Dar's Two Sense

Congratulations to our friends in Iraq

Hello, there.  I can't stay long as it's very late already tonight.  But I did want to say hi.

I just finished preparing my newsletter, set to go out tomorrow night.  I wrote a new article for it:  Stepping Up to the Plate.  I'll post it for you on Sunday evening once my ezine has gone out.

As I prepared my ezine, I couldn't help but watch as the polls opened in Iraq.  Can you imagine?  Their first free election in 50 years?

I suppose if I were honest, I'd have to admit that, in the past, I have taken voting for granted.  Once I turned of age and registered to vote, I was automatically able to do so.  I personally didn't have to fight for that right.

But I am reminded of those who have fought to give me (and hold onto) that right.  Thank you, my friends.

'Nite, all.  Talk with you soon.

Too Busy to Save Money: How to Find Your Starting Point

© 2005 Darlene Arechederra

I confess. I didn't always do such a great job with saving my money. In my younger days, I got off track. And it took me a while to get with the program again, even though I knew it was in my best interest to save.

How about you? Has setting aside money been an issue for you?

Let's face it. Unless we're going to inherit great wealth, we'll need to tuck away some money. And, if you're still reading, chances are you won't inherit from your wealthy relatives (smile).

So, how do you take that initial, small step to saving? Well, picture a jogger, if you will. You have to admire her. She's out there jogging in the early morning hours, determined to do her thing. And she does it every day. It takes a certain amount of dedication to jog daily. Motivation. Determination.

But, she didn't wake up one morning and begin jogging ten miles that day. If she tried to do that, chances are she'd be too sore to run again for quite awhile.

No, it's likely she began with much smaller steps, perhaps walking three times a week, working up to every day. She might have alternated her steps with jogging until at last, she was out there jogging every day.

So you see, she didn't start out jogging. Her starting point was walking.

And so it is with saving... one small step at a time. For you, previous commitments and lack of time may be important factors. You'd like to begin saving money, but your gut tells you that your methods must be compatible with your lifestyle. If they're easily done, that's even better.

So, you'll want to find methods of saving that will keep you out of the overwhelm mode.

If you live a somewhat hectic lifestyle, food may be one of your largest expenses. Eating out at lunchtime, not having time to pack the kids' lunches, or eating dinner out several times a week all add up.

So, if you're a busy person who spends extra money on food due to your schedule, let's think of this as your starting point.

TIP: The most important strategy you can implement is to always use your least busy evening (or day) to get started.

Below are some examples of how you might find and set up your own starting point.

Spend Less on Lunches

a) Pick one night of the week when you have the least amount of errands or running to do after work. This is the perfect evening to pack a lunch for you or the kids.

b) Pack lunches only on your chosen day when starting out.

c) Once you've done this for about a month, pick one more evening/day that would work well with your schedule.

d) Immediately tuck away the amount of money you've saved through making lunches. That's your reward! Write yourself a check if need be.

You could also use that money and save even more by stocking up on sale items (buy only items you use on a regular basis.) This way, you'll never be caught off guard with no food in your pantry or freezer.

Spend Less Eating Out

Since dinner costs more to eat out, you'll save more money by finding a simple solution to eating out less at dinnertime. To cut back on eating out, simply use your least busy evening/day to cook up a double batch of food. Freeze the extra as a backup meal for one of your busiest evenings.

Spend Less on Groceries

Try spending just five dollars less when grocery shopping. Do it for a month or so. Then practice spending seven dollars less during the next month's grocery shopping. If possible, shop on your least busy day/evening.

These are all do-able. Not so much as to be overwhelming, and they place you at a great starting point. If your food and grocery bills are under control, consider other ways how you might take advantage of your *least busy* evening or day to tuck away some money.

So, set your starting point now. What's your least busy evening? Which *one* thing can you do, *one* time this week? Go for it, then do it again!

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Savvy Saving for Busy Women author Darlene Arechederra
inspires busy women to put the fun back in saving.  Her
complimentary newsletter serves up heaps of motivation with
a unique, down-home style of writing.  Join her today at
Rat Race Remedies
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Winter Delights

Remember how I've told you about Little Ben's ability to predict a storm?  Well, he did it again.

Ben (aka Beaner) is my 4-y-o Chocolate Lab.  He's somewhat timid, but absolutely delightful.  Tosses toys into the air, attacks them, snarls at them.  Very playful.

Well, night before last he tucked his tail between his legs and cowered next to me, shaking and shivering.  I went outside to see what was going on.  Of course, I found nothing.  Just a light drizzle.

Still, Ben insisted things weren't good, so I made preparations in case the electricity went out.  Two and a half hours later, the storm hit.  Lightning, thunder and torrential rain.  Unbelievable.

I still can't get over the fact that he can know there's a storm coming -- when it's still several hours away.

Anyone else have pets that *know* these things, 2 to 3 hours ahead of time?

Next morning, it rained again, then began to freeze.  Eventually, the snow came.  A beautiful, soft snow.  Huge flakes.

What made it even more delightful is that the birds came for seed, just a few feet away from my window.  I watched them for quite awhile.  I even threw fresh seed out for them, as the fresh snow was quickly covering the feeders and the seed on the deck. 

I counted at least 8 redbirds at one time.  What a sight, that beautiful red up against the snowy white.  Something to see.

I'm going to close so I can work on Monday's newsletter.  Mustn't be late with it.  I'll talk with you soon, though.

dar

How to Save Money Without Giving Up the Things You Love

© 2005 Darlene Arechederra
RatRaceRemedies.com

Recently, a close friend wanted to lose weight. He had psyched himself up, and he was ready to go. Until his doctor suggested he had to restrict his calories, that is. "No way!" he said. He left his doctor's office, determined to never return there.

You can relate, can't you? Chances are that cutting back, phasing out, or even eliminating things you enjoy will not inspire you for long. The very thought can leave you feeling as if you're facing an uphill battle.

The words, *giving up something* are fighting words for some! I mean, can't you just picture the boxing gloves coming out? The good news is that you truly can make changes without giving up those things that bring you pleasure. Let's look at how you can win the battle, hands-down!

Simple Pleasures

I love coffee (especially hazelnut.) I love the smell of coffee brewing. It brings me to a standstill. The earth could slip off its axis, but I'd only worry about it once I have that fresh cup of brew in my hands. Then, and only then, am I interested in moving on.

You know what I mean, don't you? Perhaps for you it's eating out. Or chocolate. Books. Shoes. Clothes. Perfumes.

If it's something you love, there's a slim chance you'll give it up easily. There has to be a mighty fine reason to do so. Right?

A Mighty Fine Reason

I had set a goal for myself of learning to live on one-half of my paycheck. It required fine tuning my spending (in many areas). And that's where the coffee came into the picture. You see, I was purchasing two to three cups a day -- and spending about fifty bucks a month for my pleasure.

Ah, the moment of truth! So, what were my choices? I could eliminate. I could reduce or cut back. Or I could keep my fresh coffee, but have it cost less.

I chose to keep the coffee, but make it *less expensive.* For me, the trade off was to keep what I love, but do it for a reasonable cost. This meant no more drive-thru coffee for me.

The Trade Off

A trade off allows you to get the job done without feeling deprived. Here's an example of how you might set up a trade off for yourself, based on my own.

To keep my coffee but have it cost less, I bought a proper coffee pot and a travel mug for my car. (I spent a lot of time in traffic back then.) I then found a delightful blend of hazelnut coffee and ground it fresh at the store. Cost? About eight dollars per month (compared to fifty.) I buy several bags at a time while on sale, saving even more money. I freeze it to retain its freshness.

In hindsight, it was such a simple solution, but it didn't *click* until my goal became extremely important to me (live on half my paycheck so I could save the rest for my future business.) Now, isn't that much easier than the dread that comes with thinking you have to *give it up?*

Three Quick Steps to Immediate Success

1) Know the reason you want to make changes. To have this work, you must have a specific reason. What is your very special purpose in *trading off* something you love?

2) Determine the first, small change you will make to set up your trade off. Choose something that will leave you feeling great about your decision. Deprivation doesn't work for the long haul.

3) Tuck away every cent you save, once you begin your plan. Put it up to have it for your own special purpose. Quickly reaping your rewards will provide motivation and keep you saving.

So, what's your pleasure? Is there something on which you spend a bit too much money? Set your timer for just five minutes, and do some brainstorming on ways your pleasure can cost you less.

Remember, the idea is to meet your goal without feeling as if you're *giving up* something!

You can do it!

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Author and Ezine Editor Darlene Arechederra inspires others to put the simple back in saving. In particular, Darlene offers help for the busy woman whose saving strategies no longer work for her. For motivation with a unique, down-home style of writing, visit her at RatRaceRemedies.com