tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57005691823571447582024-03-16T23:05:03.414-04:00Penny Pinching ProseThis blog chronicles one young couple's crazy journey to debt-free living as they are inspired by money-management guru Dave Ramsey. Jake and Dani Grant, of New Hampshire, first attended Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University just several months after getting married after it became apparent that "money fights" were just going to get worse. In the year after taking FPU they were able to pay off $14,000 in debt and double their savings and they continue to pay off additional debt each month.Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.comBlogger195125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-89397912092140209892016-02-11T07:00:00.000-05:002016-02-11T07:00:04.571-05:00How to Move to Maui: The Horrors of the DMV<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m_M-R4f1pJw/Vrxa7jrIopI/AAAAAAAACIg/j4fNk0R4LJs/s1600/50c6fd6cafa96f38e6000009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Moving to Maui: The DMV" border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m_M-R4f1pJw/Vrxa7jrIopI/AAAAAAAACIg/j4fNk0R4LJs/s320/50c6fd6cafa96f38e6000009.jpg" title="Moving to Maui: The DMV" width="235" /></a></div>
The DMV sucks. Even in Maui. Like any government-run organization it just can't do things quickly, easily, efficiently, or without the hair-pulling frustration of the latest nonsensical Common Core Standards.<br />
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Seriously, what's the greatest innovation at the DMV in the last 40 years? A bench? A “Take a number” system? Great, the DMV has finally narrowed the gap with my local super market.<br />
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All kidding aside (I know I started the above paragraph with "Seriously..." but, seriously, I'm just kidding around.)<br />
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Anyway, when you move to Hawaii there are a few interesting things to keep in mind when it comes to transferring your driver's license, registering your car, and buying insurance.<br />
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To help you avoid the clunky process we went through, here are the steps of how things should be done.<br />
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<h4>
STEP 1: What NOT to do</h4>
If you sell your vehicle with the intention of buying a new one in Hawaii, don't be so quick to cancel your insurance. When you apply for new auto insurance there are discounts offered for being "previously insured." Have your old policy number handy when you're talking to an insurance rep.<br />
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<h4>
STEP 2: Earning your driver's license... again</h4>
Fortunately the DMV in Maui isn't as scary as it is everywhere else in the universe. However it is a little strange. To get your Hawaii driver's license you'll need to take a 25 question multiple-choice written test, an eye test, get your photo taken, and your thumb and index finger printed. You'll need two forms of ID (i.e. old driver's license, passport, birth certificate) and two pieces of mail confirming your place of residence in Hawaii. It's cost you about $15.<br />
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<h4>
STEP 3: Passing the safety inspection</h4>
All cars in Hawaii two years old or older have to undergo a pretty strict environmental safety inspection. You will need to have proof of insurance, the vehicle's current registration (even if it's in the previous owners' name), and the title with you when you go to have this done.<br />
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<h4>
STEP 4: Back to the DMV. Oh yay.</h4>
Actually, like I just said in Step 2, they've got that "Aloha spirit" at the Hawaii DMV, so it's not that bad, even if the wait time is three hours. To register your car you will need a) proof of insurance, b) safety inspection certificate, c) title, d) screwdriver for applying/removing new/old plates, e) patience, f) approximately $16.<br />
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All of these steps in this order work as a kind of combination lock. Once completed you will be welcomed into the bosom of mother Maui with a flowery lei and a luau. Ok, not really, but it'll feel like this...<br />
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<br />Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-34556679190251150552015-11-09T20:50:00.001-05:002022-09-14T13:01:51.549-04:00Life With Christian Healthcare Sharing - The Fears, The Blessings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v9mMA4fqy9I/VkFNIgn-45I/AAAAAAAACCA/vh9zShVVBEU/s1600/sailboat_at_sunset-wide.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Life with Christian Healthcare Sharing" border="1" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v9mMA4fqy9I/VkFNIgn-45I/AAAAAAAACCA/vh9zShVVBEU/s320/sailboat_at_sunset-wide.jpg" title="Life with Christian Healthcare Sharing" width="320" /></a></div>
Since Danielle and I decided to become members of a Christian healthcare sharing organization we've gotten tons of questions from people who read our post "<b><a href="http://www.pennypinchingprose.blogspot.com/2014/06/a-look-at-three-big-christian.html#.Vj0K1a6rT6B">A Look At The Three Big Christian Healthcare Sharing Options</a></b>." <b>People want to know what it's been like, how it works, and even <i>does </i>it work.</b><br />
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So here's what our experience has been like so far.<br />
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<b>But first, a quick recap.</b><br />
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Danielle and I decided we didn't want any part of the government's version of affordable healthcare. It's cost is astronomical, it's unethical, it's unnecessarily complicated, and it forces us to pay for medical procedures that we don't agree are biblical. Thanks to some provisions in the law, organizations like <b><a href="http://www.chministries.org/">Christian Healthcare Ministries</a></b>, <b><a href="https://mychristiancare.org/Medi-Share">Medi-Share</a></b>, and<b> <a href="http://samaritanministries.org/">Samaritan Ministries</a></b> can legally provide health coverage to Christians without having to pay the penalty for not having Obamacare. It's perfectly legal. It works. And it's a monumental blessing.<br />
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<b>Though, admittedly, it's a bit scary at first.</b><br />
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We took some time to look into the big three Christian healthcare sharing options—Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM), Medi-Share, and Samaritan Ministries. All three have different strengths that will satisfy the needs of their individual members, but CHM seemed to suit our needs the best.<br />
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<h4>
Christian Healthcare Ministries</h4>
CHM is actually the oldest of the big three, having been around since 1984. <b>This gave us an element of trust that this organization, having proven itself sustainable, could help us meet our medical needs.</b> They are a nonprofit health cost sharing ministry through which Christians help other Christians with their medical expenses.<br />
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<b>How it works is pretty simple: </b>when you have a medical need you go to the doctor. At some point, someone at the hospital will ask you about insurance. You say, "I have insurance, but you just treat me as a self-pay patient." They nod and go, "Oh, ok. Sure. No problem." A couple weeks later you'll get a bill and a letter saying that as far as the hospital is concerned you are responsible to cover the cost. You submit that bill to CHM. CHM members submit their monthly portion and your medical needs are covered. That's it in a nutshell anyway.<br />
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<h4>
We're Pregnant. Yay! ... I Mean, "Gulp!"</h4>
Back at the beginning of October Danielle told me that we were expecting. We couldn't be more excited! So far everything has gone pretty smoothly—doctor's visits, getting bills, submitting them to CHM. There's been a bit of a learning curve because we are basically in charge of our healthcare needs. There are some forms to fill out and some steps to go through, but the folks at CHM have been more than helpful every step of the way.<br />
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<td><strong>SOMETHING IMPORTANT</strong><br />
<i>Even though we decided to become members of CHM, we're not knocking Medi-Share or Samaritan Ministries. All three are great programs that have different benefits. We chose CHM based on our medical needs, which are few. </i><i>We encourage people to get some literature from each sharing organization, and even call them to ask questions to find out which one is right for you.</i></td>
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In short, things are going well with CHM. We plan to continue using them and highly recommend them.<br />
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It can definitely stretch your nerves joining up with a healthcare sharing organization like CHM. It requires a step of faith, for sure, because the ministry relies on the support of God's people, and their support is dependent on God's provision. But His Word says that He is faithful. And He is! We've found that as we step out in faith with CHM, God rewards that faith. It's a tremendous blessing!<br />
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If you found this information to be helpful, and choose to use Christian Healthcare Ministries, would you consider signing up under us as a thank you for all our research? You can use this link to do that: <a href="https://christianhealthcareministries.referralrock.com/l/1JACOBGRANT35/"><b>Christian Healthcare Ministries</b></a>. Thanks!<br />
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<b>RELATED POSTS</b><br />
<b><a href="http://pennypinchingprose.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-horrendous-healthcare-hunt-begins.html#.U44PAZRdVYc">The Horrendous Healthcare Hunt Begins!</a></b><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://pennypinchingprose.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-horrendous-healthcare-hunt-part-2.html#.U44PBJRdVYc">The Horrendous Healthcare Hunt, Part 2: The Why</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://pennypinchingprose.blogspot.com/2014/06/life-without-obamacare-is-beautiful-but.html#.U44PC5RdVYc">Life Without Obamacare Is Beautiful... But Complicated</a></b>Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-53020436521798511312015-02-09T07:00:00.000-05:002015-02-09T07:00:09.890-05:0010 Things You Don't Need To Waste Your Money OnWhat is this called: A $1 candy bar bought 5 times a week for a year equals $260.<br />
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That's easy! It's simple math.<br />
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No, actually it's called "perspective."<br />
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Want some more?<br />
<br />
The average cost for a single trip to a nationally recognized coffeehouse is $3.25, according to CBS News. Bought five days a week is $16.25. That's about $65 a month and $845 a year. Even if you don't buy it every day, or maybe buy cheaper coffee, you're still spending the equivalent of a car payment.<br />
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Point being, it's something you don't need, especially if you're in debt. Every day Americans are wasting tens of thousands of dollars on stuff they don't need.<br />
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Here are 10 things that most people could probably do without. In fact, I'm more than sure that anybody could do without.<br />
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<h3>
1. Up-Sizing Your Order</h3>
All you want is lunch, but the teenager on the other end of the speaker has been trained to rope you into purchasing more with a plethora of options. "You want a cookie with that? How about a super-sized drink? Apple pie? Extra fries?" Whatever the options, a lot of people are saying "Yes!" because, hey, it's only an extra buck, maybe even 50 cents. ... Who cares?! You're not 15 anymore. Stop giving in to the peer pressure and just say no!<br />
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<h3>
2. Purebred Dogs</h3>
My wife has fallen in love with a new kind of dog breed, a cross between a Husky and a Pomeranian, called a Pomsky. I'll admit, they're deliciously adorable. They're also about $4,000. Let the pompous wealthy develop their expensive dog breeds for the sake of having something expensive. Meanwhile there are plenty of loving dogs (and kitty cats) that make up in loyalty what they lack in pedigree. Save a dog. Save some cash. Gain a friend. Sounds good to me!<br />
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<h3>
3. Private Education</h3>
What do Starbucks' founder Howard Schultz, fashion entrepreneur Ralph Lauren, Apple Co-Founder Steve Jobs, and filmmaker Quentin Tarantino have in common—aside from the fact that they're all millionaires? They all went to cheap, lowbrow high schools and colleges. Not to mention John D. Rockefeller, John Glenn, Mark Twain, Henry Ford, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, and Albert Einstein, among many, many others.<br />
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Listen up America! An alma mater isn’t going to guarantee your sweetie a six-figure income—only hard work and determination can do that. I spent seven years working for a wealthy couple whose two children graduated ivy league colleges and struggled for years afterward trying to find jobs, and even though they're both employed now mommy and daddy are still paying some of their bills. So before you pay for another tuition hike, make sure you’re actually getting a better, safer or more faith-centered education for your money. And absolutely do not go into debt for it.<br />
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<h3>
4. Lottery Tickets</h3>
For every 259 million people that play the Mega Millions lottery, only one will strike it rich. That's right. One.<br />
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Gosh'um golly gee whiz, I love perspective!<br />
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Want some better odds? Did you know that if you invested $100 a month in a good retirement plan for 40 years, you’ll almost always retire a millionaire? The math is simple. Lottery tickets = money leaving your pocket. Planning and budgeting = a little thing called prosperity.<br />
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<h3>
5. Brand-Name Medicine</h3>
I was a seasonal allergy sufferer for almost twenty years. As a little kid I remember just laying on the couch and sneezing again and again and again and again all afternoon. Over the years I've tried countless brand name drugs to battle my allergies. Some worked well enough to clear me up for a spell, others didn't work at all. Then one day my wife and I saw a huge bin at Walmart filled with cheap allergy medication—$1 a box for 12 pills. I figured, why not? And you know what? It was the BEST allergy medicine I've ever used. Brand-name drugs usually have the same exact ingredients as their generic counterparts. So read the labels and buy your meds based on what’s in them, not based on who’s advertising them.<br />
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<h3>
6. At-Home Parties</h3>
You’ve been invited to yet another jewelry party. Last month it was tote bags, and before that it was essential oils. But your best friend is hosting this one, and she’s asked you to come along as a favor. So you RSVP—even though you never make good decisions in a room full of women eating, drinking and writing checks for fun. Next time, if you can’t afford it, say no. Blame the budget if you have to. A true friend will understand.<br />
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<h3>
7. The Newest Gadgets</h3>
Zombies are all the rage on TV and in the movies these days, but the there's a genuine zombie apocalypse happening in our streets every time a big gadget company releases a new version of the latest thingy. People swarm to the nearest store in droves to buy a thing with more storage space or a bigger screen or more megapixels or faster processor or whatever. Look, does your phone still make calls? Does your computer still turn on—maybe it doesn't boot up like a shiny new Mac, but it still works doesn't it? Relax, people. Whatever it is, chances are, you don't really need it.<br />
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<h3>
8. Car Payments and Leases</h3>
Given the choice, would you rather pay someone else $500 a month, or pay yourself $500 a month? Thought so. Instead of buying a car on payments, hunt for a vehicle you can actually afford right now—even if it’s just a $2,000 get-you-to-work-and-back beater. And in just three short years, you’ll have enough money saved for an $18,000 look-at-you-now beauty. Then you can take that $500 car payment and put it in the bank every month for 40 years. That's $240,000, not including interest!<br />
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Peeeeeeerspective!<br />
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<h3>
9. Singing Birthday Cards</h3>
That hilarious singing birthday card may be cute, but it’s not seven dollars cute! Plus, your brother-in-law is just going to throw it away in a week’s time. So save some cash by grabbing a generic card for a buck or two and writing a meaningful message inside. What you say will mean so much more than the paper you say it on.<br />
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<h3>
10. Bottled Water</h3>
There’s really no excuse to buy something that’s practically free. And yet, in 2012, Americans spent more than $11.8 billion on disposable water bottles. Come on, folks. This one is really dumb, especially considering a group of German researches discovered in 2011 more than 24,000 chemicals on bottled water. Furthermore, a study from the <a href="http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/exesum.asp">Natural Resources Defense Council</a> has shown that the quality of tap water is held to a much higher standard than that of bottled water. So if you're an avid drinker of bottled water, here's a money-saving that could potentially save you hundreds of dollars a year: buy a 32oz Camelback water bottle and fill it up with water every day. Drink at least one every day. You'll be richer and healthier!<br />
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<h3>
In Closing</h3>
It's not fair to dog those of us who can afford private tuition or a nice new car, so, if you can and you want to, by all means, go for it. But if you're still paying down debt, catching up on bills, or stockpiling your emergency fund, these expensive life add-ons need to wait.<br />
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What about you? What things are you throwing your money at that you could probably live without, or at least long enough to gain some financial traction?<br />
<br />Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-84900945837381192542015-02-06T07:00:00.000-05:002015-02-06T07:00:05.567-05:00Why You're Still In Debt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oL5UqYhEEFQ/VLVoFXB_79I/AAAAAAAABZo/U7JsyQDfyGY/s1600/stuff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Why you're still in debt" border="1" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oL5UqYhEEFQ/VLVoFXB_79I/AAAAAAAABZo/U7JsyQDfyGY/s1600/stuff.jpg" title="Why you're still in debt" /></a></div>
I call it a 3 a.m. moment. It's the instant you realize that you need to do something about your debt. Maybe it doesn't happen at 3 a.m. necessarily. Maybe it happens when you look at the next credit card bill, or when you go to write that massive check for an unexpected car repair. It's like waking up in the middle of the night with the horrible realization that you forgot to do that very important thing.<br />
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So you decide to make a change. You even get a little angry about it. That "3 a.m." moment made you determined to get out of debt for good!<br />
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Buuuuut it didn't take. After a while, your conviction waned and now, sadly, you're still in debt.<br />
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What keeps people from getting out of debt? Why would someone want to stay in chains instead of living in freedom? Sadly, there are all sorts of reasons people choose MasterCard over being free from debt, but here are a few:<br />
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<h3>
1. They want to keep up appearances.</h3>
This is what realty TV has got us trained to do—keeping up with the Joneses, or, to many, the Kardashians. But most people who appear to have it all really have a steep mortgage on that million dollar home, and a lease on that expensive car, and a Visa card that's maxed out. These are some of the most broke people in your neighborhood! Trying to keep up appearances with anyone is nothing but your ego taking a stroll on the uneasy side and it will lead to bankruptcy if you're not careful.<br />
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<h3>
2. They are unwilling to sacrifice.</h3>
When Danielle and I got married, I couldn't fathom not going out to eat at least once a week. But it was a sacrifice I eventually made. Now we go out to eat once every few months. If that. And you know what? It's not as dreadful as I imagined it would be. We have since come to sacrifice many other things in order to get ahead—cable TV, high-speed internet, Netflix, vacations. This doesn't mean we have to do without these things forever, but the savings we've accumulated over the last two years is precisely why we are currently debt free! It’s about priorities. Here’s the question: What are you willing to sacrifice?<br />
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<h3>
3. They’re addicted to stuff.</h3>
During my time as a UPS driver I had two stops on my route to women who were full-blown shopaholics. It was a rare day that I didn't stop at their houses with multiple packages from amazon.com. A love of stuff isn't that hard to understand, really. I mean, who doesn't like stuff? Heck, I LOVE stuff! And learning not to impulsively purchase everything we want isn't easy, because, for some reason, the more we have, the more confident and powerful we feel. But it's all a fraud! Eventually, stuff just weighs us down.<br />
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<h3>
4. They don’t know how. </h3>
A lot of people get those "3 a.m." moments and want to kick their debt to the curb, but they just don't know how to do it. Our culture, with its mentality of immediate gratification, has trained people to look at their mountain of debt and see it as something too big to bother with. Quick and easy, that's what people want. Hard work? Forget about it! But hard work and discipline is exactly what it takes to get your debt under control. That, and a plan. Thankfully there are plenty of solid, reliable budgeting programs to help you out—be it Crown Financial or Dave Ramsey, for example. You may have to plunk down some cash to get the program or take the course, but it's well worth the investment.<br />
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<h3>
5. They’re lazy.</h3>
Some people know what to do. Maybe they know about the debt snowball and they sorta, kinda want to get out of debt. They know how debt can negatively affect their marriage, their stress levels, their relationships, and their future; they know that buying expensive coffees and cable TV packages and newer, more expensive cars and clothes isn't a wise move, but they just aren’t motivated to make a change. And that's... well, embarrassing. Especially if you've got kids. It's now not only your life you're ruining but theirs because they're going to learn their financial habits from you.<br />
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Every day, people are making the decision to get out of debt and change their lives. They’re ready to sacrifice and get rid of their fear of change or their addiction to stuff. If you're ready to take that leap, we can't recommend <a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu">Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University</a> enough. It saved our finances and our marriage.<br />
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If a lazy, stuff-lovin' bum like me can make this change, then anyone can!<br />
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Keep pinchin' :-)Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-46074746301622274692015-02-02T07:00:00.000-05:002015-02-05T11:26:14.240-05:00Taking Vacations With the Baby Steps<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r0IQws7YInk/VM7EJPphf_I/AAAAAAAABfM/sBB7fN2kCLI/s1600/IMG_5531%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A Maui vacation reward" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r0IQws7YInk/VM7EJPphf_I/AAAAAAAABfM/sBB7fN2kCLI/s1600/IMG_5531%2Bcopy.jpg" height="213" title="A Maui vacation reward" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Jake and Danielle on vacation in Maui.</i></td></tr>
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If you're like most people, you can only work, eat, sleep, and play through your weekly grind before the itch to "get away" starts making your insides raw.<br />
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But how do you take a vacation and have a good time when you're working your way through Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps to financial peace? I mean, the Baby Steps aren't exactly the best place to be when you want to blow $5,000 on a tropical getaway. Well, here's the good news: you're a fool if you sound like this *in a nasally tone* "We can't go on vacation. We need to save our money. Dave Ramsey says so."<br />
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Chill, bro. Or sis. Whoever you are. Vacations are not NOT possible. They CAN happen no matter what baby step you're in. But here's the tough news: you're going to have work at it.<br />
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Obviously, the decision to take a vacation is dependent on where you're at financially. If you’re on Baby Step 1 or 2, you’re either building a $1,000 emergency fund or paying off your debt with the debt snowball. In other words, your budget is probably tight—especially if you’re paying off debt aggressively, which you should be. In this case, your options might be limited, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a fun, relaxing vacation. For now it might have to be a staycation, or an inexpensive camping trip, but it's not impossible. Get creative!<br />
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If you can manage—and budget for—a short weekend getaway, then go for it. Just remember, the beach and the mountains and all the fancy resorts can wait until you’re out of debt. They’ll still be there, and they will be an awesome reward for busting it and getting out of debt. The main thing is that you don't incur MORE debt by going on vacation.<br />
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If you're into Baby Step 3, you’re out of debt and starting to save your big emergency fund, which is three to six months of expenses. Now you can take a little bit of a breath. You’re still saving aggressively and putting all that money you were using to pay off debt toward the emergency fund. But you are also in a good situation where you can take a little bit of that and go on a vacation paid for with CASH. No credit cards here. Woot-woot!<br />
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It's important to not go too crazy though. Give yourself a budget, and keep yourself within that budget.<br />
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By the time you're into Baby steps 4 through 6, you're in an awesome spot! You’re out of debt, and you’ve saved up a large emergency fund. You’ve started the process of investing 15% of your household income retirement and you've begun saving for your kids' college funds. An annual summer vacation shouldn't be a problem. Just put it in the budget and set a little money aside every week. Even if it's just $100, that's $5,200! Pack up the van and take the kids to Disney!<br />
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Your income will determine what’s reasonable for you to do when it comes to vacation spending. Higher earners will obviously be able to afford pricier vacations, but the point here is to go somewhere and remain debt free. Say it with me now: No. More. Debt.<br />
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When you've made it all the way through the Baby Steps, don't forget to be generous. Take some family or friends with you on some of your vacations. Be an encourager and a motivator to people who haven’t reached this point in their journey yet. Be generous with your money and even more generous in your spirit. Everyone’s journey will be different. Some people are able to go through the Baby Steps quickly, while it takes much longer for others.<br />
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Keep that dream vacation in mind and use it to motivate you to work through the Baby Steps. Remember, getting out of debt and learning to live debt free won't take you forever. This is just a phase of life. The good times will come. You just need the dedication and a little patience to get there.<br />
<br />
Keep pinchin :-)Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-29832160537115723382015-01-30T07:00:00.000-05:002015-02-05T11:41:55.037-05:00Aloha, You Dumb Tourist - The Drawbacks of Paradise<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AoWfZb9fMaM/VMifA7kGUiI/AAAAAAAABeU/tJX1UivPvHE/s1600/DaniTurtles.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Danielle diving with the sea turtles" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AoWfZb9fMaM/VMifA7kGUiI/AAAAAAAABeU/tJX1UivPvHE/s1600/DaniTurtles.png" height="179" title="Danielle diving with the sea turtles" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Danielle diving next to a sea turtle in Napili Bay, Maui</i>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There is no such thing as a perfect paradise on Earth, but Maui comes pretty darn close. Warm ocean waters teeming with beautiful sea life. Breathtaking views from all over the island. Food so good you'll think you're dreaming. And enough zip-lining, boat-riding, parasailing, surfing, swimming, hiking, and sun-tanning to occupy adventurists of any age.<br />
<br />
Ultimately—as our chill surf instructor would say—"It's all cool, bro."<br />
<br />
Still, this paradise isn't without its drawbacks, and after ten days of writing and photographing and videotaping and tweeting and Facebooking and everything-else-ing the most delicious aspects of this tropical heaven, we thought it might be prudent to warn you about some of the drawbacks. So if you're thinking of visiting Maui, here are some of the things that tripped us up during our vacation (not that Maui isn't still one of the most awesomest places on earth!)<br />
<br />
<h3>
Bad Directions</h3>
For some reason the locals don't know how to give directions, so if you get directions, make sure they are very, very specific. Because sometimes "hang right and it's on your left" really means "turn right, drive two miles, you'll see a really complicated intersection with lots of touristy stuff, but if you turn left down the really narrow one way road that you can't really see because of the palm trees and keep your eyes looking to the left you'll eventually see a really small building with a tiny pink sign that says Hala-ooh-I-Can't-Pronounce-This-Word in minuscule print."<br />
<br />
Other times it's as simple as, "See that sign that says, 'Do not enter'? Enter there." (No, seriously, someone said that to us, but, hey, it got us where we wanted to go.)<br />
<br />
<h3>
Beware the Tip Jar</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pNwsVQkyNSg/VMigBsjIHQI/AAAAAAAABec/O7sl4S8iD6A/s1600/TipsMaholo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Maui's tourism industry thrives off tips" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pNwsVQkyNSg/VMigBsjIHQI/AAAAAAAABec/O7sl4S8iD6A/s1600/TipsMaholo.jpg" height="144" title="Maui's tourism industry thrives off tips" width="200" /></a></div>
Maui is all about tourism, which means most of the locals work in the service industry and thrive off tips. This gets especially irritating when you book a tour as part of a "package deal," like we did with our sunrise/bicycle/zip line tour. We had no less than five different people to tip—the bus driver who picked us up, the sunrise tour guide, the bicycle tour guide, the zip line guys, and the driver who took us back. We didn't have enough cash to tip everyone, but if we had that would've easily been $80 in tips to three different companies for one excursion.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Timeshare Discounts</h3>
Danielle and I wanted to go on a whale-watching tour, so we went to Boss Frog's, one of Maui's top tourism meccas for anything and everything you want to do. A Super cool dude named Mark said he had a great deal for us—a $140 dinner cruise on which we would see whales for $12 if we agreed to sit through a timeshare presentation for 90 minutes. Ninety minutes. That's nine, zero. Super Cool Mark told us if they didn't hold to that to let him know. Dinner, a boat ride, whales, all for $12? I can suffer a 90-minute blowhard, sure.<br />
<br />
But the dinner cruise was a disappointment. It wasn't technically a "whale watching tour," so the captain wasn't obligated to go hunt down whales. We saw some way out on the horizon, but not as up close as the official whale-watching boats. The food was mediocre, the drinks were disappointing, and don't even get me started on the timeshare people who did not stick to their 90-minute promise—two hours and ten minutes later, we weren't happy.<br />
<br />
Back to Super Cool Mark. When we told him about our disappointing experience he did us a solid and sent us on a whale-watching tour at 50 percent off the listed price. Thanks, dude!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Not All Beaches Are Created Equal</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qBKOBrGmkNY/VMihrlWKQyI/AAAAAAAABeo/1LxKzt4jM54/s1600/MauiBeaches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="A rental car can take you from bad beach to awesome beach" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qBKOBrGmkNY/VMihrlWKQyI/AAAAAAAABeo/1LxKzt4jM54/s1600/MauiBeaches.jpg" height="133" title="A rental car can take you from bad beach to awesome beach" width="200" /></a></div>
If you go to Maui, rent a car. There shouldn't be any ifs, ands, or buts about it. Your own transportation is a must. Taxis are expensive. Buses are scattered. And you might have a hotel with a very rocky beach when there is a silky, sandy beach just two miles down the road. Fortunately a car came with our vacation package, and we used it every day.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Read the Fine Print</h3>
Like I wrote in Friday's blog, <b><a href="http://pennypinchingprose.blogspot.com/2015/01/cost-saving-vacation-tips.html">Cost-Saving Vacation Tips</a></b>, having the best hotel wasn't a priority for us. We like to do stuff. The hotel was just a place to crash. Still, I knew my beach-loving wife would love a hotel room on the beach, so when I booked the hotel I was sure to note that I had chosen a room with an "oceanfront view." The room we got, however, did not have an oceanfront view. The hotel was an oceanfront hotel WITH oceanfront views, but not every room had such a view.<br />
<br />
I doubt it was the intention of the hotel owners to be misleading in this way. It was likely Expedia's fault for not communicating to the hotel that we had selected an oceanfront room. When I showed the lady at the hotel's front desk my receipt for the room and that it very clearly said "oceanfront" she quickly and kindly moved us to a much better room with a majestic view of the Pacific. So be careful when you book to read the fine print, but don't be afraid to inquire about discrepancies.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Lost in Translation</h3>
Speaking of communication errors, we noticed several times there was a breakdown in communication between companies—whether it was between Expedia and our hotel, the timeshare people and Super Cool Mark, or the three different companies operating our sunrise/bicycle/zip line tour. It seemed like everyone was on their own schedules, but no one was on anybody else's. When so many cooks are stirring the pot there needs to be better communication.<br />
<br />
That goes for websites, too. Three times we encountered situations where what we got was not what was offered on the website—not the least of which was Anthony's, a little hippie cafe that offered picnic lunches with rentable coolers on their website. When we stopped there on the Road to Hana, we found out that lunches were more expensive than the website listed, and cooler rentals were no longer an option. You had to buy one for $8. The food wasn't that great either.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Aloha ... You Dumb Tourist</h3>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XIPin1SHVkU/VMsyJhw3ztI/AAAAAAAABe8/sp3xxaT4piQ/s1600/shaka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Shaka, or "Hang Loose" hand sign" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XIPin1SHVkU/VMsyJhw3ztI/AAAAAAAABe8/sp3xxaT4piQ/s1600/shaka.jpg" height="200" title="The Shaka, or "Hang Loose" hand sign" width="200" /></a></div>
Hawaii might be called The Aloha State, but real Hawaiians don't seem to say, "Aloha." Trust me, as a tourist, you'll get Alohaed at every corner, but if you start saying it back you'll stick out like a sore thumb. Real Hawaiians say, "What's up, brudda!" or "What's up, sister!" They're also fond of "Hello," "Hi," and the more modern, "Hey!"<br />
<br />
Oh, and if you think about flashing the "hang loose" hand sign, it's ok. Everybody does it. But you're not in Southern California, so don't call it "hang loose." In Hawaii, it's the Shaka.<br />
<br />
Get it? Got it? Good!Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-72183100833054624982015-01-27T07:00:00.000-05:002015-02-05T11:30:34.927-05:00Our Surf Teacher From The Zoo + 5 Things You Never Knew About SurfingNon-athletic. That's me. But I'm tall and trim—about six feet, broad shoulders, long legs—so I can fool most anybody into thinking I know how to use my body. The truth is if I didn't have hands to catch myself, I'd have no face from all the tripping and falling I've done over the years. My nose would be flat. Just a flat nose. Just a flat face with a flat nose because I'm a big non-athletic clutz.<br />
<br />
But apparently I'm good at surfing. I paddled into a wave, got to my feet, kept my balance for a short distance, and sat back down before I wiped out. More than once, I might add. That's surfing right?<br />
<br />
Just humor me, ok? I suck at every other sport in the world. Let me have this one, tiny thing.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Our Instructor From The Zoo</h3>
I've got to give credit to our instructor, a man who introduced himself as Armadillo, or Armor for short. He claimed to come from the zoo. He has a brother named Possum, and other family members from the rat species. Honestly, if you asked me if he was kidding, I wouldn't know what to say. In between pushing back long strands of gnarled blond locks from his copper face and looking like he desperately needed some weed to take his mind off his hangover, for all I knew Armadillo probably actually was born in the zoo. Who knows?<br />
<br />
The great thing about him though was that even if we didn't learn to surf, Armadillo gave us plenty of Entertainment.<br />
<br />
"Dude," he'd say looking at me, "you're doing awesome. These two girls here are doing everything wrong, but you're awesome. Well, except for your feet, get your feet wider apart. And don't slouch. Relax, man. You're too tense. Scoot back. *sigh* Ok, never mind. You're hopeless."<br />
<br />
He asked if Danielle and I had any kids with us. When we told him no he sounded disappointed, saying one of the highlights of teaching surfing lessons to kids is being able to pick them up in high winds and skip them across the surface of the water.<br />
<br />
"Seriously, bro, that's what we do. Me and another instructor. I'll grab their arms. Another guy grabs their legs and we just chuck 'um and just watch 'um skip—dush, dush, dush. Well, when the parents aren't looking of course."<br />
<br />
Despite his antics, Armadillo managed to instill confidence in us—me, my wife, and a financial advisor from Kentucky named Robin who had the pleasure of learning how to surf with us.<br />
<br />
"Whatever you're worried about, it's not going to happen," Armadillo said. "You're not going to drown. You're not going to get blown away by the wind."<br />
<br />
"What about shark attacks?" I asked. (Because, seriously, that was all I was really worried about.)<br />
<br />
Armadillo was silent for a long moment. "Actually, I can't say don't worry about that because, well ... ah-hem. Let's go surfing!"<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-42QN90f6O9s/VMLvSy6FvnI/AAAAAAAABdM/v1uAhQCjk8U/s1600/IMG_4919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Surfing Lessons at the Goofy Foot Surf School" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-42QN90f6O9s/VMLvSy6FvnI/AAAAAAAABdM/v1uAhQCjk8U/s1600/IMG_4919.jpg" height="213" title="Surfing Lessons at the Goofy Foot Surf School" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The two of us alongside our fellow student, Robin, and our<br />surfing instructor Armadillo at the Goofy Foot Surf School.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h3>
5 Things You Didn't Know About Surfing</h3>
<b><br /></b>
<b>1. Bikinis and Surfboards Don't Mix</b><br />
Most movies about surfing always show the female surfers in bikinis because, well, I think the reason is obvious, but after 10 minutes on a surfboard you begin to realize just how unrealistic that is because surfboards HURT! Even with a long-sleeved surf shirt my stomach and chest were beat red by the end of our lesson and the insides of my thighs were chaffed from straddling the board.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Surfing Should Be Called "Paddling ... With Style"</b><br />
Surfing is hours of hard work for about 10 minutes of payoff. If that. First, you have to paddle. And paddle, and paddle, and paddle, just to get in the right spot to catch a wave. If there's a current, you have to paddle almost continuously so you don't float away. When a wave comes, you have to paddle—furiously!—so you can get momentum to ride the wave. And when you're ride is over you have to paddle all over again to get back out to sea. Surfing shouldn't be called surfing. It should be called Shoulder Exercise, or maybe S.E.D., for Shoulder Exercise, Dude. But that just doesn't sound as cool.<br />
<br />
<b>3. The Stereotypical Surfer Dude Actually Exists</b><br />
"Surfer dudes" are real. They're not just some stereotype invented for TV. I already told you about Armadillo, who is every bit the laid back surfer dude you've ever imagined, but there were plenty of others just like him with long, scraggly hair; dark, spotty skin; a nonchalant strut. Even the girl working the desk at the surf shop was throwing off those chill surfer chick vibes. But, hey, it's cool, man.<br />
<br />
<b>4. Surfing Will Kill You ... No, Really.</b><br />
Death is like a major deal in surfing. If you don't do it right it will kill you. There are sharks in the water that can kill you. There are rocks and rock walls that a wave can plow you into in a matter of seconds, killing you. If a wave carries you in too far and too fast even the shore will kill you. When you wipe out there are rocks and coral under the water that will gash your body, slice your hands, and, yes, even kill you.<br />
<br />
<b>5. Snowboarding Doesn't Make You A Better Surfer</b><br />
I was proud to tell Armadillo that I was a fair snowboarder on the wintery cold mountains of Vermont. He just dropped his head between his shoulders in disappointment, as though he suddenly realized the work he had cut out for him in teaching me how to surf. "Snowboarders are the worst," he said. "They're so used to having their feet strapped to the board." And he was right. Shuffling forward and backward on a surf board is kind of essential to making the whole thing work, but making myself move my feet was a challenge.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Going Back for Seconds</h3>
<br />
Unfortunately, cameras and surfing don't mix, so Danielle and I have no actual proof that we did any of this. We intended to go back and rent some surfboards and take turns surfing while one of us takes pictures from the shore, but, honestly, surfing can, like, KILL YOU! After being on Maui for a week and catching bits and pieces of information about currents, high winds, sharp rocks, coral, gashes, cuts, bruises, gangrene, and, yes, even sharks, you slowly come to understand that surfing is epically dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.<br />
<br />
So we opted to go to the mall. Much safer.<br />
<br />
-JakeJake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-45903590135698537172015-01-23T07:00:00.000-05:002015-02-05T11:26:48.664-05:00Cost-Saving Vacation Tips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x1H_Pp94MtY/VMHRbmzJHjI/AAAAAAAABc8/zP09NhE-B7I/s1600/piggy-bank-on-the-beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Cost-Saving Vacation Tips" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x1H_Pp94MtY/VMHRbmzJHjI/AAAAAAAABc8/zP09NhE-B7I/s1600/piggy-bank-on-the-beach.jpg" height="212" title="Cost-Saving Vacation Tips" width="320" /></a></div>
Traveling from Vermont to Hawaii isn't easy. It's a 22-hour journey of driving, flights, shuttle busses, layovers, and more flights, all culminating in an epic collision between an exhausted traveler and some faraway hotel's welcoming bed pillow.<br />
<br />
Such an epic journey isn't easy on your finances either, but it doesn't have to break the bank, and it certainly doesn't have to involve going deeper into debt, so long as you plan for it smartly.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the ways that Danielle and I saved money on our trip to Maui. <br />
<br />
<h3>
Know What Kind of R&R You're Looking For</h3>
It's dangerous to go on vacation with nothing but vague notions of rest and relaxation in your head. Everyone wants to kick back on a vacation, but if you don't think of HOW you're going to kick back you run the risk of making the dollars in your wallet an endangered species.<br />
<br />
For me and Danielle, having a nice hotel in Maui wasn't a priority because the type of vacation we wanted involved a lot of activities, not the least of which involved spending loads of time on the beach. As long as the beds are comfortable, we're not picky. For us, the hotel room is just a place to crash after a long day of doing stuff.<br />
<br />
If, however, your dream vacation is all about lounging around the resort with a good book, watching TV, or admiring the view from the pool, than maybe you'll want to put a little more money into your hotel. This means, of course, that you should reel-in the rest of your vacation spending.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Pack Food ... or Have a Grocery Budget</h3>
Food, glorious food! One of the greatest reasons to go on vacation is to eat food. Sometimes it's the whole reason you go on vacation—to eat exotic foods! The problem is that beyond that lonely concept people don't put much effort into planning what they're going to eat while they're on vacation. They just wake up one morning and realize, gasp, we need food! This usually results in paying for last minute room service or eating out, like, a lot.<br />
<br />
Pack food. Bring snacks, like granola bars, trail mix, muffins and water. When you get to your destination go grocery shopping and make plans to prepare at least half your meals yourself. Our hotel in Maui came equipped with a fridge and small stove which made it easy to scramble some eggs in the morning, and the nearby beach had grills handy to barbecue some chicken we bought at a grocery store down the street. We grilled enough chicken for four meals for less than $8. Eating out for those four meals would've easily cost us $100.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Pack Conservatively</h3>
Unfortunately the airline that Danielle and I were flying with had a $35 cost per checked bag, outrageous when you consider the exorbitant cost of plane tickets these days. We knew we would have at least one checked bag, but with some careful packing we were able to get everything we needed into our carry-on luggage. Did it mean making some sacrifices? Yes. (I had to leave behind the navy blue belt that matches me red shorts, but I was pretty sure I would survive.)<br />
<br />
<h3>
Have a Budget</h3>
You budget for your electric bill. You budget for your mortgage. You budget for birthdays and Christmas. So budget for your vacation! Decide—not how much you're <i>willing </i>to spend—but how much you <i>can</i> spend, and stay within that limit. If, with two days of vacation left, you've maxed out your allotted spending money and the kids want to go mini-golfing, say, "Sorry, kids. Jake and Danielle say 'no.'" Shoot me an email. I'll send you our PO address and your kids can write us a nasty letter.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Remember that Not Everything Has to Cost $$</h3>
While there are some vacationing things that are going to cost money no matter what, NEVER forget to check the area for free fun. Danielle and I made a list of hiking spots we wanted to visit in Maui as well as some historical landmarks. Maybe hiking and sightseeing isn't your thing, but there were also art shows, music, playgrounds, beaches, and other free stuff that we could've enjoyed.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Plan Your Vacation At Non-Peak Times</h3>
Granted, this might not always be possible due to your schedule, but usually the best rates at hotels and resorts are during times when they don't see as much tourism traffic. If you know where you want to go, do some Googling and find out when their off-season rates come into play. You could save yourself a bundle of money.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Use Your Judgment</h3>
Obviously a family of five doesn't have the same flexibility as a young couple with no kids, or an older couple who are all done going through the Baby Steps to financial freedom. Know your limits. Talk with your spouse. Pray about it beforehand. Put together a vacation that works for you in the here and now. It might not be that dream vacation you've always wanted, but don't worry about that. You'll get there eventually. Try to keep your eyes focused on the end game.<br />
<br />
Keep pinchin' :-)Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-78530700793300959182015-01-19T07:00:00.001-05:002015-02-05T11:27:02.988-05:00Maui: The Christmas Gift She Never Saw Coming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J_QxqvaOXJ0/VLxEYHloZoI/AAAAAAAABcE/F6Z6Q4cN9JQ/s1600/DaniHawaii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J_QxqvaOXJ0/VLxEYHloZoI/AAAAAAAABcE/F6Z6Q4cN9JQ/s1600/DaniHawaii.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
Pray for us. This Wednesday we're getting on a plane at 6 in the morning, traveling to Newark, NJ, to catch a flight to Los Angeles, CA, where we'll get on a plane to fly to a 10 day stay on Maui, HI.<br />
<br />
Yeah, it's going to be brutal.<br />
<br />
I suspect Danielle, my summer-loving wife, will do a face-plant hug of the seashore the moment her feet hit Mr. Sand and I'll be lucky to get any time with her once that wife-stealing son-of-a-beach gets his gritty dunes on her. I hope she doesn't neglect me too much though because it's due to my own personal genius... ness... that we're even going on this trip. So, you know, credit where credit is due, and all that.<br />
<br />
Back in November when I asked my wife what she wanted for Christmas, she jokingly said, "A trip to Hawaii." She mentioned this two other times, and it became unclear to me just exactly how jokey she was actually being. Regardless, I began to wonder just how plausible a trip to Hawaii really was. I mean, we had the money. We had the time. Why not go?<br />
<br />
I really enjoy travel planning, so I took to Google to see what there was to do in Maui, what resort life was like, and how much the airline industry would rip us off for two plane tickets (because, really, what does the airline industry ever do except charge ridiculous amounts of money for what is, essentially, a miserable experience coupled with molestations courtesy of the TSA.)<br />
<br />
But when it came to actually spending the money to pre-book everything I decided to hold off. Danielle and I work very closely together when it comes to our finances and I wanted her to be part of the ultimate decision making, but, still, I figured I could seduce her travel tastebuds with some palate-whetting visuals:<br />
<br />
—a genuine Hawaiian luau<br />
—sandy beaches<br />
—surfing lessons<br />
—sandy beaches<br />
—a sunrise zipline tour<br />
—sandy beaches<br />
<br />
I even printed up some little flash cards of the many sights we aimed to visit.<br />
<br />
"Is this is a joke?" she asked.<br />
<br />
"If this is a joke," I said, "it's one of the cruelest Christmas presents ever."<br />
<br />
"No joke."<br />
<br />
But, no, it wasn't a joke. I can always tell how excited she is about something by how quickly it hits Facebook. In this case, I think she set a new record.<br />
<br />
Honestly, Hawaii was never on my radar of places to go. I like the cool, damp, bleakness of places like Scotland, England, Seattle, and home. But, really, in the dead of a Vermont winter after weeks of sub-zero temperatures, even I found myself tempted by the warm shores of a tropical paradise.<br />
<br />
I suspect this blog will become something of a travel blog over the next ten days as we explore the various sights, try the various foods, and enjoy the many majestic vistas of Maui. So stay tuned!<br />
<br />
Keep pinchin' :-)Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-63754524807355676682015-01-16T07:00:00.001-05:002015-01-16T07:00:07.553-05:00My Top 10 Movies Of 2014 ... And The WorstIt sort of depends on how you look at it. Either 2014 was a great year for movies with dozens of under-the-radar independent films to enjoy, or a rather dull year with many disappointing blockbusters. I'm of the latter opinion—2014 was a disaster.<br />
<br />
North American box-office revenue was down by 5 percent over 2013, which is the biggest decline in nine years, according to the <b><a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-2014-moviegoing-hits-760766">Hollywood Reporter</a></b>. The summer, which was supposed to be Hollywood's biggest money-making time, was actually its worst, with revenue tumbling 15 percent from 2013.<br />
<br />
Movie attendance was at its lowest in 20 years, with an estimated 1.26 billion consumers purchasing movie tickets between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31. That's the lowest number since 1.21 billion in 1995.<br />
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For me, making a top 10 list for the best movies of 2014 wasn't easy. Back in January I thought it was going to be a great year because there were a ton of movies I really wanted to see, but time and time again 2014 saw me emerging from the theater with my old pal Disappointment. So here's my top 10 best movies of 2014 carefully compiled after much humming-and-hawing, which will be immediately followed by my 10 worst movies of 2014, a list which came together quiet easily.<br />
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#10 — American Sniper</h3>
As a director, Clint Eastwood has grown leaps and bounds ahead of his peers—<i>Gran Torino, Million Dollar Baby, Space Cowboys, The Bridges of Madison County</i>. His work over the last 20 years has been surprisingly genuine, sophisticated, and beautiful. <i>American Sniper</i>, the true story of Navy Seal Chris Kyle, is no exception. It's a difficult film to watch as it exposes the true horrors of fighting Islamic extremists in Iraq and the brave American soldiers dealing with PTSD on the homefront. Actor Bradely Cooper gives the performance of, not just his life, but perhaps the year. A brutal film that's brutally honest and well worth seeing!<br />
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#9 — Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</h3>
Consider this entry my shameless self-indulgence. Okay, so <i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> was loaded with flaws, I'm not denying that, but as a life-long Ninja Turtles fan the film was fun for me from start to finish. The four main characters, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello, were exactly who they were supposed to be, their personalities shined through, they rocked, they were awesome, but was the plot smart? No. Were the villains threatening? No. Was the story tight and well-executed? No. Was the movie a good time? Cowabunga!<br />
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#8 — X-Men: Days of Future Past</h3>
Director Bryan Singer, the original director of <i>X-Men</i> and<i> X-Men 2</i>, returns to bring the franchise back to glory and he does so in spectacular fashion. The action scenes are exciting. The story was touching. The movie deals with worthwhile themes like hope and family. Oh, and—one word—Quicksilver. Just remember that—Quicksilver. Watch the movie and you'll know what I mean.<br />
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#7 — Dawn of the Planet of the Apes</h3>
The first entry in this rebooted series back in 2011 convinced me that a franchise about genetically altered apes taking over the world could actually be interesting. But this second installment officially made me a fan! Performing just as well, if not better, than its predecessor, <i>Dawn of the Planet of the Apes</i> is a gripping thriller from the first few minutes of its intense opening sequence to the final brutal showdown high atop a crumbling tower. With an Oscar-worthy performance by motion-capture master Andy Serkis the film is a technological marvel that shouldn't be missed.<br />
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#6 — Captain America: The Winter Soldier</h3>
I give this movie credit for one main reason—it had balls! The story is brave enough to take directions that are new and interesting and even dangerous for a major motion picture franchise. But that's what I love about Marvel, they're not afraid to take risks. Captain America has always been a tricky character to write because it's so easy for him to become a one dimensional, puritan, all-American goody-two-shoe, but this movie keeps him interesting, grounded, human, and fun to watch. <i>Winter Solider</i> isn't just a great 2014 flick, it's one of the best films in the Avengers franchise.<br />
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#5 — How to Train Your Dragon 2</h3>
A sequel seemed irrelevant, yet inevitable, after <i>How to Train Your Dragon</i> was released to critical and audience acclaim. I baulked at the idea of a second installment, until I saw it and realized that this series actually had a lot more to say. I loved the way this movie handled everything, from its story points to the age of its animated characters to the family drama that unfolds in smart and surprising ways. It's a truly touching film with some great visuals and moral lessons.<br />
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#4 — Edge of Tomorrow</h3>
During production it was called <i>All You Need is Kill</i>, which I thought sounded retarded. The name was changed to <i>Edge of Tomorrow</i> for its theatrical release, and then changed again to <i>Live. Die. Repeat.</i> for the home video release. *rolls eyes* Whatever. It'll always be <i>Edge of Tomorrow</i> to me, a fascinating <i>Groundhog Day-</i>meets-<i>Aliens</i> time-travel thriller that doesn't let up. Seriously, when the story gets going, it is an all-go no-quit action thriller with enough story and wit in between to keep your eyes glued. Tom Cruise gives a notable and surprisingly humorous performance as a military desk jockey turned reluctant soldier who finds himself stuck reliving the same day every time he dies. The plot twists will keep you guessing and the ending is a full-on mind job!<br />
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#3 — Guardians of the Galaxy</h3>
As much as 2014 sucked for movies, there is hardly a top 10 list anywhere that doesn't have <i>Guardians of the Galaxy </i>on it somewhere. This is another entry into Marvel Studio's ambitious Avengers franchise that takes a lesser-known group of comic book heroes and throws them into the Marvel cinematic universe. The film was a surprise hit on many levels—it out-grossed almost every other movie in 2014, it told a powerful, deeply personal story about family and redemption, and it took a bunch of B-list characters and brought them up to the same level as Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor. <i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i> is a hilarious thrill-a-minute ride.<br />
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#2 — Godzilla</h3>
You'll see this movie panned as often as it is hailed, and here's why: the current generation of movie-goers raised in a cushy American lifestyle of immediate gratification can't tell a good movie from a hole in the ground. If the story isn't spoon fed down their throats with exploding computer graphics every ten minutes, they have no patience for it. This makes a slow-burn thriller like <i>Godzilla</i> a hard pill to swallow. The monster himself doesn't even make an appearance until more than halfway through the movie, while the main action sequence isn't until the very end, but—sweet, fancy Moses!—what a jaw-dropping action sequence it is! Unlike most movies today, <i>Godzilla</i> goes with a "less is more" approach, which, when dealing with something we've already seen dozens and dozens of times, makes the movie all the more thrilling. If you have the patience, <i>Godzilla</i>'s payoff is epic!<br />
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#1 — The Lego Movie</h3>
Some of the best movies today are happening in the field of animation, and <i>The Lego Movie</i> stands head-and-shoulders above them all as an example of just how clever, creative, and fun they can be. The first three-quarters of this movie play out like a hyper-active child's imagination gone on a binge, but eventually you realize that there's a reason for that. The film isn't just an off-the-wall comedy. There's a second story running along in the background that deals with some powerful family issues, and when it all comes together at the end you'll be smiling with happy tears. <i>The Lego Movie</i> is a laugh-a-minute flick with a big heart at its core. Oh, and did I mention Batman steals the show? Just sayin'.
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The Worst Movies of 2014</h3>
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<b>#10 — The Nut Job</b><br />
A heartless animated film full of animated movie cliches and a predictable plot. I was hoping voice actor maestro Will Arnett would save the film, but, unfortunately, his character is surrounded by too much clumsy filmmaking.<br />
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<b>#9 — Sabotage</b><br />
Arnold Schwarzenegger continues his attempts at making action movie comebacks and fails more spectacularly than ever before. Sabotage should've been a great Whodunnit? thriller of bad guys vs. badder guys, but it ends up being a bland serving of been there/done that.<br />
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<b>#8 — Transformers: Age of Extinction</b><br />
I keep waiting for Director Michael Bay to realize that vomiting computer graphics onto a movie screen doesn't make for a good movie, but he seems determined to remain stuck a prepubescent boy's CGI fantasy land. Apparently his vomit is good enough for China because 74 percent of the film's gross came from overseas markets.<br />
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<b>#7 — The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies</b><br />
I'm not one to gripe about book-to-screen story changes, but I did get nervous when talk arose about Director Peter Jackson splitting Tolkein's <i>The Hobbit</i> into three movies. Sadly, by this final entry, the weariness is felt. The movie is two hours of violence, with little story, little to do with its titular Hobbit, and much to do with plots and characters that have nothing to do with the book. Peter Jackson finally let me down.<br />
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<b>#6 — Interstellar</b><br />
I've come to the conclusion that outside of his epic Dark Knight trilogy, Christopher Nolan can't make a comprehensible movie.<i> Interstellar </i>is another overly long, self-indulgent mess of a movie with an absolutely nonsensical ending.<br />
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<b>#5 — The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1</b><br />
I didn't really like the first movie. I hesitantly enjoyed the second. And I went into the third movie hoping Katniss Everdeen would finally stop her griping about war and become the woman of action she needs to be in order to stop the tyrannical government and save her people. Alas, she remains the dull, unambitious, sobbing heroine whom thousands of secondary characters inexplicably rally behind. I can't be bothered with any more of these movies. I just don't care anymore.<br />
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<b>#4 — 3 Days to Kill</b><br />
Kevin Costner tries to do what Liam Neeson did in <i>Taken</i> and doesn't quite make it. It's not his fault though. The writing is where this movie suffers with a terrible balancing act between a hitman's violent secret life and his struggles to reconnect with his angst-ridden daughter. The whole thing is just a bland serving of "meh."<br />
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<b>#3 — The Expendables 3</b><br />
The whole premise of this franchise is about taking old, washed-up action stars and throwing them together for the first time so they can blow stuff up. In the first 10 minutes of the movie, <i>The Expendables 3</i> takes that entire concept and throws it out the window, then proceeds to adopt a younger cast and a hipper storyline, until the very ending when the senior citizens return, but, by that point, who cares?<br />
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<b>#2 — Hercules</b><br />
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has proven that he's not that bad an actor, so it was a disappointing surprise to see him return to <i>The Scorpion King</i> levels of silliness in this poorly conceived cliche of a movie. Fortunately for The Rock, the fault here isn't entirely his, it's Director Brett Ratner who displays the same movie-making ineptitude that ruined <i>Rush Hour 3</i> and <i>X-Men: The Last Stand.</i><br />
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<b>#1 — Tusk</b><br />
One of the most disturbing movies I've ever seen, <i>Tusk</i> left a bad taste in my mouth for days. It's a movie about a young blogger on the hunt for a new story when he gets captured by a demented old man determined to medically transform him into a walrus so he can have an affair with him. Truly unsettling content + very poor execution + a darkly comedic tone = a very unsatisfying movie.
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<br />Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-70111178371646395752015-01-14T07:00:00.000-05:002015-01-14T08:57:35.728-05:00The Plans He Has For Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's a strange feeling to describe, when God speaks to you, isn't it? <b>It's like a thought, or an idea, something brilliant, that cuts through all the confusion and anxiety and stress of a single moment and hits you right in the heart, but you just absolutely, unequivocally know that it didn't come from you. </b>That's what happened to me on Jan. 6.<br />
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These last few months have been a crazy blur for Danielle and I. <b>I lost my full-time graphic design job back in the fall</b>, and picked up work with my uncle's construction business and as a seasonal driver for UPS.<br />
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<b>Meanwhile, the wife and I are trying to sell our house in Bethlehem, NH, but, as anyone who has ever had anything to do with the real estate business can tell you, things are moving veeeeeeery sloooooowly.</b> In the meantime we've moved in with my Grandma.<br />
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<b>Oh, and Danielle quit her job.</b> She worked a high-burnout shift at a high-burnout job in the field of adult mental health, so it was no surprise that she got burned out. Furthermore, since the move to Grandma's her job had become a 50 minute commute. Danielle practically begged me to let her quit. She's got a part-time baby-sitting gig now, but it's just as uncertain as my work future.<br />
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<b>Uncertainty. That seems to be the word dominating our lives at the moment. </b>Our jobs are uncertain. The sale of our house is uncertain. Our future is uncertain. It's kinda nerve-wracking.<br />
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Last week while I was driving a route during my seasonal UPS job on a very cold, blustery, slippery winter road I felt a panic rising in my chest as I was thinking about all the uncertainty in our lives. I started getting depressed, even angry. I mean, there wasn't even the slightest indication of what I should do next—where I should look for a job, how to get our house sold, whether we should do <i>this</i> or <i>that</i>. There was nothing on the horizon of our future except stress and uncertainty.<br />
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I started praying, and I asked God for a glimpse of His plan, some hope, something to keep me going, something to give me some idea of what we should go next. <b>His answer cut through my brain in a voice that wasn't my own: "I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and future." </b>(Jeremiah 29:11) I was actually startled by this because I knew this answer had come from somewhere beyond myself. The voice in my head wasn't mine. It was a reminder that God has nothing but my best interests at heart. Wherever I'm headed, whatever happens next, it's coming from Him and it will be good.<br />
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But God wasn't done speaking to me.<br />
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That night when I finished my route, my boss pulled me into his office to go over my performance. He said the company wanted me to come back this summer to cover routes while other drivers were on vacation. It would be a full time position lasting June-through-September. There would be a month off and then the holiday driving job would start again in November. It's not a guarantee, but it would keep me within the company and possibly lead to more steady employment down the road.<br />
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It wasn't much, but it was hope.<br />
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<b>It was an answer to a very simple, desperate prayer.</b><br />
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What about you? Can you recall a time when God's voice cut through the noise and pierced you with Truth?<br />
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Keep pinchin' :-)Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-52614509650956181302015-01-12T07:00:00.000-05:002015-01-13T17:01:51.516-05:00How To Refocus Your Finances<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hi. Remember us?<br />
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Yeah, we sort of lost track of our blog about three months ago when it fell into the abyss between Mt. Busy and Mt. Really Busy; they're two peaks in northern Vermont on the road to Overwhelmington, overlooking lakes Where-Has-Our-Life-Gone and It's-February-Already. (Yes, those are real lakes.)<br />
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These past wintry months have brought a lot of exciting changes into our lives. Right now, we're a week into sub-zero temperatures and I feel sort of like our life was put into a little snow globe and had the daylights shook out of it. Except what's falling down around us isn't fake plastic snow, it's a crazily scary, busy, fun, weird, roller-coaster ride of uncertainty. Our home is almost sold. Neither of us have full-time jobs. It was 30 below on Tuesday.<br />
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Whether we like it or not, a financial refocusing is what we have to do right now, and with Christmas having come and gone and New Year's resolutions in full-swing it's likely that's where you're at too. Getting back into the habit of budgeting and financial planning may sound daunting, even overwhelming, <b>but here's the truth: it's easier the second time around.</b><br />
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If your financial focus has fallen by the wayside, the only thing that makes it seem difficult to start back up again is your memory of how difficult it was the first time. Do you remember the first time? I do. <b>It was six brutal months of weekly budget meetings between me, a money spender, and my wife, a money hoarder, butting heads, bickering, crying, until we finally figured out how to do this "budgeting thing" together.</b><br />
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But the second time around isn't like the first. We know the drill. We know what we have to do. Thankfully, Danielle and I never really quit doing our budget meetings, we just have them once a month now instead of once a week. Still, with the major upheaval our life has undergone these last few months, it's time to sit down and figure out what our financial priorities are. This isn't a bad practice to do every once in a while. So...<br />
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Think Small</h3>
<b>Refocusing your financial goals needs to be broad in scope, but small in steps. </b>One of the reasons people veer off course is because they set their goals too far ahead. Their goals become too unobtainable. They get discouraged. They quit. This is why <b><a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu">Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University</a></b> approaches budgeting with the "Baby Steps." The first step—get $1,000 of emergency money in the bank—is obtainable within a month for most people. Seeing progress that quickly is encouraging and helps you to realize that, yes, this budgeting process <i>can</i> work!<br />
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So as you refocus your finances, make your goals realistic. Maybe your broad goal is to pay off the house in the next ten years, but for this month make it a goal to put an extra $100 down on the mortgage, or $1,000 in six months. <b>The way we handle money is tied to our emotions, and our emotions are motivated when we see progress, so set obtainable "baby steps."</b><br />
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Keep Those Meetings Coming</h3>
You and your spouse need to be making your financial plans together. Maybe, if you really love crunching numbers and your spouse doesn't, you can handle it on your own, but you need to at least make an effort to include your spouse in what's going on. Danielle and I talk about our finances a lot. <b>We help keep each other focused and motivated. Knowing what financial dreams are on her mind are important to me, and, frankly, I couldn't do all this math crap without her.</b><br />
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Pray</h3>
No financial plan should begin without consulting the One who owns it all anyway. <b>"Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand," 1 Chronicles 29:14. </b>God knows your future far better than you do. He knows what storms are coming your way and how He's going to provide for your every need. You and your spouse—or financial accountability partner if you're single—need to keep God on the front lines of your financial goals.<br />
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So start there. Pray. Think small. Keep those budget meetings in the pipeline. Let us know what you're struggling with so we can pray for you and learn more about this stuff alongside you.<br />
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Keep pinchin' :)Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-77442254595168401192014-12-12T23:10:00.000-05:002014-12-13T16:04:04.325-05:00Grandpa: Remembering The Non-Regrets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FFIWUjggvJU/VIu6BNlykwI/AAAAAAAABWI/mzzFwICA-g0/s1600/1990%2BDex%2B%26%2BGert%2BChristmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FFIWUjggvJU/VIu6BNlykwI/AAAAAAAABWI/mzzFwICA-g0/s1600/1990%2BDex%2B%26%2BGert%2BChristmas.jpg" height="320" title="" width="276" /></a></div>
Today marks two years since my Grandpa passed away. He was my dad's dad, a man I really looked up to, a grandfather who never really stopped fathering. He was a World War II veteran, and, like many of that generation, was an old-fashioned strong and silent type, but his quiet often spoke volumes.<br />
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Over this past year I've had to challenge myself not to dwell on the regrets I have about my relationship with him. <b>It's easy to wish that I had spent more time with him or said different things or acted differently. But after a while, dwelling on these regrets just wears me down. I realized they were actually dishonoring to his memory.</b><br />
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So whenever I catch my thoughts wandering in that direction, I steer them a different way, into the "non-regrets." These are some of the things I'm glad I had the chance to enjoy with Grandpa while he was here.<br />
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<h3>
Getting Our Ears Lowered</h3>
I don't regret going with him to get my haircut, or, as he called it, "getting my ears lowered." When I was little, maybe 5 or 6, Grandpa started a once a month tradition with me of going to get our haircut at a local barbershop. (This was before "styling salons" were popular... not that Grandpa would ever go to one.) I was scared of the barber the first time we went, but Grandpa bought me a Superman action figure when it was all done because he thought I was brave. We continued getting our hair cut together well into my teens.<br />
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<h3>
Staying On Par</h3>
I don't regret all those years of golfing with him. Now, you've got to understand, Grandpa loved to golf. He'd be out on that golf course rain, snow, hurricane... always in competition with himself, challenging himself to get better so he could eventually beat his brother, Russell. I loved the long drives up to the golf course with him, enjoying a steamed hot dog in the club house afterward, and never once being able to beat him. He was never big on conversation, but I remember one day during the ride up to the golf course he give me some advice on women. "Treat 'um right," he said.<br />
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<h3>
Full House</h3>
I don't regret living with my grandparents. When I moved in with them in my mid-twenties it was an opportunity to see Grandpa every day and get to know him in a whole new way. The man I saw day in and day out was consistent, optimistic, brave, and loving. I never saw him show anything but love and great respect to my Grandma. I never saw him give anything less than a warm welcome to anyone who walked into his house. Despite the illness he faced in the last few years of his life, I never saw him handle it like anything less than a champ.<br />
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<h3>
When I Said "I Do"</h3>
I don't regret having Grandpa at my wedding. He passed away six months later, but the photo I have of him with me and my wife at our wedding reception is the last photo I have of us together, and I'm so glad that I was able to get my act together and settle down with a beautiful young bride before he passed away. He always wanted me to find a good woman. In fact, it seemed to perplex him that I was in my thirties and still hadn't found one to settle down with. So on my wedding day, I know I made him proud.<br />
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<br />Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-49051960502515613592014-10-31T07:00:00.000-04:002014-10-31T07:03:01.331-04:00The Data Shows: Daylight Saving Time Is AsinineIt's always been my personal belief that Daylight Saving Time is stupid. Turns out I was right. Turns out that aside from increasing risk of heart attack, providing adverse mental health in some people, screwing with national and international communication, mixing up global transportation patterns, frustrating farmers, complicating business transactions, and ruining my life twice a year, the only positive thing about DST is that at one point in history it didn't exist.<br />
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<h3>
When The Dumb Began</h3>
DST has been used for about 100 years, although its genesis is credited to Benjamin Franklin, according to <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/time/dst/history.html"><b>www.timeanddate.com</b></a>. Franklin proposed the idea—although a little jokingly—to economize the use of candles by getting people out of bed earlier in the morning, making use of the natural morning light. The idea was never implemented in his lifetime because people didn't take it seriously.<br />
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It wasn't until 1895 that a New Zealand entomologist (bug-collector) by the name of George Vernon realized that his love affair with bugs could last longer every day if he had more daylight hours to play with. He proposed a <i>two hour</i> time shift instead of the <i>one </i>that we grudgingly endure today.<br />
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This idea was picked up by another genius, William Willett, whose motivation for lobbying DST was his growing aggravation that dusk kept cutting short his after hours game of golf.<br />
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That's right, folks. Golf.<br />
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It wasn't until World War I that this idea began to catch on. While Europe did its best to commit genocide the west thought DST would be a great way to save energy during war time. DST wasn't observed again until WWII and was officially adopted in the US in 1967.<br />
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<h3>
The "Energy Conservation" Myth</h3>
Energy conservation has long been touted as one of the many reasons for DST to remain in effect (though just how much energy it saves has never been proven), but even if DST did, at one point, help save energy, energy consumption has changed greatly since the days of coke stoves and steam engines. In a 24/7 global economy DST no longer serves its purpose.<br />
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Most modern studies of DST show little to no benefit and/or reason for it in regards to energy conservation.<br />
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<h3>
What The Facts Show </h3>
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<ul>
<li>The National Research Council of Canada issued a report in 2008 that indicated fuel consumption actually rises during DST because "…with an extra hour of daylight in the evening people tend to go out more."</li>
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<li>One of the major backers of legislation to keep DST in effect is 7-Eleven, ostensibly to allow the good children of America more time to go out and buy a torso-sized Slurpie. Obesity, folks. DST contributes to obesity.</li>
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<li>When Indiana made DST mandatory in 2006, Dr. Matthew Kotchen examined several million monthly meter readings from a three year period. He found that having the entire state switch to DST each year, rather than remain on Standard Time, cost Indiana households an additional $8.6 million in electricity bills.</li>
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<li>Arizona does not recognize DST. They tried it for one year in the 1960s, but there was so much negative reaction that they never tried it again. Some also said that without DST, the state still managed to save heating and cooling energy in the summer (northern hemisphere) months.</li>
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<li>Kazakhstan abolished DST in 2005, citing negative health effects on more than 51 percent of its population.</li>
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<li>Farmers, who must wake with the sun no matter what time the clock says, are greatly inconvenienced by having to change their schedules to market their crops to businesses observing DST and therefore generally oppose it. (<a href="http://www.standardtime.com/"><b>www.standardtime.com</b></a>)</li>
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<li>In 2008 The Wall Street Journal declared: "Daylight Saving Wastes Energy," and cited Dr. Kotchen's report as well as others.</li>
</ul>
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<h3>
The "Circadian Rhythm"</h3>
Health therapist Shawn Kirby says the negative health repercussions of DST can last for weeks in some people. He says the human body's physical and mental behavioral swings caused by day/night changes and sleep patterns—known as the Circadian Rhythm—is essential to a person's mental health and balanced stress levels. This natural rhythm within our own bodies connects us to the world while DST routinely interrupts it.<br />
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"Suicides in men and heart attacks were both found to significantly spike with the 'Spring Forward,'" Kirby says.<br />
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<h3>
In Closing</h3>
Even apart from the data, DST shows no reasons to exist. I mean, "time," as we know it, is an artificial construction, measured only by agreed-upon convention. The only purpose of measuring time with a clock is to coordinate action. The actual numbers on a clock don't matter; the clock says whatever we, as a society, agree that it should say. On a global scale observing DST completely destroys the original purpose for which time and the clock were created—some countries observe it; some don't. As a result world time becomes confusing. While observing DST, time zones get screwed up; all clocks and electronic devices must be changed, or programmed to run functions that cause the change. This massive, mostly-computerized switchover inconveniences millions of businesses and individuals every year. DST interrupts what is, otherwise, a smoothly operating convention of coordinating global actions.<br />
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Let's face it, DST is an outdated, onerous, ridiculous, asinine "illusion." It is unneeded, unwanted, and pointless. If you really need an extra hour of daylight to play gulf or hunt bugs, GET UP AN HOUR EARLIER!<br />
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Stop the madness of pointlessly changing time twice a year. End Daylight Saving Time! Sign the petition at <a href="http://www.standardtime.com/"><b>www.standardtime.com</b></a>.Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-63741049902532372912014-09-26T07:00:00.000-04:002014-09-26T07:00:04.573-04:00Christianity To Atheism - It's A Shorter Step Than You ThinkDani and I have begun leading a Faith Group in our new home and we had our first meeting this week. Most of it was a meet and greet with some discussion about my vision for the group as well as input from other member's about what they hoped to get from the group.<br />
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Then we had some Bible study.<br />
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I had prepared a brief lesson based on something that had been discussed in Sunday School a couple weeks ago, and again in Youth Group, about the origin of evil. As I was contemplating this, it struck me how essential it is for Christians to have a proper view of the origin of evil.<br />
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What do YOU believe about the origin of evil? The most common beliefs include:<br />
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<ol>
<li>There is no such thing as evil. Evil is an illusion.</li>
<li>Evil has always co-existed alongside good.</li>
<li>In the beginning there was God, and God created evil along with everything else.</li>
<li>Evil is the absence of good. God created all things good, but allowed his creatures to choose non-good.</li>
</ol>
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I think we can strike the first one off the list pretty easily. I know there are many people who deny the existence of evil, but I can't imagine this belief being too deeply rooted in someone who isn't delusional. A brief glimpse at the atrocities in our world should be evidence enough that there are some truly evil things that happen. Moreover, the Bible is filled with passages warning us against the evils of, not just this world, but of the unseen world (<b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+peter+5%3A8&version=NIV">1 Peter 5:8</a>,</b> <b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6%3A12&version=NIV">Ephesians 6:12</a></b>).<br />
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The second one is also false—evil has not always been around. God is Eternal. God is good. Before the creation of the world, before the creation of the heavens and angels, there was only God. Therefore evil has not—could not—always co-existed with him.<br />
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Did God create evil? No. Scripture says that when God finished His creation He saw everything and declared it "very good" (<b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/Genesis%201:31">Genesis 1:31</a></b>). Many Scriptures affirm that God is not the author of evil (<b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A13&version=NIV">James 1:13</a></b>, <b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+1%3A5&version=NIV">1 John 1:5</a></b>, <b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+14%3A33&version=NIV">1 Corinthians 14:33</a></b>). The sovereignty of God gives him full control over evil circumstances, but even these He orchestrates for good.<br />
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But this is where some skewed thinking can dramatically alter our beliefs.<br />
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If we believe that God created evil, or that He negligently allows evil to happen, then we run the risk of believing that He isn't the loving, gracious, good God the Bible says He is. And casting doubt on the character of God casts doubt on our belief that He is even real. When we allow school shootings and terrorist bombings and sickness and death to call into question God's goodness, it's easy to see how a Christian could just throw up his hands and say, "How could a good God let this happen?! I've had it with God!" Suddenly the path to atheism isn't so far away.<br />
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<b>But what if we look at it this way: evil is the absence of God.</b><br />
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Think about this: what was there before God created the world? Was there darkness? No. There was nothing. Prior to the creation of the world darkness had no definition. Then God created light, and suddenly darkness had a name, and it is defined as the absence of light.<br />
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We were created to have a relationship with God. He loves us more dearly than we could ever imagine, and He wants our love in return, but such a relationship is impossible without choice. As such, at the moment of creation, God gave mankind the ability to choose or reject Him. When we choose Him we are bathed in the light of his mercy, his love, his goodness, but when we reject Him it's like turning off the light in our bedroom, closing the door, and pulling the shades, surrounding ourselves in darkness. Evil.<br />
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It is helpful, I think, to understand that evil is not itself a thing created. Evil is neither substance, being, spirit, nor matter. So it is technically not proper to think of evil as something that was created. Evil is simply a lack of moral perfection in a fallen creature.<br />
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It should come as no surprise then to see evil increasing on the earth. We've kicked God out of our schools. We've taken the 10 Commandments out of our court houses. Every day there are stories of people getting in trouble for praying at work, of athletes getting called-out for bending on their knees after a touchdown, of Christian-themed television and radio programs getting banned from the airwaves. If evil is the absence of God, it's no wonder why our world is so wicked.<br />
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This should radically change our view of God. When we understand that evil is the absence of God our immediate reaction should be to run to Him. And when evil strikes our lives as a consequence of man's choices, our reaction shouldn't be to blame God for all of our woes, but to seek Him even more fervently.<br />
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God is certainly sovereign over evil. There's a sense in which it is proper even to say that evil is part of His eternal decree. He planned for it. It did not take Him by surprise. It is not an interruption of His eternal plan. He declared the end from the beginning, and He is still working all things for His good pleasure (<b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+46%3A9-10&version=NIV">Isaiah 46:9-10</a></b>).<br />
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But God's role with regard to evil is never as its author. He simply permits evil agents to work, then overrules evil for His own wise and holy ends. Ultimately He is able to make all things, including all the fruits of all the evil of all time, work together for a greater good (<b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A28&version=NIV">Romans 8:28</a></b>).Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-16306352822899571722014-09-24T07:00:00.000-04:002014-09-24T07:00:08.183-04:00How Financial Stress Can Lead To The "D" Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-axgurwydLdo/VCHbJ9j5UiI/AAAAAAAABNA/G2IB3Z2k6z4/s1600/TheDWord.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="How Financial Stress Can Lead To The "D" Word" border="1" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-axgurwydLdo/VCHbJ9j5UiI/AAAAAAAABNA/G2IB3Z2k6z4/s1600/TheDWord.jpg" height="244" title="How Financial Stress Can Lead To The "D" Word" width="320" /></a></div>
Jake and I were recently talking about how hard our first two years of marriage were, specifically the first year. We have publicly stated before that had we not taken <a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu">Financial Peace University</a>, we may not be married today. That statement is not something I am proud of, but it is also not much of an exaggeration!<br />
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Debt, finances, and no real money-management plan can cause a lot of stress on a relationship, and when that relationship is fairly new that stress can be hard to bear!<br />
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I remember there were times when we would just walk away from an argument and not speak because frustration, misunderstandings, and hurt had caused both of us real pain that we didn't know how to communicate.<br />
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Even after we started budgeting there were times that our financial meetings ended with me in tears and the hubby frustrated that we still weren't on the same page or that our money didn't seem to be doing what we wanted it to.<br />
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We had made a promise to each other to never mention divorce, not even jokingly. It is a word we just don't want in our vocabulary. Still, in the midst of those first couple years, we both contemplated how we were ever going to make this marriage work, and whether or not we even wanted to.<br />
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Fast forward to where we are now.<br />
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This summer has been amazing, not that our marriage still hasn't had its challenges, but because we've become more united in our goals. We've begun to cement as a team with a single vision of where we want to go with our finances, our family, with God.<br />
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When we decided to sell our house it was a huge relief to both of us. After living there for almost two years we realized that it was way more house than we needed, more work than we could handle, and really not in the location we wanted to be in. So, a few weeks ago, we packed up our bags and moved in with Jake's beautiful grandmother, one of the sweetest ladies you'll ever meet. The situation is mutually beneficial for all of us because having us there at the house helps Grandma and also gives us some time to save some money and invest a little more time in finding our dream home.<br />
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Some may consider moving in with family a step back, but for us it has been freeing. I don't completely regret buying our big old homestead because while we were living there we learned a lot about what we really want in a home, what we really need, and where we want to be.<br />
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The weirdest part about all of this, however, is that even though we're probably facing more stress than ever right now—with trying to sell the house, with Jake possibly losing his job soon—we're dealing with it much better than we would have a couple years ago. Instead of all this stress driving a wedge between us it has become something we can come together about, praying and trusting that God has a plan in it all, and being thankful that we do have that 3-6 months savings set aside for these uncertain moments in life.<br />
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I think the reason we are both so passionate about Financial Peace University is because of how it helped not only our finances but our marriage.<br />
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If you're facing marital problems, won't you let us pray for you? Click the contact button above. And if you'd like more information about Financial Peace University, ask us!<br />
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Keep pinchin'Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-35967601673913623712014-09-15T07:00:00.000-04:002014-09-15T17:21:56.115-04:00Tolkien's King Theoden And Every Believer's Dream<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T-K_mxH98DE/VBNOXIYTxKI/AAAAAAAABL4/VqHP7nrPp88/s1600/Theoden02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="1" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T-K_mxH98DE/VBNOXIYTxKI/AAAAAAAABL4/VqHP7nrPp88/s1600/Theoden02.jpg" height="320" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>King Theoden of Rohan,<br />an artist's depiction.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sorry, but this blog is going to be completely self-indulgent.<br />
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I just finished watching my way through Peter Jackson's <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> trilogy (the extended versions, of course, because how else could one watch them?) and when I got to King Theoden's death scene in <i>The Return of the King</i>, like always, I cried. Call me a nerd. Call me a softy. I don't care. Theoden's death is one of the most compelling and poignant death scenes put on film in a long time, partly because his character has such a dramatic and satisfying arch.<br />
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King Theoden is easily my favorite character—in the movies and the books—and he isn't even a central character. He is pivotal in the ultimate victory of good over evil, but there's still more happening with King Theoden than meets the eye.<br />
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For those of you unfamiliar with the story, let me paint a brief picture for you of King Theoden and why he is everything you should strive to be.<br />
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The seventeenth King of Rohan, Theoden was slowly deceived by his chief advisor Grima (or Wormtongue, as most others called him) into serving the evil wizard Saruman. By the time we meet Theoden in book two, <i>The Two Towers</i>, he is a shriveled old man, a puppet of Grima, and an unfortunate servant of Saruman. The story hinges on Theoden successfully shaking off the chains that Grima had placed around his soul and leading his people to war against the evil wizard.<br />
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"Dark have been my dreams of late," Theoden says when he finally awakens from Grima's spells.<br />
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I think most people shrug off the importance of Theoden's role in the story because he doesn't start off as a very interesting character. When we first meet him, he's not heroic. He's not handsome or chivalrous. He's a man who has been duped into working for the enemy. He's indifferent. A prisoner. Certainly, not the most inspiring hero.<br />
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But I think, of all the people in Tolkien's tale, Theoden is the one who most accurately represents humanity. There isn't a person alive who has never been deceived. Theoden is everyone who has ever been caught in the bondage of drugs, sex, pornography, greed, gluttony, or countless other moral crimes. Theoden's struggle is representative of the one we all endure—the struggle for salvation. He is—more literally than any of the other characters—us.<br />
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In the final book, <i>The Return of the King</i>, Theoden fully redeems himself by mustering his soldiers to fight for the kingdom of Gondor and the very survival of the human race. Vastly outnumbered and facing certain death he charges headlong into battle on the Pelennor Fields before the human city of Minis Tirith.<br />
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Tolkien's description of Theoden in battle is radically different from the hollow shell he started out as:<br />
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"Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a king of old."<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CHxTZGeEFUY/VBNOXK_dFdI/AAAAAAAABL0/nFnPzhtvFuY/s1600/Theoden01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CHxTZGeEFUY/VBNOXK_dFdI/AAAAAAAABL0/nFnPzhtvFuY/s1600/Theoden01.jpg" height="166" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>King Theoden in Peter Jackson's "The Return of the King"</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In the fight Theoden is eventually defeated by the Witch-king of Angmar. The Witch-king is slain by Theoden's niece, Eowyn, who rode into battle in secret and against her uncle's wishes.<br />
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In the book Theoden is later found on the battlefield, broken and clinging to life, by his nephew, Eomer. Theoden passes his kingship onto his nephew and dies, saying, "I go to my fathers, and even in their mighty company I shall not now be ashamed."<br />
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Isn't that the hope we all should have, to get to the end of our lives and stand redeemed from all of our mistakes? Isn't it the joy of all believers to pass into the presence of our Heavenly Father and, in His mighty company, no longer feel disgraced for our sins?<br />
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King Theoden is a shining example of the redemptive journey we all need to take. There will be dark days. Foolishness will mire much of our character. We will face deception, trials of many kinds, hopelessness, blindness, and the dishonor of countless mistakes, but in the end, thanks to the work of Christ, we know that one day we will stand in Heaven unencumbered by our shame.<br />
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And, as Gandalf would say, "That is an encouraging thought."Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-6089447960425286342014-09-12T07:00:00.000-04:002014-09-12T07:00:03.056-04:00Budgeting Myths That Are Probably Ruining Your Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6vt2Wo120FQ/VBB7YRNckoI/AAAAAAAABLM/5ftu0aiCeHs/s1600/Misconceptions.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Budgeting myths that are probably ruining your life" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6vt2Wo120FQ/VBB7YRNckoI/AAAAAAAABLM/5ftu0aiCeHs/s1600/Misconceptions.png" height="258" title="Budgeting myths that are probably ruining your life" width="400" /></a></div>
Belief shapes behavior. If you believe Star Wars is superior to Star Trek you'll probably enjoy finding opportunities to slam Trek fans. If you believe eating chocolate is good for you, you'll probably get fat. If you believe that budgeting isn't necessary you'll probably go broke.<br />
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And if you are struggling with managing your money it might be because you're believing lies about the budgeting process. If you follow our blog at all you know that Dani and I budget regularly—if for no other reason than the fact that it works!—and we want you to be a budget-head too. It can be really hard to get started, but not because budgeting is actually hard—trust me, it's not—but because many people buy into some of the myths that turn the budget into a bad guy.<br />
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If you're smart—and we believe you are—then you can learn to let go of these myths, excuses, and misunderstandings, and start building the wealth you've always wanted to have.<br />
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<h3>
Budgeting Myth #1</h3>
<b>I don't have time to budget.</b><br />
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Sure, budgeting takes some time, but there's a difference between not having the time and not having the motivation, which is most likely the case, wouldn't you agree? Getting a budget up and running might take a few hours, but after that all it takes is a few minutes a week.<br />
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Want to know how much time Dani and I spend on our budget? About one hour a month. We keep track of our receipts and expenses, which takes a few seconds here and there, and at the end of the month we get together to compare our expenses to our budget, make adjustments, and plan for next month, but in total it probably doesn't take more than one hour.<br />
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Managing your money needs to be a higher priority since it is one of the largest contributing factors to the quality of your life. We have lots of posts to help you create a budget. <b><a href="http://www.pennypinchingprose.blogspot.com/search/label/Budgeting#.VBBwSWRdVYc" target="_blank">Click here</a></b>.<br />
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<h3>
Budgeting Myth #2</h3>
<b>I'm not good at math.</b><br />
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Oh, be quiet. Nobody is as bad at math as me. I loathe math. I jumped for joy when I finally graduated high school for the simple fact that I never had to open another math book again. There simply aren't enough synonyms for the word "detest" to describe how much I hate math.<br />
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And yet I budget.<br />
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Seriously, budgeting isn't rocket science. You've got your monthly income. You've got your monthly expenses. Those two numbers need to equal zero. Wham. Bam. There's your budget. You're welcome :-)<br />
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And thanks to budgeting software, you don't have to be good at math, you simply have to be able to follow instructions. Many of these programs are free and can be safely downloaded without fear of viruses or spyware from CNET's <b><a href="http://download.cnet.com/1770-20_4-0.html?query=budget&platform=Windows%2CMac&searchtype=downloads&licenseType=Free">download.com</a></b>. If you know how to use spreadsheet software, you can even make your own budget. Or, if you're like me and Dani, you can use paper and a plain, old-fashioned number 2 pencil.<br />
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Not doing a budget because you don't like math is a really lame excuse. Dave Ramsey has some really simple <b><a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/tools/budget-forms/?ictid=btxt" target="_blank">budgeting forms</a></b> to help get you started.<br />
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<h3>
Budgeting Myth #3</h3>
<b>I keep track of budgeting in my head.</b><br />
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Uh-huh. Yeah. Sure you do. And that's why you never bounce a check, never find yourself overspending, and are sitting on a mountain of liquid cash. If you can seriously do a zero-based budget in your head every single month we’ll just assume you are the most brilliant person on the planet. Could you please help our government make a budget?<br />
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A budget in your head isn’t a budget. It’s just a vague-idea-of-what-I-spend deal-ish thing. To work, a budget needs to be written down so you can physically keep track of your assets. Moreover, if you're married and doing a budget in your head, how does that help your spouse? Guys, I'm talking at you! (And some ladies). You need to keep your spouse involved in the financial decision making.<br />
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Budgeting Myth #4</h3>
<b>I don't need to budget because I keep track of everything I spend.</b><br />
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Great! That's budgeting. Sorta. Well, it's a start, but it's not a budget. If you're only keeping track of spending than you're only keeping track of the past. What about the future? The point of having a budget is to look ahead and plan for the coming month, year, and lifetime. You need to make plans for the money you haven't spent yet. Look forward AND back, not just one or the other.<br />
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Budgeting Myth #5</h3>
<b>I want to be free to buy the things I want.</b><br />
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Cool. So do I. And that's why I budget. That doesn't mean I impulsively purchase every single thing I see, it means I've developed enough self-control to know where I want my money to go. If you like buying movies—like I do—budget for it. If you like getting coffee every morning—plan ahead. Need a new car? A camera? Need some landscaping done? Make. A. Budget! If you've got a budget for these things you will always have the money set aside for them, because a budget, over time, can build a cushion that provides increased purchasing power.<br />
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Read that again: <b>increased purchasing power.</b> Ooooh, I like the sounds of that!<br />
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The more of these myths—and others—you believe the more your actions will be defined by them. Don't let your future get bogged down under the weight of so many lies.<br />
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Keep pinchin' :-)Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-9773927226345123762014-09-10T07:00:00.000-04:002014-09-10T07:00:04.870-04:00Getting Back To Basics When Life Throws You Off Course<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We were so busy in the month of August that I didn't even have time to realize that our days in what once was our "forever home" were numbered. Then one day I got home from work and was half-way out of my car when it dawned on me, "This is our last night in our house."<br />
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Dani and I have decided to move in with my Grandmother for the time being as we continue our attempts to sell our house. By doing so we hope to save on some heating costs this winter while giving Grandma some much-needed helping hands around her home.<br />
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With this change in our living arrangements our financial situation has changed some too. It will likely change again once the house sells and we're out from under the burden of homeownership, and it will change again in a year or so when we find a new house... or apartment... or something.<br />
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All of this means we need to take a "back to basics" approach to our budget, which, when you think about it, isn't a bad thing to do every now and then anyway.<br />
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Since leading <b><a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu" target="_blank">Financial Peace University</a></b>, Dani and I have kept in touch with some of the people who attended. Some are doing well. Others have backslidden. One lady approached me last week and said, "I hope you're not planning another FPU reunion because my husband and I have made no progress with our finances at all!"<br />
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People in that kind of a situation think I'm going to be mad at them or disappointed, but there's no way I can fault them for their mistakes when I make plenty of my own. The more important thing is no matter how many times our financial mistakes trip us up that we dust ourselves off and get back up. Sometimes that may involve a budget "Reset," especially if you haven't been keeping track of your income and expenses.<br />
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We live in a society of perfectionism, where one mistake by a political leader or celebrity earns them a lifetime of public shunning, unforgiveness, and hatred. Anyone remember actor Mel Gibson's drunken anti semitic outrage back in 2006? Of course you do. Because despite his numerous attempts to publicly apologize for the incident and seek forgiveness from the jewish community, Gibson is still far more hated in America today than he is loved. Why? Because we found out he wasn't as cool and collected and heroic as the characters he portrays in film? Because we found out that he's a real human being with real problems?<br />
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Our culture, while admittedly imperfect, demands perfection. The moment someone doesn't live up to our expectations we diminish them.<br />
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Instinctively we apply this type of thinking to ourselves far too often. When we're faced with a project we can't complete perfectly, we quit. When stuck in a marriage that doesn't reach our standards, we divorce. When we're unable to follow a financial plan, we ignore it.<br />
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We know we're imperfect.<br />
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We say we're not striving for perfection.<br />
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Yet we fault ourselves, and others, when perfection is not obtained.<br />
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I don't know about you, but the word "absurd" comes to mind.<br />
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Perfectionism isn't really about being meticulous and perfect anyway. Essentially, it's about fear. We fear failure. We fear making mistakes. We fear disappointing others. Which is why people act so ashamed when they admit to me that their falling short on their financial budget.<br />
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Look, it's no surprise to me that you've fallen short. What would surprise me is if you said the budget is working great, that you've never screwed up, that you follow it to a T, you love it, because at that point I would just assume you're lying!<br />
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Maybe it's time to get back to some basics. Don't let the latest mistake keep you down. Revisit that budget, find out where you went wrong, and get back on track. Cut the fat. Mind the frivolous spending. Start putting money into savings again. Don't give up just because you've messed up.<br />
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Dani and I are going to be making lots of changes to our budget in the months ahead because our financial plan, as we laid it out years ago, has not become what we wanted it to be. Some of that's because of mistakes. Some of it's just plain the result of life interjecting the proverbial monkey wrenches. But all of that doesn't matter as long as we don't throw in the towel.<br />
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So, bear with us as we continue to figure it all out. And, while you're at it, pick up that budget, dust it off, and dive back in!<br />
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Keep pinchin' :-)Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-87082958699413770042014-09-08T07:00:00.000-04:002014-09-08T07:00:11.792-04:00A Whirlwind Of Weddings - Photos, Photos, Photos!It was one of the first weddings that I ever photographed. This man came up to me at the reception, somewhat drunk, and asked me why I was a wedding photographer. His attitude reminded me of Jerry Seinfeld in the episode "The Big Salad" when he found out that the girl he was dating had previously dated Newman, his slimy archenemy.<br />
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Jerry confronted the woman and said in shocked disgust, "You went out ... with Newman?"
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She answered, "Just a few times."
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Then Jerry, with an unadulterated look of revolution on his face, asked, "Why?!"<br />
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But back to the drunk guy.<br />
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He had once been a wedding photographer and absolutely hated it, he told me, which explained why he was so stunned that anyone could actually enjoy it. Honestly, at the time, I wasn't sure if I enjoyed wedding photography or not. It was still a new venture for me, and, plus, it made me extra money, so, why not?<br />
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Today I would have to say my attitude toward wedding photography has only grown increasingly enthusiastic. I love it! And I had the privilege this past August to shoot a wide variety of weddings that, as always, offered a plethora of people, places, and photographs. From honky tonk crowds to Hampton Beach to classy clients from New York. It's been a whirlwind of weddings!
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This blog post is a celebration of all the happy couples I was able to get to know, and a glimpse of the many, many wonderful photographs I had the opportunity to shoot!<br />
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<i>Click any of the photos to enlarge.</i>
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<h3>
Rhiannon and Anthony</h3>
I loved the honky-tonk vibe at this wedding, the wild times at the reception, and the juxtaposition of beautiful girls and beautiful dresses against 4X4 trucks at the county fair grounds. Did I mention the bride did her first ever keg stand? This was a crowd that wasn't afraid to have fun, which is the sort of crowd that keeps me on my toes.<br />
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<h3>
Cady and Garrett</h3>
This was a very traditional wedding with some of the most friendly people I've ever worked with. Since the bride and groom had never kissed, their family and friends did everything they could to make sure the young couple did plenty of smooching at the reception for everyone else's amusement. The result? Hours of hilarity!<br />
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<h3>
Rebecca and Jason</h3>
I don't think I've ever been surrounded by so many classy-looking people who weren't afraid to act really silly. This was a very upscale wedding at The Rocks Estate in Bethlehem, NH, but the groom had a terrific sense of humor which unleashed a whole load of goofiness in many of the guests. And did I mention the most heart-meltingly adorable flower girl EVER?!<br />
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<h3>
Abigail and Chad</h3>
There are two types of brides—those who give me little direction and just want me to snap pictures at will, and those who come prepared with long lists of very specific photographs for me to capture. Abigail is the latter, a bride with very specific tastes! She knew exactly what she wanted and came prepared with props, photographic examples, and a large time slot for post-ceremony photos, which made my job a breeze!<br />
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<h3>
Beth and Peter</h3>
I've done several weddings for middle-aged couples and they're always unique. Such couples approach the whole wedding from a very different point of view than the younger ones. Young couples tend to focus more on details and aesthetics while making sure they have a perfect wedding day. More mature people usually focus on family, friends, and comfort in a more relaxed atmosphere. It's always a nice change of pace.<br />
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<h3>
Olivia and Chad</h3>
I won't lie, this one was my favorite! But, I'm biased, because the groom was my cousin. Still, it takes the cake because I've always wanted to do a beach wedding, and, fortunately for everyone involved, we had beautiful weather for it! Chad and Olivia had also never kissed, and so the anticipation leading up to the big moment was evident on both of their faces. They were a very affectionate couple with obvious passion and love, which makes for nothing but amazing photographs!<br />
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Know anybody who is getting married? I work all throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. <b><a href="mailto:jlgrant81@gmail.com" target="_blank">Message me</a></b>, or visit my website, <b><a href="http://www.isleofturmak.com/">www.isleofturmak.com</a></b>.Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-20393437022302595782014-09-04T07:00:00.001-04:002014-09-05T09:41:09.245-04:00What Strawberries and Finances Have In Common<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Remember those lovely little strawberry plants that I thought I had killed in my fridge? (You can catch up <a href="http://pennypinchingprose.blogspot.com/2014/05/dont-keep-lying-dormant-when-you-can.html#.U_d7kPldUgs" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a> in case you missed it).<br />
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Well, I'm happy to report that not only are they thriving in their new garden home—in fact, they're basically the only thing thriving in my garden—but they are also delicious! Take a look at those beautiful red rubies. I get to pick about this much almost every day.<br />
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If you ever consider growing strawberries consider planting everbearing ones. While you typically don't get a harvest of strawberries the first year you plant them, with everbearing plants you do. Why? Because after you pluck off all the first flowers that arrive—this helps the plant focus on growing—the everbearing plants continue to flower and produce strawberries. For someone that likes to be rewarded for their hard work right away, this is the way to go!<br />
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As I was picking strawberries the other day, my thoughts turned to our finances. <br />
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I know. Radical subject change. But bear with me here.<br />
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You might be thinking it's too late to start on your journey to financial freedom. Living debt free or creating a retirement plan may seem so impossible that it's not worth striving for, BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE! It's never to late!<br />
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Just like my strawberries that lived in the fridge for three weeks and nearly froze to death, you can still see fruit from your hard work even if you're only just beginning. Some of your hard work may pay off right away, like my everbearing strawberries. You may pay off a credit card or a small loan. It may not be much, but it's a start.<br />
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You should've seen the first strawberries I picked. They were so tiny they looked like chokeberries. My husband chuckled at them. But it was only the beginning! The strawberries we're seeing now are big and bright and delicious!<br />
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Creating a good financial base and climbing out of debt takes time, and it's never too late to start. So don't believe the lie that you missed the train. Hop on board and decide today that you want to live differently. Create a budget. Maybe check out a <a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu" target="_blank"><b>Financial Peace University</b></a> class and start working your way to your financial goals.<br />
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Otherwise, if you sit in the fridge any longer, you probably will freeze.<br />
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Keep pinchin' :-)Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-17047603497477379352014-09-04T07:00:00.000-04:002014-09-04T07:00:07.827-04:00Where Did August Go???We know, we know! You haven't heard much from the Penny Pinchers recently. Remember that post about <a href="http://pennypinchingprose.blogspot.com/2014/08/dog-days-of-working-i-mean-summer.html" target="_blank">Dog Days of Working?</a> Well, if you're curious, that should explain our absence. We do hope to get back into the swing of things here, maybe not quite as regularly as we once were, but at least two or three days a week.<br />
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In the meantime here are some photos to show what we have been up to!<br />
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We spent Labor Day Weekend down in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, for Jake's cousin's wedding. Jake was the photographer and Dani got to help by videotaping. We had a great time and it was a beautiful day to be at the beach!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JEgJQyvZ0co/VAfSJPPPmKI/AAAAAAAABDk/a3yRjz2SGvM/s1600/IMG_0152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hampton Beach Wedding" border="1" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JEgJQyvZ0co/VAfSJPPPmKI/AAAAAAAABDk/a3yRjz2SGvM/s1600/IMG_0152.jpg" height="213" title="Hampton Beach Wedding" width="320" /></a></div>
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Dani finished her first fitness Challenge Group and has plans to begin another one on September 22. If you would like to know more about it or are interested in joining you can use the Contact Us link at the top of the page or email Dani directly at daniordanielle@yahoo.com. She will get back to you!</div>
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While down at Hampton Beach Dani convinced Jake to do a photoshoot with her :-) It was tons of fun! </div>
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That pretty much sums up our month!</div>
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Keep pinchin' ;-)</div>
Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-4625890014873971672014-08-15T07:00:00.000-04:002015-02-05T11:36:51.837-05:00How Will You Choose To Be Generous Today?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>In the wake of the death of superstar comedian Robin Williams has come a wave of stories regarding an aspect of his life that few knew anything about—how "crazily generous" he was. </b>Williams had a deep appreciation for our armed forces, his colleagues, and for people in general, which he demonstrated through immense giving of material things and his time.<br />
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After actor Christopher Reeve was paralyzed in a fall from a horse on May 27, 1995, Williams arrived at his hospital room dressed as a doctor and announced that he was there to do a proctological exam.<br />
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<b>"For the first time since the accident, I laughed,"</b> Reeve later wrote in his autobiography, <i>Still Me</i>.<br />
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Williams supported scholarships at <b><a href="http://www.juilliard.edu/">The Juilliard School</a></b> in New York City, actively raised money for <b><a href="http://www.stjude.org/">St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital</a></b>, and also supported the <b><a href="http://www.sfzoo.org/">San Francisco Zoo</a></b>, which named a monkey after him in June—which was, appropriately, a howler monkey. In California, where he lived, Williams was a friend of the <b><a href="http://www.challengedathletes.org/site/c.4nJHJQPqEiKUE/b.6449147/k.2719/San_Diego_Triathlon_Challenge.htm">Challenged Athletes Foundation</a></b> and would cheer competitors on at the finish line of the San Diego Triathlon Challenge. He was expected this weekend at a race in Northern California.<br />
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"<b>What I think a lot of people don't know, and you're starting to hear all these stories come out now, is how crazily generous he was</b>," said late-night talk show host and comedian Conan O'Brien on his show earlier this week. "He was so generous."<br />
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"And not just in a material way, but with his time," added O'Brien's co-host Andy Richter. "He spent so much time entertaining the troops, which I didn't really know about which means he didn't really talk about it. He didn't do it for publicity."<br />
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Williams hung himself on Monday, August 11, at the age of 63 after a decades long battle with depression and substance abuse. His plethora of movies made millions laugh. His charitable work brought hope to countless others. Despite the horrific tragedy of his death, the legacy of generosity he left behind should touch us no less.<br />
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Robin Williams is probably the first actor to die who I was really familiar with. I mean, in just the last few years we've lost wonderful actors like Heath Ledger, James Gandolfini, Paul Walker, and Michael Clarke Duncan, but their stars had risen to fame fairly recently; I knew who they were, but they hadn't made the impact on my life that Williams did. Robin Williams has been a staple performer ever since I was a little kid. He—along with Bill Cosby—was probably the first comedian to ever make me laugh.<b> His voice work in <i>Aladdin</i> and <i>FernGully</i>, his on-screen charism in <i>Hook, Patch Adams, Mrs. Doubtfire</i>, and <i>Jumanji</i>, all played a small part, I think, in the development of my own sense of humor and family values.</b><br />
<b><br /></b><b>His passing makes me sad.</b><br />
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In looking at all the ways Robin Williams helped others, I find myself contemplating one question: how am I going to be generous? <b>Generosity is not just about helping others. For Christians, especially, it's a necessity of obedience.</b><br />
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"In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" <i>—Acts 20:35</i><br />
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How am I going to be obedient to the will of my Lord by helping others and caring for widows and orphans?<br />
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Though Dani and I do what we can with our time and resources, it's the dream of both of us to one day give much more once we're out of debt. We have a passion for adoption, and we deeply love our church, which are two things we'd love to give more to. Some day we want to have a home that can be the epicenter of the lives of our friends and family, a place for pastors and missionaries to come and rest and have fun, and a place to host friends who need some R&R.<br />
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What about you? In what ways do you dream of being generous once you're debt free?Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-61889278733867676482014-08-14T07:00:00.001-04:002015-02-05T11:42:36.274-05:00Delicious Zucchini Pizza Recipe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TjMtljc6LNo/U-mPryrX0eI/AAAAAAAAA80/n1Wnl8CXbiU/s1600/IMG_6881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TjMtljc6LNo/U-mPryrX0eI/AAAAAAAAA80/n1Wnl8CXbiU/s1600/IMG_6881.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Zucchini Pizza Dough</b><br />
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8 cups of shredded zucchini<br />
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese<br />
2/3 cup flour<br />
1 tsp garlic powder (can sub garlic cloves)<br />
1 tsp basil<br />
1 tsp thyme<br />
2 eggs<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
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Instructions:<br />
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<b>Zucchini Pizza Crust</b><br />
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Preheat oven to 550F (or the highest temperature your oven will go) with a pizza stone pre-heating in it.<br />
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In a large bowl, mix the shredded zucchini with 1 teaspoon salt and set aside for at least 15 minutes. Squeeze the excess moisture out of the squash by wrapping it up in a clean dish towel and wringing it out, discarding the water.<br />
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After all of the excess moisture has been wrung out (and discarded), place the shredded zucchini back into the bowl and add the sharp cheddar cheese, flour, garlic, basil, thyme, eggs, and salt.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FoRu37LDCTI/U-mPou_senI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/PcB7sTbpeWc/s1600/IMG_6877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Zucchini Pizza Dough Recipe" border="1" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FoRu37LDCTI/U-mPou_senI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/PcB7sTbpeWc/s1600/IMG_6877.jpg" height="133" title="Zucchini Pizza Dough Recipe" width="200" /></a><br />
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With your hands, blend all of the ingredients together well.<br />
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Place the zucchini mixture onto a piece of parchment paper at least 15” in diameter.<br />
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Using your fingers, spread the zucchini crust mixture to form a circle about 14” in diameter, 1/2" thick. Pinch the edges up so that it forms a nice crust, just like regular pizza.<br />
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Once the pizza crust has been shaped, transfer the crust on the parchment paper onto the heated pizza stone, which can be done by sliding it off the counter onto the stone. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until the crust starts to brown.<br />
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When the zucchini crust is browned on the bottom, pull the stone out of the oven.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9bKuxNklG1M/U-mPqn-lzSI/AAAAAAAAA8g/UrM6EtrbIVg/s1600/IMG_6879.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Zucchini Pizza Dough Recipe" border="1" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9bKuxNklG1M/U-mPqn-lzSI/AAAAAAAAA8g/UrM6EtrbIVg/s1600/IMG_6879.jpg" height="133" title="Zucchini Pizza Dough Recipe" width="200" /></a>Top the pizza with sauce and any additional toppings that you'd like. (We used mozzarella cheese, pepperoni and tomatoes.)<br />
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After the toppings are on, place the stone back into the oven and bake for an additional 4 minutes.<br />
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I was a little worried about what my pizza-loving husband would think about a zucchini crust pizza, but when he went back for seconds I knew I had found a healthy alternative to regular pizza!<br />
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Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700569182357144758.post-54000421163546618772014-08-12T07:00:00.000-04:002014-08-12T07:00:00.851-04:00One Of My Greatest Money Saving TipsI try not to go shopping unless I have a plan. Some days I can go into a store and not purchase anything, just enjoy the "window shopping" experience, but there are other times, times when I go in without a plan, that I end up purchasing things I either don't need or don't have in the budget.<br />
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Here's what I mean by "shopping plan":<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0mgP1T8gVFQ/U-gb3Bfa8oI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/5rjbN4_JE4A/s1600/All+the+details.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Stay on budget when you shopping with a plan!" border="1" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0mgP1T8gVFQ/U-gb3Bfa8oI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/5rjbN4_JE4A/s1600/All+the+details.png" height="400" title="Shopping Plan" width="266" /></a></div>
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Whenever I go on a shopping trip and stick to this plan I'm usually quite successful and don't leave the store with that guilty feeling of going over budget. I not only enjoy the trip a lot more, but I enjoy the items I purchased even more. Going shopping with a budget plan is also motivation to hunt down good deals and maybe even have a little money left over to purchase a few "wants" :-)<br />
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Do you have a plan when you go shopping? Is there something you do that isn't on my list? Please share!<br />
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Keep pinchin' ;-)Jake 'n' Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08528110914919723916noreply@blogger.com1