The fabulous blog, 5 Minutes for Mom, is having a great Christmas Giveaway.
Over 30 giveaways available. Check them out at http://www.5minutesformom.com/10606/christmas-giveaway-2009/ or click on their button in my sidebar.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Checking in!
Well, I'm not dead yet. It is SO hard to get motivated when you are a busy working mom. Now I know why all these "bloggies" are from stay at home moms!
Anyway, the Rock Star is bringing his grades up nicely.
Girly Girl got herself in big trouble at school so we are working on making good choices!
Mom and Dad are hanging around the Opera and the pay us for it. Can't beat that.
Anyway, the Rock Star is bringing his grades up nicely.
Girly Girl got herself in big trouble at school so we are working on making good choices!
Mom and Dad are hanging around the Opera and the pay us for it. Can't beat that.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
With a Vengeance!
I have not forgotten you!
The theatre season has started with a vengeance and it has been terribly difficult to post here.
I barely had a day off in October and here is November half gone already. The Ballet's first program was a nice treat and the Opera kicks off this evening with La Traviata. The good thing is that the bank account is recovering nicely from the off-season, but I do miss having the time to post here. I promise to keep up as much as possible.
The kids are driving us a bit crazy. They suffer somewhat when we work too much, even though their grandparents hang out to keep an eye on them. Report cards were not so good and the constant bickering is just too much. We just keep plugging as any parent can.
I would have liked to post some pictures, just to keep things going, but of course my camera died just when we got busy. I did manage to pick up a nice Pentax at a great price from Woot.com. So I will leave you with this little tidbit:
The theatre season has started with a vengeance and it has been terribly difficult to post here.
I barely had a day off in October and here is November half gone already. The Ballet's first program was a nice treat and the Opera kicks off this evening with La Traviata. The good thing is that the bank account is recovering nicely from the off-season, but I do miss having the time to post here. I promise to keep up as much as possible.
The kids are driving us a bit crazy. They suffer somewhat when we work too much, even though their grandparents hang out to keep an eye on them. Report cards were not so good and the constant bickering is just too much. We just keep plugging as any parent can.
I would have liked to post some pictures, just to keep things going, but of course my camera died just when we got busy. I did manage to pick up a nice Pentax at a great price from Woot.com. So I will leave you with this little tidbit:
That's my view of things!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Is Anyone Else Pushing Daisies?
I love this show. It is wonderfully campy and sweet.
Ned the pie maker (Lee Pace) has a gift. If he touches the dead, they come back to life. If he touches them again, they are dead for good. If he keeps them alive for more than a minute something else has to die in their place. He and his partner private investigator Emerson Cod (Chi McBride) have a business where Ned touches the recently deceased, asks them who killed them, then they solve the case. Add to this Ned's dead - but no longer dead - girlfriend Chuck (Anna Friel), who he can't touch or she will be dead again, a lovelorn waitress, a couple of maiden aunts, and a poetic narrator and you have a wonderfully silly murder mystery.
After being nominated for 12 Emmy Awards in its somewhat brief first season, I was afraid it might not be able to keep up with its great beginning. I am being pleasantly surprised! Pushing Daisies' alternate universe is wacky, its stories are fresh and unique, and the whole thing is a lot of fun.
ABC's website has full episodes, recaps, "audio piecasts" and more where you can delve into Ned and Chuck's strange little world.
Ned the pie maker (Lee Pace) has a gift. If he touches the dead, they come back to life. If he touches them again, they are dead for good. If he keeps them alive for more than a minute something else has to die in their place. He and his partner private investigator Emerson Cod (Chi McBride) have a business where Ned touches the recently deceased, asks them who killed them, then they solve the case. Add to this Ned's dead - but no longer dead - girlfriend Chuck (Anna Friel), who he can't touch or she will be dead again, a lovelorn waitress, a couple of maiden aunts, and a poetic narrator and you have a wonderfully silly murder mystery.
After being nominated for 12 Emmy Awards in its somewhat brief first season, I was afraid it might not be able to keep up with its great beginning. I am being pleasantly surprised! Pushing Daisies' alternate universe is wacky, its stories are fresh and unique, and the whole thing is a lot of fun.
ABC's website has full episodes, recaps, "audio piecasts" and more where you can delve into Ned and Chuck's strange little world.
I think they have a winner!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Where is the Rest of My Pepsi?
I went shopping yesterday as I usually do. Coupons and lists in hand I attacked the aisles hunting down the elusive deals, seeking out the "buy 1 get 1 free" items, trying to find some type of protein that I could afford with which to fill up my bottomless pit teenager tummies. And then on to some goodies.
For years we have been addicted to Diet Pepsi. OK, first it was regular Pepsi, but the expanding waistlines demanded diet. Seven 2 liters a week was good for us, but as prices started to rise over the $1 per bottle mark we sometimes switched to Coke Zero if they were on sale. As prices hit $1.50 and 12 packs were on sale for less per ounce we switched to cans. Now those 2 liter bottles are $1.79, so off I headed to the 12 packs. The shelf tag said $3.39. Not the best price, but I could live with it. Until I looked closer. These were not 12 packs! These were 8 packs! Every Pepsi product on the shelf was an 8 pack. What had they done with my other 4 cans?
So I searched out some information. In this article in the St. Petersburg Times online, I found the truth. Supposedly it is a test in Florida markets. They think that people would prefer 8 packs because their "entry point price" is cheaper. Next up, they think that we want 1.5 liter bottles, 12 ounce bottles and 16 ounce cans. Um.... NO.
I want all my cans and I don't want Pepsi to try and sneak a smaller package on me (that looks the same, by the way). I've already seen that with Breyer's and Edy's ice cream. I switched to store brand on that one. Of course the store sodas are lousy and Coke wasn't on sale. So this week we are drinking tea and lemonade. By the end of the week I will be dying of caffeine deprivation.
Sources say that Coke is looking into this little marketing ploy as well. All that I can say is DON'T DO IT! It is water, sugar or "sweetener" and caffeine. It is already overpriced. I mean how much can that cost anyway.
So Pepsi, give me back my cans. I can understand a price hike now and then, but don't try and fool me. I can count.
For years we have been addicted to Diet Pepsi. OK, first it was regular Pepsi, but the expanding waistlines demanded diet. Seven 2 liters a week was good for us, but as prices started to rise over the $1 per bottle mark we sometimes switched to Coke Zero if they were on sale. As prices hit $1.50 and 12 packs were on sale for less per ounce we switched to cans. Now those 2 liter bottles are $1.79, so off I headed to the 12 packs. The shelf tag said $3.39. Not the best price, but I could live with it. Until I looked closer. These were not 12 packs! These were 8 packs! Every Pepsi product on the shelf was an 8 pack. What had they done with my other 4 cans?
So I searched out some information. In this article in the St. Petersburg Times online, I found the truth. Supposedly it is a test in Florida markets. They think that people would prefer 8 packs because their "entry point price" is cheaper. Next up, they think that we want 1.5 liter bottles, 12 ounce bottles and 16 ounce cans. Um.... NO.
I want all my cans and I don't want Pepsi to try and sneak a smaller package on me (that looks the same, by the way). I've already seen that with Breyer's and Edy's ice cream. I switched to store brand on that one. Of course the store sodas are lousy and Coke wasn't on sale. So this week we are drinking tea and lemonade. By the end of the week I will be dying of caffeine deprivation.
Sources say that Coke is looking into this little marketing ploy as well. All that I can say is DON'T DO IT! It is water, sugar or "sweetener" and caffeine. It is already overpriced. I mean how much can that cost anyway.
So Pepsi, give me back my cans. I can understand a price hike now and then, but don't try and fool me. I can count.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
It's October!
Goodness, how far behind can someone get?
It's October. Not only that, it is a week into October. How did that happen?
October is my favorite month I think. The weather starts to turn just a little crisper. I hear that in some places the leaves change color! (OK, everywhere but here.) Pumpkins, lovingly carved into jack-o-lanterns. Halloween! I love Halloween. Wouldn't it be great if you could dress up every day and people would give you candy?
We will have to send the kids up to the attic soon and get all the decorations down. We try to overdo it as much as possible!
Like this guy:
He's a lot of fun. And then there's Bob:
I guess you can't keep a good man down!
I was looking back a bit. The kids have outgrown trick or treating. Girlygirl would rather hang out with friends. Rock Star likes to help decorate and see the neighbor kids' reactions. But I remember how fun it was when they were little and I guess I'm having little pangs that they are growing up.
Just a little while ago they looked like this:
I kind of miss it.
It's October. Not only that, it is a week into October. How did that happen?
October is my favorite month I think. The weather starts to turn just a little crisper. I hear that in some places the leaves change color! (OK, everywhere but here.) Pumpkins, lovingly carved into jack-o-lanterns. Halloween! I love Halloween. Wouldn't it be great if you could dress up every day and people would give you candy?
We will have to send the kids up to the attic soon and get all the decorations down. We try to overdo it as much as possible!
Like this guy:
He's a lot of fun. And then there's Bob:
I guess you can't keep a good man down!I was looking back a bit. The kids have outgrown trick or treating. Girlygirl would rather hang out with friends. Rock Star likes to help decorate and see the neighbor kids' reactions. But I remember how fun it was when they were little and I guess I'm having little pangs that they are growing up.
Just a little while ago they looked like this:
I kind of miss it.
Friday, October 03, 2008
How Not to Win Customers
After working a long hard day outside in 90 degree weather, we decided to try a brand new bar and grill for dinner. We pulled in to the parking lot and had to "make" a space for ourselves because the lot was full. We thought this was a good sign. We walked in and the decor was lovely. Lots of polished wood, beautiful tile floor, classy nautical theme. The bar and about half the tables were full, but we found a nice place to sit. Someone brought us our menus and told us our waiter would be there shortly. We perused the menu and liked what we saw. It is mostly a seafood place but had chicken and salads as well. The prices were terrific and there was even a note on the menu that "the price you see is the price you pay". They don't add sales tax, they pay it themselves. "Cool," we thought.
The waiter came and took our drink order. There was nice music coming from a DJ booth in the back. A couple of girls got up to dance. The chef came over and glad-handed a bit and asked if we had been helped. It was a really nice vibe.
Twenty minutes later, when we still hadn't received our drinks or had our food order taken, we walked out. On the way out, we told the chef why we were leaving and he got a kind of shocked look on his face. It was a shame. We don't have many nice places to get a decent bite at around here and we REALLY wanted to like the place. I hope they get the message. No matter how wonderful a place is, bad service will kill your business every time.
So now we are home waiting on pizza. Whoopie.
The waiter came and took our drink order. There was nice music coming from a DJ booth in the back. A couple of girls got up to dance. The chef came over and glad-handed a bit and asked if we had been helped. It was a really nice vibe.
Twenty minutes later, when we still hadn't received our drinks or had our food order taken, we walked out. On the way out, we told the chef why we were leaving and he got a kind of shocked look on his face. It was a shame. We don't have many nice places to get a decent bite at around here and we REALLY wanted to like the place. I hope they get the message. No matter how wonderful a place is, bad service will kill your business every time.
So now we are home waiting on pizza. Whoopie.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). Since the program began in 1985, mammography rates have more than doubled for women age 50 and older and breast cancer deaths have declined.
This is exciting progress, but there are still women who do not take advantage of early detection at all and others who do not get screening mammograms and clinical breast exams at regular intervals.
* Women age 65 and older are less likely to get mammograms than younger women, even though breast cancer risk increases with age.
* Hispanic women have fewer mammograms than Caucasian women and African American women.
* Women below poverty level are less likely than women at higher incomes to have had a mammogram within the past two years.
* Mammography use has increased for all groups except American Indians and Alaska Natives.
“If all women age 40 and older took advantage of early detection methods – mammography plus clinical breast exam – breast cancer death rates would drop much further, up to 30 percent.
“The key to mammography screening is that it be done routinely – once is not enough.”
For more information about NBCAM, please visit www.nbcam.org. For additional information, please call one of the following toll-free numbers: American Cancer Society,
(800) 227-2345, National Cancer Institute (NCI), (800) 4-CANCER, Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization, (800) 221-2141.
The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month program is dedicated to increasing public knowledge about the importance of early detection of breast cancer. Fifteen national public service organizations, professional associations, and government agencies comprise the Board of Sponsors, who work together to ensure that the NBCAM message is heard by thousands of women and their families.
This is exciting progress, but there are still women who do not take advantage of early detection at all and others who do not get screening mammograms and clinical breast exams at regular intervals.
* Women age 65 and older are less likely to get mammograms than younger women, even though breast cancer risk increases with age.
* Hispanic women have fewer mammograms than Caucasian women and African American women.
* Women below poverty level are less likely than women at higher incomes to have had a mammogram within the past two years.
* Mammography use has increased for all groups except American Indians and Alaska Natives.
“If all women age 40 and older took advantage of early detection methods – mammography plus clinical breast exam – breast cancer death rates would drop much further, up to 30 percent.
“The key to mammography screening is that it be done routinely – once is not enough.”
For more information about NBCAM, please visit www.nbcam.org. For additional information, please call one of the following toll-free numbers: American Cancer Society,
(800) 227-2345, National Cancer Institute (NCI), (800) 4-CANCER, Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization, (800) 221-2141.
The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month program is dedicated to increasing public knowledge about the importance of early detection of breast cancer. Fifteen national public service organizations, professional associations, and government agencies comprise the Board of Sponsors, who work together to ensure that the NBCAM message is heard by thousands of women and their families.
Take care of the Girls!
Monday, September 29, 2008
My Take on the Bailout
Disclaimer: I do not want this to be a political blog, but the current crisis affects us all and at this point is beyond partisan politics.
Hoo boy!
So Bush's $700 billion bailout plan has failed to pass. I don't know if this is good or bad. That's the whole problem. No one knows if it is good or bad. No one knows if it will fix anything. I do know a few things. I know that Wall Street tanked today. That means my pension is worth peanuts. But I also know that JP Morgan Chase bought out Washington Mutual and Citicorp bought out Wachovia. That means I still have a bank account. I know that I have seen other things rushed through congress that weren't particularly good ideas, that with a little more thought might have turned out better.
I see a lot of people on message boards freaking out that we will all be standing in bread lines if this doesn't pass.
I see a lot of others angry that we are bailing out the rich with nothing helping the little guy.
I see a lot of little guys wondering why they should give a rat's patooty if all their neighbors lose their homes, cars, retirement funds, because they don't have any investments so they have nothing to lose.
I repeat. Hoo boy!
I'm no economist, except for trying to run my own household, which has held up fairly well so far. But I do have an opinion on this. I think it was right to fail today. Wall Street is waiting to see what goodies they are going to get. They don't want to sell out for 20% if they think the government will give them 80%. But they need to face this on their own for awhile, not just be handed free money. The worst of these banks NEED to go bankrupt and be bought out by solvent banks with better lending practices. We need to return to regulations that were put in place after the Great Depression to prevent this kind of mess. If we just hand them the cash, nothing will change and in a few months it will all go down the toilet again.
As I type, Europe is bailing out some of their own banks. As I already mentioned, solvent banks are buying out bad banks in this country. We need to let that take its course. Then see what is left, see what REALLY NEEDS bailing out, not just who wants to save their butts and their "golden parachutes". Congress needs to go back to the table, clean up the now 110 page bill (it started out at 3 pages) and decide to do what is best for this country. Not what is best for their buddies, not what is best for their personal accounts, not what is best for their reelection bids, but what is best for America. We can't just stop the bleeding, we have to heal the wound.
I see a lot of people on message boards freaking out that we will all be standing in bread lines if this doesn't pass.
I see a lot of others angry that we are bailing out the rich with nothing helping the little guy.
I see a lot of little guys wondering why they should give a rat's patooty if all their neighbors lose their homes, cars, retirement funds, because they don't have any investments so they have nothing to lose.
I repeat. Hoo boy!
I'm no economist, except for trying to run my own household, which has held up fairly well so far. But I do have an opinion on this. I think it was right to fail today. Wall Street is waiting to see what goodies they are going to get. They don't want to sell out for 20% if they think the government will give them 80%. But they need to face this on their own for awhile, not just be handed free money. The worst of these banks NEED to go bankrupt and be bought out by solvent banks with better lending practices. We need to return to regulations that were put in place after the Great Depression to prevent this kind of mess. If we just hand them the cash, nothing will change and in a few months it will all go down the toilet again.
As I type, Europe is bailing out some of their own banks. As I already mentioned, solvent banks are buying out bad banks in this country. We need to let that take its course. Then see what is left, see what REALLY NEEDS bailing out, not just who wants to save their butts and their "golden parachutes". Congress needs to go back to the table, clean up the now 110 page bill (it started out at 3 pages) and decide to do what is best for this country. Not what is best for their buddies, not what is best for their personal accounts, not what is best for their reelection bids, but what is best for America. We can't just stop the bleeding, we have to heal the wound.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The Next President?
Introducing what could possibly be the next President.... of the Anime Club.
The Anime Club is currently a student sponsored club celebrating all that Japanese cartoon stuff.
They are attempting to be school sponsored so that they can hold fundraisers to attend conventions and such. This involves a lot of planning and paperwork. Part of that is showing what the club intends to do in the future. As all of the current officers are graduating seniors, they need to show that the club could continue to function in their absence. And so my sophomore son Rock Star has been proposed to be Club President next year.
They are attempting to be school sponsored so that they can hold fundraisers to attend conventions and such. This involves a lot of planning and paperwork. Part of that is showing what the club intends to do in the future. As all of the current officers are graduating seniors, they need to show that the club could continue to function in their absence. And so my sophomore son Rock Star has been proposed to be Club President next year.
He looks excited, doesn't he?Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Sheepishly Peeking at the Interim Reports
Ah, interim reports. Love 'em, hate 'em. The kids usually hide them. I tell you, I have smart kids. They are just incredibly lazy when it comes to homework. Oh, it is hard to admit you are a failure at motivating your children! And I hate to admit it, but they are not entirely truthful when it comes to homework and their grade status. So when Rock Star said he was doing "OK", I had to assume that it meant that he might be passing a class. So when he actually brought home his interim report and SHOWED it to us, I was stunned. There were B's. Lots and lots of B's! Sure, I'd like to see A's, but from a D-F student, B's are good. He gets a cookie.
Girlygirls grades weren't as good, but we know if we light a fire under her she will get it in gear and bring them up. That kid has brought home lots of A's in the past. But she's failing boating. Boating? "It's just an elective." Arrrghhhhh!
The problem with smart kids is that they know just how much they have to do to get by. If they care. If they don't care, they will find plenty of other things to do. But after 10 years of beating my head against a wall, Rock Star seems to finally get it. He's figured out that he wants to get somewhere and if he doesn't work, that's not going to happen. I think he has looked at the economy and realises that working at McDonald's all his life is not going to cut it. Girlygirl is not so tuned in yet. She's still in instant gratification mode. Perhaps if she SEES us give Rock Star a cookie?
Girlygirls grades weren't as good, but we know if we light a fire under her she will get it in gear and bring them up. That kid has brought home lots of A's in the past. But she's failing boating. Boating? "It's just an elective." Arrrghhhhh!
The problem with smart kids is that they know just how much they have to do to get by. If they care. If they don't care, they will find plenty of other things to do. But after 10 years of beating my head against a wall, Rock Star seems to finally get it. He's figured out that he wants to get somewhere and if he doesn't work, that's not going to happen. I think he has looked at the economy and realises that working at McDonald's all his life is not going to cut it. Girlygirl is not so tuned in yet. She's still in instant gratification mode. Perhaps if she SEES us give Rock Star a cookie?
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Black Friday Already
So I'm getting out of my funk.
There's good news on the Black Friday front. While we may be pinching pennies, those teens will still want SOMETHING that either plugs in or has a battery or two for the holidays. So you might as well try and get it on the cheap.
According to dealnews, electronics are looking good with Ultra Mobile PC's for $199, Blue Ray players for $149 and large screen (42"+) HDTV's starting at $499.
Blackfriday.info says that Ace Hardware listed their ad in August with a GPS at $89.99 and digital picture frames at $59.99. For Dad, there's an 18volt Makita drill kit for $49.99. These are some good deals.
Of course, it's way early yet. And there are tons more to come. How to afford all this even at a discount? Well, I'm saving up some premium points and should be able to pull out $100+ in gift cards, doing some surveys here and there and looking to have a garage sale to get rid of some of thejunk really good stuff we have now.
Optimism is good and makes you feel better. But then so does an Amaretto Sour.
There's good news on the Black Friday front. While we may be pinching pennies, those teens will still want SOMETHING that either plugs in or has a battery or two for the holidays. So you might as well try and get it on the cheap.
According to dealnews, electronics are looking good with Ultra Mobile PC's for $199, Blue Ray players for $149 and large screen (42"+) HDTV's starting at $499.
Blackfriday.info says that Ace Hardware listed their ad in August with a GPS at $89.99 and digital picture frames at $59.99. For Dad, there's an 18volt Makita drill kit for $49.99. These are some good deals.
Of course, it's way early yet. And there are tons more to come. How to afford all this even at a discount? Well, I'm saving up some premium points and should be able to pull out $100+ in gift cards, doing some surveys here and there and looking to have a garage sale to get rid of some of the
Optimism is good and makes you feel better. But then so does an Amaretto Sour.
Monday, September 22, 2008
I'm in an Economic Funk
I'm afraid I'm in a funk today.
I've been paying too much attention to politics and the economy. It's a good thing to have knowledge, I guess. But it is still depressing. I had to pay some bills today and make a bank deposit. Of course the deposit wasn't bigger than the bills, so more out of our savings. I did the grocery shopping and even with coupons it was $118. I try to keep it under $100 but it is getting harder and harder to do. Thankfully one of our local grocery stores, Publix, has staples at a lower price all the time. Ground beef for $1.97, milk $3.79, bread $.89. It helps. I used to shop Winn Dixie because they had marked down meat on Mondays. But they stopped that about a month ago, so no bargains there.
We don't buy a lot of "stuff". The kids are too old for toys. They have electronics from birthdays and Christmas so we don't spend on those. Clothes are at the beginning of the school year and when they need them. Hubby and I buy clothes when ours fall apart. When we do need clothing, we hit the thrift stores first.
So when you already buy on a "need" instead of a "want" basis, and all you see is everything going downhill, what do you do?
How are you managing in these times? What do you do to be frugal and pinch those pennies?
I have a few websites that I follow:
Thriftyjinxy.blogspot.com has great tips and coupon codes
Mybargainbuddy.com also has codes.
Hillbillyhousewife.com has frugal ideas for cooking but doesn't seem to be updating the site.
Frugalabundance.wordpress.com is written by the original writer of hillbillyhousewife.com.
Where do you look for ideas?
How do you keep happy about all this? I try to be an optimistic person, but the news just slams you with more each day.
I think I'll wallow in self pity for tonight and make a good start tomorrow.
I've been paying too much attention to politics and the economy. It's a good thing to have knowledge, I guess. But it is still depressing. I had to pay some bills today and make a bank deposit. Of course the deposit wasn't bigger than the bills, so more out of our savings. I did the grocery shopping and even with coupons it was $118. I try to keep it under $100 but it is getting harder and harder to do. Thankfully one of our local grocery stores, Publix, has staples at a lower price all the time. Ground beef for $1.97, milk $3.79, bread $.89. It helps. I used to shop Winn Dixie because they had marked down meat on Mondays. But they stopped that about a month ago, so no bargains there.
We don't buy a lot of "stuff". The kids are too old for toys. They have electronics from birthdays and Christmas so we don't spend on those. Clothes are at the beginning of the school year and when they need them. Hubby and I buy clothes when ours fall apart. When we do need clothing, we hit the thrift stores first.
So when you already buy on a "need" instead of a "want" basis, and all you see is everything going downhill, what do you do?
How are you managing in these times? What do you do to be frugal and pinch those pennies?
I have a few websites that I follow:
Thriftyjinxy.blogspot.com has great tips and coupon codes
Mybargainbuddy.com also has codes.
Hillbillyhousewife.com has frugal ideas for cooking but doesn't seem to be updating the site.
Frugalabundance.wordpress.com is written by the original writer of hillbillyhousewife.com.
Where do you look for ideas?
How do you keep happy about all this? I try to be an optimistic person, but the news just slams you with more each day.
I think I'll wallow in self pity for tonight and make a good start tomorrow.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The 529 Savings Plan
The 529 Savings Plan differs from the Prepaid Plan in several ways.
Again, different state plans have slightly different options. The Savings Plan is essentially an investment account with tax deferment or tax-free if used for educational purposes. Plans invest in mutual funds with a variety of static and age-based options. Like the Prepaid Plan, some states have residency requirements, others do not. The minimum initial deposit can range from $25-$1000. Subsequent contribution minimums are usually $15-$25. These accounts will accept contributions up to a balance of between $200,000-$300,000 depending on the plan. Many of these plans have small enrollment fees, as well as account maintenance and program management fees generally less than 1%. There are also broker sold plans that will have higher fees, but come with the benefit of receiving advice from an experienced financial planner as opposed to doing all the homework yourself.
Some of these programs are also linked to rewards programs such as Upromise that contribute purchase rebates to the account.
These plans are more flexible than the Prepaid plans as you can contribute at will and move your investments around as you like.
Benefits of this type of plan include the following:
1. Federal and state tax breaks.
2. Donor control of the account
3. You can change plans or beneficiaries frequently offering great flexibility.
4. Generally there are no income limitations or age restrictions for the beneficiary.
Drawbacks:
1. Some plans will be considered against financial aid.
2. There are penalties for non-qualified withdrawal.
3. Treated as a gift for gift-tax purposes.
Again, different state plans have slightly different options. The Savings Plan is essentially an investment account with tax deferment or tax-free if used for educational purposes. Plans invest in mutual funds with a variety of static and age-based options. Like the Prepaid Plan, some states have residency requirements, others do not. The minimum initial deposit can range from $25-$1000. Subsequent contribution minimums are usually $15-$25. These accounts will accept contributions up to a balance of between $200,000-$300,000 depending on the plan. Many of these plans have small enrollment fees, as well as account maintenance and program management fees generally less than 1%. There are also broker sold plans that will have higher fees, but come with the benefit of receiving advice from an experienced financial planner as opposed to doing all the homework yourself.
Some of these programs are also linked to rewards programs such as Upromise that contribute purchase rebates to the account.
These plans are more flexible than the Prepaid plans as you can contribute at will and move your investments around as you like.
Benefits of this type of plan include the following:
1. Federal and state tax breaks.
2. Donor control of the account
3. You can change plans or beneficiaries frequently offering great flexibility.
4. Generally there are no income limitations or age restrictions for the beneficiary.
Drawbacks:
1. Some plans will be considered against financial aid.
2. There are penalties for non-qualified withdrawal.
3. Treated as a gift for gift-tax purposes.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The 529 Prepaid College Plan
So here's the deal:
In 1998, Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Service Code created certain types of educational savings plans. These plans are operated by the state or educational institutions to help families set aside money for future educational expenses. Every state in the union currently has at least one type of 529 plan available. The two main types of 529 plan are the Savings Plan and the Prepaid Plan.
I will attempt to explain the 529 Prepaid Plan today.
Prepaid plans allow you to pay all or part of college costs in advance. State sold prepaid plans cover costs for in-state public colleges but can usually be converted if the student wants to attend an out of state or private school. The Independent 529 plan is a separate prepaid plan that can be bought through the Tuition Plan Consortium for participating private schools.
There are several options, depending on the state, for these plans. You can cover tuition, fees, dormitory costs and combinations of the above. You can plan for 1 year or a 2 year college or 4 year college. Generally you enroll directly into the program through the appropriate state agency. Enrollment periods vary. Some, but not all, states have residency requirements for either the purchaser or the beneficiary. Payment plans can include lump sum, 5 year plan, or fixed monthly payments. Costs vary widely depending on the length of the plan, which fees are included and the age of the beneficiary at the time of enrollment.
One of the most important benefits of the prepaid plan is the ability to "lock in" the tuition rate at the time you purchase the plan. Plans have a built in interest rate that is applied to cover the projected cost of college when the beneficiary is of age. If the inflation rate of these costs exceeds the projected cost, your payments stay the same and the actual costs are still covered in full. In my opinion, the peace of mind that comes from knowing you won't have to pony up more than you have budgeted for is priceless.
Other benefits are:
1. Investment growth is tax-deferred. Payments made for the beneficiary's college costs are federally tax-free.
2. Some states have tax benefits as well.
3. Once you enroll, the plan takes care of itself. The plan's assets are controlled by the plan's program manager.
4. The plan is flexible and can usually be transferred to another beneficiary.
Some drawbacks do exist:
1. Some plans can be counted against financial aid.
2. There can be penalties for withdrawing funds from an unused plan.
3. The plan constitutes a gift to the beneficiary as far as gift tax is concerned. However, it qualifies for the $12,000/year exclusion. You can spread this out over 5 years, effectively sheltering up to $60,000 per beneficiary.
As you can see, there are literally hundreds of combinations of variables that can affect the cost and usefulness of these plans. If you have teens and have not started saving for their educations, time is of the essence. When comparing these plans, that needs to be taken into consideration.
There are several websites available that show plan comparisons by state.
Savingforcollege.com is one that can help you with many of the details.
Up next: The 529 Savings Plan
In 1998, Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Service Code created certain types of educational savings plans. These plans are operated by the state or educational institutions to help families set aside money for future educational expenses. Every state in the union currently has at least one type of 529 plan available. The two main types of 529 plan are the Savings Plan and the Prepaid Plan.
I will attempt to explain the 529 Prepaid Plan today.
Prepaid plans allow you to pay all or part of college costs in advance. State sold prepaid plans cover costs for in-state public colleges but can usually be converted if the student wants to attend an out of state or private school. The Independent 529 plan is a separate prepaid plan that can be bought through the Tuition Plan Consortium for participating private schools.
There are several options, depending on the state, for these plans. You can cover tuition, fees, dormitory costs and combinations of the above. You can plan for 1 year or a 2 year college or 4 year college. Generally you enroll directly into the program through the appropriate state agency. Enrollment periods vary. Some, but not all, states have residency requirements for either the purchaser or the beneficiary. Payment plans can include lump sum, 5 year plan, or fixed monthly payments. Costs vary widely depending on the length of the plan, which fees are included and the age of the beneficiary at the time of enrollment.
One of the most important benefits of the prepaid plan is the ability to "lock in" the tuition rate at the time you purchase the plan. Plans have a built in interest rate that is applied to cover the projected cost of college when the beneficiary is of age. If the inflation rate of these costs exceeds the projected cost, your payments stay the same and the actual costs are still covered in full. In my opinion, the peace of mind that comes from knowing you won't have to pony up more than you have budgeted for is priceless.
Other benefits are:
1. Investment growth is tax-deferred. Payments made for the beneficiary's college costs are federally tax-free.
2. Some states have tax benefits as well.
3. Once you enroll, the plan takes care of itself. The plan's assets are controlled by the plan's program manager.
4. The plan is flexible and can usually be transferred to another beneficiary.
Some drawbacks do exist:
1. Some plans can be counted against financial aid.
2. There can be penalties for withdrawing funds from an unused plan.
3. The plan constitutes a gift to the beneficiary as far as gift tax is concerned. However, it qualifies for the $12,000/year exclusion. You can spread this out over 5 years, effectively sheltering up to $60,000 per beneficiary.
As you can see, there are literally hundreds of combinations of variables that can affect the cost and usefulness of these plans. If you have teens and have not started saving for their educations, time is of the essence. When comparing these plans, that needs to be taken into consideration.
There are several websites available that show plan comparisons by state.
Savingforcollege.com is one that can help you with many of the details.
Up next: The 529 Savings Plan
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Plastered but Still Optimistic- the 529 Plan pt. 1
Well here I am covered head to toe in plaster. We had to fix a hole in the ceiling at our rental unit. This, after we had to get a new roof and fix the central air. Somehow my investment property is just not paying off. Of course I can't sell it either because the market is dead here. Great.
On a high note, the day the market turns around I can sell it with a new roof and fabulous central air.
It's a good thing I don't put all my eggs in one basket. I've got teens headed to college, you know. How's one supposed to pay for that? One number: 529. Once upon a time I bought two prepaid tuition plans for my little babies. I was laughed at by some. Why stick all that money in there? You could get more playing the market. (ummm....yeah.) The reason was that in my state the prepaid plan locked you in at the tuition rate when you bought the plan. So for a mere 10 grand a piece, my kids college will be paid for.
I know college costs are on the minds of a lot of parents out there. Even if you haven't started saving for your kids college yet, there are plans that can help. So, I will be offering you some information as the days go on regarding what you can do to lessen the sucking sound in your savings. But first I need to get the plaster out of my hair.
On a high note, the day the market turns around I can sell it with a new roof and fabulous central air.
It's a good thing I don't put all my eggs in one basket. I've got teens headed to college, you know. How's one supposed to pay for that? One number: 529. Once upon a time I bought two prepaid tuition plans for my little babies. I was laughed at by some. Why stick all that money in there? You could get more playing the market. (ummm....yeah.) The reason was that in my state the prepaid plan locked you in at the tuition rate when you bought the plan. So for a mere 10 grand a piece, my kids college will be paid for.
I know college costs are on the minds of a lot of parents out there. Even if you haven't started saving for your kids college yet, there are plans that can help. So, I will be offering you some information as the days go on regarding what you can do to lessen the sucking sound in your savings. But first I need to get the plaster out of my hair.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Last Minute-itis
Welcome to Monday!
We have been around all weekend, right?
So why, at 6:30 am Monday morning do we hear:
"I need my syllabus signed."
"Can you copy my project instructions?"
"I need to print my research."
"I need money for class pictures."
Did we not ask on Friday if there was anything we needed to deal with?
I swear sometimes that the second these kids get home from school their brains drain right out their ears. It is the proverbial "They would forget their heads if they weren't stapled to their necks."
It's a good thing that Mom and Dad never have anything urgent that they have to deal with so that they can spend all that last minute time, money and energy on the kiddos.
Is my sarcasm showing?
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Lest We Forget
PentagonOriginally uploaded by slagheap
Used under a Creative Commons License
NYC Twin Lights 9/11 "Tribute in Lights" Memorial 2005Originally uploaded by Sister72
Used under a Creative Commons License
WTC 9/11Originally uploaded by slagheap
Used under a Creative Commons License
New York, New YorkOriginally uploaded by Foraggio Fotographic
Used under a Creative Commons License
September 11 / prayerOriginally uploaded by [paumelia]
Used under a Creative Commons License
Big News About the Littlest Things
The Large Hadron Collider/ATLAS at CERN
Originally uploaded by Image Editor
Used under a Creative Commons License
There have been some obstacles to the 27km long, $9 billion dollar machine. Due to the complexity of manufacturing, the start and completion dates were pushed back 2 years and construction costs ended up being 25% higher than the 1996 budget. In March, a lawsuit was filed attempting to stop the experiment until it could be proved that the LHC would be safe. What were they afraid of ? That the LHC would create tiny black holes that would suck us into them and destroy us all. Scientists were more afraid of technical glitches or electronic failure.
But today the LHC came to life. Scientists applauded as they sent particle beams in both directions through the machines chamber. Now the fun begins!
One of the things they wish to accomplish is to prove or disprove the existence of Higgs boson particles. While proposed in 1964 by Scottish scientist Peter Higgs, it has never been observed. It is thought to give mass to matter. Scientists are a funny bunch, though. Dr Aldo Saavedra, a particle physicist at the University of Sydney has been toward this experiment for 10 years. In the scientific community it would define his career. Yet, he'd rather find something else.
"It's not much fun if you actually go and look for something that theories have been predicting for the last 10 years," he said.
Even British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking is looking for more of a challenge. He has bet $100 that the LHC will not find the Higgs boson.
"I think it will be much more exciting if we don't find the Higgs. That will show something is wrong, and we need to think again," Professor Hawking said.
Those scientists are wacky that way.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Everybody Sing!
I sang the Lord’s Prayer on Sunday. I sang a few other things too, but specifically the Lord’s Prayer. I hadn’t been to church in awhile. I work a lot of Sundays (and I had a nasty sinus infection for MONTHS so I couldn’t sing anyway), but I had this Sunday off. So I got to sing the Lord’s Prayer.
I told her, “That’s because I know her secret!” ( I like to weird my kids out that way.)
“Huh? Oh. No.”
“Oh, you meant “victorious look”!
And my voice,
For as long as you give it to me.
Amen”
I’m not a devout Christian. I’m quite liberal. I get there when I can. It means a lot to me deeply, though. If you aren’t Christian, that’s perfectly OK with me. You should sing anyway. At the very least in the shower or something.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
