I know this is not normally your thing, but I am just starting to use Liquid Ledger as my finance software, and I would really like to know what you think. Any chance of you reviewing it (have you already done so?).

I am so madly in love with Real Simple. I find that leafing through it each month spawns more projects and next actions than any other thing I do. It gives me a hour or so each month to indulge my shamelessly domestic side.

I used to use the cooking/recipe section most of all, but it’s a lot less applicable to me now that I’ve gone vegan.

If Air Canada is supposed to charge $2 for a blanket and pillow, my flirting-with-stewardesses skill is mighty, as they’ve given me a flying bed for free as recently as last month.

I’m guilty of taking out small amounts of cash frequently, but I find I’m better at controlling my spending if I actually have to look at the declining stack of bills in my wallet.

Thank you for the post. I decided a while back that I would ignore Real Simple because it seemed to promote consumerism as a solution to complexity - “buy this cool gadget and your life will be simpler” (Doubt it! You think that real Yogis needed a $120 yoga mat?!) The article has some good tips - so I may give the source another peak.

my tips would be: - get a friend who works for and ISP to give you free broadband internet - get your wife to get a second job - pay the minimum amount of rent you possibly can by living in a 1940’s era house in the outer suburbs an hour’s drive from work. - don’t ever give your dad back any of the $12k he leant you when you bought your car. - use contraception in the early period of your marriage so you don’t have two kids before you’re ready… d-oh!! didn’t quite make it on that one. - don’t ever go on holidays so you won’t be tempted to eat out while you’re there. - if you have to holiday either a) camp but don’t put any money in the box, or b) join your parent’s in law at their cabin in the country. - try to eat as much meat as you can when you visit your parent’s house for weekly family dinner… that way you don’t have to buy it yourself. - likewise for beer. - have friends who are willing to give you their ‘old’ pc’s when they upgrade. - get your sister to sign you up on the goverment-employee phone plan she has access to because she sometimes does work for a university. - NON-frequent trips to the ATM so you don’t get charged $2 each time you withdraw money.

This is something that I do. If I have to have money on me for some time, I make sure that most (if not all of it) is in larger bills. Psychologically, I’m more apt not to break a large bill than spend smaller bills. Also, I have to take the time to have the larger bills broken by someone, if I can even find someone that will do that.

I highly recommend the book Your Money or Your Life. It is a comprehensive way to learn what monetary value your current life energy hour is worth and how this is exchanged for things. Opens your eyes and empowers you to understanding the underlying dynamics of exchange.

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