Hello everybody - this is my first posting

**cottageliving** · 11-08-2007, 08:42 PM

I found myself at your site last night, and signed up. So many of you are using the same ideas that I do to save on energy, food, and household costs, and it seems like a supportive group.

I would like to be involved in the forums, but am not sure what some of the codes are in some of your signatures, how to make the signature, how to list my cc, car, and mortgage balances (is it highest balance and current balance?) or how to get the 'smiles' into my writing.

Am also guessing what is meant by DH, DD, DS, etc.

Can someone offer guidance to me so I can comfortably get started?

Many thanks!!

**mander** · 11-08-2007, 09:29 PM

Welcome to the group!

DH-Dear Husband
DD- Dear Daughter
DS- Dear Son

Those are my understanding of them.

**nuisance26** · 11-08-2007, 09:43 PM

~Welcome to FV! Use the link USER CP in the upper left of your page. A new page will load with a menu down the left of the page. Click EDIT SIGNATURE to create your signature.~

**Darlene** · 11-08-2007, 10:06 PM

Welcome to the Village!

**latierra84** · 11-08-2007, 10:11 PM

Hi! Welcome to the group! when youre visiting around in the forums, and youre reading a thread, at the bottom theres a "quick reply" box where you can respond to the original post, if you click on the go advance button, theres various smiley's you can chose from and their codes.

= : turtle :

**kittykatstrong** · 11-09-2007, 02:05 AM

Hello and Welcome.

Katy

**PrairieRose** · 11-09-2007, 10:12 AM

Howdy and

to the village. Just jump in and do it any ol' way you want to. There's no set rule to how you post or what you list in your siggy.

**kaykwilts** · 11-09-2007, 11:00 AM

to the forum.

**Cricket1** · 11-09-2007, 11:01 AM

Welcome! One thing that confused me for the longest time was OAMC, which is Once A Month Cooking.

**cottageliving** · 11-09-2007, 11:20 AM

Thanks everybody for the warm welcome and assistance.

A little about me:

Late 40s, divorced forever, DD aged 27 and our

live with me. Have never been involved in conspicuous consumption or cared about keeping up with the Joneses, but am now challenging myself to be seriously frugal due to necessity. My career has been in mortgage/investment banking, and we all know how well that has been going lately. My work will end today or next Friday...

What I have put into practice that is working well for me.

Rarely use the clothes dryer - have a great drying rack that I purchased 10 years ago at IKEA - works wonders, and I've found that my clothes don't get so beat up (and my dryer is a nice one!)

replaced at least 10-15 lightbulbs in house to energy efficient ones when the old regular ones burned out. Thank God I purchased the new ones while I still had money.

replaced my OLD dishwasher with new energy star one at same time I had to replace my old water heater with new one (also energy star) - cost a good bit, but got good prices and I've seen the difference in the elec and gas bills. I learned that an energy star dishwasher uses less water and energy to heat the water than hand washing. I splurged and think I've made the right decision. Won't have the money to splurge again though.

have been preparing all meals at home -- no more eating out.

Have been making cool-aid in place of soda. (I use 1/2 the sugar and double the water, though)

Lots of little things that are adding up. getting ready to turn off cable tv...

actually, that was a LOT about me, but figured I'd get it all out there so you would know me at least a little bit. (I'm also testing my signature - thanks for the guidance).

am open to ideas.... thanks!