'Gentle reminder' can lead to a lifetime of saving

Often all it takes is the smallest reminder to make a huge difference. Having just turned 65 and now "eligible" to retire, I am not ready to do so either physically, emotionally or socially. I'm also frequently with younger people, who don't necessarily have the same basic foundation of budgeting that I was brought up with. With that in mind, I have taken to carrying around a subtle reminder of the cost of living which not only works for me, but will hopefully rub off on those around me.

My card wallet has a 'sticker' reminder, which says "$20? Is it worth one hour of work?" It's small and discreet, but effective! It also serves as a talking point when I am out and about with some of the younger ones and buying coffee or lunch. It's simple to make the label on the computer or by hand, then clear tape to the card wallet. Here's to some improved lifestyle options as I age further!

NLP means great nails for me!

If nail biting or picking is an issue for you or someone you know, you may like to consider Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). I had just one session and it made a fantastic difference for me. I was sceptical throughout the session, until the end of the session when the problem had completely gone away. I was really surprised and completely pleased! Would definitely recommend.

A lesson in responsibility

I've saved money and taught my daughter a valuable skill at the same time.

My twelve year old daughter has a passion for fashion, but little realisation that everything costs money. It seemed that every time I went shopping, there would always be something my daughter just had to have. It can be difficult determining if a request for something new is a necessity or not, so to stop myself sounding like the 'no police', I put the decisions back on my daughter.

I opened up a bank account in her name, with a key card attached. I worked out how much per year I would need to spend on her clothing, including shoes and accessories, but not school uniforms. I divided the yearly cost by 12 and I now deposit her monthly clothing allowance on the first of every month.

My daughter was so excited to have her own key card, and new responsibility. I did have to explain that when winter approached she would have to have enough money saved for new winter clothes and that she couldn't just spend her entire allowance every month.

Now, when we go shopping and asked 'Can I have one of those?' my answer is, 'Sure, can you afford it.' I am amazed at how many times something is picked up off the shelf as something she just has to have, yet we end up leaving the shop without it. And, I'm thrilled that I no longer have to be the one who says 'no'.

It has only been a few months but I have already saved a small fortune and my daughter is learning how to budget.

Dishcloth keeps vegetables fresh

We buy our vegetables every week at our local Sunday market. Occasionally, we fail to get through all the produce by the end of the week, and we're left with some sad looking vegetables in the fridge. I just hate waste!
 
We've found that putting a Chux dishcloth, or any absorbent dishcloth, in the bottom of our veggie drawers makes a huge difference. It absorbs any moisture from the bottom of the drawer, and leaves our vegetables fresh and crisp for a whole lot longer. Every week, we wipe the drawer, throw the dishcloth in the wash and replace it with a new one for another week of fresh, crisp vegetables. By doing this, we save around $7.00 per week!