I had the honor of participating in a live call with Suze Orman yesterday.  I use the word ‘participate’ loosely of course – I didn’t ask any questions, but I did listen. (On my BlackBerry on the road to my Tweet Up!)

Suze has partnered with Avon in an awesome way and the call was an opportunity to ask Suze questions about business and finances.  It was super informative and though provoking.

If you’re looking for a business opportunity, and want to learn more about Avon, click here.

Time Sensitive Free Offer:

You can get a free Will & Trust Kit from Suze if you act fast!

Just go to SuzeOrman.com and click the “Will & Trust Kit” link in the blue bar on the left-hand side of the home page. Click the orange “Gift Code” button and enter “Moms Rule” into the gift code field. Click the green “Submit” button and follow the instructions to redeem your free copy of the Will & Trust Kit. This gift code will be valid until Midnight EST on Saturday, April 25th.

If you use the tips that my fellow mom interns have been sharing on this site over the past several weeks, you can definitely reduce your costs at the grocery store.  I saved $30 shopping for groceries today!   I’m not a coupon person, per se,  but did take the time to browse through this week’s coupons and grocery store flyer to see what was on sale.  (Well, I made my husband do it, because he likes coupons more than I do.)  We planned our menu around what was on sale.

Then I took Penny Pinching Diva’s advice given in last week’s Buzz a Mom edition, and stocked up on sale items.   We now have a well stocked pantry and our coupons gave us $30 worth of savings!   And we racked up $1.00 off per gallon of gas at our next fill up too.

Thanks to all the interns who have posted such great tips on cutting costs over the past few weeks.  Ahem.  They really do work.

With so much focus on the recession, we might not realize that this is also an opportune time to buy.  Keep in mind prices on many items have dropped drastically. 

This is the best time in nearly 20 years to buy a house or refinance a house.  It’s a great time to buy a TV, buy a car, get Lasik eye surgery, get braces for you or your kids, take a cruise, have a little plastic surgery or travel. 

According to this article, the price of Lasik has dropped 25%, orthodontic care is off by 40%, and wrinkle-reducing procedures are down too.  If you’ve always wanted to take a cruise or go on an African Safari, now’s the time.    

It’s also a great time to find lower interest credit cards or negogiate lower rates with anxious credit card companies eager to keep your business.  If you need repairs made on a house, contractor rates have dropped too. 

And keep an eye on energy policies as the country moves toward green energy and green technology.  It might make sense to buy even one share of stock in green.  If you’re brave enough to buy stock, know that prices are low, low, low.  

Are all businesses being hurt by the recession?  Guess again, because one very well known business is thriving.  Watch your expenses, but know that bargains are out there.

A gentle reminder to love thy neighbor in these recessionary times. Now, more than ever, we need to pay attention to our community and reach out to those who are struggling.

Tired of boring manila file folders? Try this pretty way to cheer up your workspace. Your bills may even thank you!

Has your family completely stopped dining out? Here are some great ways to save money and still eat out once in awhile.

Thinking about how you can reduce expenses? Find out about how you can find 100 different ways to save $100 this year.

Is it possible to feed your family for $2 per person per day? Thrifty Florida Mama has embarked on a three week challenge to feed her family of six for $12 a day.

Looking for frugal, original party favor ideas? Homemade children’s books are a fun idea! You may even want to make some for yourself!

No matter what is going on around us, let’s focus on God and others. Let’s remember to be thankful and look for opportunities to give.

For those of you who are selling a home now or will be in the next few months, my heart goes out to you. It is a terrible time to be a seller.

Buyers have a glut of homes to choose from, including an abundance of low-priced foreclosures. But if you must do it, know that this is a ridiculously upside down, competitive market.

Buyers are extremely picky. Your house must be better priced than anything near it and be updated as well. Buyers may look at your house for all of two minutes, while you have spent hours cleaning it for the appointment time. When you ask the realtor about it, she will tell you that the buyers have “20 other homes to see today.” Yikes! [Read more...]