How Much Is Clutter Costing You? Living with clutter can have serious financial and emotional costs many of us might not have considered. Here are some thoughts about the cost of clutter and ideas about how to get it under control.
How Much Is Clutter Costing You? We live in a society of extremes. People seem to be extremely in debt, extremely overweight and extremely disorganized. People everywhere are trying to come up with newer and better solutions to solve these problems but not many of their ideas are working. The solutions aren’t working because they are focusing on the wrong problem. For example, if your child comes to you and says “I have a drug problem.” You don’t sit them down and say, “Well let’s work on a way to get your grades up and then we’ll work on your drug problem.” How foolish that would be. The real problem is not the grades but the drugs.
You take care of the drugs and the chances are pretty good that the grades will come up. For some of us, instead of focusing on getting out of debt or losing weight, we need to first give more serious thought to becoming organized. Does that sound crazy, almost laughable? Before you start laughing too hard, look at these examples and see if you can relate. How often do you go out to eat because your kitchen is a mess? If your kitchen is clean, chances are you would not only be more willing to fix dinner at home but in the morning you would fix breakfast and pack yourself a lunch, too. Here are some benefits of getting your kitchen organized: Organizing can reduce your wardrobe and laundry costs.
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Do you keep buying more clothes because you are gaining weight from fast food or from the stress of your clutter? How big is your wardrobe?
Cost Of Living Adjustment
Do you or your children own 3. That adds up to $1,8. If you cut it down to even 1. How many tops do you own? How about those shoes? Before you say, “There is no way I have that many jeans, shoes, or tops!” go count you clothes.
You may be surprised…How often do you toss a suit jacket on the floor or on the furniture and then later have to have it dry cleaned because it’s wrinkled? Just think what you could save on your dry cleaning bill if you kept a little more organized. Organizing can save you money in every aspect of your life.
Do you buy new items because you can’t find something? The cost of things like tools, glue, tape, ropes, garden tools, kitchen items, light bulbs, batteries, office supplies and other things really adds up. How much do you pay each month in late feeson your bills because you can’t find them, your checkbook or even a stamp to mail them?
Try something different! So often we think that the solution to our debt problem is for both spouses to work outside the home.
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At times we even compound the problem when one or both spouses takes a second job. When both spouses work out of the home, who takes care of the house? Frequently, there is a constant battle between them about whose job it is to take care of some element of the housework. After all, the husband has been out working all day, so he doesn’t feel like it. Oh, but the wife has been working, too, so why can’t she take a break? Imagine if your boss at work decided to work a second full time job. How would this impact your workplace?
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- How Much Is Clutter Costing You? Living with clutter can have serious financial and emotional costs. Here are some ideas about how to get it under control.
Who would you ask if you couldn’t find products for your customers? What if there was no change because your boss was at his other job until after the bank closed? What if you needed help or advice from your boss, but he said, “Not now… I’m too tired from my other job?” How long would that company last?
The same thing happens in many homes every day. Would your family be better served if one spouse stayed home?
Someone needs to be responsible for the bulk of the care and maintenance of the home and family. Ideally, everyone will share the work, but like in any other business there has to be one person in charge. Otherwise, everyone will avoid the work and everything will descend into chaos.
If this sounds like your home, you might sit down with your spouse and seriously consider whether one of you might take off of work to try to get your home in order. Instead of thinking of staying at home as a prison sentence, think of it as another job to help save you money, reduce family stress and add more family comfort. If you’re considering staying home, get rid of the emotions and, with pen and paper (hopefully you can find one) in hand, write down the ways that being disorganized is costing you money.
Be honest and try to cover even the small things. You might find that the money you are spending dealing with disorganization is equal to or more than one spouse’s take home pay. Organization has nothing to do with what is politically correct or what the media or other people tell you you need to do. It is a practical choice that you can make.
I am NOT saying that you can’t work doing something that you love. I am saying that regardless of how your family handles it, the work of keeping the home has to get done. If you feel that you and your spouse have to or both want to work, then try to come up with other ideas. Would spending your vacation organizing things and deep cleaning give you enough of a jump start to help keep things organized? Maybe once you organized everything you could consider hiring someone to clean your house once a week. Before you say you can’t afford it, think about this: Which would cost less?
Paying someone $5. Consider whether it would be worth one spouse working part time instead of full time. Try one simple thing like hanging up your clothes so you don’t have cleaners expense or getting the whole family to pitch in with cleaning the kitchen at the end of each meal. Maybe you do have the time, but you just don’t know how to get organized. If that is the case, then learn.
Check out books at the library or search for help on the Internet. Better yet, find someone you know who is organized and ask them to teach you. Don’t be embarrassed to do this. Most people are more than willing to show you how to do things. Remember, those older women (and men) that seem to have it all together now didn’t start out that way. They’ve had 2. 0 years or more practice and they remember what it was like to not have a clue where to start. Just ask. Instead of wasting your time and energy on trying to bail the water out of your sinking boat by bailing faster or using a bigger bucket, fix the hole.
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How Much Does It Cost to Live in Phnom Penh, Cambodia? This is a gues post from Jen Joslin, best known for her blog www. She lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia with her husband, stand- up comedian Stevo Joslin. They have been living and traveling in Asia together since 2. Phnom Penh, Cambodia since 2. Jen works as a first grade teacher at a small international school. When he’s not on stage, Stevo dabbles in curriculum consulting, teaches swimming, and does English tutoring.
Combined they earn less than $3. USD per year, yet this is the happiest they’ve ever been; both pursuing their passions while enjoying the pleasures of daily life in Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh is at that sweet spot of development for expat living. An influx of foreign investment in recent years has meant more businesses, amenities and quality international schools geared toward foreigners. While gentrification has it’s positives and negatives, there is much to be said for the comforts and ease of life these businesses provide expats. At the same time, Phnom Penh retains its chaotic pace and Cambodian charm. Its not hard to get away from the foreign influence and experience local living.
All the development means you’ll have the option to shop at organic food stores or pay half the price at local outdoor markets. A typical meal at a Cambodian restaurant costs less than $2, or you can enjoy an upscale dining experience for $1.
A cappuccino at a foreign coffee chain costs $3, while a locally sourced brew at a Cambodian stall costs less than $0. You can rent a luxury, serviced apartment with a pool, gym, 2.
Cambodian style apartment for under $3. Phnom Penh is a city of choice, and whether you are seeking western creature- comforts or want to experience a more local way of life, the city has what you are looking for at prices much less than what you would pay in most developed countries. Tuk- tuks and motorbikes, called “motos,” are the preferred method of transport for both locals and expats, though more and more luxury SUVs are crowding the roads every day (mainly driven by Cambodian officials).
Phnom Penh’s recently expanded international airport and bus services make it a great base for travel throughout the region. Southeast Asian countries are all a short plane ride away. Comfortable buses are available for travel throughout Cambodia and to bordering countries.
The expat scene in Phnom Penh is a thriving community with interesting people, young and old, from around the world. There are events taking place every day of the week.
These can include networking events, restaurant openings, athletic tournaments, street fairs, documentary film showings, art galleries, plays, live music, stand- up comedy and more. Phnom Penh is a popular city for young families as well, with plenty of activities and businesses catering to children. So let’s get down to the nitty gritty.
What does it really cost to live in Phnom Penh? Stevo and I earn less than $3. We pay $3. 50 per month in rent plus $7. Cambodian- style apartment on the fringes of the Russian Market, one of the more popular expat areas. We have a housekeeper come twice per week for $4. We eat at mid- range restaurants about twice per week ($1. Stevo belongs to a cross- fit gym.
We travel around Cambodia about once per month to Kampot, Sihanoukville, Siem Reap, and other provinces. We have taken trips around the region to Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia and Singapore, and are planning for more international travel. We live better and feel happier than we did back in our hometown in southern California. Our life in Phnom Penh is simple, fulfilling, and never dull. Money in Cambodia. Cambodia primarily uses US Dollars and Cambodian Riel. The exchange rate is roughly 4.
Riel to 1 USD, so most transactions are made in USD with small change given in Riel. ATMs dispense USD unless otherwise stated, in which case you become an instant thousandaire! Where to live in Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh is divided into districts. A majority of expats live in BKK 1, 2 or 3, Russian Market, or by the Riverside. BKK 1 and 2 tend to be more expensive with restaurants, bars and shops geared toward expats. BKK 3 (near the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum) and the Russian Market have a good blend of western and local amenities.
The Riverside area tends to be crowded with tourists and can feel seedy due to the lady bars and night clubs in the area. However, it is close to many restaurants, shops and attractive tourist sites. Another area of the city growing in popularity with expats is Tuol Kork, located 2. Phnom Penh is expanding outward, and the further outside the city center you go, the less you can expect to pay in rent. Housing Options. There are a variety of housing options in Phnom Penh ranging from upscale apartments with 2. Cambodian- style apartments in local neighborhoods. There are even old French colonial buildings and wooden countryside- style homes still available in parts of the city.
Western- style homes in gated communities with tree- lined streets and parks are also available, and many more of these housing developments are popping up on the outskirts of the city and near the airport. Housing costs range from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on location, size and style.
Cost of Housing. Typically single expats pay anywhere from $1. The Facebook group Phnom Penh Housing is a great resource to find a roommate and see what housing options are available. Couples and families can expect to pay $2. Utilities. Some apartments include utilities while others charge an additional fee for water, trash pick- up, cable, and Wi- Fi. One thing to note is that electricity is almost always charged in addition to rent and can be expensive. Landlords charge different rates to unsuspecting tenants, but the standard rate is usually 1. Riel ($0. 2. 5USD)/kilowatt.
We use a fan during the day and run our air- conditioner in one room for most of the night. Our electric bill is usually around $6. Finding a Place to Live.
There are many real estate agencies in the city to help you secure accommodation. You should not have to pay the real estate agent a fee as the landlord will pay them a commission. We had a good experience working with a local agent we met through an apartment advertisement online. He spoke great English and took us to half a dozen different properties based on our criteria. Once we found a place, he went through the details of our lease together with us and our landlord. We gave a one month security deposit and first month’s rent, signed a six month lease, and were done! Cambodian People.
Cambodian people are some of the friendliest people in the world. They are quick to smile and happy to help. Many Cambodians in Phnom Penh speak English, making it easier to make Cambodian friends, and simplifying basic daily tasks like shopping or eating out. Sadly, petty crime has risen in the past decade in Phnom Penh, though not quite to the levels seen in Vietnam or Bangkok. But like in the rest of the world, a vast majority of people in the country are kind, decent, hard- working people who shouldn’t be overlooked.
To understand Cambodia as it is today, it is important to know about it’s recent, tragic past. In the 1. 94. 0- 1. Cambodia was developing at a similar rate to Thailand and Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, Cambodia’s northeast was heavily bombed, which, along with internal strife in the country, aided in the Khmer Rouge’s rise to power during the 1. Cambodia’s people suffered a mass genocide by the Khmer Rouge regime from 1. People were forced out of Phnom Penh into the countryside and made to work as farmers. Educated people such as teachers, doctors, lawyers and business owners, were killed first.
Hundreds of thousands of others, including women and children, died of starvation. Thousands more were put in prison, tortured, and forced into absurd confessions that they were spies of the KGB or had betrayed the Khmer Rouge in some way. They were brutally murdered and put into mass graves. Today the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Killing Fields in Phnom Penh are tourist sites aimed to educate visitors about the horrific atrocities committed against the Cambodian people.
The Khmer Rouge retained their seat at the United Nations until the early 1. The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) located outside Phnom Penh has only started trying Khmer Rouge leaders responsible for the deaths of millions, within the last decade.
The trials are currently ongoing and can be viewed by the public. Cambodia is still recovering from the loss of the majority of it’s educated population and the subsequent trauma that has been passed down to the next generations.
Working in Cambodia. Depending on their profession, expats in Phnom Penh live on an estimated $1. Phnom Penh is a thriving city of opportunity. Expats work and volunteer in a variety of fields in Phnom Penh, from NGOs, education, hospitality and tourism, the medical field, consulting, technology, and business. Some expats come to the city on expat packages, in which case pay and benefits are usually more attractive. Many other people, including Stevo and I, simply show up and look for work.
Integrating into the expat scene and learning about opportunities through word of mouth is a good way to find jobs that may not be posted online. Bongthom. com, newspaper job listings, and the local HRinc site are all good resources to view job listings in the city. Cambodian Visas. Cambodia has some of the most lax visa regulations in the world. Getting a ordinary E- class visa is as simple as showing up at an airport or border, ticking a box, and paying a few dollars more than the tourist visa price. You can easily extend an E- visa to a year- long visa for around $3. Technically as of 2. Cambodia are required to have government issued work books.
However, this law is not well regulated and it is up to businesses to provide work books for their employees. This is something to be aware of but not too concerned about.