Mood Boosters to Turn You from Bitchy to Bubbly is a post from: LivingFrugalTips.com - Learn about: Living Frugal, Frugal Tips, Saving Money, Saving Money Tips

Life itself can be crazy sometimes. Add to it all the doom and gloom in the news right now about the recession, unemployment, oil spills and more, and it can take it’s tole on even the optimists in the bunch. If you’ve been forced into frugality due to a job loss, it can be even more taxing and stressful. With that said I’ve got some quick pick-me-up tips and mood boosters guaranteed to leave you feeling a bit more relaxed, refreshed, and perhaps even have you seeing the sunny-side of things  as you go from bitchy to bubbly … even if it’s just for a while.

Take a Time-Out for Yourself

• Hide-away somewhere quiet even if it’s just for a few minutes. I prefer outside places where I can deep breathe and meditate or where there is an enjoyable view or water or birds or trees. Being one with nature melts the worries away.

Melt Your Worries Away

• Nothing beats a hot shower or a relaxing soak in a tub. While showers are more economical in terms of water usage, sometimes you just need a soak. Add some bath oil to moisturize dry skin, light a candle and just relax.

• Another mood booster is a good sweat-producing workout. It can get your endorphins going and naturally elevate your mood. It’s your bodies natural prozac.

Pamper Yourself for Pennies

• Rub a slice or two of cucumbers on wrinkles or problem areas for a few minutes. The phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of wrinkles.

• Paint your finger nails and toes a bright, cheery color. Do little things that make you feel better about yourself.

Eat More Power Foods

• If you’re feeling tired in the afternoon and need a quick pick me up, drop the soda and sugary snack and grab a cucumber. Cucumbers contain Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc. They are great for a quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

• Remember to take your vitamins.

Hang with Friends

• Rid yourself of the pessimists in your life that bring you down (perhaps even more) and surround yourself with optimistic, happy people that like to have fun. Fun is infectious and when your around a bunch of people that are laughing you will likely join in the fun.  Add some upbeat music to the mix and let the dancing begin.

Be in an Attitude of Gratitude

• Take a few minutes right now and think of something that you are truly grateful for. In fact, every morning we should wake up and say thank you and think about what we are thankful for. Write it down if you must and really think about even the little things in your life that you appreciate and that put a smile on your face when you’re not so mired down that you forget about them. When you’re feeling blue, read them and be reminded of the good that you are grateful for. Be in an attitude of gratitude today and always.

Use Your Brain

• Challenge yourself with a crossword puzzle or word game. Read a good book. Play a game like Scrabble. Anything to clear the cobwebs away and get the wheels turning.

Pay it Forward Because Doing Good Feels Good

• It’s a simple thing — when you do something good for someone else, it makes you feel good. Plain and simple … just like that. Whether you help a stranger, do a favor for a friend, do a kind deed for a neighbor, practice random acts of kindness (I love these), or even simply pay a compliment — regardless of what you do, there is a little rush that happens inside of you.

• Regardless of your situation, there is always someone in this world worse off than you. Help a cause you care about because when you surround yourself with people who volunteer — who so selflessly give of themselves — there’s just this euphoric, super buzz that goes around and you can’t help but smile and feel good inside.

When All Else Fails …

• Have a glass of wine, watch a funny movie and laugh. And, if you’ve had too much wine you can eat some cucumber slices before going to bed to replenish your bodies essential nutrients and prevent a headache or hangover. These little cucs pack a punch of vitamins and electrolytes that will leave you feeling refreshed the next day.

What do you do to banish the blues?

Please share your tips, tricks and mood boosters so that together we can banish those bitchy blues and see life through some rose colored glasses.

Breaking Out of the Friday or Bust Mindset is a post from: LivingFrugalTips.com - Learn about: Living Frugal, Frugal Tips, Saving Money, Saving Money Tips

What is it about Fridays that are so hopeful? You’re energetic and upbeat … ready to start the day … just so that it can end … and the weekend can begin. I’m pretty confident that most of us are like this and it’s not just me. Anticipation begins to swell on Wednesday afternoon, the next day’s Thursday … then just one … more … day. It’s a Friday or bust mindset. Monday blues (perhaps) and Friday jubilation.

By now you are probably wondering what the heck this has to do with saving money and being frugal. Well … I’ll tell you. The first word in the name of this site is LIVING. And I think so often we forget about that. We get caught up in the day-to-day and the grind and we just plain forget. We forget about the simple pleasures in life. The reason and purpose that’s bigger than we are. We get swept up in all the stuff and need to remember to pull back from it all and just be.

Be ourselves. Be free. Be spontaneous. Be silly. Be the person you want to be.

BE.

Embrace that thought for just a minute. BE. Let your guard down. We all have moments in life when we do that and we just get super-charged by it all. A fun day, an adventurous outing, watching a side-splitting movie, a fun day with friends, laughing, exploring new directions in life, watching a sun rise … or set. Relish in the moments.

And why the heck should we wait until the weekend to LIVE. I have a friend who knows how much I push myself … constantly … and whenever I talk to him or see him he asks … have you watched the stars lately? I know what he means. It’s our little secret code-talk.

Have you watched the stars lately?

Let’s start today … start doing and living and enjoying at least a little bit of life everyday. I’m willing to give it a run. Are you? Look at your life in a fresh, new unencumbered way and let go of old patterns and behaviors. Let’s not live for the weekend, but live all week long … and then live a little more on the weekend.

If you are already doing this (living life 24/7) then pass along some helpful tips.

Cheers to a thought provoking Friday, a super-fun weekend, and continued LIVING. Remember to just keep livin’.

How to Make a Wish and Deliver a Dream is a post from: LivingFrugalTips.com - Learn about: Living Frugal, Frugal Tips, Saving Money, Saving Money Tips

When I talk about creating a rich life, it’s about purposeful living; however that is defined for each of us. It’s about the quality of your life, living life and enjoying life. It’s about taking pause and thinking about what interests and motivates you, and then going after it. Make a wish … and fulfill a dream.

I was reminded of this when I attended a function for a Leadership Lake County group that I belong to. The keynote speaker was Dr. Dot Richardson, a two-time Gold Medal Olympian in Softball, and a phenomenal motivational speaker. She talked about the importance and pursuit of dreams. At 6 she had a dream and it was realized 25 years later when she won her first gold medal in the Atlanta Olympics and then again four years later in Sydney, Australia. Twenty-five years of perseverance, but the payoff was huge … and she never gave up. Hearing her speak you can tell that the joy found in pursuing her passion and dream just oozes from every pore in her body and it gets you all tingling inside.

The presentation was a reminder to me about how important dreams are and that the pursuit of those dreams is even more important. Let’s all stop and think for a moment about what that passion is for each of us. What is it for you? Find that interest and pursue it. Bring some of that joy and excitement that you feel when you pursue your passion … bring it to your life everyday. Find a way to turn your passion into profit. Think how much fun that would be.

I challenge you to think about your dreams and then devise a path to get there. They are all attainable with hard work and perseverance. Here’s how I approach the task at hand and get energized and super-charged about making my dreams a reality.

Shake the Cobwebs and Clear the Head

Go somewhere relaxing. Take a walk, take a bath. Go some place where you can clear your head and relax, even if it’s just for a few moments. Take a few deep breaths and just slow your pace down.

Visualize Your Dreams

Close your eyes and think about what your perfect life or job or relationship would be like. Think about something you’ve always wanted to do, but didn’t. Don’t think about the what-ifs and buts … just get a clear picture of what that is. Visualize the details as though you are living that life.

Create a Vision Board

Next I would suggest creating a vision board. My husband and I both did this about six months ago. We bought cheap bulletin boards and went through magazines and cut out images that matched our passions, unfulfilled goals and dreams. It was a really cool experience. We each quietly scoured through magazines and cut and glued and pasted. It was like school days all over again with the scissors and paste. After about an hour or so we each shared our vision boards. There were common themes like having an off-grid (self-sufficient) home in the mountains, to very individual dreams like traveling the Grand Canyon, having a sail boat, and working in a virtual environment with a web-based business helping others. We look at it often which keeps the dreams alive.

Hit the Reset Button

Now it’s time to hit the reset button. Rid yourself of all the restrictions, limitations, can’t, won’t and don’t. In this new version of you … remember and focus on the fact that anything is possible. Remember that. ANYTHING is possible with hard work, perseverance and an action plan.

Make the Plan

I am a copious note taker. I carry around a journal book with me everywhere. On the front cover it says “Idea Book.” I jot down thoughts, ideas, to-do items, anything that comes to mind — inspiring sayings, things that motivate me, anything that moves me just one teeny, tiny step forward toward my goals and dreams. It’s amazing how writing it down makes it real (at least for me). It makes it manageable and actionable and then once completed I can check it off. It keeps the dream alive and moving forward which is all I can hope for. Everyday … just take one tiny step forward toward reaching a goal and dream and it keeps the dream alive. Remember that.

Empower a Team

When you talk to others about your goals and dreams, it’s amazing how real they all of a sudden become. You’ve got the thoughts swirling in your head but then once you actually hear the words coming out of your mouth … bam! … it’s real. Enlist the help of others and keep talking about it. You’ll quickly find a support group of others with similar interests or stumble upon complete strangers who can help in the process. You begin to gravitate to those helpful souls.

With action comes accomplishment … with accomplishment comes fulfillment. One step at a time is all it takes to keep the dreams alive and pursue our passions no matter how simple or grandiose they may be.

It took Dot Richardson 25 years to fulfill a life-long dream of winning the gold. That quickly makes a few weeks, months or even years seem like a simple task and small sacrifice to achieve something that you wish for.

Where the Living Frugal Tips come in is that by not being bound by debt and stuff you can free yourself up to more options and possibilities to turn your dreams into reality.

The wishes and dreams are different for all of us. Uncover yours and go for it! Make a wish. Fulfill a dream. It’s your life. Own it!

Change is Good is a post from: LivingFrugalTips.com - Learn about: Living Frugal, Frugal Tips, Saving Money, Saving Money Tips

Evolution. Change. It is all good. If you haven’t noticed, I have a new logo on my site. Consider this LFT 2.0. I wanted the logo to reflect and emphasize the Living aspect of Living Frugal Tips and align with the mission: To create a rich life by living on less.

We should all strive to have a rich life … one that is uniquely defined by each of us.

I may have mentioned that I once was a high powered ad executive (at least in my sphere of influence I was). I had worked my way up from an Assistant Media Planner to the Executive Media Director at a large national ad agency. I worked with great clients, super-smart people and was inspired daily. I don’t have kids, so a lot of my life was wrapped up into my career. I am also goal oriented so it was always about moving up and taking on more challenges and relishing in the accomplishments of coming up with great ideas, developing creative plans for my clients, winning new accounts … the whole crazy, fast-paced, stressful ball of wax.

I loved it and was at the company for over 14 years. But one day I realized that was all I had. While fulfilling in one way … the reality was that I had NO life. Work was it. So, after much contemplation, I resigned and we moved on to explore a simpler life in a small town (living on 25% of what we did before, I might add). While initially the thought was welcoming, I began to realize that I hadn’t just resigned from a job, but rather lost a big part of who I was.

Who was I without my career? That’s what I needed to figure out. It’s a tough one, when you have spent so much of your life doing something and so much of whom and how you are is a result of those experiences. I guess it could be likened to getting divorced, becoming an empty-nester when the kids go off to college, or when you truly retire and suddenly have tons of time on your hands. It is hard letting go of what you know … to explore the unknown.

This website is the pursuit of a dream for me. I am going to write … and hope … that people find the site helpful and inspiring and keep coming back … because without hope we have nothing.

I am hopeful that this site helps you find clarity, tap into your true potential, get motivated and re-energized, and have fun livin’ life … and of course help you save money too.

With every comment posted (PLEASE participate, sign up for my Email updates or RSS feeds), with every new person that begins to follow me … I have hope. Thank you for that.

We all need those little bursts of hope and encouragement in whatever it is that we do. It builds us up; it provides a renewed sense of purpose and adds another little morsel of clarity to the picture.

I hope you like what you see. Forward progress, evolution, growth and change are all wonderful things.

Lisa

Purging Sucks: Purged Living Part 1 is a post from: LivingFrugalTips.com - Learn about: Living Frugal, Frugal Tips, Saving Money, Saving Money Tips

Sometimes you move for a job and sometimes for personal reasons. Most of the time you purge some stuff (and it is OK), but sometimes you have to take the big step and do “the massive purge”. My good friend Bruce just went through this. Actually he moved out west to be closer to his aging mother and they both went through the purging process at the same time. I asked if he would share his candid thoughts on the matter and what it took out of him to prepare for small-space living.

Here is the thought. Purging sucks. Financially and mentally.

The act of downsizing or simplifying is called purging. And purging sucks. If anyone tries to tell you it is invigorating or cleansing they are full of it. Part 2 will talk about the aftermath of purging (let’s call it the positivity of simplifying). But this is about getting there. The mental and financial and physical gauntlet you need to run to be able to join the famous and spiritual tribe of simplifiers (I believe Crazy Horse was a simplicity guy himself. But they did call him crazy).

Let’s talk financially. My first inclination is to suggest if you want to downsize, simply pack everything up, put it in a trailer or van and then proceed to have the van “accidentally” drive over the closest cliff and be declared unsalvageable. Or rent a moving van and park it downtown with the keys in it. This way you will avoid the mental anguish of attacking each item one by one in the keep versus toss mental cage match. And, with insurance replacement value you get some cash to overcome the mental aspect. You collect fair value in insurance and you can physically just start over.

Yeah. I am kidding. But I am writing about money at the moment. Or at least what looks like money on paper when you list all the items you own in your space, closets, attic, garage, etc.

Downsizing preparation. Remember. Purging sucks. Be prepared. Financially it is a bottomless drain of which you will watch money value disappear down the sink to be dispersed somewhere into some financial cesspool where wasted dollars and cents slowly rot and the stench sours your nose.

When I moved out to the west coast to help my mother we ended up purging both our households at the same time. She sold her two bedroom, three story townhouse (after 22 years) and moved into a one bedroom, two room apartment in a senior complex (yup. The mental aspect may outstrip the financial on that one).

Me? I went from a three bedroom house of things down to a studio apartment. Let me give you a financial example to prepare you. I went from around a $75-80,000 value in things on my homeowners insurance to maybe a $4,000 check after selling the stuff. The upside is that my replacement insurance is a lot cheaper now. Yeah. On paper your net worth takes a pretty big hit.

Mom? Well how do you put a dollar value on the wedding gift silver set? (eBay and consignment stores can do that).

Dollars and cents wise it gets painful to even write this, describing either myself or my mother’s situation. But it helped that we did it at the same time. And interestingly there was a reverse relationship that kind made the mutual purging palatable. Because she sold her house in less than a week, financially it became easier to swallow “things” slipping out of her home and the loss of ownership to the tune of small amounts of cash. While I was tempted to drain a bottle of Jack every time I thought of the dollars and cents.

Emotionally it is difficult to compare my loss of ownership of that CD with the song that reminded me of great times in the bar with great high school friends in Vermont … to the loss of my mother’s mother’s (my grandmother to you who don’t want to draw a diagram) best plate set. Or something my father gave my mother years ago.

Sure I lost things that were important to me (my 3000 CD collection and half my library of books). But my mother was losing memories. She hung tough. There were certainly some really tough days. I spent a lot of time on the phone with my sister talking about how to help her through it.

Think of purging as running a financial and mental gauntlet. (definition: a form of physical punishment wherein a man is compelled to run between two rows—a gauntlet—of soldiers who strike him as he passes.)

The journey sucks but it is the destination that matters. Part 2 of Purging showcases the destination. But the only way, and let me repeat that, the only way you can make it through the actual purging is to keep the destination (a simpler space and life) in clear site. Trust me. Your eyesight gets a little fuzzy (possibly clouded in pain) every once in awhile during the process, but focus on the destination and as you get closer to the end of the gauntlet you start seeing it a little more clearly and it seems like a huge light of hope at the end of the tunnel.

Do I regret going through purging? Nope. It did make me realize some of the stupid, nonsensical purchases I made over the years. And while it was painful to release some of those things, in the end, these things didn’t matter because I like the destination I reached. It is a nice spot. And I think more people should visit it.

Read More: The Riches of Purging: Purged Living Part 2 and Part 3: Benefits of Studio Living

About the author:
Bruce is a collector of moments and thankfully has a good memory. Lots of travel and lots of jobs and lots of interesting interactions with a variety of people have created some great life lessons and some funny experiences. And he likes to write about these things so other people can share in what he has seen and learned. Oh. And he always has an opinion. For more on Bruce visit: www.brucemctague.com

Fun is Fundamental in Creating a Rich Life is a post from: LivingFrugalTips.com - Learn about: Living Frugal, Frugal Tips, Saving Money, Saving Money Tips

Mike and I Have Fun Kayaking

Creating a rich life is a life based on memories and milestones and not money and stuff. And, one of the fundamental elements to creating a rich life is having  fun.

It’s amazing how a fun day or weekend can re-energize you (and wear you out all at the same time). When you do something out of the ordinary or something that you love and enjoy … you just get super-charged. Whether it’s time with friends, a little outdoor adventure, or a quick little getaway … as long as the fun-factor is high … you’ll get that high that I’m talking about.

We all need this – fun and play in our lives. It keeps us young and it keeps us going. When you have a fun weekend it somehow self propels you through the week … and right into the next weekend. It’s like a tiny little jet pack giving you boosts of mental fuel and energy to move you forward with hope and excitement.

I’m hopeful that you know what I’m talking about. We’ve all had the weekends that are so fun and so enjoyable that you think about them and talk about them through at least Wednesday and then start planning on Thursday for the next weekend.

It’s important to find something that brings you pleasure and joy and contentment. Steal away and find those moments. It’s what balances out our busy days and crazy lives. We get so caught up in life that most of the time we forget to live the life that’s before us. Live it. Now. We can all use a little self-propulsion to help move us forward — and fun times and joyous moments will do just that.

I’m sure you’ve all seen the funny life quote below which sets the tone for the fun we should all inject into our daily lives.

“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the
intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well
preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways,
chocolate in one hand, champagne in the other, body
thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming
“WOO HOO what a ride!”

It’s Your Life. Own it!

Create a Rich Life is a post from: LivingFrugalTips.com - Learn about: Living Frugal, Frugal Tips, Saving Money, Saving Money Tips

A rich life is a life measured by memories and milestones and not based on money and stuff. The quicker you can realize this, the faster you will be able to create a rich life for yourself.

Of course you need a certain degree of money to provide for yourself and your family, but the amount is far less than you would expect if you save and spend wisely. As a society we are far too caught up in “keeping up with the Joneses” and this can takes its toll on your happiness as well as your wallet. The bigger house, the newer car, the hottest designer outfits, the latest touch phones, gaming systems and gadgets … all come at a cost.

‘Envy’ is a temporary feeling and the ‘stuff’ that we buy to try and fill the void in our lives is just that … it’s ‘stuff’. And while we may get a rush of joy or excitement over our new purchase, it’s a fleeting feeling. As soon as you buy the new outfit, game or gadget, a newer version is already on the market. And when it comes time to pay the higher mortgage or bigger car loan … buyer’s remorse can hit you hard.

If you read my About page you’ll know that my income is 25% of what it once was. We’ve always lived below our means. Gosh, I’m the girl with the crock pot, hand mixer and blender that were wedding presents that will be 20 years old this May. My poor toaster died after 19 years. While we always lived below our means, when we made more we naturally spent more. So, when I gave up the big job we gave up other things too:

• We downsized our home and chose to put a priority on the location and not the size. After years of do-it-yourself projects we have the home of our dreams.
• My Lexus SUV and the $750.00 monthly payments were traded in for a shiny red Mazda 3 which is paid for.
• Dining out was replaced with staying in, and with more time I realized how much I love to cook.
• I started coloring my own hair which I found so easy. And, because it’s so cheap ($10.00 or less) I do it more frequently than when I was paying $150 at a salon. The net effect … my “natural” blond looks more natural without the roots showing.

The list goes on.

The point is that these ‘things’ were not missed, and the changes that we made in our lives afforded us far more valuable opportunities. Time with each other and time for family and friends. I’m learning about myself, I’m pursuing interests and dreams, and I’m relishing in the little things. I have the time to make memories … and to sit back and reflect on them.

Whether you choose to downsize your life or it happens to you with a job loss or layoff  … focus on what matter most and make it memorable and not material.