Next week starts Spring Break for my kids.  One full week of no school and if we're lucky maybe a trip for a night or two a few hours away. What to do with all that free time so there is no blood shed by the following Monday? Here is some ideas that I will be implementing during next week. Keeping my fingers crossed the kids will be as excited about them as I am.

• Movie Day:  With Netflix, Hulu, and Redbox there is no excuse not to enjoy a day filled with nothing but PJs, popcorn and movies. If you want to get out to see a movie, check to see if there are any dollar theaters in your area or any Spring Break specials.

• Game Day:  Break out the board games  and deck of cards. Have a friendly marathon and competition with the winner either getting to pick what's for supper or the next day's frugal activity.

• Craft Day: This one will require lots of glue, markers, Popsicle sticks, fuzzy pom poms, googly eyes, old t-shirts, clay, etc.  All of which can be purchased at a Dollar Store. Let your kids' creative juices run wild for the day. Display their artwork through the rest of Spring Break for all to see.

• Park/Museum Day: Spend a day at the park if weather permits. Have a picnic lunch, kick back and relax while the kids burn off some energy playing and exploring. If the weather is yucky take the fun inside to either an inside play area or check out your local museums.

• Cooking Day: Let each kid pick out a recipe or two and spend the day baking.  Great teaching moment as well for smaller ones to learn fractions and kitchen safety.

• Water Day: If it's nice weather, spend the day running through sprinkler and having water balloon fights.

• Day Trips: If your budget permits, check out some of the neat attractions 2-3 hours from your home.  You might be surprised what you will find.

I hope that at least some of the ideas can save someone their sanity during the Spring Break vacation.

Brought to you by: Lifeway Personal Financial Coaching

What is compound interest and why do I need to be taking advantage of it's power?

Yes, I'm talking about the same type of interest in which every credit card company uses to rob you blind.  Every auto & home loan also use compound interest to squeeze every last penny out of your pockets. What a lot of people don't realize is, you can also use compound interest in your favor.  Banks use compound interest on most savings accounts.  That means you can apply the same principals the loan sharks use and use it to help build your personal wealth!

Here We Go!
For example, you open a savings account that pays 5% interest. You in put $1,000 and let it sit for future emergencies. (AKA: THE EMERGENCY FUND)  To keep it simple, we’ll say it compounds annually (meaning you only figure up the interest on it once a year).
At the end of the first year, that account has $1,050 in it. You have your original $1,000, plus you have 5% interest on it – $50. You just earned $50 for just keeping your hands off your Emergency Fund!!

At the end of the second year, the account now has $1,102.50 in it. You have the $1,050 you had in it after the first year ($1000 deposit + $50 interest earned), but this year it earned more interest – $52.50.

Why?
The interest earned during the first year is now earning interest. WHAT????  You didn’t just earn interest on the first $1,000. You also earned it on the $50 in interest from the first year – an extra $2.50! THAT'S AWESOME!!!

Confused?  Let's try it one more time!
At the end of the third year, the account now has $1,157.63 in it. You have the $1,102.50 ($1000 original deposit + $50 first year interest+$52.50 second year interest), but this year it earned $55.13 in interest.
Now, from the first year to the second year, your interest grew from $50 to $52.50 – an increase of $2.50. From the second year to the third year, your interest actually grew even more – jumping from $52.50 to $55.13 is a $2.63 increase in interest!!!  All this for just leaving your money in the savings account and not taking it out to buy useless stuff!

At the five year mark, you’d have $1,276.28 in the account.
At the ten year mark, you’d have $1,628.90 in the account.
At the twenty year mark, you’d have $2,653.30 in the account. Your money has more than doubled without you lifting a finger, and every single year, the money has grown more than it did the year before.  That’s the power of compound interest!!!


Just imagine what could happen if you keep depositing money in the account or have a larger initial deposit???


Compound Interest Is Great, But There’s a Catch
What’s the catch?
In order to really enjoy the power of compound interest, you have to let your money sit for a long time.
In the example, the money has doubled, but it took fourteen years for it to happen. That’s a long time....  BUT!! 


This is where the tortoise outsmarts the hare! Good things come to those who wait!  Patience is a virtue! 
All the other sayings on waiting apply here.  Those who are smart with money, not just "book smart", know that there is no sure bet.  There is no magic plan.  There is no quick fix.  Building true wealth takes time and you have to stick with it!

There it is!! 
Compound Interest in a nutshell.  Not too bad really once you get the hang of it.  This is one of the reason's God made Financial Calculators!!!!! Here is a link to an online calculator that will figure it for you.  Go on and start playing with some numbers!

This blog is brought to you by:
Lifeway Personal Financial Coaching

These are the 5 verses that have changed my financial life. Each one of them has had a strong impact on many decisions in my life. I hope you will let them do the same to you as well.

1. Philippians 4:19: And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
God, is always faithful. That is why we should always be trusting Him as our supplier! It doesn’t matter if there is a financial crisis, if you get laid off, or your if your retirement looses 1/2 it’s value – God will still supply your needs just as He promised as long as you trust in Him.

2. Malachi 3:10: Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”
It is a bold step of faith to start tithing. Some argue that tithing is not required in the New Testament. There is no escaping the truth that tithing opens the door for blessing that can not be opened without doing it. From my own personal tithing experience, I can attest that I am overwhelmingly convinced beyond any shadow of a doubt that tithing increases blessing. As Joyce Meyer says, "If they HAD to give 10% under Law in the old testament, what should be giving under Grace now??"

3. 1 Timothy 6:10: For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
This verse is so often misquoted that it is almost laughable. Money is not evil. The love of it is. Having a million in your bank account doesn’t mean that you love it. Having $5 in your account doesn’t prove that you don’t. For example, Warren Buffett has billions in his accounts, and he is giving almost all of it away to benefit the lives of others.

4. Acts 20:35: In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
Giving sets us free, while hoarding entraps us (James 5:2). Giving changes the lives of others (John 3:16). Giving brings blessing back to us (Luke 6:38). Giving allows us to store up treasures in Heaven rather than here on the earth (Matthew 19:21). Giving really can be fun. We also need to be teaching our children at an early age, the joys of giving to others!

5. Proverbs 22:7: The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
The freedom of being debt free has always been so exciting to me that I have been willing to give up tons of material stuff in exchange for it. Getting out of debt is not easy and often requires a fight, but the freedom that comes with it is so worth it!!

If you're like me, you want to save as much money as you can when you go to the grocery store.  For some people it's a game, a sport.  For me.....not so much.

I found this link VERY useful though.  This site has compiled a list of when items go on sale at the grocery stores.  Not all stores are the same, but the information is excellent.  I worked almost 3 years as a checker at a grocery store and discovered myself there was a cycle to the sales.

So, here is the link and Happy Savings!!!!

My name is Michelle Osborn and I'm a financial coach at Lifeway Personal Financial Coaching in Pampa, Texas.  I officially started the company in January 2011.  I obtained my BAAS in Finance in December 2011 from West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. After 13 years of delivering mail, I resigned from the USPS in order to stay home with my son and three step-children.  I now do coaching from my home and help my husband out with his business as well.



I believe in debt-free, Christian based values. I try to pass those on to my clients and show them, they don't have to bow down to the big credit card companies. I not only teach about financial issues, but I help people gain knowledge & self-esteem to live the life they dream about.  I'm living proof that you can achieve your dreams.


I have a vision for this blog to provide you with real information, not just something the news wires put out.  This blog is for real people with real problems. Looking for an every day way to cut costs?  I'm your blog! Looking for a story about someone who makes mistakes in life and is far from perfect? I'm your blog!

So sit back, hold on, and let's waddle our way through life together.  It may not be pretty, but it's sure to be fun and will definitely worthwhile!