Christmas is coming...is your budget prepared?

Aaahhh....can you believe how quickly Christmas will be here and the costs involved in meeting everyones perceived needs? I say perceived, as we live in a very affluent country and really have very little 'need' but lots of 'wants'. It is not worth going into debt for 'wants' or because 'everyone' has one. Lets be sensible and stick within our means this year, so that we can afford to pay for the higher costs of living in 2011.

For a budget conscious Christmas why not try out a few of the following gift ideas:

• Do a serect Santa with a set a pressie limit
• Give to someone in real need by purchasing from a TEAR catalogue or Salvation Army catalogue ( a little goes along way in India and Africa)
• Give an unwanted or unused gift you have at home (make sure it does nnot look second-hand) - it is far better that someone else enjoys the item than having it clutter up your home!
• Make a gift of cookies, slices or cakes
• Give of your time instead of money
• Stop buying gifts for aquaintances, long lost cousins etc - we don't have to keep up with the Jones'.

Pay Yourself First!

This is not a new concept at all.......

You will be surprised at how easy it is to live off less when you pay extra into your loan / credit card debt as soon as your pay comes in. If you wait to see what is left over, you will have nothing (because we tend to spend what we have rather than put money aside first and live within our means).
I challenge you to do it!

I have reviewed our finances and will be placing my CPI payrise into our loans....this will see us payoff one loan in 12 months and then what was going into that loan will go to the mortgage (we are talking over $100k here) and this will get paid off in 4 years...so long as no financial crisis hits us of course.

Anyway, we have a goal to work toward...what is yours?

Budget Tip of the Week

Rethink through one of your financial goals (I just did)!
Instead of spending your CPI payrise, put that money into your loan / credit card debt.....it will add up and make a difference. By doing this you will see your debt reduce and this will bring you hope.

My Budget Worksheet

I have been working on a tool that can not only help me and my family, but can also help my friends and YOU!

Please don’t groan when I tell you……. What is it you ask?

I have been working on and ‘tweaking’ my own household budget book……okay, it is not really a book but more like an income / expenditure tool that can be placed in your handbag, briefcase or on the kitchen table. It for those of us who like to use paper and not computers for managing our budget.

For practical use it opens up no more than an A4 size and folds up to fit easily in your diary or wallet.
It is designed to be used simply and quickly with the columns giving you enough space to enter in your expense immediately.

If you would like to know more about where your money is going, just ask me.


        

Budget tip of the week!

Learn to say NO!

You don't have to say 'yes' to every spending thought that comes to mind. Don't buy the chocolate bar or chewing gum from the service station when you fill up with petrol.....instead, put that money into a glass jar and watch it grow. That money can go toward a bill or extra payment to your mortage....every cent does count!

Budget tip for the Week

Interest rates didn't go up...yeah!
So now you have another month to curb your spending and save the $20 - 50/week that would have been needed to pay for the rise in your mortgage. Use the reprieve we have been granted and be wise with your budget.

Holiday on a budget

WOW! Did I have the best and cheapest holiday ever. All thanks to my mum! My mum took me back to  my birth place - New Zealand. It  was a dream of hers come true (to take me back one day) and I loved seeing where I was born.

We ate so well - shared our lunch and dinners as per my tip of the week - stayed in great accommodation and drove to wonderful locations - Auckland, Hamilton, Lake Taupo, Rotarua & back to Auckland. All I had to pay for was souveniers and chocolate.

I hope to do that for my daughters one day. Then they too can have a holiday on a budget.