Sunday, July 31, 2016

August Challenge

                                                       Hey Family How are you?

Here's the deal for August I feel like a challenge. It's a dollar a day challenge .This is how it works... You can either find a dollar, save a dollar or make a dollar each day for 31 days. After you have found, made or saved a $1 you take that money and you put it away. By the end of August you should have  $31 dollars stashed somewhere. You can take that $31  and put it toward  debt, a vacation, emergency fund, you decide. My goal is just to get you to start finding challenging ways to save money.  So I am starting with this dollar a day money challenge. You say saving a dollar a day is simple... You think so? I am here to prove to you that finding ways to save , make  or find a dollar each day is a challenge in itself. I have tried and failed. But I am trying again and this is coming from a person who is unemployed.

( Rules of this Challenge You can not take it from your paychecks or any other income you have coming it. You have to find new ways to get your dollar a day)  

Since August 1th lands on a Monday it's tomorrow this is a perfect challenge because it starts on a Monday. I have already started looking for my dollar for Monday. What I have done was I looked in my Sunday paper to see if there was any coupons I could use for the stuff I need to buy.  No luck there. So now I have to look for other ways to make my dollar a day. Oh even if you make $7 in one day  still counts as a dollar a day.  As long as you reach your goal of  $31 by  the end of the month that's all that matters and you  learn something.

I will keep you posted on my progress with this challenge and the ideas I have used to  find, save or make my dollar.

                                         Have a Great Cheap Cheetah Day!

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Cheap Summer Fun

                                              Hey Family How Are You Today?


                          Cheap Ways To Have Fun This Summer?


- Bowling - If you go on Sunday mornings before noon, the games are usually $1-2 each in my area. Sometimes special rates are available at other times as well.

- Park - during warmer weather, go to the park and play frisbee or swing on the swings! Pack a picnic lunch and bring a nice tablecloth/blanket to sit on, a thermos of cold lemonade, etc. During crisper days, make it a thermos of hot cocoa.

- Library - many libraries offer free movies (theater in library as well as dvd rentals). They may also have collections on display, book readings, author signings, lectures and more.

- Village outings - My current town offers free family movies in the park on Wednesday nights during the summer. My prior town offers free concerts in the park during the week (Thursday nights there) in the summer.

- Historical theaters - another source for free movies - our historical theater (renovated) offers one evening of free movies about once a month and during the summer they do morning free movies for the kids

- Museum - many museums have a donation-free day during the week for those feeling a bit of a financial bite

- Coupons - I get the entertainment book ($25) and am easily able to recoup my expenses with the 2-for-1 coupons during the year. This lets me get some less expensive outings and encourages me to try new places.

- Miniature Golf - check for coupons for 2-for-1 admission and also check for reduced fee times (similar to matinees at movies).

- High tea - hold high tea at your home with special sandwiches (cucumber, tuna fish, etc. with the crusts cut off and cut with cookie cutters into cute shapes), hot cocoa, small homemade cookies, etc. In the warmer weather hold it outside in your yard. Depending on the age of your children, invite teddy bears or dolls! Wear crazy hats and lace gloves.

- Cooking lesson - bake a batch of cookies together and use it as an educational time as well as being fun..

- Game night – Get together with friends for a game night – Pictionary, scrabble, monopoly, charades, whatever sounds fun. Can be customized depending on the ages of the participants. Create puppets from old socks and put on a show (use a clothesline and a curtain for a stage) for the family or neighborhood.

- Botanic Garden or Arboretum - I happen to belong to an arboretum and consider the expense worthwhile for myself. They have LOTS of activities for members during the year - including special concerts, bike riding for members only on Friday and Saturday evenings during the summer, plays, and more. Many of the member events are free, some cost money but you get reduced admission fees. Even just going and sitting in the grounds or walking the trails can be fun and relaxing. It also comes with reciprocal admission to other parks and gardens. This has proven wonderful.

- Tourism - check out the convention and visitor's bureau for your town or the chamber of commerce for hidden gems - you might be surprised to discover state parks, historical plaques and buildings, and more that you didn't even know were there in your town!

- Craft activity - have a private craft hour with your child, making some special item (could be artistic or functional, such as stepping stones). Could just use recycled items like toilet paper tubes and egg cartons with leftover paint and glitter. Heck even a potato can be cut to be a rubber stamp!

- Zoo - check to see if your local zoo has reduced admission days. Also look for smaller zoos that may be less expensive or wildlife rehabilitation centers.

- Rental movie with a theme - you could do 2-3 movies with a theme, like baseball day or movies set in the orient and then match the food to the movie theme (such as hot dogs or stir fry), maybe decorate the room a little bit along the same lines (baseball peanuts with the kids names on them from construction paper; paper lanterns from construction paper)

- Philanthropic - spend the day doing something special for others - participate in a river clean up, help an elderly person with household chores like painting or raking leaves, help at the canned food pantry - this can raise an appreciation in your kids to remind them that the best things in life don't come in boxes with bows and that you are truly always blessed because things COULD be worse!

- Gardening - plant seeds and tend them together in your own vegetable or flower garden. If your kids are really young, easy plants would include marigolds, sunflowers, lettuce, radishes, etc.

-Schools (Grammar/High School/Community Colleges/Colleges) – a lot of schools offer wonderful plays, choral concerts, poetry readings and more and they are often open to the public for free or reduced entrance fees.

- In the winter, go to watch local carolers, go to the town tree lighting ceremony, the town parade, etc. Build an igloo or snowman if you get enough snow. Watch for your park district's winter fest event - many times they have free hay rides, hot cocoa or cider, ice sculpture contests, etc. Drive (or walk) around and check out the light displays at houses in your neighborhood.

- In the spring, visit the flowers - go looking for the best display of daffodils, tulips and other spring flowers, watch for Easter festivities (if you celebrate it) from the park district or stage your own Easter egg hunt in the park or your backyard. See if one of the local park districts offer maple syrup days and taps their own trees.

- In the summer, go strawberry picking, visit local gardens (many offer free admission days), visit the forest preserve or lakefront beach. Go camping (in your own backyard if you can’t get away). Visit local wineries and participate in a tasting. Watch the fireworks (and keep an eye out – sometimes they have them at carnivals or minor league baseball games throughout the summer). Go cloud watching or star gazing (try to identify the constellations).

- In the fall, go for a drive to find the most beautiful fall leaves. Make a scarecrow, make homemade apple cider. Find a place that crushes it's own apples and learn about the process. Pick apples and make a homemade apple pie or can homemade applesauce or apple butter for Christmas gifts.

- Check for local factory tours - many of these are free and some of them are really neat. I went to a glassblowing factory once and not too far from us is a jelly belly jellybean factory.

- Watch for the hometown carnival events. Often times they have free events running concurrent - jugglers, mimes, children's craft tents, etc.


Read the newspaper carefully for free events in your town. You might be surprised, when you actually start looking for them, how many are offered! Most common places to watch are libraries, park districts, museums, historical societies, hospitals (safety fairs, community education, etc.), forest preserves, etc.
                                           Have A Great Cheap Cheetah Day!

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Traditional Or Progressive

                                          Good Morning Family, How Are Your Today?


Are you Progressive or Traditional with Financial Transacting.

                                                          A Progressive:
  • Gets Paid via Direct Deposit
  • Pays all bills Online (this includes Rent and Mortgage)
  • Receives all Statements/Bills in email or Online
  • 50-60$ is the MOST cash ever on your person at any one time
  • Uses ATMs and Cash Back exclusively
  • Pays For most Purchases with Plastic
  • Loves E-Ticketing (Bus, Train, Air, Sports, Movies, Concerts)
  • Uses Self Checkouts and Kiosks with No Problem

                                                     A Traditional:
  • Gets Paid by Paper Check
  • Uses a Human Teller or Check Cashing Store
  • Paper Statements come in the Mail
  • Writes Checks, Buys Stamps, Mails monthly Bills
  • Will frequently have more than 100$ in Cash on their Person
  • Pays for most purchases with Cash
  • Goes to the Counter to buy Tickets
                           Which one are you? Have a Great Cheap Cheetah Day!

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Are You Weak???

                                                     Hey Family How Are You Today?

What I really want to know is are you weak financially? Or better yet what is your weakness. Here are some examples so a that you will get a better ideas of what I am talking about.
 Do you shop online to the point where they deny your credit cards because you have maxed your limit.
 Do you buy way to much gas station junk food.
Do you buy to many books or magazines that you never get a chance to read.
What about the gambling and the lotto tickets how much do you spend on that a week or even a day.
Do you buy to much fast food or  over priced stuff in the supermarket.
Eating out to much
Spoiling your children with stuff they really don't need.
Redecorating your home every other month.
These are some of what I call financial weakness. You just can't say no when it comes to buying certain things that are really not needed. Personally my weakness is lotto tickets . I have spend so much money  trying to chase the millions it's not even funny. So tell,me what's your weakness?

Have a Great Cheap Cheetah Day!

Friday, July 15, 2016

Money In The News!!!!!

                                                    Evening Family How are you?

Just wanted to remind you that this Monday July 18th at 10:30On The Cheap Cheetah Money Show we will be talking about Money In The News ™. With so much sadness going around It's time that we get a good laugh at some of the crazy money stuff that our newspaper offer. So join me and lets talk Money In The News www.blogtalkradio.com/cheap-cheetah
                                       Have a great Cheap Cheetah Day!

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Laugh


                                                   Hey Family How Are You Today?

         I just wanted to laugh with you today so I am sharing these cute comics. Enjoy your Tuesday!
                                                             Have a Great Cheap Cheetah Day!

Friday, July 8, 2016

Emergency Funds

                                                  Hey Family How Are You Today?


Do you agree that $1000 is enough money to have for an emergency fund. When paired with the advice to cut up your credit cards and  go on a budget. Is $1000 really enough? What if you have a serious emergency like a car breaking down, your have to fly out of town for some reason, you have medical/ dental bills not covered by your insurance? How about you have a plumbing problem like I did and it cost me $600 to fix. What about this you get sick and you have already used up your sick leave at work so now your staying home because your sick with no income coming in? Is $1000 really enough to cover your bills or an emergency for say 3 months let along 6 months. What do you think? You get what I am saying $1000 barely covers one basic emergency let alone a group of them. So what do you think? Have a Great Cheap Cheetah Week!

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Cheap Eats!!

                                                       Hey Family How Are You Today?
I just got this in my e mail this morning and I wanted to share it with you. Cheap eats at your local IHop for a limited time only. You know it's going to be packed at most of the IHops. Because  of this promotion.. If you go let me know how  good your experience was and how good did the pancakes taste . I always wanted to try their banana pudding pancakes but I know it's much to sweet and  since I am a diabetic that's out for me oh well.. Have a great Cheap Cheetah Day

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Emergency Fund Vs Debt

                                              Good Morning Family How Are You Today!


Emergency fund vs. Debt
I'd maintain a sufficient emergency fund for the portion of your expenses you cannot pay with plastic, which might be rent or might not but most other things you can, and then enough to make the minimum payments for six months assuming you started putting everything on the card and paying the minimum. Essentially plastic becomes your emergency fund if you need it. No reason to have a bunch of money sitting around doing nothing while paying 18% on debt that you already have if you can pay off the debt and use the plastic for your emergency fund. If you can not pay off the debt in a reasonable time, I might not bother. If you can qualify for a 0% card and pay the 3%, I'd do that. do you believe that as long as you pay off your credit cards monthly that's it's alright to use them as your emergency fund?
Have a Great Cheap Cheetah Day!

Sunday, July 3, 2016

Happy 4th

                  Much Love From The Cheap Cheetah Money Show!

Friday, July 1, 2016

How To Relax On The Cheap!

                                               Hey Family How Are You Today!



                                                  How  To  Relax On The Cheap!

What are some things you find relaxing that don't stress your budget. Here's  are some suggestions. I'd love to learn about new ways to relax as well:
  1. Cycling through nice neighborhoods (really relaxing, especially in the evenings)
  2. Cleaning/working on my car. I don't drive my car much so it never really gets too dirty or too broken down. So there's no great pressure for me to work fast. I enjoy this. And I'm adding value to the car so that's a huge bonus
  3. Walking. Sometimes I'll walk instead of bike ride. Again, I like walking through nice neighborhoods where I can admire the manicured yards and well thought out architecture
  4. DIY pedicures. Really relaxing doing a foot soak while watching YouTube haha
  5. Cleaning. Cleaning anything I own and admire is relaxing to me.
  6. Cooking something healthy and tasty that doesn't leave the kitchen in too big of a mess
  7. On nice summer evenings I enjoy just sitting out in lawn chairs, having a couple drinks while cooking on the grill.
  8. Garden, farm and yard work is both relaxing and rewarding.
  9. I can hunt and fish pretty much in the back yard and enjoy that tremendously.
  10. Taking the dog for a walk and bringing her back all muddy, wet and tired.
  11. A good bonfire with family or friends. 
  12.  Getting A good Book from the Library and taking to the beach to read.
            These are just a few suggestion . Tell me how do you relax on the cheap!

                                             Have A  Great Cheap Cheetah Day!