Slash Your Grocery Bill with America's Cheapest Family

I was browsing the Internet and came across this interesting video. Featured on the Today Show, this family is called "America's Cheapest Family". See this video and learn more about how this family of five has managed to spend just $350 a month on groceries;including their toiletries, personal hygiene and paper products.

The Smart and Effective Way to Connect with your Kids Today

Children don't come with instructions when they are born. They are unique, little people who seem to depend on you for everything. And boy do they. From birth to 18 months, parents seem to have the hardest time. It's the time when we are walking on egg shells, trying to figure our little ones out. They look at us, but can't say a word. But I know what they may be thinking. "OK, parents, maybe I can't talk, but I still can communicate. Can't you read the signs? Read between the lines?"

All the while, we are thinking, "Hey little one, you've got to say something soon. I can't take much more of this game of charades". My children are teens and I still feel this way sometimes. They are so independent and want to grow up so quickly. With that independence comes sign language, foreign language and grey hairs. (Yes, I have a few)

So, what is the smart and effective way to connect with your kids today?

• Listen to them. That's right! Stop, look and listen to them.
• Show them that you are human. You're not supermom/dad. You're human and you make mistakes. Just quickly correct them, to be their example or they will surely call you on it. Don't give them that, "do what I say, not what I do", line.
• Stay in their lives, but not on top of them. Don't smother them by being overly protective. Be protective, but don't overkill. This could actually backfire.
• Prepare them for their future. That should be one of the top goals a parent has. You have a little person in your life for whom you are responsible. Teach them that life is about living and learning; then show them how to do it.

I had to learn some hard lessons in child rearing. I am still learning, but so are they. If you learned something from your parents that was inaccurate, then don't blame them, just change it. Your children are in a whole new day and time,where things change. But good morals and strong family values should not.

Well, I'm signing off. But before I go, I want you to remember these words. "Kids are people, too". Until next time, take care of yourself, and yourself will take care of you.

Changing with the Seasons

Image by ...anna christina... via Flickr

Does the weather have an affect on your mood? I have to say truthfully, it does on mine. I'm affected by the glowing sun, and the pouring rain. I don't like it when it's too hot or too cold. So, what do I do?

I have come to realize, since I can't control the seasons and its weather, that I have to find ways to adjust to them. I try to keep fresh smelling pine and flowers that blossom around, during the winter. When it's raining, I put on uplifting, yet relaxing music, and add a touch of gentle, fluorescence through the lighting in my room.

Image via Wikipedia

It's those little adjustments; changing with the seasons, that makes life just a little more pleasant. Although, we can't change the seasons, we can certainly change how we respond to them.

Image by Steve-h via Flickr

Make every day, every season, a beautiful day, overflowing with vitality and thanksgiving. You'll be sure to find that changing with the seasons, is not so hard after all.

Related articles

• We change with the weather. (zemblanitous.wordpress.com)
• Seasonal Affective Disorder Awareness Month (everydayhealth.com)

Buyer Beware

Stop, before you make that next purchase

I'm a retailer, but I am also a consumer. I love a bargain just like the next person. Shopping for bargains is fun and also relieving, to know that you are are smart-shopping. But what happens when you shop for a bargain that is nothing but a scam? It doesn't feel so relieving. Instead, it feels as if you have stepped into a nightmare.

How can you avoid being scammed? I have to tell you that I can't promise you that you never will be in your lifetime, but there are some things you can do.

• Ask questions. Don't be timid in this area. Reputable companies must be registered in their cities/states. All companies must hold a license that allows them to operate in their prospective states. Contact your local business regulator to check the legal status of a business you are interested in.
• Search your Better Business Bureau database for more information on the business. Not all businesses will be registered with BBB, so don't let this deter you. You can use other measures to find out the information you need about business besides using BBB. Business Owners: You can become a BBB member, but please know there is a registration fee.
• Search RipOffReport.com's Database. This is an open forum that people go to in order to share their experiences with not so reputable companies, or companies they feel deal in unfair practices.

If all checks out, still use precaution. The business may be reputable, but every business has employees, even if it is a sole proprietorship. You will be dealing with real people. There should be a mutual relationship between buyer and seller, business and consumer. But it doesn't always work quite that way. Some people are just really out to make a buck. They have no realization that people are the reason they are making their money in the first place. If they mistreat their customers, the customer has the freedom and every right to go elsewhere. Businesses who put customer service last on their list, should really rethink this method. Without the customer, you have no business. Treat them right, and they will come back. Mistreat them and lose business and loyalty. Plus they may just tell everybody to steer clear of you.
This should be a no-brainer for business owners, but apparently this is not taught in most business schools. You have to learn that morals are a part of character. It would be such a shame to work so hard to market a business to only find that your customers are running away because of your immoral business practices. Take that into consideration. If your business school doesn't teach morals and ethics, then you better go elsewhere to learn them quickly. Quite frankly, you are wasting your money going to a school, who does not teach you these things. If you really think knowledge and money is what it takes to run a business, you will find that your business will fail quickly. Consumers look far beyond your sales, your store layout, and your smooth talking. They look at how you treat them. Yes, they really do.

In closing, this post was created to help you be aware, not to live in suspicion, and to help my fellow busines owners along the way. Consumers, shop freely, but be informed and vigilant. There are scammers out there who make their living off of other people by deception. They do not have your best interest at heart. So, buyer beware.

Thanks for blogging with me. Feel free to add your comments below. Until later; take care of yourself and yourself will take care of you

Charge those Electronic Gadgets

Today, I have to admit that this is surely an electronic world. As if we didn't already know that, huh! I have a cell phone and computer to manage daily, and that's no easy task. But what happens when you need to use the gadget and it won't power up? Well, it is not only useless, but it becomes stressful; not being productive because a gadget doesn't work.

I had to learn this the hard way, so now I am making it a habit to charge my electronics each night to prepare for the next day. I guess I have been a bit lazy in doing this, especially since the cell phone gives me plenty of warning when I need to charge it. Laptops do the same. So, I guess I really have no excuse. The few minutes it takes to charge up those electronic gadgets, saves hours of frustration and non-productivity.

I hope you all have had a great day and wish you a great week. Thanks for blogging with me. Feel free to leave your comments and share your stories. Until next time, take care of yourself, and yourself will take care of you.

Passion or Obsession?

Do you feel driven towards some specific things you do in life? Do you feel like you want to do these things all the time, and that's what keeps you going? If you answered yes to these questions, then now you must ask yourself another highly important question: Is it passion or obsession?

The answer to this question may seem obvious to some, but not so obvious to others. The Webster Dictionary definition for the two words are as follows:

1. passion-strong amorous feeling or desire; love; ardor. a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything:ex, a passion for music.
2. obsession-the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistentidea, image, desire, etc.; an addiction, a habit of activity; often injurous

You may look at the two definitions and think to yourself, what's the difference? Well, let's go a step further. We looked at the definition. Now, let's look at some synonyms for each word.

1. passion-craving, drive, enthusiasm, fascination, infatuation, obsession, devotion
2. obsession-enthusiasm, delusion, attraction, fixation, complex, compulsion,preoccupation,phobia

While we can notice some similarities, we can also see the difference. Passion and obsession are two words that represent a feeling or movement; both closely relative to the other. The difference is: passion yields productivity where as obsession yields destruction. The dictionary described obsession as something that often causes injury.

When you are passionate about something, you are calm, cool and collected. You are in control of your desires, though they be strong. When you are obsessed with something, that something is in control of you. You are fixated on it and it becomes your life. You don't have control over your thoughts or actions. So your end results and what comes forth is vanity and destruction.

Passion is the depth of life. We all were created with special gifts and talents. To find them is to find your purpose in life. Obsession for over achieving something, whether it be your passion or not, only brings destruction. Today, I urge you to find your passion and take hold of it, but don't become obsessed with it. Passion helps you enjoy life, while obsession makes life seem worthless, apathetic and even unbearable.

Look carefully at this rose. How beautiful are its petals; beautiful and flourishing, such a delight. But just beneath such beauty lies thorns; right where we must hold such a beautiful flower. We could prune the thorns and hold on to the beautiful flower with such pleasure or we could become so obsessed with reaching the petals that we totally ignore the thorns, holding onto them, while painfully climbing toward our goal of reaching those petals. Which would you prefer?

I personally would prefer to prune the thorns, so that I could comfortably hold the stem that leads to my passion: the petals.

Become passionate and start enjoying life today! Thanks always for blogging with me. I welcome your comments and feedback. Until later, take care of yourself and yourself will take care of you.

My New Schedule Is Going to Take Some Getting Used To, But I Have to Start Now.

Kids just returned back to school: home-school that is, and boy is it taking its toll. It is back to planning and scurrying to fix lunches, prepare uniforms,correct school and homework, and then not to mention, there's those field trips and extra curricular activities to throw in there. Then I have to pay bills, run my business and finish the housework.

Well enough said. I have another long day ahead of me and I'm just taking it one day at a time. That's all we can do, isn't it? The next time you go down your list of things to do, and you start stressing, just think about the fact that there are only 24 hours in the day, and you can only do so much during that time. I mean you have to sleep, eat, exercise, shower, groom and then add all the other things to do; in one day.

Don't try to be superwoman, (man). Think about what you need to do and plan for it. Really, most of us put things on our lists of things to do that we really don't need to. Or some of us don't even have a list/goals. Big time waster and productivity stopper. If you are not checking off prioritized things to do, then you are not getting anywhere. You are not living. You are just alive.

For instance, think about the time that you waste throughout the day; checking email when you should be working on that important project. Watching your favorite TV show all day, when you should be studying for a test, completing a work-related task, or filling out forms that require a deadline. How about talking on the telephone or just browsing the Internet when you have other important tasks to do?

The following is a list of solutions that can help you overcome these time wasters:

• Checking Email- As a busy mother and business woman, I need to keep up with email. Simple solution. I carry my Motorola Cliq with me, in case I have priority messages. I can check my email several times per day without having to go to my computer. I can preview emails and even answer them from my phone. This way I can check email without the temptation of browsing the Internet and wasting time. Then I check my emails online once per day and delete the old messages. I then file the ones that I want to save into a folder called "Saved Emails". If I want to review an email later, I file it into a folder called "For Review". I also schedule time to review these items and decide whether to save or delete.
• Phone calls. Caller ID. I know this sounds selfish, but screening calls is a plus when you are pressed for time. Some people are not as time- concious as you are, or are trying to be. They will talk for hours if you let them. Now if you have customers or colleagues, then you want to pick up the phone for them, but still keep it short and precise, (to the point). If your best friend wants to call and have a gossip session, turn your voicemail on, and call her back later.
• Watching TV/Browsing the Internet. I run a home-based business, and it is real easy to become too comfortable at home. I homeschool my children and its the same thing. We have so many distractions and temptations that are grabbing for our attention. So what to do when you work/school from home? Turn the TV off. Put away your remotes and focus on your to-do lists. Work before play always bring prosperity.

Start now. Do these things to increase productivity. You have to start now and be persistent and consistent. Thanks for blogging with me. It's time for me to log off. Have to get some sleep.