My quick money saving tip today is to freeze stuff. When meat or veggies go on sale, buy extra and freeze them! I shop on the weekends at a discount market for vegetables and when I see a really good deal like 5 lbs. of green beans for $1. I get them. Then blanch them quickly and freeze. They do great in stews and soups all winter long. I do the same with broccoli, carrots, and peppers. Berries do really well like this too, especially if you like them in smoothies. Since they are frozen you don't have to add ice which usually waters down the smoothie. Alternatively you can use the berries for pies. Just remember once you freeze fresh produce it is really only good to serve cooked. Some hard cheeses do well in the freezer as well. As for meat there is nothing more convenient than ground beef or a pot roast in the fridge.
When you know you have a busy day don't stop by for Chinese take out. Plan a head, defrost the meat the night before, and cook it all day in a slow cooker. It will be ready when you get home from work and will taste delicious. Last night I did chicken thighs and drumsticks in a ginger Teriyaki marinade (recipe below) for about 5 hours while my husband and I went to the gym. He had it for dinner and I saved the rest for lunch. Make your life easier by making a big pot of food and using it all week for lunches. This will also save you time when you are getting ready for work and will not allow you the excuse to buy lunch! I tracked how much money I was spending on eating out for lunch on the days I "just didn't have time" to make my lunch. I am saving almost $30 a week by bringing my lunch with me. Plus I am eating healthier. Give it a try!
Ginger Teriyaki Chicken (in Slow Cooker)
1 Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
2 lbs Chicken (breast or on bone)
Bottled Marinade (Micheal Jordan's - yes THE Micheal Jordan)
Pepper
Salt
Oil
Slice the Onions (they will caramelize in the sauce and are oh so good). Smash the Garlic (in large pieces to take out later) or grate finely. Salt and Pepper the chicken. Just coat the chicken in the marinade with a little extra for the sauce. You don't want it to burn in the slow cooker, but you don't want too much. Add a little oil (or water for a little healthier meal) until he chicken is about half submerged in liquid. Put on the lid, turn it on high for about 3 hours, or low for up to 6. Set it and forget it (until you smell it at least). Fall off the bone juicy chicken is the result. This is good with any marinade, and for this particularly Carrots would be a good addition.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Work from home
This is not so much a money saving tip as it is a money making. Explore the world of Work from home. I currently do Quality Assurance for DemandMedia. Which sounds so much cooler than it actually is. I get paid per word, and I choose the best keywords for a title. So that when you search for something on a search engine, if you type that particular keyword or phrase, the title will pop up. It is so very boring but I have made about 300 dollars in the past 2 months and I really just worked in 20 min incriments and less than an hour a day. I am now trying this data entry work to check this out go to
www.earnparttimejobs.com/index.php?id=3076168
I am still trying this one out but like many of the legitimate work from home jobs there is no fee to join (and there never should be).
Working for home is a great option for stay at home moms that just need a little extra cash, help to pay off some of those bills, for people who need to take a second job but not sure how to fit it in their schedule, or for those who just want a little extra money for the ever swiftly approaching holidays. Another website I have looked at, which has very good reviews and a number of full time work from home opportunities is Homeworkersnet.com There are a number of well known and reputable companies. Just we forewarned that a number of these jobs are call center jobs.
Happy job hunting.
www.earnparttimejobs.com/index.php?id=3076168
I am still trying this one out but like many of the legitimate work from home jobs there is no fee to join (and there never should be).
Working for home is a great option for stay at home moms that just need a little extra cash, help to pay off some of those bills, for people who need to take a second job but not sure how to fit it in their schedule, or for those who just want a little extra money for the ever swiftly approaching holidays. Another website I have looked at, which has very good reviews and a number of full time work from home opportunities is Homeworkersnet.com There are a number of well known and reputable companies. Just we forewarned that a number of these jobs are call center jobs.
Happy job hunting.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Budgeting Techniques
There are a number of ways people go about budgeting. Some people are blessed with the ability to say no to their own wants, others (like myself) have to find ways to make it impossible to say yes. Here are a few examples of way to budget your money so you only spend what you can afford.
1. Cash only
Just like it sounds, CASH ONLY! No debit or credit cards. Take out the money you have budgeted for the week or month and that is all you get until the next budgeting period. This is extremely effective for those of us who don't think twice about swiping a card to pay for something. For me personally it hits my wallet a lot harder if I can physically see how much of that green paper is being handed over. One of the most effective ways I have known for budgeting is called the envelope system. Take a number of envelopes and write down the different areas you have budgeted for. Now disperse the cash into each envelope. When you go grocery shopping take the "Food envelope" with you. This way, you can only spend what you have on you, no more. When you go out to eat, take the "luxury, or Mad Money" with you. If all you have is cash, then that is all that you can spend.
2. Go back to checks.
In a world where plastic seems to rule, hand writing check may be a viable alternative to those who do not want to carry all of their money for the week in their purse. While most checks today are treated like debit cards, the physical handwriting out of the check is another reminder of how much you are spending. However, if you are a person who has more self control than I do, a debit card can also do the trick. The important thing is to make sure you are staying with in budget every week!
3. Prepaid Cards.
This is something that is a good alternative to cash. They work just like debit cards, even at ATM'S, but you can reload your weekly or monthly budget onto one of these cards. They cost about 5 dollars initially, but you can reload them at anytime. Security features include, your name on the front, pin #, and replaceable if lost or stolen. However, this card is NOT attached to any of your bank accounts so you won't run the risk of overdrafts. This is also a good way to learn how to manage debit or credit cards for persons who have had credit trouble in the past. You get the ease of a card but none of the risks. Check out VISA prepaid cards online to see the options, or go to a Walgreen's, CVS, or Walmart. Most of these stores carry them near the gift card section.
These are my suggestions on ways to budget. It is easy to make a budget on paper, but following through when you are in your favorite shoe shop can be difficult. If you only have cash and it is the difference between having those great stilettos or eating dinner that night, hopefully you will come to a conclusion that is best for your family. A few small sacrifices for a short period of time can mean a lot less stress for years to come!
1. Cash only
Just like it sounds, CASH ONLY! No debit or credit cards. Take out the money you have budgeted for the week or month and that is all you get until the next budgeting period. This is extremely effective for those of us who don't think twice about swiping a card to pay for something. For me personally it hits my wallet a lot harder if I can physically see how much of that green paper is being handed over. One of the most effective ways I have known for budgeting is called the envelope system. Take a number of envelopes and write down the different areas you have budgeted for. Now disperse the cash into each envelope. When you go grocery shopping take the "Food envelope" with you. This way, you can only spend what you have on you, no more. When you go out to eat, take the "luxury, or Mad Money" with you. If all you have is cash, then that is all that you can spend.
2. Go back to checks.
In a world where plastic seems to rule, hand writing check may be a viable alternative to those who do not want to carry all of their money for the week in their purse. While most checks today are treated like debit cards, the physical handwriting out of the check is another reminder of how much you are spending. However, if you are a person who has more self control than I do, a debit card can also do the trick. The important thing is to make sure you are staying with in budget every week!
3. Prepaid Cards.
This is something that is a good alternative to cash. They work just like debit cards, even at ATM'S, but you can reload your weekly or monthly budget onto one of these cards. They cost about 5 dollars initially, but you can reload them at anytime. Security features include, your name on the front, pin #, and replaceable if lost or stolen. However, this card is NOT attached to any of your bank accounts so you won't run the risk of overdrafts. This is also a good way to learn how to manage debit or credit cards for persons who have had credit trouble in the past. You get the ease of a card but none of the risks. Check out VISA prepaid cards online to see the options, or go to a Walgreen's, CVS, or Walmart. Most of these stores carry them near the gift card section.
These are my suggestions on ways to budget. It is easy to make a budget on paper, but following through when you are in your favorite shoe shop can be difficult. If you only have cash and it is the difference between having those great stilettos or eating dinner that night, hopefully you will come to a conclusion that is best for your family. A few small sacrifices for a short period of time can mean a lot less stress for years to come!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Budget
Here is a basic budget, with my actual spending. Yours may be a little more complicated if you have children or a car, as those will have their own expense category. Just remember we are only talking about the basics. Now, I live in a state with free health care, but put this in the budget just to show how doable this type of budget can be.
Expenses
Rent $ 1,100
Food $ 500
Bills $ -
Transportation $ 100
Insurance $ 500
Necessities $ 50
Other $ 50
Total $ 2,300
Income
#1 $ 1,620
#2 $ 500
#3 $ 500
Total $ 2,620
Savings $ 320
Now, My rent includes all utilities which is why the Bill section is zero. You would put in your electric, gas, water, sewage, trash, etc. Transportation is a monthly bus pass for myself and husband. For you, it might be a car, so include gas, maintenance, monthly payment, and insurance. Necessities are the basics like toilet paper, dental hygiene, etc. Other can be a catch all. Don't forget if you have debt to place that on here too (i.e. credit cards and/or student loans). Income is your after tax pay check. For our household we have 3 jobs, I work 2 and my husband 1. As you see, if we only worked the one main job, we would be in debt every month. This could be a reality check for some people. Sometimes it is necessary to get a part time job...maybe to save, and maybe to make ends meet. Our monthly savings is $320. Over the course of a year that adds up to $3,840.
Now, lets be realistic. You might have more expenses, or you might have a higher income than our family, but the important thing is to know how much is coming in, and how much is going out. Set up your own budget on a sheet of paper or Excel. Take the numbers from last month, both expense and income. Now, over the next month be VERY conscious of your spending and see how much you actually can live on comfortably. Compare the two budgets. Are you overspending or generally spend only what you need?
An Example;
A pay raise or better job, now our #1 income source goes up to $2,695. If our spending does not change that is an extra $1,075 every month we get to take to the bank. Look at that on top of the previous savings and now in a year we have saved $16,740. Wouldn't that make a nice down payment on a house? Maybe make a dent in your credit card debt or pay off those hospital bills?
Budgeting is the key to getting and staying out of debt. The next post will discuss different budgeting techniques and finding what works for you. First, however, I would like to share one of my most favorite budget friendly meals, Beef stew.
Beef Stew
1 package stew meat (2 lbs) $6.00
1 Onion $0.25
1 Can beef stock (or 2 bullion cubes) $1.50
6 medium Potatoes $1.00
1 small can Tomato paste $0.50
3 Bay leaves $0.25
6 Carrots $0.75
1 can Corn $0.75
Saute the onions and Meat until brown. Add the remaining ingredients and fill with water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 min to an hour until vegetables are cooked through. The longer this sits, the thicker and more stewier it gets, so if you work during the day try sauteing the meat and onions in the morning in a crock pot, adding the remaining ingredients and setting it on low for the whole day. It would be more than ready when you get home. Total cost is approximately $11, and can feed myself and husband for about 2 meals. Although he is a big man and eats for about 2 people. I would say an easy 6 servings. This will last even longer if you make some rice to go with it, just put in the bottom of the bowl before serving (don't mix before hand as the rice will go very soggy). Before I was married I could eat off of this for a week!
More recipes to come in the future. The idea is to find recipes that stay around a $10 budget, fill you up, and are reasonably nutritious.
Expenses
Rent $ 1,100
Food $ 500
Bills $ -
Transportation $ 100
Insurance $ 500
Necessities $ 50
Other $ 50
Total $ 2,300
Income
#1 $ 1,620
#2 $ 500
#3 $ 500
Total $ 2,620
Savings $ 320
Now, My rent includes all utilities which is why the Bill section is zero. You would put in your electric, gas, water, sewage, trash, etc. Transportation is a monthly bus pass for myself and husband. For you, it might be a car, so include gas, maintenance, monthly payment, and insurance. Necessities are the basics like toilet paper, dental hygiene, etc. Other can be a catch all. Don't forget if you have debt to place that on here too (i.e. credit cards and/or student loans). Income is your after tax pay check. For our household we have 3 jobs, I work 2 and my husband 1. As you see, if we only worked the one main job, we would be in debt every month. This could be a reality check for some people. Sometimes it is necessary to get a part time job...maybe to save, and maybe to make ends meet. Our monthly savings is $320. Over the course of a year that adds up to $3,840.
Now, lets be realistic. You might have more expenses, or you might have a higher income than our family, but the important thing is to know how much is coming in, and how much is going out. Set up your own budget on a sheet of paper or Excel. Take the numbers from last month, both expense and income. Now, over the next month be VERY conscious of your spending and see how much you actually can live on comfortably. Compare the two budgets. Are you overspending or generally spend only what you need?
An Example;
A pay raise or better job, now our #1 income source goes up to $2,695. If our spending does not change that is an extra $1,075 every month we get to take to the bank. Look at that on top of the previous savings and now in a year we have saved $16,740. Wouldn't that make a nice down payment on a house? Maybe make a dent in your credit card debt or pay off those hospital bills?
Budgeting is the key to getting and staying out of debt. The next post will discuss different budgeting techniques and finding what works for you. First, however, I would like to share one of my most favorite budget friendly meals, Beef stew.
Beef Stew
1 package stew meat (2 lbs) $6.00
1 Onion $0.25
1 Can beef stock (or 2 bullion cubes) $1.50
6 medium Potatoes $1.00
1 small can Tomato paste $0.50
3 Bay leaves $0.25
6 Carrots $0.75
1 can Corn $0.75
Saute the onions and Meat until brown. Add the remaining ingredients and fill with water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 min to an hour until vegetables are cooked through. The longer this sits, the thicker and more stewier it gets, so if you work during the day try sauteing the meat and onions in the morning in a crock pot, adding the remaining ingredients and setting it on low for the whole day. It would be more than ready when you get home. Total cost is approximately $11, and can feed myself and husband for about 2 meals. Although he is a big man and eats for about 2 people. I would say an easy 6 servings. This will last even longer if you make some rice to go with it, just put in the bottom of the bowl before serving (don't mix before hand as the rice will go very soggy). Before I was married I could eat off of this for a week!
More recipes to come in the future. The idea is to find recipes that stay around a $10 budget, fill you up, and are reasonably nutritious.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Do you really need that?
I thought I would start out with a very simple idea. What are needs? By my simple definition they are the things necessary to maintain life.
For starters we have air. At least at this point in time this is still free (thank goodness).
Next water. Sometimes free, but still pretty inexpensive.
Food. Cost money, but maybe not as much as we think.
Clothes. Not in all climates, but here in the northeast...a definite must.
Shelter. Again, a must in some areas of the world.
Now, that is all. Notice that electricity, cable TV, car, and those other things are not on the list. they are not necessary to sustain life. They are a luxury. Perhaps a luxury experienced by most of the Western world today, but none the less a luxury. I would divide luxuries into 2 lists. First, those that in society today have become a given, and the second as pure luxury items.
In the first list I would put
Electricity
Indoor Plumbing
Heat
and Basic Toiletry items
In the second would be everything else
Car (a definite luxury in the city, but needed a little more in rural areas)
Cable TV
Internet
Seasonal Wardrobes
More than 1or 2 pair of shoes
Organic food
furniture
and almost anything else you can think of.
Now lets put this in perspective. I don't expect people to live without indoor plumbing or electricity these days. However, TV is a large unnecessary expense, add cable or satellite and it is very expensive. Buy a radio or book to pass the time. Where else could that 60 dollars a month go? Perhaps to pay off the credit card, save towards college education. It might not be much, but what if it was combined with the other savings. Where I grew up in the Midwest everyone needed a car. Now as I live in a city, I have no need nor want for a car. This is a HUGE expense. Consider, the car payment (or at least the value of the car stretched over its lifetime), gas, insurance, maintenance, and in some places parking. I figured it out for myself and it was close to 900 dollars a month to own a car, not including parking. My monthly bus/subway pass puts me back about 60 a month. A $840 dollar savings. Start thinking about all the things you spend money on every month. What do you absolutely have to spend money on and what things do you really just lust after. Organic food sounds great, but the reality is that it is almost 3 times the amount of other perfectly healthy foods. I spend between $400-$500 a month on food for 2 people (although it is enough for 3) and I take my meals to work. I save about 6 dollars a meal that way, $120 in monthly savings. If you compare these groceries to the Organic kind I would spend at least 800 a month (that is being conservative). Internet is great, but you know the local libraries have free wifi that is another 30-50 dollars in savings per month. I will get down and dirty about budgeting later on, but looking at what we just talked about, that is a savings of around $1200 a month (give or take). This is over $14,000 a year in savings. Now, how does that college education look? I realize some peoples expenses won't be as high, as prices varies greatly in all parts of the country, but this is based on a Boston, Ma location (which happens to be one of the most expensive cities in the US).
If you have any debt, mortgages excluded (for now), think about where you money goes. Why are you paying interest on something you could pay off quickly by just cutting back for a few months. I have seen so many people spend absurd amounts of money on things they don't even need and go into debt.
If you don't have debt, this is a good strategy to avoid it. Save money in areas you are willing to cut back on for a while to save for things you want. If you don't owe anyone money, why can't you have those luxuries?
Next post will be about budgeting for only the needs. Finding out how much you need to actually live on will give you a good idea of how long it will take to pay off those bills and/or save for that great new couch you have been eyeing.
For starters we have air. At least at this point in time this is still free (thank goodness).
Next water. Sometimes free, but still pretty inexpensive.
Food. Cost money, but maybe not as much as we think.
Clothes. Not in all climates, but here in the northeast...a definite must.
Shelter. Again, a must in some areas of the world.
Now, that is all. Notice that electricity, cable TV, car, and those other things are not on the list. they are not necessary to sustain life. They are a luxury. Perhaps a luxury experienced by most of the Western world today, but none the less a luxury. I would divide luxuries into 2 lists. First, those that in society today have become a given, and the second as pure luxury items.
In the first list I would put
Electricity
Indoor Plumbing
Heat
and Basic Toiletry items
In the second would be everything else
Car (a definite luxury in the city, but needed a little more in rural areas)
Cable TV
Internet
Seasonal Wardrobes
More than 1or 2 pair of shoes
Organic food
furniture
and almost anything else you can think of.
Now lets put this in perspective. I don't expect people to live without indoor plumbing or electricity these days. However, TV is a large unnecessary expense, add cable or satellite and it is very expensive. Buy a radio or book to pass the time. Where else could that 60 dollars a month go? Perhaps to pay off the credit card, save towards college education. It might not be much, but what if it was combined with the other savings. Where I grew up in the Midwest everyone needed a car. Now as I live in a city, I have no need nor want for a car. This is a HUGE expense. Consider, the car payment (or at least the value of the car stretched over its lifetime), gas, insurance, maintenance, and in some places parking. I figured it out for myself and it was close to 900 dollars a month to own a car, not including parking. My monthly bus/subway pass puts me back about 60 a month. A $840 dollar savings. Start thinking about all the things you spend money on every month. What do you absolutely have to spend money on and what things do you really just lust after. Organic food sounds great, but the reality is that it is almost 3 times the amount of other perfectly healthy foods. I spend between $400-$500 a month on food for 2 people (although it is enough for 3) and I take my meals to work. I save about 6 dollars a meal that way, $120 in monthly savings. If you compare these groceries to the Organic kind I would spend at least 800 a month (that is being conservative). Internet is great, but you know the local libraries have free wifi that is another 30-50 dollars in savings per month. I will get down and dirty about budgeting later on, but looking at what we just talked about, that is a savings of around $1200 a month (give or take). This is over $14,000 a year in savings. Now, how does that college education look? I realize some peoples expenses won't be as high, as prices varies greatly in all parts of the country, but this is based on a Boston, Ma location (which happens to be one of the most expensive cities in the US).
If you have any debt, mortgages excluded (for now), think about where you money goes. Why are you paying interest on something you could pay off quickly by just cutting back for a few months. I have seen so many people spend absurd amounts of money on things they don't even need and go into debt.
If you don't have debt, this is a good strategy to avoid it. Save money in areas you are willing to cut back on for a while to save for things you want. If you don't owe anyone money, why can't you have those luxuries?
Next post will be about budgeting for only the needs. Finding out how much you need to actually live on will give you a good idea of how long it will take to pay off those bills and/or save for that great new couch you have been eyeing.
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