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Simple Times

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Vol. 10, No. 3 -- February 5th, 2008

http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com/

debi

Copyright 2008 Deborah Taylor-Hough

ISSN: 1527-1269

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Celebrating 10+ years of saving your time, money and sanity!

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IN THIS ISSUE:

-- " Dear Readers "

-- Simple Living Quote

-- Celebrating Valentine's Day on a Shoestring

-- My February Financial Challenge

-- Letters to the Editor / Reader Tips

-- Assorted Information (archives, etc.)

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< < < O.U.R S.P.O.N.S.O.R > > >

 

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Dear Readers,

 

A number of years ago, a good friend of mine shared with me

her secret to remember to pray regularly for friends and family.

She uses what she calls " prayer triggers " and I've found her

method to be perfect for me, as well.

 

Do you find yourself always thinking of a certain friend when

you see something she collects? Or do particular places that

you drive past regularly remind you of someone in your life?

What about that collection of vintage teacups your best friend

has on her mantle and you think of her whenever you see

teacups at a garage sale or thrift store?

 

If you have regular things in your life that trigger thoughts of a

particular person, you have the makings for a prayer trigger for

them. Rather than just thinking about them whenever you see

the item, take it as a prompting to actually pray for them.

 

My friend who first told me about this idea said that her prayer

trigger for me is aluminum foil. Yep, foil. Every time she uses

it at home or buys a new box of foil at the store, she thinks of

me (because of my books on cooking ahead for the freezer). So she

frequently prays for me throughout her week as she's putting away

leftovers or covering things for freezing.

 

My prayer trigger for her became foil, as well, because I knew

she was thinking of me whenever she saw foil, so I’d started

thinking of her when I saw foil, too.

 

A friend of my grandmother collects armadillos and pictures of

old-fashioned clotheslines (Hi, Marilyn!), so she actually has

two prayer triggers in my life.

 

When I'm driving down the freeway and pass certain exits, I

find myself thinking about friends and family who either live off

that exit now or have lived there in the past. So I pray for them

as I pass their " trigger. "

 

It's such a simple thing, but it helps me to keep sending up

regular prayers for people in my life. Anytime I notice myself

always making a connection between someone and some thing,

I try to fully notice that connection and make it into a prayer

trigger for them.

 

After all, if other people are like me, they can use all the

prayers they can get.

 

Simply Yours,

 

Debi

(Deborah Taylor-Hough)

Editor, Simple Times Email Newsletter

--Author of the popular 'Frozen Assets' series; 'A Simple Choice: A

practical guide for saving your time, money & sanity'; and 'Frugal

Living for Dummies®

--Editor, Simple Times, Solo Parents, and Bright-Kids email newsletters

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Visit my new site!

http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com/

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SIMPLE LIVING QUOTE

 

" I'm living so far beyond my income that we may almost be said

to be living apart. "

 

--E.E. Cummings

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CELEBRATING VALENTINE'S DAY ON A SHOESTRING

Copyright 2008 Deborah Taylor-Hough

Used with permission. All rights reserved.

http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com

 

Valentine's Day is just around the corner And just in case

you’ve forgotten, it's always celebrated on February 14th.

(Now you have no excuse for ignoring it again this year.) ;-)

 

But if you're thinking, " Well, I have no excuse ... except for

the fact that I don't have much money to spend on an elaborate

gift or dinner out at a fancy restaurant right now. "

 

No worries. Here's a list of inexpensive -- and often free --

ideas for spending some quality romantic time with your

Valentine.

 

 

Outdoor Ideas

 

If the weather outside isn't frightful this time of year where

you live, nature's a romantic spot to spend some snuggling

time together.

 

You could always have an exercise date if you're both fitness

nuts: a brisk walk on a tree-lined lane, a game of Frisbee in

the park with your favorite view, bicycling along the waterfront,

a hike to a local destination. One of my favorite things to do

is rent a canoe and meander slowly around the local waterways.

 

For a less physically demanding outdoor idea, slow the pace

down and stroll leisurely through the park rather than power-

walking. Hold hands, look at the flowers, watch the birds, listen

to the sounds of nature. Go somewhere you haven't been for

ages ... maybe an arboretum, beach, game reserve, or Japanese

gardens.

 

And don't let a bit of rainy drizzle stop your plans. A romantic

stroll under a shared umbrella followed by a cup of coffee or tea

in a local coffee shop is definitely a romantic alternative to the

typically more expensive dinner and a movie. Plus, most parks

are less crowded on rainy days, so you'll have more privacy for

your romantic walk.

 

Even in the winter, it can be fun to wander through the local zoo.

Many times the animals are more active this time of year rather

than in the summer when they're all hiding in the shade, escaping

the summer heat.

 

Your local newspaper is always a great resource for inexpensive

date ideas. Check out the " What's Happening " section for

information on local heritage festivals, film showings, street fairs,

home tours, fireworks displays, musical events, and county fairs.

 

 

Indoor Activities

 

If it's too cold or wet to spend Valentine's Day outside, try taking

a romantic drive together into the countryside, perhaps stopping

for coffee and pie at a diner along the way. Mmm.

 

Spend the afternoon browsing through antique stores together.

Talk about the things you remember seeing in your grandmother's

house when you were a child. It's amazing the memories that

can come back looking through things from long ago. You might

discover things about your loved one you never knew.

 

Museums are often a fairly inexpensive way to spend time together.

Check around for history and art museums you've overlooked in

the past. Many of them have free days, too.

 

If it's winter in your area and winter consists of sunny skies and

palm trees, you might want to consider going ice skating together

at the local skating rink. The change in temperature is invigorating,

and it's fun to bundle up in a scarf and gloves if it's not something

you do very often. Plus, it's always appropriate to hold hands

while skating together. Instant romance.

 

 

Stay-at-Home Ideas

 

Breakfast in bed is a fun wake-up on Valentine's Day morning.

Maybe cook some heart-shaped pancakes to complete the theme?

 

You could also have a tea party, just for the two of you with a

selection of delicious gourmet teas, a variety of cakes and cookies,

romantic music, and of course some fragrant flowers (they can just

be ones picked from the yard ... you don't have to go overboard --

and over-budget -- with a dozen long stemmed roses).

 

Try having a picnic in the livingroom by the fireplace. Spread a

blanket or tablecloth on the floor, light some candles, pack traditional

picnic food items into your picnic basket, turn on some soft music.

Maybe feed each other fresh strawberries.

 

If you have a series of movies you both enjoy, a movie marathon

can be a fun way to spend the day. Stock up on snacks ahead

of time, cuddle under a blanket on the couch, and watch a day full

of Lord of the Rings, the Matrix, or a variety of romantic comedies.

Turn off the ringer on your phone and just spend the day getting

lost in the stories together.

 

Have a happy Valentine's Day!

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

--Deborah Taylor-Hough (freelance writer and mother of three) is

the editor of the Bright-Kids and Simple Times e-newsletters. She's

also the author of 'A Simple Choice: A Practical Guide to Saving

Your Time, Money and Sanity,' 'Frugal Living For Dummies®' and

'Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month.' Visit

Debi online at: http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com

 

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O.U.R. S.P.O.N.S.O.R.

 

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Find out How a Stay at Home Mom Built a Successful Online

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on the Internet, Too Little Money and Too Little Time ...

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MY FEBRUARY FINANCIAL CHALLENGE

Copyright Deb Holder

Used with permission from EzineArticles.com.

All rights reserved.

 

 

Have you ever noticed that buying little things over time

chips away at your bank account? It's those little things

that always got me into big trouble with my finances

month after month, year after year. I'd use my debit card

without recording all the transactions, impulse buy at the

grocery store, or just treat my family to frivolous things.

Then I'd get the big shock when my bank statement arrived

in the mail at the end of the month.

 

In your quest to become debt-free, try eliminating just one

of your bad spending habits and see how much you save.

One of my worst offenses has been my soda addiction. I've

probably spent between $80-$100 each month on soda. It's

true! Even though I'd buy generic cases of soda at drastically

discounted prices or buy brand names on sale, I'd still use

part of my grocery budget to buy two or three sodas a day

from vending machines at least five days a week. That's one

reason why I've decided to nix my sugary addiction from my

life.

 

Because I have three children, my house is often full of guests.

I've always felt that keeping my fridge stocked with drinks was

the trait of a good hostess, but I also discovered that the drinks

disappear quickly. Therefore, I'd have to go back to the store

the next day to buy more. It didn't take long for the cost to add

up.

 

In fact, I've been thinking about my food costs a lot lately. Even

though I have a food budget that is less than most families I

know, if I can eliminate one item and save $20-$25 a week,

what else could I do to stretch my food dollar?

 

Here's my challenge to you: Track your expenses this month

and see what you're spending on that one particular item you

don't really need. Next month, eliminate that item from your

spending habits and see what a difference it makes. It may

be enough to pay off a bill or make a significant dent in the

balance. We'll help you get started with a free expense tracker

that takes the guesswork out of your budget.

 

Here's my personal challenge for next month: I want to feed

my family of four on a grocery bill of $400 or less for the entire

month. I'm convinced I can do it.

 

What costly spending habit do you plan to eliminate?

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

--Deb Holder is a direct response copywriter/marketer for the

self-help niche market. She specializes in direct mail, Internet

marketing, and financial strategies for women. You can contact

her at results. She is also the CEO and

president of http://www.debt-free-mom.com , a site for mothers

who want to live their lives with prosperity.

 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deb_Holder

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Feel free to forward this newsletter to your family and friends. :-)

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / READER TIPS

We'd love to hear YOUR tips and ideas for simplifying daily life.

Send your simple living comments/tips to: DSimple

 

 

Re: Hello and thanks

Hello Debi -- I just signed up for your blog delivery -- I don't

typically read blogs but have really enjoyed everything I have read

on yours and your website. I met you for the first time several

years ago when my MIL gave me Frozen Assets for a gift -- at the

time we had one child and were a two-income spend TOO much family

and I didn't really cook -- we ate out a bunch -- so your book sat

nicely on a shelf for a few years. Fast forward to today. We are

a one income, home schooling family with three kids and I actually

cook most of our meals! God has done amazing things in my heart and

life the past seven years! At a time when I was short on spiritual

women to help me with my transition you filled the gap. I wonder

if you have any idea how much you have helped others? Thank you so

much for sharing your gifts with strangers like myself.

--Donna M.

 

 

Re: Snow ideas

There are so many things you can do outdoors with snow, from

building a fort or a snowman to having a snowball fight, but some

ays here in Canada it is just too cold or windy or the snow is

coming down to hard for it to be fun to play outside. On those

days, you can grab a dishpan or other plastic tub (one that won't

leak!) and fill it with snow to bring indoors. Toy soldiers, dinosaurs,

plastic animals, and Lego mini figures all love to play in the snow,

and your kids can have great fun using plastic cookie cutters to

make snow cookies, or to draw pictures. A little watered down

tempera paint in a squeeze bottle is lots of fun too. If you are

worried about a mess, put down a couple of towels under the

dishpan, or put the dishpan in your bathtub. For bath time fun,

add some snowy " icebergs " to your kids evening bath. If you

pack a large snowball really tightly, it will last a while even in

a warm tub. Have fun!

--Andrea

 

 

Re: Snow " food "

We've turned fresh snow into ice cream. The kids also really

like seeing icicle's, and think it's pretty neat that ice was formed

outside and not in the freezer.

--Tina

[Editor's Note: If you don't know how to make snow ice cream,

here are a few recipes I found online just now:

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art38570.asp

~Debi, Editor, Simple Times]

 

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SIMPLE TIMES RECOMMENDED BOOKS

Book list for frugality and simple living

Go to: http://snurl.com/simplebooks

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SIMPLE TIMES ARCHIVES

 

Two years' worth of back issues are available by clicking the

" Read Messages " button at: http://snurl.com/st_archives

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As always, a special " Thank you! " goes out to Gary Foreman

and the friendly folks at the Dollar Stretcher for making this

mailing list possible!

 

== http://www.stretcher.com/ ==

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Feel free to forward this newsletter to your family and friends. :-)

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EDITOR'S BOOKS AND AUDIO RESOURCES:

Books and resources by Deborah Taylor-Hough

Editor, Simple Times Email Newsletter

http://snurl.com/debisbooks

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DEBI'S ON-LINE RESOURCES:

Personal Blog: http://dsimple.wordpress.com/

Frugality/Simplicity: http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com

Cooking Ahead: http://frozenassets.wordpress.com/

Bright-Kids: http://brightkids.wordpress.com

Tupperware®: http://snurl.com/DebiTupperware

Kids' Books: http://snurl.com/books4kids

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