Day 8 - 30 Day Abundance Project

Day 8 - $12,800

I've joined Millionaire Mommy in a 30 Day Abundance Exercise.

Today I washed our bedding and after I finished remaking the beds I laid there for a while taking a break from my uncharacteristic bout of energy.

When I actually have energy, I want to get things done. The only problem is when these rare occasions roll around, there's so much to do that it's impossible for me to get it done on my own. I know the key is to work slowly and steadily, day by day. Even if I only spend 15 minutes a day cleaning one room, it will make a difference after a week.

While I was lying there, it occurred to me that I could use my "money" to hire someone to help me, and in doing so, could help out someone else. One of my sisters owns her own housecleaning business. I figured out what I'd spend today's money on.

My sister charges $20 per hour. I'd like her to come one day a week, usually when I'm here, but sometimes I won't be here. I'd like her to clean for six hours, and she's going to have to leave her chemical cleaners at home. She lives 62 miles from me, so it will take her at least an hour drive to get here, and an hour drive home. Her current vehicle is a really huge gas hog. I would be willing to set aside this $12,800 to hire my sister to come help me clean and declutter my home.

I will pay her for her driving time, which will be at least 2 hours, and sometimes 3 - depending on traffic, and for her gas money. So $180 for the nine hours, and $50 for gasoline, for one day of helping me out. If she can persuade her son to come with her once a month, I'll pay him $50 to do hoof trims on our goats.

So I figure the cost every four weeks to be $970. 48 weeks worth of housework - and I'm going to ask her to haul away any junk (she can get into her city dump free with her water bill, I have to pay to use our dump). The cost comes to $12,610.00 for eleven months of housework.

This would help my sister A LOT. She is a single mother (the father is deceased) and she will be able to work less and be home more for her three teen-aged children.

Gratitude: I am grateful that my children have their father, and that he is a good father. I am grateful for the burst of energy I had today.

Remember this is an exercise in abundance. I am not yet ready to participate in "Show Me The Money" that Millionaire Mommy is now including in her posts. BTW, Millionaire Mommy's sister-in-law is somewhere in the wilderness lost. I hope and pray she is found safely.

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Day 7 - 30 Day Abundance Project

Day 7 - $6400

I've joined Millionaire Mommy in a 30 Day Abundance Exercise.

Oh, this is getting a little difficult for me. I just don't want much. Well, I guess with today's money we would buy the materials needed to build an addition onto our home. We bought an air conditioner that would handle an extra room when we bought our place as we planned to build an extra room within the first year. We never got that done. So we know the air conditioner can handle another room. I'd also hire a painter to paint our home. Mr. A doesn't mind painting with his spray painter but it's not really one of his favorite things to do. So we'll get someone else to do it and help out their business.

Remember this is an exercise that is supposed to stimulate our thinking about abundance, I'm not really spending all this money. If you want to join in, learn more at Millionaire Mommy's.

Gratitude: I'm grateful that we can still afford to pay for gas and food at the increased costs. Even though it's more expensive, I'm grateful that we have air conditioning in our home.

About Day 6, Mommy Millionaire started out with "Show Me The Money". I am not sure if I'm up to that much brainstorming. We'll see if I can figure something out for tomorrow.

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Happy 4th of July, America!

Today our nation celebrates 232 years of independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. I am proud to live in this country. God Bless America!

I shot this photo one of the evenings I stayed in the hotel for the conference. The hotel I was staying in was very close to a place where they show fireworks every year - I guess they were testing that evening. I didn't have time to set up my tripod, I think I would have gotten a better photo if I'd been able to.

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My 2nd Snowflake

I do the company banking for my employer one day each week. I haven't taken "mileage" for those miles for almost a year. In May my boss asked me to give one of our clients a ride home because her transportation could not give an estimated time of arrival. We get $0.48 per mile for every mile we drive for company business, and this was 33 miles round trip. Plus I can take the 24 miles to the bank (3 miles to and from, 4 days each month). My mileage check came to $23.08. I decided to snowflake this money toward one of our debts. While doing the company banking I cashed the check and got a money order for $25.00 (money orders are free with my account). The money order is earmarked for a bill of Mr. A's that we are hoping to pay in full by December of this year.

I've decided to start turning in my mileage each month and snowflaking that extra income to our debt.

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Day 6 - 30 Day Abundance Project

Day 6 - $3200

I've joined Millionaire Mommy in a 30 Day Abundance Exercise.

I'm using my money today to fix up a vehicle that's sitting in my yard in bad shape. It ran great the last time we used it, but it did have a few little quirks. It's been sitting for a few years without being started so I'm going to have the gasoline removed from the gas tank and change the oil before trying to start it. There was a weird little fan problem that needs to be fixed. It will need four new tires which will cost around $200 as they are small tires. I'm going to buy seat covers and have the inside detailed and have the outside waxed and polished.

Then I have a decision to make. Either give it back to the sister I bought it from, or give it to our baby sister. Both are single parents with children. Both of them could use the vehicle. Hmmm... well, with $3200 maybe I can buy a good used car as well.


Gratitude: I'm very grateful that my husband and I were able to resolve our problems and get married to each other again. I'm very grateful our family is back together as a unit.

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Free Address Labels

It's true most everything can be done online and I take advantage of that when I can. I use the free BillPay through my bank, register for online rebates and most of my bill are drawn automatically from my checking account. However, I still find a need for address labels, envelopes and stamps. I probably go through a book of stamps every other month or so. Sometimes I print out articles I know my mom would enjoy and mail them to her and it's just easier to have a book of stamps on hand to affix the number needed.

About seven years ago I somehow got hooked up with Paralyzed Veterans of America. I don't even remember how but I remember donating $3 and the next thing you know they are sending me address labels 4 times a year. I donate $5 every now and then and they just keep sending them. I keep a page of labels at work in my desk drawer with some blank envelopes, and I keep the rest of the labels above my computer area at home. It saves a few moments of my time to stick a label on instead of having to write it out. I use the address labels for rebate forms when possible. I still send out Christmas cards and the vets send Christmas-y type labels in time.

Here's the thing - you don't need to donate any money, you can get the labels free. I do find them handy, so I send them money on occasion. If you would like free labels, just go to Paralyzed Veterans of America. Put in your information and make sure it's correct, this is the only chance you will have as once you press Process Label Order and Make Special Donation your order will be placed. You will at that time be asked to make a special donation so you can just close the window at that point.

You'll have plenty of opportunity in the future to donate as they will now send you labels several times a year. I assume if I had never donated $3 to $5 here and there they would have stopped sending labels by now, but it seems the more money I send the more labels I get.

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Day 5 - 30 Day Abundance Project

Day 5 - $1600

I've joined Millionaire Mommy in a 30 Day Abundance Exercise.

One of the things I'm buying with my $1600 today will be a cream separator. We've been wanting one of these for as many years as we've had goats. Goat's milk is naturally homogenized and so it's not possible to extract much of the cream without a separator. This particular one I've had my eye on costs $415. Oh, and shipping is free. Nice.

I'm also going to go ahead and buy an electric butter churn. That's another $263.95. I'm assuming free shipping on this one as well.

It's time for me to buy new glasses - it's been over two years and my lenses are scratched. I'm very, very careful about my glasses but I bought the kind with magnetic clip-on sunglasses the last time and I'm sure that is what is scratching the lenses. I need trifocals but I prefer to wear progressives. The last time I bought a pair the cost was $300 after the doctor's visit, and the clip-on sunglasses.

If I were brave enough, and frugal enough, I could order glasses from Zenni Optical once I got my prescription from the optometrist. Zenni Optical boasts that they can produce prescription eyeglasses - frame and lenses - for $8.00. This is only for single vision lenses and the frames won't make a fashion statement. Progressive lenses would run $37. A friend of mine has tried this company and was satisfied with her $8.00 glasses. She wears contacts almost all the time but occasionally gives her eyes a rest and wants to wear eyeglasses while at home so she didn't really care what the frame looked like.

I still have $621.05 to spend. I'm buying my mom a nice laptop computer with a keyboard and mouse. Yes, I know laptops have their own keyboard and touchscreen I can't stand laptop keyboards and hate using a touchscreen over a mouse. She has a very ancient desktop computer, it uses Windows 95 and is difficult to get to since it's in a spare bedroom which is more like a storage room. I think the laptop will be easier for her, since it will be portable.

Gratitude: I'm grateful that my vision is corrected to 20/20 with glasses. I'm grateful that my teeth are in good condition.

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Electricity Update June's Usage

I am pleased to report the programmable thermostat has helped us to save money on electricity for the month of June. In June 2007 we used 3410kwh and last month we used 2775. Since our air conditioner is our biggest electricity hog I am sure using the programmable thermostat, plus everyone in the family becoming willing to withstand 81°F in the daytime has helped our usage to go down.

CURRENT MONTH - JUNE 2008
1230kwh on peak
1545kwh off peak
2775kwh TOTAL

The electricity bill came to $341.29.

LAST YEAR - JUNE 2007:
1520kwh on peak
1890kwh off peak
3410kwh TOTAL

Last year the bill for June was $359.75.

We used 290 less on peak kw hours, and 345 less kw hours. But as you can see we only saved $18.46. The price of electricity has gone up in the last year.

The only problem is the thermostat keeps losing its programming. I am going to read over the user's manual again and reset it, and replace the battery in case that is the problem.

We tried keeping the unit at higher than 81°F but it is just too hot. It is tolerable during the day. We can't sleep at night when it's 81°F and we do use fans to help circulate the air. We were keeping the unit at 76°F at night with hopes of starting the house out at a cooler temperature for the day but it doesn't seem to help all that much. So I think I am going to set the thermostat to 78°F and see if it is possible to sleep at this higher temp.

I'm looking forward to seeing how we do next month as July is typically the hottest month of the year.

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Our Stimulus Check Arrived!

Finally, our stimulus check arrived yesterday afternoon.

Now that it's finally here, $450 of it has been earmarked for A. Jr. and I to go to church camp in a few weeks.

The other $750 is going into the checking account as we're in saving mode since Mr. A's business has slowed down a bit. We're running ads in two local papers and have placed an ad on Craigslist. Mr. A has been keeping busy working around our little ranch which always needs something fixed but he's anxious to have some work that will bring in some money.

Are you still waiting on your stimulus check?

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Day 4 - MM's 30 Day I Want More Money Exercise

Day 4 - $800

I've joined Millionaire Mommy in a 30 Day Abundance Exercise.

Today with my $800 I'd buy myself a new desktop computer and a year's subscription to Carbonite.

But first, even though I'm filthy rich, I'd link over to Megan at A Dollar a Day and e-mail her for a referral link for Carbonite so I could get an extra month free, plus she would get three extra months!

Gratitude: I'm grateful that we own dairy goats so we can have their raw milk for our health. I'm grateful for the gas grill that my mother and father in law gave us at Christmas 2006.

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Day 3 - MM's 30 Day I Want More Money Exercise

Day 3 - $400

Join me and Millionaire Mommy in this 30 Day Abundance Exercise.

With $400 we'd buy the materials needed to reroof our carport, and build another carport on the east side of our home. We put up the west carport soon after we moved out here because the sun setting in the west causes the master bedroom to grow very uncomfortably hot during the summer. The east side catches the morning sun and it's not too horrible, but I'm sure it would cut down on air conditioning usage if those rooms weren't heated up by the morning sun.

Gratitude: I'm grateful we've found a church that speaks to our beliefs. I'm grateful the three of us who drive are safe and cautious drivers.

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I'm Going to Start eBaying Again

A couple of weeks ago I thought I'd give eBay another try. After all I have all this stuff laying around that "might be worth something on eBay".

I researched a broadband router that I'd bought from my old boss about four years ago. It looked like several had been bid on and sold recently for around $10. I paid $40 for the thing but I figured I may as well try and recoup some of the money I'd put out. I'd never gotten it hooked up and then we got satellite Internet so we didn't need it any longer.

I added an extra dollar for handling, thank goodness as the darn thing went for my starting bid of $0.99!! Dumb! I should have just started it at $9.95. After I paid for the fees at both eBay and PayPal, plus shipping, I was actually in the hole!

I used to eBay quite a bit, but I had a bad experience. It was with a lady who bought a lot of dolls. It's a long stupid story; I'll spare you the details. Suffice it to say I got burned out on eBay for a while. Well, let's say four years ago is the last time I eBayed with any regularity. I also used to sell books on Half.com. That's not too intense.

I'm starting to think it might just be easier to take this stuff to Goodwill or Saver's, and be done with it. If I can just remember to fill a box, and then take the box with me when I go to town.

I really do enjoy eBaying, what with packing and shipping items. I think I could do well in an eBay business.

Oh... I actually recently fell for one of those eBay "Get Rich" CD offers. It was only $12, so not too much harm done.

My True Confession is I bought this not even three weeks ago. It is mostly articles about how to sell on eBay. I haven't looked at all of it yet. I'll let you know when I start getting rich. :-/

Anyway, I was planning to snowflake any money I make off eBay to our debt. I will try again soon.

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Day 2 - MM's 30 Day I Want More Money Exercise

Day 2 - $200

Millionaire Mommy has invited us to do this money exercise with her. I'm supposed to double the amount of money every day I'd use to go on a spending spree.

I have trouble thinking of things to spend money on because I try to live frugally and keep my wants to a minimum. I asked Mr. A what he'd buy if he had $200. He couldn't think of anything.

We talked about a few things but most of them cost more than $200.

Here's what I decided to spend my $200 on:

1. $100 I'd order a pair of shoes for my oldest son from zappos.com. His feet are very, very wide. I've hesitated ordering because the last time I looked I couldn't figure out how to measure his feet to get the best fit. But you know what? They have free shipping to and from. So I could order two pairs to start with, a wide size and a wider size and ship them back if they don't work.
2. I'd spend the other $100 on a piano we saw at a thrift store yesterday. My youngest son is learning to play the keyboard but would also like to play the piano. The name brand of the piano is Jesse French and Sons. We don't have the money to buy it if it's not going to work correctly. If I had $100 to blow, I could buy it, get it checked out and tuned and maybe I could resell it or give away on Craigslist if it won't hold a tune.
   

Gratitude: I'm grateful that our family gets along so well. I'm grateful that we can laugh together.

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