Lack of money can be a great opportunity for Creativity
For 23 years I had a career that allowed me to live without having to worry about money. I raised my kids as a single mother, provided all necessities and most non-essentials (don't let them tell you that I was always buying plants and compost instead of food...).
Since I retired last December, my income reduced by 2/3rds. That is a significant decrease especially for someone who wants to pick and choose when or whether she works.
One thing this reduction in income has showed me is that I can be really creative when it comes to funding non-essential purchases. For instance, my friend's birthday is coming soon and I would normally go out and drop a wad of money on something that she probably wouldn't use very often. Instead, I'm putting together a myriad of gifts gathered and made which will cost me next to nothing.
A good place to start is with all those boxes of nick nacks that everyone has stashed away somewhere. I have two large eaves in the upstairs of my house where I packed away boxes and boxes of things anticipating that I would trade them out as whim dictated. Several years later, the same items are still packed away in the same boxes. I guess that means I really didn't need them that badly.
Secondly, I consider myself quite artistic when it comes to certain talents. Oh, I couldn't draw a portrait of anyone if my life depended on it (if you need confirmation, check out Miho Yagi's profile picture on Facebook, bless her heart). However, I do some great things with bleach, ink, leaves, and something to print on be it material or paper. I also own every scrapbooking supply known to (wo)mankind. This makes it fun and easy to create gifts.
Thirdly, I love to cook! This gave me the idea of cooking and freezing things that I know my friend wouldn't do for herself. Wouldn't you just love to have several packages of pre-cooked lentils, rice, or beans in your freezer? So easy to open and create a fast meal or toss into your reusable bag for a healthy lunch.
The fourth idea cost a little bit of money but it has a large impact. I donated to a small business on indiegogo.com in her name and had the donation acknowledgment sent to her. I think this is such a great idea...it helps entrepreneurs realize their dreams and means so much more than the cost of the donation. Please consider this when you are creating your holiday gift list. Kickstarter.com is another website and every charity has gifting opportunities.
Just in case my friend looks at this blog, I won't add any photos of actual gifts until after her birthday. Stay tuned for photos of just how creative I can be!
Since I retired last December, my income reduced by 2/3rds. That is a significant decrease especially for someone who wants to pick and choose when or whether she works.
One thing this reduction in income has showed me is that I can be really creative when it comes to funding non-essential purchases. For instance, my friend's birthday is coming soon and I would normally go out and drop a wad of money on something that she probably wouldn't use very often. Instead, I'm putting together a myriad of gifts gathered and made which will cost me next to nothing.
A good place to start is with all those boxes of nick nacks that everyone has stashed away somewhere. I have two large eaves in the upstairs of my house where I packed away boxes and boxes of things anticipating that I would trade them out as whim dictated. Several years later, the same items are still packed away in the same boxes. I guess that means I really didn't need them that badly.
Secondly, I consider myself quite artistic when it comes to certain talents. Oh, I couldn't draw a portrait of anyone if my life depended on it (if you need confirmation, check out Miho Yagi's profile picture on Facebook, bless her heart). However, I do some great things with bleach, ink, leaves, and something to print on be it material or paper. I also own every scrapbooking supply known to (wo)mankind. This makes it fun and easy to create gifts.
Thirdly, I love to cook! This gave me the idea of cooking and freezing things that I know my friend wouldn't do for herself. Wouldn't you just love to have several packages of pre-cooked lentils, rice, or beans in your freezer? So easy to open and create a fast meal or toss into your reusable bag for a healthy lunch.
The fourth idea cost a little bit of money but it has a large impact. I donated to a small business on indiegogo.com in her name and had the donation acknowledgment sent to her. I think this is such a great idea...it helps entrepreneurs realize their dreams and means so much more than the cost of the donation. Please consider this when you are creating your holiday gift list. Kickstarter.com is another website and every charity has gifting opportunities.
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