2017, you are finished!

2017 in review, it's stale already!

It feels like our house at the moment. There's been too much holiday, and not enough cleaning around here!

Tomorrow we will start afresh!

2017 in review

This year has been tough! But here we are! We made it through! I look at my 2016 Done and Dusted post, and I had a few expectations of 2017. Some came true, some not!  I'll  run through the list again, thanks to Tanya at Dear Max and Rebecca who reminds us each year of Nafisa's questions.

I look back, and think to myself; This was not so bad! Why did I think the sky was falling down and everything was bleak?

As an archivist I get to listen to many the-sky-is-falling speeches, and predictions of a future that is not painted as bright! And then it's a future that we have already surpassed, and we made it through much better than we thought!

2017 had it's moments, but it was also a tough one!

Cheers to us for making it through!

Save-a-Bundle ideas for the New Year

I am re-posting this blog post to help me get into the saving groove for the New Year!

Written By:  Karen du Toit

Brand: Budget Insurance

We are feeling the pinch even more this year!

I do not think it is only us, as I have heard many expressing the same misgivings about the exorbitant nature of this time of the year. We have to survive the festive season, but also be able to cope in the New Year which has its own demands.

• Hubby is still busy getting his business off the ground. 
• The Student is going to do a post-graduate diploma next year, and we do not have the luxury of a bursary any more next year! 
• Little Miss wants to start with music lessons on top of her other extra-murals. 
• We are planning a trip to visit my brother in America in the middle of 2015! We have to start “saving”! My sister believes you just put down the date and make it happen. We have! (Take note, Universe!)

I have compiled a list of things we can do to save-a-bundle this period, but also try to help us get into the groove of the New Year and help us to stick to our New Year resolutions.


13 Save-a-Bundle tips:

    1. Cancel the gym contract

I am very sad about this one, but each month we try our utmost to get to the gym regularly, but each night there is a different reason (excuse). We are weak!

But it is costing us mega bucks when we do not go enough!

We are also cancelling the swimming lessons for Little Miss. We wanted her to be able to swim, and that she can do by now. We carried on with it because she enjoyed it so much, but luckily we could also convince her that she is now going to swim in a cold water pool which is not going to be as pleasant any more. (It worked!)

From now on we will walk/run and make an effort to go to a park/swimming pool! I have also activated my Fitbit again. (I had to replace the battery.) It helps in getting me moving.

     2. Cancel the paid television subscriptions, or scale down the bouquet

I do not have such an issue with this one, as I have been telling Hubby that I do not think it is worth it! We do not have the time to watch everything, but Hubby has always been saying that he still wants to watch that rugby match. (He longs for a time when he was single and could spend a whole weekend parked in front of the TV. Not happening!) It mostly never materialises because something usually happens at exactly the same time the rugby match is on.

       3. Only go to the shops once a week

I have been good with this one already. It helps because when I go to the shops I usually see something that I did not know before the time that I “needed”.

     4. Make our lunches at home

This is a no-brainer, but I tend to make Little Miss an elaborate lunch-box, but do not fix us something. Then we have to buy something at the canteen, or in the shops that is much more expensive. Planning here is the key!

     5. Restaurants

Painful! But we have to scale down considerably! We have to keep it to once-a-month, and not once-a-week.

We also have to have a plan in place for when the load shedding kicks in (it seems it is happening more regularly). We must have something in the “cupboard” and fridge to take out. We have a gas braai (barbecue), and Hubby usually doesn’t need a reason to braai.

     6. Activate all the reward systems possible

Banks and shops give rewards for shopping with them. One of my favourites is Dischem. We also get a R50 discount from Spur every so often. (Of course, from now, we are going to get it less!)

I also love the Edgars’ reward system.

I need to activate a couple of Spar cards, as well as activate my UCounts rewards.

Please let me know of other reward systems?

     7. Insurance

Check all our short term insurance again.

Budget Insurance has online insurance quotes with saving specials which are worth checking out!

     8. Scale down on coffee

I don’t have to go and buy coffee, but make do with the Ricoffy in the office. I have become better at not going to the canteen for my coffee fix, but I need to stop this practice to save a considerable amount in a month!

     9. Vacations/Stay-cations

Stay at the holiday destination (or home) and do not drive around as much. Explore all the opportunities in your immediate location. I will let you know how this one worked out. (*Crying!*)

   10. Cleaning up my budget from supporting representatives from selling products from brochures

It is usually much more expensive as you pay a commission fee on each product as well. From now on I will go and buy in the shops. (Sorry!)

   11. Free Christmas printables 

I saw this on Kidspot, and will definitely do it this year!

The following is available:

• Christmas templates
• Christmas gift list printable
• Printable Christmas budget planner
• Printable Christmas food shopping list
• Printable Christmas tags
• Free printable Christmas tags
• Printable Christmas colouring in tags
• Printable Christmas swing tags

   12. Limit the Christmas gifts budget

Only one toy/gift for the children, limited to a certain amount. The children don’t even question this. Hubby and I have also put a limit on our gifts to each other.

   13. Sign up for free edX or MOOC courses

I want to continue with some studies, but while I am not able to afford post-graduate studies or completing that Masters, I can sign up for free courses to keep me in the loop in my career and professional development.

edX 
MOOC 

This is my list for now. I am making it a work in progress.


Please let me know of other good save-a-bundle ideas?


This is a sponsored post

Save-a-Bundle ideas for the Christmas period and into the New Year

Written By: Karen du Toit

Brand: Budget Insurance

We are feeling the pinch even more this year!

I do not think it is only us, as I have heard many expressing the same misgivings about the exorbitant nature of this time of the year. We have to survive the festive season, but also be able to cope in the New Year which has its own demands.

• Hubby is still busy getting his business off the ground. 
• The Student is going to do a post-graduate diploma next year, and we do not have the luxury of a bursary any more next year! 
• Little Miss wants to start with music lessons on top of her other extra-murals. 
• We are planning a trip to visit my brother in America in the middle of 2015! We have to start “saving”! My sister believes you just put down the date and make it happen. We have! (Take note, Universe!)

I have compiled a list of things we can do to save-a-bundle this period, but also try to help us get into the groove of the New Year and help us to stick to our New Year resolutions.

Apps & More: The Best Tech Tools for Healthy New Year's Resolutions

A new year is a time of taking stock and trying anew to be the best you can be!

I realize that not all people want to make New Year's resolutions, and some say that it is pointless!

I find that it directs my thoughts and my actions and some of my goals I actually DO accomplish!

I don't sweat those I don't reach, and put it again on my new list. Or I take it off, when I feel that it does not serve me anymore!

Health and fitness are definitely staying on my list!

 

As we are way on holiday, a guest post is in order:

For a long time, people have been making New Year's resolutions about their health. Fortunately, a lot of people have recently been able to use technology to help them keep their resolutions. In fact, a concerned resolutionite can use technology to help keep track of any of their goals related to fitness or health. So, here are the five best tech tools to help you accomplish your New Year’s resolutions.

Wii Fit

Even though the Wii Fit is a video game console, it is a brilliant piece of fitness equipment. All over the world, people have started using the Wii Fit to get into shape. It's actually specifically designed for this goal, and when you start out with your Wii Fit, you can easily weigh yourself and check your BMI. Then, there are countless games built in to get started, such as tennis and bowling. Once you get the hang of it, you can buy from a selection of dozens of games that help you get in shape. You then can track your progress on a daily basis to see how you are doing. Basically, the Wii Fit is a great piece of technology for anyone wanting to work on their health and have fun.

Fitbit Smart Scale

So many people get caught up in losing weight, when in reality, they need to understand that body mass percentage is a more accurate indicator. The Fitbit Smart Scale is a powerful tool that measures the dieter’s body mass index and fat percentage. By knowing your body fat percentage, you will truly know how in or out of shape you are - your actual weight can be quite deceiving,

Basis Band

When making changes, it is important for an exerciser to monitor their progress. The Basis Band helps an exerciser monitor their progress by providing data on their heart rate, sleep patterns, and calories burnt. The idea is to wear the Basis Band 24/7, as the makers created the watch to be waterproof and lightweight. Anyone wanting to monitor their vitals should take a look at the Basis Band, as it can be a great tool.

Runtastic

Do you like to jog? It is important for all runners to measure their progress. Thanks to Runtastic, joggers now have an app that measures their calories burnt, how far and long they ran and more - at highly accurate levels. There are multiple versions available, including an app for both mountain biking and road biking, if that's more your style.

Spark Recipes

Anyone who wants to live well needs to plan their meals in advance. Spark Recipes lets users search and browse thousands of recipes. You can search based upon your available ingredients to come up with the perfect meal plan that's healthy, affordable and relatively easy to pursue.




Jenna Hayes writes about technology, self-help & health. Her most recent work helps readers find the best Masters in Health Administration Degrees in the US.

 

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Powerwoman is on top of The Quickening

I need to step out into the fast lane, because it feels like it is going way too fast for me! Am I the only one, or are there other people out there also feeling as if everything is going much quicker than before?
I heard (have no idea where) that there is a quickening in time, but maybe it is only in my mind?
January is speeding by, and I haven’t yet started with my new year’s resolutions. My gym bag was packed this morning, but when I opened my car boot at work this morning…no gym bag. Sabotaging myself?
It also feels as if I can’t get up to speed at work as well. Something to do with the toddler waking us up every hour of the night? She has a bit of a cough.
But enough of the whining!
Powerwoman is here, in 2010! I am ready for you.
See me speeding by in the fast lane!

The Year of the Toddler (New Year’s resolutions)

It’s always a good idea to start a new year with resolutions. I had years where I said I do not have any resolutions! I was of the opinion then that it’s not worth it; resolutions are being made and get broken very easily. But it’s not very motivating to not have resolutions, and at the end of the year you can’t take stock of what has been achieved!
Last year (2009) took us by surprise with the baby! I did not have time/energy/motivation to work on resolutions. It feels like we had a year of survival! Surviving the baby! (Smile!) That was our only focus for a year. And it was a great year! Dries also says it is extremely gratifying to experience life with a little one – he would have been much poorer without her. Ditto for me as well!
But Mieka is a year old now, and she is becoming her own person and more and more mobile.
This year is going to be one of resolutions in progress. This year is going to be one of goals! I am going to work on a full set of resolutions: family, physical, spiritual, mental, financial, and vocational...
There is a sense of optimism in the air. A positive vibe is embracing us all. The Year of the Toddler is going to be a good one for the family! The Teen is also going to be a source of joy for the family, as she has been the previous year!