Yes, thoughtful tips. However, regarding the coffee shop gift cards, I am also not a huge coffee lover, but I find that I can usually find an enjoyable non-coffee beverage on the menu at a coffee shop. And, as the writer says, these could also be regifted. Unless you know your hostess dislikes coffee, I would say it's a safe bet.
We now make our own laundry detergent and just the same container over and over again. It saves on so many going to be recycled and it saves us more than a few dollars each month.
I think it also comes down to how much is my time worth to *ME*.
The more I care about myself and let go of the insecurities around that, the more my time is valuable to me when I am doing something that I want to do. :)
Thank you for this article. My children were born here, I came here when I was 6 weeks old, my husband is 5th generation to live, work, play here. I am trying to convince my daughter to move back here with her husband and our grand daughter..who would be the 7th generation of my husbands family to live here. Having lived in the bay area during college ( Berekely)...I love it there as well...but each time I return so much is gone that made it great-there is so much congestion and the crime rate is climbing. Many of the locals are in the process of recalling the sup of schools...we are trying to bring the local schools back to what they were in the 50's and 60's...it is difficult, but with honesty (lacking at this point) and much volunteering it is happening...That is what is so unique here...that each can make a difference and in largley populated areas this has gone. My husband and I are ranchers and as we are riding through our cows..I do feel each and everyday that I am experiencing a bit of heaven. Thank you again and I am forwarding this onto my darling daughter. Heather
Selling my car after a few months of taking public transportation. I sold my 2010 Toyota Yaris for $900.00 more than what I owed, and I was able to get rid of my car loan. This is also a gift that keeps on giving. I will be saving roughly $200.00 on car related expenses (not including my $430 car payment!).
This means that I can save more and pay off my remaining debt which will be completely eliminated by September and by the end of the year, I should have an extra $3,000.00 in savings. Slow and steady and loving it.
You can keep the Chemex pot on the stove top on a low setting to keep it warm if you have a glass top range. If you have electric coils, you can buy a metal wire grid for 7 or 8 bucks to place on the coils, so you can keep the Chemex on it to keep the coffee hot.
As you say, coworking can be a great place to be halfway between the coffee shop and the office.
When looking for a corworking space, we've found it also helps to get a feel for what the territory and the natives are like.
Some coworking spaces can be great for your business - for freelancers, some are focused on almost being a networking hub - so 1 real estate agent, 1 insurance person, 1 mortgage broker, 1 accountant, 1 photographer, etc. - there's a benefit of sharing contacts and business that evolves.
However we've heard of a few places where an assortment of pete the photocopier hog, charlie the coffee baron, and ira the interrupter that we thought existed only in the corporate world.
Sometimes it helps to check out the personality of the place before completely signing up!
Wow! This is so helpful. I have a large group of friends and we always like to get together and have a social. Can you guess who's turn it s in 3 weeks? Lol
The best investment for me was a coffee grinder. I use it regularly not only for a mug of fresh coffee but also for making caster sugar, instant cocoa powder. Also anyone can experiment with a new marinade seasoning or any other spice mixture. We use it for homemade peanut butter preparation and it is also good for poppy seeds, walnuts, sesame seeds etc.
The only hassle is to properly clean it after use. It's a generic type, I bought it on supermarket sale (the only thing I checked is the performance/power consumption). It uses very little splace in my kitchen and I store it along with my food containers in my cupboard.
Wonderful article. Your best tip is the last one. Leave the credit cards at home! If you have a set, limited number of dollars in your wallet, you'll really give it a second thought before spending!
Two other suggestions:
1) Always try to shop with a buddy! Help each other out by stopping each other from impulse buys and asking each other if you really need it! If you're alone, get a "Shopping Lifeline Buddy." Someone to call when you're in a store about to make a purchase, and they can talk you down!
2) Get in the habit of not buying anything on impulse. Instead, take a pic of the item and write down the date and price of the item. Then go home and do some research online to see if it's cheaper. As long as you agree not to buy the item THAT second in the store, giving yourself that time to reflect and compare prices at home, will put enough distance between you and the impulse.
we are basically debt free (except mortgage) and have an emergency fund - I love that we don't buy anything unless we can pay cash, that in itself is a huge accomplishment!
Unfortunately I still don't have a good excuse not to take out the trash! Haha.. I have been learning lately just how important my time is. I'm really working on maximizing my time both on the job and with my family and friends.
Our family of three just bought a 1000 square foot house and couldn't be happier. It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fairly open layout, SEVEN CLOSETS, and cupboards galore. The house was a flip and the builders truly used every inch of space they had. I have empty drawers and cabinets - that feels amazing! And we don't even have a basement! It definitely encourages the purging and avoiding of clutter. And it makes you super neat, because there's nowhere to stash the mess away!
This article is almost a year old now, but I would encourage any hesitant readers to give ALDI a go! I do probably 90% of my shopping there and you can DEFINITELY shop healthily while saving a TON money. Aldi now carries greek yogurt, hummus, and organic milk - three items I was having to shop at a different chain for. Their produce (in the two locations I frequent) is TWICE as fresh as Kroger or Publix at HALF the price! You have to buy it in pre-packaged quantities, but honestly, that just means we eat a LOT more produce than we used to. As for artificial ingredients - EVERY major grocery store carries items filled with additives - you just have to read the labels and make a smarter choice. I'd rather spend five seconds reading labels to avoid high fructose corn syrup than five hundred dollars every month at Whole Foods or Trader Joes (which is just NOT always an option on a shoestring budget!).
People always think that 100k a year means you will be driving a Bentley. I used to think this too when I was an undergrad. In Philadelphia I have to pay a lot of taxes on my $115,000 income. Then, since housing is expensive, another big chunk goes there. I live well below my means, but this isn't Bentley money. 300K is Bentley money.
decided to invest some money given to me instead of blowing it on something else.
Looks like a great tool - it couldn't pull my debt information from my credit report, but I am exited to see what features it offers
Yes, thoughtful tips. However, regarding the coffee shop gift cards, I am also not a huge coffee lover, but I find that I can usually find an enjoyable non-coffee beverage on the menu at a coffee shop. And, as the writer says, these could also be regifted. Unless you know your hostess dislikes coffee, I would say it's a safe bet.
We now make our own laundry detergent and just the same container over and over again. It saves on so many going to be recycled and it saves us more than a few dollars each month.
I think it also comes down to how much is my time worth to *ME*.
The more I care about myself and let go of the insecurities around that, the more my time is valuable to me when I am doing something that I want to do. :)
-Ben
My largest accomplishments were completing 3 degrees with no debt and buying my first house!
Thank you for this article. My children were born here, I came here when I was 6 weeks old, my husband is 5th generation to live, work, play here. I am trying to convince my daughter to move back here with her husband and our grand daughter..who would be the 7th generation of my husbands family to live here. Having lived in the bay area during college ( Berekely)...I love it there as well...but each time I return so much is gone that made it great-there is so much congestion and the crime rate is climbing. Many of the locals are in the process of recalling the sup of schools...we are trying to bring the local schools back to what they were in the 50's and 60's...it is difficult, but with honesty (lacking at this point) and much volunteering it is happening...That is what is so unique here...that each can make a difference and in largley populated areas this has gone. My husband and I are ranchers and as we are riding through our cows..I do feel each and everyday that I am experiencing a bit of heaven. Thank you again and I am forwarding this onto my darling daughter. Heather
Selling my car after a few months of taking public transportation. I sold my 2010 Toyota Yaris for $900.00 more than what I owed, and I was able to get rid of my car loan. This is also a gift that keeps on giving. I will be saving roughly $200.00 on car related expenses (not including my $430 car payment!).
This means that I can save more and pay off my remaining debt which will be completely eliminated by September and by the end of the year, I should have an extra $3,000.00 in savings. Slow and steady and loving it.
Oh god! GROSS
Awww Maggie! Why are you telling everyone!?!
But very well said!
You can keep the Chemex pot on the stove top on a low setting to keep it warm if you have a glass top range. If you have electric coils, you can buy a metal wire grid for 7 or 8 bucks to place on the coils, so you can keep the Chemex on it to keep the coffee hot.
As you say, coworking can be a great place to be halfway between the coffee shop and the office.
When looking for a corworking space, we've found it also helps to get a feel for what the territory and the natives are like.
Some coworking spaces can be great for your business - for freelancers, some are focused on almost being a networking hub - so 1 real estate agent, 1 insurance person, 1 mortgage broker, 1 accountant, 1 photographer, etc. - there's a benefit of sharing contacts and business that evolves.
However we've heard of a few places where an assortment of pete the photocopier hog, charlie the coffee baron, and ira the interrupter that we thought existed only in the corporate world.
Sometimes it helps to check out the personality of the place before completely signing up!
Wow! This is so helpful. I have a large group of friends and we always like to get together and have a social. Can you guess who's turn it s in 3 weeks? Lol
The best investment for me was a coffee grinder. I use it regularly not only for a mug of fresh coffee but also for making caster sugar, instant cocoa powder. Also anyone can experiment with a new marinade seasoning or any other spice mixture. We use it for homemade peanut butter preparation and it is also good for poppy seeds, walnuts, sesame seeds etc.
The only hassle is to properly clean it after use. It's a generic type, I bought it on supermarket sale (the only thing I checked is the performance/power consumption). It uses very little splace in my kitchen and I store it along with my food containers in my cupboard.
Wonderful article. Your best tip is the last one. Leave the credit cards at home! If you have a set, limited number of dollars in your wallet, you'll really give it a second thought before spending!
Two other suggestions:
1) Always try to shop with a buddy! Help each other out by stopping each other from impulse buys and asking each other if you really need it! If you're alone, get a "Shopping Lifeline Buddy." Someone to call when you're in a store about to make a purchase, and they can talk you down!
2) Get in the habit of not buying anything on impulse. Instead, take a pic of the item and write down the date and price of the item. Then go home and do some research online to see if it's cheaper. As long as you agree not to buy the item THAT second in the store, giving yourself that time to reflect and compare prices at home, will put enough distance between you and the impulse.
https://twitter.com/#!/ReneeAChapman/status/188616418487578624
like you on facebook
we are basically debt free (except mortgage) and have an emergency fund - I love that we don't buy anything unless we can pay cash, that in itself is a huge accomplishment!
I like Funtasia's Internet Coupons. Make sure you sign up for their free Hot Deal Alert newsletter.
http://www.funtasia.net
http://www.01world.in/p/before-going-to-interview.html
This is good.
Unfortunately I still don't have a good excuse not to take out the trash! Haha.. I have been learning lately just how important my time is. I'm really working on maximizing my time both on the job and with my family and friends.
Our family of three just bought a 1000 square foot house and couldn't be happier. It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fairly open layout, SEVEN CLOSETS, and cupboards galore. The house was a flip and the builders truly used every inch of space they had. I have empty drawers and cabinets - that feels amazing! And we don't even have a basement! It definitely encourages the purging and avoiding of clutter. And it makes you super neat, because there's nowhere to stash the mess away!
This article is almost a year old now, but I would encourage any hesitant readers to give ALDI a go! I do probably 90% of my shopping there and you can DEFINITELY shop healthily while saving a TON money. Aldi now carries greek yogurt, hummus, and organic milk - three items I was having to shop at a different chain for. Their produce (in the two locations I frequent) is TWICE as fresh as Kroger or Publix at HALF the price! You have to buy it in pre-packaged quantities, but honestly, that just means we eat a LOT more produce than we used to. As for artificial ingredients - EVERY major grocery store carries items filled with additives - you just have to read the labels and make a smarter choice. I'd rather spend five seconds reading labels to avoid high fructose corn syrup than five hundred dollars every month at Whole Foods or Trader Joes (which is just NOT always an option on a shoestring budget!).
People always think that 100k a year means you will be driving a Bentley. I used to think this too when I was an undergrad. In Philadelphia I have to pay a lot of taxes on my $115,000 income. Then, since housing is expensive, another big chunk goes there. I live well below my means, but this isn't Bentley money. 300K is Bentley money.
Congrats! That's awesome!