The Clutter Princess » Spending

The Holidays are Coming

janice — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:36:59 +0000

Halloween decorations were barely in the stores, and I noticed Christmas decorations were appearing next to the masks of witches and goblins. I wanted to run down the aisles, screaming, “Noooooo! Not yet!”

While you enjoy Halloween and Thanksgiving, it is a good idea to make your gift giving list and get a jump start on holiday shopping. I like to use spiral index cards and put a person’s name on each card. Then I write down any ideas I have. I can drop the index cards into my purse and have it with me while shopping.

Since many of us still feel the sting of the recession, it’s perfectly okay to have a talk wtih family members and close friends about you can or can afford this year. A thoughtfully written card or a coupon offering babysitting services and other kinds of help based on your skills and talent will have more meaning in the long run than just more “stuff.” We’re all so busy that a helping hand would be greatly appreciated — which is really what the holidays are about.

Enjoy the holiday season.

Get a Handle on Your Finances

janice — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:08:21 +0000

With the economy, everyone’s attention seems to be on money, money, money. Some people in the news have too much, and the rest of us feel like we don’t have enough. Now you can get a handle on your finances, even if you’re like me and not a math type. Everytime math comes up, I always have to say, “Uh, liberal arts major here. You’re speaking a language I don’t understand.”

I had heard people talking about Mint.com so I decided to check it out myself. I entered all of my banking and credit card information, and the site showed me how much I was spending on everything from food and shopping to bills and books. You can set the amounts you want to spend monthly in each area and monitor how much you’re really spending. The one thing I really love about Mint is that I feel more control of my budget. It’s so much easier and faster to see and monitor.

You can choose your preferences on how often you want to receive e-mail updates. I opted for a weekly update. If budgets are a mystery to you, check it out.

The Age of Scarcity?

janice — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:21:10 +0000

Today is a big moment in history. We are on the verge of selecting a new president, who will have to lead us during a difficult and unsettling time in our country. This past weekend, I attended the American Association of Medical Colleges conference in San Antonio, and the election was on everyone’s mind. Ted Koppel, our keynote, spoke about the presidential race, the economy, and juicy tidbits about Henry Kissinger, Richard Nixon and other characters from history. In terms of the economy, one of the things he discussed was how we were entering the Age of Scarcity. This means we won’t have the resources and money to buy everything we now do, and it will be more difficult to buy houses and other items on credit. I had visions of doing what my parents and grandparents did – washing tinfoil and plastic bags to reuse them, keeping empty jars and plastic containers, and scraping every bit of toothpaste, shampoo, and soap out of the bottles. Some of those items wouldn’t be so bad to do in order to stretch our dollars a bit further. But are you ready for the Age of Scarcity?

Buy what you need. Shop with a list and coupons. Before purchasing luxury items, ask yourself: Do you need it? Will you use it? Is this something that can wait? Do you have the money for it? Layaway is becoming vogue again at stores such as Wal-Mart and K-Mart.

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Conservation is going to become even more important and vital. Do what you can to save the Earth. Yes, it can time consuming and inconvenient, but the end result is worth it.

Pay attention to the little things. The little purchases can add up. Daily coffees, lunches, and snacks can add up if you’re purchasing these items at work or stores. Bringing your own coffee and tea and making your own lunches can save a few dollars here and there, and those dollars add up. Stash snacks in your desk drawer for afternoon noshes.

Pay off your debt. It’s easier said than done, but make every effort to pay your credit cards and other debts as quickly as possible. Use cash or your debit card when making purchases instead of adding to your credit cards. There are many websites out there offering advice on paying down debts.

Save for future emergencies. Tucking away a few dollars will help you to cope with those emergencies that come up. Setting up an automatic deduction from your checking account into savings so you won’t miss the money. I personally have an ING Direct savings account and have it set up so money automatically goes from my checking into my savings.

Taking small steps now will help us all in the long run, particularly if the future Age of Scarcity results in further belt-tightening. We’ll be ahead of the game.