In Him

The Climate Change Diet 

~ Buy fresh, locally-produced food, which has less distance to travel and therefore uses less fuel.

~ Eat fewer processed and refrigerated foods, which take more energy to manufacture, transport and store.

~ Waste less food – about one-third of the food we prepare is thrown away uneaten. Don’t over-order in restaurants, and eat smaller portions.

~ Drink tap water, not bottled water, which uses large amounts of energy to produce.

~ Reduce the amount of meat and animal and diary products we eat. Meat is much more energy intensive and requires proportionally more land to graze animals than crops. Instead, eat foods lower down the food chain – grains, fruits and vegetables that are cheaper to grow, use less energy and less land space.

~ Buy foods in season – seasonal products generally use less energy to produce.

I just worked out that dinner for our family tonight cost a grand total of $4.85!  I bought Black and Gold Spaghetti and Cheese for .59c each today.  Heinz Baked Beans is $1.73 each (salt reduced!) and a loaf of bread is $2.20 which contains 22 slices so that is .10c a slice - so

a half a can each for the girls                   0.59

and a can each of beans for Dave and I      3.46

plus 2 slices of toast each                        0.80

                                                         = $4.85

A cheap, easy (Friday night, not gonna cook) filling meal. 
And WAY cheaper than takeaway (that costs $20 at the very least).

I read this small article in the May edition of the Challenge newspaper.  Some good advice. 

Family Finances

So many of us get trapped into a discontented life by adopting needlessly excessive goals. These goals always boil down to more, bigger, best. And as soon as we accept these sky-high standards, indulgence, greed, and pride can rule our lives.

In our society it is not normal to “step down.” Instead, once a certain level of income (or spending) has been attained, it is considered a failure to step down. But, is the concept of conservation and moderation really a loser’s attitude? Not according to God’s Word, the Bible.

To find true contentment, some basic guidelines must be established.

1. Establish a reasonable standard of living.

Since there is no universal plan that is suitable for everyone, this must be a standard established among husband, wife, and God. Just having an abundance is not a sign of God’s blessings.

2. Establish a habit of giving.

Find out how your family can be directly involved in contributing to the needs of another family. There are many Christian charities and organizations that act as a funnel for such funds. If you can’t be personally involved, this is the best alternative.

3. Establish priorities.

Many people are discontented, not because they aren’t doing well, but because others are doing better. Too often we let the urgent things take priority over the important things.

4. Develop a thankful attitude.

Thankfulness is a state of mind, not an accumulation of assets. We will not have true contentment until we truly thank God for what we have, and willingly accept that as God’s provision for our lives.

5. Reject a fearful spirit.

We can get trapped into hoarding because we fear the “what- ifs?” of retirement, disability, unemployment, or economic collapse. Obviously, God wants us to consider these things and even plan for them, within reason, but when fear dictates us to the point that worry becomes the norm rather than the exception, then we need to rethink our priorities and seek God’s wisdom.

Finding contentment is the solution to reversing the growing debt levels in our society. Contentment does not mean complacency or living according to strict rules. Contentment instead requires a personal relationship with God and finding His plan for our lives.

Lloyd Woodrow - Crown Financial Ministries - crown@crown.com.au
Copied from Challenge Newspaper May 2008 edition
http://www.challengenews.org/showstory.php?i=2008/may&s=story_4&r=2008/may/&l=AU&f=NKNE

I receive a newsletter from Simple Savings. Some may have heard of this site by seeing it on Australian current affairs programs or just from friends/family.  The following story is written by Colin Cook.  People are always adding creative ways to this website on how to save money.  Some are more helpful than others.  If you apply only a handful you can still save money. 

We decided to get rid of the $96,000 mortgage on our home within three years.

The massive load of interest we would pay to the bank was over the top and we felt that the bank owned us. The entire family bought into the project one hundred percent.

1) We replaced the nice modern cars with older, less costly ones. The net difference and any savings we had and $700 from a garage sale were paid off the mortgage.

2) We agreed to budget as if we were in a life and death war and the war had to be won in three years. I developed an Excel budget spreadsheet and we tweaked the numbers until we had a ‘do-able’ weekly saving of $220 extra to pay off the mortgage. Clothes purchases would be done exclusively at ‘Harrods’, our Salvation Army shop, until the war was over.

We decided to run any item not budgeted for over three ‘hurdles’.

The first hurdle was ‘could it shorten the mortgage war?’

The second hurdle was ‘is it a health issue?’ and if so what was the least-cost workable solution?

The third hurdle was ‘could it wait until the end of the three years?’

3) As time progressed we became pretty smart at reassigning money to reward ourselves for enduring the war. This meant we could have a low cost take away sometimes, or spend on an out of budget item we had set our hearts on.

It took nearly four years to knock off the mortgage. Yes, we won the war a little later than hoped, but we won. If it had taken eight or nine years to win, it would still have been worth it.

The legacy of our war against the mortgage is that we have developed great money saving skills for life. And life is great.

Simple Savings is an Australian website offering information on how to save money in simple practical ways for a minimal cost.  I’ve been a member for 3 years now and have more than paid off the initial $47 (for 12 months, subsequent renewal is cheaper) in the first year, or even first shopping trip, I’m sure!  Check it out, there are menu planners, calendars, a monthly newsletter and weekly hints like the one above.  The website has forums where you can discuss ways to save and what others are doing as well as question recipes which have been posted etc.

I am a part of the huge Flylady.net group.  I follow her principles in my own little way.  I received this email the other day and thought I’d share as it’s one that may apply to alot of people (unlike myself, I don’t actually wear makeup).

Dear Flylady,

As this week’s mission is the bathroom, I think I need to share a
story and add a request to the week… at least twice a year. Please
toss old make up.

A few months ago, my face broke out in little itchy bumps along one
cheek. This moved around my face a while, and stopped over one eye.
My eye became puffy; my eyelashes itched. I broke down and went to
the doctor, who told me that the culprit was an infection caused by
old makeup. I had to toss everything out, give my face a rest, take
meds, and go to the expense of buying everything all over again. (Not
entirely unpleasant, until I got to the check out line.)

Anyway, could you suggest to the other FlyBbabies that they throw out
their old makeup? Unlike food, makeup doesn’t tend to look or smell
spoiled, so we tend to hold on to it for months… and then years. This
isn’t good for us. New makeup can get cross contaminated by the
microbes in the older creams, powders, mascaras that we keep around.
Older makeup actually drags our face down, clogs our pours, makes us
look older, and can, as in my case, infect our skin.

Thanks!
FlyBaby B

Kelly here: I am so sorry that this FlyBaby learned this lesson..but
we can all thank her for sharing her story.

So…..take a few minutes and head to the bathroom right now..and
start tossing. Don’t get caught up in what you spent or how you might use it in the future..toss it….don’t end up with some kind of infection from old makeup!!!!

Here is the link to Real Simple Magazine’s website and their information about how long to keep make up and other products.

Beauty Expiration Dates
Your products won’t last forever, but here’s a comprehensive list of cosmetics and how long you can expect to keep them

Anti-aging and acne treatments: Three months to a year. Antioxidants are easily oxidized, so be on the lookout for any changes in color.

Body lotion: Two to three years, particularly if it’s in a pump container.

Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel: About three years.

Bath oil: One year.

Sunscreen: Check the package for an expiration date.

Mascara and liquid eyeliner: Three to four months. Make sure you’re diligent about replacing these items to prevent contamination and infections.

Eye and lip pencils: Three to five years. Sharpen them before each use as a way to preserve them and keep them clean.

Lipstick and lip gloss: Two to three years.

Foundation: About two years. Most bottles are designed to last that long. And if you don’t use it, chances are you didn’t love it to begin with.

Perfume: About two years. To get more mileage out of a perfume, resist the temptation to display a pretty bottle on your vanity. Instead, stash it away in a cool, dark place.

Nail polish: One year.

Hairstyling products: Three to five years. Most are alcohol-based, which helps preserve the formula.

Bar soap: Up to three years.

Shaving cream: About two years.

Deodorant: Up to two years.