Counting the Cents in an Organised Way

Are you fed up hearing of doom and gloom … of the tough economic climate? Why not turn the thought around and think positive? Positive-thinking is far healthier for the soul. How about starting with how you can save money? Being more organised is one way. But how?

Being organised saves you money and looking after those cents certainly helps the dollars look after themselves. The purchase of a new fridge of say $1200 requires thought, time and investigation but when you go to the supermarket and spend a third of the amount, do you give that task a third thinking time … NO and that’s where the saving can be made. Not so much on the larger outgoings, as we give them more thought, but on the smaller costs – $15 for lunch here and $20 for the trip out there.

We all need help and support to move forward in life and Katy Macpherson from organising solutions company, Kinetica, is able to give just that. Twenty years in the UK corporate world of pharmaceuticals along with an inherent love of organisation, lead Katy to take a new career direction in Professional Organisation, once arriving in New Zealand five years ago.

Here are Kinetica’s top ten organising tips to retain those notes in your wallet:-

1. Plan your week. Now you might be thinking how does that save money? Well think about how many trips you have to make into town – if you diary the date/time to go to town and list all the things needed to be done, you can maximise your time and reduce the petrol costs and have that business meeting whilst you are there. Car pool where you can. Organise rosters for taking children to after-school activities.

2. Plan your meals. Similarly planning what you have to eat over the week means less trips to the supermarket (reducing petrol costs and saving time), less wastage and more economical meals. Put thinking time into your grocery shopping – it’s a huge expense.

3. Check your bills. Careful checking of an invoice can reveal miscalculations and errors. Check your power bill, especially at rate-change times. Or read the meter, because the power company may not, and waiting until the bill eventually arrives may cost you tens of dollars.

4. Use both sides of paper. If you don’t want to print both sides, then tear up into quarters and staple for use as a notepad by the telephone. Use every piece of paper and recycle when done.

5. Think multipurpose. If you need to purchase a new item, think how else it could be used. Be creative with your ideas so you can save space, time and money.

6. Make your own lunch. How much does it cost you to buy that prepared sandwich in the plastic non-recyclable wrapping from the deli? How much healthier and more delicious would lunch be if the sandwich was home-made at a fraction of the cost and the re-useable sectioned lunch box also contained scrummy home-baking (made in the time you saved by planning your week) and yummy fruit (bought at your weekly supermarket trip)? Start tomorrow.

7. On-sell unused goods. Declutter your home and sell all the items you no longer use. Today there are so many outlets online, through local fundraising groups and local businesses. Take every opportunity you can and strike the best deal. Recycle the rest.

8. Make your own gift cards. Re-use cards sent for special occasions and birthdays, Cut out the graphic and spend your winter evenings sticking to blank card. Make sure the size stays within the dimensions of the lowest postal rate!

9. Get creative in the kitchen. Dig out three tins of food that have been in the pantry for too long – and get creative in the kitchen.

10. Use your diary. Your diary is your key to organisation, whether on paper or electronic. Use it for reminders to save you money. For example, order firewood early, send overseas Christmas cards using economic rate and read the power metre on the rate change day.

Now that is all so easy to keep some of those well earned dollars in your wallet – it’s just like a pay rise! Visit the Health in Harmony website for more details.

Kinetica offers bespoke packages to suit clients’ individual organisational needs whether at home or in the office, offering flexibility for everyone’s budget. Free help and support is available outside the organising sessions by monthly email organising tips. Sign up today by visiting www.kinetica.co.nz

To help you keep those dollars in the wallet, Kinetica is offering a 22% discount on a Needs Assessment. A representative will visit your home or office for a one hour organisation assessment. The visit will be followed by an action plan and six weekly telephone calls as you work through the organisation process. All for $140+gst. Offer is valid for August & September 2009 and for Wanaka area residents only. Show this page to qualify for the discount.

Keep counting those cents.

Author:Katy Macpherson runs office and home organising consultancy Kinetica. She’s available to help you get your paper in order with a personalised consultation. Contact Katy today: 03 443 6224, 021 154 5511, katy@kinetica.co.nz or check out www.kinetica.co.nz