Ways to Turn Off the “Time Wasters”

Today, there are many people who work from home. There are freelancers whose entire career consists of working from home. The best way to ensure productivity while you are working from home is to turn off the “time wasters”. Before you can do that, you must identify the things that are slowing you down. Social Media Social media can be tricky for freelancers. Writers and bloggers are often working on assignments that require them to write about the “hot topic” of the day. Social media, especially Twitter, has become the go-to for the latest news. The goal is to find … Continue reading

Tips for First Time Hosts of Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is celebrated with family. It always includes a big dinner with tons of food. This can be overwhelming for first time hosts of Thanksgiving dinner. Don’t panic! Try these tips to help calm your nerves and make your first hosting a successful one. There are two things that can make a person who is hosting Thanksgiving dinner nervous. One is that the guests are going to expect specific foods that are made exactly the way that mom or grandma used to make. Their big expectations can be hard to live up to. The other difficulty, of course, is that … Continue reading

Invest Your Time Wisely

“Time is money” is an old saying that is meant to convey the urgency of rushing ahead because any time wasted could be time spent earning money. Many times in our frugal lifestyles, we trade off time in order to save money, such as cooking from scratch instead of going through the fast food line, taking out the time to create a grocery list and clip coupons before shopping, etc. Most of the time these are good choices and have a secondary benefit. The time I spend hanging laundry means saves some money, but it also means that my kids … Continue reading

TakeLessons.com: When You Need the Extra Help

Help has Arrived with TakeLessons TakeLessons simplifies the process of finding a Music Instructor or Academic Tutor who is assuredly who qualified and safe. I like keeping it simple and not having to do my own background check.  I also like that TakeLessons has been in business since 2006 and worked with over 30,000 students nationwide.  They are experts at connecting students and families with the experts in music, art, and academics.      It is expected to get a case of the jitters when hiring someone you do not know to instruct your child.  However, it should be comforting … Continue reading

Hotels Helping Guests Avoid Expensive Mistakes

Typically, I don’t sleep the night before an early morning flight. I simply don’t trust myself to wake-up on time. What’s more, the cost of missing my flight would keep me up for months, so I simply remain awake at night and sleep on the plane.  This is true if I’m departing from my home or a hotel, though the latter is debuting some new practices to help heavy sleepers like me avoid the costly mistake of missing a flight or an important business meeting. Properties like The Wolcott Hotel in New York are going the extra mile so guests … Continue reading

Take Inventory Before You Shop

Before you shop, stop! Try this quick trick that will save you money now and in the long run. To save money, do a quick inventory of what you already have before you go shopping.  This will help save money in so many ways. From duplicate purchases to avoiding the pitfalls of shopping for bargains that you don’t need, a quick assessment each time you are ready to shop can make a difference. DVDs I’m ashamed to admit that we have two copies of a certain new Disney princess DVD movie. We simply forgot that we had the movie and … Continue reading

Can Sweepstakes Get You Out of Debt?

As you look at your pile of bills, at the roof that needs to be fixed, at the fact that at least one of your children may need braces, do you dream of winning a big dollar sweepstakes that would take care of your problem? For “sweepers,” those who make a hobby, or even a living, out of entering sweepstakes, the dream may not be so far from a reality. Entering sweepstakes can pay off and may even be able to get you out of debt, if you don’t spend more than you win, if you apply the bulk of … Continue reading

Don’t Make These Garage Sale Mistakes

Will your garage sale be a success or a flop. Sometimes it depends on avoiding the common garage sale mistakes. If you are planning a garage sale, make sure that you don’t get caught up in any of the following. Pricing Too High Sure, you may be able to get $5 a piece for clothing at an outgrown sale or $30 for that great toy on eBay, but garage sale shoppers are looking for a bargain. They won’t pay book prices, ever. Price your items low and make up the difference in volume. Many times we price items high because … Continue reading

Part 3 : Take It Back, Use It Up, or Pass It On

Home cluttered with items that are never used? (Clutter can cost you.) Why not become empowered and take back your space, all while earning a little bit of money or bringing some joy to the world. Who knew that excess stuff could make such a difference? With the rare exception of a practicing minimalist, we all have things in our homes that are not being used. We probably also have some brand new things still in the original packaging or with the original tags attached. In the previous two articles in this series, I talked about how we can earn … Continue reading

Part 2 : Take It Back, Use It Up, or Pass It On

Don’t let the excess in your life prevent you from living. Gather it from around your home and make it work for you. I am talking about all of the things that you purchased or were gifted but are not actually using. Clothing with tags still on them, cabinets full of health and beauty products, etc. These unused items are a waste of money and space, but they don’t have to be. Yesterday, I talked about ways that you can recover some of the money spent on these items. Today, I’l cover how you can put them to good use. … Continue reading