Budget: Keeping a Budget and a Record of Expenses!

Budget! I was posting a pin and wrote info @ Pintarest today and I read on a pin I was sharing. True, some individuals find it difficult to put money aside in savings because they do not earn much money and that is justified. In time you will be able to have money set aside in savings. Meanwhile, strive and do your best and avoid debt whenever possible. Learn from your mistakes and do not torture yourself in ‘what if … I had done it differently …’ It is never too late to learn to keep a budget and enjoy a more relaxed, worry-free life-style by living within your means and considering options as to what your needs and wants may be. Also, in the budget management pin I ‘pinned’ today, there was additional valuable information for recording your expenses. Some people do not keep a budget because they do not think of keeping a budget, spending spreadsheet and watch expenses closely. Of course, it makes sense. It is important to record earnings and expenses every time you receive wages and spend your wages. Keeping a record of earnings and spending and setting a budget while prioritizing in mortgage/rental, car/insurance/maintenance, medical and other important expenses necessary to your daily living such as paying home utilities and so forth … and lastly, your entertainment, clothing and vacation expenses. Prioritize expenses and know the difference between your ‘wants’ and ‘needs,’ I say. Set priorities and budget. Eating at home is thrifty. Actually, you will prepare food the way you enjoy it and not the way the masses are served. For example, I enjoy ginger and garlic and cayenne peppers in nearly all meals. I am never served these more costly delicacies, so I eat at home. Purchasing seasonal produce also saves you money as opposed to off-season fruits and vegetables. Soup in broth, rice and beans or beans alone … goes a long way. Soups and salads require a little of this … a little of that … Blistering success, you save money and you eat healthy and keep a journal/ledger to keep records. The goal is to avoid debt and have money in savings while not depriving yourself from eating well and taking care of your clothes. There is so much money that is wasted in dry-cleaning when it is not necessary. Think and sit back and enjoy your new approach to keeping a spending and budget ledger!

Just Say No! Save Calories -sweets, saturated fat etc

An easy diet, learn to say NO! One should enjoy eating healthy foods and keep count of calories, exercise and learn to say no to offers, tempting buffets and anything You know will disturb your plans to diet. Portion control, wise selections of good foods, and saying No!

Oz is the Name... Oz as in Dr. Oz

I enjoy every article I read written by Dr. Oz! Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen are my inspiration in health matters! I like to read A Woman's World, each issue is $1.79 and a completed read! These doctors have often been featured and may I add, they co-authored a fabulous book: You- Being Beautiful: The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty. I am pleased with this integral health book. It is not a difficult book to read. I am well pleased! Merck Manual: Home Health Handbook - I purchased this volume last December and it is a good guide. One is well educated in health manners when one visits the doctor. WebMD and the site for Mayo Clinic are also good resources. These books and internet pages work for me.

Literary Regrets

If there is one factor in my life that I regret that is that I never kept a journal of the many books, journals, articles, and all sources of reading material. I have two journals for that purpose and I have not filled either with wonderful book titles and notes. I fear it. Why? Well, I wish I had kept a huge journal of all that I have read. This is an impressive list. I wish I could have kept a journal for that purpose alone and wish that school made it mandatory since grade six. When I was eleven years young my parents purchased books for me. A man selling encyclopedias knocked on our door. I know about The World Book Encyclopedia. When that gentleman approached us I wanted the set of expensive books. We had a family meetings, my parents and I, and I must say it was a good investment. I read all the volumes! Today we have the wonderful search tools of Google and other learning links within Google. Learning is a lifelong event! I wish that everyone took advantage of this wonderful modern-day blessing via the Internet! Recipes and Consumer economics, home economics, and other related topics such as gardening, home repairs, nutrition and diets, and the world of Web MD, online Thesaurus, and other tools are 'fast' and 'efficient' and we should enjoy the mission that is learning and the journey that is online reading and researching, but texting, social media chats and posts, and movies, television, and so forth, are interests that others enjoy. I invest time on Pinterest once I have read and done housework or in between chores. We must value our time for what is important to us. I do not sacrifice exercising, housework and reading for Pinterest, which are scrapbook boards in my opinion. Oh, 'life is good,' as my husband says, but one must organize and schedule tasks and keep a list or journal to further facilitate our goals! I am grateful for the Internet. I do not play online games. I do not know where to find them. If I want to play a game, I bring out the board game when there is time and my husband and I play. One should set realistic goals. We purchased a new edition game of Monopoly which was on sale and we paid very little for it at an outlet store. No, it is not the huge shopping chain ... Anyhow, we did not have time to invest on that particular game as it is time consuming. I gave it to my niece and the kids play it with their father on any given Monday for family evening activities. I like to play Parcheesi. Of course, I like to play chess, but I have been given a self-imposed, self-classified demerit, I am not an average player anymore, I am a bad player, though I like the game very much. We play for fun, burn twenty calories playing for one hour, and enjoy fun while not sacrificing more than one day a week for our game date. One has to be realistic setting goals! It is good to keep occupied, but we have to work on spending less time doing chores once spring cleaning is done and since we are doing it at slow pace this spring cleaning 'event' will take us until summer to accomplish. I own many books that I have kept throughout the years. Organization and labeling, filing location of book titles and other items is a time consuming project. I have achieved part one, but part two starts next week. I have help. My husband helps me. Once that has been accomplished there will be more time for reading, learning, and sewing two aprons, one is a vintage project and the other is a Shabby Chic project. I am setting the time and scheduling 'events,' and I refuse to call these goals 'projects' because I see it as an event of a different kind and one that is very enjoyable. Nevertheless, I regret not having kept a journal recording all titles and notes of everything I have read in my life. Spring cleaning, learning, keeping occupied, enjoying online research, keeping appointments, and preparing tasty, healthy meals are important 'events,' but the Great Event, the record of all the material I have read should have been recorded. Now I regret it.

Reading: More Time, Please!

I enjoy reading old books a second time. Some books are favorites and I read certain passages or chapters. Every Christmas I read the first or first and second chapters of Little Women. I also enjoy Christmas stories by L.M. Montgomery. I have read these Christmas stories many times and always savor its richness. However, I have many good books to read, cozy kittens to masterpieces in the classics such as my favorite, realism in Russian literature (no politics involved). Russian fiction ranks high on my list for its perfection! I am writing a schedule of books to read each year. This list covers fiction and non fiction, three consumer magazines and fun reading as well. I wish there was more time in the day to read so much more. It frustrates me in that I wish to read many good books in one month and due to chores and an intense exercise program as well as appointments this is not possible to conquer. I keep trying. It seems that when I was young there was time for reading all the books on the list and for many other tasks. All I can do is try and read, read, read ... I also like to write girlish works of fiction, little stories, and this takes time from my reading schedule, but writing is another passion and worth the sacrifice of a token book. I observe how busy my husband is and how much he reads. Like me, he reads every day and also spends time online. I admire a man who has an organized mind, high morals, and reads every day! We discuss books and current events, the economy, of course ... It is good to be married to a person who shares many common interests with me. I do respect the fact that he continues to learn, reads every day and is kind. My husband says that he wishes there was more time in the day for hobbies, interests, chores, and yes, reading! Well, we do what we can and by far, we read much more than most individuals we know who enjoy other wonderful interests. What inspired me to be the avid reader that I am today? My family/extended family, they are avid readers, too! Yet, this must be an in-born quality. If I see a flower I cannot identify, an antique, a recipe, all things that spark curiosity in me ... I look it up. I do the research. My husband does the research as well. He does not lean on me to look up information/facts for him, he does the research as I do my own. When my husband reads the present-day concept for a 'newspaper,' mediocre in quality, small and thin newspaper, he still highlights and makes notes on the newspaper pages as he does in books or with his kindle. I do not read the newspaper, but my husband knows the articles that interest me and he hands them to me and I place them inside pocket pages in folders/binder journal books. I write on magazines such as consumer and woman's magazines, home economics magazines and so forth. I do not write on fiction books, but I still write on some of my books and I do it with a pencil and not with a highlighter as my husband does. We are never too old, too tired, or too busy to read, learn and do our own research in any matter that interests us. I miss not attending the theatre, the philharmonic and a string quartet concert. The time we enjoyed the ballet must have been seven years ago. I do not miss it much. On youtube.com I enjoy music while I write or pin on Pinterest. I like dressing up to the philharmonic and since I am familiar with classical music having studied its composers many years, I know what I am listening to. It is good to have time to do housework and prepare exquisite meals, but reading, writing, and the arts are also important in my life. Exercising consumes hours of effort and I find it enjoyable. Yes, I am like most individuals who enjoy so may wonderful activities, including reading, and wish I have eight additional hours in the day to read. The idea of writing a schedule of books I want to read during the year (and this can be done quarterly)is a productive idea as long as I have the list next to me at all times during hours of reading activity.

Befriend a good book and read every day: books, magazines, etc

I purchased a copy of the Merck Manual in December 2012. Home Health Handbook is its title of this marvelous book. I read reference books, medical and genetics publications and any publication by Dr. Oz. Of course, I read A Woman's World magazine, fiction, home economics, and nearly everything I read is special to me. I think that the process of educating our minds through good books, or at least what one considers quality reading, is a wonderful opportunity. We must welcome literacy and read every day! We make time for sports, movies, sitcoms, reality stars, the evening news, weather reports, shopping, travel, and yes, we make time for emailing friends and family. We should make time each day and read, keep our analytic perspective and enjoy what we read. Why is it that most individuals cease to read once they have completed their formal education. The process of reading for pleasure is remarkable. There are many children and adults in third world powers who cannot afford to read and lack motivation to seek a library and read. We must strive to better the quality of lives each day and reading on a daily basis a must. We exercise our physical bodies. By the same token, we should not neglect exercising our mental abilities writing, reading, and creating! Befriend a good book every day, you will learn and have fun in the process.

Two days ago my husband and I went on a date. We enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner at a diner. We walked downtown and entered a shop and we had fun. Finally, we went to the most known bookstore in this country, no names mentioned. My husband wanted to purchase a dictionary that is English-Spanish and I suggested that he purchased a Latin American dictionary as opposed to a Spaniard dictionary. Oh, it was a struggle! He did not find it. I asked the lady who was at the little booth in customer service for book searches and orders. She kept saying that there was not such dictionary because she had never seen on at the store. I said that I had one from the store and that it is the Latin-American English-Spanish dictionary. She did not care to do the search and kept saying there was no such dictionary. She made a comment with a young man who worked in that area and he agreed with her. I had to ask her to do a computer search. There it was! She did not apologize and did not make another comment as to the non-existent book. She asked if we wanted to order it. Well, yes ... that was obvious. Are workers today lazy? I knew more about the books that bookstore sells than she did. She was argumentative, though not rude. Later, we went to pay for our books upon placing the order in her work area. The young man who had been there went to the register and he served us. I told him that there was such a book, in fact, and that we ordered it. He looked as if he did not understand what I said and then he said he was not working there rather than to take an interest and better serve customers next time. In this area Latin American dictionaries sell! There is a demand for those dictionaries as opposed to a Spaniard (Spain) lexicon. I ask, if that store was their store would they not want to search, be hospitable and sell the product? Why is it that when my husband goes to the most well known hardware chain and to an old store where tools are also sold. My husband shops for tools and he seems to be more informed about the products and what is on sale than those who work there. I know, I go with him. Many times he asks a question and they just grab the box and read what has been written. They do not even informed about the products they sell in most stores. What has happened? It is disappointing to go to any store because the help is not efficient. There are stores where employees say they do not carry a certain product and we know they do. We always prove our case and pay for the product and not as much as a smile and 'thank you note' from the sales clerks or floor walkers in most places.

Book Binders: Using Clear 200 Count Sheet Protectors and Imagination

I have created a few fancy scrapbooks for family in the past. As for me, I like simple, old-fashioned scrapbooks. I have also made Memory Binders such as these from Pinterest. I like mine for Retro and for projects on health and home binders and a few for favorite sit-coms theme binders, but most of the ones that I have created are for the purpose of Home Economics and mine are lovely. I add many fine articles from Reminisce magazines and books because I like to read and re-read such articles and not simply enjoy illustration after illustration! It is a way to create ones own books! This is relaxing. I make a few photo copies of the articles I wish to use. I separate the illustrations from other sources. Then I gather it all together and arrange by order, theme, etc It can be arranged into the binder in a few minutes! This is economical, if you enjoy having fun and thrift. I create my own books!

Humor and Lucy!

I enjoy many topics and I must save that I have never experienced a dull day in my life or depression. I am very much like my late father used to be, enthusiastic! I asked my husband to describe me to someone who might not know me and he said, "You like your privacy and writing." I wondered why he stopped there. The news was on and his attention was diverted to the sports or weather report, I cannot recall now. I have been thinking about the economy and my enjoyment in consumer economics/home economics as well, and the four consumer economics boards I keep on Pinterest. It was at that time that I noticed a lovely photograph in a Retro board and I decided to pin it. It was a beautiful photo of Lucille 'I Love Lucy' Ball. I think that during times of doubt, economic concern and war or possible war/s one should focus on beauty and hope. Comedy brings to us both beauty (when we smile we look beautiful) and hope (there are endless possibilities tomorrow). I like this photograph and hope that everyone is informed in news and economics and unemployment matters and enjoys laughter thorough the old shows, your own movies, family laughter or a good joke you heard and should repeat to someone with a good sense of humor. We have been having showers and I thought about the song April Showers. It is in times like these that we should focus on beauty and art and music, and of course, in our faith.

Lovely art and a message to youth

It is remarkable how much the painting of the 'cigana' looks like me when I was younger! Art is important in our lives and therefore I bring you a lovely piece of art for your enjoyment along with the message of the heart, 'enjoy youth, its journey is brief!' My own quote! I placed the image on Pinterest, in one of two Bohemian boards where I pin.