From a Cluttered Desk

I am Tammy Cardwell, she of the cluttered desk. (Hey, you think I'm kidding?!) I'm having a blast here in Blogland and invite to you to peruse my ramblings. Like a buffet, they offer variety - essentially whatever makes it to the top of the piles that sometimes clutter my brain. We'll eventually cover it all - homeschooling, God, our church, the Eclectic Homeschool Online, books I'm writing and publishing, conferences I speak at, the joys of grandmotherhood, and hopefully chocolate. Of course, this is only what's near the top now. Who knows what's in those piles?

Note: Don’t go looking for 131 other such tips. I’ve given several, but not quite that many.

I’ve an unusual resource to recommend today. The Wish List

Wish lists fall into the “Why didn’t I think of this sooner?” category. We all have wish lists in our heads, but places like amazon.com, target.com, etc., take the concept even further. You essentially do what expectant parents and soon-to-be marrieds do, only you set up a wish list instead of a baby or wedding registry, then register for things you need.

This serves the thrifty shopper in several ways.

1. Advance Research
You know you will need to buy a new microwave in the near future. Do the research today and put your selection on the list. As soon as you have the money, you place the order and not only save yourself from having to do some frantic shopping, but also avoid the temptation to go over budget. I’ve also found that several of the items on my Target wish list get free shipping, which means if I order them I will also be saving myself the gas of a trip to the store and the temptation that comes from walking those delightful aisles.

2. Know What You Need
It’s crazy, but I can get downright frustrated when I get unexpected income if I don’t already have a plan for using such monies. I mean, there are so many places the money needs to go! If you have a wish list in place, however, and the money isn’t needed elsewhere, you already know how you can best spend the money to meet your family’s needs – because you’ve done the research.

3. Incentive
Even for the thrifty, self-denial can be tough. It helps, when tempted by that extra dinner out, to be able to pull up the listing for that new TV the family is saving up for and remind yourself that many family movie nights trumps a single meal.

4. Take Some Time
Putting a desired item on a wish list instead of heading out to purchase it also gives you permission to think about it. I’ve used paper wish lists off and on through the years and don’t know how many times I’ve at first been convinced I just had to have something only to find myself removing it from the list weeks or months later.
On the other hand, if an item stays on your wish list for a while the odds are much higher that it will end up being one of those purchases you’ll be glad you made.

5. In-store Convenience
Few things are as frustrating as walking down the aisle of a store and suddenly seeing too many choices. (“Oh man… Which size rug did we need?!”) If you happen to have used a store-based site (i.e. Target.com) to set up your list, you may be able to answer that question with the touch of a button.

Ain’t technology grand?

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

I found a couple of interesting blog posts today and thought, since I was in thrift store mode, that I would pass them along to you.

This gal bought a TERRIBLE, old-fashioned, Ugly (pronounced YOU-gly), huge dress at a thrift store and turned it into an adorable, retro summer dress. The post title is Summer of 69 Thrift Store Refashion Frock Giveaway!!!! Giveaway, you ask? Yes, one lucky commenter will win this refashioned dress. The point, though, is that she shares her technique and this is a great example of how you can take an item you would otherwise have thrown out with the trash and turn it into something fun and useful.

If you sew, of course, which I don’t do much anymore. I wonder if I should pull the sewing machine out? My sister and I were talking about that just yesterday.

That blog post mentioned this next one.

Wardrobe re-Fashion

Wardrobe re-Fashion is actually a community of bloggers who have committed to refashioning clothing instead of buying new. Here are the first two paragraphs from "About Wardrobe re-Fashion"

Wardrobe Refashion is a community which has had an online presence since early 2006.   Based in Melbourne, Australia, owner Nichola Prested started up the site after deciding to quit buying new manufactured clothing in a bid to do her part for the planet, save money and improve her sewing skills.

Participants of the blog pledge to abstain from the purchase of new manufactured clothing for the period of 2, 4, 6 months or LIFE.  They pledge to refashion, renovate, and recycle preloved items with their own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium or make their own from scratch.

And here’s a good post at Frugal Simplicity - Save Money Shopping for Clothing at Thrift Stores

I’ve dealt with clothing here, of course, because clothing is what I need with my recent career change, but you can find myriad things at thrift stores. I’ve discovered books (Surprise Surprise, right?) that were good reading material an/or collectibles at bargain prices. I’ve also found furniture, toys, and more.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

I made a haul at a thrift store this morning. I went to a Value Village about half an hour from my house and bought 2 dress shirts for my husband (One brand new with tags), 2 jackets for me, 1 denim skirt for me, 11 dress shirts for me, and 3 tanks (mostly for wearing under thin shirts) for me. I went in with a 1/2 off coupon in hand, so I came out having spent a little less than $32. Thirty two dollars for 19 items! Now, some of these things may not fit or may fall by the wayside for other reasons, but even so most of them cost around a buck each.

I’ve had several people tell me that they never find anything at thrift stores. It occurs to me that perhaps it’s because they don’t know how to shop them. So here are ten tips to make thrift store shopping more productive.

1. Go EARLY (And avoid Saturdays if possible)
           Today’s trip was a great example. We got there an hour after the store opened and there was hardly anyone there. Within a couple of hours, though….oh MAN!!!!!!! We’ve already decided to be there pretty much when they open next time.

2. Be prepared to spend TIME
           This is a huge reason why most people don’t find things in thrift stores; it flat out takes TIME. When I first arrive, sensory overload hits. I have to walk the floor for a few minutes and then hit a rack and start looking - one piece at a time, in an organized manner. It’s a fact that in thrift stores you may go through a hundred things before you find one that works, but that one could be a $60 shirt that you’re getting for $3.50, so it’s worth it. I lost track of time, but I think we were in this thrift store for about three hours…maybe more.

3. Never shop alone.
           Maybe it’s not true for others, but for me it helps a LOT to have someone else shopping with me. Today, for instance, my sister pulled dress shirts for me that I probably would have bypassed because I didn’t see their potential at first glance. Too, I don’t do dressing rooms at thrift stores so it helps to have someone there who can tell me what she thinks when I throw a shirt on over what I’m wearing.

4. Dress comfortably
          Forget the heels (unless you plan to try on shoes…not something I’d recommend unless you bring wipes to clean them first) and realize that these stores always seem to be either too hot or too cold.

5. Wear a shirt that’s thin enough that you can throw shirts/blouses on over it.
         Not only do many thrift stores not have dressing rooms, but I have a thing about using thrift store dressing rooms regardless…just can’t bring myself to do it. Besides, I’ve never been in a store where there wasn’t a line at the few available dressing rooms anyway.

6. Have candy or maybe a small bottle of water
         I got VERY hungry and thirsty before we were ready to leave today, so I was grateful for the peppermints I’d stashed in my purse.

7. If they have buggies/shopping carts, get one
         You want to find things, right? So you need somewhere to put them. This also provides a place to park your purse (Keep an eye on it!) and something to lean on when you get tired.

8. Pick it up if you think it might work
         Knowing that the odds of finding an item a second time are slim, my sister and I catch and cull. You pile the basket with everything you think you might want and then, when you’re nearly ready to go, you go through it one last time to see what you really want and what doesn’t look as good on closer inspection.

9. Pay attention to the sales people
         They were constantly putting things out while we were shopping today. Sometimes getting THAT item means being the one that’s right on the sales associate’s heels when she’s heading to the racks with more goodies.

10. Inspect everything - CLOSELY
         Are there stains you can’t remove? (Especially check underarms and collars) Are there tears? Are there missing buttons? One shirt I bought today almost got tossed because a missing button would have meant purchasing a whole new set of buttons and I didn’t consider it worth it; then I found the "extra" button still attached and it became a keeper. Do the zippers work? Does it REALLY fit? (You’ll never wear it if it doesn’t) Are any seams coming loose? Is it missing beading? Is the elastic worn out? If you’re like me, you’ll never get around to fixing those minor things that bug you, so the item’s not worth it if it has problems.

Then, of course, I wash everything before I wear it. In fact, I wash everything before I try it on. And if something doesn’t fit after all? Well…if it’s something I bought today, I probably only lost a buck.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

I’ve linked this to both my Walking with God and Living on a Dime categories because I learned long ago that you always come out better when you’re getting God’s input as you shop. This week has been no exception and is a great example of how shopping with the Holy Ghost means spending a lot less money.

Our music ministry has a banquet every year, and every year the ministry gives gifts to all of the members who attend the banquet. This year I felt led to step out in faith and be the one to supply those gifts. Now… We’re not a small ministry and I knew when I decided to do it that it was a major stretch, especially given the way things have been financially, but I also know that when you make such moves at God’s nudging He always comes through and the rewards are fabulous.

Anyway…

Technically I need around 60 gifts, but my goal is to have 75 just in case we grow some more between now and the banquet (And that is VERY possible!). My intent is that every gift be at least a $10 value. My goal is to not spend more than $5 on any of those gifts unless special circumstances warrant it. Some gifts may end up being of greater value. For instance, I get a $25 credit every time someone uses my link (http://www.gilt.com/invite/tmcardwell) to join Gilt Group and then places their first order. Right now I have $25 credit with them and I’m keeping my eyes open for items that fit the budget and would work as banquet gifts - so I could get a REALLY nice (As in $75 value) gift and it not cost me a thing.

Anyway (again)…

Yesterday I felt fairly strongly that I needed to go to JC Penney and use a $10 off a $25 purchase coupon I’ve been hanging onto. So my husband and I headed to the mall and went pretty much straight to the jewelry section in search of items that were 50% or more off. (Like I said - minimum $10 value, maximum $5 spent) I found a really fun ring right away - $18 value for $6.99. Picked that up and continued looking.

And then I saw them on a bottom shelf! The packaging was terrible, which I’m figuring is a large part of why they’d not sold already, but they were $15 necklaces with interchangable stones - very pretty (And I’m not the only one who says so). And they were…

Are you ready?

$1.97

How’s THAT for a bargain?! And remember, too, that I had the $10 off coupon, which translated into another 44 cents off each necklace.

I got the one ring and 19 of these necklaces in assorted styles and colors, and my sum total was $37.26. At the bottom of the receipt it says, "Your Total Savings Today: 268.58."

Twenty gifts, each of which is worth at least $15, for less than $40. Does God rock or what?

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Like many bloggers, I regularly look at my site stats. I watch where people come from and what brings them here. One of the most interesting things to watch is search strings - the words people type into search engines when they’re seeking out specific information. Sometimes these searches are absolutely hysterical and I wonder how in the world the search engine thought my blog fit the criteria, then I’m curious about what made the seeker click on my link, and I’ll often run the same search to see what else pops up. Other times it’s encouraging because I know that somehow, some way, things I’m saying are attracting people’s attention. If I were more business oriented, I might even figure out a way to work with the search strings to bring more visitors to my blog…but that’s another post.

Other times the search strings are far from funny, like the ones I found yesterday. They varied slightly, but in essence were…

free copy see i told me so

Now, it is possible that this person  was searching for some other book entitled See, I Told Me So, but even if they were I’m going to say what I have to say on that author’s behalf as well as my own.

For the benefit of those who do not know, See, I Told Me So! is one of my ebooks. I and a group of homeschool parents and graduates wrote it to encourage anxious homeschoolers, to reassure them that no matter what your life looks like it is possible to homeschool and raise responsible children….to look back at homeschooling and say, "See, I told me so! I knew it was going to come out all right!" We, as a group, put countless hours into writing this book, and then I put even more hours into editing it and prepping it to publish as an ebook and then to market it. Because I want as many people to be able to read it as possible, I’ve priced it at $9.95, which is about as low as you can go and people not think a book must be worthless.

I have given hundreds…perhaps thousands…of copies away for free. I’ve spoken at conferences where I offered it to attendees as a free download. I’ve been part of benefits and fundraisers where I offered it as part of download packages people would receive after making donations. I’ve even given free copies to individuals as I felt the Lord lead. It is an important message that I and those who co-authored it with me want to get out and as a result I am open, on occasion, to taking part in projects that put it in the hands of other people without me making a dime.

But me choosing to give copies away for free and someone else choosing to give copies away for free are two different things. It is MY book. When someone stumbles across a link that was intended to be a private link for conference members to download their free copy and the discoverer - who is not a conference member - downloads a copy, they’re stealing. And when that person shares the link with others and those people download copies, that also is stealing. I’m using a concrete example here. This very thing has happened, where someone discovered just such a link and shared it on at least one homeschool list I know of.

Another scenario that has played out, more than once, is where "thrify" homeschoolers "share" their efiles of this and other ebooks. This can be as small as one homeschooler emailing a copy to a friend and as large as one woman I’m aware of who set up a yahoo group specifically so that she could share illegal copies of hundreds of homeschool products.

Even if you do find it as a supposedly free download online…that doesn’t mean it’s free.

With few exceptions, when someone purchases an ebook, they are purchasing THAT copy of the book. THAT copy is their copy. If they make a copy of it, there is no longer one copy; there are two - and the second is an illegal copy. This is because they did not buy copy right; they bought a single book. It may be easy to make copies of and share ebooks and other electronic products, but you have to think of them as if they were printed…at least if your ethics are right.

As harsh as it sounds, if someone’s hard drive crashes and they lose the book, it’s just as if they accidently left a regular book on a seat in the subway, they’ve lost the book and should buy another if they want it replaced. Now, most of the publishers I know personally would probably replace the ebook in this instance if it had originally been purchased directly from them (I almost surely would), but they’re certainly not required to by law or even ethics.

Yes, it bugged me to see that someone was trying to find a free copy of a book that I have a massive amount of hours, prayer, and effort invested in, a book that should be helping me make it financially.

::::thinking:::::

Okay, I’m going to be a little more open than usual. See, most seem to envision publishers as being people with money. Most of us are not; in fact, in the homeschool arena the opposite is usually the case. In point of fact, my monthly income is… Huh… I suppose I shouldn’t share hard figures. Let me just say this. I’m frugal. We’ve lived frugally for years because we’ve had to. At the very least, it would be nice if my publishing company could make enough money to keep me online, but when I leave the house I’m living in right now (returning to the old house even though Ike left it in even worse shape), there is every possibility - probability - that I will be offline, because paying the local cable company isn’t even remotely in the budget right now. I’m just rejoicing that I’ll be able to pay the electric company tomorrow. And the water company? Well, they’ll have to wait and so will running water. Normally, our grocery budget is about $50 a week, maybe $100 on a really good week. Splurges are rare and I was absolutely thrilled today when I was finally in a position financially that I could buy not one, but two pair of work shoes and a new pair of work slacks. (Shoe Carnival and Burlington Coat Factory…bless you!)

So you see, YES, it does impact me when people steal copies of See, I Told Me So! Just say ten copies are shared illegally every month. That’s $99.50 that, were the books purchased from me instead, would have been enough to keep me online…or put gas in the car…or bought groceries…or paid a chunk of the light bill…or…

It matters, which is why I finally decided to say something. I try really hard not to offend people, most of the time, but right now… I guess you’d say I’m the one who is offended.

Celebraing Jesus! (in the midst of everything)
Tammy C

Join the Campaign

I’m offline and don’t know how long I’ll be offline. Since I have a few minutes on another computer, I checked for comments needing approving - they were all spam. No surprise there. I can’t say how long I’ll be offline; it’s strictly a budget thing and that’s…well…yeah.

Being offline has left me with a lot of time to get other things done. I did start another readthrough of the Bible on May 28th. I’m using my chronological Bible (NLT) and as of yesterday I’ve finished through what would have been April’s readings. That’s Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, most of II Samuel, a chunk of I Chronicles, all of Job, several of the Psalms.. I’m doing something different this time, actually marking off the Bible chapters and books as I finish them, and when you put everything in chronological order you really do get bits and pieces from all over and seemingly out of order. The most surprising was that I might get a snippet from I Chronicles 12 before I’d get one from chapter 3 and then one from 9 followed by one from 5. For some reason, I always assumed that Chronicles was in chronological order, but it’s not.

I realized yesterday that reading the Bible through repeatedly is really helping me make new connections and retain what I’m reading. It makes sense, of course. If you like to reread certain novels (And I do), you eventually ‘know" them. That is happening with quite a bit of the Bible and I’m thrilled to see it. I may well keep reading this way until Jesus comes back!

One more quick note and then I’m out of here until whenever.

For those who, like me, live on a dime, I’d like to recommend ZenniOptical.com. Both my sister and a friend have ordered from them so, since buying eye glasses locally was not an option, I ordered a pair. I wear bifocals now and have a pretty strong prescription. Even so, this set of glasses - with progressive bifocals, scratch resistant coating, a pair of clip-on-shades, hard case, and shipping - was only $50 and some change. They arrived in about 10 days and work wonderfully even though I am having to learn to wear bifocals for the first time. My only regret with them is that I couldn’t get high index lenses, so these lenses are really thick, but that’s a small price to pay when you consider how much less they cost than anything I would have bought locally.

And my time is up. I’ll see you the next time I’m able to get back online.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

I’ve had questions about Revolution Money Exchange, a site I mentioned in a recent Living on a Dime post. Most of the questions naturally centered around the foundational, "Is it legit?"

Answer: It is

It was founded last year and is an offshoot of Revolution Money, which is a revolutionary new credit card you might want to check out if you use credit cards. (You’ll find this USA Today article interesting) This one definitely sounds more secure than the average credit card, and has a lower interest rate as well. Because it’s so new, it’s not accepted everywhere yet, but I expect that to change.

So what’s Revolution Money Exchange? It’s a service that wants part of PayPal’s action. It offers free money transfers between members, free transfers to your bank account, and more. They are working on making a debit card available so that you don’t have to transfer funds to your bank account; I really like that option. And they’re using the very same tool to spread the word that Paypal did way back in the beginning - MONEY. When you sign up for an account, they send you a $25 deposit that you can immediately have transferred to your bank account if you like. They also offer you the option of inviting friends to join Revolution Money Exchange and for every person who accepts your invitation they will deposit anther $10 up to $500.

To invite people, you can enter their emails directly, or if you have a website or blog you can put in a button like the following. If you click on my button and set up an account, I’ll receive $10 (unless I’ve hit my $500 max, of course, but I’m not near there yet.), which I can then use in any way I please; you, of course, get your $25.

 There are some provisos on the $25 transfer, but only two. First, there is a time limit. If you don’t accept the money within the time specified, you forfeit it. Second, there is an option, which is suitable for those who are buying and selling online, to suggest a different amount of money. If you use this option, trying to get anything other than the $25, you forfeit the money.

If you’re interested in learning more, you might read the following articles. I would be grateful if, after you did, you came back here to sign up. Since I’ve been living on a dime too, I could use those $10 deposits!

Revolution Money Thinks It Can Win Friends on Facebook

Revolution Money Exchange

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Okay, here’s another Living on a Dime tip that’s actually about earning the dimes you live on.

I’ve been a member of MySurvey.com for several years. With this site, I take surveys, most of which take only a few minutes, and I earn points. Now, you can use those points to donate to charity or select a prize/reward, but I let the points add up until I’ve earned a $10 check (Yep, unlike some places, they’ll send you a check as small as $10). Again, this isn’t anything that will get you rich overnight, but it is another easy way to bring in more of that much-needed cash.

If you’re interested, and if you’re 14 years or older, a resident of the 48 contiguous United States, and have a valid email address, just click on the banner. Only one member can join in any household, but everyone can take the surveys, which qualifies you for more points (meaning more prizes/awards, cash, or charity donations).

 Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Living on a Dime post. Actually, I’ve been so busy that posting has been scarce anyway. I read a post on a friend’s blog today, though, that reminded me of something - part of living on a dime is learning ways in which you can GET those dimes. I’ve recently discovered two ways in which you can make relatively easy money. No, they’re not get rich quick schemes; they’re just viable ways to bring in bits of extra cash.

The first is PayPerPost. 

 I’ve been blogging with PayPerPost for a while now, maybe coming up on three months, and it’s definitely helped out around here. The system is pretty simple; I look at the list of advertisers who are wanting bloggers to write about them, find one that fits with my blog, and blog about it. Then, 30 days later, I get paid via PayPal transfer. I’ve already been paid over $180 for blog posts I’ve written, and I’ve got around $135 due to come in over the next 30 days. If you have a blog, you should seriously consider clicking on the graphic above and checking it out. I’m very glad I did!

And then, today, I learned about Revolution Money Exchange. It’s a relatively new company that serves in much the same way as PayPal. Signing up is easy and, since they’re trying to build their member base, they are depositing $25 into the account of everyone who signs up through a referral link before May 15, 2008. All you have to do is click the following graphic, take a few minutes to sign up, and you will soon have an extra $25. If you sign up right away, you even have several days during which you can share the opportunity with others and earn another $10 referral bonus for each person that signs up using your link. That rocks!

And here’s the referral link for Revolution Money Exchange. 

 One thing I’ve learned in the past two years, while my dh has been mostly out of work, is that you need to earn what you can where you can. I may not have a single job that pulls down a double-digit income, but by taking advantage of opportunities such as these I’ve managed to keep food on the table and gas in the car. In other words, opportunities like this have supplied some of the dimes we’ve been living on. <grin>

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Here’s another tip for living on a dime

Maintenance

We have now discovered that part of the reason we’ve had surprisingly large water bills is that our toilet has a very slow leak, one we only just noticed.

It’s amazing how much things like dripping faucets and slowly leaking toilets can cost you!

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C