This is a tough one, its also very subjective but here goes...
1- Choose goals that are realistic. You can have dreams but these are not to be confused with goals. They are linked yes but goals are practical things, acts, efforts. Dreams are more than this and come from goals
2- What Goals are important and which ones should be avoided. If it is your goal to be happy then this is probably closer than you think, but because you feel unhappy these negative thoughts cloud the issue. If happiness is being content then you can be happy now. Yes you may have goals but they don't need to take over every minute of your life
3- Avoid thinking about what you have not managed to do and think about what you have done. This could be a holiday that you enjoyed. Think that you will go back someday, you can start planning goals to make this happen and this will make you feel happier
4- When evaluating whether you are happy are you able to differentiate between happy and ecstatic? If not then you are over analysing happiness. It certainly is not getting high on drugs because there is always a come down after, so drugs give a feeling of ecstacy or even contentment, but if this feeling only lasts as long as the drug then this is not you, its how you want to be but feel that drugs are the only way out of misery. Instead look at ways into happiness. Really contemplate this.
5- Don't worry about what you cannot control. This does not mean just take crap off people but it does mean understanding how to deal with it and how we can change it. People will always try and wind us up, especially when we feel or look weak or run down. Remember that in your darker moments you do the same to others and by understanding their behaviour, your empathy will bring you peace, which is an integral part of happiness.
6- How to tell what dreams are false. 'I want to be a millionaire' is a dream but what would you feel like if you had millions? Often when I think about this I realise that money really is only about security. Security is obviously important but it is not essential to be happy. Maybe a real dream would be 'I want to be financially independent' This is a goal that is real and can be achieved by most of us if we work toward which will give you security which will help you feel at peace which will in turn help you feel happy. But many people are happy and own nothing and this is not false either, they align their happiness with life as lived as opposed to life as others want to live. So it depends how high you aim and how low your threshold for unhappiness is. You have to start thinking about what you define happiness in your particular life. Only you can do this.
7- Have you abandoned religion and feel like you lost something? Well you did. You lost the sense of community that religions bring, a sense of belonging and with people to fall back on in hard times. Can you think of things that you are passionate about that you could share with others? Can you find friends that do or think like you that can help give you that support network that your family can not always fulfil. Happiness is definitely linked to other people. We help each other. We are stronger together and we are weaker when we withdraw from social activities. Share your time with others, help a charity and you will feel your head lift a little.
8- Never judge your future on your past. The fact that you make a mistake one day does not mean you will make it today. Happiness is linked to your ability to build on your strengths and work on your weaknesses. If you find it hard to do a task that you need to do, practice and feel accomplishment when you succeed. Helplessness and misery come from getting into negative thinking patterns. I surprised myself the other day when I did a task I find difficult and got it right. This made me realise that my inability was mostly in my head, knowing I could improve made me happier. We can all improve and if you are at rock bottom then you will either stay there or you will improve. As you learn to improve you gain happiness through increased personal strength
9-Love your family, You may have let them down or they may have let you down. Beginning to accept that you are human will make you happier. Spend time with them doing quality things like going out for a walk or coffee. Don't spend dead time watching TV with family all the time, this leads to drudgery and taking family for granted. To be happy we should feel that we are doing our best in family life and that we belong and are loved. If you are not loved, share your love and people will respond back. This will increase happiness.
10- Keep trying to achieve your goals but don't try to be happy. Happiness is so linked with all the things and people in your life that it is bound to fluctuate but remember to build on your successes and learn from you rmistake's when you can. Don't judge your happiness by others lives, this is very very important.
Monday, 26 November 2012
Ten ways to survive Christmas
OK, so you have no money and its not even December and you are thinking- How am I going to survive Christmas? How am I going to enjoy Christmas? How is my family going to enjoy Christmas knowing I am low on money? Here are ten suggestions for all you survivors out there-
1- Either buy now or buy in Christmas week. Don't wait till mid December because that's when prices will be at their highest. Either buy now when prices are average or wait till the retailers drop the prices in Christmas week. If you know what you want to buy and know where you can get it then as long as its not 'the years hottest new thing' that could run out fast then you can usually save cash by waiting for the price fall nearer Christmas. If you can brave the high street then Christmas eve is the time for bargains.
2- Buy everything in one store and get a store card before you do so that you can save on bulk buys. This work's with stores online and on the high street. Examples are Amazon discounts and gift cards. If you buy in bulk you can get further discount vouchers that can be useful in the new year.
3- Buy food now that's reduced, e.g. Turkeys then freeze them till Christmas Eve. This works with most foods so try and get those discounts and bargains now to spread the cost of Christmas.
4-Join a Christmas saving scheme such as Park at getpark.co.uk, which enables you to spread Christmas over the whole year, but beware, you still need to be cost conscious and be frugal and sensible about how you use this scheme.
5-Buy things for your kids that are fun and useful. So that your family gets added value out of this Christmas. Obviously get things they will love, but will they love a toy that loses its appeal after the holiday or will they thank you for buying them a bike or sports gear that will serve them year round
6-Don't buy a Turkey, get another cut. Do you like Turkey? or do you prefer beef? You can get some great deals on some great cuts of meat that perhaps don't sell so well, but if you like them then why not?
7- Make your own Christmas Decorations. Its more fun and is a great way to spend time with your family. It will also feel better than tacky trash on Christmas day.
8- Make your own Christmas cards by cutting up your old Christmas cards and customising them. Cards are works of art, add your own creativity by recycling and adding a bit of you or your childrens personality to the cards that you send. Its more personal and its virtually free.
9- Buy online and save on petrol and parking fees. But do suppirt your high street if you know where to look for bargains. You can get some excellent second hand items that look like new such as books and traditional toys or jewellery. Dont think that presents have to be brand new. If they are thoughtful and hit the mark then that's all that matters.
10- Set your budget. This will help you siphon through the trash and find the best deals. I did this and found that having budgets in mind made me really concentrate on getting good deals and still getting what I wanted.
Good luck everyone and have a great Christmas and all the very best for the coming New Year!
1- Either buy now or buy in Christmas week. Don't wait till mid December because that's when prices will be at their highest. Either buy now when prices are average or wait till the retailers drop the prices in Christmas week. If you know what you want to buy and know where you can get it then as long as its not 'the years hottest new thing' that could run out fast then you can usually save cash by waiting for the price fall nearer Christmas. If you can brave the high street then Christmas eve is the time for bargains.
2- Buy everything in one store and get a store card before you do so that you can save on bulk buys. This work's with stores online and on the high street. Examples are Amazon discounts and gift cards. If you buy in bulk you can get further discount vouchers that can be useful in the new year.
3- Buy food now that's reduced, e.g. Turkeys then freeze them till Christmas Eve. This works with most foods so try and get those discounts and bargains now to spread the cost of Christmas.
4-Join a Christmas saving scheme such as Park at getpark.co.uk, which enables you to spread Christmas over the whole year, but beware, you still need to be cost conscious and be frugal and sensible about how you use this scheme.
5-Buy things for your kids that are fun and useful. So that your family gets added value out of this Christmas. Obviously get things they will love, but will they love a toy that loses its appeal after the holiday or will they thank you for buying them a bike or sports gear that will serve them year round
6-Don't buy a Turkey, get another cut. Do you like Turkey? or do you prefer beef? You can get some great deals on some great cuts of meat that perhaps don't sell so well, but if you like them then why not?
7- Make your own Christmas Decorations. Its more fun and is a great way to spend time with your family. It will also feel better than tacky trash on Christmas day.
8- Make your own Christmas cards by cutting up your old Christmas cards and customising them. Cards are works of art, add your own creativity by recycling and adding a bit of you or your childrens personality to the cards that you send. Its more personal and its virtually free.
9- Buy online and save on petrol and parking fees. But do suppirt your high street if you know where to look for bargains. You can get some excellent second hand items that look like new such as books and traditional toys or jewellery. Dont think that presents have to be brand new. If they are thoughtful and hit the mark then that's all that matters.
10- Set your budget. This will help you siphon through the trash and find the best deals. I did this and found that having budgets in mind made me really concentrate on getting good deals and still getting what I wanted.
Good luck everyone and have a great Christmas and all the very best for the coming New Year!
Sunday, 12 February 2012
Ten ways to save on your energy bills-
1- Wear warmer clothes indoors and save on heating. Get a decent duvet!!
2- Use your car when you need to use it not when you feel like it. Fuel is costly as you know.
3- Switch your energy provider to get a better deal. 90% of us could save over a third on our annual energy bills by switching every year and some can save over half.
4- Only boil what you need for your hot drink. It is all electricity or gas you can save.
5- Make sure you have no draughts around your doors or windows. Are the seals on your windows working or have they shrunk? If you have double glazed windows but the rubber seals are perished then you might as well have single glazed windows. Fit draught excluders to your external doors.
6- Plan your usage of your computer. Laptops use 80% less energy than a PC so use a laptop if you can.
7- Plan your TV viewing. Don't channel hop. Find out online what's on and turn it on when your show starts.(and off when it finishes!!)
8- Fit energy efficient light bulbs. Use a lamp rather than main light when reading or watching TV. Do you really need the whole room lit up. Use candles and create a warm atmosphere while saving on your bills.
9- Get insulation fitted. If you are over 60 or on benefits you can often get it done for free or with a large discount. Insulating your home will greatly reduce your bills.
10- Think! Be aware of energy. You don't have to be an eco warrior to save energy and still live comfortably!!
Good luck...
Your comments are much appreciated, let me know what you think or if you have suggestions too.
1- Wear warmer clothes indoors and save on heating. Get a decent duvet!!
2- Use your car when you need to use it not when you feel like it. Fuel is costly as you know.
3- Switch your energy provider to get a better deal. 90% of us could save over a third on our annual energy bills by switching every year and some can save over half.
4- Only boil what you need for your hot drink. It is all electricity or gas you can save.
5- Make sure you have no draughts around your doors or windows. Are the seals on your windows working or have they shrunk? If you have double glazed windows but the rubber seals are perished then you might as well have single glazed windows. Fit draught excluders to your external doors.
6- Plan your usage of your computer. Laptops use 80% less energy than a PC so use a laptop if you can.
7- Plan your TV viewing. Don't channel hop. Find out online what's on and turn it on when your show starts.(and off when it finishes!!)
8- Fit energy efficient light bulbs. Use a lamp rather than main light when reading or watching TV. Do you really need the whole room lit up. Use candles and create a warm atmosphere while saving on your bills.
9- Get insulation fitted. If you are over 60 or on benefits you can often get it done for free or with a large discount. Insulating your home will greatly reduce your bills.
10- Think! Be aware of energy. You don't have to be an eco warrior to save energy and still live comfortably!!
Good luck...
Your comments are much appreciated, let me know what you think or if you have suggestions too.
Ten Ways to save money-
1- Plan your week, you can alter your plan as you go along but have a plan as to how much you are willing or able to spend.
2- Set a daily budget. This may seem obvious but the only way you can save money is to limit what you spend today. We can all keep track of a daily budget but weekly budgets can get out of hand if we don't 'pay' attention to them!
3- Don't use store cards. Most store cards don't give great discounts anyway and are only designed to keep you buying their products. In fact they will lure you to buy even more because your buying habits enable the big retailers to bombard you with offers via email which will make you spend more if you are not careful.
4- Don't use credit cards. Interest paid on you purchases often means that if you don't get your balance on the card reduced quickly you could be paying for your item 2 or 3 times over before you clear your credit card balance. If you have a card, transfer your balances to a 0% interest card and get it paid off pronto.
5- Use independent retailers. You may think that this is counter intuitive but I have found that you pay over the odds for a coffee in say a 'Costa' or a 'Starbucks'. In fact many people spend 10% of their wage in coffee shops. However over the road you can get an identical coffee for a lot cheaper with often a more comfortable relaxing atmosphere. Big chains are always busy and you can spend your lunch hour just queuing for your coffee!! Save money and time and go to an independent.
6- Shop near to your home. If you have a local shop it will often be cheaper to pay a little more for your goods because you will save fuel costs just getting to the big stores. If you do go to the big stores then go once a month with a list of what you need for the next four weeks. Less trips to the store will save on travel costs and time and stop you being tempted by offers for things you don't need.
7- Buy online. Postage costs are nothing compared to personal travel costs. Don't get hooked though. Only buy online for things you really need. If you have an I phone then get the price comparison application to get the best deals.
8- Have personal goals. If you have nothing to save for chances are you will spend your wage quickly. In order to save you need rewards. Your reward could be saving for a holiday or a house or a laptop or whatever you want. If you have a goal you will find it easier to pass on the next round of drinks and enjoy the present without harming your future. Live for today plan for tomorrow. Easier said than done but we must all try and follow it to some extent.
9- Go out less and find a hobby that you can spend time on. We often spend because we don't think there is anything else to do. Try and find ways to keep yourself busy and you will spend less.
10- Above all be realistic. Saving money is not easy for most of us, almost impossible for some of us but with a just a bit of effort you can save considerably. Don't lose heart, just keep trying and don't get to worked up if you find it hard to do at first.
1- Plan your week, you can alter your plan as you go along but have a plan as to how much you are willing or able to spend.
2- Set a daily budget. This may seem obvious but the only way you can save money is to limit what you spend today. We can all keep track of a daily budget but weekly budgets can get out of hand if we don't 'pay' attention to them!
3- Don't use store cards. Most store cards don't give great discounts anyway and are only designed to keep you buying their products. In fact they will lure you to buy even more because your buying habits enable the big retailers to bombard you with offers via email which will make you spend more if you are not careful.
4- Don't use credit cards. Interest paid on you purchases often means that if you don't get your balance on the card reduced quickly you could be paying for your item 2 or 3 times over before you clear your credit card balance. If you have a card, transfer your balances to a 0% interest card and get it paid off pronto.
5- Use independent retailers. You may think that this is counter intuitive but I have found that you pay over the odds for a coffee in say a 'Costa' or a 'Starbucks'. In fact many people spend 10% of their wage in coffee shops. However over the road you can get an identical coffee for a lot cheaper with often a more comfortable relaxing atmosphere. Big chains are always busy and you can spend your lunch hour just queuing for your coffee!! Save money and time and go to an independent.
6- Shop near to your home. If you have a local shop it will often be cheaper to pay a little more for your goods because you will save fuel costs just getting to the big stores. If you do go to the big stores then go once a month with a list of what you need for the next four weeks. Less trips to the store will save on travel costs and time and stop you being tempted by offers for things you don't need.
7- Buy online. Postage costs are nothing compared to personal travel costs. Don't get hooked though. Only buy online for things you really need. If you have an I phone then get the price comparison application to get the best deals.
8- Have personal goals. If you have nothing to save for chances are you will spend your wage quickly. In order to save you need rewards. Your reward could be saving for a holiday or a house or a laptop or whatever you want. If you have a goal you will find it easier to pass on the next round of drinks and enjoy the present without harming your future. Live for today plan for tomorrow. Easier said than done but we must all try and follow it to some extent.
9- Go out less and find a hobby that you can spend time on. We often spend because we don't think there is anything else to do. Try and find ways to keep yourself busy and you will spend less.
10- Above all be realistic. Saving money is not easy for most of us, almost impossible for some of us but with a just a bit of effort you can save considerably. Don't lose heart, just keep trying and don't get to worked up if you find it hard to do at first.
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