Creating Efficiency in the Car

I don't know about you, but I spend a tremendous amount of time in the car. I don't use a cell phone in the car as others do in the name of getting things done and efficiency. When I'm out, I want to be phone-free and computer-free. I much prefer to listen to the radio, talk with my kids and their friends who are along for the ride, and simply concentrate on driving.

This year I've created a "Car Office" and a month into the new school year I am happy to say that it is working well.

What should everyone have in their car office:

A File Cabinet: When Office Depot was running a 100% Worklkife Rewards promotion on plastic file boxes with a nice closed caddy on top, I picked one up to complete my "car office." I immediately hung hanging folders and put in files for things I need to keep organized in the car. I have folders for client errands. I also have folders for each type of coupon circular. I no longer cut coupons I might use because it was no longer efficient for me. I now cut just the coupons I plan to use right there in my car and when the coupons in the circular expire, into the trash bag they go (yes, I should probably have a trash bag and a bag for recycling. There is always room to improve). I have folders for Groupons, Smart Source, Red Plum, Random Stuff, and P&G.

Plastic Bags: These are great for throwing away dirty trash when you are out. They hang nicely on the hooks for garbage bags. Next step: encouraging the kids to use them better. One of my 5 minute tasks I like to go is purge the car every other week of any trash including work they brought home but didn't really value enough to get inside the house. I'm not the most sentimental type. A few art projects can be retained and notebooks that are valuable. The rest can't take space up. . . especially not car space!

Office Supplies: In the caddy at the top of my file cabinet are some office supplies. I keep additional supplies in one compartment in the car. I have a pair of scissors, especially important for last second coupon cutting. I have a few pens. I keep a stack of business cards around. I'd be remiss without a roll of tape and some sticky notes. Keeping office supplies nearby is important for me to function optimally. I used to have an open box which was easy to access, but the kids would "borrow" and I could never find what I needed when I needed it. Plus, it created more cleaning work.

A Binder: My binder fits in the file cabinet nicely. I like to have some paper (contained in the binder) for jotting down thoughts and ideas that come to me and making lists. The binder is great to store things that I use so often that I don't want to play with file folders. Things like a school calendar, a phone list, etc are all in my binder.

Rubbermaid Box: I'm the type of mom that cannot get out the door with a the things I need. A rubbermaid box is my friend. In it I keep things I won't get out the door with but that I should have. The rubbermaid box is a great place to keep some warm blankets for the winter when the kids are freezing and the heat hasn't kicked in yet. It is a great place to keep a change of clothing for kids that might need one. It is a great place to keep a soccer ball, some coloring books, and some small games for when we are stuck on an errand. I probably should add a first aid kit too.

GPS: Goodbye piles of maps and yellow pages. This is an amazing invention! Try 1saleaday.com to nab an inexpensive one. You don't need to pay retail.

Other Nice Things to Have: A few CDs, a tehillim/bencher/siddur, a little extra change, a few toiletries, some plastic silverware and a can opener.

Please share your "car office" tips. I know I'm not the only parent trying to make my carpools the most efficient possible.

School Supply Buying Season Has Arrived

I feel as though summer has just started, but July has rolled around and if you are a fellow frugalist(a), it is time to start watching the Staples and Office Depot advertisements for Back to School Deals. If you prefer not to watch the ads, make sure you are subscribed blogs such as Kosher on a Budget or Cheapskate for school supply alerts and links to coupons. A quick trip twice a month or so through the a big box Office Supply Store starting in July is an integral part of our summer. The kids pick up their inexpensive required supplies. I pick up inexpensive supplies for my own home office. And, I often restock the gift box with gifts and useful, nearly free, party favors.

As a general rule, I dislike shopping. And, stronger than my dislike of shopping is my dislike of shopping with an impending deadline. So, when I do drag everyone out shopping, I like to cover as much ground as possible. This week, I'm restocking certain items like salsa. I found out that our Dollar Tree has $1 jars of salsa, so when I was buying a case, I also had the kids pick out the paper goods for their birthday parties. They all happily pinned down a theme, and I'm happy that I don't have to go back to this store for a good long time to come.

This week, getting to Staples for a quick run through for 1 cent glues and 1 cent pencil cap erasers is a must. My $5 minimum purchase will quickly be met with the purchase of two reams of paper, which will be 25 cents each after I submit for rebate.

If you are a regular office supply store customer (as I am), and will be able to use the rewards because you have to buy paper and ink throughout the year, the big deal to watch for at Staples is their free after rewards backpack deal. That deal usually pops up mid-summer. Each year I try to pick up a backpack for the future. Last year, my oldest picked out a really fantastic, high quality backpack. It still looks brand new and will continue to serve us going into the 2011-2012 school year. Nonetheless, I don't mind having surplus backpack supply because 1) things break when nothing is on sale and 2) I like to have different backpacks prepacked for outings, workouts, diapering, etc.

I plan to get over to Office Depot too. Their rewards program is not nearly as friendly as Staples Rewards Program. But the store is nearby another destination and they are offering 100% rewards on things that do make nice gifts, as well as ridiculously expensive pens that someone I know will much appreciate.

And on a different note: When I've been out shopping during the school supply rush season, I always note that parents are very frustrated by the growing supply list (thankfully our school's supply list is fairly basic and I was please to see most of the supplies were used up). Supply lists should be as general as possible. It is best for parents and students to be able to "shop at home" by picking out suitable supplies from the supply cabinet at home.

And on a final note: There are programs for donating school supplies. If anyone has ever organized a donation program for yeshiva schools, I'd appreciate a guest post on the subject.

Recommended Reading:

My summary of the Staples Rewards Program(s) from a former post. And a few notes:

When heading to Staples, don't forget to put your empty ink cartridges in a bag to recycle for Staples Rewards dollars.

If you are in the market for a printer, watch for the printer recycling program. This is a nice way to knock $50 off the price of a new printer when you recycling an old printer regularly priced at or above $199 (look for a sale on a printer you like). Something to watch for if you aren't too particular, a floor model that has been slashed in price combined with $50 off for recycling your printer. The last time Staples had this deal, there were floor models marked down significantly that would have been almost free with a recycled printer.

If you are in the market for a phone system, consider recycling your old phones. There is a $30 price reduction when you do so.

My summary of the Office Depot WorkLife Rewards Program.

Don't Hate!

A comment left on a different thread

Wow. What a judgmental bunch. I suspect that everyone on this board commenting negatively has a very comfortable income and assets. We don't know what this family's situation is . . . . . .

A number of years ago, I had a couple came to my home where they outlined their situation of personal financial woe and the went on to cast an "ayin hara" on our situation, which they summed up by looking around (at what they didn't have, we live in a pretty run of the mill home, although we love it and it is our mansion): my husband must have a very high income and our parents must have set us up quite nicely.

Was our income higher than theirs? Yes (and their income could have been higher with a different attitude and approach). But even when we had their not-so-shabby income, we were managing to save what they were managing to accumulate in amassing debt. Have we received more "help" from our parents? I have no idea and frankly it doesn't really matter. "Help" will only put you ahead if your behave with your money: earning with integrity, spending with frugality, and saving with determination. If money were to land in our lap tomorrow, our lives would remain the same. They've already spend the money that could land in their lap in their imagination.

Over the years I've met many people who believe that those doing well are doing well because of income. Over the years I've met many people who believe the reason some couples are ahead is because their parents are well-off and are helping. Over the years I've worked with many people who are just downright jealous. And, worse yet, their jealousy is completely misplaced because they do have a reasonable financial situation and with some creativity and discipline, they too could have a piece of that pie.

There are janitors that are quite comfortable and celebrities who are broke. One such celebrity-athlete who went broke was Mike Tyson:

Tyson had earned over $300 million during his career as a boxer but jewelry, mansions, cars, limousines, cellphones, parties, clothing, motorcycles and Siberian tigers eventually caught up to him. In 2003, when no more green came out of the debit machine, he had to file for bankruptcy, thanks to his colourful variety of debts including $13.4 million to the IRS and a $9 million divorce settlement to his ex-wife, Monica Turner. From 1995 to 1997, he spent $9 million in legal fees, $230,000 on pagers and cellphones, and $410,000 on a birthday party. In June 2002, he owed $8,100 to care for his tigers and $65,000 for limos.

Sadly, a lot of Mike Tyson's financial behavior--less the Siberian tigers as pet ownership is one area where you don't hear money being sucked out of the frum oilam's pockets--, is prevalent (albeit on a smaller scale, although as a ratio of income earned, perhaps it is on a greater scale) in our own communities.

Too much house for your station, too much car for your station, too much party for your station, too much tech for your station, too much clothing for your station. . . . and the formula is the same: broke. Income and assets be darned. They aren't the only part of the equation. In my experience, they are the less important part of the equation.

I do take the criticism I receive from readers very seriously and I want to make it clear that when I use real life examples of financial behavior gone wrong (such as continual borrow, the post that initiated this particular anon comment) it is **not** to make fun, but to give an examples of financial behavior that are ultimately destructive. I also have numerous posts on money saving tips too, all of which contain ideas that can be adopted by those who would like to achieve more prosperity and comfort.

I'd say that the commentor is just as judgmental as he (or she?) accuses the readership of being. I can only speak for my own household, but the comfort that we have achieved thus far isn't due to a silver spoon permanently lodged in our throats. At every juncture we have made deliberate decisions to live below our means, while the couple that expressed their jealousy of our situation, has and continues to make decisions that contribute to their financial woe. With a different relationship to finances, they too would be more comfortable.

Don't hate! Keep jealousy in check. Take notes when that jealousy emerges. **Learn new skills.** And maybe there will be a more prosperous financial future ahead.

Guest Poster at KOAB

I'm a featured guest poster on KOAB. Check out my post Summer Meal Prep o the Fly and share your own quick and frugal meal tips that keep pizza at bay.

Guest Post: Grow a Garden, Eat Healthy, Save Money

by Zach

Whether or not you believe in global warming, and how the current production of produce worsens the problem, I'm sure we can all agree that tomatoes and other vegetables do not naturally grow in plastic wrap. I'm sure most of you are also tired of buying tomatoes, peppers, or other vegetables weeks in advance of when you may actually need them while they slowly ripen. Lastly, I'm sure all of you do not want to continue to ingest the pesticides that other fruits and vegetables are doused in every day. Its debatable of the actual dangers of these chemicals, but even if they're ok, (which I doubt) I'd rather not have them anywhere near my food.

So how do we solve these problems. Well, a home vegetable garden is something that I started last year and really enjoyed throughout the summer. Its a slow process, it takes about 2 ½ – 3 months for the first fruits, but a very rewarding one. I guess I'll just give a brief summary of my experience last summer and if anyone has any questions about specifics, they can email me.

After I read Al Gore's “An Inconvenient Truth”, I felt inspired to single handedly save the world. But I'm only in college and couldn't afford a hybrid car, so I thought that a vegetable garden would help. I had a patch of soil 4 feet wide and 30 feet long, so I chose 5 crops and gave them 6 feet a piece: Corn, Butternut Squash, Tomatoes, Peppers, and Strawberries. You can buy seeds at Home Depot, Christmas Tree Shop, or your local guy (Herolds Farm here in Fair Lawn). You may need to add some nutrient rich soil, but I didn't and everything worked out pretty well. I started planting after Passover last year in mid-April, and within about 3 weeks there was already some signs of life.

After that initial joy of the first seedlings, things get kinda boring for the next 6-8 weeks as the plants continue to slowly grow a little every day. The corn was the most fun to watch though; I left for shul in the morning one Shabbos and they must have grown 4 inches by the time I got back a few hours later. But for the most part, if you water a couple times of week, the plants will continue to grow and strengthen as they prepare to bloom.

In late June/early July (depending on when you start), you'll finally be able to enjoy the first fruits. From here on out its really just about watering every other day and harvesting your fruits whenever they are ripe. I usually waited to do this until friday afternoon (when I had some free time) and we had enough tomatoes to last the entire week.

Here is a breakdown of how each plant grew last year. My numbers are a little rusty as I'm doing it from memory.

Corn: Worked great, the stalks grew about 6 feet tall and produced two ears per stalk. We harvested maybe a couple but then I came home one afternoon to find that squirrels had devoured the rest of them. It was fun while it lasted. Hopefully you'll have better luck.

Strawberries: Didn't grow at all. I hear they are very hard to grow from seeds, but you might be able to buy the plants themselves.

Butternut Squash: Grew very well, we got maybe a dozen or so squashes (squashi?) from just one plant. It grows all over the place though so you might want to trellice it on a fence. All squash grow similar (zuchini, yellow squash, acorn, pumpkins...) so I'm assuming that they'll all grow wonderfully in this area.

Peppers: Came in very late and only produced a couple peppers. I have a feeling we didn't do something right so maybe they'll work better this year. There are so many varieties to choose from so plant all different varieties of colors and spiciness.

Tomatoes: This was the best by far. I think we got on average a Quart of the little yellow plum tomatoes every week. I was even able to give quite a bit to some friends. They can get very tall depending on what type you buy, so you may need to stake them, or cage them, or they'll just flop over. Thats not so bad (it happened to me) but it doesn't look so nice and can get kind of messy. This year, I'm going to try and do 3 different types of tomatoes so I'll have much more variety.

Anyways, thats pretty much it from last year. I had a great time doing it, and the harvesting was the most fun of all. Its a great way to get the kids involved as well, and they can definitely help out. For the most part, you can keep your prices very low (I only bought seeds for like 3$ a pack) but if you want to keep things neat, you may need to spend some money on cages/stakes/fertilizer/ or gardening tools if you don't have them already. I was lucky and already had them.

I'll just mention the economic benefits as well, because I know this blog tries to help out in that department. I can't say that it saved my family that much money but we probably got like 30$ or something out of the process. Then again, I had no idea what I was doing last year and was so thankful it actually worked. If you do thing right, I've read that you can grow as much as $2000 worth of produce in a 20 by 20 foot area. That seems like a ton of money from just a garden, but I guess it depends on how big your weekly grocery budget is. I think in reality, if you do things correct, you can probably grow about $500 worth of food, but even if that doesn't happen I guarantee it is one of the most fun and rewarding experiences.

This year, we are going a little crazy and are growing lettuce, carrots, onions, hot peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, 3 types of tomatoes, corn, and maybe more. If anyone is interested I can keep them updated on how it goes, so post some comments!! I don't think this will pay for your school tuition (unless you go to a CUNY school) but it could help.

Again, if you need any specific help or advice on how to grow specific plants feel free to email me at countzacky@yahoo.com I'm not an expert, but I've done a ton of research so I'd be glad to help.

Best of luck to all.

Guest Post: 10 Tips for Saving Money, Time, Nerves, and Health on Pesach

by Rosie (Thank you!)

1)Keep a log of what is spent each year and how much of each item was used up. If new items are to be purchased for the following Pesach, such as fry pans, tablecloths, knives, etc, put that on the log and put the log in a place where it is accessible all year. Keep Pesach in mind when buying furniture and baby gear as to how easy the items will be to clean. Throughout the year, buy needed items on sale such as aluminum foil, food storage bags, etc.

2)Pay income taxes prior to Purim rather that wait until Pesach. The government gets your money one month sooner but you avoid the headaches. It is truly sad to see people trying to work on taxes when they could be cooking for Pesach.

3) Have your plumbing lines snaked prior to Pesach and make sure that all toilet tissue is good for plumbing. Do not allow anyone to flush tissues or wipes and find a nice way of telling people to flush once for #1 and twice for #2 to avoid clogging toilets. Emergency plumbing work costs more. Be sure to have plungers handy and apparently dawn dishwashing liquid can help some drain clogs.

4) Old refrigerators that are rarely used, tend to die on Pesach when lots of food is put in at once and the refrigerator must work hard to cool it down. Frequently check to see that the refrigerators are working and that the food is cold.

5) Make all routine auto maintenance and health care visits prior to Purim or after Pesach. The exception will be for children returning from yeshiva, seminary, or college and need to see the dentist. This will save on time spent on oil changes or dental hygiene appointments that can be scheduled for after Pesach.

6)Purchase clothing prior to Purim to avoid running out erev Pesach to buy items that could have been planned long before.

7)Plan only one activity for chol ha moed that costs such as a trip to the zoo and the rest should be kite flying in the park or other free activities such as a public library that has toys and activities. Give the kids a choice of the activity that costs.

8) Expect the unexpected. Don’t let your car run out of gas like we did one erev Pesach. Chicken pox tends to come out on Pesach and one year 5 of our children came down with it the day of bedikas Chometz. Keep on hand fever reducers for epidemics and remember to have either laxatives or prune juice on hand for stomach aches due to change in diet. Pesach cleaning can trigger asthma attacks. Keep a few windows open if a gas stove is kept running on a yomtov.

9) Plan some type of treat for after bedikas chometz such as Passover chocolates. Everyone should be congratulated on a job well done.

10) Make cleaning products from kosher for Passover vinegar or baking soda. Use spray bottles and don’t fill buckets of water if there are babies in the house that toddle or crawl, unless they are sleeping.

PSA: Shmura Matza Deal, Teaneck and Five Towns

$14.50 a pound for shmura matza. Can be picked up in Teaneck or the Five Towns. Go to Kosher Kouponz and make your purchase in the next four hours. Hat Tip: Anonymous reader. [Updated as readers pointed out the original link had expired].

Resources: Great Pesach List and Past Pesach Money Saving Tips

This is a helpful Pesach list showing what products need special Pesach certification and which don't. What makes it really great? Two columns, Ashkenazic and Sephardic (starting on p. 11). What else is great? Kashering methods starting on p. 18, also divided by A and S.

The tip to know your products is mentioned in nearly every Pesach on a Budget guide. Now that I have reorganized my pantry, I'm doing two things: 1. Pulling out canned goods that are taking up space and forcing their use and 2. Pulling out products I can use for Pesach and washing them off so I'm certain they are clean for Pesach.

Here are all the Pesach on a Budget posts from Orthonomics.

Making a Budget Pesach

Five More Money Saving Pesach Tips

My Post-Peasch To-Do List

Ask Orthonomics: Reader Seeks More Tips on Lowering Pesach Costs

Guest Post by Susie Sharf: How to Shop for Passover on a Budget, Part 3

And some cultural commentary with an economic component:

From Free Man to Slave: Avadim Hayin L'Mastercard B'Americ

Echad Chacham. . . . Echad Helpless Loser

Guest Post: How to Shop for Passover on a Budget, Part 3

By Susie Sharf of Cheapskate

Some of you may have landed here because you've been following my How to Shop for Passover on a Budget series on Kosher on a Budget, here and here. I hope you've found this information useful and have already saved some money. So far in this series, I've been trying to apply some common sense frugal principles to Passover shopping. Just to sum up what we've talked about:

1. Make a master Pesach year-to-year list. Mine is here.
2. It's only eight days. You can do without.
3. Arm yourself with a solid knowledge of Pesach-related halacha.
4. Pesach shopping starts now. Actually, yesterday.
5. Go back to basics.
6. Invest in long-term items instead of throwing out money on short-term items. Think future.
7. Reach out to your friends and community and share/pool resources.

So, now that we've got the principles down, I'm just going to toss out a few assorted tips, coupons and deals that will help you save money on Passover essentials, like matzoh, and incidentals, like tea.

Matzoh:

• Keep your eyes peeled for those buy-$50-worth-of-groceries-get-5-lbs.-of-matzoh-free deals that pop up every year at the major supermarket chains. Have in mind that they tend to happen very close to Pesach and you might want to get your shopping done sooner.


• Here's a $2/1 coupon for a 5 lb. package Streit's matzoh. (Please note, even though this coupon is from a ShopRite circular, it is a legitimate manufacturer's coupon and should work in any store. I printed and clipped it and used it at a Denver Safeway without a problem.)

Fish:

• If you'd like to serve fish on Pesach but don't like the idea of shelling out $7-$8 for each roll of KLP (Kosher la'Pesach) gefilte, here's an fyi for you: Kirkland Atlantic Salmon Frozen fillets and Kirkland Frozen Steelhead Trout, both bearing an OU for year-round use, are also KLP, according to the OU. This is the Costco brand of frozen fish and it is great quality. These are all skinless, boneless, center-cut (no waste), individually wrapped fillets. The trout is slightly cheaper than the salmon, and tastes just as good; I substitute it in recipes calling for salmon all the time. One fillet=2 appetizer-sized portions and there are usually 7 fillets in each bag. Costco fish works really well in this great Pesach recipe, which is a staple in our home.


• Gefilte fish a must for Pesach? Try sending for these A&B gefilte fish coupons, with this caveat: when I requested them a while back, they arrived about three weeks later, but I've gotten numerous reports from readers that they never received them.

Appliances and housewares:

Although this goes against my usual buyer's instincts, I don't buy top-of-the-line appliances and housewares for Pesach; I prefer to save those for year-round use. Remember, Pesach is only eight days. That means that, even factoring in the extra guests you'll have, the wear and tear on your Pesach kitchen stuff will be a fraction of the amount that you put on your non-Passover items. While you don't want to get really cheap, low-quality items, it's perfectly ok to buy 18/0 silverware instead of 18/10, or Pfaltzgraff instead of Lennox, or Farberware instead of Calphalon. As the years progress, your needs will evolve, your tastes will change, you might want to upgrade or maybe you'll just grow tired of what you have, and knowing you haven't spent a fortune on an item that you've barely used will make changing it out a little easier. You might think this is in conflict with my recommendation that you "invest in long-term items instead of throwing out money on short-term items," but it's not. I'm suggesting a balance between building up a cache of housewares that will help you save money for many Pesachs to come, but without investing in top-of-the-line products.

Cleansers, detergents, counterware, paper goods etc.:

We're often so focused on the expense of Pesach food, that we forget how much we spend on cleansers for The Big Clean. I recall going through an entire large bottle of Purex in just three days last year, when my washer was going non-stop the week before Pesach. Unless I find a fabulous sale paired with a high value manufacturer's coupon stacked with a store coupon, or a great online deal, I tend to buy most of my cleansers at the dollar store. Yes, the dollar store.

Here's a little factoid that was news to me this year: many dollar stores, especially the large chains, will accept manufacturer's coupons along with their own store coupons. Family Dollar in Denver accepts manufacturer's coupons, and when you stack them with their store coupons and very low prices on brand names, many of the cleansers I buy there come out to near-free. You can also get brand-name Passover sponges, dishracks, and placemats there for a song. Most of their prices on paper goods rival those of even Costco.

KLP Herbal tea:

Many stores raise the prices on Wissotzky Tea (which is the KLP herbal tea standard) to $4 or $5 per box before Pesach. Instead, go to Walmart or Target or any supermarket and pick up one of the KLP versions of Bigelow Tea, a national brand that goes for around $1.50-$2/box and is excellent quality tea. We drink it year-round. If you prefer to buy it online, here's a link to 6 boxes of my personal favorite, Plantation Mint, on Amazon for $12.38 (Subscribe & Save price, with free shipping=$2.06/box). Bigelow's KLP hechsher is from KofK. Each year, I pool together an assortment of Bigelow KLP flavors in a lined basket, which makes for a nice change from the usual Wissotzky tea box.

Stuff for the kids:

What would a Passover seder be for the kiddies without a table littered with frogs? Get 12 dozen of these pretty cute frogs at Oriental Trading for $4.99 plus $6.99 shipping. Oriental Trading has a ton of fun things in bulk for children, so if you get together with a few other families and pool your merchandise order so that it's over $49, you can get free shipping with promo code RT1135200. (You can also get 4% cash back if you click through their Shop at Home link first.)

Pets:

Click here and look at page 35 for a list of the CRC's recommended Passover food for pets. Over the years, we've been buying our little beagle Science Diet, which is one of the recommended dog foods again this year. Click here to download some high value coupons for Science Diet pet food. Click here for a $7/1 coupon for Prescription Diet. Click here for a $2/4 cans coupon for Evanger's pet food.

There are no dog treats that are recommended for Passover (almost all contain some form of chometz), so here's a low cost solution: when you're clearing the table after a meal, pile everyone's leftover soup and gravy into one plastic bowl. Soak 2 pieces of plain matzoh in it overnight. Break up the matzohs and either let them dry out or give them to your dog the way they are. Instant dog treats, for the negligible cost of two sheets of matzoh. Dogs love matzoh!

My most sincere thanks to the Academy my hostesses, the proprietors of Orthonomics and Kosher on Budget, both excellent blogs that address the economic challenges unique to the global religious Jewish community. As we get closer to Pesach, please check back on my blog, Cheapskate, for more Pesach money-saving tips.

Please share some of your frugal Pesach suggestions in the comments below.

Get Rid of the Insecurity and Just Enjoy Purim

Over at Matzav, you can treat yourself to typical Purim ranting. I recall at least part of this rant from a Yated gem of the past. It is really a shame that a more lighthearted, fun holiday turns into a stress fest for so many people (particularly the women folk).

Do some people have out of control mishloach manot? Sure. Do some people have misplaced priorities? Sure. Have some people taken a lovely mitzvah promoting friendship and perverted it into yet another competition? Sure. Is there unnecessary pressure? Sure. Do some people spend ridiculous amount of money? Sure.

Can we control any of that? Probably not. But we can work to control our own insecurities (and in turn hopefully raise more secure children who won't feel the need to constantly peak over their shoulders). And perhaps if we work to control our own insecurities, we will start to have more Purim fun, rather than pressure to match the neighbor who has been thinking about a costume to coordinate with the mishloach manot package theme (or is that a mishloach manot package to coordinate with a costume?) since Rosh Hashana.

In the grocery store I ran into a lovely friend who always makes a very attractive mishloach manot packages. We enjoy receiving her package each year and always hide it away to enjoy without the children. As we were talking, she mentioned some of her own insecurities which surprised me because I would love to pull off such a lovely (and frugal) presentation.

Over here in the Sephardi household, we just can't seem to get it right. The goods might taste great, but something always seems to go wrong and it doesn't quite come together as envisioned. It isn't easy combining frugality with participation from children with a reasonable quantity with all of the other things I'm juggling during this time of the year. So, we just do what we can manage and that varies from year to year.

So after a marathon of creating with the kids (who ultimately left me holding the bag because the work isn't as much fun an hour later) and a packaging idea that the assigned packager wasn't quite coordinated enough to pull off, we have a basket full of tasty mishloach manot that weren't quite what I envisioned.

And do you know what? I'm accepting what is. We can give these out with a big smile. And we don't need to worry about what others might bring because this isn't an office gift exchange.

While I am critical of overspending and inappropriate displays of wealth or "wealth", I think we can enjoy other people's Purim fun even if we choose a different route. I don't think that in this lifetime we will ever have themed mishloach manot. And I doubt we will ever have costumes to match our mishloach manot theme because I don't sew and prefer to pick up costumes in the thrift store. But I can still appreciate the creativity of our neighbors who show up in great costumes with nifty packages even if we are putting our cookies and candies on a plain paper plate or brown paper bag and sporting a run of the mill costume. We can appreciate what our friends and neighbors bring us even if we are reciprocating with "less" (just say thank you is a midda I work on with my kids, and Purim is a great time to put that midda on display).

On that note, have a Purim Sameach and enjoy the chag anxiety-free.

And one final note, it is clear that many of us would like to see a sense of balance restored in the kehilla. But I don't think complaining about someone's Three Blind Mice Purim theme is going to restore the balance. I do think working to rid ourselves of insecurities and making choices without offering excuses (be it a choice about mishloach manot, consumerism surrounding yomim tovim, or camp) will rub off on others.

Picture of My 15 Minute Challah

My post on Quick Challah brought in a number of comments and questions including questions about allowing sufficient time for the challah to rise a second time. I thought I'd post a picture of my finished (water) challah so that everyone can answer the question of sufficient rise for themselves. I made my dough in the morning and my oldest quickly braided these for about 10 minutes (no second rise) before jumping into the shower.

My challah recipe uses 5 cups of flour and is kneaded in a Kitchen Aid mixer. Kosher on a Budget has links to a mixer priced at $162 after rebates.

I've been using my mixer for at least 7 years and the engine is still going strong. A good mixer does carry a hefty price tag, but useful workhorses are on my frugal-approved list. If you average out the cost over say 10 years, it equals the cost of 3 bakery challahs.

What appliances have paid dividends in your kitchen? Speaking on dividends, training children to help and take responsibility is a tremendous investment! I'm starting to see the investment pay off in the form of pretty nice looking challah.

Shabbat Shalom.

Quick Challah

I often hear about how much time it takes to make challah. I used to believe the same, but thanks to a friend I learned just how quick it can be to make challah. I spend a bit less than 10 minutes on preparing the dough Friday morning and a bit less than 10 minutes getting the dough from the prep bowl onto a baking sheet shortly before Shabbat. The challah tastes good, but it isn't fancy.

Seriously, it would take me more time to buy challah! (Wish I knew that when I was first married. I would have extra dough in the bank account!) Here is my easy and quick method. The only downside to this challah in my opinion is that it doesn't freeze nicely. Some might consider not being able to take challah a downside, but I make double and triple batches often enough that I don't feel incomplete with a 5 cup recipe. We aren't huge bread eaters.

8 Minutes
1. Combine 1/4 cup of warm water with 2 1/2 teaspoons of yeast and approximately 1 tablespoon of sugar. I buy yeast in bulk, but believe that this equals one package of yeast. I combine all of this right in the Kitchen Aid mixing bowl. I'm told that yeast is best prepared in a glass bowl. But time is of the essence here.

2. Go do something else for about 5 minutes while the yeast gets bubbly.

3. Come back and add 1/4 cup sugar, approx 1/4 cup oil, 2.5 cups of whole wheat flour, 2.5 cups of white flour, and another 1 and 1/4 cups of water. I keep all my challah supplies in arm's reach of my Kitchen Aid.

4. Turn on Kitchen Aid mixer to a low setting and until a ball of dough forms. If a ball isn't forming readily, grab dough and push into a ball. I use this time to wipe the counter clean.

5. Put a (clean) shower cap on top of the Kitchen Aid. Leave in a warm place.

Downtime
6. Go do whatever you need to do for many hours.

7 Minutes
7. Approximately 10 30 (corrected!) minutes before Shabbat, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F, punch down challah and quickly shape dough (or have your kids shape the dough if you can afford extra time). Put in oven for 25 minutes. Go take a shower, set your table, or set your food up on the blech. Take challah out of oven and enjoy on Shabbat.

Shabbat Shalom all!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Updated for reader comments:
One reader sees I haven't added the time to wash the bowl. I tend to take care of this Saturday night. I'm dealing with a million other dishes anyways.

Another readers sees I have made no cost comparison. I don't even have a clue how much bakery or commercial challah costs anymore. When I stopped buying, it was already $3.50 a loaf. I'm told challah can be as much as $5 a loaf now.

If I'm smart, I can stock up on 5 lb. white flour for as low as a dollar (that deal hasn't come around in a while). But I can normally buy for $2.29 or lower. I can buy whole wheat flour for $2.99. A bag of white and a bag of whole wheat will last me for at least a month, often longer.

Never buy yeast at the grocery store. The jar is massively expensive. For right around $5 you can get yeast in bulk at Costco. There is enough for 9-12 months in that bag!

Sugar has gone up in price. Nevertheless, a bag will last a long time and you can normally buy sugar on sale for $1.99 for a shrinking bag. I think we are down to 4 lbs. now.

I buy oil in bulk size containers for around $4.99. This too lasts a long time.

One thing my readers might notice is that I can't tell you how much a recipe costs. This isn't due to lack of mathematical skill. But I might make a post on how I set a grocery budget and why I don't engage in calculating out the cost or this and that.

Healthy, Easy TuBeshvat Breakfast

Last night I made a traditional Sephardic barley wheat bulgar dish for our little celebration. This morning I served it for breakfast and it occurred to me that I should really make this more often because it serves as a great breakfast food. Unlike oatmeal, it doesn't lose its appeal if prepared in advance. Unlike breakfast cereals, half of it doesn't end up on the kitchen floor. Nor did any child feel the need to take a ridiculous quantity. I love affordable.

Those who are interested, boil 4 cups of water and add 1 cup of bulgar (I like medium grain). Stir until most of the water is absorbed. Next, add sugar. The recipe calls for between 1/4 and 1/2 cup. I'd go with the 1/4. Add a good amount of cinnamon and finish cooking.

Can be served warm, room temperature, or cold with nuts and fruit. If you want to use dried fruit, add the dried fruit with some extra water at the beginning of the cooking process.

This is just like making oatmeal, but doesn't change texture as it cools and sits.

Bulgar can be found in the international section of the grocery or in ethnic stores. It can also be cooked up like rice and there are lots of sweet and savory dishes appropriate for chagim and Shabbat.

A Blog After My Own Heart: Kosher on a Budget

Hat Tip: A reader

A reader pointed me to a new blog, Kosher on a Budget: Live fruitfully without multiplying your budget. The blog has a beautiful and inviting layout, is well written, and has something for everyone.

I'm enjoying taking a look around. Particularly inspiring is Mara's Jewish Dave Ramsey Story. The writer's family managed to pay of $30,000 in debt in 6 months through a combination of expense cutting and selling stuff. Following that, the family built an emergency fund. Now the rest of the journey continues. She was initially shy to take advice from an evangelical Christian, but what works, works! (My own commentary: the biblical principals that Dave preaches are mostly found in my own handy-dandy Tanach, particularly Mishlei and Tehillim).

The blog is a great resource. If you like to coupon shop, she is doing the work for you by posting up the great drug and grocery store deals, amongst others. If you are interested in kosher, frugal cooking, there are recipes, all of which appear to be simple, quick, and family friendly.

Something I find exciting is the one month menu plan. While I tend to shy away from long term menu planning--my preference is to plan a one week menu around inexpensive produce, with recurring themes based on the night of the week so the kids know what to expect--I find the idea of a one month plan very intriguing. I also like the tips on doubling and freezing. While the frugal amongst us might argue if menu planning saves money, it is so important to find something that is practical. Perhaps I will give a one month plan a trial run during one of my busiest seasons, especially since Mara's blog provides a usable format. I don't believe in reinventing the wheel, so it is fun to discover a kosher, frugal blogger (with a frugal and practical Shabbat and Chagim section) who is happy to share.

One other thing: I have yet to publish some of my commentary on frugality blogs and books. In short, I find that many frugal resources, from books to blogs, are beyond intimidating, and not just to the newly thrifty. While I do read some frugality resources that lean towards the extremes, and sometimes even adopt ideas I was initially resistant too, I would define my brand of frugality as "middle income." Mara's money saving tips don't throw 7-11 convenience to the wind. Nor, is she a minimalist. In fact, we happen to share a love of plastic organizing boxes as mentioned in one post! While there are a lot of great resources out there, I think this resource will prove relevant to the greatest number of readers.

What a great resource! Highly recommended.

Reposted By Request: Flexible Spending Accounts

Below is an educational post I wrote in 2006 about Flexible Spending Accounts. Is it really almost that time again? I received a request to address the subject, so I am re-posting. Just a note that the new health care legislation will slash the health care FSA to $2,500 from amount employers normally allow, $5,000 although there is federal technically no limit.

Flexible Spending Accounts

The end of the calendar year is quickly approaching, and many employees are currently being asked if they want to fund a "Flexible Spending Account" (FSA). While the subject is relevant, I wanted to write a brief overview of these accounts, in addition to discussing their advantages and disadvantages.

In brief, the advantage of an FSA is the tax savings. The program allows an employee to put aside "pre-tax" money from earnings each pay period to help pay for two types of expenses:
1) Qualified Out-of-Pocket Health Care expenses and/or
2) Qualified Dependent Care expenses, i.e. childcare or adult dependent care expenses for qualified dependents that are necessary to allow you or your spouse to work, look for work (so long as you find a job and earn income), or attend school full-time.

An employee can put aside funds for one or both of these purposes, but funds must be designated separately for the entire calendar year. Both spouses can contribute the maximum amount allowed to their own Health Care FSA (HCFSA), however the amount allowed for the Dependent Care FSA (DCFSA) is limited per household.

Question: Just how much tax can you expect to save on your designated funds?
Answer: No less than 7.65% (FICA withholding that all employees are subject to) to upwards of 50%, although most will fall somewhere between 20 and 40%. To estimate your tax savings, add together your respective federal marginal tax bracket (ranges between zero and 35%), your respective state marginal tax (can range up to approx. 10%), and the 7.65% FICA withholdings.

Question: What Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs qualify for coverage?
Answer: Basically all expenses except insurance premiums (e.g. dental and vision insurance) and items like over-the-counter vitamins. Of course, the list of allowable and unallowable expenses is a long and tedious read. But, before you go about designating your earnings, you should become familiar with it. [As of 2011, non-prescription, over-the-counter medicine and items like band aids will no longer qualify for reimbursement].

Question: What are the disadvantages?
Answer: The prime disadvantages are the following:
1) "Use it or Lose it" Whatever money is left in your account at the end of the Benefit Period (usually March of the following year, I believe) you forfeit for good. There are no refunds. This is a requirement of federal law.
2) If you are laid-off or leave your job without spending your account, it is gone forever.
3) The paperwork and record keeping. Proper documentation (receipts, bar codes on over the counter medications, etc) will need to be submitted with claims. Organization is key and those who lack time [or organizational skills] will suffer.
Update: Many companies do have paperless reimbursement for certain expenses like co-pays.

Question: Can I still receive a tax credit for my childcare on my 1040 Tax Return if I am using a DCFSA?
Answer: No and Yes. You cannot receive the tax credit for the amount you designated in your DCFSA, but the incremental excess amount that you spent beyond your DCFSA designation can be claimed. (It is a bit complicated, but here is an example: A household with two children can claim a credit on a percentage of $6000 in childcare costs or $3000 per child. If the family only designates $4000 to their DCFSA, they can claim a credit on the excess $2000.)
Note: The same goes for trying to deduct health care expenses above 7.5% of your adjusted from income on your Schedule A (Itemized tax deductions).

Question: Is it better to use the tax credit or the DCFSA?
Answer: It depends. Because a greater dependent care tax credit is offered to those with lower household incomes, some will benefit more from using the tax credit.

Question: Does my childcare provider need to be paid "over the table?"
Answer: Yes, yes, yes. Don't make your designation unless you know your provider is filing their taxes. You will need the Tax ID or Social Security number for your daycare provider or babysitter. Without this vital information, you will not be reimbursed. You also might want to make sure that your provider understands why you are asking for this information(!). [Regardless of your decision of whether or not you should use an FSA, your childcare provider should be paid legally].

Question: Is camp a qualified DCFSA expense? What about yeshiva tuition?
Answer: Day camp for a child 13 and under is a qualified expense. But, overnight camp is not, unless there is itemized billing for day services only! And, no tuition for an elementary school child does not qualify either. But, before and after-care services do if they are separately itemized.

Question: How much should I designate to my FSA?
Answer: Review your prior years expenses and estimate upcoming and new expenses [to come to a reasonable prediction of] future expenses, but be careful not to overestimate what you will spend because of the "Use it or Lose it" clause. Also, be very careful you only include qualifying expenses. You don't want to end up buying ridiculous amounts of over-the-counter drugs because you stand to lose a significant amount of money otherwise. [As of 2011, even if you are using 2010 funds within the grace period, you will no longer be able to buy over-the-counter drugs or a lifetime supply of band aids].

Disclaimer: Please do your more research if you have questions and read your enrollment forms carefully. This is a primer on the subject and is in no way a complete overview. FSAs are an excellent and legal way to make your income stretch further.

The Price of Smoking (and Tuition)

There is a popular tuition blog on which a poster proposed a "point system" for tuition assistance. It read as the form of a magazine quiz and if a parent exceeded the allotted points, they would be uneligible for reduction. I can't say that I was in agreement with the point value of each triggering item.

But, there is one thing I can think of that is such a tremendous waste of money (to say nothing of the negative health impact), that if schools were to withhold assistance, you wouldn't find me shedding any tears.

A 24 year old woman smoker will spend an average of $86,000 over a lifetime on cigs; a 24 yr old male smoker will spend $183,000. (link) Hat Tip: today's Dave Ramsey update

Time to smoke out this expensive habit.

My Advice: Collect Door-to-Door for your Vacation

Hat Tip: Google Alerts

Before I allowed the latest (Lakewood) school closing hit my radar, a little reader question over at TLS hit my Google Alerts titled "What Comes First--Tuition or Summer Vacation?" [Update: Link corrected, my apologies]. After reading the question, all I could say was Good L-rd, no wonder things are starting to unravel.

A few things struck me about this letter:

1. The entire "negotiation" process regarding tuition discounts is simply bad business practice. This man states " Like many people in town, at the beginning of each school year, I call up the schools to negotiate a lower price for tuition, and then try to make quarterly payments to fully pay up." Earth to Lakewood and any other locale that allow such negotiations to take place after a cutoff date, you are engaging in a TERRIBLE business practice. No wonder school can't set and meet a budget when registrations/tuitions contracts are treated as meaningless.

Because of where we are vis a vis tuition, it would be near impossible to go to an industry standard private school practice and collect all tuition for the school year by the mid-year point, but there simply must be a cutoff after which the agreed upon tuition stands. It is simply not right to allow tuition negotiations at such a late date. While leadership argues whether or not parents take tuition seriously, I will just make mention with policies like these, it is no wonder that some don't take tuition seriously.

2. On the personal finance side, it is no wonder that so many people are in a mess of their own. What struck me about the question is that the person asking the question seems to think his situation is unique, and therefore worthy of consideration. You see, he commutes and doesn't get to see his children during the week. Come summer, his kids expect to do something. So, perhaps given these facts on the ground, a different answer than the expected one should be considered so he can cover vacation expenses, nothing fancy mind you.

My personal finance advice of the day: if you want to get out of your personal finance mess, start viewing yourself as average instead of unique. Once you are average, it becomes a lot more difficult to justify whatever it is you are justifying (in this case, a tuition break on the backs of donors and other families. . . some of which might be doing their utmost only to find themselves without a school for their sons on the 1st day of school, as one of my readers has found himself).

3. The writer mentions negotiating down tuition a few thousand for " 'extras’. (And by extras, I don’t mean a new Lexus, I mean extras to spend on the family)." I don't know what the writer was intending to do for a few thousand, but this just points to an inflated lifestyle. I'm not certain what the writer was intending on spending a few thousand on, but a family should be able to have a nice summer without breaking the bank, especially if they live on the East Coast where so much is within a reasonable drive. Here are some buzz words: Staycation. AAA Member Discount. Room Saver Magazine. House Swap. Library Reading Club.

I suggest that a Yeshiva Administrator who tell any family that comes begging for a discount because they prioritized summer vacation over their tuition obligation to suggest that the parent go collect door-to-door for their vacation!

Related Past Post: Tuition vs. Vacation where R. Feurst gives a "maybe" answer on tuition vs. vacation. Sleepaway camp got a yes, retirement got a no, and retirement, a family vacation got a lukewarm maybe.

Mesila Counselor on Correcting Erroneous Thought Patterns

The following was just published in Mishpacha in response to another letter. It is written by a Mesilsa counselor, an organization that I admire. I'm always thrilled to see well written pieces that help disseminate ideas that are key in helping build financially stable families. This is an excellent response. Rarely is solid financial advice groundbreaking as it is rooted in sechel and a mesorah.


CREDITS CARDS ARE NOT THE ANSWER
[Inbox / Issue 309]
In response to your article entitled “The Newlywed Spending Bubble,” Y.B. from Lakewood writes the following: “For some of us, credit cards are a lifesaver. Shabbos comes every week, no matter what your financial status is, as do the Yamim Tovim, bar mitzvahs, weddings, and the like. Even if you don’t buy the fanciest roast, you still need the basics, which can be burdensome for large families. And when your son’s toe is at the end of his shoe or already popping through, you can’t always wait until the funds are there.”

As a Mesila counselor, I have to respectfully disagree with that statement. For a family that is struggling to pay for its basic needs, creditcards are not a lifesaver, but a dangerous trap. Putting purchases on a credit card is an easy way to pay for immediate needs, but it creates a much worse problem in its wake.

If a family is already having a hard time making ends meet, paying an extra 15–30 percent in interest above and beyond the purchase price of everything on their credit card will surely make things harder.

Even if credit cards are a lifesaver in certain situations, a lifesaver is by definition something that should be necessary only in an emergency. Shabbos is not an emergency; nor are Yamim Tovim or simchahs. And kids don’t outgrow their shoes in a day or two. If a family is feeling the pinch from any of these normal, predictable expenses, credit cards are not the answer.

Y.B. goes on to write: “Some of us must have bitachon that, although we don’t know how we will pay off our credit cards, if we are doing ratzon Hashem, we are confident that He will provide for us in some way or form.”

This is a gross misapplication of the concept of bitachon, for bitachon does not justify acting in a way that is financially irresponsible. Charging things to your credit card and then waiting for money to miraculously appear is a highly dangerous habit, and one that the Ultimate Provider
will not necessarily underwrite.

So what is a struggling family to do when there are bills that need to be paid, but no money to pay them with?

For one thing, they can seek creative, low-cost alternatives to ensure that the family is adequately fed and attired. They can also build a spending budget that maximizes every dollar and allows them to meet their basic needs while avoiding unnecessary expenditures. And a prime example of an unnecessary expenditure is money paid to the bank in the form of
interest on credit card debt!

It is also critical for every family — even a family that is having a hard time making ends meet — to put aside cash on a regular basis. Even if all you can manage to put aside is $10 a week, the money will build up steadily, giving you your own little fund to turn to in a pinch — instead of having to look to greedy credit card companies for illusory salvation.

[Meslia Counselor]
Baltimore

How Much Is Your Time Worth?

The following question was posed on a known chatboard regarding frugality:

Are frugal living tips worth it if you have the opportunity to earn money instead?

I'd like to address this question because I think there is an underlying, yet mistaken assumptions, regarding the value of time. The hunch I get is that many people who use the argument that their time is worth more, are valuing their time at a certain rate (i.e. their hourly rate). Now, time is a very valuable thing, and we all are going to come to different conclusions about how to best use this scarce resource, but I know of very few people who can successfully make the argument that their time is consistently worth a certain amount per hour.

In halachic works, we often run into the concept of two conflicting mitzvot. Perhaps one has the opportunity to escort a chatan and kallah or bury the deceasedm and the sources are there to help determine which mitzvah takes priority. For the most part, however, we are rarely called upon to dance at the wedding of someone with no family at the same time the chevra kaddisha calls to arrange a team for a taharah. Mostly, we have opportunities which we can prioritize within a reasonable schedule. E.g., in a single day I can both watch a classmate who has no other childcare arrangement on a day that school is unexpectedly delayed and cook a meal through bikur cholim from the comfort of my own kitchen.

Frugality is very similar. Very rarely is the choice between exercising some frugal measures and making your hourly rate. I think it a bit overreaching to assume that if you weren't cleaning bathrooms, that you would be making $150 an hour working on a contract for a client. More often the choice is whether or not you want to be spending your downtime on something you would like to do and something you'd rather not bother with. Now, there are times when such an opportunity arises, in which case it is perfectly fair to compare a day's profit to the additional cost of of takeout versus an average dinner. But rarely does one really make that comparison. For example, my husband is compensated nicely, but when he comes home, he has no other opportunities for paid work as he, like many professionals, are bound by contract not to engage in work for outside employers. So while his work in the office might be worth $X per hour, at home is time cannot be realistically valued at much more than $0 per hour. If I were to ask him to run to the grocery store to pick up a number of staples that are on sale for a savings of say $30 off what we might pay should we have not caught these sale prices, it would be ludicrous for him to argue that a post-tax savings of $30 isn't worth his time because he makes more at work. If he were to put forward such an argument, I'd remind him that he isn't currently at work. (Thankfully, he too has taken some challenging economics courses and doesn't tend to put forward such arguments, rather relying on the more compelling argument that if I were to send him to the store for the sale items that he will still not know what to buy and hence I should rely on the more reliable party in the house).

To get back to the question, I think the answer is "yes". The reasons for frugality will be different for everyone. Sometimes there simply is no other choice, i.e. it is a simply necessity. Lower income frugality/ traditional college student frugality is first and foremost about staying a float, although often there is a function of achieving a larger goal. Our brand of frugality could be defined as "middle income." The savings enjoyed from frugal choice buy some peace of mind, some luxuries, and help us exercise some choice regarding our children's education, and help fund retirement and college savings accounts. I also have friends and acquaintances who have seen some real success and, with the exception of those who are just blowing their money, they too exercise frugal choices. But their frugal choices often don't resemble my frugal choices, but the elements of value and principal do play into their decisions which puts their choices on the spectrum of frugality, albeit upper income frugality.

Besides considering the real value of your time, is to remember that saving money takes practice and requires some technique. When we first got married, I was a complete wreck in the kitchen. My kitchen technique was akin to the person who can't walk and chew gum at the same time. I had no idea how to substitute ingredients. I could not multitask in the kitchen, which made Shabbat preparation an all day job as I put my full concentration into whatever single dish I was making at that moment. Cleaning seemed to take a lot of concentration too. Stocking my kitchen was a laborious task that involved many detailed lists and preparation. But, just like any other endeavor, practice is how you perfect an art or a sport. When I first learned to play piano, it took a lot of concentration to be able to coordinate reading the music, count the timing, and coordinating both hands. Now, when I sit at the piano, I might be rusty, but I can mostly rely on muscle memory and a developed sense of timing. I do think it is well worth it to perfect some frugal techniques because the dividends to pay off continually.

A Few Things

The current Yated has a plea for families to purchase Life Insurance written by Rabbi Binyomin Ginsburg. He mentions purchasing it as a "segula" not because it is a segula, but because it might incline more people to do the prudent thing. Such is the state of Orthodoxy I imagine. At the end of the article he writes about a free $50,000 life insurance program offered by Mass Mutual for education expenses. I'm hoping a reader will be willing to check out this program and report back. I've never heard of a free life insurance program that provides more than say $3000 to a customer of a bank, e.g. Here is the information:

Finally, I would like to share information with our readers about a program that is free of charge.MassMutual, an insurance company that sells life insurance, has a program called LifeBridge. This is a free life insurance policy designed to help people pay for tuition after the death of a parent, r”l. Under the LifeBridge Free Life Insurance Program, Mass-Mutual will issue a $50,000 life insurance policy to a trust for a period of 10 years and at no cost to the insured. MassMutual pays the premiums. If the person dies within that time period, the $50,000 is
used to cover the educational expenses of the children. The children have 10 years after the death or until age 35 (whichever is later) to use this $50,000 educational
benefit.

For more information about this program, contact MassMutual directly or feel free to contact Mr. Kahn at 718.436.0022. He will be glad to help in any way he can to have more people protected with life insurance.

In Israel, Rav Shteiman has said it is time to discontinue the vort, and go with a l'chaim following the engagement at the home of the kallah. Perhaps I'm missing some information being only familiar with things in America, but I can't really tell the difference between what people call vorts and l'chaims. Besides my husband and me, I can't think of too many people who have not had an engagement party (my husband will take issue, however, he claims that because our parents met for a meal in which he announced our engagement that we too had a party. . . . .next time one of my kids wants a birthday party with classmates, I will insist that a meal with family is a party :).

I personally am not at all attached to the practice of a vort or l'chaim. I think engagements are best started off slowly, without a bash. It seems extremely logical to me that when cutting expenses, the vort be the first thing on the cutting block. The Simcha Guidelines from about a decade ago also called for only a small l'chaim. I wonder if a decade later, someone else will call for discontinuation or if the financial realities will finally par down on this expense. Time will only tell.

Also of interest is a story in Haaretz as reported by VIN that Badatz has ruled that Chareidim in Israel cannot invest in stocks of Israeli companies. The concerns reported are that Chareidim should not become *partner* in companies that violate Shabbat and engage in inappropriate advertising. I won't even bother to comment that investing does not make on a partner; I actually have my own moral concerns with certain American companies and don't care to invest directly or patronize certain companies. That said, such an announcement is disturbing in combination with the past policies I've reported on. I guess the post He Can't Work, She Can't Work could now, in light of this new pronouncement be titled He Can't Work, She Can't Work, Nor Can They Invest. It seems that each month, we the big fat pocket book, are privy to another report of what Chareidim can't do because it violates religious principal. Worse yet is when leadership complains that Chareidim can't get ahead because of the man. Seriously, it is no wonder that people think about selling a kidney (which is in fact not permissible).

What surprises me most about the Haaretz reports that of the 50,000 Chareidi households, 42% deposit 825 NIS a month in savings plans. According to this exchange rate calculator that is almost $220 a month. There are so many people in America unable to save such amounts monthly. This just seems unbelievable given the unemployment rate and other stats.