Now you are ready to explore new territory. I challenge you to go where you’ve never been before-El Cheap Grocery Inc. Before you start your venture you need to know the rules of the game. Take a quarter with you as you venture into the store. El Cheap keeps their carts in jail. You have to deposit a quarter to unlock the cart. You get your quarter back when you return your cart to the jail. This is a great motivator for customer to return carts to their proper place. Take your own grocery bags from Fancy Grocery across town—no one will bat an eye. El Cheap charges for bags. Leave your credit card and checkbook at home—no El Cheap is not free-they only take cash and debit cards. What you will find at El Cheap is basic groceries at great prices. As you make your way through the no-frills aisles you will find lots of generics and a few name brands. Be bold –try some generics—they often come off the same line as name brand items they just have a different label.
What El Cheap does have:
Good prices
A total lack of ambivalence
Two flavors of jello
Two flavors of pudding
A few name brands
Lots of generic canned goods
Courteous and fast checkers.
And great chocolate! (often from Germany)
Good quality sugar and flour.
What El cheap does NOT have:
Great lighting
Beautifully displayed produce
Free cookies for the kids (were they really free?)
Free balloons for the kids
A penny pony
Pizza smells wafting through the doors
Free samples
Free Coffee
Baggers
A Deli
A floral shop
Great Holiday displays
Everything
In case you are wondering... El Cheap is ALDI. If you need to save money and feed a small army it's the place to go.
Showing posts with label Money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Money. Show all posts
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Brown bagging it!
The number one reason to brown bag it is to save money.
Here's the math...
Number of people not eating at home X cost of lunch X five days per week =
the amount of money saved per week.
A school year is usually 36 weeks.
For adults multiply by the number of weeks worked per year. If you have two weeks of vacation then you work 50 weeks.
Example Kids:
Three kids X $2.75(cost of a school lunch) X 5 days X 36 weeks of school = $1485
Adults:
Two adults X $4.00(cost of eating out at noon) X 5 days X 50 weeks of work = $2000
Adults: Coffee and Vending
Two adults X $1.50 X 5 days X 50 weeks of work= $750
Based on the above calculation three school lunches plus two adult lunches costs $19.25 per day.
That’s a lot of money.
Brown bagging is NOT economical if you simply go the grocery and buy prepackaged pudding, cute little potato chip bags, kids microwave lunches and Jell-O.
A homemade brown bag lunch costs about $1.50 per person. A brown bag lunch for 5 people would cost $7.50 per day. $19.25 minus $7.50 is $11.75 saved per day!
If I save $11.75 per day for 20 minutes of effort- my hourly rate is $35.25 per hour. It may well be worth your time to pack a lunch.
Here are some ideas:
Sandwiches (be creative) leftover ham, turkey or meatloaf makes great sandwiches.
Split a french loaf of bread longways and fill with meat and cheese. Cut these into lunchsize sandwiches. Package individual sandwiches in freezer storage bags without condiments. Condiments can be added at lunchtime. Keep your mustard or mayo in the refrigerator at work. Finish by packing a little bag of vegies in the morning to add to your thawed out sandwich at noon.
Make a big batch of finger Jell-O on the weekend. Make two boxes of pudding and pour into individual containers.
Here's the math...
Number of people not eating at home X cost of lunch X five days per week =
the amount of money saved per week.
A school year is usually 36 weeks.
For adults multiply by the number of weeks worked per year. If you have two weeks of vacation then you work 50 weeks.
Example Kids:
Three kids X $2.75(cost of a school lunch) X 5 days X 36 weeks of school = $1485
Adults:
Two adults X $4.00(cost of eating out at noon) X 5 days X 50 weeks of work = $2000
Adults: Coffee and Vending
Two adults X $1.50 X 5 days X 50 weeks of work= $750
Based on the above calculation three school lunches plus two adult lunches costs $19.25 per day.
That’s a lot of money.
Brown bagging is NOT economical if you simply go the grocery and buy prepackaged pudding, cute little potato chip bags, kids microwave lunches and Jell-O.
A homemade brown bag lunch costs about $1.50 per person. A brown bag lunch for 5 people would cost $7.50 per day. $19.25 minus $7.50 is $11.75 saved per day!
If I save $11.75 per day for 20 minutes of effort- my hourly rate is $35.25 per hour. It may well be worth your time to pack a lunch.
Here are some ideas:
Sandwiches (be creative) leftover ham, turkey or meatloaf makes great sandwiches.
Split a french loaf of bread longways and fill with meat and cheese. Cut these into lunchsize sandwiches. Package individual sandwiches in freezer storage bags without condiments. Condiments can be added at lunchtime. Keep your mustard or mayo in the refrigerator at work. Finish by packing a little bag of vegies in the morning to add to your thawed out sandwich at noon.
Make a big batch of finger Jell-O on the weekend. Make two boxes of pudding and pour into individual containers.
Freeze leftover pieces of cake, bars or brownies.
Baby carrots
Cherry tomatoes
Pour pretzels, finger cereals, and goldfish from a big bag put into snack size bags. This is a good weekend job for the kids. I recommend using a ¼ cup measuring cup.
Celery with peanut butter (celery must be dry or peanut butter will slide off) add raisins for Ants on a Log.
For adults with access to a microwave: fill microwaveable dishes with supper leftovers.
Soup, spaghetti, and pasta bakes can be put in these containers at suppertime and be ready to go. No extra work. No wasted leftovers.
Soup, spaghetti, and pasta bakes can be put in these containers at suppertime and be ready to go. No extra work. No wasted leftovers.
Please share your brown bag ideas.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Money...Rule Number One!
Don't lose it!
Well... obviously you say. But there are lots of ways to lose your money. Let me mention a few...
1. Shopping. Don't buy stuff you don't need.
2. Bad business ideas. I once had a on-line toy store. I got out before I lost too much money but I learned carrying an inventory of any kind is really a crap shoot. Just because you think it is a cool item does not mean it's gonna sell.
3. Bad business partner. Does your business partner like to spend money? Is your business partner less conservative with money than you are? If you answer yes to either of these RUN!
4. Bad business partner part two... does you business partner desperately need your/our money? If you answer yes to this one RUN faster.
5.Risky investments. Do your homework. Understand what you are investing in.
6. Dishonest financial "advisor". That's what FINRA is for. Look them up!
7. Unqualified financial "advisor". I know one financial advisor that invests for smart engineers. The "advisor"never went to college, operated his "financial services" for ten years without being licensed. I personally knew the guy and wouldn't have trusted him to handle taking care of my dog let alone my money. Repeat ... look them up on FINRA.
8. Dishonest doctors or other service people. I once went to a podiatrist... found him on the Internet. Great web site. He charged me over $1200 for two office calls and three x-rays (I think he had a fake machine because I never saw the x-rays). THEN I got smart and googled the guy. He had been circuit court numerous times (mostly for his billing practices). I payed the bill (ouch!) and got out before he found something else to charge me for. My feet still hurt too!
9. Dishonest employees. Google them too.
10. Waste eliminate this as much as possible. Eat leftovers. Return items that do not meet your needs.
11. Guard your identity. Don't put your social security number on job applications until your are hired. Remember piles of applications lay on people's desks and anyone that works there could potentially lift your social security number.
12. Don't eat out or visit Starbucks very often.
Well... obviously you say. But there are lots of ways to lose your money. Let me mention a few...
1. Shopping. Don't buy stuff you don't need.
2. Bad business ideas. I once had a on-line toy store. I got out before I lost too much money but I learned carrying an inventory of any kind is really a crap shoot. Just because you think it is a cool item does not mean it's gonna sell.
3. Bad business partner. Does your business partner like to spend money? Is your business partner less conservative with money than you are? If you answer yes to either of these RUN!
4. Bad business partner part two... does you business partner desperately need your/our money? If you answer yes to this one RUN faster.
5.Risky investments. Do your homework. Understand what you are investing in.
6. Dishonest financial "advisor". That's what FINRA is for. Look them up!
7. Unqualified financial "advisor". I know one financial advisor that invests for smart engineers. The "advisor"never went to college, operated his "financial services" for ten years without being licensed. I personally knew the guy and wouldn't have trusted him to handle taking care of my dog let alone my money. Repeat ... look them up on FINRA.
8. Dishonest doctors or other service people. I once went to a podiatrist... found him on the Internet. Great web site. He charged me over $1200 for two office calls and three x-rays (I think he had a fake machine because I never saw the x-rays). THEN I got smart and googled the guy. He had been circuit court numerous times (mostly for his billing practices). I payed the bill (ouch!) and got out before he found something else to charge me for. My feet still hurt too!
9. Dishonest employees. Google them too.
10. Waste eliminate this as much as possible. Eat leftovers. Return items that do not meet your needs.
11. Guard your identity. Don't put your social security number on job applications until your are hired. Remember piles of applications lay on people's desks and anyone that works there could potentially lift your social security number.
12. Don't eat out or visit Starbucks very often.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Money the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Money... how it is used is very important.
We'll start with the GOOD.
Money should be used to provide for our needs (not necessary our wants!)
Money should be used to develop your gifts and talents and the gifts and talents of others.
Money should be used to lift the burden of the poor and needy.
Money should be used to bless others.
The Bad
Money or the pursuit of wealth should NOT become a substitute for relationships with people.
Money should not be used to raise your status.
The Ugly
Money should not make you feel powerful. If money makes you feel powerful you might become a bully.
Money should not be used to control others.
Attitudes toward money and it's use will define you as a person!
"A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed". Proverbs 11:25
We'll start with the GOOD.
Money should be used to provide for our needs (not necessary our wants!)
Money should be used to develop your gifts and talents and the gifts and talents of others.
Money should be used to lift the burden of the poor and needy.
Money should be used to bless others.
The Bad
Money or the pursuit of wealth should NOT become a substitute for relationships with people.
Money should not be used to raise your status.
The Ugly
Money should not make you feel powerful. If money makes you feel powerful you might become a bully.
Money should not be used to control others.
Attitudes toward money and it's use will define you as a person!
"A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed". Proverbs 11:25
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