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Archives for April 2011

Saving Time with a DVR

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DirecTV: Digital Video Recorder (DVR)

At this time, our family has a DirecTV DVR which records my favorite programs. Then when I decide to watch the program, I can use the remote to play my program. If I get interrupted, then I can pause or rewind the program. I can also stop it and return to it at a later time. I also save time because I can fast forward through the commercials which shaves about 13 minutes off each hour. My husband rarely misses taping an Atlanta Braves baseball game on the DVR. He enjoys watching the game. With the DVR, hubby watches a 3 hour game in a little over an hour. The DVR is a great tool in our home that allows us to watch the programs we want, when we want, so we can use our time wisely on other tasks.

In helping us save time, the DVR has the following neat features:

  • Record series option: I really like that I can record a complete series without having to setup the recorder for each episode. For example, when I first recorded THE AMAZING RACE, I used the guide to find the showing of THE AMAZING RACE. Then I selected RECORD. By selecting RECORD a second time, I now will record the entire series.
  • Record options: Once the program is set to record for the series, I can then select the program and review the options. Since CBS usually is showing a sports program, which can go into overtime, I have set the program to START on time but to END 1½ hours later. After having only recorded half of  one episode of THE AMAZING RACE because a game went long, I now schedule plenty of time for the show to end.  Now, I don’t miss the last two teams to arrive at the pit stop. 🙂
  • Keyword search: I like this option during football season. I am a HUGE Florida Gator fan. (Yes, I know they were not in the NCAA final 4, but they played a good series of games.) Though I don’t watch much basketball or baseball, I do enjoy football. The keyword search helps me to find the Florida game quickly. I just use the remote to access the MENU and SEARCH options. Then I select the KEYWORD search. I use the remote to type in FLORDIA, and a listing appears of all the channels showing the game. This search option is great because if Florida is hosting a team, then Florida is listed as the second team. A regular search would not pickup the information without the name of the first team, but the KEYWORD search picks up all programs that include the name FLORIDA in the title.

Do you have a DVR? If so, what features help you to save and use your time wisely?

Personal: Birth Certificates

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As we move on from the Credit Report/Card Document file, I hope your task gets a bit easier. The second category in my file is Important Personal Documents. I will share what I have in this file.

Here is the checklist from the Protection Portfolio system by Suze Orman:

  • Birth Certificates
  • Adoption Certificates*
  • Driver’s Licenses
  • Passports
  • Citizenship Paperwork / Green Card*
  • Military Service Records*
  • Marriage Certificate
  • Agreements: Cohabitation, prenuptial, postnuptial, etc.*
  • Domestic partner registration*
  • Support: Child and Spousal*
  • Divorce Decree*
  • Death certificates*

Items with an (*) are additional records Suze Orman suggests for this category that I do not have in my file.

Some of these personal documents are needed to verify your identity. I am extremely careful to keep the information on these documents very confidential. In the wrong hands, you could be the victim of identity theft. Please be careful with these items.

The first set of documents in my file is birth certificates for each member of our family. When asked for your birth certificate, you will need to produce a record from the Office of Vital Statistics. We found this out the hard way.

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

When Paul and I moved back to South Carolina, we went to the DMV to get new Driver’s Licenses. After producing my personal records, I was sent to the next window. Paul presented his personal documents, and his birth record was not accepted. He had a certificate of birth from the hospital with the doctor’s signature. The DMV would not accept the certificate. We had to purchase a birth certificate from the Office of Vital Statistics in the state of his birth.

Once that document was obtained, then he was able to present the proper documentation to get his Driver’s License.  The amazing part of the story is that a document ordered over the Internet by anyone was more authentic to the DMV than a certificate signed by the delivering doctor at the birth.

For more information about birth certificates, you can read this explanation from Wikipedia.

TYPES OF BIRTH CERTIFICATES

The two types of certificates are the Long and Short.

LONG: The long version includes parents’ names as well as the other pertinent information. It is also a larger certificate than the short version. The long version is now required for passport verification.

SHORT: The short version is a little larger than a credit card. It can be easily transported if necessary. I use the short version when I take a lap child on a flight. The airlines require proof of age for the child, and the short version of the birth certificate suffices.

OBTAINING YOUR BIRTH CERTIFCIATE

If you only have a certificate of birth or cannot find your birth certificate, then you can order one or more for a fee. To order your birth certificate, you can:

1.       Use a search engine (Google, Swag Bucks, Yahoo!, etc.) and search for: “(your state of birth) Office of Vital Statistics.” If you were born in South Carolina, then search “South Carolina Office of Vital Statistics.”

2.       Follow the prompts to place your order. Each state has a different application and fee process.

Having recently obtained my youngest daughter’s birth certificate, I ordered 4 long certificates and 4 short certificates. The first long certificate cost $12, and the 3 additional were $3 each. The first short certificate cost $12, and then $3 for the 3 additional short ones. I paid $42 for all 8 birth certificates.

I order multiple copies since the first copy includes a research fee. To save money later, I just order a few extra copies for the additional fee of $3. If I have to reorder, then I have to pay the research fee again. I would recommend having a minimum of 2 copies of the Long version, but I do order more for safe keeping.

After obtaining birth certificates from the Vital Statistic Offices in the states in which we were born, I paperclip them by individual, then use a huge paperclip to hold all our birth certificates together. I then place them in the fourth compartment of my file box under the heading of Important Personal Documents.

Do you have a copy of your birth certificate, or do you have a certificate of birth? Prior to our experience at the DMV, I did not realize there was difference. I trust you are better informed than we were regarding birth certificates. Happy organizing! Keep working. You are using your time wisely in getting these document files complete and organized. See you next week on a discussion of Driver’s Licenses. I promise it will be less time-consuming than standing in the DMV line.

Happy Easter!

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Photography Credit: wordoflife.net

He is risen, indeed!

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. (Matthew 28:6)

Rejoicing in the power of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Happy Easter!

10 Ways to Cut the Expense of Eating Out – Part 5 of 5

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As our 5-week series comes to a close, I hope you have either learned or been reminded of some options to lower your out-of-pocket expenses while enjoying a meal at a restaurant. Thus far, we have considered options 1-8 in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4. In this fifth and final week, we will look at the children’s menu and reward programs.

OPTION 9:     Check the price of the children’s menu.

When you have more than one child eating from the kid’s menu, you might want to consider the cost. In some cases, we have found purchasing an adult entrée to split between our two oldest children (ages 3 and 6) is more cost-efficient than purchasing two kid’s menu items. If our children drink water, then we don’t need to consider that the drink may be included in the kid’s menu item.

As our third child begins to eat more, splitting an adult entrée between the three of them may be more cost-effective than purchasing 3 separate kids’ meals. Another option is to check the limits on coupons. In the fine print, the coupon should state limit 1 per customer or limit 2 per table. If the limit is 2 and the coupon is a buy one entrée, get one free, then purchasing 2 entrees to get 4 meals would be our best option. Any extra food will be eaten on leftover night. Our decision when ordering will depend on specials, coupons, and total cost.

OPTION 10:    Sign-up for reward programs.

In an effort to encourage loyalty to their restaurant, some establishments offer a reward program. Here are two programs of which I am aware:

1. Subway: Not all Subway restaurants participate in the Rewards program. For those that do, here is how the program works.

  • Earn 1 point for each dollar you spend.
  • Request a Reward card at your Subway.
  • Redeemyour points for the following menu items:
    • 10 Points = 1 Cookie
    • 15 Points = Bag of chips
    • 20 Points = 21 oz. drink
    • 30 Points = Deli sandwich
    • 50 Points = Regular 6-inch sub
    • 60 Points = Regular wrap
    • 75 Points = Regular foot-long sub

Photograph Credit: P. F. Chang's

2. P.F. Chang’s:  When you sign up for the Warrior Card and present it at the time of your visit, you will receive a 10% discount on your bill. This discount cannot be combined with any other offer. If you have a coupon, then consider which option will save you the most on the menu choices chosen.

As we conclude this series of 10 ways to cut the expense of eating out, I hope you have some options available to you to ease the burden of feeding your family when you are short on time. Remember that you can combine these 10 options to maximize your savings. Do you have other suggestions? If so, please leave a comment sharing your ideas.

Mother’s Day: Making Cards

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In an effort to help you stay organized and ahead of events, I hope you can save time, money, and energy with advanced planning. I know I have a number of posts today, but there are so many activities and events to share with you.

With Easter this Sunday, you may not realize that Mother’s Day is only two weeks away.

Photograph Credit: Photl (Studio Cl Art)

To help you prepare for May 8, here are some free or inexpensive card ideas:

Shutterfly is offering a free 5×7 with $.99 shipping. This offer expires on Thursday, April 28. Click here for the promotional code and ordering information.

Snapily is offering a 3D card for $.99 and free shipping is available from Monday, April 25 to Tuesday, April 26. Click here for coupon code and ordering instructions.

Free printable cards which are great for children to color. I love getting handmade cards and notes from my kids. The personal touch brightens my day. Click here to create your own cards. (Hint: The link is found under the Zantac advertisement.)

If you know of other free or inexpensive Mother’s Day gift ideas, please leave a comment with the information. Happy advanced planning for Mother’s Day!