Affordable and Easy Getaways

Lots of people are in debt because they make things complicated. You make things complicated when you can’t afford simple. Buying a car with cash is simple. But since most people don’t have cash, they go into car debt and get complicated.

A touch of frugality

Since we’ve been preparing for the new arrival, I’ve been looking at ways I could cut back on some of our costs. Mainly, considering other options to say baby wipes and laundry detergent that are easier on the budget. When the baby comes, I’ll be staying home, so any extra cash I can save us will be good.

Do we really use envelopes?

This question was posed on the LLNOE forums by KEDkrafty. The simple answer, yes. From my experience teaching Financial Peace University over the last two and half years, folks are a bit reluctant using the envelope system for one reason or another. Many have issues carrying cash for the fear of being mugged. I’ve even come across folks who just plain don’t like cash because it’s dirty. To many, it’s more convenient to use plastic, either debit/check card or credit card. Whatever the reason may be, there’s always some apprehension toward envelopes.

People think we’re broke

Since we’ve been following the Dave Ramsey plan, we come across people here and there that don’t quite understand why we would limit ourselves to paying cash. While most Americans are using credit cards and financing new cars, we get excited about buying a 5 year old car with cash. If that wasn’t weird enough, we don’t even have credit cards. A peculiar bunch we must be.

Saving money on simple holiday gift bags

I created beautiful holiday gift bags for 20 people for only $50. That works out to about $2.50 per person. I was able to do that by putting the gift bags together myself with homemade goodies.

Frugal by choice

There’s a huge distinction between people who are frugal out of necessity and by choice. Depending on your particular financial situation, you are probably one or the other, if at all. My husband and I happen to be frugal by choice. We have a good income and choose not to squander it by living above our means, quite the opposite of our peers. We’ve learned to deal with the reactions from others when they see that we’re not buying the newest cars, the latest gadgets, or name brands. But, to deal with other frugal folks who have an elitism mentality is something else.

A tale of a frugal Christmas

Like many Americans, we are still trying to get out of debt. And, Christmas can be a difficult time for you and your money. But we decided a long time ago that we were done with borrowing money. One of the crucial aspects in helping us reach this goal, is planning.

Tips and links for dealing with the holiday budget and stress

We have compiled a few links and tips to help reduce some of the stress attributed to the holidays.

For you hardcore Black Friday shoppers, here are some links to help you develop your plan of attack:
Black Friday
Black Friday Ads
Black Friday Ads
Black Friday @ GottaDeal.com
Black Friday FAQ at BargainShare

10 Tips To Help You Reduce the Stress of the Holidays
1. Create realistic expectations–don’t try to make this the perfect holiday.
2. Relax and enjoy yourself with family and friends.
3. Set some time aside for stress-reducing activity like reading, listening to music, exercise, or hobby.
4. Avoid overeating and drinking too much.
5. If you are traveling, leave early and don’t rush.
6. Make a plan for work and play.
7. Don’t accept every invitation that comes your way.
8. Don’t get swept up in last-minute gift buying. Plan ahead.
9. Mail or ship the gifts you have already purchased to avoid waiting in long lines.
10. Don’t be afraid to create a hand-made gift.

The underlying key to all of this is to understand and remind yourself what the holidays mean to you, your family and friends, and celebrate it.

Do you have a leak in your budget?

Nancy Twigg wrote an article that is featured on DebtSmart.com with some tips on controlling leaks in your budget. A few cents and dollars might not seem like much at the time, but they sure do add up.

The NIL Principle

You might be thinking, what the heck is the NIL principle? It’s quite simple actually and has to do with spending, or the control of your spending. In order to succeed financially, you have to control your expenses. You have to change your behavior so that you are not spending everything you make. And, it all starts with the NIL principle.