It's Money Monday once again, and today we'll be continuing the series about how to give without going broke. Last week we discussed the necessity of having a gift budget and planning to ensure that you can stay within that budget while still giving gifts that your loved ones would like. While your brainstorming sessions have probably given you some great ideas for the people on your list, this post will hopefully give you some more...or at least some suggestions as to where to look for some fantastic deals/sales. As you're perusing, remember...when you're on a tight budget, it's okay to be cheap!
Ladies
There are several ladies that I buy for during the holidays. It's always relatively easy to think of something they'd love to have, but sometimes hard to follow through with the more expensive items (without coupons and black Friday, that is).
Food Baskets - My family loves food, so baskets overflowing with it are definitely a great gift idea for them. Through couponing, I obtain all types of goodies that would make the perfect basket for any member of the family. If the member doesn't cook- a basket of his/her favorite snacks and just-add-water foods is perfect; if the member does cook- a basket of noodles, staple items, and exotic ingredients works wonderfully.
Bath Baskets - As I've mentioned before, couponing allows me to purchase name-brand toiletries for less than store brands. Through playing the drug store game, I've also had the opportunity to purchase items such as lip balms, nail polishes, etc. for free. By combining my couponing bounty in a lovely basket (check the Dollar Tree for cute, cheap ones), I've got a lovely gift that any woman would love to pamper herself with!
Spa Treatment - If the ladies on your list prefer to be pampered by someone else, you can look for deals on massages, manicures, pedicures, and the like. Perhaps one of the most obvious resources to use is a deal website such as Groupon, LivingSocial, or HalfOffDepot. Another option is to check the phone book for local beautician schools; since students are performing the service, you get a discounted rate- in case you're wary of this suggestion, I haven't had a bad experience with this yet.
Framed Pictures - This is one of my favorite gift ideas for moms and grandmothers...I mean, really, who doesn't like pictures of their kids/dogs or grandkids/granddogs? Department stores (Khols, Sears, JCPenny) and craft stores (Michaels, Hobby Lobby) often sell frames at greatly discounted prices, especially around black Friday (don't forget to check the clearance section!!). And drug stores (CVS, Wags, Rite Aid) frequently offer fantastic deals on photos that you can order online and pick up in store to save you time in line and shipping costs.
Clothes - As you may know, I have zero fashion sense...so I typically don't give clothes as gifts (especially to women). But for those of you who are fashion savvy, this is always a budget friendly gift option if you look at the right times and places. Many department stores now offer store rewards: Khols sometimes gives $10 Khols Cash for every $50 spent, JCP Rewards always gives $10 for every $250 spent, and around Father's Day, Sears often gives a $50 gift card for men's clothing for a $50 purchase of qualifying men's clothing. These stores also give out coupons in the paper, in the mail, and online. One way to ensure you're getting the best deals no matter where you shop is to shop in the off-season...now is the perfect time to start stocking up on summer clothes. (Clothing makes a great gift for kids and guys too!)
Kitchen Gadgets - I love to cook, and all the ladies on my list get some level of enjoyment out of it as well. In the past, JCPenny has been my go-to place for kitchen appliances- on black Friday I've found slow cookers, panini presses, waffle irons, fondue pots, etc. for $10-$15. Williams Sonoma outlet stores also have great deals like 50% (or more) off All-Clad or Apilco.
Gents
As the family's grown we've added a lot more guys to the mix. I find it much harder to figure out a suitable gift for them than I do for the girls, especially my dad (more on that next week).
Restaurant Voucher - All the guys we get gifts for enjoy eating. While restaurant gift cards are great for more common restaurants, vouchers from Groupon or Restaurant.com are good for more local fare. Often (like now for instance) Restaurant.com has amazing 80% off sales where you can get $10 vouchers for $1 and $25 for $2-$3. These vouchers typically require you to buy more than their worth, like $20 and $35 respectively, but they still make a nice gift for both the giver's wallet and the receiver's.
Tools - Mr. Poe and Papa Poe especially love opening tools on Christmas morning. Of course, this gift can be particularly expensive if you just go buy some; however, if you're patient, you'll very likely find some great prices. Harbor Freight sells cheaper, decent quality tools; Sears often has fantastic deals on Craftsman tools on black Friday.
Oil - If the guys that you're buying for are automotively inclined (yes, I just made up that word), oil changing materials are a practical gift that you can often find at a decent price at any standard auto parts store (Advanced Auto, Auto Zone).
Sporting Equipment - Another idea for the guy on your list is some type of sporting equipment. Even if he doesn't play on a team with a uniform, that doesn't mean he doesn't play something- Mr. Poe played intramural water polo, softball, football, Frisbee, etc. at MSU; more than once he needed receiver's gloves. You can find decent deals on sports items on Craig's List, as well as at sporting goods stores (Academy, Dicks) on black Friday and immediately after that sport's season ends. (Of course, this is a great idea for athletes in any of these groups.)
Kiddies
This is one area that our family hasn't breached yet, but we will in the next few years, Lord willing. I'd be particularly interested in your comments related to this category!
Games - If you know a child that loves games, there are almost always coupons on coupon sites (and at store sites) that can help you get some great deals on games at big box stores (Walmart, Target). Thrift stores and yard sales often have a few gently-used games that are almost as good as new.
Movies/Video Games - What kid doesn't like digital entertainment these days? I'll tell you right now that the best deal you'll ever get on movies is waiting until black Friday when BestBuy has tons of movies ranging in price from $3-$10. If I still haven't convinced you that you need to be up way before dawn November 25 this year, I've seen some blue ray coupons online as well, and Amazon usually has good prices on used, like-new media. Please check the parental advisory ratings before making your purchases.
Books - It seems as though the gift of books is not as popular as it once was; however, if there's a kid (or guy or gal) on your list who loves to read, these make a perfect, low-cost gift. Often thrift stores have little used books ranging in price from $0.50-$3.00; Amazon is another option for both new, used, and digital books. Crystal comes across free digital books (typically for adults/older kids) quite frequently, and if you blog, Booksneeze is a nice way to get free books (digital or hard copies) in exchange for a review.
Candy - If you're not the one dealing with the resulting sugar rush, candy is another idea for children of all ages. Again with the drug store game, I've been able to purchase all different types of candy and gum very cheaply. If you feel too cheap giving just candy, this pairs nicely with a movie or Netflix gift subscription.
Trips - An nontraditional gift for a child is a trip to a local theme park, zoo, museum, etc. Deal sites like Groupon, LivingSocial, and HalfOffDepot often offer vouchers for these types of excursions at a greatly reduced price. If you're considering purchasing this for a child on your list, you may also get one for his/her parent or guardian.
Gift Cards - For the kid that has everything (or the kid who's hard to buy for), just about every store has gift cards these days. Sometimes restaurants have deals on their gift cards (buy one and get a free drink, buy a $40 card and get an extra $10 card, etc.). We've also seen great deals on itunes gift cards through CVS* and Coinstar in previous years (buy $40 get a card for $10). AND if you use Swagbucks, you could always donate some of your Amazon gift card codes as a gift (to pretty it up a bit, make up a certificate with the digital code on it). Gift cards a fantastic idea...for kids and adults; I would advise that before you purchase one, however, that you double check to make sure a fee won't be charged to the card for a period of inactivity.
*This very week, CVS has a deal going where, if you purchase $50 in itunes gift cards, you can get $10 back in ECBs.
Pets
Dogs are one thing we have tons of...on Mr. Poe's side there are two others and on my side there are three others in addition to our two. Whether we get these 'kids' something or not depends on how the budget is looking as we draw closer to Christmas...but we have definitely found some great deals on pet gifts in the past.
Stuffed Animals - Mr. Fargus (Mrs. Luke's "son") LOVES stuffed animals, but if you try to purchase one at a pet store, you could pay up to ten dollars for a toy that he'll have un-stuffed in a week. To stretch my dollar, I check out thrift stores and yard sales for stuffed animals. I can typically find some for $0.50-$1.00, which makes Mr. Fargus and I both happy. Do be sure to wash any animals you bring home.
Rope Toys - Monster (aka Layla) loves to play tug of war with anything- particularly pieces of rope. Just like with the stuffed animals, though, these toys are usually not cheap entertainment when purchased at a pet store. Instead, try picking up a piece of rope from a hardware store (Home Dept, Lowes). They sell whatever length you want from big spools of different types of rope...just make sure you get softer rope not made of plastic or your furry friend might hurt himself/herself.
Food or Treats - If you're a more practical gift-giver (or if your gift recipient is like Sascha and doesn't particularly care for toys), food and treats are always an option. Pet stores typically have better sales on these 'every day' items than the toys, and you can typically find coupons for them as well. We love our local PetSmart- it seems like they always have some type of dog food sale or promotion going on. Before purchasing these gifts, however, check with the owner to see what brand(s) the pet usually eats and if he/she is allergic to anything.
What nice (cheap-er) gifts have you bought in the past? Where/when do you find your best gift deals?
As a Christian, wife, mother of a little girl and two fur-babies, Mississippi State Bulldog, and PhD, I lead a very busy life. If you add on top of that my obsession for organization and loves for couponing, sewing, knitting, cooking, reading, gardening, and a host of other random hobbies, you've got the recipe for...well...variety. And variety is the spice of life!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
MrsDrPoe: The Joys of Football Season
It's Foto Friday once again, and today I'd like to share some pictures with you from the start of football season!
Last Thursday, Mississippi State played our season opener against the Memphis tigers. Mr. Poe and I had to go to out to watch it, but it's just not the same watching on TV as it is in person. See:
(If we look younger, it's because this picture was taken at an MSU game right after we started dating...6 years ago.) State put the hurt on Memphis, in case you didn't see the score- 59-14, with Vick Ballard racking up 3 touchdowns and 166 yards in 10 carries.
Saturday Penn State dominated Indiana State (41-7); although, we didn't watch the game because we were busy helping Ms. Bobbitt put on a tailgate for the Bama-Kent State game. There was a wonderfully delicious spread of goodies:
...that accompanied the 48-7 creaming of Kent State. Ah yes, it was a great start to the season! I must say, however, that I am only partially looking forward to tomorrow's matches- State has a tough match-up against Auburn, which should make for a good game, but Bama and Penn State face-off, which means Mr. Poe and I will be a house divided.
To all my readers who are football fans: what games are you looking forward to this weekend?
Last Thursday, Mississippi State played our season opener against the Memphis tigers. Mr. Poe and I had to go to out to watch it, but it's just not the same watching on TV as it is in person. See:
Saturday Penn State dominated Indiana State (41-7); although, we didn't watch the game because we were busy helping Ms. Bobbitt put on a tailgate for the Bama-Kent State game. There was a wonderfully delicious spread of goodies:
To all my readers who are football fans: what games are you looking forward to this weekend?
Thursday, September 8, 2011
MrsDrPoe: Reading the Bible in a Year
Another Theology Thursday is upon us! A few weeks ago, I challenged you (and myself) to adopt a Bible book. As I shared, my plan of attack is to read the gospels several times and then pick one to adopt. A brief update on my own headway in this challenge: I've decided to attempt to read all four gospels once a week from October - December; then I will make my choice and read my adopted gospel once a week during 2012. I suggested when I first presented the challenge that we couple this weekly reading with the reading of commentaries, etc. on our chosen book AND with the reading through of the Bible in a year. Today I'd like to share with you a few example schedules for reading the Bible in an entire year, in hopes that, even if you choose not to adopt a book at this time, you'll find the task of reading all of God's word in a relatively short amount of time a bit less daunting.
The Full-Speed-Ahead Approach
This approach to reading the Bible in a year is the simplest by far:
All you do is read straight through the Bible, 3-4 chapters a day if you want to read 7 days of the week OR 4-5 chapters a day if you want to read 5 days of the week. Only one bookmark is required.
The Little-Bit-of-Everything Approach
This approach is an extension of the Summer Bible Reading Challenge chart I borrowed from Mr. Ellis:
Using this plan, you will read a little from the Law/History, Wisdom/Prophets, and the New Testament each week. The average number of chapters you read each day are the same as with the first approach; however, reading from different sections of the Bible may help you 1) focus more on what you're reading and 2) make more connections between different Bible books.
The Legacy-Reading Approach
This approach was actually developed by Hank Hanegraaff in order to encourage daily Bible reading:
The Full-Speed-Ahead Approach
This approach to reading the Bible in a year is the simplest by far:
All you do is read straight through the Bible, 3-4 chapters a day if you want to read 7 days of the week OR 4-5 chapters a day if you want to read 5 days of the week. Only one bookmark is required.
The Little-Bit-of-Everything Approach
This approach is an extension of the Summer Bible Reading Challenge chart I borrowed from Mr. Ellis:
Using this plan, you will read a little from the Law/History, Wisdom/Prophets, and the New Testament each week. The average number of chapters you read each day are the same as with the first approach; however, reading from different sections of the Bible may help you 1) focus more on what you're reading and 2) make more connections between different Bible books.
The Legacy-Reading Approach
This approach was actually developed by Hank Hanegraaff in order to encourage daily Bible reading:
The title of the program is actually an acronym for Hanegraaff's Bible reading suggestions:
Location - reading in a private, quiet place
Essence - comprehension of God's communication by reading whole books
Genre - better understanding through realization of types of literature
Author - grouping books written by the same person
Context - grouping books next to related books (Rev next to OT prophecy, etc.)
Year - reading once a year, every year, for the rest of your life
Using this plan you'll read 3 or 5 chapters per day depending on whether you're reading 7 or 5 days a week, respectively, in addition to 3 Psalms/week (you'll read this book once per year) and 1 chapter of Proverbs/day (you'll read this book 12 times per year).
Personally, I think I'll try the third approach in 2012; it looks interesting, and it's a method I haven't tried before. Whether you use one of these schedules or not, I hope that this challenge helps inspire you to become a daily Bible reader!
As another form of encouragement, feel free to comment about your progress and/or struggles. I'll do the same periodically, and together we'll hold ourselves accountable. Sound like a plan?
Personally, I think I'll try the third approach in 2012; it looks interesting, and it's a method I haven't tried before. Whether you use one of these schedules or not, I hope that this challenge helps inspire you to become a daily Bible reader!
As another form of encouragement, feel free to comment about your progress and/or struggles. I'll do the same periodically, and together we'll hold ourselves accountable. Sound like a plan?
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
MrsDrPoe: Fajitas
Today's What's for Dinner Wednesday is one of Mr. Poe's favorites dishes from his favorite food genre: Fajitas.
Ingredients: 6-8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast (or skirt steak), 1/2 package fajita seasoning, 1/2 a medium-large bell pepper, 1/8 of a medium onion, 1 cup water (not shown), 2-3 tortillas (not shown), desired toppings (not shown).
Dump seasoning and water into a medium skillet, and stir to dissolve some of the seasoning in the water. Thinly slice the chicken, onion, and pepper, and add to the liquid in the skillet. Toss to coat:
Cook on med-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is done, the pepper is tender, and the onion is transparent (approximately 15 min). Spoon over tortillas:
Top with your favorite toppings (we love cheddar, sour cream, jalapenos, and salsa), and serve. Refried beans, chips and queso dip, or chips and salsa partner wonderfully with this dish, as you can probably imagine. Enjoy!
Ingredients: 6-8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast (or skirt steak), 1/2 package fajita seasoning, 1/2 a medium-large bell pepper, 1/8 of a medium onion, 1 cup water (not shown), 2-3 tortillas (not shown), desired toppings (not shown).
Dump seasoning and water into a medium skillet, and stir to dissolve some of the seasoning in the water. Thinly slice the chicken, onion, and pepper, and add to the liquid in the skillet. Toss to coat:
Cook on med-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is done, the pepper is tender, and the onion is transparent (approximately 15 min). Spoon over tortillas:
Top with your favorite toppings (we love cheddar, sour cream, jalapenos, and salsa), and serve. Refried beans, chips and queso dip, or chips and salsa partner wonderfully with this dish, as you can probably imagine. Enjoy!
MrsDrPoe: A Place to Stand
For my next Reading Review, I present "A Place to Stand: Apologetics in an Uncertain Age." This work is a compilation of the 1999 Florida College Annual Lectures:
This book is a medium-level read; some of the lectures employ terms that, although they are well defined, are a bit daunting if you're not as familiar with them. A wide range of topics are covered dealing with apologetics- miracles, faith, the resurrection of Christ, the existence of evil, the historical accuracy of the Bible, etc.
Though these lectures were all written from a believer's perspective, I think they make valid arguments against the assertions presented by modernists, post-modernists and the like. A myriad of scriptures, as well as external sources are sited in these works, directing readers who may want to examine the issues discussed more thoroughly. It is obvious that the men who contributed to this work have done their research and truly believe in the message they are preaching. I really enjoyed reading sermons in this manner, with access to both the entire sermon and the references; I felt like I could take my time and fully digest more of the material than I typically do just listening to them.
I don't really have any negative comments about the book; however, as always, I recommend reading with an open Bible. No book, article, sermon, etc. should ever be a replacement for the word of God.
This book is a medium-level read; some of the lectures employ terms that, although they are well defined, are a bit daunting if you're not as familiar with them. A wide range of topics are covered dealing with apologetics- miracles, faith, the resurrection of Christ, the existence of evil, the historical accuracy of the Bible, etc.
Though these lectures were all written from a believer's perspective, I think they make valid arguments against the assertions presented by modernists, post-modernists and the like. A myriad of scriptures, as well as external sources are sited in these works, directing readers who may want to examine the issues discussed more thoroughly. It is obvious that the men who contributed to this work have done their research and truly believe in the message they are preaching. I really enjoyed reading sermons in this manner, with access to both the entire sermon and the references; I felt like I could take my time and fully digest more of the material than I typically do just listening to them.
I don't really have any negative comments about the book; however, as always, I recommend reading with an open Bible. No book, article, sermon, etc. should ever be a replacement for the word of God.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
MrsDrPoe: Conservation of Momentum, Part VI
Good morning to you all and welcome to Thesis Tuesday on the blog! Today we'll be discussing the last segment of the conservation of momentum equation: an example using the inviscid reduction of its differential form (i.e. the Bernoulli Equation).
Example: Water flows from the faucet on the first floor of the building shown in the figure below with a maximum velocity of 20 ft/s. For steady, inviscid flow, determine the maximum water velocity from the basement faucet and from the faucet on the second floor (assume each floor is 12 feet tall).
Given: V1max = 20 ft/s, hf = 12 ft, hgf = 4 ft, gammawater = 62.4 lbf/(ft*ft*ft), rhowater = 1.94 slugs/(ft*ft*ft)
Find: V2max, Vbmax
Assumptions: inviscid, steady, incompressible flow along a streamline, no outside forces, water exits faucet as a free jet
Solution:
Because of our assumptions, we can immediately employ the Bernoulli equation between each set of two points without consideration for the continuity equation, etc.
a) Between floors 1 and 2
We can rearrange the equation algebraically to solve for V2 (the velocity from the second floor faucet):
Since water from the faucets exits like a free jet, we are essentially saying that the pressure at each exit is atmospheric (0 gage pressure); thus:
Since we are given information about the height between the floors:
Plugging these and our Given values in to our V2 expression, we find that the maximum velocity from the second floor faucet is: 19.28i ft/s.
The i indicates that this number is an imaginary number; since this number is impossible to achieve physically, we know that water will not flow from the upstairs faucet.
b) Between floor 1 and the basement
Again the free jet assumption tells us:
And the height between floors information yields:
Plugging in all our values, we find that the maximum velocity from the basement faucet is: 34.23 ft/s.
That concludes our discussion on momentum. You should now have the basic tools necessary to work a problem by employing the integral form of the momentum equation, the viscous differential form (Navier Stokes) of the momentum equation, and the inviscid differential form (Bernoulli Equation) of the momentum equation. Feel free to revisit any of the previous equation derivations or example problems here, and until next time...happy studying!
Example: Water flows from the faucet on the first floor of the building shown in the figure below with a maximum velocity of 20 ft/s. For steady, inviscid flow, determine the maximum water velocity from the basement faucet and from the faucet on the second floor (assume each floor is 12 feet tall).
Given: V1max = 20 ft/s, hf = 12 ft, hgf = 4 ft, gammawater = 62.4 lbf/(ft*ft*ft), rhowater = 1.94 slugs/(ft*ft*ft)
Find: V2max, Vbmax
Assumptions: inviscid, steady, incompressible flow along a streamline, no outside forces, water exits faucet as a free jet
Solution:
Because of our assumptions, we can immediately employ the Bernoulli equation between each set of two points without consideration for the continuity equation, etc.
a) Between floors 1 and 2
p1 + 0.5*rhowater*V1*V1 + gammawater*z1 = p2 + 0.5*rhowater*V2*V2 + gammawater*z2
We can rearrange the equation algebraically to solve for V2 (the velocity from the second floor faucet):
V2 = sqrt((p1 - p2 + 0.5*rhowater*V1*V1 + gammawater*z1 - gammawater*z2)/0.5*rhowater)
Since water from the faucets exits like a free jet, we are essentially saying that the pressure at each exit is atmospheric (0 gage pressure); thus:
p1 = p2 = 0 psi
Since we are given information about the height between the floors:
z1 = 0 ft, z2 = 12 ft
Plugging these and our Given values in to our V2 expression, we find that the maximum velocity from the second floor faucet is: 19.28i ft/s.
The i indicates that this number is an imaginary number; since this number is impossible to achieve physically, we know that water will not flow from the upstairs faucet.
b) Between floor 1 and the basement
To determine the velocity from the basement faucet, we can use the manipulated equation above for V2, replacing the subscript 2 with the subscript b (i.e. using the basement values instead of the second floor values):
Vb = sqrt((p1 - pb + 0.5*rhowater*V1*V1 + gammawater*z1 - gammawater*zb)/0.5*rhowater)
Again the free jet assumption tells us:
p1 = pb = 0 psi
And the height between floors information yields:
z1 = 0 ft, zb = -12 ft
Plugging in all our values, we find that the maximum velocity from the basement faucet is: 34.23 ft/s.
That concludes our discussion on momentum. You should now have the basic tools necessary to work a problem by employing the integral form of the momentum equation, the viscous differential form (Navier Stokes) of the momentum equation, and the inviscid differential form (Bernoulli Equation) of the momentum equation. Feel free to revisit any of the previous equation derivations or example problems here, and until next time...happy studying!
Monday, September 5, 2011
MrsDrPoe: CVS and Wags Deals, 9/4
I hope you all enjoyed the first Money Monday post today- I'm really looking forward to sharing the next posts in the series with you! I also wanted to inform you some of the fantastic drug store deals going on this week:
Hershey's Air Delight Bar ($0.99/1) - $0.99 back in ECBs
Milky Way Bar ($0.79/1) - 1 FREE bar coupon printing out at kiosk
Carefree Pantyliners ($1.00/20 ct) - $0.50 SS 8/21, $1.00 back in ECBs (you make money!)
Philips Headphones ($6.99/1) - $5.00 back in ECBs
I bought: 1 package of pantyliners, 2 pairs of headphones, 2 candy bars, and one bottle of Ragu...
Total Regular Price: $27.29
Total Sale and Coupons: $8.46
ECBs Used: $2.00
Total OOP: $16.83
ECBs Back: $12.99
Mitchum Deodorant ($2.99/1) - $1.00/1 SS 8/21
Nice! Tomato Sauce ($0.25/1)
I bought*: 2 sticks of deodorant and 4 cans of tomato sauce...
Total Regular Price: $10.43
Total Sale and Coupons: $5.00
RR Used: $1.50
Total OOP: $3.93
RR Back: $4.00
*Remember that to buy multiple deodorants, you must purchase each in a separate transaction without rolling your RRs.
MrsDrPoe: Giving Gifts without Going Broke
It's Money Monday, and I'd like to start things off today with the surprise I mentioned last week. As you know, today is September 5, Labor Day, and 3 months and 20 days away from CHRISTMAS! I absolutely love Christmas. In fact, I listen to Christmas music and watch Christmas movies year-round. While I realize this is pretty weird, I'm going to suggest to you today that you start thinking about the holidays year-round as well (although perhaps not to the extent that I do) and before you stop reading, let me tell you why.
Christmas is a time of giving, but giving can be hard if you're: a student, unemployed, living on one income, etc. As you can imagine, planning and thinking more often about Christmas gifts will greatly help you stick to your budget (no matter how small) around the holidays. It's for this reason that I've decided to focus September's Money Monday posts about giving gifts without going broke. Of course the tips and tricks discussed will be applicable to any gifts you give throughout the year, but I hope that it'll definitely help out this holiday season. Please feel free to comment with more thoughts/suggestions!
The future topics I have planned for the rest of the month are: how to afford more lavish gifts on a budget (for everyone on your list), how to have a homemade holiday, and how to make sure you're a responsible receiver. This first post in the series will be a brief introduction on how to give without going broke.
Evaluating your situation
Keeping a budget and knowing where you stand with your income, debt, investments, etc. is as important to giving without going broke as it is to any subject of purchasing. If you don't have a working budget, you need to make one. Right now. And I suggest you read this to help you do so. Make sure that when you're creating yours that you include a gift giving category- Mr. Poe and I decided how much we could to spend on parents, siblings, etc. for birthdays and holidays, added everything up, and divided it by 12 to see how much we needed to save each month to spend what we could* on everyone throughout the year. Each time I make a gift purchase, I deduct it from our gift savings.
*Keep in mind that what you want to spend on family and friends might not be fiscally possible for you. If you want to save $30 a month, but you can only save $20 because the remainder of your monthly budget is going toward bills, debt, etc. that's alright. A thought: if you get into financial trouble trying to give your family their 'dream Christmas,' you're not doing them any favors because they'll probably be the ones you go to for help...or the ones who will inherit your debt.Having said that, we need to keep in mind that "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). If the reason you can only save $20 a month to give to others (family or otherwise) is because you have 3 car payments in a two-driver house, a boat payment, and you're saving $300 to go skiing next winter, you might want to rethink your priorities (and maybe sell a few things). It's good for us to enjoy the fruit of our labor, because it's a gift from God (Ecc 2:24, 3:13, 5:18) but not at the expense of our service to others (remember Jas 1:27).
Being honest
Once you've looked over your finances and established a gift budget, you need to be honest with yourself and with the people you want to give to. If people on your list usually spend mega bucks on you, and you can't reciprocate this year like usual, put your pride aside and tell them. It'll be much less awkward to have this discussion now before most people have purchased presents than waiting till these folks open a manual can opener after giving you a 60" flat screen.
Don't feel bad if you can't give your loved ones the world right now. It really is okay to be 'cheap'- especially if you're not hording what you have for your own enjoyment.
Jumping into action
So now you've figured out how much you can afford to give and you've had some possibly difficult conversations...what next? The answer is one of things I'm best known for: planning. Start by visiting your list of people you'll be shopping for and brainstorm about these people's hobbies, careers, likes, needs, wants, etc. A second brainstorming session should immediately follow producing a list of gift ideas.
Just because you write something down doesn't mean that's definitely what you'll end up purchasing, but having ideas will greatly aid you in your deal scouting. For instance, if Uncle Jimmy loves golf, I know that I'll want to keep my eye on daily deal sites that may get him a free game at his favorite course and/or sporting goods store sales. Who knows...I may find a fantastic deal on golf balls and tees next month that will allow me to get him something he'd like at a price that's in my budget. (FYI I don't have an Uncle Jimmy.)
I'm sure you can see how planning ahead and scouting for deals can quickly become a year-long task. One of my favorite times to spot fantastic prices on gifts is black Friday. In years past I've been able to get kitchen appliances like waffle makers and crockpots for $10-$15, dvd players for $10.00, dvds for $3, and the list goes on and on. Great deals are definitely there to be found on the most wonderful shopping day of the year; however, not every sale that goes on during black Friday is the best sale...or even a good sale. Again by keeping your eye out, you'll become aware of what constitutes a 'good' sale on the gifts you're looking for.
However you find your deals, I hope that these tips on budgeting and planning ahead will help you give gifts without going broke. Stay tuned next week for some lavish but thrifty gift ideas!
Christmas is a time of giving, but giving can be hard if you're: a student, unemployed, living on one income, etc. As you can imagine, planning and thinking more often about Christmas gifts will greatly help you stick to your budget (no matter how small) around the holidays. It's for this reason that I've decided to focus September's Money Monday posts about giving gifts without going broke. Of course the tips and tricks discussed will be applicable to any gifts you give throughout the year, but I hope that it'll definitely help out this holiday season. Please feel free to comment with more thoughts/suggestions!
The future topics I have planned for the rest of the month are: how to afford more lavish gifts on a budget (for everyone on your list), how to have a homemade holiday, and how to make sure you're a responsible receiver. This first post in the series will be a brief introduction on how to give without going broke.
Evaluating your situation
Keeping a budget and knowing where you stand with your income, debt, investments, etc. is as important to giving without going broke as it is to any subject of purchasing. If you don't have a working budget, you need to make one. Right now. And I suggest you read this to help you do so. Make sure that when you're creating yours that you include a gift giving category- Mr. Poe and I decided how much we could to spend on parents, siblings, etc. for birthdays and holidays, added everything up, and divided it by 12 to see how much we needed to save each month to spend what we could* on everyone throughout the year. Each time I make a gift purchase, I deduct it from our gift savings.
*Keep in mind that what you want to spend on family and friends might not be fiscally possible for you. If you want to save $30 a month, but you can only save $20 because the remainder of your monthly budget is going toward bills, debt, etc. that's alright. A thought: if you get into financial trouble trying to give your family their 'dream Christmas,' you're not doing them any favors because they'll probably be the ones you go to for help...or the ones who will inherit your debt.Having said that, we need to keep in mind that "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). If the reason you can only save $20 a month to give to others (family or otherwise) is because you have 3 car payments in a two-driver house, a boat payment, and you're saving $300 to go skiing next winter, you might want to rethink your priorities (and maybe sell a few things). It's good for us to enjoy the fruit of our labor, because it's a gift from God (Ecc 2:24, 3:13, 5:18) but not at the expense of our service to others (remember Jas 1:27).
Being honest
Once you've looked over your finances and established a gift budget, you need to be honest with yourself and with the people you want to give to. If people on your list usually spend mega bucks on you, and you can't reciprocate this year like usual, put your pride aside and tell them. It'll be much less awkward to have this discussion now before most people have purchased presents than waiting till these folks open a manual can opener after giving you a 60" flat screen.
Don't feel bad if you can't give your loved ones the world right now. It really is okay to be 'cheap'- especially if you're not hording what you have for your own enjoyment.
Jumping into action
So now you've figured out how much you can afford to give and you've had some possibly difficult conversations...what next? The answer is one of things I'm best known for: planning. Start by visiting your list of people you'll be shopping for and brainstorm about these people's hobbies, careers, likes, needs, wants, etc. A second brainstorming session should immediately follow producing a list of gift ideas.
Just because you write something down doesn't mean that's definitely what you'll end up purchasing, but having ideas will greatly aid you in your deal scouting. For instance, if Uncle Jimmy loves golf, I know that I'll want to keep my eye on daily deal sites that may get him a free game at his favorite course and/or sporting goods store sales. Who knows...I may find a fantastic deal on golf balls and tees next month that will allow me to get him something he'd like at a price that's in my budget. (FYI I don't have an Uncle Jimmy.)
I'm sure you can see how planning ahead and scouting for deals can quickly become a year-long task. One of my favorite times to spot fantastic prices on gifts is black Friday. In years past I've been able to get kitchen appliances like waffle makers and crockpots for $10-$15, dvd players for $10.00, dvds for $3, and the list goes on and on. Great deals are definitely there to be found on the most wonderful shopping day of the year; however, not every sale that goes on during black Friday is the best sale...or even a good sale. Again by keeping your eye out, you'll become aware of what constitutes a 'good' sale on the gifts you're looking for.
However you find your deals, I hope that these tips on budgeting and planning ahead will help you give gifts without going broke. Stay tuned next week for some lavish but thrifty gift ideas!
Friday, September 2, 2011
MrsDrPoe: How to Change a Flat
The inspiration of this Foto Friday post* came from a lone trip a few weeks ago. I found my mind wandering to several things that could go wrong on the road, which lead to the possibility of a flat tire...without Mr. Poe or any friends in the area to aid me. As I mentally went through the steps in the process of changing a flat, I thought that this subject would definitely make a helpful post for myself, and I hope that you agree!
Step 1: Pull over.
If you get a flat, your car will try to veer to the side that the flat is on. When this happens, stay calm, firmly grasp the wheel, turn on your hazard lights, and carefully make your way to the shoulder. Don't freak out if you can't immediately pull over- a ruined wheel is a lot easier to replace than a life. If you're on a one-way stretch of road like the interstate, try to pull off on the shoulder that allows you to have your vehicle as a barrier between you and traffic as you work (ex: flat is on the left side, pull off on the left shoulder). Be sure to pull off the road as far as you can while keeping the car on relatively flat ground.
Step 2: Take precautions.
When you're safely pulled over, turn on your hazard lights if you've forgotten; turn off the car; and put on the parking break to help stabilize the vehicle during the tire changing process. Text or call a friend to let someone know where you are and when you stopped- be sure to tell them to check on you if you don't touch base again in 30 minutes.
Step 3: Get out your gear.
Your spare tire/doughnut, lug wrench, and jack will be in different locations depending on what type of vehicle you have. For our car, all the stuff is in the trunk underneath a section of carpet:
Make sure you've located the necessary equipment before the time comes that you actually need it. You'll also want to periodically check your spare/doughnut to ensure that the tire is at its proper pressure (this pressure can be found in your car manual or on the tire).
Step 4: Remove the hubcap.
Most newer vehicles have a lovely cover over the center of the actual wheel; this must be removed before you can get to the lug nuts. The decorative covers over the lugs will probably be plastic, so be careful with them (you may not need the wrench at this point). After these covers are loosened (A), remove the cap (B), exposing the lugs (C):
Next, you'll want to use the lug wrench to loosen the lug nuts at this point (it's ok to kick or stand on the wrench...see A in the figure in Step 6); if you don't loosen the lugs before you raise the car, you'll literally just be spinning your wheels when you try with the tire in the air.
Step 5: Set up the jack.
There should be a long, thin metal piece on the underside of your vehicle (like Mr. Poe is pointing to in A). This piece should fit in the groove of your jack (B). To ensure that this happens, set the jack up and start raising it; when the top of the jack nears the underside of the car, line up the groove with the metal strip (C):
Continue to raise the jack (and the car at this point) until the wheel is entirely off the ground and can spin freely.
Step 6: Remove the tire.
Hopefully you loosened your lugs (A) in Step 4 (if not, lower the car, loosen them, and then repeat Step 5). Once all the lug nuts are removed (B), place the lugs in the hubcap (C) or some other place where you don't loose them:
Carefully grasp the tire with both hands and remove it from the vehicle, pulling out and then down to the ground. As an additional safety precaution, you can lay this tire with its tread perpendicular to the ground under the car beside the jack. That way, if something crazy should happen and the jack fails, the car will land on the tire and not your foot.
Step 7: Put on the spare.
There are two sides to a doughnut (if that's what you have). One side (A) has an extruded flat piece in the center of the wheel; the other side has a concave flat piece (B). The extruded flat piece is the back of the wheel; this side should face the car when you're putting the doughnut on:
If you have little to no upper body strength (like me), you can set the spare on your foot/feet and use it/them to help you lift the new wheel (A). You'll want to first line up the top hole in the spare wheel with the top screw; prop the wheel on this screw and then rotate it until the other screws and holes line up (B). Place the lugs back on with your fingers in a star pattern (bottom left, top, bottom right, top left, top right) (C); then use the lug wrench to tighten each lug nut down as much as possible (until the tire spins...again using the star pattern). You'll need to go over the first ones that you tighten a second time (D):
Step 8: Finish up.
Remove the old tire from under the car and slowly lower the car to the ground. Using the wrench, tighten the lug nuts one final time, ensuring they're as tight as you possibly can get them:
Pack your equipment back into your car and wipe up if you have some napkins (unless you have gloves, you're going to get a little dirty). Call or text your friend to give him/her an update; turn on the car; take off the parking break; and carefully merge back into traffic. Once you're up to speed, turn off your hazard lights.
So that's it! I hope this has been as useful for you as it has been for me, and until next time...happy motoring!
*A special thanks to Mr. Poe for some additional safety tips, reviewing this post, and being my photographer and an all-around great husband.
Step 1: Pull over.
If you get a flat, your car will try to veer to the side that the flat is on. When this happens, stay calm, firmly grasp the wheel, turn on your hazard lights, and carefully make your way to the shoulder. Don't freak out if you can't immediately pull over- a ruined wheel is a lot easier to replace than a life. If you're on a one-way stretch of road like the interstate, try to pull off on the shoulder that allows you to have your vehicle as a barrier between you and traffic as you work (ex: flat is on the left side, pull off on the left shoulder). Be sure to pull off the road as far as you can while keeping the car on relatively flat ground.
Step 2: Take precautions.
When you're safely pulled over, turn on your hazard lights if you've forgotten; turn off the car; and put on the parking break to help stabilize the vehicle during the tire changing process. Text or call a friend to let someone know where you are and when you stopped- be sure to tell them to check on you if you don't touch base again in 30 minutes.
Step 3: Get out your gear.
Your spare tire/doughnut, lug wrench, and jack will be in different locations depending on what type of vehicle you have. For our car, all the stuff is in the trunk underneath a section of carpet:
Make sure you've located the necessary equipment before the time comes that you actually need it. You'll also want to periodically check your spare/doughnut to ensure that the tire is at its proper pressure (this pressure can be found in your car manual or on the tire).
Step 4: Remove the hubcap.
Most newer vehicles have a lovely cover over the center of the actual wheel; this must be removed before you can get to the lug nuts. The decorative covers over the lugs will probably be plastic, so be careful with them (you may not need the wrench at this point). After these covers are loosened (A), remove the cap (B), exposing the lugs (C):
Next, you'll want to use the lug wrench to loosen the lug nuts at this point (it's ok to kick or stand on the wrench...see A in the figure in Step 6); if you don't loosen the lugs before you raise the car, you'll literally just be spinning your wheels when you try with the tire in the air.
Step 5: Set up the jack.
There should be a long, thin metal piece on the underside of your vehicle (like Mr. Poe is pointing to in A). This piece should fit in the groove of your jack (B). To ensure that this happens, set the jack up and start raising it; when the top of the jack nears the underside of the car, line up the groove with the metal strip (C):
Continue to raise the jack (and the car at this point) until the wheel is entirely off the ground and can spin freely.
Step 6: Remove the tire.
Hopefully you loosened your lugs (A) in Step 4 (if not, lower the car, loosen them, and then repeat Step 5). Once all the lug nuts are removed (B), place the lugs in the hubcap (C) or some other place where you don't loose them:
Carefully grasp the tire with both hands and remove it from the vehicle, pulling out and then down to the ground. As an additional safety precaution, you can lay this tire with its tread perpendicular to the ground under the car beside the jack. That way, if something crazy should happen and the jack fails, the car will land on the tire and not your foot.
Step 7: Put on the spare.
There are two sides to a doughnut (if that's what you have). One side (A) has an extruded flat piece in the center of the wheel; the other side has a concave flat piece (B). The extruded flat piece is the back of the wheel; this side should face the car when you're putting the doughnut on:
If you have little to no upper body strength (like me), you can set the spare on your foot/feet and use it/them to help you lift the new wheel (A). You'll want to first line up the top hole in the spare wheel with the top screw; prop the wheel on this screw and then rotate it until the other screws and holes line up (B). Place the lugs back on with your fingers in a star pattern (bottom left, top, bottom right, top left, top right) (C); then use the lug wrench to tighten each lug nut down as much as possible (until the tire spins...again using the star pattern). You'll need to go over the first ones that you tighten a second time (D):
Step 8: Finish up.
Remove the old tire from under the car and slowly lower the car to the ground. Using the wrench, tighten the lug nuts one final time, ensuring they're as tight as you possibly can get them:
Pack your equipment back into your car and wipe up if you have some napkins (unless you have gloves, you're going to get a little dirty). Call or text your friend to give him/her an update; turn on the car; take off the parking break; and carefully merge back into traffic. Once you're up to speed, turn off your hazard lights.
So that's it! I hope this has been as useful for you as it has been for me, and until next time...happy motoring!
*A special thanks to Mr. Poe for some additional safety tips, reviewing this post, and being my photographer and an all-around great husband.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
MrsDrPoe: The Key to Singing
Once again Theology Thursday is upon us, and as always, I invite you to open your Bibles with me as we examine a portion of God's word. Today we will take a brief look at one aspect of our worship to the Lord- singing.
In several places in the new testament, we are instructed to sing to the Lord:
James 5:13 - Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.
Eph 5:18-21 - And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.
Col 3:16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
1 Cor 14:26 - How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
1 Cor 14:15 - ...I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
Based on these verses, it seems pretty obvious that we should sing to the Lord. We can also see some of the purposes of our singing- it shows we're cheerful; it shows we're filled with the Spirit; it can teach, admonish, and edify us and our fellow brethren. These verses also show us one important instruction that we must keep in mind when singing to the Lord: we should sing with understanding.
This instruction should make sense to us in the context of teaching, admonishing, and edifying one another and of glorifying God in song. If you were teaching a child to add fractions, would you expect him/her to get anything from your lesson if you didn't know what you were talking about? If I told you, "If you need anything, call me. I'll be praying for you." in Italian, would that be of any comfort to you? If you wanted to get your mother a card for Mother's Day, wouldn't you try to understand what a card was saying to make sure that it conveyed to her the exact sentiments that you wanted to? In these everyday examples, we can see that understanding is crucial to teaching, admonishing, edifying, comforting, glorifying, etc. Italian may sound pretty, but if you don't know what I'm saying it means nothing- just like singing "ye that labor and are heavy laden, lean upon your dear Lord's breast*" is not a comfort unless it is sung (and heard) with understanding. We must take great care to focus on the words of the songs that we sing while we are singing them.
Mr. Poe and I were in a Bible study of sorts several weeks ago, when he brought up his favorite hymn, "It Is Well with My Soul." The song is a beautiful one, due to both the musical notes and the fantastic lyrics. Let's look at a couple of verses as another example:
"My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!"
How encouraging and comforting! Every time we sing this verse, we are reminding ourselves and those around us that Jesus Christ died on the cross in order to redeem us! "He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:12) We are no longer slaves to sin because Christ bore ALL our sins on the cross for us!
"And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul."
How we Christians do long for this day! Christ's glorious second coming... But think about this: suppose you've never become a Christian or suppose you are a Christian who's returned to living in sin AND you're singing along with this 'beautiful song.' By singing these lyrics, you are asking God to "haste the day" of His return...you're asking for your own condemnation to come quickly!
Do you see why we need to sing with understanding?
On a related note, if any of you will be in the Atlanta area during the next several weeks, one of our adult classes will be focused on this topic to help us better praise God in song.
*From "Hark! The Gentle Voice"
In several places in the new testament, we are instructed to sing to the Lord:
James 5:13 - Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.
Eph 5:18-21 - And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.
Col 3:16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
1 Cor 14:26 - How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
1 Cor 14:15 - ...I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
Based on these verses, it seems pretty obvious that we should sing to the Lord. We can also see some of the purposes of our singing- it shows we're cheerful; it shows we're filled with the Spirit; it can teach, admonish, and edify us and our fellow brethren. These verses also show us one important instruction that we must keep in mind when singing to the Lord: we should sing with understanding.
This instruction should make sense to us in the context of teaching, admonishing, and edifying one another and of glorifying God in song. If you were teaching a child to add fractions, would you expect him/her to get anything from your lesson if you didn't know what you were talking about? If I told you, "If you need anything, call me. I'll be praying for you." in Italian, would that be of any comfort to you? If you wanted to get your mother a card for Mother's Day, wouldn't you try to understand what a card was saying to make sure that it conveyed to her the exact sentiments that you wanted to? In these everyday examples, we can see that understanding is crucial to teaching, admonishing, edifying, comforting, glorifying, etc. Italian may sound pretty, but if you don't know what I'm saying it means nothing- just like singing "ye that labor and are heavy laden, lean upon your dear Lord's breast*" is not a comfort unless it is sung (and heard) with understanding. We must take great care to focus on the words of the songs that we sing while we are singing them.
Mr. Poe and I were in a Bible study of sorts several weeks ago, when he brought up his favorite hymn, "It Is Well with My Soul." The song is a beautiful one, due to both the musical notes and the fantastic lyrics. Let's look at a couple of verses as another example:
"My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!"
How encouraging and comforting! Every time we sing this verse, we are reminding ourselves and those around us that Jesus Christ died on the cross in order to redeem us! "He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:12) We are no longer slaves to sin because Christ bore ALL our sins on the cross for us!
"And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul."
How we Christians do long for this day! Christ's glorious second coming... But think about this: suppose you've never become a Christian or suppose you are a Christian who's returned to living in sin AND you're singing along with this 'beautiful song.' By singing these lyrics, you are asking God to "haste the day" of His return...you're asking for your own condemnation to come quickly!
Do you see why we need to sing with understanding?
On a related note, if any of you will be in the Atlanta area during the next several weeks, one of our adult classes will be focused on this topic to help us better praise God in song.
*From "Hark! The Gentle Voice"
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
MrsDrPoe: Tuna Salad
It's another What's for Dinner Wednesday on the blog. Tonight I'd like to share with you a meal that's quick, easy, and great for lunch or dinner any day of the week (unless you're pregnant): Tuna Salad. I typically serve this on bread or buns, but it is equally tasty on your favorite cracker.
Ingredients (per serving): 1 5-6 oz can of tuna in water (drained), 1 tablespoon lite mayo, 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish:
Combine ingredients in an appropriately sized bowl with a fork. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to one week:
There are a multitude of alternate methods for making tuna salad. Two examples are: using sweet relish instead of dill or adding an additional 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped apple to the mix (Mrs. Holland's favorite).
How do you typically make your tuna?
Ingredients (per serving): 1 5-6 oz can of tuna in water (drained), 1 tablespoon lite mayo, 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish:
Combine ingredients in an appropriately sized bowl with a fork. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to one week:
There are a multitude of alternate methods for making tuna salad. Two examples are: using sweet relish instead of dill or adding an additional 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped apple to the mix (Mrs. Holland's favorite).
How do you typically make your tuna?
MrsDrPoe: Ms. Nowell
For the latest edition of Poes' Pals, I present to you Ms. Nowell:
Ms. Nowell is another friend from Mississippi that Mr. Poe and I have known for several years; we first met her shortly after she moved from the great state of Texas. She is a joy to be around, and we greatly admire her desire to serve the Lord and her drive to work hard at any task she begins.
Often Ms. Nowell invites her classmates to Bible studies and shows hospitality by gathering fellow students to the home she shares with her grandfather- I remember many an enjoyable evening of Rock Band and karaoke there. She has also had to make some difficult choices in order to better align her life with the patterns found in Biblical examples and teaching, which is a great encouragement to all who are around her. Currently, Ms. Nowell is participating in a nursing program in which she is doing quite well. When she finishes, I know she will be such a blessing to the babies and families she'll work with wherever she chooses to get a job!
If I've said it before, I've said it a million times, Mr. Poe and I miss Ms. Nowell and all of our Starkville family very much!
Special thanks to Ms. K. Davis for use of her fabulous photography skills.
Ms. Nowell is another friend from Mississippi that Mr. Poe and I have known for several years; we first met her shortly after she moved from the great state of Texas. She is a joy to be around, and we greatly admire her desire to serve the Lord and her drive to work hard at any task she begins.
Often Ms. Nowell invites her classmates to Bible studies and shows hospitality by gathering fellow students to the home she shares with her grandfather- I remember many an enjoyable evening of Rock Band and karaoke there. She has also had to make some difficult choices in order to better align her life with the patterns found in Biblical examples and teaching, which is a great encouragement to all who are around her. Currently, Ms. Nowell is participating in a nursing program in which she is doing quite well. When she finishes, I know she will be such a blessing to the babies and families she'll work with wherever she chooses to get a job!
If I've said it before, I've said it a million times, Mr. Poe and I miss Ms. Nowell and all of our Starkville family very much!
Special thanks to Ms. K. Davis for use of her fabulous photography skills.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
MrsDrPoe: Conservation of Momentum, Part V
It's Thesis Tuesday on the blog, and today we'll be continuing our examination of the Conservation of Momentum equation, this time focusing on the inviscid reduction of its differential form.
If you recall, the difficulty with the differential momentum equation is that we need to define the stress terms. Previously, we obtained the following results:
If we examine the case of inviscid flow, this means we are looking at an area where viscous effects are negligible (mu = 0). Generally this occurs in the far-field, i.e. in a region of the fluid far away from any walls or boundaries. This leaves us with:
So our stress tensor terms are ONLY related to changes in pressure. If we replace these new equalities in the differential form of the equation, we end up with a set of equations known as Euler's Equations. It is important to note, however, that this set is only valid for inviscid flows.
If we apply the assumptions of steady, incompressible flow with no outside forces acting on the fluid to Euler's Equations, we get:
Using a vector identity (which we won't discuss in further detail), and applying along a streamline (lines always parallel or tangent to the flow), we can further reduce this equation to:
This is Bernoulli's Equation, and it is written for two specific points along a streamline.
Restrictions:
Remember that this equation is only applicable to flows of fluids where the assumptions we made to derive the equation (steady, incompressible, inviscid, along a streamline, no outside forces) hold. It is CRUCIAL to realize that if the flow does not meet these qualifications, this simplified equation CANNOT be used!
If our flow cannot be treated as incompressible, but the other assumptions hold, we can modify the Bernoulli Equation so that it can still be used. For compressible gases, we can apply the ideal gas law to obtain:
For unsteady flows, we can modify the equation by the addition of a single term integrating the acceleration over a streamline:
Physical Meaning:
The Bernoulli Equation is simply the mathematical statement of the principle "the work done on a particle by all forces acting on the particle is equal to the change of the kinetic energy of the particle." We can better see that if we look at each of the terms in the equation. As the particle moves, we see forces of pressure and gravity acting on it (the z*g and p/rho terms). This is directly connected to the amount of kinetic energy that the particle has (0.5*V*V).
If we multiply each term in the Bernoulli Equation by the density, rho:
we obtain the pressure form of the equation. Here p represents the thermodynamic pressure of the fluid as it flows (this pressure determines the state of a fluid, i.e. whether it is a gas or a liquid). This value is typically termed the static pressure of the fluid, since it could be measured by moving along with the fluid or being static in relation to the fluid. The third term is the hydrostatic pressure, which is associated with the hydrostatic pressure condition. The second term is called the dynamic pressure since it is associated with the velocity of the fluid.
The combination of the first two terms in the equation is the stagnation pressure. This pressure represents the conversion of all the kinetic energy into a pressure rise, which occurs at a stagnation point where the velocity is equal to zero. The streamline leading to a stagnation point is called a stagnation streamline. The sum of all three terms in this form of the Bernoulli Equation is known as the total pressure, which is constant along a streamline.
Often in Mechanical Engineering, the Bernoulli Equation will be written in head form; this form of the equation is particularly useful for pipe flow and can be derived by dividing each term in the original equation by the gravitational constant, g:
If you recall, the difficulty with the differential momentum equation is that we need to define the stress terms. Previously, we obtained the following results:
d/dx(Sxx) + d/dy(Txy) + d/dz(Txz) = -d/dx(p) + mu*(d/dx(d/dx(u))+d/dy(d/dy(u)) + d/dz(d/dz(u)))
d/dx(Tyx) + d/dy(Syy) + d/dz(Tyz) = -d/dy(p) + mu*(d/dx(d/dx(v))+d/dy(d/dy(v)) + d/dz(d/dz(v)))
d/dx(Tzx) + d/dy(Tzy) + d/dz(Szz) = -d/dz(p) + mu*(d/dx(d/dx(w))+d/dy(d/dy(w)) + d/dz(d/dz(w)))
d/dx(Tyx) + d/dy(Syy) + d/dz(Tyz) = -d/dy(p) + mu*(d/dx(d/dx(v))+d/dy(d/dy(v)) + d/dz(d/dz(v)))
d/dx(Tzx) + d/dy(Tzy) + d/dz(Szz) = -d/dz(p) + mu*(d/dx(d/dx(w))+d/dy(d/dy(w)) + d/dz(d/dz(w)))
If we examine the case of inviscid flow, this means we are looking at an area where viscous effects are negligible (mu = 0). Generally this occurs in the far-field, i.e. in a region of the fluid far away from any walls or boundaries. This leaves us with:
d/dx(Sxx) + d/dy(Txy) + d/dz(Txz) = -d/dx(p)
d/dx(Tyx) + d/dy(Syy) + d/dz(Tyz) = -d/dy(p)
d/dx(Tzx) + d/dy(Tzy) + d/dz(Szz) = -d/dz(p)
d/dx(Tyx) + d/dy(Syy) + d/dz(Tyz) = -d/dy(p)
d/dx(Tzx) + d/dy(Tzy) + d/dz(Szz) = -d/dz(p)
So our stress tensor terms are ONLY related to changes in pressure. If we replace these new equalities in the differential form of the equation, we end up with a set of equations known as Euler's Equations. It is important to note, however, that this set is only valid for inviscid flows.
If we apply the assumptions of steady, incompressible flow with no outside forces acting on the fluid to Euler's Equations, we get:
u*d/dx(u) + v*d/dy(u) + w*d/dz(u) = gx - (1/rho)*d/dx(p)
u*d/dx(v) + v*d/dy(v) + w*d/dz(v) = gy - (1/rho)*d/dy(p)
u*d/dx(w) + v*d/dy(w) + w*d/dz(w) = gz - (1/rho)*d/dz(p)
u*d/dx(v) + v*d/dy(v) + w*d/dz(v) = gy - (1/rho)*d/dy(p)
u*d/dx(w) + v*d/dy(w) + w*d/dz(w) = gz - (1/rho)*d/dz(p)
Using a vector identity (which we won't discuss in further detail), and applying along a streamline (lines always parallel or tangent to the flow), we can further reduce this equation to:
0.5*V*V + (p/rho) + g*y = constant (along a streamline)
or: 0.5*V1*V1 + (p1/rho) + g*y1 = 0.5*V2*V2 + (p2/rho) + g*y2
This is Bernoulli's Equation, and it is written for two specific points along a streamline.
Restrictions:
Remember that this equation is only applicable to flows of fluids where the assumptions we made to derive the equation (steady, incompressible, inviscid, along a streamline, no outside forces) hold. It is CRUCIAL to realize that if the flow does not meet these qualifications, this simplified equation CANNOT be used!
If our flow cannot be treated as incompressible, but the other assumptions hold, we can modify the Bernoulli Equation so that it can still be used. For compressible gases, we can apply the ideal gas law to obtain:
0.5*V*V + y*g + R*T*ln(p) = constant (along a streamline)
For unsteady flows, we can modify the equation by the addition of a single term integrating the acceleration over a streamline:
0.5*rho*V1*V1 + p1 + rho*g*y1 = rho*int(d/dt(V))ds + 0.5*rho*V2*V2 + p2 + rho*g*y2
Physical Meaning:
The Bernoulli Equation is simply the mathematical statement of the principle "the work done on a particle by all forces acting on the particle is equal to the change of the kinetic energy of the particle." We can better see that if we look at each of the terms in the equation. As the particle moves, we see forces of pressure and gravity acting on it (the z*g and p/rho terms). This is directly connected to the amount of kinetic energy that the particle has (0.5*V*V).
If we multiply each term in the Bernoulli Equation by the density, rho:
0.5*rho*V*V + p + g*rho*y = constant (along a streamline)
we obtain the pressure form of the equation. Here p represents the thermodynamic pressure of the fluid as it flows (this pressure determines the state of a fluid, i.e. whether it is a gas or a liquid). This value is typically termed the static pressure of the fluid, since it could be measured by moving along with the fluid or being static in relation to the fluid. The third term is the hydrostatic pressure, which is associated with the hydrostatic pressure condition. The second term is called the dynamic pressure since it is associated with the velocity of the fluid.
The combination of the first two terms in the equation is the stagnation pressure. This pressure represents the conversion of all the kinetic energy into a pressure rise, which occurs at a stagnation point where the velocity is equal to zero. The streamline leading to a stagnation point is called a stagnation streamline. The sum of all three terms in this form of the Bernoulli Equation is known as the total pressure, which is constant along a streamline.
Often in Mechanical Engineering, the Bernoulli Equation will be written in head form; this form of the equation is particularly useful for pipe flow and can be derived by dividing each term in the original equation by the gravitational constant, g:
(p/gamma) + (0.5*V*V/g) + y = constant (along a streamline)
In this form, the pressure term is called the pressure head, which represents the height of a column of fluid needed to produce the pressure p. The velocity term is called the velocity head, which represents the vertical distance needed for the fluid to fall freely to reach the velocity V from rest. The height term is the elevation head, and it represents the potential energy of the fluid.
Next week we'll look at some very simple examples of how to employ the Bernoulli Equation. Stay tuned!
Next week we'll look at some very simple examples of how to employ the Bernoulli Equation. Stay tuned!
Monday, August 29, 2011
MrsDrPoe: Deals Deals Everywhere! 8/28
It's the start of another week, and that means Money Monday has arrived! I'd like to share with you guys some great deals I've taken advantage of this week at CVS, Walgreens, Advanced Auto Parts, and PetSmart:
CVS
St. Joseph Asprin ($2/36 ct.) - $1/1 SS 8/07; $2 back in RR (you make $1!)
Pringles ($1.50/can) - $1/4 PG 7/31, 8/31
Charmin ($5.44/12 rolls) - $0.25/1 PG 7/31, 8/31
Dawn ($0.99/10.4 oz) - $0.50/1 PG 7/31, 8/31
Orbit ($1.37/pack) - $1/1 CVS coupon printing at price checker
I bought: 8 cans of Pringles, 3 packages of Charmin, 2 bottles of Dawn, 1 bottle of St. Joseph Asprin, 1 pack of Orbit for...
Total Regular Price: $52.46
Total Sale and Coupons: $21.46
ECBs Used: $5.00
Total OOP: $26.00
ECBs Back: $2.00, plus $10 gas card
Wags
Carmex Moist Lip Balm (Vanilla or Lime Twist, 0.15 oz)
Total Regular Price: $2.10
Total Sale and Coupons: $0.49
ECBs Used: $1.00
Total OOP: $0.61
ECBs Back: $1.50
Advanced Auto Parts
5 quarts (individual or jug) or Havoline oil + 1 Drive Works filter: $15.99
5 quarts (individual) Quaker State oil + 1 Purolator Classic filter: $15.49
We took advantage of both of these deals (there weren't any Drive Works filters to fit our car), paying $35.29 OOP and saving $20.94. They also had a deal on oil changing gear (pan, etc.) like Mr. Poe previously discussed if you're in need of it.
PetSmart
I bought Layla a 40 lb bag of Iams for...
Total Regular Price: $41.44
Total Sale and Coupons: $5
Total OOP: $36.44
A great deal, plus there's $55 in Iams and PetSmart coupons in the bag!
Stay tuned next Monday for more deals and a special surprise!
CVS
St. Joseph Asprin ($2/36 ct.) - $1/1 SS 8/07; $2 back in RR (you make $1!)
Pringles ($1.50/can) - $1/4 PG 7/31, 8/31
Charmin ($5.44/12 rolls) - $0.25/1 PG 7/31, 8/31
Dawn ($0.99/10.4 oz) - $0.50/1 PG 7/31, 8/31
Orbit ($1.37/pack) - $1/1 CVS coupon printing at price checker
I bought: 8 cans of Pringles, 3 packages of Charmin, 2 bottles of Dawn, 1 bottle of St. Joseph Asprin, 1 pack of Orbit for...
Total Regular Price: $52.46
Total Sale and Coupons: $21.46
ECBs Used: $5.00
Total OOP: $26.00
ECBs Back: $2.00, plus $10 gas card
Wags
Carmex Moist Lip Balm (Vanilla or Lime Twist, 0.15 oz)
Total Regular Price: $2.10
Total Sale and Coupons: $0.49
ECBs Used: $1.00
Total OOP: $0.61
ECBs Back: $1.50
Advanced Auto Parts
5 quarts (individual or jug) or Havoline oil + 1 Drive Works filter: $15.99
5 quarts (individual) Quaker State oil + 1 Purolator Classic filter: $15.49
We took advantage of both of these deals (there weren't any Drive Works filters to fit our car), paying $35.29 OOP and saving $20.94. They also had a deal on oil changing gear (pan, etc.) like Mr. Poe previously discussed if you're in need of it.
PetSmart
I bought Layla a 40 lb bag of Iams for...
Total Regular Price: $41.44
Total Sale and Coupons: $5
Total OOP: $36.44
A great deal, plus there's $55 in Iams and PetSmart coupons in the bag!
Stay tuned next Monday for more deals and a special surprise!
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