Ways we Saved Money this Month : August 2017

Hello friends!

I am both happy and sad to now be in September! I can’t believe how fast this summer went by (although I think I say that every year), and now we have just snuck into September. The mornings are cooler, and the geese are ever-present, which are sure signs that Fall is near around here!

I’m so excited to share this new series with you! In an effort to stay fairly frugal, I will be highlighting places where we were able to save money this month. Some of them are a bit silly, but it all adds up! It’s also nice because it shows how easy it is to be frugal in some areas, as many of these things are just second nature. Josh and I were away for about a month in July/August, so this series is starting at a good time because we are eager to get back on track in our budget after we enjoyed more spending freedom on our trips. I hope you enjoy!

Potluck: We enjoyed a potluck dinner with friends, which allows you to have a full meal by bringing one menu item. We brought one of our favourites; quinoa salad.

 Movies: One of Josh’s favourite things is to go to the movies. We paired a gift card with a two-for-one coupon which means we were able to stretch the gift card and still get in for free!

Bundled Toiletries: Every summer, the drug store does a Back to School pack of regular toiletries for $12 each. Sure, we’re not going BTS but they’re the same products we would buy anyway, so I picked up a women’s package and a men’s. We would typically buy 90% of what comes in the bundle anyway, and they are honestly valued at about $50.

Salad: A friend ended up with a salad that they weren’t interested in eating, and passed it along to us while we were visiting. All we had to do was add some chicken, and boom! Instant Chicken Caesar salad. And since it was Costco-sized, it did us for supper and also for lunch the next day.

Said No: This one can be tough for some people, but when we get invited to social events that we would only go to out of obligation, we say no. Certainly, you can’t say no to absolutely everything that you would rather not go to (dentist, anyone?) but often our schedules get too full, and not everything on them are a must. By saying no to going out (when we would rather not), we saved money on dinner and drinks. We can use that time and money for when we really would like to go out, and would happily do so with people that uplift us and make us feel good having spent time together.

 Gasoline: Since you can’t negotiate the price of fuel, it can be a real pain to pay for – but it’s a necessary evil. One way we’re able to save a bit of money is by filling up at Costco. Their prices are always the best in town. It gets crazy hectic there, so I only go during inopportune times in order to save my sanity. Additionally, our grocery store gives out coupons for Shell gas stations. How much you spend on groceries will determine how many cents off you can receive per litre. This option is also great when I can’t make it to Costco.

Books: Something else that Josh loves is reading. He uses his E-reader every single day. He often receives gift cards so that he can purchase new books for it. Recently he ran out of gift cards (a common, favourite gift!), but opted to re-read his favourites and paperbacks that he already has. We are thinking about also checking out the local library.

Ice Cream: I don’t know what it is about summer that makes me just crazy for ice cream! We noticed that it was becoming all too easy to scoot over to the Dairy Queen down the street from us. This was starting to add up quickly, so instead I purchased a box of ice cream sandwiches at Costco – $10 for 30 delicious sandwiches. Clearly, the most cost effective option would be to cut out the dessert, but it’s all about balance, right? For the price of 2 Blizzards we could have 30 sandwiches that would last us the whole summer. It was also great to have on hand when we have company over.

Air Conditioning: As much as possible, we opted for open windows rather than using the AC. This was especially effective when it would cool down at night (though that didn’t always happen!) and then you could close the windows during the day to trap in the cool air. Plus it is so much nicer to have fresh air over recycled air.

 

What are some ways you saved money recently? Leave a comment below!

 

LP

10 Practical Ways to get your Emergency Fund off the Ground

More than ever it is becoming increasingly important for every person to have an Emergency Fund. It is just what its title suggests – money set aside for the genuine emergencies that occur in everyday life (and no, a trip to Tahiti does not constitute an “emergency”!) While some suggest having 3-6 months worth of expenses set aside, others say 6 + months. It may seem exorbitant to have that much money aside that you are not allowed to touch, but you will be very glad to have it in the event of a job loss, disability, or other life-altering event. The statistics are frightening about how little savings the average household typically has, yet you can be assured that major unexpected expenses will come at some point or another.

While gathering enough money to cover multiple months worth of expenses sounds daunting, how about setting a goal of reaching the first $1000 quickly? Here are some practical ways you can start seeing your savings grow without having to dip in to your chequing account.

 

1. Sell things – Take a look around your home and see what you are able to part with. Sure you may like an item, but do you like it enough to let it get in the way of you and financial security? Take a look at local ads for in person or online garage sales in your area. Or you could always check out large online sites such as Craigslist, Ebay, or Kijiji. This method takes little skill or time, and you can gain some quick cash. If you have gold or precious metals that you no longer wear, take them to a reputable goldsmith and receive cash for your pieces.

2. Dog walking – This is an excellent way to get outside, clear your head, and sneak in some exercise. Put up an ad around your neighbourhood or check out online databases to see who would be interested in hiring some help in this area.

3. Work online – Now more than ever, there are options to make money through online means. Whether you can be a freelance writer, start a blog, take online surveys, or have a YouTube channel, any bit of extra income will help you achieve your goals and be fun in the process.

4. Do odd jobs – If the neighbourhood kids can make a profit doing this, then so can you! Whether it be lawn care tasks like cutting grass or raking leaves, or doing snow removal in the winter, consider this an opportunity to clean up yards around your own while being one step closer to financial freedom.

5. Child care – Already a parent who stays at home? Caring for a few more children can increase your savings rather quickly!

6. Make a return – Feeling some recent buyer’s remorse? Return the item you purchased and put that money into your Emergency Fund.

7. Sell your gift cards – As much as we love to get gift cards, sometimes they are for places we are not interested in. You can sell your gift cards to websites such as cardswap.ca or cardcash.com. You can also trade them in for places you really would use them at and stash the savings.

8. Monetize your hobby – Are you famous for your baking? Take excellent photos? Have a knack for sewing? All of these things can go from something to do in your downtime, to a real business venture. Whether it be through an Etsy shop, selling at a Farmer’s Market, or simply by word of mouth. Doing what you love can be even sweeter when it is helping you increase your income.

9. Get a part time job – This doesn’t have to be a drag. Consider somewhere that you already enjoy being, or products you love. Be careful though! Taking advantage of the employee discount defeats the purpose of you working that job.

10. Use your tax refund – Sure, it’s certainly lackluster compared to a shopping spree, but being able to pad your savings with “free” money is exciting in its own way. You could also apply this to any increase in salary or money that is gifted to you.

 

Remember, any savings is better than nothing. As you achieve your savings goals, keep increasing them until you reach the final amount. Know that you don’t have to do these things forever, but the sacrifice is worth the peace of mind. Suddenly life’s emergencies won’t actually be emergencies because you will be able to cover them – and that is worth all the sacrifice.

 

Have any other ideas for making money on the side? Leave them below!

 

LP

Buying Less to Live More

Hello there friends!

I am excited to (finally) be sharing another piece on money and minimalism. These topics were some of the earliest posts and I written, but it has been a long time since then. I am pleased to share with you some of the things that Josh and I have either greatly decreased or cut out completely in our budget. These are things that have been working for us over the past 3 years, and they’re things that we haven’t even been missing! Let me preface this with that fact that I know everyone’s budgets and needs are different, so do not view this as a be-all-end-all list. Additionally, if these were things that we were really missing, we would add them back in again – we’re not about being deprived for no reason. However, in an effort to be more intentional with our finances and to experience more financial freedom, we have been experimenting with making changes on some of the things we used to spend quite a bit of money on. Of course we did not cut out everything at once, but slowly it became one thing or another – whether consciously or not.

Therefore, here are 11 things that we have easily been able to (mostly) remove from our budget and have not looked back:

1. Going out: Of course we still see our friends, and Josh and I still go out as a couple. However, we do not go out as often as we used to, or we will find fun things to do that are free or cost effective. An added perk is that when we do do a special date, we appreciate it that much more.
2. New clothes/shoes: Now, of course we all need to replace our clothes and shoes when they wear out – no one is disputing that. However, like to many consumers, shopping for such items became more of a hobby than something out of necessity. Since we are not into thrifting, every new item of clothing added up really quick! Now, we have only the items that we love and items that go with many other things in our closet. In doing so it removes a lot of the clutter and stress that comes out of choosing an outfit. And of course, it has created a significant amount of margin in our budget month after month.
3. Anything obligatory: You guys, this one has to be the most life changing out of all the options I will mention here today. I have been learning to (gracefully) say no to things and it has been so freeing! So many of us say yes to things out of obligation or fear of hurting the other person. But then we end up with a jam packed schedule, frazzled brain, and wrecked budget. It’s just not fair to ourselves or to the other party, really. Therefore, if we are not able to honestly say “heck yes!” then the answer is probably a no. Of course there are some things that you really shouldn’t get out of (dentist anyone??), but it is about creating margin in your schedule and in your mental clarity. It allows you to properly say yes to things you actually want to.
4. Takeout and takeaway: Again, it’s not like we have never ordered in a pizza or hit up the local coffee shop. However, once we had an honest look at where a surprising amount of money was going, we just couldn’t justify the frequency of such a habit – coffees in particular. Now, when we do order in it is for a valid reason, and coffee dates are appreciated more because they are a treat.
5. Gym membership: Sigh, we have to admit defeat on this one. Like so many others, we wanted to slim down and bulk up a little and thought that by getting a gym membership we would magically be motivated to go and enjoy it all the time. Granted, we got a discounted price because we were under 25 at the time of purchase, and we also received a spousal discount because we signed up together. Those were great, but we still spent a few hundred dollars during the transaction. While we certainly did go and it was something we enjoyed together sometimes, I discovered that when it comes to exercise machines, I’m more of a “look at no one, speak to no one” kind of person. Oddly enough, I started to enjoy the solitude – something very odd for such an extrovert. However, every time I had a window of time, I always felt guilty for not spending it at the gym and for getting the best value I could. Therefore, not only did we not go enough, now I was feeling guilty about it as well. Once our passes ran out, we just didn’t renew them.
6. Bath & Body Works: Ahhhh, old friend. A sweet addiction since early middle school. For the record, I still love receiving these products as gifts from people. Whether it be soap for my home, or a delicious smelling body lotion or shower gel, it is a nice indulgence. The way I have drastically scaled back my consumption is by only purchasing what I can realistically use up – I know, what a concept. But the truth is I used to buy up so many products at every sale that I couldn’t keep up with using them in time before they were past their prime. And that would be a waste no matter how little I paid for them. Instead, I happily accept them as gifts, and have also learned to appreciate something a bit less fragranced from the drugstore. This way I don’t have the massive stash I used to, and I can use each product joyously without feeling like I have to get through them all quickly.
7. Expensive Makeup: I know this isn’t for everyone, and I do believe that high end products are worth it if they really do make a big enough difference for the price. But I have found for the most part I am a simple girl with simple tastes, and drugstore cosmetics suit me just fine. Very occasionally I will treat myself to something high end (when the gift with purchase bonus’ are on), but far more often than not I am just as happy with drugstore products.
8. Expensive Tea: This one I implement from time to time, but on such a small scale that it’s barely a blip in the budget. I went through a long obsession of having expensive loose leaf tea from a specialty tea shop in recent years. I can recall a few times where I’ve spent $60 + in a transaction, strictly on tea! I think the reality is that I just now drink more coffee than tea (yikes!), and when I do drink tea I am happy with the options that I can find at the grocery store. Granted, there are some flavours that I still go back to, it is nice to just have 1-2 “special” fancy teas and subsidize with a couple of grocery store options for the time being.
9. Luggage Checking Fees: I could write a whole separate post on why we no longer check luggage, but for the sake of this one in particular, I will just say that we have learned what to pack/not pack so that we do not require bringing a suitcase with us that needs checking. Josh and I fly a fair amount and so far the only exception to this rule has been flying at Christmas time because we are bringing gifts to/from our destination. We have even gotten pretty good at packing light for winter destinations.
10. Chips/Dessert/Juice etc: This was something we learned early on in our marriage – if you buy junk food, it’s gone quickly and then you always want more. Therefore, we simply don’t buy these types of junk food in our regular grocery shopping (with the exception of tortilla chips) unless we are hosting some sort of gathering. Juice was an interesting one for us. While being floored at how expensive it is (clearly we didn’t pay attention to that before we were paying our own way!), we also learned more about how much sugar is actually in it. Instead, we now start our day off with water and/or coffee, and also drink water with our lunch.
11. Books/Video Games: Phew! The last one. It’s crazy how many changes we’ve made that we don’t even really miss. This one is definitely something that Josh has made more changes in. A common gift that he receives is a gift card for him to purchase e-books, so we have not had to pay for a book in a long time – which is saying a lot because he reads fast! Additionally, he said that he likes playing his favourite games more frequently than having a large collection. Therefore he only buys a couple games a year, and asks for certain ones for Christmas.

 You may notice that “margin” seems to be my theme of the day. And it really is! Whether it is in your home, schedule, or of course your finances, a little added margin creates so many healthy boundaries. Additionally, it’s all about balance! If you so desperately want something that is not a dire need, but is in your budget, then get it! Budgeting is not about depriving yourself, but it is about changing your habits and seeing what is/is not actually worth paying for. A great new blouse is totally fine as long as it doesn’t become habitual – then you’re back where you started.

What I have enjoyed through all of this is that by purchasing certain items less, I actually appreciate them more. Drinking a fancy tea, using great smelling lotion, or going out to eat is so much more exciting to me because it is not something we do all the time. It has become quite a shift in our thinking and consumption. Saving money is just the added bonus of consuming less and being more intentional. So tell us, is there anything you have cut out of your budget that you haven’t missed?

We also made a quick YouTube video about this over on our channel, ThePaetkauLife . If you’d like to see what we’re up to in the day to day, you can follow us on Instagram !

 

 

Crossing the Rubicon

Hello everyone,

So, this week I’ve gone and done something crazy. In the same week that I turned 25 (Yay!) I also went and quit my job (Yay?). The reason I’ve gone and done this is because L and I have decided that it’s time for me to take the next step on the road that hopefully leads to a career for me. So in honor of another year of my life beginning I thought I would run you through the series of events that have lead to a decision that will surely make this year one of the most interesting ones we’ve ever had.

For the past year and a half I have been working at a job that I didn’t really enjoy while I’ve searched for jobs in the field I went to school for. The unfortunate thing for me is that there were really no jobs out there in my field as companies have begun to rely more heavily on volunteers rather than paid employees. Because of this lack of opportunities L and I decided that I would begin taking some classes in December to try and expand my skills while still working at least part time.

The real difference about these classes are that they are completely unlike the classes that I took during university. Rather than taking courses in sustainable agriculture and volunteer management, I’m instead taking classes in graphic and website design. While these classes are difficult because they are so different from anything else I’ve learned, they are also some of the most fun and interesting classes I have ever taken because they are things that I have chosen to learn. This whole schooling idea is something of a passion project for me.

In addition to my school I am also working to get a commercial UAV certification, giving me the ability to fly a drone as a part of my job. Because of the new regulations being created in Canada this will open up some more opportunities for me on the career front, as well as helping me expand the type and scale of video and photographs that I can make for myself. This is an opportunity that I’m very excited for.

One of the things that I have realized during the last four years is that I do not enjoy shiftwork. During the time I’ve been working shiftwork I have missed many things that are important to me simply by working at odd times. One of the other things that I’ve always known is that I also have trouble enjoying a typical office work environment. The unfortunate thing about this is that there are not many jobs that don’t involve either shiftwork or office work, so if I’m going to have to work in an office environment it is going to be in a field I enjoy.

So, for the first time since I was 14 I don’t have a job, and that’s a scary thing. It also means a lot of adjustment for L and I as we work around only having one income for a while. However, while it’s a huge transition it is something that we both felt I needed to do. We always hear the advice from people around us to step out and do what we love and figure out the details later (don’t we? Is this just me?). So that’s what I’m doing. I’m taking a step in a direction that I never thought I would be going and trusting that this is where I’m supposed to be.

So, to all of you who’ve given me support and encouragement as I’ve talked over this decision with you, thank you. Every one of you that I’ve spoken with about this has been so positive and you have helped me to feel as though I’m making the right decision. If you would like to continue to follow me through this (crazy) idea check out my Twitter and Instagram, where I’ll be taking the things I am learning and hopefully turning them in to something awesome. In addition to these avenues L and I have also just started a Youtube channel and since I have some more free time I’m going to be contributing some of my own content to mix in with the great videos that L has been producing there. If you’d like to see them click here.

Thank you for all of your support,

JP