Unclaimed Money

The leaves are turned, and quickly falling. The air is crisp, yet the temperatures are still enjoyable. The day of ghosts and goblins has passed, and it will soon be time for turkey. These first few weeks of November are a nice time to reflect, plan, and prepare before the rush of the holidays begins.

While life is relatively quiet these weeks, take some time to reflect on the things we do have; the things we are thankful for. Take this time to list the things that are most important in your life. Prioritize them and  keep them in mind. You may even want to write them down and keep them somewhere you will see them daily like on the bathroom mirror or the refrigerator. Focusing on these things will help put the craziness of the holidays in perspective.

Use this time to plan for the upcoming busyness. Make a list of the things that have to be done between now and the first of the year. Make a list of things you’d like to do, but aren’t musts. Keep your lists realistic. Prioritize these lists and make a plan of action. Write it on your calendar, “Make pies for Thanksgiving,” and “Get Christmas cards in the mail,” and “Take the kids to see Christmas lights.”  There can be flexibility in those dates, but writing them down helps to keep the plan in mind and to track the progress

During these weeks you are less likely to have social commitments and other things vying for your time. Now, its the time to get a jump start on the holiday preparations. If you do a lot of baking and cooking for the holidays, start buying your ingredients now. The sales on basic ingredients like flour and sugar have begun. Don’t forget about fantastic deals on turkey and ham now too; worth buying extra to stock the freezer. Many items like rolls, cookies, pies, and other holiday favorites can be made now and kept in the freezer for the big day. If you are hand making any of your Christmas gifts, it is also good to work on these now, before the pressure of a looming deadline sets in.

Reflecting, planning and preparing now is not only good for your mental state, it is good for your finances. The stress and pressure of busy schedules, long to do lists, and fast approaching deadlines greatly increase the odds of impulse buying and excess spending.  Entering the holidays with a focus on what is important, a plan to get things done, and a jump start on those tasks  will allow you to be truly thankful this Thanksgiving and enjoy a less stressful holiday season.

Life is busy. There is always something demanding our time and our attention. It is easy to feel like you are spinning your wheels, yet the to do list just keeps getting bigger and bigger.  If you are trying to live a frugal lifestyle, you will find many frugal activities require your time in exchange for their money saving benefits. More things to do! Don’t despair. Rest. It will save you money, really.

I’m not talking about a good night’s sleep, though that is very beneficial. I am referring to a day devoted to doing nothing. No deadlines. No to do list. No pressure. A day just for relaxing, and as we call it, piddling. Relaxing doesn’t mean sitting or sleeping all day, though that is fine, if it is what you need. Relax by reading a book, listening to music or taking a walk through the woods. Those are the things that I find relaxing, but perhaps you craft, drink coffee with friends, or piddle on other projects. The point is you engage in activities you enjoy, and feel no pressure to complete. We need these days to replenish ourselves, both physically and mentally.

How does this save you money? In so many ways.  When you are rested the world just looks better.  You can think better. You can look at options, come up with ideas, and plans, and have the ambition to try new things to solve problems.  All of which will save you time and money in the long run.

When you are rested you are less likely to reach for the convenience foods at the grocery store, to run through the drive through, or take the family out for dinner. You’ll have the energy to pack your lunch and make your dinner from scratch. You won’t be needing all those super charged caffeine drinks or the high carbohydrate snacks that go with them, to keep you going either, so skip the overpriced coffee shop too.

Taking time to rest will also benefit your health, making your body more able to fight of the virus’ waiting for the chance to make you sick. Potential savings there in medicine, doctors visits and time off work.  Not to mention the mental drain of trying to function while you are sick.

We need a day to relax. Ideally, it should happen once a week. Though that is not always possible in reality. For my family, days devoted to rest probably happen once every other week on average. If you haven’t had a day to rest in a long while, schedule yourself one now. Yes, put it on your calendar, in big bold letters RELAX! You’ll find it beneficial, mentally, physically and financially.

The first step to the ideal financial life is to get organized. Some people are naturally organized, the rest of us have to learn how to do it. Create your personal space to deal with finances.

The idea is to make your finanacial life more efficient. Keeping all papers in one place is a first step. We will reorganize the rest slowly.