Relationships

Tips to Help Single Parents Achieve Financial Freedom

December 17, 2020 by Joi Leave a Comment

As a single parent, you are the sole breadwinner of your family. You need to provide your family with the basic needs, privileges, and even luxuries if possible. With financial responsibilities lying on your shoulders, it can be stressful. How can you get the place of financial freedom as a single parent? When you get here, you will be able to afford all the things you want and have investments that are paying back, plus your debts will be a thing of the past. Would this not make you happy? Here are a few tips that will help you get the financial freedom you need.

Set Goals

It is said that not having a plan is planning to fail. This is particularly true in finance matters. If you do not have a goal, you will end up spending money on unimportant things while the important ones get sidelined. Set both short-term and long-term goals. It is important to write down the goals for reference purposes.

Just setting goals is not enough. You need a clear plan on how to achieve each goal. Think of the steps you can take towards achieving your goals and create a clear plan on how you will do it. Remember to be realistic with your plans. You can set a high goal and you will achieve it only if you have a realistic plan.

Prioritize and Be Realistic

It is important to be real with yourself. Whether you are just from a divorce or a loved spouse that has passed on, you need to move on from how things used to be. Look at how much money you earn. What are your needs? These should be given priority. For instance, the safety of your children is very important. Buying a double front door will make your home safer and more appealing. On the other hand, a visit to the amusement park every now and then is not necessary. Prioritize needs before wants.

It is pointless to plan and hope for things you cannot afford. Be realistic with what you can afford and only buy these. With being realistic comes contentment and less stress.

Cut Unnecessary Costs

If you evaluated your life, you would find that there are so many unnecessary costs. Do you really need to leave the hallway lights on while you are in the house? This can save you a lot in energy bills. There are so many other ways you can cut costs. From changing the schools your children attend to reducing the groceries. Evaluate your life and wherever you can reduce cost, do it. This will give you more money to work on essentials and savings.

Avoid Costly Mistakes

There are many money mistakes you can make but some are costlier than others. Avoid mistakes that can kill your aim of being financially free. Things like legal issues and unwanted car or house expenses can be really costly and will only waste your money.

These roadblocks to reaching financial security are some of the things you need to avoid. Mistakes that will cost you a lot of money will derail your journey towards achieving financial freedom.

Save for Emergencies and Goals

Financial freedom is about having investments and savings. Savings help attain goals and make investments. Start saving as early as you can for your planned goals and you will surely attain financial freedom. How much should you save? The correct answer to this is “as much as you can.” Save a lot at a time and you will achieve goals faster.

Saving for emergencies is also important. You never know when a family member may fall ill and you need to be prepared. There are many other emergencies that may arise so it is best to have an emergency kitty set aside specifically for this. Define what emergencies are so you do not take out the money unnecessarily.

Another good reason to save is to help you get out of debt. To be financially free, you need to stay away from debt. By saving you can decrease your debt to zero in a short time.

With the above tips, you will soon realize your financial freedom. What will you do once you get there? Here is a useful guide on what to do after reaching financial independence. You need to be prepared for your new life. Enjoy it!

Signs of the Times or….. Just Bad Manners?

November 8, 2019 by Joi Leave a Comment

I’m a student of people and their behavior. Whether it’s a rude person I encounter online or a sweet, talkative girl in the line Starbucks (with an adorable Canadian accent I could have listened to all day), people fascinate me.

I’ve noticed a few changes lately in temperament. I realize it’s ridiculous to talk in generalities, so let me preface it by saying that these observations don’t mean that EVERYONE (thanks be to God!) is falling victim to these traits.

Just enough people to make it noticeable.

Rudeness

So many people have become so rude and inconsiderate that they’re looking and acting less and less… well… human. How about celebrities, politicians, and others on social media that spout off insensitive opinions that aren’t just ridiculous, they’re downright hurtful? They come across as though they haven’t an ounce of tact or consideration whatsoever.

It’s not just celebs, politicians, or rude people on social media, of course. There are also the rude drivers, shoppers, workers… the list goes on.

Thankfully, kind people still outnumber the jerks. A while back, I mentioned on Twitter that I had the flu and bronchitis (yes… at once.. I’m an overachiever) and I heard from many people wishing me a speedy recovery. Even closer to home, my family went out of their way to make me feel better — checking on me, waiting on me, and showing their love and concern in many ways. In spite of coming close to my germs.

Among all of the “crusty” individuals in the world today, it’s always good to see that plenty of hearts haven’t been hardened.

Selfishness

Another trait that’s becoming rampant is selfishness. Fewer people will go out of their way to help another person than ever. I’ll be the first to say that everyone should try very hard to help themselves, hence the name of my blog: Self Help Daily. But sometimes that’s just not possible. It hurts to see so many people wrapped up in their own world that they can’t even see other people’s needs.

You see it in store and restaurants all the time. A child makes noise (news flash: children do such things!!!) and grown adults within earshot act like they have been personally attacked. Heaven forbid they actually smile at the child and the adults working feverishly to quiet him or her. It’d be a much better look than scowling in their direction every ten seconds.

I also see self-absorption online on a regular basis and, again, social media is making it (in my opinion) more of an epidemic than it it an inconvenience. 20 years ago, it’d would seem so STRANGE for someone to spend upwards of 30 minutes getting “just the right picture of themselves,” then taking said picture (the best of the bunch, of course) and showing it to everyone in their family, all of their friends, and everyone in town.

We’d have thought they were nuts! But today, it’s the norm. Back then, we’d have thought, “They must think they’re pretty cute to want to show themselves off,” but today it’s “normal.”

Well…. supposedly it is.

Selfies do not make individuals selfish or self-oriented, obviously. However, they are a clear indication that our society is more ME-focused than it has ever been before.

Work-a-haulics

Due to the economy, it seems that a lot of people are working themselves into a fevered pitch. They’re trying to do half a million things at once (maybe that explains the cranks). There’s nothing wrong, of course, with pushing yourself to get the most from life. The thing is, very often when you’re pushing yourself, you’re pushing others around you who…well…don’t want to be pushed. When we overestimate all that we can conceivably do, we start handing out our “to do’s” to other people. It’s as though we take our own to do list and tear it into fourths. We know we can’t do all of it, so we hand it out to others – basically creating their to do lists for them. As though they don’t have their own lists!

When we get to that point, it’s either time to barter for favors with them, or realize that we’re spreading ourselves way too thin.

I started thinking about these Human To Do lists when I read about a woman who was furious with her husband for not doing everything she’d left on his “list.” When asked why she thought he didn’t get to them, she said he’d “probably blame it on” the fact that he had two jobs.

Probably!

It may sound like a line from Little House on the Prairie, and for that I apologize, but we should all remind ourselves of the Golden Rule. We should treat others the way we’d want to be treated. No ifs. No ands. No buts. And certainly no butts.

Is Graciousness a Dying Trait?

October 6, 2019 by Joi 1 Comment

I have always, always loved graciousness. I think it’s one of the most beautiful traits a person can have. By contrast, an ungrateful person exhibits such ugliness that it’s difficult to look at them.

When I’ve written a positive book review and the author takes the time to e-mail me or leave a comment on the blog, I mark them down as an author I will forever seek out. Graciousness is often a sign of having a great deal of class. Do I write reviews for this gratitude? Of course not. I write them in an effort to share a book, cookbook, or product that I believe will benefit others.

A few months ago, I wrote a review for a kitchen gadget on my Recipe Blog. They sent me a Starbucks gift card in a thank you card! They earned my love and lifetime devotion with that gesture. Quite frankly, I am just as touched by a “Thanks!” as anything, though. Yes, even as much as Starbucks bucks.

I started thinking more about graciousness recently while reading a “Reader’s Choice Awards” section in a paper from a nearby city. It struck me as quite an honor to have the citizens of your community award you the distinction as being the “best.” Can you imagine? How cool! If I were a business owner, and were given that highest of honors, I would be bursting with so much love and gratitude, I’d come up with a special offer or gift – you know, something to give a hug back.

I started looking at the ads throughout the magazine-style section. There were 121 of them. Each, of course, said something like THANK YOU! and THANK YOU FOR VOTING US BEST FOR 5 YEARS IN A ROW!, etc. However, I was shocked to see that only 10 even offered some sort of a coupon or discount as a gesture of their gratitude. 10 out of 121. Wow. Most seemed to just give off the vibe of, “Of course you voted us the best – we ARE the best!”

The one – literally one – that stood out in the crowd was a Children’s Boutique that offered a free gift when their ad was brought into their store. It wasn’t even a “with purchase” type of thing. The owner (a lady with an understanding of graciousness) just wanted to hug back.

I hope she doesn’t feel lonely up there at the top.

Below are some of my favorite quotes about graciousness:

“Gratitude is the memory of the heart.” – J.B. Massieu

“Silent gratitude isn’t very much use to anyone.” – G.B. Stern

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward

“Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that thankfulness is indeed a virtue.” – William J. Bennett

“Realize that when you get older, you either get senile or become gracious. There’s no in-between. You become senile when you think the world short-changed you, or everybody wakes up to screw you. You become gracious when you realize that you have something the world needs, and people are happy to see you when you come into the room.” – Carlos Santana

Fun Website for Dog Lovers

March 31, 2019 by Joi Leave a Comment

I talk a lot about animals on this self help blog. They star in my quote graphics, they’re featured on Self Help Daily’s Twitter page frequently (as well as my own personal Twitter page). There are three reasons for this…

The human on this side of the blog absolutely loves animals to distraction. I just get totally lost while looking into the face of an animal, bird, dolphin, shark, or even spider. Yes… I love spiders, too. Phenomenal little workers!
Animals are, bar none, the best therapists on the planet. I recommend rescue pets so often in my articles you’d think I WAS a rescue pet. Whether it’s loneliness, empty nest syndrome, grief, or simply a case of pursuing more happiness…. very, very, very often animals are the answer and the question is irrelevant.
The more attention we animal lovers bring to animals, the more we can help them. While they certainly have voices (my cats particularly love proving this around 3:00 am), they don’t possess the vocabulary to tell humans around the world that they deserve to be treated with love, kindness, and respect. They don’t have the words to say, “If you let me into your life, I’ll give you more joy than you ever thought possible!” They rely on us to get the word out!

Abraham Lincoln said it best, “I care not for a man’s religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it.” Love that!

I’d love to tell you about a website for dog lovers – Diamond Pup.com. The website covers dog food, health, grooming, accessories, apparel (you won’t believe how adorable the pictures are!), breeds, behavior, training, bedding, supplements, and a lot more.

Recent articles include…

Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tails?

Tips and Tricks to Make Being Home Alone Less Stressful for Your Dog.

How Your Dog’s Behavior Can Change with Age.

Teach Your Dog to Stop Begging for Food.

What is Small Dog Syndrome and How to Deal With it.

10 Oldest Dog Breeds in the World.

Do Dogs Feel Guilt? Everything You Need to Know.

It’s just a really well-done website for dog lovers and I know you’ll enjoy it.

See Diamond Pup.com for all the dog information and adorable dog pictures you can stand! ~ Joi

Meet Stanley the Cat

September 27, 2018 by Joi Leave a Comment

I just wrote a book review on my cat blog and I wanted to share the book with you as well. (You can click through the link to learn more about this delightful book.)

Lessons from Stanley the Cat: Nine Lives of Everyday Wisdom is the little book in question. Basically, this book is a loving tribute to the author’s cat, Stanley, served up with endless warm humor and love.

You might think this wouldn’t be a “fit” for Self Help Daily, but – to be fair – you aren’t familiar with Stanley yet.

This book is a clever collection of lessons we can learn from cats. As a cat lover who has been surrounded by incredible cats her entire life, even I never fully realized all they have to teach us!

Below is one of my favorite “lessons.”

Do not be intimidated by bigger people or creatures. Be amused by them, and let them know that your curiosity is more powerful than their size.

People who carry big sticks and stomp loudly are usually trying to cover up for some major sense of inadequacy. You are not your physical size; you are the size of your character. When you are around people or creatures that make a huge point of demonstrating their physical proportions or material largesse, simply be entertained or even amused by their exaggerated performance.

If you can enjoy their inflated self-importance, they will probably relax because you are accepting them and making them feel secure. Then you might get a word in edgewise. – Page 35, Lessons from Stanley the Cat: Nine Lives of Everyday Wisdom

I love the way the author (Jennifer Freed) words that: “physical proportions or material largesse.” So many people do love to try to lord over others by emphasizing the size of their body or bank account. While they can drive you crazy and sometimes make your blood boil, she and Stanley make an excellent point. What if they emphasize these traits so strongly – and often exaggerate them – because they fear that it’s all they’ve got?!

The book is filled with wisdom like this, accompanied by some of the most adorable illustrations you’ve ever seen in a book. I highly recommend this one. HIGHLY!

Seduction is just the practice of artful stretching.
Never let people know how fast you are. Appear slow in all things, and less is expected of you. When someone is on the computer too long, help them by distracting them, or walk lightly on their keyboard.

So advises Stanley, a remarkably astute cat with a keen eye for the important things in life. Perhaps you don’t have time for yoga, can’t afford therapy, or wouldn’t dare cry to mother. If so, let Stanley be your guide. Lessons from Stanley the Cat offers wise and witty maxims from Stanley himself, translated by his doting psychotherapist (human) parent, Jennifer Freed. Whether you’re a cat lover or prefer companions of the canine variety, Stanley’s warmth and insight are sure to brighten even the grayest days.

Lessons from Stanley the Cat: Nine Lives of Everyday Wisdom would make a perfect gift for cat lovers in your life. It’s a very, very fun little book and surprisingly insightful.

Then again, how could it not be? It’s Stanley after all – he’s the cat’s meow.

Tips to Help Single Parents Achieve Financial Freedom