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Conquer Lateness- Save Time & Money (Plus a Sweepstakes!)

Conquer Lateness- Save Time & Money (Plus a Sweepstakes!)

Hello Friends!  Happy Friday! I, like many of you, have a to-do list a mile long.  There are designs to create, projects to complete, contractors to schedule, a house to clean, and oh yeah- bills to pay.  In the past I’ve had people ask how I get so much done. (Sidenote- I’m really in awe of all the working moms out there.  I have no idea how they juggle a career and raising children! Props to you ladies!)  Although I don’t have any children, I do have a business I’m trying to grow and for all intents and purposes, it is my baby.  So, today I wanted to share some methods I embrace when it comes to conquering lateness and keeping my production train on its tracks and moving full speed ahead!

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*Make a list! – Most of you probably already do this, but I know there are some people (like my husband) who benefit greatly from lists, but often forget to make them.  Having an organizer or computer program where you can consistently go and add or subtract obligations, meetings, and chores will really help when you are trying to figure out how to manage your time.

*”Just Keep Swimming/Moving” – My next tip comes from everyone’s favorite fish in “Finding Nemo.”

“Just keep swimming” or “just keep moving” is a methodology I’ve adopted in my own life when it comes to marking tasks off my list.  When it doesn’t really matter what gets done first, I decide to do whatever I’m in the mood for.  If I’m feeling creative and energetic, I’ll go out into our studio and experiment or work on projects I need to cross off my list.  When my body is worn out and it’s super hot or cold outside, I’ll choose to do computer work.  When I’m feeling unsocial, I’ll lock myself away to design for a day with a pot of coffee and killer playlist. Or maybe my creative juices are at a standstill and it’s the middle of a workday, well I can use that moment to go get some essentials done, like grocery shopping or banking. The point is- don’t try to force yourself to do something you’re really not into at the moment.  If you can find something on your list that sounds fun, you’ll get it done quicker and better!

*Combine as much as possible – When it comes to being productive, efficiency is KEY!!!  I love my job, but like any normal person, I need some social or down time in my life.  I also really love and need to work out.  That’s one reason I choose to do Crossfit.  The group classes in a Crossfit Box give me the opportunity to work out and socialize all at the same time, keeping me both physically and emotionally healthy!  I also choose to combine meals with business meetings, prayer time with dog walks, and so on.

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* Cut out the stuff you hate to do.  Remember TIME IS MONEY.  I would rather spend 20 minutes designing (and making money) than 20 minutes doing dishes.  So, most of the time we use throw away kitchen wares (paper plates, plastic utensils, etc).  That might sound less than classy to you, but it is totally worth it to us. Or maybe you detest spending 3 hours a week cleaning your house or doing laundry.  Tim and I say hire someone to do the stuff you hate and spend that extra time doing something you value, something you’re passionate about.  Depending on your job and/or income, hiring out certain services may not be an option for you.  However, whenever possible, Tim and I think you should fill your life with the things you love to do!

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* Set up automatic bill payments- paying your bills via snail mail is a thing of the past.  The ease of keeping track of and paying bills online has not only saved me time, it’s saved me money as well! With me being a creative mind, things (like paper bills) can easily get lost amongst the physical and mental clutter I am surrounded by at times.  Before automatic bill pay (which most companies and credit cards like Citi offer) I would lose bills and forget to pay them at times.  But now, I can choose to set up an automatic draft and notices that remind me the money is coming out, which means I eliminate any possibilities of incurring late fees. I know a lot of people are against using credit cards, but I find that they provide me a lot of freedom and honestly, make life a whole lot easier.  For example, with Citi Simplicity , I never pay any late fees – EVER. Citi Simplicity is the only card to offer no late fees, penalty rate or annual fee. Plus, I’ve got peace of mind that I’ve already scheduled automatic bill pay.

* I also have the ability to refute and not pay any charges that are fraudulent. Definitely can’t do that if someone steals your cash!

* And I can make up for that sale I missed!  It can be frustrating and time-consuming to chase down price adjustments.  Citi Price Rewind does the work for you, by searching retailers’ site for lower prices when you buy and register an eligible item with your Citi credit card. Save your credit card receipt each time you shop. If Citi finds your item at least $25 lower than what you paid within 30 calendar days, you can get the difference in price back, up to $250. The average refund is $80! Now that’s some major savings! To learn more visit www.citi.com/pricerewind for more information. So, needless to say I am a fan of the Citi Simplicity Card and of all money & time saving services or products!  In honor of saving yourself some money and some headaches this fall season, enter the Conquer Lateness Sweepstakes where you can enter for a chance to win a 16GB mini tablet!  To enter, I’d love to hear any strategies you guys have for saving time and money in the comment section!  Read the rules below for other ways to enter as well! Sweepstakes

The Conquer Lateness Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”) is open to legal US Residents, age 18 or older. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 5pm (PST) on October 24, 2013. The Official Rules are available here. No purchase necessary.

 

Only two entries per participating blog per household; if the same or substantially similar comment (as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion) is posted twice, it may only count as one Entry. Eligible persons may enter this Promotion by taking any of the following actions, each of which counts as one entry:

1.     Leave a comment in response to the Promotion prompt on this post.

2.     Tweet (public message) about this Promotion, including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that Tweet in a comment on this post.

3.     Blog about this Promotion (including a disclosure that you have received a sweepstakes entry in exchange for blogging about this Promotion), and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post.

4.     To enter without commenting, follow this link, and provide your email address and your response to the Promotion prompt.

 

Be sure to visit the Citi brand page on BlogHer.com where you can learn more about conquering lateness!

 

This article has 97 comments

  4. marybeth i

    I am trying to spend more time doing things I love vs. housework. I try and do quick daily cleaning so time consuming deep cleaning is less often. Great tips

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  10. Nataly Carbonell

    I ALWAYS check online for discounts and coupons before going to the store. This really saves me both, time and money 😉

  11. Amanda K

    I always buy kids shoes and clothes on sale/clearance. I have at least one size up from what they are currently wearing. That eliminates paying full price for something when they hit a growth spurt.

  13. Robin Wilson

    I am a huge list maker, they help keep me on track and on time. I also set alarms and reminders on my cell phone to help keep me on time.

    zuzu.wilson(at)yahoo(dot)com

  15. Wild Orchid

    To conquer lateness, I use a daily planner to plan for important events and due dates.

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

  17. Jean

    It may not seem directly related, but one way I’m trying to conquer lateness is by resisting the temptation to overbuy clothes for my two girls. It’s so fun to dress them I often want to keep adding to their wardrobes, but it gets exponentially harder to find things and that makes getting ready on time more difficult. They always end up wearing their favorites no matter how much I buy, anyway!

  18. Betty C

    I am definitely a list maker. I am easily distracted and without my lists I would rarely finish anything. 🙂

  23. Emily N.

    I save time learning the shortest route to wherever I need to drive to, even saving a few minutes is worth it!

  27. April Yedinak

    I save time by not over-committing and by staying focused on the tasks I do have. I save money with coupons, sales stalking and swapping stuff with friends.

  28. Carolsue

    To conquer lateness, I “trick” myself by setting the alarm clock (or my cell phone alarm) 15 minutes early! That usually gets me places on time.
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

  30. Carolina Dhabolt

    I like to save money by buying only what we need, if I was to buy everything I wanted we would be living in the streets plus I wouldn’t be able to afford it anyway lol I like using coupons or buying items on great deals/saves. I also like to set up reminders and write all my appointments down to conquer lateness and because I have a terrible memory. I like to get my husband’s lunch ready the night before and my kids’ clothes too so that we are not late in the mornings.

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  33. Rose A

    thanks for the tips. I have both my alarm clock on my phone set 15 minutes before I actually get up(I always turn it off before it rings though!) and my clock is set ahead in my car so That keeps me on my toes. I also have reminders on my phone as to when to pay what.

  34. sara b

    your an inspiration 😉 i find its all about breaking things into small tasks and tackling one thing at a time.

  35. Evelyn

    I always prepare ahead of time. I think its really the only way or skip some steps like making a full breakfast and opting for cereal

  37. angie lilly

    I save money and time by cooking in large batches. I will cook double what we need for a meal and then we have lunch already packed up and ready to go for the next day! Buying in bulk saves the money and packing the left overs for lunch right after dinner saves us time in the mornings, as all is ready to go!

  39. Lindsay P

    I give myself ‘departure times’ that I MUST leave by. For saving money, I stalk places to get good stuff for free or cheap. Patience is a must.

  40. Thomas Murphy

    I use automatic bill payments to save time and to save money I always pay on time and in full to avoid interest payments.

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