MOM'S TAXI

Last week my car was in the shop for its annual checkup.  I have the tendency to wait until the very last minute to take it in to be inspected each year, mainly because I know it will take some time and $$$ every year to get it road worthy once again.  This time it needed a new engine mount, and a power steering fluid leak needed to be fixed.  I'm very grateful that my DH had just been paid for a job and was able to cover the inspection and the repairs for me.  Thank you DH!!♥♥♥

Yes, I am very glad to have my car back.  I'm also grateful that DH has a reliable car that I was able to commandeer last week to keep Mom's Taxi Service up and running.  Of course that meant that I had to add an extra passenger to my normal daily clientele, since DH had to get to work and back each day too.  One day (was it Wednesday or was it Thursday?  Right now it's all one big blur. .) I figure that I spent between five and six hours in the car, in addition to my five or six hours at work, plus the daily dinner and laundry etc.  Yes, it made for a long day, and a long week.   I do like and appreciate my car.  It has its own idiosyncrasies, but it fits me.  The seat is comfortable, and adjusted to my legs, and the mirrors to where I like and need them.  It no longer moans and groans (thanks to sufficient power steering fluid), is now legal and registered, and gets me where I need to go.  I may complain a bit about all the running around I end up doing, but I must let you in on a little secret:  As long as it isn't raining or snowing and the traffic isn't horrendous, I actually quite enjoy the job!  Hooray!  Mom's Taxi is now back in service.

Million Dollar Diva Book Review

Author Tristi Pinkston recently asked me to read and review her latest book, Million Dollar Diva, which she co-authored with Brett Kitchen and Ethan Kap. I received a free copy of this book, but have not received any other compensation for this review.  For a limited time, you can also order a free copy of her book from the Million Dollar Diva website (http://www.milliondollardiva.com/).  Here is the back cover description of this new book:

Finally--the woman's answer to growing rich safely! Women today face more money challenges than ever before, from managing careers and families to finances--the demands on their time and resources are increasing. Bad financial advice abounds, and it can be hard to know what to do. Award-winning author Tristi Pinkston teams up with bestselling authors Brett Kitchen and Ethan Kap to bring you Million Dollar Diva. Experience Tristi's real-life transformation from struggling in debt to million-dollar retirement!

In this book you'll discover:


• The 5 step, simple safe, and predictable process to change living paycheck-to-paycheck to enjoying wealth and security.


• How to give yourself a $400 per month raise without asking the boss or working a minute of overtime.


• "Spend Like a Diva" How to have anything you want--nice vacations, eating out, trips to the mall. It's all part of the plan!


• The secret formula of how to completely eliminate your debt in 1/3 the time and save tens of thousands on interest costs in the process. You'll see why all the TV gurus are wrong!


• 5 Million Dollar Diva investing strategies that will grow your money safely and predictably every year, without the guesswork.


• Plus! Discover the key to stop fighting and quarreling with your spouse about money forever!


Imagine yourself living debt-free and building a million-dollar retirement safely and securely, so you can have total confidence in yourself and your future. YOU CAN BE A MILLION DOLLAR DIVA!


I picked up Million Dollar Diva the day it arrived to glance through it, and ended up finishing the entire book that same evening. The book is a quick and easy read, yet it is filled with strategies for increasing your income, eliminating debt and investing wisely. The authors also explain how all of the areas of our lives are impacted by our financial situation. Money isn't everything, but everything in our lives is affected by our financial situation, so we need to learn how to control it.

The first few chapters of the book introduce us to Tristi, her co-authors, and Tristi's desires to improve her financial situation.  The authors explain how closely our financial situation is tied to our emotions, and how important it is to carefully track spending so we can control it.

Chapter 5 outlines strategies for driving down debt and lists the url for the Million Dollar Diva website (http://www.milliondollardiva.com/) where for a limited time (Until June 15, 2012) you can order your own free copy of the book.  (You will be responsible for the $5.95 shipping and handling charge.)  You can also download free apps for your phone to help you track expenses, and request a free Million Dollar Diva Blueprint to guide you in paying off your debt in half the time you thought possible. The website includes a blog authored by Tristi Pinkston where she chronicles her experiences in following the strategies introduced by her co-authors.

Although I would have liked to see more advice on budgeting and limiting the use of credit, the authors did share personal stories of how learned as youth to not expect entitlement, and to work for what they need. I'm not totally convinced  that the strategies outlined in this book will enable me to "Spend like a Diva" and fulfill my financial dreams, but I did like Chapter 8, where I read one of my favorite pieces of advice:

"Becoming a Million Dollar Diva requires both sides of the coin---paying off your debts and starting your wealth account. And I mean today. Not tomorrow. Not next year. Not after your debts are paid off . . . pay yourself first."


The authors then go on to share their thoughts on safe investing for retirement and other future needs. I have always believed in setting aside some savings every paycheck, and have often tried to do so, but the money always seems to disappear before the account grows very large. For some time I have been planning to set up an automatic withdrawal from my paycheck to a savings plan through my work, and this chapter has inspired me to set things in motion. I know that I need to pay myself first!

Brett Kitchen, Tristi Pinkston, Ethan Kap 

This book is not intended to give individual tax or investment advice, but is intended to introduce some unique and powerful concepts and strategies to help you improve your financial situation.  If you, like me, feel that your financial situation could use some improving, this free book and website may provide the help you are in need of.

 Million Dollar Diva is also available for purchase through Amazon.

The Perfect Date

I just had to share this clip from the movie Miss Congeniality, one of our favorite movies.  Yes, today, April 25th just happens to be just about the perfect date.  Today was not too hot and not too cold.  I didn't even need a jacket!  I did have to work (I am grateful for my job), but I also found some time to trim the raspberries and even move a few of the shoots to a new location. 

I love spring!  I love that I can garden!

Jobs

We have been very blessed during the past few years with good job opportunities in our family.  I guess it comes with the territory of having young adults needing to pay for their educations and preparing to leave the nest and support themselves.  My DH and I are proud of all of our children and how well they have worked and studied and prepared themselves to be contributing members of society.  All are currently employed except for DD4, a high school junior who is currently looking for her first job.  So far all of them have been able to finance their own college educations through work, scholarships, and grants.  If there was a need for a temporary loan from us, it was paid back in full.  Even though not every job has been exactly what was hoped for, we're grateful that we have been able to finance these educations without outside debt and loans.  In just the past two weeks DD2 and DD3 have secured wonderful new jobs in their chosen fields of study that should allow them to continue their educations without debt.   It is a wonderful blessing to our family. 

The past few years have actually been quite the struggle for DH and I financially.  The family business has not been doing well due to the economy, but we both have  outside jobs that have so far allowed us to care for the basic needs of our family.  They are not the jobs of our dreams, but we are very blessed and grateful for what the Lord has seen to bless us with.  We have faith that our present situation will not last for too many years, and that the Lord will continue to guide and direct our paths so that we can continue to care for our family and for each other.

A to Z Challenge: Apostles

I'm unofficially joining The Blogging from A to Z Challenge April 2012.  I missed the official signup somehow, and just this morning found my way to the official site and figured out what it is all about.  Anyway, I hope no one is offended, and I'm not even promising to actually produce a blog post every this month, but it does sound like fun to try.  My DD2 just finished a 30 day blogging challenge, and even though  I know her as well as most and even better than some, it was very enjoyable for me to read her daily posts this past month.  Day 1:  Apostles

source

When Jesus Christ lived and ministered on the earth 2,000 years ago, he called Apostles to assist him in his work and ministry.  Today the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is organized with prophets and apostles just Christ's church was organized in ancient times.

The first day of  The Blogging from A to Z Challenge April 2012  just happens to fall on the 2nd day of the 182nd Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I have spent the day listening to many uplifting and thought provoking messages  presented by today's Apostles and Prophets of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  You can watch and listen to these messages right here at the church's official website, and by Thursday of this week the text of these messages will also be available.  I know that these men are true witnesses and messengers of Jesus Christ, and we would all do well to listen to and abide by their teachings.

Yellow Legal Pads



In one of my recent Eleven Random Questions Tag posts on my other blog I shared how I don’t enjoy writing by hand. The typewriter, and then the computer have been and continue to be huge blessings in my life. Although I love receiving handwritten notes and letters, I rarely write them myself any more, something I’m sure that I should do more often. As for trying to write a manuscript by hand, I just would not even try. I’ll jot down a note or two if I’m not near my computer when the muse strikes, but then it goes to the computer the very first chance I get.

Yellow legal pads are somewhat of a Howes family tradition. My DH has a large supply that he uses for the family business, and my father-in-law always used them faithfully. There are several occasions each year when I now faithfully use and love my own yellow legal pads. One of these occasions is coming up this next weekend: The 182nd Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.


(click on this picture to learn more about Prophets and General Conference)

The traditional semi-annual conference of the church is a time when I can literally sit at the feet of prophets of God and take notes about what God wants me to be doing during the next six months. Who else in the history of the world has had this opportunity? Not many. We are so blessed in this day to have a living prophet, called of God. Thomas S. Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has been called of God as a prophet, seer, and revelator. He has counselors and twelve apostles who have also been called to testify of God the Father and Jesus Christ. We are so blessed in this day to have the technology where we can literally sit at their feet wherever we are in the world, and listen to their counsel through the means of radio, television, and internet broadcasts. Within days, transcripts of their messages will be available to the entire world on the church’s website and lds.org, and within a month, these messages will be sent around the world in the church’s Ensign and Liahona magazines.

In the past I have been known to engage in various activities such as baking, cleaning, sorting laundry, embroidery etc. while listening to one or more of the four main general conference sessions. Several years ago I started using yellow legal pads to take notes for myself, and now I find it difficult to do anything else during general conference. If something mentioned particularly resonates with me, I can mark it so that I can go back and review that bit of information, and hopefully put it to use in my life. We are so blessed to have such close access to the word of God directed to us in our day. If you have never listened to a prophet of God speak, I challenge you to take the time to listen this weekend. And you may just want to have a fresh yellow legal pad handy . . .

(Check local program listings for availability in your area, or visit bonneville.info, byubroadcasting.org, ksl.com, mormonchannel.org, or mobile.lds.org for more information.)

I Love Spring



Spring is officially here!  I love the longer days.  I love the blooming flowers.  I love sunshine and warmer weather and digging in the dirt and planting seeds.  I love that DH thought of my need for new garden tools and suprised me with them.  I love that the weeds have not yet overwhelmed the garden.  I love that winter always ends and spring comes bringing hope and new life!