WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON FOOD STUFF.

Tough times are ahead for households under pressure from price hikes in electricity, fuel and food, but there are ways to nip your expenses in the bud. Guidelines to follow ; 1. Buy fruits and vegetables in season, when they are cheaper. Buy from the local greengrocer, farmers’ market, where you get much more for your money as you don’t have to pay for food washing, peeling or packaging. Look for specials. 2. Buy in bulk. For instance, buy half a lamb, divide it and share the cost, Buy boxes of fruits and vegetables and split them – and the cost – with family or friends. 3. Freeze your bulk purchases if you don’t share them. Grate that hunk of cheese and freeze in portions. The same goes for citrus fruits, which are in season now. Lemons and oranges can be squeezed into juices and frozen in portions in your ice-trays or in freezer bags. 4. Freeze food; don’t waste it. Cook fruit or vegetables that are just about to turn and freeze them. Frozen tomato pulp can be used later in sauces and stews; frozen fruit pulp can be used in desserts. You would be amazed at what can be frozen. 5. Cook more than you need , and freeze portions for later. It’s your own convenience food. Make large pots of pasta, stew and soup and freeze into several containers and only take out the amount you need. Angela Day says cooking in large quantities and freeze in small portions works out cheaper and is healthier than ready-made frozen meals. 6. Be frugal with leftovers. Instead of binning them, use as a base for another meal. Leftovers potatoes, for example, can be used to make hashbrown or omolletes. Even save meat , chicken and fish bones and put them in a plastic bag in the freezer and make a rich stock when you have enough. 7. When cooking dinner, cook enough for packed lunches for the family the next day. Taking a packed lunch to work or school can save hundreds of rands (money) a month. Alternatively, during breakfast, make sandwiches or snacks for the family. 8. Grow your own vegetables. Find a corner of the of the garden and plant a variety of salad leaves or tomatoes, which grow well. You can also sow herbs like mint, basil, rosemary and parsley in pots. Freeze excess herbs in ice-trays, as some stores are doing , and freeze any surplus vegetables after cooking them. Alternatively, use the surplus in preserves. 9. Make shopping list for the meals you have planned for the week and stick to it. That way you won’t be tempted to buy unnecessary items. Don’t buy groceries when you are hungry. Be conscious that the area around the tills is packed with items to tempt you to buy what you don’t need. If it’s possible, leave the kids at home so they can’t pester into unnecessary purchases. 10. Buy the supermarket’s in-house brand. They’re few rands cheaper and often there is no difference in quality. 11. Give up your daily caffeine fix from the coffee shops. Take your own in a flask to work, have instant coffee at the office or give up caffeine altogether. You can save up to R15 a day. Take care.

SUCCESS IS A SHORT HOP AWAY.

Use the frog principle; get those major tasks out of the way

first.



Imagine earning more money and garnering greater respect from your superior. Imagine getting things done faster and having more hours in a day to relax and do those things you never seem to fined time for.

By managing your time more effecdtively, you can increase your productivity dramatically- have all of the above , and mnore.

Sounds like is too good to be true? Well it isn't. Not if you follow the principle outlined by Brain Tracy in 'Eat that frog! Get more of the important things done - today!



FIRST THINGS FIRST.

The overriding of Tracy's book is simple;stop procastinating by tackling your most important tasks -the "Frog" - first thing in the morning.This will energise you to such and extent that you will find it easier to move rapidly and effectively through the rest of your work.

"There's an old saying that if the first thing you do in the morning is to eat a live frog, you will have satisfaction- of knowing that it's probably the worst thing you will do all day'.Tracy wrote.

He takes this saying further by comparing it to the task s you do during a day at the office. If you do the most challenging task - the one your are most likely to put off - first , it will have the greatest posative effect on your life, he said.

"Successful effective people are those who launch directory into their major tasks and then discipline themselves to work steadily and singflee-mindedly until those tasks are completed".



TOO MUCH TO DO, TOO LITTLE TIME,

The most important tasks are those that will have the greatest consequences- either positive or negative - on your life and work.Tracy made a point that most of us have too much on our plate and simply don't have time to do everything we suppose to do. For this reason, it is not only crucial to ensure that the most important things get done, but that we do them well by doping them first- when we still have the ewnergy.

"You can get control of your tasks and activities only to the degree that you stop doing somethings and start spending more time on the few activities that you can really make a difference in your life".he wrote.

According to Tracy, the "eat -that-frog" principle is something one gets better at, the more you practice and implementit in it your everyday life, through repetition and practice, to overcome procastination and get your most important tasks completed quickly, you will move yourself onto the fast track in your life and career."



A SET OF RULES.

To make it more practicalk, this principle is embbeded in a set of "rules"- things you need to do and skills you need to aquire to make the frog principle work for you.

One of the most important rules is to write your goals and objectives down before you begin. Tracy said,be clear in what you would like to achieve in short, medium and long term. Know your self and know exactly where you are heading. Begin with the end in your mind.

Another important rule, accordding to Tracy, is to plan ahead. Take a few minutes at the end of the day to plan your next work day.. Make a list of tasks that need to be done, and prioritise them. Then make sure that you start with your top priority when you get to work the next day.

It's also important to know where your talents lie. what your weakness are and at what time of the day you are likely to be most productive. Tasks should be handled accordingly.

IUf a task seems overwhelming, simply "cut it up" into smaller cuncks and take it one step at a atime . Begin with a smaller part of the task to kick off the project and take things from there.Before you know it , the task will be completed.

Tracy said, Make a decision to practice these principles until they become second nature to you. With these habiuts of personal management as a permanent part of your pesonality, your future will be unlimited".

Wild West History: Women in the Old West--Women's History Month

Wild West History: Women in the Old West--Women's History Month

GOOD STRESS, BAD STRESS.

Too little of it will leave you bored, too much can result in health and emotional problems Everyone needs a certain amount of stress to live well. It’s what gets you out of bed and gives you the vitality to do all sorts of things, such as sport and presentations. Stress becomes a problem when there’s too much or too little. Not enough means your body is under-stimulated, leaving you bored and isolated. To find stimulation, some people do things that are harmful to themselves (such as taking drugs) or society (committing crime). Too much stress, on the other hand , can result in headaches, stomach upsets, high blood pressure and even stroke or heart disease. It can also cause feelings of distrust, anger, anxiety and fear, which can destroy relationships. People often feel over-stressed because of some event or trigger. It doesn’t have to be negative (death of a loved one, redundancy or divorce); it can be positive (a new partner , new job or going on holiday). Such feelings can also be acute (death or loss of a job) or chronic (coping with long-term unemployment or a bad relationship). Stress-busters; To cope with stress, many people look to things that are not only ineffective, but also unhealthy. Negative stress-management technique include; • Drinking alcohol; • Denying the problem; • Taking drugs; • Over-eating; • Smoking; You are better off trying; A nap-30 to 40 minutes; A massage –at a professional massage therapist or ask a friend or partner; A hobby- divert your energies into something creative such as acting, playing an instrument, writing poetry or singing; Laughing- it will make you feel and look better; Be gentle to yourself- we talk to ourselves all the time, even though we’re not aware of it. Self talk determines our attitudes and self-image, so change both with positive chart. Time management; Ask any woman what makes her stressed and she’ll tell you it is not having enough hours in the day. We juggle choices, anxious to please family, workmates and friends. But what about your priorities? What goals do you want to achieve- and what’s most important to you? Try these tips; Set aside time to think and write about your life and goals . Writing a “mission statement” can help you work out what’s important to you; what you ‘d like to be and to accomplish. Understand where you spend your time – think about how to prioritise and itemize pressures. Categorise your life in neat important, quite important and unimportant boxes or would a more complex chart suit you; urgent and important, important, but not urgent, urgent, but not important and neither urgent nor important? Review roles- This will help create order and balance. Identify goals- work out a goal in each role for a week. They don’t have to be activities, but can be being more patient with your kids. Organise your week- use a week-at-glance diary or drawing up your own chart. If something prevents you from completing an activity, just fit it in elsewhere or make it the first thing you plan for next week. Evaluate your week- at the end of the first week, take a realistic look at how it went. Enjoy success- no schedule guarantees instant , but remember you’re in control.