Our Expenses for January

Well, we've made it through another month!
Our expenses for January were very comparable to last month and even last year at this time, so we were pleased. Groceries, I think like for most, are always one of the bigger expenses.
Our expenses for January included 
-Food/ groceries- $514.73- that is including food for the dog too
-Water and dumps for the RV and drinking water- $31.05
-Gas for RV- which this month included a trip to Apache Junction and area- $352
-SUV gas- $70
-Propane- $68.67- a cooler month - which means running the furnace off and on
-Take out- $40.03- use coupons too when we can
-Laundry- $23.75 - washing and drying and not the soap

And no camping fees or parking fees this month.
All costs in USD.
And those are our expenses for January!

Is Swing Trading Your Ticket to Getting Rich?

It’s 10 am.

You’re sipping mimosas on your hotel’s rooftop pool deck. A quick turn to the left and you have a full view of the city of Barcelona. Just to the right, you watch the sea swing back and forth against the shoreline.

You don’t even care about missing the sunrise because you slept in this morning. The warm wind twirls through the ends of your hair. Everything is simply perfec…

*BEEEEEEP*

Your alarm sounds. Time to crawl out of bed and sift through the kitchen until you can manage that first sip of burnt coffee.

Why is it always burned?

Stop what you’re doing right now. You’re never going to get to sipping mimosas working that 9-5. Something has to break the cycle.

Enter swing trading.

Swing trading is a way that you can make money from your computer, and in turn, anywhere in the world.

You have two choices: get ready for your 9-5, or read on to learn how swing trading can make you rich.

Let’s dive in.

What Is Swing Trading?

To understand swing trading, you must first understand day trading.

Day trading is a strategy that investors use to monetize the market, whether it be trading currencies, stocks, or contracts. When using a day trading strategy, investors will open and close multiple trades within the same day. 

Swing trading is another strategy that investors use. Here, investors will open trades and wait several days before closing them.

In a nutshell, swing trading is long term trading compared to day trading.

Swing trading has it’s pros and cons, for example, swing trading typically yields higher returns, but it also takes a higher starting capital.

Still a bit puzzled?

Here’s a deeper explanation if you’re still wondering, “what is swing trading?”

Is It Luck or Skill?

There are a lot of beginner traders that will tell you stories of making thousands of dollars their first week of trading.

While these stories are great, there are even more traders that will tell you stories of how they lost everything their first week.

The traders that start out making thousands of dollars with their first few trades are actually the ones that are most likely to lose everything in the long run. Swing trading has a lot to do with psychology. If you think you’re just naturally good and don’t need to practice, you’re likely just on a lucky streak and are testing its limits.

Think of swing trading as if it were a game of chess.

There is a high level of skill involved in a game of chess. You’ll need to be able to predict your opponent’s next move based on the last and previous games they’ve played before.

Even still, the game is never a “for sure” win, because sometimes your opponent will try to trick you up and play a move they’ve never played before.

So is it luck or skill? Our answer, mostly skill with just a touch of luck.

Will Swinging Make You Rich?

The million dollar question: will swing trading make you rich?

The easy answer? It’s up to you.

Think of learning to swing trade like you’re starting a business.

Will Jimmy’s ice cream stand make him rich? Well, if he turns it into a dairy queen then heck yeah!

Swing trading is what you make of it. If you put in the work and study, as well as maintain a proper risk management strategy, you’ll be surprised how far it can actually take you.

Tips to Get Richer Quicker

Get Comfortable with a Risk Management Strategy

Risk management is what’s going to keep you from losing everything on just a couple of trades.

Experienced traders suggest a risk management strategy of 1-5%, meaning you should never risk more than 1-5% of your capital at any given time.

Regularly practising risk management is arguably the toughest part about trading. It sounds easy, but when you put it into perspective and realize that 1% of $100 is only $1, it gets a lot tougher.

Practice on a Demo Account first

We cannot stress this enough. Always practice on a demo account. Most brokers offer free demo accounts.

If you can practice with fake money in real time, there is no reason why you should be practicing with your own money.

Stay Humble with Yourself

Just because you made one amazing trade that put you into thousands of dollars profit, doesn’t mean your next trade you won’t lose everything.

There's an old saying that goes, “Wisdom is knowing what you don’t know.”

If you think you know everything there is to know about trading, you probably haven’t even scratched the surface. Swing trading is an ever-changing field and you’ve got to be able to keep up. The market moves, and you should too.

Don’t let yourself get cocky, because that’s how you lose everything.

Get It Together - Put It All In a Bag

Got all your notes together?

If you take our advice and follow a proper risk management strategy, you’ll notice that you’re making small profits in the beginning. This is expected. Remember, higher returns mean higher risk.

That being said, half the battle is knowing how to optimize your returns. Check out this article to help you make the most of your risk management.

No one ever said that swing trading would be easy, but we did say that it’s your ticket to mimosas and beach bodies. Stick to it you’ll never go back to a 9-5 again.

Valentine's Day Guide To Sweet Treats

If your looking for Valentine's Day Sweet Treats to gift this year or to just treat yourself to a bit of sweet goodness, we've found some great ones for you.

WaffleWaffle-

No matter who you’re shopping for this Valentine’s Day, WaffleWaffle is the perfect gift for your significant other, friend, kid, or just for yourself! Think outside the heart-shaped chocolate box this Valentine’s Day with these gourmet, individually packaged Belgian style waffles. WaffleWaffle is available in several delicious flavors, such as Cinnamon Roll, Buttery Vanilla, and Buttery Maple all for under $5 each. Whether they’re eaten as an easy breakfast, an on-the-go snack, or a decadent dessert, your Valentine will love this uniquely sweet treat. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, WaffleWaffle can be purchased at any Walmart location for early birds or last-minute shoppers.

Endangered Species Chocolate -

Endangered Species Chocolate provides premium chocolates made with ethically sourced, high quality, and environmentally sustainable ingredients that not only taste good, but do good. ESC dedicates 10% of their annual net profits to supporting wildlife conservation, adding up to over $1.7M donated to its giveback partners in the last three years alone. With more than 26 flavor varieties, their chocolate is guaranteed to please all tastebuds this Valentine’s Day. Endangered Species Chocolate allows gift-givers the opportunity to provide their loved ones with a delicious treat with a purpose.

Brownie Points- 

Baking the World a Better Place… One Brownie at a Time!

Who could resist Brownie Points Eight Baby Brownie varieties, a large chocolate Covered Brownie X , a large chocolate Covered brownie O  and a large Chocolate covered Brownie Heart beautifully packaged in our sleek signature Brownie Points box hand tied with our Pink Eye Ribbon. You will receive endless hugs and kisses for this gift!

**Watch this spot for more great sweet treat ideas- coming soon!

Get The Most Bang For Your Buck From Your Wedding

Everyone knows that a wedding can cost some serious dollar. When you get to the planning stages, you quickly realize that this day is going to cost a pretty penny. This, in itself, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Most things that are good cost some money! However, if you’re going to spend a large amount of money, then you need to ensure that you’re spending it wisely. You should aim to get as much for your money as possible! Below, we take a look at a few ways you can ensure that your wedding budget goes as far as possible, and that there aren’t too many things that can be considered a waste of money.

Source: Pexels.com

Focus on the Big Hitters

There are a million and one things that you could have at a wedding. It’s important to understand, however, that all of these things aren’t created equally. Some have the capability to make or break your wedding; others are just small additions that can make the day incrementally better, but which may also be overlooked by many people. So to begin with, focus on the “the big hitters,” the wedding details that have the biggest impact. They’re worth spending money on because they’re so important.

Low Budget Throwaways

For the things that you know won’t make too much of a difference, for example, things that’ll get thrown away straight away, it’s best not to devote too much of your wedding budget. Invitations could be considered as one of these things. While it would be nice to have beautiful invitations that capture your love, the truth is that a good invite isn’t going to have that much bearing on the wedding day. Not many people will remember how they were told about the wedding, and if they do, it’s not going to be the standout memory of the wedding (or at least, you hope not).

Don’t DIY Everything

Some couples go down the DIY route in an effort to curb costs. This can be recommended, but only to a point. If you’re trying to do everything yourself, then you might save money, but your stress levels will be through the roof. It’s much better to only ‘DIY’ the tasks that you genuinely enjoy; for everything else, you’ll want to get someone else to do it for you. Remember that, first and foremost, you should be enjoying the whole wedding experience. That’s not going to happen if you’re getting frustrated as you watch YouTube tutorial videos!

Unleash the Fun

You’ll have put a lot of effort into making sure that your wedding party has everything it needs for everyone to have a good time. So how much would it suck if something simple, such as having to get home or needing to look after the kids, disrupts the party? These are just small issues, yet can thin out the party crowd pretty quickly. It’s much better to pay a little extra to solve these issues and keep the party going, than to just let the people leave. So how do you get around this? For starters, you can book taxis for people for late in the day. That way they can party safe in the knowledge that they’re going to make it home. For the kid situation, look at hiring a communal babysitter. When a person’s child gets tired of the dancefloor, they can rest with the babysitter, while you continue to throw shapes. Perfect.

Capture the Moments

You’ve put a lot of time, effort, and money into making sure that your wedding day is as special as can be. Now, can imagine if, in, say, three years time you’re thinking back and finding it difficult to really bring the look and feel of the party to mind? If you’re going to spend so much money creating a perfect party, then the least you can do is ensure that you remember it. You can do this by capturing the day on camera. Work with a professional like Vittore Buzzi Photography to get those high-quality snaps, and also ask your guests to send any photos and videos they have of the day. You’ll enjoy them straight away, but as the years roll by, they’ll take on an even greater importance; they’ll provide a way for you to easily bring to mind one of the most important days of your life.

Get Married At the Right Time

There are some common ways to save money when you’re hosting a wedding. One such way is to get married out of season, when prices are lower. Now, this can be recommended, if you’re one of those people who doesn’t really mind whether the sun is shining or not. But if you are one of those people, then it’s not a good idea to get married when the weather will be chilly just because you want to save some cash. This makes sense for one simple reason: you’re not going to enjoy the wedding as much if you’re cursing the weather. If what the weather is doing is going to make or break your enjoyment of the day, pay for the sunshine.  

Limit the Luxuries

It’s becoming more and more common to include high-end goods and touches into a wedding day, but these, of course, will eat up your wedding budget. And if there’s one thing that can compromise your enjoyment of your wedding, it’s the stress connected with the financial aspect of the day. If you need to think hard about how you spend your budget (like most people), then don’t even think about luxuries. They’re not going to make or break your wedding day,  but may rob you of your relaxed state of mind if you splash the cash to include them.

Invest in the Fun

Finally, remember to go big with the party aspect! It’s worthwhile hiring an experienced DJ rather than relying on your own Spotify playlist. This will be the part of the wedding that everyone remembers; don’t take any chances with it.

Sleeping With California Design Den Sheets Plus a Giveaway- USA only

With us RV living 6 months of the year, we have to have supplies in both the house back home and our road home. This means king sized sheets and bedding for the bed back home and queen sized sheets for our RV. The cost of RV specific sheets like anything RV or camper specific definitely can end up costing you more. But really, you can use regular sheets, provided you have a thicker mattress in your RV or camper. We use regular sheets and only find they may be a bit longer, so you can easily hem them or do what I do and just lift the end up and fold it back on the bed.

We're sleeping with California Design Den sheets now on the bed.

The price is right and they are super comfy. We have the Everyday Comfort Pin Stripe, 400 thread count, 100% cotton sateen, in grey.

If your sleeping with California Design sheets the co-founders of the California Design Den brand want you to know they are an established an award-winning bed sheet factory in India that started more than a decade ago. Today, it is still where they manufacture their luxury bed linens, along with bedding for top retailers across the U.S. When you buy California Design Den sheets, you enjoy the same premium quality as the world’s top bedding brands at a value you won’t find anywhere else.

Sleeping with California Design Den sheets will definitely have you NOT wanting to get out of bed in the morning, and anxious to crawl under the covers at night!

P.S Ordering can also be done from their Amazon store front here.

California Design Den is also offering a set of sheets of your choice. USA only please.

To enter:

Tell us what size sheets you would choose and the style if you are to win.

Extra Entries:

Share this giveaway on your Facebook page- one entry only

Share this giveaway on your Twitter page- one entry only

Follow One Income Dollar by email- on our site to sign up

Follow One Income Dollar on Facebook

Follow California Design Den on Facebook

Follow One Income Dollar on Twitter

Share this giveaway on Pinterest- once only

Good luck to all. 

A random draw by Random.org will be held on February 14, 2019 from all entries received.

Time For a Spa Day At Home

If you love all the luxuries of the spa but its maybe not affordable right now, it may just be time for a spa day at home.
We've found some great brands that make you feel like your at a real spa but rather you take time for a spa day at home, which may be just as relaxing!
Pamper, relax, re energize and refresh yourself with products to pamper yourself in the comfort of your own home.
It's Time for a Spa Day At Home!


Patchology-

All of Patchology's products are perfect for the busy, on-the-go individual because of their powerful ingredient delivery system, but they can also be used if you have a little more time to indulge in your skincare routine. Patchology's products are perfect for treating yourself to an at home spa routine, and have even been adopted by professionals to use in spa treatments as well. Some of their best selling products include their PoshPeel Pedi Cure, a 60 minute, intensive foot peel that will leave your feet baby soft, as well as their FlashPatch Rejuvenating Eye Gels and Hydrating FlashMasque.
I personally LOVE PATCHOLOGY! 

**Watch this spot for more products coming soon!

Is Your Career On The Right Path?

While your job isn’t the most important aspect of your life, you spend far too much time at work to settle for anything less than the best. It might not be possible to enjoy the career you dream of, but you still deserve to boast one that provides the foundations of a positive existence.

The best jobs will share a number of key attributes. If yours ticks the following boxes, you’re probably doing well. If not, try to find a way to make sure it will in the future.

Source

A Good Salary

Let’s not kid ourselves; a good salary is the heartbeat of any winning job. Work is something that we do to afford the luxuries and comforts needed to make our home lives more enjoyable. A quick browse of job sites will confirm whether or not your job pays as well as it should. If the answer is no, you should have no issues in asking your boss for a raise. If they refuse, there are always other companies to consider.

It’s important to remember that geographical location can make a big impact too. While there are many other issues to consider, moving to a new place may be the answer.

Sustainability

There is little point in landing a job that seems great but will only last a short while before throwing you back to square one. Firstly, you want to prioritize permanent roles at trustworthy and strong performing companies. However, you also need to consider whether the work could have a negative impact on your life. Spotting the signs that you need a change of career is vital. Otherwise, the long-term damage could be huge.

It’s easy to find yourself trapped in this seemingly endless cycle, but it’s not too late to step off. Just be sure that the next role is sustainable.

Source

Emotional Satisfaction

If you are happy to do your job and pick up your pay slip, that’s great. However, if you are someone that feels the need to make a difference, it’s time to do something about it. Taking a Masters in social work online can open the door to an array of opportunities. Working with underprivileged  people or those that need support in their time of need is amazing. Moreover, every day boasts a new challenge.

Being happy in your line of work gives you the motivation to get up in the mornings. This can provide comfort for years to come.

Versatility

By its very nature, versatility can take many forms. It may mean that you have the option to work from home at times. It may mean that there are opportunities to get a transfer to another location. Or it may include having the chance to grow and take on leadership roles. One way or another, opting for a job that provides flexibility is essential for long-term success. When your career is regimented and limited, problems will surface.

This probably isn’t as significant as some of the other issues mentioned above. Still, it deserves your attention at all times.

Superstition Farm, Mesa, Arizona

On our way back to Lake Havasu City, from Apache Junction, we decided to get away from the rush of city life and head to Superstition Farm in Mesa, Arizona. You can even stay on the property with your RV if you are a Harvest Host member or even if your not, they can accommodate.

The Superstition Farm is a working family dairy farm, complete with it's own petting zoo of sweet rescue animals- including goats, donkey, sheep, and their own baby calves that we got to touch and bond with today. They were the most adorable and so soft! 

The farm offers tours, hosts kids birthday parties and weddings.
If your in the area and want a change from the city, or even want to complete something like visiting a dairy farm, on you bucket list, then The Superstition Farm is the place you'll want to be.

01/19 Lunar Eclipse

How many of you were watching the lunar eclipse tonight?
Unfortunately, I don't have the best camera to take night photos with when it had turned red, but we did see it being "vaguely a red color."
Here's what I did get anyhow:

Apache Junction- Lost Dutchman State Park, Az.

Have you been thinking of seeing the Superstition Mountains in Apache Junction, Az? Hiking the trails of the Superstition Mountains, doing some photography of the mountains  or seeing the Apache Junction Museum, or Goldfield Ghost Town? Then you have to stay at the Lost Dutchman State Park, Az.. The Lost Dutchman State Park was actually named after the tale of the fabled lost gold mine, and is located in the Sonoran Desert, 40 miles from the busy city of Phoenix. What a nice change of pace for anyone in that area to get away for the weekend as well.

This state park is close to everything, making it very convenient. The staff that work here are awesome, the park is clean and has an abundance of Arizona plants and cactus at each site. Lots of privacy, lots of walking paths and trails to take the dog out too.

They also have an informative visitor center which has a nice gift shop as well, and the park includes picnic sites too for day use. For those wanting to camp and have no camper, well as long as you can supply your own bedding, they have cabins too, at the foot of the beautiful Superstition Mountains.

The Lost Dutchman State Park Campground has 72 single family campsites, dump station, clean restrooms- the staff is always seen cleaning them!- hot showers, and two group camping areas.There are 35 sites with water and electric- you'll want these! But there is also 35 non hook up sites for tents and rvs- if your watching those dollars and need to budget this stay. 

I also had very good Verizon service on the internet for blogging! Bonus! Good cell phone service too. Some parks that can be an issue but very good here.
There is a nice variety too of birds in the area that are always singing and wonderful to listen to. Even Jakey liked the ones that made squeaking noises, much like his squeaky toys! We were asking him- "Is that squeaky toy?" Haha..
Lots of families, lots of friendly folks all around- just can't say enough good about the place. If we're ever in the area again, we will for sure be stopping back.

One last story though to tell.. 
when we were at the ranger station the other day, a lady came in and said she had lost a Birkenstock sandal. Not sure how that really happened but anyhow, today when we were hiking on one of the many trails what do you think we found? Yup- the sandal she lost! So we took it to the ranger station and I left my name and # as the ranger wasn't sure but thought that lady was still here. I do hope she gets her sandal and will update this post if I do hear from her!

*** As of January 27, 2019 we did not hear back on the sandal so dont know what happened there.

Things To Do In Apache Junction, Arizona

Things to do in Apache Junction, Arizona -

If your in the area, be sure to see:

The Superstition Mountain's - Lost Dutchman Museum-

Staying at the Lost Dutchman State Park up the road about 5 minutes, ( like we did) will make it a real close drive, and you can see those beautiful mountains and be in nature every day you stay.

The Lost Dutchman Museum is non profit, but collects a small admission fee. They collect and preserve the history and legends of the Superstition Mountains and surrounding areas.

On the 15 acre museum grounds, besides the museum, you will find 2 original buildings from the  Apacheland Movie Ranch, which include the Elvis Memorial Chapel where the movie Charro was filmed and the Apacheland Barn.

Also on the grounds is a restored 20-stamp ore mill, a labelled nature trail, Boot Hill and an extensive model railroad display. 

We enjoyed seeing the goats and the donkeys, which the donkey gives rides for donations and the animals can also be fed with feed from the quarter machines at their location.

Lots of history here and volunteers on site to answer any of your questions.

Things to do in Apache Junction, Arizona will also continue with another location called the Goldfield Ghost Town. Admission is free to come on in and look around- and there are free gunfights at the top of every hour, Saturday and Sundays.

The Bordello was $11 for the two of us. A 15 minute guided tour. It was interesting but costly. 

Lots of merchants as well to browse or spend some money at. We had to make a stop and get the latest fudge flavour samples and some fudge of our own at the Mother Lode Mercantile. 

We went to the gunfight, the Bordello and the Mystery Shack. All of the attractions in the Ghost Town are fee based. 
We did find the Mystery Shack too much $$ for the what we saw. 

It was crowded and only some people got to experience what the guide was showing. Save your money on this one! 
Things to do in Apache Junction came to an end today after the stop at the Goldfield Ghost Town. If you have time to only do one stop- and passing through. Save some money and just walk through the Goldfield Ghost Town, take a few pictures, and browse some shops and get some yummy fudge. The Lost Dutchman Museum  will cost you alot less and you'll get better value for your money. Plus they have scheduled gunfights there too.