Caught a stomach flu bug and feel lousy. Will finish the current series on the Bankruptcy of America next week. Hope you are having a better day than me!

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I found an interesting web site the other day sponsored by Visa -  www.financialsoccer.com. It is just what the name says – financial soccer (they also have an NFL version).

It is roughly based on world cup soccer – you get to pick your team (country), and your opponent. You get to choose the length of the game – 5, 10, 20, or 30 minutes long. You choose whether to be an amateur (ages 11-14), semi-pro (ages 14-18) or world class (ages 18 and over). You can choose whether to do a pregame, single player or head-to-head game.

Once you start the game, you move the ball down field by answering financial questions. Each time you are given an option of either an easy, medium, or hard question. Based on the difficulty level is how far you move the ball down field. Once you have answered multiple questions correctly, you have an opportunity to try for a goal. If you miss a question, you turn the ball over. Once your “opponent” has the ball, if you answer a question correctly, you steal the ball back.

I tried a 10 minute game, U.S.A. (me) verses Italy. I won 4-0. Overall, the questions are not to hard, although they do throw some trick questions in. The graphics are good, and it was a fun way to test my knowledge. There is a little pressure as there is a timer that runs (you only have so much time to answer a question).  I think this would be a great thing for kids.

Try it out and let me know how you did verses the “competition”.

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Today my wife and children are going to pick apples in a nearby orchard. Soon we will have the “fruits” of their labor – apple pies, apple crisp, and apple sauce! So to celebrate one of my favorite times of the year, I am going to share my wife’s recipe for apple pie or apple crisp. If you remember a previous post, you can freeze some of your apples and ingredients to make kits for quick deserts later. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 8 medium apples: peel, core, slice
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Apple Crisp:

• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine

Combine the first five ingredients in a 2 quart bowl. Cover with lid and shake to coat evenly. Place coated apples in a bag and freeze. When ready to use, thaw in refrigerator.

For Apple Pie:  Place mixture in prepared pie crust. Top with second crust or crumb topping and bake at 450 for 25-30 minutes.

For Apple Crisp: Pour thawed apple mixture into 8 inch square baking dish. Combine apple crisp dry ingredients then cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over apple mixture. Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes.

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What time is it for you? Is it time to spend–on a home, repairs, a car, education? Or is it a time to save–for retirement, emergency fund, education? For me, it’s a little bit of both. I have been saving for retirement faithfully, and spending on some repairs on the house. My next savings goal is to get our emergency fund built up a little (it has taken some hits lately with car repairs). But throughout our life there will be seasons for spending and saving. Think about your finances as you read this passage from Ecclesiastes:

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven–a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; a time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.

What time is it for you financially?

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Our 1995 Dodge Caravan (I can’t believe it is 14 years old!) had to be fixed last week. About 2 weeks ago we started smelling gas – rusted gas tank! Even though the gas tank had a leak, on the bottom no less, we didn’t see any difference in our mileage. That’s sad. Anyway, my auto budget will take a hit again!

As a side note, I’ve been reading with interest about the auto trade in program that the president has signed into law, the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS). If your car is less than 25 years old and you purchase a new car that gets 18 mpg or better you may be eligible for $3500 or $4500 trade in allowance toward a new car. For fun I went to Ford’s Web Site to see if my van qualified.  It did. I am not planning on trading it in. The van is running well, it is paid for, and we are content. Maybe in a year or two we might be in the market for a new to us used vehicle.

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I hope all the Dad’s out there are enjoying their special day. Right after my work at church is done our family is heading for vacation! I will not have Internet access, so no blogging until I get back. Have a great week.

A father carries pictures where his money used to be.  ~Author Unknown

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After developing resumes, cover letters, business cards, and thank you notes, and after setting up my office, networking, and filling our applications, etc. I knew I needed to do more. I needed to get my foot in the door.

I went temping. Working for a temporary employment agency gave me flexibility in work hours, brought some money in, but most importantly got my foot in the door. I signed up with several agencies – the process is pretty easy. I filled out an app (attached my resume), took a few tests, and then I was on their lists. I dressed “business”  when first meeting them (which is a step above what others were wearing – you want to stand out and look professional). I also followed up two days letter with a phone call to see if anything was available yet; I also followed up that same week with a personal visit.

That first assignment is the most critical – they usually give you something safe and short. They want to see how you do before using you on better jobs. What I found out with talking with them – showing up on time, staying the whole day, and not goofing off make you a star! After I successfully passed their first job test, I was on their radar for better jobs – mostly in office settings with bigger companies.

The jobs lasted anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. This was enough time to show the company I was a hard worker, and enough time for me to check out their personnel department. I soon found that there were a lot of jobs being posted within companies that never made it out to the public – now I had a leg up.

After several different temp opportunities, I was able to turn one of them into a full time job – all because I was there, they saw me in action, and I saw an opening.

I stayed with that company for about a year – it was a springboard to another opportunity (it is easier to get a job when you ahve a job!).

For those of you currently looking for work, maybe these three posts have given you some hints, but more importantly some hope. Let me know the things you are doing or have done to get that job.

Hi there - could you help spread the word about A Penny Saved? We rely on word of mouth to get new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would truly appreciate it. How I found a job in a bad economy – Part III is a post from: A Penny Saved

Recently, I have been counseling several people who are out of work. I was in the same position as they are back in the early 1990’s, and many of the things I share with these individuals on how to get a job come out of this experience.

The first thing I tell individuals is what my Father first told me when I was laid off (from his own experience in being laid off)- finding a job is your job. This sounds simplistic, but many people do not put it into action. You should put in as many hours looking to find a job as you would if you are working a job. In other words, putting one resume out a week or filling out one application (as some people I counsel do) won’t cut it. So I spent about 40 hours a week trying to get a job.

So since this was my “new job”, I went about the process as if it were a job:

• I set up an office in my house to work out of. Now back then I used a typewriter and a land-line phone, but even though the technology has changed the need for an office/place to work out of still holds true for today.
• I kept a routine / set up working hours. I got up at the same time that I did when I was employed and I tried to keep “office” hours.
• I dressed as if I was going to that new job. For me it was shirt and tie (I kept the jacket nearby).  I wanted to be ready for a last minute trip some place. Plus, just the routine of getting ready for work put me in the mindset to work at finding work.
• I organized and prepared myself. Developed my resume, obtained references, set up call lists,  created cover letters, had thank you cards ready  (sent after interviews, and to give to  anyone who helped me). I had all my information at my finger tips, and everything was organized so I could find it quickly.
• I had a briefcase at the ready (I know, so 90’s!). But this way I could leave the house with everything I needed. This briefcase went everywhere with me (you never know when you will need something because you “bumped” into someone). It had a few copies of everything (resume, generic cover letter, references, personal “business cards”, thank you cards, etc.).

To not sound too over the top, since I was going to war, I was preparing for war. I believe the preparation part is just as important as filling out applications or any other aspect of the process. I needed to be prepared, and I needed to work like I was at work.

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Profit is what motivates people to do business. And contrary to what some individuals believe, there is nothing wrong with profit. Profit is just a result of selling something that someone else needs and then gaining a reward for doing so.

Some people would have us forgo profits because they are “unfair”, or at least tax them heavily so as to “make things right.” Although quick profits as well as excessive profits are discouraged in the Bible, profits themselves are not evil. Nor should they be treated as such.

With profits, we can provide for our families, purchase things (that in turn help others to make a profit), and we can give some of our profits to help others in need or for other charitable causes.

“She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard” (Proverbs 31:16).

“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9)

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. (<ames 4:13-14)

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And really, this post is all about me.  I realized that I have been blogging for a little over a year, and you have no idea who is pulling the lever behind the curtain (Wizard of Oz anyone?).  So here is a list of 20 random things about me:

• I am not as old as dirt, but I was born in 1961!
• I have two Masters Degrees:
  • MBA from a regional university in Pennsylvania
  • MDiv (Master of Divinity) from Moody Graduate School in Chicago
• I have worked for a computer company that did government contracts (I was a quality control systems analyst)
• I have worked for a small manufacturing plant (Administrative Manager at a tool shop)
• I have been a missionary (stateside office in the Midwest) helping others raise their financial support and helping them with financial planning issues
• I am currently a Pastor (Pastor of Administration / Adult Ministries)
• My hobby is gardening, the nonfood variety-I was a Master Gardener in the Midwest
• I was fired from my very first job while in high school (busboy  at a fancy restaurant)
• I have been laid off (see manufacturing job above!)
• I was a “Kelly Girl” while laid off (temp agency). Got to work in the following industries: Health Insurance, Fortune 500 manufacturing company, Hospital, Hazardous waste site.
• I have done some limited consulting work for area business’s
• I do financial counseling as part of my church work
• I have a wonderful wife and three beautiful girls ages 8, 7, and 6 (all sisters and all adopted).
• I have been lost on the Appalachian trail
• I like western movies (I blame my father for this one)
• I have Amish neighbors
• I have a grandmother who is 93 years and still lives on her own (I love her stories about the good old days!)
• I played French Horn in High School and college
• I like the Far Side and Peanuts comic strips (weird combination I know)
• I like to “camp” in our pop-up trailer

Well, there’s a little bit about me. Thanks for dropping by and reading.

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