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My Personal Financial Goals
2007-11-01 16:58:00
Some of you may have noticed that I have included a collection of bars on the side of my blog; currently, there are four financial goals listed in hopes of providing added motivation in becoming more financially stable and secure.I will be updating this section at the end of every month and including a little update "blurb" with my month-end posts on carnivals, linking and other administrative details. As LifeEdit.net has just moved past its first month of existence, I thought it important to provide a little more information about my financial background and my goals.I graduated from university with no debt and no money owed (thanks to my parents and their quick thinking with investments and RESPs, despite their generally poor money management). My boyfriend (who similarly had no debt) and I combined our income into a joint account after the purchase of our first home (in September 2007) - in order to help with closing costs, we withdrew some money from our RRSPs using the Home B...
More About: Personal , Financial , Goals

Keeping Makeup to a Minimum
2007-11-01 14:22:00
In the article I wrote on How I Spend My Money, I mentioned that a major vice of mine was and is purchasing makeup. Years and years of being susceptible to blatant and not-so-blatant advertising campaigns had left me feeling a little jaded with my makeup collection and I pared it down to an absolute minimum as of the end of September 2007.Purchasing makeup was a bit of an addiction for me - in September, when I boxed everything up to give to my younger cousins, I had over 30 eyeshadows, a handful of unused nail polish, 6-7 blushes of the same colour and almost 50 lipsticks, glosses, etc. Not exactly categorized as makeup, I also had a variety of hair products that were completely unused. The sad reality is that I didn't use 90% of these products more than once - I actually wear minimal makeup as is!With the average drugstore item being +/- $8.00, plus higher end product being $20+, the sheer amount of makeup I had amassed was beginning to look like a small investment instead of ...
More About: Makeup , Minimum

How To Eat Healthy and Happily
2007-10-31 23:26:00
Atkins, South Beach, No-Fat, Low-Carb, Raw Food, Organic...how do you decide the healthiest, most economical eating style for your family? There is no "perfect diet" that fits for every person - the type of diet that will help you maintain a healthy body weight, low cholesterol, high energy and a fat wallet. Instead, we must turn to our own views on food and eating in order to find a balance that works for our family and our bodies.Many current popular diets (including the list above) provide guidelines for eating habits; unfortunately, many are restrictive and exclusive and help set you up for disappointment and potential health concerns. In a society that encourages you to eat according to this week's fad trend, how do we decide what, when and how to eat?Listen To Your Body. Many of us equate eating with emotions, behaviours and actions unrelated to our biological hunger. Think of your last trip to the cinema - aside from the advertising and marketing encouraging you to grab ...
More About: Healthy , Heal

Looking at your Financial Picture
2007-10-31 17:37:00
Creating a "Financial Picture " is a very useful practice in realizing what your expenses are and how much money you actually have. An effective money picture will show you where you can cut unnecessary costs as well as letting you see new and dynamic methods of shifting your money around to better benefit your needs (as opposed to your "wants").In looking at your picture you will be able to properly assess the way you spend your money from an objective standpoint; rather than looking at expenses on an individual basis, you can lump your daily costs into categories like entertainment, food, transportation, etc.What exactly should you do with a "Financial Picture"? Compiling this information may be difficult at first, but it will ultimately prove very useful in giving you a clear picture of your financial situation and areas in which you need to improve:Go Over Everything - take each expense and ask honest questions about your spending habits; why do I spend this money? What value do...

October Carnivals and a Note of Thanks
2007-10-31 14:17:00
I would like to thank everyone who has read LifeEdit.net for the month of October - I feel energized and excited about the many possibilities that lie ahead! If you have enjoyed what you have read, please pass on your kind recommendation to others who you think can benefit from the articles at LifeEdit.net! I would also really love to hear your thoughts and feedback on my articles - please feel free to send an email or leave a comment on a particular post that strikes your fancy; also, any suggestions on articles you would like to read are more than welcome!I would also like to thank all of the bloggers who have listed a LifeEdit.net article in their blog carnivals. If I have missed any, please let me know and I will gladly add you to the list.Carnival of the Green #100 - Green Living - Helping the EnvironmentCommon Sense Wealth Carnival #1 - Tracking and Maintaining FinancesFestival of Frugality #96 - Frugal ? Cheap - Buying Better FoodCarnival of Money, Growth and Happiness #20 -...
More About: Carnivals , Note , Hank

How To Leave Your Child with a Sitter
2007-10-31 14:08:00
One of the most stressful times in a new parent's life is the moment when he or she needs to leave their baby with a sitter. Many parents become overwhelmed with the anxiety of "what-ifs" and "maybes", a pattern of behaviour that causes unnecessary stress and rarely results with a nice, relaxing afternoon away from the responsibilities of childcare. If you are the parent of a young child who calls ten times a night to "check in", drives back from your destination because you "feel something is wrong" or you spend your entire time away talking about the baby and trying to think of reasons to end your evening early, you might be in need of this advice.While leaving your child with a sitter can be a daunting and sometimes painful task, there are many great benefits to the process; not only do you have a few spare moments to remember yourself aside from being a parent, but you encourage your child to develop stronger bonds with people outside of his or her nuclear family. In minimiz...
More About: Leave , Child , Sitter

How To Deal with Bad Credit
2007-10-30 14:50:00
Bad credit can happen to the best of us - it is not impossible to find ourselves in situations beyond our means and end up with a debt that will effect our credit scores in the future. As painful as the situation may be, it is crucial to realize that bad credit is not the end of your financial future and that there is room to grow beyond your current situation.When faced with a situation that has very unfortunate consequences, it is easy to focus on negative statements that affect your outlook and also your actions. Below is a list of common thoughts that might run through your head if faced with bad credit, as well as some simple ways to turn your thinking (and your life) in the right direction."If I have bad credit now, I'll have bad credit forever". Not true! If you are currently indebted to someone but it is not listed on your credit score, you will be able to address that debt and it should have no effect on your "credit" at all. If your credit score itself is below standa...
More About: Credit , Deal

The Importance of Appropriate Workplace Attire
2007-10-30 14:38:00
Many businesses in our current society have started a trend that emphasizes professional appearance less and professional attitude more; the booming high-tech industry has made business-casual (and sometimes just plain casual-casual) a key phrase for this generation's workforce. As a human resources professional, I have seen the range of uniform, casual, business casual and business dress - all have their benefits and their drawbacks.All four of these standards have spoken and unspoken guidelines and are used to project an image and brand used by its respective company. Many businesses rely on their employees appearing and behaving in accordance with their dress policy, and the responsibility lies with the employee in terms of finding a balance between their comfort and the expectations of their employer.Why exactly is it important to recognize acceptable workplace attire?Your Employer Has Expectations. Many workplaces clearly address their expectations when it comes to appearance ...
More About: Workplace , Attire , Prop , Tire

7 Decorating Tips for an Uncluttered Home
2007-10-29 16:01:00
As I've mentioned many, many times before, my boyfriend and I have recently moved into our first house and are slowly (very slowly) turning it into our first home. For the last year prior to the house close and a good 2-3 months following, 95% of my waking time was spent obsessing over our bedclothes, wall colours, etc.All too often, the idea of decorating or redecorating a space can result in a lot of poorly chosen products and poorly planned ideas. In order to maximize the length of time you will enjoy a room before you need a change, consider utilizing basic design tips that will help you create a relaxing, uncluttered and personal space.Choose Your Wall Colours Wisely - Light colours will make a space appear airier, lighter and larger. Dark colours with make a space appear cozier, darker and smaller. Consider this when you are painting your walls, trim and ceiling; a light ceiling will make the room appear taller whereas a dark ceiling will bring the room in and make it app...
More About: Tips , Home , Clutter

How To Survive Halloween
2007-10-29 14:59:00
Aaah, Halloween - one of my favourite holidays! Halloween is one time of year you are encouraged to dress up, act zany, and enjoy spending time with friends and strangers alike (actually, this sounds like most holidays to me). Unfortunately, Halloween often signifies a high level of stress, whether it stems from finding the right costumes for yourself, your kids and your dog...or whether it stems from planning the best Halloween party in the neighbourhood.In a season littered with expectations and holiday "one-up-ery" it is easy to forget the purpose of having an interactive evening of ghoulish activity - having fun! With this handy guide to surviving Halloween, you will be able to focus less on the billion obligations you have and more on your guests, your party, your family and your trick-or-treating!You're Going Trick-or-Treating. I am about to share with you a deep, dark secret of my Halloween past; I actually continued to trick-or-treat until I was 20 (yes, two-zero) years...
More About: Survive , Allo