Thursday, November 23, 2006
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Website Review: Psych-net.com
Well I've got an Information Superhighway URL that you should probably not only look at but bookmark and check regularly. Psych-net.com is a HUGE resource for any kind of psychological information that you could possibly want, and it's free to boot!
If you ever were curious about a psychological symptom or if you have a friend or loved one with a problem, there-is-easy to access information there that can help. Or if you're interested in how to diagnose your dreams, or in how to overcome stress, psych-net has it all!
And to top it all off, psych-net offers 5 differnet blogs--one for each day of the work week (you can find links for them on the psych-net homepage). Some of them deal with raising children, some deal with developing better relationships and some deal with enjoying your life. You ought to consider reading and subscribing to those blogs as well. They are not only a valuable source of information but a good daily dose of good advice as well. Even the ads on the site are tailored to help you find what you're looking for!
Psych-net.com
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Ambiguous Honesty
Here are a few topics for discussion. Read through them and then post your response.
- You are having a crummy day. You see a friend at the store. Your friend says “Hey, how are you?” and you reply “fine.” Isn’t that technically a lie? But on the other hand, you don’t really want to go into detail about why you’re not fine, and surely your friend doesn’t want to hear about it either.
- Your spouse, parent, child or friend spends an hour or so cooking you dinner. It tastes terrible. “Do you like it?” they ask. What is your response? Should you lie?
- Your spouse, parent, child or friend puts on an item of clothing and asks “Does this make me look fat?” Yes. Yes, it does. But what do you say?
- Your co-worker introduces you to someone that you did not want to meet. You smile and politely say “nice to meet you.” But is it? Sure you’re saying the polite thing, but is that lying?
- You receive a birthday or Christmas gift that you just hate. The gift-giver is looking at you, earnestly awaiting a reaction. “Thanks! That’s so cool,” you say. Uh-huh. Sure it is… LIAR!
Is there a line between being polite and being honest? Does being polite precede honesty? What do you think? When is it okay to lie and when is it not? What do the scriptures teach us and how does that tie into all of this?
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
The Buffer Budget
A device for your family budget that will help you live like the rich on a poor man’s income! – Created by Jay Dougherty
Steps to implementing the Buffer
- Total up all your regular bills (this includes bills that you do NOT pay every month such as oil change, car registration, etc)
- Do not include extra things that you want (candy, fast food, games, etc). Only include bills you need to pay (car insurance, mortgage payment, gas, electricity, car payment, cable bill, internet, cell phones, groceries, etc.)
- Total up your monthly net income. Subtract charitable donations (tithing). Subtract savings (you should come up with a set number: 10% is ideal, but 5% is minimum). Subtract your monthly bill total. (Note: you should divide your non-monthly bills into monthly payments. Example: Maddy has a doctor’s appoint for $10 every 2 months, so I factor $5 per month into the budget).
- The Buffer! Choose a set number for your buffer and count it like a bill. This will vary based on the needs of your family, size of your family, cost of living in your area, etc. Let’s use $100 as an example.
- Anything that you spend that has not been budgeted elsewhere comes out of the buffer money. Examples below:
- You need a tool from Home Depot ($4.27)
- There is NO time to make dinner tonight, go to Taco Bell ($7.83)
- You’re with some friends and you want to buy a dessert to share ($6.67)
- You went over on your grocery budget ($9.94)
- Baby needs a new sleeper ($22.00)
- Keep track of ALL money you spend on your buffer and don’t go over your amount.
The Key to Making the Buffer Budget Work:
Never spend a dime without knowing where it came from! NOT ONE DIME. If it wasn’t budgeted somewhere, then it either comes out of your personal money (allowance), your buffer or sometimes even from savings. But don’t ever spend a cent unless you know where it is budgeted!
There is LOTS more information about this concept. It works wonders and will help you to get all your bills paid as well as have money for dates, outings, and all the extra things that we just can’t foresee each month that we need.
This is the EXTREAMLY shortened version of how this budget idea works. If the idea intrigues you, or if you would simply like to know more about the details of how it works then please click here to download the full version and description of the Buffer Budget.