Starting the year with LOVE

Well, as far as my minifesto goes....
I did go to church this evening. I wanted to see what the Saturday service was at a church near me. I can't really say that I enjoyed it.  I preacher kinda rambled and there wasn't anything pretty to look at when I got bored.  Also, they seemed a little "old school" theologically.
I am going to go to my home church tomorrow if I have something I can wear :-)  I think it will be a refreshing renewal to go back and see everyone.
 

Coincidence?

At the library today, I checked out some interior design books. While there, I found the book The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches by Jeff Yeager. I haven't read it at all but it opened to the page entitled: 101 Free or Very Frugal Things to Do. I loved that each entry had a website devoted to it.

Some of those mentioned were:
Cloud Gazing
Dream Interpretation
Fish Watching?
Free Factory Tours
Pitching Pennies
and my favorite........ Napping

Obviously there are many more listed but I hope to learn some more from this book and have a great year.

Minifesto Tracking
1,5 and 6

2013 Minifesto

This is labeled as a minifest and not manifest because hopefully it will be updated during the spring.

So here it is:

For Winter 2013:

1. My word for the year is "Adore".
2. I will work Monday-Friday like a spider monkey jacked up on Mountain Dew
3. Weekends are for playing only :-)
4. I will go outside for at least 20 minutes everyday. Hopefully walking or exercising.
5. The KitchenAid Ice cream maker will be used frequently
6. Meals will be prepared by me and I will know the ingredients in them
7. Friends and family will be contacted weekly.
8. Church will be on Satudays and Sundays

Goodness, that seems like a great deal of items. I think I have done mind, body, spirit, and social aspects of my life. I am not sure if I missed any areas but since I will be updating this frequently, I am sure I will add when something is needed.

Happy 2013

Free Attractions

Wll, as many of you know, yahoo.com has come out with a list of free attractions that you can visit.
Best Free Attractions.  It mentions Great Smoky Mountain Park as #2. WooHoo!!!
Even though it is free, I must admit I haven't taken advantage of it as I should.


One thing I have noticed is that when you slow down and take time, you can find some great places to go that are free.  I was walking from the library to the post office and found the cutest little area near our visitor's center that I had never noticed before.  There was a swing, picnic tables and a little stream running by. Since, you can't see it easily from the road I never would have found it if I hadn't been walking.

Even the the great money pit that can be Gatlinburg, we found a cute little park that you can stop for a little rest and playground.  Of course, Gatlinburg is part of the Great Smoky Mountain park system, but this was behind a shopping area.  We wouldn't have found it, if parking hadn't been so bad.

Organization Help

My computer gets filled with many documents that get started and forgotten.  One such document is one named "Luxury Items for Free".  Yikes! The cool thing is that there are items that I had forgotten about. 
Here is the list:

Luxury Items for free (or almost free)

• Ironed sheets
• Using good china and tableware
• Good glasses
• Reading on the porch
• Candlelight evenings
• No work Sundays
• No electricity day
• Food prepared just the way I like it
• Playing ribbon with my cat
• Snuggling with my cat
• Dining “al fresco”
• Playing solitare
• Walking in the park
• Massages in the chairs @ Kohl’s, Walmart or Bed Bath & Beyond

I love that I found it again but hate that I lost it in the first place. Fortunately, this blog is one way in which I will be able to find them again.

Another valuable resource I have found is called: The Happiness Project Toolbox

This site is a companion to the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

The site allows you to make Resolutions, Lists, One Sentence Journals, Group Resolutions, and save Inspiration pictures and quotes, all for free!! I have really enjoyed using it.  In fact it has helped me keep up with maintaining blog entries, flossing and when I last clipped my cats nails. 

Of course I recommend reading the books, which is great!  Don't forget that your library probably has a copy for free!!! :-)

Survey says...

One of the ways that I am learning to be resourceful is to use surveys.

 

Physical surveys:

The receipts that i get when shopping usually has some type of survey that you can take if you go online and five them your feedback.
I love this idea for serveral reasons:

1) You get something. Occasionally is it money off your next order, a free cookie, etc.  Oftentimes it is an entry into a sweepstakes.  While that is not an immediate payback, you can't win if you don't enter:-)

2) Another reason that I like this, is that you get to give the  company YOUR OPINION. I enjoy buying items made in USA.  When I fill out surveys, and they often ask what they can do better, i always point out that I try to buy American made products and wish they would display it more prominently.  I don't know if it helps, but at least I could tell them my thoughts.

3) This allows me to remember to save my receipts. I then have the receipts to put into Quicken. Also, I have the receipt if I need to return something.  That is a great help in putting money back in my bank account.

Online surveys:

One of the places that I go is e-rewards.com.  When there, you take surveys and get "money" in your account. You can then turn in the money for rewards.  I most often use my money to get free miles on my Delta Skymiles account.  I was able to help a friend get to college by transferring it into her account. 

Being resourceful

One of the best ways to get free luxuries is to first look at what you already have at your disposal. You can start with the basics.
Read the owner's manuals of what you have. You would be surprised at all the different features that are available now on most items.
After reading my car's manual I found out I have a pollen filter that can be turned on and off, many gas saving features. . Even traditional cell phones have many features, calculators, reminders, etc.
This also goes for kitchen appliances, blenders, and other accessories.

Of course computers have so many features it is hard to even list them all.
Just remember to Know What You Have and Use It so You Don't Lose It.