What a *GREAT* story about a great car!

The 2012 Camaro ZL1 proves its record speed and power after a run through the legendary Nürburgring

The 2012 Camaro ZL1 was recently let loose on the Nürburgring racing circuit and recorded a lap of 7:41.27, nearly a 40 second leap ahead of the Camaro SS lap time in 2009.

“The ZL1’s full capability is evident at the Nürburgring,” said Aaron Link, the Camaro ZL1 Suspension Engineer. “You have to have an extremely well-mannered, confidence-inspiring car to take any corner at 160 mph without lifting off the throttle…and the ZL1 was just brilliant.”

Nürburgring is unparalleled, being widely regarded as one of the world’s most-demanding courses, measuring 12.9 miles with over 154 turns. Over the years, the racing circuit has come to be popularly referred to as “The Green Hell”. 

“The Nürburgring is unlike any track in the world,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. “Each lap includes fast straights, sweeping off-camber turns, hairpin corners, and elevation changes. In order to do well on the ‘Ring, the car has to do everything well – including acceleration, braking and lateral grip. Breaking an 8 minute lap in a 2+2 production car is a tremendous accomplishment.”

Not only does the car pack its punch in speed, but also in power. It features a supercharged 6.2L “LSA” engine SAE-rated at 580 horsepower (432 kW) and 556 lb.-ft of torque (754 Nm).

With its epic trek through Nürburgring, it’s pretty evident that it packs the power and speed fit for the thrill of the racetrack.

Finally, a reason to cash in the retirement and buy!

Go to a local high school football, basketball or any other game.

Take the kids on a mystery trip. Give them clues about your destination as you get closer. It can be something as simple as an ice cream shop or playground, or a trip to a museum or amusement park.

Put on a family play.

Let your children prepare a meal and serve it to you and your husband restaurant style.

Plant flowers (indoors in a flower pot or outside).

Get to know the family of one of your child's friends by having the family over for a cookout.

Let your kids take photos, print them, and make a photo album — then have the kids think of captions.

Have a fun, free scavenger hunt.

Go to a park and take some pictures of landscapes. Develop the pictures, get out the paints and try to paint landscapes by looking at the pictures.

Go on a bike ride that ends with a picnic.

For girls: have a spa hour — paint each other's nails, do your hair, let them put makeup on you.

Build an obstacle course and let each family member compete for the best time.

Have a garage sale and let your kids decide how to spend the proceeds on a family day.

Plan a secret surprise for someone in need.  For example, cook a meal for someone or mow their lawn, without them knowing who did it.

Camp out in your back yard.

Let the kids help you paint their room.  Let them pick out the paint color. (It might get them to actually clean it first!)

Play board games.

Do a craft (make up your own or a buy a craft kit). Bake cookies, bread or a cake — from scratch.

Let your children design a family crest.

Go ice skating or roller skating.

Dave's Take on Occupy Wall Street

By Dave Ramsey

"I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" Yeah, that's great. But what do you want? What are your goals? What are your demands? What result are you looking for?

The beauty of being vague is that anyone who has any emotion can get caught up in the excitement and join your crusade. They'll just get mad at something and assume that you're both mad about the same thing. Put a few hundred of these people together, and boom. You've got a crowd, a headline and a lot of attention … but no message.

A lot of people on Twitter are saying I totally agree with the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) demands and goals. The only problem is that I have no idea what their demands and goals are. And neither does anyone else. If all you ever do is stomp around, yell and hold up signs protesting a million different things, sure you'll get some attention, but over time, you'll just look foolish. You end up coming across like a three-year-old having a temper tantrum.

This is what's happening to the OWS movement. They're being discredited because no one has stepped forward and really stated what it is they're after. The whole group is coming across like a bunch of jacked-up, jobless, wannabe hippies. That's not going to change anything in this country. You've got to state your goals clearly if you want to accomplish something.

So in the absence of any clear goals, let me comment and offer some helpful advice in some areas that seem to be getting a lot of disorganized OWS attention.

"No Government Bailouts!"

Banks and big companies should not receive taxpayer money for a bailout while their CEOs are making hundreds of millions of dollars. If that's your gripe, then you're protesting in the wrong location. Pack up and head to Washington, D.C., to deliver your message to the current administration. Don't get me wrong—I totally support a company's freedom to pay their leaders well. I just don't believe that I, as a taxpayer, should subsidize those huge salaries in the form of taxpayer bailouts. I pay my own team members; I don't need to pay everyone else's too.

By the way, you may be shocked to learn that the Tea Party agrees with you on this one—and so do I.

"Down With Corporate Greed!"

Gordon Gekko was wrong. Greed is not good. Greed is bad—very bad. It's a spiritual disease, and it is a disease that sadly affects a lot of companies across the country. If you believe a specific company is acting purely out of greed, then don't just get mad—do something. Point out where and how they're greedy and let the world know. Stop doing business with them. If enough people listen to you, the company will get the message because you'll hit them where it hurts: the bottom line. If they don't get their act together, then they'll go out of business and another business will take their place.

But if you're saying that all businesses are greedy and that capitalism itself is evil and ineffective, then I'm sorry—you're just being stupid. You're being misled and misinformed by some of the louder voices around you. Are you wearing clothes? Have you eaten any food lately? Do you have an iPhone in your pocket to check in with Twitter and Facebook while you're out marching around? Good. All of those products and services are brought to you by quality companies dedicated to serving you well in a capitalistic system that works just fine.

"Wall Street Is Evil!"

If you have this painted on a sign, well, now you just look ignorant. Wall Street is a street that people drive on. The New York Stock Exchange is a building where people exchange stocks in New York. This is the flea market of the financial world. Don't turn Wall Street into some terrible monster attacking American citizens. It's just a road with some buildings on it.

But here's what happens. Sometimes when people don't understand something, they start to fear it. And as the fear grows, it turns into anger. But just because you don't understand something, you shouldn't see it as bad or frightening or a conspiracy. You should just think of it as an opportunity to learn something new—something that could actually be a blessing to you.

For example, imagine a group of natives out in the jungle in the farthest part of the world. I mean, picture a group of people who have never seen anyone outside of their tribe and have certainly never seen any kind of machine. What would they think if they saw a Red Cross helicopter land near them? And what would they think of the strange-looking men and women who jump out of the chopper and start walking toward them? They'd be freaked out! They wouldn't know or care if the Red Cross was there to help them with food or medicine. They'd think it was the end of the world or something because their minds would be totally blown!

I hate to say it, but a lot of OWS protestors are just about as uninformed as those jungle natives when it comes to how the American financial system works. A road and an office building. That's Wall Street.

"Wealth Redistribution Is the Answer!"

I've heard a lot about wealth redistribution over the past few years, and I'm sure you've heard it too. Call it whatever you want, but this is how it usually sounds to most Americans: "We are the 99% of Americans who don't have as much as the 1%, so we're mad and think the government should take their wealth and property away so that we can have a piece of it. Wealth inequality is a moral breakdown! We should all spread the money around so everyone gets a fair share!"

I have my toughest critique for those who believe this: You are a thief. When someone takes my money and gives me no say in the matter, that's called theft—whether they're using a gun or the government. At the core of this demand is envy. And that's not the same as jealousy. Jealousy just says, "I want what you have." Envy is a different beast. Envy says, "I don't think I can ever have what you have, so you shouldn't have it either." Decades of horrible economic teaching and the politics of envy have kept this monster alive and growing and moving forward.

This way of thinking makes you assume that all rich people are evil and have scammed their way into wealth. That may be true in the tale of Robin Hood, but I choose to live in the real world. Sure, there are some scoundrels, but the vast majority of successful men and women got that way by working hard and serving people—lots of people. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates changed the world in ways we're just now starting to realize. Their positive impact on the world has helped all of us live better lives, and they made fortunes for themselves by doing so. Why is it that you're holy if you help one person but evil if you help a million? That's just stupid.

A good friend of mine is a country music legend. He's made a bazillion dollars over his career, and he just bought a $400,000 car. He's worked like a crazy person his whole life, spending decades in tour buses, writing songs in the middle of the night, and entertaining enormous crowds of cheering fans. He paid a price to get there, and I'm happy for his success. Would it be right for me to walk into his house and demand my "fair share" of his wealth? Heck no! I'm a terrible singer! I didn't do one thing to contribute to his success, so why would I be entitled to a share of his wealth? He's given me years of entertainment through his music. That's my fair share of his hard work.

My problems aren't his fault. And my problems aren't McDonald's fault or Home Depot's fault or Walmart's fault, either. My problems are my fault! And the more people these companies serve, the more money they make—and that's none of my business! If you don't like McDonald's, then here's an idea: Don't eat there. But don't walk into the restaurant and demand a portion of their proceeds for the day.

When you scream, "I'm in the 99%!" you just look like a whiner. Those of us willing to pay the price to win look at you and shrug. Heck, when it comes to the music business, I'm in the 99% myself! But that doesn't mean I have to tear Toby Keith, Brad Paisley or even Kanye down. Oh, and a special note just for Kanye: Capitalism has been pretty good to you. I celebrate your success, but you look a little hypocritical protesting capitalism while wearing a $50,000 watch.

Celebrate the Land of Opportunity

This is the greatest country on the planet, but even here, you're not guaranteed wealth, talent, fame, a full head of hair or six-pack abs. Those things are not in the Constitution. You are, however, guaranteed the freedom to make your life what you want it to be. And when you do that, when you build your life around your dreams and passions and hard work, you're guaranteed the right to keep it. No one has the right to take it away from you.

So to summarize, I'm not very impressed at the moment. I'm not impressed by your temper fit. I'm not impressed at your lack of goals and focus. I'm not impressed by the fact that the only thing I see about your movement is ignorance, immaturity and envy. Grow up—and get a job.

Yes, there are jobs out there. There are jobs out there that haven't even been invented yet. Go create the next Facebook or Weed Eater. Go pick up so much dog poop that you can start your own fertilizer company. And stop complaining that companies are TOO RICH while also complaining that they aren't RICH ENOUGH to hire you! I've seen a lot of you guys. I wouldn't hire you, either. But if you take all of that energy and excitement and pour it into something new and creative, you'll get the chance to serve a whole lot of people really well, and over a decade or two, you'll get to become the very thing you're now protesting: rich people who actually earned their money.

Sage words from the sage himself

How to avoid do-it-yourself goofs, part 1

Most of us have been there.  An apparently simple home repair project, at least it looks that way.  But can you really do it?

Some projects are easy enough – I call them monkey see monkey do projects.  Those are the ones where you disassemble something (like a kitchen faucet) then re-assemble the new one the same way the old one came out.

But what of a more involved project?  What if you need to paint, or drill a hole, or heaven forbid – use a power saw?!?  Can you do it?  What are the unexpected pitfalls lurking?

In this issue of my newsletter I am going to give you 5 of the 10 most common do it yourself goofs.  I will give you the other five two weeks from today…

So without any further ado – the 10 most common do it yourself goofs, part I.

10 – Failure to get a clue.  You don’t want to start a big project around your house without any experience whatsoever.  This will sound obvious, but you would be surprised how many calls and e-mails I get from people who jump right in on a major home repair on their own house with zero experience.

Speak first with friends or neighbors who work in the field and if possible accompany them on a trip to their current work project.  Or call a professional and get their opinion – for example if you are going to remove an interior wall have an engineer look at it to see what kind of beam you may need to replace it.

Generally speaking, if you have a saw in your hand and any doubt in your head, stop!

 9. Working beyond your limits.  Feel uncomfortable on a roof – don’t do any roofing projects.  Electricity scare you?  Stay out of your breaker box for repairs.  Don't know a table saw from a band saw from a scroll saw?  Your favorite hardware store can teach you.

Use common sense – don’t stand on the top steps of a ladder - don’t try to work beyond your reach.

8. Inaccuracy.  Ever hear the phrase ‘measure twice, cut once’? Learn it!  Live it!

If you are going to err – err on the side of too long.  You can always trim off more, but it is very very difficult to cut a piece of that expensive counter top longer.

Don’t settle for ‘close enough’ either.  You wouldn’t accept it from a contractor, so don’t accept it from yourself.

7.  Unsafe job conditions.  Nothing negates the savings on a do it yourself project like a nice ambulance ride and a trip through the emergency room.

You may feel like a dork, but wear safety goggles when using power tools or with drywall or wood.  Wear a hard hat if you are working under other people.

Have proper ventilation when working with paints and stains indoors.  Stay away from loose hanging clothing around power tools.  Wear gloves when working with wood or metals.

Thoroughly clean up your work area when you are finished, or better yet, as you go.  If you used nails in your project, get a magnet on a pole (I think their technical name is ‘A Big Magnet on a Pole’) and pick up any dropped nails.

If you are using a power tool for the first time read and follow all directions.  Again - some big box stores offer classes or other instruction in the use of the tools – take advantage of them.

6.  Improper preparation.  This leans mostly towards painting, where the 7 P’s of home repair apply (Proper Prior Planning Prevents P Poor Performance).

Clean walls, sand out the rough areas, and patch any holes before you paint. If you are going to paint a lighter color over a darker color perhaps a primer coat would be appropriate first.

Scrape off any chipping paints.  Caulk joints and nail holes and edges before you paint.

I promise you if you skimp on this step you will have mucho regretto later.

Coming in two weeks – the top5.

Good to Know!

Ford Unveils 'New' 1965 Mustang

By Viknesh Vijayenthiran

It’s now possible to build a brand new ’64½, ’65 or ’66 Ford Mustang convertible from the wheels up using this latest Ford-approved and officially licensed body shell.

Unveiled today ahead of its public debut at next week’s 2011 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, the new body shell joins previous ‘restoration parts’ versions for the 1967-68 and the 1969-70 fastback Mustang bodies.

The standard design is for the ’65 Mustang convertible but the original ’64½ as well as the later ’66 can be built depending on which powertrain and trim parts are added to it.

The body, which is currently being produced by Dynacorn and is ready for delivery, is priced at $15,000 and includes the doors, trunk lid, and all the sheet metal from the radiator support to the taillight panel except the hood and front fenders.

Unlike the original Mustangs of the 1960s, the new body shell is made using modern welding techniques and comes fully rust-proofed. This should ensure the cars are around to stay well into the future. The original Mustang sold more than 1.2 million units--including more than 174,000 convertibles--before its first redesign in 1967, but finding one in good nick is getting harder and harder these days.

To build a Mustang using the body shell, the powertrain, suspension and brakes, the electrical systems, the interior and trim can either be bought new or transferred from an existing car to the new body. You’ll find most of the parts from Ford-approved classic parts suppliers.

Your 30s: Financial commandments

You're a full-fledged adult now, and you know the basics. Now, go build on that foundation to secure your financial future.

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Life moves fast. You think you have all the time in the world -- then suddenly your 20s are over and you're, like, a real adult.

Welcome to your 30s. The past decade was all about life's changes and getting to know yourself and your finances. You know the basics of money management. Now it's time to build on that foundation and secure your financial future.

Here are 10 principles that should be carved in stone for every 30-something:

1. Pay off your non-mortgage debt. Your 30s bring financial responsibilities you may not have had in your 20s, such as a mortgage or family. Nothing frees up cash to meet those obligations like getting rid of your debt. We hope you paid off your credit cards in your 20s. If you didn't, make it a priority. Next, focus on getting rid of student loans and other non-mortgage debt, such as auto loans.

The lifetime cost of raising a child

2. Kick the debt cycle altogether. What good is paying off your loans if you take out another one and rack up new debt? An easy way to save for big-ticket items -- and avoid going back into debt -- is to put the money you would have used for monthly debt payments and interest charges into a savings account. For instance, after you make that final $300-a-month student-loan payment, keep making an equal payment to yourself. After one year, you'll have $3,600 saved.

3. Get serious about retirement. Your 20s were the time to start investing. No matter how little money you had to spare, it gave you a great head start. Now it's time to look at your goals and set a plan in motion to reach them.

Is 80 the new retirement age?

View more MSN videosGo to CNBC

Basically, you need to figure out when you want to retire, how much money you want to have by then and how much money you'll need to sock away now to reach that goal. Time is still on your side -- use it! Get serious now so you can have a comfortable retirement without sacrificing too much in the meantime. If you wait until your 40s or 50s, saving could become downright painful.

Don't be tempted to save for your kids' college expenses instead of saving for retirement. Make sure your own plans are on track first. After all, there are loans to pay for college, but not for retirement.

4. Diversify your investments. You want to make sure your money is spread among different types of investments so you're protected if one sector of the market tanks.

Generally, you should aim to allocate 50% to 55% of your portfolio to large companies, evenly split between growth and value; 20% to 25% to small companies, evenly split between growth and value; and 25% to foreign companies. (Check out Kiplinger's Mutual Fund Finder to zero in on investments in each category that meet your performance criteria.)

• How much income will my 401k provide?

5. Continue to learn. Don't stop investing in yourself once you land a job. "Keep your earning power growing through continuous education, training and personal development," advises Knight Kiplinger, the editor-in-chief of Kiplinger.com.

6. Protect your assets. Even the best-laid financial plans can be derailed by an unexpected cost. So it pays to be prepared for the "what ifs" in life. For most 30-somethings, that means having adequate homeowners (or renters) insurance, health insurance and disability insurance.

It also means having an ample emergency fund. You started stocking your fund in your 20s, but by your 30s, you should have the full stash of money to cover three to six months' worth of expenses in case of a job loss, medical emergency or other surprise. (If that seems impossible right now, start with $500.)

7. Live simply. Deferred gratification may not be fun, but adopting a simple lifestyle is one of the surest ways to meet today's needs and still reach your long-term goals. Take a look at your spending to identify areas you could trim the fat. Small sacrifices can add up to big rewards.

It's easy to get jealous of friends and family who are living larger and seem to be doing much better than you are. Remember that keeping up with the Joneses is a losing game. Someone else's success may be a facade. Tune out the financial peer pressure around you and focus solely on what you know for certain: the state of your own personal finances.

• Try the 50-30-20 budget

8. Make your will known. A will ensures that your wishes are carried out should the unthinkable happen. Many assume that wills are for people who are old, rich, married or have kids. But all adults need a will to spell out their wishes in case they die or can't make medical decisions for themselves.

If you have children, make sure your will designates a guardian to care for them should something happen to both you and their other parent.

9. Get a life . . . insurance policy. If you have children (or someone else who depends on you financially), life insurance is a must. If you were to die, you'll want to make sure they're secure. When you're in your 30s, you can get a great deal on term life insurance, buying a policy that lasts for a certain amount of time -- say, until the kids are grown.

10. Be charitable. As you become more established in life and in your finances, take the opportunity to give something back. Being charitable and socially conscious can be rewarding -- not to mention financially smart, considering the tax write-offs you get if you itemize on your returns.

If the new responsibilities of your 30s have you feeling strapped, give of yourself, not of your wallet. Volunteer your time or talents for a cause you believe in. It doesn't cost a lot to make a difference.

Once you leave your 30's... you can't go back!

The good news for one Texas man near the massive wildfires is that his home was merely singed, and his family escaped uninjured. The bad news was what the fire took instead — some 175 classic cars, including a Shelby Cobra and about a dozen Corvettes.

John Chapman, 70, was shuffling through the ash-covered remains of his collection spread through a garage and several pole barns shorty after the fire moved through, pushing burning embers off what had been left behind. Other vehicles lost included several mid-'50s Chevys, a 1947 Studebaker pickup and a 1966 Pontiac GTO.

"You can either laugh or you can cry," Chapman told the Houston Chronicle. "You might as well laugh."

Photo: AP/Eric Gay

(Hat tip to Sam I - Texalopnik Ambassador!)

Words cannot express the travesty

by Tim on November 22, 2010 ·

From FaithAndFinance.com:

I love the book of Proverbs and always wanted to dissect the book and pull out the verses that talk about money.  After I sorted through each chapter, I made note of each verse that I felt referenced an aspect of money.  To my surprise, I pulled out 101 verses that could be categorized into 10 groups:
Wealth in Wisdom and Knowledge, Hard Work, Rich and Poor, Greed, Provision, Giving, Wealth, Debt and Lending, Stewardship and Investments, Righteous Living.

If you’re interested in the PDF file, you can find it here or click resources. These verses are taken from the New Living Translation.

Wealth in Wisdom and Knowledge

Proverbs 2:3-4
Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.

Proverbs 3:13, 14
Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold.

Proverbs 8:10, 11
Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.

Proverbs 9:10
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.

Proverbs 15:16
Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.

Proverbs 16:8
Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest.

Proverbs 16:16
How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!

Proverbs 17:16
It is senseless to pay tuition to educate a fool, since he has no heart for learning.

Proverbs 20:15
Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies

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Hard Work

Proverbs 6:6-8
Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.

Proverbs 6:10, 11
A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

Proverbs 10:4
Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich.

Proverbs 10:5
A wise youth harvests in the summer, but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace.

Proverbs 12:11
A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.

Proverbs 13:4
Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.

Proverbs 13:11
Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.

Proverbs 14:23
Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!

Proverbs 20:13
If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!

Proverbs 21:5
Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

Proverbs 24:33, 34
A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

Proverbs 28:19
A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty.

Back to the top

Rich and Poor

Proverbs 10:15
The wealth of the rich is their fortress; the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

Proverbs 13:7
Some who are poor pretend to be rich; others who are rich pretend to be poor.

Proverbs 13:8
The rich can pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened.

Proverbs 13:23
A poor person’s farm may produce much food, but injustice sweeps it all away.

Proverbs 14:20
The poor are despised even by their neighbors, while the rich have many “friends.”

Proverbs 17:5
Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.

Proverbs 18:11
The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety.

Proverbs 18:23
The poor plead for mercy; the rich answer with insults.

Proverbs 19:7
The relatives of the poor despise them; how much more will their friends avoid them! Though the poor plead with them, their friends are gone.

Proverbs 21:17
Those who love pleasure become poor; those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.

Proverbs 22:2
The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both.

Proverbs 28:3
A poor person who oppresses the poor is like a pounding rain that destroys the crops.

Proverbs 28:6
Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and rich.

Proverbs 28:11
Rich people may think they are wise, but a poor person with discernment can see right through them.

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Greed

Proverbs 1:19
Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life.

Proverbs 15:27
Greed brings grief to the whole family, but those who hate bribes will live.

Proverbs 22:16
A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty.

Proverbs 22:22-23
Don’t rob the poor just because you can, or exploit the needy in court. For the Lord is their defender.  He will ruin anyone who ruins them.

Proverbs 23:4
Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.

Proverbs 28:8
Income from charging high interest rates will end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor.

Proverbs 28:20
The trustworthy person will get a rich reward, but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble.

Proverbs 28:22
Greedy people try to get rich quick but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.

Proverbs 28:25
Greed causes fighting; trusting the Lord leads to prosperity.

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Provision

Proverbs 3:5, 6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 11:26
People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need.

Proverbs 11:28
Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.

Proverbs 19:14
Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.

Proverbs 30:7-9
O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die.  First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.

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Giving

Proverbs 3:27
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.

Proverbs 11:24
Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.

Proverbs 11:25
The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Proverbs 14:21
It is a sin to belittle one’s neighbor; blessed are those who help the poor.

Proverbs 14:31
Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but helping the poor honors him.

Proverbs 19:17
If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord— and he will repay you!

Proverbs 22:9
Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.

Proverbs 28:27
Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.

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Wealth

Proverbs 3:9, 10
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.

Proverbs 8:18-21
I [wisdom] have riches and honor, as well as enduring wealth and justice. My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver! I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice. Those who love me inherit wealth. I will fill their treasuries.

Proverbs 10:22
The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

Proverbs 14:24
Wealth is a crown for the wise; the effort of fools yields only foolishness.

Proverbs 19:4
Wealth makes many “friends”; poverty drives them all away.

Proverbs 21:6
Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.

Proverbs 22:4
True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.

Proverbs 23:5
In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.

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Debt and Lending

Proverbs 11:15
There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt; it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.

Proverbs 17:18
It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for a friend.

Proverbs 22:7
Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.

Proverbs 22:26, 27
Don’t agree to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for someone else. If you can’t pay it,
even your bed will be snatched from under you.

Proverbs 27:13
Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt. Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.

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Stewardship and Investments

Proverbs 10:16
The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin.

Proverbs 13:22
Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.

Proverbs 20:21
An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.

Proverbs 27:23, 24
Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds, for riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.

Proverbs 31:16
She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard.

Proverbs 31:20
She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.

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Righteous Living

Proverbs 10:2
Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life.

Proverbs 11:4
Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.

Proverbs 11:18
Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last.

Proverbs 13:21
Trouble chases sinners, while blessings reward the righteous.

Proverbs 15:6
There is treasure in the house of the godly, but the earnings of the wicked bring trouble.

Proverbs 17:3
Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart.

Proverbs 19:1
Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and a fool.

Proverbs 22:1
Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.

What are life skills? Will a higher education teach your children all the lessons of life and prepare them for adulthood? Of course not, for there is no college program that could ever do that. Life skills are described by Wikipedia as “a set of human skills acquired via teaching or direct experience that are used to handle problems and questions commonly encountered in daily human life.” Time, experience and a good dose of parenting provide the bulk of each life lesson learned. There is no college prep course to provide your child the common sense, self-discipline and confidence they will need to thrive during their college education and beyond. As we are raising our children all we can do is try to give them every bit of chance to succeed in this world. This includes teaching them the things they will not learn from a professor. Here are 10 to get you thinking and it’s certain you have many more to share as well.

Strong Morals and Common Decency

Cheating is rampant in schools across America. Bullying is being taken to new levels, reaching so deep into the cyber world Congress had to enact new laws to protect victims. We all sit back and say, “That’s not my child doing that,” yet somebody’s children are doing it and in massive numbers.  It is imperative to our future that we give our children the most basic instincts of right and wrong. That we apply the Golden Rule to our own lives and instill it in our children as well.

Perseverance and Stamina

One of the most difficult things to teach a young person is that disappointment is not the end of the road. Being that they have such limited experience, it is hard for them to understand that something new and amazing they never dreamed of is most likely right around the corner. Troubles will always come and go. Perseverance to stick with the plan and stamina to never give up sees us through the most difficult times. We have lost many over time because they did not have the ability to see their way through the darkness. There always has been and always will be a light at the end of the tunnel. Teach them how to find it.

Developing Self-Confidence

Everyone has insecurities. They could be in our bodies or personalities, our upbringings or social status. There is not a person alive that is not insecure about something. If we allow these feelings to dominate our lives, it leads to destructive behavior and failure in most cases. Confidence arises when we understand our limitations, yet also determine and develop what our strengths are. Even our weaknesses can become strengths when we are able to see them clearly. If we can develop strong inner-confidence in our children, the results will cascade positively throughout all aspects of their lives. Confidence comes when a person feels competent, plain and simple. Psychologists will tell you that mothers and fathers have the most profound influence on how a child feels about his/her self. Make sure your child feels competent and worthy and confidence will follow.

Money Management

Absolutely essential to your child’s future is the ability to manage their budget. The simplest way to teach this is having them learn the true value of their dollars. Put them on a budget and force them to live within it. If we constantly throw money their way to fund whatever whim, there is no way they will ever grasp the concept of money management. A “tough love” method is the way to go here. Without a true appreciation of how difficult it is to earn and keep wealth, they will wind up in debt and in service to others their whole lives. Each individual parent should decide the best way to go about this for their own circumstances, but the formula should be hard work + prudent decision making = financial reward.

Making and Keeping Friends

A person will have many acquaintances in life, but only a handful of true friends. Friends support us, comfort us, challenge us, better us and most of all, they make life fun to live. Choosing the right friends is a skill that needs to be taught. The most important part is to always be exactly who you are and expect the same from your chosen friend. If you are not being accepted for who you are, or vice versa, then the friendship is based on something entirely else and is not real. They are an acquaintance. Friends come in all sizes, shapes and colors. An open mind is required to find them and a loving heart is required to keep them.

Developing Self-Discipline

When your child gets to college will they wake up for that 9 AM economics class after having stayed up late at a mixer? Later in life, will your son/daughter have the ability to say no under pressure because it’s the right thing to do? Eventually, each person becomes solely responsible for their own actions, successes and failures. Self-discipline and the ability to apply it will largely determine how well it all goes. As is usually the case, leading by example as a parent will set the tone for your child.

Courage and Faith

Most times, the easiest way out will be the wrong path. Morally and spiritually we are constantly challenged. As it is written, the path to desolation is wide and crowded. The right way is usually a lonely dark bumpy road that leaves us unsure and afraid at first sight. Courage and faith allow us to place our feet on that narrow path nonetheless, and only then to do we realize that we took the right road. Teaching a child to be courageous, to be faithful, is a long process of example, discussion and experience. Begin that journey immediately.

Generosity and Loyalty

Are greed and self-centeredness more prevalent in society than generosity and loyalty? Asbolutely. If the desire is to teach your child greed and to think only of his/her self, then all that is required is to sit back and let culture do the work.  However, if we are raising the bar and seeking a better existence, then it will be necessary and vital to go out of our way to teach the opposite. Generosity is the ability to sacrifice for the happiness or benefit of another. As for loyalty, it is summed up well in a quote from Rensis Likert, “The greater the loyalty of a group towards the group, the greater is the motivation among the members to achieve the goals of the group, and the greater the probability that the group will achieve its goals.” Loyalty is huge in life to get stuff done.

Unique Identity

From the earliest stages we are taught to conform. We are instructed to get in line, to recite in unison, to obey and to adhere to a societal norm. These are basic structures of a functional society and important. Yet, rarely are we taught to be display uniqueness and free thought. If not for unique, free thinking individuals throughout history, we would have never moved past the cave. We all have gifts bestowed upon us that are special and to be used for the betterment of our species. Discovering those talents and developing them are essential not only to individual happiness but for society as a whole.

Finding and Keeping a Spouse

Considering the divorce rate, maybe this should be a required freshman year course. The problem is few would be qualified to teach it. Love is tricky business. But there certainly are ways to go about it that highly increase the odds of success. Take a look at a couple that has made it to their golden (50^th) anniversary. Can you imagine everything they have gone through together to make it as a couple for that length of time? What was the main ingredient for their success? It is a personal experience that respect plays an extremely important role in a successful marriage. Respect for each other, respect for the marriage, respect for their Creator and respect for those watching them. Teach your children to choose a man/woman that they of course not only love, but they respect as a human being. Someone of common values and mindset and that they truly enjoy spending time with because it enhances their lives. With respect on their side as well as love, there is a very good chance they will weather the storms of life together.

Read our Class Top 10 Ways to be an All Pro Dad