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This pretty much sums up the difference between my really smart friend Kris and myself…yesterday we were talking and she said to me “I’d love to win $100,000 right about now.”..and I quickly shot back, “WHY!!!!?????? We cannot travel anywhere and we cannot really buy anything…What’s the use for all that extra $$$” and without missing a beat, Kris said to me, “I would buy stock”…And there you have it!!!!!! So I thought maybe now would be a good time for a financial post…
Make sure you do as much as possible to focus on improving the way you manage your money and achieve success. There are a lot of elements you need to keep in mind here, and it is something that you should consider moving forward. Achieving financial success is important, and you have to make sure you do your best to work toward this. Doing as much as possible to achieve financial security is important as one of the sure signs of success.
Taking charge of your money is important, and this is something you need to make sure you focus on as much as possible. The good news is that there are a lot of elements to consider moving forward, and this is something you need to keep in mind. Do your best to work on these financial hacks and use them to try to help you achieve life success as much as you possibly can.
Hire an Accountant
When it comes to making the most of your financial situation, you need to make sure you hire an accountant. There are a lot of factors that play a role in this, and it is important to make sure you have a professional who can work with you to help you improve the way you manage your money. This is something you need to make sure you get right as much as possible, and it is bound to help you make some better choices right now. Furthermore, an accountant can advise you how to save money and ensure you are keeping up to date with your tax requirements.
Come up With a Budget
Something else you need to look at when it comes to money management is to come up with a budget. Now, this might seem a little bit dull and time-consuming, but there are a lot of things you need to come up with that will help you with this. Try to make the most of what is on offer to you, and make sure you consider putting everything down on a spreadsheet. Come up with an Excel document where you record all your incomings and outgoings so you can keep a record of what you’ve spent, where you’re overspending, and how much disposable income you have left at the end of each month.
Look at Investments
Another thing to keep in mind when you are trying to make the best possible financial life choices is to not be afraid of investing. This is no longer a rich man’s pursuit, and there are plenty of amazing ways in which anyone can invest these days, even you. The thing to remember is that you need to identify sensible and lucrative investments to help you. Look at buying something like an HDB investment property, and then renting it out to make money. You might also like to look at something like cryptocurrency and the best way of investing in them.
Cut Expenses
When it comes to sensible financial management, one of the most important things to look at is what you can do to cut costs and trim expenses. There are so many things you can do to combat this, and it is important to ensure you work on this moving forward. Now, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of things you can do to help you reduce expenses and free up more money in day to day life. Something like switching energy suppliers, reducing the amount of power you use, and couponing are all great ways of being able to achieve a degree of success here. Make sure you try to come up with as many different ideas as you can that are going to help you cut expenses, starting right now.
Go Green
Going green is all the rage these days and something that more and more homeowners are beginning to embrace. There are a lot of benefits to green living, and there is no doubt that it is something that can help to save you money, as well as protecting the environment. There are a number of things that you can do in and around your home to help you go greener. For instance, you could use energy saving light bulbs, start recycling more at home and grow your own fruit and vegetables. Going green in and around the home is really important for making you environmentally friendly and saving money at the same time.
Avoid Debt
If you are serious about taking the right financial steps to ensure you avoid debt, there are several ways of doing this. For a start, a budget would help as a point of reference because it would show you where you are overspending and how to cut that down so you can stay in the black. Then there are other things where you need to be disciplined, such as avoiding using credit cards or taking out loans. Try to make sure you pay for things outright as much as you can as opposed to in installments, as this will ensure you don’t have debt hanging over you.
Set Goals
Setting goals is really important, and you need to make sure you have clear and concise financial goals that you are working towards. This helps to give you drive and a sense of clarity, and this is something that is very important when it comes to working on your finances. Try to write out at least a couple of clear financial goals for the year right now. There is nothing wrong with starting out small and trying to work your way back up to larger and grander goals in the name of financial independence.
As you can see, there are a lot of factors you are going to need to keep in mind, and it is good to start now and think about the future. Getting a strong handle on your finances is something you should be looking to do right now, and this can give you much success. You need to be sensible with your money moving forward, and these are some of the best ideas that can help you to achieve this.
Let’s face it, at-home time can be boring at times. To help you out, this post will explore some of the best ways to keep yourself entertained. I was preparing this article for tips to pass the time while traveling, however, now I think it is so important to have some fun tips to pass the time while we are spending time at home.
Music
Music means something different to everyone, but most people are able to sit down and listen to their favorite tracks for hours on end to pass the time. Websites like https://setapp.com/how-to/how-to-download-music-for-free can make it nice and easy to save offline versions of the songs you like without breaking the law, and this will be essential when you’re in places that don’t offer an internet connection. It can be worth choosing music you haven’t listened to for a while for this, and some people will like to use the chance to listen to music they’ve never heard before. You can also live-stream concerts, what about listening to a Bruce Springsteen show?
Movies/TV
Back in the old days, the idea of being able to watch television and movies on a portable device would have been laughed at. Nowadays, though, your smartphone is more than capable of giving you the chance to consume your favorite TV shows no matter where you are. Services like YouTube can be used offline if you’re willing to pay for it, and there are loads of companies on the market that sell movies and television shows for temporary downloads onto your devices. It always makes sense to have these things available no matter the state of your internet connection. And, here’s what to watch when you’re caught up on “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,”
Video Games
Few things are better for passing time than video games, giving you the chance to ignore the fact that you are stuck at home. Smartphones can be good for this, with most models being able to run an array of different games. Alongside this, though, a portable console like the Nintendo Switch can also be an excellent option. For those with laptops, services like Google Stradia can make it possible to play games that would usually be reserved for very high-end game consoles or computers.
Or how about some of these FUN IDEAS (adapted from Apartment Therapy):
Take notes on how to organize your freezer from Ina Garten.
Enroll in weekly art lessons from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Tour Tate Modern’s Andy Warhol exhibit.
Or just head right inside Prince Charles’ residence.
See the Japanese cherry blossoms around the world.
Take tips (and backgrounds) from Jonathan Adler for camera time, too.
Try these no-equipment workouts that you can easily do at home.
Volunteer remotely to make a difference from home.
What to do when you declutter!!!
My good friend and fellow blogger, Stacy of Stacy Knows introduced me to the Bedside Reading Bookshelf. Jane Ubell-Meyer, founder of Bedside Reading is opening up her library for you during this quarantine time. Bedside Reading places books in 5-star hotels and while the travel world has come to a halt, she’s now passing along her bestsellers and classics! You basically choose which genres you are interested in….. And she’s ready to ship ASAP! The books are free all you pay is the shipping. Here’s the link to get your books: https://www.bedsidereading.com/bookshelf.html
Wow, so much has changed all around us since Friday. We are self quarantining over here in an effort to do our part to stop the spread. It is certainly very sad and we are trying to focus on the positive and keep all those affected in our prayers. I have completed some very welcome distractions for you while you are homebound. I know it is hard to turn your attention towards something other than the news…I hope this helps a little!!!!
Here are some museums that are offering virtual tours:
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
For a full list of all the museums, click HERE
A really great up to the minute paper to read with interesting pop culture stories is The Daily Mail www.dailymail.com. You can lose yourself for a while reading along and they have great royal recaps too!!!!
I love shopping at flea markets. There are a bunch of Instagram sites that hold online flea market/antique sales. Here are some of my favorites!!
How about making a scrub for tired skin (adapted from Allure.com):
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
This scrub will leave your face dewey , calm and refreshed (just what we need right now). The sugar and lemon help to exfoliate dead skin cells and the olive oil helps to restore your skin to a healthier and fresher place!
You are going to LOVE this 60-second Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug recipe! (adapted from purewow.com)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 egg
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons chocolate chips
1. In a large mug, melt the butter in the microwave, about 15 to 30 seconds. Add in the sugar as well as the light brown sugar and stir to combine. Next, add the egg and vanilla extract, and then whisk together.
2. Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the mug; stir to combine. Continue by stirring in the chocolate chips.
3. Put the mug in the microwave and heat for about 1 to 2 minutes until cooked. Another way to check is to insert a toothpick into the center and make sure it comes out clean. Once cooked throughout, serve immediately and enjoy.
I know it is hard but we all need to keep calm and carry on our daily routine. I was texting a friend tonight and said, if this continues, I am going to need some strong meds!!!!!!! I am in shock with what is going on all around us. I think I can help a little. A while ago, I installed the Calm App. It is full of tricks to help you reduce anxiety. But recently, I discovered The Calm book. And, I thought I would give it a try. To get your own copy or for more information….click HERE.
Based on the popular iPhone app, a visually exciting, practical, and playful interactive guide to twenty-first-century meditation that provides simple tools, tricks, and habits to find tranquility and focus, improve creativity and productivity, achieve better mental and physical health, and ultimately transform your life.
Achieving mindfulness doesn’t require a huge lifestyle shift or special training. It’s about mastering simple habits that work with the demands of your busy life. It uses the abilities you’re born with: creativity, spontaneity, and awareness of the world around you. There are no rules to follow or break. Everyone can achieve calm—including you.
In Calm, Michael Acton Smith combines fascinating neurological research, ancient wisdom, and real-life experiences to demystify meditation and show you the many simple ways to be mindful everyday. Crafted to resemble a journal, filled with beautiful and inspiring artwork, and divided into eight life-balancing sections—Nature, Work, Creativity, Children, Travel, Relationships, Food, and Sleep—Calm can help you change your perspective and rediscover the pleasures of the world. Each section blends fascinating research, creative prompts, activities, instructions, and insights that will stimulate your senses and inspire you.
Calm can be used multiple times a day or whenever you need it to find a little peace. Take a walk without a fixed destination, savor a piece of chocolate on the tip of your tongue, plant a seed, doodle aimlessly, turn off your mobile phone for five short minutes. Smile, breathe, and go slowly. Calm your mind—and change your world. – Amazon.com
A couple of days ago, I asked my readers on Instagram to send me their questions about the outbreak. I sent it to my GP team at Columbia Presbyterian here in NYC and got all the answers for you….
Will wearing a face mask prevent us from getting the virus?
The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including the virus. You should only wear a mask if a healthcare professional recommends it or if you are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected.
I received a package from China. Could I get sick from touching the box or the item that I ordered?
There is still a lot that is unknown about the newly emerged virus and how it spreads. In general, because of poor survivability of these viruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures. Viruses are generally thought to be spread most often by respiratory droplets. Currently, there is no evidence to support transmission associated with imported goods and there have not been any cases in the United States associated with imported goods.
Is handwashing enough?
In addition to handwashing you should:
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
In regards to Handwashing:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
Should we be buying anything to have on hand in case it gets bad?
If an outbreak occurs, people may be asked to stay home to slow the spread of illness. It’s advisable to think through what you need to have in the house if that happened.
Think about what you need on hand if you have to stay home for a couple of weeks, especially food and medications. However, there is no urgency in stocking up. If you’re at the store and you’re shopping, you can buy a couple of extra items just in case.
Can we travel domestically? And what should we do to take precautions on a plane?
Yes, you can travel domestically. Doctors say if you wash frequently and use disinfectant wipes on a plane, you improve your chances of staying germ-free. Airline AC systems use HEPA filters to filter out almost all airborne germs and particles before the air comes out of your ceiling vent. The air coming out of your vent is cleaner than the air around your seat. You should leave the vent on during your flight.
Should we be really nervous?
The risk remains low in the US. People should live their lives normally and go about their normal activities. Most importantly don’t panic; this isn’t a crisis yet.
What symptoms should we look out for?
Symptoms include fever and cough or difficulty breathing, and people can incubate the virus for as long as 14 days before showing symptoms.
Lastly for up to the minute information please check the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) website.