There are so many little things we can do to save money without much effort. Some things simply require a phone call or two but can save you hundreds.
1.) Go over your banking
Check your bank details such as monthly fees, interest rates, late payment fees etc... to see if you are getting the best deal. I had a friend who regularly paid $120+ a month in various bank fees. She had a monthly account keeping fee, a withdrawal fee, overdrawn fees, basically you name it she paid a fee for it. I asked her why she had never looked at changing banks or rang to question the fees. Her response “Oh, I never thought to do that!”
Not checking her banking or looking for a better deal was costing her upwards of $1440 a year! And even after we discussed this, she did nothing to change it.
2.) Get rid of automatic renewals
I got an email recently about an automatic renewal for $80 for a program I no longer use or need. I did not even realise when I bought the product a year ago it had automatic renewal. I am lucky I was emailed and informed they would be taking the money out in 5 days. I was able to contact them, change it and now do not have an automatic renewal.
There are many things out there with this feature. Cancel them if you do not need them or it will be money down the drain. Magazine subscriptions are great at automatic renewals!
3.) Learn to negotiate/haggle
In many countries they haggle for everything. It seems we in Australia feel uncomfortable doing so. There are some things we haggle on such as buying a car, buying a house, possibly the TV or other electrical items. It seems we think it is acceptable on large items but not smaller items.
You can get discounts on things as small as your groceries if you just ask. If you see something near its expiry date, or 1 of 12 eggs is broken or you are buying an item in bulk ask if they will discount it. Most of the time they will say yes.
Often we find it embarrassing to ask or are scared of them saying no, but you could save hundreds, even thousands a year.
4.) Lose the memberships
Most of us have memberships of some sort we don’t use or really need. Gyms make a fortune off people signing up, using it a few times and then just not cancelling the membership. If you aren’t using it or don’t need it ditch it.
5.) Eat healthier
Switching from fatty, sugary foods can be hard, but taking it one step at a time can make it easier. Try having fruit as a snack instead of a snack bar or chips, or switch from fizzy drink to cordial then eventually water. I recently wrote here about how health and money go hand in hand.
6.) Try natural medicine first
Natural medicine works for lots of things it is simply a matter of researching and knowledge. My in laws spend a fortune every winter on cough and cold products. Everyone always seems to be sick and it has been scientifically proven those syrups do nothing. Yet they continue to spend $10 - $20 a week on the stuff. Not to mention the cost of doctors visits.
I read a while ago about the benefits of crushed garlic and vitamin C to fight infections. We have crushed garlic in various meals throughout winter and eat more oranges and kiwi fruit. As a result we do not get sick as often as my in laws and recover much quicker when we do.
I am not saying self diagnose all the time. I am just saying that many simple illnesses can be cured much quicker, easier and cheaper with natural remedies.
7.) Stop speeding
Besides the fact speeding can kill you and anyone else for that matter it can cost a pretty penny. Not obeying the speed limit, running stop signs, parking in no parking zones, you know all the things we know are illegal yet so many still do can add up.
Many fines are in the hundreds. I know of people who have paid thousands of dollars in speeding fines alone. If you ‘need to speed’ because you are late, maybe you should be more organised so you don’t ‘need to speed”.
8.) Late fees
These can be a killer. You can get charged late fees on telephone, water, electricity or any other bill, DVD and other hire, credit card or other loan repayments etc... Basically anything you are supposed to pay you can get lumped with a hefty fee for not paying within the right time frame.
If you just do not have the money to pay the bill instead of getting a late fee, call the company before the due date and request an extension. Most of the time they are very willing to grant it because it shows you are willing to pay and they have an idea of when they are going to get their money.
I have seen on my bills late fees range from $5 to $10 of the bill per day it is not paid (that’s a government one!) So late fees can get very expensive very quickly and they add more the longer you don’t pay up.
9.) Get rid of the credit card
Back before credit cards people simple saved until they could afford whatever it was they wanted. Now credit is so easy to get it is dangerous for many people. I know of so many people getting in over their heads because the bank was willing to up their limit and they accepted it.
If you know how to manage your credit card it can be a very useful tool. You need to be disciplined and pay it back in time every time. You can get reward points this way and have 55 days to earn interest on your money before paying the bill. Most people do not use them this way.
If you aren’t disciplined don’t have one.
10.) Look for a better deal
This can be done online or through a few phone calls. Check everything you have such as house insurance, car insurance, mortgage, internet or mobile phone plans and see if there is a better deal out there. If there is you can see if your current provider will match or better it, if not switch.
It’s not hard and doesn’t need to take long but can save you a lot. I saved $2500 on a few occasions checking car insurance and over $1,000 on home insurance. It took about 20 minutes to compare and call them, but it was worth it.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Health and money go hand in hand
Being unhealthy can cost you severely in so many ways so it makes sense to try to be as healthy as you can right? Seems it is easier said than done for most people. Everyone knows the dangers of smoking, yet so many still continue to do it. I know people who have quit for years, then one day do it because others at work were or friends were doing etc... Quitting can be hard, but it is not impossible. Besides the health benefits the financial benefits are huge.
If you smoke 2 packs a week, at $10ea, $20 a week that’s $1040 annually! Not to mention the savings on health insurance if you have it or the savings on doctors visits related to smoking issues or the savings when you get older and don’t develop smoking related cancers or emphysema etc...
Then there are drinks. Water is the cheapest drink you can get (provided you have a decent water supply in your town). There are so many drinks you can spend a fortune on, yet none of them do you any good. Fizzy drinks and juice have loads of sugar and preservatives which rot your teeth and your body not to mention make it impossible to stay a healthy size as your body converts that sugar to fat. Drinking sugary drinks constantly increases your risk of things like diabetes which is not something you want to develop.
Recently we seemed to be popping down the shops every day or two for more milk. Now milk is good but we were going through it so fast. We were drinking it in preference over anything else and too much of anything is not good. Milk is high in calcium but it is also high in fat. We have halved our milk consumption by drinking more water and are still getting all the calcium we need. We are also saving $7 a week.
Processed foods are another one. All the chips, lollies, junk food, readymade snacks and meals are loaded with nasties we don’t need. They are usually much more expensive than either making it yourself or grabbing fruit as a snack. They are designed to not fill you up and to be addictive.
I stopped buying or making biscuits, cakes, chips and things and both our budget and waistline thank me. We still have them on special occasions but not every day. Eating healthier and preparing things myself has saved us at least $20 a week.
Then there is exercise. Everyone knows the benefits of exercise it keeps your heart healthy, it helps you lose weight and burn up calories, it decreases the risk of diabetes, heart disease etc... Yet it seems so hard for so many of us to do. You don’t need to run a marathon; just 30 minutes of exercise a day is all it takes to keep healthy. Watching one of those kids shows such as The Wiggles or Hi5 where they are all active and joining in is a great way to exercise with your kids. Going for a walk around the block, a Pilates or other exercise DVD you can do at home are other options that do not cost you money. You don’t need to join a gym for $15 $20 a week.
Eating unhealthily, not watching your weight and not exercising not only costs you money now but in the future the diseases you can develop, the way they could also affect your earning ability, the health insurance premiums and inability to enjoy life to the fullest are all costs associated with not keeping healthy.
This January I am focussing on my health. It will be a focus for the year, but I am kicks tarting then, why not join me? Quit smoking, swap that chocolate bar for a banana, walk around the block, just pick something to change your life and be healthier. Take it one step at a time and congratulate yourself as you change your habits. If you slip up don’t worry, just try again. The occasional treat is fine, provided it is occasional.
If you smoke 2 packs a week, at $10ea, $20 a week that’s $1040 annually! Not to mention the savings on health insurance if you have it or the savings on doctors visits related to smoking issues or the savings when you get older and don’t develop smoking related cancers or emphysema etc...
Then there are drinks. Water is the cheapest drink you can get (provided you have a decent water supply in your town). There are so many drinks you can spend a fortune on, yet none of them do you any good. Fizzy drinks and juice have loads of sugar and preservatives which rot your teeth and your body not to mention make it impossible to stay a healthy size as your body converts that sugar to fat. Drinking sugary drinks constantly increases your risk of things like diabetes which is not something you want to develop.
Recently we seemed to be popping down the shops every day or two for more milk. Now milk is good but we were going through it so fast. We were drinking it in preference over anything else and too much of anything is not good. Milk is high in calcium but it is also high in fat. We have halved our milk consumption by drinking more water and are still getting all the calcium we need. We are also saving $7 a week.
Processed foods are another one. All the chips, lollies, junk food, readymade snacks and meals are loaded with nasties we don’t need. They are usually much more expensive than either making it yourself or grabbing fruit as a snack. They are designed to not fill you up and to be addictive.
I stopped buying or making biscuits, cakes, chips and things and both our budget and waistline thank me. We still have them on special occasions but not every day. Eating healthier and preparing things myself has saved us at least $20 a week.
Then there is exercise. Everyone knows the benefits of exercise it keeps your heart healthy, it helps you lose weight and burn up calories, it decreases the risk of diabetes, heart disease etc... Yet it seems so hard for so many of us to do. You don’t need to run a marathon; just 30 minutes of exercise a day is all it takes to keep healthy. Watching one of those kids shows such as The Wiggles or Hi5 where they are all active and joining in is a great way to exercise with your kids. Going for a walk around the block, a Pilates or other exercise DVD you can do at home are other options that do not cost you money. You don’t need to join a gym for $15 $20 a week.
Eating unhealthily, not watching your weight and not exercising not only costs you money now but in the future the diseases you can develop, the way they could also affect your earning ability, the health insurance premiums and inability to enjoy life to the fullest are all costs associated with not keeping healthy.
This January I am focussing on my health. It will be a focus for the year, but I am kicks tarting then, why not join me? Quit smoking, swap that chocolate bar for a banana, walk around the block, just pick something to change your life and be healthier. Take it one step at a time and congratulate yourself as you change your habits. If you slip up don’t worry, just try again. The occasional treat is fine, provided it is occasional.
Monday, December 27, 2010
My Christmas Thoughts
How was everyone’s Christmas? Mine was really interesting. It was pretty much what I expected except for some of the conversations and gifts.
One of the gifts and conversations that really surprised me was about my niece. I was in the kitchen with my nieces mum and another sister in law. The mum was telling us about the bargain she got on a gold chain for her 18month old daughter. It was $700 and she got it for $280. I nearly fell over. Her friend was working there and it was only $100 more than a thinner one thanks to her friends 60% off discount.
Quite a few of the conversations revealed the amounts people had spent on Christmas and all I noticed was that the kids just kept expecting more and more and bigger and better. I actually noticed this a few years ago at another Christmas thing on my husband’s side. My nieces got presents like Guitar Hero, Hannah Montana Malibu Beach House, Wii games and more. The mum had spent something like $2,000 on the gifts.
On the day they literally got ripped open “Oh, wow” then thrown on the floor “Where’s my next one?” No appreciation, just demands for more then disappointed when the gifts run out.
I get that kids like gifts, heck, everyone does. But there is a difference between them receiving and appreciating the gifts to EXPECTING large gifts and lots of them.
This year I was so proud to have spent less than $100 total on my kids but they had over $400 RRP of stuff, a train set, a scooter, brand name clothes, Tupperware lunch box and more. They LOVED them and were happy with what they got and have played with them.
My husband and I decided back when we saw Guitar Hero get thrown on the floor that we just would not spend and excessive amount on gifts.
We want to raise our kids to appreciate gifts and not to expect them. We want them to see the value in things and to know the true spirit of Christmas. It is not all about how much you can get.
My kids are only young so things will probably change with time, but I am sure if we can teach them to value and take care of their things they will treasure what they receive.
It scares me actually how much is spent each year at Christmas and how much goes to landfill. We spend thousands on 1 day when we could spend much less and put the rest towards debt or donating it to those that actually need things like clean water and food.
I discussed with my sister last month giving those gifts where you buy a goat or something. One of my favourites is www.kiva.org where you donate $25 through PayPal and it is used as a loan for people in business. They are usually in less well of countries and you can pick who you donate to. They then pay it back and you can reuse that $25 to help someone else. Obviously you can donate more if you wish. I just really like it because it is a gift that can keep giving and help communities. I am really thinking 2011 gifts will be more along these lines.
What are your thoughts? Has it gotten out of hand? Will you be scaling back or do you already?
One of the gifts and conversations that really surprised me was about my niece. I was in the kitchen with my nieces mum and another sister in law. The mum was telling us about the bargain she got on a gold chain for her 18month old daughter. It was $700 and she got it for $280. I nearly fell over. Her friend was working there and it was only $100 more than a thinner one thanks to her friends 60% off discount.
Quite a few of the conversations revealed the amounts people had spent on Christmas and all I noticed was that the kids just kept expecting more and more and bigger and better. I actually noticed this a few years ago at another Christmas thing on my husband’s side. My nieces got presents like Guitar Hero, Hannah Montana Malibu Beach House, Wii games and more. The mum had spent something like $2,000 on the gifts.
On the day they literally got ripped open “Oh, wow” then thrown on the floor “Where’s my next one?” No appreciation, just demands for more then disappointed when the gifts run out.
I get that kids like gifts, heck, everyone does. But there is a difference between them receiving and appreciating the gifts to EXPECTING large gifts and lots of them.
This year I was so proud to have spent less than $100 total on my kids but they had over $400 RRP of stuff, a train set, a scooter, brand name clothes, Tupperware lunch box and more. They LOVED them and were happy with what they got and have played with them.
My husband and I decided back when we saw Guitar Hero get thrown on the floor that we just would not spend and excessive amount on gifts.
We want to raise our kids to appreciate gifts and not to expect them. We want them to see the value in things and to know the true spirit of Christmas. It is not all about how much you can get.
My kids are only young so things will probably change with time, but I am sure if we can teach them to value and take care of their things they will treasure what they receive.
It scares me actually how much is spent each year at Christmas and how much goes to landfill. We spend thousands on 1 day when we could spend much less and put the rest towards debt or donating it to those that actually need things like clean water and food.
I discussed with my sister last month giving those gifts where you buy a goat or something. One of my favourites is www.kiva.org where you donate $25 through PayPal and it is used as a loan for people in business. They are usually in less well of countries and you can pick who you donate to. They then pay it back and you can reuse that $25 to help someone else. Obviously you can donate more if you wish. I just really like it because it is a gift that can keep giving and help communities. I am really thinking 2011 gifts will be more along these lines.
What are your thoughts? Has it gotten out of hand? Will you be scaling back or do you already?
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Australia and the GFC
I don't normally write about things like this specifically but there are some things I have heard and been noticing lately that I thought I would share.
Since this is just my opinion and I am not a qualified financial planner or anything, I just like the topic of finance. As such this is just my thoughts and you should get further advice for your own personal situation.
So heres what I have noticed.
My mother in law works in a factory as do many of my extended family. My husband has had a little bit of casual work in a warehouse for Woolworths. Usually this time of year both the factories my family work in and the warehouse my husband is currently working in are flat out working double shifts, lots of casuals are brought in and there is so much work no one can keep up.
This year the days of work available have been few and far between. My husband had no work for almost 2 weeks. Its his first shift today in that time and this is right before Christmas. Not a good sign when even the supermarkets aren't selling much food.
Also when I have been into shops lately there has been hardly anyone around. Part of that I think is because thins are so much cheaper online, you get free postage most of the time and can get things like 50 - 80% less in the UK and USA rather than here in Australia.
Lots of people I have spoken to are of the opinion that it is just going to get worse for Australia next year and most people are putting money aside instead of spending up this year. Interest rates have gone up again here and more people are losing their jobs.
I have heard of quite a few people either losing their jobs, being switched from full time to part time or casual or where they work downsizing in general. It is not a good sign.
Thankfully for my husband and I we both have qualifications that seem to increase in demand in hard times. (He doesn't normally work in a warehouse.) That is not the case for most of my in laws.
From most things I have read or heard things do not look good for Australia next year. We might not end up as badly affected as other countries, but I do not think we are free and clear either.
It's not all doom and gloom though, if you are prepared you can pick up some great bargains at these times from large things like houses right down to things you need around the house.
So before you rush out and spend up big at the Boxing Day sales, have a think about what you actually need and if you would be better off putting that money on debt or in an emergency fund instead of buying stuff you probably don't need.
Since this is just my opinion and I am not a qualified financial planner or anything, I just like the topic of finance. As such this is just my thoughts and you should get further advice for your own personal situation.
So heres what I have noticed.
My mother in law works in a factory as do many of my extended family. My husband has had a little bit of casual work in a warehouse for Woolworths. Usually this time of year both the factories my family work in and the warehouse my husband is currently working in are flat out working double shifts, lots of casuals are brought in and there is so much work no one can keep up.
This year the days of work available have been few and far between. My husband had no work for almost 2 weeks. Its his first shift today in that time and this is right before Christmas. Not a good sign when even the supermarkets aren't selling much food.
Also when I have been into shops lately there has been hardly anyone around. Part of that I think is because thins are so much cheaper online, you get free postage most of the time and can get things like 50 - 80% less in the UK and USA rather than here in Australia.
Lots of people I have spoken to are of the opinion that it is just going to get worse for Australia next year and most people are putting money aside instead of spending up this year. Interest rates have gone up again here and more people are losing their jobs.
I have heard of quite a few people either losing their jobs, being switched from full time to part time or casual or where they work downsizing in general. It is not a good sign.
Thankfully for my husband and I we both have qualifications that seem to increase in demand in hard times. (He doesn't normally work in a warehouse.) That is not the case for most of my in laws.
From most things I have read or heard things do not look good for Australia next year. We might not end up as badly affected as other countries, but I do not think we are free and clear either.
It's not all doom and gloom though, if you are prepared you can pick up some great bargains at these times from large things like houses right down to things you need around the house.
So before you rush out and spend up big at the Boxing Day sales, have a think about what you actually need and if you would be better off putting that money on debt or in an emergency fund instead of buying stuff you probably don't need.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Some of my favourite books free to download!
The Richest Man in Babylon is one of the first books I ever read on finance and is one of my favourites. You can down load it for free here.
Think and Grow Rich is another book I love and read in my teenage years. You can dowload it for free as well by clicking here
Napoleon Hills Laws of Success you can down load here is another fantastic read which is free.
Also here is What does it take to make one million by John Assaraf. This is actually a pdf but it is really eye opening. I have posted about it on here before but wanted to add it again. John is mentioned in The Secret
and is also coauthor of The Answer
(I personally like The Answer best). Both are very inspirational books.
These are all worth are read. The Richest Man in Babylon change my life. I highly recommend it to everyone, even your children. It is one of the many books I want my kids to read.
Think and Grow Rich is another book I love and read in my teenage years. You can dowload it for free as well by clicking here
Napoleon Hills Laws of Success you can down load here is another fantastic read which is free.
Also here is What does it take to make one million by John Assaraf. This is actually a pdf but it is really eye opening. I have posted about it on here before but wanted to add it again. John is mentioned in The Secret
and is also coauthor of The Answer
(I personally like The Answer best). Both are very inspirational books.
These are all worth are read. The Richest Man in Babylon change my life. I highly recommend it to everyone, even your children. It is one of the many books I want my kids to read.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Some of my favourite quotes
I thought I would share with you all some of my favourite financial quotes. The ones that have left an impression on me or made me think.
"Look after the cents and the dollars will look after themselves" - I heard this when I was about 16 and it has stuck with me ever since.
"Do you live to work or do you work to live?" I read this when I was again about 16. It was spray painted on the road of all places, but it sure made me think.
"Millionaires read their goals everyday Billionares read their goals twice a day." I think it was from 1 minute millionaire, but I could be wrong.
"Gold is the money of kings; silver is the money of gentlemen; barter is the money of peasants; but debt is the money of slaves."
- Norm Franz
"The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you lost all your money." - Anon
"Waste your money and you're only out of money, but waste your time and you've lost a part of your life." ~Michael Leboeuf
"A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it." ~Bob Hope
"Never spend your money before you have earned it."
Thomas Jefferson
Theres more, but I'll share them another time. Enjoy!
"Look after the cents and the dollars will look after themselves" - I heard this when I was about 16 and it has stuck with me ever since.
"Do you live to work or do you work to live?" I read this when I was again about 16. It was spray painted on the road of all places, but it sure made me think.
"Millionaires read their goals everyday Billionares read their goals twice a day." I think it was from 1 minute millionaire, but I could be wrong.
"Gold is the money of kings; silver is the money of gentlemen; barter is the money of peasants; but debt is the money of slaves."
- Norm Franz
"The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you lost all your money." - Anon
"Waste your money and you're only out of money, but waste your time and you've lost a part of your life." ~Michael Leboeuf
"A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it." ~Bob Hope
"Never spend your money before you have earned it."
Thomas Jefferson
Theres more, but I'll share them another time. Enjoy!
Friday, December 10, 2010
New Year Resolutions - slightly different
I have been thinking about my goals/new year resolutions (NYR) for 2011. I have goals set for myself and the fact that we are about to come to a new year doesn’t change them but I have decided to set one things a month to work on to improve my life.
I find many people set out with the best intentions Jan 1 and do their list of NYR and before the end of January most of those resolutions are broken already. Often people try to tackle the whole list beginning January 1. It doesn’t work that way. Trying to change every aspect of your life overnight is daunting and you will naturally fall back into your old habits. We as humans do not change easily. It is better to tackle one thing at a time, get it under control then include the next one.
I have areas in my life I want to improve and have decided on the following…
Jan – Health
Feb – Organization
March – Education
April – Service
May – Barter/freebies
June – Finances
July – Family
August – Gardening
September – Housing
October – Switch it off
November – Christmas
December – Relaxing/Me
Health will be based around exercising, drinking lots of water, finding the best places to buy organic food, using natural beauty products and switching everything in my home to natural products. I will also be going to bed by 10pm.
Organization will be based on getting rid of anything we do not need or use, sticking to a proper cleaning schedule and setting up our life to have proper routines and to run more smoothly.
Education will be based on the current course I am doing. It is self paced and I could be doing it faster than I have been, so I would like to focus on it in March a lot. My aim is to complete it this month and possibly get a job.
Service is all about looking for opportunities to help others. I won’t be focusing on doing monetary donations but focusing on spending my time to help others such as volunteering in some way, do an operation Christmas child shoebox, a Vinnies hamper etc…
Bartering/freebies will be all about looking for ways to swap services or things I have in exchange for things I need. It is about community spirit and reducing consumption and waste. If I can get it for free or barter for it I will.
Finances since June is the end of the financial year it the time of year I go over my finances, review the past year, get everything in order for doing my tax and work a new budget for the coming year.
Family are always important to me but I have a few things planned for July which are special and out of the ordinary. I am already focusing on spending quality time with my various family members each day but this month will focus on my extended family as well.
Gardening The weather is warming up this time of year which makes it a great time to get my garden sorted again with fresh seeds, pulling the weeds and redesigning it.
Housing I am looking at selling my house and buying a new one so this month will be spent researching where I want to buy as well as my local area, how much I can sell my house for and what I need to do to make it easier to sell.
Switch it off is about spending less time connected to everything all the time. I will be switching off my phone or just not taking it with me as well as switching off the computer a lot more and cutting back on the amount of technology we use. I plan on having everything switched off at 6pm and spending time together as a family.
Christmas will be here soon so I will spend November getting presents, wrapping paper etc… Just preparing everything so it is all ready to go and I do not have to think about it in December.
Relaxing/me I think says it all. We often neglect ourselves so in December I will be booking into a day spa and having a “me” day as well as just learning to relax more. I stress too much, as anyone in my family could tell you!
So those are my plans. What are yours?
I find many people set out with the best intentions Jan 1 and do their list of NYR and before the end of January most of those resolutions are broken already. Often people try to tackle the whole list beginning January 1. It doesn’t work that way. Trying to change every aspect of your life overnight is daunting and you will naturally fall back into your old habits. We as humans do not change easily. It is better to tackle one thing at a time, get it under control then include the next one.
I have areas in my life I want to improve and have decided on the following…
Jan – Health
Feb – Organization
March – Education
April – Service
May – Barter/freebies
June – Finances
July – Family
August – Gardening
September – Housing
October – Switch it off
November – Christmas
December – Relaxing/Me
Health will be based around exercising, drinking lots of water, finding the best places to buy organic food, using natural beauty products and switching everything in my home to natural products. I will also be going to bed by 10pm.
Organization will be based on getting rid of anything we do not need or use, sticking to a proper cleaning schedule and setting up our life to have proper routines and to run more smoothly.
Education will be based on the current course I am doing. It is self paced and I could be doing it faster than I have been, so I would like to focus on it in March a lot. My aim is to complete it this month and possibly get a job.
Service is all about looking for opportunities to help others. I won’t be focusing on doing monetary donations but focusing on spending my time to help others such as volunteering in some way, do an operation Christmas child shoebox, a Vinnies hamper etc…
Bartering/freebies will be all about looking for ways to swap services or things I have in exchange for things I need. It is about community spirit and reducing consumption and waste. If I can get it for free or barter for it I will.
Finances since June is the end of the financial year it the time of year I go over my finances, review the past year, get everything in order for doing my tax and work a new budget for the coming year.
Family are always important to me but I have a few things planned for July which are special and out of the ordinary. I am already focusing on spending quality time with my various family members each day but this month will focus on my extended family as well.
Gardening The weather is warming up this time of year which makes it a great time to get my garden sorted again with fresh seeds, pulling the weeds and redesigning it.
Housing I am looking at selling my house and buying a new one so this month will be spent researching where I want to buy as well as my local area, how much I can sell my house for and what I need to do to make it easier to sell.
Switch it off is about spending less time connected to everything all the time. I will be switching off my phone or just not taking it with me as well as switching off the computer a lot more and cutting back on the amount of technology we use. I plan on having everything switched off at 6pm and spending time together as a family.
Christmas will be here soon so I will spend November getting presents, wrapping paper etc… Just preparing everything so it is all ready to go and I do not have to think about it in December.
Relaxing/me I think says it all. We often neglect ourselves so in December I will be booking into a day spa and having a “me” day as well as just learning to relax more. I stress too much, as anyone in my family could tell you!
So those are my plans. What are yours?
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Keeping up with the Jones'
Very few people are immune to the feeling of wanting to keep up with the Joneses. Often I am not terribly bothered about keeping up, but lately, well since I have moved back I have felt this urge to update everything. Part of that could be because we are updating most of the house, but I know another part of it is me just wanting to have something better than someone else.
I have been wanting a new phone for some time. I really wanted an iphone or another smart phone, maybe a HTC Desire HD or something. I wanted to have access to twitter, facebook and blogging from my phone (yes my current phone is from the age of the dinosaurs), however I cannot bring myself to part with the amount of cash needed for one of these phones.
I could go on a plan but the cheapest plan is $32.90 more than I currently spend on credit a month and would be a 24 month contract, so really the phone would cost me $789.60. I could buy one of them on eBay for less out right.
I know a new phone is not a big deal in the scheme of things and I know I would use lots of the apps and things on a smart phone, but I wonder if I want it for the benefits or if it is just my little green eyed monster popping out again.
I do need a new phone, the reception on my current one is hopeless. But I could make do with a cheaper phone.
How do you deal with the desire to keep up with the Joneses.?
I don’t know why and it is crazy, but I often feel I need to be better than my husband’s family. It is quite ridiculous, but I think I have this subconscious desire to prove to them how good my husband is and how much he can achieve. I think it stems from him being constantly put down, being told he is stupid etc... I want to show them ‘look no he’s not stupid! He’s got everything you want and we can afford it, it’s not on credit!’ It’s like by having things I can show how smart and successful he/we are.
That is stupid and thankfully I do not usually fall for it. I used to when I lived here before, but since living elsewhere and moving back I see how blessed we are.
When we first moved back I wanted to do everything quickly, get rid of this house, get a better one and buy the furniture we want all with a loan because we could pay it off once we sell the house. Then I realised how much extra that would cost us and the desire quickly changed.
The reality of paying hundreds of dollars in interest, moving house AGAIN (We have moved 11 times in our almost 5.5yr marriage), the costs incurred with moving and that sick in debt feeling made me change my mind.
Instead we are saving for each thing we want. We have a list of priorities we want and are working towards. It will take a bit longer but it is still doable within our timeframe. We still want to move house but the urge to move asap has subsided and we plan on moving in 12 – 18months. It will be to where we want to live and we won’t be moving again.
The desire to buy everything we want/renovate immediately is still there, but it is not as strong.
So what do you do to stop the desire to upgrade everything?
I have been wanting a new phone for some time. I really wanted an iphone or another smart phone, maybe a HTC Desire HD or something. I wanted to have access to twitter, facebook and blogging from my phone (yes my current phone is from the age of the dinosaurs), however I cannot bring myself to part with the amount of cash needed for one of these phones.
I could go on a plan but the cheapest plan is $32.90 more than I currently spend on credit a month and would be a 24 month contract, so really the phone would cost me $789.60. I could buy one of them on eBay for less out right.
I know a new phone is not a big deal in the scheme of things and I know I would use lots of the apps and things on a smart phone, but I wonder if I want it for the benefits or if it is just my little green eyed monster popping out again.
I do need a new phone, the reception on my current one is hopeless. But I could make do with a cheaper phone.
How do you deal with the desire to keep up with the Joneses.?
I don’t know why and it is crazy, but I often feel I need to be better than my husband’s family. It is quite ridiculous, but I think I have this subconscious desire to prove to them how good my husband is and how much he can achieve. I think it stems from him being constantly put down, being told he is stupid etc... I want to show them ‘look no he’s not stupid! He’s got everything you want and we can afford it, it’s not on credit!’ It’s like by having things I can show how smart and successful he/we are.
That is stupid and thankfully I do not usually fall for it. I used to when I lived here before, but since living elsewhere and moving back I see how blessed we are.
When we first moved back I wanted to do everything quickly, get rid of this house, get a better one and buy the furniture we want all with a loan because we could pay it off once we sell the house. Then I realised how much extra that would cost us and the desire quickly changed.
The reality of paying hundreds of dollars in interest, moving house AGAIN (We have moved 11 times in our almost 5.5yr marriage), the costs incurred with moving and that sick in debt feeling made me change my mind.
Instead we are saving for each thing we want. We have a list of priorities we want and are working towards. It will take a bit longer but it is still doable within our timeframe. We still want to move house but the urge to move asap has subsided and we plan on moving in 12 – 18months. It will be to where we want to live and we won’t be moving again.
The desire to buy everything we want/renovate immediately is still there, but it is not as strong.
So what do you do to stop the desire to upgrade everything?
Monday, December 6, 2010
Create your own luck!
I often hear people say how lucky we are because we have a house, a car, my husband has a job, I am able to be a stay at home mum etc... Yes we are lucky in one sense, but really it is not about luck.
We worked hard and looked around for a long time for our house. We have made the mortgage payment each month which is higher than rent, but worth it long term. We have paid extra off the mortgage and have worked on renovating the house, most of that done by my husband. It wasn’t luck that got us our house, it was hard work and focussing on what we wanted.
Our car in my opinion is nice, but not what I want. We are lucky to have a car, but again it was our hard work that paid for it. It didn’t magically fall into our hands. We worked, saved and bought it. We pay the insurance, petrol and maintenance.
My husband has a job because he is a hard worker and is highly sought after due to his hard work ethics. We live in areas where there is work and my husband undertook extra study to get a job he likes. He went after it and now has people head hunting him because he is good at what he does.
I can be a stay at home mum because I am careful with our money. I make most things from scratch, I budget, I cook, I sew and we do pretty much everything we can ourselves. It is not luck, it is hard work and doing it ourselves.
We are lucky that we were born/live where we do and these things are options for us. We are lucky that there is so much opportunity around to learn more so we can apply things to our lives. But mostly we work hard. We look for opportunities, we learn and we do what we can before paying others to do what we are capable of.
We are lucky because we set goals and work towards them, We have an aim and a reason behind doing what we do. Instead of saving simply because we should we are saving for something. Having a reason to do something makes it so much easier.
We sacrifice in some areas to get what we want in others. We put off the desire of wanting everything now and prioritise what is important and needed now.
I don’t really believe in luck. I believe if you are doing everything you can and are focussed good things will happen, but mostly because you have made it happen. Life gives you what you ask for, so think BIG!
We worked hard and looked around for a long time for our house. We have made the mortgage payment each month which is higher than rent, but worth it long term. We have paid extra off the mortgage and have worked on renovating the house, most of that done by my husband. It wasn’t luck that got us our house, it was hard work and focussing on what we wanted.
Our car in my opinion is nice, but not what I want. We are lucky to have a car, but again it was our hard work that paid for it. It didn’t magically fall into our hands. We worked, saved and bought it. We pay the insurance, petrol and maintenance.
My husband has a job because he is a hard worker and is highly sought after due to his hard work ethics. We live in areas where there is work and my husband undertook extra study to get a job he likes. He went after it and now has people head hunting him because he is good at what he does.
I can be a stay at home mum because I am careful with our money. I make most things from scratch, I budget, I cook, I sew and we do pretty much everything we can ourselves. It is not luck, it is hard work and doing it ourselves.
We are lucky that we were born/live where we do and these things are options for us. We are lucky that there is so much opportunity around to learn more so we can apply things to our lives. But mostly we work hard. We look for opportunities, we learn and we do what we can before paying others to do what we are capable of.
We are lucky because we set goals and work towards them, We have an aim and a reason behind doing what we do. Instead of saving simply because we should we are saving for something. Having a reason to do something makes it so much easier.
We sacrifice in some areas to get what we want in others. We put off the desire of wanting everything now and prioritise what is important and needed now.
I don’t really believe in luck. I believe if you are doing everything you can and are focussed good things will happen, but mostly because you have made it happen. Life gives you what you ask for, so think BIG!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Money making challenge update
For the last 3 months I have been doing a money making challenge. I did ok, but I know I could have done much better if I had not had to move and fix my house right in the middle of the challenge causing it to be put on the back burner.
Still I did make $483 through a few ways
1.) I bought things to sell. The first few things I bought to resell did not go so well, but other things did.
2.) I made an ebook which was going well then I had some problems with the host of said book so I pulled it.
3.) I did a few odd jobs here and there such as haircuts and cleaning.
Once I made a bit I paid for advertising on another blog which worked well and will run for 12 months.
I have also managed to organise a few things for next year, so whilst technically I only had the challenge open until 30th Nov, realistically the effects of the challenge will continue on for some time.
As such I will be continuing the money making challenge. I am not hugely focused on it right now because I have an assignment and assessment to complete soon as well as installing the kitchen (we ripped ours out the other night) and a few other things in the house.
I also never got to do my garage sale due to so many other things always on but we have set a date for not this Saturday but next, so provided nothing comes up I will make a bit of money then. I have already begun to place garage sale items in one area. We had things in storage here we wanted to sell, but it was quite hard doing it interstate.
I will be cleaning, organising and pricing everything and will let you all know how it goes. I have lots on in the next few weeks so it should be interesting.
Still I did make $483 through a few ways
1.) I bought things to sell. The first few things I bought to resell did not go so well, but other things did.
2.) I made an ebook which was going well then I had some problems with the host of said book so I pulled it.
3.) I did a few odd jobs here and there such as haircuts and cleaning.
Once I made a bit I paid for advertising on another blog which worked well and will run for 12 months.
I have also managed to organise a few things for next year, so whilst technically I only had the challenge open until 30th Nov, realistically the effects of the challenge will continue on for some time.
As such I will be continuing the money making challenge. I am not hugely focused on it right now because I have an assignment and assessment to complete soon as well as installing the kitchen (we ripped ours out the other night) and a few other things in the house.
I also never got to do my garage sale due to so many other things always on but we have set a date for not this Saturday but next, so provided nothing comes up I will make a bit of money then. I have already begun to place garage sale items in one area. We had things in storage here we wanted to sell, but it was quite hard doing it interstate.
I will be cleaning, organising and pricing everything and will let you all know how it goes. I have lots on in the next few weeks so it should be interesting.
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