We are all pinching pennies these days and everyone I run into is looking for ideas to make the wallet a little fuller with out sacraficing everything. One way is by getting creative with your meal planning and grocerie bill. I found this great site I had to share for creating a meal plan for your family for $5 a meal! Lets face it we can’t all eat top roman all the time and with no real end in site considering new options for your meals may really help the budget and ensure your diet doesn’t go down the drain trying to stay cheap!

I love Jean Chartzky! She really tells is how it is! There are lots of women out there to help give us ideas on how to better manage our money, so don’t feel like you have to spend all your time and money fallowing just one. Pick a few and compare notes. If you find you identify with ones style then you may want to invest in thier material or seminares. Jean is one I have put on my short list for sure. Check her out or catch her on TV
http://www.jeanchatzky.com/<

Who is on your short list, where do you get the most of your financial advise? I want to know!

Recently I caught a man being interviewd on a national morning show it caught my attention because his topic was how to save $25,000 a year. Most of his stuff made some sense but seemed a little tight even for me. Check it out and let me know what you think. Could you live with out some of these things? If not what are some other ways you all are finding to save a dime?
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29979823/

We all are cutting back but can we really be happy with givin gup everything? Just food for thought. Love to hear your comments

I have been searching high and low but to know avail - my money has just got up and left me! Of course this is not true - I have carelessly mismanaged it.I take full responsibility for the spot I am in and don’t expect a Government bailout or a bonus for failure like the AIG Executives.

I have never been a politically motivated woman or to be honest, that interested in politics (shame on me) but this whole AIG thing has got my back up, if you know what I mean.

Thieves and murders go to jail, sales professionals lose their positions if they do not meet their quotas, so why is it AIG Executives are getting bonus, astronomical bonuses to boot. I want to know!

Why do Wall street types and so called Investment Bankers get bonuses and stock options for creating world financial havoc? I say it’s time for Americans to stand up and say “NO MORE!” Let’s take back our financial security and rid the finance world of the these financial parasites like the Executives of AIG - are you with me?

It’s time for them to know what it feels like to not to have money to send your kids to school or to retire on. Let them stand inline at a soup kitchen or live out of their car.

Obama, ban them from ever working in the financial world again, so they can never repeat their greedy ways.

America, have your voice heard, do not be silent anymore and say enough is enough!!!

More on the AIG Scandal

‘Something is seriously out of whack’

“The Real Scandal of AIG”

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I keep a coffee can under the kitchen counter, and every day, or whenever I have change in my pockets or purse, I toss it in there.

My husband’s pockets always seem to be filled with change too, which I find when I’m doing the laundry. That goes in the can as well.

It’s amazing how fast it all adds up, and it’s almost like free money…at least it feels that way. It’s money you don’t really miss. I then take it to a Coinstar machine at the local supermarket, which counts the money quickly and spits out a receipt that I bring to the cashier for cash. Each can is usually about $50-90.

Take that ”free” money and put it in a savings account.  Or, right at Coinstar, you can always redeem your money for gift cards or charitable donations (which you can use for tax credit later!).

It’s ridiculous how much extra we pay for branding and packaging, and how brainwashed we are by advertising. I used to think a well-known brand was better quality. But most generic foods are made by the same companies as the big brands anyway.

I’ve started buying generic food and other products whenever possible and have noticed little difference–except in the savings! Coupled with coupons, I’ve really reduced my grocery bills.

I heard a great little piece of advice while listening to talk radio in the car on Sunday. 

Susan Kaplan, a financial planner and one of the hosts of The Money Show on 96.9, recommends that, whenever possible, you “do it yourself, make it yourself,” whether it’s your own coffee instead of the drive-thru, your own lunch instead of getting it to go, washing your own car or whatever else you can think of.

She says, and I’m sure it’s true, that it’s all the little things we spend our money on, versus the big things, that keep us from having what we want or getting what we need.

The problem with spending money on little things is that we never get to the big things that make life sometimes feel special, such as vacations or a nice outfit, because we’ve frittered it away.

So my new motto is make it yourself . . . and let’s see how much we can save rather than waste. All those cups of coffee and drive-thru car washes might be keeping us from that dream cabin on the lake.

Suze Orman has the best advice for women on managing their money. If you’re not familiar with her, I highly recommend checking out her web site and/or TV show.

I know the topic is intimidating, but you’ll feel inspired and empowered to “take control of your life by taking control of your finances” after hearing what she has to say.

Lately I’ve become addicted to selling stuff on Craigslist.com.

It’s such an easy way to get rid of clutter, get your house organized and make a few extra dollars. If you do a search on there for Items Wanted, it’s unbelievable what people are willing to pay for!

So far I’ve offloaded an extra Food Saver appliance (quick $30), my husband’s old non-working motorcycle from the eighties (quick $50, plus the guy took it out of our basement for us), a hand-me-down Exersaucer ($15) and an old vacuum ($50). I have a ton more stuff to post. It only takes a few seconds, it’s free, and it’s almost like getting free money.

Just call me MZ Moneybags!