This week on the Well Trained Mind forum, we have been discussing homeschool curricula that has been dumbed down. The OP posed the question of whether or not homeschool curricula has been made easier over the years. My position, was yes indeed, much homeschool targeted curricula has been written to make things "easy" for us uneducated, plain old moms to administer to our less than enthusiastic students. As the homeschool market gets bigger and bigger, many mainstream companies as well as new independent companies targeted at the homeschool market are producing inferior products designed to entice homeschooling parents into an easy out.
I think as a homeschooler, we need to be aware of our goals and keep them firmly in sight. Some of us focus on academics, some on family closeness, some on family independence from the "system," some on spiritual development, some on bringing their sn kids along, some providing a challenging program for their gifted/talented kids, etc. Most of us a combination of these reasons.
I homeschool for academic pursuits and well as relational pursuit. When I started homeschooling...it meant being home, coming along side your children and teaching and discipling them. The "resources" were not as important as the goals.
Just to put this in perspective...when I started homeschooling, no one had a computer in their home and when my first graduated, there were NO online, real time courses. By the time my next dd graduated 3 years later, you could do your entire high school in front of a monitor...in a co-op....by message board...by curricula written directly to the student....no parent involvement.
It is almost like we need to apologize for simply homeschooling without all the bells and whistles, AP classes, CC classes, co- ops, online courses, etc...and the sooner the better....sigh. I do not want to hang my head and explain that we stay home to home school. That I am my kids primary, and only teacher and no, I am not worried about them going to college, because I am preparing them well for that endeavor.
And yes, homeschool curricula has been dumbed down. Much of it has been written to make it "easy" to teach and learn from, easy to box check, easy to fulfill a state requirement, easy to say you did it, when in fact you didn't. Some homeschool only curricula is just basically " here is what I did with my kid and he turned out ok, $100.00 bucks please.".
What turned me off to Sonlight, was Sarita Holzman's daughter went to Public High School...so here she is writing high school homeschool curriculum, but didn't trust herself enough to use it herself I will probably get bombed for that one, but that was my feeling about Sonlight high school courses for a really long time.
I love that small classical schools will now share their curricula with us mere homeschoolers...and continue to because of the dollars and cents involved...but they (Veritas Press) will tell you flat out that there is no way you can give your own kid a rigorous education unless you send them to a Classical School, but since you don't live near one, or you would( their assumption, not mine). We will let you use ours...and now, let us get fancy and offer online classes (which were sub par in my opinion) and online interactive lessons (haven't tried these.). Face it...we are a great market...we have $$$ and if made to feel particularly inept, we will buy pretty much anything , especially where our little scholars are involved.
The onslaught of homeschool curricula is fed by fear...fear that we won't measure up to Public and private schools, fear of failing our kids, fear of not keeping up with the Joneses, and the curricula marketers feed this fear, produce more and more inferior products that we can't possibly produce a well educated child without, or makes homeschooling so easy, anyone can do it and produce excellent results, without breaking a sweat.
Then, we have on the other hand.....leave'em alone, let them do what they want, as long as they are home, they are doing more than the public school nonsense. If Johnny doesn't want to do math today, or tomorrow, someday he will. Maybe, but not probably.
I am not for semantic purity...and I hybrid homeschool sometimes, especially in the upper grades, but it is what it is. I think educational choices are wonderful, and when I need to farm out a class, I have no problem doing it, especially if one is available. I could not teach my high schoolers everything they needed...we hybrid home schooled. My 16 year old is apprenticing under his dad right now and taking outside trade related classes. I could NOT teach him how to pass the EPA exams or how to service an oil boiler....
I could not teach my oldest how to use in-design or photo shop pro, or how to use oil paints. She took classes for those things.
I do not think classes in and of themselves are bad things, on the contrary, I like to have them in my arsenal.
I guess my problem lies in parents who do not want to send their kids to public or private school...but somehow try to farm out every dang subject, refuse to teach their own kids anything including plain old manners and discipline, get annoyed when there is homework involved, then claim they are homeschooling....ummmm, no, not so much.
It also gets my goat when curriculum developers write materials that us dumb moms can pass off to our kids to make our jobs easy. Homeschooling is not easy, it is hard! It takes precedence over every other interest. It consumes my time and energy. It causes me to ask myself very hard questions and then forces me to answer them. I don't want to purchase junk...and I don't want to hand junk off to my kid doe because the experts say it is "enough".
What I love are well written, sequential, clearly written manuals that can be tweaked and supplemented easily to personalize it for my children. That is why I love TWTM. It speaks to me.....I can move my children through the stages of learning without feeling constrained by an badly written curriculum.
I am ranting now...sorry.......
Faithe
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Remediation?? Or, a different timeline...
I often get frustrated by "grade level" materials because my kids seem so far "behind" what is expected of their peers in the early grades. It is frustrating because it makes me feel as if I need to push them way beyond their maturity and readiness levels to "keep up" with what would be expected of them in the public school arena. I do not teach essay writing until my children are adept at writing paragraphs. These paragraphs need to be well formed, well written withour grammatical or spelling errors. They can not be boring and their sentences must not only flow but show a varied structure. I do not teach paragraph writing until my kids are comfortable and adept at writing sentences, lots of sentences, strong, simple sentences and even stronger complex sentences. I do not teach writing sentences until my children are comfortable writing words. Their mechanics must be down. They must bve able to write copywork and take longer dictations. They must be able to narrate and orate.
All of these foundational skills take time. Some kids take to them like a fish to water...and others...not so fast.
I have to constatly remind myself that the Public School is not the standard I wish to emulate.
I constantly have to remind myself that the goal is to create lifelong independent learners who can think deeply and rightly.
I need to constantly remind myself of the failure of the system to produce learners and thinkers...and also remind myself not to rush...rush...rush.
Even the way the WTM levels are beyond my kids in the early years...however, it is funny that somehow they end up in the Rhetoric stage by 9th or 10th grade even though we do not begin many of the subjects as early as recommended. We do lots of reading and talking and asking and researching answers in the early years. We try to create many many pegs to hang info on as well and lay firm foundations in reading, math and writing mechanics...copywork...narration, summarizing, outlining, sentence analyzing, rewriting in our own words etc....bring us to that point of essay writing...precis writing, term paper writing, creative writing, poetry writing etc. If we barrel through the skill areas...through the school of hard knocks, I have learned the faulty foundation can not produce thoughtful worthwhile writers.
What disturbs me is these skills are not grade level, but skill level. And, skill levels vary at different ages and there can be growth spurts and then a leveling off...then another spurt. All of this is natural within a developing brain.
Homeschooling gives us the opportunity to be sensitive to the ebb and flow of material. It gives us the opportunity to build a firm foundation in both skill and content areas, while adjusting the pace for the particular student. Even siblings do not grow at the same rate. We must be careful not to weary in building those foundations, and we must not be afraid to back up and shore up a wobbly foundation when one is discovered.
All of these foundational skills take time. Some kids take to them like a fish to water...and others...not so fast.
I have to constatly remind myself that the Public School is not the standard I wish to emulate.
I constantly have to remind myself that the goal is to create lifelong independent learners who can think deeply and rightly.
I need to constantly remind myself of the failure of the system to produce learners and thinkers...and also remind myself not to rush...rush...rush.
Even the way the WTM levels are beyond my kids in the early years...however, it is funny that somehow they end up in the Rhetoric stage by 9th or 10th grade even though we do not begin many of the subjects as early as recommended. We do lots of reading and talking and asking and researching answers in the early years. We try to create many many pegs to hang info on as well and lay firm foundations in reading, math and writing mechanics...copywork...narration, summarizing, outlining, sentence analyzing, rewriting in our own words etc....bring us to that point of essay writing...precis writing, term paper writing, creative writing, poetry writing etc. If we barrel through the skill areas...through the school of hard knocks, I have learned the faulty foundation can not produce thoughtful worthwhile writers.
What disturbs me is these skills are not grade level, but skill level. And, skill levels vary at different ages and there can be growth spurts and then a leveling off...then another spurt. All of this is natural within a developing brain.
Homeschooling gives us the opportunity to be sensitive to the ebb and flow of material. It gives us the opportunity to build a firm foundation in both skill and content areas, while adjusting the pace for the particular student. Even siblings do not grow at the same rate. We must be careful not to weary in building those foundations, and we must not be afraid to back up and shore up a wobbly foundation when one is discovered.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Day 21..Travel Center????
Set up a Travel Center today. Include travel lists, travel documents, travel accessories, frequent flyer information, travel destination files, and books on travel. Complete instructions follow. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 136)
OR for serious simplifiers only...
Travel with carry-on luggage and skip the lines at the airport. Make a drop-dead short packing list and stick to it! Light travelers are free and independent. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 142)
For me...this is ridiculous. I don't travel, unless you consider a 45 minute ride to visit my daughters traveling....or a sprint to the grocery store etc. We take a family vacation once in a very blue moon...but not often enough to warrant going all out on setting up a travel center...so, I put my attention elsewhere...and set up an errand center. I do go on my weekly all emcompassing trip into town....and I hate forgetting anything that I might need for the week. So, I thought an errand center would make the most sense.
My errand center consists of a pad and pen on my desk....this is to write down what we need for the week. Everything goes on this list...from pet food, to school supplies, to decorating items, to groceries, prescriptions, library stuff...you name it, I write it down. I also make sure my cloth shopping bags are ready and in the trunk of my car. As the week goes by, I have a box in the trunk of my van...and anything that needs to come into town...returns, repairs etc.....into the box in the trunk. I store my cloth bags in the car....bags of used cloths that are for donations...into the trunk.
The night before errand day, I plan my route...and plan a nice lunch with the kiddoes. We also make sure we spend a nice time at the library. We treat errand day like a treasure hunt...the kids also bring some of their earned money for that little car they just have to have...or the new Owl City CD....or new colored pencils.
So, my errand center is set....and I like having that all simplified. :-)
Faithe
OR for serious simplifiers only...
Travel with carry-on luggage and skip the lines at the airport. Make a drop-dead short packing list and stick to it! Light travelers are free and independent. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 142)
For me...this is ridiculous. I don't travel, unless you consider a 45 minute ride to visit my daughters traveling....or a sprint to the grocery store etc. We take a family vacation once in a very blue moon...but not often enough to warrant going all out on setting up a travel center...so, I put my attention elsewhere...and set up an errand center. I do go on my weekly all emcompassing trip into town....and I hate forgetting anything that I might need for the week. So, I thought an errand center would make the most sense.
My errand center consists of a pad and pen on my desk....this is to write down what we need for the week. Everything goes on this list...from pet food, to school supplies, to decorating items, to groceries, prescriptions, library stuff...you name it, I write it down. I also make sure my cloth shopping bags are ready and in the trunk of my car. As the week goes by, I have a box in the trunk of my van...and anything that needs to come into town...returns, repairs etc.....into the box in the trunk. I store my cloth bags in the car....bags of used cloths that are for donations...into the trunk.
The night before errand day, I plan my route...and plan a nice lunch with the kiddoes. We also make sure we spend a nice time at the library. We treat errand day like a treasure hunt...the kids also bring some of their earned money for that little car they just have to have...or the new Owl City CD....or new colored pencils.
So, my errand center is set....and I like having that all simplified. :-)
Faithe
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Day 20. Mindful of the Mundane.
Today, practice living in the present---not in fast forward or reverse. Do one mundane job with your full attention. When you pay attention in your daily life, whatever you do becomes transformed. Step 1. Sit still for a few minutes before beginning the next activity on your To Do list. Focus on your breathing. When you feel calm, centered, and grounded, turn your attention to your task. Next, walk slowly to the site of your task. Step 2. Now do the job slowly and deliberately. Perform this act as if it were your last. Step 3. When mental and physical distraction arise, remind yourself to refocus. If the interruption is about something you must do later---such as calling the plumber---write it down and return to your chore. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 131)
OR for serious simplifiers only...
Sign up for a week-long retreat that requires you to be silent. A week of silence will be one of the most renewing weeks of your life. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 135)
I like the mundane. I like the simple. I like putting myself into a mindless task and making it mindful. I like folding laundry and praying for every child as I fold their socks and undies and shirts and pants. I like cutting up veggies and fruit. I like washing the floor and making it shine when my back is in good order. I like the methodical work of weeding the garden. I like hanging clothes our on the line one piece at a time...clip by clip. I find it very spiritual to be engrossed in the simple activities of the day. Our culture is so rush ....rush...rush...get it done...NOW! In it's mentality. This is hard for me. The rush for production seem almost anti-productive. The more I try to go faster...the more my feet slip.
Being a homeschooling mom, there is always a long lists of needs.to.be.done. Academics, housework, spiritual and moral training, meals, yard work, laundry. There are books to be read...there are groceries to be bought...lessons to be planned meals to be cooked. There are emergencies to tend to..boo boos to kiss...swings to push and heinies to wipe. It is never ending....which is also a mantra in itself. Gott get it done.
When we embrace the day to day..the simple...the rote...it becomes meaningful and even enjoyable.
Today, I learned to sit still.....for 10 whole minutes...I sat. I closed my eyes and I breathed very deliberate, mindful breaths. I cleared my mind of the "gotta do-s." It was pleasant.
Off to mindfully cook dinner...lol
OR for serious simplifiers only...
Sign up for a week-long retreat that requires you to be silent. A week of silence will be one of the most renewing weeks of your life. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 135)
I like the mundane. I like the simple. I like putting myself into a mindless task and making it mindful. I like folding laundry and praying for every child as I fold their socks and undies and shirts and pants. I like cutting up veggies and fruit. I like washing the floor and making it shine when my back is in good order. I like the methodical work of weeding the garden. I like hanging clothes our on the line one piece at a time...clip by clip. I find it very spiritual to be engrossed in the simple activities of the day. Our culture is so rush ....rush...rush...get it done...NOW! In it's mentality. This is hard for me. The rush for production seem almost anti-productive. The more I try to go faster...the more my feet slip.
Being a homeschooling mom, there is always a long lists of needs.to.be.done. Academics, housework, spiritual and moral training, meals, yard work, laundry. There are books to be read...there are groceries to be bought...lessons to be planned meals to be cooked. There are emergencies to tend to..boo boos to kiss...swings to push and heinies to wipe. It is never ending....which is also a mantra in itself. Gott get it done.
When we embrace the day to day..the simple...the rote...it becomes meaningful and even enjoyable.
Today, I learned to sit still.....for 10 whole minutes...I sat. I closed my eyes and I breathed very deliberate, mindful breaths. I cleared my mind of the "gotta do-s." It was pleasant.
Off to mindfully cook dinner...lol
Day 19. Run Fewer Errands....
Today, create a box for errands. You can use a great-looking basket, plastic tub, or shopping bag. Whatever works. Keep it by the door and fill it with film to be developed, shoes to be repaired, purchases to be returned, and papers to be taken to the copy center. On errand day, take the box in the car. When you come home, it will be empty. What a feeling! (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 123)
OR for serious simplifiers only...
Run errands just one day a week. Designate a particular day and write it on your calendar. Obviously, some errands are urgent and cannot wait for Errand Day. Learn to discern the difference between urgent and non-urgent errands. To run fewer errands, look for the underlying reasons behind your errands. Then eliminate the reasons! (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 130)
When I began homeschooling, one of the first things I realized was that I had to be HOME if I wanted to homeschool. I also realized we had set ourselves up to live on one income...and back then, it was a rather meager one. So, I learned to try Nd make all my trips into town on e a week. As time went on, and my older kids were involved in more outside activities, I found myself on the road constantly. I put 26,000 miles on my car the first year I owned it!! Those were all driving kids back and forth to swim practices, art
Lessons, music lessons etc. This year our lives have taken a turn to the calmer (I hope) as the older kids are all in college or working in the field with daddy....and my younger kids are re-settling into a home lifestyle...which works better for me. I had run myself ragged and physically exhausted....I like being home.
Anyway, I keep 2 baskets by my front door. One is a collapsible cloth shopping basket...and another big wicker basket. Both have handles and are pretty to look at. The wicker ones hold gloves, hats and scarves in the winter, and sun caps, sunglasses and other stuff you grB Shen leaving the house. My shopping basket holds anything that needs to be given back to its rightful owner, toys other kids left here...their socks, sippy cups, books etc. I also keep su screen, a few dollars in the zipper pouch, my sunglasses, and anything else I need to grab on my way out. In the summer, I grab the whole basket on my way out. I pack it with sunscreen, goggles, towels and off to the pool we go....
I also have a cloth library bag that hangs from my coat rack. As we finish our library books they go in there. On my way out to the store, I grab the bag....
So, anyway....my older ds blew the engine in his car...and now the only days I have for errands are either Tuesdays or Thursdays...so Thursdays it is! All week long I have a pad and pen on my kitchen desk...and as we use up...I write it down. As I find a need ...I write it down. On Wednesday, I make up my itinerary for the next day. I try to include a trip to the library....and I also take my kids out for a light lunch. It breaks up the chore parts and we have time to chat. This week we have about 9 stops...so we will quickly do our Bible story and reading...then off into the world! I will try to make sure I get all that we need in that one trip.....anything else dh will have to pick up during the week....and that is always hit or miss.
I find being a list Akers makes it so much easier to get organized and be productive. ....
More later.
OR for serious simplifiers only...
Run errands just one day a week. Designate a particular day and write it on your calendar. Obviously, some errands are urgent and cannot wait for Errand Day. Learn to discern the difference between urgent and non-urgent errands. To run fewer errands, look for the underlying reasons behind your errands. Then eliminate the reasons! (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 130)
When I began homeschooling, one of the first things I realized was that I had to be HOME if I wanted to homeschool. I also realized we had set ourselves up to live on one income...and back then, it was a rather meager one. So, I learned to try Nd make all my trips into town on e a week. As time went on, and my older kids were involved in more outside activities, I found myself on the road constantly. I put 26,000 miles on my car the first year I owned it!! Those were all driving kids back and forth to swim practices, art
Lessons, music lessons etc. This year our lives have taken a turn to the calmer (I hope) as the older kids are all in college or working in the field with daddy....and my younger kids are re-settling into a home lifestyle...which works better for me. I had run myself ragged and physically exhausted....I like being home.
Anyway, I keep 2 baskets by my front door. One is a collapsible cloth shopping basket...and another big wicker basket. Both have handles and are pretty to look at. The wicker ones hold gloves, hats and scarves in the winter, and sun caps, sunglasses and other stuff you grB Shen leaving the house. My shopping basket holds anything that needs to be given back to its rightful owner, toys other kids left here...their socks, sippy cups, books etc. I also keep su screen, a few dollars in the zipper pouch, my sunglasses, and anything else I need to grab on my way out. In the summer, I grab the whole basket on my way out. I pack it with sunscreen, goggles, towels and off to the pool we go....
I also have a cloth library bag that hangs from my coat rack. As we finish our library books they go in there. On my way out to the store, I grab the bag....
So, anyway....my older ds blew the engine in his car...and now the only days I have for errands are either Tuesdays or Thursdays...so Thursdays it is! All week long I have a pad and pen on my kitchen desk...and as we use up...I write it down. As I find a need ...I write it down. On Wednesday, I make up my itinerary for the next day. I try to include a trip to the library....and I also take my kids out for a light lunch. It breaks up the chore parts and we have time to chat. This week we have about 9 stops...so we will quickly do our Bible story and reading...then off into the world! I will try to make sure I get all that we need in that one trip.....anything else dh will have to pick up during the week....and that is always hit or miss.
I find being a list Akers makes it so much easier to get organized and be productive. ....
More later.
Day 18 results
I did it!!! I really , really did it. I stopped procrastinating and opened a family company on my quickbooks program. I back entered all of our income and expenses from January 1, 2011 and even balanced the checkbook and credit card accounts!
Then, since dh brought home a lovely new to me 4 drawer file cabinet, I decided to attack the files too....so I emptied out my old broken and falling apart cabinet...cleared out all the old paperwork and made up new files for our 2011 expense receipts. I also made files for all of our car titles and maintenance, property deed, birth certificates, wills, social security cards....insurances etc. I also let my older kids know where everything was...so in an emergency, they would know where to look.
I then put all the older papers into expandable files...wrapped with a rubber band...and up in the attic they go. I have dated the file, so I will know when it is ok to toss. I also made a file for all of our appliances and electronic equipment with the software discs, extra cords etc. Wow!! It feels great!
Ok...off to look at day 19 & 20.
Faithe
Then, since dh brought home a lovely new to me 4 drawer file cabinet, I decided to attack the files too....so I emptied out my old broken and falling apart cabinet...cleared out all the old paperwork and made up new files for our 2011 expense receipts. I also made files for all of our car titles and maintenance, property deed, birth certificates, wills, social security cards....insurances etc. I also let my older kids know where everything was...so in an emergency, they would know where to look.
I then put all the older papers into expandable files...wrapped with a rubber band...and up in the attic they go. I have dated the file, so I will know when it is ok to toss. I also made a file for all of our appliances and electronic equipment with the software discs, extra cords etc. Wow!! It feels great!
Ok...off to look at day 19 & 20.
Faithe
Monday, April 4, 2011
Day 18....Financial Simplicity
Happy Monday to you!
Day #18's task is:
To achieve financial freedom, first figure out what you have and then manage it well. Today, collect your documents that are associated with large assets---documents for your car, house, investments, and so on---and put them in one filing cabinet called Assets. For your house: file your deed, purchase contract, closing papers, title policy, and insurance papers. For your investments: file confirmations, year-end statements, and tax reporting forms. For cars: file ownership papers, registration documents, and insurance papers. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 116)
OR for serious simplifiers only...
Don't use your credit card for three months. Be resolute. Or, every time you use your credit card, deduct the amount in your checkbook. Better yet, trade in your credit card for a debit card. It automatically withdraws the amount from the bank. You'll spend less.
Attacking the finances! I have been working on taming this beast for a while...and I am sort of getting it. If only I could reign in dh's spending.....he just doesn't always realize the impact on our general finances. He works so hard, so it is difficult to deny him anything he wants if we happen to have the money available...even if it is earmarked for something else....sigh.
So....my financial rules
1. Pay your savings account first...every week...no matter what. Decide what is a reasonable amount and set it aside. No cheating!
2. Christmas comes every year...no matter what...it comes...so, how much do you want to spend? Split that amount up by 40...and start putting that amount away weekly...no more credit card debt there.
3. Pay your credit cards in full every single month. If you can't afford it....don't buy it. If you have to pay down credit cards....pay off your smallest first, then put that amount towards your next card and so on until it is all paid off.
4. Pay extra principle on your mortgage...and your car payment every month...over time it adds up to much less interest you have to pay.
5. Re- use...recycle...do without. If I don't need it...I don't buy it. Period!
6. Watch those sneaky expenses...cash ones etc. Coffee....snacks...impulse buys.....give yourself an allowance each week for these kinds of things. We all need a treat...budgeting for them makes the cost not sneak up on you.
This year I had intended on putting all of our expenses into my quickbooks, but just never got to it.....maybe this is the incentive I need!
Day #18's task is:
To achieve financial freedom, first figure out what you have and then manage it well. Today, collect your documents that are associated with large assets---documents for your car, house, investments, and so on---and put them in one filing cabinet called Assets. For your house: file your deed, purchase contract, closing papers, title policy, and insurance papers. For your investments: file confirmations, year-end statements, and tax reporting forms. For cars: file ownership papers, registration documents, and insurance papers. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 116)
OR for serious simplifiers only...
Don't use your credit card for three months. Be resolute. Or, every time you use your credit card, deduct the amount in your checkbook. Better yet, trade in your credit card for a debit card. It automatically withdraws the amount from the bank. You'll spend less.
Attacking the finances! I have been working on taming this beast for a while...and I am sort of getting it. If only I could reign in dh's spending.....he just doesn't always realize the impact on our general finances. He works so hard, so it is difficult to deny him anything he wants if we happen to have the money available...even if it is earmarked for something else....sigh.
So....my financial rules
1. Pay your savings account first...every week...no matter what. Decide what is a reasonable amount and set it aside. No cheating!
2. Christmas comes every year...no matter what...it comes...so, how much do you want to spend? Split that amount up by 40...and start putting that amount away weekly...no more credit card debt there.
3. Pay your credit cards in full every single month. If you can't afford it....don't buy it. If you have to pay down credit cards....pay off your smallest first, then put that amount towards your next card and so on until it is all paid off.
4. Pay extra principle on your mortgage...and your car payment every month...over time it adds up to much less interest you have to pay.
5. Re- use...recycle...do without. If I don't need it...I don't buy it. Period!
6. Watch those sneaky expenses...cash ones etc. Coffee....snacks...impulse buys.....give yourself an allowance each week for these kinds of things. We all need a treat...budgeting for them makes the cost not sneak up on you.
This year I had intended on putting all of our expenses into my quickbooks, but just never got to it.....maybe this is the incentive I need!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
