So, it's that sometimes fateful, often fruitful time of year again, ey? Time for those tax checks to start rolling in (or rolling out?)! Hopefully, you are receiving money back from Uncle Sam this year, so let's talk about some of the ways we can use this money to better our future.

What we should do with the money really depends on the current state of our financial house. The better you've managed your money in the past...the more fun you get to have with that cash-ola now. If we've been spenders and not savers, we'll have to use this wad to do some catching up.

Let's take a look at some savvy ideas for different financial scenarios, shall we?

• Got No Fund! If you are one of the many who have not yet established an emergency fund, this is your opportunity to do so. Stash some of your tax return away in a money market or hard- to-get-to savings account. This small safety net can help you to remain out of debt later as expected unexpected things occur. Start with at least $1000.00, and seriously consider setting up automatic payments to this account each month. Of course, we know that saving our cash is the right thing to do...but we don't always do it! By setting up auto-draft into your savings you always pay yourself first!



• Daunting Debtee! If you are currently in any type of debt whether it be credit card, car or other vehicle loans, personal loans or doctor bills...it just wouldn't be prudent not to pay some of these things off now. Any interest accumulating loan should certainly be the priority, and even if the sum you get back is not enough to pay the whole thing off...it can certainly make a substantial dent.



• Goals, Goals, Goals! Planning on vacationing this summer, or building an addition on that humble abode of yours? By setting this extra money aside now and adding to it along the way...you can enable yourself to have and do these types of things without the need to finance a dime. Dream big...and plan ahead so your big dreams don't send you into Chapter 11!

• Giving Time! Are you one of these folks who say, "I'd love to give money to that cause...I just don't ever have enough to give." Well, you have it now...so why not give some away? There are many in this world who are much less fortunate than we are. Don't be a stagnate pond, keeping everything for yourself...show your gratitude and let the river of blessings flow through to others. ( Please make checks payable to Carey Keavy...P.O. Box...hee hee.)

If you're anything like me (which you should hope you're not!) you are always looking for fun stuff to do with the kids that won't cost a fortune. Life gets mundane, and jazzing it up a bit with something out of the ordinary can certainly do us all some good. Here are some of the ideas we've used in the Keavy home that have brought smiles and laughter to our clan without breaking the bank:

• Bubble Wrap Hop When you get a package in the mail with that really COOL bubble wrap enclosed...don't throw it out! Save it up for awhile until you have enough to fill the entire kitchen floor. Take an hour off of life and go on the "bubble wrap hop" with the youngin's...hop...pop...snap to your hearts content. Guaranteed to bring instant joy!



• Winter Picnic Am I the only one who gets those winter blahs and blues? In Minnesota...we still have snow to look forward to for a few more weeks. When conditions aren't right for sledding or snowman building...why not embark on an adventurous winter picnic? I never imagined this could possibly be fun until we tried it one day (per the nagging of a friend!). We wore our snowsuits, packed a thermos full of ramen noodles and made a day of it. Find a place under a bridge, or in a park reserve where you can set out on winter exploration!



• Dark Hide-and-Go-Seek Remember that good ol' hiding game we used to play when we were kids? This is just that...but with a little spin. Wait until the sun goes down, turn off all the lights and use the entire realm of your home as the backdrop for a mysterious game of family hide and seek. Our family really enjoys this one.



• Belly Button Puppets O.K., I know this one is fairly unconventional...but it's also the one with the most requests from my kids! We have enjoyed turning our belly buttons into fanciful belly puppets. Simply use face paint, or washable marker to draw a face around your belly buttons...the hole is the mouth, and the eyes will be placed on one side of the belly (you'll be lying sideways for the performance). Lie sideways on the floor, and cover your head and legs with blankets so only your stomach is showing. Then (this is the gross part!) use your hands to move your belly jelly for the talking effect of the puppet. Have the whole family make their own puppets...and act out a Shakespeare play (A Mid-Stretchmark Nights Abs?)! Hilarious and fun!

I absolutely live for the joy of the neverending recipes! O.K., that may be a slight exaggeration...but I do become excited when I can take the time to make only one main course, and magically turn it into three or four other meals. It saves lots of money, along with tons of time.

The real key to this type of recipe is utilizing your freezer to store your new meals until the memories of the original recipe have left the chambers of your family's brains. Create each new entree, spoon it into a gallon sized freezer bag, flatten to remove excess air and freeze!

We will continue to discuss neverending recipes in the months to come, but this is probably my favorite, as I can make a quantity of meals from the one original recipe for delicious chili. Enjoy!

Texas Chili Recipe

3 pounds ground turkey (cheaper than beef!)

2 green bell peppers, chopped

1 large onion, chopped (or use 1/2 cup dried chopped onion)

1 restaurant sized can tomato sauce (warehouse store)

1 restaurant sized can diced tomatoes, drained (warehouse store)

2 bags dried pinto beans

3 tbsp chili powder

5 tsp salt

2 tsp garlic salt

5 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

tabasco sauce to taste

1/8 cup vegetable oil

Use quick soak method for pinto beans (boil and let sit for one hour on stove.) In large stew pot, on medium heat add oil, and ground turkey with green peppers and onion. Cook and stir occasionally until browned. Add beans and all other ingredients and turn heat to low. Simmer for three hours on stove. Serve with salad and corn bread.

Chili Dogs

In a gallon sized freezer bag, freeze enough chili to make chili dogs for your family. Usually about 4-5 cups should do the trick. To make it easier on yourself on meal day, you can also place the following in individual quart sized bags and tape to chili bag: shredded cheese, chopped onions, buns and hot dogs. To serve, thaw bags in refrigerator overnight, and pour chili into sauce pan, heat through. Great with homemade french fries or chips.

Chili Mac

Cook macaroni, rigatoni, or other noodles in water, and mix with 3-4 cups of chili. Freeze in gallon sized freezer bag or foil pan and cover with tin foil. To serve, thaw and place in baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. (If frozen, bake for 1 hour.) Serve with bread and salad.

Tamale Pie

You will need one box of corn bread mix, and either one bag of frozen corn or 2 cans canned corn for this recipe. Optional: fresh cilantro.

Mix 4-5 cups chili with corn, and chopped cilantro and place in the bottom of a foil pan. Mix corn bread mixture according to package directions, and pour over the top of the chili. Cover with tin foil and freeze. When ready to serve, uncover and bake frozen at 350 degrees for about one hour or until corn bread is browned. Can also freeze mixture in gallon sized freezer bag, and top with corn bread when ready to cook.