| Earth Day Lessons from a $39 Purse |
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One of the aspects of Savvy Living is to only purchase what you love. That is exactly what I did in March 2010 when I spent $39 on a new oversized purse at Target. I love that purse. It has gone with me to business conferences, speeches and to teach Savvy Living classes. It has just enough compartments for my phone, business cards and other items so I can easily access what I need. File folders and my Franklin Covey Planner easily fit inside it so I don't have to worry about bringing along a second bag. So, last Tuesday, as I walked out the door to teach the Savvy Travel and Entertainment Class I was heartbroken when the strap broke. After two years and countless miles, the purse succumbed to the wear and tear of daily use. But, I couldn't bring myself to throw it away. I decided to take it to a cobbler to have it repaired - then I remembered that one of our closest friends is a leather worker. With just a few minutes of work, he was able to make the repair. I admit, my first thought was to throw the purse away. It's understandable. In the last 40 years we have become a disposable society. Instead of taking the time to mend an item or having it professionally repaired, we throw it away without a second thought. Happily, I did have a second thought and saved myself the amount of time it would take me to find a purse that I love just as much, the cost to replace it as well as the impact on the environment of adding one more item to the garbage pile. When you get into the habit of only purchasing things you love, it's not so easy to part with those items. Instead of replacing them, you think of ways to reuse or repurpose them. Remember, Savvy Living isn't about being cheap! It's about living an intentional and purposeful life. A happy byproduct of Savvy Living is that the environment benefits as well. Happy Earth Day!
Thank you for the repair Mike!
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| Save $300 in 30 Minutes |
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A few weeks ago I had lunch with my friend Martha Hanlon who is the author of the new book Customers Are The Answer To Everything. As with any two people who are passionate about what they do, the conversation quickly turned to work.
Martha asked me if I had an Extraordinary Offer for The Savvy Life readers. An Extraordinary Offer is something like: Try the mattress in your own home for 30 days. If you aren’t satisfied, call us and we’ll arrange for pick-up and a full refund.
I started thinking about what I could offer.
Well, in the last eight years I’ve become an expert at quickly identifying where people are leaking money and how they can, as painlessly as possible, streamline their spending.
Then I thought about how busy everyone is and how carving out an hour or more for a sit down conversation can be prohibitive. I realized that I don’t need that much time. I really just need 30 minutes for a lifestyle Q&A session to identify where they can save.
Just how much money could I realistically save the average person with this type of call? The amount of $300 immediately popped into my head. Over the past eight years, I’ve saved individual clients thousands of dollars by helping them plug their financial leaks and implement smart spending habits based on their lifestyle.
So in 30 minutes I can save you $300 per month, but in order to make it a truly Extraordinary Offer, one that negates any risk - If I’m unable to find $300 in 30 minutes, I’ll reimburse you the $97 session fee.
So, in 30 minutes, I’ll save you $300 per month ($3,600 annually) or I’ll give you your money back. What will you do with $3,600?
To take advantage of the
Extraordinary Offer and schedule your 30 minute call
contact me at 650-299-1500 or by email at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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| The Pantry Challenge in India |
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I received an email this week from Darcey who lives in Northern India and is taking on The Pantry Challenge: Hi Melissa,
I checked Darcey's website this morning and she has indeed started to blog about her experience with The Pantry Challenge. The entry is titled, Things On a Budget. It is a fun and very interesting read. I've always been fascinated by other cultures and lifestyles and look forward to continuing to read about Darcey's adventures. Note: Love this photo of Darcey! |
| Your book has really changed my life... |
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Last week I received the nicest email from Erica J. of Fresno, CA. She was kind enough to give me permission to share it:
Melissa,
Your book has really changed my life for the better and I cannot thank you enough. It seems as though I was going through life wearing blinders when it came to finances and thought if I don't look at it, it will just go away. So not the case. Your book helped me figure out exactly where we are down to the penny and its as if a weight has been lifted.
This has allowed me to organize our debt, start paying our credit cards off one at a time with money to spare and set goals I never thought we could reach! It's amazing how much we spent on little things we didn't need and how much money we now have because of it.
It is incredibly difficult going through life constantly worrying about money and I was the worst. So my husband thanks you too!!
- Erica J.
Fresno, CA
What I love about Erica's email is that is demonstrates there is hope! No matter how bad your financial situation is, there's hope.
For some, the solution can be found in a book like Living The Savvy Life. Others are able to piece together the puzzle by attending a class or seminar. While others have been staring at their financial situation for so long they can't see straight anymore and need one-on-one guidance.
If you have questions or concerns about your own financial situation and would like to talk, I can be reached at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or by phone at 650-299-1500.
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| When Easter Gives You Eggs... |
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I have a dozen hard-boiled Easter eggs in my refrigerator waiting to be reincarnated into egg salad sandwiches - one of my family's favorite meals. However, if you're looking for ideas beyond deviled eggs or egg salad sandwiches, the experts at Real Simple magazine have a few suggestions: 10 Recipe Ideas for Leftover Hard-Boiled Eggs And for those of you that have leftover ham - 30+ Ideas for Leftover Ham. By implementing your Easter or Passover holiday leftovers into this week's meals, you can greatly reduce your grocery bill!
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