from the old to the new: saving yourself before bedtime..err.. new year

The year's about to end and 2012 did a lot of odd an rude damages on my life. However, it didn't stop me from learning a few things that i think you might relate to. I didn't get to enjoy this year that much and it's a cliche to say "2013, please be good for me" and the greeting which never goes out of vogue  "HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Every start of the year, we tend to say those words hoping that the coming new days for us will be better. But we never stop asking for a happy new year, a bountiful year, a new year full of love and happiness, etc. etc. Do we really want to have a new year that we hoped for? Of course! Who doesn't? But if you have a magical fairy god mother, you just might find yourself wishing after every swish and flick of the wand. The question is, do you have a fairy god mother? Or a genie perhaps? If you do, you can share them to the world! C'mon! Don't be selfish. haha! But snapping back to reality, the things that we've been hoping for wouldn't magically appear without doing something in order to get it. When we pray and ask for a miracle or for our prayers to be answered, we don't just think about what we need and want, but we pray. We talk to God about it. And that simple gesture is a very good first step as a something to do in order to get what we wished for. 

One thing that we neglected the most is that we tend to ask and wish and hope for a whatever new year we like. But do we even try to take a look back and think about what did the past year brought us that can be used as tool to get the new year that we deserve? There are lots of things that i would like to share to you as an example of what i meant. These are just plain and simple things that I have found myself picking them up as I walk down my 2012's memory lane. (In no particular order.)

ALTERNATIVES and PRACTICALITY

    Even though 2012 gave me a series of shitfest, I am still proud of myself that I was able to surpass it. (Not really, because there are a few days left for 2012) Anyway, through all of my problems, i thought I had nowhere to go, no one to run to or ask help from and didn't know what to do. Like for instance, when I needed a black shoes for my uniform for a reunion presentation but I couldn't afford to purchase new one. And besides, it was only a one time occasion. I looked for my old shoes that still fits me but in some manner, isn't as good as it looks already because I haven't used them in time. I found my brown leather shoes. The problem was, it was brown. and I needed a black one. What I did, since I don't find it amusing to wear again and it was only a one time event, and it will not be practical to buy a new one, I sprayed it with black colored spray paint.  I was careful when spraying the paint not to get it messy. The paint dried in a matter of 30mins - an hour. And I didn't get to spend a penny. You can try spray painting your shoes to a different color too! You will get to spend a lesser amount in spray paint than buying new ones. ;) If you wanna be creative and fashionable, you can try glittery spray paints like these: 

http://www.krylon.com/products/glitter_spray/

DIVERSIONS

    If you thought the world was going to end days before Dec. 12, 2012, I was pretty sure that you were effin worried with a lot of things. Or maybe, you might find yourself worrying a lot for whatever reason and problems you may encounter. What I've learned in 2012 was not to worry too much. It will only make you sick. That is why the word "diversion" is present in the dictionary. Diversion may be a way to escape temporarily. But its a good therapy for a few moments just to get a grip of yourself. For example, I was passing the same street everyday and the same view. How i wished i could have a great vacation getaway but I worry too much about what ifs like: what if when i get home from vacay, my apartment got robbed? what if i take a leave from work and when i get back, my boss is going to give me tons of pending and double time jobs? So, i thought to myself that why can't I stop worrying about such things? I needed to divert my negative thinking and try changing my course even just for a moment. 

What i did, instead of passing the same street, i took a reroute or i changed my usual way. In driving and in emotional stresses, I was able to divert myself. It felt pretty easing and new when i got home. I've seen establishments that I wasn't able to see for a period of time, I've passed by new faces and views. It was visually and emotionally good to try it even it just took a little time. Sometimes, we need to give ourselves a new way (literally and figuratively) in order to give it a treat. 

THE ART OF SAVING

We can't deny that almost everyone of us even the richest man in the world: 

can you please adopt me sir?

Carlos Slim Helu according to forbes.com has a problem with money. Well, Carlos here might be thinking about how he can maintain his billions, but for us who doesn't have a good financial aspect, what we can pray and hope and wish for is a new year that is bountiful and let's say, financially stable. If you want to win Miss Universe, you might say "Money isn't everything." or instead of wishing for the heavens to rain cash you wish for world peace. 

yes miss USA. smile. good thing the world didn't end. Your reign might lasted for 2 days only. lol.jk!  congratulations!

Boohoo! Let's be realistic, we need money to live. We buy most of our basic necessities. Not unless, you wanted to be a charity for the rest of your life. But if you just tend to receive and wouldn't give something back, there's none for you to receive again in the end. However, the best way to secure your self that you're gonna be fed for the rest of the year is to save and earn. Carlos my man, did pretty well with saving. Imagine, he saved billions of money for himself and his family! Why can't you? But this doesn't mean that you will keep your pennies for long up to the time it will turn into billions. There are lot's of ways to save. I have tried saving my coins in a piggy bank and it may work for others but the International Monetary Fund will be pretty much happy if you circulate your money. Circulating your money however doesn't mean that you will spend and spend and spend and spend it. Of course, business establishments will be happy, but how about you? What if there's none left? Save! Save in a way you will find it very amusing to. 

Like what I did, instead of purchasing new books to read, I borrow to others who have purchased it already. Just make sure you will return it in the same condition before you borrowed it. Or you can check out your local libraries if they already have it. 

http://biblioasis.blogspot.com/2009/03/books-are-our-friends.html

Or, you can wait for a couple of days or even months, to see if a copy is being sold in a book sale or a book seller who are capable of re-selling used books. It will lessen your costs. Sharing is also a good way to save. How? You may get the chance to receive something in return when you share something with whoever. In the book's cases for example, if your friend has later on a copy of a book you'd like to read, he/she can surely let you borrow it, for you have let them borrowed yours before.

But saving doesn't only apply with books or anything that you would be dying to purchase. There are times that we would want a dress for no special reason but you weren't able to have lunch yet. Weigh choices. Which ones better. To be hungry or to be naked? But that would be overly exaggerated. I mean, c'mon you guys. Your not Isla Fisher/ Rebecca Bloomwood from confessions of a shopaholic are you? There are some better and waaaaaaaay more important things to buy for ourselves. You can always, reward yourself in the end when you able to save a lot! 

Another best way to save is by recycling. Not just your garbages or junks but you can recycle alot of things even your food. You can check out food.com to find recipes on how to recycle left overs. Just make sure that your left overs aren't that too old anymore and it is best for the kind of food that doesn't go rotten very quickly or canned meals that you find usual and boring to taste. You can try checking allrecipes.com for they have recipe ideas for canned food. When it comes to ingredients however, we will go back to the word ALTERNATIVE. try looking for spices and ingredients that would taste as same as the given ones but will cost you less. Local veggies for example are best alternatives instead of complicated named ones. In our country for instance, 

THIS ONION. but they both make you cry. 

THIS ONION COSTS CHEAPER THAN..

The red type of onion is a local onion in our country, even though there are those who plants the white onion here, it still came from other places before and they said that its hybrid or whatsits that's why its a price higher. There may be a slight differences with their taste or flavor according to thecookingdish.com, but hey, think about this, if you're budget fits with the white one you can go for it, but again, SAVE! not unless you really want to follow your recipe's instructions and become the next MASTER CHEF. 

just prepare yourself for Chef Gordon Ramsay though.

To top it all, these are just few of the things that I have learned in 2012 that I would like to share for it might be useful for not just myself but for you guys as well. These are some things that I would like to bring with me for the next year. Because, maybe some was too late for me to realize and follow, but trying them next year will do me no harm but instead will not make me pass by devastating problems again. This might help us in receiving the year that we wished, prayed and hoped for. So guys, ALTERNATIVES, DIVERSIONS and the ART OF SAVING may be listed here but they may range into many other things and examples. You can start trying them now, like the art of saving. After you finish reading this, give your eyes a rest and turn off your computer.  Save electricity even just for a couple of hours and take good care of yourself. MERRY NEW YEAR TO YOU! :)