Are you one of those people who just can’t seem to say no to anything or anyone? If you are you may not realize the impact it is having on your finances, not to mention your health. As parents, it can be particularly demanding to have children involved in recreation activities and organizations that beg for your help. As a single person or married couple without kids, people may often assume since you ‘have nothing better to do” you’ll have plenty of time to volunteer or plenty of money to donate. Guilt may guide you into to doing more or paying more than you really wanted but perfecting the art of saying nope may save you both time and money.

How so, you ask? Here are some tips for saying no and better manage your time and money:

Saying No To Money Requests

Guilt is the driving force behind people’s inability to say no to others. In our lifetime, we will likely be asked to do a number of things we feel obligated to do. While we may always feel obligated, we might also feel uncomfortable doing the things we can’t say no to, especially when it comes to finances.

Have you ever been asked by a friend or family member for a loan? Do you regularly donate more money than you have for your kid’s fundraising efforts? Have you spent money you didn’t have because of peer pressure? Situations like these may seem out of your control but if you begin to practice the art of saying no, it will get easier.

Many people spend more than they can afford because they want to please others and be helpful. However, with the current state of the economy it is becoming more socially acceptable to say no when confronted with financial requests. Be upfront about your inability or unwillingness to lend money or cosign a loan. The longer you wait to tell someone no, the harder it will become. When it comes to school or extra-circular events spend only what you can afford and teach your children to focus on the benefits of helping others rather than the prize at the end.

Saying No to Time Wasters
Just like money is an important aspect in life, time is also something that is precious. Volunteering your time to help others is a wonderful concept but in some cases, people end up being taken for granted.

If someone you know asks you to help when you are operating at full capacity, don’t be afraid to say no. Outside of a life and death emergency, people will usually be able to make other arrangements and learn not to rely on you for everything. If you find that you have overcommitted yourself to too many projects, you need to sit and contemplate what activities you can drop from your schedule. Don’t let guilt be a factor. List your priorities, like family, work, school, and church and decide what activities can go. Over-committing yourself can be a drain on your finances and your health if you are taking care of your responsibilities.

Learn how to start saying no from the get-go when you are feeling too stressed out. It will not always be easy to refuse requests for help but for your own well-being and health, you need to practice the art of no.

When you are trying to save money and life a frugal lifestyle, whether by choice or necessity, Christmastime can add a lot of stress to your life. Here are a few ideas for celebrating the holidays without breaking the bank.

• Cut your own Christmas tree- If you usually purchase a live tree, add a new tradition to the holiday by heading to a tree farm rather than a lot of pre-cut trees. The kids will love helping you pick out the tree and the act of chopping it down feels so traditional it is bound to add some old-school fun to your holiday.

• Bake your gifts this year. No doubt about it- Christmas means food. We all love cookies, candies and special treats this time of year, but not everyone has the time or talent to make their own goodies. If the kitchen is your favorite place to be, you can bake up a bunch of treats and wrap them up as gifts. Jams, jellies, salsas and breads are also great gift choices for family and friends.

• Turn your holiday into a true giving event by offering to help out at a local shelter rather than spending the day giving gifts to each other at home. There is no time of year as difficult to be homeless or alone than Christmastime, so giving up your holiday to help make the day special for those less fortunate is a gift that gives true hope, love and caring to people who need it the most.

• Make your own wrapping paper. You can dress up your gifts with simple wraps like brown paper grocery bags, freezer paper or even newspaper that you decorate with paints, stamps and homemade decorations and create festive packages with a homemade charm. You can make your own bows by cutting up an old satin dress or blouse you no longer wear and using the strips of fabric to tie bows.

• Give gifts that help the recipient be more frugal. Reusable shopping bags, battery chargers and those funny looking florescent light bulbs are great gifts that truly help others live frugally all year long.

• Decorate your home for nothing. You can create beautiful decorations from nature for next to nothing. Pine cones, sumac, cranberries and evergreen branches are all easily found in many areas and can be combined to create centerpieces, wreaths and garlands to decorate your home with holiday sights and smells.

You can definitely have a special, memorable Christmas season while saving money and sharing love, kindness and caring this year. Try some or all of these ideas to have a very Merry FRUGAL Christmas.

When you manage your money correctly you reap rewards that go beyond financial security. Strong money management skills often result in a person being in a position to not only feel safe in their own financial situation, but also help others in need. This giving back to the community is satisfying personally in that you know your time and money is helping others in need. Unfortunately when the economy takes a turn for the worse, even those with great money habits may find themselves feeling the pinch financially. If for whatever reason you find yourself unable to donate money to your favorite cause, consider the following tips to maximize your contributions to those who need it most.

• Time is a valuable commodity- Many charities and organizations created to help your favorite cause can benefit just as much, if not more, from a donation of time versus money. If you are short on cash or simply cannot afford to give money right now, consider donating your time. If you choose to take it one step farther, you can donate your professional services which will not only help the organization by saving them money, but you can benefit as well. You have the self satisfaction of helping in addition to being able to deduct the time and expenses from your taxable income at the end of the year.

• Check with human resources- Employees of large corporations are often able to participate in a program which offers a matching gift from the employer. Your human resources department will have the information you would need to determine if your employer will match your donation, basically doubling the amount. What happens when you are unable to donate cold hard cash? Many of these same companies are also willing to donate money based on the number of hours you volunteer at your charity. For example, if you volunteer 20 hours of your time, your employer might match your hours with a donation of $250 hours.

• Donate items- Short on time and money? Don’t feel bad, times are tough for everyone right now. That doesn’t mean however that you do not have anything to offer an organization in need of donations. Consider items you already have that you do not use. You can donate household items such as furniture, electronics and appliances that are in good condition to a local charity where they can either use, donate or sell the item to raise money.

While the main goal of donating your time, money or personal property to an charity is to help the cause itself, you can also receive tax benefits that only add to your personal satisfaction. Remember to keep track of your your donations if you plan on using them as a tax deduction. This is simply another way to manage your finances well so you can continue to help your favorite organization in the future.

Okay, we get it. A huge portion of the population has managed to survive to this point with virtually no money management skills. Now that the cat is out of the bag, there has been a spotlight shone on the lack of financial literacy and everyone is on the band wagon to manage their money better. Of course that is a good thing, however we are a nation that seems unable to live moderately. We either eat too much, spend too much, drink too much or work too much. With so much emphasis placed on eliminating debt and saving money, you can bet that some people will shift their priorities to the extreme. While some may say that you can never save “too much” money, it is important to remember to find balance in life.

How Much Is Too Much?

If you were to take a survey of 100 people and ask them how much money is too much, you would likely find that most people think you can never have too much money. As we all know money cannot buy happiness therefore it probably is possible to have too much money. After all, if you aren’t using it surely someone else could. In reality there are very few people in the world who have reached the “too much” level of wealth. Therefore the average person has a long way to go before they have to worry about exceeding their savings quota.

Get Started

The real challenge facing most Americans today is starting their savings. With many people losing thousands of dollars in the recent recession, rebuilding their savings could take years, effectively making the too much theory a moot point. If you do not already have a well padded emergency fund, retirement fund, rainy day fund and what could I possibly do with this money fund- then by all means do not worry about saving too much money at this point.

Why Balance Is Important

If you have ever known a person who compulsively saves you probably know what I’m about to say. For some people it is the act of saving money that is addictive versus accumulating wealth. That means that long after they have acquired enough money to last a lifetime, they continue to scrimp and save as if they were penniless. This type of obsessive saving can limit the quality of life and make it difficult for savers to part with their cash under any circumstances. Finding the balance between saving for your long term financial security and spending to enjoy the present is needed to find overall happiness. Remember you can’t take it with you, so you might as well enjoy it while you are here.

Estate planning is not reserved for people who have a lot of money or assets. This is a common misconception which often leads to inaction on the part of people who feel they do not qualify or need an estate plan. To put it simply, estate planning is basically making arrangements today to ensure your family doesn’t have the added responsibility of managing your property or finances after your death. To avoid making common mistakes, consider the following tips to get your affairs in order. 

• Understand the need for a plan. The first mistake people make has already been mentioned at the beginning of this article. If you don’t have an estate plan, you must know that any arrangements you fail to make prior to your death will fall on the shoulders of those you love the most at a time when they least equipped to be making important decisions.
• Know what estate planning entails. Once you understand the need for an estate plan, the next step is knowing what is involved in the process. You will have to draw up a will, decide on a power of attorney to handle your affairs if you are unable to do so, and a living will or medical power of attorney to make sure your wishes are heeded regarding end-of-life situations.
• Think twice before initiating joint ownership. People often decide the best way to pass assets to their heirs is by adding them as a joint owner. The possible negative consequences of joint ownership often outweigh the benefits. Not only do you lose absolute control of your property or assets, you run the risk of losing your assets should the person added fall on financial difficulty.
• Saving the best for last is not always the best option. When it comes to leaving money or other assets to your heirs, there are certain benefits to giving away some of your money while you are still here to see them enjoy it. You can gift up to $13,000 per year ($26,000 to your spouse) tax free plus contribute to medical or educational bills if paid to the institution itself.
• Enlist the help of a proven professional to help set up your estate. There is a lot to consider when setting up an estate, much of which is not necessarily easy to understand for a layman. There are Federal and State laws that must be considered as well as tax consequences that may turn a good dead into a financial hardship for your heirs. Before you begin planning your estate take the time to research and find a professional that can help you navigate certain areas where you lack familiarity.

Depending on the size of your estate, a little planning and forethought can make life easier for your family during a difficult time.  Take the time to make your wishes known, legally and rest assured that your financial affairs are in order.

Most of what passes for good advice on money management is common sense.  Indeed, we need to keep hearing about ways to be better at controlling our finances instead of letting them control us.  If we do, we will more likely stay out of serious debt problems and enjoy life better even when the economy isn’t so hot.

Here then, are ten wise moves that you can and should make with your money.

Invest in healthful living. Nothing is more important than becoming and staying healthy.   It makes less sense to plan for long-term financial success if your body is falling apart now.  Take the steps necessary to get healthy so that you can enjoy both your money and your family for as long as possible.

Teach your children about money. If they are very young, begin early to help them understand the fundamentals of good money management by putting them on an allowance and connecting good hard work with financial rewards.  Then, teach them to avoid debt and save their money.

Get good advice from a professional. There is no substitute for a financial advisor who can help you navigate your plans for your money.  This is true because they do not operate from an emotional standpoint with your money.  They do so from a logical basis, and providing solid advice will help you make better decisions.

Encourage retirement planning. Not only should you be putting away money for your retirement, but you should be encouraging your children and grandchildren to do so as well.

Watch for good buys and pay cash if possible. Right now might be a good time to make purchases that are considered ‘big ticket.’  This is because many retailers need the money and are making cuts in prices that are worth investigating.  Do everything you can to pay cash for those items as well.

Plan for time off. If you do not plan for a vacation or day off, it will never happen.  While that is not so profound, it is certainly no less true.

Improve your house. Make home improvements that increase the value of your house.

Pay down your loans. Reduce or eliminate balances on your loans in order to put yourself in a better financial position.

Give money to charity. Those who give, receive.  Not necessarily in monetary terms, but in a more satisfied, contented life.  There are many worthy charities that can take your gift and turn it into help and hope for those less fortunate.

Using these tips you can become a wise money manager.  We all can use that these days.

There are so many differing opinions about the Bible and what it means personally.  Some see it as merely a book of stories and life lessons from the characters contained therein.  Others believe in it as an explicit authority on how to live life.  Then there are those who are in between those two views.

Whatever your feelings about the Bible and its place, the wisdom it contains is priceless.  This is especially true when it comes to advice on money.  In fact, money is the most talked about topic in the Bible with more than 2,300 mentions.  One book in the Old Testament – Proverbs – is full of advice on money.

An attempt to list all instances would be too laborious and lengthy.  Instead, a sample of the best money advice gleaned from its pages is worth a look.

On Budgeting.

• Luke 14:28, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost.”
• Proverbs 24:3,4, “Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms shall be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”

On Debt.

• Psalm 37:21, “The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives back,”
• Proverbs 22:7, “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.”

On Giving.

• Deuteronomy 15:10, “Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”
• Proverbs 3:9, “Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce.”
• Proverbs 22:9, “He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.”

On Investing.

• Proverbs 28:20, “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.”
• Proverbs 15:22, “Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.”

On Lending.

• Matthew 5:42, “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.”
• Luke 6:35, “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be the sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.”

On Money Attitudes.

• 1 Timothy 6:9,10, “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
• Proverbs 13:11, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.”

This is only a small sample of what is taught about money in the Bible.  If you desire to read more, you can Google “the Bible and money” and find some fascinating sites which explore personal finance.  Suffice it to say that the principles taught in the Bible form the foundation for successful living in a world which runs on money.

All references above: New International Version of the Bible, International Bible Society, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984

The lifeline of any not-for-profit organization lies in its ability to obtain funding.  Many of these organizations have to provide local ways of raising money in addition to the money they bring in from government or other sources.

The challenge is to design and implement fun and successful ways to raise money and awareness in the community.  The good part is that many businesses are open to donations which can help bolster the attractiveness of the fund raiser in the eyes of the public and bring people out to a sponsored event.

Also important is the need to craft a fund raiser with wide appeal to as many citizens as  possible because these are the people who will bring their money in order to donate to the cause.

A good cause is mandatory.  This depends on the organization, but it is not out of the realm of possibility for a non-profit company to raise money and make a donation of a percentage of the funds obtained to another organization which fights for a similar cause.  This will help garner even more interest.

Get the media involved.  Radio, television and newspapers love to sponsor and donate time to non-profit fund raisers.  This helps get them out into the community and reach a lot of people with their message and image.  It helps establish them as a part of the community at large, too which increases their credibility.

Some of the most popular fund raising events are:

• Bake sales. These have been around for a very long time. They are very popular and easy to participate in for many people.
• Candy sales. Many candy manufacturers have packaged candy for just such a purpose. Be careful with this one, however, as public sentiment tends to turn against candy because of the health issues surrounding it.
• Run/walks. These are a good event because of the health benefits. However, there seem to be a lot of these, so try to combine a unique idea or concept with the run/walk in order to give it a new spin and a new appeal.
• Raffles. These are still a good way to raise money. Again the concept here is to get things that have a large draw in order to entice people to make donations.

There are more options than this but it is a good idea to get your organization together and brain storm on ideas that will help you reach your goal.  Then, design something that fits with what you do and have fun with it.  And do not forget to seek permission or the proper licensing in your state if required by law.

It is not really a secret that you are not supposed to toss your old computers and other electronics into the trash and send them off to the landfill. Not only is doing that unsafe for the environment, it is also a wasted chance to recycle technology that could be of value to someone else. As we feel the need to upgrade and get better equipment, those who do without would likely appreciate your efforts to turn your old computer into something so valuable for them.

Here are some tips on how to donate a computer:

Is It Useable?

If you have a computer that is less than 5 years old, your system can likely be recycled and used in some other capacity. Don’t rush out and drop off your computer to the nearest school or community center however. Instead, you should take precautions and send it first to a refurbishing company that can clear out your hard drive and re-evaluate the condition of the computer. The refurbishing company will also make sure that everything on the computer is legal and information is removed safely and wholly. Computers older than 5 years are best sent off to a commercial recycling center. The National Center for Electronics Recycling has information about commercial recyclers who will recycle the usable parts of the equipment, including the monitors and other parts, and safely dispose of the remaining parts. Before sending any parts to the recycling or refurbishing company, contact them directly and make sure what you plan to send will be accepted. Follow the company’s instructions for donating the equipment, as many have very specific instructions.

Leave the System As Is

If your computer came with pre-installed software and the operating system, you will need to leave it on the machine. Licenses will only work on the computer on which they were originally installed and since many organizations that accept computer donations will not be able to afford the software brand new, your leaving the system intact will constitute a legal transfer and the organization can use the system with no issues. If you have any original software that came with the computer regarding the operating system, it would be helpful to include that with your donation. Other documents, including certificates of authenticity and manuals should also be included.

Keep Records of Your Donation

When you donate a computer to a non-profit refurbishing company, you may be eligible for a tax deduction at tax time. Most schools and organizations will provide a tax donation receipt, provided you ask for one at the time of donation. Both individuals and businesses can qualify for deductions for computer and equipment donations.