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Happy Birthday Extreme Couponing

As much as I would like to save money everyday like the extreme couponers we see on TLC, I am just not the one right now. However I do have a few things I am "anal "over and that is receiving my annual complimentary meal Benihana valued at $30 on your birthday for their Chef's Table Members. Its easy just sign up here and they will email you the coupon at the beginning of your birthday month. It is better to use it for lunch as you get more bang for your "free bucks".

http://pages.benihana-news.com/registration

Wearing Walmart Fashion Finds: Miss Tina

Yep I said it I now shop at Wally World. It came after like many of you I saw a new line of clothing featured in Essence Magazine where Tina Knowles launched her line in Walmart "Miss Tina" fall 2010.  I was initially very excited to see nothing was over $20. I was skeptical at first and never went into the store although I really was digging how model Tocarra rocked the threads. Around the end of winter, I went in to find things were picked over and left the section discontented thinking "that is why I never shopped here poor quality everything even inventory."


I am a frugal lady at heart so I tried again a few months ago.  I found just about every piece of clothing from the Spring 2011 line and fell in love. Luckily the stores close to me have a good inventory when the line for each season first drops. I never thought I would say this but these clothes fit my curves and bumps better than anything I have ever bought. Miss Tina is a big fan of ruched textures on the sides of her dresses (hits just below the lower hip) which as she says is very "forgiving" I say "ode to Miss Tina" because after a basket of chicken wings I have previously begged my clothes for mercy.

Check out the entire line at www.misstina.com

I encourage you to check out your local store and at least try on some of the items. If you do not find your size don't fret you can order from www.walmart.com for only $0.97 shipping! You will be surprised to find some very hidden treasures. One of my favorites is the Fold Over Skirt Dress that is a 3 way outfit 1) the top rolls down to a dress falling just below the knee to create a ruched texture around the middle 2) the top rolls up to a dress that falls ankle length 3) the top rolls down twice to create a third outfit of a shirt that falls right at the ankle and ruched at the tummy. If you are like me and need some styling advise on how to wear Walmart fashionably then check out this NYC Stylist turned blogger Penny Chic that exclusively styles her "muses" in nothing but Walmart from head to toe. Happy Chic Cheap Shopping!

Lady Blogger Social Online Conference for Blogging & Social Media Women

The Lady Blogger Social Online Conference virtually this summer. I am so excited as it is very cost effective for me as we are planning toward a family cruise in October. So my blogging conference budget has been severely decreased.

This conference brought to you by the fabulous Lady Blogger’s Society will have some of the same benefits of an actual live event. Attendees will receive swag bags, enter giveaways, listen to speakers and participate in networking rooms.

When? July 8 to 10th

Where? Online from the comfort of your home or anywhere you have Internet

What do you get with registration:

• 3 days of live events, sessions with speakers, networking, and building your social media confidence
• Lifetime Access to our Ning Conference Website
• Affiliate Marketing E-Book
• Creating Info Products E-Book
• Online Marketing E-Book
• Workbooks and Sheet for each panel discussion
• Online Events and “Table” Discussions
• Virtual SwagBag of learning materials and discounts!
• Access to all session recordings and speaker PowerPoint slides and handouts (great if you can’t make the live session).
• Access to all session transcripts – in case you prefer to read the information instead of listen or watch it.

Session topics they have planned:

• Branding Your Blog
• Growing Your Readership, And Why You’d Want To Anyway
• Graphic and Blog Design
• The Do’s and Don’ts for Brand Ambassadors
• Creative Writing For Ranting Writers
• Pushing Past the Blogging Burnout Phases
• Creating a Blogging Business for Blogging Mama’s
• Increasing Your Resume List for Social Media Jobs
• Parenting and The Computer Screen, Combining the Two Perfectly
• Vlogging For The Rest Of Us
• Turning Your Blog into a Community
• Mobile Blogging/Blogging on the Go
• Becoming a Travel Blogger
• Review Blogging: Making It Work for You

Cost? $55 Early Bird Price (until May 6th). After that it goes up to $65. Late Registration is $75.

I didn't make the early bird special by 4 days :( but $65 isn't bad considering you don't have to change out of your pajamas all weekend! Hurry get your ticket soon only 100 lucky ladies can attend!

Join me at The Lady Blogger Social Online Conference!

Lawsuit? Match.Com Owes California Woman Nothing

This story that broke today hits close to home. As promised in a previous post, you get a review how I met my husband on E-Harmony.com. If you are interested in my online dating story that led to a healthy relationship & happy marriage see below. But first my opinion:


I strongly do not believe Match.com should be held liable in a civil suit to take responsibility for an assault the woman tragically faced. I think many of us watching the story unfold are very saddened that she had to experience this. However, that does not mean its someone else's fault such as the company Match.com. The gentleman that assaulted her is responsible and will reach his day in court to be prosecuted. If I meet a guy in church, college, or at a restaurant/bar and he assaults me it is not the institution of church, university or eating establishment's fault because they allowed him in. All of us who choose to date have a responsibility to know who we allow in our presence. From the news reports, allegedly after the assault the woman Googled him to then find out his criminal history. I do understand that many people feel that any dating agency has an underlying "responsibility" to its members but we are adults and must discern the people we date. What is reasonable is for Match.com to take the next steps in their business to implement processes/screenings to decrease the potential liability that could be determined in a court of law. 


I chose to date on E-Harmony.com for the "peace of mind" they provided: RelyID. RelyID is where members have the option to chose whether to link their profile to a third party site to "prove" identity which is similar to answering a few questions from your credit report. Members who chose this have their profile flagged as screened through RelyID. As a online dater I knew that did not exclude sexual predators, married men, or even he/she men from being on the site. It was ultimately my responsibility to perform my own screening on anyone I decided to date/meet from the site.

My On Line Dating Story

It was winter 2008 and I was a single woman finishing up 4 year career stint in Omaha, NE. I decided to return from an almost year long hiatus from relationships. My thoughts were dating online would force me to really get to know the person as opposed to rushing into something.  I filled out my profile and to my amazement learned about myself through their scenario based questions. A few weeks went by receiving matches, viewing profiles, closing out matches, getting closed out. Then one day I got a profile link from a gentleman that intrigued me. We began chatting through the 'secured' website. E-harmony has conversation starters and questions you can send back and forth to your match. Then we moved to emailing back and forth from our personal email addresses for about 2 weeks. After the conversations kept getting more interesting, we decided to speak on the phone. We opted out of E-harmony's optional secure phone line and used our cell phones. Then the phone conversations continued for 2 months. This "getting to know" period of time included adding each other on Facebook as it allows you to see you are talking to a real person & can validate the things they are saying about their life. We talked everyday about just about everything for the first 2 months.


Then during my drive to move from Omaha to Atlanta we had to go through a suburb of Nashville where my husband is from.  So with my "protection" BKA dad in tow I stopped at a McDonald's to meet my online date for the first time. We had a modest breakfast for about an hour. My father thought I was meeting an old friend. He later said that it seemed like we had known each other for a while. We go back on the road got to Atlanta and within a few days my husband was asking me to be his girlfriend. We had gotten to know each other so well it was just seeing each other in the physical made it know this is it. I now have a profound appreciation for the art of Compatibility.


I am well aware all online dating stories do not result in healthy relationships that lead to marriage. What I want you to remember from my story is TALK to, COMMUNICATE with & INVESTIGATE anyone you are dating.

House Buyers Remorse

Yes, you heard it and it is very possible to make an over $100K big purchase mistake. Rewind to 2008 I had just moved to Atlanta and my lovely sister Social.Life.Style Blogger welcomed me to stay with her in Lawrenceville, a suburb of the city. Well this became challenging as I worked downtown on Peachtree in the heart of the city and the commute for me was nothing I wanted to handle even short term. So I start the first time homebuyer’s journey to the "American Dream". I thought of myself as a city girl so I decided to only look at condo properties no more than 10 miles from the city. Can you believe I never looked at a single family home? Never stepped foot inside of one? Ughfff (kicking myself). You might ask why? Well I settled on a 2 br/2.5 bath townhome in a growing gentrified East Atlanta condominium.

We all know what happen to the housing market late 2008 so me and another homeowner were the last 2 owners to purchase into our property. Little did we know this is our builder's first investment like this and they think of themselves as being well versed at rental property management? They have since tried to keep afloat financially by renting unsold units in a development that they have not event finished (skeleton units, no pool, fitness center). Imagine our property value with this plus the actual market tank. On top of that we have drug dealers, former or current male/female call girls or boys (yeahhh), people of want to film low budget movies, etc all currently or have lived in our condo community as renters. Gasssp..!

Now imagine this married women living with her husband in the home purchase property from hell. I find myself longing for the gingerbread house in the suburbs of Atlanta. It is sad that as a homeowner me and my husband would not feel comfortable procreating living in our home! I have to apologize for this rant but the market is picking up and people are buying homes. I want to make any unsuspecting buyer in the condo market beware on what is on the other side of the wall. If you must buy a condo I would highly suggest considering only the mature neighborhoods already filled with many homeowners.

A Tribute To Mr. Wonderful

I consider myself a modest person because I appreciate the blessings that I have receive and the things I have but often do not talk about them. I must confess that I can not hold this in. I am married to the most wonderful man I have ever met. We have been working so closely together on our business ventures, projects, fasting for lent that I have to stop and take moment to let this man know how grateful I am for him. His patience, sincerity, humbleness, strength, tenacity for things he believes in, creativity, uniqueness are among the many things that make him who he is & especially Mr. Wonderful to me. I feel so blessed that all the things I wanted in a man and more I have. I will have to do a full post one day for my readers but just to let know Mr. Wonderful and I met in e-harmony.com in 2008 and my life was enhanced from his presence from the first connection.

Bloggers First Speaking

I am so excited to announce I had my first speaking engagement as a blogger! We have partnered with the Pursuing Purpose Passionately Coaches Curtis & Meichelle Gibson on a 30 city tour to cities hit hard by the recession. The goal is to provide a focus to discover & pursue your purpose for individuals that may have been laid off from jobs, underemployed, etc who turn their situation into an opportunity to step out on faith. These are the times where we are most creative and answer the call to unemployment with our own businesses to employ us. Follow the PPP University Website for updates. First stop Cincinnati, OH on April 30th!

Comment Cocktail Hang Over

I just attended a Comment Cocktail Party turned twitter party and it was awesome! I love how total "strangers" to your blog are so willing to support. I so appreciate what the gals over there at SITS Girls are doing.  Its great because I find it amazing how it is so hard to get the people closest to you to support so having the virtual SisTahs is heart warming. Thanks for all the support and look forward to getting to know everyone's blogs. Thanks Pepper & Jenny.

Love, Marriage & Business - Does it Mix?

The hubs and recently attended the 2011 Trumpet Awards at the Cobb Centre in Atlanta. It was a star studded event with performances and appearances from Eric Benet, Charlie Wilson, The NFL Choir, Kenya Moore, Kandi Buress, Ambassador Andrew Young, Attorney General Eric Holder, Judge Greg Mathis, Richard Roundtree, among many many more. The night was hosted by Boris Kodjoe, Nicole Ari Parker Kodjoe, & Neicy Nash and will air on TV One April 24th.

Attending an awards show that is pre-recorded, often the hosts get tongue tied and have to repeat and t film segments over.  There were times when Boris would completely need to record a segment again and Nicole would as well. They would both playfully make a joke of messing up.  It was amazing to see the love, support, & humor Boris and Nicole shared while working this event together.  Many women have pondered does love and business mix well? Can I go into business and work with my spouse? Seeing Cynthia Bailey and Peter Thomas' drama unfold on RHOA on business deals really leaves a bad taste regarding working with your spouse.  Nicole & Boris reminded me of the patience that is required when you and your spouse work together.  My husband and I work very closely together on a lot of our business ventures & projects. It is not always peaches and cream because whether your household runs of traditional or non-traditional male/female roles, the business relationship is quite bit different. So here are my top 10 rules for women to successfully be in business with your husband. These are just a few things I have learned along the way so far.

10. Just because you are his wife you should not "win" disagreements about the business

9. New to entrepreneurship? Corporate success =  immediate success in your business

8. Schedule business meetings where you set time aside to discuss work
7. Make sure your business goals align with the household goals
6. Establish a plan for keeping business expenses separate from personal
5. Resolve & fight "fires" together
4. If both or either of you work a 9-5, establish an organized time management plan
3. Celebrate the successes when they come instead of being eager to make more happen
2. Don't feel the need to turn your affection on or off, its a good way to break up the monotony
1. Remind yourself in the tough times you are creating a wonderful legacy together

About Me: Who is Legal Grinding Wifey & What Does She Blog About?

Hi, I’m the Grinding Wifey and I started this blog in August 2010 when I married the man of my dreams. I look forward to being a mommy one day and for now I found my niche as Legal Grinding Wifey when I entered the blogosphere in my first post. This is not quite a Trying to Conceive (TTC) journey but is a Planning To Conceive (PTC).  There are so many things me and my husband want to get in order before starting a family. Everything from Traveling, Getting Fit, Changing the Generational "curse" of Bad Eating Habits, Moving to a More Enlightened (natural,organic, chemical free) lifestyle, last but not least....DRUM ROLL.. so we can feel comfortable with me leaving the workforce to raise our children at home. Needless to say we are on our grind everyday.


Since I am a Wifey/Entreprenuer/Organic Newbie I am open to company, product, service reviews, & giveaways from fellow women grinding building their Household Empires.


To contact me please email at legalgrindingwifey@gmail.com.

Legal grinding are those actions that create out of the box opportunities that provide the freedom to start, support, and raise a family on your own terms and not within anyone else’s limitations.

Happy New Year! Let the 2010 Grind Begin

One of the reasons I started this blog in August 2010 was to chronicle the life of newlyweds planning & executing out of the box opportunities to achieve our life goals. Official definition: Legal grinding are those actions that create out of the box opportunities that provide the freedom to start, support, and raise a family on your own terms and not within anyone else’s limitations.


After pondering on the things we accomplished in 2010 to support this, I realized there is much much more that goes into what we should be doing. Legal Grinding is not all about being entrepreneurs & having successful businesses.  Household Planning for 2010 uncovered we boast being the 1st generation to break the cycle of lifestyles we saw our parents & grandparents fall victim too.  The 2 things that often come to mind are 1st generation college graduates & eliminating poor financial choices.  Lack of money issues leads to a sound Mind.  We have lacked the motivation to unfold the Body & Soul a part of our daily grind. Naturally we want to be healthy & not depressed so we can feel & look better.  Honestly day in and day out this is not enough motivation we have realized.  Everything we need to be grinding towards is really overall to give our next generation an even better opportunity to succeed in all aspects of life. The future looks much brighter as we try and kick these fried chicken & cookie/cake fetishes :)

Need Holiday Hair Ideas- Come Join Us!

Get this Button if you are Wifey on her Grind

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Legal grinding are those actions that create out of the box opportunities that provide the freedom to start, support, and raise a family on your own terms and not within anyone else’s limitations. 

SOUTH MANEY: Proposal may halt liquor business

Hey Readers, Hubs and I want you to weigh in.  We are trying open a liquor store in Murfreesboro, TN & are facing extreme opposition.  Please do tell us what you think. Article links below.

http://www.dnj.com/article/20101104/OPINION02/11040313/WINDROW-It-s-time-to-put-up-shut-up-or-drink-up

http://www.tennessean.com/article/D4/20101104/NEWS01/11040315/SOUTH+MANEY++Proposal+may+halt+liquor+business

Missions Accomplished: The Life List (B.C.) Updated

Two things checked off The Life List B.C (Before Children).....


We are proud to announce our convenience store attached to my mother in law's restaurant The Fish House in Tennessee is now open for business! We are able to provide the neighborhood quality & low cost products along with great food.  


I previously updated you that our company Expressive Beauty launched where we have opportunities for women that are looking to become part of the Billion Dollar haircare industry.  Finally African American women that have so long only been a consumer of human hair extensions can now be at the top of the distribution chain to sell direct to salons & each other. 


Now the next level of work begins to grow these businesses.  Stay tuned as the "Grind Unfolds" & stay focused on your projects.



"The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It's as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer."


- Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese's

THE LIFE LIST

• Debt Reduction Plan- student loans, business loans if applicable
• Learn how to swim
• Get Lasik
• Pole dancing classes
• Spiritual growth
• Home improvements to our condo
• Take cooking classes (various cuisines)
• Car payoff
• Open locally branded convenience store(s)
• Launch grassroots company to empower women

Invisible Capital: Start a Business with it Today

It may sound ludacris but Chris Rabb so eloquently speaks to us in his book Invisible Captial that entrepreneurship is very attainable.  There is a little known fact among many that it really doesn't take any money to start a business.  Essentially, the first thing you need is not physical capital but human capital that is found with in yourself.  Rabb explains the invisible capital is human, social and cultural capital that interlock to reveal the beginning of a company launch.  Human capital is your skills, credentials and experiences; social capital being your network and what they think of you; and cultural capital being how you operate in different environments and your ability to communicate in ways that inspire confidence and create opportunity. Now doesn't this make the average personal believe now that the American Dream of working for yourself more attainable. It is very true that it does take physical capital to build and grow a business but the reality is the launch begins with you and that is the ONLY way to begin.



"In financing growing companies, we always looked for human value that didn’t appear on the balance sheet.. the quality of management, especially its entrepreneurial drive."
Michael Milken

Black in America: The Almighty Debt Sneak Preview

The truth is I don't need to see the Special airing in 1 hour to know exactly the major story line. The CNN website highlights topics such as "Keeping The Faith in Job Search" or "What the recession stole from Black America". This all sounds like "we are broke with little hope" in my mind.  There will be a small segment about the alternative (Entrepreneurship) for which is really truly the major answer to the "Almighty Debt". The two Roberts brothers from St. Louis are the business moguls that have an empire of hotels & TV stations. I am very interested to see these very successful men explain to us how they knew at an early age how to NOT become a "debt" statistic in a 2010 CNN Black in America special.


I think back on all the afro-centric publications where you often see the career progression section informs you "How to negotiate a raise" or "Surviving work place politics". However helpful this has been over the years those messages are out of date.  We must switch the conversation to how we take control over our career through entrepreneurship. Highlighting people like the Roberts brothers is a great way to see how several years of past hard work can allow you to reap the benefits. This can seem overwhelming for most people that never thought working for themselves is an option.  The better message is for us to make our community aware of realistic future successful start ups to show everyone must start somewhere to move forward. The discovery of a true passion can lead to an "organic" business start up that will be very attainable for those in our communities that want better for their families.


I could stay on this soap box for hours but the truth is if there were no Black in America "Almighty Debt" there would be no future CNN follow-up to highlight Expressive Beauty Inc, a company that offers a solution building the "Almighty Equity".  We at Expressive Beauty offer exceptional opportunities for you. If you are interested in becoming an entrepreneur or just looking for great hair products at an even better price; we’ve got exactly what you want. Our company was created to provide hair products and supplies to minorities through independent entrepreneurs.  

The Life List (B.C.)

In the words of our Uncle David who successfully built a beautiful life with his late wife and was able to enjoy their dream retirement home in Port St. Lucie, FL for 17 years “You must charter your course and dream together”.

During our engagement we pondered and planned how to create streams of income for our household. Now marks the time we must execute in order to live the life we desire to have on into the future. We set up our makeshift office downstairs for the day. Our first work day was very enlightening. I truly felt how it feels to be grinding towards a financial and personal purpose. As The Roots, Talib Kweli, and Jeezy echoed in the background we worked all day on our grassroots company that will empower every women continue enjoying and make an income from an industry that is so near and dear to our hears: Beauty.  More to come on the business leading up to launch time but until then I will share our goals we want to achieve B.C. (not Before Christ - we already saved :) but "Before Children")

Launch grassroots company to empower women
Open locally branded convenience stores
Get down to High School Weight
Payoff Car
Debt Reduction Plan- student loans, business loans if applicable
Learn how to swim
Get Lasik
Pole dancing classes
Spiritual growth
Home improvements to our condo
Take cooking classes (various cuisines)