Investing While Saving?

Today I read an article in Money magazine entitled Awesome Values in Stocks. The reasoning behind their argument of why now is an awesome time to invest is that some formally very expensive stocks can now essentially be bought at a bargain.


For instance, one of their suggestions was a company I am sure we are all familiar with China Petroleum & Chemical, because I know that they are always at the center of my thoughts, sure! Well they are down 56% from they're former cost to a present price of $79 per stock. The articles explanation is this, "China's largest refiner faces rising taxes on energy exploration, but it still stands to gain from that country's long-term boom".


Now, seeing as how China did finance our $500 billion dollar bailout, the want to invest in their companies does come off as intriguing, but what makes this stand out is that over the next 5 years China Petroleum & Chemical's stock price is due to rise by 29% (Money Magazine).


So, today my questions are three fold. First, when trying to save and establish wealth, is it also essential to ensure you are growing future investments? Second, for as risky as stocks can be, can the time of a recession serve as the best time to slowly build a small portfolio? Third, would you invest in this company, based on this information, regardless of your financial state?


As always, thank you...The Runner

Cutting Costs is Stylish Now. What?

Well folks, it has been a couple of weeks since our last post, and for that I do apologize, but fear not! We are back!!!

As you can see by today's title, Cutting Cost is Stylish Again, and with all of our discussions on things like keeping up with the Jone's and all of their nonsense, I thought it would be reassuring to you, my loyal friends, to see that saving cash is what is in style this year. I guess this just proves that when you're riding high up on the hog and you fall face first into the mud, you remember the basics.

The attached article is actually entitled Ultra Rich Spending Less and Chasing Quality and it is littered with ten different points that range from the fun, to the frugal to the really?

The "really" one for me was number eight, and it states, "8. They feel less guilty about being rich. In 2009, many of the wealthy surveyed felt guilty about buying luxury goods or discussing their worth. Now, they're trending toward less guilt and a greater desire for people to know they are affluent".

Let me start out by saying just two words, bite me. You feel less guilty about being rich, well I am so happy to hear that you are finding solace during a time of tremendous worry for the rest of the country.

Feeling less guilty about being rich? Seriously, that could be the funniest line of 2010, if not the funniest line in the history of the world.

But anyway, back to business. Cutting cost is stylish now. It's official! I mean, if it's written in a Yahoo Finance article it must be true, right? I can consider my style score to have gone up, right? Ahhhh, who cares.

Style is an individual thing, it always has been, and to me, the time spent doing extra surveys, the part-time clerical work and all of the other ways trying to make money where others are just throwing it away, is a style. It's my style. And y'all welcome to come along if you like?

How about all of you? Tell us about your style!

Also, please tell me if the whole, "feeling less guilty about being rich" thing did not come off as absolutely hysterical!!!

As always, thank you...The Runner

Also, from now on I thought I would share the books I am reading, and post the ones I would recommend. So be on the look out! Here's the first!!!

529 College Savings Plans?

After weekend that revolved around the welcoming of a new child, I could not help but wonder about what their parents conversations might sometimes consist of. However, I was sure that while college is still a long ways away for this child, it is probably not far from the thoughts of their parents today, and with that the conversation of where and how to pay for college so then follows.

So today, I dedicate this to the girl whose name works the same from front to back and back to front, and hope that we can all pass this information along to those that might benefit from it the most.

For years people have spoken about a 529 College Savings Plan, and while this was not something that I took part in, I would be remiss if I was not bring it up in our community of helpful hints and ideas about how planning is probably the biggest money saver in the end.

So what is a 529 College Savings Plan?

A 529 Plan is an education savings plan operated by a state or educational institution designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs. It is named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code which created these types of savings plans in 1996.

529 Plans can be used to meet costs of qualified colleges nationwide. In most plans, your choice of school is not affected by the state your 529 savings plan is from. You can be a CA resident, invest in a VT plan and send your student to college in NC. Check to see if your institution is eligible under 529 rules.

Every state now has at least one 529 plan available. It's up to each state to decide whether it will offer a 529 plan (possibly more than one) and what it will look like, meaning 529 plans can differ from state to state. You should research and compare the features and benefits of your plan before you invest, research state 529 plans.

Now for the good stuff!

Tax Benefits

As long as the plan satisfies a few basic requirements, the federal tax law provides special tax benefits to you, the plan participant. Some states (but not all) offer tax incentives to investors as well. Be sure to research your state's tax treatment.

Types of 529 plans

529 plans are usually categorized as either prepaid or savings plans.

Savings Plans work much like a 401K or IRA by investing your contributions in mutual funds or similar investments. The plan will offer you several investment options from which to choose. Your account will go up or down in value based on the performance of the particular option you select.

Prepaid Plans let you pre-pay all or part of the costs of an in-state public college education. They may also be converted for use at private and out-of-state colleges. The Independent 529 Plan is a separate prepaid plan for private colleges.

Educational institutions can offer a 529 prepaid plan but not a 529 savings plan (the private-college Independent 529 Plan is the only institution-sponsored 529 plan thus far).

Whether choosing to invest this money privately or opting into a 529 plan, it is nice to see that once again, good planning will actually (and literally) pay off.

The cost of tuition in the coming years and decades in set to grow by almost 5% annually!

What to really lose your mind. Look up the college you want you child to go, and do the math. If it cost this much today, and your child will need there first tuition check in 18 years, what would the cost be then?

It might sound ridiculous, but I am major fan of the "For Dummies" books and recommend them to everyone because of their ability to answer your questions while at the same time bring you access in other place you may never had considered. So, I made it easy and put the link right here if you are so inclined to order a copy.

Well no matter what that cost is there is a plan out there to help out. When family members look to rain presents down on your new born, ask for money, and make sure it goes right into the 529 plan.

Families, if you can get the account number to the plan, you can actually deposit it!!! Sure, its nice to give toys and other gifts, but let's say that neither you or any gift bringing adult in the family brought nothing but cash, for those 18 years, you would have to imagine that money would be a staggering amount, and therefore give you the parents a bit more room to breath knowing that at least the tuition bill is covered.

Do any of you have, or participate in a 529 plan currently?

As always, thank you...The Runner.

Revisiting Starbucks

Maybe I was painting to harsh a picture with my first posting about how much money I was saving monthly by not going to Starbucks, but today I was shown that maybe Starbucks is not as a money pit as it may appear.

How many of you are avid Starbucks drinkers?

And, how many of you are aware that Starbucks offers a membership rewards program?

Well I for one, was glad to see that Starbucks was offering such a program. As a long-time Starbucks drinker it was nice to see that they had not forgotten about the customers. Sure, they are a business and we can't fault them for that, but $4 for a cup of coffee? That's where you start, or did, lose me.

However, in my never ending quest to not only find a way to tighten my budget down, while at the same time enjoy my life, and the simple pleasures, it was nice to hear that the almighty Starbucks had taken a look in the mirror and realized that they should offer their loyal patrons something more then just a friendly smile. Which as a side note, they have some damn good customer service. I mean at the height of my Starbucks endeavor, everyone in the shop new my order, and the time I would show up, and I was being treated like a celebrity by being asked to step to the front of the line, receive my order, pay and go, and yes sometimes, they would just say here you go, it's on us!

But, it was not until three week ago, when in a local Barnes & Noble I decided that I would treat myself to an in-house Starbucks. Now please keep in mind that this is a completely different store on the other side of town. Well, I walk in and there is the same Starbucks rep from the other store! And to top it all off he called me by name (which he learned by looking at my credit card over a year ago), and then said the name of my drink like no time had passed!

Now, if I drank a Coffee black with no sugar, that would something that caught my attention. But my drink is said, and follow me here, "An Iced Venti Solo Soy Iced Chai Tea Latte". Hell, it took me a month to learn how to order the thing, and this guy just said it like I had called it in only minutes ago.

But, back to my point. Had a been aware of the rewards program, I would not have spent as much, and maybe through spreading it out to only a couple of times a month, it would not have been such a big number coming out of my wallet.

So, with the help of a friend, I wanted to say that whether it is Starbucks or anything else, check to see what  they offer their customers.

And in a mention of serendipity, I was told this information today, and tonight I took at ten minute survey regarding, that's right, you guessed it, Starbucks!!! And it paid $2.50!!! Not bad for 10 minutes of mindless Internet play, huh?

So, my question to you is, were you aware of this program, and does this change your review of Starbucks?

As always, thank you...The Runner

A New Feel For a New Post, You'all Come On In Now Yah Hear!!!

I am guessing that at this point you are wondering< "what happened to the blog that I became so comfortable with, where did it go? Well let not your troubled hearts be worried, even for a second, because the only thing that has changed was the design. I threw in some more options that were presented to me and I decided that there was a lot to be gained by what was out there, so I did some mid-summer night cleaning.

Hopefully, you will awake rested tomorrow, and place your coffee mug next to your computer and be  WOW'd by the changes that have been made. And not just the use of banners and banners, but fun stuff like the about the cutest cat or dog of the day, feel free to have you friends spot by and take a look at what your talking about.

My favorite addition is way down at the bottom, were you see an overhead shot of a fish tank, and just by clicking, you will start feeding the fish. Let that be your daily moment of zen.

So, before I start posting some amazing things regarding finance and our daily lives. I was hoping to hear back from everybody about what they liked and did not like in regards to the changes.

As always...Thank you...The Runner

Welcome Back!!!

It has often been said that you don't know what you have till it is gone, and that could not have been more true when this blog was removed due to apparent spamming. Now, while I do agree that I write and post almost everyday, and I do know my initial ways around a computer, I still have no idea what spamming truly is, or even why my sight was flagged.

But as I just stated, you don't know what you have until it is gone, and I was actually pretty depressed that not only had the past month and a half had been removed, but so had all of the work. So, for all of us who hear all the horror stories about how the Internet has caused panic in the area of personal privacy, I would like to tell you a story of how the Internet has truly helped.

When the blog was removed I did not know where to turn. I felt as though my house was stolen while I was in it, and that there was nothing I could do. But, thanks to the use of forums and a poster named DarkUFO (which I will bring up again in a second), who reached out quickly after, I felt there was no other area to turn, but to ask other bloggers what do, so I posted my story of what had happened and hoped.

After a couple of steps provided by DarkUFO and a couple of days of needed waiting, the blog was restored, and I was, and still am so very, very happy.

But the amazing part doesn't just end with someone I didn't even know helping to reestablish the blog. It turns out that DarkUFO ran, and still runs a very popular blog for the show Lost. For anyone who got sucked into this outstanding show, his domain name is probably very familiar.

While not only did I follow all six seasons of the show very closely, but the little pieces of Lost that served as a constant point of interest for Lost Lovers, were always listed on the DarkUFO site.

So, here I was, following a site that brought out great conversations with family and friends for many years, and then when my site needed help, it was the head of that site that helped bring my site back to life. And we have never met or spoken before. Ever!

Let's remember this for the future. That there are good parts to the Internet, and for at least once, I can actually prove it!

Anyway, it's great to be back. Thank you all for sticking with me, and I will be back to posting again tomorrow!

As always, thank you...The Runner

SlickDeals, SlickDeals, SlickDeals!!!

First, thank you to our own Bunny for recommending the SlickDeals.net!!!

In between trying to increase my credit score, pay off student loans, increase my savings and evading my Piper's Wave, I must tell you that I am absolutely all over this site! It is enormous!!! Everything from coupons to freebies, too contest and sweepstakes!!! Prizes ranging from t-shirts to diamonds to iPads, and yes I want the iPad!!!

There are many reasons for starting this blog, and the suggestion of places like SlickDeals.net is exactly the saving sites that we should be using for everything, literally everything!!!

But I have to say that the best thing about this site is the sense of community that comes with it. There are many people all looking for the same thing,and that is to get it for free or at most at a reduced cost, and they are all willing and wanting to help each other!

Post after post people are thanking each other and helping by offering suggestions to just about any deal you can imagine! This place is a one stop stop!

So thank you so much to Bunny for your great addition to our community and helping us to pass along the same information we are all looking for, but rarely come upon!

So, I urge you all, check out SlickDeals.net and check it out today!!!

As always, thank you...The Runner

With All This Savings I Need to Buy Something Fun, Right?

So you pick it...there are four choices...and feel free to state why you think, what you think. Let's have some fun!!!

So here we go!

Choice One:














Choice Two:














Choice Three:














Choice Four:














I look forward to your responses!!!

As always, thank you...The Runner

"The Boss" Passes At 80

Less than 48 hours ago the voice of the New York Yankees past away at the age of 99. Today, the boss of the Yankees passed away as well.

Sure he was the boss and principal owner of the New York Yankees, but the nickname heard earned over the years was "The Boss", and that is how I believe he will always be remembered.

Loved by Yankee fans and pretty much hated by the rest of the professional sports world, George M. Steinbrenner the third was born on the forth of July and worked as thought his team was led by the Revolutionary soldiers themselves.

For me, The Boss changed the game. Sure, you can make the argument that the outrageous salaries baseball players are making today is due to George paying top players top dollars for years, and that in turn, forced other teams to due the same. But I say no.

First, players who came before The Boss were underpaid from the start. For me, Mr. Steinbrenner did for his team what any of us would want our employers to do. He invested in the business.

Millions of dollars for new players, top players, a new top of the line training facility, and a new stadium that because it included a subway stop cost 1.3 billion dollars. And you know what, the team won, the business made money, and championships followed.

If you are not yet convinced, then how about this for a well oiled machine, the team made it to the playoffs 16 years in a row! Sure, not all led to a World Series title, but the point is they were there because they were the best, with the best.

So with the passing of another Yankee legend today, I say thank you and you will be missed.

What is the Debt to Credit ratio?

As promised yesterday, the debt-to-credit ratio is something that anyone looking to improve their credit score should pay attention to. Let me paint you a small picture to help explain.

A young man goes off to college and has a credit card or two that are worth around, lets say, $2,000 total. After many years and a great deal of hard work this man graduates with a Bachelors and a Masters. Along with two diplomas. He also has $100,000 in student loan debt. And yes, that is, and was, his Piper and how his Piper grew his Wave.

So, now the man has a 98% debt-to-credit ratio, and this is not a good thing.

While the exact way that the FICO score is calculated is an ever changing, closely guarded secret, the debt-to-credit ratio plays as much of a 30% role in determining an individuals score. The reason being, or at least a number of books and websites have stated, that if this man was to be given a higher score, he would be able to gain more credit, and could use that credit to dig his debt hole even deeper.

Okay, so how do you fix this?

Well, basically you need to work it from both ends. If we continue to use this man as an example, the recommendation would be to pay down his debt as quickly as is possible (and we all know how easy that is, yeah right). But it is also important to start increasing your amount of available credit. Now, let's say that this man has a poor credit rating, and can not get approved for any credit cards of any limit, well the good news is he still has options.

One of the better options is what is known, or at least I know it, as a Secure Card. This is a card that you pay the money for a desired credit limit for up front. In this scenario let's say the man signs up for a secure card worth $500. With this he has done two things. First, he has established an additional $500 of credit, and raised his available credit to $2,500. Second, he now has another card reporting to the credit agencies each month, and as long as he is on-time with payments he is building a long, perfect, credit history, which carries a good deal of weight as well.

So, now, just like with savings, he wants to put more money into that card each month to raise the limit. If he puts in $100 for 2-years and pays off $10,000 of his debt, his available credit is now $3,700, and his debt is $90,000. This will give him a debt-to-credit ratio of 95.9%, which while it does not seem like a tremendous jump, it will help his credit score. After maybe another two or three years of this the ratio gets better, and so does his credit score.

This combined with everything we talked about yesterday, Five Ways to Immediately Improve Your Credit Score, will allow the man to apply for and most likely receive credit without having to go into his own pocket.

Sure, this may look like a long way to go, but remember that the debt-to-credit ratio is valued around 30% of your calculated credit score. So, if you were to get this into a better range you would be making a bigger impact.

Is this something you all see as helpful, or something you already knew?

As always, thank you...The Runner

Bob Sheppard the New York Yankee Announcer Dies at 99

Whether you are a New York Yankee fan or not, the name Bob Sheppard was one that garnished personal respect from many. I am certainly one of those.

For those who do not know the storied career of Mr. Sheppard, here is a link to a great article from Sports Illustrated, Yankees PA icon Sheppard, 99, dies. But for a couple of lines I would like to pay my respect as well.

When I woke up on September 4th, 1993 I had no idea that by the end of the day I would see two truly phenomenal sites and hear another.

That is the date of my first game at Yankee stadium, which I can still remember the sense of "presence" while walking though the gate to our seats. The second was that by the end of the game, no only had the Yankees won, but their pitcher, a man named Jim Abott through a No-Hitter! A very rare site in most American sport. For as incredible as this already was, seeing a No-Hitter in my first game at Yankee stadium, it was made all the more special because the man who threw that No-Hitter only had one hand.

That's right, read it again. He only had one hand!

A true athlete and a day that I will never forget, which was bolstered by the third part of my overall experience. That part was Bob Sheppard.

As the PA announcer he would introduce the coming batters in a voice truly did have a magic to it. For that he was given the nickname, "The Voice of God".

Since you never saw him during the game but yet heard his voice echo throughout the stadium with a gentle timber, you could hardly disagree, that if Hollywood wanted to cast the voice for God, his would most certainly be the one.

I know that I will miss having his voice be part of the games in the future, but I am thankful that I was able to hear it on many, many occasions, in a place where magic happened often...the great original Yankee Stadium.

Five Ways to Immediately Improve Your Credit Score

Let me start off with saying this, getting your credit score back into a good range is something that takes time. Now, having said that, it doesn't take a millenium! But, be prepared for a couple of up's and down's along the way while seeing your overall score increase over the course of time.

In my experience, and it is extesive, I have searched every corner of the internet, and read many more books than I care to remember or admit to, and they all say the same thing. "This process is going to take time". So be comfortable with this, and remember to setup those small wins we talked about in a post such as Payday Bloody Payday...

So here we go...

1. Get your credit balances under control. - Keeping your credit limit around 15% of the overall credit card balance, for each card, will show that you are using credit, but using it wisely. So, try and pay everything down to zero, but if you can get within that 0 - 15% range, you are doing great!

For more on this check out The Debt Snowball.

2. Do Not Close Any Open Credit Accounts. The idea of cutting up your credit cards to help with over spending is somthing that will help, just as long as you are not calling to have that account and having them close out the account. This has a two prong approach. First, the more credit you have available, not the more credit you're using, just the more credit you show on paper, the greater you credit-to-debit ratio, which is a major boost to you report. The second is, the longer your credit history, the better.

3. Never miss a payment. Even if you are just paying the minimum, you are still showing as current on your credit reports. However, if you are to miss any payments, there are five things that will hurt your score, all at different levels. They are 30-days late, 60-days late, 90-days late, 120-days late, and Closed.

As you can imagine, Closed is the worst, because of everything stated in point two, and everything from 30 - 120 is progressively worse. But what you must remember is that if you are showing anyone of these, you will also have that showing on your report for at least 7 years. That's right 7 years!!!

The good news is that the further those remarks get from the present date, the more your score will increase.  So, get on track as soon as is possible. Paying the minimums is a great place to start.

4. Payoff collections.  This is never fun, but the best idea is to get the name of the agency currently handling your debt, and send them a check with a short statement like, "As of the cashing of this check/money order, both parties consider this debt finalized". I have done this, and it worked perfectly! Plus you do not have to deal with any of these sleezy collection agents.

This information will stay on your report, and anyone telling you they can get it off in any amount of time, is flat out lying! And, most of those offers are illegal and can accutally have a negative effect on you!

Yes, you!!!

5. Secure Cards.  While this is not a final resort, it is something what will help you establish credit. Basically, it is a credit card that will require you to pay up front. The cool part is that your credit reports will reflect this card, and it will help your Debit-to-Credit ratio!

The Debt-to-Credit ratio is a bit more indept, and that is something we will go over tomorrow!!!

So tell me, did anyone find this information useful? Please feel free to leave your comments!!!

As always, thank you...The Runner

Warren Buffet...Bottle Caps, YouTube and Love

"When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen" was the saying throughout the 70's and 80's. Well who are we listening to today?

Sure, there are probably a ton of different answers to that question, but today, in this post, I would like to state the case that (with all due respect to Edward Francis Hutton) we update the slogan to "When Warren Buffett talks, people listen".

Mr. Buffett has long been someone I have taken a great interest in, but a recent article entitled, Buffett recounts the best advice he's ever received, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the man who built billions and in the name of positive social change, donated about 99% of that wealth.

That's right, read it again. He donated 99% of his worth.

I use the word worth with a purpose when speaking about Mr. Buffett's donation now, because after the following statement he gave in this article, I believe his idea of worth, has very little to do with fiance. Here is the standout quote that sparked the title of the article.

"The power of unconditional love. I mean, there is no power on earth like unconditional love. And I think that if you offered that to your child, I mean, you’re 90 percent of the way home. There may be days when you don’t feel like it — it’s not uncritical love; that’s a different animal — but to know you can always come back, that is huge in life. That takes you a long, long way. And I would say that every parent out there that can extend that to their child at an early age, it’s going to make for a better human being."

Do you see where I am going with this? What good is money if you have nothing to do with it, and what good is doing something with it if you are not really doing anything at all with it? You're not helping others, helping your community, helping the globe and so on. So worth, in a financial sense, it seems to a man who started off making his own way, has only 10% to do with a bank statement, and 90% to do with those around you. Those that you offer unconditional love.

Sure, we are all not billionaires, millionaires, or even living in the black, but throughout the ages we have given great credence to the tremendous "thinkers". Those that seemed to be able to see past their days, and offer a deeper insight that is proven true well into the future. Mr. Buffett needs to be added to that list.

I know that most people think that people today living the high life come from old money, but that is not the exact case with Warren Buffet. My favorite story of his, comes from when he was a young American trying to make a little extra cash. What he would do is by a six-pack of soda and sell them on a local corner. Every six-pack cost him 25 cents, and he would sell each bottle for 5 cents, and make a 5% return on each six-pack sold. Sure a nice profit for those days, but outside of that there is really nothing out of the ordinary there, but here is the part that sticks with me. After selling his six bottles everyday, he would go to the local gas station, which remember in those days, the vending machine sold bottles, and there was a catch and container for all of the bottle tops, and collect all of these tops.

He would then go home and count each individual one, so many for coke, so many for orange soda, etc, and based on that information he would make the decision of which six-pack to buy for the next day. Just Incredible! Here you have a young adolescent doing the selling, the market research, and the business development all for an extra 5 cents a day.

Well, after turning all of those nickles into billions, and a great deal of time learning the in's and out's of one of the worlds most complex financial systems, he has again taken his approach back to the most simple form, love.

So, I ask you, do you agree with his statement? Do you agree that "When Warren Buffett speaks, people listen"?

I can tell you that I do, and I can also tell you that another great part to the story is that Mr. Buffett hasn't lost his ability to "search through the bottle caps". Today he enjoys keeping his ear to the ground by spending a good deal of time on YouTube.

I think there is something endearing to Mr. Buffett's approach to life and finance, and would love to hear your thoughts! And when Warren Buffett speaks, are you listening?

As always, thank you...The Runner

From Coupons to Groupons, We've Got More Savings!!!

During the last couple of years I have done a great deal of my shopping online. Usually I am drawn in by some sort of sale that I am made aware of through an e-mail or a banner ad that offers a certain percentage off or free shipping or something else.

However, like as with this blog, I have learned through time that buying anything online without searching from a coupon, or the potential for an even better offer, is just plain insane!

So online shopping it has been. I have tackled many a holiday, birthday and other occassion through my cunning use of coupons that have helpped to find some really great deals. In fact, I once challenged myself to do all of my Christmas shopping online, without spending more then it would have cost than if I went to the store and actually bought the items. In the end I came out a little bit ahead!!!

And it has been ever since then that I have both searched for coupons in all of my online, and even some in-store coupons, to do my shopping. I even got a little bit deeper into it, and signed up for a couple of these deals to be e-mailed to me, instead of having to go searching for them. If I must recommend one, I will recommend my personal favorite CouponCabin.com. Now, this is not the only one that I use, but it has probably saved me a small fortune over the years.

Having said that, be sure to let me know if there are any others that you would recommend!
With all of this I was pleased to see that the use of internet promotions has taken an additional step forward, and that step is called Groupons.com!

Now, I haven't used it yet, but I am absolutely in love with the idea. Basically, a company of the day will put an other up on Groupons.com each day (depending on region it my be every couple of days, or weeks). The offer is usually something that offers a great savings, the only catch is that a certain number of people also need to sign-up and pay for the deal. Luckily, many, many people buy these deals each day because they are just that good, and the savings are just as good, if not great!

So, today I ask that you give them a look through, and see if it suits your interest.

And, if any of you are currently using Groupons.com please let us know!

As always, thank you...The Runner

The Girl With The...The Girl Who...Blah Blah Blah?

Alright, I am all for a good book and a great story, but I am also very aware of the Twilight non-sense and the world domination of Harry Potter, but what the hell is with these books?

Who knows about them?

Who has read them?

Who has had them recommended to them?

Has anyone completed all three of these?

Is anyone looking forward to the forth?

And finally, can somebody, anybody, explain this to me?

I don't need the plot ruined, not that I might read them, but they are everywhere!!!

Since cancelling my Comcast, and falling for the allure of Netflix Wii, my book reading has also skyrocketed!

So, if you liked it, say so.

If you think it was a good purchase, say so.

And, if you didn't like it, say so.

But please, for the love of God, SOMEBODY TELL ME WHAT THE CRAZE IS WITH THESE BOOKS!!!

As always, thank you...The Runner

Building Your Savings While Paying Off Debt?

According to an article at Yahoo Finance entitled, Put Savings (and Yourself) First With a Budget, it states, "Where does that money go? America, it seems, is in the midst of a savings crisis. Personal savings rates have dropped in recent years and remain low by historical standards as many people continue to spend beyond their means. If you're among those Americans who can't seem to save, it might be time to create a budget. A budget allows you to understand where the money goes and may help you free up cash for important savings goals, such as college and retirement".

Now, I am all for savings (for those of you just coming on board, please feel free to start from the beginning at my first post The First Two Weeks), but I think this brings up an interesting point, that I would like to turn into at least a two-part series.

Tonight, I would like to discuss Point Three in the Put Savings (and Yourself) First With a Budget article. Basically it states that "Less Spending = More Savings". Sure, I am sold on that, as long as the money you are saving, you are also putting into your savings! But, is that the truth?

Are we really taking the money we are saving and putting in a piggy bank, a savings account, a CD, or anything? Or, are we just considering that money for somewhere else?

And that is the question for tonight.

Are you making an active effort to put all money saved into some sort of savings account? And which ever your answer may be, feel free to explain the methods behind your thinking.

As always, thank you...The Runner

Little Did I Know, I Have Been On My Own Kind of Oprah's Debt Diet!

Incredible!!! For years now I have been reading many books Dirty Little Secrets From the Credit Bureaus, The Budget Kit all the way through Problogger, all for the reason of making life more affordable, and giving me the power to beat down my Piper's Wave.

I have signed up and utilized the abilities of ING Direct, and I have even pulled back in every way that I can. Outside of wearing Croc's to work to save on shoe costs, I am about out of ideas.

Until today!!!

I was told about Oprah's Debt Diet,and after looking into it, I have come to one clear conclusion, I AM ALREADY DOING THIS!!!

Is this what I get for not watching or reading Oprah? Is this a cost of not having cancelled my Comcast cable account? I do not know. However, I do have to admit, that instead of being upset by just finding this today, I am thankful for not only finding it, but realizing that I am actually on my way from step six to step seven, on the Oprah Debt Diet plan!

Again, incredible!!!I definitely suggest that you check this out if you haven't allready.

However, with all of that said, I do think that a lot of what we have covered in here can help alleviate some of the common problems when it comes to pulling back, and taking control of your finances. Things like NetflixWii, Krueger Coffee Makers and Crock Pots.

All of these things, and others found throughout this blog, have helped me feel that while I am cutting back, I am not cutting myself off from anything, and that has been the most important part of this, during what is now almost 2 months worth or wins and progress!!!

So at the end of the day, I am confident that personal growth goes hand-and-hand with financial success, and to that I say thanks Oprah!

And believe me, I never thought I would say that either, having never subscribed to as much as an e-mail from her massive empire, but thank you for putting a great stamp on what I taught myself to be a good idea!

So, be sure to check-out the Oprah Debt Diet and let us know what you think!

As always, thank you...The Runner

Do we only get one resolution a year?

You now what I mean. Its the famous or maybe now more accurately infamous "New Year's Resolution". Is that all!!! Why only one? Well right here today, I propose a "July Fourth Resolution". Who is with me?

Let the New Year's Resolution maintain what is and cover as much ground as it can, for our new July Fourth Resolution, I believe that our resolutions should focus around the idea of personal finance. That's it, just personal finance. I know it has all earmarks of something that the public will demand for in the future, but for now it is just us!!!

In my first ever post The First Two Weeks I spoke about how Starbucks, or more accurately, what I was spending monthly at Starbucks caused to be the first thing I declared my Independence against paying $200, and that is were we can all start.

Find something that will allow you to see a noticeable change in your spending and you my friend are declaring that with which is yours. You are in effect declaring your own Independence from wasteful spending!!!

So you tell me, can you do it? Would you do it? Share what you can!

As always, thank you...The Runner

I Love It When A Plan Comes Together!!!

Sure, who doesn't. A couple of days ago I came across article called The Millionaire's Retirement Plan. Now that is a plan I would love to pieces if and when it comes together!!!

"If you're just entering the workforce, retirement probably seems like a lifetime away. A million dollars by retirement? That's someone else's dream, right? It doesn't have to be. Here is the millionaire's retirement plan. For these calculations, assume an average annual return of 8%, adjusted for inflation at 3% - a reasonable estimate of average market returns".

My only question is what does a million dollars get me when I am sixty five (which is now only thirty five years away!)

If we look back 35 years, sure a million dollar retirement might have been very nice, but seriously what does that get me. I know that it gives me piece of mind to at least be able to have that option, and I know that if I was smart enough to make it that long, then I should be able to make that million dollars sing and grow a little after I retire. Right? Who knows?

Wait, do any of you know? Are any of your nest eggs at where they were supposed to be 35 years prior and if so, did you have to do anything different to maintain that nest egg?

As always, thank you...The Runner

Indepence & Money...Yes Please!!!

Well I guess it has been a couple of money making and money saving days, so now what, celebrate?

While we all are going to celebrate the date of our Nations birth with cookouts, family and friends, but the running we are all doing will still continues. And this year their is much more to celebrate as well!!! ING Direct is offering reductions on their already outstanding offerings for everything from Savings, to Checking, to Home Loans, to Retirement & Investing with the year of that great day of American history, that's right, 1776!!!

This deal only goes on through for the next couple of days. But, I would urge you at least look at their options before deciding which one is right for you, but the Electric Orange Checking is coming with a $76 bonus. And I am in. Yep, seventy six beans in my pocket, just by adding a checking account to my normal checking account. Sure I have to make 4 purchases of any value with 45 days, but otherwise the cash will mine!!! ARR!!!! (Say it with me, like a pirate, ARR!!!!)

For me this also solves an additional issue. My former back was great, and I mean just great. Their customer service, their locations and their ability to work with a customer, were just great!!! Then around 9 months ago my bank was taken over by a new brand, with a different look, and a much different idea of what it really means to handle a customer. They have caused me nothing but grief, but this is not like a cable box that I can simply just cash it in, no, this is another of those "wins" we have spoken off, and important they are. When I originally signed up with my old bank, there were no fee, except for overdraft, but they would allow you have that charged reversed one time every year. This new bank however, has it completely wrong. Now, we are required to maintain a balance above $100 so to not have to incur a "cycling charge" Cycling charge? Does my Piper have a bike? And it so, how big is it? Non the less, every time you go under $100 limit the back charges you $15!!!!


So , thanks to our friends over at ING Direct, there is another game in town where the words free, actually mean FREE!!!

I hope you have enjoyed this post, and certainly hope you take the time to see it an ING Direct Option might not be a good option for you an yours!!!

I look forward to you replies!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

And, and as always, thank you...The Runner

Be Careful of What You Wish For...

..because you just might get it. Never have truer words been spoken then over the last couple of weeks.

As was the purpose of creating this blog, I wanted to share my story and create a place for people to see that adjustments can be made that can effect your life dramatically. Through the sharing of my findings and even the sharing of some of the ventures I have taken on over the last couple of months I hope that I have expressed to you not only the ways to make and view money, but the ways that I am actually going about trying to make money!

Well, through weeks of looking around for little side gigs, I came to the conclusion that since I spend most of my day on the computer and can type like the Dickens, maybe I could make some extra money by doing some transcription work.

It seemed like a great idea as it fit my skill set, paid well, and there was ton of work out there for those that wanted to take it on. This is the point where I place my thumbs behind my suspender straps, and gently push them out while telling you that it did not take long for me to land my first job.

In the matter of days, there it was an acceptance!!! HOORAY!!!

I spent the next couple of days communicating with the client and everything was just great!

Twenty-Five hours of film that needed to be transcribed. Okay, no big deal, I knew that I had more than a week to complete it, before submitting it.

So when the materials arrived, I put in the first disk, grabbed my laptop, and sat down to begin growing my financial strength to out run my Piper and his Wave.

And then it hit me. This was not transcribing a speech from the National Archives, this was transcribing the words on a group of people giving a small seminar! To paint you an example of what it is like, I want you to imagine two things. First, a speech by President Kennedy and second a speech by someone who is not President Kennedy. Well guess which one I got? That's right. Kennedy's opposite.

Yep, it was everything I had asked for, but nothing that I had not completely thought through.

So, the last couple of days have been spent transcribing, and while it hasn't been really that bad (actually it has been quite enjoyable), I would like to leave you all with a small challenge. When you are on your computer and someone is speaking to you, or the TV is on, trying typing everything that they are saying!

So remember, be very careful about what you wish for!

As always, thank you...The Runner

Sleep on it!

Today I was ready an interesting article on msnbc.com called, Sleep on it: Dreams help solve day's problems. In this article it states, "The slumbering mind might not seem like an apt tool for any critical thinking, but humans can actually solve problems while asleep, researchers say. Not only that, but one purpose for dreaming itself may be to help us find solutions to puzzles that plague us during waking hours.



Dreams are highly visual and often illogical in nature, which makes them ripe for the type of "out-of-the-box" thinking that some problem-solving requires, said Deirdre Barrett, a psychologist at Harvard University.


Barrett's theory on dreaming, which she discussed at the Association for Psychological Science meeting here last month, boils down to this: Dreaming is really just thinking, but in a slightly different state from when our eyes are open".

Okay, so we have a Harvard Psychologist basically saying that the need for REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, is not only critical to a good night sleep, but that it also allows you to have the ability to problem solve at the same time.

Maybe Ben Franklin did have something more than he knew, as I mentioned in my previous post Early to bed...Early to rise....

I think that again we are shown the importance of putting ourselves in places where we can think through our problems.

So what are your thoughts?

As always, thank you...The Runner

4 Things Financial Reform Won't Do For You, Thank You Yahoo Finance!

  Yesterday an article was published entitled, 4 Things Financial Reform Won't Do For You. In this article they stated, "Regulators from Washington will now sniff out financial scams, rein in usurious lenders, unearth hidden fees and limit loans to people who can afford them. Jubilation. Washington rides to the rescue. Again.


But a new army of protectors won't make consumers smarter, and the mere presence of a fresh government watchdog could persuade some people that they don't need to worry about protecting themselves. People still need to do the work themselves and learn how to spot scams, manage debt, invest safely and resist foolish enticements."

It is great to see that steps are being taken to helps ensure that the country does not find itself in the same spot again, however, it truly does come down to us. With all of the watchdog groups, and prosecutors looking to expand their practices by "helping" to hunt down and prosecute these vultures, it will come at a price.

So my question to you is, is it smarter for us to regulate ourselves, or trust our futures will be well managed by financial overseers?

As always, thank you...The Runner.

I'll Take It Anyway I Can Get It!

Well, my fellow runners, it looks like my post from June 12, less then two weeks ago called Back it up, Back it up, Back it up is going to pay dividends. Or at least pay for the massive backup drive I bought to prevent another meltdown, because yesterday, after coming home and opening up my laptop, yes the same laptop, I receive a massive failure message.

The only thing I was happy about was that it was not speaking to me! But, rather telling me that it was having a massive failure.

So, off to the IT department it went. But, not with me. A stand-up colleague met me so that he could deliver it to the IT department first thing in the morning, and let them take a look at it.

For me, this meant, that my planned day off for this Friday, came a day earlier. Now, I did not have much planned. Just a few odd jobs to bring in the capitol we have been speaking about, so no there were no major disruptions on my end. But, I will say it again. If you are not backing up your computers. With their years of pictures, documents, songs, etc you are going to be sorry when you computer simply says, "I'm done". And there is nothing you can do about it at that point, at least nothing cheap.

So it is with the best of intentions that I recommend the same backup drive that I just picked up, as my IT department was more than relieved that I had done such a smart thing, and for a relative small amount of cash.

My question to you is, do you make a practice of backing up your information?

As always, thank you...The Runner

Free and Budweiser

Well, it's been a few days, and for that I apologize, but I have been given the opportunity to do some side work, and it has been taking up a good deal of my time, but it is well worth it!!!

However, the last thing I do before hitting the hay, is to read for at least an hour. The book that I am currently reading is The Millionaire Next Door, and it is truly eye opening.

So, far I am about fifty pages into it, but it has already done a great job of showing what "true worth" is.

When you think of a millionaire, you think of the houses, the clothes, the cars, the exotic vacations, and so on, and for the most part you are correct. However, what this book has done a great job with is showing that these people with all of this money, are just as "broke" as I am. They have no assets. They are the Jones!!!

The line for today's post, Free and Budweiser, is taken directly from the book and one of the "true millionaires". These true millionaires are those that have millions in the bank, little to no liabilities, and a great sense of thrift. When the authors were doing the research for the book they invited ten millionaires to interview, and rented out this extravagant Upper East Side home, had it fully catered with only the finest food and drink being served. Basically, they were creating the environment they expected the millionaires to be comfortable in. Well, one of these millionaires arrives and he is offered a fine champagne, to which he replies, "I only drink scotch and two kinds of beer, free and Budweiser".

Needless to say, this was a defining moment for the authors, but for me as a reader, it summed up everything I have been speaking about and doing over the last couple of weeks.

It is not what you wear, or what you drive, or where you live, but rather what you choose to wear, choose to drive and choose to live.

I that I have thought about what it would be like to be a millionaire, and what I would do with that money, but I can't say that any of those thoughts were centered around a thrifty lifestyle.

So, my question to you is, would you rather flaunt your wealth? Or have your bank statement do the talking?

As always, thank you...The Runner

Netflix, Wii and Me

In my very first post, The First Two Weeks, I broke down exactly where I was going to find the extra cash that I would need to out pace my Piper and his Wave. Well, tonight I thought that I would expand on that a little.

In the weeks leading up to turning in my cable box, and saving a ton of money monthly, I really took a hardcore look at exactly what my cable provider was (or was not giving me). Sure, most of it was my fault because I was not taking full advantage of it, but none the less, I tried many times to have them reduce my rate based on how little of their service I was actually using. I guess you all know how those attempts ended.

However, even more than just the money, was the fact that I was not taking advantage of the other services I currently had. For instance, there is the Nintendo Wii. A luxury purchase that I made a while ago, but I have gotten some great use out of it, but their was an advantage to the Wii that I was not using, and that was their connection to Netflix, a small subscription I had already been using. Netflix Wii is  much smaller charge of $8.99 per month that allows you to stream their on-demand movies instantly through your Nintendo Wii, while at the same time, you can have them ship a disc to you, if the movie  you want is not currently available on-demand.


So let's recap. Almost $200 for Comcast, for which I really only watched the movie channels, or $8.99 for Netflix Wii for basically all the movies I could handle? Yeah, the choice was very simple. But I know what you're thinking, what about the TV shows you watch? Well, truth be told, there are (or were) three shows I would watch, Fringe, Flashforward and Lost, and Lost is over!!! So, now I am down to two!!!

However, there are still ways of keeping up with these shows. First, many of them are available on the networks website, or you can do all you watching in a single place like Hulu.com!!!


No commercials, tons of movies and documentaries and the fact that I am paying less for things I enjoy? Come on, the only real question is, why didn't you think of this earlier?

Well, in all honesty, I think we can all agree that TV is a part of life. Whether it is just to zone out, relax or escape reality for a while, we all have our reasons.

Today, is my twenty second day without TV, and I have to tell you, I have done more in many different aspects of my life during those 22 days, then I have in a long time. Not to mention all the money that has been saved!!!

So my question to you is, could you now see yourself telling your cable provider to take a walk?

As always, thank you...The Runner

What is a Debt Snowball?

I certainly have never heard of it, but I can tell you that after reading the this article, The Debt Snowball, I think we have just found another area of clarity to our situations. Take that Piper!!!

Basically, we all struggle with our debts and which of those to pay first, and why, and when and blah blah blah. But, this is another great example of how simplicity is key.

In the article it stats, "List all of your debts, in descending order by interest rate, regardless of the balance (accounts with highest interest rates first).
Determine the most money you can make available from your budget to apply to the debt snowball. The more you can apply, the more money you'll save and the faster you'll pay off your debt.
Each month, apply the minimum payment PLUS the extra money you've made available from your budget to the first debt (the one with the highest interest rate). On all your other debts, pay only the minimum payment. Continue to do this until the first debt on the list is paid off.

Take the minimum payment AND the extra payment you were making on the first debt and add them to the minimum payment you've been paying on the second debt. Pay that amount on the second debt each month until it's paid off, then move on to the third debt. Continue to pay only the minimum payment on all debts except the one you're "snowballing."

Repeat this process until all of the debts are paid off ".

Get it? Yes, no, maybe?

I think that we all do a great deal of trying to "tilt the tables" in our favor, daily. Whether it is finding the best gas price, good use of sales, etc, but here we are doing the same thing. If you are required to pay a minimum amount on any of your credit cards, and have been utilizing all of the budget techniques we have talked about, then each week or month, you will have extra cash on hand, and instead of paying down each card little by little by little, you can pile all of that saved cash, use a little to pay the monthly minimums on your credit cards, and then use the rest to make a massive dent in the first one you select. And when that card is paid off, you move onto the next, and so on, and so on.

Start with the one that has the highest interest rate, or start with the one that has the highest balance, and you will not just chip away at that debt, but blow it straight to hell!!!

This way you are staying current on all your cards, and you are paying off each card in major leaps instead of little steps. And those are wins people!

Also, to show you how else this will pay off; you will see your credit score rise quicker as well. As your amount of utilized credit drops in massive quantities over each month, your credit score will increase, and by the time you have all of your cards paid off, your credit score will definitely be in a much, MUCH better place.

This book, Dirty Little Secrets: What the Credit Bureaus Won't Tell You, is something that I have personally red, and utilize to help improve and maintain my score, and one of the main points they constantly talk about is "Credit Utilization". To keep it short, let's say that you have one card with a limit of $100. If you pay your balance every month, and the credit agencies never see that you utilize any of your credit, and while they will not lower your score, they will also not raise it with any great speed. What they do recommend is to use your cards but only (and I mean only as the highest portion) to only utilize under 25% of your available credit every month. So, if your card has $100 available, feel free to use under $25 of it, and pay it off as well, on time. This way you are showing that you are worthy of a better credit rating, because your a) use it, b) use it in reasonable quantities, and c) pay it off monthly.

So get your balances under that 25% limit and while you still have a bit to go, you can still see a major jump in your credit score!

Have any of you used the Debt Snowball? If not, do you think it is worthwhile?

As always, thank you...The Runner

Feeling Blue? Go Orange!!!

Well let me first start out by saying thank you to Heather for the inspiration of today's posting. Yesterday we talked about "seeing ourselves" as bills that have to pay. And sure, some of us list this as "Savings" each month on our budget, but let's all be up front and honest, it just means, that this is your safety net. It is usually the first thing to get taken out of the equation when an item sparks our fancy, right? Absolutely!

Today is a new day, and with that comes opportunity. For the last 5 years I have had an account with an online bank that came very highly recommended to me. That bank is ING Direct. Go ahead, click and see for yourself. It is the reason that I have stayed with them this long, and as most of you know, I have not truly been utilizing them for all they have to offer. But no longer!!!

Sure, the market took a hit and a 1% savings account is about the norm, however you usually need to have a certain balance and keep that rate, well, not at ING. The best part is that you don't have to cancel your old bank account, and go through the hassle of getting everything lined up again (you can if you want to though), you can simply link the account, carry a balance of .01, that's right ONE CENT or more, and you will incur NO penalty. But what if you go over, surely this is where they are going to hang you by your ears, right? Nope!


This is actually from their website in regards to either their savings ElectricOrangeSavings or their checking OrangeSavingsAccount options, but it is up to you, see what works best, but let me just point out two things. Under their ElectricOrangeSavings, not only do your deposits earn interest, but they are completely liquid, meaning that if an emergency comes up, you can have the money transferred to your linked account in about three business days.

Check out some of the things that come free with the ElectricOrangeSavings;

The account comes With FREE Stuff like:

Free MasterCard® Debit Card for all purchases
Free Online Bill Pay
Free access at over 35,000 ATMs
Free postage - we'll mail your paper checks for you

Now, if that is not enough to at least get you to think about starting up an account, then go to this link and tell me you wouldn't ditch your current bank in a second. Go to ElectricOrangeSavings and in the top left it addresses how they compare to the ENORMOUS overdraft fees from (most) other banks. It is outstanding, andthat's why it was important enough for me to bring up. If we are going to save our money, or try and grow it, they let's look at the places that are truly trying to get us there.

I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I did. Thank you again Heather for the idea!

As always, thank you...The Runner

"A Simple Way to Become Wealthy"

First, the title of today's entry comes from an article of Yahoo Finance of the same name, A Simple Way to Become Wealthy. And it is that article that I will do a small review of today, however, I do think that there is a very strong point laid out in the article that we can all learn from.

"He told me saving and investing wasn't hard, you just have to treat it like a bill. He said, "When your paycheck comes in each month, you pay your bills, right?" I nodded. "So treat investing like a bill. If you want to max out your Roth IRA, divide the maximum contribution by 12 and send that amount to your investment account each month. If you want to make it easier, then go to the finance office and set up an automatic allotment from your paycheck and you'll never think about it again."

"It turns out he was right. It's not that I didn't have enough money to invest. I just wasn't prioritizing how I used my money."

And that is the key, prioritizing how we use our money. Have any of you ever thought of yourself as a bill that you are required to pay every month? Actually, let me rephrase that, have any of us actually ever wanted to see ourselves as a bill that we must pay?

For the sake of honesty, I can tell you that the phrasing used in this article is something that I have never even considered. But man, what a concept!

Just picture your budget, and then picture yourself adding yourself to it with a number, and then paying that money into either a simple savings plan or anything else? What would the outcome be?

I can tell you that while I am typing on a different computer tonight, first thing tomorrow, I am adding myself as a "payee" on my personal budget.

Amazing! Sometimes when we concentrate so hard on something, we miss the very obvious things that are right in front of our noses! I love it!

So how about you all? Are you in? Have you, or do you currently, see yourself as a payee?

As always, thank you...The Runner

Keeping Proactive With Craig and His List

Ok, if you have not been on Craigslist, here is the link http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites, and I must insist you go there immediately!
I know that is awfully demanding of me, and that it might seem like it has noting to do with this blog, but I say not at all!

So click on the link to start off, find your state and your region, and just jump straight in. The places I suggest you go to first are the "wanted" and "free" sections, under the "For Sale" section. You will be amazed at what people are not only looking for, but what they are giving away, FOR FREE!!!

Sure, there is a good deal of crap, but hand to God, everyday I have seen everything on there from workout equipment, to kitchen appliances, to a 55' Plasma TV (sadly, I did not get that), and much more. All you have to do is pick it up and it is yours!!! Seriously, people moving, people passing on, people just being people (lazy), they just want it gone! TERRIFIC!!! So now what? SELL IT!!! Whatever you get for it, it is all profit, and tax free at that!!!

But what about the wanted section? Well, in the last month I have looked over these two sections everyday and I swear that the people who are looking to pay for things, are just a few clicks away from the people who are GIVING IT AWAY!!!

You have your customers and suppliers all in the same area! So, take all that you can and post it back on Craigslist or on eBay http://www.ebay.com/, and see if there are any takers. Remember, you are taking stuff from your local area, for basically free, and then opening it up to a global market. And you can sell it for basically nothing, who cares, turn a profit, and attract more potential customers because you are truly selling it for pennies on the dollar.

But I know what your thinking. What if none of these items sell, then what? Two words, Garage Sale! Seriously, do a search for "local garage sales", and you will see that people actively seek out anything and everything they can get for just as cheap as they can, and there you are saying sell it for whatever! IT'S ALL PROFIT!!! Need proof? This is the number one listing on GOOGLE!!! http://www.garagesalehunter.com/

And if all else fails, you have three options; try selling it for parts, just through it away, or donate it. All of it. you know why? Tax write off! And they'll usually pick the stuff up!

Yes, this is going to require a little bit of work, but remember, all of this work is the reason we are here. You need to pull out all of the stops if you are going to keep in front of your own Piper and Wave.

My question today is actually in two parts. Have any of you done this? And if you have what were the results?

As always, thank you...The Runner

Payday Bloody Payday...

..sometimes it feels that way, right? Or does it always feel that way? Well, this blog was started to beat back my own personal Piper and to hopefully help all you do the same.

Today is payday, and I say great! For me this is a much improved, much desired, increase from the usual, THANK GOD!!!

My goal today is to take you in a little further into my personal plan for breaking down both The Piper and Wave. So, with this tremendous journey in front of me, how am I going to maintain sanity? And more importantly, how am I going to keep myself motivated to show this Piper who he dealing with, and where he can take his Wave? Well, that is where I want to bring you in. So lets go!!!

The trick, I have found, is that my sanity will be maintained if I look for, what I call, "the small wins", along the way. These wins are the trick! Remember that! Also, I have learned to find them in even the smallest areas. Today was a great example.

On paper it is just a win for me to say great that it is payday, instead of thank God! And why is this a win? Because for now it shows me that my work and planning is paying off (no terrible pun intended). For the first time in a very long time, I looked forward to paying my bills today. Sure, the money was mainly gone by the end of the day, but when I look at the overall plan, and see that a major, MAJOR hurdle was cleared, I can't help but smile and give myself a pat on the back!

And that's the win. Simply because I was able to smile while paying bills! It's just that simple. And not just for me, but it can be for all of us. Why? Because, sanity and success are found in this ultimate example of simplicity.

So where do we go from here? To the next step! Getting to our next small win. Clearing a hurdle that months ago seemed as though it was a lifetime away! For me that hurdle is due to come in about two months, when the smile of paying bills, is then turned into a smile while putting that money into savings, at what is now (due to all the cut backs) a tremendous number. Every month!!! That would make anyone smile, I am sure!

But what about the Wave? Sure it may not being growing and I am outrunning it, but it is still there, looming in the glaring sunlight and menacing through the moonlight. Day in and day out! Well, that's the next smile, or win.

With savings in hand and a solidified budget, I will do the last thing The Piper, The Wave, and maybe even you think I will do. I stop running, turn around and charge like lightning directly back at The Wave!!!

Because it is simply time to do what they say, and face my problems head on. A solid budget and a solid savings plan will put me into a position where I charge back to The Wave. And I can do so with a much greater ability to reduce The Wave to a mear ripple by the time I reach it!

And that, to me, will be the small wins that clear big hurdles! So please continue to read along as this is a place for all of us!!!

As always, thank you...The Runner

Good Eggs and Bad Apples

Over the course of the last two and half years I have run across my share of each, but today I found myself in a meeting thinking, "do I know more good eggs, then bad apples? Or the opposite"? Needless to say, the thought was intriguing and I wasn't able to shake it all day.

More good eggs? More Bad Apples? I just couldn't find an answer. And it wasn't like I was making a list, I was just thinking of the circles I run in and those that I come across daily.

Well, on my forty minute drive home the thought was completely gone! However, it was replaced with another question.

Are bad apples that bad? I mean really. We usually know who these people are and I know that I at least try and avoid these people, however anyone who has stepped out into the public has come into contact with a "bad apple". From the loudmouth at the movie theatre, to the co-workers that do nothing but complain, to the customer service reps that never seem to want to service the customer.

So I return to the question, are bad apples that bad? Well, as of this posting I have to say that just as the world needs ditch diggers, the world needs bad apples, and I'll tell you why. Plain and simple, we learn from them.

Someone once said, "an idiot never learns from their mistakes, an average man does learn from their mistakes, and a truly wise man learns from the mistakes of others".

I say bring on the bad apples! If they're out their in bushels then I say, the more the merrier! After all we are talking about people who prove that the "stove is hot" because they touch it, day after day after day, not us. And the results increase exponentially over the course of a lifetime.

From this point on I welcome the bad apples as much as I welcome the good eggs. After all, they're both out there, and they both bring something to the table.

So who's with me? I welcome your thoughts and comments!

As always, thank you...The Runner.

Back it Up...Back it Up...Back it Up!!!

From loading docks to dance floors the phrase "back it up" is a part of everyday life. Today I present to you another area where that phrase is greatly under utilized, and it is a major problem.

In these days of www this, and Goggle that, there is one thing I am not sure we have gotten used to, and that is backing up our computer information. Last night, after the conclusion of a nice tough week, I came home to do a little relaxing before sitting down and sharing my story when WHAM!!!

A phrase in pure white with a black backdrop stated; system32\hal.dll, along with a message of Windows cannot start do to the file being missing or corrupt.

I could not get passed the HP logo without this message coming up. To keep what is actually a very short, basically, the computer was keeping me from my information!!! Everything from work to personal, all being kept from its rightful owner!!! ME!!!

Now, to fill you in a little more, I can let you know that about three months ago, my main laptop, my work laptop, took all four years of personal and professional information and ate it! No getting it back, not even a little, and the entire IT team worked on it for over a week! So, a new laptop it was. Company issued. But with the price of free, I was not complaining.

So how does this relate to my daily quest to keep far in front of my nemesis, The Piper and his Wave? Well, after spending today (Saturday) with my IT team (again) to have the laptop restored, I could not stop thinking about how much all of that lost information cost me. Hundreds, thousands, millions? Maybe, but the point was clear. Sometimes you have to spend a little money in the short term to save a lot of money in the long term. And there it was. Nice and simple.

For all of these months of budgeting and cutting back in every facet of my life, I was going to have to, as they say, "work smarter". So, $105.93 has apparently bought me not only piece of mind, but a great insurance policy as well. Should the system crash again, all of my information will be safe.

But, I have to tell you, it was a lot easier to spend a good deal of money when I have already saved an even greater deal of money, and that is pleasure you apparently can buy!

I'll leave you all with this question. Are there any life-lessons you have learned, where making a small purchase was done in the intention of saving you big money?

As always, thank you...The Runner

Survey You Say?

It could not have been more than a couple of months ago that I was told about online surveys and how others are using them to make a little extra cash. Now, I am naturally a skeptical person, and definitely not someone who signs up for things easily, especially online.

However, a colleague of mine recommend a site to me that they swore by and had seen results from. Even with this, I naturally did a couple of Google and Yahoo searches to see what people were saying about this particular site. And for the most part, the reviews were actually good.

As with anything, when I see nothing but positive reviews I become even more skeptical, but this had just the usual gripping that sounded more like people who either expected to make millions or people who were just defective end-users that placed their blame on the site. But the rest of the information was actually pretty good.

So with this I signed up, filled out a bunch of information (not to much personal information), just things that had mainly to do with my interests so they would know which surveys would be right for me. Within a week I was receiving four to five surveys a day.

Let me take a couple of lines to go over with you how this site works. Basically, you will receive invites, based on your interests, and each survey is worth between 50 to 2000 points, although most of the ones I have received are worth between 50 and 500 points. The next part, is that you have to qualify for each survey, before you can officially start it. This usually is only a couple of questions, but none the less, I usually get into about 2-3 for every five I receive. Each 100 points is worth $1, and you can not have any money transferred to your PayPal account, until you have reached $10 or 1,000 points.

So why would I entertain this if I am am looking to out run my Piper and his Wave? Well, because now with no cable box, or hell, even with the cable box, I always have my laptop on my lap! But, the math also made sense as well.

If I am to complete just a dollars worth of surveys everyday for a year, that is $365 dollars. Now, you can obviously earn more than that if you like, however, if you keep your earnings under $600 for the year, you are not required to file a 1099 tax form! Basically, this is "tax free" money.

For me this is three months worth of Gas and Electric cost, or almost eight months of Internet cost, or (for me) almost five months of grocery costs, and on, and on, and on!

Combining this with the cost savings we talked about in yesterdays post The Crock and the Comcast my distance from the Piper and his Wave increases again!!!

I have only started utilizing this site seriously within the last three or four weeks, however I have already earned around $40!

For any of you that would like to see for yourselves, here is the link; http://www.surveyspot.com/.

Let me know if any of you have, or currently are, utilizing on-line surveys? And also, if you are using them, how they are working for you!

As always, thank you...The Runner

The Crock and the Comcast

So, how exactly is The Runner, running, you may be wondering? Well, as discussed in my first post ever at The First Two Weeks. I started to get into this journey with just some basic changes to my everyday. The first was cutting out Starbucks. Damn them and their delicious Iced Venti Solo Soy Chai Tea Lattes!!!

What the hell did I just say? When did I start speaking like that? Do I have a butler escorting me to my driver who takes me to my private helicopter that brings me to a solid gold elevator on top of the building I own? HELL NO!!!

So where do I get off spending $200 a month (that's right, A MONTH) on drinks? For everything its worth, I am not sure. But I can tell you that it was because it was just "something small", well as obvious as it is, the "small things" sure add up. And quickly!


With yet another of The Pipers calls, I certainly had come to the realization that I didn't have to cut out "the little" things entirely, like a caffeine drink. I just need to look around for other options.

That option was applied to three main areas. First, a coffee/tea maker that reduced my cost daily, and will shortly pay for itself! It actually saves in time and gas too, because I don't have to go get it, and it is ready when I am ready to walk out the door.

Second, was the The Crock Pot. For anyone, this a great idea! Not only does it make cooking easier, it also makes it more affordable. So, goodbye lunch at a local restaurant and dinner at a different restaurant, and hello such delicious items like Crock Pot Easy Salsa Chicken and White Chicken Chili. For a little under the cost of just ONE meal out, I can eat for a week?


Where the hell were my teachers and superintendents when this type of "lesson" got taught? Sure, I would have probably scoffed at the idea during that time. Ohh, you am I kidding, I would have feel on the floor laughing at the sight of a crock pot. But, never the less, the lesson has no been learned. 

Sure I am not eating in nice restaurants on a daily basis, but I am "getting back what is mine", my time, and my money.I urge you, try this out, and take the money you are saving and apply it else where...you'll thank your selves for doing, and inspire those around you.

But what about Comcast you ask? How does that come into play? Well to me Comcast is equivalent of a politician who nobody likes, yet nobody gets up to vote for the other guy. They just go along. And that's what I was doing with Comcast, just going along.

My cable provider was probably the number one thing for me to complain of. And to for that matter! I would spend hours on hold waiting for someone there to fix an issue on a monthly basis, yet there I was paying my bill in the same month? Why should they care if I complain, I am still paying my bill!

Well no more!!! With the nightmare of The Piper's Wave plaguing me daily, it was such an obvious move, that I looked right past it. To make a long story short, I cancelled my cable service, saving $150 per month, and replaced it with an $18 dollar per month account to Netflix that allows me to watch all the movies, TV shows and Documentaries I want (with some available directly through the Nintendo Wii)!!!

It was changes like this, that not only got me started on my retreat from my Piper, but also started a buzz of excitement within me. I think we can all agree that it is great to save money, but I have to tell you that it is such a better feeling to know that I am doing it so while not paying for a service I couldn't stand.

And there it was, my inspiration turn into reality. Within a few short weeks the money I was saving was actually in my pocket, not figuratively, but actually in my pocket!

With this, the shadow of the Wave seems to retreat and the Piper seems less of a threat. However, the next steps is making this money now work for me...and that's where I will pick-up tomorrow!

I leave you with this question, what are the ways you all have saved money by reducing habits?

As always...thank you! The Runner

P.S. - I realize that I post a good deal of ads on my blog, but I should point out, that these are the exact items I have used to distance myself from ever watching Piper and his Wave. I do this so that if you, or someone you know, is looking for these items it is conveniently located right here!

Early to bed...Early to rise...

..makes a man, healthy, wealthy and wise. Another great statement from our quote of the week from Benjamin Franklin. I should add that I am sure this early to bed statement works the same for women as well...which is nice!

Today's blog actually comes in what is tomorrow for me. By the time I left the office it was after midnight, and by the time I started writing this, it was after 1pm. So I have to ask myself. As the demand for my success in out running The Piper and his Wave grows, does the demand for my personal time need to be shifted to allow for my professional and financial growth?

I guess that this is the game, or more accurately, the balance that we all seek. How much do I give to grow professionally, so that I can live, personally and financially?

To help answer this I return to our friend Mr. Franklin and see that he was apparently able to out whit his Piper and Wave by knowing how to not only understand his debts, but to also balance both his personal and professional time.

It has also been said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Well, today I turn my attention to history. After all, this whole blog started when I looked up to see that I was well within the piecing glance of my Piper and the shadow of his Wave.

So during my midnight ride tonight, I spent time thinking about the words of Old Ben, and came to realize that the view of my journey has now had clarity added to it. If I am to reach my goals and slay the Piper and demolish his Wave, I must also work on my Life to Work balance!

So, in the spirit of learning from history, I ask you all for your comments on how you have learned to balance your life and work?

As always, thank you...The Runner.