We Change

Leave of Change

Photo courtesy of G.

“Things do not change; we change.” Henry David Thoreau

There really isn’t much more than that to write.  Thoreau pretty much summed it up right there.  We all hope things will change but most things do not change unless we do.

You work at a job where you can stand the boss.  You sit there for years and years thinking “One day they’ll get fired and I can enjoy my job” when all it takes is for you to change and take action.  What is stopping you from looking for work elsewhere?  Once  you find that work you can fire your current boss yourself by leaving.

Don’t wait for things or circumstances around you to change your life for you.  Take action right now to move where you want to be.  Fill out the application, do the research, go for a walk – just do something!

What action(s) can you take right this minute to move towards a goal you have?

 

 

Back For Another Year!

100 Days To Christmas 2013I know it is odd to be talking about Christmas and the holidays in August (or maybe it isn’t if you check your stores). However, the earlier you start and the better you plan the less stressful and budget busting the season can be.

Last year I wrote a review for “100 Days to Christmas 2012” by Jennifer Tankersley which you can find here.  Well, the 2013 edition is being released today which you can find here.

The last couple years I have talked about the importance of setting up the Christmas budget and planning ahead.  This book allows you to do that a little each day from September 16 until December 25.  It takes a lot of the stress and guesswork out of holiday planning and provides you plenty of time to enjoy the season with family without worrying about the odds and ends of what you need to get done

The book is an instant download and along with the book you get 28 interactive lists (3 additional over last year) and 60 days free on ListPlanIt – Jennifer’s main site with all kinds of organizational goodies.

How much do I believe this book can help you?  Well, I am giving it away!  All you need to do is follow the instructions below and you’ll be entered.  You have until Sunday to enter and winners will be contacted by e-mail.

Form removed.  Giveaway has ended.  Congratulations to Michael D. and Emily C. for receiving a free copy of the book!

100 Days of Summertime

100 Days of Summertime ebook coverJennifer Tankersley’s newest edition to her organizational repertoire has been released. “100 Days of Summertime” is her followup to her successful (and wonderful) ebook “100 Days to Christmas” which takes you from100 days prior to the holiday (September 16) until Christmas day itself and showing you how you can have a stress free holiday season.

In this ebook we go from Memorial Day to Labor Day outlining different life events and activities you can complete to have a great family summer.  This includes planning a start of summer party and preparing for graduation events to school starting up and preparing to get ready for fall (which starts September 22).

Woven throughout this book are downloadable planning sheets from Jennifer’s site ListPlanIt which you can fill in the blanks and print out.  These are great for continual planning for events during the year.

I recommend this ebook to my clients for a couple of reasons.  One is it gives you some ideas on things to do during the summer.  Instead of sitting at home all the time or doing the same routine day in and day out this can help provide you with variety.

Second reason is that it helps reduce stress by helping you organize what you need to do through the use of calendars and other downloadable worksheets.

You can purchase this ebook from the ListPlanIt web site for $5.

 

(Note: I received a copy of this ebook at no charge to review it and the links are referral links.)

Food on the Table

Here is a new service I am going to be testing out over the next few weeks that looks like it can make your life a lot easier called Food on the Table.

You sign up for a free account (the link below has a coupon code for a lifetime premium membership for free this month), choose a store from your local area, choose what your family likes to eat, and it helps build a meal plan that includes sales from the weekly circular.

There is also an iPhone and Android app for the service allowing you to take your grocery list with you.  If you do not have a smart phone you can print your list from your account and take it with you.

This really looks like a promising service if it continues to grow and be supported.  I look forward to trying it out and seeing what sorts of recipes it puts out for my family.  We can be a group of picky eaters sometimes.

Click the link below to read more about it and get your code for free membership.  Comment below if you have good or bad things to say.  As I said I have yet to try it but wanted to get it out there before the coupon code expired.

Food on the Table Builds Meal Plans and Grocery Lists To Go on Android, iPhone, and Online.

Have you started saving for Christmas?

Plaza ChristmasIt is almost that time of year again! What? It isn’t? Oh, it is just time to start saving for that time of year. That is what I wanted to discuss.

Every year I see first hand hundreds of people waiting until the last minute to purchase presents for Christmas because they do not plan throughout the year. They wait and wait and at the last minute it is like a ghost that was leftover from Halloween screamed “BOO!” and they are rushing to get gifts or get money for the holidays. Want to have a less stressful season in 10 months? Start saving now!

You don’t have to be stressed this year.  I promise you, if you will follow a few simple steps you can have the easiest holiday season you have ever had.  Everything feels different when you have the money saved, you pay with cash, and you know you won’t have a huge credit card bill come January that may very well stick around until the following Christmas.

All you have to do are a few simple steps:

  1. Write down everyone you want to buy for.
  2. Double check that list.  Are you sure you want to buy something for everyone on that list?
  3. Can you make something for some of those people (including food items) instead of buying them an expensive gift?  If so, move them to the side of the list.
  4. Write down how much you want to spend on each person beside their name.
  5. Total that number up.
  6. Divide it by how many times you will get paid between now and your last pay check before Christmas.
  7. BAM!  You just decided how much you needed to save each pay day to pay in full in cash for Christmas this year and not have the stress of running around at the last minute.

You must be realistic on what you want to spend on each person.  If you make $20,000 a year you need to spend what you can afford.  If you feel bad for this, then let the people know now that you can’t afford it and settle on a mutual amount to spend on each other based on what you can spend.  Don’t let the people who put everything on credit cards tell you how much you should spend on them.

If you want to go a little further figure out how much it will cost for the supplies to make the people at the side your list their gifts and budget for that as well.  Or, better yet, of you aren’t making them a food item figure out how many items you need to make each month to be finished for Christmas and you can save that stress at the end of the year as well.

Have A Merry February Everyone!

More Information:

What Dave Ramsey says about saving for Christmas

Photo courtesy of David DeHetre