Saving & Investing

We live in a world full of both hustle and bustle!

Nowadays, the simple life is becoming harder and harder to get even a small piece of. Today’s American homes are nothing more than a rest stop used to get a moment’s refresher, before we move back outdoors ready for the next activity (which is usually a shopping trip, to be honest). Even though this is the average person’s life here in the U.S.A., why let this horrible way to live happen to you? Why not slow it down a bit, and reap the many rewards?

Perhaps in your heart of hearts you’ve always dreamt of living the simpler life. Maybe, just maybe, you sometimes like to actually “stop and smell the roses” but can’t quite figure out how to do it in your everyday situation. I truly believe that a life that is too busy can rob us of some of the greatest joys that could have otherwise enjoyed. I also believe that as we live our life “in the fast lane” we become discontent with almost everything (note: it shouldn’t be this way, of course). Continued

Most people are too yellow to set goals of wealth for themselves, because deep down they ultimately fear failure!

However, if you never fail in life, you’ll probably never succeed either (I bet you didn’t know this, smarty-pants). It’s the whole truth and nothing but … most wealthy people can recall many different things that they failed at in their time on Earth. They set their site on what they wanted to accomplish, and while some of their goals were achieved, others fell by the wayside (it’s just the way it goes, unfortunately). I know what you’re thinking … at least they accomplished some of their goals, right? Yes, and this should go to prove that you should never fear making personal plans ever again. The long road to wealth is an enjoyable ride, but one that’s pretty damn bumpy if you ask me!

Start right now, by taking a stand and making short-term goals for you and your family. Sure, you’ll probably have to work around your current work situation for now, but this will probably change over the next few years if you’re really serious about it (that’s a not-so-subtle hint for all the weak-willed people to stop reading now). Heck, even if your plans involve working for someone else for the rest of your life, at least focus your short-term goals on building a good work relationship with your boss and striving to do your best while you’re there. Maybe you’ll get that promotion to a higher-paying position in the company (this is always a possible [yet kind of sad] scenario) but just make sure you’re also making plans for your retirement as well. Continued

Obama, as we speak, is trying to come up with some solutions to get this country back on the right path!

Is he going to mess up along the way? Of course! Is there going to be many mountains to climb before this happens? My answer: most definitely! You see, for the last decade this nation has been living in a constant state of greed (note: I am not kidding about this — not one bit). The banks were tossing out poisonous mortgages to anyone who asked for one, regardless if these borrowers could make the future payments or not. This caused millions of house-flippers to come out of the woodwork and make money hand over fist on the cheap sly, quite literally!

Then there were those who rode the stock market for everything it had. They bought into the housing sector stocks when they were good, but that would only last so long until it burst. So just when you thought things couldn’t get any worst, the sick vultures named speculators found a way to once again screw this economy: through energy! And you remember that story quite well, don’t you ($4.50 a gallon for the cheap stuff. Man, I want to punch someone in the face real hard for that)? Continued

It’s absolutely pouring out — cats-and-dog-style. On a freaking Saturday — and the darn Sunday forecast isn’t any better. Now how are you going to blow all your hard-earned moolah?

My answer: forget about it (dry your eyes, cry-baby). There will be other weekends, and is it really the best thing you could be doing anyways? Our economy is in the shitter, and it’s only going to get a lot worse before it gets a little better. Right now you should be hoarding your nuts (read: cash) in your own tree knot (read: savings account, ok I’m a weirdo).

There are plenty of great alternatives to tossing your dollars into the wind that you can do right from the comfort of your own home (or at least the one you will be paying off for the next couple of decades). Give these following few examples a shot, and maybe it’ll start steering your creative wheels in the right direction (note: right direction = coming up with better ideas): Continued

Ask any person old enough to live through the Great Depression how they got through it, and they’ll probably answer, “Conservatively!”

That was what they did back then, but now it’s a whole different story: in fact, if we ever want to get out of this horrible mess, which those idiots over the last eight years put us in, we actually are going to have to step up and put some of our hard-earned money back into the U.S. market (yes, I’m totally serious)! If you read my articles on a daily basis, you certainly know that I am no big fan of wasting money, but if we don’t start buying stuff this recession will be a very long, very painful drawn out affair! Why, you ask? Well …

Most Americans are literally storing everything they are earning into their bank accounts like scared chipmunks before winter! For a sad economy, like the one we’re currently in, this type of mad-scrambling frenzy couldn’t be happening at a worse time. Yes, that’s right: you are hearing this from a true believer in the frugal life! However, you forget one thing: I’m also a fan of helping out fellow Americans who might be suffering because they just lost their jobs, or they haven’t for a long time been able to find one due to the ridiculous unemployment rate. We need to do something fast people, and everyone needs to chip in a little to get it done. Continued