Have you ever locked your self out of your car? How about lose the keys to your house? If you have, then you know how much of an inconvenience it can be, not to mention how much money it can cost. With a little preparation you can save yourself the headache and a few bucks. Having spare keys is simple, inexpensive and should only make sense.

I learned this the hard way a few years ago when I lost all my keys. I was out shopping when it happened and could not get into my car, house, and a few other private places I needed keys to open. The taxi ride home, a locksmith to open my house, and taxi ride back was over $100 and I still had to buy spare keys to replace to ones I lost. Needless to say it was not a good day. I have since learned my lesson and am ready if this was to every happen again.

A little safety advice: Don’t hide your spare key above the door frame or in one of those fake rocks as this is one of the first places a thief would look. Instead trade keys with your spouse, family or trusted friend. I keep the spare key to my car wrapped in plastic and taped to a metal rod under my car and it has come in handy more than a few times. You would really have to be searching for it to find it. I am sure you can come up with better places to keep your spare.

It is not just about having spare keys, but how being prepared can save you money in many aspects of your life. I guess the lesson here is to try and be ready for life’s little hurdles.

]]> http://www.jinij.com/spare-keys-can-save-you-money-or-being-prepared-for-lifes-hurdles/feed/ 0 http://www.jinij.com/living-frugal/ http://www.jinij.com/living-frugal/#comments Sat, 26 Dec 2009 21:52:45 +0000 J.Scott http://www.jinij.com/?p=524

Many people think being frugal is under tipping waiters, haggling prices, buying the cheapest items, and just being cheap overall. While this is true to some extent, it is really about getting the best quality and the most quantity for your money. It is not another way of saying cheap, but the line is thin and easily blurred. Frugal people are very conscious about what they spend their money on, they are economical and tend to live a less wasteful life.

Personally speaking, Living frugal was a way of life when I was young. We had no choice but to make the most of the little we had. Creating new and interesting recipes from the little food that we could afford, was just a part of life to us. Back then we just called it being poor. Now that money is not a issue and I can afford to buy what I want, I find that I don’t really want to buy much. Yes, there are somethings I would buy now that I couldn’t before, like a plasma TV, but that is to be expected. I really don’t see the need to have one of every gadget and things like doing my own laundry and cooking has become things I enjoy.

The rewards of living frugal can be great. For instance, the less you waste the more you can save and the more environmentally friendly you will be. Most self made millionaires are frugal by nature according to the book “The Millionaire Next Door.” They clip coupons, shop at thrift shops, buy in bulk, and waste as little as possible. They also claim their frugalness played a big part in their success.

I find it ironic how, most of the people that need to incorporate a little frugality in their lives are the ones that fashion it as being cheap. I think the world can learn a few thing from people that practice frugal living and be better off for it.