Resolve to Improve Your Finances in 2004
by James H. Dimmitt
Kick off 2004 with these 7 money resolutions and get a fresh financial start to the new year. At year’s end, you’ll be surprised at how much you’ve reduced your debt load and the money you’ve saved!
1) I will create and use a budget.
A budget helps you see exactly where your money is going from week to week and month to month. Creating and using a budget, no matter what your income level, will help you reach your financial goals more easily than without one.
2) I will use my budget to help reduce my credit card debts.
Let’s say you are able to save $20 a month by budgeting your money. You could take that $20 and place it in a savings account where you would earn minimal interest. Or you could use that same $20 and add it to your budgeted credit card payment reducing your credit debt in two ways. You’ll be reducing the amount you owe your creditor and you’ll also reduce the finance charge on next month’s bill.
3) I will pay more than the minimum due on my credit card bills.
If you just pay the minimum due on credit card bills, you'll barely cover the interest you owe. It will take you years to pay off your balance and you'll end up spending thousands of dollars more than the original amount you charged.
4) I will make my payments on time and avoid late fees.
Making late payments adds to your debt load and may increase the annual percentage rate (APR) your creditors charge you. Additionally, late payments are reported to the credit reporting agencies and negatively affect your credit rating.
5) I will not use my credit card at an ATM or a bank for a cash advance.
Cash advances on credit cards are assessed special fees and higher interest rates than what you pay for purchases made with your credit card. Creditors apply the majority of your monthly payment to your purchase debt rather than cash advance debt which increases the overall amount of interest you’ll pay to your creditor.
6) I will spend my money sensibly.
Using your budget, you may find that you’re spending a good chunk of your income on discretionary items: morning coffee and donut, a weekly magazine, fast food lunches, etc. Each purchase seems like a small amount of money at the time, maybe $3-5. But these small purchases add up quickly and amount to hundreds of dollars a year. Ask yourself if you really need these items and reduce your amount of discretionary spending. Use your savings to pay down credit card debt.
7) I will live within my means.
Are you an impulse buyer? Do you use your credit cards to supplement your income? Do you feel the need to have the latest fashions, cars, stereos, etc.? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are good that you are overspending. And overspending means more debt - debt that will keep you from achieving your financial goals.
10 Reasons Why Your Cat Loves You
by Larry Chamberlain
There are plenty of reasons why your cat loves you. Ten of the main reasons are listed below. Enjoy!
1. You provide food - Cats love food and they love you for giving them that food. If it wasn't for you, they'd go hungry, and of course, if it wasn't for you, they wouldn't get those tasty scraps of meat after a meal. Those crunchy little biscuits aren't half bad either.
2. You clean the litter tray - You always keep their bathroom area very clean. After all, cats are very clean animals, and they're very appreciative of the work you do in cleaning out their litter tray, as well as the area around it. Poor things, they can't help spraying litter all over the floor!
3. You are a great companion - You're always there to play with th 
10 Reasons Why Your Cat Loves You
Recipe
.............................................................................
Safe From Strangers
by Gary Direnfeld
There are few thoughts as terrifying as the abduction of your young child by a stranger. The fear causes parents to think long and hard about their children’s safety. They tell them in a very clear voice, “Do not to talk to strangers.”
The problem is though, that a child’s view of a stranger is very different from a parent’s view. From the child’s perspective, because a stranger is someone they are supposed to be afraid of, they expect a stranger to look ugly or scary. In fact, few, if any strangers actually look like the child’s notion. Then to make matters more confusing for children, we teach then to respect and listen to their elders and be polite. Then as role models, children see us talk to people we have never met before, day in and da Safe From Strangers
Recipe
.............................................................................
Help! I've Got a Pregnant Cat!
by Larry Chamberlain
So, you've got yourself a pregnant cat.
Was it a stray that adopted you? You heard a plaintive meowing, opened your back door and there she was. You won her confidence, gave her some scraps and a drink of water, spent some time petting her and then left her to it. Next day she's back. And before too many days have passed you decide that as she has no collar, no address tag, that you have got yourself a cute new companion.
As well as not having an address tag, she also didn't have a sign reading "I am a pregnant cat".
Or perhaps you've had your cat since she was a little bundle of kitten fur. She was always going to be a strictly indoor cat, no need at all to have her spayed, she was never ever going outside, she would never be a pr Help! I've Got a Pregnant Cat!
Recipe
.............................................................................
Spend More Time With Your Family This Holiday Season: Host A Caroling Party
by Rondi Hillstrom Davis and Janell Sewall Oakes
Too often we forgo entertaining because of the mere thought of all of the preparation that is involved. And more is not better. Often we try to out do each other with lavish parties and expensive gifts. Stop and remember for a second what was important from your own childhood. Was it an outing? Baking cookies with your grandmother? Building a snowman with your dad? We need to connect. This doesn’t require more time, just shifting the focus of the time we already have. Here, a casual party and a very simple activity were the catalyst that brought everyone together.
To get the entire neighborhood into the Christmas spirit we planned a caroling party.
The day before our guests arrived, my kids and I spe Spend More Time With Your Family This Holiday Season: Host A Caroling Party
Recipe
.............................................................................
CookDojo.com
