My personal diary…

The choice between paying cash and charging credit card depends entirely on your consumer style. If you can control your spending, if you are not carried away by how easy it is to charge your credit card, and as a result you pay your bill in full every month then it is better to use credit card.

Advantages of using credit cards:

* Credit history.
You need credit cards to build your credit history. Without credit history and credit score future lenders will not know if you are a responsible borrower, and you may have problems with obtaining credit when necessary, for example, to buy house or car.

* Incentives for users.

A lot of credit card companies give you incentives to use their cards. These incentives can range from cash rewards to airline miles to gift certificates. With some planning it is possible to use those incentives to your advantage. For example, you can use your card for inevitable payments for utilities, insurance, etc and collect your rewards. With some planning you can use participating merchants and establishments where your rewards will double.

* Ease and security.

It is easier to swipe the card then to carry a lot of cash around. It is also safer. If your card is stolen you are not responsible for the charges incurred after that happened. All you need to do is call the credit card company, report that your card was stolen, and tell them which purchases are not yours.

But if you feel that you need every gadget you see advertised on TV, if you use your credit card to live well over your means, and if you pay only minimum balance every month then it is more advantageous to pay by cash or check.

Advantages of paying cash:

* Control.

You are in control of your finances. If you don’t have it you can’t spend it. Create monthly budget, designate enough cash to cover your bills and purchases and stick to it.

* Ownership.

You own stuff the moment you paid for it. What can be more frustrating then still paying for something bought on credit after it is broken or out of style?

* No incurred interest or debt.

You never owe interest on the credit card and you never find yourself in debt.

Sometimes it is impossible to use credit cards: at most farmer’s markets, fairs and little Ma and Pa shops, and sometimes it is impossible or difficult to use cash: paying for airline tickets, hotel reservations or rental cars. But the decision of how to pay for everyday expenditures should be based on your spending habits and your goals in life.

Father’s Day Origin’s Third Sunday of June

The first person that probably makes you laugh is your Father! In their awkward attempts to pull funny faces, cradle and croon, any thing to avoid the melancholy ear piercing wail that announces a need for food or a wet diaper! They are the one’s we look to for fixing a broken toy, the one that has the best back to climb, the one that may teach us to ride a bike or play a sport and let’s be honest, no matter what Mother does for us, the one we long to see at the end of the day as our return.

We look up to them as the future man we intend to be or the future man we intend to marry, in most cases They are a tower of strength, admiration and un-conditional love. Daddy

This is what Sonora Dodd felt when you came up with the idea of Father’s Day in 1909. She had been listening to a Mother’s day sermon and thought of how her Father had coped when he was left with a new born baby and 5 other children on the death of his wife in childbirth. He was a Father and Mother to herself and her siblings and did so selflessly with all the usual sacrifices that parents make, but all alone.

Her Father’s birthday was in June and she chose that month to hold the first father’s day celebration in Spokane Washington on the 19th June 1910. It took until 1924, for the then President Calvin Coolidge to recognize the day and support it, but it took until 1972 for Richard Nixon to sign and establish a national observance on the third Sunday in June each year.

Although the third week in June is popular in most countries, it can vary from country to country. In Germany, there is no such thing as father’s day, they celebrate Mannertag or Herrentag, gentleman’s day, and this dates way back. It is celebrated on Ascension day and usually involves a hiking trip, male only and is accompanied with a wagon laden with food and drink, wine and beer. It appears that it may have been a tradition of initiating young men into the ways of intense drinking!

Times have changed, and it is now not just the Mother that nurtures and brings up the children. Families may have both parents working, and Father helps with many of the child rearing duties, taxi-ing, feeding, cleaning, guiding and more and more being the pivot around which the family grows and evolves as well as Mother. Although still not as popular as Mother’s day, it is still a wonderful opportunity to thank and honor your Father.

How can a person stretch their food budget without buying cheap, empty calories in processed foods? We all think that fresh lean meats, fish, and fruits and vegetables are the healthiest choices but are not always affordable, right? Wrong! It is a myth that the healthiest foods are the most expensive. With a list and a plan, it is possible to eat healthy without blowing your food budget or sacrificing those hard-earned results.

Healthy Foods #1: Soy

Want the best nutrition for about $3 a day? Invest your money in a meal replacement shake that is soy-based. This is the health communities best kept secret. Not only does it fill you up for hours, but it contains proper nutrition to get your body back to the way it was when you felt proud of it. You can find it in many different flavors and basically, you just add milk and fresh fruit to it. This is what fast food should really be like.

Healthy Foods #2: Beans

Beans are versatile and nutritious, with a variety of flavors and colors to choose from. Beans are one of the best sources of dietary fiber, which can help lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar. Beans are also high in protein and low in calories. Since beans can be incorporated into almost any recipe or eaten alone, you will have tons of cheap, healthy meal possibilities.

Healthy Foods #3: Eggs

At about $1 to $2 a dozen, and only 75 calories each, eggs are a healthy bargain. Forget about the worry of cholestrol because egg consumption contributes less than 1 percent to the risk of heart disease when other factors are considered. Eggs have a high proportion of nutrients to calories, which means that they help you stay full and energized while helping you maintain a healthy weight. Enjoy them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in bakes and omelettes, or hard cooked in salads.

Healthy Foods #4: Pasta

Pasta is tasty, filling, and always an economical way to feed one person or a crowd. It is low in sodium and fat and high in complex carbohydrates, which helps you maintain a consistent energy level. Pasta is also fortified with folic acid, an essential nutrient. Since pasta is easy to combine with other foods, including vegetables, meats, and sauces (no…not alfredo!, you can literally eat it every day and feel as tough you are always having a new dish.

Healthy Foods #5: Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes and yams are also versatile foods that are nutritious and economical. They are low in sodium, calories and filling, easy to cook, and loaded with vitamins A and C, iron, and thiamine. They also contain beta-carotene and are a good source of fiber. They can be baked, microwaved, or cooked in boiling water. Start by using them in place of white potatoes.

Healthy Foods #6: Brown Rice

One bag of brown rice can provide as many as 20 servings. Talk aout stretching your dollar! The great thing about brown rice is that it can be combined with an assortment of other ingredients so you can get different tastes. Since it is a great source of fiber, vitamin B, iron, manganese, and selenium, it boosts your immune system, lowers cholesterol, and reduces the risks of heart disease and diabetes.

Healthy Foods #7: Frozen Fruits And Vegetables

While fresh, raw fruits and vegetables that are in season should always be a first choice, having a supply of frozen vegetables in the freezer is an inexpensive, nutritious, and versatile backup plan. They retain almost all of their nutritional value, since they’re picked and frozen while at their peak nutrition and flavor. It is easy to reach for a bag of frozen vegetables and add them to any meal. Toss them in soy shakes, soups, stews, lasagna, or stir-fries.

Let us not forget to really think about what we spend our money on at the grocery store. If you think salmon, shrimp and steak are too expensive, put back the package of oreo cookies and the half gallon of ice cream and add up your total again. Sometimes we overlook the fact that small devilishly good processed snacks add up in a big way…on your grocery bill as well as your hips! Focus on eating the healthy foods listed above and you will be well on your way to saving money and keeping yourself healthy.

These spicy beans are a great low-fat accompaniment to picnics, barbeques, and other fun summertime events.

Directions

Makes 8 1-cup servings

1 16-ounce can vegetarian baked beans
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 10-ounce package frozen baby lima beans
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder

Combine all ingredients in a small pot. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition Information

Per 1-cup serving:

Calories: 160
Fat: 0.7 g
Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
Calories from Fat: 3.9%
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Protein: 8.7 g
Carbohydrates: 32.6 g
Sugar: 9.1 g
Fiber: 7.2 g

Sodium: 317 mg
Calcium: 64 mg
Iron: 2.7 mg
Vitamin C: 9 mg
Beta-Carotene: 148 mcg
Vitamin E: 0.5 mg

From Healthy Eating for Life for Women by Kristine Kieswer; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.

What to know when sending your child to summer camp

When school ends, a decision on how to spend long months of summer vacations has to be taken. This is the time when summer camps come into picture. Summer camps are the best past time for kids and a good source of entertainment. Kids get to learn many activities in summer camps and it also helps in personality development of an individual but there are certain points that parents should keep in mind when sending your child to summer camp:

Prepare your child well in advance about staying away from his family for some time. Because it is a general tendency of a child that he becomes homesick when he goes to camps like this, where he has to stay away from his family. So tell him/her in advance about homesickness.

Take your child for shopping and buy all necessary stuff required for the camp including medicines.

Start packing small items in advance and ask your child to pack all his items, this would make him do his work by himself. Explain him that he has to do all his work in summer camp.

Pack the clothes which would be comfortable for him/her to wear. Because they have to do various activities, so they have to wear light weight clothes that make them comfortable

Talk to them about the camp day in and day out so they would know what it is and what the advantages of the same.

You should talk to the camp organizer and see to it that proper facilities are provided to the children. Enquire about the place they are going. The accommodation facility, the transportation facility, and duration of the camp. Is there any in camp doctors. Are there any caretakers to take care of these kids? Number of staff and number of children going.

Also take all the important contact numbers to be on the safer side. And give all the important numbers to your child as well. Ask your child to keep calling frequently from a local booth or from any of the camp staff.

Pack a first aid box in the journey kit with all necessary medicines in it. Pack some snacks like biscuits, chocolates, wafers, chips, etc.

Explain him about safe and unsafe things or places. Explain him to be with the crowd and not to leave the camp staff and go anywhere alone.

Explain him about all the exciting things that happen in summer camp, so he would be enthusiastic for the camp and he would show some interest.

If any of his friends are going along, explain both of them to take care of each other and to be together.

Summer camp can be a great experience for your child if you encourage your child to join such camps. Moreover, this would bring confidence in them. You would find the difference yourself once they come back from the camp. This is the best source of entertainment where kids are taught various activities with fun.

Did you know that Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, a time when Civil War dead were honored by decorating their graves? You probably identify Memorial Day as a marker of the beginning of summer, a time to head to the beaches and lakes, cook barbecue, and relax in the sun.

According to Professor David Blight of the Yale University History Department, in 1865 freed slaves observed the first memorial day at the historic race track in Charleston.

The site was a former Confederate prison camp and mass grave for Union soldiers who died in captivity. These freed slaves re-interred the dead Union soldiers from mass graves to individual graves, fenced in the graveyard, and built an arched entryway. On May 30, 1868, the freed slaves returned to the site with flower picked from the countryside, and placed them on each of the graves. That same year, President James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, after which 5,000 participants decorated over 20,000 graves in the cemetery.

After World War I, Memorial Day became a way to honor the fallen dead of any war. Although many towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, that honor actually goes to Waterloo, New York because it observed the day on May 5, 1868, and each year thereafter. The term “Memorial Day” was first used in 1882, but was not the official name until declared by federal law in 1967. On June 28, 1968, the United States Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which moved three holidays from their traditional dates to a Monday, which created a three-day weekend. Memorial Day then changed from May 30 to the last Monday in May.

Originally, many southern states refused to celebrate Decoration Day because of lingering hostility towards the north, and also because there were relatively few Union Army soldiers buried in the south. Columbus, Mississippi was a notable exception because on April 25, 1866 it commemorated both Union and Confederate soldiers buried in its cemetery.

Memorial Day weekend also kicks off the “Click It or Ticket” highway safety campaign, as well as the Air Force’s “101 Critical Days of Summer.” The running of the Indianapolis 500 also takes place on Memorial Day and has since 1911. But not everyone appreciates keeping the day to create a three-day weekend. The Veterans of Foreign Wars and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War advocate returning the holiday to the fixed date of May 30. Hawaiian Senator Daniel Inouye, a veteran of WWII, has introduced measures since 1987 to revert to the original date.

Regardless of whether you call it Memorial Day or Decoration Day, or whatever day of the week it falls, it should be a reminder that so many died before us to allow us to live in a country where we value our freedom above all else. Whether you celebrate by laying a wreath on a grave or having a family get-together, take it as an opportunity to be thankful for your freedom.

“United in Strength” is this year’s theme for Armed Forces Day. Celebrated each year on the third Saturday in May for over half a century, Armed Forces Day is our opportunity, as citizens, to say thank you to all the members of our military while we watch them “do their stuff.”

America emerged from World War II as a superpower. The world of 1950 was awash in tension, struggling with the aftermath of that horrible globe engulfing war.

The 45 year face off between the Soviet Union and it’s allies had just begun. The National Security Act, signed during the summer of 1947, unified the American military under the Department of Defense.

The first Armed Forces Day, May 20, 1950, was a single day celebration with the theme: “Teamed for Defense.” This was the day for the newly unified American military to show their “state of the art” equipment and the dedication of it’s members to the citizens of American and to the world.

President Truman stated in his proclamation that “It [the first Armed Forces Day] is the first parade of preparedness by the unified forces of our land, sea and air defense.”

Make no mistake. The first Armed Forces Day demonstrated to the world that the U.S. stood ready and able to defend our hard won freedoms from any and all threats.

But Armed Forces Day is more than a show of American strength. General Earle G. Wheeler, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1967 put it eloquently when he said, “Armed Forces Day, above all, honors the dedicated individuals who wear the uniforms of their country. Each serviceman, wherever he may be, whatever his task, contributes directly and importantly to the defense of the nation. The task of each one is the task of all the Armed Forces to protect the freedoms which underlie the greatness of America.”

Themes have changed over the years. Deter if Possible, Fight if Necessary; Power for Peace; Liberty; Pillars of Freedom. Equipment and personnel have changed. But the mission hasn’t. The dedicated men and women of our military put themselves in harms way every day to defend our way of life. Armed Forces Day is our chance to say thank you. America Supports You.