Misc Rambling

Proud to be a STRONG woman

I felt some kinda way today when I saw a woman I know post a video of her beautiful home with a view. So let me break it down for real. I have worked since I was 13, put myself through college while taking my 2 sons with me to night classes. I have accomplished so much, owned 3 homes and truly am so proud of being able to say I don’t need a man. I love my husband of 30 years but certainly would be a ok without him. This woman since i have met her has looked for ONLY men with money who could take care of her so she could just be cute with no job. And there have been lots. My question is how can you be proud when nothing you have belongs to you? Maybe I’m different but if I drive a Hyundai I paid for it is better than a benz that dude can yank at anytime.

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Frugal Ideas

Lessons From a Very Smart Woman


I was raised by a very smart, independent mother. Although her and my dad were married for 20 years and she was a stay at home mom before divorcing, she taught me life lessons that all woman should follow:

  1. Go to school, no one can take away your education
    1. My story- graduated with a bachelors in Computer Information
      Systems at age 37
    2. My 4 year old and a 2 year old went to night classes with me
    3. Doesn’t matter how long it takes or how difficult keep at it
  2. No job is beneath you
    1. My story- starting out at 14 working in the fields topping corn
    2. I was 4 foot 2 and couldn’t reach the tassels but they found me a job
    3. I learned a valuable lesson that hard labor was NOT what I wanted to do in life
  3. Never depend on a partner for financial support
    1. My story- I have NEVER not had a job (or at times 2 or 3) that allowed me to pay my own bills
    2. Sometimes I didn’t know how I was going to eat and pay my bills so I worked at food places (figure it out)
    3. A partner (man or woman) should be a companion who helps in the process but you should not depend on anyone else to take care of you
      1. What if they leave, what you gonna do then?
      2. This ensures you are self-sufficient and self-aware
    4. If you need help don’t be too proud to ask for it
      1. Example: the Wic program provided milk for my young boys for a year at no cost
    5. Create a budget and use the envelope system (Dave Ramsey tells you how to do this today but my mom did this before Dave was born)
      1. My story- I have a spreadsheet that shows where every dollar of my money goes every payday
      2. A meal plan will save you hundreds of dollars because you actually plan your lunch and dinner rather than guessing every day what to eat and you shop for only those ingredients
      3. The meal plan we created when our boys were at home saved us over $400 a month in groceries
      4. Put money away for emergencies- it will happen and items do break even if it’s 10 a week, the dog will get sick and the car will need new tires
      5. Plan for fun- put money away to reward yourself for doing great- date night, movie, or even a pedicure, it doesn’t have to be big but budget for it then you’re not mad when there’s nothing left at the end of the month
    6. Don’t finance if at all possible and never lease
      1. My story- I am still a work in progress on this one
        • We all know cars are not cheap and most of the time we can’t afford what we want to drive
        • Never buy a new vehicle, always buy used so someone else pays the depreciation
  1. It is possible to find great used cars with low miles at a very discounted price and don’t be afraid to ask for a lower price
    • Dealerships are in business to make money and they have some wiggle room regardless of what they tell you
    • As a woman you need to do your research because salesmen think you are stupid (sorry but true) so when you go in with nada book values and fair market pricing they can’t help but talk to you differently
    • My husband in 28 years has never bought any of our vehicles because I love the satisfaction of getting a good deal (he usually leaves when the money talk starts, and don’t be afraid to walk away)
  2. I have made up my own rule on this one, if you have to finance make double payments and try to pay the car off in 1 year or 2 at the most
  • When you lease you are making rent payments essentially and never gaining ownership of anything and the interest charges would make you pass out if you knew what they are
  1. Make a vision board not resolutions
    1. My story- I cut out pictures, quotes, or anything else I want to accomplish each year
      • These can be goals, wants, needs, anything really
      • Post them on a bulletin board and be specific about what you want to achieve
      • Put it in a place you see it everyday
        1. Mine is on the wall by the bed in my room
  1. This puts it out in the universe and helps it come to fruition
    • Don’t believe it try it what do you have to lose
    • I did this with my son’s house and his starter home was almost identical to the photo I had on my board
  2. If everything isn’t done at the end of the year that’s ok but I guarantee it will be more than you ever thought was possible without it

Make 2017 Great

 

 

 

Family/Fun/Fashion

Dream job

I have decided that my dream job is for my best friend and I to host a talk show like Hoda and Kathy Lee. We are opposites so it would be great. Zot is a girly girl with more fashion and makeup sense then anyone I know. I am the outspoken tell it like it is girl. We have been bff’s for over 30 years and we could drink wine at 10 am, how much better could it get, really. 

wine