Kind hearted people!!! - 1

Today my daughter was having severe cold and I wanted to get drumstick leaves for making soup. I saw few houses in my layout have Drumstick Trees..

I was thinking if I should go to the market to buy it or get help from one of the houses. I was totally hesitant. I made up my mind to get it from the neighbour, as I would be getting fresh from the trees.

When I asked a lady, she was totally happy and gave me enough.. She told that I can come back whenever I needed it.

People are ready to help.. Only that we should ask for help.. Trully a mountain wings moment for the day!

My daughter!

Climbing on grills

Nowadays my daughter is becoming naughtier! She has started climbing on the grill. I am really scared as she might climb over the kitchen balcony grill and she might fall.

Biting:

She has started biting me when ever she feels happy. After biting she laughs at me... She bites on my shoulder and hands... I dont know how to make her leave me.. I would do a baby bite and she would laugh and because she is laughing, I will escape...

Pink Shawl:

She always has a pink cotton shawl and bites it whenever she feels like mother feeding and its like a substitute for me.. She would pull it out from the clothes line before it dries.. Whenever she sees it somewhere, she would pick it up or if she is not able to reach it, she will turn into a devil and cry and demand and get it...

Oneday a neighbour of us had come home and she was wearing same type of shawl.

My little one went to her and was asking something politely (she doesnt talk yet, she shows her hands and says 'm.. m.. tha.. mm... thaaa....)... We couldnt make out what she was asking.. We thought it was the chair.. but then found it was the shawl. We gave her shawl.. Then she took it with a smile.

My God.. My daughter knows to behave infront of relatives..!

Thanks to God and my little sweetheart.

Old is gold - 1. Kattil (Bedstead)

My darling daughter is close to 1 and 1/2 and she does "susu" while sleeping. We dont use diapers as it disturbs her sleep.. She is not comfortable with that. She wets the bed and it gives a very bad smell...

People suggested of the rubber + soft bedspread that could be used on bedspread.

But we brought the old cot/bedstead(made of wooden frame and strings of thread) from our native. If she does "susu", it flows down through the holes... There are more advantages of this type of bed...

We get air circulation from underneath... So its good for our body.

Its easy to maintain..

Its of less cost...

Its easily portable and occupies less space.

It doesn't look stylish/modern... But I for its advantages, I feel OLD IS GOLD!!

Buying a vacuum cleaner...?

Because, I hate cleaning a vacuum cleaner... Why I am supposed to clean something which is expected to clean the house? A foul smell if trash is not removed periodically...

I think we should have bought only the basic model.. :(

It takes so much time to clean it... We paid 11K and already spending monthly 1 hr to clean it.. :( If we dont have a carpet floor, I dont think a vacuum cleaner is necessary...

A simple mop can solve the purpose... cheap, works without power, works faster, occupies less space at home... no need to clean the mop..

This happened to me - 2

This happened to be last week.. only then I thought of writing these experiences of mine...

A lady came to our door.. she said she is a nurse and told everyone in our apartment that they are giving Swine flu vaccination as per the government rules... She told the actual vaccination cost would be Rs.850 and the government subsidised rate would be Rs.200/-

I called my friend to verify the costs... she said the rates are fine.. I asked how to believe them... She told me that to call the doctors name in the form they had given... I called the doctor but he was not responding...

The lady said that the doctor could be busy...

I trusted the lady... I called my husband as he had many times told me not to believe these people.. Again he told me not to believe.. I thought she could be true and was very much angried with my husband...

Anyway I said No to the lady as I didnt want to end up in trouble not listening to my hubby's words... Then, I checked with the Arogya Rakshane JanaSeva Samithi Trust in google... There was no much news... I started wondering, if Govt has said to this, then it should have come in local news and should be available on INTERNET...

But I came across this...

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/139071/banner-300x250.swf

Note : In this news it was Arogya Rakshane Seva Samithi Trust

The only difference being JANA included in the name now...

Later I googled for D.H.O (District Health officer) and enquired if there is any vaccination going on for SWINE flu... He said NO... He asked me if I could register a complaint... Looks like they had already done it.. but he again needed support from local people.. :(

I said YES to him... But I couldnt do.. As I couldnt take her to the local police station!

But then... I told my friends in the same layout...

God knows whom to trust and whom not too....

This happened to me - 1

Once we wanted to buy a Electric sprayer to our farm... I called up and enquired.. The person said it would cost Rs.2000 if I buy it in bulk.. I was so happy to hear this... I called my husband and said the news... Since the Cost of the of it was Rs4000 outside, we were so happy and we decided to buy it bulk and share it with friends and relatives...

Later my husband went to the shop... He said only the ordinary motor sprayer is Rs.2000 and the electric sprayer will be Rs.4000 even if we buy it in bulk...

Really felt bad that day... :( I wonder how people try to outsmart us...

Hinderances to Frugality - 1

Lack of proper support!

If we dont have proper support, we feel left out/lonely/not recognized and left out... We get stress and we lose our happiness and finally end up doubting ourself... I am writing this because, I myself go to this doubt... Later I convince myself... ;)

So.. Better try and get proper support...

Luckily both my parents and in-laws support Frugality!

Psychology Behind Grocery Store Design

http://frugalforlife.blogspot.com/2009/06/psychology-behind-grocery-store-design.html

"The Millionaire Next Door"

My husband gifted me a good book... Worth reading...!

These lines are from the book, "The Millionaire Next Door"

All too often young people are indoctrinated with the belief that "those who have money spend lavishly" and "if you don't show it, you don't have it." Could you imagine the media hyping the frugal lifestyle of the typical American millionaire? What would the results be? Low TV ratings and lack of readership, because most people who build wealth in America are hard working, thrifty, and not at all glamorous. Wealth is rarely gained through the lottery, with a home run, or in quiz show fashion. But these are the rare jackpots that the press sensationalizes.

Best motivational lines for myself!! :)

Trip to Ankola

Trip to ankola.. :) Booked the coupons for the resort through mydala.com!

The total expenditure was 6500 for a couple! ;) It was worth the fun and the refreshment we had.. Rain, beach, a small trek, falls, hill station!

Had a lovely weekend! Thanks to my husband and friends(including the one who booked the ticket, lending car seat for my daughter)!

Real estate prices for 20 years

Is real estate skyrocketing? I got stressed and thought of putting my own calculation... how the rates of the flat will be after 20 years...

As of now, the rate of our flat fits this calculation... let me check it after 10 years...

Number of year 25Lakh flat Rate of inflation Year

1 2,500,000 12% 2008

2 2,800,000 12% 2009

3 3,136,000 12% 2010

4 3,512,320 12% 2011

5 3,933,798 12% 2012

6 4,405,854 12% 2013

7 4,934,557 12% 2014

8 5,526,704 12% 2015

9 6,189,908 12% 2016

10 6,932,697 12% 2017

11 7,764,621 12% 2018

12 8,696,375 12% 2019

13 9,739,940 12% 2020

14 10,908,733 12% 2021

15 12,217,781 12% 2022

16 13,683,914 12% 2023

17 15,325,984 12% 2024

18 17,165,102 12% 2025

19 19,224,914 12% 2026

20 21,531,904 12% 2027

Save 5% easily without cutting down expenses

We usually buy groceries in the small stores nearby.

Bigger Super Market means Bigger profit margin to meet their expenses. All the big retail stores give us only at the rate of MRP.

The small stores always give us a good discount of 5% on most of the products. We shop groceries for minimum Rs.5000. For 12 months it comes to Rs.60,000.

5% discount on Rs.60000 is Rs.3000/-

So, Save 5% easily without cutting down expenses.

Buying Gold - Worst experience with Joyalukkas

Yesterday (Sunday) we went to the new showroom @ MGRoad to buy a diamond stud for our daughter. The collection was good. They explained me types of diamond and the customer service was good.

We selected a piece. They told me its worth 60K but they have a promotional offer now and they are ready to sell it for 54K.

I asked if he can reduce the rate further! We said we want it around 50K.. Later he asked some details like if we are the first to buy in the show and he said he would give another special discount and he would give it for 48K. I was shocked..!!

Later we asked him to mentioned the weight and rate of gold and diamond.. he made a work out and gave a printout for 48K. I said I want more discount.. He said he already gave me so much discount.. I asked how? Because based on the weight and rate of gold and diamond it comes to only 48K... (dont forget wastage and making charge was 22% of cost)

I asked him would he take my piece back for 60K if I want to sell it.. he said no.. its worth only 48K.. then I asked him where he has given my the discount..? He said its actually worth 60K... but for us he is giving for 48K.. and if we bring it back he would take it for same rate...

I was totally disappointed.. :( What? Do he think we are fools? He will keep one MRP and then say a discount and even after that the selling price wont be worth the gold we are buying..

Is there any regulators? Whom should we contact to check if its worth what we are buying?

If anyone knows.. please let me know...

But the problem with these jewellers is they have good marketing people. They say they give you a huge discount. They make us buy things.

Teaching children about money - 2

My next target were these words...

Credit and debit
Investment
Loans
Retirement
Insurance
Taxes

I found it little tough to explain about insurance and taxes.. :( I explained investment.. but dont know how far she understood it

Teaching children about money - 1

Write down these important terms in a chart (Craft work) and write our own explanation to help children understand better.

Income and expense
Necessities and Luxury items
Saving
Budgeting


Today I tried this with our neighbour.. She is 7 years old.. She was very fast than I. :) (Again, I proved to be dull headed)

If they find it difficult to understand I left the space blank. We can teach them again, and then we can fill it up.

My biggest Financial mistakes - 1

I bought KOUTONS RETAIL after reading recommendations from ICICIDIRECT. I didnt dig into the details... I didn't do any research...

I invested 45,000... Now I hardly got 4500. 90% of my Money gone!! :(

I should have listened to my Dad's words.. :( Not to buy in bulk and Not to go by recommendations!!

Have anyone made such a huge profit by reading recommendations?

People are getting paid to give wrong recommendations! :(

Lesson 1 : Do research before buying. Dont buy in bulk, just because somebody has recommended...!