Livin’ Like a Drug Dealer

March 22, 2010 10 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’ll be visiting Iceland and a month later I’ll spend two weeks in Kauai, Hawaii.

Most people only ever dream of traveling to the extent that I’m 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’s true. With enough hard work, we can become anything 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 own dreams.

Rule 3) Stay Out of Debt. If you’re in debt, get out. When you’re always paying for the past, you’re unable to focus on today or the future. Since beginning this website I’ve eliminated my credit card debt and paid off my car loan.  Now I’m 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 doesn’t belong to you and until you eliminate your debt, you’re not in control of your life.

Rule 4) Stop Buying Shit You Don’t Need. Really. If you want to live 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 that bring enjoyment to my life. I don’t 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’ll 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 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 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

Ten Commandments of Goals & Money

November 28, 2009 2 Comments

"Ten" by koDesign @ Flickr

“Accomplish Your Goals While Managing Your Finances.”

At times, the two seem to be at odds with one another.  How can a person manage their finances when goals are oftentimes lofty dreams of indulgence?  A waver in one direction has an immediate impact upon the other.  The secret to is to find balance.

For the past year I have been toeing this line in my own life.  I have managed to pay off the last of my credit card debt and paid my car loan off more than a year early.  At the same time I spent a month traveling North America, spent a night under the stars of a clear California sky and climbed Mount Saint Helens.  This experience has brought me to some conclusions.  I’ve singled out the ten most important things to consider when you begin your journey towards accomplishing your own life goals.

The Ten Commandments of Goals & Money:

1) Know Thyself: Any successful journey in life requires some degree of foresight and planning.  Your future is no different.  Take time to consider what your values are and where your passions lie.  Create a list of goals and search for a common theme.  Use this as a compass to help orient yourself in the direction you want your life to take.

2) Happiness Is NOT “Out There”: Our focus frequently rests upon what we do not have or those things that are not ideal in our lives.  We set goals as a way to better our lives, not realizing that our focus on improvement is the reason we are dissatisfied with our lives today.  We trick ourselves into believing that happiness can be found in a pay raise or that a boob job will make us beautiful.  This isn’t the truth.  Happiness cannot be found “out there”, it comes from within.

3) Follow Your Heart: Too often we ignore what is in our hearts, opting instead to think with our head.  While our brains have great capacity for extraordinary intellectual achievement, sometimes they hinder our spirit.  Listen to your heart.

4) Money IS Important: Money does not equal happiness but money is important.  Without it, our focus would change from accomplishing goals to struggling to survive.  It is important to be fiscally responsible and to find a balance between today and tomorrow.  Seek harmony in your finances.

5) Know Your Priorities & Align Your Actions: There is a difference between saying and doing.  It is easy to say you value something.  It is not so easy to express your values through action.  It is crucial that we align our values with our actions if we hope to live a life which is in harmony with our priorities.  In doing so we are able to live guilt free, knowing that we are doing what we believe is the right thing.  At the end of the day we can rest our head upon our pillow with a clear conscious.

6) Modify Your Internal Dialogue: We are too hard on ourselves.  Instead of building ourselves up, we break ourselves down.  We focus on our flaws, the things that we need to improve upon.  We ignore our talents, our individuality.  Learn to love your imperfections, they are what make you unique.

7) Debt is Slavery: We may not be pulling a plow across the earth like our ancestors but we are no less of a slave to our debts, however, we are our own masters.  Whenever you feel it is time to break free from the binding chains of debt, you are in control to make that decision.  The more debt you accumulate and each dollar you waste is another day of slavery.  It doesn’t need to be that way…break free.

8) Stop Making Excuses: If you think about something long enough or hard enough, you can be certain that you will always find a reason not to do something.  Making excuses is not productive.  Stop.

9) The First Step is Always the Most Difficult: The hardest thing about going for a jog is putting on the shoes.  After that, things tend to fall into place.  The same can be said for most aspects of life.  Overcoming inertia is difficult and may require a leap of faith, a request for assistance or admitting you don’t have all of the answers.  This simple act may be the catalyst to major change in your life.

10) Knowledge is Power: The other day I was reading a blog post and read the following:

Uncertainty is caused by a lack of knowledge.  Hesitation is the product of fear.

This simple thought struck a chord and as I thought more about it, Fear controls so many aspects of our day-to-day lives.  We hesitate out of fear and fear what is unknown.  By educating ourselves we remove the unknown variables.  We eliminate the uncertainty.  The more we know, the more confident we become as an individual.  Knowledge is power.

Filed under Budgeting, Confidence, Debt, Education, Goals, Life, Motivation, Opportunity, Passion, Potential, Preparation, Prioritizing, Savings, Spending, Success

Fiscal Tendencies of the Poor

July 30, 2009 1 Comment

It would seem that the body gradually becomes accustomed to living on the fat of the land in good times and going hungry in bad times. Indeed, hunger destroys any resolution for reasonable budgeting in better times to come by holding up to the eyes of its tormented victim an eternal mirage of good living and raising this dream to such a pitch of longing that a pathological desire puts an end to all restraint as soon as wages and earnings make it at all possible. The consequence is that once the man obtains work he irresponsibly forgets all ideas of order and discipline, and begins to live luxuriously for the pleasures of the moment. This upsets even the small weekly budget, as even here any intelligent apportionment is lacking; in the beginning it suffices for five days instead of seven, later only for three, finally scarcely for one day, and in the end it is drunk up in the very first night.

Often he has a wife and children at home. Sometimes they, too, are infected by this life, especially when the man is good to them on the whole and actually loves them in his own way. Then the weekly wage is used up by the whole family in two or three days; they eat and drink as long as the money holds out and the last days they go hungry. Then the wife drags herself out into the neighborhood, borrows a little, runs up little debts at the food store, and in this way strives to get through the hard last days of the week. At noon they all sit together before their meager and sometimes empty bowls, waiting for the next payday, speaking of it, making plans, and, in their hunger, dreaming of the happiness to come.

I grew up in a poor household.  We never had much money for anything beyond the basic necessities.  If there were ever a time when there would be extra money around, instead of saving it for the future, it was squandered on pleasures of the moment; an extra large meal or a toy for myself or my brother.  Instead of working to rise above living paycheck to paycheck, our constant struggle was ensured by this way of living.

As I grew older I continued the lessons I had learned as a small boy.  Any money left over at the end of the week was meant to be enjoyed.  I worked so hard to earn it, I should have some for my own pleasure.  What I wasn’t able to realize was that I was perpetuating my financial struggle, just as had been the case during my childhood.  Instead of saving my extra few dollars to help with next months rent I was spending it on all of the things I didn’t have during my childhood; Garbage Pail Kid cards, He-Man action figures, nice clothes.

I never gave any consideration to why I spent my money in this self-defeating way until I was talking to a friend of mine who also grew up poor & did exactly the same thing as I did.  Once he had earned a paycheck, instead of saving what remained, it was off to the store to buy squirt guns, electronics & CDs, clothes; everything he never had as a child.

This effect of poverty isn’t contained only to myself or my friend.  The quote above comes from 1925 from none other than Adolf Hitler in his book Mein Kampf.  His words eloquently describe exactly the pattern & cycle of spending which I was raised in and continued into my early 20′s. 

When people speak or think of Adolf Hitler, many don’t remember him beyond the evil of his deeds.  They don’t remember the young, ambitious youth who struggled to become an artist.  Many have heard of his book, Mein Kampf, but have never taken the time to peruse its pages.  While not having read the book in its entirety, I spent some time reading it as a teenager while I struggled to understand what could cause a man to be so filled with hatred.

Even as a teenager, this quote struck me as being incredibly insightful.  I highlighted this entire passage.  At the time I knew these words meant something, they resonated within me.  I showed the highlighted words to my mom & received little comment.  Whether the silence came from the thought of her child reading Hitler or the reality I had just bestowed upon her, I am uncertain.

Having turned a financial corner in my own life, this quotation reminds me of the reality which I grew up in & am now working so hard to prevent in the future.  Wisdom comes from many places, including from some of the most evil of men.

Filed under Budgeting, Money, Savings, Spending

It Was Love at First Sight

July 11, 2009 1 Comment

toshiba-nb205-n310-white-open_angle-700

I used to be proud of my media collection.  As I continue to seek a simpler (clutter-free) lifestyle, I no longer enjoy blatantly displaying my collection of DVDs & CDs for the world to see.  I thought a small case to hold the discs which could be tucked away in a drawer out of sight would be a nice solution.  I found exactly what I was looking for at Best Buy & purchased two of them; one for CDs which I would store in my car where I listen to most of my music & the other for what remains of my DVD collection.

Before leaving the store I couldn’t help but to wander over to the computer department.  My computer had finally made its last stand a while ago and I have been using my girlfriend’s laptop for all of my computing needs ever since.  At first I wasn’t bothered by having to share a computer but as school approaches & I continue to write, a computer of my own would be nice.

Even though it would be nice, I have been putting off such a major purchase for financial reasons.  As inconvenient as sharing technology can be at times, it wasn’t enough to convince me to spend many hundreds of dollars on a new computer.

That is when I saw it, a NetBook.

I was drawn to the NetBook for a variety of reasons, the first being price.  At less than $400, these are much closer to a price I am actually willing to pay for a computer.  It is true that they don’t have all of the capabilities of an actual laptop, but they are able to handle everything I need them to do; surf the Internet & blog.  When school starts I can use it for homework & typing papers.

Another thing I really like about it is the size.  While a laptop isn’t very big, a NetBook is practically half the size making it much easier to haul around.  It only weighs a couple of pounds and could fit easily into a backpack.  If I am commuting to school via bicycle (which I hope to be a possibility), the less I have to carry the better.

What really surprised me the most was the battery life which can last up to 9 hours!  The laptop we are using now is lucky to last an hour.  With such a short battery life, it isn’t very portable.  With the NetBook I could take it to all of my classes & not have to worry about the battery dying halfway through the day.

I left the store without making any purchases but by the next day I found myself still thinking about how nice it would be to have one and how affordable they are.  I decided I would return to Best Buy to buy the NetBook.  I browsed the selection, comparing models & prices.  I finally made up my mind, choosing a Toshiba Mini NB205-N311.  

After asking the sales clerk a few questions to help clear up some lingering questions, I asked him to please get one for me.  A couple of minutes later he returned with the news that they were all sold out.  We checked some other stores in the area but they were all sold out also.  I would be leaving the store without a NetBook.

Even though I wasn’t able to get a NetBook, now I have some more time to consider the purchase and do some more research.  It will also give me some more time to save up some money.  I haven’t budgeted for a new computer & while I have extra money in savings, it will make it (mentally) easier to make the purchase if I set aside some money specifically for this purchase.  

Filed under Budgeting, Spending

Paying for Television is History

July 10, 2009 2 Comments

"Kicking Television" by dhammza @ FlickrBefore leaving for our trip we decided to cancel our cable television.  It wouldn’t make sense for us to pay for a utility that we would not be using while on the road.  In addition to travelling for a month, our summer plans include relocation as well as a variety of other outdoor activities.  There won’t be much opportunity to sit in front of a television set.  By the end of summer we will be settled into a new home, preparing for another year of college.  In all likelihood we will look into the possibility of hooking up our cable again.  Is it really something we need?  Are there alternatives to cable?

With the relocation I hope to be able to tune into local television stations with an antenna instead of having to pay for service from a cable provider.  Our relocation will place us close to Minneapolis so we should be able to pick up many stations.  Even with the possibility of having a couple of local stations I wondered what other options are available as a substitute to paying for cable?

So far I haven’t found any great alternatives, though I have found a couple of possibilities.  The first thing I’ve found is a website called Hulu.  It is free to sign up for an account and you can watch episodes of many of your favorite shows with only minor advertising interuptions.  They offer a significant selection of both television episodes as well as movies.  The quality of the videos is great and I haven’t experienced much trouble with downloading time.  The only problem with this site is that they only offer older episodes.

Similar to Hulu is a website called Joost.  Here you are able to watch a variety of full-length television episodes as well as movies.  Most of the movies I browsed through were older titles and B films.  There are some great television shows available at this site though I was disappointed by having to sort through the short clips in order to find full-length episodes.

Another possibility I wondered about was YouTube.  A quick search of one of my favorite shows (Whale Wars) offers at least a little hope of watching some full-length episodes, though it looks as if it could be somewhat inconvenient to do so.  Despite the inconvenience of trying to watch TV shows, YouTube is great for watching music videos.  I am able to find even the most obscure songs.  It isn’t exactly a solution to our cable television situation, but still worth noting.

While it doesn’t solve the cable issue, another possibility is to utilize your local library for movie titles.  Many libraries carry a great variety of DVDs which you can check out for free.  While they may not have the most current releases they do have recent titles & you may be able to request specific movies.

Even if you are unable to tune into a local station for free, with the variety of websites available to watch practically any television series you want it doesn’t make sense to pay for a cable service.  The only exception is if you absolutely cannot live without watching the most current episodes.  Instead of paying for cable save yourself some money and use the Internet to watch your favorite television shows and take advantage of your library for your movie needs.

Update!!! July 17, 2009- I found a new site which I am just testing out but so far have LOVED!  It is called LetMeWatchThis.com.  It has many television series & new movies.  It is easy to navigate.  The only thing which brings any concern is that the site doesn’t host its own videos.  It links you to third-party websites, for example I am currently watching Six Feet Under on MegaVideo.com which I linked to from LetMeWatchThis.com.

Filed under Money, Savings, Spending

Some Thoughts on Lottery Tickets & Gambling

July 9, 2009 2 Comments

"Texas Hold'Em" by losvizzero @ Flickr

I’ve gambled.  There is a casino about an hour from where I live which I’ve been to a few times in my life.  Most of the time I stick to the penny slot machines though on one occasion I tried my hand at the Black Jack table.  After a couple of hands I had had enough.  I couldn’t seem to win, so I moved on to something else.  I don’t like watching my money disappear.  I’ve gambled in Las Vegas, again without luck.  I’ve gambled in Aruba & have the same story to tell about gambling there.

I’ve played scratch-off lottery tickets with minimal results, winning small sums of money very infrequently.  With all of my experience in gambling, I’ve never had the “luck” of winning.  It is because of my inability to win that I have little desire to take my hard earned money to a casino or gas station in the hopes of hitting it big. 

I don’t entirely shun the thought of gambling if it is for entertainment purposes only.  I have never spent a great deal of money in a casino or on lottery tickets.  If I spend more than $20 in a night at a casino it is a strange moment.  I tend to keep a pretty tight fist on my cash at these places.  I also limit myself to how often I enter a casino, only going with friends for a night out.  Gambling can be fun, even if you are losing.

Today while I was waiting in line at a gas station there was a couple buying scratch off tickets.  Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until I noticed the line wasn’t progressing.  My curiosity piqued, I began watching the transaction at the counter.  The cashier was counting a stack of tickets and another bunch was lying on the counter.  When she finally rang up the total the couple had nearly $250 in scratch off tickets.  I don’t mean to stereotype but by all appearances these were not rich people.  I wondered how in the world they could afford to be spending that kind of money on gambling.

I puzzled over this for a while.  If I had $250 to spend it wouldn’t be on lottery tickets.  I would apply that money towards something meaningful such as saving it for a rainy day, paying down my car loan or using it to accomplish some of my goals.  Even though I am not against gambling I couldn’t fathom myself applying so much money towards it.  Twenty dollars in 6 months in the slots can be chalked up to fun, but that much money indicates a real problem.

My streak of bad luck at the casinos has shown itself as a blessing in disguise.  Had I won early on maybe I too would cling to the hope of hitting the big one someday.  Maybe I might have been the person spending a weeks pay on lottery tickets.  Instead, when I gamble I do so without the intent of winning but of having fun & socializing with friends.

As is the case with any aspect of personal finance, a balance must be found.  One where you are able to meet your responsibilities & prepare for a prosperous future while living a full and happy life today.  No doubt there are people out there who would say that gambling is the worst financial decision you can make.  I think the worst financial decision is not practicing restraint in any aspect of your finances.  I didn’t hit my financial rock bottom because I was gambling.  My financial disaster was much more subtle than that but it still came down to being able to control my spending.

If you ever find yourself spending more money than you know you should on anything, ask yourself some hard questions & dig down to the source of the problem.  Ask yourself if what you are doing today is preparing you for a strong financial future down the road.  It is easy to think only about today, what you are eating for dinner tonight or your weekend plans.  Think beyond that to 5 or even 10 years down the road.  Where do you see yourself?  How are you going to get there?  Is what you are doing today conducive to reaching that goal?

We look at gambling in a narrow scope thinking only of cards, chips, slot machines or a roulette table but gambling is much more than that.  Each time we spend frivolously we are gambling with our financial futures.  Enjoy your life, but don’t risk a secure tomorrow.

Filed under Behavior, Goals, Life, Money, Prioritizing, Spending

“Its an Investment”

June 9, 2009 4 Comments

"Gold Coin with Wench Bokeh" by ~*Leah*~ @ FlickrLately it seems as though I am doing a lot of shopping.  Many opportunities to part ways with my hard earned cash are beginning to present themselves.  Fortunately I’ve been able to hold onto my money while I take the time to research my purchases, which has proven to be a good choice.

While on vacation my digital camera began a death tailspin which prompted me to begin searching for a new camera.  Instead of spending another $300 on a low end camera I decided that a new digital SLR would be a better choice.  I have wanted an SLR for many years so it doesn’t make sense for me to buy yet another cheap camera.  Buying a cheap camera would essentially be a waste of money as it would eventually be replaced by the camera I really desire.  I could save that money and use it as my first step towards a bigger purchase.  Buying the cheap camera is a waste of money and buying the more expensive model is an investment…isn’t it?

At the beginning of the year I purchased a new road bike and ever since I’ve been in the market for accessories.  From headlights to helmets to bike shorts to a tire pump and now a bike rack.  My girlfriend and I leave for a month long cross country journey today (SURPRISE!) and we thought it would be fun to bring our bikes along with us for the trip.  We started shopping around to see what our options would be and were presented with 3 options; a hitch mount (I don’t have a hitch), a roof rack & trunk rack. 

Our cheapest option, the trunk rack, presents a couple of problems.  The first issue is the ease which our bikes could be stolen.  The rack is not equipped with any sort of anti-theft devices and could easily be removed with a couple cuts of the straps.  Our cheapest option just became a very expensive mistake if that were to happen.

Another problem is access to the trunk.  In order to open the trunk we would need to take the bikes off of the rack every time we needed access.  This would eventually become an annoyance as we will need access to our trunk multiple times a day during the trip.

The salesman presented us with another option, a roof rack.  This rack provided all of the features that the other options could not provide; security, stability, & access to the trunk.  The only problem is the cost.  This option is more than 6 times the amount of the trunk rack.  Neither of us were willing to spend this much money.  As we exchanged thoughts amongst each other, the salesman chimed in saying that this rack would be “an investment”.

We decided that we would leave the bikes home and consider our options more thoroughly before making a purchase.  On our way home the salesman’s words lingered in my mind.  An investment, really?  I’ve used this method of thinking to justify other purchases and now I wondered how often people use this same excuse to justify spending more money on the expensive option.

As I learned more about money management & saving I realize that buying a bike rack, even a top of the line model, is not an investment.  We are not buying consumer goods with the intention of selling it for a profit in the future.  We make these purchases for the utility of the items, not their resale value.  No matter how much we try to convince ourselves of the investment value of these items, they simply are not an investment.

The next time you are in a situation where you are considering a major purchase don’t let your judgement be clouded by the “investment” value of the item.  If you want to invest, buy some stocks and bonds.  Don’t go out looking for investment opportunities in a retail environment. 

Filed under Money, Spending

Does Being Frugal Put You at Risk for Fraud?

June 7, 2009 Leave a comment

"The Chic Detective" by rockymountainroz @ FlickrI love to take photos.  When I travel I have my camera on the ready at every moment.  By the time we return home I usually have thousands of photos to sort through.  Despite my passion for photography, the equipment I use is very basic.  My digital camera is more appropriate for taking snapshots at a family reunion than for composing photos of any artistic value.  I also have a Nikon 35mm film camera with interchangeable lenses.  I love to play around with this camera however I miss the ability to review the photos immediately after taking them like I can with my digital camera.

While on our recent trip to the Southwest the screen on my digital camera began to show signs of trouble.  At first there were a couple of dead pixels but soon the trouble began to spread across the screen.  By the time the spreading had stopped I was left with what appeared to be a lunar eclipse in the middle of my LCD screen.  This made taking nice vacation photos next to impossible.

It was obvious that I would need to replace my camera so when I returned home I went to Best Buy to check out what they had to offer.  Instead of replacing my camera with another low end camera I decided to look into buying a digital SLR Nikon which would be compatible with the lenses I already owned for my film camera.  After checking out the available models I learned that while the lenses I owned would work on these camera bodies, the auto-focus feature would not function.  I was greatly disappointed by this news as lenses are very expensive.

I began looking online for the camera which I was interested in purchasing to see if I could find it at a lower price.  (For those interested, I am considering a Nikon D5000).  I soon found a website offering the exact same camera with 2 lenses for approximately half of the price as what Best Buy was asking.  I decided to call Best Buy to see if they would offer a price match with online competitors but was informed that they only compete with other local retailers.

This left me with the dilemma of purchasing the camera through an online retailer with whom I’d never done business.  I would also be making a purchase of an item sight unseen.  I’ve ordered plenty of things online without much of a problem so I am pretty confident in making online purchases, but for some reason this website made me question something.  I decided to give the customer service phone number a call.  It was too late in the afternoon so there was no one available to answer my questions.

I contemplated making the purchase again as the price was amazing and I didn’t want to miss out on such a good deal.  Besides, if I were able to get a great camera at half the price wouldn’t that be the smart, frugal decision to make?  There was still a strange feeling lingering so I did a quick Google search of the company and was rewarded with a long list of customer complaints.  I learned that this particular website was a bait & switch company, which means that they advertise a great price on a high end item, then try to get you to take a lower quality item after making the purchase, saying your item is no longer in stock.

I am fortunate that this wasn’t a lesson I had to learn the hard way.  I was saved a lot of heartache and stress by making a quick search on Google.  It makes me wonder if being frugal puts me at a greater risk of being a victim of fraud.  Being frugal generally requires making informed decisions about purchases.  Frugality tends to lead us down the path of searching for the best deals possible, which may eventually direct us into the hands of predators.  Those predators are using low prices as enticement for bargain shoppers to initiate a transaction with them.  In the case of the website mentioned above, once they had your credit card information they attempt to sell an inferior product, most likely a cheap knock off version.  This puts us at risk for credit card fraud as well as simply being ripped off.

The lesson to take away from all of this is not new information, but something we’ve all heard throughout our lives; “If it is too good to be true, it probably is.”  Frugality isn’t always about finding the lowest price.  It is about finding the best deal.  When you put yourself at risk for fraud, you may end up wasting your money.  That is not a very frugal decision.

I will continue searching for a better price, but in the process I will ensure that I am protecting myself against companies which are trying to scam me and take my hard earned money through dishonest practices.  I encourage you to take the same precautions when you are making important purchases.

Filed under Frugality, Money, Preparation, Spending

Lessons From a Free Kayaking Class

April 28, 2009 1 Comment

One of my goals is to kayak at the Apostle Islands in Northern Wisconsin.  I have never been kayaking or to the Apostle Islands, but both are something I’ve wanted to do for a while.  Having never been in a kayak and knowing next to nothing about the sport, I was excited by a photocopied flier at our local fitness center advertising a free kayaking course.  I signed up immediately.

Apostle IslandsWhen the day finally arrived I wasn’t sure what I would be getting myself into.  I was glad to have my girlfriend and another couple of friends taking the course with me.  There was a brief introduction into the different types of kayaks available and the cost associated with each.  After the introduction we were able to get to the meat of the class; test driving them.

The first boat I tried was a whitewater boat, which is small by design but too small for me.  After trying a variety of different boats of varying types, lengths and styles I finally found one that seemed suited for what I desired from a kayak; ease of use.  I won’t need to use a whitewater kayak for my trip to the Apostle Islands and I didn’t need an ocean kayak.  I had settled into one somewhere in the middle.

When I was searching for kayaks before taking this class, I was clueless that there was any difference in kayaks except that some where longer than others.  As a typical consumer I had always just assumed that bigger was better.  Luckily I learned that it wasn’t so simple by taking this course and now I know the differences between kayaks.  If I would have purchased a kayak before this course I would have ended up with something much too large for my needs and would have probably hated kayaking because I was using the wrong equipment.

At this time I have no plans of buying a kayak, but still hope to be able to accomplish my goals of kayaking at the Apostle Island sometime this summer.  I’m sure I will be able to find a place to rent one that fits my needs.

What is the moral of this story?  Do your research before making a major purchase.  Even if you aren’t able to participate in a course that allows you to engage in hands on learning, the internet is a great place to do research.  There are many websites about whatever you are interested in.  A lot of these websites have a knowledgeable community willing to answer any questions you have.  Get involved with these communities, they are a wealth of information.

Don’t buy blind.  If I would have bought that kayak a year ago, I would have regretted my decision each time I used my kayak.  Don’t make a decision based on an assumption you hold but have no evidence to support your assumption.  Educate yourself before making a major decision, not only when making purchases, but also in your daily life.

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Please check out the ”All Things Eco Blog Carnival” which features links to numerous environmental blogs with tips about going green, eating organic, saving the environment, and enjoying nature,  including this site!!!

All Things Eco

Filed under Apostle Islands, Education, Spending

Master of Our Own Slavery

April 17, 2009 6 Comments

"Old Slave Bell" by Schalk Marais @ FlickrIn the not so distant past there was a distinct line between the slave and his or her master.  The slave was considered to be less than human, more closely related to the horse or oxen than to a human being.  They were there to harvest the crops and tend to the chores around the home.  Eventually, common sense prevailed and slavery was abolished, however slavery continues today in a more subtle form and of our own making.  We have become the slave and the master.

Everyday throughout this country, people force themselves to show up for work at a job they loathe.  They do it because they feel as though they have to.  There is no other choice than to suffer through another day, another week, in order to get that paycheck in their hands so they can put food on the table, a roof over their head and clothes on their back.

What people fail to realize is that their money isn’t being spent only on basic necessities such as food, shelter and clothes.  We buy expensive cars, motorcycles, boats, flat-screen televisions, iPods, iPhones, CDs, DVDs, Blue Ray, green rays, plasma rays, death rays, fast food, Aqua Globes, Snuggies, gym memberships, touch screen car stereos, vacations, shopping sprees, designer jeans, perfume, cologne, teeth whitening systems…

If we didn’t buy all of this unnecessary Stuff, just how much less time would we need to be slaves in a job where we are unhappy solely for the purpose of financing all of the things we buy but don’t actually need?  I live a pretty basic life today compared to how I used to.  Sure, I still spend money and enjoy my life, but I do it more responsibly.  I think about how I am spending my money and how it will affect my future.  I consider whether or not what I am purchasing will add value to my life or if it will end up on eBay or a landfill before I buy it.  I used to blow my entire paycheck buying things like DVDs and CDs.  I didn’t have a penny saved, but I had a lot of Stuff sitting around my apartment, collecting dust.  At least I had something to show for all of my hard work, right?

While I did have a lot of things as a result of my ability to spend frivolously, none of it added value to my life.  I may have been entertained while watching a movie, but wouldn’t I have been just as entertained had I rented it or borrowed it from a friend?  Of course I would have and I would have saved myself about $15 in the process, but I wouldn’t have anything to show for my work.

Every single week of my life I have $82 withdrawn from my checking account to make my car payment.  That is money that I never see, it is just gone;  $328 in after tax money each month.  That is over 33 hours worth of work just to pay for a car (net income divided by a 40 hour work week), which is used primarily to take me to work.  Sweet irony.

Many people don’t consider how much money they actually bring home.  A person may gross $40,000 a year but thanks to Federal Taxes, State Taxes, FICA, medical and dental insurance, 401(k) contributions, alimony and whatever else a person may have deducted from their earnings, their checks don’t amount to $40,000 at the end of the year.  People rationalize to themselves that buying a $20 DVD is only an hour and a half of work, but in reality is more than that because you are paying with after tax dollars.

We are spending ourselves into a situation where we really do need that job that we hate so much because now we have a mortgage, a car loan, consumer credit card debt and we keep spending more and more on things we don’t need.  We are the masters to our own slavery.  Until we are able to break ourselves of these spending habits we will continue to rely on a job that doesn’t make us happy.  We will continue to shuffle our feet through the door of a company which doesn’t allow the personal freedom or creativity we desire in a job.

We may as well be pulling a plow across the earth like our ancestors.  The major difference between then and now is there wasn’t a choice in the past but today there is, and we are our own masters.  Whenever you feel like it is time to break free from the chains of slavery, you are in control to make that decision.  The more debt you accumulate and each dollar you waste is another day of slavery.  It doesn’t need to be that way…break free.

Filed under Consumerism, Debt, Employment, Freedom, Motivation, Prioritizing, Savings, Spending

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