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5 Eco-Friendly Home Ideas To Save You Money

One of the simple things we can do to help save the environment is to reduce our energy consumption and plant more trees. Little do you know that these things along with other innovative ideas can not only help the Earth but it can also save you a decent amount of money.

Here are 5 Eco-Friendly Home Ideas To Save You Money…

1. USE BLACKLE.COM

Blackle.com is a search engine that is powered by Google Custom Search and created by Heap Media. It helps users save energy consumption because of its predominantly black and grey display. According to Wikipedia, the Blackle’s black screen can save up to 4 mWh of electrical energy consumption.

2. KEEP THE WATER BOTTLES IN

Did you know that a barely stocked fridge has to work harder to stay cold than a fully stocked one? So, put your water bottles inside the fridge to help maintain its efficiency.

Image Credits: Steven Depolo via Flickr

You may also put a water bottle in the toilet tank to displace the water and help reduce water consumption.

3. THRIVE A GREEN THUMB

Instead of purchasing the S$299 branded air purifier, go natural and grow your own succulents.

Image Credits: teresaphillips1965 via Flickr

Plants are more than just decorations as it can improve the air quality in your home by absorbing dangerous toxins. Go for the inexpensive and easy to maintain plants such as ferns, green spider plants, English Ivy and dracaenas. Furthermore, growing your own food is organic at its finest. If you do not have a backyard or an apartment balcony there are community gardens for you to plant your own seed.

4. CLEAN YOUR DUST WITH NO MUSS

Buying a bunch of paper towels and cleaning spray products can be costly. So, use a microfiber duster instead. It is not only reusable but it is also effective. Home Depot sells Microfiber Duster with Soft Grip Handle for only US$3.98 or S$5.39. Just toss it in the washing machine to clean it.

5. CLEAN YOUR COMPUTER

Most of the germs live in your keyboard so it is tantamount for you to tidy it up. Rather than buying cleaning sprays, special wipes that contain chemicals or even buy a new one…turn your keyboard upside down and shake the dirt out. Then swab a cotton tip with alcohol or a double-sided tape to clean between the keys.

Savvy Pet Care Saving Tips

From pet medications to cleaning supplies and vet visits, these pet care measures add up. Even the pet’s food expenses can add to the pile of cost. This is why it is important to cut down pet care costs without endangering your pet’s health. Spend less with these Savvy Pet Care Saving Tips…

1. SLASH YOUR PET’S FOOD BILL

Some owners overfeed their pets, leading to a condition called obesity. But, feeding a smaller amount can improve your pet’s health and save you money. Consult your vet about the appropriate food amount your pet needs. To save more, you may buy pet food in bulk.

2. DENTAL CARE FOR LESS

Gingivitis can damage your pet’s kidney and your finances since it requires expensive treatment and professional cleaning. To prevent this, do regular dental care at home. Wrap a significant amount of gauze on your finger and swipe your pet’s teeth.

3. CUTTING DRUG COSTS

The best way to cut down drug costs is to prevent diseases. Consult your vet about the vaccination that your pet needs such as one against Feline Panleukopenia virus. Vaccination is truly cheaper than the treatment for your pet’s disease.

If your pet is already ill, ask the professional if a generic brand of medication works as well as the branded one. Generic brands are cheaper than the branded ones but they can also impart the same effect. And if your pet needs a drug that we take such as antibiotics, compare around the several pharmacies to get the best price.

4. PREVENT ACCIDENTS

Image Credits: Gavin St. Ours via Flickr

Keep poisonous, sharp, and dangerous items out of your pet’s reach. For instance, acetaminophen, household cleaners, and liquid potpourri can cause accidents. Yarns can also get stuck inside your kitty’s intestines and cost you more than thousands of dollars for the surgery.

3 Simple Tips To Stop Living From Paycheck to Paycheck

Living barely within your income is not a laughing matter. When you are living paycheck to paycheck, you live a life of constant stress, worry, and dread that you might be stuck in an unfortunate debt. It is a struggle to gain control of your money and your commitments. So, here are 3 Simple Tips To Stop Living From Paycheck to Paycheck…

1. CREATE A SYSTEMATIC FINANCIAL OPERATING SYSTEM

In order to cease your worries, a huge turnover can be money flow management. You must give conscious effort to know about where your money flows in and out. Once you have control over your money flow. Then, you will be able to create a systematic financial operating system that consists of: money flow management and budgeting.

Money flow management is accomplished by using a ledger or an app. There are a couple of efficient yet free apps that can help such as: EXPENSIFY, EXPENSE MANAGER, MONEYWISE, POCKET EXPENSE PERSONAL FINANCE, and MINT.

Image Credits: wikihow.com/Do-Envelope-Budgeting

Likewise there are a couple of budgeting such as STATIC or FLEXIBLE budgeting. For personal finances, I highly recommend a simple technique called ENVELOPE budgeting. It starts by storing the cash into separate categories of household expenses that are allocated in separate envelopes.

Budgeting will surely help you gain clarity and control. Start by writing down your monthly income, followed by your monthly expenses, and then subtract the two. Plan and search for a suited technique.

2. PREPARE MONEY FOR YOUR BILLS ACCORDINGLY

Some bills are due frequently while some are semi-annually. Prepare money for your bills accordingly by noting them down. If you have a monthly bill, you may try a trick called half payments. For half payments, you prepare the payment for the bill by subtracting half of the bill’s amount to your bank account per two weeks (bi-weekly).

3. BOOST YOUR EMERGENCY FUND

Prepare for the unforeseen events and financial failures by saving at least 8% of your income per month. You shall call this category your “emergency fund”. It is better to save a certain amount of money than to have nothing save at all.

How And Why You Should Save For Retirement Before Your Mid-30s

When you are young, in your 20s or 30s, retirement feels like a looooong way ahead.

Typically in your 20s, the only person you have to spend for is yourself. In your 30s, you will have new financial priorities such as the wedding, child’s schooling, house loans, etc.

If you consider all the aspects of your finances and fast-paced life today however, you will realize that it is the best time to start saving for retirement before you hit 35. Even the strategies to save for retirement are in-lined with the ideal to start saving while you are young.

Here are the 4 strategies to save for your retirement before your mid-30s…

1. PAY OFF YOUR DEBTS

It makes sense to pay off your debts or at least your high-interest debts before you save for your retirement. Since not all debts are equal, pay off your high-interest debts first followed by the lower ones.

2. SET UP A BUDGET

Systematically allocate your income onto different categories and stick to that budget. Do not spend beyond what your budget is for that month. This allows you to save regularly rather than arbitrarily.

3. SEEK FOR AN EMPLOYER THAT SUPPORTS YOUR GOALS

Image Credits: American Advisors Group via Flickr

As much as possible, look for an employer that supports your long-term goals. If your employer offers Retirement or Pension Plan then embrace this company benefit.

4. TRACK YOUR RETIREMENT SAVINGS

During your…

a. 20s

It is best to start saving at least 5% of your income or sign up for your employer’s Retirement Plan. Avoid debt as much as possible and get educated about your finances.

b. 30s

Invest your money and check whether it is in lined with your goals. Increase your contribution to your Retirement Savings while preparing for your child’s school fees.

c. 40s

Make thought-through decisions about your expenses and cut down the unnecessary. This is when you hit your savings to the maximum. By this time you should have at least S$80, 000 to your Retirement Savings.

d. 50s

During your 50s, you must prepare for the unexpected. Seek the financial experts’ help if you must. Then, plan your exit with glee because you are well prepared for it.

Note: This is just an ideal time frame for your Retirement Savings. Contemplate and reconsider the realistic measures that are suited for you.

10 Rules of Success from 19th Century’s World Richest Man

Who would have thought that a Scottish American with barely a dollar to his name would soon be the richest man in the world?

Andrew Carnegie migrated to the United States with his low-income parents in 1848. He then started to work as a telegrapher. 10 years later, he had investments in railroads, bridges, railroad sleeping cars, and oil derricks. Then, his wealth increased further as he worked as a bond salesman.

He became the world’s richest man in 1901. Aside from having a high profile, he was also a philanthropist. This is the reason why he gave away about 90% of his fortune (US$350 million in 1919 = US$4.7 billion in 2015) US to charities by the time of his death.

Image Credits: wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Carnegie

CARNEGIE ON WEALTH

Andrew believed in using his wealth to help the lives of others and enrich the society. In 1889, he wrote an article entitled: “The Gospel of Wealth” that preached his belief of good will. It stimulated the wave of philanthropy.

This is one of his memos:

“Man does not live by bread alone. I have known millionaires starving for lack of the nutriment, which alone can sustain all that is human in man, and I know workmen, and many so-called poor men, who revel in luxuries beyond the power of those millionaires to reach. It is the mind that makes the body rich.”

CARNEGIE ON SUCCESS

His philosophy go beyond wealth. At the height of his career, a young journalist named Napoleon Hill reached out to him to get insight about success. Andrew Carnegie instilled the “10 Rules of Success” to Hill and it has been the foundation of much of his work.

Here are the “10 Rules of Success” that you can use in your daily lives. These are laid out in Hill’s book entitled: “The Science of Success”:

1. Define your purpose.

2. Develop a “master-mind alliance” and expand your resources.

3. Take the extra mile.

4. Practice the “applied faith” and believe in yourself.

5. Have personal initiative.

6. Indulge your imagination and creativity.

7. Exert enthusiasm.

8. Think and judge accurately.

9. Focus your effort on the task.

10. Profit from adversity.

Sources: Business Insider, Wikipedia

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