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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

51. What are some of your favorite Romantic Comedies?

What are some of your favorite Romantic Comedies?

   


Romantic Comedies we enjoy (In Bold some of our favorites):



Gone with the Wind (1939)

Roman Holiday (1953)

To Catch a Thief (1955)

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

The Sound of Music (1965)

What’s Up Doc? (1972)
Anne of Green Gables (1972)

Somewhere in Time (1980)

Jane Eyre (1983)

The Princess Bride (1987)
Father of the Bride (1991)

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

Shadowlands (1993)
Little Women (1994)

Pride And Prejudice (not the 2005 version, we love the mini-series 1995)
Sense and Sensibility (1995)

While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Sabrina (1995)
Emma (1996)
Jerry Maguire (1996)

Ever After (1998)

You’ve Got Mail (1998)

Runaway Bride (1999)

The Wedding Planner (2001)

Maid in Manhattan (2002)

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) 
A Walk to Remember (2002)

Nicholas Nickleby (2002)

Importance of Being Ernest (2002)

North and South (2004)

Yours, Mine And Ours (2005)

Miss Potter (2006)
Penelope (2006)

Cranford (2007)

The Young Victoria (2009)
New In Town (2009)
Letters to Juliet (2010)

Leap Year (2010)
Tangled (2010)
My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend (2010)
The Decoy Bride (2011)

   



Monday, April 28, 2014

50. Five Money Mistakes Newlyweds Make

Marriage is a beautiful thing. There's the wedding, honeymoon, and a whole new life together. It's exciting and new. It's fun, stretching, and frustrating sometimes. Here's some things to consider if you are newly married or engaged to be married. 

1. Not Budgeting. Include all monthly income and spend it all on paper or your spreadsheet. Make sure to include categories for saving and investing. Develop, agree, and stick to a budget together. If one person is better with finances than the other let that person make the budget and allow the other person to agree to it. The one who didn’t make the budget should change at least one thing in the budget. Talk it over. Account for all income by matching it to expenses. Agree to what you’re going to spend. And stick to it. Adapt the budget as needed. Tweak this every few months and track your expenses with www.mint.com



2. Forgetting to Save. Saving for retirement and emergencies is important. If your company offers a 401k match invest the minimum to get the match. That’s free money! If no 401k is offered consider investing in an IRA or Roth IRA. Not having an Emergency Fund is a serious recipe for disaster. Emergencies can and will happen: the car will break down, an appliance will have to be repaired, etc. The credit card with 30% interest should be the last option not the first.

3. Failing To Be Honest About Finances. It is important to pay bills on time. It is also important to discuss major purchases. Consider making decisions together on major purchases like appliances, furniture, vehicles, houses, etc. Be honest about finances with one another. Discuss your budget with your spouse on a regular basis - either bi-weekly or monthly.



4. Tackling Finances as Individuals. Consider shifting your focus: All debt and assets too should be considered both spouse’s responsibility. Work together to eliminate debt brought into the marriage. Again, make major purchases together. Arguments over finances are one of the lead causes of stress in marriages. Consider too not succumbing to the pressure of having kids as friends around you are having them or the family turns up the heat strongly pressing for grandkids or nieces/nephews. Consider your financial situation and talk it over together as a couple.



5. Living Beyond One’s Means. It is important to spend less than you make. Remember that it took your parents years to acquire, save, and build their lives together. Don’t expect to have everything that has taken them 20, 25, 30 or more years of marriage in the first few years of your marriage. Delayed gratification is important. Consider too getting your higher education knocked out before you have children. This will theoretically increase your income potential. Remember there’s two ways to change your financial situation: increase your income or decrease your expenses. Don’t compare yourself to others but realize that wealth building takes time and energy.

Hope this helps! What do you think? What has worked in your marriage and what advice would you give? 


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Saturday, April 26, 2014

49. Imagine Yourself Debt Free

DaveRamsey.com


Yogi Berra once said: "If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else."

This is funny but very true. We took Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University course first through listening to the CD's then through our former church. Emergencies will happen it’s a fact of life.

We’ve found that giving, having an emergency fund, budgeting, and saving makes our money go a lot farther. We also can give a lot more now. The first thing I’d recommend is to start an emergency fund to pay for any emergencies you may have (car repairs, doctor visits, etc.).

The second is track expenses through budgeting tools like www.mint.com . Understanding where your money is going each moth and cutting expenses where possible is a good strategy.

Third remember contrary to popular belief credit cards are not for emergencies. They are for bonuses such as free mileage or cash back on purchases you would normally make anyway. And that is only if you pay off the bill every month. We have become very allergic to interest. If we can’t pay cash we wait. We’ve found that paying cash you can often get a discount.

Here are some of the great things about this very topic in God’s Word.

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” - Matthew 19:26

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. - 2 Corinthians 9:8

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; - Philippians 1:6
For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all it contains. - Psalm 50:10-12

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. - 2 Corinthians 9:7

Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine. - Proverbs 3:9-10

If you are neck deep in debt there is good news. Be encouraged! God can help you get out of debt with some basic strategies and hard work. You can do two things: increase your income or decrease your expenses. Preferably both!

If you are already budgeting, tithing, investing, and saving there is always something more to learn. The thing is to get and stay on the right track - debt reduction. And also the key is to be intense about getting out of debt and staying out of debt. When you're in debt you are paying someone else interest and giving away your income. Your income is one of your greatest tools in wealth building and financial health. Don't give it away!

Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler. Proverbs 6:4–5

See this link about Gazelle Intesnity.

Here are some basic principles my parents taught me.

1. Put God first and trust Him to provide for the rest.
2. Always save for a rainy day (also called an Emergency Fund).
3. Put money away for tithing (10%), saving (10%), investing (10%), and a rainy day (10%) every time you get money.
4. Spend less than you make.

There are many programs out there. Here is the basic idea of Dave Ramsey's Debt Reduction & Wealth Creation Plan:

Dave Ramsey's "7 Baby Steps" Plan

1. Make minimum payments on all your bills. Squeeze your budget until you've accumulated $1,000 cash. This is your beginner Emergency Fund.

2. Pay off your debts in order of smallest balance to largest. 
"Snowball" the payments as you go.

3. Create a 
full-fledged Emergency Fund containing 3 to 6 months' worth of expenses.

4. Direct 15% of your annual pre-tax income into your 
retirement plans. Utilize tax-advantaged accounts such as 401ks and Roth IRAs, if eligible.

5. Take care of college funding. Fully fund 
Educational Savings Accounts and/or utilize 529 plans.

6. Become financially "Ultrafit" and 
100% debt-free: Pay off your home early.

7. Get to the point where your money works harder than you do: 
Build wealth (mutual funds, real estate, etc.), have fun, and give!

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48. Famous Quotes Fridays April 25, 2014

Better late than never… Famous Quotes Fridays:

"The chief cause of failure and happiness is trading what you want most for what you want now." - Zig Ziglar


So I guess the take way is plan for the future, budget, save for emergencies, be generous, don't over commit to toys you can't afford (boat, motorcycle, beach house, etc.), and learn delayed gratification. :-)

Friday, April 25, 2014

47. Five Money Mistakes College Grads Make



Graduation is quickly approaching. Time to make decisions. Here's some things to consider if you are a college graduate or a parent of a college graduate. These are some money mistakes college grads tend to make… Avoid them! 

1. Not Budgeting. Include all monthly income and spend it all on paper or your spreadsheet. Make sure to include categories for saving and investing. Tweak this every few months and track your expenses with www.mint.com



2. Forgetting to Save. Saving for retirement and emergencies is important. If your company offers a 401k match invest the minimum to get the match. That’s free money! If no 401k is offered consider investing in an IRA or Roth IRA. Not having an Emergency Fund is a serious recipe for disaster. Emergencies can and will happen: the car will break down, an appliance will have to be repaired, etc. The credit card with 30% interest should be the last option not the first.

3. Living Beyond One’s Means. It is important to spend less than you make. Remember that it took your parents years to acquire, save, and build their lives together. Don’t expect to have everything that has taken them 20, 25, 30 or more years of marriage in the first few years of your post-college life. Delayed gratification is important. Consider too getting your graduate education knocked out before you are married or have children. This will theoretically increase your income potential. Remember there’s two ways to change your financial situation: increase your income or decrease your expenses. 




PLEASE NOTE: Don’t buy a new vehicle as soon as you graduate with a huge monthly payment. Your income is one of your greatest assets and paying that monthly payment with interest is a killer. Not to mention why add the stress of a car payment while having the responsibility of paying bills (rent, utilities, etc.), potential student loans, and potential consumer debt (credit cards) off at the same time. Consider driving your “old” college vehicle for a few years before you upgrade. 



4. Unrealistic Expectations for Entry Level Positions. Often educational institutions will exaggerate the opportunities available to seniors and graduates. Check out this link on May 2013 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates and the “Annual Mean Wage” column or click on a specific occupation title for more details. Another good resource is www.glassdoor.com for looking up jobs by company and title. Also check out www.indeed.com to look average salaries by job title.


5. Not Paying Off Debt ASAP. Consider paying off your debt as soon as you are able and living frugally particularly for the first few years after graduation. Remember as a college student $20 or $50 was a lot of money. Keep your same, hopefully, frugal spending habits you had as a college student with your first few jobs. Have some fun and celebrate as you become completely debt free!


What do you think? Hope this helps!

Thursday, April 24, 2014

46. Five Money Mistakes High School Grads Headed to College Tend to Make



Graduation is quickly approaching. Time to make decisions. Here's some things to consider if you are a high school graduate or a parent of a high school graduate. These are some money mistakes high school grads tend to make...


1. Everyone Should Go to College. College isn’t for everyone. Some people would be better off going to a technical school (think paralegal, dental hygienist, law enforcement,  or pursing some form of apprenticeship (think plumber, electrician, carpentry, etc.). Financial aid is out there. If you do go to college make sure to educate yourself. Financial Aid link: http://www.finaid.org/ If you do go to college be very careful of student loans. If you have to take out student loans consider what you need every semester or year to graduate. Make sure the degree you choose will allow you to pay back the student loans in a timely manner. 200k in debt for a profession where the average starting salary is 35k is probably not a good idea. Consider too going to community college to take your basic courses and living at home for the first 2 years. Then transfer to a 4 year university to finish your bachelor's degree. 

2. You Should Play It Safe. Taking calculated risks can be a good thing. If you need to change majors do so only once. Choose a major that will allow you to pursue a career. Being a career college student shouldn’t be your goal either. And yet don’t forget to have fun! Alcohol and parties are typically a part of the college experience. Don’t let alcohol become your life. If you do partake in such activities do so in moderation. Don’t allow alcoholism or drug addiction to affect the rest of your life. Saying “No” no matter the peer pressure is okay particularly to drugs. A DUI (Driving Under the Influence) or convictions on drug possession can seriously hinder your career path as well as create havoc in your educational path. What you CAN do during this season of life is develop good studying, spiritual, and life habits. Sleeping is also important for the sake of your health, studies, and relationships. Weigh the matters life presents before you. 


3. It’s All About Networking. No, I don’t mean your computer network. I’m talking about connecting with people, making friends, and creating a human network. Consider networking with people that are different than you and outside of your immediate group of friends. This will help you grow as a person by learning more about yourself and also bring great satisfaction in a variety of friendships. Join several interest clubs or consider joining a fraternity/sorority. Often time’s job opportunities will open up as people recruit or recommend those they know.

4. It’s Also All About Experience. Not working while in school is a bad idea. Sure enjoy the “college experience” but also keep in mind job experience matters in the real world. There are millions of job applicants and tough competition in the job market. Experience in the work force including an internship in your field of choice increases your chances to distinguish yourself. Often internships lead to job offers once a degree is completed. In the summers consider taking basic courses at the community college while busting your butt working a summer job. Summers ARE NOT time to travel the country, go to Europe for 2 months, just sit around playing video games, sleep all day, go to the beach, lounge around the pool, or go shopping. Time to grow up and realize that high school is behind you. Welcome to the real world.


5. Not All Degrees Are The Same. Location, location, location. I learned this the hard way. A degree from an unknown university verses one of the larger more well-known schools is not the same in the real world. Carefully consider if you do go to college where you will attend. Also carefully consider your major and/or minor. Perhaps consider going to a community college first and then transferring to finish up your degree at a 4-year school. Teaching is a noble field and the benefits are great (summer’s off anyone?). But make sure you’re becoming a teacher for the right reasons. Engineering is a great field but do you have the math and science skills necessary to succeed in that major? What value does a minor in Philosophy really add to your career or income potential? Is it worth graduating in 4.5, 5, or more years to get that extra minor? 


Check out this link on May 2013 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates and the “Annual Mean Wage” column or click on a specific occupation title for more details. Another good resource is www.glassdoor.com for looking up jobs by company and title. Also check out www.indeed.com to look average salaries by job title.

Hope this helps. What do you think?


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Follow me on Twitter! @JWKEagle


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Wednesday, April 23, 2014

45. Tips to Save Money - Part 6

Here’s some personal experience on great ways to save an extra buck. I'd love to hear your tips! I have a list of about 60+ tips to save money. This is part 6 tips 21-25. I hope you enjoy! 

21) Cancel your Magazine Subscriptions/Newspaper
21a) Last year we made it a point to go to Barnes & Noble and the local library about twice a month. We were able to save a ton by getting our news online and reading free magazines at these locations. Not to mention getting a good book and reading at B&N is a great date night if you’re into that thing.

22) Cancel Your Gym Membership For A Few Months
22a) There are lots of Fitness DVD’s out there. Amazon has plenty to choose from for $20 or less.

22b) Another option is to exercise outside. We tried it last spring for a couple of months. It was actually very romantic, fun, and saved us $70 a month on gym memberships.

23) Christmas Gift Giving
23a) Assuming you celebrate this holiday save tissue paper & re-use gift bags. We stopped using wrapping paper a few years back. Tissue and bags are a lot easier (especially for us guys) to use. Plus they can be recycled/re-used as long as the bag is in good condition!

23b) Have a contest to see who can buy the nicest gifts (including brand name stuff) for the best (lowest) price. A friend of ours does this every year with his family. There is voting by each family member. The winner of the contest gets a great prize!

23c) Consider asking family instead of useless gifts that nobody needs or wants a gift card exchange. We did this last year with part of our family with a lot of success. Everyone writes down a list of 4-5 things they want (including gifts cards) and people end up with a gift they actually want or a gift card to a store they'd like to buy something at... or consider everyone giving towards a charity helping those less fortunate. After all Christmas is the season of GIVING right?

23d) Consider if you have kids asking grandparents, uncles, aunts, etc. to give a money gift to your kids to go toward their college fund.

24) Buy Gift Cards at discounts
24a) Times are tough. Often at the end of the year companies will have promotions: Subway had $5.00 off your next sub with the purchase of a gift card. We bought two gift cards ($25 each) and each had a free sub. Plus we had enough for going out on very inexpensive date for the next couple of months. There are also websites where you can purchase gift cards at discounts.

25) Haircuts
25a) For guys a simple home hair cutting kit ($20-30 usually) can save a ton over time. I bought a kit last summer to buzz my hair and saved an average of $15 every two weeks for four months. We saved about $100 over the course of that time. Plus anytime I want an inexpensive haircut it can be convenient.



25b) For women consider going to a cosmetology school (In the Dallas are there are several Ogle Beauty Schools). Instead of paying $30 you might pay $10 for a good (hopefully) haircut. Plan on spending double the time at the hair stylist as they are just learning! My wife did this our first year of marriage and we saved about $100-200 for the year.

Which tip did you like best? What tips have worked for you? See the full list of tips to save money for the other tips and parts! Leave a comment! 

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