First of all, we should not be listening to the media and accepting the fear they’re handing out.  Ultimately, God is my source of prosperity and I will not panic when the economy around me is looking grim.  The economy will bounce back; it has had these ups and downs throughout our whole nation’s history.  Our economy runs on bubbles and the next bubble is brewing.  We are coming out of the housing bubble, before that there was the dot.com bubble.  I have heard that alternative energy could be the next bubble.  So we shouldn’t live in fear that our country could sink into another great depression.  We should, however, be WISE with our money in times like these (for that matter, all the time).

In general, it is not wise to make large, unnecessary purchases in times like this.  Wait to buy that toy when the economy is doing better.  It is also a general rule to have (at least) three months salary saved up in case of layoffs or job loss.  You would want to put money into this fund BEFORE your IRA or retirement fund.  If there was a layoff or job loss situation, you wouldn’t want to pull your money out of retirement funds and have to pay the penalties and extra taxes.  In general, in good times and bad, you should be saving 10% of your income.  This is your rainy day fund; you never know when you need a new dishwasher, oven, or washing machine.  Most importantly, get out of debt, if you have any.  Debt is bondage; the Bible tells us that the borrower is SLAVE to the lender.  I’m not talking about house debt here, which is widely regarded as an investment, but all other debt that is typically on items that depreciate (lose value), like cars, televisions, appliances, and of course credit card debt.  If needed, get some help, check out someone like Dave Ramsey.  And above all, don’t stop giving!  (Luke 6:38)

If you don’t have a budget, you need to sit down and write one out.  Many people feel that a budget will restrict them, but in reality it does the opposite, it brings freedom.  With a budget you no longer have to live paycheck-to-paycheck, you won’t have the stress of wondering how you will pay for that car repair.  You can go and buy fun stuff, guilt-free, when you have a budget.  There is a Biblical principle at work here, too.  If you are believing for financial prosperity and increase, now is definitely the time to budget your money, control your spending and manage your money wisely.  When you are faithful with least, you will be blessed with increase.  When you are UNfaithful with the little that you have, you won’t be able to handle increase and therefore won’t be blessed with increase.  (Matt. 25:21 & Luke 16:10) 

When you write out your budget, think of EVERY category that you spend money on, not just the basics, like house, gas, and food.  If you have a once yearly expense for termite protection on your house, split that expense into 12 monthly payments and set that money aside.  Then when the bill is due, you have all the money to pay it.  Set aside a certain amount for car repairs, house repairs, household decorations, dining out, entertainment, and even an allowance of sorts.  This allowance, one for you and one for your spouse, allows for frivolous spending without guilt.

We started doing an envelope system.  Each month we divide our paycheck into various envelopes, like oil changes, car tags, lawn spray service, groceries, gas, etc.  With my utility bills I figured up what my average was, using my last 12 bills.  If my current bill is below the average, then I set aside the difference, in cash, in the envelope.  If it is over, then I pull the cash out of that envelope and put it in the bank to cover that bill.  So as far as my budget is concerned, my utility bill stays the same every month.  I hope that makes sense.  Every so often we do need to re-evaluate those utility bills and adjust our budget.  I noticed recently that the rates had increased on my electric bill.  Now, if you really need some discipline in this area, stick to cash only and use your envelopes.  Take groceries, for example, figure what you SHOULD be spending and take your cash to the store.  Don’t let yourself use the debit/credit card or checks, only spend what cash you brought.  I brought my calculator to the store with me for several months until I got in a good routine.  I would add up my items as I shopped so that I knew what my total would be before I got to the checkout.  Then there is no embarrassment when you need to put certain items back if you are over your limit. :)

Now if you write out a budget and realize that you can’t save 10% of your income or your expenditures exceed your income, you need to find ways to cut back.  There are many ways to cut back that most people don’t think matter, but it’s the little things that add up.  You can cut out the daily Starbucks, take a sack lunch to work instead of eating out, cut back on dining out in general, cut out the tanning, nails, gym membership (workout at home), housekeeper, and expensive haircuts and color (go to Sally’s and do your own color).  Review your bills and see if things can be changed.  Are you on the right cell phone plan?  You can cut back from digital cable to basic cable, or cut out cable altogether.  We cut out our land line years ago and just have cell phones.  You can increase your deductible on your insurance to save on the monthly fee (but be aware that if you have to make a claim, you will pay the higher deductible).  Organize and clean out closets and cupboards.  You will realize there are things in your house that you forgot about and thought you needed to buy.  Have a garage sale or post your items on eBay.  Visit your local library to checkout books, CDs, magazines, and DVDs.  Skip the theater and wait for the DVD, it only takes four months now to be released.  Can your Netflix be downgraded?  They have plans that start at $5.00 now.  Also, check out Redbox, an automated rental vending machine system in local grocery stores.  You can go online and reserve your movie and then go up to the local store and pick it up.  The best part is, their movies are ONLY $1.00 each!

Often, cutting out the above-mentioned unnecessary items makes a big difference, but what if you don’t spend money on those items and you still need to cut back?  Now you need to get into FRUGAL mode.  I will tell you ways I am frugal, but you can get a lot more ideas from a publication like The Tightwad Gazette, it’s available at the library.

First get rid of temptations, don’t go to the mall if you can’t handle it.  I HATE shopping, so the mall isn’t a temptation to me, but I did like to ogle over catalogs.  This created wants that didn’t exist before.  My mental list of things just kept growing and growing.  I finally recognized the problem with this, so I started throwing away the catalogs the minute they came in the mail and the funny thing is, they don’t come any more!  I didn’t think junk mail EVER stopped.  I didn’t even have to protest like Kramer did.  :)  Seriously, turn off the TV, do whatever you have to do to get rid of the temptation to spend money.  I realized this was an issue with the weekend newspaper, too.  We cancelled it because the coupons didn’t justify the purchase of the paper and then I recognized that each week I was looking over the sale ads, it just made me spend more and want more.  It’s certainly okay to buy things you want, but DON’T let advertising MAKE you want something!  I especially watch this in my children, they only get to watch a fraction of the commercials on TV and we are always discussing marketing on packages.  I really only used to screen commercials for the clean/family viewing factor, but one day we were watching America’s Funniest Home Videos and a pharmaceutical commercial came on.  I didn’t bother to switch the channel because there wasn’t anything lewd on it.  Then, all of a sudden, my son said, “I need that.”  I looked up and realized it was an ad for a sleep aid for insomnia!  My 8 year old does NOT need to THINK that he needs a drug to help him go to sleep.  I had to explain to him that commercials are temptations; they make you THINK you need things when most often you don’t!  A legitimate advertisement informs you of a service or product WITHOUT trying to appeal to your flesh (sex sells), your eyes (think about the shampoo commercial that shows the woman with super-shiny, thick, lustrous hair), or your ego (think car commercials).

This brings me to my next point; identify your needs and your wants.  Cut out the wants.  This can be hard, sometimes, often our wants look like needs.  For example, I have a gas grill in my backyard that is about 11 years old.  The handle on the front has broken off, the flame isn’t consistent; it has hot spots, and the starter button has broken; we have to use a lighter to ignite it.  Many would say that I need a new grill, but I don’t.  I could stand to buy a new set of the ceramic “coals” and a new burner (to get a consistent flame), but I can live with lighting it with lighter and I use an oven mitt to open the lid.  All this will cost less than $50, rather than a new grill averaging $400.  Sure, I want a new grill, but it is WAY down on my list.  I don’t actually need a new grill.  So sit down and identify what REALLY are your needs and your wants and start cutting back on the wants.  It is CERTAINLY okay to spend your money on the wants, BUT if they are putting you in the hole or keeping you from saving your 10%, then you have GOT to cut them out.

Here is my list of frugal tips.

·         Turn off lights – this is one I’m trying to get better at.

·         Use washcloths instead of paper towels (I do keep paper towels on hand for certain jobs like cleaning up grease or cutting up a chicken, but that’s about it) and use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins.  When I do need a paper towel, I think of the least amount I need for the job, often that’s a piece only a few inches square.

·         Cut out the chemical cleaners – I almost exclusively use baking soda and vinegar for cleaning and it has saved me a LOT!  I do keep rubbing alcohol on hand to cut the kitchen grease that builds up on cabinets and the top of the fridge, but that is also much cheaper than cleansers.

·         I use half the recommended dishwashing powder, I only fill one cup instead of two.

·         I buy the cheapest laundry detergent I can find, Xtra.  It’s only about $3.00 for a bottle that says it does 50 loads.  I think I use less than the recommended amount.  I add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to each load to boost the detergent’s power.  So for each load I pay .06 cents for the detergent and .03 cents for the baking soda, for a total of .09 cents.

·         Buy some foaming soap pumps.  This has saved me a lot in hand and dish soap.

·         Save on gas – stay home!  I am serious.  :)  We had to make do with one car for 5 months, so I got in a good habit of only doing errands once a week.  If you do have to go out, drive the speed limit or even a little under, it does make a difference.  Plan your route to conserve gas.  Have your spouse run an errand or two on the way home from work, rather than making a special trip on the weekends.

·         Never go shopping without a list and plan your meals for the week.  Set a specific shopping day and stick to it.  The more often you shop, the more you spend.  Each time you will buy some impulsive items, so if you can cut out the middle of the week trips you will save.  As stated before, you will save money if you take a calculator to the store and add as you shop.

·         Cut out packaged food (have I said that before?).  :)  You’re just paying for extra packaging, handling, and shipping charges.  When you go to the grocery store, think ingredients.

·         I cut out deli meats; since they are more processed, they are more expensive.  The cheapest is about $3.00 a pound.  I can buy chicken for .88 cents a pound and cook the breast meat for sandwiches instead.  We were buying a pound a week from the deli, now that we’re not I’m saving $9 a month.  Plus, my husband says it tastes SO much better!

·         Buy cheese in the block and shred yourself.

·         Deny yourself the steaks and shrimp for a while.  Hey!  Eating chicken more often is better than eating rice and beans!

·         Check the local grocery ads and see if your store will match the prices so you don’t have to drive all over town.

·         I buy whole chickens and cut them into parts for our different meals, I save an average of $22 EVERY week by doing this.  That’s $95 a month!!!!  Who couldn’t use an extra $95 a month?!?  That is definitely worth the few minutes it takes to cut them up.  See below for instructions.

·         Make more things from scratch.  I cut out granola bars and just keep homemade muffins in the freezer now.  I haven’t done the math, but I can bet the muffins cost mere pennies compared to the granola bars.  So if I saved $2.50 on a box of granola bars a week that would be $10 a month.  It does seem like a little here and there, but you must realize these things really do add up.

·         Choose cost-conscious meals.  I don’t do casseroles, but we do a lot of soups.  This stretches the dollar and saves me nights in the kitchen.  Some dollar-stretching meals that come to mind are Chili, White Chili, Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken and Dumplings, Spaghetti with Marinara (meatless sauce), Macaroni and Cheese, and homemade pizza.

·         Cut back on eating out.  If you’re going to be out, think ahead and pack a little cooler with some sandwiches and snacks, rather than grabbing fast food.  I cannot remember the last time I ate fast food; really, it’s been years.  Instead of going out for pizza, make a great tasting one at home.  Make a batch of my French Bread dough, let rise, then roll out on a pizza stone, cover with Marinara and various toppings.  Bake at 400°F for 15 to 30 minutes (depending on how many toppings).

·         I have simplified my beauty regimen, including facial products, hair products and lotions.  I used to spend $60 to $90 for a line of facial cleansers, toners and moisturizers.  Now I spend under $10 AND, my skin has never been clearer.  See here for more info.

·         Do you really need the salon shampoos and conditioners?  Again, identify the needs versus the wants.

·         Eat less.  Okay, now I’m reaching.  But, seriously, if you need to lose some weigh, cut back on your portions, it will save you some money!  J

I will include another piece of advice that has been working for others.  Clipping coupons.  I have tried this in the past, but haven’t been able to save much.  Either I don’t buy enough packaged food items or I’m not doing something right.  Some are coming out of Walmart with $100 worth of groceries, but only paying about $20 after coupons.  I am going to check this out again.  See these websites for more information.  http://www.moneysavingmom.typepad.com

http://www.moneysavingmom.com/

Just remember, every little bit helps.  Pray and ask God for wisdom in your finances, He will give you ideas.  I believe that it’s important to step out in obedience to God, first, and practice self-control in our spending.

How to Cut a Chicken

Rinse the chicken and lay on cutting board.  I like to put some paper towels down to soak up juices.  Make sure your knife is sharp.  I like to start with the breast, so I have it breast up.  It’s easiest for me to have the legs facing away from me.

First cut in the middle of the breast.  You will encounter the breastbone (sternum); you will need to cut along side this bone.

Keep cutting down along side the breastbone and the rib bones.  I pull the knife toward me in long slicing motions; I don’t use sawing motions here.

You will not be cutting through any bone, if you encounter a bone, just cut around it.  There is a small ligament to separate the breast meat.  Then the breast meat just pulls easily away from the skin. 

Next I turn the chicken 90° so that the legs are to my right (I’m right-handed).  Do the same on this side as the last, cutting on the other side of the breast bone and down along side the ribs.

Next, I grab the chicken by the wing and hold the wing up.

In this picture you will see that I am cutting the wing off of the chicken.  I cut with my knife (this time in sawing motions) under the wing pit, looking for the joint.  You won’t have to cut through bone; you should find the joint and cut right between the two bones.

Now that the wing is off, I lay it on the cutting board and cut off the tip at the joint.  Again, you won’t be cutting through bone, just between joints.  I save the tips for broth.

Now I have the remainder of the wing, I will hold it in my hand and pull the knife up between the joints.

Now you have two parts of the wings, the little drumstick and the other piece.

Next I flip the chicken over, breast side down.

Grab hold of the leg and bend it backwards to pop the joint out.

Now cut the leg off at the thigh along side the body.  You won’t cut through bone, you will see the thigh joint and just cut between the joint.

Now you have the leg and thigh piece.  Sometimes there is excess skin to cut off.  I leave the leg/thigh pieces together.  If you want your drumsticks separate from the thighs you can easily cut them apart at the joint.  Most recommend looking for the line of fat that runs under the skin between the leg and thigh, but that is never a guarantee for me.  Instead, I press with my thumb to feel the indentation of the joint, and then cut at that point.

Now I am left with the carcass, I will put this in a freezer bag along with the wing tips to save for chicken broth.  I freeze the breasts in separate bags, freeze the wings together in a bag, freeze the leg/thigh pieces together in a bag.  Then we can pull out the breasts for such meals that call for boneless, skinless breasts, we can have a wing meal (like hot wings or teriyaki wings) when we have a couple of bags saved up, and we roast up the leg/thigh pieces in the oven or put them on the grill.  If I do a soup I will pull out some carcasses and cook up some broth and then just cook a whole chicken for the meat of the soup.

I hope this helps.  Happy saving!  Share your any tips you have for saving money.

We can use our need to avoid discomfort to accomplish what we want out of life.  The trick is to use your imagination to make you feel like you are near the threshold of discomfort.  For instance, if you know you need to reduce spending to get out of debt, spend some time thinking about what could happen if you do not start paying the debt off.  Imagine that you are unable to pay for your kids college, you cannot retire, you will never be able to go on that trip to Europe you dreamed about your whole life, or that you are living out of a cardboard box.  By using this imagery you are leaving your comfort zone to manipulate your emotions which will influence your actions to reach your goals.

Josh Bulloc

Copyright 2008

Problem Solver, Educator, Coach, Encourager

www.secret2fitness.com

I will start posting atleast 3x a week!  Please leave me any questions and I promise you I will have the answers blogged! 

There are so many unanswered questions out there and I hope to be the one to provides  you an open honest answer.

Warm Regards,

Roth & Sara

The House is expected on Wednesday to pass a $300 billion housing rescue bill aimed at helping troubled homeowners avoid foreclosure and supporting mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. If the bill is then passed by the Senate and signed by President Bush, who today withdrew his threat to veto the legislation, thousands of at-risk borrowers will be able to refinance their unaffordable old mortgages into new, low-cost fixed-rate loans insured by the FHA, Federal Housing Administration.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 400,000 borrowers with $68 billion in loans may benefit from the program, but the bill allows for as many as one or two million borrowers to participate.

Who’s eligible?

Qualified borrowers must live in their homes and have loans that were issued between January 2005 and June 2007. Additionally, they must spending at least 40% of their gross monthly income on all household debt to be eligible for the program They can be up-to-date on their existing mortgage or in default, but either way borrowers must prove that they will not be able to keep paying their existing mortgage - and attest that they are not deliberately defaulting just to obtain lower payments. Before a homeowner can get an FHA-backed mortgage they must first retire any other debt on the home, such as a home equity loan or line of credit. Borrowers are not permitted to take out another home equity

loan for at least five years, unless it’s to pay for necessary upkeep on the home. To get a new home equity loan, borrowers will need approval from the FHA, and total debt cannot exceed 95% of the home’s appraised value at the time.

How can I apply?

Borrowers can contact their current mortgage servicer or go directly to an FHA-approved lender for help. These lenders can be found on the Web site of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

How does the refinancing process work?

This is a voluntary program, so lenders holding the original mortgage have to agree to rework a given loan before things can get started. The bill requires lenders to make major concessions, writing down the value of the loan to 90% of the home’s current value. In areas where prices have plummeted by as much as 20%, that will mean a substantial

loss for the lender. But lenders won’t sign off on a workout unless they think that they’ll lose less money on that than they would by allowing a home to go through the costly foreclosure process. Each loan will have to be underwritten by an FHA lender on a case-by-case basis. That means the banks will do a new appraisal to determine the home’s current value, as well as examine and verify income statements, bank accounts, job histories and credit scores.

Based on that new appraised home value, the FHA lender determines how much the original lender has to reduce the original mortgage by, so that it will reflect 90% of the home’s market value. If the original lender agrees to the write down, the new lender buys the old loan and takes over the reworked mortgage. As part of the deal, the old lender writes off any fees and penalties on the original mortgage, including prepayment penalties, and accepts the proceeds from the new loan on a paid-in-full basis. Additionally it pays the FHA an up-front premium equal to 3% of the mortgage principal.

What does it cost?

There should be little up-front costs for borrowers to bear. Loan origination fees will vary by lender, but these can usually be paid by the borrower over the life of the loan in the form of a slightly higher interest rate. However, the refinanced loans do come with many strings. For one thing, borrowers are responsible for paying an insurance premium to the FHA guaranteeing the loan, which will be 1.5% of the principal annually. Borrowers also agree to share any profits from future home price appreciation with the FHA. To do that, they’ll pay a “3% exit fee” of the mortgage principal to the FHA when they resell or

refinance. Plus, they’ll agree to pay the FHA 100% of any profits they realize from higher home prices if they sell or refinance within a year. So if the original loan principal is $200,000 and the home sells for $250,000, the borrower will owe the FHA $50,000, minus costs. After a year, borrowers will share 90% of the profits with the FHA. The percentage keeps dropping in 10% increments to 50% after the fifth year, where it stays.

What will I save?

Savings depend on what borrowers are paying for their present loan and where they live, but for most people it will be substantial, even factoring in the FHA fees. In areas that have sustained huge price drops, such as Sacramento, where prices have fallen about 30% over the past year, some loans might be reduced by more than 40%.

Additionally, the FHA loans carry reasonable interest rates which are fixed for the life of the loan, as opposed to a subprime adjustable rate mortgage that can jump higher every six months.

By Les Christine, CNN Money.com, Staff Writer

http://www.fha.com/application_ml.cfm?PPCID=102

A. Debt negotiation will have a negative impact on your credit.  How much your credit declines dependson your original circumstances when enrolling in the program.  When the settlement is complete you should receive a settlement document that you will then send to the credit bureaus showing that is it "settled", "paid", or "settled and paid less than the full amount".  Unfortunately your credit will get worse before it gets better because as your accounts are being negotiated your score will get a few dings.  The good news is that by the time you finish the program you should be back on track!

Q. Do all of my debts qualify for the program?

A.  It will not work with any secured loans.  What is a secured loan? Well that's any loan that is tied to any sort of collateral such as a car, house, or that expensive RV you just bought.  The other type of debt that will not qualify for debt settlment is government backed student loans or income taxes.

Q. Why can't I just negotiate my debts on my own?

A.  Negotiating your own debts CAN be done.  I've done it several times in the past many years ago and I was able to get the balances down on my credit cards.  The one problem is that the Creditoirs are well trained in dealing with thousands of people who call in everyday asking the same thing that you're asking for.  They'll draw out the negotiation process or try to play hardball with you.  When I negotiated my on debts it was a VERY long drawn out process and left me feeling drained when it was all over. 

Thats all I have for now but if you guys have anymore questions feel free to e-mail me @ i.closem@gmail.com. 

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I had a habit of spending recklessly on sex services in my addiction days. And where as in the first years the cost was somewhat negligible on my financial situation, as time progressed I started spending more and more on sex services. In my quest for finding that extra thrill, something that would give me "THE FIX" I found myself spending more and more money. Regular callgirls became glamour escorts. I was living the myth, using money simply as the means to achieve my needs.

As a result after some point I was spending more than I was earning and I was gradually accumulating debt. Although I was aware that my increased spending on prostitutes was making my debt grow, I always found convenient excuses to justify myself. There were times where I told myself, its something I enjoy doing why shouldn't I spend money. Some people spend their money on boating, others on scuba diving, I spend mine on prostitutes. There were times when I tried to make a budget for sex services, but that system didn't last long, because whenever I needed my fix, I would simply "borrow" from next months budget. There were times where I told myself I expected increased earnings in the future that would help me in paying off any excess debt.

About Eleven months since the last time I spent on a sex service, the situation is as follows: All the excess cash arising from not spending on prostitutes went to debt-repayment. Also, because I now have more productive life, I can work harder, be far more efficient, and take on more jobs. As a result I have decreased my debt dramatically and I expect this pattern to continue.

Note: I have been able to decrease my debt despite the fact that I have spent thousands of Euros on therapy in the past year....

Gordon Brown has refused claims that he should demand a General Election after Labour's humiliating defeat in the Glasgow East by-election, a seat which they held for 50 years. Brown is fast becoming one of the most unpopular Prime Ministers in history, but he still insists that he is 'the right man for the job' stating 10 years of economic growth under his belt as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Here is a man, who truely believes he did a fantastic job at running the economy. But did he really?

Some people might talk about the fact that Gordon Brown pioneered the introduction of the Tax Credit system. Minister's will claim that this system brought millions of people out of poverty. But what we won't hear is how when the Government overpaid thousands of people by hundreds, sometimes thousands of pounds this was then mercilessly clawed back. Leaving many in a worse of position.

My mother was one unfortunate person. She was overpaid by WTC for over 2 years, through no fault of her own- 100% their fault, but it didn't stop them garnishing her £14,000 yearly wage by £100 a month. To date she has paid around £3000 back but continues to recieve letters asking for more ridiculous sums of money. Meanwhile, Gordon Brown lets people who earn MILLIONS of pounds claim NON-DOMICILED status and avoid paying tax. Good managment?

Everyone knows the world economy affects the UK economy. Fair enough. But, did the prudent chancellor Brown save anything for a rainy day? No! He borrowed more, and more, and more! Now he has even had to break the golden rule he set himself not to borrow over 40% GDP. Why DID Alastair Darling have to cut the 10p tax rate? To BOOST Tax of course, because the Government were skint.

Let's not even get into the myriad of financial sleaze surrounding this government. We all know the feeling of being sick to our stomach at the thought of people taking our money and living the highlife while we work more hours than the rest of Europe and still have the highest social poverty.

Now that Labour have lost the Glasgow East seat, the rest of Labour MP's are shifting in their's with the realisation that the man in charge is leading them down the garden path to the big gate of unemployment. The New Labour experiment is over. They have alienated the unions, the workers, the working class...who do they have left? Brown knows the answer to that question already and that is why he will not concede to calling an election in the near future.

Gordon Brown has fought to get New Labour up and running, he was THE main creator of this party. He waited while Tony Blair took the main job and put up with his bolshi wife and rabble of kids. He has waited TEN YEARS! If you waited for something for that long, would you let it go easily? No. He knows he made a mess of it, he knows Tony made a mess of it. But almost with the same mentality as Robert Mugabe, he believes he is ENTITLED to be there, that he 'is the best man for the job!'.

Lets hope he is not far wrong, because if he's wrong, we are all in trouble!

The only action Brown can take to stop the villagers lighting the pitchforks is to reinstate the 10p tax rate, cut the Tax credit debt, fire Caroline Flint, cut the fuel duty and LISTEN to people. Will that happen? What do you think??

*this post from startsmart*

Some months ago I decided "snowflaking" was my word for 2008. Selfish, I know.  I first found the term in relation to novel writing and the process of taking a triangle and gradually subdividing each side until it resembled a complicated little snowflake.

Here's what the process looks like:

[gallery]

*Source: Randy Ingermanson http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/snowflake.php

As you can tell by the pretty pictures, it takes something basic (like a plot) and gradually breaks it down into ideas, scenes, subplots, characters, dialogue and then all those details that make a novel compelling. 

The next time I heard about snowflaking it was in relation to personal finance, specifically to knock out a significant level of debt.  If you've heard of guru Dave Ramsey you probably know the "Snowball Method" now blogger PaidTwice teaches about using snowflakes (small amounts) to form snowballs (larger amounts) and knock out debt. 

*Source:

http://www.paidtwice.com/2007/10/12/snowflaking-a-primer/

Snowflaking is the process of collecting small bits of money and storing them away until you have a big enough snowball to make a decent dent in your debt.  PaidTwice has used blogging revenue, eBay sales, refunds, rolled coins, and found money to snowflake toward debt free living.

It was at this time that I decided this new buzzword was a great way to describe my progress in many areas.  Reading my way through my bookshelves is snowflaking, one page at a time.  Cleaning the house is dusting on room at a time, dustflaking I might call it.  Training the dog is a continual process, snowflaking with one command at a time.  I walk my dogs and slowly regain my strength after my accident by snowflaking, one block at a time.

When I sit and consider my life goals it seems like I'm staring up at Mount Everest and the odds are stacked against me.  But taking it one step at a time, collecting snowflakes as small victories I can make it. 

Debt, like many goals or challenges we face, can be that insurmountable peak that mocks our lack of progress.  Eliminating thousands in credit card debt can be intimidating.  But you don't have to come up with $100, start by collecting a $5 snowflake, a $17 snowflake, a $2 snowflake and suddenly you're on your way. 

Thinking of borrowing money? Have a hard time not engaging in gheebah (backbiting, slander) Maybe, you should think again!

Here is a fatwaa on the seriousness of being in debt:

The fuqaha’ (Islamic scholars) define dayn (debt) as an obligation to be fulfilled, as it says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (21/102). The linguistic meaning of the word dayn (debt) in Arabic has to do with submission and humiliation. The connection between the shar’i meaning and the linguistic meaning is clear. The debtor is a prisoner, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Your companion is being detained by his debt.”

Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3341; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

Islam takes the matter of debt very seriously and warns against it and urges the Muslim to avoid it as much as possible.

It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say in his prayer: “Allaahumma inni a’oodhi bika min al-ma’tham wa’l-maghram (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from sin and heavy debt).” Someone said to him: “How often you seek refuge from heavy debt!” He said: “When a man gets into debt, he speak and tells lies, and he makes a promise and breaks it.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (832) and Muslim (589).

Al-Nasaa’i (4605) narrated that Muhammad ibn Jahsh (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
We were sitting with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he raised his head towards the sky, then he put his palm on his forehead and said: “Subhaan-Allaah! What a strict issue has been revealed to me!” We remained silent and were afraid. The following morning I asked him, “O Messenger of Allaah, what is this strict issue that has been revealed?” He said, “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if a man were killed in battle for the sake of Allaah, then brought back to life, then killed and brought back to life again, then killed, and he owed a debt, he would not enter Paradise until his debt was paid off.”

Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa’i, 4367.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) refrained from offering the funeral prayer for one who had died owing two dinars, until Abu Qataadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) promised to pay it off for him. When he saw him the following day and said, I have paid it off, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Now his skin has become cool for him.”

Musnad Ahmad (3/629); classed as hasan by al-Nawawi in al-Khalaasah (2/931) and by Ibn Muflih in al-Adaab al-Shar’iyyah (1/104).

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Fath al-Baari (4/547):
This hadeeth indicates how difficult the issue of debt is, and that it should not be undertaken except in cases of necessity. End quote.

It was narrated from Thawbaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Whoever dies free from three things – arrogance, cheating and debt – will enter Paradise.”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1572); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“The soul of the believer is suspended because of his debt until it is paid off.”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1078).

Al-Mubaarakfoori said in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi (4/164):
The words “the soul of the believer is suspended” – al-Suyooti said: i.e., it is detained and kept from reaching its noble destination. Al-‘Iraaqi said: i.e., no judgement is passed as to whether it will be saved or doomed until it is determined whether his debt will be paid off or not. End quote.

It was also narrated that many of the salaf warned against debt:
It was narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
Beware of debt, for it starts with worry and it ends with war.
Narrated by Maalik in al-Muwatta’ (2/770).

In Musannaf ‘Abd al-Razzaaq (3/57) it says:
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
O Humraan, fear Allaah and do not die in debt, lest it be taken from your good deeds when there will be no dinars and no dirhams.

Thirdly:
These stern warnings about debt only came because of the negative consequences to which it leads both on an individual level and on a community level.
With regard to the personal level, al-Qurtubi said in al-Jaami’ li Ahkaam al-Qur’aan (3/417):
Our scholars said: It is a disgrace and a humiliation because it preoccupies the mind and makes one worried about paying it off, and makes one feel humiliated before the lender when meeting him, and feeling that he is doing one a favour when accepting a delay in payment. Perhaps he may promise himself that he will pay it off then break that promise, or speak to the lender and lie to him, or swear an oath to him then break it, and so on. Moreover, he may die without having paid off the debt so he will be held hostage because of it, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The soul of the believer is held hostage by his debt in his grave until it is paid off.”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1078.

All of that undermines one’s religious commitment.

With regard to the community level, specialists have described the negative consequences and the danger it poses to the economy, for example:
1- Desire for immediate gratification with no thought of the future
2- Lack of responsibility and self-reliance
3- Poor distribution of wealth
In order to understand these negative consequences better, please see the study by Shaykh Saami al-Suwaylim entitled Mawqif al-Sharee’ah al-Islamiyyah min al-Dayn (6-11).
Fourthly:
Based on the above, the scholars have stipulated three conditions for debt to be permissible:
1- The borrower should be determined to repay it.
2- It should be known or thought most likely that he is able to repay it,
3- It should be for something that is permissible according to sharee’ah.
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said in al-Tamheed (23/238):
The debt for which a person will be kept out of Paradise – and Allaah knows best – is that for which he left behind enough to pay it off but he did not leave instructions to that effect, or he was able to pay it off but did not do so, or he took the loan for some unlawful or extravagant matter and died without having paid it off.
As for the one who took a loan for something lawful because he was poor, and he died without leaving behind anything to pay it off, Allaah will not keep him from Paradise because of it, in sha Allaah. End quote.
Fifthly:
So long as you have taken on a debt so that you can fulfil the duty of helping your husband and family to pay for living expenses, you will be rewarded by Allaah for this good deed. I ask Allaah to reward you greatly for that. Remember that He will help you to pay off this debt. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The one who takes people’s wealth intending to pay it back, Allaah will pay it back for him, and the one who takes it intending to destroy it, Allaah will destroy him.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (2387).Seek help with that by working and striving hard to pay off the debt, and by putting your trust in Allaah, and praying to Him to make it easy for you to pay off your debt.
In the Sunnah there are a number of du’aa’s which specifically seek the help of Allaah in praying off debts. They are:
1 – It was narrated that Suhayl said: Abu Saalih used to tell us, when one of us wanted to sleep, to lie down on his right side and say:
“Allaahumma Rabb al-samawaati wa’l-ard wa Rabb al-‘arsh il-‘azeem, Rabbaanaa wa Rabba kulli shay’in, Faaliq al-habb wa’l-nawa wa munzil al-Tawraati wa’l-Injeeli wa’l-Furqaan, a’oodhu bika min sharri kulli shay’in anta aakhidhun bi naasiyatihi. Allaahumma anta al-awwal fa laysa qablaka shay’un, wa anta al-aakhir fa laysa ba’daka shay’un, wa anta al-zaahir fa laysa fawqaka shay’un wa anta al-baatin fa laysa doonaka shay’un. Iqdi ‘annaa al-dayna wa aghninaa min al-faqri (O Allaah, Lord of the seven heavens and the exalted Throne, our Lord and Lord of all things, splitter of the seed and the date-stone, Revealer of the Tawraat and the Injeel and the Furqaan [Qur’aan], I seek refuge in You from the evil of all things You shall seize by the forelock [have total mastery over]. O Allaah, You are the First so there is nothing before You, and You are the Last so there is nothing after You. You are al-Zaahir [the greatest and highest] so there is nothing above You, and You are al-Baatin [aware of the subtlest secrets] so there is nothing closer than You. Settle our debt for us and spare us from poverty).”
He narrated that from Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Narrated by Muslim (2713).
2 – It was narrated from ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a mukaatib (slave who had entered into a contract of manumission) came to him and said: “I am unable to pay off my manumission; help me.” He said: “Shall I not tell you some words which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught me? And if you have debt like the mountain of Seer, Allaah will pay it off for you. He said: ‘Say: Allaahumma akfini bi halaalika ‘an haraamika wa aghnini bi fadlika ‘amman siwaaka (O Allaah, suffice me with what You have permitted so that that I have no need of that which You have forbidden, and make me independent of means by Your bounty so that I have no need of anyone besides You).’”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2563) who said: This is a hasan ghareeb hadeeth. It was also classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
3 – It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered the mosque and saw an Ansaari man whose name was Abu Umaamah. He said: “O Abu Umaamah, why do I see you sitting in the mosque when it is not the time for prayer? He said: Worries and debts, O Messenger of Allaah. He said: “Shall I not teach you some words which, if you say them, Allaah will take away your worries and pay off your debts?” He said: Yes, O Messenger of Allaah. He said:
“Say, morning and evening, ‘“Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min al-hammi wa’l-hazani, wa a’oodhi bika min al-‘ajzi wa’l-kasali, wa a’oodhu bika min al-jubni wa’l-bukhli, wa a’oodhi bika min ghalabat il-dayn wa qahri al-rijaal (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, and I seek refuge with You from incapacity and laziness, and I seek refuge with You from cowardice and miserliness, and I seek refuge with You from being heavily in debt and from being overcome by men).”
He said; I did that, and Allaah took away my worry and paid off my debt.
Narrated by Abu Dawood (1555). Its isnaad includes Ghassaan ibn ‘Awf; al-Dhahabi said: he is not strong. Hence Shaykh al-Albaani classed the hadeeth as weak in Da’eef Abi Dawood. But the du’aa’ mentioned – “Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min al-hammi wa’l-hazani…” – is proven in al-Saheehayn in a report other than this story of Abu Umaamah.

And Allaah knows best.

Islam-qa

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It's interesting how someone taking me seriously about my financial issues can help me to dig deeper into the situation facing not only me, but a lot of people many years younger than myself.  I know that I'm not the only person facing $50K in student loan cunting.  The vampires out there enticed me into their web, and in retrospect, I see that the profs at Now You're Underearniversity Tsk-tsk-tsk (play)Skool de les Jerques may have mostly been unwitting accomplices in the creation of more debt-slaves spewing from the doors of buildings along Broadway and Washington Square. 

Or maybe they're not.  I don't know.  There's also that unfortunate "I gotz mahn, lol ;p" mentality, especially among the Hahvahd-ucated.  (Or should that be Harva-cuated?)

Disclosure:  I'm I.V. League Inucated myself.  I say "Inucated" because I don't think I received any sort of educing at Dartmouth.  Inducing of feelings of entitlement, yes.  I was an insufferable 20-something who was slowly gaining weight until I tipped it at 300 pounds at age 39, and whose "searing intellect" led me to a place where I wanted to be dead.  It still leads me there sometimes, because I have this imp inside me that desperately wants to believe it's somehow different from everyone else.  Ironically, the only way I'm "different" is that I am one of those rare individuals who genuinely desires (and per Thorn Coyle, de facto needs) to have faith that people are mostly good and in our sterling moments helpful albeit in a selfish way. 

"Service isn't service unless it's serving you."  The successful love-giver understands the amplification of the God Self that exists in love and service freely given out of a "selfish" need to love.  Not for nothing is it the initial point on the Pearl Pentacle.

I also know that the darkness that exists in each of us serves multiple purposes, not the least of which is that it literally cools us down.  I'm not the first person to acknowledge that my heart, liver, lungs, digestive system, etc., involuntarily work under the cover of darkness.  The muscles in my fingers that type these words are covered by the skin.  I need what is under the skin, that which I can not see, but "know" is there because of all the information that I glean from my environment.  And the muscles, bones, lymph nodes, veins, etc., don't directly require light to perform their functions.  In fact, if they are exposed to direct light, something is wrong.  My skin, my eyes, my nose, mouth, external membranes--these all need direct light, true.  Best during diurnal rhythms at least in my case.  But these provide light that's been sufficiently processed for internal use.

And so it is with the dark feelings that my overdrawing my account elicited a couple of days ago.  I have written to a couple of people about my feelings of failure and sorrow and my flailing about feeling bereft.  This person made an awesome suggestion which I will attempt to take up.  But gosh, I have felt so dismal over the past couple of days.

Last night, things did perk up with the opening of the play.  So in a way, I'm doing a reverse of my post yesterday where things started off well, then moved into the place of sadness.  And last night the play went VERY well, if I do say so myself.  We had a smart and appreciative house, and even 14 year-old boys were quoting from David Ives' The Universal Language ("Harvardyu?  Du doppa da diddly bop epp ya doppa da bop da-wow da-wow da-wow!")  (Hets arf flantastico!) 

And I do get to enjoy the beauty of a wonderful apple orchard each day we go down to Altamont.  I am very much grateful for the life I lead, even though I sometimes feel desperately unhappy with how I spend my days.

Perhaps that will start to change.  A new direction is burgeoning with all the various forms of creativity that are emerging in and around and through and alongside me. 

I truly am blessed.

ME:

hi again!

*emily

DR. B:

Hi Emily,