Why buy expenisve mossie spray when you can make it yourself very cheaply. I make may own homemade mosquito repellant and it keeps the mossies, sand flies, and flies away.

I am one of those people that always get bitten by insects, when everyone else can’t feel a thing. Here I am scratching and slapping myself while other people are just standing there watching.

I seriously thought that this homemade recipe for mosquito spray would not work…But I am telling you that it really works.

Here is the recipe for the homemade mosquito spray:

1. 1 part Dettol
2. 3 parts Baby oil

Shake the bottle and away you go. I usually put mine in an empty pump spray bottle. Actualy an old aeroguard one. This stuff goes a long way too. It seems to last forever.

I will never go back to paying $5 or more for a chemical ridden can of mossie spray.

Finding an online community for saving, is not only a great way to further your financial education through others’ advice and practices, but can be a fantastic motivational factor as well. Discovering how other people have dealt with financial difficulties, put money saving methods into practice, and learn from one another can motivate you to apply money saving practices to your own life. Not only can their advice and personal experiences save you money, but they can prove that you are not alone when it comes to the difficulties sometimes involved with saving money.

1. Buxr.com

Buxr is a site where you can find a variety of information about the latest deals, participate in contests, as well as join in discussions regarding various ways to save. There is a link on the site’s home page to a good video tour that will guide you through using the website as well its various features.

2. LifeTuner.org

Lifetuner could be the perfect spot for you to find motivation to save. To quote their ‘About Us’ section, “Lifetuner is not just a site, but a way to get individuals talking about money, to seek advice and gain confidence in managing your finances.” They offer expert advice about money basics as well as maintaining a community discussion forum and Lifetuner blog.

3. MySavings.com

MySavings is geared toward finding great deals, coupons, free samples and other savings. Take a look at their community forum by entering as a guest (you don’t have to sign up to do so) to get a feel for what topics are being discussing.

4. AARP.org

The AARP might not pop into mind right away when considering websites that offer an online saving community. The site’s community group forums however, have a number of money saving topics that you can read about and discuss.

5. MoneySavingExpert.com

Read web and news releases, watch videos, visit discussion forums, or participate in weekly polls on the MoneySavingExpert and get regular email updates on the latest special offers and coupons. This site is geared toward those who are looking to save in the UK.

6. HotCouponWorld.com

You can chat, visit forums or blogs, or just discover what’s new with coupons in HotCouponWorld’s coupon database. This site proclaims itself, “The Internet’s Largest Grocery Community”. You can sign up for the site’s newsletter to stay up to date on money saving techniques and deal alerts. If you’re looking for a spot devoted to groceries and coupons, then this might be the site for you.

7. SlickDeals.net

As a member of Slickdeals.net, you can take part in the ‘Hot Deals’, ‘Freebies’, ‘Deal Talk’, or ‘Coupons’ forums, amongst others, or just visit the ‘Lounge’ and participate in general discussions with fellow site members. Among the site’s many tools and resources, SlickDeals.net allows you to search for contests and sweepstakes, compare prices, read product reviews, and get store ratings.

8. FatWallet.com

FatWallet offers a number of forum topics ranging from ‘Hot Deals’ and ‘Deal Discussion’ to ‘Technology’ and ‘Travel’. If you are looking for a site that may be able to help you save on a variety of different product and service categories, this could be the site for which you’ve been searching.

9. SavingAdvice.com

Read finance articles, participate in the site’s ‘Personal Finance Forums’ or visit the SavingAdvice blog as a possible way to help motivate yourself to save. There are a number of blog categories offering advice and information on a variety of money saving topics.

Tom writes about managing money at Money Compare where consumers can compare online savings accounts in order to get the highest interest rate and therefore increase their ROI.

We all like to spend money on our friends and family at Christmas time and there are few things as satisfying as being able to buy and give a gift you just know the recipient will love. However, if you need to tighten your belt a little this year in the Christmas gift department, or you’re just looking to curb your consumerism here are a few tips to help you save on Christmas gifts.

1. Make a list, and check it twice

Obvious? Yes. Predictable? Yes. Pointless? No. Making a list of the people you need to buy gifts for, and working out what you are going to get them before you leave the house means you are less likely to overspend on a person. How many times have you gotten carried away collecting the perfect gifts for your sister, only to realise your brother’s present now looks too small and you need to spend even more on him now too?!

2. Make a budget and stick to it

This should be done when you make your gift list because it allows you to see just how much you are spending on the festive season and chances are you’ll be inspired to curb your spending and set a limit. Setting a limit also stops you from over spending because when you reach the budgeted price ceiling, you know you need to stop shopping. If you are struggling for csah and are going to use your credit card, consider applying for a 0% purchases card before you spend. Its going to save you some serious interest.

3. Do not wait the last minute

Shopping earlier than December can save you money on your Christmas gifts. Firstly, there is more demand for all kinds of gifts and their prices increase and their availability decreases leading shop assistants to say things like ‘I can get it in before Christmas but you’ll have to pay the extra rushed shipping costs…’ Secondly, shopping in the Christmas rush is expensive for parking, petrol and incidentals like coffee and lunch breaks in your shopping marathon, but if you pace yourself, you can save on your entire gift buying experience.

4. Shop for Christmas bonuses

If you are shopping in the Christmas rush you can still save on gifts by seeking out those great seasonal bonuses. Around Christmas time many retailers will package up products and gifts to offer gifts with purchase. While you may be tempted to boost the original recipient’s gift, you can instead use this gift with purchase as a gift for someone else on your list.

5. Make and bake

Making gifts is a sure fire way to save money so if you are handy with a sewing machine why not whip up some Christmas stockings for your nieces and nephews, or if you want to give out hampers, bake the cookies and make the jam yourself, there are hundreds and thousands of free festive recipes online.

6. Secret Santa gifts

Instead of buying gifts for all of your friends and family, why not set up a Secret Santa draw within your gift buying groups. This is as simple as putting everyone’s names in a hat, and each person draws out one name, and buys one gift, with a budget set for the gifts by the group.

7. Shop online

This is another way to save on the parking, petrol and snack costs of Christmas gift buying because you don’t have to leave the house. Plus, you can often find the same products from the stores in the mall, in online stores for much cheaper because online stores have lower overheads and staffing costs – savings they can pass onto you.

8. To wrap up…

Skip the expensive wrapping paper. Glossy Christmas patterned paper can add hundreds of dollars to your final gift budget but simple brown or white paper with coloured ribbon can make an equally impressive gift – the paper will just be ripped and recycled anyway. Or you can use non-traditional gift wrapping tools as part of the gift – why not wrap gifts in tea towels or bath towels, or make a ‘Santa Sack’ from a pillow case?

Written by Fred Schebesta. Fred writes at Savings Account Finders. He offers advice on how to compare savings  accounts and make the most of term deposit accounts

If you like to get creative in the kitchen, you probably don’t give much thought to how much power you’re using – not when there are more important things to measure. Well, just take a minute now to think about all the things going on in the kitchen when you’re cooking – the oven is heating, the stove top is probably bubbling away with one or two pots and you may even have the microwave, the kettle or the grill going as well.

When you add up all of that power used, every night of the week just to feed your family you’ll probably start wondering if there’s a better way. You don’t have to resort to takeaway food to tone down the power consumption in your kitchen, all you have to do is cook smarter and below are 24 ways you can save energy when you cook, and most of them won’t even cost you a grain of salt.

1 : Fill Your Oven

The same way you wouldn’t run your dishwasher or washing machine half full because it’s a waste of energy, so too should your oven be full when you use it. With more homes opting for a gourmet style kitchen you may even have a large freestanding stove which you use to cook just one tray of muffins or roast one chicken breast. Instead, think about what else you can fill your oven with – you may take something from the stove and cook it in the microwave instead, or maybe you can double or triple your recipe and freeze some for later.

2:  Close the Oven and Keep it Closed

The more often you open the oven door, the longer it will take for your meal to cook – using more energy. Your oven is likely to have a light inside so turn this on and peer through the door, instead of letting all that cooking warmth out.

3:  Keep an Eye on Preheating

Some dishes will call for the oven to be preheated and it is important to the end result. However, where you can avoid it, don’t leave the oven heating for too long before putting the food in, and if you still want to preheat the oven, make sure you put the food in as soon as the oven has reached its preheated temperature.

4 : Use the Oven as a Warmer

Instead of getting out a warming tray, or leaving your oven on a warming setting to keep your meal until everyone arrives at the table, use the residual heat from the oven’s cooking time to keep food warm. Again, if you keep the door closed, very little heat will escape.

5 : Cooking Marathon

Where you can, cook meals you need for later in the day, when you are already cooking an earlier meal. For example, cooking your dinner meal straight after your lunch meal allows you to use the already warmed oven’s energy for the next meal, rather than letting it cool down, and making it work harder to heat up again from cold.

6 : Weekend Cooking Marathon

As well as giving you more time during the week, cooking your meals for the week on the weekend means you can cut down on the energy your oven uses at dinner time every day. Cooking more than one meal in the oven or on the cook top at once will use less energy than heating up your oven five times a week.

7:  Don’t Over Boil

When you fill the kettle for a cup of tea or coffee, don’t fill the kettle right up unless you need to. Similarly if you’re boiling a pot of water for pasta or vegetables, take care in using just the amount of water you need, rather than filling the pot to the top. The more water you’re boiling, the more energy you’ll be needlessly using.

8:  Unthaw Food Before Cooking

A little preparation in unthawing your meat or stored soups before cooking will help you cut down on the cooking energy needed. To cook something from frozen is going to take a lot longer, and use a lot more energy than cooking something thawed.

9:  Cook Smaller Food

No, you don’t have to go on a diet you just need to cut up your food a little before you cook it. Cutting pieces of meat for the BBQ or cutting vegetables for roasting will mean they take less time to cook and use less energy.

10:  Turn Off the Stove While You’re Cooking

If you are cooking something on the cook top such as an omelette, bacon, pancakes or the like, when your food is almost done, turn off the stove as the residual heat in the hot plate and in the pan will be enough to finish off the cooking process for a perfect meal.

11:  Turn Off the BBQ While You’re Cooking

Outside you can turn off the BBQ just before you’re done too. If you’re cooking sausages or hamburgers for example, when they are about five minutes away from being cooked, turn off the heat and let the stored heat in the grill or plate finish them off. Plus if you have a BBQ with a hood, this will keep in even more heat after you turn off the gas.

12:  Size Up Your Pots

If you are cooking something small on your cook top, use a small pot. This will allow you to use one of the smaller burners on your stove, and in turn you’ll use less energy to cook.

13:  Slow Cooking Saves Energy

Instead of heating up the whole oven to cook a meal, use a slow cooker or crock pot. You can cook a whole roast and vegetables, a stew or a delicious Asian dish in a pot on the stove using much less energy than you would in the oven. Not to mention putting your dinner in a slow cooker and letting it cook away saves you time.

14:  Flat Bottomed Pans

Check just how flat the bottom of the pan or pot you are using is, to conserve energy in your cooking. The flatter the base of the pan, the more surface area there is to be in contact with the hotplate, and therefore your cooking is faster and uses less energy.

15:  Lid On

Everything you cook will cook faster with the lid on, in turn saving you energy. Water will boil faster with the lid on, your veggies will steam faster and the meat in your stew will break down faster with the lid on.

16:  Clean Kitchens Save Energy

Make it a habit to regularly clean your oven , cook top and hotplates – they’ll reward you with efficiency. Just think about how much harder your oven has to work to cook through all the baked on meals of your past, and how much hotter will your pans get when they can be in direct contact with the hot plate, not with the food baked onto the hot plate.

17:  Microwave Boil

Using a microwave to boil your water is more efficient than using a kettle, or boiling water on the stove. Where a microwave can heat and bring water to the boil faster, it is able to use less energy.

18:  Choose the Right Sized Appliance

If you can use a smaller appliance than your oven to cook then you are going to be saving yourself a lot of energy. If you can use a small toaster oven for your grilled cheese or a slow cooker for your roast then go for it.

19:  Use an Electric Kettle

If you like to boil your water traditionally – on the stove top – then this could end up costing you. It can take more energy to boil water in a kettle on the stove, than is used by an electric kettle.

20:  Broil vs Bake

When you bake something in your oven you are essentially surrounding it with hot air, at the temperature your recipe book told you, or that you know is right for the food. Broiling is like upside down barbequing as broiling is cooking with infrared heat, which on a BBQ comes from the coals underneath and in a broiling oven comes from the hot element above the food. To broil a steak for example you would choose the setting on your oven, put your meat in a dish to catch the juices and let the steak cook. Since you are using just one element in the oven, and letting your food cook in its own juices, you are likely to be able to use less energy than baking. Broiling will also cook your food faster, and therefore use less energy.

21:  Double or Triple the Recipe

If you are making something like soup, pasta sauce or even muffins or cookies double or triple the recipe and freeze some for later. Cooking these meals from scratch just once will use less energy than the hours of cooking required to cook each batch individually.

22:  Quality Cookware

Good quality pots and pans will cook more efficiently than the cheap and nasty ones. This is because they are made of stronger materials, and materials better suited to cooking to allow them to conduct the heat better. For example, most good quality cooking pots will have a copper base and copper is excellent at conducting the heat evenly across the base of the pan so your food cooks faster – using less energy. You are likely to have to make an investment to upgrade to quality cookware but the energy savings, plus the better cooking results will be worth the switch.

23:  Wood Stove

Having a camping cook-out is an alternative to using up energy in your kitchen as you are able to use a specially designed camp oven – which is usually a large, strong based pot – over a wood stove to cook your meal.

24: Cooking with Solar

Solar cooking is a culinary method which has been used in developing countries for centuries and is only just emerging into mainstream Western cooking practices. A totally carbon neutral and power-free cooking method, using the sun to cook your meals instead of the stove is sure to save you on energy costs. There are three main types of solar cookers; the Panel Cooker which directs sunlight from reflective panels onto food; the Solar Oven which places food under a glass plate and as the sun travels through the glass it cooks the food, this solar cooker also used reflective panels to direct even more sunlight through the glass; and the Parabolic Cooker uses a series of mirrors designed to concentrate the sun’s rays on a particular spot. Solar cooking can take some time to perfect and will require an investment in equipment but if you’re serious about natural cooking the answer could be right there in the sky.

Using less energy when you cook can be as simple as choosing the right tools for the job. Plus when you cook more efficiently, you can often save yourself time too.

Fred Schebesta writes about saving money at Savings Account Finder, he helps people compare and the right high interest savings account to get more interest.

If you try some of these tips you will be sure to make a sale and maybe even make more money than you expected:

• First appearances count: Concentrate on the front of the house and how it looks.  People will simply drive by if they see something they do not like.  Of course you cannot help it if you have the front door in the wrong place, but there is alot you can do.
• Paint: Tidy the place up with a fresh coat of paint. This is one of the cheapest improvements you can do and it can make you the most money.
• Correct lighting: Make sure the interior is light and spacious – airy.  Turn lights on if you have a dark room.
• Clean and tidy: This is an obvious one but people still do not do it.. Especially if you have tenants in a house that is for sale.
• Nice smelling: If you have a bread maker, have it going, when there is an inspection on…Hmmm Yum..Who can resist fresh bread. .Maybe you could brew a coffee, cook a cake, or whatever suits you.  Think about what makes your house smell nice.  Maybe you have some flowers in the garden – transfer these into the house, especially the bathroom, there is nothing nicer than a nice smelling bathroom!
• DE-clutter: Get rid of excess furniture and junk. Declutter your house to make it look bigger.  This is a big one.. Do not stuff everything in the cupboards either.  Store the excess items somewhere else (like your mum’s house!!)
• Animals: Do not have any signs of animals living in your house.  This will put off 50% of you buyers straight away.  I personally couldn’t stand living in a house where dogs and cats have been. Especially if the house had carpet!!!!! I would be dreaming about fleas and cat hair everywhere (not to mention the underneath of the carpet where the pets may have urinated)
• Garden and fences: If you have a back yard, do not think that is doesn’t count. The backyard is just as important as the front.  Especially if the buyer has children or animals.  Secure fencing is a big plus for most people so make sure you fix any wholes or gaps.  Fences can be repaired easily with a bit of hard work.  Also make sure the lawns are mowed and tidy.  I found that everyone loves a garden – it can be small, in a large pot.  We all love the idea of growing our own herbs, vegies, etc it gives a peaceful, healthy feeling.
• Get an honest opinion: Get someone else to come into your house and give you an honest opinion.  Not the real-estate salesperson- get a close relative to give you the brutal truth from an outsider’s point of view.
• Give more information: Give the real-estate agent a brochure from the local council to give to any potential buyers. They usually show what facilities are available in the area… This can make a sale.  If they see there is a bus that picks you up on the corner, a school in the next block, a shopping center, or other attractions available this can be very helpful.  If you have a house in the middle of nowhere this can be valuable information.  If there are no books or brochures available, make your own list up (the local library is a great place to get these from as they usually have all the local papers, etc).

I would love to hear any tips you have on how to sell a house to make more money…I know there are loads out there..

1. Clean your bathroom. This is my favorite use for Bicarb soda. You can make it into a paste and use it for stubborn stains on basins or tiles. I also use an old toothbrush with this paste to clean around the taps. You can also put a bit on a wet cloth and wipe on and rinse off.. Everything comes up so sparkly clean.
2. Clean drains. Keep your drains clean and clear by putting some bicarb soda powder in them, then pour some white vinegar in. It will bubble and fizz and clean your drains. Then rinse with water.
3. Deodorise your Fridge. Put some Baking soda in your fridge to absorb odours. You can also use it for kitty litter, ash trays, cars, shoes, and probably a hundred other things.
4. Stain Remover. Make a paste with bicarb soda, water, and dishwashing liquid. Rub stain with this paste, let dry for stubborn stains, and then throw in the wash.
5. Clean your dishwasher. Run your dishwasher through its cycle with baking soda in it instead of soap to give it a good cleaning.
6. Clean your teeth. Sprinkle some baking soda onto your toothpaste on your toothbrush. You will be shocked at how good your teeth will feel. If your really game you can ditch the toothpaste and just use baking soda.

If you are reading this you probably are looking for a way to improve an important aspect of your life; your financial position. The idea of getting rich quick is grand but the possibility that it will happen overnight is slim. The programs you can find are often sold to the general population by a company looking to mass market information in order to generate a profit. If there were an easy button or magic potion, wouldn’t we all be rich by now? What it takes to get rich is working hard and working smart. Let’s not discount the fact that there are individuals that have hit the lottery or developed a product that put them in the millionaire’s club seemingly overnight but their numbers are few.

Then where can you start? The first steps to improving your financial position and building wealth is awareness and action.

Know Your Current Situation.

If you are going to build something you have to start with a strong foundation. It is important to understand what money you have coming in and were it goes every month. I suggest you keep a spending journal for one month. Every day, jot down everything you spend. Be it paying bills, buying food, entertainment, it doesn’t matter what it is, if it costs money, write it down. Knowing your current situation will help you determine if you income is higher than your expenditures. Once you have determined where your money is going, you may be surprised at how much you are spending on things that is absolutely worthless. I personally liked my coffee in the morning; I determined that I spent over $1000.00 a year on my daily stops to the gas station. That is insane, and I couldn’t even account for the many times I would grab a pop or a granola bar. It all adds up. I switched to making coffee in the morning before I left; cutting the cost by a huge amount and stopping me from making those mindless purchases that drained my available cash.

Understand Your Debt

Debt has been accepted and encouraged by society as a way of life. This way of thinking is contradictory to building your wealth. Money owed reduces your net worth and is a barrier between you and saving money. There are different types of debt. First, make a list of all debt that you owe. Categorize the list into these sections. A. Home mortgages and transportation. B. Credit cards and anything that generates interest that increases the debt level. C. Anything late or potentially damaging to your credit. D. Miscellaneous debt such as that loan from Aunt Maggie last year. Once it is categorized, it will be easier to gain a perspective on the actions that you will need to take. Your priority should be taking care of any debt that is currently late, damaging your credit, or growing due to high interest and minimum payments.

Work To Eliminate Debt

I know, I am telling you to spend your money when you are trying to get more of it but trust me; this is the real way to get rich! You took the time hopefully to list your debt into the different categories. Now, take anything that is late and make it your priority. If everything is current, knock out any small bills that you can eliminate quickly. These small successes will keep you motivated and free up what you have available to pay down on the larger debt. Pick a debt to begin to focus on. My best advice is to choose the debt that is charging the highest amount of interest. The more you pay down, the less they will be tacking on in interest at the end of every billing cycle.
Know Your Credit Score

Your credit score affects many aspects of your life beside your ability to get a loan. Opening accounts and getting a job just to name a few. Your payment history along with debt level and public information such as a bankruptcy all play a part in the score. I strongly suggest you get a copy of your credit report and review it for errors. You can log on to www.annualcreditreport.com for a free copy of your credit report. Also, there are sites available to help you obtain and manage your credit report for different varying fees. If your credit needs work or if you had problems with identity theft, I suggest you begin working with one of these organizations. You need to know what is on that report, everyone else does.

Eliminate Hidden Costs

Any drain on your available cash will add up over time. Making a payment late that generates a fee, annual fees on credit cards, monthly fees for bank accounts are all unnecessary. Review each account to see if they are taking on any charges. Paying a fee for a checking account is ludicrous these days. The banks are competing for your business. You can find many accounts by searching the internet, no fees, some with higher yield interest rates if you open a checking account at the same time, others have programs available that reward you for simply doing business with them. If you have open lines of credit search for options to transfer into a lower interest rate, any reduction in continuing expenses are a few more dollars toward your financial success. Avoid doing a debt consolidation loan that stretches your payments out for longer periods, yes it looks good on paper, lower payments and even lower interest but averaged out over time it will cost more in interest.

Plan For Emergencies

Many experts say that you should have at least three months worth of living expenses put away. Reality has most of us living paycheck to paycheck. When something like a car repair comes up, we find ourselves putting off important payments in order to get the emergency taken care of forcing a game of catch up often times for months after. Start with a lower amount. Have a garage sale, sell stuff that you really don’t need, do whatever it takes to set aside $1000.00 for emergencies. Statistics show that having that amount set aside will often take care of the emergencies that crop up. The emergency fund should be held where it is not accessible for simple purchases and no, pizza and a movie are not constituted as an emergency. If you find yourself having to dip into the emergency fund, stop paying extra on the debt until you have replenished it.
Set Goals

Having a plan is the only way to work for something. How often would you jump in your car to go on vacation without a destination in mind? It may sound like fun but at some point you are going to have to make a decision. So why on earth we try to stumble through life without a plan is beyond me. Goal setting can be kind of scary. Why? Because you are committing yourself to accomplish something that we are not quite sure how we are going to get there, so the fear of failure comes into play. Its ok, everyone goes through it. Write down what you would like to achieve. Make them big because you are going set some time limitations and plan the actions that you need to take to get there, one step at a time. That is how we learned to walk isn’t it? Break down each goal into actions that have to occur in order to accomplish it. Make sure that each action is not complicated, if there is more than one thing that has to happen to finish the action, break it down further. Write down tentative deadlines for achieving each action. Leave room next to the date to write down when the action actually was completed. Post your goals somewhere that you will read them every day. I like to suggest the refrigerator. I know I visit mine frequently enough! This is your map. Review them monthly to add or modify, we know that life brings about surprises, good and bad, we have to be able to adapt. Finally, talk about your goals, vocalizing them will further cement your commitment to them and to yourself. If you find that people are negative toward your desire to change your situation, realize that often times they are jealous of your motivation and truly want the same for themselves.

Learn to Save

As you begin to pay down your debt, you should be finding yourself with more available cash. An aggressive goal for saving money would be 10% of your income. It is hard to save as often times when bills are getting paid we feel a sense of freedom and want to enjoy the finer things in life. That is ok, after you have met the goal of saving money. I myself, being a normal American, have a tough time committing money to savings; it is easier if I am working toward something. My goal of purchasing a home is my motivator. That still doesn’t seem to work all the time, so I have found avenues to increase my saving. I found a bank account that every time I use my debit card, it rounds my purchase to an even amount and transfers the change into my savings account. The really cool thing about it is the bank actually matches the amount up to $250.00 per year. Folks that is free money!

Adjust To Set-Backs

Let’s face it, stuff does happen. When the unexpected occurs, you have to be diligent enough to sit down and refigure your plan of action. Whether a major set back or something minor, it is very easy for us to throw our hands up and give up the fight. It may be tough but remember, procrastination and complacency are evil monsters and often times the reason we find ourselves in situations that are undesirable. Rework your budget, rework your goals, rework your commitment, but do not give up. You wanted to build wealth right? Very little worth having comes easily regardless of the get rich quick programs you can buy for $29.99 on the internet. Who is getting rich when you buy one of those anyway? Don’t take my word for it, just look at where you are and see what has worked the best for you so far.

Start Today

In closing, I want to touch base on when you should start. TODAY!!! It is human nature to pick a time and date to create a basis of measurement. That is fine but why put two more weeks out of your new life to wait for the first of the month? Make the commitment to yourself to begin making changes now. Like I had mentioned earlier, every small success, every bill that goes away, will increase your motivation and confidence. So resolve not to resolve any longer, planning is yet another form of procrastination. I am a planner and a list maker. If I had back every minute that I spent on planning and poured that into action, I would be more than 50% closer to achieving my goals. Keep positive and good luck!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wealth-building-articles/build-wealth-the-right-way-ten-easy-steps-459084.html

About the Author:
Erine’s extensive education and business background in management and business development allows her to provide trusted and innovative information designed to make a positive impact in the lives of individuals and their businesses. For more from the author please visit: www.debtisatrap.com and www.creditsecretsbible2008.com

By Mitz

Using these tips on how to save money can literally save you thousands of dollars a year You may think that these tips sound like prison camp rules, however there are a lot of ways to have fun without spending money. I guarantee you will be stress free if you follow these money saving tips.

1. Don’t buy your lunch, pack it yourself. It won’t kill you. Stop going out to dinner. Going out to dinner used to be a planned and special outing but now people eat out because they do not feel like cooking.
2. Cut down on certain luxuries like cigarettes and alcohol. I bought a packet of cigarettes for a friend the other day and I nearly died when I heard the price. Stop buying coffees at the cafe when you can make it yourself. Do not buy bottles of water.
3. Save money on your gas or petrol bills by not driving to the shop for one item. Be prepared and have what you need, and if you run out, bad luck!
4. If you have a garden, grow something. Lettuce is easy and is good for salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, and tacos. You could even grow herbs in pots on a window ledge with sun. Swap your surplus produce with others. My neighbours give me eggs in exchange for vegies from my garden.
5. Reduce the monthly bills you have to pay. Do you really need the premium internet account or the pay TV. What else are you paying for that you really don’t need. Turn your electrical items off at the wall. Simply turning the on off switch will not stop the device from using power.
6. Go shopping once a fortnight. Stick to a shopping list. Buy items in bulk and when on special. If chicken fillet is on special, have that for dinner. Don’t buy Premium Lamb cutlets at $25 a kilo just because you want them.
7. Buy second-hand items. I bought a used play station 2 console. The kids were very happy and I saved around $200. Well looked after, used cars can save you thousands of dollars.
8. Don’t buy anything unless you have the cash in your pocket. Credit cards and interest free loans are a trap!! The interest rates make your repayments a lot larger than what you actually spent.
9. Cut down on waste. Use food in your fridge before it turns bad. Freeze what you can. Eat leftovers.
10. Buy your clothes when they are out of season. You can get them for half price or less. School uniforms are great to buy second hand as your child grows so quick.
11. Look after what you already have. A little bit of maintenance goes a long way.
12. Develop a budget and try to stick to it. Its not easy but once you master it, you will never look back.
13. Get rid of that extra car. Some families have more cars than they need. They cost registration, insurance and petrol. Maybe you could do with one family car and one motorbike. You can also get a smaller car that does not chew the petrol or gas like a big one.
14. Use your computer to communicate with family and friends around the world. If you have a web cam Windows Live messenger lets you chat to people and they can see you at the same time. Play music from the internet. My children play video clips on youtube. You can also do internet banking. Read newspapers online.
15. Don’t carry cash in your pocket because you will spend it.

About the Author

Mitz Pantic wrote this article for Fill Your Money Box. See more articles that are written in an easy to understand interface at http://www.tips4pc.com/ Browse Tips4pc.com and get FREE Computer Help now!.