tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73760599409684526792012-01-02T18:24:56.674-07:00Money, health, happiness, and my personal journey toward fulfillment.azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-44008275165142091712011-04-23T20:00:00.010-07:002011-04-24T19:07:52.551-07:002011-04-24T19:07:52.551-07:00

I recently saw an enlightening interview with director Tom Shadyac about his new documentary "I Am", and his story really struck a chord with me. Like him, I've been examining my own life for purpose & meaning, and his story (an uplifting one about the possibilities for humanity) resonates with what I've been feeling for a while now. I feel that I've accumulated all the material possessions that

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-39443200762639147062011-03-23T11:48:00.011-07:002011-03-27T23:28:18.304-07:002011-03-27T23:28:18.304-07:00

Yahoo featured an interesting article on push-ups today. The premise is that push-ups are beneficial for your mid-section as well as your upper body. While I'm sure there's a benefit to lifting your stomach off the ground, I'm not sure that it'll sculpt "killer" abs (as the article title suggests).Anyway, the part that I found of particular interest is this video showing how to do a proper

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-65450463708084897922011-03-21T22:00:00.034-07:002011-04-24T05:07:03.454-07:002011-04-24T05:07:03.454-07:00

It's been a while since I've updated my blog, partially due to work, and partly because of life. Now that I finally have some free time, I'd like to pick it up again. To start off with, I think this would be a good opportunity to assess how I'm doing in my life goals and priorities, a la Suze Orman style (whose show segment name I borrowed for the title of this post). To that end, I'll rate

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-70256049694093691472010-01-18T01:45:00.007-07:002011-04-24T17:58:29.610-07:002011-04-24T17:58:29.610-07:00

I've never been a runner, and I had never done any kind of competitive or distance running in my life--in fact I actively avoided it due to the high impact nature of the sport.However, about three months ago I got to know some runners, and became inspired to train for a half marathon. It was a lofty goal, but one that I felt I could test myself with, and I believed I was physically up for the

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-20727026469158716342009-08-18T00:19:00.005-07:002011-04-24T19:13:00.553-07:002011-04-24T19:13:00.553-07:00

I found this to be a rather interesting video with a compelling argument against car payments.http://www.daveramsey.com/etc/lms/drive_free/player.cfm

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-60464519033907775092009-08-13T14:21:00.006-07:002009-08-15T02:25:20.867-07:002009-08-15T02:25:20.867-07:00

While the stock market has rebounded quite a bit in the past five months, it is still down significantly from its 2007 highs. That makes it an easy target for critics to attack, such as this comparison (via Bargaineering). Some people have attempted to refute these criticisms, however others continue to fuel the fire. With the run up in value in the mid 2000's, I think people have conveniently

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-49743548575732808642009-08-07T17:14:00.018-07:002011-04-24T18:02:45.513-07:002011-04-24T18:02:45.513-07:00

When I logged into my 401(k) account last week, the retirement forecast tool showed that I am on track to receive $175,000 per year (in today's dollars) during retirement. Of course, this assumes that I continue my current contribution rate until age 65, and remain invested in aggressive (stock) funds.While motivational, I believe that figure is overly optimistic in my case for several reasons.

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-58640854981994629512009-08-04T13:18:00.003-07:002009-08-10T04:03:52.019-07:002009-08-10T04:03:52.019-07:00

I got a laugh out of this today:

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-83805675308914451722009-08-03T12:54:00.006-07:002009-08-03T16:40:16.233-07:002009-08-03T16:40:16.233-07:00

Liz Pulliam Weston recently published an article in her MSN Money column titled "How much should you spend on...", which talks about the 50/30/20 budget. Basically, the idea is that you should budget 50% of your after-tax income for "needs." "Wants" should take 30%, and the remaining 20% should be allocated toward savings & debt repayment. The article clarifies what kind of expenses should

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-87191667191955440842008-07-31T17:36:00.013-07:002011-03-23T00:03:34.542-07:002011-03-23T00:03:34.542-07:00

In my previous post, I described the cardio portion of my gym workout routine. Before I get into the remaining details of my workout, I want to talk a little about gym etiquette. The rules that I observe as most frequently violated are:1. Bring a clean towel and wipe up after yourself. No one likes to use a machine that's drenched in someone else's sweat. I use a towel not only to wipe up my

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-58046774210974684012008-07-25T18:21:00.011-07:002008-07-26T16:10:10.091-07:002008-07-26T16:10:10.091-07:00

So I promised to document my gym workout routine that I've been following (and tweaking) for the past 10 years. My fitness goal was simple: to become and stay physically fit, which to me means excellent cardiovascular health and strong muscles & bones. Looking built was not a factor in my motivation--in fact I'm not a fan of the bulky bodybuilder look at all. I prefer being lean and toned, and

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-24984878242370263672008-07-25T02:25:00.005-07:002008-07-25T07:58:41.803-07:002008-07-25T07:58:41.803-07:00

I've been seeing a lot of the 100 push-ups challenge lately, and while it sounds impressive on the surface, in reality it's just a fad, and one that will probably fade pretty quickly. I'm all for things that will get people excited about exercise, but this fails on many levels. First, it's not a comprehensive fitness program, as it focuses on only one upper body exercise. Getting good at

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-64869934726641756202008-07-23T15:38:00.010-07:002011-03-21T22:10:51.118-07:002011-03-21T22:10:51.118-07:00

If there's one thing that I'm extremely passionate about, it's living a healthy lifestyle. I would rather have health without wealth than wealth without health, as I think would most people when it comes down to it.Everyone is aware of the growing obesity epidemic in the U.S.; we merely have to look around us for ample evidence. Even more unfortunate, many of us have friends or family who

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-83792613072776279052008-06-23T09:22:00.005-07:002008-06-23T15:17:03.225-07:002008-06-23T15:17:03.225-07:00

I ran across howispentmystimulus.com recently. It's an interactive blog where anyone can submit an entry describing how they spent their stimulus check, and comment on other people's posts. There was a New York Magazine article about the site, and the web site's creators are even planning to publishing a book (submissions must be entered by tomorrow, June 24, to be considered for inclusion).

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-30657890184378174842007-11-30T06:43:00.000-07:002007-11-30T06:58:53.832-07:002007-11-30T06:58:53.832-07:00

It looks like Morgan Spurlock (of "Supersize Me" fame) has come out with a new movie titled What Would Jesus Buy? It sounds interesting, and I would love see it, but there are limited screenings at this time. Check out the trailer (QuickTime or QuickTime Alternative required). If you happen to catch it, please report back with a review. Here's a brief description from the web site:What Would

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-12249253360047050042007-11-29T14:39:00.001-07:002008-04-30T12:39:11.645-07:002008-04-30T12:39:11.645-07:00

I watched the Oprah show on the extreme weight losers yesterday, and it got me thinking about how this issue has gotten so out of control in our society.I think work is a big factor in the obesity epidemic in America, and it really is killing us. How many people do you know fall into this trap? You are so tired from your workday that you don't have time to cook or exercise. Instead, you pick up

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-9094606733001533892007-11-28T06:53:00.000-07:002007-11-29T16:40:01.090-07:002007-11-29T16:40:01.090-07:00

I believe that most Americans can achieve financial success. I am living proof that it's possible. Granted, I have a well paying job, but I don't make an obscene income. Besides, I know plenty of people in my income range that have little to show for their years of working. And I think that even if my income was more modest, I would still be well on my way to financial independence; I just

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-71526309701124180102007-11-26T15:21:00.000-07:002007-11-29T16:41:31.820-07:002007-11-29T16:41:31.820-07:00

Open enrollment is wrapping up at my workplace, and one thing that I find people often neglect to think about is disability insurance. Unless you work in a state that is covered by a mandatory disability insurance plan, I strongly urge you to consider signing up for Short Term Disability insurance--especially if you don't have a sufficient emergency fund established. Statistics show the odds of

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-84370381251515266332007-11-24T12:05:00.000-07:002007-11-24T12:49:02.745-07:002007-11-24T12:49:02.745-07:00

Well, another Black Friday has come and gone. I'm sure there were some good deals for people who needed them, and were willing to fight the crowds. However, if you didn't need the items, then they probably weren't a good deal. For one thing, things like consumer electronics tend to get better and cheaper over time, so what seems like a good deal today probably won't seem that way a few

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-27471227867737175862007-11-08T16:56:00.000-07:002007-11-08T20:32:08.151-07:002007-11-08T20:32:08.151-07:00

I recently ran across an old issue of Family Money Magazine from 2000 that I saved. It featured an article (the title of this post) on investing in the stock market, and I think the advice is still pretty valid today.Here are the six principles discussed in the article:1. Systematic investing can improve your results dramatically. The author says that investing on a regular basis helps you to

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-80254482168690101722007-11-07T18:49:00.000-07:002007-11-13T11:24:44.371-07:002007-11-13T11:24:44.371-07:00

Mommy Millionaire Next Door has been shaking up the PF blog community with the unconventional wisdom that renting is better than buying a house, and revealed herself as someone who has managed to become a millionaire due (in part) to this fact. Given the current state of the post-bubble real estate market, this may seem like a no-brainer, but she runs the numbers to show that it could hold true

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-36896251953050820262007-10-10T17:42:00.000-07:002007-10-10T20:12:58.388-07:002007-10-10T20:12:58.388-07:00

I recently conducted a poll on networthiq.com, and asked people to calculate the percentage of adult earnings that their current net worth represents. Although I haven't received an overwhelming number of responses, I think it is a rather eye-opening exercise. If you're like me, it really makes you think about what you've done with all the money you've earned over the years, and what you have

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-55712550247972697522007-10-10T13:23:00.002-07:002011-04-24T19:20:32.942-07:002011-04-24T19:20:32.942-07:00

The Simple Dollar featured an article on financial aggregate sites yesterday, and the primary concern was regarding the issue of security. The way these sites work is that they require their users to share their login information to various financial institutions, which is then used to collect the users' financial data and present the information on one screen, with some useful analysis tools

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-19089688600835660332007-10-03T05:14:00.000-07:002007-10-10T00:37:11.590-07:002007-10-10T00:37:11.590-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about the topic of frugality lately, and just read a good writeup on it at The Simple Dollar (via Get Rich Slowly). I also like the Wikipedia entry for frugality, which is as follows:"Frugality (also known as thrift or thriftiness), often confused with cheapness or miserliness, is a traditional value, life style, or belief system, in which individuals practice both

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376059940968452679.post-28996628273346870792007-10-02T20:12:00.002-07:002009-08-10T04:02:31.946-07:002009-08-10T04:02:31.946-07:00

I just read a recent interview with famed economist and lawyer Ben Stein. I've gained a lot of respect for him lately, especially after a piece he wrote for CNN Money about sticking with long term investment goals instead of following short term market trends. I am definitely all about investing for the long term, and it's reflected in my investment strategy.Because I have a long-term horizon (I

azphx1972http://www.blogger.com/profile/03096673910157815969noreply@blogger.com0