Preparing For The Worst
The talk of recession is really making me think a lot about my family finances. I think it could be a tough road ahead if I don’t start paying attention to the bottom. Elsewhere I have talked about precautions that I am taking against a probable recession, but I didn’t really think about the effect on my family’s finances. I guess it’s time that I take a look at our finances.
I have decided to focus on saving money. Like most people, we run balances on our credit cards, but lately we have been paying down our balances instead of saving the money. We have dealt with a lot of debt that way. The problem is that we have neglected our short term savings. That amount is precariously low.
We decided to drop our payments to the minimum amounts for a few months and put the rest into cash savings. It might cause us to lose to lose a little bit on interest charges, but I feel more comfortable with cash savings on hand…and yes I know that we could pay down the cards and just use the credit cards for emergencies. This might save a few dollars, but I still think it is better to have cash savings.
The Cost Of Moving
With the economy the way it is here in the states, I think a lot of people are going to have to go back to what they were doing back in the early 1980’s, relocating to where they can find good jobs. The overall economy may be bad, but there are pockets of economic strength were there are still good opportunities. I think there will be a rise in the number of people moving over the next 6 months to a a year.
Moving can be a chore, but it can go a lot easier if you use a moving service like ABF U-Pack Moving. Basically, you pack up the boxes and they do the actually moving of your contents. No worries about driving. They also provide moving estimate quotes so you can know what it will cost to make the move. You’ll get a good quote that will give you information you to make your move as financially beneficial as possible.
Five Great Family Movies
Family movies are a great way for families to bond. It’s important that the movies are very family oriented and that you family can use the time to get closer. I have put together a list of five great family movies for you to look at, comment on, and hopefully spend time watching with your family.
1. Facing the Giants - This is powerful movie that explores a man who is hitting rock bottom in his life but then turns to God and many of his problems cease to be problems.
2. George of the Jungle - Its simple humor is understood by all ages and the intelligent way that it handles situations will keep the interest of the adults. It’s an all time favorite in our household.
3. The Best Game Ever Played - This is a compelling story of the triumph of a young golfer against the best golfers in the world. You don’t need to understand or know golf to enjoy this true story.
4. Seabiscuit - This movie can be seen time and time again and you can keep coming back for more. It’s a captivating story of 3 lives that were forever changed around one dedicated horse.
5. Motorcycle Diaries - This is a movie that all should see. It is the story of Che Guevara and his path to understanding. There are a couple of scenes you might want to fast forward through but this film is worth it.
Orlando Has Great Golf Too
I had a chance to talk about golfing in Las Vegas not too long ago. Another place that has great golf is Orlando. It’s a great vacation destination for the family and Orlando golf is awesome. They’ve got a plenty of great golf courses and it’s fun to golf.
What’s nice about Orlando is that if I want to go golfing, the wife and kids can happily do 1001 fun things in Orlando. I don’t have to feel guilty spending a relaxing vacation day on the golf course.
Full Blast Summer Air Con
Last summer, I think I ran my air conditioning on every day when the temperature climbed above the mid 70’s. I think it was kind of wasteful, but I find that I work my most productive when I am cool. I find it easier to concentrate and easier to get my work done. So maybe it isn’t so wasteful?
Anyways, I am a bit concerned that my air conditioning compressor got worked out a bit too much of the summer. It looks like I might want to have it checked out before next summer rolls around. Just another expense to pay.