Twenty five things I learned in twenty fives years, in no particular order...........
1. Going to college and getting good grades doesn’t necessarily secure you a good paying job in the real world2. Don’t drive a car that is too big for you, even though it’s a nice car.
3. Start saving money early.
4. Everyone has their own goals and dreams. Don’t judge others.
5. The “what I want to be when I grow up” we write about in elementary school doesn’t come true for the vast majority.
6. Cheese is delicious. I wish I knew how good it was earlier.
7. Friends are important in life, but at the same time, we have to understand the level of friendship we have with are friends will change throughout our life.
8. Change is inevitable. It’s up to you to see the glass as half full or half empty.
9. Everyone should travel to a foreign country at least once. It is such an eye opener to experience other cultures.
10. I often have too much on my plate than I can handle—both literally and metaphorically.
11. Buy life insurance and buy it when you’re young. The earlier you buy it, the less your monthly premium will be.
12. Knowledge is power only when you apply the knowledge.
13. It’s not always what you know, but who you know.
14. Be the change you want to see.
15. “Love—everyone wants it, but not everyone finds it.”
16. Smiling is the universal icebreaker.
17. Exercise. Your metabolism slows down dramatically when you get older and if you have to sit on your butt eight hours a day.
18. Everyone needs an indulgence every now and then.
19. It isn’t worth it to go shopping on Black Friday. You’d make better use of your time sleeping in.
20. Alcohol isn’t as great as it’s made out to be, especially if you’re allergic to it.
21. I need to think before I speak. Not everyone can handle bluntness.
22. Be kind and helpful to the people you cross paths with in your life. You never know when you’ll cross paths again or when you may need their help.
23. Sleep is important. However, sleeping and being a college student are two things that don’t go together.
24. Women over-complicate things; men over-simplify things.
25. Live. Laugh. Learn. Love.
11.24.2010
11.12.2010
The Frugalist
Now more than ever before, people are trying to find ways to lower their debt, cut spending and save more. If there's one thing we've learned from the recession, it's to live within your means. It sounds simple really---spend less than your net income. Of course, that's a lot easier said than done. Luckily, I was able to learn about saving money prior to the recession. (I'm Chinese, so it was probably already in my blood) A friend of mine taught me about budgeting, which has been very helpful. It definitely takes some time, but surely makes a difference. It makes you aware of the the things you're spending money on--what is needed, which are pleasure, and what things can be cut down to reach certain financial goals whether it be being debt free or saving money.
I'm glad to say that with budgeting and cautious spending, I'm in a financially good state. I'm not rich to be splurging, but nor am I not in debt or struggling like many other people are right now, especially those without jobs.
I've learned there are only two ways to save money: 1) increase income 2) decrease spending. I was able to increase income a tad bit with a new job, but when I didn't have a new job, I turned to decreasing spending.
Ways I save money:
-Use store brand cosmetics instead of spending on expensive brands. Many drug-store brands are made from the same manufacturer as name brands with the similar ingredients, but targeted to different audiences.
-Bringing home lunch to work. Food can be a big drain of money and bringing home lunch certainly helps.
-Shop on sale from everyday items to clothes, accessories, etc. I like to use sites like Amazon and eBay to buy things like books, computer accessories, etc. If you're shopping online, remember to Google to check if there are and promo codes for the site you're shopping at.
-Getting my multi-media for "free". Yeah, it's bad, I know. However, if I had to pay for all the movies I watch, music and programs I had, that would be a shit load of money.
-Having a regular cell phone. Yep. I have a regular phone with 500 mins and 400 texts. No fancy texting or smart phone with expensive data plans.
"A dollar saved is two dollars earned"
I'm glad to say that with budgeting and cautious spending, I'm in a financially good state. I'm not rich to be splurging, but nor am I not in debt or struggling like many other people are right now, especially those without jobs.
I've learned there are only two ways to save money: 1) increase income 2) decrease spending. I was able to increase income a tad bit with a new job, but when I didn't have a new job, I turned to decreasing spending.
Ways I save money:
-Use store brand cosmetics instead of spending on expensive brands. Many drug-store brands are made from the same manufacturer as name brands with the similar ingredients, but targeted to different audiences.
-Bringing home lunch to work. Food can be a big drain of money and bringing home lunch certainly helps.
-Shop on sale from everyday items to clothes, accessories, etc. I like to use sites like Amazon and eBay to buy things like books, computer accessories, etc. If you're shopping online, remember to Google to check if there are and promo codes for the site you're shopping at.
-Getting my multi-media for "free". Yeah, it's bad, I know. However, if I had to pay for all the movies I watch, music and programs I had, that would be a shit load of money.
-Having a regular cell phone. Yep. I have a regular phone with 500 mins and 400 texts. No fancy texting or smart phone with expensive data plans.
"A dollar saved is two dollars earned"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)