10thousandgirl: 11 Ways To Do More With What You Have

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Hi all you awesome Savvy Shes!,
I wrote a post over on the 10thousandgirl blog that I thought you might enjoy. It is all about spending less by doing more with what you currently have - and you can get creative about it! We talk about Upcycling, Repurposing and Collaborative Consumption

Here is the link: http://www.10thousandgirl.com/2012/07/24/11-ways-to-do-more-with-what-you-have/.

Make it as you wish SSSs!

Connecting With Others

Humans are generally social creatures who need connection, seek interaction and want to be part of something they can add value or receive value from. While some parts of society are becoming more individualistic with smaller household sizes and two-seater cars, others are actively seeking community.
Live Your Life Well says research into the benefits of social connection include:

• Increased happiness. In one compelling study, a key difference between very happy people and less-happy people was good relationships.
• Better health. Loneliness was associated with a higher risk of high blood pressure in a recent study of older people.
• A longer life. People with strong social and community ties were two to three times less likely to die during a 9-year study.

Those are pretty good reasons for reaching out aren’t they?

Some of us want to connect deeper with our existing networks, some want to make new connections and  some of us want both!

Connecting deeper with people you know
Like the tip of the newsletter this month, instigate a few things to make those important relationships stronger. Here are a few ideas – feel free to add more in the comments box below.

Conversation starters
Host a dinner party or a picnic and have some conversation starters at the ready. Find yourself discussing topics, ideas, and opinions you may not be as familiar with and learn more about your friends. Here are some conversation starters to kick off with or there are cute ones available at Kikki-K.

Start a new tradition
Get a group of friends together and do a Come Dine With Me/My Kitchen Rules competition. Do a monthly Cheese and Wine night. Make a list of suburbs you want to check out more in depth and visit a new one every month. Start a bookclub or a GIG. The options are endless!

Buddy up
Exercise together. Try new recipes in the kitchen. Do your grocery shopping as a team. Do what you might normally do solo with another person.

Try new activities together
Wanted to try archery, bowling, knitting or white water rafting? Get a group and have a laugh.

Make time to connect with those you really want to
Schedule phone calls or skype dates with friends or family interstate or overseas on a regular basis. It is so easy for time to fly by, make sure you are in touch with those that you appreciate.

Making new connections
Sometimes we want to expand our social network to connect with others that have an interest or we’ve moved to a new place where we’d like to meet new friends. Here are some ideas to connect you with fresh minds.

Join a club
You could join a club associated with an interest you have. A running club, a book club, a speaking club.

Enrol in a class
Looking at learning a new skill or picking up a new hobby? Find a language or crafting class and meet like minds. You will hopefully be able to find something suitable close to you.

Get a dog
Since getting my pooch I’ve met a heap of people out and about in the parks of Sydney. My partner has even started playing golf with another puppy-papa and I’ve started meeting some great people, I might otherwise not have come across, to share biz ideas, discuss the world and share insights with.

Attend events
There are some great websites that have listings of activities to do or events to attend. They are free to join and the events themselves are often they are free (some may have a nominal free to partake in the activity). Two interesting ones I’ve come across are:

http://www.facetime.com.au
http://www.meetup.com

Connect online
A friend of mine has made some really wonderful connections on Twitter, building a relationship online then taking it offline. Same as connecting on peoples blogs – leaving comments on posts or sending emails to the writer over something they’ve written that invoked a response in you – let them know!

Here is a great article to help make those connections – 10 Tips for Connecting With Others.

Any other suggestions? What have you decided to do to connect deeper with others?

Arienne Gorlach is 10thousandgirl’s Content Manager. She loves connecting with minds that are inspired about life and searching to make their everyday something fun and fab (and that accept there are some yukky days too!). She actively seeks connections with people from all walks of life. She also blogs at www.savvysassyshe.blogspot.com

Original Post at http://www.10thousandgirl.com/2012/02/08/connecting-with-others/ 

10thousandgirl Episode 005 - Collaborative Consumption and the Entrepreneurial Journey with Lisa Fox of Open Shed

Just published a fabulous podcast interview with Lisa Fox of Open Shed on the 10thousandgirl blog. What Lisa discusses is well worth a listen if you're interested in the journey of an entrepreneur, starting a social business and the quite facinating area of collaborative consumption. Listen here

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo

How To Build Your Savings

Another post I've written for 10thousandgirl. Saving can be a challenging idea to many, but when you break it down, it actually ain't that bad!
We all know that saving is a good thing but how many of us actually do it? Taking a little time to work out what you are saving for and what savings strategies work for you will pay off. Literally.

We’ve put together a simple 6 step process for helping to build your savings.

1. Having a motivating reason to save should be your number one thing to do.
People tend to save for two reasons:

• To have a buffer/emergency fund;
• To save towards a goal for later spending such as big ticket items or events like holidays, starting a business, house deposits and weddings.

Being clear on what you are saving for, and why that reason is important, will keep you more motivated. For example, I want to save for a house deposit so I can live in a place I call a home. Somewhere safe, cosy and a place I can entertain my friends and build my family life. Or, I want to save a certain amount of money so I can start the business I’ve been dreaming of. It means that I will be able to work flexible hours and give value to people.

2. Work out how much and by when.
Setting a savings goal. Come up with a specific amount. You need to be clear. Also, set a specified timeframe. Then break it down.

For example, I’d like to save $3000 for a holiday in September.  Which means I have 8 months to go. 3000/8=375 and I get paid fortnightly, so I would need to put aside $187.50 per pay.

Is the break down realistic? Use your budget to see how much you can save each pay. Remember, you don’t want to have it so tight that you are sacrificing too many things to achieve this amount.

3. Automate your savings
Once you have worked out how much you need to put aside, set up an automatic savings plan with your high interest savings account. One way of doing this is to set it up so it automatically takes out the $187.50 the day after you get paid. This takes the thinking out of building your savings.

There are also other ways you can save money in your everyday life. One of our 10thousandgirls suggested saving every $5 note you get. Or put some clear glass jars aside for your goal and add coins to it whenever you come home. Get on your bike and ride to work and save the bus fare. If you have other suggestions you’d like to share please do so on this blog post.

4. Spend less
Another thing to think about when you are building savings is spending less. This may be through shopping smartly, cutting down on luxuries and negotiating with your telecommunication and other suppliers. Our other topic of the month is smart shopping so look out for upcoming podcast and other resources around this.

5. Check in and keep track. Stay motivated.
Once you start the ball rolling, do a few things to help you stay on track and motivated. See your savings amount grow on a regular basis. Some high interest savings accounts have graphs that you can refer to see the amounts you have saved so far. It can be quite satisfying to watch the growth!

Also, regularly remind yourself of the reason you are saving for and the feelings you will experience when you get it. You could also share your goals with a trusted friend that will help keep you on track.

6. Enjoy and Celebrate.
Once you reach your goal, don’t forget to celebrate! This may take the form of a toast to yourself, a luxuriating bubble bath or that mani/pedi you’ve been putting off. Just make sure the celebration doesn’t cost you too much! And then enjoy the holiday/house hunting/fridge buying experience.

So, know what you are saving for and why, choose some strategies that work for you, keep yourself motivated and on track and then enjoy the result. And then celebrate away! Go get saving gals!

Photo Credit

All of the above are only suggestions. Please ensure you choose a strategy that is right for your situation and needs.

Arienne Gorlach is 10thousandgirl’s content manager. She has a few high interest savings accounts labelled with such exciting names as Holiday, Emergency Fund, Savvy Sassy She (the business she is starting) and General Savings (she has just realised she should make them less boring). And is a bit of a fan of setting up Automatic Savings Plans and then forgetting about them and then being really excited by the amount she has actually saved…

10thousandgirl Post: A young woman's journey through insurance

Hi All, here is another post I've written for the 10thousandgirl Campaign. Enjoy!

I am on my insurance journey. Not quite the same as an ‘Eat Pray Love’ sojourn but enlightening nonetheless. It is something I never really paid much attention to besides the compulsory insurances that come along with having a car or traveling to far off places but I feel now is the time to find out more about what I don’t even know.

Insurance is a topic that can get lost in our priorities due its daunting and seemingly boring nature. Normally an upbeat and optimistic individual, I’m learning that I need to be proactively responsible for my life and my interests (and the interest of those close to me) and look at the potential risks that can happen in unforeseen circumstance. Have you thought about the consequences to your future and your significant ones if something (not so nice) happened to you?

Insurance is an empowering thing to have. You are proactively looking after yourself, your family and your interests in the midst of uncertain futures. We can do as much as we can to build bright prospects and put action plans in place but sometimes life happens and we need to have a safety net in place. Insurance is like having those extra rolls of toilet paper you didn’t need at the time but have now come in handy in an emergency – it makes an uncomfortable situation more manageable.

We are working towards everything working out fine, but protecting ourselves as much as possible against events that are probably out of our control is a responsible thing to do. Mitigate your risk. You don’t plan to have an accident that puts your back out for 6 months. You don’t plan for an illness that may come in and knock the energy out of you.  If something happened to you would your partner, children and family be able to cope financially with debts or other obligations you have? Hopefully these things never happen. But if they do, having the right insurances in place can be life changing and give a better quality of life for you and those impacted.

TYPES OF INSURANCE
There are two broad areas of insurance that you should consider: General and Life.

General insurances are the ones you are probably most familiar with and have had or used to some extent. They include car, health, home & contents and travel insurance.

Life insurances on the other hand you may be less familiar with.  They have to do with policies that come into effect with death, illness, disability or temporary injury. Someone once told me that as young people, our biggest asset is our potential to earn money over our lifetime. As this is the case with most of us, shouldn’t we do something to protect that potential? That’s where different types of life insurance come into play:

• Life Cover (also known as life insurance or death cover): pays a set amount of money to the policy’s beneficiaries when the insured person dies.
• Total and permanent disability (TPD) insurance: covers the cost of rehabilitation, debt repayments and the future cost of living if you are totally and permanently disabled.
• Trauma Insurance (also known as critical illness or recovery cover: provides cover if you’re diagnosed with a specified illness or injury that will make a significant impact on a person’s life (such as cancer or a stroke).
• Income Protection: replaces income lost through your inability to work due to injury or sickness.

Everyone’s needs are different and you need to determine what is right for you. None of these may be applicable at your stage in life. Maybe it would be wise to have them all. Do your research, talk to others and seek advice from a financial planner if you need help.

One of the reasons I’ve started looking at these things is that I share a mortgage with my sister. If something happened to me that I couldn’t pay my half, I wouldn’t like to put her in the position of being responsible for the full amount. If you have financial obligations or debts it would be wise to investigate your insurance options.

Another instance would be if you have dependents. If you have children or others that are dependent on your income for their needs (housing, care, food, education etc) would they be looked after if you weren’t able to provide for them?

With all insurances, you need to take the time to analyse what your needs are, understand the types of insurance available and if they are applicable to you and compare different policies. If you find your situation complicated or you are not sure what you really need, it may be a good time to visit a financial planner or talk to some expert about your circumstances.

Do some research and find out a bit more. Start with sites such as www.moneysmart.gov.au or www.mozo.com.au for overviews, tips and comparisons.

Insurance tips (with help from www.moneysmart.gov.au )

• Shop around. Get quotes from different insurers and compare what they offer. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions.
• Choose carefully. Write a list of the things you need (i.e. what you want covered) and pick the policy that meets your needs.
• Renew your insurance. Do this when your old policy expires or as your circumstances change.
• Work out how much you need. Do this when you start or renew your policy, so that you don't find yourself significantly underinsured. Insurance company websites have tools to help you work this out.
• Check exclusions. Always ask what is and isn't covered by your policy. Learn these lessons from what other people have experienced (Queensland floods…)
• Check the costs. You will pay a regular fee, known as a 'premium', for your cover. And when you make a claim your payout will be reduced by an amount, known as the 'excess'. Don't sign on the dotted line until you know all the costs.
• Be honest with your insurer. Tell it like it is because your 'duty of disclosure' means you must tell the truth when you apply. If you leave details out, any future claim may be denied.

Where to go to get insurance?
You can buy insurance directly from an insurance company, through an insurance broker, through your superfund or a financial planner. There are pros and cons of buying insurance through your Superannuation fund and you may already have some form of insurance through them. See more about this here.

When should I review my insurance requirements?
You should do this once a year or when your circumstances change (ie marriage, having children, getting a mortgage).

So that is personal life insurance in a nutshell…Do take some time to investigate your options and requirements. Talk to your spouse, your family, your friends and/or a financial planner and see what you may need to have in place. It could make a big difference to you. I hope you never need to make a claim, but if you do, be thankful that you thought ahead.

Make great things happen. Live well. Live big. Live bold!
Arienne

Arienne Gorlach is 10thousandgirl’s content manager. She has some insurance. She used a financial planner she thinks is quite cool. Arienne writes regularly on her own blog Savvy Sassy She.

Streamlined Chaos

This is a post I wrote for The 10thousandgirl Campaign. I hope you enjoy!

I have an admission to make…I am messy…

Not in the filthy ‘there might be mouse under there if I move it’ messy, more in the ‘most surfaces are covered with something’ messy.

My handwriting is messy. My hair is messy. My desk is a shambles. But I’m pretty sure I know where everything is. Sorta pretty sure.

Someone help the person who tries to tidy up my piles of stuff (however good intentioned it is visiting mother). Because I know that piece of paper I was looking for was in pile #3 on the left hand side of the table. Now you’ve stacked them all on top of each other and put them in the cupboard and I’m fuming because my filing system is now out of sync.

Now, I know the benefits of tidy minimalism – clarity, ability to focus, efficiency etc, but while I attempt to achieve this (see below) I somehow revert back to piles.

(this is the below) I have another admission…I am an organising fiend. I have beautiful stationary. I create folders with carefully labelled tabs. I read blogs and books about organising. I create my own systems and routines. I even created my own paper diary – designing and printing out the pages myself with well-thought out columns and collating them into a beautiful organiser.

Zoe Lamont, generous founder of 10thousandgirl, often lovingly teases me about this (well, I’m assuming it’s lovingly!).

I set up weekly routines and plan out my days and months in advance (see another post I wrote about this). I go through spurts of delicately crafting how my wardrobe is set up, rearranging a drawer and filing all the bits of paper on my table.

Do I always stick to it? Um, no… But it makes me feel good to know that I’ve organised and planned out the most important things. It makes me feel a little more together. A little more ready to tackle the myriad of projects, tasks and goals.

I am a juxtaposition of streamlined chaos. Am I satisfied with that? Sometimes…

Sometimes I think that having everything in its place would give me more focus and productivity; additional effectiveness and efficiency. Getting organised excites me and I have experienced first-hand the benefits. Organising your financial paperwork is particularly important so you don’t miss opportunities or deadlines (listen out for our podcast interview with Lissanne Oliver of Sorted.net.au coming out on 27th September).

Other times I feel I have much better things to do with my life than be perfectly organised. Like actually living life in all its messy, chaotic, fun and crazy glory!

Do you get organised and stay organised? What are the benefits? Can you relate to being in streamlined chaos? Do you embrace ‘messyness’? What are your tips on being organised? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Arienne Gorlach is 10thousandgirl’s content manager. She owns a few books on organising. They are not filed in alphabetical order. Neither of the desks in the photos are hers.

Photo Credit 1
Photo Credit 2


http://www.10thousandgirl.com/2011/09/06/streamlined-chaos/

10thousandgirl Post: The Creative Everyday

So yes, I have been doing some writing, though not here on SSS. I've had to (enjoyably!!) do it  for work as I've sidestepped to be the Editorial Content manager at 10thousandgirl - something I am very excited about!

I'll be doing a range of interviews, articles and posts on a regular basis as well as putting together the monthly newsletter. And I'm on the lookout for contributors - so if you are one or if you know any, you know what to do (or if you don't know what to do... email me at savvysassyshe@gmail.com).

So if you're raring for something to read by yours truly, visit the post here: http://www.10thousandgirl.com/2011/07/04/creative-everyday/

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo