| How to Live Within Your Means Posted: 22 Nov 2016 04:00 PM PST Living within your means means more than just balancing your budget. It means being aware of the difference between what you need and what you want. As Mark Twain once said, "Comparison is the death of joy," and if anything, you need to learn to find a way of spending that works for you -- not for your neighbors or best friends. Living within your means requires you to be mindful of how you spend your money, but if you do it correctly, you won't actually be depriving yourself of the things you really need to be happy. EditMaintaining a Balanced Budget - Create a list of essentials. This includes things such as groceries, utilities, and clothing. Essentials are things you absolutely cannot do without. You cannot survive without groceries, for example, while you can survive without spending $1000 on clothing each month (even if you don't feel that way!).
- Estimate your income. This will probably work best if you use a monthly income. If you are on salary, this is usually pretty easy. However, if you are part-time, unemployed, or a dependent, this may be a bit more difficult. Most likely, your best route is to take your monthly income or budget for the last three months and take an average. While this may not be spot on, it will likely be close enough for you to rely on to make ends meet.
- When you have to estimate your income, remember to remove the amount that you would reserve for taxes. Depending on how much you make, it may look like you have a bit more money than you actually do before you pay your dues to Uncle Sam.
- Record all of your expenditures. To do this, record what you bought, how much you spent, and where you bought your goods/services from. This does not have to be extremely detailed. "$100 on groceries at Wal-Mart" will suffice. Once again, this will probably be best from a monthly standpoint. See how much you've spent on all of your essential items and non-essential items as well.
- If this is hard to track because you pay for a lot of things in cash (and good for you if you do!) or just can't keep your bills straight, then you can start tracking your expenditures for the current or next month instead.
- Compare your income to your expenditures. See how you fare. If you are significantly in the green, then you're doing fine! However, if your income and expenditures are equal, then you're not saving any money, and if your expenditures are much higher than your income, then you have a problem. Of course, if you're a student and currently don't have an income, then this will naturally happen, but you can still think about how you can spend less money in the future.
- Evaluate your expenditures. See where your money is going! Start by categorizing your purchases. Make "Essentials" one category. The rest of the categories will be unique to your preferences. For example, one category might be "Eating Out". Once you have done this, add up all the purchases in that category and create a category total.
- Cut the fat. More than likely, you'll notice at least one category other than "Essentials" that seems to be eating a large portion of your income. Take a look at that category. See what you can cut out. For example, if you are seeing nine or ten trips to Starbucks under "Eating Out", try cutting this down to three or four. That could be a quick $25 right there. Continue to cut at the non-necessities until your income is higher than your expenditures.
- See Section 3 for more information on how to effectively save money.
- Boost your income if it's necessary. You may see that your spending has so far outrun your earnings that you'll have to do far more than just cut your expenses if you want to make ends meet. You may need to take on extra hours at work, ask for a raise, or look for a higher paying or part-time job to raise your income. If there are other members in your household, see if another income earner can do the same, or if you have teenager or older children, see if they can take on a part-time job.
- Set saving goals. Create attainable goals within a reasonable timeframe. Maybe your goal is to spend $200 a month. Maybe your goal is to save $120 a month for a trip to Paris at the end of the next year. The more specific and attainable your goal is, the more likely you will be to reach it. If your general goal is just to "spend less money," that is too vague for you to really take initiative or to know if you're getting close to reaching it.
- Save for an emergency. If you really want to live within your means, then you can't let one unexpected event, like a car accident or job loss, completely ruin your finances. You need to save some away for a rainy day, even if you're only saving $100 a month. This money will add up, and you'll feel much more safe and confident than if you're spending your money down to the wire every month without having a penny to spare.
- Even throwing your change in a "emergency jar" at the end of every day will help you mentally prepare to set some of your money aside for the unforeseeable.
EditAdjusting Your Perspective on Spending - Distinguish between what you want and what you need. Sure, you may think that you really "need" a huge HD TV, but would you really suffer if you got a TV of a smaller size, or stuck with your old for a while, instead? Do you really need designer shoes or sunglasses, or would you be just as happy with a cheaper pair? Do you need to spend $90 every time you go out to dinner with your beau, or can you go somewhere a little bit cheaper, or have a romantic night cooking at home instead? Realizing that you don't really need all those things you think you need will definitely help you live within your means.
- It's okay to splurge on something you don't really need once in a while, but you shouldn't make a habit of it. And when you do splurge, you should be conscious that your life would be just as good without that thing.
- Don't even bother trying to keep up with the Joneses. So maybe your neighbors just got a swimming pool or built an addition onto their home; but they may make twice as much money as you do. If you get caught up in trying to keep up with everyone around you, then not only will you never be happy, but you will also never be able to live within your means because you'll be too busy trying to maintain an image that you can never fully live up to.
- Sure, your best friend's new designer jeans look amazing on her. Be happy for her cute new look instead of being jealous and wishing you can afford the same. Jealousy is guaranteed to make you an unhappy person -- and to never be satisfied with what you have.
- Change your definition of what it means to be "rich." Being rich doesn't have to mean driving a BMW and vacationing in Capri every fall; it can mean having enough money to keep your family and children happy, and to have some spending set aside for fun with your significant other and some light travel, too. Once you see that this can be your own definition of "rich," you will be able to relax and stop worrying so much about how other people perceive your wealth.
- Know that spending less money will not decrease your quality of life. So you invite some friends over for some nice wine instead of spending money at a crowded bar. You and your significant other take a road trip to Portland instead of flying there. Does this really decrease your quality of life? Absolutely not. You'll still be doing the things you love -- you'll just be doing them a bit differently. Don't think that you'll be making your life worse if you spend less money.
- In fact, spending less money can increase your quality of life, because doing so will make you less stressed out about wasting money, and you'll feel more at peace with your decisions.
- Be grateful for what you do have. Instead of focusing on what you wish you had -- a new car, a fancy suit, a larger house -- focus on all of the things you are lucky enough to have. You may hate your TV, but you love your computer. You may wish you had a new coat, but you have so many great sweaters. Make a list of all of the things you do have, and don't just limit the list to the material things -- you may be grateful for an amazing significant other, wonderful children, or the amazing place where you live.
- Being aware of all of the things that you do have will make you less likely to spend impulsively to make up for anything that you feel is lacking in your life.
EditSaving Money - Eat at home whenever you can. Eating at home doesn't have to be less exciting than going out to eat. Eating at home will make you be a better cook, be more conscious about what goes into your food, and it can even create an intimate atmosphere for a date night or a social gathering. And, of course, it saves money too. If one of your biggest expenditures comes from going out to eat, try to cut down how many meals you eat out by two a week, and then reduce that number further until you see that you're happy if you only go out to eat once every week or two.
- Of course, sometimes you have to go out to eat -- for a coworker's goodbye party, or a friend's birthday, for example. When you do eat out, though, you can be conscious of what you spend. Don't show up starving or you'll be likely to order too much food and spend too much money.
- Wait for sales. You should never have to buy something at full retail price. Wait for the items to go on sale, get coupons if you can, and just have the patience to know that anything you really want will eventually cost less money. You don't have to get the newest version of an iPod or a video game the second it comes out; wait a few months for the price to go down and you could be saving hundreds of dollars.
- There's nothing wrong with buying second hand, either. You can find great clothes for great prices at a thrift store.
- Entertain at home instead of going out. Throw a party instead of going out to the bars with your friends. Invite people over for a movie night instead of spending $15 a ticket to go see a movie on the day it comes out. Having fun in your own home can be even more enjoyable than going out because you don't have to deal with strangers and can control what you eat and drink. So, the next time you want to have a social event, invite a few friends over instead of hitting up the pricey and noisy bars.
- Cancel the subscriptions you don't need. You could be spending over $100 a month on subscriptions that you don't really need. Cut down on your spending by eliminating some of these subscriptions from your monthly bills:
- Gym membership. If you only hit up the gym once or twice a month, cancel that membership and go running instead.
- Netflix membership. Save money by only paying to stream from Netflix instead of paying an extra fee for ordering DVDs when you never use this feature.
- Magazine subscription. If you only read one or two articles in the magazine that comes each month, then you're better off saving your money and catching the news online.
- Borrow whenever you can. Go to the library to borrow a book instead of paying for one at the store. Borrow a DVD from a friend instead of paying to rent it. Borrow a dress that you'll only need to wear once from a stylish friend instead of spending a lot of money on something you'll never wear again. Share your stuff with your friends and they will do the same with you. Borrowing is a great -- and fun -- way to save money.
- Have a garden. Gardening is not only a fun and relaxing hobby -- and one that has been shown to increase your lifespan -- but it's a definite money saver. Instead of spending money on vegetables and herbs every week, make a one-time investment in a garden and see how much money you save every week.
- Don't ever shop without a list. Whether you're going to the grocery store or the mall, you are much more likely to spend impulsively and recklessly if you just roam around buying whatever you think you need. Instead, be prepared with a thorough list every time you shop, and do not stray from it unless you see something that you really need but forgot to write down.
- Even if you're going to the mall and only buying three items, writing them down on a list will make you more aware of buying something you didn't intend to take home.
- Wait 48 hours before making a big purchase. If you see a brand-new jacket or a nice pair of shoes at the mall or while you're shopping online, don't buy the item the second you decide you can't live without it. Instead, give yourself 48 hours to really think it through. Maybe you'll find that you really don't need the item after all, or that you're able to find a less expensive substitute. If you have thought it through and decide that you really do need it, then you will feel better about your decision.
- If you are able to cut your expenditures significantly, use the surplus to save for a rainy day.
- Don't go overboard with the cutting. You work hard, and you're entitled to treat yourself too. If you don't treat yourself every now and then, you'll find it harder to keep on your budget.
- Use a simple code system to jot down your expenses either on your own organizer and on your account book...it's as easy as: f for food,, dm doctors and meds , t anything related to transportation and e the much feared extras....and so on.To make things simpler just write a code letter on the left of your account book, and add several instances of that category until the line is almost full...then add up and write the total ...and open a new line if necessary.
- Impulsive spending should also be curbed. A good rule to follow is, If you can't afford two of them, you shouldn't buy the item.
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| How to Enjoy Your Holiday Alone Posted: 22 Nov 2016 08:00 AM PST Whether it's one day off or a week, you don't need to be surrounded by people to have a great holiday. Being alone can be relaxing and enjoyable. You can use your holiday to do all the things you never have time for in your every day routine. EditCreating Time to Relax - Lengthen your mornings. On holiday, you won't be pressed for time in the morning, so you can take extra steps to make your morning fulfilling and set a good tone for the day.
- Wake up at your normal time.[1] It can be tempting to sleep in during holidays, but waking up at your normal time provides your body with the much-needed consistency to establish healthy sleep. Instead, allow yourself extra time to get out of bed. Spend a few more minutes scrolling through your phone.
- Make a hearty breakfast.[2] Cook something you love but normally don't have time to make, like pancakes or French toast, or try making something new like eggs benedict or a soufflé.
- If you drink coffee or tea, take the time to sit down and savor it.[3]
- Instead of breakfast at home, you could also make a special trip to a local restaurant or bakery for something special. Eat it there, or bring it home.
- Add a siesta. Napping is a luxury you probably don't have during a normal work week, and it won't cost you a dime.[4]
- Plan out when you want to nap and how long you want to nap. Write it in your planner. This makes napping an activity and something you can look forward to, instead of something that can feel like a waste of precious holiday time.
- Make it luxurious.[5] Dab some lavender essential oil on your wrists.[6] Put on your favorite pajamas. Pull the curtains, sip some tea, and wear your favorite pajamas and a sleep mask.
- Participate in a calming activity. Don't feel like you have to constantly be participating in activities on your day off. Schedule some time for zen.
- Simply spend some time meditating, or use a calming activity like coloring as meditation.[7] You can find adult coloring templates online free or in the magazine section at the store.[8]
- Do simple yoga. Even fifteen minutes can help you feel relaxed and centered. You can look up classes in your area, or try a class online.[9]
- If you're not a fan of yoga, going for a walk is another way to relax.[10] Walk around your neighborhood, or go walk on a nearby hiking trail or green way.
- Limit technology.[11] If you're spending your holiday alone, it might be tempting to stay completely plugged in to your social media and email, but taking a break is good for your mental health.
- Create a specific time in the day and amount of time to use technology during your holiday. This will help you keep your connection in check.
- Focus on creating time for other things, like reading or drawing.
EditTreating Yourself to Something Special - Go out and do something.[12]Don't feel like you have to stay in your house because you're spending your holiday alone.
- Go shopping. Even if don't want to spend a lot of money, take your time perusing stores, and treat yourself to something small that you've been wanting.
- Go a movie or a play. Going to see a movie or show alone can be a fun experience. Pick something that you really want to see.
- Take a class. Use your holiday as an opportunity to try something new like swing dances or painting. Check community newspapers for a calendar of classes and events during your holiday. Use sites like Groupon to find discounted classes in your area.[13]
- Get a treatment, or create one at home. Take the time out of your holiday to pamper yourself.
- If you've been putting it off, get a new haircut or color. This will make you feel your best.
- Get a luxury treatment you wouldn't normally, like a massage or a facial.
- If you don't want to pay for a treatment, you can create your own spa day.
- Eat your favorite foods. Whether you want to go out to your favorite restaurant or cook at home, splurge a little on food.
- This could be as simple as stocking up your fridge before your holiday, so you don't have to worry about going to the grocery store.
- Get a little fancy. Make a cheese plate, and buy a nice wine just for you.[14] Or, just spend some time plating up your favorite junk foods instead of eating them straight from the bag.
- Even though you're on your own, clean up right after you eat to keep your holiday and space relaxing.
EditBeing Productive - Keep a list of tasks you want to accomplish. It could be in an ongoing note on your phone or in a dedicated notebook.
- Throughout the year, jot down things you'd like to get to but don't have time for right away.
- When you have a holiday, consult your list for things to do.
- Create a schedule. Though it may seem counterintuitive, creating a schedule for your holiday can help you manage your time so that you get to relax and get a few things done.
- This schedule could be as simple as a to-do list on a post-it note, or you could write it in your planner or calendar.
- Tackle a home project.[15] A holiday can be a great time to get around to that home project you've been meaning to do.
- Your project might be anything from painting a dresser to weeding your garden to organizing a messy closet.
- Keep it fun. While you work on your project, keep snacks around and listen to great music or watch a favorite TV show.
- Do some chores. Even if you don't want to tackle a big project, doing chores like washing the sheets on your bed or cleaning your bathtub can help your space feel fresh.
- Read a book. Setting aside long periods of time to read can help you get around to finishing that book you've been wanting to read and feel accomplished.[16]
- Reading can also help you unplug from technology. It's still a relaxing activity, but you won't feel like a zombie in front of your computer or television.
- Exercise. Exercise has many long-term benefits, and it can release endorphins and promote relaxation afterwards.[17]
- Set a aside thirty means or an hour to do a cardio workout. Holidays are a great time to exercise because you won't be rushed or feel like you need to be somewhere else. You'll feel better after you sweat and can spend the rest of your time off relaxing.
- Don't overdo it. Holidays are for relaxing and recharging your batteries. You don't want to return to work more tired than when you finished.
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| How to Paint Luscious Cherries in Watercolor Posted: 22 Nov 2016 12:00 AM PST Colorful, ripe fruits are a classic subject for paintings throughout the centuries. Cherries, because of their rich, red color, and promise of a delicious bite, never fail to catch the eye. While simply shaped, cherries require study and planning to appear believable. Luckily, summer is the season to purchase fresh cherries at practically any supermarket. Just thinking about them can make your mouth water. EditSetting Up Your Subject - Purchase a handful of ripe cherries from the store. Pick through to find perfect ones at their prime. They come in a variety of colors, from yellow, to bright orange-red, to deep maroon. Select what appeals to you or get an assortment of colors. Search for cherries that still have their stems. If a leaf isn't attached, do your online research to see how they are shaped, their color and their size compared to the round fruit.
- Set up your still life arrangement. Place the objects you intend to paint close to where you will be working. You will need to see your subject clearly, up close and in good light.
- Keep the cherries as the central theme since they are the subject. Include, however, an extra item or two to add interest to the arrangement. For example; an interesting bowl or container. Glass will have the bonus of being transparent so you can paint what you see through it. Silver or other metallic objects will be reflective, and the reflections will add an eclectic touch to the work.
- Put the cherries on a white or other plain cloth. Bunch and swirl the cloth slightly to add interesting folds. These folds can act as lines to lead the viewer's eye through the painting. Keeping the cloth simple will insure that focus remains on the fruit.
EditPlanning and Sketching - Set up your watercolor paints. Any type or style is fine; dry pads or tube colors squeezed onto a clean palette.
- Obtain a sheet of 140# watercolor paper. Use a page from a watercolor pad or a quarter sheet (approximately 11" X 14") of good watercolor paper. Select an array of watercolor brushes, including small, medium and large pointed ones, a soft watercolor mop or wash brush, a ¾ inch flat, angled style, and a liner brush. Use a deli container filled with water for activating and diluting colors and rinsing your brush. Have tissues or paper towels handy.
- Sketch your design lightly. Start with the cherries as circles, keeping them life size. Cluster and overlap some but allow a few stray ones to be apart from the central mass. The stems ought to go off in many directions. Add leaves to fill blank spots or at the edges of the cluster of cherries. If adding a dish or vase, sketch it in.
- Plan how to make the two dimensional circles appear realistic, rounded and plump. Highlights will help, so on each cherry draw a small circle for the highlight to be left unpainted. If desired save the white of the paper by using a drop of masking fluid or frisket. Or, simply plan to paint around the small light spots.
- A second way to give the illusion of roundness on the cherries is by controlling the light falling on the objects. Decide which direction the light is coming from and be consistent as you paint the objects. Keep the side nearest the light source lighter, almost to the point of looking washed out, than the opposite side. If you can't actually see such dramatic light, fake it.
EditPainting the Cherries - Wet a few of the circles for cherries, preserving the highlight by keeping the spot dry to resist paint. Charge your brush with paint and touch it to the side in shadow, or the side away from the light source. The water will carry the color over the entire cherry shape. The richest deposit of color will be on the shadow side, with the color diluted and lighter on the opposite side. Add another touch of red paint on the dark side. Remember to make the strokes semi-circular to mimic the round shape of the cherry.
- Paint some of the cherry shapes without wetting them first. Again, work to get three values of red on each cherry; the palest pink on the light side, mid-tones and the darkest, richest color on the shadow side.
- While wet, paint cast shadows. Pull a tiny, rounded shape of color down from the cherry to form a subtle shadow. Do this in one swish of the brush and don't try to alter or edit the shadow. Try to have it connected to the cherry at one point. If the red from the cherry is too bright for a shadow, dab it lightly with a tissue to lighten it. Or add a tiny touch of green to neutralize and gray it.
- Paint leaves the same way. Wet some leaves and work others on dry paper. Use a variety of greens; ranging from yellow-green, to dark green. Again, keeping three values of green. While wet, scratch in the vein pattern with the sharp edge of an old plastic credit card or paint the veins with a tiny, pointed brush. Do the central vein first as a wavy line to give the illusion that the leaf is alive, curving and twisting slightly. Or, do a combination of both techniques and do the tributary veins coming off the main one.
- Look carefully at the cherries' stems. They are slightly fatter at the far end and ideally will appear as three values of brown. Angle them in all directions. Allow to piece to dry.
EditAdding Details and Background - Work on the cloth under the cherries. Using a pencil, indicate lines where the fabric flows out from beneath the cherries. Add an interesting edging to the drape, if desired. Paint shadows in the cloth with diluted, neutral brown or gray. Soften one edge by running a line of water along the gray shadow.
- Draw a jar, or bowl. To give the illusion of a silver container, paint along the object's edges in shades of gray. Show some reflections. Red cherries, green leaves and stems might be reflected, but to give the illusion of distance, do only one or two of the reflected cherries realistically and have others fade away appearing as loose spots.
- To indicate that the container is glass, show hints of the colors and shapes that are behind it. Again, paint the glass only at the object's edges. Allow the piece to dry.
- If you wish to add a background, do it at this point. Put a contrasting color or deep neutral in the space above the drape. Again, let the painting dry.
- Add final touches. Use a liner brush or a small pointed brush loaded with a dark shade of paint. Analyze what needs to be accented within the cherry grouping, leaves and vessel. Draw these dark lines with a fine, pointed brush. Keep the drawn lines to a minimum and try not to outline whole shapes.
- Again, prop up the painting, step back and study it. Let it dry overnight and study it from a distance again. Do touch ups again, but, keep them minimal.
- Hang up your painting. It will remind you of the beauty of nature all year long.
- Try not to overwork the piece. Less is really more when it comes to trying for a watercolor illusion of cherries.
- To lift out excess water or color use a clean, damp brush on a wet area. This is a good technique for restoring highlights or light edges. Just use your brush and swipe up excess paint.
- Avoid dabbing with a tissue as that often removes too much color.
- Keep the ellipses at the mouth and bottom edge of the jar or bowl consistent. Check, also that the curvature of the sides of the vessel are in agreement. Make corrections if needed.
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