The Cinnamon Bear

For anybody who's interested, Get Rich Slowly has posted the complete series of The Cinnamon Bear just in time for the holidays.

Not Forgotten

I haven't forgotten you lovelies who promised to contribute guest posts on your Total Money Makeover stories!
Please share soon!

What's on your list?

The business section of the paper is bound to tell us sooner or later what the hot item is this Christmas. The item that "everybody" wants. Strangely enough, I've never had any of the items listed yearly as "hot" on my Christmas wish list.
While I wouldn't mind a new MacBook like PJ over at Myndfood, it's not on my list this year.
If a rich person were asking me for my Christmas list, it would be simple:

1. a good king size mattress

I need that worse than PJ will ever need that MacBook. Although, he did offer me a mattress- one that was recently soiled. Maybe I should specify in my Christmas list that I'd like a non- soiled good king size mattress.
However, no rich people have ordered a copy of my Christmas list, so I'm keeping my list full of "budget friendly" items this year. Lucky for me, my family has returned the favor and submitted great lists with affordable items. Cash in hand, I'm officially ready to shop.
What's on your wish list this year?

Am I alone?

It seems I've got so many things to save for, and not near enough money to make it happen fast enough! Wonder if the day will ever come when I only have maybe one thing to save for.
I'm probably the only one with ten things to save for...

Hegazelle is unlucky

I've NEVER seen someone so sick with a bug in my life. Hegazelle hardly eats anything as it is due to a stomach problem that has yet to be diagnosed, so he has to be losing a ton of fluids. I have seen him sick before, but this is unbelievable. We spent hours up all night last night, which included me driving across town to the nearest 24 hour pharmacy at 3am. To be honest, I'm quite worried. Please say a prayer for his quick recovery. I know he is glad this didn't happen on a work day because he doesn't have any paid sick days, and for his sake I also hope this subsides soon.

By the way, for anyone out there who knows how long Hegazelle has suffered with his stomach problem, I just made him an appointment with a new doctor for tomorrow. It's high time to find out what the problem is.

Giving Thanks for My Inheritance

Sorry, but this post is not likely to have much to do with personal finance. But in the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday, I write it nonetheless.

I'm certain I'm not alone in this, but for the last little while as Thanksgiving approaches I've had someone on my mind. Someone I've always been thankful for, but seemingly more now.
Thanksgiving was my Papa's favorite time. This will be my first one without him.
He loved only God more than he did his family and getting together with them. Just being with all of us never failed to bring tears to his eyes. Six kids and a slew of grandkids and great-grandkids- yet I always felt like I was special to him, and I know the rest did too.
My Papa believed the Bible and preached it- just the way it was written. He raised his kids to believe the Word, and because of it, I in turn know that there is one God and His name is Jesus. If he can see us, and if tears of joy are allowed in heaven, he's cryin' those tears every Sunday morning when my cousin teaches that same Word.
The Bible says that a good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children. My Papa may not have left me a dime, but he left me an inheritance greater than money by teaching truth.

**Note: If the day/date at the top of this post throws you off, that's because I started writing this on Sunday. I guess I have a bit of my Papa in me because my tears have delayed me for two days.

Shegazelle's Dictionary

Just to make things clear about where I stand on certain money issues, I may periodically provide you with entries from Shegazelle's Dictionary. This is not a publication that has been printed, but merely something that exists in my mind. Enjoy.

completely debt free (adj.)- does not owe ANYONE ANYTHING. This includes not having a mortgage, a car loan, a credit card (swipe it once and you have debt,) a family loan, a 401K loan, etc. This term describes someone who has ultimate financial freedom because they do not owe money and refrain from borrowing any.

debt free (adj.)- does not owe ANYTHING but a mortgage. This term includes all items listed under "completely debt free" with the exception of a house note. This is not achieved by consolidating debt into your home, ultimately placing your home at risk. This term describes someone who likely has financial peace and is soon likely to be "completely debt free."
**Note: This definition was not placed here to make one of my readers (who consolidated debt into their home and will FOREVER remain unnamed) feel bad. Their decision was made in ignorance, and they are aware of that.

School of Money (n.)- all the information in the world about money, how it works, etc.

School of Money Graduate (n.)- GOD.

School of Money Student (n.)- Shegazelle and everyone else who is not a graduate.

There you have it folks, the first entries available from Shegazelle's Dictionary. As you can see, it's all my opinions when it comes to money, and I do my best to base these opinions on the teachings of the School of Money Graduate. Hope you enjoyed it!

It's getting chilly...

Yay! It's my favorite time of year- Thanksgiving time. I just got my new Gold Canyon Candle today. A lovely scent called "Cobbler on the Porch". Mmmm... I'd go light it right now and get me something warm to drink by the fire, but tonight we're going to FPU to hear the Buying Only Big, Big Bargains lesson! That's such a fun class, and since we're STILL mattress shopping, we figured it would be good to go to.

Property Taxes

Last year before I started making my money behave properly, I asked payroll at work to withhold $36 a week from each paycheck for my property taxes. I did it this way because it forced me to save the money. It worked fine- property taxes are due December 10 and I have the money in hand to pay the bill.
I asked them to stop the withholding effective immediately. I have money market accounts for all my other savings, why not keep my property tax savings money in one and make a few bucks on it? Maybe I'll use the interest I earn to buy flowers for my front yard.

WE MADE THE MARK THIS WEEK!!!

Even if it is $9,999.96!!!

Post Holiday Bargains

Good lovely morning to you! Yes, I'm rather chipper today as I have rewarded myself with a vacation day. A do-whatever-I-want day. I think I'll paint my bedroom and also sell some of hegazelles neck ties on ebay.
Yesterday I made a purchase I had been planning in my mind for a couple weeks. Halloween candy on November 1. Yep. Since I have a party coming up on November 13 that I have to provide food and snacks for, I planned to get away with a bunch of cheap candy on November 1. I took 6 bags of candy all at 50% off. And if there's any left in a few days, I'll probably get it for 75% off.
The day after a holiday is the day to get great bargains on the holiday related items and to get the good stuff. Then a week later after it's been picked over, go back again for the 75% off stuff. Last year was the first year I did the early morning, day after Christmas shopping. It was AWESOME! I went with 2 girlfriends- we got one cart at Target and raced straight to the Christmas decorations. I had wanted so bad last year to have the larger ceramic bulb Christmas lights, but I couldn't bring myself to spend $7 per box. So on this shopping trip, my mission was to get my lights and get them cheap. One person guarded the cart, another carried the sword to fend off women who would try to steal the bargains we wanted and the other grabbed the good stuff. Well, maybe there wasn't really a sword, but there was always a cart guard. The first Target we went to did not have the lights I wanted, and I was distraught. I just knew that there were hundreds of women at the other Target scooping up any lights that were available. So we raced to the next store, and lo and behold, tons of boxes of my lights!! I got several boxes of lights, much more than I needed, just for the sake of having extra and because I could afford them at the new price. I also scored big time on all the pretty wrapping paper; you know the super cool stuff that's like $10 for 10 feet? I bought a wrapping paper storage bin and filled it with nearly free wrapping paper. It's been sitting in my garage singing Christmas to me all year long. I can't wait to use it.
As for the day after Thanksgiving, I used to be a Black Friday regular. But I never found that I got any more smoking deals that day than I did the rest of December. Maybe I never learned the art of it. Have you?
Are you a post-holiday bargain shopper? Have you made a killer Black Friday purchase? Or have you paid regular price so often you didn't know sales existed anymore?
Share your story or input!