Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
3 Money Saving Tricks for Single Parents...
Has this bad economy gotten you down? Are you fearful about the future and wonder how you are going to make ends meet? Most people, even if they have not been directly affected by a job loss, a foreclosure or loss of investments, have tightened their belts and decided to cut back on unnecessary purchases.
Some people have even taken "cutting back" to the extreme. A couple I know, who both have good, secure, well paying jobs, has decided to no longer go out on the weekends at all because of the economy. As a single parent, it is necessary to make adjustments and find ways to save money, especially in these uncertain times. I have found a few painless ways to save money lately that I would like to share with you.
1. I love to eat out, but with my kids now too old for kid's meals, the bill can be ridiculous. I have found a few ways to still take the kids out to dinner on the cheap. Here is one: Most restaurants charge a much lower price for a meal for lunch. Lunch is usually served until 4:00 pm on the weekends. So, if you get there at 3:30pm and have an early dinner, you can shave a nice amount off your meal. We did this recently at a Asian/Sushi buffet. For dinner they charge $19.95 a person, but for lunch, it is only $12.99 a person. So we saved $7.00 a person for the same exact buffet by getting their an hour and half earlier than we normally would.
2. I was never one to clip coupons, but now I find it challenging to see how much I can save each week. Last week I saved a total of $54.00! The trick is to use coupons on the "buy one, get one" free deals for the best savings. Try to shop in the afternoon too when the teenagers are working as cashiers. They will give you less of a hard time if you use a coupon for a box of cereal that is for an 18 oz box and you get the 12 oz box by accident. There is nothing more annoying when trying to use coupons than being confronted by a mean cashier who hands you back your coupons.
3. Another way to save money is to groom your dog yourself, I save about $80 a month now by giving, Luigi, my Maltese, his bath and haircuts. I also have a trick for those of you who color your hair. I used to own a salon, so I am very hesitant about using store bought color, I have seen way too many disasters, especially if you are a blonde. But here is a way to extend the time in between salon visits. A few of the store bought brands now carry a root touch up kit for a about $8.00. That is alot cheaper than the $50 plus tip the salon will charge you. Another salon tip to cut out spending money on pedicures, is to use the pedi egg. You can order it from the infomercial or get at a drugstore like Walgreens. It works great, and if you can clip your own toenails and paint them, you can save money doing it yourself.
Anyone else have some great money saving tips to share here?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Divorce and Suicide: Are you at risk?
As horrible as my divorce was, I never considered ending it all. As a mother of four, I knew I had to be there for my kids and deep down I had faith that eventually the pain would come to an end and my divorce would be over. However, some people who are in "divorce hell" right now do not feel hopeful and actually consider taking their own lives.
I had never thought about his before until I received an email from a woman who has lost all hope. Her divorce is not going well. Her husband is abusive, controlling and seems to get away with everything, including disobeying court orders. I have heard this same story many times before, but what struck me was how this woman indicated that she just could not go on any longer and felt that things would never get better. She is in despair and feels hopeless.
If you are going through a terrible divorce and feel like justice will never be served, that your ex will win and leave you with nothing, please know that no divorce lasts forever. I know how much pain you are in right now and how hard it is just to get up everyday and face the nightmare of your divorce. You are emotionally drained and have every right to be depressed. But please have faith. Things will turn around for you.
Sometimes in our darkest hours we feel like we can no longer go on. The pain is just too much to bear. Life seems cruel and unfair. Especially if it appears your spouse is getting the upper hand and "winning". But you have to believe that eventually the truth will prevail and justice will be served.
In my own divorce, it seemed like my ex would never be held accountable for his actions. A year went by without him paying alimony and child support. And then, suddenly, the tides turned and he was sent to jail for a month. The judge finally saw through his antics and my divorce turned around. 6 months later we were able to settle our divorce, something I thought would never happen.
So please hang in there and know that many people have walked down the same road you are on. We have came out of the darkness and into the light. Our lives are now better than they were before. This can happen for you too, you just have to hold on and have faith that everything will be okay.
Click here to read a free chapter of Seven Secrets to a Successful Divorce...
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
As a single mom of four, I am personally offended by Ms. Coutler. This angry, mean spirited woman has no right to attack single moms and blame society's ills on us. Most single moms struggle daily to provide the best for their children and often must be both mother and father to children who do not have an father who is actively supporting them.
If you are a single mom, please do not buy this woman's books. She obviously has no idea how difficult it is to parent children on your own. Most single moms are not single moms by choice. Ms. Coutler should attack fathers who abandon their children instead. What she is insinuating is that staying in an unhappy marriage, often fraught with fighting and tension is a better environment for children to grow up in than to raised by one , stable happy parent.
I think we are doing the best we can as single parents. Many of us left marriages that were unhappy so that our children would not grow up hearing constant fighting between parents. Although I do believe that a couple should do everything possible to save their marriage, including going to counseling, keeping your children in an unstable, often violent home environment will not give them a better chance in life.
Being a single parent is difficult enough. Many single moms raise smart, healthy, educated children who contribute greatly to society. Ms. Coutler feels that single moms and liberals are destroying America. I think she has another motive for her nasty comments. Considering that President Elect Obama was raised by a single mom himself, Coulter who is a republican, may be taking her frustrations out on single moms because she is bitter about her party losing the election. Why a talk show would have such a vile person like Ms. Coulter on is beyond my understanding. This is also the same woman who referred to the 911 widows as "griefzillas". We should not reward her lack of compassion and sensitivity by putting her on TV and rewarding her with book sales.
Click here to read a free chapter of Seven Secrets to a Successful Divorce...
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
And You Thought Your Ex was a Jerk....
You may think that no one could be worse than your own ex, but this guy wins the prize for "worst ex-husband ever". Dr. Richard Bastista of NY donated his kidney to his wife several years ago and now wants it back!
He is actually suing her. He says if he can't have the kidney back he will take 1.5 million dollars instead. He donated the kidney in 2001 and his wife filed for divorce in 2005. They have three small children.
When I read this online, I thought it must be a joke, but it is true. I think this divorce will go on record as one of the nastiest divorces ever. It is clear that this man feels hurt about his divorce and we do not know the details of why the couple is divorcing, but to ask for a donated body part back or over a million dollars in compensation because you are bitter about your divorce is insane.
This man is obviously so racked with revenge and anger that he cannot think rationally. Can you imagine what his poor children must think? To know that daddy wants to take back the kidney that helps mommy's body function properly? Dr. Bastista works at Nassau County Medical Center on Long Island in NY. Ironically, that is the hospital where my oldest daughter was born.
By going public with his outrageous lawsuit, he is also damaging his reputation as a doctor. Would you want a crazy doctor who wants to take back his kidney from his wife caring for you? This is just another sad example of how a divorce can cause a normal, sane person to become irrational and out of control.
Click here to read a free chapter of Seven Secrets to a Successful Divorce...