Monsters Under Our Bed

March 30, 2010 6 Comments

Fear is a great way to motivate people.  People who are afraid don’t stop to ask questions or even wonder if their fears are rational.  In the wake of 9/11, we were sealing our windows and doors, stocking our basements with water, canned foods and batteries.  We feared that letters containing an “unknown white substance” might show up in our mailboxes.

A few months ago, round the clock news coverage of H1N1 fanned the flames of fear.  In the 90′s, killer bees were destined to take over North America.  SARS, Bird Flu, Osama bin Laden, Balloon Boy…2012, illegal immigrants, Y2K.

Now, ObamaCare.

The fear that is being generated by politicians and the media is being done so intentionally, by people who have an agenda.  They want people to be afraid because people who are afraid don’t stop to ask questions.  They don’t wonder if their fears are rational.  It started with rumors of Death Panels, now the passage of the Health Care Reform Bill will surely bring about Armageddon, unless, of course, the Mayans get to it first.

I don’t claim to have all the answers for the Health Care Debate but it is my opinion that health care should not be a privilege of the rich.  Every American citizen deserves the right to good health, without the fear of being bankrupt by illness or disease.

Instead of our elected officials perpetuating fear about the impending demise of our country in an attempt to rally their base for an upcoming election, why not work on solving the problems?  Instead of fighting blindly against party lines, why not work together for the greater good of the country?

It is more politically safe to fight against something than it is to take a stand for what is right and it seems to me that that is exactly what the Republican Party has been doing ever since the election of Barack Obama.  They are not interested in doing what is difficult and challenging.  They are more interested in their upcoming election, of fighting against rather than working together, regardless of political affiliation.

When those elections come around, I hope the people will realize they are being manipulated by fear; fear that is only in the interest of a political future, not the interest of the American future.

It isn’t only the politicians who have an interest in keeping you afraid.  The media also benefits from your fear.  Fear keeps you glued to the television, waiting for the latest update.  The more fear, the more viewers tuning in, the more advertising revenue they are able to generate.  Everyone has an interest in keeping you afraid, so ask yourself:

Are you afraid because there is something to be afraid of, or are you scared because that is how you are being programmed?

I encourage honest, open dialogue about this topic, however, I reserve the right to restrict any comments that are not intellectual or which blatantly attack another person for their political views or opinions.  Thank you for your discretion.

Filed under Politics

Cheap Trip: Germany

March 24, 2010 6 Comments

There is a rumor going around that European travel is expensive.  The US Dollar is weak against the Euro, making the cost of a trip to Europe practically unaffordable.  The price of petrol (gas) is insane, over $7 a gallon.  Finding a decent hotel room in a European city of any importance can easily cost more than $100 per night.  We haven’t even yet considered the cost of roundtrip airfare.  It seems your dream European vacation may have to wait until next year, once again.

I thought the same way about traveling to Europe.  I bought into the rumors that vacationing on the other side of the Atlantic was out of my price range.  Unless the value of the dollar began to grow seriously, I was certain I could never afford such a trip.  Then I decided to do some research and found that the cost of visiting Europe wasn’t that much different than traveling to other parts of the world.  Sure, the Euro is stronger than the US Dollar but not by much.  I booked my flight to Germany and began planning my 7-day adventure.

Here is a breakdown of the costs associated with my trip:

Roundtrip Plane Ticket (MSP > FRA): $719.00

Train to Luxembourg: $63.84

Hostel in Luxembourg: $28.46

Cash: $247.00

Total Expenditures: $1,058.30

There are two areas which are noticeably absent from my costs; lodging and food.  I was fortunate enough to be able to stay with a good friend and her family.  Not only did they allow me to stay in their home for the duration of my visit but also graciously filled my belly with food around the clock!  Words cannot convey my gratitude for their hospitality adequately.  From the moment I arrived on their doorstep, weary from my journey, they made me feel welcome, provided me with interesting conversation and shared their knowledge of the local area.  I am so thankful for having them be a part of my life, they are good people and great friends.  If you do not know anyone who lives in Europe, or anywhere else in the world, you might try Couch Surfing.  It could be a great way to meet local people and save a little money as well.

My hostel experience in Luxembourg was the best hostel experience I have ever had.  Usually when I think about hostels, I think about old, rundown buildings.  When I arrived at this hostel, I was surprised to find a modern building which was clean and welcoming.  For less than $30 a night, I was impressed.  There are some drawbacks to staying in hostels, the most obvious being the shared living quarters.  The room I stayed in slept 6 people, one of which snored rather loudly throughout the night.  Sleeping in the same room with strangers doesn’t bother me in the least but for those who are a little more “high maintenance” than I am, a hostel might not be an appropriate fit for you.  The cost is affordable for the individual traveler but when traveling with a group of people, a hotel might make more sense.  Weigh your options.

The train system in Germany (and throughout Europe) is incredibly efficient and easy to navigate.  It can also be very affordable.  If you are planning an extended stay, I would recommend purchasing a EuroRail pass.  Depending on which pass is right for you, it can cost as little as $45 and up to $2,039.  You can use the pass to travel between 21 countries in Europe and there are an almost limitless number of pass options which can be customized to your specific travel needs.  With the train system, I would not recommend renting a car during your visit.  The cost of gas is high and finding a parking place is like winning the lottery.  Use the train.

The rumor that a European vacation can cost a lot of money might actually be the truth, if you decide to plan your trip that way and not use the resources available to budget travelers.  It is a choice that you need to make, based on what is best for you and your financial situation.  Personally, I prefer to spend as little money as I can while traveling and rarely find myself in high end hotels and never fly first class.  I sleep in airport terminals to get the best deals on airfare and I am willing to bump my flight whenever I am able to “earn” free domestic airfare.  The more you travel, the more it becomes a game to find the best deals while still having the time of your life.  Let’s start a new rumor, one which says that traveling anywhere in the world can be affordable, if you know how to make it that way.

Get out there and explore the world!

Filed under 192 Countries, Travel

Livin’ Like a Drug Dealer

March 22, 2010 9 Comments

“They must be drug dealers.  How else could they possibly afford to live the way they do?”

On the outside, my life might seem glamorous, the life of a drug dealer, full of money and expensive trips around the world.  In the last year I spent a week in the Las Vegas area, went on a month long road trip on the west coast and returned to California a month later to camp in Yosemite, went cruising around the Caribbean and last week was spent visiting a friend in Germany.  In two months I will be visiting Iceland and a month later I will spend two weeks in Kauai, Hawaii.

Most people only ever dream of traveling to the extent that I am able and some speculate that such a lifestyle can only be attained through illegal means, such as dealing drugs.  What many people ignore are the sacrifices I make in my daily life in order to afford to live the way I do.  If you want to live like a drug dealer, I can show you exactly how I am able to do it, no drugs necessary.

Rule 1) You Can Have Anything but You Can’t Have Everything.  When we are kids our parents tell us that we can grow up to be anything we want to be.  It is true.  With enough hard work, we can become anything that we want to be but we can’t become everything we want to be.  You can have anything you want in life, for me this is travel, but you can’t have everything.  You have to make a choice.  Do you want to travel or do you want to drive a sexy sports car?

Rule 2) Stop Paying Attention to Others.  We only see what other people want us to see.  People do not want us to know that they can’t really afford exotic vacations, expensive designer clothes, luxury automobiles, dinner at exclusive restaurants and drinks after work.  Our society believes that being rich means looking rich.  We spend our money trying to keep up appearances, all the while completely undermining our financial stability.  Being rich and having money has nothing to do with what you drive or the clothes you wear.  Ignore other people and focus on your own financial situation and on your dreams.

Rule 3) Stay Out of Debt.  If you are in debt, get out.  When you are always paying for the past, you are unable to focus on today or the future.  Since beginning this website I have eliminated my credit card debt and paid off my car loan.  Now I am able to apply that money towards doing other things in my life, such as travel.  Debt holds you hostage.  You become a slave to your lenders and you spend your days working for the banks and credit card companies.  The money you earn does not belong to you and until you eliminate your debt, you are not in control of your life.

Rule 4) Stop Buying Shit You Don’t Need.  Really.  If you want to live life like a drug dealer, you can’t spend all of your money on stupid shit that brings no value to your life.  My money is spent on plane tickets and hotel rooms, the things that I value and bring enjoyment to my life.  I do not spend money on media, cigarettes, alcohol, clothing, etc.  I live minimally and only try to spend my money on the things that I need.  Stop buying shit you don’t need and you will have money to spend on the things that you want to do in your life.

Rule 5) Make Life a Priority.  Stop thinking about all of the things that you want to do in life and make them happen.  It took me a long time to stop making excuses.  There is always a reason not to do something and so long as you continue to use these excuses as justification for not pursuing your desires, your life will never change or improve.  If you want something in life, you can’t expect for it to happen to you, you must make it happen.  You have to be aggressive and punch life in the face!

The rules of living life like a drug dealer are simple, totally legal and can work for anyone.  You don’t need to earn a lot of money to live a great life.  You just need to be smart with the money you earn and prioritize the things that are important to you.  Once you begin to follow these simple rules and apply them to your life, you can be certain that your life will begin to take shape in exactly the way you have envisioned in your mind.

Filed under Attitude, Debt, Freedom, Lifestyle Engineering, Money, Potential, Prioritizing, Spending

Deutschland

March 14, 2010 3 Comments

At 4:05 CST this morning I will be touching down in Frankfurt, Germany for a weeklong visit with my friend from high school.  Visiting Germany has been on my list of places to visit for almost ten years and it is nice to finally put aside all of the excuses not to go and just do it.

I have no itinerary except for a day trip to Luxembourg to visit the city and wander around sight seeing on my own.  I don’t know the first thing about Luxembourg but I’m going because I’m close by and it is a new place to explore.  I need no more reason to convince myself to get on the train and go.  I’ll be staying in a hostel overnight and returning to Germany the following morning.

Maybe I’ll go see a movie while I am in Germany.  Alice in Wonderland looks like it might be a fun movie and I really enjoy going out to the movies while I am traveling.  I feel at home in some ways, yet it is always a unique experience wherever I go.  Of course, there is always Goal 118) Drive on the Autobahn to consider.  I will have to discuss this with my friend and see if it is possible to go for an afternoon drive.

Here is the flight itinerary: MSP-ORD-FRA

Not quite as interesting and complex as those of Chris Guillebeau but it is a start!  One day my flight itinerary will have more, it is only a matter of time!  So I’m off again and I will be back soon will tales of my adventures and lessons to share from my travels.

Filed under Travel

Is a Gym Membership Worth the Money?

March 13, 2010 7 Comments

In the spirit of the upcoming Hundred Goals’ Challenge, today’s article will discuss a topic which is generally considered as gospel on countless personal finance websites; that a gym membership is a waste of money.  I disagree, but let’s try to see it from their perspective first.

When a person is in dire financial straits, the first expenses which are cut from the budget are those which are not essential to a person’s daily life.  While it is true that today’s society has a radically different perspective on what “essential” means, when faced with a crisis that requires us to take a little deeper look, we begin to cut the extras from our budgets.  Often, a gym membership falls into the “extra” category and it gets cut.

I understand this.  In order to turn around a bad situation, it is essential to focus your finances solely on the things that matter, such as food, shelter, electricity, etc.  A person is able to go for a walk without paying a membership fee each month.  It doesn’t cost anything to do a couple of hundred push ups on your living room floor.  There is no need for a Stair Master when you are hiking up and down the stairs in your house.

At least that is what we tell ourselves when we cancel our memberships.  We assure ourselves that we don’t need a gym membership because we can do everything at home without the extra cost.  Everything is great!  An extra $30 is freed up for use elsewhere in the budget and now we will start our exercise routine at home tomorrow.  But we don’t.

Our good intentions fall victim to excuses.  Those Pilates DVDs that we bought a year ago were used once, and even though we told ourselves that we were going to use them again now that we are working out at home, we still haven’t touched them.  The treadmill in the spare room gets more use as a clothes hanger than an exercise machine.  Exercising at home just doesn’t happen, whether it is because there are too many distractions or we simply cannot find the motivation to move the coffee table to do yoga, it just doesn’t work.

Now that you’ve cut your exercise expenses and are no longer exercising, what is it costing you?  At first glance, you might think it is costing you nothing and you’re even saving yourself $30 a month, right?  Wrong.

By not exercising you are increasing your risk of health problems such as cancer, heart attack and diabetes.  Exercise is also proven to reduce anxiety and stress, increase energy and fight symptoms of depression.

What about your quality of life?  A sedentary lifestyle leads to weight gain and obesity.  Climbing that flight of stairs becomes a real challenge.  Forget about climbing a mountain, it is hard enough carrying the groceries into the house.  What are you missing out on as a result of your physical condition?  How many quality years are you losing at the end of life?

How much do these ailments cost in a lifetime?  If you consider the cost of hospitalization for some of the health related problems and prescription costs for the mental and emotional issues, the costs can be extraordinary, but how can you measure a loss in your quality of life?  I’m not sure it is possible to put a dollar figure on a life and I wouldn’t want to argue with someone on their death bed that they can’t buy more time for all the money in the world.

I believe that the cost of a gym membership is more than worth the extra expense every month, so long as you are using it.  If you are not using it, don’t cancel it, GET TO THE GYM AND EXERCISE!!!  It isn’t the money you should be concerned with, you should be concerned with your life, with your future and with your health in the long term.

Keep the gym membership and use it!

Filed under Exercising, Health

Tax Time: Gucci Shoes or Your Life?

March 6, 2010 5 Comments

It is that time of year again;  tax season!

For many people, a tax return is more exciting than any holiday.  Tax returns mean shopping sprees and vacations.  We dream of Gucci shoes, Prada sunglasses and Coach purses with more anticipation than we do of sugar plums on Christmas morning.

A large return also means a chance to catch up on old bills, bulk up our savings account or pay down debts.  Instead of using your tax return to buy more Stuff, take an honest look at your financial situation and use this as an opportunity to begin your journey toward financial freedom.

A refund can buy an expensive pair of shoes or it can be a chance for you to set the stage for a new phase of your life.  Living with debt limits your potential.  Living without savings restricts your ability to capture opportunity.  Now is your chance to eliminate the limitations and prepare for opportunity.

Nothing you can buy at a store will change your life.  An expensive purchase may bring a rush of endorphins that make you feel on top of the world, but at the end of the day, you are no better off than you were before and another opportunity has slipped through your fingertips.

A tax refund is only the beginning.   A refund means little without a desire for real change.  Your good intentions of paying down debt or building savings can be undone in a moment of indiscretion.  Real change requires discipline and determination on a daily basis, the days when you make small financial decisions.

Tax time comes around but once a year and we are faced with the difficult choice of fiscal responsibility or personal indulgence, yet each day we are faced with countless financial choices that can accumulate and far exceed the value of any tax return, however, we don’t give them the same amount of consideration.  For real change to occur, we need to question the day to day expenses as well.

Financial stability does not occur as a result of once a year decisions.  Financial stability results from a daily diligence to save, to live frugally and spend wisely.  Financial stability is a result of living within our means and staying out of debt.  It isn’t an annual tax return that creates change.  This is only the first step in the journey towards a life of financial stability.

Will you use this year’s tax return to buy Gucci shoes or will you use it as a stepping stone towards improving your financial situation and changing your life?

Filed under Consumerism, Life, Money, Opportunity, Preparation, Prioritizing, Taxes

Hundred Goals’ Hundred Dollar Challenge

March 2, 2010 9 Comments

Do you want to earn an extra $100?

Earning this $100 will require you to challenge yourself, confront and overcome fear, look at yourself with an honest perspective and persist against a desire to quit.

What is the Hundred Goals’ Hundred Dollar Challenge?

The challenge is a way for you to put $100 in your pocket in exchange for a little hard work.  This challenge is about creating a better you and working to build a healthy, active lifestyle.  This challenge is a way to motivate you to lose weight and get in shape.  The $100 is your incentive to stick with it.

How does it work?

A hundred dollars sounds pretty good, right?  Earn money to improve your life and get fit and healthy?  It doesn’t get much better than that, so how can you get involved in the Hundred Goals’ Hundred Dollar Challenge?

1) Become a Fan of Hundred Goals on Facebook

2) Take a deep breath, summon up all of your courage and upload a “Before” picture of yourself in a comfortable state of undress, revealing enough to show your true physical condition.  (Photos can be uploaded to any photo hosting site you chose, however, a link to the photo must be posted on the Hundred Goals’ Discussion Forum for the Challenge).

3) Exercise

4) At the beginning of each month, share your progress and/or post an updated photo.

5) Six months later participants will post an “After” photo and a winner will be chosen.  I will contact that person to arrange payment of the $100 prize.  Simple!!!

To get things started, I have posted my “Before Photo” on Facebook!  I look forward to a good response, the more people who participate the more interesting the Challenge will be and the more support we are able to offer one another!

Please sign up by April 1st if you would like to participate!!!

Filed under Challenges, Exercising, Motivation

February Wrap Up

March 1, 2010 2 Comments

Here we are, two months into the New Year and while many people have all but given up hope on their resolutions, I am persisting, even if the progress is slow.  It is my belief that real change does not take place overnight and that lasting lifestyle alterations require a period of evolution in which old habits are broken and forced actions become routine.

New Years Resolutions

Diet:  “I will no longer treat my mouth like a garbage can and junk food will find its way to the trash where it belongs.  I will learn about healthy eating, teach myself how to prepare healthy meals and reduce the number of times I visit restaurants significantly.”

By the end of January I realized that my plan to improve my diet had been almost entirely ignored.  I had no way to quantify any improvements I might have been making so I made a promise to track my spending throughout February in order to establish a baseline which I can use to measure success or failure.

Here are the results (also includes Erin’s spending):

Fast Food: $310.78

Groceries: $174.76

Restaurants: $95.40

Other: $9.25

Total: $590.19

Numbers do not lie and seeing the totals has made us realize that there must be changes, not only for financial reasons but for our health.  Our plan for the month of March is to reduce our Fast Food spending by half, which will result in an increase in our Grocery spending.

Another aspect of my diet that needs to improve is the amount of soda I drink.  I will employ the same approach as I did with tracking my food expenses and track the amount of money I spend on soda in the month of March.  From there I will work towards reducing that amount until I reach a point where I am no longer drinking soda.  This will be a major feat as I have attempted to stop drinking soda in the past and failed.  I have stopped drinking caffeinated beverages since the end of December, so I am past that hurdle.  Now, more than anything, it is about breaking an established habit.

Finance: ”I will establish a savings plan to compliment my debt repayment plan.  In doing so, I will create a balance in my finances which will help accomplish both goals simultaneously.”

At the end of January I still had not found balance in my finances and made it my goal for February to establish a formal savings and debt repayment plan.  Two weeks ago I created a formal budget and began following the guidelines I established.  A consequence of creating this budget is that I am not able to focus my full attention on debt or savings.  Instead, I am working towards both goals simultaneously, which slows progress on both.

My goal for March is to further refine the categorical details and continue following the savings and debt repayment plan that I established within the budget.

Fitness: “In order to refocus my attention on physical fitness, I have purchased a gym membership and have been exercising on a daily basis for the past couple of weeks.”

My fitness goal for February included establishing a regular schedule in which to exercise.  I created an hour a day in my schedule for exercising but regret to say that I have not been following that schedule and that I have not been to the gym for the past couple of weeks.  I could blame it on a plethora of things such as my school schedule, tests and homework…but it really just boils down to not taking initiative.

March will be different.  I may not make it to the gym 6 days a week like I was at the beginning of the year but I want to exercise a minimum of 3 or 4 days a week for an hour each day.

Personal Resolutions

Travel: My goal is to travel 50,000 miles in 2010.  In February I did not do any traveling however I was able to finalize plans to visit Hawaii this summer, roundtrip is approximately 9,400 miles.  In March I am spending a week in Germany to visit a friend; ~9,300 miles roundtrip.  In May I will accomplish my goal of traveling to Iceland; ~6,100 miles.  With the traveling I did in January (~5,000 miles), I will be left with approximately 20,000 miles.  That is a huge distance, and though I have a couple of plans in mind, none of them will come close to closing that gap.  It is still early in the year and it is impossible to say what might transpire over the course of the year, so I will remain optimistic!

Education: Classes this semester are proving more difficult than the last.  I am struggling with Chemistry and almost failed my first test.  I can still pass the class with an A, though it will be a monumental challenge.  I will work as hard as I can to keep my GPA above 3.5 for the semester.

Student Loans: February was the first month with my new budget and I made my first budgeted payment to my Student Loan account, $350.

February was an opportunity to take an honest look at the progress I am making on my resolutions and realize the failures in a quantifiable way.  March is sure to bring about its own set of challenges but opportunity and success will follow.

Filed under Goal Updates

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