Mar 09 0 comments
Saving Tips

Extra Charges at Canada Post Outlets?

Did you know that Canadian Postal Outlets can  charge you pretty much anything they want for shipping?

Apparently  postal outlets are not obligated to follow the price of stamps and postal products that are legislated by Canada Post. That means that they can charge extra fees and apply additional service fees to products that they sell.

So, if you do a lot of shipping, it might be to your benefit to find an official Post Office Depot rather than going to the closest convenience store postal outlet to send your grandkids their birthday gifts or to send your friend that care package.

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Mar 07 0 comments
Organize

Organized Packing When Moving Helps You Save

Moving to a new home in the near future?  If so, you have a lot of work ahead of you!  In my experience, it really pays to plan early and carefully for the move.  And I cannot stress the importance of packing your things in a neat and organized manner if you want to save some bucks and/or if you’re on a budget.

Benefits of being this organized:

1. Reduce Chaos and Clutter - I hate it when I can’t find things.  After a move, it is very likely your new home will be chaotic, having to dig through several boxes for tools to put up shelves, or a piece of clothing for work can be frustrating.  Many times when people can’t find something right away, they go to the store and buy the item again and that is sometimes how they end up with multiples of something they really only needed one of.

2. Save Time - Knowing what boxes hold what items can save you a lot of time simply by, again, not having to look too hard for items and/or not going to a store to buy a replacement for the missing item.  It also saves time for setting up your new home.  If you’ve packed well, you know which boxes hold items that should go in what room or area in your new home.

3. Save Money -  Not buying multiples of “lost” items obviously saves money.  Where I personally save the most cash from packing is food.  For me, the most important area to be organized while packing is the kitchen.  I don’t like having to eat out or order in because I can’t find ingredients or a pot to cook with, or a plate to eat on.  Usually the first dinner in our new home is delivery pizza.  It is ordered more for my friends who have helped me move - I like to feed them as a thank you.  After that, I unpack my kitchen stuff and all my meals can be prepared from home easily.

As I mentioned in previous posts about moving, I organize my stuff and begin packing long before the big day.  I start by taking inventory of all my stuff starting with the items in my storage area because it makes sense to pack items you do not use/need regularly first like gardening supplies (if you’re moving in the winter) or Holiday decor.  I then walk around my house, open cabinets and poke through shelves. I list down the items that we won’t use again until after the move like off-season clothing and sporting equipment, extra blankets and sheets, umbrellas (if it is dry season), books I am not currently reading, etc.

After making the list, I start packing the not -regularly used items first.  Make sure you label your boxes well!  It is not enough to label boxes only with the room they are supposed to go into, but instead label them like this:  Room, person/s items belong to, and a general list of items in the box.  E.g. Home Office/Den, Margarita, Operations and other Manuals.

Pack a few items every week before moving if possible.  As moving day looms nearer, you’ll keep finding things that you won’t need again until after that day. Pack those first.  The day/night before moving pack everything but keep some easy-to-get-to couple of boxes/bags for cleaning supplies, sheets, clothing for the next 2 days, one set of utensils, plates and cups, toiletries, snack items, bottles of water, paper and pens that you’ll keep close to you and that will tide you over for the next 2 days should you need them.

Happy moving!

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Mar 04 0 comments
Money and Relationships, Resources

Til Debt Do U$ Part

This post is about a TV show a reader recommended I watch (A big thanks to you, Aims!) called “Til Debt Do U$ Part”.

Til Debt Do U$ Part follows host and financial guru Gail Vaz-Oxlade as she helps couples get out of financial disaster.  She studies the couple’s financial statements and gives them the hard truth; almost every couple is surprised to realize how badly in debt they are when she lays their paperwork out on the table for them to clearly see.  She then educates each couple on how to change their debt situation in one month by giving them steps and exercises to follow.  Although Gail gives couples simple and practical exercises, the exercises are not often easy.  As an example, a few couples have been asked to downsize by selling homes and cars they could not afford.

What’s most interesting to me about this show is that Gail is a firm believer that improving the couple’s relationship will help the couple manage their finances.  Therefore, the last exercise couples tackle in the show is a relationship challenge.  Depending on the couple’s communication style, exercises range from physical challenges like rock climbing and geo-caching, that force couples to work together as a team to other challenges seem simpler like sending couples to massage classes or an intimate dinner where the couples get to know each other again and reconnect.

Til Debt Do U$ Part is a great show and I am glad it was brought to my attention.  I’ll be watching it often and taking down tips from Gail.  Who knows, I might just send in an application myself and be lucky enough to get chosen for Gail to come into my home and address my family’s money issues.

Til Debt Do U$ Part can be viewed on the Slice Network in Canada and CNBC in the US.  Check your local listings for show times.  For more info, visit Gail’s Blog at www.gailvazoxlade.com.

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Mar 02 0 comments
Saving Tips

Finding a Good Rental

So, I am back after taking February off to move to a new home.  I wrote another article last January with some saving tips when moving (see: Moving On The Cheap) and now I’d like to write about my experience of looking for a new place to rent.  I believe I did a few things that have helped me and my family find the perfect place for us and our lifestyle while still sticking to our budget.  If you plan on moving soon, I hope these tips will help you, too.

1. Decide On What You Want and Where.  I had a dream place in my head: lots of space for me and my family, in suite laundry, a modern kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, lots of light, walking distance to the train, a mall, rec centre and library, great neighbours, lots of trees, pets allowed, etc.  At this point, I didn’t think, “Oh, we’ll never be able to afford that!” I did this just so that I knew what I wanted.

2. Research Prices.  When we found out our house was being demolished and we had to move, I right away started looking online for rental units.  I set aside at least an hour a day to look at ads just to have an idea on what people were asking for in terms of prices for rentals.  We wanted a 2 bedroom plus den or a three bedroom and so I scoured all the online sources I knew for these.

3. Decide How Much You Want To Spend/Can Afford. Now that I knew roughly how much a new rental would cost for us and for what we wanted, we did some compromising.  On my wish-list, what was it that was most important to have and what could we live without?  I used this as a guide to finding the best possible place for us since we found that we couldn’t afford a place with everything on the list.  So, be realistic but at the same time you want to be able to get as close to what you envisioned, so never give up the hope/image of the dream place!

4. Start Looking for the Best Places and the Best Deals. After deciding on a budget, make those calls and set those appointments for viewing around a month before you have to move.  Look at LOTS of places.  Create a list or chart of the places you see with the pros and cons of each and then re-evaluate after you have viewed the place and met the agent or landlord.  For example, the rent might be within your budget but the Electric and Gas bills might be too high.  Or, the rent is a little bit more than you wanted but you’ll save on transportation since you will be able to walk to work from there.  All these things you’ll need to take into account budget-wise.

5. Put Your Best Foot Forward. Make sure you look presentable when you go to the viewing, be articulate and friendly.  You want to make sure the landlord or agent will want you living in their rental unit.  If they like you, you will be first on their list and you might even be lucky enough to negotiate the rental price down or at least be able to ask for new appliances.

6. Take a Tour Around the Neighbourhood on Foot and Talk to the Neighbours. You want to make sure you are moving to a safe environment and that you get along with your neighbours.  It can be hell living in an area where you are not comfortable or where you do not like the people around you.  If possible, have a chat with the old tenants.

7. Be Patient, Don’t Stress. I think the reason why we got an apartment with almost all my wish-list items is that I pushed my partner to not stress out.  He wanted to take the first decent place within our budget but I asked him to trust that we would find a place close to our wish list if we looked a little bit longer.  Because I trusted my gut and believed that we deserved a place close to the image I had, we got everything we wanted (except second bath and no cats or dogs) and stayed in our budget.

Next time, I’ll give some tips about how to get organized and save some money after you have moved to the new place!

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Jan 24 1 comments
Money Stories

Complain: Tell Them What You Really Think

Sometimes you don’t get the best service from your cable company, supermarket, dentist, bank, etc.  When this happens to me, I make sure that business and/or other people know about it.  I feel that it is important to complain for 3 reasons:

1. I want to get a good service and product for my hard-earned money

2. I want the next person who spends their money on this business to get a good product and service as well

3. I want the business to know when they are not doing a good job for their customers so that they can change and do better.

That being said, I try and be as civil about it as possible.  I put in my two cents, and if I am treated well and feel that I am being heard, I will come back to the business.  If not, I’ll go elsewhere.  If the business is some sort of monopoly like the phone or cable company, I make sure others know this business is not doing a good job -  this is where blogs, social networks and word-of-mouth come in.  But again, I try and state my case as civilly as possible because I don’t want others to think I’m some crazy loon who has nothing better to with my time.  ;-)

Believe it or not, one person can make a change;  see what happened after Jeff Jarvis blogged about his displeasure with Dell Computers.

So, next time you feel you didn’t get the best service or product from a company, stand up for yourself and do something about it. It’ll benefit everyone in the long run.

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Jan 19 0 comments
Organize, Saving Tips

Moving on the Cheap

Having moved several times in my life, I know moving can be expensive.  My family will be moving to a new apartment in just a little over a month and already I am starting to organize our stuff, pack and make moving arrangements.  I believe that the earlier you start to prep for the big day, the easier the transition from one home to the next will be.  You’ll also be able to have a few dollars in the process.

Here are a few savings tips I have learned on my many moves:

1. Start Early.  The earlier you start planning, organizing and packing, the more efficient your move will be.  This will eliminate undue stress and keep you from making those last minute purchases like extra packing tape and boxes, or mistakes like underestimating the time you need to move which might cost you to pay for an extra day for the moving truck (if you rented one) or worse, paying the movers overtime.

2. Take Inventory.  Make a list of what you own.  Estimate how many boxes it might take to pack everything, how big a truck you might have to rent and how many trips you’ll have to take to and from your old and new homes.  This will help you estimate how much the move will cost.

3. Give Stuff Away.  After taking inventory of what you own and if you did a good job, you’ll likely find some items that you haven’t used or looked at for years lurking in your closets or storage area.  You can have a yard sale, if you have the time, or donate your unwanted goods to a local charity like the Salvation Army.  Most charitable institutions that take these types of donations will pick up your goods from your home.  Giving stuff away is a great moving strategy because it not only lessens the amount of stuff you need to pack or move, but also helps your community.

4. Trash Day Vs. The Dump.  You might find that you have a few things that are too far gone to donate or give away.  Before taking a trip to the dump and paying to use their services, call City Hall or your local Recycling/Garbage Disposal Centre to see what types of trash items they will pick up.  Where I live, the city will pick up one bulky item per week that won’t fit into your regular garbage bins as well as old appliances.

5. Plan your budget. Too many times people are caught unaware of how much a move will cost and end up charging their credit cards then carrying that balance for months.  After you do tips 2-4 and estimate the cost of the physical move, add in the amount of money it will take to do mail forwarding to your new address, cable re-installation, phone hook-ups, etc. After listing all these amounts down, start putting away some cash to help pay for your listed expenses up front.

6. Drive Vs. Fly.  Can you drive to your new home?  If you can, consider doing so as it might be cheaper to bring everything with you in a truck than shipping them or hiring movers to do so.

7. Get Help. It’s always cheaper if you can move your stuff yourself.  Movers are expensive, so if you can, rent a truck and ask your friends to help.  Or consider hiring your friends’ or neighbours’ kids just to help load and unload the truck.

8. Reduce Work for Movers. If you find that you need to hire movers, reduce their work hours by dismantling shelves and beds before they arrive.

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Jan 17 0 comments
Kids and Money

Money Lessons for Kids (and Parents)

While I was a single parent for many years, one of the many issues I faced while raising my son alone was how I dealt with money and how I balanced a tiny budget.  But also, and just as important, I had to make sure my son learned the value of money at an early age.

I gave my son an allowance in exchange for chores from the age of 4 onwards.  I brought him to the supermarket with me weekly as well as other shopping trips to show him how I spend the money we had.  I educated him about bank accounts and credit cards, I opened a bank account for him and made him put half his birthday and Christmas monies there.  I also got him educational videos from the library and I watched these videos with him.  But the biggest challenge for us was that the kids he went to school with had the latest and most expensive toys and my son did not.

I did not want my son to feel that he was being deprived, so each week, after he’d have some money saved from doing his chores, we’d go to the toy store to see if there was a toy he wanted there and could afford to buy.  At first, he’d buy any toy that took his fancy and so all his money would be gone.  But eventually he learned that if he waited a few weeks and saved his allowance, he could eventually get the more expensive toy he really wanted.  This took patience for both of us because there were a few tantrums that we had to endure before he accepted this reality.  Also, I had to make sure I practiced what I preached - I could not spend money I did not have or use a credit card unless I could pay off the full amount at the end of the month.

Being single parent, although challenging, has helped me learn to be a better money manager and because I had so little, I was also forced to make sure my son was educated in this manner, too.  I am very grateful that I was given this opportunity to learn to budget well and to gain the discipline and know-how to live within my means and pass this knowledge to my son at a very young age.

Do you have kids?  It’s never too late to teach them valuable money lessons.  Get them age-appropriate books and videos to watch, and make sure you read and watch these books and videos with them.  Be open about how much you earn and your budget.  Bring your kids along when you shop so that they realize how much things cost.  If they have questions about money, answer them honestly and if you don’t have the answer, you guys can do some research together.  Show them how you balance you cheque book.  Give them an allowance but make sure they work for it.  If they don’t work, they don’t get paid.  Encourage them to open a bank account and to save some cash on a regular basis.

The above are just a few suggestions I can give you about how to teach your kids about money.  But the best way for them to learn is by how you deal with your own money.  Make sure you set a good example.  It will help them live better, healthier money lives in the future.

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Jan 14 0 comments
Cheap Eats, Resources

FOOD INC

If you haven’t seen the film “Food Inc” yet, I suggest you go and see it.  It will outline the true cost of the foods you buy and consume on a daily basis.  It has been said by the author of book entitled “The Value of Nothing” that a fast food burger actually costs $200 USD if you factor in the damage it does to the environment as well as the impact that burger has on your health.  Food Inc outlines how and why organics and healthy food is priced way higher than fast food, chips and chemically altered foods.  And more importantly, the film gives suggestions on what we can do about it.

Other films of a similar topic include “King Corn” and “The Future of Food”.  These as well as Food Inc can probably be found at your local library (if they lend out DVDs) or at some video stores.

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Jan 12 2 comments
Resources

Talk About Your Money

There’s still a lot of secrecy about money.  Individuals simply do not talk about their personal money issues often enough.  If they are badly in debt, they hide it.  If they have a shopping or gambling addiction, they hide it.  If they are living off their credit cards they don’t tell anyone or get help before things are really bad.  Why not get help sooner?

I understand it is scary to go to a stranger like a financial planner or a debt counsellor about your money issues.  So why not start with a trusted friend or relative first?  The point is to talk to someone and know that there is someone who cares and could possibly give you some good ideas on how to change your situation or help you to go on to the next step.

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Jan 10 0 comments
Alternative Investments

Self-Esteem and Money

I’ve recently started reading a book about Self-Esteem - a person’s overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth.   This book states there is a direct correlation between self-esteem and happiness, the more self-esteem you have, the happier you are.  It’s a good book, and it has lead me to conclude that there is also a direct correlation between self-esteem and money.

But I don’t think that a person that has high self-esteem would necessarily make more money than someone who doesn’t have good self-esteem.  In fact, in some cases, it could be the opposite.  I have met some very successful people who have a lot of money and can afford to buy nice things and yet are not happy.  They want more money.  But how much is enough?  When will they feel good enough about how much they have an what they own?

But of course, it could work the other way, too.  On the opposite end, I know people who earn very little who need to be earning more to get out of debt and save for the future.  But they are afraid to strive for more because they feel they aren’t good enough to succeed.  They don’t put themselves out there and try to get that job they really want or start that business because they fear they will fail.  So they stay unsatisfied with their earnings but at least they are in their comfort zone.

And finally, I know people who have and earn a lot and are happy with their money and those who do not not earn as much and are happy with their money.  A lot of their satisfaction comes from the fact that they are happy with themselves.

So, the funny thing is it almost doesn’t matter how much you earn or have as opposed to how you feel about it.  Maybe next time you think about your cash and find yourself unhappy with how much you earn or have, analyze first why you are unhappy.  Do you really need more or are you just trying to fill an emotional void with a big bank account and more things?  If you find you do need more, why are you not doing what you need to do to go get it?  If you think about this core issue first you might just realize you have enough or find a way to get the money you do really need.

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