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Category: How To

How to Create a Budget in 10 Minutes

Posted on February 17, 2015February 13, 2015 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Budgeting isn’t sexy. It’s not even fun. But it is necessary.

So many people seem to be afraid of budgets. They run from them like it’s chasing them with a knife. But budgets can be your best friend. If that friend is there to help you succeed, hit your goals and retire comfortably.

Yes, budgets can do all that.

Budgets aren’t complicated either. In less than 10 minutes you should have a working budget to go off of. Don’t believe me? Then give yourself 10 minutes and try me.

Here’s my no fail guide on how to create a budget in 10 minutes.

Step One: Gather your bills. I’m assuming you know where your bill information is kept. So, if you can’t find them in less than 10 minutes then that’s not on me.

Grab a pen and paper or use Excel. I prefer Google Sheets because you can update it and check it from anywhere.

Step Two: Create a column for monthly bills. Another column marked for due date. A third one for the estimated amount due. Start filling in.

TIP: It’s best to calculate the monthly amount for quarterly or annual bills. That is how much you should be setting aside every month to cover that bill. For instance, you real property tax is $822 due by December 31st. If you are creating your budget in January then you need to take $822 divided by 12 months. You would get $68.50. You should be putting back $68.50 a month.

Now let’s say your tax is still $822 but you’re creating your budget in February. You will take $822 divided by 11 months to get $74.73. You should be putting that amount into a savings account each month.

This tip will help those type of bills from creeping up on you.

Once you have your bills entered in then you can move on to the next step.

This section is for your monthly bills and your debt. So to be sure to list out your credit cards, personal loans, car loans, etc.

Step Three: Other monthly spending should be accounted for. I’m talking about groceries, gas money, eating out, savings, retirement, etc. The easiest way to see how much you’re spending is by logging into your bank account. You can pull a month’s worth of charges and add them up for each category.

TIP: You need to lower these amounts if you find yourself in the red at the end of every month. If you’re spending $400 a month for groceries for two people then look at reducing it. You’ll have to shop smarter. I recommend keeping your calculator with you while at the store.

Step Four: Mark your income. You need to know about how much you have coming in every month. Don’t count on bonuses, just put your monthly salary down.

Step Five: Done. You should now be able to see how much you’re spending each month. This will also show how much you’re saving and how much you’re bringing in. If those numbers don’t line up then you need to lower your spending down. Cut in areas that won’t hurt you. Stop eating out as much. Opt for cooking at home. Cut your cable bill by lightening the channel lineup.

Like I said, budgeting is not sexy, but it’s necessary. You should always have an idea of how much you’re spending each month. If not, then you could run into some serious cash flow problems.

How to Find Your Dream in 10 Minutes

Posted on February 13, 2015February 13, 2015 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

This post isn’t for the girls (and guys) that skate by in life. This is for the ones that put themselves out there every single day. The ones that want need more out of life. I want talk to the dreamers and the up-all-nighters. The small business owners that have a 8-5 career. The ones that spend more than 40 hours a week on their passions.

Let’s be real for a second, can we? With today’s world things better be quick. We no longer like to wait in line at the coffee shop (did we ever LIKE to wait?). Wait for someone to respond to our text message. Have an email sit out in limbo while someone is out to lunch. We want answers and we want them now. We no longer think it’s acceptable to spend a lifetime working towards a goal only to get there and realize it’s not what we want. We need to be quick, follow our dreams and be willing to shift gears when the time is right.

Over the New Year I shared my goals with you, but I also shared how I would allow myself to change those goals if my priorities change. I think it’s important to allow some wiggle room with yourself. I’m not saying shifting your career every few months to something unrelated. I would never recommend that. I’m realistic and a planner, not crazy.

I do think people need to dream big. You need to reach for the stars then develop a plan to get there. You need to allow yourself a chance to make mistakes, change your direction and set sail again. You need to have a safety net to ensure you and your family will be okay. I also want to throw in about how you’re setting aside for your retirement (… start thinking of the future now!).

If you’re in a job that’s sucking the life out of you then you need to make plans, save your money and dig deep before jumping into the deep end. If you’re ready to make that leap and find out what drives you then keep reading.

I have a little game I like to play with myself sometimes to make sure I’m still on the right path. It takes only 10 minutes and in the end it helps you on how to find your dream.

It’s easy – here’s what you need:

-pen
-paper
-highlighter
– 10 minutes
– your favorite music
– a private space
– 1 giant cookie

Step One – Take 2 minutes to shut your mind down from what you were doing last. Shut down your writing for a minute, close your idea book, turn off the TV and get off Pinterest. Turn your favorite music, band, song on full blast. Let the music start to sway your body. Get up and dance or jump around to the music. Just like the famous one-hit wonder Kriss Kross said “Jump, jump. The Mac Dad will make ya jump, jump. A Daddy Mac will make ya jump, jump. Kris Kross will make ya Jump Jump.” After 2 songs you should be feeling pretty good and relaxed. This is why you want to be in a private space. If your dancing is anything like mine then it’s best to do when you’re all alone and no chance for a video leak.

Step Two – Turn down the music to an acceptable level. Pull out the pen and paper. Let your brain free flow for a about 5 minutes. Write down anything comes to mind. What do you want to do a year from now, 2 years from now? What makes you the happiest? What makes you sad and depressed? Do you want to be by the ocean, big city, or a small town? Try to free flow. If you need more than 5 minutes that’s okay. If you need a break to jam out some more to get your body and mind relaxed, then turn up the volume to 11.

Step Three – take a look at your list. Do you see an overwhelming theme? Grab your highlighter and mark what stands out. Did you write the same sort of thing more than once? Highlight it! This is what you should be doing, this is what will make you happy.

For me, it’s helping others. I dream of working in an office with a team assisting people reach their goals. I like organization, having fun every day and getting free time to travel and be with my family. I want to save animals and help those that can’t help themselves.

That may not sound like it screams what type of job I should be doing from my passions, but it does yell what I need to be avoiding. I don’t want to work by myself at the house, I want to be around people. I don’t want to help a big company that doesn’t see the everyday guy. I want to help families, individuals and small businesses with a hands on approach. I need to be spending time volunteering to help others and strays. This is the guide I need to be following.

Step Four – Eat your cookie and blast that stereo for one more song. Write a comment letting me know what you came up with. What are you passionate about? What’s your dream?

Now the final step is to sit down and create a plan for what this exercise uncovered. Be realistic with yourself. If your goal is to go to every amusement park in America but are afraid of roller coasters then you might need to re-do the exercise. BUT if you’re goal is to write, share your knowledge with others and help like-minded people then by all means write a plan. See how you can bring your talents to others – local, online, blogging, consulting. The Internet is your friend, my dear. Use it to help you get a plan together.

To end today’s post, I’d like to share a historical gem with you.

Don’t forget to share your dream with me!

Romantic Date Ideas That Don’t Break the Bank

Posted on February 11, 2015February 10, 2015 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

With Valentine’s Day just a few days away I thought now would be a great time to share some romantic date ideas with y’all. I’ve never been one to make a big deal out of Valentine’s Day. All I ask is that you just remember. I don’t need a fancy present, a dozen roses delivered to me at the office, or $100 dinner for you to show how much you care.

I dated a boy for a short time in college and I was clear that I didn’t want a gift or need to be taken to dinner. In mind it was a waste of money. But I guess I was too clear because the day came and gone, and I didn’t even get a “Happy Valentine’s Day babe” text, Facebook post, or phone call. I was livid, but being the logical person I am I realized it wasn’t the poor boy’s fault. It was mine. I kept saying “let’s not do anything for that stupid day. I don’t need a gift… save your money!”

In reality – I wanted the day to be acknowledged.

That boy is way out of the picture and I’ve been trying to be more clear with J. I still don’t need a gift or nice 5-course meal, but I do want to be told how much you love me and the day to be recognized.

Here are 5 awesome date ideas that won’t cost an arm and a leg to impress your significant other:

1) Cook dinner together at home

2) Book a couple’s massage at the local massage school – always cheaper and you can’t tip students here in Missouri – WIN!

3) Rent some Netflix movies and curl up in bed together for a sweet night

4) Serve your other half breakfast in bed

5) Write a note to one another with the top 5 things you love about them

In my mind, all 5 of these things could be done on Valentine’s Day together and they still wouldn’t cost you that much. I love being the romantic – let’s spoil each other but not spend too much money because that’s just depressing to spend money on non-necessities. One day I may be more of the sweep you off your feet, surprise me with a trip of a lifetime type girl, but that’s not me today.

What do you do for Valentine’s Day?

How I stay on top of it all

Posted on January 29, 2015January 20, 2015 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

I love being busy and having places to go. If my calendar was empty day-after-day then I’d probably be pretty depressed. I like staying busy. It makes me feel productive. But staying busy all the time has it’s drawbacks. Like… being too busy to remember to get gas in my car until I can only go 5 miles and the gas station is 7 from my house or being too busy to remember to fold the clothes in the dryer and my work shirts are wrinkled or being too busy to stop and smell the roses. Usually the only times I get sick is when my calendar is jammed packed.

I have a system that I’ve been working on for a few years now and I finally have it down to a science. I use Google calendar to manage my life outside of the office (or when a meeting takes me outside the office) and I use Google calendar to manage my family. I use Outlook to manage my daily tasks at work so I know what all I need to get done that day and if I can’t get to something it’s easy to just drag it over to another day. I use a paper journal for list making, idea keeping, and money tracking.

My journal goes everywhere with me. I explained how I like to use it to keep track of our extra income we get each month. But there are so many countless ways I use my journal. It’s my brain dump, catch all, no stopping information gathering place. I make lists then when I get to work or in front of my laptop I pull out my journal and figure out when and where I can get my lists done.

Journals are the best way to get things out of your head, down on paper and off your mind. Write it down. Know where you write things down (hence the love of journals) so you can find them later. I’ve always said if you write it down then it will get done. It’s just a matter of time, but writing it down allows your mind to focus on the task at hand instead of trying to remember a bunch of ideas, things to do and getting the work done.

The key with using a journal to stay on top of it all is actually looking at it. You have to look at it, mark things off and schedule time to actually do your tasks.

I go through a lot of journals every year. So I never buy the fancy ones that look super nice. I go with the ones on clearance. I’m pretty sure I’ve never paid more than $5 for a journal. That’s crazy pants to me. Who cares what the outside cover looks like? I don’t!

How do you keep track of your to-do lists?

How to Use Google Calendar to Organize Your Life

Posted on January 20, 2015January 19, 2015 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

I use Google Calendar to organize my life… every aspect of my life. I’m an A-Type, OCD, overachiever lady with a horrible memory thanks to my condition of over committing to everything. I’ve always had the issue of saying yes to every opportunity that comes my way. I have a fear of missing out, not making memories, and being left behind. So I go overboard. I say yes to almost everything, which is probably why I love my down time so much. I just don’t get it that much.

I use Google calendar for my personal appointments, work appointments, family events, J’s school assignments, birthdays, anniversaries, and important dates to remember. What I love about Google calendar is that everything is searchable. Say I can’t remember exactly what date my conference is in June. Instead of having to search every month, week, or date until I find my event I can just use the handy search bar and it will pull it up. Love.

I probably drive J crazy because if it’s not in the calendar then it’s like it’s not happening.

I have different calendars for everything so that it can be color coded. Here’s what I have:

Meredith
Birthdays
J’s School
Rines’ Family Events
Holidays (that’s a default one I have turned on)

I used to have two more – one for meals and blog posts, but it got overwhelming. Now, I just use a written planner for meals and then just start a blog post every time I get an idea and save it has a draft until I can finish it. Plus, I have an editorial calendar that I have saved in Google Drive that I use for my blog. I shared that awhile back. You can read about my setup here.

Here’s the breakdown of how I decide what goes on what:

Meredith – my work appointments, such as my lunch meetings or other happenings that occur Monday-Friday during working hours.

Birthdays – that’s pretty self explanatory

J’s School – we went through and added every reading assignment, Blackboard posts, writing assignment, etc to the calendar. That way he knows what he needs to be reading for that particular week and when everything is due.

Rines’ Family Events – This is more encompassing. This is for any appointment, out-of-town meeting, trip, etc. that comes up that the other person needs to know about. I started working Saturdays for tax season, so this is a family event. J should remember but just in case… it doesn’t hurt to put it on there.

I also put on the family one:

what days I’m going to crossfit or J is going to the gym so we know where each other is if we haven’t heard from one another all day.
when our bills are due
Dr. appointments
date night
work that needs to be done to our cars
conferences that are out of town
family get-togethers

Tips for Using Google Calendar:

Make events repeatable to save from rewriting them. I use this for crossfit, the Saturdays I have to work, etc. You can always delete an individual event without messing up your repeated ones.

Share your calendar. J and I have the Rines’ Family Events and his school calendar shared between us. That way we both can see everything.

Color code. I love how Google allows each calendar to have a different color. That way I know just by glance what type of event it is. Also, you can make a specific event a different color. I like doing that on things that I really want J to pay attention to.

Find the view that works for you. You can view daily, weekly, monthly, agenda or create your own. I created a 2 week view, but mostly stick to the weekly look.

Use the search. It will help you find an event quickly.

How to freeze avocado

Posted on December 8, 2014December 3, 2014 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

One thing you probably need to know about me is my love of all things avocado. Remember the Subway commercial where the 2 girls were going back and forth about their affinity to avocado? Yeah.. that could have been me. I don’t see anything wrong with pairing it with everything I eat. I’m serious. I even have J liking the green stuff, too. Not as much as I do, but he will eat it.

I was tired of only needing half of an avocado and not knowing what to do with the remaining portion. Then I figured it out, used Pinterest and got it to work. There are many different ways to freeze avocados, but I’m partial to the way I do it because it doesn’t change the taste. Plus, the color stays nice and green, which is important in my book.

4 simple steps to freeze avocado

1) slice the avocado into sections
2) dip in a shallow bowl of lime juice (you can use lemon, but I prefer lime because most of the time I use avocado I squirt a little lime juice into it)
3) place in freezer bag, push out excess air
4) freeze

Four steps to save avocado is all you need. It’s brilliant. Let’s face it avocado is kind of expensive most of the time, so now when it goes on sale I can score a few extras to freeze.

Twisty Braid Hair Tutorial

Posted on September 12, 2014September 11, 2014 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Working in an office where I see clients most days gives me the opportunity to do fun things with my hair. I don’t want to constantly be wearing the same hair style day in and day out. Nor do I want to look childish by having immature hairstyles. So, I’m constantly coming up with different ways to style my hair. This morning I came up with a new one and I have to say – it’s probably one of my favorites. It took no time at all and it stayed in all day, which to me is a bonus.

I came up with this great twisty braid hair tutorial that is super easy. Here’s what you need:

1) straightener (if you feel like you need it)
2) 3-5 bobby pins
3) comb
4) hairspray (optional – I didn’t use any, but my hair is pretty thick)

If your hair is wavy or needs a little straightening then go ahead and do that first. I went to bed with my hair up so I had a few creases to work out. Take a comb and part your hair heavy to one side. I did a deep part on the right side (facing me it’s the left).

Next I took a small section about 2 inches from the forehead and braided it. Pin the braid in the back. Next take the section that’s remaining near the front of your head and twist. Twist until it wraps around and meets the braid, and pin. Add 2-3 more pins until you feel that it is secure.

5 Tips On Getting More Organized {Today}

Posted on June 20, 2014June 19, 2014 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

I’d love to share my tips on getting more organized with you.

When I was younger and all the way through college my room always looked like a tornado tore through it. Clothes on the floor, books on the bed, shoes everywhere. I was a mess. Now I will note this by saying I was not dirty. Dirty dishes belonged in the kitchen sink, not in the bedroom. I believe there is a huge difference between being messy and being dirty.

One aspect about myself is that I had this organized chaos going for me. Almost always I would know exactly which pile my class notes were in or where I took off those shoes that I had to wear that night. But I still looked unorganized.

As I’ve gotten older, married, and started my career I have found that I do not have time to be messy. Plus, J really gets bothered by my pile system. I was surprised he called me after our first date because it was laundry day for me and I had clothes everywhere in my bathroom. Poor guy didn’t know what he was getting into when he asked to use my restroom before leaving. I’m pretty sure he had to step on clothes to even get into the bathroom. I was mortified and was sure I probably wouldn’t hear from him again… BUT I was wrong. He texted, we started dating and are living happily ever after. But I digress. He really, really hates living in a messy house. So, I have developed new systems and ways of staying organized.

Here are my no-fail tips on getting more organized. The best part about them? They are super easy to follow and you can start today. Not tomorrow or next week, but today.

Tip One: have a gathering spot for any monthly bills. J and I have one drawer in our kitchen that is for monthly bills. Every bill is opened and placed inside the drawer. We pay our bills twice a month – on payday. So every time we go to pay bills we open the drawer look at their due dates and pay what we can/have to. Then any unpaid bills are put back in the drawer until next payday. Bonus: place your checkbook, envelopes, pen and stamps in the drawer. Everything is in one spot and easy to take care of.

Tip Two: Schedule your week out before it starts. I love my new planner and every Sunday I spend 5-10 minutes to look at the week ahead. I make sure we know of any appointments for us or the dogs that are coming up. We plan time with our friends and family then we schedule time to workout and eat right. I live by my planner so for me it’s our family’s lifeline. If you don’t spend a few minutes organizing your week before it starts then things you want to do and need to do will just slip away.

Tip Three: Plan at least 3 meals each week. Think about three meals (the whole meal – entree, side dish, etc.) that you can have this next week. Make sure you have the ingredients or buy them during your weekly trip to the grocery store. That way on the nights you don’t want to cook or are tired, you don’t have to think too much about it. You know you have the ingredients for three whole meals that you want waiting for you. Plus your spouse/roommate can help you out by getting it started before you get home. If we know what we’re having then J usually will defrost the protein, start grilling, and have it mostly ready by the time I get home. Then all I have to do is make the side dish and put the finishing touches on. Teamwork is the best.

Tip Four: The basket routine. Because J hates my pile system and I have learn to not like it as much, I have developed a new system. Meet the basket routine. Every few days I walk around the main living areas of our home with an empty laundry basket in tow. I gather anything that doesn’t belong in that room. Shoes, jackets, dog toys, necklaces (because I have a tendency to leave those laying around), etc. Then once the family room and kitchen are back in order I walk through the rest of the house emptying the basket. I usually only have to make one trip around the house and in less than 10 minutes my house is straightened.

Tip Five: Two Chores every two days. Some others out there like the one chore a day technique. That’s too much for me. There are some days I want to come home and lay on the couch while watching TV. I don’t want even want to think about cleaning something. So instead I space it out a bit more. Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday I clean. Typically I clean at least two things those days. It doesn’t seem to be such a daunting task by having a day off in between and it’s not as overwhelming by only having two tasks to do those days. Here’s the breakdown:

Tuesday: dust the furniture and wipe down the kitchen

Thursday: vacuum and sweep the kitchen

Saturday: bathroom and clean mirrors

Now I wipe down the counters after cooking every meal, but on Tuesday I really spend some time scrubbing the countertops, wiping out the microwave, etc. Plus I steam clean our carpets about once every other month and I tend to do that chore early Saturday or Sunday mornings.

Simple and super easy tips on getting more organized that you can start {TODAY}. So what are you waiting for? Get started. Living a more organized life is really satisfying. Plus not having a husband moan about your clothes on the bed is really peaceful.

What are you tips on getting more organized? I’d love to read about them. Go ahead and leave me a comment.

The Perfect Gallery Wall

Posted on September 20, 2013September 13, 2013 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

I love a good gallery wall, they are eclectic and a good way to express my personality. Which obviously consists of a whole lot of mis-match items that when combined create something beautiful.

Now that we are FINALLY in our new place and most of the boxes are unpacked, it was time to hang some pictures. I promised J that I would keep his beloved fish that was caught by grandpa and passed down the family. I needed items that can balance out the fish and make it look like it belongs on the wall. Not like I just stuck it in the corner, behind a door to say that I was good partner because it was on a wall.

Here are some tips for creating a gallery wall that is perfect:

1) find pictures that are unlike each other – either having different frame types, coloring, or are pictures of landscape, sculptures, and people.
2) lay your arrangement on the floor. Play with it and make sure you love it. It took me awhile to get it just right. A lot of frames came in and out of this arrangement.
3) get someone’s opinion. I asked J what he thought before putting one nail into the wall. Not that he actually cared what it looks like, but it was nice to have that affirmation.
4) start nailing it! We measured out the wall space to find the middle, then measured out the arrangement to find the midpoint. Match those two up and start hanging.
5) stand in awe of your awesome gallery wall.

Cheers!

How To Create a Chevron Pattern in Photoshop

Posted on August 22, 2013August 22, 2013 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

chair / nails / walls

Chevron is everywhere.

Walls, bulletin boards, wallets, watchers, shirts, and even nails… Since I do love a good trend, it should come as no surprise that I am using a hint of chevron in my wedding decorations.

We are having a few paper goods printed and I decided early on to design most of these myself (i.e. programs, thank you notes, menus, etc.). I am having several designs for our printed goods – Stripes, chevron, polka dots… oh my!

You know I had no problem making a strip design or polka dot design in Photoshop – go figure! I can draw a straight lines and circles on the computer! I was so proud and maybe a little too big headed because my chevron attempt was not successful. I actually had to think and work at this one! I didn’t want anything to be actual work, where’s the fun in that?!

I have since perfected it based on a few other tutorials online that I combined. I thought I
would share my revelation with you to save someone else frustrations.

Create a new file… I made mine the size of a notecard 4”x5.5” and put on the grid option.

Select your color and the rectangle tool. Using the grid measure out equal boxes (for me I needed 6).

Then rotate every other box either 45 degree or -45 degree, then line up the corners to be overlapping.

Once your first chevron print is done for the entire length then select the layers and link together.

Finally, duplicate the layers and space them out evenly.

There you have it, a nice chevron print that was easy to make and no hair pulling was necessary.

Since I wanted to add words to my design, I created a nice white box on top of the print.

Cheers!

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Budgeting isn’t sexy. It’s not even fun. But it is necessary.

Yes, budgets can do all that.

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I’d love to share my tips on getting more organized with you.

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I love a good gallery wall, they are eclectic and a good way to express my personality. Which obviously consists of a whole lot of mis-match items that when combined create something beautiful.

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Chevron is everywhere.

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