Month: December 2012

Thinking Rich

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I was watching Headline News and it is reported that the second question on a first date is, “what is your credit score?”

Who would have thought in such a time of loose morals, disease, and sexting, that the criteria for a solid relationship would be based upon your ability to manage your money?  As I continue through my 90 day challenge, I am forced t ask myself some hard questions about my ability to manage my own money.  It can stand to reason that if one is careless with their finances, then one is irresponsible, which can make you financially unattractive. In order to do so, I need to learn to think rich.

Based on the science of How to Live a Cash Only Life, the first cause of financial failure, is a lack of financial education.  Our mindsets about money are learned. Our “thoughts, beliefs, and feelings determine our money experience,” (page 8, Cashology). You cannot expect to be better with money if you don’t understand how it works. It is also logical to conclude that we avoid what we do not understand. You are not thinking rich, you are thinking poor.

I am a firm believer that when we want something bad enough, we find a way.  If there is a concert you want to attend in another city, three months from today, the money is saved.  The same principle can be applied if you want to be financially stable; you have to bring your money into your storehouse.  This is also Commandment Number III of the Ten Commandments of money.

You often hear that understanding money or how to save, can be mentally overwhelming, especially when there are so many needs and wants in our daily lives.  For many, even the simplicity of saving 20% of you income can be confusing.  I have made it easy for you to understand.

The top numbers in yellow are a rough two-week take home pay.  If you make $1,000 every two weeks, and you save 20% of what you make, then you will save $400 per month. That $400 per month will equal $4,800 per year and over a five-year period will total $24,000!  This does not include any interest added by the banks. Now, we are starting t think richly.

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Making yourself financially more attractive is simple once you understand how.  To get started you have to make a plan, save and stick to it. You must condition your mind for financial success.  You need a healthy bank account.  I have two.  One is a separate savings account in a different bank and the other is  a working account which takes care of household needs.

Journal Entry #7: What I learned about money today:

I learned that saving money can be a game.  The winner gets to have long financial health.  I plan to be financially healthy by saving.  I am heading for a healthy storehouse.

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Entry #10: The Reader took on a fighting stance ready to challenge the Devil himself and Stoph pounced but was hindered in midair….

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377483_315727045104535_173791440_nAuusta Writers: Lilith charged at her with a fierceness that almost made her blood run cold; her hatred had not changed much over the past few millennia.  Teeth bared, fist clutched, she charged at the Writer screaming her name, “Eve, today you will die!”  The Writer jumped back avoiding the charge and smiling at the Succubus.

“Is eram non dignitas is, Lilitu!” she smiled knowing this would incite Lilith to an irrational fury, the Writer laid it on thicker, “Is eram non valde intelligent!”

Lilith screamed at her now bearing claws, fangs and a tail that had a spike.  The Writer laughed, “just as I have always said Lilith, you do have a rather large ass!”

The battle between the two had quietly raged on for eons. Although if one followed the Gilgamesh Chronicles, it is believed that Lilith’s relationship with her first husband ended over a dispute over sexual positions, the Writer knew it to be false. The relationship between Lilith’s first husband ended because of the sheer possibility of the existence of her. Created from idealism, or a rib of chance, she was brought forth into the world as a help mate; to populate a world that was once dark.

Lilith’s purpose was unclear. While the lilim that were bore from the Succubus infiltrated the world of man with stories of demons that came at night to feed on the blood and passions of men. Senoy, Sensenoy, and Semangelof were angelic in their mercies to spare those children from the demons. Since the time of her reign, lesser known scribes have kept her legend alive by writing of her escapades in graphic novels filled with Midnight Sons.

The Writer’s legend was known to all. She was the mother of Pure Thought. Although Lilith’s children had not survived, Cain, Abel and Seth had grown to adult hood.  Scriveners had written that Cain was visited by Lilith in the dead of night which drove him mad with envy over his brother’s prosperity. The Writer knew this was vengeance and this is the day she would have her own. Taunting Lilith by reminding her, Adam was a Philistine and not very intelligent only angered her more. It rubbed Lilith raw in the thoughts of Eve forcing Adam from his rightful home into a life of servitude among the masses. Her man was almost a God until he was ribbed by this woman who had him ousted from Eden and forced into a life of goat herder.

Mephistopheles knew their history and was waiting for the two old enemies to destroy each other so he would have a clear play for the Reader.

The Reader took on a fighting stance ready to challenge the Devil himself and Stoph pounced but was hindered in midair.

A bookworm in Oklahoma had hit pause on their iPad.

The Reader was able to move out of the way.

In Poughkeepsie, on an almost dead Kindle Fire, Joshua, a young booklover turned the page and Stoph landed on empty ground.

The imagination of 30 year old Bibliophile in Khuala Lampur, gifted Sydney with martial arts skills unrivaled by most Kung Fu masters. The Reader spun, kicked high in the air, making contact with a shocked Mephistopheles, who landed with a thud on his back.

“I am not the weakling you assume me to be Stoph,” the Reader told him, only smiling when he added his final words before delivering a near fatal blow, “there are millions of Readers who keep me strong!”

Stoph realized quickly his window of opportunity was closing.  The Reader was transcending into a Scribe.

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Holiday Cash

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This holiday season I was concerned that I would not have enough money for holiday spending.  To keep on holiday-cash-salestrack with my 90 day challenge to live in cash only life I went to the bank and withdrew $150 for my holiday shopping. I know right? Most people spend that on just one gift but I was challenging myself to step outside the box. How much could I actually accomplish with this amount of money? I was about to find out because based on Commandment Number Two, states “never allow money to decide what you can and cannot do.”

I first headed to RadioShack to price an item I wanted to get for my son for Christmas. It turns out that this item was actually $90 and the five dollar off coupon that I had sadly it’s not going to be enough. I went back to the drawing board. I then decided to head over to Big Lots and look in their gift section. I found some really neat items for $5-$10 each I found two movies that my son would love to add his collection. These two items were $10 for both. I went over to the food and specialty section and I found two different sets of sauces. One set was five and the other set was $10, so for $15 I picked up two gifts for my husband. I now had four gifts and I still had $125 left. I was off to the mall, but something told me to stop by Kmart. With the Shop Your Way Rewards Program I already earned several bucks and with so many items on sale, I was able to pick up scarves and gloves for my husband and son. Once I got to the register, my items  came to $30, but I had $10 in rewards which now cost me just it $20 dollars. Cool I now have $105 left; I was smiling because maybe there’s something to this cash only thing.

So with $105 in my hand I headed over to Augusta Mall, I made out like a bandit. The Shop Your Way Rewards Program is also available at Sears, who just happened to having a dynamic sale. I had earned a few more bucks with my purchase at Kmart,  so I applied that to the man items from the manly departments in Sears.

I came home chocked-full of holiday cheer, including several books that I had picked up for a dollar each, hardbound books at that, which always make great Christmas gifts.

Journal Entry Number Five: What I learned about money today?

I learned today that my spending habits are based on my convenience. I buy things that I don’t need nor my family simply because they are convenient and I have the money to do so. The things that I buy are not necessarily the things that I or my family need, but purchase because of easy access.

Where I go from here is going to be a wonder.  Next I have to learn to better manage my storehouse which is my bank account.

I have to get because I am hosting a holiday party on a budget I will keep you posted as to how that goes, in the meantime and in between time, be good to one another and I will talk to you again after the holidays.

Have a very Mary Christmas

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When Bad Habits Affect Your Pockets

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We often learn our habits from our parents. We learn how to cook, how to clean and how to manage our money. If our parents are spendthrifts we learn to either buy everything in sight or to save for a rainy day. If our parents are tightwads, we grow up to want and spend every dime we make. We learn good habits, as well as bad habits, from our parents, but what if times have changed so much that we have to completely recondition ourselves and learn some new behaviors?

In a season that if full of traditions, we can pick up a tradition of too much year-end debt.  The next eleven months we fight to downsize the debt, so we are unburdened to do this all over again. These types of bad habits, adversely affect our pockets.

Today I Start Lesson Two, which is looking at my income and expenses and working with a budget. The only budgets I have worked with in the past are when money is tight and I have to go to the grocery store with just $75 to buy food to get through the week.  I often find that this is the only time that I am truly able to budget. I guess all of that stops today.

Mr. Francis sent me over a budget worksheet. If you have not ordered your books yet, you can access a budget worksheet in Excel.  (File>New>Budget>Home>Personal Budget)

Income Worskheet

Okay this is easy, nothing too strenuous.  I entered the data.  I understand that from this money, I now have to deduct my expenses.

Now I enter  my total expenses:

Expenses

Evidently, this number at the bottom is what I am supposed to work with. Insert photo of me with my bottom lip poked out.

This is my eye opener. I am supposed to save 20% of everything I make as Step One in my journey to financial freedom.

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I think we all have some work to do.

Journal Entry Two:  What did I learn about money today?

I have some really bad spending habits that were handed down to me by family. In order to be better, I have to make a commitment for change.

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Entry #9: It was those words, the Writer’s words, which had brought Sydney back to center.

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67094_111815065653204_1298985819_nAnderson Sydney: “It’s time to kick some ass, Sydney, I hope you are ready?”

 

It was those words, the Writer’s words, which had brought Sydney back to center. Everything had been happening so fast. Too fast for questions or debate. All he could do was hold on. And so he did.

 

The Writer extended her hand, and he took it without question. Her grip was firm, but soft. She tapped her ironwood staff to the marble floor three times, and in unison those who surrounded them called out, “In the beginning there was the word.” The mantra reverberated with ethereal power. Goosebumps rose across his skin as the atmosphere churned with static. Sydney tensed as a frisson of emotion brimmed and threatened to spill forth. Pragmatism and trepidation were washed away, lost in the mantras ebb and flow, and replaced by calm valor.

The azure sky came alive with acrid sparks. Without questioning how, he knew what it was; the Demons were at the gate. They were waiting for him. He would not hide.

Sydney turned to face the Writer and was taken aback by what he saw. Until now her visage had remained hidden. As a result he had not paid her appearance any attention. But as he looked upon her now, he knew he saw what lay beneath. She was beautiful.

She looked back at him with ageless hazel eyes and nodded. It was time.

Within the breath of a second the air congealed, and they fell into blackness. Accompanying the transition was a sensation of tumbling and intense velocity. Yet as soon as the trip began, it was over.

The time for blood had come.

Events had come to climax with a suddenness that Stoph did not anticipate. He preferred action, but only when prior planning put him ahead. As such, the suddenness of the Scriveners attack caught him completely off guard.

“They are hiding him in the Sanctum Sanctorum.” Azazel grumbled. The lupine demi demon had done an excellent job of tracking thus far, but now the trail was blocked. Their kind could not trespass in the writer’s sanctuary.

“I don’t suppose you anticipated this.” it added with thinly veiled sarcasm.

Stoph shot it a hateful glance, but the tracker’s face was unreadable; coal black eyes against jet black fur. They both knew it could afford levity. Trackers were rare and hardly something you exorcised on a whim. Azazel would survive this if they failed. Stoph and Lilith would not.

“They cannot hide him in there forever.” Lilith said. “All we have to do is wait until they move.”

Stoph did not reply, but instead began to pace. What Lilith said was true, yet they were running out of time. The Big Boss would not wait forever, and asking for an extension was just as bad as all out failure.

Mist rolled about his legs as he walked. They were in the Shade. The realm between realms. Nothing to see but pale light, black gravel, and endless mist. He used to wonder where the light came from, there was no sun here, but time had quelled that particular curiosity. If a being was not careful they could become trapped in the monotonous landscape. Stoph was very careful.

He turned and surveyed his two comrades. Azazel would not be a problem. Its life was not at stake; as such it would have no subverted agendas. The problem was Lilith. She would kill him herself if doing so meant avoiding retribution. Odds were she already had a plan in place. He would just have to kill her first.

“I have an idea.” Azazel spoke.

Stoph turned and gave the tracker a questioning gaze.

“I am surprised neither one of you figured it out, seeing as it is your souls on the line.”

Lilith groan with exasperation and snapped, “Just tell us you infuriating mutt.”

“It’s quite simple.” It said with the lycanthropic equivalent of a shrug. “All we do is-“

It was then that both Writer and Reader appeared.

The Writer moved first, using a black ironwood staff to smack a surprised Azazel on the snout. Before he could rise and retaliate she doused him with powdered wolf’s bane, and the demi demon was no more.

In one fluid motion she turned to face Lilith, who, quickly analyzing the assault, grinned with cruel intentions.

“It has been three thousand years too long.” The Writer said with unabashed scorn. “Let’s end this now.”

The two women meet with the violent force of polar opposites.

Stoph turned to Sydney, the Reader. He was thinking fast. The Writer (and yes, he recognized that loathsome shrew), had brought the prize to him. All he had to do was make off with the Reader while Lilith kept her distracted. And if the Writer ended up killing her. . So much the better. Stoph started across the purgatorial waste land, and stopped. He eyed the Reader quizzically, then brooched a cruel grin of his own. The Reader wanted a fight. He could see it in his defiant expression.

“Oh, this is rich.” He muttered with an even mixture of irritation, amusement, and contempt.

“I don’t suppose you’ll reconsider?” He asked.

The Reader did not respond, but only sunk into a fighting stance.

So now the guy knows karate. Gotta love it. Stoph thought. With a defeated sigh, he said, “Fine, have it your way.”

Mephistopheles shifted form, then fell upon him.

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