Albuquerque, NM

Sometimes things that are suppose to be easy are not. You’ll still need to cut&paste these llinks:

www.abqtrib.com check out 3 articles with schedules for music festivals

www. allaboutjazz.com

nmmagazine.com JUne issue has links to lots of local alternative….more…bands

VisitSantaFe.com for music happening and more

Today’s slight diversion: Saving $ and living rich!

Reference: Trent Hamm “The Simple Dollar” Blog www.simpledollar.com

Local sites that are related: www.superpages.com www.albuquerque.citysearch.com

Now of course the previous logs have introduced you to LOW COST and NO COST concerts for this summer. And you can also google Thrift Stores and actually find many listings Plus even map out locations to save time and gas $$$. I read an article by Trent Hamm on MSN this morning. I won’t repeat all 20 tips, but I’ll include a few of my own.

I do recommend his blog. I found several no cost programs I can use. He listed 30. Plus there is a lot of other information, so go visit.

20 Plus ways: 1)Visit the simple dollar
2)Count #of trips to stores of any kind per week: reduce by 20%. Here’s options to consider.
-Make lists of what you’ll need for 5 days: consolidate trips.
-Make lists of what you can pick up on the way home: saves gas.
-Buy reduced items and sale items wherever possible.
- Obvious, if you are in a store less often you spend less time, $$$, and gas.
-Buy local when possible. The local grocery store may not be as pretty or cheap. It
however CAN SAVE YOU GAS AND TIME. So make a bigger list for your fav store,
and go once every other week. Environmentally smart plus TIME=LIFE to spend with family
friends, you…etc.
3) Save gas: walk or use the bus, or just organize your trips. If you saved 10 gallons of
gas a week X10 wks, $30 a week x10 = $300. That could mean big savings for…

4) Obvious: coupons. Use them.
5) Take 40% of your clothing budget and buy at thrift stores, consignment shops, and
garage sales. Make a budget. You have more than you need and often get better
quality. Plus if you don’t like it, it’s easier to decide to give it away.
6) Check out an occasional thrift store dumpster or free box. Or ask for deals at the
end of a garage sale. Just go for stuff near the top (no climbing). cause it will be
cleaner. I found 5 winter blazers, one business suit, and a Saks 5th Ave full length
coat yesterday in a dumpster! All clean. One shirt fit me and the rest I gave away.
I dropped off the stuff at a low income senior center. The coat went to a senior
there (because it didn’t fit me or my friends) and I had her try it on, she was pleased
with the fit, and as she walked away, she turned and said, “This is good, I don’t have
a good winter coat.”
7) Give Away Stuff you don’t need. It opens up a lot of energy. Some tenants I worked
with were moving. (I manage some property). They wanted to give me a lot of
furniture, which I didn’t need. But I thought a friend could use a recliner. They
delivered it. But she didn’t want it…so we asked another friend if she wanted it.
She did and she gave me a rocker: nice, my style: wooden. All from moving surplus.

If you have your own washer and dryer: Reduce # of washes. It really can reduce
the electric bill. If you go to a laundry mat: buy extra underwear. I use to go once
a month to the laundrymat and do three loads of laundry (I am single). I saved $,
detergent, and time. Time=Life. Oh yeah and gas.
9) Check your snack habit. 1)Bring your snacks to work. 2) Reduce expensive coffees at
work and increase variety of drinks. 3) at home have more fruits and veggies ready and
analyze: cost per item. Rice cakes last me longer than a box of crackers. A pint of
primo ice cream satisfies me more than….cheap popsicles big bag has less sugar.

A little planning can save $20-$50 a week. On sale items even more.
10) Grocery list: stick to it. (My style would be, if I saved $10 more on my planned budget
I would buy a $5 treat.)
11) Leave the credit card at home. (At least 3X a week). If you don’t have cash today,
YOU 99% of the time CAN live without it.

12) 2X a month don’t buy anything.

13) Have extra tea bags, sparkling water, nuts, dried fruit at work. Cuts cost and pounds
dramactically.
14) Cook ahead and freeze a couple of extra meals.

15) Eat at home more. Have potlucks.

16) Change car oil on time.

17) Consolidate cleaners. Vinegar and baking soda are cheap. Also get multi-purpose
cleaners.
18) Share magazine subscriptions. Pay 1/2 to 1/3 the cost. Buy used books often.
Used books cost $1-$5 usually. Circulate books. More books come back. This
is especially helpful for elders. They may not have a book budget.
19) Ditto CD’s DVD’s CARS Furniture Computers Sports Equipment…

20) Pay bills on time (fewer fees) and pay more on credit cards. Pay ahead on mortgages
too.
21) Give more. Open yourself to living in abundance.

22) Go to www.scienceofgettingrich.com and download a free book.

Blessings.