Saving Money… what’s the deal?
When we want to curtail our spending and have some money saved, what do we do? We cut back!
Cut!
Well, the first thing we do is to look at our financial habits. They we assess how and where we can change some of the habits so we have less financial outgo.
And Also…
Of course, to have more money we can also increase our income, But sometimes accomplishing that is not as easy as cutting back. In fact, cutting back on expenses is probably easier in the short run. So let’s look at that.
So, We Start to Think.
How and where to spend less money? That is the real question.
Is Small Better?
Small changes are much easier to start than large changes. Or so I would assume.
Overwhelmed Yet?
Suppose we are burdened with the need to make large financial changes in our lives. Without small changes, attempting to make a large change can be a difficult endeavor.
Small Can Lead To Large
It is my contention that small changes can awaken one’s perception to larger changes. So while we might scoff at what looks like infinitesimal changes, these can lead to larger and more substantial changes down the road. Opening one’s mind and insight through small changes is how to start.
So Start Small, and Put One Foot In Front Of The Other
That’s how to get wherever you want to go: one step at a time. It’s that famous line from the Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) attributed to Lao Zi (approx. 500 BC) “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” (For purists, here is the original quote: 千里之行，始於足下). So let’s get started.
How to save insanely small amounts of money
1. Drain the soapy liquid from the bottom of the soap dish into a small plastic pump bottle. When washing your hands, use the pump bottle instead of picking up a bar of soap.
2. When your bar of soap is almost down to a small sliver, slide it into that plastic pump bottle. Pump that bottle when you need a little soap to wash you hands. Your soap consumption is now reduced.
3. When washing vegetables in the kitchen sink, don’t let the water just go down the drain. Clean the vegetables in a basin, and drain the water into a larger container or bucket for later use in the garden, etc.
4. Turnoff the water when brushing you teeth. I just turn on the water to wet the toothbrush, then turn it off. I then brush. When done, I turn the water back on to rinse the toothbrush and my mouth.
5. While waiting for the warm water to start for a shower, catch the cold water in a bucket. Use that water later to flush, in the garden, or elsewhere.
6. If you now shower daily, change to every other day. You have now halved your consumption of water, shampoo, shower soap, plus less wear and tear on your towels.
7. Men: If you shave daily, switch to every other day. This halves use of water, shaving cream, and wear and tear on blades, or electricity. Bonus: You’ll get a more rugged look.
There Are Plenty More Where That Came From
These are only a few that come to mind at the moment. Some of them might feel weird to you. No need to follow someone else’s lead. Find your own ways.
What did you do to start the journey of getting your financial house in order? Send comments here: Contact
The Japanese world map “Shintei – Chikyu Bankoku Hozu (Square Map of all the Countries on the Globe)” was by Suido Nakajima. 1853.
The 6th century map of the world by Cosmas Indicopleustes (also known as Cosmas the Monk) was a Greek merchant and later hermit from Alexandria, Egypt. His work Christian Topography contained some of the earliest and most famous world maps.
These maps are in the public domain. “Published anywhere before 1924 and public domain in the U.S.”
Actress Hedy (Markey) Lamarr wasn’t just another pretty actress. She was also a talented inventor. Together with George Antheil, Markey (Lamarr) received US Patent No. 2,292,387 on August 11, 1942, for a Secret Communication System. Ultimately, their frequency-hopping technology was too advanced for its time, but it did serve as the basis for modern spread-spectrum communication technology, from which current Wi-Fi networking connections are derived.
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