growing and learning

Saudis see no reason to raise oil production now

Link below

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080516/ap_on_re_mi_ea/bush_mideast

Prayer please

Hello all. I have not blogged today due to well honestly i just do not know what to say. Today has been a hard day. NOTHING turned out like it was to. I am not going to go into details right now..

I am just hear to ask for prayer. Prayer that i can keep it all together.  I am feeling so overwelemed right now..

Thank you all for your prayers and emails. I will do my best to get to those who have emailed me later on tonight.

god bless

glenda

Simple Budgeting

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Simply Frugal

The Simple Way to Maintain Your Budget

In the last two years it has been noted that Americans use their debit and credit cards more than their checkbooks. In fact, their usage has more than doubled! This is great in some ways, but it can be a nightmare for the budget conscious. When I left the envelope system of budgeting, in lieu of my debit card, something amazing happened. My expenses went up. In short, it is so much easier to spend one or two dollars here and there when the actual paper cash isn't coming out of your hand. It's like we aren't really spending that money or something.

However, you CAN have a debit card AND stay within your budget. Actually, you can do this for all your budgeting needs for the household. The best part, this is a simple process.

Use a separate bank account and debit card for all your household purchases. For the most ease, you and your husband might want to look into opening an other account at your current bank of choice if you are pleased with their services and they offer no fee banking. You will likely ahve to place a minimum of $25-50 dollars in the account when you open it. This is a good thing, because it will enable you to use all of your budget without penalty. Confused? Read On.

One good reason for this set up is that your husband can transfer money weekly or monthly, in an amount that totals your family's total budget for the month. When you go to the grocery you will know exactly how much you have to spend and not a penny more. A way to provide accountability for yourself is to agree that if you go over your budget by $2, then that amount will be deducted from the next month's stipend. In this way, you will have not only an incentive to stay within your budget, but a method of discipline for your budgeting. One extra bonus with this method, is that it is much more simple to track your household expenses.

The beauty of this process is that you will do nothing differently than you do now. You will simply have a separate account with which to do it. Simply Frugal!

These are my thoughts. 

Taco Bell

How will fuel prices effect winters heat bill and what can you do about it?

Though summer hasn't actually started heating months are less than 5 months away here in the north country.  The outrageous fuel prices that greet us at the gas pump and are lurking in the grocery store will also greet us in our home heating this winter, not that we didn't see some of it this past winter, but it will get worse.  So to help be prepared, at least as much as possible, below are some facts about the price of propane pasted from different government sites.  There is also some information to help prepare what might help with the cost.  Though not always feasible to change your source of heat, example wood instead of propane, there are things you can consider to help with up coming winter fuel consumption. 

Gas in our area has risen above the $4 mark and shows no sign of stopping.  It will effect every other form of fuel that is out there, unless of course you have your own tree lot.

Below is also a link to a government site for predicted fuel cost for 2008 which has already exceeded their prediction.

Until next time,

The Intentional Peasant~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What Influences Propane Prices?

Propane prices are subject to a number of influences, some common to all petroleum products, and others unique to propane.

Crude Oil and Natural Gas Prices – Although propane is produced from both crude oil refining and natural gas processing, its price is influenced mainly by the cost of crude oil. This is because propane competes mostly with crude oil-based fuels

Q: Does propane follow the pricing tendencies of other fuel sources? A: Since propane is extracted from crude oil and processed from natural gas, the price of propane follows the price of these energy commodities – particularly the cost of crude oil. Overall, prices for crude oil and the cost of natural gas have been steadily rising and propane costs have followed these increases.   Government site on speculation of fuel: gas, propane, etc cost.  This sites projected cost of fuel for 2008 were under estimated and we have only been through the first have of 2008. http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/contents.html   Figure 2. Heating Oil Prices Follow Crude Oil What can you do to lower your heating oil bill? You can arrange to have your tank filled in late summer or early fall when prices are generally lower. Talk to your heating oil dealer about participating in a budget plan to help stabilize your monthly bill. You can also talk to your heating oil dealer about “cap” or fixed price protection programs, which can help keep costs down. You can obtain a home energy audit to ensure that your furnace and appliances are running efficiently before the season begins. You can achieve conservation gains by weatherizing your home, i.e., installing the proper insulation in your house and around your hot water heater. Quick and easy fixes such as caulking and weather stripping windows and doors to seal out cold air also help save energy. Installing a programmable thermostat and reducing temperature settings on your thermostat, especially when you are not at home, are other ways to reduce your heating fuel costs. Lastly, both Federal and State energy assistance programs are available to heating oil customers who have a limited budget. For example, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a Federal program that distributes funds to States to help low-income households pay heating bills. Additional State energy assistance and fuel fund programs may be available to help households during a winter emergency. To find out if you qualify for assistance in your State, see: www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/liheap/grantees/index.html#states or contact your local heating oil dealer.

Getting Old

Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says: 'Slim, I'm 83 years old now and I'm just full of aches and pains. I know you're about my age. How do you feel?'
Slim says, 'I feel just like a newborn baby.'
'Really!? Like a newborn baby!?'
'Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet myself.'

*****

Hospital regulations require a wheel chair for patients being discharged. However, a student nurse found one elderly gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet, who insisted he! Didn't need her help to leave the hospital.
After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let the nurse wheel him to the elevator.
On the way down she asked him if his wife was meeting him.
'I don't know,' he said. 'She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown.'

*****

Couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember.
Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. 'Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?' he asks.
'Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?'
'Sure.'
'Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?' she asks.
'No, I can remember it.'
'Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so's not to forget it?'
He says, 'I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.'
'I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it down?' she asks..
Irritated, he says, 'I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!'
Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes,
The old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs. She stares at the plate for a moment.
'Where's my toast ?'

*****

A senior citizen said to his eighty-year old buddy:
'So I hear you're getting married?'
'Yep!'
'Do I know her?'
'Nope!'
'This woman, is she good looking?'
'Not really.'
'Is she a good cook?'
'Naw, she can't cook too well.'
'Does she have lots of money?'
'Nope! Poor as a church mouse.'
'Well, then, is she a good lover?'
'I don't know.'
'Why in the world do you want to marry her then?'
'Because she can still drive!'

*****

Morris, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical.
A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous middle-aged woman on his arm.
A couple of days later, the doctor spoke to Morris and said, 'You're really doing great, aren't you?'
Morris replied, 'Just doing what you said, Doc: 'Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.''
The doctor said, 'I didn't say that. I said, 'You've got a heart murmur; be careful.' 

*****

Please leave me a comment--

I wanted to thank all of my faithful readers and to those of you who have referred my site to family and friends.   I really enjoy sharing deals that I find.  I consider it my ministry!  I wanted to ask you all to post me a comment on what you would like to see more of on this blog? What do you find most helpful?  Thank you again. :)

Spring Hill Nursery: $20 off $20 purchase!!!

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Senators Warn Bill Could Spike Gas $1.50 to $5 a Gallon

" Worried about gas prices hitting $4 a gallon and beyond? Imagine if they were $6, $7 or even $8 a gallon. Those levels are a certain possibility should Congress pass cap-and-trade legislation, which could face a vote in early June. "

FOR REST OF ARTICLE GO TO LINK BELOW

http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2008/20080515172437.aspx