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Have you considered your stress levels lately? I know that I have and it hit me pretty hard in the face. I couldn't figure out why I wasn't sleeping well, was tired all the time, kept catching colds quicker than I normally would, and even began gaining weight... until I stopped to evaluate. If...

Do you know what resources are available in your Community? I am amazed at how many programs and resources there are in each of our communities whose sole focus is to help people in some way. Some feed or shelter those in need, some specifically help women, and some specifically help men; I think it...

....Just understand it. If you do a simple Google search on "DMP," the list of articles and sites produced goes on and on, from definitions, to the companies that can help, to the companies that can't help. It is all there and it is all overwhelming! I was very scared and nervous two and...

Well, here we are. November already and Like it or not, the holiday season is upon us! I, for one, choose to like it. But it hasn't always been easy to enjoy what inevitably is a spendy season. One of my biggest challenges around this time of year is my tendency to procrastinate. My personal procrastination...

The fact that I am about to write a bit on the holiday season is so NOT me. I am not a holiday person and to talk about it this far in advance seems crazy, yet, not so crazy when you want your holidays to run smoothly and stress free. I grew up having incredible holidays - I come from an Italian, Catholic...

We all know that once you make the decision to marry someone you are tied to them for life (or at least that is the intention!). With this in mind, you know with all your heart that you truly love this person, but do you know everything there is to know about them.....financially? Romantic, right? Sure...

"I will never do that again! NEVER!" In my journey out of debt, that is one exclamation I found myself making time and time again. Most of the time my poor decisions were made out of necessity (i.e., making my mortgage payment on a credit card) or mental fatigue (i.e., throwing out mail from...

Those of you that have followed my posts know that this has been quite a year with regards to my wedding planning. We are (obviously) on a budget and were trying to do everything in our power to make things nice and easy. Well, as the title of my blog states, yes, I have ended up with 3 weddings! My...

Who would have thought? I am amazed at how much I have learned since I began taking charge of my finances and being thoroughly involved in all aspects of my money ways. So, what was it this time that surprised me? Honestly; I just asked. I had a tough month. I am sure each of us has been there. Nothing...

There are so many things happening in my life: deposits due for wedding events, bills to be paid, dogs to be cared for-- you get the point. Slowly but surely, things are falling by the wayside; and some luxuries that just don't make sense anymore, are still necessary. Specifically, I am referring...

If you're in a bad situation, don't worry it'll change. If you're in a good situation, don't worry it'll change. ~John A. Simone, Sr. Gets the point across, right?! These days is seems like the only thing we can count on is...change. I work in the Workforce Development industry...

Halloween is my favorite holiday; it's a holiday that is just plain fun and silly and creative. I don't have to reflect on what I'm thankful for; I don't have to ponder the real meaning of the celebration; I don't have to trot out my loving and romantic sentiments for the world to...

I can't believe I am getting ready to ask this.....Are you ready for Christmas? I know, I know, no one ever wants to think about the stress of the holidays before fall is even here, but they always sneak up on us and I am here to remind you: start early. If you start early, you can actually enjoy...

Okay, so these are not exactly lions, tigers, and bears....but, if you don't pay attention to them, they could be! Growing up, I never understood why my father was constantly telling us to, "turn off the lights" when you leave a room, "put a sweater on" if we were cold or, "turn...

Autumn is my favorite time of year. I love Halloween, spiced cider, comfy sweatshirts, and crisp, sunny days. Really, there's only one thing about fall that I find objectionable and that is that it leads into winter! These are the months to hunker down and feather the nest in preparation for dropping...

The year was 1990 and I was just about to start junior high. Eighth grade was a year of utmost Store social importance, as students from the district's two middle schools merged for the first time in the labyrinthine halls of the junior high campus. Like the beginning of any school year, there was...

The other day a van parked on my street. Two men got out, and one of them called to me, "Hey! You need some steaks? How 'bout some nice ribs? Can't get 'em any cheaper than this!" I might mention here that the van in question was not a clearly marked van of a local butcher or anything...

Summertime! That means vacation and fun and friends and amusements parks and picnics and lots and lots of things you want to remember! If you're like me, you're faced with the dilemma of being an artistically-challenged memory packrat. Scrapbooking is not my hobby - so many tools and products...

I want to have a party. Casual, fun, close friends. I want to celebrate the summer and relax a bit with the people I enjoy being around. We work hard, we deserve it! So, what is girl on a budget to do? I have a great house, but not big enough for anything larger than a dinner party. I have to consider...

To continue with my last post on exercising "on the cheap," here are some ideas for the other fundamental part of losing weight: eating healthy...and not breaking the bank. Eating healthy is not always easy; but with a little creativity, some willpower, and frugality it can be done! Here are...