I get up early and head to the gym before I go into the office. I find every excuse I can to get up and walk at work (find someone instead of calling them, use the printer the farthest from my desk, etc.). On the weekends, I try to stay moving by cleaning the barn, the house and the yard as well as make time to go for a walk, ride my bike, workout on our rowing machine or do yoga or do some aerobic or strength training routines. Anything that is important enough to you will find a way to happen during your day... and to me exercise, eating right and overall taking care of myself are very high on my priority list.
I don't understand. How in the bloody heck can you pay off debt when you're unemployed? I'm to the point of selling my possessions and it doesn't even put a dent in it. Please, what obvious lesson am I missing here?
Narrow down the time you will commit to workout everyday, after a workday/work night and two hours before sleep. No working out after you wake for the day. You may prefer to workout alone. If not then find a partner who will make the commitment with you. Put money to the commitment if you want. Start out with 3 months duration. The goal is to make working out an addiction.
I game-ify my workouts: either by using a pedometer and trying to beat my daily goal, or by using apps that will register achievements such as doing a certain workout or walking a certain number of steps.
I push my toddlers in the stroller up hill everyday. While at the park I do pull ups on monkey bars, squats as I am standing there pushing someone in a swing, I will sit on a swing leaning back with my abs engaged and hold, I will even lunge around the park. At home I do push ups while I'm waiting for something in the microwave, I will also do bridges with my kids "riding" on my tummy. Boom! Get 'er done.
My first thought on reading this list what that the author must not cook much. My breadmaker and rice cooker are used regularly and my spices don't have a chance to go bad, I use them too quickly. Leftovers are always consumed before they go bad, and tossing an open can in the fridge is fine if you're going to use the rest of the contents the next day - I routinely use a half can for something and finish it the next meal. The toaster oven, as others have pointed out, is much more efficient than heating up a large oven for small items. A reusable pastry bag is better than using and throwing out plastic bags and takes almost no space in the utensils drawer. Isn't this site about frugality and cutting down on waste? You're advocating wasting resources with some of these.
It helps me to read this post, actually this whole article helps. These ideas seem to be against the norm. We just moved into a 3000 sq foot old house with tons of huge windows, vaulted ceilings, paper thin insulation, and oil baseboard heaters. The first month we paid more than the house payment for oil merely to keep this pile of wood at around 55 degrees. I admit I was using more than my share of hot water for daily showers and cleaning but that stopped the second we got the oil bill. The oil co. says normal consumption for this place is about 2300 gallons a year. Wow. We would like to retire in this lifetime...? I am not spending all day in a cube farm just to pay an oil company to keep my home somewhat comfortable. 55 was crazy I can only imagine if we were baking at a steamy 70 degrees in here.
We did what we could to seal and insulate the place to stop the breeze blowing through the house. We are using the little wood burning stove which is placed in the low center of the house. It is 57 in here which is just fine. A little bunding up here and there, electric pad on the bed to cut the shock of cold sheets, warm drinks, warm heavy comfort food. We are keeping our retirement funds, paying our bills on time, and will move into something smaller soon (hopefully).
I am paying off my mortgage bi-monthly and add an extra $100 every time. That is my only debt.
I have learned to love what I have, get together with friends a lot, and live simply. It's not a boring life. Quite the contrary.
Great ideas. Many businesses are now giving out magnetic chip clips as advertisement. Keep your eyes peeled and you can pick up a set for nothing. (They just may not all match). I also agree with Denise after having a bulb break. Won't use them again.
Have to disagree with you: Credit cards, specifically cash-back rewards and especially their sign-on bonuses, have saved me many thousands of dollars over the years. I have used so many miles to fly when I otherwise would have had to pay, have spent more free nights in hotel rooms than I can count (haven't paid for one in more than three years), and have been awarded hundreds of thousands of, for instance, Ultimate Rewards points simply for spending I was going to spend anyway, and for having excellent credit and a small business (me, a one-man show). I represent the risk the banks take when they aim to profit from others' financial mismanagement of their lives. And profit they must, because for me, the hits just keep coming.
Generally I prefer spending on my credit card because I get 1% cashback. However you are right to say that sometimes cash is king. It's a question of weighing up whether the 1% cashback I get on my credit card is outweighed by the savings from negotiating a reduced Cash sale.
I totally agree that farmers markets or any market offer the best deals to those paying cash, and I personally find that you can save between 15 and 20% of the offer price by paying in cash
Taking just a few minutes to service your furnace once a year is a much bigger deal then most people think. Changing the filters and checking the furnace can add years to the energy efficiency and life expectancy. I would add taking a walk around your home and checking for any spots or gaps in the home that can be sealed. I call it "walk and caulk".
I do 15-20 minutes of yoga, pilates, and strength training right after I get up 3-4 times per week. I run up and down our long hallway with my toddler (he thinks chasing each other is a gas). I use the stairs instead of an elevator if I'm only going up 2-3 floors.
I live in a third floor walk-up, so I get exercise every time I take the stairs. Also, I'm attending a community college and dragging a rolling case full of heavy books around twice a week is a great upper-body workout.
I walk 2 miles fairly fast on my lunch most days, I change into walking clothes so I don't have to worry about my work clothes. I don't have time to shower so I use wipes to clean up. We usually walk in a group to have someone to chat with and make the time go by. I love being outdoors so it really helps refresh me. I also block off my calendar everyday so no one will book a meeting on my lunch. And if it is too bad out I am lucky my company just put in a gym with treadmills and bikes etc. I don't have to get up early, or try to motivate after work, which I know wont' happen!
I completed my BCom at the University of Alberta back in 2002 and had to complete my own tax forms for a couple of years, however I have not kept up with the Canadian tax system since then. Maybe some of our Canadian readers can point you to some useful resources.
i have most of these gems, and they are worth their weight in gold. However, I will NEVER purchase compact fluorescent bulbs. If just one of these is dropped and broken, the entire home must be evacuated and "haz-matted" because of the toxic mercury content. I'll move to LED bulbs, but no CFLs in my house!
I take the stairs up to my 16th floor office when I can't work out that day. I keep cleansing wipes in my office in case I get a bit sweaty on the walk up and keep a pair of flats in my work bag.
It's amazing what you can achieve when you put your mind to it and are determined to succeed. Saving money is a habit and developing habit takes time and commitment. I always find it inspiring to hear success stories like these.
She was clearly very in their budget strategy and it must have been an amazing feeling to achieve that outcome.
Having recently saved £10,000 in a year towards a house deposit I know just how difficult it can be to save!
I get up early and head to the gym before I go into the office. I find every excuse I can to get up and walk at work (find someone instead of calling them, use the printer the farthest from my desk, etc.). On the weekends, I try to stay moving by cleaning the barn, the house and the yard as well as make time to go for a walk, ride my bike, workout on our rowing machine or do yoga or do some aerobic or strength training routines. Anything that is important enough to you will find a way to happen during your day... and to me exercise, eating right and overall taking care of myself are very high on my priority list.
I don't understand. How in the bloody heck can you pay off debt when you're unemployed? I'm to the point of selling my possessions and it doesn't even put a dent in it. Please, what obvious lesson am I missing here?
Narrow down the time you will commit to workout everyday, after a workday/work night and two hours before sleep. No working out after you wake for the day. You may prefer to workout alone. If not then find a partner who will make the commitment with you. Put money to the commitment if you want. Start out with 3 months duration. The goal is to make working out an addiction.
I game-ify my workouts: either by using a pedometer and trying to beat my daily goal, or by using apps that will register achievements such as doing a certain workout or walking a certain number of steps.
I push my toddlers in the stroller up hill everyday. While at the park I do pull ups on monkey bars, squats as I am standing there pushing someone in a swing, I will sit on a swing leaning back with my abs engaged and hold, I will even lunge around the park. At home I do push ups while I'm waiting for something in the microwave, I will also do bridges with my kids "riding" on my tummy. Boom! Get 'er done.
My first thought on reading this list what that the author must not cook much. My breadmaker and rice cooker are used regularly and my spices don't have a chance to go bad, I use them too quickly. Leftovers are always consumed before they go bad, and tossing an open can in the fridge is fine if you're going to use the rest of the contents the next day - I routinely use a half can for something and finish it the next meal. The toaster oven, as others have pointed out, is much more efficient than heating up a large oven for small items. A reusable pastry bag is better than using and throwing out plastic bags and takes almost no space in the utensils drawer. Isn't this site about frugality and cutting down on waste? You're advocating wasting resources with some of these.
It helps me to read this post, actually this whole article helps. These ideas seem to be against the norm. We just moved into a 3000 sq foot old house with tons of huge windows, vaulted ceilings, paper thin insulation, and oil baseboard heaters. The first month we paid more than the house payment for oil merely to keep this pile of wood at around 55 degrees. I admit I was using more than my share of hot water for daily showers and cleaning but that stopped the second we got the oil bill. The oil co. says normal consumption for this place is about 2300 gallons a year. Wow. We would like to retire in this lifetime...? I am not spending all day in a cube farm just to pay an oil company to keep my home somewhat comfortable. 55 was crazy I can only imagine if we were baking at a steamy 70 degrees in here.
We did what we could to seal and insulate the place to stop the breeze blowing through the house. We are using the little wood burning stove which is placed in the low center of the house. It is 57 in here which is just fine. A little bunding up here and there, electric pad on the bed to cut the shock of cold sheets, warm drinks, warm heavy comfort food. We are keeping our retirement funds, paying our bills on time, and will move into something smaller soon (hopefully).
I am paying off my mortgage bi-monthly and add an extra $100 every time. That is my only debt.
I have learned to love what I have, get together with friends a lot, and live simply. It's not a boring life. Quite the contrary.
I work exercise into my day by taking my dog for a walk a few times a day.
Great ideas. Many businesses are now giving out magnetic chip clips as advertisement. Keep your eyes peeled and you can pick up a set for nothing. (They just may not all match). I also agree with Denise after having a bulb break. Won't use them again.
Have to disagree with you: Credit cards, specifically cash-back rewards and especially their sign-on bonuses, have saved me many thousands of dollars over the years. I have used so many miles to fly when I otherwise would have had to pay, have spent more free nights in hotel rooms than I can count (haven't paid for one in more than three years), and have been awarded hundreds of thousands of, for instance, Ultimate Rewards points simply for spending I was going to spend anyway, and for having excellent credit and a small business (me, a one-man show). I represent the risk the banks take when they aim to profit from others' financial mismanagement of their lives. And profit they must, because for me, the hits just keep coming.
Generally I prefer spending on my credit card because I get 1% cashback. However you are right to say that sometimes cash is king. It's a question of weighing up whether the 1% cashback I get on my credit card is outweighed by the savings from negotiating a reduced Cash sale.
I totally agree that farmers markets or any market offer the best deals to those paying cash, and I personally find that you can save between 15 and 20% of the offer price by paying in cash
Taking just a few minutes to service your furnace once a year is a much bigger deal then most people think. Changing the filters and checking the furnace can add years to the energy efficiency and life expectancy. I would add taking a walk around your home and checking for any spots or gaps in the home that can be sealed. I call it "walk and caulk".
I do 15-20 minutes of yoga, pilates, and strength training right after I get up 3-4 times per week. I run up and down our long hallway with my toddler (he thinks chasing each other is a gas). I use the stairs instead of an elevator if I'm only going up 2-3 floors.
I walk to and from work five days a week.
I walk outside on my lunch and breaks and I really go at a brisk pace.
I live in a third floor walk-up, so I get exercise every time I take the stairs. Also, I'm attending a community college and dragging a rolling case full of heavy books around twice a week is a great upper-body workout.
I end up getting my workout at work and if I take my dogs out for a walk.
I walk 2 miles fairly fast on my lunch most days, I change into walking clothes so I don't have to worry about my work clothes. I don't have time to shower so I use wipes to clean up. We usually walk in a group to have someone to chat with and make the time go by. I love being outdoors so it really helps refresh me. I also block off my calendar everyday so no one will book a meeting on my lunch. And if it is too bad out I am lucky my company just put in a gym with treadmills and bikes etc. I don't have to get up early, or try to motivate after work, which I know wont' happen!
I completed my BCom at the University of Alberta back in 2002 and had to complete my own tax forms for a couple of years, however I have not kept up with the Canadian tax system since then. Maybe some of our Canadian readers can point you to some useful resources.
i have most of these gems, and they are worth their weight in gold. However, I will NEVER purchase compact fluorescent bulbs. If just one of these is dropped and broken, the entire home must be evacuated and "haz-matted" because of the toxic mercury content. I'll move to LED bulbs, but no CFLs in my house!
I take the stairs up to my 16th floor office when I can't work out that day. I keep cleansing wipes in my office in case I get a bit sweaty on the walk up and keep a pair of flats in my work bag.
Putting my all into it when I do chores around the house, as well as walk everywhere when possible.
I don't like exercising but I try to do longer walks and the days I can't walk, I have different half hour workouts on my phone I can do anywhere.
It's amazing what you can achieve when you put your mind to it and are determined to succeed. Saving money is a habit and developing habit takes time and commitment. I always find it inspiring to hear success stories like these.
She was clearly very in their budget strategy and it must have been an amazing feeling to achieve that outcome.
Having recently saved £10,000 in a year towards a house deposit I know just how difficult it can be to save!