Quick! Go to Scribd.com and sign up to get your free downloadable copy of “Plan Z: How to Survive the Financial Crisis and Even Live a Little Better” by Robert Pagliarini. He’s giving it away *FREE* until the end of the month.

I downloaded it last week and quickly finished it. Some of his recommendations seem a little unorthodox to me. But other exercises he suggests, particularly about how to analyze expenses and after-work activities, provide a useful framework.

And if anything, I finished reading “Plan Z” even more convinced that discernment and rational thinking are critical in these tricky financial times.

Enjoy!

I’ve been trying to find the top of my desk on cloudy days. My office is still a complete disaster. But guess what I found? No kidding. It’s an article of reader tips from the July/August 2007 issue of Family Fun magazine about how to encourage picky eaters. (if you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, now you know!)

The tip I liked the best is from Barb Cluff from Washington. Here’s how she encourages her picky eaters:

We created food “passports”: small booklets with our daughter’s photos and blank pages. The kids earned “stamps” (actually stickers) for their passports by trying new foods. For every 3 stickers they collected, they would get a small prize (such as a new pack of crayons), and after the earned 15, we would take a trip to the dollar store. It wasn’t long before they were begging for items to try so they could build up their passports.

What a clever idea! We have a buffet restaurant here called, Sweet Tomatoes, and whenever we go, everyone has to try something new. But I never considered doing it at home. But why not enjoy a little adventure?

Just one more reason to stock up on crayons and other school supplies.