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There’s a LOT we can do to survive, and even thrive, in the changing economy.
NEED FAST CASH FOR PERSONAL, BUSINESS ? Ebay Don't laugh you have stuff in house garage attic dld.bz/atQZj good pix sell faster
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Save money on food, buy local produce
Posted on September 23, 2010
Plus, get better food. Food is medicine. Bad food, bad health.
And, don’t support those huge chains that want you to “sign up” for a discount ( tracking ) card. It tracks all your items, time of purchase, name, etc, and “gives” you a 20 dollar ham once a year, if you’re lucky to save up a couple million points.
Please support www.nocards.org
They have done research that proves the “discounts” at the carded stores are taken off inflated prices. You’re not saving, it’s costing you more.
Best Stuff to Buy – new companion site
Posted on February 19, 2010
Best Stuff to Buy.com
Find us on Twitter @beststufftobuy www.beststufftobuy.com
Who are we ?
We are the travelers, the entrepreneurs, people who like to get stuff done and get on with it. Work hard, play hard, don’t mess around with crap. Life is short. Get what you need and nothing else.
Our motto: Buy good stuff and keep it a long time
We find good stuff to buy and do, and we let you know about it.
You work hard, you play hard. Don’t waste money on junk.
Save time, save money, shop right.
We’ll tell you how to get stuff done faster, buy it cheaper, and enjoy the time you save doing something fun.
We get right to the point, no fluff. We won’t load you up with every damn thing out there… just the good stuff you need that works like it should.
And enjoy some of our other sites; ( there are a lot of them )
www.usechecklists.com for safety and efficiency
www.bestpilotguide.com tips, information, links, about and for pilots
www.cashforest.com making money online, info, reviews, tips, links
Time; our greatest resource time management, inspiration
www.livingpictures.org network photo magazine, all clean content
www.zikkety-zak.com humor
www.duhnews.biz comedy, political satire from the Department of Understanding Humans (D.U.H.)
hundreds of videos, more than 100 playlists, dozens of subjects, education, entertainment
Buy USED items to save money and planet
Posted on February 5, 2010
Save the planet from waste -- buy USED items if you can
Save the planet from waste -- buy USED items if you can
Have you ever been to a landfill or “dump” and seen what’s discarded there every day?
It could shock you. I know someone who lived near a “dump” in a small wealthy town. He made thousands of dollars a year selling stuff he got for free on Ebay.
In USA, in particular, consumer waste is downright frightening. Aside from the fact that many metal and plastic items will survive in landfills for hundreds, if not thousands of years, the sheer waste is disgusting and sometimes dangerous. Buy, buy, buy, bye-bye. That’s how it works in USA, Europe, and increasingly around the world. Among the consequences: wasted energy, materials, oil ( many plastics use oil as one ingredient ), destruction of the environment, smells, dangerous chemicals released into soil and water……and much more.
One way to fight this trend is to buy, whenever possible, used products. Our world economy has created uncounted billions of products that often last a long time, but are quickly discarded into landfills that will last for hundreds, or thousands, of years. For example, television sets. A good TV will last a long, long time. I have one that is over 20 years old, still works fine. And, when our large screen TV failed after only 3 years, instead of buying a new one for 800 USD, I bought a smaller, used one for 10 dollars. I hardly notice the difference. My quality of life and personal enjoyment has not decreased at all. I haven’t bought a new car in over 20 years, but I get where I’m going just fine, and comfortably at that. My current car is a Mercedes Benz, but it’s 8 years old and has over 100,000 miles on it. I’ve owned it for 2 years and I love it, and I’ll keep it as long as it lasts.
Yet, manufacturers build new models of many products and cars every year in an effort to satisfy the insatiable demand for the latest gadgets. A well made and maintained automobile can last 20 to 30 years, or even longer in some cases. Nevertheless, millions and millions of them get discarded and crushed up each year. Countless other products will also last a long time if taken care of. So, as often as possible, buy USED consumer products. That frees up your money to pay down debt, buy other things you need, like food, or simply work less hours. Working less means having more time, and time is priceless.
If you’re running a small business and need office furniture or equipment, you can bet your last dollar there are plenty of used items out there that will save you a ton of money. Things you may need that are available used in huge quantities include; chairs, desks, shelving, file cabinets, copiers, tools, fixtures, lamps….. the list is endless. Now, if you save money on a desk or file cabinets, you can afford to buy new technology to give you an edge in speed and productivity. I recommend Apple products, like the iPhone, iMac, and so on. Ever since I switched to Mac computers, I have almost uninterrupted use without any hassles. Sure, I paid a bit more, but so what. My productivity increased enormously. Oh, and my Apple laptop I got refurbished. It’s still running fine almost 4 years later. I use it every day.
Watch the video to learn about how a different attitude toward value and “investment”, will put you way ahead. And, learn about saving tons of money on used items like tools. You can get stuff for pennies on the dollar, even free, and sell them, keep them, or share them.
The value of living simply
Posted on July 18, 2009
“Live simply, that others may simply live.”
Temple in Manikaran, India
Ever wonder why most of the earth’s greatest teachers lived very simple lives ?
Time. More time.
If you live simply there is more time to spend on everything, such as:
contemplation, recreation, health, education, family, appreciation, writing, teaching, creating, and rest.
For everything we own or posess physically or mentally, some time must be spent attending to it, fixing it, protecting it, worrying about it, and of course, paying for it, and finally, discarding it.
There’s nothing wrong with having abundant property. It’s a practical matter. We should know what the true cost of possessions is, and determine if it’s worth it. How much stuff do we really need to be content and function efficiently in our work ? At what point does owning things become more a burden than it’s worth ?
Many wise people figured this out a long time ago. Live simply, efficiently, thoughtfully. You’ll enjoy your life much more that way.
“Yeah, but modern life isn’t like that, I gotta have a lot of stuff”
To some extent that’s true, but there are many options:
For example, one can often rent or borrow things they like to use, but use rarely. Instead, in our culture everyone has the same tool or object in their house or garage, gathering dust. For example, a lawnmower. Used once a week or so, for a couple of hours. Cost: Buy, store, maintain, repair, clean, and eventually discard.
Okay, so maybe we need a good lawnmower. But what about all that other stuff we have that we haven’t used in 3 years, stuff we have totally forgotten about that were once so special we bought them ?
Another example; many people dream of owning a boat. Then they get one and it costs so much time and effort to use it, store it, insure it, that after a few exciting uses it sits in the garage or yard, eventually to be sold to another dreamer. A larger family can buy a boat or camper, and they all share it’s use and cost. In Aviation, collective ownership of an expensive aircraft is common. Why not apply the principle to other things, like riding mowers, beach homes, cabins, vacation properties, etc.
If you’ve never done so, spend a few hours at a local landfill transfer station and watch what people throw away these days. It will amaze you. I had a friend who used to sell stuff on Ebay that he got for free at the local dump. He found an item once that he sold for 4,000 dollars. He made many thousands per year just doing that.
The fact that there’s a huge industry devoted to getting rid of the stuff we no longer want should tell us something about ourselves as a culture.
If you need some cash quickly, take a good look around your house or neighborhood. You can find something to sell on Ebay for a “buy it now” price. Or, go to your town dump on a Saturday morning, especially in the springtime, and you could make hundreds of dollars a week extra, working from home.
In business, simplicity is also very valuable.
For example, many start-up companies buy a whole bunch of junk they don’t need, like luxury furniture, or top of the line, new equipment, or they rent a big office. That can cause problems. Young businesses in particular need to keep it simple.
Get what you really need, and use it well. When the cash starts coming in, think carefully about where the money goes. Do you really need a new computer, car, office ?
Give away things and time
One of the most powerful assets successful businesses have is goodwill. It’s impossible to measure but it can sustain a business for a very long time. If as a person, and in your business, you give generously and sincerely, the goodwill you create is magnetic to customers and other associates. Trust. To get it, give.
In an era of highway robbery, false claims, shot-gun style advertising, people stand out clearly when they pause, listen, and respond to their customers, suppliers, and employees. Be different, be real.
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