tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41655500766273008522024-03-13T10:38:06.776-04:00Personal Finance 4 The PeopleI'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.comBlogger332125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-72958387031390210002019-01-09T12:55:00.000-05:002019-01-09T12:55:24.146-05:00UPDATE: The Breakdown: Defeating That Pile of Billls<div dir="ltr">
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As I wrote about in my previous two posts, tackling your finances after a major life interruption can be very intimidating. I admit, I'm extremely intimidated and frustrated with myself for letting all the work I did previously disappear and ending back where I started.<br />
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So, I sat down with my notebook and my piles of bills and called the necessities: electric, gas, cable, water.</div>
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To my surprise, things weren't as bad as I thought. I woke up today with much less anxiety and it's because I stopped avoiding the mess and dealt with it head on. I still have medical bills and some taxes I need to take care of but home is taken care of. <br />
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I wanted to share my small victory. This is what this financial journey us about. Small victories. Small victories add up. </div>
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Next, I am planning to address my budget...or lack of a budget....</div>
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Until next time...</div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-11896648514567875952019-01-07T20:40:00.000-05:002019-01-07T20:44:34.299-05:00The Breakdown: Defeating That Pile of Billls<div dir="ltr">
Breaking out of your funk can be intimidating.</div>
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In my last post, I outlined what needs to be done. I realized simply following those tips is way easier said than done. I realized this when thinking of my own situation. I'm intimidated. If I am, I know you are too. To lower some of that anxiety, I have decided to break down each step more. More information is always better than less. My hope is to let us all know...we got this!</div>
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I have been sitting looking at my pile of now opened, sorted, and written down bills and am feeling intimidated. I'll admit, this pile is scary. Knowing that everything in it needs my attention. Knowing that I owe money to each of those bills. It's all intimidating. </div>
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So, let's start at the beginning. Opening those bills.</div>
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Grab that pile and take a seat. Make piles. Trash. Bills. Other. That's all you have to do, first. Even if you know it is a bill, open it. Open everything. </div>
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Throw the trash out, that's probably a huge part of your pile. You have bills and other important mail left. If you aren't too overwhelmed (take a break if you are. Even if you come back to it a day or 2 later.) get a notebook (a notebook specifically for getting your finances back on track) to make notes on each bill. Write down how much you owe, contact information, any other important information. You can put them in order by when they are due or by how much you owe, but make sure you make a list that makes sense to you. This is the start of getting organized. </div>
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In your finances notebook is now a list of things you need to address. You have started your plan. <br />
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Next, we will look at your current spending to see where you can open up money to start attacking your financial mess.</div>
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Until next time...</div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-58975592477147084682019-01-02T13:29:00.000-05:002019-01-02T13:29:59.305-05:00Sometimes Life Happens...<div dir="ltr">
I started this blog what seems like a lifetime ago. I wanted to share financial tips that I was learning myself and help people reach Financial Independence...but...sometimes life happens and what you have planned for doesn't happen. You get side tracked by a death or an illness or losing your job.</div>
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Things happen. Your life might be falling apart, but something you don't realize at the time is that you are most likely neglecting your finances along with what your dealing with. When you make it through your storm and try to return to normal you realize that pile of bills you have been ignoring are bills. </div>
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Now you are starting all over financially. You know all the right things to do. You remember the lessons you learned. You know what you need to do. </div>
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First thing you do...is open those bills. </div>
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You can't fix the problem if you don't just jump in and see how bad it is. It might not be as bad as you think. Put the bills in piles according to what they are. Get a notebook and write everything down. Putting it on paper helps me to get organized. I'm a list maker. If lists don't work for you...find something that does. Piles. Baskets. Envelopes. Whatever works for you. </div>
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Then put everything in order from the lowest to the highest. Plan to pay the little bills first.</div>
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Next, start planning. Look at your bank statements. Look at your current spending. Start a budget. Make a list of your expenses. The plan is forming now. You have a list of what you owe due to, life. You have a list of your expenses. </div>
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I know it looks overwhelming, but you got this!</div>
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Now, go through your bank statement and put all your spending into categories to find out where you can cut back to pay off some debts. Make the categories: Essentials, like rent, car note, electric, etc.; Extras; like eating out and entertainment; Savings; you may not have a savings yet but you will.</div>
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Take your list of what you spend and breakdown things like eating out and shopping. You can cut these back or even out. You will be surprised to see how much you spending eating out. This category is usually much higher than people anticipate. </div>
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Finally, you can make a budget. </div>
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Budget for the Essentials first. Then, based on what you spend on food and your situation, add Extras to your budget. Your budget will change, so don't be discouraged when if you have trouble meeting every item on your budget. Overtime, your budget will change and eventually become something that you can, realistically, stick too. Make sure that you budget something to go to savings every month or pay day. I use an online savings account and have automatic deposits set each month. This way it is not something I have to consciously do. </div>
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Don't let your current situation stop you from achieving a better life. One step at a time and before you know it your situation will have changed, if you develop a plan and stick to it. </div>
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Until next time...</div>
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I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-10825511947216417592013-07-22T12:01:00.002-04:002013-07-22T12:01:41.421-04:00T.G.I.M. - THE DECISION <div style="text-align: justify;">
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<i>Monday's are Thank God It's Monday with ET The Hip Hop Preacher. This man is the living definition of what Personal Finance 4 The People stands for. He was homeless, now he travels and speaks to hundreds of people. He is so encouraging...perfect to start off this Monday morning...Make The Rest of your Life The Best of your Life!</i></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Check out ET the Hip Hop Preacher:</span></em></div>
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I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-90973857604293405082013-07-10T09:47:00.000-04:002013-07-10T09:47:24.761-04:0052 Week Money Challenge - Week 27 - 39 Tips That'll Save You Hundreds on Your Next Trip<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>So far we have started </b><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-6.html"><b>bringing our lunch to work</b></a><b>, used the </b><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2013-02-19T09:00:00-05:00&max-results=7"><b>Latte Factor</b></a><b>, cut back on travel expenses, taken a long hard look at our finances, </b><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-8.html"><b>negotiating your bills</b></a><b>, found way to make money (or other things you need) by </b><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-9.html"><b>bartering</b></a><b>, implemented a 30 day rule for purchases over a certain amount, found </b><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-11-25.html" target="_blank"><b>25 ways to have frugal fun this Spring</b></a><b>, and discovered <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/06/52-week-money-challege-week-23-ways-to.html" target="_blank">18 frugal and romantic dates</a>.</b> <b>Hopefully, after looking at your finances you found some more places to cut back. </b></div>
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Wise Bread lists <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/39-tips-thatll-save-you-hundreds-on-your-next-trip?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wisebread+%28Wise+Bread%29" target="_blank">39 Tips That'll Save You Hundreds on Your Next Trip</a> that will help save a few bucks and help you find cheap ways to travel for the summer. <b>Check them out...and safe travels!</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">1. Flash Deal Sites </span><br />
If you already have several destinations in mind, then check out travel flash sale sites, which can save you hundreds of dollars! Here are a <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Travel-Flash-Sale-Sites-21586317">couple to browse through</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">2. Check Out Underrated Places</span><br />
Try up-and-coming cities for some of the best deals. Big cities like New York, Rome, San Francisco, and London are always popular, but other places that may not make the rock-star list often offer you more bang for your buck.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">3. Cruise Deals</span> <br />
<a href="http://www.travelteam.com/files/Princess_Cruise_Ship5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="133" src="http://www.travelteam.com/files/Princess_Cruise_Ship5.jpg" width="200" /></a>If you're planning on stopping by a lot of locations, then take a look at some cruise deals. It may be cheaper to travel by boat with an all-inclusive deal. That way, you may be saving on additional airfare, lodging, ground transportation, and meals.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">4. Use Your Memberships</span><br />
Check with your organizations to see what kind of travel discounts they offer. Some to consider include AAA, the AARP, or warehouse clubs like Costco. Get discounts on your flight, hotel, and even your planned activities like visits to amusement parks.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">5. Cancel Within 24 Hours</span><br />
If you change your mind on traveling, then cancel your plane ticket within 24 in order to get your money back without penalties.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">6. Price Predictor</span><br />
Use tools like <a href="http://www.bing.com/travel/about/howAirPredictions.do?FORM=TRHPGN" target="_blank">Bing's Price Predictor</a> feature to see if the ticket price is predicted to drop or rise. The tool even gives a "confidence" percentage in its evaluation for a better gauge of accuracy. A third-party audit has found that the Price Predictor works 75 percent of the time.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">7. Book Unpopular Times</span><br />
It goes without saying that booking unpopular flight times, such as with red-eyes, weekdays, or off-season periods, will garner better prices. Travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays also tends to be cheaper.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">8. Use the Right Travel Credit Card </span><br />
<a href="http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.5006103279370881&pid=15.1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="138" src="http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.5006103279370881&pid=15.1" width="200" /></a>Signing up for a credit card that will give you great travel rewards would be worth considering. Before doing so, keep in mind that you should only charge what you can realistically pay off soon.<br />
That said, if you know you can pay off what you owe, then travel reward credit cards will be a neat way of earning free flights and hotel stays. Here are <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Best-Travel-Reward-Credit-Cards-2012-24441826">some good options</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">9. Currency Exchange</span><br />
When you're in a foreign country, you can get some of the <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41282577/ns/travel-travel_tips/t/traveling-abroad-how-exchange-currency/#.UICZD2k-ukY" target="_blank">best currency rates</a> by swiping your credit card or withdrawing money from a local ATM with a debit card.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">10. Go City Card</span><br />
Research to see if the <a href="http://www.smartdestinations.com/" target="_blank">Go City Card</a> will save you money. It's available in nine US cities and lets you visit selected attractions for free for a fee. It's worth getting if the attractions you are planning on visiting are on the Go City Card's list.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">11. Buy Your Tickets at the Right Time</span><br />
The <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Best-Time-Buy-Plane-Tickets-13504509">best times to buy your tickets</a> are Tuesdays and Wednesdays. More specifically Tuesday at 3 p.m. EST. Don't buy your tickets on the weekends, as they are the most expensive then.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">12. Lock Down Your Seat</span><br />
If you don't want to commit, some airlines give you the option of <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Holding-Airplane-Seats-11617032" target="_self">holding your seats</a>; Continental lets you <a href="http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/apps/onepass/promotions/registrationDetails.aspx?Mobile=1&SID=661B0D4180264A168D3BA92E1E243690&promoCode=A5753" target="_blank">hold it for 24 hours</a> and allows you to cancel without penalties. You can also <a href="http://www.continental.com/web/en-us/apps/onepass/promotions/registrationDetails.aspx?promoCode=A9405" target="_blank">lock down the fare</a> for three or seven days, but it comes with a $5 or $9 fee depending on your chosen time frame.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">13. Track the Prices</span><br />
If you buy your ticket early, then be sure to track it on <a href="http://website-of-the-day.geeksugar.com/Website-Day-Yapta-274079" target="_self">Yapta.com</a> to see if the price changes. Yapta will send you an email alert when it finds that you can change your ticket without taking a loss on rebooking fees.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">14. Book Through the Airline</span><br />
Oftentimes it's better to book through the airline so you'll be able to to see all the hidden fees that are not necessarily revealed through a booking website. You can also sometimes find deals that are only available on the airline's website.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">15. Pick the Right Site</span><br />
There are some companies like <a href="http://www.orbitz.com/" target="_blank">Orbitz</a> that will refund the difference to you if you find a lower rate on a ticket on another site. Research the different travel sites and see which one offers a similar service. After you buy your ticket, keep looking at other sites to see if the ticket price goes down.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">16. Check the Hotel Site</span><br />
Oftentimes, third-party sites don't show many specials that are featured on hotel sites. Check both the hotel and the third-party site before booking the best deal.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">17. Airbnb</span><br />
Fancy a stay with a homey feel? Check out <a href="http://www.airbnb.com/" target="_blank">Airbnb.com</a>, a site where individuals rent out their rooms or house to travelers. I found some pretty great deals on the site, with discounted pricing on rooms situated in prime locales. The multiple pictures will give you a good idea of what the rooms look like, and if you're still a bit hesitant, there are plenty user-generated reviews for you to check out.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">18. Couch Surfing </span><br />
<a href="http://www.bspelling.com.mx/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/couchsurfing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="147" src="http://www.bspelling.com.mx/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/couchsurfing.jpg" width="200" /></a>Want to not spend any money on your lodgings? Explore <a href="http://www.couchsurfing.org/" target="_blank">CouchSurfing.org,</a> a volunteer-based network in which you can crash on someone's couch for free. It's a great little community that may enrich your travel experience, because your couch-surfing pal might show you some of the local sights. What better way to view the city than through the eyes of a local?<br />
Bonus: you might even make a lifelong friend!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">19. Show Your Loyalty</span><br />
Becoming a loyal member of a hotel chain will get you lots of benefits, such as discounted prices, better service, and the ability to collect reward points toward a free hotel stay. And if you play your "I'm a loyal member" card and negotiate, then you can even get a full refund on your money when you cancel your stay. I've had to do that a couple times and saved a ton of money in doing so.<br />
Some of the more famous hotel reward programs include <a href="http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/index.html" target="_blank">Starwood Preferred Guest, </a><a href="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/home" target="_blank">Priority Club</a>, and <a href="http://hhonors.hilton.com/" target="_blank">Hilton HHonors</a>. And there is good news for those who prefer independent hotels. Turns out, there is a <a href="http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/travel/small-hotels-offer-new-loyalty-programs-practical-traveler.html?ref=todayspaper" target="_blank">growing trend of boutique hotels</a> grouping together to form their own loyalty programs; check out <a href="https://www.stashrewards.com/" target="_blank">Stash Hotel Rewards</a> and <a href="http://www.vhr.com/default.aspx?p=52&lang=1" target="_blank">Voila Hotel Rewards</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">20. Craigslist</span><br />
Check out the local Craigslist for short-term vacation rentals, but be careful! People who don't their homework can end up forking over cash to a scammer for a vacation rental and not seeing any of it back. Read these <a href="http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams" target="_blank">safety tips by Craigslist</a>, and try to have a friend check out the place before you send them money.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">21. Hostels</span> <br />
<a href="http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4795512432953362&pid=15.1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="128" src="http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4795512432953362&pid=15.1" width="200" /></a>Trim off travel costs by staying at a hostel, and spend about $15 to $35 a night. A popular place to find hostels is <a href="http://www.hihostels.com/" target="_blank">hihostels.com</a>. Hostels have evolved from their traditional image, and some of the choices on the website even include private rooms for couples, families, or groups of friends.<br />
If you're a first-timer, then be sure to prep yourself before the trip by remembering to bring things like shower slippers and ear plugs.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">22. Negotiate Hotel Rates</span><br />
Don't just call it a night at any price. If you're refraining from making reservations before your trip, then try to negotiate a lower rate for your room when you pull in for the evening. You'll find the most success at accommodations with several noticeable open spaces in the parking lot.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">23. Boutique Hotels</span><br />
Boutique hotels can offer a great price, but be sure to do your research properly, because they can be just as costly and swanky as the higher-end chain hotels. You can check out Orbitz for boutique hotels such as <a href="http://www.tablethotels.com/" target="_blank">Tablet Hotels</a>, or you can comb through Google search results on your own by using the search terms "boutique hotel [insert city]." Be sure to check out Trip Advisor reviews to see what other people are saying, and if it's in another language, then use Google Translate!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">24. Quote Your Price</span><br />
You can try your luck and opt to blind book on sites like Priceline.com and Hotwire.com and pay for a room in an unknown hotel. The risk is, you won't be able to cancel or change your reservation after you find out which hotel it is.<br />
Do some digging around on <a href="http://www.betterbidding.com/" target="_blank">betterbidding.com</a> or <a href="http://www.hoteldealsrevealed.com/" target="_blank">hoteldealsrevealed.com</a> to see if there are any tips for improving your chances of getting the right hotel. These are forums focused on <a href="http://www.hoteldealsrevealed.com/pricelinestrategies/priceline-rebids.html" target="_blank">how to "game"</a> Priceline and Hotwire sites.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">25. Sign on to the Computer for Pretrip Activity Savings</span><br />
Now I <strike>assume</strike> hope you regularly research prices of flights and hotels before booking, but what about activities? Along with the added perk of looking for reviews to determine whether a particular stop is a tourist trap or worth the money, you can also save money booking "big-ticket" items. Museums, theme parks, and other destinations often offer discounts for activities prebooked online because so many people don't do this and are willing to shell out more cash at the door.<br />
Don't be this person, and thoroughly research your destination and activities. In addition to checking out the tourism board, my favorite place to stop is the website of the local paper or city magazine. Periodicals geared toward locals usually have reviews of newer places and upcoming events — sometimes even discounts, too!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">26. Investigate Travel Insurance</span> <br />
<a href="http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4773049776014690&pid=15.1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="124" src="http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4773049776014690&pid=15.1" width="200" /></a>You'll be charged <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/1736588/">anywhere from four to eight percent</a> of the cost of your trip for insurance, but considering what's at stake, the extra money may be worth it to protect your investment and buy you piece of mind.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">27. Get a Cheaper, Well-Researched Hotel Room</span><br />
Using websites like Priceline could get you half-priced hotel rooms. That being said, shop smart! Playing up the best features with professional photos is the name of any hotel's aesthetics game, but stave off disappointment (and final sticker shock) by asking yourself these <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Double-Check-5-Things-Before-Booking-Hotels-Online-7709623">questions before booking a room</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">28. Consider a Travel Package</span><br />
You may <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/1729593/">consider buying a travel package</a>, even if you don't really need it, because they often cost less than airfare alone.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">29. Want to Do Good? Plan a Volunteer Vacation</span><br />
Offering a great way to see and experience a different culture, a volunteer vacation can be an especially fulfilling way to spend time off. The concept's not for everyone — no four-star hotels or five-course meals, and there's service work involved, making it less of a "break" — but it can be an affordable way to travel somewhere exotic and truly experience the other location separate from the confines of any resort. Here's a <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/How-Plan-Volunteer-Vacation-7986927">helpful planning guide</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">30. Travel Stateside on the Cheap by Setting Fare Alerts</span><br />
Airfare <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/1503137/">sales usually happen early in the week</a>, while increases are usually put into place at the end of the week. Because there's no magic day when the best prices occur, it's best to sign up for email price alerts on all the travel sites that you use. Make sure <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Double-Check-5-Things-Before-Booking-Hotels-Online-7709623">to check up on your hotel before you book</a> too!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">31. Eat Like a Local</span><br />
Avoid expensive tourist traps by <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/1705691/">asking locals for their recommendations</a>, and save money by ordering area specialties.<br />
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<a href="http://www.thenewecologist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/staycation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="128" src="http://www.thenewecologist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/staycation.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">32. Can't Afford It? Postpone and Staycation Instead </span><br />
If the best deals you find are still too pricey, then opt for a local vacation for now and postpone bigger travel plans for the location's off-season. Instead, use up some of that hard-earned PTO and take a <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Tips-Planning-Staycation-3147978">fabulous staycation in your own city</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">33. Stay in Neighboring Cities</span><br />
There's a trend of travelers booking lodgings in the neighboring town of the actual city they are planning to tour. By doing so, you can <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-great-travel-deals-in-next-door-cities-2012-10-01-191035055" target="_blank">save up to 40 percent</a> off the usual rate.<br />
But of course there are downsides to that strategy. Staying outside the tourist attractions will mean more time commuting, and you may have to rent a car if there isn't a good local public transportation system. Calculate those costs to see if staying in a neighboring city is worth it.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">34. Find the Cheapest Gas for Your Road Trip</span><br />
A road trip may cost less money than flying, but filling and refilling your tank still isn't cheap. Utilize websites like autos.msn or gasbuddy.com, which track the prices of gas and sort by zip code, in order to <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/1638444/">find the cheapest place to pump</a> while you're on the road.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">35. Redeem Miles Over the Phone</span><br />
It's more effective to book travel with mileage points over the phone than online because for most airlines, you don't always get access to full inventory of award seats online.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">36. Take Care of Your Car</span><br />
Prepare your car for the road by inflating the tires with air. Filling them up will ultimately save you money on gas. Keeping your lead foot to a minimum will also help you get the most mileage from your tank of gas, and you're less likely to be stuck with a pricey speeding ticket.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">37. Estimate Gas Costs Before You Go</span><br />
When you're budgeting for your excursion, you must consider the inevitable cost of gas. Try using the <a href="http://www.fuelcostcalculator.com/" target="_blank">AAA Fuel Cost Calculator</a> to calculate the cost of your trip. The tool generates its calculations with average regional gas prices and the details you enter, including your starting city, destination, and your vehicle's make, year, and model. Because it uses regional prices, the calculation should be looked at as an estimate, but AAA does update the prices daily.<br />
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<a href="http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4852614028790498&pid=15.1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="188" src="http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4852614028790498&pid=15.1" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">38. Pack a Cooler</span> <br />
Bring a full cooler along for the ride to save money and your waistline from too much fast food. But you'll need more than a bag of pretzels to get you by. Take ingredients to make sandwiches, containers with cut-up vegetables, fruit that doesn't require refrigeration (like bananas), and plenty of water.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">39. Keep Your Receipts</span><br />
When traveling with friends, it can be tedious to split every expense. If your group doesn't want to bother with exact numbers until the trip is over, then simply designate someone to hold on to all the receipts. That person should write down the name of the friend who paid to make it easier to calculate who owes what at the trip's end.<br />
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<b>28 weeks in, these simple changes should start to become a habit. These are life changes not just to complete the 52 Week Money Challenge. The goal is to change the way you handle your finances and your life. </b></div>
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<b>Challenge Total </b><b>Week 28 </b><b>= $406.00 </b></div>
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<a href="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="This is the 52 week money challenge that was shared with me last year. Hope this helps many of you this year." border="0" class="img" height="397" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Saving money is hard. It takes discipline and self-control to stick with the plan you developed. This year why not make it easy on yourself?</i></div>
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<i>I am a huge fan of ING (ING has been bought by Capital One and will become </i><a href="https://home.ingdirect.com/capitalone" target="_blank"><i>Capital One 360</i></a><i>. Doesn't look like much will change...). ING lets you automate your savings so you don't have to think about it. The greatest feature is that it takes a couple days to get money transferred back to your checking account. There are a couple ways around this, but not being able to touch the money in your ING accounts is great for medium/long term savings goals.</i></div>
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<i>If you have an ING, or other savings account, simply automate your savings transfers each month according to the chart below and watch the money stack up.</i></div>
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<i>If you don't have a savings account, GET ONE! Not just for this challenge but everyone needs at least one savings account - with an Emergency Fund.</i></div>
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<i>This week <b>28 </b>should be transferred to your savings account. We are up to <b>$406.00</b> this year. </i><i>Things from this point on will start to grow pretty quickly. How are you doing? Any savings light bulbs going off? Have you planned what you are going to do with the money at the end of the year?</i></div>
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Even if you missed weeks 1 through 27, you can still get started today. Deposit $378 into a savings account and you will be caught up.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Keep Up the Good Work!</b></i></span></div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-63690329635966892852013-07-08T19:22:00.000-04:002013-07-08T19:22:18.137-04:00T.G.I.M. - IMPOSING YOUR WILL <div style="text-align: justify;">
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<i>Monday's are Thank God It's Monday with ET The Hip Hop Preacher. This man is the living definition of what Personal Finance 4 The People stands for. He was homeless, now he travels and speaks to hundreds of people. He is so encouraging...perfect to start off this Monday morning...Make The Rest of your Life The Best of your Life!</i></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Check out ET the Hip Hop Preacher:</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/etthehiphoppreacher"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Youtube</span></em></a><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/Ericthomasbtc"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Twitter</span></em></a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/#%21/THEHIPHOPPREACHER"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Facebook</span></em></a><br /><a href="http://www.etthehiphoppreacher.com/"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">ET The Hip Hop Preacher Website</span></em></a></span></div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-4147172301285254612013-07-01T19:09:00.000-04:002013-07-01T19:09:03.007-04:00T.G.I.M. - ENERGY + EFFORT<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<i>Monday's are Thank God It's Monday with ET The Hip Hop Preacher. This man is the living definition of what Personal Finance 4 The People stands for. He was homeless, now he travels and speaks to hundreds of people. He is so encouraging...perfect to start off this Monday morning...Make The Rest of your Life The Best of your Life!</i></div>
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I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-4052678659804671472013-06-28T09:14:00.000-04:002013-06-28T10:03:11.129-04:00Save $$$ with an Online Personal Trainer<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5.35pt; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Personal Finance 4 The People is pleased to team with others who are able to share their expertise in various areas. We hope to combine our efforts to bring a greater financial effort inorder to help you reach YOUR Financial Independence. Today's guest post comes to us from <strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/p/candise-jordan_5.html" target="_blank">Candise Jordan</a></strong>.</em></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Let’s face it with the busy lives we lead today it has become close to impossible to work with a personal trainer. I have pretty much stopped working in person with clients due to both my & my clients busy schedules: school, kids, work, illness, family emergency, car troubles, traffic, travel etc. session after session would get cancelled, money gets wasted, and who wants to lose $$$?<br /><br />Then I had an “aha” moment. These days you can pretty much do ANYTHING online… work, order food, shop, go to school, so why not workout with a personal trainer online also?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Many people try to save money by joining office gyms or Planet Fitness which offers affordable memberships BUT what they lack is guidance. So you end up wasting time in the gym doing ineffective exercises, bouncing from machine to machine burning limited calories, doing exercises improperly and not getting the most from your workout! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">After a month or so of not getting results you eventually quit. Hopefully you didn’t sign a contract because if so then you’re still getting charged and now you’re not even using the gym </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">On the other hand with the guidance of a personal trainer you would receive effective personalized workouts based on your goals, your fitness level, and your schedule. You would have someone to both motivate you and hold you accountable. Someone to demonstrate the exercises for you and educate you on the muscles you’re working & why. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The catch is to receive this personalized attention can get quite pricy. The average Personal Training session ranges between $40-$100 per one our session. That can add up quickly!!! </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">So how do you get guidance without breaking the bank???</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">You guessed it…. An Online Personal Trainer!</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Not one of those cheesy, one size fits all computer generated sites that creates workouts based on minimal personal information and uses national standards. Choose an ACTUAL Certified Knowledgeable Instructor that takes into consideration YOUR TIME, YOUR ABILITY, YOUR GOALS, YOUR EQUIPMENT, YOUR TRAVEL, ETC. A real person to coach you through your workouts, monitors your food & workout logs, hold you accountable and push you towards your health & fitness goals.<br /><br />You have to be careful because there are a lot of non certified trainers who not only pose as trainers but will recommend supplements & create nutrition plans without any formal training. It gives us passionate trainers a bad name.<br /><br /><b>So does online personal training really work?</b><br /><br />THAT DEPENDS ON YOU!!! After completing a detailed fitness & nutrition assessment I personally create your individualized program. All workouts are efficient using the Latest Scientifically Proven Methods to train your body. Now your job is to FOLLOW THE PROGRAM! Every time you log in a workout it comes straight to my phone so I’m always available to track your workouts, update your workouts, answer questions, etc. If you do not log in I will contact you to see what’s going on & to re-motivate you!!! I have seen EXCELLENT RESULTS!!!!<br /><br /><b>Is it safe?</b><br /><br />Yes, the programs are just as safe as if you were home watching a fitness video. I’m not there to spot your form but you are provided with exercise demonstrations as well as detailed instructions & tips on performing each exercise. You can print the workouts and take it to the gym with you or even watch the routine from your Smartphone. The bonus here is the ONE ON ONE ATTENTION!!! If you have joint problems, limited equipment to no equipment, back problems, etc. I can create the workout for YOU!<br /><br /><b>What does your online personal training include?</b><br /><br />Unlimited access to your My Active Profile, Interactive meal and workout plans that are developed specifically around your goals & schedule, recipes, grocery lists, health & fitness articles & tips, progress tracking, over 2,000 exercise demonstrations, 1-on-1 messaging, community forums, support from your peers, mobile access & much more!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">If you are interested in learning more about Online Personal Training. Email <a href="mailto:admin@totalwellnessdc.com">admin@totalwellnessdc.com</a> to receive your FREE Consultation!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span>I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-90887962101448498542013-06-24T10:57:00.000-04:002013-06-24T10:57:08.469-04:00Monday Motivation - The Surprise Truth About What Motivates us<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
What motivates you to keep going? This video has so many great, important points! It's a little long and dense...but offers some great insight....</div>
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"This lively RSA Animate, adapted from Dan Pink's talk at the RSA, illustrates the hidden truths behind what really motivates us at home and in the workplace."</div>
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To view the full lecture <a href="http://www.thersa.org/events/video/vision-videos/the-surprising-truth-about-moving-others" target="_blank">click here</a>...</div>
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The RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce): an enlightenment organisation committed to finding innovative practical solutions to today’s social challenges. Through its ideas, research and 27,000-strong Fellowship it seeks to understand and enhance human capability so we can close the gap between today’s reality and people’s hopes for a better world. </div>
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Find out more about the RSA at <a class="yt-uix-redirect-link" dir="ltr" href="http://www.thersa.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="http://www.thersa.org">http://www.thersa.org</a></div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-50778020430925527742013-06-18T11:53:00.000-04:002013-06-18T11:57:21.302-04:0052 Week Money Challenge - Week 25 - 44 Tried and Tested Tips For a Frugal Life<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>So far we have started </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-6.html"><strong>bringing our lunch to work</strong></a><strong>, used the </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2013-02-19T09:00:00-05:00&max-results=7"><strong>Latte Factor</strong></a><strong>, cut back on travel expenses, taken a long hard look at our finances, </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-8.html"><strong>negotiating your bills</strong></a><strong>, found way to make money (or other things you need) by </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-9.html"><strong>bartering</strong></a><strong>, implemented a 30 day rule for purchases over a certain amount, found </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-11-25.html" target="_blank"><strong>25 ways to have frugal fun this Spring</strong></a><strong>, and discovered <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/06/52-week-money-challege-week-23-ways-to.html" target="_blank">18 frugal and romantic dates</a>.</strong> <strong>Hopefully, after looking at your finances you found some more places to cut back. </strong></div>
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There is a difference between frugal and cheap, I swear there is. Frugal people look for great deals and ways to save oney, cheap people...are just cheap. PopSugar's Smart Living Section lists <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/How-Live-Frugally-24174070" target="_blank">44 Tried and Tested Tips For a Frugal Life</a>...<br />
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<a href="http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4701392519824862&pid=15.1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="... frugal got a bad rap people took frugal for being cheap in essence" border="0" height="240" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1371567218582_629" src="http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4701392519824862&pid=15.1" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Get a Deep Freezer (If You Have the Space For It)</strong></div>
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<a href="http://cdn.thefrugalfind.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Deep-Freezer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="Deep Freezer" border="0" height="200" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1371567307379_628" src="http://cdn.thefrugalfind.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Deep-Freezer.jpg" width="200" /></a><em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/omegaphora" target="_blank"><em>omegaphora</em></a><em> says: </em></div>
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"That thing has been incredible. Budgets ebb and flow. In lean times, it has been great comfort to me knowing that I have "fresh" fruits/veggies in the freezer, for all sorts of uses. Dry goods/pantry items alone get very tiring and redundant. We have at least a few months of food now in the fridge/freezer, deep freezer, and pantry. </div>
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"Our tactic now is to buy in bulk and buy on sale. Many fresh foods can be frozen on a cookie sheet, then transferred into a container (diced fruit for smoothies, diced veggies for soups). I usually bake two loaves of bread at a time — freezing the extra one."</div>
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<strong>Buy Whole Hams and Have the Deli Guy Slice It</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/Hamsterdam" target="_blank"><em>Hamsterdam</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
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"Deli sliced ham cost two or three times as much as a whole ham. Most grocery store delis will slice a whole ham for you.</div>
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"A local store had a sale on deli sliced ham for $4 a pound. They were also having a sale on whole hams, $0.99 a pound. The ham weighed about 10 pounds, and I knew we wouldn't be able to eat it all at once. That's OK because cold cuts freeze really well.</div>
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"You might consider asking the deli to slice some of the meat into thicker slices for variety. (The ham steaks are great on the grill with some sliced pineapples, half peaches, and bell peppers.) </div>
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"If you have a good relationship with the store you could call ahead and have them slice the meat for you for pick up later."</div>
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<strong>Get Your Over-the-Counter Meds From Amazon</strong></div>
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<a href="http://d3.yimg.com/sr/img/1/f9b7b86e-5d4a-3675-83d3-801bd98e8ad3" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="96" src="http://d3.yimg.com/sr/img/1/f9b7b86e-5d4a-3675-83d3-801bd98e8ad3" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 323px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 815px; visibility: hidden;" width="63" /></a><em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/POTATO_IN_MY_OVEN" target="_blank"><em>POTATO_IN_MY_OVEN</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
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"Before you buy something at a brick-and-mortar store, check Amazon! You can usually find a generic version for much cheaper. The markup for name brands is ridiculous. For instance, I take Loratadine for my allergies. The name brand <a class="ss_inline_link auto_link_filter no_shopsense_url_rewrite" href="http://www.shopstyle.com/browse/Claritin?utm_source=sugar-brand&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=24174142" target="_blank" title="Shop for Claritin">Claritin</a> costs anywhere from $5 to $10 for 10 pills at my local grocery stores. On Amazon, you can get a bottle of generic Loratadine containing 400 pills for $18! Same active ingredient, for 10 times cheaper."</div>
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<strong>Automate It</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/professional_slacker" target="_blank"><em>professional_slacker</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
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"Ever since I bought my house and took on a mortgage payment of $800 a month, I have had my bank take $400 out of my paycheck every other week and put it into a separate savings account. Then at the end of the month, I make my mortgage payment directly from that account. I never see the money, so I don't miss it, and there's no way for me to run out of money for my house payment. It makes things so much easier, especially for a habitual overspender like me.</div>
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"I've decided to start doing the same for all my bills — figure up how much I pay per month for all my bills, add in some savings, then take half of that amount out of every check so that my entire net salary is 'my' money. Hardly a new and exciting idea, but as somebody who has gotten into trouble in the past by spending money irresponsibly, this has been a great way to keep me from overspending (or at the very least keep me from defaulting on my bills by overspending)."</div>
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<a href="http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/fruit-picking-14768869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="Fruit Picking Royalty Free Stock Images - Image: 14768869" border="0" height="200" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1371567465926_630" src="http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/fruit-picking-14768869.jpg" width="133" /></a><strong>Pick Your Own Fruits From a Local Orchard</strong></div>
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<a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/i_forget_my_userids" target="_blank"><em>i_forget_my_userids</em></a> spent $32 to pick her own fruit from a local orchard and managed to get a lot of</div>
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bang for her buck. The user picked 10 ears of corn, about four pounds of jalapeños, eight poblanos, and approximately 170 peaches.</div>
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The user obviously can't finish the produce before it goes bad, so she will can most of the fruit to use later. </div>
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<strong>Know What the Average Price For Common Goods Are</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/manbeef" target="_blank"><em>manbeef</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
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"Hit up a couple of grocery stores in your area or look at flyers. Compare your food staples and see which store is cheaper. Hopefully you'll notice a trend. In my area, I have three grocery stores to choose from: one is overall a lot more expensive, but has a lot of unique and hard-to-find items; the second is expensive, but has a good selection of produce and meats; the third one is cheaper overall, but lacks some items. I usually shop on my way home from work, hitting the cheap store first, getting everything I can, then hitting the midpriced store the next day on my way home for the odd item I can't get.</div>
"What you should be able to do is walk into a store, look at a product, and know what a good price for that product is. If it's a deal, buy it, or buy some extra. I still get caught buying something at one store when I don't know the average price, then realizing at the next store that it's half the price there."<br />
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<strong>Find Affordable Recipes</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/Cheesy_bacon" target="_blank"><em>Cheesy_bacon</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"The blog <a href="http://budgetbytes.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Budget Bytes</a> is quite useful for money minded meals I particularly love her <a href="http://budgetbytes.blogspot.ca/2011/07/taco-chicken-bowls-1066-recipe-133.html" target="_blank">taco bowl </a>slow cooker recipe, it can makes a chicken breast (bone-in is best bang for your buck) last 4 meals "<br />
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<strong>Skip the Laptop</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/wallplant" target="_blank"><em>wallplant</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
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<a href="http://betanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/cloud-computing-laptop-smartphone-tablet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="Do you own a Windows laptop, iPad and Android smartphone? Welcome to the post-PC era, which transition IDC describes as "profound". During second quarter, smartphones ..." border="0" height="173" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1371567622176_512" src="http://betanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/cloud-computing-laptop-smartphone-tablet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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"Instead of spending $500 dollars or more on a new laptop, I bought a Bluetooth keyboard that I can use with my Android smartphone for taking notes. I really have no need for a laptop right now because I can do basically everything on my phone so this is a great money-saver. Also all I have to carry around is a keyboard and maybe some batteries.</div>
". . . I also have Google drive, so it syncs up to my desktop computer at home just in case I lose my phone or it breaks."<br />
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<strong>Print at Work</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/Jasonrj" target="_blank"><em>Jasonrj</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"If you don't need it, don't own a printer. I print event tickets, directions, etc., all at work."<br />
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<strong>Check Your Bills</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/ErinfromAlbany" target="_blank"><em>ErinfromAlbany</em></a><em> says</em>:<br />
"Verizon botched my bill. It was $190 and it should have been $90. This is a really obvious overage, but saved me $100 by just looking at the amount and picking up the phone for a 25-minute phone call."<br />
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<strong>Insulate Your Home to Save on Energy Bills</strong></div>
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<em>A commenter on this </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal/comments/wwfl3/i_rent_a_house_and_the_energy_bill_is_getting/" target="_blank"><em>Reddit thread</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"You can get space blankets cheap on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?tag=duckduckgo-b-20&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=space%20blanket" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. Cheap like maybe a buck and change, and each one will cover two windows.<br />
"Mist the window lightly with plain water on the inside of the glass. Cut a piece of space blanket Mylar maybe a wee bit big and press it against the glass. Work out the wrinkles to your satisfaction and optionally run a box cutter around the edges for a neat fit.<br />
"When Winter comes and you need the solar gain, just peel off the space blanket and fold them for later use.<br />
". . . I can't remember where the heck I got the <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5854779/insulate-windows-with-bubble-wrap-for-a-reusable-storm-window" target="_blank">Bubble Wrap trick</a>, but it's totally awesome, and it is actually the genesis of this tip. Kept me toasty warm last Winter."<br />
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<a href="http://www.photo-dictionary.com/photofiles/list/2469/3218safety_razor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="safety razor - photo/picture definition - safety razor word and phrase ..." border="0" height="132" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1371567683832_796" src="http://www.photo-dictionary.com/photofiles/list/2469/3218safety_razor.jpg" width="200" /></a><strong>Shave Your Old Woolen Clothing to Renew It</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/punkfluff" target="_blank"><em>punkfluff</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
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"Resurrect old woolen clothes using only the power of a cheap disposable razor.</div>
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"The razor will rid the pilling from clothes when you run it over them."</div>
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<strong>Use the Stranger Test When Shopping</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/imanimpostor" target="_blank"><em>imanimpostor</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
"Use the stranger test to reduce impulse purchases: when considering a purchase, picture a stranger offering you [the cash value of the purchase] or the item in question. Which is of greater value you? Which would you choose?"<br />
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<strong>Keep Your Home Clean</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/ukulelechica" target="_blank"><em>ukulelechica</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"It saves money on cleaning products, because if you keep it clean, you don't have to buy expensive products to cut through all the grime. A simple wipe down with a wet rag will do.<br />
"It saves money at the store, because when my home is clean and organized, I know exactly what I have and don't have so I stopped buying duplicates."<br />
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<strong>Try Ethnic Supermarkets</strong></div>
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<a href="http://inzumi.com/images/destinations/US_Hawaii_International_Marketplace_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="International Marketplace - Shopping - Hawaii | inzumi" border="0" height="140" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1371567764489_510" src="http://inzumi.com/images/destinations/US_Hawaii_International_Marketplace_2.JPG" width="200" /></a>Shop in the ethnic aisle of your supermarket or in ethnic supermarkets — you'll find cheaper fresh produce and meats. <em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/nickplosion" target="_blank"><em>nickplosion</em></a><em> explains why the goods are cheaper:</em></div>
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"Ethnic markets sell way more raw produce and meats than your local chain grocery store does. Most grocery stores in America make their money on prepackaged stuff and use their produce departments to "prime" you into feeling hungry and buying something easier. Ethnic markets, on the other hand, serve a clientele that usually have a tighter budget and more mouths to feed. They'll buy more raw ingredients and they'll buy them more often. Therefore, ethnic marts can order more from the supplier and usually get a much better price, since he's got to sell it before it goes bad too."</div>
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<strong>Maintain Your Clothes to Reduce Visits to the Dry Cleaner</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/fatrob" target="_blank"><em>fatrob</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"Every day when you take off your suit, put the jacket on a hanger and place the trousers on the clamp-style hanger (the type that allows you to clamp the bottom and the whole pant hangs down with no fold). This will ensure that you never have to press your trousers between cleanings. Do not wear the garment for at least a day: it will allow for any creases to fall out on their own. Invest in a good umbrella and overcoat, keep your suit dry, you will not get the puckering at the seams.<br />
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"Depending on the season, either weekly or every two weeks, I will freshen the suits with Dryel (Walmart sells it at less than $11 for a six pack). Dryel works by 'steaming' the clothes in a nylon bag, leaves a light scent, and removes 99 percent of the stains I have thrown toward it. I will steam no more than two garments at a time (instructions say you can do four). Before steaming, I will use the Dryel sheet and go over any stains I notice to pretreat."</div>
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<strong>Grow Your Own Food</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/YYYY" target="_blank"><em>YYYY</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"Learn to grow . . . food. It is not hard, and you don't need a lot of tools, either. I mostly use a shovel and five-tine fork. I don't plow, till, or weed — because I don't have many weeds."<br />
And if growing your own food seems intimidating or if you don't have a garden, start by growing herbs in your kitchen. <br />
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<a href="http://www.sistersshoppingonashoestring.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Makeyourownlaundrydetergentwords.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="Make Your Own Dry Laundry Soap Recipe" border="0" height="200" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1371567840426_630" src="http://www.sistersshoppingonashoestring.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Makeyourownlaundrydetergentwords.jpg" width="200" /></a><strong>Make Your Own Detergent</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/thefingolfin" target="_blank"><em>thefingolfin</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
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"It only took me about an hour to make a powdered detergent from Borax, washing soda, and bar soap (one cup, one cup, and ½ bar respectively). There are tons of recipes. <a href="http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-laundry-detergent-soap/" target="_blank">This is the one I used</a>. The rough cost estimates for me were 900 loads for about $20. Cheapest equivalent was Aldi's detergent at 360 loads for $25."</div>
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Check out <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/DIY-Powder-Laundry-Detergent-22835913">our simple recipe</a> for <a class="sugar_inline_link" href="http://www.casasugar.com/DIY" target="_blank" title="Latest photos and news for DIY">DIY</a> detergent.</div>
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<strong>Brew Your Own Alcohol</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/thefingolfin" target="_blank"><em>thefingolfin</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
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"I've just started testing the waters of brewing with some one-gallon test batches of apfelwein (apple wine). Ciders and meads don't usually require boiling, so there is less initial equipment to purchase, but even for making beer, after the about $150 initial purchase, your batches will run between $20 and $40 for 50 to 60 bottles of beer that's better than from the store. It's not for everyone, but it's a hobby I'm interested in and will save money in the long run."</div>
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<strong>Cut Cable TV</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/thefingolfin" target="_blank"><em>thefingolfin</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"Instead of a cable package get a Roku player (about $50 to $60 if you look for a cheap model refurbished or on sale — there are plenty of similar items you could get instead) with your choice of Hulu Plus, Netflix, Amazon prime video . . . I will also buy a HDTV antenna."<br />
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<strong>Manage Your Personal Finances</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/thefingolfin" target="_blank"><em>thefingolfin</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"Get out of debt, save up a six-month emergency fund, max out an employer-matched 401K plan, then start investing in indexed mutual funds. Make the money you've saved work for you. I think Scott Adam's (<b>Dilbert</b> cartoonist) <a href="http://learnfinancialplanning.com/scott-adams-financial-pla/" target="_blank">nine-point plan to personal finance</a> is an easy and clear way that explained the basics tenets of personal finance."<br />
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<strong>Restore or Build Your Own Furniture</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/thefingolfin" target="_blank"><em>thefingolfin</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"I've recently started getting my feet wet in some <a class="sugar_inline_link" href="http://www.casasugar.com/DIY" target="_blank" title="Latest photos and news for DIY">DIY</a> projects . . . I build a headboard for our bed for under $50. A friend gave us a large wooden spool that my wife and I are going to convert into a table/bookshelf combo. With a few tools and some time, you can save hundreds of dollars and have the satisfaction of building things yourself."<br />
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<strong>Exercise Outside of a Gym</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/thefingolfin" target="_blank"><em>thefingolfin</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"Paying for a gym membership, in my opinion, can be a frugal option if it makes you exercise (so many benefits from exercising . . . I need to do it more), but it's very easy and totally free to go for a walk/job/run outside, and from just a monetary perspective, it will save you tons of health care money down the road."<br />
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<a href="http://tammyvwp.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/reward-cards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="The rewards card era | the tesserae" border="0" height="150" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1371567884223_628" src="http://tammyvwp.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/reward-cards.jpg" width="200" /></a><strong>Use a Rewards Credit Card Instead of a Debit Card</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/thefingolfin" target="_blank"><em>thefingolfin</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
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For those who have a good handle on their spending, "use a rewards credit card instead of a debit card. I fully understand this is not a good idea for some people. I could tell you several of my friends who I would specifically recommend to not use a credit card. However, in my situation, where I have great mutual accountability between me and my wife, the $300 sign-up bonus and the one to five percent cash back on purchases has been a nice source of extra money and hasn't increased our spending at all."</div>
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<strong>Don't Rent a Modem</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/thefingolfin" target="_blank"><em>thefingolfin</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"I will definitely buy a modem (it will cost about $40) instead of renting one for $5 a month."<br />
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<a href="http://www.blackball.com/b/images/openoffice.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="Open Office - FSO" border="0" height="110" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1371568341973_568" src="http://www.blackball.com/b/images/openoffice.png" width="200" /></a><strong>Use OpenOffice and Google Docs instead of Microsoft Office</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/thefingolfin" target="_blank"><em>thefingolfin</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
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"While some people need the extra features that Microsoft Office provides (such as Excel . . . can't really get a comparable substitute), it amazes me that many people I know do not take advantage of these free and powerful alternatives to a $100 software package."</div>
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<strong>Learn How to DIY</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/theinfamousj" target="_blank"><em>theinfamousj</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"Take every single (free or low-cost) class that you can find in your area that offers <a class="sugar_inline_link" href="http://www.casasugar.com/DIY" target="_blank" title="Latest photos and news for DIY">DIY</a> repair skills. Hit up Home Depot or Lowe's to learn how to tile, so that when that one tile inevitably cracks, you will know exactly how to repair it. Ditto plumbing. Learn to solder so you can fix your electronics. Take a basic sewing course so that you can do basic mending. Bump it up a notch and learn to do your own basic alterations, too, so you can get more use out of a trip to Goodwill. Machines may make sewing easier, but they aren't necessary."<br />
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<a href="http://burnincfitness.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/water1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="Why drinking WATER is the key ingredient to good health! | determined ..." border="0" height="200" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1371568374711_686" src="http://burnincfitness.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/water1.jpg" width="133" /></a><strong>Only Drink Water</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/4n7h0ny" target="_blank"><em>4n7h0ny</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
"Only drink water — this is especially true if you are out to eat."<br />
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<strong>Treat Yourself Once in a While</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/dahvzombie" target="_blank"><em>dahvzombie</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
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"On the other hand, saving money is kind of like losing weight — if you don't treat yourself occasionally, you're likely to binge and destroy all your hard work. Once you're sure you want/need something and you find a good price, get it!"</div>
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<strong>Wait Out Luxury Purchases</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/dahvzombie" target="_blank"><em>dahvzombie</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"Sit on all luxury purchases for at least two weeks. Do research, price comparisons, and think heavily about whether you need the thing. People are emotional, and most of us are guilty of impulse buying — wait it out!"<br />
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<strong>Scour Craigslist</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/boojieboy" target="_blank"><em>boojieboy</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"Lots of great cheap/free stuff to be found in there. Have a working list of things you're looking for, then continually scan for them. Smartphone CL apps are great for this.<br />
"Then, continually turn over your unnecessary stuff on CL as well. Quickest way to get rid of something large and slightly valuable (like an old chair or something): post it for free on there."</div>
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<strong>Make a Lifestyle Change</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/poorsoi" target="_blank"><em>poorsoi</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"I'd like to first say that frugality is a lifestyle, like vegetarianism. The best thing you can do is get used to small adjustments like turning off lights that aren't being used, carpool when possible, compare before buying, and so on."</div>
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<strong>Use Vinegar</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/WindyJane" target="_blank"><em>WindyJane</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"Vinegar . . . vinegar everywhere! This is my main thing. Between Murphy's Oil Soap, dish soap, baking soda, and vinegar, I spend less than $10 a year to keep a clean house. Also has laundry uses, as hair treatment, and so much more. Frugal and the air quality in your house improves."<br />
Here are <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Uses-Vinegar-22333420">23 handy uses</a> for vinegar. <br />
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<strong>Buy Quality Clothes</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/50missioncap" target="_blank"><em>50missioncap</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
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"It's often frugal to spend more money on better quality clothing (which isn't necessarily designer!). I bought some expensive work pants, and they still haven't frayed or faded much after seven-plus years of very regular use."</div>
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And as for buying quality clothing, here are more tips from <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/50missioncap" target="_blank">50missioncap</a>:</div>
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"I wouldn't really recommend brands or stores, because they can be hit or miss. But here are some tips:</div>
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<li>"Stitching: look for loose threads. Look for tighter or more dense stitching. If there is a loose thread, see if it's cheap and thin or thicker. Gently pull on a seam. If it gives, it's not stitched well.</li>
<li>"Fabric: patterns should match (e.g., the stripes on a shirt pocket should line up with the rest of the shirt). Bunch it in your hand for five seconds — it should return to its natural shape with few wrinkles.</li>
<li>Buttons: check for loose buttons.</li>
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<strong>Be Honest With Friends About Your Budget</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/hntingbears" target="_blank"><em>hntingbears</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"It's OK to say I can't afford to go/do/see______ to friends/coworkers/family, etc. Be honest about your budget as people will understand. I do it all the time now, and it really helps me to keep from overspending on frivolous things."<br />
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<strong>Use Less</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/coffeeshopgirl7" target="_blank"><em>coffeeshopgirl7</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"Use less of everything. It's terribly wasteful how much product we as Americans use for everyday tasks. The toothpaste doesn't have to be running down your arm to get your teeth clean. One tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent is sufficient for an average load (or you could make your own for a lot less)."<br />
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<strong>Start Looking Well in Advance For Big Purchases</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/QueenPigeon" target="_blank"><em>QueenPigeon</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"When it comes to big purchases — say, a new car or a big piece of furniture — start looking well in advance. As an example . . . we decided to start the search for a new car. We tossed around all sorts of ideas, colors, makes, models. We scoured Craigslist and talked to friends and family about what they drove. In the end, after taking our sweet time and having extreme patience we found an 4x4 Escape worth over $6,000 and paid $2,000 for it 'cause someone just wanted rid of it."<br />
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<strong>Look For Cheaper Means of Transportation</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/thesecretofjoy" target="_blank"><em>thesecretofjoy</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
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<a href="http://www.featurepics.com/FI/Thumb300/20080730/Cheap-Transportation-827349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="Picture of Cheap Transportation" border="0" height="133" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1371568605328_484" src="http://www.featurepics.com/FI/Thumb300/20080730/Cheap-Transportation-827349.jpg" width="200" /></a>"I got rid of my car five years ago. I did it when I was still living outside of the city I worked in. My cost to own and operate a vehicle was over $600 a month with car payment, gas, insurance, and maintenance. Now I live in the city and use transit, my bike, and my feet. If I need a car and can't borrow one from a friend, I rent one and still save thousands of dollars a year. Not having a car makes it harder to hop in the car and go spend money when I'm bored."</div>
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<strong>Focus on Preventative Care</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/thesecretofjoy" target="_blank"><em>thesecretofjoy</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
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"I pay for health insurance and use it to get all the preventative care I'm entitled to. Poor health can bankrupt, so I intend to stay as healthy as possible."</div>
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<strong>Never Buy Things Full Price</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/WindyJane" target="_blank"><em>WindyJane</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
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"Also never pay full price for anything. If you need something, first research the "normal" price then figure out how to get it on sale, coupon, discount store, etc. After researching and taking time on a few things, eventually you'll learn which stores are best for some items, which for others, which to get online vs. in person, etc. Even when grocery shopping, arrange your menu planning around what's in season (it's always cheaper then) and what's on sale. For big-ticket items or planned things like birthday gifts, plan ahead and aim for sale times. You can find lists online of the times of year different things (clothes, electronics) go on their biggest sales and buy them then."</div>
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<a href="http://www.pgs-online.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/thermostat-adjust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="thermostat adjust" border="0" height="150" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1371568430795_510" src="http://www.pgs-online.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/thermostat-adjust.jpg" width="200" /></a><strong>Adjust Your Thermostat</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/coffeeshopgirl7" target="_blank"><em>coffeeshopgirl7</em></a><em> says:</em></div>
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"One thing that has saved us a lot on our electric bill is to bump the thermostat two or three degrees in either direction depending on the season. It's a bit uncomfortable at first, but with a sweater or a glass of ice water, your body can learn to adjust and your pocketbook will thank you."</div>
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<strong>Dry Your Clothes on a Clothesline</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/coffeeshopgirl7" target="_blank"><em>coffeeshopgirl7</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"Get a clothesline if you don't already have one."<br />
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<strong>Extend the Life of Your Disposable Razor</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/willco17" target="_blank"><em>willco17</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
"You can extend the life of disposables using your arm. It's like using a strop to smooth out imperfections. <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/want-to-keep-your-dispoable-razor-blades-sharp-use-your-arm" target="_blank">More details here</a>."</div>
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<strong>Take Baby Steps</strong></div>
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<em>Reddit user </em><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/TrekMadone" target="_blank"><em>TrekMadone</em></a><em> says:</em><br />
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"When I started, I made small changes monthly and added them in. I think that was the major reason for my success. The best advice I would give to anyone is take two pieces of advice from this topic and add them to your frugal ritual monthly!"</div>
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<a href="http://inspiredspirit.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/babysteps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="Baby Steps…" border="0" height="138" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1371568557214_510" src="http://inspiredspirit.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/babysteps.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<strong>25 weeks in, these simple changes should start to become a habit. These are life changes not just to complete the 52 Week Money Challenge. The goal is to change the way you handle your finances and your life. </strong></div>
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<strong>Challenge Total </strong><strong>Week 25</strong><strong> = $325.00 </strong></div>
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<a href="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="This is the 52 week money challenge that was shared with me last year. Hope this helps many of you this year." border="0" class="img" height="397" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>Saving money is hard. It takes discipline and self-control to stick with the plan you developed. This year why not make it easy on yourself?</em></div>
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<em>I am a huge fan of ING (ING has been bought by Capital One and will become </em><a href="https://home.ingdirect.com/capitalone" target="_blank"><em>Capital One 360</em></a><em>. Doesn't look like much will change...). ING lets you automate your savings so you don't have to think about it. The greatest feature is that it takes a couple days to get money transferred back to your checking account. There are a couple ways around this, but not being able to touch the money in your ING accounts is great for medium/long term savings goals.</em></div>
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<em>If you have an ING, or other savings account, simply automate your savings transfers each month according to the chart below and watch the money stack up.</em></div>
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<em>If you don't have a savings account, GET ONE! Not just for this challenge but everyone needs at least one savings account - with an Emergency Fund.</em></div>
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<em>This week <strong>25 </strong>should be transferred to your savings account. We are up to <strong>$325.00</strong> this year. </em><em>Things from this point on will start to grow pretty quickly. How are you doing? Any savings light bulbs going off? Have you planned what you are going to do with the money at the end of the year?</em></div>
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Even if you missed weeks 1 through 24, you can still get started today. Deposit $300 into a savings account and you will be caught up.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em><strong>Keep Up the Good Work!</strong></em></span></div>
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I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-35311774981638294372013-06-17T12:50:00.002-04:002013-06-17T12:50:11.054-04:00Motivational Mondays: Dear HardworkAthletics and working out is a perfect example for life. When things get hard when training, you can either give up or fight through. You can either take the easy way or take the way that will get you results. It's an everyday choice...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/8EGWEUf9Xr8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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This video is from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/CutAndJacked?feature=watch" target="_blank">CutAndJacked</a> on YouTube. Obviously, this is a workout YouTube channell, but the message is there. </div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-15308472718084356152013-06-05T09:00:00.000-04:002013-06-05T09:00:09.494-04:00Student Loans - On Everyone's Mind<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.estudentloan.com/wp/assets/stafford-student-loans-300x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="Federal Stafford Loans, How To Get A Stafford Student Loan ..." border="0" height="133" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1370280634262_628" src="http://www.estudentloan.com/wp/assets/stafford-student-loans-300x200.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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The only thing in the news I seem to pay attention to these days is STUDENT LOANS...<em>dun dun dun</em>! Right, that's how I feel too. Those intense feelings of regret for making such a huge life decision without knowing what I was signing up for and dread at having that decision be the reason I am going to struggle for the rest of my life...unless I win the lottery or marry some old rich person who leaves me their fortune when they pass. I am grateful for the experiences of going to college and the knowledge you gained (academic and life) but sad at the life experiences I am going to lose because of the lack of financial opportunities due to looming loan payments. <o:p> </o:p></div>
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<a href="http://api.ning.com/files/FQ70gTrbwyikbp7JMMJDRbinWYKfl7fx2iLzvrnZJY8hbV46z4KbbCeeSTZ078uX35Mb2ZIHHuDC9z*pBslU*X-G6OsfEtlR/6238712792899ea2bd8cz1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="Student Loan Repayment Boosts Federal Workforce - GovLoop - Knowledge ..." border="0" height="110" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1370280712651_628" src="http://api.ning.com/files/FQ70gTrbwyikbp7JMMJDRbinWYKfl7fx2iLzvrnZJY8hbV46z4KbbCeeSTZ078uX35Mb2ZIHHuDC9z*pBslU*X-G6OsfEtlR/6238712792899ea2bd8cz1.jpeg" width="200" /></a>So, it seems that I am not the only one in major debt because of something I was told my whole young life that I had to do because it was the socially acceptable thing to do and would help me in my life. No, it wasn't like that for all of us...for some it was different in a good way, and some in a bad way. But for a lot of us this was how it was. We were always told we were able to do anything we dreamed of, but we were never told how we were actually supposed to get there. </div>
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We kind of did what we were told because it was easier than figuring it out for ourselves (we are the "lazy" generation after all). When it came time to go to college we signed all these papers and had no idea what we had signed. College was great, or it sucked...but we did it, or some part of it. (Real general, huh?) Point is, we went to college and now we have to pay for it. Problem is...college cost a lot of money and the job marked (and economy) is slightly underwhelming, to say the least. We owe all this money and can't pay it back. College cost so much money many of us could have bought a house for what we borrowed to pay for our education, but that is free or much cheaper in many other countries across the world...and paid off the house faster. </div>
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For the 2011-2012 academic year, the maximum Pell grant was $5,500. At public and private four-year schools nationwide, average annual tuition, room and board for full-time undergraduate students was $23,066 last year, according to the U.S. Department of Education. That's up 32 percent from 10 years earlier. What are we suppose to do about this?</div>
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<a href="http://sandiegopatriots.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/student-loan-default.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="Student loan defaults are growing, and the worst is still to come." border="0" height="140" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1370280758503_628" src="http://sandiegopatriots.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/student-loan-default.jpg" width="200" /></a>It also seems that <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/dear-class-13-ve-scammed-110139929.html" target="_blank">colleges and universities continually raised the price of getting an education</a> and a couple other things happened...right as we needed all this money lenders stared lending it to us. It didn't matter if we or our families could afford to ever pay back the loan...and the interest on that loan. We weren't told exactly how all this was being done, but it happened. We weren't told what would happen when the time came to pay the money back or that the economy and job markets were going to go bad right as we would be thrust into them. Yeah, we are kind of screwed. Worst of all...the lenders love that we can't afford to pay these loans back because they make more money when we can’t pay them back. </div>
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The government is sort of trying to help, depending on what your definition of help is. <a href="http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/sns-rt-us-usa-studentloans-obamabre94u147-20130531,0,2350902.story" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">President Obama</span></a> recently laid out a plan stating "rates for subsidized federal student loans would be set every year based on the market plus 0.93 percent, but remain fixed for the life of the loan. His plan, for instance, would lock in rates for next year's borrowers at 2.9 percent for the life of the loan." <em>But this is for <u>future</u> borrowers.</em> </div>
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From the same article, Republicans have a plan too..."The Republican plan, passed by the House last week, requires rates for subsidized and unsubsidized loans, known as Stafford loans, to be recalculated every year and pegged to 10-year Treasury notes, plus 2.5 percentage points. The plan caps interest rates for the loans at 8.5 percent. Under that plan, a student who borrows the maximum amount of subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans over five years would pay $14,430 in interest, according to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service. If rates double on July 1, a student would pay $12,598, compared with $7,965 at current rates."</div>
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As of July 1, if an agreement can't be reached student loans rates will double from <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/tentative-step-direction-student-loans-120026981.html;_ylt=A2KJ2Uix2qxRCEkAznvQtDMD" target="_blank">3.4% to 6.8%</a> for future borrowers. That's not going to help... </div>
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<a href="http://cheapscholar.org/2013/06/02/the-new-pay-as-you-earn-program-for-student-loans/" target="_blank">President Obama</a> introduced a new Pay As You Earn (PAYE) loan repayment program to help these new graduate. "The PAYE option allows loan recipients to pay back their loan in monthly amounts based on their income and family size. The PAYE amount is to be paid over 20 years and is <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/understand/plans/pay-as-you-earn">capped at 10%</a></em></span> of monthly income." There's a lot more to it, so check out the article for more details. </div>
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<br />Everyone seems to be talking about the problem and giving statistics on how we aren't paying our loans back because of this and that. About how our student loan debt is now larger than credit card and auto loan debt <a href="http://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2012/03/grading-student-loans.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LibertyStreetEconomics+%28Liberty+Street+Economics%29" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">(Student loan debt stands at $870 billion nationally, surpassing the nation’s outstanding balance on auto loans ($730 billion) and credit cards ($693 billion))</span></a>. How student loan debt is the next bubble to burst. How we are spoiled and feel entitled and aren't as hard working as previous generations. Talking about the problem is great and all, but what about coming up with some real solutions?</div>
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<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/college-inc/post/student-loans-surpass-auto-credit-card-debt/2012/03/06/gIQARFQnuR_blog.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;"><strong>Consider this</strong></span></a><strong>:</strong></div>
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• Student loan debt is rising at a time when other debt is flat or even declining. From the second to the third quarter of 2011, the nation’s loan balance grew 2.1 percent, from $852 billion to $870 billion.</div>
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• Fifteen percent of all Americans with enough of an economic pulse to have credit reports have outstanding student-loan debt. Two-fifths of people under 30 have loan debt, and 25 percent of those between 30 and 39.</div>
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• $85 billion in student loan debt is “past due,” and of that total, three-quarters is owed by people over 30. More than five million borrowers have past-due student loans.</div>
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We accumulated this debt at the same time the other bubbles were growing. Each of those bubbles burst and there were bailouts and new legislation and regulation so the problem wouldn't happen again. Some of the bailout went to the people and most went to the industry that caused the problem. Wouldn't it be great if this time more of whatever bailout is coming for student loans went to the people? The people who have their lives financially ruined before their lives actually started. </div>
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<em><b>Weird, Different, and Strange Ways to Pay for College</b></em></div>
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- Karly Bealcher accepts donations on the internet using <a href="http://youcaring.com/"><span style="color: purple;">YouCaring.com</span></a>, along with working 2-3 jobs and applying for scholarships. An eighth grader from Santa Rosa sells homemade toffee candy bars called "College Bound Bar" to help pay for her future college costs. <a href="http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x738924993/Students-finding-creative-ways-to-pay-for-college" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Students finding creative ways to pay for college</span></a></div>
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- The Huffinton Post posted a list of the <em><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/19/craziest-ways-to-pay-tuit_n_811038.html#s225785&title=In_Cash" target="_blank">Craziest ways to pay for your tuition</a>:</em></div>
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<em> - In Cash - "</em>Nic Ramos may have taken this advice a bit too literally when he paid a semester's worth of tuition -- $14,300 -- <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/18/nic-ramos-university-of-c_n_810196.html" target="_hplink">in $1 bills</a>." hahahaha Take that!</div>
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<em> - Ask Someone Else To Do It - "</em>The bolder ones, like <a href="http://www.edulender.com/twohundredthou/" target="_hplink">Kelli Space</a> and <a href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1838709_1838713_1838738,00.html" target="_hplink">Max Stephenson</a>, are soliciting strangers to help them repay loans. But even meeker students can cash in on the kindness of strangers through websites like <a href="http://sponsorchange.org/" target="_hplink">SponsorChange.org</a>, <a href="http://www.charityfordebt.org/" target="_hplink">CharityforDebt.org</a> and <a href="http://greennote.com/" target="_hplink">Greennote.com</a>."</div>
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- <em>Strum It Away</em> - "If you don't feel comfortable straight-up asking for cash, you might want to follow <a href="http://justincox.wordpress.com/" target="_hplink">Justin Cox</a>'s lead -- for one year, he plans to play in public for tips, which he will use to start repaying loans."</div>
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- <em>Live For Free</em> - "Back in 2004, an NYU student <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2004-04-27-nyu-student_x.htm" target="_hplink">made headlines</a> by living in the school library for seven months because he couldn't afford to pay for housing."</div>
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- <em>Barter</em> - "In 2002, Lindenwood University introduced a <a href="http://www.hpj.com/archives/2004/sep04/sep20/Studentsswaplivestockfortui.CFM" target="_hplink">"tuition for pork"</a> program, which allowed students from agricultural families who demonstrated need to trade livestock for a college education."</div>
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- <em>Start A Business</em> - "Two University of Colorado grads turned their college woes into a <a href="http://media.www.thelaf.com/media/storage/paper339/news/2010/12/10/News/Hangover.Helpers.Provides.Relief.After.A.Rough.Night.Of.Partying-3966940.shtml" target="_hplink">clever start-up idea</a> -- their business, "Hangover Helpers," offers to clean up your post-party dorm and bring you a hangover cure (Gatorade and breakfast burrito) to boot."</div>
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- <em>Freeganize</em> - "Although dumpster diving may not be the most glamorous way to get food, some <a href="http://www.redandblack.com/2009/02/04/freegan-lifestyle-reaps-treasure/" target="_hplink">students say</a> they can live off found food for weeks at a time."</div>
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- <em>Steal</em> - (Yeah, not a good idea) "...in 2009, a Colorado pastor was <a href="http://www.blackchristiannews.com/news/2009/01/pastor-steals-from-church-to-pay-childrens-college-tuition.html" target="_hplink">accused of stealing $392 grand</a> from his church to pay his childrens' tuitions."</div>
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- StudentBank.com lists <a href="http://www.studentbank.com/featured/101-ways-to-pay-for-college/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">101 Ways to Pay for College</span></a></div>
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- Get a free education - MoneyTalksNews offers <a href="http://www.moneytalksnews.com/2012/11/22/5-ways-to-get-a-free-education/" target="_blank">5 Ways to Get a Free Education</a>. Take courses for free...</div>
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- <a href="https://www.coursera.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Coursera</span></a></div>
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- <a href="http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Open Culture</span></a></div>
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- <a href="https://www.edx.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">edX</span></a></div>
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- <a href="http://online.stanford.edu/courses/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Stanford</span></a></div>
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- Your local library</div>
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So, yeah, student loans are a hot issues right now - for those looking to attend college and those who are buried under a mountain of student loan debt. The best thing to do, if you feel college is for you is to find a way, or ways, to pay for college without accumulating debt that is nearly impossible to pay back. We will do our best to let you know of ways to beat the student loan trap as we find them. </div>
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<em><b><span style="font-size: large;">If you have a student loan story, tips, knowledge of grants and scholarships, or anything else that others might find useful share in the comment section. </span></b></em></div>
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<em><b><span style="font-size: large;">Sharing is caring, after all...</span></b></em></div>
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I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-42472049396793308132013-06-04T09:00:00.000-04:002013-06-04T09:00:02.959-04:0052 Week Money Challege - Week 23 - Ways to have Cheap and Romantic Dates at Home<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>So far we have started </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-6.html"><strong>bringing our lunch to work</strong></a><strong>, used the </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2013-02-19T09:00:00-05:00&max-results=7"><strong>Latte Factor</strong></a><strong>, cut back on travel expenses, taken a long hard look at our finances, </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-8.html"><strong>negotiating your bills</strong></a><strong>, found way to make money (or other things you need) by </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-9.html"><strong>bartering</strong></a><strong>, implemented a 30 day rule for purchases over a certain amount, and found </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-11-25.html" target="_blank"><strong>25 ways to have frugal fun this Spring</strong></a><strong>. Hopefully, after looking at your finances you found some more places to cut back. </strong></div>
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Cutting back on your spending doesn't mean you have to cut back on the romatic evenings with your sweetheart. Check out these <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/18-frugal-and-romantic-dates-at-home?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wisebread+%28Wise+Bread%29" target="_blank">18 Frugal and Romantic Dates</a> at Home by Wise Bread.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>1. Enjoy a Candlelit Dinner</strong></span></div>
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Particularly special if you usually spend the dinner hour cutting up little ones' meat or reminding other "diners" that we do not shout "gross" at the table. My husband and I like to use the occasional dinner for two as an opportunity to order takeout that the kids would hate — like spicy Indian food — or cook something they wouldn't appreciate like filet mignon.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>2. Take in a Movie</strong></span></div>
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Watching TV at home with your sweetie might not seem like anything special, but you can ratchet up the sense of occasion by picking a new release movie in advance and stocking treats, like a good bottle of wine and gourmet popcorn. At our house, we find that if we are just browsing Netflix, we tend to pick something short and "easy" like a TV series. To mark those serious dramas off our to-watch list, we need to set a date.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">3. Do Dessert</span></strong></div>
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Don't want to make yourself a whole separate dinner? Sometimes that's just too much work. Why not buy something indulgent from that bakery you've always wanted to try, or just acquire some super-special dessert ingredients and make something together? The blog <a href="http://couponistaqueen.com/30-frugal-date-ideas/" target="_blank">Couponista Queen</a> suggests making sundaes at home.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">4. Play</span></strong></div>
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A game, that is. Put out a bowl of chips and sit down with Scrabble or another good two-person game, if you're into that kind of thing. A board game date is great because it forces you to sit down and spend a few hours together without getting distracted. One friend suggested strip Scrabble, but with the length of the average Scrabble game, that sounds...drafty.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">5. Puzzle It Out</span></strong></div>
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When my husband and I started a difficult, many-piece puzzle recently, we found it led to us spending <em>many</em> evenings together, without the benefit of a date plan. We could not stay away from that puzzle until it was finished, and in the process, we had a lot of nice talks and watched a few movies to boot.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">6. Breakfast in Bed</span></strong></div>
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Who says dates have to be at night? The blog <a href="http://www.tammileetips.com/2013/01/frugal-date-ideas/" target="_blank">Tammilee Tips suggests breakfast in bed</a>. Prep an indulgent breakfast the night before and either surprise your honey or just treat yourselves. If it's Sunday, stay in bed and do the New York Times crossword puzzle together.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">7. Have a "Console-Ation" Date</span></strong></div>
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You can't afford to go out, but you still have a game console. Get it?? Maybe you're the type of couple who loves to mow down terrorists together, but even if you're not, chances are a karaoke game or Just Dance will get you laughing together.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">8. Schedule a Massage</span></strong></div>
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A shoulder rub between spouses may be routine, but again, preparation can up the ante here. Invest in a massage oil with that great minty scent that spas have. Set up the massage area with music and pillows to approximate the desired setting as best you can. Whether you're going for the atmosphere of a pristine spa or a seedy bathhouse is your own business.</div>
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If you have a budget for the date, you could use a Groupon for an in-home massage therapist or two to come work on you, suggests Marta Segal Block, blogger at <a href="http://advicefrommarta.com/" target="_blank">Advice from Marta</a>.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">9. Take a Dip</span></strong></div>
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Have your own pool? When's the last time you took a moonlight swim for two? </div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">10. Stargaze</span></strong></div>
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If you live in an area with low light pollution, this could be a nice way to feel like you are getting out — way out — without leaving your property. Borrow or buy a nice telescope to make this really special.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">11. DIY a Drive-In</span></strong></div>
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Nowadays, any place within the reach of your Wi-Fi connection can be a movie theater if you have a laptop with a big screen. <a href="http://www.glamour.com/sex-love-life/blogs/smitten/2013/05/date-ideas-for-memorial-day-we.html" target="_blank">Glamour magazine suggests a blanket on the lawn</a> for your movie night, or try a comfy love seat on the deck, if you've got one.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">12. Set Up Your Own Wine Tasting</span></strong></div>
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Boring night in — open a bottle of wine, slug it down between loads of laundry. Date night in — write some keywords from Wine Spectator reviews on a little chalkboard <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/10-great-wines-under-10-dollars" target="_blank">in front of each bottle</a>, line up glasses with tastes, swish it around in your mouth and throw around words like "hints of leather."</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">13. Cocktail Party for Two</span></strong></div>
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Again, a simple drink at home is everyday. But when's the last time you crushed fresh lime for a real mojito or made sangria at home? Pull out all the stops — and the fancy glassware.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">14. Backyard Campfire</span></strong></div>
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If your area allows a fire pit, this is a great way to feel transported without leaving your property.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">15. Take an Online Class Together</span></strong></div>
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Did you meet in college? Miss those days when you'd lose track of what the teacher was saying because you were busy making googly eyes at one another? Plug in those laptops and start ignoring the teacher together again.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">16. Have a YouTube Festival</span></strong></div>
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You've seen <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uDuls5TyNE" target="_blank">Maru the cat</a> with your coworkers, but it's even more fun to laugh with the one you love. Queue up a bunch of short videos on a theme, get comfy, and click "play."</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">17. Make Something Together</span></strong></div>
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I don't mean like, whoopie. You don't need me to tell you how to do that. I mean: <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/25-gifts-you-can-make-today" target="_blank">a craft project</a>, a batch of cookies, a birdhouse. For some couples, these are fun times. For others (I'm not naming names) a joint project is just an opportunity to practice those "feeling words" your therapist taught you.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">18. Make Out in the Car</span></strong></div>
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<em>What?</em> It was romantic when you were in high school, so why not now? If your house is now full of nosy teenagers, maybe it's time to escape them the way you once escaped your parents. And chances are, you now have more comfortable upholstery.</div>
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<strong>23 weeks in, these simple changes should start to become a habit. These are life changes not just to complete the 52 Week Money Challenge. The goal is to change the way you handle your finances and your life. </strong></div>
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<strong>Challenge Total </strong><strong>Week 23</strong><strong> = $276.00 </strong></div>
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<a href="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="This is the 52 week money challenge that was shared with me last year. Hope this helps many of you this year." border="0" class="img" height="397" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>Saving money is hard. It takes discipline and self-control to stick with the plan you developed. This year why not make it easy on yourself?</em></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="border: currentColor;">
<em>I am a huge fan of ING (ING has been bought by Capital One and will become </em><a href="https://home.ingdirect.com/capitalone" target="_blank"><em>Capital One 360</em></a><em>. Doesn't look like much will change...). ING lets you automate your savings so you don't have to think about it. The greatest feature is that it takes a couple days to get money transferred back to your checking account. There are a couple ways around this, but not being able to touch the money in your ING accounts is great for medium/long term savings goals.</em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em>If you have an ING, or other savings account, simply automate your savings transfers each month according to the chart below and watch the money stack up.</em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em>If you don't have a savings account, GET ONE! Not just for this challenge but everyone needs at least one savings account - with an Emergency Fund.</em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em>This week <strong>23 </strong>should be transferred to your savings account. We are up to <strong>$276.00</strong> this year. </em><em>Things from this point on will start to grow pretty quickly. How are you doing? Any savings light bulbs going off? Have you planned what you are going to do with the money at the end of the year?</em></div>
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Even if you missed weeks 1 through 22, you can still get started today. Deposit $253 into a savings account and you will be caught up.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em><strong>Keep Up the Good Work!</strong></em></span></div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-11083947604959696332013-06-03T09:28:00.000-04:002013-06-03T09:28:44.049-04:00TGIM - Work on Your Work and Work While Working <div style="text-align: justify;">
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<i>Monday's are Thank God It's Monday with ET The Hip Hop Preacher. This man is the living definition of what Personal Finance 4 The People stands for. He was homeless, now he travels and speaks to hundreds of people. He is so encouraging...perfect to start off this Monday morning...Make The Rest of your Life The Best of your Life!</i></div>
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<strong><em>Work on Your Work</em></strong></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/EwHlRqrMiy8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<strong><em>Work While Working</em></strong></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/pJmJEjjtpOA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Check out ET the Hip Hop Preacher:</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/etthehiphoppreacher"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Youtube</span></em></a><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/Ericthomasbtc"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Twitter</span></em></a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/#%21/THEHIPHOPPREACHER"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Facebook</span></em></a><br /><a href="http://www.etthehiphoppreacher.com/"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">ET The Hip Hop Preacher Website</span></em></a></span></div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-80371272789334945642013-05-21T21:21:00.000-04:002013-05-21T22:03:37.206-04:0052 Week Money Challenge - Week 21 - Still Wasting Money?<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>So far we have started </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-6.html"><strong>bringing our lunch to work</strong></a><strong>, used the </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2013-02-19T09:00:00-05:00&max-results=7"><strong>Latte Factor</strong></a><strong>, cut back on travel expenses, taken a long hard look at our finances, </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-8.html"><strong>negotiating your bills</strong></a><strong>, found way to make money (or other things you need) by </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-9.html"><strong>bartering</strong></a><strong>, implemented a 30 day rule for purchases over a certain amount, and found </strong><a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-11-25.html" target="_blank"><strong>25 ways to have frugal fun this Spring</strong></a><strong>. Hopefully, after looking at your finances you found some more places to cut back. </strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Are you still wasting money?</span> </div>
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<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=ChNInHPYmh6qSM&tbnid=htbtq8B82Nty2M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailyfinance.com%2F2010%2F10%2F19%2F9-top-ways-we-waste-money-2010%2F&ei=RhWcUaCZLqv-4AObnYCwCg&bvm=bv.46751780,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNETvYpHdCOWZelnsJI3rqJATEMz4g&ust=1369269919189118" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.dailyfinance.com/media/2010/10/top-ways-to-waste-money-intro-240cs101810.jpg" height="175" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 109px;" width="240" /></a></div>
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Here are five ways you’re wasting money without knowing it from <a href="http://askthemoneycoach.com/2013/05/5-ways-youre-wasting-money-without-knowing-it/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+askthemoneycoach%2FVEuV+%28AskTheMoneyCoach.com%29" target="_blank">Ask the Money Coach</a>:</h3>
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<span id="more-15490"></span> </h3>
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<b><em>1. Paying for subscriptions you don’t really use.</em></b></div>
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How many magazine, newspaper, or digital subscriptions are you paying for but never really have the time to read or use? Take a closer look at your subscription expenses and consider whether they are really worth your money.</div>
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You may be able to find a lot of similar material <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD1">online for free</span>. Make sure you’re not wasting money on subscriptions that don’t offer any real value.</div>
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<b><em>2. Not paying down high-interest debt.</em></b></div>
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If you’re only making the minimum payments on high-interest credit cards, you are wasting money on interest payments month after month.</div>
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Take stock of your current <a href="http://www.debtreliefcenter.org/Free-Debt-Savings-Estimate/71/?p_acc=1&p_sit=1&p_eng=71&p_cus=ED-credit-card-debt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="credit card debt">credit card debt</a> load and put together a plan to pay down that <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3">credit card debt</span> as quickly as possible.</div>
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Failing to pay off consumer debt within a reasonable amount of time can cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in annual interest payments and can also have a negative impact on your <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?B=391605&U=497072&M=41089&urllink=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="credit score">credit score</a>.</div>
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<b><em>3. Paying high banking fees.</em></b></div>
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When was the last time you shopped around for better rates on your savings accounts, or for better service offerings at your bank? If you are paying fees to maintain certain types of accounts at your current bank, you may be paying more than you need to – and wasting money as a result.</div>
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Shop competitor banks or credit unions for better rates and services, and consider making the switch to save some extra cash.</div>
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<b><em>4. Ignoring <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD4">credit card</span> and bank statements.</em></b></div>
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Even if your account is inactive or you check your activity online now and then, it’s a good idea to review your credit card and bank statements each month for any errors or suspicious activity.</div>
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Catching mistakes early can help you save time and money in the event you need to report fraudulent activity or file a dispute.</div>
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You can also avoid paying late charges and other fees because of someone else’s mistake when you review these statements closely.</div>
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<b><em>5. Not contributing to a company-matched </em><a href="http://askthemoneycoach.com/2013/01/6-questions-to-ask-and-answer-before-you-retire/" title="retirement"><em>retirement</em></a><em> account.</em></b></div>
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You can contribute a set amount towards your retirement fund each year and your company may match your contributions as an employee benefit.</div>
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Make sure you’re setting aside as much as possible from each paycheck to maximize those company-matching benefits. That’s extra money you have earned, but if you don’t actually contribute to your <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD2">retirement plan</span>, those employer funds will be going to waste.</div>
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<strong>21 weeks in, these simple changes should start to become a habit. These are life changes not just to complete the 52 Week Money Challenge. The goal is to change the way you handle your finances and your life. </strong></div>
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<strong>Challenge Total </strong><strong>Week 21</strong><strong> = $231.00 </strong></div>
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<a href="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="This is the 52 week money challenge that was shared with me last year. Hope this helps many of you this year." border="0" class="img" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" height="397" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>Saving money is hard. It takes discipline and self-control to stick with the plan you developed. This year why not make it easy on yourself?</em></div>
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</div>
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<em>I am a huge fan of ING (ING has been bought by Capital One and will become </em><a href="https://home.ingdirect.com/capitalone" target="_blank"><em>Capital One 360</em></a><em>. Doesn't look like much will change...). ING lets you automate your savings so you don't have to think about it. The greatest feature is that it takes a couple days to get money transferred back to your checking account. There are a couple ways around this, but not being able to touch the money in your ING accounts is great for medium/long term savings goals.</em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em>If you have an ING, or other savings account, simply automate your savings transfers each month according to the chart below and watch the money stack up.</em></div>
<div style="border: currentColor;">
</div>
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<em>If you don't have a savings account, GET ONE! Not just for this challenge but everyone needs at least one savings account - with an Emergency Fund.</em></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="border: currentColor;">
<em>This week <strong>21 </strong>should be transferred to your savings account. We are up to <strong>$231.00</strong> this year. </em><em>Things from this point on will start to grow pretty quickly. How are you doing? Any savings light bulbs going off? Have you planned what you are going to do with the money at the end of the year?</em></div>
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Even if you missed weeks 1 through 20, you can still get started today. Deposit $219 into a savings account and you will be caught up.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em><strong>Keep Up the Good Work!</strong></em></span></div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-82003871894618643562013-05-14T09:24:00.001-04:002013-05-14T09:24:48.147-04:0052 Week Money Challege - Week 20 - Restaurant Meals at Home<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<strong>So far we have started <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-6.html">bringing our lunch to work</a>, used the <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2013-02-19T09:00:00-05:00&max-results=7">Latte Factor</a>, cut back on travel expenses, taken a long hard look at our finances, <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-8.html">negotiating your bills</a>, found way to make money (or other things you need) by <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-9.html">bartering</a>, implemented a 30 day rule for purchases over a certain amount, and found <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-11-25.html" target="_blank">25 ways to have frugal fun this Spring</a>. Hopefully, after looking at your finances you found some more places to cut back. </strong></div>
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<strong>This week learn how to make restaurant dishes at home to save money on going out to eat with <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/9-restaurant-dishes-you-can-make-at-home?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wisebread+%28Wise+Bread%29" target="_blank">Wise Bread</a>. </strong></div>
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<a href="http://inaneperea.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/steph_cooking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-label="Zuzu’s petals » Stph cooking" border="0" height="168" id="yui_3_5_1_5_1368537258102_685" src="http://inaneperea.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/steph_cooking.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">1. Home Steakhouse Steak</span></strong></div>
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As my friend Nancy put it, "When I go out to dinner, I want a steak, a baked potato with all the goodies, and a tossed green salad."</div>
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But, you may wonder — how do you save money, if your tastes run to steak? Fortunately, Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/best-of-personal-finance-roundup-how-to-turn-cheap-choice-steak-into-gucci-prime-steak" target="_blank">found a fantastic how-to,</a> using cheaper cuts of steak, over at <a href="http://www.steamykitchen.com/163-how-to-turn-cheap-choice-steaks-into-gucci-prime-steaks.html" target="_blank">Steamy Kitchen</a>.</div>
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<strong>Accompaniments</strong>: Baked potatoes with sour cream, bacon bits, and green onion; and tossed green salad.</div>
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<strong>Keep it cheap:</strong> Resist the impulse to buy a bag of salad and cut up your own salad greens.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>2. Su Casa Mexicana</strong></span></div>
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According to my very scientific poll, another favorite for dining out is Mexican food. Now, as much as I love the food at a particular Mexican chain restaurant, I could go without hearing their overly peppy "Happy Birthday" song for the rest of my life. My husband, though, misses the fajitas. The good news is that <a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/steak_fajitas/" target="_blank">fajitas are really easy to make</a> and you don’t have to wear a huge sombrero at home.</div>
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<strong>Accompaniments</strong>: Tortillas, beans, and rice.</div>
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<strong>Keep it cheap:</strong> Try it with a <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/watermelon-margaritas-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">homemade margarita</a>!</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">3. At-Home Pad Thai</span></strong></div>
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Tonight for dinner <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pad-thai-2/" target="_blank">we are having Pad Thai</a>, one of my restaurant favorites. Fish sauce, an important ingredient, sounds strange — but don’t leave it out! If you do not have rice noodles, you can substitute vermicelli. I am making ours with shrimp. Pork and tofu work equally well.</div>
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<strong>Accompaniments</strong>: <a href="http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaisnacks/r/cucumbersalad.htm" target="_blank">Cucumber salad</a> is a must.</div>
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<strong>Keep it cheap</strong>: Frozen shrimp can be a bargain. If you cook and clean it yourself, you will get further savings.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>4. Chinese Stay-In</strong></span></div>
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Another crowd favorite is Chinese food. Although Chinese food will rarely break the bank, you will still save money it you make it at home. I love <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/restaurant-style-beef-and-broccoli/">Beef with Broccoli,</a> which goes together quickly. My friend MZ loves <a href="http://deep-fried.food.com/recipe/general-tsos-chicken-164706" target="_blank">General Tso's Chicken</a>. It is pretty spicy, so be careful with those peppers!</div>
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<strong>Accompaniments</strong>: Rice, orange sections, and of course, fortune cookies!</div>
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<strong>Keep it cheap</strong>: If beef is not on sale, try thinly-sliced pork or chicken breast. Both are delicious in this recipe.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>5. Your Italian Kitchen</strong></span></div>
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My husband loves Italian food, but that’s not exactly a hot commodity here in the tropics. I can handle basic spaghetti and lasagna, but when I learned how to make <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-marsala/" target="_blank">Chicken Marsala</a>, he was pretty happy.</div>
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<strong>Accompaniments</strong>: Buttered egg noodles and steamed zucchini go well with this.</div>
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<strong>Keep it cheap</strong>: Watch for Marsala wine to go on sale. I over-paid the other day ($13).</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">6. Sushi Rolls</span></strong></div>
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Many of my coworkers love sushi, but they thought it would be too much trouble to make at home. <a href="http://makemysushi.com/index.php/How-to-make-sushi/maki-roll.html" target="_blank">It really isn't</a>.</div>
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<strong>Accompaniments</strong>: Edamame (boiled soybeans) go nicely, and they are very easy to make, if you can boil water. Look for them in the freezer section of your grocery store.</div>
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<strong>Keep it cheap</strong>: Try a tuna (canned, with spicy mayo) or vegetarian roll.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>7. Comforting Katsu</strong></span></div>
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A favorite "fusion" (Japanese /Hawaiian) food we like to order when we're out is <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/hawaiian-chicken-katsu-232042" target="_blank">Chicken Katsu</a>.</div>
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<strong>Accompaniments</strong>: This is a very popular item where I live and usually served with rice, macaroni-potato salad, and a tossed green salad. Talk about a stick-to-your-ribs meal!</div>
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<strong>Keep it cheap</strong>: I buy frozen <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/10-things-to-do-with-chicken-leg-quarters" target="_blank">chicken thighs</a>, which are less expensive. There is no noticeable difference between fresh and frozen here, as far as I can tell.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>8. Summer-at-Home Rolls</strong></span></div>
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If you have not tried Vietnamese food, I predict you will love its crispness and use of fresh herbs. I never feel bad after I eat it — it is more like I have done something good for my health.</div>
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I will admit it takes practice to <a href="http://www.chow.com/recipes/10641-vietnamese-style-summer-rolls-with-peanut-sauce" target="_blank">roll a summer roll</a>. M mine are never pretty, but they taste great.</div>
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<strong>Accompaniments</strong>: Peanut sauce (recipe included in the link above). Of course, I could eat an old shoe if you put peanut sauce on it.</div>
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<strong>Keep it cheap</strong>: I like shrimp in my summer rolls, but again, I use frozen shrimp, which I clean and cook.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>9. Faux Pho Ga</strong></span></div>
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Another favorite Vietnamese recipe of my friends is <a href="http://www.cruelironing.com/1/post/2012/01/feed-a-cold.html" target="_blank">Pho Ga</a>, which is a Southeast Asian take on chicken soup.</div>
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Pho is not only delicious, but it has an added benefit — it makes you feel much better if you have a cold! I thought I was original in this discovery until I went to our local Vietnamese restaurant and ordered a bowl. The person at the counter said, "Are you getting a cold?" As it turns out, people flock there at the <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/7-cheap-and-natural-ways-to-fight-the-cold-and-flu" target="_blank">first sign of a sore throat</a>. I try to keep the ingredients on hand so that I can whip up a batch.</div>
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<strong>Accompaniments</strong>: Fresh mint, basil, and green onions; Sriracha sauce. Don’t be afraid of the Sriracha sauce. You only need a few drops.</div>
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<strong>Keep it cheap</strong>: Learn how to make your own chicken broth at home and freeze it in quart bags.</div>
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<strong>20 weeks in, these simple changes should start to become a habit. These are life changes not just to complete the 52 Week Money Challenge. The goal is to change the way you handle your finances and your life. </strong></div>
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<strong>Challenge Total </strong><strong>Week 20</strong><strong> = $210.00 </strong></div>
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<a href="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="This is the 52 week money challenge that was shared with me last year. Hope this helps many of you this year." border="0" class="img" height="397" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>Saving money is hard. It takes discipline and self-control to stick with the plan you developed. This year why not make it easy on yourself?</em><br />
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<em>I am a huge fan of ING (ING has been bought by Capital One and will become </em><a href="https://home.ingdirect.com/capitalone" target="_blank"><em>Capital One 360</em></a><em>. Doesn't look like much will change...). ING lets you automate your savings so you don't have to think about it. The greatest feature is that it takes a couple days to get money transferred back to your checking account. There are a couple ways around this, but not being able to touch the money in your ING accounts is great for medium/long term savings goals.</em><br />
<br /></div>
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</div>
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<em>If you have an ING, or other savings account, simply automate your savings transfers each month according to the chart below and watch the money stack up.</em></div>
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</div>
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<em>If you don't have a savings account, GET ONE! Not just for this challenge but everyone needs at least one savings account - with an Emergency Fund.</em></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em>This week <strong>20 </strong>should be transferred to your savings account. We are up to <strong>$210.00</strong> this year. </em><em>Things from this point on will start to grow pretty quickly. How are you doing? Any savings light bulbs going off? Have you planned what you are going to do with the money at the end of the year?</em></div>
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Even if you missed weeks 1 through 19, you can still get started today. Deposit $190 into a savings account and you will be caught up.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>Keep Up the Good Work!</em></span></div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-61559984107288268522013-05-09T09:00:00.000-04:002013-05-09T09:00:08.879-04:0052 Week Money Challenge - Week 19 - Back At It...<div class="separator" style="border: currentColor; clear: both;">
<strong>So far we have started <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-6.html">bringing our lunch to work</a>, used the <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2013-02-19T09:00:00-05:00&max-results=7">Latte Factor</a>, cut back on travel expenses, taken a long hard look at our finances, <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-8.html">negotiating your bills</a>, found way to make money (or other things you need) by <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-9.html">bartering</a>, implemented a 30 day rule for purchases over a certain amount, and found <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-11-25.html" target="_blank">25 ways to have frugal fun this Spring</a>. Hopefully, after looking at your finances you found some more places to cut back. </strong></div>
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It's our second week back and we are getting back into our savings routine. This week we are focusing on getting back to packing our lunches, taking the bus to work, and being frugal about our spending. Back to the discipline. Back to the goals...</div>
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<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=Wchl4i17B04XHM&tbnid=9tM985KBx7mfGM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.steveseay.com%2Focd-starting-over-compulsions-undoing%2F&ei=1P6KUfymPNCO0QGP04GYDw&psig=AFQjCNFlzh-DyvKFmsbR8Lt0MhCHMI0L3w&ust=1368150057630415" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://cdn10.steveseay.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/reset.jpg" height="156" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 47px;" width="200" /></a></div>
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<strong>19 weeks in, these simple changes should start to become a habit. These are life changes not just to complete the 52 Week Money Challenge. The goal is to change the way you handle your finances and your life. </strong></div>
<div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="border: currentColor; clear: both;">
<strong>Challenge Total </strong><strong>Week 19</strong><strong> = $190.00 </strong></div>
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<a href="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="This is the 52 week money challenge that was shared with me last year. Hope this helps many of you this year." border="0" class="img" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" height="397" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<em>Saving money is hard. It takes discipline and self-control to stick with the plan you developed. This year why not make it easy on yourself?</em><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="border: currentColor;">
</div>
<div style="border: currentColor;">
<div style="border: currentColor;">
<em>I am a huge fan of ING (ING has been bought by Capital One and will become </em><a href="https://home.ingdirect.com/capitalone" target="_blank"><em>Capital One 360</em></a><em>. Doesn't look like much will change...). ING lets you automate your savings so you don't have to think about it. The greatest feature is that it takes a couple days to get money transferred back to your checking account. There are a couple ways around this, but not being able to touch the money in your ING accounts is great for medium/long term savings goals.</em><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="border: currentColor;">
</div>
<div style="border: currentColor;">
<em>If you have an ING, or other savings account, simply automate your savings transfers each month according to the chart below and watch the money stack up.</em><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="border: currentColor;">
</div>
<div style="border: currentColor;">
<em>If you don't have a savings account, GET ONE! Not just for this challenge but everyone needs at least one savings account - with an Emergency Fund.</em><br />
<br />
<em>This week <strong>19 </strong>should be transferred to your savings account. We are up to <strong>$190.00</strong> this year. </em><em>Things from this point on will start to grow pretty quickly. How are you doing? Any savings light bulbs going off? Have you planned what you are going to do with the money at the end of the year?</em><br />
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Even if you missed weeks 1 through 18, you can still get started today. Deposit $171 into a savings account and you will be caught up.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>Keep Up the Good Work!</em></span></div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-77444138768727979692013-05-06T10:38:00.000-04:002013-05-06T10:38:10.022-04:00The Keys to Success in Life from Will Smith<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The key to success in life...from Will Smith....</span></div>
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<strong><em>Running and Reading</em></strong></div>
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Running because you learn to <strong>"not quit when things get hard in your life"</strong>...<br />
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Reading because there <strong>"are no new problem you can have...that someone hasn't already solved and wrote about it in a book"</strong>...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/KEMEBBwO6J8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-41026863246807431382013-05-01T10:03:00.000-04:002013-05-01T10:03:08.962-04:0052 Week Money Challenge - Week 13 - Week 18 Catching Up<div class="separator" style="border: currentColor; clear: both;">
<strong>This week is a catch up week for me. Sometimes things come up...but we can always catch to our challenge. Sometimes these are the events that discourage us and throw us off our goals. Getting back in the habit of doing something regularly is hard...there's no other way to describe it. Once you start building that habit you forget about all the reasons why you couldn't do it anyway. You start remembering the excuses that helped you not start in the first place. But, the good news is...you can start again.</strong></div>
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<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=Wz2iRp74XBQ6lM&tbnid=XD9DnJtIksUXLM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmodernworld4.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F02%2Fdistractions.html&ei=nFqAUYGfC7Os4APP24GwCw&bvm=bv.45645796,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNEspsDC9rc9gAUXgb9BWYty_wHFCQ&ust=1367452642271248" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="150" id="irc_mi" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-veS4Hs8_7Z4/T0MQu1Ed9zI/AAAAAAAAAQw/OEEjbGR8HS4/s200/WARNING-_this_sign_is_only_a_distraction_Wallpaper_pcwfi.jpg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="200" /></a></div>
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<strong>Start again. That simple. So...</strong></div>
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<strong>This week I am transferring $93 into my travel savings account to catch up to the $171 total for week 18. Now, I am caught up with the rest of you. Next, I need to keep rebuilding the habit of depositing my challenge money each week. </strong></div>
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<strong>Challenge Total </strong><strong>Week 18</strong><strong> = $171.00 </strong></div>
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<a href="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="This is the 52 week money challenge that was shared with me last year. Hope this helps many of you this year." border="0" class="img" height="397" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>Saving money is hard. It takes discipline and self-control to stick with the plan you developed. This year why not make it easy on yourself?</em><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="border: currentColor;">
</div>
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<div style="border: currentColor;">
<em>I am a huge fan of ING (ING has been bought by Capital One and will become </em><a href="https://home.ingdirect.com/capitalone" target="_blank"><em>Capital One 360</em></a><em>. Doesn't look like much will change...). ING lets you automate your savings so you don't have to think about it. The greatest feature is that it takes a couple days to get money transferred back to your checking account. There are a couple ways around this, but not being able to touch the money in your ING accounts is great for medium/long term savings goals.</em><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="border: currentColor;">
</div>
<div style="border: currentColor;">
<em>If you have an ING, or other savings account, simply automate your savings transfers each month according to the chart below and watch the money stack up.</em><br />
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<em>If you don't have a savings account, GET ONE! Not just for this challenge but everyone needs at least one savings account - with an Emergency Fund.</em><br />
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<em>This week <strong>18 </strong>should be transferred to your savings account. We are up to <strong>$171.00</strong> this year. </em><em>Things from this point on will start to grow pretty quickly. How are you doing? Any savings light bulbs going off? Have you planned what you are going to do with the money at the end of the year?</em><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>Keep Up the Good Work!</em></span></div>
<object height="1" id="plugin0" style="position: absolute; z-index: 1000;" type="application/x-dgnria" width="1"><param name="tabId" value="{68EA8D51-0FC8-4521-B8D3-A4765B290C99}" /></object><br />
<object height="1" id="plugin0" style="position: absolute; z-index: 1000;" type="application/x-dgnria" width="1"><param name="tabId" value="{68EA8D51-0FC8-4521-B8D3-A4765B290C99}" /></object>I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-75738082736490891372013-04-29T11:12:00.000-04:002013-04-29T11:12:23.341-04:00Will Smith Dropping KnowledgeWill Smith, the Fresh Prince, may have found the answers to a lot of questions we all have about life and becoming the best us we can be. Everytime I hear him speak about success, motivation, hard work, and making smart choices I get inspired. I get inspired because someone figured it out. Someone figured out how to get the best from the world they live in. This means, if Will Smith can figure it out and become an enlightened, successful person...SO CAN I. <br />
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What stops so many of us from going after our goals is fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of failure. When we become confident and enlightened on what it takes to be the best person possible and live the best possible life...that's when life will change.<br />
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This is an interview of Will Smith with Tavis Smiley...<br />
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I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-61122992075407104032013-03-28T10:05:00.000-04:002013-03-28T10:05:04.053-04:0052 Week Money Challenge - Week 12 More Frugal Fun<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<strong>So far we have started <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-6.html">bringing our lunch to work</a>, used the <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2013-02-19T09:00:00-05:00&max-results=7">Latte Factor</a>, cut back on travel expenses, taken a long hard look at our finances, <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-8.html">negotiating your bills</a>, found way to make money (or other things you need) by <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-9.html">bartering</a>, implemented a 30 day rule for purchases over a certain amount, and found <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-11-25.html" target="_blank">25 ways to have frugal fun this Spring</a>. Hopefully, after looking at your finances you found some more places to cut back. </strong></div>
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<strong>Many people think because they are trying to save money or pay off debt that they can't enjoy themselves. Not true. There are many ways to have fun, on a budget. Here are some more tips to have fun on a budget from <a href="http://www.freemoneywisdom.com/10-ways-to-have-fun-on-a-budget/" target="_blank">Free Money Wisdom</a>...</strong></div>
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<b>Invite friends over for a night of indoor games.</b><br />
Game nights are already very popular these days. You can hold friendly competitions with board games or video games. You can play rock band and compete for the highest score. You can play trivia games or charades. There really is no limit to what kind of games you can come up with. Game nights are cheap and incredibly fun.<br />
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<b>Go for a walk or a hike.</b><br />
Enjoy the outdoors by going for a walk or a hike. Go around the city or walk around a local park. Research hiking trails and ask about what you need to do and bring when going hiking.<br />
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<b>Check out free community events.</b><br />
You can check out the local papers or ask around about free concerts, cultural shows, or festivals in your area. Check if your local community center or the library has free film showings scheduled.<br />
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<b>Check out free visits to the zoo or the museum.</b><br />
Sometimes, zoos and museums hold free admission days. Check out the zoo or museum event schedule and enjoy a free day.<br />
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<b>Go to the park.</b><br />
There are so many things you can do at a park. You can have a picnic and just hang out with friends or family. You can play ball and other games on the grass. You can check out water activities like kayaking or boating. Some may even have community swimming pools. Simply do some quick research online and find the parks in your area. You’ll be surprised at the number of fun activities available at your local parks.<br />
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<b>Join a club or community organization.</b><br />
Look for local clubs or organizations. Join a theatre club or a book club. You’ll meet people who share the same interests as you and you won’t have to spend a lot in the process.<br />
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<b>Do some volunteer work.</b><br />
Volunteering can be fun, too. Check out community projects and charities. Try your hand at volunteering at a soup kitchen, animal shelter or local clinic. Many people find volunteering rewarding and enjoyable.<br />
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<b>Schedule movie nights at home.</b><br />
You don’t need to go out to the cinemas to enjoy a great movie night. Gather friends or family for a movie night at home. It’s less costly than going out and you don’t have to worry about bothering strangers with your reactions or discussions about the movie. Movie nights can be a fun time to hang out and just enjoy the company of loved ones.<br />
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<b>Schedule potluck dinners with friends or family.</b><br />
Instead of going out to a restaurant, you can hold potluck dinners with some friends or relatives. You can pick themes to make it interesting. You’ll be able to enjoy any type of food, be it Chinese, Italian or Mexican food, in the comfort of your own home and with great company, too.<br />
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<b>Have a karaoke night.</b><br />
You can be creative and hold your own karaoke nights at home. You can download free karaoke apps or use YouTube. With a little creativity and initiative, you can find many ways to have fun without spending a lot.<br />
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<strong>12 weeks in, these simple changes should start to become a habit. These are life changes not just to complete the 52 Week Money Challenge. The goal is to change the way you handle your finances and your life. </strong></div>
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<strong>Challenge Total </strong><strong>Week 12</strong><strong> = $78.00 </strong></div>
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<a href="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="This is the 52 week money challenge that was shared with me last year. Hope this helps many of you this year." border="0" class="img" height="397" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/181349_461151583932671_623138689_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>Saving money is hard. It takes discipline and self-control to stick with the plan you developed. This year why not make it easy on yourself?</em><br />
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<em>I am a huge fan of ING (ING has been bought by Capital One and will become </em><a href="https://home.ingdirect.com/capitalone" target="_blank"><em>Capital One 360</em></a><em>. Doesn't look like much will change...). ING lets you automate your savings so you don't have to think about it. The greatest feature is that it takes a couple days to get money transferred back to your checking account. There are a couple ways around this, but not being able to touch the money in your ING accounts is great for medium/long term savings goals.</em><br />
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<em>If you have an ING, or other savings account, simply automate your savings transfers each month according to the chart below and watch the money stack up.</em><br />
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<em>If you don't have a savings account, GET ONE! Not just for this challenge but everyone needs at least one savings account - with an Emergency Fund.</em><br />
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<em>This week <strong>12 </strong>should be transferred to your savings account. We are up to <strong>$78.00</strong> this year. </em><em>Things from this point on will start to grow pretty quickly. How are you doing? Any savings light bulbs going off? Have you planned what you are going to do with the money at the end of the year?</em><br />
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Even if you missed weeks 1 through 11, you can still get started today. Deposit $66 into a savings account and you will be caught up.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>Keep Up the Good Work!</em></span></div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-41671936474617314092013-03-25T09:48:00.000-04:002013-03-25T09:48:28.949-04:00TGIM - ATTRACTED TO GREATNESS<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<i>Monday's are Thank God It's Monday with ET The Hip Hop Preacher. This man is the living definition of what Personal Finance 4 The People stands for. He was homeless, now he travels and speaks to hundreds of people. He is so encouraging...perfect to start off this Monday morning...Make The Rest of your Life The Best of your Life!</i></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ecmq3X9rKWo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Check out ET the Hip Hop Preacher:</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/etthehiphoppreacher"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Youtube</span></em></a><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/Ericthomasbtc"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Twitter</span></em></a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/#%21/THEHIPHOPPREACHER"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Facebook</span></em></a><br /><a href="http://www.etthehiphoppreacher.com/"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">ET The Hip Hop Preacher Website</span></em></a></span></div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-29528186472471597812013-03-21T11:44:00.000-04:002013-03-21T11:46:08.243-04:00How Bad is US Consumer Debt? - US Consumer Debt Statistics 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="US Consumer Debt Statistics and Trends 2012" class="aligncenter" src="http://www.thecreditexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/consumer-debt-statistics.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="580" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <a href="http://www.thecreditexaminer.com/us-consumer-debt-statistics/" target="_blank">the Credit Examiner</a> </td></tr>
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<strong><em>Also from the Credit Examiner:</em></strong><br />
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25 percent of Americans have more credit card debt than they have in emergency savings.<br />
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Only 54% of consumers have more emergency savings than credit card debt<br />
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There are approximately 37 million student loan borrowers with outstanding student loans today.<br />
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One in five U.S. households currently includes at least one resident carrying student debt<br />
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Mortgage debt accounts for 70% of U.S. consumer debt and, at a little bit more than $8 trillion, is at its lowest level since 2006.<br />
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9.0% of outstanding debt was in some stage of delinquency<br />
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Non-mortgage consumer debt increased by 2.2% as compared to last year<br />
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<strong>In total, American consumers owe:</strong></div>
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$11.38 trillion, a decrease of 2.95% from last year</div>
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$852 billion in credit card debt</div>
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$8.15 trillion in mortgages</div>
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$914 billion in student loans, an increase of 7.35% from last year</div>
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$72 billion in auto loans</div>
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<strong>U.S. Household Consumer Debt Profile:</strong></div>
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Average credit card debt: $15,328<br />
Average mortgage debt: $149,782<br />
Average student loan debt: $34,703</div>
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Top 10 States with The Highest Consumer Debt</div>
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<tr><td valign="top" width="121">Alaska</td><td valign="top" width="164">$30,375</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="121">Wyoming</td><td valign="top" width="164">$26,779</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="121">South Dakota</td><td valign="top" width="164">$26,736</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="121">Colorado</td><td valign="top" width="164">$26,424</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="121">Maryland</td><td valign="top" width="164">$26,374</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="121">Virginia</td><td valign="top" width="164">$26,206</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="121">Oklahoma</td><td valign="top" width="164">$26,167</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="121">Texas</td><td valign="top" width="164">$26,079</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="121">Vermont</td><td valign="top" width="164">$26,059</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="121">Washington</td><td valign="top" width="164">$26,020</td></tr>
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I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-29004325351442737452013-03-19T09:20:00.000-04:002013-03-19T09:20:08.843-04:0052 Week Money Challenge - Week 11 - 25 Frugal Ways to Have Fun this Spring<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<strong>So far we have started <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-6.html">bringing our lunch to work</a>, used the <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2013-02-19T09:00:00-05:00&max-results=7">Latte Factor</a>, cut back on travel expenses, taken a long hard look at our finances, <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-week-money-challenge-week-8.html">negotiating your bills</a>, found way to make money (or other things you need) by <a href="http://personalfinance4thepeople.blogspot.com/2013/03/52-week-money-challenge-week-9.html">bartering</a>, and implemented a 30 day rule for purchases over a certain amount. Hopefully, after looking at your finances you found some more places to cut back. </strong></div>
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<strong>Many people think because they are trying to save money or pay off debt that they can't enjoy themselves. Not true. There are many ways to have fun, on a budget. Check out these 25 tips from </strong><a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Frugal-Ways-Enjoy-Spring-28601338" target="_blank"><strong>Savvy Sugar</strong></a><strong> on having frugal fun this Spring...</strong> </div>
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Plan a vacation. If the Winter doldrums didn't inspire any vacation plans, then start planning for a trip this year now. Studies have shown that planning a vacation can bring a lot of joy to the traveler.</div>
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Clean your home so you'll feel better and less stressed in the place you live.</div>
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Tend your garden or start one. It's time to celebrate all things green this season!</div>
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Bring flowers into your home cut fresh from the farmers market.</div>
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Visit a national park nearby to admire nature at its finest.</div>
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<li>Run outside to enjoy the fresh air.</li>
<li>Shop for your wardrobe, and experiment with clothes you don't usually wear.</li>
<li>Try to support your local farmers by purchasing more locally grown food.</li>
<li>Go camping for an amazing outdoor experience.</li>
<li>Fly a kite in a park or an open space.</li>
<li>Picnic on the weekends.</li>
<li>Borrow a book on nature from the library, and learn more about a specific topic, like birds or plants.</li>
<li>Redecorate your work desk in Spring colors.</li>
<li>Try to add some color to your home by putting up a new decal or getting a colorful throw for your sofa.</li>
<li>Visit the zoo, the pound, or a pet owner's home to interact with animals.</li>
<li>Read books outdoors.</li>
<li>Make cocktails, and enjoy them on the patio.</li>
<li>Organize a barbecue.</li>
<li>Ride a bike.</li>
<li>Watch a movie that's been highly anticipated to debut this Spring.</li>
<li>Get a haircut.</li>
<li>Visit a farm.</li>
<li>Go to a meditation class to renew yourself.</li>
<li>Invest in a new piece of makeup.</li>
<li>Send a letter or cheery greeting card to a friend.</li>
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<strong>11 weeks in, these simple changes should start to become a habit. These are life changes not just to complete the 52 Week Money Challenge. The goal is to change the way you handle your finances and your life. </strong><br />
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<strong>Challenge Total </strong><strong>Week 11</strong><strong> = $66.00 </strong></div>
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<em>Saving money is hard. It takes discipline and self-control to stick with the plan you developed. This year why not make it easy on yourself?</em></div>
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<em>I am a huge fan of ING (ING has been bought by Capital One and will become </em><a href="https://home.ingdirect.com/capitalone" target="_blank"><em>Capital One 360</em></a><em>. Doesn't look like much will change...). ING lets you automate your savings so you don't have to think about it. The greatest feature is that it takes a couple days to get money transferred back to your checking account. There are a couple ways around this, but not being able to touch the money in your ING accounts is great for medium/long term savings goals.</em></div>
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<em>If you have an ING, or other savings account, simply automate your savings transfers each month according to the chart below and watch the money stack up.</em></div>
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<em>If you don't have a savings account, GET ONE! Not just for this challenge but everyone needs at least one savings account - with an Emergency Fund.</em><br />
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<em>This week <strong>$11.00</strong> should be transferred to your savings account. We are up to <strong>$66.00</strong> this year.</em></div>
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<em>Things from this point on will start to grow pretty quickly. How are you doing? Any savings light bulbs going off? Have you planned what you are going to do with the money at the end of the year?</em></div>
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Even if you missed weeks 1 through 10, you can still get started today. Deposit $55 into a savings account and you will be caught up.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>Keep Up the Good Work!</em></span></div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4165550076627300852.post-28316733337211121522013-03-18T09:30:00.000-04:002013-03-18T09:30:08.710-04:00TGIM - ACT LIKE IT!<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<i>Monday's are Thank God It's Monday with ET The Hip Hop Preacher. This man is the living definition of what Personal Finance 4 The People stands for. He was homeless, now he travels and speaks to hundreds of people. He is so encouraging...perfect to start off this Monday morning...Make The Rest of your Life The Best of your Life!</i></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Check out ET the Hip Hop Preacher:</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/etthehiphoppreacher"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Youtube</span></em></a><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/Ericthomasbtc"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Twitter</span></em></a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/#%21/THEHIPHOPPREACHER"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">Facebook</span></em></a><br /><a href="http://www.etthehiphoppreacher.com/"><em><span style="color: #999999; font-family: ''sans-serif'','serif';">ET The Hip Hop Preacher Website</span></em></a></span></div>
I'm Not Broken After Allhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14261426270918140341noreply@blogger.com0