Minimalist Lessons Learned While Traveling

We are still traveling for another couple weeks before we head home. Here's some things I have learned about minimalism during our travels:

• It is perfectly easy, and probably much cheaper, to buy stuff as you go along instead of "stockpiling" a garage full of "good deals". I always thought that I had to stockpile the stuff we use so that we would never run out and so that we could save money on the overall price of the items we buy. I much prefer just buying minimal quantities of items that we use as we have been doing throughout our travels. If the bar of soap is getting small, we buy one more bar of soap. It may cost a few pennies more than buying it on sale but there is less stuff to drag around with you, store, keep track of, etc. Here's an article that explains this theory in detail.
• I don't need five fleece jackets. Actually I bought one fleece jacket in Atlanta because I knew it would be cold by the time we got to Connecticut. But when I got to Connecticut, I didn't like the way the jacket fit so when I was shopping, I found another fleece jacket that I liked more. Instead of just adding the first jacket to the pile of stuff that I bought, wore once, then didn't wear again but can't seem to part with because I spent my hard earned cash on it, I gave jacket number one to my sister in law. Usually at home, I will buy multiples of one item (a dozen pair of jeans that are the same color but slightly different in design, a shirt that I like so I will by it in multiple colors, etc) but during our travels I have learned that I only need one really good version of each item I own. I need one pair of tennis shoes not eight, I need one super cool scarf, not a whole drawer full of them. And then when I want something new, I need to get rid of the item I already have to make room for the new item. I think this will be my goal from now on.
• I can shop at Walmart. Actually I do shop at Walmart for household items but never for clothes or shoes. A family member had a birthday party with a '50s theme and since I didn't want to spend much cash on my costume, I decided to go to Walmart, get something cheap to wear once, then give it away. Instead, I picked up a pair of Converse-looking tennis shoes and I have been wearing them every since I bought them! So I guess the moral of this story is that when you are a minimalist, a whole bunch of new learning opportunities can open for you.
• I don't need much stuff to survive. I need a clean, warm, safe place to stay. It needn't be big, expensive, or fancy. I need a couple of changes of clothes. I need basic toiletries. I need laundry facilities, my computer, and my cell phone. That's about it. I have been living with this small list of items for the last month and have been very happy with such a minimal amount of stuff. I saw this blog post from Evan and couldn't agree more. P.S. Our house is going back on the market the minute we get home!
• People seem to be happier to have us around than to get the random phone call or gift from us on occasion. People seem to give stuff because they are so busy working to earn money that they don't have time to give of themselves to others. I want to change our lifestyle so that I have more time to give to people rather than working my ass off to earn money to pay for stuff to give them.
• Perhaps the main thing that changed me from a consumerist to a minimalist was being stuck on the ship for twelve days with only the E! channel on TV. I'd really never watched the E! channel before and I can safely say I would never want to watch it again. Apparently the E! stands for excess. It also seems to promote envy, jealousy, drama, pride, and all of those other items enumerated as "must not do's" in the Bible. It was probably the most horrible array of consumerist behaviours I had ever witnessed and I would never want to be like any of the people who whose every stupid thought was fodder for TV viewers. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look good but the way in which these people express themselves, treat others, speak to others, and crown themselves as the Most Important Person in the Universe worthy of adulation for really no reason at all is just disgusting. Ick.

So from now on I'm a minimalist and proud of it.

A Bundle of Home Remedies

I am firmly of the mind that you should exhaust all home remedies before seeing a doctor (disclaimer: I am not a doctor and if you are having serious symptoms, by all means call 911!).
p.s. I learned many of these tricks from my grandmother who didn't see a doctor for 50+years (the time between having her last baby and breaking her arm when she was around 75 years old).

• For digestion problems, take an acidophilous pill (found in the vitamin aisle, it replenishes the bacteria in your stomach that helps you digest food; these little bugs can be wiped out by antibiotics, stress, foreign bugs, etc).
• For constipation, drink a lot of water, eat rolled oats (the long cooking ones, not the instant ones), and exercise vigorously (like take a brisk walk for an hour). Repeat.
• If you are cold at night (grandma didn't have central heating in her home, just a wood stove in the living room and kitchen), put a pillow over your feet while you sleep.
• If you are tired, take a nap instead of jolting yourself with caffeine.
• Take vitamin B12 for a couple of days in advance of heading out comping, it will help ward off mosquitoes.
• If you get sunburned, cover the burned area with Noxzema. Grand dad used to put vinegar on sunburns but I think Noxzema works better.
• Take a multi vitamin every day.
• If you feel a cold coming on, double up on the vitamin C until it passes.
• If you are sick, stay in bed in a cool room with a bunch of blankets over you until you feel better (this works well for me and I usually kick any kind of malady in a day or two).
• Tea tree oil works great to disinfect scrapes, abrasions, and other potential infection sites.
• If you feel a urinary tract infection coming on, drink quantities of cranberry juice mixed with water.
• Don't take antibiotics unless you have a BACTERIAL infection that hasn't resolved after a bit of time.
• Your basic germs are actually good for you, they help boost your immune system.
• Make sure your vaccinations are up to date.
• Don't eat heavy meals except on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• Do a headstand/handstand each day. For some reason, the body likes to be inverted.
• Remind yourself to stand up straight (I heard this about a million times from grandma), it makes you look better and it is better for your skeleton and internal organs.
• Congestion or sore throat? Drink tea and/or soup broth.
• Blood problems? Boil beef bones and drink the broth.
• Fast for a day every once in a while.
• Don't lay down/sit down after eating. Take a walk first. If you must lay down (ie: you are ill), lay on your left side.
• If you are constantly chewing on ice, it may be a sign that you have low blood iron levels; a doctor can diagnose this definitively.

10 Ways to Give Back to Others When You are a Minimalist

We are still traveling for a couple of more weeks so at this point, I consider us extreme minimalists since all we have is what fits into our one carry-on bag each. I like giving to others as much as possible but when you have hardly anything (including no extra stuff to give away since we are traveling so light, and no money to give since it looks like I won't have a job when we get back in a couple of weeks), it may seem impossible to be a giver. Here's ten ways I have found to "give back" even though I don't really have anything material to give:

1. Give what has been given to you. In our travels we have acquired stuff--everything from apples each day from the ship's buffet to a nice, but too big, Coach purse from my sister in law, to two packets of Chicklets gum as change in a store in Cozumel, to gift cards for a couple of restaurants from a friend we met up with. The thing is, we had no need of these things so I was able to pass these items on to others. We would take the apples into the port cites each day and give them to kids and others who thought they were a huge treat (apples don't grow in the tropics and are therefore pretty expensive), I took the purse from the SIL which was too big to fit into my bag and gave it to a friend who absolutely loved it, gave the packets of gum to two men who were standing on a street corner, and gave the restaurant gift cards to another friend because after twelve days on the cruise, the last thing I wanted to do was see more food!
2. Give assistance with projects. When we get to Connecticut each year, the family always has a list of projects for us to do. In fact, this afternoon, we are putting together another sister in law's new TV/surround system for her. The great thing about this is that all it requires is a bit of physical effort. We have also helped friends/family members with cleaning projects, yard projects, work projects, and moving projects.
3. Cook for others. We certainly don't have enough money to take the entire clan out for dinner at an expensive restaurant but the hubby is an excellent cook (and I am his excellent assistant). Everyone seems to appreciate a good home cooked meal or homemade baked goods and all we had to pay for were the basic components of the meal which is much cheaper than going to a restaurant.
4. Give of your expertise. Another sister in law is a dentist so I have made my appointment with her to get my teeth cleaned at no charge (thanks sis!). Hubby has a huge family and each person has certain areas of expertise--one person is a landscaper, one is a karate school teacher, one likes to do long distance driving, one works at an appliance store where he can get the family excellent discounts, one is a stay at home mom who will always babysit on a moment's notice--you get the idea--and I always help out with website design and my business expertise. When we share our expertise with each other at no charge, we are giving back in a way that doesn't cost us out of our own pocket but provides a great benefit to others.
5. Give your time. Sometimes we do stuff that saves other people time. Since we are on vacation and don't have a pressing schedule, we are the designated drivers to pick up others from the airport, we have taken cars for their appointments at the shop, picked up balloons and decorations for a party, dropped off dry cleaning, picked a kid up from school, and did other errands that saved other people time and effort and which didn't cost us anything besides our time.
6. Being personable is another way to give to others. Sometimes all someone wants is for another person to keep them company, be cheerful to be around, take an interest in them, and be kind to them. All of these things don't cost you a penny but can make a positive difference in others' lives. Note that this is especially true if you have grand kids who would love your attention or elderly friends and relatives who would similarly be happy to just have your presence.
7. Look for opportunities to help others. If you know of a friend who is looking for a particular kind of job and you happen to see an ad for just such a job, pass it along to them. If your mother simply adores cats and you come across a funny cat picture, you can email it to her and brighten her day. Passing along useful or entertaining information is a great (free) way to help others.
8. Create something for others. If you can turn a skein of yarn into a beautiful sweater for someone, you can give someone a gift that costs very little but is worth much more. If you can whittle a piece of wood into a beautiful ornament for someone, that too is a gift that requires very little outlay of cash but creates a beautiful keepsake for someone who will appreciate both your efforts and skill.
9. Notice when others need help and lend a hand. This can be anything from holding open a door for someone who has their hands full to saving the life of a person who is drowning. Often people won't specifically ask for help but if you see an opportunity to help out, why not do it without being asked?
10. Teach someone something they don't know. Whether you are volunteering to teach English to new immigrants or you bring a friend to an India Festival so they can have their first taste of curry, expanding others' horizons can go far in providing a useful way to give at little or no cost.

I have a handful of friends who are basically vagabonds. Most of them travel often and have very little in the way of money or material possessions but all of them are well loved by their friends and family because they do many of the things listed above. It doesn't take money or stuff to actually give to others when you can give of your awesome self!

Why We Are the Cheapest Cruisers on the High Seas

The hubby and I like to take cruises and usually go at least once a year. The price for cruises used to be all inclusive but these days, they seem to be in a "race to the bottom" much like airlines. They tend to charge as little as possible for the cruise itself and then offer an array of add-ons that would make an infomercial pale in comparison.
Last week, we were surprised to see mini bars have been added to the cabins, just like they have in hotel rooms. The odd thing is that alcohol (for a price of course) is available at a dozen places on the ship and you can even have room service deliver it to your cabin so I guess they are going for the impulse purchase? Other things we have noticed over the years include the addition of "premium" restaurants where you need to pay a price to eat there. Before, all food service on the ship was included in the price you pay for the cruise, but now more than half of the restaurants require an extra fee. Drinks are hustled in every possible venue (and they are super expensive), a half dozen stations on the TV in our cabin were devoted to trying to sell us something, they lean heavily on daily (for pay) bingo games and raffles and continually hawk shore excursions, the ship's stores are open 24 hours a day for your shopping pleasure, and kiosk vendors are all over the ship selling everything from bathing suits to gold to watches. Photographers are also everywhere taking your picture in the hopes you will buy them. The sauna, steam room, and indoor hot tub used to be free, now there is a "premium price" charged to enter the "spa". Even activities on the ship now often carry a price tag. Want a tour of the ship? Pay up! It's definitely getting more dreary to cruise, however a ship is the only way to easily reach many of the islands we want to visit so we continue to cruise. Here's how we do it cheaply:

• I like an ocean view room. An inside cabin is like being inside a coffin so I found that at least with a view of the ocean or port outside my window I feel less claustrophobic. When I book, however, I choose the "obstructed view" for a lower price. I don't care if there is a lifeboat hanging outside my window as long as I can see daylight and a bit of ocean.


• Hubby and I don't drink so that saves us a ton of money on alcohol. It is always rather amusing to see the faces of people who have been drinking excessively all week get their final bill the night before the cruise is finished--some look like they are going to faint!


• We also rarely drink soda. Cruise ships charge a weekly fee for unlimited soda pop which can be $50 or more! What we do is buy a couple small bottles of soda when we go into port and bring it back to the ship with us.


• I love having an internet connection but the usual shipboard cost of $100 for 250 minutes is ridiculous. What I do instead is wait to get online when we go into ports. There are always internet cafes around and they usually charge about a dollar an hour.


• We also skip the ship stores for anything we need/have forgotten and instead purchase the items when we get into port at local stores and for much lower prices.


• We travel with one carry on bag each. Even for our recent 12 day cruise, we were able to bring enough clothes (think layers and multi-purpose items) to last the entire cruise. This saves us the added fee of checking bags when we fly to and from our departure port.


• I was shocked to find that the ship now charges for cappuccinos which have always been free. Hubby likes a cappuccino at least once a day so we figured out how to make our own. Coffee is free and half and half is free so I get a glass of ice, pour in half a cup of cooled coffee and fill the rest up with half and half and he ends up with a free, tasty, iced cappuccino.


• I have always thought that the price for laundry service on the ship is ridiculous at $25 for a small bag. Instead, about mid cruise, we pack up our dirty laundry and head out into the port town in search of a laundromat where we wash our own clothes for a fraction of the ship's laundry price with the added bonus that we get to interact with the locals which has always been a great experience.


• We also don't do tours and excursions offered by the cruise company. We have to laugh each time we see the "explore the port city" tour group from the ship. Each person has paid about $50 for the tour, but we are doing the exact same thing for free. Just get off the ship and walk into the city and explore it on your own! If there is something we want to see/do, we go just like the locals would. This may include taking a taxi or hiring a driver or paying an entrance fee but these costs are minimal in comparison to what the excursion companies charge. There are plenty of local companies that offer snorkeling gear rental, cave tours, etc, all you have to do is look or ask the locals.


• We don't eat in the premium restaurants. The food is great in the (free) dining rooms and buffets and it is the exact same food and exact same cooks as in the premium places.


• We get lots of information from the crew. We tend to quickly make friends with the room staff and the dining room staff so when we want to know how to do something cheaply, we ask them as they don't have much money but they still like to go shopping, get manicures, go to restaurants on shore, etc. On the last cruise, our waiter gave us lots of good info. He recommended buying food in the market then going to the kitchens behind the market where they will cook your food for next to nothing. He also recommended a place that charged $5 for manicures as opposed to the $15 nail shops in the tourist areas were charging.


• We tend to take free transportation in ports (which means walking) to explore the towns and cities we go to. If we want to go somewhere further or just want to go somewhere and it doesn't matter where, we will hop on a city bus, just like the locals. We don't need a private motor coach or even a taxi to go most places.


• We don't buy souvenirs. Our refrigerator is about ready to tip over with the weight of the many magnets we have collected from our travels over the years. We have found that traveling with one bag helps with this as we don't actually have room to collect stuff that we really don't need.


• Buying photographs on the ship is also expensive. When we want photos, we go to our local Walmart and get a package of 36 photos for around $10 which is a huge savings over the cost of photos sold on the ship.


• Finally, hubby likes his poker but their casino charges an arm and a leg for the privilege of gambling. Usually, casinos get a "rake" or fee of about a dollar or two per hand of poker but on the ship they charge a rake of 10%--the casino can make over $50 on one hand of poker! Again, ridiculous. So he simply doesn't gamble on cruise ships.

There are still lots of ways to have fun on a cruise without spending a lot of money, or, as we did on the last cruise, without spending any extra money at all. Aside from an added fee of $12 per day to tip the staff which is billed the last day of our cruise, we actually didn't spend anything extra on the last cruise. Of course, this fee is negotiable and you can adjust it up or down but we have always found that the crew is great and well deserves this money so we don't quibble about it.

What we did enjoy was free stuff which is listed in the daily newsletters like movies in the cinema, dancing each night, nightly Broadway-type shows, sitting on the deck and getting some sun, watching some great music acts, attending a couple of free educational classes, and of course going into each port stop.

Cruises can be as cheap or expensive as you want to make them. We chose to make them as cheap as possible!

Goal #4 Completed--Go to Connecticut

After our cruise we flew up to Connecticut to visit family (three birthday parties are planned for this week alone here!). This completes goal #4 on my goal list.

We wanted to work in a trip to Connecticut sometime this year which is why I put it on my goal list and it just so happened that it worked out that we could come here after our cruise so here we are. And, as part of the goal, hubby is playing a satellite tournament for the World Poker Tour at Foxwoods Casino in Ledyard, CT as I type this (I have a favorite spot between Foxwoods and MGM where I can plug in my netbook, get free wi fi, and eat Dunkin Donuts so I'm all set here while he plays).

I love Connecticut in the fall. The trees are beautiful (we're going to Vermont in a few days so I can get some good leaf pictures), the weather is cool but still sunny, and the Italian food is to die for (ravioli and lots of tasty bread at Illiano's in New London this evening).

Goal #5 Completed--Go on a Cruise

I'm back and I missed my blogging friends!

We just got back from a 12 day cruise to the Southern Caribbean on the NCL Dawn. This completes goal #5 on my goal list.

We left New York and visited the Dominican Republic, Aruba, Curacao, Roatan, and Cozumel. Here's the highlights/comments from our trip:

• The average age of the cruisers was about 65. I think this is common on longer trips and trips during the off season when retires are more likely to travel.


• The cruisers also appeared to be about 20% gay. Which is fine except for a couple of them kept hitting on the hubby and I thought I would have to get in a girl fight a time or two. Also if I never hear the songs 'YMCA', 'It's Raining Men', 'Dancing Queen', and 'I Will Survive' again, I will be happy.


• And don't even get me started on men in Speedos. Ick.


• The best entertainment on the cruise was a duo called Fire and Ice. Usually cruise ship entertainment is OK at best but this lady does Tina Turner BETTER than Tina Turner. They put her in a small venue that was always standing room only and I have no idea why she isn't playing Vegas because she was sooo amazing. Here is a video I found of her on YouTube since I haven't uploaded my videos yet but the video doesn't even do her justice.


• The mostly Filipino crew were as always friendly and great. They are the most overworked, underpaid, and under appreciated people on the planet but I think they are wonderful!


• We visited: Dominican Republic (super poor but super nice people), Curacao (cute city), Aruba (the huge iguanas made me squeal and run), Roatan (poor but the kids there are so amazing), and Cozumel (way too commercial). Plus it was a beautiful 80+ degrees each day--love it!


• The "all inclusive" cruise of yesteryear is now anything but. It's kind of like a floating infomercial which is disappointing. My next post will detail how we are the cheapest cruisers the cruise lines have probably ever seen.

Overall we had a good time, I got another 15,000 words written for my book, I got a tan, and I'm sure I gained a few pounds (it's the tasty, unlimited food that did me in), and it was great to be able to practice my Spanish in all of the countries we visited.

Leaving Atlanta

Well, we're off to accomplish some more goals on the list, namely, a 12-day Caribbean cruise so you won't see any posts here for a couple of weeks. As I get ready to leave Atlanta, here's some thoughts:

• I found out that we actually aren't in Atlanta. We are north of Atlanta in one of the many yuppie suburbs in the area.
• I've never seen so many McMansions in my life as I have in this part of the world.
• They have a lot of golf courses here.
• And a lot of shopping. I don't think this part of the country got the memo that we are in a recession because it seems like EVERYONE is out shopping and eating in expensive restaurants.
• They seem to have an equal number of bars and churches here (and lots of both!). Hmmm
• The earth here is red which I find really cool, our dirt is a boring brown.
• The food here is excellent. I can totally see why this part of the country is the most overweight--the food is too good to resist.
• The weather is excellent here as well. Back home it is a gloomy, rainy, 50 degrees, here it is a bright, sunny 80 degrees. In October. Wow.
• I did absolutely nothing for the past ten days. We are lodging in the guest wing of my sister in law's house. We have this huge, beautiful space and no itinerary to do anything so we just enjoyed the time relaxing and doing very little of anything. We did eat. A lot. Fitting into a bathing suit for the cruise just isn't going to happen...maybe a muu muu.
• I did do something, however. I am 20,000 words into a novel I am writing. I have always wanted to write a book and have it published so I figured why not now? So I have been writing every day which has been cool and fun.
• I may have committed Business Suicide; RIP Me. Actually the email I sent to the imploding organization that I do a ton of work for was meant to be helpful, however I don't know if it will be taken as such. I wrote up the email, hit send, then put on my vacation email responder so I won't have to worry about answering any emails for two weeks.
• I think subconsciously starting the book was a reaction to the fact that I probably won't have a job when I get back home.
• Television is a huge time suck. I realized this because I don't have much interest in the oddly arranged channels of the cable service provider here so I barely watched TV. The result? I had lots of time to write, and I realized how much time I waste watching TV.
• The people here are beautiful to look at. I don't know why but they are.
• I got to see Dave Ramsey in person!
• Finally, I read this article and thought that this guy's life sounds like it totally rocks--I'm going to be a minimalist when I grow up.
• And finally, finally, I was looking around the internet and found that one of my favorite Korean dramas (subtitled in English) has finally been posted in it's entirety. I will have a couple of weeks in New England after the cruise and plan to watch the entire thing then.

50 Resources If You are Flat Broke, Jobless, Homeless, Etc.

I was thinking about writing this post, thinking about all of the many resources that are available for those in need, then thought maybe I would write about something else. Then, just as I was signing onto Blogger, I came across this article in my feed reader which inspired me to write about my original topic. Obviously I don't write as well as this guy or have his experience but these 50 resources may help (and note that the article was written in the 1970s but many of the resources are just as viable today...interesting!).

1. If you or your spouse have served any time at all in the Armed Forces, check with your local VA service center to see what benefits you are entitled to.


2. Our city has free meal sites all over town, each day of the week. Most places that help the homeless will have an updated list of these meal sites.


3. The Salvation Army is great. They offer two meals each day (breakfast and lunch) and provide food to go, toiletries, and other things for those in need.


4. Call 211--this is a national number which provides information on all of the social service resources available in your community.


5. Sign up for food stamps if you qualify. Many do, even if they are working part time. It doesn't hurt to ask.


6. Sign up for public housing or emergency housing if you qualify. Unfortunately, there is such a huge need for this service that many housing programs have years-long waiting lists.


7. Sign up for welfare if you qualify. Generally this is for parents with children but there may be medical programs and other services that anyone with low/no income can qualify for.


8. If you are a senior citizen, check out what services you qualify for (ie: Social Security, Medicare, etc).


9. Take advantage of other senior deals (discounted national parks passes, discounted bus passes, discounted airline tickets, restaurant discounts, etc).


10. Ditch the car and get a transit pass. These are often discounted for those with low/no income.


11. Check out your local Goodwill--they have everything from free job training programs to low income assistance programs and good discount shopping in their stores as well.


12. Dollar Stores are a great place to shop for everything from food to toiletries--just choose nutritious food instead of the super low-priced junk food.


13. Thrift stores are another great place to shop. They usually have low prices but on certain days, they have sales and their low prices may be cut in half!


14. Our local library is like Grand Central for the homeless. Not only does it provide shelter on cold, rainy days, but with a free library card, you get free books to read, free use of computers and internet, free music, free newspapers, free videos, etc.


15. Dumpster diving is a tried and true way to find stuff you need. It pays to go with an experienced diver the first few times because they will know where the good dumpsters are, where to find the best food, which ones to stay away from, etc.


16. College students should definitely check and see if their school has a homeless services office. Many schools are now aware that some of their students are homeless and they try to provide as many extra services as possible for these students, usually through a designated office or club.


17. Check with your local health department. They generally offer everything from free vaccinations and basic medical tests to other services.


18. Check with your local mental health services office. This is another organization that deals with a lot of homeless/low income people as mental health issues can often go hand in hand with reasons that people become homeless.


19. If you are a member of a federally enrolled tribe, your tribal health clinic or tribal liaison office can help you sign up for the benefits you are entitled to.


20. Free community events are a great place to score some free entertainment as well as get free stuff (vendors usually provide samples and free advertising stuff like t shirts at these events).


21. Free food samples are always good. If you have a Costco or Sam's Club card, running around the food aisles a couple of times can practically provide a free meals just from the food samples.


22. Many communities have programs that help you pay for your heat and utilities during the winter. Check with your local social services office about these programs or with your local utility office.


23. Medical care can be super expensive. Free community medical clinics are a good first place to go. If you don't have one of those, a sliding scale clinic is the next step, and then maybe an urgent care. Emergency rooms of hospitals are required to provide you service in the event of an emergency (but be prepared for the huge bill you get in the mail afterwards...should this happen, ask about the hospital's charity care program).


24. Look for opportunities. Like the guy in the article, he saw a need then filled it (selling cigarettes, selling photos). If you see a need, think about what you can do to fill the need and make a little money in the process.


25. Crash weddings, parties, and meetings. The food at these events can range from minimal to awesome.


26. Malls are another location to pick up free stuff on occasion. Our mall hosts various events throughout the year that feature free entertainment and free vendor samples. Additionally, our mall has a marketing research company which pays people for their opinions on consumer products. For about 10 minutes of my time I have often received $7--enough to pay for my frap at Starbucks.


27. When it comes to getting a minimum wage job, find one with benefits, even if it is just at a restaurant where you get free meals (I lived off of free meals at restaurant jobs all through college).


28. You could try dating. This probably only works well for women but a friend of mine has met so many dates online and they almost always meet her for coffee or take her out for dinner. I don't think she has paid for dinner in like a year.


29. Look online for free stuff. Freecycle and CraigsList are great places to look for free stuff.


30. Consider a trade. Trade your handyman or manager services for free apartment rent, or trade some work at a restaurant or venue when they have a big event for free meals. Living in as a babysitter or senior care taker is also a great way to secure housing by trading work.


31. Get a monthly pass for the local gym or YMCA/YWCA if you are homeless, this is a great way to get a free shower every day.


32. If you are involved in a domestic violence situation, call your local YWCA or DV shelter and find out about their free shelter programs and other services available to domestic violence victims.


33. Do a good deed. Sometimes, doing something as simple as helping a stranger can result in an amazing payback.


34. Get a PO Box. For a minimal annual fee, you will at least have a place to get your mail. For some things you need a street address, in this case you may want to check into getting a private mailbox.


35. A prepaid cell phone (like Virgin Mobile's $25 per month plan) will at least keep you in touch with people and possible job prospects. Note that some phone companies offer highly discounted home and cell phones for low income people.


36. Check with your local fire department for everything from free smoke detectors to free car seats for your kids, to free CPR classes, to free grab bars for the elderly. Not all fire departments offer these things but many in our area do.


37. If you are homeless, find out where your severe weather shelters are; many of these places offer free overnight lodging for the homeless when he weather is severely cold.


38. If you have been made homeless due to a declared disaster, FEMA's disaster assistance programs have a range of services that you can partake in.


39. Homeless shelters are available in most cities; this is one option for shelter that some people take advantage of (others don't seem to like shelters so you would have to see for yourself if this is a good option for you).


40. Many cities have specialized homeless youth service centers; this is an excellent option for those under 21 who are homeless.


41. You could join the military. Once you are in, they literally take care of everything for you--housing, shelter, food, training, clothing, dental, etc.


42. If you are facing eviction, some community service agencies can help with this. They can alert your to your rights in this situation, sometimes provide emergency cash assistance to pay back rent, and other times file for stays of eviction until further help can be provided.


43. If you are in legal trouble, there are a number of free and low cost legal services available. Everything from free legal advice 1-800 numbers to free legal clinics, to "do it yourself" legal forms and classes, to community service programs to pay off tickets can be had by asking at your local courthouse.


44. If drug and alcohol issues are the reason your find yourself in need, many communities offer in-patient and out-patient drug and alcohol treatment services.


45. If you are recently jobless, check to see if you qualify for unemployment payments, job retraining program, or any other programs related to your being unemployed.


46. College can be another great idea. Depending on your income, test scores, or grades, qualifying for grants and scholarships can give you a college education and housing. Beware student loans, however, which can saddle you with debt for decades.


47. Consider an easy to set up online business to take in some cash. With so many free platforms for selling your stuff online, the possibilities are endless. One girl was reported to have sold her used underwear online and this raked in enough to pay for her entire college education (sounds icky but I guess there is a big market for this).


48. Some cities have drop in centers which provide all kinds of services for the homeless from showers to a place to do their laundry to meals and assistance with securing other services.


49. Consider hunting down your own food. Depending on the season, you can fish, hunt, forage for wild berries and fruit, find wild mushrooms, etc.


50. Stand by the side of the road and hold a sign asking for money. Sounds tacky but this has nearly become a cottage industry in our area and I've heard that some people can take in more per hour doing this than getting a job (I wouldn't suggest this as a life-long career but if you are flat broke and desperate this may be an option).

My 10 Wealth Building Commandments

I think I will cut this out and post it on my computer...

1. Thou shalt not spend every penny thou earns. At least 10% should go into savings.
2. Thou shalt pay cash (or debit card or check but definitely no credit card) for all purchases.
3. Thou shalt be a responsible money manager (bills paid on time, no bounced checks, no late fees, etc).
4. Thou shalt not rescue others financially (giving small gifts, services, or moral support is OK).
5. Thou shalt not incur debt; all current debt needs to be paid off ASAP.
6. Thou shalt not "live large" just to impress others.
7. Thou shalt have an emergency fund...that is only used for dire emergencies.
8. Thou shalt tithe monthly (don't ask me why but this works).
9. Thou shalt love thy work and be amazing at it.
10. Thou shalt enjoy thy fruits of thy labor (after thou are debt free).

50 Ways to Get Free Stuff

We have had the opportunity in just a short few days to get many free things while we have been here in a new city which got me thinking about how many free things people can get on a regular basis if you just look around. Here's some ideas:

1. Dumpster dive. You can come up with everything from food (I haven't tried this) to furniture and other items (I got a great desk this way).
2. Free food samples at Costco (membership card sometimes required--or just walk in with another member).
3. Many times people will leave stuff by the side of the road with a "free" sign on it. Hubby found a mountain bike with just such a sign, cleaned it up, and sold it on CraigsList. Yesterday, we saw people moving all of their stuff out of their house and when we went by in the evening, the leftover stuff was sitting by the curb with a big FREE sign on it.
4. Community meetings often provide free snacks as an enticement for people to show up.
5. Churches usually have free food of some sort after the service.
6. Museums often have free entry nights.
7. Community festivals often have free entry and free entertainment. We were walking down the road in Dacula, GA yesterday and came upon a tiny community event which featured free entertainment (those young pageant girls could really sing!) and free demonstrations of old time farm life.
8. Community transit systems, usually in larger cities, often have "free ride" areas.
9. A glass of water is often free at restaurants (which will save you $2 to $4 off the cost of ordering a beverage).
10. Coupons found in your local newspaper or online often get you free products.
11. Complaining can get you a free product. I have done this everywhere from Starbucks (my frap was practically melted before they gave it to me) to restaurants (my order was wrong or not cooked properly) to hotels (we were upgraded to a suite at the Palms in Vegas because we were disappointed with our room) and received wonderful free things (a great way for companies to keep their customers happy and coming back).
12. If friends or family know you like hand-me-downs, you are more than likely to get lots of free clothing and other stuff from them.
13. Vaccinations are given away free a couple of times a year through our local Health District office.
14. Community events such as fairs, health fairs, and parades often have plenty of vendors who give away product samples (we have collected everything from condoms to T shirts to beverages to pens to Frisbees to mouse pads to bracelets to key chains and much more at these kinds of events).
15. Free fire wood can be yours for the taking if you clean up downed trees (depending on the regulations of your area).
16. Natural things to use for crafts can be found laying around on the ground (leaves, shells, sticks, etc).
17. Some people enjoy wedding crashing, mainly for the free food and entertainment.
18. Free software is available online (among my favorites: AVG, Open Office, and Onmi Format 995).
19. Free personal websites can be had online at Blogger, FaceBook, etc.
20. Free communication programs can also be found online at Skype and Chikka.
21. Scholarships can provide free education for you--these can pay for everything from one class to an entire four-year degree.
22. We've received a number of free items from utility companies (low flow shower heads, low flow faucets, etc).
23. Our local fire department offers free CPR classes and free smoke detectors.
24. Libraries offer a plethora of free stuff--everything from books, music, and movies to free internet and story time for the kids.
25. I love free internet access. More and more places are offering this valuable service for free.
26. Free help from your friends. We have friends who have provided us all kinds of free services (of course we return the favor), including fixing our car, towing a dead car, dental work, helping with building projects, etc.
27. Free gambling. Hubby likes to play poker but doesn't like spending much money on this so he plays for free online and, yesterday, he played some sort of a tournament at a bar with the guys and won a $30 voucher for food, yet he didn't have to spend anything to enter the game.
28. Casinos often offer free beverages.
29. Nightclubs sometimes offer free dance lessons and free entry before a certain time at night.
30. Banks offer free checking and savings accounts.
31. Send in a rave. There has been more than a few times I have mailed a letter to a company telling them how great I thought their product was and received coupons for free items from them in the mail.
32. Reality shows with great grand prizes are often free to enter, such as Amazing Race and Survivor.
33. If you don't need the degree, you can "attend" free university classes online.
34. Check your favorite restaurant for free promotions. Famous Daves offers a free lunch to people named Dave once a year. Baskin Robbins provides free ice cream cones once a year. Other restaurants offer free food on a random basis.
35. AM/FM radio is still free!
36. Many community health events provide free medical testing for things such as diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Some even offer free mammograms and PAP tests for women.
37. Community parks and playgrounds are a great way to entertain the kids.
38. Walking is a great free way to exercise.
39. Some farmers open their fields free to gleaners after the main harvest is finished.
40. Our county fair has a couple of free entry days and free activities for the kids.
41. Window shopping is free, and so is trying on beautiful new clothes. Just don't buy anything!
42. Our local home improvement store has free lessons on Saturdays for adults and kids which teach you a variety of "do it yourself" skills.
43. College campuses often have free activities going on. Check the online student newspaper or the bulletin board for info.
44. Our local military bases also have lots of free things going on, some just for those with base access but other events are open to the general public.
45. Our local mall has a few annual events where there are lots of community vendors, food samples, and handouts, all free.
46. Our community hosts "music on the pier" events each summer which provide a nice evening of entertainment that is totally free.
47. If you like the outdoors, the US National Park Service offers free admission to the national parks a couple of times a year.
48. Our county and state also offers "free fishing" days where you can go fishing without having to purchase a license which is usually required.
49. Depending on where you live, camping can be a great free way to travel. Just pull over to the side of the road and set up camp.
50. Our county garbage dump has one free day a year when you can dump big things that usually cost a lot to get rid of, like refrigerators, couches, etc.

I'm sure there is lots more free stuff to be had, depending on where you live. As we are trying to contain costs as much as possible during this vacation, you can bet that anything with a "free" sign on it is going to get our attention!

Be a Great House Guest, Reap the Benefit of Free Lodging

The majority of our vacation will be spent as house guests of family and friends. This is one of the best ways of saving a ton of money on lodging while at the same time, getting to spend time with people you haven't seen in a while and getting lots of insider info on the local area. Here's some tips on how to be an awesome house guest:

• Pick people you are reasonably compatible with. While we tend to get along with everyone, there are some families we simply wouldn't stay with. Chaotic or messy houses, friends who have pets in the house (hubby is allergic), a certain cousin who tends to have one psychotic boyfriend after another (complete with creepy friends who come and go at all hours) are just not compatible with us so in those cases we will stay at a hotel.
• Clean up after yourself. If you cook, clean up immediately, make your bed as soon as you wake up, if you use the clothes washer or dryer, remove your clothes as soon as they are finished...the basic rules that work for living well with roommates work for being a good house guest.
• Be "low maintenance" guests. This is the type of guests we are and this is the type of guests we prefer to stay at our house. People are super busy these days so you shouldn't expect them to take care of your every need or be at your disposal 24/7. We generally meet up with our hosts for dinner but other than that, we are out and about exploring the city/shopping/taking part in other activities on our own. We generally use public transportation or rent a car unless the host has an extra car that they don't use.
• Give back to your hosts. Even though you are not paying for a room, it is a good idea to be as valuable as possible to your hosts. When we travel, I tend to do "businessy" stuff for our hosts (everything from fixing computers to doing their taxes to helping them with their businesses, etc) while hubby will cook wonderful meals and do simple handyman projects around the house. I actually think it is hubby's great cooking that keeps getting us invited back!
• Don't stay too long. If you will be in a place for more than a week or so, try to line up a couple of places to stay. If you've been in one place so long that you are more like a room mate than a house guest, you've been there too long.
• Replace anything you have used. Our hosts will often leave shampoo or toothpaste out for us, but before we leave, we are sure to go to the local Walmart to replace these items.
• Offer to tag along if you won't be in the way. This is an especially interesting way to get to know a new country. I have went along with our hosts to: school, work, a hospital, a post office, a ritzy Polo Club (a friend was performing in a band at an event there), the grocery store, and numerous other places in foreign countries where I was introduced to the culture in ways that would have never happened for a regular tourist.
• When you leave, send your host a nice thank you note and mail/leave them a small gift. This makes a nice final impression and they will remember you favorably the next time you come to town.

Being a great house guest is pretty simple--being considerate, tidy, and helpful are qualities that not only help you in life, but can help you secure a free place to stay. Just be sure to return the favor when your friends show up in your city.

Goal #21 Completed--Went to the Dave Ramsey Live Event

And the goals keep getting checked off! Today I went to the Dave Ramsey Live event in Atlanta. This, by the way, was #21 on my goal list.
I love Dave Ramsey! He is an amazing speaker and just as good in person as he is on the radio and TV. There were thousands of people there at the arena and I am happy to report that many of them were younger people--a hopeful thing to think that many young people, if they follow Dave's advice, won't have to go through years of financial drama like many of the boomers and post-boomers did because we were exposed to massive amounts of credit debt without the knowledge of how to deal responsibly with such things.
Anyway, I had two tickets to the event and hubby decided at the last minute to go to the weekend poker game with the guys (he doesn't actually hate Dave, he just says he is tired of listening to him, yet when I overhear him talking to the kids, he practically quotes Dave verbatim on all things financial...go figure). So my sister in law decided to go with me even though she had never heard of Dave Ramsey. Some four hours later, I can't say she was exactly impressed with the show--she is fairly beyond needing financial advice because she has plenty of money and seems to manage it well--but at least she was paying attention and taking notes in the workbook. Her only comment after the show was that he was excessively loud. The crowd didn't seem to mind as it was practically a cheer-fest every time he said something. I just love Dave-isms such as "your FICO score is your I love debt score." It seemed like most of the audience were already Dave fans as they cheered on cue and knew everything he was alluding to without requiring explanation.
Overall this was a great event and I am even more determined to complete our debt snowball as quickly as possible so I can start to pay off the house ASAP!

Goal #3 Completed--Visit Atlanta

Well, we're off on our big vacation. Our first stop is Atlanta to visit my sister-in-law and to go to the Dave Ramsey Live Event which will take place tomorrow. Fortunately, this stop allows me to get back to checking things off my goal list as well.
Officially, goal #3, visit Atlanta, is completed even though the only thing we have seen so far is a restaurant, an amazing Asian grocery store, and Costco. So far we have spent literally NOTHING on this trip. The ride to the airport was free, we brought food with us to eat on the flight, beverages were free on the plane, the SIL treated us to a nice restaurant meal for dinner, and we are staying free of charge for ten days at the SIL's huge, beautiful home.
The only "culture shock" so far has been shopping with hubby's sister who is fairly wealthy. She wanted to pick up "some" food at Costco since she lives by herself and always eats out so didn't have any food at home (hubby likes to cook and she loves his cooking). She literally NEVER looks at prices when she shops which is quite unusual for us. We compare prices on EVERYTHING we buy, and if something is too expensive we just don't buy it. She was throwing stuff in the cart left and right and didn't even notice that the steak was $10 a pound. Hubby had this weird expression on his face both at the meat counter and at the checkout stand, since what she spent on one cart of groceries was more than we spend in two weeks. Anyway, we are on vacation so we decided to just enjoy her generosity and try not to comment too much.
Meanwhile, when she is at work in the city, we have a long list of free things to do in Atlanta garnered from the internet which should keep us more than busy during our stay, and even though we have a car at our disposal, we will probably just get public transit passes as this is the easiest way we have found to navigate cities when we travel (plus we don't have to worry about getting lost, parking, etc).