Sometimes I think I spend too much on coffee. But I can’t work without my caffeine fix… or can I?
I was just wondering about this, because when I drink coffee, sometimes I feel like I’m more focused.
But then my wallet hurts! {Ouch!}
I started doing research on coffee and it seems like I learned about it, so much that I felt like sharing.
First infographic about coffee addiction. Yay me! I’ll try and do more of these ’cause they are FUN!
hope you like it, send me your feedback below!
Money (Photo credit: 401K)
Sometimes I think there are things more importan than money… but I’m almost broke and they cost an arm and a leg.
We should live our lives as fullest as we can. and not overspending
Mega Millions logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
if I had won it I would have done the following…
That’s what I would do. What would you do?
Buy More Stuff, Black Friday 2009 (Photo credit: Michael Holden)
When we see the word FREE, we are automatically triggered to buy more. Why? Beats me…
But it seems like if something pops in my mind and says: {You are winning! You beat them. Your money is worth more because you can take more!}
But actually, unless you were planning to buy that first item, my guess is that your brain has lost the battle. The idea that we got something for free or at a better price has ginormous power on us. It makes us feel better and (yikes!) smarter!
But at the end of the day, we should ask ourselves…. (or before we buy!): Did we really make an intelligent purchase?
Often, we will see that not all deals are deceiving… but let’s play it safe.
And this applies online as well. How many times have you asked your friends about something they bought online and they say but the shipping killed the deal or made the deal even better when it is offered for free. It’s been said that people tend to like free shipping rather than a $10 discount on items.
I like when retailers “trick” consumers to purchase an X amount of a certain product with a discount….but if you looked closely, in tiny print you see that you do not need to buy that amount to get the discount. But people fall for it.
The thing is that we saved, but it also cost us. It always cost us. If in order to get 1 item we need to buy 2, then that 1 item we wanted cost us 2 times what we were going to spend!!! Sometimes the cost is not in money. Sometimes it is time (free shipping most times is slower)
Don’t be like that. Think it over before buying. Buy smarter.
Save Money (Photo credit: 401K)
ok, it seems so {EASY}, but it is NOT!
whew, that is now out of my system. You know, sometimes we need to compare things that might not make sense to other things that do. Example: What do diets and saving have in common? If I eat right, my body feels better. If I spend {right}, my wallt feels better!! Yay!
So following that, we should try to assimilate that what we are doing is NOT, I repeat, NOT depriving ourselves of things we need…but that we will be scrutinizing our choices, better evaluating them,
So, numbers!
1. Track. And I do not refer to tracking every penny we spend, but that we are at least conscious of how we are spending. Tips and whatnots too. Groceries, coffees and lattes, gas, magazines and other things we cherish. Also, take notice of your monthly expenses like rent, power, internet, mobile.
Keeping it real: Let’s try this for 15 days. and then follow up on that.
2. General evaluation. You will grade yourself 
and haha do not be mean but also do not be super good on yourself. If we earn 2k and we spend 2,500, then we are spending {more} money than we should. At the end of the month, we might be spending 1k total. and that is money we DO NOT have, so we should act upon it.
3. item evaluation. If most money is spent in lattes, then we should think if it is THAT important to have starbucks, or if we can bring a mug with home made coffee. That way we could save LOTS of money. We should be able to drop anything that we can live without.
4. Setting realistic goals.
We want to spend less… but how much less? for what? for how long? It is the same as with a diet, we do NOT want to spend ALL of our lives dieting… so why would we be doing the same to saving? (Ok, I’m later going to talk about retirement but for now let’s focus on saving).
I am excited!
My savings fund has grown!!
Savings: $Increased! Yay me!
Value for Money (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Ok, so my emergency fund is growing. Slowly. but growing.
So far: Increased it! Hooray! now what should I do with that? Nothing, keep it growing! 
In my musings and day dreamings, I have come to realize that money has no feelings or emotions. Money is COLD. It is an object whose value is determined by general consensus… that is, it is only worth as much as THE MAN decides it’s worth…
But we, as human beings, ok I’ll be inclusive, you too, Mr. Alien!… ok we are emotional. And because of that, we relate emotionally to money.
Some people hate money. Some people long for money {note: that is a problem}. Some people spend money uncontrollably… and also those that feel money is their enemy.
Us, that are in the process of saving money, think it is never enough 
So we are here in this love-hate relationship with money. We hate it when it flees. We hate it because it makes us work harder, work shifts… etc
but if it is like that… why do we want it? and if it is REALLY that good for our survival… why do we let it go so fast? WHY? Because we let our emotions dominate us.
Money is just a TOOL. We give it power only if we allow it to have it.
Some thoughts on money:
- Money make people do bad things
- Money is evil… sometimes.
- Money solves problems.
- Money makes us feel good.
- Money gives us the power to do what I want.
- Money is hard to get.
- Money costs us work.
- Money is never enough.
If you read all of the above sentences and you feel something about them… it is not because they are TRUE or FALSE by themselves…. but in how we feel about Money.
Remember, Money will never cry when it leaves us… so we better learn to deal with it.
{REAL} emergency fund: -$ Decreased… Money made me do it… I lied… I had saved money, but then spent a little. I will not feel bad for that. I will just persevere. and save!
How do you feel about money??
//
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The Rich Are Always with Us (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There comes a time in our lives where we find ourselves wondering {am I ever going to be rich?}
Sometimes we see other people living lives that are filled with luxuries. They have ALL the crazy new clothes. The shoes. The cars. Even they look like out of a magazine.
But you know what? It is but a glimpse into their lives. I have been thinking about this. Some people are marketing themselves as if their lives are {richer, fuller, cooler}. What you don’t know, and you probably won’t ask, is how much indebted are they?
And… if you get the courage to ask… are you 100% SURE they told you the truth?
It is a game. The game of life.
There are people that talk about how they are going to be rich-er in the future. Some wait for a relative to leave them some money. Some don’t care. It is all good.
Don’t worry TOO much!
I know how I’ll be rich… someday, I hope. By keeping my money in my pocket. It is MINE. It is a game I will learn to play.
1. Spend intelligent-ly.
2. Avoid risks. {like if I know my friend is going to be spending in dinner and or drinks, I might as well eat something before I meet, to only grab an appetizer.
3. Set {realistic} goals. Save some, keep what I save.
It does not sound bad right? It actually sounds like an easy plan. Are you GAME?
//
I love getting emails! write me back at adultescents@gmail.com
I remember just a couple of months ago that if I needed to get a lift to the local drinking hole I had to ask a friend or, YIKES!, my dad. I did not like cabs… Taxi drivers in general and small talk sometimes annoy me… But that’s just me.
You’re probably thinking I’m odd. Lazy. Etc, yadda yadda yadda. I have to be honest, sometimes I don’t like having to tick the 25-30 age box when visiting the doctor or filling out any forms…
I decided that from every paycheck I will at LEAST save 15% so that my emergency fund will grow a bit.
Sometimes I think my friends and I think somewhat alike. At least what we share. Do your friends share everything with you?? Well, anyways, we get the pleasure of being able to sit up, watch tv, enjoy being together and eating some nachos! My friends and I like to talk about movies, tv, etc.
Today was the day that I ran into a friend from high school in the local mall and bluntly asked me ‘Are you ever gonna do the kids-and-mortgage-thing?’. Ok, first of all, I haven’t seen you in years. How are you doing these days would be a better first question… but ok, my friend so happens to have a real ‘grown-up’ life, he said so several times. He has married and his wife is expecting their second son. Me? I have been employed now, thanks. I perfectly pictured him owning a coffee table, sipping freshly made coffee, perhaps his wife enjoys her garden and their three-year-old plays around with toys that he puts together in a box afterwards. Even music played along.
Excuse me? I pretty much like my life right now. It’s not the right time for me. Thank you, though!
He’s not the first person to show concern. It seems that’s all I ever hear about, as if bricks and mortar (house) and having a family are the singular indicators of maturity???
My emergency fund is still the same… But I haven’t spent it… #winning
Sometimes life gives you lemons. Sometimes it hits you in the face with lemonade, a pitcher or something else…. Remember my last post? Well it hit HOME
I have a friend that was just fired. She was not a frugalist or a cheapskate. She was the OPPOSITE. I hope you learn more from her story. She lived life and partied every weekend. Lived in debt (that was not shared until after being fired). I always imagined she had everything in her life. A great boyfriend. Great clothes. Excellent vacations. You name it. She had it all. but that can only go as far as your income keeps on coming.
She had her dream job. After struggling for years since graduation, she had landed the best job ever and ALWAYS bragged about it. But because we all liked her, no one said anything. I think she should have benefitted from my previous post…
Anyways, it got me thinking… what would happen if I lost my job today? THEFOK. I don’t even want to think about it. My emergency fund is like $100. I have debts. It’s been only a few days since I started thinking about being an adult and growing up and beginning to live my life. Wow. I figured it that I always kept thinking my job would go on and on forever and ever.
I.
NEED.
TO.
PUT.MORE.INTO.
an EMERGENCY FUND!
Like yesterday.
Ok, this post was short, but I hope this gets the message to you and, specially, to ME.
Thanks!
I love getting emails! write me back at adultescents@gmail.com
Okay. No time to panic but … have you heard of a recession? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
There was and is one. Somewhere you don’t know the language, someone is feeling recession. But this time it is not just about one specific country somewhere far far away. it is here.
So here are the BESTEST anti crisis statements for US adultescents
1. Do NOT get scared with the news and media (they tend to overhype, overreact, oversell)
2. Do NOT listen or read too much into the news. It is always something BAD. (remember that they OVEReverything?)
3. Make changes to our lives… or at least try. – I know, i know, it is HARD. TELL ME ABOUT IT!!
4. Spend 10-15% less of your income. – If you have no income, try to earn by helping out your neighbors or doing house chores.
5. Mingle and stay around people to distract yourself from dark and gloomy news. This is key!
6. Blog more to evade this realit-ay.
7. Can you sell something you own? – If not, then please, PUH-LEASE, do NOT sell something from your folks. They WILL miss it and ground you or worse
Ok, we are adultescents, so I’ll give you an extra 8th. Try a glass of wine with your friendly drunk, they won’t mind sharing one glass
Don’t forget to write me back at adultescents@gmail.com to tell me, what are some of your strategies to deal with economic crisis?… crisises?… you get the point
