HOW TO SAVE HK$5000 IN 52 WEEKS

As a blogger, I have been writing so many things to do for the New Year's. But last night, while we were waiting for the countdown, during a casual sharing with my family and friends of what's the best thing that happened to us in 2015 and what we would want to achieve in 2016, I realized one thing. 

The importance of financial awareness is actually the best thing that happened to me. 

Because of it, I had a paradigm shift and the light at the end of the tunnel was brighter than ever. I see now my purpose (my daughter) and I am blessed this year with ways on how to bring security to me and my family.

So many people say money is the source of all evil or money is not as important as happiness. Everybody is entitled to their opinion and it's interesting what makes them say so. But my opinion goes as far as: it is an essential tool to bring forth happiness. Your intentions will shape its efficiency. And your integrity can take you a long way. So this year, with my plan to carry out what I wanted to achieve, which is to add a fundamental amount in addition to my usual savings, I am planning to follow the 52 week challenge. Simple as it may seem, I'll borrow the image so that you'll have an understanding of how to earn an additional HK$5,000 in 52 weeks. For whatever reason you may have for this money, I'm sure it'll give you a sense of possibility. That if you will something, there's a way to make it happen!

This guy maybe targeting US$5,000.
But let me tell you, HK$5,000 may not buy you a house,
but it's still a big amount of money.

It is challenging because the sustainability of the act will be tested in time. But the good part in here is that it gives you something to look forward to at the end of the year. This will develop a good habit in you. This goal is a S.M.A.R.T. one too.

How?

S. SMART

It is money after all. Picture Christmas happening each year. And picture how much money you are able to produce a month before just to buy presents for your loved ones. It does give your wallet a huge hole by New Year's! Of course, you would deny that. There's just a couple of things why. It's because you used your credit card. Anyway you went for an instalment plan for most of your Christmas gifts. Or, you are too proud to admit so.

So why not reverse the idea, this HK$5,000 may be used for your Christmas shopping without getting much from your November salary. Get the picture?

M. MEASURABLE

The image is a clear table that suggests measured amount for a specific week with the total amount to expect at each week plus the total amount at the 52nd week, highlighted.

A. ATTAINABLE

Unless death comes upon inevitably (knock on wood), all of these are made attainable because the amounts each week are not too much. For a medium class worker, this is very possible. Now of course, the *poor, technically are more of expected to even make it than the middle class because they don't have as much expenses as the medium class. So don't underestimate their capacity to save as well. These are all but a challenge to anyone but the truth of the matter is, it is attainable, if you will it.

R. REALISTIC

On top of it being attainable, it becomes realistic when you see your piggy bank getting filled up and the monetary price is tangible enough for your palms and fingers to get to touch.

T. TIME BOUNDED

The chart specifically designates each amount with the corresponding week. So, knowing that 5,000 can be attained before the year ends, it can actually be adjusted. You can add more to it by extending your time frame. Or shorten it by increasing the amount as you lessen the number of weeks. Knowing that there are 4 weeks in a month gives you a perfect sense of how much to expect at a certain specific time.

So, support the idea by achieving the goal with me or by sharing it to someone who needs a template sample just like the one above. Happy New Year's and may you be financially free as soon as you will.

*POOR - The terms was aimed to be used to specify classes of people depending on their financial resources. Nothing else.

Related posts:

1. HOW FINANCIALLY FIT ARE YOU? - You want to know if you are financially stable right now? Take this simple test to find out.

2. MY ADVOCACY FOR A FINANCIALLY FIT SOCIETY - How I was called to educate and serve.

3. RICH DAD, POOR DAD - A post about how this book inspired me to choose financial freedom over fast riches. 

11 THINGS YOU SHOULD LET GO OF TO START ANEW

One of the many skills

each of us ought to develop

is the art of letting go.

Even Queen Elsa had to. 

Being too attached to something or someone explains that difficult bearings may arise once that something or someone becomes absent. But here is a list this new year's, on top of the other ones, that may help you in achieving the rest of your lists because this offers a clean slate. As a repost, here is a superb list of what you should physically let go.

1. OLD MAGAZINES

Get rid of old magazines you have lying around because chances are, you aren't going to read them again. Nowadays, the smart phones are readily available with the information you will get from them. For the record, I am attached to them because they are my favourite. But I must be honest to myself, I would rather bring my phone to a coffee shop, check out Pinterest than carry nearly a kilo of that very thick mag.

2. RECEIPTS, BILLS AND DOCUMENTS

Throw away receipts for items that you aren't planning on returning and ones that you won't need to use come tax time. Most of the banks offer an option of consolidated bank statements that can be sent straight to your email. Besides the fact that you can save the trees every month, you are liberated from the space issues of where to stack it.

3. CLOTHES

Use the two-year rule for clothes - get rid of apparel that you haven't worn in two years. Pregnancy clothes (most especially trousers) are rare finds. Those you can keep if you are planning to have a second baby but the rest, please do free yourself from a cluttered closet.

4. BOOKS

Go through your bookshelf and gather together books you haven't touched in months and ones that you aren't planning on rereading. Giving it away is a good way of getting rid of them.

5. MEDICINE AND VITAMINS

Take a look at your medicine closet and clear out drugs that have expired, medicine that has sat on your shelf for too long, or anything you no longer use. This is a very crucial chore not to miss. Expiration dates are quite important.

6. MAKEUP AND PERFUME

Go through your beauty cabinet and get rid of make up that's too old or that you don't use. Every make up item has a shell life. Once it's opened up and got exposed to the air, start counting.

"Unopened, well-formulated cosmetics can remain stable for a couple of years at room temperature," says Ni'Kita Wilson, a cosmetic chemist at Cosmetech Laboratories in Fairfield, NJ. "But the clock starts once you bring a product home and open it. When air hits the formula, certain ingredients start to oxidize and degrade."

7. JEWELRY

Go through your jewellery and dispose of the broken costume jewellery and make plans to sell anything you don't wear. Pre-loved items are a hit nowadays online. Repackage it after tidying it up, take a photo of it then find a platform or a social network that may aid you in selling it.

8. FOOD

Go through your pantry and fridge and clear out items that need to be thrown out - the old, unused and rotting. Ex. cheese, mayonnaise, mustard

9. SOME MEMORABILIA

Many organising experts advise to ruthless and throw away memorabilia like cards and gifts you don't use. If this is truly hard for you, at least compile it, or search on any DIY project that you could use these for your next art project.

10. NOTEBOOKS

If you have a ton of notebooks lying around, take a look at them and throw out the ones you no longer need. For those who aren't nearly finished off its pages, tear them out and compile them to create a new notebook. At least, instead of having 3 notebooks lying around, you'd be down to one.

11. OLD OR UNUSED ELECTRONICS

Sell your electronics on Gazelle.com or Nextworth.com. Or again, your inventive friend may just have a use for it.

There you go folks. Doing this could help you start off the new year with a clearer view of your surroundings, helping you stay focused on what should be prioritised with your "personal" life. Doing this may seem hard but it's the same with some issues that you may have lingering in your thoughts. As for your training, let these go first and maybe you'd have the guts to do it with the harder ones. Remember, another's man's trash could be another man's gold. 

Related posts:
1. BUCKET LIST - Having to check each is a great feeling. Read this then have one!
2. HAPPINESS PROJECT - The first way to happiness is DECLUTTERING according to Gretchen Rubin.
3. HOW FINANCIALLY FIT ARE YOU? - You want to know if you're financially stable? Take this quiz to find out.