Saving is like Dieting

Well, I did not drop off the face of the Earth.

I simply had nothing to say.

Anyway we all know I am all about saving money, so here is good link about some simple ways to save money. Even if you have read these tips before or whichever, it is still a good reminder of things to remember to do.

I like how the the article compares saving to dieting. It is a matter of mind set. Dieting is not really about loosing weight, but having a mind set of eating healthy and taking care of yourself.

Take care!

http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/108489/4-ways-to-trim-your-spending?mod=bb-budgeting

Cliff

Really how far is this going to go?

Right now there is talk about regulations and taxes put on sugar products (such as soda) and on tobacco products.

I am not a smoker. I do not consume high qualities of sugar, either. (I like to keep an eye on my health. I see it as a long term investment, and beneficial to surviving longer.)

I do not care if people smoke, as they long do not blow it in my face. I expect to smell smoke at a bar, if I go to one. Don't go to a bar, if you are so offended by it. It is not anyone's place to say what you can or cannot put into your body.

The argument is that sugar and tobacco both cause health problems, therefore causing health costs to increase, and costing too much to upkeep health programs, ergo the necessity for taxes on these products. But, no matter what it stamped out, there is always some type of health problems around. One can say that eating too much meat is bad, so that must regulated as well; or fat is bad, so that should be regulated. It keeps growing.

People know the dangers of all this, just like people know that cliff diving is dangerous and people die, but if they want to, that is their business. Want to charge them for that, too?

If it starts with sugar,it will become like gas and tobacco, where the actual cost of the product is only a small percent of the price. What's next?

Watch Your Change

When the economy get bad, people tend to dig into their coin/change jars. Which means all the change that is usually just sitting a jar is circulated, and a lot rarer coins are used. So, watch your change, because you may find some rare and valuable coins.

I know coin collecting seems like such a dull and worthless thing to do, but there is so much history and even economic implications (like how much copper is actually put into a penny)about when a coin is made. Also, it a great way to spend sometime with your kids teaching about things like that.

I do make it a point that with collecting, it is best not too seek out coins, because it costs a lot of money, but just to watch your change and see what you get lucky finding.

Dissipated and Shipping Container Houses

Well.. I am back... Life got busy, in result, I had no life for a few weeks, but happily, things are getting back to where they need to be, and I have returned here, as it should be.

I know I promised a astronomy post about telling time with the moon. Needless to say, that is still a work in progress. However I bring you something a bit more fun.

A growing trend is making houses out of shipping crates. With the right chemical spray, one can even make the shipping crate insulated. It is very cost effective, and very versatile.

http://www.azcentral.com/business/consumer/articles/2008/09/23/20080923biz-containerhomes23-ON.html

I particularly like the pictures in this link, because they demonstrate both the simplicity and usefulness of this idea:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/shipping-container-houses.php

This one is a whole complex of shipping crate houses:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/neil_b/207154861

For Your Review

I know this is not the most useful useful information in the world, however, I believe it is still good information. This is a up to date list created by the FDIC listing all the bank closures since October 2000.

http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/banklist.html

Weather and Wills

For anyone watching the news and weather, the weather is going to get pretty cold over the next couple of days. Even in Texas the temperature will reach the low 30's.So bundle up, and stay warm. I personally love the cold weather, so this makes me happy. However, most people I know are looking forward to the summer.

Now on to a more important topic. WILLS.
I know most people do not wish to talk about their deaths, however once of age, one should think about this topic. Also, if you have one, make sure it gets updated. This ensures that you and your loves ones are taken care of, and that your wishes are honored. Moreover, if one dies without a will, in many states your assets becomes property of the state.
I highly doubt I have any readers under the age of 18 (the age of majority), so make sure to take care of this. Remember every state and country have their different laws and rules about Wills and trusts, so, take care in doing this.

*Additionally, if you have any valuables, take pictures so you have a record of your valuables.

Used

Well needless to say in tough times many of us will not be getting that new car with that new car smell.

I found this link that covers some basic DIY of checking out a used Car


Updates:

On my Lost Arts Project, I have decided my first endeavor will be to make a paper towel roll flashlight. I know that sound incredibly lame; however, it is so I can get a good hold on how electricity works and maybe work up to solar panels and such eventually. I already understand the basics of closing the circuit and such, but could not hurt to build up from fundamentals.
Also, my friend going to make Renaissance clothing for when we go next year to the Renaissance festival. So, I will get to see how to make clothing from fabric, which I do not know how.

Only in Texas

Well, it has to be said. Only in Texas can it snow one day, and have 60 near 70 degree the day after. (More like a day and half after.)

I really have not had much to say. I am working on several projects. One of which is learning calculus. I took pre-calculus in high school, and college level business math in college, but that is as far as I got. I know most who are reading this will have a "are you crazy?" reaction, but I am good at math. I really enjoy working with numbers, and perhaps now I will understand it even better than I did in high school or college.

My Lost Arts Project is going slowly, due to work and life. I will update you all on it when I have a chance.

One link I would like to share today: TOP 5 Financial Meltdown Scams
I do like the picture in the article. It says: THE MARKET IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. Any truth to that? What do you all think?

Stay safe, as always.

Something Useful

I saw this article on Yahoo Finance:

http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/106255/In-Lean-Times,-Online-Coupons-Catching-On

It talks about a lot of coupon codes from many different sources for all the products we frequently buy online and elsewhere.

Stay safe and well.

Something Isn't Right

Basic economic principles are not being followed.
The gas prices are falling, yet the food prices have not.
The two are correlated.

The gas prices are falling, but why are they?
There is nothing going on that would make them fall.
There is the same amount of demand. Gas, like milk is inelastic demand item. Meaning, it is like milk. People will buy milk, no matter how much it is, because they need it. So the price variation does not make sense. In Fact with Ike coming and going, it should cause the price to increase, versus decrease. The economists even said that would happen.

Something isn't right. I will leave it at that.

A Little Bit of Everything.

I am so proud of Sarah Palin. Many people make the mistake that feminism is about woman dominate power.but it is not. Woman and men are meant to be complementary. It about good strong women who can kick butt, and actually bring good to this world like I have mentioned before. http://ontologicalthinker.blogspot.com/2008/06/feminism.html

She spoke very well, and really did a good job at yesterday's Republican National Committee. Congratulations, Sarah!

I am pleased to announce that when I walked outside today for work, I was met with a cool breeze. This means Autumn is coming. With cooler weather coming, we will want to stay warm. It is easy to crank up the heater, but that is friendly to your pocketbook. Instead use blankets, sweaters, and insulating your house properly, this way you do not have to turn the heater on so high.

This will be a interesting election, needless to say.

Take care, watch out for Hanna and Ike, and keep an eye on the news.

I don't like this.

I am not a comcast user, but I know a lot of people that are. Supposedly they are going to set limits on how much you can use on broadband.

http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/topstocks/archive/2008/08/29/comcast-s-new-downloading-limits.aspx

Investments

Best Paying Degrees

"House OKs rescue for homeowners, Freddie, Fannie"

Today the house passed a bill to bail out Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae with their struggling mortgages with a 272 to 152 vote. They said that

"The bill would let the Federal Housing Administration back $300 billion in new loans so an estimated 400,000 homeowners who cannot afford their house payments could try to escape foreclosure by refinancing into safer, more affordable mortgages. Lenders would have to agree to take a substantial loss on the existing loans, and in return, they would walk away with at least some payoff and avoid the often-costly foreclosure process."

No one bothers to mention that financial companies need to stop lending to everyone they meet. It is not a smart business decision. This why there are problems right now. If someone is 100k+ in debt, they probably should not get more loans or more credit cards. However, they don't bother to cut them off. I know Freddie and Fannie are mortgages companies. But same idea applies. No second mortgages. No extra loans

I am not sure how long the link will last. However, I know this issue is not going away that easily.

Saving is Good.

As everyone tightens its belt to save money here are some easy ways without giving up much to do so.

The first two links are the same article, because I know yahoo links to sometimes expire.
The article talks about how to increase gas mileage, which we all know is good.
They mention combining errands, avoiding left turns, and a bunch of other tips.

http://news.yahoo.com/page/parade/gas

http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2008/edition_07-06-2008/4Save_On_Gas

The other link talks about how to increase your savings. One tip they mention, that I really like, collecting instead of spending your change.

http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2008/edition_05-11-2008/8Savings_Strategies

Good luck to all, and take care.

DIY

DIY (Do it yourself) is a major current trend that has been around for a while
It is a good way to save money, and to learn about the things around you that you use every day.
Of course, doing a DIY project is only good, and only saves money if you do it right.
I read this article/blog about common DIY mistakes.
Hopefully this will help anyone out there who takes on a DIY project.
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/home/5-common-do-it-yourself-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them-189644/

Good luck and best wishes.

Searching the Net

I found some useful sites online.

I believe in taking care of your health.
It is important to know what you eat.
This site is very important, and tell you how to save money and eat healthy. Additionally, it shows nutrition facts for the food you eat. (With some really nice charts)
By being healthy you save a lot of money in the long run.
http://www.nutritiondata.com/

The other site I found is an extension of Imdb.
I promoted Imdb (International movie database) before.
It is pretty much a tv guide.
http://www.imdb.com/sections/tv/

Not much else on my end.
You all take care.