Oceans of Opportunities

To some the economy appears dismal. Others have found a new way to work and are reinventing themselves and the job market itself- one person at a time. I’m one of those supremely fortunate people, who clutched a life raft called “freelance” and sailed to shore.

I’m not alone.

There are millions like me who have been able to make sense of their own lives when the big corporate waters around them were choppy and tumultuous. We now gladly captain our own unique and individual ships. This is a course of uncharted freedom and exciting destinations.

It’s a trade wind worth following.

What is this “New Way to Work”? It’s a means to thrive even in the midst of an economic storm. The new way to work matches skills and talent with global employers as no other career movement has before. I’m thrilled to be riding the crest of the workforce wave of the future.

Freelancing now spans the globe, linking client to highly qualified service providers worldwide with cutting edge technology. Gone are the mental images of bathrobe clad folks bleary in front of their computers. These contract professionals are the trendsetters and talented who know the marketplace is global, not corporate.

This wasn’t my port of call initially. The ship I’d been a passenger on, The USS Traditional Career, simply sank slowly to its demise into a sea of economically murky waters. I was left, clinging at age 44 to a small floating shred of dignity, the wreckage of my former job and five children to support.

As a stage III cancer survivor and single parent, I’d spent years building a successful career with few resources or finances. The thought of transitioning again, with children in tow, struck a genuine chord of fear in me.

My field of expertise is industrial safety and hygiene, which is a highly skilled but niche market.  I had years of compliance and safety as a national trainer, technical writer and developer of government required programs. Certainly there were clients who would value my education and background- I just had to find them. This meant I had to move from small traditional career inlets and into the wider open seas of opportunity.

In a search one night, I discovered several intriguing sites that changed my course and my thinking. Among them, Elance, who brought the ability to reach the broadest network of employers and offered me ready assistance.

Within a few weeks I linked to clients across the country. I sold my first articles to publishers I’d never have reached years ago without the technology of this new way of working. Later, I began developing programs, consulting and working for clients internationally in web content, blogging and marketing their products, ideas or sites.

Along the way, I continually find global colleagues that inspire, encourage and assist me in my new career and clients worldwide I consider friends and co-partners in enhancing their business.

Like many others, I’ve brought my own life to a calm place in the midst of this economic hurricane and pursued my dreams. Forget the stigma of “starving writer”- that too has been revolutionized by this newest way of spanning career horizons.

We, who freelance-whether writer, graphic artist or any number of qualified professionals-are not choosing a second best career option. We’ve started a revolution and we’re reclaiming our lives with each satisfied client, project and paycheck.

If mainstream career waters aren’t taking you where you want to travel, maybe it’s time to trim the sails and head into the winds of change- the new way to work in a worldwide ocean of opportunities.

I have, therefore, badly damaged taste buds in the manner of health food. It’s a fact that my food of choice for many years have been Ding Dongs. When health food began its popularity, I saw the benefits and sampled a bit here and there.  My pat rule has always been to find the nutrition bar that doesn’t taste like it’s healthy. If we can send men to the moon, communicate with hut dwelling humans across the globe in a nanosecond, and tattoo our eye liner- surely we can invent health food that tastes good, right?

Finding tasty nutrition bars has been a quest of mine that up until a few months ago was largely like the Israelites pilgrimage across the desert-pretty disappointing, desolate and boring. I’ve tried a host of substances meant to be food-like products, which were instead reminiscent of vitamin sprayed multi- layered clay.

Then, someone handed me a Luna Bar. I have a problem with memory. It’s a product of all the sugar consumption killing brain cells, I suppose. But I do remember very clearly the day I ate one of these delicious, good for you, bars. I became hopelessly addicted. Luna Bars are created specifically for women’s needs, with fewer calories than a guy’s power bar. Each one has about 160-180 calories and is 70 percent organic- and oh, are they yummy.

Packed with protein, fiber, calcium, vitamins A, C, E and D, and a bevy of other nutrients, you’ll get about a quarter to a third of your daily requirements from one bar. They’ve tossed in B vitamins as well, for energy without the drop of sugar highs, and somehow wrapped it all in F-L-A-V-O-R. I don’t know how they perform this miracle and I’m not sure I care. I just want to stuff my face with a continual supply. They’re that good. Seriously. If you want verification on this, just try Googling them and read the hundreds of positive reviews. Luna Bars are the most searched and written about women’s health food product for a reason- Women (and men) love them.

Made by the Clif Bar people who have also created energy products that are delicious in their own right, Luna Bars are stand alone women’s health food items. The only downside has been finding them on a budget. You’ll find them in various places, but often the price is around $1.35-$1.79 (or higher). That might be a bit much for some of your current pocket books. So what do you do to stay healthy, keep eating Luna’s and stick to your budget???

Five ways I’ve found to obtain these at the best price:

1. Hit the Kroger store nearest you with a health food section. Keep track of the 10 for $10 sales that Kroger often has. This week Luna Bars are part of the sale. If they run out or don’t have the quantity you want, most Kroger stores will give you a rain check at the sale price. Watch for Luna specials, which seem to occur about once every four – six weeks. You can stock up accordingly armed with this knowledge. Check out your store Wednesday October 07, before the current price reduction is over at midnight to buy or rain check Luna Bars.
2. Drugstores.com: Offers cases of 15 bars at around $17.39 and 2% cash back . Free shipping for  new customers on $20 orders for the first 30 days. After that, you’ll need a $50.00 order to get free shipping, unless a promotion is being offered. If you go through Ebates to order, you’ll also earn around 6% back from Ebates, plus your 2% Drugstore.com dollars. This means theoretically, you’ll only be paying about a $1.06 a bar. You won’t see the savings immediately, as Ebates rewards quarterly, and Drugstore does so monthly, but it’s still a deal. Additionally, they also offer specials, (up to 10% off various flavors). Check out the site and prices regularly.
3. Health Food Stores: Barter with your local health food store for case rate prices. I can often obtain a 10% discount just by asking. When Luna Bars are on sale, they call or email me.
4. Other Grocery Chains: You can check other chains for these. If there is no special offered, ask management if they will give you a case rate discount.
5. Luna Bar Newsletter: Sign up for their newsletter to get free samples and random coupons.

I am a self-professed skinflint. There’s no doubt about it. But I don’t think you should skimp on health, even though I’ve spent two score plus years stuffing Ding Dongs down my throat. I do believe you should always look for the best deal to get nutritious stuff. These tips will work with about any health food product out there as well to reduce cost.

 If you’ve never sampled Luna Bars, here are my top six picks to try:

1. Strawberry Crumble Luna Sunrise (Words can’t describe “Yummy” better)
2. Lemon Zest Luna Bars ( So many Luna Bars, so little time)
3. Apple Cinnamon Luna Sunrise ( Ranked “best of” by a pool of friends recently)
4. Peppermint Stick Luna Bars (Just the right amount of mint and chocolate to satisfy)
5. Carmel Nut Brownie Luna  ( When you want a decadent treat- this is IT)
6. Blueberry Bliss Luna Sunrise ( Bluberry muffin-esque taste in a bar) mmm…

I’m thrilled that Ellen DeGeneres has been picked as a new judge on American Idol’s upcoming season. Frankly, Paula reminds me of the former gluttonous economy and I’m sick of looking at her. I’ll pause here for a moment, (while you get the Kleenex out), long enough to state I like Paula’s personality, in her own overly emotional, overly done, manner.

But I’m weary of anything “over the top”.

I just want normal, down to earth and simple. The move to put Ms. DeGeneres in the judging seat, to me is a way of reclaiming those virtues. Ellen’s street smart, but not a cynic. She enjoys basic pleasures of life, (like dancing in her tennis shoes). I think she can grapple any issue, (even Simon) with intellect, not emotion.

Again, personally, this just symbolizes a move toward those down to earth virtues. What got us in fiscal trouble as a nation were in many cases those emotional purchases and the overly done lifestyles many have been living. Did we have to remodel (again)? Did we really need the payment on a gas hogging brand new SUV?  

When I think of Paula, on Idol, I feel like a child who, having unwrapped the brightly packaged gifts, is weary of the process. We’ve collectively played briefly with the elaborate, expensive toys, and now we’re moving on to simple pleasures again. My own kids have celebrated playing with cardboard boxes more than the lavish toys we’ve piled on them in the past.

In this economy Ellen is easier on the eyes. I don’t want to see “over the top” for a while. It makes me queasy, like a flashback to my checkbook register, in days before I learned to get a grip on mass purchases.

And to get us out of this fiscal mess, it’s gonna take intelligence, not emotion. All these issues we face as a nation need to be looked at armed with statistics, not opinions borne of hearsay and feelings. It takes grit to pick up the rubble and move forward, not Kleenex and crying fits. Ellen? Well, she fits the bill for what we all need, not just on Idol, but in real life- a little grit, some raw intelligence and loving the simple joys of life, once again. Save the Kleenex, we’re done crying. Now it’s time to move forward.

But, my question is, “What have we learned as individuals?”  Basically, the way I see it, we’ve got two problems going on, what the government has done to us economically, and what we’ve done to ourselves.

In this last year, many of our own budgets have been cut, due to tanking investments, job loss or benefit reduction. Permanent personal recovery will take time and effort for a lot of folks. It will also take a change in behavior on the parts of consumers.

I happen to agree with David Walker’s take on the world. In case you were sleeping in a cave these last few years, Mr. Walker was one of the original harbingers of economic doom clear back in the Bush years. I call him a prophet. As former Head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), he predicted the very situation we’ve been facing in 2009, including the health care crisis, over spending, the near demise of the value of our dollar, etc.

When I’ve listened to David Walker, I see many correlations in the federal crisis and in our own financial situations. Nearly every issue the country has faced or is facing fiscally is similar to our personal cash crunch.

That’s why I reiterate the question, “What have we personally discovered from the economic crisis?” The adage, “Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it,” comes to mind.

Here’s what I think we should have learned by 2009’s brush with fiscal death:

Our personal spending habits need to change. Let me give you an example: I’ve got a friend whose husband currently nets a salary of over 65K as a professional. She’s working as a nurse full time and as a QMA part time. With a combined income of over 100K annually, they’re considering filing bankruptcy. My friend’s had no major medical issues, or giant fiscal shift, except for a freeze on commission bonuses for the last year at her husband’s work. Maybe I’m crazy, but if you can’t live on a 100K a year, in my book, you don’t deserve that kind of money. Or you need to go to a financial boot camp to be re-educated. In spite of my friends’ economic issues, they have a skiing trip planned and are forever remodeling. They’re still spending furiously,(but now on credit, without paying it off in full). Every purchase is “the last big one” and every month it continues. It’s hard watching a friend do this to herself. I’m fighting the urge to have an intervention on her behalf. This case is not isolated, by the way. According to prophet, David Walker, “Americans are living beyond their means.” It’s true. If all we learned from this last two years was to put our purchases on credit cards and take out extra loans, then we’ve learned nothing.

Americans need to proportion their spending in line with their budget. In spite of how tempting “Cash for Clunkers” or how attractive the current mortgage rates are, we still need to hang onto our money or make best use of it. Buy a used car in cash, the old fashioned way. Take advantage of the mortgage rates, but buy down from what you think you can afford, to what you know you can easily afford (including renovations, insurance, taxes and utility bills for said home). Like the government, endlessly spending (albeit even for some very altruistic programs)- if you can’t afford it, you don’t do it.

Credit and lenders are not the devil. Our own impulses are. It’s not the banks that got us in trouble. And it’s not the credit cards. It’s our misuse of them. Had we turned down banking offers to re-finance or dampened our spending, much of the fiscal damage that occurred in these 2 years would have been a tremor to the economy instead of a giant earthquake. I know many people who don’t abuse credit cards and actually make money using them, via rewards and cash back programs. My own paternal grandpa was a banker and a farmer. He’s in his late 80’s, and has a very modest home. I’m guessing at one time he could have made a shift to an upscale place, but he didn’t. I think his furniture is dated, circa 1970. Grandpa’s made good choices, curbed fiscal impulses and along the way, even had opportunity to help others.

 Place less value in stocks and more value in savings. I’m going to get dragged outside the city gates and stoned for this one. But, none-the-less, I believe it to be true. The thing is, we want our money to grow. We all desire a retirement nest egg, right? So stocks seemed like the easy way to keep spending, while still acquiring that nest egg.However, if you’ve got cash, you’ve got cash. Ain’t no one gonna take it away. Let the economy fall to its knees, and you’ll go on. The reality is, interest rates in savings accounts are barely existent.  Even the online banks, who offer “great rates” aren’t too impressive. So to save for retirement, in a traditional means, is to truly cut spending today. Your money won’t quadruple in four years, like some stocks have in the past. You’ll have to save more. But money in the bank also won’t collapse, costing your home and leaving you penniless for retirement, either. (At least there’s a federal guarantee if the bank goes belly up). I’m not saying stocks and money market funds are a totally bad idea.  I’m just commenting that we need to curtail how much value we place in a risky business, compared to good old fashioned savings. If the money fairy ever blesses me with extra cash, I’d be open to a few stocks. But I’d be sure to have savings built up first. Stock investing would be money I’d be open to lose if it came to it. (I think I’d rather invest in a good pair of Italian shoes, actually. At least those won’t lose their rich Corinthian Leather smell).  

Say “NO,” wait on purchases, be frugal as a permanent way of living. Some folks have learned this year. Their fiscally penitent at the moment, taking the pledge to never overspend again. But I wonder how this will look in four or five years? Are these same individuals going to go nuts with spending again? Let coupon shopping, buying bargains, and being frugal with fuel, utilities and expenses be a way of life, not a temporary fix. It also means saying, “No” to purchases. Or waiting on them. You’re offered a “free” upgrade on a cell phone, which actually costs you another hundred bucks? Say “no” unless your phone breaks and you’re S.O.L without it. Don’t just buy because it’s on sale, buy because you need it. And when you do have to purchase, shop for a great bargain. 

 Make your kids wait on stuff too. It’s ok that “all their friends” have something they don’t. If you’ll be strapped to purchase it, make kids wait. Trust me. I’ve got five kids who’ve waited all their lives for some luxuries. My very youngest a couple of years ago, (age 12) desperately wanted a Nintendo DS. As a parent, I’d loved to have bought one. She’s a good kid. But I couldn’t afford it. I already pay for struggling college kids’ car insurance and had just put braces on another child. My daughter took her Christmas money, from aunts and cousins, to Wal-Mart and bought a Nintendo on sale after the holidays. She’s treasured it since. She didn’t die because she waited almost two years after her friends had one. Your kids won’t die either.  

 Food for thought, while in the pre-recovery mode. I’ll leave you with David Walker’s words. In my opinion, greed, lack of fiscal accountablity, poor budgeting and spending beyond our means, are common demonimators we’ve shared with the government.  I know at one point, I’ve been guilty of all of them. But I’m trying to recover and relearn my own spending.  Let’s recover in the grassroots as well as federally.

 

 

 

 

There’s another MSN Smart Money Blog I’d like to share with you today. It was pointed out to me by a reader. I, in turn, would like to share it with you.

Jim Wang, from blog site, “Bargaineering”, guest posted on MSN’s Smart Money Blog, June 17, 2009, his inflammatory blog, “Devil’s advocate: Don’t donate money to charity.” He then proceeds to list four reasons why it’s fiscally unwise to give additional “hard earned tax dollars” to these organizations when your tax dollars are already sneaking in the back door through subsidies.

Also with all respect to Mr. Wang, is his belief that these charities do not “teach a man to fish”, but instead cause the lazy to suck money out of the system by lingering in homeless shelters and soup kitchens. He suggests one alternative is to withhold money, thus forcing the homeless to find another option, (like work). (Why do I feel like I am in a Dickens novel when I look at those words?)

Two other reasons not to donate to a charity, according to Jim Wang are high administrative costs and the ease with which people give money versus physical help. Jim states, “Money is too easy.” Rather, he asserts, charitable organizations would rather have our time and effort, in lieu of money. ( I am sure he’s polled the charities of his choice for this answer).

I have a fair amount of respect for charitable organizations, having been helped by their generosity in the not so distant past, having been a volunteer myself, a financial donor, and also for producing several charitable activist children.

Here is my Angels Answer response to the Devil’s Advocate.

Angels Answer: Why donating to a charity makes sense even in a tight economy:

Subsidies from the federal government are not enough to fund all costs. Please see the recent Johns Hopkins University study, of over 360 not for profits, released June 29, 2009. “Contributing to this stress has been a perfect storm of impacts including declining revenues (51 percent of organizations); increased costs, particularly for health benefits; declining endowments; and decreased cash flow as a result of restricted credit and government payment delays”.  The full study is attached via link below. Basically, expenses are up, donations are down, and the numbers needing assistance are skyrocketing, beyond federal budget subsidies. These organizations can make it, but they do need our assistance bridging the gap.

 Teach a man to fish? Many not for profits and charitable organizations do just that by employing those they assist. The South Bend, Indiana, Homeless Shelter is a model for this, by having a step by step model for individuals to work or educate themselves out of the program. Also, most Salvation Armies, Unemployment offices, domestic violence centers, and other not for profits do employ their clients. Give a man to fish, does not mean throwing him to the wolves while clutching his fish. It means assisting him or her over a period of time, which these organizations need money to do. If we feed the homeless in soup kitchens, but never teach them life skills, we are shorting humanity itself. And teaching job skills IS what many of these organizations are doing.

 Administrative costs are necessary. How many pastors could preach and feed their families without a salary? Would you like to run a crisis pregnancy center or a homeless shelter with no pay?  It’s my guess that these salaries are for the most part, significantly low already, without a fiscal ax being implemented by the public. These are to a degree businesses. They are in the business of helping others. As such, they do have operating costs, like it or not.

 Helping hands don’t take care of  all expenses. Mr. Wang asserts that helping is more needed by these organizations than dollars. “Money is too easy.” I attest charities need both. My local Boys and Girls Club purchases over a thousand book bags, complete with supplies at school time. By purchasing in bulk, the BGC makes the donation money stretch further. These organizations need both cash and helping hands. Frankly most organizations these days probably need mass quantities of each.

 Give how you can, folks. Whether it’s your time or your money, but realize the impact you have in generosity. There are many times I embrace the inner tightwad. Donations to charities are not included in that thought process. Sorry Mr. Wang. I’ll back you on bargaining and being thrifty, but not in this “revisitation of Scrooge” venture.

You can read the Devils Advocate by following this link:

 http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/smartspending/archive/2009/06/17/devil-s-advocate-don-t-donate-money-to-charity.aspx

“Perfect Storm” of Fiscal Stress Hits Nonprofits

 http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=922

This week, I’d like to take you on a walk in the shoes of those who have no health care. I am one of those huddled masses. I grow weary of hearing Washington give their advice on a topic few of them have experienced. Walk in my shoes for a decade without health care and you can offer an informed opinion.

In light of recent health care reform legislation, I thought I’d give my side of this, or rather that of the estimated 46 million Americans who do not have insurance. I am not a politician. Likewise, I’m not sure America needs my humble opinion how to fix the problem. 

But there is a health care crisis.  And a very real problem exists. I am pretty sure we all agree on some varient of that.

This site, by virtue of its name, is a budgeting spot. Medical bills play an important part in debt management. If you are blessed to have health insurance, this may give you a bit of insight into a topic congress and CNN are force feeding the public.

How did I become uninsured?

About a decade ago, our family business went under. I was in the process of chemo and radiation. When the company died a slow and painful death, it took with it my insurance coverage. (For a better synapse, read the tab here, “Who is Mrs. Bankrupt?”).

Post divorce, based on my child support of $1000.00 a month, and the work I picked up cleaning offices while I went to college, I made too much for Medicaid, and too little for being able to afford insurance. Nearly all the unenlightened told me about the “can’t turn you down” program my state offered. Based on two kinds of cancer, two life threatening blood clots, and a latent heart problem, my “Can’t-Turn-You-Down” premium was $774.00 a month AND covered NO preventative care (like the very scans I needed to track any reoccurrences).

No folks, the insurance company didn’t turn me down, they just made it so that no one but Donald Trump could afford the premium. 

By the way, Medicaid’s income threshold today for a family of two is that you must not exceed $19,378.00.  At that time, and always through this decade, I have been above their guidelines. You’d about have to be just to put a roof over your head and those of your family.

 In other not so nice words, “You’re screwed if you work and want Medicaid.” 

And, if you have any medical history at all, it’s likely you can’t afford the premiums from insurance. 

See the lovely paragraph below, copied straight from Medicaid’s website-

“There are many people who are poor, with incomes below the poverty level, who do not meet Medicaid requirements because they do not fit within the designated eligibility groups.  

  Based on 2009 Federal Poverty Guidelines, a family of two would need an income less than $19, 378 to qualify for Medicaid assistance”. DID YOU CATCH THAT? “THERE ARE MANY POOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T QUALIFY?”

 We have a crisis born of inflated medications, overpriced services and doctors who have been forced to sell their souls in order to practice. 

 

Why didn’t I just get a normal job that offered insurance?

There were numerous reasons. With five small kids still at home, childcare would have eaten up my wages. (At a ten dollar an hour job, I would have netted roughly $360.00. Childcare for five kids in community was around 200.00 plus dollars a week, back then. I was reasonably certain we could not live on $160.00 a week and child support).

Without a degree, and having my only work experience being with a now defunct company, my income prospects were poor.  I started my own office and new construction cleaning service because it allowed me to be with the children much of the time and work flexible hours so I could attend college. Cleaning paid better than any other job I could find at that time. A lot better. 

I was no slug, feeding off the system, folks.

But damn, did I feel it when I had to go to the doctor.  

 Tomorrow and throughout this week, I’d like to talk about what it’s like to not be able to get medical treatment, what it cost me in the way of finances & why I lost a house  over medical bills.

 I want to hear from you this week if you have input on health care. (or lack of it).

If this isn’t enough, toss in all those television informational promises for the home worker.

Certainly there are legitimate means to make money at home, right? A lot of us on a budget would enjoy either additional income.  Generating cash while saving on fuel and mileage from the comfort your home? What’s not to like?

 Are there real possibilities of making money on Work at Home ideas?  I believe there are.  

One reputable means to earn some Work at Home cash is freelance writing:

Take a gander at all the websites out there. Someone’s gotta write all that content, don’t they? Typically, it’s not the owner of the site. With billions of sites, there are endless possibilities for writers.  Finding these jobs takes a little knowledge and a lot of time.

Some to try, from personal experience: Craig’s List, Helium, and Elance.

• Craig’s List: I’ve picked up several writing projects on Craig’s List. It’s not a difficult process to search for jobs, and it’s free. Just be on guard for non-specific postings. A real job will never ask your banking account number and offers particulars about writing. Don’t be afraid to call the company or ask for website information.  There are scammers on this site so use common sense.

• Helium.com is a fine place for generating income. The most profitable avenue for earning on Helium is the Marketplace. Publishers in Marketplace post article requirements, such as word count, audience, and SEO’s. Most articles pay between $30- $80, with a few at or above $200.00. The site is friendly and community based. You will love it there. I’ve found it a great way to learn the writing process for online content. Additionally, your profile gives added exposure as a writer.

• Elance charges a small fee, (under $20 a month for a membership), but yields high returns as the minimum project is $50.00 and most are over $300.00.  Elance allots credits for bidding.(You can purchase additional credits if needed).There is no writer connection and no open forum, as in Helium.  However, there are jobs paying thousands of dollars available, making Elance a worthwhile freelance opportunity.

Now I open this up to you, the reader. Freelancing is just one piece of the home business pie. There are other ways to bake a second income cake. What opportunities have worked for you? I’d like to hear about your home business. What are reputable means to earn some cash?

Want to join me in a social savings experiment?

Recently, I took a trip to New Jersey via American Airlines. It seems every time I fly, I notice more corners viciously slashed. I get moderately crabby over this. I do. I complain about microscopic soft drink portions, no free food, over priced snacks, lack of pillows and blankets.  Flight attendants clearly despise my griping. I am certain they contemplate checking my carc-“ass” into cargo.  

Honestly, I do see the wisdom of saving.

I’d rather cut the food and drink, than skimp on safety. I am quite relieved the technician who tightens the plane’s nuts and bolts is still on the pay roll. Having no ice for drinks (egad) on one flight though, did make me grouch for nearly a third of the 50 minute trip. That should constitute cruel and unusual punishment, especially when coupled with $3.00 candy bars. (Who pays that anyway??)

In between my ranting and my reflections on budgeting, it occurred to me there are always ways to cut a little more. The airlines and hosts of other companies do so.  What about me? Can I chop more off the ol’ budget? A few weeks ago, I blogged about moving to downscale my housing expense. 

Now, what about all those other expenditures? A quick, unplanned, trip to the grocery store, where I drop an extra twenty or thirty bucks?  Not to mention gas to get there.  My seven a.m. twice a week latte? Even if it’s the dollar menu, can we give up a few stops to McDonalds?

So here’s my personal challenge. I am trying for two weeks, to spend NO unplanned money. At all- other than necessary bills (utilities, housing, etc).  

This means, nothing. No extra gas for car. No additional food. No entertaining that costs money. I just bought groceries. We won’t starve, but I will have hold off on the urge to buy “quick” food and make real dinners that take a bit more effort.

I have a full tank of gas right now.  How long can I stretch that?  

I have a holiday weekend looming and two friends with birthdays coming up. What about that? How can I do that without spending money?

I have three girls still at home. They are a major expenditure. Every day it seems something needs to be purchased- styling products, lotions, shampoo and conditioner. Never mind that I have a supply of cast off beauty aids that rivals a salon supply store.

So there’s my challenge. Two weeks. No money spent. No extras.  Can I survive and still have fun?  

Here’s my challenge to you- wanna join me? What will this do for your personal budget if you can stick to it? Are you up to attempting this adventure?  I’d be curious to know and to hear your chronicles.

Thrifty citizens unite! Spend no unnecessary money for fourteen days! Take the budget challenge with me.

Whenever a celebrity dies, it always amazes me the tears from the public, the massive media coverage and the strong opinions of individuals who had zero personal relationship with the deceased celebrity. Zero.

Reality check time, folks.

I got in a Facebook fight the other day with someone who told me, “Don’t be flippant. People are mourning.”  My question would be, “What are you mourning”?

Lest you think me some heartless soul, I did cry when Princess Diana died. I shed a tear and offered a prayer for Mother Teresa, as well. Why did I cry? Their lives inspired me to be a better human being. They rose above odds to find their niche making the world a better place.  

I typically mourn people for two reasons; if I knew them personally or if they impacted me to live larger and greater as a person.

 But where I don’t understand the human race in general is in this eulogizing star factor.  On the same day Michael Jackson passed, roughly 146K non-celebrities died.  Many of these normal folks will be missed for noble reasons we as a culture may never know.  

I am sure several thousand deceased had more inspiring stories than many headlined celebrities.  For the most part, I’d rather see in the news feeds, one person a day, with a moving life/death story who wasn’t famous than 280K articles and blips about stars and mourning, despondent fans.

I know I am stepping on toes by saying so.

When it comes down to it, at the end of this journey we call life, every one of us leaves behind a legacy of sorts. Unless you’re in Michael Jackson’s will or knew him personally, odds are his legacy to you is his music, his influence on pop and, umm, that’s it. I can say I respected the man for his dancing, for being a showman of unprecedented abilities and for impacting an entire culture to get up and move ala Michael.

 I loved his music. I did.  

 On the flip side, I found him weird as a person.   Wrapping his own kids in veils much of their lives, feeling compelled to sleep in bed with children, perpetually a juvenile in an adult’s body, and living about 30 million beyond budget a year, do not impress me. Sorry. Maybe if I knew him, my feelings would be different. It’s possible there was a whole other Michael the media didn’t portray.

Did Michael Jackson motivate me to be a better human?  That would be like me saying I am inspired by Britney Spears parenting.

What did Michael Jackson leave me as a legacy? Several tunes to sing out loud, some dance moves to emulate and a fondness for red zipper jackets.  

Then there’s Farrah Fawcett. It pains me to see both names in a row, because they represent a loss, each in their respective way.  Somehow these deaths and lives bear a striking contrast, almost a correlation of cosmic opposites. 

Michael’s death was startling and unexpected. Farrah’s, which came after a well publicized fight against cancer, was not totally unforeseen.

 Each of these celebrities was a cultural icon.

 Nearly every person on the planet knows what the Moonwalk is.  Michael Jackson left his mark in the way of dance and glitz. He started as the kid from Gary, Indiana who “made it”.

Though a no-brainer show, Charles Angels was the launching point for Farrah’s stardom. The majority of girls in the 70’s emulated Farrah Fawcett hair, (and wished for her body). Not to mention most males having “the poster” as a central part of their décor and fantasies at one point or another.

One started as a rising child star and the other began being portrayed as a somewhat ditzy female bombshell. Here’s where I feel the legacy difference began in earnest.

As Michael Jackson aged it was like he regressed or attempted to reject being an adult. There is little “adult” about his life and pleasures. What was attractive in a kid is vastly distasteful in a supposedly mature man.

However, as Farrah matured, she left the ditzy blond image behind and became a woman of substance, integrity and yes, inspiration. I will never forget being blown away by her depth of acting in the Burning Bed. Wow! She could say more than, “Hello Charlie”. 

 Some might argue posing for Playboy at age 48 was shameless, but I see it as the woman side of her.  And I respect her for that. How many of us aging baby boomers would like to be considered sexy at 40 anything?

What I will remember her for, was using her cancer to create an open format for others to see the whole side of chemo, surgery and treatments.

She was noble in her pain. Courage is not the absence of fear; it is action in the face of it. To me, Farrah displayed great courage. She was open in her fight, her pain and her hopes. We “knew her” as best as we can a celebrity.  Farrah did not lose the fight. She won the hearts of many. She died a victor of life, leaving us a legacy of valor in the face of our own inevitable deaths.

Michael’s life and death are perhaps always going to be cloaked in secrecy. Do any of us really know for fact the “skin” condition he had? Or why his features changed faster than the stock market? Will we ever know the truth of the conflicting stories of his cardiac failure? Probably not.  He lived in mystery and died amidst it.

And frankly, I find Michael as a victim of fame and life, while I believe Farrah to be a conqueror by facing her pain and sharing it. I see one of these celebrities leaving a legacy of courage, the other left a last will and testament to great music. Each will be missed, but only one captures my soul with an inspirational legacy.

I pray I die with the courage of Farrah, as open and as strong. I hope those who mourn me, miss the real person I was. I wanna dance like Michael, and die like Farrah.

This brings me to the question we all should ask, every day- “What’s my legacy to the world?”

You’ve shelled out a small fortune via applications and testing and mandatory fees. Now it seems that there should be some sort of break for parents. (Like a free spa day where muscular, non-verbal men bring us mineral water and massage our weary carcasses). Alas, after you’ve gotten the kid accepted, it becomes time to dish out yet more money outfitting the dorm.  With three kids already experiencing higher education, I want a punch card that prohibits me from this process for the rest of my life.  

Here’s a rundown on what you need to consider:

Your kiddo will probably need a mini refrigerator, microwave, dishes, flatware, cups, television, blankets, pillows, towels, a fan, computer, (most schools are encouraging laptops these days) and a printer.  Don’t forget paper for printer, power strips, extra ink cartridges, etc.

Purchase personal items like soap, shampoo & conditioner, toothpaste, medicine, dish soap, towels, shaving items, Kleenex.  Send food that can be prepared in the dorm such as; soups, instant foods, granola bars, trail mix, oatmeal, cereal & canned ravioli are great items for late/night early morning munchies.

Dorm rooms often are often equipped with extra long beds. It pains the tightwad in me to have to buy sheets, when I have a linen closet that rivals Martha Stewart’s. Most dorm rooms are NOT carpeted. It is suggested to purchase an area rug to avoid the hospital ward look. 

So looking at this list, comes the vital question, “How can I save money?”

Here’s what I recommend:

1. Get to know the child’s roommate ASAP. Most colleges provide this information. Contact the student’s parents and see what they are providing.  Typically, the other parent is relieved to split expense. One of my kiddos had a roommate whose parents sent a fridge. We in turn, provided a microwave.
2. Armed with this knowledge, start looking on Craig’s List or in garage sales NOW for the future. Even if your kiddo is a senior in high school this year, it’s time to stockpile dorm stuff.  Our family saves about half doing so in advance.
3. See if there is a school posting from graduating students who want to unload a ton of their stuff cheap. Call the school for recommendations.
4. Go online for bedding. The best time to buy bedding is in the spring. Prices go up in the late summer/early fall, but watch for sales.
5. To save computer expense, find a good rebuilt one from a reputable dealer. It is possible to find a new one for cheap on sale- just be sure it’s equipped with software and has lots of memory.
6. Pick up food in pieces, rather than in one giant shopping trip pre-college. It’s easier on the budget to add a few items a week. I buy, starting early summer, non-perishables every grocery visit till the week of college.
7. Garage sales and discount stores such as Dollar General have great finds on dishes, flatware and drinking cups.
8. You will want to pick up medicine the same as groceries, weekly. My suggestions for a “first aid” kit are pain relievers, band aids, Tums, hand sanitizer, cough medicine, decongestant, cough drops, anti-biotic cream.  Do NOT forget a thermometer!  The worst calls I get are from my college kids, “I’m sick.” “I think I have high fever.”  Ugh! A temp of a 104.9 might mean my advice is, “Do not pass Go. Proceed immediately to the ER.” Versus a temp of 99 that may allow waiting till the free clinic is open.
9. Go to an outlet for carpet scraps.  

 It takes time to forage for these discounts and sales. But when I am prepared, it saves a bundle.  I’m in the habit now of continuous college prep for my kids. I’m not sure what I will do when I don’t need mass quantities of canned raviolis stacked up, awaiting a child’s college experience.  Perhaps then I can actually take that spa day, huh?  Send me your ideas on saving and surviving College Prep 101.