My Letter to Oprah

Oprah & Staff ~ I found yesterday's show (Thrifty Families) interesting, but not enough. In the economic times we are in you have to show REAL solutions. The lady in MD who was unplugging her appliances ~ yes! That's a great idea (misleading, though, because her energy payment DID NOT drop that far just from unplugging things... it dropped b/c of weather, usage, work/home habits. You need to compare last year same month to see what the real savings was). Using Coupons at the grocery store, sales, shopping tips ~ again YES! Great ideas! There are so many more though. The budgetting section was, I'm sure helpful, but not enough. You need to show your viewers you can relate ~ how many people have the luxury of having a $8000 a month budget?! You need to show them how you can create a budget in any financial situation. How you can "find" money for them by reducing their costs ("Finding money" is not just stopping them from buying stuff), teach them how to pay down credit cards one at a time, make a zero budget, save for themselves off the top, how you can contribute to your IRA without it costing you more (before tax deductions), finding cheaper insurance, combining services, paying your house off early, shopping at CVS & Walgreen's (TONS of DEALS there!), the list just goes on and on, Oprah. I am 31. I've been married for 11 years to my husband Mike, 33. We have 6 children from 10 years down to one. We have only $15,000 left on our mortgage, no credit card debt, no student loans (both have BA's), money in the bank, we bought our suburban for cash, all the kids have saving & college accounts that we contribute to monthly & Mike & I both have IRA's (mike has 2 ~ 1 through work). Our pantry is exploding ~ I stick to about $60-70 a week for groceries/tolietries/household needs and we do all this on my husband's VERY modest job (I stay at home). We have everything we need & then some. I have Christmas done (done since Jan), I have a "present room" in my attic that we put all the extras that I buy in ~ its stocked to the point that friends & family do their own shopping in it. I do CHEAP (for me) wedding presents by buying up all the clearance Christmas stuff & presenting them a tote full for their first Christmas ~ usually about $20 & at 90% off that's almost $200 worth of supplies. I have totes FULL of extra shampoo/toothpaste/medicine/baby items/etc that I use to make Christmas baskets for my family ~ cheap (again) for me & very pratical & useful for them. My family calls me very resourceful... I'm just doing what's best for our family. You need to look to do more. You need to give your viewers that hope & security they look for in you. You need to show them that they can change their life. You need to show them how to be financially independent. You need to be more.