I just had a birthday party at home. I provided snacks (cheese, crackers, veggies, dips, chips) and cake. I told people that they were welcome to bring gifts in the form of food and alcohol. I ended up lucking out as well in that a Groupon voucher for a nearby organic grocery store was offering $20 for $40 worth of groceries. I also paid for cake ingredients (a baker friend made the cake). With what I had, plus what guests brought, I had more than enough food, and music was provided by Pandora on my laptop, plugged into an auxiliary cable on my roommate's boombox. Everyone seemed to have a great time1
I don't really host many summer parties. Usually my family will gather at my in-laws because they have the best/biggest deck and grill. So I only have to pay for whatever food I bring to contribute.
I hate overdraft fees! I have called and asked to have mine waived before and it does work. But it is a lot easier if you set up your bank account to not allow overdrafts in the first place and you can avoid the stress and annoyance that comes when you see that charge in your account.
I love old fashion jars. There is something so cool about them. I've never been able to pinpoint why but I think it goes with the whole antique idea. My great-grandma use to stash hundreds of jars in her basement food cellar. I never understood why growing up but I do now. Reading about jars always brings back fond memories and that musty smell of the basement.
I love the idea of remodeling the attic into a bedroom and renting it out. My mom remarried and moved into a house with my stepfather when I was in highschool. He had three younger daughters and my only real sister was away at college. The house was a one story ranch that seemed to stretch on forever, but the people who had lived there before had redone the attic into a bedroom. It was the perfect place for me to hide out and I loved it.
This advice is great. It also works with late fees. If you inadvertently pay a bill late, just call your credit card company and be polite but firm. They will usually credit you any fees. They want to keep your business.
Most insurance is oversold these days, given how often it takes shelling out to an attorney to be treated fairly come settlement time. Consider only that which is at risk to a potential loss and cannot be covered any other way. Insurance is not an investment, it's a gamble about IF that loss will occur time-wise in the context of whether its cost might be used in a more lucrative way. Self insuring as much as possible is far more frugal.
I've always wanted to try a flash deal, but I'm terrified that I will end up some place that is normally beautiful but it will be the rainy season while I am there.
We save on summer parties by barbecuing. We buy chicken and hot dogs in bulk and have everybody bring a side to share. By having the party outside we don't have to run electricity or the a/C
Another way to know whether you're living within your means is to keep a spreadsheet of all your accounts that you update about once a month or so (preferably on the same day of the month). Just enter all your account balances (positive or negative) and keep a running total. As long as the total is going up, you are living within (or below) your means. You can also have separate totals for "cash on hand" if you want to know whether your cash reserve is going up or being drained to pay living expenses.
I agree. I don't think the minimalists define the movement - as I said, I'm not giving up my furniture:-) I do think the extremists show us how much we can really let go of and at least for me, that makes letting go of a few more "things" a little bit easier.
I think you will always hear more about the extreme examples of minimalists because that's the nature of the media. Unfortunately, the extremes tend to define minimalism. I'm just getting started on reducing some of the excess stuff in my home and in my life.
To me, minimalist living isn't about "how little can I live with." It isn't a one-size-fits-all lifestyle that says you should live in a tiny house and not have chairs for guests. It's more a release of attachment to things so they can be put into proper perspective. Many people treat their things as though they're more important than other people. This is just one of the ways we can put our lives back into proper perspective.
We buy paper supplies in bulk at Costco once a year or so. I plan menus based on what we already have or what's on clearance/sale/in season. Everything in the summer is casual & a pot luck, where all the guests chip in with yummy contributions.
I just had a birthday party at home. I provided snacks (cheese, crackers, veggies, dips, chips) and cake. I told people that they were welcome to bring gifts in the form of food and alcohol. I ended up lucking out as well in that a Groupon voucher for a nearby organic grocery store was offering $20 for $40 worth of groceries. I also paid for cake ingredients (a baker friend made the cake). With what I had, plus what guests brought, I had more than enough food, and music was provided by Pandora on my laptop, plugged into an auxiliary cable on my roommate's boombox. Everyone seemed to have a great time1
We have lived in so many old homes with these "treasures" to be discovered. It's such a fun piece of history!
I don't really host many summer parties. Usually my family will gather at my in-laws because they have the best/biggest deck and grill. So I only have to pay for whatever food I bring to contribute.
I hate overdraft fees! I have called and asked to have mine waived before and it does work. But it is a lot easier if you set up your bank account to not allow overdrafts in the first place and you can avoid the stress and annoyance that comes when you see that charge in your account.
I love old fashion jars. There is something so cool about them. I've never been able to pinpoint why but I think it goes with the whole antique idea. My great-grandma use to stash hundreds of jars in her basement food cellar. I never understood why growing up but I do now. Reading about jars always brings back fond memories and that musty smell of the basement.
I love the idea of remodeling the attic into a bedroom and renting it out. My mom remarried and moved into a house with my stepfather when I was in highschool. He had three younger daughters and my only real sister was away at college. The house was a one story ranch that seemed to stretch on forever, but the people who had lived there before had redone the attic into a bedroom. It was the perfect place for me to hide out and I loved it.
Couponing! I buy things for parties when I'm not having one, that way when it is time for a party I'm already stocked up! One word: clearance!
This advice is great. It also works with late fees. If you inadvertently pay a bill late, just call your credit card company and be polite but firm. They will usually credit you any fees. They want to keep your business.
These overdraft fees have a very interesting history of their own: http://studentloansherpa.com/scam-alert-overdraft-protection/
Most insurance is oversold these days, given how often it takes shelling out to an attorney to be treated fairly come settlement time. Consider only that which is at risk to a potential loss and cannot be covered any other way. Insurance is not an investment, it's a gamble about IF that loss will occur time-wise in the context of whether its cost might be used in a more lucrative way. Self insuring as much as possible is far more frugal.
nice i understand some of the mistake that i had done in the interviews .....thanks a lot
I've always wanted to try a flash deal, but I'm terrified that I will end up some place that is normally beautiful but it will be the rainy season while I am there.
we do potlucks and reusable dishes and silverware!
We save on summer parties by barbecuing. We buy chicken and hot dogs in bulk and have everybody bring a side to share. By having the party outside we don't have to run electricity or the a/C
Airbnb is the coolest thing, but I don't think I can ever venture to try it. I guess travel is all about the adventure though.
I try to make a dish using vegtables from our garden and if nothing is avalable yet I bake something from scrath to take along.
I throw parties with other people and share the costs.
Another way to know whether you're living within your means is to keep a spreadsheet of all your accounts that you update about once a month or so (preferably on the same day of the month). Just enter all your account balances (positive or negative) and keep a running total. As long as the total is going up, you are living within (or below) your means. You can also have separate totals for "cash on hand" if you want to know whether your cash reserve is going up or being drained to pay living expenses.
I only invest in mutual funds. They are simple and well diversified unto themselves (excluding their objective).
I agree. I don't think the minimalists define the movement - as I said, I'm not giving up my furniture:-) I do think the extremists show us how much we can really let go of and at least for me, that makes letting go of a few more "things" a little bit easier.
I think a small picnic potluck is the best kind of summer party
I think you will always hear more about the extreme examples of minimalists because that's the nature of the media. Unfortunately, the extremes tend to define minimalism. I'm just getting started on reducing some of the excess stuff in my home and in my life.
To me, minimalist living isn't about "how little can I live with." It isn't a one-size-fits-all lifestyle that says you should live in a tiny house and not have chairs for guests. It's more a release of attachment to things so they can be put into proper perspective. Many people treat their things as though they're more important than other people. This is just one of the ways we can put our lives back into proper perspective.
Travel slower, the more you do and see the more it costs.
South Africa? What an awful country now. The rate of violence and rape there is catastrophic.
We buy paper supplies in bulk at Costco once a year or so. I plan menus based on what we already have or what's on clearance/sale/in season. Everything in the summer is casual & a pot luck, where all the guests chip in with yummy contributions.
We buy our food at Aldi's, make our own tea and lemonade, and use real plates, silverware and glasses for eating.