10 Tips to Frugal Living
I received just last week an email from a friend who now stays in Japan for good. He got married there and excitedly broke the news on his first born. Unwittingly, I replied by telling him that he’s got to have another one soon for he’s growing older, now at 43. He got back at me with all the pick holes on how hard life is, financial woes, high cost of living, difficulties in raising children, etc. Then I remember how tightfisted he was with us. Being single for 40 years, I could not remember any generous initiative he’s made in terms of spending. Maybe we were wrong or maybe he had a different view of life – stoic like the Japanese. But other people find him miserable and stingy, and worse, selfish. He said to me once that he’s just being frugal – a defensive mechanism huh! So I thought of discussing frugality for a while. I’ll hold tight my chance to understand him next time…
Frugal living doesn’t mean being miserable, or giving up what you want. It doesn’t call penny-pinching attitude that holds down your sharing capability. It doesn’t say ignore others and suppress your needs. Frugality is basically the system of finding less expensive alternatives. Being frugal simply means to spend wisely. Don’t waste money on things that you don’t need but don’t be cheap and skimp on the things that you do need. Being frugal means that when you do have to go out and buy things, you don’t really need the best of the best most expensive things. Buy things for less, and what do you get? More money left over to buy more of what you want! Frugality doesn't have to mean living without comfort.
On the other hand, maybe you don't buy the idea of clipping discount coupons and buying clothes at rummage sales. That's okay because that never was and never will be the important part of truly frugal living. For it to be the most advantageous, frugality has to launch with the big things, and if it never gets down to the small items, you'll still be further ahead financially than most people. Here are some suggestions for you to consider.
Ways to Cut Spending Consider dropping your home telephone line. Your cell phone is probably all you really need, and most likely it has free long distance. You could save $30 or more per month by dropping your "land line".
Cut back on trips to Starbucks or other premium coffee shops. Often called the "latte factor", spending several dollars per day on luxuries like premium coffee can really add up. For example, if you spend $4 for a cappuccino five times a week for 50 weeks out of the year (you're on vacation the other two weeks), you would spend $1,000 in a year. Try treating your trip to Starbucks as a treat instead of a habit. You'll save money and probably lose weight too!
Pay your mortgage payment bi-weekly instead of monthly. You'll pay less interest and pay off your mortgage faster.
Carry cash instead of credit cards. Psychologically it's harder to spend cash than it is to use the credit card. You'll spend less and save on interest charges.
Use the "envelope system" for groceries, dining out, entertainment, and other discretionary spending categories. This will help you track how much you spend in these categories as well as prioritizing your spending.
Raise the deductible on your homeowners and auto insurance policies. It's not wise to file claims for small losses anyway (insurance companies love to raise rates after you file a claim), so a higher deductible will save you money now and in the future.
Buy regular gas instead of premium. Most cars don't need premium gasoline. Also, take public transportation if it's available in your area. Take advantage of "park and ride" and carpooling options.
Plan your purchases to avoid impulse buying. Take a list with you to the grocery store and stick with it. Studies show that impulse buying can add $10-50 to your grocery bill ouch!
Go to the library instead of the bookstore. If you're an avid reader, give yourself a book budget for books that you will want to keep, and go to the library for everything else.
Take a vacation at home. Check out all the local sites and happenings. You'll rediscover your hometown and save on travel and hotel costs.
Attention Women:
Even expressively strong single men yearn for guarantee that their individuality will hang about after they've developed into half a happy couple. By making it apparent that you don't expect some transformation, he'll feel like you really understand him and won't bully his sense of self. That leaves him enough ground to commit. The following moves let him know you're no ball and chain.
Share your own fears.
Men often hesitate because they think most chicks are baby-hungry ring-hunters. So if you feel nervous about committing, let him know. He'll be reassured that you're navigating new waters too, not trying to trap him.
Blow him off.
Single men detest the idea of being tied down socially, so turn down occasional plans. He'll not only feel easier -- and open up more -- around you, but he'll also start to wonder what you're doing and pursue you more.
Try reinventing yourself.
Little changes in your appearance now and then -- say, hair up in a ponytail one day, down the next, etc. -- remind him that you've got millions of facets to your personality too.
Value his privacy.
A physical space that's totally his is a huge symbol of independence to a man. Signal that you respect that by, say, staying out of desk drawers and not peeking at his caller ID when his phone rings.
The Relevance of Play
Play is naturally pleasing for children. Since it is their dynamic engagement in things that fascinate them, play should be child-oriented, or at least child-enthused, for it to remain relevant and significant to them. Children at play are happily lost in themselves; they are in their own realm of wonder, discovery, and adventure, pulling parents in at times with a frequent “Let’s play, mom!” as an open invitation into their world.
Even during infancy, children plunge themselves in play activities with the intention of making sense of the world around them. Play offers children the prospect to learn and be familiar witrh things themselves, which is crucial for their growth. Although peek-a-boo games seem meaningless to grown-ups, toddlers are impressed by the revelation that awaits them as they see the gradually emerging faces of people they care for.
Why the big story on play? Now the child benefits in a way that is a little bit thorny for adults to see.
· Play sharpens up psychomotor development. It often engages the use of the senses, the body, and the extremities. When children play, they exercise their bodies for physical strength, fluidity of movement, balance and coordination.
· Play boosts language development. Toddlers who are still struggling with words need to be immersed in oral language so they can imitate what they hear. They benefit from songs and rhymes that provide the basis for understanding how language works.
· Play facilitates cognitive learning. Play is essential to the intellectual development of a child. We live in a symbolic world in which people need to interpret words, actions, and numbers. Through play, the child is constructing his or her worldview by constantly working and reworking his understanding of concepts.
· Play fosters socio-emotional learning. Kids deal with their confidence as they choose to get on on their play activities. At the same time, they are showing their independence in the decisions that they make. Children are also internalizing social rules in their particular play circumstances.
· Play promotes creativity. Play opens an entire opportunity for children to convey themselves, illustrate what they know and how they feel, and to generate their own masterpieces.
· Play brings pure and utter joy. Kids remember a feeling of genuine joy that is captured in this four-letter word.
· Play provides bonding opportunities. Play provides for interaction, experimentation, and moral development. Here are some ways by which parents can encourage and support their children’s playtime.
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