I don't know if McDonald's does this anymore, but they used to have these signs on their drive-thrus that said "Smiles Are Free." I always liked that. Especially as a troublemaker trying to force the employees to give them to us ;)

I was reminded of this because my sister just sent our family one of the sweetest, and most wonderful, emails I've ever seen! She wants all of us to mail her pictures of us smiling, and then she'll be converting them into mini-paintings to give to our dear grandmother :) She hasn't been doing so hot in her hospital/living quarters recently, and the idea is to mail her one smile a day until she's recouped! Doesn't that just want to make you cry?

As sappy as it sounds, it reminds me of just how little money can affect happiness at times. Having a lot gives us options, of course, and I'll continue pimping it out forever, but when you're 80 and alone and not feeling that well, all the benjamins in the world aren't gonna do it for ya. You can't buy friends or family members! (at least not the good kind ;)) And this is something I personally need to remember more. I get so caught up in my own stuff that I tend to forget about what's truly important in life - you human beings!

So today, I leave you with one big *smile*, right from the heart. It goes out to each and every one of you, and it's priceless. You can't buy THESE off the internet, baby!

// end sappiness

Labels: life, love, randomness 3000

I've been getting jack for sleep this week, and I'm starting to realize how valuable it is. I can't think straight and all my days are mushing together like some sort of cracked-out dream (and not in a good way). Coffee doesn't even work on me any more :)

The one and only thing I need right now is SLEEP. It's just not for sale, and that makes me sad. Sure I could manage my time better and stop doing the things that are sucking away my attention, but sometimes it just doesn't work. At least not for me - I enjoy life! I'd stay up all night if I could.

Unfortunately our bodies need rest though, and we need to give it to them. But what if we could BUY sleep? Like, at some hourly rate? (There's an App for that!) Would you grab some? I would. Not a lot - say, 2 or 3 hours? - but it would be nice to have as an option. Of course, that would also depends on how MUCH these hours would go for.

I think I'd pay $20 or $30 for an extra hour, how about you? Maybe even $50 for 100% PURE REM-type sleep ;) The varieties could be endless in this Dream World. In fact, I bet the higher the amount, the more likely I'd be forced to get my act together! Haha... Dropping $50 every now and then is one thing, but every other day? Shoooooot....no way mang. I'd just have to buck up.

Labels: life, randomness 3000

I'm reading this killer book by Leo Babauta called The Power of Less, and in it he suggests to spend 15 mins. a day on a new habit to work on. It's brilliant! Just enough to get you to take action, but not enough to wear you out. I actually look forward to this "work on me" time!

I've been using it to declutter our house more (and subsequently my brain), but you can surely apply it to anything in life - even finance. It's been about 12 days now and I'm still going strong, baby! Incredible. And perfect for us A.D.D. folk ;)

What I love the most about this concept is that it gets you to STOP all the craziness of your day - whether it's in the morning, day, night, whatever - and helps you to FOCUS on a simple task. Whatever you choose it to be. It's fascinating because you'd think out of 24 hours each day that 15 minutes wouldn't mean jack, but sometimes we just go and go and go w/out ever stopping and consciously prioritizing our time and wants in life. Like everything's one big "swoosh," ya know?

15 minutes doesn't seem a lot of time (power of less, eh?) but it can do wonders if spent wisely. Think about it - what would you do with an extra 15 mins every day? If a genie stopped time and said GO! Do whatever you want for 15 mins and then we'll start the day up again! Would you use it to better your lifestyle?

I encourage you to take a few minutes right now and really think about what goal you'd love to achieve this month. It could be the smallest, or simplest one out there - it doesn't matter. What's important is that it's a habit that makes you happy. A habit that gets you towards a healthier YOU.

Here are some ideas if it helps. Some are financial, and others not:

• Declutter your house. In these past 12 days I've cleaned out my closet, drawers, cabinets under the sink, kitchen cupboards, and just last night my file cabinets! (although that took 3 hours - but the point is I would have never started had it not been for this new mindset)
  
• Review a bill each night. I guarantee you'll find places you're overspending.
• Run/walk around the block. Much easier to do knowing it's only 15 minutes, right?
• Do art.Pick up a brush, sharpie, block of clay, whatev. Just go for it!
  
• Eat healthier. Prepare 1 meal ahead of time each day so you know you're eating well.
• Clip/download coupons. Buy the same stuff every week? Spend a few mins finding deals!
  
• Review your cash flow. Jot down what went out, and what came in for the day.
  
• Read before bed. If you're a slacker like me, this will really get you in the habit of reading more :) Plus, I find it's a great way to let your mind release that day's stresses before zonking out.

The list goes on and on my friends! I asked my newsletter subscribers this very same question and the results were outstanding (some of which are listed above). I may be in the "new & shiny" excitement phase right now, but I honestly couldn't be happier. And I want YOU to be happy too! So again I ask - how could 15 minutes improve YOUR life today?

Labels: advice, goals, life, minimalism

Happy Valentines Day! This is my present to you - the free LOVEveryday eBook :) But only read if you're in an awesomely loving mood! haha...that's your warning V-Day haters.

But seriously, 25+ of us bloggers joined together to create it and I really think it came out well. It hits up all facets of "the relationship" (caring for each other, time management, finances, living together, etc etc) and you can't help but feel GREAT afterward! Major congrats to all participants:

The Generous Husband, 48 Days, Make Mine Happen, The Simple Marriage, My Super-Charged Life, Marriage Prep 101, Love Talk, Project Happily Ever After, DamienRiley.com, Smart Passive Income Blog, The Generous Wife, Mama Notes, Organizing Your Way, Enemy of Debt, Life Gems, It Might Be Love, Project M, Feeling Flirty, Practical Manliness, Budgets Are Sexy (me - woohoo!), The Marry Blogger, Change Therapy, Zen Family Habits, Serene Journey, Affair Care, Engaged Marriage, One Extraordinary Marriage, She Just Got Married

Enjoy! Download (PDF): LOVEveryday: Thoughts On Loving Amidst The Chaos Of Life

Labels: holidays, life, love

As I sit here typing this, the DC is getting yet another 10-20 inches of snow - on top of the 2+ feet we just got! I don't know where you live, but this is craziness for us. I think we got like 5 inches total last year ;)

But as I "work from home" for the 4th business day in a row, I'm realizing just how much I could care less about money right now. I know it'll change when all this is over, but at this moment there's only one thing I really REALLY want to keep right now - ELECTRICITY.

If Benjamin Franklin were still around I'd pay him back in so much beer he would have never invented another thing! haha... I'm telling you, the second you lose electricity you realize just how wonderful it is.

Think about it - without electricity we can't:

• Keep warm (or at least w/ our set up)
• Keep our food from going rotten
• SEE (unless you got mad candles)
• Take hot showers
• Cook (if you have an electric stove)
  
• Use the Internet!
• Blog/Check emails
• Use online banking to do online banking stuff
• Use the ATM to get out cash
• "Work from home" (you like how I keep quoting that?)

And on and on and on. You can have a billion dollars in the bank, but without electricity these days you couldn't even access it. Electricity is totally my currency right now, and I just pray we have enough to weather the storm - literally! So if you don't hear from me for a while, you'll know what I ran out of... even the iPhone dies after a while :(

Labels: in the real world, life

Yes, but I'm starting to question myself. I wake up - think about blogging. During work - I think about blogging I blog. When I get home, I tweet/email/do blog stuff. For someone who naturally doesn't like to write, it's all very strange to me. (although my wife would say this is more like "talking" and networking than "writing," and I think it's true.)

I liken it to my early years when all I thought about was women ;) But now that I'm married, it's more like having a mistress instead - a mistress that goes by the name of Budgets Are Sexy! Ow ow! At first I thought it was just a phase, but here we are 2 years later and my passion is only growing for her. It's just so damn exciting! The question though, is whether I'm addicted. And I just may be.

Which brings me to my point today - I think I need a vacation. More specifically, I think I need to join all our friends on a 10-day Eurotrip this Spring! (didn't see that one coming, huh?). The more I learn about money, the more I realize the importance of spending it on things you truly value - and not to hoard it. I always TRY to keep this in mind, but the reality is I don't. I save and save and save, and then I get addicted and never want to spend any of it! Haha...I'm not saying it's totally bad, but it's def. not the most healthy.

If there's one thing I have never regretted in life it's traveling. And even more so with my crazy friends and all their crazy significant others. It may slow down my millionaire plan for a bit, but traveling always repays you back in "life experiences." And in all honesty that's a lot more important to me than more money in the bank.

So instead of making up excuses and worrying about missing all my money AND my blog stuff, I'm gonna say F it and just do it! Yes, I WILL go on that trip with all you, friends :) This blog will be fine without me for a little while, right? And doesn't the iPhone work in Europe anyways? haha... it will surely be expensive, and you know I'll blog about it later, but I think it would be stupid of me to pass on such a once-in-a-lifetime adventure like this. As the saying goes, you can always find ways to get more money, but you can never get your youth back!

Labels: blogging, life, travel

This is a guest article by Flexo from Consumerism Commentary. Flexo is currently on a ten-day, ten-venue tour.

Please do not be cynical. I hate cynicism. For the record, it's my least favorite quality. It doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get, but if you work really hard, and you're kind, amazing things will happen. I'm telling you, amazing things will happen.

Though I'm not generally a fan of "late night TV," I tuned in the other night and found myself watching Conan O'Brien's last stint on the Tonight Show. As he signed off, and before he picked up a guitar to perform Freebird with Will Ferrell and Max Weinberg, those were the heartfelt words he spoke as advice to the millions of people in his audience. It was a classy exit if there ever was one.

Perhaps his comments refer to Conan's publicized attempt to negotiate better severance benefits for his staff. NBC subsequently claimed, cynically, that Conan's "niceness" was more of a public relations stunt than genuine concern for the crew and talent, although Conan is supplementing his staff's severance with over one million dollars from his own severance deal.

Say what you want about Conan O'Brien's comedy act, whose biggest bits are a cigar-smoking dog-puppet and a masturbating bear, but his career momentum led him to helm the Tonight Show, the holy grail of television entertainment, with 700,000 fans of the "I'm With COCO" movement on Facebook. So it's worthwhile to listen to his advice.

Work really hard

There's no way of getting around this. Success at anything requires significant effort regardless of the goal. If you want to get out of debt, it's not going to happen if you keep your same spending habits and don't come up with ways to earn more money. If you want to own a prominent business, you're not going to get there with only two hours a few days a week. To achieve greatness in any field, you must have the dedication to make it happen by directing your energy and effort towards greatness relentlessly.

"Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get." Unfortunately, no one person can control everything about their own lives, so sometimes we have to deal with unexpected problems, like being fired from the biggest late night television program. But also, as someone works hard on the path to success, it's possible to discover something new, something that redirects us onto a new path. That change should be embraced, not feared.

Be kind

Books and seminars focusing on success often forget the power of using kindness to recruit people as fans and supporters to your cause. It's true that nobody cares about your success as much as you do, so you must start from the position that no one is going to help you achieve your dreams. There are two paths you can take once you start. The first option is to focus solely on yourself, be ruthless on your path to the top, and take every advantage given to you even if it is in the expense of others. After all, who knows when you might get another opportunity.

The second path is to be an advocate for other people, use your rising prominence or expertise to support their dreams, and spend some effort on external issues. Karma is real, whether it's some kind of universal force or just an observation of human behavior. Being kind and supportive increases the possibility that the world will be kind to you and supportive of you. And although no one else will help you succeed and the hard work won't go away, you'll find it's easier when the community's on your side.

Don't be cynical

Conan O'Brien has been forced out of his position as the King of Late Night Television Comedy, no longer sitting on the throne of the Tonight Show. Where does someone go once they've reached the pinnacle of their career? They can't go back to mediocrity -- the choices are generally retirement or death.

Is this where hard work and kindness will lead, being pushed out of the best job in entertainment in favor of a comedian whose most popular skit mocks the stupidity of random people on the street? As far as setbacks go, this is major. But in the face of any negative force, focus on what can be done to make the situation positive. This is not about media spin or convincing others what you want them to believe, it is an actual mindset.

Take Conan's advice now. Work really hard, be kind, and don't be cynical. Even if you don't have an ultimate goal of being the best in the world, this is a sound philosophy for making the most of your time on this planet, being a positive force in the world around you, and cultivating success for yourself.

Watch Conan's exit from the Tonight Show

For those who missed it, here is Conan O'Brien's final thoughts about NBC, his audience, and what it takes to succeed.

Labels: advice, career, guest post, life

Guest post by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval

As the authors of THE POWER OF NICE and THE POWER OF SMALL, we know first-hand how our small, kind actions can have a tremendous impact on the lives of others, and consequently our own. And contrary to what you might think, things as seemingly trivial and simple as making small talk with a stranger can have life altering consequences.

Don't believe us? Just listen to Sandy and Annamarie tell their story:



From holding the door for a coworker, to making casual conversation with the cashier at the corner store, the opportunities to effect positive change are all around us, and you can discover them, too. The key is to shift your outlook and retune your focus from the big picture to the small details... and the holidays are a perfect time to start.

Sure, hitting the mall and loading up your shopping bags full of fancy toys, designer clothes, and high-tech electronics is fun and feels good, but we believe that making small, kind gestures as a token of affection can feel even better. In fact, by harnessing the power of small, you can make a little go a long way and discover that sharing holiday cheer with friends and family doesn't have to cost a thing. So, whether or not you're pinching pennies this season, why not try these tips for a SMALL, NICE holiday?

Write a letter.

When we were reading this month's Real Simple Magazine, we came across an idea from a reader that really hit home. Each year, in lieu of a store-bought gift, she writes a heartfelt letter to each of her relatives, expressing her feelings of thanks, love, and respect. Although inexpensive, the looks on each of the recipients' faces year after year show how valuable the letters really are.

Offer your services.

If you're a great cook, why not become a personal chef for the day? Love kids? Channel your inner Jo Frost and become a "supernanny" for the night. To make it more festive, design your own "gift card" on your computer or by hand, redeemable any time. Giving your friend or relative (especially a busy mom or dad) a bit of time to relax is a gift you can be sure they will appreciate!

Call an old friend.

With the popularity of online social networking, reconnecting with your long-lost friends is as easy as clicking "search," but once you've found each other, why not give him or her a call instead of writing on his or her wall? The opportunity to catch up over the phone will raise both of your spirits.

Make a donation.

Show your loved ones that you care about the issues that matter to them by making small donations in their honor to charities you know they support. With just a few dollars, you can make a real difference to non-profit organizations of all kinds while letting your friends and relatives know you're listening.

So this year, if you're feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of blowing your budget on lavish gifts for all of your friends and family, remember that there are other less expensive yet just as meaningful ways to show your generosity. By harnessing the power of the little things, this holiday season and throughout the year, you'll find you're well on your way to creating a nicer way of life for you and all of your family and friends.

-----------------
Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval are the CEO/Chief Creative Officer and President, respectively, of the Kaplan Thaler Group and the co-authors of the bestselling books Bang! and THE POWER OF NICE: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness. Their newest release, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, debuted on the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and USA TODAY bestseller lists and is available in stores now. You can catch up with them on their blog, follow them on Twitter, or find them on Facebook.

Labels: charity, holidays, life, saving, shopping

This is a guest post from my talented as hell brother, T. Penny - the guy who reminded us debt is like kissing your sister...and liking it.

I feel cheap - dollar-store cheap. I've been used and abused for far too long, and it's completely my fault. Confession: I, like millions of other people, am a Starbucks addict; a lemming to all things confection and caffeinated ... and my wallet hates me for it.

Funny thing about treating yourself to a cup of highly priced Joe is that while it tastes sublime in all of its sugary glory, it can eat away at your checking account like diabetic termites. I know because I'm a repeat victim of modern marketing (Keg-sized peppermint mochas? It's not the holiday season without it!). I naively buy into the belief that Starbucks is committed to my wellbeing; that if they were given the chance, they'd tuck me into my racecar bed at night, read me the ol' Green Eggs and check for closet monsters. Nope. They just want my money, and I'm forking it over to them like old people at bakeries.

Truth is, up until recently I've been spending about $25 a week consuming what Starbucks is peddling (I'm drinking one as I write this). Buy, sip, swallow - follow the routine until you get the yummy in your tummy and all is right with the world. Eventually, I became a creature of habit, and those casual walks to the corner coffee shop evolved into the staggered walk of a fiend in need of a fix. What do I get for these visits? My teeth hate me, my gums have given up, and, like Tiger Woods, I waste my hard-earned coin on something cheap and disposable.

How did I kick this fix? I had to put on my reflection pants and swim in the lake of me. I needed to change my line of thinking, and to do that, I had to first get to the bottom of my spending. Every month, after all of my bills have been paid, investments made and my check to the Scott Baio Fan Club has been cashed, I'm left with about $700 to my name. Considering I'm 28 years old, single, I have a two-year-old car, I own a condo, I have six large in an emergency fund and zippy in credit card debit, that's not half bad. What's not good, however, is that every month $75-100 of that left-over money goes to Captain Capitalism in the form of Starbucks and other caffeinated drinks. You know how much "Charles in Charge" swag I could get for that amount of bank?

Worst of all, like any addict worth his salt, I knew I was going to Starbucks far too often, but the feeling of "treating myself" was alluring. I couldn't stop. It is coffee, after all. For centuries, indigenous peoples warred, maimed and pillaged over this dark brown beauty ... what kind of son of history would I be if I ignored all of that? No, I simply had to commit to my coffee cravings. I had to give myself the occasional treat. After all, what's one cup a day? Nothing blush-worthy ... until that one cup turns into 20 a month, which at $4.50 per serving comes to $90 every four weeks ... or-gasp!-$1,080 a year (the cost of a mildly retarded alpaca).

And therein lies the financial rub: I'm wasting $90 each month that I could be investing, all because I fell into the insufferable mindset that treating myself daily is important, that I deserve a little treat here and there, which brings me to my point. It is healthy to treat yourself to something that will make you happy (like that sequined "Member's Only" jacket you've been eyeing), and it's certainly an important part of living and enjoying life. However, there needs to be a good dose of moderation in the mix. Otherwise, falling under the "I deserve" mind trap can quickly deplete your bank account and leave you with nothing but regrets, and in my case, a caseload of cavities.

What I try and tell myself now is that just because I can afford something, it doesn't mean I should buy it. Instead of going to Starbucks every day, I started going every other day, and then less frequently after that, until I ended up going only two times a week at best. I also switched things up a bit and started going to Dunkin' Donuts, where their delicious, low-maintenance coffee runs only a hair above $2- that's a two-dollar savings right there! Finally, I decided to start brewing more of my coffee and taking it with me. Sure, it tastes like the rainwater that drips off of clay huts, but it's a start. And I'm saving money. And I'm getting healthier. What's not to like?

This entire coffee experience has taught me the importance of temperance when it comes to enjoying life's goodies, as well as the need to step in and "check yo' self!" on occasion. Doing so can directly affect the way you live your life and how you handle your money. When it comes down to it, making the decision to address my "addiction" is one smart step that's made my wallet-and my waistline-much happier.

--------
T. Penny is the "real" journalist in our family, and my dear younger brother - who I both admire, and hate, for being incredibly funnier than me ;) If you like his style, check out his other guest posts: Doing what you love pays dividends, and Debt is like kissing your sister...and liking it.

Labels: guest post, life, saving, starbucks

We spend a lot of time cutting back and saving, and doing whatever else we can to ensure a healthy nest egg, but there's something to say about SPENDING too.

You know that saying, "Money can't buy happiness?" Well, I believe it's only partially true. Money can't buy you love, or youth, or that feeling you get when you've accomplished something so amazing!, but it CAN buy you plenty of other niceties.

Take traveling for example. You think you can fly around the world (comfortably) without any money in your pockets? Or experience a 4 day bender with all your friends in New Orleans scot-free? It's possible if you're a super hacker, but not for most of us. This stuff costs money, and the more you have of it the more you can take advantage IF you so choose to. Money gives you options.

The same goes for entertainment. Hitting up the movies, playing video games, looking at "membership" sites (you know who you are), taking your significant other to a nice dinner - it all costs something. $hit, even sitting here blogging costs money! I gotta dish it out for my domain name, the hosting, the internets, the itunes playing in the background, all stuff I look forward to every day.

You can do your best to save save save, but if you don't spend spend spend (within reason) you'll drive yourself bonkers. It reminds me of an old friend who used to study his ass off at college and refused to socialize. Whenever I'd invite him out he had the same ol' line for me - "Gotta lot of reading to do! Sorry, man." It was like clockwork, and actually really freaky. You can probably guess where I'm going with this, but he didn't graduate with the highest of honors. Maybe he didn't test well, or was just lying to me the whole time (never!), but I'm pretty sure he just maxed himself out. Ya gotta have some stress relievers in life, and money can help that.

Good financial management is all about balance. As soon as you stop treating yourself you're heading toward one of the extremes. Make sure to catch yourself and pay for some of that happiness! I don't wanna see you sad with a million bucks in the bank, okay? ;)

---------
PS: That painting up there is another example. It cost me $98 to complete (48 of which came from dollar bills alone), but every time I look at it I freakin' smile! Love that thing.

Labels: in the real world, life, money management

That you'd lose all your money? That your credit cards get illegally maxed? Single Guy Money recently asked this very same question and I gotta tell you, it took me a while to come up with an answer. I mean yeah, all that stuff above would really suck and piss me off, but I can't say I'd be afraid of it.

The great thing about personal finance is that you only have to learn how to rock it once! You'd have to work your way back up to the top money-wise, but you'd get there a lot faster than the first time around. Imagine if you had to re-make all your mistakes again? Now THAT would be scary. As lame as it sounds, knowledge really is power here.

That being said, I did come up with something I'm financially afraid of. It took me a good 5-10 minutes but I came up with one. Actually, I came up with 3:

1. Getting held up by gunpoint. Take my money gangstas, just let me live!
2. A flood breaking out into our house. Nothing scares me more about home ownership than water problems. Things that look small cost a LOT, and things that look like a lot cost even MORE! I swear, we've already gone through 3 water issues in the last 2 years and it scares the bejesus out of me - reason #386 that I miss renting ;)
3. Being unable to work. I'm not sure how that would come to be, but if I was physically unable to work - including blogging - I'd be devastated. Earning money for the extras in life is nice, but not being able to put food on the table or provide shelter for my family would kill me. In fact, I'm going to take a second and say a prayer real quick as soon as I finish this sentence. (done!)

There are probably a hundred other things I can come up with if I REALLY wanted to, but it's probably best to stay positive and keep my head up. Life is already crazy enough, right? Right. But before I go I'd like to hear from you ;) What are YOU financially afraid of? Get it all out now so it never happens!

Labels: life, randomness 3000

I've had my iPhone 3GS for a good 4 months now, and overall I'm pretty impressed. You really don't realize how much down time you actually have until you've got one ;)

I had already counted on commuting time (45 mins each way, M-F) but every day something else seems to pop up. Today it was the 25 mins. waiting in the dentist's chair, and yesterday it was the 15 hours or so (it seemed) waiting in line at the Post Office. But having your trusty friend there by your side keeps you productive!

The iPhone = time saved = money saved. Now if I'm just playing games then obviously it's not saving me any money (in fact, it's doing the opposite - all those Yahtzees & Monopolies downloads add up!) BUT for the most part I'm good. 90% of the time I'm checking personal email, work email, Facebook, Twitter, my 100+ financial blogs I subscribe to - and that inspire the pants off of me!, The Huffington Post, WSJ, you name it. All things that generate money in the end by making me more productive and saving me TIME.

I know some people don't consider that "saving money", but in this particular case I do since it then frees up extra time to work on my blog, or jump on other projects that could be bringing in revenue. Also, if you're one to pay bills online (or you're one to forget to pay the bills!), having apps at your fingertips helps you to knock it out the second you *think* about it. This, along with having most account #'s on hand (by using other secure apps), definitely helps you avoid late fees and save more money in the long run.

I would also like to add that having rollover minutes is awesome! It has nothing to do with the iPhone itself, but it's a helluva reason to like AT&T more (which you'll need in a second). Not only can it cut down on your overage charges, potentially to ZERO, but you don't have to check it every week just to make sure you're still on track!

The iPhone can iSuck though.

The iPhone runs on AT&T which, as everyone knows, charges you up the a$$ to be able to use it (Plus, their coverage isn't all that great - Verizon's "there's a MAP for that" campaign really was pretty accurate! Even if they're getting sued for it).

You've got the $30 unlimited internet package that's mandatory PER phone, the $15-$30 text packages, and then you've still got to add in the normal "calling plan" package so you can actually call people ;) Mix in the costs of the phones now - $99-$300 all depending on what model & size memory you want (I picked up the 16G one (in white) for $200, while Mrs. Budgetsaresexy picked up the 3G model for $99 in black - with a hot pink case), and you've got your hands full. We now pay roughly $170 a month - a good $40 more a month than we did on Verizon.

Then, of course, there's the extra warranty if you want total peace of mind. We declined it so I can't remember how much it was gong for ($15/mo. maybe?) but it was a pretty penny. Now add on any protective screens you might need, as well as new car chargers & cases, and it gets even higher. Btw, I *highly* recommend going on eBay to pick these up MUCH cheaper :)

It's all about the iPhone Apps

I know the blackberrys and Palm Pres do too now, as will the Sidekick shortly I'm told, but my goodness does this make all the difference in the world. It's seriously incredible the amount of time savers & toys produced for this phone. Without 'em, I would have never even considered switching. I won't go into it too much (there are a ton of reviews out on the google for ya), but here are the ones I currently use and like a lot - in no particular order:

USAA, Twitterific, SplashID, WootWatch, QuadCamera, Huffington Post, Yahtzee Adventure, GoDaddy, iGarageSale, Starbucks Card, PhotoSwap, and Facebook.

iPhone Final Thoughts

So you have the pros, you have the cons, and you have the apps. Is it all really worth it in the end? For me, absolutely. I get inspired more, connected more, I take better pictures (and now video!), and it's just so much easier & faster to manage my online life now.

Yes, it's more expensive than the other phones, but if you can afford it and maximize the potential (for all you other bloggers & online entrepreneurs out there), you'll *easily* get your money's worth in no time. Hell, just finding a single major discount while in a store can do the trick! I have yet to do it myself, but I know plenty of friends who have :) There's no doubt about it, the iPhone is killer. It's not for everyone, but it certainly makes my life a lot more easier.

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PS: If you ever want to take a screen shot of your iPhone like I did above, just press the HOME button and the Sleep/Wake (on/off) button at the same time & it'll save a copy of it right there in your photos.

Labels: awesomely awesome, life

An American businessman was standing at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.

"How long it took you to catch them?" The American asked.
"Only a little while." The Mexican replied.

"Why don't you stay out longer and catch more fish?" The American then asked.
"I have enough to support my family's immediate needs." The Mexican said.

"But," The American then asked, "What do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, senor."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds you buy a bigger boat, and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats."

"Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the consumers, eventually opening your own can factory. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will all this take?"
To which the American replied, "15-20 years."

"But what then, senor?"

The American laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO (Initial Public Offering) and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions, senor? Then what?"

The American said slowly, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos...."

Labels: financial forwards, life

This post is part of the one day blog event - "The Spectrum of Personal Finance."

In this event, comic book nerd Brian of My Next Buck, will discuss 8 different emotions (taken from the Green Lantern comic series) and relate them to personal finance. Here at Budgets Are Sexy we will be looking at Hope. To view the rest of the event look at the bottom of the page to see the other blogs hosting articles.
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Hope is a great thing. It surrounds us. Without it, what would there to be look forward to in life? Hope to get that big promotion. Hope for your team to make it to the Super Bowl (sorry Skins fans... no amount of hope will help them). Hope that the guy or girl across from you on the metro notices you.

However, hope only gets you so far. Not to go into too much detail, but today's event is based on the Green Lantern comic book series. In the comics, there are Green Lanterns and Blue Lanterns (and a plethora of other colors). The Green Lanterns represent Will Power, the Blue represent Hope. Let's just say, without a Green Lantern nearby, the Blue Lanterns aren't $hit.

What does this mean to you? It means that you can hope all day long, but without taking some action, you are going to be stuck in neutral. As young people, we tend to hope a lot. I have been found guilty over the past year of the same kinds of expressions as cited below:

• We hope that we get THAT job offer.
• We hope that the economy recovers.
• We hope we have enough money for retirement.
• We hope that EVERYTHING works out.

In the words of the late great George Carlin: "F*ck Hope".

Folks, it's 2009, and it's time to take action for yourself and stop waiting for things outside of your control to unfold. Today is no worse than any other day to do one thing you constantly have said to yourself, "Yeah, I should do that." Carpe Diem. Seize the day. Make today the day when you get something accomplished that you have been putting off.

With the holiday coming up, there will be excuses aplenty. Think of some things that you have wanted and needed to get done. Take a look below at some examples. Each of the things written below will take no more than an hour if you work efficiently. And the fourth may open you up to all sorts of potential for tomorrow night - the busiest bar night of the year - (know what I'm saying?).

• Send a resume out to a prospective employer
• Open a high yield savings account
• Start tracking your finances on Mint.com
• Go up to the guy or girl that always smiles at you and ask him or her out
• Set up your Roth IRA

I know J. hoped to max out his 401(K) this year, and he MADE it happen for himself. I wanted to get out of debt and max out my Roth this year, and I MADE it happen! What is it that you recently hoped for that came to fruition solely because of your efforts to MAKE IT HAPPEN?

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For further reading of the Spectrum of Personal Finance Event, please see:

• Fear at Bargaineering
  
• Avarice at Consumerism Commentary
• Willpower at Debt Free Adventure
• Death at Free Money Finance
• Compassion at Get Rich Slowly
• Love at Mrs. Micah
• Rage at Poorer Than You

To view a recap of the event, check out the Spectrum Roundup at My Next Buck
*Image created by Philip Tan. Green Lantern is property of DC Comics

Labels: guest post, life

Or what this survey should have been called - "I've got my mind on my money, and my money on my mind!" Haha... AARP revealed some research that in this age of social networking and excessive sharing, the last taboo for young adults is finances - despite the fact it's the biggest concern in their (our) lives.

The report, titled "Personal Finances: The Final Frontier of Social Media," shows that our general reluctance to discuss money with friends and family could have a negative impact on our financial futures. While none of it was all that surprising, it's still something we should keep in mind and continue working to fix. In response to it all (or rather, perhaps to back it up?) AARP came out with a new site dedicated to getting our acts together: LifeTuner.org.

I thought I'd copy and paste some of their findings, along with my own two cents here. The highlights are based on a national survey of 1002 young adults, aged 18-34:

57% of young Americans consider their financial situation to be the biggest concern in their lives.
Eh, not surprising. It sucks, but it's not a big shock. When we're out of high school & college we getting our first apartments and cars and all in order - two of the biggest expenditures right off the bat. Throw in socializing (aka drinking), shopping, and dating and you've got a brand new pile of debits heading your way. Hopefully your spankin' new job pays well enough to keep you out of trouble, but as we all know salaries aren't what determines savvy saving skills.

I'd really like to know what the #2 concern with young Americans is. I bet it's career - which would also cross paths with the financial world as well.

...People are more likely to discuss relationship status (61%), politics (43%), their health (23%), and their weight (20%) than their financial situation.
Of course! Money talk is all sorts of taboo around here (outside the pf blog world, that is). I'd say we're a lot further than we were before this economic crisis hit the fan, but we've still got a ways to go.

66% rate their own financial situation as fair to poor, and almost half (43%) expressed concerns about their ability to make sound financial decisions.
This is scary :( Especially that last part. If you're doubting whether your making the right moves in your financial life, it's time to start learning brother! Close down Facebook and put down the Wii, you need to start reading more financial sites. I'd start out at Money.com, Kiplinger.com, and put in an order for The Richest Man in Babylon and I Will Teach You To Be Rich books. One hour there will get you started in no time.

68% of respondents admit that finances have caused stress in a relationship or friendship.
Yeah, especially when they go around poking you for your salary ;) But sure, this makes total sense. If you're buggin' about all that debt you have piling on it'll of course stick to you when you're out and about hanging out with people. Or even worse on a date! Nothing says I Love You more than when your card bounces or you "forget your wallet" when it comes time to picking up dinner.

*Among those young adults who have sought advice online, 85% report being more confident about their ability to manage their finances.*
Well would you look at that :) You research/read/look for ways to get your finances on track and voila! You feel better about it. While this, too, isn't all that surprising, it IS something to keep in mind. Your finances is one department that 45 mins of your time could literally save you thousands of dollars.

Labels: life, personal finance

It's Friday, and I think we could all use a Would You Rather! It's getting harder to pick out some goods that we haven't done already, but I think today's is juicy enough to stir up some action ;)

Although technically, it's more of a "Would you give up ___ for ___" kinda deal, but the concept is pretty much the same - you have to pick one over the other. And let me just start by saying that this one is TOUGH! Okay, here's today's question:

Would you...for $15,000 in cash, give up sex for a whole entire year?!

That's over $1,000 a MONTH in cold hard cash! Or a brand spankin' new car. A down payment on a small house or plane. 15 plasma tvs. Around the world plane tickets (I think?). Potentially NO credit card debts! A generous charity donation. Or 15,000 double cheeseburgers from McDonald's! Haha...

So yeah, it's a lot of money. I just don't know who could give up such greatness :) And to be fair, let's make it TWO YEARS if you aren't regularly getting any to begin with - or else it's a super easy call. Although in that case, maybe you deserve to be rewarded with the $15Gs anyway? Also, let's clarify that "sex" is *any* form of it whatsoever before you try getting around it. Hugging and kissing on the lips only, okay? You don't want the Would You Rather monster coming to get you!

Personally, I don't think I could do it. I cherish my intimacy wayyy too much. It would be easier if I were saving up for a super spectacular goal where I could see the direct impact $15ks would have, but since I'm not I can't say it would be worth it. And plus, how would we be able to make little J's this year?! Hah! Better keep that in mind before making your decision ;)

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Check out the list of previous Would You Rathers.

Labels: life, would you rather

Because I have to be honest, I'd totally be cool if the Mrs. made more than me. In fact, I might even prefer it! That would mean a lot more money coming in (esp since she's a grad student right now, haha...) but even more so it would mean her career would be movin' and shakin'. And if we had two people bringing $75k+? I couldn't even imagine what that would do to our finances.

I'll even take it one step further, cuz I'm crazy like that - When it's time to have those babies, I'd even stay at home if she wanted me to! I know it's a lot more work than I could ever imagine, but the idea of blogging full-time and working on all my side projects would be killer. As long as I had the freedom to get outside and mingle with other humans and all I think I could manage it. Plus, don't stay-at-home moms take their kids out to parks and shopping malls and stuff like that anyways? Maybe I could form some "Daddy Daycare" where we take turns watching the brood while playing poker or something ;)

But dream life aside, I really don't see the problem here. Would we suck as men if we can't bring more home than the woman? Does it mean we're not worthy of a happy life? I know it's in our genes to be super competitive and all (as with a lot of chicks I know), but if you're in a truly loving relationship I'd imagine you'd want what's best for the family regardless. Or at least I'd hope. I don't have any experience to back it up myself, but I'm fairly certain the future me would agree.

All in all, I think it's awesome that women are earning more these days. It might hurt a few frail egos at first, but people will learn to get over it. It's when your household is bringing in substantially LESS when you have to worry! So congratulate your girl if she's rockin' it out - she's making your family that much stronger.

Labels: career, life, men vs women, personal finance

Saving and managing our money now goes a long way later! This isn't the first time you've ever ever heard this, especially by me, but it's been rolling around my mind since seeing this quote by a fellow twitterer @JFuntanilla.

There's something about it that really strikes home:

"I live a few years of my life like most people won't, so I can spend the rest of my life like most people can't."

Yes! I know some prefer living like a king now since you never know what'll happen tomorrow (which I can totally understand), but obviously I'm more about preparing for the future ;) I'd love to get my hands on that Benz or splurge on some week long benders to Mexico, but it's just not worth the trade off at this point in my life.

There's something about saving and living a more simple life that comforts me. I like not having to stress over money or wonder what would happen if my paycheck came a few days late. I like knowing we can bring a baby into this world and not have to work 2 extra jobs to afford it. $hit, I like the fact of just being ABLE to afford half the stuff out there! It doesn't mean I'll actually go out and buy all of 'em, but it's a helluva treat knowing I *could* if I ever wanted to.

By saving and living more frugally now, we open up a sea of options for the rest of our lives. We're still free to do whatever we please, but by picking and choosing where our money goes now we gain stability and freedom to take advantage of life on better terms. It's similar to other aspects of our lives: career, education, you name it. Rarely do you hear advice telling you to screw college, or slack off at work and just worry about it all later. You might be able to fulfill yourself temporarily that route (which also implies you'd be smart enough to take advantage of this time created and actually DO the things that truly make you happy), but in the long run it's usually not best.

Think about what truly makes you happy now, and start on it. And if that means blowing through wads of cash like you're the next MC Hammer, so be it! Just be sure you know what you're doing - one day more people will count on you than yourself ;)

Labels: frugality, life, money management, personal finance, saving

The talk of baby making has entered the BudgetsAreSexy household, and I'm starting to get a little nervous. Not so much about having one or making one (that's the fun part!), but about the costs they suck up (the not-so-fun part). How much do babies go for these days?

And that's not a rhetorical question either, sorry - I really haven't a clue :) If I had to guess, purely out of thin air, I'd say $10,000. And I'm not entirely sure if that means hospital bills, yearly costs, "per baby" or what. I'm as stupid as they comes to baby finances, so I'm hoping some of you will enlighten me. All I know is that they're expensive.

I plopped "how much do babies cost?" into the google, and the results were all over the place as you might expect. Some forums say they cost $800 a month once you get 'em going, and others say you're fine with $400 a month. There's probably too many variables to get an accurate figure for my exact personal situation (like daycare vs. home watched, insurance coverage vs. not covered, baby 1 vs. baby 2, etc, etc) but anything you can share would be very helpful.

I did try out a nifty Baby Cost Calculator though! You go down this huge list of selecting what you will and won't need, and at the end it pops out an average cost for you. According to OUR results, it says it'll cost us $4,119.00 the first year - or roughly $343.25/mo. It doesn't account for the hospital bills OR what you'd get for baby showers and presents and all that stuff, but it's a start.

Either way, I'm pretty excited to start a new adventure in our lives. We're not sure when this will all come about, but God willing we'll be able to produce healthy & happy little J. Juniors all over the place :) And you better believe I'll be blogging all about it.

Labels: baby finance, j doesn't know, life

That was a line straight out of our pastor's mouth last month. I can't remember much of the sermon right now (or the reason why it's just decided to pop back into the mind all of a sudden), but I'm pretty sure the moral was to NOT obsess about sex, money, and cars :)

Catholicism aside, I'll have to agree. Not getting caught up is great for both the mind and the wallet, it's just hard to do sometimes. The media wants us all decked out in the latest fashion, sportin' that bling and glamourizing us up all so they can make an extra buck or two. And for the most part we fall for it! Well, "we" as your average American consumer, not you and I because we know better. Or at least we're trying.

The one line I do recall from the sermon, however, was his point that all these new obsessions are a luxury of ours. Not the items or acts themselves, but just the way in which we THINK and fawn over them. Hundreds of years ago people weren't lusting over diamond earrings or the latest model corvette, but rather food. Plain ol' rice and beans and whatever else people ate back then :) Sure there were richies who could still buy their way to exorbitance - extra mules, furs, buffets of fruit - but for the most part people yearned for a week worth's of food or clean water to drink. Those were the real necessities back in the day, and people craved them.

Times have surely changed since then, and I'm incredibly grateful they have!, but it's something to keep in mind the next time your wants start overcrowding your needs. It's quite alright to dream about winning the lottery or scoring with the Girls Next Door every now and then (Lord knows we all do it), but just make sure you snap back to reality and be happy with what you've got. You've worked hard to get where you are, so be proud and rejoice! You can have all the sex and the money and the cars when you fall asleep tonight.

Labels: get your brain right, life, morality, randomness 3000

We're all used to online savings accounts and banking now, but remember what it was like pre-internet? When we had to literally walk INTO a bank to get anything done? Or when we had to fill out 15 pages of paperwork and show 13 ID's just to create an account?

Well the times have changed my friends, and today we go back down memory lane to remind ourselves how grateful we should be for all this new technology! It's added a lot more distraction to our lives, but it's also done wonders for our financial management. Do you know how much FASTER we can do things now? Here's a list of all the differences I could come up with this morning, check it out:

Banking: Before the Internet

ING, Emigrant Direct, they were mere embryos waiting to come out and play. If you wanted your bank accounts, you had to roll up to a building and get them. Remember how UNTRUSTING people were even when the internet did come around? Trying to get people to enter their socials or xfer money online was like pulling teeth. Before the internet, we had a whole other way of doing our banking:

• You had to walk into physical stores to open/close bank accounts.
• You had to walk into physical stores to deposit checks.
• You might have been lucky enough to have automatic paychecks deposited, but if not then it was time to make yet another trip.
• And my favorite (by which I mean it makes me want to cry): You had to wait for statements in the mail to see how much damage you've caused on your credit cards! Something tells me this only encouraged bad spending habits as you could never tell how well you were doing until after that statement came in the mail. Bleh.
  

Bill Paying: Before the internet

You needed 3 main things before the internet: checks, stamps, and good handwriting (you mess up a check and it was the end of the world). We still use these in some fashion or another, like for those who refuse to live in the 21st century, but for the most part they're archaic methods. Back in the day:

• You had to write a check to pay the bills, no online bill pay.
• Attach those weird "payment coupons" along with that month's payment (for mortgages, car loans, etc - remember that?)
• You spent a lot more on stamps
• You allotted much more time for delivery - which probably was a good thing!
  
• Balance your checkbook (you still have to now, but not as much)

Budgeting/Money Management B.I.

No Mint, Yodlee, Wesabe, Google Docs, or Budgets Are Sexy :( We either used pen & paper (or, pencil I should say for all those mistakes!) or we booted up our computer and opened up Excel. Which, I might add, still does the trick just fine. For most people though, having your accounts pinged every day and seeing all your gritty details on a single page has done wonders. The fact that we can now see our savings, checkings, credit cards, mortgages, utilities, etc, etc on one digital page is unbelievable. I'd go as far as listing it in the Top 10 Best Uses of the Internet!

Stock Trading: Before Internet

Do you have a broker? You better. There weren't no Zeccos, E*Trades, or Scott Trades, or "Enter your name here"Trades. You had to ring your financial adviser or place a call to your long lost cousin in NYC to make it happen. And doing your research before you picked your stocks? Hah! I couldn't tell you what, exactly, you needed to do back then, but I can only imagine the pain you'd be in.

And those are just a few of the things that come to mind right now. I was only 15 or so when the internet first made it's appearance @ our house (kinda like my puberty), so if I've missed anything big or small, drop us a note! Regarding money, that is. We all know what porn and twitter has done to the landscape ;)

Labels: awesomely awesome, banking, life, money management

Every now and then someone asks me if I ever mess up and waste money. And my answer to that is always the same - Yep, mess up all the time. Just because I blog about personal finance, doesn't mean I'm mr. perfect ;) I'm a lot smarter than I was 4-5 years ago when it comes to money, but I still mess up. And a lot more than you'd actually think.

It doesn't matter if I track my expenses every day or every week, the real world is no match for a human. The only way you could win 100% of the time is if you were locked up somewhere or if you were, in fact, a computer. And seeing how you're reading this right now, I take it that you're neither of the two.

The trick is really just about messing up on the smaller things rather than the BIGGER things. If you can rock out your spend-less-than-I-make-lifestyle & stay away from huge mortgages & car payments, I find no problem with slipping up every now and then. It's not optimal, and you never PLAN to do it, but it happens. It's all a part of life, you know?

In fact, just last Friday I blew $5.00 on these damn cinnamon sticks from Pizza Hut because I wasn't paying good enough attention. Then I spent $3.50 for chap stick 15 minutes later because I didn't take the time to look for my normal .99 kind. Every week I do stupid stuff like this, but I try and not let it get to me. I know I'm handling our finances pretty well 90% of the time, and as long as we hit our major goals every year we're on track.

So do I, J. Money, ever mess up? I sure do. And I'm willing to bet every other person reading and blogging about personal finance does too. You can't make the right call 100% of the time, it's just not possible. It's more about being comfortable in your own financial skin and allowing yourself some breathing room. If you can master that, you'll live a much healthier (and happier) life. And one without going insane, as well.

Labels: about j., blown money, life, personal finance

That is a quote from the legend himself - Thomas Jefferson, aka The Man. (Even though he did pass away w/ a crap ton of debt!) I like this quote because it really is true - the more work you put in the closer you get to your dreams, and the more "luck" finds you. Every successful person I know puts in their time, the trick of it all is to find something you *enjoy* doing so that it's no longer "work," but fun! Or inspiring, or exciting, or it just plain allows you to make a difference in this world of ours.

The same holds true with personal finance. Sure you could win the lottery tomorrow and have all the money you could ever ask for, but will you know what to do with it? Would you become one of those sad statistics where you lose all your winnings only to end up poorer than when you started? I hope not, but it's something to think about.

The thing I like about hard work is that it forces you to LEARN how the world works. You make exceptional mistakes, but then you turn around and blow the socks off something! It's navigating through all these bumps and craters in life that really gets you closer to your goals, whatever they may be.

So keep on saving. Keep on investing and experimenting with different ways to get rid of your debt. It's not always easy, but the payoffs (no pun intended) are guaranteed to be enormous. You might not have the same impact on America as Mr. Jefferson did, but you sure can lead a more debt-free life! And that's something to be proud of.

Labels: life, money quotes, personal finance

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke recently said that the recession is very likely over. I'm not sure I believe it all the way (do you guys?), but I'd be lying if it doesn't sound hot. It's been a wild & crazy past 18 months, and it's nice to hear that our world isn't going to hell in a hand basket for once.

I swear, if the media stopped portraying all this gloom and doom we'd be much better off. Everyone knows that humans are emotional - you say one wrong thing and CRASH! There goes the market. But I guess the opposite would also hold true. After all, here I am helping spread the 4-5 word phrase Bernanke just spoke of ;) At least it's a positive influence though.

Regardless, I've learned a lot over this whole ordeal and I'm sure I'll learn even more. I really like that about life - $hit can be flying all over the place, yet you can usually take away some new lesson or preventative measure to help you down the road. The bigger the problems, the bigger the learning curve too! (at least that's how I see it)

5 Things the recession has taught me so far:

1. It IS actually possible to spend less! All I have to do is NOT go into Target, TJ Maxx, Best Buy or the mall ;) That, and PAY ATTENTION TO MY FINANCES!
   
2. No job is ever safe. I've learned that you can't stay at one company forever, so always keeping your eyes open and active keeps me sane and away from an unexpected surprise one day.
3. Nature is one of the best gifts to us. And it's free! Since I'm not shopping as much, I'm now going on more and more walks. I totally forgot what fresh air felt like.
4. Networking is M-A-G-I-C. It really is a matter of who you know these days, so keeping in touch with old friends and colleagues is something that will def. pay off in the long run - esp. if they're in your same field. My favorite way to stay in touch is over beers and 1/2 priced appetizers at happy hours! Something a few of us bloggers did last night actually.
5. Everyone wants to master their finances! This might be one of my favorite things right now. You're hearing personal finance spout all over the place and all of a sudden learning about money is "cool!" You & I have ALWAYS known this of course, but at least the others are catching on ;)

So whether the recession is over or not, do me a favor and remind yourselves of all the positive stuff going on in your lives these days. We can't control the economy, but we sure can change the way we're living! Here's to a happy (and hopeful) recovery my friends.

Labels: career, crazy economy, life, one of my lists

Remember those? The ones you made right before you partied like it was 2009? I didn't, until my shower this morning started populating my head full of random thoughts. And I must admit, if it weren't for this blog I'd probably have forgotten them altogether. Alas, it is all tracked on this super duper weblog.

I find it's good to go over these every now and then to a) make sure you're still on track, and b) give yourself a pat on the back for all you've accomplished (or, if deserved, a punch in the face for being a slacker. Luckily though, only you get to be the judge of that). Let's see how I'm doing, shall we? My 2009 New Years Resolutions:

Personal Finance

1. Pay off the last of the car loans - $3,214.87. Completed! I paid off the entire Cadillac, along with the other loans I had associated with it (selling my Highlander had left me $1-2$k in the whole. Stupid SUVs and '08 gas gouges). Going on month #6 of no car payments!
2. Combine and analyze the Mrs. and I's money - expenses, assets, net worths. Shockingly, this is also done. We combined all our finances on paper/spreadsheets back in January and have looked forward ever since. We keep a few accounts separately in our own names still (like our "do whatever" funds), but we track 'em all as one big net worth. It still feels kinda weird though, I'm not gonna lie.
3. Hit $2,000 on the sell-o-meter. FAIL. The sell-o-meter is still frozen at $907.00 - exactly how it was 9+ months ago. Every time I find something to sell, I end up piling it in a corner and convincing myself it's not worth the time at that moment. 50% of this is true - blogging has taken up way more than it used to - and 50% is just plain laziness. It's true I value blogging & internet time more than selling something for $5 or $10, but I also know that I don't want that stuff in the house anymore and I have to kick my ass into gear to either sell it or donate it. Especially now that I'm trying to be a minimalist :)
4. Have a combined Net Worth of $125k. Soooooo close! $6k away and hoping to hit this by the end of September :) For the dirty deets, check out my net worth updates to see how it's progressing.

Life In General

1. Write more letters instead of emails 24/7. 75% FAIL. I wrote like 5 letters in January to old high school friends, but after the novelty wore off I just plain forgot. Maybe I should put a goal like to send 1 letter every month or something? Even if it's just to my mom - they love that stuff :)
2. Put up crown molding and new light fixtures in the house (yikes!). BIG FAIL. Have not installed crown molding NOR new light fixtures. I still have the urges to do this, but money and time are just getting in the way right now. I think I'll leave this be until next year's resolutions ;)
3. Travel to a new foreign country! (we won't count Bahamas) Another FAIL. Although I've done a helluva job circling around some incredible states these days - New Orleans, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and as already mentioned - the Bahamas! Ireland is reason I made up this goal though, trying to figure out the best time to go still.

Bloggy Blog: (* = long shot)

1. Keep blogging at least once a day, M-F. Done and Done. Sometimes I even do two (*gasp*). I've considered switching to 3 times a week, but I write much better under stricter deadlines when I'm forced to dig into this brain of mine last minute. Most of my favorite posts came when I initially wasn't in the mood to write (as crazy as it sounds, I really don't like writing in general).
2. Hit 2,000 subscribers! * We're getting there :) I'd happily retire the year with 1100+ anyday.
3. Make a total of $6,000 through advertising. ** Completed! I don't know how, or why for that matter, but there's been an upswing in my advertising efforts. Might blog more on this later.
4. Get featured in the media (TV, Magazine, Consumerist) *** No TV, but I got into my first magazine this month AND on Consumerist - twice! Not to mention one of my favorite big blogs MSN Smart Money (featured there a handful of times this year). Great GREAT few months in this department, and actually working on a "BudgetsAreSexy In The Media" post which will come out soon. Perfect for those days I'm hating on myself.
5. Interview a celebrity about their money skillz ***** Does J.D. and Trent Count? How about Ramit? ;) Financial bloggers aside, I've scored a big goose egg on this one. Although I haven't put much effort into this until recently - I shot over an interview request to Chris Cooley, a rock star NFL player for my Wash. Redskins. His people haven't gotten back to me yet, but it's safe to say my hail mary pass will go uncaught (hardy har har). In the meantime, if you have celebrity friends SEND THEM OVER! I'll handsomely reward you with a 6 pack of virtual Natty Light and a dozen or two email hugs. Maybe more if I'm feeling feisty.
   

Overall I'm happy. No Pressure, No Problem as I said back then. Life has been good and I can cross half these things off the list now. I don't know if I'll be spending any more time on the failed ones at all, but as long as I'm working on *something* I'll consider it a win. That's really the point of all these resolutions - to work towards bettering yourself. If you can figure out a way to make that happen, you're head of the rest out there.

Speaking of which, how are you guys coming along? Anyone whipping my ass? Anyone give up already? Do you even REMEMBER what your resolutions are? Can I ask you yet another question?

Labels: goals, in the real world, life, one of my lists

I have a new favorite person these days - Carlton. A brilliant artist and a genuinely nice human being. I see him each and every day, and each and every day he's there to greet me with a smile and his regular salutation - "what up, what up my man J?! How you feelin' today?". Coming from him, this means a lot.

While Carlton follows his passion by creating art all day (that's his painting up there on the left), he's also one of the many homeless here in DC. But rather than roam the streets asking for money every other minute, he finds a curb and he paints. And he paints, and he paints, and he paints! And the most interesting part about it all? He's HAPPY! I've never once seen him complaining or agitated with that brush in his hand - on that street, he's as peaceful as can be.

Now, I'm not naive to think his life is all rosy and without hardship, nor do understand that much about the homeless lifestyle in general, but I DO know that when Carlton paints he's following his passion. He'll sit there for hours sketching on scraps of cardboard, poster board, wood, whatever he can get his hands on. Just this morning I saw him outlining his family portrait on a rug. A rug! Seriously, even if you're not a fan of art you'd be inspired by this guy.

And I think that's what this post is really about today - inspiration. Inspiration to keep moving on when life gets you down. To keep pursuing your dreams and holding onto that positive mentality as best you can. Yes we might be in $XX,XXX of debt, or owe way more on our houses than they're worth, but you know what? Life is more than about making money and working for that next promotion. It's about LIVING. About finding that little piece of happiness every time we awake. Every time we're blessed to have another day on this Earth.

Does that mean we just quit our jobs and go fly fishing all day? No, of course not (unless you can figure out a way to make some money off it :) ) but it does mean we could do better at setting aside a little more time each day to pursue the things we enjoy. We still have to pay the bills and all, but following that passion of yours keeps the flame inside of you hopeful and going strong.

And that's exactly why I put Carlton's eye painting right next to my desk - to remind me to wake up and spend time on living today. Kinda like he's watching over me and making sure I don't forget ;) It's a wonderful feeling seeing that. My friend right there to remind me of what's important.

Labels: art, inspiration, life