One of my 2012 ‘to-do’s’ is to make a clothing wish list and the best way to do this was to assess the clothes that I already have – I’m really strict with myself about clothes buying and for the most part (one pair of jeans being the exception), will only buy (and keep) clothes in my wardrobe that I wear.

Notice a trend ^ – Since going a little more minimalist with my clothing I’ve noticed a definite move towards a ‘uniform look’, and nearly everything I own is either grey or black…..this works out brilliantly for mixing and matching and I love it, but may seem a little boring to others!

Full clothing list: 29 core pieces

• 9 jumpers (pictured0
• 2 tanks
• 3 shirts/blouses
• 2 jeans (1 that fits!)
• 1 jersey top
• 1 waterfall cardigan
• 1 white/blue striped summer top
• 2 pairs black work trousers
• 1 pair black linen trousers
• 1 pair casual black trousers
• 2 floaty evening tops
• 1 black long sleeve t-shirt
• 3 black t-shirts

After pulling everything out of the wardrobe I removed 6 items for recycling – mostly tatty looking jumpers – and made a very small list of needs. Mainly t-shirts. The ones that I have, Gap t’s bought in 2009, are looking very washed out and need replacing.

Clothing Wish List: (2012)

• 3-5 t-shirts (black and grey)
• Black Trench Coat
• Black (summer) wedge shoe

Sourcing the items:

I’ve already got my eye on a pair of summer wedges, and will be buying them with the gift vouchers that I have – the t-shirts I’ll buy in Gap (I like their t-shirts), when we go on holiday in April. The trench is the one thing that I’ll need to search for, although I’m probably going to wait until I’ve lost a little more weight as it needs to be something that lasts (and I keep) for a very long time.

So that’s it.  I’m really pleased that I did this exercise as I now have a simple ‘items to buy’ list that, when everything is bought, will update my wardrobe quite nicely.

Let me know, do you keep a clothing wish list? Are you regularly assessing your wardrobe?

My Minimalist Wardrobe (Update) is a post from: Move to Portugal

The following is a guest post.

I’m a firm believer that you can make good money by using a credit card if you use it wisely.  There are many different rewards card that offer great cash back options.  You can also try to make money using a credit card balance transfer. 

What Is A Balance Transfer?

A credit card balance transfer is just like it sounds, you move money from one credit card account to another.  Usually one credit card will offer you an incentive to move, and they will provide you with a “balance transfer check”.  You simply use that check to pay off your current card, and the balance is now on the new card.

Risks of a Balance Transfer

A balance transfer usually has many strings attached, so make sure you read the fine print.  Some cards charge fees for each balance transfer.  Most are flat fees, but some can even be a percentage of the amount you are transferring.  Make sure you understand what you will pay if you are considering doing a balance transfer. 

Second, many cards usually charge a different interest rate on balance transfer amounts.  So, while they advertise one interest rate for purchases, you usually need to check the fine print to discover the balance transfer rate. 

How To Make Money

After reading about the fees, you may wonder how you can make money by keeping a balance on a credit card?  Well, many credit cards offer really good interest rates on balance transfers – such a 0% for a specified period of time.  If you are a new card customer, they usually also waive any fees associated with the balance transfer.  As a result, you can have a free transfer to a card that won’t charge you any interest – that’s a good deal.

To make money, you have to be smart about it, and you have to have good timing.  The goal is to use the money at 0%, and put it in a savings account earning 1-2%.  You can do this by using your existing card’s cash advance, put the money in an account, and use a balance transfer check to pay off the card.  Now, your credit card balance is 0%, and you have that money in savings.  When the 0% is up, use the savings to pay off the card. 

Make Money With Your Credit Cards is a post from: Move to Portugal

The following is a guest post;

Once upon a time, only those who had a mortgage would opt for life insurance. Now, however, most realise that having a good quality life insurance is important for everybody, not just for those who own a home. Of course, for those who do have a mortgage, having good quality life insurance is incredibly important. This type of life insurance is usually in place to pay off the mortgage when one of the partners dies. This means that the person who remains in the home no longer has to pay for the mortgage and stands a fighting chance of being able to stay in their home. But finding life insurance is not always east, particularly good life insurance. This even more true if you have issues due to your job, or your medical history, that makes you classed as”high risk”

So what is high risk?  Basically an insurance company will look at a persons past and current lifestyle and assess how likely it is that this person will die before they have paid the amount that the insurance company will pay out on the life insurance premiums. There are even some issues in a person’s past medical history that may leave them unable to find life insurance at all. There are also certain jobs that insurance companies do not look favourably on. Jobs with high accident rates, for example. Lastly an insurance company will also look at any hobbies you may have. If you engage in any extreme sport- from simple scuba diving to base jumping – it may be more difficulty to find good life insurance.

But what is good quality life insurance? Any type of life insurance should pay out a set amount on death. Usually this amount is the mortgage that has not yet paid off. It is possible with some life insurances to reduce the amount you pay in premiums as your mortgage goes down. The best life insurance policies, however, will also pay out upon diagnosis of a terminal illness or certain diseases that make it impossible for the insured to continue to work.  Last but not least, a good insurance policy should pay out quickly.

How To Find Good Quality Life Insurance is a post from: Move to Portugal

The following is a guest post

Getting ready to move abroad is an exciting time, but there are many technical details you must take care of in order to ensure your move goes smoothly. To avoid problems, it is best to make a checklist of everything you need to do. Don’t forget to include some of the less obvious things as well, such as taking care of administrative needs.

Getting The Pets Ready

One of the most challenging parts of moving abroad is making sure your pet can come with you safely. In some cases, pets need to have vaccinations several months prior to the move to avoid having to be quarantined at their new home. You will also need proof of vaccinations for any move or if your pet is to travel by plane. Be sure to find out what the requirements are well in advance and see your vet to get them all taken care of.

Handling Your Own Medical Needs

Handling your own medical needs is also important. Make sure you also get any required vaccines before you move, so you have that taken care of well in advance and have proof of the vaccines. Find out what you will be doing for insurance in your new home too. If your current health insurance doesn’t cover you during the trip or after the move, you should have a plan in place in case you get ill while traveling or after you arrive.

Learn the Restrictions of Your New Home

There are many different things you may not be able to move abroad with you, depending on restrictions in shipping or mailing, or restrictions in your new home. Find out what the rules are before trying to move meat, plants or vegetables, alcohol, dried flowers or cane furniture. Be aware of the rules for narcotics and hazardous substances as well if you are planning on bringing any of these items abroad.

Forward Your Mail

You will need to set up all of your mail to be forwarded to your new address. This should be done in advance, so no letters fall through the cracks.

Notify Those You Do Business With

Canceling your utilities, cable and other monthly recurring bills is an essential part of getting ready to move, as is making sure you have let all of your other creditors know where your new address will be. Anyone who may need to get hold of you in the future should be provided with your new contact information.

Taxes

Find out what the requirements are where you live for letting the local tax authority know about your move. You may need to let them know in advance that you will be going abroad.

Manage Your Banking Needs

Be sure to take care of all financial details associated with the move. This may include stopping automatic payments of bills in your current location, as well as closing bank accounts that you will no longer have access to once you have moved or temporarily suspending accounts until you return.

You will also need to make sure you have banking relationships in place in your new home. You’ll need to know how to deposit checks and obtain access to your cash once you have moved and you will need to know the rules for opening a bank account at your new place of residence. Information on banks can be found at moneysupermarket.com, so you can get a head start.

Your Moving Abroad Checklist is a post from: Move to Portugal

I don’t look back a lot, I much prefer to think about the future, but as a sort of wrap up for 2011, I went through the archives and picked a post from each month which highlights my year.

• January: Reducing and Recycling Our Waste - This has been a success this year due to the reduction in our overall buying. Less packaging equals less recycling. We still have a long way to go but we’re making progress.
• February: Moving Slowly But Surely Towards Our Goal - A post about slowing down and living in the now.
• March: Five Year To Do And Earning Extra Income - One of our long term goals is to earn at least £500 a month in alternative/passive income and making progress on this has been a priority this year.
• April: Is Being a Landlord For Me? - Can I hand over my ‘home’?
• May: Sticking To Budgets Brings Potential - Yes it does!!
• June: Clutter Free Family Living - I’ve finally achieved this after (it seems like years) of working on it.
• July: Moving Abroad: The First Six Months Fund - One of our goals for 2011 was to save £6,000 to cover the cost of renting an apartment for our first six months in Portugal.  We saved £5,000.
• August: Questions Revisited (and Answered) - Attempting to answer some of the questions I have about moving abroad.
• September: Dreaming of Downsizing – A short post about something always on my mind.
• October: Our Goals: Five Year Plan (2011-2015) - I need direction and know without a plan I would flounder.
• November: I Still Can’t Do It All - A mini moment. I not sure if it was a reaction to my leg pain (my first few physio appointments were very painful), but I lost my way for a short while.
• December: Goal Planning and Dreaming for 2012 - Focusing on the positive

I also plan to take a couple of hours ‘me’ time this weekend. Nothing too much, just a short time to reflect on 2011 and get my mind in the right place for 2012.  It’s important to me that I keep moving forward every year and that is more likely to happen if I’m totally focused.

Do you plan to take some time to reflect on 2011?

(photo credit)

A look back at the last 12 months is a post from: Move to Portugal