This post is not going to be "10 Steps to a Perfectly Balanced Life" or some such fantasy that can only be played out by people who have no kids and perfectly stable and reliable jobs/sources of income....and possibly no pulse.
This post is about real life. My life. And it is one where unpredictability and change reign supreme! But isn't that everyone's life, to some degree? We all have to cope with the elements; weather, economy, government, traffic, death, organizational structure (and restructuring), extra-curricular activities, social responsibilities, family obligations, other people's expectations (and our own), illnesses, accidents, new/challenging/failed relationships, other people's moods (and our own)....and the list could go on.
Phew! I'm exhausted already! Time for a cigarette, espresso, chocolate bar....whatever your drug of choice to help you navigate your way through the whirlwind of life.
So how do we manage? How do we cope? Well, we form groups, first of all. We gather ourselves into small packs called "immediate families", and these packs are a part of larger groups called "extended families". The collective has got to be stronger than the individual, right? Well, that may depend on the quality and character of the individuals making up that collective. After all, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. And, PLEASE, don't forget...we have no control over other people. If you look at the list of elements I listed above, the only thing there we do have control over is our own expectations and our own mood (or at least how we are behaving, based on our mood).
As for expectations, ditch them. Seriously. Expectations of ourselves, others, or life only lead to resentment, guilt and disappointment. I'm not suggesting we have no guidelines for how we act, what treatment we will tolerate from others, and no plan for how to deal with life. What I am suggesting is that we let go of any expectation that things should be a certain way. Don't expect excellent service when you go into a restaurant to eat; be open to whatever the service is and then take it from there. Don't expect the weather to be a certain way when you wake up in the morning; see what it is and dress accordingly.
I can hear many of you shaking your heads and thinking, "Now she's lost me. I don't see how this would make a difference or help me in any way." Well, think about it. Stephen Covey put it really well; we don't have control over 10% of what happens to us (the weather, someone spilling a coffee on our paperwork, etc), but we do have control over the other 90%, because that comes from how we REACT to the 10%. You can feel however you feel, but you don't have to ACT based on those feelings. You can feel frustrated by the lack of good service in a restaurant, but you don't have to be rude to the waitress in retaliation. And if you ditched your expectations before even entering the restaurant, you probably wouldn't feel the frustration that strongly to begin with.
One of my favourite sayings is 'the proof is in the pudding'. I don't feel the need to convince anyone this stuff works. If you try it, you'll see for yourself. If you try it and it doesn't work, look REEEEEAAALLY hard at where you might have still been holding onto some expectations, or where you were reacting based on a negative feeling.
Time to step down off the soapbox:) Next time, perhaps we'll talk about fear-free parenting.
e
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Rolling with the Waves
Hey there:) Been a while! How are you doing?
I know it's been a while since I've posted anything...as I heard a brilliant and inspiring economist, Tim Jackson, say in his TED talk, I've been busy keeping out the giraffes. (If you want to know what that means, watch the talk.)
I titled this post "Rolling with the Waves" because I don't particularly like the phrase "rolling with the punches" for the context of this post. For the past few months Dave and I have been rolling with the waves...life hasn't been throwing punches, just tossing waves. When this happens I find I reach a space where I come back to myself and awaken, yet again, to what is truly important in my life. And one of those things is writing, and in particular, writing this blog. It doesn't even matter if anyone reads it...I just want to write it and that's enough reason for me! So, I'm recommitting.
I glanced at the older posts before starting this one and the Budget update caught my eye. I haven't been keeping you up-to-date with a monthly budget confession, but that's okay...Dave and I are still doing well. The main thing I've realized with this budget and with our personal situation, is to "roll with the waves" of fluctuating finances. Our income and expenses change frequently, which means our budget requires maintenance. I send it out for servicing at least monthly, and it comes back all shiny and neat...then a few weeks later it's looking a little rough around the edges again. That's okay too!
To me, that just means that we are remaining conscious of it and doing our best to hold to the principles. We have made continuing efforts to reduce our expenses (getting better rates on bills like internet, phone, cable, and continuing to find smarter ways to shop), and have gotten creative in terms of our income as well, making sure that money coming in and going out are in balance. And, most importantly, we are continuing to live on cash for our regular weekly expenses. And let me tell you, after nearly 7 months of using this method, I wouldn't go back. I love knowing that the money in my bank account is for things set to come out of my account (larger, fixed expenses), and my family's life expenses are met (food, allowances, entertainment, clothes, etc).
Reminding myself that this year is one of transition for this family is key to rolling with the waves. "This too shall pass" doesn't sound heavy to me anymore, like I'm carrying some great burden...it sounds rather hopeful. That things are in a constant state of change is more of a reality to me now and it's wonderful. I am grateful for it, rather than fearful of it! To balance that is patience...not being in too much of a hurry for things to change. They will, in their own time, and not before. If we resist that fact and try to force reality into our own idea of what it should be, we will create for ourselves a world of suffering and disappointment. Not one I want to live in.
When you don't resist the waves, sometimes they may take you in a direction you didn't expect, but if you can roll with that you'll often find that what you didn't expect is wonderful.
-e:)
I know it's been a while since I've posted anything...as I heard a brilliant and inspiring economist, Tim Jackson, say in his TED talk, I've been busy keeping out the giraffes. (If you want to know what that means, watch the talk.)
I titled this post "Rolling with the Waves" because I don't particularly like the phrase "rolling with the punches" for the context of this post. For the past few months Dave and I have been rolling with the waves...life hasn't been throwing punches, just tossing waves. When this happens I find I reach a space where I come back to myself and awaken, yet again, to what is truly important in my life. And one of those things is writing, and in particular, writing this blog. It doesn't even matter if anyone reads it...I just want to write it and that's enough reason for me! So, I'm recommitting.
I glanced at the older posts before starting this one and the Budget update caught my eye. I haven't been keeping you up-to-date with a monthly budget confession, but that's okay...Dave and I are still doing well. The main thing I've realized with this budget and with our personal situation, is to "roll with the waves" of fluctuating finances. Our income and expenses change frequently, which means our budget requires maintenance. I send it out for servicing at least monthly, and it comes back all shiny and neat...then a few weeks later it's looking a little rough around the edges again. That's okay too!
To me, that just means that we are remaining conscious of it and doing our best to hold to the principles. We have made continuing efforts to reduce our expenses (getting better rates on bills like internet, phone, cable, and continuing to find smarter ways to shop), and have gotten creative in terms of our income as well, making sure that money coming in and going out are in balance. And, most importantly, we are continuing to live on cash for our regular weekly expenses. And let me tell you, after nearly 7 months of using this method, I wouldn't go back. I love knowing that the money in my bank account is for things set to come out of my account (larger, fixed expenses), and my family's life expenses are met (food, allowances, entertainment, clothes, etc).
Reminding myself that this year is one of transition for this family is key to rolling with the waves. "This too shall pass" doesn't sound heavy to me anymore, like I'm carrying some great burden...it sounds rather hopeful. That things are in a constant state of change is more of a reality to me now and it's wonderful. I am grateful for it, rather than fearful of it! To balance that is patience...not being in too much of a hurry for things to change. They will, in their own time, and not before. If we resist that fact and try to force reality into our own idea of what it should be, we will create for ourselves a world of suffering and disappointment. Not one I want to live in.
When you don't resist the waves, sometimes they may take you in a direction you didn't expect, but if you can roll with that you'll often find that what you didn't expect is wonderful.
-e:)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
What's Worth Your Coin?
Hey out there:)
We have spent many posts showing and encouraging you to spend less, save more, and just plain be more conscious about your money, but I also wanted to balance that with something equally as important; knowing what you DO feel is worth spending your money on.
Here are a few small things I am not willing to compromise on; toilet paper, garbage bags, tea, and shampoo. We tried buying the cheapest bulk pack of toilet paper once, and I realized very quickly that a minimum quality of toilet paper is required for me to have a happy life. I don't need the premium brand that costs $20 for 4 rolls, however, I do require 2-ply and NOT feeling like sandpaper.
Garbage bags; here is where buying the really cheap ones can actually cost you more in the long run. The really cheap brands tear open really easily, so you end up having to double up on the bags anyway. Not eco or wallet friendly!
Tea; I drink a fair amount of tea and, though I have pretty pedestrian tastes when it comes to the tea, I don't want a tea bag that will take an hour to steep a weak cup of tea. Ideally, I would like to get two cups of tea out of each bag. This is a case where it is worth spending a bit more money on a quality tea bag, so that you can actually get twice the distance out of each one and save money overall.
And shampoo; okay, I'll admit that I simply can NOT stand to have dry or unmanageable hair. It makes me crazy, and like the toilet paper, makes it more difficult to maintain my happiness. Therefore, it is a luxury I don't mind indulging in. I will by a pretty expensive shampoo and conditioner, however, I only wash my hair every second day and with the more expensive brands, less of the product goes a long way. A bottle usually lasts me several months (I am the only one who uses it).
So consider, as you are trying to cut your expenses and shop more consciously, the things that you might not want to go to the cheap extreme on. There is, in fact, a difference between 'cheap' and 'inexpensive':)
Ciao for now, folks!
-Erin
We have spent many posts showing and encouraging you to spend less, save more, and just plain be more conscious about your money, but I also wanted to balance that with something equally as important; knowing what you DO feel is worth spending your money on.
Here are a few small things I am not willing to compromise on; toilet paper, garbage bags, tea, and shampoo. We tried buying the cheapest bulk pack of toilet paper once, and I realized very quickly that a minimum quality of toilet paper is required for me to have a happy life. I don't need the premium brand that costs $20 for 4 rolls, however, I do require 2-ply and NOT feeling like sandpaper.
Garbage bags; here is where buying the really cheap ones can actually cost you more in the long run. The really cheap brands tear open really easily, so you end up having to double up on the bags anyway. Not eco or wallet friendly!
Tea; I drink a fair amount of tea and, though I have pretty pedestrian tastes when it comes to the tea, I don't want a tea bag that will take an hour to steep a weak cup of tea. Ideally, I would like to get two cups of tea out of each bag. This is a case where it is worth spending a bit more money on a quality tea bag, so that you can actually get twice the distance out of each one and save money overall.
And shampoo; okay, I'll admit that I simply can NOT stand to have dry or unmanageable hair. It makes me crazy, and like the toilet paper, makes it more difficult to maintain my happiness. Therefore, it is a luxury I don't mind indulging in. I will by a pretty expensive shampoo and conditioner, however, I only wash my hair every second day and with the more expensive brands, less of the product goes a long way. A bottle usually lasts me several months (I am the only one who uses it).
So consider, as you are trying to cut your expenses and shop more consciously, the things that you might not want to go to the cheap extreme on. There is, in fact, a difference between 'cheap' and 'inexpensive':)
Ciao for now, folks!
-Erin
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Budget Update - Month 3 "Okay...let's keep going!"
Wow! Another month come and gone. Always hard for me to believe how fast the time goes...and that I always intend to write more on this blog than just these monthly updates, but sometimes it just gets away from you:) Lots of great family time and enjoying the beautiful summer weather with friends, so we definitely can't complain!
In that vein, it'd like to focus on having fun and staying active while you're trying to live on a budget and reduce your expenses. It's easy to get into a habit of thinking that "going out" equals spending money. It's easy to blow $50 - $100 going out for a day, or even just an evening to a movie and dinner. So what do you do when your weekly family entertainment budget is $36 (and that also includes coffee at Bridgehead or Starbucks)?
Well, for starters, you change your ideas about what it means to "go out". It's great to treat yourself to a movie or a nice dinner sometimes, when you have the cash to do that; however, we've spent a lot of time this past month doing a wide range of really fun stuff that costs little to nothing.
Some examples? A friend of ours had the great idea to bring the kids to our local beach every Saturday morning. We meet there with our kids and they can play in the sand and water, the adults have time to play and socialize too (and, yes, we even get our toes wet from time to time!) We pack snacks and drinks from home, arrive early (around 10am) before the sun is too hot and the beach is too crowded, and go back home around 12 or 12:30 in time for lunch. Grand total for this awesome beach time? $2 for parking. If you don't have a beach near your home (or don't like the beach, for some unfathomable reason!), consider a park with a great play area for the kids and bring picnic blankets.
For those rare moments when the kids are with grandma and grandpa and it's just the adults, try going to some area of your city that you haven't been before and just explore. Recently, Dave and I went to a specific part of our town to check out some independently owned shops I'd read about. We parked the car and walked around the area, going into whatever shop attracted us at that time, and then sat by the river for a while just talking, enjoying the beautiful weather. Now this outing was a little more expensive for us because we decided to treat ourselves to lunch at a pub, but had we not decided to do that, the grand total would have been $10; $5 for a jar of specialty jam from one shop and $5 for an apron Dave found at a cool place that sold every kind of cooking utensil (for personal and professional use) you could imagine (except, oddly, cooling racks). Had we planned differently, we may have either eaten lunch at home before going out or packed a picnic lunch for us to eat on the banks of the river. Another thing Dave and I like to do together is go to open houses and look at the houses for sale around the city. It's a lot of fun, actually, though if you're going to do it and have no intention of buying, try not to waste the real estate agent's time if other prospective buyers are there.
Whatever it is you enjoy doing, be creative and figure out how you can do it (or something as satisfying) for little to no cost. Try geocaching if you enjoy being outdoors and treasure hunting (www.geocaching.com). Go to flea markets and antique stores, but only bring $10 - $20 and see what kinds of treasures you can find. Check out your local events calendar and see if there are free/inexpensive events happening in your area. Planning in advance is a great way to reduce your expenses. Always bring some water and snacks with you when you go out, even if you think you won't be gone that long. Pack lunch if you know you'll be gone all day.
There are many wonderful ways to enjoy yourself without breaking the bank or blowing your cash budget! Just get creative...use the ideas I've shared to come up with some great ones of your own, built on what you enjoy doing. We'd also love to hear your ideas and any other comments you have!
Thanks for reading, folks! Til next time!
-Erin and Dave
In that vein, it'd like to focus on having fun and staying active while you're trying to live on a budget and reduce your expenses. It's easy to get into a habit of thinking that "going out" equals spending money. It's easy to blow $50 - $100 going out for a day, or even just an evening to a movie and dinner. So what do you do when your weekly family entertainment budget is $36 (and that also includes coffee at Bridgehead or Starbucks)?
Well, for starters, you change your ideas about what it means to "go out". It's great to treat yourself to a movie or a nice dinner sometimes, when you have the cash to do that; however, we've spent a lot of time this past month doing a wide range of really fun stuff that costs little to nothing.
Some examples? A friend of ours had the great idea to bring the kids to our local beach every Saturday morning. We meet there with our kids and they can play in the sand and water, the adults have time to play and socialize too (and, yes, we even get our toes wet from time to time!) We pack snacks and drinks from home, arrive early (around 10am) before the sun is too hot and the beach is too crowded, and go back home around 12 or 12:30 in time for lunch. Grand total for this awesome beach time? $2 for parking. If you don't have a beach near your home (or don't like the beach, for some unfathomable reason!), consider a park with a great play area for the kids and bring picnic blankets.
For those rare moments when the kids are with grandma and grandpa and it's just the adults, try going to some area of your city that you haven't been before and just explore. Recently, Dave and I went to a specific part of our town to check out some independently owned shops I'd read about. We parked the car and walked around the area, going into whatever shop attracted us at that time, and then sat by the river for a while just talking, enjoying the beautiful weather. Now this outing was a little more expensive for us because we decided to treat ourselves to lunch at a pub, but had we not decided to do that, the grand total would have been $10; $5 for a jar of specialty jam from one shop and $5 for an apron Dave found at a cool place that sold every kind of cooking utensil (for personal and professional use) you could imagine (except, oddly, cooling racks). Had we planned differently, we may have either eaten lunch at home before going out or packed a picnic lunch for us to eat on the banks of the river. Another thing Dave and I like to do together is go to open houses and look at the houses for sale around the city. It's a lot of fun, actually, though if you're going to do it and have no intention of buying, try not to waste the real estate agent's time if other prospective buyers are there.
Whatever it is you enjoy doing, be creative and figure out how you can do it (or something as satisfying) for little to no cost. Try geocaching if you enjoy being outdoors and treasure hunting (www.geocaching.com). Go to flea markets and antique stores, but only bring $10 - $20 and see what kinds of treasures you can find. Check out your local events calendar and see if there are free/inexpensive events happening in your area. Planning in advance is a great way to reduce your expenses. Always bring some water and snacks with you when you go out, even if you think you won't be gone that long. Pack lunch if you know you'll be gone all day.
There are many wonderful ways to enjoy yourself without breaking the bank or blowing your cash budget! Just get creative...use the ideas I've shared to come up with some great ones of your own, built on what you enjoy doing. We'd also love to hear your ideas and any other comments you have!
Thanks for reading, folks! Til next time!
-Erin and Dave
Friday, July 9, 2010
Budget Update - Month 2 Lessons Learned
Whew!
Can't really say for sure what I was doing that I was too busy to update the blog, but June must have been a hectic month! Well, here I am and here's our update; better late than never:)
Continuing to learn as we go, we have tweaked our jar budgets a couple of times, as we recognized that we were consistently over-spending on food/personal care items, despite best efforts to shop consciously. We determined that we simply had not budgeted enough in this category and increased it by $50/month (making adjustments in other budget categories to account for this change). Since that change, we are doing much better. We also realized that it is a smart idea to get a little "ahead of yourself" in purchasing meat when grocery shopping (get meat that's on sale or "club pack" size and freeze it, so you have slightly more than what you need for a week). It's probably the most costly food item on your list, so it's handy to have a little extra in the freezer for weeks when there might not be good sales, so you won't have to buy as much and spend that extra money.
Another thing I learned is that Dave is GREAT at cooking tofu. Even if you buy the organic kind (which we recommend, since soy absorbs toxins very readily), it's only around $2.50 per block. Last week we used the one block of tofu in 3 meals! I'll get him to post his tofu nuggets recipe and I dare you to try it...it's fantastic!!
But I digress.
We also took some steps to lighten our budget load last month. Our roommate moved out and we no longer needed the extra bandwidth insurance on our internet bill, so we cancelled that and saved $15/mth. I also took my final driver's test and so reduced my auto insurance significantly. Similarly, I changed my life insurance policy, so I'm paying less per month. I'm also very glad to say that, after a pretty stressful couple of weeks, we finalized the refinancing of our house and paid down the high interest debts we had. We also managed to secure a very low fixed interest rate on the mortgage, so this was a smart way to get a handle on that debt load.
We're becoming more aware, I think, that this is something you have to be constantly conscious of and working on together. Mutual support is so important. We want to live within our means, but not limit ourselves. We want to be conscious of what we spend, but not cease to have fun in our lives. Balance is what we are striving for, and we are pretty close to achieving that. The budget, however, needs to be tweaked consistently to reflect the reality of our situation. I suppose it might be easy to do it once if we lived in a world with fixed and stable incomes and expenses, but these things fluctuate (with the phases of the moon, it seems...), so you have to look at it regularly and make adjustments.
Another thing we just decided to do is have a look at our bank account transactions at the end of each week (after we balance the budget binder/jars) to see what we have spent using our debit cards. We are trying to be vigilant in not using them unless necessary, but we don't have cash for every purchase. Briefly reviewing our account transactions will give us a picture of what we are spending and where, that is other than what is accounted for in the jars.
The last thing I want to write about is our child. We've decided to start teaching him about money, spending and saving, so I took him last month and opened a bank account for him. He decided for himself that he wanted to save 40% of his allowance each week. (I showed him 5 rocks and asked him if these were dollars how many he thought he would like to save, and he chose 2.) So he puts $2 in his piggy bank, and we will deposit this when he has a significant amount. His other $3 he can choose to spend on something, or save them for a bigger purchase, like a game or toy. He has a particular item he would like to get soon and so we calculated that it would take 13 allowances for him to save what he needs and then we made him a chart with little pockets on it to hold 13 loonies and 13 twonies. We will also give him opportunities to do "extra" tasks to earn an extra $3/task, so he can save his money faster. We think it's really important to teach him a healthy appreciation for money, how it it earned, how it is saved, and how it is spent.
Well, that's about it for our update! More news to come on the Kitchen Revamp Challenge soon enough! Still working on getting the house in order (Purge! Purge! Purge!), so the garage can be put in order, so we can get started on painting those cupboard doors :)
Wish us luck! Ciao for now folks!!
-Erin and Dave
Can't really say for sure what I was doing that I was too busy to update the blog, but June must have been a hectic month! Well, here I am and here's our update; better late than never:)
Continuing to learn as we go, we have tweaked our jar budgets a couple of times, as we recognized that we were consistently over-spending on food/personal care items, despite best efforts to shop consciously. We determined that we simply had not budgeted enough in this category and increased it by $50/month (making adjustments in other budget categories to account for this change). Since that change, we are doing much better. We also realized that it is a smart idea to get a little "ahead of yourself" in purchasing meat when grocery shopping (get meat that's on sale or "club pack" size and freeze it, so you have slightly more than what you need for a week). It's probably the most costly food item on your list, so it's handy to have a little extra in the freezer for weeks when there might not be good sales, so you won't have to buy as much and spend that extra money.
Another thing I learned is that Dave is GREAT at cooking tofu. Even if you buy the organic kind (which we recommend, since soy absorbs toxins very readily), it's only around $2.50 per block. Last week we used the one block of tofu in 3 meals! I'll get him to post his tofu nuggets recipe and I dare you to try it...it's fantastic!!
But I digress.
We also took some steps to lighten our budget load last month. Our roommate moved out and we no longer needed the extra bandwidth insurance on our internet bill, so we cancelled that and saved $15/mth. I also took my final driver's test and so reduced my auto insurance significantly. Similarly, I changed my life insurance policy, so I'm paying less per month. I'm also very glad to say that, after a pretty stressful couple of weeks, we finalized the refinancing of our house and paid down the high interest debts we had. We also managed to secure a very low fixed interest rate on the mortgage, so this was a smart way to get a handle on that debt load.
We're becoming more aware, I think, that this is something you have to be constantly conscious of and working on together. Mutual support is so important. We want to live within our means, but not limit ourselves. We want to be conscious of what we spend, but not cease to have fun in our lives. Balance is what we are striving for, and we are pretty close to achieving that. The budget, however, needs to be tweaked consistently to reflect the reality of our situation. I suppose it might be easy to do it once if we lived in a world with fixed and stable incomes and expenses, but these things fluctuate (with the phases of the moon, it seems...), so you have to look at it regularly and make adjustments.
Another thing we just decided to do is have a look at our bank account transactions at the end of each week (after we balance the budget binder/jars) to see what we have spent using our debit cards. We are trying to be vigilant in not using them unless necessary, but we don't have cash for every purchase. Briefly reviewing our account transactions will give us a picture of what we are spending and where, that is other than what is accounted for in the jars.
The last thing I want to write about is our child. We've decided to start teaching him about money, spending and saving, so I took him last month and opened a bank account for him. He decided for himself that he wanted to save 40% of his allowance each week. (I showed him 5 rocks and asked him if these were dollars how many he thought he would like to save, and he chose 2.) So he puts $2 in his piggy bank, and we will deposit this when he has a significant amount. His other $3 he can choose to spend on something, or save them for a bigger purchase, like a game or toy. He has a particular item he would like to get soon and so we calculated that it would take 13 allowances for him to save what he needs and then we made him a chart with little pockets on it to hold 13 loonies and 13 twonies. We will also give him opportunities to do "extra" tasks to earn an extra $3/task, so he can save his money faster. We think it's really important to teach him a healthy appreciation for money, how it it earned, how it is saved, and how it is spent.
Well, that's about it for our update! More news to come on the Kitchen Revamp Challenge soon enough! Still working on getting the house in order (Purge! Purge! Purge!), so the garage can be put in order, so we can get started on painting those cupboard doors :)
Wish us luck! Ciao for now folks!!
-Erin and Dave
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Flyers and Conscious Shopping
20 Grocery Store Savings Ideas: Grocery Coupon Savings Tips For Those Grocery Shopping On A Budget
I have never been someone who coupon clipped, flyer perused or even looked at the prices of the stuff I was buying when I grocery shopped, so I completely understand unconscious shopping and how easy it is to do. I'm turning over a new leaf now, however, (thanks in no small part to Dave) and am on the path to shopping enlightenment.
Now, I also believe in moderation in all things, so I will not ever become someone who will drive all over town just to use all the coupons I've clipped or to save $0.10 on a head of lettuce. It doesn't make sense to spend that much more on gas and your valuable time to save a few cents on groceries. There are some simple things you can do, however, that can lead to significant savings when you're shopping.
First, decide what is a priority to you. Do you value quality in your food or clothes, toys or entertainment? When you know what you're not willing to compromise on, you have a realistic foundation on which to build your new shopping practices. For Dave and I, food is fundamental. We love to eat and to eat well. Spending a lot of money on or having an excess of clothes and electronics, however, is not so much a priority. So now we know where we can scale back and where we want to maintain a certain level of quality.
Second, know where you like to shop. Some people are loyal to certain stores/brands, and that is fine, but if you're not willing to shop around and buy where the best deal is, learn how to take advantage of your favourite store or brands incentives. For example, if you are loyal to Future Shop, make sure you check the prices of all their competitors and take advantage of their price beat policy. Also, search their flyers and hard copy and online coupons regularly; join any membership clubs to receive notices of sales and promotions and sign up for the card to collect points for special rewards.
Third, scan the flyers before you shop. This is actually well worth doing. As an example, Dave and I check out the flyers every week for the grocery stores. While doing this, we find the best deals on meats, fruits and vegetables, and other household staples like toilet paper and detergents. This process can also be great for helping you plan your meals for the week. Picking up the things that are the best deal each week can often mean you get a variety and affords you the opportunity to try new things and get creative. Unconscious shoppers not only don't pay attention to how much their spending, but often just buy the same things over and over as well.
Fourth, when you are actually in the store, compare prices. If you're looking at tins of corn niblets, is it really worth spending $1.19 for a brand name, when the generic is $0.69? Sure, there are some things you won't want to buy the generic or no name version of because the quality is significantly different and it's important to you. I remember buying a really inexpensive brand of toilet paper at Costco once and swore never to buy it again. I didn't know I could hate a toilet paper that much. But I discovered from that experience that I have a certain standard that is worth the extra couple of dollars to me! In many cases, however, the less expensive item is a great value.
Fifth, have a list of things you want to purchase that are not regular items (make a note of their regular retail price as well) and check the flyers regularly for sales or price reductions. (Of course, always check out Craig's List, Kijiji, and other local online sites for used or free items, and check out your local garage sales and estate or repo auctions.) Dave has needed a ladder for a while and recently noticed that Home Depot had reduced the price on a ladder he'd been looking at from $156 to $99! That's a significant reduction, so he went and picked up the ladder.
So, the basic message is "wake up". Become a little more conscious of how you shop, where you shop, and how you might be able to do it in a way that could save you significant money. A word of caution, though; just because something is on sale, doesn't mean you have to buy it! Conscious shopping also means buying with intention, only purchasing what you need and will use.
Until next time, folks! Happy shopping :)
-Erin and Dave
I have never been someone who coupon clipped, flyer perused or even looked at the prices of the stuff I was buying when I grocery shopped, so I completely understand unconscious shopping and how easy it is to do. I'm turning over a new leaf now, however, (thanks in no small part to Dave) and am on the path to shopping enlightenment.
Now, I also believe in moderation in all things, so I will not ever become someone who will drive all over town just to use all the coupons I've clipped or to save $0.10 on a head of lettuce. It doesn't make sense to spend that much more on gas and your valuable time to save a few cents on groceries. There are some simple things you can do, however, that can lead to significant savings when you're shopping.
First, decide what is a priority to you. Do you value quality in your food or clothes, toys or entertainment? When you know what you're not willing to compromise on, you have a realistic foundation on which to build your new shopping practices. For Dave and I, food is fundamental. We love to eat and to eat well. Spending a lot of money on or having an excess of clothes and electronics, however, is not so much a priority. So now we know where we can scale back and where we want to maintain a certain level of quality.
Second, know where you like to shop. Some people are loyal to certain stores/brands, and that is fine, but if you're not willing to shop around and buy where the best deal is, learn how to take advantage of your favourite store or brands incentives. For example, if you are loyal to Future Shop, make sure you check the prices of all their competitors and take advantage of their price beat policy. Also, search their flyers and hard copy and online coupons regularly; join any membership clubs to receive notices of sales and promotions and sign up for the card to collect points for special rewards.
Third, scan the flyers before you shop. This is actually well worth doing. As an example, Dave and I check out the flyers every week for the grocery stores. While doing this, we find the best deals on meats, fruits and vegetables, and other household staples like toilet paper and detergents. This process can also be great for helping you plan your meals for the week. Picking up the things that are the best deal each week can often mean you get a variety and affords you the opportunity to try new things and get creative. Unconscious shoppers not only don't pay attention to how much their spending, but often just buy the same things over and over as well.
Fourth, when you are actually in the store, compare prices. If you're looking at tins of corn niblets, is it really worth spending $1.19 for a brand name, when the generic is $0.69? Sure, there are some things you won't want to buy the generic or no name version of because the quality is significantly different and it's important to you. I remember buying a really inexpensive brand of toilet paper at Costco once and swore never to buy it again. I didn't know I could hate a toilet paper that much. But I discovered from that experience that I have a certain standard that is worth the extra couple of dollars to me! In many cases, however, the less expensive item is a great value.
Fifth, have a list of things you want to purchase that are not regular items (make a note of their regular retail price as well) and check the flyers regularly for sales or price reductions. (Of course, always check out Craig's List, Kijiji, and other local online sites for used or free items, and check out your local garage sales and estate or repo auctions.) Dave has needed a ladder for a while and recently noticed that Home Depot had reduced the price on a ladder he'd been looking at from $156 to $99! That's a significant reduction, so he went and picked up the ladder.
So, the basic message is "wake up". Become a little more conscious of how you shop, where you shop, and how you might be able to do it in a way that could save you significant money. A word of caution, though; just because something is on sale, doesn't mean you have to buy it! Conscious shopping also means buying with intention, only purchasing what you need and will use.
Until next time, folks! Happy shopping :)
-Erin and Dave
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
I'm in Love with Gail Vaz- Oxlade
Gail Vaz-Oxlade, for those of you who don't know, is the personal finance genius who stars in Til Debt Do U$ Part on Slice. I started watching this show a couple of months ago when Dave and I first started talking about how to get our finances under control. (I was just looking for something to watch in the middle of the afternoon while spending time with the baby.) I fell in love with the show and with Gail for two reasons; first, the show highlighted real people who were courageous enough to face up to and seek help for them debt issues, and second, Gail helped people deal with these issues in practical, doable and realistic ways...her approach is no-nonsense, but she has a soft touch at the same time.
I don't know what took me so long to Google her and see what was online, but I only did that this week and discovered her blog . Gail's blog is not only interesting and easy to read, but she also provides a WONDERFUL array of resources, tips, tools and articles for people to download and put to use to help them get on the road to debt freedom and financial health. For example, I downloaded the budget spreadsheet that has all the fields and formulas set up, so all you do is punch in your numbers and it does all sorts of great calculations for you. It tells you what percentage of your income is spent on what parts of you life (housing, transportation, etc) and what percentage it should be; it shows you how much money should be allocated to the "money jars", if you are implementing this neat tool of hers to monitor and control your spending; it also allows you to develop a balanced budget that accounts for things like an emergency fund and savings. Just this tool and the article on setting up the Budget Binder are worth the price of admission (which, btw, is $0)!
I highly recommend Gail, her show, her blog, her tools and everything else related to Gail Vaz-Oxlade! I'll be referring to her again and updating you all on how the use of her tools is working for us.
Cheers!
-Erin and Dave
I don't know what took me so long to Google her and see what was online, but I only did that this week and discovered her blog . Gail's blog is not only interesting and easy to read, but she also provides a WONDERFUL array of resources, tips, tools and articles for people to download and put to use to help them get on the road to debt freedom and financial health. For example, I downloaded the budget spreadsheet that has all the fields and formulas set up, so all you do is punch in your numbers and it does all sorts of great calculations for you. It tells you what percentage of your income is spent on what parts of you life (housing, transportation, etc) and what percentage it should be; it shows you how much money should be allocated to the "money jars", if you are implementing this neat tool of hers to monitor and control your spending; it also allows you to develop a balanced budget that accounts for things like an emergency fund and savings. Just this tool and the article on setting up the Budget Binder are worth the price of admission (which, btw, is $0)!
I highly recommend Gail, her show, her blog, her tools and everything else related to Gail Vaz-Oxlade! I'll be referring to her again and updating you all on how the use of her tools is working for us.
Cheers!
-Erin and Dave
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