Just Joyce

Burglaries by Day

On Friday, about noon, while my friend Lisa was at work, a man and woman drove their car into her driveway, walked around the back of the house, kicked the door in, and stole everything of value.

 

Lisa had just moved into the house about two months ago and hadn’t met many of her neighbors.  As the burglars got out of the car, one neighbor was suspicious and watched from his car for a few minutes, but when they waved at him, like they belonged there, the neighbor drove away.

 

Once inside the house, the burglars opened the garage door, pulled the car in, and started loading it up.  They stole two computers, a printer, scanner, cameras, a brand new flat screen tv, a box of bank checks,  and her late husband’s social security card and coin collection.  They went through the house and emptied drawers, exposing anything she might have hidden.  They dumped the jewelry box and took the contents.  Some of it was costume jewelry, and some of it can be replaced, but not the wedding ring given to her by her late husband.  The one she was saving for her daughter.

 

When the burglars had loaded all they could into the car, they left.  And then they returned for a second load.  These people were professionals who knew that she wouldn’t be home until after work.

 

Lisa got home about 4:30 to find the garage door open.  At first, she thought her teenage daughter had left it open when she went to school that day, but when she got inside the garage and saw things out of order, she had the sinking feeling that someone else had been inside her house.

 

Lisa was very grateful that her daughter had gone on a band trip that weekend.  Otherwise, she might have walked in on the thieves when she got home from school that day.

 

She called the police and they dusted for fingerprints.   They found some prints that didn’t look quite human, and then realized the print was that of rubber dishwashing gloves.   There was a cigarette butt in her backyard, but that’s all the evidence they could find.  There was another burglary in the neighborhood that day, and the police did find a fingerprint on a window.  Hopefully they’ll be able to match that print to the DNA on the cigarette and connect the cries.

 

Overwhelmed with what had happened, Lisa called a friend and he came over to board up her back door.  The door jamb was split from the illegal entry and the door wouldn’t close.   Not wanting to stay there alone, she packed a bag and went to a hotel for the weekend.

 

Now it’s time to clean up the mess.

 

1. Lisa has insurance, but now she’s going to have to find receipts to prove ownership.  Fortunately, she keeps all of her important paperwork at work.  The police told her that was one of the smartest things she could have done, because these two crooks would have found them.   Then she would have had no receipts to prove ownership, and she might even be dealing with identity theft.

2. Hopefully, the receipts for the electronics will contain the serial numbers.  She has started calling pawn shops in the area and checking www.craigslist.org to see if any of her items are being listed.

3. It’s a good idea to keep receipts for the seven years required by the IRS, but before throwing any records out, go through and make sure you keep anything of importance.  Unfortunately, most electronics don’t have much value after seven years, but if you have serial numbers and can identify the item, you might help put those crooks in jail.

4. Lisa’s home had been wired for a security system, but she just hadn’t had the system hooked up yet.   With an alarm system, the police might not have gotten there in time to catch them, but it might have scared off the burglars earlier, or might have alerted neighbors who could have been more helpful.

5. Actually cleaning up the mess!  Her house is covered with black, powdery ink from the fingerprint dusting and everything she owns has been thrown on the floor.  I brought her a bottle of some magic stuff I use for removing ink and permanent marker, and it did the trick.  www.familyfirst.fourpointwellness.com   

 

Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do to prevent a burglary, but there are some steps we can take to be prepared.

 

1.         Meet your neighbors!   Let them know a little bit about you.  Exchange phone numbers.   Agree to watch out for each other.  If her neighbor had known more about her, he might have been more suspicious when these two people pulled into her driveway.  He might have written down the license plate, or even taken a picture of them with his cell phone.

2.         Get a security system.   Some of them have alarms that go off outside, but sometimes the crooks can’t hear it.   Other companies believe it’s more effective if the alarm goes off inside because it scares the intruders.    Either way, the police have been notified and they’re on their way.   If the neighbors hear anything, you know they’ll be peeking out their windows to see what’s going on.  That’s what you want.

3.         Have a system for keeping receipts.   When I purchase anything, I record it on my computer in MS Money.   If I spend $100 at Wal-Mart, and $10 of it is for a shirt, I will itemize it to say “red shirt” or something that will trigger my memory.  The reason for this is that if my house should burn down, I will at least be able to recreate a list of what I’ve purchased for my home – including my clothes.   An even better idea is to also videotape or take a photo with a digital camera of your home frequently.  Open all doors and drawers to get a photo of the contents.   When purchasing electronics, or items that have serial numbers, make sure the serial number is on that receipt.  If it’s not included, then this is a good time to write it down yourself.

4.         If you’re like me and your entire life is documented on your computer, be sure you have a backup, and then keep it in another location.    Fortunately, Lisa had taken her laptop to work with her that day, and her records were all in her desk at work.  If you keep the backup on your desk, it’ll get stolen along with the computer.

5.         Teach your children what to do if they come home and see something suspicious.  If Lisa’s daughter had come home that day and seen an unfamiliar car in their garage, she would have known to go to a neighbor’s house and call the police. 

6.         Have enough insurance.  If you have valuables like a coin collection or jewelry, you will only get replacement value for it unless you have a floater policy.  Lisa’s old wedding ring, given to her by her husband twenty years ago, might only have a replacement value of $200.  But Lisa could have had it insured for any amount she wanted on a floater – providing she was willing to pay the premium on that amount.  We all know that there are just some things that mean so much that they can never be replaced.

7.         Get a safe deposit box.  If Lisa would have put the heirloom ring and coin collection in a safe deposit box, she wouldn’t have needed to have insurance on either of them.   If you have anything in a safe deposit box that could be damaged by water (papers, or even watches) put them in a waterproof bag.  This can be something as simple as a Ziploc bag.   Years ago, my bank was flooded and one man lost a valuable baseball card collection he had stored in his safe deposit box.

 

Most burglaries take place during the day when the homeowners are at work.    You can’t possibly know if you’re being targeted for a burglary, but if you are prepared, it will be much easier to deal with the police and the insurance company to either recover or replace your property.

 

Don't Lose Your Mind Along With Your Identity

While some people still think it’s unsafe to bank online, experts say that you have a better chance of having someone steal from you if you rely on paper checks and statements! The reason for that is that a whole month might go by before you notice unusual activity on your account. If you bank online, and if you check your balances frequently, you’ll notice when something doesn’t look right. I can now vouch for this with personal experience! 

 

The first thing I do every morning is check my bank account online. One of the reasons I do this is because I only use a debit card and I like to download any transactions right away so my register on MS Money is always updated.

 

One day last week I logged in and discovered a check pending for $987. It didn’t look familiar to me, and in researching it, I learned that this check had been written to Wal-Mart in

Lafayette

,

Louisiana

. I live in

Houston

,

Texas

, and hadn’t been to Wal-Mart or

Louisiana

! I called the bank to report it, thinking that it was probably just a bank error and someone else’s check had been charged to my account.

 

The next day my banker called and told me I needed to come in and sign a fraud affidavit. Apparently it was not a bank error. Someone had my bank account information and she felt that if they’d written one check, they might have had a whole pad of them printed and would keep going until there was no money available in my account. 

 

I couldn’t close the account because I had a couple of checks outstanding. I transferred most of my balance to another account, and decided to watch my account over the weekend.  I then proceeded to switch my electronic payments from one account to the other. It wasn’t as time consuming as I expected it to be.

 

On Saturday morning, another check came through. A check for $1032 was written to Dillards. I could see the impression of the check, and it looked just like my checks, including my husband’s legal name with mine, and our address. The scary thing was that I could see my personal driver’s license number scrawled across the top of the check!

 

I remembered an email I had gotten from a friend just recently about what to do when your wallet is stolen. You’re supposed to call the credit bureaus to have a fraud alert added to your account. I called Experian, and was told that they would contact the other two agencies for me.

 

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 

Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742

Trans 
Union: 1-800-680 7289

Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

 

Since I’m not on Social Security yet, I didn’t call this number, but it’s here for those of you who might need it.

 

At the end of the call, they offered a more secure fraud package for $14.95 a month. Looking back, I don’t think I need it, but I took it. They know that you’re scared of losing your identity and will pay anything to keep your information secure. This package does allow me to look at all of my credit bureau reports online to see if there’s anything suspicious. The agent who helped me told me it would be a good idea to take the service for a month or two, and if there’s no activity, I could always cancel it.

 

Once the bank was open on Saturday, I went in again to report the second charge. I had to fill out another affidavit. I also stopped overdraft banking on that account and had them make a note on the account stating that it had been compromised. Hopefully that will stop any future unwanted approvals.

 

When I got home, I called the sheriff’s department. Since it was Saturday, they said they’d have to have someone come to my home to take the report. I hated to take an officer away from something more important, but didn’t want to wait, either. A nice young man came out and took my report and gave me a case number. He told me if I had any more activity on my account to call and they could add it to this report.

 

The thing that puzzles me is that I rarely write a check. Most of the checks I write are for tithing at my church. The others are usually gifts to friends or family. I do everything else electronically, and the checks I write are written at home.

 

So how did someone get my information? I have no clue. No one could have photographed my check with a cell phone at the checkout lane because I always use my debit card. I didn’t lose my wallet and no checks are missing from my drawer. 

 

I did lose my wallet in

Las Vegas

about two years ago, and my driver’s license was inside. It seems crazy to think that license ended up in the hands of someone who knew how to access my checking account, but crazier things have happened. When that license had to be reissued, I wish I would have had them give me a different number. My next call will be to the Department of Transportation to check on doing that.

 

Now I have to wonder if they also have my social security number! If, by chance, this information was obtained by someone who works in the bank, they probably have it all.

 

I’ve been surprised at how many people I know have already been through this! I have told quite a few people about it, and most of them have said, “Oh, I had that happen to me one time.” Good grief! The nice officer told me that since the crooks only get a slap on the hand, if they are ever caught, they just go back out and do it again once they’re released.

 

Here are some ideas:

 

1. Always      be sure that your checks and debit cards are secure.
2. Be      careful when writing checks in public places
3. Check      your accounts online frequently
4. If you      notice unusual activity, report it immediately
5. Talk      to others and educate your friends

 

I think (and hope) that my case is a simple case of someone trying to steal what they can from my checking account. At this point I’ve seen no evidence of identity theft. Hopefully by filing all these reports and freezing my credit bureau information, that’s as far as the crooks can go. However, I am including this link so you can learn more about how to deal with identity theft – and how to prevent it.

 

Identity Theft Victim Guide http://www.fraudguides.com/consumer-id-theft-guide.asp

 

The key here is to be aware!

Have an Emergency Fund

I recently read Paul Martinelli’s loving story about trying to get to his grandmother, Bella, before she died. He wanted so badly to hold her hand one more time and to tell her he loved her. He tried making travel arrangements to leave immediately, but couldn’t afford the $600 ticket. He had to wait three days to get a supersaver ticket, and when he finally got there, his dear Bella had already passed away.  He was too late because he didn’t have the money to get to her in time. 

 

He decided at that point that he would never allow himself to sink so low again. He would never be in the position that he couldn’t afford to be close to his family if he needed or wanted to be.

 

How helpless would you feel if you needed to be there for someone you love,  and money was the only thing holding you back? 

 

What if this was the only chance you were given?

 

What can you do to make sure you’re never caught in this predicament?

 

Establish an emergency fund!  At the very least, have a credit card that isn’t maxed out so you can use it if you have to. In Dave Ramsey’s, “Total Money Makeover,” he teaches the reasons why you should not only get rid of your credit cards, but get rid of the balances. Once you do that, he teaches the importance of the emergency fund. If you have a baby emergency fund of about $1,000, then you won’t ever have to use the credit cards again. 

 

Here’s why an emergency fund is so important. There are just some things you can’t plan for, and the older you get, the more surprises come your way.  Believe me. These are just a few that I’ve experienced. 

 

Last week we got a family email telling us that my husband’s cousin had gallbladder cancer.  A few days later I got an update saying that the doctors were giving him three to six months to live, but agreed there was nothing they could do for him. They sent him home to die and the family started to gather from all over the country. Today’s update told me that David had passed away this morning. With today’s gas prices, it could be a real hardship for some to even drive to the funeral. It would take some serious calculating to see if it would be less expensive to fly or drive, and if you have to rent a car when you get there, that just adds to the cost.

 

Sometimes you have some advance warning, and sometimes you don’t. Last year when we were told my mother wouldn’t live another week or two, there were grandkids in other states who wanted to see her one last time. 

 

My niece called the airline to make a reservation. The usual fare of a couple of hundred dollars more than doubled on such short notice. When she told them that she needed to make this trip because her grandmother was dying, they told her about the bereavement fare.  They said if she brought back the documentation proving that her grandmother was actually dying, they would refund part of her fare. She bought the ticket, and after going through the hassle of getting what she needed for this “discount”, I think she only got about fifty dollars back.  The bereavement fare is a joke. Don’t ever believe that these companies really feel sorry for you. The agent might, but she has to follow company policy, and with so many airlines filing bankruptcy, they’re out to get all they can.

 

When our friend, Mark, was killed recently on his motorcycle, all the members of his family were en route for a family reunion that weekend. Unfortunately, he was killed before they got there, but his widow found great comfort in being surrounded by their family. But as soon as they all gathered in

Houston

, they had to start making arrangements to either drive or fly to

Kansas

. Mark was born in

Kansas

, grew up there, and that’s where he wanted to be buried. While many of them had probably used credit cards to get to

Houston

, now they had additional charges to get to

Kansas

.

 

Interesting how the place you call “home” as a child is where most people want to be laid to rest when they go back “home.”

 

My mother had prepaid for her funeral arrangements in

Tennessee

ten years before her death. She was born in

Tennessee

, spent a great deal of her life there, and wanted to be buried on the piece of land her family had donated as a cemetery.  While my sister had flown to

Houston

in Mom’s last days to be with her, she now had to go back home, gather her family, and then make the drive to

Tennessee

. At the same time, we were making our drive from

Houston

. My sister’s family and mine all met at an off-season lodge with a friendly, family atmosphere. We were all totally surprised when they did give us a discount at our departure. Of course this was in a town of only a few hundred people where everyone knew everyone. They truly were sorry for our loss.

 

People just don’t grow up and stay in their own hometown anymore, but for some reason we want or need to go back there when this life is over. There’s something comforting about going home, wherever that home is. It’s important to respect their wishes, but it can sure wreak havoc on your time, your bank account, and your emotions if you’re trying to get from Point A to Point B in a short amount of time.

 

You will still have to deal with emotions when you’re dealing with the loss of someone you love, but if you get that emergency fund started, at least you have the option of being where you need to be.

 

Drama at the Dermatologist

A few weeks ago I noticed a rough spot on my shoulder.  A look in the mirror revealed a brown spot, larger than the tip of an eraser.    After thinking about it for a few days, I finally called the dermatologist and made an appointment.  I also made an appointment for my husband.

Better safe than sorry, as they say.  Especially since we lost a wonderful friend to melanoma in 2007. 

In addition to that, my husband has had several cases of skin cancer on his face and back.  Nothing that liquid nitrogen or minor surgery didn't remove, but still, it was skin cancer.  His father had skin cancer on his face, too, so it's definitely something he needs to stay on top of.

We showed up today for our appointment.  Turns out that mine was nothing to worry about.   Eddie wasn't quite so lucky.  I cringed as they fired up the liquid nitrogen to treat EIGHT places on his face and head, and one on his back.  The one on his back concerns me because he used to have a larger spot that was there for years.  They removed it a few years ago, but this new, raw patch adjoins the scar from the original one.

The worst thing about this trip to the doctor was stepping on the scales.  I don't know how I could manage to gain 30 pounds and still be wearing the same clothes, but there's definitely something wrong somewhere!    A year ago, on another doctor's scales,  I weighed 118.   A year ago, on my scales at home, I weighed 120.   I know I've gained some weight, but on those same scales at home this morning, I weighed 130.   This evil doctor's scales said I weighed 147.  I'm sure I didn't gain 17 pounds since I got up this morning.  It HAS to be the scales, doesn't it?    I demand a recount!

Safety Pins in the Rice

If you’ve ever been to a baby shower, you might have played the “safety pins in the rice bowl” game.   The player is handed a mixing bowl full of rice with safety pins in it.  The object of the game is for the player to find safety pins among the tiny pieces of rice - with her eyes closed.   The player who finds the most safety pins is the winner.

 

Saturday I arrived fashionably late for a shower, hoping I had missed the games.  Come to find out, most of the ladies had just arrived, and the games hadn’t even begun!  When the host pulled out the big bowl of rice, I gasped.  “Haven’t you heard there’s a shortage on rice”?   She happily told me if I wanted to take the rice home with me, I was welcome to do so.     I declined, knowing I didn’t want to eat rice that we’d all run our hands through.  How gross is that?

 

This rice shortage is serious business, though.  If you shop for groceries, you know that the prices on just about everything have gone up.  I just paid two dollars for a lousy bag of frozen corn.  A year ago I could have bought it for about half that price.  Milk is close to four dollars where I live.   Part of the reason for this increase is the cost of gasoline.    Someone has to pay for it when it costs more to get it from Point A to Point B, and that someone is going to be YOU. 

 

While Costco is reportedly putting a limit on the number of 100 lb bags you can buy, or allowing you to buy no more than you generally do, I was curious to see if they were putting limits on brown rice.  I haven’t cooked white rice in my home for years because I prefer brown rice.  I never see brown rice in 100 lb bags, and the reason for that is that it’s the real deal and it will go rancid if not stored properly.  White rice has been depleted of most, if not all nutrients, and is basically starch.   On today’s trip to Costco, I bought six containers of brown rice and there was plenty more on the shelf.  I didn’t buy more because I didn’t want to contribute to the shortage, but you can bet that the next time I go back, I’ll buy six more.

 

My church has been encouraging us for years to have a hefty supply of food to sustain our families.  Most people think this is to keep us alive when the end of the world comes, but when that time comes, I don’t think food is going to help!   Now, when food prices are going up and the staples (rice, wheat, and corn)  are becoming scarce, it makes you realize that maybe you should have listened.

 

Would you be prepared if a disaster hit your area?    What kind of a disaster are you waiting for?

 

I remember when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.  Soon after, we had our own crisis in Houston with Hurricane Rita, and after watching what happened to residents of New Orleans, you can bet that we did everything we could to be prepared!    We bought food that could be eaten out of a can hot or cold.   We bought extra cases of water.  We filled up the gas tanks in our cars.  We boarded up our windows. 

 

We decided not to evacuate, but once the hurricane hit, much of the city was without electricity.  That meant we couldn’t pump gas or access ATM machines.   There was a lot of chaos around here until that electricity started flowing again.

 

Do we need another catastrophe to get prepared?

 

I sure hope not. 

 

Of course, now that the media is reporting food shortages, if we all run out and buy loads of it, we will create a shortage for others.  However, when you’re going to the grocery store, buy a few extras.  Instead of buying one can of tuna, buy five or six.  Instead of buying one bag of rice, buy two or three. 

 

The government started mailing out economic stimulus checks this week in hopes that we will spend the money and help the economy.    I heard on the news today that a large percentage of people plan to save their money.   One of the smartest things you could do is spend it on food.   Put that money back into circulation by filling your pantry.  Kroger grocery stores will add 10% to the value of rebate checks when customers use them in $300 increments to buy Kroger gift cards.

 

And Supervalu - the parent company of Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Shop 'n Save and other grocery chains, says that if you put your tax rebate check on a gift card, you'll get an extra $30 for every $300 in rebate checks.    http://money.cnn.com/2008/04/28/pf/saving/toptips/?postversion=2008042812

 

By investing in the gift cards, you not only increase the value of that $1200 check to $1320,  but at my Kroger, you save even more when you use the Kroger gift cards to pay for gasoline.   With gasoline at about $3.50 a gallon around here, that’s definitely something to consider.

 

We all want to have money in the bank, and we should all have an emergency fund, but if you've ever been hungry, you know there's no better feeling than having a pantry stocked with food.    Why not buy it now before the prices climb even higher?

 

Now all we need to do is find something besides rice to hide those safety pins in!

 

You Can't Admit Me - I Have Jimmy Buffett Tickets!

You Can't  Admit Me - I Have Jimmy Buffett Tickets!
by:  Joyce Moseley Pierce

 

Monday morning we were in San Antonio on the final day of our annual family reunion.  We spent four days with my husband's five siblings and had a great time together.  We spent one day at Sea World, sat in the splash zone for Shamu, and got soaked on all of the water rides.   We laughed, appreciating having fun without using grandkids as our excuse for being there. 

 

When I got up on Monday, it was just like any other day, or so I thought.  I showered, packed my bag, and went to the other room to talk to anyone else who was already up.  As I walked into the living room, I felt a pain in my chest that immediately spread up my neck and into my head.  It was a sensation I had never felt before.

 

Mary, my sister-in-law, noticed that something was different.  When I tried to describe what I was feeling, I could see the concern on her face.   When the pain didn't subside, I thought if I could just lie down, maybe I could relax it away.

 

By now, there was a crowd gathering.  My face turned white and my skin was clammy.  Someone asked if there was a blood pressure monitor in the house.  Another sister-in-law took my blood pressure and my pulse.  The blood pressure was high for me, but what concerned me was the pulse at 120!  Someone else asked if there was any baby aspirin.    They handed me four of them and told me to chew.  The pain went away right after that.

 

We didn't feel comfortable making the three hour drive to Houston without at least a medical opinion, so we said our good-byes and drove to the nearest hospital emergency room.  I learned that when you tell them you are having chest pains (or in my case, had experienced A Chest Pain) they pay attention.

 

They took me to a room and wanted my medical history.    They asked if I had a Medical Power of Attorney.  I told them I did, but as the day went on, I started to wonder about it.  I knew I had one, and I knew exactly where it was.  After all, I'm in the business of helping other people get these things organized.  As soon as I said I had one,  I started second guessing myself.   Did I have all the witnesses I needed?  Had I forgotten ANYthing?   It nagged at me throughout the day.

 

I told my husband where the Medical Power of Attorney was.    I told him all of our original documents were in my black binder, and because we were out of town, it was in the safe deposit box.  I told him where the keys to the safe deposit box were, but I could tell by the look on his face that this was information he did NOT want to need to know.    I reminded him that I didn't EVER want to be kept alive by artificial means, and yet I knew that it didn't matter what I said to him there in that room.  If I didn't have the Medical Power of Attorney completed correctly, it was useless.

 

They wanted to start the tests, but of course someone from billing had to come in first.  He took my insurance card and then came back wanting to know how I wanted to "take care of" the $5,000 deductible.  I asked him what he suggested, and he said that if I gave them $1,500, that should get them started.   

 

They tagged me, did a chest x-ray, drew blood, did an EKG, and I waited.  Next thing I know, the billing guy comes in and tells me they're going to admit me.    That's when I told him, "You can't admit me!  I have tickets for Jimmy Buffett in Houston tonight"!

 

Fortunately, I had a great nurse named Michael.  I think he must have been a Parrothead, because he did everything he could to get me through the system and out the door.

 

The doctor came back in and said if I would agree to a stress test, and if I passed, he would release me.  There was one cardiologist in the hospital who could do it that day.  I took the test, passed with flying colors, and as promised, they sent me home.  My only orders were to go home, check in with my doctor there, and start taking one baby aspirin a day.  Six hours later, there I was, in Margaritaville.  I might add that I was quite possibly the only sober person there, and only part of the handful NOT wearing a grass skirt or a cheeseburger hat.

 

On my way home from the concert,  I thought about what a great day it had been.   There had been a little kink in my plans earlier in the day, but when the night was over, I was sleeping in my own bed and not a hospital bed.   To go a step further, I was home and very much alive and healthy.

 

Today, I've made an appointment with my doctor to tell her about yesterday's incident.  I also took the time to review the Medical Power of Attorney.  Everything was in order, and thank goodness, right now it can just stay filed away!

 

What about you?  Are you prepared for ANY emergency?

 

You are a Lover of Words

Yesterday was my son's 39th birthday.  I don't know how he got that old, but he's my only son and I'm sure grateful he's a part of my life.    They say the bond between a mother and son is strong, just as it is between daddies and daughters.   My son has always been one of my biggest supporters, and in the months when I was caring for my mother, and  ultimately watching her die, I don't know what I would have done without him.

This morning, as I glance over the top of my computer screen, I am reminded of his love and support as I look at a greeting card he gave me many years ago.  It was so perfect that I put it in a silver frame to keep on my desk.  It keeps me going on days I'd like to quit!

Here is what it says:

You are a Lover of  Words.  One  Day, you will write a book.

People turn to you because you give voice to dreams, notice little things, and make otherwise impossible imaginings appear real.  You are a rare bird who thinks the world is beautiful enough to try to figure it out, who has the courage to dive into your wild mind and go swimming there.  You are someone who still believes in cloud watching, people watching, daydreaming, tomorrow, favorite colors, silver clouds, dandelions, and sorrow.  Be sacred.  Be cool.  Be wild.  Go far.  Words do more than plant miracle seeds.  With you writing them, they can change the world.

###

I don't remember whether there was any special occasion for this card or not.  If I recall correctly, and my kids would be the first to tell you that my mind is going, he was in a store, the card jumped out at him, and he felt it was so ME that he just had to buy it.

Whatever the reason, I'm so glad he did.  It speaks volumes to me. 

Comfort is Supreme

This might seem like an odd topic for someone who writes about being prepared, but in the world of preparedness, there’s nothing like being prepared to be comfortable, no matter what you plan for the day.

Every April, we gather for a family reunion with my husband’s siblings. It seems that no matter where we go, there’s a lot of walking involved. My motto is: “Comfort is Supreme!” I don’t mind giving up the latest trend if it means that I can walk all day long without hurting!

My sister-in-law, however, buys a new pair of shoes every year for the trip. Before the first day has hardly begun, her feet are killing her. She almost always ends up buying another pair of shoes to finish the day and the trip! It doesn’t matter that I always tease her about it, and before the next trip, I will remind her to wear comfortable shoes. She doesn’t listen. I hate to think how many pair of shoes are in her closet that have been worn only once because they hurt. What’s worse, is why is she keeping them if they are not comfortable?

I can’t change her, but I can be smarter than that!

I’ve always been a Birkenstock fan myself. I spent $100 for my first pair back around 1990. It killed me to pay that much, but a friend assured me they were worth it. Boy, was she right. I wore them for 15 years and would have kept wearing them if they hadn’t finally started to wear out. I replaced them with Birkenstock’s cheaper brand, but they weren’t the same. I was on the lookout for a new pair of shoes and didn’t know where to turn.

Then, I bought my granddaughter a pair of Crocs. The poor child has “stinky feet syndrome” and her mom thought they would be good for her. After all, the material they use is designed not to absorb foot odor.

When I gave her the shoes, she turned up her nose and said she didn’t want them. Since they were my size, I took them back home with me. I walked past them for a few days and finally decided to try them on. I had to admit that they were possibly the ugliest shoes I’d ever seen, but if they were comfortable, I didn’t mind looking like a clown.

I wore them at home one entire day with the price tag on them, just in case they were too obnoxious even for me. When my husband pointed out that I hadn’t yet removed the tag, I asked what he thought. Most of the time I don’t ask his opinion, but I was pleasantly surprised when he said he didn’t think they were too bad.

It didn’t take long before I was wearing them every day. They were bright, royal blue, so I found myself coordinating my wardrobe to go with the shoes. Once I started wearing them, I just didn’t want to wear anything else.

When we met for our April outing last year in Mexico

, I wore my Crocs. I got disgusting looks from the family, but I just smiled. When they were all looking for Band-Aids and Epsom Salts for soaking their tired feet, I was ready to go. By the end of the trip, the others were looking into buying a pair for themselves. You’ve gotta love it when they admit you were right – even if they won’t actually say it!

This isn’t meant to be an advertisement for Crocs. It’s only meant to make you think. As you’re planning for your day, think about what you’re going to be doing, and prepare accordingly.

I just returned from a trip to Washington, DC, where we took a tour of the Capitol. I can’t tell you how many women I saw clomping through there in high heels. I can’t imagine that any of them felt comfortable. And who were they trying to impress, anyway?

If you feel comfortable in 3” heels, then by all means wear them. My ballerina friend is probably more at home on her toes than in flats, but she’s the exception. Most of my women friends agree with me that high heels were designed by men who would never wear them. I’d go a step further than that and say that Satan had something to do with the design! 

The idea is to find, and wear, whatever makes you feel comfortable! And that goes for you men, too.

Copyright 2008 Joyce Moseley Pierce. Joyce is the owner of Emerson Publications and editor of the Family First Newsletter. Visit www.emersonpublications.com to learn more about preparing your family for all stages of life. Visit www.prepareandsucceed.com if there’s just not enough paycheck at the end of the month.

 

Dave Ramsey - Good, Better, Best

Dave Ramsey
Good, Better, Best

About fifteen years ago my husband left his career job and got a cash settlement from his employer. After a lifetime of racking up credit card debt and paying it off with bonuses, only to max out our credit cards again, I paid off the cards and swore that I would never let us get in that kind of shape again. Since then, I have used credit cards, but have always paid them in full before the due date. I have no idea how much money I have saved by avoiding the interest, but I do know that it sure feels good.

 A couple of months ago I started reading the Dave Ramsey book, “Total Money Makeover.”   I think I’m a good money manager already, but I love reading about saving money and wanted to see what he had to say. By the end of the second chapter, without any warning, I jumped up out of my chair, pulled my only credit card out of my wallet, and cut it up!  It was a little scary, but I felt like I was in control.

 

Dave had stories in there of couples who had good jobs, who used credit cards, and even paid them in full each month. One of the stories made a real impression on me because this couple thought they had it all together, and then without warning, the husband lost his job. It had been easy to pay the credit card bill in full with a paycheck coming in, but now they couldn’t even make the minimum payment.  They were in danger of losing everything.  It really hit home.

In the past, when I used my credit card, I knew that I couldn’t just go out and charge up to my credit limit of $11,000. I had to stay somewhere in the neighborhood of $2,000 to be able to pay it in full when the bill came in. I used this card for everything instead of cash because I earned points from using it.  I was okay with that, but hadn’t really thought about the dangers of charging that much without having the money to pay it off at the time. Reading this story, though, I decided enough was enough. I cut up the card.

I decided from that point forward I would only use cash. If I could get through that first month where I had to actually pay the credit card bill in full, and also have enough cash to pay for my purchases, it would be a piece of cake going forward.

Here’s what I did:

1. I paid      off the card. I didn’t cancel      it. I just cut it up.
2. I      called all vendors who charged my credit card automatically (i.e. Netflix      and others) and gave them my debit card as my new form of payment.
3. I      checked my credit card online about once a week, and if anything trickled      in, I went ahead and paid it.

It took a giant leap of faith to cut up that card, but it made so much sense. Not having that card has made me an even better shopper. I know that if I have the money in my account, I can choose to make my purchase, or I can choose to keep the money. Most of the time, just knowing I can afford it makes it less of a temptation to spend the money.  

Of course, just spending from your debit card means that you have to have the funds available. You don’t want to end up with insufficient fund charges just because you forgot about your Netflix charge! Our checking account is tied to our savings account, and if we ever do have a surprise charge to our account, the bank will transfer the funds automatically. It’s a good feature to have, but not one I want to depend on.

We just returned from a trip without using a credit card at all! We had money in the checking account to cover the hotel and rental car, and we used cash for our purchases. It sure is nice to get home and not have to face that credit card bill next month.

Like Dave says, “Live like no one else so you can live like no one else.” Basically, take those baby steps now to eliminate your debt so that one day you will be in such good shape financially that you will be able to enjoy a higher standard of living than you ever thought possible.

I am so in love with this book that I bought extra copies to give as gifts. What better way for that new graduate or newlywed to start out than with this great advice? 

Copyright 2008 Joyce Moseley Pierce. Joyce is the owner of Emerson Publications and editor of the Family First Newsletter. Visit www.emersonpublications.com to learn more about preparing your family for all stages of life. Visit www.prepareandsucceed.com if there’s just not enough paycheck at the end of the month.

 

 

 

 

I Just Want to be Joyce

My cousin always tells the story of when I was a little girl.  People would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I would say, "Joyce."  They'd say, "Well, don't you want to be a ballerina, or a movie star, or something exciting"?  I would always says the same thing.  "I just want to be Joyce."

That's pretty interesting to me as an adult because there have been plenty of times when I thought I wanted to be anything BUT who I am.  However, as I've grown older and so much wiser, I realize that I've grown into the person I wanted to be all along.

There have been some rough roads, that's for sure, but the rest stops along the way were just that.  Stops.  I knew that to reach my destination, I had to get back on that road - rough or smooth - and keep moving forward.   Looking back, I can see my footprints that lead me to the Joyce I am today.   Without walking that path myself, I couldn't give someone else directions. 

Do I want my children to always have a smooth path?  I certainly don't wish hardships on them, but I know that if they're going to grow into the person they were meant to be, they're going to have to learn on their own.   You can counsel with your children, but my children don't want to be Joyce.  They are all beautiful individuals who need to be who THEY are intended to be.

Without a doubt, my family is the most important part of my life.  I have three wonderful children who allowed me to grow up with them.  I have a supportive husband who doesn't always understand me, but he makes it possible for me to do whatever I want.  I have the cutest eight grandchildren you've ever seen.   

I love my family and would rather spend my time with them individually or collectively than anyone else.  We understand each other.  We laugh until sodas squirt through our noses.  We cry together.  We pray for one another.   One daughter lives on the other side of the country, but the miles don't separate us.  It wasn't always that way.  We've had disagreements that have split our family apart.  Maybe that's what makes the sweetness we share now so special.   

It's amazing the wisdom I had as a child.  Being Joyce is just the best!