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Joshin

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Everything posted by Joshin

  1. We're pretty hardcore frugal and only live on 50% of our income already. We cancelled cable some time ago. We use Netflix streaming and online services like project free TV (coupled with an HDMI cable to stream it to the TV set) instead. I call the internet company every time they raise their rates or I notice they are advertising lower rates for new customers, so I'll probably need to do that again in the next couple of months. I've found if you call them, they will lower you to the current lowest advertised rate with no problems. Our grocery bill is already at $250 a month. We eat paleo most of the time, so I don't see getting it too much lower. I may expand the garden, which will give us more (free) organic produce, but we already buy very few produce items since we grow so much. Our health insurance is going way down due to ACA, which is a nice perk. It was our largest expense besides the mortgage since we are self-employed. We just finished our six month tracking with the snapshot program through our insurance company, so our car insurance is dropping 30% this year. When our cell phone contract is up in March we're switching to Ting. Much less expensive to run our smart phones on their service. DS got a cell phone through them, and even with is insane texting habit he hasn't had a bill over $12 (helps he has to pay for his phone bill himself, I'm sure!). He only hooks up to the internet on free wifi so he can keep it low, which is simple since out city is riddled with hotspots. Our main expense this year is a new roof. We're doing the tear down ourselves (I used to have a summer job doing roof tear downs for a friend's roofing company when I was in college), which will save us a bit of cash. We're getting a metal roof, which is more expensive, but it's the last roof we should ever need, it's more energy efficient and it'll be easier to catch rainwater off it for the gardens.
  2. It's having enough saved and invested to live off the interest without ever needing to touch the principal. A combination of lowering living expenses and raising savings rate makes this possible. We strive to live at only half of the expected returns rate on our investments, which makes it possible to live comfortably even during times of economic upheaval.
  3. We will have the house paid off and enough in savings to retire in 7 years, when I'm 44 and DH is 40. We're self-employed in creative fields, so we probably will choose to continue working in some capacity. We'll likely stay here in Eastern WA until the kids move out and my parents no longer need us nearby. We're not sure where we'll end up then. We've talked about moving to the coast, where the weather, vibe and politics more matches our style, but who knows. We're reaching early retirement via the frugal method, not the making huge amounts of money method, mainly so we have the freedom to follow the wind where it may while we're young enough to still enjoy the adventure.
  4. Check to see if your area has a local astronomy club. My son's club does monthly public outreach events -- including star parties, and offers monthly kids' astronomy classes (for free), has monthly lectures (including one from an astronaut). Our club costs $25 to join, although all activities are free to nonmembers. Joining gives my son access to the club's telescope library and book library. We have a huge scope in our living room that's there for the foreseeable future because it's only for kids to check out, and he's the only kid member! If you choose to buy a scope, avoid those at Walmart and other budget department store scopes. Most are utter junk. A decent Dobsonian, such as the Orion Starblast, cost less than $200, works great and is easy for kids and adults to use. I've found Orion's hold value well because of their construction and the company's reputation (awesome customer service!), if you want to resell it down the road. You don't need a telescope, though. A decent pair of binoculars and a star map in the backyard is amazing on its own. Here's a link to a ton of printable star maps: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/resources/internet/3305011.html The Astronomy League has some very good observing programs to help you get started with binoculars. The Sky Puppy program is aimed at kids under 12: http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/skypuppy/skypuppy2.htm The urban skies program features objects easily viewable from a backyard: http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/urban/urban.html
  5. Neither of my kids have ever had new clothing unless they purchased it or received it as a gift. Younger could care less. As long as the pants have pockets and the shirt is a t-shirt, he's happy. He occasionally gets new-to-us items from the thrift store. Older one gets clothes at thrift stores. He's a sharp dresser and fashion conscious. We made a deal with him that we would double his weekly pay for a few extra chores, but he would be in charge of buying his own clothing. He quickly agreed. Oddly enough, he still buys from the thrift store and pockets most of his raise. He is a more discerning shopper than me -- he actually checks labels and steers toward designer brands. Then he comes home and looks them up online to see how much they would have cost retail. He's obviously not ashamed, though, because he brags to all his friends about his great deals.
  6. Small city (pop. 200,000). We live in the city but in the residential, single-family home section of the city (so not a downtown area). Just sitting on my front porch for 15 minutes I'd probably see at least 10 people out summer, five or six in winter. In a 15 minute drive I'd see dozens of people out. Some for recreation, but most running errands or travelling from point A to point B. A lot of people walk or ride bikes to work around here, as well. About half the people I know use a bike as their primary means of transportation. It's the environmental AND financially savvy thing to do :)
  7. I don't see minimalism as a luxury at all. In fact, the ultimate luxury is living in a time and place where even those with less financial means can amass a crazy amount of stuff. A true minimalist isn't constantly buying and purging the same items. In fact, many minimalist rarely buy anything so we don't need the luxury of a constant supply of new stuff being manufactured and made available. Judging from the average wedding registry, most people have in their homes a set of 8 "everyday" place settings and 12 "fancy" place settings. That's pricey to purchase and requires more space to store. I have a nice set of Corelle I picked up at a thrift store years ago. It has four place settings and works well for daily use. I picked up four more plates in the same pattern a couple of years ago from a different thrift store (not the bowls or salad plates, just the dinner plates) for when we have guests for dinner. My kids are getting older and have yet to break one (touch wood!), so at this rate it's highly unlikely I will ever need another set of dishes again. I don't need a huge full set of dishes when the neighbors are invited over for pizza and cards, so I don't purchase it. If we were to throw a bigger or fancier get-together, we'd borrow settings from family, neighbors or friends, not buy them. Another example. I craft a lot. I make a a dozen holiday cards each year to send to friends and family. The average person might buy a Cricut or other fancy item to make cards. Someone on the misguided minimalist path may buy a Cricut or other fancy device, use it to make their holiday cards, then forget about it until August, when they decide to purge it and sell it. Then, in December, they rush out to buy a replacement Cricut to make this year's cards. As a minimalist, I skip the fancy extra stuff, and make my cards the old fashioned way with scissors, a bone folder and an exacto knife -- small items that take up little room, rarely require replacement, and serve more than one purpose in crafting and everyday life. Now, if I did a lot of scrapbooking, a Cricut may be a good item even in a minimalist household, but I don't so it's not. I never buy one-use items (except toilet paper, lol!) or items I only need once every few years. These are borrowed or bartered for, or I find a creative solution using what I already have. I only purchase items I will use regularly, or at the very least annually for a decade or more. Although I purchase used, I only purchase quality items that will hopefully last a lifetime. In practice this means there is very little plastic in my home, and most designs are classic and simple so they don't go out of style. I often prefer older items if they have moving parts, because those are usually simple to repair and don't contain any demon plastic (which is difficult to impossible to repair).
  8. My son ran a holiday card business a couple of years ago when he was 10 or 11, and he did quite well. He made up fliers and handed them out around the neighborhood. His service was printing up and labelling your holiday card envelopes. Customers wrote out their cards and supplied their own stamps, then he printed up nice labels and stuffed them so they just had to drop them in the mail. Customers also had the choice to supply their own cards or purchase his handmade ones. He charged $5 per dozen, with an additional $8 if he made the cards. He also received a bit extra in tips. He only did it for one year before he burned out, except for two elderly neighbors who called him up the next year and specifically requested his services. He still does theirs, partly for the money and partly to be nice due to their age.
  9. We don't do them, we either thank in person or call if it's long distance. The kids may text or email their thanks to aunt, uncle or one of the more tech savvy grandparents. I only give gifts to people I know and care about, so I already know they care about me and appreciate my gesture so I could care less if they send a thank-you note. I'd much rather have a phone call over the paper clutter, anyway. It's a bit rude not to get even a phone call acknowledging receipt, but I wouldn't lose sleep over it. People are busy and they likely have other priorities, so I would assume it wasn't an intentional oversight. I also wouldn't feel awkward about asking if they received something, I'd just approach it casually then move on. Growing up, they were only expected for big life events -- graduations, weddings and baby showers. My mom hated thank you notes because she was forced to write so many of them -- even if she just received a birthday card (no gift) from a relative or friend. She thinks they're impersonal, and I kind of agree with her.
  10. I eat paleo, my family doesn't. Fortunately, I don't have a much of a sweet tooth. I replaced my carb cravings with almond flat bread. Smear some homemade pesto on that and it beats any carb! I use it for making pizza, as the base under huevos rancheros, to dip in soup. It's simple to make, as well. 7 tablespoons almond meal, 1/4 cup broth, 1 egg. Cook it in a skillet like a pancake. I also rarely make a carb-based meal, carbs are the side item. If they have tacos, I have lettuce wraps. If I'm making stirfry, they may have it over rice, I have it over stirfried bean sprouts.
  11. I'm naturally this way. My mom, while not a hoarder, holds onto stuff. Everything has sentimental value. While she's neat and clean, and she only amasses quality goods, there was always so much stuff when I was growing up. At nine, I made an inventory of every item in my room, then pared it down to just the things I enjoyed. In college, all my belongings fit into my little Toyota truck. I could move myself in one trip. I stayed that way until I was married. I was sort of a nomad, travelling and moving whenever the mood struck. DH is not a minimalist and he is the type that needs to set down roots. He saves everything. He has his office and area in the basement where he keeps all his stuff. The rest of our home is decorated in a minimalist Asian style. Very few extra things, beyond a few decorative items. Our family loosely follows the "Compact" (a buy nothing new/anti-consumerist movement), so we don't buy a lot of stuff anyway. If I outlive my husband, I'll probably build myself one of those tiny home on wheels and be quite content with almost no possessions. I'll park it in a quiet little commune full of interesting people and live out my days.
  12. Daily: 13 year old-- Straighten room Clear table/do dishes Clean up common areas Scoop/change litter boxes Feed/water cats and dog Take out compost bucket 8 year old-- Straighten room Clean up common areas Empty dishwasher Clean up dog bombs in the backyard Water/feed ducks and collect eggs Weekly Sunday chores: 13 year old-- Clean both bathrooms Vacuum upstairs and down Collect/take out trash Fold and put away laundry (we do laundry once weekly) 8 year old-- Dust upstairs and down Wipe down walls (fingerprints from around light switches, dirty baseboards, that sort of thing. Not deep cleaning wall scrubbing) Fold and put away laundry Monthly: 13 year old-- Dust blinds and ceiling fans 8 year old-- Wash windows inside (DH does the outside with his pole washer tool thingy) I'm a hardcore type-A, but I do not insist on made beds unless they are having friends over that will play in their rooms. It's my one messy habit. Otherwise, everything in our home is neat and tidy every day!
  13. We love Mr. Q. We're doing chemistry right now and it's a big hit. There is a student guide for the Snap Circuits you can purchase. There's also a teacher's guide, but that's just tests.
  14. I do with one child. Khan is excellent, but as you progress in math it becomes weak in the concepts, depending on drills and memorization of algorithms as opposed to understanding the concepts of why an operation works. Sal is slowly reworking the older videos to include more conceptual understanding, so in time this may no longer be an issue. How we do it: Set up a coaches account, then set up the student accounts under it. Use the grade level skills maps or the common core map to determine what to work on next. I assign the next thing to them, using the coaching tools. I use the deadline option when assigning so they work on things in a logical order. I also change the settings so they have to get 10 problems right to move on. When they sit down to work, I insist they watch the video first, then do the problems. If they are still missing problems after the video, I explain it with the concepts, or we watch a video from youtube or on Mathtv.com to further explain it. After the videos, do the problems until they pass the level. Mastery Tests are the only way to master an operation, so they can do those at any time after the normal math work is done. DS13 used Khan almost exclusively for a year and a half (through the 6th grade year on the Khan website). He opted to take algebra this year through our district's virtual academy, and thus far he has the highest grade in the class, so it didn't seem to hurt him. My youngest is using Khan-only at his request. He's advanced in math, and quickly gets bored with the pace of other programs. I'll likely move him into AOPS when he's ready for algebra in a year or two.
  15. I had a late reader, although not quite as old. We used the free Stairway to Reading diagnostic tests and program. My son had b, d issues, which we were assured was not dyslexia. As we worked through it, a few of the bad habits mentioned in the program became obvious (like instantly guessing easy to sound out words) and we were able to address and work through them once we recognized them. We had tried a few programs, but they tended to be too "baby-ish," which he found a turnoff. I'm a huge fan of this program after using it. http://www.teachyourchildtoread.ca/
  16. My two cents: If not problems, then solutions. Math is all about solutions (to real or imaginary problems, if you will). What math isn't all about are algorithms. It's also about concepts and abstract problem-solving.
  17. I'm not sure about threads, but we are using the elementary chem book right now and we like it a lot. i bought it last winter when he had a 50% off sale. I find the information is more in depth than a lot of other chemistry texts for the age level, which is what we wanted. It's also written in a fun enough way to make it enjoyable for the kids. We don't use all the worksheets, maybe one or two from each unit. I turned it into an open-and-go program by printing out the material list and assembling all the experiment materials for the year in a set of storage drawers. The boys can quickly and easily do all the experiments without hunting down materials and with only minimal help from me or DH. We read the material and do a worksheet one day. We do the review questions and the experiments the other two days, and we often seek out Youtube videos to get deeper into the subject. I especially like how he explains the experiments and how they tie into the lesson. Other chem curriculum I looked at seemed to randomly throw in experiments that were only loosely tied to the lesson, and provided minimal explanations. So far, all the experiments have worked, which is more than I can say about other things we have tried. My kids are showing good retention of the material and really enjoying it.
  18. This sounds like more than a 4-year-old tantrum. My youngest as like this. The oddest think would set him off, and my normally agreeable boy would turn into a screaming, biting, running monster. One day it clicked that the behavior didn't occur if we got food into him pronto at the first sign of an impending fit. A small protein snack (jerky, almonds, anything) turns him back into a cheerful kid. If we waited too long, he'd refuse to eat, so the tantrum just got worse. Afterwards, he'd be very remorseful and upset with himself for losing control. At 8, he's aware of it now. He started having a meltdown during math last week, which is normally his favorite subject. His teeth gritted, tears sprang to his eyes. Instead of a full on fit, he requested a piece of bacon. Within minutes, he was completely diffused and happily working again. He calls it a "diva" moment (from the Snickers commercials). He doesn't have any health issues, but he does have fast metabolism, is a big eater, is thin, and burns through food and energy in no time, so sometimes I think he just needs that extra protein to stay in control of his own emotions. This may not be the case with your child, but I thought I'd throw it out there just in case it helps.
  19. As soon as school/education/grade or what ever is relevant comes up. Usually pretty early in a conversation. The "what grade" question is not an easy one for my youngest son because he is technically in a much higher grade than his age. I feel it would be doing him a disservice to give his age-grade to avoid the question, because it negates the hard work he chooses to put in to perform above level. My kids are usually with me when this question comes up, so I just mention we homeschool and let the boys answer the grade question as they see fit. I also want to avoid the boys developing any feelings of shame over our educational choices, which I'm afraid dodging the question or lying by omission could foster.
  20. I glanced through one Apologia text and have to echo everyone's no. We use Mr. Q (he has an series for older kids now, too). The text is readable, aligned to one science (Bio, earth & space, chem and physics). Drawbacks -- it's PDF, but it's colorful and easy enough on a tablet or you can print and bind it. Teachers guide is also easy, with little to no lesson prep necessary. Included worksheets, lab sheets and exams. It's scheduled out for three days a week, but you can easily condense it to two or expand it to four with no prior planning. It doesn't have preassembled lab kits, but I simplified that as well so I wouldn't have to prep. Each level comes with a materials list. I printed the list and assembled all the materials in a file cabinet the summer before each year. The kids read over their lab, pull out the materials they need, and complete them with minimal help. All materials are everyday items, so cost and time in assembling them all was negligible.
  21. Our school district has a one day a week, pull out program for grades 3-6, and a full program for 6-8. The only way to get in is to have a teacher nominate your student for testing. For the full program, your student has to perform at the higher level in all core subjects.(Um yeah, most of us know how that goes...) Supposedly parents can petition for testing, but of the parents I know that did this and succeeded, it took two or three years to actually get testing. In fact, this method of selection was the main reason we homeschool. My older son is bright with a higher-than-average IQ, but not what most would consider gifted. He can perform well in all subjects with hard work, but he doesn't really need differentiation and works at the upper level of his grade level, which provides just enough challenge. My younger is gifted, but naturally asynchronous. He is light years ahead of his grade level in math, science, and motor skills, but behind his grade level in reading. As a third grader, he's moving into Algebra but he still has trouble reading fluently. He is not nearly as agreeable, and tends to blow off rules and social expectations if he thinks they are silly. Older son would be a perfect fit for our gifted program and teachers would love him, thus nominate him, even though he would quickly be in over his head. Younger couldn't perform well enough in all subject areas to qualify, if a teacher would even bother to nominate him, so he would be forced to "learn" division in a standard class even though he can do long division in his head already. Instead, we opted for an Alternative Learning Program aimed at homeschoolers. My kids can take any class they desire, at the grade level they are performing at. Thus son #2 can take 8th grade physics and 2nd grade reading. This in only one or two days a week, and we still homeschool most subjects, but they get enrichment at their level, at least. One benefit of sitting in a class with 13 year olds, son now is dedicated to improving his reading skills and finally began practicing daily.
  22. Keep in mind, most kids aren't learning the proper way to study even in a school setting. As homeschoolers, we have the advantage of teaching study skills instead of just demanding study. Plus, most homeschoolers strive for mastery, so any studying is just a review to refresh already mastered concepts. Spending hours studying for a test is silly, IMO. The knowledge is usually gone as soon as the test is over. Very little is retained, so there is no recall of facts later when the student needs the info again. I don't know if I was taught how to study or if it was an innate skill, but I was a straight-A student through college and I don't think I ever spent more than 30 minutes studying for any exam. For my 13 year old, we are spending this year on learning to take effective notes. How to separate the important info from the not so important from reading and lectures, and how to quickly write it down in a coherent fashion that's easy to read through and study. For example, when listening or reading, write down only new information, important terms, vocabulary and concepts. Order your notes as you write them, no long, unbroken paragraphs! Leave a space between each new concept/term/information byte. A wall of text is harder to study, especially in messy handwriting. There are tons of books and websites that teach good note taking skills. An added bonus, the process of taking the notes helps cement new concepts in the mind better than just reading or hearing them. By taking notes, half the studying is already done. We also use tools like Memrise.com. Two months ago he memorized the periodic table with this tool, and he can still recall most of the information. He can quickly refresh the memory with the site if he needs to in the future. Memrise is free and has study aids for just about every subject, but you can also make your own if one isn't available. It's just an easier way to quiz yourself on the information to test your mastery of a subject.
  23. I'll be honest, I only read the first paragraph then skipped to the questions. What's the big deal? Shouldn't kids be examining their beliefs about current events and government (both national and local, such as the school)? Or are they supposed to mimic their parents beliefs in two years when they are suddenly eligible to vote? I have no issue with any of the questions for 15-16 year olds. They're almost adults! Heck, I'd ask my 13 year old these questions. I don't even find them unsuitable for my 8 year old, although he doesn't yet have a frame of reference for developing his own thoughts on some of the topics. Seriously, people need to get over themselves. If I was offended by everything as "news outlets" like the Blaze seem to be, I would be living a pretty sorry existence.
  24. Eh, I'm not personally enamored with cursive. From 5th grade until I taught my eldest to write in cursive in third grade I didn't use it once except for my signature. That's 23 years that I didn't use it. I've taught both my kids cursive, mainly so they could develop their signature and read things written in cursive. I prefer print for writing because it's easier to read and just looks neater to me. It resembles typeface more and just looks cleaner. That's just my personal preference, I know some people really love cursive handwriting.
  25. I keep it really light. I have these neat clipboard folder things that the kids use as their "Summer work folders." That way they can take them outside, on the road, wherever. Each kid has a reading log to complete each month. I put in several math worksheets. These include concepts they need some review on as well as a few fun worksheets, like mystery graph art and such. I aim for about two worksheets a week. This year I'm throwing a DIY.org log in there with the goal to complete six challenges a month. Older DS has a couple of French readers to read from daily so he doesn't forget what he's learned, and a log to verify he is doing it. I don't micromanage their summer learning time. They know they must complete the entire folder by September first. When they are bored or getting obnoxious, I may steer them toward their folder, but it's not scheduled. It really depends on your goal for summer learning. For us, it's just to keep the brain sharp and to not lose ground in math or reading (for younger DS), so I am laid back about it. We don't allow screen time on weekdays, with the exception of short, specific searches online, so my kids usually end up having a pretty productive summer playing, reading, inventing and exploring anyway. Both kids also have various camps and activities during the summer, DH and I have our backyard homestead chores to stay on top of, plus we crave lots of lake and mountain time, so I avoid assigning too much or anything that needs an adult to provide constant input.
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