The holiday season is right around the corner and midterms are now over (at least I hope for some of you). I'm getting ready to start holiday shopping, in fact, I already have, so I won't be so stressed out after finals are over, with little cash. Here's some tips for gift buying:
-Don't wait until the last minute to shop for someone. Do you ever go to a store, and see something on sale and think, I don't like that, but so and so would love that. I went shopping to find some more shirts for myself (since my ones are collecting mothballs) and I saw this great gift for my boyfriend on sale: It was a college sweatshirt for only $20. Normally these things are $50
-Always save the bag! I hate having to buy new gift bags that are $3. I try to save any kind of bag that I could possibly give a gift in. You can use handle bags from stores, or recycle what someone else has given you. If you don't have enough, then go to Ross and you can buy a few bags for the price of one!
-Clean out your own closet. I'm in the process of decluttering my apartment, and I found this great make up bag I got from Victoria's Secret which retails for $24. I'm definitely going to use this for one of my friends.
-Make your own gifts. Some of the best gifts I've gotten are ones with the most thought...not the most money spent. I really liked the gifts my friends made me of photos, and inside jokes we had.
-Make your own cards. Cards are expensive! Now that finals are coming up, make cards to take a study break. It relieves stress and it's productive!
What are your cheap gift tips?
What are your tips for frugal gift giving?
Monday, November 3, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Basics: Budgeting Part II
Budgeting is necessary for life. We're all extremely busy, and who has time to be careful with your expenses? I know I don't carry around my budget everywhere I go even though I spend it all pretty quickly. Here's some great things you can do to help manage your money even when you are too busy.
1. Make Time for your budget. This is so important and helps set the whole system up. If you can't dedicate the time to it, then you will never be able to have the chance to make small and set goals. Try doing this Friday afternoons, since you probably aren't doing your homework, and it's before the weekend so you can be careful before you go shopping or out.
2. Use online banking. My life got so much easier when I started using banks that uses online banking. I use Bank of America and they are very tech savy. They have online banking and even mobile banking.
3. Use Mint.com. This is one of the best things you can do for yourself. I have multiple bank accounts and I hate having to go back and forth to figure out where my money. Mint.com is completely safe, works with online banking, and sends you text messages with alerts about your spending. I can go to one website to review my expenses and check how it is matching up with my budget.
4. If you have a smartphone, use a checkbook application. I have a palm centro, and I found this great freeware called checkbook (http://www.freewarepalm.com/financial/mycheckbook.shtml) where I can input the data into my phone.
1. Make Time for your budget. This is so important and helps set the whole system up. If you can't dedicate the time to it, then you will never be able to have the chance to make small and set goals. Try doing this Friday afternoons, since you probably aren't doing your homework, and it's before the weekend so you can be careful before you go shopping or out.
2. Use online banking. My life got so much easier when I started using banks that uses online banking. I use Bank of America and they are very tech savy. They have online banking and even mobile banking.
3. Use Mint.com. This is one of the best things you can do for yourself. I have multiple bank accounts and I hate having to go back and forth to figure out where my money. Mint.com is completely safe, works with online banking, and sends you text messages with alerts about your spending. I can go to one website to review my expenses and check how it is matching up with my budget.
4. If you have a smartphone, use a checkbook application. I have a palm centro, and I found this great freeware called checkbook (http://www.freewarepalm.com/financial/mycheckbook.shtml) where I can input the data into my phone.
Attitude is everything: Change your mind and you can change your results
Today let me say, was an awful day hands down. Why? I suffer with ADHD and anxiety. They are triggered easily for me, and almost everyday is a war between my mind, body, and my goals. Today was a day, that I let everything get the best of me. I stayed up until 4am Sunday night forcing myself to focus and read for my marketing class. I was so exhuasted Monday night tha tI fell asleep early on Monday night, slept though my PE class and then realizing I had a quiz in finance that afternoon, I had a panic attack. Because I had a panic attack, I had a hard time calming myself down and missed my Bengali class because as much as I wanted and needed to be there, I have broken down in public many times before, but I don't want to bring it into the academic setting. I was almost late for my finance class and took my quiz. I physically could not keep my shaking hands steady to write out the numbers of my quiz and keep my mind focused on my quiz. I did all right and luckily, my professor drops one. I have already made A's on my others, but I'm not worried. The problem is my experience of going through this is not infrequent. It happens a few times a week. I want to give up most of the time, and today is one of those days, I just want to quit college, but I won't because I am better than a college drop out.
I ran across a great post today to give me some guidelines to help my motivation from the blog "Change your thoughts."
There is this saying that “We all have issues that we need to deal with.” No matter how much of a well-rounded person you think you are, you should admit to the fact that nobody is perfect and there is a particular part of your personality which probably looks weird or is annoying for others.
However, these little quirks, annoying habits and personal rituals that you just cannot seem to get rid of what is makes each person unique and interesting.
What is a Better Way to Look at Your Character Flaws?
The first thing that you need to do when dealing with your character flaws is to accept it is a part of who you are. Again, remember that these characteristics are the things that make each individual unique, so you might as well accept it.
To have a deeper understanding of what character flaws are all about, here is a brief look into its two main types.
First, there is the minor character flaw. This includes a little quirk like habitual lateness that you just cannot seem to shrug off. Or being easily irritable, especially in the mornings.
How about having a boiling temper, when you easily get all hot and bothered over the little things?
Second, there are major character flaws – serious problems such as gambling, addiction or alcoholism.
Major character flaws are highly ‘treatable’ – there are professionals who can help get you out of your addiction or alcoholism. But what about the minor character flaws which is not readily obvious from an outsider’s point of view? Read on to find out how exactly you can deal with this.
Tips on Dealing with Your Character Flaws
Basically, dealing with minor character flaws can either be a short-term ‘treatment’ – or a lifelong process.
For example, if you are a habitual procrastinator – learning about time management can easily ‘cure’ you of this minor character flaw.
But what about being easily irritable? For this, you may want to analyze yourself and learn how this character flaw is affecting others.
When you’ve had a bad day at work and you come home to your family – do you often snap at your family members because of your annoyance over what happened in the workplace?
Put yourself in your family’s shoes and imagine how you will react if you get a ’snappish’ response over an otherwise innocent question. Naturally, you will get hurt, especially if you do not know the reason behind such behavior.
Second, if you feel that your minor character flaw can easily be adjusted for a newer, better you – go out of your way and try to change it. This is especially true if your personality quirks are negatively affecting your colleagues or your loved ones.
All in all, character flaws are a natural part of one’s personality. Depending on how it affects others – you can consciously take the necessary steps to change or accept it as part of who you are. No matter which of these two options you choose, the important thing is for you to learn how to deal with your character flaws and accept them as part of who you really are as a person.
Here's a direct link to his blog: http://www.stevenaitchison.co.uk/blog/2008/10/12/accepting-and-dealing-with-your-character-flaws/
I ran across a great post today to give me some guidelines to help my motivation from the blog "Change your thoughts."
There is this saying that “We all have issues that we need to deal with.” No matter how much of a well-rounded person you think you are, you should admit to the fact that nobody is perfect and there is a particular part of your personality which probably looks weird or is annoying for others.
However, these little quirks, annoying habits and personal rituals that you just cannot seem to get rid of what is makes each person unique and interesting.
What is a Better Way to Look at Your Character Flaws?
The first thing that you need to do when dealing with your character flaws is to accept it is a part of who you are. Again, remember that these characteristics are the things that make each individual unique, so you might as well accept it.
To have a deeper understanding of what character flaws are all about, here is a brief look into its two main types.
First, there is the minor character flaw. This includes a little quirk like habitual lateness that you just cannot seem to shrug off. Or being easily irritable, especially in the mornings.
How about having a boiling temper, when you easily get all hot and bothered over the little things?
Second, there are major character flaws – serious problems such as gambling, addiction or alcoholism.
Major character flaws are highly ‘treatable’ – there are professionals who can help get you out of your addiction or alcoholism. But what about the minor character flaws which is not readily obvious from an outsider’s point of view? Read on to find out how exactly you can deal with this.
Tips on Dealing with Your Character Flaws
Basically, dealing with minor character flaws can either be a short-term ‘treatment’ – or a lifelong process.
For example, if you are a habitual procrastinator – learning about time management can easily ‘cure’ you of this minor character flaw.
But what about being easily irritable? For this, you may want to analyze yourself and learn how this character flaw is affecting others.
When you’ve had a bad day at work and you come home to your family – do you often snap at your family members because of your annoyance over what happened in the workplace?
Put yourself in your family’s shoes and imagine how you will react if you get a ’snappish’ response over an otherwise innocent question. Naturally, you will get hurt, especially if you do not know the reason behind such behavior.
Second, if you feel that your minor character flaw can easily be adjusted for a newer, better you – go out of your way and try to change it. This is especially true if your personality quirks are negatively affecting your colleagues or your loved ones.
All in all, character flaws are a natural part of one’s personality. Depending on how it affects others – you can consciously take the necessary steps to change or accept it as part of who you are. No matter which of these two options you choose, the important thing is for you to learn how to deal with your character flaws and accept them as part of who you really are as a person.
Here's a direct link to his blog: http://www.stevenaitchison.co.uk/blog/2008/10/12/accepting-and-dealing-with-your-character-flaws/
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Getting Things Done: An Introduction
College is a unique experience for us all. I never have been so challenged before in my life with taking care of myself, my school work, and trying to live a somewhat balanced life. But let me be honest here:I don't live a balanced life. Sometimes I end up staying up for no reason, and then in the morning I'm so tired, I'm barely staying awake in class. You can probably guess that I'm that girl in your classes who runs in barely on time with wet hair. This past month, I have paid a lot more for convenience for things because I was in a hurry and too disorganized to even worry about my budget. Procrastination kills me in school, and now in my finances. For example, I was about to be late on paying my eletric bill and I paid online with a $5 charge, rather than my $1 processing fee I normally paid.
Frustrated by all of these problems, I have searched for ways that I could make some changes to my life, and I found the "Getting Things Done" system. This is an action plan that involves a workflow process to help us record our own tasks externally, so we can focus on our actions rather than the task itself. This system is amazing! It has some really great fanatics around. Through my procrastination on the computer, I have slowly become a fanatic as well!
I admit, I haven't read the book, I've been trying to understand the system without the book by reading blogs about the GTD system. Being the frugal person I am, I already found it at my university library and put in a request for it.
Frustrated by all of these problems, I have searched for ways that I could make some changes to my life, and I found the "Getting Things Done" system. This is an action plan that involves a workflow process to help us record our own tasks externally, so we can focus on our actions rather than the task itself. This system is amazing! It has some really great fanatics around. Through my procrastination on the computer, I have slowly become a fanatic as well!
I admit, I haven't read the book, I've been trying to understand the system without the book by reading blogs about the GTD system. Being the frugal person I am, I already found it at my university library and put in a request for it.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
I'm Back!
I'm here living the broke life still and surviving college. And I am basically surviving college, meaning that I haven't been paying attention to my budget, but I'm getting back on track with my personal finance blog.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Budget Month #1
So here's a review of my first budget.
I didn't keep track of my budget by the end of the month. Keeping track of it by myself, is a REALLY big task! But I did find something amazing: www.mint.com
I linked up all my online checking accounts and it automatically tells me where all my money went. I was a bit surprised:
I spent $212 on Eating out last month. I need to get this down for my own health reasons and money.
I also spent $340 on shopping. I didn't even realize how much I spent on shopping!
For August, I'm going to focus my spending on one goal: Food consumption. My goals is to spend $75 on fast food this month ( I know that's still a lot, but I'm trying to reduce!) and about $30 in restaurants.
Wish me luck!
I didn't keep track of my budget by the end of the month. Keeping track of it by myself, is a REALLY big task! But I did find something amazing: www.mint.com
I linked up all my online checking accounts and it automatically tells me where all my money went. I was a bit surprised:
I spent $212 on Eating out last month. I need to get this down for my own health reasons and money.
I also spent $340 on shopping. I didn't even realize how much I spent on shopping!
For August, I'm going to focus my spending on one goal: Food consumption. My goals is to spend $75 on fast food this month ( I know that's still a lot, but I'm trying to reduce!) and about $30 in restaurants.
Wish me luck!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The Good News and the Bad News for my Budget
The good news
I started using cash to take care of all my discretionary spending. This is my first month of tracking my expenses and I realize that I am not to be trusted with a debit card!
So I took out $40 and told myself that this will be what I have to spend on fast food and friends for the rest of the month.
The bad news:
I spent all but $4 in two days. I ate waaay too much fast food. I spent the weekend in my home town and I drove back to college since I still have one more session of summer school left. I had McDonald's for Breakfast, Burger King for lunch, and I ordered a pizza for dinner because I was waaaaaay too tired to make anything for myself.
I felt worse do to the fact that I spent $150 for books. One of my professors did not put in her requests for books until the very last minute, so I couldn't have ordered from amazon.com or half.com because I needed the book the very next day and the library was out of the books. I could have helped one book though. I ordered all my government books but one, and I thought I would do it later, when I got to it...well I never got to it, and ended up paying $25 extra for it.
Also, I didn't account for a huge amount of spending I didn't plan for. I went to the dermatologist for a skin problem I had, and I had to spend $53 for an eye cream I didn't plan on buying and the $150 extra for books also messed me up. Though, I had a lot of room in my budget, I thought that I wouldn't need the extra money, so I spent it on things that I wanted such as a wallet.
My Silver Lining:
I felt discouraged about all of this, but I'm still learning and I know I am making mistakes, but I will be sure to change my eating habits. I have been trying for years to make myself stop eating fast food, now that I don't have the financial means to, so I will stop this.
As for the books...I will never procrastinate ordering books when I can help it.
I started using cash to take care of all my discretionary spending. This is my first month of tracking my expenses and I realize that I am not to be trusted with a debit card!
So I took out $40 and told myself that this will be what I have to spend on fast food and friends for the rest of the month.
The bad news:
I spent all but $4 in two days. I ate waaay too much fast food. I spent the weekend in my home town and I drove back to college since I still have one more session of summer school left. I had McDonald's for Breakfast, Burger King for lunch, and I ordered a pizza for dinner because I was waaaaaay too tired to make anything for myself.
I felt worse do to the fact that I spent $150 for books. One of my professors did not put in her requests for books until the very last minute, so I couldn't have ordered from amazon.com or half.com because I needed the book the very next day and the library was out of the books. I could have helped one book though. I ordered all my government books but one, and I thought I would do it later, when I got to it...well I never got to it, and ended up paying $25 extra for it.
Also, I didn't account for a huge amount of spending I didn't plan for. I went to the dermatologist for a skin problem I had, and I had to spend $53 for an eye cream I didn't plan on buying and the $150 extra for books also messed me up. Though, I had a lot of room in my budget, I thought that I wouldn't need the extra money, so I spent it on things that I wanted such as a wallet.
My Silver Lining:
I felt discouraged about all of this, but I'm still learning and I know I am making mistakes, but I will be sure to change my eating habits. I have been trying for years to make myself stop eating fast food, now that I don't have the financial means to, so I will stop this.
As for the books...I will never procrastinate ordering books when I can help it.
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