The Mushroom Project:

OK, the Ayes have!  The Mushroom Project got the green light.  The bride (and editor-in-chief) was excited by the idea.

No rolling eyes,  no OK if you want to I’ll play along just ’cause I love you…..This was genuine “lit up eyes” excitement!  (Editor comment: I love working in the yard, stupid!)

Cool.

The Mushroom Project went from an idea to a goal.

The goal: grow mushrooms at home.

Secondary goal: Gourmet mushrooms at home at  a reasonable price.

Stretch goal: Grow gourmet mushrooms and save money over store prices/quality.

Now what?

Mushroom Project Steps

We’re going to buy fungi spawn and raise them.

Becoming ‘spore spawn diddys’ (SSD) entail no adoption fees and there are no legal battles to be fought.

No one is going to turn up at our neighbor’s doors questioning our past or run our fingerprints through databases.

Nope, we just have to figure out how to get this project going.

Growing stuff background

We’ve grown rare, not found in the wild trees named for Benjamin Franklin (native to our area, but not too happy in our yard), common sun loving, heart warming, hardy zinnias, finicky (‘stop the car, what is that?) clematis, and stunningly gorgeous camellias.

Fungi spawn?  SSD?  Not on purpose.  Though I used to make a pretty good ale years ago…

Project Starting Tips

Projects, large and small, come to fruition in the same way:

• Research.  Even on tasks well-honed from years of experience, like growing those wonderful summer zinnias, we are open to new information.  On any new project, time spent reading, checking with the experts, ‘studying on it’, is time well spent.  A thorough and ongoing  Google search is a necessity.
• Network-finding someone else that has ‘been there done that’ is a time and pain saver. They’ve made the mistakes.  Ask around for advice.  Luckily, a national audience here has already chimed in with helpful advice and contacts, and I’m sure more will come.
• Lists are golden with a new project.
  

  Project spreadsheet, or pencil and paper-Your Call!

  For a tried and true task, the mental list may do the trick.  If time is a factor, say you have to get the toilet back together before guests arrive for the weekend, spend extra prep time making sure you have every item required before you begin. For our SSD project, a careful list with easy eraser access (pencil or computer document) is a must.

• Cost Estimates.  This is where research and an accurate list of necessary items are funneled into a budget reality.   Bulk is better when your buying many things, small quantities is a better idea when you’re starting out.  Compromise (almost) always wins the day.  We will start small with this new adventure because we’re novices. Know what the cost will be.  Your cost estimate will be accurate only if you have done a good job with the first two items in this list.  If you’re pumped for a project, but the initial cost is too great-start small, or start slow.  Buying a few items as you can.  I know you’re excited, but remember the turtle usually wins.  Also, as we are well known to do (especially the editor), substitute for something you already have, reduce and reuse.
• Timeline, with deadlines-Set a deadline to have the items amassed and to get started. SSD’s know there is a time lag from start to meal time.  Getting started is the first requirement of having an end.  With every project there will be parts you love and parts you hate.  To prevent procrastination, set deadlines and stick to them.   Don’t let a simple project become a disaster.  Like that rotten tree that is leaning towards your home?  The removal costs may seem ridiculous, but the physical danger to your family, and  potential home repair costs are far far far greater after it falls and slices your roof in half.
• Get’er done.

We’re on our way.  Lists are underway and the timeline is coming together.  I won’t keep you in the dark-that’s for mushrooms, silly.

Reader Questions:

All you SSD’s (aka Mushroom Dads and Moms) out there there. Help us.  Comments/Advice?

{photo credit: ivanwalsh c.c.}

Don’t forget to:

Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke

Like-Facebook

Circle-Google +

Link to me-at Linked In

Friend-Facebook

Don’t miss anything here-RSS

Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special  free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

Have you ever read anything that made you feel like a failure?  Something that slammed you in your gut, made you want to vomit?

This innocuous looking article on savings rates at Smart Money hit me that way.

The article discusses the savings rate of our country compared to others in the world.  It seems that individuals who are living in the poorest corners of our world are also some of the best savers.

Ring the Bell For Others!

We complain and whine about our inability to get ahead on our income.

• “How can anybody save money in this economy?”
• “It costs so much to eat, buy gas-our monthly bills are just too high!”
• “Momma, I can’t wear those no-names, my friends all wear Uggs.

The super-savers in third-world countries, whose income would be less than 1% of our so-called poverty level,  sometimes making as little as $2 bucks a day, are living on half and saving the rest.

How many of you are saving 50% of your income, or putting 50% of your income against your debt?

The current savings rate of our country is quoted to be around 5%. That means we spend 95% of what we make on average.  At the height of the boom before things crashed in 2008, we were at a negative savings rate.  That meant as a country we were all spending more than we made on an annual basis.

Our government continues to do so at a dizzying pace.

Spending, Can You Do Better?

I know why this got my attention.  We are blessed in this country to have so much in the way of material goods-most of which sits in our homes unused, just to be available if or when we need it.

We have 15 different damn ways to cook a hamburger. From a microwave, to George Forman’s grill, to our stove, to the $1000 BBQ with 5 burners and while you’re cooking- a blender for your margarita-cheers!  Cooking, that’s for losers, let’s go to __________ (insert your favorite burger joint here!)

And don’t forget the pasta maker, the tortilla maker, the bread machine, and the rice cooker.  How many ways can you cook a starch???

I’m not just casting stones here.  I’m looking dead center in the mirror and don’t like what I see.

And my wife and I are laughed at ‘cause our TV is 20 years old and both our cars are more than a decade old!  I know I’m far from the worst spender, and that just makes it even worse.

Why Personal Finance?

Many people ask why I do this. “Why do you teach others about personal finance, as busy as you are at practicing medicine?

The only answer I can give:

I’m called to do it.  I want to help you see how poor, (some would say stupid) choices are ruining your lives.  It seems like fun to buy these new shoes, eat out, I gotta have that new boat, the kids have to go to that private school..….. We borrow money for school when we could be working and paying our own way!

We delude ourselves daily!

It’s so easy to watch TV rather than study and better yourself to improve your income.  It’s easier to have a beer with your buds rather than volunteer at the food bank or ring the bell at Christmas.

It happens so slowly and in the company of so many others, that we don’t realize we’re in Overspending Hell ‘till it’s too late!

Reader Questions:

What do you think?  What is your savings rate?  What would get your attention about your spending?  Do you save 5, 10, 15% of your current income after taxes?

If you are saving more, how do you do it?  How did you get there and what would you suggest others do who say they can’t get by?

{photo credit: Monica’s Dad c.c.}

Don’t forget to:

Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke

Like-Facebook

Circle-Google +

Link to me-at Linked In

Friend-Facebook

Don’t miss anything here-RSS

Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special  free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

Can I Save More?

Are you intense while grocery shopping with your spreadsheet, calculator, and smartphone to compare prices-wearing your frugality like a crown on Miss America?  Or do you go shopping hungry, with just an idea about what you truly need-an easy mark for the well placed, but highly marked up food that appeals to your growling stomach?

After housing, groceries account for the second largest portion of most families’ budgets.

Grocery Shopping, with help...

I have been on a self-imposed tighter grocery budget lately, so these thoughts occupy a portion of my ‘solve the world’s problems while I jog’ time.

This morning (and it was a gorgeous one: almost full moon, bright stars, crisp, cool air) I mentally debated the usefulness of several grocery shopping ideas that surfaced in my world over the week-end.

• Apps available in certain grocery stores offering coupons on smart phones
• Less sugar in kid’s boxes of cereal
• My Open Enrollment health assessment made me rethink the amount of high fat foods in my diet

I know, these things seem somehow disjointed, and yet, to the frugal nutrition conscious among us, namely me, they are possibly indicative of better ways to spend my precious grocery dollars.

App in the Grocery store:

The app in the grocery store (that sounds like ‘the rum in the coconut’ song) could be helpful, but since coupons are so often for things that are new, gimmicky and over-priced, that one  sends red flags out for me.  That temptation to stray from your list would be even more enticing.

I bet I would have buyers remorse every time I used one of those ‘cool sent to me at the store coupons’.  Yo solo diggo.

Sugary cereal?

According to the cereal makers, even though a box of cereal has a purple monster on the front, kids won’t eat cereal that is not ‘sweet’ enough.  Really?  That amazes me.  It seems if a box is colorful and cutesy, kids would eat whatever was inside.

If you traded brand X cereal for the contents of the cutesy sugary kids cereal, would they really not eat it? What do you think?  Are kids addicted to sugar?

Better nutrition and saving money:

For our Open Enrollment (OE) for insurance options where I work, we can fill out an online health assessment and have the chance to win $100 in coupons.

Cool! Of course, I filled out the assessment only because I wanted to be a lucky winner.

I thought I was a healthy eater, but after answering the questions-oops, maybe not so much.

I found I needed to improve my eating habits.  Now I’m thinking I really do eat too many bad foods, and I just might drink a little too much alcohol each weekend.

Making better, low fat food choices is just plain smart.  Cutting back on alcohol consumption is much better for my waistline, my pocketbook, and of course my health.

Jog for ideas

So, there it is.  Some of the things I pondered during my early morning jog that could help in my frugal quest to save every penny possible-burning a few calories was just a bonus….

FDL, BSN a public health nurse and frequent writer for The Millionaire Nurse.

Dr Dean’s views:  I think the store apps could be useful. But just like any tool, they can be misused.  If they tempt you into buying something you don’t need or that’s overpriced, dump the app. If you find a better price on something on your list-cool. Self-discipline is the rule….(I know easy to say…)

As to kids cereal, once a sweet tooth has been developed it’s hard to break-those cereal manufacturers know what they are doing.  It’s hard to get grown-ups  who grew up drinking “Sweet Tea” to switch to unsweetened too. So the kids don’t stand a chance.

{photo credit: Symlinked c.c.}

Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to:

Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke

Like-Facebook

Circle-Google +

Link to me-at Linked In

Friend-Facebook

Don’t miss anything here-RSS

Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special  free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

I’m shameless.  When my kids come home, which is not often enough, I cook them breakfast.

The price for scrambled eggs, bacon, and homemade muffins (I toasted the muffins, the wife made ‘em) is a little of their time for brainstorming.

No I don’t have a white board in the kitchen, though that’s a thought.

I’m not brainstorming about the next family vacation, or what they want for Christmas.

Nope, I make this captive audience come up with blog post ideas.

The Invisible Hand

This morning my daughter-in-law suggested I write about the invisible hand.  I was impressed that she knew about Adam Smith’s theory of free markets.

After the group got finished laughing at me, she said they meant the Invisible Hand, the browser online shopping plug- in.  A  browser plug-in that helps you find the cheapest price for your online shopping.

The Invisible Hand

Not too long ago I would of said “Plug-in, what’s a plug-in?”  And if you had said it’s for your browser, I would’ve said “What’s a browser?”

Now, though, I’m a high tech guy.  I’m on the cutting edge….I’ve learned all kinds of useless tech trivia.

But for my non-tech readers:

• Browser-the thing that makes the internet go where you want to go.  It is either called Internet Explorer, Google’s Chrome,  Mac’s Safari, or Mozilla’s Firefox, unless you are a real nerd in which it might be called Rock Melt or you are living in the past and it might be Netscape or Prodigy.
• Plug-in-it’s hard to explain a “plug-in” to those of us of a certain age as there is nothing to plug anywhere in a plug-in.  You have to “download” the plug-in, then “re-boot” your browser to make it work.  Cross your fingers for no compatibility issues….or no mal-ware or a virus….

To download your version of  the Invisible Hand plug-in check out this link.  Make sure you pick the browser version you use.  Don’t forget to reboot.

I then, being a serious teacher, decided to take Invisible Hand for a test drive.  I don’t want to recommend a product to you without making sure it works.

How Invisible Hand (IH) works:

• After you’ve downloaded and re-booted, the IH plug-in works in the background-you don’t see anything.
• If you do a price search for anything, if IH detects a better price, a yellow-orange ribbon pops up at the top of the page, with a comparison price and a link to the better priced site.
• So far I haven’t noticed it slowing my browser down.

So I proceeded to purchase (yea just pretended) :

• A Barbie-The IH saved me 19% or $3.81 from my initial search .
• A Dyson vacuum-Saved 40 bucks on my first Google search.
• A plane ticket-sorry, the prices on IH were almost identical to Delta.com.
• Hotel room-that room in Manhattan I found on Hotels.com was not beaten by IH.

Two searches out of four saved real money.  And the others were harmless-as they didn’t cost me any time as Invisible Hand works in the background while you do your traditional price comps.

You don’t have to launch a program or go to another site-unless the IH price is better-then you hit the link on the ribbon at the top of the page. You can  purchase the object just like always.

Invisible Hand Limitations:

Invisible Hand does not follow every retail object or retailer.  So don’t just limit yourself to it’s results.  But in my experience Invisible Hand is certainly worth the cost.  (yea, it’s free…)

Reader questions:

How bout you? Any of guys using Invisible Hand?  Has it saved you any money?

Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke

Like-Facebook

Circle-Google +

Link to me-at Linked In

Friend-Facebook

Don’t miss anything here-RSS

Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special  free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

(Guest post by FDL)

Budgeting in the hard stuff (sorry Crystal):

As a seriously frugal, bread-baking, no processed food,  lunch packing,  clothes line to dry clothes kinda person, I have always resisted the confining aspect of a set amount for grocery buying each week.  As a personal finance blog reader I recognize the positives to budgeting and have embraced the concept in all areas of spending except  the grocery bill.  Until now.  I’m on a mission!

There are bunches and bunches of ways to control spending that work for scores of people.  Me?  I need simple.

I  think the only way for me to stick with this planning on the grocery bill is to use cash only-what people call the envelope method. Fill it at the beginning of the week and then stay the course.

I already look for bargains and purchase by ‘cheapest per ounce’ and all that stuff. I’m totally frugal.  When I see a great price for something, I want to buy a year’s supply.   For me, this was the part that made it hardest to stay within the budgeted amount.  I think I found a solution.

In the first week I even dodged a moon-crater sized pothole and managed to finish 7 days with my budget intact.  Whew!

Here’s what happened:

My first week of grocery-money-in-the-envelope, we invited 4 people over for dinner at the last minute.  In the past, I have used this as sort of an excuse to splurge a bit on the groceries.

The problem was unplanned company for dinner.  Actually, we planned to have them, we invited them, but here I was limiting my spending on groceries but needing to put together a tasty meal for 6 people.  Using the frugal side of my brain, I chose the cheapest meat available, cooked it in the most fabulous way possible, and scrimped on the sides.

In-season roasted vegetables and fruit. I love roasted vegetables, they have great flavor and look cool when plated.  The grapes- the ones I already had in the fridge for our lunches- now were a healthy appetizer.  Short on time, I went with cheese  cut up from the giant chunk I keep for my calcium-rich snacks and put with coupon friendly crackers.

Dessert?   I had  home-made cinnamon rolls in the freezer and just made a tastyglaze-voila.

The meal was  inexpensive. I already had most of the ingredients on hand. It was a hit.

Planned Grocery Spending-Week One:

So, one week in, here’s my re-worked strategy……

The amount I am allowing myself each week will remain the same.  My goal is to have money left over. That money I will keep in a ‘grocery savings’ envelope- to be used for those great  bulk buying bargains I don’t want to miss but would throw me off my weekly budgeted amount.

I must keep food-for-company meals in the freezer and make allowance for the “entertainment” factor of those meals.

I think the extra envelope with the ‘grocery savings’ money may do the trick for me.  Yes, I’m frugal, but sometimes I overspend at any one time just to get a bargain.  Setting a limit even on that spending will help.

This may not be so hard after all.  Finding the right strategy and then adding a little measure of flexibility could be my solution for staying with a grocery budget. Finally……

Week two is looming-stay tuned…..

Suggestions from you great grocery budgeters out there?  Let me know your secrets.

{photo credit: Polycart c.c.}

FDL BSN, is a frequent guest poster here at The Millionaire Nurse Blog.

Speakin’ of Google + I’m there as  Dean Burke….they wouldn’t let me use Dr Dean…  Put me in one of your circles, I’ll feel so special….

Make sure you follow me on Twitter @DrDeanBurke- quick links on the side of the blog!  And let’s not miss a post-sign up for email special delivery or the RSS feed!

Friends, I love friends-check out my Facebook page, and I’m definitely Linked-In-use the shortcuts on the side-that’s why I paid my Web Master of the Universe-Ben-the big bucks to put ‘em there-saves you time!

Guest Post: FDL,  RN BSN

It’s vacation season.  Just like you, I’m having to cover for vacationing co-workers… Yea, I guess it’s ok for others to get a little time off….  As I ponder things to do while it’s so hot here in the south, I’m drawn to articles to help me plan my own time off.

A couple of  money saving vacation related articles caught my eye.

For those of you who need a little time unplugged from the digital world:

Hotels and destinations  are offering “gadget-free” stays.  If your kids wonder who you are if you don’t have your phone to your ear, or can’t help sneaking away to check work email when you are off the clock-this may be just what you need.

Computer/smart phone/iPad un-plugged and off limits!  They are even offering these vacations at a discount-if you promise to leave your electronics alone or at home.

Need an Un-plugged vacation?

• That’s right, for a slight discount, they will store your digital gadgets and throw in a kayak or massage.  There are a couple of problems with this:

1. The packages actually provide few extras and often ultimately cost you more compared to other available discounts.
2. You miss snagging those timely coupons off Groupon you could have used at that marvelous restaurant down the street from the hotel-remember you are un-plugged, so no Groupon or Foursquare points for you…..
3. You won’t be sharing pictures of your beach bodied buds or getting feed-back from fellow travelers on other super places to visit that are near by.

But if you need time away and don’t trust yourself to truly de-stress by detaching from the world without help-this may be just what you need.

US City vacation visits:

Another vacation choice popped up on my radar screen.  This one works  if you are planning a US vacation in one of the major urban areas of our great country.

• Smart Destinations has turned 14 US cities into theme parks.  Here’s how:

1. The company has negotiated discount rates on area attractions in many US cities (NYC, Chicago, and San Fran among many others….)  They’ve bundled them into discounted passes for their customers.
2. You use your pass to skip ticket lines.
3. In some cities, with Go Select, you can even customize your bundle, paying only for those attractions you want to see.
4. If you don’t use all your passes-you can get a refund.
5. The site provides down-loadable city guides with maps and information.

If you were headed to one of the cities listed and were planning on hitting many of the tourist sites with your family, these discounts can add up to significant savings!

Remember those hotel rooms you book through sites like Expedia and Travelocity are non-refundable.  No refunding: not weeks before, the day before, none, nada.  Book with that in mind.  It is not just the airlines anymore who don’t do refunds.

You’ve  now got a couple of choices.  An un-plugged vacation or a US city with all the tours, museums, and zoo’s at a real discount.

It’s up to you.

{photo credit: bark c.c.}

Reader comments:

Anyone here tried a true gadget free vacation?  And if you live in one of the cities quoted in the article, any other suggestions for those trying to visit on the cheap?

About the author, FDL:

FDL is a public health nurse, part-time blogger, full time Mom, and aspiring entrepreneur.

We are going to have a cable TV exorcism at our home.  No, I don’t think cable television is evil.  Well, maybe I do, but not in the “devil infected” type evil.  Well, on second thought, maybe I do….

Anyway, we have decided to cut the umbilical cord, sever the line, or break-up the relationship between us and the local monopoly that is cable TV.

Why Get Rid of Cable?

With all the other ways and means of cutting expenses, why cable and why now?

• Most of our TV watching is just for mindless entertainment-usually while we prepare dinner and in the evening before bed.  My mind is mush by that time.  Too worn out to concentrate on productive activity.
• Cable prices have continually gone up-the value is just not there anymore.
• Many new mindless entertainment options have gotten much cheaper.
• I am on a mission: Making life-changing decisions about my time and money.
• The shows we do like to watch are going the way of My Space, albums, cassette tapes, and Lehman Bros…

We’ve discussed getting rid of cable in the past, but I do love to watch sports on TV and am addicted to CNBC.  Thinking about not being able to watch the Masters, college football, or Squawk Box was just too much.

Most of my friends and extended family laugh at our TV status as is.  We have one flat screen/HD capable TV (26 inch) bought at a Black Friday sale a coupla years ago.

My other TVs are all old fashioned tube TV’s with a combined age probably equal to mine-above 50!

I guess that’s one reason we don’t have many friends to drop by to watch a game on TV.  They thought it was funny at first. Now they just think I’m “touched in the head” as we say here in the south….

But my son assures me, even in our rural area, we can get broadcast HD with an antenna.  And one of the regional  channels is a CBS affiliate (Masters Golf, and a college football).

We will be looking into the best option for watching what little TV we desire that won’t be available by antenna.

Whether we choose a gaming system, Hulu, or other method to stream either old shows or new ones remains to be seen.  I will keep you up to date on those choices as they evolve, and  will assess the monetary cost/benefit ratio too!

I think initially we’ll just see how well life goes without 80 channels.

No Cable. Then What?

What will we do instead?

• Listen to more audio books or music during dinner prep.
• Read-I got the new Kindle for Father’s Day-my wife is now casting a jealous eye in its direction.
• Maybe try blog brainstorming when my brain is mush-just ideas not expecting Hemingway-esque prose…
• We do have an empty nest…

If I don’t get the latest “Bachelor” or “Idol”  jokes at work- so be it!

But Joe Kernan, I’ll miss your lame jokes!

New Cable Customer

And the great thing is, if we ever go back we will be a “new” customer.  Cable TV seems to think new customers are the only deserving class when it comes to deals and discounts….

Reader Comments:

What about you? Have you thought about cutting cable, or even more drastic, getting rid of TV all together?  Why don’t you start keeping up with the hours you spend in front of the boob tube just for one week.  Add each family members TV time together.  Does the total get your attention? It did mine, and I’m well below the average TV watcher.

{photo credit: correa carvalho c.c.}

Make sure you follow me on Twitter @DrDeanBurke- quick links on the side of the blog!  And let’s not miss a post-sign up for email special delivery or the RSS feed!

Friends, I love friends-check out my Facebook page, and I’m definitely Linked-In-use the shortcuts on the side-that’s why I paid my Web Master of the Universe-Ben-the big bucks to put ‘em there-saves you time!

Do you hate going to the dentist?

And when you don’t have dental insurance it’s even worse.  You just thought the dental visit was bad, then you get the bill!

You then have pain in wallet to go with the pain in your jaw!

Have you been putting off needed dental services cause of the price?

For new patient adult exam in my area it is $240 bucks.  A cleaning for a repeat customer is abut $130 bucks (without any x-rays).

Luckily I have group dental insurance.  And as a child of the 60′s with terrible teeth, dental insurance has always been a worth the cost for me.

For those of you without dental insurance and are putting off important dental services make sure you keep reading!

Brighter.com review

I ran across an article about  company called  Brighter.com

Brighter.com is a company that has negotiated discounts with dentists throughout the country.

For $79/year family membership with Brighter.com you get:

• On average a 60% discount on you and your families dental costs at participating dentists.

What does that translate for a family of four in real money?

If your family gets the recommended two cleanings per year each, that’s $520 bucks twice a year( at 130 a pop.)  Damn!  If you get the promised discount, your savings per year for two cleanings each could be as much as 400-500 dollars/year!  These are generalizations based on examples on the web site.

The website lists the following cautions:

• Prices and discounts are negotiated with the participating dentists.
• You should call ahead to verify your actual out of pocket costs and that they are indeed participating in Brighter.com.
• Your current dentist may not participate, so you would either have to change dentists or encourage them to sign up for the program.
• Prices may not include all recommended procedures, such as x-rays.  You do get a discount on these additional items though.

I looked on the site and could not find any participating dentists in a 50 mile radius of my home.  There seemed to be many dentist choices in the Atlanta metro area, however.

I’m guessing many small town dentists have a full patient load and have no incentive to offer discount fees.  Chances are good,  if you live in a Metro-area in the country, you’ll find a participating dentist!

Check out your dentist

Of course make sure you check out the dentist.  If you arrive at the office, and they seem to be using a foot drill and a hammer for anesthetic, maybe you should find another one…

If you and your family have been putting off dental care ’cause of it’s cost and don’t have dental insurance, this may be a good option for you to consider.

Not taking care of your teeth will lead to huge costs down the road.  (not to mention pain and suffering!)

And dentures, while way better than gumming my beef steaks, just don’t look too appealing to me!

Reader Questions:

Anyone here dealt with Brighter.com?  What was your experience? Do you recommend the service?

Recent carnivals and round-ups:

Totally Money Carnival at Money in the 20′s

Carnival of Wealth at Personal Dividends

Money Crashers personal finance round-up.

Invest it Wisely’s round-up.

Festival of Frugality @ Sustainable Personal Finance

Thanks to all.  And if I’ve missed one, please let me know!

{photo credit: petesimon c.c.}

Make sure you follow me on Twitter @DrDeanBurke- quick links on the side of the blog!  And let’s not miss a post-sign up for email special delivery or the RSS feed!

Friends, I love friends-check out my Facebook page, and I’m definitely Linked-In-use the shortcuts on the side-that’s why I paid my Web Master of the Universe-Ben-the big bucks to put ‘em there-saves you time!

As most of you know, I’m a gynecologist.  It is safe to say that none of my patients want to be in my office.

They may feel they should be, they may feel they have to be, but they don’t WANT to be.

To lighten the mood, I have learned (painfully slow at times) that most women want to be distracted while I do what gynecologists do.  (If you don’t know, ask your wife or girlfriend.  Don’t, I repeat DON’T ask your Mom.  She doesn’t want to talk about it.  And you don’t want to think your mom has a sexual organ….)

I ask them various questions based on my knowledge of them through the years.

• The gardeners, I ask them how their vegetables/flowers are doing.

• The travelers, I ask where they’ve been and did they enjoy it.

• Of course grandma’s are easy to distract.  Ask them about their latest grandchild, and away they go-they don’t feel a thing!

I get an education on what’s on their minds…

Lately many people are telling me how dismayed they are about how much things cost.

A couple of years ago everyone was fearful they or their husband would lose their job.

Now, however, it’s the pocketbook pinch,  or the light wallet syndrome that has ‘em aggravated.

Inflation

Money Saving Tips

Remember the RSS Feed is top right.  You can sign up to receive our posts without worrying about missing one.  And feel free to like us on Facebook.  I try to make it easy for you.  And follow us @DrDeanBurke

When gas prices spike,

And 60 bucks

Won’t fill your tank,

Much less make your run

to town on the turnpike!

The initial reaction

Is how can I get traction?

My paycheck is gone

Even before

My last shift is done!

My Master-Card, it’s screaming

My checking-over-drawn,

The fees and penalties…

I’m sure I’m just dreaming!

So why oh why,

Is my initial reaction

To want  a new car

Like a Volt or a Prius

That look cool and hip,

( I promise, surely no bias.)

Dashboard?

It’s got: navigation, great mpg’s,

And you can even watch,

your  own MTV!

But do your math.

Make sure you remember

The total costs of owning

this new space-ship,

Include higher insurance,

and interest,

and depreciation too!

And don’t forget,

higher fees.

There are sales and tag taxes,

“Pay your gov’ment,  please!”

So keep your old heap,

maybe give it a hug.

It may not be shiny,

Bright, and certainly not new-

The old Lug!

But the note is paid,

And for that,

You should be happy-

And Dr Dean, too!

Readers:

Have you had a little niggle of wishful thinking about a new better mileage car with these higher gas prices?  Make sure you don’t succumb to that siren song!  If you need a sponsor to keep you in check when you have these urges, just let me know!

Questions, or comments, or just plain ole criticism? I can take it!

(photo credit: it’s our city)