Thought of the week - Secret of Attraction

Greetings all!

Here is an inspiring thought for the upcoming week (from http://www.deeshan.com):

Image from 

https://www.pickpik.com/frog-mirror-mirror-image-mirroring-cute-funny-141858

The secret of attraction
is to love yourself.
Attractive people judge
neither themselves nor others.
They are open to gestures of love.
They think about love, and express
their love in every action.
They know that love is not
a mere sentiment,
but the ultimate truth
at the heart of the universe.

~ Deepak Chopra 

Hope you have a great week! Drop me a line!

Selection of Funnies: “If I Fits, I Sits” Animals

 

Lost ‘Kitten’ [by mayong13]

Do Not Disturb Jabba [by Bmchris44]

Colander Cat [by Ksilverstar25]

Pupholders [by Bjcistok]

Bunny In A Cup [by The_Yarl]

Still Fits [by sasa13m]

The Cookie Jar Bandit [by shellieswildlife]

Hooman Seat Comes With Kitten Compartment [by downriverrowing]

Source (and more!): https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-animals-can-fit-anywhere

"If I had my life to live over..."

Greetings al! 

I would like to share one of my favorite quotes by Erma Bombeck. I hope you like it as much as I do! One cannot go wrong with the advice to eat more ice cream!

Image from https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1039797

"Someone asked me the other day if I had my life to live over would I change anything.

My answer was no, but then I thought about it and changed my mind.

If I had my life to live over again I would have waxed less and listened more.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy and complaining about the shadow over my feet, I'd have cherished every minute of it and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was to be my only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten popcorn in the "good" living room and worried less about the dirt when you lit the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have burnt the pink candle that was sculptured like a rose before it melted while being stored.

I would have sat cross-legged on the lawn with my children and never worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television ... and more while watching real life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband which I took for granted.

I would have eaten less cottage cheese and more ice cream.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick, instead of pretending the Earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for a day.

I would never have bought ANYTHING just because it was practical/wouldn't show soil/ guaranteed to last a lifetime.

When my child kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now, go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more I love yous ... more I'm sorrys ... more I'm listenings ... but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute of it ... look at it and really see it ... try it on ... live it ... exhaust it ... and never give that minute back until there was nothing left of it.”

~ Erma Bombeck, "Eat Less Cottage Cheese and More Ice Cream: Thoughts on Life from Erma Bombeck."  

As read here: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/49262-if-i-had-my-life-to-live-over-someone-asked

World Health Day – April 7, 2023

Greetings all!

April 7 is World Health Day. Did you know that leading a healthier lifestyle is not only good for the body and the mind but also for the wallet!? Read on how exercising and eating healthy can save you money!

Image from https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/bpgvkv/does_obesity_run_in_your_family/

• Preventing diseases saves you money on future doctor visits and medicine.
• Bad habits cost money (e.g., smoking).
• Maintaining healthy weight means you do not have to shop for clothes as often as when your weight fluctuates.
• Maintaining healthy weight saves you on life insurance: Apparently unhealthy weight might add 25% to life insurance costs.
• Eating healthier means you spend less on junk food: This is a point I do not necessarily agree with. Junk food usually costs less than healthy food, especially organic!
• Packing your work lunch saves money and inches from your waist: This is probably the one habit I have consistently subscribed to over the years! Mathematically, it makes a lot of sense: if you eat out lunch every day, then $10 x 5 days a week = $50, which over 1 year is $2,500. So if your home-packed meal costs you $5, then over the year you might save over $1,000!
• Drinking more water is free: This is another interesting point. Unless you live in an area with clean and healthy tap water, you still have to pay money for water filters or bottled water. However, those costs are probably less than sodas?
• Walking and biking – or even taking public transportation - saves you on car costs and the driving stress. Totally agree but I wish that public transportation was more convenient and accessible!

Overall, I thought those were great points! My favorite ideas are walking and packing my lunch! What about you? Drop me a line!

Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/9-ways-being-healthy-save-120108264.html

Keukenhof Garden in Netherlands

Greetings all! 

I recently took a photo trip down memory lane, and one of my favorite places to visit was Keukenhof Garden near Amsterdam. Its official website calls it “The most beautiful spring garden in the world” -  and this year you can catch its glory from March 23 to May 14, 2023.

My pictures do not do these flowers justice so if you ever have a chance to visit Netherlands in the spring, take a day trip to Keukenhof to admire tulips, crocuses, daffodils, and more! 

Did you know:

• The garden was started in 1949 by 10 flower bulb growers. 
• In 2022, over 1.1 million people visited from over 100 countries.
• Now Keukenhof boasts 7 million flower bulbs that were planted by 40 gardeners in October 2022 to prepare for 2023 season.

A wonderful video here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2LDCDP2KG8): 

And some more gorgeous pictures from https://www.ableamsterdam.com/blog/visit-to-keukenhof-in-photos: 

 

Sources:

• https://keukenhof.nl/en/
• https://www.ableamsterdam.com/blog/visit-to-keukenhof-in-photos
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2LDCDP2KG8

What did you think? Drop me a line!

Financial Advice from Dave Ramsey

“What to do isn’t the problem; doing it is. Most of us know what to do, but we just don’t do it. If I can control the guy in the mirror, I can be skinny and rich.” ~ Dave Ramsey

Greetings all!
 
Would you like some financial advice from a well-known money expert? I enjoyed these suggestions from Dave Ramsey:
 
1. Eliminate debt before you invest: Ramsey does exclude mortgage, which makes sense since most people cannot afford to buy a home with cash.
 
2. Harness the power of the snowball effect: Eliminate your debt in order of smallest to largest so you can build momentum, close smaller outstanding debts, and boost your confidence. Side note: I think this also works as a productivity hack!

 
3. Build an emergency fund before you build wealth: Financial experts recommend having at least 3-6 months of your living expenses as a cushion. Totally agree with this advice! 
 
4. Give 15% of every paycheck to your future self by using a tax-advantaged account (e.g., 401k with employer match or IRA/ROTH in the United States). I love the idea of having my future self thank my present self. Also, I like the advice I read elsewhere: if you get a bonus or a salary increase, invest or save it if you can. Since you were used to your previous level of earnings, can you allocate the extra to your future self? Wouldn't it be nice if our future selves visited us in the present to disperse life wisdom?

Image from https://i.imgur.com/JHJSu0e.jpg

5. Keeping up with the Joneses is an unwinnable game – to paraphrase, do not buy things you do not need with money you do not have to impress people you do not like.
 
6. Utilize money-saving technology, such as budgeting and coupon/cashback apps, automatic savings (e.g., weekly transfers from your checking to your savings account), or lowering your thermostats. 
 
7. Go low tech: I always balance my bank account and try to cancel and/or completely avoid unnecessary subscriptions and gadgets. 
 
8. Have a plan when shopping: The article talked about grocery-shopping but I think this is good advice for any kind of shopping. Be very careful with your impulses - shopping or otherwise - when you are excited, bored, sad, angry, and/or intoxicated! I did some research and did you know that:

• 84% of all shoppers have made impulse purchases.
• The average shopper will make an average of 3 unplanned purchases in 4 out of every 10 store visits they make.
• Almost 50% of all impulse purchases are regretted. I was actually surprised that this number is not higher.

 

Image from https://www.invespcro.com/blog/impulse-buying/

9. Continue educating yourself financially, put into practice what you already know, and work with a financial professional.
 

Reflecting on the quote in the beginning of this post - “What to do isn’t the problem; doing it is” - I thought it applies to so many areas of our lives. But for now, how about just balancing your checking account?

Sources:

• https://money.yahoo.com/10-genius-things-dave-ramsey-120115148.html
• https://www.invespcro.com/blog/impulse-buying/

What did you think? Drop me a line!

Overnight Oats

Greetings all!

Are you a breakfast person? If you are, do you make breakfast every morning? I love a good breakfast but sometimes I just do not have the mental energy to think of what I want to have with my coffee. And sometimes I do not have the time to prepare something delicious from scratch. This is where a butler would come in handy but alas I am still butler-less. If you are in the same boat, try making overnight oats!

Image and recipe idea from

 https://www.traderjoes.com/home/recipes/overnight-yoats

I love this recipe - easy, healthy, delicious, and very efficient! You can make a big batch the night before to carry you through several mornings. Also, if you like variety in your meals, this recipe is super-customizable - just swap the toppings. 

Image and recipe idea from 

https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/easy-overnight-oats-recipe (NATA VKUSIDEY/GETTY IMAGES) 

Ingredients: 

• Base: Rolled oats + your choice of milk (water works too). 
• Toppings: vanilla extract, bananas, fruits, berries, nuts, seeds, honey, maple syrup, pinch of salt, cacao nibs, raisins, dried fruit, etc. 

Instructions: 

• Mix oats and milk or water (1:1 ratio works well so the oats are barely covered with liquid)
• Add toppings now or before serving (if adding frozen fruit or berries, add them now)
• Refrigerate overnight in an airtight container
• Before serving, add a splash of milk
• Add additional toppings, if desired 
• You can store up to 3 days

Toppings: 

• Fruit or berries (fresh, frozen, dried)
• Granola and raspberries
• Strawberries and almonds
• Cherries and walnuts
• Mango and pineapple
• Chia seeds, honey, and nuts
• Honey and grated apple
• Honey, grated apple and carrot, walnuts, and raisins
• In Ireland, some hotels offer a splash of whiskey in your oatmeal - what a fabulous idea for a lazy weekend in!

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!