tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post6635465273898991456..comments2024-03-29T16:34:01.380+10:00Comments on down to earth: The last optionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-40863419623013187652010-11-10T09:11:54.012+10:002010-11-10T09:11:54.012+10:00We raise cattle for beef so we have our own meat s...We raise cattle for beef so we have our own meat supply but we have friends in town who group together with relatives/friends/neighbours and buy a whole beast once or twice a year from the sales or direct from a farm and have it killed and butchered. It works out as a flat rate per kilo but much cheaper than buying it in small amounts weekly.RobynLouisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08050372484207822842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-68814332174691503402010-11-10T03:59:58.489+10:002010-11-10T03:59:58.489+10:00Great post Rhonda (love the new picture too!), and...Great post Rhonda (love the new picture too!), and my fellow readers have some great suggestions!<br /><br />Here's what I've been doing to save:<br />- My other half and I wrote up a budget four months ago, after struggling for months to pay down our credit card. And, for the past two months we have been saving every receipt and I calculate where our money is actually going at the end of the month.<br />- When we paid for things in cash, we would save all the coins in a container and roll them when it started getting full - last time we got $140 from this change!<br />- We have our bank cards set up to automatically round each purchase up to the nearest $5 and deposit the difference in our savings account - this past month we saved $130 this way.<br />- I have found that staying home is the easiest way to not spend. When I do go in to town, I bring a list, plan the most efficient route, and take pride in getting home as quick as possible.<br />- We have been trying to purchase used items instead of new when possible.<br />- We go to our local warehouse store - Costco up here in Canada - every two or three months and load up on meat for the freezer and other bulk items. Last time, we paid $24 for 11 chicken breasts, where buying two at the grocery store costs about $5.50.<br />- We point out the schemes in TV ads ("If you buy this product, your house will be so much cleaner, and by the way, did you notice that big screen TV in the background? A clean house has a big screen TV.") and have a good chuckle over how naive they think everyone is. Once you stop being lead by the ads and start realizing what they're trying to do, it's quite amusing to see how a new vacuum or blender will supposedly improve your life.<br />- We try to be honest with ourselves, and not thin we can live with no spending money, or always do the cheapest thing. We rented a more expensive house for three months (and left for reasons other than money, although that was a factor) because we knew we'd regret the missed opportunity if we didn't (and it was the nicest place available at the time).<br />- We use the library for our reading materials, and our research. We will be raising chickens and planting a garden for the first time in the spring, so we are taking out various rural living books.<br /><br />All the best,<br />MandiUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18000009238718668784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-78271849652442447472010-11-10T03:36:13.843+10:002010-11-10T03:36:13.843+10:00Great post. I was just talking with a friend yeste...Great post. I was just talking with a friend yesterday about how important it is to not equate "frugal" with "no fun." My husband and I now find spending to be a chore - because saving is fun! Having money for the things that are really important is fun! It's all about perspective...<br />Many thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-3929064137782839292010-11-10T03:07:25.531+10:002010-11-10T03:07:25.531+10:00I thought I would add this idea, for those, like m...I thought I would add this idea, for those, like me, who read book blogs or have friends recommending books online.<br /><br />I used to buy books if I couldn't get them at my local library, but discovered that if I keep a notebook next to the computer and write down the title of the book I am tempted to buy, the simple act of writing down the title seems to satisfy the urge to buy it! This amuses me a lot, but it works.<br /><br />It would probably work for other things. If you are tempted to buy something, write it down in a notebook. I never refer back to what I've written down. Pretty amazing simple tool.Thickethouse.wordpresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17187303460677067276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-48520444802308175592010-11-10T02:14:26.756+10:002010-11-10T02:14:26.756+10:00When budgeting and cutting back, it is too easy fo...When budgeting and cutting back, it is too easy for me to start feeling cold, hungry and destitute, before even beginning! But when I start looking at all that we already have: food in the cupboards, clothes in the closets, more "entertainment" items than anybody needs, a roof and walls to keep out the elements, plenty of blankets and comforters, I start feeling rich rather than deprived. Then I am able to be objective about what items are truly necessities, and spend or not spend accordingly.Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09351754790180154803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-89375595642223450282010-11-10T02:03:24.653+10:002010-11-10T02:03:24.653+10:00I went back to cash for groceries and entertainmen...I went back to cash for groceries and entertainment. When the cash runs out so does the purchasing. I find it much easier to stick to a budget for something that is so variable and every week when I see cash in an envelope. <br /><br />I then set-up a budget that takes care of all of my bills and puts aside money for different funds with such names as clothing, vacation, car, medical, house repair and so on. Each month, some money goes into the fund. From that fund I can pay for things that are highly variable and occur infrequently and hopefully save for anything I might want to purchase (eg. a new dryer) if I don't spend all of the money in that fund. These category funds are completely different from my emergency fund. I consider that to be for true disasters - like say major medical from a serious car accident or job loss. The category funds are meant to deal with reasonably regular items like a doctor's visit or a car repair rather than a major catastrophe. I also put aside money each month to build up my emergency fund and to pay down my mortgage.<br /><br />All of the money I bring into the house is accounted for whether it goes to bills or category funding. I don't have a dime left over. I like the funds idea because it helps me save for big ticket items in different categories.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-18917443666769094472010-11-10T02:02:30.629+10:002010-11-10T02:02:30.629+10:00I have a 21 year old daughter just starting out in...I have a 21 year old daughter just starting out in life. Her dad and I have lived frugally for so long it has rubbed of on her. My best advice for someone starting out 'fresh' is to be unencumbered. <br /><br />1. College is fine .. just pay as you go. <br /><br />2. A new car and subsequent payment will halt finances. Buy an older car for cash and save for a nicer one. <br /><br />3. When newly married, live on one paycheck and bank the second .. even if that means living in a trailer or small apartment.<br /><br />4. When babies start arriving, don't try keeping up with the 'Jones' .. you just need to keep up with rambunctious toddlers.<br /><br />5. By from thrift stores .. spray paint and repurposing new life into something old is often times better than buying new junk.Mrs. Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06644129213141875138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-47379636824667932382010-11-10T01:41:28.491+10:002010-11-10T01:41:28.491+10:00Excellent post! At one time I had several credit ...Excellent post! At one time I had several credit cards with debt on them. I read some wonderful advice that worked. Pay the minimum on all but one (the one with the highest interest), decide how much extra you can put toward that one and pay it down as quickly as possible. Then take all the money you put toward that credit card and apply it to another, plus the minimum you had been paying on that one. Keep doing this until all the credit cards are payed off. Then as you say, cut all but one credit card up. I worked wonderfully and I have been credit card debt free for over a decade.<br /><br />-BrendaSense of Home Kitchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06670637532208860258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-86670404044970905492010-11-10T00:19:32.186+10:002010-11-10T00:19:32.186+10:00Amen I am in total agreement with you about stayin...Amen I am in total agreement with you about staying out of debt. That is why our Country is in the shape it is in, everyone trying to live above their means, and on credit, well after a while and with loosing jobs and such it just cannot be paid, the debt just mounds and it is a terrible thing to be in such bondage to the world.<br />I praise God he give us wisdom many years ago about this very thing. Thank you lord, and thank you for this post, it is very much needed, Hugs my friend.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09800203244324984782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-42692290961411855112010-11-10T00:12:04.293+10:002010-11-10T00:12:04.293+10:00Hello!
I don't know that I have advice to offe...Hello!<br />I don't know that I have advice to offer, but I can say what works for me and my family. The first step towards getting out of debt was to create our money book. It is where we keep all our bills, our expenses, what we pay out, what we put into savings, etc. It is a month-by-month book since our expenses and income vary per month, but we can get a good generalization of the entire year by looking at it. It has been invaluable when going on this new path to financial freedom. <br />Changing the way we think about money changed other things for us as well. We started a garden, which meant growing some of our own food. Then we started conserving water and electricity, which reduced our bills. We started composting and recycling, which reduced our trash output and subsequently our trash bill (we pay per bag). There are so many little changes that will add up to big changes.<br />The best advice I could give anyone wanting to cut back on their debt is to never give up. Times will get rough; you'll want to throw in the towel. Trust me, I know. I've felt that way plenty of times. But persevere. Getting out of debt will be liberating. Once that first credit card is paid off, or loan, what have you, you'll feel strengthened. You'll want to do more. And you can because you'll have that extra money. It will just take some dedication. But it's worth it.<br />Thanks for the post, Rhonda!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-22012484865591531902010-11-09T22:50:23.706+10:002010-11-09T22:50:23.706+10:00This is something I've been working on for a l...This is something I've been working on for a long time. For 4 years now, we've been on a tight budget, but have been bad spenders until early this year, when I finally started budgeting, but then quit after only a month, because my husband wasn't really on board, and even while I budget, he has a hard time not spending.<br />He's also a social butterfly, and when we spend every night of the week at home doing home-cooked meals, and limiting our car usage (we have a really old van with bad mileage), he gets antsy and wants to go out. Right now we literally have NO extra money, barely enough to pay the bills, honestly, but he still wants to go out and "do something" which usually involves spending money. I want him to have a budget for that, but it would still be very limited. How can I make him see how important staying in is to our finances without making him miserable (not saying I want him to never ever go out, just not as much)?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-76629260467110205762010-11-09T22:40:13.763+10:002010-11-09T22:40:13.763+10:00I am in the UK and follow the Dave Ramsey plan tha...I am in the UK and follow the Dave Ramsey plan that someone mentioned here. You can go to his website and listen to his radio show archives, all the steps are on the website. Its no magic formula, just simple straightforward stuff. After going bankrupt in his twenties, he now does not do debt at all and is now very successful. One thing I learned, you do not need to borrow to buy a car. Start saving now if you can afford to and only spend whatever that amount is. Thats what we did and it felt great.Tonyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05021181658615554946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-39861803411455274632010-11-09T22:37:59.021+10:002010-11-09T22:37:59.021+10:00Thank you for great post Rhonda!
My tip for budget...Thank you for great post Rhonda!<br />My tip for budgeting: Realise your essential basic needs. They are not many are they? Then realise the fact that things can never buy you happiness or contentment. I know you understand me Rhonda and I leave it up to you to refine this if you want.<br />Love <br />Kristin<br />ICELANDUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17234907386632215469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-62979716701476672702010-11-09T22:18:37.949+10:002010-11-09T22:18:37.949+10:00My husband and I had the privilage of seeing Dave ...My husband and I had the privilage of seeing Dave Ramsey live about a month ago and it was SO good. We are having to learn to live on less due to me working less.Kimberlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01570522220381534259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-51900429187431224092010-11-09T21:30:41.897+10:002010-11-09T21:30:41.897+10:00Morning!
Great pic Rhonda! I would like to add o...Morning!<br /><br />Great pic Rhonda! I would like to add one thing I didn't see mentioned....make a menu. I do it for the work week and it is a way to plan for the use of leftovers and a great way to get kids involved too. The days may be interchangable meal wise but once the week is done I have eliminated waste, economized on the food bill and improved the nutrition of the food we ate. When its posted on the fridge you can't deny what you ate or impulsively make a junk food meal.Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15032479084775154076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-15810895763356411212010-11-09T20:29:57.379+10:002010-11-09T20:29:57.379+10:00Earlier this year I set myself a challenge of not ...Earlier this year I set myself a challenge of not spending any money for 3 months apart from for essentials. I saved so much money in those 3 months and I learned a lot about doing without things. Since then I really think about what I'm buying and if I really need it or not. Now, I'm on a new challenge of buying only second-hand or hand-made goods for a whole year. I'm one month in and so far I haven't bought anything new. I'm saving so much money which will go towards renovating our house. It's amazing how little money you can live on when you put your mind to it.Sarah Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056904503443805398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-87824015265234591012010-11-09T19:41:38.523+10:002010-11-09T19:41:38.523+10:00I believe that the economic crisis is only really ...I believe that the economic crisis is only really beginning. There is many tough years ahead for people, at least here in Ireland and indeed throughout Europe. Learning to be frugal, accepting a simple lifestyle and being content and happy with what we have will be the salvation of many of us, not that difficult for me as I saw tough times in the years gone by. <br /><br />JonJonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14712677304356967253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-74195006345863831932010-11-09T19:28:20.241+10:002010-11-09T19:28:20.241+10:00Dear Rhonda
wonderfully put advice, as you know I...Dear Rhonda<br /> wonderfully put advice, as you know I am from the U.K and the district that I live in has some families where there hasn’t been employment for 2 or 3 generations . There are also an increasing number who are just a couple of pay cheques from the street and this is increasingly becoming the new norm. I have also notice the basic product I have been buying from the super market have been steadily rising 3p on my cheep shampoo and the same on some other basic items. I have even had to down grade my landmine and mobile phone package, would like to loose the mobile but as I am a carer it needs to stay.<br />I did however after reading an article in my newspaper on comparison shopping and switching to own brands or there basics brand did manage to save a heap of money for example through thee reality of me not being able to afford a dentist I would buy an expensive top named brand toothpaste at £4.56. decided to look at there basics brand this was 17p for 75ml 25ml less than the named brand and the difference in the main active ingredients was negligible and I can purchase nearly 26 tubes of the cheaper one for 1 of the expensive ones.<br />I did this for a lot more items realising that even though I was buying a budget brand in the first place.<br />I do wish I was in a position to do a lot of my own personal care products and the like but time is always fleeting here.<br />So I what I can with what I have cooking and making some soft furnishing items is all I can manage for now but its a start!<br />Keep up the good posts <br />Rachel<br /><br />http://www.josephrowntree.org/Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12384910681491031983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-73901935741993876082010-11-09T15:50:09.765+10:002010-11-09T15:50:09.765+10:00Lovely post as always Rhonda, I love reading your ...Lovely post as always Rhonda, I love reading your blog and it always inspires me. I`m probably a little different from your other readers...living in an extremely isolated area with no access to shops apart from a tiny `local` shop which does it`s best to stock everything, but compared to supermarkets, is vastly overpriced. There is no public transport here and I have no private transport, so it`s that shop or nothing. There are times I would love a supermarket for essentials, as the few times I`ve been in one, they are vastly cheaper than I can get here. :-)<br />I agree wholeheartedly with the budget, and am about to `redo` mine to take into account changed circumstance, so would add that your budget should be reviewed yearly to take such changes in hand.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-69738216545842868982010-11-09T15:48:02.455+10:002010-11-09T15:48:02.455+10:00Hi Rhonda,
I recently started recording my budget ...Hi Rhonda,<br />I recently started recording my budget and expenses on my computer using a program called You Need a Budget. I'm loving it. I was budgeting and tracking expenses before but often missed things that would put me over for the month. Now instead of being over I'm finding it easier to decide where I can save a little bit more instead. There are lots of other programs - some free, some not, that can be used. <br />I really enjoy reading your blog and find it very encouraging. I can't wait to read your book.<br />Thanks, Carriecarriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14454022280654240790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-76569163629005528882010-11-09T13:21:08.217+10:002010-11-09T13:21:08.217+10:00I've been honing my budget for a while and my ...I've been honing my budget for a while and my most recent change has been to give myself an allowance. I used to just buy what I wanted with credit cards and hope that the numbers would even out at the end of the month. While this kind of worked, I always felt out of control not knowing quite how much I had spent until I got the bill. And I would often have to use the money I wanted to set aside for savings to be able to pay off the credit card bill. Now, I give myself a $200 cash allowance (aka fun money)for the month. This way, the money is tangible and I know exactly how much I have spent and what I have left. I've been taking cash out for groceries as well. Now all I use my credit card for is gas for the car, really. And the occasional online purchase.Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12357868823803790217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-74646591028155660522010-11-09T11:30:02.350+10:002010-11-09T11:30:02.350+10:00I think one thing that can be helpful is attitude....I think one thing that can be helpful is attitude. If you're trying to set a budget and save money, try to see it as a challenge. Seeing it this way makes it a lot more palatable and, in my experience, also makes it a lot easier to stay on track because it feels like a choice rather than something that's forced. There are so many ways to save money, but I think attitude is so important - if you're not interested, or feel like it's a burden, or hopeless, or worse, it's harder to do. It can be hard, but if you can change how you see the process and make it as much fun as possible, it becomes a whole lot easier, even when times are tough.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-78397826161814029652010-11-09T10:54:00.610+10:002010-11-09T10:54:00.610+10:00Like others, I have a separate account specificall...Like others, I have a separate account specifically for bills. The mortgage comes out of that one too. We added up a years worth of bills and divided it by 52 to work out the weekly rate. Each week that amount gets put in that account so that majority of the time the bills are covered. We did just have a blow out but thankfully that is a rarity.<br />We don't have credit cards, our only debt is our mortgage.<br />We struggle week to week like everyone else but at least we know that we pay cash for everything and if we don't have the money then we can't have the luxury items. We still seem to accrue way too much "stuff" but we are working hard on that to make it so that we can put more money into our mortgage and try to whittle it away faster.<br />Thanks for the uplifting post today Rhonda, sometimes it feels like its only you who struggles with money. It is good to be able to pool everyone's ideas on different ways to try to get ahead.OurGangof7https://www.blogger.com/profile/11112909755671690941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-68054481819393221542010-11-09T10:53:44.785+10:002010-11-09T10:53:44.785+10:00Like others, I have a separate account specificall...Like others, I have a separate account specifically for bills. The mortgage comes out of that one too. We added up a years worth of bills and divided it by 52 to work out the weekly rate. Each week that amount gets put in that account so that majority of the time the bills are covered. We did just have a blow out but thankfully that is a rarity.<br />We don't have credit cards, our only debt is our mortgage.<br />We struggle week to week like everyone else but at least we know that we pay cash for everything and if we don't have the money then we can't have the luxury items. We still seem to accrue way too much "stuff" but we are working hard on that to make it so that we can put more money into our mortgage and try to whittle it away faster.<br />Thanks for the uplifting post today Rhonda, sometimes it feels like its only you who struggles with money. It is good to be able to pool everyone's ideas on different ways to try to get ahead.OurGangof7https://www.blogger.com/profile/11112909755671690941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-25704893047904230232010-11-09T10:44:53.134+10:002010-11-09T10:44:53.134+10:00I think the key step is to stop regarding shopping...I think the key step is to stop regarding shopping as a pastime and reframe it, as it used to be, as an activity where you purchase things you need. I see so many people going to the mall for something to do, and of course, they spend money whilst they are there. I try to go only very occassionally with a very specific idea of what I want.String Theoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09741867531574462408noreply@blogger.com