Using Time Wisely

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Archives for 2011

Vehicles: Car #2 – Title or Loan Documents

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The eleventh file slot in my accordion filing system houses one more set of documents. These documents are housed behind the insurance and DMV records and include the following items:

Title or Loan Paperwork

Our original title and a copy of our title are the first two documents in this remaining set of paperwork. If I had a loan on this vehicle, I would place those documents here.

Copy of Previous Title

Having purchased this vehicle from a private owner, I kept a copy of the completed title with the seller’s and buyers’ (Paul and my) signatures. I made this copy before turning it into the DMV in exchange for our current title.

Bill of Sale

This document proves the sale of this vehicle from the seller to us. Our bill of sale includes the date, names of seller and buyer, and purchase amount.

The title, copy of previous title, and bill of sale paperwork concludes the documentation housed in my eleventh file slot for our second vehicle.

Just as my documentation from vehicle 1 to vehicle 2 is different, so your records may also be different from my paperwork. By having a place for these documents and knowing what to add to these categories will be a help in using time wisely when you need to access these documents and records. Keep plugging along in your quest for document organization. Happy sorting!

Question: How is your vehicle document file different from mine? Please add your answer to the comments.

Understanding Daily Deal Sites

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After posting about the LivingSocial and Groupon daily deal sites, I received some additional questions regarding how these sites work. To help you in stretching your dollars, I gladly want to address these three questions.

How do Daily Deal sites work?

Each day these sites offer one local deal that is deeply discounted – between 50-90% off the regular price. The deal is usually good for the day, and then the offer expires. Then tomorrow will have another local deal.

These deals range from restaurants, sporting events, theatre performances, oil changes, massages, and vacations. The Groupon.com advertisement on my sidebar shows you the current daily deals for your area. You can click the “view side deal” to see another offer in your area.

NOTE: The advertisements on my blog are my affiliate links. This means that Using Time Wisely applied to the affiliate programs for those sites and was accepted. Each program is a little different, but Using Time Wisely gets compensated with money, credits, or points when a reader clicks on the link and makes a purchase.

The prices are the same through these sites if you click through my link or just go through the company’s web site. These companies offer affiliate links because they want the advertising and continued support from bloggers, like myself. As you click through my link, you are supporting Using Time Wisely. Thank you!

How do you buy the voucher?

If you see a deal you want, just click the “purchase” or “buy it” button. If you have an account, then your purchase will be applied to your saved credit card and processed. If you do not have an account, then you will need to create one.

Your account will hold your vouchers, so you need an account. Setting up your account is free with no added costs. It is just a holding space for your vouchers.

Will the voucher be mailed to me?

No. After your payment processes, the company will send a confirmation to the e-mail address used at registration. (I use my junk e-mail account for most of the daily deal sites.) In the confirmation e-mail will be a link to your account. When you click on the link, you will be directed to your voucher’s page where all your available vouchers will be listed. You can then print the voucher to be used on your next visit to the establishment.

Using daily deal sites to purchase items you need or enjoy is a great way to stretch your hard-earned dollars. Thank you for asking questions. If you have additional questions or concerns regarding this post or any other information, please leave a comment, contact me, or post on the Using Time Wisely Facebook wall. My goal is to help you stay organized to save money, energy, and time.

Question: What is your favorite Daily Deal site? Feel free to start the conversation by leaving a comment. I will be sure to join you.

Family Crafts: Halloween Skeleton and Cat

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Susan Dox)

With Halloween around the corner, my kids are mesmerized by the spiders, ghosts, and skeleton decorations in our neighborhood. On a family walk, we had to stop to check out the Halloween decorations at a few houses along the way. My oldest daughter is quite concerned about the skeleton which lost his head. 🙂

To continue the fun of the Halloween season, here are two crafts that might get your family in the spooky Halloween mood:

Black Cat

This craft idea, posted by thekrazycouponlady.com, gives detailed instructions for creating a cat out of a paper plate. If we end up hosting our own Halloween party, I just might use this craft for the children.

Skeleton

From empty milk jugs, thekrazycouponlady.com shares the supplies and directions for creating your own skeleton. This craft would be a fun family activity where everyone helps out.

In using time wisely, I enjoy making crafts with my kids, especially when they help to decorate my home for the next holiday. Whether you create a cat, skeleton, or spider, enjoy spending time with your family as you decorate your home.

Question: Do you make your own seasonal decorations? If so, please share what crafts you are concocting in the comments.

Grocery Shopping: Gathering your Savings – Part 2a of 3

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (I-5 Design)

My shopping trips usually land on a weekday. Either I shop with my girls after dropping my son off at school, or I shop with all 3 children after picking my son up from school. If I can, I allow Publix and Bi-Lo to supply the afternoon snack of a free cookie for the kids while we replenish our family’s food supply.

Last week in Gathering your Savings – Part 1, I explained my tips when entering the grocery store and planning the route to take through the aisles. In continuing gathering your savings, I will share in Part 2 how I shop my grocery list. With seven total steps, I will break these down into 3 different posts: Part 2a, 2b, and 2c. Today, I will share steps 1 and 2:

STEP ONE: Knowing the Store

The more you shop at your store, the better you will know where items are located. In using time wisely, I try to move forward aisle by aisle without backtracking.

STEP TWO: Including my Children

We play games throughout the store. One on-going game is “finding the coupons.” Have you seen the blinkie machines in your store? These little machines are small movable devices that dispense coupons. The little red light blinks to get your attention. When you take the coupon, the dispenser waits a few seconds and then partially ejects another coupon. My children have learned to:

    1. Notify me of their find,
    2. Allow me to determine if we will use the item, and
    3. Pull out only the ones we will use.

If I am purchasing the item and need a coupon, then I will use one of these on this trip. Most of the blinkies we take, I save for a future purchase which might be redeemed at another store. These coupons that are dispensed are manufacturer coupons that can be used at any store that accepts manufacturer’s coupons.

By knowing the store and including my children, I can quickly maneuver through the store gathering my savings while using time wisely. Though my children are not always cooperative with the coupon finding, I usually gain a few minutes to concentrate while they snack on their cookies. As I remember where items are kept in the store, my shopping trip times are improving with less roaming and more gathering. Next week, I will share the next two steps of my in-store shopping strategy. Until then . . . happy savings!

Question: How many blinkie coupons do you take from one dispenser? Pop over to Using Time Wisely‘s Facebook page to see my answer.

Time Management: Do the Next Thing

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Addison Berry)

In seasons of busyness when I am weary, taxed, and tired, creating a plan takes too much energy. Surrounded by a hungry family, attention-seeking children, piles of laundry, the phone ringing, appointments to keep, and blog posts to write, I really just want to crawl into bed and rest. However, I am mom, and my family needs me to care for them. With a prayer for strength, I proceed without a plan by doing the next thing.

What needs to be done? The answer to this question is what guides my actions. Operating with a To-Do list would be my optimum preference. But in seasons of exhaustion, I concentrate on the top priorities. The other items can wait until after I get some rest and life settles down.

If this sounds hard to you, I understand. Having stressed myself to illness over keeping everything clean, organized, and in its place, I am still learning that life is more than a clean house. My little ones need more than a clean house. Though I still work hard to keep my household clean and running smoothly, there are seasons of intense busyness. In those times, I am learning to let the little things go, and concentrate on the top priorities. For me, those items are meals, time with my children, and completing the next immediate task at hand.

As I overlook the scattered toys in the hallway, the mound of dishes in the sink, and pile of newspapers and mail on the counter, I know I will get to it. That time might not be today or tomorrow, but those items will not be there all week. In continuing to work on the top priorities, I complete one task and then move on to do the next thing. Before long, those scattered toys, mound of dishes, and pile of mail are getting addressed as my house gets back in order.

Seasons of busyness may overtake you, but by doing the next thing in order of priority, you can operate without a detailed plan. Those household chores will be waiting for you after your little ones receive food, clothing, and comfort. In using time wisely during seasons of busyness, keep your priorities in check and do the next thing.

Question: How do you forge through a season of busyness? Please add your answer to the comments.