From an earth-friendly perspective fabric conditioners and sheets are not good. They contain dangerous chemicals. I am a grandmother and recently learned about using white vinegar as a softener. It also reduces lint on dark clothes. I have been line-drying our clothes for several years, in the basement year round. I hang undies, sox and towels on drying racks and everything that can be hung goes on a hanger and is hung on a rod my husband rigged up - shirts, pants, nighties, sweatshirts, etc. This saves lots of space on the racks. I can have 3 full loads drying at one time.
I encourage the young folks to always look for better, not easier, ways to do things. Remember Mother Earth - and saving a little money at the same time isn't bad either!
Working in the banking industry I would say the 2 & 3 are by far the hardest to get people to understand. PMI is one that everyone hates but this is why having the 20% down is so important.
Here in Chicago we are so fortunate to have a law that strongly protects the vast majority of tenants' rights. If you know the law exists, getting your security deposit back is seldom a problem.
Having worked with tenants both inside and outside Chicago, I truly feel for those who don't have the same protection. It's all too common that I have to tell someone that suing for their security deposit will cost more than the deposit itself. I hope other cities follow Chicago's lead.
Trees are a great idea for the right person. Please keep in mind the amount of work that a person will have to do once they receive the tree (planting, watering, shading, feeding, pruning, etc) and whether or not they have the time and the room for a tree. A tree might not be the best choice for your elderly grandparent or a child who moved to a loft apartment, for example. Some additional ideas include making a donation to a charity that the person enjoys, such as an animal rescue or research for a cure. Often, the charity will send a thank you gift to the person, like a water bottle or soft-sided cooler. I still have a picture of a whale that was saved in my name by a relative in the 80s. You might also take the person on a picnic to a meaningful nearby spot or make some phone calls to put together a party. Often the most treasured gifts are gifts that involve your time and sincerity rather than your money.
I'll trade you...getting fired would be the best thing that could happen to me these days. Toxic director, new regional manager both putting tremendous pressure on my immediate supervisor who in turn is micromanaging every move I make and "retraining" me to do a high-school grad type job. The writing is on the wall...I'm on borrowed time (and don't care a bit)
Seriously, if you don't care about buying good quality used shoes and have a little extra time you can shop at yardsales on Saturdays. We go from 7am - 12pm just about each Saturday and you can find boots/shoes for $1 - $5 that are almost brand new.
There is really no reason to pay more unless you're strapped for time.
My wife's been trying to get me to agree to buying a whole patio furniture love seat kinda thing. I've resolved to try to make one myself out of extra lumber we have after building a kids playset. I figure I can save about $500-$600 and have a nice conversation piece if I can find the spare time to design and build it!
I like SAS San Antonio Shoes http://www.sasshoes.com Made in the USA, I bought a pair from local shoe store - not a big box store. These are comfortable and durable, not cheap but a good value.
Read through all the comments, summarized: all the posts said need a buyer agents were all from agents. We all know how easy to become a realtor agent. It doesn't really need to take long training (compare other jobs) and easy to get the license. I know a lot of agents who used to be housewife or lost their jobs and then begin to work as agents. And for me living in NewJersey and NewYork, the house is very expensive on some areas (1-1.5 hour commute to NYC) , it will cost 500K-1M, 3% is big money(15K-30K). There are e-agents here, you do the research by yourself, the e-agent give you suggestion, put offer and negatioate price .... It like most people do tax return via software today. You can get all the information from Internet. The history price, neighour prices..... I don't think there are a lot of values of using a buyer agent. They play tricky too.
Awesome! im trying to start a business to promote saving money along with the earth, and its pretty tricky seeing as how I haven't told my parents yet and I'm really young. I love your ideas!
I do some small side business things that don't bring in a consistent income, b/c I don't pursue them as businesses, just hobbies. I make personalized beaded jewelry and also do bead parties to teach other people how to make jewelry. I also dog-sit and sell things on ebay and craigslist for some extra cash, too.
I bought Cole Haan loafers for ages. They really last and were comfortable. I also have a pair of Tod's loafers that look fantastic despite being over a decade old.
I would also look at Nordstrom Rack for Frye shoes and boots. Cole Haans can be found there too.
Found a Harris tweed jacket in perfect condition for my husband; also long "filmy"
dresses for at-home wear; size 6Petite fits me except for leg length,so can cut them
to capri/shorts length....the fish don't care what I'm wearing when we go out in our
boat! Jacket for $25; dresses for $1-$3; pants and jeans for $2.
Only problem with that is that lets say you want to rent a rental car, you can't rent one without a credit check or a credit card. I almost couldn't get home one time stranded and couldn't get a rental car because I had no credit and no credit card. You really can't buy everything with cash in many cases unless you are backed by a credit card or a high credit score. The guy I finally convinced to let me rent only rented it because it was off the map of the rental company and he wrote me on paper and said he really wasn't supposed to write anyone up a contract this way and everyone else had to go through the system. I had to bed him to let me rent the car and he only rented it to me because I proved I had the cash for the days I was going in my account. It would have been so much easier if I had just had a credit card. I am now looking at getting a small line of credit with a cc company that doesn't use credit checks to approve you you just pay a monthly fee and you are set. I feel that I can utilize this card to show proof the next time I need a rental car and can't travel by bus or plane. Rental companies are getting stricter about this because they want the money to be readily available and not get ripped off by someone claiming they have cash and a debit card. I was so happy when I found this no credit check company because I have no credit and it will be good for a person like me to establish something so that I might be able to have a good credit score when I go to purchase a house, which they look at even if you have enough cash to buy the home. I have decided in this day and age, no one can really do everything they want without a credit card and a monthly payment option.
Great article! Many people like the security of the 30 year mortgage and then paying extra each month. This is a good plan as long as you try to stay consistent with the extra payments. If not, go with the 15 year mortgage if the monthly payment is affordable.
#6 "Make Space to Pursue Hobbies" made me laugh because I live in a 1 bedroom apartment so the only space for my DIY workshop is the bedroom. The workshop takes up more space than the bed. it works for me but I will admit my bedroom is not very girlie as the first thing you see when you walk in is a bunch of tools. At least I keep my chopsaw out of sight.
My keep clutter under control rule is that anything that comes into my apartment must have value.
I definetly think having a diversified income stream is key in today's economy. You cannot rely on a life time job and even more it is likely your cost of living will increase faster than your salary would. So the more you can make, the better!
Two things I do
1. Blogging for income. If you are passionate about a topic, have some tech savvy and are willing to invest the time you can build a pretty decent blogging income. As I discussed here about my potential blog income (http://www.savingtoinvest.com/2008/11/how-much-money-do-bloggers-make.html) it can add up to some serious dough if you do it write.
I've also found that a lot of people want to give away their baby stuff when their kids grow up. So even before your kids is born, tell people you are having a kid and more likely or not they will offer up stuff for you to have for free. They get rid of stuff they will not use, you get baby stuff for free from people you know.
Hi Kentin,
I agree it is good to declutter at times, i've always tended to collect all kinds of things and had them sitting around.
One interesting thing is i've found at times is when i've decluttered mentally, such as made changes in beliefs, programming, emotions I was holding onto that I suddenly go on a cleaning spree. I'm not exactly the cleanest person still, but I am cleaner than I used to be and seem to get cleaner each time this happens.
Ebay has also been good for decluttering my items. :)
Why is it necessary for "other banks" to charge a fee when you use 'their' ATM (and "your" bank to charge an additional fee for using another bank's ATM), while you can get cash back on a debit card at a store without being charged a fee?
From an earth-friendly perspective fabric conditioners and sheets are not good. They contain dangerous chemicals. I am a grandmother and recently learned about using white vinegar as a softener. It also reduces lint on dark clothes. I have been line-drying our clothes for several years, in the basement year round. I hang undies, sox and towels on drying racks and everything that can be hung goes on a hanger and is hung on a rod my husband rigged up - shirts, pants, nighties, sweatshirts, etc. This saves lots of space on the racks. I can have 3 full loads drying at one time.
I encourage the young folks to always look for better, not easier, ways to do things. Remember Mother Earth - and saving a little money at the same time isn't bad either!
Working in the banking industry I would say the 2 & 3 are by far the hardest to get people to understand. PMI is one that everyone hates but this is why having the 20% down is so important.
I have a little bit of side income coming in and I love it. We use it as play money.
Here in Chicago we are so fortunate to have a law that strongly protects the vast majority of tenants' rights. If you know the law exists, getting your security deposit back is seldom a problem.
Having worked with tenants both inside and outside Chicago, I truly feel for those who don't have the same protection. It's all too common that I have to tell someone that suing for their security deposit will cost more than the deposit itself. I hope other cities follow Chicago's lead.
Trees are a great idea for the right person. Please keep in mind the amount of work that a person will have to do once they receive the tree (planting, watering, shading, feeding, pruning, etc) and whether or not they have the time and the room for a tree. A tree might not be the best choice for your elderly grandparent or a child who moved to a loft apartment, for example. Some additional ideas include making a donation to a charity that the person enjoys, such as an animal rescue or research for a cure. Often, the charity will send a thank you gift to the person, like a water bottle or soft-sided cooler. I still have a picture of a whale that was saved in my name by a relative in the 80s. You might also take the person on a picnic to a meaningful nearby spot or make some phone calls to put together a party. Often the most treasured gifts are gifts that involve your time and sincerity rather than your money.
I'll trade you...getting fired would be the best thing that could happen to me these days. Toxic director, new regional manager both putting tremendous pressure on my immediate supervisor who in turn is micromanaging every move I make and "retraining" me to do a high-school grad type job. The writing is on the wall...I'm on borrowed time (and don't care a bit)
One addition, how about your local book store?!?!? I usually find those a little more fun than the library it you're into reviewing magazines.
Seriously, if you don't care about buying good quality used shoes and have a little extra time you can shop at yardsales on Saturdays. We go from 7am - 12pm just about each Saturday and you can find boots/shoes for $1 - $5 that are almost brand new.
There is really no reason to pay more unless you're strapped for time.
My wife's been trying to get me to agree to buying a whole patio furniture love seat kinda thing. I've resolved to try to make one myself out of extra lumber we have after building a kids playset. I figure I can save about $500-$600 and have a nice conversation piece if I can find the spare time to design and build it!
I like SAS San Antonio Shoes http://www.sasshoes.com Made in the USA, I bought a pair from local shoe store - not a big box store. These are comfortable and durable, not cheap but a good value.
Read through all the comments, summarized: all the posts said need a buyer agents were all from agents. We all know how easy to become a realtor agent. It doesn't really need to take long training (compare other jobs) and easy to get the license. I know a lot of agents who used to be housewife or lost their jobs and then begin to work as agents. And for me living in NewJersey and NewYork, the house is very expensive on some areas (1-1.5 hour commute to NYC) , it will cost 500K-1M, 3% is big money(15K-30K). There are e-agents here, you do the research by yourself, the e-agent give you suggestion, put offer and negatioate price .... It like most people do tax return via software today. You can get all the information from Internet. The history price, neighour prices..... I don't think there are a lot of values of using a buyer agent. They play tricky too.
Awesome! im trying to start a business to promote saving money along with the earth, and its pretty tricky seeing as how I haven't told my parents yet and I'm really young. I love your ideas!
No I don't have any side income, we are a one income family.
I do some small side business things that don't bring in a consistent income, b/c I don't pursue them as businesses, just hobbies. I make personalized beaded jewelry and also do bead parties to teach other people how to make jewelry. I also dog-sit and sell things on ebay and craigslist for some extra cash, too.
I bought Cole Haan loafers for ages. They really last and were comfortable. I also have a pair of Tod's loafers that look fantastic despite being over a decade old.
I would also look at Nordstrom Rack for Frye shoes and boots. Cole Haans can be found there too.
Found a Harris tweed jacket in perfect condition for my husband; also long "filmy"
dresses for at-home wear; size 6Petite fits me except for leg length,so can cut them
to capri/shorts length....the fish don't care what I'm wearing when we go out in our
boat! Jacket for $25; dresses for $1-$3; pants and jeans for $2.
Only problem with that is that lets say you want to rent a rental car, you can't rent one without a credit check or a credit card. I almost couldn't get home one time stranded and couldn't get a rental car because I had no credit and no credit card. You really can't buy everything with cash in many cases unless you are backed by a credit card or a high credit score. The guy I finally convinced to let me rent only rented it because it was off the map of the rental company and he wrote me on paper and said he really wasn't supposed to write anyone up a contract this way and everyone else had to go through the system. I had to bed him to let me rent the car and he only rented it to me because I proved I had the cash for the days I was going in my account. It would have been so much easier if I had just had a credit card. I am now looking at getting a small line of credit with a cc company that doesn't use credit checks to approve you you just pay a monthly fee and you are set. I feel that I can utilize this card to show proof the next time I need a rental car and can't travel by bus or plane. Rental companies are getting stricter about this because they want the money to be readily available and not get ripped off by someone claiming they have cash and a debit card. I was so happy when I found this no credit check company because I have no credit and it will be good for a person like me to establish something so that I might be able to have a good credit score when I go to purchase a house, which they look at even if you have enough cash to buy the home. I have decided in this day and age, no one can really do everything they want without a credit card and a monthly payment option.
Great article! Many people like the security of the 30 year mortgage and then paying extra each month. This is a good plan as long as you try to stay consistent with the extra payments. If not, go with the 15 year mortgage if the monthly payment is affordable.
#6 "Make Space to Pursue Hobbies" made me laugh because I live in a 1 bedroom apartment so the only space for my DIY workshop is the bedroom. The workshop takes up more space than the bed. it works for me but I will admit my bedroom is not very girlie as the first thing you see when you walk in is a bunch of tools. At least I keep my chopsaw out of sight.
My keep clutter under control rule is that anything that comes into my apartment must have value.
I definetly think having a diversified income stream is key in today's economy. You cannot rely on a life time job and even more it is likely your cost of living will increase faster than your salary would. So the more you can make, the better!
Two things I do
1. Blogging for income. If you are passionate about a topic, have some tech savvy and are willing to invest the time you can build a pretty decent blogging income. As I discussed here about my potential blog income (http://www.savingtoinvest.com/2008/11/how-much-money-do-bloggers-make.html) it can add up to some serious dough if you do it write.
2. Freelancing where you can have a flexible work schedule but need to focus on building a good reputation so you can charge higher rates (see this article I wrote - http://www.savingtoinvest.com/2010/10/how-to-make-money-by-as-a-freelanc... )
I've also found that a lot of people want to give away their baby stuff when their kids grow up. So even before your kids is born, tell people you are having a kid and more likely or not they will offer up stuff for you to have for free. They get rid of stuff they will not use, you get baby stuff for free from people you know.
Hi Kentin,
I agree it is good to declutter at times, i've always tended to collect all kinds of things and had them sitting around.
One interesting thing is i've found at times is when i've decluttered mentally, such as made changes in beliefs, programming, emotions I was holding onto that I suddenly go on a cleaning spree. I'm not exactly the cleanest person still, but I am cleaner than I used to be and seem to get cleaner each time this happens.
Ebay has also been good for decluttering my items. :)
-Ben
Brilliant.
My side income includes: Being a Sidecar driver, rental income from tenants, and forex trading on the side.
Why is it necessary for "other banks" to charge a fee when you use 'their' ATM (and "your" bank to charge an additional fee for using another bank's ATM), while you can get cash back on a debit card at a store without being charged a fee?