Get Your Facts Straight Mr. Farmer

It's bad enough our budget has come to a complete halt, but when our insurance company decides we owe when we already paid with proof on both parties, it gets really irritating!

I just wish they'd get their facts straight before they decide to send a notice of cancellation service, because it not only hurts the customer who actually paid, it hurts their business as well. And if they continue to jump the gun before they check the facts, don't be surprised if looking for a new insurance company is on the agenda!


Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.


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Technology VS. the Old Fashioned Way

I don't know about the rest of the world, but I started paying our insurance online instead of in person. At first my husband wasn't too happy about it since he likes to have cash in hand and see where the money is being spent, but after a while he's decided he doesn't mind not having to talk to our insurance agent when it's really not necessary. It's really a time saver for the most part since our insurance company isn't too far from where we live, but still it's well worth it in my opinion.

I know my family still pays bills the old fashioned way even if it means driving an hour or so away just to pay that bill. Now they don't drive clear to another state if it's hundreds of miles away (instead they send a money order), but if it's near by, they drive there. In my opinion that's a lot of gas money they could be saving. But then again they don't have a computer and I think in a way it's a way of getting them out of the house.

What do you think? Do you pay your bills online or do you still do it the old fashioned way?

I Feel Like Ramen Noodles Tonight

My husband is a huge fan of ramen noodles, me not so much. But, when I feel like being a little lazy with the cooking or we're on a tight budget like we are right now, ramen noodles is what's for dinner!

So to jazz them up I added:

3 packages of beef ramen noodles to-
1 tbsp fresh jalapeno peppers
2 tbsp fresh bell peppers
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tomato diced

Boil noodles and chili powder til tender. Meanwhile cook sausage til done then add peppers and tomato and cook til tender.

Drain most of water from noodles and add sausage mixture. Makes 2-3 servings

We're Not Made of Money, We Budget!

When people think we have money to spare they're wrong. With the economy we've had to cut a lot of costs too. This week we didn't get groceries, but we didn't need them. We had groceries left from last week and my husband's cousin offered to buy us groceries in exchange for storing some food in the freezer and a shower.

Today he came buy and dropped off two very large watermelons (from a farmer he worked for) in exchange for doing some laundry for him. While the watermelons aren't exactly a food necessity, they are a treat the kids will enjoy, so it makes them worthwhile.

Other things we're able to enjoy are freebies like Lipton tea, yogurt, cereal and Starbucks coffee and ice cream. This happens because of contests I enter, reviews I write or simple surveys that I fill out online.

I also don't always make meat the main meal for dinner. While we do include it, more veggies and fruits are included as well as grains. And we try new things like cow's tongue, emu meat, lemon cucumbers and white eggplants. And aside from the cow's tongue, we shopped for the rest at our local farmer's market which runs on Thursdays and Saturdays. We can save a bundle that way and I mean a bundle. I managed to spend a whopping 50 cents for two very healthy veggie lunches.

On weekends we spend our days doing free activities like hiking, fishing and even singing. It's amazing how much fun kids can have without having to turn on the television!!! However, we do allow for at least one movie on the weekends that the entire family can enjoy. We borrow a movie for free at our local library or we rent one for $1.08 from our local Redbox.

It's not hard to enjoy life even when you don't have a lot of money. It's just all in the budget.

It's Official

My husband was given notice that he is being laid off. While this effect is not immediately, it does make me wonder what we'll do when there's no more paycheck from his job.

I realize that he can draw unemployment, but not sure how much that will help. I've been told he'll only receive 2/3rds of his paycheck, someone said he'll just get 70% of his paycheck and another has said he'll get the same amount he received from his job.

I think our best bet is to try and budget from the lowest amount and if there's more to work with then that's great news. In the mean time I at least have my freelance writing job for now.

When You Can't Afford to Spend Big Bucks on a Wedding

Wedding Planning Guides won't be very useful until springtime hits. I noticed that when I went to a wedding show in my hometown during the spring. I had originally wanted to get married in October, but due to my son's much needed surgery, we pushed the date forward so that he and his brothers could attend the wedding.

Another thing I've noticed is that most brides are planning their own weddings and forgoing the wedding planners. I did almost everything myself, including making the invitations because it was so much cheaper that way. By the time everything was said and done we had spent a total of $60 for our wedding. No, I'm really not kidding. $35 was the license and everything else was either borrowed or bought with a very reasonable price tag. My wedding dress alone was a cash gift from my old boss and cost me a whopping $30 used online, and that included shipping!

So you see weddings do not need to be expensive and they can still be elegant. Shop around and look at different wedding guides Check out the hottest products. More than likely if they're a popular item, it's because they're unique or has a very reasonable price tag. As I said there's no reason to spend a fortune on a wedding and at times like these, it's just insane to do so!

Budgeting For My Project, "Just Believe."

One of the big projects I am working on is a project called, "Just Believe." I am really excited about the project since it will involve helping those with low self-eteem and victims of domestic abuse.

Right now I only have the bare basics to the project, but once things go into full swing, I will need a budget software to keep track of my project's expenses and earnings.

I have a personal budgeting software, but I've already discovered that it won't be useful for business budgeting. I was really hoping it would, but that's life and It just means I'll have to find another form of budgeting software that is reasonable for my project as well as my pocketbook.

For those who have their own business, what do you think? Any ideas or suggestions?

Pool or Lake. Which is it?

Yesterday my oldest son mentioned heading to the local pool. While the thought sounds fun, I don't have any swimwear, so that might not be possible this trip. The husband did mention heading to the lake, so I guess a t-shirt and shorts might be okay for there.

And anyway, I don't really think I can see myself wearing new swimwear to the pool when they can get really expensive. I can't believe someone would pay $100 or more for a bikini. I cringe alone at the thought of spending more than $30 on one! What's your swimwear budget? Do you mind the prices or do you prefer to stick with a reasonable summer piece?

Glasses on a Tight Budget

It's been a long time since my husband has had new glasses and I know he's due up for a pair very soon. I wonder what sort of frames he will get next? With finances the way they are at the moment, looking for the best reasonable frames is a must. Places like zennioptical.com have some really nice frame selections and they don't charge an arm and a leg for them either. Kinda nice since the budget is very tight. The good news is, my husband has a good eyewear prescription plan at work, so that will definitely help keep our finances in check. The only downside is, they only pay up to so much.
Please Note: This is a paid post and is sponsored by Zenni Optical and Payperpost.

Saving Money and Hormone Issues Thanks to the Kansas Cows

Since we still have the rental car until this evening, yesterday I made a trip to the grocery store. Normally we go to the store at least once a week, but because gas prices have gone insane, I decided to stock up for a few weeks worth of groceries.

Usually I spend on an average about $100 a week for groceries, but this time I only spent a little under $40 a week. That's really good, especially since our cabinets were completely bare! I managed to save quite a bit because I ended up cutting out beef and dairy entirely. Instead, I stocked up on soy milk and cheese, fish, turkey and veggie meatless crumbles. I didn't do this to save money either. I did it because my husband and I think he may have a hormonal imbalance (which could explain his mood swings, lack of energy and foggy memory lately). I was doing some research about hormonal imbalance in both men and women and learned that one of the major culprits could be due to the chemicals and hormones that manufacturers add to beef and milk.

I honestly don't know if it will really make a difference, but it's a healthier choice in the long run anyhow.

If You're on a Budget Like Me...

For most of us, a budget is a must, especially if you are trying to climb out of financial debt. When this happens, we're generally faced with sticking to a budget and finding ways to cut costs.

One way to cut costs is with online coupons. Coupons have actually been a lifesaver for me, especially when they come with free stuff. With KeepCash.com, you can find Office Depot Coupons where you can find deals like a Free Boombox with any $75 purchase. How cool is that??

Office Depot can be a great way to save money when you're a freelance writer like I am. The great thing about it is, I can purchase my office supplies with them, without having to drive 30 miles to an office supply store. yep, I live in that small of a town!

If Office Depot isn't really your thing, KeepCash.com has many other coupon deals as well, so you're sure to find a few good deals to suit your own budgeting needs. I did a search for places that carry groceries with KeepCash.com and found that Amazon is listed in their coupon deals. I know for a fact that they just started carrying groceries, so if you're looking for deals on food, KeepCash.com is definitely worth checking out.

This is a paid post and is sponsored by Payperpost.

My Wedding Dress

I finally recieved my paycheck from my boss, so I was able to do a little with some of the money. I wanted to have a wedding dress this time around and since I was unable to purchase a new one, I did a little shopping on Ebay. It's a wonderful little dress for a small event. Nothing really fancy. I've always been into the simple dresses anyway, so it all works out. :)I did have another dress that I fell in love with, but as a friends pointed out... $2000 is a lot of money! Instead I paid $30 for the dress I did buy. Well, $33 to include insurance. I've included photos of both my dream dress and the dress I purchased. Feel free to comment. :)

My Wedding Dress

My Dream Dress

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