As I was doing some research I came across this article on your most important financial task that I really enjoyed. Take a look and let me know what you think. Take a minute and post some one or two of your most successful budgeting or spending plan ideas.
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
http://www.befrugallivewealthy.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Fight for your Money - Call Customer Service
About a year ago my brother and sister-in-law bought a Vizio Surround Sound Speaker system from Costco for about $400 and were pretty happy with it. It played well and sounded great. Recently, the speaker system started to short out and became a danger if they used it. They didn't purchase a warranty with the product and so were concerned about their options. My brother-in-law suggested they not worry about it and just go buy another one. My sister-in-law said "Be Frugal Live Wealthy", meaning me, would say let's fight for our money; she called Vizio's 800 number and let them know the situation. She told them she bought Vizio because it was a great product. She asked them what she could do. The customer service representative at Vizio said she'll talk to her manager. After a few minutes she got back on the line and said they would send them out another speaker system.
They sent the new system out by Federal Express and it arrived in 2 days. Vizio even sent out a return slip so they didn't have to pay for sending the old one back. My in-laws set the new system up and it works great!!
My brother-in-law was so impressed that he sent Vizio an email indicating that and that he wouldn't buy another brand.
When Jody shared this experience with me I was so excited and let me tell you why:
It was so easy! My sister-in-law called the 800# and explained her situation and they made it real easy for my in-laws. The entire phone call probably took less than 15 minutes. Companies are striving to see that their customers are satisfied with their products and will work hard to make sure of it.
As a side note the more you "fight for your money" and make the necessary calls to customer service personnel the easier it will get and the more you'll be able to ask for discounts, coupons, etc. I've also found it gives you more confidence in your negotiations.
If you have issues that are costing you money such as an article of clothing that's too big or an item you purchased that you are not satisfied with and may require some customer service personnel intervention give them a call. It may save you some money.
My challenge to you is to determine an issue that needs resolved and take the necessary steps to resolve it.
Thank you and have a great day,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
http://www.befrugallivewealthy.blogspot.com/
They sent the new system out by Federal Express and it arrived in 2 days. Vizio even sent out a return slip so they didn't have to pay for sending the old one back. My in-laws set the new system up and it works great!!
My brother-in-law was so impressed that he sent Vizio an email indicating that and that he wouldn't buy another brand.
When Jody shared this experience with me I was so excited and let me tell you why:
It was so easy! My sister-in-law called the 800# and explained her situation and they made it real easy for my in-laws. The entire phone call probably took less than 15 minutes. Companies are striving to see that their customers are satisfied with their products and will work hard to make sure of it.
As a side note the more you "fight for your money" and make the necessary calls to customer service personnel the easier it will get and the more you'll be able to ask for discounts, coupons, etc. I've also found it gives you more confidence in your negotiations.
If you have issues that are costing you money such as an article of clothing that's too big or an item you purchased that you are not satisfied with and may require some customer service personnel intervention give them a call. It may save you some money.
My challenge to you is to determine an issue that needs resolved and take the necessary steps to resolve it.
Thank you and have a great day,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
http://www.befrugallivewealthy.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 13, 2011
"Fight for your money" tip 3 - Ask for a lower price
I've missed blogging over the last week because we've been so busy preparing a financial education booth for Prairie Days in Yelm on June 23rd to the 25th and working on our house. We've been talking about pulling up the carpet and getting new flooring for a few years now. The holdup has always been me because I wanted to make sure we could pay cash. I had done a walkthrough with a couple a few years ago and in passing they said they remodeled one room at a time as they had money. This thought has always stuck in my mind. If you can't pay cash...Wait until you can.
Finally, we got our taxes back, did some much needed car maintenance, went on vacation and we made sure we had enough left over to pull the carpet and put down laminate. Jody is real excited and can't wait to have it completed!!
We spent a lot of time looking for the right laminate, weighing price, value, and choices of flooring. We set a budget for the job and kept our eye on making sure we stayed under budget. Well, we finally found the right laminate that we knew would look good in our home. One weekend we saw it at 2.69/sq ft and we asked them if they could go lower. They said they could go as low as 2.49/sq ft. We kept that in the back of our minds. When we finally determined that this place was the one, we looked online and they had it for 2.89/sq ft. Our hearts sank, because that would put us over our budget. I called the company and told them our budget and that we needed to make it under that. It was the end of the month and they were willing to make some deals and move some inventory so we asked them how low they could go, and they said they could go down to 2.49/sq ft. We did the math and 550 sq ft @ 40 cents saving /sq ft saved us over $200 on our purchase because we were willing to ask for a lower price. This kept us under budget, so we went and bought new flooring that day! We're so happy because we like the flooring and got it for a good price.
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
http://www.befrugallivewealthy.blogspot.com/
Finally, we got our taxes back, did some much needed car maintenance, went on vacation and we made sure we had enough left over to pull the carpet and put down laminate. Jody is real excited and can't wait to have it completed!!
We spent a lot of time looking for the right laminate, weighing price, value, and choices of flooring. We set a budget for the job and kept our eye on making sure we stayed under budget. Well, we finally found the right laminate that we knew would look good in our home. One weekend we saw it at 2.69/sq ft and we asked them if they could go lower. They said they could go as low as 2.49/sq ft. We kept that in the back of our minds. When we finally determined that this place was the one, we looked online and they had it for 2.89/sq ft. Our hearts sank, because that would put us over our budget. I called the company and told them our budget and that we needed to make it under that. It was the end of the month and they were willing to make some deals and move some inventory so we asked them how low they could go, and they said they could go down to 2.49/sq ft. We did the math and 550 sq ft @ 40 cents saving /sq ft saved us over $200 on our purchase because we were willing to ask for a lower price. This kept us under budget, so we went and bought new flooring that day! We're so happy because we like the flooring and got it for a good price.
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
http://www.befrugallivewealthy.blogspot.com/
Monday, May 30, 2011
Are you a money manager or a money watcher? Step 2 "How do you feel about money?"
Growing up, my mom was pretty savvy with money. She was responsible with her finances and did fairly well for a single parent on a secretary's income. It seemed as though we always had enough money and I didn't go without. My mom also did her best to teach me the value of a dollar, if I wanted something extra I had to buy it myself or pay the difference. I delivered newspapers from the time I was 13 and then worked a more glamorous job at McDonald's when I turned 16.
I grew up when Star Jeans and Moon Jeans were in style. These jeans were $25-30 and my mom wasn't going to buy them for me, they were just too expensive and in her eyes, unnecessary.
Another time when I was 14 my mom bought me a bike for my birthday. It was a great bike, but it didn't have the coolest looking parts. As soon as I brought it home from the store I started making changes to it, and this took up a majority of my discretionary money. I started with a new set of handlebars and then a new seat and pedals until eventually I had an entire new bike. All of my money went into transforming this bike into the coolest bike in the neighborhood, or so I thought. The unfortunate thing, with such frivolous spending I never really learned how to be more disciplined with my money. All my money went to me, and I spent every last penny.
Looking back on that time in my life I wish I was a bit more disciplined. Not only would I have more money but I would have learned earlier to save money no matter what the scenario.
Jody was raised a little differently. She didn't work a regular job but if her and her siblings kept their grades up they would have the right to ask for money if they needed it, within reason. If they needed some money for a movie or some clothes he would give it to them. Her dad was a salesman and some months were more plentiful than others. He would tell them at the beginning of the month if they could ask for money or not. This worked for their family.
Growing up there's a scripting that happens in your home depending on how the financial decision makers, usually your parents, made financial decisions. In some cases this will affect you the rest of your life, for good or not-so-good. If you grew up with some bad financial habits you can make necessary changes. I want to ask you How do you feel about money? Or, what is your relationship to money? The way you answer this series of questions can change your life and turn your finances around. I found a quiz online that will help you answer these all-important questions. Please take a few minutes to respond to this quiz and I promise it will help you determine your relationship to money and help you make some necessary adjustments.
Thank you for your continued support, we work to assist you in getting your finances in order. If you would like to see a particular topic covered please let us know.
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
http://www.befrugallivewealthy.blogspot.com/
I grew up when Star Jeans and Moon Jeans were in style. These jeans were $25-30 and my mom wasn't going to buy them for me, they were just too expensive and in her eyes, unnecessary.
Another time when I was 14 my mom bought me a bike for my birthday. It was a great bike, but it didn't have the coolest looking parts. As soon as I brought it home from the store I started making changes to it, and this took up a majority of my discretionary money. I started with a new set of handlebars and then a new seat and pedals until eventually I had an entire new bike. All of my money went into transforming this bike into the coolest bike in the neighborhood, or so I thought. The unfortunate thing, with such frivolous spending I never really learned how to be more disciplined with my money. All my money went to me, and I spent every last penny.
Looking back on that time in my life I wish I was a bit more disciplined. Not only would I have more money but I would have learned earlier to save money no matter what the scenario.
Jody was raised a little differently. She didn't work a regular job but if her and her siblings kept their grades up they would have the right to ask for money if they needed it, within reason. If they needed some money for a movie or some clothes he would give it to them. Her dad was a salesman and some months were more plentiful than others. He would tell them at the beginning of the month if they could ask for money or not. This worked for their family.
Growing up there's a scripting that happens in your home depending on how the financial decision makers, usually your parents, made financial decisions. In some cases this will affect you the rest of your life, for good or not-so-good. If you grew up with some bad financial habits you can make necessary changes. I want to ask you How do you feel about money? Or, what is your relationship to money? The way you answer this series of questions can change your life and turn your finances around. I found a quiz online that will help you answer these all-important questions. Please take a few minutes to respond to this quiz and I promise it will help you determine your relationship to money and help you make some necessary adjustments.
Thank you for your continued support, we work to assist you in getting your finances in order. If you would like to see a particular topic covered please let us know.
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
http://www.befrugallivewealthy.blogspot.com/
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Are you a money manager or a money watcher? Step 1
My family loves to go beachcombing and we also love lifting up the rocks and seeing all the living things that scurry out from under them. One of the things that I notice at the beach is how constant the tide is, it effortlessly goes in and out bringing new life to the beach.
Several years ago I used to be a money watcher. I would watch money go in and watch it go out, much like the ocean tide, but never really managed it. Every night I would come home from work and call the bank and check my bank balances. It made Jody crazy because it seemed to be the focus of my life. This was before the days of online banking and it seemed to take a bit longer to get the desired information. The problem was I never really did anything about it. It was because I really didn't know what to do. So as a result, even though I was watching, we overspent. I wonder if it's because we were caught up in a shallow tidepool, not able to and we just didn't know how to get out. Does this sound like some of you? We want to show you how to stop the ebb and flow, keeping more in and less going out, and give you control back so you can be a money manager instead of a money watcher. Over the next few posts we'll show you how you can be a more effective money manager.
Step 1 - Make a record of all your expenses
For the next 2 weeks or even a month keep track of everything you purchase. Carry a small notebook and a pencil around with you; wherever you go write down all your expenses. If you go out to lunch, write it down. If you pay a bill, write it down. Even if you buy a pack of gum or a can of pop, write it down. At the end of the 2-week or 1 month period review the items in your list. You'll be surprised what you discover. This will establish a spending baseline for you and help you to see where your money is going and where you need to make adjustments. We encourage you to start making a record and let us know how it's going, including the challenges and triumphs.
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
Several years ago I used to be a money watcher. I would watch money go in and watch it go out, much like the ocean tide, but never really managed it. Every night I would come home from work and call the bank and check my bank balances. It made Jody crazy because it seemed to be the focus of my life. This was before the days of online banking and it seemed to take a bit longer to get the desired information. The problem was I never really did anything about it. It was because I really didn't know what to do. So as a result, even though I was watching, we overspent. I wonder if it's because we were caught up in a shallow tidepool, not able to and we just didn't know how to get out. Does this sound like some of you? We want to show you how to stop the ebb and flow, keeping more in and less going out, and give you control back so you can be a money manager instead of a money watcher. Over the next few posts we'll show you how you can be a more effective money manager.
Step 1 - Make a record of all your expenses
For the next 2 weeks or even a month keep track of everything you purchase. Carry a small notebook and a pencil around with you; wherever you go write down all your expenses. If you go out to lunch, write it down. If you pay a bill, write it down. Even if you buy a pack of gum or a can of pop, write it down. At the end of the 2-week or 1 month period review the items in your list. You'll be surprised what you discover. This will establish a spending baseline for you and help you to see where your money is going and where you need to make adjustments. We encourage you to start making a record and let us know how it's going, including the challenges and triumphs.
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
Sunday, May 8, 2011
I need your help with an experiment!!
Good Evening!
Over the last couple of weeks Jody and I have been doing an experiment to see if we can save money on having our kids bring homemade lunches. The girls had been having school lunch for the past 3-4 months and it's been very nice because we don't have to shop for lunch food or make lunches which makes it easier. I suggested to Jody, why don't we do a real test and see if having the girls bring their lunches from home would save money. Jody's a terrific sport in trying to make things work that I suggest.
The first week we tried it. Jody bought some lunch food and before we knew it Jody had spent $40 even before we had enough food for lunches.
The second week was similar and it seemed like in order to have lunch for 3 children with a variety it seemed to cost about $50.
We are looking for things our readers have done to keep the costs down for lunches and made it more cost effective than buying lunch.
What have you done to keep your lunch costs down and have you made a decision to feed your children school lunch or homemade lunch?
I'd like to get your thoughts on what you've done to feed your kids homemade lunches on less and still give them a variety. Please make a comment in the comment section and let me know how you've beat the homemade lunch game.
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
Over the last couple of weeks Jody and I have been doing an experiment to see if we can save money on having our kids bring homemade lunches. The girls had been having school lunch for the past 3-4 months and it's been very nice because we don't have to shop for lunch food or make lunches which makes it easier. I suggested to Jody, why don't we do a real test and see if having the girls bring their lunches from home would save money. Jody's a terrific sport in trying to make things work that I suggest.
The first week we tried it. Jody bought some lunch food and before we knew it Jody had spent $40 even before we had enough food for lunches.
The second week was similar and it seemed like in order to have lunch for 3 children with a variety it seemed to cost about $50.
We are looking for things our readers have done to keep the costs down for lunches and made it more cost effective than buying lunch.
What have you done to keep your lunch costs down and have you made a decision to feed your children school lunch or homemade lunch?
I'd like to get your thoughts on what you've done to feed your kids homemade lunches on less and still give them a variety. Please make a comment in the comment section and let me know how you've beat the homemade lunch game.
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Greg and Jody's vacation tip 3 - H2O is great for you-and for your wallet!!
This is one of Jody's great ideas. One of the things that we did as part of our pre-vacation food purchases is bought a couple of gallons of water and got the girls water bottles for the trip. This did a couple of things, it saved us money on drinks plus it didn't allow them to continually sip on juice and pop the entire trip, thus saving long-term on dentist bills.
There were times when they would get tired of water and so we would splurge and purchase a soda or juice but if you keep it cold with ice it seems to work better. Usually when you fill up on gas you can fill up on ice to refreshen your H2O.
Send us your vacation tips that helped you or your family. We look forward to hearing from you,
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
There were times when they would get tired of water and so we would splurge and purchase a soda or juice but if you keep it cold with ice it seems to work better. Usually when you fill up on gas you can fill up on ice to refreshen your H2O.
Send us your vacation tips that helped you or your family. We look forward to hearing from you,
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
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