Category Archives: Saving Tips

Sep 13 0 comments
Making Money, Money and Relationships, Saving Tips

Finding A Mentor

Ever since I became an adult, I’ve always wanted a mentor.

There are mentorship programs available out there.  In Vancouver, the Women’s Enterprise Centre and the Minerva Foundation matches women starting businesses with women who have years of experience in similar fields.  I think these organizations provide a great service - someone to tell you what to expect in your new business, teach you better systems and techniques and help you avoid the pitfalls, etc.  I am sure there are similar programs for men and that any big city would have some available as well.

But although I would welcome and appreciate a mentor to help me with my career (I have applied and am waiting for a match), ideally, the kind of mentor I am looking for, is not just for business.  I am looking for an older sister/aunt figure, someone I can look up to and possibly emulate in life.  If I were 8 years old, I’d go to Big Sisters Foundation, but I am well over that age.

But why?  Growing up as the eldest child in my family, I felt I did not get enough guidance while growing up.  I had no big sister or positive older role model that I could look up to and go to for advice if I needed it.  And boy, did I need it!  Especially during my dark years as a teen.  Now that I an adult (and more level-headed) I realize I still need this guidance and am hoping to find someone with a lot of life experience I can talk to and trust with anything.

Just like business, life gives you many challenges at any age.  And just like a business might hire a consultant for help with more efficient ways to run the business, alternative income streams, better methods of making revenue, why not do the same for your personal life?  Your mentor could save you some time, maybe some money and possible heartache by listening to his/her life experiences.

And just another point, North American culture does not value older people, older women especially.  We might all do better if we took the time to learn what they can offer and then innovate and adjust to suit our current lifestyles.

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Sep 10 0 comments
Making Money, Saving Tips

Focus On What You’re Good At

A lot of us love to read about big movie stars having personal chefs, maids, gardeners, personal assistants, etc. and we think, “Wow, they live the good life!”  And they do.  But are they really being so extravagant or is there another reason for hiring all these employees?

Movie stars are good at acting, or if not good at acting, good at selling movie tickets.  But many of them are not good at cooking, cleaning, gardening, or organizing their lives.  And even if they were good at the aforementioned things, their time is spent more profitably doing what they are good at, no?

I’ve decided that if possible, I will focus on what I am good at and try and not do any of the stuff I am terrible at.  I am bad at accounting, but I need this done for my business and at this point in time, cannot hire a bookkeepper.  So, I have traded services with a friend.  She’ll do my yearly bookkeeping, and I will design her husband’s promotional materials.  Not only will this save me the hassle of doing something I absolutely abhor and take forever to do but it will also allow me to spend that time doing something I enjoy instead.

This doesn’t only apply to work and business.  I dislike doing yard work as it takes me forever to do.  So, I spoke to my neighbour’s son and he said he’d do my gardening if I walk his mom’s dog.  I like dogs and so I said yes (besides, it’ll get me some exercise).

What are you good at?  Can you do more of what you are good at and make more of a profit?  Can you hire someone to take over duties you dislike doing yourself?  Can you trade chores with someone?  It might just be worth your time and money.

Want to make more money?  Some more ideas can be found in the Making Money section of this site.  Looking for more tips to save some cash?  Then be sure to visit the Saving Tips section of this website.

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Sep 06 0 comments
Alternative Investments, Money and Relationships, Saving Tips

Difficult Clients Cost You Money

When I’m not writing for MLC, I run a small service-based business creating custom designs.  It can be very gratifying and for the most part I enjoy working with my clients helping them get their vision in tangible form.  I have managed to find a few that I have a great working relationship with and that have become regular and repeat customers.  But once in a while I encounter one or two that I consider ‘difficult’ or problem clients.

What makes a difficult client?  I can only base it on my experiences and there are many.  But here are the most common:

1. Someone that tells me there is something wrong with my product but will not articulate the details of the problem/s.  This makes it very difficult for me to fix.

2. Someone that tries to tell me how to do my job.  Why hire me if you can do it better than me?

3. Someone that does not read contracts before signing or who is not interested in the details of the agreement until something happens they did not anticipate.  I try and outline how I work to the client before any papers are drawn up, I have a ‘what to expect from me and what you (the client) are expected to do’ document just to make sure they know the details of the agreement, and finally a contract where all of this is again drawn out.  But some clients don’t seem to want to think about this stuff before giving a me a down-payment.

4. Someone that tries and get more from me and my service without wanting to pay extra.

5. And of course, someone that will not pay or does not pay on time.

Sadly, most difficult clients have all of the above characteristics.  And they complain to no end.  I have a theory that it has nothing to do with the quality of my work; they have other issues and take it out on me because they think a cheque paid to my name entitles them to do so.

I have spent too many hours trying to make ‘difficult’ clients happy and realized they cost me rather than make me money.  So many unpaid and unbillable hours are wasted on them and still they are unsatisfied.  I have learned my lesson, I now have a better screening process and choose my clients very carefully.  For the occasional one that slips through, I ‘fire’ them.  These people are simply not worth my time and effort.

Do you have clients that resemble the ones described here?  Do yourself a favour and let them go.  They cost you money rather than make you money and can make your work life miserable.  Instead, invest your time to find good clients because these clients will help you keep loving what you do and even make the many issues of running a business worthwhile.

Looking for more tips to save some cash?  Then be sure to visit the Saving Tips section of this website.  Or how about reading on how money affects our relationships?  Read the Money and Relationships section.  See the Alternative Investments section if you want to see what else we consider good investments.

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Sep 03 0 comments
Cheap Eats, Organize, Saving Tips

Spoiled Food, Wasted Money

Do you find that you regularly find spoiled food in your fridge and have to throw it out?  Spoiled leftovers, rotten veggies, mouldy cheese?  It’s either your fridge isn’t doing its job or you’re buying too much food.  Either way, that’s money down the drain. If you determine your fridge is fine, you’re gonna have to change your eating or shopping habits.  Whether you do your groceries regularly or order in frequently, you’re not consuming what you are buying.

A few things to try that may save you some cash and some time from cleaning out the ice box:

1. Bag a lunch.  Bring your leftovers from last night’s dinner to work.

2. Buy less veggies more often.  If you do your groceries once a week like I do, instead of buying all your veggies at once, buy half the veggies during your regular grocery day and the other half at some other day later that week.

3. Plan a Menu.  Do you know what you’ll be cooking before shopping?  Best to plan a menu for a few days and list all the ingredients you’ll need before shopping to avoid buying unneeded items.

4. Know roughly how much you or your family consumes.  I’m not suggesting measuring each and every serving, but if at all possible, know how much your partner puts on her plate or how much little Johnny loves his peas.  That will give you an idea about how many servings of a dish to cook.

5. Check your fridge’s contents and Pantry’s inventory regularly.  If you know what is in there, you’ll likely consume it before it spoils.

Looking for more tips to save some cash?  Then be sure to visit the Saving Tips section of this website.  Craving Cheap Food Recipes?  Visit the Cheap Eats section of this website for some tasty meals.  For more organizing tips and stories, visit the Organizing section of this website.

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Sep 01 0 comments
Saving Tips

Free Rec Centre Activities for Low Income Families

I might have mentioned once or twice before that I had been a single parent for years, getting no support from my son’s dad.  A few years in this same time period I was out of work.  I was very lucky because my son and I were never desperate for rent or food but I did struggle to find the funds for fun and entertainment for myself and my son.

Good thing I found out about and made use of a subsidy program from the city I live in, Burnaby, BC, for low-income families. The subsidy will give your family up to approximately $200 in credit towards any class or fitness activity any rec centre in the community offers.  This was a real god-send to us as it helped us keep fit and provided a lot of entertainment we couldn’t have otherwise afforded.

To qualify you must be considered low-income; not earning more than $30,000 a year per family, and submit proof of where you live along with a copy of your last income tax return.

If you are a low-income family, and live in the Burnaby area, please make use of this program.  And if you live elsewhere, ask around or make a phone call to a nearby rec centre or even to City Hall, you might just have something similar you can take advantage of.  Hours of free classes could be gained from filling up and submitting a form!

Looking for more tips to save some cash?  Then be sure to visit the Saving Tips section of this website.

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Aug 30 0 comments
Money and Relationships, Saving Tips

Borrow Instead of Buy

As I mentioned in a previous post (titled Bad Weddings, Too Expensive to Attend), weddings, whether bad or good ones, can be expensive not only for the couple getting married but for the guests as well.

This summer I had been invited to three weddings.  Since they are all required different attire, I needed 3 different outfits.  I usually am able to find something in my closet for events like these but this year I had found that my dress-up clothes had all become too old and ratty so I had nothing decent to wear.  I guessed I had to just bite the bullet and buy a couple of new outfits.  So, I took a trip to Commercial Drive, a street in Vancouver, BC, where there are quite a few trendy shops that sell new, vintage and used items.  But before I went, I called a friend that lived in that area, told her what I was up to and asked if she wanted to to meet for a coffee.  ”Sure, let’s meet for coffee but before you go shopping, come raid my closet.  I practically own all the fashion on Commercial Drive.”  My friend has nice clothes and it’s true she shops a lot especially since she lives near all the trendy boutiques.  Sure enough I found a few pieces that fit me well.  I now have a couple of new outfits to wear for the cost of two iced lattes.

Can you borrow instead of buy?  Can you borrow a ball gown instead of buying one, since you’ll probably only wear it once anyway?  Can you borrow a neighbour’s lawn mower each week instead of getting your own?  Borrow someone’s pick-up instead of renting one?  Does a friend have a library of books or DVDs at home?  Can he lend you a couple instead of you going to the video or book store to rent or buy?

There should be no need to mention that what you borrow you must return in a timely manner.  And in the same condition (if not better) than how you borrowed it.  You wouldn’t want your friends to blacklist you from their stuff, would you?  ;-)

Looking for more tips to save some cash?  Then be sure to visit the Saving Tips section of this website.  Or how about reading on how money affects our relationships?  Read the Money and Relationships section.

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Aug 16 3 comments
Organize, Saving Tips

Keep your money and purchases safe while shopping

Mid-August is a good time to shop for Canadians.  Our retail stores are putting a lot of their inventory on sale and getting ready for the back-to-school rush.  One can definitely find some bargains on shoes, clothes, furniture and pretty much all summer (last season’s) items.  But with the sales come the crowds, and depending where and what time and day you go, the shopping experience can be a little less easy and relaxed than one would like.

My boyfriend, “S”, and I just finished his once-a-year big clothing shopping spree yesterday afternoon, a Saturday, at Metrotown Mall, one of the biggest and busiest malls in the Greater Vancouver area.  It was not an easy ride because the mall, naturally, was overflowing with bargain hunters rushing and very eager to get the best deals and the last of their desired clothing items in their size and preferred colours.  There were long line-ups for the fitting rooms, half the items S wanted were not available in his size.  There was pushing and shoving and few rude words spewed from some harried shoppers (but not from S and me, we are very polite, hehe).  Not only are the shoppers stressed, but the salespeople experience much pressure on them, too.

I find that in these situations and environments it is especially important to be extra vigilant with money, debit and credit cards, receipts and purchases.  I have left a package or two behind in the fitting rooms in the past and once a pre-occupied retail clerk gave me back the wrong credit card after a transaction.  And I can’t even remember the number of times the wrong amount of change was given back to me from a purchase made with cash.

After a few times losing purchased items and being short-changed, I strive to be a little more organized each time while shopping:

a.  I now bring a couple of big, sturdy bags with me where I can stuff several stores’ worth of goods inside with the logic being the less packages you have to carry, the less likely you will lose or leave one behind.

b. I also keep all my purchases’ receipts and never leave the receipts in their shopping bags for 3 reasons - if I go home and am unhappy with the item I bought, I can go back to the store for a refund and not just an exchange because I have the receipt; I can calculate how much I spent; and in the odd event that someone lifts one of my packages and I catch him/her I can prove to security that the package and items are mine because I have the receipt.

c. I look at the purchase total before I sign a credit card receipt or punch in my debit card number and I never let my cards leave my sight while they are with retail clerk.

d. I count my change carefully while still at the till after a cash purchase.

e. On a particularly large shopping spree, I take a break and bring the packages I currently have to the car (if I drove there) before continuing on to buy some more.

A little extra attention to the above details while shopping at any time has saved me from more costly errors!  And I hope they help you save some cash, too.

Happy back-to-school shopping!

Looking for more tips to save some cash?  Then be sure to visit the Saving Tips section of this website.  For more organizing tips and stories, visit the Organizing section of this website.

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Aug 02 5 comments
Saving Tips

8 TIPS TO KEEP YOU COOL IN HOT WEATHER

It is mid-summer and the temperatures are soaring.  It’s getting harder to stay cool. How do we spend less on buying those cold drinks, use less electricity up on A/C and keep being productive at work in this weather?  Here are a few heat-beating tips that have worked for me:

1. Bring a water bottle everywhere you go and sip frequently. Even if you go for a for just a 5-minute walk to the corner store, bring the water bottle with you.  Not only does it keep you cool and hydrated, it will help you get over the temptation to buy a Slurpee - you save money and avoid the sugar.

2. Invest in 2 freezable gel packs. Freeze both and take one out when ready and place it on your bare feet.  When the pack on your feet gets warm, replace it with the other.  You can bring these packs with you to work.  Sitting behind a hot desk will become more bearable this way.

3. Wear light-coloured and loose-fitting clothing. I know this is obvious but sometimes I forget since I tend to wear a lot of black, so if you can manage to do this, do so!

4. Put some fruit in the freezer for a light, healthy and cool snack. Frozen grapes are especially delicious.  Semi-frozen berries as well.  Healthy and less fattening than ice cream.

5. Try the cooling breath - a yoga technique. How to do this?  Check out these website for instructions:

http://yoga.about.com/od/breathing/a/shitali.htm

6. Run cold water over your feet. This is especially good to do when you get home from work for a whole body cool-down.

7. Put your lotion in the fridge. A great way to cool down at bedtime!  Slather the cold lotion on your skin before sleeping.  It feels really good and your skin will thank you for it.

8. Sleep with your feet hanging off the edge of your bed. This technique allows your feet cool and thus your whole body as well.

Looking for more tips to save some cash?  Then be sure to visit the Saving Tips section of this website.

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Jul 26 0 comments
Money and Relationships, Saving Tips

Got Friends With Talent? You’ve Got A Great Party

Last night I had the privilege of attending my friends’ second wedding, their renewal of vows after 16 years of blissful marriage.

This celebration was great not only because it was to celebrate a lasting love between two people, but also on the money side of things, was made way more affordable because of the bride’s people skills, practicality and cash smarts.

Instead of gifts, friends and family were asked to help in the organizing and planning and contributing to the event.  For entertainment, my boyfriend, a musician, was asked to play his guitar to accompany another friend, a trained singer, while she sang the couple’s favorite songs.  Other friends were asked to contribute their well-known home-made floral arrangements, another friend, a seamstress, made the bride’s and flower girls’ dresses.  Some friends who were known for certain recipes brought the food, another was placed in charge of the grill as he loves to barbeque.  Someone who recently bought a fancy new camera was assigned photography duties and more than happily clicked away all night long.   Others who had organizational skills coordinated everyone else by making all the phone calls, sending out the invites, etc.

In their contributions, people’s unique talents were showcased.  Not only did the guests feel good about helping the couple out with the party, but they also felt good about being able to show-off and be recognized for their skills.

My compliments to the bride for some very smart party planning.

Looking for more tips to save some cash?  Then be sure to visit the Saving Tips section of this website.  Or how about reading on how money affects our relationships?  Read the Money and Relationships section.

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Jul 19 3 comments
Cheap Eats, Money and Relationships, Organize, Saving Tips

POTLUCK

My friends are having a barbeque tonight. Instead of buying all the food themselves, they have asked each of the invited guests to bring a dish to share  and to bring their own booze.  It’s a great way to make sure there is enough food for everyone and that each guest likes to eat and enjoys at least one dish (the one that they brought, most likely).

I find potlucks are a great idea and an awesome money-saving trick for a party or get-together since both guests and hosts tend to spend too much at a conventional gathering: hosts spend a wad of cash on the food and drinks and the guests spend to bring a gift for the host (like wine or flowers).  With a potluck everyone contributes and takes the money pressure off, especially for the host.

Want to throw a party but are on a tight budget?  A potluck might be the perfect answer for you.  I’d go a step further…  Find out if your guests have allergies or diet needs/food restrictions then try to accommodate these by planning a menu with everyone invited.  Ask each guest to commit to a dish with the appropriate ingredients for everyone. This will also ensure the party won’t have 3 macaroni salads and 10 desserts and too little entrees.

Looking for more tips to save some cash?  Then be sure to visit the Saving Tips section of this website.  Craving Cheap Food Recipes?  Visit the Cheap Eats section of this website for some tasty meals.  For more organizing tips and stories, visit the Organizing section of this website.  Or how about reading on how money affects our relationships?  Read the Money and Relationships section.

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