Savings – for that special purchase or to beat a recession

Posted on April 18, 2012 by LilyV

I have found a savings account that seems so good, I felt the need to tell everyone about it.

The National bank is offering a savings account called the eSaver.  This is worth looking at if you are seriously saving for something, or just putting money aside side for emergencies only.  As long as you bank $20 a month and do not withdraw any money during the month, you will earn 4.5% interest.  Each month they credit interest to your account so then you are earning interest on interest.  No brainier don’t you think.

You can make one withdrawal a month for free but then your interest rate reduces to only .10% for that month and if you make a second withdrawal in the same month, it will cost you $5, so only for dedicated savings.  However if you are seriously saving this account is fantastic, as it’s not on term deposit so if you do have to withdraw some money for an emergency you are only penalised for the one month.

$5 a week is all it will take, it’s the price of a cup of coffee in some cafes,  and about 8 cigarettes or half a glass of wine in a bar.  We all need to be saving, it soon mounts up if you regularly transfer money into your savings account.

The ANZ has the same account called the  ANZ Serious Saver

Has anyone found any other accounts like this? If so let me know.

 

 

 

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The Luxury of Time Out

Posted on February 14, 2012 by LilyV

We have such busy lives now, with work and not being able to get away from cell phones and emails.  If you talk to some people, they are happy to tell you how busy they are, as if it is a status symbol.  It appears  that the busier they are or the bigger house, car or boat etc they own means they are successful.  There are so many things to spend your money on, the latest cell phone, Ipod, Ipad, large flat screen TV,  the latest electronic washing machine, dishwasher, etc everything seems to have become about things.

Recently I decided I wanted to get off the busy bus.  I don’t want my job to define who I am as there is so much more to me than that, but how do you do that if you have worked constantly for 42 years., long hours working to build assets for when you retire and to support your kin.

I think there comes a realisation when you see a movie like  “The Bucket List” or something similar that you have been so busy working that you have not made time for your dreams, if you have even given yourself time to dream, and family and friends have had to fit in around the busyness.

When you are young, it feels like there is going to be plenty of time to fit it all in later, as you get older you realise there might not be plenty of time, so the first thing to be done is to give yourself the luxury of time out to enable your mind the space to dream your dreams.

How do you do that?  Turn the TV off for a week, not easy when you are in the habit of watching it every night. Perhaps you could go away by yourself for a week.  This may feel quite lonely the first time if you haven’t had the luxury of time by yourself.  You may not even have to go away, you could just have a week at home, if you are able to shut your eyes to jobs around the house.

However you do it, make it happen and once you have taken some time out:

  • Read.
  • Listen to music.
  • Make lists of anything you may like to do.
  • Go to the movies by yourself.
  • Go for long walks down the beach, in the bush wherever you may get inspiration.
  • Learn to meditate.
  • Get a massage.
  • Write letters to yourself.
  • Write a list of people who are important to you.
  • Write down anything you want to do before you die?
  • Whatever you need to do to discover that there is so much more to life than a job, or the biggest flat screen TV.

When you have taken stock, make sure high up on the list is keeping in contact with family and friends, watch less TV and make time for some of your dreams.  Life goes by very quickly the older you get so give thanks every day for what you do have, whatever that may be, health, children,  a special person to love, those that love you, your friends, family, your community, a job you love etc.

Recently I decided to take time out in Whangamata, New Zealand ( a beach town) and one morning went down to watch the sunrise, took my beach chair and am enjoying the quiet and solitude watching the odd person strolling along the empty beach, there were too many clouds to record the sunrise, however this woman strolled up past where I was sitting and started a conversation and what should she say when she was leaving, “It’s funny how so many people think they need money to enjoy themselves, when they can have all of this for free”.

Have you taken time out lately to discover what is important to you.  It’s not always about money and things that you have, it’s the relationships that you build, with your children, partners, friends and family.  Make time available for yourself and for others.  Appreciate those around you.  Your time is precious, if you hate your job, for whatever reason, find another one, do not sell your soul for the money, or the things it can buy you.

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Do you know your neighbour?

Posted on February 3, 2012 by LilyV

In September last year some interesting discussions arose out of the death of a gentleman in a council flat, where he lay unnoticed for 8 months. It got me thinking about how well I know my neighbors, and the fact is I don’t. I go to work every day, come home late and have never met any of my neighbours, and I have lived here for 4 years.  The week-ends are spent with parents or grandchildren and the neighbourhood does not even get a look-in.

How about you, do you know your neighbours?  I’m doing a bit of research on how we can get communities to work together again, and have come across a website called Inspiring Communities and from there found another website called Neighbours Day Aotearoa.  This website talks about having a Neighbours Day in March 2012, so what would be the harm in this, we need to build our communities again, where the neighbours are there to look out for each other in times of need, keep an eye out for our children’s safety.  Make a difference in your neighbourhood.

 

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Is it a problem or an opportunity – so many ways to get this message.

Posted on January 24, 2012 by LilyV

Every now and then you hear something or watch something and it just makes so much sense.  I love Ted Talks and this morning I stumbled across Benjamin Zander and he got me.  I love that there are so many ways that people can get a message out there.  I love that he showed in body language so obviously, the difference between looking at the problem or looking at the possibility, when he talked about there only being 4% of population  who listen to classical music, then turned it around to look at the possibility of all those people who  haven’t yet experience classical music. What an opportunity.

How often do we do this, we look at the problem and wonder how we can sort it out, but what is the opposite side, what is the opportunity.  Imagine how exciting life could become if we focused on the “what ifs”.

There are so many ways that this has been said, but every now and then someone says something or shows you something that just pushes your button.  This was one of those moments for me and I thought I would share it. How many people around you have shining eyes.  Do they get it, are you getting your message across?  And do you have “enough of a belief in the capacity of the people you are leading to realise what you are dreaming”.

Questions from Benjamin Zander, “Who are you being that the eyes of the people around you are not shining?  Who are you being that your children’s eyes are not shining?”

Watch the video and decide “is it a problem or an opportunity“.  And you get to watch a person embody passion about something he loves.  Awesome.  You might even love classical music by the end of the talk.

 

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How to age gracefully!

Posted on January 22, 2012 by LilyV

Suddenly realised that next year I will be 60 years young, of course I have not had my birthday for this year yet, but that didn’t help the panic that arose with this realisation.

I must be having a mid life crisis as I want to change my way of living.  Having worked for 20+ years in our own businesses and having just been through a recession plus some other problems which have crucified our businesses, and our staff now making more money than us, helps a person to get to this place.

There is one good thing about having a mid life crisis at 58 I must be going to live until I am 116.  Once this realisation also hit me I decided I needed to get myself into shape.  “What, you think I might have left it a little late, well yes, but I am a firm believer of it’s better late than never.

So what to do to get back into shape and age gracefully.  I’m very good at starting things just not that good at keeping it up.  I have spent so much money joining gyms and only lasting 3 months, over the years, that I have finally realised (slow learner), that the gym might not be the place for me to be.  I bought a stepper and used that for a while, but that sits in the bedroom giving me the guilts now, I used it regularly for a while.  I tried swimming, but that was so boring, I certainly can’t do that.  I recently bought myself a bike, but I have only been out on that twice, so many hills here, I need to get fit before I can even go there, or drive to a flat area and ride there, I know, defeats the purpose somehow.  Fashion kind of goes out the window when you ride a bike, wearing a helmet is not my best look and the bike pants I have to wear so I don’t get a sore bottom, are positively disgusting.  I feel like I am wearing a giant nappy.

A hopeless case you may think, however I have one success story and that has been Pilates.  I have been going to Pilates for two years now, and am still there, even going to the summer class, so I have been thinking about why I have kept that up and the difference is  I pick  someone else up on the way, and it is with a group.

So, I’m thinking, there might be some clues here (I told you, slow learner), I need to find things to do with groups and either go with someone or make friends with people there and I think I might need variety, and be accountable, hence this blog.

So, I am going to record this journey to make sure I get fit, eat healthy and stay that way, so if anyone is out there with some ideas, let’s hear them.  And by the way, I’m going to learn the art of aging gracefully.

Yesterday I went for a 20 min walk.  A small success.  And today I have just come back from a 15 min bike ride.  Not long I know, but the hills around here are mean, real mean!   I thought my heart was going to jump right out of my chest.  I’ll publish again next Sunday.

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Job Description of a Grandma.

Posted on January 17, 2012 by LilyV

Both of my Grandmas lived 12,000 miles away from me so I never got to know either of them.  When I became a Grandma, I didn’t have any memories of what was wonderful about having a Grandma, apart from presents arriving in the  mail at Christmas and birthdays, but I had heard friends talking about what was special about their Grandmas.

So I read some books, and talked to my friends about their memories of their Grandmas, and I talked to my daughter about her memories and what she needed from me as her Mum supporting her with my grandchildren, and this is what I came up with.

JOB DESCRIPTION

  • Always love them unconditionally, never get angry.
  • Praise them so they always know they are the best in your eyes.
  • Spend time with them, baking, drawing, sewing, knitting, gardening, painting, playing golf, whatever it is that you love doing.  Take the time to teach them, with no interruptions.  Always remember to prepare ahead of time, and choose things according to their age group, and cherish the mess.
  • Build huts, have tea parties, take them to the beach, park, playground and play with them, give them your precious time.
  • Show them family photos, and tell them stories about them, especially their Mum or Dad.
  • Sing with them, dance like you are a kid again, play your favourite music to them.  Teach them songs, even about them, change the words, they will love it.
  • Listen to them when they talk to you, have conversations with them.
  • If they don’t live close, get on Skype regularly and let them see you and talk to you once they are old enough, and send parcels, they don’t have to contain expensive presents, the excitement of opening the parcel is half the fun.
  • Make memories together, because whenever you talk to anyone who had a good relationship with their grandparents, it’s these things they talk about, oh and also the lolly jar that Grandma had in the pantry.
  • Give them treats, but always respect the way the parents want their children brought up, routines, food etc, and remember when giving gifts, to check it out with the parents first.
  • Have all the equipment as it is needed, cot or portacot, high chair, potty, toilet trainer seat, small table and chairs, toys, books, it doesn’t have to be new, it’s easy to pick up bargains on Trademe.  This means it’s easy for Mum and Dad to drop them off, without shifting house, and means they might visit and stay over more often.
  • As they get older and don’t come as often, always appreciate their calls or visits, never chide them for not coming more often.

Remuneration:

Hugs by the millions, smiles by the billions, memories which are priceless.  Being a Grandma is like any job, put in the effort and the rewards can be so unexpected.

GOOD LUCK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Grandma’s blog – Where did the time go?

Posted on January 11, 2012 by LilyV

Yesterday I caught up with my four year old twin granddaughters for just a minute, and I suddenly realised they are no longer our babies, they are little girls, growing and changing by the minute.

Where did the time go?  They all lived with us for the first year and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.  Coming home each night, getting dinner ready listening to the sounds of babies in the house.  All the photos and videos we took, trying to roll over, trying to stay sitting up, crawling and walking.  I look back at the videos of us watching them in the bouncer, and laugh at the sounds of us all encouraging them to bounce.

I have looked after these two little girls since they were about one year old, it started with two days a week and went down to one  day a week when their father changed jobs.  It was something I looked forward to each week and by Saturday afternoon when they were young, was looking forward to taking them home, however as they have got older it has got easier taking care of two, and there never seems like enough time.  They hardly ever stay over by themselves anymore, as Mum and Dad live seperately and so time is precious between those two, which means we don’t get the two little bodies climbing in our bed in the early morning, making huts with our legs and reading stories.

I remembered listening to them as they started talking, chatting to each other as if they understood, while I didn’t have a clue what they were saying.  And as they have become clearer, laughing at some of the things they come out with.  Like the day we were driving along and they are both chanting out something in the back of the car.  When we slowed it down and finally understood, they were singing a line from a song.  “Who runs the world, girls do” and when we asked them why girls run the world, they said “Girls run the world because we have legs”.

They now want their Poppa to build them a tree house, so they can put beds in it to sleep there.  So it was a quick flashback just from one little minute, popping my head in the car to say hello and realising how big they are now, how long their legs are getting and how quick it has all happened.

Of course you do realise that every year older they get, I am getting one year older as well.  Time is flying by and you get torn, wanting to make the most of your life and not wanting to go away for any length of time, as you  will miss out on their lives.  Children keep you young.

I do think that being a Grandma is much more fun than being a parent, only because for me it feels like I have more time to enjoy all the little things, that as a parent I was too busy rushing around to notice, and you can love them unconditionally.

 

 

 

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Are you going to be a positive or negative influence today?

Posted on November 20, 2011 by LilyV

I’ve been asleep for too long, I’ve had my head down bum up, working, working for what? It’s certainly not for the money, I’ve been saving and haven’t really had an end goal in mind.

I’ve always felt there has to be more to life than this, and of course there is. I keep stealing time out from work and have gained little pockets of space off the treadmill to explore the internet and be inspired by different TED talks, (just watched another one this morning by Anthony Robbins), followed up on leads given to mOe by Amanda Fleming – Presenter at Large which lead me to reconnect with Marianne Williamson this morning by listening to a recording of her talking about Martin Luther King
(about A third of the way down the page.).

She will not be for everyone, but she certainly inspires me. Each and everyone of us has the opportunity to make a difference, every day. She has certainly taken up the challenge, and throws out the gauntlet for each and every one of us to do the same.

I think it is important to find someone who inspires us and listen to their tapes, read their books, blogs or columns. We cannot afford to just exist, we have to be living our lives, inspiring our children, supporting those who are willing to stand up and lead us, not those on Reality TV.

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Get off the Treadmill and change your life.

Posted on November 19, 2011 by LilyV

Short post today, have been working long hours and not getting here.  When I talk to my friends there seems to be a common theme.  People not sleeping, working long hours, worried about their futures.

I have recently watched the movie “The Inside Job” and believe everyone should watch this.  This is not just happening in America, the banks failing was just the start of something that is travelling the whole world, and it is not something that we can blame on the men who were responsible for taking large salaries and looking after themselves.  We have to take responsibility for allowing this to happen.

We are all doing it to some extent, looking after ourselves instead of looking at what is best for the world.  What is it going to take for us all, to step back, stop spending all our money on new toys, like cellphones, big screen TV’s, large houses and boats that are indecent.  What is it that makes people watch Reality TV to the point that a couple can earn $22 million for their wedding.  That is obscene, if it is true. If we all said enough, we are not watching this anymore, they would not be earning money for just living their lives in the public eye.

Stop buying the magazines that promote this happening, turn your phones off for the day and be with the people that are in front of you.  Don’t go to the malls in the week-end, turn the TV off for the week-end and see if you know what to do with yourselves.  It is so easy to just sit down in front of the TV and shut out the world.

Have people over for Sunday lunch, have some meaningful discussions then play some games, and laugh a little.

Life has become too fast and stressful for a lot of us, we need to slow things down and make time for the important things, like children, friends, family, conversation, community, name a few others for me.

 

 

 

 

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Are Women Equal?

Posted on August 23, 2011 by LilyV

I recently read a blog on the fact that men seem to succeed in may areas where women participate and excel, however it is the men who often become the stars.  So why would that be?

Recently a man I know decided to start painting, artistically not walls.  I was amazed at how excited and confident he was with his skill, right from the begining.  His belief in himself and his ability, astounded me.  I also wrote a short piece recently on another man I know who has been on an overseas trip with 5 other men, all of them over 60 with four out of the five being old schoolfriends.  When I questioned him about what was the best thing about the trip he said “the banter, they all gave each other hell, and nobody got sniffy”.

It was then I realised one of the big differences between men and women seems to be that mens’ form of bonding is to banter, give each other hell, rubbish each other at golf if they have a bad shot etc and if what they say is true, they do not hold onto any of these negative jibes, it’s just what they do.  I’m not saying that men do not worry or need approval, it just appears as thought they have more ability to let go of negative comments and laugh at themselves.

Women as a rule, do not do this, they are more nurturing and encouraging.  And if anyone passes a comment about them or their work that is derogatory many women worry about it, analyse it and talk to others about it to seek approval of themselves or their work.  On top of this many women have children, and their focus becomes diluted.  Superwoman is a myth,  if you want to have a career, someone else has to take care of the children.  Children are a full time job until they are through their teen years, they are the next generation who will be running the world, and many women understand that mothering is an extremely important role, unfortunately society does not always support this.

So, as women we have to be smart.  We need to understand from when we are at school that there are choices to be made if we want it all.  If we want to have children, pick a career that we can return to or build on after our children have grown up.  Superwoman is definitely a myth and we cannot have it all at the same time, be successful in all areas but we can have it all at different stages and if we understand this each stage can be equally fulfilling and successful.   Many women bring up children, and go on to enjoy a fulfilling career after their children are grown up.

We need to make a Life Plan when we are teenagers, it will change, but we need to understand what is at stake and plan for a happy future.

When children go to school, there is time for upskilling or volunteer work, or part time work, but always look to your plan and make sure it is in the area you want to move into or go back to once the children are of an age you feel you can let go.

If you want a career, don’t have children, they are a distraction, they need and want lots of your time, and if you want to be top in your field, it is not fair on them or yourself, and you will be tremendously unhappy, trying to juggle it all.

So are women equal, damn right we are and we need to believe it before anyone else will.  We need to make a Life Plan to ensure that we remain equal and are making a choice if we want to have children, not just get pregnant because that is what you do or is expected of you.  For us to enjoy this choice we have to plan when we make it and give ourselves up to that stage completely, knowing that it is part of our plan for lifetime happiness.

 

 

 

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