Ways To Save Money and Make A Little Extra

I am a big believer in budgeting my money and my resources....Last year my frugal mindedness paid off... I can happily say that when my husband was out of work last year for six months - We did NOT go into debt... nor did we lose our savings.... this is why....

Menu Plans - I set up weekly plans - I did this a couple of ways... I took a complete inventory of what I had on hand... I created the plan on Sunday after viewing the Sunday paper coupons.. Many times there would be deals that would save us a lot of money... By planning weekly menus - you can buy by bulk... You can plan for leftover lunches... You can utilize what you have and not buy unneeded items.. This will save you a lot of money - Right away....

Check out your supermarket mailers - Each week I get the local market mailers highlighting their specials of the week... One week - Albertson's was having an 8 hour sale -there were many buy 1 get one frees - whole chicken savings of .75 per pound or more - buy one lb of beef get a 2nd lb free - diet coke for .79 a 2-liter bottle.. Stater Bros was also having a sale on many of the items I use... If I had thrown away the paper (like I used to) I would never have had the opportunity to save so much...

Shop Target - I buy many of my everyday items at Target - their prices are lower on many items that I purchase regularly AND if you use your Target card (be sure to pay off each month) you will get an automatic 5% off and after you have spent $1000 - you get an additional 5% for a total of 10% off on your day of choice.... Target also accepts coupons!!!!

Just because you have a coupon does NOT mean you need it... - Don't buy things that you don't need especially during the times that you need to save money...

Search for additional coupons on the net - there are many bloggers that offer links to savings. You will amazed on what you can find.. Check out Print Free Coupons This is an excellent way to obtain coupons on your favorite brands.

Save your recyclables! We drink diet coke... A lot of diet coke and we save all our cans and bottles - my husband brings them in every month and gets about $15.00 cash... It's a good thing.

Buy Used... Ebay is a good tool to buy pre-owned designer clothes... books... shoes... movies... work ties... My husband is a Tommy Bahama fan - He will buy a $125 shirt and pay around $10 for it... Work shoes - he'll pay as low as $15 on a pair of $300 shoes... The deals are out there you just have to look... In addition to Ebay - Thrift stores are also great places to check out....

Sell Your Used Stuff.. I have a yard sale about two times a year to clear out my kids inventory of unused clothes and doodads.. I sell my used books through Amazon.com and no longer wanted clothes on Ebay... It works and the extra money is a good thing too...

Save Save Save - Take advantage of any 401K plans or savings plans that your employer may offer - Self employed? Establish a retirement savings plan... Set aside a certain amount (pretend it's a bill) each month and save... This is so important... AND Just because you got a refund from your income taxes does not mean you have to go out and blow it... Save it - let it work for you.. That rainy day may come and you need to be ready!

Use Your Credit Card Wisely - We have a rule in our home - Only charge what you can pay off when the bill comes in - this rule has been in effect since the day I was married (22 years ago) and it has saved us thousands of dollars. Our credit card like most cards nowadays have reward programs.. This summer I am lucky enough to use our rewards... We received three (3) round-trip tickets to DC from California for Free AND several days of Hertz rental car FREE... When I say free - I mean free - no hidden costs.. no extra interest paid.. or finance fees... FREE money and this is good..

Get A Job... any job - If you are short on funds and have some free time - GET A JOB!!! Who cares what it is.. Who cares if you have a college degree and you are working at Best Buy? A job is a job is a job... You won't make money watching Maury Povich from your couch... Get out and Do.. It's just as easy to find a great job while you are working then it is if you are not.... If you don't have any money coming in - do something about it.. You may not get your "job" of choice at first but you will - just give it time and patience......

So There was my two cents worth of advise that has worked for me... What to you do to save money?

The Six Month Job Hunt

Seven months ago my husband (D) called me from his cell phone... He called to let me know that the company he had been working for the past three years had eliminated all the sales management positions on the west coast which included him.. Of course he was bummed to not have a job but he knew that this particular job and company was not for him....

You see, three and half years ago he worked for a company that he loved - a company he had worked his way up the corporate ladder... He had been there twenty-three years then the company was sold to a large competitor... Needless to say - the competitor laid off all the upper management of the company that D worked for.. To say it was a major shock to lose a job that he excelled at and loved would be an understatement.. This was the first time he had been without a job...

Instead of waiting for the perfect job to come along - he had been offered a position within four (4) months with a company that was in a completely different field and he took it.. He was not happy there.. But D is not one to complain... Never did he complain.. He always gave 100% in everything he did and this job was not an exception.. I knew he wasn't happy because I know him.. He loves the sale... He loves managing direct sales... He loves busy busy busy... and this company was a company that moved at a snail's pace... It was a company that was hurting and did not know how to get out of the hole they had put themselves in.... D saw the writing on the wall so.... About a year ago he started to contact people in the industry he had left - the one he loved... He was making connections.... and when he lost his job seven months ago - he was already ahead of the game... One of the connections he had made is his new boss today..... We just did not know it at the time....

Right away D signed up with The Ladders.com and Career Builders. He updated his Linkedin and he called everyone he knew in the industry.. He contacted every headhunter that he knew... He was networking and after living this experience with D - I have to say getting a job that you want or any job for that matter is all about networking... The on line sites like The Ladders and Career Builders are not sites I would recommend... ever. We spent hundreds of dollars on these sites only to receive advertisements.. Not one headhunter responded.. Not one lead call returned.. In today's unemployment overload - there are too many people without jobs... To get a job - you have to work at it everyday... You have to stand out.. You have to be persistent... Getting a job has to be your 9-5 job... You cannot sit around - fill in a couple of application on line and say that you are honestly trying.... You have to get out there... NETWORK.... NETWORK... NETWORK..

Within the first month - he had a lead for a position in Memphis, Tennessee - The hiring manager all but told him the job was his... I was very excited about the opportunity to move and D was excited to get back into his field choice and to work with someone he knew.... Well the position fizzled and the hiring manager was let go... There were a few more interviews all over the United States... He interviewed for positions in San Francisco, Kansas, Texas, North Carolina, and Oregon.... I knew that D really wanted a position where we would not move - he loves our home... so do I but I was definitely receptive to a change - I have lived in Southern California my entire life and I was open to change... but staying here is great too!

Well D's networking and persistence finally paid off - he received an offer two weeks ago to lead the sales management team for the Western Region... From Washington to Southern California... he also covers Hawaii... (Aloha!!! ) We get to stay exactly where we are.... In the past two weeks - He has been to Portland 3 times, San Francisco 2 times, and New York one time... and He is LOVING IT...

To those who are without a job right now and are looking... Be that squeaky wheel... Talk to everyone you know.... Word of mouth is the best tool today.... Take advantage of it and Best Wishes to you.......

Today I Will Wallow - Tomorrow I Will Move On...

Do you ever wonder when you will get a break? You know the kind where something just goes your way... No drama... No waiting... No problem... No raised hopes only to be burned to the ground... Today - I am really angry and I will wallow....

This is what I am angry about: A few weeks ago - an executive from a company in my husband's field - discovered that my husband was available... He called the husband and started selling hard on a position that just become available... He said that he knew my husband for the past 23 years.. knew that he would be perfect for it.. He said that it was His decision on who to hire... He said he wanted the husband out there immediately to meet (not interview) all the team players.... After the last interview - we were told he had great feedback and he'll have an offer by the end of the week -whether it was verbal or written... That was in April... All of a sudden - the executive emails the husband and states that he is really sorry but he has to interview a couple of internal candidates (they posted the job after my husband was contacted - company policy to post) and to hang tight - the hiring will be pushed back 2 weeks... So our life has been virtually on hold - due to the fact that we were made to believe this was basically a done deal after the last interview.... and it would be a waste of time for the husband to interview the other leads he had going... Big mistake....

Today received an email - saying that a decision has not been made yet but..... the internal candidates look really good and the company prefers to hire from within if possible... Now - I completely understand this part.... What makes me angry is that why did he not interview the internal candidates first by following the company policy and if he wasn't happy with that selection then have my husband go out... What I am angry about is the husband was told that he was the choice.. and now he may not be.... It's not the job - I am angry about - it's the wasted time... the raised up hopes of possibly moving 2000 miles away...

I know I am suppose to say things like - God knows what's best for us... (I have said it many times) and He does... But that doesn't make me less angry... or frustrated... The husband still might get the job.. who know...? But today - I am going to wallow in my anger - so tomorrow I will be done and I can move on and help the husband to move on.. I need to be strong for him... I need to be steadfast.... I need to be supportive... I need to look up.... We I just need a break....

Running Around Like A Chicken

Growing up my mom used to say - "I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off" - Growing up on a farm - she had experienced this crazy phenomenon...

Well as you know - I've Become My Mother! and I can honestly say that this week - "I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off!" Thankfully I do not have the visual to support this thought.... What I can say is that I am going in a thousand different directions - trying to maintain a business, be a mother to two incredibly busy teens, and be a supportive wife... Most weeks... most days are great - I can honestly say I love my life... I am truly blessed... But there are days that I would love to just stick my head in the sand and hide... I'm sure you know the feeling....

This waiting is not bringing out the best in me... The extreme highs and lows of the wait are difficult to say the least... I do trust God to know what's best for me.. best for us as a family. That is not an issue... But my desire for an adventure is... My desire to know things RIGHT NOW is.....

So this week - we have been preparing ourselves for what may come.... Cleaning out rooms... shredding 20 year old tax returns.. (Yep, I don't throw much away), remodeling the kids' bathroom (new tile, sink, and vanity)... While still running a busy business... still obtaining new clients... still helping with homework, still cooking dinner, and still just being a mom... a wife... a woman...

So what am I going to do today? I cooking chicken of course...

Are We Staying Or Going????

We are on week two (2) of "Are We Staying In California or Are We Going To Tennessee" It's funny the peaks and valleys you hit when you are waiting for something.... When you are waiting for an answer that can potentially change your life.....

Last week I decided to stop watching the pot... I decided to stop thinking about it... Of course that is much easier said than done... Especially when you have a husband that does not know how to sit still... So far - he has cleaned out our three (3) car garage... he has cleaned out the game room..... His side of the closet... and today - he has tackled the kitchen pantry and cabinets.... If anything else - I will have a very organized home after this.....

What drives me crazy is trying to read into messages... What I mean by this - is that - When this whole process started - the hiring guy was selling my husband on the benefits of working for his company and living in the South.... We had never in our wildest dreams ever thought about or considered living in the South... not by a long shot.... But you know what, after the selling and the husband spending a week out there he was sold... He warmed to the idea.... The husband was the ONLY candidate and that was great until........

Company politics entered the picture.... Okay - now - the company had to post the position - of course we understand that... The hiring guy was obviously bummed about this change of events and advised the husband to hang on tight for the next couple of weeks.... Due to the fact three (3) applicants have applied for the position..... It is very difficult for hubby to even think about continuing the job search.... he has decided to wait it out and see what happens.... It's hard to apply and interview for other positions when there is a strong possibility that you will be hired for a different one.... It's hard to present yourself to other potential employers when your mind is on another opportunity....

Today - We He got a message from his potential employer basically stating that the interviews are taking place this week and they will be going through the same interview process that he had and that the hiring guy should have more of an answer by the end of the week... Okay -now I am trying to read between the lines... looking for clues... Yes, I have completely gone insane... Don't you just Hate Not knowing?????