Maybe this dates me a bit since my wedding was over 10 years ago and most of my friends and family married years ago as well (my sister is a lot younger than me), but cash gift registries seem like a terrific idea for a bride and groom who prefer cash gifts over home goods. My sister and her groom have registered with HoneyFunds.com, a cash gift registry started by a couple to encourage cash gifts that would be applied towards honeymoons. The idea is that since most couples pay for their own weddings now a days, they often don’t have enough money to take a honeymoon. Couples register for cash amounts that are applied towards their honeymoon or other items that they would like to fund, like a home project, furniture, or a down payment on a home.

There are a few cash registry websites to select from, like Deposit a Gift and Our Wishing Well, and most seem like a polite way to ask for cash without appearing tacky or feeling embarrassed. If this option had been available at the time of my wedding, I might have opted for this instead of registering for items that I really didn’t need. It also removes the feeling that couples have to “fill up” the registry with plenty of items to give guests options and varying price ranges.

Selecting a hybrid of a traditional registry with a cash gift registry gives guests plenty of choices and allows them to choose something comfortable for them. Notifying your guests about any registry is still mostly done through word of mouth, though using a wedding information website is another tactic that allows couples to discreetly share registry information.

What are your thoughts on cash gift registries?

I’ve written a few posts about losing the lawn before, but here are the benefits for minimizing the lawn:

• Choose native plants that require little care – save time and money on maintenance
• Reducing the lawn saves on water – easy on the pocket book and water table
• Spend more time outside – an easy to care for yard with space to hang out means spending more time outdoors
• Utilize nooks and crannies of your yard – choosing a garden plan that maximizes all sections of your yard can make small hideaways available

Have you minimized your lawn?

Concept 1: forget budgeting – similar to most diets, it doesn’t work in the long run.

Using dieting as an analogy, the authors make a point that budgeting is similar to a diet in that it’s  meant to restrict you (in this case from spending money) and this can lead to feeling deprived and sooner or later you’ll splurge and feel guilty never really being able to stick to a budget.

Instead, using their 9 steps helps the reader make a lifestyle change – which works in the long run.

Concept 2: think about what really, truly makes you happy.

I’ve never been someone who goes shopping when I feel sad or like I deserve a treat, so many of their comments about shopping to fulfill a need were foreign to me. However, their point about thinking back to the dreams of childhood and remembering what you “wanted to be” or what you “wanted to do” are a good starting point for those unhappy about where they are in life.

The idea that things don’t make a person happy is one that I’ve always agreed with, but I like how the authors made a point to remind you to ask yourself, “Do I really need this? Is it worth the “life” hours it will cost me?”

Two of the nine steps have to do with tallying where your money goes and recording how you feel about your expenditures – neutral, positive, or negative. The idea is to find things that you really can’t do without because they make you happy and eliminate or reduce the things that aren’t as satisfying, which in the end reduces your expenses.

If anything this strategy helps remind me to ask my husband when he mentions another purchase, do you really need this? Or, can we wait on this or do without?

Concept 3: keep track of your expenses and income to the penny.

Okay, this sounds like budgeting, but instead of concocting a budget based on guesses or estimates or last months numbers, the authors suggest recording every penny for quite a while, then creating a large wall chart to visually see how you’re progressing. I’m combining steps 2 and 4, I think, but the bottom line is to really see where your money is going so you can make changes to your behavior.

These changes you make help you feel in control of your spending and over time change your behavior allowing you to never feel deprived.

I honestly don’t know if I’ll do the nine steps the authors suggest since I track my spending and expenses religiously using Quick Books (which creates charts for me to use as a visual), and I feel I live fairly frugally. However, the authors’ points encouraged me to pull some of my expense reports, sit with my husband and discuss where we can improve.

And that’s a great first step in and of itself.

I’m curious to know who has actually done these steps. Please share your thoughts and ideas if you have.

Summary of goals for 2012:

• Save money ($6,000 for the year),
• Continue to grow my blog (375 readers daily),
• Ride my bike (1,000 miles this year).

Biking

This has been an easy goal for me to achieve so far this year. Warm weather, a bike blog as motivation, and the joy of riding has put me Ahead of the game.

Blog

Moving in the right direction. I’m still plateauing at about 300 – 325 readers per day, but if it slowly progresses (even at a snail’s pace) I should meet my goal by year’s end.  Progress: Mostly on target.

Saving Money

I’m glad to still say I’m on target even considering I have my sister’s wedding expenses keeping my budget tight: flights – $1,200, dress – $169 already purchased and paid for, plus upcoming expenses that will be another $1,200 – $1,500 (Mr. LH’s suit, maybe new shoes, hotel and car rental plus food expenses – ugh!) I’ve known about the wedding for a while and even started budgeting for it many months ago which has helped me keep this expense out of pocket.

However, I really hadn’t budgeted for the cost of the flights going up so much from the first time I had price-checked them (back in 2010). I purchased them way in advance, but I wonder if I would have gotten a better deal had I waited until it was closer to the date of the wedding (late June). But… I really wanted time to pay off the flights without accruing interest and I didn’t want to stress about the cost going up any more than it has this year so far. It also gave me a little breathing room to get over paying off the flights before the hotel and rental car expenses take their toll. Seven more weeks of “breathing room” before I have to pay off another chunk of “wedding expenses.” I think my wedding cost close to what I’m shelling out to go to hers! Enough complaining for now. Progress:  On Target.

Overall, I’m meeting my goals and been consistent since last month. Let this be the recurring theme for the year!

P.S. I wonder what “Blow” means on the budgeting pig? Do you think that means “money to blow?” Or actual “Blow”? Hmmm…didn’t catch that until later. Food for thought I suppose.

In baseball, a five-tool player is one who excels in some of the game’s major skills: fielding, base running, hitting for power, hitting for contact, and throwing ability.  As we move to your budget, there are five areas where you must excel to find financial success.  Follow along for some skills and items that should be in your sights.

1.      Debt

Of course, this is not something you want.  However, having an eye towards your debt situation, or hopefully lack thereof, is one skill that you should ever lose.

Not many of us will have a budget that is free from debt of any kind.  High-interest credit card debt is one thing, but what about your car and home loans?  Treat these with the priority that they require, which is only met in the specifics of your situation.  Being aware of these dynamics is the first step towards success in the department of debt.

2.      Goals

Financial goals are essential to success.  And no, we’re not just talking about those that are extremely large, such as retirement, nor are we speaking of smaller goals like your summer vacation.  Your goals can be based in financial freedom and the opportunity to work less, even.

Goals can also keep you focused and motivated.  Those two qualities can translate into financial success.  Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of the bigger picture to truly get anywhere.

3.      Cash Flow

Never ignore your cash flow.  It can be a great indicator of a negative item in your household budget.  Of course, it can also be a positive indicator as well; even to the point where you realize that some of it should be transferred to savings/investments.

4.      Safety

The importance of financial safety is hard to overemphasize.  After all, feel free to ask someone who didn’t carry enough home insurance, or someone who had to pay for costly unexpected car repairs without the benefit of an emergency savings fund.

From savings to insurances and even warranties, you can help protect your family’s best interests.  Who knows, a car insurance comparison could help you save money as well.  Don’t overlook such items that can make a big impact on not only your finances, but your peace of mind.

5.      Intangibles

Even with four somewhat “general” predecessors, it’s hard to summarize everything you need to do with your budget in five items.  That’s why we finish off with the intangibles, which bring about some interesting ideas that can help your budget.

How are intangibles relevant to your budget?  Here are some ideas that you should execute for maximum impact:

• Motivational Qualities: You can devise the best budget in the world, but without the necessary motivation, it is doomed to fail.  Cutting out unnecessary expenses requires commitment, just like a dietary change requires these items.  Otherwise, you’ll cheat and go for the cake – the equivocation being financial endangerment, here.
• Insight: Can you research your options?  Do you know “when to quit?”
• Efficiency: Having a good system and the right tools will help you stay on task.  It doesn’t matter how you do it, for the most part, but you’ll need something that works for you.

Overall, there are several others that we can add to the picture, but we’ll leave it at these important five qualities.  And remember, baseball players don’t need all five tools to succeed.  However, you likely will.

Building a Home Room by Room, or section by section

What if instead I started building the garage first? A few years ago I seriously considered this option. I even called Tuff Shed and received a quote for a loft above a two-car garage. This completely makes sense especially when I think about functionality.

Just think, I build a two-car garage to house my one car and leave room for plenty of storage where the second car would normally park. The storage area would hold the furniture that is in waiting (waiting for the main house to be finished). With a loft built above the garage, I can live in it with Mr. LH and our three cats while we work on the final “dream” house plan and save money. Once the “dream” house is built, the loft can be utilized as an office or guest house.

Seems reasonable, right?

I’m not the only one to think this way. I read in Sunset Magazine about a couple who built their weekend home along these lines, starting with a small sleeping quarter first and eventually adding two additional “cottages” and a main living structure. Their “compound” was very beautiful and functional, accommodating family members and guests.

Once I started thinking outside the box (or floor plan), so to speak, there are so many possible, affordable ways to end up with the home of our dreams.

And, a garage doesn’t just have to be a garage or guest house, Tuff Shed shares photos of custom homes and garages right on their site.

Would room by room work for you?

That was, until now….

I don’t know why I hadn’t heard of a Bialetti Moka Express stove top espresso maker before; they’ve been around since the 1930′s! However, for my birthday, Mr. LH did some research on how I could brew my own espresso at home and came across the Bialetti. All of the reviews he read were very positive. Since we don’t really do “birthday presents” he ran the idea past me and I said go for it.

I’ve now had my Bialetti a week and I absolutely love it! Bialetti’s come in a variety of sizes, but I got the 3-cup one since Mr. LH can’t stand coffee. Basically, I fill the lower basin with water, fill the espresso/coffee filter with ground coffee (I’m currently using the dark espresso blend from Starbucks), place it on the stove on a low to medium heat and wait until it percolates. I remove it and let it cool down a little bit (I like iced espresso), then poor it over ice, add vanilla syrup and half and half and it’s good to go.

My Bialetti Set Up

It’s easy to clean, I just unscrew the top when it cools and rinse it out with clear water. It’s actually the only way to clean a Bialetti – no soap or scrubbing allowed. The only downside of a Bialetti is that I have to stand near it while it percolates because it has the ability to explode due to pressure if it’s not taken off the stove right away. However, the 3-cup only takes about 8-minutes to finish percolating so it’s not a big deal.

Now for the economics…

My drink at Starbucks always ran me $2.55 – $2.65 (a variation of 10-cents because sometimes I wouldn’t get my cup discount). To mimic my drink  at home I had to purchase half-and-half and vanilla syrup. The break down looks like this:

• Vanilla syrup: $8.00  – in 6 days I used about one-third of this bottle which equates to $2.67 divided by 6 days = .45-cents
• Half-and-half: $2.00 – in 6 days I used about half of this carton which equates to $1.00 divided by 6 = .17-cents
• Espresso Coffee: $12.00 – in 6 days I used about one-fourth of the beans which equates to $3.00 divided by 6 = .50-cents
• Total cost of my drink now: $1.12 (that’s a savings of $1.48!)

Final product - Yum!

I could reduce this cost by purchasing less expensive beans, but for now I’ve calculated I’ll save $355 per year if I make my drink at home 5-days a week. I’m still allowing myself 2 Starbucks visits a week because there is something about going to Starbucks that I like.

Now Mr. LH just has to get used to the smell of coffee brewing in the morning (not a smell he enjoys).

Have you found ways to reduce the cost of your habits?
Featured at Frugally Sustainable

1. Money In (income)
2. Money Out (expenses)
3. Money We Owe (debt)
4. Money We Grow (investments)
5. Money We Share (philanthropy)

Akina’s e-book is simple and easy to read with the basic principles described in as few words as possible.  He also incorporates worksheet links to help the reader calculate each section related to the principle. For example, in the money out section, Akina includes a downloadable worksheet to help manage a person’s expenses.

In the “Money We Owe” section of the e-book, Akina explains the most common debt and offers tips on how to pay off debt using videos and a worksheet to figure out a total amount.

Tuesday, May 1st Alan is giving away a free copy of his e-book if you visit his site: Super Duper Simple Books. If you or someone you know need money basics explained to them, this is a great starting point.

Also watch for a free e-book giveaway later next week from me!

There are times when every business must deal with potential liabilities from the public or another third party. The exact situations vary but often involve some sort of injury or damage to property. If this should occur, the injured party is entitled to file a lawsuit. This could result in serious effects for the business. Therefore, having public liability insurance is a must for any business to provide protection from these potential liabilities.

Any business that has the public come onto their premises needs public liability insurance such as shop insurance. This type of insurance will also cover situations when a representative of the business must go onto a customer’s property in order to conduct business. Claims can be made for injuries or damages, but it can also be helpful in the event a client is harmed by any products sold to them by the business. It doesn’t matter what kind of industry a business is part of, they still need public liability insurance coverage if they deal with customers. In some situations, clients will not do business with a company if they do not have public liability insurance.

When a claim is made against a business by a member of the public or a third party, the insurance policy would kick into effect. The business owner may have to pay out a large amount of damages. This can often be crippling for businesses; however, with public liability insurance the policy will cover this expense up to the maximum value of the policy. Also, in some situations legal services are needed. These would include if the case is sent to court or if the interested parties attempt to come to a resolution out of court. In either situation, legal services are needed. Public liability insurance can help pay for these costs, which can become quite staggering in a short amount of time.