Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 7, 2012

More and more, a successful career is about the brand YOU. In a world where lay offs are common, and where employees are expected to change careers regularly, it’s important that you consider yourself as a brand. If you plan to start your own business, then your brand becomes even more important. Thinking of yourself as a brand requires that you take a step back and think about how you are marketing yourself.

Motivation 213

Motivation Work Growing Building 213

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 25, 2012

In August a huge tree branch fell on our roof. Since my hubby is a tree removal expert, we did the removal ourselves. He sawed the branches off as much as possible to remove weight from the roof (we have an earth berm so the roof is pretty accessible) and I hauled the piles of debris to the back acres to be dealt with later. When he got most of the branches off the tree, we lassoed it with a rope so I could tug on the rope to guide the tree off the roof while he chainsawed the branch from the ma

Insurance 213

Insurance 2006 At&T Work 213

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 2, 2012

While it might be the most wonderful time of the year, it’s also the most wasteful. But being kind to the environment doesn’t mean having any less fun! Christmas Trees and Lights in the UK has some great ideas on how to turn a white Christmas into a green Christmas… Buy Smarter Look for locally made gifts at craft fairs and boutique shops. Less transport movements mean less carbon emissions and you’ll be supporting the local economy too.

Green 203

Green Christmas Recycle Recycled 203

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 28, 2012

People across the country are reining in their spending and pinching pennies in a concerted effort to save more money. While some families are doing this while living comfortably, others are forced to make spending cuts just to survive until the next paycheck hits the bank. If you are one of these families who have eliminated spending on “wants” but still struggle to pay the bills or save money, perhaps cutting back on necessities is an option you should consider.

Phones 202

Phones Bills Money Saving Money 202

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 3, 2012

I’ve recently moved work locations within the same organization and it’s proven to be a very tumultuous experience. It’s still the same organization, but I work with different people all together, and each site has it’s own regulations and ways that they do things. So it’s a bit of a culture shock. I came from a small, cozy site that was tight knit and friendly.

Garage Sale 202

Garage Sale Garage Work Office Supplies 202

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 18, 2012

There comes a time at work when you start feeling like you’re worth more than what you currently make. While some just suck it up and perform higher quality work for the same amount of pay, others grab some confidence and ask for a raise. So, if it’s that simple, why isn’t everyone just raking in the dough they deserve? Well, asking for a raise is a game of negotiation, and you have to bring something to the table that convinces your employer you’re worth the extra bucks.

Re-use 189

Re-use Office Work Money 189

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 29, 2012

There are so many things out there that are considered bad for us. Even things that we used to think are good for us have been proven to be harmful. Vegetables can be seen as harmful if they are genetically modified. Pesticides ruin the rest for us. Not exercising enough is harmful, but so is over exercising. Working too hard can be harmful, and so can not working hard enough.

Food and Drink 189

Food and Drink Dog Chocolate Food and Wine 189

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 31, 2012

Do you ever wonder how someone can sink to the point where they can no longer keep a roof over their head? Here is the story of someone I personally know who is nearing that point. Here, from my perspective, is how she got there and what she might want to think about doing before she actually loses her home. She (we will call her Susan, although that is not her name) started life as a member of an industrious lower middle class family – one sibling, two parents married to each other.

Friends And Family Sale 189

Friends And Family Sale Taxes Insurance Money 189

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 4, 2012

Being frugal these days is very important. With the skyrocketing prices of everything and the worsening inflation, saving money and spending wisely are vital to be able to live comfortably. It is not easy to be frugal and save money when you have a family that splurges and squanders. Being frugal is a family affair. It should be exercised by each member of the family or else the money that you save by your frugal ways will just be wasted by another member of the family on something that is not

Frugal 189

Frugal Family Budgeting Budget 189

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 15, 2012

A few weeks ago, my Aunt sent along an email that warned about mis-calibrated gas pumps. The email was adamant that pumps were overcharging for gasoline because the total amount didn’t really match up to the price times the number of gallons. My Gasoline Ripoff Non-Scientific Test. Two weeks ago, I took a car trip across the width of Kansas on I70 and into Colorado (to Denver).

Gas 188

Gas Gasoline Kansas Home and Garden 188

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 24, 2012

If you’ve made the decision to go freelance with your career, then you have a long, yet rewarding journey ahead of you. There is a lot of potential as a freelancer to land big clients and charge high prices for your work. But if you don’t get things set up the right way from the beginning, you risk facing some big challenges down the road. Here are some of the things you need to do before you open for business.

Personal Finance 188

Personal Finance Finance Work Insurance 188

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 10, 2012

I was in college for five and a half years for a four year program prior to graduating, and I paid my way through the whole thing. I learned quickly that the costs add up and that budgeting is of utmost importance if you want to graduate without thousands of dollars worth of debt. Which I did want to do. Other than applying for scholarships and bursaries, you can’t really do much about the cost of tuition, but you can impact your spending on things like school supplies and textbooks.

College 188

College Library Rent Saving 188

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 9, 2012

Just in case you haven’t heard the news – although, I’m doubtful you could have missed it – Apple’s new iPhone 5 was announced the other day to much fanfare. Taller, slimmer, lighter, and judging by the hype capable of leaping a small building whenever it wants, the new iPhone will be in the hands of millions of customers any day now. Most will think this is a good thing, but there’s a part of me that just hates the whole thing.

Phones 222

Phones Radios Cars Car 222

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 11, 2012

For richer or poorer. That line is often included in the wedding vows that most people make. If the recent divorce statistics can be believed, that part of the vow does not always hold true. Money has always been a potentially explosive topic for married couples. This particular minefield is usually the number one reason why couples end up fighting or getting divorced.

Debt 222

Debt Credit Cards Money Credit 222

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 30, 2012

Every few years in this country we go through a song and dance show to elect our leaders and representatives. We hear from each of them about their plans to do this or do that, carefully trying not to offend anyone while simultaneously appealing to everyone. From education to taxes to the deficit to foreign policy, the candidates tell us what we want to hear only to constantly change positions throughout their elected tenure.

Election 188

Election Education Taxes Politics 188

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 23, 2012

I am constantly amazed at the number of things that need batteries to operate. Apart from the obvious ones like cars and other vehicles, there is a plethora of tools, appliances, phones, watches, cameras, computers, toys and gadgets that are battery powered. Have you ever noticed that so many of these are not sold with the batteries when you buy them new?

Recycle 202

Recycle Recycled Recycling Reuse 202