Sasha Says… – Page 23 – Family and Home. Money Matters. Life in General. And More.

Three Ways To Live Below Your Means

July 6, 2020 No Comments

Living below your means can seem impossible sometimes, especially if you are already struggling to make ends meet, but spending more than what you can afford regularly will eventually lead to financial ruin if you aren’t careful.

If you are fed up with continually trying to keep up with your monthly credit card bills, increasing debt, and lack of financial breathing space, use these three tips to help you start your journey to improve your finances by living below your means.

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Stick to your budget

To successfully live below your means, you need to have a budget in place; otherwise, you will keep overspending. A budget is vital to ensure success and will give you an accurate picture of your monthly cash flow. Once you can see the whole picture, you can then focus on your weak spots and areas for improvement to help you save as much money as possible and get out of debt. Doing this will help you to identify habits that you need to change and where you are wasting your money. Make sure to do a new budget at the beginning of every month, either in a dedicated planner or an Excel spreadsheet, and aim to stick to it. Just leave a little bit of wiggle room for those last-minute surprises that life inevitably throws at us from time to time. Remember that your budget is very individual and will differ from everyone else’s, the most important thing is that it works for you. If you find that realistically your budget doesn’t work in the first month, then that’s also fine – you can always go back and tweak it, but having a budget, even if not perfect straight away, will stop you from mindlessly spending money allowing you to save more.

Make more money

If you have budgeted as much as possible, and find that you are still struggling and feeling deprived, then it might be time to start thinking of ways to increase your income. Easier said than done? Of course. But there are also many money-making opportunities out there if you are willing to look around and work hard enough. In an era where just about everyone has a side hustle, there are plenty of part-time, freelance jobs that you can easily do in your spare time on evenings and weekends, and many from the comfort of your own home. The trick is to simply get started, keep persevering, and take every opportunity you can. If you don’t want to work for someone else, why not start your own business on the side instead and look into starting your own blog or promoting your skills and becoming a freelancer? This will help you to save more and live below your means a little easier, meaning that you are more likely to stick to this new way of living.

Don’t spend more just because you earn more

Should you be successful in finding ways of making an extra income, then congratulations! Just make sure that you don’t fall victim to the vicious cycle of spending more now that you are earning more. It might be tempting to go after lusted-over purchases now that you have some extra money, but remember what your overall goal is. Instead of using your extra income on mindless spending, start using it to pay off current debts and add to your savings. Regardless of how much you earn, if you elevate your lifestyle every time you get a pay rise, you will never gain control over your finances, and you’ll always be living in debt. If you are struggling with severe debts and don’t know how to deal with them, reaching out for professional help from specialists such as gaining a DTSS Membership is a great first step to finally gain control over your finances. Living below your means is challenging, yes, but think about why you’ve boosted your income, all of the progress you’ve made in the first place and the financial freedom that you are ultimately trying to achieve.

Brain Wave, Family and Home living, Life in general

Spending More Time At Home? The Changes To Make When You’re Sick Of The Same Four Walls!

July 3, 2020 No Comments

We’re all spending a bit more time at home at the moment, and if you’re new to remote working, or having to use a home office, you’re probably getting a bit sick of seeing the same four walls over and over again! Don’t worry, you’re not alone; we’re all going a bit crazy with cabin fever, and it’s time to do something about this.

You’re going to want to make some changes to the interior design of your home, as well as the way it works. You’ve probably never noticed these kinds of little issues before, like how those wallpapers clash or how there’s not enough room on that bookshelf, simply because you haven’t been exposed to your own home this much before!

So, without further ado, let’s make sure you know what to change in your home, and how to go about making a change for the better. It’s all about giving yourself a bit more to work with, a bit more to look at, and making yourself feel a bit more comfortable when you’re stuck inside your own house.

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Switch Out Harsh Lighting

The lighting in your home is there for a reason, of course. It’s there to ensure it never gets too dark, and you can enjoy your alone or family time with enough light to eat, drink, and be a bit merry.

But the thing is, the lighting in your home might be a bit too harsh, especially if you’re a fan of overhead lamps. If you walk into a room and just flip the light switch on without really thinking about it, there’s a good chance you’re not doing your eyes or your mood any favors. And seeing as you’ve spent a lot more time at home recently, there’s a good chance you’re starting to become a bit over sensitive to the bulb that’s hanging over your head!

Which means it’s time to switch those harsh light tones and overhead lamps with something a little more soft and intimate, especially in your bedroom. Something that won’t hurt your eyes, and will just give your surroundings a soft glow, but still with strong enough light to read or work by.

Brain Wave, Health and medicine

Health Hacks to Improve Your Life This Year

July 2, 2020 No Comments

Looking after your health and well-being is so important these days, and you have a lot of things you need to keep in mind that will help you with this. Try to make sure you come up with ideas that will allow you to make the best health decisions moving forward right now. There are plenty of options that play a role in this, and you need to get creative about what it takes to be healthier.

Your well-being is so important, and there are more opportunities than ever to improve things these days. Make sure you look at some of the best ways of achieving this, and there are a lot of factors that you need to make sure you get right. Here are some of the factors that you need to understand when it comes to improving and enhancing your health and fitness right now.

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Go on a Diet

Going on a diet is one of the best ways of being able to make the most of this right now. Try to come up with some rad new diet plan that is going to transform your calorie count and help you to lose weight. You need to think carefully about the sorts of things you are putting into your body, and this is something that plays a part in helping to improve your lifestyle. Try to make the most of this right now, and this is going to help you in the long run.

Look After Your Teeth

Your teeth play a big part in improving your health and well-being, and it is important to make sure you focus on doing as much as possible to get this right. There are a lot of things you can do to make your teeth stronger and healthier, and going to the dentist on a regular basis is one of the best ways of doing this. An emergency dental clinic is essential for any teeth related mishaps you might encounter, and you also need to make sure you keep your teeth as clean and healthy as possible.

Improve Your Mental Health

Mental health and well-being is so important, and you need to focus on this just as much as on your physical health. There are so many factors that play a role in helping you improve this, and you need to come up with plenty of ideas that can help you work on your mental health. Making this better is something you are going to need to get right as much as possible. Focus on making the right mental health decisions that are able to improve your livelihood in the process.

Do as much as you can to look after yourself and try to make the right decisions for the future. You have to try to understand the best ways of making your life better, and taking steps to try to work on this is so important. Think about some of the key ways you can improve your life and make yourself happier and healthier right now.

Brain Wave, Family and Home living, Life in general

Getting the Best out of a Moving Company

June 26, 2020 No Comments

Moving is a hassle for everybody; it’s just a fact of life. Packing up an entire home or office space full of furniture and belongings, making sure everything is safe and secure, transporting it to a new location, unloading, then beginning the process of unpacking and arranging everything…it’s time consuming, stressful and sometimes even risky if you’re moving items that are fragile, old or very heavy. There’s a reason that moving is one of the most stressful events in a person’s life.

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For many of us, hiring a moving company or service is one way to eliminate some of that stress and make the entire process smoother. While it’s always going to be an anxiety-inducing experience – moving your life from one space to another – hiring an experienced and professional team to handle the hard stuff is definitely going to make it go easier. Hiring an experienced moving company is definitely a good investment, especially when you can easily compare removal services, and one that will ensure your move goes off without a hitch (pun intended), that your prized belongings are kept safe, and that everything is done on your schedule.

When hiring movers, there are some things you want to look for. For starters, you want a great point of contact who sits down with you and collects detailed information about your move – everything from when you need it done by, to your budget, to a detailed item-by-item list of your belongings, furniture and other important pieces. They’ll go through your house with you room by room, detailing everything you need moved and making note if you’ll also require packing assistance and/or materials. At the end of your consultation they’ll provide you with an estimated time frame and a quote, so you can make a decision if you’d like to hire the company. You have a right to know if the company you’re hiring can take care of your moving needs quickly, efficiently and affordably, so make sure they go over all these details with you and give you a specific time frame before you hire them.

Many moving companies like Two Men and a Truck also provide you with moving materials, packing materials and more, to make the entire process easier and keep you from having to hunt down and purchase costly moving supplies. They’ll also provide their own equipment, safety gear and the trucks needed to haul your items, big or small. Some moving companies even help you pack as an extra service, for those who are pressed for time or aren’t able to do it all on their own. Be sure to inquire about extra or additional services offered when you call your moving company.

Hiring movers is a worthy investment and one that will ensure that your move goes much easier than if you tried to do it on your own. Paying a group of friends in pizza is a cool way to save some cash, but it’s not exacty a safe or stress-free way to move. Spend the extra money on a moving company and you’ll be glad you did.

Brain Wave, Health and medicine

Growing Marijuana Legally In The US

June 24, 2020 No Comments

The legalization of using, purchasing, and growing marijuana has been spreading rather rapidly throughout the US as of late, but the push for legalization is not a straight or simple path. State laws, federal rules, and more local rulings can all make the legality of growing cannabis tricky to wrap your head around at first.

This infographic takes a closer look at how the legality of growing weed is determined from state to state. First, we break down what the federal laws say about growing marijuana across the whole state, but then we look into how each state interprets federal law. It’s the state’s interpretation that is enforced, though there may be some local ordinances that change even that to some degree.

When looking at the legality of growing cannabis in the US, we have to break it down into three categories that all states more or less fall under at this stage. These are the states in which is not legal to grow marijuana, states where is legal, and states where it is only legal to grow marijuana if you are a medical patient. The color-coded map helps break things down into easy-to-understand graphics.

Brain Wave, Education & Teaching

Turning to online classes

June 23, 2020 No Comments

Due to this Covid-19 outbreak, parents are advised to consider online learning as an alternative to actual school classes. Majority of the parents who were told about this agree to try online classes while there are still some who favor traditional classes. But who will really risk letting their kids out these days when times are uncertain and you don’t really know who have the virus?

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There is no harm in trying online learning for the students in your family. Not only is it the safest way to attend classes now but it is also economical which is a big help in these times. A computer, either laptop or desktop, a good internet connection, and a quiet space at home, or even a corner will do. You have to stock up on office supplies, of course. A good set of writing instruments and accessories from Rakuten is a must. Plus, a stack of papers.

I believe every household now has a computer at home. Doing research online has become the norm nowadays whereas before we really need to go to the library to search in books manually. A good laptop or desktop is the number one tool your student will need for online classes. And then there’s a good internet connection. There are a lot of packages being offered by different internet providers. In our area alone there are four really good providers who offer affordable packages for families. As for a quiet space at home, well, you can designate a place, even a corner, in your living room where you can set up a table and chair.

It doesn’t take much for a student to transition from traditional to online learning especially when it terms to office supplies. What is really needed is an open mind to try out what can be an alternate solution to this pandemic we are all in.

Brain Wave, Family and Home living

How to Enjoy Your Yard to the Max

June 23, 2020 No Comments

Most people spend a lot of time making sure that the interior of their home is in good condition, yet oddly overlook their yard. While it’s normal to spend less time out in your yard than the inside of your property, there’s always plenty of potential for having memorable moments out there, and thus it’s worthwhile getting things into shape. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at some tried and tested tips that’ll allow you to enjoy your yard to the max.

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Get It Into Shape

First thing’s first: you’ll have to get it into shape. If you haven’t been paying all that much attention to your yard, then it’s likely that it’s not in the best of conditions. Debris and general wear and tear from the elements can really do a number on outdoor spaces. Happily, it’s a relatively easy problem to fix. You can begin by clearing away any obvious debris/things that don’t belong there. From there, it’s all about making sure that your grass looks good and getting some plants in the ground. These relatively small tasks will have your yard looking fantastic.

Make it Private

If you’re going to spend long days in the yard, then you won’t want to feel like you’re “on display.” Even if it’s highly unlikely that anyone would observe you while you’re in your yard, it’s just not a comfortable feeling to think that it’s possible. So look at making your yard more private. The easiest way to do this is to add a fence or hedge to the edge of your property. A couple of trees can also help. Both these actions will make it more difficult for people to look in and will help to give your yard the ‘private oasis’ feel.

Add the Fun

A presentable yard is all well and good, but if you’re going to enjoy your outdoor space to the max, then it’s important to add the fun. There are multiple ways to do this. A BBQ is the most obvious option; it’ll be an important ingredient of your family get-togethers. To step things up, look at adding a swimming pool with a pool privacy screen — it’ll transform your experience of summer in your home. An outdoor cinema is also easier than you might expect to install, and can provide many enjoyable warm nights in the yard!

Boost the Comfort and Relaxation

Is there anything better than enjoying lazy summer days? Not in our book. In order to do this, you’ll want to ensure that your yard is high in comfort and relaxation. High-quality outdoor furniture will help with this. You’ll also want to look at adding a hammock, too, and perhaps even a jacuzzi. A fire pit will help you to enjoy the yard even when the temperatures begin to dip, too. And who doesn’t love being serenaded by the sound of birds and other wildlife? Look at adding a birdfeeder and plants that will attract wildlife to your outdoor area.

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