What things are you willing to do without?

: Living Below Your Means:

I had to take a serious look at my expenses and my income this year.  I have some wonderful events that are happening in my family this year and I need money to accommodate these expenses.

The best way for me to be ready without using credit cards is to cut back.  The first thing that I must do is to find out what I am willing to live without to reach my goals.  Below you will see what I am doing and what I am planning to do to make my financial dreams a reality.

What I Can Live Without:

High-Speed Internet Service:

Use low-cost Internet service if you do not use the Internet for conducting your business.  If all you need is Internet service just to check your emails, then you don't need top of the line service.

      2. New Clothes:

Stop buying clothes that you don't really need right now.  Go through your closet to see what can be re-worked and worn differently and ways to freshen up your wardrobe.  Scarves and jewelry work wonders to update your wardrobe.

     3. Analog Phone Service: 

I have not done it yet but I am thinking of having cell phone service only and that would help me to save a bundle.

     4. Change Your Hair Style:

Wear a simple low maintenance hairstyle that doesn't cost me anything to maintain.

     5. Movie Theater:

I will buy DVD or borrow movies from the Library.

    6. Cut Cable Service:

I am planning to downgrade my service or totally cut my cable.  The fees are very high and most movie channels are playing the same movie.  It is very easy to watch shows and movies on your computer and there are low price options such as; Netflix, Hulu and there are others that will give you a great deal.

  7. Loose Change;

Go to the Bank and get change so I don't have to break Dollar bills to get change.  We waste a lot of money when we have to go to a store and buy things because we really need change.

  8. Restaurant:

I will not go to Restaurants and if I do, it will be low price local Eateries.  There are a lot of new spots that opened in my area and they are really reasonable.

  9. Personal Beauty Products:

I will buy products that can be used for more than one thing such as All in one body washes that can 

be used to wash hair also and I am planning to make my own fragrance-free soap.

 10. Shoes:

I will use shoes in nude or black to keep my spending down and use a basic nude handbag to go with everything

Could Your Rings Be Making You Sick?

Could Your Rings Be Making You Sick?


I have been a Jewelry lover for quite some time and I make sure that I clean my rings on a regular basis but some people take their Jewelry to the retail store where they purchased their rings to get them cleaned and then they don't adequately clean them at home.

If you think about it, there are many times that we have colds or flu and have no idea that the germs can transfer to our rings and help make us or others sick.  Throughout the day we wash our hands but a lot of people do not wash their Jewelry and this can be very dangerous because germs live and thrive on surfaces.

I feel that your rings should be wash throughout the day or at least 1 per day and you could achieve this by just using dish detergent and a soft bristled tooth brush.

Germs That Can Live On Your Rings Are:

E-coli
Noro-virus
Parasites
Salmonella
Fungi
Bacteria
Protozoa

Dressing The Part? (Should You!)

Many years ago while growing up, I can remember Mom pressing me and my sister's hair and getting our clothes ready to go to church on Sunday Morning.  She took pride in the way our clothes look and all the mothers did the same to make sure that their kids look presentable to go to the Lords house.

In my teen years, there was a lot of emphasis on fashion and what you look like in those days and although I wasn't the best dress, a lot of people were.

When I was in my twenties, we would all go out and people would be dressed sharp to go to a club, restaurant, church, funeral and other events and you would really stand out like a sore thumb if you didn't.

Now, starting in the mid to late 1990's I noticed that people no longer got dressed up to go to church unless they were in their fifties or sixties and the kids would wear pants and regular items that they would wear to school.

I don't understand why things changed but in some instances, it was a good idea because people could go to church and other events and could be comfortable and without spending a lot of money, but, I also feel that young people these day's don't know what appropriate dress is.  There are a time and place for everything and I believe that it would be good for someone to teach young people how and what to wear for an interview and what to wear once you get a job because it is very important.

Many times people will receive a job or increase in pay based on their appearance.  Do I think it is fair  (No!) but this is just the way it is.  You are perceived by the way you look based on your hygiene and your appearance.

There may be times in your life where you may not have the money to buy the kind of clothes that you would like because of a loss of a job or etc. but, what you can do is start by buying some pieces in the same color such as pants and skirts and then add color with tops and plain shoes and after while you will build your wardrobe the way that you want it to be.

Create a uniform with your clothing so you will always have something nice to wear.

Dressing the part is important!


                                                                   SashaMoniqueTalks

How to keep your kids learning and growing during the summer.

A lot of kids are now out for the summer and they are easily bored.  We want our children to keep learning and growing during the summer months so they are ready when school starts back in the fall.
Summer vacation affords us a lot of non-traditional ways of stimulating our kids intellectually.   Below you will find some tried and true methods and others that will give your kids a wealth of information they can use and also introduce to their friends.



The public library:  A lot of us use our computer but we forget what the library has to offer.  You can take your kids and they can read and learn about things of the past and the future.  You can truly educate yourself by going to the library and search for any subject that you want.  You can teach your kids about studying in a nice quiet environment.  A lot of libraries have a movie night and arts and crafts.  The library, in my opinion, is a free, public educational institution where you can learn any subject at your own pace.

A Museum:  This is another wonderful place to take your children so that they can see paintings and sculptures from the past and it is a great place to go and spend time with your children and teach them about art and its beauty.

The Zoo:  The zoo is such a wonderful and fun place to take your kids to learn about different animals.  It exposes them to animals that they would never see in their ordinary environment.   Kids who love animals are usually more friendly and tolerant.

Money management:  We can let our kids make a list of things that they want from the store.  Tell them that you will get coupons for the items.  Give them a budget or make them pay for these things from their allowance.  Teach them to calculate to the penny how much they need and add in taxes and they will learn that they have to learn how to save and budget for the things that they want.  Get the Sunday paper and show them how to clip out coupons.

Play Monopoly: Monopoly is a good game that will teach your children about money in a fun way.  We all have played and loved this game but this is a way to teach kids in an entertaining manner.

Day trips:  Take your kids for a drive through the most disadvantaged areas in your state and then have a discussion with your children on ways you can end up living in these areas.  Such as poverty, drug abuse, drinking alcohol or not doing well in school . The next day drive through wealthy areas in your state and have the same conversation on ways you can improve your odds of living in these areas and living the best life possible.  Tell them about living a clean life, excelling in school, staying drug and alcohol-free and staying out of jail.

Cooking:  Get your children together and let them participate in preparing meals for the family.  This activity is good for both boys and girls.  This is a skill that they will always have and they could also make a career out of it.

Teach your kids about exercising:  I wish I had embraced this concept earlier in my life but it is never too late.  I know a lot of people go to the gym to do exercise and there is nothing wrong with that but, I think that you can get fit by running in the park. walking, exercising at home and if you start your children early, they will never have to shell out a lot of money to keep fit.

Start a container garden:  Take your kids to a store such as; Home Depot and get some seeds and containers and watch some YouTube to learn how to garden.  Let your kids start this and let them enjoy the "fruits of their labor" when the plants or vegetables start growing.
I hope you all enjoyed these tips.  Happy Summer!

Finding Your Happy Sweet Spot In Your Life.

I decided to touch on this subject because I had a conversation with my daughter a few months ago and she asked me " What age were you the happiest?".   I told her that I was my happiest at age 40.  She looked very puzzled and she said " Why age Forty?".  Carefully I explained to her that it was the age that I started to fully embrace myself.  I had raised her into adulthood and it was the time that I could truly live my life and do the things that I wanted to do.

It was a time that I was no longer responsible for another person.  When you are forty you have gone through the times in your life when you were totally insecure with yourself due to weight gain or maybe other flaws that you have.   Forty is the age that you can look back and perhaps see the mistakes that you have made and truly thank God for his protection and seeing how you made it through.  You see, life is not perfect or easy but the way you deal with things makes all the difference.

My twenties was not easy at all and you would think that being young would present me with more opportunities and happy experiences.   The road to my forties gave me a chance for forgiveness, and it gave me the wisdom to speak to another young person and tell them that if you persevere, you will be alright.

I am so much calmer now and when things go wrong I know that there will be a way of escape and know to pray for God's guidance.

Through hard times, The Lord showed me how to be resourceful and now I count it as the many gifts that I have.  Happiness starts with self acceptance.  We have all seen the person who the world may see as unattractive but this person thinks they are the most beautiful person in the world and it seems to draw people and make other people think this person is beautiful too.  Deep down this person may know that they are unattractive but the positive image that they project is charismatic.   This shows that you can draw positive things into your life, if you just believe.

If you are young and short on money; buy yourself little small gifts that makes you happy and project a positive image to the world.  I promise that one day you will tell your own story of how you found your happiness in life.  Many years ago when I would be short on cash, I would go to a discount store and buy nail polish that cost $1.00 and keep my nails beautifully polished everyday.  This made me feel happy.  You can find beauty and solace in simplicity.

There is an old saying "Paint a picture of what you want to be."   Project happiness into the world and that is what you will get back.



                                         ***********SashaMoniqueTalks**************

The View ( Bathing Suit Body Shaming)

Today I watched The View and they were speaking about the body shaming incident with Amy Schumer and the ladies on the program did a segment supposedly with their bathing suits.  Whoopi came out with her signature outfit with the big pants and a big button up shirt, then Candace came out with a bathing suit with a cover-up and she didn't remove the cover-up and she looked uncomfortable.

Then, Joy came out with pants and a top on and I started scratching my head and said to myself " what the heck!!!"     Paula came out and she had a bathing suit with a big cover-up and she did not remove it to show her bathing suit.  She was also uncomfortable.

I have no problem with what Whoopi  and Joy had on because they are women of a certain age but it would have been nice if they actually had  on a suit with a cover-up. I was appalled at Candace and Paula because if we are going to show young ladies that their bodies are perfect just the way they are, we have to lead by example.


I don't know who came up with the idea to do this segment but it was a very poor attempt at supporting the cause against body shaming.

Shame on you The View, we must do better!

Lies And Myths About Plus Size Women.

Hello Ladies:  I have been a plus size women most of my life and over the years I notice and heard all the myths and lies that were told about us, so, let us look at these myths and bust them and you can even add some of your own if you can think of some.

                                     Lies And Myths About Plus Size Women

We eat all the time:  This is a myth because a lot of us in fact, do not have a big appetite.  Our bodies carry more weight or we eat sweets and carbohydrates that are not kind to our bodies.


We don't smell good:  I have heard this myth many times.With all the body weight, we know that we have to try harder to keep ourselves clean and fresh and we make it a habit to bathe both day and night.  We love to wear the finest perfumes and we smell divine.


We are lazy:  This is a myth because there are a lot of ladies who work, run businesses and take care of our families and we do the same things as a person of a so-called normal weight.  I have seen some thin people who are very lazy.


No Man wants to marry us:  Just look around and you will see many plus size women with husbands or boyfriends and some men specifically like a plus size lady.  Truthfully, you will see more "big girls" with husbands than smaller women.  Men like to take a woman out who isn't always complaining that she is on a diet.


We are desperate and will take care of a man:  This is a myth because we are like any other woman. There are women who put up with this behavior, but, I know a lot of women who definitely will not take care of a man and will demand respect from her mate.

  Some men automatically think that if you are plus size, you will be their fool and this is a misnomer.  If you mistreat us, we will get rid of you very fast.


We are sloppy and wear ugly clothes:  I remember a time when there was not a good variety of clothing for plus size women, but, times have changed and I am so thankful for this.  We love to look good and wear fashionable clothing too.

 So many retailers carry clothing in our size now, and we can also get our clothing online and we can look just as good as anyone.

We love clothing that accentuates our curves and in beautiful colors.
They think we are not smart because we are fat:  I have no idea who thought of this because a bigger body doesn't have anything to do with our intellect.

  A lot of us are very bright and if people would have a real conversation with us without worrying about our size, they would know that we bring a lot to the table ( No Pun Intended).
We should only wear black because black is slimming:  If I had to wear black clothing I would scream.

  I think that we can wear clothing in beautiful colors just like anyone and I also encourage it because black clothing can sometimes wash us out.

As long as the clothing has a good fit, we can wear it.
All of us are unhealthy:   If your weight is affecting your health, then you should try to lose some weight but I know some ladies who have no health issues at all, so, we should not be put in a box.

 There are ladies who are very healthy and you will see them strutting proudly with a big, beautiful, smile on their faces.

* I hope this post eliminate the lies and the myths and I am sure that there are a lot more.

Ladies, live loud and proud and don't let any one's perception of you, get in the way of you living your life to the fullest.

We are beautiful and we have value.  Let's show the world what we are made of!