By Carole Fogarty
Rejuvenate Your Money Worries:
Healthy living is all about having minimal stress. Stress weakens you, greatly impacts on your immune system, depletes your confidence and scatters your thinking making you less able. If you are stressed then it effects the whole family not to mention the unnecessary waste of precious energy.
As I am currently delving very deeply into detoxing all aspects of my life I’ve now decided it’s perfect timing to simplifying my time, stress levels and stuck energy around money. Sounds like a plan to me. Yeah!
Save money, save the planet one little habit at a time:
I never cease to be amazed at just how many times the right information always appears at the right time just when I need it the most, then again I have been de-cluttering my home so I would expect an easier flow in my life right now.
Enter the very simple yet information rich web site by Fiona Lippey at Simple Savings. The best part for me and I’m sure for you, is that Fiona is offering a free wealthy habits calendar for 2008 which can be downloaded in Australian, New Zealand and American format. In addition to being a calendar there are simple guidelines as to how you can easily swap old wasteful habits for new smarter ones and a save-0-meter to keep track of your savings. Even though the web site does have an Aussie flavour it is a great place to start collecting lots of simple inspirational ideas for saving money and simplifying your whole energy around money. If you are the type who likes to gather even more information there’s a monthly newsletter and very busy forum with lots of helpful support.
The simple message with the wealthy habits calendar for 2008 is swap one wasteful and expensive habit each month and replace with a cleaner cheaper alternative. Fiona guarantees that by the end of the year your wallet will be fatter, your debts smaller and the planet cleaner. In fact people around the world who used this calendar collectively last year saved over $2,539,709 simply by changing old habits for smarter ones.
Detox a wasteful shopping habit:
With the suggestions from Zen to Done-book and the simple advice from the wealthy habits calendar I am now well equipped to proceed detoxing my life around money with confidence. The most time consuming, costly habit that I definitely need to turn around is the frequency at which I run to the shop for last minute items. It wastes petrol, time, generally costs more and adds to my stress levels. This is definitely not one of my smarter habits and one which is definitely changing.
My plan is to:
- Shop only once a week
- Take time to make a more detailed and accurate shopping list and not scribble one down on the run. I miss too many things that I really need.
- I will only buy whats on the list (I’m sure I can do this)
- If I run out of something then I will get creative and make do
My second plan is to detox and simplify one utility bill at a time:
My criteria is to see how I can simplify payments, save money and research for any cheaper, more efficient, easier and greener options out there. My first utility bill which I was pushed into simplifying is my phone.
I’ve had no phone line for the past two weeks, not even dial tone. It was during a process of being unable to contact my provider easily that I started researching options. To my greatest delight I have found that by changing to net phone or voip I am now able to use my phone over the broadband line and save myself at least $100.00 each month. I’m off to a great start and loving my detoxing and simplifying journey even more. Yeah!
If you are keen to collect some great tips for saving money and changing your toxic habits around spending money then make sure you download your free wealthy habits calender here and be inspired.
Thanks for reading my article.
Peace, love and lots of simple savings to you all, Carole.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Something that I learned recently is to unplug all unnecessary appliances that you aren’t using all of the time like the toaster oven that I use about every other day or so. When they are plugged up and not being used, they still pull 20% from your electricity. I was shocked to read that. Every little bit helps.
Thanks for all the links. I particularly liked the ZenHabits site. I plan my meals for the week; so that I can produce and accurate shopping list and only have to go to the market and supermarket once a week.
A FANTASTIC article. You never cease to amaze me Carole.
Thanks for submitting this one to the Carnival of Australia – I hope a few Aussies take up the challenge to swap habits. I’m going to.
This article has been included in the 4 February 2008 edition of Mom’s Blogging Carnival
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