On being frugal

Here is an excerpt from The Simple Dollar...a blog I follow more or less regularly. It has some really good advice on managing your time and money. I like the one about turning off the cell phone...yanking the ethernet out of the computer when you have to get work done. I have A.D.H.D. and I'm always fighting distractions and something else that catches my eye and captures my attention when I have detailed work to do on the computer...for example...record keeping for my online fish auctioning business... I start to do it...and then I think...hmmmm I just need to check my e-mail real quick...and that leads to well I might as well check my current auctions...and that leads to ....wonder what so and so is auctioning this week and I'm off looking at what other people are doing...and then I decided I need a break and just a few minutes of the game Mafia Wars can't hurt...and before I know it...the whole morning has slipped away and I've gotten Zilch done on my personal business record keeping which was what I set out to do in the first  place, lol.

Here are the tips from The Simple Dollar  Blog:

"Focus. When it’s time to get stuff done, eliminate distractions. Pull the ethernet cable out from your computer. Turn your cell phone completely off. Disconnect your office phone. Pull the blinds. Close your door. Actually get some work done, instead of just working for a few minutes and then bopping over to the latest distraction.
Keep a list. Whenever you think of something you have to do or something you want to think about later, add it to the list. Then, when you’re done with the task at hand, just turn to the list instead of wandering off and trying to think of what you need to do next.
Make routine tasks as efficient as possible. If you can figure out how to shave a few minutes off of something you do every day, then you suddenly will find your time multiplying. Three minutes saved doing laundry can make the difference in convincing you to load the dishwasher tonight instead of going to bed. The clean dishes tomorrow mean one less task to worry about, giving you the space to take care of something else in your life (like one of the frugality tasks below).
Not understanding frugality
On the other side of the equation is the “time to be frugal” part of things. The assumption here is that frugality must be a time sink because the first thing or two they imagine a frugal person doing seems like a giant time sink. In truth, many frugal tactics end up being time savers as well over the long run, in addition to saving money. Here are five examples.
Install a programmable thermostat. Once one is installed and properly programmed, you’ll basically only have to touch your thermostat a few times a year. Not only that, because the furnace or A/C unit in your house is running less (assuming you programmed it sensibly, with the heat and/or the air conditioning turning off at night), you’re saving money as well.
Install long-lasting energy efficient bulbs. In areas where you don’t need perfect lighting, install CFL and/or LED light bulbs. Both will last for far longer than normal bulbs (meaning less time spent changing bulbs), plus they’re much more energy efficient, meaning your energy bill will drop with continued normal use of the lights.
Wire your entertainment center to a master switch. If you have an outlet in your family room that is wired to a switch, then just plug your entertainment center in via that outlet. Then, when you’re ready to go to bed, just flip the switch and everything loses power. No standby devices sucking down energy, plus it’s much easier to turn everything off at night.
Make double/triple/quadruple meals. When you’re actually making a homemade meal, such as a casserole, make doubles or triples of it and sock them away in the freezer. The next time you come home, feel lazy, and are just tempted to order something for supper, pull the ready-made meal out of the freezer and toss it in the oven. Instant homemade food, much cheaper than delivery.
Purge your overstuffed closets. Getting rid of unwanted stuff via yard sale or eBay means more cash in hand. It also means it’s quicker and easier to actually find the closet items that you want or need."

I  just love this guy. His parents obviously did a really good job of raising him with common sense and an appreciation for education.