Ch-ch-changes...in season

Last week we had the first rainy weekend and I was reminded of how much I truly LOVE summer in the northwest. Summer is the best because there is a freedom to do just about anything outside without a worry about the weather. Summer also means an abundance of free activities being offered for the public, i.e. outdoor movies, concerts in the park, parades, and festivals not to mention picnics and park outings. The organizations planning these events count on good summer weather too. As a proponent of Living Large with Less I am always looking out for free or practically free entertainment or outings. The options in the summer are more bountiful and I will miss that as we move into fall and winter.

Below are a few of my favorite fall/winter outings but what I really look forward to are some of my reader suggestions in the comment section of this blog. New ideas can be the way to refresh anyone's schedule.

- As a zoo member some of my favorite times at the zoo are when it is raining, as it keeps the crowds away and there are plenty of indoor spots for animal viewing.
- I don't necessarily recommend retail therapy but we sometimes head to Target and purchase the "popcorn combo" which includes a refillable drink and popcorn for $1.50. Not bad if you just need to get out with your child(ren).
- Parks can be fun in the winter too, we like Carkeek which has some hiking options, even in the rain you can be largely protected from the elements because of tree cover. Many other parks are perfect for walks, hikes or simply fresh air.
- Swimming at one of the public pools, low cost and always entertaining.
- Metro bus is always a favorite and makes the journey half the fun, even if it is just downtown or to pick up lunch or a snack.
- Love the public library system too. Free. Free. Free. Then curl up at home with a good book.
- In our house we end up baking a lot during the winter months. Cookies always freeze well so you don't need to eat all of them. Or think of creative ways to give the cookies away, to neighbors or drop them off with friends. A good excuse to visit and get out of the house!

These are just a few suggestions that come to mind. I look forward to hearing your ideas too.

Anneke's Finance Bibliography

By popular demand I am listing my now infamous finance bibliography in my blog, available 24-7 for all to see. Hopefully while on-line you can request your choice of book(s) via your local public library system, saving money of course, and then being able to pick it up in a few days or weeks. Enjoy!

Bach, David. The Automatic Millionaire: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich. 2003

Bach, David. The Automatic Millionaire: A Powerful Plan to Finish Rich in Real Estate. 2006

Chilton, David. The Wealthy Barber. 1995

Economides, Steve & Annette. America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money: Your Guide to Living Better, Spending Less, and Cashing in on Your Dreams. 2007

Hunt, Mary. The Complete Cheapskate: How to Get Out of Debt, Stay Out, and Break Free from Money Worries Forever! 2003

McCoy, Jonni. Miserly Moms: Living on One Income in a Two Income Economy. 1996

McCoy, Jonni. Miserly Meals: Healthy, Tasty Recipes Under 75 cents per Serving. 2002

Orman, Suze. The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous and Broke. 2005

Orman, Suze. Women and Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny. 2007

Ramsey, Dave. The Total Money Makeover: a Proven Plan for Financial Fitness. 2006

Stanley, Thomas and William Danko. The Millionaire Next Door: the Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy. 1998

Walsh, Peter. It’s all Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff. 2006

Yeager, Jeff. Ultimate Cheapskate’s Road Map to True Riches: a Practical (and fun) Guide to Enjoying Life More by Spending Less. 2007

Nice Catch

Today's blog comes from a friend who attended my August class. On a recent trip to the grocery store Erika had a chance to put some of the Living Large with Less principles into action. "I spent just over $100 on the overall shopping trip, (and) I did save $92 so I felt good about that. I'm finally tracking my spending and planning a week of meals." YAY Erika!

"My biggest savings though was separate from the coupons and specials. I was watching the screen with the prices, trying to guess how much I was buying, when I noticed that my single pomegranate was $23.88. Not the $1.99 that I had already deemed reasonable (since it is the one exotic fruit my kids will actually eat). It turns out, the checker had charged me for 12 pomegranates! I wonder how often people overpay just for errors?"

This is where I say, "Nice catch!" Had Erika not been paying attention she might never have noticed this error or noticed it at home and not had a chance to immediately correct the problem. She saved herself the hassle of coming back later or simply losing that money on 11 invisible pomegranates. It pays to pay attention. In addition to paying attention while I am checking out, I am also vigilant about both my credit card and bank statements. Both are notorious for hidden charges, new fees or simply human errors in entering amounts. Sometimes I tire of the need to review financial documents or receipts but it helps me know exactly what I am paying for, even if errors are not found. So be sure to celebrate your next "catch" and consider it money saved.

99 cent Repair

We live in a disposable society where it is far easier to throw out an old item and replace it with the latest and greatest, than to fix the old or to simply keep using the old for fear of being out of vogue. The new item may be "improved" in speed, color, performance, size, or taste. However, many times there is nothing wrong with the existing/old item in the first place. It is simply the job of the marketers out there to have us buy the new and improved product. Consider this as you shop!

I want to give a plug for part of my Living Large with Less motto, which is simply this: buy less. This could mean saying no to the improved versions of products we want even though we have one that works already (iPod anyone?). Or maybe the older item just needs a little TLC in order to be operational again. This is where my story comes in, the story of my hand mixer that came into the marriage via Brett. This little mixer is a workhorse and I have never found the need for a large Kitchenaid standing mixer. Recently one of the beaters on my 12 year old mixer broke leaving me with just one functional beater. I think it would be safe to say I could easily throw this old mixer away and not feel too bad as it had a useful life. However, I was challenged to see if I could extend its life by another year or so. During a recent trip to Goodwill I found a single beater for 99 cents. I bought it in the hopes that it would fit my mixer, and what do you know? It DID! I was ecstatic and now have my mixer back in business.

Is there some household item you could hang onto for a while longer before replacing it? Or could you revitalize something that needs some fixing instead of simply throwing it away? Consider the savings to both your wallet and the planet of buying less and with greater intention.

Time for More Creativity

This is the first photo I have of me with my now infamous cast, or 'summer bummer' as someone called it. This summer has been full of lessons for me as I was forced to slow down. Since I could not drive it forced me to be resourceful and creative in how I would get from place to place. I have learned to scooter at a fast pace chasing behind Lukas on his bike or at a quick pace alongside of my jogging friend. I also learned to enjoy the Metro bus service recently, a very nice lift slides out of the bus to get me aboard. And most importantly I have been carpooling with all of my gracious friends, who have delivered both me and Lukas to our destinations.

You may be wondering how this ties in with my teachings of Living Large with Less and once again, I see some parallels. Working with limitations (financial or otherwise) can force you to seek solutions you might not have considered. The side benefit of my creative transportation methods include: getting to know my co-workers better during our carpool commutes, spending less money on gas, being able to get out of the house to exercise with my scooter, and some fun memories to boot. I would not have discovered any of these blessings without being forced into my non-driving state. The same can happen with finances, desperate times can force change. But why wait for desperate times, put on your creative thinking cap and consider ways to save money for your household in just one budget category or consider a new purpose for something you considered old, as the previous post describes. Creativity is a wonderful asset whether your cup is half full or half empty. I'd love to hear your stories on how a less than ideal situation resulted in a creative solution.

Something Old, Something New

Today's blog is brought to you by a dear friend who attended my class in June. She has definitely understood the spirit of Living Large with Less. Here is her story: In the spirit of getting ready for fall, making a few dollars, and my belief that “less is more”, we decided to have a garage sale today. We spent Saturday evening sorting through the attic (things we’d put up there when we moved in five years ago), the “organizational” boxes in the basement (blue tubs full of things we had mostly not seen in five years), and the living room buffet (full of pretty things, many of which we never use). We sold today from 9-3, met some nice people, bonded with our neighbors, and made $100, which will go toward new eyeglasses for Marty. $100 having fun and ridding ourselves of things we never use! The rest we threw in the back of the truck and delivered to Goodwill. We feel lighter. Mission accomplished.

In addition, we discovered things in the attic that WE can use. What a concept! We had come close on Friday night to buying some new bedding at Fred Meyer…we’ve been wanting “spare” bedding to take with us to our timeshare at Mt. Baker and here it was on sale. We looked at flannel sheets, down comforters, etc. Fortunately, we held off. When we went through the attic on Saturday, we discovered all kinds of great bedding that we’ve had over the years. We had a CHOICE about which we would use for the timeshare! So I washed up some flannel sheets, a duvet, and a duvet cover, and we are set! We easily saved ourselves $100 there…yay!

Lastly, this is all relatively new to me…the garage sale, the using what we already have instead of buying new, the being excited about saving money. Though this last year has been financially tough on us, one of the gifts of this time has been that I have become much thriftier, wiser about spending/buying/wasting, and I am much more likely to recycle goods as a way of life. Another “yay!”