Posts Tagged: frugal

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29
Sep 08

Ramblings on Economy, Credit, and Homesteading

It’s 3 am right now.  This whole weekend has been a bit off kilter for us.  For one, I have been dreadfully tired since Friday, due in part, I believe, to the toll breastfeeding is taking on my body now that Jack-Evan is almost 5 months old.  Nothing I do seems to revive my energy, and I wake up just as tired (if not more) than I was before I went to sleep. 

Yesterday (Sunday afternoon), I crashed right after we came home from lunch with my parents – and the 3 hour nap, which Jack-Evan took with me, didn’t really seem to help at all.  By 8:30 we all decided to call it a night around here, and thus went to bed.  In staying true to the “off kilter” feeling we’ve had all weekend, Jack woke up at 12:30 am and refused to go back to sleep.   This is something he’s never done!  He has slept through the night (with the exception of waking halfway up to latch on for nursing a few times) since birth.  But he just simply refused to go back to sleep.  I laid there with him for an hour or so, hoping he’d fall back to sleep, but he was more interested in “talking” and playing with his feet.  Then he began getting irritable, and I knew it was time to change locations!  I brought him into the living room, partly so Kevin (who has to get up for work at 5 am) wouldn’t be disturbed by Jack’s crying, and partly in hopes that by letting Jack “play” some would work off some steam and get him to sleep.  The idea did work, although it took an hour for him to calm down enough to fall back to sleep.  It’s now 3 am, and Jack is finally sleeping on my lap.

Unfortunately, so many things are running through my mind that I’m not sure how I’m going to sleep.  It wasn’t until tonight that I got a clear picture of the “scope” of what this “bail out” I’ve been hearing about for days is all about.  I’ve been sitting here for the past hour, reading about the economy in depth – it’s the first time I’ve really paid attention to everything going on lately.  But now, I can’t avoid it.  I mean, you gotta know something’s going on when almost every blog you’ve visited this weekend mentions the looming financial crisis.

I first started hearing about things when the story about AIG hit the news.  That was terrible in itself.  But, really, I had no accounts with them, and it didn’t affect me, so I didn’t pay much attention.  Then I started hearing things about Freddie and Fannie and the terms bail out and bankruptcy and all those good financial type words.  Not being a devoted economist, all of these news bits went pretty much over my head.  They started running together so fast and furious that I was confused on the details….was AIG getting a Bail Out from Toby..uh..Freddie Mac???   I mean, c’mon.  The common, every day person probably (and sadly) hasn’t paid as much attention to this as we should.  Then last Wednesday night, President George Bush came on at 9 PM EST, preempting the finale of America’s Got Talent.  As foreboding as that was (couldn’t he have done his speech at ANY time except for when the finale of AGT was coming on??), it still didn’t occur to me to read up on everything. 

I wish I would have paid more attention to the news now.  I had no idea that the “bail out” that was being talked about was no longer confined to AIG or other sole entities.  I had NO idea that the “bail out of Wall Street” was to the tune of $700 BILLION dollars, and that the final vote on it is going to the House later today (Monday).   Am I the only one who has seemingly been under a rock the past few weeks???? 

I had no idea that a handful of banks had already failed this year – including well known WaMu and IndyMac!

I’m not sure how I feel about all of this.  I won’t even pretend to be smart enough to think I know whether this bail out move is right or wrong, but the thought of such a large amount being hefted on the shoulders of the American public scares me.  Then again, the thought of enduring a Great Depression scares me. 

Will this bail out really curtail a depression like they are saying it will?  I am highly doubtful of that!  The signs have been pointing to it for years now. 

Many of us noticed signs well over two years ago when banks were handing out loans to anyone who could sign a paper.  Shoot, my husband and I even took advantage of it – we aquired a 100% no-doc, no down payment, NO PMI loan as first time home buyers at age 23.  In essense, all we had to do was sign a paper.  We didn’t have to prove income, we didn’t have to have private mortgage insurance, we paid nothing down, and we were given 100% of our home value in credit.  We were able to do this all off of my 715 FICO score.  And it was so terribly easy that I remember it even made me uncomfortable.  We were lucky in that we knew all the “right moves” (get a fixed rate loan and buy far less than we can afford), but I remember thinking how terrible it would have been if we hadn’t have known how to properly prepare ourselves.  If we had used our “easy as pie” loan to get a more expensive house under ARM loan terms, we would probably be sitting under forclosure now as well!   Thinking about things in that perspective puts this entire economic decline much closer to home (pardon the pun) for me.

Even further back than the start of the housing/credit crises, all across the internet, from as early as 2004, we saw a large increase in sites helping people who were searching for ways to save money, live frugally, and be self-sufficient (homesteading) – www.HillBillyHousewife.com, www.FatWallet.com, www.SavingAdvice.com, and the entire “Homestead Blogger” blogging world.  it was as if a collective conciousness was growing in the American public, forewarning us of the need to steady ourselves for a coming downfall.

And let’s not even get started on all of the layoffs, rise in unemployment, the huge increase in groceries and gas prices, and inflation in general.

With everything that’s been going on in economy for the past couple of years, it’s hard not to want to shout “we saw it coming!”.  In all of the financial message boards I’ve visited the past few years, the question never was an “if”, it always was a “when”.  And now it seems that the “when” is suddenly hurtling towards us like a rock from a slingshot.  I just had no idea that the tensed up slingshot had finally released that rock these past few weeks.

And, now, to add to my already “off kilter” weekend, I will now re-awaken tomorrow to a new “off kilter” America where some people are working for an hour just to pay for a gallon of gas while big-wigs vote on whether they approve of a $700 BILLION dollar Wall Street bail out scheme.  It just all seems so very wrong to me. 

Anyway, I’m tired.   All of this research on the economy has my head swimming, and this post is just a very feeble attempt at putting all of those thoughts into coheasive form.  I can’t begin now to fathom what might happen with the economy now.  I know for one thing, the House will probably to say “yes” to that bail out.  Once a train like that one gets going, it’s not going to stop.  The only question left now is if it will truly help, and that remains to be seen.  My gut says “no” though.

Even though it’s been the hushed talk for a while now, the looming possibility that all of that “depression” talk is so close to “coming true” scares me. My one consolation is that we’re young and can relatively handle whatever is thrown at us.  I do fear for the older generation – those currently in their late 50s and early 60s – who were just on the brink of retirement.  Those, I feel, are the ones who will have it the toughest.

UPDATE:   Monday, 2:37 pm – Whoa!  The House said “no” to the bail out.  I can’t believe it!  I am glad, but it makes me curious as to where we’re headed next in this economic decline.  S&P is already down 6%!

Thoughts from Mom — No Comments
10
Apr 08

Baby Nursery Decorating With Area Rugs

In the midst of decorating a nursery, one can always use “more tips!”.  Here is a great article I found on how to beef up your nursery’s looks with an area rug.  I agree with the author that one thing that brings a room together is the rug.  This is true for living rooms as well!

—–Article reprinted with permission——-

When designing a child’s room or nursery, the throw or area rug is the one piece of decor that brings the whole room together. Bringing color and attention to the walls is an easy job; there are infinite options for shelves, frames, wall appliques, baby wall letters – the list is just endless. But the lonely floor has only one option – the throw rug – and yet these days even that one option can offer near limitless possibilities.

When selecting your child’s area rug, the list of attributes below should be taken into careful consideration. Don’t just buy the first cute rug you see. Your choices are many, and it’s easy to find something later on that you wish you’d bought. The benefits of a little pre-shopping homework may end up saving you a lot of money in the long run, and will keep you on track to designing that perfect dream room or nursery.

i) Color. Of course this is the first and most obvious consideration. Whether you choose standard blues and pinks for boys and girls, or even a neutral green, try to choose a color that carefully matches your child’s wall paint. Or better yet, choose the rug first – and then buy the paint. You’ll be extremely glad you did, because having wall color that’s a few shades off from the flooring color is something that cannot later be fixed without big changes.

ii) Patterns. Decide early on whether your kids room or nursery is going to incorporate any type of pattern. Rugs will come in striped, checked, crosshatched, paisley, polka-dot, and just about any other pattern you can think of. Coordinate any kids wall art or special frames with the pattern of the rug you want. Don’t go overboard. When adding patterns haphazardly, your child’s room can quickly get swamped with pieces of decor that clash with one another. The area rug will be central, and should bind everything else together – don’t make it too complicated.

iii) Themed rugs. The cutest and most unique kids rugs will coordinate along the lines of popular children’s theme decor. Boys can be cowboys, astronauts, sports heroes, sea captains, airplane pilots – the list goes on and on. Girls themed rugs include ballerinas, bunnies, teddy bears, butterflies, ladybugs, and of course the always popular princess rugs. A well-placed child’s throw rug decorated with one of these themes can set the stage for the rest of the room or nursery decor.

iv) Floral and lace. Softer and more feminine patterns of floral and lace can offset solid pinks and lavenders without the disruption of a more definitive pattern. Lattice rugs and scolled border throws can be found to match most any little girl’s bedding, or even crib bedding if the rug is to be used in a nursery. If you’re looking for soft and comfy, this is definitely the way to go.

v) Play rugs. Especially great for a baby nursery or smaller child’s room, these rugs come with interactive designs that were meant for play. Checkerboard and other game patterns like hopscotch and tic-tac-toe are available as play room rugs. Even more interesting are rugs designed to look like small colorful little towns, where your little boy or girl will love pushing toy cars or walking dolls along the detailed streets. These rugs are often bright and overpowering, so make sure you have strong pieces of matching children’s decor in order to pull this off.

vi) Shaped rugs. Many companies now make rugs in just about every conceivable shape or form. Frogs, flowers, butterflies, even surfboard-shaped rugs for tropical or beach-themed rooms are all available in every color of the rainbow. These irregularly shaped and scalloped rugs bring a unique quality to your child or baby’s room, and can often fit in places that other more rectangular rugs can’t go. Many shaped children’s rugs come with raised or sunken sections, adding tactile as well as visual decoration.

vii) Chenilles. From the cool pastels of springtime to the solid blues and pinks of uniform color, chenille rugs are often a favorite for kids rooms. They bring a rustic country warmth to any room, and are offered in a wide variety of sizes – from small throws to large area rugs designed for living rooms and dens. Never out of style, these rugs wear well and withstand the test of time.

viii) Shag and pile. Depending upon the size of the rug, you may want to choose a kids rug with a deeper or shaggy pile. They add additional plush softness, but moreover they can hide the dirt that comes with everyday wear and tear. These rugs will generally hold up longer than patterned or themed rugs, as the uniform quality makes it harder to spot blemishes. Many children’s rugs in cotton or wool piles will come treated with Scotchmaster or StainGuard, making them spill-resistant and even easier to clean when accidents do happen.

No matter which rug you choose for your child’s room, make it a good choice for the both of you. Remember that the floor is a very common play for your child to play, so you’re going to want something both decorative and functional. Examine all your options, chose the direction you want your decor to go, and above all have fun!

About the Author
Aurelia is a stay-at-home mother of three wonderful children as well as a small business owner in NY. Visit The Frog and the Princess baby boutique for hundreds of unique ideas for personalized baby gifts.
Mom's Recipes — No Comments
20
Jan 08

YEASTLESS PIZZA DOUGH

2 ½ Cups Flour
3/4 Cups Milk
1/3 Cup Shortening
Seasonings of Choice
Toppings

Combine the dry ingredients, blend in shortening and add enough milk to form a soft pliable dough.  Add italian seasonings, salt & pepper in dough if you’d like.  Pat out dough onto a greased 12 inch circle pizza pan and top as desired. Bake in a 375F to 400F oven 20-30 minutes or until cheese melted and bottom crust lightly browned. Cool somewhat and slice!