Embrace the Season

Written by David Dixon – 8/14/23

Your Guide to Enthusiastic Fall Spending

As leaves change and the air turns crisp, fall presents a wonderful opportunity to indulge in seasonal spending that aligns with the cozy and festive atmosphere. Let’s explore how to approach fall- spending with enthusiasm and intention, making the most of this delightful time of year.

1. Fall Wardrobe Refresh:
   Embrace the chance to update your wardrobe with warm sweaters, stylish boots, and cozy scarves. Look for versatile pieces that transition from the chilly outdoors to indoor gatherings.
   
   
2. Home Decor Delights:
   Add a touch of autumnal charm to your living space with decorative pumpkins, rich-hued throw pillows, and scented candles that evoke the essence of fall. Consider DIY projects for a personal touch.
   
   
3. Seasonal Experiences:
   Invest in experiences that are unique to fall, such as apple picking, pumpkin carving, or attending a local harvest festival. These memories last much longer than material possessions.
   
   
4. Culinary Adventures:
   Experiment with fall-inspired recipes using seasonal produce like apples, pumpkins, and butternut squash. Splurge on quality ingredients to create memorable meals.
   
   
5. Outdoor Exploration:
   Equip yourself for outdoor activities like hiking and nature walks, taking advantage of the picturesque fall landscapes. Purchase comfortable attire and gear that encourage you to embrace the great outdoors.
   
   
6. Personal-Care Splurges:
   Treat yourself to items like rich moisturizers, warm bath essentials, and scented oils. Create a relaxing, fall routine to unwind during this bustling season.
   
   
7. Holiday Preparation:
   Get ahead with your holiday shopping by taking advantage of fall sales and promotions. Plan your gift list and start purchasing thoughtful presents for loved ones.
   
   
8. Skill Development:
   Invest in personal growth by enrolling in fall courses or workshops. Whether it's learning to cook hearty soups or mastering a craft, fall is a great time to enhance your skills.

Approach your fall spending with enthusiasm and purpose, focusing on experiences, personal growth, and items that enhance the beauty and coziness of the season. By doing so, you'll create lasting memories and surround yourself with the spirit of fall in its full splendor.

"Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons." - Jim Bishop

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Written By: Chip Rudolph ~ 9/25/2023

Fall will soon become winter. This time of year frequently brings fashion changes. It is important to learn a few lessons when delving into fashion. Here are some to learn to make it less stressful.

• Being well dressed is not about having good clothes. It is about good balance and good sense.
  Everyone is built differently. The latest fashion might not be the best for certain bodies. Do not feel like you have to wear the latest popular item. If it is not right for your body, you will not look attractive. Better to dress well for your own characteristics and look great than to wear the latest item that looks unflattering on you. You will feel better about yourself doing that.
  
  
• What is important is not the outfit, but the person in it.
  Find what looks best on you. Be yourself. Do not try to be something you are not. It will show and be noted. Be comfortable with your own choices. Show the world who you are so they focus on you, not what you are wearing.
  
  
• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
  We are not all attracted to the same type of people. We have preferences in terms of height, weight, coloring, and many other choices. What is beautiful to one, is unattractive to another. What is unattractive to some can be fabulous to others. There will always be both reactions to us.
  
  
• Fashion is not about labels or brands. It is about something else that comes from within you.
  Show your personality and your values to the world. The label means very little when your confidence is shining. There are those who wear fancy labels and expensive jewelry who are not even noticed. Their light is not ‘on.’
  
  
• Do not confuse the runway with fashion.
  The runway is meant to be sensational. What happens there is ‘high fashion.’ If you compare yourself to the runway or try to become ‘runway,’ you could end up not looking your best. Remember the commonsense aspect of dressing well is good balance and good sense.
  
  
• People will stare – make it worth their while.
  If you dress shabbily, others will remember the outfit. If you dress impeccably, others will remember the person. Decide for yourself what image you choose to put forth into the world.

Remember when you do not dress like everyone else, you do not need to think like everyone else. Some do prefer to follow the crowd. If you are more of an individual, feel the freedom to be so in thought, in word, and in your own style of dress.

WORDS OF WISDOM are brought to you FROM THE CORNER HOME OFFICE. The wisdom of ancient times has been passed on from our ancestors as adages, proverbs, and oral history.

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Written By: Sandi MacCalla, Founder - LifeSkills Academy ~ 9/18/2023

I first heard about ‘envelope budgeting’ in a Financial Educators’ meeting in the late ‘90s and marveled at this ‘hands-on’ money management system. It has now been resurrected as Cash Stuffing in our electronic age. As King Solomon (970-930 BCE) so wisely proclaimed: “…there is nothing new under the sun.”

So how does this work? Pretty much the same as in the ‘90s with some 21st Century bling and vocab added (below).

The process:

1. Create a comprehensive budget:
   1. Expenses: housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, savings, and discretionary spending
      1. Allocate how much money you need for each category. This forms the basis for your cash envelopes.
2. Label envelopes with the different expenses in your budget.
   1. For example, one may be labeled "Groceries," etc.
3. Withdraw cash (weekly, or monthly) required for each expense category from your bank account.
   1. Only withdraw the total amount you have allocated.
4. Fill the envelopes with the exact amount you can spend in each category.
   1. This is a physical reminder of your spending limits.
5. Use cash from the corresponding envelope to make purchases.
   1. When you need to buy groceries, take the money from the "Groceries" envelope only. Resist borrowing from others.
6. Track your spending
   1. Use a simple notebook, spreadsheet, or budgeting app to record your expenses.
7. Reevaluate and adjust:
   1. Assess how well you matched your budget.
   2. Identify areas where you might need to adjust for the following period.

21st Century Upgrades:

1. Done-For-You Envelope Systems – a quick tour of the internet has practical-to-posh offers to be efficient and have FUN while managing your money (also known as ‘adulting’).
   
   
2. CNBC MakeIt - How 'cash stuffing' can help you pay down debt (cnbc.com) - featured Jasmine Taylor’s ‘success story’ who launched “Baddies & Budgets” in 2021 and is set to clear $1M this year. Proving ‘cash-stuffing’ works, she paid off $32K in debt and is growing her booming business helping others learn and benefit from cash-stuffing.

New Vocab:

• Zero-Based Budgeting Zero-based budgeting - Wikipedia
  • Build your budget with your total income amount and use every dollar down to zero.
  • • This can include:
      • Savings – also called ‘sinking funds.’
      • Monthly reserves for major forecasted purchases (appliances, car replacement, major home maintenance, vacations, etc.).
• Sinking Funds:
  • Monies set aside for short- or long-term goals
    • Emergency fund, car maintenance or holiday gift money.
• Pistachio Rule:
  • If you bring $100 to the grocery store and your bag of pistachios, (or any pricey, guilty pleasure) puts you over the limit, it must go back on the store shelf.

The Upside/Downside of Cash-Stuffing

↑ - Reins in your spending and makes solid progress toward financial goals.
↑ - Highlights where money leaks are and can be stopped.
↓ - Awkwardness of cash in a card-swipe society.
↓ - Challenge with amounts of cash in your home (invest in a fireproof safe?).

“Money is a terrible master but an excellent servant.”
—P.T. Barnum, founder, Barnum & Bailey Circus, Showman & Businessman

LifeSkills Academy features e-learning classes including Etiquette/Social Intelligence, Financial Skills, and Personal Organization. All educators are business professionals, some with academic backgrounds, and all have proven success in the world of commerce.

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