Everyone's Blog Posts - 5k5k.org

Training in the Dark

2009-11-12T05:34:15.000Z

I will continue my series on Zen and the Art of Personal Finance next week, instead today I want to shif the focus back to running.

Last week an email hit my inbox and as I read the subject line I noticed Runners World had completed an article that I thought of writing about a few weeks ago as daylight savings shortened our day by an hour. I clicked on the link and read the text, realizing they covered the topic more in depth than I would and rather than trying to re-write what they wrote, offer my spin on their article I decided to provide a link to the article and highlight the key points of the article from Runner's World: Run to the Dark Side.

Effects on Your Body

Studies have shown that late evening exercise may affect sleep patterns due to elevated heart rates. For some that have trouble sleeping it may not be advisable to run just before hitting the sack. For me, I've never had this problem. I remember in college, or in the military exercising as short as one hour before I bedded down for the night. I never had difficulty sleeping, actually I probably slept better after being exhausted.

Another potential benefit could be elevated levels of metabolism. Metabolism, as many of you know, is the rate at which your body burns calories. As the day goes on and you become less active your metabolism begins to slow down. This is important because most people eat their largest meal later in the day. This means your body is burning calories at its' slowest rate when you are potentially consuming more calories than any other time of the day. Running at night my provide the boost in metabolism you need to help keep those unwanted calories away from your waste line.

Staying Safe

This is the main concern of people who consider running at night, as it should be. The darkness of night leaves runner less visible to traffic and runners visibility is also diminished. Anytime you are considering running at night try to choose a route that is illuminated well. Regardless of illumination, never run at night without reflective clothing. A simple reflective vest can be worn and let other drivers see you at intersections and along the road. At times your path may not be well lit. Be extremely careful to pay attention to pot holes, curbs, or obstructions in the road that could trip you up. The article also suggest that you should leave your ipod at home when running at night and consider running with a head lamp. While I don't know how successful I would be running with a head lamp on, even a light one, I do agree with the recommendation to run audio naked. Decreased visibility requires your senses to be at a heightened state. Let the sounds of the night keep you entertained while you run safely at night.

Finally the last tip offered is to run with a partner. Several months ago when I began training for my marathon I was running with a friend. We were both focused on the run and not our surroundings. As we prepared to cross a busy intersection my friend eased his way around the back of a tractor trailer. I shouted to him just as he began to step from behind the truck and as he turned to me a car zoomed by on the other side of the truck, inches from where he was preparing to run. Running buddies can help keep you safe by looking out for you, and allowing you to feel more secure when running later at night.

Unfortunately the area I live in has absolutely no lighting along the roads I run during the day, so I run very little at night. About 8 years ago we live in town and some of my favorite running memories were running at night, knowing that I was improving myself while others were sleeping. I enjoyed running around the lit court house and skirting the train tracks as the evening train cut through the darkness. If you haven't ever ran at night and are able try it and please share your experience here on this site.

Zen and the Art of Personal Finance Part 1

2009-11-10T04:14:53.000Z

I want to do something a little different here at 5k5k.org. I regularly write about fitness and finance and reaching ones goals in both areas and I still want to stay on topic with these subjects, but go about it in a different way.

Several years ago a friend recommended I read a book titled Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert Persig. A few days after he mentioned the book I found a copy in a local book store, flipped through a few pages and really couldn't get into the book. Last spring someone mentioned the book again and I decided to take a second look at the book. Something had changed and this time. I was hooked and I began reading the book. When I began reading I noticed a lot of parallels in the book that could be drawn into personal finance, so I decided to take notes as I read and use the book as material for future writing on this site. Here is the beginning of a series Zen and the Art of Personal Finance.

The book is a biography of sorts about Robert Persig. It is part travel log, as he and his son travel across the Midwest to California. The other portion of the book deals with his reflections along the journey as he remembers what led up to his mental break down and how he flirts with re-entering his former disabled mental state. The book begins Persig, his son, his friend John and John's wife Sylvia begin their travels in the Midwest.

In this book, Persig is a hands on type of guy. If he owns something he wants to know how it works and how to work on it. He feels the owner of a thing has a certain responsibility in knowing how something works and being able to fix routine problems that may arise from owning something. His friend John, on the other hand, feels that you should pay "good money" for something and if it doesn't work you take it to someone else to fix it, or you simply ignore the problem. I think this is true with money as well. There are two types of people regarding finances. Those who have ownership of their money and want to understand how it works and how to control it, and those who feel their financial lives are out of their control and they are left to the winds of fortune or misfortune.

At one point early in the trip Persigs friend and travel companion, John, is trying to start his brand new BMW bike. He pulls the choke wide open and begins pumping furiously on the kick start. As he continues to try and start the bike Persig smells gas in the air, a sure sign that John has flooded the bike. John begins to cuss the bike and how he was sold a lemon. Persig mentions the bike may be flooded and offers to help pull the spark plugs and let the engine dry out for a second. John says he doesn't want to get in to all of that "stuff." He hates the idea of maintenance and working on things. He honestly feels thing should just work and if they don't you wait it out, or take it to someone else to fix it. This didn't stop with motorcycles. In Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (ZMM) Persig wrote:

"I might have thought this was just a peculiar attitude of theirs about motorcycles but discovered later that it extended to other things............Waiting for them to get going one morning in their kitchen I noticed the sink faucet dripping and remembered that it was dripping the last time I was there before and that in fact in had been dripping as long as I could remember. I commented on it and John said he had tried to fix it with a new faucet washer but it hadn't worked. That was all he said. The presumption left was that that was the end of the matter. If you try to fix a faucet and your fixing doesn't work then it's just your lot to live with a dripping faucet.

This made me wonder to myself if it got on their nerves, this drip-drip-drip, week in, week out, year in, year out, but I could not notice any irritation or concern about it on their part, and so concluded they just aren't bothered by things like dripping faucets. Some people aren't."

As I read this I smiled. I thought of how many people I know, or have encountered that treat their financial life the same way. They tried a budget once, it didn't work, so they resigned to struggling financially. Many people believe they have been dealt a hand in life and they are stuck. As Persig alludes in this portion of the book. You are only as stuck as you decide to be. Things can be figured out if you go about it in the right way, which is a good stopping point for the first part of this series.

Do you know anyone who has this attitude towards life, or finances? How do you help them overcome it, or should you even try?

Marathon Completed at the Bass Pro Marathon: What is Your Marathon Experience?

2009-11-04T05:06:55.000Z

This past weekend I fulfilled a promise made to my students and a challenge I set for myself in completing the Bass Pro Marathon. The training was time consuming and physically demanding at times, but worth it as I ran this marathon with more ease than the last one I completed nearly seven years ago. My run time at 4:27 (Four hours and twenty seven minutes) was about 10 minutes slower than the marathon I ran in 2002. But this time I knew my limits and I finished much better than last time. The weather was perfect, the event was well organized, and the other runners were inspiring, and they are who I want to talk about today.

When I arrived at Bass Pro in Springfield, Missouri early on Sunday morning there was a chill in the air. The temperature was about 38 degrees, but the sky was clear and the sun peeking over the horizon promised a beautiful day for a run. Runners had already began warming up, stretching and beginning pre race routines. I walked inside the large entry way to the store to enjoy the last few minutes of heat. As I looked at the masses of people inside there were groups of people with team names on the front of their shirts, who were running in memory of someone. Another group was running for a cure, and there was another small group I noticed running for the American Beef Association! I guess cows need a cause too. A buzz of excitement and anticipation was in the air as people discussed waited for 7:00, the beginning time of the marathon. I overheard people discussing their pre-marathon meals of pasta and carbohydrates. I overheard one lady say she and her husband had tried out the new hot wing shack on the other side of town. A collective groan erupted from those listening, and my guess was this was her first marathon and she would soon learn why her fellow runners were groaning. Complete strangers were mixing with others in mutual conversations about run times, paces, and the marathon route. As the time got closer to 7:00 a.m. the mass of over 500 people, who were running either the marathon, or the half marathon moved outside and gathered near the starting line. Just a few minutes after seven the horn sounded and hundreds of people began the 26.2 mile journey.

The first few miles you could hear constant chatter from runners talking to each other. The pack was thinning out and runners were trying to establish their pace. I met a retired man from Kansas who was running his first half marathon. He said he had been retired for about seven months after working nearly 36 years as a medical researcher in a lab. For him, running has been something to keep him active and challenge him in his retirement. He told me running filled a large void in his day and had become something he looked forward to each day. He worried before he retired that he would be bored and feel a sense of meaninglessness without work, but running had helped make the beginning of his retirement years the best years of his life.

After running several more miles I caught up with a woman who has ran several marathons in the past few years and was preparing to run the Boston Marathon in April. She began running after a friend, who had already ran several marathons, encouraged her to try running to challenge herself and stay motivated after a difficult personal struggle. She said running has become her outlet for frustration and gave her the opportunity she needed to "collect her thoughts." As we wrapped our discussion she picked up her pace and steadily moved ahead of me.

Near the end of the marathon, around the 21 mile point, I caught up with a younger man who appeared to be in his early 20's. He and his brother had trained together for the past three months, but his brother had been sick for the past week and wasn't feeling the best the day of the marathon. He was feeling good enough to run, but was several miles behind. As I spoke with him he continued to move the conversation back to his brother. He was concerned about how well he was doing, and mentioned again that they had planned to run this together to push each other in their first marathon. He wondered if he should slow down and let him catch up, or circle back and try to finish with him. I was moved by his compassion for his brother, but encouraged him to do his best and then if he felt strong enough to go back and finish with his brother.

These are just a few of the people I had a chance to meet as I ran. There were hundreds of others, each with their own story of why they were running a marathon. As I rounded the last corner of the race I closed in on the finish line. I saw my wife and children cheering me on as I ran the last tenth of a mile. I moved closer to them so I could "high five" them and my son took my hand. He began to run with me and the both of us crossed the finish line together. I was happy to be finished.

About 50 minutes after I finished I was preparing to leave and I heard the announcer encouraging the crowd. A lady was nearing the finish line and no one was cheering her on. She did not have the typical marathon build and would be considered by most to be too overweight to take on such a challenge. But she had challenged herself to complete a marathon and was within two tenths of a mile from completing her goal. I listened as the crowd erupted in applause. At that moment every spectator there realized this woman was as deserving of applause as the first finishers of the race, if not more. Her obstacles to reach this point were most likely greater than the top competitors and chances are, her personal victory was sweeter.

I don't write this to say that every person should run a marathon, but I think everyone should have a marathon experience. It doesn't have to be a literal marathon, but at some point in your life you should set a goal that seems difficult to overcome and impossible to others, and then go for it. These experiences aren't meant to get you in better shape physically, they make you stronger mentally. Life will try and knock you around. Sometimes struggles last longer than we would like and the pain seems unbearable. It's nice to have something to look back at and realize that you've overcame seemingly impossible obstacles before and you can do it again.

A Great Website for Career Changers or Job Seekers

2009-10-22T03:30:00.000Z

The more I talk to people about their work the more I realize how few people there are that thoroughly enjoy their work. Through the conversations I've had I hear a lot of people talking about their ideal job, or what they want out of a new career. When I talk to them about my motives to switch careers, they listen intently, looking for something they can identify with and trying to find the right mix of conditions they believe will lead to their "perfect" career. Obviously we are facing the largest unemployment numbers in over two decades and some people don't have the luxury of deciding if they like their jobs or not, because they are looking to gain employment after being downsized from this recession.

Penn Energy has a great website full of valuable tips and links that can help you make your next career move. Whether it is a complete career change or a re-entry into the workforce.

Here are some of the more popular links you will find on this site:

On the Topic of Work/Life Balance

What Makes a Company Great to Work for Today?

Switching Careers: It May Take Time, But It's Worth the Wait

Job Layoff Survival Guide

On Pay and Salary

Not Your Fathers Wages: Why Salaries Today Haven't Kept Pace with Inflation

Five Tips to Switching to a Higher Paying Career

Job Search

What Should I Do to Revive a Stalled Job Hunt?

Breaking Into Your Dream Industry When You Lack Superstar Skills

How to Explore Another Career If You Started on the Wrong Path

These articles are just a few of MANY articles that are great resources to help you maximize your work experience. We spend around one third of our day at work so it should be something we enjoy. Finding the right job and career can be difficult and uncomfortable at times. But once you find out where you fit, the wait is worth it.

Does anyone have any tips or advice for members who are considering changing careers, looking for a new job, or re-entering the workforce? I would love to hear personal stories about your own experience.

The Peak of Marathon Training: Sticking to Your Goals and Why You Should Schedule Your Own Marathon

2009-10-20T11:43:57.000Z

This past week I hit the peek of my marathon training. On Sunday I completed my scheduled 20 miles, the longest run in my training plan before I actually run the 26.2 miles scheduled for the marathon. I wanted to share a little about what I think has allowed me to stay on track with this goal and the steps I've taken to achieve what I set out to accomplish.

Establish a Reason for Running

Without a concrete reason for running a marathon, beginning a budget, or any other personal challenge, you are less likely to follow through and complete the task. Make your reasons personal and if necessary, bring someone else in on the goal with you. I'll start with why I decided to run the marathon in the first place. It has been seven years since I last ran a marathon and I began to have an itch to challenge myself again and push myself to my physical and mental limits. I remember the feeling I had after I completed my last marathon, okay maybe I shouldn't say feeling, because I hurt for a day and a half. More appropriately I remember the confidence I felt in taking on any task and knowing that with patience, effort, confidence, and mental toughness, any obstacle that lay before me could be overcome and any goal I set out to achieve could be accomplished over time. Do you know what a powerful feeling that is, to not be afraid of taking on a challenge and when times get tough, having an experience that reminds you, "You had the grit to complete a marathon, this is nothing."

The other reason I decided to run this marathon was I wanted a way to encourage my students to reach their reading goals. For the past two years I've had about 5 students each quarter not reach their reading goals. This affects their own self confidence when they don't reach, or don't try to reach goals that have been established. I brought my marathon in to the class and told the students I would run 1 mile for every student who met their reading goal. I also made it visible. As each student met their goal, I put their name above a mile in my classroom. Students soon began to say, "I'm going to be responsible for making you run mile number 18." My response was "Prove it." They didn't realize it, but we were challenging each other in our own goals. Many students go an entire school year without challenging themselves. They have a hard time seeing past the initial struggle and discomfort of reaching a goal and never get a chance to feel the sense of pride and accomplishment that waits on the other side of achieved goals. I wanted them to experience this at an early age. By the end of the quarter all but one of my students had read the amount of points needed to reach their reading goal. I was very proud of their effort and willingness to stay committed to their goal, how could I not follow through on my end. This leads me to my next point, sticking to your goals.

Sticking to Your Goals

Sticking to a goal you set for yourself is likely to be the largest obstacle you overcome. It's also the easiest if you have a plan. There are a few strategies and acronyms that have been used to try help people with their goals. One is the SMART acronym that David, a member of 5k 5k who has lost an incredible amount of weight, posted a few months ago. From my experience, here are the methods I use.

1. Visualize success. Mentally put yourself at the finish line of your goal. You have to begin with the end in mind (as Franklin Covey would say). If you can't see yourself completing the goal, you will have a hard time getting there. Make the image vivid. Who will be there with you, what does the day look like, what emotions will you feel, and what are you going to do immediately afterward to celebrate your success? This step is essential, so don't skip it. As you encounter difficulties these images will be one of the things that helps keep you on track.

2. Get a plan. You wouldn't leave for a trip across the continent without a scheduled course, so don't began a challenge without guidance. If your plans are to run a marathon, and it's your first, search the internet, or get on running forums and find out what a good beginners plan is. If you are trying to pay your way out of debt, don't throw a little money here, and a little there, make a plan and stick to it. Plans keep us from the whims of life that WILL come up.

3. Give Yourself Permission to Veer of Course. It is extremely difficult to stick to each step of every plan. As I trained for this marathon, I have missed several training days. I knew that I would when I started, but I committed to not allow a few training days missed to keep me from my goal. I focused on making progress and getting the most important training days in no matter what. I doubt I am as conditioned as I should be going into this marathon, but I don't plan to win, I just want to finish doing my personal best. Know that in any personal challenge, there will be days when you will miss training sessions, you'll cheat on a diet, or spend in an area outside of your budget. Don't let this keep you from success. Know that everyone has missteps along the way and it's those who keep going anyway who eventually reach their objective.

4. Make Your Goal Public. Why is it we have no trouble failing to reach a goal when we make a promise to ourselves? It's only when we make our commitments public that we feel the pressure of reaching established goals. When I told my students of my plans they became excited and would ask me often, "How far did you run this week Mr. Daniel?" I knew they were going to be asking, so I had better be running. The people who knew about my marathon goal helped keep me accountable. Post your plans on this site, or on Facebook. Don't keep you goals a secret. There are people all around you who feel hopeless and powerless. When they see you taking on a challenge, you give them permission to feel confident in themselves and you can rely upon each other for strength.

Failing to achieve goals doesn't just keep you from moving forward towards personal challenges, it affects your over all self confidence and could lead to a mentality of being stuck in life. So when you set goals for yourself, go after them. Do you have any tips that have helped you reach your goals?

Budgeting Worksheets for a Potential Career Switch

2009-10-18T01:30:00.000Z

I read the latest posting at Get Rich Slowly today and saw the conversation there was about someone considering leaving a career that pays well to find more meaningful work. I completely understand what he is going through and traveled down the same path a little less than three years ago. I wanted to share with the members here at 5k 5k and GRS one of the tools I used in my decision making process. I created a spreadsheet that helped me compare my income against my budget, so my leap to a new career wouldn't be a blind leap as far as my budget was concerned. I hope it is helpful to some of you considering taking a leap.

Here is the Excel FileBudge&Debt Worksheets for 5k5k.xls

Purchasing a Vehicle: A Real Life Experience

2009-10-13T11:43:10.000Z

Purchasing newer items is suppose to be fun. Aren't we suppose to get excited about replacing something old, and getting something new and shiny? I've had the opposite reaction over the past few weeks as I look for a new truck.

Let me set the scene. For the past three years Melissa and I have had three vehicles. A Corolla, that is our main commuter for work, an Xterra that was purchased as a secondary vehicle for longer family trips and days when my wife and I couldn't ride to work together, and an older Dodge truck that we use as our "farm" truck. As I've wrote our home is located on a small farm. We burn wood for heat during the winter to save money and with all the remodeling we have done on our home a truck was a necessity.

About a month ago the transmission in my farm truck went out. I priced new transmissions but the cost of a new transmission wasn't worth the investment in my old truck. We also decided we didn't need three vehicles and could simply replace the Xterra with a newer (notice I didn't say new) truck. So, three weeks ago we sold our Xterra and for the past three weeks we have been getting by with one vehicle as I have attempted to find the best deal possible on a used truck.

Why Used?

I have had several friends tell me about a good friend of theirs who can get me a "great deal" on a new truck. First let me make this clear: A CAR PURCHASE IS NOT AN INVESTMENT. Investments are things you put money in, where you expect them to increase in value over time. Obviously a car does not fit that description. I've learned my lesson on purchasing new and the depreciation backlash that awaits new car owners. A new car depreciates the minute you drive it from the showroom floor. In the first year of ownership, a new car can lose up to 20 percent of its value, and by the fifth year, you can expect your car to depreciate by over 65 percent. A used vehicle, after it's third year, depreciates at a much slower rate. So, if possible look for a car that is at least three years old, with low miles, chances are you will lose less money on your purchase over time.

Private Sellers First: Dealerships Last

I have nothing personal against auto dealers, I just want to get the best deal for my money and typically that isn't going to happen on the lot of a dealership. When purchasing a vehicle from a dealership they will usually try to sell the car for full retail price, and often times they sell used vehicles for more than the retail value. They are able to do this because they do their own financing and can overlook the fact that you are "upside down" in your loan (owing more on your vehicle than it's worth) from day one. You will almost always find a better buy when buying from a private seller.

Twenty years ago the network between people trying to sell a used car, and those trying to purchase them was very limited. Outside of the classified ads in a news paper, there were few ways to search for the vehicle you wanted, so most people ended up at Larry's Fine Pre-Owned Cars. Obviously that is not the case today. We have tools such as Craig's List, Auto Trader, and Ebay to help buyers and sellers connect with the exact product we are looking for. Obviously you may have to go a little further, wait a little longer, and be more patient to find the vehicle you like, but if you can visualize the thousands of dollars you are keeping for yourself it is worth it.

People are leery of purchasing used because they don't know the history of the vehicle and are afraid of what they don't know. Again modern tools help take the fear out of buying used. I found a used truck an individual had for sale with the exact features I was looking for. It was priced about $4000 under what most dealerships were asking for the same vehicle. The truck was in good condition, and had low miles for the age of the truck. I asked the seller what he knew about the history of the truck and there was little he could tell me beyond the fact that he bought it used from a dealership. I wanted to make sure I wasn't purchasing a truck that survived Hurricane Katrina so I ran a Carfax report. For about $30 I was able to gain peace of mind, knowing the truck had a clean history with no previous damage. (You may want to ask the seller to provide the Carfax report and if you're trying to sell used vehicle of your own, it's always a good idea to run your own and advertise in your listing that you will provide a copy of the Carfax report.)

For most people a vehicle is the second largest purchase they will make in their lives. It is one of the few things we spend so much money on that actually decrease in value. Making a smart decision when buying can be time consuming and frustrating at times, but the less you pay for your vehicle, the less money you have sunk into an asset that does down in value over time. Buying a used car from an individual is the best way I've found to cut my losses in a vehicle purchase.

Do you have any experiences or tips for purchasing a vehicle new or used?

Plan Your Run Route from the Comfort of Your Office Chair

2009-10-08T03:46:45.000Z

The easiest way to kill your enthusiasm for running is a repetitive running route. I've been training for a marathon for the past several months and on my long run days of ten miles or more, I find myself running down the same routes again and again. I choose the same routes because I know the distance and can better track my time. I've tried finding different running routes, but by the time I map out the distance with the odometer in my car and get back to the starting point I've wasted time I could have used running, and worse yet I've wasted money in fuel for my car.

A couple of weeks ago I was playing with Google Earth and I found an outstanding tool that can be used to plan your run routes from the comfort of your chair at home or at work. I've used this tool for the past two weeks mapping out a 16 and 17 mile run and it has been great. Read on to find out how to use Google Earth to plan your run routes.

First if you haven't downloaded the Google Earth application you will need to before you can go any further. It is completely free and easy to use. Click on the link to download Google Earth.

Once Google Earth is downloaded begin by typing the location where you want to begin in the search bar. Press enter and you will "fly" to your beginning location. You can also click and drag your way across your local area to your beginning destination.

Once you arrive at your destination on Google Earth click on the ruler button on the menu bar at top of the screen. Then select the "path" tab.

After clicking on the path tab, simply drag the icon over the area you plan to start. You can scroll your mouse wheel to zoom in on the area you are running and use your arrow keys on the key board to move north, south, east, or west. Every time you click, you enter a new waypoint, but the distance measured is cumulative. By choosing this method you can click around curves and sharp corners and still measure the total distance from your starting point. You can also mouse over a way point that has already been created and drag your waypoint to a new location. Here is an example of a 3.1 mile run route I created near a local high school.

That's really all there is to it. You can start by planning a one mile route, or you can pre-plan a marathon route from your La-Z-Boy.

Is this helpful information, or how do you go about planning and selecting your run routes?

Tired of the Same Old Scenery? Try Trail Running or Jogging in the National Forests.

2009-10-01T11:24:42.000Z

Running outside for many of us, is our first opportunity of the day to get out stretch our legs and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. I enjoy running after finishing up the day teaching. As I pass through the neighborhoods near the school where I teach I hear students call out, "Hey Mr. Daniel." I also enjoy the opportunities I get to run from my home. As I've said before we live in the country, so as I leave my driveway, I run past open fields and small rural farm houses. I enjoy both of these settings when running, but the absolute best running experience is trail running, or running in the National Forests.

(A Map of The National Forest Locations Nation Wide)

There is something about running through a canopy of trees, seeing the sunlight glint diagonally through the leaves that seems almost religious. I enjoy seeing the occasional deer cross the train in front of me, or see squirrels leap from branch to branch that skirt the path I'm running. This time of year especially is the perfect time for trail running. Don't you dare wear headphones while running or you'll miss the chatter of the animals, the rush of the wind through the trees or waterfallish sound of the leaves falling this time of year.

Trail running and running in the forests may be more popular than you realize. An organization known as the American Trail Running Association (ATRA) Based out of Colorado, this organization devotes itself to the encouragement of trail running and protection of forests in which so many people enjoy. One of the more useful links on their website is a link to nation wide trail running events. You can also find out how to support trail running locations near you or shop for trail running gear on their site.

The next time you get off work early or wake up on Saturday morning and are trying to decide where to run, consider your nearby National Forests or a state park near you. We spend too little time enjoying the serenity of the outdoors and the natural therapy that sunlight and fresh air can provide. Don't miss out on this experience. You may just get hooked.

Advertising Effects on Youth: What are You Doing?

2009-09-29T03:21:07.000Z

Each generation of parents feel they have a more difficult task of raising children than previous generations. While the argument can be debated among many different topics, on the issue of trying to raise a fiscally responsible child, we are fighting a tougher battle than any generation ever.

Our children are exposed to more media, more frequently than any generation of children ever. Children see advertisements on T.V., video games, internet sites, school, and even on the clothes that they and others wear. Everyone who is supposed to be responsible for children has let down their guards and stuck out their hands as they receive a small part of the multi-million dollar industry of marketing to kids.

Ultimately it is our responsibility as parents to help educate our children on the effects and reality of advertising. You need to help your child stay grounded as society tries to sell them on the idea of "You'll only be 'truly' happy if you have our product." (Maybe sometimes we need to be reminded of this as well at times.)

I don't want to write a lot on this topic, as I would rather you watch this video above and take notes, pay attention to the behaviors we need to adapt as parents to help our children become less driven by "stuff" and more concerned with enjoying life.

If you are interested in additional links to help educate your child on personal finances here is a great link for some personal finance links for children and young adults.

Do you feel the media has too much access to children in marketing, or have you noticed the effects on your own children or the children around you?

The Weather is PERFECT. Get Out and Run

2009-09-24T11:22:09.000Z

If you have been using the weather as an excuse to keep you from running, stop. A lot of you first found this site in the winter and it was too cold to begin running. We just finished summer and during many days it may have been too hot for you to run. Now fall has just begun and there is no more perfect time to start running than right now.

What makes fall such a pleasant time to begin a running? I live in the southern Midwest. Humidity begins setting in during late April and doesn't leave until the middle of September. When I run during the summer months breathing is difficult at times and my body feels like a ten pound weight is dragging behind me with the dense moisture in the air. Now when I run, the air seems clear and each breath when I run comes easy. I can feel my body cut through the air with ease.

Allergies are another area that may keep many people indoors during the spring and summer months. During the fall allergy concerns are nearly non-existent as foliage begins to wither for the year. Sinus infections, wheezy coughs, and itchy throats and eyes are enough reason for most people to avoid the "fresh air" during much of the year, but right now is the perfect time to soak up the outdoors during the fall.

Winter weight gain is a problem that plagues most Americans, no doubt it is the primary cause of so many New Year's resolutions during the fall. What better way to hedge against winter weight gain, and drop a few more pounds before the colder months set in, than beginning to run now? Running can be a great way to increase cardiovascular activity and burn more calories. If you combine a simple weight training regimen, 20 to 30 mins of cardio four times a week and a sensible diet, you will lose weight. Don't let winter get here without a plan to keep the pounds off.

Runner's World also had a great recent article on the benefits of running during the fall. Whatever excuse you've used to keep you from running over the past few months, stop. Go get a pair of good running shoes, some comfortable clothes, and enjoy this awesome fall weather by logging some miles on your new shoes.

What Does it Take to be Happy?: A GallupWorld Poll

2009-09-22T11:47:45.000Z

More money is the obvious answer to the title of this blog, right??? Many of the people who are members here on 5k5k.org or who stumble across this site from referring websites or keywords in blog posts are trying to improve their lives financially by either getting out of debt, or becoming more financially secure through increased savings and investing. So, if someone asked you what would make you happy, more money would seem to be the solution to most of our problems.

I recently read a Gallup World Poll article that surveyed individuals from all over the world, trying to determine what circumstances in life are essential for satisfaction in life. The focus of the "satisfaction study" didn't center on income, rather a range of topics beginning with income, then moving to life expectancy, age as a determinant for satisfaction, and the level of health care the survey respondent's home country was able to provide. I won't bore you with the technical data of the study (if you want to look at the information in more detail just follow the link I provided) I tried to find the key points of the survey to see what people all over the world are saying allows them to be more satisfied with life and how money affects overall life satisfaction.

The article begins by mentioning that the happiness, of a country does not increase over long periods of time, in spite of large increases in per capita income. The third paragraph in this study states these findings, "It is therefore possible that, over the long run, increases in income will generate no increase in life satisfaction." The study went on to report, "In work, income growth provides only a temporary boost to life satisfaction." In fact some studies have found that more income improves happiness only until basic needs are met.

If these facts are true based on a world wide survey, why does everyone seem so obsessed with the notion of money=happiness and satisfaction?

The survey did discuss findings indicating high income countries are happier than low income countries (most likely due to longer life expectancy and better standards of health carer) the findings also highlighted that among high-income countries, there is no relationship between national income and national happiness.

So what does contribute to happiness?

Age

As the survey continued to look at other areas of life outside of income, such as life expectancy, the article highlighted, "For most of the world, life satisfaction declines with age; the exceptions being with the highest income countries-including the U.S., the U.K. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand." The study found, in these countries, life satisfaction is "U" shaped. High levels of happiness from 20's decreasing and bottoming out in a persons 50's then increasing again later in life. The study suggests the dip in happiness occurs as people are dealing with the realities of becoming older and mortality, then later realize they are healthy enough to live a full life for the next several years and enjoy more leisure time than in previous years. Related to levels of happiness the article mentioned that in high income countries a persons age is more determinant to national happiness than to national income.

Health Care

An obvious, but overlooked point discussed in the article was the fact that without health, there is very little a person can do to provide them happiness. As a nations ability to provide health care to its' citizens increases and the level of care the citizens receive increases, so does the happiness of the country. This is only true up to the countries basic effectiveness of health care, or the ability to treat major diseases and provide reasonable levels of care for its' citizens. Beyond these levels in health care the correlation between health care and life satisfaction becomes blurred and harder to define relationships.

So what does all of this mean?

Obviously if you are in debt and struggling to pay your bills each month your level of "satisfaction" with life has the potential to increase. And yes more money could help facilitate a happier life getting people out of debt faster, or providing a more secure financial foundation in life. But, the pursuit of more money to provide more happiness, as if the two run along parallel continuums is a false assumption. Studies have found that time affluence, rather than financial affluence, is a better predictor of a persons happiness. Meaning if a person has more free time on their hands they have the potential to be happier than someone who has more money than they know what to do with. So, as you get out of debt and aren't required to work as much to "pay the bills" and have more free time to spend with loved ones, your potential to be happier will increase. Seems reasonable right?

Do the results of this survey surprise you? What do you think is essential to find happiness or satisfaction in life?

Stay Safe While Running

2009-09-17T11:32:53.000Z

I've never really wrote about this topic before, because it hadn't really been a concern for me. I live in the country on low traffic rural roads. There is very little serious crime in my area so I don't really think about running safe that often. Two different events in this past month have made me become more safety conscious about running.

The first event occurred about three weeks ago. I ran about four miles with a friend and near the end of our run we had to cross a busy intersection. As we waited on traffic to clear, my friend began to run across the street. A car, that was driving entirely too fast, shot over the hill and just before it slammed into my friend the driver looked up and was able to stop their vehicle. Another mile into the run we had another near miss while running in town as a car rounded a blind curve and didn't see us running in his lane of traffic. We jumped off of the road as he swerved at the last second. Needless to say our heart rates were elevated during our run.

The second event that brought running safely to my mind occurred this past week. I went on a late evening run near my home. As I said before I live in the country so heavy traffic isn't a big concern. I had ran about 2 1/2 miles when I came upon an older farm home with two dogs in the front yard. They barked from a distance as I approached, as most dogs do. As I ran in front of the house both dogs shot across the road towards me. I stopped and assumed a ninja warrior stance and waited to see if the dogs would back off. They didn't and one came towards my foot. I kicked the dog hard and it ran back into the yard. I continued my run frustrated with the situation trying to think of a way to repel unwanted advances from dogs or people when running. I also thought about other situations where running safely is a concern and here are a few things I found.

Regarding Dogs:

Mace Muzzle this is an effective and safe way to protect yourself and the dog from harm. Mace Muzzle has a flip top safety cap, the unit sprays up to 10 feet and contains 17 grams, it safely attaches to velcro like to attach to your bike with a velcro like strip or leave in your pocket so you are ready, you will get 10 one shot bursts, one for everyday the dog is out if you make it until tomorrow. Cost is around $14.95

The other option is to carry a Super Dogchaser this has a two way to repel a dog but not bringing them harm with a frequency sound of 20,000 HZ - 25,000Hz audible to dogs, but not humans. The second is a super bright led flashing strobe that temporarily blinds the dog as it is coming at you.This will stop the dog from coming at you up to 40 feet away (So the advertising says) . If this does not detour the dog RUN like hell or assume your best ninja warrior stance, and hope the owner comes out before its too late. Cost is affordable about 25.00

General Safety Rules Regarding Running

- Make sure you know your route
-Avoid wooded areas at night, and stay to well-lit areas
-Try to run upstream, facing oncoming traffic and wear reflective clothing during periods of low light.
-Change your position on the road often. Always run in a place that is most visible to traffic. For instance, don't run in the oncoming traffic lane when running up a hill. Switch to the other lane briefly where you are more visible. Once you crest the hill, then you can switch back positions. Try to do the same thing on blind curves.
-At intersections or other areas of heavy traffic make eye contact with drivers before crossing. You can afford a few seconds off of your run time if it means being able to use your legs for the rest of your life.
-Personal stereos such as iPods make it hard to be fully aware of your surroundings so try not to use them, especially at night
- If wearing headphones, keep the volume low enough that you can hear traffic and other noises
-Carry photo ID and some cash, just in case
- Pay attention to your surroundings—don't zone out so much that you aren't aware of what's around you
- When running at night or in less-populated areas, try to run with a friend or a group for extra safety
-When I go on my long runs (7 miles or more) I take my cell phone with me. The phone is kept on silent, but if I become injured or need assistance in some way I don't want to hobble 5 miles to get help if I need it.

The purpose of this post isn't to make you paranoid about running, rather to apply some practical ideas that will make your running experience safer and therefore more enjoyable. Do you have any safety tips or lessons learned from running safely. If so, please share and help others have a more enjoyable and safer running experience.

What are your tips for staying safe while running?

One Solution to Reaching Your Health and Financial Goals

2009-09-15T04:30:00.000Z

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”
-Thomas Jefferson

Okay the title to this article may sound too simplistic to suggest there is one thing you can do to achieve your goals in two areas people struggle with the most. The last time I was in a large book store there were five entire book shelves devoted to personal finance and an entire aisle regarding health, getting in shape, and losing weight. So, what is the one solution to the topic that could fill up a small library? Your attitude.

If you think back to anything you have achieved in your life, any goal you've reached, your attitude was instrumental in staying committed and encouraged along the journey. Maybe it was a particularly tough assignment at work, or the rigors of college. Maintaining the right attitude in the face of challenges is the most important factor that will determine our outcome and it's also the most important characteristic we possess that will help influence others around us.

This topic is particularly sensitive to me. In most every area of my life I am pretty optimistic. But, I had a conversation with a friend and colleague of mine last week and they stated, "You know, regarding certain areas in teaching, you are a pessimist." I attempted to defend myself at her initial comment, but I knew she was right. There are a few aspects of my job that I have allowed to frustrate me, so I guess I resolved the only thing I could do about it was complain. (And as I typed this last statement I realized how ridiculous that sounds.)

What a sad commentary of our character if we decide the only thing left is to complain and spread negative attitudes about the situation we find ourselves in. I'm not judging, it was me too. The more I thought about it the more I realized every other time I faced difficult challenges, the one thing I did that improved my situation was changed my attitude and began making positive steps to change both my current circumstances and future outcome. It was that simple.

Get out of debt-Change my attitude about money and stuff to provide happiness and adopted an attitude of financial security.

Pay of debt- Realize small wins and sometimes slow progress was better than going deeper in debt and no progress.

Getting in shape-Realized how much better I felt as a result of exercising, regardless of how I felt about actually exercising when I woke up in the morning.

Eating right-Adopted the mentality that I should eat to "not be hungry," not to be full.

And now I'm training for a marathon. I fight negative thoughts before every long run, during every long run, but never after a long run. In fact if you consider anything you've ever accomplished that was worthwhile, you probably dreaded it before it arrived, the act of carrying out your goal was a struggle, but I doubt you ever looked back and said it wasn't worth the effort.

The following are five suggestions from Performance Prime.com that may help you change your negative attitudes and move you closer to achieving your goals.

The Five R's are key words that summarize a Negative Thought Stopping procedure that can help you achieve this goal. Each word sets up the thought process for the next step in this sequential procedure. Implementing this thought process on a consistent basis, with intensity, is critical to successfully learning to stop negative or counter-productive thoughts.

Recognize - Recognizing that you are having a negative thought is a critical first step in learning to control negative thoughts. Consciously increasing your awareness and vigilance with regard to negative thinking will aid in the recognition and control of counter-productive and self-destructive thinking. You must be "on guard" to recognize the first signs of negative thinking in order to crush that thought before it has a chance to fully form and strongly take hold of your conscious mind.

Refuse - You must refuse to allow the negative thought to continue and gain strength by some positive and defined action (e.g. visualize a STOP sign in your mind's eye; snap a rubber band across your wrist every time you have a negative thought; etc.). You must do something to disrupt the negative image and/or thought in order to prevent it from growing stronger. By doing this, you begin the process of shifting your mind away from the negative thought.

Relax - Use any of a number of techniques that can help you to relax: take a deep, controlled breath; use a verbal trigger to shift your thoughts and feelings to a relaxing image; etc. When you are relaxed, the effect of mental programming is more powerful and you are ensuring that the next step in this 5-step procedure will have an increased potential to be effective.

Reframe - The 4th step in the Negative Thought Stopping procedure serves to complete a mental shift toward images and thoughts that are consistent with your best performance. Replace the negative thought with a positive image or thought. "I AM in control of my thoughts and actions, I can choose to respond and think the way I want to." "I've been here before and done this before, so I know I can do it again." "This is part of the process that I have chosen." Use imagery to 'see' and 'feel' the performance you want to achieve and how you want to BE as you achieve it.

Resume - Continue your activities with a sense of confidence and control. You will always enjoy strong sense of confidence if you tie this mindset to a personal commitment to always give nothing but your best effort, regardless of the situation or outcome. The degree of effort you apply to the challenges that you face on an ongoing basis is totally, 100% within your control. it is one of the few things that is, in fact, fully within your control. Think about what you are like when you perform with excellence and what you want to achieve, and develop your confidence by always applying your best effort to achieve it.

Are you willing to share your negative thoughts, or discuss how they have been obstacles to your success in life and how you plan to overcome them.

The Need for Short Term Goals

2009-09-03T10:30:00.000Z

Over the last couple of weeks I have mentioned that I am preparing for a marathon on November 1. I haven't said much about the training and the fact that I am spending over 3 hours a week right now running and the time will increase more and more in the coming weeks. I don't exactly enjoy my training sessions each time they arrive, but I know I need to put in the miles to be prepared, but once I start running and get a mile or so under my belt I begin to refocus on the reason why I'm running and I've never finished a run I wish I hadn't begun. So what? What does this mean to you.

Preparing for this marathon has reminded me of the importance of short term goals. For the past several years I've wanted to run a marathon, but wanting something and actually taking steps to get there are two very different things. A lot of people want to get out of debt, but they don't want to make temporary sacrifices like working more hours to increase income, or cutting their budget to reduce expenses. The same could be said for dieting, or furthering your education. Really any goal that a person may have. Wanting it is not enough. In the past few years I didn't "want" to run a marathon enough to do something about it, actually train for it. Maybe I thought I would miraculously get in good enough shape to run one, without having to put in the time to train.

Every short term goal that is worth anything to you will require some sacrifice on your part. And yes, in the beginning when you force yourself to begin the actions it takes to reach your goals it feels like sacrifice. It's not always comfortable. Last Sunday I had to run 11 miles. I didn't feel well that morning, my calves still ached from my previous run, and I had several other things I wanted and needed to get accomplished that morning, but with my short term goal of the marathon on the horizon I knew I had to get my run in. I put my excuses aside and began to run. About an hour into my run I realized how much every other goal that I've ever had has been very similar to this experience. It begins with an ambitious idea and a lot of times that's exactly where it stops.

For those who actually reach their goals, they develop a plan, a budget, or schedule and stick to it even when it's uncomfortable. Each time you experience the discomfort of moving towards your goals you become a little more mature as you realize this discomfort is actually strengthening you and allowing your goals to become a little closer to reality until one day you pay more attention to the fact your goal is just over the horizon and the sacrifice and discomfort are just a nuisance that have to be put aside to reach your goal.

For whatever your goal is, financial, physical, personal, or the combination of all of them, know that the sacrifice will be worth it. Realize that simply having a goal, or thinking about your goals will not move you any closer to reaching them. What are you doing to move you closer to your short term goals?

Budgeting: Does One Size Fit All?

2009-09-01T03:50:45.000Z

I was recently asked to speak to a group of women on the topic of budgeting. The person organizing the event asked me to outline the best way for people to budget and make sense of their personal finances. As I got off of the phone and began to think of how I could present this topic I realized there is no way I can approach this topic with a one answer solution.

For example, what if some one asked you, "What is the best way to lose weight?" Do you think the answers would vary according to the person you asked? More importantly do you think the strategies and methods of dieting would depend on the person who was going on the diet? For every person who finds a diet that works, they've tried many more that have NOT.

Budgeting is no different. It is simply the practice of putting your finances on a diet and figuring out which one works best for you. Each person is different and there is no one answer that applies to everyone.

My wife and I tried the traditional budget for years. You know, listing your expenses in one column, subtracting it from your income and then blowing the rest. We didn't do a good job of sticking to our flexible expenses (groceries, gas, and entertainment) and we didn't project our budget very well, too often letting "unexpected" expenses derail our plans and send us back to the credit cards. Every failure seemed to further validate we were stuck and there was really no point in trying to get on track. I know from my days of trying to lose weight the feeling is very similar.

After life pressed us into a corner (we call it life, others might call it stupid decisions) we finally found a budget that would work. In fact it wasn't a budget as much as it was a spending plan.

This method allowed us to plan our month before it began. We spent every dollar on paper and thought of every conceivable expense, including birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays for the coming months. If the expense wasn't planned, chances are we weren't spending money on it. This was our version of extreme budgeting, but our life and financial situation demanded we live this way.

As we paid our way out of debt we began to realize this type of budgeting wasn't sustainable for us. It was great for getting out of debt, but we wanted to have a little more freedom in our spending, now that we pulled ourselves out of the hole we dug. We began by setting short term and long term financial goals that were attainable based on our income and discretionary income. We still planned out all of our fixed expenses, we simply began to budget money for enjoyable events and personal desires, like an addition to our home.

Now five years after we finally got a handle on budgeting we have moved to a more automated or painless system of budgeting. First we began by a process I call "Batching our Bills" This allows us to pay all of our expenses in a five day window so we can get a clear picture of how much money we have left each month. After our expenses are paid we use a system called the Balanced Money Formula. The principle here is that you designate a percentage of your income to meet 3 areas: Savings, Wants, and Needs.

We have automated this entire process through online banking, investing, and bill paying. Now the day we are paid 20% of our income goes towards savings and investing (actually a little more than 20%) 50% is set aside for our "Needs" bills, and the other 30% remains in our account to spend as we see fit for the rest of the month. This budget has given us the flexibility we need to enjoy the money we make, while providing the structure and security that a typical budget can provide.

While the last budget mentioned works best for us at this point in our lives, I don't recommend it for everyone. It does take a lot of awareness of where you are financially, and an established emergency fund. My point in this post is there are no "One Size Fits All" budgets. They will differ by person, or couple and they are not static, rather very dynamic. Budgets change as your life changes. The first key is knowing yourself and what has worked for you in the past and what hasn't.

What type of budget are you using now and how long have you used it? Have you found your budgeting, or methods of tracking and managing money have changed over time, or have you found something that has stood the test of time and temptation?

Running and Dieting: How to Find a Healthy Mix

2009-08-27T03:32:53.000Z

This week I will log 24 miles as I train for an up coming marathon. You would think running an average of over 20 miles a week, for the past three weeks would help shed a several pounds. While preparing for this marathon has allowed me to lose some weight, I haven't noticed a drastic drop in weight. There are a couple of reasons why.

The first reason is I have maintained a healthy weight over the past five years as I've continued to run and exercise on a regular basis. A little over five years ago I did little to no cardio exercises and I was nearly 40 pounds overweight. As my level of physical activity increased, little by little the weight came off. But I never realized the changes I was looking for until my diet changed.

As I exercised more I became more focused on what I was putting into my body. I realized eating and exercising was like spending and earning money. If you are spending more that you make, you'll never get ahead. I also related if I was consuming more calories and carbohydrates than my body could burn in a day, I would be storing fat. So my choices were to consume fewer calories and carbohydrates or to burn more calories. Once I made this connection I began to cut back on my carbohydrate and caloric intake and ensured I completed at least 30 minutes of cardio and/or strength training four times a week. Once I changed my diet and maintained a regular exercise schedule I was easily able to keep the pound away.

The second reason I haven't been losing much weight became obvious to me as I began to reflect on what worked and didn't work for me five years ago. I've allowed myself to slip into old habits. In fact over the past few weeks, as school has started and our schedule has been very busy, my diet has been that great at all. My meals have not been regular, I've been snacking a lot, and because I haven't been preparing food ahead of time, I often find myself eating fast food or processed food because it's convenient. I will be changing my eating habits over the next few weeks and I'll share with you the changes I've made and the results I find. For now I found this great article on Runners World that has 10 tips to keep in mind while loosing weight and exercising.

Here are 10 great tips from Runners World:

1. To lose 10 pounds of body fat a year, you need to eat 100 calories less per day. Cutting too many calories from your daily intake will sap your energy level and increase your hunger, making you more susceptible to splurging on high-calorie foods.

2. Don't skip breakfast. Eat within two hours of waking.

3. In fact, eat more breakfast than you think you should. Trade in some of your dinner calories for more calories at breakfast.

4. Don't allow yourself to get hungry. Eat at least every four hours, and split a meal in half to make sure you properly fuel up pre- and postrun. For example, eat part of your breakfast before your morning run (a banana) and the rest of your breakfast afterward (a bagel with peanut butter).

5. Eat at least three kinds of food each meal from these four categories: breads, cereals, and grains; fruits and vegetables; low-fat dairy and soy; and lean meats, fish, and nuts. Breads, cereals, and grains should be the foundation of each meal, with protein as an accompaniment.

6. Shoot for a gradual loss of body fat. You're more likely to put the weight back on (and more) if you drop weight too quickly.

7. Liquid calories add up fast and can lead to weight gain. Minimize the amount of sodas, juices, store-bought smoothies, sports drinks, coffee drinks, and alcohol you consume.

8. Eat closer to the earth, enjoying fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Minimize the amount of processed foods you eat; they tend to offer less fiber and are less satiating.

9. If you can't resist fast food, ask for nutritional information before you make your choices (or check in advance via restaurant Web sites). Avoid any menu items with the words "fried," "crispy," and "special sauce," which are guaranteed to be high calorie.

10. Remember that the calories in the energy bars, sports drinks, and gels you consume during a run add up, even though you're running. Consume them only as needed.

Why Buy When It's Free?

2009-08-25T03:30:00.000Z

Last spring I continued to work on my CFP (Certified Financial Planner) certification. In the course my professor, an estate planning attorney recommended I check out INC Magazine as I shared with him some of my entrepreneurial itchings. The price for the subscription worked out to about $1.00 per issue, so I figured for the cost I could definitely find some information worth keeping. September's issue contained a wealth of useful information but one of the huge bonuses I wanted to share with all of you is the free software mentioned on page 54 of September's issue.

Ten years ago people paid hundreds of dollars for powerful software to help them with everyday life. Now, if you know where to look, you can find it for free.

(From INC.com)

BEST FOR BASIC ACCOUNTING: QUICKBOOKS SIMPLE START FREE EDITION
The free version of QuickBooks lets you create invoices, print checks, handle payroll, and manage up to 20 customer accounts. There are plenty of free bookkeeping tools on the market, but QuickBooks is the best option for growing companies, because it's easy to step up to the paid version ($99.95), which lets users track more than 10,000 customers.

BEST FOR SYNCING WITH OUTLOOK: GOOGLE CALENDAR SYNC
Many businesses are switching to Google Apps because it's cheaper than Microsoft Exchange. But not everyone wants to abandon the familiar look and feel of Outlook. Use this tool to sync from Google Calendar to Outlook or vice versa. Or perform a two-way sync based on a schedule you set. Unfortunately, some of Google's features -- like e-mail reminders -- won't work in Outlook.

BEST FOR ORGANIZING OUTLOOK: XOBNI
Think of Xobni (pronounced ZOB-nee) as a supercharged search engine for Outlook. Search for a name in the Xobni sidebar, and it will find the person's contact information, previous e-mails, Facebook and LinkedIn profiles, Hoover's data, and recent attachments. You can search for keywords as well and even place Skype calls without leaving Outlook.

BEST FOR TRACKING TASKS: DOOMI
Simple but elegant, Doomi allows you to create a to-do list and check off tasks when you are done. To keep yourself on schedule, you can customize a completion time for each task. Finished tasks are stored in a separate list until you clear them -- great for viewing the day's accomplishments. We just wish Doomi synced with Outlook.

BEST FOR WORD PROCESSING: ZOHO WRITER
An excellent alternative to Microsoft Word or Google Docs, Zoho Writer lets users collaborate on a document online, in real time. It also has an offline mode, so you can work on documents even without Internet access. Zoho Writer can also be used to post directly to a blog. Zoho's 18 other free apps include a customer relationship management tool, database software, and an applicant tracking program.

BEST FOR VIEWING PDFs: FOXIT READER 3.0
Foxit is one of the best programs for viewing and modifying PDFs. It uses less memory than Acrobat Reader, launches almost instantly, and allows you to convert PDFs into simple text files. Plus, unlike Acrobat, it lets users annotate documents (draw graphics, highlight text) without paying extra. Now, if only Foxit's PDF Creator and PDF Editor programs were free, too.

I wish I would have found this next one about a year ago, before I purchased an external hard drive to back up pictures and documents and files I wanted to save. Lightening has struck our computer twice in the past year (That's why I couldn't post on Thursday) and file back up has become more important than ever as people save more and more important documents to their computers.

BEST FOR AUTOMATIC BACKUP: MOZY
Mozy will store 2GB of data online for free; just choose what you want to save, and Mozy automatically backs up the files whenever changes are made. It's a great way to protect your most sensitive information in case of an emergency. Plus, you can access your documents from anywhere. If you want to store more, upgrading to an unlimited account costs $4.95 per month.

Has anyone found any other free or cheap applications that are useful? How could you use some of these in your everyday life/business?

Subtle Reminders of the Importance of Personal Finances

2009-08-18T03:45:52.000Z

A few weeks ago as I realized the end of summer was upon us, my wife and I began the tasks of getting rid of clutter and cleaning out old storage containers and closets. As I began to "de-clutter" and throw things away I found a brief case I used to use when I worked in loss prevention for a very large retailer. I oversaw 6-8 stores in two different states and it was my responsibility to deal with any cases of internal, or employee theft. Often I would have conversations with individuals who viewed the company as an entity with deep pockets, who could afford to lose merchandise while they profited from theft. But my most troubling cases, the ones that to this day make personal finance very personal to me, dealt with individuals who had fallen behind on financial obligations and saw theft of money or merchandise (which they would later sell) as their only way to get out of the hole they were in.

After a store contacted me and notified me of a shortage and I had a chance to conduct an investigation, I always spoke with the person suspected of the theft. Usually I knew what they had taken and how they had removed the money or merchandise. The only piece of information I needed was why? What had caused them to make a decision where they felt stealing was there last and best hope for improving their current situation?

Ninety percent of the time the employees would tell me about a financial disaster in their personal life. The situation usually stemmed from a spouse losing their job, medical bills that exceeded what the family could afford to pay, or basic needs of the family were going unmet and the income of working full time as a store clerk would not meet all of their needs. As I sorted through my old brief case I found at least four cases that met this scenario.

As I read I wondered many of these people could have been helped if someone would have worked with them in a proactive manner. I played the role of "gotcha" for the large company I worked for. It was always too late to help them with the situation they were in and often I wished there was a way to help them before they found themselves in a situation where they felt stuck. In retrospect I almost resent the job I had and wish I could have spent more time educating and working with employees on personal finance, instead of just catching them after the fact.

Too many of us though are living in situations that teeter too close to a line of financial disaster and we put ourselves in precarious situations to make poor decisions. I'm not saying that in every case this pushes a person to steal, or that people who struggle financially are dishonest. I'm simply saying when people are backed in a corner financially they feel they have very few options and any option they feel will help them the soonest could be considered. I know when we were struggling financially I considered volunteering for combat duty in Iraq. Obviously I never really wanted to leave my wife, daughter, and new son, and risk my life, but I wanted out of our mess...................soon!

As you are working your way through your own 5k5k challenge I want you to let these stories of desperation further encourage you to stay on track and never return down a path of financial uncertainty. Regardless of where you find yourself as you read this, you can move yourself to a better place financially. For some of you it may be a matter of getting organized, reducing debt, and increasing income. For others it may be a complete change of your relationship with money, and for others it may have to be bankruptcy and a clean slate with all the lessons that come with it. Don't allow your current situation or past experiences define where you go from here on in your finances. If you find yourself struggling, get help, email me, reach out to others on this site. Don't allow yourself and your family to suffer the consequences of desperate decisions during dire situations.

What is Influencing Your Spending?

2009-08-13T11:00:00.000Z

This week my wife and I had to wrap up our summer break and begin preparing for the beginning of a new school year. Each year districts bring teachers together to motivate them for the new year, communicate any large changes, and they always bring in a few consultants who speak about issues that are critical in the classroom, or in the lives of students. One of our presenters discussed how kids are influenced today, compared to how they were influenced 50 years ago.

The presenter argued a hierarchy of influence exists on children. She said in the 1950's it looked something like this.

1. Home
2. School
3. Church
4. Peers
5. TV - Media

I wasn't surprised, as I doubt most of you aren't. Times were very traditional. Life was lived in a traditional manner, and the television had just come along in society. No one could imagine the advent of the computer, social networks, or cell phones. Enter the 21st century.

Today, the presenter argued, the hierarchy looks more like this.

1. TV - Media (Computers, Music, Cell phones)
2. Peers
3. School
4. Home
5. Church

What once had the smallest influence on children, today has the most. And home, which used to help set the direction for a child's life, now comes in next to last. How times have changed.

Our discussion over this topic during the session revolved around helping teach character in school and ensuring students receive a positive influence in their school setting. As I drove home from the meeting I wondered though how this applies to adults and our spending decisions. Was there a hierarchy that existed that influenced adults spending decisions 50 years ago? If so, what do you think it looked like? Do you think there is a hierarchy of influence today? If so, how has it changed?

Zig Ziggler once said, "You are what you are because of who is putting things in your mind." While I don't believe outside influence is entirely responsible for who we are, I do think it has a very large influence.

I can make the assumption that 50 years ago the home influenced spending the most. Basic needs were met before anything else. People still had the depression and the sacrifices of the war in their head. This era also brought the advent of the suburbs, so I would assume peers, or neighbors would rank second.

Today I would venture to say the media has the largest influence on our spending. Either television, print ads, email, or online advertising. It seems we let the world tell us what we want before we pay attention to what we really need.

Help me with this. How do you think our influences in our spending have changed? It doesn't have to relate to the five areas above that I discussed about the students. Maybe there are other areas. What influenced our spending 50 years ago and what influences it today?

Marathon Training Update: Week 4

2009-08-11T11:56:02.000Z

I mentioned a few months ago that I would be training for a marathon this fall. It has been nearly seven years since my last marathon and I wanted to see if I can still eek out 26.2 miles. A lot has changed in the past seven years and I've found training to be more difficult to squeeze in.

I chose a 16 week training schedule and I just began week number four. I'm hoping the following weeks will allow for a more regular schedule so I can stay on track. Yesterday, because of a busy weekend away from home, I had to squeeze in my long run day of seven miles. Typically on a training schedule the longest runs will be scheduled on a weekend, either Saturday or Sunday. Since I spent both days away from the house and unable to run, I had to make up the long run. So, yesterday morning I woke to my alarm sounding at 5:30 so I could run seven miles.

Thinking about running seven miles first thing in the morning and actually making yourself do it are two very different things. Sunday night I had images in my head of lacing up my shoes in the new light of the coming day. Stretching and smelling the freshness of the morning and when running, hearing nothing but the sounds of my feet on the pavement and the occasional sound of a rooster crowing. (Seriously, I live in the country, so roosters do really crow around here.) I imagined the entire morning run event to be the perfect zen beginning to my first day back at work.

So here's the reality. My alarm went off at 5:30 and I hit the snooze button twice. My wife leaned over and asked my why the alarm was going off when it was still dark outside. I mumbled something about running and tried to go back to sleep. When the alarm went off for the third time I stumbled out of bed. My joints felt rusty and I glanced out the window of my back door to see it was still dark outside. I briefly sat down at my computer to check email, but stopped, knowing that the computer is a black hole that sucks you in. I knew what would happen if I logged on. I would open my email, read a couple, find one that linked back to facebook, or some other program and be sucked into the online abyss, mindlessly clicking during the wee hours of the morning as my time to run dwindled.

Instead of getting on the internet, I began to put on my socks and shoes while gulping down big drinks of water to ensure I was somewhat hydrated. When I finally stepped outside at 5:50 am the sun was barely coming up. It still looked like it was night time and my body agreed. I began trying to stretch my tight creaky muscles and mentally prepare myself to run, as I chased thoughts from my mind that said, "Look it's still dark. If you hurry and crawl back in bed you can sleep for another 30 minutes." I slowly walked down my driveway looking at the road that would lead me for the next seven miles.

I wanted to share my feelings of training and running in the morning so you understand the thought process I go through sometimes before I begin to run. Not every running experience for me is blissful. There are training days I would rather not run and times when I don't. Making your body exert energy and pushing yourself during the early morning hours, or really anytime can be difficult. Most people who run make themselves train, even when they don't feel like it. Here's the thing. I can remember very few occasions when I began to run and still didn't feel like it. It's like getting a train moving. The part that requires the most effort and energy is when you first start moving, after that you just continue the momentum and enjoy the scenery.

In the coming weeks, as the long run distances get longer, I know it will become more challenging to make myself log the miles I need. I also know if I don't work in the training, I'll never be prepared when the day of the marathon arrives.

Setting goals and achieving them isn't a bed of roses. Reaching your personal, health, or financial goals is not effortless. The novelty of goals wear off when you experience the resistance of the sacrifice it requires to reach them. Somewhere deep inside you have to remember why you set them in the first place and know that the struggle you experience on the path to reaching your goals, is part of the experience. The struggle, the resistance is what makes reaching your goals feel worthwhile when you finally reach them.

Book Review: Man's Search for Meaning

2009-08-06T13:42:21.000Z

At the beginning of the summer I had a list of books I wanted to read, either because they were referred by others, or I read about them in another book. One of the books that was a must read was Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl. This title may seem unusual for a personal finance and fitness site, but as we've discussed before there is as much psychology in personal finance and physical fitness as there is habit, and practice.

First you need to become familiar with the author. Vickor Frankl was a world known psychologist and became forever changed as he endured and survived the Nazi concentration camps. Prior to his imprisonment he had begun working on studies regarding how people find meaning in life. Little did he know when he began the studies, he would have to utilize his finding in his own life during his hellish three year imprisonment in the concentration camps ran by Nazi Germany.

After being liberated in 1945 he published his findings and experiences in a book translated: Saying Yes to Life in Spite of Everything. (Which would later take shape into the current book Man's Search for Meaning.) I by no way want to compare the efforts to lose weight and gain financial freedom to the experiences of the holocaust and concentration camps, but there are lessons in Frankl's advice for anyone who feels hopeless in their current situation or is trying to move forward in life in spite of a difficult present or past.

Frankl contends that in any situation you find yourself in, the attitude to change is in a simple decision to do so. He recognized you cannot always immediately change the situation you are in (as he could not in the concentration camp) but you can still change yourself, your attitude and how you will use your experience in the future. He emphasizes "You can turn your tragedies into personal triumphs...... as long as you know 'for what'." In other words, anyone who has a "why" can overcome nearly any "how."

In America, more and more we seem to demand an effortless existence. Books titled The Four Hour Work Week are best sellers. Depression medication is prescribed at the first hint of "unhappiness." We want to be wealthy, healthy, and happy with little to no effort on our part, at least that's what we think we want. In Frankl's studies after he was freed from the concentration camps he observed:

"What man actually needs is not a tensionless state, but rater the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal, a freely chosen task. What he needs is not homeostasis, but a state where there is a polar field of tension. One pole is represented by meaning that is to be fulfilled, the other pole would then represent the man who must fulfill it. "

What Frankl is saying is getting what we want with no effort on our part, simply perpetuates "meaninglessness" to people, and usually the reason we want all of these things is to replace meaninglessness. Some struggles, work and effort, are essential to help us find meaning. It can help define us. In Man's Search for Meaning, Frankl highlights a study conducted by John Hopkin's University. The study surveyed 7948 students at 48 colleges. The survey was sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health. The purpose was to determine what college students really wanted more: Money or Meaning. They found only 16% of college students felt money was very important, while 78% of students said their first goal was finding purpose and meaning in their life.

According to Frankl and his research in logo therapy, we can discover meaning in our lives in three ways.

1. By creating a work or doing a deed.
2. By experiencing something or encountering someone
3. The attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering (When we are no longer able to change our situation, we must change ourselves. )

I write this post to encourage you to read his book. Most of the book deals with Frankl's struggle to find meaning, and help others find meaning in life while imprisoned in Auschwitz, and other concentration camps. How people were able to remain encouraged and actually have hope in those situations is amazing to me. I know none of us in our life times will ever face circumstances as terrible as he explains in his book. But Frankl's advice is for those who are in their own "prison." His encouragement is for those who feel trapped, without hope and meaning. If you get a chance read Man's Search for Meaning. The lessons he learned during his life can help you in yours.

In case your interested, here are some great passages from the book.

The Little Things Can Cost You In the Long Run

2009-08-04T03:14:39.000Z

Yesterday I tried to get caught up on our yard work. I began to mow the yard and heard a strange noise from the mower deck. I was a little surprised that something may be wrong since I had just replaced a pulley, shaft, and bearing a few weeks ago. The total cost in parts was nearly $60. When I heard the noise I initially thought about continuing to mow and checking out the sound later, but I knew that most likely I would forget, then put off checking out the noise and eventually forget about the problem altogether. I decided to get off the mower and check out the noise immediately. When I looked over the moving parts I noticed a grease fitting was missing from the shaft I had installed. It is a small inexpensive peace of machinery that ensures everything stays lubricated and running smooth while the blades are spinning.

I hopped on my motorcycle and went to the parts store and picked up the grease fitting, the grand total was $0.97. As I made my purchase I said aloud to myself, "It's funny how the smallest cheapest parts can cost you the most money if you don't take care of them." The employee behind the counter laughed and replied, "How true. You wouldn't believe the money people spend on problems that began with parts costing less than $5.00."

As I left the parts store and enjoyed a unseasonably cool Ozark August ride home I wondered where else did the "little things can cost you" concept applied. Then I remembered a few conversations or instances that have occurred over the past few weeks that further this notion.

Last month a friend of mine called and asked if I could come and help him work on one of his rental houses. He said the floor was rotting in the bathroom. As I walked into the bathroom I felt the floor give under my feet. I found the source of the water leak that cause the floor rot and it came from underneath his toilet, the wax seal. We went to the hardware store to purchase the new wax seal. The total cost for the seal was $5.28. The cost for the flooring, screws, and other materials was about $60. If he would have paid a professional contractor to do the job he would have paid a few hundred dollars. All for a part that cost just over $5.00.

This past week as my dad and I drove to Colorado we tried to solve the world's problems on our 16 hour drive. His wife manages apartments that provides housing for elderly and low income residents. He spoke of the tragedy of seeing women who once lived on a large farm or stayed at home as home makers, living as widows with little to no social security built up since they never "earned an income." He said a lot of these women have a tough time getting by with the basics each month. I asked him if he knew if any of their husbands had taken out life insurance policies on themselves for the benefit of their wife. He said he doubted it and many farmers go without insurance of any kind, especially life insurance. Again something like life insurance that is relatively cheap (my wife and I pay less than $50 each month for our policies) can guarantee that if one of us were to die, the other will be provided for financially for some time.

These are only a few examples of how something relatively inexpensive can save (or cost) you a lot of money. Have you encountered any experiences that relate to this topic, or what other inexpensive issues can you think of that have the potential to save a lot of money?

What is Your Why?

2009-07-31T14:20:25.000Z

I've just returned from vacationing in the Rocky Mountains with my son, dad, and friends. I feel refreshed and re-focused on life. We were able to spend six days camped in the midst of one of the most beautiful areas I've ever seen, traveling in between mountain passes, on mountain tops, and fishing in streams so clear you could see every detail of movement.

I wanted to write today to offer encouragement to everyone who feels stuck or helpless in their current situation. My vacation, my summer was completely unimaginable a few years ago. I have spent the past nine weeks home with my kids and working on projects of my choosing, in a career of my choosing, but none of it would have been possible if I was still in debt. I would still be trapped to the payments that had to be made, having little to no time for myself or my family. Debt is slavery, it confines you to situations you long to be free from, and forces you to labor your life away for someone else, not for yourself.

When you begin to pay your way out of debt, don't let the object of your focus become "getting wealthy" rather, focus your ambitions on gaining financial freedom. Getting wealthy or rich is a never ending pursuit. There isn't a dollar amount that signifies wealth, people always want more. We also seem to want to show our wealth to others, often putting us right back in debt. If you focus on financial freedom, you ignore wealth and what society wants you to prove as being wealthy, and instead focus on what will make you happiest and allow you to get the most out of life.

I write these things because I know from experience. As we paid our way out of debt and began to see we were getting out of debt, I focused my attention on becoming wealthy. I wanted to increase our income even more so that one day we could be "rich." This led to some of the dumbest decisions I've ever made personally and cost me precious time with my family. I worked more hours and pursued career avenues that promised large financial returns, but little personal value. The farther I traveled down this path the more I realized I was on the wrong one. One day I finally realized "rich" wouldn't make me happy and by the time I got there the better part of my life would be over. I decided to focus my income not only on getting out of debt, but being free financially to pursue my own career interests, spend time with my family, and invest my money not only in future returns, but present experiences. This was the best decision I have ever made.

Getting out of debt and gaining control of your finances isn't really about money, it's about life. Above the door leading into my classroom is a quote from Henry David Thoreau that says "The true cost of a thing is the amount of life you are willing to give up for it." This past week I spent time with my dad and my son doing things that we love. We spent nearly an entire week together riding in the mountains, exploring the Rockies, fishing, and just spending time together. In my previous life of debt this would not have been possible. In my previous life of pursuing wealth I wouldn't have had the ability to take the time off, nor would I have seen the importance of investing my time in these pursuits. As you continue to strive towards your own financial goals, let the object of your focus remain on gaining control of your life and living live on your terms.

What is your focus as you get out of debt and get into shape. Do you have any plans for your future that include more time with family, vacations, career changes, or personal challenges? Please share your driving purposes of your pursuits. I am reading a book that included the phrase, "Those who have a "why" can overcome nearly every "how." What is your "Why?"

On Acheiving Goals

2009-07-28T14:48:35.000Z

It's been a while since I've been active here, but yesterday I made my second weight-loss goal for the year (year-to-date weight loss is 103 pounds). I've shared with this community the importance of setting goals for achieving personal advancement. Today I want to talk a little about the single greatest tool that literally anyone can use to achieve their goals.

The silver bullet of achievement is perseverance. Not giving up is the single greatest thing a person can do to accomplish their goals. And the great thing is, anyone can do it! It takes literally no training to decide you aren't going to give up. Opportunity comes and goes, luck and your skills can fail you, but if you continue to pursue your goals, nothing can stop you. There were weeks where I didn't lose any weight at all, and it was pretty discouraging. There were even a couple weeks where I gained weight from my last weigh in, and I just wanted to give up. But perseverance turns those defeats into fuel for your advancement. The weeks that followed those defeats were among my best in terms of weight loss, because I was able to take the blow in stride because I knew that one bad week was nothing up against the monolith of my refusal to give up.

Here are a couple practical steps to persevering through the tough spots in your financial and physical journey. First, you have to decide that you're not going to give up and realize that the super-human endurance you posses in persevering will carry you through to the end. Second, no matter how big a problem appears remember that it is only a set-back and not the end of the road. Finally, knowing that any problem is only a simple set back, learn from those set backs and use them to fuel your further achievement.

I want to thank this community for the support you've shown me. I've been participating for months, but I'm just now beginning training to run my first 5k. I'll keep you all updated as I make progress!

Biggest Obsticle I listed when joining 5K5K in Dec'08 and where I am now

2009-07-26T22:51:01.000Z

December 2008

I began recently to get both my financial and physical health into shape according to God's plan. I have always been pretty healthy and what others would call thin, but I had gained about 15-20 lbs more than I felt good with. I felt tired and sluggish. I am already a vegetarian and eat healthy other than soda and sugar, which I have cut way back on. I joined a gym and have lost the weight, cut back on the soda and sugar. I am in the process of barrowing my friends crown financial book and reading through the Bible on examples on financial things. I have for the last couple months tried to listen to Dave Ramsey when he is on the radio or there is a program on about financial matters. I believe God is really moving his people at this time to get ready and get our finances in order. The only problem with some of the programs is you have to buy them and they cost a lot! I think this is Awesome and is definately God's timing ! My biggest obstacle is Financial!!! Everytime you get ahead the devil throws something back at you and you fall even further behind. It seems the harder you try the worse it gets! I believe with a group working together and praying together we can all beat this through God's power. Where 2 or more are gatherd there I am also.

July 2009

I must say God has really blessed me through this process! I have paid down over 5K in debt and am still working toward the 5K run. I have given up caffeine all together! And I loved my dr pepper. I have cut way back on eating sugar and junk food. Bring fruit to work to snack on. I was in a wreck the end of November 07 and got a settlement which allowed me to pay off my debt from my wreck as well as some other debt. I still have some old medical bills that are pretty old, but plan to have the rest of my debt payed off with exception to house, car's, student loans, by march 2010! That feels so good to think about!!!! I have restructured my student loans to one payment and will begin repayment this next month. I have been having some trouble with my heart and had to slow down on the exercise and found out I have mitral vavle redundancy and angina, but stopping the caffeine and taking some new medication has helped. I am slowly getting back into the physical aspect, but listening to my body. I tend to go way over board and over do it. I just have to say that I wish I would have know all these principles years ago! It makes everyone look bad who is in debt and especially the christians! I have apologized to all my debtors when I payed them off and apologized to God first and foremost for not living up to His Light. I was totally nieve about finances and the Bible/God until just recentally God started speaking to my heart and I would turn on the radio and hear something I had not heard before. My parents left the church when I was young and somehow inbetween then when I found the church again on my own I missed that part and racked up credit card debt, which you just don't have enough money to go around to pay everyone. You have the best of intentions to pay everything, but at the end of the month there is not enough left. God has truely blessed me in trying to learn and correcting my past mistakes. I am going back and paying even the old things which are hard to track down. I started with the most current and am working back. Almost There!!!!!!! Praise God! Please continue to pray for me as well as everyone on this site. I plan on getting my tax return and using my 401 k to pay off the rest and then start saving for retirement.

Why Money Messes With Your Mind

2009-07-23T19:30:00.000Z

I am preparing to leave for vacation in Colorado for the next week. So I will be scarce around here. I'll try to check in when I can. I am also still training for a marathon November 1st, so I'm hoping I'll be able to maintain some type of training schedule while we are in the mountains.

This week I found an article titled Why Money Messes With Your Mind. It is a very interesting article that discusses a series of scientific studies of humans evolving relationship with money. Most of the studies discussed in the article attempt to explain why people interact with money differently, why some people have a healthy relationship with money and how to use it and others can't seem to figure it out.

Mark Buchanan, the author, begins by discussing money in its' most simple form and what it really is. In the article he says, "Money is supposed to be a tool of exchange that makes economic life more efficient. Just as an axe allows us to chop down trees, money allows us to have markets that, traditional economists tell us, dispassionately set the price of anything from a loaf of bread to a painting by Picasso. Yet money stirs up more passion, stress and envy than any axe or hammer ever could. We just can't seem to deal with it rationally... but why?"

So according to Buchanan, possessing money should invoke no more emotions than having multiple tools to exchange for goods. He argues that most tools do not stir emotions like money seems to. We do not become ultra greedy seeking more and more tools, nor do we sink in to depression and anxiety when we lose some tools. So what causes us to think of the "money tool" in such a different way.

Here is what Buchanan writes. "Our relationship with money has many facets. Some people seem addicted to accumulating it, while others can't help maxing out their credit cards and find it impossible to save for a rainy day. As we come to understand more about money's effect on us, it is emerging that some people's brains can react to it as they would to a drug, while to others it is like a friend. Some studies even suggest that the desire for money gets cross-wired with our appetite for food."

What is even more interesting is the mental/physical stimulus that money creates. Researchers found that just handling paper money could reduce the distress associated with social exclusion, and also diminish the physical pain caused by touching very hot water. Money, like nicotine or cocaine, can activate the brain's pleasure centers, the neurological pathways that make biologically beneficial activities such as sex feel so rewarding Money seems to have symbolic power as a social resource," says Vohs. "It enables people to manipulate the social system to give them what they want, regardless of whether they are liked." The article said it best in writing, "put bluntly, it looks as if money is acting as a surrogate friend."

Money and Happiness

Regarding the issue of money and happiness studies found the psychological effects of wealth are minimal. They report that money's impact on happiness suffers from diminishing returns: once you have enough for food and shelter, more cash doesn't bring much extra joy. Get Rich Slowly had a great discussion on money and happiness yesterday.

Shopping as an experience

One portion of the article discusses some of the different ways we spend money. One method being on concrete items such as groceries, clothes, and other durable goods. The other method of spending money would be on experiences. This is where we have over time began to cross our emotional relationship with money. Historically money had primarily been used to purchase goods, not experiences. Over the past 100 years we have used money more and more to purchase experiences. Even more dangerous is modern day marketing. The article noted "Experiential purchases", such as trips to the theater or travel, as bringing them more happiness than material purchases such as clothes. A concrete purchase may have cost more and lasted longer but a good experience brought more pleasure." Here is the dangerous part that I saw after working 12 years with the world's largest retailer, companies have found ways to allow shopping for goods to become an experience. The colors, lighting, product placement, and images portrayed all contribute to a heightened shopping experience encouraging you to spend more.

The full article to Why Money Messes With Your Mind is only about two pages in length. The studies it reviews are very insightful and help explain why people relate to money so differently and even offers some suggestions on how you can combat your own weaknesses. How does money "Mess With Your Mind?" Have you found ways to overcome your troubles, if so what did you change?

update

2009-07-21T16:00:29.000Z

i'm making good progress.

using my iphone and a great app called c25k (couch to 5k).

i'm on week 7 and haven't missed a session.

Tough Tactics of Credit Card Companies: What They are Doing and How to Survive Their New Terms.

2009-07-21T15:30:00.000Z

This past week I continued to fulfill a promise I made to myself at the beginning of the summer, at the beginning of my ten week break from school. I have been spending some time catching up with friends. So this week I went to have lunch with a friend. As my friend and I spoke we began our conversations with the usual starters, “Nice weather we’re having,” or “How’s your family?” As we spoke our conversation quickly shifted to the economy and money. My friend revealed that they were struggling financially and felt trapped. I was a little surprised. About a year and a half ago I met with several families helping them organize their personal finances. We discussed how to get out of debt, build savings, and establish financial independence. I followed up with most of the families a few months later and all of them seemed to be on the right track. It seems the trouble started about six months ago.

My friend told me he received a letter from one of his credit card companies telling him they would be reducing his credit limit from $14,000 to $10,000. He didn’t think much about it and agreed to the change. (Even though they didn’t really need his agreement, they simply were required to notify him.) Another card company contacted him a few weeks later and said they would be raising his interest rate, even though he had never been late on a payment. When he inquired why, they told him because his available credit had been reduced he is now seen as a higher liability and therefore would be subject to higher interest rates. My friend argued, “But my credit limit with you wasn’t reduced, was it?” They replied, “No it was with another company, but our actuaries look at your credit availability as a whole, not just with our company.” As expected my friend was pissed.

One week later he contacted another credit card company that sent him a random credit card offer. On the offer they advertised a much lower rate than what he was paying with an available credit line of $12,000. My friend opened an account with that credit card company and shortly thereafter transferred the balance of his recently interest inflated card to this new card with a lower rate. A month later he received a letter from the new credit card company informing him of a rate increase near levels from which he had just escaped. When he called to find out why, they explained since his debt to available credit ratio had exceeded acceptable levels he was seen as “a risky customer” and his interest rates would be increased.

As he began to inquire with other credit card companies, trying to transfer his balances to lower rates, his credit score continued to suffer. (As each time someone inquires regarding their credit score, their score is dinged.) Now my friend feels stuck and wonders if he and his family will ever get out of the web of entanglements that have been laid for them. Both he and his wife have taken on extra hours at work trying to pay down their balances, but too often they feel like they’re climbing a slippery slope.

So what changed the once benevolent credit industry of endless supplies of cash to the largest version of reality “Gotcha” ever?

A bill called the Credit Reform Act of 2009. (Which actually doesn’t take affect until July of 2010.) When this bill was formed last winter and made its’ way through congress during the spring, credit card companies saw trouble on the horizon and took proactive measures to recoup as many fees and revenue while they could. They were able to influence congress to delay the enforcement of the bill so they could “make necessary adjustments,” which really meant one last run at the consumers to take them for all they could. These changes have resulted in larger than ever increases in bank card default rates. You can see how your area has been affected on this national map.

Here are some of the changes you can expect to see take effect from the Credit Card Reform Act of 2009 next July

The First Year With a New Card

The bill prevents credit card issuers from raising interest rates in the first year after a credit card account is opened, except:
• When the increase is under a variable interest rate.
• At the end of the promised time period for a promotional rate. For example, the issuer can offer 3 percent for six months and then 12 percent after that. (The promotional period must be at least six months.)
• If the required minimum payment is not received within 60 days after the due date.

Existing balances

Credit card issuers cannot raise interest rates on existing balances unless:
• The increase is under a variable interest rate.
• It is the end of a promised time period for a promotional rate.
• The required minimum payment is not received within 60 days after the due date.

Notice of future rate hikes
After the first year, the card issuer can raise the rate on future purchases with 45 days notice. No notice is required for increases due to one of the reasons stated above.
Paying off on old terms
Card issuers can’t change the terms for repaying a balance, except that the issuer may give the cardholder either:
• Five years to pay off the outstanding balance at the old rate; or
• An increased minimum payment that has no more than twice as much of a contribution to paying down the balance as the old minimum payment.

Limits on fees and penalties

• If the interest rate increases because the minimum payment is not received within 60 days after the due date, the rate must go back to the original, lower rate if the consumer makes on-time minimum payments for six months.
• No over-the-limit fees may be charged unless the consumer has asked for the account to be set up to allow transactions that will exceed the credit limit.
• An over-the-limit fee may be imposed only once per billing cycle if the balance is above the limit on the last day of the cycle.
• No fees can be charged to make a payment except for expedited payments arranged through a service representative.
• A card issuer who increases the interest rate must review the account every six months and decrease the rate if indicated by the review.
• Penalty fees (late fee, over-the-limit fee, etc.) must be reasonable and proportional to the omission or violation. The Federal Reserve Board must issue rules to set standards to decide what fee levels are reasonable.
• Two-cycle billing is prohibited. An issuer cannot reach back to an earlier billing cycle when calculating the amount of interest charged in the current cycle.
Ability to pay
Card issuers must consider the consumer’s ability to make the required payments under the credit card’s terms before raising limits or issuing a new card.

Fair application of payments

Amounts in excess of the minimum payment must be applied to the highest interest rate, except in the last two months before a deferred interest balance is due.
Sensible due dates, time to pay
• Credit card issuers cannot set early deadlines for payments. Payments must be received by 5 p.m. at a location set by the issuer.
• Due dates will be on the same day each month.
• Card issuers must deliver the bill at least 21 days before the due date.
Young consumers
• Before issuing a card to a person under 21, the issuer must obtain an application which contains either the signature of a co-signer over 21 or information indicating an independent means of repaying any credit extended.
• Card issuers may not raise the credit limit on accounts held by a person under 21 who has a co-signer without written permission from the co-signer.
• No prescreened card offers can be made to people under 21 unless they have consented to receive such offers.
• Card issuers cannot provide tangible gifts to students on campus in exchange for filling out a credit card application.
• Colleges must publicly disclose any marketing contracts made with a card issuer.

Credit reports

Advertisements for free credit reports must disclose that free credit reports are available under federal law at: AnnualCreditReport.com.
Issuance fees
Issuers cannot finance fees and charges for opening a credit card where the fees and charges total more than 25 percent of the credit limit.
Enhanced disclosures
• Issuers must disclose the period of time and total interest it will take to pay off a card balance if only minimum monthly payments are made.
• Issuer must provide 45-day written notice before raising APR or make any other significant change to the card agreement.
• Periodic statements must clearly state the required due date and late payment penalty.
• Credit card agreements will be posted online and the Fed must keep a public Web site providing them to the public.

Source of Data— Consumers Union

So as the credit card companies are changing the rules of the game and making every last desperate attempt to collect as much money from consumers before regulations rein them in, here are some things you should know and some tips you can follow to help minimize the damage to your own finances.

• If the bank intends to change one of the terms, such as the interest rate, it must send notice at least 15 days in advance of the change. The 15-day advance notice requirement does not apply if the consumer has agreed to the change, or the change is due to delinquency or default, such as exceeding the credit limit.

• Any agreements should detail the interest rate, the length of any promotional rates, penalty fees and penalty fee triggers. Ask for these in writing; don’t take their word for it under any circumstances.

• Some banks allow customers to retain a lower rate by closing the account to future purchases and requiring payment of the balance under existing account terms. If any new terms are objectionable, people should weigh their options, which could include paying off the balance or transferring the balance to another card with a lower rate.

• The National Foundation for Credit Counseling can provide a list of accredited counselors by calling (800) 388-2227 or visiting their Web site, www.nfcc.org.

Have you been affected by the recent aggressive changes of the credit card industry? If so, how have you tried to adapt to meet their tougher terms and what tips do you have to offer others?

How to Begin Retirement Savings

2009-07-16T13:30:00.000Z

Watch CBS Videos Online
As I wrote on Tuesday if you haven't began retirement savings yet, you need to make plans to start in the near future. This is my second attempt at writing this post. My first attempt ended up almost 1 1/2 pages long and I was only on the first topic of three topics I was trying to cover. If you are like me, you never would have wasted that much of your life reading about retirement savings. So, I decided to find a video that would help summarize the points I want to make and a few links to some good websites that keep the points simple and to the points.

For me, I invest money outside of my teacher pension, in an IRA (Individual Retirement Account) and put the money in an index fund. For me, it is the simplest, safest way to save money for the future. I know the risks of the stock market are scary and the potential for my money to shrink in the stock market is real possibility. But an even scarier more realistic fact is, if I don't save now I will be broke in the future, depending on a hand out from social security that will provide less than 1/3 of the money I'll need to live a dignified retirement. I'll take my chances with my IRA.

What is a Mutual Fund
What is a 401k
What is a Roth IRA (If this page asks you for an email address just click "back" on your browser then click back on the link again and it should let you read the article)