I'm alive

I'm alive. I survived the frigid climate of Chicago. I have seven blog posts in various stages so I'm coming back with personal finance insights and more.

Tough Issue Tuesday: Video: Bleach, Nip. Tuck: The White Beauty Myth (Documentary About The Growing Trend In Minorities In U.K. Wanting To Be More White)

I found this link on Twitter. I am disturbed by this video. Tell me what you think in the comments.

TV Thursday: Til Debt Do Us Part

I was so excited this past Saturday when I was watching (more like listening to) a program on CNBC and heard the voice of my favorite personal finance personality - Gail Vaz-Oxlade!

Gail is now on CNBC! Saturday nights at 10 pm Eastern.

I am super happy because the channel that I was watching GVO on was American Life.  I was disgusted that American Life no longer carried Gail. I had been trying almost everything to get my GVO fix. I went on the Slice website, the Canadian network that carries GVO. Apparently since I'm not Canadian I can't watch online.

They have so many seasons of Til Debt online on Slice that I feel like I am being cheated. This is the last season of Til Debt and was near tears that I couldn't watch.

Gail has a new upcoming series called Princess which you can become a fan of on Facebook. I hope this series is also shown on American television too.

Have you ever heard of Gail Vaz-Oxlade? Will you watch Til Debt Do Us Part on CNBC? Let me know in the comment section.

One Month of Dinners

I have planned dinners for the entire month of December. I know, say wow.


I decided to do this for several reasons. We have to get back in the habit of eating in the house and we need to eat healthier. If we start now, we will coast into the new year and hopefully new clothing sizes without a hitch. 


I am already working on the menu for January and beyond. In January, I am hoping to incorporate more crock pot meals and meals that can be easily doubled to serve as lunches for everyone.


I am also hoping to have more balanced, healthy meals going forward. We have all put on a few pounds and the holidays are not even halfway over. 


I truly want to cut out the unnecessary take out ordering (ordering for five is co$tly). I hope to narrow our grocery budget.


I want us to escape the empty calories and fatty fatty meals and subsequent weight gain.


I ordered   which will make healthier meal planning easier as well.

For now I will be satisfied with a just making it through cooking at home for the month of December. The kids and I used KraftFoods.com and Pillsbury.com for dinner inspiration.


Let me know what you think of our family's monthly meal plan in the comments. What do you use for dinner inspiration? Do you have a set dinner rotation? Am I insane for planning this many meals this far in advance?

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Nov 30	1	2	3	4	5	6
Hubbster Pick	Marinated Chicken, rice and veggie	Pork roast, Macaroni & cheese	Chili dogs and fries	Eldest Pick – no take out	Marinated Pork Chops, noodles and veggies	Rice and Hamburger Wraps
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
Meatloaf Monday	Turkey Breast, mashed potato and veggie	Marinated Chicken, rice and veggie	Chicken Fajita Quesadillas	Smoky Southwestern Shepherd's Pie	Sliders and Fries	Daughter Pick
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
Turkey Spaghetti and Meatballs, garlic bread	Taco Tuesday	Lasagna, veggie, and rolls	Hamburger helper, salad, veggies	Daughter Pick	Turkey burgers, fries	Middle child - Pizza
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
Oven Fried chicken, rice and veggie	BBQ Pull pork Sandwiches with fries	Hubbster Pick	Christmas Eve Middle Child Pick Bacon Chicken Alfredo Pizza	Christmas Day Turkey Breast, Ham, Dressing, Veggies,	Sloppy Joes and tater tots	Eldest Pick – no take out
28	29	30	31	Jan 1
Dorothy´s Kansas-Style Barbecued Chicken Pizza	Skillet Chicken with Noodles	Pizza Melts	New Year’s Eve Salisbury Steak, Mashed potato, vegetable	New Year’s Day Traditional Meal of Blackeye Peas, Greens,

A personal bailout party, L.A. style or Returning to basics

I first read this article from MarketPlace.org on Boston Gal's Open Wallet's blog. My initial reaction was that the women in the story, Christine Schoenwald was having an old style rent party. The woman in the article was irresponsible in continuously refinancing her home and not having adequate saving. This 'benefit' was thrown to try and help her stave off foreclosure while she awaits a loan modification. (just my opinion and anyone else who listens to the podcast.)


Never heard of a rent party?


Rent parties were common among African-Americans especially during the 1920's and 1930's in mainly urban areas but parties were held everywhere. These parties as you can garner from their title were parties held to generate the rent.  


Party goers were charged admission to attend. Depending on the region of the country, these parties ranged from simple get together's with food to wild all night parties. 


The more 'amenities' at a party the more that could be charged per head. Amenities included music - live music being the most popular attraction. Although many parties made do with records.


If you were having a rent party it was crucial to remove the furniture for dancing. If you were having live music, this was a necessity. 


Other amenities included a 'spread' large quantities of food. 
Attractive members of the opposite sex.
Especially during times of Prohibition - alcohol.


The most important purpose of a rent party was to raise cash to cover the shortage in order to pay the rent due on the 1st of the month. The second was to make sure everyone had a good time.


Want to know more about rent parties? Go here to read an entry from the Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance. 


Want to throw a Rent Party? Here is an article from E-How.


What do you think of the rent party concept? Would you hold a rent party? 


Leave a comment and let me know how you would close the rent/mortgage gap.

Weekly Allowance and Being an Open Wallet Blogger

I would love to be one of those bloggers with a completely open wallet. The kind that discusses how much they make from their primary source of income, their blog income, their other tertiary income sources. I'm not one of those bloggers. Reporting on exactly how much they contribute to debt repayment, with the gorgeous side bars that get reduced dutifully every month.

Why can't I be one of those bloggers?

It would require me to track every penny and it would require me to be completely honest about the setbacks I experience.

I also don't have the bars either.

My income is not all mine and it is sporadic. I will receive child support payments for two months then nothing for six months or a year. Most of my child support I dump equally between my two kids savings accounts. I keep a portion for savings and small items they need.

Also I wish I had better financial expert fairy godmother who could wave her wand and repair my credit and put money in the bank.

Since I don't have a fairy god-mother...What I can do to remedy my lack of open wallet-ness is to divulge my weekly spending.

I set a weekly spending allowance for myself of $35. This is to help curb those spending sprees that happen after a long drought of self denial.

It has been working out pretty well, knowing that I have something to spend doesn't as I assumed make me create spending opportunities. Here is how I have spent my allowance this week, I know the week is not over but I can guesstimate what I will spend today and tomorrow.

Sunday: Nothing
Monday: Smoothie King - $5.94
Tuesday: Nothing
Wednesday: State Driving Record $17.00
Thursday: Nothing
Friday: Safeway $15.00 (my limit) for Office Potluck
Saturday: Nothing

TV Thursday: 100 Mile Challenge

I am in love with the idea of the 100 Mile Challenge. Never heard of the 100 Mile Challenge?


The 100 Mile Challenge was conceived by Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon, who themselves in 2005 begin eating only foods that were grown within 100 miles. They challenged themselves to do it for one year.  Their 100 Mile Diet has spread.


Now as I said I am in love with the idea of the 100 Mile challenge but I don't think I could I successfully do it. One family quit on Day One which was disheartening to see they didn't even try. I love seasonings and rice and sugar and coffee and bananas and so much more. 


Other reasons I am not sure I could commit:


Many on the show have said that the time factor for preparing food was a full time job. I know my love of the crock pot would help.


Also many on the show talked about having to drive far to find products.


There were upsides, most of the participants lost weight during the 100 days. The most was 42 pounds.


I saw one episode were the Hawes family was having turkey and cranberry burgers. I am so making one of those.




If you would like to see video of the 100 Mile Challenge go here to Planet Green.


What would you grow in your garden? Me, I would grow onions, garlic, bell peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes or yams to start.


Have you ever heard of the 100 Mile Challenge? Would you participate in the 100 Mile Challenge? Are you a eater of local foods? Do you shop at the local Farmer's Market? Do you read the labels to see where you foods are being produced? Do you grow your own foods? 


Leave comments on your chances of completing the 100 Mile Challenge.