Skip to main content

Survivalist Mode

I recently reconnected with an old friend, and we’ve done some hiking together. And while I like to exercise and hike, this girl is hard-core–she can climb rock walls like a mountain goat. She motivates me to push myself a little. In fact, she has invited me to go canyoneering with her, and after figuring out exactly what that is (the sport of exploring a canyon by engaging in such activities as rappelling, rafting, and waterfall jumping, according to Google), I’m really thinking about it. It sounds like quite an adventure.

My next question is, what do I pack? After talking with my experienced friend as well as giving it a little thought, I’ve figured it out–as little as possible. I only take what I need.

This month, review your spending and look for ways to slash expenses. The best way to do this is to reassess wants versus needs. “To quickly determine the difference between a want and need, think of a need being something required for survival. Needs are water for drinking, food to eat, clothing to keep you warm, and shelter to live in….on the other hand, a want is everything else” (I borrowed that idea from makingsenseofcents.com).

That’s pretty basic.

It’s amazing how little you can get away with spending if you are deliberate with it. In fact, my sister likes to make it a game to see how little she can spend and, as a result, how much she can save. Some people thrive on competition. If either of these describe you, play a game with yourself, or find someone to compete with.

What should you do with all the extra that you save? Pay down debt. Don’t have any debt (YAY!)? Bank it.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It Happens Like That

And, in what seems like the blink of an eye, Memorial Day is over, school is out (or almost out), and my favorite time of the year is here! I love summer. I love it when the sun comes up early and wakes me. I love flip flops and shorts. I like to be warm (ok, not HOT, but warm). This is when I thrive. And I think it’s an excellent time to take a vacation or road trip. That being said, I plan a long time in advance for a vacation because I won’t finance one–and I’ve taken some pretty amazing vacations! I don’t usually just take off on last-minute road trips, either, but I’m learning to be more flexible in my old age. So I have done that on occasion, too.  Now, this blog post isn’t about the last-minute drives I’ve engaged, cruises I’ve embarked, or the countries I’ve explored (being a debt-free, self-employed, budget-loving, young, empty-nester has its perks!). This post is about getting you to a point where you, too, can take vacations without stressing about paying for it late...
Post a Comment
Read more

Timing is Everything

I was told that a good time to buy a car is January or February. Why? I would guess it’s because many people are financially destitute right after Christmas (because they have not yet been introduced to my blog!) so car sales are down. I do think there is another reason. I think that most people have yet to file their taxes and receive their tax returns (a.k.a. overpayment that they loaned interest-free to the government ) with which they plan to make a down payment. Now it’s March, and many people have already filed their taxes and received said overpayment that we common-folk refer to as a return, and it’s burning a hole in their pockets. This can be good news for you if you have things you want to sell. Now is the time to capitalize on the extra influx of cash. What do you have around your house that you no longer use that you can sell? Speaking as someone who has done this very thing, I must warn you. Selling stuff you don’t need anymore and collecting the cash can be addicting...
Post a Comment
Read more

Know Your Limits

When I was 17, I drove a 73 Nova. It used to be really easy to do things like changing taillights myself. That is no longer the case. If I tried that on my later-model vehicle (which is more like a computer than a car), I’d do more damage than good, because there are some thing you should just not do yourself. It will cost you more in the long run. That being said, there are probably some things that you usually pay someone else to do that are not getting done right now. My advice is to just be patient; depending on what it is and your skill level, it might end up costing you more to fix your mistakes. Let’s discuss some of those… Obviously, most if not all car repairs are just better done by a licensed, trained professional, including oil changes. They can also correctly dispose of used petroleum products. Depending on your tax filing status, a professional can help you avoid overpaying the IRS. I remember cutting my daughter’s hair when she was little, and I made a me...
Post a Comment
Read more