Kathryn June 3rd, 2011

Ever wanted to make a difference? Have you wanted to do something that you know is helping someone else but feel you don’t have the time or money?

I’m sure many of us have felt like that. I know I have at times, but lately I’ve been looking for ways to contribute to good causes that don’t cost me any extra money and little, if any extra time or effort. There are a couple of quick and simple ways that I have found lately that allow you to do this.

The first is through Fly Buys. Lets face it, most of us that have Fly Buys cards take so long to accumulate points and when you have enough points to get SOMETHING it’s not usually anything all that exciting! We were at the point a few months ago where we needed to use some of our Fly Buys points or they were going to expire. So we made the decision that instead of getting something for ourselves we would take the option to make a donation to charity. It was easy, and didn’t cost me anything but it was nice to know that instead of getting something I didn’t really need or want I was able to do something (very) small for someone else. I haven’t looked specifically but I’m sure that you can do the same thing using QANTAS frequent flyer points and other reward programs.

The next is through a website like www.schoolbuy.com.au which allows you to shop on-line and purchase something you would be purchasing anyway, but know that your purchase is helping support a local school.

On a more personal level, I have found that if I am making a meal that I know produces twice as much as my family would eat, I can bundle the other half up and take it to someone else. I know that the food won’t go to waste, people appreciate it and I have just made someones day a tiny bit easier for no more effort than getting in the car and dropping it off to them.

I love doing these tiny things! I’m not at a stage in life where I have hours to contribute to volunteer service, or hundreds of dollars to donate to a good cause, but these are things I can do. By being aware of these opportunities it helps me keep a bit more perspective in my life. If I think ‘why not!?’ rather than ‘why bother!?’ I feel like I’m making a contribution to society and making the life of those around me a tiny bit easier.

Does anyone else have ways that they can give service or contribute to a good cause that takes little to no effort? I would love you to share them!

Make a difference today…. it can cost you nothing!

• Money , Thoughts
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Kathryn April 5th, 2011

Remember when money was exciting?!

I’ve been having withdrawals from blogging, but I’ve been somewhat busy lately and somewhere along the line it slipped to the bottom of the to-do list, until tonight! I have one boy in bed, one at a church meeting and one playing cricket so I have found myself with a bit of quiet time… Granted I should be doing my kitchen, but that will be there when I’m finished this!

I like having a budget. It helps me prepare for my bills, I know what I can AFFORD to spend on shopping each week, I KNOW whether or not I have the money to do things, which helps when money is tight… you stick to your budget and you know you’ll be ok. It’s brings a sense of security and order to know that your finances are secure….

The problem when you’re sticking to a budget, and especially a tight one, is that when you see a top you really like, or a friend invites you out for lunch, or you want more funds to feed your addiction to scrapbooking…. you are torn between self deprivation or guilt – neither option is very appealing! So the trick is to eliminate both guilt and self-deprivation and the solution is simple… give your self an allowance – or in other words pocket money!

Allowing yourself (and your spouse) pocket money with each pay, gives you a lot of freedom. To start with, you no longer feel you have to deprive your self of some of the things that makes this life so wonderful! I love catching up with friends over lunch, going to dinner on a date with my husband, and seeing the joy and energy my little boy has when I take him to the swimming pool.

By giving yourself pocket money you go from always saying ‘I wish I could….(fill in the blank)… but I just can’t afford it, it’s not in the budget….’ to saying ‘Sorry, I can’t do lunch this week, I’m already going to the movies with Mum…. but what about next week?’

There will, of course, be times when you will have spent your ‘pocket money’ and you will still have to decline the invitation, but how much easier will it be, knowing that you don’t have to decline EVERY time!? Of course the list of things you can spend your pocket money on is endless…. lunch, dinner, movies, music, clothes, the zoo, hobbies… and some things are much more expensive than others, but don’t forget you can save it up for a few weeks (or months….) to be able to do those more expensive things….You may also find yourself thinking of and looking for ways to have fun that cost less… because at least it’s allowed to cost something!

Just remember that life with a budget doesn’t mean that you suffer… In fact, life with a budget gives you all that you need…and sometimes more. I’m grateful that my Mum always taught us the importance of a budget and living within your means! Even today I can picture Mum drawing up her budget sheet each month… and now I do exactly the same…although mine’s on the computer! It gives me peace of mind, making me a more happy and content wife and mother, allowing me to focus my time and energy on loving and serving my family and those around m.- and isn’t that what life is REALLY all about!

• Money
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Kathryn March 16th, 2011

As I wrote the title of this blog it occured to me that there are probably many more applications to it than what I’m about to share… But for now we’re back on the topic of money….

Prepare
Q: What’s worse than going to get the mail (or checking the email) and finding it full of bills?
A: Finding it full of bills that you’re not expecting and aren’t prepared for!

As I have shared before, I love having a menu plan, for more than one reason! Ultimately it saves me money, it makes my shopping trip less stressful and it makes day to day life SO much easier and less stressful because I don’t have to rack my brains every day to try and think about what I’m going to have for dinner. I’m sure I also have a greater variety of food than I otherwise would… Being organised and as prepared as you can (especially financially) makes life so much easier, less stressful and consequently much more fun and enjoyable. So here’s a simple to suggestion to help you be prepared for those bills like water, electricity, gas, council rates etc. that always come when you least want them!
At the beginning of this year I went through our utilities and made a rough estimate of what the total cost would be through the year. I then took that number and worked out what that equated to for each month… I use a monthly figure because we get paid monthly – if we got paid weekly or fortnightly I would have worked out the figure for that instead. Now, every month when we get paid I can take that money and put it aside so that when the bills come in I already have the money there to pay for them. Of course sometimes it will be more than I budgeted and sometimes it will be less – but atleast if it is more, I only have a comparatively small amount to make up… and if it’s less then the excess can stay there for the bills that are over budget – or be used in many other ways.
So it’s up to you how you keep a track of the money you have put aside for the bills, but here’s a few suggestions….

- The bank account! With our bank account have an everyday access account, linked to our cards and then we have a couple of savings accounts that can only be accessed through online banking. When the pay comes in we use one of those accounts to keep the money for the bills aside. It’s easy to have the money separated and know that you can’t touch it except for the bills! Then when the bills come in we just transfer it across to our regular account and pay them.

- Cash! What more can be said – take the cash out of the bank and put it in a safe place until you need it… With most people paying bills with credit cards or bpay online this is not a very popular option. But if you can’t control your use of the card, then it’s a good one!

- Keep a record. It’s not too hard to make up a simple spreadsheet that allows you to keep a track of the money you should have in the bank for your bills. Update it with each pay and then you will always know how much money should be in the bank. Just make sure you know your limits before you go to the shops!

Investigate

This one is pretty simple! When Dallin and I are looking at making a ‘big’ purchase – whether it be a new phone, a camera, a car, a computer, a piano, new furniture etc. we like to talk to people. Getting experiences and opinions from a variety of people helps you to make well educated decisions… which helps you save money, and get good value for your money. I think it’s important to remember that value for money doesn’t always mean buying the cheapest one. It means buying something that is good quality, that suits your needs, and that you like. I mean, think about it…you don’t want to buy a bright green lounge suite just because it was the cheapest one there… and then look at it everyday and regret not spending the extra money to get something you actually like. You will just end up buying another one sooner than you otherwise would have…Having said that – if you WANT a bright green lounge suite by all means go for it!
I also think it’s essential that you know what’s important to you before you go buying… for example if you’re buying a new camera, know what features you want before you go shopping, and decide which are optional and which are essential. Does it need a large screen? Is the camera size an issue for you? Is zoom important? What about the resolution…. These are all things you should decide BEFORE you go to the shop so you don’t get talked into buying something you don’t want… Oh, and set a price limit too…

Evaluate

I have a spreadsheet that I use to keep track of what I spend…
Except for the shopping money I take out in cash, almost all of my purchases are made using EFTPOS, that way when I log into my bank account I can easily see and remember what it was I purchased because the details of the shop are listed on my transactions. I go through my transactions regularly and enter the figures into my spreadsheet…. then I can see the REAL picture of what I’m spending and re-evaluate my budget. If I am consistently going over budget in some areas then I can look realistically at what I can do to cut back there, or if needed I can cut back in another area to allow for more money where it’s needed. I find constantly evaluating and looking at your budget is one of the best ways to remind yourself not to spend money and gives you a great opportunity to consider what you really do or do not need. My spreadsheet it quite detailed and is actually one I found on the internet (that I have adjusted slightly) if anyone wants a copy I’m more than happy to share.

I hope this has given you some more ideas on sticking to your budget! I have at least one more of these coming… so I hope you don’t mind that too much!

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Kathryn March 10th, 2011

So I have been trying to think of things I can blog about that can actually be useful to people… where they can get good ideas and use them to make their own lives that little bit happier, smoother, and stress free. I’ve had a couple of ideas and I’ll probably be posting blogs regularly on varying subjects… but for today (and possibly the rest of the week…. or month….) it’s about money.

The reality is that we all need money. What varies between each person and family is how much money they have – and what they spend it on. Two seemingly identical families can be earning the same income and yet be living totally different life styles. One can be happy, living within their means and saving money – the other, could be constantly stressed and in a large amount of debt. I think the difference is priorities….

So how can we be the first family, happily living within our means, and not the second, in a large amount of debt constantly stressing where the money to pay the bills will come from…. the answer is twofold. 1. Create a budget 2. Stick to it.
Most people can create a budget – look at how much you earn and then allocate where you will spend it – Easy as pie!
For me the problem lies not in creating the budget, but in sticking to it. So I’m hoping to share with you (and you share with me) some ideas on what you actually do to STICK to your budget. One area I would consistently blow the budget on is the groceries, until I changed my ways, and now most weeks I spend less than I have budgeted. My solution to this is simple, and it lies in a menu plan… here are the steps!

An example of my menu plan! You could always do it on a calendar template too!

1. A menu plan – I believe this is essential in keeping a hold on your grocery bill, I make the menu plan, get out my recipe books and make a very detailed shopping list. It also helps you look at expensive meals vs cheap meals – Try and balance these out a bit.
My shopping list will tell me exactly how much of everything I need eg. 1kg mince, 3 onions, 200g ham etc. I usually then go to the cupboard and put a mark next to the items I already have – they become the ‘optional’ items on your list (there is a reason for not crossing them off completely)
When making your shopping list remember to take into account the ‘extra’ things. One example could be if you know you will be going to dinner at a friends place and you’re bringing the dessert…. or you may have a mothers group you attend, where you take a morning tea.

If you’re in a position to do this – Plan for left overs! With only 2 adults and 1 toddler to feed I find myself preparing some meals in quantities larger than we need. Any meal that I cook that could do us for 2 meals, takes up a second night in my menu plan. If you don’t like eating the same thing 2 nights in a row, that’s no worries! Just put it in the freezer! It seems cheaper if you’re ‘cooking’ 2 or 3 less meals a week. For me it also means that on the nights that are busy and you need to be able to dish dinner up quick – you know it’s already done, and it’s not a major stress.

This supermarket?

or this supermarket?

2.Search the catalogues – I go online and look at the Coles AND Woolworths catalogues (and sometimes foodland)- I find the things that I have on my shopping list that are on special and make a note of all of them. I’m lucky enough to have both a Coles & Woolies at my shopping centre so I don’t have to go to 2 different chopping centres to do my shopping.

Time to shop!

3. Do the Shop! – I go to Woolies (cos that’s where I prefer) and shop! When shopping I try to look at ALL the choices available and often will try and purchase the cheapest product (I love looking at unit prices!) There are a couple of things that I choose not to buy in home brand but most of the time the Coles or Woolies branded items are just a good as the ‘brand name’ items. As I go through the supermarket I’ll often use my phone to calculate as I go – that way there’s no surprise when i get to the register! If I’m over budget it gives me the chance to put back the ‘luxury’ items that I picked up along the way (I know it would be better not to pick them up at all – but that’s another story) When judging whether you’re over budget don’t forget to take into account that you still have to go to Coles and get the specials there, you may have to get meat from the butcher, or fruit and veg from a F&V shop.

The dangerous machine!

4. The Register – Another BIG key in keeping under budget! When I get to the register I use EFTPOS and ask for change from the FULL AMOUNT of the grocery budget (ie. If you budget $300 a fortnight for shopping and your total for the Woolies shop is $130 then you should walk out with $170 in your purse/wallet).
I then move on to the rest of my shopping, such as the specials from Coles, the butcher, fruit & veg or the bakery and pay for it all with the cash. Once that is all done I know that whatever cash I have left in my purse has to last me the rest of the fortnight.

In your hand!

5. Cash – I shop for my F&V weekly – so by the time I have done all my other shopping I know that whatever is left in my purse has to get me my F&V for the next week, as well as additional milk, bread etc. I find that with having the cash there, every time I spend it I evaluate how much I still have there and what I’m going to need it for, which helps… I can’t help but see how much I left in my purse.

The rest is up to you!

6. The end of the week/fortnight/month. – Here’s the choice – when you have leftover grocery money at the end of the fortnight WHAT DO YOU DO WITH IT!? -
a. Go back and build up your food storage! Purchase items that are going to keep for a long time and that you use regularly- pasta, rice, flour, shampoo , conditioner etc. or items that are on special. Even better – buy in bulk if it’s going to work out cheaper…. Food storage is wonderful and something I need to work on! It’s so nice to have it there to fall back on for those weeks where you don’t get to shop on your usual ‘shopping day’ or you need to cut back somewhere because a large bill has come in.

b. Spend it on something nice cos you feel good you’ve got money left over – I wouldn’t do this every week, but every now and again it’s nice to give you and/or your family a treat – Buy a DVD, go out for icecream, have a movie night with popcorn and chocolate! The options are endless

c. Save it – Even if it’s $5, empty your purse before you go to do your next shop! Put in the coin tin or in the bank! You will then have the extra cash to go towards bills, saving for a house, clothes the kids need, parking change etc.

The choice is yours, and depending on how much you have left you could save some AND spend some

In the end it comes to exercising self-control! To begin with it is really hard but if you are strong enough and can stick to it for just a few weeks, somewhere it switches and you see opportunities for saving everywhere. I now find that I enjoy looking for ways to spend money and feel a great sense of accomplishment when at the end of the fortnight I still have money in my purse that I can go back to the shops with! It’s also nice to know that if we have a short week and I need a few extra dollars, it will be there!

So… what do you do to help yourself stick to your budget?

• Money
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