Window Shopper

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We live only about 200 miles from Branson, Mo. It is the new country music capital of the U.S. While Nashville may still have the Opry, Branson has a lot of the shows. While it wouldn’t take much for us to get to Branson, it certainly might take the rest of you a bit more. Then, the first thing to do is find good accomodations, like Branson golf home rentals. Did I say golf? Oh yeah. While that is not my cup of tea, for you golfers out there, Branson Missouri real estate places can show you the best place to golf a few rounds..Where? Thousand Hills Golf Resort, of course.

With a family or friends along, you might want to check out the cabins they offer. WOW! Nice is such a tame word. Depending on the cabin, they sleep up to 16 people! And they’re full of goodies like a screened in porch, internet service (high speed), cable tv, beautifully appointed kitchen, private bathrooms, king sized beds, a loft with a queen size bed. Access to shopping (huge for me), shows, restaurants and, of course, golf. Say, want to see what the cabins look like? Take a virtual tour before you decide. I think when you do that, it’s a no-brainer.

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For those of you who watch the happenings of the Powerball lottery, it was won by a single person with a payout of $314 million this week. ACK!! Don’t I wish. Well, anyway, the officials at the lottery headquarters say that the person who bought it has not come forward yet. Now, do not go searching through your old tickets because this person bought the thing in Richmond, Indiana. Now, if my memory serves me correctly, that happens to be where a couple of truckstops are located. Is it possible that a trucker has the ticket? If not, then it is someone who still has no idea they are about to be rich, rich and rich. Even with the taxes coming off, that will be a nice piece of change for the person holding the winning ticket.

I hope I did not ruin your day with this news. We are still blessed to be alive.

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In the past, when I had to travel or wanted to travel, I did some planning but not that much. The result of that was that I usually missed things I really wanted to do or see. Now, I have to say that not all travel was for recreation, some was my job. But, regardless of the reason for it, traveling was part of my life for a number of years. Even if the traveling is for a vacation, how much travel planning do you actually do? Some folks make plans on top of plans using a travel guide and all sorts of websites. But those people are likely to be in the minority. Most folks pick the spot they want to go and…go.

These days, if you do not start to plan, say using a website that has a travel guide, you can end up spending far more than you had intended because you sort of left it up in the air. I can tell you for a fact that you will use more gas in your car if you do not plan your vacations and travels. The days of simply going where the spirit leads does not really work anymore. Oh, I’m sure you could still do that but what happens when you do? No place to stay, no seeing all the sites because you can’t get in…too many others there first or possibly no reservations to where you want to eat since you don’t believe in planning ahead.

So, my advice is to go to websites that have that travel guide to help you. The one I’m thinking about even has articles and blogs about traveling. It will give you a lot of information ahead of the travel dates. Give it a chance. you might actually have a better time, save some money and enjoy the whole thing with the family. I can’t think of a better way to destress than to have a stress free vacation at some really great theme park or vacation villa. You can make some awesome memories.

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I need my readers to input on this one. Yes, it would be great if you could tell me your experiences but in this case, I really need you to help with the situation. Let me tell you a small story about us.

Some years ago, my family was unable to have an income. We had to rely on Social Security. They were quite slow in granting the disability for one of us. The other had a chech of some $400 for four of us to live on. We couldn’t pay the bills and while we did have food stamps, they were not nearly enough for us for a month. Perhaps some of you have been like this or are now in this situation.

So, we decided to visit the local food pantry where they were happy to give us what they could. Unfortunately, they were low on food each month because there were so many that needed food but not that many willing to give. We left with a small grocery sack of food and supplies that we were very grateful to get.

Here’s the problem. Most people like to give at the “feel good” times like Christmas and Thanksgiving, perhaps Easter. Those are the main times of the year that people will give, sometimes ratty things they had cast off. Sometimes, it would be the cans in the cupboard that they will never eat because it’s yucky. The cans will be old and bent. The clothes would be tattered and torn. Some of the things would be simply too used. They wouldn’t want to be seen in them but it’s okay for poor folks to have because they don’t need anything nice.

I propose this. Those of you who are reading this could find it in your hearts to give some cans or boxes of food each week or month. Do you know that it does not cost that much to buy a few extra things from your plenty? If enough people would do this, those few things would feed so many people. Times are difficult. Money does not flow like it did at one time. Too many people are living from paycheck to paycheck. If a disaster happened, they would be so messed up.

It always has amazed me to see that so many people will give at the feel good times but will not lift a finger any other time of the year. Do you honestly believe that those people aren’t hungry anytime but once a year!! COME ON!!! People are hungry all year long. How can you only give at one time a year. Yes, times are hard. But how much harder are they for your neighbor than for you? We are currently on Social Security and yet we can give something to our local place. We give some clothes that no longer fit but they are good clothes. There are even new clothes that go too. If you are giving from your heart, it won’t be the old grubby things. It will be good, new things, fresh cans from the store, fresh boxes. You will show your giving nature in this way.

Okay, readers, your input here and there are both necessary for me. Tell me your story!!!

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There are so many things that can be done to save money both at home and at the store. It simply takes some time, a little bit of research and patience, something I had been short on when I started to shop years ago. If it wasn’t what I wanted then I was crabby for hours. Talk about your spoiled brats. Ah well. Since then, I try to find the best shopping ideas and save as much money as possible. These days, if you don’t save some, it goes through your fingers too fast. Heck, you could save a bundle and it still goes through the fingers if you don’t watch out.

Tip: Do one thing that we had to learn out of necessity because of gas prices…avoid sudden emergency trips to the store because you want a treat, don’t have the right ingredients for the food plan, can’t decide from the food you already have. We live far enough away that I try to combine trips to the store with doctor appointments, gas fillups, medicine pickups, visits to family and so on. If you really live close, consider walking to the store…if it’s safe and you can get someone to go with you.

Tip: Check labels. I cannot stress this too much. If you are looking to cut calories, fat or carbs, learn to really read the labels. Many companies already cut the amounts of each of these and are cheaper than the ones who tend to have big advertising ads. Watch for those labeled “low fat”. They are allowed to say that even if it’s a higher fat content than you are allowed or wanting. Watch out for those that say “new and improved” because the big improvement is likely to be the price or amount. We have noticed that certain types of toilet paper, while they have the same price, have dropped the amount of product.

Tip: Check the markdowns in store. Often, these are unadvertised specials that show up on the end caps or in the middle of the store. But beware! Not all products on the endcaps are on sale. Sometimes, they simply want to sell this product. Because the buying public is schooled to see the endcap as a sale item, people will buy there whether it’s a sale item or not. I know. I have done this without checking the regular price first.

Tip: One thing that is deadly to your budget is when you take othes with you, especially children. They are not only distractions, they also love to impulse buy for you. Little children sitting in the cart seat have an amazing range of reach when you aren’t looking. To them, it’s theirs if they can get ahold of it.

Tip: Another deadly is at the cash register. Watch the items being rung up. The computer does not always tell the truth about the price of the item. It could be on sale. If the price does not ring up correctly, tell the cashier. They are supposed to correct it in the machine before you are completely checked out. You can save quite a bit of money by just being observant.

More tips and suggestions from the Window Shopper later. Happy Shopping!

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Normally, I see lighting products and they’re pretty good, some extemely pretty. But, I have never seen lights like these. Have you ever heard of Lightrails? No? Neither had I until today. I LOVE ‘EM! Take a look at the way they look and how much light you can put into a room with those lightrails. They look great and are very functional as well. The manufacturer is George Kovacs. The product is Lightrail. With the kits you can get 3-8 lights on the rail that hang from the ceiling to pour out the light into the room. This is affordable lighting that looks great too. What a great idea!

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I don’t know where you live but here in the Ozarks, it’s still pretty hot. Even though the kids went back to school, it is not time to let up on taking care of your pets when it’s really hot. In fact, sometimes when it starts to cool down, you start thinking that it isn’t as dangerous for the family pet to get into the car and ride with you. But what happens when you want to go into a store where the pet isn’t allowed to go? Stay in a car that can still heat up to over a hundred degrees? Even cracking the windows will not do the trick. In warm weather, the car can heat up to anywhere from 100 degrees to 120 degrees in a matter of moments. Going into a store for “just a minute” is not acceptable. Leave the beloved family pet at home for his own good.

In our area, you see dogs in the back of a pickup quite often. Sometimes the pet will be up on the tool box riding “in the wind”. The problem is that it’s dangerous and, in some states illegal, to have a dog in the back of a pickup unrestrained. Should the driver slam on the brakes for whatever reason, the dog could easily end up in traffic where he would get hit by a car. Flying trash can hit the dog and hurt him. Too many things can happen to Fido. And I do not want to even go there about cats, reptiles, cows, pigs and so on.

While the pet is outside, please put him in the shade with plenty of water. Too often, owners think that the dog is okay for now, then forget them in the heat or when the sun gets around to that part of the yard. Pets can only get relief in hot weather through panting. They do not sweat like humans. The cooldown comes only when you take the pet inside to the air conditioning.

These days, people cannot let their animals run, if in the city, but in the country it’s still the way things are because the animal is on their own property. However, roaming pets can have problems if they get into freshly fertilized grass, plant food or insecticides. These are deadly to a pet.

Keep the pets out of the swimming pool unless there is someone there to supervise the animal. That someone needs to be old enough to have responsibility, not a young child or a tween.

Are you aware that pets can get sunburned? When I heard about that some years ago, I was actually shocked since they have all that hair. Didn’t know they could actually have that problem. Yet they do. Those pets that have light colored fur or noses are especially subject to things like skin cancer or sunburn. Putting sunblock on them would be wise.

Guess I was avoiding this subject. The ticks and fleas are incredibly bad this year in our area. We have to make sure the pet is protected by flea and tick treatments. Ask you vet about what type of treatments would be best. Some over the counter types can be toxic no matter what you do. If you are already familiar with the treatment product, try going online for a big savings on such things.

Soon, there will be more from the Window Shopper. Happy Shopping!!

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I realize that there will be repeats in the things that I list. Frankly, I do not always recall everything I write out and sometimes there isn’t enough time to go looking at all the posts so…I will do my best to come up with fresh ideas for you.

The biggest outgo of money that can be worked on is the food budget. This is a place where you can save a bundle if you shop in the right frame of mind and armed with some knowledge. I certainly wish I had had this when I was a lot younger. So, here are some more tips for the grocery store and your budget:

Tip: As always, arm yourself with a list of items you plan to buy and stick within that list. You will need to be strong because just about the time you have the list, six things you didn’t know you wanted are sitting there on the end of the aisle on sale. So, read the sale in the paper as you make that list. Although there will be sale items not in the paper, you want to stick with your list and your budget. However, budget in some of those sale items before you leave the house. Then, choose to get one or two of them.

Tip: One of the things that has saved us a lot of money is to buy in bulk. Bulk means simply buying at a lower price for a lot more of the product. When you do this, you do save an amazing amount of money. Buy at places like a Sav-a-lot, bulk warehouses where they sell only by the case or Aldi’s where the prices are great on generic or store brands that taste exactly like the name brands. There are so many things you can buy that way. Meat, canned goods, pet foods, cleaning supplies, toilet paper and much more. Try it and see how much you can save.

Tip: Speaking of off brands, whatever store you choose to buy from, go for the generic brands or store brands instead of the nationally known brands that cost sometimes twice as much.

Tip: Back to bulk buying…if you are unable to buy that much at a time (we know about that), find a friend or family member who is willing to split the cases with you. This way you still get the bargain of the bulk price but do not have to pay out quite as much. That works especially well if you have space problems. (you could split the tab on the gas used as well..This is win, win)

Tip: You will want to learn how to cook from scratch so that you don’t need prepared food packages. Those cost at least 2-10 times the price of what it would cost to make it yourself. We have homemade food almost all the time. We almost never use any type of packaged foods. When you are in a pince, maybe Hamburger Helper works but if you have all the ingredients or most of them, throw it all together with a few spices and it’s a treat for the family. (Spices make the difference here ..well that and freshly made food instead of out of a box)

Look for more tips from the Window Shopper. Happy Shopping!!

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In the movie Eye of the Dolphin, 15 year old Alyssa (played by Carly Schroeder) finds herself in the unique position of needing to be with a father she never knew when she was expelled from high school. Her Grandmother (Katherine Ross of The Graduate and Capital City) chose to give Alyssa a chance to learn more about her father by sending her to he Bahamas. Being put into a situation that she knew nothing about, she reacted like any teen would…until she met a very unusual friend. WIth abilities she didn’t know she possessed, Alyssa, who holds the key to the problem, seeks to help her father out of an impossible situation.

Carly Schroeder stars in Eye of the Dolphin opening on August 24th at a theater near you. By the way, you might want to sign up for the free movie tickets to Eye of the Dolphin as long as you go to the site no later than August 26th.

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For those of you who shop the yard sales or garage sales, this is a lot of fun. I have picked up some really great deals at the yard and garage sales. However, the people who go to the sales are not always the greatest at selling. Sometimes, you need some help there too. Our family has held a few garage sales and I want you to know that it is a LOT of work, no matter what anyone says. It is not a piece of cake. And it takes some planning. So, here are some things to consider when planning a yard or garage sale in the future.

Tip: If you can, put your ad in the newspaper the week of the sale. In the ad, tell the important things like…a small list of what you have, the address where they need to go for it and BE SURE To tell what the times are for the sale. If you put 8am to ?, you will sit out there all day and possibly have no sales beyond a certain time. Always tell your customers how long you are willing to be there. Oh, and there will always be “early birds” getting there before the time you set. So, set the time for a little later than you want to start, say a half hour. Sometimes the birds get there as you are setting up. Tip #2 now.

Tip: Set up the sale as early as you can. If your place allows the setup the day before, great! If not, put things out as early as possible.

Tip: Signs! One of the things that has turned me off of a yard or garage sale is a sign that you can either barely read or can’t read at all until you get up really close. Whoever wrote that out was not thinking beyond what they could see as they wrote it. Signs need to have LARGE LETTERS to be seen from a distance. Don’t get too cute with the colors either. Black is the best color for lettering I have ever seen. Dark red comes in second, for me at least. Light colors simply will not be seen more than a couple of feet away.

Tip: Set up your signs a couple of days in advance NOT several days early. The signs will be no good or be stolen before your sale starts. No signs, no sales.

Tip: More on signs. Placement of signs is really important. You can make or break a sale by having the signs in the wrong place. Put the signs in all ways entering your street or road. If you have a dirt road like we did, place the signs at the head of the roads that intersect with that one. Get creative. The nicer the signs, the more interesting the sale looks. Put colorful balloons on the signs. When they wave in the breeze, they attract attention from folks who didn’t know about your sale. One note of caution here: Some cities and towns have ordinances about sign placement. Please check with your local government before doing any sign placements. They can cause a fine or ticket.

Tip: When you decide the value of the items, please be aware that no one is going to pay what you paid six years ago, even if it looks new. Be reasonable. They are looking for bargains! Put stickers on with fair prices. Lots of those who attend sales like this carry change in their pockets for the cheap prices on things. Give them plenty to look at. Whether you have the pre-priced stickers or just a lot of tape, make it look like you worked a little to price items. Do not have torn pieces of tape with an illegible price. Mark things clearly. One thing. You must decide whether you will accept checks or not. Advice: I would not accept checks from anyone that you do not already know. You might even say in your ads and on signs…cash only!

Tip: ALWAYS have more than one person handling the customers. Have at least one who does nothing but watch for people walking away with things they do not pay for. If you want a profit, you can’t afford to have theft. Have someone handling only the cash box. If possible, have them writing down each sale item. That way, you have an inventory.

Tip: Combined family sales are great and will likely bring in more customers. Try to have at least a three family sale. Then, you can split the cost of anything you need as well as an ad unless your paper has free ads for such sales. Ours does. Be sure the families all advertise the sale even in their own neighborhoods, if you don’t live in the same one.

Tip: Clean up is very important, especially if you live in a neighborhood where others will be picking up your trash if you do not clean all the papers and trash from your sale. Also, ALWAYS gather your signs back up when it’s over. Take them down!!! Nobody wants to go to a sale that happened last week. Too many people leave the signs to rot.

That’s it from Window Shopper once again. Happy Shopping!!

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