I know a woman who demonstrates a dedication and voracity that is rarely matched, with an eye for creativity in the face of her problem.  This woman has 2 children, both boys.  She would very much like to try for a girl, but she needs to have a surgery to be able to try for her baby girl.  This will cost several thousand dollars that is not covered by her insurance, so, she was faced with a difficult situation.  She did not cower or give up, though.  Instead, she has decided to start a side business outside of her normal job.  She is quite talented at decorating cakes, and so, she has taken that talent and turned it into income!  She is offering cakes to friends, family, and anyone else interested in visually interesting cakes for a reasonable price.  Her goal is to save up enough money to pay for the surgery.  This is not a woman beaten by her circumstances.  I always say that you can’t let life happen to you, you have to happen to your life…and she is doing just that!

What type of dedication do you have?  Do you rise to the occasion when you are faced with a problem, or ponder on it too long, or do nothing?  Whatever your answer, you can be sure that others are starting businesses in their kitchen, getting their extra slice of the money pie.  Will you let your opportunity pass you by, or rise to the occasion?

Our local library (and hopefully yours as well) offers audiobooks to be downloaded on their website for free!  Our local library connects us to NetLibrary, an eBook and eAudiobook content distributor.  They have a huge selection for their members to choose from, and offer the content FOR FREE for a set time.  The audiobook we wanted to listen to was available, and with an access code, we downloaded it for free for 20 days, which is more than enough time to listen to an audiobook!

Take it from me when I say that this is a great way to read or listen to books!  Not only is it free like your local library, but you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home!  What a great way to save some money!

An example of the worst increase?  The University of California, which estimates a 30% increase in the 2010-2011 year, thanks to the huge state deficit that’s been in the news for the last few months.  But irregardless of these increases in tuition prices, public schools are still much cheaper than private schools, which average $26,273 a year!  And people pay the price tag, so there is no deterrent to raising the rates…so it will continue. 

So what do you do?  You start saving for college, for you or your child, and you start saving as soon as you can!  Dig into our past blog post that has tips for saving for college.  With rates going up so often, you should be looking into savings plans before you go to college or before you have children.  Planning for the future is always a good start on the road to success!

Instant gratification is having a lack of impulse control, and, conversely, delayed gratification  is having the ability to wait for something you want (i.e. willpower or impulse control).  In our society we tend to think of children as having no impulse control, and learning this ability as they get older and become an adult.  Well, what happens when the child isn’t taught impulse control, and grows up with the same attitudes they had as a child?  We think that these children grow up to be the people who struggle with any vices that require willpower/impulse control, such as spending money and overeating etc.  These people still have the “I want it now” attitude, and whatever “it” is, they don’t deny themselves the treat, because they “deserve” it.  Can you imagine what the little girl with the spa package at age 5 will act like as an adult if she  doesn’t learn to have self control (which is not likely to be learned from her mother, I’m sorry to say)?  So, what’s the good news?  If you struggle with impulse control, you can learn it as an adult.  You just have to take each instance where you need willpower and ask yourself why you need the item now, and if it’s worth it.  It’s not easy.  You will fail on occasion.  But every time you don’t fail, that’s one step closer to mastering the skill!

Delayed gratification is one of the biggest tricks up the sleeves of people who succeed.  They know how to wait for what they want.  Knowing this, as a parent, make sure you teach your child how to have willpower, and as an adult (who lacks willpower), decide that you aren’t going to fall victim to your childhood whims of instant gratification and help yourself succeed!

So, what are you good at making?  Perhaps you make jewelry, or flower arrangements, or perhaps you do woodworking, or use leather to make belts, purses and vests.  Whatever you’re good at, now is the time to make some extra money on it!  Here are a few tips for getting started:

• You need to decide on only a few options you will be offering, since the more you can reuse things, the lower the cost per item will be for you, making your profits higher! 
• Look into local arts and crafts shows and fairs that where you can sell your creations, and plan to attend.  Be wary though.  It is better to run out early than to have a lot leftover, so put some thought into the amount you’ll make for each show.
• Look into selling your craft on Etsy.com, an online seller driven marketplace for everything handmade.  Perhaps you will be the next big thing, since everyone loves “one of a kind” or unique items that are reasonably priced.
• Go to local stores/boutiques that are privately owned to see if they would want to include your items in their store inventory.  These locally owned stores thrive on having something different than the mall, so they are more likely to be interested in something locally made.
• Keep in mind that it takes time to build a successful side business, so if it doesn’t happen right away, keep plugging away at it!

That’s it!  These tips should get you started down the right path to starting a side job and making some extra money!

Now, I’m sure you can tell from above, we believe if you can’t keep a minimum amount in your bank account, or can’t keep from overspending because you aren’t diligent, then you shouldn’t have a bank account, and should operate on a cash only (money orders to pay bills) system.  However, if you choose to have  a bank account, and struggle to keep funds in it, then use the other services that many banks offer, that don’t come attached to a ~$35 fee PER TRANSACTION! 

The scary stuff you get in the mail from the bank, that says your debit card will stop working and the like is true, because OF COURSE it should stop paying people if you don’t have any money in your account!  That is the way it is supposed to work!  The card is not supposed to let you spend more than you have!  Overdraft “protection” is like you receiving a mini loan from the bank…kind of like those payday check cashing places, but wrapped in a prettier sounding name.  Ignore these letters from the bank!  You don’t want to keep paying $35 a transaction loan fees for the rest of your life!  DO NOT opt in to this plan, just learn to watch your account and don’t over spend. 

If you absolutely CANNOT LIVE without overdraft and refuse to be on cash only (hard headed, aren’t you??), then there are a couple of alternatives.  Many banks will allow you to link your checking account to your savings account to prevent overdrafts.  Some will also link it to a line of credit (not something we recommend) to prevent these overdrafts from happening.  Neither of these programs are free, but they are cheaper than overdraft, and won’t catch you off guard either, because, let’s face it, if you don’t have the money to cover your purchase, you definitely don’t have the money to cover your $35 a transaction overdraft “protection”.

If or when you start receiving these notices from your bank, do yourself a favor, and “just say no” to overdraft protection…instead, be more diligent with your account, or switch to cash!

And let’s not forget the nasty divorce between Alec Baldwin and Kim Bassinger.  That situation was all over the entertainment magazines and shows when it was top news, and most of us remember the not so distant and very public fight he had with his 11 year old daughter, in which he called her a pig.  I don’t think he’s the best choice for helping a couple work things out.

To be fair, I think that this show will be hilarious, but only because the advice offered from the celebrities will be, to put it politely, “sub par”.  I worry that people watching it will give them credit as being an “expert” on fixing relationships, simply because they’re a celebrity.  We have a tendency to give people more credit than they’re due in our society if they’re on TV, which is ridiculous.  Just because someone is on TV does NOT make them an expert, and I hope our readers never forget it!

The first is the obvious choice: Use only your own bank’s ATMs.  Not one on your current daily route?  Look into changing routes, or possibly changing banks to a bank with ATMs near your home or on your daily route.  One caution though:  Be sure if you decide to change banks for a more convenient location that you don’t switch to a bank with less features or worse interest rates/customer service. 

A better choice?  Skip the ATM and get cash back when you’re buying groceries or picking up something at the drugstore…any place that offers a cash back feature is a substitute ATM, without the fee.  Another good reason to use this method?  You definitely do not have to go out of your way to get the money you need!

Another option is to switch to an online bank that refunds its ATM fees (a new benefit, recently cropping up).  A great place to find a bank with this feature is Bankrate.com. 

With any of these options, you can save money on your bottom line every month.  The money you save can be allocated to paying off debt or go into savings, because let’s face it, you weren’t missing it in the first place.  It might as well be put to good use!

Like furniture rental places, you can apparently also rent the rims you’ve been dying to have for your car as well, that way, you can look cool, and rich, even if you’re broke.  Dan Miller has a knack for talking about topics that are important to me, and there are few things that get my blood boiling more than people who spend themselves into debt chasing status.  He highlights the new book from Thomas Stanley, author of The Millionaire Next Door and The Millionaire Mind, both of which are excellent books (I will be buying and reading this newest addition to his works).  This new book highlights some of the habits of the truly rich (as opposed to those who only appear rich), which, in general, does not include renting your rims. 

Read the post, and go buy (or check out from your local library) Thomas Stanley’s newest book, Stop Acting Rich.  Let’s all begin to be open minded to the idea that having fancy things (for status) and spending obscene amounts of money on weddings and “McMansions” are not the real way for the average person to become wealthy.  Once you stop believing you are going to simply luck into a fortune, or become famous and rich out of the blue, you can focus on becoming rich the way most people do…through saving, working hard, and striving to be the best at their passion so they can advance themselves in that particular field over the years.

What do I do with my fashion knowledge??  I use it to shop for bargains at retail stores that aren’t going to break the bank.  Some people, however, think that they have to have what’s in the magazine, and what the stars are wearing, and they blow through their credit card limits barely noticing as they chase the current trends.  These poor people would rather be in debt than off trend or insignificant.  They chase celebrity status and think they are entitled to the best things in life.  I feel very bad for these people, because they don’t understand the damage that they’re doing to their lives, all in the pursuit of fame and appearances.  Do a google search for how to become famous, get 80 million results…search for how many people become famous, and get no relevant or accurate results.  For many people, this is an obsession, and it will cause them a lot of heartache throughout the years if they don’t change.

So, what are a couple of ways to turn the negatives of obsessing over fame and status into a positive?  Well, deciding to become the best at what you do, even if it means you’re not famous or on TV, is a good start.  That way, you’re pouring your energy and ambition into something that is likely to help you secure a decent lifestyle and a comfortable retirement in the future, and you’re not distracted by what is not likely to happen.  Also, challenge yourself to either save everything you were spending on those expensive lifestyle goods, or challenge yourself to find the absolute best price on them.  You’d be surprised at how much money you can save, if you just stop paying attention to the designer label!  

Remember, being an adult isn’t about age…it’s about character, attitude and actions…don’t let your actions reveal you to be a child, only out to get attention and the latest, coolest toys.

• Raising your deductible can save you plenty of money, if you are able to cover said deductible when and if you are in an accident.
• Skip the collision insurance if your car is worth less than 10 times what you’d pay in a year for the collision insurance.  Need to know what your car is worth?  Got to kbb.com to find out!
• Check into other discounts that your auto insurance offers, like good driver discounts and good grades for teens.  Another option to check into?  Combining home owners insurance and auto insurance at the same company can save you money too!
• Check around and compare prices at insweb.com.  You might be able to lower your rates by up to $300 less than what you’re paying now!  

Good luck!  If you have any other ideas that could help lower auto insurance, feel free to share them in the comments section!!

• Majority of scrapped GM,Chrysler dealers file appeals - Basically, what’s going on here is that GM and Chrysler, in order to stay in business, had to cancel contracts with some of the dealerships that owned the rights to sell their cars.  The dealerships, instead of finding a different product to sell, or closing down, are filing appeals to FORCE the 2 companies to keep supplying them with inventory or to pay a huge settlement.  This will cost the already struggling automakers (remember, they were bailed out already) even more money, and they probably will struggle with getting back on track and making a profit.  I hate that these dealerships will have to close and that jobs will be lost, but when a company expands too far and has to draw back to stay in business, this is what happens.  By trying for a settlement (these dealerships agreed to the terms of the contract, they knew the contract could be terminated), they are actually hurting the company more.  Nice.
• Toyota’s next problem: Lawsuits - With the multitude of recent news stories and recalls, Toyota is working around the clock to combat the bad press and sort out their problems.  It might not help, though, thanks to the over 30 lawsuits (already, and growing) and class action suit (there will probably be more later) that are already filed against the automaker.  Here’s the deal…Toyota should pay for any medical bills (and final expenses etc.) of those people found to have directly been injured or died because of a faulty piece of equipment in the vehicle, and I have no doubts in my mind that they would willingly pay these costs.  There are 2 problems that stink with this situation though; 1. Some lawyers just see dollar signs and think of a big payday, so they will file suit for ANYTHING, even things their client doesn’t deserve, and some judges will award it, which just causes more financial problems for the automaker, and could cost jobs for their employees, and 2. the more lawsuits and such that are filed, the more bad press they receive, which could also cost money/employee’s jobs.
• Your cell phone company’s dirty little secret - The big carriers have come out recently and lowered their prices on the “voice usage” side, or the “talk time” side of their business, but their secret is that they’ve started charging non smartphone users a fee to access the multimedia capabilities of their phones, whether they want to or not.  They say it’s because most people don’t know they can access the net, so they are making sure the user gets full use of their phone.  I say bull crap.  I shouldn’t be forced to purchase a service I don’t want.  I have a smartphone and DO NOThave a data package, because I don’t need one.  I did not buy the phone for it’s ability to surf Facebook, I bought it for other features like touch screen/qwerty keyboard/nice layout/and a calendar.  Maybe it’s more phone than I needed, but that’s my choice.  They know that people pick the phone they want, and so they figure they can charge you extra for service, because you like the phone.  It’s sneaky, but clever.
• The burger and beverage recession - This one actually surprised me, but not in a bad way.  Coca cola, McDonald’s and Molson Coors all reported that their product demand is stronger abroad than in the US.  These are the products that we think of as recession proof, but apparently, people are still not willing to part with their dollars for them!  I very much hope that the companies can cut costs and innovate to continue to be profitable, but I am very excited that consumers continue to be wise with their money.  Spending less and saving more is a proven way to have something for yourself as you get older.  Are there quicker, more volatile ways?  Of course.  But with great gains comes great risks.

Follow the links to see the full articles!

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!

I will be the first to admit that it is sometimes difficult to decipher fees when the bill comes in, but that’s no excuse for not knowing what is happening on your account.  If, after pouring over the bill for a little while, you still can’t figure out what is going on, call the customer service line and ask them to explain it.  A nice added benefit?  If you’re more vigilant about bills, it might carry over into your bank account, and then you won’t be charged overdraft fees (if you were overdrawing in the first place, because let’s face it, you shouldn’t be).  Overdraft fees from banks are one of the biggest stupid taxes around.  If you pay attention to how much you have in your account, you won’t be charged.  It’s only when you are unaware that they happen, and no one should be unaware of what’s going on with their money.

Now, how about “mirroring”?  Mirroring is a practice of charging you twice in the same month for only one month’s service, by companies who have access to your bank account because you’ve set them up on an auto pay function, where they have access to your account.  I use this feature myself, although, truth be told, I’m very sceptical of it.  We check our bank statement carefully each month to ensure that mirroring does not occur, and it has happened to us in the past.  Usually it’s not terribly complicated to get adjusted, if you catch them quickly.  The problems start to occur when you haven’t noticed the problem over the course of months, or a year, and them try to get your money back.  They have had it for a year!  It doesn’t always go well if you wait.  Remember, if you give a company access to your account, then you have the responsibility to yourself to ensure that they are doing right by you and only taking what they are supposed to take.  Never let them take advantage of you!

Today’s article, titled, How much should I save?by Donna Rosato, is an in depth look at an entrepreneur and her retirement portfolio.  The entrepreneur is hoping that a financial planner who looked at her portfolio will “bless it” and tell her good job.  Unfortunately, like most people, she isn’t saving as much as she thinks she is!  Most people think that by saving anything, or by getting their “company match” in a 401k program that they are set for retirement…they’re not.  Yes, it is good to get that company match, but if that is ALL you’re saving, you won’t be able to retire with the same lifestyle you have now, and that is where the misconception comes in for a lot of people.  They think, “oh, well, as long as I get my company match, I can retire living at the same level I live at right now”.  WRONG!  If it were that easy, we’d all retire with no debt and a vacation condo!!  As the financial planner in the article figures out, the entrepreneur is saving less than half of what she needs to retire at her current lifestyle level. 

What is going on here?  As adults, we underestimate things…it’s what we do.  For example, we underestimate the amount of calories we take in in a day (to the tune of 20%-40% from what I have read) and we underestimate how much we should be saving.  So, how do you keep from underestimating things?  Get some help!  You can pay for it, or get the free kind.  Either will be better than nothing, but if you’re paying for it, be sure that the expert isn’t just trying to sell you products…if they are, then they DO NOT have your best interests in mind!  Need some basic (and free) ideas on how much you should be saving?  Check out this link at CNN Money, to get a rough idea of where you are and what you need.  Some extra tips are to be diversified, preferably in growth stock mutual funds, and, the article and I agree, that small cap, mid cap, large cap and international funds are all good places to invest your cash.   Whatever you do, figure out what you need to retire.  Don’t just think that a 6%-8% contribution to your 401k is enough.  Max it out!!  Start contributing to a Roth IRA!  HAPPEN to your life…don’t let your life HAPPEN to 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.

First of all, stick to your budget, but allow yourself a little indulgence on rare occasion.  Why?  Well, it’s my opinion that everyone only has so much willpower to give to something, and eventually they will break and indulge anyway, so little indulgences keep away the big ones.  So, what types of indulgences are little?  Well, when you’ve got your finances locked down, and you’re buying basic needs only when it comes to groceries, TV and movies/shows etc., on occasion it wouldn’t hurt to buy a nice meal from the grocery.  Make that a special family night with a nice meal and some board games or something.  Or, you could save a couple of bucks every week out of your grocery budget to take the family to the movies or some other inexpensive activity.  Your choice!  The point is to indulge occasionally to keep you focused and on task, without blowing through your budget.  If you never treat yourself, you might fall off the wagon.  Notice to those of you who are “used to” treating yourselves…this does not mean you can do your normal “treating”…no mani/pedi’s, or blowouts, or daily cupcake from the specialty $10 a cupcake store, or expensive clothes/shoes/tools.  This is a small indulgence.  A $20 pick me up a couple of times a month.  If you can’t stick to that, you’ll never get out of debt.  And no, you don’t “deserve” those mani/pedi’s, because they are what got you into debt in the first place! 

Trying to do 2 or more hard things, like getting out of debt and quitting smoking (for example) at the same time, means even more added stress to your willpower.  You have to give a little slack and indulge yourself  while getting out of debt, because the alternative,in this example, is indulging in smoking.  Not cool.  And indulging a little there would save you money anyway, since once you quit smoking, you would have a ton of cash to put toward paying down your debt!

What’s the take away?  Get on a budget.  Pay off your debt.  Learn to live like an adult who doesn’t get everything they want every time they want it.  But stay on this path for the long haul by making the occasional small ticket splurge!

The government is looking into extending benefits in the unemployment program for the 5th (that’s right, I said 5th) time since the recession started, just a couple of years ago!  Normally, the benefits are doled out to the unemployed over 26 weeks (aka 6 months), with the option to get a 13 week extension.  Basically, this means that you can draw unemployment for 9 months before you have to go back to work, and a lot of people do just that!  They collect full benefits before even really trying to get a job!  Why, you ask?  Well, I assume for some it’s because they think it’s “free money”, but, as we all know, that’s never the case for anything.  Somebody always pays, be it the company, the taxpayers, the government (which takes its money from the taxpayers) or the consumer (who is almost always ALSO a taxpayer).  Under the new proposed benefits, the pay outs can run as long as 99 weeks…almost 2 YEARS!

The funny thing is that some studies sited in the post indicate that people are most likely to find a job when the unemployment runs out, no matter if that length of time is 2, 26 or 99 weeks.    People seem to think that because they are drawing unemployment, they economy must really be in the toilet for everyone, and so they don’t try.  However, when there is no more unemployment, they “magically” find work.  Amazing!

There are many examples of these programs being run the wrong way and abused by some of the participants.  I’m not going to get into that, because I have a feeling many of you wouldn’t want to read a post that long.  If I’m wrong, say so in the comment section, and I’d be happy to oblige!

Dan Miller draws an interesting observation, drawing a parallel between the way bears hunt and the way we as humans acquire a job.  Bears hunt more efficiently when they aren’t given food from humans…you know, when they have to hunt.  We are the same way with money and jobs.  When there isn’t somebody giving them to us, we get creative and figure out a way to do it.  Be that start our own company, go to work for someone else or sell some stuff, we will make it work.  Can’t find work in your area?  Perhaps you should move.  Think outside the box people!

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!

The article is a little lengthy, but it’s worth the read, if only so you can laugh at it as you read.  Here are some highlights:

• Arbitration – The author says that credit card arbitration is a fabulous feature.  Well, when I used credit cards, I never had to use this feature, even when I had problems with stores.  Also, opinions are split as to whether arbitration is good or bad.  This article says the consumer doesn’t usually come out on the winning end. 
• Automatic bill payment – Obviously, you can set up your bills to be paid from your account.  So?  You can do that with a debit card as well, which comes from YOUR money, not borrowed money. 
• Bulwark against identity theft – The author points out that credit card companies have laws in place to make sure they don’t charge you for fraudulent charges, after a $50 fee, within 60 days.  This is true.  However, debit cards have systems in place as well.  Within 2 days, it’s a $50 fee and a $500 fee up to 60 days.  Most banks voluntarily choose to extend the $50 fee to 60 days, and not charge $500.  So again, it’s a wash.
• Credit Improvement – I wish people would quit focusing on “improving your credit score through credit cards!  Having cash to pay for things makes credit cards pointless, doesn’t it?  Which makes your credit score less important.  Yes, you might need it to buy a house, but if you put at least 10% to 20% down when you buy the house, and have a good income, I doubt they will pay close attention to your credit score.
• Extended Warranties – These things are a waste of money most of the time anyway, so tauting them as an advantage doesn’t really make sense.  Period.
• Interest Free Loans – Well, interest free loans don’t matter if you pay for what you want with cash!  If you don’t have the money for it, don’t buy it.  Want money for “emergencies”??  That’s why you have an emergency fund!
• Purchase Protection - Some cards pay to fix or replace items broken that you paid for with a credit card.  They don’t do it out of the kindness of their hearts.  You, and others, are probably paying for it, you just might not know you are.
• Rental Car Coverage – Your auto insurance covers this.  So, why do you need more?  A silly advantage, considering auto insurance is mandatory, and credit cards are not!
• Rewards, Rewards, Rewards- Yes, some cards offer rewards, but that only encourages you to use them more!  Also, unless you stay in hotels a lot, fly a lot or whatever else they offer “points” for, the points are not useful.  Other rewards are usually not worth it, or are something that you could have bought outright, and saved on interest if you carried a balance.  I do know 1 person who got use out of their points, but it was her business credit card.  In general, not worth it!

My favorite quote from the article:  “I get all these goodies largely because so many other folks play the credit card game so badly.  The profits they generate for the credit card issuers essentially pay for my freebies.”  So, she plays the “game” well, and you pay for her rewards and benefits.  Why not just get out of the game?  Use debit cards or cash.  You’ll save more money in the long run!

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!

Consignment stores are retail locations where people take their gently used clothing and accessories are sell them at a fraction of what they paid.  The consignment store then turns around and sells the items at a discount.  This means a great savings on things for you.  A small disclosure…you DO have to scour the racks for the gems, and you DO have to scour the items for defects and you should ALWAYS wash the item before using/wearing it.  Also, I personally wouldn’t buy undergarments, swimsuits or shoes secondhand, unless your options are completely limited.  The discounts at some consignment stores can be up to 75% off the retail price, and there are consignment stores that are targeted to a specific audience, such as young teen/college age and professional women and maternity.  Check your local community for the options available to you.

As far as charitable retail sites like Goodwill and the Salvation Army, the same rules apply.  You have to look through things carefully before choosing to buy from them, and some things might “need a little work” before they can be useful to you, but these are not bad places to find a deal.  Not everything there is “crap”.  A lot of the time, things are merely discarded items that people no longer want…that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth anything.  As a matter of fact, Goodwill has an auction website, similar to Ebay, called shopgoodwill.com.  You can find antiques, collectibles and luxury goods that have been donated to Goodwill to bid on at this site! 

No matter what your thoughts on these places are, you shouldn’t judge them unless you’ve been there at least once.  If, after going to a consignment store, you don’t like what you see, simply don’t go back.  If however, you find it a worthwhile place to shop, then you are likely to save quite a bit of money over the years!

Now, one might think that this is a good plan, since the article sights some very compelling statistics, including the following:

• 58 million people are overweight, 40 million are obese, and 3 million are morbidly obese
• Eight out of 10 are over 25 lbs. overweight
• 78% of Americans are not meeting basic activity level recommendations
• 25% are completely sedentary
• 76% increase in Type II diabetes in adults 30-40 years old since 1990

What does this mean to us?  It means that, yes, we are getting fatter.  A lot fatter.  We are coming up with new products like body shapers to hide our fat rolls, and some sort of tape to make our arms look thinner!  Don’t believe me?  Check this out!  And I don’t think anybody remembers the word “muffin top” ever being used until we started wearing pants that sat low enough on our hips to “show off” our fat rolls.  By the way, if you have a muffin top, by a bigger size and a belt! 

So we’re getting fatter!  I hate it!  I love to exercise, and I try to watch what I eat…but I’m not a health nut.  I have junk food on occasion!  I am not model thin, and don’t expect that I ever will be, since my goal is strength and not a 22 inch waistline.  However, I keep my weight within a normal weight range and an average Body Fat Percentage.  I worry about the people I see and know that don’t get any exercise, and don’t watch what they eat at all.  I worry for their lives!  I don’t, however, think that taxing the people to the poor house is the way to go about fixing it!  We’re nuts if we think these people don’t know that this food/soda is bad for them.  They know it!  Punishing them (i.e. taxing them) for their “bad behaviour” is not a RIGHT that I want to give our government, thank you very much.  The next thing you know, the government will be punishing us for all of our bad behaviours, like watching too much TV, not flossing and not recycling ALL of our trash!  It’s not up to them to legislate our behaviour. 

The article takes a much more positive approach to this tax then I would.  Yes, it breaks my heart to see children and teenagers that are not active at all.  12 year old girls that have to shop in the “women’s plus” size section at a store because the cool, stylish clothes for their age don’t fit them.  I want these people to get healthy as much as the next person, but it has to start at home.  They have to decide for themselves that they are dissatisfied with how they look and how they feel.  And then, they have to be mad enough at themselves to do something about it! 

The article says that the taxes raised could be used for education and health programs.  Yeah, it could, but it won’t be.  Have we all forgotten the promise of lottery money being used for education (read this)?  Think about it rationally, without emotion…you know as well as I do that they won’t use the money for what they say they will, or if they do, it will be like 1% of the revenue.   Taxing these people won’t fix the problem, and I don’t want the government legislating what I do or don’t eat.

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.).

When we buy something or request a service, it is perfectly within our right to return it or cancel it, for whatever reason we deem worthy, with the exception of damage that we caused.  Why then, do some people fear returning things or canceling services?  My guess would be that it has to do with the marketing of retail companies, the “strength” of the sales people, and the idea that people (friends, family, the cashier) will think poorly of us for returning it. 

Well, as far as the retail companies go, they spend millions (maybe even billions) on marketing every year, so why wouldn’t they be able to give us the idea that we shouldn’t cancel their service, or return their product.  You have to stay strong and recognize this tactic for what it is…marketing, period. 

As for the sales people?  It’s their job to be pushy, get you to buy something, and, if you come back to return the product or cancel the service, convince you that you shouldn’t.  They aren’t looking out for your needs (in general…there are exceptions, but very few) and they don’t really want to be your friend…they just want their boss to see that they are doing their jobs, and that is it.  So what do you do/say when you want to return something or cancel a service and the sales team won’t “let” you?  Before you go back to the store in question, decide on what you’re going to say.  Let’s say that you are going to say “the device doesn’t work as promised, and I’d like a refund…here is my receipt.”.  Now, if/when they try to talk you out of it, you simply, but firmly repeat your first statement.  Repeat it again, and again, if you have to.  If you still haven’t made them listen, ask for a manager, and state the same sentence for them.  Eventually, they will decide you aren’t worth their time, and will do as you ask. 

When it comes to our friends and family, we all want them to think we are financially stable and secure.  When we return an item or cancel a service, some of us fear that our friends will think we don’t have the money to pay for it, and we feel embarrassed.  Whether or not this is true, it doesn’t matter.  Your business is your business, and keeping your budget balanced is more important than what someone thinks of you and how much money you have.  Don’t worry about what they think.  It’s NONE of THEIR business!

No matter what you’re trying to return or cancel, never forget that it’s your money in question.  You paid for the item or service, because at the time, it was worth more than the money in your hand, but when you decide it is no longer worth that money, don’t feel that you don’t have the right to get it back (or stop paying for the service)!

The article looks at an unmarried couple who make a combined income of $50,000, and a married couple who make a combined income of $50,000.  The unmarried couple will pay only (yeah, only…ha ha) $3,076 a year under the House bill and $3,450 under the Senate bill.  If that couple decides to get married, they would have to pay $5,160 under the House bill and $5,100 under the Senate bill.  That’s a difference of between $2,084 and $1,650 respectively!  Just for deciding to get married.  The individuals that helped write the bill (democratic staff) acknowledged the existence of the penalty, but said that it couldn’t be fixed without creating other inequities.  To me, this seems like a pretty big penalty to be left in place, for fear that you would upset another group, or be unfair to others.  I mean, married couples are a pretty big group to upset!

The article has this quote from a Democratic Senate Finance Committee aide  - “The Finance Committee, along with other committees in the Senate, took pains to craft the most equitable overall structure possible, and that’s what we have here,”.  The MOST EQUITABLE bill.  So, they know it’s not fair for everyone, and one group that will pay will be married people!  This gives people an incentive to stay single.  Great!  Just what we need in this country!  A financial incentive to lose the institution of marriage.  As a country, we’re already doing things that would have been morally wrong just 20 years ago.  Gone on 2 dates with someone?  Ehh, that’s long enough to sleep together.  And we wonder why children in the 6th grade are experimenting with sex…could it be their role models?

I know that legal “mumbo jumbo” is the last thing any of us want to read or look into, but I think it’s important that we know what is and isn’t being approved with the new health care bill, especially since our politicians have a habit of sneaking in extra things when they pass a bill/law.  Be aware of your government!  Watch what they’re doing.  If you don’t, then when things don’t go your way, you have NO RIGHT to complain!

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!

This shouldn’t surprise anyone…it didn’t get dubbed “retail therapy” for no reason!  The problem is that in our society, we act like retail therapy is a GOOD thing, when it’s actually AWFUL.  The retail stores have convinced us that it’s normal and OK to shop when we’re down, but they’re only doing that because they want to part us from our money, not because they actually want us to feel better!

The next time you’re feeling down, don’t go out and look for a distraction, go home and find ways to distract yourself!  Take a bubble bath, clean the house, take on some of your “honey-do” list etc.  Go to a park, or the beach, or some other free place to clear your mind.  Get creative.  What you do is your choice, so long as you don’t go to a store and spend money.  It’s a new year, and that means it’s the perfect time for you to make the change that could make you retire with ease 20 or 30 years from now.  It all starts with you, and a step in the right direction is avoiding the mall when you’re down (and whenever else you don’t actually NEED something from there)!

• 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.

So, keep our advice in mind, and don’t touch it!  If you’re the type of person to go out for “retail therapy” (do NOT get me started on how much I loathe that phrase, and what it implies), then you need to find something to do with your hands.  Put them in your pocket, carry a big bag in your hands, text etc.  Finding something to do with your hands could save you a lot of money over the course of the month, because every time you see a $200 and don’t buy it, that’s $200 in your pocket for something else, which I hope will be savings!

Generation Y is a term applied to those people currently 22 to 33 years old, of which, I am a member.  These people are typically the offspring of Baby Boomers, and according to many in the work force, are nothing like their parents, especially in how they view their jobs.  In the past, this (my) generation has been characterized as a bunch of job-hoppers.   But now that they and their friends are experiencing layoffs and financial problems, the number of those surveyed that had changed jobs in the last 2 years dropped from 40% to almost half of that, and almost a quarter of them plan to stay with their employer until they retire…now there’s some surprising information!

Another interesting thing of note, however, is that the economy and higher rates of unemployment have changed the optimism and confidence typically displayed by this group of people, and they are becoming more financially conservative…all I have to say is that it’s about time! 

Apparently, a new survey shows that 41% of Gen Y-ers have become more fiscally conservative in the last year, and nearly 2/3 say they’re “trying to save more now than a year ago”.  I think that is incredible!  To know that a lot of people from my generation are waking up and saving is great.  And as far as retirement, in the last year the number of Gen Y-ers that are saving for retirement rose from 18% to 53%, but the majority of them are only focused on an emergency fund (which is a good start!).  Considering that more than 30% of Gen Y-ers owe more than $5,000 in credit card debt, saving for an emergency and/or retirement is a nice change of pace. 

No matter what their motives, the Generation Y group has started to notice the benefits of saving money and job security.  I have feared that my fellow Gen Y-ers would never learn this lesson, but I am happily wrong.  Maybe it was the economy, maybe it was the fact that it became cool to be a “recessionista”…or maybe it was that we got tired of hearing the word “recessionista”, and started watching our money to get people to quit using that word…either way, it happened, and hopefully it’s here to stay!

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!

This is one of the most ridiculous things going on in our society right now.  I cannot believe that Boomers are giving so much to their grown, totally able to work (even if that job is “beneath them”) adult children.  I mean, come on…so what if the job doesn’t pay $100,000 a year with nice perks etc.  There is value in being able to say you are making it on your own.  Let’s break down that number above…$59.000 in 5 years is roughly $12,000 a year, or $1,000 a month!  That is a part time job!  You want that lifestyle?  Don’t get it from your parents, who would like to retire soon!

The bottom line is this:  If you’re a Boomer and are looking at your retirement nest-egg, realizing that retirement is going to be tough (if possible at all now or in the future), then you need to evaluate where your money is going.  If, that money is going to your children, it is time to cut them off!  They can have what’s left when you’re gone (if anything) and do what they want with it at that time.  Why would you risk your livelihood on their new car/home improvement etc.?  Teach them the hard lesson that sometimes you have to take care of yourself.  They will have to learn that lesson when you’re gone anyway, and it will be easier if they have your shoulder to cry on when they learn that lesson.

Are you the child of a Baby-Boomer?  Do you “borrow” money from them that you never pay back?  Perhaps it’s time for you to realize that you’re draining their retirement money, and that you need to grow up and pay your own way.  Nowhere in the “how to be a parent” handbook does it say that your parents are responsible for paying your way from birth to YOUR retirement!  Cut them a little slack!  If you can’t live without all of those nice things that you’re buying with their money, get a part time job…otherwise, perhaps it’s time you learned to live within your means!

Dan Miller has pointed out other products in this post, however, that might not necessarily be able to be pigeon-holed in the need category.  He talks of the fancy tennis shoes that have come about in the near past, that help with stabilization and have a broader base, and their new counterparts that are narrower and simulate running barefoot at $245 a pop (I spent a lot of time deciding which way to go on this very topic when I decided to start running)!

Another product, Bling H2O, that has been on MTV is encrusted with Swarovski crystals that spell out “bling” on the bottle.  The funny part is that the water comes from Tennessee, and probably isn’t very “blinged-out” on some guys farm.  That doesn’t stop them from sealing the bottles with a cork and calling it “Limited Edition”.  The funny part is the price!  This water can be bought for $441 dollars a case (12 bottles) or $36.75 a bottle.  Can we say ridiculous?  Funny thing is, people are buying it! 

And this is Dan Miller’s point:  If you fill a “need” you can make a living.  If you fill a “want”you can get rich.  I agree with him wholeheartedly, I am simply dismayed at the reason for such a statement to be true.  In our instant gratification, want the best, have to be famous society, wants and desires trump needs.  We all have desires, and I think that’s OK.  But when we start to go into debt to obtain them, something is wrong.  When we start to think we “deserve” them, we are out of touch with reality, because the truth is that you don’t “deserve” anything just for being you…you have to earn it!  As sad as it is, however, it’s how things work today, so if you can find a want and fill it, go make yourself rich!

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!

One way to make some extra cash this year is to offer to fill out or write Christmas/holiday cards for elderly (or busy) people in your life, your friends or family etc. You will be doing them a favor and making some cash in the process.  You should be aware, however, that this means you have to do a competent job, putting just as much effort in the cards as they normally would.  Also, how much should you charge?  Well, I would say if it’s an elderly relative, cut them a discount, but other than that, I would charge per card, whatever you think is fair in your local market.  I say this, because, you could probably get a better price in a place like New York City and Los Angeles, as opposed to rural towns in the Midwest.  Not sure what’s fair in your local market?  If someone does take you up on your offer, ask what they think is fair!  Not getting any interested people by word of mouth?  Advertise in your local paper and on Craigslist!

Another way to make some extra cash is by offering to go to the post office and mail packages for people.  Charge a flat fee, and if you get enough interest (see above for ideas on this) then you can combine trips and up your hourly pay!  I would charge a couple of dollars per package, and of course, they pay the cost of shipping. 

The problem (obviously) with both of these tips is that you won’t make as much money as with a regular seasonal job, but that is the price you pay for wanting a flexible schedule during the holidays.  It’s your choice of course, but these tips could bring in enough extra money for a fun and festive holiday at your house!   Good luck!

These loyalty programs are similar to those of the credit cards, where you earn points toward cash back or other “prizes”. As usual, however, it takes a TON of points to earn anything worthwhile. Luckily, a debit card doesn’t put the consumer further in debt, and these cards give the banks 1%-3% fee per transaction (However, lobbyists for retailers are trying to get that fee capped). UN-luckily, to use these new programs, many banks are charging yearly (or monthly) fees. This means that you have to use your debit card all the time and HOPE to earn the rewards while paying a fee for the PRIVELEGE to be in the program! How fun, right?

Our advice? If you can’t control your spending, and are detached from your debit card, the way you were from your credit card, and it’s not like spending money because it’s plastic…stick to cash. If you can handle using a debit card, use it. We don’t have a problem with them, since the money comes directly out of your checking account…but be aware, overdrawing on your checking account with you debit card is NOT responsible, and if that is you, GO BACK TO CASH! On the subject of loyalty/reward programs? We think you should just skip them. It takes crazy amount of effort to get anything, and costs a yearly fee on top of it!  What a waste.

I have a friend that I have known for 17 years, and for 6-7 of those years, we did not speak.  This friend and I were inseparable throughout several of our high school years, and only drifted slightly when I moved away.  A few years ago, the blow up was partially their fault, and partially mine.  This friend did something in very bad taste, and I, not realizing it was a cry for help, did not help them, but instead, sent them away.  Flash forward to this year…this friend contacted me, and after years to think about what we’d both done wrong, I felt it was a good idea to try again.  And I’m glad I did.  It might not be just like old times, since we live a couple hours apart, but it’s easy again…the way a close friendship should be.  This is not to say that we don’t all have friends who are, as another friend of mine likes to call them, “small-dosers”, i.e. friends you can only be around for a limited time so they don’t drive you crazy.  We all have those friends, but the closest friends shouldn’t be hard to be around, and thankfully, for me and my friend, it isn’t.

Do you have a friend that you’ve lost touch with for this type of reason?  Do you think about them often, wishing there was a way to get things back to better times?  Do you think that they’re character is good and they are worth a second chance, or the extra effort?  If so, make that effort.  If they contact you, go slowly, but learn to forgive and forget.  Forgiveness is one of the things that makes us human, and I like to try it when I can.  This doesn’t mean it will always work.  Sometimes, a person’s character is lost forever, or they have hurt you so badly that you cannot imagine ever forgiving them, or they weren’t a good enough friend in the first place to merit forgiveness, since you didn’t care to be around them anyway.  The dilemma and decision are yours to make.  Just remember that if you thought them worth “best friend” status before, keep that in mind if they offer an olive branch.

So, where do you get ink?  Well, some local drug stores and shopping malls offer a place to buy ink, and if you can’t find a place locally, check out Staples.com.  They have a section on their website, Ink and Toner finder that might just be a great way for you to find the ink you need. 

Let’s face it.  You don’t buy a new car when you run out of gas, so why would you buy a new cartridge (or printer) when you run out of ink?  Enjoy your savings, and the satisfaction of not being taken by the current system!

We have all seen this in our own lives, if not to the extent of jail time.  Somebody tells a little white lie on their resume to make themselves sound better for the job.  People update their statuses to make themselves sound more fabulous and exciting than they really are.  They embellish the problems they had on their car ride/plane ride etc. to make you feel sorry for them.  Whatever the situation, people like to exaggerate when it comes to who they are and what they do.  The sad part is, who we are IS enough for most people, and the people it isn’t enough for are not worth your time!  Do you really want to spend your life trying to impress other people with lies, or live your life, whatever it is, without the embellishments?

Do you find yourself inventing things when you share your history with other people?  Are there things that you’d like to change about yourself, or are you happy with who you are?  If you have things you’d change, have you written them down, and set up a plan to change what you’re not happy with?  That would be where I would start!  Good luck!

Other than being free, the great thing about a sample is that you can try something without having to spend your hard earned dollars on it!  A great place to get free samples is at the grocery store (some don’t give samples, but some do).  You can try some food to see if you like it before you buy it!  This could save you a couple of bucks, but if you try ALL the food samples at the store, you’ve had a nice little snack…for free!

An even better place to get free samples are at the mall/department stores.  You can get perfume samples, make up samples, skin care samples etc.  As a bonus, if you live in a big city with multiple malls/locations of stores, you can get the same product from different stores, and have a nice little supply of  your favorite products!  So, say you like a particular eye cream or perfume…if you get a sample at three different places, you’ve got quite a bit for free, that should last a while.  Just a quick tip though…be nice to the sales people…they don’t HAVE to give those samples out.  The nicer you are, the more you’ll get…and by the way, you’re there for free stuff, so, you’d have to be out of your mind to try and be snobby.

Another great place to get some free samples are restaurants/coffee houses/ice cream parlors.  Now, they won’t let you sample enough for a meal, or probably even a snack, but if you need just a taste of something, this can work.  Say you’ve brown-bagged your lunch, but you took it to a park to eat.  While walking back to work, you pass an ice cream parlor…you know you don’t need the calories or the hit to your wallet.  What do you do?  Go in, and ask for a sample…or two.  It’s just enough to scratch the itch, but doesn’t cost a thing.  Just don’t forget, be nice, and try not to go in too often without occasionally buying something.  The owner will be much more inclined to keep giving out the samples that way!

Alright!  That’s it!  Happy sampling, and if you know of another way to get free samples, don’t forget to post them in the comment section!

Let’s not forget, however, that when we save, someone else has to take the hit.  As the article points out, in this case, that would be farmers.  They are receiving less for their products, and so that means harder times in their households this year.  I am all about a deal, but I hate that it comes at the expense of others…keep this in mind when you go to buy your turkey this year.

On a personal note, I would like to take the time to ask our readers to have a generous heart and donate a couple of cans of food to a local charity this year to help feed families who are struggling.  With a lot of people out of work, food banks and pantries will be running low on their normal stock of goods, so we all need to chip in.  At Thanksgiving, I like to donate by giving food, and at Christmas, I like to donate by giving toys, coats and other goods to local charities.  If you have $5 to spare this year (skip a latte or brown bag a day?), buy some non perishable food items and donate them.   The Salvation Army website is a good place to start.  The main page has a place to enter your zip code and find your local donation center. 

These stores are making a significant percentage of their quarterly profits on this one day, so you know they want you in their store and spending…that means you need to be wise about how you shop.  As I said above, DO NOTuse credit cards!  A $200 purse on 10% interest with a minimum payment of $10 a month will take 21 months to pay off, making the cost $250!  Also, SETa spending limit, and stick to it.  Don’t think of black Friday as a day to go “hog wild” and just buy up everything you’ve wanted all year…unless of course, you’ve saved up to buy everything you’ve wanted all year for you and everyone else.  Another good idea?  SCHEDULE a meal or movie time for the day!  Not only will this take away from the stress of the day, but since you were up so early, the movie will be the cheaper matinee!  Woohoo! 

To all of our readers, we wish you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving.  Enjoy the time with friends and family and be safe in any and all of your travels.

Throughout the years, people have made fun of the guy who carries his woman’s purse.  Heck, Brad Paisley even wrote a song about it!   Now, I know that something as small as carrying her purse is not indicative of lasting 50 years, but it does reveal a characteristic that, in my opinion, does relate to a lasting relationship…consideration.  Being considerate of your partner, and their feelings, is vital to a relationship.  It shows that without their request, you’re willing to help them, it reveals a deeper connection between you both and a desire to put your partners feelings before your own.  And as you all know, on this point, Jerrill and I do not waiver.  We put each other’s feelings ahead of our own.  Not out of obligation, but out of love and respect.  And while it might not work for everyone, it works pretty well for us!  Do we have our moments?  Sure, nobody’s perfect, and everyone has their moments where they don’t think.  But the effort is what counts. 

So, here is your homework.  Look at your own relationship.  Do you think you’re a considerate partner?  Can you name examples?    If you can, great.  If not, perhaps you should try and incorporate a couple of new ideas into your relationship. 

Just a little food for thought!  But you know, a strong bond between partners can help you get through the upcoming holidays, amongst other things!

• How to turn a car into a moving advertisement - Article on wiki-How, with good info on turning your own car into an advertising canvas for your own business.
• Get Paid to Advertise on Your Car - A good Ezine article with information on what’s involved in the process and tips on the “catch” of such free money. 
• Car Advertising Guide – plenty of good info on the basics, good reputable places to choose from and avoiding scam companies.
• As I said earlier, be aware of the Web Trade Bureau, a great tool for avoiding scam artists.

That’s it!  Hopefully, this is enough to point you in the right direction and get you started!  If you decide to make money this way, we would love you to post a comment with your successes and tips for other readers!  Good luck!

Conflicting information is what the author cites as a problem.  An advanced estimate of the annualized 3rd quarter GDP was up 3.5%, but consumer spending fell 0.5% in September.  The GDP numbers are a result of government spending, and, as you would expect, unemployment, and the fear of unemployment are the result of the slump in consumer spending.  The fact is, a recent poll showed 58% of people (October)  still believe the recession is hanging on, up from 52% (September).  And while public opinion certainly isn’t the only factor in the economy, it DOES factor into the economy.  This is obvious…if people think the economy is down, it affects the way the go about their daily lives, and what they do and don’t spend.

You see, there are a lot of opinions out there on where this country and it’s citizens are headed thanks to this economic mess.  Some are saying that we are fine and that everything will go back to “normal” soon, and some conspiracy theorists seem to think we’re going to become third world nation.  The truth, thankfully, is probably somewhere in the middle.   If you read the original article, you should check out some of the absolutely ignorant and insane comments posted by readers.  I’m no economist, but I’m also not going to listen to anyone whose claims sound outlandish at best and pray on the fear and ignorance of other people.  My guess is that the economic turmoil will continue for a while…how long? I have no idea.  The economy needs to correct itself from the inflated values that  we placed on our assets (namely, our houses), and until it corrects itself, I don’t think things can get better.  However, I DO think things will get better.  Banks will start lending again, companies will start hiring again and people will start spending again.  Do I think it will go back to the way things were? No, and I hope it doesn’t.  We shouldn’t expect to buy a home and 3 years later move with 50% equity because of the jump in value…that’s not right.  Slow and steady wins the race people.  When things start to improve, you will have to SAVE your money and PAY DOWN your mortgage for there to be equity in it…and that’s the way it SHOULD be!

You see, it’s become part of our culture to shop-shop-shop.  Retail therapy, they call it.  Think about that statement.  They want you to come and spend money to make yourself feel better.  Is that the way we should be relieving stress/improving our mood?  I don’t think so.  It’s an instant gratification thing.  We are like children with a shiny new toy…retail therapy!  How ridiculous!  Sounds like we’re simply encouraging ourselves to act like children.  I think we should act like adults.  Adults save up for things.  They have delayed gratification.  They don’t get retail therapy, they relieve stress by being with friends and family (or getting a REAL therapist, not one that doubles as a satchel purse and is called Louis Vuitton).  This, is why I like lay-a-way.  It allows people who don’t have the cash to pay for something all at once an option that doesn’t charge high interest and isn’t a credit card.  As a bonus, you don’t get the merchandise until you pay for it in it’s entirety, so it teaches delayed gratification!

I should note that we don’t really use lay-a-way ourselves, because, as most of you know, we save up throughout the year to pay for the things we want.  We have a Christmas category in our budget, that receives money each and every week.  This ensures we will have the money that we have determined we want to spend on the holiday, in time for said holiday (and in case you’re wondering, we determine the amounts in all budget categories at our “new year new budget” committee meeting, held in January).  If however, you haven’t been keeping up with your budget (and I really hope you have), then lay-a-way is the way to go for you.  Just remember this phrase…I WILL NOT use credit cards on presents!

First, let me just say that there is NOTHING wrong with borrowing something if you need to.   I think somewhere along the way borrowing things fell out of favor, either because people weren’t responsible when they borrowed from friends or family, or because it became un-cool to borrow something, and so people just went and bought what they needed, even if they only needed it once etc.  This, in my opinion, is silly.  It makes much more financial sense for friends and family to share the things they have that other members of the friends or family might need, in exchange for the same courtesy. 

So, how do you borrow from friends and family without breaking the relationship?  Easy, follow these simple rules:

• Don’t think that borrowing from a friend or family member is something you can do once a week.  People tend to get irritated if you’re at their house borrowing things all the time.  And, if you’re borrowing the same thing every week…face it, you DO NEED to buy it…it is obviously a necessity for you.
• Return what you borrow in the EXACT SAME or BETTER condition that it was in when you took it home.  Nobody wants their stuff back broken.  If you borrow something, and cannot return it in the same condition because you’ve damaged it, then you must replace it.  I don’t care how much it costs, and I don’t care if you’re strapped for cash.  You broke it, you bought it.  If you don’t replace it, you could hurt the relationship between you and the borrowee. 
• If the item you’re borrowing has a consumable (example, a pressure washer, which requires gasoline), you must replace it.  Do not return an item that uses, for example, gasoline, without a full tank.  It’s very thoughtless to do so.
• Know that some things are ridiculous items to borrow.  A pressure washer, a punch bowl and a cup of sugar are all things that make sense to borrow when you need them.  Even a car is ok to borrow, if the friend or family member really trusts you, and you treat the car with extreme care.  A microwave and a T.V. are not items that make sense to borrow.  Do not show up and ask to take some one’s microwave.  If you did that to me, I’d laugh at you!

Basically, use your common sense.  Remember the saying, do unto others as you would have them do unto you?  Well, it applies when borrowing from friends and family.  Borrow when you need something, but be thoughtful while it’s in your care.

• When you shake hands with someone, make sure you follow it up with washing your own hands.  Washing your hands often sends the germs down the drain.
• Stop touching your face.   Your eyes and nose are common places for germs to get you.   Hands off!  (This, unfortunately, is probably how I got sick.)
• Get some sleep already!  It just makes sense that you need more sleep when you’re sick, so rest a lot and sleep more!
• Get your flu shot!  Chances are, if you’re worried about the flu, you’ve already got a flu shot, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it.
• Eat healthy foods.  You might feel that people harp on eating fruits and veggies all the time, but when  you’re sick, it’s a must.  The vitamins in these foods help your body heal itself.
• Exercise.  Now, you knew that I was going to include this one!  Working out enhances your immune system, which we could all use.  A helpful hint, however, is to be sure and wash hands/use hand sanitizer often while at the gym, and not touch your face (this, again, is probably where I got into trouble.  I can’t help but wipe the sweat from my face…big no no).
• If you think they’re sick, stay back!  When you see people who are obviously sick, don’t get close.  It doesn’t matter if they’re a stranger, your boss or a member of your family, keep your distance.
• Use Hand sanitizer.  Make sure you buy the right kind.  Sanitizer and wipes that aren’t alcohol based won’t be as effective.
• If you double dip, don’t share the dip.   I don’t judge you fro double dipping, but if you do, get your own dip, so others aren’t sharing your germs.  You can always spoon out some dip on your plate, so you and your friends/family aren’t germ swapping!
• Ditch the cloth purse.  Purses collect germs, since they end up on surfaces covered with germs.  Cloth purses will hold more germs, since they can’t be wiped down easily.  Use leather/vinyl etc. purses in winter months, and wipe them down.
• Sneeze into the crook of your elbow.    It sounds weird, but your hands usually have germs on them, so sneezing in them couls spread more germs.

If you’re already sick, here are some tips:

1. Stay home and medicate.  Don’t go out.  Don’t keep company.  Just stay in and get better (hence, I’ve been stuck in this house since Sunday.  I’m not happy about it, but it’s the smart thing to do.).
2. Pay attention to your symptoms.  If you keep getting worse, contact your doctor.  It might not be a cold, it could be the flu, a sinus infection, bronchitis, walking pneumonia etc.
3. Hydrate.  Keep drinking fluids, because dehydration can make you worse.  If you’re not able to keep down fluids, contact your doctor.

That’s it!  For more info on avoiding whatever illness is going around in your local community, contact your doctor or your local health department.  FYI, your local health department is a valuable tool, and has a wealth of information…use it!

The article highlights that Bank of America will start charging an annual fee (next year) on card holders, some of whom have either never carried a balance or never paid late.  The fee will range from $29 to $99.  And apparently Citigroup has already started charging annual fees to those card holders who don’t put a charge a specific amount to their cards per year!  Can we say ridiculous??  They are starting to charge us for good behavior? What a crock.  I mean, I understand that as a business they need to make money on all of their customers, and as consumers we have the right to switch, but with the bad “rep” these people have right now, you would think they wouldn’t want to upset the customers they have that can actually pay their bills.  A little money off of a responsible cardholder is better than none off of the cardholder in bankruptcy court if you ask me.

So, what’s the deal?  These fees are the credit card industry’s response to credit card legislation (voted on earlier this year).   Basically, they need ways to raise income before the new rules take effect in February, and this looks like a viable option.  It’s my opinion that they’ve got to be desperate for new revenue streams, since they’ve targeted card holders with good credit ratings, good credit history and a knack for paying their bills off at the end of the month.

The article goes into detail on ways to tackle this problem if you find yourself among those with a new annual fee for “good behavior”.    Use those if you must, but as you know, your favorite southern couple would just rather you didn’t have/use credit cards at all!

Tips for child Halloween activities:

• Pick out or make a costume that will be safe. Make it flame retardant, and the eye holes should be large enough for good peripheral vision.
• Warn children not to eat any treats before an adult has carefully examined them for evidence of tampering.
• Treat your kids to a spooky Halloween dinner.  It will make them less likely to eat their candy before you check it for them.
• Be sure older children TAKE FRIENDS and younger children are accompanied by a TRUSTED ADULT when “Trick or Treating” OR…
• Know the route your kids will be taking if you aren’t going with them!
• Explain to children the difference between tricks and vandalism.   “Egging” a house may seem like fun but they need to know that it is vandalism and the  clean up and damages can ruin Halloween. If they are caught vandalizing, make them clean up the mess they’ve made, and pay for the damages, no matter how long it takes them to pay/work it off!
• Children should go only to homes where the outside lights are on as a sign of welcome.
• Teach children to NEVER enter a home without prior permission from their parents or guardians.  This does not include their teenage babysitter or sibling.
• Teach children to NEVER approach a vehicle, occupied or not, unless they are accompanied by
  a parent or adult guardian.
• Make sure children carry a flashlight or glow stick to see and be seen.
• Teach children if anyone tries to grab them to make a scene; scream things like “this person is not my father/mother/guardian”; and make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming, and resisting.

Tips for adult Halloween activities:

• Keep an eye on the drinking, don’t let it get out of hand.
• Take the keys away from anyone that may be driving, and be sure everyone knows they are welcome to sleep over, even if they have to crash on the floor.
• Have one person stay sober and offer to drive those people home who may have had too much to drink.
• When deciding on a menu, check and see if anyone attending the party has food allergies that might be a problem, and be sure you have a few dishes for those friends who are vegetarians!
• Don’t forget to watch who’s coming in and out of your house.  

That’s it boys and girls!  Get out there and have fun this Halloween, but be safe! 

For more info, or the sources for these tips, check here, here and here!

So, for those of you that don’t know, Twitter is a free social networking and micro blogging (normal posts aren’t longer
than 140 characters) service where users send and receive messages.  They are also able to read posts from anyone they are following (unless they have been removed from that persons’ followers list), and posts on particular trending topics.  If that didn’t make much sense to you, check out a tutorial for twitter here or read up on the service here.

So, how do you save money on Twitter? It’s simple…just follow certain users who post discount information for their
businesses!  Here are a few examples of users who disclose discounts:  @amazonmp3 for music, @JetBlueCheeps for travel discounts, @DealDivine for fashion and beauty deals and steals, @DealsPlus for general retail deals and @fstimes for giveaways and winning prizes.  Another good choice? @coupons…this could be hit or miss, but you might be able to print off some useful coupons for your weekly groceries!

So, check out these sections on Twitter if you want to save a little cash!  Good luck!

So, what is a reverse mortgage?  Well, you can read the full description here, but a simple explanation is that it is a loan for senior citizens, used to release (give back to the owner) the equity of the property as one lump sum or multiple payments over time. The home owner’s obligation to repay the loan is deferred until the owner dies, the home is sold, or the owner leaves (usually going to a long term care facility). 

Today’s article (CNN Money Blog post) is titled Reverse mortgages: Sub prime mess déjà vu?, by Carla Fried.  It looks at how a lot of retirees are taking out reverse mortgages, since they have insufficient nest eggs to carry them through retirement, and how a lot of people, Comptrollor of the Currency John Dugan included, think these financial products have some of the same characteristics as sub prime mortgages.  Considering the mess to which the sub prime mortgages contributed, that should definitely make us be wary of these products.

Some resources to check into, if you want to learn even more about reverse mortgages and their pitfalls, are as follows:

• AARP.org – A section on this website is dedicated educating seniors on reverse mortgage basics, their alternatives and ways that the financial product might be abused.  Check out the web page here.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – An informative website put on by the government.  It’s not as suspicious of the reverse mortgage product as the AARP website, but it still speaks of the dangers of scam artists peddling information that they give away on their website for free!

I know that there are some people who think these products have their place, but I have to disagree.  As I have said, I’m fine with 15 yeaar fixed rate mortgages, but products like these, just seem to part people with their money.  Make your own choice, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

The first bit of information I wanted to share is definitely exciting, and that is that more people are paying with cash!  According to certain retailers (these businesses do not sell luxury goods, just so you don’t think I’m speaking of $1,000 handbags or something), a significant number of their sales so far this year have been in cash, compared with last year, where there were more credit card sales.  This is a wonderful bit of information!  Now, it’s a small sample, and it’s in my local community, but hopefully it’s at least partially indicative of the way people are shopping this season.  I hope that it means more people have saved up for the holidays this year, and aren’t spending more than they make!

Another bit of information we ran across from a national retailer is that the sales are not going to be as good as they were last year (I know, bummed me out too)!  According to our source, last year, many of the typical stores you find in your local mall got caught with a ton of extra inventory and slashed prices to be able to move the inventory toward the end of the holiday season.  This was great for people, last year, but it also means that they learned their lesson, and this year, retailers won’t (or haven’t) have ordered as much inventory, so the deals that were there last year, won’t be there this year.  This is some really unfortunate information, but at least it will keep us focused on finding the best deals this season! 

All in all, I still think it is going to be a wonderful holiday season.  Just keep in mind that cash is the way to go.  Not only will it save you from being credit card poor in January and February (and March?), but it will keep you focused on getting the best possible price!   Look out for deals that aren’t deals.  Compare prices.  Use lay-a-way (making payments on an item that you will not be able to take home until the item is completely paid for) and just be sensible.  Remember how your parents and grandparents shopped for the holidays…they saved for it!

The first place you should start is the Seller Information Center at Ebay.  From there you can create an account, check out tips on selling, creating buyer confidence and “bone up” on Ebay policies.  This is a very good resource that is provided by Ebay.   It’s important that your information come from reputable sources, because, like every other aspect of buying and selling, there is a chance you’re dealing with a dangerous individual or website.

Another resource I found is a website called MIStupid.com, an online knowledge magazine.  Their Ebay selling section can bee found here.  This is an actual video tutorial on how to sell things on Ebay, which might be better for those people who are visual learners, as opposed to reading to learn.  It’s a free service (at least the part on selling on Ebay is), so feel free to watch it a few times to get proficient.

The last resource I found is an “Internet for beginners” section on About.com, where they cover buying and selling on Ebay.  Check out the web page here.  This is a very informative source that also includes information on what you pay to market your things on Ebay and how to use Paypal, an e-commerce business allowing you to make or accept payments through the Internet.  PayPal is an electronic alternative to traditional payment methods such as checks and money orders.  Paypal is a very important part of Ebay, since, logically, if you want to sell something, you have to be able to accept payment for it!

I’d like to add that if you research the items you want to sell, or items you pick up at flea markets and decide to turn around and sell, you can get more for your items.  Good luck with it, and happy selling!

Basically, the jist of the 10,000 hour rule is that the author’s research shows that it’s rare for a person to get to the top of their game in their chosen field without putting in at least 10,000 hours of preparation. 

Raw talent is apparently not as important as the time you devote to your passion…to that thing you do better than everyone else.  No matter who you are and where you came from, no one gets to the top without the 10,000 hours.  And, supposing you want to get to the top of your field, that means you’ve got to WORK!  In a 40 hour work week, you can finish those 10,000 hours in 5 years.  If you’re doing a part time job at 20 hours a week, that’s 10 years.  If you’re working 60 hours a week, that means you’ll finish in 2 1/2 years, but it also means you don’t have a work-life balance, and I can’t agree with that! 

Where are you putting your hours in?  Are you putting effort in the areas of your life that matter the most, or are you leaving work, coming home and turning into a couch potato?  I truly hope you’re not ignoring your family in exchange for mindless channel surfing.  And hey, if the area of your life that matters most, that you want to be excellent at is your relationship with your partner, I’m totally cool with that!  So long as you are putting in the hours and are excellent at something you love, your favorite southern couple is behind you!

Showing your appreciation to your partner doesn’t just let them know you care, it also shows them respect, and respect is a necessary component of a relationship.  Why do I think these actions are so important?  Because when you love somebody, you shouldn’t be focused on yourself all the time.  Yes, it’s important that you have “me time” where you take care of yourself, but it’s just as important that you let you partner know how you feel.  And I’m not just talking about women here…men need to know these things too!  

You might not agree, and that’s ok.  I’m simply sharing what works for your favorite southern couple!  It’s our opinion that a function of a great couple is that both partners are willing to give up everything for the other, and that the other wouldn’t dare take everything from them.  Good luck in showing your appreciation!

Questions or comments?  Feel free to leave a comment, or ask a question about relationships!  I’ll try to answer it to the best of my ability!

A great way to save money on childcare is to make friends with another family who has a child and go in on a babysitter together!  Think about it!  If you both only have 1 child, then the sitter would charge you each, say, for example $10 an hour.  But you would only be charged $14 or $15 an hour if you had 2 children, so combine your kids, and save some cash!  Then, each family is only responsible for $7.50 an hour!

For medicine, you need to talk to your doctor and see if they will write the prescription for double the dosage.  If they will, you can cut your pills in half to get your necessary dosage, and only need to buy your prescription every other month!  It might not save a ton of money, but as much as healthcare is in the news these days, I think everyone wants to save money, even a little, on their healthcare costs!

As far as pet care goes, when you go away and board your pet, you are paying a premium.  Instead, try finding other pet owners who are willing to watch your pet in exchange for you watching their pet!  You save on the boarding bill, and they will probably get more loving care that way too!  If you have a pet that doesn’t do well when you’re gone, and a boarding place is your only option, do worry, there are other ways to save!  find local pet grooming schools, and take your pet to be groomed there!  The discount is usually in the neighborhood of 40%, compared with operating grooming establishments.  Lastly, and honestly, I can’t believe such a thing exists, much less that I am having to talk about it, but drop your pet insurance.  I mean really, the amount you pay for such insurance than you would save in vet bills!   Understand, I have 2 cats that I love and want to live forever, but when their time comes, I will not be bankrupting myself just to make them live on a few extra weeks, probably in pain.   So save your money on the pet insurance…it probably won’t work out to your monetary benefit in the long run anyway.

There you have it!  3 tips that will hopefully save you some money THIS month! 

Additionally, we would love to start taking questions from our readers.  If you have a money question, or a relationship question (about how we make it work)  that you would like answered, feel free to leave a comment, and we will review and post the relevant questions!  Thanks for reading!

The numbers for unemployment in September show that it rose to 9.8%, and that it might hit 10% in the near future.  But as bad as the overall unemployment rate is, the breakdown of single versus married people is interesting…it’s almost double!  In August, the rate was 13.5% unemployment for singles and 6.3% unemployment for married people!  The article points out that a likely reason is that married men are motivated to take a lower paying job, to be able to support their families, and that single people are typically younger and have less education and experience than their married counterparts (this, of course, is just supposition).  There is also a difference in those with a high school education versus a Bachelor’s degree or higher.  Only 4.9% with a Bachelor’s degree are unemployed, versus 10.8% with only a high school education (a good argument for staying in school and going to college).

There is also disparity amongst race, gender, and age.  And, while these statistics are interesting to me, I have to think that there are ALWAYS discrepancies amongst employment based on race, gender and age, since the people in the work force are constantly changing.  I’m not taking away from the fact that these people are suffering.  There are a lot of people out there suffering, and I wish them a job…pronto.

Here is the breakdown:

• African Americans – 15.4%
• Hispanics – 12.7%
• Caucasions  9.0%
• Asians – 7.4%
• Adult Women – 7.8%
• Adult Men – 10.3%
• Teenagers – 25.9%

Overall, I’m most intrigued by the stats on single people.  If single people are more likely to be jobless due to their unwillingness to take lower pay, I say that it is their choice!   As long as they have an emergency fund in place to carry them through this tough spot and/or are working a part time job til they find the “perfect job”, so be it!  And for those of you who are married, taking lower paying jobs, don’t forget your worth!  No matter what your situation, having an emergency fund and being prepared for a job loss will help you weather any storm!

The first website is called The Breast Cancer Site.  It is an interesting way to help those in need, but basically, you click the button (you can click once a day) and after a certain number of clicks (roughly 45,000) it donates a free mammogram to women in need across the country.  It is a for profit business, but is also supported by corporate sponsorship, so check it out and click the button, since you could save a life with that click.  Think it’s too good to be true?  Verify it here!

Another website is called liv.com.  It is a breast cancer awareness website that lists resources for women to get free or low cost mammograms.  The United States Center for Disease Control’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) is one resource you can use to get access to these low cost of free screenings.  Check out their website here.  Other websites listed on liv.com offering help to get screened on the cheap are The National Cancer Institute (supported by the U.S. Government), the American Cancer Society (the blue box in the middle right of the page “Find ACS in Your Community” is where you want to go.  You’ll need your zip code.  They can tell you what resources are available in your area.) and The American Breast Cancer Foundation’s Key to Life Breast Cancer Screening Assistance Program.  This last resource doesn’t have a website, but you can call them at 877-539-2543 to enroll in their program which provides financial assistance to uninsured and underinsured women and men for breast cancer testing.  If none of these suit your needs, call your local hospital and ask to speak to a social worker.  They are the hospital contact that will be aware of any free or low cost mammogram/cancer screenings in your area. 

Breast cancer won’t go away on it’s own.  The faster they catch it, the better your chances.  If my mom hadn’t been diligent in her screenings, I might have lost her, and that isn’t something I like to think about.  So you’re busy with kids and career.  It doesn’t matter, because you have to take care of yourself, no matter what is going on!  Think about it…if you don’t take care of yourself, who will take care of your priorities (kids etc.) when you’re gone?

According to the care tags on a lot of clothing (or household items), you should be dry cleaning most of what you own.  Well, I beg to differ!  Lots of things that say “dry clean only” are able to be hand washed or washed in a garment bag on the gentle cycle in your washer.  In fact, some of the new washers on the market even have a “hand wash” setting, where the agitator moves very slowly, simulating the act of hand washing.  Now, should you do this every time?  Well, that depends on the type of garment.  I wouldn’t, for example, recommend going against the care instructions on a garment that cost most of your paycheck, but on an everyday, regular shirt, skirt or pair of pants…absolutely.  This doesn’t mean you give it up completely either.  Maybe you have a suit, and you trust that you can hand wash the pants, but want the jacket professionally cleaned?  I’m okay with that, so long as you are smart about what you get dry cleaned, and how often you do it, since dry cleaning can be so costly.  A suit costs on average $10 (2 piece) around the country.  So, if you’re a man who wears suits everyday to work, you could be paying $50 a week in dry cleaning bills!  If you can get away with hand washing those every other week, you can save $100 a month!  That makes it worth trying in my book!

The other tip is to  buy seasonal items when they are on sale.  Okay, so what does that mean?  That means, that if you are going to buy a winter coat, you should buy it in March, when it is likely to be on sale.  Need a swimsuit?  Buy it in July or August.  I have personally seen bathing suit separates marked down to $3 a piece in these months!  Other things even surprise me.  For example, tires should be bought in July.  If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that it’s because there isn’t much inclement weather during the summer months in the U.S.  In addition, linens should be bought in January and kitchenwares should be bought in April and November (can we say Christmas presents?).

Good luck with the new tips!  I hope you find some deals and save some money!  And remember, if you don’t trust that the garment will hand wash (or wash in the washer on gentle) well, go with your gut, and take it to the cleaners.  I don’t want you ruining your clothes, just second guessing wether or not your 100% cotton tank tops need to be dry cleaned!

I will give a brief definition here, but if you want the full description, check out the original article.

• Bailout – This was the money designated for and given out to struggling businesses (usually very large businesses) whose closure would negatively impact the economy.  Had, for example, an automaker like Ford closed, thousands of people would have been out of a job.  However, the financial situation of the business was such that it wasn’t making enough money to support itself or it’s employees.  Think about that…businesses that don’t make money (aka a profit) can’t pay their employees and have to shut down.  That is the way things are supposed to happen (not that I wish a job loss on anyone, but unfortunately, jobs come and go…luckily, qualified people find new jobs, or start their own businesses and make their own way).  Some (myself included) would argue that by using taxpayer dollars to keep these types of businesses functioning, we are all (taxpayers) collectively paying the salaries of these people, and paying for the business to stay afloat. 
  • On a slightly different (but not too different) topic, the “cash for clunkers” program, which offered a $3500 to $4500 voucher that a consumer could give to a new car dealer and get that amount off of the purchase price of a new car.  These vouchers were paid for out of the bailout program, which means that the vouchers were covered with taxpayer dollars.  That means that if your neighbor got a new car with the “cash for clunkers” program, you are providing some of the money to cover their discount…i.e., you paid for part of their new car. 
• Consumer Confidence – This is a gauge of how the average consumer feels about the economy (whether or not it is strong and relatively safe, or weak and unsafe) at that time, and what is coming in the future.  Unfortunately, if people aren’t informed, their response or confidence in the economy can be misguided.  Stay informed!
• Deflation – A decline in prices across the country.  While this sounds fantastic, it can cause problems.  Prices falling means people are spending less and can lead to more unemployment.
• Depression – A long recession.  It typically includes business and/or bank failures, high unemployment, falling job wages and, in general, economic collapse.  A depression lasts significantly longer than a recession, and while a recession can be considered a normal downturn (on occasion) in the economy, a depression is not normal.
• Recession – A generally accepted definition is a decline in economic activity lasting at least two quarters (6 months).  As stated above, this can be a normal business cycle, and the recession we are currently in is considered the 11th recession since World War II.  
• Stimulus -  This is part of the Government’s fiscal policy.  Fiscal policy is the use of government spending and revenue collection (i.e. tax collection) to influence the economy.  Stimulus, in particular, is a short term government intervention to encourage spending when they economy is weak.  An example of this is a tax rebate, like the May 2008 tax rebate, where payments of  $300 for singles and $600 for married filing jointly were issued.  Some interesting points…people who have “no net tax liability”, which basically means they don’t actually pay taxes, still received this TAX REBATE, and people who made more than $75,000 single ($150,000 married filing jointly) received an adjusted (lower) amount.  As the income increased, the rebate gets phased out.  So, people who didn’t pay taxes get a tax rebate, and people who pay A LOT more taxes get a  reduced tax rebate.  Interesting, huh?

Hope these terms help you feel a little more in the loop the next time you find yourself in a conversation about the economy!  To do more research, go here.

Celebrities look like they lead a very glamorous life.  They have fancy clothes, nice cars and a whole host of other very expensive possessions.  They look like personal trainers and never seem to age.     That is their reality.  It is not, however, reality for the majority of us.  Some of us think we should have (or try to have) the same things/lifestyle as celebrities, but in my opinion, that is not the case.  These celebrities make hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars every year, and can afford fancy cars, mansions and expensive purses.  They can afford personal trainers for hours a day, five days a week.  They can afford all the expensive creams and lotions that keep you looking youthful (or the more expensive counterpart, plastic surgery).  They are not limited by an average salary, like we are.

Even though we know they are celebrities, and know they make many times more money than we do, we haven’t been able to separate in our mind that they have access to a lot more monetary funds than we do.  So we buy things.  Generally, we buy these things on credit, because as I’ve already stated, we don’t have the cash to pay for it ourselves.  This is how, one day, people wake up and find themselves thousands of dollars in debt, and on the verge of bankruptcy.

How do you avoid falling into debt?  Well, as we’ve always stated, you need a budget, a plan and the determination to stay within the limits of the budget you created.  If you just spend less than you make, you won’t go into debt (don’t forget to budget for savings, so you pay yourself later).  Do not think it’s normal to buy $10,000 purses and $200 an ounce face cream if you make $60,000 a year.  If you want a special, expensive handbag, save up and pay cash for it.  If you purchased it on a credit card, it doesn’t have the same status as the one on your favorite celeb’s arm, because they paid cash (or debit equivalent etc.), and therefore, actually earned the status that the bag is supposed to convey.  Live within your means and be happy with what you have.

Ebates.com: This website is a good tool for those of you who do a lot of online shopping. The trick to Ebates.com is that you have to “shop through” their website, as in, you go to their website first, find the store where you want to make a purchase, click on the link, and shop. The site is useful because you can search for a store or a product, which means if you need a product, but don’t know where to get it, you can search for the item and shop that way. Cash back percentages vary from store to store and the site sends out the rebates to their users quarterly. Some good news is that if you shop at certain online stores, you can get the item shipped to the “bricks and mortar” location and get free shipping! Bigger purchases mean bigger rebates, so consider this site when you need to purchase big ticket items!

Mypoints.com: At Mypoints.com, you can make purchases or take surveys to earn points. They offer several ways to earn extra points. For example, in addition to making purchases and taking surveys to earn points, you can click through emails and subscribe to their elist. After accruing a certain number of points, you can exchange them for gift cards to stores and other locations, or donations to participating charities.

39dollarglasses.com: If you have the prescription for your glasses and want your glasses on the cheap, this is the place for you. Go somewhere you can try on glasses and figure out what kind of frames you like, then get on their website and find similar frames (or the exact same frames, if you can), and buy them, on the cheap. They aren’t the nicest frames (you wouldn’t expect that for the price though, would you?), but they are good for people who wear contacts and just need something occasionally. Bonus? This website is also on Ebates.com, so you can get cash back on them!

I would like to thank my friend Jodi for pointing these websites out, and tell our readers that I hope you find them useful! Happy shopping!

The article centers around Chad and Stephanie Grant, from San Diego, who are both 31, have been married 7 years and are starting a family.  They make a very good living, with a nice nest egg already started, but not a very big emergency fund.  The article points out that they have a few actions to take to be ready for baby.

If you are in the same situation, trying to start a family, I have a few tips:

• You MUST have an emergency fund of AT LEAST $1000, but preferably 3-6 months worth of expenses.
• It’s a good idea to find out what the total cost of doctor visits and delivery will be and save that amount (or as close to it as you can) to pay cash for your baby when it’s born.  It’ll be nice not to finance your child, right?
• Now is the time to get diversified, as the article points out.  Make sure you don’t have all of your retirement “eggs” in 1 basket.  You should diversify between small, mid and large cap funds, and international funds.
• Insurance!  We all know that health insurance is important, but life insurance is equally important when you are starting a family.  If you die, something has to replace your income!
• A Last Will and Testament is important for you and your spouse, but when you have a baby, it’s IMPERATIVE.  If you don’t have a local lawyer, or don’t have the cash for a lawyer, then go to USLegalForms.com and do it yourself on the cheap!
• And, of course, stock up on diapers (or ask for gift cards to buy diapers)!

That’s it!  Check out the article, and use these tips to get you on track, if you aren’t already!  Good luck, and I look forward to your questions and comments!

Your first option, of course, is to save up throughout the year (or what time you have remaining before the holidays).  It’s not that hard to amass a nice little sum to spend on your loved ones if you plan and budget.  Saving only $10 a week amounts up to $520 in a year…now, while that isn’t enough to buy everyone a new car, you can certainly do something nice with that amount.  Want to spend more?  Save more!  The trick is in deciding on what you usually spend and saving that amount throughout the year!  If you didn’t save up for it, and don’t have the disposable income, then you should look into other forms of gifts, because no one needs the stress of credit card debt, and the certainly don’t need to go into debt to buy presents for other people.  And, I’ll tell you a secret…your friends and family don’t want you to go into debt to buy them a present!

If the first option won’t work for you, you’re not out of luck, because you can always give the gift of your time or experience!  Granted, it’s not as glamorous as a new T.V., but giving the gift of your time is still special, ans still shows that you care enough (maybe more) to do something nice for your friends and relatives during the holidays.  Some good options?  Well, you could offer up babysitting services, cook dinner etc. for busy working parents.  That kind of stuff not your thing?  Well, figure out what you’re good at, or what your hobby is, and offer that service to your friends and family!  Let’s say you’re a masseuse…you could offer some of your friends and family a complimentary 30 minute massage as a gift!  No one would turn that down! You just need to be creative.

I’m sure I will revisit this topic as the holiday season draws near, because honestly, it irks my nerves that so many people cannot plan for the holiday season!  Whatever your financial situation is, it boils down to this: If you have the cash saved up or on hand, by all means, spend it on loved ones as you wish, but if you don’t have the cash, give the gift of your time or don’t buy gifts at all, since the last thing anyone needs is more credit card debt!

Some tips that might make you more valuable as a babysitter:

• It might benefit you to be CPR certified.  To find a class near you, check out this website.
• Advertising on Craigslist or in your local newspaper might be a good way to attract clients.  Or, just put up fliers in your neighborhood.
• Be willing to do things that your average teenager can’t/won’t do, like take care of infants or keep the child/children overnight.
• It’s a job, just like any other.  That means you need references.  People who can attest that you are responsible, especially with children (if you know someone who can vouch for that sort of thing).
• Check around for well-to-do families that need a nanny for vacation.  If you can go with them (unlike a teenager, who is in school, or too young, generally) you make yourself more valuable to them.  And yes, it is their responsibility to pay your way.

I know a person who babysits a lot, and has a job working with children, and all they do is complain about them.  I question why they want a job in that field, if they hate it and get so frustrated with the children.  Therefore, there is one other thing I feel compelled to say-if you don’t necessarily like children, or if , after being around children, all you can do is complain about them or what they did, you should probably steer clear of babysitting.  Not only does a parent not want a babysitter that doesn’t like children, but you probably won’t do as well as as someone who does.

This article is a good look into outlet malls, outlet or “factory” stores and whether or not their discounts are really any good.   The main source sited is Ellen Ruppel Shell and her book  Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture.  One of the best points she makes (there are many) is that because these stores are billed as “designer quality and value price” people swallow their marketing hook, line and sinker.  They don’t question whether or not the prices are a deal, because they see a sale sign that says, for example, “30% off”, and assume that it’s a good deal.  Big mistake. Especially since, according to Shell, some stores (this is refuted by another source) raise the prices in the store so that they can mark them down, which after raising them makes them settle around regular price…wow, real savings.

Another lessen learned from this article, is that, much to my delight, and only slightly to my surprise, stores like Coach sell different products in their outlet stores as opposed to their standard retail stores.  This means that the majority (my opinion) of people who shop at these Coach outlet stores think they’re getting the same quality designer goods as the retail store, but to a trained “fashion eye”, stand out with their outlet items.  So, for a regular designer Coach bag, the price might be good, but since it’s made from lesser materials (not always) for their outlet stores only, the price might be “full price”, and you were just parted from your cash!  Something to keep in mind the next time you buy at an outlet store where the status of their brand is important…since to a trained eye, your item’s status doesn’t measure up.

Another little tip to note:   According to a recent “state of the industry” report by Retail Value News the average discount at the outlet stores is 37%.  We can do better than that on the sale and clearance racks at most retail stores.

The moral of this very interesting story is that it doesn’t matter whether or not the items in these stores are on sale, but whether or not they are a price you are willing to pay for the label and quality.

Staying in for the day/night can be a great (and cheap) way to rest and relax.  If you’re single, it will be easy to make this happen…if you’re married (with kids?) you just have to be a little more creative.  Think of what your favorite things to do at home are and make a list.  If you’re single, simply take the list and start doing whichever items feel right for the day.  Maybe it’s a bubblebath, or drinking coffee on your back porch/deck, cuddling up by a fire or laying out in the sun…whichever it is, just do it.  Don’t worry about bills or friends or appointments, just have a fun and relaxing day.  If you’re attached to someone, this requires a little more effort.   If you have kids, find them a play date or a friend or family member that will watch them for a few hours, so they get to do something fun and you get a few hours off.  Now that the kids are taken care of, you and your spouse think of things that you can do together or independently that will be relaxing to you both.   For example, a leisurely lunch, drinking coffee together or any other hobbies you might have. 

Are you one of those people who don’t like to waste time on “leisurely” activities, and prefer to stay busy?  That’s OK, because staying in is ideal for you as well!  Sure, there are a million other places you could go and lots of other things you could be doing (jogging, biking, painting etc.), but if you stay home you can save money and be productive!  Make a list of the things that need to be done around your house (anything from cleaning out the garage to dusting the blinds…it all has to get done sometime) and start tackling them, one by one.  Not only are you staying busy, but you are also saving yourself money 2 different ways:  You aren’t going out, spending money, and you aren’t having to pay anyone to do what you have chosen to do around the house! 

When we stay in, we do a combination of both.  We talk in the morning over a leisurely breakfast, about what we’ll be doing that day…the fun stuff and the not so fun stuff.  He wants to tinker with his electronics and his computer programs, I want to lay out, take a bubble bath or read a book/magazine.  We do the fun stuff, then we tackle the projects that are “on deck” to be done.  I find these days to be a breath of fresh air.  We know ahead of time that we aren’t going anywhere that day, so there’s no pressure to get stuff done in a certain time frame or to look our best (ladies) etc.  We just move at our own pace and do what we can do, and even though we haven’t been out around town, we had a good day.

Try staying in if you want to save some money, or if you just want to spend more time with each other or on your own with no distractions/other people for a few hours.  It’s my opinion that staying in only became uncool because our society tells us that we should always be out having a good time spending money.  Probably because that is what celebrities are photographed doing.  It wasn’t too long ago that staying in was normal and going out was a treat.  Try and remember that the next time you feel you need to go out and buy something or go somewhere.

Pick a park in an easily accessible location and invite a few friends to make a dish (someone should make the days menu, so you don’t end up with 5 side dishes and no main dish) to share with everyone.  Pack some blankets, board games, outdoor games (such as baseballs/gloves and Frisbee’s), plates/napkins/utensils and some music and set a time for everyone to meet up.  This will save everyone a ton of cash, since they only have to buy the ingredients for one dish and bring games etc. that they already have in their possession as opposed to the cost of dinner out and possibly drinks or a movie after that!  My suggestion is that you set the time for mid-afternoon, so that you can enjoy a couple of hours of games/gossip before grilling (if you’ve found a park with a public grill) or serving up every one’s dish.

Like this idea, and want to use it in the winter?  That’s OK! You just have to get a little creative!  Inform all the guests that you’re having a “potluck picnic” at your  house, indoors, and that the dish they bring should be picnic appropriate food.  Set the mood by moving out some of the furniture in the main room(s) you’ll be entertaining in and spreading out blankets and pillows for your guests to get comfy on.  Have board/card games set out and ready to play (no cheating though, so keep TVs and other electrical devices off, with maybe the exception of a radio, which could be brought to a picnic).  Have a signature drink for the picnic, something summery/fruity or crisp.  The main goal is for everyone to have a good time without spending a lot, so again, keep it simple.  This way, everyone shares the cost and no one is out a lot of money!

Good luck with it!  Jerrill and I are already talking about having a winter time “potluck picnic”!  I haven’t even set a guest list and I already can’t wait!

In general, men and women shop differently.  Men go into a store, go straight to the item they want to buy, and buy it.  Sometimes, they haggle for a deal, sometimes they don’t.  Once they make up their mind that they want something, often, they will buy it “on the spot” .   Most women do not shop this way.   When we go to the mall, we feel the need to hit every store in the joint to find the best deal.  But make no mistake, we will find the best deal!  We will hunt, dig and search through the entire building for what we want at the price we want.   Where  do we come together on this?  The women usually find  the deal and the men go close the deal/pick it up!  There are those couples (us included) that are able to shop together.  For our frequent readers, it will not surprise you that we have a system.  We alternate between stores that he wants to check out and stores I want to check out.  This way, we both are happy with the day’s activities!   If you can’t shop with your partner, that’s o.k.  Figure out a system that works for you and your spouse and go with it!

We’re different on savings too!  We women, being the emotional creatures we are, we like…security.  We like to have some savings, an emergency fund, in the bank.  Savings for a rainy day, a sunny day or any other day that a problem comes up.  It makes us a lot more comfortable as we go about our daily lives.  Men, on the other hand, like to be a little more risky.  They feel confident in their investments, even if those are in coffee bean futures or comic books (although some comics are worth quite a bit).  They don’t feel the need to have a “safety net” in the bank, and don’t understand why it’s so important to us.  Well, I’ve got news for all the men out there… just do the emergency fund.  It will make your life happier, because it will make your wife happier!  How did we solve this one?  We have an emergency fund. 

It’s our suggestion that you sit down and discuss your spending and saving habits.  Figure out what works and what doesn’t.  Communicate.  You’ve heard it a thousand times for a reason… it works!  It’s the backbone of our relationship, and you should make it a part of yours.  No couple can truly be happy with their financial situation if they don’t agree on how they do their finances.  Talk about yours now, so that money problems don’t become a part of your future!

Now, obviously if you don’t have the money to pay admission and buy drinks and a snack I don’t want you to finance it.  If, however, you’ve got the money to do that, but are like me, and don’t want to spend a ton of money on something like an amusement park, then going in the evening to save some cash is the way to go!  Since amusement parks are, in my opinion, a money black hole anyway, here are some other tips:

• If you intend to stay for a long period of time, and know you will be hungry, pack a cooler with sandwiches, chips and drinks.  Most amusement parks will allow you a stamp on your hand (or some other pass) that will let you exit the park and come back in.  So, all you have to do is get the stamp, go to your car, eat your chips and sandwiches, then return, having saved a ton of cash, since food in these places is ridiculously over priced.
• If you want to eat lunch or dinner at the park, eat breakfast at home so that you’ll eat less while there, and what you eat should not be a feast.  Get the cheapest drink (preferably bottled water, so you can pack it with you), and get food like hot dogs or pizza to share, which will be far less expensive.
• Resist the urge to go into the shops.  You are at an amusement park, not a shopping mall.  You do not need anything they sell in those stores, and all it does is part you from money better spent (or saved) someplace else.

That’s it.  I’m sure there are lots of other ways to save at these places, so if anyone has other insights, I’d love to hear them!

In the past, children were a wonderful help to their parents.  They were an extra hunter, an extra pair of hands to help with littler children, helpful on the farm etc.  These are not necessarily important to the modern day couple, when deciding whether or not to have children, and the factors that are important are what is probably keeping a lot of women from the path of motherhood.

The likely culprits, as the article points out, are  things like private schools and their tuition, after school activities/lessons, “play dates”, college tuition etc.  In other words, ch-ching, ch-ching ch-ching.  So, as enlightened, educated people, we have to wiegh the benefits of children against the costs of them.  Sounds terrible, but for many of us it’s what determines if, when and how many children we will have.

And if, after all of this, we still decide to have children, we have to hope and pray that the money we spent on fancy schools, lessons, extra curricular activities and college produce a well rounded, kind hearted-intelligent person who can spell the word “appreciation”, knows the meaning of the word and doesn’t expect you and everyone else in the world to hand them everything on a silver platter. 

Personally, I have to admit that I worry about my future children (whenever I am fortunate enough to have them).  I don’t worry much about their lack of appreciation or sense of entitlement, because I know that good parenting can go a long way in combating those problems.  Societal influences, however, can be very strong, and as current or future parents, we have to strive hard every day to nurture good morals and values in our children, and not let them grow up over-valuing material things or idolizing celebrities over friend or familial connections. 

So, is it worth having children?  You have to answer that question for yourself, but in my opinion, if you’re in a stable (preferably married) relationship, have graduated high school (college too, hopefully) and are earning a good income that can accommodate you, your spouse, your child and saving for retirement, then I say go ahead.  If however, you aren’t in a committed relationship, can’t vote, can’t legally drink and can’t rent a car, you should probably think long and hard before entering the world of parenthood!

While it’s true that I’m a “girly-girl”, and love pretty weddings and all that glitters, I do not believe that anyone should spend what they 1) don’t have and 2) haven’t budgeted for.  So when I read that the average cost of a wedding in 2005 was a little over $26,000, I wanted to fall in the floor (or the sand, as in this case)!  Are there people out there that can afford that?  Absolutely.  Can most of us? No way.  The report went on to say that a research firm had concluded that spending is likely to drop as much as 30% this year, and that 3 out of 4 brides are scaling back their spending.  Could it be that the recession has knocked some sense into some people? I hope so.  It is our opinion that starting off a marriage in debt (especially for a wedding…double especially if either the bride or groom doesn’t want to spend that much) is a terrible idea.  As a newlywed couple, you are getting used to each other, living together, each other’s habits, quirks etc.  You don’t need debt and money problems to go along with that!  It’s silly!

What’s the other reason to start off without debt?  How about, that most new couples want to buy a house, or pay off school loans or start a family.  There are lots of things you want to do when you get married, and ALL of them are easier if you don’t have any debt hanging over your head.  Look at it this way: Do your guests need fancy seat covers at the reception, or do you need a washer and dryer??  Do I want ostrich feathers in my centerpieces, or do my husband to be and I want a nice honeymoon?? Come one people, it’s not brain surgery. 

Weddings are supposed to be about 2 people in love.  It’s not about the guests, or your family, or your friends, or how fancy it is or how rich you look.  It’s about you and your spouse to be, celebrating how much you love each other and looking toward your future together.  And that, my friends, is easier to do without a credit card bill!

The first little tidbit that I want to share I am postive most of you wouldn’t do anyway, but hey, I’d feel bad if I didn’t mention it, and that is, to skip the big tourist-y stores!  They are all either over priced on the items they sell, or those items are of poor quality.  While at the beach, we drove by lots of these stores, and went in one of them.  That store had a lot of beach related stuff, some reasonably priced, some not, but all of it was poor quality.  Do yourself a favor and find a Wal-Mart or Target.  They are likely (not always) to have better quality stuff, and since they are located, in this example, on the beach, they will stock the beach themed items you need year round!

My other tip revolves around coupons.   Before you go on vacation, you should look up coupons for that area on the internet and print them off…the harder and somewhat more important part, as this southern couple found out, is remembering to take/use the coupons!  They made it to the beach, but we didn’t remember to use all of them…some, but not all!  And if you’re worried about appearances, don’t be, because everyone uses coupons, even at vacation destinations!

Those are today’s tips!  Feel free to add a comment with your own tips!  I’m loving some of the recent feedback!

And here are a couple of photos from the trip!

The topics it helps you with are as follows:

• Text Messaging – Whether or not you know it, text messages charge both the sender, and the recipient.  So, if you don’t send any messages, but still receive some, you are paying for them…depending on how many you send and receive, you might like to have a messaging plan.
• Extended Calling Hours – Not everyone likes to wait until 9 pm to make all their phone calls, and certainly not everyone likes to receive them after 9pm.  Making calls before that time usually charges your “anytime” minutes, which are much more costly than your night and weekend minutes…this plan could save you significantly!
• Prepaid Calling Plans – For the people that rarely use their phones.  Low minutes, low price…sounds pretty good, doesn’t it??
• Overseas Calling – I have no real experience with this, but I know it’s expensive, so any way to save here is a good way!
• Phone Insurance – No one needs this.  It’s ridiculous.  Period.

Personally, I think it’s unfortunate that most people don’t know what type of plan they have from their cell phones to their  cable/satellite packages!  If you are paying someone for something, you should know what you’re paying for!  Don’t just let them charge you and hope you’re getting a good deal!  Look into it!  Maybe this article and these tips will help you save some money.  Remember, $5 a month is $60 a year, which will be a nice addition to your budget, no matter if it’s for vacation or savings!

• Can You Plan Spontaneity - This is a recent post, but it’s a good one, and it’s one of our trademark tips for a successful lifestyle .  The post outlines how we have built spontaneity into our budget (which works quite well, I assure you), achieving both spontaneity (to have a little mystery about special outings, gifts etc.) and budget restraint (so you have so money to retire on one day).
• YOU are an emotional piggy bank -   This post has generated a lotof talk of the last few weeks.   You are an emotional piggy bank, taking in deposits and doling out payments from other people.  Just like a bank account or a piggy bank, you need to have more deposits coming in than payments going out for the system (i.e. you) to function.  People that drain too much from you, drain you, and you should spend time with them sparingly, if at all.  This, of course, is opposed to emotional boosts, who make lotsof deposits into your piggy bank.  You should spend as much time as possible around these special people.
• Never forget where you started… - This post is a reminder of why you got married or into a relationship with your spouse/significant other, and some tips on how to make it work better or keep it working wonderfully!
• Why your friends are costing you money, and what you can do to stop it! - This post is all about being friends with people who have a larger income than you and ways to avoid the pressure of spending too much money, or spending money that you don’t have when you hang out/spend time with them!
•   So, going to the gym is like budgeting my finances? - This post draws parallels between going to the gym and budgeting your finances.  Not only are there insights into better ways to budget your money, but there are also a few tips on going to the gym!  You can’t beat that!

So, those are the blog posts that we’d like for you to go back and take a second look at!  Hopefully, you will find some information that helps you along in your life, or reaffirms what you already have in practice!

“clips episode” of previous posts that are “must reads”

• Ask the question “Can you go any lower on the price?”.  This will at least let the sales person know they can’t bully you into a price you’re unwilling to pay.  Telling them in this manner isn’t confrontational and won’t offend them if they weren’t going to bully you in the first place.
• If  they come back with a lower price, ask “Is that as low as you can go?”.  It’s uncomfortable, yes, but it could be worth a couple of hundred dollars, which is always worth it.  If they won’t go any lower, don’t push it by asking again, just say “ok” and then decide if you want the item or not.
• Lastly, right before you leave, ask “Can you throw in the delivery charges?”.  The worst they can say is “no”, and if they wouldn’t come down on the price at all, and you decided to buy the item anyway, then they should absolutely cover the delivery charges.  Also, if they tell you that delivery service is provided by another company, then you tell them to drop the price of the item to cover the delivery.  I have had very good luck getting delivery charges that way!  

I hope these tips make your next trip to the furniture store at least a little more fruitful.  Remember that you have to walk a fine line of being firm but polite when dealing with the salespeople.  As much as you want them to know you can’t be forced into something, you also want to build a rapport with them that will make them want to “go to bat” for you with their superiors.  Good luck!

How does it work? Well, people just like you become a member, and as they get gas/drive by a gas station with low prices, they send in the information to the website, which posts the information for other people to use. Membership is free, and it is very simple to send/receive the information. Over time, this can add up to MAJOR savings!

Another neat way to use this website?? When you plan a road trip, you can check out the map section on the website. Although you don’t want to alter your course A LOT, you can at least use the information to find the most reasonable prices near where you think you’ll stop, so that you can save some cash on your road trip for more important things, like fun activities!

I suggest that you try to get gas in the middle of the week, since it is usually at it’s cheapest then (at least it is where we live…if it’s not where you live, watch gas prices for a couple of weeks and take note of the days that it’s at its cheapest). Pick the same day of the week to get gas (like every Wednesday) and look up the local gas prices on GasBuddy.com before you head to the pump! Good luck, and I hope you save some green!

This website, called Healthcare Blue Book, is a free service that provides fair price information to people for services or products for patients that pay with cash. The amount is what many health care providers accept from insurance companies as “payment in full”.

People generally can’t figure out how much services cost anyway, since it’s not like doctors make a habit of publishing their price list (which in my opinion is the REAL crime. Incidentally, my doctor actually does do that…he’s pretty awesome!). And if they do publish it, it’s the “billed charges” amount, which is higher than the amount they accept from insurance companies. Read more about this here.

Basically, you go to this website, type in a product or a procedure that you need, along with your zip code, and it will tell you the reasonable price you should pay for that service in your area. Although this website is mainly for people who need to pay for their health care with cash, it is also a good way to be sure that your health care provider isn’t over-charging your insurance company. Now, you might want to sit there and say “who cares if the insurance company is paying too much”, but if they are paying too much, they will make up that money somewhere, and it will probably (eventually) come out of your pocket!

So, go to the website. Spend a few minutes taking it on a “test drive”. Bookmark the page. Hopefully, you won’t ever need it, but Jerrill and I believe in being prepared (those of you who read our posts often know this about us), and you should too!

I don’t know where the craze started to get big, but I imagine it started because of job losses and the economy slowing down. People need or want things and services, and bartering is a great way to get what you need or want without having the cash on hand. Craigslist is a great place to see modern day bartering in action. Here you can find computer “geeks” willing to fix your computer for other goods or services, or a hair stylist willing to cut/highlight/style etc. your hair for goods and services. I personally know of a hair stylist who trades her services for personal training sessions with a trainer. She wants to get in shape and the trainer needs a haircut…works out perfectly!

How to do it: Make a list of things you are competent at doing. Now, list yourself on websites like Craigslist, BarterQuest and U-Exchange. Hopefully, someone will look you up and have something you want in exchange for what you’re offering, or will be willing to buy something for you in exchange for your service.

Some precautions:

• Be sure to have an agreement in place before the trade begins, so everyone is clear on the terms and no one can back out on the deal. If you can get something in writing or an email, that is even better!
• If you see inappropriate behavior, report it. You could be saving someone else from a scam.
• Try to barter locally, if you can. It’s better for your local economy and people will think twice about committing fraud so close to home (we hope).

Good luck and happy bartering!

First let me say that you should keep in mind that this data reflects only one month, and that it could just be a fluke. I know that the unemployment rate has gone down slightly, and that demand for houses has gone up, but honestly, so what! Just because the economy might be showing signs of improvement does not mean you should forget the lessons you have learned over the last several months in ways to save money and spend less. One of the reasons that people have gotten into trouble with money over the years is that they spend all that they have, or more than they have and don’t save enough for their future when they retire, or, just as bad, save for when their income is lost/interrupted, so that they have no emergency fund.

Deep down, I’m hoping that spending rose because we are in “back to school” season, and parents were spending money on their little ones clothes, crayons and paper, but I just don’t know. Americans tend to have what I think of as collective ADD, where, as a nation, we can’t keep our “eye on the ball”. When something loses its luster or lasts too long, we tend to get bored, and I think that the recession has reached that point. I ask all of you to keep your focus, save your money and spend less.

We’ve all seen the T.V. shows where a child comes into a room and asks his father to go to a friend’s house, and the father says “no”. The child then goes to his mother and asks her the same question, to which she replies “sure”. This couple is not united, but they should be. Always backing up your spouse when interacting with your children will keep the confusion of the day (week, month etc.) to a minimum and will teach the child that they cannot “divide and conquer” their parents.

Being united when you are dealing with life’s other problems, like a friend who betrays you, a jerk behind a counter who tries to assert their “authority” or a family member who tries to come between you demonstrates your strength in tough situations and discourages the individual from these actions in the future. Staying positive, and giving and drawing strength from one another is what it’s all about…but in the end, it’s also nice to know that there is someone who loves you above all others, who “has your back” no matter what.

Something to remember the next time “friend drama” starts to come between you and your spouse, or your child tries to con his/her way into a new toy using the “divide and conquer” technique!

Mowing other people’s lawns is a great way to make extra cash. If you own your own home, chances are you already have a lawnmower that you can use to mow yards in your neighborhood (and other neighborhoods if you have the ability to haul that lawnmower), and if you don’t own your own mower, borrow a friends until you mowed enough lawns (usually 5-8 lawns, depending on where you live) to buy your own! Then you can mow a few lawns in your spare time and have plenty of extra cash to go out with friends, pay for projects you want to do around the house, etc.

If you want to get really ambitious, a good way to bring in even more money than that is to pressure wash people’s driveways, fences or houses. If you do not already own your own pressure washer, this is quite an investment, but will pay for itself after only 1-2 jobs. A decent (not top of the line, but “get the job done” decent) pressure washer costs around $500, which I know sounds like a lot. However, when you pressure wash someone’s driveway you can charge $200-$400 dollars (depending on the size of the driveway and what part of the country you live in), so you will have made that money back quickly. Pressure washing a fence or a house will bring in even more cash, so you should ask around in your area to figure out a price point that suits you.

A friendly warning:
• Do NOT use the pressure washer without reading the manual and testing it first. Pressure washers clean by pressurizing water (duh, right?). If used improperly, you can accidentally damage what you are pointing it at…i.e., a driveway with a gash in it, a fence with a chunk sprayed out of it or a house with siding or brick blown off of it. This means you would have damaged the person’s property, and you’d end up paying them, not the other way around. Pressure washing is not for everyone, so don’t attempt it if you aren’t competent with the machine.

The question posed to the authors centers around 3 sisters, whose parents are elderly and have lost most of their money in the stock market. Now the sisters are helping the parents, but don’t know how to divide up the bills, given their different economic situations.

The article points out one thing that Jerrill and I are passionate about: We believe that there is value in jobs where people aren’t paid, such as caring for elderly parents or stay-at-home moms etc. The authors are quick to point out that if one sister is caring for the elderly parents, her time has a value that must be included in the division of responsibilities, monetary or otherwise.

Once they’ve placed value on that time, then they should sit down and have a very frank discussion about each other’s situations and what they can afford, even if they don’t want to talk about it. I should be clear that we don’t believe you should have to pay more simply because you make more…that isn’t fair. If you make more and are contributing more money, then the other family members should be contributing in other ways, especially if they can’t contribute money because they’re a spendthrift…frankly, that’s no excuse.

So, check out the Q & A. It’s insightful, and highlights a problem that we believe will become more prevalent as more people realize how light their retirement accounts have become!

We figured it out though, or, at least we figured out one possible solution. We now have 2 “his and hers” Spontaneity envelopes built into the budget. Now, I know that doesn’t sound spontaneous, but keep reading. We have set up a “her spontaneous envelope” and a “his spontaneous envelope” that will be funded from our respective “mad money” envelopes. This money will build up over time, and when the other person decides to do something spontaneous, they will have the funds to do it, and the recipient of the spontaneous gesture will not know when it’s happening! This might sound confusing, so I’ll give you an example.

Say I’m receiving an extra $10 a week in my “mad money” envelope (the money I can spend on whatever I want) that I can either spend or put into the “spontaneous for her” envelope. I start putting that extra $10 in the new envelope every week, and all the while, Jerrill is watching this money build up. After a month, he decides to take that $40 and buy me a big bunch of flowers, or a dinner out, or some nice chocolates etc. I’m surprised (there’s the spontaneity) because I didn’t know when it was going to happen, but it’s not going to hurt the budget because it was planned!

I don’t know if it will work, but we’ve started the process, and hopefully it will put a little spontaneity back into our (and possibly your) lives!

Recently, Jerrill and I went to a local DVD rental store to rent a couple of movies. We have subscribed to an online movie rental website for years, and have been very satisfied with them, but had watched both of those movies and wanted a couple more (it was a movie watching evening in). To rent to movies from this rental establishment ended up costing us around $10!! I absolutely could not believe it! When had DVD rentals gotten so expensive? Now we know to go to the movie rental boxes that rent DVD’s for $1, if ever we want something other than the norm. Plus, since we have cable Internet (necessary when you’re starting an online business) we can stream movies instantly from our online movie rental site. All in all, we pay about $15 a month for 2 movies at home at a time, no late fees, unlimited rentals and unlimited movie streaming. That’s a lot better than the 2 DVD’s rented for 3-4 days for $10!

An added bonus, with online movie rental websites, there is variety. They have hundreds of movies to choose from, as opposed to the limited space of a movie rental store, which has limited space with which to display their movies. This means they likely have that oddball movie you watched when you were a child and would love to see again!

If you watch a lot of movies, it would definitely be to your benefit to switch to an online movie rental website or one of the movie rental boxes. To me, saving money and have a better selection of movies to choose from is a no-brainer!

This article discusses the pay raise range going on in the economy right now, which has a median of 2%-3%. Given the unemployment rate and the slumping sales going on right now, that’s not bad. Also, at least they still have a job. That said, counting your lucky stars that you have a job isn’t enough. Yes, you should put in that extra effort right now to make yourself stand out and be more indispensable, but you should also remember your worth. If you are producing results (bringing in clients, raising profits, lowering costs etc.) then you deserve to be compensated. And, if there is simply NO money for raises and bonuses at your company at this moment, keep producing “top notch” results, but discuss other “perks” that you might be able to get with your boss. An economic slump isn’t an excuse for treating employees with disregard.

It boils down to this: If you’re looking for a job, you should be spending hours a day looking for it, and good luck to you. If you have a job, work hard to keep it, don’t be surprised at a lower than usual pay raise. In good economic times, or in bad, don’t let them take advantage of you and keep up on how others are being compensated in your field.

Well, when I was new to the social media seen 4-5 years ago, it looked a lot different then it does now, and more importantly, it was new. I didn’t foresee all of the crazy things that could come up as a result of being on there. I have since become much more aware of my privacy and have “locked down” my account in certain ways. Just today I ran across an article about how social media can go wrong. Below are a list of tips for protecting your information, based on my experience over the last few years:

• Remember that there are cameras everywhere. If you don’t want pictures that put you “in a bad light” on the Internet, be aware that almost everyone’s cell phones are cameras these days, and no one cares about YOUR privacy the way YOU do! Also, friendships end. If and when they do, the ex friend might not feel ashamed to publish those spring break (example) photos of you doing body shots!
• In the same “vein”, do not publish any photos or information that you wouldn’t want your faintest of acquaintances to know. If all of your connections or friends can view your information, then even that person you only had one class with in college can see it too!
• It’s not a good idea to become friends with co-workers or a boss on social media accounts where you publish information that is too private. Their opinions of you should be solely based on what they see of you at work and work functions. They don’t need to see you drunk and puking in a toilet (example)! If they request friendship on a social media site where you have private info, ignore it. If they notice that you didn’t accept it and ask why, simply tell them you have a policy of not mixing your work and personal lives. If you are already friends with them, remove them, and tell them of your “new” policy. If you want to connect with them on “business like” social media sites, I would say that is relatively safe.
• Don’t publish photos of friends that you wouldn’t want them to publish of you. That way, there is a good chance they will respect you and your reputation as well.

That’s it! Just remember, to be safe, you should go into your privacy settings and limit what certain people can see, or don’t put it on the web to begin with. Your privacy is special and sacred and you shouldn’t give it up easily.

The biggest reason to use a shopping list is to cut down on impulse buys. I’m not just talking about the silly impulse buys we make while standing/waiting in the cashier’s line, I’m talking about the impulse buys we make while walking up and down the aisles. Maybe you buy some cookies, or chips or candy that wasn’t on the list. Or maybe you purchase a couple of steaks, and didn’t need them. Then, you go home, and you’ve bought 10 days worth of food, when you go to the grocery every 7 days. Now you’ve bought too much food for 1 week, and not enough for 2 weeks!

Another good reason to make a list for the grocery? Pre-determined meals may help cut down portion sizes! What does this mean for you? Likely, a smaller waistline! When we plan out our meals for the week and shop for those meals from a list we generally try to avoid buying more food than we need, which keeps our portion sizes down. This, in turn, will keep you from “mindless eating” or eating when you’re bored.

Jerrill and I shop from a list every week. We plan out what meals we want for the week, including which meals we think will be a dine out meal. Usually our dine out meals are on Friday or Saturday. Taking the list with us keeps us focused on what we need for the week and keeps us from forgetting something we need. We rarely impulse buy (no one is perfect all the time) because when we see something we want (usually cookies) we are able to tell ourselves “this is not on the list”. In fact, I would’ve forgotten to post this tip if I didn’t have a list for SCG! Just something to think about when you are thinking of heading to the grocery.

As you can imagine, this did not work out the way he had hoped. With all of his objections to spending money, on from what I take from the article is a daily basis, he starts to realize just how hard that is and just how much money he actually spends on a daily/weekly basis. He realized the kinds of sacrifices he had to make in order to stay true to his word. And some of those sacrifices weren’t worth it.

The article is awesome, and definitely worth the read. As you know, Jerrill and I are always looking for ways to save money. We try to find the best deal, bargain with people, find ways to cut costs and will often buy the store brand etc. to save some money. And, we want everyone to make sacrifices to help balance their budget and grow their emergency fund/retirement savings/kids college fund. It is our goal for you to become/stay debt free…but you should keep it in perspective. For example, buying the store brand or dropping your daily $6 coffee habit might be totally worth it, but skipping your child’s birthday present might not be. Just something to keep in mind.

The article Home Ownership Was Never a Road to Riches makes several good points regarding the myth of investing in a home. As Professor Christopher Mayer from Columbia Business School points out, home appreciation nationally has run about 1% above inflation over time. 1% over inflation is a worse return on an investment than some CD’s! What people saw in the late 90’s through 2006 or 2007 (depending on where you were in the country) was an oddity.

The value a person gets in owning a home is that they avoid paying rent! By owning a home, you get to build equity in your home, not build equity in your landlord’s rental property. However, when you buy a larger home than you need, like a McMansion, it is simply ridiculous. People think that it makes them look smart and rich to have a large home, but if all you have is a large mortgage, and nothing in the bank to back it up, you’re not rich OR smart, you’re house poor. Plus, with a higher mortgage for this large house also comes higher taxes and higher insurance. That’s why you should buy as much home as you need, but no more than that.

So, do yourself a favor and stop thinking that home ownership is a way to save for retirement. All it is is a way to avoid paying rent! You want to save for retirement? Then do it the right way, with investment tools such as Roth IRA’s, CD’s, mutual funds etc.

Questions about investing? Please leave a comment!

Simply put, auto insurance companies work by taking a little money from a lot of people, and then protecting any of them who actually get in an auto accident. If an accident occurs, the insurance company then pays any related bills (hopefully) from the pool of money they have collected. This spreads the risk of paying out large sums for an auto accident over all of the participants of the insurance.

If you follow our suggestions on an emergency fund (with a starter fund of $1000, and being fully funded when you reach 3-6 months worth of expenses) then you should not need an extremely low deductible. It’s called an emergency fund for a reason…for emergencies. You should get a lower cost, higher deductible policy so that you can pay for small losses out of pocket and use insurance only to protect yourself against large losses, which is, after all, how insurance is supposed to be used.

Just something to think about when you’re deciding whether or not to start an emergency fund while paying ridiculous amounts of money to your insurance company!