I'll admit, I'm getting better at the organization of my tax receipts throughout the year. I've done a preliminary return for myself. I'm still doing it by hand with the paper stuff - I know it's old school.
My only unknown is my T2202 from school. I have taken an educated guess based on my tuition receipts from the courses I took last year. As such, and with everything at the moment, it looks like i"m sitting at a return of about $1,000.
I'll take it! That's $1,000 less I have to pay on my debt. In fact that knocks out quite a nice little chunk of that sucker!!
I've also learned that when I'm done with my debt, my returns will begin getting exponentially higher. You see right now, I make a very small contribution to my RRSP's. Once I'm debt free I plan on significantly increasing that contribution. By doing so I am now tucking a chunk of my income away where the government can tax me on it.
Doing some math - or as le man calls it "being smart" - I found out that I can increase my return into the $4,000 and climbing range simply by investing in my future at a rate just over 18% of my gross income. Now here's the sketchy part. My income is salary based. However, there is a component of mileage that is added to my income each year. the more I drive for work related things, the bigger my overall gross income gets. I also realized that work has more federal tax coming off each year than is necessary. Though I should say something, it'll open a whole can of worms at work that I do not want to open. Please do not ask me about this - as I'm not at liberty to discuss this can of worms. But I can safely tell you it is a huge can of them.
Either way, I'm expecting a return that is a pretty significant chunk of the extra cash I needed to find before year end.
In other news - My medical account is having a wonderful time snowballing itself to a significant amount to dump onto my debt.
At the beginning of February I received a mileage check of $318. I put that to my debt. In March I'll be receiving one that is $126 - and it will be going to my debt.
Taking a very educated guess and saying I'll be driving the equivalent of $100 each month from March until November, that will be another $900 before December. From the prospectus now, I'll be hitting that debt freedom date a little earlier than thought.
I'm ringing in March feeling elated about my life and my finances.
Oh and I've paid off 12% of my debt!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY!! [insert happy dance]
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Christmas Presents are Amazing!
Last weekend le man and I decided it was time to try a new recipe or three. We grabbed our Christmas presents a.k.a. new cook books and starting drooling over the pages.
We picked a couple of things we wanted to try and then decided on one to start with. I made us an absolutely to-die-for dinner or sweet potatoes, chick peas, pearl onions, sweet peas called Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Tagine. Courtesy of the Canadian Living Vegetarian Cookbook.
The recipe was so good, we'll be using it much more regularly than we first thought. All i can say is when the spices hit the pan I had that moment of instant drool!!
The second thing we did was look for a recipe for crepes!
Le Man has always wanted to learn how to make crepes. So I stepped out of the kitchen and let him have at it with the recipe and all the items necessary. Though it came from our Chocolate cookbook, we didn't actually use any chocolate. Instead we dressed fresh crepes with bananas, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, and syrup and enjoyed these tasty things for the rest of the weekend. One recipe made 15 crepes! Quite a bit for 2 people. But we don't complain. We stored them in, and warmed them before each use and finished them off for dessert on Monday evening. We also managed to share them with company Sunday as well.
I love these things!!
In case you are wondering the recipe for the Tagine can be found here.
Let me tell you it was scrumptious!!!
We picked a couple of things we wanted to try and then decided on one to start with. I made us an absolutely to-die-for dinner or sweet potatoes, chick peas, pearl onions, sweet peas called Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Tagine. Courtesy of the Canadian Living Vegetarian Cookbook.
The recipe was so good, we'll be using it much more regularly than we first thought. All i can say is when the spices hit the pan I had that moment of instant drool!!
The second thing we did was look for a recipe for crepes!
Le Man has always wanted to learn how to make crepes. So I stepped out of the kitchen and let him have at it with the recipe and all the items necessary. Though it came from our Chocolate cookbook, we didn't actually use any chocolate. Instead we dressed fresh crepes with bananas, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, and syrup and enjoyed these tasty things for the rest of the weekend. One recipe made 15 crepes! Quite a bit for 2 people. But we don't complain. We stored them in, and warmed them before each use and finished them off for dessert on Monday evening. We also managed to share them with company Sunday as well.
I love these things!!
In case you are wondering the recipe for the Tagine can be found here.
Let me tell you it was scrumptious!!!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Pay Days are like Energy Boosts
It's a bit of a gaming metaphor, I know. But seriously Pay Days are like an energy boost for me. Yes I get financially compensated for the work I do each day. Yes I have bills to pay and most of my money is flying to some bill or another. But here's the thing. When you have a financial plan and a goal in mind, each pay day is like boosting the energy on your efforts. No matter the amount you move to the financial goal, no matter how long it will take you, having the plan in place keeps you on track, and being paid for your work, gives you the fuel to keep that goal alive.
Today is another pay day for me. I spoke earlier about potentially having more money coming my way. I won't know if that will be the case until NEXT pay day, as our directors meet each pay day to discuss business. Depending on the outcome of the meeting today, I could see either $6.57 more per paycheck, or $20.80 more per paycheck. Apparently they aren't paying me enough. I'm happy either way, though I'd be fooling myself if I wasn't hoping for the $20 increase.
Regardless of what your financial goals are and how long they will take you, each pay day you have should give you a complete energy boost. If it doesn't right now, then start changing your mindset. Stop thinking "It's one more day I give my money away" and start thinking "It's one step closer to me being financial in control".
I like to think that I'm eating a big "Get Big" Mushroom from the Super Mario Series. Little pixelated Mario has a mushroom and he gets to be big Mario. If you go along you get other great things like the invincible Star (and the cool music) or the Leaf that gives you the raccoon tail and allows you to fly, or the flower gives you fire power, or the green mushroom gives you an extra life. You get the drift. anyways, that's what I picture on each pay day. I get a little bit bigger while Bowser (my D E B T) gets a little bit smaller - so at the end of each level I can take him on and win. I'm two months into my financial goal. I've paid back $2,820.74 of my debt. I've also moved money to cover my car repair earlier this month too. That brings my overall total to owing $21,000 - not including appropriate interest. I'll take care of the interest adjustment at my halfway point (July 1, 2011).
Today is another pay day for me. I spoke earlier about potentially having more money coming my way. I won't know if that will be the case until NEXT pay day, as our directors meet each pay day to discuss business. Depending on the outcome of the meeting today, I could see either $6.57 more per paycheck, or $20.80 more per paycheck. Apparently they aren't paying me enough. I'm happy either way, though I'd be fooling myself if I wasn't hoping for the $20 increase.
Regardless of what your financial goals are and how long they will take you, each pay day you have should give you a complete energy boost. If it doesn't right now, then start changing your mindset. Stop thinking "It's one more day I give my money away" and start thinking "It's one step closer to me being financial in control".
I like to think that I'm eating a big "Get Big" Mushroom from the Super Mario Series. Little pixelated Mario has a mushroom and he gets to be big Mario. If you go along you get other great things like the invincible Star (and the cool music) or the Leaf that gives you the raccoon tail and allows you to fly, or the flower gives you fire power, or the green mushroom gives you an extra life. You get the drift. anyways, that's what I picture on each pay day. I get a little bit bigger while Bowser (my D E B T) gets a little bit smaller - so at the end of each level I can take him on and win. I'm two months into my financial goal. I've paid back $2,820.74 of my debt. I've also moved money to cover my car repair earlier this month too. That brings my overall total to owing $21,000 - not including appropriate interest. I'll take care of the interest adjustment at my halfway point (July 1, 2011).
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Reading Machine Lately
Over the family day weekend I seemed to be a in reading mode. I did do other thing, rest assured, but I managed to finish one finance book - review posted Monday, and two personal reading books.
The first book - true story - was a great look at life and a fantastic reminder to do what you can while you have the time. It was also a good reminder to set goals and be lofty with them. The book is called The Last Lecture. I really enjoyed it. I managed also to read it all in about 3 hours or so.
Given the style of book I'm not going into details on anything except to say that it is the best use of time prior to passing I've read or heard of. The actual lecture can be found online.
My second book for personal reading - took just under 3 hours to read. It's the addition to the Twilight Series. Pretty good read - but you definitely need to read this series or at least Eclipse to understand where this section of the story actually lays out. Super quick read, and a pretty nice way to spend an evening. Though if you didn't like the series you won't like this book. I think the premise was a coo idea by the author - giving a brief character a complete life development and not leaving it hanging in the closet to get moth balls. It gives those who have ever thought of writing a novel an idea of how much character development goes into a book, let alone a series.
So that's about it for me today. Like I said I've been on a bit of a roll lately with getting some of my reading done.
Next on my plate is another finance book. You'll see the review once I've completed this book. I'll be spending some more time on this though since it's titled "you Can't Take It With You". This one is geared directly to Canadians and seems from a quick glance to go into some detail about setting up your financial portfolio and explaining RRSP's and the like in detail and how to get it all to work for you.
I hope your Wednesday is going well!
The first book - true story - was a great look at life and a fantastic reminder to do what you can while you have the time. It was also a good reminder to set goals and be lofty with them. The book is called The Last Lecture. I really enjoyed it. I managed also to read it all in about 3 hours or so.
Given the style of book I'm not going into details on anything except to say that it is the best use of time prior to passing I've read or heard of. The actual lecture can be found online.
My second book for personal reading - took just under 3 hours to read. It's the addition to the Twilight Series. Pretty good read - but you definitely need to read this series or at least Eclipse to understand where this section of the story actually lays out. Super quick read, and a pretty nice way to spend an evening. Though if you didn't like the series you won't like this book. I think the premise was a coo idea by the author - giving a brief character a complete life development and not leaving it hanging in the closet to get moth balls. It gives those who have ever thought of writing a novel an idea of how much character development goes into a book, let alone a series.
So that's about it for me today. Like I said I've been on a bit of a roll lately with getting some of my reading done.
Next on my plate is another finance book. You'll see the review once I've completed this book. I'll be spending some more time on this though since it's titled "you Can't Take It With You". This one is geared directly to Canadians and seems from a quick glance to go into some detail about setting up your financial portfolio and explaining RRSP's and the like in detail and how to get it all to work for you.
I hope your Wednesday is going well!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Potentially Receiving more money!
So, we are nearly done with our second month of 2011. The other day my boss came to me to inquire on my thoughts about my raise for this year. I was thankful, but mentioned about the odd number it actually was, making a small passive comment about the nature of the number. My boss asks what I'm talking about. I inform him of the total amount of my salary for this year,to which he says "Well that's not right."
It isn't? Well - do tell! He mentions that he can't remember the exact number that was agreed on, but that he's pretty sure it isn't what I am currently receiving - it should be higher.
Really?! Higher? Well ok!
I turned in a copy of my pay stub so he can approach the board to verify the amount. I thought it looked a little strange but since nobody would tell me the exact number I could not say anything really. And honestly - I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. I'd like that gift horse to keep giving.
So we'll see. I could be receiving a few more dollars. I'll know more by the end of the week. I have half a mind to also inquire about another week off. I roll into three weeks paid vacation in 2012, so we'll see if I can squeak out an additional one this year.
There really is something to be said for discussing in more detail an increase with an employee. I could have found this out last month instead of going into March. But I'm not complaining.
Alas - a note to you all. Find out what your wage increase is to be so you can monitor and handle an incorrectness in this in a more timely manner.
It isn't? Well - do tell! He mentions that he can't remember the exact number that was agreed on, but that he's pretty sure it isn't what I am currently receiving - it should be higher.
Really?! Higher? Well ok!
I turned in a copy of my pay stub so he can approach the board to verify the amount. I thought it looked a little strange but since nobody would tell me the exact number I could not say anything really. And honestly - I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. I'd like that gift horse to keep giving.
So we'll see. I could be receiving a few more dollars. I'll know more by the end of the week. I have half a mind to also inquire about another week off. I roll into three weeks paid vacation in 2012, so we'll see if I can squeak out an additional one this year.
There really is something to be said for discussing in more detail an increase with an employee. I could have found this out last month instead of going into March. But I'm not complaining.
Alas - a note to you all. Find out what your wage increase is to be so you can monitor and handle an incorrectness in this in a more timely manner.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Why Smart People Do Stupid Things with Money
What an interesting question! Alas it seems in February I am destined to complete some of my reading goals for this year. I have completed my second financial book. I started this book sometime last year, but for whatever reason I couldn't get into it, nor did I finish it. So A week or so ago I picked it up and started it from the beginning.
This is quite to financial book I must say. 9 Chapters, 2 Appendices, 224 pages of financial wisdom - with an American model - that really helps you understand some new things about yourself. The book is a veritable exercise in learning about yourself and your financial tendencies and dysfunctions. My dysfunction - credit cards! Heh - no big surprise there. But what was surprising was the evolution of my financial personality. At a young age I was a miser. As I flew the coop I transitioned [read pendulum swing] to a shopaholic. Currently my pendulum is fluctuating between a traveller with nesting tendencies and a traveller with bon vivant tendencies.
It helps understand why sometimes I want nothing more than to nest in my home and why other times I'm all about the experience and seeing parts of the world. For me right now my world is the area in my province I can get to in a few hours with my car and explore. It's that small because I'm in debt. When I'm done with my debt, I plan on seeing the world - one well planned and cash funded place at a time.
I really enjoyed Chapter 6 - Goal Setting, Visualization and anchoring. It sets out steps for building your vision one piece at a time and working through your vision slowly based on your state of financial fitness. Page 107 of this book offers the best argument for saving while you continue to pay down debt that I've read from any financially savvy person thus far. Basically it's about forming good habits. If you continue to save something during a time of debt, you are building a good habit that will continue no matter what your financial state. If you aren't in the habit of doing this, when you are done with your debt you have not built good habits to keep you out of debt.
Page 110 als provides a very good section on what liquidity, and illiquidity is and how to handle both. Having sufficient liquidity and maintaining a good habit of saving something can help you negotiate what the author calls whammies! [I loved that game!] Without these, life tends to hand you your butt and back in debt you go.
Additionally I also found the Appendix on Evaluating Personal Finance Advisors a great help, as this is something I've been thinking about for a while. Chapter 8 seemed to be the toughest section for me. More because it was filled with a lot of subsections and definitions about the types of assets you can/should have in your portfolio. I had to read parts of this section a few times - and I"m sure a few times more - to make sure I'm understanding not only the definitions but also what the author is truly trying to say.
This was not a book I could read in one day. It took me the better part of a week to get through, doing parts each night and sections every couple of hours on weekends. This is a book I'm happy to have in my personal library simply to use as reference as I navigate my journey toward financial fitness.
I would recommend this book, with caution. If you are not open to receiving, and do not have an area that is quiet for reading you will easily get distracted in this book. I also do not recommend trying to slog through it in one day. But more, taking your time to do the exercises and think about each one as you go.
This is quite to financial book I must say. 9 Chapters, 2 Appendices, 224 pages of financial wisdom - with an American model - that really helps you understand some new things about yourself. The book is a veritable exercise in learning about yourself and your financial tendencies and dysfunctions. My dysfunction - credit cards! Heh - no big surprise there. But what was surprising was the evolution of my financial personality. At a young age I was a miser. As I flew the coop I transitioned [read pendulum swing] to a shopaholic. Currently my pendulum is fluctuating between a traveller with nesting tendencies and a traveller with bon vivant tendencies.
It helps understand why sometimes I want nothing more than to nest in my home and why other times I'm all about the experience and seeing parts of the world. For me right now my world is the area in my province I can get to in a few hours with my car and explore. It's that small because I'm in debt. When I'm done with my debt, I plan on seeing the world - one well planned and cash funded place at a time.
I really enjoyed Chapter 6 - Goal Setting, Visualization and anchoring. It sets out steps for building your vision one piece at a time and working through your vision slowly based on your state of financial fitness. Page 107 of this book offers the best argument for saving while you continue to pay down debt that I've read from any financially savvy person thus far. Basically it's about forming good habits. If you continue to save something during a time of debt, you are building a good habit that will continue no matter what your financial state. If you aren't in the habit of doing this, when you are done with your debt you have not built good habits to keep you out of debt.
Page 110 als provides a very good section on what liquidity, and illiquidity is and how to handle both. Having sufficient liquidity and maintaining a good habit of saving something can help you negotiate what the author calls whammies! [I loved that game!] Without these, life tends to hand you your butt and back in debt you go.
Additionally I also found the Appendix on Evaluating Personal Finance Advisors a great help, as this is something I've been thinking about for a while. Chapter 8 seemed to be the toughest section for me. More because it was filled with a lot of subsections and definitions about the types of assets you can/should have in your portfolio. I had to read parts of this section a few times - and I"m sure a few times more - to make sure I'm understanding not only the definitions but also what the author is truly trying to say.
This was not a book I could read in one day. It took me the better part of a week to get through, doing parts each night and sections every couple of hours on weekends. This is a book I'm happy to have in my personal library simply to use as reference as I navigate my journey toward financial fitness.
I would recommend this book, with caution. If you are not open to receiving, and do not have an area that is quiet for reading you will easily get distracted in this book. I also do not recommend trying to slog through it in one day. But more, taking your time to do the exercises and think about each one as you go.
Friday, February 18, 2011
So Much to do...
...so much time!
Did you think I wrote that wrong? "Isn't the saying "So much to do, so little time?"" Yep it is, but think about it. You have all the time you need to do the things you need to do. The key is figuring out what needs to get done in the next 8 hours and what can be done later, another day or on the weekend. You have all the time you need to do things.
Ya But!
But!
Ya But!
No ya-but's here! If you think about it harder, you'll see you will only get what you want to get done today anyways. Deadlines will determine what you prioritize to do today and what you will leave for later. For all of you working tons of overtime - what is the cost of that? Do you have family you aren't there for? Do you have loved ones you aren't available for? So you are getting paid to do the work you are doing...but are you really?
I'm on salary. So when I work overtime I'm still getting paid the same as if I left on time. Unless it's a weekend job - then I have a completely different rate. Some of you have salary and overtime pay but not everyone. So I pull a 10 hour day. Maybe I'll get off early on Friday is it's slow - so I get the time back somewhere else - but maybe it'll be months before I see that time back.
Here's what I'm getting at...
You have all the time you need to do the most important things today. Did you waste an hour on facebook or twitter or reading blogs today? That's an hour you could have put towards that mountain of work you have told yourself needs to get done. When you get to work next week or tomorrow, take a pen and paper out and mark it as alternate time. Then track the minutes you spend doing something other than work, other than doing chores, other than picking the kids up from whereever, other than being present at the assembly your child is part of, other than completing that "really important task".
You have all the time you need to do exactly what needs to get done today. Minutes don't carry over but tasks do. Schedule them for a better day when you are less pressed for time and you'll see how much you can actually accomplish.
The point of today's post is to start being positive with you words and actions. Start being present in your day and giving yourself the chance to plan, execute and accomplish all the things you want to do.
Change you frame of mind, your words, and be conscious of what comes out of your mouth - if negative is what you want, it's what you'll get. If a positive day is what you want, smile, turn the corner of your lips up and pay attention to how you speak to yourself and others.
Enjoy your weekend. Have a wonderful couple of days and take a little time to refresh yourself each day.
Did you think I wrote that wrong? "Isn't the saying "So much to do, so little time?"" Yep it is, but think about it. You have all the time you need to do the things you need to do. The key is figuring out what needs to get done in the next 8 hours and what can be done later, another day or on the weekend. You have all the time you need to do things.
Ya But!
But!
Ya But!
No ya-but's here! If you think about it harder, you'll see you will only get what you want to get done today anyways. Deadlines will determine what you prioritize to do today and what you will leave for later. For all of you working tons of overtime - what is the cost of that? Do you have family you aren't there for? Do you have loved ones you aren't available for? So you are getting paid to do the work you are doing...but are you really?
I'm on salary. So when I work overtime I'm still getting paid the same as if I left on time. Unless it's a weekend job - then I have a completely different rate. Some of you have salary and overtime pay but not everyone. So I pull a 10 hour day. Maybe I'll get off early on Friday is it's slow - so I get the time back somewhere else - but maybe it'll be months before I see that time back.
Here's what I'm getting at...
You have all the time you need to do the most important things today. Did you waste an hour on facebook or twitter or reading blogs today? That's an hour you could have put towards that mountain of work you have told yourself needs to get done. When you get to work next week or tomorrow, take a pen and paper out and mark it as alternate time. Then track the minutes you spend doing something other than work, other than doing chores, other than picking the kids up from whereever, other than being present at the assembly your child is part of, other than completing that "really important task".
You have all the time you need to do exactly what needs to get done today. Minutes don't carry over but tasks do. Schedule them for a better day when you are less pressed for time and you'll see how much you can actually accomplish.
The point of today's post is to start being positive with you words and actions. Start being present in your day and giving yourself the chance to plan, execute and accomplish all the things you want to do.
Change you frame of mind, your words, and be conscious of what comes out of your mouth - if negative is what you want, it's what you'll get. If a positive day is what you want, smile, turn the corner of your lips up and pay attention to how you speak to yourself and others.
Enjoy your weekend. Have a wonderful couple of days and take a little time to refresh yourself each day.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Gratitude
I was moved this weekend to create a gratitude post because I've had so many great things happen in the last month and a half that I want to share them with you.
1. Attended a lecture (for free) on Mastering Your Mindset, with le man. It was given by a great speaker and friend of ours, and opened up a forum for discussion on our personal goals for the year and where we want to be as a couple. It was a great 2 hours spent together listening and interacting, and feeling genuinely proud of each other. Plus it opened up some understanding between us as to why each prefers things a certain way.
2. I have put $1,953.74 towards my debt thus far this year. I am on track to meet my goal on time.
3. I learned that when faced with challenges I will put my goal first. The person that gave the seminar last Thursday, was holding another on this past Tuesday for $40, and a workshop at the end of the month for $99. While I would like to attend both of these as I think they would have positive outcomes and influences while I march towards my goal, they are not in the budget, and paying that much money for things right now would be contrary to my goal of being debt free on Dec. 31, 2011. When life presents me with challenges to test my resolve to getting to my goal and how important it is to me, I can stand in front of them and pass the test.
4. I have 13 followers this year, and my readership seems to be increasing. I am over the moon that more people are reading my blog and that those that comment are leaving supportive, constructive comments to help me analysis and further my journey. Thank you to all of you for being a part of my journey. I would love to hear form more of you out there - even if you are only saying hi to let me know you are reading. I also welcome any criticisms you may have, as those give me pause for thought and require me to determine if it is something I can incorporate into my life and my writing.
5. I have a wonderful life! Did I mention this past year I was able to capture on camera a picture of my favourite type of butterfly, alive and landed, with wings open? Here are two pictures:
Have a Great Day Everyone!!
1. Attended a lecture (for free) on Mastering Your Mindset, with le man. It was given by a great speaker and friend of ours, and opened up a forum for discussion on our personal goals for the year and where we want to be as a couple. It was a great 2 hours spent together listening and interacting, and feeling genuinely proud of each other. Plus it opened up some understanding between us as to why each prefers things a certain way.
2. I have put $1,953.74 towards my debt thus far this year. I am on track to meet my goal on time.
3. I learned that when faced with challenges I will put my goal first. The person that gave the seminar last Thursday, was holding another on this past Tuesday for $40, and a workshop at the end of the month for $99. While I would like to attend both of these as I think they would have positive outcomes and influences while I march towards my goal, they are not in the budget, and paying that much money for things right now would be contrary to my goal of being debt free on Dec. 31, 2011. When life presents me with challenges to test my resolve to getting to my goal and how important it is to me, I can stand in front of them and pass the test.
4. I have 13 followers this year, and my readership seems to be increasing. I am over the moon that more people are reading my blog and that those that comment are leaving supportive, constructive comments to help me analysis and further my journey. Thank you to all of you for being a part of my journey. I would love to hear form more of you out there - even if you are only saying hi to let me know you are reading. I also welcome any criticisms you may have, as those give me pause for thought and require me to determine if it is something I can incorporate into my life and my writing.
5. I have a wonderful life! Did I mention this past year I was able to capture on camera a picture of my favourite type of butterfly, alive and landed, with wings open? Here are two pictures:
Have a Great Day Everyone!!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Learning about Relationships
This past weekend I finished a really great book about relationships.
First I need to clarify, I heard about the book from the Christian network - something I watch from time to time, when someone or something catches my attention. I do not currently practice any religion. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and think it's a must have part of your library. If you only read sections from the book, read it cover to cover, it provides an eye-opening look at how you function, and how your partner functions mentally, why you fight the way you do, why you both need to be open and responsive to each other in all aspects of life, and ladies, why you really do need to ask a man to do things for you more than one time and not use the nagging tone while doing it.
The book is called Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage, and is by Mark Gungor.
This is one of my personal reading books for this year. I loved the book. I loved learning about myself and my partner. I loved being able to tell him about sections I thought could help him out a bit. I did not ask him to read any passages, but he is open to a few I find really helpful.
This book takes you through what the author calls the Seven Laws of Marriage, and what Marriage Physics are. He uses a no nonsense approach to life, using both science and religion to show his points and why we function the way we do. I actually liked the references to the bible - and the religion for that matter - that he uses. He is not confined to a Christian point of view, but often uses it to say that sometimes interpretation of bible into life practice gets messed up and we practice things that were not said in the bible as gospel.
My favourite part of the book was learning about the difference in how a man thinks and how a woman thinks. My other favourite part was Part Three: Sex, Lies and the Internet. More specifically his equation for the Best Possible Sex and how he derives it.
For those of you in a relationship and having some struggles, those in a relationship, those who have had a fight lately, and those looking at getting into a relationship, this book will despell myths. It will help you understand yourself and how you can be a better partner. It will get you out of saying "If he/she loved me I wouldn't have to..." I learned from this book that you DO have to, and WHY you have to.
For example, when men say they are thinking about nothing, while seemingly staring off into the abyss that falls between their eyes and the tv, it's because they really are thinking about nothing. They actually have a nothing box in their compartmentalized brain and prefer to be in that nothing box for as long as possible. Many of us ladies do not have a nothing box, purely because we are such multi-taskers that we haven't all developed the abilityt o turn our brains off to have a nothing box. I"m finding lately that I am able to settle my brain enough to enjoy no noise in my nothing box. But I am far from being as good as this as my partner is. He can sit for hours in his nothing box with no thought at all and be completely content to do so.
The other thing I learned is that when discussing important to me items with my partner I need a few things. First his undivided attention. Second, my undivided attention. I can't be doing laundry, washing dishes, chasing dust bunnies and moving about the apartment whilst having a conversation with him. I need to present in the conversation and dealing only with the conversation for maximum effectiveness on both ends. Ever had a conversation with your partner only to find out that the details of that conversation are remembered by you but you get the look of having three heads when you say to your partner today is that [event] we discussed three weeks ago so will you be ready by 7pm? They inevitably gt upset that you didn't tell them it was happening, you have a tiff with each other, neither of you feels like going and even though you get there you are not in a good mood during what should be a joyous event? Yep me too. The book helped me understand that while I may have started the conversation and thought the other heard and listened to it all, if I didn't have his and my undivided attention whilst having this conversation then the other person isn't going to be able to hear, will tune out as you show it isn't as important as you know it is, and will go back to what they were doing before having the conversation thus forgetting everything that they did hear and to ask questions about the details of it.
Amazing stuff that!
I won't give away any more of the juice this book is full of. Get it from your public library, amazon, chapters or other bookstores in your area. It is a good read, and will open your mind to help you change the course of your relationship - regardless of what you are currently dealing with.
First I need to clarify, I heard about the book from the Christian network - something I watch from time to time, when someone or something catches my attention. I do not currently practice any religion. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and think it's a must have part of your library. If you only read sections from the book, read it cover to cover, it provides an eye-opening look at how you function, and how your partner functions mentally, why you fight the way you do, why you both need to be open and responsive to each other in all aspects of life, and ladies, why you really do need to ask a man to do things for you more than one time and not use the nagging tone while doing it.
The book is called Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage, and is by Mark Gungor.
This is one of my personal reading books for this year. I loved the book. I loved learning about myself and my partner. I loved being able to tell him about sections I thought could help him out a bit. I did not ask him to read any passages, but he is open to a few I find really helpful.
This book takes you through what the author calls the Seven Laws of Marriage, and what Marriage Physics are. He uses a no nonsense approach to life, using both science and religion to show his points and why we function the way we do. I actually liked the references to the bible - and the religion for that matter - that he uses. He is not confined to a Christian point of view, but often uses it to say that sometimes interpretation of bible into life practice gets messed up and we practice things that were not said in the bible as gospel.
My favourite part of the book was learning about the difference in how a man thinks and how a woman thinks. My other favourite part was Part Three: Sex, Lies and the Internet. More specifically his equation for the Best Possible Sex and how he derives it.
For those of you in a relationship and having some struggles, those in a relationship, those who have had a fight lately, and those looking at getting into a relationship, this book will despell myths. It will help you understand yourself and how you can be a better partner. It will get you out of saying "If he/she loved me I wouldn't have to..." I learned from this book that you DO have to, and WHY you have to.
For example, when men say they are thinking about nothing, while seemingly staring off into the abyss that falls between their eyes and the tv, it's because they really are thinking about nothing. They actually have a nothing box in their compartmentalized brain and prefer to be in that nothing box for as long as possible. Many of us ladies do not have a nothing box, purely because we are such multi-taskers that we haven't all developed the abilityt o turn our brains off to have a nothing box. I"m finding lately that I am able to settle my brain enough to enjoy no noise in my nothing box. But I am far from being as good as this as my partner is. He can sit for hours in his nothing box with no thought at all and be completely content to do so.
The other thing I learned is that when discussing important to me items with my partner I need a few things. First his undivided attention. Second, my undivided attention. I can't be doing laundry, washing dishes, chasing dust bunnies and moving about the apartment whilst having a conversation with him. I need to present in the conversation and dealing only with the conversation for maximum effectiveness on both ends. Ever had a conversation with your partner only to find out that the details of that conversation are remembered by you but you get the look of having three heads when you say to your partner today is that [event] we discussed three weeks ago so will you be ready by 7pm? They inevitably gt upset that you didn't tell them it was happening, you have a tiff with each other, neither of you feels like going and even though you get there you are not in a good mood during what should be a joyous event? Yep me too. The book helped me understand that while I may have started the conversation and thought the other heard and listened to it all, if I didn't have his and my undivided attention whilst having this conversation then the other person isn't going to be able to hear, will tune out as you show it isn't as important as you know it is, and will go back to what they were doing before having the conversation thus forgetting everything that they did hear and to ask questions about the details of it.
Amazing stuff that!
I won't give away any more of the juice this book is full of. Get it from your public library, amazon, chapters or other bookstores in your area. It is a good read, and will open your mind to help you change the course of your relationship - regardless of what you are currently dealing with.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Bursting with Energy!
Last week I attended a fantastic free lecture on Mastering Your Mindset. It was given by a great speaker, and fantastic person, whom I've had the pleasure of training under in the past. With my goal of debt freedom getting closer each day, I have the overwhelming desire to do things that are free. I lucked out that I was able to attend this lecture and found that at the end I was so excited to see tomorrow and the next day and the next day come. Getting up in the morning knowing each day I go to work brings me one day closer to my financial goal is like liquid caffeine to my system.
I'm a non-coffee drinker (I know I'm crazy but I just don't like the taste!), I'm a non-smoker (two vices that I don't have that infuse a boost to the masses), I barely drink alcohol - only when there's a big gathering of friends I haven't seen in a while do I choose to drink something (gosh I look like a saint!), but a really great lecture with motivation, and the ability to discover in yourself how you work without feeling like someone hypnotized you really fuels me!!
So far this month, I have paid for my car repairs - $1,122. I have made a payment to my visa card - $1,133, and the month isn't even over yet! I still have a $815 scheduled payment to go!!
I moved my sidebar along to reflect the payment I've made, and the new total I owe.....$21, 867.00
Oh ya!! I feel empowered. I feel exhilaration! I feel like I could fly if I knew how!!
You see, I may have a payment of $815 scheduled....but look at that number up there!
It show $_ _, 867.00 That makes me want to double check my numbers and give my belt a little squeeze so I can actually make a payment of $867.00 instead...serious because $21,000.00 looks soooooooo much better than $21, 867.00
What have you done lately that has gotten you so jazzed up about your goal that you want to run around to everyone telling them about it??????
February is looking like a fantastic month so far! Hope you all are having a great time too!!
I'm a non-coffee drinker (I know I'm crazy but I just don't like the taste!), I'm a non-smoker (two vices that I don't have that infuse a boost to the masses), I barely drink alcohol - only when there's a big gathering of friends I haven't seen in a while do I choose to drink something (gosh I look like a saint!), but a really great lecture with motivation, and the ability to discover in yourself how you work without feeling like someone hypnotized you really fuels me!!
So far this month, I have paid for my car repairs - $1,122. I have made a payment to my visa card - $1,133, and the month isn't even over yet! I still have a $815 scheduled payment to go!!
I moved my sidebar along to reflect the payment I've made, and the new total I owe.....$21, 867.00
Oh ya!! I feel empowered. I feel exhilaration! I feel like I could fly if I knew how!!
You see, I may have a payment of $815 scheduled....but look at that number up there!
It show $_ _, 867.00 That makes me want to double check my numbers and give my belt a little squeeze so I can actually make a payment of $867.00 instead...serious because $21,000.00 looks soooooooo much better than $21, 867.00
What have you done lately that has gotten you so jazzed up about your goal that you want to run around to everyone telling them about it??????
February is looking like a fantastic month so far! Hope you all are having a great time too!!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Rolling with Life
I took my car in to get fixed. I noticed a few things seems off, and was tired of getting told it was in my head. Speaking to the people at the new dealership I'd taken my car too, they were shocked at the treatment by the other dealership, as they definitely found things wrong with my car, and the service people could feel it when then drove the car into the service bay.
Thank goodness for being persistent.
I got my car back on Thursday. And I had to pay $1,122 to release the thing from the dealership and back into my custody. GAH!
This is called life. This is why it is super important to have an emergency fund or a buffer fund or a car fund or some kind of fund that holds savings. While it was a dent in my checking account, that I was diligently working to getting above the $3,500 mark, it isn't a devastating blow to my ultimate financial goal of being debt free on Dec. 31, 2011.
So maybe I won't be done with bank fees yet. So what. That, on the grand scale of goals, is a minor one. The big one is getting out of debt.
The trouble was I forgot all about that pesky little cap that banks put on how much you can spend in one day using your debit card. Mine was declined for this reason. So, I put the charge on my credit card, then drove my fixed car (she handles so much better now!!) back to work, sat my butt down at the computer and transfered the fund from my checking to my credit card. Effectively nulling out the purchase.
To all you ladies out there. I can not stress enough times how important it is to learn some basic maintenance on your car. I can change my own oil (if I wanted to get a little dirty). I grew up in a household that was automotive oriented, and got to understand that when things grind when you drive it's probably the front wheel assembly - more specifically a tire rod end, wheel bearing or suspension causing the problem. Knowing this when you drop off the car is enough to get past the general stereotype that you're a female and you know nothing. Knowing the colour of the fluids in your car can help if you see a leak. By knowing the colour you can identify with some accuracy the problem that you are having. Leaking brake fluid, is different than transmission fluid (red), is different than coolant (green/orange) or oil (brown). Until I started believing that other dealership that I was just making up things, I was doing very well with my mechanic and being able to describe the probable issues. I wasn't always right, but just by taking an educated guess, could steer the mechanic to the right part of the car.
My information that something was grinding, and my alignment was off, that I wanted them to check the tire rod ends and wheel bearings led them to find that my hanger bearing needed replacing and that my cv boot was cracked and needed fixing. Now there is no grind feeling, less noise while driving and my steering wheel is actually properly aligned now! I wasn't quite right, but did get points for being in the right area with my thoughts!
Anyways - Thursday was payday so I was able to take out my monthly budget money, add my medical reimbursement to my medical jar, and make an $815.00 payment to my debt, plus snowflake another $318.00 to the debt thanks to mileage! That leaves me with another $815.00 payment to make from my next paycheck to clear my $1630.00 payment panned for February.
Thank goodness for being persistent.
I got my car back on Thursday. And I had to pay $1,122 to release the thing from the dealership and back into my custody. GAH!
This is called life. This is why it is super important to have an emergency fund or a buffer fund or a car fund or some kind of fund that holds savings. While it was a dent in my checking account, that I was diligently working to getting above the $3,500 mark, it isn't a devastating blow to my ultimate financial goal of being debt free on Dec. 31, 2011.
So maybe I won't be done with bank fees yet. So what. That, on the grand scale of goals, is a minor one. The big one is getting out of debt.
The trouble was I forgot all about that pesky little cap that banks put on how much you can spend in one day using your debit card. Mine was declined for this reason. So, I put the charge on my credit card, then drove my fixed car (she handles so much better now!!) back to work, sat my butt down at the computer and transfered the fund from my checking to my credit card. Effectively nulling out the purchase.
To all you ladies out there. I can not stress enough times how important it is to learn some basic maintenance on your car. I can change my own oil (if I wanted to get a little dirty). I grew up in a household that was automotive oriented, and got to understand that when things grind when you drive it's probably the front wheel assembly - more specifically a tire rod end, wheel bearing or suspension causing the problem. Knowing this when you drop off the car is enough to get past the general stereotype that you're a female and you know nothing. Knowing the colour of the fluids in your car can help if you see a leak. By knowing the colour you can identify with some accuracy the problem that you are having. Leaking brake fluid, is different than transmission fluid (red), is different than coolant (green/orange) or oil (brown). Until I started believing that other dealership that I was just making up things, I was doing very well with my mechanic and being able to describe the probable issues. I wasn't always right, but just by taking an educated guess, could steer the mechanic to the right part of the car.
My information that something was grinding, and my alignment was off, that I wanted them to check the tire rod ends and wheel bearings led them to find that my hanger bearing needed replacing and that my cv boot was cracked and needed fixing. Now there is no grind feeling, less noise while driving and my steering wheel is actually properly aligned now! I wasn't quite right, but did get points for being in the right area with my thoughts!
Anyways - Thursday was payday so I was able to take out my monthly budget money, add my medical reimbursement to my medical jar, and make an $815.00 payment to my debt, plus snowflake another $318.00 to the debt thanks to mileage! That leaves me with another $815.00 payment to make from my next paycheck to clear my $1630.00 payment panned for February.
Friday, February 11, 2011
When You Know Something Is Wrong...
Ok - this post is a bit of a vent, a bit of a kick in my own butt, and a bit of a word of advice for all of you people out there. My car has been doing things lately that haven't felt quite right. It has been in for regular maintenance every 5,000 km. I like to think I do what I have to do to keep her running happily. I had an accident nearly 3.5 years ago now, that caused some interesting damage. As a result I've been very careful to monitor noises and sounds and regular things with my car.
I've had it into a dealer in the last 5 months, twice, letting them know about a recurring problem that I wanted an answer too. Each time it went in I was told it was just a wet sensor and there was nothing to worry about. Fast forward to the last two weeks when that sensor thing didn't turn off. Not once in two weeks. It's winter and this sensor problem is one of those things that gets me upset in slippery weather because it means my ABS and Traction control aren't working optimally. Having had enough of being told essentially that I'm a woman and I'm crazy for thinking there is something else wrong. I took it to a different dealer in town.
I explained the problems, and what I thought could be the issue. I dropped my car off on Monday. They called back Tuesday while we were at Post Op #1, and asked me to return the call when I get in. I returned the call. The lady from service explained that it was exactly what I thought, that my alignment was out, my sensor needed to be replaced, and there was a cracked boot causing some of the grinding and pulling I was feeling. So much for being crazy dealership number 1!!
Here's the thing though - these problems - that I've been driving around with for 2 months now - are going to cost me a whopping $1,000 + HST to fix! O M G!
And grrrr!!
I'm not upset at the cost so much as the fact that that first dealership kept telling me things were fine. I have an emergency fund for a reason.
So what does this mean to my financial goals for this year? First it means I may end up paying bank fees a little while longer. Second, this DOES NOT derail my plan to be debt free!! I am still on track and I'll be on track for the rest of the year. It may mean that I look for a couple of extra sources of income to ensure I make the deadline, but this does not derail me at all.
And it means I'll be paying cash for my repairs and not putting that on credit. All in all the car needs to be fixed. It needs to be healthy and happy so I can drive it well into the 250,000 km range and not need a new one. It also means that I need to continue to go to this new dealership for major computer diagnostics, and start using a good mechanic for my other items. The funny part is, I want to a couple of review sites and found out that the original dealership fails almost every review going! O M G!
Thankfully it wasn't something more serious - this is considered expensive routine stuff. Go figure! Sensors are expensive things!!
I've had it into a dealer in the last 5 months, twice, letting them know about a recurring problem that I wanted an answer too. Each time it went in I was told it was just a wet sensor and there was nothing to worry about. Fast forward to the last two weeks when that sensor thing didn't turn off. Not once in two weeks. It's winter and this sensor problem is one of those things that gets me upset in slippery weather because it means my ABS and Traction control aren't working optimally. Having had enough of being told essentially that I'm a woman and I'm crazy for thinking there is something else wrong. I took it to a different dealer in town.
I explained the problems, and what I thought could be the issue. I dropped my car off on Monday. They called back Tuesday while we were at Post Op #1, and asked me to return the call when I get in. I returned the call. The lady from service explained that it was exactly what I thought, that my alignment was out, my sensor needed to be replaced, and there was a cracked boot causing some of the grinding and pulling I was feeling. So much for being crazy dealership number 1!!
Here's the thing though - these problems - that I've been driving around with for 2 months now - are going to cost me a whopping $1,000 + HST to fix! O M G!
And grrrr!!
I'm not upset at the cost so much as the fact that that first dealership kept telling me things were fine. I have an emergency fund for a reason.
So what does this mean to my financial goals for this year? First it means I may end up paying bank fees a little while longer. Second, this DOES NOT derail my plan to be debt free!! I am still on track and I'll be on track for the rest of the year. It may mean that I look for a couple of extra sources of income to ensure I make the deadline, but this does not derail me at all.
And it means I'll be paying cash for my repairs and not putting that on credit. All in all the car needs to be fixed. It needs to be healthy and happy so I can drive it well into the 250,000 km range and not need a new one. It also means that I need to continue to go to this new dealership for major computer diagnostics, and start using a good mechanic for my other items. The funny part is, I want to a couple of review sites and found out that the original dealership fails almost every review going! O M G!
Thankfully it wasn't something more serious - this is considered expensive routine stuff. Go figure! Sensors are expensive things!!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Checking in with you Plan Implementation
I spoke about implemeting your plan and that sometimes it takes a while to get going with it. It's been a week - in my opinion not enough time to change the behaviours we were looking at, but enough time to begin the change. So how is it going? Have you figured out what you need to change and have you started doing that yet?
Getting intimate with yourself takes time. It takes resolve, clarity, and desire. It takes gumption. Sometimes it even takes wearing an elastic on your wrist and snapping it everything your brain has a thought like: "It's only one cookie/$5/one day without my budget, what's it going to hurt?" SNAP! I'll tell you what it's going to hurt! This is your inner child deciding it's too much work to stay on course and attempting to derail your work. It happens. It will happen. The biggest thing you have to do is resolve to deal with this when it occurs, to tell yourself you are worth it, and to move forward with your original plan.
Like I said it's hard. It took me some time to get this. Here's the part that nobody can help you with though. You. Yes YOU have to want to do it. If you don't then you're only wasting you're own time with this.
Moving on.
You have to want to do this, and you have to have the resolve to get out of it. Implementing your plan can take a little while as well. I didn't do it all over night. I spend August, September, October, November, and December setting myself up for my journey this year. That was 5 months of getting down to brass tacks and putting each piece of my plan into place, so that I was ready to begin execution January 1, 2011.
Take one thing each month for the next couple of months so that July 1, 2011 you are ready to get this moving...or maybe it's April 1, 2011 or maybe it's today.
Whatever the day you set in your mind and wrote down was, it's a non-negotiable day. You must start that day. Schedule it in like a doctor's appointment. Keep the appointment with yourself. Keeping these appointments tell you and your brain that they are worth doing. That you are worth it. If you don't you'll fall off that wagon.
Most importantly though, set up a support system that will keep you going. I tell le man each time I make a payment. I run to my kitchen, grab a pen and write it on my chart, subtracting the amount from my overall total. Remember when you were a kid and got gold stars or smiley faces for doing a chore or reading a book or whatever it was? Yep I made myself one!! I look at it every day. Usually three or four times a day. I go to Gail Club twice a month. I tell everyone there about my goal, and check in every meeting with what payment I've made. I sit with my laptop and type it into my Excel spreadsheet, and my YNAB workbook. I type it into the one I keep at work as well. I get excited for pay day because it's one step closer to being done with this goal!
I get excited!! I play happy music, watch a favourite show, and make myself a tasty hot chocolate, or have a glass of wine, or make a new recipe from the books I got as Christmas presents. What I don't do is go shopping for a new anything. It isn't in the budget! Maybe I'll treat myself to a cookie with my entertainment money, or go for a BOGO ice cream! I do something that won't cost me massive dollars and set me back. Since payday is usually Thursday, I take my happiness to the curling rink, curl a game and enjoy the company of my teammates and curling etiquette!
You have to make your goals fun. You have to reward yourself in a way that overrule your new habits. Get yourself some gold stars, or princess stickers, or baseballs, or something you can visually see. Go to the dollar store with your entertainment budget for the week and entertain yourself while you dream up really cool ways to visually see your goal and reward your behaviour. Because who doesn't like a reward?!
Getting intimate with yourself takes time. It takes resolve, clarity, and desire. It takes gumption. Sometimes it even takes wearing an elastic on your wrist and snapping it everything your brain has a thought like: "It's only one cookie/$5/one day without my budget, what's it going to hurt?" SNAP! I'll tell you what it's going to hurt! This is your inner child deciding it's too much work to stay on course and attempting to derail your work. It happens. It will happen. The biggest thing you have to do is resolve to deal with this when it occurs, to tell yourself you are worth it, and to move forward with your original plan.
Like I said it's hard. It took me some time to get this. Here's the part that nobody can help you with though. You. Yes YOU have to want to do it. If you don't then you're only wasting you're own time with this.
Moving on.
You have to want to do this, and you have to have the resolve to get out of it. Implementing your plan can take a little while as well. I didn't do it all over night. I spend August, September, October, November, and December setting myself up for my journey this year. That was 5 months of getting down to brass tacks and putting each piece of my plan into place, so that I was ready to begin execution January 1, 2011.
Take one thing each month for the next couple of months so that July 1, 2011 you are ready to get this moving...or maybe it's April 1, 2011 or maybe it's today.
Whatever the day you set in your mind and wrote down was, it's a non-negotiable day. You must start that day. Schedule it in like a doctor's appointment. Keep the appointment with yourself. Keeping these appointments tell you and your brain that they are worth doing. That you are worth it. If you don't you'll fall off that wagon.
Most importantly though, set up a support system that will keep you going. I tell le man each time I make a payment. I run to my kitchen, grab a pen and write it on my chart, subtracting the amount from my overall total. Remember when you were a kid and got gold stars or smiley faces for doing a chore or reading a book or whatever it was? Yep I made myself one!! I look at it every day. Usually three or four times a day. I go to Gail Club twice a month. I tell everyone there about my goal, and check in every meeting with what payment I've made. I sit with my laptop and type it into my Excel spreadsheet, and my YNAB workbook. I type it into the one I keep at work as well. I get excited for pay day because it's one step closer to being done with this goal!
I get excited!! I play happy music, watch a favourite show, and make myself a tasty hot chocolate, or have a glass of wine, or make a new recipe from the books I got as Christmas presents. What I don't do is go shopping for a new anything. It isn't in the budget! Maybe I'll treat myself to a cookie with my entertainment money, or go for a BOGO ice cream! I do something that won't cost me massive dollars and set me back. Since payday is usually Thursday, I take my happiness to the curling rink, curl a game and enjoy the company of my teammates and curling etiquette!
You have to make your goals fun. You have to reward yourself in a way that overrule your new habits. Get yourself some gold stars, or princess stickers, or baseballs, or something you can visually see. Go to the dollar store with your entertainment budget for the week and entertain yourself while you dream up really cool ways to visually see your goal and reward your behaviour. Because who doesn't like a reward?!
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
The New Frugality Review: Part 2
I have completed this book. The second half of the book provided a portal for parents, and students a like to understand the American financial student predicament. There were some good points to be made that can translate to Canadian folk. First, pay yourself first, save for your own retirement and decide what to do with the remaining potential savings in your budget. We have different vehicles to save money than our American counterparts, so researching and learning about them is mandatory for anyone with children and a potential for college or university later in life.
Chris Farrell outlines basic financial aspects of life such as borrowing, retirement, investing, home front, education and generosity and gratitude. However, it isn't until page 208 that we truly discover what the New Frugality actually is:
"The New Frugality is about understanding how money is connected to the rest of your life - saving and spending mindfully, not just counting dollars and cents for their own sake."
Overall, I found this book to be a decent read. It is definitely a good tool for Americans, and though the basic topics are universal, the overall nature of this book isn't unlike may of the other financial books out there. I found this one to have great promise. The author presented a topic, or theme but seemed to run out of steam in solidly concluding what he wanted to say on each of those topics. There are many tangents this book takes. I found most useful the gray sections included in each topic, as the most useful tidbits and tools were found within them. For my American readers, I would highly recommend this book, for my Canadian, I believe there are better books for you out there.
The title of the book is a little misleading as well. I went in looking for ways to consume less, save more and live better. I came out having waded through quite a bit of bog, wondering how I should be consuming less, saving more and living better. Overall, many of the good points the author was attempting to bring to light, needed more clarity and a more conclusive nature to them. He used examples of real folk, which really brought the situation into the realm of the everyday person, but seemingly forgot to read his own opening statements in each section, as you left each section feeling very rushed through the actually explanation the author was trying to get across.
Your opinion may differ, as it should. Try it if you want. I own the book, and may make a second attempt to understand the sections I find relevant at the time, a little later. For now, I have completed one Personal Finance book this year! I'm on my way to completing that mini goal!
Chris Farrell outlines basic financial aspects of life such as borrowing, retirement, investing, home front, education and generosity and gratitude. However, it isn't until page 208 that we truly discover what the New Frugality actually is:
"The New Frugality is about understanding how money is connected to the rest of your life - saving and spending mindfully, not just counting dollars and cents for their own sake."
Overall, I found this book to be a decent read. It is definitely a good tool for Americans, and though the basic topics are universal, the overall nature of this book isn't unlike may of the other financial books out there. I found this one to have great promise. The author presented a topic, or theme but seemed to run out of steam in solidly concluding what he wanted to say on each of those topics. There are many tangents this book takes. I found most useful the gray sections included in each topic, as the most useful tidbits and tools were found within them. For my American readers, I would highly recommend this book, for my Canadian, I believe there are better books for you out there.
The title of the book is a little misleading as well. I went in looking for ways to consume less, save more and live better. I came out having waded through quite a bit of bog, wondering how I should be consuming less, saving more and living better. Overall, many of the good points the author was attempting to bring to light, needed more clarity and a more conclusive nature to them. He used examples of real folk, which really brought the situation into the realm of the everyday person, but seemingly forgot to read his own opening statements in each section, as you left each section feeling very rushed through the actually explanation the author was trying to get across.
Your opinion may differ, as it should. Try it if you want. I own the book, and may make a second attempt to understand the sections I find relevant at the time, a little later. For now, I have completed one Personal Finance book this year! I'm on my way to completing that mini goal!
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
The Cost of Surgery - Actual Numbers
So surgery has a cost to it. Short term disability for a potential minimum of three weeks is a costly affair. What else is there?
One night in a Hotel - $100.57
Parking Costs - $21.00
Prescriptions and other medications - $20.53
Food - $31.86
We have post-op appointment number one today. That'll be another $10.50 in parking costs. I'm planning on taking some food with me this time. Post-op appointment number two is a week from now, which will be another $10.50. Somewhere there will be another gas fill up or two.
Surgery is a pretty costly affair when it is out of town. I took out $200 the day we arrived in London. I have $26.04 left from that money - it'll be going to parking.
So it's not in my budget this month - but I have a buffer/emergency fund for a reason so I'm not upset, nor am I worried.
And truthfully, when it means that there won't be another ear surgery due to infection in three years, and the possibility of having an ear drum for the first time in 20 years, spending about $300, taking 3 weeks of short term disability, and using a week of my holiday time, is but a drop in the bucket of life. I'm still on track with my debt repayment. I have no other major expenses to worry about except Christmas this year. I'm done with the wedding thing (for this year). And I keep looking towards the end of this year, where the light at the end of my debt tunnel sits, glowing brighter each day.
It's not a huge amount, and I'm definitely thankful for a benefit package for le man.
Now - if only I can be patient and wait for my T4 and T2202 to come in. I really wanna know how much I'm putting towards my debt from my tax return this year.
Oh ya...and I've had three no-spend days recently as well (Sat., Sun., Mon.)
One night in a Hotel - $100.57
Parking Costs - $21.00
Prescriptions and other medications - $20.53
Food - $31.86
We have post-op appointment number one today. That'll be another $10.50 in parking costs. I'm planning on taking some food with me this time. Post-op appointment number two is a week from now, which will be another $10.50. Somewhere there will be another gas fill up or two.
Surgery is a pretty costly affair when it is out of town. I took out $200 the day we arrived in London. I have $26.04 left from that money - it'll be going to parking.
So it's not in my budget this month - but I have a buffer/emergency fund for a reason so I'm not upset, nor am I worried.
And truthfully, when it means that there won't be another ear surgery due to infection in three years, and the possibility of having an ear drum for the first time in 20 years, spending about $300, taking 3 weeks of short term disability, and using a week of my holiday time, is but a drop in the bucket of life. I'm still on track with my debt repayment. I have no other major expenses to worry about except Christmas this year. I'm done with the wedding thing (for this year). And I keep looking towards the end of this year, where the light at the end of my debt tunnel sits, glowing brighter each day.
It's not a huge amount, and I'm definitely thankful for a benefit package for le man.
Now - if only I can be patient and wait for my T4 and T2202 to come in. I really wanna know how much I'm putting towards my debt from my tax return this year.
Oh ya...and I've had three no-spend days recently as well (Sat., Sun., Mon.)
Monday, February 07, 2011
Understanding How to Adjust Your Goals
I have two goals this year. The first, and largest - PAY OFF $23,820.74 IN DEBT BY DECEMBER 31, 2011! The second was to be rid of bank fees.
I was unable to get them gone in January. I paid $14.95 in bank fees in January. In February - after having clarified this with my bank, I will be paying a minimum of $12.95 in bank fees. How do I know this? My account has to stay above the line they give you for each and every day of the month. To do this, I have to defer a few things until March, and allow myself the time to properly build my account to maintain an above the line balance.
Am I unhappy with this realization? No! Because I also learned something. When I did the calculations for my debt repayment this year, it shows that if I put $1600 towards debt every month, plus drop my tax return, and the two extra pays I get in the year on the debt, I'll be $3,000 shy at the end of the year. I get mileage - but never know how much driving I'll do in a month, so the extra money I get form this will go towards that deficit. I have a medical plan - buy-now-reimburse-later type plan, that if I've done the math right, will yield about $1400 of extra money by the end of the year. $3000 - $1400 leaves $1600 for me to "find" through the year. Here's the funny thing...the more money I find before December, the fast my debt goes away.
I have a safety net though. By getting my account above that line the bank gives you, I have effectively put together an emergency fund of a minimum of $3,000.
To quote a very funny movie: "LIGHT BULB!"
Aha!! Eureka! [corny I am so smart dance here]
Well blow me over! I think I figured out how to get out of debt by the end of December...Emergency Fund anyone?
So, for February I'll be working on getting my account above $3,000. If it takes until March to solidify the each and every day thing, so be it. I'll be bank fee free from April until November. I'll incur a bank fee in December, if necessary, to pay off my debt. I'll be throwing a serious I DID IT party in January 2012.
So, the primary goal of being debt free on Dec. 31, 2011 is still very much on track, alive and prospering. I will be doing everything I can between now and Dec. 31, 2011 to find all the extra money I can. I'll be squeezing my budget to see if any more snowflakes drip out. I've also begun brainstorming other things I can do to make some more money to see if I can pay off my debt before Christmas this year.
Here's the thing - if any of you in the Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, London area know of anyone that requires help with anything, has something open for a few hours after work, wants their house cleaned for a fee, needs a personal shopper, a chauffeur, or has data entry, light accounting, reception work, the leads for extra cash would be appreciated!
I've adjusted my smaller goal, in favour of getting my larger one completed on time. Don't let a minor setback in your plan derail it completely!
I was unable to get them gone in January. I paid $14.95 in bank fees in January. In February - after having clarified this with my bank, I will be paying a minimum of $12.95 in bank fees. How do I know this? My account has to stay above the line they give you for each and every day of the month. To do this, I have to defer a few things until March, and allow myself the time to properly build my account to maintain an above the line balance.
Am I unhappy with this realization? No! Because I also learned something. When I did the calculations for my debt repayment this year, it shows that if I put $1600 towards debt every month, plus drop my tax return, and the two extra pays I get in the year on the debt, I'll be $3,000 shy at the end of the year. I get mileage - but never know how much driving I'll do in a month, so the extra money I get form this will go towards that deficit. I have a medical plan - buy-now-reimburse-later type plan, that if I've done the math right, will yield about $1400 of extra money by the end of the year. $3000 - $1400 leaves $1600 for me to "find" through the year. Here's the funny thing...the more money I find before December, the fast my debt goes away.
I have a safety net though. By getting my account above that line the bank gives you, I have effectively put together an emergency fund of a minimum of $3,000.
To quote a very funny movie: "LIGHT BULB!"
Aha!! Eureka! [corny I am so smart dance here]
Well blow me over! I think I figured out how to get out of debt by the end of December...Emergency Fund anyone?
So, for February I'll be working on getting my account above $3,000. If it takes until March to solidify the each and every day thing, so be it. I'll be bank fee free from April until November. I'll incur a bank fee in December, if necessary, to pay off my debt. I'll be throwing a serious I DID IT party in January 2012.
So, the primary goal of being debt free on Dec. 31, 2011 is still very much on track, alive and prospering. I will be doing everything I can between now and Dec. 31, 2011 to find all the extra money I can. I'll be squeezing my budget to see if any more snowflakes drip out. I've also begun brainstorming other things I can do to make some more money to see if I can pay off my debt before Christmas this year.
Here's the thing - if any of you in the Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, London area know of anyone that requires help with anything, has something open for a few hours after work, wants their house cleaned for a fee, needs a personal shopper, a chauffeur, or has data entry, light accounting, reception work, the leads for extra cash would be appreciated!
I've adjusted my smaller goal, in favour of getting my larger one completed on time. Don't let a minor setback in your plan derail it completely!
Friday, February 04, 2011
The Cost of Surgery
This week we are traveling to London Ontario to undergo ear surgery. With the weather condition potentially being nasty, and me having to do the driving, we opted to head in Wednesday night. The biggest trouble was do we stay with my friends in town or do we find a reasonably priced room for the night.
Some things to consider:
1) Surgery means cleanliness is important prior to the operation
2) My friends - I love them dearly - aren't the cleanest people around
3) My friends have 2 cats, a turtle, some fish in the house, none of which are well kept in their habitats.
4) Prior to surgery you don't want to introduce anything foreign to your body
5) I have bad allergies, that I often combat in their house
6) I've just gotten over Strep throat
7) Anxiety by le man and pending uncleanly accommodations could be enough to set him off the night before his surgery, which he is already freaking out about
8) The hospital offered us a list of places that have hospital rates and pricing can be as low as $49 for a night.
Since I stay with my friends on a regular basis, I know that asking them to accommodate us will set off a ton of work at the other end - clearing a room, de-cat-ing some bedding, changing the cat's routine in the room we'll be staying, etc. It's a lot of work for us to stay there for a night. Mainly because maintaining the cleaning in the house isn't something that either of the habitants are particularly fond of doing.
After careful consideration we are staying at a small place just a stone's throw from the hospital he's having surgery at - the room is $89 for the night, but I can leave my items there until we know if I have to stay a second night because they are keeping him. The good news is, I can down grade the room the second night for a single occupancy and shared bathroom accommodations to save a bunch of money - or even stay at my friend's the next night.
With surgery coming, and the type they are doing, le man would prefer to stay at a place we know is clean, not bother anyone by having to get up at a really early time in the morning, save money on parking by taking a cab to the hospital - or depending on how cold, walking over. Plus it'll save countless hours of anxiety by him and not weigh heavily on his mind the night before surgery.
So it's costing us $89 for a night stay, plus food for me, not to mention he'll be on short term disability for the entire month of February. I've taken a few holiday days to be home with him during the first couple of days of recovery, but I know he won't be eating much of anything for the first couple of days, and when he does get his appetite back, I've already made and frozen vegetarian chili for him to eat while I'm at work. That'll save us a bunch on groceries this month as well. I have one more dish to make and freeze for him, which should be super tasty as well!
Thank goodness for a benefit plan at his work. If this was me, I'd be using my holiday time for 2 weeks, and not being paid for the third week since we don't have anything really substantial in place for such an event.
The $89 for the night, was an unexpected cost, but it won't kill my budget or my financial plan for this year. The gas is going to be a bit as well...not to mention the food I'll probably be eating with my nerves and waiting to hear about surgery. I'll keep a total and post tomorrow about what it actually cost me during his surgery.
Some things to consider:
1) Surgery means cleanliness is important prior to the operation
2) My friends - I love them dearly - aren't the cleanest people around
3) My friends have 2 cats, a turtle, some fish in the house, none of which are well kept in their habitats.
4) Prior to surgery you don't want to introduce anything foreign to your body
5) I have bad allergies, that I often combat in their house
6) I've just gotten over Strep throat
7) Anxiety by le man and pending uncleanly accommodations could be enough to set him off the night before his surgery, which he is already freaking out about
8) The hospital offered us a list of places that have hospital rates and pricing can be as low as $49 for a night.
Since I stay with my friends on a regular basis, I know that asking them to accommodate us will set off a ton of work at the other end - clearing a room, de-cat-ing some bedding, changing the cat's routine in the room we'll be staying, etc. It's a lot of work for us to stay there for a night. Mainly because maintaining the cleaning in the house isn't something that either of the habitants are particularly fond of doing.
After careful consideration we are staying at a small place just a stone's throw from the hospital he's having surgery at - the room is $89 for the night, but I can leave my items there until we know if I have to stay a second night because they are keeping him. The good news is, I can down grade the room the second night for a single occupancy and shared bathroom accommodations to save a bunch of money - or even stay at my friend's the next night.
With surgery coming, and the type they are doing, le man would prefer to stay at a place we know is clean, not bother anyone by having to get up at a really early time in the morning, save money on parking by taking a cab to the hospital - or depending on how cold, walking over. Plus it'll save countless hours of anxiety by him and not weigh heavily on his mind the night before surgery.
So it's costing us $89 for a night stay, plus food for me, not to mention he'll be on short term disability for the entire month of February. I've taken a few holiday days to be home with him during the first couple of days of recovery, but I know he won't be eating much of anything for the first couple of days, and when he does get his appetite back, I've already made and frozen vegetarian chili for him to eat while I'm at work. That'll save us a bunch on groceries this month as well. I have one more dish to make and freeze for him, which should be super tasty as well!
Thank goodness for a benefit plan at his work. If this was me, I'd be using my holiday time for 2 weeks, and not being paid for the third week since we don't have anything really substantial in place for such an event.
The $89 for the night, was an unexpected cost, but it won't kill my budget or my financial plan for this year. The gas is going to be a bit as well...not to mention the food I'll probably be eating with my nerves and waiting to hear about surgery. I'll keep a total and post tomorrow about what it actually cost me during his surgery.
Thursday, February 03, 2011
The New Frugality Review: Part 1
I began reading this book at the beginning of the year. I'm about half way through so I figured it would be a good tie to begin the review of this material.
Overall, it is just like every other Personal Finance book out there. The difference comes in the nuances within the text. To begin with, Chris Farrell explores the rise of what he calls the New Frugality. Basically, the new frugality is actually the propensity for the normally spend-happy Stephanie, to become a more save-happy Stephanie. It is the idea that now that the economy has tanked it's time to get back to a more frugal life, by saving more, and being more aware of our purchases or lack there of.
Chris mentions the sustainable nature of the Frugal minded consumer, and constantly reminds us that in all financial aspects, a "margin of safety" is always needed. The New Frugality puts more emphasis on the experience rather than the material item. (This is something I love, and have found within myself.) He does a good job at trying to lay out the history of the swing from consumeritis to frugality, and though his examples are defined and he gives backup for them, I find they fail to actually present his point within the history.
So far I'm most impressed with the logic and lay out of chapter 3 "A Margin of Safety". I think it does a good job of explaining how to err on the side of caution, build in your safety net and not completely deprive yourself of live.
In chapters 4 and 5 you learn the steps to the New Frugality and that planning is essential for anything to work. The biggest thing I've taken away from the first half of this book is that planning, sticking to it and remembering how I was raised will go a long way to aiding me on my financial journey.
When I say remember how I was raised, I am talking about the fact that we didn't have a lot of money and my fondest memories from childhood weren't the items I had to play with (as most of them I can't even remember, but many of them I still have), it was the experiences I had. For example, every other year my grandparents would gift our family a chance to go to a play in Toronto as a family. I saw Tommy, Showboat, Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Cats, and many others this way. It meant we got to dress nicely and go to a cool place for a tasty dinner then see the play and talk about it for days, singing the songs over and over again. Another example was taking a Sunday to drive to somewhere new and see the sights. I learned about St. Jacobs this way, ate a foot-long on Hamilton Mountain, a hamburger from Webber's, Ice Cream cones bigger than your Dad's fist in Belfountain and Hornby, saw the Children's Museum in London, and spent countless hours at the Science Center. So many days of my childhood are remembered by the winding roads and colourful leaves, the unexpected massive house in the country, and what the car did when it went form asphalt to dirt road and back again. I didn't know then that these were frugal ways to entertain kids when there wasn't a lot of money. I know now that those experiences have stuck with me.
According to the book, to other experts and to my own thinking I am a frugal person. I love that about myself. I love that I can find something to do on very little money, that getting something for next to nothing always makes me giddy and that learning how to entertain myself in a new city means a lot of festivals that cost little more than a sunny afternoon and $5.
The book so far hasn't unearthed something new int he financial field, but it is doing a good job of getting my mind to brainstorm all kinds of ways to have a great time and not spend a ton of money doing it! It also regularly reminds me that the experience I share with people will stick with them and me far longer than the item I give/use with them!
Overall, it is just like every other Personal Finance book out there. The difference comes in the nuances within the text. To begin with, Chris Farrell explores the rise of what he calls the New Frugality. Basically, the new frugality is actually the propensity for the normally spend-happy Stephanie, to become a more save-happy Stephanie. It is the idea that now that the economy has tanked it's time to get back to a more frugal life, by saving more, and being more aware of our purchases or lack there of.
Chris mentions the sustainable nature of the Frugal minded consumer, and constantly reminds us that in all financial aspects, a "margin of safety" is always needed. The New Frugality puts more emphasis on the experience rather than the material item. (This is something I love, and have found within myself.) He does a good job at trying to lay out the history of the swing from consumeritis to frugality, and though his examples are defined and he gives backup for them, I find they fail to actually present his point within the history.
So far I'm most impressed with the logic and lay out of chapter 3 "A Margin of Safety". I think it does a good job of explaining how to err on the side of caution, build in your safety net and not completely deprive yourself of live.
In chapters 4 and 5 you learn the steps to the New Frugality and that planning is essential for anything to work. The biggest thing I've taken away from the first half of this book is that planning, sticking to it and remembering how I was raised will go a long way to aiding me on my financial journey.
When I say remember how I was raised, I am talking about the fact that we didn't have a lot of money and my fondest memories from childhood weren't the items I had to play with (as most of them I can't even remember, but many of them I still have), it was the experiences I had. For example, every other year my grandparents would gift our family a chance to go to a play in Toronto as a family. I saw Tommy, Showboat, Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Cats, and many others this way. It meant we got to dress nicely and go to a cool place for a tasty dinner then see the play and talk about it for days, singing the songs over and over again. Another example was taking a Sunday to drive to somewhere new and see the sights. I learned about St. Jacobs this way, ate a foot-long on Hamilton Mountain, a hamburger from Webber's, Ice Cream cones bigger than your Dad's fist in Belfountain and Hornby, saw the Children's Museum in London, and spent countless hours at the Science Center. So many days of my childhood are remembered by the winding roads and colourful leaves, the unexpected massive house in the country, and what the car did when it went form asphalt to dirt road and back again. I didn't know then that these were frugal ways to entertain kids when there wasn't a lot of money. I know now that those experiences have stuck with me.
According to the book, to other experts and to my own thinking I am a frugal person. I love that about myself. I love that I can find something to do on very little money, that getting something for next to nothing always makes me giddy and that learning how to entertain myself in a new city means a lot of festivals that cost little more than a sunny afternoon and $5.
The book so far hasn't unearthed something new int he financial field, but it is doing a good job of getting my mind to brainstorm all kinds of ways to have a great time and not spend a ton of money doing it! It also regularly reminds me that the experience I share with people will stick with them and me far longer than the item I give/use with them!
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Donating and Cleaning
This post isn't a continuation of the series I started yesterday. The reason is that getting real with yourself and paying attention to your habits takes more than a day. It also takes time and energy. Without the energy,the clarity and the desire to do this, now amount of budgeting is ever going to get you out of debt. You'll do well for a couple of weeks, but then you'll find yourself not doing and deeper in the whole and you'll get the feeling of spinning your wheels.
Getting out of debt needs to be the only goal you work on until its gone. I tried last year to get out of debt and to get healthy. You know where I got? A little less debt, a little lighter in weight, but neither goal was completed in the way I wanted and neither really stuck.
This year is get out of debt year. 2012 is reserved for me to get real with my health and get to the healthy weight I know I can with hard work!!
Today I want to talk to you about donating and cleaning.
I spent some time at Christmas going through my closet. I found a decent amount to purge, but in no way was I done. In February and March I'll be getting real with my wardrobe. I'll be removing items I haven't worn in a while. With a pending health year scheduled for 2012, there are a few pieces that I will be hanging onto, because I love them and I loved them when they fit. There are still pieces in my closet that I don't wear even now, and even when they fit, so they are cluttering up my chi!
Le man and I drove around for a while thinking we knew some places to donate the clothing we'd purged out. It turns out all the places we knew of had closed up shop and moved. We drove around for a while, enjoying the search, found some clothing drop boxes for charities that we'd never even heard of. We veto'd simply dropping the clothes there, because we didn't really know what they'd be used for, and I had some really good pieces that would help someone out with job prospects and such. I didn't want them just put into any old box.
It turns out there was a charity based organization literally a stone throw from where we live. When we arrived it turns out that their proceeds go to the Children's Wish Foundation, so we thought it was a great thing and left the items. When the person took the basket from me they gave me a puzzled look. The reason for this I found, was that there weren't used to received a basket of nicely folded clothes that smelled like spring fresh softener. I let him know that they'd all be laundered freshly and that there were a few sets in the bottom of the basket, so it would help to keep the pieces together. He smiled, told me they'd never gotten freshly laundered clothes before and walked them right to the person putting them on the hangers!
I'll have another set of clothing to go at the end of February as well. I'll also have a bunch of accessories to donate as well. I could probably sell a bunch of the stuff I have, but here's the thing. I have a plan for my budget. I live in an apartment, so storing until the weather is better to have a sale, is not really something I have room for. I've been donating clothing my whole life, never once putting them up for sale. Probably could have, but it's not something that will net me hundreds of dollars, so I'd rather give them to a good charity and let them have their hand at selling them for the cause.
Plus this way, when I've completed my health year, I'll have the opportunity to correct my clothing, if necessary, and add classic pieces in a proper size after that.
Donation part one complete! I feel lighter and my heart feels good.
Getting out of debt needs to be the only goal you work on until its gone. I tried last year to get out of debt and to get healthy. You know where I got? A little less debt, a little lighter in weight, but neither goal was completed in the way I wanted and neither really stuck.
This year is get out of debt year. 2012 is reserved for me to get real with my health and get to the healthy weight I know I can with hard work!!
Today I want to talk to you about donating and cleaning.
I spent some time at Christmas going through my closet. I found a decent amount to purge, but in no way was I done. In February and March I'll be getting real with my wardrobe. I'll be removing items I haven't worn in a while. With a pending health year scheduled for 2012, there are a few pieces that I will be hanging onto, because I love them and I loved them when they fit. There are still pieces in my closet that I don't wear even now, and even when they fit, so they are cluttering up my chi!
Le man and I drove around for a while thinking we knew some places to donate the clothing we'd purged out. It turns out all the places we knew of had closed up shop and moved. We drove around for a while, enjoying the search, found some clothing drop boxes for charities that we'd never even heard of. We veto'd simply dropping the clothes there, because we didn't really know what they'd be used for, and I had some really good pieces that would help someone out with job prospects and such. I didn't want them just put into any old box.
It turns out there was a charity based organization literally a stone throw from where we live. When we arrived it turns out that their proceeds go to the Children's Wish Foundation, so we thought it was a great thing and left the items. When the person took the basket from me they gave me a puzzled look. The reason for this I found, was that there weren't used to received a basket of nicely folded clothes that smelled like spring fresh softener. I let him know that they'd all be laundered freshly and that there were a few sets in the bottom of the basket, so it would help to keep the pieces together. He smiled, told me they'd never gotten freshly laundered clothes before and walked them right to the person putting them on the hangers!
I'll have another set of clothing to go at the end of February as well. I'll also have a bunch of accessories to donate as well. I could probably sell a bunch of the stuff I have, but here's the thing. I have a plan for my budget. I live in an apartment, so storing until the weather is better to have a sale, is not really something I have room for. I've been donating clothing my whole life, never once putting them up for sale. Probably could have, but it's not something that will net me hundreds of dollars, so I'd rather give them to a good charity and let them have their hand at selling them for the cause.
Plus this way, when I've completed my health year, I'll have the opportunity to correct my clothing, if necessary, and add classic pieces in a proper size after that.
Donation part one complete! I feel lighter and my heart feels good.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Implementing a Plan - Step One
I've talked about this before. Planning is what my calendar is set for February. I"m not going to be talking about how to get your plan together. I did a four part series in January about how to formulate a plan and the four parts you need to do it. You can read the first step one here.
This month I'll be focusing on implementing your plan. To do this you need a whole lot more than the four steps I gave you.
To recap, those steps are:
1) First step in formulating a plan to get out of debt begins with finding what you can live without if you lose your job.
2) Set a smaller goal of reducing your costs.
3) Find out how much each of your expenses are and set up your budget!
4) Set yourself a goal that invokes nausea, anticipation, excitement, anxiety, shock and awe. And then complete it!
So you've got your plan. Now how on earth are you going to get this plan in motion?
Woah Nelly! Did you set up a budget? Really? Or are you simply reading along wanting to know what I'm doing to pay off $23,820.74 in one year but putting off until you "have time" to make you budget?
If you keep putting it off, if you didn't do the work to get it set up, if you actually believe all those people that say budgets don't work, you are just proving them right and buying into the fact that they could change their behaviour to get their debt paid off, and prefer to keep tossing dollars away on someone who's advice you aren't actually taking.
Now that you ave your plan, you begin the slow process of implementing it. Yep it's slow. And no you can't skip ahead!
The first thing you do with your plan, is sit down with it. Grab a beverage, find a room without anyone (the bathroom under the guise of a hot bath usually works for me), grab a pen and a note book or pad or bunch of paper and begin to write yourself notes about how you thin you want to accomplish this. The small stuff counts here.
For instance, you need to get real with that budget. If you've never budgeted before then you are going to have a rough time with it. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. What "they" don't tell you is that the hardest part about forming a new habit requires you to continue to monitor the habit. Ever joined a gym with great intentions, and after 2 months you stop going every other day. Then you are going only on Saturday, before you know it it's been 3 weeks since you set foot in the gym and you don't feel like going back?
Me too!
So how do you get things into behaviour? You work at it. Each and every day. Obviously what I'm about to tell you applies to all kinds of thing sin life. For the purpose of my journey this year, and the context of this blog, I'm dealing only in financial realms. Feel free to apply any and all things you like to your own life and your own journey to whatever goals you may have.
For February, make a conscious effort to handle your budget every day. This means writing it all down. Taking it with you everywhere. Using jars, envelopes, cups, bags, or whatever you have on hand that is visual and fun to set up your money for the month. Put your debit and credit cards into the hands of someone you trust to hide them for this month so you and your budget can get intimate.
And I mean intimate.
The biggest step in implementing your plan is to get intimate with it and yourself. Stop lying, hiding, putting off, differing, running, ignoring, and playing games with yourself. You know exactly what I mean by this. Stop telling yourself that although you can't afford that Star Bucks in the morning, and it's not budgeted, you'll find a way to save some money in your food category later in the month. You won't, and you know it. Stop justifying the behaviour that helped get you into this mess.
What have I done to help myself? I get Tim's twice a week - and I accept offers of a Tim's from everyone that extends it. I don't drink coffee - a behaviour I didn't pick up when I was in high school or university or college, not when I started working full time and not even when I had to study late into the night. So, I have 15 years of a non-behaviour on all of you. I also don't drink pop (soda for you America folk). I drink water. Work provides beverages for us, free of charge, so I drink a lot of water!
My Tim's pickup is directly related to the stress level at work. If I'm not stressing, I'm not needing a Hot chocolate. I enjoy one though, and for Gail club it's a lovely addition to the evening.
I stopped buying breakfast at Tim Horton's as well. Instead, I found some instant oatmeal that I like, and bought enough for 6 weeks worth of breakfast at work. That means I can eat it at break in the morning, because I took an extra kettle I have to work to boil water and eat it. I'll also begin doing this with some tea. That way I can have a tea instead of a hot chocolate and be better for my sugar counts.
I paid attention to my behaviours and learned how to make my food budget work to include breakfast and the occasional personal luxury.
First Step in implementing your plan: Get real with yourself and pay attention to your behaviour.
I leave you with a quote from a strong woman:
"It takes as much energy to wish as to plan." - Eleanor Roosevelt
This month I'll be focusing on implementing your plan. To do this you need a whole lot more than the four steps I gave you.
To recap, those steps are:
1) First step in formulating a plan to get out of debt begins with finding what you can live without if you lose your job.
2) Set a smaller goal of reducing your costs.
3) Find out how much each of your expenses are and set up your budget!
4) Set yourself a goal that invokes nausea, anticipation, excitement, anxiety, shock and awe. And then complete it!
So you've got your plan. Now how on earth are you going to get this plan in motion?
Woah Nelly! Did you set up a budget? Really? Or are you simply reading along wanting to know what I'm doing to pay off $23,820.74 in one year but putting off until you "have time" to make you budget?
If you keep putting it off, if you didn't do the work to get it set up, if you actually believe all those people that say budgets don't work, you are just proving them right and buying into the fact that they could change their behaviour to get their debt paid off, and prefer to keep tossing dollars away on someone who's advice you aren't actually taking.
Now that you ave your plan, you begin the slow process of implementing it. Yep it's slow. And no you can't skip ahead!
The first thing you do with your plan, is sit down with it. Grab a beverage, find a room without anyone (the bathroom under the guise of a hot bath usually works for me), grab a pen and a note book or pad or bunch of paper and begin to write yourself notes about how you thin you want to accomplish this. The small stuff counts here.
For instance, you need to get real with that budget. If you've never budgeted before then you are going to have a rough time with it. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. What "they" don't tell you is that the hardest part about forming a new habit requires you to continue to monitor the habit. Ever joined a gym with great intentions, and after 2 months you stop going every other day. Then you are going only on Saturday, before you know it it's been 3 weeks since you set foot in the gym and you don't feel like going back?
Me too!
So how do you get things into behaviour? You work at it. Each and every day. Obviously what I'm about to tell you applies to all kinds of thing sin life. For the purpose of my journey this year, and the context of this blog, I'm dealing only in financial realms. Feel free to apply any and all things you like to your own life and your own journey to whatever goals you may have.
For February, make a conscious effort to handle your budget every day. This means writing it all down. Taking it with you everywhere. Using jars, envelopes, cups, bags, or whatever you have on hand that is visual and fun to set up your money for the month. Put your debit and credit cards into the hands of someone you trust to hide them for this month so you and your budget can get intimate.
And I mean intimate.
The biggest step in implementing your plan is to get intimate with it and yourself. Stop lying, hiding, putting off, differing, running, ignoring, and playing games with yourself. You know exactly what I mean by this. Stop telling yourself that although you can't afford that Star Bucks in the morning, and it's not budgeted, you'll find a way to save some money in your food category later in the month. You won't, and you know it. Stop justifying the behaviour that helped get you into this mess.
What have I done to help myself? I get Tim's twice a week - and I accept offers of a Tim's from everyone that extends it. I don't drink coffee - a behaviour I didn't pick up when I was in high school or university or college, not when I started working full time and not even when I had to study late into the night. So, I have 15 years of a non-behaviour on all of you. I also don't drink pop (soda for you America folk). I drink water. Work provides beverages for us, free of charge, so I drink a lot of water!
My Tim's pickup is directly related to the stress level at work. If I'm not stressing, I'm not needing a Hot chocolate. I enjoy one though, and for Gail club it's a lovely addition to the evening.
I stopped buying breakfast at Tim Horton's as well. Instead, I found some instant oatmeal that I like, and bought enough for 6 weeks worth of breakfast at work. That means I can eat it at break in the morning, because I took an extra kettle I have to work to boil water and eat it. I'll also begin doing this with some tea. That way I can have a tea instead of a hot chocolate and be better for my sugar counts.
I paid attention to my behaviours and learned how to make my food budget work to include breakfast and the occasional personal luxury.
First Step in implementing your plan: Get real with yourself and pay attention to your behaviour.
I leave you with a quote from a strong woman:
"It takes as much energy to wish as to plan." - Eleanor Roosevelt
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