CAN ANY GOOD COME FROM BAD TIMES?
Every minute the news media is blasting forth with how terrible the times are. Pick any category: banks closing, people’s retirement funds shrinking, the stock market screaming about losses every morning, politicians claiming that if you vote for their opponent, disaster will befall our nation, schools failing even though we spend more tax dollars than ever before, the price of gasoline and our dependency on the middle east and the list goes on. Thinking about just one of these can send you into a real funk. It can look like all is doom and gloom. Might as well go into the garden and eat worms.
So, how do we get through all this and keep our spirits up? It will take more than just an occasional positive cliché to help us weather the storm. We need to dig deep. What practical things can we do to manage these times? I harken back to my grandparent’s time that lived through the great depression. My grandparents lost their home, their business and jobs were scarce. But from those times forward, my family acquired some skills about being frugal that have lasted not only to the third generation but on to my grandchildren! We ate every leftover. My grandma made clothes for us grandkids while my Mom worked. Eating out was a very rare occasion. Birthdays were not the huge extravaganza we see today with the bouncer, visiting Disney characters, rented out ballrooms, expensive gifts, trips to Disneyland, etc. (Indeed, we went to a recent birthday party held in the park which was one of the nicest we’ve seen!) I remember my grandparents painting and papering their home to save costs. By comparison, as I write this, Wally and I are stationed in the garage while workmen are bull-nosing our downstairs in preparation for the painters. We learned that this is a great time of year to get work done because workmen are needing work and most folks aren’t nuts enough to remodel this close to the holidays. My referral book is getting a good work-out as we have gathered estimates.
But I digress. In the hope of helping us all deal with practical day to day expenses, I have listed some cost cutting ideas for daily living. Some of these you are aware of, but hopefully, you may get something here to help you cut costs. Here we go! Did you know that starting in 2009, you get free admission to Disneyland on your birthday? You can rent movies at the library (instead of renting one or going to the movies). Target and Walmart have some groceries for greatly reduced prices. Some of the Ralph’s stores have manager specials every Saturday morning such as fruit and vegetable trays, lunch meat, fish, etc. Even the 99 Cent Store has great prices on some canned goods and especially cleaning products. The Martha Stewart and Heloise web sites have many lists of inexpensive, green ways to clean using baking soda and vinegar. Some ladies have given up their acrylic nails for attractive, clear polish doing their own nails. Some are doing their own hair more often. Walmart, J C Penny and Target have some really cute clothes for kids. And, of course, meals can be cooked that are actually healthier by not using pre-made meals. We shop at Trader Joe’s a lot whose prices amaze me in addition to being healthier. On KFI the other morning, I heard Bill Handel share that even though he is in a high paying job he and his wife have always shopped at Costco and Walmart. My girls were raised to be frugal even shopping at swap meets and I’m proud to say that to this day they can spot a deal a mile off. On the rare occasions I’ve been into Nordstrom’s, I am amazed at the young adults I see shopping for $400 St. John’s knit suits. How do they do it? Even in my best financial years, I’ve shopped at the most at Steinmart for reasonable clothes but have purchased many of my clothes through catalogs. Last year we put in a closet organizer in our master bedroom and I vowed after giving 4 bags of clothes to the Salvation Army, not to purchase a thing for at least one year. Guess what? I’m wearing things I forgot I have that seem like new to me. Hopefully, this younger generation, through these hard times can learn to be frugal. That lesson will make them stronger adults keeping money in their pockets for school or even a future home. Some will learn not to buy unless they can pay cash or pay off their card at the end of each month. What a concept.
On a higher plane, this is a great time of year for all of us to sit down either as a family or by ourselves and list what we have to be thankful for. Off the top of my head, I’ve come up with…living in America, health, family, friends, freedom of worship, humor, books, cars that work, weather, a job I like, learning to be frugal, recreation, music, my piano, the beach, great entertainment, great food, shelter, good water, TV? Please try this exercise not just once but every few days. Turn off all the bad news. I believe we can learn a lot of practical lessons from these “bad times” We can discern what really is important. We are here and compared to the rest of the world we are truly rich in every way. Life is good no matter what the media has to tell us. We can move on. After all, it’s not what happens to us that matters. It’s our attitude about what happens to us that makes the difference. We can make these bad times a good time in our lives.
“Your can’t have everything but you don’t need everything.” (Neil Simon)
OTHER QUOTES
Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.
“I never tried quitting and I never quit trying.” (Dolly Parton)
Goals are dreams with deadlines.
Tears will get you sympathy. Sweat will get you results.
The world is moving so fast today that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.” (Harry Fosdick)
If Walmart is lowering prices every day, how come nothing is free yet?
The best way to “save” on a fabulous sale is to not buy at all! (Ann Baker)
Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. (T. Edison)
So, how do we get through all this and keep our spirits up? It will take more than just an occasional positive cliché to help us weather the storm. We need to dig deep. What practical things can we do to manage these times? I harken back to my grandparent’s time that lived through the great depression. My grandparents lost their home, their business and jobs were scarce. But from those times forward, my family acquired some skills about being frugal that have lasted not only to the third generation but on to my grandchildren! We ate every leftover. My grandma made clothes for us grandkids while my Mom worked. Eating out was a very rare occasion. Birthdays were not the huge extravaganza we see today with the bouncer, visiting Disney characters, rented out ballrooms, expensive gifts, trips to Disneyland, etc. (Indeed, we went to a recent birthday party held in the park which was one of the nicest we’ve seen!) I remember my grandparents painting and papering their home to save costs. By comparison, as I write this, Wally and I are stationed in the garage while workmen are bull-nosing our downstairs in preparation for the painters. We learned that this is a great time of year to get work done because workmen are needing work and most folks aren’t nuts enough to remodel this close to the holidays. My referral book is getting a good work-out as we have gathered estimates.
But I digress. In the hope of helping us all deal with practical day to day expenses, I have listed some cost cutting ideas for daily living. Some of these you are aware of, but hopefully, you may get something here to help you cut costs. Here we go! Did you know that starting in 2009, you get free admission to Disneyland on your birthday? You can rent movies at the library (instead of renting one or going to the movies). Target and Walmart have some groceries for greatly reduced prices. Some of the Ralph’s stores have manager specials every Saturday morning such as fruit and vegetable trays, lunch meat, fish, etc. Even the 99 Cent Store has great prices on some canned goods and especially cleaning products. The Martha Stewart and Heloise web sites have many lists of inexpensive, green ways to clean using baking soda and vinegar. Some ladies have given up their acrylic nails for attractive, clear polish doing their own nails. Some are doing their own hair more often. Walmart, J C Penny and Target have some really cute clothes for kids. And, of course, meals can be cooked that are actually healthier by not using pre-made meals. We shop at Trader Joe’s a lot whose prices amaze me in addition to being healthier. On KFI the other morning, I heard Bill Handel share that even though he is in a high paying job he and his wife have always shopped at Costco and Walmart. My girls were raised to be frugal even shopping at swap meets and I’m proud to say that to this day they can spot a deal a mile off. On the rare occasions I’ve been into Nordstrom’s, I am amazed at the young adults I see shopping for $400 St. John’s knit suits. How do they do it? Even in my best financial years, I’ve shopped at the most at Steinmart for reasonable clothes but have purchased many of my clothes through catalogs. Last year we put in a closet organizer in our master bedroom and I vowed after giving 4 bags of clothes to the Salvation Army, not to purchase a thing for at least one year. Guess what? I’m wearing things I forgot I have that seem like new to me. Hopefully, this younger generation, through these hard times can learn to be frugal. That lesson will make them stronger adults keeping money in their pockets for school or even a future home. Some will learn not to buy unless they can pay cash or pay off their card at the end of each month. What a concept.
On a higher plane, this is a great time of year for all of us to sit down either as a family or by ourselves and list what we have to be thankful for. Off the top of my head, I’ve come up with…living in America, health, family, friends, freedom of worship, humor, books, cars that work, weather, a job I like, learning to be frugal, recreation, music, my piano, the beach, great entertainment, great food, shelter, good water, TV? Please try this exercise not just once but every few days. Turn off all the bad news. I believe we can learn a lot of practical lessons from these “bad times” We can discern what really is important. We are here and compared to the rest of the world we are truly rich in every way. Life is good no matter what the media has to tell us. We can move on. After all, it’s not what happens to us that matters. It’s our attitude about what happens to us that makes the difference. We can make these bad times a good time in our lives.
“Your can’t have everything but you don’t need everything.” (Neil Simon)
OTHER QUOTES
Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.
“I never tried quitting and I never quit trying.” (Dolly Parton)
Goals are dreams with deadlines.
Tears will get you sympathy. Sweat will get you results.
The world is moving so fast today that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.” (Harry Fosdick)
If Walmart is lowering prices every day, how come nothing is free yet?
The best way to “save” on a fabulous sale is to not buy at all! (Ann Baker)
Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. (T. Edison)
posted by Ann Baker, Realtor at
3:47 PM
