February, 2009
Is Living Cheap Really Worth It? Ask Alan and Bob.
Excerpt from: http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/12/04/is-living-cheap-really-worth-it-ask-alan-and-bob/
"""In one sentence, StevenL spells out the problem that many have with converting to a fiscally responsible mindset. If you’re earning $80,000 a year, shouldn’t you be living an $80,000 lifestyle? The actual truth of the matter is that well-managed personal finance means that by living below your means now, you can live beyond your wildest dreams in the future. Perhaps an example will clearly illustrate this principle."""
Urban Container Gardening
There is something very satisfying about growing your own food and you don’t need an acre of land or a lot of money to do it. With food prices skyrocketing and consumer’s wallets tightening, container gardening is a very economical way to grow fresh produce for a fraction of the cost of purchasing it at the store. Imagine freshly prepared salads and salsas made from lettuces, tomatoes and cilantro grown on your balcony or patio. The luxury of having an endless supply of fresh herbs and vegetables, free of pesticides, is simple and available to anyone regardless of space. With container gardening you can raise a surprisingly large amount of organic produce in a relatively small space.
I love my shoes! (shoe shopping tips)
One of my mini-goals in life is to have a closet full of awesomely cute shoes. Much to the dismay of my boyfriend, I'm getting mighty close!
Just paying off that car loan? Don't buy again right away!
Just the other day a friend of mine told me a story about paying off her car loan. She was in her office and was telling a coworker how excited she was to have just paid it off. Her coworker's response was enthusiastic but came with the immediate question, "So what car are you going to get now?" My friend was confused. She wasn't going to get a new car. She just paid off her current one and was happy to not have any more payments! Once I heard this story, it occured to me just how comfortable we americans have become with our debt and payments. It's typical to buy a new car immediately after paying off or often times before even paying off the current loan. It's unfortunate that we've become accustom to that because that kind of mentality can literally cost you millions of the course of your lifetime - and for what? Is it worth it to always have a new car that you won't care about in a few years anyway? Imagine if I could offer you an amount between $600k and 2.6 million dollars cash at the age of 62 if you could only buy cars under $12k until then. Would you do it? Here's how to make it a reality.
Avoid spring break and Cancun, Mexico can be cheap and fun
Before last week, I had only been to border towns in Mexico. This is the off-season but I was dying to take an impulsive trip somewhere and after seeing those $500 Air and Hotel included commercials on TV, I decided to look into it. Later that night, for $600 each, my friend and I were both booked for a 5 day trip to fly from Minneapolis to Cancun and stay at a small, pretty resort on the strip. Being my first big low-budget impulse trip, I was happy to find that everything ended up being far more affordable than I had ever thought it could be. We did, however, learn a few ways to do things better and really maximize on the experience.