Fear is used to drive so much of what we do or don’t do with money. When it comes to saving money, savers are not known as being the sexiest people on Earth. Why? Because often times our culture celebrates immediate spending as sexy. Our culture smacks of credit cards and home equity loans funding lifestyles beyond reason.

Why are savers cool? They are cool because they look beyond today and elevate their wealth over time by putting their temporary money to work for them long-term.

Because savers put money away today and often become regular investors, they tend to live below their means early and have fewer and fewer worries as they age. While most people cannot have a vision for the future, savers have a plan for generating steady growth in savings and long-term investment growth down the line.

Sound complicated? It isn’t.

Our ideas are driven by establishing the proper emergency savings fund for today’s complicated employment market (15 to 18 months of expenses in money market savings accounts and certificates of deposit). We also believe it is critical to establish a pattern of reducing and eliminating all credit card debt (starting with the higher interest rate cards first).

Chasing your credit score is putting credit at the center of your financial well-being. We believe the base of your personal financial plan should be the regular building of savings and regular investing along with the reduction and elimination of debt.

Balance is the new sexy. This means you should have a good balance of increasing savings and regular investing while reducing and eliminating debt. Once you have established your emergency savings fund, you should educate yourself on regular investing. For many, this means mutual funds and diversity. Do your research on investing before you spend a nickel. Make sure you understand that investments go up and down and only risk what you can afford to lose forever.

Checking accounts are money laundering accounts for OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY. If you want to steadily lose money over the course of your life, leave extra money in your checking account. You will lose a lot. If you use any excuse to push money from checking to saving and investing, you will gain more than most people ever recognize.

Real value is not often built overnight. Overnight wealth is celebrated too much. Most of the time, building wealth is about having a strategy YOU understand and working it.

And you can get ahead for you and your family.

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

If you think I was born saving money, you are wrong. My family is filled with hillbillies from Louisiana. There are members of my family that don’t believe in 401ks or IRAs. I was not brought up to save and invest regularly and I have made every mistake you can think about when it comes to money. I have had to learn the absolute hard way how to get savings on track and make it a part of your life without killing your lifestyle. I have had to learn the hard way how companies mislead with marketing. It is my mission to share what I have learned about regularly saving with my own children and also share it with you. That’s why we have a lot of “free” (blogs like www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com and www.stickyasset.com/blog and groups on Facebook like “Coupons & Coupon Codes”)!

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

Connect with us on Facebook with these free groups:
“Coupons & Coupon Codes”
“Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves”
“Saving Money”

Most people who read this blog are concerned about the overall economy, jobs or what is going to happen to “lifestyle.” At the same time, many are concerned and overwhelmed by the idea of saving for retirement. 401k and both Roth IRA and Tradition IRAs have made this easier, but setbacks like the recent recession have challenged the idea that these instruments are helpful in securing your family financial future to those who watch these accounts regularly. The truth is that your 401k is not about what is in the account this year or next (unless you are nearing actual retirement). A 401k, Roth IRA or Traditional IRA is designed to perform over 30 years or 40 years. You can’t judge it by today or next week. That would be like judging a book by its’ cover.

What can you do? You can focus on the percentage you put in your 401k and either Roth IRA or Traditional IRA (yes, we believe you should have both – it’s not 1973 anymore).

You should also focus on your after tax paycheck. Base your savings on the percentage of after tax savings you are putting away each time you get paid.

If you don’t have a regular savings plan, start with our “1% Savings Plan.” Begin with your next paycheck. Look at your after tax income and multiply that amount – whatever it is – by .01. Take the answer and put that money in savings before you pay any bill and before you spend money on anything.

Then, the next time you get paid, multiply your after tax paycheck by .02. Put that in savings. Keep adding an additional .01 every time until you reach .20. This will insure you have a true savings plan. Because you started with .01 and moved slowly to .20, you will not destroy your lifestyle, but you will take saving from optional (which it isn’t) to non-optional and critical.

Do this until you have 15 to 18 months in emergency savings (money market savings and certificates of deposit. Once you reach that point, split your savings into regular investments.

Educate yourself. Include your family. Learn before you get to investing. If something does not make sense to you, don’t do it.

Remember our guidelines:

Saving is not optional.

Credit cards are the enemies of wealth-building (as is chasing your credit score).

Reduce debt and then eliminate debt (beginning with the highest interest credit card debt).

A checking account is a MONEY LAUNDERING ACCOUNT for OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY! Use any excuse to pull money from checking and boost it to savings.

Use coupons, coupon codes and negotiate – the rich people do.

If you don’t need it, don’t buy it.

Don’t buy when you are emotional.

Anything you save with a coupon, coupon code or because of negotiation, push that money to savings. In other words, pretend you paid full price and put the difference between the sale price and the original price in savings.

You will get ahead.

Saving is not optional. You better make sure your children know. We are always worried about their formal education; give them the power to control money. It is actually a greater gift.

Remember these words: You can do it!

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

If you think I was born saving money, you are wrong. My family is filled with hillbillies from Louisiana. There are members of my family that don’t believe in 401ks or IRAs. I was not brought up to saving and invest regularly and I have made every mistake you can think about when it comes to money. I have had to learn the absolute hard way how to get savings on track and make it a part of your life without killing your lifestyle. I have had to learn the hard way how companies mislead with marketing. It is my mission to share what I have learned about regularly saving with my own children and also share it with you. That’s why we have a lot of “free” (blogs like www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com and www.stickyasset.com/blog and groups on Facebook like “Coupons & Coupon Codes”)!

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

Connect with us on Facebook with these free groups:
“Coupons & Coupon Codes”
“Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves”
“Saving Money”

Most people think: Get rich quick.

Let’s win the lottery.

Maybe I will inherit money. My life will be fixed if I can just become RICH!

The truth is a lot more simple. True value is generally built OVER TIME.

The economy goes up and the economy goes down. The challenges of employment, your children, bills and more keep most of our attention. Most of us are subject to disappointment over politics one way or the other (or both) and the time wasting television (hey, people need to relax, right?)! Life pulls at you and you think about instant relief. What if I was rich? Ahh, that would make it all better.

Let me repeat: the good news for you and me is that value – real value – is generally built over time. This means that by establishing a pattern of saving regularly and investing regularly, you can and will get ahead. The biggest trick is to NOT get overwhelmed. You have to know in your heart that real value is created over time. As long as you develop your own plan, grow and learn in ways you learn to save more and invest better, you will be amazed how quickly you can grow savings and get on the path.

If you don’t have a plan right now and you are not saving right now, START (it’s the most important secret). Check out our “1% Savings Plan” on past blog entries.

We like a few guidelines:

Checking accounts are like money laundering accounts for other people’s money; use any excuse to pull money from checking and push it to savings.

Credit card companies are your enemies. They are the enemies of your family. Two words for these people: Reduce and eliminate debt (see our past blogs about how to deal with credit card companies).

If you save money using coupons or negotiating over price but don’t actually put the money you save in savings, you ARE NOT SAVING.

Regular savings is not optional. If you want poverty, don’t save money with every paycheck you get. You’ll get there.

The current guidelines for EMERGENCY SAVINGS are 15 to 18 months of expenses in money market savings and certificates of deposit. If you are using our “regular saving and investing guidelines,” you will build savings a lot faster than you think.

You can help your family by involving them in developing the family plan for saving and investing. It can be more important than their formal education.

You can get ahead in this economy. You can save money regularly. START – it is the most important thing.

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

If you think I was born saving money, you are wrong. My family is filled with hillbillies from Louisiana. There are members of my family that don’t believe in 401ks or IRAs. I was not brought up to saving and invest regularly and I have made every mistake you can think about when it comes to money. I have had to learn the absolute hard way how to get savings on track and make it a part of your life without killing your lifestyle. I have had to learn the hard way how companies mislead with marketing. It is my mission to share what I have learned about regularly saving with my own children and also share it with you. That’s why we have a lot of “free” (blogs like www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com and www.stickyasset.com/blog and groups on Facebook like “Coupons & Coupon Codes”)!

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

Connect with us on Facebook with these free groups:
“Coupons & Coupon Codes”
“Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves”
“Saving Money”

I was thinking about Conan O’Brien. The hoopla is all over. He has 42 million dollars. Jay Leno is headed back to “The Tonight Show.” However, I was thinking about something Conan said.

It was something like “Cynicism is my least favorite trait. It doesn’t get you anywhere.” He was right.

Sometimes I think we “adults” are just cynical and smart butts who don’t believe in anything. We certainly don’t believe we can win in “this economy.” We don’t believe we can save money “with this job.” We don’t believe we can overcome.

What if you decided to change all of that? What if we left being cynical behind?

What if we listened? What if we started OUTLAWING the “I can’t” phrase? What if we taught our children to ask “How can we?”

If you don’t have a regular savings plan today, you will absolutely run into trouble tomorrow. We suggest you start with our “1% Savings Plan,” but it is fine to start with whatever plan works for you and your family (to find the “1% Savings Plan,” look at our previous blog entries on this blog).

The main thing is this: Start reading up. Use the internet. Find ways to cull back your savings. Did I just use that word? Yes, I did. Check out “The 10 Things” on our www.middleclassmoney.com site. Check out websites that focus on ways you can save more money. While we do NOT endorse any site or product (do your own research), here are some examples to get your family started:


www.wethesavers.com

www.smartaboutmoney.com

www.billeater.com

www.fdic.gov (see if your bank is FDIC-insured)

You will note that we didn’t say purchase anything from any of these people. We actually believe you should be able to set your own plan for saving regularly and investing regularly. We don’t believe you should pay anyone to help you save money.

We also believe that a checking account is a MONEY LAUNDERING ACCOUNT for other people’s money. If you hang out on our blog, you will note right away we are for using ANY excuse to pull money from checking and putting it away in savings (money market savings or certificates of deposit).

How much is a good emergency savings fund in 2010? 15 to 18 months of expenses in savings. Don’t have that? Check out our past blog entries for “The 1% Savings Plan.” That will get you started without killing your lifestyle.

We don’t believe in chasing credit scores here either. The goal should be solid financial footing. That does not translate into A LOT OF CREDIT.

Building wealth is not generally done overnight and not often done through use of credit. Cash is still king and you should find ways to make your cash earn money for you (instead of you working for cash all the time).

A final word for now? You can do it! Get started. Don’t wait.

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

Connect to save more by joining the free Facebook group “Coupons & Coupon Codes.” We talk about saving money and how to make the most of coupons and coupon codes. You can share, learn or just check it out.

Do you really want to pay off your home mortgage? Here is our recommended strategy:

1. Make sure you have a proper emergency savings fund for 2010. We recommend that you have 15 to 18 months of expenses in actual savings (money market savings and certificates of deposit). It’s not 1977 anymore. Having paid your house mortgage down will not save your house from foreclosure if you lose your job and can’t find re-employment at the same level (or it takes you 15 months to do it).

2. Are you putting money into a 401k and Roth IRA or Traditional IRA? If not, you should make sure you are doing this before proceeding with step 3 below.

3. So, you’re ready to use our plan for paying off your mortgage early? Get your amortization schedule on your mortgage and meet us at step 5.

4. Does your mortgage lender allow you to make two half payments per month (instead of one payment a month)? If so, you should look at your spending to see if you can reduce spending enough to switch to the two smaller payments per month. This will equal about one additional payment per year and is a great start to shrinking the mortgage.

5. Look at your payment, principal, interest and balance on your amortization schedule. Focus on the PRINCIPAL. Look at the amounts you are actually paying each month. Do you see how much smaller those amounts are each month?

6. Try to shift your spending and bill paying so that you can add a SECOND payment each month (a third if you are splitting the big payment in half and already paying two smaller amounts each month). Write a separate check each month only for an amount equal to the PRINCIPAL. Write a letter that goes with this check and make sure you tell them this is an ADDITIONAL PRINCIPAL ONLY PAYMENT on top of your regular mortgage payment. Each one of these payments you make will drop an additional month off of your mortgage. With some focus and sacrifice, you can PAY OFF YOUR MORTGAGE faster than you think. Try it.

It all starts with focusing on the smaller principal amounts each month as an additional payment. This will get you along FASTER than you think.

If you have not purchased your home yet but are considering it now, check out additional ways to save on the FRONT END of your mortgage by reading HOW TO SURVIVE ANY FINANCIAL CRISIS at www.middleclassmoney.com.

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

Here are some quick research starters (places to start) in your search for the perfect coupons and coupon codes. Please remember our guidelines:

1. You are not saving unless you compare non-coupon and other store prices and number of units and/or weight to make sure the deal is a deal...not just marketing.

2. You are not saving if you don’t take the amount saved by the coupon and roll it OUT OF YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT into savings. For more tips on saving more money than you THOUGHT you could, go to www.middleclassmoney.com.

3. Always do your own research on any website or coupon offering.

www.shopathome.com

www.couponmom.com

www.coolsavings.com

www.mycoupons.com

www.couponmountain.com

www.couponclippers.com

www.boxtop4education.com/earn/clip/coupons

www.dealtaker.com

www.retailmenot.com

www.allprintablecoupons.com/manufacturer-coupons

www.thriftyfun.com

www.thegrocerygame.com

www.groceryoffers.com

Make sure you check out our new “Coupons & Coupon Codes” group on Facebook! It is a fun place to share what you’ve found with others and a fun place to find coupons and coupon codes.

You can save more money than you think. Congratulations on getting it done!

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

Many people talk about how the government is going to change with this politician or that politician, but all you have to do is open one of those notices from a credit card company, bank or any other “institution” where a company is required to send you notification of a change in policy that changes what you pay to do business with them.

If you’ve been an adult for awhile you know what I am talking about. They bury the one sentence they are required to send you inside three thousand words written intentionally to put customers to sleep and make you give up before you reach or can even understand the one sentence they are hiding.

So, what do you do? Always be alert to scams and never trust anyone who sends you anything notice that looks like it was written by a team of lawyers. Always follow-up. Don’t be afraid to call them and make them walk you through their document. Make sure you understand it.

Here are our “guidelines” for dealing with credit card companies:

1. Assume they are intent on sucking the life out of your financial well-being. Assume they are out to get you and your family.

2. Don’t use credit cards.

3. If you have existing credit cards, take a serious look at them and separate them by interest rates. Always be aware of exactly what they are charging you.

4. Any credit card company that charges you an annual fee should receive a call directly from you forcefully asking them to remove their annual fee.

5. Set your credit card companies up on a rotating basis and call them in rotation asking them to eliminate or reduce the interest rates while you pay off the card. You will need to talk to supervisors and you will have to be committed to a fairly constant program of calling them again and again to reduce or eliminate the interest rates.

6. Pay the minimum on every credit card you have EXCEPT the one with the highest interest rate – PAY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN OVER the minimum on this card until you pay it off. Then, rotate to the next highest interest rate card and pay AS MUCH AS YOU CAN OVER the minimum on that card until it is paid off. Continue this process until you pay off all your credit cards.

7. Watch for any adjustments at any time in your credit and the guidelines these companies use in dealing with you and your “account.” *See # 1 and # 2 above.

8. Do not cancel your credit cards; put your credit cards in a safe and do not use them. See # 2 above.

While almost everyone tells you to chase your credit score, that’s not what we do at www.middleclassmoney.com. We don’t want you to do anything to harm your credit rating, but we believe you should reduce and eliminate debt. You must look at the companies that provide credit cards as your enemy until you pay them off and then DON’T USE THEM AGAIN.

You can get ahead. You can pay off your credit card debt. You can help yourself and help your family if you take a HARD LINE against these companies and push them out of your life.

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

Where do you want to be in five years?

Today you are probably struggling along the path of “being an adult.” It seems more complicated than it did in the past, doesn’t it?

I don’t write personal finance blogs to help people become really wealthy. I write to point out that no matter who you are there is more than hope.

You can grow savings and you can eventually grow wealth. If you share your desire to learn how to save more and grow your savings and investing, you will help your children live a life with more options.

In five years, you could reduce and eliminate your debt and grow your savings until you have what we’ve identified as the proper emergency savings fund for 2010: 15 to 18 months of expenses in money market savings and certificates of deposit.

Imagine if you had that kind of savings right now. Would you live your life differently? We thought so.

Here’s the problem: Big business and government have worked together – either on purpose or by luck – to change our society from one that focuses on CASH IS KING to one that reads CREDIT IS KING.

If you’ve read our e-book “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis,” you know we believe that only cash is king. We show you how to get your money working for you. While we wouldn’t recommend doing things to destroy your credit score, we think making your credit score the center piece of your family financial life is WRONG.

You must set a different course for you and your family. And you can. We live in the age of the internet. You can and should use it to learn ways to save more. You can and should use the internet to boost your knowledge about how to get started REALLY saving and growing your money set aside for BUILDING YOUR WEALTH.

Use this as an opportunity to teach your children, too. They will grow as you do. They will see your example and it will make their life RICHER. Richer does not mean fat cat rich in this case – it means taking care of your family in the future. That is worth doing.

Plan the comeback of your life. Start today. Develop your own plan for boosting your regular savings with every paycheck.

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

Why save money when you can use it to pay bills? You don’t have that much to save anyway, right?

Something always comes up.

It is difficult with expenses for the kids.

Saving a little bit will not save you anyway, right?

Here’s the number one reason to develop your own steady plan to save and invest with each of your paychecks if you are working right now:

Good things and bad things will absolutely happen to every person on the planet. You cannot predict when the bad things will happen, but they will. Even if you are the luckiest person in the history of Earth, you will have bad experiences along with the good.

This is the reason we urge you to sit down with your family and go over finances with them. Look for ways you can jump-start your savings and investing program. This should include looking at all spending (including bills) and a family effort to reduce spending along with generating some additional incomes outside of your day jobs.

The family that saves and invests together has children that grow up to be wealthier. Those families have more options and can withstand the storms of life (the bad things) better than families that don’t.

Empower your family and energize your family with purpose. You will be amazed at how quickly you can feel more control over your current financial situation. More than this, you can give your children a gift that may mean more than their formal education. Isn’t that worth it?

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

Everyone should be saving 20% of your after tax income.

Hard to do? Yes. Impossible? No.

You must develop a plan. Keep coming back to this blog and we will help you with tips on how to use the money you have to earn you more money over time.

We will show you how to save more than you think you can.

Everyone needs a little help every now and then.

Checking and savings. Check yours. Compare with others. Don’t just accept what your bank says.

www.bankrate.com Compare all accounts.
www.fdic.gov Find out if YOUR bank is FDIC-insured.

We believe credit is not the most important thing. Still, today you want to protect your credit because the “system” is based on it.

www.annualcreditreport.com
www.myfico.com

God help you if you owe these people or they target you.

www.irs.gov Calculate withholding taxes and track your refund.

Compare car insurance rates. You think insurance companies have your back? www.carinsurance.com: Check it out.

These days save anyway you can. Make sure you know where to turn for college advance (financial) planning.
www.savingforcollege.com.
How much can you save by spending an hour several times a week researching ways to save more and earn more outside of your “day job?”

You can do this!

Check out the new money saving movie (it’s free and fast) to save more! Copy and click. http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/5967975.

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

Okay. We’re going to get on the fast track for boosting savings. Ready? Let’s get started.

Make your own coffee. How much can that save you?

Stop smoking cigarettes. Put the money you save in actual savings.

Cut down (or eliminate) soda. You can feel the savings already just thinking about it.

Brown bag your lunch at work and put the cost of eating lunch “out” in savings. Yes, actually take it out of your checking account as if you had gone to McDonalds and put it in savings.

Use generic products (including medicine). You will find you will save a lot and you will also notice the quality is excellent. Put the money you save in...you guessed it.....savings.

Avoid credit cards with annual fees. In fact, call all of your credit cards and see if they have an annual fee. If they do, ask them to remove it. Put the annual fee in savings.

Price shop everything. Do it on the computer before you leave your home.

Negotiate on everything. Put the amounts you save in....savings.

Cook at home often, but charge yourself for eating out and put the money in savings.

If you want a faster way to build savings on your current income and current bills, check out our past blog entries about the “1% Savings Plan.”

You can save.

You can help your family.

You can build wealth.

Make your own plan.

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

We do it from time to time. Here are some coupon code sites that can help you save money.

If you are willing to use coupon codes but you don’t move the money you save on each REGULAR purchase from checking to actual savings, stop right here. Why? Most people think they save money when they use coupons. Some people forget that coupons are MARKETING. It’s up to you to use them to actually save.

That means only using the coupons on purchases you actually need and usually purchase AND taking the amount you save and ACTUALLY SAVING IT by moving it to a savings vehicle.

As always, we recommend you DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

Here we go:

www.couponcabin.com

www.cheaptweet.com

www.8coupons.com

www.retailmenot.com

www.bargainist.com

www.coupons2buy.com

www.dealcatcher.com

www.smartsource.com

www.consumerworld.org

www.coupons.com

www.dealplumber.com

www.dealalert.com

www.couponmom.com

www.dealseekingmom.com

www.dealbandy.com

www.247coupon.com
Coupons can rock if you remember that they are MARKETING.

Your job is to use them to capture the things you ordinarily use for less and ACTUALLY SAVE THE difference and put it in actual savings.

You can do this!

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

Let’s play a game. This game is about saving money at a faster rate and getting started with a jolt. Want to play?

Review your bills. Call each company that sends you a bill and tell them you are in financial trouble and need a reduction in costs directly from them so you can remain a customer. Be prepared to ask for a supervisor. Be patient on the first call and be willing to call back once a week until they give you a strong discount or other way to cut their bill. Be open-minded to their ideas.

Look to refinance your home, but make sure it truly saves you money. Do your research. There are a lot of opportunities out there if your credit is good. Apply any savings to systematically paying off your mortgage.

Make sure you do all you can to be efficient. Do all your errands as a plan (all together). This will help you save gas and other resources.

Use coupons and coupon codes to purchase things you ordinarily purchase; put the money you save in actual savings.

Double-check all bills and all receipts to make sure there are no additional “fees.” Make people explain any charge you don’t understand. This is important since so many big businesses from cable television to credit cards are making it part of their strategy to confuse you and charge for things you don’t understand or “slip one by you.”

Stop going to the mall. Stop going out in general to shopping environments unless you have a plan that includes saving money on everyday purchases.

Check to see if your utility company has an investment drip. This allows you to add a stock purchase (that has regular dividends) in many cases directly to your utility bill. Have the dividends reinvest so this functions as a great way to save more over time.

Sit down once a month with your family and talk about how you can reduce expenses or expand your ability to generate money. Doing this with your family on a regular basis can make it a fun competition and also teaches the real-life benefits of saving to each family member.

You can also avoid credit cards, take an extra part-time job to boost saving and investing dollars. Remember: When you purchase assets that build upon theselves, you are doing a great thing.

When you use any of these ideas, make sure you put the money you “saved” in actual savings vehicles (except the refinancing of your home; put that money toward paying down the home loan).

Remember: Checking accounts are money laundering accounts for other people’s money.

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

If you still have your job, you should be saving money every time you get a paycheck. If not, you will find yourself at the mercy of whatever happens in your “short term life.”

WAYS YOU CAN SAVE NOW

1. Start looking around your home for the things you don’t really need and may not even want anymore. Check out what people are purchasing on Craigslist.com and Ebay. Have fun raising extra money. When you “raise” extra, save extra.

2. Do research at least 2 – 3 nights a week on the internet on ways you can save (coupons, coupon codes, extra income streams).

3. Stop watching television or at least stop watching live TV. Television boosts your exposure to buying things you don’t need. You could use a large amount of your “television time” learning how to boost your income outside of your regular job.

4. Whenever you leave your home to go shopping or shop on the internet, make your list of needs in advance and STICK TO THE LIST ONLY. You see so much marketing that you must begin to see it for what it is: A way to get you to spend more. Have a plan – stick to it.

5. Look for ways to entertain your family by using the internet to swap DVDs and other entertainment means. Look for book swaps and other entertainment swaps.

6. Cancel any memberships you don’t regularly use.

7. Keep a journal of each credit card or debit card purchase. Spending with a credit or debit card is what merchants call an “easy purchase.” Make it more difficult. If you are responsible to write down every purchase, you will learn more about your behavior and how to increase saving by reducing spending.

8. Move to generic brands for medicine and other products. You will be amazed at the cost savings and you will also notice the quality is excellent on many generic products.

9. Prepare more meals at home and avoid eating out. This includes inviting friends over to your home instead of going out. You’ll save a ton and find that it is even more fun.

10. Brown bag your lunch and charge yourself a daily fee for lunch that goes directly to savings.

11. Go thru your cell phone bill and look for any fees or services you can remove. Cell phones are almost as bad as credit card companies.

12. Call your cable provider and tell them you must reduce or eliminate your cable bill. Tell them you would love to keep cable, but it is too expensive. Talk to a supervisor if you have to. Many will give you a reduced bill for a year or even two. Oh, and put the money you save in actual SAVINGS...or you are not saving anything.

13. Always ask for fees to be waived. This could include your credit card or any other thing. You see a fee? Ask that it be waived. And save the actual money in savings.

Please remember: Your checking account is a money laundering account for other people’s money. Use any excuse to push money to savings again and again.

Get your money working for you – not YOU working for your MONEY.

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com

What if you were a tree? No, hear me out. What if you were a little tree (very small)? The tree farmer planted you and decided to come back tomorrow and see how you had developed into a huge tree. You would be 40 or 50 feet tall, right?

No. But that is the way most people hope their saving and investing will be.

Put in a little money and – ta da! – your rich!

You’ve seen where they cut open an old tree and the rings are exposed showing the growth from young tree to big tree. Think about the rings in a tree like that. Say the tree had been around for thirty-five years. What would you expect to find?

Yet, some people don’t expect that they have to feed savings every time they get a paycheck. They think you don’t have to invest month after month. And you know what? They’re wrong.

2010 is a great year to wake up. It is a great year to recommit yourself to your family and to building those rings.

If you don’t have a real emergency savings fund for 2010 (15 to 18 months of expenses in savings), start. Do it today.

Begin with our 1% Savings Plan. (See previous blog entries).

Learn all you can about your company policies relating to 401k and direct deposit. Check with HR about setting up a per paycheck amount that goes directly from your check into savings – not checking.

Keep in mind our rule for growing money in 2010:

Checking accounts are MONEY LAUNDERING ACCOUNTS for OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY. Use any excuse to get your money out. Every chance you get.

Want to grow your savings? Look for excuses to push money from checking to savings.

Set goals based upon percentage of your after tax income ---- not based upon how much you save.

You can make a huge comeback for your family in 2010. Believe it!

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET AHEAD

In this country we don’t do enough to teach our children about money, managing money, saving regularly (and automatically), compound interest and steady investing for a long-term future. As a parent, we are always concerned that they get a good education and go to a good college so they can make a lot of money or have a valued career path. The truth is that we could do our children the biggest favor and one of the best things by sharing with them sound saving and investing principles.

You can join our free Facebook group (or have your children do it, too) by searching in the Facebook bar on your “wall” for “Live The Lifestyle Your Family Deserves.” Click on “become a fan.” It’s free and it ties our free blogs into that group.

If you want to give your children the same information we are giving ours, you can purchase the only thing we sell on any of our blogs or groups. It’s called “How To Survive Any Financial Crisis” and you can get it for only $4.95 at www.middleclassmoney.com.

Thank you for reading our blog and good luck!

Loyd Ford
www.stickyasset.com/blog
www.middleclassmoney.com
www.boostmywealth.wordpress.com
www.squidoo.com/boostmywealth
www.stickyasset.com