A custom for my family was to cookout on major summer holidays.
Chicken, Ribs, Polish Sausage, Pork Steak, Hamburgers made from fresh ground beef, hot dogs, buns for the hamburgers and hot dogs, salads, beverages, desserts, don’t get me wrong, we loved it!
Food, people, family, is a way we celebrate. Enjoy life!
Bridget Denise Webb
Since I am single with no birth children my family consists of my immediate family.
You could expect a good cookout or a church picnic during the summer. As I sat in the backyard of my now Dad’s house, it was my parent’s house, my mother is now deceased, I saw no one barbecuing in the neighborhood. It seemed like I could faintly smell meat grilling, but for the most part it was quiet of a backyard barbecue in that part of the neighborhood.
How may people saved money yesterday by not throwing a cookout or how many did not have a cookout because they could not afford it? They did not have the money to do it.
During the times that my family had cookouts, my father, who was the main provider in our home, provided the funds to buy the food and things needed to cookout. Since that time, the family cookouts at that level of it being 100% provided by him has ceased. The last cookout that I can remember, was done by us the children and contributions in bringing something or giving something were made, which is a great alternative to the one person providing everything.
If you think about it, yesterday is just like any other day, except it is a nationally recognized holiday. You could cook a normal dinner and be fine! And still celebrate!
So does the country decide when you are to celebrate by spending money to do things that you can or probably can’t afford to do?
Bridget Denise Webb
The truth is, we could celebrate Independence Day everyday.
We learn from our environment, parents, grandparents, etc., whoever raised us or was around us to raise us, our communities. We subconsciously take on what we saw; what they did.
Example: If your parents cooked greens and hammocks, more than likely you cook them and eat them unless you have made definite choices and have changed what you cook and eat.
Bridget Denise Webb
You can decide to change you financial life, your financial blueprint. You don’t have to continue in a cycle of broke, poverty, debt, borrowing, not having enough, bad decisions, bad financial decisions.
It takes a thought, a choice! From that moment, pursuit!
Bridget Denise Webb
Which is where I am! I am actively pursuing the financial blueprint that God and myself wants me to have! You can too!
There was no family cookout! Not to say, if I could afford one, I may or may not have had one! I enjoy family, friends, food, and hospitality, and celebrating! But the key thing is, at this point, I would not be going broke to do so or putting myself in a bad place financially.
But I did celebrate and did not have to pay a dime for it! Earlier that day, I called my 4th of July dinner to me! And it came! If you would like to know more about what I am talking about, follow my Facebook Fan Page, Fabulous Finances.
Do You Exchange Goods Or Services For Other Goods Or Services Without Using Money?
While doing some personal financial research, I came across an online article on the website DUE titled 101 UNIQUE WAYS TO SAVE MONEY. One of the ways mentioned to save money in this online article is to barter.
Bartering is the exchange (goods or services) for other goods or services without using money.
Google
What Can You Barter?
It can be anything, legal of course.
If you wanted to barter your paid off house or car for something of less, equal, or more value and the person who is the owner of the items you would like to receive agreed to it, you could.
The most recent news of bartering, that I came across was between a well known music artist, who instead of money for payment, requested payment in stock and with a company and with another company the well known music artist took half of a monetary payment in exchange for the rights to a media work. This is a classic example of bartering. No physical money was exchanged, but items and the value of what was exchanged was payment.
We Are Use To Using Money
We are accustomed to handling money and expecting money in exchange. We tend to think of exchange or payment as exchange or payment in monetary terms. We don’t think about other ways to achieve what we would like. Think about going to a hairstylist and instead of monetary payment you exchange something worth value to you both. This is also a great way to save money, if you are trying to pay off debt or working on a goal.
Fabulous Finances 