Suspension of Disbelief » Works-for-Me Wednesday http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com An audience's willingness to accept the world of theatre as reality during the course of a play . . . Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:14:03 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Works for Me: 30 Day Organizational Challenge! http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/10/31/works-for-me-30-day-organizational-challenge/ http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/10/31/works-for-me-30-day-organizational-challenge/#comments Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:04:14 +0000 Lindsey http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/10/31/works-for-me-30-day-organizational-challenge/ Works For Me Wednesday!

Personally, I work well at the last minute. Working to make the deadline keeps me motivated on tasks that I might not ever get around to otherwise. This works to my detriment when it comes to housework, because unless someone is coming over there is no deadline for housework.

Until now. Last year, Laura “The Organizing Junkie” (check out her new digs on WordPress!) gave us an awesome deadline – the “30 Day Organizational Challenge.” And I totally participated (read all about my great closet adventures from last year – it’s a doozy of a post, lots of crazy pictures). And since I took the time to truly sort through things and get my closet under control, it stuck. Like, really stuck . . . the closet truly stayed that organized until I moved in July, and when I moved I carried over the organization to my new apartment. And it’s still organized the same way!!! I am in total shock people, and if you knew me at all in real life you would be too.

So, since this CLEARLY worked for me last year, I’m taking it a step further with this year’s 30 day Organizational Challenge. How am I doing that? You’ll have to come back tomorrow, cause that’s when the challenge begins! Plus side – since the challenge runs the entirety of November, I’ll have my big organizational nightmare taken care of by the time December rolls around . . . I may actually try to get done in time for Thanksgiving, but I do reserve the right to use up my entire November :wink: !

You should participate too! The first day is tomorrow, so post up your goal and make sure to visit I’m an Organizing Junkie to link to your post!

The awesomeness of the 30 Day Organizational Challenge? Works for me!



]]> http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/10/31/works-for-me-30-day-organizational-challenge/feed/ 2 Works for Me: Get Your Credit Report – Free! http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/10/24/works-for-me-get-your-credit-report-free/ http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/10/24/works-for-me-get-your-credit-report-free/#comments Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:11:27 +0000 Lindsey http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/10/24/works-for-me-get-your-credit-report-free/ Works For Me Wednesday!

In an effort to get a better handle on my finances, I’ve started to learn about credit . . . specifically, the magical credit score that determines all of your financial future. It influences your ability to obtain a credit card (and the card’s interest rate and credit limit), mortgage, loan, or any other number of things that I may or may not need to do in the future. Poor financial decisions will create bad credit which limits what you can and cannot do in the future.

One of the best things you can do for your personal financial health is to regularly check your credit report. It is now FREE to obtain a copy of your credit report once a year from each of the three credit reporting bureaus. Because of this, many financial advisers are now recommending that every four months you check your credit report.

What exactly is this credit report, and why do you need to check it so often? It is a listing of all the accounts that you have on record. Remember that credit card that you opened at the mall one day three years ago and only used once? It’s on your credit report, and every time an employer/lender/bank/etc. checks your credit, they see this card. You forgot to pay your cable bill when you moved to a new state? You’ve got a missed payment on your credit report that shows up and detracts from your credit! Or perhaps you thought you paid off that outstanding rent payment, but for some reason it’s still there . . . four years later, giving you bad credit. It’s important to keep tabs on your credit report so that you know what is happening in your life. This can also be VERY useful if you think you may have been a victim of identity theft, because if someone else has been doing things in your name that you don’t know of, this is where you can catch it.

However, there are scams out there trying to GET all your credit information by posing as “free credit report” websites. Don’t be fooled! THE website to go to is AnnualCreditReport.com. This one is not a scam and is safe to use. You can go to this site to get your report from Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian (the three reporting bureaus). They also make it available to get your actual credit score, but this costs a little money (I got mine from TransUnion for $7.95). From what I’ve researched, it’s recommended that you get your credit REPORT every four months (since it’s free) and your credit SCORE once a year, just so you know where you stand.

I was quite pleasantly surprised when I checked mine. I figured since I’ve only been building my credit for about 18 months that it would not be very good, and there wouldn’t be much information, but there was quite a bit on there, including an account that I had forgotten about. The report also gave me some thoughts as to why my score isn’t higher (accounts haven’t been open really long and I don’t have any involvement with real estate).

You can find way more information on credit by reading any good personal finance blog (check out the links in my sidebar). For more specific information about this topic, read How to Obtain Your Free Credit Report @ Get Rich Slowly.

Taking control of your financial situation by keeping tabs on your credit? Works for me!



]]> http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/10/24/works-for-me-get-your-credit-report-free/feed/ 4 Works for Me: Teach me about cats! http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/10/02/works-for-me-teach-me-about-cats/ http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/10/02/works-for-me-teach-me-about-cats/#comments Wed, 03 Oct 2007 03:56:47 +0000 Lindsey http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/10/02/works-for-me-teach-me-about-cats/ Works For Me Wednesday!

This week is the backwards WFMW – I get to collect all your tips, muhahaha!

I sooooo want to get a couple of kittens – I have been wanting a pet for years, and I’ve decided that two little kittens to be with me for the next 20 years or so is just perfect :smile: ! However, my family has always had dogs, so I am just now learning all the things about cat ownership (AJ has two kittens).

I want all your tips – feeding, training, litter boxes, toys, love . . . anything you think a new cat owner should know! I am hoping to get my little babies at some point in the near future, and I want to be as prepared as possible! Got any cat tips? Let me know what works for you!

And don’t forget to take a look at my post about Breast Cancer Awareness!



]]> http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/10/02/works-for-me-teach-me-about-cats/feed/ 15 Works for Me: Netflix “Watch Now” http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/03/14/works-for-me-netflix-watch-now/ http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/03/14/works-for-me-netflix-watch-now/#comments Wed, 14 Mar 2007 12:23:21 +0000 Lindsey http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/?p=521 Works For Me Wednesday!

OK, so there have been rumors going around that Netflix was going to launch a way to watch movies online for its members, and this week it finally launched! Click here to read on Lifehacker how to activate this feature in your Netflix account.

I gave this service a try this weekend and all I’ve got to say is AMAZING! The movies are available 24/7, you can pause, fast forward, all that . . . and since Netflix is doing it, you get the amazing Netflix recommendations as well as a list of what movies are available to “Watch Now” from your Queue.

The only thing that isn’t perfect is the fact that the selection isn’t massive, but with my past experiences with Netflix, I know this won’t be the case for long. Yet one more reason why Netflix rocks my socks!

Movies available IMMEDIATELY, no wait time necessary! Already included in your membership! No wasted paper, gasoline, or money for mailing DVDs back and forth! Right on Netflix, this sooooooooo works for me!

By the way, in case there was any suspicion, I am NOT getting paid to say this – I just really like Netflix!



]]> http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/03/14/works-for-me-netflix-watch-now/feed/ 2 Thursday Thirteen #39 http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/02/22/thursday-thirteen-39/ http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/02/22/thursday-thirteen-39/#comments Thu, 22 Feb 2007 08:33:38 +0000 Lindsey http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/?p=430 Thursday Thirteen
Thirteen Things I Have Gained from Blogging

1. In honor of the retirement of the Thursday Thirteen, I figured this was an appropriate theme. And number one on my list is the confidence I have gained from the Thursday Thirteen! My blog wasn’t read by many before the T13, and when the first set of management changes happened, Leanne trusted me enough to be one of the new co-hostesses of the T13! This brought me new readers, thus boosting my confidence. My posts are VERY different now than they were pre-13, and so most of the things I have gained from blogging came out of the T13!!

2. Friendships! I have met so many amazing people through blogging, and that is soooo the stereotypical answer, but it is very true.

3. A new outlet for writing! I used to write creatively alllllll the time, but once I got into college I was writing so much for my classes that I didn’t want to write anymore. Blogging brought me a way to write and enjoy it again, and it’s even renewed my desire to write creatively!

4. My 101 in 1001 has given me a visible platform to write down goals that I’ve been wanting to achieve, and an audience to keep me accountable.

5. The Works-for-Me Wednesday meme has given me so many fantastic tips that I have used in my everyday life!

6. Through blogging I found FlyLady, which is a life altering event! ‘Nuff said!

7. Also through blogging I found Bookcrossing.com, which has revolutionized my thoughts on books and has jumpstarted my pleasure reading, which also stagnated with all my college reading!

8. As I have discussed before, I was very environmentally-conscious when I was younger. Blogging brought that back!

9. As someone who is committed to breast health awareness, blogging has been a great platform for sharing what I know and connecting with women on something that may save their lives!

10. An outlet, of course! When I get excited or worked up about something, online is on of the first places that I go!

11. Blogging has also led me into the world of personal finance management. It’s made me aware as I am leaving college on the importance of saving, budgeting, and investing, something that I will be thankful for for the rest of my life!

12. Blogging on my personal blog has led me to create another blog, Reading Red Letters, my faith blog. This has been a great way to connect with other Christians online, and has led me to many great online blogs and resources that have aided me in my walk.

13. And, in case there was any doubt . . . BLOGGING IS FUN!!!!!!!!!

Thanks so much for a great couple of years with the T13!!! I have so much enjoyed getting to know people, and I hope to stay in touch with you as we continue blogging!!!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Leave me a comment and I’ll give you a shout out!



]]> http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/02/22/thursday-thirteen-39/feed/ 8 Works for Me: Get Rid of Junk Main AND Help the Environment! http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/01/03/works-for-me-get-rid-of-junk-main-and-help-the-environment/ http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/01/03/works-for-me-get-rid-of-junk-main-and-help-the-environment/#comments Wed, 03 Jan 2007 06:00:47 +0000 Lindsey http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/?p=466 Works For Me Wednesday!

Tired of resolutions that you won’t keep? How about starting a new habit instead that is so easy to keep that you really don’t have to do anything . . . and all your junk mail problems will be GONE! GreenDimes is a great new company dedicated to getting rid of YOUR junk mail. The thought is that by getting rid of junk mail we reduce trash, save trees, and minimize mail so there aren’t so many mail trucks on the road. Plus, it gets rid of all the junk that you don’t want anyway, and helps cut down on the opportunities for identity theft! For a VERY reasonable price (about $3 a month) GreenDimes will:

* Take your name off major direct mail lists
* Remove other family members’ names too
* Keep you from going back onto those lists
* Reduce unsolicited credit & insurance offers
* Reduce your risk of identity theft
* Unsubscribe you from unwanted catalogs

And we handle contacting all the companies for you so you don’t have to. No printing letters, buying postage, and mailing letters. No filling out numerous online forms. No calling companies and following up requests. And we’ll do it for less than it would cost you to do it yourself.

And not only do you get all that yicky junk mail GONE, but you also get a tree planted for you each month! I am signing up RIGHT NOW!

Getting rid of junk mail AND helping the environment? Works for me!



]]> http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2007/01/03/works-for-me-get-rid-of-junk-main-and-help-the-environment/feed/ 5 Works for Me: Christmas Organizer http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2006/11/15/works-for-me-christmas-organizer/ http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2006/11/15/works-for-me-christmas-organizer/#comments Wed, 15 Nov 2006 09:39:20 +0000 Lindsey http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/?p=453 Works For Me Wednesday!

It’s the Christmas edition of Works for Me Wednesday, and I am SUPER excited because I’ve already started all my Christmas planning, and I can’t wait to see what everyone else is doing!

Planning is key in my mind. Making your Christmas card list, keeping track of gifts you’re giving, having recipes on hand . . . the list goes on and on. And what better way to do that than having an AWESOME Christmas planner. Where, might you ask, can one find such an amazing tool? FlyLady, of course!

Now, before you grumble, I know that many of you have issues with FlyLady, so hear me out. You don’t actually have to join FlyLady to use her planner (though I personally think EVERYONE could benefit from a little FLYwashing), and the planner is completely free. Just CLICK HERE to go to the planner, download it and print it off, and enjoy the benefits of having all that great holiday info in one location – one PORTABLE location. Stick it in the car and take it to the mall or the grocery store, it’s simply great.

Fantastic organization that makes Christmas easier so that I can enjoy the time with friends and family? That soooooooo works for me!



]]> http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2006/11/15/works-for-me-christmas-organizer/feed/ 6 Works for Me: Financial Preparation for Emergencies http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2006/10/11/works-for-me-financial-preparation-for-emergencies/ http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2006/10/11/works-for-me-financial-preparation-for-emergencies/#comments Wed, 11 Oct 2006 05:57:27 +0000 Lindsey http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/?p=428 Works For Me Wednesday!

When we consider emergency preparation, most of us think to make sure we have bottled water, nonperishable food, batteries for our flashlights . . . but how many of us think to prepare our finances for a disaster?

I found this great guide that outlines in detail what you should do to prepare for an emergency from a financial standpoint. Biggies include:

Keep some cash in a safe, accessible place. In a major disaster, if electrical service is not available, your ATM/Debit card may not work.
It’s important to keep a “buffer” on credit cards and in your bank account.
Don’t wait until your gas tank is on empty to gas up your car.

I highly recommend checking this out – you never know what might happen. Being ready in EVERY way for an emergency? Works for me!



]]> http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2006/10/11/works-for-me-financial-preparation-for-emergencies/feed/ 7 Works for Me: Coupons http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2006/10/03/works-for-me-coupons/ http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2006/10/03/works-for-me-coupons/#comments Wed, 04 Oct 2006 03:19:00 +0000 Lindsey http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/?p=421 Works For Me Wednesday!

As I have posted a lot lately, I’m working on my finances, and the newest thing I’m working on is coupons. I need help y’all. I’ve never really shopped with coupons and sales before, so I’m having a hard time figuring out what are true good deals, and what I just think are good deals. I’ve read a series over at Biblical Womanhood about coupons, and I am shocked at the savings! She is able to buy groceries for her family for $35 every week! I spend about twice that every week FOR MYSELF!!! And I don’t eat a ton. Obvious, something has gone wrong.

I’ve found some things that are helpful, and I wanted to share with y’all the sites I’ve found. However, I’d LOVE to hear your coupon tips and sites!

* The Entertainment Book coupons – most DEFINITELY getting your money’s worth here!!!
* MyPoints.com – You get points for clicking through their links for things you buy (for example, Barnes and Noble online – use their link to B&N.com and it will credit you points) and for doing surveys and things. Then you can redeem the points for fun things like gift certificates!
* Office Depot coupons – It’s amazing to me how many deals they have on their site! And there are so many things that I use that I can get from there!
* The discounts I get from Quixtar are so good it’s sickening. You can buy pretty much anything from any online site and get a great discount!!!

So, as you can see, I’m pretty good about finding the deals online! I now I’m really trying to learn how to save money on things like groceries – I think I can really save a lot that way. Do you have any sites or tips to share?

Saving money from shopping online? Works for me!



]]> http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2006/10/03/works-for-me-coupons/feed/ 9 Works-for-Me: Recommendations! http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2006/09/20/works-for-me-recommendations/ http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/2006/09/20/works-for-me-recommendations/#comments Wed, 20 Sep 2006 21:49:21 +0000 Lindsey http://www.mysuspensionofdisbelief.com/?p=405 Works For Me Wednesday!

I wasn’t going to post a WFMW this week because I am sick and just couldn’t think of anything to post! But, I found something that I must share with everyone, so here we go!

Amazon.com has come up with a really cool thing through it’s Affiliates program – you can make your own little shop through Amazon’s inventory! I’m using this process to set up a page of things that I am currently recommending. I only have about 3 things on it this moment (mostly because I got so excited that I wanted to come post about it before I added more, LOL)! And you can customize it to work with your site design – it’s great!

Go ahead, check out my recommendations! And there will always be a link to this page near the top of my sidebar, so check back often for the things that I am recommending!

A really cool thing (from Amazon!) that allows me to share my recommendations with you? Works for me!



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