Jan 24 0 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.

Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , , ,
You can edit this ad by going editing the index.php file or opening /images/exampleAd.gif
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.

Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , ,
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.

Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
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.

Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , , ,
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.

Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
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.

Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , ,
Jan 07 2 comments
Alternative Investments

It’s Not Only About How Much You Earn

My philosophy is that money is like energy. Just as you have to manage your energy (how much energy do you spend working, exercising, on your hobby, relationships, etc.) you must manage your money also in a similar way. It’s also my belief that what one needs to emphasize is that it’s not too important how much you earn as it is about the balance between how much you earn, spend and keep. Also good to note is that how you earn your money and how you spend it matters a lot, too.

Let’s take a couple of scenarios as an example:

A highly paid hot-shot executive with a very stressful and demanding job he dislikes spends his extra cash on cocaine to help him cope. He has no time for family, his only friends are his co-workers. He uses his wealth to buy expensive cars that he doesn’t have time to drive and goes on whirlwind vacations in exotic destinations. And yet most of his vacation time is spent asleep in his hotel room or partying with people he doesn’t really know just to help him forget that he is unfulfilled. Despite his high-paying job, he’s now in debt because of his bad habit.

In sharp contrast, here’s a professional dog-walker who earns 6 times less than the executive but loves her job, she gets to be with the dogs she adores, gets regular exercise and spends her free time taking little backpacking trips, exploring her area of the planet. She lives frugally within her budget, pays off her credit cards each month and puts aside a little bit for retirement.

I think most people would agree the dog-walker might have more money smarts than the executive because she knows what is good for her and does it because she values herself and her life more than a huge paycheck.

A person must value oneself first and foremost and it is one’s duty to take care oneself in the best way possible. This includes how one deals with money to achieve a good personal life balance.

Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , , ,
Jan 05 0 comments
Resources

Free Store

Ever been to a Free Store? A Free Store is exactly as it sounds like, a store where you come in browse around and just pick up and take what you want for free. The concept was introduced to me a few years ago during a Car-Free Day event on Commercial Drive in Vancouver, BC where bunch of organizers set up an area where they displayed stuff like clothes, books, CDs, small appliances, furniture, etc and anyone could come in and browse and take what they wanted. I think it’s a brilliant idea. Those who need will grab stuff and those who can afford to, have a place to be generous.

I’ve become aware of a group of people who have set up a free store event just off Main St. in Vancouver close to the holiday season for the past couple of years. They start by asking people on their Facebook list for donations for the store; items that are used yet in good/decent condition. They pick the items up, categorize them then display and offer them for free at the event.

Last December the store was giving away gym equipment, books, clothes, accessories, etc. They even had an electric keyboard, a digital camera, an Epson CX series ink jet printer, a blender/mixer, and several flashlights (unused and still in their original wrappers). I walked away with a sewing machine, a couple of flashlights, a hardcover kids book, a Swiss Army travel bag, floor mats for my partner’s martial arts dojo, a CD of meditation music, a The North Face toque, a Firefly hat, and several small jewelry boxes. All of them were in excellent condition and in working order. The sewing machine needs a new foot but otherwise it works perfectly.

Interested in going to a Free Store event? See their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8847330980&ref=ts

Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: ,
Jan 03 2 comments
Money Stories

What I Really Wanted in Paris

A couple of years ago I spent 11 glorious days in Paris, France. It was a lucky break for me, a friend of mine who grew up there was having a birthday and decided that his big bash would be at his mom’s home. All I had to do was buy a plane ticket and he’d take care of the accommodations. I had never been to Europe before and never really had the time nor the funds to travel anywhere that far away in at least 2 decades so now was my chance! I picked up a Lonely Planet guide to Paris, decided what I wanted to do and what I wanted to see there, calculated how much cash I’d need and looked at my savings. I didn’t have enough so my boyfriend pitched in for the plane ticket (that would count as my Christmas gift that year, he said). So, on December 14 of 2006, off I went to help my friend celebrate another year on earth and see the Eiffel Tower.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I vacation with a vengeance. I guess when you hardly ever get to go anywhere, when you do get to go, you make the most of it, seeing everything the place has to offer, experiencing everything you can. Paris is a great city, so much to see and do; sight-see and take tours of the museums and landmarks, lounge in the cafes, eat at fine restaurants, and of course, shop. But that city is also pretty darn expensive. Even with my hotel paid for, I was on a tight budget. I decided what I really wanted was to sight-see so I spent my money on a metro pass, a day trip to Versailles, and tickets to the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and other museums. After buying all of these, no joke, I was broke. I was so broke, I was eating one meal a day courtesy of the local street market close to the hotel where I’d buy a big wedge of cheese and wrap it in paper and hide it under my hotel room bed. In the mornings, I’d snitch a baguette from the hotel’s breakfast nook. But underneath my lightheadedness, I was truly and utterly happy.

When I got back home, I told my friends about my food and cash issues and they said, “OMG, you went to Paris and didn’t eat as much as you could or buy any designer whatever at all?!?” No, I spent all my money on what I really wanted, it was a choice I made and I was very happy with it. Why would I let anyone dictate to me how my Paris experience should look like?

I guess this brings me to the point of this post - what do I really want NOW? It’s a new year and I look back and realize that maybe I don’t want what I thought I wanted when I was younger: to own a home with the white picket fence, drive a comfy car, have a nice stable, high-paying job. I think I wanted those things because that was what society tells people they should want. But maybe I really want is to do my own thing. Maybe I want my own small business that might be a little more volatile than that high-paying job, but then I’d be my own boss. Maybe a house in the burbs is a little too much responsibility for me, maybe I’d rather rent and move whenever I take the fancy. Maybe I don’t need a car all that often, and if I do, there are car co-ops. This 2010 I’m going to truly evaluate what it is I want and live my life according to that, however unconventional it might be to others.

Happy New Year, everyone! May all that you truly desire come to you this 2010.

Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Nov 17 0 comments
Affordable Gifts

Six Affordable Holiday Gift Ideas

Here’s a compilation of wonderful gift ideas that are all gifts either I have given or that my friends have given me or their other loved ones. I hope you’ll be able to use them this holiday season:

1. Give a loved one a year planner but make sure you mark all your personal anniversaries, special moments in there; e.g. Feb 28: “This was that day a year ago we walked in the park and saw that giant owl. It was so close we could have touched it if we reached out our hands.” Or, May 18: “Around this time 4 years ago we visited your parents at their beach house. Remember when we sneaked out after dinner to be alone on the beach?”

2. Take an old treasured photo from your loved-one’s past and frame it. Or a certificate or award would work, too!

3. Collect your or your loved one’s family/favourite recipes and compile them on a disk or in a notebook. You can even book a cooking or baking night with him or her afterward.

4. Do you have a special talent? Can you use it to make a gift? E.g. If you are a cartoonist, have you made a caricature of your friend yet? Or if you are a musician, have you written a song for your sweetie yet?

5. Get a DVD of your loved-one’s favourite film as a kid.

6. Do you make the best homemade salsa around town? Do you have a special secret mix of herbs and spices you use for your dishes that everyone loves? Make some giant batches, bottle them and give them out as gifts!

Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , , ,