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budget

Wish Your Money Would Last Longer? Stop Wishing And Make It Happen!

Are you someone who’s always struggling to make it to their next payday? Even the strictest with budgets can struggle to make their money last. But if you regularly find yourself running out of money, you need to do something about it. 

Managing your money can be tough. But by making changes to your lifestyle and your approach to your finances, you can help yourself get on top of your finances once and for all. 

Tired of wishing your money would last longer? Stop wishing and learn how to make it happen!

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Say goodbye to the things you don’t need

How often do you review your spending? It’s important to keep track of your outgoings to help you identify areas for cutting back. Did you buy a lot of takeout coffee this month? Did you go another month without using an on-demand or subscription service? Then it’s time to cut them from your regular spending.

Take a look at six habits that are costing you money and make some much-needed savings.

Find a side hustle and make some extra money

If you’re struggling on a low budget, perhaps you need to think of ways you can make some extra money. A lot of people have side hustles to make up their income, and it’s something that’s much easier to do now because of the internet.

The key to good side hustle is to find something that’s either easy or something you enjoy. Participating in online research is a simple way to make some extra money, or you could follow your passion and earn Personal Trainer Certification and become a personal trainer! Side hustles can help top up your earnings, but some can lead to a whole new career.

Become a more active traveler

Want to save money easily? Find new ways to travel. Being an active traveler involves traveling in ways that involve physical activity. From running to cycling, these are free forms of travel that can save you a lot of money each month. Leaving your car behind or even getting rid of it completely could help you free up money each month.

Be prepared to make some lifestyle swaps

Being more frugal with your spending can mean that your money stretches a little further each month. You don’t have to give up everything you love, but there are some lifestyle swaps you can make that are easy to do. Learning how to make quick and easy lunch dishes, for example, could help you break away from buying lunch each day and save a lot of money each week. Giving up your gym membership in favor of home workouts could also be another way to save money over the course of the year. Making some small swaps to help you enjoy other things is a sacrifice worth making.

Making your money last longer each month isn’t always easy, but if you’re willing to make some changes – it can happen. Take a close look at your spending and see the changes you can make to help you achieve your money goals and make it to the end of the month worry-free. 

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Upgrading Your Life Without Amassing Huge Expenses

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Everybody feels that we need to upgrade aspects of our life to an extent but if we are truly going to improve the quality of our lives, we don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money. Many people think that in order to improve everything we’ve got to upgrade to the latest model. This is not the case. How can you have a great life without spending a lot of money? 

Invest in Quality Upfront

Half of the problem many people have is that they can only invest in cheap items. But when we invest in cheap things, they soon break down or suffer from wear and tear, and cannot be repaired. When we invest in slightly more expensive items and take the time to put aside finances to purchase the most useful items, they’re going to last longer, and it reinforces the idea that we are investing in quality. A very good example is the family car. Suppliers like Edmunds provide larger family vehicles, and when we are investing in a sturdy piece of equipment that will transport us and our loved ones safely, we’ve got to make sure that the quality is there. So when we invest in something a little bit more expensive, we will reap the benefits in the long run. 

Spend Only What You Have

Money can appear to grow on trees, especially when we use credit cards. But one of the biggest issues in credit card debt is that we operate with a “buy now, pay later” mindset. This doesn’t help when we are trying to upgrade our lives without spending money. If you do not have money, do not spend it. And if you are looking to make a big purchase on life like a house, remember, you will need to have a credit card so you can accrue a good credit score but this is not free money. Get into the habit of looking at your bank account and only spending what you can realistically afford. Something like the 50/20/30 rule really comes in handy here, because it makes you compartmentalize each aspect of your finances and forces you to look at what is essential in your life. 

Change Your Attitude Towards Life

If we want to make a big difference to the quality of our lives, we need to step away from the habits that are costing us money on a daily basis. We don’t always think about life in terms of quality, but view life as a benchmark based on our earnings. But if you were to win in the lottery tomorrow, would you just buy stuff that doesn’t add to the quality of your life? Because, as the cliche goes, you will soon find that money cannot buy happiness. So instead, look at upgrading your life by looking at your attitudes, and what makes life worth living. Because if you really want to upgrade your life without massive expenses, you may need to shift your focus away from “stuff.”

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How You Can Easily Cut Down On Business Costs

To increase profitability, the revenue of the company must increase, and the costs must be minimized. The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Your Business Operating Costs has been created to help small businesses find savings on core expenses. 

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Prepare A Budget, Set A Goal, And Build A Ballpark

While you may want to cut your business expenses, you shouldn’t sacrifice the quality of your customer service. Cutting back on your magazine subscriptions and opting for the cheapest suppliers will leave you with more cash at the end of the month, but it could also harm your service offering.

You should create a monthly budget based on the average income per month (taking into account seasonal fluctuations), your business model, and your customers’ expectations. 

When budgeting, overestimate your spending and underestimate your income. Then your operating expenses will be covered each month. 

Minimizing Spend On Utilities

When you own a business or lease a property, utilities are a necessity. It is easy to unwittingly enter into costly contracts because there are no regulations to protect against shoddy deals. In order to reduce business costs, you should start by looking at expenses on utilities.

Depending on your utility needs, you can cut down on your costs by either limiting usage or switching to cheaper suppliers. 

For each utility area, there are nuances to reduce usage. There are four easy steps you can follow to compare and switch suppliers:

1. Keeping track of your monthly spend and contract term allows you to see how much you spend each month in each spend area

2. Directly contact six or more suppliers per area of spending to compare

3. Obtain a better price by negotiating with suppliers

4. Switch your suppliers by informing current and new ones, and signing a contract

Consider how you pay for services once you’re certain you’re with the best supplier. Businesses that pay their invoices early or use Direct Debit may receive discounts. Over time, discounts can add up and make the difference between cutting service and keeping it. You should never pay invoices late since the penalties can lead to heavy debt. 

Broadband & Telecoms

Telecommunications and broadband are essential tools for communicating with customers. In that sense, avoiding it is a challenge. The following guidelines can help you prevent excess spending by keeping track of your business’s likely usage each billing cycle:

  • Each business will need a different bandwidth speed. Software startups require very high speeds to function. However, small cafes that offer free WiFi can make do with lower speeds or a download cap
  • VoIP systems are popular among businesses that do not handle many calls, so they can save you money from overpriced telecom packages.

Recycling & Waste Management

There are several ways to reduce waste removal costs, depending on the service your business is using:

  • If your business uses a “per bag” service, where your provider collects bin bags for each item created, then reducing the amount of rubbish you produce will reduce costs. Recycling your paper and plastics (i.e., cups, cutlery, and paper towels), as well as encouraging a paperless environment are all ways to do so
  • Is your trash bin full every week? Consult your supplier to determine whether or not bin collections can be decreased. If you’re only filling your bins half full each time they’re collected, cutting back on collection frequency could save you money.

Take Advantage Of Technology

Automation of business processes raises efficiency, saves time, and improves customer service. Technology benefits workplace productivity in a big way. Moreover, utilizing the technology we have at our fingertips can also reduce our costs without compromising our ability to deliver quality services.

There are a variety of business functions that technology can automate. Accounting, payroll, marketing, and HR can all be managed with digital software. By automating these types of tasks, businesses can limit the need to hire as many workers, resulting in cost savings. Additionally, automation reduces the chances of human error, so employees will spend less time and money correcting mistakes if automation is used. 

Outsourcing Business Processes

Similarly to automating processes, you could opt to outsource processes to reduce staff costs. Marketing activities are most commonly outsourced to agencies. In this way, you can still get reliable results while saving money as opposed to hiring a full-time employee. Some of the most common include web development with services such as WEBX360.COM, financial services, business firms, including Maxim Gorin, and social media management.

There is a range of different options when using outsourcing:

  • The website Fiverr may be handy for finding a cheap expert for a one-time job. Consider reading reviews and portfolios of freelancers you are considering to gain an understanding of the quality of their work
  • You will be able to build a relationship with someone who can truly understand your business needs if you use an agency for ongoing business needs
  • You might find that outsourcing manufacturing to a country with cheaper labour costs is a cost-effective solution for your business but you must also consider the working conditions in which your products will be crafted. You should weigh the ethical sourcing of the products with the savings you expect to enjoy.

Using Less Office Space

In light of the Coronavirus, we now know that many businesses can be more flexible in their office space. This resulted in:

  • Using a hotdesking arrangement helps reduce operational costs by allowing remote employees to work from home if you have the capability to do so.
  • By downsizing and reducing storage needs, going paperless could save you money
  • Although you may have less control over utilities and you may pay half as much for shared services, renting a shared workspace can be less expensive than leasing an independent property.

Employee Perks

The first step to cutting your costs is to cut employee perks. This will save money without reducing the quality of the products you offer (though you might not be too thrilled about making such a change). Consider surveying staff to see where they will be least affected by changes to benefits. Discuss any changes with them clearly.

There are many ways that you can cut down on the costs of running your business. Do you have any other methods that you could share in the comments below?

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How To Use Freebies To Save Money Throughout The Year

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Who doesn’t love a good freebie? 

There’s something powerful about finding something that you can have for free, with no strings attached. Did you know that there are so many free samples and trials for you to get all throughout the year? If you play your cards right, you can literally save a fortune on daily items that you’d otherwise be paying for. 

How do you take advantage of freebies to save money? Here are some tips:

New email free trials

Loads of subscription services like luring you in with a free trial. Spotify and other streaming services do this, as do food boxes. Usually, when you sign up as a new customer, you can access the service for a period of time without spending any money. But, when the period ends, all you need to do is sign up with a new email address to get the free trial once more. If there are multiple people in your family, you can each keep using a different email address to ensure your free trials keep on coming. This works best for streaming services as many other subscription services have fail-safes to prevent you from doing this. 

Check for the latest free stuff

You’ll actually be amazed at how much free stuff you’re entitled to. Companies will always hand out free samples or trials of products for people to test. Sites like Free Stuff World are great for things like this, and you can see the diversity of all the free samples you may be able to get. From skincare to Amazon vouchers; there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Use sites like this and make it your daily mission to keep checking for the latest freebies. As I said, you’ll be amazed at what crops up, stopping you from spending money on items you typically buy. 

Enroll in loyalty programs

Honestly, it’s impossible to get through life without paying for things! As much as you wish you could survive off freebies, it isn’t possible. But, you can take advantage of the money you do spend, enrolling in loyalty programs for the stores you shop at. Grocery stores and supermarkets are prime examples of this. Most of them will have loyalty schemes where you earn points for shopping with them. The more you shop, the more points you get. Ultimately, these points can then be cashed in to basically get stuff for free. You can get vouchers from your points or use them to directly pay for items, meaning you avoid spending any money. 

In conclusion, you can see how freebies will help you save a lot of money throughout the year. Free trials and samples stop you from spending money, particularly on items that you would buy if they weren’t for free. Use the tactics above to get as much free stuff as possible, and always be aware of loyalty programs. Basically, if you shop somewhere and they have a loyalty program, make sure you’re signed up. They’re always free to join, and you pretty much end up earning free stuff!

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3 Money Management Tips For Those With A Disability

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It is important for all people to manage their finances effectively. However, if you are someone that has a disability, you will face unique challenges when it comes to managing your finances. This is because you have different factors to take into consideration, for example, your employment options may be more limited and you need to manage different streams of income such as your disability benefits. With that being said, read on to discover some tips for managing your finances better. 

Make sure you are managing your disability benefits correctly

You will probably be entitled to a certain amount of money in terms of disability benefits every month. It is important that you manage your incomings and outgoings effectively. You should determine how much benefit cash you get, and then calculate all of your outgoings. Do you have more coming in than going out? If so, that’s great news. If not, it shows that you are living beyond your means. 

Firstly, you need to make the effort to reduce your existing expenses. Do you really need all of the subscriptions you are signed up for? Have you enquired about disability discounts? Make sure you call up your energy provider and such like to find out whether you are entitled to go onto a cheaper tariff. You know what they say; if you don’t ask, you don’t get! Once you have done this, you should then find out whether there are any other ways you can make some more cash. For example, could you set up your own business helping other people that are in your position? Perhaps you could do some small tasks for people, for example, you could offer pet sitting services. 

Enlist some help

Trying to do everything yourself is admirable, but it does not need to be this way. We all need help sometimes, and there is no shame in asking someone you love and trust to help you manage your money more effectively. After all, money is one thing that can be incredibly difficult to manage on your own. If you find yourself getting stressed and overwhelmed because you cannot cope, unburden it on someone else. Chances are that they will be more than happy to help you. From researching top bionics companies and agreeing on payment plans to finding out about benefits, there are lots of ways loved ones can assist. 

Invest in income protection

A lot of disabled people do not realize that they are entitled to income protection insurance. In fact, there are specialists companies for this form of insurance. It is important to take out this type of policy because it means that you will be protected should you be unable to work in the future for any reason, for example, if your condition has gotten worse. It is also important to stress the fact that employers should not discriminate against you because you have a disability. If you feel that this is something you have been subject to, you may be entitled to make a claim, so this is worth exploring further.

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7 Tips For Better Fall Skincare

This post has been sponsored by Diamond Bloggers. All opinions are my own. Thank you.

If your skin has been dry lately, you’re not alone. Unforgiving fall weather mixed with dry indoor heat work in tandem to leave your skin dry, cracked, and unhealthy this time of year. Cold weather and winds can also aggravate your skin, particularly if you’re already prone to dry or combination skin during the rest of the year.

If you need tips on keeping your  skin smooth and hydrated during the cold winter season, check out these five tips to stay looking your most hydrated best this season.

Shorten your time in the shower

Avoid taking long hot baths, showers, or using saunas during the winter months. Hot water can strip the skin of its natural moisture. Instead, bath in water for shorter periods of time. This will help you stay hydrated as well as lower the high cost of winter heating this season too!

Stay hydrated

Drinking 64-ounces of clean, cool, filtered water each day will help to keep your skin hydrated. This will also help ward off cold-weather skin fissures and chaffing too!

Lubricate your skin

Lubricating your skin with essential oils or pure cocoa butter after showering or bathing is one of the best steps you can take to keeping your skin hydrated this winter. Cocoa butter is a natural alternative to petroleum-based moisturizers, and when applied to the skin when slightly damp, will help create a protective layer to the skin. Trapping the moisture your skin desperately needs rather than letting those precious lipids evaporate into the dry, hot air of your home this season at home.

Exfoliate

Exfoliating dry, wintery skin is one of the best forms of self-care you can give yourself this season! Buffing away dry skin with a gentle body scrub 2-3 times a  a week is more than plenty!  Be sure to use a good quality scrub. Then, just rub the scrub mixture all over your body in gentle circular motions, and rinse off. You’ll be glowing and moisturized too! Need a great DIY scrub? I love DIY coffee scrub. It’s moisturizing and helps fight cellulite naturally too!

Use a humidifier

During winter, the higher the heat indoors, the less humidity there will be. Using a humidifier can help you keep moisture in your home and office air. Because it’s the humidity that helps keep skin from drying out. Looking for an affordable DIY? Try keeping a bowl of water on your radiators to add moisture to the air.

Know what in your skin products

Knowing what products you put on your skin is vital. Especially in the cooler months of the year. Making it imperative to know which ingredients you’re applying to your skin. Checking labels for cruelty-free measures and sensitive skin-safe beauty ingredients. Opting for products that contain less-drying ingredients such as witch hazel and plant glycerin.

Speak to Your Dermatologist

If there’s anything you’re not sure about, it makes sense to speak to your dermatologist as they’ll be able to give you the tailored advice you need in order to help your skin through the fall months. Find a nearby dermatology clinic if you don’t already have a dermatologist and book an appointment to get started.

7 Ways To Pamper Your Skin This Winter

Create your own moisturizer

If your budget prohibits more upscale skin care this season, opt for using nourishing, wholesome oils at home. And making your own 2-in-1 facial moisturizing cleaner and skin-nourishing oil couldn’t be easier

Friends, don’t be afraid of oil. It is your friend. Especially if you wash your face with something that strips your natural oils. As most of us do. Which makes replacing those oils with something nourishing the best way to nourish your skin, replace vital nutrients on your face, as well as to calm down irritates the skin. Which can actually help to not only balance your skin’s ph levels but help prevent blemishes too!

The best part? Natural facial moisturizing oil can be made with only 3 simple ingredients. Here’s how to make it.

Ingredient Number One – Your Base

Your base, or carrier oil, is your foundation oil. Your foundation oil helps incorporate your other oils and will essentially provide the bulk of the moisturization your skin receives from this washing treatment.

Here are the base oils you could choose from:

  • Argan oil: Great for dry, aging, or acne-prone skin
  • Jojoba oil: Great for oily or acne-prone skin
  • Apricot kernel oil: Great for any skin type, but especially for dry skin
  • Sweet almond oil: Great an all-around, slow-absorbing facial oil
  • Grapeseed oil: Great for oily or acne-prone skin
  • Avocado oil: Great for dry and aging skin
  • Hemp seed oil: Great for combination skin

When creating your base, remember that 2/3 of your blend will be your foundation oil. I make my face wash in 1-cup measurements so 2/3 cup of base oil will suffice. This amount lasts me 1 year with twice-daily use.

Ingredient Number Two

Nourishing Oils. Keep in mind that many natural face oils can also come with hefty price tags. Luckily, in today’s market, there are nourishing oils of various price points and since you need very little for each batch, you can really get a lot of bang for your buck. 

While these oils aren’t necessary, they are wonderful for the skin and in my opinion, useful during the winter season. Here are some ideas for the more nourishing oils:

  • Tamanu oil: Great for oily skin or skin with scars
  • Buckthorn oil: Great for aging skin
  • Rosehip seed oil: Great for aging and sun-damaged skin as its incredibly regenerating, firming, and hosts many anti-aging properties.
  • Carrot seed oil: Great for sensitive skin
  • Borage oil: High in oleic acids and great for most skin types
  • Evening primrose oil: Great for acne-prone skin
  • Emu oil:  Nourishing for dry or aging skin)

You will add 1/3 cup of your nourishing oil to your blend.

Ingredient Number Three:  Essential Oils

Ah, the essential oil Nature’s miracle elixirs. These highly customizable, concentrated gems really help take your oil blend to the next level. But like with all things in nature, a little can go a really long way. With 4-6 drops being all, you need for your final level.

Here are a few personal favorites:

  • Lavender: Great for acne, oily, or even dry skin
  • Peppermint: Great for aging or dry skin
  • Chamomile: Healing and soothing, perfect for sensitive skin
  • Rose:  Wonderful for aging, dry, or combination skin
  • Geranium: Great for dry, sensitive, aging, and normal skin types
  • Lemongrass: Great for brightening dull, dry skin
  • Rosemary: Great for cystic acne and pregnancy mask

Now that you have created your foundation and nourishing layers, add 4-6 drops of any combination of essential oils to complete your oil.  And that’s it! Making sure to store your facial oil out of the sunlight, to prevent oxidation and the separation of your essential oils. This blend will last an entire year’s use.

3 Natural Beauty Products To Gift This Season

When I make my blend I love to use avocado oil,  jojoba oil, and grapeseed oils. They are affordable, work well, and help support a mom-owned and operated company online. What’s more to love?

3 Natural Beauty Products To Gift This Season

I love making this blend and giving it to friends and family too! This past holiday season, this facial oil was one of my go-to holiday gift ideas for friends and family. I also managed to put back a jar for myself too!

when ready to use this oil, simply start with a semi-clean face. A face cleansed with water only clean, patted dry with a clean towel. then apply this oil cleanser to your face. Rubbing in circular motions. rinse with warm water and pat dry. Within days, you’ll start to see a noticeable difference in the tone and clarity of your skin all Winter long!

Friends, I encourage you to consider making this 3-Ingredient Winter Skin Oil for yourself this season. After all, the gift of self-care is the best gift you can give yourself. Every season of the year!

Be sure to check out Organic Bunny’s line of affordable natural care products, perfect all your DIY sin care needs.  Need other DIY natural beauty ideas? Check out my Beauty on a Budget tab for more ideas this season.

Now I want to ask, will you give DIY beauty products during the holiday season? If so, I’d love to hear about your gift-giving ideas below!

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Things to Look Out For in Older Homes

Are you looking to buy a new home? Are the homes you are looking for characterful? Are they new, or old builds? Well, if you are looking for an older property, on top of many being very easy on the eye, what is inside the walls may not be so easy. So, this article is here to help you think about what to look out for when looking to buy a new, old home.

Buying a New Home

The process of buying itself can be a headache! But, buying a new home and resting in a house that has many faults and many things needing to be fixed, can be even more worry and stress in a situation that in itself is already stressful. When looking at older houses, make sure you research their history. When was it built? What work has it done? Has it been fixed recently, if so what was fixed?

All of the things come together in showing you, an MOT of sorts, of the house. Houses that are older are wonderful and have the potential to be wonderful houses for many more years, but just like anything that has aged, it needs more care and looking after in order for you to live in it. 

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Allocate Extra Money in Your Budget for Fixings and Fixes

When it comes to budgeting, if you are looking for an older house, then make sure a portion of the budget you are willing to spend is for the fixing and upkeep of the house. Some houses, will not need much upkeep, however, some may look perfect on the surface, but as time passes, things spill through the cracks and some truly big fixes may need to occur in order to live there! So always be careful when it comes to the budget!

Asbestos

This is one of the biggest headaches for houses built before 1980, and mostly in the 50s. Asbestos is a fibrous chemical that was used heavily in buildings and houses between the 30s, then banned in the 80s. It can be toxic as the chemicals in the air can cause cancers in the long term.

There are many mesothelioma attorneys with years of legal experience who take cases of asbestos today. As the results of breathing in asbestos over a long period of time do not show themselves until later, in the form of cancer and other illnesses. So, be sure to have the older home checked if it still has asbestos as this will be a costly and legal fix to rectify before you move in.

Outdoor Fixing 

Besides setting aside money to fix the interior, such as faucets, leaking pipes, walls in the hall, and others, you should also spare some cash for outdoor fixing. There are so many exterior areas of an old home that may require getting fixed. 
For instance, you can update the fence to a more modern look. You should have money to work on your lawn if you want to look like a golf house by updating the look of your lawn using Artificial Grass. Ensure that you also set aside money for exterior decors, such as installing a fountain to improve curb appeal. Additionally, don’t forget your windows, roof, and walls. You can repaint the wall with a new inviting color: gray, beige, blue, or cream. Old roofs and windows are prone to leaking, so don’t hesitate to fire a window installation contractor to fix your windows and a roof installation company to your roof. Ensure you select one up to date with the latest designs and tools for an outstanding result.

Buying and Restoring is not easy, but the reward is worth it!

Although this article makes it sound a little scary to buy an older house, the reward after the effort put into restoring an old house to its former glory is so worth it. You can feel the history and the warmth of the house, as it probably has been multiple families’ houses over the many years of it standing there. So, make sure you do your research, and once you move in, enjoy the fruits of your labor!

Friends, what’s your favorite find from this list you’ll be sure to take a second look at when purchasing your next older home? Share your thoughts below.

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