Here’s a hindsight view from someone that came to the USA in 1956 with the grand sum of $400 and the promise of a job. Today my wife and I have a high 7 figure portfolio of municipal bonds and CDs, a primary home and a vacation home, both paid for, and two retirement pensions and two SS checks arriving like clockwork every month.

In every person’s life there are a very small number of very significant turning points. Take one bad turn and you can impact your future big time. I must also add that there is one factor that none of us have any control over and that is the date on which we were born, i.e. timing.

Factors that are important for success:

1) You need parents and an extended family that are great role models.

2) You need to buckle down, be very conscientious, and work very hard starting at grade school because without a good education behind you the road of life will be significantly tougher for you.

3) In the vast majority of cases you need a college education, preferably with a post graduate degree since the competition gets tougher and tougher all the time.

4) You need to get it right when you decide to marry. I have been married to a wonderful woman for 53 years. Divorces can be a finance killer, quite apart from all the unhappiness and stress.

5) You need to be the best employee you possibly can and keep improving your job skills so that when layoffs occur you aren’t one of the unfortunate ones to be let go.

6) You need to start a savings program when you get your first paycheck and stick with it.

7) You need to make the maximum possible contribution to your company 401K plan.

You need to live frugally, at least until you are very secure financially, then you can ease up a bit.

9) The good education helps again when it comes to managing your own finances. If you have good math skills, understand the power of compounding, understand the devastation that one large percentage loss can make to your portfolio, then you have an excellent chance of acquiring the skills needed to manage your own investments.

10) Being born in a good year can prevent you from meeting an early death in a war, keep you out of periods when the economy and job market go through a serious downturn, and allow you the opportunity to benefit from periods when jobs were plentiful (i.e. during the Cold War), and grow your investments very significantly during bubbles and periods like the nineties when the financial markets were unusually strong. Thus I am the first to admit that LUCK plays a huge role in one’s life.

• is always so enlightened by the visit of family, hearing about the old days of the Reisberg's and the Grove's, remembering the history. #
• 6th massive earthquake in 2010 so far. Haiti, Chile, New Guinea, Taiwan, Japan, now Indonesia. #
• #accuweather got a redesign, I like it #
• Man #voltrestaurant smells really good today. *sigh* #topchef #fredmd #
• Workin late, laten work. #
• RT: @markburrier: Well, it was a newspaper article. RT: @mcsweeneysbooks: Why the Internet will fail (ca. 1995): http://bit.ly/cynqnx #
• gets so many big eggs from her chickens these days, she can't even remotely close the egg box #
• March is one of my favorite months, spring is a'comin. I think right now I look forward to eating breakfast outside again the most #
• saw 15 deer run across the back woods earlier today #

• Starting Balance of Debt in February 2010: $2712.16
• Total Payments in February 2010: $2259.79
• Total Payments YTD: $11037.22
• Total Card Charges in February 2010: $900.76
• Total Finance Charges For February 2010: $25.75
• Total Finance Charges YTD: $162.41
• Starting Balance for March 2010: $1353.13
• $0 Goal: April 2010

Notes for this month:
Tax return was applied to the debt, and I’m hoping that by opening my dad a checking account and stopping him from using this card that it will help immensely.

See also:
January 2010, December 2009, November 2009, October 2009, September 2009

and My series of paying off dad’s loan in 8 months

I’m keeping track of my payments towards the remainder of our interest accruing debt (besides the house) to kinda see the progress as we reach my goal of having this gone by or in February 2010. So expect these posts monthly! Each month, seeing the progress should hopefully motivate me to stay on track with this.

• Starting Balance of Debt in January 2009: $2221.45
• Total Payments in January 2010: $2318.75
• Total Payments YTD: $8777.43
• Total Card Charges in December 2009: $2609.46
• Total Finance Charges For December 2009: $0
• Total Finance Charges YTD: $136.66
• Starting Balance for February 2010: $2712.16
• $0 Goal: April 2010

Notes for this month:
January was a big month, simply because I spent $1500 to have my brake system completely redone on the mustang. Dad also had a lot of automotive work done, which of course came out of my pocket. The key is to not let it get out of control It was just a bad bad month in general.

See also:
December 2009, November 2009, October 2009, September 2009

and My series of paying off dad’s loan in 8 months

Speaking of taxes, I did get my return back on Friday. I got $1606 back, $114 of which went to state because of some of my freelance work. PA also has what is known as “Local” taxes, which I saved up $600 for throughout the year since work does not take out local taxes. I also spent $200 on some new clothes which was sorely needed as my duct tape was not holding up anymore The rest went to debt, and to starting my dad up his own checking account so I can see if switching him to that instead of credit will help us balance out our financial relationship some. On average he puts about $900 on my credit card, which is about what I pay into it every month, so this was clearly not working.

And before someone preaches to me about getting money back for taxes……I am not stupid. I know what taxes are. But I prefer not to “owe” taxes, I claim one of my exemptions and that is it. I do not care about your opinion on this matter.

I have not had much desire to blog about much of anything lately. I’m note entirely sure why. I’ve had things to write about, but most are summed up quickly and tweeted. I suppose twitter is taking away most of my blogging.

February 01: Paid 6 month car insurance premium and $33 in gas
February 02: $0
February 03: $0
February 04: $30 in gas
February 05: Bi-Monthly Bill Payment Day
February 06: $0
February 07: $31 needless purchase
February 08: $0
February 09: $0
February 10: $0
February 11: $52 on some winter gear that I felt I was sorely lacking during snowpocalypse
February 12: $60 on taxes
February 13: $0
February 15: $0
February 16: $0
February 17: $0
February 18: $0
February 19: Bi-Monthly Bill Payment Day and $33 in gas
February 20: $37 on dinner
February 21: $0
February 22: $55 on some pest control supplies cause I have silverfish and stupid mice, $32 on gas
February 23: $0
February 24: $0
February 25: $0
February 26: Paid state and local taxes, $10 dinner with co-workers, $200 on clothes from tax return money, $35 on gas
February 27: $0
February 28: $0

Days in February not spending money: 17.
This is my last post of my $0 days. I said I’d do it for a year, and I started in March 2009.

Total $0 for the last year: 201 out of 365

See also: January, December, November, October, September, August, July, June, May, April, March

• Students from Ohio covering Cemetary Gates by Pantera. Wish music education was this cool for -me- in highschool : http://bit.ly/9YfHvA #
• going out to dinner in downtown frederick with a co-worker in a bit #
• RT: @tourfrederickmd: Vote 4 your Fred Favs like @BryanVoltaggio & more, Vote 4 Restaurant Assoc of MD awards thru Mar 23 http://ow.ly/1bK75 #
• RT: @BryanVoltaggio: Second seating table 21 tonight up to 4 seats available301-696-8658 due to last min cancelations #
• 2 cars on the side of the road and 3 tractor trailers blown over on the side of the road…..I have now arrived at work. #
• This weather is crazy, where'd it come from?! #
• RT: @CarrollCoMD: High winds are on the way. Are you prepared for power outages? http://bit.ly/aMKY5F #
• Look at that bright sunny blue sky. Where's all this snow? Lets go Spring! #
• Still snowing in Gettysburg #
• RT: @mdchamber: Chamber supports financial literacy bill http://bit.ly/cfbC04 (Yes! About time ) #
• RT: @tourfrederickmd: Frederick's Volt Chef @BryanVoltaggio is a semifinalist 4 a Beard Award. http://ow.ly/1aR1V (via @baltimoresun) #
• Old neighbor died last week, dad used to take care of them a lot (they were twins). Uncle is in the hospital now, not looking good. #
• watching 3 doe out back while eating breakfast #
• RT: @CarrollCoMD: NWS issues winter storm watch for Carroll beginning Wednesday night. 5+ inches possible. http://bit.ly/aTL4Tf #
• We have ordered more chickens #
• RT: @Galen_Lehman: 3.3 million jobs/$136 billion in wages will shift from US to India, China & Russia by 2015, says Forrester Research #

• is experimenting with non-yeast breads. Todays consists of leftover pecans, leftover crushed oreos, and leftover raspberry chocolate #
• DoTD: http://bit.ly/dlzqMC, http://bit.ly/cHpOcY, http://bit.ly/dhf1ko, http://bit.ly/bFg0Dc, http://bit.ly/90B8qh, http://bit.ly/8XocnL #
• pondered trading in the mustang for a jeep cherokee, but they have the same mpg as my bronco. May as well rebuild the bronco for less $ #
• Damn dog barfed on me AGAIN #
• RT: @BryanVoltaggio: We have 4 seats at t-21 tonight at VOLT, any takers?301-696-8658 #
• Oh man Volt must be baking something uber delectable downstairs cause it smells AWESOME. *drool* #voltrestaurant #volt @bryanvoltaggio #
• Oh look, there's a guy outside my window on the 2nd floor eating a sandwich. Think he's about to cut down branches. #
• Overturned tractor trailer on R15 due to the insane snow drifts caused by wind + piled up snow. Witnessed an accident yesterday too. #
• is amused that this "Patriots" book mentions Frederick County MD in it #
• has a feeling today is going to be an epically bad day. #
• Snow + Sun? #
• There @peterhassett and @filet0fish, Twitter is now hopefully removed from buzz for both of you. Jerks. #
• likes that the daylight lasts a little longer each day. Soon I will have hours to play outside after work again #
• Man we didn't have this many days off when I was in school… #
• Another day full of lame. At least I have flowers. #
• Currently Reading: "Patriots" by James Wesley Rawles: http://bit.ly/bD1DwJ #
• Getting to work is always a new adventure these days. Stuck twice and re-routed once! #
• listening to dad singing along with some Doo Wop program. #
• slid off the road just trying to pull into the driveway. Fortunately made it in. Roads worse in Gettysburg than Frederick I guess #
• RT: @peterhassett: Going downstairs to annoy @crystalgroves. Will not leave until she giggles. (Bulldog stories always work) #
• I think everyone is pissing me off today. I don't recommend initiating contact with me unless absolutely necessary. #
• Well I didn't know the First Family was at ski liberty this weekend http://www.eveningsun.com/ci_14400522 #
• Roads in Frederick still fairly craptastic. 2nd street looked like it was covered in SPIKES of Ice. Very apocalyptic #
• Think I will, just might head home early if it starts to snow. #
• More snow today just after lunch. Wonder if roads in Frederick are still bad. Should I still try to go to work? #

• has figured out local pa #taxes (whew), but have to print the forms at work. One day I will own a printer again. #
• Plans for tomorrow: Henna the hair, Cranberry Nut Bread, Sulking and watching romantic movies, Cleaning, Computer work #
• Federal and State taxes are filed, now to local #
• made it home safe. Frederick roads still retarded #
• Frederick Roads are horrible, I should have stayed home. Just hope I can make it back home. May head out early this afternoon. #
• is glad to be physically going into the office today instead of working from home. I actually hate working from home. #
• Guess I wouldn't have been able to get to work today even if I wanted if 15 was closed. #
• RT: @frednewspost: U.S. 15 has reopened between Frederick and the MD/PA state line…http://is.gd/8cycG (didn't know it was closed??!) #
• Spent $ on: A good wool hat and woolsocks. A good investment I say. #
• Neighbors back in the woods called, apparently really stuck. Dad is heading back in the tractor and I'm gonna finish shoveling 4 wood #
• RT: @tourfrederickmd: Area still under a state of emergency; Crews working 2 clear roads – pic- http://twitpic.com/12mepf #
• Pix from 1 of 3 fire stations that had roofs collapse or fires from #Snowpocalypse. & Carroll County #snOMG pics http://bit.ly/bAx4sn #
• RT: @GlobalAttitude: RT @frednewspost: MSP helicopters look for stranded motorists; police, SHA working to open roads…http://is.gd/8afGX #
• RT: @WaveJam: Three jack knived tractor trailers by Mt St. Marys http://bit.ly/cAPo6m, doh that'd be my work route. #
• Three different fire companies have had roof cave-ins so far I'm told. Sykesville, Dundalk, and one in Delaware. Jaysus. #
• really hopes she can get into work tomorrow. Supposed to have a v-day present being delivered there or something. #
• It's really not hard living without milk. I do crave me some honey bunches of oats though. Ima get me a dairy cow. #
• Looks like the snow is getting worse in Gettysburg #snOMG #snowpocalypse #
• Snow comparison shots: August 2nd 2009: http://bit.ly/bfspRM versus February 10th 2010: http://bit.ly/atrAju #snOMG #snowpocalypse #
• ha ha: http://www.wtopnews.com/emedia/wtop/17/1766/176643.jpg #snOMG #
• Oh and apparently they've shut down all the highways in lower PA they just announced. #
• dang yo, Carroll County pulled plows from the roads cause conditions are so bad. #
• thinks the birds are starting gang wars outside over the birdfeed #
• Hey people, I have eggs, lots of em. You can come buy them from me instead. Just bring a shovel/plow for my driveway so you can get in. #
• Snow: http://picasaweb.google.com/acousticdryad/RegularSnow#5436609939736941730 #
• Oh look, another 20 inches of snow on top of the 27 inches we already had. I think the bed in the yard is almost completely covered. #
• made homemade spaghetti & garlic bread for dinner. Enjoying a cold shot of Ginger Liqueur while watching Cheynne: http://bit.ly/aZ8i5K #
• Roads are getting covered here in Gettysburg. Ya'll drive safe out there. #
• Here comes the snow here in Gettysburg #
• Images from the Snowpocalypse panic, or why you should be prepared: http://gawker.com/5465026/snowpocalypse-10-everybody-panic #
• Next in line for a bail-out? Social Security? http://bit.ly/bRm6FV #
• hears the tractor starting up, new starter is in and working yay #
• preparing for the second leg of the Snowpocalypse over the next two days. #
• DoTD: http://img1.socwall.com/Nature/General/201006024312-16427.jpg & http://img1.socwall.com/Abstract/General/201006022419-16422.jpg #
• was coughing most of the night, maybe got an hours sleep. Going back to bed and working from home later today #
• RT: @fredericknews: Pics: Volt in the snow storm: sso posted a photo:

  Frederick, MD http://bit.ly/aI4bYt #

• is officially plowed out thanks to the awesome portions of my family #
• THE CAVALRY HAS ARRIVED. #
• is developing a headache from all the coughing. #

• Driveway is still not passable. Hoping tomorrow brings more progress. If not I'll be working from home Monday too #
• that's enough shoveling for me for now before I cough my head off. Watching I Love Lucy reruns by the stove #
• think I'm going to find what warm ratty clothes that I can and shovel anyway, flu or not. #
• looks like this will be a shoveling situation from now on, not a plowing one #
• Tried to open a window upstairs to take pictures, frozen shut, doh #
• Found ingredients for chicken and dumplings. Tractor is giving dad a hard time though while trying to plow driveway :/ #
• thinks she has the fever, and the only cure is…….no seriously I think I have a fever #
• If you took the first-time home-buyers tax credit in 2008, you do not need to start repayment till 2010 taxes are owed: http://bit.ly/aqnTtX #
• RT: @mammamania: BEST FORCASTER EVER – http://bit.ly/86uoPO #
• needs to figure out PA state vs local taxes so she can e-file and be done with it. Federal is easy, local and state? Pshaw. #
• Definitely glad I am working from home today, my cold is reaching the next level and I need to nip it in the bud #
• RT: @mint: save a little now / and you'll have an umbrella / on a rainy day #
• working for @enformeweb from home tomorrow due to impending blizzard #
• thinks it sucks running out of milk and bread just before a storm. THE IRONY. #
• DoTD: http://bit.ly/bjHoL1 (Zelda!) #
• chooses to live poor now so she doesn't have to later. People need to get over that. #
• Random Facts, if you want to know what sodas use what sweeteners: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diet_soda #
• 2-4 feet of snow this weekend? Really? #
• The new wine shop across the street says they can order my favorite mead. This is epically exciting since I've only seen it in bmore. #
• is feeling a bit under the weather. And it's snowing, so does that mean I feel under snow? I dunno, but I hope I feel better tomorrow #
• Here comes the snow in Frederick #
• I've risen, but I don't know if I'll be shinin today #
• home from @enformeweb, will be back there in 10 hours #
• listening to Silverchair – Frogstomp while workin late at @enformeweb #
• Hinode for lunch, bought with egg money #
• I think @INGDIRECT should post their deposit address somewhere easily accessible for when you don't have it written down at work. Please! in reply to INGDIRECT #
• DotD: http://img1.socwall.com/Abstract/General/201031014231-16396.jpg (looks like something @cdelente might like) #
• DoTD: http://img1.socwall.com/Nature/Ocean/201030014552-16381.jpg #
• "If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur" -Red Adair #
• doesn't understand why people buy unnecessary things then complain about being poor. I have no sympathy for them. http://bit.ly/aXtEzA #