Posts filed under 'Budgets and Finance'
It’s great to find ways to save money and avoiding eating out is always top on my list of suggestions. But with ballgames, church gatherings, and other events crowding the schedule it can be hard avoiding the local restaurants. The good news is that you CAN eat out and still save some money. You just have to plan wisely.
1. Captain D’s – It is more than just a great little seafood place. This is the prefect stop for those Thursdays when you don’t have the time or the energy to cook at home. Get 2 free Kid’s meals with any adult entrees purchase at regular price, dine in only. Always check with your local chain to be sure this is the arrangement it has.
2. Applebee’s – This family restaurant has a great selection for the adults and you can get a kid’s meal for just .99 (Tuesday and Thursday) with the purchase of an adult meal.
3. Denny’s - when you have a hunger for a great breakfast meal then this is the perfect stop. Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal from 4 - 10 pm.
4. IHOP - another great breakfast location, although the entrees are just as appealing. Kids 12 & under can eat free on Monday through Thursday with the purchase of an adult meal (but only from 3 pm until 9 pm).
5. Chick-Fil-A - the place that encourages you to eat more chicken now offers a great deal for people with kids. On Tuesdays you can get a free kid’s 4 pack with the purchase of any adult combo.
6. Ruby Tuesday - this is a place that offers enough variety to meet all the needs your family might have. On Wednesday nights (from 5pm - 9pm) kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal.
Not every restaurant in a chain participates in the programs that are mentioned, so you should always contact your location to find out the guidelines. Also, you can check with your regional restaurants to see what specials they might offer.
February 4th, 2008
The idea of getting a huge check from the government is always exciting (even it if is your money to begin with). It is fun to have a windfall, but are you using that money to benefit you the most?
1. Pay it back. If you only tithe or donate off of you net income then you should give 10% of your refund to other causes (the church, Red Cross, or other charitable organizations). Giving to others with a joyful heart has a way of coming back to you in big ways.
2. Pay it off. Use the refund to pay off credit cards or other revolving credit. If you ever stop to figure what the interest is costing you then you will never borrow another dime in your life.
3. Pay yourself. Start an emergency savings and don’t use it unless it truly is an emergency!
4. Pay to play. Do allow yourself some frivolous spending, but be wise with that spending. Get something the whole family can enjoy and that you probably wouldn’t get otherwise (like a new couch or membership to the water park).
5. Pay it forward. Take a portion of the money and invest it into your retirement plan or for future use.
6. Pay to work. Bring your dream of having your own business to life by using the funds to begin your own business.
Getting a refund is always great. Depending on the size of that refund, it can also be life changing. Take some time to plan for the money before you have the check in hand. That way you can use the refund to benefit the family and your life.
February 3rd, 2008
Very few writer’s have stable incomes – the kind where they get a specific amount every week or every month. Instead, the income is based on the number of articles that are written and sold (and sometimes when those articles are printed). It is still possible to budget for such and uncertain amount of money.
1. Establish an emergency savings account. Before you dive into a full time career as a writer, you have to set back some income. You want at least three months of must pays (mortgage, utilities and insurance) set aside for any months where the paychecks are lean.
2. Get a month ahead. You want to have next month’s money in your checking account today. Instead of paying your bills from the paychecks you are getting in, those monies will go to restore the reserves in your account (this is separate money from what is in savings).
3. Set you budget so you know what income goal you must reach. Be sure to include savings AND taxes (about 28%) in your figures. Once you reach that income goal consistently for six months you are ready to be a full time writer.
4. Cut back on your unnecessary spending. It may be easier to go to the local burger place and get supper, but it will cost less if you take that 30 minutes and fix a meal.
5. Save the bonuses. Any thing that you make over you monthly needs should be placed in your emergency savings account.
Making a regular income from any freelance job is not easy. At times it can be scary – because the check might be in the mail, but you don’t know when it’s going to arrive. You have to plan for the lean times and aim for the high times. Hard work, persistence, and a thrifty nature will help you reach your personal, financial, and literary goals.
January 24th, 2008
Our hundred dollar holiday is working out okay. We went beyond just one hundred dollars, but I knew that with groceries it probably would. Still, we will make it in under $300 for everything this year.
Wow! I still feel like I’m not giving enough, even though each child has a nice gift and some things for their stockings. I LOVE to give presents, and I feel like I’m getting gypped as much as anyone. Still, I can’t help but wonder if there will be disappointment on the faces come Christmas morning (even if we did all agree this was the route to go). It’s just guilt trying to make me spend more and I’m not falling for it.
Instead of focusing on what they won’t be getting, I’m going to expand what they will be getting. Everyone will get a certificate for one full day of “your choice” (to be cashed in on your next birthday). The certificate allows them to decide what we eat (or where) and what we do for the whole day.
Since business cards are becoming the rage in this communication focused world, I think I’ll make a batch for everyone. The kids can give them to their friends so they can set up a play day and the hubby will have something to give out when he runs into business opportunities.
How about a coupon book? The kids could have things like “cereal for dinner night” or “get out of school for the day.” Hubby could have things like “boys night out – no questions asked” or “free day.”
Okay, now I’m starting to get a little more excited about this hundred dollar holiday.
I do most of the decorations. What if I hide special gifts in the decorations? Maybe I’ll hide some $ or certificate for a shopping spree (at the dollar store of course). Then I could leave a hint each morning on the breakfast table or in the school work.
There are bound to be hundreds of ways to celebrate the holidays without breaking the bank. The more we do this as a family then the easier it is going to get. The more creative ways I find to fill the stockings and share the giving spirit, the better I’m going to feel. It may take more time, but I think this is going to be the beginning of a Christmas tradition that will carry through the generations.
December 18th, 2007
Circumstances are usually the only reason we tighten our financial belt around here. This time is not exception. As I was digging deep into the budget to see where we could purge, I got a rude awakening. If we had just done this earlier, we would have been able to save enough money to build that nest egg we have always been talking about.
1. Turn off the cable. Even if you just do it for one year, you will be able to save around $50 per month (more for most people). If you HAVE to watch the game or that special show, make it a night with friends or family. Other wise, find some new interests besides the television. Totals saved in our family will be $600.
2. Stop eating out. Take the time to pack your lunch or pack a picnic if you have late practices or games. Fast food for a family adds up quickly. Doing it every week (or twice a week for most of us) will break your bank. Savings for our family will be $1000.
3. Make your own coffee. Stopping at the local coffee shop is more expensive than you might realize. At $3 a day, you could save $750 just drinking home brew.
4. Cut the cars – especially if you don’t need them. There was a time when having more than one car was important for our family, but not anymore. If we can bite the bullet and only have one car we will be able to save $1000 in insurance and $350 in car expenses.
5. Ditch the clothes. If you’ve never purchased clothes at a thrift store then you are truly missing our on an adventure. Even in our small town, the second hand shops offer great selections of quality cloths at incredible prices. Instead of spending $50 on a pair of jeans, stop by the second hand shop and get some for $5. The savings for our family is $550.
6. Make it from scratch. If you don’t know your way around the kitchen then it is high time you learned. Pre-made and pre-packaged meals will cost you 10 times what a scratch meal would cost. Another benefit of scratch cooking means you can double the recipe and give some away (instead of buying expensive gifts). Savings for our family is around $1200.
7. Shop in bulk – when you need it. I even buy children’s gifts in bulk through Oriental Trader. It means that I have gifts for unexpected parties or last minute projects (limit your self to one bin or shelf). I also use these gifts for treats when the kids are extra helpful. Savings for bulk buying is about $300.
8. Learn to freeze. IF you package food right you will be able to buy large quantities and use them through out the year. This is great when you stumble on a meat sale at your grocery store (or your neighbor, who hunts, offers you some of his kill). I have also discovered that many vegetables freeze great – for use in cooking. So does cheese and butter. I even freeze sandwich fillings (meat and cheese together) when I can find good deals on those items. Savings for our family is $500.
9. Turn down the heat/ turn up the air. These bills alone (especially during extreme weather) can be overwhelming. Saving just $10 per week (by adjusting by two degrees) will make a HUGE long term difference. Savings for our family $520.
10. Give the gift of creativity. When our money was so tight we couldn’t afford an idea, much less actual items, we gave our son a rope for his birthday. It was to be used to make a rope swing for him on his playground. Something we did together. Five years later, it is still being used. He has also used pieces to make several other swings in the same tree. All the great remote control cars and gadgets have been broken or discarded, but this $10 rope has lived a long and joyful life! Savings for out family is $300.
Saving money doesn’t have to be something you do during a crisis. If it becomes a way of life then you can do things that you would never have dreamed possible. What would you be able to do with $7,000 each year? Odds are pretty good that you already have that money available; you are just choosing to spend it in different ways.
Start today making choices that will give you and your family the life you have been dreaming about.
December 2nd, 2007
The race is on. Christmas is now less than four weeks away. Officially, we will be surviving on my income at the first of January. My office is getting smaller as my jobs continue to multiply. But the more I face, the more I am determined to overcome.
1. Less is more this Christmas. We are focusing on making gifts for family and friends – which will help dramatically with my budget. The children are getting one big gift (from mom and dad) and some fun (and requested) stocking-stuffers. All and all, we will get through this Christmas for around $250 total! Wow!
2. January was my target date to have a full time income from my writing, and I am ahead of schedule to make that income. It was originally my idea to save that extra money so my husband could leave his job in May, but things change. You have to be flexible. I’ve made a schedule that includes sending out job resumes, print queries, book queries, writing blogs, AND writing novel work – every week. I even set aside time to do the writing work I am bringing in with all these resumes (smart, huh?). As a family, we are working on the land and preparing for the spring (when we will begin selling our plants). It’s daunting to go from a full-time salary (with benefits) to my writing income, but the quality of our family life has improved so much that I wouldn’t change a thing.
3. As for office space, I’m limited there. I have a corner of the kitchen (and I’ve expanded that corner about as far as it can go. I think with one more filing cabinet I could get everything orderly – but I dream of the day when I will have a writing room all to myself. The only other thing I MUST do is put up a bulletin board that I can keep a running record of upcoming deadlines. The more things I start juggling, the easier it is to lose track.
Any one can do it IF you are willing to look past the modern way society does things and turn back the clock to a time before credit cards, retirement, and 9 to 5. Thinking outside the box may not make you a millionaire (although that is still a possibility 
). It will give you and your family a life that most people only dream about having together.
November 29th, 2007
Sometimes it is tough to wait on something we want. I wanted my husband when I first went out with him, but it took us eight years to work through the mess of our lives before we found our way back together. It was worth the wait.
On the flip side, it can be easier and quicker to manipulate the system to get something now! The house that we live in was small before I got the addition I wanted. It cost us another loan and LOTS and LOTS of headaches, but I got it. It’s not exactly what I envisioned, but it is better that what we had. The thought that haunts me is – what if you had just waited.
Patience is a virtue for a reason. It helps you get to the right place and at the right time. It keeps you from speaking the wrong thing in the wrong way. It protects you from your own stupidity or confusion. Patience is a vital tool to any situation, but particularly to your budget!
My printer has been acting up. With the first sign of trouble, the office supply store began calling out to me. The only thing to do was to go look at the printers and see what I could get for my money. After talking with the salesclerk, I decided to walk away. I needed more time to think and research what was available.
Last night, my printer all but announced its retirement. I went to the website of the store I frequents and low and behold, the printer I wanted was on sale. PLUS, I had just received a rewards check that will cover most of the cost. By having a little patience, I’m going to get my new printer almost for free.
If you want to succeed with your budget then work on your patience. That one little virtue can stretch your dollar all the way to a new and improved printer.
November 28th, 2007
This morning I re-evaluated my budget. It wasn’t planned to happen until January (I review my budget once a quarter), but with the income situation taking such a shift, and with the finances falling squarely on my shoulder, I want to know EXACTLY what I’m facing.
Many people would completely panic in my position. That’s the normal reaction. We’ve already established that I’m a bit on the peculiar side, so it should be no surprise that I’m feeling a mix of excitement and fear (kind of like I use to feel before a big race). I’m looking for ways to make more income and also to cut expenses.
1. What do I love to do? For years, I have been planning, planting, and tending my flower garden. It’s time to put that to work. By the spring, I will have an online (and on premises) business selling my excess and maybe using the garden for pictures or wedding.
2. What are we doing any way? We live in the woods and we have a fireplace. Every year, we cut and split wood. If we took a few days and did that with all the wood we have just lying around the property, we would be well stocked and could sell off the excess.
3. What are we not using? This land is only being used as a place to mow. We haven’t done anything constructive with it – just yet. With a little creativity, and a lot of muscle, we could put up a fence for almost no cost. Then we would be able to take in animals.
4. What can I do to expand what I’m already doing? I have a friend that develops websites. I could call him and see about writing content for the sites he’s developing. Who knows! Also, with my grants, I need to get out a letter to the non-profits in the area letting them know that I am available. And, I have to QUERY if I want to get published.
5. What can I cut? The best thing I know to cut is the television (I know, it hurts me to think about it). It will not only save me about $300 per year, but it will save me more hours than I care to admit. Besides, there is really nothing on worth watching anyway. I’ll stick with movie rentals.
6. What can we sell? There are not many antiques in our house, but we do have a few. And I have some jewelry that I don’t ever wear. There are also some tools and things that are just taking up space. If we sell what we don’t use or need (or maybe even want) we could build up a nice nest egg.
The number one key to making this work is to think outside the box. We may not be on a traditional income anymore, but we make money. By budgeting wisely, being flexible, and especially being creative, we will not only survive but we will prosper!
November 27th, 2007
The public library is an amazing wealth of information – some of it even useful. On my quest to get out 7 queries (for a novel) by Monday, I made a trip to the library to check out Steven King’s On Writing. I came out of the library with a HUGE stack of books on subjects like finance, Christmas, writings, and being frugal. It’s how things normally end up when I leave the library.
Many of the books are just for reference. These are the ones I just flip through to get some good ideas. One in particular is for reading – mainly because the title caught my eye and it’s not very long. Hundred Dollar Holiday by Bill McKibben seemed like an intriguing concept. I was curious to see if he had kids or other extended family and just how he managed to only spend $100 (Thanksgiving dinner cost us that much this year).
A quick skim through the book and I realize that he’s not going to give me a step by step guide on how to only spend $100. Better than that, he explains why he and his family decided to go that route and how they did it. It didn’t happen in one year, and it isn’t exactly $100. Instead, it is all about bringing the joy back into the Holiday.
That’s an idea I really like. After having spent the last week planning and preparing Thanksgiving with my two oldest boys, I realize how special time together is for all of us. Today, as we set up our advent calendars and wreaths, I’m going to start talking with the family about ways we can have a $100 Christmas.
1. Coupons – you know the kind you make yourself – are a great way to promise a time together and even an activity. Wouldn’t it be nice if you got a coupon that said “Get out of cleaning for one day” or “I’ll do the dishes for a full week” or . . . sorry, I was focused on me for a second there. For my husband, I thought “One night a month out with the guys – no questions and no complaints.” For the children, “cook one meal – your choice of menu.” (They really did a good job with Thanksgiving).
2. Hand-made gifts. In the book he talks about his daughter getting a gift of blocks from her uncle. We have all the tools (and probably the wood) necessary for a project like that. With Christmas still four weeks away, it could be a great gift for the older boys to do for the baby of the house. Plus, it will be time together cooperating and time with Dad – things that always make for great memories.
3. The thought process – it will take far more thought to spend no money (or very little) than it will to spend a lot of money. It’s still shocks me how that works. It even takes more time to spend less, but it will be worth it in the end.
The main goal of Hundred Dollar Holiday is to take the pressure off each other and the bank accounts. It will be far more memorable to spend time together than to have yet one more remote control toy that they kids rarely get out.
November 23rd, 2007
Christmas is quickly closing in on me. I’ve put off shopping as long as I can. Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and the crowds will expand exponentially when the sales hit the floor. With our monetary situation tighter than expected, I’m looking to make a few cuts in budget. I still want to be a blessing, but I’m going to have to do it at a discount.
1. No Christmas cards this year. Even when I make my own, the postage is rough (I usually send out about 70). Instead, I’ll aim for Easter – no one expects a card then.
2. Let’s talk turkey. Most years, I cook and prepare the Christmas bird. This year, I may bow out and let someone else take the lead. The sides or desserts can be done with things already stocked in my pantry and frig, so my contributions won’t have to cost any additional money.
3. Check Your Stash. I have always kept a gift chest (for those unexpected occasions) so this year I will hit it before I hit the stores. I know I can find some great stocking stuffers hiding away. There are probably even some gifts for the family that I have forgot all about (like I’m the only one who bought something months ahead and then completely forgot I bought it).
4. Bake and freeze. There are now four full weeks before I have to package and send out Christmas gifts. This year I foresee lots of baked goods. By starting now (and freezing for packaging later) I will not be overwhelmed at the end of December).
5. One per customer. Normally, we do three main gifts for each of the kids, but this year we will probably stick with one. This will leave plenty of room for all the stuff the grandparents pour over them.
6. Keep it all natural. This means not electronics. First, they tend to loose interest in these toys the fastest. Second, the accessories (batteries, remotes, etc) could break any bank. Third, they are just not as durable. We’ll stick with the Legos, Lincoln logs, and K-nex.
7. Cut down on the travel. If you are going to do in-store shopping, then make it all in one trip. The same goes for delivering gifts (even better, have a central home that everyone can drop of and pick up gifts – if there is lots of extended family involved). Gas is getting too expense not to figure into the Christmas budget.
8. Make a list and stick to it. This is a time that impulse buying must be avoided at all costs. Have an idea of what you are getting for each person, where it can be purchased, and stick to that plan.
9. Creative Wrapping. If you don’t buy your Christmas wrapping in January then now is the time to get creative. For children’s gifts, you can use the funny papers – most of them are thrilled by this. For others, use paper bags and let the kids decorate the “wrapping.” (Along the same note – if you do need to send a card to then make it yourself or let the kids do it. Cards from some places can be as expensive as the gift).
Looking back over this list I realized that many of the ideas are great all year through. They are also tried and true methods we have used in the past. Some have even become traditions (no matter what our budget was). The key to a success gift giving season is to keep in mind that it is the thought, not the gift or the price, that truly counts.
November 21st, 2007
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