life hacks Archives | Page 19 of 29

Upgrade Your Style By Making Your Low-Priced Clothes Look Voguish

No matter how much fashion and lifestyle magazines clamor over the S$1000 pair of Christian Louboutin heels, the average person cannot afford to have a shoe rack full of it. Fortunately, you can dress up fashionably without having to break the bank! All you have to do is make the low-priced clothing look more expensive. Try these tips:

1. BACK TO BASICS

The old saying is true: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”. This is why you must avoid handbags or clothes that are filled with bargain embellishments or distressed denim patterns. If you want to accessorize, opt for a thick bracelet rather than stacking three little ones to increase the outfit’s impact. Remember: the sleeker and simpler – the better.

2. CHOOSE MONOCHROMATIC

Since splashing yourself with every color on the rainbow can look cheap, wear one color or one shade of color from head-to-toe. This creates an illusion of supreme quality. For example, you can wear the different shades of black, from Jet-Licorice, to look slimmer and fashionable. Although, this does not mean that you will avoid experimenting with color all together. You may suit up with bold pastels or deep jewel tones.

3. CHANGE THE BUTTONS

One of the tricks that stylists do is to replace the inexpensive plastic buttons with pearl or metal ones. You can purchase affordable and beautiful vintage, metal, pearl, and crystal buttons for as low as S$6.93 at Etsy.com.

Image Credits: Erich Ferdinand via Flickr with Creative Commons License

4. SELECT THE RIGHT FABRIC

Cheaper fabrics are always obvious especially if there are loose threads hanging on the side. So, prefer pieces that are made with cotton, linen, and tweed. The prices of these materials may be reasonable but they often seem more expensive.

5. TAILOR EVERYTHING

Tailoring your jeans for about S$5-12 is worth every buck as it can transform your S$13 Forever21 jeans into a designer looking one. It goes the same for a tailored blazer or a tailored dress. Aside from having it tailored by a professional, you can save more money by mastering these simple alteration stitches.

Image Credits: Hillary via Flickr with Creative Commons License Attribution-ShareAlike

Do not let the tight clothing budget fool you into thinking you’re not Vogue-worthy! 🙂

Sources: 1 & 2

6 Money Hacks To Keep You On Budget

Are you having a difficulty to stay on budget every month? Perhaps it is about time to try a new approach. Here are just some ways to improve your financial situation…

1. MAKE SAVINGS THE FOCAL POINT

I am assuming that you are already set with your budget. You know how much money is coming in and how much money you have now. To grow that money and to prepare for major spending (e.g., buying a property or a car), you must focus on saving. Set up a savings account to make things easier for you. Then, allot an amount to save each month. Seeing your savings balance increase will be a treat to your eyes.

2. SPEND THE CASH YOU HAVE

Whenever I am going out, I leave my credit/debit cards behind and put a relatively small amount of cash in my wallet. This amount is enough for me to survive the day. Furthermore, I am not tempted to buy unnecessary things even if there are several shopping malls along the way.

You can also apply this trick to stay on your budget and be mindful about how much you spend. Try it for a few weeks first to get used to it.

3. REVAMP AND RECYCLE YOUR STUFF

Fix, refurbish, or recycle your furniture, decor, or appliance that are still in good condition instead of saving up money to replace these. As you revamp your stuff, use warm colored paints to brighten up the mood! Or, recycle your old drawer and turn it into a shelf. There are many ways you can think of to upgrade the look of your home without having to spend so, get your creative juices going!

Image Credits: Sean and Lauren via Flickr with Creative Commons License

4. CUT DOWN ON UNHEALTHY HABITS

Unhealthy habits, such as drinking alcohol or smoking tobacco, that you enjoy on a regular basis can not only increase your insurance premiums but also your daily expenses. When you decide to stop drinking and smoking entirely, you will see your bills going down and you will feel improvements in your health – in no time.

5. PRESERVE THE RECEIPTS

To make a budget, you probably stored a bunch of receipts and monitored your expenses for a month. But, you still need to keep an eye on it in order to stick on your budget. Save up all your receipts and categorize them. If you find something that you spend too much on, analyze if you lower your spending on it. For instance, frequent restaurant take-outs can put a toll on your budget.

6. REWARD YOURSELF

One of the quickest ways to adapt a new approach is to have a reward system. Reward yourself each time you reach your financial goal. You do not have to spend a hefty amount to indulge. Have a sleepover with your friends or read a delightful book. Finding ways to associate the budgeting process to a positive feeling will help you reinforce more good habits and get rid of the unhealthy ones.

Image Credits: Vox Efx via Flickr with Creative Commons License

Sources: 1 & 2

Be Healthy And Save More Money With These Awesome Veggies And Fruits Hacks

Aside from growing your greens at the community garden, use these hacks to get more nutrition and more value for your dollar…

1. COOK OR EAT BROCCOLI FIRST

Since broccoli is one of the most perishable veggies, you can save more money by eating it first. In fact, by the time you reach home, it has lost 80% of its nutritional value. This is why you must buy broccoli by heads, keep it in the perforated plastic bag (i.e., available in the grocery), and put it in the refrigerator. You must eat this within two days upon purchase.

2. OPT FOR “BIG” CARROTS

Instead of buying “baby” carrots save more money by cutting your own “big” carrots in small sticks. Also, carrots can be internally hard to break down that is why it is best to cook the carrots to get most of the beta-carotene.

Image Credits: Kona Gallagher via Flickr with Creative Commons License (ShareAlike)

3. OPT FOR SMALLER AND DARKER TOMATOES

Unlike carrots, bigger tomatoes does not it is mean better. Tomatoes on the vine are more expensive too, but they do not give a huge advantage nutritionally. You can get more nutrition and save more money by choosing the smaller and darker (red) tomatoes. Cooking tomatoes minimally is healthier as it changes the Lycopene into a more Bioavailable form.

4. COOK THE KALE

Save money on medical expenses by cooking kale. Raw kale has high oxalic acid levels, which may lead to kidney stones, gout, muscle weakness, and thyroid problems. Steaming kale destroys the oxalic acid. Then, you may happily add it on your salads or smoothies.

5. PROLONG THE AVOCADO’S FRESHNESS

Did you know that avocado contains as much fiber as two bowls of oatmeal? Well, if you are left with half of this fibrous avocado, apply lemon juice or put a slice of raw onion on top to keep it from turning brown. With this hack, you can say farewell to brown and slushy leftover avocados.

Image Credits: threelayercake via Flickr with Creative Commons License (ND)

Sources: 1 & 2

4 Ways To Strengthen Your Cybersecurity Without Spending A Cent

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Cybersecurity is defined as the measures taken to protect a computer or a computer system against unauthorized access or attack. Those who gain unauthorized access to the data in the computer or the system are often called as hackers. What is alarming about the breaching is that it may involve taking of personal data or credit card information.

To prevent these from happening, precautions must be set. Start by limiting the amount of personal data you post online then, strengthen your home and business Cybersecurity in 4 ways…

1. TAKE CONTROL OF THE AUTHENTICATION AND PRIVACY SETTINGS

Maximize the use of your privacy settings by using two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication, often used in online banking, involves “what you know” (e.g., 6-digit password) and “something you have” (e.g., verification code sent thru SMS). You can also change your security questions and your passwords frequently, especially for your emails that contain sensitive data.

2. FILTER YOUR EMAIL

Filter your email contents by not opening the spam mail. To avoid downloading virus or other malware, only open attachments that were given by your friends, family, partners, and clients.

Image Credits: zodman via Flickr with Creative Commons License

Delete the previous emails that are no longer needed so that no one can use them.

3. ALWAYS BACK UP YOUR DATA

I am a klutz! It is unavoidable to have my laptop on the repair shop every year. The only thing worse than having cyber attacks is losing the important data by myself. This is why; a good habit I developed is to back up my data. With this, I can peacefully rest.

4. REGULARLY UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE

Aside from backing up your data, it is vital to update your software regularly as latest security patches minimize the threats of bugs, viruses, and other malwares. Increase your shield by using free programs that scan your computer for bugs, viruses, and other malwares that come from external sources.

Image Credits: Perspecsys Photos (www.perspecsys.com) via Flickr with Creative Commons License Attribution-ShareAlike

With the increasing number of successful cyber attacks, Cybersecurity has become everyone’s responsibility. Individuals can take the 4 mentioned ways to prevent breaches. While huge companies shall execute robust security practices.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

Do Not Let These Feelings Drain Your Money

“Emotional Spender: Someone who spends money freely to satisfy his or her feelings at the moment.”

Whether the feelings or emotions are positive or not, letting these dictate your purchases may potentially lead to a disaster. Ask yourself, are you one of them? Another interesting characteristic that an emotional spender has is the regret after spending. This is sometimes due to spending more than one can afford. Fortunately, you can change for the better!

The first step you must take is to identify the problem by figuring out what emotions or feelings trigger your snap financial decisions. Then, use budgeting to guide you as you stop this nasty buying habit.

Here are some of the emotions that may affect your free spending:

1. ANGER

Let us start the list off with Anger. Shopping while you are angry makes you more likely to take risks. This is because purchasing while you are angry can make you feel empowered. For example, if you are angry with your spouse, you can just grab your credit card (i.e., from your joint account) and not care about how much you spend on clothes. An expensive revenge indeed!

Solution: Making yourself feel better by filling the void inside you is not a good move. Instead, lock yourself in a room, play your favorite song, and write down what you feel. Do these things to help you simmer down and avoid emotional purchases.

2. BOREDOM

Having too much time in your hands can make you spend more. Shopping, a very pleasant activity can keep you busy and make you feel occupied. So, it may act as a substitute for other fulfilling and productive activities. For example, if you work from home, it is natural to have a few hours to spare. As leisure, you decided to go on shopping trips since shopping is not only a boredom buster but also an activity you can do alone.

Solution: Find a fun hobby or activity to occupy you when you are bored. You may try cooking different pasta recipes or catching up on your favorite TV shows. Toggle.sg lets you watch episodes of your favorite shows at Channel 5, Channel 8, Channel U, Okto, Suria, and Vasantham – at no cost!

3. HAPPINESS

How can a positive feeling make you splurge your paycheck? Well, it is possible if you want to celebrate a milestone (e.g., promotion, raise, or graduation) in a grand fashion. According to research by Harris Interactive, 53% of people are guilty of celebratory shopping. This goes to show that shopping in a good note is normal but it may come with expensive price tags.

Solution: Celebrate a momentous event within your means. Having an intimate gathering of your closest loved ones is better than having a huge graduation party at a 5-star hotel. It is okay to indulge once in a while as long as you have money to spare. You deserve it!

CONCLUSION

Spending the money you either do not have or you can well spend elsewhere to satisfy your emotional needs only create more problems than solutions. If you set up a budget with a room for reasonable indulgence then, it is acceptable to spend. After all, that is how personal finance should work.

Image Credits: Antoine K via Flickr with Creative Commons License

Sources: 1 & 2

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