Cheap Living Tips

Like many others these last few weeks, my husband and I are having second thoughts about our retirement date currently scheduled for December. Too many factors don’t line up and although we are pretty sure we could get by on our retirement income, now just doesn’t seem to be the right time to make that move. The decision is a tough one. We are close enough to have been bitten by the “short-timers” bug and staying will require an attitude adjustment of major proportions. It will however give us time to wrap up a number of projects that would be left dangling if we go ahead with the original date.

Adding six months to our out-of-here date (or 200 days) probably won’t kill us but it will help up put away some funds for our BIG trip to Australia and make the 30 day cruise home more affordable. Then again, if the economy continues to deflate, we may have second thoughts about even taking the trip! I hope not, we have both looked forward to this one for a long time.

Came across this video on YouTube. David Boris and Brian Joyner (betterguyx) talk with Jim Handly about how to save money and still maintain your style and swerve. Couldn’t be more on the money!

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The stock market roller coaster and bank bailouts are giving many cause to to take a closer look at their spending habits and consider making choices for a simpler and less costly lifestyle. Last week we explored the difference between our needs and our wants and looked at some modifications that could be made when shopping for both.

This week I would like to draw your attention to an article in USA Weekend Magazine, entitled The Simplicity Movement. The bottom line is two-fold: live within a budget and save for the future. To accomplish this the author promotes three guidelines.

• tame your impulses
• get inspired to invest
• learn to share.

The article recommends several books to further explore these topics. You can get one of these books for yourself direct from Amazon.com… just click on the title of your choice below.

I heard that some people make money by just making a website. How is that?

Put advertisements on it and everytime someone goes to the website or in some cases they must click on the advertisements you will get so much money… usually its only a few cents each time but if its a good website and somewhere people will go it could really add up.

Everyone is coming up with tips!

ZDNet offers secrets to stretch your tech budget.

WiseBread, an highly diverse Forum on frugal living, presents everything from suggestions from the past for surviving a financial panic to market advise about staying on course.

The following recommendations come from WordPress Answers:

Start with clearly pointing out your NEEDS from your WANTS.

-Food = Need (Not eating out, not $9.00/lb steaks)
-Shelter = Need (Not resort-like living
-Clothes = Need (Not Versace or other moronic big brand that sucks your money in)
-Transportation = Need (Not a 2009 BMW)

Get my drift?

-Netflix = Want
-Directv = Want (If you can spend $20/month with Netflix, then it is good)
-Starbucks = Want -Bar Tabs = Want -Eating Out = Want (Suppress to about once every two weeks)
-Rims = Want -Plasma/LCD HDTVs = Want (Get a Slim RP, just as good and cheaper)
-Drive to close shops = Want (Walk a little, it’s healthy) XM Radio = Want (this is the dumbest way to lose your money)
-A/C below 78 F in the Summer = Want (You can relax at 78 with no problems)
-Premium OJ = Want (Buy some limes, 5 for a buck, and make limeade)
-iPhone/iTouch 8Gb = Want (You can get a iPod Classic w/ 160GB for less money
-Clubbing = Want (Quickest way to blow $300 – $500 per weekend, dumb… dumb)
-Shoes (Women) = Want (How many shoes do you need? In women, this is the most expensive bill and anti-savings attack)

SAVING TIPS

-Create a bill (your name) and pay yourself every month, start with $100 per month and increase as money permits
-Enroll in your employer’s 401k, they will match some money, it’s free money
-Enroll with your employer’s tuition reimbursement and get more education, this is the best way to enhance your income and you have to pay nothing
-Create a budget, then goals and do your best to meet them
-When vacationing, take a cruise instead. Everything is included and you see and enjoy more.
-Sell the stuff you don’t use anymore on Craigslist.com, over 90% of the transactions are local and in cash (Forget eBay, they got to bloody greedy)
-Keep your credit cards under 25% of their credit limit, this enhances your credit rating, resulting in better deals when getting cars or homes -Learn to do things yourself (Change car oil, save $20; lay out tile, save $300 – $500; change car brakes, save $100; ironing your clothes, save $30 – $100 per month; etc)
-Shop around for car insurance, Progressive has really good rates -Get an online savings account, returning around 3% on average, as opposed to the brick-and-mortar banks’ average of 0.25% (insulting, in my opinion)

Have fun and be safe