Yesterday marked the start of the 2008 Holiday season.  Black Friday got off to a horrifying start with 3 deaths and at least 4 other injuries.  I have never been one to shop on Black Friday but I am beginning to believe that we need to change the tradition.  This is the second year in [...]

Continue reading about Beginnings: Holiday Season, Family and Combining Households

cindys on November 21st, 2008

All of a sudden, I woke up and it’s Friday!!  I have gotten a handle on where my money goes but where the heck did all that time go?  It’s been a busy week.  We have been struggling with fall colds, court and car repairs.  I am normally pretty good at budgeting my time but [...]

Continue reading about EEEEEK!! Where Did The Week Go?

cindys on November 13th, 2008

In a telephone conversation with my mother this morning, she mentioned that their tenants were having difficulty paying their rent due to layoffs and reduced hours.  She said that she and my father had discussed it and made the decision that they would not take their life savings out to pay the mortgages on the [...]

Continue reading about Feedback Wanted: Hard Decisions in Today’s Economy

cindys on November 12th, 2008

Yesterday a reader commented on my post 10 Steps to Budgeting with Irregular Income and it reminded me of the most important step to begin a budget or spending plan. Denise from Plain Ol’ Food says We use the envelope system for both personal and business expenses and as cash comes in some is put [...]

Continue reading about Focus On Finances: Keeping It Simple

cindys on November 11th, 2008

If you look around the web, you will find plenty of advice on making a budget.  It’s actually pretty simple to do.  You write down your income and keep track of your spending.  You analyze your spending habits and adjust accordingly.   The process is simple, right? Ah, but if you are like me and you [...]

Continue reading about 10 Steps to Budgeting with Irregular Income