Your Money Matters

by Robert Tutsky

Time is one of those things we all must go through during a day. Problem is, there never seems to be enough of it. Can you save yourself time? No you can't. Time continues on and is eternal, once you have passed into the next millisecond the previous one is lost forever. As you can see we can't save time but we can ultimately harness it's power in our lives by how we manage the time that is given to us. By managing our time effectively we get more done and enjoy the time alloted to us. Some things to help manage time:

1. Write your thoughts down. At the beginning of a week schedule as best as you can what you wish to accomplish on a daily basis. Your entries don't have to be carved in stone, they can be altered or added to later. Trying your best to follow your schedule will make you feel good when you finish a project. You'll find more can be accomplished this way.

2. Don't get bogged down waiting. During a day you wait for a lot to happen. Use that waiting time to your advantage. Just turning on your computer you have to wait for it boot up, why not spend that time tiding up your work space? I'm sure you can find other ways to take advantage of waiting times.

3. Don't procrastinate. I know procrastination can be difficult to overcome but one step towards action will get you going to your end and if small steps are taken along the way it becomes easier to finish what needs to be done. Say to yourself, if I don't do it, it won't get done.

4. Pay attention what works for you. You may find yourself jumping from one thing to another, not finishing anything. If that's you, slow down and work on one project until it's finished before moving on to another.

5. Ignore trivial interruptions. You are in the middle of a project that needs to be done and the phone rings, let the answering machine work for you. Call back later at a more convenient time.

6. Don't try to control everything around you. Doing so you will soon find yourself burned out quickly. Work with what you know first then as time moves on, other things will fall into place naturally.

7. Use your computer as a tool. If you need to work at your computer for business check your email only twice a day. Mid morning and mid afternoon should be sufficient. Random surfing can waste time and realize that once you start surfing on the net it's hard to break in to what's really important. Try to only search for what you need during your working time.

8. Reward yourself. You find that you have accomplished what you set out to do for the week and you feel good about it. Take a day off and rejuvenate. You'll find more energy and a clear mindset next time you start again.

Remember, no one can actually save time, but using time wisely we find our lives fruitful and joyful.

Here are some great ways to streamline your shopping making it seem almost effortless.

1. If at all possible try to combine a shopping trip to multiple stores if you indeed plan on purchasing items from different places. You will save on gas by combining your trip and also save time.
2. Make sure you have all your valid coupons in hand when leaving home. As for using coupons I will buy a store brand that is lower in cost. If I know that the name brand is vastly superior to the store brand I might consider paying a bit more within reason. Although I found that I can get used to the lower priced store brand quality with no problems.
3. If you return bottles or cans, remember to take them before you leave. I bring my empties in a large garbage bag and it keeps the empties together. Take the empty bag with you shopping and bring it back home to be reused for a trash bag.
4. To help from over spending on items you really don't need, take only the cash you feel you will need with you. Believe me, you won't miss those items after you get home.
5. Always take a list and stick to it without buying those impulse items, especially near the end of aisles of at checkout. I do the grocery shopping every week and know were most of the items are in each aisle. It's a lot easier if you chronologically list your items, you will save time not having to go back to an aisle looking for something you passed up and a chance of grabbing another item you really didn't want.
6. Some stores offer buy one get two or more. Take advantage of this if you know that you will use the items before they are past expiration or will spoil in a short time. Store brands of items like paper towels are great to look for sold like this.
7. When grocery shopping go solo. Having the kids, spouse and you all looking at different items can make it difficult to adhere to a shopping list. You'll be at the checkout with three times what you originally expected. I know, I've been there.