Make Saving Fun

Via jokeroo

When you think about saving for retirement what comes to mind?  Fear?  Dread?  Annoyance?  Hesitation?  All mostly negative feelings, right?  Well it doesn't have to be that way.  What if you actually enjoyed saving?  Impossible you say?  Here are some ideas about how you can make saving fun.

Reward
Kids get rewarded when they do well.  Adults should too.  Set a savings goal and once you reach it, reward yourself.  Say it's $400, when you have that amount put aside somewhere where you don't touch it, go out and buy yourself something pretty.  Splurge when you reach your goal, then set another goal.

Document
There are so many ways you can do this.  Write a blog about your saving journey.  Take pictures.  Talk to a camera.  Write in a journal.  Not only will the documentation process keep you accountable, it'll be enjoyable.  Dust off that camcorder and make a documentary of your family's journey to financial stability.  Tape yourself shopping and making better choices.  Tape your kids saving their money. Hey, tape your kids throwing a tantrum because you won't buy them something.  Tape the ups and the downs, edit them together and you have a movie.  Use your imagination.  There are lots of ways you can create a larger project out of your saving experience.

Involve Others
Start a saving group with friends.  A larger example of how this can work is 4N1FUND, a fund that uses the power of the group to leverage investors' money.  How can you do this in a smaller way?  4N1FUND is for the long term savings goal, how can you involve others in your short term saving?  Maybe you get a group of like minded folks who have monthly meetings to discuss their financial issues and ways to overcome them.  Life is easier and less stressful when we connect with people.  Maybe you get a group to invest together.  Or, just discuss your savings goals with friends and family in order to stay on track.  Talking about it helps make it real as opposed to just a nice thought.

Party
You can find a way to celebrate everything, throw a Savings Party.  Since you'll be cutting back on your nights out, have a monthly get together where guests bring something and you have fun for cheap.  Call it a Savings Party and it's sure to be a hit.  Buy discount wine, discount snacks and celebrate the fact that you're not wasting money but still finding a way to party.

I'd love to hear how you incorporate any of these ideas into your life.

xx

5 Products You Should Always Buy Discount

I love discount stores.  We all have our favorites and they vary depending on where you are in the country.  As a native New Yorker, I used to love the 99cent store.  The everything store where the goods are cheap.  Here in my little So-Cal city I don't see as many quality 99cent stores but there are other discount stores that are just as good and some that are even better.  Here are the top 5 items you should always purchase at a discount store:

1. Detergent
Of course the generic brands are cheaper here but even the leading brands are offered at big discounts.

2. Paper Products
Toilet paper, paper towels, wrapping paper, loose leaf paper, paper plates, paper napkins... whatever kind of paper it is it's always cheaper at a discount store.

3. Some cosmetics
The other day I found a ginormous bottle of Nivea lotion for $10 at my local discount store when a much smaller size would be $8 at a pharmacy.  But, I haven't seen that deal again.  The unfortunate thing about discount stores is that they don't have a consistent inventory so I usually go to the discount store first, and if it's not there then I visit the pricier stores.
 
4. Greeting Cards
Discount stores have an array of greeting cards at extreme discounts.  Your local pharmacy will charge $4 - $5 for a birthday card to mom.  Discount stores always have them for half the price.  And the quality is just as good.

5. Cleaning Products
Brooms, mops, sponges, scrub brushes, dustpans, bleach, cleanser -- these are items that always need replacing and there's no reason to spend top dollar on them.  I always get my mops and brooms from discount stores.  They are cheap and they hold up well.  Who needs a high end expensive broom?

Happy Shopping!!

xx