Organizing Your Financial Needs

The main thing you should remember when planning a budget to manage your financial needs is that even the greatest plan can and will fall apart in the face of emergency issues unplanned for.

The First Steps

Do what it takes to organize mentally the information as well. Writing or typing your budget with a variety of colors can help encourage building a better memory of all of the different elements and details.

1. Spend a week writing down every cent you spend. Once you have established a system, input that into an office file, template, or even an application for budget management.
2. On your calendar, write the due dates of every bill you have along with that months bill amount due, or at worst, a healthy average.
3. If it would be beneficial to have a specific bill due at a different time of the month, try to call those creditors and see if it can be arranged, often they will work with you to prorate a bill one month to get you on a better track for the future.

Remember, if you have an emergency that arises in the middle of your strictly planned budget, and you will, do not hesitate to take out short-term no fax payday loans from PayDay One.

In this way you can supplement your budget temporarily, without taking a chunk from your bank account and destroying all of the things that drove you to budget your finances in the first place.

Additional tips to help keep your budget organized and prepared for emergencies when at all possible can include:

• Never write checks unless the money is there, now.
• Do not put anything short of necessary emergency medical help on a credit card.
• Always save something from every working household member's paycheck. Even five dollar donations can truly add up and help in a pinch.
• If your property or vehicle is the most vital element of your livelihood, be sure to protect them with no fax payday loans from PayDay One to protect your investments at all cost.

Even when the economy is thriving, it is important to retain a working knowledge grasp on your family's expenditures. Following a budget can reap rewards for all in the forms of enjoyable household upgrades or even vacations. Balancing out a budget with strict practices that provide enjoyable rewards is also a great way to teach children a good system for life.

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Prepping My Vision Board

I saw an ad online that is actually inquiring about where to buy an electric pool heater. At first glance I thought that the post was for selling one but when I read it again, it was actually an inquiry. Well, I don't exactly know the answer but it led me to search for it online. I guess I was just excited prepping my vision board, lol. 

In my vision board, you will not only see images of places, houses, and all others common in one's wish board. Mine includes the small stuff as well. So that the house includes a pool, and of course, what type of design it will have as well as its accessories. Thus, the interest in the ad. 

My daughter is even more accurate in the hair style and dresses that she had included, as well as the toys that she wants. The doll house that she dreams of, the cool stuff to place in them. It's like mom and daughter are designing lives with just pictures. And we are having fun too.

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Do You Think This Is Safe?

I saw this shared at Facebook. But I have doubts whether it is safe for my laptop or not. Of course, it would NOT be safe for the safe conscious, but perhaps it can be something useful at some point..

Now tell me what you think...


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The Von Trapp Family

I found this photo of the Von Trapp Family of The Sound of Music shared by my friends in Facebook. I find it heartwarming, that after 45 years, as was the caption, we can still see them all complete. Reminds me of those melodious songs and the story that was just so dear to most of us who have seen it...

The Family Von Trapp's story in The Sound of Music may be true to life, but I also found out from www.archives.com that the story has been changed quite a bit to fit the storyline of the big screen.. I just love that movie..

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Tips to Consider When Moving Out

Moving out is a big step, but it’s an important one on the road to adulthood. People usually move away from home when they are between 18 and 25, but there is no hard rule about this. It should happen when a person is financially ready to support himself or herself and mature enough to handle the worries of self-sufficiency.

Planning to Move Out

Image via Wikipedia

The most important thing to plan for when moving out is rent. You need to find an apartment that fits within your budget that also has the features you need, such as being close to school or having multiple bedrooms so you can have roommates. Also, remember that the price of rent varies greatly from area to area. For instance, you’ll have to pay more money for apartments for rent in Tampa FL than a smaller area such as Denver CO.

Try to keep your rent as low as possible, especially for your first place until you get a better sense of where your money will be going and what expenses you won’t be able to do without. In addition, there are other costs to worry about other than just the rent when you are moving out. You also need to budget for the following:

• Food: If you’re not used to buying food for yourself, you’d be surprised how expensive it is. When you first move out, plan on budgeting $50-plus per week for groceries. This money can include your toiletries, too. You’ll find out over time what your average weekly cost of groceries is so that you can better budget for the future.

• Utilities: Unless you find an apartment that includes the utilities with your rent, you will have to pay for your gas, electricity and water on separate bills. This can be expensive if you’re not used to turning off the lights when they are not in use. This will probably be $75 or more per month for one person, but there are other factors, such as the age of your apartment and its size that can make this number go up or down.

• Clothing: If you don’t budget a little bit of money each month for your wardrobe, it won’t take long for it to be in shambles. You don’t have to buy expensive clothing, but you should continually add to it and replacing old items.

• Transportation: If you don’t have a car, try to find an apartment that offers easy access to public transportation. You need to be able to get to school or work. If you do have a car, getting an apartment with plenty of parking will make your life a little easier.

These are just a few tips to consider when you’re thinking about moving out. Plan ahead and you will be able to find the perfect apartment for you so that you can live on your own and feel like an adult.

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Lotsa Chocolates

Sendong devastated our lives from December 17 last year until the weeks of Christmas and New Year. Now that it is nearing a month, I could say that we have already bounced back and are feeling the need to move forward, lest we fall back into nothingness. Starting from scratch is not easy. We have to find a new home, and a new environment where we can all have peace of mind and not worry when another flood would come.

One of our friends who gave help during our first few weeks trying to survive Sendong's aftermath gave us lots of chocolates . I couldn't figure out why chocolates were given, and not candies. Then, it dawned on me that since chocolates provide immediate energy at half the time, then it is such a great idea. However, lots of water is necessary so as not to contract sugar related diseases. They were all yummy chocolates which we plan to buy, unfortunately, they are not available locally. 

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Bouncing Back

It's almost a month after that Sendong tragedy struck our city. Survivors are now bouncing back, and living life as normally as possible. Some manage to go back to their workplaces and do what's best to survive further. Some even went back to their houses and lived lives as if nothing has happened. While for others, whose houses are no longer livable, have moved to a new house, in a new environment. Some have even managed to go shopping already. Buying new clothes, necklaces with titanium pendants, shoes, bags, or whatever they fancy. On the other hand, majority of the TS Sendong victims are still at the evacuation centers and some of them have slowly been relocated to the tent City in Canitoan.

Sadly, there were those who have not really been relocated that chose to end their lives like Roy Navarro for  instance, who committed suicide after learning that he and his family were not included in the list for evacuees to be relocated. It would have been comforting if someone briefed the evacuees prior to the start of relocation.

As for my family, I am happy that everyone's bouncing back. Adults now back to work, and kids back to school. Somehow, we are now able to see a brighter future ahead.. I hope everyone does too.

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to help solve sanitation problems in evacuation centers

One of the major concerns at the evacuation centers as well as at the relocation site for Sendong victims, is sanitation and a place where evacuees can move their wastes.. So here is a $700 portable...  or what's inside it..

I remember last week I reposted on my wall at Facebook about the ecosan, and I am so happy that it caught a reader's attention, and to that effect, a donor.. Thank you Roa-Hammond Family... I am actually reposting it here for a wider reach...

TO THOSE WHO STILL WANT TO DONATE: Here's one good cause to help solve sanitation problems in evacuation centers. Elmer Sayre, XU Aggie Alumni and head of an NGO (Water, Agroforestry, Nutrition and Development Foundation, Inc), have started building portable toilets for Macasandig and West City Central. So far, a total of 15 toilets have been built and now operational have stopped open defecation. Other evacuation centers are clamoring for more, but the NGO's funds is running out. The NGO is calling out for donations for this cause. For every donated portable toilet (P8000), the NGO will match it 100%. If you are interested in helping CDO's sanitation, here's the contact details:

CONTACT PERSON: Elmer Sayre
PHONE: 09218041573
EMAIL ADDRESS: elmer2222001@yahoo.com

WEBSITES:http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/health-sanitation-and-food-security-for-3000-filipinos/ and http://www.wandphilsorg.com/

Anyway, I have read about the project of Mr. Elmer Sayre, and I am happy to find that his ecosan is even much better than the $700 portable shown above. The ecosan is actually good for the environment. The toilets can be placed anywhere, as it is easy to transport, easy to use, does not need water and best of all,  recycle human waste to fertilizer.... It may be simple looking, but it is what we need at this time. It's cheaper too. If one donates at the cost of P 8,000, WAND Foundation will match it 100%, meaning, you get two ecosan toilets installed. One toilet including 2 weeks supply of toilet paper, soap, and all others cost about 186 USD. Please contact elmer2222001@yahoo.com should you wish to donate.

Here are single vault ecosan with EcoPee urinals at the side... Transporting pre-fabricated ecosan units  is easy, and four can actually fit in a lory.

In case you are wondering how waste is taken from the units, the feces container is actually rattan basket which is lined with heavy duty sack, and a garbage bag. 

Since the problem here in Cagayan de Oro City, after Sendong is water, the ecosan toilets can really help minimize water and sanitation problems. I hope many more agencies and organizations will help provide potable waterless toilets like the ecosan units in the many evacuation centers in the city..

Oh and I should like to point out that this great idea came from an Internationally multi-awarded Filipino named Elmer Sayre from Initao, Misamis Oriental.. Proudly Filipino and a Mindanaoan... (Photo credit goes to him as well, as I have simply borrowed the three images from his FB account.)

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