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Posts Tagged ‘Winter’

Extra money for the holidays…

Monday, December 7th, 2009

The holiday season is well under way, and now is the time to make some extra cash for those last minute Christmas gifts!  The usual way of making extra money is to get a seasonal job at a retail store, but more often than not these jobs come with the problem of being guaranteed to work on Christmas eve, probably the late shift, and every other weekend until Christmas Day!  This is a deal breaker for a lot of people.  Now, if you want to get one of these jobs for the season, feel free to do so.  I am always glad to see someone choosing work over credit!  If however, you’d like to make some extra money this season, without pigeon-holing yourself into a crazy work schedule, I might have a couple of good ideas for you!

One way to make some extra cash this year is to offer to fill out or write Christmas/holiday cards for elderly (or busy) people in your life, your friends or family etc. You will be doing them a favor and making some cash in the process.  You should be aware, however, that this means you have to do a competent job, putting just as much effort in the cards as they normally would.  Also, how much should you charge?  Well, I would say if it’s an elderly relative, cut them a discount, but other than that, I would charge per card, whatever you think is fair in your local market.  I say this, because, you could probably get a better price in a place like New York City and Los Angeles, as opposed to rural towns in the Midwest.  Not sure what’s fair in your local market?  If someone does take you up on your offer, ask what they think is fair!  Not getting any interested people by word of mouth?  Advertise in your local paper and on Craigslist!

Another way to make some extra cash is by offering to go to the post office and mail packages for people.  Charge a flat fee, and if you get enough interest (see above for ideas on this) then you can combine trips and up your hourly pay!  I would charge a couple of dollars per package, and of course, they pay the cost of shipping. 

The problem (obviously) with both of these tips is that you won’t make as much money as with a regular seasonal job, but that is the price you pay for wanting a flexible schedule during the holidays.  It’s your choice of course, but these tips could bring in enough extra money for a fun and festive holiday at your house!   Good luck!

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Posted in Mucho Moolah, Monday's Money MAKING Tips! | Comments Off

Sick and tired of being sick and tired…

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

So, I know most of you are wondering where I was on Monday, and the truth is, I was laying on the couch with a fever, coughing my head off and blowing my nose enough so that, today, I could give Rudolph a run for his money.  I’m still sick, so today’s post will be short and sweet.  Today I want to give tips for avoiding colds and the flu (all of them).

  • When you shake hands with someone, make sure you follow it up with washing your own hands.  Washing your hands often sends the germs down the drain.
  • Stop touching your face.   Your eyes and nose are common places for germs to get you.   Hands off!  (This, unfortunately, is probably how I got sick.)
  • Get some sleep already!  It just makes sense that you need more sleep when you’re sick, so rest a lot and sleep more!
  • Get your flu shot!  Chances are, if you’re worried about the flu, you’ve already got a flu shot, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it.
  • Eat healthy foods.  You might feel that people harp on eating fruits and veggies all the time, but when  you’re sick, it’s a must.  The vitamins in these foods help your body heal itself.
  • Exercise.  Now, you knew that I was going to include this one!  Working out enhances your immune system, which we could all use.  A helpful hint, however, is to be sure and wash hands/use hand sanitizer often while at the gym, and not touch your face (this, again, is probably where I got into trouble.  I can’t help but wipe the sweat from my face…big no no).
  • If you think they’re sick, stay back!  When you see people who are obviously sick, don’t get close.  It doesn’t matter if they’re a stranger, your boss or a member of your family, keep your distance.
  • Use Hand sanitizer.  Make sure you buy the right kind.  Sanitizer and wipes that aren’t alcohol based won’t be as effective.
  • If you double dip, don’t share the dip.   I don’t judge you fro double dipping, but if you do, get your own dip, so others aren’t sharing your germs.  You can always spoon out some dip on your plate, so you and your friends/family aren’t germ swapping!
  • Ditch the cloth purse.  Purses collect germs, since they end up on surfaces covered with germs.  Cloth purses will hold more germs, since they can’t be wiped down easily.  Use leather/vinyl etc. purses in winter months, and wipe them down.
  • Sneeze into the crook of your elbow.    It sounds weird, but your hands usually have germs on them, so sneezing in them couls spread more germs.

If you’re already sick, here are some tips:

  1. Stay home and medicate.  Don’t go out.  Don’t keep company.  Just stay in and get better (hence, I’ve been stuck in this house since Sunday.  I’m not happy about it, but it’s the smart thing to do.).
  2. Pay attention to your symptoms.  If you keep getting worse, contact your doctor.  It might not be a cold, it could be the flu, a sinus infection, bronchitis, walking pneumonia etc.
  3. Hydrate.  Keep drinking fluids, because dehydration can make you worse.  If you’re not able to keep down fluids, contact your doctor.

That’s it!  For more info on avoiding whatever illness is going around in your local community, contact your doctor or your local health department.  FYI, your local health department is a valuable tool, and has a wealth of information…use it!

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Winter Ice Storms…What are the Pitfalls?

Thursday, February 5th, 2009

On January 25 of this year, a nasty series of winter storms hit the entire state (and surrounding states) of your favorite Southern couple. The entire state was buried under snow and ice for a week, and just when we thought we’d get a reprieve, more storms and more snow. Under the weight of the ice, power lines, trees, bushes, fences and a host of other things fell to the ground. Statewide, hundreds of thousands of people without power. Some counties are not expecting that power to be repaired for WEEKS! Trees toppled on houses and roadways, creating hazardous roads and insupportable living conditions. Schools have been closed for 2 weeks and it appears that students might go to school til July this year. All in all, it’s a hot mess.

I have been thinking about what all of the unfortunate people in the state are going through. My 2 best friends both lost power. One for 2-3 days, and the other has been without power for 9 days and counting. Your southern couple was lucky this time. We never lost power or cable, and didn’t have any trees fall on us or our house.

But the people who were impacted by the storm…what about them? They are paying for hotel rooms while their homes have no power. They are paying for arborists and electricians and possibly roofers to fix the problems caused by the weather. They are out hundreds (thousands?) of dollars to get their lives back in order. Could they afford it?

As our readers know, we are BIG supporters of having a rainy day (in this case icy day) or emergency fund. We think that having a reserve of money for life’s little eventualities (or Mother Nature’s tantrums) is a top priority. We do not believe in putting emergencies on credit cards, because MOST people don’t pay off their credit cards. If these people had or have emergency funds, then they could just pay cash for the repairs or hotel rooms and not worry about where they will get the money. Living in a hotel room for 2 weeks is stressful enough without the stress of figuring out how to pay for it.

So, were our fellow citizens prepared? We hope they were, but we obviously don’t know.

The lesson to take away from the last 2 weeks however, is that disasters are only disasters if we are not prepared for them. Keep an emergency fund of at least $1000. Don’t think that it could never happen to you. Don’t let your life impact you…impact your life!

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Posted in Wild Card Wednesday | Comments Off