Our 1995 van dies. The mechanic says its toast.
An elderly couple upgrades their ride and trades in my dream car.
My local car salesman calls me because he knows its in my price range. The month is coming to a close and he has bills to pay.
The mechanic says it’s clean and mechanically sound with a great price.
The owner of the dealership says he’s hoping my husband’s company makes it because his car dealership is dependent on its employees. He’s also running for school board and wants our vote. He thanks us for buying the van …read more

Today we’re going to stimulate the economy.

Car dealers are hurting, nearly bankrupt. If George Bush were still president he’d tell us to be Good Americans and go buy a car. It will help the banking, credit industry and the car industry.

Our van, our only car, died last week. DEAD. There’s no fixing it. It has 238,000 miles on it and needs a new engine, a new air conditioning system and a new electrical system.

I’ve written that having one car is not an emergency. I’ve been riding my bike around town for months. It’s fun. It’s good exercise. All that sunshine …read more

Forget Punxsutawney Phil …
Whether he comes out and rushes back because he’s afraid of his own shadow or not doesn’t tell me much.
A far better indicator of whether spring is on it’s way is the fact that I’ve changed my hairdo, cleaned out the refrigerator, wiped out the microwave, scrubbed down all three bathrooms and looked for the oven cleaner. I’ll probably mop the kitchen.
I have an incredible urge to cover my lawn with grass seed, weed killer and fertilizer.
Yep, Spring is on her way.

I’ve compiled a list of the products I’ve recommended on Blog Fabulous in a special page —-> over there in the side bar.

Click here on the Blog Fabulous Giving Guide. < -----------
I’m truly grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to try all these wonderful products, read the great books and discuss all this fantastic information with you. I will be working on the list over the holidays, but for now it’s some skin products and some books.

I’m waiting to be approved for some of the other recommendations.

That’s about Black Friday.

But, Thanksgiving – today. I want you to try this … …read more

I want to introduce you to my Frugal Guru, Jen from Jlogged.com.
She recently redid her website to help people use their money wisely. If I want inspiration to stay on track with the family budget she’s my “go to.”
Jen’s one of the few people I can compare detailed notes with about income and out-go and saving and financing, etc.
She knows her business. Her business is living a larger life within her means.
And she lives a pretty good life, eats organically and reduces her carbon footprint, etc.
She’s doing Nablopamo and she’s writing about money for all 30 …read more

Can I just say this?
We keep hearing from heads of state, political candidates, senators, congressmen, businessmen, mainstream media and Wall Street that the United States is suffering from a labor shortage.
I call bullshit.
Look across the dinner table and see that beautiful wife? See your brazen sister, your wise mother and the really smart neighbor?
She’s not just a “SAHM.”

She has a masters degree.
She has a doctorate degree.
She’s got 10 to 20 years of experience in the labs, in the newsroom, in the office, in the market, on wall street, in the classroom, in virtually every …read more

Hey Ya’ll – Don’t miss Suze Orman, author of Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny on Oprah today.
The way people have been handling their money has been a hot topic around Blog Fabulous since I got here.
The reason is because my family got in some hot water about 4-5 years ago now and it took a long time for us to dig ourselves out of the hole and learn about money and develop a healthy relationship with it.

Women MUST learn about money. Must. Must. Must.
Else you shall have no power in your …read more

Suze Orman sent me an email asking if I am striving for my own personal financial independence this July 4th.
When you joined the Save Yourself movement, you also made a declaration. You said to yourself: “I own the power to control my destiny.” Now I ask you: What action have you taken lately to fulfill your goals?* How close are you to paying off those
credit cards?
* Do you have an eight-month emergency fund?
* Have you opened a Roth IRA?
Use this Independence Day to recommit to your financial freedom.
Well, I did join the Save Yourself Movement by opening my own account.
But, …read more

I took a major action step to Save Myself. It wasn’t easy, there were a few fights and one angry letter to Suze Orman over my using $50, of our already very tight budget, to Save My Self by opening a TD Ameritrade Account.

Rewind: Suze Orman had a Save Yourself Plan in her book Women & Money. Women who signed up for a TD Ameritrade Investment Account before March 2008 and automatically save $50 a month for one year will be given a free $100.

So far I’ve saved $100. But, I don’t know what to do with it. The market …read more

Hurray – run, don’t walk – Suze Orman is giving away her book Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny over on Oprah.com.
People can download the book for free until 8 pm Feb. 14, 2008.
It’s a good book. I’ve read it, deconstructed it and followed some advice. Hurry up! Go now.
Women and Money articles:

Save Yourself With Savings
Orman and Ramsey Duke It Out (in my head)
Unearned Loyalty
Are You On Sale?
Blame and Shame
Virtual Book Club
Money & Happiness
Cleanliness
New Money
Who Are You?

P.S. There is a promo code included in the book that’s worth a free $100.
Like I said – run, don’t …read more