How Jaci Rae Learned the Value of a Dollar – The Early Years III
I had botched surgery after botched surgery. I was in jobs that back in my Mom’s day would be high paying, but in my day, at $12 an hour, was barely enough to pay basic living needs and I barely made rent. Of course, the list went on, as it does with most of us.
Because I felt the need to buy presents for birthdays and Christmas even though I didn’t have the money and couldn’t afford such luxuries, I quickly learned how to be thrifty, save money and get the most bang for my buck.
Back in the day, I was often asked how I accomplished buying the things I did when I was barely able to afford to eat. I was always happy to share my tips and strategies. I have been there, done that and figured a way out of my financial crises on more than one occasion.
I understand that many people go through the same things with their money. We all suffer from unforeseen circumstances. As a young woman, I had to file bankruptcy after a failed required surgery. The procedure went bad, my insurance ran out, and by that time, no insurance would cover it. I had to pay for all the subsequent surgeries by myself.
I remained in debt, paying large monthly credit card bills from a relentless stream of “fix it” surgeries and when there was still no end in sight I gave up with $179 thousand more to pay (the rest I had already paid for). I just couldn’t do it anymore and I cried all the way to the bankruptcy table.
With the desperation of today’s economy, many people are struggling just to meet basic needs. Unfortunately, for the first time in American history, we are living off accumulated debt. Most people aren’t worth even close to what they owe.
As an added pressure to our economic insecurity, we are importing our goods from other countries and even though most won’t admit it and it’s not showing the worst signs yet, I believe we are losing the economic battle to stay afloat in this country.
With wages not commiserative with the cost of living and jobs being taken away right and left after they are shipped overseas, the crunch is on to just survive. The ‘American Dream’ is fading fast with families working two or three jobs a day to get ahead and barely survive.
The widening gap between upper and middle classes makes those in poverty-stricken areas even more desperate to survive. We are all in trouble.
While back in the day it may have been possible to have the ‘American Dream’ if you worked hard, it doesn’t seem possible anymore. So how can we support our families and get back to the ‘American Dream?’ By saving money and learning to be frugal consumers.
You can get out of the darkness and you can begin to see the light at the end of the financial doomsday tunnel. It’s all about taking the time to use what little you don’t have and make it work. It’s time to make your money work for you instead of only working for your money!
Example. I have fed seven adults on less than $10. How? I used an entertainment book I had purchased through an elementary school and hit up all of the free or buy one-get one free items. We had leftovers and it was a lot of main courses as well as several side dishes!
With that same entertainment book, that originally cost $10, I have received free oil changes, dry cleaning, roses, eye exams, chiropractic, food, car wash and a lot more. One year I counted my savings and by using the book diligently, I had saved over $2,839.89!
I have filled an entire truck with top-name brand gifts and goods, thousands and thousands of dollars worth for under $400.
How? By buying everything when it was 75% – 95% off and then applying for the card each store offered and using it. That added another 15 – 25% off at the various stores. In many cases, all I had to pay was sales tax! I had incredible gifts for two years for every event including Christmas! The trick to that one is to pay off the credit card as soon as the bill comes so there are no interest penalties then cancel it.
Because the bill was less than $400 total and I had been saving $27.00 two times a month all year, I had the money, plus the interest I earned off the money in my savings account and an additional $300 leftover once the bills were paid!
There is hope.
Here are a few more ideas to help you get on your way and begin living life and saving money.
1. How can you eat, drink and shop for free at restaurants and stores in your neighborhood? Sign up as a mystery shopper. I still keep my hand in the field, even though I tour all over the world. Its fun and I get paid! Tip: Never pay any company money to do their work. They are supposed to pay you!
2. Never put off tomorrow what you can pay today. While you don’t want to pay bills too early, did you know that companies rely on people forgetting just past the date a bill is due and then you pay a high penalty? They can make thousands of dollars a year just from that little mistake on one person. That’s money you can put in the bank!
3. Ping your vegetables and smell them to make sure you are getting what you paid for and do look in the vegetable and fruit portion of the market as they do have coupons available from time to time, that will discount your price!
Very Unusual College Scholarships for Those Who Haven’t Had Huge Academic or Sports Success
College is very expensive, even if you are attending a junior college for the first two years. There are so many weird and whacky scholarships available and not just to those who are academically or athletically inclined. Do a Google search to find more information on them. (I have hundreds of scholarships, their websites, requirements and deadlines listed in Shop for a Day with Jaci Rae – How to Get Almost Anything for Free or Next to It and due to space I cannot list everything I would like to here.)
Here are a few examples of fun and whacky college scholarships available to anyone:
1. David Letterman Scholarship
2. Stuck at the Prom Scholarship
3. Jennifer L. Duke Memorial Scholarship Fund
3. The Horatio Alger Scholarship Program for Overcoming Adversity
4. Great Clips Scholarship
5. The Brick Awards
In conclusion, saving money doesn’t mean you’re cheap, it means you are smart. The rich didn’t get rich by spending every last dime to impress their friends. Trust me! Please join me in May and June at the Learning Annex (you can attend live or online) for a three hour intensive course on how you can save money.
Remember, Life is Expensive, But Living Doesn’t Have to Be! You have this one moment in time, live it to the fullest!
Jaci Rae is a No. 1 best-selling author. For more information: http://www.jacirae.com or http://www.shopforaday.com. Shop For a Day With Jaci Rae – How to Get Almost Anything for Fre-e is Jaci’s latest book.
Types Of Synthetic Fabrics And Their Properties
Synthetic fibres are made from chemicals and can have superior properties to natural fibres such as cotton or silk. Synthetic textiles are made from either inorganic products or a mixture of organic ones and chemicals. Some can be strong and durable. Some might dry extra quickly and others might be absorbent or very easy to dye.
One example of a synthetic textile is acetate, which is made from the cellulose resulting from the deconstruction of wood pulp or cotton. Acetate is soft and silky and drapes well. It dyes well but does not absorb moisture easily which means it dries quickly. Acetate is resistant to mildew and shrinkage and is often used to make linings because it absorbs moisture from the body. Acetate is also used to make home furnishings such as drapes and bedspreads.
Another synthetic textile is acrylic which is soft and luxurious and also drapes well. It is not a heavy fabric but it gives warmth. It was originally used to make outdoor goods but now is common in clothing and carpet although pure acrylic can result in pilling. It can be dyed to bright colours. Acrylic is made from a petrochemical called acrylontrile.
Latex fabric derives from the latex fibre which comes from the milky or colourless sap of certain plants. It can be mixed with other fibres to make materials such as spandex. It is resistant to light and heat and is waterproof. Examples of latex products include gloves, soles and mattress pads.
Nylon is a polymide which is made from petroleum. It was discovered by a chemist named Du Pont. It is durable and lightweight. Nylon is quick drying and cleans easily because dirt does not cling. It can be static and does not absorb moisture so, if used it clothing, it can be clammy in the heat. Examples of nylon products include luggage, carpeting materials and hosiery because of its elastic recovery ability.
Polyester is soft and strong, resistant to shrinkage and does not stretch. It is a polymer which is produced from coal, water, air and petroleum products. It can blend with natural fibres such as cotton or wool or with artificial ones, to increase the fabric more durable and easier to wash. It can be used in clothing, filling for upholstery, floor coverings and insulation.
Rayon is created by the regeneration of natural materials. It is made from wood pulp and its properties are similar to those of linen or cotton. There are various types of rayon including regular, high tenacity, high wet modulus and microfibers. High tenacity rayon is strong and used mainly in industry. Regular rayon is often used in clothing. High wet modulus has high wet strength and microfibers are fine and silky.
Another example of synthetic textiles is spandex which can stretch up to 600 times and bounce back. Because of its elasticity, spandex is often used in apparel. It blends well with other fabrics, especially rayon, wool or silk. It is light and very comfortable to wear. Spandex is easy to dye and absorbs moisture and body oils. It is often used in hosiery and lingerie.
C and H Fabrics online at http://www.candh.co.uk/ offer a great variety of textile products including curtains, blinds and cushions.
Visit the Diamond Store for This Seasons Gifts
It is May and this is the time of year when gift giving can become very expensive. We start off having to dole out for Mom, and this is a gift that no one on the planet can escape from. Enter June and the wedding, bridal, and anniversary season. Depending on how social you are, this can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months. In the Italian culture it is not uncommon to have a wedding to go to every weekend for the entire summer.
Gift giving nowadays is getting much more complicated with the increase in technology available to us. It seems that everyone already HAS everything and finding that perfect gift is next to impossible. When it comes to jewelry however, the spring and summer months seem to symbolize the diamond and endless possibilities of gift ideas. The diamond is not just for the newly affianced anymore; it truly is a gift for everyone. The greatest advantage of giving a diamond is that it is a timeless gift, it will never go out of style and regardless of what you spend on it, it will only appreciate in value.
If you decide that diamonds are going to be the gifts you give this year, do not waste time at a commercial jeweler. Find an established diamond store in your area that specializes only in diamonds. The reason is you are going to find better quality diamonds, and a more unique selection. With the commercial retailers, all of their jewelry is mass produced, and that is reflected in their pricing. If you are looking for gifts as unique as the people you are giving them to, specialized diamond stores will be able to meet all of your needs.
The three C’s for giving diamonds as gifts are: cut, color, and clarity. Your diamond store will be able to help you with these. Cut is noted as the shape of the diamond and the terms will be princess, emerald, round, and so on. Color is the color of the diamond and they are rated from the letters D-X. The lower the letter in the alphabet, the better the color. So, the X range of diamonds is going to look on the yellow side. D is the whitest clearest color available, and consequently more expensive. Clarity is the quality of the diamond and its state of perfection. They are rated from flawless, to VVS1 and VVS2, VS1and VS2, and S12 SI2 and SI3, and I1 I2 and I3. A flawless diamond is just that, and the closer you get to the I grouping the more imperfections in your diamond. All of the choices you make for the big 3 C’s will depend largely on your budget.
Your diamond stores are going to be able to help you find the perfect gifts when it comes to your budget. Sometimes it is better to go for quality than size. Try getting a smaller diamond now, and you will have nicer color and clarity. Try to avoid a big diamond that is going to be full of inclusions and tinged with color. A woman that knows her diamonds will appreciate gifts in small packages if they are high quality.
Ajeet Khurana writes about life, the universe and everything. He recommends Gift Ideas at http://www.rollingidea.com Diamond Stores at http://www.diamondtrend.com/ and Business Gifting at http://www.giftingbiz.com
The History Of The Handbag
Whether you’re checking out the newest Louis Vuitton creation or more than happy with the tiny backpack that was so popular in the 90’s, you’re part of a long tradition that goes back to the Egyptians. Every woman has had the experience of knowing that she’s carrying exactly what she needs in her bag and being able to produce it with a flourish, but you may not have known that the experience goes back so far!
5000 years ago, during what is normally termed the Neolithic era, people had primitive pouches that in which to carry their worldly belongings. One of the oldest bodies ever discovered, that of Otzi, the Iceman, was found with a belt pouch around his waist. In ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, men are seen with pouches tied to their belts as well.
The first mention of handbags in written literature shows up during the 14th century in Europe, when men can be seen wearing fabric or leather bags that hung from girdles, which were a kind of fabric sash. Much like today, you could tell quite a bit about a person from the type of bag that they wore. People who could afford it would have their bags embroidered or set with jewels.
By the 16th century, there was a rise of bags that were carried using straps rather than tied to the belt. A variety of materials like leather and cloth were used and a variety of methods were found to decorate them. Less than a hundred years after that, men and women were carrying smaller bags with more complex shapes to them. These accessories could be fashion statements in and of themselves as young girls learned to embroider and personalize them.
During the 19th century, when women disliked the look of the handbag that was carried over the shoulder, handbags shrank again, were carried in the hand and were called reticules. The reticule served to transport things like rouge, visiting cards, and lemon water for scent; it was the 19th century equivalent of carrying some lipstick, a PDA and some perfume!
By 1900s, the term “handbag” came into circulation, but it usually referred to more masculine, hand-held luggage bags. These bulky items were shrunken and then decorated within an inch of their life by women’s fashion designers. The handbags become even more feminized with the addition of specialized internal compartments, decorative fasteners and locks.
The 1920’s saw the birth of the flapper, and to match the breezier, more carefree look, handbags became more artistic, with a focus on beading and elegant silver clasps. When King Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered, it resulted in many purses with an Egyptian motif. By the 1950s, many familiar names like Chanel, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton were making an appearance.
Today, handbags come in all manner of shapes and sizes, and there’s no telling what exciting new changes the next generation will bring!
C&H Fabrics online at http://www.candh.co.uk/ offer a great variety of textile products including fashion handbags, cushions and curtains.
Types Of Natural Fabrics And Their Properties
Natural fabrics are derived from the fibres of animal coats, plant seeds, stems and leaves, and silkworm cocoons. They are soft and breathable and UV light does not cause discoloration.
Coir is a natural fabric which is obtained from the fibrous husk of a coconut. It is stress resistant, bio-degradable and buoyant. Coir is used to make sacking, twine, doormats and items such as bags and ropes. Coir can also be used in construction and to improve clays. It is a good fabric to control soil erosion.
Cotton is one of the best-known natural fabrics. The fibre grows around the seeds of the cotton plant and cotton has been used since about 3000 BC. Cotton is soft, strong, flame retardant, hypo-allergenic and easy to wash. It is the most popular natural fabric used in making clothing. It is also used to make home furniture, bags and medical products. Heavyweight cotton fabric can be used to make items such as shoes and tents.
Hemp is quite unusual in that it is both very soft and durable. It can be used for many things from work clothing to home decoration such as table linens, dish towels and sheets. It has a great luster and dyes easily.
Another widely used natural fabric is jute. It is economical and strong, reusable and repairable. Jute fabric comes in a number of varieties including Hessian, CBC, sacking, a heavy fabric variety, jute yarn, webbing and non-woven felt. It is a good insulator of electricity and heat. Examples of items made from jute fabric include fashion apparel, soft luggage, backing for carpets, inner spring webbing for car seats and bags or sacks for packing.
A natural fabric with interesting natural textures is leather. Leather is elastic and soft and very comfortable to wear. It does not pick up the surrounding temperature so is comfortable in heat or cold. As well as being made into clothing and shoes, is also used for belts, sofas, harnesses, wallets and many other things. Various types of leather include suede, nubuck, embossed leather and aniline leather which shows all the natural textures and scars.
Linen is hypo-allergenic and protects against sun radiation. It has been used for over 10,000 years and is luxurious and comfortable. Linen is obtained from the flax plant. It is strong and can absorb up to 20 times its own weight in liquid. It is used for rugs, painting canvases and apparel.
Ramie is stronger than linen or cotton. It is obtained from the ramie plant. Ramie is strong, absorbent and can be dyed easily. Its uses include clothing, pillow cases, tablecloths, sacks and cable insulation.
The strongest natural fabric in the world is silk, which is obtained from the cocoons of silk worms. Silk is luxurious, beautiful and keeps you warm in the cold or cool in the heat. Silk is used in clothing, medical textiles and home furnishings.
Another very durable yet soft fabric is wool. Wool comes from sheep, goats and even Angora rabbits. It has been used in clothing for over 12,000 years. There are various types of wool such as chenille, flannel, felt, tweed and melton. Wool is warm and absorbs moisture well. Wool is used in blankets, carpets and clothing.
Fabric blends are made of different types of fibres twisted together. This can result in an item that is easier to clean, care for or more comfortable. Polyester blended with cotton is very common. Silk can be blended with wool to result in a subtle texture, for example in making ties. Ramie blended with acrylic results in a softer fabric which is easier to care for.
C and H Fabrics online at http://www.candh.co.uk/ offer a great variety of textile products including curtains, blinds and cushions.