"The 2014 MPE (Midwest Parent Educators) Conference and Curriculum Fair will be held at the KCI Expo Center on April 4 – 5. The purpose of the 2014 Midwest Parent Educators (MPE) Conference is to provide information on homeschooling techniques and curriculum choices, besides offering refreshment and encouragement for homeschooling families. Attendees will include both experienced homeschoolers and those considering homeschooling. Students of attendees cover all age ranges.
There will be up to 180 exhibitor booths. MPE changed its dues structure in 2004 so that there is no additional charge for members to attend the MPE Conference.
The 2014 MPE Conference and Curriculum Fair will be at the KCI Expo Center at 11730 North Ambassador Drive, Kansas City, MO 64153, very close to the Kansas City International Airport."
There will be sessions, workshops, curriculum fair and more.
For more information, visit the MPE website.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
2014 Money Challange
Several times I have posted the yearly money challange.
It can be started at any time, but as most people make New Year's resolutions this time of the year, here it is again.
It can be started at any time, but as most people make New Year's resolutions this time of the year, here it is again.
Week
|
Dep amount
|
Balance
|
Week
|
Dep amount
|
balance
|
1
|
$1
|
$1
|
27
|
$27
|
$378
|
2
|
$2
|
$3
|
28
|
$28
|
$406
|
3
|
$3
|
$6
|
29
|
$29
|
$435
|
4
|
$4
|
$10
|
30
|
$30
|
$465
|
5
|
$5
|
$15
|
31
|
$31
|
$496
|
6
|
$6
|
$21
|
32
|
$32
|
$538
|
7
|
$7
|
$28
|
33
|
$33
|
$561
|
8
|
$8
|
$36
|
34
|
$34
|
$595
|
9
|
$9
|
$45
|
35
|
$35
|
$630
|
10
|
$10
|
$55
|
36
|
$36
|
$666
|
11
|
$11
|
$66
|
37
|
$37
|
$703
|
12
|
$12
|
$78
|
38
|
$38
|
$741
|
13
|
$13
|
$91
|
39
|
$39
|
$780
|
14
|
$14
|
$105
|
40
|
$40
|
$820
|
15
|
$15
|
$120
|
41
|
$41
|
$861
|
16
|
$16
|
$136
|
42
|
$42
|
$903
|
17
|
$17
|
$153
|
43
|
$43
|
$946
|
18
|
$18
|
$171
|
44
|
$44
|
$990
|
19
|
$19
|
$190
|
45
|
$45
|
$1,035
|
20
|
$20
|
$210
|
46
|
$46
|
$1,081
|
21
|
$21
|
$231
|
47
|
$47
|
$1,128
|
22
|
$22
|
$253
|
48
|
$48
|
$1,225
|
23
|
$23
|
$276
|
49
|
$49
|
$1,275
|
24
|
$24
|
$300
|
50
|
$50
|
$1,326
|
25
|
$25
|
$325
|
51
|
$51
|
$1,326
|
26
|
$26
|
$351
|
52
|
$52
|
$1,378
|
I have had people tell me that they can not afford to do this. If you truly can't, then just do what you can do.
I have also had women from 2 income families tell me that they do this and also their husbands do it. So by year end, they have double the amount. One told me she and her husband make a contest of it to see who can save the most.
I don't do mine in this order. I put my November and December months during the spring time--April, May and early June, because that is when we don't have any A/C or heat bills. In November and December we have the propane bills, Thanksgiving and Christmas (gifts and a slightly higher food bill). So, for us, this rearrangement of the schedule works. I also put my "found money" in as well. We have one grocery store where I always find at least 10 cents on the ground in the parking lot, several times I have found bills, and once I even found a twenty dollar bill.
If you think you can't afford it, look at what you can cut. What about that morning coffee you get on the way to work (make it at home)?? Or a magazine subscription that you take but don't read (read it for free at the library), or that pack of cigarettes, or that junk food??
One year in March a woman wrote in and told me she could only afford to do this by giving up her vending machine habit at work. By March, she had already lost 8 lbs (she went walking on her breaks instead of buying a soda and candy bar) but had saved $122 thus far. Her method was a little different. In the early months she was putting what she would have eaten out of the machine at work into a jar. By the end of March, she had $122 in there. In November she told me she was still saving and losing weight and her doctor had removed her off of some of her medications as a result of the weight she had lost. So, she was taking that money (saved from her prescription co-pay) and adding that to her money jar as well.
Many banks require you to have a specific amount before you can open an account. Others don't. So shop around. I put ours into an old money market account. If I need to get it out, I do. But with it in an account other than what I carry a checkbook for, I'm not going to spend it.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
an idea....
What if for the Christmas season, everyone were to try more presence, instead of more presents???
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