Win an iPad2 and iPod Shuffle!

Asian Food Channel is giving away an iPad2 for the lucky winner and an iPod Shuffle for the weekly draws. 

Just like the AFC Facebook Fan Page and you can acquire your chance to win these great prizes.

What are you waiting for? Go to AFC Facebook Page and like them. Don't forget to register for the contest afterwards. This promo will last until November 15, 2011.

Good Luck!

Saving Money 101

How would you like to save money for your future use? With the econony today, a lot of people are having a hard time saving money. But not all I know are experiencing this dilemma. there are also a lot of people who had success in saving money. Here are some Saving Money 101 for you.

* Make a Budget.The first thing that any good financial expert will advise you to do when setting out on the path to savings is to make a budget. An accurate budget will allow you to identify all of your necessary expenses, which in turn will give you the ability to calculate exactly how much you can afford to set aside for savings.

*Make a Savings Plan. Once you've resolved to start saving money, you'll need to develop a plan. While a good savings plan doesn't need to be an elaborate affair, it should include a basic outline of the methods you will be using to jump-start your savings.

* Open a Savings Account.One of the basic tools you can use to help manage and further your savings goals is a savings account. Not only do savings accounts provide a safe, secure and convenient place for you to store the money you've saved, they can also even help build your savings. If you don't have a savings account, it's time to set one up! If you already have a savings account, keep reading to make sure that you have the right one to meet your needs.

*Lessen your spending. It may seem like common sense, but the easiest and quickest way to start saving money is to curb your spending. Of course you don't need to eat ramen every night and turn off your electricity to do this. With a little ingenuity, there's no reason you can't find ways to cut back on your expenses.

If you have been planning to save money, I guess today would be best to start. Saving money is just easy, if you know how to do it. Be that thrifty person you want to be. Its not bad. Just award yourself from time to time.

How to Live a Frugal life?

With our economy today, everybody becomes frugal. Almost all want to live a frugal life. The question here is how? How can you live a frugal life nowadays? Here are some tips on how to live a frugal life. 

Cut out convenience foods
Learn to pass that McDonald’s up and start preparing your meals at home. You will save money and become healthier by not clogging up the ticker. At one time I was eating out just about everyday because of my work schedule, I had blood work done at the doctors office and my cholesterol was 280 with the triglycerides at 404! I stopped eating the crap served at fast “food” joints and within six months everything was back to normal.

Screw the oil companies
To save at the gas pump, don’t make unnecessary trips, even short runs to the supermarket ads up to a lot of cash out of the wallet at the end of the month. Try to do all you’re shopping for the week or month with one stop, or stop by on your way home from work (if you still have a job). If you can walk or ride a bike to where you need to be, do it. Fix a flag to your bike that reads something like, “screw the oil companies” and you could find yourself on the evening news.

Learn to do for yourself
Learn new skills and do things yourself. Every time you acquire knowledge that will enable you to do something for yourself that you would normally pay others to do, you save money. Mechanical, building, pluming, and home repair are areas worth looking into.

Spend less
Now, this is easy to say but a really hard tip to follow. However, this is the simplest way to start saving up. Think about it, review your monthly expenditure, even if you’re the most frugal person on earth, you’ll still find something where you indulge instead of saving up. Once you discover this little extravagance, cut back. It’s really as simple as that.

Stick to a budget
This is essential for individuals as well as families. In order to figure out what’s the ideal amount you can spend, you need to keep track of your earnings as well. Unless you know what’s coming in, it’s difficult to determine what goes out. Another reason why this is a great idea is because this puts your monthly expenditure and savings in perspective and step one becomes much easier to take care of with the help of a budget.

Become a smart-shopper
When buying anything, it is imperative you keep track of various offers, sales, and the price differences in a mall and a regular store. Usually, these petty frugalities go a long way in helping you save big bucks when you review your budget at the end of the month. Bonus tip: check farmers’ markets for those can be a great place to get the best bargains.

I hope those things help you to become a thrifty person and live a frugal life you want. :D