Mondays are good days. Yea, it's hard to get over the weekend, but it is the start of a new week and a new chance to create a savings goal. Think about saving money this week, and this week only. Keep it short term so it is easier to achieve your goal, so instead of being disillusioned at the end of the week, you will feel inspired and motivated!
So how to go about setting your weekly savings goal?
Just challenge yourself to live as frugally as possible for the next 5 days. You know best where you can cut back, and where you can cut corners. It just takes the motivation and conviction.
Write down how much you normally spend every day and multiply it by 5. Take that amount and reduce it by however much you would like to save instead of spend. Try for as much as you think you can do...challenge yourself. But even if it is $10, that counts as saving. Even $2 is better than nothing. It is even better if you can actually have the amount in cash that you would normally spend in a week, and then take $5, $10, $20--- whatever your savings goal is, and tuck it in an envelope. Then use the rest of the cash for the next 5 days. Period.
Keep your savings goal on your refrigerator where you will see it every morning to help keep you motivated.
On Friday, celebrate achieving your goal by depositing that money you tucked away in an envelope on Monday into your savings account!
Of course the best way to really develop consistent saving habits is to develop a weekly or monthly budget worksheet. Without a budget to follow, you cannot truly get a handle on what you are spending and how much you are saving each month. A budget will also help you track where you can cut back on spending so you can save even more.
Good Luck!
Saving money may mean that first you have to spend money (wisely!).....as bizarre as they might sound. Investing now in more efficient, better-quality items will save you money down the road.
Some things that are worth spending more money on now in order to save money later are:
1. Programmable Thermostat. This will automatically regulate the temperature in your house at certain times during the day, like while you are asleep. It may cost you about $100 or less up front, but the energy savings could be well worth it when those bills come in every month.
*If you do not have the extra $$ to get one of these thermostats, then do what we do: just keep the thermostat off at night --use extra blankets if you need, and keep it off as much as possible during the day. Hot days: close the curtains and blinds to help keep heat out. Cold days-wear a sweater or cuddle under blankets!*
2. Seeds. Grow Your own Herbs, Fruits and Vegetables. Did you know that for every $1 you put in, you can expect to get about $9 worth of food out? So says expert Elizabeth Rogers, author of Shift Your Habit: Easy Ways to Save Money, Simplify Your Life and Save the Planet. Tomatoes, bell peppers and yellow squash are your best bets to get the most for your money, says Rogers.
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Of course the savings won't come for a while: wait about 2 ½ to 3 months before you can harvest if planting from seeds, and half that time if starting with a pony pack [a tray of growing plants bought at a nursery for transplanting]. And don’t forget fresh herbs and leafy greens like basil, oregano, spinach and lettuce, which typically grow in 40 days if planted from seeds. “You can harvest a few leaves at a time, depending on how much you need, and the plants will keep growing,” she says.
3. High Quality Sheets. Sinking into a comfy bed at night with luxurious sheets is actually practical, not indulgent! (could it be both??). Egyptian cotton with a high thread count (300+) will be more expensive—often twice as much—but will likely last three or four times longer than their cheaper sheets. So go ahead, splurge now, sleep better and save in the long run!
4. A Water Filter. A water filter system you attach to your faucet will cost around $25. The savings will be tremendous. Not to mention what a "green" way to save money! Consistently change the filter, and the system should last indefinitely. Replacement filters cost about $20, usually last 2 to 3 months and can filter a total of at least 100 gallons of water. “To purchase the equivalent amount in bottled water would cost you about $400,” says Rogers.
5. A Low Flow Showerhead. A little investment on a new low flow showerhead can save you about about $150 a year on their water bill. Go visit your local hardware store...it is so worth doing this simple task.
6. Re-Usable Lunchbox. Forget the paper bags, plastic baggies and juice boxes. A re-usable lunch box has separate compartments for food and comes with a reusable beverage bottle. And according to Rogers, investing about $25 to $29 will save you about $250 a year on paper bags, baggies and individual drinks.
source: http://shine.yahoo.com
Some common mistakes people make where money is concerned that can cost you later:
1. Not checking your statements. I know I tend to do this, always while planning to look at them later..when I have more time. Ack. Check your statements asap to make sure charges on there are correct, and to see exactly how you have spent your money lately (in case you have forgotten!)
2. Not Saving for Retirement. So easy to put off, but that day will come. Start saving now, and you will have at least some peace of mind!
3. Not Saving for Your Emergency Fund. Same thing as with the Retirement Savings. Budget your money so that some of it goes into an emergency fund. Even a little bit each week will be better than nothing saved for that inevitable 'rainy day.'
4. Not Paying More Than the Minimum on Credit Cards. (Or should we just say, using those credit cards?) Seriously, paying the minimum is better than not paying, but to really make a dent, you need to always pay a little extra. It may hurt up front, but it will pay those credit cards off more quickly, which means paying less interest overall.
5. Not Thinking Before Spending. Impulse buying is a sure-fire way to feel depressed and more broke later. Save the need for instant gratification, and instead walk away from the thing that seems to be calling your name. Go home and think about that potential purchase first. If you do decide you absolutely need/want it, and cannot fathom living without it, then get an envelope marked just for that item, and start saving for it. Sure, you may have to wait longer, but you will undoubtedly be happier when you do buy it, knowing that you saved for it instead of dipping into the money that was meant for, oh say, those credit card payments!
Check your closets, attics, and garages for these 9 items, which according to an article on LHJ (Ladies Home Journal), are hot selling items on Ebay now:
1. American Girl Dolls. Think Samantha, Nellie, and others popular just a few years ago. If you have a teen daughter, the American Girl doll she loved so much as a child probably is a collectors' item now. Many dolls are no longer available in stores, and collectors are on the look out for them. You can easily get twice what you paid for one having an outfit and in good condition. A doll with a few changes of clothes plus some accessories recently fetched $372.
2. Brand Name Kids Clothes - Think Juicy Couture, Ambercrombie, Aerostople, and American Eagle).
3. Kitchen Equipment- Think bread makers, juicers, stand mixers and ice cream makers.They should be in excellent working condition though, and having the original box is a big plus.
4. Exercise Equipment. Think large as well as small exercise/work out items. Treadmills and bigger items you can always list as 'pick-up only. Think about those exercise balls, mini trampolines, even a collection of exercise DVDs might bring you some extra money.
5. Used China. Think individual pieces, not sets of china. Why? The secret to selling china on eBay is not to sell an entire service as one lot but to list individual pieces, since your target customer wants replacements for her own incomplete set. Seven bidders wanted the Lenox Country Romance serving platter, driving the price above $61.
6. Vintage Children's Books. Think Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys. Books you liked as a child can sell well on Ebay it seems, especially if still in good condition. First or early editions of many of the classics -- Nancy Drew, Doctor Dolittle, and others -- are collectors' items, and individual books and multivolume sets are big. Recently on eBay a first edition copy of the Hardy Boys Secret Warning changed hands for $280 after having been bid up by six bidders, and a 38-volume set of vintage (but not first printing) Nancy Drew books earned $602 with 30 bidders!
7. Wedding/Bridal Items. Think beyond the wedding gowns (which are big sellers of course,) and remember items such as ring bearer pillows, decorations, and accessories. One of the hottest bridal items selling on Ebay now are J Crew bridesmaid dresses (usually worn just once, right?).
8. Electronics. Think cameras, smart phones and laptops. If you have recently upgraded, Ebay buyers are looking for your old one, especially if it is an up-to-date model in perfect working condition.
9. Classic Rock 'n' Roll T-Shirts. Think Bruce Springsteen on his 1975 Born to Run tour. T-Shirts of famous bands that are from concert tours early in their careers, or that relate to an early album release, are hot sellers on Ebay thanks to the many serious collectors.
Source: LHJ
Here are a few tips to help you save money by keeping foods fresher longer:
- Keep fruits and veggies fresh longer by keeping a dry clean sponge in the crisper. The sponge will absorb surrounding moisture, which can cause mold to form, and will keep produce fresh twice as long.
- Instead of throwing away stale bread and spending money on a new loaf, try this tip-Fill a pan with an inch of water and simmer on the stove. Place a cookie rack on top of the pan for an instant steamer, and place the bread on top. In about 5 minutes, the once-stale bread will be soft and moist again, and warm too!
- Sugar that has become hard can be saved, as well as saving you some money, with a piece of bread. Just stick a small piece of bread inside the bag or container, and seal tightly. In about six hours, that hardened sugar should be soft once again!
Want More Saving Tips? Check out 8 money saving beauty tips!
A budget friendly dinner that will stretch the dollars while warming the tummies!
Pasta Fagoli
5 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic
1 Yellow Onion
3 1/2 Cups Water
2 Cups Marinara Sauce
1 Chopped Carrot
1 Chopped Celery
1 Can Cannellini Beans (19 oz.) (rinsed and drained)
2 bouillon cubes (chicken or veggie)
1 large Basil Leaf\
Just a pinch of Red Pepper Flakes (if desired)
Macaroni Style Pasta
Pour Olive Oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add sliced Garlic and Onion. Cook about 6 miutes.
Add 3 1/2 cups water. marinara sauce, carrot and celery, cannellini beans, bouillon cubes, basil leaf and pepper flakes.
Cover with lid loosely and cook on medium heat about half an hour, stirring evry 10 minutes or so.
Cook pasta to al dente. Drain and pour into the sauce. Turn off heat and stir 2 minutes.Top with grated Romano cheese, or your favorite cheese topping, if any!
Save money on designer clothing by shopping online at discounted designer sites. Just remember that you need to act fast: Sales last just a few days usually- and sometimes for just hours. And the bargains are usually so hot, they sell out fast. You usually need to register for free at these sites, and you can then be notified by email when a new sale begins! Here are 5 online designer clothing stores that will save you money next time you shop!
1. HauteLook.com
2. Gilt.com
3. Ideeli.com
4. RueLaLa.com
