Mission Organziation HELP?

FACE journal?? I don't know what that is.

Janis, no doubt fuel oil will be a LOT higher this coming winter, given the rise in gasoline prices lately. Better plan for it now I'm sorry to say.

My heat is propane and I do not pay for it... it's included in my rent along with water and electricity. Thank God. Even at that, I'm always behind on payments although my cc debt is minimal. I charge the gas for my truck but pay it in full every month. I only charge it so I can plug the numbers into a budget... I lose receipts easily and lose track of actual costs otherwise.

BUT, I DO shine my sink!

Darius,
Financial Awareness Continually Empowers.

Here is a web page with her FACE, Holiday, Office And packing (like for vacation) journals http://www.flylady.net/pages/control_journals.asp

I have my control journal, I have the holiday and packing ones, now I"m gonna print out the FACE and get us on track. If we just put our minds to it, we would be doing ok, I really think. We HAVE To quit smoking. That is costing us more a month than our rent :( I have tried in the past tho, and no luck.. I think my problem is I have no desire to quit, even though I know what it would mean for me health.
Another big problem is Jeff takes money out of the atm every day... be it 20, 30, 40, 50 bucks. Then he buys gas, Et cetera, and who knows what with the change. Alot of times he has to stop and pick up milk, bread, pop, you know, and cigarettes and copenhagen, most every night. I write checks or use my debit card for EVERYTHING, so I know what I am spending, and where. I just spend too much. I get my child support on a MasterCard debit card every 2 weeks, I know how much it is going to be, and pay bills with it. Unless like this pay, we had to buy tires for Jeffs car, and fix the AC :( We can make it, but when stuff like that comes up it leaves us with our behinds hanging out :(

Well, I really need to go do dishes, I"ll be back later, if I can get my 14YO off the puter LOL

Hugs,
Janis

I'm getting ready to buy a cigarette rolling machine, plus supplies. Then I can make a pack of filter 100's cigs for under $1.00. Figured if I'm not gonna quit, I might as well get them cheaper.

Jeff and I have discussed that too. We both smoke cheapo menthols, so we mmight as well. the cheap ones here are almost $3 a pack now. That is between 9-12 bucks a day, plus 5 for his copenhagen :( Adds up so fast

Janis

You can get menthol tobacco to roll your own, even tubes with a filter attached. Still under $1 a pack.

I want to add one important thing to this thread. Many of you may not have heard of Feng Shui (Chinese energy flow), but it works.

Years ago, someone introduced me to Feng Shui. At the time, I could not make ends meet... AND there was a LOT of traffic daily, mornings and afternoons past my house to a day care person down the side street.

I did the recommendtions from a Feng Shui person, which was a mirror by the front door to reflect back the energy of the passing traffic, and also a hanging crystal inside the big picture window facing the street.

Believe it or not, the next month... without any increase in income or reduction in utilities, I had enough money to pay bills. And that continued for months until the day care shut down!

Here are some simple Feng Shui things you can do for your house that will prevent an energy drain:
* Close plugs or cover drains in sinks and bath tub
* Tie 9” red ribbons around the pipes under sinks
* Close lid when flushing toilet – ladies, this is the answer to your prayers!
* Eliminate clutter
* Keep door shut

I'm not sure what the red ribbons do, but a Feng Shui friend put some around the cover of my checkbook 2 years ago, and I have never bounced a check since, nor been completely out of money. (Been very tight, yes! but never fully broke!)

edited for typo

This message was edited Aug 18, 2005 11:38 AM

Darius, I believe in alot of that stuff too, actually Jeff has introduced me to alot of stuff I never dreamed of. My DH is a Wiccan (to anyone who doensn't know what that is, he is a warlock, a witch, it's a recognized religion by the US govt, and it is actually more popular than any of us realize)

He has shown me the healing powers of crystals, we have a spirit garden in the woods behind our house, and before anyone asks I'm Christian, always have been and would love for him to convert, all I can do is pray. Our children are being raised learning about both religions, it will be up to them to chose when they are older. We make concessions to eachother... I have no religious symbols in the house, no crosses, no Nativity at Christmas, and he doesn't practice here at the house, except the spirit garden and blessing the house. He doesnt celebrate all the Wiccan holidays and has Christmas with us, and Easter too. We have atree, present, all the traditional Christmas stuff, even read the Christmas story about Christs birth to the kids on Christmas eve, but the kids know that Mommy believes in 1 God, and Daddy believes in many. It really isn't as hard as it sounds. I think of it as a Catholic getting married to someone Jewish.

I am going to try your Feng Shui suggestions Darius. Can't hurt, and Lords knows the help would be appreciated :)

Ok, now that everyone thinks I'm a nut case.. I'm gonna go see what is going on elsewhere in DG LOL

Hugs
Janis

OK, here is my proud spot right now, except the love seat being empty byt my 14 YO is asleep on the couch so I cna't take a pic of that LOL
My kitchen after 3 days of decluttering and 15 minutes at a time :)

table (that was buried a couple days ago LOL)

and the stove
Tomorrow's mission, under the table and the floor (eugh)

Janis

I don't think you're a nut case, and to the point I don't think being a Wiccan is all that unusual, nor signs of being a nut case either. Nor had I thought the two incompatable.

A lot of Gaia folk have brought it more to the forefront or so it seems to me. Nothing like the internet to connect us to the stuff that organized news doesn't mention.

In this group you'll have to do better than that to earn the title nut case. We're all edging on that with our devotion to our gardens at any rate. LOL ~Blooms

well, shoot :( Here I thought I had it.

I'm gonna have to go off to my corner and think some more now LOL

Hah, while I'm writing you're posting pics of wonderful successes. You have done wonders. You really got all those clothes folded. Wow! for you. You get all kinds of stickers. /;-)

Blooms, not folded yet. They are in baskets sorted by person they belong to. The towels are folded and put away. I have 5 baskets but at least they aren't on the love seat any more, butthe kitchen looks alot better. I will have the laundry folded and put away by Monday. Wanted to get more done the past 2 days but has been hectic. There is always tomorrow (today? geez its 2:30 AM here i got to get to bed LOL)

Ok really quick... Living room laundry sitaution, here is the missing loveseat LOL

and 3 of the baskets you can see 1 in the pic above, in the Lower left corner. That one is all the girls stuff and assorted socks (that came out of basket 5) which is now in the basemnt waiting on the laundry down there to be done, and the hamper is full again :(

Janis
edited cause my name is no "Jnais" LOL

This message was edited Aug 18, 2005 2:39 AM

not. never mind i'm tired can you tell? i got to start getting up at 6:30 next week :((

I so need to get a FACE journal printed. The DH has been offered a new job within his company which will mean about 500-700 more a month and I really want to use it in the best possible way. We bought Suz Ormans (sp) book, Young Fab & Broke, a few months ago and have tried to do things it has suggested. We do not manage our money as well as we should. Other than 401k we have no savings (used our last savings for some much needed work on the house) so I'd like to save more, at a realistic pace that is, I've seen some people who are "experts" suggest very unrealistic goals for saving.

Woofins, smoking use to kill our budget. With both of us smoking a pack or more a day it was costing us 200.00 or more a month! If I hadn't had to watch my Mother die in 2003 (at home) of lung cancer I would probably still be smoking. Can't say it was easy but I've stopped and the DH only smokes a cigar or so a month. We've talked about the fact that he really misses it and wanted to start back but I've begged him not to. I just don't want to watch someone die like that again.

Ahh Darius you've hit on one of my pet peeves, And that's older folks who have worked for years and years, paying taxes etc getting so little from SS that they can't live a normal standard of living. My DG who I adored was in that same spot. She was widowed in her late 30's and had to join the work force. The only job she could get was as a payroll and bookeeper at a local ladies clothing shop. Money was always very tight and SS was so picky about her getting help from Mom that we had to sneak her stuff. Send cash, stamps, gift certificates for grocery stores, gas etc. She worked hard her entire life and she should NOT have had to worry as she did when she reached a retirement age. Sorry to go on about this but it really fumes me...

I know we need to quit Saint. I watched my dad die when he was 45 from liver cancer and cirrhosis. He died 9 days after my Sarah was born(she turns 7 9-17). I haven't had but a handful of alcohol since then. If I don't have any in the house, I want it, but if I have something in the fridge, I'm fine with it just sitting there.

As for savings, right now we have NONE not even a 401k plan. We know that it is something that needs to be addresed and soon, with 4 kids to put through college too (????) Heck I can't even manage to get a Christmas Club account going :( I read someplace a long time ago, the over 99 percent of people live above their means. Which is probably where the billions of dollars of credit card debt come into play. I am so glad we don't have any credit cards. We just throw the offers away. The only card I really would like to have is a JC Penneys card to take advantage of the extra 20% off when you use the card, but then I would want to pay if off every month. My sister bought over 500 dollars woth of school clothes for her kids,on clearance, and used a friends card, and got it all for under $180. I need to get a deal like that LOL

I know we need to budget better, by payday we are scramblimg around to get through the last couple days. I hate that. But we do it pretty much every pay. So that will be next months BIG goal for me, to make it to payday with money still in the bank. We'll see how it goes.

Janis

Janis I applaud your great strides in getting control of life. It has inspired me to get things done around here. I won't post any before pictures until I can side by side post the afters.
Two barren days according to Farmers Almanac, so i'm tackleing the inside 15 mins at a time.
sidney

ok Sidney remember I"m new... 2 barren days? what does that mean?

I'm really trying. I miss the way my house used to look. 15 minutes away from company. I was so proud of that.

I didn't get enough sleep last night, my sleeping pill is still working on me, think i'm gonna crash for a bit.

Be back this afternoon after I take DS14 to the dentist and back to my moms :)

Janis

Barren days means don't plant.
Quote
"18-19 BARREN DAYS, FINE FOR KILLING PLANT PESTS"
sidney

Janis, put something purple in your "wealth corner"... that's the fartherest left corner of the house when you come in the door, whatever room it is in. Mine here is the pantry and I just put a purple candle in there. It draws wealth.

Then get a container with a narrower neck than the body. Mine is a dried gourd with a narrow neck. Seed it with coins in copper, silver and gold. (The dollar coins are "gold" and you can get them from the change machines at the post office, or a bank.) Then hide the vessel in a drawer or something. This is your "hidden assets".

Add coins to it when you empty pockets at night. It will fill up before you know it. I use mine for Christmas gifts. Just remember to seed it again if you empty it. But, keep it hidden.

Araness, you told me what FACE is, and I already forgot, and cannot find the post. Do it again, please?

I don't think I posted it but it means,
financial awareness continually empowers
Flylady.net has a lot of really good ideas.. Between she and Suze O we are at least getting the info we need. Now we just have to act on it.

Darius,

I tried to find the far left corner of my house... but i live in a dome. LOL

I know Feng Shui isn't big on round houses. Maybe it's because there is no far left corner to find. I have a purple chair in what is just about the far left "corner" does that count?

Melissa

Sure, Melissa! And, actually round houses don't tend to get stagnant energy.

Ok, I"m having a duh moment.

Darius, the far left corner of the house. Does that mean the farthest corner from the door you come in, on the left side of the house? I know its probably really obvious but I just woke up. I have to get 8 hours of sleep on that dang Lunesta or I can't function

I'll be back in a couple hours

Janis

Yes, Janis... the fartherest corner on the left from the door you come in...

That works out to the corner of my shower that has a ledge for soap! Just put purple candle on my shopping list!!!

Darius, I don't think you will laugh at me for being totally measurment challanged, so I'll ask you. If I measure across the front of my apartment and down the side, can I multiply something by something and get the square feet of the apartment?
Pati

Yes, across one way and down the side the other way multiplied by each other will give you square feet of living space. Most folks use inside measurements, but the Am. Assoc. of Architects uses outside measurements even though the wall space is NOT liveable! I think they do it that way for billing purposes.

Just get purple soap, Pati! LOL

Thanks Darius. It'll work for me because there isn't an INCH of wall space that isn't used in this apartment.

Purple soap it is!!!!!
Pati

This thread is getting long to load on dial-up, so I'm starting a new one even though BetsyBug started this one!
New thread: http://davesgarden.com/forums/pf.php

She actually meant http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/538441/
;)

Sorry! I never even checked the hyperlink! Thanks, sidney. : )