It's a New Year - now what?

The holidays are finally over and reality has set in.  We're seven days into a new year and already I'm lost in a sea of indecision over what I should focus on for this upcoming year.  I have all these great ideas running through my head, but in true Wendy fashion, that's where they remain.  And when I do start something, I usually end up getting off task, so I have little projects sitting all over my house waiting to be finished.  I can't use my desk or my craft table because they're piled high with stuff. 

Today, I'm going to make a list - a list of everything that I can think of that I want to make, do, learn, read, eat - whatever comes to mind.  Then, I'm going to break that list down into categories and get busy.

Countdown to Christmas - Easy Beanie

Since I've been unemployed, the days tend to run into one another.  I don't really pay attention to my calendar because I don't need to be anywhere.  Imagine my surprise when I realized that today is November 22nd - Christmas is only 33 days away!!! What am I going to do?  Obviously, I don't have the financial resources that I had last Christmas, so this year, I have to put more time and thought into my gift giving.  The first thing that I need to do is take an inventory of my gift closet.  I am one of those people who shop all year long - for two reasons: 1) it helps to spread the cost of Christmas throughout the year and, 2) less stress running around looking for last minute gifts.  What I am not good at is budgeting for Christmas; because I buy throughout the year, I don't normally keep track of what I spend.  I know, I know, I just spent some time telling everyone that they need to keep a budget of everything they spend and here I am breaking my own rule.  Sorry!

But what if you don't have a gift closet and you don't have any money in the budget for Christmas?  What about  a homemade gift?  I love homemade gifts; it means so much to know that someone took the time to make something special just for me.

One of my homemade gifts this year is crocheted hats.  If you know how to single and double crochet, this is an easy homemade gift.  It takes me literally 15 minutes to crochet a beanie hat and it will fit teens to adults.

Easy Beanie

The original pattern can be found at http://www.allfreecrafts.com/crochet/accessories/beanie-hat/.

Finished measurements – length = 8″, circumference = approx 20″ unstretched.  One size fits most ages teen to adult. Repeat round 9 for a longer hat, skip round 9 for a shorter skull cap.

Gauge – using 5.5mm (US size I) hook, after round 4 your swatch should measure 5″ in diameter. Adjust hook size to obtain correct gauge.  You can use one color yarn or mix and match your colors.  I used Red Heart and I Love This Yarn for my hats.

Stitches -
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
*I modified this pattern; the original calls for crocheting through the back loops in some rounds.  I crocheted my hat by crocheting through the back loops throughout the pattern.

Pattern notes – this hat design is made crocheting in rounds, each round will begin with a number of chains which will count as the first stitch, and is ended by joining the last stitch with the top of the beginning chain creating concentric circles. “st” denotes the stitch of the previous round.

Begin – ch 3, join with a slip st to first chain to form a ring.
Round 1 – ch 3, 9 dc into ring, join with sl st to top of ch 3. 10 sts.
Round 2 – ch 2, dc into same st, 2 dc in each st around, join with sl st to top of ch 2. 20 sts.
Round 3 – ch 2, dc into same st, dc in next st, *(2 dc in next st, dc in next st), repeat from * 8 more times, join with sl st to top of ch 2. 30 sts.
Round 4 – sl st into back loop of same stitch, ch 2, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, *(dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st), repeat from * 8 more times, join with sl st to top of ch 2. 40 sts.
Round 5 – ch 2, dc into same st, dc in next 3 sts, *(2 dc in next st, dc in next 3 sts), repeat from * 8 more times, join with sl st to top of ch 2. 50 sts.
Round 6 – sl st into back loop of same stitch, ch 2, dc in next st, 2 dc in next
st, *(dc in next 9 sts, 2 dc in next st), repeat from * 3 more times, dc in last 7 sts, join with sl st to top of ch 2. 55 sts.
Rounds 7, 8, 9 – sl st into back loop of same stitch, ch 2, dc in each st around, join with sl st to top of ch 2.
Round 10 – ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st to beg ch.
Round 11 – ch 2, dc in each st around, join with sl st to top of ch 2.
Round 12 – ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st to beg ch.
Round 13 – ch 2, dc in each st around, join with sl st to top of ch 2.
Round 14 – ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st to beg ch.
Round 15 – ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st to beg ch.
Round 16 – ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st to top of ch. tie off MC and weave in yarn ends with a tapestry needle.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License by OS Crochet and Laura Killoran of Croshay Designs.

Follow-up to the "B" Word

Roaming around on Pinterest I found a great site that gives you a breakdown to budget categories and I thought that I'd share it with everyone.  http://www.stay-a-stay-at-home-mom.com/household-budget-sheet.html.  Thanks to Rayven Perkins for this great information.

Spicy Baked Shrimp

I am always looking for easy, delicious meals for dinner and this recipe fits the bill.  This recipe can be prepared in under 30 minutes.  I don't remember where I originally got this recipe; I probably cut it out of a magazine.

Spicy Baked Shrimp

2 sticks (1 cup) butter or margarine, melted (I recommend butter)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs. lemon juice
2 tbs. ground pepper
1 tsp. hot sauce (I used Texas Pete)
1 tsp. salt
2 garlic cloves (I used minced garlic)
2-1/2 pounds shrimp (I used medium peeled, de-veined white shrimp)
1 lemon, thinly slice (I was out of lemons)

Combine first 7 ingredients.  Layer shrimp and lemon slices in a 13" x 9" dish.  Top with sauce.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until shrimp turns pink, stirring once.  Remove shrimp and enjoy.  Yield 3 - 4 servings.

Since there are only two of us, I halved the recipe and it made more than enough for two people.  I served it with a baked potato.  There you go - easy & delicious.

Budgets & Debts

I was thinking about my last post and maybe I didn't provide enough detail.  I don't know, because, for me, it is as basic as determining what is coming in and where it's going. 

There was a time in my life when I was drowning in debt and I wanted to give up.  My husband left me and I went from a two income family to a single mom with two children working two jobs and no child support.  I had a mortgage, a small business loan, medical bills for my son and, around $44,000 in credit card debt.  My husband left it all for me to handle; that was in 2001.  I don't remember five years of my life because I was so tired from working all the time.  I know my kids suffered, but I did it for them - to keep a roof over their heads.  I paid it all off, a lot of it by refinancing my home and using the equity to pay off my other debt.  When the real estate market crashed, I almost lost my home, but finally, through a loan modification, I got a mortgage payment I could afford, and thanks to being hit by a garbage truck, I got a settlement that enabled me to pay off all my debts except for my mortgage.  So here I am today, without a job, but for right now, still in pretty good financial shape.

What's the moral of my story?  It's easy, so easy, to get into debt and to get in over your head before you realize it.  But with hard work and with a realistic budget, you can get out of debt.  Don't give up - you can do this.  It takes work and commitment.

The "B" Word

To a lot of people, the word "budget" is daunting; they don't want to know where their money is going.  It's so much easier though to have a budget because then, you are in control of your money; your money does not control you.  Basically, a budget shows how much money is coming in and how much money is going out. There are a lot of great budgeting work sheets available on the internet, but I'm an old-fashioned girl; I like using a notepad and a pen.

One rule of thumb to manage your money is the 80/20 rule; live on 80% of your income, save 10%, and tithe 10%.  Everyone's situation is different, so use whatever works for you.

Now that I'm unemployed, having a working budget is a must.  Fortunately, financially, I'm in a pretty good position and it allows me to take some time off and find the right job for me.

Here is my monthly budget:

mortgage
groceries
utilities
cell phone
health insurance/dental insurance
life insurance
cable tv/internet
credit cards
auto insurance
tithe
savings
retirement

Most of these are fixed costs, so my budget won't fluctuate that much from month to month.

I don't include miscellaneous items such as gas, clothes, or auto repair; my car is a 2012 Nissan, which is paid for, and is still in great shape.

I rarely carry a credit card balance, but sometimes, it happens, and I'll pay it off over a couple of months.

I consider cable tv to be my only luxury, but if I have to, I can cancel it and save another $100.00 a month.

I have an emergency fund equal to 6 months of my former salary.

Even though I'm not working, I'll still contribute to my retirement through my emergency fund.

The real point of all this is that usually there are ways we can cut back on our budget; it may require hard decisions on your part, but when you're faced with unemployment like I am, you'll be glad that you took the time to make a budget.

I've lost my job - now what?

On October 10th, out of the blue, I lost my job.  I had transitioned from my job as a church secretary to a full-time job as a human resources specialist.  It wasn't my ideal job, but it put food on the table and payed the mortgage.  Now what?  This has not been my year for jobs, that's for sure.

It happened the day before I was leaving for a camping trip to South Carolina.  I went camping and had a great time.  While hiking through the mountains of South Carolina, I was able to work through all the emotions of losing my job and the conclusion that I came to was "Thank You, Jesus!"

So, I feel good; I feel at peace; I'm ready for the next phase of my life, whatever that may be.  If you've just lost your job, take a deep breath, cry, get angry, whine, feel sorry for yourself, and then, pick yourself up off the floor, straighten your shoulders, and look unemployment right in the face.  It's not the end of the world; some days it just feels like it.

Here's my plan for prospering until my next job comes along.  Notice, I said, "plan."  If you don't have a plan, you're not going to get through a job loss, or any other economic crisis.

1.  Review your budget; if you don't have a budget, now is a really good time to find out where your money is going every month.

2.  Decide where you can cut back.  Take a hard look; cable TV is a luxury, not a need.

3.  Check to see if you are eligible for any benefits, like food stamps or unemployment.  This will be a last resort for me.

4.  Update your resume;  this is not something that I've done and I wish that I had.  My friend Amy says that your resume should always be up-to-date.

5.  Keep on saving and keep on giving - how?  I'm not sure, but I know that generally, we are more blessed than we realize and it doesn't just involve money.

6.  Figure out if there are ways you can make some money until you find a full time job.

7.  Christmas - losing your job right before the holidays doesn't mean that you have to cancel Christmas.  There are a lot of ways to cut back and still give gifts.