Posts Tagged ‘money’
Oak Lawn Deals: The Ultimate Site for Local Deals and Bargains in Oak Lawn
My Thoughts, Ideas, and Ramblings is happy to announce that they will be launching two new deal websites called Oak Lawn Deals and Lisa’s Mom Deals. One of the main objectives is to feature and showcase great local businesses and services in Oak Lawn. Through this exciting new community-based site, users will have the opportunity to discover new services and products at several local businesses or score a deal at one of their favorite retailers. Since I realize that all of my readers are not local, that is why I also created the national deals site (Lisa’s Mom Deals).
To sign up now to get the first deal when it goes out, simply enter your email address here (and nationally, here). Whether you are looking to save money or want to check out a product or service at a local businesses in Oak Lawn, Oak Lawn Deals is the perfect community-based deal site for you!
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10 Free (Or Inexpensive) Places To Go This Summer
Summer can be super expensive. However, it doesn’t have. Here is a small list of places you can go this summer and not spend a lot of money!
1. Your Backyard! Your backyard is fun of fun. You can camp back there, create a garden, explore, etc. Best of all, most things you can do in your backyard are free!
2. Go camping. Now, this will cost you a little money. However, it is great to get away sometimes. We recently booked a camping trip for July that is running us $30 a night. It is fairly inexpensive to camp, and I know, my kids love it. (We personally camp in a tent. However, I draw the line and do bring a blow mattress to sleep on. We could get our site even cheaper if we didn’t pay for the electric, so I could blow up my bed.)
3. Library. The library is great. It is free to check out books, games, activities, movies, etc. The other great thing about the library (well, at least my library) is that they offer free (or low cost) classes! My library also has scheduled activities going on each month too! The key is to return your book on time, so you don’t get any fines!
4. Your Local Park District. I know not every state has these. However, you have something that offers classes. Our local park district offers nature classes all summer for very cheap. It definitely something to check out.
5. Your Local Craft Store. I know my local craft stores are constantly offering classes to teach you awesome crafts, cake decorating, etc.
6. Your Local Hardware Store. I know the closest hardware store to me has adult classes all the time that will show you how to do things around your home. They also offer kids workshops too that are free!
7. The Mall. My local mall has a play area that is free to play in. It is also a great place to walk in. Now, you have to manage to not go shopping while you are there to keep it inexpensive. 
8. Forest Preserves. Here in Illinois, we have forest preserves though I know other states have places like these and they are just called something different. They are free to enter and you are able to hike in them. They are a great way to get the kids outdoors and a great place to have a picnic too.
9. Local park. Your local park is also free and most kids can spend hours in them!
10. Head to a lake, river, pond, etc. You can usually swim, skip rocks, fish, etc at your local watering hole for no cost.
Hopefully, you have a few free and inexpensive ideas to keep you and your kids busy this summer!
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Dear Scott Walker, Learn To Balance Your Budget From Cook County, Illinois
Yes, you heard me. Instead of busting the unions, there is a way to balance your budget without alienating the very people who work for you. When Toni Preckwinkle took office, she had a $487 million dollar deficit. Yep, I think that’s more than Wisconsin’s as a state. We also have the highest sales tax in the country. Not county — in the entire United States. However, this is how Toni Preckwinkle is fixing this without ruining Cook County Illinois and without making the unions obsolete. This took place in a 19 hour meeting where they worked with the unions — not against them.
1. Thousands of county workers (about 23,000) will take 10 unpaid days off this year. As a result, 550 fewer layoffs. (About 750 layoffs are still expected). 5 of those will be unpaid selected by the workers themselves. The others would be on county “shutdown days”.
2. The commissioners will ALSO take 10 unpaid days off. This is called sharing the pain. This amounts to a 3.8% pay cut.
3. Preckwinkle herself is taking a 10% pay cut.
4. Spending cuts.
5. Department consolidations.
6. Collection of unpaid taxes.
7. Some fee increases.
8. The tapping of some surplus funds.
I keep hearing from people that busting the unions is the only way to balance the budget. Well, Toni Preckwinkle has shown you differently. This is how you get it done! (And let me add that she also dropped the sales tax a quarter of a percent so that’s even less money coming into Cook County). Oh yeah, she’s only been in office a little over 100 days!
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