The mighty bargain hunter and do-it-your-selfer ........

 Who doesn't love a sale? To me, a sale, bargain, or deal is the prize "catch" of the hunt or the winning "trophy" of the competition. No matter where I go shopping, the sale isle is always my first stop. There is something quite satisfying about stealing a deal. I feel as though my purchase is a victory of sorts. My endorphins kick into high gear when I spot (what I deem as a much needed item at that very moment) with that "reduced" tag/sticker attached. I then move quickly to snatch it up and declare (to myself) "Victory is mine!"

Why am I sharing this subject with you today, dear reader? Well, I wanted to express to you the thrill of shopping on a budget (yes, I said thrill) and to help you along with the self confidence needed to attack home and job/work projects yourself.

You see, most of us are not doing as well financially as we would like these days and have had to cut back on many things. After paying for the necessities like mortgage/rent and utilities, we need to find ways to save a bit on all purchases made, from food to fashion and everything in between, let alone getting the leaky faucet fixed by the high priced plumber. This can be a very painful process, I know. That is why I am here to give you a bit of hope and help you through this "speed bump" by making it a fun challenge, or sport, if you will.


I am not a "coupon queen" by any means. I find them tiresome and laborious. If they work for you, then great. I would rather go hunting for bargains sans a bucket of coupons and the rifling through at the register. I guess I'm just not as patient as some.

Creativity and necessity can go hand in hand when it comes to shopping for bargains. You may find yourself trying out new recipes with those 10 cans of corn you just bought on sale at the grocery store for 20 cents each. You may come to the conclusion that buying off the sale rack (in the back) at your favorite clothing store is really not so bad and that you've become fond of paying less while others pay more for the same quality clothing at the front of the store.

 Yes, you really wanted that gorgeous slate tile in your kitchen you saw at the designer home center, but for maybe half the price you can go to the home warehouse store, or tile outlet center and get enough of a similar tile to maybe do twice as much. Who knows? You may even like that tile better!

Are you in the market for a new car? Do you really want a certain make/model automobile that you know is way beyond your means? If you so choose, you can do what I did and went to that particular car dealer and purchased a "certified" vehicle for a lot less. Yes, it will be a couple years old and have a bit of mileage on it, but who needs to know and who cares?

Do you need a room or two repainted and don't have the cash for a painter? Why not try painting the rooms yourself? If you don't know where to begin, then learn! The sense of accomplishment afterwards will leave you with a major amount of self confidence. With this new found confidence, you will find yourself indulging in other home fix up projects. The money you will save on supplies and labor will be enormous and the new found talents you will have under your belt will be priceless.

By not depending on others to do the work for you (whatever and wherever the project may be) and learning to do them for yourself, you become more astute as to how much money you spend on these services in the future, cause if you can do it yourself, you won't be as willing to hand over your hard earned earnings.

On the surface, the above listed examples are but a very few things you can do to save money. Yet, my true intention for you, dear reader, is that you become a bit more mindful of your purchases. That you turn the negativity of a smaller bank account into a hopeful challenge. That you discover your hidden talents. That you can recover from this "recovery" with a new found sense of empowerment and the peace of mind in knowing that you are not alone and that you can get through this.

There are oh so many of us living with great financial adversities these days. If you happen to be fortunate enough to not be in this predicament of sorts, please make sure to be mindful of those around you who are. Give them hope and the helping hand that they so desperately need, for we are all connected. We are all here for one another and we all matter.

The Recognition and Appreciation of Your Own Beauty

I'm sure we could all agree that sunsets, chubby babies, and rainbows are beautiful. At the same time, we also posses unique differences in our personal view when it comes to what we deem as beautiful. With our individual view, we find beauty all around us. I am writing this post today in order for you, dear reader, to recognize the beauty that is you. This is not a superficial statement, it is a truth in being.


Every individual born on this planet is a miracle to behold, and in this there is great beauty. Unfortunately we, as a society, have put unrealistic visions in our heads of what we are supposed to accept as being beautiful. I am here to tell you that these standards are not what real beauty is about and never will be because beauty is all inclusive.

You're personal beauty not only lies in your appearance but also within you. This combination, once recognized, will have a glowing effect on your life. It will also give you the confidence to spread your light upon those around you. Any negative voices need to be put out of your head so that you are free to accept the fact that you are worthy of others adoration. You are in control of your own standards and well being. You are a gift to yourself as well as others. You are beautiful!

Self Respect; For You and Your Children

Pictured above is me at age 5, chubby and happy. Most of my childhood and adolescence was riddled with weight issues and having to be the "new chubby kid" in school, too many times to mention ,which leads to teasing and lots of belly aches (my parents liked to buy and sell houses). Through it all, my stability came from being from a very large and loving Italian family and a father who told me that I was "the most beautiful girl in the world" on a daily basis. My mother lead by example, showing me that being a strong and independent woman was something to be proud of and to strive for. I could have gone either way when it came to my self image.

 After all was said and done, I chose to believe my dad: that I was special and that I could be whoever I wanted because I was worthy. Being innately outgoing, becoming a strong and proud woman was probably inevitable, but through my mom, I knew I wanted to be like her. This was one of the greatest gifts my family could have given to me. After making some bad choices during my teenage years and in my early 20's, it was the basic instilled belief in myself that contributed to me becoming the self confident woman that I am.

The reason for my sharing this with you is to explain the basis of my belief of how important and vital it is to have a healthy sense of self respect and worth. When you respect yourself you do not allow others to mistreat you and you base all of your decisions with great confidence and in some cases, when appropriate, with tenacity.

When having children, I knew that the gift of a positive self image, would be one of the greatest assets that they would eventually leave home with, helping to guide them throughout their lives. I feel that it a most vital tool to posses in the pursuit of a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life. As a parent I would lead by example; for there are no "victims" in my household because when you play victim so do your children and this is never a good idea.

Basically speaking, I feel that the very first steps in building a positive self image for your children is to start out with them when they are very young. Teaching them the concept of respect for others through discipline, limits, and routine. All of these being taught with great love and empathy. Doing so will make them feel safe and secure. They will know what to expect and when to expect it. This will, in turn, give them the tools needed to want to please themselves after they have worked so hard to please you. Moving forward, they will be used to the idea that what makes them feel good also makes others feel the same way. The rest, with more guidance, will build upon itself  to produce an adult with self love, respect, and the confidence to be an example to others.

Even if you are not the most confident and secure individual, by teaching these lessons to your children, you will in turn be reinforcing these beliefs in yourself and grow along with them. It's a beautiful thing.