Saving Money Using the 30 Day Rule
There are those times that you might just be browsing and see a beautiful dress or cute shoes. Or maybe you were on Facebook and saw a deal that seems too good to ignore. In such circumstances, it is very tempting to make an impulse purchase. The extent to which impulse purchases hurts a person’s budget depends on how frequently they make impulse purchases, their income, and monthly expenses, and the cost of the items that they buy. If your budget gives you room for impulsive buying, then you have nothing to worry about. However, if you are looking for ways to control your impulsive buying so that you can use the money on other things such as paying down a bad debt or saving for something that you really need. In such a situation, the 30-day rule will be an excellent budgeting tool. What Is The 30 Day Rule? The 30-day rule is a method of saving money by delaying your gratification. This money-saving technique is meant to help a person make better spending decisions by stopping them from impulse buying. When using this technique, a person is needed to be rational when they feel the urge to spend. When using this rule, you are required to give yourself at least 30 days before making a purchase, even if you have enough savings to buy it. How It Works It can be tempting to buy an item right away, especially if a salesperson tells you that it is a limited edition or a limited stock. On the other hand, when using the 30-day rule, you will be required to follow the steps below before purchasing the item. Please take note of the item, for instance, its cost, specifications, details then leave the store. You should also add the date…
3 Tips that Make Budget-Friendly Birthday Parties Easier for Parents
Kids look forward to celebrating their birthday party every year. If you are a parent who is working with a tight budget, however, you may not be looking forward to the costs of hosting a party in your home. Thankfully, putting together an unforgettable home birthday celebration for your child doesn’t have to cost a fortune if you use these budget-friendly tips. Keep Kids Busy without Worrying About Extra Expenses The whole point of a birthday party is to celebrate and have fun, so make sure you incorporate some savings-savvy party activities into your plans. Hosting a sleepover can offer some super creative ways to entertain all of your little guests, especially when you can put together a backyard stargazing party that’s practically free and oh so much fun! You can use a telescope you already own or have kids build their own. Party guests will be so excited to check out the stars at night, and backyard astronomy lessons are educational as well. Looking for more activity ideas for a fun birthday bash? Check out these budget-friendly ideas, like a treasure hunt or a chance to stomp on balloons. Just be conscientious of any children who may have sensory processing issues, and try to have alternate games set up for them. Bingo and rubber duck hunts are autism-friendly activity options if you want your celebration to be inclusive of children who have special needs. Feed Those Hungry Party Guests without Going Over Budget To keep kids from getting cranky, you will want to have few snacks and beverages available. If you plan on hosting your children’s friends for a full meal, try to plan a menu that won’t break the bank but will still satisfy picky eaters. A hot dog bar is a fun way…
Valentine’s Day When Single
Valentine’s Day can be like rubbing salt into a raw wound when going through divorce. People are coupled up and you may be the odd man out on this holiday. Others who are exiting a toxic marriage, may feel relief not spending it with a nasty person. There are different facets to Valentine’s Day besides romance. One is platonic friendships, and many of us exchange cards with our pals. Instead of mourning the void that comes with a loss of a partner, focus on celebrating Valentine’s Day in a new way with different people. Flip the holiday around. Change the evening celebration to one at the beginning of the day, as there are less people in pairs. Get together with friends for a morning cappuccino with a pastry or for lunch. If your social circle is comprised mainly of married folks, catching up at a bakery is doable since it would not interfere with their dinner plans. When celebrating Valentine’s Day mid-morning, there is less pressure to feel one needs a date for this occasion. Extroverts may want to be around others, yet not be ready to start dating. This can be accomplished by sitting at the communal table in coffee shops and cafes. One man claims he turns down holiday invitations because he has so much fun at these communal tables which are like “one big party.” MeetUp.com has groups for various interests and some of these gatherings are scheduled on holidays. Singles can participate in activities or dine with interesting companions. My divorced friend enjoys spending Valentine’s evening with the singles group at her church. They have events on some holidays and sponsor Friday Movie Night. Check around to see if you can join others on this night. Do your celebrating on the job. Organize a pot luck,…
Reminder: You Can’t Buy Your Children’s Love
It’s a common scenario. Parents get separated or divorced and have joint custody of their kids. One of the parents then starts showering the kids with extravagant gifts from concert tickets and designer clothes to electronics and trips to fun or exotic places. They might let the kids get away with everything, allowing them to stay up late, eat anything they want and enjoy as much screen time as they like. If you’re guilty of any of these, it’s time to reconsider your behavior. Divorce is often hard on everyone involved and where you used to enjoy unlimited access to your kids, you now find yourself co-parenting and splitting the time you spend with them with your ex. This can trigger feelings of insecurity tempting you to try to buy your kids’ affection. Maybe you are still reeling from the divorce and your unresolved feelings are driving you to upstage your ex-spouse in the gift-giving arena. Or perhaps you feel guilty about putting your kids through the trauma of divorce and so you try to buy their love. On the other hand, you might genuinely care for your children and want to spoil them once in a while, especially if you don’t get to see them that often. Regardless of the reason, you need to stop and reevaluate your actions. Your quest to be known as the favorite parent or secure your children’s favor might be doing more harm than good. An all too common parenting mistake is giving into your kid’s every whim. While it might seem like a sure way of getting into their good books, in reality, you’re just creating entitled kids. Similarly, giving your children extravagant gifts isn’t bad, but you should never do it to compensate for your poor parenting. Otherwise, your kids might come…
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