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Valentine’s Day tips and ideas…

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Much to the dismay of many men across the country, Valentine’s Day is this weekend and now is the time to start planning (earlier would have been good as well, but I’ll take what I can get).  So, say you want to do something for Valentine’s Day, but either can’t think of anything, or are on a tight budget…what do you do?

Well, if you are having trouble coming up with creative ideas, let me put your mind at ease that most women (not all of us, unfortunately…even though Valentine’s Day is OPTIONAL, some women expect the moon and more) are appreciative of anything you do.  So no matter what it is, the fact that you’ve done something is enough to make us happy.  That being said, if you want to get creative with the traditional Valentine’s Day ideas, to score some bonus  points, there are some great ways to do that.  For example:

  • The trifecta – Flowers, candy and jewelry.  We all like roses, but get creative and get some orchids or tulips (red or pink are probably best).  Candy is great unless she’s health conscious, so either get her favorite chocolates (they don’t have to be expensive, just her favorite) or try something a little more healthy, like her favorite fruits or nuts (the expensive ones that she won’t buy herself).  Jewelry is a personal thing, but as long as you know which color is her favorite (yellow or white gold) and which type of jewelry (bracelet, earrings or necklace) you should be fine.  No matter what you choose, be sure to get creative and hide the box where it will surprise her.
  • Dinner and a movie- This is a great gift for the significant other that doesn’t get to go out much.  The dinner should be to a nice place (where she can get dressed up, if she likes that sort of thing) and the movie should be her favorite (yes, that could mean chick flick, but come on, it’s only once a year, I know you’re man enough to live through it).
  • Cultural – If your girl likes a little culture, a trip to the theater or a museum might suit her.  Take her to her favorite cultural outing, or to a new place (or show) she hasn’t been to yet.

If  you’re on a tight budget, some of these things can sound out of your reach.  Don’t worry!  These are ways to be sweet to your significant other while watching your pennies too!  Here are some examples of the above ideas, on a budget:

  •  The trifecta – Flowers, candy and jewelry.  Flowers on a budget at Valentine’s Day isn’t too bad.  You can get them at a discount store, like Costco or Sam’s Club/Wal-Mart, the price will be what you like.  Also, it pays to buy them a week early and give them to her then, since the price will be lower (unfortunate, but yes, the florists jack-up the prices on Valentine’s Day).  Candy is easy on a budget…instead of opting for an expensive box of chocolates, bake her a delicious dessert.  This satisfies her sweet tooth, saves money and scores you points for effort!  Jewelry is easier than you think on a budget.  Most women like “costume” or “fashion” jewelry, so find out her favorite costume jewelry designer, and, if it’s in your budget, get some.  Not in your budget?  Opt for something personal, like her favorite movie on DVD, with a bag of popcorn and a note about having a movie night, or a professional massage (check your local massage school, since they often offer these services at a fraction of the cost…or, give her the massage yourself!).
  • Dinner and a movie – If she likes to go out, do a dinner out, but scale back and take her to a moderately priced place.  Otherwise, cook for her.  You can buy the ingredients to make a fancy dinner at a fraction of the cost of that same dinner out.  Set the table for a formal dinner, with full silverware, linen napkins and candles.  Inform her that she should “dress” for dinner, and be dressed up yourself, since it will make the experience more memorable.  The movie can be watched at home (budget friendly), and if you want serious bonus points, a little dancing in the living room never hurt any man, I don’t care if you’ve heard rumors to the contrary!
  • Cultural – Well, museums are still priced right for the budget conscious this year, but the theater is out, so if the museum isn’t your thing, you could both go donate blood together, or do some community service work together.  Not in that kind of mood?  Well, find a safe but culturally different part of town, and go on a mini “tour”.  Walking, biking or driving, it’s up to you.  Just do something to make it memorable.

There you have it!  A few (and long winded) tips on ways to get creative or stay in budget for Valentine’s Day!  Good luck, and I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

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Today, we have a “guest speaker”…

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

Today, we have an article written by a friend and business associate.  It isn’t exactly in our normal scope of what we write about, but for those of you thinking of starting your own business so that you can earn extra income and get yourself out of debt, this is for you:

Small Business Tips, By Douglas C. Howard

A Message to Employees

As a small business owner, one of the hardest aspects of running a business is finding the time to do it yourself, or be willing to delegate the task to someone else.  The first course of action provides the benefit of knowing that the task was done specifically how you, the owner, wanted it done, in a timely fashion, and you do not have anyone to blame for failure except yourself.  Delegation, of course, means that you may benefit from someone else’s expertise, frees you for other important tasks, and allows your employees the chance to prove themselves.

Of course, the pitfalls for the first course of action, are that you do not have enough time to do everything, you must find some way to balance running your business with your life, and you may not be the best person to handle that specific task.  The downside to delegation is that you have to trust someone to take care of the task, they may not do it exactly how you would have or would have wanted it done, and they may not do it in a timely fashion.

“A Message to Garcia” is a short essay by Elbert Hubbard written in 1899.  No doubt many of you have already read and studied its message, being that of a short work.  But its message is still relevant today, more so than ever.  I recently ran across it and thought a brief summary of the work would be great as “A Message to Employees”.

“A Message to Garcia” is set during the conflict between Spain and the United States and takes place in Cuba.  Of course at that time, communication had to take place in person or via courier, if telegraph were unavailable.  The essay centers on an Army Lieutenant by the name of Andrew Rowan.  General Garcia was the commanding officer of insurgents located in Cuba.  He was located somewhere in the mountainous region of Cuba and would be difficult to find and communicate with.  A message had to be gotten to him so that his forces could be mustered.  How was a message to be gotten to Garcia?  President William McKinley and other commanding generals were unsure, until Lt. Rowan was suggested, stating that he was the person for the job, “if anyone can.” 

Rowan was summoned, given the message, told the general location of Garcia, and was sent off on his way.  He was not told how to do the job, or how to find Garcia, nor did he ask.  He was simply delivered to Cuba on one side of the island, and three weeks later picked up on the other side of the island, having completed his task.

So I ask employees, “Are you the Rowan of your company?” 

If you strive to be the Rowan of the company you work for, here are some general tips.

First, be available for assignments, any assignment, without hesitation.  The owner of the company or your direct supervisor may not want to ask you do something that may seem so menial, but if it is a project that they can get off of the “to-do” list, it may help them immensely.  If you are adaptable to whatever task is at hand, you will become indispensable to your company.

Second, be reliable.  If your boss asks you to get something done in a timely manner, have it done by that deadline.  Often other deadlines must be met down the line, so do not be the weak link.

Third, ask for guidance on the task, but figure out how to get it done on your own.  This is a fine line to walk, but the more you can do on your own, the more burden you relieve from your superior.  The more burden you relieve, the more grateful your superior will be.

Fourth, take action.  So often people get bogged down in the details that they become apoplectic and unable to even start a project.  Often times procrastination prevents even the first step from being taken, which is most often the hardest step to take.  As I write this, I have had to stave off turning on the television, checking my email, researching other issues not relevant to this article at hand, getting up to grab lunch, and a hundred other minuscule thoughts that crossed my mind to prevent me from writing this article.

Fifth, be diligent.  After taking the first step, be diligent in taking the next several steps.  Eventually you will come out on the other side.  See the preceding paragraph for an explanation.  Whether it takes an hour or three weeks, staying on task, will eventually get it done.  And it will show your employer that you do not need constant hand-holding or someone looking over your shoulder to make sure that you are getting your work done.

I hope this is helpful.  Since “A Message to Garcia” is short, it is well worth the read.  It is considered public domain and a copy of the complete text can be found at HowardLawGroup.com on the “Small Biz Tips” page.

Douglas C. Howard is an attorney based in Frankfort, Kentucky that assists small businesses with their legal needs and has taught “Entrepreneurship 101″ for the Thornhill Community Education Center and posts tweets and other updates on Twitter under his Twitter name, LegalPreneur.

From Wikipedia:  Elbert Hubbard was an author and philosophers who edited and published two magazines, The Philistine and The Fra. The Philistine was bound in brown butcher paper and full of satire and whimsy. (Hubbard himself quipped that the cover was butcher paper because “There is meat inside.”)  Owing to his prolific publications, Hubbard was a renowned figure in his day.

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What would you do for a Klondike Bar??

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

What is your ultimate goal?  Your “Klondike Bar”, so to speak.  What would you do to accomplish that goal? 

No matter what your ultimate goal is, more than likely you need to plan for it!  Are you planning for this goal that you want to achieve?  Are you working toward it as I’m typing this?  If not, then how do you ever expect to achieve it? 

Planning out your life usually gets you just as excited as doing your taxes, but is just as necessary (don’t want the government coming after you, do you?) because it not only maps out what you need to do, but gives you a sense of purpose to work toward for your future.  Basically, you can’t reach your destination if you don’t have a map to go by.  So, what are some ways to plan for the future?

First, you need to brainstorm.  What is your goal?  What credentials or money do you need to achieve your goal (college, or capital to get started?)?  Is the place you live in a good place to work toward that goal, or is there another place better suited to the goal (i.e., marine biologists shouldn’t live in the desert).  What type of friend and family network do you need to make this goal a reality?  If your goal is for a certain career, are you sure that the career is suited to your personality (i.e. if you don’t like paying attention to details, accounting is probably not a good career path for you).  If your goal is to retire wealthy, have you written out a budget and figured out what percentage of your income you need to save in order to do so (the money isn’t just going to appear, and social security, if it’s still around, definitely won’t let you live “comfortably”). 

Once you have brainstormed and figured out all the things necessary to achieve the goal, then you put them in chronological order or order of necessity, whichever seems to make more sense for your particular needs.  Now, you have a map.  Start at the top of the list and work at it, one item at a time.  For example, if the first thing you need is an education, then that is where you start.  Use the same process of identifying how to achieve each item on your list, as you did to make the list, and you not only have a plan/map to achieve your ultimate goal, but it should be easier to achieve it, because you aren’t scrambling to figure things out on the fly.

Don’t know what you want to do, or what your ultimate goal is in your life?  That’s ok.  Take time to figure it out.  If you bounce around for a few years longer than your friends, it’s OK.  It doesn’t make you inferior, it just means that your interests are too varied to settle on one thing at that point in your life.  However, once you do figure out your passion, take these steps to get a plan in action!

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Why men should (but don’t) ask for directions…

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Jerrill had a very interesting point this week, and we wanted to share it with our readers.  It’s not that people don’t know this, at least at some level, it’s just that we either forget it, or don’t want to swallow our pride and undertake it…the “it”, is asking for directions.

There are very few people out there who can make intuitive leaps of greater understanding out of scarce information.   You know, the people who excel in an area in spite of all surroundings and obstacles.  These are the “genius janitors” out there, solving quantum physics equations on their lunch breaks.   They are the jungle explorers who can successfully navigate to the other side, safe from animals and disease. These are the people that make/invent the things that push civilization forward.  People like Leonardo da Vinci and Nicola Tesla.  For the rest of us mere mortals, gleaning a deep understanding of something takes work and time.   Time we don’t generally have.  Another problem?  Many of us have too much pride to ask those individuals that already have the knowledge we need to share it with us.   It’s hard for us to make progress as individuals, much less move forward and take a bunch of people with us. You know who you are!   You are the man that refuses to ask for directions and gets lost, because navigating from point A to point B seemed like such an easy task at the beginning of the road trip (Thank goodness for GPS!).  You are the person out there quietly struggling to pay the bills and building up a savings account because you were never taught how in school and never sought out the advice of someone who has it all figured out.   You know how your favorite southern couple feels about that!  Swallow that pride!  Find somebody who is “smarter” than you and ask them to share their knowledge.   Odds are, they will happily do so, and you won’t have to reinvent the wheel.   Find someone who is already doing what you want to do yourself, be it find that boutique or thrift store across town, balance that budget, or solve that physics equation! 

You don’t have to go through life without help.  Nobody does.  There are scads of things out there to help you along, some are free and some aren’t, but they are all there for you.  But you have to take the first step.  You have to ask for help, before it is given to you!

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Why the mall contradicts the experts…

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

I drive by our local mall often, and for the past several months, I’ve been watching it for signs of the recession, unemployment, and how bad the economy is suffering.  Now, as much as I believe that there are places all throughout the country that are truly suffering, with debt, falling home prices and unemployment, I have to say, it’s not happening with the same fury everywhere, the way the media would have you think.

I hate to see people suffer, and those people that have lost their jobs are in my prayers.  However, the falling home prices are only an immediate concern if you are trying to sell your house and/or have lost your job.  If you have a stable income and are contented in your home, staying there for a few years (decade, maybe?) isn’t a big deal, so neither is the drop in value.  Debt, is, as always, a major concern for us.  If you are employed, you should be making a budget, sticking to it, funding your emergency fund and getting out of debt.  If you are unemployed, then you are in an income crisis, and that should be your main concern…along with food, shelter (that doesn’t mean a “McMansion”) and basic utilities (i.e. lights, water and heat).  You can’t focus on paying people back what you owe until you get stability back in your life, so put them on hold, even if it takes a few months. 

I would like to make a point for our readers though: with roughly 10% unemployment, that means that 10 people out of 100 are out of work, which is the same as saying 90 people of 100 are employed…it’s terrible for those 10 people, but overall, it’s not a catastrophe.  And those 90 out of 100?  They are shopping!  Maybe less often than before, and they might be spending less than before, but they are shopping…at least, that’s the way it looks EVERY time I drive past/go to the mall.  The place is packed!  As usual, I can’t find parking there, and the Christmas season was just as bad as usual.  Now, like I said, I know this isn’t the case everywhere, but the media’s version that everyone everywhere is suffering terribly, in houses they can’t afford, without jobs and piling up debt.  This isn’t true either.  The truth, as usual, is probably somewhere in the middle.  Some are suffering, some aren’t.  If you are suffering, I wish you luck and speed in your job searches and in getting out of debt, and if your job and home life are stable and “secure”, work hard to keep it that way, and help those who need it, either with prayer, food donations or job contacts (etc.).

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Our State of the Union…

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Last night, your favorite southern couple had our bi-annual “State of the Union” or “budget committee meeting”.  Basically, a time when we sit down and review our budget and re-vamp any budgeted items that are receiving too much money or not enough money.  Now, we talk about our budget line items that affect us on a weekly basis, on a weekly basis.  These are the things we do every week, like buy groceries and gas.  The bi-annual committee meeting is for the things we don’t look at all the time, like web hosting fees and legal fees etc. 

As I said above, we also go over our budget reports to understand what is being under-funded and what is being over-funded.  We look at EVERY budget item.  Last night, we had to increase the money funding our medical budget and our grocery budget (I swear the grocery stores just keep raising the prices!).  Now, you might be asking “how do you increase a line item?”, and the answer is simple; Something else has to be cut back.  We took the money from our monthly savings (grudgingly) to fund the additional money needed for the medical and grocery budget items.  What if you have no savings?  Then you have to cut back on another line item, like cable, telephone or Internet.  Is your budget so slim that you don’t have ANYextras?  Then you need to try cost cutting to bring your spending in line with your budgeted amount, or increase your income to cover the overages.  It’s simple math…your budget must be balanced!  If there aren’t enough funds, you must cut back, or make more!

Now I challenge you to have your own budget committee meeting (if you’re single, you still need to have the meeting with just yourself, or a friend/family member you trust to share this info with)!  Sit down and figure out how much you spent on all your expenses this last year!  How much did you go over? Under?  Do you even have a budget?  First things first, you need a budget.  Get out a pen and paper, and write down all of your expenses, in order of importance (1. housing, 2. food, 3. electricity etc.), then write down your income.  Assign amounts to each category.  If you run out of income before you reach the bottom, then you either need to cut back your expenses, or increase your income.  Did you reach the bottom with money to spare?  Great!  If you have debt, use the money to pay it off, if not, start saving an emergency fund for 3-6 months worth of expenses, and after that, for retirement! 

It’s our opinion that money works for you and not against you if you watch it like a hawk.  Don’t give yourself the opportunity to mess up!  Start this year off right, and take your budget committee meeting to the kitchen table tonight!

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Get organized!

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

It’s the end of the year…it’s time to get organized!  You need to look back at your bills throughout the year, your income and your other expenses…if you haven’t started your budget yet, now is the time!  Make it a resolution to get your life under control and to get out of debt!  Get mad!  Make the decision that this time next year, you will be out of debt (or well on your way to being debt free) and stick to it.

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Some food for thought!

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

Today I just wanted to share a few insights that I ran across while researching other topics for this past Friday.  Since we are heading into Christmas and millions of us will be going home for the holiday, I thought it a good idea for us to be reflective and introspective…now is as good a time as any for personal and familial growth.

  • No one’s perfect – This shouldn’t even have to be said, since we should all already know this, but too often we do not.  We know that we aren’t perfect, but don’t extend this logic to our friends, loved ones and other acquaintances.  We should though, because holding people to a standard of perfect is only setting you up for disappointment.  Try to remember that the people in your life are trying…and you should try too!
  • “Events reveal people’s characters;they don’t determine them” – This should be something that we all remember.  If your friend does something hurtful to you because of a bad situation they find themselves in, they were likely to do it anyway…it was not the situation that created the attitude, the attitude merely came out during the situation.  The event doesn’t matter.  “You have the chance to be the person you wish to be, until you die”.
  • Love and family are hard, you can’t fake feelings forever - Be honest with those you love.  Keeping relationships strong through decades is a lot harder than you might think it is, and dishonesty will only breed contempt.  Share your thoughts and feelings with friends and loved ones, even when it is hard. 
  • Keep your eye on the prize – Never lose sight of your goals and aspirations.  I know that in this instant gratification, have it now world, it’s easy to lose sight of your own feet in front of you, but the dream is part of you, and you shouldn’t give up on it or forget about it.  I don’t care if your dream is to be President of the United States, or to be the loving housewife and mother of a wonderful husband and 2 great children…never forget that dream, and, as Winston Churchill said, never give in.

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Handmade gifts! There’s still time to make something for your loved ones!

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

I know that in some parts of the country, a handmade gift is the last thing anybody wants to receive, but for most of us, it’s still a very thoughtful and kind way to show you care during the holidays!  No, it’s not a $200 bottle of wine or $500 shoes etc., but it fits in the budget of most people (are you struggling right now?  This could be a good choice for you!) and expresses a kindness and appreciation that a store-bought gift doesn’t always show…especially if the gift was bought without the individuals personal tastes kept in mind.  You know, on a personal note, I’d like to say that buying a gift for someone without any thought put into it…basically just to buy them a gift, is not cool…it wastes your money and probably won’t be useful to the recipient. 

Anyway!  There a lots of great choices for handmade gifts.  You could bake sweets or bread, knit/crochet something , make a decoration or make handmade soap etc. for someone.  The possibilities are endless.  It only takes simple know how and a few items to make most of them.  They are especially economical in bulk!  For different ideas on handmade gifts, go here, here and here.  There are plenty of other places to find gift ideas on the web, but these will get you started!  Good luck and remember, don’t think you can’t do something because you haven’t in the past!  Jump in a tackle that project!

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You’ve used it for swimming! The buddy system gets an update!

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

Today I wanted to talk about a great way to help control your spending (or over-spending).  A method of checks and balances, so to speak.  The buddy system!  You remember the buddy system.  Perhaps you used it at the swimming pool or when going to a public restroom as a child, or perhaps you used it when in the grocery store with your older siblings…either way, you’ve done it before, and if you’re struggling with spending money (are you a spend-thrift?), you need to do it again!

Okay, so here’s your refresher course, not that most of you need it!  When you’re out shopping, and you see something you like, you can approach it 1 of 2 ways.  The first way (the one we opt for) is to call your spending buddy and tell them what you’re thinking of buying.  If they think it’s frivolous, they can talk you out of the purchase before you buy it.  The second option is to call your spending buddy after you’ve made the purchase and try and defend it.  The difference is usually how bad you can be made to feel.  Think about it…if you call during your shopping, they can stop you from buying it and praise you for putting it up.  If, however, you choose to call your spending buddy after the purchase, while defending it you could feel very guilty for the purchase and it could cause problems in the relationship.  I think it’s worth the risk to the relationship, however, if it teaches a spend-thrift a hard lesson to learn!

Some other information worth noting…if you choose your significant other as your spending buddy (which is the system your favorite southern couple has in place), you had better be sure you have an absolutely solid relationship that cannot be shaken by a little  criticism and guilt.  My advice would be to try it on a temporary basis for a week or two before deciding to put it in place as your go-to system.  If you find that your feelings are hurt by your significant other, and you can’t get past it, stop the trial before real problems follow and both of you should choose someone else to be your spending buddy.  Who makes a good spending buddy?  Someone you look up to or respect.  A person that can criticize you without losing your friendship or relationship.  This could be your mother, sister, brother or best friend.  You decide who works best for you, but just get the system in place.  The quicker you start the buddy system, the more money you’ll save!

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