the people from that generation were scared to death to lose it all because they remembered what it was like to have nothing. I think it would be a defining moment in our history to let the bailout bill fail again, letting the chips fall where they may. It would surely make us stronger as a country.
But that's just my two cents' worth.
(1) Save money. Don't spend everything you have, and that will leave you with CASH reserves. If you stick to your budget and don't overspend, you won't NEED to borrow money and therefore the credit markets won't need saving.
(2) Will these companies really learn a lesson if the government fixes their problems? Seriously? How many times has that worked for people? You never learn if you don't have to learn hard lessons the hard way. If my kids do something wrong, I let them work it out. Forget your homework? Deal with the consequences. Hit your brother? Deal with the consequences. Sign a mortgage you cannot afford? Tough. I never put pen to the paper if I don't fully understand something. It's your fault that you can't pay for your house, because you chose to sign your name to something YOU DID NOT UNDERSTAND and therefore CANNOT AFFORD. Home ownership is not a God given right. You have to be able to PAY the PAYMENTS, Jack.
On the 3rd day of my freshman year at the University of Alabama, I got the overwhelming urge that I didn't need to be there anymore. I called my mom and she told me to come home. I went home and cried with her and talked to her and she made it very clear that if I wanted to quit UA, I had to take care of the withdrawal process on my own, as well as find a new school and get myself enrolled ASAP. She didn't do a lick of that for me, and I'm glad she didn't. I was scared stiff, but I am a stronger person because I bailed myself out. Anytime I wanted to quit something from that day on, I actually thought through the difficulty of removing myself from the situation vs. seeing it through. I LEARNED from having to take care of my own messes. I was 18. How old is Lehman Brothers? See what I mean?
Now, I know that there's a huge fear of the economy collapsing. But I think it would be a sort of financial cleansing. My mom's dad was a teenager when the stock market collapsed in 1929. Having to live through that time in our history made him a very frugal man. He was very careful with his money and eschewed borrowing money; I'd go out on a limb and say that the majority of the people from that generation were scared to death to lose it all because they remembered what it was like to have nothing. I think it would be a defining moment in our history to let the bailout bill fail again, letting the chips fall where they may. It would surely make us stronger as a country.
But that's just my two cents' worth.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Monday Thoughts
It's currently 71.1 degrees in Orlando right now. iGoogle taunts me with the Orlando weather every time I sign on, because I gave it permission to do so. I like knowing the Orlando weather, but not on days when it's 48.9 degrees where I live. Sheesh. It was gorgeous over the weekend, and now this AGAIN. If I'm going to have an allergy-induced cotton wad in the back of my throat, I'd at least like it to be because Spring is here to stay. It feels more like winter outside, and I DON'T LIKE IT.
(I shaved for this? I want to wear shorts, doggone it! I didn't pull out the Intuition razor just to have to cover my bare legs with long pants yet again!)
=================================================
Today is day 14 of no eating out (except on Sundays after church). When I put this plan into motion, I wasn't sure how it would work. 'Twas an adventurous experiment.
I planned out 2 weeks' worth of menus and committed myself to at least that many days of homecooked meals. There have been some complaints about the menu, but for the most part, I can say it's working. We have modified the schedule so that I can take Fridays off (we have leftovers and give the kids Totino's pizza), and I don't cook on Sunday nights. After a big Sunday lunch out, most of us aren't very hungry anyway. We either have sandwiches or cereal. Works for me.
I have noticed three major differences in our family since starting this experiment:
(1) We're not rushing to dinner and back from dinner, getting everyone quickly bathed and dressed, then racing to get the kids in bed before 8 pm. Now we have a leisurely dinner at home. We talk more, the kids linger over their food, they help more with the clean-up, and we have lots of time to sit together and talk in the den, or watch Wheel of Fortune & Jeopardy, or play a quick Wii game together. Going out to eat is supposed to save time, but I've really found the opposite to be true.
(2) We're not eating as many calories. I've lost a little weight without really trying to, simply because we're not eating in restaurants where I can't control the preparation of my meal.
(3) Our kids are much happier, and their attitudes have vastly improved. More time with Mom & Dad means happier, more obedient children. I'm not kidding. I *knew* that, but when we were eating out so much there just wasn't time to spend time, ya' know?
I have to admit I'm more fulfilled cooking for my family, too. I love to cook for everyone; it just meets a need I have to serve my loved ones. I love doing things for people, because it makes me feel important. Then there's the part of me that loves to be organized, and having the menu planned out really meets that need for me. I feel in control, and that gives me a huge amount of satisfaction.
Dinner's beeping, and there are two children in the tub that need to be washed. Wish today's thoughts could've been funnier, but they are what they are.
Happy Monday!
(I shaved for this? I want to wear shorts, doggone it! I didn't pull out the Intuition razor just to have to cover my bare legs with long pants yet again!)
=================================================
Today is day 14 of no eating out (except on Sundays after church). When I put this plan into motion, I wasn't sure how it would work. 'Twas an adventurous experiment.
I planned out 2 weeks' worth of menus and committed myself to at least that many days of homecooked meals. There have been some complaints about the menu, but for the most part, I can say it's working. We have modified the schedule so that I can take Fridays off (we have leftovers and give the kids Totino's pizza), and I don't cook on Sunday nights. After a big Sunday lunch out, most of us aren't very hungry anyway. We either have sandwiches or cereal. Works for me.
I have noticed three major differences in our family since starting this experiment:
(1) We're not rushing to dinner and back from dinner, getting everyone quickly bathed and dressed, then racing to get the kids in bed before 8 pm. Now we have a leisurely dinner at home. We talk more, the kids linger over their food, they help more with the clean-up, and we have lots of time to sit together and talk in the den, or watch Wheel of Fortune & Jeopardy, or play a quick Wii game together. Going out to eat is supposed to save time, but I've really found the opposite to be true.
(2) We're not eating as many calories. I've lost a little weight without really trying to, simply because we're not eating in restaurants where I can't control the preparation of my meal.
(3) Our kids are much happier, and their attitudes have vastly improved. More time with Mom & Dad means happier, more obedient children. I'm not kidding. I *knew* that, but when we were eating out so much there just wasn't time to spend time, ya' know?
I have to admit I'm more fulfilled cooking for my family, too. I love to cook for everyone; it just meets a need I have to serve my loved ones. I love doing things for people, because it makes me feel important. Then there's the part of me that loves to be organized, and having the menu planned out really meets that need for me. I feel in control, and that gives me a huge amount of satisfaction.
Dinner's beeping, and there are two children in the tub that need to be washed. Wish today's thoughts could've been funnier, but they are what they are.
Happy Monday!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Maturity
My task for the day: rummage around in the storage space in the basement and try to find the box of size 2/3 girl clothing. Then bring that box upstairs and sort and wash the clothes in the box. While the clothes are washing, purge all things too small from Lillian's closet. Once the previously boxed clothes are clean, hang them in Lillian's closet.
Doesn't sound too bad, huh? Believe it or not, it's an all day process.
My Lillian has grown recently, and her little clothes are too short. Bless her heart. She looks like a little street urchin.
I always hate it when my kids outgrow their clothing. It means that (1) they're getting older (AND BIGGER!) and (2) I have to say goodbye to their clothes that I've grown to love. Weird. I know.
When Camryn was around 2-ish, I started buying all of her clothes at Gymboree. We had gotten a little comfortable financially, so I felt like I could start paying premium prices for my daughter's clothes. Plus, everything in Gymboree was so darned cute!
I admit, though, that one of my secret reasons for buying pricey clothing for my daughter was because it made me feel important. She looked great, all dressed up in her fancy duds with matching hats, hairbows, socks, purses, etc. My daughter's wardrobe made me think people considered us rich enough to afford such things. It made me feel superior.
What an idiot I was. People don't care what my kids wear.
Well, people care, but usually they're the people you don't want to be friends with anyhow.
I've grown up a LOT since then. We now have our financial house in order (thanks to Dave Ramsey). We're more financially comfortable than we ever have been, but you wouldn't know it to look at us. We don't wear labels anymore. I only look at the price tag, not the designer tag. I'm really super proud of that achievement.
I'm not saying that such clothes are evil. I'm just saying I could care less about what the kids' tags say. All I care is that their clothes are clean and that they match. If they looked like someone cared enough to make them look presentable, then I've done my job.
But back to Lillian's closet.
Today, while pulling those clothes out of the storage box, I was reminded of that time when I bought way too many clothes for my daughter. The outfits are adorable, and I can't wait to see Lillian wearing them (and thank goodness they'll see more wear!), but all of those clothes make me sad.....Sad that I was ever so wrapped up in what others think of me. What a dork.
Live and learn. Live and learn.
Doesn't sound too bad, huh? Believe it or not, it's an all day process.
My Lillian has grown recently, and her little clothes are too short. Bless her heart. She looks like a little street urchin.
I always hate it when my kids outgrow their clothing. It means that (1) they're getting older (AND BIGGER!) and (2) I have to say goodbye to their clothes that I've grown to love. Weird. I know.
When Camryn was around 2-ish, I started buying all of her clothes at Gymboree. We had gotten a little comfortable financially, so I felt like I could start paying premium prices for my daughter's clothes. Plus, everything in Gymboree was so darned cute!
I admit, though, that one of my secret reasons for buying pricey clothing for my daughter was because it made me feel important. She looked great, all dressed up in her fancy duds with matching hats, hairbows, socks, purses, etc. My daughter's wardrobe made me think people considered us rich enough to afford such things. It made me feel superior.
What an idiot I was. People don't care what my kids wear.
Well, people care, but usually they're the people you don't want to be friends with anyhow.
I've grown up a LOT since then. We now have our financial house in order (thanks to Dave Ramsey). We're more financially comfortable than we ever have been, but you wouldn't know it to look at us. We don't wear labels anymore. I only look at the price tag, not the designer tag. I'm really super proud of that achievement.
I'm not saying that such clothes are evil. I'm just saying I could care less about what the kids' tags say. All I care is that their clothes are clean and that they match. If they looked like someone cared enough to make them look presentable, then I've done my job.
But back to Lillian's closet.
Today, while pulling those clothes out of the storage box, I was reminded of that time when I bought way too many clothes for my daughter. The outfits are adorable, and I can't wait to see Lillian wearing them (and thank goodness they'll see more wear!), but all of those clothes make me sad.....Sad that I was ever so wrapped up in what others think of me. What a dork.
Live and learn. Live and learn.
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