by Susan Dunn
There will probably be two items on many of our New
Year's Resolutions this year: lose weight and pay off debt.
Both have simple solutions! The way you lose weight
is to burn less calories than you take in; and the way to pay off debt is to
earn more than you spend. How to start? Cutting back on living expenses.
1. Don't underestimate the power of soap and water.
There are so many products out there now for
cleaning that cost a fortune, when the basic is soap and water. Experiment with
soap and water in the mop bucket, on your face and body, on the kitchen
counters, on the dog, on the car, and when shaving your legs!
2. Consider other remedies from simpler times. You
can cover a lot of territory with Merthiolate , baking soda and hydrogen
peroxide.
3. "Water" it down.
Most products today are over-charged. Add water to
your dish detergent and laundry detergent. Add generic bath oil to your bath
salt scrub. Add more liquid to your soups, casseroles and mashed potatoes. Mix a
little margarine in with the butter.
4. Use less.
Tomorrow morning when you shower, take a look at how
much of that expensive shower gel you put on the scrub brush. Generally you can
cut it back to about 1/4th. Likewise toothpaste, makeup base, shampoo, cologne,
shaving crème. Spray just a dash of Pam® or put a dab of Crisco® on a paper
towel and brush it over the cooky sheet or pan. We tend to overdo!
5. Guard your health.
Need I mention health care costs. How we manage our
emotions and how we experience stress directly affects our immune systems.
Maintain a health regime, including developing your Emotional Intelligence, so
you can build your resilience, emotionally, physically and mentally.
6. Pay attention to what your kids are doing.
Children are into having fun. They empty whole
bottles of shampoo into their bath to "make bubbles," leave water running, spill
whole boxes of cereal, dump a cup of catsup on their plate, drop brand new jars
of mayo and jugs of milk, and are otherwise in need of being watched!
7. Go generic when you can.
I remember reading in a magazine that all cosmetics
are made of the same thing, that you're only paying for the label. I haven't
found this to be true. Certain more expensive items are worth the extra price,
many times over, but SOME are NOT. Experiment and find the generic products that
do the job satisfactorily. I will pay for perfume, makeup base, cereal, canned
goods and clothes. These things seem to be fine from the dollar store: hand
lotion, pens, clothes hangers, shampoo, paper goods like toilet paper and paper
towels, alarm clocks, and candles. It's better to buy quality used clothes than
originally cheap clothes - the lines, fit, and make are better.
It may strain your aesthetic taste a bit, but a
Piaget doesn't keep better time than a Timex, nor does a Cross pen write better
than a Bic. Be willing to eliminate some of the "designer" in your life.
8. Or find cheaper ways to go "designer."
eBay offers some great bargains, so do local
Goodwill and Thrift stores in your town. It's the same book inside whether it's
new from B&N, or "used" from amazon.com for a fraction of the cost but has few
pencil marks inside. A search engine can lead you to everything from recycled
printer cartridges to retro'd headsets. Take advantage of the Internet. Don't
forget the library.
9. Get a mentor, a resource person.
When you're ready, the teacher will come. There's
someone in your life-space who's a master at this. I have a client right now who
does this for a hobby; he just refuses to "pay retail." (Remember, the
millionaire next door is a millionaire because she doesn't spend money.) He's
alerted me to Cracker Barrel's book tape "rental"; growing your own tomatoes;
which chains have the "two-fers" which nights; what chains consider a 'senior'
to be 50; shopping in stores like WalMart that show you the unit price; got his
wife interested in learning how to cut his hair; and the possibility of
negotiating or bartering for practically everything. (Coaches are good for this
too.)
10. Do the (physical) work.
Yes, clearly things like cleaning your own house,
mowing your own lawn, doing your own nails and hair, and but also things like
this. Don't buy those little bags of potato chips for your kids' lunches, buy
the largest bag and some cheap "baggies" and "you do the work." Pour some juice
into a cup for them and leave those little bags with the straws to those who
have more money than sense.
11. Do the (mental) work.
Waiting is also work- get the video instead of going
to the movies. Using your brain is also work - the time to buy Christmas
decorations is the day after Christmas. The time to buy sweaters is in August.
12. If you've got a "heavy foot," switch venues, and
don't forget the emotional component.
Meaning, if buying things is something you love to
do, take it down a notch. Go to garage sales and thrift stores and buy away.
You'll have the experience without busting your budget.
Susan Dunn, MA,
The EQ CoachT,
http://www.susandunn.cc . Susan helps clients get their lives in order and
reach new heights with the power of Emotional Intelligence, through coaching,
distance learning, and eBooks. Take The EQ Foundation Course© for the New Year!
http://www.webstrategies.cc/Eqcourse.htm .
Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for FREE eZine.