The Sister's money saving tips

The holidays are here!!

For many, this is the best time of the year. Lots of parties, great food, presents and time with family. For others, this time of the year can mean increased stress for many different reasons. One source of stress: spending increases, income does not.

For those of you that don't know, I've recently moved into an apartment (yay!) which I love! This also means that my outgoing expenses have gone up. In order to keep doing the things I love while not eating ramen noodles every night I've started looking for ways here and there to save money. There are the obvious ways to save money like churning your own butter and learning to sew your own clothes. But I'm pretty sure those require a bonnet and an unfortunate looking dress. Both of which I am opposed to. So I came up with some other solutions.

Here are a few small ways I've found to save money:

-Rent your movies from the library (and books). For those of you that haven't been to the movie section in a library for awhile, you are probably thinking they don't carry anything current. Yesterday I would have agreed with you. But today I had a meeting by the West Des Moines Library and decided to go check it out afterwards. They have a TON of movies! I only scanned the S and T sections and quickly picked out two movies.

-Cut the cable. No your life will not end without it, yes you can still watch TV without the pretty black box that has made a permanent home on your entertainment center. First of all, TV is a huge time waster. I didn't realize how much TV I watched until I didn't have it. Secondly, you can get a surprising number of channels with bunny ears. Thirdly, anything you can't get with bunny ears can (for the most part) be watched online. And if you know a little about computers or how to Google, you can figure out how to stream your computer through your TV. I haven't had cable since I moved in October and I rarely, if ever, find myself wanting it back.

-Shop wisely and buy in bulk. Before I moved, we (I lived with Cindy, sister #2) lived right by Dahls. This made it too easy to run up there when you need something quick or didn't feel like driving farther to Hy-Vee or Walmart for lower prices. An average shopping trip to Walmart costs me $40-$50. The same trip to Dahls would be closer to $80. Buying in bulk is also great because the cost per unit is usually lower. Sometimes they put the cost per unit right on the price tag. If you don't live near a cheaper grocery store, plan to do your shopping on your way to/from work or another trip that takes you by the cheaper stores.

-Re-gift. Those presents from Aunt Irma and Uncle Ned you got last year that are still in the box? Hello white elephant gift.

-Talk to your family about gift giving. Draw names instead of each person buying a gift for each person in the family. Everyone gets something a little nicer but doesn't have to spend an arm and a leg to guess and hope you bought the right gift for everyone (I realize this may be a little late and most of you have already started if not finished your shopping, but if you have a family like ours...you haven't even started =])

-Make snacks or sides for parties instead of buying them pre-made. You've been enlisted to bring dessert to the office party and it's tempting to stop and pick up something from the bakery but it ends of being so much more expensive. If you're like me, you're not born with a natural culinary gift and to actually make something from scratch requires much more time and effort than I usually have. So I pick up the box mixes for cakes, muffins and cookies. If you want to make something a little better than just muffins there is usually a secondary recipe on the boxes to spice it up a bit. Mixes are usually 1 or 2 bucks plus a couple eggs and oil or water. Way cheaper.

These are just a few things I have found useful in cutting costs this holiday season. When I go shopping and pick something up that's not on my list (oh yes, lists are an excellent way to keep you from impulse buying), I think "Do I REALLY need this? Will this improve my quality of life?" Most often the answer is no.

To sum this up: Needs are far different than wants, thoughtfully consider your purchases, simpler is better - the less clutter I have, the less cluttered and stressful my life is and lastly, material things will not be with me very long (hearses don't pull u-hauls).

As Dave Ramsey, the man behind Financial Peace University, says: "If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else" hint: he's not talking about retirement ;)

Answer to #3: Which One Went Para-Sailing in Mexico at Age 12?

I love telling stories about adventures I've had along the way, so when our Mom, (Robin) posted a comment on our first blog post about para-sailing, Abigail saw it fitting that this should be the next story to our sister's blog.

The answer could of course be "all of the above". The great thing about our family is we are all willing to try new things, be adventurous and take a chance on some fun and life!

Here's a little background as to one of the MANY reasons we all have an adventurous spirit:

Oren and Pauline Johnson are our Mom's parents from Alaska, our Grandparents. We didn't get to see my grandparents but once a year if we were lucky and my grandpa always created quite the element of surprise when they did show up. One time in fact, he sent us boxes of salmon...something they normally did once a year. He asked us to go pick the boxes up at the airport and told us which flight they would arrive on...we had to get them right away as they would be on dry ice and we would need to get them in the freezer immediately. On this occasion he and my grandma were waiting there with the boxes of fish. I was like a kid in a candy shop when they just "popped" into town! When the did pop into town unexpected, we could usually count on them staying for about two weeks. Some of the most fun two weeks of each year for me.

Now...on to the story of para-sailing. If my Mom was on the phone talking to my grandpa, I was normally in the same room hoping she would get off the phone and tell us they were coming for a visit.

This phone conversation was slightly different, as we were to find out very quickly!

From my recollection, for this phone call, I was sitting at the kitchen table, the usual pleasantries of daily life...then... Mom's eyes got a little wide and then a glint of excitement. Then she smiled putting her hand over the receiver side of our old rotary phone...you know the ones with the long spiral cords that get tangled up (ours was this ugly peachy-pink color). Anyhow...she placed her hand over the receiver and asked us how we felt about going on vacation to MEXICO...in NOVEMBER with grandma and grandpa. I remember trying to process what she was saying....then literally jumping up and down all through the house I was so excited!! This FIRST adventure with just my sister Betsy! I had no idea what to expect. We had all flown before, and traveled across the states while we were growing up, trips in our old white Chevy van from Ohio to Alaska. So travel was no new thing, but going to another culture...THAT was exciting! Betsy and I were invited by our grandparents to join them for two weeks in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

For our trip, we flew from Ohio to LA for a one night layover. Our Cousin (Josh) on my Dad's (McGuire) side greeted us at the airport. We stayed with him before taking our flight the next day to Puerto Vallarta where my grandparents met us on the ground in Mexico.

I remember getting off the plane and the climate being BEAUTIFUL! I was going to get to wear shorts, sleeveless shirts and swim suits in November ~ HEAVEN!!!

We stayed at a couple different hotels/resorts around Puerto Vallarta, one hotel in particular had a beautiful atrium with trees growing through the center, huge parrots with beautiful vibrant colors of yellow, green, blue, orange. Tropical plants and flowers everywhere, lizards, running around like they were ants. The smell of the ocean, AMAZING.

Our Uncle Steve and Aunt Katie (she was his girlfriend at the time) joined us a few days into this vacation.

After a few days there, we all decided to take a little boat over to a nearby island.

(I called my Aunt Katie today to see if she knew the island, but neither of us could remember the name.) Going fearlessly forward even without the name of this magnificent island...I shall continue the story. :-)

Once on the island we decided to try Para-sailing. My Aunt Katie and I were the only two that would take this what seemed to be "daring adventure". There was, as with anything new, slight trepidation, but I was ready for it! I don't remember being afraid...more total excitement. I got fitted for a harness, they hooked me into the sail, then.....the boat started and began to speed up, lifting me off the sand and over the water. The only thing I really vividly remember about that ride was the clarity of the water. (Lake Erie and Sailorville water isn't exactly clear)

The fact that I could see the changes in the underwater world transition from sand and pale turquoise, coral reefs and amazing colors to the deep turquoise and blues of the ocean where the reef drops off to much deeper water. I remember it being very quiet, very peaceful and not wanting the ride to end. As I landed...I had to run a bit coming down as the boat slowed down to let me back on the sandy beach.

The rest of the day were spent lounging on the beach, snorkeling with some of the most amazing colored fish, floating in the salty sea water. We went and ate lunch at this little beach cafe. There were animals all over. There were some rabbits in cages, a raccoon family with a couple of baby raccoon, and a man nearby had a great big green iguana that he let us hold. I do believe this trip is where my love for the ocean began!

Many other fun things took place on this trip, but there are a couple of things I value the most. I got to know my grandparents much more during those two weeks, I developed a relationship with my Uncle Steve and Aunt Katie that I might never have known had they not joined us. And, I learned how not to be afraid to venture out and try new things. My Grandpa Oren always put challenges in front of me...pushed me outside my comfort zone to try new things. I think of him often, I think if he were still alive today, he'd dig the life I've lived so far, and I hope that he would be proud to know that the two week trip in Mexico helped form my dreams, future and now reality!

My wish for you: Get out there, take a chance, take a risk...you never know where it will take you!

~Cindy :)

In Loving Memory and Celebration of Life:

• Galen Oren Johnson (Grandpa Oren), he passed away in 1994
• Steve Johnson (Uncle Steve), he passed away a year and a half ago due to Leukemia

Both men were treasures in my life. Before my Uncle Steve passed away, he and I had a couple hour phone conversation. He told me many things that my Grandpa Oren taught me about business....things that I just thought were fun. But, Uncle Steve said that he watched the way Grandpa used life lessons to cultivate a business sense and problem solving capabilities in my inner core! I'm so grateful I got to have that conversation with my Uncle Steve, and I'm thankful my Grandpa Oren took the time to teach me through fun.

Both men could be caught with a glimmer in their eye. Grandpa's out of a bit of mischief, U. Steve's out of the complete and utter kindness in his heart. I look forward to seeing them both again someday in Heaven!

Uncle Steve, Aunt Katie, Grandma Pauline Johnson, Robin Johnson Diehl

Answer to poll question #2

For those of you that voted Abby on ‘Which sister sometimes goes by the nickname Nugget”….ding ding ding ding!!!! You voted correctly :)

The McGuire Sisters Tutorial: How to get an awesome nickname

Rule 1: You have to have cool friends

Rule 2: In order to have cool friends, you have to be cool

(Apparently The McGuire Sisters learned how to follow the first rule. The second is still a work in progress :P)

I didn’t follow the rules either but somehow my best college guy friend nicknamed me Nugget, it stuck.

It started as McNugget. No, not the ones from McDonalds. That’s gross. And generally are followed by heart attacks, clogged arteries and overall bad health #healthtipoftheday

His name is Seth. We were both on our college club tennis team. It was an unlikely friendship. Seth being a go with the flow, “peace, dude”, art student with long hair and me being…well…me. Let’s just call it Type A. I had to have a plan for everything, be on time or early for things, rarely skipped class, everyone had to get along, etc.

Over the two years we were on the team together, our friendship grew. We frequented a local restaurant and would sit for hours at a time talking about life, religion, relationships and I’m sure MANY other topics. We certainly did not always agree, and that was ok.

He was like a brother, but we never got mad at each other. It was like the unspoken rule of ‘agree to disagree’.

I think I credit Seth for bringing me out of my shell a bit. People don’t always agree or get along. I don’t always have to go to class (this one may not have been the best one…ha), and don’t write people off because they are different than you. And it’s all ok.

To sum it up: everyone is special in their own way (as mom would say), and anyone can have a cool nickname regardless of their placement on the Cool Scale determined by society which is absolutely ridiculous and should generally be ignored.

Happy December!

Abby