I'm just here for the food

I realize it’s practically a cardinal sin to live in the South and admit this but I couldn’t care less about football. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a house full of women with similar disinterest; maybe it’s because my college was Division I for every sport except that one; either way, just one thing brings me out to a game: the food.

In “real life” I eat healthfully but during football season, obliged as I am to attend games and get-togethers with family and friends who went to big ACC or SEC schools (By the way, I had to Google those terms), I love nothing more than a cheesy, spicy, Tabasco-laden dip, chip or other handy snack. Because everyone knows fat and calories count for nothing when one is glazed over, subject to her loved ones’ obsession with uniformed men making strategic moves she cannot comprehend.

On to the goods, here are some of my favorite, easy, inexpensive recipes for your next football gathering, organized into the five generally recognized types of taste -- sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami (savory) -- because, seriously, that’s how to plan a tailgate. Yay, football season is here!

Don't touch that fry!

What if someone told you not to eat fried chicken, French fries, pizza, or other yummy foods anymore? These foods have been lifelong favorites of mine, but after gallbladder surgery last year, I can no longer eat these foods without getting a stomach ache.

You have no idea how hard it is to resist curly fries, BLT sandwiches, fried shrimp and the list goes on! I have to order everything grilled and avoid greasy foods. Grilled is better than not being able to eat certain things at all, but it doesn’t taste as good as fried. It’s been a huge adjustment, but the one positive outcome is that I have lost 50 lbs since October of last year. A lot of people ask me what diet I am on, and I tell them it’s not a diet of choice, but rather a diet of “I have no choice.” It’s been a bitter sweet experience of major change and accomplishment (50 lbs!).

If I knew I could lose this much weight by just switching to grilled foods, would I have switched many years ago? Probably not (just being honest). It’s amazing how certain situations in life force you to make changes you are not happy about in the beginning, but then after a while, you are glad it happened.

How do you adjust to change? Are you a creature of habit or do you adjust well to the curve balls life throws at you?

Chao for now, Leslita

NCUA, not FDIC, for credit unions

You may have seen the article in Aug. 27’s Post & Courier, “Depleted FDIC may need bailout of its own.” We draw it to your attention now to point out that South Carolina Federal Credit Union is not affiliated with the FDIC. In contrast, the credit union is insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), a different agency of the U.S. government. The NCUA regulates, charters and insures all federal credit unions and its Share Insurance Fund maintains a healthy equity level. As a result, safety and soundness is guaranteed for of all credit unions insured by the NCUA.

The credit union difference is always a story worth telling. In light of recent news, it’s especially timely to share that difference with your friends and neighbors who have yet to do business with us or another credit union near them.

When do you take your health seriously?

Knowing your body is a good first step. Everyone understands that the body begins an aging process from creation to dust. In the book, "You The Owner's Manual," Dr. Roizen and Dr. Oz inform readers that the oxidation process contributes to the aging of your body. There are three main factors in age-related disease that you can control. They are:

1. aging of your heart and blood vessels;
2. aging of your immune system; and
3. aging caused by environmental or social issues.

It is important ... seriously ... to know how your body works. How it reacts to what goes inside of it. When your body needs rest. Why exercise? ... What exerise? ... How much exercise? For the first half of my 52 years these questions never received any serious attention. Hey, I was still young ... invincible ... lived hard, played hard. This stuff only mattered for people much older than me.

Then one day in 1992 I woke up and realized, "My body doesn't move like it used to. What happened? Am I coming down with something?" Fortunately, my wife was quick to reassure me, “Dear, you are just fine. Today is your 35th birthday.”

I spent the next 7 years in a slump; convinced that it was just the way it was supposed to be. My body was going to be going downhill and it would be a very long and possibly unpleasant journey until I hit rock bottom (whenever that was). Didn't really see much hope, so I might as well get on with it, strap in, and enjoy the ride. Unfortunately, my ride did not include doing anything healthy. I focused on self-indulgence, rarely picked up a weight (except for those few extra ones around the waist) and justified the entire trip to old age with a mindset of "that's all folks."

Something changed. While attending a leadership event in 1999, the facilitator challenged participants to take a leadership position in all areas of their lives to include body, mind, and soul. Of course, it had been common place for me to apply leadership concepts to business, but now apply them to my very, real persona ... me? Just hadn't thought of setting very specific goals for these three areas independent from my career and financial goals.

After mulling it over for several days, I proudly declared to my wife that I am going to live to be 120. It was stated in the present because the power of change occurs from declaring "I am" not "someday I am going to be." For me living to be 120 was based on three very personal reasons. (1) Once achieved, it would coincide with celebrating 100 years of being married to my beautiful bride. (2) No one has achieved this milestone in current history. (3) It has a biblical basis (Genesis 6:3).

For 10 years now I've taken my health seriously. Learned to have fun, swim, ski, eat well, exercise, and rest. I am very happy with my journey today and am seriously excited to say, "It's not even half over, yet!"

So, let me know:  how do you take care of your health? Do you have a BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal)? If so, what is it? Tell me about your journey. Clock's ticking. It's Thursday and time for you to seriously talk back with Troy.

Jumping Jacks and Sit-Ups in the Workplace?

As a Professional, Wife, and Mom to 2 small girls (10 months and 3 years old) I find it to be a tremendous task to fit wellness/gym activities into my day...we spend too much time caring for others!

In an attempt to lower healthcare costs human resource departments are taking proactive measures to promote wellness within the workplace. South Carolina Federal Credit Union remains a step-ahead by promoting wellness at work through a Wellness Challenge! Employees are encouraged to participate by creating teams in groups of 3-5 and challenge the senior management team in either a weight loss or maintenance competition...the reward?...Wellness hours and most importantly a healthier YOU!

Some small things I have started doing to promote a healthier me include, looking for the furthest parking space instead of rushing for the closest, using the steps (yes even in 3” heels!), following the 4 Day Diet plan by Dr. Ian K. Smith, using my lunch to do small work-outs, keeping a food journal, etc. Does your employer promote wellness at work? If not, make this "wellness in the workplace" suggestion in the suggestion box! If yes, share your comments and tell me about it! For a working Professional, Wife and Mom like me these Employer of Choice benefits are a must!

Leveraging CURewards points to craft the best travel deal

Earlier this month I posted an article about last minute travel deals. A colleague, Linda, had a slightly different perspective on that story and I wanted to share with you.

Linda travels a lot and was planning a vacation to Boston. She had been getting air fare alerts for the last 60 days watching the prices going up and down. The big decision for Linda was when to buy airline tickets (and hotel) vs use her CURewards points.

Linda was kind enough to white-board the math for me, but in the end it was a no brainer: She purchased the airline tickets online because she was able to lock in an extraordinarily low rate. However, the best price on a hotel was more than she expected so redeemed her CURewards points for four nights at an upscale Hyatt. She saved hundreds of dollars. It takes a bit more planning, but in this cost-conscious environment in which we live, a little planning can save you a lot of money. And you can save even more by effectively leveraging both on-line travel sites and your rewards points to craft the best deal.

So, what do you consider worthy of your CURewards? What type of purchase could compel you to part with them?

Now’s Your Chance

You love music. It’s your passion in life. You've found a group of like-minded people who share your vibe, and together, you create some really great stuff.

Ever wonder if this passion could take you somewhere? Well, here’s your chance to find out. You and your band could connect with more fans, experience the thrill of a live performance, get critical acclaim, win some serious cash, even play at a show headlined by Blues Traveler. You might just get discovered.

It doesn’t matter how old you are or what you do for a living. Take a chance. Put yourself out there! What’s that I hear?  A door swinging wide open!

On thinking outside the box

Recently I stumbled on the inspiring account of a woman who baked and sold “mortgage apple cakes” to save her home from foreclosure. While the story itself is remarkable and touching, what really got my attention was the writer’s charge near the end of the article: “Always think outside the box people.”

I just loved that. It perfectly conveyed the moral of the story and was exactly the punchy, energizing advice I needed to get my morning started right.  It got me thinking about the things we do, day after day, without much conscious thought. To what extent are we robbing ourselves of opportunities, new experiences and surprising “wins” simply because we’re asleep at the wheel, doing things the usual way and settling for outcomes?

In her circumstances, Mortgage Apple Cake-Lady simply might have accepted her fate; instead, she got creative, took a chance and turned a bad situation around entirely. What could you look at a different way? Could you make some mortgage apple cakes out of your own troubles with money, health, relationships or other life circumstances?

How best to communicate important information?

Next week the credit union will be upgrading our iTeller system with some new screens designed to help users maneuver even more effectively through internet banking.

In discussing these upcoming enhancements within the credit union we were wrestling with the question of how best to communicate important information like this?

Is this age of saturated communications, what is the optimal vehicle, especially for changes related to technology products? Should we assume that members who use iTeller, and who receive eStatements want to primarily receive news

• Via email?
• Or from the scfederal.org site?
• Or from snail mail and newsletters?

What works best for you? Please share your thoughts.

Don't you dare throw that away!

I am the opposite of a pack rat; I love to purge. But did you know there are certain documents, financial and otherwise, that you need to keep for a certain length of time, and some you should never toss?

Thanks to our friends at Unclutterer.com, one of the coolest sites for anyone who wants to streamline her life, we have this handy list of items we can shred now, later and never. Print it out and put it with your important files, or better yet, kill the clutter: save it to your desktop and check it before you chuck that questionable document.

Freedom from excess paper does more than keep your kitchen table clear; it keeps your mind and soul clear, too, so you can think, create, or just relax. At the same time, you can also maintain your sanity by ensuring you’re prepared with that pivotal piece of paper in the event you need to produce it.

Have you ever, ahem, “lost” an important document, a really important one, and been called on the carpet? If you're pretty good at holding on to the right things, what system do you use to keep your files in a safe place - and to remember where you put them?

University Branch will close September 25, 2009

What may seem like the end of a chapter is only the beginning. On Friday, September 25, 2009, the University Branch located at 2695 Elms Plantation Boulevard on 78 near Charleston Southern University will close its operations.

This change is partly due to member demographics and feedback for this location.  Management analyzed the usage of its branch network and determined that the entire membership would be better served if operations were consolidated.

You may want to know what will happen to the staff you've come to know. Every employee will be reassigned to another location. No employee is losing his/her job as a result of consolidating operations. In fact, you may find when you stop by another branch on your way to work or home; you'll see some of those same friendly faces.

Here are a few convenient branches for you to use.

• 82 Bridgetown Rd., Goose Creek, SC 29445 Janet Hall, branch manager
• 1000 N. Main St., Summerville, SC 29483 Sandra Wrenn, branch manager
• 1001 Jefferson Ave., Goose Creek, SC 29445 Outside of security at the Naval Weapons Station Leesa Daniels, branch manager
• 9999 Dorchester Rd., Summerville, SC 29485 Oakbrook area Nikki Davis, head teller
• 2175 Credit Union Ln., N. Charleston, SC 29406 (Near E. Aviation and Rivers Avenue intersection) Patricia Kizer, branch manager

Just wanted to keep you in the loop of what business matters. Although it's not Thursday, you are still invited to talk back with Troy.

How Do Children Handle Change?

A couple of weeks ago we talked about the dynamics of, When Granny Is Your Nanny. My daughters granny is still their nanny but now we are seeking a sitter to assist granny (2 toddlers can be a handful!) part-time while hubby and I are at work.

A family relative of mine filled the position for the past year until she recently left to pursue her degree.

The children are now in a transition period where the sitter they grew to adore is no longer present in their everyday lives. There will be a new person they will have to adjust to.

This leads me to a more extreme example I would like to share; I have a friend who is getting a divorce after 7 years of marriage and she has a little boy and girl who misses their daddy's presence in their daily lives.

Which leads to the question…how do children cope with significant changes in their life? I tend to believe children are very resilient and with the appropriate direction, structure and support can adapt quite well to change.

Your thoughts?

Children's Books Poll

Outsmart the School Supply List!

I went to Wal-mart the other day looking for a glue stick to repair something my 1 year old son accidentally broke around the house. The isles were full of moms with school supply lists that looked like they were 10 pages long. I wonder what the final bills added up to be in the checkout lines. If you’re looking for a way to cut down on school supply costs, check out and try these tips:

• Buy the best backpack you can afford in a solid, neutral color. Neutral colors can be passed down and used by multiple siblings. A good quality back pack will last a long time. A friend of mine said her high quality backpack lasted years and when it ripped, she sent it to be repaired for $5. It averaged out to a minimal cost-per-year.
• Buy in bulk at a super store and divide the loot with like-minded parents.
• Swap needed items with friends/neighbors. Did someone else need a protractor and compass last year but has no use for it this year? Can you trade out some of your bulk items for the recycled goods of your friends?
• Check out the dollar store. Dollar stores have come a long way from what I can remember. They actually have some really nice stuff for a great price!
• Shop your house! Sometimes we just want something new; however, this isn’t always the most cost effective choice. What can be repurposed/recycled from last year’s supplies (notebooks, pencils, pens, highlighters, crayons) or what’s in your junk drawer? The pack may be missing a few members but the remaining ones still work.
• Cost savings may lie in the simpler style. If the folder lacks the image of a pop princess or the pen has no character with crazy hair popping out the top, it may be less expensive. Unadorned, simple supplies often have lower price tags than their snazzier counterparts (I know it’s hard to tell a crying or screaming kid that the regular pen works just the same or better as the pen with a cartoon character on it). If creativity/originality is important to your child, suggest that he/she jazz up “plain” supplies with homemade book covers, stickers, etc.
• Textbook, fiction and non-fiction books deals may be found online. A favorite site of mine for new and used books is Half.com. It’s a great website to buy and sell books. I use to sell my used college text books on this site all the time and the money I made from the sales was enough to buy the books I needed for my next class because the purchase price of books on this site is so reasonable!
• Make thrifty shopping a game. Engage your child in an exercise in frugality by playing “how low can you go” for the best price on the items on his list. Take advantage of sibling competitiveness to see who can spend the least on similar items.
• Track down coupons for items on sale and buy those. Even if you don’t get the newspaper, you can check out websites for drug or office supply stores near you.

I’m sure there are some more tricks and tips out there, so let me know what you do to cut down on school supply costs!

Chao for now,

Leslita

... and, the winner is?

In July you were introduced to four brave kids ... Chase, JoJo, Kristin, and Paris. These are just a few of the winners ... the children helped by the medical research and treatment provided through MUSC. Each will be able to strap on a backpack and head to school this August because you cared and gave time and financial resources to further children's medical research at MUSC.

With the help of South Carolina Federal Credit Union members, employees and a corporate donation, this year Children's Miracle Network will receive a check for ....

$28,999.99!

The four outstanding locations who helped raise the most awareness and funding for the credit union's 2009 Campaign are Contact Center/Sales and Service/Members' Financial Services (combined departments), Goose Creek, Oakbrook, and Summerville branches.

Although I do not have a personal story that relates to the experiences of the kids mentioned in this blog, my niece, Jennifer, is currently in residency with an emphasis in pediatrics, and a dear friend, Landon, will become a doctor very soon.

Let's take time today and salute those unsung heroes who are dedicated to helping others. After all, that seems very fitting considering that the credit union motto is ... people helping people, help themselves. Use the comment section to specifically mention your hero by name and express how much he/she means to you. It's Thursday ... and time to talk back with Troy.

Princess Baby and Boo Bear

Parents are encouraged to read to their children at least 20 minutes per day. My girls have come to expect their daily evening and bedtime stories.

Just this weekend my 3-year-old grabbed her Princess Baby book at bedtime and methodically dragged her little finger across the page from left to right as she read the words out loud while my 1-year-old listens to the words, looks at the pictures and acts out all the parts! It is amazing what their brains soak up the first few years of life!

We recently invested in Dr Titzer’s Your Baby Can Read early language development system and are happy with the results thus far. It is truly a system which takes several months to complete in its entirety so we have included this in their daily schedule.

What’s your child's/children's favorite book?

Last minute travel deals before school starts

The last few weeks I’ve shared some of my family’s money savings techniques (dining out and clipping coupons). With the start of school just around the corner, you may be looking for deals on a last minute end-of-the-summer vacation. Here are some of my favorite places to search online for the best deals.

Hotwire and Priceline – A co-worker likes to do short weekend trips. This summer alone, he’s been to Jacksonville, Charlotte, Hilton Head, Austin, TX (wow…that was a long weekend) and New Orleans. He says he can do so many trips because he NEVER pays retail for hotels. In Jacksonville, he stayed at a four-star resort that has membership privileges at a local private beach club. Great family stay -- and he only spent $75 per night!

Better Bidding - Now, Hotwire and Priceline don’t tell you the exact hotel until you’ve gone through their bidding process and paid for your nights. Sites like Better Bidding reveal name and location information ahead of time. The site also offers bidding strategies to help you get the best price possible.

TravelZoo – If there is one email I look forward to every week, it is the Travelzoo Top 20 Deals. You can find deals for typical tourist spots in addition to some off-the-beaten-path destinations that shouldn’t be missed.  For example, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel for only $100 a night, 50% off their regular rate.

TripAdvisor – Want to know about the best hotels in a particular city or if that Hotwire deal you got is really worth it? Then, you absolutely need to visit TripAdvisor. Type in your destination and you get personal reviews of hotels, things to see and places to eat. This is definitely the travel site with the most user reviews and feedback.

Which sites have led you to some great experiences? We hope you’ll share!

Can I Borrow That?

Many of us get tired of wearing the same clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc day after day... I know I do! Sometimes I just want to wear a different pair of shoes or different jewelry for a day or two and then I am fine with going back to wearing my usual shoes and accessories. The thing is, when I get the itch to wear something new and go buy it, I can't just use it for a day or two and then return the item!

So my mom and I have a shoe and jewelry swap out method. We borrow each other's shoes and jewelry. That way, we never get bored wearing the same things and we save money by not having to buy a new item every time we want to liven up our wardrobe.

Do you borrow or swap things out with friends or family or is that not your style?

Chao for now,
Leslita

Tax Free Weekend

I {Heart} Tax Free Weekend

It’s nearly time for the delightful days of deal-getting. South Carolina’s tax free weekend (TFW) begins Friday, Aug. 7, 2009, at 12:01 a.m., and ends Sunday, August 9, 2009, at midnight. During this magical timeframe, loads of merchandise is exempt from the state’s six percent sales and use tax, as well as any local county sales tax that typically applies. So, get set, back-to-school shoppers! Here's our state’s list of eligible tax-exempt (and non-exempt) items.

I’ve been a fan of TFW since the strategically timed-purchase of my wedding dress over two years ago, when I felt so clever saving on the priciest garment I’ll only wear once. This brings me to a helpful hint for stretching your dollar over TFW. Consider springing for the bigger ticket-items on your list of needs and wants, such as computers, winter coats and comforter sets. Even if you don’t need them in the short term, you’ll save more on higher dollar items if you buy them now.

Here are some solid tips for getting the most bang for your buck during TFW, and this site is perfect for those who have questions about the nitty-gritty elements. Here I learned that TFW applies to online purchases, as well. (It’s true! Items on the list for tax exemption in physical stores also are eligible for the break online.)

For more info on tax free weekend, visit the website for South Carolina’s Department of Revenue.

So, what’s the biggest “steal” you’ve ever nabbed during TFW?  What are you planning this year?

Are you a 'sudden' saver?

If the catch phrase '2007 spend a lot; 2008 save a lot more' rings true, then you'll fit right in.

Let's face it ... for over 30 years consumers have been bombarded with a different kind of 'stimulus' than what we're reading about today. Then, the idea was 'buy now, pay later'. Near the end of 2007, the need to control spending habits because of rising unemployment brought consumers into a new reality ... spend less, save more.

What happened was an 'OMGosh moment' for most of us. It was time to stop spending and start saving. Some of us did a 360 about face and became know as 'sudden savers'.

In fact, according to the June 2009 issue of Credit Union Times, there was a growing trend in 2008 toward healthy, savings behavior, but the author asks, "Will it last?"Joyce Moed reports, "The economy is helping to drive greater interest in savings, but when the economy turns around, I believe:

• 30% will continue saving once the economy turns around. (That's a saver.)
• 36% will go back to "conspicuous consumption." (That's a spender.)
• 34% will need to plan now to keep the thrift going. (That's a saver-wanna-be.)

How did you react to saving money in 2008? Did you become a sudden saver? What's your strategy? It's Thursday and time to talk back with Troy.

Shopping is Just Not What it Use to Be!

Relatives of mine came into town recently to visit and we thought it would be fun to go shopping at the outlet mall. We both have toddlers so we found ourselves being drawn to the wing almost exclusively for children…Carters…Oshkosh…Gymboree…etc.

3 hours, 3 whiney toddlers and 2 exhausted moms later we realized we only shopped in children's stores! We laughed and reflected on how only 3 years ago our favorite shopping spots were Express, The Limited, Learners, etc. LOL!

I guess most of us are currently in shopping mode in preparation for the school year. One tip I would like to share is it may be advantageous to give selected retailers such as Oshkosh and Carters your e-mail address to receive coupons. Up to one year ago my canned answer to, "may I have your e-mail address to send coupons" was a polite, "no thank you"...but let me tell you, I have received some great coupons where I saved 20%-30% off of my entire purchase including clearance items! Check out Kevin's blog, Couponing Goes High Tech for some additional great resources to save!

Couponing Goes High Tech

Based on your comments and emails regarding last week’s blog post, “Clipping Coupons,” it seems that many coupon clippers have gone high tech. Krystle mentioned a site called southernsavers.com. Theresa McD noted that she gets store coupons via the store internet sites.

Our blog readers are apparently part of a wide trend. In Charleston’s Post & Courier, Jill Cataldo, the self-proclaimed Coupon Queen, writes a syndicated column and hosts the web site Super-Couponing.com with the tag line, “Changing the way you shop…forever.” According to a press release from Couponmom.com, “the amount of savings realized by members of CouponMom.com has exploded as an astounding $5 million dollars worth of coupons were printed from the site in May.” She goes on to say that site membership has seen a ten-fold increase in the last year.

Last week the MarketWatch site ran an extensive article highlighting the popularity of clipping coupons and the surge in online couponing with sites like CouponWinner.com.

After my post last week, my wife said that she NEVER buys something online without using some type of coupon she finds online. (I stand corrected!) She said she always Googles the store name, followed by the word “coupon,” before she checks out, and enters the coupon code in her purchase. Instant savings.

I guess there is much more to this coupon-phenom than just paper and scissors. Next week we tackle airline discounts using internet sites. So buckle up! In the meantime, if you have a favorite coupon site, please share it.

The "cash only system" is now in full effect

So this is what it's like to abstain from plastic altogether: cluttered, confusing and wow - you should see the stink eye I get in check out lines while counting out my bills...

I know it's a prudent course of action only to spend what cash one has in hand. My husband and I plan in the future to take on more responsibilities, pay off the house and invest wisely in the pursuit of earlier retirement. He seems to believe that cash envelopes for pet-related purchases, dinners out, entertainment, gifts for others, etc., will allow us truly to harness the power of our income and achieve our goals sooner. To me, it feels a little relentless; plus, I have a nasty habit of throwing cash away by mistake (long story). One or two envelopes I can handle but he's talking about seven for our household. And thus far, they all live in my purse.

Is it just me or is an "all cash system" a little too hands on? What if he's the one closer to the place we buy dog food on a given evening and (gasp!) finds himself without The Envelope? Does Reilly go hungry on principle? Is total plastic-less-ness achievable in the modern world -- or just extreme?