Saving Money | List Producer

To-Do List After Hurricane Irene

August 29, 2011/2 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Fellow List Producers, Home, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

We did it! We got through Hurricane Irene! I hope my checklists for preparation came in handy. Jay didn’t have to work after all (most sporting events were canceled because of Irene) so we got to wait out the storm together! Some trees were down in our Lower East Side neighborhood but nothing major. Our car survived in our garage even though it was in a flood zone. The subway system will be coming back to life slowly Monday morning so getting to work will be a task but hopefully not impossible.

Simple Solution for Gift Giving

August 19, 2011/0 Comments/in Decision Making, Holidays, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success, Weddings/by Paula Rizzo

Today Jay and I are loading up the car and heading upstate for our friend’s wedding. It’s going to be at a gorgeous place called Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY. Ok – so it’s not really upstate but if you live in NYC everything north of Westchester is upstate. It’s going to be a gorgeous and relaxing get away and we’ll get to celebrate with some of our dearest friends.

This weekend is also my best friend Danielle’s 30th birthday. So between this wedding and Danielle’s milestone – I have gifts on the brain. You know me – I’ve already had their gifts covered for weeks. Another reason why you should start your holiday shopping immediately – you won’t stress when the time comes! Read more

Get Ready for 30 Days of List Writing

August 12, 2011/1 Comment/in Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time/by Paula Rizzo

I don’t need an excuse to make a list. I make a list about just about anything. But in September for 30 days straight someone will tell me what lists to make! I’ve joined a challenge called “30 Days of Lists” and I think it will be a lot of fun! It starts on September 1st and you’re still able to pre-register.

Every day for 30 days a list prompt will be sent out and participants can make their list however way they’d like. It can be high-tech or low-tech, simple or complicated, colorful or black and white. Then everyone shares them. The prompts will range from celebrity crushes to bucket lists. By the end of the month you’ll have a snapshot of what’s going on in your life right now.

There will also be contests and tutorials about lots of fun things like photography and crafts. I’m even participating by organizing a tutorial about “How to Make an Effective Pros and Cons List.”

Hope you’ll join me for lots of list making!

Outsource Your To-Do List

August 10, 2011/5 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Fellow List Producers, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Movies, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

I’ve been raving about the movie “Limitless” since Jay and I saw it in the theaters. If you haven’t seen it – you need to! Not only because Bradley Cooper is easy on the eyes but also because it’s a highly-entertaining thriller. It’s also set in New York City and I love movies where I can point out my favorite streets. I guarantee by the end of the movie you’ll want the drug they’re pushing called NZT.

NZT allows you to access 100% of your brain instead of just 20%. It’s like being your best possible self but then times that by 100. Bradley Cooper’s character Eddie learns languages in a fraction of the time and recalls memories and information in a flash. He’s able to write a novel in just days and quickly becomes rich by learning the ins and outs of trading stocks.

Talk about crossing off everything on your to-do list! Wouldn’t it be nice to whiz through all the things you need and want to do? Well you actually can – even without NZT.

It’s called TaskRabbit.com. It’s a new service launching in New York City today where you can pay someone to do the things you’re too busy to do! Isn’t that just perfect for New Yorkers?! You can save time, money and be less stressed. For a small fee you can ask a TaskRabbit to do just about anything like:

Put together Ikea furniture (isn’t that the worst task ever!)
Pick up groceries
Research a trip (my personal favorite – you know how I love research)
Stake out a picnic spot in Brooklyn
Visit a family member at the hospital Read more

Back to School Organizing Tips

August 5, 2011/0 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Children, College, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, School, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

I’ve been posting about “back to school” a lot lately. I really loved school — my husband thinks I’m a total nerd. But I must confess — high school and college were my favorite. I really love learning, reading and discussing. I think that’s why I love journalism so much — you get to research and become and expert on a number of topics daily. And in a week — they don’t matter anymore and you’re on to something else. It’s great for a short attention span.

But I think being organized really helped me to succeed in college. To help out the less organized I made a checklist for back to campus and got a list from my mother-in-law for parents. And now my friend Scott Gamm, who has blogged here before giving great financial advice, has mentioned me in his slideshow on Mainstreet.com. The slideshow is all about how to be more organized when you hit the books. Check it out and let me know what you think. I’m slide #3 if you have a short attention span.