ING DIRECT CD RATE OPPORTUNITY

I received this in my e-mail today and thought I would share it with all of you. I have 3 savings accounts with them and I am really excited about this CD rate. Teen daughter has some money in a savings account at our local Small-Town bank and the % rate is paltry! Here is what the email said:

"GIVE YOURSELF THE GIFT OF SAVINGS with the 12-Month 2.00% APY Orange CD from ING Direct. (The National Average is 0.69% APY)

• Guaranteed return with no market risk


• FDIC-insured


• Open online in under 5 minutes

Sign in to ingdirect and click 'Open an Account' to get started.

Annual Percentage Yield effective as of 12/24/09 and may change at any time. As with any CD, early withdrawal penalties may apply. The 12-month national average is from Informa Research Services as of 12/08/09."

With the New Year fast approaching, now is a good time to think about those New Year Resolutions! Mine are definitely all money-related:

• How to Save More and Spend Less, and
• How to Maximize What I Do Have Saved

HAVE A WONDERFUL BLESSED CHRISTMAS DAY!!

P.S. This is not a paid post. btw. I just happen to love ING Direct! :)

**A.Marie**

BUDGETING FOR DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES

I have been working and re-working my budget, as I'm sure a lot of you have, and I am definitely having challenges in getting my dimes to stretch into dollars (I really wanted that name for this blog, but it is already taken...drats!)

Anyway, I was looking through the internet for some budgeting tips for tough economic times, and you won't believe the "advice" that I am finding. Here are some examples:

• Start by cutting the fat from your budget. Do you really need the maid service (MAID SERVICE??) or the lawn care people (LAWN CARE PEOPLE?). By eliminating these, you will save approximately $80/week. And, just think (advises the article) of the extra exercise that you will benefit by doing these chores yourself.

Ummm..yeah, okay, I'll take THAT advice to heart.

• If both of you are working, only use the husband's income, not the wife's, because when the children come, she'll stay at home, and you won't have her income anyway.

I'm trying not to be sarcastic here, but I think this author is stuck in the 1950s. Last I knew, "Leave It To Beaver" was NOT the hottest show running on television, and 2 incomes are now the norm...not because the wife WANTS to work, but because she HAS to.

And, Finally, (I thought of you, Annie Jones, because of your comment on my other blog!) :)

• Don’t buy clothes in the sales. The clothes may be going out of fashion and you may only wear it a few times. Much better to buy something that you really like and wear it a lot.

WHAT?? HELLOOO author of THAT comment.....we are in a recession here, remember? Most of us can't worry about whether or not the item is "in fashion." Who cares if it's a "sale item?"

Is it just me, or are some people not getting this whole recession thing??

None of my friends have maid service or lawn care service. Most of them are working 2 jobs and barely getting by. They don't live extravagantly nor do they have the "best of the best." They are just doing the best that they can and trying to keep their heads above water.

So, with that in mind, here are MY three real-world budgeting tips:

1. Stop Keeping Up With The Joneses" (Not you, Annie Jones!) ...They're Broke!


2. Try and pay cash for most of your purchases. This will really stop that overspending.


3. Give back to the Lord; this will pay many dividends in the future!

You don't have to agree with them; those are just MY suggestions. I love to hear back from all of you, so go ahead, comment, and give me YOUR Real-World budgeting tips!

**A.Marie**

PAYPAL $10.00 STUDENT OFFER

Give Your Teen A Gift

Give your teen the gift of a

PayPal Student Account and we'll

give them $10 to start.*

**Offer Sponsored By American Eagle Outfitters

LEARN MORE HERE: paypal-promo.com

Since we already have a PayPal account, this process was fairly simple. I signed up both teens, and since they have their own e-mail addresses, that wasn't a problem either. All you do is have them confirm the e-mail address and the $10.00 will be put into their account.

I copied and pasted this from the site:

TERMS & CONDITIONS
Your new Student Account holder will receive $10 when you open a Student Account no later than December 31, 2009 (“Offer”). Offer begins November 12, 2009 12:00:00 AM PST and ends December 31, 2009 11:59:00 PM PST. To receive the Offer, you must: 1) have a U.S. PayPal account in good standing, 2) provide the email address associated with the adult PayPal account holder and accept the Offer terms when prompted to, and 3) open a new Student Account between November 12, 2009 and December 31, 2009. The $10 USD will be deposited into the Student Account no later than January 22, 2010. Maximum amount allowed under this Offer is limited to $40 for all student accounts under one parent account.

TO ALL MY BLOGGY PALS....

MyNiceSpace.com

NEW BREAST CANCER SCREENING GUIDELINES

We have done what we thought was right when it comes to breast health. First they told us to do a BSE (breast self examination) and even gave us handy-dandy how-to cards when we went for our yearly examinations. Some doctor offices even had posters hanging in their examination rooms to further self-educate us.

Then, as we neared the age of 40, the doctor would remind us that since we are now approaching that "magical" age, we need to start having mammograms. "UGH," we responded, with dread in our voices, because, after all, who hasn't heard the horror stories of this procedure! But, again, we pushed past our fears and bravely went ahead and had the mammogram. And, the following year, we'd have another one. And, so on and so on. Because, this is what the medical "professionals" said that we needed to do.

So, now that we have gotten this down pat:

• 1. Do the BSE regularly, and
• 2. Have a yearly mammogram after the age of 4-0,,

some moronic Task Force has decided that they are more interested in saving money than in saving lives. This decision literally makes my skin crawl, for lack of a better word (I borrowed that phrase from the author of this article: healthcentral.com/breast-cancer. While I don't support her position on the government's decision, I recognize that everyone has a right to their own opinion.

My opinion is that this is absolutely ridiculous, and if my cousin had followed this new "over 50" guideline, she would be DEAD. At the age of around 42, she was found to have not ONE, but TWO types of breast cancer. She had quite the battle for her life, and so far, she is doing okay. But, only after having chemo, radiation and a double Mastectomy. Saving her life was worth it to our family but obviously not to the government.

God Help Us All and Save Us from Our Government!

Opinions Anyone?? I love to hear from all of you! Even if we have differing opinions on this subject, I still welcome all comments!

VETERANS DAY 2009

Freedom Isn't Free
by Cadet Major Kelly Strong USAF JROTC

I watched the flag pass by one day

It fluttered in the breeze
A young soldier saluted it, and then
He stood at ease

I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd

I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?

How many Pilots' planes shot down?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No - Freedom isn't free

I heard the sound of taps one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill

I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant "Amen"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend

I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives

I thought about a graveyard at the
Bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No - Freedom isn't free!

ENVELOPE METHOD OF BUDGETING (THE DAVE RAMSEY WAY)

This is from the Dave Ramsey Website:

"Dave Ramsey's Envelope System"

"On a budget? Still over-spending? Trying to figure out the best way to organize your finances and spend wisely?

Get on a Simple System

I found out that Grandma's way to handle money still works. People used to always use cash envelopes to control their monthly spending, but very few do in today's card swiping culture. The envelope system is a key component of the Total Money Makeover Plan because it works."

Have any of you tried the Envelope Method of budgeting? Have you had success with it? I am always looking for ways to improve my budget, and this type of budgeting makes alot of sense!

**A.Marie**

SAVINGS TIPS

I found this on the internet, and thought it was worth sharing with all of you. Have you ever heard of America Saves? I hadn't until this morning. This is what they have on their website:

"Are you ready to take charge of your financial future? America Saves is here to help. Enrolled savers receive the American Saver newsletter which offers information on a wide variety of savings topics and it will introduce you to other Savers who are achieving their financial goals. We'll also provide email access to free financial planning advice and, best of all, America Saves will motivate you to discover for yourself the peace of mind that accompanies having money in the bank. Let us help you build wealth, not debt."

Does this sound like something you could use? If so, you can enroll here: America Saves.

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! I love comments and suggestions! :)

**A.Marie**

Price Protectr

Most stores have a ‘price protection’ policy. If a product you just purchased drops in the next 30, 60, or 90 days, you get the difference if you call them on it. For larger items, this might not be too big of a challenge. But, if you tracked all your purchases, it would turn into a full time job. This is where PriceProtectr.com comes in. Simply tell them what you purchased, and they will monitor their network of retailers for any price reduction. Once a price changes, they will automatically send you an alert. Using their simple method of tracking prices, PriceProtectr has protected over $22 million in purchases.

There are three ways to save using PriceProtectr:

• Submit the product page URL


• email alerts


• Check for coupons and deals


• Toolbar for Firefox - Automatic ratings, coupons, and one click price monitoring

The service is free, easy, and automatic. Visit PriceProtectr.com

**Thank you Money Tip Central and Moolanomy for the great information!**

SAVINGS ACCOUNT UPDATE

I have added $50.00 to my Savings Account!! I know it doesn't seem like much, but every dollar adds up!! YAY ME!! :)

MP Dunleavey is one of my favorite writers on MSN Money. Here is a little blurb from this article that she wrote, "How much you save has little to do with how much you make, a study suggests. So forget the excuses; here's a roadmap for finding money you didn't know you had."

This is the article that the above blurb comes from: money central. The title of the article is:

"The Basics: 20 ways to save on a shoestring."

In this article, she lists some terrific ideas, like:

• Re-evaluate. Re-evaluate. Re-evaluate
• Don't overpay your taxes
• Seek inspiration
• Cry poverty -- with style

Check out the above article and you'll find some great ideas on how to turn your dimes into dollars!!

**A.Marie**

Afghan women hiding for their lives

What these women and young girls have to endure is unbelievable! I read this article early this A.M., and it has been in my thoughts ever since. I just feel the need to blog about it...in some way, it's as if I am giving them a voice.

"Shameen’s brown eyes seem lost as she thinks about the one day she wants to forget, but it is all she can think about..."

Afghan women recover from rape, abuse

afghan-web.com/woman/#General

**A.Marie**

I WON TREND MICRO INTERNET SECURITY PRO....ALSO, UGG BOOTS GIVEAWAY

Guess What?? I won a GIVEAWAY!! Woo-Hoo!! Tara, over at Tara's view of the world, emailed me and informed me that I had won the Trend Micro Internet Security Pro. Oh Wow!! I am soooo excited....I can't wait to tell hubby. I didn't think I had a chance at winning, since Tara has about a gazillion people enter her giveaways, but I entered anyway and WON!! :)

Then, I was looking around her blog some more, and found this awesome giveaway from Whooga . They give away Ugg boots every month and it is SUPER easy to enter- just head on over to THIS PAGE and follow the easy instructions.

Don't know what Ugg boots are?? Where have you been??!! (just kidding...I didn't know what they were, either, until I went over to the site).....but now that I know what they are, I WANT A PAIR!!

Don't they look comfortable!!!!

**A.Marie**

Would you like to make your money work harder?? Open an Orange Savings Account with ING DIRECT! If you open your account with an initial deposit of at least $250, you'll get a $25 bonus to get started. After you open your account, there is also a referral program.....you will receive a $10 thank you bonus for every referral that opens an account with at least $250.00.

It is a totally win/win situation: You refer, they open with $250, they get a $25.00 bonus, and you get $10.00! What a Deal!!

Info on the The Orange Savings Account:

• Great rate - no minimum balance required. Everyone earns the same high yield.
  
  
• No fees - your money goes to work for you.
  
  
• No changing banks - the Orange Savings Account is linked to your checking account.
  
  
• 24-hour access to your account - you're always ready for opportunities.
  
  
• FDIC-insured - your money is safe and secure.

Rules of the game: Bonuses are only paid for accounts that are opened with an initial deposit of at least $250. Initial deposit does not include bonus. The $25 bonus is available only for new accounts with a new Customer as primary owner. Only one bonus will be provided per household. Bonus starts earning interest upon account opening, but is unavailable for withdrawal for 30 days. Valid through 10/19/2009.

To Open an Account Click Here: Ing Direct

**If you'd like me to send you a referral e-mail, you may contact me at the e-mail address on my profile page.**

*UPDATE* GIVEAWAY ENDS TODAY AT 11:59 AM* Dave Ramsey $999 Daily Giveaway AND $9.99 Book/CD Sale

Dave Ramsey is such an inspiration to me! I really love his books, and wanted to let everyone know that from now through TODAY, 9-18, Dave is giving away (1) One $999 Emergency Fund! You only have UNTIL 11:59AM TODAY to enter, so run over there quick and enter!!! What I wouldn't GIVE to win this. That would be so awesome!!

**A.Marie**

SENIOR YEAR MONEY SHOCK

If you have a Senior in High School (Hi Lin!) your teen has probably already had a "Senior Meeting" at school where a rep comes in and hands out brochures showing all of the wonderful items that they need, in order to have that truly magnificent Senior Year (my words!). Included in this "awesome" brochure are bling tassels (bling! on a tassel?!), various t-shirts and sweatpants that have the "2010" printed on them, tankards (TANKARDS?? ookaaaay....weird...), and other various assorted nonsense, in my humble opinion. It's like I told my daughter....this country is in the middle of a Recession/Depression, and I'm supposed to fork over hundreds of dollars for this stuff? NOT!

So, I did what any frugal-minded, internet-loving person would do....teen daughter and I went online and created our own announcements! Seriously! I know that the announcements won't look like the ones in the brochure, but we don't care. We had so much fun creating these, and it was one of those memory-making moments. :)

Here is the preview of our efforts:

We "splurged" and got folded cards instead of the flat invitations, "jazzed" it up with a neat background, had all of the necessary info printed on the inside, ordered the matching envelopes with our return address printed on them, and the final total was around $25.00! WOO-HOO!! I was doing the happy dance! Am still doing the happy dance!!

After we placed the order, I turned to my teen and said, "Drats! We forgot to order the matching thank you notes!" Oh, well, can't think of everything.....LOL!! :)

Is anyone else feeling the "Senior-itis Pinch?" If so, how are you coping with it?? I love to hear what YOU have to say!

How to Increase Personal Savings

I told hubby this weekend that we have got to get creative and figure out ways to save money towards our emergency fund. I have decided to cut back on the daily newpaper to just once per week (Sunday Onlyl...I have just GOT to have my coupons! lol), am looking into only getting the basics with DISH network (would love to get rid of it altogether, but hubby is a HUGE sports fan), have already trimmed $30.00 from the phone bill by signing up for a different package, trimmed the cell phone bill, but am still going through the budget, line by line, to see what other "pork fat" I can trim from it.

That got me thinking, but I can't dwell on it too much, that this is exactly what our Elected Officials need to do....trim some PORK FAT from the fatty mess that they call a budget! BLEAH! We frugal women could teach those people a thing or three! :)

Anyway, enough about that....I am on a mission here, and I won't stop until I figure out how to stock more $$ away in my meagre little savings account.

What are the little ways that you are saving that are adding up to some big bucks? I'd love to hear about it!

DON'T FORGET!!

Get more Orkut Scraps

HELP!!! **SEE UPDATE...IT'S ALL FIXED**

**UPDATE**

It's all fixed now, thanks to Maygan over at maybefrugal. Oh my goodness...she is AMAZING!! I now have a blog AND a blog header that look so nice!! Big Thanks to all of you for your supportive comments...it meant alot!! I'll be sending Maygan her PopTarts coupon as soon as I have her address....what a fun adventure (although complicated and confusing) this has been!!

**********************

UGH!!! HELP!!! I AM SERIOUSLY STUCK!! See my header?? See the post that shows a very small header with "My Money Mission" on it?? That is what I want it to say on my header (the existing header is from the The Cutest Blog On The Block). I am trying and trying to work with this in Photobucket, but I cannot get it to be BIG! AND to say what I want it to say!! Can anyone help me????


I POSTED THIS ON MY OTHER BLOG (http://mymoneymissiononline.blogspot.com) BUT I'LL ALSO POST IT HERE;

• I AM OFFERING A COUPON FOR A FREE BOX OF KELLOGG'S BLUEBERRY MUFFIN POPTARTS TO THE FIRST PERSON WHOSE SUGGESTION(S) ACTUALLY GET MY HEADER TO LOOK RIGHT!

PLEASE HELP!! :)

A.Marie

aka The Desperate-ly wanting a new header Blogger! lol

TESTING TESTING....

This is just the test blog....what do you think?

I CHANGED MY URL

Hello! I have changed my URL to reflect my blog's new name: My Money Mission Online. You can find me at http://mymoneymissiononline.blogspot.com. Hope to see you there! :)

***A.MARIE***