On Monday Jason wrote a great overview about dividend investing . Since you now know what dividends are all about, I figured it would be a good opportunity to do a guest post on the subject. I write about the stock market and personal finance at my blog Stock investing 101.

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Dividend investing is the best way to generate passive income and become wealthy, period. It is the perfect example of making your money work for you.

AT&T pays out a 6.7% dividend yield. This means for every 100 dollars of the stock you own you will be given $6.70 a year from the company as a bonus for just being a shareholder of the company. Compare 6.7% to the interest you could get from a standard checking account or a CD. You are getting at least 3 times the return from owning AT&T versus investing in a CD, and that is not factoring in any potential increase in AT&T’s share price.

Most dividend paying companies also offer a DRIP program, DRIP stands for Dividend reinvestment program. If you opt for the DRIP program the money you receive each quarter from owning stock will be used to buy more of the stock instead of being given to you in cash. This is a great way to take advantage of compound interest.

Jason mentioned he purchased 80 shares of AT&T. If he opted for the dividend reinvestment plan those 80 shares would grow to 85.4 shares after just one year. After 5 years his purchase of 80 shares of the company would now have ballooned to almost 110 shares of the company. After those 5 years, assuming AT&T kept its dividend rate steady [which is very conservative when you consider that AT&T has a long track record of consistently raising its dividend] Jason would then be actually getting a 9.3% yield on his original investment. 110 X 1.68= 184.8/ [25.25[share price]X 80= 2020].

The numbers only get more and more impressive and mind boggling over time. In ten years AT&T could go from paying his Netflix membership to making his car payments, in thirty years AT&T could pay his mortgage.

The best thing about this is that there is almost no work involved. After you make your initial investment everything is on autopilot.

Here is a short overview of 5 different dividend paying companies in 3 different sectors to get you started. Remember that this list is not comprehensive in the least bit and it is far from fool proof:

• AT&T: Jason and I have mentioned this company countless times for a reason. It pays out a whopping 6.7% yield, it is in a stable sector that all of us understand, and I don’t see people getting rid of their cell phones or their Internet connection anytime soon.

• Coke: Coke is another great dividend paying company. Its yield of 3.2% is not as impressive as AT&T’s but it is still a great value. Coke raises its dividend religiously so I expect even more from it in the future.

• Pfizer: Pfizer is a huge health care conglomerate. It pays out a very impressive 4.1% dividend yield at the moment and it is a very solid company. It presents a great value to investors.

You will not get 30% yearly returns from investing in dividend paying companies but you will get the best possible return in the long run along with the most stable investment with the least amount of work involved.

Note from Frugal Dad: After giving it some thought, and investigating the plan with my online brokerage, I have decided to sign up for their dividend reinvestment program. Dividends will be reinvested in eligible securities held in our portfolio, allowing us to build our positions more quickly without an added fee.

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My bi-weekly roundups are great fun – no really. I enjoy the reading part, but the coding part sometimes takes up a lot of time. So, taking a cue from my friend Paul at Fiscal Geek, I created a roundup submission form similar (eerily similar, no?) to his. Matt from Debt Free Adventure created one as well. Hey, why not submit your article to all three of us?

This page will become a permanent part of the navigation bar at the top of my site.

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I find that if I remember what the day is actually about—love, the union of two people, choosing to spend the rest of my life with someone—and that saying “I Do” is merely the beginning of a long and exciting journey, then it becomes much easier to prioritize spending and get past a lot of the wedding hype. After all, it only takes a bride, a groom, an officiant, a certificate, and some rings to get married. The rest is all extra!

Here are some ways I have found to save money without sacrificing quality to us. 

Unconventional Saves You Money

If you choose any month other than peak wedding season—typically the summer months—then you can save money. We are choosing to have our wedding in April of 2010, and were able to negotiate a 17% discount off of the reception and catering costs solely because this is a tougher month for the venue’s director to attract business. On top of having this discount for our reception and catering, we are also in a great negotiating position for our other vendors, such as a photographer and a florist due to lower demand for services.

You can rent purses, and rent textbooks now, why not rent your bridal gown? Sure, you won’t be the first spring chick to wear it, but the quality will still be impeccable, and there is normally an option to buy it at a discount from what you would pay if it were brand new. If you feel like buying new, I tried on probably around 20 fantastic and gorgeous gowns for under $500 at David’s Bridal.

If you do decide to purchase a gown, don’t forget you can donate the dress after the ceremony for a tax deduction.

Buy Hardware Online

There are many online sites with great reputations that sell engagement rings and wedding bands at severely discounted prices, like upwards of 50%! You can try different styles of rings on at jewelers, and have your ring finger measured. Then go online to sites such as Amazon and Sea of Diamonds. If you are squeamish about purchasing fine jewelry online, know that many sites give you 30-60 days to return the jewelry for a full refund (although customized jewelry may not be returnable), and you can use this time to get the metal and gem verified by a jeweler.

Hire Amateur Service Providers

What do Donald Trump, Sam Walton, and Stephen King all have in common? They all began as amateurs in their individual industries. It took people with faith to employ them, and purchase their products for them to develop their talent and evolve into the household names they are today. You can use amateurs in your wedding as well at a fraction of the cost you would pay normally. Check out trade schools in your area, and interview a few seniors in photography to use for your wedding day. Let them know what your photography budget is, and see if they are willing to accept a paid position for a few hours on a Saturday. You can find a florist this way as well.

One of my friends even used one of her friends who had an interest in photography. The form of payment? They bought their friend a nice camera for several hundred dollars in exchange for her taking all of their wedding photography. The pictures were stunning.

Potluck Rehearsal Dinner

Rehearsal dinners are a nice, informal way to show your bridesmaids and groomsmen how much you appreciate them, and also for everyone to get to know one another and enjoy themselves! Instead of footing a restaurant bill, ask your parents to host a potluck rehearsal dinner at their home. Having this at someone’s home will keep the spirit of the dinner light and joyful, as well as help to create relationships between the two families. If only one or two of your parents is footing most of the bill for the food, offer to pay them for the ingredients and other necessities, which should still save you over half the cost of taking everyone out to a restaurant.

Gift Card-Purchased Attendant and Parent Gifts

One of the best things that you can do to save several hundred dollars is to open up a credit card that earns you points for your purchases. Then, charge everything for the wedding to this card—being sure to pay off the balance each month—and use the points to buy you gift cards. It will take you several months to earn enough for substantial gift cards, so perhaps the best way to use them is to purchase gifts for your attendants and parents leading up to the wedding.

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Experts in the field of team building recommend establishing a team charter – a document that spells out what it is the team is to accomplish, how, who is accountable for what, the boundaries of responsibilities, and a step by step action plan for achieving success. We charter yachts, planes, and teams, why don’t we charter our families – setting their direction, establishing their course, and determining (ahead of time) what principles will guide them?

Families are teams, too

Your family unit is also a team, with responsibilities to each other and to your community, your church, and your country. Maybe I missed it, but I‘ve never heard of a family establishing a family charter – a “why are we here” document that spells out the family’s goals, responsibilities, expectations, and vision for success as a family. We do this all the time with businesses, why don’t we do this with our family?

Just imagine the good could come from sitting down this weekend with your spouse and children and establishing your own family charter that defines the purpose of your “family team,” how it will work and the expected outcomes? What if you and your family established a set of “directions” that would guide each of you based on your shared values and visions of success for your family as a whole and each family member individually? Would that have any value to you?

The Family Charter

The charter must be specific enough to keep your family on track, but it should not restrictive or cumbersome. And, although there will certainly be disagreements and conflicts about the charter as it’s being developed, remember to use conflict resolution and negotiation skills to deal with any friction.

Make sure your family charter:

• Answers the question, “What is our family’s purpose?”
• Defines the values that will guide your family
• Spells out individual roles
• Sets boundaries
• Establishes the processes needed to manage familial relationships
• Encourages collaboration among family members
• Establishes responsibility and accountability
• Sets up how decisions will be made
• Addresses conflict resolution
• Sets the criteria for how success will be measured
• Identifies resources you’ll need to function successfully

I don’t currently have a family charter

But I’m going to sit down with my wife and children this weekend and open up a discussion. I plan to discuss our finances, our joint and individual goals, and our values. I also plan to discuss what and how we see our purpose as a family unit.

Additional family charter ideas

I’m planning to print ours out, frame it, and place it in a prominent area of our home. It might create discussions with others who visit on how we as a family unit view our role on this earth.

Decide as a group about how to budget for giving and insure that it matches the family’s values.

I think it would be a good idea to have each family member sign the family charter as a symbol of their agreement with the direction we’re heading.

Failing to plan is the same as planning to fail.

I’ll keep you posted on how this goes, but it’s something I’ve been turning over in my mind for quite some time.

Photo by robson2313

PAYGO requires new federal spending to be offset by budgetary cuts or tax hikes. Makes sense; without paying as you go you will surely wind up deep in debt, which is exactly how we find our country. As most things political go, PAYGO seems to be more for show, as politicians on both sides have ignored their own rules, or taken advantage of lapses in PAYGO, to spend like maniacs.

Since the idea of debt first came along, people have opted to borrow versus saving for a variety of reasons. Farmers often needed to borrow money for seeds and tools to produce their first crop. Many business were started with loans, because they had significant upfront costs that owners were unwilling or unable to cough up. Homeowners cannot usually afford to buy a house for cash, so we choose to take out a mortgage.

These examples all seem relatively easy to justify, but then a little tool came along called the credit card, which made it much easier for households to borrow money for everyday items. With credit cards, the idea of paying as you go became nearly obsolete.

Every now and then I hear stories of someone who built their own home. They often saved up to buy some land, then the materials, then completed as much as they could on their own while saving to pay someone to finish up those things they lacked the expertise or physical ability to do themselves. I’ve always admired these types; not only for their self-reliance, but because they understood the pay as you go way of managing your money.

My wife and have implemented PAYGO in our own household, on a smaller scale. A few months ago we agreed not to sign up for any new subscriptions, or add to our recurring monthly expenses, without canceling something equivalent.

For instance, after living for more than a year without cable television to speed up our get out of debt plan, we decided to sign back up for basic programming. Doing so would add about $30 to our monthly budget. To pay for it, we scaled back our Netflix membership (a $10 savings), canceled a weekend newspaper subscription (I can read it online – $10 saved), and I canceled a forums membership I no longer participated in (at $9.99/month).

In our example, we eliminated two things that were no longer useful to us, or that we no longer enjoyed, so it wasn’t too big a deal. However, we have had times where we wanted to add a new service or subscription, and couldn’t identify we were willing to eliminate. Enter the other side of the PAYGO equation: Increasing income.

The government can increase income by raising taxes. Fortunately, we don’t have the ability to levy a tax on others and collect their money, so we have to raise the funds ourselves through work. If you receive a raise at work, you may want to allocate a small percentage of your new income to adding something to your household that would add value.

Perhaps you’d like to listen to audio books on the road to increase knowledge on a particular subject. Or maybe there is a cooking class you’d like to attend, or a gym membership could help relieve stress. Whatever it is, use a small percentage of your new, monthly income to reward yourself. Notice I said “small percentage.” There is a risk here of lifestyle creep – inflating your lifestyle to meet or exceed your new income. Tread carefully.

By implementing a pay-as-you-go system in your personal finances, you will not only avoid debt, but you will be able to take pride in the things you own because you really own them, they don’t own you. And yes, that’s right out of Tyler Durden’s Guide to Personal Finances.

Post by Frugal Dad

source: AlanCleaver_2000

With just a little over a month to go until Tax Day on April 15th (also the 11th anniversary of when my hubby and I started dating, back before Tax Day really meant anything to either of us!), I’m embarrassed to admit that I have barely even started my tax preparation. I’m hoping to make some headway soon, as I don’t want to be stuck trying to sort out a mess at the last minute.

If you’re still working on your taxes, here are some posts from last year to help you get organized:

Preparing Your Taxes: Thinking Through Your Needs
Preparing Your Taxes: Make a List
Preparing Your Taxes: Planning for Next Year

So today’s question of the day is…

Have you started your taxes? Have you filed already?

Where are you in the process?

What’s the hardest part about filing your taxes?

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Congratulations, Keilah, you won the Organize Your Paper Clutter workshop giveaway! I’ve emailed you with information on how to claim your prize.

The workshop starts tomorrow, so if you haven’t signed up yet, be sure to do that today so you don’t miss a thing.

Simplify 101 also has some more great workshops coming up, including:

:: Organize Your Closet, March 11th — April 1, $24

:: Help! I don’t know where to begin!, March 25 — April 1, $7

:: Quick & Simple Clutter Control, April 8 — April 29, $24 (special early bird price!)

Aby has offered to answer any questions you all may have about the workshops, so please feel free to leave a comment with your questions and she’ll answer them this evening and tomorrow!

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Parenting a teen can be an extremely stressful stage for parents. They often feel overwhelmed and sucked into the wild roller coaster ride of adolescence. This can leave a parent unsure of what a healthy role looks like.

• Why are these years so important?

It is vital to remember that as a parent of a teen you are helping them connect their childhood to their adulthood. This is a time where they are not as dependent as they once were; however, they are also not too independent yet. As a teen is exploring this path to adulthood, they will often seek to be understood as they undergo many changes. Developmentally they are attempting to find their sense of self and where they fit in with friends, family, and in the world. They are shifting their identity from what mom and dad think, to what their peers think. Their minds are crazily trying to answer the question, “Who am I?” As they shift like a chameleon in and out of identity options, they question everything. They are collecting all the experiences they have had and are attempting to form their own belief system, likes, and dislikes.

• What’s my role as the parent of a teen?

As you attempt to equip your teen for adulthood, it is helpful to know you have four key roles.

• 1. Help them learn responsibility. You can do this by not doing everything for them and giving them rites of passages. Allowing your teen to explore, succeed, and fail at appropriate developmental milestones can help them learn significant life lessons. You can also help your teen learn responsibility through natural and logical consequences. Natural consequences are easy, in that they have a large ripple effect without much need for you to talk about them. Natural consequences speak loudly on their own. Logical consequences are best used in situations where a teen knows the cause and effect of their choices and the negative result is directly related to the action. For example, if you break curfew, you get to spend the whole weekend with mom and dad. Be sure to pick your battles with your teen. You cannot go to blows over every little thing. It is not worth risking the loss of the relationship over frivolous things. You are better off saving your battles for things having to do with moral value; such as behaviors dealing with respect for authority, honesty, and issues with addictive behaviors.

• 2. Teach them communication skills. If you want them to learn to speak “adult”, then you need to model it and practice it with them. Be open and honest with your child to invite them to open up to you. Be careful to not criticize a quiet teen, as it may make them retreat further into their shell. Talk about the hard topics even if you feel uncomfortable. It is better that they hear it from you as well as their surrounding environment.

• 3. Teach them decision-making skills. This means it is important for them to be given the chance to make decisions. If you coddle your teen and do everything for them, they will feel insecure about making decisions they face as they enter the adult world. Giving them a “trial run” while they still have your support can boost their confidence, and better prepare them for life choices they have ahead of them. Enabling your teen to not make some decisions will do them a disservice and not properly groom them for the real world.

• 4. Build a relationship with them. As they are appropriately distancing from you, they are letting go of the dependence they once had on you as their parent. This is a healthy part of development. However, many parents struggle with this and take it personally. Having a relationship with them means you are the one stable thing in their crazy life, even if it is from a distance. Know it is healthy for them to disconnect from the family, and connect to friends and activities. But just because this is normal does not mean you do not have boundaries. Remember that having rules without a relationship will result in rebellion. As you develop this relationship, it is important to not smother your teen and to require mutual respect in the relationship. You are not to be their friend, but a boundary enforcer, supporter, prayer warrior, unconditional lover, and a stable force in their out of control world.

As you seek to master your role as the parent of a teen, remember that you need support as well. Leaning on your spouse, friends, and loved ones through the tough times and to seek out wise counsel is important. It may be necessary to allow your teen to reach out to an adult other than you to guide and mentor them. It is not always as personal as it may feel. Being grateful that your teen has a support system outside of the family is a good thing. It encompasses the concept of “It takes a village to raise a child”. As you attempt to succeed as a parent to a teen, stay focused on your role and remember: “This too shall pass”.

• Imagine Hope Counseling Group

Imagine Hope Counseling Group provides marriage, couples, individual, and family counseling for adults, children, and adolescents. Imagine Hope is based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. Joleen Watson, Natalie Chandler, and Tamara Wilhelm opened the practice in 2005 with the desire to inspire hope for life and relationships, understanding that Hope is one of the most important things a person needs in order to keep pressing on when life gets tough. Shortly after opening Imagine Hope, Teri Claassen joined the practice and has been a tremendous asset to the company.

Combined, the therapists have over 40 years of specialized experience in helping others in the areas of depression, anxiety, infidelity, communication, addictions, and self-esteem. Imagine hope wants to help people realize their full purpose and utilize their talents and abilities. Having a passion for guiding people towards healthy, fulfilling relationships is their mission.

Imagine Hope Counseling Group

Being wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends themselves, each of the therapists understands the struggle to find the balance that each of these roles carries. The therapists are able to empathize with the responsibilities that come with each of these hats, and utilize that understanding in their sessions with clients and in their blogs. Additionally, Imagine Hope enjoys serving the public by reaching out thru TV, radio, conferences, and their resourceful website.

source: jek in the box

This week, Marci from Overcoming Busy is celebrating the relaunch of her wonderful blog, and she invited me to participate with a post on The Time Cost of Our Stuff.

You’ve probably thought about the cost of various knickknacks, doodads and gadgets around your home — at least for a minute or two — but have you ever stopped to think about the time cost of these same items?

How much time do you spend moving things? Cleaning them? Thinking about them?

Read more at Overcoming Busy…

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There is no such thing as a recession proof job.

With the incredible amount of unemployed people vying for a position and thousands more losing their jobs on a weekly basis, it makes no sense to view your job as a lock. Your employer doesn’t. Since December 2006 (quick, think back to what other significant event occurred in late 2006), unemployment rates have risen from 4.4% to 10% at the end of 2009 (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Books about “recession proofing” your job are flying off the shelves while the REAL unemployment rate is hovering north of 16 percent. Those numbers include people who have just given up or who aren’t working full time when they wish to. Unemployment among teens, those without high school diplomas, and minorities are even higher.

Understanding what your employer wants is critical and though each employment situation is unique, there is a definite benefit to knowing how to hang on to your job. What is your employer looking for? Here’s a general list of what employers look for in candidates that are applying for positions at your company and what they want to see in you.

What employers want:

• A record of achievements that match well with your employer’s greatest wants and needs. Nothing trumps having successfully “been there, done that,” so long as it’s relevant to what your employer wants.
• Intelligence, business savvy, and a willingness to learn.
• Honesty, integrity, and decency.
• A team player who meshes well with the company’s team and can integrate with the company’s culture.
• Likability, a positive attitude, and maybe a sense of humor. Be careful here, the wrong humor can get you in trouble.
• Excellent communication skills whether peaking, writing, talking on the phone, or using email.
• Dedication, flexibility, and a willingness to go the extra mile to achieve excellence.
• A goal setter with a clear sense of purpose.
• A high level of motivation and the enthusiasm to back it up.
• Confidence and leadership with an air of equanimity.

There are no guarantees. And while there may not be any such thing as a recession proof job, by knowing what your employer wants, you might be able to save your job … or more easily find another one.

This is a guest post from Hulbert Lee at FromBottomUp.

Let’s face it. We live in a society that’s run by capitalism.

If you’re in business, everyone can be seen as a competitor. The ones who have a cold, determined attitude to do whatever it takes to get to the top of their business are also often the people who are highly praised.

High rating TV shows like The Apprentice often teach us that in order to get a job, you have to be willing to out compete others and that there is no room for “nice” or you will be booted. But in my opinion, being nice has more long-term potential to help you in business.

3 Reasons Being Nice Is Better for Business

Here are the reasons I believe we should be nice:

1. Positive Impressions are Contagious

Every time you make a positive action towards others, whether it’s smiling, saying hello, or laughing at someone’s joke, you are spreading positive energy to them. They will hold in this positive energy when they receive it and potentially spread it towards others, making themselves feel better.

Even if people are having a bad day, they will remember back in their day, reminding themselves that there was at least one person who was nice to them and will remember you for it. Not only does it help them prosper, but one day they may return the favor to you.

2. You Never Know Who They Are

You never know who you will run into when you’re nice. I remember a story of Tony Robbins in his book Unlimited Power where he’s in New York. He walks and sits down on a bench in Central Park to see what’s going on.

He notices a man that sits across from him. He starts to do what the man does. When the man throws bread crumbs to the birds, he throws bread crumbs to the birds. When the man sways back and forth, he sways back and forth. When the man looks up, he looks up.

Soon the man walks up to Tony Robbins and starts to talk to him. They engage in friendly conversation together. The guy tells Tony that he feels that he has known him better in that moment than the people he’s known for twenty-five years. He then offers Tony a job. You never know who you will bump into in life that will hand you an opportunity after a friendly chat.

3. People Change Over Time

People change. A person that you are nice to now may turn out to be totally different from who they are today. What I’m getting at here is that we should be nice to people regardless of their status. They may not be the wealthiest person on earth, but you should still be nice to them anyway.

One day when they become a successful person, they will look back and think of those people who helped them become successful. One of those few people could be you and you never know what kind of help they might be able to offer back to you.

Take the High Road and Be Nice

Being nice is something that we should embrace, not just because we want something out of it, but because it just makes us a more fulfilled person inside.

If you consistently portray a nice personality, people are going to remember you for it, especially in a very competitive world. It’s hard to get past that initial fear of lending your hand out there, but if you’re willing to do so, not only will you be able to feel happier, but you’ll influence others in a positive way in which they may one day lend a hand back to you.

Like Jay Leno says, “Life is not that hard. Try giving a little. You would be surprised at how much you get back.”

This has been a guest post from Hulbert Lee. He writes about personal development and success at his blog, FromBottomUp. If you haven’t had a chance already, make sure you follow him Twitter or subscribe to his RSS feed to get his blog updates.

Photo by ZoofyTheJi

Related posts:

• 10 Ways Being Nice Is Good For You
• I Think Everyone Should Be In Business For Themselves
• How Running a Business Made Me a Better Employee

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A Quick Introduction to Dividends

If you are not a stock investor, or regularly dig into your mutual fund statements, you are probably like me and are unfamiliar with the concept of dividends. Basically, a dividend is a cash payout by a company to its to stockholders. Companies that raise a lot of cash, and are fairly stable (meaning not growing rapidly or in financial trouble), reward stockholders by returning a sum of cash to them on a per share basis, usually in quarterly payments.

Most companies raise or lower their dividend after quarterly earnings results are released. A handful of companies have long histories of increasing dividends over time, and now offer a healthy dividend yield.

Where to Find the Best Dividend Stocks

AT&T often appears on lists of best stocks to own for dividend investors. They have a long track record of paying dividends. In fact, they have increased their quarterly dividend for 26 consecutive years. While there is no such thing as a sure thing, this kind of long track record is what I’ll look for when selecting single stocks for our dividend portfolio.

How to Calculate a Stock’s Dividend Yield

AT&T (T) last declared a quarterly dividend of $0.42 per share, or $1.68 annually, in December 2009. At the time of this writing, their stock price is 24.86 per share. Dividing the annual dividend dollar amount by the current share price provides the annual dividend yield of 6.75%. Not too shabby, considering most online savings accounts are yielding around 1.30%.

AT&T Pays for My Netflix Membership

That sounds a little strange, so let me explain how this all works. AT&T doesn’t really pay for my Netflix membership, but the dividends I receive from AT&T stock alone cover that expense. That’s the way I look at dividend investing. Each time I add to my portfolio, and increase the amount I receive in dividends, it covers another expense. One day, it is not unthinkable that dividends alone could cover all of our basic living expenses.

I recently signed up for an online brokerage account and purchased 80 shares of AT&T to begin my dividend portfolio. Every three months, AT&T will return a dividend of $33.60 ($0.42 per share dividend x 80 shares). That works out to about $11.20 a month. After taxes, that is just enough to cover my $9.62 monthly Netflix bill. As long as AT&T continues to pay the dividend (and Netflix keeps its price steady) I’ll have our movies-at-home budget category covered.

Dividend Investing for Early Retirement

Last year, I wrote about the concept of an early retirement freedom chart to track passive income, active income and monthly expenses. It was an idea I got from my favorite personal finance book, Your Money or Your Life. In the book, the authors advocate creating a wall chart to track monthly expenses, actively earned income (from an employer, for example), and passive income (interest accumulation, dividends, etc.). I’ll actually track this in Excel, where I do most of my budgeting. I’ll plot our income, expenses and passive income each month.

As our income increases and we can invest more money, our passive income will rise. If we reduce expenses, or keep them flat, eventually the passive income line and monthly expenses line will intersect at a cross-over point. It is at this point where our living expenses are covered without the requirement to earn more active income. Hello financial independence!

The book’s author achieved this point by investing in Treasuries, but this was back in the early to mid 1990s when they were yielding an attractive six to seven percent. These days, that rate is much harder to find.

We plan to use a mix of cash-based accounts and dividend stocks to get to our cross-over point. We’ll diversify into 10-15 stocks across a range of sectors from utilities to telecom to consumer goods, and try to add a little to our positions each pay day. Slow and steadily, we will be building a portfolio of dividend stocks with the potential for lifestyle-sustaining income for the years ahead. That’s an exciting prospect!

Disclaimer: Please do not buy any stock mentioned here at Frugal Dad just because I mentioned it. Do your own research and buy positions that match your risk tolerance and income needs. One more note, single stock investing is risky, so aim to keep single stocks a relatively small percentage of our overall portfolio. We have 100% of our retirement funds in mutual funds, but I’ll dabble in single stocks for dividend investing.

Post by Frugal Dad

Tonight, over a couple of cocktails, one of my good friends spilled her guts to me about all of her failed attempts to find the perfect lover. Although her story was about her unique personal experiences, I couldn’t help but feel like I had heard the same story told by others in completely different circumstances a hundred times before.

It’s a story about the endless quest for perfection. And I think it carries a valuable life lesson, so I’d like to retell it to you in my own words.

The Perfect Woman

Once upon a time, an intelligent, attractive, self-sufficient woman in her late twenties decided that she wanted to settle down and find a husband. So she journeyed out into the world to search for the perfect man.

She met him in New York City at a bar in fancy hotel lobby. He was handsome and well spoken. In fact, she had a hard time keeping her eyes off of him. He intrigued her. It was the curves of his cheek bones, the confidence in his voice, and the comfort of his warm, steady hands. But after only a short time, she broke things off. “We just didn’t share the same religious views,” she said. So she continued on her journey.

She met him again in Austin a few months later. This time, he was an entrepreneur who owned a small, successful record label that assisted local musicians with booking gigs and promoting their music. And she learned, during an unforgettable night, that not only did they share the same religious views, he could also make her laugh for hours on end. “But I just wasn’t emotionally attracted to him,” she said. So she continued on her journey.

She met him again in Miami at a beachside café. He was a sports medicine doctor for the Miami Dolphins, but he easily could have been an underwear model for Calvin Klein. For a little while, she was certain that he was the one. And all of her friends loved him. “He’s the perfect catch,” they told her. “But we didn’t hang in the same social circle, and his high profile job consumed too much of his time,” she said. So she cut things off and continued on her journey.

Finally, at a corporate business conference in San Diego, she met the perfect man. He possessed every quality she had been searching for. Intelligent, handsome, spiritual, similar social circles, and a strong emotional connection – perfect. She was ready to spend the rest of her life with him. “But unfortunately, he was looking for the perfect woman,” she said.

The Story of Our Lives

As human beings, we often chase hypothetical, static states of perfection. We do so when we are searching for the perfect house, job, friend, or lover.

The problem, of course, is that perfection doesn’t exist in a static state. Because life is a continual journey, constantly evolving and changing. What is here today is not exactly the same tomorrow.

That perfect house, job, friend, or lover will eventually fade to a state of imperfection. Thus, the closest we can get to perfection is the experience itself – the snapshot of a single moment held forever in our minds – never evolving, never growing.

So rather than chasing an imaginary perfection, let’s start chasing life by flipping past the imperfections found on the cover of every entity we encounter and into the blank pages of possibility waiting beneath the cover that will eventually tell the story of our lives.

With a little patience and an open mind, over time, I bet that imperfect house evolves into a comfortable home. That imperfect job evolves into a rewarding career. That imperfect friend evolves into a steady shoulder to lean on. And that imperfect lover evolves into a reliable lifelong companion.

Photo by: Farfie

Our birthday girl and her baby sister!

The forecast says 50 degrees or more all weekend, and while there’s still snow covering most of the ground, I don’t think it’s going to be around long. As we usher in spring, we’ve got some pretty big changes coming for our family too (I’ll tell you more about those this week!), and life is busy and full of possibilities and promises.

I’m going to add a new feature to my weekend links posts where I share just a little bit about one of our current sponsors each week so you can hear a little bit about my perspective on each company and why I support their business. This week, let’s talk about Mabel’s Labels!

If you’ve been an Organizing Your Way reader for very long, you know that I tend to focus more on the function of an item than on its form. Thankfully, my husband is a very creative guy, and he combines my ideas with his design talents to make our home practical and beautiful. What I love about Mabel’s Labels is they’re extremely practical — iron-on clothing labels, allergy alerts and “my 411″ wristbands, labels for cups, bottles, toys and more. But that’s not all. They go a step further than your everyday label maker to combine practicality with fun & style in personalized labels that everyone in your family will love!

Before we head out for a fun family day, I’ve also got some great finds to share from the week. Be sure to check out my Tumblr account for even more (and I actually made it through most of Google Reader this week, so there’s quite a few if you’re looking for thought-provoking, practical and engaging posts!).

Home Management

:: Check out this adorable DIY earring holder that Tatiana found on YouTube.

:: List of Steps for Preparing Your Spring Garden, ListPlanIt

:: Get to Your Mess Before It Gets to You, Zen Family Habits

:: Organizing Tips for Bathrooms, A Fresh Start

:: Best Ways to Store Board Games, The Confident Mom
Welcome to the newest Life Skills Network member! Susan and her team of contributors have put together an amazing resource with practical tips and encouragement for moms.

Time Management

:: Healthy Sleep Habits, The Finer Things in Life (by Catherine at The Shoe Box Daily)

:: 5 Tips for Creating Family Routines and Establishing Rhythm in Your Home, Simple Kids

Money Management

:: 101 Common Money Myths, The Wisdom Journal

:: Do Something You Love Before You Have to Do Something for the Money, Frugal Dad

Have a wonderful weekend!

Support our sponsors:
:: Reduce your piles (and your stress!) with Simplify 101’s Organize Your Paper Clutter workshop (starts 3/9).
:: Mabel’s Labels: Your number one choice for children’s labels!
:: Achieve your goals with the Life & Goal Organizer from Get Organized Wizard.
:: Check out the Plan to Eat Online Meal Planner, because eating at home should be easier.

Here is the new $50 Cash Back Bonus from Discover More for those of you who missed it a couple years ago.

How to Get Your $50 Sign Up Bonus

1. Sign up for the Discover More card.
2. Make $599 in purchases within three months.
3. Receive your $50 cash back bonus within 8 weeks.

Discover Terms and Conditions

• Earn a $50 Cash Back Bonus when you make $599 in purchases within 3 months after your account is opened.
• Offer valid for new accounts only.
• Limit one per account.

Earn Even More Cashback

Each quarter you can login to your Discover account and sign up for the Discover Get More programs to get 5% bonus cash back on certain categories. The categories change each quarter. Here are the categories coming up for April through June 2010:

• Home Improvement Stores
• Department Stores
• Clothing Stores

Click here to leave a comment on this article.
© My Dollar Plan
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I’m sorry this wasn’t up yesterday. We moved servers in the morning and then the day got away from me! We’ll finish up our bathroom series next week.

I’ve been reviewing the Palm Pre Plus over at Deal Seeking Mom for the past couple of weeks, and it’s got me thinking…

How do you use technology to get organized?

Do you use online tools such as Evernote, Google Calendar or Springpad?

Do you have a smartphone or PDA?

Do you ever feel scattered by having your calendar here, your budget there, your address book way over this way and your your notes and reminders someplace else?

What are the benefits of technology you see in your own life? The drawbacks?

Support our sponsors:
:: Jumpstart your organizing efforts with the “Help, I don’t know where to begin!” workshop from Simplify 101 (starts 3/25).
:: Mabel’s Labels: Your number one choice for children’s labels!
:: Achieve your goals with the Life & Goal Organizer from Get Organized Wizard.
:: Check out the Plan to Eat Online Meal Planner, because eating at home should be easier.

I’m sick of my bank and their fees.

After getting researching the incredible differences between PerkStreet Financial^SM and traditional banks, I’m sold and I’m signing up. Why? The “PERKS” of course! Banks USE OUR MONEY and give us almost nothing in return – have you seen the rates in most savings accounts these days? Pitiful.

Visit PerkStreet.com to sign up for your free online checking account and the PerkStreet Financial^SM Visa® Debit Card. Read on and find out why.

More Rewards

• Finally, people (like me) who would rather spend using debit cards can earn the great rewards credit card users have been getting for years
• Spend $200 to earn a coffee ($2 value); Spend $100 to earn a song ($1 value) or spend $100 to earn $1 cash back, never a cap on what you earn
• Unlike other cards, they give me the same great rate no matter where I shop
• Never a fee, as long as I use my account at least 1x/month
• Other banks make their debit card rewards sound great, but they give me just a fraction of the rewards that PerkStreet gives me

More ATMs

• PerkStreet gives me access to the largest surcharge-free ATM network in the country (STARsf®)
• Located in the places I already go – like CVS®, Walgreen’s®, Target® and 7-Eleven®
• These ATMs aren’t branded PerkStreet Financial^SM but they are completely free to PerkStreet Financial^SM customers. Some banks reimburse you for ATMs but you’ll owe taxes on that ‘income’.
• Never make a special trip to a branch again
• More free ATMs than the big banks

Join me in signing up today.

Well, this post should be very brief as I want it to be more of a discussion. Today, I came across an article that talks about how you can guarantee yourself against the devaluation of your home. Basically, there is a product out there called Sirius Value Protection. The product is like a put option on stocks. It gives you the right to exercise the option to sell your home back to Sirius after eight years for the same price you bought it.

Most people are very weary of buying homes in depressed housing markets such as Las Vegas and Florida. This product supposedly will help ease the minds of weary buyers. For example, if you buy a house in Las Vegas tomorrow for $300,000, you don’t really have to worry if the price of the house falls. If the price 8 years down the road is $200,000, you can force Sirius to buy back your house for $300,000.

All of this comes at a fee though. Apparently the company wants to charge a 20% fee to homebuilders who are looking to get rid of their inventory. That’s quite a big chunk of change for homebuilders who are already so close to losing money on a home after they build it.

As many of you already know, my wife and I are in no position to buy. It is still going to be a few more years until we even think about a down payment or picking paint colors. However, I imagine some of you out there are shopping for a home right now buy are a little weary about the market.

Would you buy now knowing that you could recoup your money if things went even further south?

If you bought a home several years ago and are now upside down, would you exercise your option (if you had one) and sell your house?

Post by Frugal Dad

My biggest fear would be ending up with a bunch of barter credits that I can’t spend on anything that I need. However, the list of businesses that participate was so large (over 400 businesses), we could spend our credits on everyday things like restaurants, hotels, and satellite TV. It wasn’t just limited to services like plumbing and contractors that you might only need when something breaks.

Earning and spending through a barter exchange still has the same tax ramifications as traditional business models, but the idea is to generate more business for the member businesses. It seems like a great idea on the surface. I’m planning to look into it further to see if it’s something that would be beneficial for the new tax business to join.

If any of you have experiences with barter exchanges in your area, I’d love to hear about them! If you don’t have one in your area, it seems like a fun business for the owner to run (who takes a commission percentage of each barter), so maybe you just found yourself a new business idea!

Taxes

• Squeezing One Last Deduction out of 2009
• Ten-Minute Taxes for the Single Young Professional
• What Does Your Tax Money Actually Pay For?
• Online Tax Software Success

Money and Life

• Does retiring early lead to a shorter lifespan?
• Money is #1 Stressor in America
• The Key To Living Frugally

Credit

• All About Rewards Credit Cards
• 8 Tips to Keep Your Credit Card Information Safe When Shopping Online
• Credit Card Act: New Laws Are In Effect, So What’s Next?

By the Numbers

• 8 Simple Steps for Achieving Anything
• 20 Cost Cutting Tips To Keep Your Vacation In The Black
• 5 Ways to Reduce Financial Clutter

And More!

• Comparing 15 Year and 30 Year Mortgage Terms
• Living Below Your Means: Powerful Ideas to Help
• Saving for Infrequent Expenses and Financial Goals
• Carnival of Personal Finance

Click here to leave a comment on this article.
© My Dollar Plan
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Yeah, I know, it’s still cold in many areas, but SPRING is coming and you know what that means! Yard sales, the smell of freshly cut grass, grilled hamburgers, baseball games, and pool parties! Woo Hoo! There’s nothing like the feeling of getting rid of your unused stuff and getting cash in return. Sweeeeet!

Why have a yard sale?

• It helps you get rid of clutter
• It helps you make extra money
• It can be a social event
• It helps your kids learn to be entrepreneurial

Here are some of my personal tips for having a great yard sale.

Clean and de-clutter

Put some elbow grease into cleaning out your garage, your basement, your closets, and your attic in preparation for your yard sale. Get rid of anything you haven’t used in the last two years and don’t hold back! Just because you can’t imagine anyone wanting your junk doesn’t mean there isn’t someone who does. What have you got to lose by putting it up for sale? Budget plenty of time for the de-clutter step.

Make your yard sale an event

Involve the neighbors by asking them to have a yard sale the same day. Multi family yard sales attract a lot of people and the more “customers” you have viewing your wares, the better your chances of making some serious cash.

Advertise your yard sale

Remember the biggest principle of advertising – simplicity. Keep your signs simple and brightly colored. Post signs at busy intersections and on your front lawn. Big arrows pointing the way toward the sale make it easy for motorists to navigate their way to your wares.

And don’t forget to advertise in the newspaper (yes, there are still some around) and on Craigslist, at your church, and any other place where people gather.

Organize your yard sale the night before

Make sure you have some tables and a few chairs as well as plenty of change. Organize your products by what makes sense, baby items with other baby items, tools with tools, and toys with other toys. Hang any clothes and make sure you have an extension cord or a power strip ready for customers who want to test electronic items. Have a trash can nearby so people don’t drop trash in your yard.

Price your goods to sell … but not too low

As much as it pains you, others probably don’t value your goods as highly as you do, but don’t sell yourself short. I’ve been to yard sales where things were priced 10 percent under retail and others where things were all 10 cents. Neither approach makes sense but selling most items at 10 to 20 percent of their retail value is a good rule of thumb.

You can also make group offers — “everything in this box for $10” for example.

What day should you have a yard sale?

Saturdays are by far the most popular day, but I’ve seen very successful yard sales start on Thursdays or Fridays. If you decide to have your yard sale only on a Saturday, be prepared to start early. I’ve had people show up at 6am, knocking on my door in an attempt to get the best deals on the freshest merchandise. Don’t be afraid to tell them what time your sale starts but remember that you don’t want this stuff! Sell it as soon as possible!

Other yard sale tips

• Don’t hover over your customers
• Be prepared to haggle
• Don’t stick to your prices so firmly you miss every sale
• Set up limits of where you want customers to wander
• Let your kids sell cookies and lemonade
• Watch your cash box and keep most of your money inside your home
• HAVE FUN!

A yard sale can be a great source of quick cash. Use these tips to convert your stash of stuff to cash to pay off debt, pay for a vacation, or whatever you want.

Yard sale photo by by ‘SeraphimC
Yard sale sign photo by by AndreJenny.com

How do you approach living life to the fullest?

The approach you choose is very important.  There are a couple of ways that seem right at first, but they lead to dead-ends.

This is where Super-Charged Living stands out.  It creates a great life that has staying power.  It leads to a lasting joy and significance that is satisfying.

For me, Super-Charged Living is a journey.  It is an adventure.  One where I’m constantly fine-tuning my course to ensure I’m getting the absolute most from life.

The other day I heard some terms mentioned and contrasted that helped me clarify my mental picture of Super-Charged Living even further.

Let’s Look at Being Selfish, Selfless and Self-Invested

As you might have guessed, the three terms discussed were selfish, selfless and self-invested.  They were being talked about in a totally different context than living life to the fullest, but it struck me that they have a lot of importance here as well.

Selfish and selfless characterize a couple of common approaches to living a full life.  However, I would argue that these are not sustainable paths and in the end leave people wondering where they went wrong.  Let me unpack the two a little so you can see what I mean.

The Selfish Approach to Living Life to the Fullest

The image that comes to my mind when I think about the selfish approach to living life to the fullest is the jet set lifestyle.  This is the “its all about me” approach.  People living this way journey through life seeking pleasure.  They have a great time partying and living it up.

They spontaneously chase after whatever makes them feel good.  They believe the best life is living in the here and now.  They ask, “Why put off until tomorrow what you can enjoy today?”  They live for the moment with very little concern or worry for the future.

At first, this can seem like an appealing way to live.  It is carefree, adventurous and fun.  It is an escape from the day-to-day hassles we all deal with.  However, it also has its costs.  Throwing responsibility and the ties that bind to the wind may seem freeing at first, but it can backfire.

The disadvantages of the selfish approach:

• Self-centeredness ruins relationships which often leads to loneliness and regret later in life
• Takes lots of money to sustain which generally leads to piles of debt and financial issues
• Fast living takes its toll on the body which leaves one with chronic health issues
• Left with nothing to show for years of living and end up realizing it was chasing after the wind

Generally, these people blame others for bad outcomes in their life.  When people try to speak correction or guidance into their lives, they dismiss the wise as sticks in the mud.

All in all, a selfish approach to living life to the fullest may seem fun for awhile, but it will likely lead to a life of loneliness, regret and boring “glory day” stories.

The Selfless Approach to Living Life to the Fullest

At the other end of the spectrum is the selfless approach.  This avenue is probably less common, but still pursued by some.  In it, people put everyone else’s needs above theirs.  They are the consummate servants.

The selfless ones are generally pursuing significance.  They feel the best way to have a life of meaning and purpose is to do all that you can for others.  They throw themselves into the cause of their choice with passion.  You really want these people on your side because they are absolutely tireless.

You often find these people hanging around churches, charities and other humanitarian efforts.  They give until it hurts literally.  They can never say no and over time this begins to take its toll.

The disadvantages of the selfless approach:

• Selflessness leads to burnout and disillusionment
• Often ruins relationships because the individual is never available or invested
• Gives away all their money helping their cause and usually winds up broke and in debt
• Winds up with health issues because they never take time to care for themselves

Ultimately, these people often wind up blaming the organizations they serve for using them up and burning them out.  They leave with a bad taste in their mouths running away to sulk and put salve on their wounds.

Did you notice that both the selfish and selfless approaches to living life to the fullest have basically the same disadvantages? 

They are different paths to the same empty, lonely, powerless and joyless place.

The Self-Invested Approach to Living Life to the Fullest

This leads us to the self-invested approach to living life to the fullest.  This is where Super-Charged Living excels because it employs a long-term perspective.  I am convinced it is the best approach for regular people with real lives.

Investing is the act of committing something (time, money, energy, effort) toward an objective with the expectation of a profit or worthwhile result.  Self-investing then is putting in adequate time and effort to better one’s self to the point where you can expect a better life as a result.

The self-invested person realizes that all facets of life are interconnected.  You can’t live life to the fullest while failing at relationships or finances or finding purpose or healthy living.  If you do, then you are living below what is possible.

You learn to say no to some things in order to say yes to even better things.  In other words, the self-invested person sets boundaries.  For example, they know that relationships are important and that you can’t really give to others effectively when your cup is empty.

The ADVANTAGES of self-invested living are:

• It is sustainable over an entire lifetime
• It nurtures and encourages deep, meaningful relationships
• It builds a person up instead of tearing them down
• It is fun, rewarding and exciting without being irresponsible

Super-Charged Living is self-invested living.  It is taking care of yourself and what you have so you can maximize your effectiveness for others.  It is the best life possible!

Choose to Be Self-Invested for a Great Life

There are truly big differences between being selfish, selfless and self-invested.  Which will you choose?  If you are interested in living life to the absolute fullest, then please stick around and learn more about Super-Charged Living. 

How have your experienced selfish, selfless and self-invested living?  Leave me a comment and let me know.

Photo by Mr.Thomas

Related posts:

• Push Your Comfort Zone And Stop Being Selfish
• Overcoming Selfishness For A Simpler and Successful Life
• Super-Charged Living: Creating Significance and Joy in Life

Normally, we shop for groceries once a week. With the exception of things like bread, milk, and produce we could probably stretch that to two weeks. I’m told you can freeze milk and bread, but I’ve never had much luck with it.

How often do you shop for groceries? Do you find you spend more money if you shop more frequently?

The Frugal Roundup

Debt Update: February 2010. Adam and his wife managed to pay off over $2,500 in debt last month. Head over and check out their progress. (@Money Relationship)

To Succeed Financially, You Must Know Yourself. Here are some great questions to sit and ponder about. (@Million Dollar Journey)

8 Effective Ways to Raise Frugal Kids. A great guest post over at Man vs Debt about raising frugal kids – a subject near and dear to my heart. (@Man vs Debt)

How We Manage Our Money. Patrick Ryan from Cash Money Life recently came out from behind the anonymous curtain. One of his new goals in transparency and this post is a great first step. Congrats on the change Ryan! (@Cash Money Life)

Where Do All Our Taxes Go? As a follow up to the guest post earlier in the week on this very topic, TurboTax has published an interesting infographic at their blog. (@TuboTax.com)

Best of the Rest

• The Key To Living Frugally
• Workplace Violence
• How Cash Only Living Can Work
• My Grocery and Dining Out Budget Compared to My Neighbors
• 5 More Ways to Earn Some Extra Cash
• Know Your Financial Self

Post by Frugal Dad

Unemployment reached 10% in the United States for 2009, sending over 16 million people home without their normal paychecks. Some politicians and statisticians argue that the number is actually higher than 10% because the way that the information is gathered on unemployed people means that some people who are technically unemployed are not counted at all, including people who have been unemployed so long that they have simply just stopped looking for a job, or people who are underemployed (i.e. working part-time, but want more hours).

Tax Exempt Unemployment Payments

Typically if you receive unemployment from the government, you have to pay income taxes on all of it. With the passing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the first $2,400 of any unemployment compensation you received in 2009 is not taxable.

In order to take this tax exemption, on the 1099-G form you receive from the government, subtract out $2400 from the amount in Box 1, and then report this new amount on line 19 of Form 1040, line 13 of Form 1040A, or line 3 of Form 1040EZ. You can file a 1040EZ online for free.

Tax Deduction for Employment Search

You can deduct certain job search expenses so long as you are searching for a job in the same occupation, you itemize your taxes, and your miscellaneous itemized deduction write-offs (where you will be taking the job expense deductions) is greater than 2% of your adjusted gross income. If you are temporarily working in another field while looking for a job in the same occupation as before, then you can still take this tax deduction.

The following job search expenses are tax deductible: resume preparation, postage, copying fees, headhunter fees, meals while traveling (up to 50%), and mileage (for going to and from interviews, job counselors, etc.). These costs cannot be reimbursed by a potential employer.

Tax Deduction for Moving Expenses When Moving for a New Job

Did you move to take a new job? To qualify for the moving tax deduction, your new job must be at least 50 miles farther from your old home than your old job location was. Also, you must work at the new job for at least 39 weeks during the first 12 months after you move in the area of your new job.

If you qualify, you can deduct “reasonable” costs associated with your move, such as the cost of traveling from your old home to your new home, and the cost of moving your family members, including gas mileage, airfare, parking, tolls, etc. You can also deduct the cost of packing up your belongings and moving them, as well as connecting and disconnecting utilities, shipping your car and pets to your new home, the cost of storing your belongings within any period of 30 consecutive days after the day your things are moved from your former home and before they are delivered to your new home, and lodging while in-transit.

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Bathroom Storage Solutions

1. 6 Drawer Organizer Tower – Frost & Chrome, $29.79
2. Better Living Classic Three Chamber Dispenser, $24.99
3. Organize It All White Hair Care Rack, $16
4. Large, Customizable Under Sink Storage Shelf, $18.95
5. Umbra Capelli Organizer, Clear, $22.49
6. Mesh Shower Organizer, $6.99

Toothbrush Holders

1. Umbra Rubber Grassy Organizer, $8.81
2. Umbra Poke Storage Organizer, $13.08
3. Steeltek Pewter Veil Toothbrush Holder, $9.99
4. Drip & Dry ResidueFREE Toothbrush Organizer, $19.95

Jewelry Organizers

Okay, maybe most people don’t keep their jewelry in their bathroom, but I do, and I’ve been looking for a new jewelry box/organizer lately, so I wanted to include some of my finds!

1. Umbra Julia Layered Jewelry Boxes, $35.99
2. Hand Display for Necklaces, Bracelets and Rings, $22.60
3. Jewelry Display Stand/Rack, $17 (available in different colors)
4. Copper Delta Earring Display, $22
5. Red Leather Jewelry Box Organizer w/ Travel Case, $69.95
   (this is the one I think I’m going to add to my birthday wishlist)
6. Ultra 80-Pocket Hanging Jewelry Organizer, $10.99

Support our sponsors:
:: Simplify 101 helps you discover quick & easy ways to Organize Your Closet (workshop starts 3/11).
:: Mabel’s Labels: Your number one choice for children’s labels!
:: Make peace with your email and achieve Inbox Zen with these tips from Get Organized Wizard.
:: Check out the Plan to Eat Online Meal Planner, because eating at home should be easier.

I’ve fallen behind with my reading and still have about 7 more books to review, but I did some quick reads of three books this week:

In Master Your Debt, Jordan Goodman presents readers with some of the best debt elimination and reduction tips, and credit management that I have read in long time.

He packs the book with more than just information on mastering your debt, he also gets readers to fill in various worksheets to see where they can make changes to their financial lives. He covers credit reports, how to fix credit errors, how to select and properly use credit cards, and a great chapter on understanding mortgages. If you didn’t know what an ArcLoan, a Harmony loan, a HELOC, or a reverse mortgage is, you will after you read Chapter 5!

If it has ANYTHING to do with debt, from student loans to car loans to mortgages, Goodman has it covered. Since we live in such a debt laden society, this book is a great resource to help you understand debt and master it. I really liked his formula for becoming mortgage free in only seven years – that one idea is worth the book right there.

In Who Owns The World: The surprising truth about every piece of land on the planet, author Kevin Cahill presents the first comprehensive land ownership survey of all 197 countries and 66 territories in the world. You’ll never believe who the world’s top landowner is. Care for a spot of tea?

If you’re interested in geography at all, you’ll be fascinated by the fact that only 15% of the world’s population owns land. The author believes (as do I) that these staggeringly low numbers of landowners is possibly the single greatest cause of poverty.

So who are these huge landowners? Here is the top 5 with the number of acres they own and the approximate value:

Yes, Queen Elizabeth II owns ONE SIXTH of the land mass of the earth. Staggering isn’t it? That’s three times the size of the USA.

Speaking of the USA:

• The largest landowner in the US? Surprise, surprise – the US Federal Government.
• The largest corporate landowner? Plum Creek (a lumber company) with 7.3 million acres in 19 states.
• The biggest private landowner? Ted Turner at 1.8 million acres in 7 states.

This was a very interesting book with much more than just charts and graphs. The author explores how land ownership actually changes a society for the better.

How To Achieve A Heaven On Earth is a compilation of essays edited by John Wade. After asking himself how “a” heaven on earth could be achieved, he set out to read what other people thought about the subject and this book was the result. With articles and essays from a wide variety of people from different walks of life (from George Bush to Tony Blair to Paul Prudhomme to Alice Schroeder), the book has a distinct leftward slant but it isn’t too over the top. The chapters include peace, security, freedom, democracies, prosperity, spiritual harmony, racial harmony, ecological harmony, health, moral purpose and meaning, and individual paths to heaven on earth.

The book is easily read in snippets since there are 101 essays covering these topics, but personally, I’m not looking for heaven on earth because it isn’t here on earth.

Perhaps we could get closer to “heaven on earth” if some of these wealthy landowners would sell/grant/transfer/give land holdings to ordinary citizens. I’m not holding my breath …

Do you ever have trouble communicating?

Miscommunication is a common problem for all of us.  It happens all the time.  It even occurs when we least expect it and we often don’t know it happened until it is too late.

Making ourselves understood isn’t always as easy as we think.  However, there are numerous things we can do to improve our chances of being heard.  It just takes a little attention to detail.

Better communication skills will help us to avoid arguments, achieve our goals and generally get more of what we want out of life.

Guidance to Avoid Miscommunication

Have you ever seen a person that is having trouble getting their point across try talking a little louder in hopes it will help them to be heard and understood? 

I wished this worked, but it generally doesn’t.  This is a perfect example of how we misdiagnose miscommunication problems.  It doesn’t matter if we are communicating orally, in writing or visually, we often have a hard time figuring out the right things to do to communicate properly.

One of the steps I take when I want to improve an area of my life is to consult an expert.  Therefore, I’ve gone to some of the greatest communicators in history to get their advice. 

I’ve collected their quotes and distilled from them 10 powerful fundamentals to help us avoid miscommunication.  I know you’ll find these helpful.

1.  Never Assume You Were Heard Correctly

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
~ George Bernard Shaw

When your message is important, always check to be sure you were understood correctly.  This alone will avoid a great deal of miscommunication.  This is exactly why pilots have to repeat back to air traffic controllers the instructions they were just given.  It avoids a lot of disastrous mistakes.

2.  Don’t Let Your Emotions Take Over

“Speak when you are angry – and you’ll make the best speech you’ll ever regret.”
~ Dr. Laurence J. Peter

We are far better at communicating our desired message when we are calm, cool and collected.  In the heat of the moment, we often say things we don’t really mean or say it in a way that confuses our listener.  Always take time to compose yourself before you deliver an important message.

3.  Account for Personal Differences

“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” ~ Anthony Robbins

Effective communicators tailor their message to their audience.  Do you speak the same to a young child as you do to your spouse?  Most of us do not.  However, we also usually fail to go far enough in adapting our message to our intended listeners or readers.  We really need to get inside their heads if we want to be heard.

4.  Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

“When I get ready to talk to people, I spend two thirds of the time thinking what they want to hear and one third thinking about what I want to say.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

As a general rule, none of us spend enough time preparing, editing and revising our message as we should.  We also fail to test our message with a sample audience to verify it will be understood as we intended.  How many times have you asked yourself, “What were they thinking?”  Don’t let this happen to you!  A well-prepared communicator has a much better chance of getting the right point across.

5.  Be a Good Listener

“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.”
~ Ernest Hemingway

Of course, communication is a two-way street.  When others are talking, I’m usually formulating what I want to say next instead of really listening to them.  The better we listen and understand their point of view, the better we’ll be able to communicate our ideas back.

6.  K.I.S.S.

“The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.”
~ Joseph Priestley

Always keep the K.I.S.S. principle at the front of your mind when you are composing an important message.  Being simple and straightforward will usually get you the best results.  Your intent is to be understood, not to impress.

7.  Be Brief

“Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much.”
~ Robert Greenleaf

When you say too much, your listener loses focus and often misses the point.  Keep your message as  brief as possible.  Enough said.

8.  Use GREAT Visual Aides

“Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.” ~ Walt Disney

Visual aides when speaking or writing are superb ways to improve your chances of being heard and understood.  You’ll find some excellent resources for designing top-notch visual aides in my article titled I’m Sorry I Blinked and Didn’t Hear You.

9.  Never Pass Up an Opportunity to Practice

“The tongue is the only tool that gets sharper with use.”
~ Washington Irving

It is true that practice makes perfect.  The more we practice good communication skills, the better we get.  I’d also encourage you to invite someone to review your message that will provide honest feedback.  This is how we learn and grow.

10.  Don’t Forget About Body Language

“Saying nothing… sometimes says the most.”
~ Emily Dickinson

Remember, many experts believe that body language alone makes up more than 50% of what we communicate.  Learn what to do and what not to do when it comes to body language.  You can really confuse your audience if you get this wrong!

These Miscommunication Quotes Convey Great Wisdom

The wisdom in these quotes is priceless.  Who better to learn from than some of the best communicators ever to live?  Again, if you employ these fundamentals, you are sure to increase your chances of being heard.  Now go out there and sell your ideas!

What other tips would you suggest for avoiding miscommunication?  Leave a comment and let everyone in on it!

Photo by roland

Related posts:

• Miscommunication: How preconceived notions cause misunderstanding
• Five Fantastic Quotes on Perseverance and Persistence
• Striving For Excellence: Quotes You Should Live By

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“Home is the first school and first church for young ones; where they learn what is right, what is good, and what is kind; where they go for comfort when they are hurt or sick; where joy is shared and sorrow eased; where the simplest food is good enough for kings because it is prepared with love; where money is not as important as loving kindness; where even the tea kettle sings from happiness. That is home. God Bless it!” – unknown author

Today I am continuing my thoughts on the principles that I found in the book, “The Home Experience” by Devi Titus. I will share with you the first principle in Devi’s book and what she has to say about it as well as my thoughts. We will uncover more about the Dignity and Sanctity of the Home.

The first institution that God established was the family. He had a perfect plan and unfortunately, we as imperfect people have added our own “two cents” to the plan and the home has become a place of disorder, chaos and frustration. The complete opposite of what God intended.

Home should be our most treasured asset, unfortunately more and more women are devoting much of their energy to things outside the home. This ends up undermining home values, priorities and in the end our homes receive the last of our energy instead of it receiving the first.

The dignity of the home is seeing and experiencing its worth by those who are touched by it, in other words, those who are housed within its four walls. A home that has dignity sets certain standards, has routines, a feeling of order and creativity with the added Godly characteristics like love, honesty and loyalty.

The Sanctity of the home is its purity in heart and purpose – the atmosphere, mood and tone that is set and carried throughout. The home is the place for the human soul to find peace, comfort, be refreshed and restored. Can you say that your home falls into being a place where your family can be renewed and restored?

In the book, “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, Edward Gibbon gives five basic reasons why great civilizations withered and died. One that hits me most and is as true today as it was when he wrote the book in 1788:

“The undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis for human society.”

Home is the basis for human development and as sure as you can agree, home has ceased to be the center of family activity. It seems we are everywhere BUT home: day-care, over-time work, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, music lessons, shopping malls and fast food restaurants. You can end up creating a life where you are only home to fall into bed at night.

In our society the value of the home has dramatically changed, wouldn’t you agree? There has been a slow erosion of the home and the value of the person whose role is to maintain and create the structure to allow the home to be a place of renewing. The term Family Manager has just started to come back around as well as the value this role has within the home. I can’t help but wonder where society would be today if we had not been sold the lie and status quo to be more “outside” the home than inside it. It is time to make a difference and the first place that you can is your home.

As mother’s, we have a great power and influence to create a different path for our next generation if we put forth the effort and create the environment that our home needs to be. Do you take extra care in the appearance of your home? This does not mean it is spotless, but do you keep it orderly? Are there routines in place that create a natural flow in your home? I like Devi’s list of steps to take to see where you might improve to make your home a place where your family loves to come home to:

• Make a list of things in your life that have undermined the home
• Ask forgiveness for underestimating the importance of the atmosphere in your home.
• Learn everything you can about home care and develop these skills
• Observe other families whose values you respect. Learn by observing their lifestyle.
• Rearrange your schedule so you can be at home more.
• Make home a priority.

“The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands, the foolish one tears hers down.” Proverbs 14:1

I encourage you to move forward and create a place of peace for your family. I can tell you from personal experience, your efforts may be unnoticed, but the outcome will be seen very clearly in every member of your family. I would love to hear your ideas and share your thoughts on this principle. Look forward to the next in the series: “The Also Principle

Photo by jboy daniel

Biggest Bang for Your Buck, or in this Case, Your Time

1. Increase your deductible. I only recommend this step if you have an adequate emergency fund in place to cover the cost of the deductible. While raising your deductible can significantly reduce your premiums, the last thing you want to happen is to go into debt after an accident to cover repairs.

2. Drop unnecessary coverage. Comprehensive or collision coverage for older vehicles may not make sense financially. Consider the annual cost to insure older vehicles compared to their potential sale value. It may be that it costs more to insure an older vehicle than it costs to replace one. On the other hand, if you have little savings, insurance may be a relatively inexpensive way to replace an asset worth a few thousand dollars.

3. Buy car insurance and homeowners insurance from the same provider. If you already have a homeowners policy in place, contact the insurer and ask if they offer auto insurance. Chances are you’ll receive a multi-policy discount for purchasing both from a single provider.

4. Shop around, and don’t be afraid to take your search online. Do a little comparison shopping by getting two or three quotes from multiple sources. Esurance.com is a great place to start your online search.

5. Inquire about other discounts. When discussing your policy quote with an insurer, specifically ask about any other discounts you may qualify for, such as low-mileage driving, the installation of car alarms or the successful completion of defensive-driving courses.

6. Look for group discounts. I received a small discount on my car insurance by signing up through a link provided by my credit union. The insurer partners with them to offer credit union members an opportunity to save through a group discount. Ask your employer, professional organization or financial institutions if they have any similar partnerships.

Keeping Auto Insurance Costs Low: Maintenance Mode

7. Maintain a clean driving record. One of the quickest ways to increase your car insurance costs is to have an accident or get a ticket for a moving violation. Tickets add points to your license and increase your insurance costs. Accidents increase your risk profile to current and potential insurers and increase premiums.

8. Clean up your credit report. Those not fond of the FICO score may find it objectionable that insurance companies use your score, in part, to determine your premium. However, statistics show a correlation between bad credit and a propensity to receive more tickets and be involved in a crash.

9. Drive “low-profile” cars. That is, drive cars that are not typically a target for thieves or radar guns. Annual reports are available that list the most popular stolen cars each year. Studies have also show certain models and colors are more likely to be stopped for speeding (red sports cars, for instance). In their prime, the two cars shown above would have definitely been high-profile cars.

Saving money on car insurance is a quick way to make a significant reduction in your monthly expenses. Shopping around for quotes and making a few phone calls could be well worth the effort, so I’d encourage you to make this a priority.

Post by Frugal Dad

This month, Amazon.com is running three different magazine promotions with dozens of magazines on sale:

Food & Health

:: Fitness, $8.97 (after $5 instant discount)
:: Self, $10
:: Cooking Light (2-year), $24 (receive $10 gift card w/ purchase)
:: Health (2-year), $19.97 (receive $10 gift card w/ purchase)

Home Management

:: Good Housekeeping, $7
:: Better Homes & Gardens, $9.97 (after $5 instant discount)
:: Ladies Home Journal, $11.97
:: O, The Oprah Magazine, $15
:: Sunset (2-year), $30 (receive $10 gift card w/ purchase)

Decorating & Landscaping

:: House Beautiful, $10
:: Country Living, $10
:: Do It Yourself, $14.97
:: Garden Design, $15
:: Veranda (2-year), $15
:: This Old House (2-year), $19.97 (receive $10 gift card w/ purchase)

Business & Finance

:: Smart Money, $7
:: Wired, $10
:: American Photo, $10
:: Forbes, $29.99 (receive $10 gift card w/ purchase)

Find more discounted magazines here!

Support our sponsors:
:: Reduce your piles (and your stress!) with Simplify 101’s Organize Your Paper Clutter workshop.
:: Mabel’s Labels: Your number one choice for children’s labels!
:: Achieve your goals with the Life & Goal Organizer from Get Organized Wizard.
:: Check out the Plan to Eat Online Meal Planner, because eating at home should be easier.

However, a few weeks later she received some 1099s reporting interest she had forgotten about. In addition, she didn’t know that she was eligible to claim the education tax credit for her tuition.

When to File an Amended Tax Return

You’ll need to file an amended tax return if you made a mistake and need to fix your income, deductions, or credits.

In this case, my client needed to report the additional interest which affected her income, and she needed to claim the education tax credit.

How to File an Amended Tax Return

Amended tax returns have to be filed using the paper form 1040X. You need to include a corrected income tax return with the amendment. Here’s how to complete the 1040X:

• New Numbers. Include the numbers from your original tax return, your new tax return, and the difference between the two.
• Explanation. You’ll need to explain to the IRS what you are changing and why. For example, if you forgot to claim your new car tax deduction, identify the change clearly and explain why. I also include the amount of the change and keep the explanations very concise.
• Mail Your Return. Amended tax returns cannot be efiled, so you’ll have to mail them to the IRS. Don’t forget to sign and date your return before you drop it in the mail!

Amended Tax Return Deadline

The deadline for filing amended tax returns is three years after the original tax deadline on April 15. For example, a 2009 tax return can be amended until April 15, 2013.

The good news… our client will be getting back another $2,000 for filing an amended tax return!

Click here to leave a comment on this article.
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source: Nathan T. Baker

This post was first written as part of Simple Mom’s Spring Cleaning Party last spring. I think it’s worth repeating as we talk about bathroom organization this week:

I think each room we tackle presents its own unique challenges, and the bathroom is no exception. Bathroom cabinets and drawers are often filled with duplicate or half-used products, and linen closets become overstocked with all the things we might use one day. Because many of these things are expensive, it’s easy to justify the space they take up and then forget they’re there until long after they’ve expired.

Let’s look at a few common obstacles that keep us from having simple and organized bathrooms and linen closets:

Stockpiling

Tara, THE Deal Seeking Mom, is one of my best friends, so I know a few things about stockpiling great deals and collecting samples. While it’s easy to get caught up in “the thrill of the hunt” and find yourself requesting every free sample that becomes available and stocking up on every product that someone in your family might one day need, I’m going to take a radical approach and tell you that it’s okay to only request the samples and buy the products you know you’ll use.

I’ve stopped playing the drugstore game, despite the fact that “purchasing” more products was actually saving me money through a combination of coupons, store deals and ECBs (for more on what that all means, visit Deal Seeking Mom). I still take advantage of the deals for products we regularly buy and use, but I avoid the rest because I’m unwilling to give up space in my home to house them, even temporarily.

Half-Used Supplies

Another common pitfall we’ve faced in the past is opening a new toothpaste/deodorant/whatever before the first one was completely empty, either because we wanted to switch flavors/scents/brands or because using a new one is easier than trying to squeeze the last bit out of the old one. Having a collection of almost-empty products in our bathrooms was a major contributor to the clutter.

My solution was to pack up all the extras in a storage bin and store it on the shelf in the laundry room. We’re still able to get to them when we need something, but we’re less likely to pull out a new one before we need it. We try to follow the “something in, something out” rule and throw away older products (if we find that we don’t really like them or they’re not really effective) when we get out a new one.

Towels, Towels and More Towels

It’s also easy to keep dozens of extra towels in your linen closet “just in case” you need them one day. If you find that you have way too many for your family’s needs, consider paring back to a number that’s closer to what you really need. Cut up worn towels as rags and pack the rest away in the basement so that you can get to them if you need them without having to deal with them on a daily basis.

The Medicine Cabinet

And finally, the medicine cabinet is another area where it’s easy to become overstocked, but it’s also an area where it’s important to get rid of expired items and keep a list of the basics.

Think about what medicine you use regularly and need to keep on hand and create an inventory list for yourself, similar to the one you keep in your pantry. For us, even though we live in the boonies, the list is pretty basic – children and adult’s Tylenol, children and adult’s Motrin, Sudafed, NyQuil (for my husband), Airborne, Milk of Magnesia, Tums, bandaids, Neosporin, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, a thermometer and a couple packs of Pedialyte. Per the FDA’s newest recommendations, we don’t give our kids (who are all 5 and under) any over-the-counter medicines besides pain relievers/fever reducers, and our inventory reflects this.

Running out of the basics is never fun, especially in the middle of the night with a feverish toddler, so I try to stay aware of what we have and what we might need so that our stock never gets too low. Storing all of our bandaids and bandages organized inside the first aid kit we bought years ago keeps them organized and makes them easy to sort through. The rest of the medicines get sorted every six months or so to get rid of any that have expired.

Maintaining the Bathroom

Because the bathroom, like the kitchen, is used regularly throughout the day, it can be a challenge to keep it sparkling and organized. My advice comes straight from the FlyLady’s playbook. My husband still uses a new towel every day (despite my best efforts to convince him to let it air dry and reuse it for a few days first!), and my morning routine now includes just grabbing his towel and wiping down the sink before taking it to the laundry room. You could also keep a rag and mild cleaning solution under the cabinet for a quick spray and wipe each morning. Because our master bathroom is also the only bathroom on our main level, it’s important to keep it clean, and the simple process of wiping the sink makes a huge difference.

Are you dreading cleaning your bathrooms today? Do you have overflowing cabinets and linen closets full of products you might use one day? What’s one thing you know you should add to the give/sell pile but you really don’t want to?

Support our sponsors:
:: Reduce your piles (and your stress!) with Simplify 101’s Organize Your Paper Clutter workshop.
:: Mabel’s Labels: Your number one choice for children’s labels!
:: Achieve your goals with the Life & Goal Organizer from Get Organized Wizard.
:: Check out the Plan to Eat Online Meal Planner, because eating at home should be easier.

What if much of what you think you know is wrong?

Just because a belief is widespread and pervasive doesn’t mean that it’s true. If you read or hear something about personal finance or money, take a few moments to think it through. Do some independent research to see if there could be another side to the coin. And never let a financial myth stand in the way of achieving your financial goals. The only way one of these money myths can stop you is if you believe it.

I assembled some pervasive money myths after listening to unsuccessful people over the years. This is a big list, but I’ll bet you have a few you could add to it. Which of these have you heard?

1. I don’t need to start a business or ask for a raise, I’ll just wind up paying more in taxes anyway.

2. Saving 10 percent of my income is plenty to carry me to financial freedom in my retirement.

3. There is a magic bullet out there somewhere that will make me rich – I just need to find it.

4, All credit cards are alike.

5. Budgeting is for nerds. I don’t need to waste my time.

6. A few late payments on my credit card won’t hurt my credit score.

7. A few bounced checks won’t hurt me either. The bank knows I’m good for it!

8. An emergency fund is for someone who always lives in fear.

9. I don’t want anything expensive so I don’t need a savings account.

10. I’m debt free so I don’t have to worry about managing my money or budgeting.

11. More money will make me happy.

12. I’m renting out my home while I’m living in another city but I don’t need to tell my homeowners insurance company.

13. I can’t switch checking accounts because I’m using overdraft protection.

14. I can eat out at restaurants as cheaply as I can prepare meals at home.

15. The more credit cards I apply for, the better.

16. I don’t need a will since my spouse and I own everything jointly.

17. My home equity is my retirement plan.

18. I don’t make enough money to save.

19. Going to a private college is always worth the cost.

20. Individual stocks are the best investment for the long run.

21. I can time my stock buys and sells to take advantage of trends in the market.

22. No one can pick stocks effectively.

23. Renting a home is like throwing money away.

24. My work is just a job and all I need to do is enough to not get fired.

25. All loaded mutual funds are bad and any no-load fund is better.

26. I don’t need to understand “how” an ETF makes money, I just need to know that it does.

27. All mortgage companies have the same rates and fees.

28. Real estate agents really understand the ins and outs of personal finance.

29. I’m not very good at math so I can’t manage my own money.

30. I always get a raise and a bonus every year so I don’t need to worry about setting up a budget.

31. Being happy is a direct result of being able to buy whatever I want.

32. Money is the source of all evil and trying to make more money is a bad thing.

33. It’s a fantasy to imagine that someone would PAY me to do what I love.

34. With today’s low interest rates, I’m better off keeping my money under a mattress rather than in a savings account.

35. I can make extra money anytime I want.

36. Making extra cash by using the Internet is easy.

37. You always get what you pay for.

38. The US income tax is illegal and voluntary according to their own charter.

39. One of the major advantages of home ownership is the ability to deduct your mortgage interest on your income taxes.

40. Real estate investing is the answer to all my financial problems.

41. Late night television infomercials have great ideas for making more money.

42. Don’t worry about the fine print – credit issuers won’t put anything nefarious in the contract.

43. Bad credit won’t stop me from getting a great job.

44. Bad credit won’t stop me from renting my dream apartment either.

45. Unemployment benefits will keep me afloat for six months or more.

46. I shouldn’t deprive myself of anything.

47. It’s too late to do anything about college financial aid.

48. Money is scarce.

49. Paying all bills online is always cheaper.

50. If I decide to walk away from my home, the mortgage company won’t care because they get to sell the home and keep the profit.

51. I’m too old to start saving now.

52. I’m too young to save just yet.

53. I’m middle aged and still trying to get established so I don’t need to save either.

54. I don’t need to worry with protecting my identity.

55. Term life insurance is always the best bet.

56. I’m too young to waste money on life insurance.

57. I don’t need any life insurance because no one is dependent on my income.

58. No matter how much I have on deposit at the bank, I’m protected by the FDIC.

59. A debt consolidation loan is the answer to my problems.

60. I can declare bankruptcy on my student loans and get rid of them forever.

61. Bad credit will follow me for the rest of my life.

62. All credit cards come with automatic travel insurance.

63. Life insurance is voided in cases of suicide.

64. Only the rich pay higher taxes.

65. Stockbrokers are required to have my best interests at heart.

66. When the market hits the skids, it’s time to sell everything.

67. A 401(k) is always the best way for me to save for retirement.

68. I don’t have the time to develop a side income.

69. I’m smart enough to do everything financial on my own.

70. I can’t find a job that I really want.

71. Whatever it is, it won’t happen to me.

72. It’s useless to save money for college since my kids will be less eligible for financial aid if I have a nest egg.

73. Once you hit your salary goal, you’ll be satisfied.

74. I can change my phone number and get those debt collectors off my back.

75. Using Consolidated Credit Counseling will hurt my credit.

76. If something is on sale, it makes sense to buy it … just in case you need it later.

77. Actively traded mutual funds outperform index funds.

78. To retire, you’ll need 80 percent of your current income.

79. Retirement means kicking back and relaxing all the time.

80. I shouldn’t worry about paying off my mortgage early.

81. I can’t do anything to positively affect my credit report.

82. Young people don’t have credit scores.

83. A bigger home is a sign of success.

84. You can get full Social Security benefits at age 65.

85. Money experts are skillful with numbers.

86. When layoffs are coming at work, it’s best to stay under the radar.

87. My credit score will improve if I always carry a balance.

88. I need a large sum of money to start investing.

89. The government will take care of my mortgage if I have problems paying it.

90. Borrowing funds to invest (using other people’s money) is a sure-fire way to make a fortune.

91. I make rational, reasoned decisions when I spend money.

92. A stack of credit cards could be used to successfully fund a new business.

93. I should buy GOLD!

94. There aren’t any really creative ways for me to save money.

95. Minimum payments on my credit cards are okay.

96. I can’t increase my value at work.

97. I don’t need any particular strategy when paying off debt.

98.I need someone else to help clear up my credit.

99. MY job is secure.

100. I’m too old to buy life insurance.

101. There’s nothing money can’t buy.

Photo by Precious Dream

In our continuing quest to help you get the most out of life, The Life Skills Network has added a fantastic new blog to our group.  I’d like to extend a warm welcome to The Confident Mom!

By her own admission:

Susan Heid (a.k.a. The Confident Mom) is passionately committed to guiding you, a busy mom, to find clarity, control and confidence, so you can re-energize your role as a mom, home and family manager as well as develop your God-given potential as a woman.

 

The Confident Mom brings a new dimension to our network that was sorely needed in my opinion.  Obviously, her site is geared mainly toward mothers, but in perusing the content, I think there is a lot of great wisdom being published that we will all find useful.

Here are a few articles that I found particularly intriguing and that I’m sure you’ll enjoy too:

Are You Teaching Your Children to Live Without You?

I am a big believer in the need to teach our children independence.  Susan offers some fantastic advice in this post about how to raise self-reliant adults.  Our children have to learn to make decisions on their own when the consequences of a “bad decision” are a lot less damaging.  This article will help you take the proper steps in this direction.

Controlling Toy Chaos!

If you have young children, then you know how the toys get out of control.  I really like the tips provided in this article about how to reduce your chances of stepping on a Lego.  Besides just keeping things a little neater, the suggestions here will also help you teach your kids about getting organized.

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies…In a Jar

Want something sweet?  Check out this delicious recipe for some incredible cookies!  They sound awesome and the way this article suggests packaging them can transform the whole thing into a nice gift for someone special.

Join Me in Welcoming The Confident Mom

I hope you’ll join me in offering a warm welcome to The Confident Mom by taking a moment to visit her site and leave her a comment.  I’m sure she would greatly appreciate making your online acquaintance. 

I also hope you’ll stay tuned here at MySuperChargedLife.com for more exciting ways that regular people can learn to live life to the fullest!

Related posts:

• Extraordinary Life Network: We Are Making Ordinary Obsolete
• Smart Living: A Deep Look Into Living Life to the Fullest
• 25 Things Every Father Must Teach His Daughter About Life

© My Super-Charged Life, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Photo by Justin Donnelly

It felt a little strange giving this advice since from the time I was his age I have largely done what I had to, or whatever I could do, to earn money. That included staying at a particularly lousy job for over six years in my early twenties while working my way through the rest of school. As bad as that job was, I couldn’t afford to quit. After all, I had a wife, a baby, and student loans to feed!

Yes, I jumped onto the debt bandwagon in college, accumulating debt for schooling itself and credit card debt for the little “perks” that came with college life (college textbooks, late-night pizzas, and a few Sony Playstation games I just HAD to have). I spent the next decade working to pay off my years as a spendthrift.

But my cousin has the chance to take a different path. I’ve joked with him before that if I knew what I know now at his age, I’d be approaching early retirement. He laughed, until I told him he wouldn’t be laughing when he’s my age with very little savings, and a list of monthly obligations for which he trades in his free time to be in an office 40-50 hours a week. I told him to simply do something he loved, before he had to something for money.

Do Something You Love

I’ve never liked the “Do Something You Love” mantra, probably because I feel a little like I missed my chance to take that advice. I suspect there are plenty of 30-somethings out there who share this same feeling. But there is still time to reinvent ourselves. There is still time to chase our own dreams of what we want to be when we grow up.

The first step is to free ourselves from the financial shackles we voluntarily placed around our own legs years ago. So many people think a framed diploma and a job offer entitle them to a new car, a big house and new toys. Not so. It is far more important to build emergency savings, begin to invest for retirement, and save cash to pay for large purchases. But try telling that to your average 23 year-old.

We’ve all heard this before from parents and grandparents, but life really does have a way of sneaking up on you. After college there’s some single life to be enjoyed, but soon a spouse and child come along with a whole new set of financial worries.

You get your wills done (the first real wake up call that yes, you are mortal), buy some life insurance, look for a home, scan the safety ratings of a potential car purchases, and open a college savings account. And that’s just in the first few months of being a parent!

Over the years, you’ll celebrate certain milestones, which have a way of coming quicker and quicker the older your kids get. Before long you’ll be worrying about them driving (and worrying about what they will drive), wondering if you’ve saved enough for college, and then hoping they land on their feet, financially, instead of landing back in their old bedroom.

All that to say, if you are young, please choose to live frugal and do something you love. It’s a decision much easier made at 25 than 35.

Post by Frugal Dad

I’m not talking about the birthday money your grandfather gave you, or the allowance you got for taking out the trash or washing the dishes. I’m talking about money you earned from your own work and effort.

The first thing I remember buying with my own money was a metal detector when I was about 11 years old. It was a cheap little model that excelled at finding nails and other little metal objects in our yard, though it didn’t find the treasures I hoped. I can remember seeing an “incredible opportunity” in the back of one of my Superman comic books for people who were willing to sell Christmas cards and other greeting cards door to door. I was the little entrepreneur who sent off for the BIG catalogue and followed all the sales instructions. And yes, I got paid. Sometimes in cash, other times in prizes, but the company allowed you to determine which. MY first paycheck was that metal detector and it motivated me!

I can still remember the intense excitement when the UPS man drove up to our house. I knew what was in that log box and the only thing I needed at that point was 4 D-cell batteries.

The amount of commissions paid per sale wasn’t significant (as I recall it was about one dollar per box) but what it taught me was that labor meant profit and it put me in control of getting the things I wanted. I learned to ask questions of the little old ladies in the neighborhood such as, “Have you ever wished you didn’t have to go to the drugstore for a greeting card?” or “How much did you spend on Christmas cards last year? I can save you some money!”

I was a regular little salesman and I insisted on getting referrals. Looking back on it, my own social ignorance of how much of a pest I was had to have partially contributed to my success. Of course, those little old ladies were just happy that someone was visiting …

What’s the first thing you remember buying with YOUR own money? How did you earn it?

Leave your replies in the comments and yes, a jaded recollection of ancient history is allowed!

Photo by Hippycritical – thanks for the memories!