Hope for your financial life and beyond

Reading Worth Your Time (1/26/13)

January 26, 2013 by 13 Comments

Reading Time ClockHere are 5 completely awesome posts I read this week. Enjoy your weekend reading!

5 Questions to Ask in Your Search for a Dream Job (Dave Ramsey team member Jon Acuff discusses one of his biggest “hinge” moments and how you can identify yours.)

How to Take the Emotion Out of Investing (Did you freak out over Apple’s 70+ point stock drop this week? John at Frugal Rules offers some great insights on how to lesson the emotions that come with investing.)

Make More Money with Improved Communication Skills (Justin at The Frugal Path discusses how improving your communication skills can help you climb the corporate ladder.)

How to Calculate Your Net Worth and Why You Should (How much are you worth? James at Free In Ten Years shows us how to figure it out.)

A New Years Financial Check-Up: Top 10 Areas to Review (Chris Hogan highlights the major areas of your finances you should be reviewing each year.)

Bonus Read:

The Benefits of a Crappy Job (Even in the worst of job circumstances, you can learn something. Kim at Eyes on the Dollar shares some great experiences.)

 

Image Credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

 

Filed Under: Weekly Recaps

“O Lord Jesus It’s a Fire!” - Saving For Emergencies

January 24, 2013 by 15 Comments

o lord jesus its a fireEver walk to the refrigerator, maybe to get you a cold pop, and when you opened the door the light did not come on and there was no cold air? Or maybe you’ve been BBQ-ing, the fire got too hot and you burnt the chicken. Guess we are going out for dinner.

Maybe you’ve had an unexpected bout with bronchitis that required expensive medicine. Or you suddenly remembered it’s back to school time and the kids had no shoes to wear for PE class. Perhaps something bigger has happened like a house fire where you were displaced from your home and possessions for a time.

Our reaction when crazy life events happen is basically to say, “O Lord Jesus, it’s a fire!” and then we do our best to put the fire out. Usually that requires the spending of money to make the situation right or normal again. The question for us then is “How can we be prepared when the fire comes?”

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Filed Under: Planning, Saving Tagged With: , ,

Talking Ourselves Into Trouble: “Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That”

January 22, 2013 by 16 Comments

Fast PorscheOur culture moves at breakneck speed. News happens fast, food is served fast, and medicines to deal with our bronchitis act fast. Technology may move the fastest of all. It seems as though new devices are released everyday. And just when you think you have caught up, you are already behind.

The pace of life and the urge to keep up creates tension with our finances. We develop faulty thinking and succumb to spending money we don’t have. Poor logic and impulsive decisions often get us into financial trouble that can take years to work through.

Truth is, there are mechanisms we could use to prevent us from getting into financial trouble but we talk ourselves out of using them. Ever had any of these thoughts run through your mind?

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Filed Under: Vices Tagged With: ,

Reading Worth Your Time (1/19/13)

January 19, 2013 by 7 Comments

The Difference Between Looking Rich and Being Rich (Is your image more important than financial security?)

Do You Prefer Instance or Delayed Gratification? (Which path do you normally take? The Money Beagle blog discusses the benefits of instant and delayed gratification.)

Young Adults Need Life Insurance Too (Corey at 20s Finances discusses the benefits of insurance for young adults.)

Hiring a Financial Advisor: Clues from the Receptionist (In the market for a financial advisor? A receptionist offers great advice that will help you make your decision.)

The More You Trade the Less You Earn (Are you jumping in and out of the stock market? You are probably costing yourself big money. Money Smart Guides guides you through the numbers.)

Bonus Read: Even More Blogging Tips From a Beginner (New to blogging? John at Frugal Rules shares some great things he has learned.)

 

 

Filed Under: Weekly Recaps

I’m at the Top of the Hill…Should I Go On?

January 17, 2013 by 5 Comments

Hilly RoadI’ve been running consistently now for almost two years. In that time, I have learned that runners face many mental and physical challenges. From the everyday muscle aches and pains, to the mental exhaustion of a four-hour marathon, to getting yourself out of bed for that 30-degree winter morning run, there is much to overcome.

The obstacles we runners may despise the most are hills. I don’t mean gradual inclines in the road or the gentle rolling hills you can fairly manage. I’m talking about the long, steep, crush-your-pace kind of hills that make your heart feel like it’s going to pound out of your chest as you climb to the peak. These are brutal especially when multiple ones are strung together in a short distance. Up and down, up and down, peak then valley, peak then valley…ugh!

I’ve had a lot of experience running hills because they surround me where I live. I’m actually thankful because by running them, I have been better prepared on race day. During all my training though, I have found this to be true - it’s both exciting and intimidating at the top of a hill.

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Filed Under: Goals, Running Tagged With: , , ,

My Goals for 2013

January 15, 2013 by 8 Comments

2013 GoalsA few days ago in her post “How to Stick with an Exercise Program,” Jordann at Making Sense of Sense noted that one key to following through with an exercise goal is to share your intentions publicly. There is great power in making our intentions known because it makes us accountable to attempt the follow through.

Sharing goals also connects us to others. When I read how someone is working through the process of pursuing a goal, it inspires me. It gives me encouragement to know that others have faced similar challenges and were able to overcome them.

With that in mind, I would like to share my goals for 2013. Not all of them fit into a category on the SPLASH Goal plan I outlined in my last post. But I believe they are basically SMART goals that will be of benefit to me this year. So, in no particular order:

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Filed Under: Goals Tagged With: ,

Reading Worth Your Time (1/12/13)

January 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Here are five great articles written this week in the blog world. Enjoy the weekend!

10 Financial Lessons I Learned From My Parents Divorce

Health Savings Accounts (HSA) - Can They Help You?

11 Ways to Cut Your Car Insurance

Money Lies and the Devil

13 Ways to Save More Money in 2013

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Weekly Recaps

Developing a SPLASH Goal Plan

January 10, 2013 by 2 Comments

Dog jumping in water

In my last post, I outlined the acronym SMART as it relates to setting goals. Each goal we set should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. A goal that contains these elements has a greater probability of being reached.

Perhaps your new to the concept of setting goals and don’t know where to start. There are so many areas of our life in which to set goals it can become a little overwhelming. So today I would like to talk you through a program we introduced at our school several years ago that helped our faculty and staff narrow their goal setting focus to specific areas of life. It’s called a SPLASH Plan.

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Filed Under: Goals Tagged With: ,

How to Set Goals: Make Them SMART

January 8, 2013 by 2 Comments

how to set goalsWhat do you want to accomplish this year? I hope you have laid out several big-ticket items you would like to check off your list by the time 2013 draws to a close. Having targets to shoot for is critical if we want to move forward in life. I know I don’t want to be stagnant.

In regards to goals, I’ve challenged myself this year to continue to put my trust with God where it belongs, to give more generously, to plan urgently like there is no tomorrow, and to busy myself each day with what brings me joy. I believe these are valuable pursuits, but they are more broad focused, motivational goals. They challenge me, but do not address anything definitive.

So, today I would like to narrow the goal-setting focus by realizing that, if I am going to be successful in reaching my target goals for 2013, I’ll have to be really SMART.

How to Set Goals the Right Way

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Filed Under: Goals Tagged With: ,

5 Articles Worth Your Time (1/5/13)

January 5, 2013 by 4 Comments

Here are five great articles I read this week. Enjoy your weekend reading!

10 Ways to Be Rich Without Being Wealthy (Money isn’t everything. Check out other ways your life can be rich.)

How to Stick to an Exercise Program (Want to get in shape in 2013? You’ll need to do these 5 things.)

Why Is My Paycheck Smaller? Understanding Your 2013 Paycheck (This article discusses reasons you are not bringing home as much money in your paycheck in 2013.)

The Advantages of Being a DINK (Dual Income No Kids) (This one is for all you young married couples out there - or for you parents who dream of being a DINK again some day.)

5 Ways to Build Savings (Here are some helpful ideas to help you save more in 2013.)

Bonus Read:

6 Ways Your Brain Attempts to Sabotage Your Goals and Dreams (Don’t let your mind play tricks on you. Beat it today!)

 

 

 

Filed Under: Weekly Recaps Tagged With: , , , ,

Fall in Love With Work (Again)

January 3, 2013 by 2 Comments

Patched HeartAre you in love? Perhaps it’s that special someone you’ve chosen to share your heart and soul with for the rest of your life. Or maybe it’s that favorite caffeinated beverage you must consume each morning to jump start your day. I’m sure others (not me) are completely in love with one of the two teams who will be pursuing the BCS Championship on Jan. 7th.

What about your work? Are you enjoying the daily grind of your career? That’s a tougher question for many people to truthfully answer.

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Filed Under: Goals, Work Tagged With: , ,