Adoption & Kirtland, OH

November was National Adoption awareness month, and I should have done this post in November in honor of Adoption awareness.  So back in October, we had the opportunity to attend the US Northeast regional conference for Families Supporting Adoption (FSA) in historic Kirtland, OH.   Why?  Because we hope to be able to begin our family through adoption. AND we support adoption and hope to be parents through adopting a sweet baby.  We are praying to find a special birth mother.

You can help us and help support adoption as well.  Simply by being aware that adoption is about love and then encouraging unwed individuals with an unplanned pregnancy, whose path may cross yours, to learn and be open to the option.  If adoption is an option, then don't be afraid to mention that you know a some friends who would love to parent.

Back to Kirtland.

The Families Supporting Adoption conference was wonderful and we both increased our knowledge about different aspects of adoption.

But the most important of knowledge and testimony was gained at an early morning-side meeting held in the Kirtland temple just for the FSA conference attendees.

Prior to walking into the temple I had the misconception that it was not in use anymore and had been turned into a barn.  Oh how wrong I was.  Currently the Church of Christ owns the temple.   As soon as we entered the temple the holy ghost immediately bore witness to us both that it is still a holy edifice dedicated to the Lord, and is still accepted by Him.

Kirtland, Ohio Temple under renovation

Kirtland, Ohio Temple

The historic Newel K. Whitney grocery store.  Joseph and Emma Smith lived in the upstairs for some time after relocating to Kirtland.

Seth standing next to the door that the prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. used to enter the store for the first time.  I love the scene that took place here when Joseph Smith and Newel Knight met for the first time.

 In February 1831, when Joseph and Emma Smith arrived in Kirtland, Ohio, they went directly to the Newel K. Knight grocery store.  Joseph entered the store and shook Newel's hand over the counter and said: "Newel K. Whitney, Thou art the man".  Newel replied, "I could not call you by name as you have me." Joseph answered, "I am Joseph the Prophet; you have prayed me here, now what do you want of me?"

The pictures below and above are a room in the 2nd level of the Newel K. Whitney store where Emma Smith had to clean up all the tobacco spit off the floor after each of the School of the Prophet meetings had been held, where leaders in the newly restored gospel studied the scriptures, and were also given additional basic education.  Emma got tired of cleaning up the spit.  Joseph also felt the smoking and tobacco habits were not pleasing to the Lord and prayed about it.  In response, the Lord gave revelation now known as The Word of Wisdom found in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 89.

Joseph and Emma's bedroom

Emma's kitchen fireplace.

I absolutely loved the small little children chairs for the kitchen table. 

The road that divides the Newel K. Whitney store and Newel's home.  The temple is at the top of the hill (can't see it).

Seth at the log mill

Pulpit replica's like those in the temple, being constructed at the log mill.  The sun was setting and shining right on one of the pulpits.

The Ashery

community members could sell their ashes to the ashery for money.  (After using a wood stove to heat our home this winter, I can only imagine how many ashes a community would make back in the 19th century from burning wood in multiple fireplaces in a home to heat each room and to have to cook over.)  The ashes were mixed with water to create lye, which was then sold to make soap.

The wet ashes were then fired in a kiln to make pearl ash, which was also sold.  The profit from selling the pearl ash and the lye made at the Kirtland Ashery was donated to help build the Kirtland Temple.  Pearl ash was used to make gun powder and added to clay (Seth just loved this tidbit of info, and he also loved the structure of the pearl ash kiln).

We wish we could have had more time to tour the rest of the historic sites in Kirtland, but it was Saturday night, and we had to drive home for church on Sunday morning.  If you ever have the chance to visit Kirtland, OH, then do.  It's amazing to be able to walk where the prophet Joseph Smith walked.  Kirland, Ohio means more to us now rather than just a place where LDS church history took place.

100% Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

I love to eat bread from artisan Ciabatta to whole grain honey wheat.  I also love to make bread, my particular favorite is 100% whole wheat.  Growing up I ate home-made bread regularly.  My Aunt LaRee - aka "Betty Crocker", mom, both grandmothers and a few other aunts always made bread and rolls.  It wasn't a special family dinner if home-made dinner rolls were not on the table.  And heaven forbid if you called a dinner roll a "biscuit", you were likely to have a roll chucked at your head for blasphemy!  As a child I would watch the bread making process over and over, from my mom grinding wheat in her classic stone mill, the loud old Braun mixing machine kneading the dough, to my favorite aroma of breading baking.  I have decided it's in my blood and my genes to make bread.

Have you ever noticed that grocery store and home-made French/Italian bread taste and look completely different from a true French/Italian bread?  I did, and I wanted to know how to make a true french baguette.  The Food Network Chefs would frequently pair a good "Italian crusty bread" with their recipes.  But nowhere could I find on the Food Network website a recipe for artisan bread.  So, a few years ago I purchased a couple Artisan bread books to learn the true art of bread baking.  (Thanks for the pictures Amazon.com)

BREAD: A Bakers Book of Techniques and Recipes 

 The Bread Baker's Apprentice

Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Everyday

There are a few techniques, high quality ingredients, a good recipe, and tools that are required to make authentic artisan bread, which is why most home bakers do not make true artisan bread, but it can be done! 

To sum it up, artisan bread requires a preferment (made from instant yeast, good quality unbleached all purpose flour and water), more flour, yeast, water and salt, a good long rise and no "punching down the dough" - the proofed dough is folded, a stone hearth, and a good shot of steam as soon as the loaves are placed in the oven during the beginning baking process.  Watch these short clips of demonstration by Peter Reinhart:


 

If you want to make your own artisan bread, there are some good recipes on the King Arthur Flour recipe website.  (I also enjoy the King Arthur Flour blog that features detail how-to pictures and instructions.)

 I make whole wheat bread every week or two depending on when I run out.  I purchased a K-TEC wheat grinder from one of the LDS Family Storage Centers a few years ago. It's a great mill - the bin can hold about 10 cups worth of milled wheat kernels, but it is very loud.

If you are interested in purchasing one and do not live near a Family Home Storage Center, visit the Everything Kitchens website.  I also purchase wheat kernels from the LDS Family Home Storage Centers because it is so very inexpensive.  A 25 lb. bag of white wheat only costs around $6, (Price list) where if bought from anywhere else the price is at least 3 times as much.

The mixer is also an important component to making bread.  I only have a 6-quart professional Kitchen-Aid. In my opinion the best mixer for bread is a Bosch, but for everything else (cookies, cakes, meringues, etc.) I prefer the Kitchen-Aid stand mixer. 

The recipe I use to make 100% whole wheat bread is found on my website: WholeWheaters.blogspot.com 

I have incorporated some techniques I learned from my artisan bread books.  The recipe is long because I go into great detail, but the process itself, is quite fast for bread.  I have found that letting whole wheat bread rise or proof  before making the loaves creates too many air pockets and a crumbly interior. This recipe goes from mixing bowl to pan, with no rise in between. (This is quite the opposite for artisan bread, where the preferment requires at least a good 12 hour rest to develop the yeast flavor and interior crumb texture.)

There is nothing quite so satisfying and mouth-watering as a slice of good home-made bread with butter and honey or fruit preserves spread on top.  Enjoy!

Hope for the Economy and Capitalism?

Town Hall for Hope aired in May of 2009, but it is still applicable for today, as not too much has changed in the economy.

Town Hall for Hope gives light so that we may have hope in the American economy and capitalism.

Dave Ramsey discusses why government bail-out's hurt the economy, capitalism and the American people.  He also gives a good economic history lesson that America will be wise to learn from.  The information is good and will keep you on solid ground.

Listen and decide for yourself if you will keep the hope alive.

Lion House Pie Crust Secrets

Making pies for Thanksgiving dinner?  You'll want these time saving tips!  Watch this 7 minute youtube clip below.  And, read this article for a few extra Lion House tips: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700082603/Unlocking-the-pie-mystique.html?pg=2

LION HOUSE PIE DOUGH
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup lard
1/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup shortening
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk
1½ cups pastry flour
1½ cups bread flour
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon cold water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixer, cream together butter, lard, margarine and shortening. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, baking powder, salt and dry milk powder; add to creamed butter mixture and mix briefly. Add pastry flour and beat until blended. Add bread flour and mix slightly. Pour in water and beat again just until water is blended.

Divide dough into two or three balls. Roll out each ball on a floured board. Line pie pan with dough and cut off excess dough. Flute edges.

For recipes that call for baked pie crusts, prick holes in bottom with fork. Bake empty pie shell at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, or until light golden brown. Otherwise, fill unbaked pie shell and bake according to recipe. Makes two to three 9-inch pie shells.


Note: You may substitute 3 cups all-purpose flour for the pastry and bread flour called for in the recipe. Additionally, this dough may also be made by hand-cutting the fats into the dry ingredients.

You Can't Afford to NOT....

As of last night Seth and I are graduates of Financial Peace University!!!

My new motto: Debt is DUMB and Cash is KING!

If I could convince my friends and family to do one thing to help themselves financially, it is: Take Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University! It has changed everything in my and Seth's life for the better. I PROMISE it will do the same for you.

Interested in finding a class in your area? http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu/home/

The class includes a kit which it self is almost worth the $100 family tuition cost. Do not let the price scare you. YOU can't afford to NOT take the class! Just think, what a great christmas present to give you and your spouse. And it will be a present that will continue to pay off through the rest of you life.

So you are saying, "I'm debt free I don't need to take that class"? Wrong, you do! Debt is only part of the course. The rest of the course teaches about how to build wealth.

Yes, I must say, I "EXHORT" you to take the class. It will be one of the best things you and your spouse can do together for each other and your children.

Kids and Money

Just finished a Dave Ramsey show focused on how to teach your children how to earn, save, and give money. It is full of great knowledge that every parent should incorporate with their children.

It is excellent and well worth the 50 minutes. Watch and listen to it while you fold clothes or do dishes!

Finances Part 4 - INSURANCE

The purpose of insurance is to transfer risk. Without insurance, certain losses can bankrupt you.

Umbrella liability policies are a good buy once you have assets. These policies pick up where other insurance leaves off.

There are 7 types of insurance that you need:


1. HOMEOWNER’S OR RENTER’S INSURANCE


It should be “Guaranteed Replacement Cost”. Which means that if you buy a home for $200,00 and it has appreciated to $300,000, the insurance will cover the appreciated amount.

If your house insurance is “extended replacement cost”, you must contact the insurance company once a year to update the amount of the loan coverage to the appreciated amount of your house.

2. AUTO INSURANCE


Carry adequate liability – at least a minimum $500,000

Ask you insurance company for discounts.

Consider dropping collision on older cars, but only if you have enough $$$ in your emergency fund to be able to buy a replacement car – that is called self-insuring. Calculate the risk, if you totaled your car, could you afford to replace it at cash cost. If not, then keep collision on you auto insurance.

3.  HEALTH INSURANCE

To save on health insurance premiums: Increase deductable and/or coinsurance amount. Again by doing this you are self-insuring. If an accident were to happen, and you do not have enough money in your emergency fund to cover the higher deductible, then you can not afford the risk of a higher deductable.

4. DISABILITY INSURANCE OR OCCUPATIONAL INSURANCE

Is a MUST-HAVE! It is designed to replace income lost due to a short-term or permanent disability.

Buy disability insurance that pays if YOU cannot perform the job you are educated/paid to do.

Do not buy policies for less than 5 years. Purchase at least a 5 year policy = Long Term Disability

If Disability insurance is offered at work, BUY IT!

Coverage should be for 65% of your current income.

The elimination period is the time between the disabling event and then the insurance payments begin = deductable. 90 days is = to a $500 auto insurance deductable. Does your emergency fund have enough $$$ in it to support you for the elimination period before the payments kick in? The answer to this question will help you choose the length of the elimination period. The longer the period, the cheaper the insurance will be ~ it’s similar to auto insurance in that respect.

–Are you seeing why it is so important to have a well funded emergency fund?

5. LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE (Nursing Home/In-home Care/Assisted Living Facility Care)

Do not purchase until you turn 60 years old – but you must buy it when you turn 60.

Talk to your parents, and convince them that they must have this insurance.

A nursing home will crack and scramble the nest egg! The last 6 months of life will be more expensive than the last 10 years of life. You cannot hide assets to keep them from being taken to pay for care… this is lying! If both parents are alive, and one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, this parent will be in a care facility for a long time, which will eat up the money in the nest egg, leaving no money left for the other parent to live off. Thus, Long term care insurance is a must to protect the nest egg!

6. IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION

15 million people have their identity stolen. Don’t buy protection that ONLY monitors the credit report. Good protection will include restoration services and assign a counselor to help clean up the mess.

7. LIFE INSURANCE

Life insurance is to replace income that is lost due to death. ~ It should be called death insurance.

NEVER BUY WHOLE LIFE OR CASH VALUE INSURANCE!!!!!!
ONLY buy TERM insurance.

Term Insurance: Buy a 20 year term. By completing Dave’s 7 baby steps, you become self-insured. So there is no need for permanent whole life insurance.

In 20 years from today, when the kids are grown and gone, you are debt-free (including the 15-year mortgage), and you have investments that have grown to a substantial amount, you will have become self-insured. Thus it is so important to follow the 7 baby steps for financial peace!

You want to stop term insurance about the time the last child leaves the home.

The term life insurance policy should be 10 x your salary. So if you make $50,000 then the policy should be for $500,000. If the policy is paid out due to death, then that entire amount will be invested at 10 % to 12%, and the spouse or children will be able to live off of the interest of the $500,000 – which interest pay out will be about the amount of the salary lost.

Buy only low cost term insurance - a normal price averages in the twenty dollar range.

Don’t forget your spouse. A stay-home mom is worth a $400,000 policy.

Children only need a rider on life insurance, nothing more! The rider will cover burial expenses.

AVOID:

* Redundant policies, like accidental death insurance – no need for it if have term life insurance. Invest the amount you pay for an additional policy – you’ll make more $.

* Credit card protection. Just use scissors and cut up the cards

* Mortgage Life Insurance

* Any insurance with cash value, investments, or refunds

* Pre-paid burial policies. Example: If you buy one of these at age 40 for $3,000, and live to be age 80 – you could have invested that $3 grand in a mutual fund for 40 years and it would have grown to $350,000. Now that would buy a nice funeral!

*************

Do you have the insurance you need? If not, Dave Ramsey lists agencies that sell insurance that he approves of. Visit his website by clicking here.

Personal Finances Part 3 - Debt

It is officially the start of a new month, and a great time to start using the Cash Flow Plan, as Dave says “spending every dollar on paper on purpose for every single month, because every month brings different expenses”.

Completing baby step 1 will allow you to now proceed with baby step 2, which is dumping your debt (all except for the house payment) as fast as you can.

DUMPING DEBT

Cut up the credit cards. You don’t need them. Credit Cards have been marketed to us so intensely that the credit card companies have instilled in us that we cannot live with out them. Grandpa and Grandma didn’t grow up using a credit card; they just saved their money for a rainy day.

Dave recommends “never using a credit card. NEVER! You can obtain internet access, make online purchases, and buy things in a store with a debit card”.

Baby step 2 also means cutting back in luxuries and squeezing every extra cent into the debts.

To quickly dump debt you may have to implement most, if not all of these changes to your cash out-go:


1. Sell the new car(s) to get out from under the large payments and then buy a used run-around-car for 2 to 5 thousand. WATCH Dave's  Reasoning to not buy a new car.

2. If your housing payment is more than 35% of you net income, then get out of it! Sell the house or else apply for a lower interest rate in your mortgage. Rent a cheaper apartment. (To figure out this percentage, divide the payment by the net income - easy!).

3. Sell lots of stuff. Have a garage sale and put that money towards the debt.

4. Cut down on eating out. Eating out will eat your food budget and you alive. Cook from scratch – it’s healthier and cheaper. You may have to resort to “beans and rice and rice and beans”.

5. Cut out the daily purchases for the coke/pepsi, coffee, cigarettes, etc. DRINK TAP WATER it’s free. Bottled water, juice, and pop drinks adds up quickly; get a tap water filter if you need to.

6. Cut back on movie theaters. Need a date with your spouse? Go for a walk and talk, it’s free.

7. Consider eliminating cable or satellite, cancel the cell phones to free up some money.

8. Put expensive hobbies on hold.

9. Shop at consignment stores like Good Will.

10. Stop spending money on any other extra’s that do not fall with in the four walls.

11. Get an extra job (temporarily), work over-time

Just get out of debt as fast as you can. It’s easy to wander into debt, but to get out you’ll have to sacrifice.

Pay off the smallest debt first, while continuing to pay the minimum balance on the remaining debts (if possible), then use all that extra cash that was going towards the smallest payment and put it towards the next smallest debt, and so on and so forth until every debt is paid.

DEBT CONSOLIDATION
Debt Consolidation is a CON and does not work. Debt CON-solidation does NOT save interest – it throws your low interest loans into one high interest rate, it gives you a smaller payment making you stay in debt longer. You can NOT borrow your way out of debt. The company may also charge a fee that could also be going towards your debt. Smaller payments equal more time in debt. "Debt CONsolidation is an emotional and psychologiacl lie. The debt is only moved, not paid off. It's like taking a diet pill and continue the bad habbits - it makes me exempt from change. If you don't change your habbits, you're going to go right back to where you were." Using a debt consolidation company will most likely not change the spending behavior that dug the pit for you in the first place. You can’t continue to dig your way out of the pit, you must climb your way out! Debt consolidation doe not get you out of debt - YOU get YOU out of debt.

Remember the four basic walls:
1)Shelter
2)food
3)clothing
4)transportation (not a brand-new car!) Your income must provide for these necessities first, and then you take care of the debts.


CHANGE YOUR WAY OF THINKING:

Car payments do not have to be a way of life.

You do not need to build your credit score by applying for a credit card.

The best way to beat debt is to quit borrowing money and live on less than you make. “Act your wage”.

Dave instructs “buying things on 12 months same-as-cash is a stupid idea. If you buy the item with cash, you will get an even better deal. If you can’t save up and pay for the item with cash, you can’t afford to buy it! To get a deal when considering a purchase, use cash and be sure to show the retailer your cash in hand.”

Debt is heavily marketed to young people, and they will receive a lot of offers from credit card companies.

(When I was getting credit card applications in the mail I would return the application with the statement “REMOVE FROM MAILING LIST” written on it – this will make the companies pay double postage for sending the application, and give the post office additional revenue. Eventually I was removed from all the mailing lists, and have not gotten any new offers for several years now.)

SIGNIFICANT PURCHASES
A significant purchase is normally anything over $300. You need to set a significant purchase price amount with your spouse, so when a purchase comes up that is more than this amount, you both must agree to the purchase before spending the money on it.

Develop discipline in your power over purchasing:

1. Wait overnite before making a purchase to get over the excitement/high of wanting to make a purchase.

2. Consider your buying motive – is it to get rid of guilt, depression, or stress; or do you really need it?

3. NEVER buy anything you do not completely understand!

4. Consider the opportunity cost – think long term. Example: spend $40,000 on a new vehicle that in 10-15 years it will be worth $5,000 OR put that $40,000 into a mutual fund and let it grow, 15 years later it could be worth $300,000.

5. Always seek counsel from a spouse, a parent, or someone knowledgeable.

Unfortunately, I have made 2 huge buying mistakes (buying a brand-new car, and taking out a student loan) because I did not follow any of these steps, and now I deeply regret them when I think of the money I could have invested and saved. The opportunity cost for me is that I could have had money for a down payment on a house.

LESSON LEARNED: Make purchases you will be proud of 10 years later.

CREDIT BUREAUS & COLLECTION PRACTICES
Dave Ramsey gives very detailed information on how to respond to credit collectors, and what to do if they are calling you, so much so that I am not going to cover it. If you are experiencing these assaults, then read his book: “Total Money Make-Over” or, preferably, take the course: “Financial Peace University” either on-line or where a class is being hosted in your community. He will teach you how to deal with collectors, how they manipulate you, and what your rights are against them.

Interested in taking FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY? http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu/home/ is where you can search if a class is being offered in your area, or choose to take it on-line.

Financial Peace University is changing Seth's and my life and view of money. It has given us financial hope in our future. The time you will put into it is worth it, believe me! Just take his class, you will not regret it. I promise.

If you can’t take Financial Peace University, then read Dave Ramsey’s how-to book titled “Total Money Make-Over” – There is an excellent package for sale on his website: http://www.daveramsey.com/store/specials/Starter-Special/prod459.html?ictid=lm2

Dave Ramsey’s show is daily on the Fox Business network, or on the internet site hulu: http://www.hulu.com/the-dave-ramsey-show you can also pick up bits and pieces of his how-to’s from listening to the show.

Here is a show where Dave discusses HOW to use and stick to a budget. Once it loads, the segment begins about 13 minutes in.

Here is an excellent show where Dave discusess the difference between the book and Financial Peace University, gives more information about getting out of debt, as well as some motivating call-ins of people who are now debt-free.

YOU WANT TO BE DEBT FREE, NO LONGER SLAVE TO THE MASTER(card)!

Interestingly, In the Sunday morning session of October 2010 General Conference, President Henry B. Eyring mentioned that the phrophet Ezra Taft Benson instructed that house mortgage payments be paid off as soon as possible. Well, Dave Ramsey teaches this also, it is baby step 6. So follow the councel of our prophets, pay off your home early.... How? Get on board with Dave Ramsey's 7 step program.

Here are some great talks on the topic of debt from previous General Conferences:
"The Responsibility of Welfare Rests with Me and My Family"
"Earthly Debts, Heavenly Debts"
"Prepare Ye"

Dave Ramsey Techniques to Finances Part 2

Preface: I failed to mention that the “Financial Partners” class S. and I are taking turned out to be a DVD course of Dave Ramsey’s “Financial Peace University” – we did not know it when we originally began the class, weird, I know, but it was never mentioned in the class advertisement. I highly recommend that you find the course in your local area – it could save your marriage, your family, and your financial future; but if you can’t take the course, then buy his book that comes complete with all the forms; he also has a web-site. You are never too old to change your money habbits. FYI: We were not propositioned in the class to do advertising for Dave Ramsey, but again, it is such good information, that I can not help but to want to share the knowledge – I am sharing the basics, for greater detail and specifics and how-to’s, attend the Financial Peace University course or read his books!

Part 2:

Marriage and Money – Discover which spouse in the marriage is more inclined to be the number cruncher and the person heading up the budget work and preparation. When making a cash flow plan (budget) both parties must be involved. If you are not married, then find a friend who you can be held accountable to. This is not just for the married.

A cash flow plan allows you to make your money behave the way you want it to. Every SINGLE dollar of your income must be told/planned where it is to be spent on paper before it is spent at the beginning of the month.

Remember that a good monthly cash flow plan/budget should have categories that allow you to save for those big crisis events that will happen, such as Christmas and major car repairs, it should also allow you to save money monthly for large purchases like furniture or a family vacation. If your monthly cash flow plan is well planned for these events, AND the small step # 1 (see previous post part 1, and ) of having an $1,000 emergency fund is accomplished, you shouldn’t need a credit card for those just-in-case unexpected problems that will arise.

It usually takes 3 to 4 months/tries to figure out the budget and work out all the kinks. Plan/Budget your money for what you need to survive, the 4 WALLS of BUDGETING: shelter, food, clothing, transportation (including insurance). Pay necessities first then fit the rest in.

Here is the budget/cash flow plan (make sure you use a pencil, with a long eraser, you’ll need it): dave's cash flow plan/budget form. As a married couple, take some time and develop this budget form together.

For those whose monthly income is always fluctuating (self-employed), you need to also use this form: irregular income form

The percent of take-home pay that you should actually be spending on all of the categories in the cash flow form found in the link above are between 5% and 10%, except for housing which should be between 25% and 35% of your income. You'll want to make sure you are not exceeding these percentages, if you are – you have a problem.

Using a budget is fundamental in managing your money and making your money happen for you.

Begin now to use the envelope system and pay only cash for food, eating out, transportation, clothing, personal items, and entertainment so you don’t go over your budgeted amount. Write a check to the bank to withdraw cash for the budgeted amount per envelope. When the money is gone, it’s gone, and you cannot buy another thing until the next month. This creates discipline.

If you are using credit cards for every-day-purchases, STOP, even if the monthly balance is paid off every month, and begin to use the envelope system. Why use the envelope system? When spending cash you actually spend 12% to 18% less, because there is actual pain involved when handing over a nice stack of crisp $20 bills (a recent study by Dun and Bradstreet). Spending cash hurts and will curb extravagant spending encouraged by the use of credit cards and credit card companies. Getting your teenager a credit card does NOT teach them to be responsible with money! For more details, you’ll have to take the class.


Parents should show their children HOW to live debt free. Teach your children how to handle money as early as possible. Do not use an allowance, but use the employer system. The child is given a certain amount of jobs, each job completed entitles compensation. They should not be paid for every little thing they do at home, like taking their dish to the sink – they do that because they love and respect their parents and where they live. At the end of the week if the child does the prescribed job, he is paid, if the job is not done, he is not paid. From what money the child has earned he then must divide it into 3 categories: giving/tithing, saving (for larger purchases, mission, college, car), and spending all using the envelope system.

Giving is the most important principle a child can learn (I believe). Giving/Tithing makes the child responsible by actually paying their own tithing from the money they have earned. They fill out the donation slip, put THEIR OWN $$$ in the donation envelope, and they give it to the bishop. What lesson does the child learn when the opposite is done and the parent gives their money to the child to pay tithing with?. Do they really learn what it is to give and to sacrifice? Think about it.

Allow children in their early teenage years to open up a checking and savings account, teaching them to balance it monthly, as well as the fact that you are dishonest to the bank when a check is written for a purchase when the funds are not present. Teach children how dangerous credit cards are, (especially for college age children – credit cards and debt are the worst thing a college student can get stuck in, it prohibits them from being debt-free and from saving money themselves). Children who see their parents using credit cards teaches them that debt is OK, and it teaches the children to NOT budget or care for the money they receive. Help upon opening a checking account assist your teenager in setting up their own monthly budget so they can learn this essential skill before they are released into the world.

WATCH this Dave Ramsey 50 minute program on Hulu about credit cards. He also talks about saving for a college education. The ideals he talks about in the show are also discussed in the course.

Watch this Baby Steps video from Dave Ramsey on Hulu

I love mint.com – it is a great way to track your income, net worth, and set-up an electronic budget – I do prefer it to paper. But if you are beginning a budget for the first time– put it on paper first. Remember, both you and your spouse must agree on all the amounts on the budget, there will have to compromise between the two of you.

What should you be doing now?
1)Get a $1,000 emergency fund saved up as fast as you can (aim for 1 month)
2) establish a cash flow plan/budget to plan out how every single cent you make is going to be used for the month
3) stop using credit cards
4) use the envelope/cash only system.

Good luck!

The Move

S and I have been in Morehead, KY for 7 weeks now! Crazy how fast time goes by when two people are enjoying themselves. I didn't get very many pix of our move, maybe because it wasn't as horrible as last years move was (moving 3 times in the matter of a few days). Derek was our angel sent from God last year; he helped us unloaded our moving truck, just to help load it back up 20 hours later, and then only he and S. unloaded it again into an apartment in better part of K'zoo.



This was really Derek's 4th time, not 3rd, helping us move (I think he's done it so many times, he has lost count!! Derek said he wouldn't have missed it for the world. Well, we really miss the Thompson's.

After a full day of driving, I was discouraged when we arrived to our new rental home Friday evening around 8 pm to discover the house was NOT clean. We stayed up until 1 am getting the place vaccumed, mopped, bathroom scrubbed, and fridge cleaned enough that it would be ready to receive all our stuff without having to then try to clean around it as we unpacked. But as you can see, I still had much cleaning to do. The blinds were disgusting, all the walls filthy and covered in cat hair (sorry cat-lovers).

Close up of just how dirty the blinds were. It took me 3 hours to clean each set. Talk about tedious!

Our living room after unloading the moving truck in Kentucky.

The kitchen finally put together. They only drawback is the shocking lack of cabinet space.


The drapes in the living room were already here. I didn't like them at first...probably because they didn't fit right; way too long in the fabric and in the loops. I spent a couple days hemming up the 3 sets.

Now you can really see how horrible they hung on the curtain rods.


The curtains look much better! So grateful to have a sewing machine!

We have a fireplace in the basement. We're excited to be able to supplement our heat this winter, and maybe stay a little warmer than we have been the last 4 winters.


All in all, we like our new home and are adjusting to Kentucky. The people are all very friendly. Everyone waves and says hello. I'm still trying to understand the accent!

Personal Finances Part 1

A couple weeks ago I heard about a free finance class being taught in the community, and decided that S. and I were going to attend. We were both expecting it to be only a one-time event. When we arrived and found out it was going to be a 3 month long, once-a-week course, S. was a little hesitant about spending that much time, but by the end of the class, we had changed our minds and were ready to make some changes.

The information we are learning is so exciting, financially freeing, and couple-unifying that I want to share the knowledge. I hope that as you read and learn, you and your spouse will be able to make life-style changes along with us. Who knew saving money could be so addictive?

*************************
PART 1
SAVINGS

The amount of money saved does NOT depend on the amount of money earned. Saving money must become a priority for you and your spouse. You always begin by paying the Lord first, yourself second, and paying your bills last.

7 Babby Steps to Saving Money
1. $1,000 in an emergency fund, or $500 if you make less than $20,000 a year.
2. Pay off all debt except the house
3. Have 3 to 6 months living expenses in a fully funded emergency fund.
4. Invest 15% of your income into Roth IRA’s and pre-tax retirement plans.
5. College funding
6. Pay of your home early
7. Build Wealth and give

What is your attitude toward money? Wise people save money while foolish people devour money.

Save money for 3 basics: 1. Emergency Fund 2. Purchases 3. Wealth Building.

1. EMERGENCY FUND
Could you pay cash for a $5,000 emergency if you had to today? Unexpected circumstances ARE going to happen – it’s Murphy’s Law.

The best place to keep your emergency fund is in a money market account from a mutual fund company. A money market account pays about the rate of a CD, there is no fee if money must be withdrawn, and you are a little less inclined to use it for wants that may seem urgent. The emergency fund is not an investment, it is your insurance. Do not use it for purchases. It must be your FIRST savings priority, and you must do it QUICKLY.

Where can you cut corners to start saving? Stop buying pop, juice, coffee, cigarettes, bottled water, and lunch (5 days a week). Lunch @ $5 day/week = $160 a month. If that $160 was invested at 12% from age 16 to 76, you would have $20,663,319! Is it worth it in the long run???

Begin working on your emergency fund now. The credit card should not be the emergency fund.

2. PURCHASES
Instead of borrowing to purchase something (credit cards, 90 days (NOT) same as cash), save up each month and then pay for it with cash using a savings fund approach.

Example: borrow $4,000 to purchase a dining room set. Most furniture stores will sell their financing contracts to finance companies. So, you will have borrowed at 24% with payments of $211 per month for 24 months, and will have paid $5,064 plus insurance for that set. But if you save $211 per month for only 18 months, you will be able to pay cash. When you pay for it with cash, you can usually negotiate a discount, and be able to buy it even earlier.


3. WEALTH BUILDING
Save $ for Wealth building. It takes much DISCIPLINE, and can be hard. You must focus on something to get you through it.

Pre-authorized checking withdrawals are a good way to build in discipline. The money is taken out of your paycheck and put into savings before it hits the checking account. Wealth Building works with compound interest and time. So you must start NOW!.

Getting rich quick never works. You will lose your money. Saving diligently over time will always build up wealth.

Example: If you had been taught to save, and saved $2,000 per year ($167 a mo.) beginning at age 19 through age 26 (8 years) at 12%, and then stopped saving and just let it grow, by age 65 you would have $2,288.996, and only invested a total of $16,000. For you don’t start saving until after college, around age 27, and start to invest $2,000 a year ($167 a mo.) for every year until the age of 65 at 12%, you would have $1,532,166, and invested a total of $78,000.

Time is Money. The interest rate is very important.
CONCLUSION:
Make savings a priority. START NOW by getting baby step #1 completed as fast as you can!!!!

The emergency fund is your backup plan when unexpected events occur. Discipline and focused emotion are key to saving.

********************

Following this first class, I reflected on how we were budgeting and saving. I was doing a great job of tracking our money in a spreadsheet, but not budgeting or telling our money where to go, and not saving enough. We felt good about already being a few one step closer. At the end of the class the quickie budget sheet was handed out. I took one look and new it did not contain enough categories for our budgeting needs.

Having heard many good things about mint.com , I turned over a new leaf and created an account. It is a FREE budgeting tool that helps you to see all your accounts, cash flow, assets, debts, and savings. You set up your budget, set savings goals, track expences and it budgeting so much easier! I spent a good amount of time getting everything set-up, but now it’s done, I just have to be disciplined and stick to our budget. I hope this will help you catch the fire of saving and debt elemination as it has the Green's.

Trek - a spiritual experience

S. and I were asked to be a Pa and a Ma for the youth conference trek for the Kalamazoo Michigan stake. June 24th finally arrived. After MUCH preparation we left at 4:30 am so as to arrive in a timely fashion at a Forest in Michigan. As we knew that we would not be eating much during the trek, we had to fill up, so we began our morning as every pioneer does....the McDonald's drive-thru! It really was not that great of a breakfast.


Ma and Pa Peck (the given name of our family for the trek).

It took me 4 tries to make 2 bonnets, and they were still way too big on me, but they did an excellent job of shading my face.


The youth from our ward, none of whom were in our family, but all very firm in the gospel. Go Kalamazion!!!

The peck family taking our first break. We ended up having 6 boys and 4 girls, one of which was baby. We were very lucky to have had excellent weather. Not too hot or humid, and not one mosquito. Bremen was as strong as an ox. Poor Patrick, he pushed through the trek with health problems. He wore that fleece poncho the entire time, as he was always cold and suffered from chronic migraines. He was an example of pressing on even when he felt he could not. We pushed/pulled the cart about 7 miles, and did a woman's pull. So by the time we reached our camp it was past 8 pm, and everyone was sooo exhausted. thank goodness we did not have to prepare our own dinner, or we would have gone to bed Hungary.


Friday morning's breakfast....oatmeal with raisins, a minimal amount of brown sugar, and no milk. Most of our kids ate it.


Our Stake President, President Anderson, and our stake assistant secretary, Brother Green. President A. was one of the 3 captains of the 3 company's of handcart-wagons, with 4 wagons per company.

Lowering the cart down a very steep heel, backwards.

At the bottom of the steep hill was a creek that had washed out a bit, and had to be patched up with logs in order to get the carts over, which was done at a running pace!


After 4 hours of pulling the cart, we arrived at our destination where the youth then got to have some good pioneer fun: making self-serve-in-a-bag ice cream and butter (jar), learning the steps to a couple dances for the dance that was held that evening. Such fun! Dancing to fiddle under the star-lit sky; and everyone as jovial and happy as pioneers could be.




Liz and Laura completed our families quilt blocks.


Saturday the last day!!!!
My girls: Laura (holding baby Annaleis), Lauren, and Liz.

Family Picture:Timothy, Patrick, Brandon, Bremen, Cameron, Pa Peck, Tyler; Liz, Laura, Lauren, Ma Peck, and Annaleis (who died and we had to burry her, literally)

Yeah!!! I survived with no shower, mascara, mattress, or pillow!

Dismanteling the cart - and was it ever hot this afternoon!


Trek was an incredible experience, and it only gave me the minutest taste of what my ancestors endured to establish Zion in the west. The hymn "Come Come Ye Saints" holds a tenderer place in my heart. My preparation and experience in Trek strengthened my testimony of my Savior to know that no matter how hard life can be, that if I persist in holding to the iron-rod, and staying on the straight and narrow path, that he will help me reach my destination(s). In preparing for Trek I studied Lehi's Dream and the straight and narrow path. I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and for the Book of Mormon that teaches and testifies of Christ. I am thankful that S. and I had the opportunity to see how very spiritually strong and secure the young men and women are in their testimonies of Jesus and his church. This I bear testimony of, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Fredrick Meijer Gardens

The first Saturday in June some of our friends Kevin n Jessica and Mike n Candace and their families drove to Grand Rapids (MI) to see the blown glass sculptures by Chihuli on display in the Fredrick Meijer Gardens (it's a huge out-door garden and event center). The sculptures were beautiful! And, the weather was perfect, not too hot nor too cold.

Each sculpture is made from many pieces of blown glass. They are amazing!




little Kevin, Liberty, and me in front of a coco tree. If you look closely, above Kevin's head you'll see a big pod. It's full of coco beans. Yeah for Chocolate!!!!