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Spend a dollar, change a life. - November 28, 2010

Hand Heart <3I’ve always been one for trinkets. Little tokens to treasure. Small gestures that make someone’s day. I believe those little bits multiplied out can make a real difference. And Love Drop is going to prove that.

Each month, Love Drop will help an individual or family that’s struggling financially. They’ll pay the electric bill, cover the mortgage, or provide a necessity that wouldn’t otherwise be possible for the recipient to purchase. They’ll provide an unexpected financial gift, no strings attached, just to show they care.

And we’re going to help them. Oh yes, we are.

To become part of the Love Drop Team, just pledge a monthly donation of your choice – $1, $5, $20, whatever you can afford. The point is that all these little trinkets, all these small gestures, come together every month to do something dynamite!

Once you’re part of the team, you’ll gain access to newsletters, blog posts, and videos documenting each month’s Love Drop. You’ll also have the ability to suggest a friend, family member, neighbor, Twitter friend, or anyone else you know that may need a little help financially to be the next Love Drop recipient.

We’ve had a rough year and people have helped us in small ways that has lifted our spirits and gotten us through, and we’re now in a position where we can begin to return the favor. We’re starting by becoming part of the Love Drop Team.

The first Love Drop goes down in January, so join the team now so you can start off the year by helping to make a difference!

(If you become part of the Love Drop Team – let me know. I’d love to give you a little link love by adding your badge to my sidebar! I’ll even start a brand new category for all the Lovers.)

Daily Dollars – November 20 thru 27 - November 27, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving weekend! Are you stuffed? Did you venture out on Black Friday? We mostly stayed home and relaxed this week, with a quick trip to some local favorites for grub and gifts.

The only Black Friday sale I took advantage of was through Amazon – they had the first six Harry Potter movies for only $25! I’m not a fan, but I think it will make a fine gift for our nephews.

Where did you spend your money this week?

Salvation Army Angel Adoptions - November 24, 2010

salvation armyI remember seeing the Salvation Army Angel Giving Tree in our local grocery store growing up and it recently dawned on me that I haven’t seen those trees in stores for years. That’s because you can now adopt an Angel online.

And adopt we did.

Within 2 miles of us, there was an 18 month old girl that needed socks, shoes, and a winter coat. All she wanted was a baby doll with a stroller. How can you not want to help when a child in your own community needs socks?

The budget was $100, but because the coat and shoes took up a good chunk (and that’s not really fun for an 18 month old) I felt it was okay to go over budget. Here’s what our Angel got for $140:

  • winter coat
  • socks (five pairs)
  • shoes
  • shirts (four)
  • pants (four)
  • pajamas (two)
  • baby doll with stroller
  • Memory Game (lots of educational games on sale at Target for $5)
  • coloring books, stickers & crayons (all from the Target Dollar Spot!)
  • Webkin (a blogging perk)
  • educational CD (another blogging perk)

IMG 0048

I hope she and her family have a great holiday and that these items help get them through until her next growth spurt. I also hope that she thinks Santa is awesome, because I had a lot of fun picking out toys and clothes with her in mind.

Are you planning on helping out this holiday season? What’s your charity of choice?

Daily Dollars – November 14 thru 19 - November 20, 2010

Hello, payday. How did you get here so soon?

  • $35 grocery
  • $22 USPS
  • $6 car wash
  • $525 Chase
  • $168 State Farm – car insurance
  • $75 utilities
  • $42 internet
  • $77 Sprint
  • $400 ING
  • $10 donation
  • $43 NCAA volleyball tickets

Noteworthy items this payday:

  • Thanks to cooler weather, the utility bill is half the amount it was two months ago. Yeah!
  • This is the 4th consecutive payday that we’ve made a sizable contribution to our emergency fund. Yeah x2!

Since our financial situation is a bit more comfortable, we’ve adopted an angel through the Salvation Army this holiday season. I’ll be blogging about our experience in the coming weeks, which brings me to my final thought this week…

I’ve been a little lax on my blogging (and I apologize!) because I’m plum out of ideas. If there’s a topic you’d like to see me tackle or know a great carnival I should participate in, please leave a comment!

So, where did you spend your money this week?

November 7 thru 13 - November 13, 2010
  • $65 grocery
  • $50 donation to Dig Pink
  • $76 Sprint
  • $34 Etsy
  • $23 Hobby Lobby

I started Christmas shopping this week! By Christmas shopping I mean buying supplies for handmade gifts! This is the second year in a row that I’ll be making the majority of what will be gifted and I really enjoy the process (even if I do get caught up in making everything perfect).

It’s a good thing we exchange with very few people. (You can read why here, here, and here.) Quality over quantity!

Have you started your Christmas shopping? Do you go the homemade route?

Daily Dollars – October 31 thru November 6 - November 6, 2010
  • $490 car payment – Prius
  • $376 car payment – Corolla
  • $196 Capital One
  • $116 Walmart
  • $110 Target
  • $45 Home Slice Pizza
  • $1,100 ING

Putting that chunk of money into savings felt good. I’m resting a little easier knowing we have enough in our emergency account to cover two months of living expenses. Ideally, I’d like to have enough for six months, so we’ve got a ways to go.

How much is in your emergency account?

Administrative Duties of Financial Responsibility - November 2, 2010

Congratulations to our winner…Breanne!

Here are your random numbers:

112

Timestamp: 2010-11-08 15:15:00 UTC

There’s an administrative aspect to financial responsibility. Organizing and filing, budgeting and tracking. Even if you’re completely debt-free, there’s one administrative duty that still needs to be tackled…

Shredding.

Between old credit card statements, receipts, and junk mail, a stack of papers containing personal information that could compromise your financial well-being can accumulate quickly. Just look at all the paperwork I accumulated in a single week!

IMAG0391

iShredTo dispose of all my personal information properly, I’m putting the iShred Verical Shredder from Black & Decker to the test. The iShred is the only verfical shredder on the market and can turn up to 6 sheets of paper and credit cards into tiny shreds for maximum security. It also handles staples without jamming!

With nosey kids or pets around, the fuly enclosed shredder head with sliding safety shield blocks access to exposed blades. To empty, just twist the base and dump.

In addition to being functional, the iShred’s super sleek design means this shredder isn’t an eyesore in your home or office.

Look at the iShred go! (Sorry about the sideways video!) One sheet, three sheets, six sheets, six sheets with a staple, and a credit card (which I just noticed should have been fed at the bottom, not the top).

Black & Decker makes a whole range of paper shredders for home, office, and industrial use and they’ve offered (Okay. Fine. I asked if they’d let me give one away. The important thing is that they said yes.) a 6 sheet Crosscut Paper Shredder from Black & Decker for one of you!

Just leave a comment telling me how you dispose of your important papers. Do you shred? Do your fingers cramp from using scissors? Do you trash it all and hope for the best?

You can earn an extra entry for following @CorrinRenee (that’s me!) on Twitter. Leave a separate comment for each entry.

Good luck!

The fine print…Entries will be accepted until midnight, Sunday, November 7. One (1) winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted by email. Please use your real first name a valid email address when entering. I am not responsible for incorrect contact information. Prize will be shipped to winner directly from sponsor.

This is a sponsored review and giveaway courtesy of the lovely people at Black & Decker. Please see my site policy with any questions.

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