Wed, April 01, 2009 - 7:00:26

Less is More

If you’re like us, you’re probably a fan Leo Babauta’s popular blog Zen Habits, where he offers up advice on living life with a pared-down approach.  Many of the topics he discusses relate to The Power of Small and that’s why when we discovered his new e-book called Thriving on Less: Simplifying in a Tough Economy we just had to add our two cents.

From frequenting your local public library to getting from point A to point B on two wheels instead of four, we love the ideas set forth in Thriving on Less, so here are a few of our own Small tips to help you get (or stay) on firm financial footing:

Keep the Change!  Even though it now costs more to manufacture a penny than one is actually worth, those lucky little coins can still add up. In fact, Coinstar, Inc. has estimated that over $10.5 billion in loose change is sitting idly in American homes right now.  Toss your pennies in a jar with your left over nickels, dimes, and quarters, and you could end up like Edmond Knowles, who has saved $63,000 in change since he started in 1994!

Double Check Your Checkbook.  If you already balance your checkbook, congratulations!  But, you could do even more to make sure all of your money is in the right place.  Recent financial events have shown us that little mistakes can create big problems.  So, look one more time and ask yourself, “Is that decimal point in the right place?”

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask! With tax day coming ever-so-quickly, you might have chosen to save money by preparing your taxes yourself.  But, the amount you save with the DIY approach might end up costing you more than you bargained for in penalties, or even worse, audits.  If you’re not sure about something, don’t risk it: just ask!

Got another idea of how you can put the Power of Small to work in your personal finances?  Leave us a comment to help others make big changes!

Posted by Linda and Robin