WIXLIB

11 FACE Commandments for Shopping!1. Plan your meals before you get into the grocery store! Make your menus,clean out your refrigerator and make a grocery list. Only buy food at thegrocery store!2. A shopping list is your best financial friend. It produces focusedshoppers, not mindless wandering and mindless buying with virtual money!3. If you can't handle malls, catalogs, shopping television, those 800numbers or internet stores, go cold turkey and turn them off or toss themout and stay away from them.4. To reduce spending, stay out of the stores as much as possible. Limit yourtrips by planning your errands. Every time you walk through the door theyhave you! Don't fall victim to their marketing traps! You are strong! You cando this!5. When you do go to the stores, set a timer and only spend a few minutesgoing in and getting what is on your list. STAY FOCUSED! You can doanything for 15 minutes! Wear a watch and be aware of your spending: Timeand money!6. If you take the children shopping with you, bring water bottles fromhome and fruit snacks. This will keep you from having to stop and buy. Happychildren help you. Hungry children whine and want impulse purchases. Retailmerchandisers prey on children too. Just look at the cereal aisle! All thesugar filled stuff is at the child’s eye level. Lay down the ground rulesbefore you shop with your children. Give them the hope of reward forhelping you after the groceries get put away at home. Also tell them theconsequences if they whine and nag. There is nothing more satisfying thantelling the kids you will leave if they nag for stuff, and then actually leaving!A good reward is time with them playing a game.7. Sales are not really sales if they go on your credit card; the interest rateeats up your savings! With the price of gas, if you have to drive any distancethe bargain is no bargain!8. While shopping get into the habit of questioning your purchases: Do I8

need you? Do I love you? Do I have a place for you? Am I going to fling yousoon? Do I have another one of you?9. Quit using your debit card; it is too easy and you are a SHE and forget topost your purchases in your check register. Knowledge is power! Credit cardsare virtual money; you have to pay them with tangible money. When weoverspend, the stress of the credit card debt keeps us from FLYing!10. While shopping with a cart, do a 27 fling boogie before you get to thecheck out lane. Be sure to put back your impulse purchases. Let your childrenhelp you by policing your list and what is in your cart! Be aware that thereare traps on every aisle. Those traps are set by retailers to take yourdisposable income. Guess what? Your money is not something to be flusheddown the toilet. Your money has a value to you and your family. Let it be atool, not a flush!11. To help you curb your purchases with a credit card, debit card, checkbook or cash, put a FLYLADY Cling on your plastic cards, checks, and yourmoney. This will make it harder to use. Each time you use them, this willbring your spending into your awareness. Put all your receipts in your controljournal; tape them on a sheet of paper. Know each day how much you arespending!I want you to FLY (Finally Loving Yourself)! To do this, you needto be aware of your spending! Being Financially Aware will help you to FLY!Less is more; Less time spent shopping is moretime spent loving yourself and your family!!9

FACE Mission #2This FACE Control Journal started out being an Office ControlJournal; every time I wrote, I would keep coming back to gainingcontrol over our spending and bill paying habits. It all works togetherso in order to FACE your finances you are going to have to deal withthe clutter in your office. It doesn’t matter if the office is at yourhome, at work, or in an office in a bag that is crammed so full you can’tfind your bills.Here is your next FACE Mission:When your home is a mess you can't think straight. Why do you think Iwant to help you relieve the stress in your life by getting rid of theclutter? Did you know that when your desk is messy then, you will notfeel like sitting down at it to work? Clutter has a way of zapping yourenergy. So what are we going to do about this problem?We have to clean off our work areas. It may be your kitchen table oryour coffee table. It could be your actual desk; whatever andwherever, we are going to do a hot spot fire drill and clear it off. Nowset your timer! We are going for 15 minutes here! If your computer isin the middle of your work surface, then you really don't have a worksurface, do you? Think about this. We are going to be looking atpapers; Lots of papers! You need a surface to put them on.What do you need on your desk? Absolutely nothing! No piles ofpapers, no books, all you need is an unobstructed surface. If you haveto pull everything off and put it in a box for the time being, then do it.Your clear surface is all that I am concerned with right this minute soyou can FACE your Finances and open up your wings to FLY!You Can Do This! 15 Minutes!10

Your Financial Shiny SinkWell I know you are not going to believe me. You didn't believe meabout your kitchen sink either, but you trusted me enough to followand you immediately noticed the change in your attitude just by gazingon that shiny sink.Every morning your routine involves getting up, getting dressed toshoes and fixing your hair and face. Then you have begun your day witha FLYing start.I did a survey to see what your thoughts were on a financial shiny sink.So many of you thought it is your checkbook balance, but it is so muchmore than just a number in a check register!Your money is just a tool; not the magic pill that is going to save theday. Rita Davenport taught me that if money will fix it, it is not aproblem. So many times we don't want to face the real problem; justput a Band-Aid on it.My job is to bring to your attention your attitude about money, justlike we did with your home and clutter! Your spending attitude andawareness are the keys to changing the stress level in your home whenit comes to the lack of money.Your first impression is to get more money coming in to solve theproblem. This won't fix it, will it? That is just another quick Band-Aidapproach like stash and dash cleaning for company: More money signalsthat you can spend more; just increasing the predicament. Eventuallyyou have to come to terms with your attitude.11

You always looked at cleaning your home as a chore or maybe evenpunishment; now you see it is a way to bless yourself and your family.Your attitude has changed. Now why did that happen? You let go ofyour perfectionism and quit whining long enough to get off your Frannyand just do something for 15 minutes; a 15 minute investment in youand your home.Helping you to find PEACE was worth 15 minutes of your time, and itactually helped the overall appearance and feel of your home. Isn'tthe same true for investing 15 minutes a day to FACE your attitudeand FLY Wash it with a little FLY Sense?Your ATTITUDE about money, spending, saving, and it’s usefulness as atool is your SHINY SINK! Your Financial Awareness ContinuallyEmpowers you! FACE is your new attitude! Let's put on our FACE eachmorning and start our day FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself)!I am so proud of you for FACE ing your fears head on!12

Money Mindsets Transcend GenerationsAs our attitudes were formed by our parents; we are helping to mold ourbabies’ beliefs about money. I have been telling you for several years that ifyou will set the example, your children will follow! Did you know that thisholds true for every single aspect of your life? You are a text book for yourchildren and your grandchildren.So what are they learning from you when it comes to your money?1. Do they see you magically get money from the any time teller machine?2. Do they see you give pieces of paper called checks to purchase items? Orpieces of plastic?3. Do they see you save money? Literally! The cookie jar savings technique.4. Do you talk about money with them? Or is it a taboo subject?5. Do they see you toss money into the bottomless pit of your purse with norespect for it?6. Do they know about giving? Do they see you giving of your money, yourover abundance of clutter, your time and talent to your church, a charityor just someone in need. Giving comes in all forms not just in money! It takesa benevolent heart to make giving be what it is supposed to be. When yougive with a generous heart, your gift comes back to you many times over.Now listen closely: I am not saying anything about tithing and don't readthat into my message. All giving should be done in love regardless of whatother reason you have.Memo for Christians:If you question me on this then read your Bible: I Corinthians chapters 1214. Pay close attention to Chapter 13.7. Do they watch the stress build up in your life toward the end of themonth when your money has run out? You know this is when you yell at yourbabies for almost nothing!13

8. Do they watch you purchase things without thinking about them first?9. Do they hear you whine because there is never enough money? Do theysee you running around to pay bills that have been neglected? Or have topick up bounced checks?10. Do they know where your money comes from? Work equals money! Evenif you are a Stay At Home Mom, your work equals savings for your family!Savings is money too.11. Do you expect them to be wise with their money, yet you don't followyour own rules?We have always wanted you to clean up your home for you, not for yourfamily! But the results are the same what ever reason you choose to get ridof the CHAOS; that is if you do it in love and not from a martyred attitude.The same is true for your money. If your family sees you use your moneywisely and understands why, then they are more likely to follow yourexample. You know it is much easier to clean your bedroom and set theexample than it is to tell your child to go clean their room when yours is ajunk yard! You have no credibility!Your attitudes about money are as powerful as your attitudes toward theclutter and your home routines. Your example is the best way to get themworking with you: This means stop the nagging.This all goes back to FACE (Financial Awareness Continually Empowers)!The knowledge of how we treat our money and how we teach by example issometimes all we need to get us turned in the right direction. We will do itfor our babies; but we won't for ourselves. I want us to change our spendinghabits for us and the result will trickle down to our children.Are you ready to FLY with your FACE shining as you change your attitudestoward money for the entire world to see?I am so proud of you!!!14

Food For Thought:11 Kitchen Money Saving TipsBy Leanne ElyGetting yourself out of financial hot water requires that the spending becurbed. One of the best places to really get your budget in line is withfood. With the exception of the mortgage, it's probably your biggestexpense. And unlike your mortgage, you have control over the food moneygoing out every month. Having a good financial mindset (to be moneyconscience; not a tightwad) gives you the freedom to put your moneytoward your debt and obtain freedom from financial bondage.Here are 11 Kitchen Money Saving Tips that will help you with that goal.These are all tried and true money slashing ideas used by me personallyand I promise, these tips were instrumental in helping me get to the placeof being debt-free.1. Be a Bounty Hunter. If your grocery store has a sale on ground beef(for example) and it's a great big package, buy it any way, and cut it upinto sizes you'll use. Use the freezer quality zipper top, plastic bags.You're going to go to all this trouble; you might as well have somethingquality to eat when it's time to thaw!2. Bigger isn't Better. Not necessarily anyway. Don't automatically reachfor the biggest package at the grocery store thinking you're getting thebetter deal. Compare prices and watch for the price per ounce or unit, onthe price tag.3. Make Mine a Markdown. Check the back of the store for a markdownshelf. Not all stores have these, but some do. My market deep discountsdented cereal boxes and I save a small fortune that way. Watch thedented cans though--I'd pay retail just to avoid any problems.4. Count your losses. Loss leaders (the cheap stuff they advertise on thefront of the flyers they send out every week) are designed to get youinto the door, but watch for the end cap displays in the store. They maynot the loss leaders! Just regular merchandise. Don't be duped into15

buying it.5. Grocery store smarts. Give yourself this quick test before leaving thehouse. Do I have my list? Is this a bad time to shop? (avoid rush hour andprime time at the grocery store) Can someone watch the kids? (noexplanation necessary) Am I hungry? (you know what happens when you'rehungry and you're shopping for food!). If you've passed the test, go tothe bathroom, tuck your list into your pocketbook and GO!5. Spice it up. I use a LOT of spices when I cook--if you ever used any ofmy recipes you know that. But I DON'T buy them at the regular grocerystore or I'd go broke. Instead, I get them at a discount store, like WalMart for 1.00 each.6. Take Stock. You'll read about stocking your Perpetual Pantry later, butyou must watch it when you're in that "stocking up" mood. Will you reallyuse it or will it go bad? I bought spaghetti on sale once at Big Lots for 10cents a package and by about the 20th package, there were little bugs inthem! eeeewww! Stock up, but don't hoard.7. Go Bananas. If your bananas get a little too ripe, freeze them with theskins on. Later, peel them with a knife and throw them in a blender with alittle milk, some other fruit and some protein powder and you have aquick, power breakfast. Or just let the kids eat them as is for a delicioussnack -- especially in the summer.8. Menus aren't just for restaurants. You MUST plan your meals. No planspells disaster--you know that. If you need some help, go to my websitefor a week's worth of dinner recipes complete with a grocery listwww.SavingDinner.com .9. Rubber Chicken. This is the mother of all dollar-stretching recipes. Youtake one measly, little chicken and turn it into three great meals (get it?rubber chicken?). It's on FlyLady's site, www.FlyLady.net . Click on Foodfor Thought and you'll find all kinds of good recipes. There are otherrecipes that stretch like that, too. I will share some others later.16

10. My Freezer, My Friend. In this day and age, the freezer is anextension of the pantry. Use it wisely! Get rid of the freezer burnedgarbage and feed it regularly with stuff you'll use. For example, doesyour family love your world famous meatloaf but you don't make it oftenbecause it's time-intensive to make? Make TWO or even three next time,cook them off and freeze them (again--freezer worthy bags only). Andhere's another nifty tip, use a Sharpie pen (the only pen that will hold upin the freezer without running) to mark the date and contents (you mustdo this--you WILL forget) on the freezer bag. To avoid losing yourSharpie, keep it tucked into the freezer bag box and don't tell a soul it'sthere or you will lose it for life.11. Drop the Drive-Thru Mentality. Yeah, it is easier just to grabsomething to go and you might not want to cook. But it's costing you yourfamily's financial freedom, not to mention health. It's the little thingsthat add up and rob you blind. And don't fall for the .99 menu either--it'sall fat, cholesterol and those 99 pennies could be going toward a bill thatneeds paying off. You deserve better than that.To FLY means you have to let go. This is the stuff that holds us down,that keeps us from being airborne. I used to be in huge debt, had next tonothing income-wise and an IRS problem that almost made me wish I hadthe mafia after me instead! But getting my house in order (this wasCRITICAL) gave me room to chip away at the financial problems, one babystep at a time, using the brain God gave me. Today, I am debt-free.So go for it! You can do this!!17

FACE Mission # 3Financial Home Blessing HourEvery Monday we do a weekly home blessing hour. It only takes us afew minutes on each little blessing to get our home gleaming. After anhour it is done and we are smiling! We already use Wednesdays as ourday to get ready to run our errands on Thursdays. Each Wednesday weget out our calendars and look at our schedules for next week as wellas clean out our refrigerators and plan our menus. Then we are able toput together that empowering list for our shopping trip. Your list canbe your best friend if you will allow it to guide you in your choices.From now on we will call this a Financial Home Blessing Hour! You don'thave to do it all at once, but each item needs to be looked at beforeyou run your errands. It won't take long if you will just sit down and doit! So get out your timers! Let's do it! 10 minutes on each item! Don'tget bogged down in your perfectionism! Do you hear me?1. Make menus for next week. Get out your calendar and check yourschedule.2. Make a grocery list to go along with those menus; don’t forgetbreakfast, lunch and snacks. Check the newspaper for sales too.3. Go through the house and look for items you are running low on.Shampoo and you know that nothing says I love you like toilet paper!4. How much money do you have in your checking account or wallet?How much are you allotting yourself to spend on the items on your list?Your best friend (your list) is going to help you curb your spending!5. Are there bills you need to pay? Write the checks; while you are outyou can drop them off. Do you need to make a deposit at the bank?18

6. Do you need to return any library books or videos? Gather them upand get them in the car. We are no longer going to be plagued withprocrastination and the guilt of missing library books and the addedexpense of fines. We have our book bag!7. Is there anything that needs to be mailed from the post office? Doyou need to purchase stamps so you will not have any excuse to mailyour bills on time? Do you have any other errands to run: Pick up drycleaning or any other upcoming events to plan for? Check yourcalendar. Now put your list in your wallet! This is a valuable tool to saveyou money!Once you get into the weekly routine of doing this, you will feelempowered. Your food expenses are one area that you can save money.Make your plan, follow your plan and save money to put against yourcredit card debt! We can do this! I am so proud of you for wanting tofind peace in your financial home!Are you ready to FLY with Financial Awareness Continually Empoweringyou?!Keep up the blessings! I am so proud of youfor taking control of your financial life!Babysteps will get you to the peace thatyou deserve!!!19

Food For Thought:Perpetual PantryBy Leanne ElyI've said many times that having a well-stocked pantry is a gal's bestfriend. I have taken that principle a step further and now keep what Icall a Perpetual Pantry. A

Financial Awareness Continually Empowers! We are embarking on a journey to find financial peace! We can't find the peace we are searching for until we find balance in our lives. We have all seen a scale of justice. Now imagine that this is your financial life. On one sid