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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

When money is tight, most of us will take some concerted steps to rethink our expenses, our investments, and our overall spending habits. We might look to cut back on entertainment or shopping trips. We may eat out less and shop at Wal-Mart more often. And we may seek to move some of our money around by searching out high interest savings account tips and advice.

But all too rarely do we make an attempt to reduce one of our core expenses: transportation. For most Americans, transportation costs are an inevitable part of living and working in a modern society. We need our cars to get to work, do errands, pick the kids up from school, and essentially do anything that requires leaving the house. And, for most Americans, rising gas rates and insurance fees have made transportation costs increasingly expensive.

Changing up your travel and commute habits can consequently translate into significant savings, especially in the long-run. How can this be done? Here are a few tips:


Cut Back On Car Use

The best way to save on transportation costs is to cut back on our car use. Driving a car, after all, is quite expensive these days when gasoline and maintenance costs are included. So how can we get around without a car? If feasible, the best way to do this is by taking public transit. In most cities, public transit costs for daily use run somewhere in the range of $80 to $100 per month – far less than the cost of owning and running a car. If public transit is not a feasible option, you may want to consider running or biking to work. Doing so can help you save money while also getting fit at the same time.


Plan Your Trips

Many people take shopping trips and run errands as the need arises. They leave their home, go to the grocery store, return to their home, go to the dry cleaner’s, and then return to their house once again. This approach wastes both gas and time. Instead, you can get more value out of each driving trip by planning out your errands more fully beforehand.


Save On Gasoline

High gas costs have made paying high gas costs an unavoidable activity for most drivers. But there are certainly ways to reduce the amount you spend on gas. First, you can use websites such as GasBuddy.com to find the cheapest gas costs in your area. Second, you can sign up for credit card rewards programs that offer discounts on every gas purchase at particular stations.

These are just a few of the ways that we can reduce our transportation costs and therefore realize savings in a significant portion of our budget. While our culture of car dependence is deeply instilled in the American psyche, with a little planning and sacrifice we can reduce this reliance and save some money in the process.


~ Guest Post ~

Wednesday, February 01, 2012


I love Chinese New Year.  Even though I am not Chinese myself, I have an interest in Chinese customs and I like Chinese food.  Especially mushroom fried noodles.  There's something fun about the whole idea of creating a large amount of luck, driving away evil spirits each year and wishing great bagfuls of money on people.

Tips to make your year lucky:

1.  Say Kung Hao Fat Choy ("gong hey fat choy") to your Chinese friends who speak Cantonese.  Or Gong Xi Fa Cai ("gong shi fa chai") for those who speak Mandarin.  This means something along the lines of "I hope this year you get lots of money/have a prosperous year".    I think that's a nice thing to wish people.  I haven't done this yet but I fear my pronunciation would be rather suspect (I only learned French, Italian and German at school!)

2.  Clean everything!! Clean out the old luck and bring in the new.  But be careful not to sweep or clean during New Years or you might clean some luck away.

3.  Give out red envelopes with money in them to your family.  The amount must be an even number (preferably having an eight in there somewhere!)  When receiving an envelope, don't open your envelopes in the presence of the giver.  This is said to be bad manners.

4.  Wear/buy red clothes.  My contribution to this is my incredibly awesome Redheads top.  It's very red and therefore very lucky (see below).



5.   Light firecrackers to scare away evil spirits.  Firecrackers are illegal in most cases, so watching some fireworks might be the next best thing.  I may have to settle for party poppers and some sparklers.

6.  Display citrus fruits around the house.  These are especially lucky and are thought to bring good health for the coming year.

7.  Open all your doors and windows and keep the lights on.  This is said to bring in the new luck of the new year and let go of last year's luck.

8.  Eat long noodles for a long life!!

This year is the year of the Water Dragon.  The Water Dragon is said to be ambitious, but the water element tempers the arrogance and pushiness usually associated with the year of the Dragon.



I hope this year is joyful and prosperous for all of you!!
:-)

Monday, January 23, 2012

I am looking for a new lamp for the new year.  I love all kinds of crystal lamps, sometimes I think I might buy them all!!  But I am particularly fond of this one:



Rose Quartz (height = 6 and a half inches)


Rose quartz is a gentle crystal that eases stress, which is a good thing for most people!!

I love the soft glow of a crystal lamp, there is nothing like it, it can transform the atmosphere of a room. 

A word of warning though:  I wasn't sure of the size of the lamp because I use metric and this seller was using the imperial system. 

....whatever you do, don't go and look up "how big is 6 and a half inches" in Google.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

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It’s no secret that I enjoy shopping. Even if I leave the mall without making one purchase, I almost always find it exciting and relaxing to stroll between stores, check out the newest outfits, and look for great deals on items that can improve my wardrobe. But, of course, I very often do make a purchase. I rarely buy more than one or maybe two pieces of clothing in any given trip -- but the costs certainly add up over time.
If you’re like me, then, you’re probably looking for ways to cut back on your purchases when you go to the store. I don’t want to stop going to the mall; I just want to avoid having to take out loans just to keep my habit afloat. Here are some steps I’m going to take in order to reduce my costs but not my time in the store:

Set Deadlines
If I head to the mall on a weekend morning and don’t have anything else planned for the day, there’s a good chance I’m going to wander around, try clothes on, and ultimately make a purchase. But if I instead plan my mall trips at times when I have commitments shortly thereafter – for example, by going to the mall only an hour before a doctor’s appointment – I can satisfy my shopping itch without giving myself time to make a purchase.

Cash Only
I think it’s imprudent to go anywhere without some money on hand, but there’s no reason why you can’t leave your credit card at home -- especially if it's a store credit card -- and just take some cash in your wallet. This means that I’ll have money if something comes up or if I see something at the mall that’s really attractive and reasonably priced. But I’ll be much more hesitant to buy something unnecessary when I have to count out $20 bills in order to make the purchase.

Stick With Sales
There are a handful of stores that I regularly visit when I go to the mall. On any one given trip, however, I usually make it to only two or three of my six regular stops. With this in mind, I’m going to restrict those two or three I visit to stores that are advertising an ongoing sale. Since most store-wide sales are advertised in the retailer’s entranceway, it shouldn’t be too difficult to weed out the good choices from the bad during a given mall visit.

These are some of the main tricks I plan to follow in an effort to reduce my mall costs without limiting my shopping or my purchasing altogether. If you can relate to my situation, hopefully these tips can benefit you as well.

~ Guest Post ~

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

The holidays are here, and for many women that means that the to-do lists are seemingly endless. Not only do we have our normal everyday tasks, such as running the kids to school, cleaning, cooking, and grocery shopping, but we also have additional tasks such as gift shopping, home decorating, and even writing that annual Christmas letter.

Although the holidays are a busy time, it is still important for every wife and mother to take time for herself – for her own sanity's sake and for the well-being of others around her. Because we all know that if mom's not happy, then no one is. So if you are finding yourself wound a little tight this holiday season, give yourself a break and do one, or a couple of the following for yourself:

Hit the Salon

There is almost nothing better than getting a great cut and a fabulous manicure and pedicure to match. If you are finding yourself feeling a little frazzled, pull up Anywho's reverse phone number finder, find the closest salon near you, and book an appointment ASAP. Having that time to be pampered will definitely ease your mind, and will get you looking great for when you are ready to take on the next task ahead:

Go on a Date

If sitting alone isn't a good way for you to de-stress, take a night out with your hubby. There is a good chance that both of you haven't got to spend adequate time together during the holidays, so taking the time to have an intimate evening together can be just what the both of you need to unwind.

Take a Ladies' Night

There is no doubt that you aren't the only woman in your circle of friends that is stressed from holiday planning and preparation. Instead of just taking a night to yourself, consider blowing off some steam with a few close girlfriends and having a ladies' night. Either you can all get dressed up and go out, or avoid the cold weather by sending the kids and hubbies away and having a good ol' fashioned slumber party fully equipped with chick flicks and cocktails at someone's home.

The holidays are hectic. Friends and family members are always dropping by or needing to be visited, there are Christmas cookies to bake, and endless shopping that must be done. Although the holidays are often stressful, they are also often a time of great joy. Just make sure to give yourself some time to enjoy the holidays so that you too can look back with fond memories.

~ Guest Post ~