The Benefits Of Saving

I had to give this speech to my class tonight, and thought I would post it.  It’s the very first outline I have ever organized! Usually I just write it as I feel it, when I feel it, and then organize it later.  I did get an A+ for my presentation so I am excited. I read a little bit more than I wanted to but overall I did great! My next speech will be a ceremonial speech, and I think I am going to do that speech as if I have just become debt free.  That will certainly be […] Read more »

Motivation 101 – Saving To Buy, Instead Of Buying To Slave!

Can You Buy A House, Have A Car, Or Go To College Without Debt? With a plan you can!  It seems like every time I write an article like this I lose a few subscribers.  That’s fine, I am fully aware that I will not please everyone.  This would be too easy if I could, and frankly I like the challenge. For some reason people seem to get angry about someone (me) telling them that it is ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE to live life without accepting the chains and bondage that come with debt.  I could speculate all day long about why […] Read more »

“Sorry I Couldn’t Tip More, But I’m Broke”

A Little Background Information I work for tips, well at least for the moment anyway.  I have been working at Papa John’s for going on 4 years, and it has been VERY good to me.  I deliver in the UVA area so business is usually better than in other parts of Charlottesville.  It’s flexible, EASY, and I have made some great money, especially when my wife was going through Nursing School.  It has allowed me to spend lots of time with my little man, Isaac, over the years, and to me that is better than any monetary rewards. Here recently, […] Read more »

Sometimes Just Knowing What To Do Isn’t Enough!

Broke Financial Gurus?  No Way! It’s true!  You can be considered an expert, but that doesn’t mean you will not struggle with the process itself.  It doesn’t mean that discipline is automatic. and most of how you handle your money is behavior anyway.  We know exactly what it is that we need to do, and why, but even we still have problems when it comes to following through at times. Why is that the case?  For starters, we are human which means we can mess up, and to me there really is no other explanation needed.  Whether it’s impulse spending, […] Read more »

11 Keys To Building Wealth For Generations

  DOWNLOAD THIS BUDGET – I created this budget to give people the tools needed to budget effectively.  Budgeting is very important and I have received many emails about how it has helped people with the process.  Give it a try and see what you think! FOLLOW THESE 7 EASY STEPS TO BUDGETING – Proven methods to help you beat the budgeting blues.  So many people, including myself, have started a budget and before the month ends the budget is busted. It kills your motivation and desire to budget, and before you know it you are right back to your […] Read more »

A Sacrifice Is Not A Loss But A Gain

Returning Thoughts I am in my car a significant amount of time.  I have tons of time to think about so many things.  One of the questions I find myself asking is “What in the world do people say when they see my car?”.  My first response is usually laughter because I imagine what people might say who would never be caught dead in such a car.  To make it even more amusing I have a sticker on my bumper that says, “Act Your Wage”, beside another “Anti-Debt” sticker. To me this makes TOTAL sense, but the average person might […] Read more »

Are You Waiting For Washington To Save The Day?

  As it stands now this is not a political blog, and I want to keep it that way.  However, with the upcoming election, coupled with recent events (bailout, mortgage crisis) and the state of our economy, I feel it is important to address this issue.  It seems that so many people are putting all of their faith into electing a President that they feel will fly down from the sky with his Presidential cape and leotards to save the day.  Why is that?  Do people really believe that Washington is going to come to the rescue? Do you really […] Read more »

Buying vs. Renting – What Should You Do?

I think a majority of people would say it is better to buy simply because of the “I own it”, way of thinking. I used to believe the same thing. I think people do not take into consideration all of the things that should change that “normal” way of thinking. Dave Ramsey believes that if you are in debt, have no savings and no plan you SHOULD NOT buy, and I am right there beside him in agreement. You need to consider insurance costs, property taxes, as well as being responsible for ALL repairs. All of which does not enter […] Read more »

BEFORE you go into more debt, WATCH THESE VIDEOS!

Do You Have The New Car Itch? If so you need to watch these videos. They are promotional videos from Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. How many more loan payments are you going to “NEED”? Wise up America!! THINK! Do better for yourselves and your families! Stop buying into the lie that you need to go into debt to have stuff. Stop being a SLAVE, and refuse the bondage that is offered to you everyday! SAY NO! Think about what you could do if you didn’t have all those payments! Here’s an exercise that could help you realize the answer […] Read more »

What If You Were Recession Proof?

Are we experiencing a recession? That seems to be the question of the year. If you watch the news, you are probably convinced that you should just give up. Don’t start digging that bunker just yet. The truth is that the U.S. is merely growing at a slower rate. From January to March the economy grew at the same rate of 0.6 percent, as the last quarter of 2007. Slow, but still growing. A recession is defined as a period of economic decline; specifically, a decline in GDP, for two or more consecutive quarters. Maybe we should wait until we […] Read more »

Poverty To Prosperity

This is an age old problem that seems to never go away. How do you end poverty completely and is it even possible? I believe that there is an answer to this question, and believe it or not, the Government is not it. The answer is YOU! The way you think, the way you learn, and the actions you take all determine where you end up. If you can work, then you can change your future. I always remember the true story, made into a movie, where Will Smith plays a homeless man that constantly faces challenges and disappointments in […] Read more »