My Week in Review

I have to say, this has been a very enlightening and creative week for me. I have discovered a new source for learning, Google+. What a world this has opened up for me. I have discovered so many like minded people here that offer ideas, support, new perspectives and even criticisms,....yes we all need it whether we dare to admit it or not! As I proceed with this new found virtual support system, I look forward to generating new friendships and connections that can only broaden my perspectives and heighten my senses artistically making me a more well rounded artist.
Also, I've been turning out paintings daily. This is new for me...I went from "having no time" to making myself make time to do the thing that truly makes me happy. I once thought that each piece had to be carefully planned, sketched in advance then executed. Such, is not the case. I've found that I merely have to put the brush to the palette and just go for it. I've created some of the best pieces, in my opinion, that I've ever done. My older work WAS carefully planned, it was good too but I'm finding that this method is instantaneously gratifying and is sparking some creativity that wouldn't be possible had I not done it this way. I'm still going to do "planned" work because I enjoy it as well, just gratifying in a different way. I think I'll use the analogy of a carpenter building a birdhouse or a bungalow. They would be satisfied with both completed projects, just....differently.

Low Income Response

     Browsing the current headlines today I got inherently tired of the droll of chaos, financial destruction, and yet another celeb with an outlandish (and sometimes just cruel) baby name and turned to "life" stories. Like "How to Save Money", "How to Eat Healthy", "How to Pick the Perfect Pet", "10 Things You Should Know.." well, you get the idea. Stuff you'd find in parenting mags and whatnot. At first, sifting through the titles was....interesting until, I realized something that I ultimately already knew. These articles, particularly the first title, aren't geared to the "every-man/woman". They are, without question, geared towards the middle to upper class citizens of the world.   Which is fine, but where's the articles for the people just getting by with a push? How do THEY save money they don't already have? I mean, they could cut back on dining out, brown-bag lunches, grow a garden, shop at thrift stores and budget their money, like many articles suggest, but in most cases they don't really GO out to eat and generally already DO these things, if they didn't they'd definitely be out on the streets...hungry, I should know, we have just recently found ourselves in a position where occasionally it's considered OK to treat ourselves, extremely occasionally. We have definitely spent our share of time living paycheck-to-paycheck wondering every day how we were doing it when the "pay-outs" were excessively greater than the "pay-ins". This in mind, I ventured on a bit of a treasure hunt, if you will, to find those "diamonds in the rough" that have some valid information and ideas for those out there who struggle every day and wince when they go to the mailbox, and junkmail brings on a welcome *sigh* of relief.

Photo courtesy of www.freephotosbank.com

Noteworthy Sites
     Here I've compiled a list of sites that have some viable information worth looking at. There are many sites with cost saving tips for low-income earners but most of them have the same regurgitated information that are although relevant but, as I stated above, we already do. So, though it's a short list, I've sifted through them best I can to save you the trouble and tried to include a detailed review where possible.


Living the Low-Income Life (and doing it well)
     Hands down the most informative blog I've ever seen. Shannon, the author provides so many ideas, tips and useful information in her blog it's near impossible to sum them up. From business ideas, to energy saving tips, to frugality she's got it all. Why is it relevant information? Because she's one of us. She's had to live this way out of necessity and has chosen to share her ideas, which sometimes translate into life experiences, to help ANYONE living this way, be it out of need or want. Definitely worth an in-depth look.

Tax Credit Calculator
     Not an information on money saving tips but a calculator for Ontario Citizens to determine different tax credits they could be eligible for, some I didn't know existed.