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If you're looking for affordable travel ideas for the holiday weekend, check out these links:
- For destination ideas, start with 12 Great Memorial Day Getaways from Budget Travel.
- This article from the Chicago Tribune, Memorial Day Vacation Ideas from $65 and Up, links to holiday deals from Priceline.com.
- Travelocity is also jumping in on the Memorial Day bandwagon with hotel deals up to 50% off.
You can expand your search simply by typing "Memorial Day" and "Travel Sites" into your favorite search engine and then start shopping!
Palm Springs
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As you know, the Golden Rule of Finance is to spend less than you make. How do you do that? Strive to have left over money in your checking account at the end of each pay period. Even if it is only $5, that means you have successfully spent less than you make.
Once you get into this habit, make a game of it and try to have more and more left over at the end of each pay period. You can then transfer that money to your emergency savings account if you are working on building that, or to something fun like your vacation savings account.
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By Melissa Tosetti
One of the most satisfying ways to increase your savings contributions is by turning debt into wealth. As you pay off credit cards or student loans, funnel the money you were paying to your debtors into your retirement and savings accounts.
You became used to having to pay that money toward your debt. Now that the debt is paid, why not focus it on building your wealth?
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With Mother’s Day coming up, I was thinking about the Savvy Lessons I learned from my own Mom. The list is endless including essential skills like cooking and housekeeping. She even taught me to sew which, until Project Runway became so popular, seemed like a lost art.
My mom also taught me more philosophical lessons such as - Live your life guided by your own heart, not other people’s expectations or opinions.
Some of the other fun, practical and indispensible lessons she taught me include:
- Shopping at thrift and consignment shops isn’t about being cheap. It’s about finding unique items - although I still protest against the raincoat with big yellow embroidered ducks on it that she bought and wore through the late 1980’s.
- There is more than one solution to a problem. Often, when I’m struggling with something, I’ll ask myself, “What would Mom do?” A viable solution almost always comes to mind.
- Before calling in sick, get up, take a shower and then decide whether or not to call in. When I worked in the corporate world, this technique saved me so many sick days!
- Don’t ever feel you’re being greedy for wanting money. The desire to be financially secure is a good thing and will make such a positive impact on your quality of life!
Perhaps the greatest thing she taught me is that I can achieve anything I set my mind to. This knowledge continues to define my life.
I still learn powerful lessons from her on a regular basis and she inspires me daily!
Happy Mother’s Day Mom and thank you for your wisdom, grace and beauty!
Excerpt from The Savvy Life Newsletter
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By Melissa Tosetti
Too often, our spending is influenced by something that catches our attention at the store rather than something we intentionally want to purchase.
A powerful tool for staying focused is to create a Spending Book which is simply a small notebook that can easily slip into your purse or back pocket. When you need to purchase an item such as a blanket, casserole dish or outfit for an upcoming wedding, write it down in your Spending Book. This is also the place to log items that you want such as a new TV or plane tickets to Hawaii.
Keep your Spending Book with you at all times and pull it out while you shop. Just as you would at the grocery store, only purchase those items you intentionally want to buy - the items listed in your Spending Book.
This process also helps you take better advantage of sales. Before heading to your favorite stores, visit their websites to check their weekly sales ads. Look to see if any of the items that are on sale happen to coordinate with the items in your Spending Book. If so, now is the perfect time to make that purchase.
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Awhile back I received a message from a Twitter follower who replied to the post, “Is your home environment warm, comforting and expressive of who you are?”
The reader commented that he appreciated the sentiment, but asked how it relates to money management. It’s a great question! How does your home environment affect your personal finances?
One answer is that when your home environment is warm and inviting, you are less likely to feel the urge to escape by going out. For many, going out means shopping, dining and other forms of pay-for-entertainment which ultimately are just distractions from the problem that you are not comfortable in your own home.
Too often, the reason people want to escape their home is to escape the clutter. They are overwhelmed by the piles and just want to get away. Clutter is a manifestation of improperly spent money. If the items purchased were truly wanted or needed, they would have a purpose and not be relegated to piles in the corner.
If you find that you just can’t relax in your own home, it’s time to seek help. The Internet offers hundreds of resources including my favorite, www.Flylady.net. There are also plenty of books to help guide you through the process of cleaning and decluttering. In our book, Living the Savvy Life, we dedicated an entire chapter to turning your home into your own personal sanctuary. If you feel your situation is beyond your own capabilities, it is worth it to seek help. You can find a professional organizer in your area by visiting The National Association of Professional Organizers.
Keep in mind that savvy living is about so much more than just saving money. It’s about quality of life.
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During the month of May I will be speaking throughout Northern California and the San Joaquin Valley. Many of the events are free and open to the public. If you would like to attend one of the sessions, simply call or email the contact listed.
I look forward to the opportunity to meet you in person!
Living The Savvy Life - Presentation
Charles Schwab
May 9, 2012
12:00 - 1:30 pm
3101 W. March Lane, Suite A
Stockton, CA 95219-2303
Contact Erick Ibarra at 209-475-1955 is you would like to attend this event.
The Savvy Life & Financial Advisors - Webinar
Garrett Planning Network
May 15, 2012
Private Event
Living The Savvy Life - Presentation
Soroptomists International of Silicon Valley
May 16, 2012
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Hobbee's Restaurant
1875 S. Bascom Avenue
Campbell, CA 95008
Private Event
Women & Finance - Presentation
Charles Schwab
May 17, 2012
5:45 pm - 7:00 pm
800 El Camino Real, Suite #100
Menlo Park, CA 94025
650-614-2000
Contact Shirley Sohmer if you would like to attend this event.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or 800-890-9293 ext. 48580
Planning for a Confident Retirement - Presentation
Ameriprise Financial
May 19, 2012
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Hotel Sofitel
223 Twin Dolphins Drive
Redwood City, CA 94062
Contact Sakiko Kono if you would like to attend this event.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or 415-492-8222
Living The Savvy Life - Presentation
Charles Schwab
May 21, 2012
Fresno, CA
Private Event
Women & Finance - Presentation
Charles Schwab
May 24, 2012
12:00 pm - 1:45 pm
800 El Camino Real, Suite #100
Menlo Park, CA 94025
650-614-2000
Contact Shirley Sohmer if you would like to attend this event.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or 800-890-9293 ext. 48580
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By Melissa Tosetti
What are your plans for this weekend? Do you have a big project to do on the house? Are you going to spend the weekend baking in the kitchen? Are you planning a movie marathon?
Weekends are a precious time to relax, rejuvenate and do the things we want. Why not give yourself even more time to enjoy being away from work? Instead of waiting until Saturday morning to go to the video store and rent your movies, do it on your way home from work on Friday. You just added an extra 30 minutes to your weekend!
That big baking project? Pick up what you need during the week so you can immediately roll up your sleeves and start baking on Saturday morning instead of having to trek to the grocery store first. By the time you get home from the store you'll be tired from fighting the crowds and will likely need to relax for awhile before you get in the kitchen.
The last place anyone wants to be on a weekend is at the home improvement store because EVERYONE is there. Pick up what you need during the week so you can focus your time, energy and effort on actually doing your project.
In addition to saving time, by planning what you need for your weekend in advance, you will also be able to do a little research to find the best price for your supplies.
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