tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-360918322024-02-18T20:59:24.955-05:00The Thrifty ThoughtSave money, gain valueLeor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-41622187092283210752007-10-11T01:20:00.000-04:002007-10-11T01:24:41.741-04:00Simple White Powder<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnoOpnrJ7JQusVYvjQC_YP6OqwPR0voEGERUssUCf50Pd_eugb-nFYoPY-PSuLraBwOGMuAF8iHG_Ojl9nSAlTY-uf79O6kJU8hrSeB2uWFGEarffnBp9UHylLUa0FDPX9UL3F/s1600-h/whitep.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnoOpnrJ7JQusVYvjQC_YP6OqwPR0voEGERUssUCf50Pd_eugb-nFYoPY-PSuLraBwOGMuAF8iHG_Ojl9nSAlTY-uf79O6kJU8hrSeB2uWFGEarffnBp9UHylLUa0FDPX9UL3F/s200/whitep.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119945797541534962" border="0" /></a><br />Baking soda, flour, icing sugar, and cocaine. They're all white powders. They look the same but have drastically different uses and prices. Platinum and steel both look metallic, but you wouldn't put steel in your safety deposit box.<br /><br />When comparing two items, we often only compare one characteristic and completely ignore other factors that will affect value. It can be cruelly difficult to see new value unless we're able demand of ourselves that we seek it.<br /><br />Decrepit properties, scrap metal, and sewage offer immense value to those who can look for it. What value is looking you right in the face, right now?Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-57501749991673545942007-09-06T23:48:00.000-04:002007-09-07T00:09:58.092-04:00Give Value to Get Value<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lSPE1x4PTRiBJ75Kwt6ENIIY_RRPjqh1xoOwV74axwi9DA4WYUSqX9Ox0t_yyyEic1opQcbVsOCdNioMaieRZnUjEYLMyq2FdMqwFMOsvr0iefutWy2YoWGtZG_zgU8G8GOQ/s1600-h/charity.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lSPE1x4PTRiBJ75Kwt6ENIIY_RRPjqh1xoOwV74axwi9DA4WYUSqX9Ox0t_yyyEic1opQcbVsOCdNioMaieRZnUjEYLMyq2FdMqwFMOsvr0iefutWy2YoWGtZG_zgU8G8GOQ/s200/charity.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5107309641424802482" border="0" /></a><br />There is a limit to true value and it's this: we can never receive more value than we produce and give to others. The amount that we can save, the worth of our assets, and the significance of our relationships are capped at our level of contribution to those around us.<br /><br />In terms of the material, the more we care for the things that we have - the more we appreciate them - the more value they hold for us. If we maintain our possessions well, we are less likely to neglect them and to think of them as valueless.<br /><br />With money, the more respect and consideration we give it, the more likely we are to save it and accumulate wealth with it. If we nurture our income and set some aside for our future, our wealth will grow to the point where it can support us.<br /><br />When we value our time and we see its fragility, we are less likely to waste it. We'll plan our days and focus our efforts. We are all allotted the same 24 hours every day. If we value those hours, we will get much more out of them.<br /><br />The relationships we hold are what shape us. The more we give of ourselves to others, the richer and deeper the relationships we'll have with our peers. But we'll never get to this level of richness unless we bring value.<br /><br />The more value we assign to our lives and strive to be better, the more we'll have to give to others and live richer lives.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-85099597614918946882007-09-03T23:25:00.000-04:002007-09-03T23:39:14.562-04:00Weeping Weeds<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHl2Ekidb7tLMl8AMOAf-qno563svGxzf_Od5TLG1LeXzouuWdCIa0i_LJW-mctW-w9qbbXl-4fUjiyZY6ZbmLEHrduSAzOnCc9e7NiLehxiiL160gYLSM-MNOnmLHFl75Cqd/s1600-h/dandelion_image_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHl2Ekidb7tLMl8AMOAf-qno563svGxzf_Od5TLG1LeXzouuWdCIa0i_LJW-mctW-w9qbbXl-4fUjiyZY6ZbmLEHrduSAzOnCc9e7NiLehxiiL160gYLSM-MNOnmLHFl75Cqd/s200/dandelion_image_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106187813146956434" border="0" /></a>It won't win any prizes, but my lawn has fewer weeds than it did in the Spring. True, it doesn't have much grass and what is there is dried to a crisp, but the weeds are in a much sadder state.<br /><br />Back in May, I had visions of a lawn reminiscent of a palace in Versailles. When I bought weed killer to spray on the lawn, I had second thoughts of using it after reading the instructions. It went something along the lines of "Make sure none of your skin is uncovered during use. Discard and clean clothes after use." What?! No way.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0d-3_yhTRicG2WXj_ktGqFPK_uS5rz9u4qVwKgkyAehk0u_NgiyzMpzl3Wv9HGjsu4fWScCXWeTPnLQ75cquTd2PabjjQCiFPWspyCZyeUvtjYJM9moLkVevzfX9g_1Cz8TK/s1600-h/versailles_lawn_view.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0d-3_yhTRicG2WXj_ktGqFPK_uS5rz9u4qVwKgkyAehk0u_NgiyzMpzl3Wv9HGjsu4fWScCXWeTPnLQ75cquTd2PabjjQCiFPWspyCZyeUvtjYJM9moLkVevzfX9g_1Cz8TK/s200/versailles_lawn_view.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106187937701008034" border="0" /></a><br /><br />You can guess the solution for my alternative weed killer. Yup, vinegar. 7% (pickling) vinegar mixed with a drop of dish soap (helps it stick to leaves) and poured into a spray bottle is extremely effective at killing off weeds. And, it's cheaper than almost any weed killer on the market.<br /><br />The moral? Value comes from finding alternatives that have multiple benefits.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-56914745460438750522007-07-22T14:20:00.000-04:002007-07-22T14:30:13.733-04:00One Month ROI<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7noUimpmCknPUM3sx6gxLaTKbT1QqbOvzY6oKeEQtZSeHDX1rIGqM_WQ9zX9z4QV7Mtr5zpD4q9ZBH0Y1_RcN6Pfu20H9MGqP0_-Fj3dfvZIjwRsnx3J5lGYTTxv272OJbae/s1600-h/thermos.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7noUimpmCknPUM3sx6gxLaTKbT1QqbOvzY6oKeEQtZSeHDX1rIGqM_WQ9zX9z4QV7Mtr5zpD4q9ZBH0Y1_RcN6Pfu20H9MGqP0_-Fj3dfvZIjwRsnx3J5lGYTTxv272OJbae/s200/thermos.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090089929328084594" border="0" /></a><br />Some spending we do out of habit. The thing we buy may have stopped bringing us value a long time ago, but we still do buy it.<br /><br />An example is the daily, or triple-daily or more, habit of purchasing coffee. Many ads tout how affordable their products are by saying that you can own it for "less than price of a cup of coffee a day." So, we go out and buy the product thinking that instead of buying coffee everyday, we'll just spend our coffee money on this. In reality, we spend on both.<br /><br />When we do go for coffee, we are usually looking for a hot beverage to warm us up as the A/C in the office is cranking, or as a caffeine jolt. It adds up quickly.<br /><br />A valuable habit is to make your own coffee or tea at your desk. A $20 insulated carafe, an $8 tea kettle, and a $2 box of tea will pay for themselves in less than a month. Even if you still go for coffee, you'll do so out of active choice and not passive habit.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-80474030842036607772007-05-20T22:40:00.001-04:002007-09-03T23:42:24.532-04:00Spending StabilityStability is the basis for continuous improvement. In The Toyota Way, Jeffrey Liker explains the use of “tact time” to stabilize the flow through an assembly line. When the flow is stabilized, you can look for ways of improving the process and make small adjustments to increase efficiency.<br /><br />Stability plays a big role in getting more value out of what we buy and in accruing wealth. Making spending predictable allows us to think about what we’re purchasing. We can then work in small improvements and become even better.<br /><br />One method is to use the amount of cash in our checking accounts as a gauge of flow. If our pay is being deposited in the same account that we withdraw from for spending, we can see changes over the course of a week or month.<br /><br />After we’re setting aside money for savings, retirement, insurance, mortgage, household expenses, food, and entertainment, and putting in our income, is the amount increasing or decreasing? Are there large drops or spikes? Why? How can we stabilize these?<br /><br />When we stabilize our spending, we are then being able to look for ways of gaining more value.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-4788846916501992622007-05-01T00:33:00.000-04:002007-05-01T00:39:18.325-04:00If in doubt, clean<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzymflaGDDlKSzLSR7jAUMpaHtGSFf1vDkQw1-fazuJEFapkqg71DWQ1N2kxZ3b3HQdXm-OWmszy_kRIzOHrK6gWu_a75R3SiRL-ee8EC-X17MXg2TaUcvEFPMuuZ9B5r4omk/s1600-h/broom_industrial.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzymflaGDDlKSzLSR7jAUMpaHtGSFf1vDkQw1-fazuJEFapkqg71DWQ1N2kxZ3b3HQdXm-OWmszy_kRIzOHrK6gWu_a75R3SiRL-ee8EC-X17MXg2TaUcvEFPMuuZ9B5r4omk/s200/broom_industrial.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059447088067570290" border="0" /></a>If you overate, clean. If you spent too much, clean. If you don't know what to decide, clean.<br /><br />Clean when you're upset. Clean when you're angry. Clean especially when you're feeling depressed.<br /><br />Cleaning is not a solution. Cleaning is a catalyst. Cleaning interrupts positive feedback cycles and balances them. It gets you going on something positive, it helps you think, and it makes your surroundings more pleasant.<br /><br />To stabilize, we need to clean.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-21892000582741176482007-04-08T19:09:00.000-04:002007-04-08T19:20:23.875-04:00When less is moreThere are things that take away value from our lives the more we buy them. Purchasing these things requires careful balance.<br /><br />Take food. You can get food in large quantities for a very low price. At a discount supermarket, a half dozen donuts are only dollar. A jumbo pack of a marshmallows is only $2. Party-sized bags of chips are also only $2. For the price-conscious who have lots of storage space, the response may be "bonanza!" But, look at the real value. If one finishes off a huge bag of marshmallows, what is that going to do for the person's health? How many hours of exercise will that person need to do to consume the energy from those marshmallows? A party-size bag of chips may be the energy equivalent of three hours of swimming. Three hours! ... and swimming is exhausting.<br /><br />The same principal applies to other consumable goods like entertainment. 5-for-1 DVDs are a real bargain, but you have to spend up to 15 hours watching them. Is it really worth it? In an already squeezed schedule, will those 15 hours bring added value to our lives?<br /><br />Sometimes, it is better to purchase high quality goods in low quantities. This applies more when we have to add our health or time to consume them.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-25779661746133276232007-03-27T07:46:00.000-04:002007-03-27T08:05:35.328-04:00Phased RenovationsIt's much better to do many small renovations over a long stretch of time than one big project. Continuous improvements around the house give the feeling of growth. The improvements don't have to be big: some new blinds, a small painting, a few potted plants. <br /><br />Even larger renovations like new flooring, carpeting, a garage door, etc. should be done in small batches. While you might be able to get a deal by bundling several improvements with one contractor, the quality of the job will decline the longer the job takes. Contractors are still only human and we can't expect them to do a job with the same zest that they had at the beginning of a 30 hour project. Breaking up jobs into smaller ones may cost a little more initially, but will yield higher value in the long run.<br /><br />As well, small jobs are easier to control not only quality-wise but also financially. Setting aside a small amount of money every month for improvements will make spending more predictable.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-56193015168102045702007-03-26T07:50:00.000-04:002007-03-26T07:56:05.900-04:00New beginningsThe "new" in new beginnings is a redundancy. Beginnings should always be new. We attach the word <span style="font-style: italic;">new</span> because beginnings don't feel like the start of something anymore. <br /><br />Beginnings give us a lot of power. We're usually motivated and don't need any encouragement to get us going. Our enthusiasm usually wanes when we start to encounter problems. <br /><br />How to get over this? Lots of support helps. In its absence, we should try to renew at several points along the way. For example, in a search for a house or a car purchase, the actually transfer of money between parties is just one phase. <br /><br />Discretizing goals, both at home, work, life, etc. help make them digestible, attainable, and keep us motivated. Now cliche, it's like saying "today is the start of the rest of your life." Here's another cliche about goals: divide and conquer.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-68940955495234057002007-03-19T21:11:00.000-04:002007-03-19T21:19:10.618-04:00Cleanliness, Money, and TimeKeeping things clean will save us a lot of time and money. I don't mean organized, I mean actually clean - wiped down, disinfected, scrubbed, etc. We throw out a lot of money getting things new when all they need is for the things we have to be cleaned.<br /><br />A new car is an example. Many people like the idea of a new car because it's so fresh and clean - and you get that bouquet of off-gassing polyvinyls. In all likelihood, our new car will in six months from now look like our old car, with the coffee spilled in the crevices of the seats curdling and fermenting. <br /><br />The effect we get from buying new can be attained through renewing. Cleaning a car ourselves or, in a far second, getting the interior thoroughly cleaned will make us feel like we're getting a brand new car. The same applies to other things: cleaning our cellphones, dusting our TV's and computers, touching up the paint on our walls, steam-cleaning the carpets, etc. <br /><br />Cleaning has a second money and time-saving benefit: we turn up a lot of the things we thought we lost and were going to have to buy again. Enjoy your spring cleaning!Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-90978344953009501972007-03-15T22:30:00.000-04:002007-03-15T22:43:20.077-04:00Boxes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZ5PUZbN3aUGhiyr4xBNWlSH9NOvwe02gIbItbI5GjkwOJbKDuVPIwgzEbupemMtEzdIlUmvf5gHeU9llwoL1wnu5PUnBm1ZLz4rMEboomwdcuFareUU15V5mevIgGwq4m9Ex/s1600-h/boxes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZ5PUZbN3aUGhiyr4xBNWlSH9NOvwe02gIbItbI5GjkwOJbKDuVPIwgzEbupemMtEzdIlUmvf5gHeU9llwoL1wnu5PUnBm1ZLz4rMEboomwdcuFareUU15V5mevIgGwq4m9Ex/s200/boxes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042347371202821026" border="0" /></a>Back in February, I wrote about how empowering it is to <a href="http://thriftythought.blogspot.com/2007/02/power-of-organized.html">organize bills and statements in binders.</a><br /><br />This tip helps get you there: use small boxes for receipts.<br /><br />Receipts got their form because it was easy to refill a cash register with a roll instead of sheets of paper. However, this form presents a significant disadvantage to the consumer.<br /><br />While stores can keep track of what you purchased, at what time/date, and with which method of payment using an electronic inventory management system, they rely on you presenting a tiny piece of paper that's been folded dozens of times and carried in wallets and purses and crumbled into pockets if you want to return something. We treat this precious document with little care.<br /><br />Enter boxes! A simple cardboard box from a dollar store offers a stylish home for your receipts. If we make a habit of emptying our receipts into the box after every shopping excursion, we will have created a powerful system for retaining proof of our purchases. If it allows you to return just one thing, it was worth many times the small effort to implement it.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-52449031365148823042007-03-13T08:56:00.000-04:002007-03-14T15:38:31.814-04:00Incommunicado<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpIe5zs3P68qqxRf0DC6-vWp7PYgXcPf6-csXSLeTs6Q3pzrtMFo3Bzj5pu0sdil24CbmritKlGv3mjhlBUQaQWXkSFdXa-Arjw5s6btiXyDwkEY6Yh2LJa4mpJQcZxBoihsC/s1600-h/cellphone_by_chiplegal.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpIe5zs3P68qqxRf0DC6-vWp7PYgXcPf6-csXSLeTs6Q3pzrtMFo3Bzj5pu0sdil24CbmritKlGv3mjhlBUQaQWXkSFdXa-Arjw5s6btiXyDwkEY6Yh2LJa4mpJQcZxBoihsC/s200/cellphone_by_chiplegal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041866343455603586" border="0" /></a>Being without a cellphone for the past few weeks was a difficult adjustment. Beforehand, I had got used to checking my email and messages dozens of times a day. Suddenly, having to rely on a pay phone to check my home messages felt like losing the use of my legs.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3hBN4zdgr2iuuYgA6-uX5Tnpsc8BhAVNyn4tjzIpP74QPeyWok29yk-Oh5uElvQzV0aCZbthqFcEFivV72YysFRjMoI53GNXuN2w_nkM4VsmS7tTZbwJqoHqxIgdOWwqdbEUY/s1600-h/cellphone_by_chiplegal.jpg"><br /></a></div>The research I did looking for a new cell phone provided me with some new insight: we pay ridiculous rates for air time in Canada. If you start looking at data plans, the price goes from crazy to ludicrous.<br /><br />Just for the privilege of a monthly plan, one pays $7.45 / month in fees. Then, one adds at least $20 for a minimum plan (let's say 200 day-time minutes - when else do you use your cell?) and another $5 if one wants voicemail, and more for caller ID. So, with voicemail, that's $37.00 after tax/month.<br /><br />Looking at monthly costs would only be relevant if we looked at everything in monthly costs. It give us a better idea of how much we're paying, we should look at the costs over a year or for the contract: $444 / year or $1332 for a three year term. No wonder the wireless companies can offer us $100 off a phone if we go with a long contract. If we want to think of it a different way, it's the cost equivalent to taking a hot shower for 40 minutes every single day.<br /><br />Although wireless plans will start to become more competitive, they are only really worth it if someone gets into long conversations (and needs to for work or family needs) and can predict the call volume. Otherwise, pay-as-you-go plans offer more features and may have much better value.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-11993475498545274802007-03-12T11:56:00.000-04:002007-03-12T12:35:09.554-04:00Vinegar's Arch Nemesis: Baking SodaArm & Hammer did a great job marketing a commodity as something more than just that. Baking Soda is produced by many companies and, like vinegar, there is little difference among brands. Do you have a brand loyalty toward a particular type of table salt? You can get a 1 lb box of it for 67¢ at Walmart.<br /><br />Despite what companies advertise, a box of baking soda <a href="http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem00/chem00388.htm">will not freshen your fridge</a>. However, there still are some great uses for baking soda and a solution of it can be used as effectively as a vinegar solution. <br /><br />Harry Godwin puts together a list of <a href="http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/lib2/60soda.htm">60 Uses of Baking Soda</a>. It's worth a gander. The lesson is that we don't need to spend lots on expensive household cleaners.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-13336205324121070402007-03-11T13:50:00.000-04:002007-03-11T14:03:14.813-04:00Love & FeminismLast week, many women and men celebrated International Women's Day (March 8th). Like Valentine's Day, it's a time for men to show women that they care. <br /><br />It's another opportunity to look at the value of gift-giving. <br /><br />These holidays should not be the only times we show our affection. In fact, grandiose gifts on these occasions usually mask a debt of gratitude that one owes. I use the word <span style="font-style: italic;">mask</span> and not <span style="font-style: italic;">pay</span>. We shouldn't give gifts so that we can say, "Oh yeah, well five years ago, on [insert holiday], I gave you a [insert grandiose gift]..." The purpose of gift is <span style="font-style: italic;">to give</span>, not to make a deposit.<br /><br />Gift giving shouldn't be limited to holidays or milestones and it shouldn't be constrained to the tangible. If we give love often and sincerely, then token gestures of appreciation on these days should show that we still remember and appreciate. The money we spend on these small presents will yield much more.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-84692408075553938392007-03-10T22:01:00.000-05:002007-03-10T22:02:46.820-05:00Spring ForwardSeth provides some valuable advice. I've bolded the real juicy points.<br /><blockquote><h3 style="font-weight: normal;" class="entry-header">Weekend (useful) reminders</h3> <ul><li>Please turn your clock ahead (if local laws permit).</li><li>Replace the batteries in all your smoke detectors.</li><li>If you don't have smoke detectors, buy a few. They're really cheap now.</li><li>If you can find some neighbors who might need smoke detectors, buy some for them.</li><li style="font-weight: bold;">Take out your #1 and #2 credit cards. Call the number on the back and say, "I think I'm going to need to cancel my account because your interest rate is too high." Then wait silently. Watch what happens. Boom, I just saved you a few hundred dollars.</li><li>Feel free to use that money to pay down your credit card debt. Or,</li><li>make sure you have tenant's insurance if you rent. And,</li><li>back up your hard drive.</li></ul></blockquote>Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-67954234804187618822007-03-08T12:00:00.000-05:002007-03-08T12:16:39.112-05:00Tax Time<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoYIPs7CkIGBg4Lt3fsWRvSEq-hfN4W-xBO6Vp8j-v_W4d5PZNkJbyyzZt-hTCyfXp4qltna0QFud-L8tn7436YArCZgJAkmdlxD9gktH3Q0kmlrq7c4fkwsq6ds4K584GCqd/s1600-h/taxes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoYIPs7CkIGBg4Lt3fsWRvSEq-hfN4W-xBO6Vp8j-v_W4d5PZNkJbyyzZt-hTCyfXp4qltna0QFud-L8tn7436YArCZgJAkmdlxD9gktH3Q0kmlrq7c4fkwsq6ds4K584GCqd/s200/taxes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039603732572355506" border="0" /></a>Only a few opportunities allow us to earn up to thousands of dollars per hour for completing a task. Filing a tax return is one of these chances.<br /><br />It may seem painful to type receipts into a spreadsheet or look through credit card records and bank statements to calculate expenses, but the few extra hours are well worth it. We shouldn't think of it as a hassle, we should think of it as accruing a lot of wealth in a short period of time.<br /><br />The relationship of time/effort and tax deductions is linear. However, there is a certain point when the benefit of our effort starts to diminish. Finding this point and stopping just after it will save us a lot headaches and money.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-73503484653749293132007-03-07T12:53:00.000-05:002007-03-07T13:05:10.896-05:00Crisis AvertedTorontonians can rest easy now: the sidewalk salt shortage is over. Shipments started arriving again - in time for spring and warmer weather.<br /><br />In the interim, ice melter granules did the trick of making my walkway walk more tractable. Though the package says it's much more effective than regular salt, the polar bear sitting on a lounge chair on the wrapper doesn't seem to be an impartial judge. The granules cost double the price of salt and contained half the weight. <br /><br />The feeling of overpaying is visceral - like someone is questioning our existence. It's easy to retract into a state of distrust of any price and say, "I'm not buying anything anymore." Except, once the feeling wears off, we go back to making the same mistake. The better way is to analyze why we overpaid. In the salt scenario, it was the feeling of fear, the thought that I would never find a solution elsewhere, and stumbling on an unexpected solution that allowed me to set aside my value calculations. Knowing that I'm prone to this, I'll prepare more for these situations in the future.<br /><br />Analyzing why we overpay beats anger and denial.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-23815692060729463042007-03-06T01:23:00.000-05:002007-03-06T02:30:02.377-05:00Showers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2QOVNR_I9jQr1jhAX8Z_hgUzJa9C_TnMjUX9HOqBWNE0oXTbBl-qbKXlpiWPLN9DzsGzNE3Zw2Qofu0x7YFcl1aE0HF_FbuuC1INp8uC0g47e749z0hLHbUbDeV_HvZraT-p/s1600-h/11904.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 165px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2QOVNR_I9jQr1jhAX8Z_hgUzJa9C_TnMjUX9HOqBWNE0oXTbBl-qbKXlpiWPLN9DzsGzNE3Zw2Qofu0x7YFcl1aE0HF_FbuuC1INp8uC0g47e749z0hLHbUbDeV_HvZraT-p/s200/11904.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038710347951878802" border="0" /></a>There are two types of showers. There's the cleansing shower - the one needed to maintain personal hygiene. Then there's the spa shower.<br /><br />Each shower has a different purpose.<br /><br />The cleansing shower is brief yet thorough. You rinse yourself, stop the flow, lather the shampoo, rinse, stop the flow to condition and soap, and then rinse again. It can be done in around three minutes of flowing water. It's purpose is to clean you and nothing else.<br /><br />The spa shower takes around 15 minutes or until hot water stops flowing from the taps. You stand under the shower head for a few minutes, warming up and relaxing, shampoo, condition, and soap when you feel ready, and then enter a trance of steamy bliss until the sudden rush of cold water wakes you. The purpose of the spa shower is therapeutic.<br /><br />In Ontario, taking a spa shower every day will cost you around $250 / year if you're using an electric water heater and $175 / year if you're using a gas water heater (all figures include all actual costs - KWh charges, delivery, water fees, sewer fees, etc). A cleansing shower will cost you 1/5 that.<br /><br />Think of it this way: it costs 50¢ per spa shower and 10¢ per cleansing shower. I wouldn't advocate abandoning the spa shower. Some people need this to wake up in the morning or to relax after a long day of work. We should be aware, however, of how much we're paying for either.<br /><br />There are some ways we can get the spa shower experience while paying less:<br /><ul><li>If you have a gym membership - shower at the gym (it can pay for half the membership)</li><li>Switch to low flow shower heads (pre-1992 shower heads use double the water)</li><li>Reduce the flow rate when soaping/shampooing/conditioning</li></ul>Being aware of what we're paying for our everyday activities will allow us to save over the long term.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-16547277918810174802007-03-05T22:51:00.000-05:002007-03-05T23:06:41.592-05:00No Salt<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FEFYhMbN2h09kvFeoQYmZnHW9dD8criJ3UJRUBEXxZoyybs_XeNKoR-4AsY9NDDoHdXKMAwK-JW2KUc8Bqf8R3rxCgcvPByKe8sQVoOKQ2DpMwxai7F2_sjUlDtdN0Y95ZxA/s1600-h/safet.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FEFYhMbN2h09kvFeoQYmZnHW9dD8criJ3UJRUBEXxZoyybs_XeNKoR-4AsY9NDDoHdXKMAwK-JW2KUc8Bqf8R3rxCgcvPByKe8sQVoOKQ2DpMwxai7F2_sjUlDtdN0Y95ZxA/s200/safet.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038658009480409730" border="0" /></a><br />There is a much more dangerous shortage at Toronto's gas stations - and it's not gas. You can't find road salt anywhere. To be honest, only in the past two years did I become a consumer of salt for walkways. Especially this winter. I've had nightmares of my tenants litigating for falling on a slippery walkway.<br /><br />I ran out of salt after a recent cold snap and went to a gas station to buy more - it's only $3 for a 10 kg bag. Nope, no salt. Another gas station... no salt. Another. And another. Then two big box stores and another station. After checking nine places, I put together the pieces. The main distributor's supplies had run out and that was it for this winter.<br /><br />After going through the effort of looking for salt, I might be inclined to pay triple the cost for a bag. Maybe I'd pay six-times the amount to have it dropped off at my house right now.<br /><br />But I wouldn't. There's always sand as an option, or chiseling away the ice.<br /><br />How many perceived shortages do we go through over a year? How do these effect our resolve to save? If our regular grocery store is out of a particular type of ice cream, will we pay double if we find it elsewhere? It's the difference between $3 and $6 dollars. No biggy?<br /><br />Most of the time, shortage is only a perception. Unbridled, it leaves us prone to gouging. Let's look for alternatives, be patient, and not spend only to satisfy our fears.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-49812082150753842662007-03-05T14:20:00.000-05:002007-03-05T14:34:30.074-05:00WearinessWeariness is an enemy of thriftiness. Thriftiness requires the constant application of small amounts of energy towards accruing wealth. These minuscule amounts of energy integrated over a lifetime have an awesome outcome. But, it's hard to apply any energy if one is weary.<br /><br />Without wanting to sound too Zen-like, we can say that reversing weariness requires a small shift in perception. This can be brought upon by doing something small, even if only token, towards improving one's self and one's surrounding. If we feel like we're slobs and everything around us is messy, why don't we just remove the clothes that are on the floor. Just that and no more. If we feel like we've had so much junk food to eat today, why not eat just one fruit. We can throw one item in the recycling bin, focus on one beautiful thing in our lives, send one email to a loved one telling them we care, or put a few coins in a collection box. Just one thing may be enough to tip us away from our weariness. It may set a precedent to do more good things and add more value to our lives.<br /><br />If we can get over the weariness, than we can guild ourselves from future weariness. With this protection, we can accrue more and have more happiness.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-8744881713053747112007-02-25T23:20:00.000-05:002007-03-02T11:24:10.297-05:00We Pay for Pennies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JM_tdTJwxzMlWw9QA3yCslfHkJqeqQWgBlBSG9k1cV4koe3XGx0F6u08s0wlN3KmdyrTaCQyQ2YMrM55houO02n-NwbWiajCNl3DUGwvP0pXmBrerh_xFIN5VfQfD0JARSzz/s1600-h/1proof.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JM_tdTJwxzMlWw9QA3yCslfHkJqeqQWgBlBSG9k1cV4koe3XGx0F6u08s0wlN3KmdyrTaCQyQ2YMrM55houO02n-NwbWiajCNl3DUGwvP0pXmBrerh_xFIN5VfQfD0JARSzz/s200/1proof.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5035699622208623042" border="0" /></a><br />CORRECTION: A friend tipped me off to the composition of the Canadian penny. It's not made of copper - just copper plated. According to Wikipedia, the current penny being manufactured by the Royal Canadian Mint is 94% steel, 1.5% nickel, and 4.5% copper plated zinc . However, up until 1996, the penny was produced from 98% copper. Just looking at material cost from the market, the pre-1996 penny is worth about 1.5 cents in material ($6.10 / kg of copper and around 2.5 g of copper in a pre-1996 penny). The currently manufactured penny in raw material is worth about 0.14 cents. However, the Mint estimates it costs 0.8 cents to manufacture each penny (though some estimate the real cost is up to 4 cents each). Even at the Mint's estimate, that means that it costs the tax payers about $800,000 in manufacturing the penny to represent $1 Million in currency through pennies. It's still not worth it.<br /><br />~~~~~~~~~<br /><br />The last time pennies were worth so much was in 1983.<br /><br />If it were legal, we'd be able to melt down our pennies and pay the commodity price for copper. Just looking at the raw material, pennies (at least the Canadian ones) are worth at least 50% more as copper. Pennies are a blight on savings for many reasons. First of all, saving pennies takes up valuable real estate in our saving jars, wallets, and purses and makes us less organized. Secondly, pennies probably cost tens of millions of dollars a year to process and slow down many cash transactions. Think of those times someone in front of you paid with pennies and multiply that by tens of thousands of times everyday.<br /><br />Pennies also make tracking our purchases more difficult. Sam Walton knew this, that's why he put prices to the penny in ways that would make it difficult to calculate: $2.37, $14.33, $21.67. $42.79. Rounding these to the nickel would make it just a little easier to calculate our mega-purchases.<br /><br />However, pennies have a deep symbolism when it comes to being thrift. There's a real satisfaction in being able to use all the pennies on our person and finally be rid of them. Yet, we feel lucky when we find a penny on the ground. Sometimes we hope that it "rains pennies from heaven."<br /><br />More related to thrift, just like we as a society waste huge amounts of money maintaining currency in the form of pennies, we individually waste huge amounts incrementally maintaining some legacies that are no longer of significance to us. It could be that newspaper that we could get for free at work anyways, the magazine subscription we don't read, the specialty channel that we never watch, the ski pass that we use only once a season, the cellphone plan that could have been replaced with a pay-as-you go. We hold on to things because we think they have significance when they really don't. They are like huge penny jars. Melt these away and we'll start accruing real value.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-85299353016654137792007-02-22T00:36:00.000-05:002007-02-22T00:57:02.105-05:00Nitrogen-Filled Tires<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ItSfeCawS0V3Ld7q_pkYKBramHKUo3-g7jHdcYYgXcxyWxaMExV2YWUuvlUJkcHFoiQzrqRe9IGHls8iPePuiuACSL5d0CVhLQ9kDsl-HZ7FMXvwualDxxpCcqWAy1Rqk7MK/s1600-h/defender-nitrogen-inflation-benefits.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ItSfeCawS0V3Ld7q_pkYKBramHKUo3-g7jHdcYYgXcxyWxaMExV2YWUuvlUJkcHFoiQzrqRe9IGHls8iPePuiuACSL5d0CVhLQ9kDsl-HZ7FMXvwualDxxpCcqWAy1Rqk7MK/s200/defender-nitrogen-inflation-benefits.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034233415356561858" border="0" /></a><br />Two days ago, I changed my tires. When I changed them, I fell into what I thought was an up-sell trap - filling my tires with nitrogen. The sales guy really tugged on the right strings for me - fuel economy savings. Well, I bit - it's so aggravating being put in a position to make a decision with little knowledge of the benefits. Usually, I'd walk away and I really should of.<br /><br />So, now I'm obsessed on determining whether I made the right choice. It cost $34.20 after tax to fill up with nitrogen on all four tires. I've found <a href="http://www.getnitrogen.org/">one site</a> that, though biased (they promote use of nitrogen in tires), calculated a saving of $60 per year for gas mileage and tire wear savings, so roughly $25 saved this year and $60 per subsequent year (refills were included).<br /><br />Not bad, but it needs more investigation. I'll test out the mileage in a few weeks to determine whether this actually has an effect. Stay tuned.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-72883417895716922872007-02-20T20:44:00.001-05:002007-02-20T20:55:17.211-05:00Furnace Filter Time<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcIgS_9e4yfQxYMbg87vYsnr5thmRHyBdNaz11Nw9NuczpfgyDRjsmkRhNAmxXe77AefVaCNWj2ic24p_WukPcv83aGARXWDF58ZbmB7U8snVpPySByzuo23i9eoRREEdlPkI/s1600-h/filter.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcIgS_9e4yfQxYMbg87vYsnr5thmRHyBdNaz11Nw9NuczpfgyDRjsmkRhNAmxXe77AefVaCNWj2ic24p_WukPcv83aGARXWDF58ZbmB7U8snVpPySByzuo23i9eoRREEdlPkI/s200/filter.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033800070336264626" border="0" /></a><br />Going with a mid-efficiency furnace was a difficult decision. If my mind isn't occupied, I cringe every time th furnace turns on, thinking of how many cubic meters of gas is being consumed and what my bill will look like next month. I decided to go mid rather than high after factoring the repairs I'd have to make to the kitchen to create a side-vent for the high-efficiency model. That's a topic for another post.<br /><br />But, if there's anything we can do to increase the quality of our lives and reduce the costs, it's replacing a used-up furnace filter. Clogged ones reduce air flow and don't work as well. They only cost a few dollars and are worth it. Find out more <a href="http://housewares.about.com/od/heatingproducts/qt/furnfilters_RO.htm">here.</a> <br /><br />I got a great feeling of satisfaction changing my filter. It feels like you're doing that little bit towards lowering the largest energy expense we pay after gas. It's been four months of cold and it really doesn't take that much effort.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-62449223092479340602007-02-20T10:37:00.000-05:002007-02-20T10:45:26.602-05:00Permanent SalesIt seems every time you go into stores, there's a sale. Sears does this - it's always sale-time at Sears. But "sale" does not equate to value. It really doesn't matter how much a retailer says that a product cost in the past, what matters is how that product costs now compared with similar products being sold elsewhere.<br /><br />The fact that my computer was on sale when I bought it is irrelevant. The original price was ridiculously high. The only thing that matter was that compared with the exact model being sold elsewhere, it cost much less.<br /><br />Some retailers are shameless in marking things down. Cheaply made merchandise will have a ridiculously high sticker price that has then been marked down to a still-high price, but 90% off the original. Wow! What a deal! ... except you can get the same thing at a dollar store.<br /><br />We shouldn't think" sale price" but instead just think "price."Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36091832.post-67583757269806275732007-02-19T13:35:00.000-05:002007-02-19T13:38:36.511-05:00LiberationShopping is an emotional experience. If we overpay, we feel cheated; if we get a great deal, we feel victorious. But there are other emotions that we need to harness for thriftiness.<br /><br />Mainly, the emotion I'm referring to is <span style="font-style: italic;">liberation</span>. Liberation comes once you've picked up an item, start to have doubts, and then put that item back down and leave the store without it. Freedom from doubt is a big emotional boost.<br /><br />So, if you feel doubts, we should free ourselves from them and not make the purchase.Leor Greblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09717032752484859915noreply@blogger.com