I have been going to a lot of school events this holiday season for my job. I have heard the most beautiful songs and seen parents smiling so hard their faces looked like they would snap off. The principal that went to the band concert, probably because he had to go, was smiling just watching the kids set up the stage for the larger band. He looked so proud that they were working  together efficiently.  It was great to see these students doing the things they are good at and best of all love. One gal couldn’t even articulate how proud she was of her show choir. When asked what her favorite part of the concert was she said, “Ahhhhh –  everything!” She was yelling it and laughing.  The best part of all of this was the tiny people in the audience that just talked through the concerts/plays. One kid saw Santa (a 3rd grader in a red sweatshirt and a Santa hat) and went nuts. He kept yelling, ” Santa!”  It was so great that that it didn’t matter it was a 3rd grader and not some old dude like all the pictures. The best part about all of this was everything together – working together, laughing together, sitting together.

It is so important that  the time is taken to just sit back and enjoy the holiday season as busy as it may be. The benefits of watching someone do something they are good at and being able to cheer when they have completed the task it good for the heart.

 Jeffs note: Usually the best things in life cost next to nothing.  It’s a lesson I often forget.

It isn’t a new idea – the ugly sweater function.

Most of the time these ugly sweaters come out for a party that involves booze. We recently used the ugly sweater to bring working relationships together. We are divided into pods at my work and as much as we are encouraged to get outside our pod and socialize we don’t. It is very important to become a tight nit team within the pod so most energy is spent on the pod in which we work. My pod decided to throw out a healthy challenge to the other pods a few weeks ago to encourage more interaction. We gave every one two weeks to prepare for an ugly sweater competition. The sweaters would be judged individually and as a pod. The winners would receive only respect and gloating rights. This seemed more inspirational than any candy, drink, or a vacation we could have given away.

It started with a shout out – the date for the competition was assigned and the pleasant smack talking began. Mr. D was called out for his already ugly sweaters ( he dresses really well so it was funny). People started to try and confuse other teams by describing sweaters that weren’t really in existnce.  This started to happen as people passes one another in the hallway. E-mails started to spring up that had a lot of “HAHAHs” and “Just wait and see!” At lunch, we laughed so hard in our pod trying to think of things we could do to enhance our sweaters.

When the day finally came, I was devastated by the competition. One man dressed up in shorts, wild socks, a holiday sweater, hat, and had a stuffed tree he carried around all day. Some had added Christmas lights to their swetaers and some just wrapped their arms in tinsel.

It was the first time this year that people seemed to really let go and get into something fun. I heard cheering for outfits as people passed and everyone would send me to someone else’s desk to see a “cool” sweater. That day felt great. We needed to bond and have fun and it worked. It made our pod stronger because the day of the competition we were plotting next year’s sweater plan. We didn’t win! We paled in comparison to the other pods. It was all in good fun though.We had spent more time talking to other people that it was all worth it.

The best part of the day was when we all took a  group pictures. People were hugging others in closer so we could all fit. It was good to know that we all wanted to be there and we all cared enough to participate in something so silly.

A little healthy competition and good fun was all we needed to get the ball rolling on new friendships. It took away the stress of the empty space where you might not know what to talk about.

A few weeks ago, I was asked to review a book about willpower.  Being very interested in the subject, I accepted.  I was provided a copy of the book by the publisher, but the opinions are my own.  

The book is called “Willpower: Rediscovering the greatest human strength” and you can find it on amazon here

Is Willpower more than a metaphor?

In this chapter, the authors start by talking about a woman who decided to be a human statue in harvard yard.  As you can guess, as she stood still, many people messed with her, but she said after a few years, she only broke character a couple times.  Despite making ~$50/hour (!!!) she was only able to do this for about 90 minutes a time, about 2 times per day.  Many researchers have determined that people have a limited amount of willpower that comes from one pool.  Once you start to deplete whats in that pool, you cave easier to bad choices (like eating cookies when you’re on a diet).  The best advice to here is to work on one thing at a time.

Jeff’s Note: I find this to be fairly accurate.  I was doing well with my financial goals 2 years ago, but was basically ignoring everything else.  Once I tried to start working out more, the control I had over my finances slipped a bit – I dont mind all that much because I still make good decisions most of the time, but I dont every time.

Where does the power in willpower come from?

Researchers have figured out that you can regain some of your willpower if you have a bit of sugar.  Citing multiple studies where participants are giving sugary drinks or nothing at all, those who got the sugar preformed better on the next task and had more willpower available to them.  Glucose seemingly increased reserves of willpower.  Unfortunately though, that’s not a sustainable strategy for people in the long term.  Instead, they suggest you should eat (something) if it has been a long time since you last ate – and not to make any important decisions or get into arguments right before you eat.  Making sure to eat low glycemic foods (those that take the body a while to break down and provide lasting energy) will also help restore willpower.  These foods include peanuts, cashews, meats, blueberries, apples, cheese and fish – the slower breakdown process will provide lasting energy, restoring your decision making capacity.  Also – Sleep helps.

A brief history of the to-do list

Like everyone, I’ve got a lot of projects in the air and quite a few things on my to-do list at once.  Studies have shown that if you’ve got a lot of tasks on the to-do list, you probably wont finish any of them, mainly because of the way you write them on the list.  Something like “contact deb” could mean an email or a phone call, and you’ll put it off until you decide which you’d rather.  Putting “email deb” on there will make it much easier.  The best part is, you dont even need to do the task in question – getting it written down will clear it from your mind and allow you to move on.  Once it’s down, you’ll stop questioning if you’re going to remember it in time to get it done or not.

Decision Fatigue

This chapter was all about how making decisions became more tiresome over time, and therefore people only focused on one aspect of the decision, and was seen through the lens of Elliot Sptizer, former governor of New York and talk show host.  After making difficult decisions all day about various aspects of New York state, he decides it’s a good idea to wire transfer money to an escort.  Clearly, his decision powers had been diminished all day, and he had none left.  For those of you who are not governors, watch out for this in your daily life in things like clothing shopping, decorating and registering for a wedding or a baby shower.  After making all the decisions on things you do/do not want, your power will be depleted and you’ll have seriously lost out on your ability to compromise, and you begin to pit one quality above all others (lowest price), perhaps giving up a significant amount of quality for very little money.

Where have all the dollars gone?

This chapter focuses on behavior, using a personal favorite tool of mine (mint.com).   Once you begin monitoring your behavior in any arena, it makes it easy for you to see where your time/money/calories are going.  For example, you could figure out how you’ve been spending far too much on ice cream cones every month, and decide that you should cut that back.  Once you see the results of the monitoring, you’re more likely to begin a change in behavior and to start thinking about the future instead of the present (1 month’s worth of less ice cream means having that vacation 3 months sooner).  One point that I thought it was important to note was that it does make a difference about how you keep track.  For instance, say you’ve set a year-long goal for yourself to lose 100 pounds.  At the end of june, you’ve lost 50 pounds, putting you at the halfway mark in the year and your weight loss goal.  Is it better to focus on how much you’ve lost (and how far you’ve come) or to focus on how much you’ve got left to do?  Research suggest that if you focus on how much you’ve lost, you’ll enjoy it more and feel successful, but if you examine how much you’ve got left to do, you’ll be more excited to take on the rest of your goal and move to challenging, new goals.

Jeffs Note: That last bit seems right in relation to my debt paying-off journey.  After I had reduced my debt by about 22k, I started to say “wow, that’s quite a bit gone, great work” I didn’t make as much progress as I focused on my success, and actually regressed a little.  After another spark though, I’m back into looking at how much I’ve got left to do.

 Can willpower be strengthened?

In a word, yes.  Typically if you’re building up one portion of your life (say managing money) researchers found that you’d be better equipped to handle other things, like study more instead of going to the movies.  In one trial, they told subjects to try and focus on standing up straight for 2 weeks, and measured willpower and stamina when the period was over.  While their willpower didnt increase much (if any at all) subjects were able to do much better on the second time around – they didnt deplete their willpower as quickly as they had the first time.  This seems to happen everywhere, like when you feel like you’re really on top of your money and start eating healthier.

Outsmarting yourself in the heart of darkness

This chapter talks about Henry Stanley (“Dr. Livingstone, I presume”) and how he was able to keep going exploring africa during multiple journeys.  In between trips in london, he met a woman and they got engaged, planning a wedding for when he returned from africa.  He kept a picture of her and looked at it frequently when he felt like he could no longer go on – having something to focus on and work for ended up turning him into the only one  of the 30+ people in his party that survived – quite interesting.

Did a higher power help Eric Clapton and Mary Karr?

This chapter talks about higher powers.  While the researchers didnt really believe in them, they equated a higher power to a group. “You are the average of your 5 best friends” and all of that.  The people you surround yourself with will help you form and break habits, and can become your version of a higher power.  The group can help you monitor behavior and talk about goals

Jeffs Note: This applies doubly to finances.  If you’re around a high spending group of people, you’ll soon start to follow in their footsteps.  If you keep your circle of friends as low spenders and talk about savings goals, you’re more likely to save more and reach goals faster.

Raising Strong Children: Self Esteem vs Self-Control

In this chapter, they talk about the self esteem movement and how it has been relatively destructive for children.  Children get praised for anything, so they are not willing to do extra work or take care of what they have because they didnt have to work for it.  Self control can turn children into well mannered kids, and an important part of that is consistency in parenting.  Set a goal, offer a reward, and tell the kid to work and you’ll have it made.

The Perfect Storm of Dieting

It seems that dieting has a catch 22 when it comes to willpower.  When you need willpower to continue on your diet, you need food to replenish your willpower.  They also found that those that completely swore off something (candy, for instance) ended up eating more than those that were just putting off the candy eating until a later date.

Should you read this?

I thought this was an interesting book that was filled with good stories on willpower and how its used to complete daily tasks and the role it has in life.  If you’re interested in willpower or getting more, this could be a good read.

I know a brilliant kindergarten teacher who has some great advice for parents who are dropping their students off for the first time. School started about a week ago where I live, but some are just starting this week so you may still be able to put her advise to good use. I think some of this may even work for college students that you are dumping off at the dorms. HA.

Practice, Practice, Practice! Let your student know what your good-bye will look like. Let them know the physical and verbal cues that they should expect when you are about to leave. Practice what this will look like in your living room. You might say this while you practice, ” When it is time for me to leave I am going to give you a big hug in the classroom and tell you how proud I am of you and how you are going to love this class and then I will stand up and walk to the door. I am going to wave from the door and then you will see me at that door at the end of the day when I come pick you up. Let’s practice”

Know that your student is going to be super tired and may cry. These little people are going to be learning something new every five minutes for the first week or so and that is tiring. They have to learn how to be a student.  My friend said that lunch can be the scariest because there are a lot of kids and the line moves fast.Talk to your student about what a lunch line looks like.  They may come home and just cry and that is OK. Make sure that you ask good questions so you know if they are just exhausted or if there are issues that need to be resolved.

Know that there will confusion. My friend had a student that was in the bathroom and he called for help. He said that his dad taught him to wipe until the toilet paper was clean but  it wasn’t working. She discovered that he was using like two squares and it was going downhill fast. He had to relearn a skill that he thought he knew.

Those were the three gems she passed on to me. Short and simple. To all of the parents that are dropping their students off for the first time in kindergarten or college, know that you have done a great job getting them ready.

As I’ve mentioned recently, I’ve been traveling quite a bit for work these days, and that can really disrupt my routine.  Usually, I don’t have that set of a routine every day, but because I did a triathlon and will also be doing the warrior dash, I’ve been trying to train for those events.

Unfortunately, Traveling takes me away from the gym and my familiar running/biking routes – and usually leaves me with very few options when it comes to getting in a workout.  Also, I usually cant (or dont) take my bike, so im fairly limited on options.  Most hotels I stay in have a fitness room, but it’s just an exercise bike or 2, normally.  I dont like staying in a hotel much while traveling, so I try to get out and see what’s going on in the  area where I’m traveling.

The best thing training I’ve done on the road is running.  I dont typically enjoy running all that much, but when on the road and I have to pack lightly, it’s easy to have the gear for and find the time.  When I travel, I’ve kind of settled into a routine.  Where I travel is usually 4+ hours away from where I live/work, so I leave in the afternoon and get there around 6 or 7.  I check into the hotel, set my things down and get changed for a run.  I check a map to see where I’m going (I choose the simplest route so that I dont get lost) and head out.  That takes a while, and after that I go back to the hotel and change to head out for dinner.

This has worked well for me so far, because I can get it right out of the way.  If I’m on a multi day trip, it usually works the same way, but with me working instead of driving before the run.  I typically like to eat after I run so I dont feel like there’s a brick in my stomach while I run, but I’ll go after dinner if I have to.

As it stands right now, the warrior dash is 3 weeks away, and while it’s been about a week and a half since I got a chance to run, I’m still feeling alright about it.  I’ll be picking up my running again this week, and am shooting for 3-4 times per week until the race. As of right now I dont have any more travel for work planned between now and the race, though that could change.

I have found that one of the most important things about leaving town (for me, anyway) is to try and disrupt your routines as little as possible.  Keep exercising, keep your spending patterns in check, and keep the right mindset.  It’ll help the transition when you arrive home.

As I mentioned in my last article, I am slowly becoming a triathlete. Here is a list of the races I have completed and the one I am still training for (It is very short list):

In 2010 I did a  sprint tri that was for women only in support of breast cancer research.  ( You can read more about it at: Tri For the Cure.   It was my first tri, so I decided to set a few goals before I ran the race. Here are the two goals I set, and the outcomes.

Training Goal: Be able to run without fear

Outcome: I could run but I was still afraid I would have to stop running because it felt like my legs would fall off.

Race Goal: Just finish the race.                                                

Outcome: I finished !

After the first one, I decided that I’d do a few more in 2011.  Here are the ones I decided to do for 2011.

Sprint Tri for Men and Women, you can read about the race here.  I decided to set more goals for this race as well, and here’s what they were.

Training Goal: Be able to run 5k easily and not be afraid

Outcome: I did it!

Goal: Run the entire 5K and get passed less on the bike

Outcome: I was passed  on my bike a lot and I did walk for  a few seconds when going up a hill.

Tri number two for 2011 was the Tri for the cure again because I enjoyed it so much last year.

Training goal: confidently run 5k and bike at a much quicker speed (I have a new bike and I think that will help)

Race Goal: Run the entire 5k and beat my time from last year

I think that it has been important for me to have both a training goal and a race goal for each event. Having goals has been helpful because it forces me to work in both stages of the game. Having goals forces me to focus.

I constantly have to think of my training goal when I am working out leading up to the event. It is a goal that  I am able to accomplish and gives me focus. I modify my workouts to reach that goal. Sometimes this goal is something just to think about so I don’t focus on how much I want to stop running or biking. It is a goal that I can discuss with my boyfriend  and my friends at the end of the workout and find ways to improve.

I also like having the final goal because then the race isn’t just about being there. It becomes a challenge that drives me to think about my race and keeps me from disengaging and focusing on wasteful stuff. I find that it helps eliminate some of the race day jitters because I am not focusing on the unknown, I am focusing on something familiar.

I just finished my second tri a few weekends ago. I was so happy to be there because my boyfriend and 3 friends decided to sign up for the tri as well. We went to the pre-race meeting together and scoped out the race. We talked strategy and cheered for one another when it came down to race day.

I found my goals helpful during the actual race because I could instantly evaluate if my training goal had been a good goal to prepare me for the race which lead to good reflection and healthy evaluation. I also had the opportunity to push myself during the race to see if I could reach my race goal. This race was so much more difficult than the previous tri I had participated in last summer. The swim was in a lake again but you had to swim around once, get out, get in, and swim it again to get the full 600 meters. My brain was accustomed to doing only one lap so it was a struggle to get excited for the second lap of the swim. I know in the future that I will need to train with repetition as well as big long runs and bikes. The biking was INSANE. The biking started at the bottom of a valley by the lake and the race went up a road to get out and then it continued on a highway. For three miles the race was all downhill and I literally worked my brakes more than my legs. The sad part was when you reached the bottom of the hill and turned around,  you were met by a giant hill and a wall of wind pushing back. It was a good three miles up hill with a wind that could literally stop your forward motion. I continued on slow and steady. I even said that to myself, “Slow and steady!” My training helped me because I had been practicing not stopping. I had no option at that point, but it was good to know that I was capable. A lot of people passed me. I decided to cheer them on and it helped me stay positive. The run was such a pleasant surprise. I was so happy to be running because I had been focusing on my running when training for the event. It felt wonderful to be in a familiar place.  I did end up walking on part of a steep hill so I didn’t reach my final goal of running the 5K without walking. I am Ok with that because now I can change my training goals and I will be able to reach my final goals in my second tri of the summer.

The most important part of all of this is that I set goals. I love to work out and I have always been athletic but I have found recently that I don’t often find the inspiration to go to the gym. I need these events, these goals, to get me going. I literally took away the opportunity for me to say to myself, “It’s ok – you don’t have to work out.” I do have to work out. If I don’t it will be a horrible mess on race day. My goals have been so helpful because I set an expectation for myself. It gives me focus and drive and the skills to become better. It has also been cool because my goals have helped others make goals and vice versa. My friend that is training for the upcoming tri in August often invites me out to workout with her. This morning we swam and after hearing her plan (2 – 300s) for a warm up, I re-evaluated my goal for the work out and stepped up my game to stay with her. She just made it easier to reach my final goal because of her training goal for the day.

I have 2 more weeks until my final tri of the summer. I have been working out consistently and it feels great. I think that I will continue to sign up for small races (5k runs and the like) so I keep working out and keep the expectations for myself high.

Jeff’s note: Beatrice thought she would share her thoughts on the triathlon that she did last year, and in two weeks she’ll talk about having a goal can keep your exercise on track.

I am training for my second sprint triathlon. The first tri was a moving experience. I entered a race that only had female competitors and I was there with a friend. The night before the race I was plagued with visions of making mistakes. Was I wearing the correct outfit? What if I couldn’t transition smoothly? What if my bike (it is a bike I have had since 5th grade) was mocked by the thousands of women competing? My mom went with me and she had no knowledge of the event or any real way to calm my fears. We just laughed and joked about my possible mistakes. The coolest thing about the race was that no matter what I would have done there were at least 30 other women who tried the same thing.

I will be doing the same triathlon this summer as well and am excited to improve on my time. I have already started to think of ways that I can improve. I thought that I would let you know in greater detail what I did for my first triathlon and how I plan to enhance my second experience.

Training: Last year I walked a lot. I walked until I could run but would always allow myself to stop running and walk if I was tired. I ran intervals but never really covered any great distances. I swam consistantly and  put in a lot of yards. I have been swimming since I was 5 so it was a safe way to train. I think I biked 12 miles once and then just biked 10 blocks or so to get to places.

This year I have training buddies. I have a friend, a boyfriend, and a dog to train with this year. I have already completed muliple 12+ mile bikes. I still go on walks with my friends but then I run afterwards. I have gotten to the point where I can run 5 miles easily and that is a big deal (I’ll have more about running in a future article). I have cut back on my swimming compared to last year. I think that the swimming portion of the race was and will be my easiest so I am going to add in more swimming as I go. Now that I know what my strengths and weeknesses are I can work with focus.

Clothing: At the  last minute I couldn’t find the swim suit (2 piece/sport) that I was planning on wearing so I had to improv. I wore underwear and a sports bra under a swim suit. It felt very odd to sport this combo in public but it worked great.I swam and then just pulled off the swim suit, threw on some shorts and a tank top, and got on my bike.

This year I am going to go with the 2 piece swim suit. I found it!  It will be the same concept – everything dries fast and I don’t want to waste time changing. I will throw on some shorts, a tank top, shoes/socks, and a hat over the swim suit and keep moving.

Bike: I busted out my white Diamond Back that I got from my amazing parents in 5th grade. I wasn’t the only one not using a road bike. The bike is small so no matter how fast I peddled I couldn’t keep up with the other ladies. I just put my head down and peddled hard. I rocked at the hills because I stood up  - I call it my “Lance Armstrong” – and just ignored the pain in my legs.

This year I am either going to get a recently acquired (we found it at the dump) road bike tuned up or buy one that has been used. My friend also recommended that I rent a bike for the race. Her son rented road bikes until he found out what he liked and would want to buy.  My boyrfriend asked me, “Is this something you like to do? Then maybe you need to buy a good one.” You can get pretty good deals at bikeoutlet.com.

Racing: I am a swimmer so the swimming felt great. The race started with a 750 yard swim in a lake. I would highly recommend that you either elbow your way to the front to start or you get ready to get kicked in the stomach and uterus. I got kicked maybe 8 times before I could break free from the pack. Going from a standing position to a horizontal position really can be dangerous. It was lake swim so I just swam 10 strokes with my head down and then would look up to make sure I was on track. The people in kayaks would direct you back to the path if you strayed. I swam quickly knowing that I wouldn’t really use my arms the rest of the race so I could give it my all. People were running into one another because the lake was dirty but it was OK. I would just say “sorry!’ and usually we would laugh and move on.

I plan on getting in the front this year so I don’t get kicked. I will stick with my 10 strokes with my head down and then pop up and look where I am.  I plan on just enjoying the swim but swimming fast.

BIKE: The biking part was just long. It was 12 miles. There were not very many turns and people shouted encouraging words to me as I biked. The strategy here was to keep the speed at a steady pace.

I plan to bike like I did last year – stay consistent but push for more passing of people than being passed. I have worked on being more efficient using gear changes. I know this will help me.

Run: This particular course started your run by having you run past a huge group of people up a hill. My legs were so numb that it was like running without legs. The running was my worst leg of the race. I wasn’t sure I could do it so I spent a lot of  time grappling with that question and less time running. I did stop at the water stations and get a drink so I didn’t run the entire 5K.

I recently ran in a 5K in my home town and I saw a childhood friend’s dad. He said, ” I was looking at your times from when you ran the race in junior high…You won state championships in swimming, but…” I interrupted him and said, “But I suck at running.” He laughed and agreed. I have been running a lot more than usual to prepare for the race. I plan to run the entire 5k. I have been runnning enough now that I don’t have to worry about if I can run and can focus on moving forward.

Goal: Last year my goal was to finish. I did it! It was a great goal for a first timer. There is so much to think about that it made it simple and I could enjoy it. This year I will try and beat my time from last year and I want to run the  entire 5k. I know I can do it.

At the end of last year, I talked about setting goals for the upcoming year.  I reviewed my goals from the previous year and talked about areas where I came up short (a nice way of saying it was a huge embarrasssing failure) and areas where I was able to get a hold of what I sought).  A few weeks after that, I published my goals for 2011.

As I mentioned in the article, there were a few goals that I didn’t publish on the site, mainly because they could have surprised some people who read occasionally (or could potentially become readers).  These were some of my bigger goals that were mainly going to be things that I was going to work towards whenever I got a spare moment or whenever I really felt like going after them (even if I was sleepy).

Recently, I was given the opportunity to complete one of those goals.  Even though looking at it, it looked like a no brainer, I was still slow to take the leap for in doing it.  I had gotten stuck in my current rut, and I wasn’t sure if I should  hop out of it or not.  I was used to my routine, and even though it would be difficult for me to ever imagine saying this just 3 years ago, I had grown to like my routine.  Why would I leave it for something that I was unsure of ?

As I was wavering back and forth between my decisions, I busted out the goals list that I drafted during the last week of 2010 for 2011.  Right there at the bottom of my goals list in the “other” section, was this exact goal.  Not only was it in that section, but it was directly related to multiple goals in other sections, including savings & debt goals, environmental goals, and health – I was still unsure.  The more I thought about it, the only thing holding me back was me.  I was comfortable in the place I was at, and that would be what I was giving up.

In the end, the goals sheet won out – I decided to take the opportunity.  They say that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, and I feel like that was really the case this time – the grass was greener on the other side, but I knew exactly how the grass on my current side tasted, and exactly how much of it I would be able to have, and how much I could potentially have.  I had gotten comfortable, and even though it was a tough decision, it was time for a change.

All that said you awesome readers, I’ve got good news!  I got a new job.  Not only that, I’ll be able to walk to my new job, and will free up hours of commuting and hundreds of dollars per month in commuting costs (not to mention wear  and tear).  I’ll be making about the same as I was from my old jobs combined, so now I’ll only have one job, and will be able to make just as much progress on my debt.  I’m excited, but it wasn’t an easy decision.

There’s no more commuting, no more long nights, no more putting 1000 miles on my vehicle a week, no more biweekly $50 dollar fill ups at the gas station.

Yup, Im an Idiot.  It’s official Now.

Cars Impounded

Wow…..I never thought it would have happened, as I’ve been on quite a good streak with my finances and personal life lately.  By “good streak” I mean to say that I havent done anything that will knee-cap my chances of being successful in the future.  Some people call this “Staying out of your own way”.  As I mentioned, I have been quite good at getting out of my own way lately (I wasnt always this way, but that’s a topic for another post).  I was making good headway on my debt (I still am, sorta) and just really had not done anything that I could look back on in 5 minutes and say “What the hell was I thinking?!”

Well, as you can probably gather, this completely blew up in my face recently, and I’ve finally gotten around to writing about it.  You’ll probably say I was stupid as well, but at this point, I’ve put my moronic actions past me, and have updated my plan/situation to reflect that.

As I mentioned in a previous article (The cost of your car, Pt 2), I purchased a new car when my old one broke down on the way north, and because I got a fairly good deal on a not that old car, I figured that once I got my other car fixed, I could sell it for at least what I paid for it, or possibly a profit.  So, with the help of a great friend, I retrieve my car from its location, take it to the repair shop, and they tell me it will be about a week, because they were a bit behind.  (It was fine with me, as hunting season had just opened, and I know that my mechanic hunts frequently)  So I drive the newer car until the old one is fixed, and then list it on craigslist.  Within a few days, I had many promising responses, and set up a time to have someone look at the vehicle.  I had left room on the price to haggle a bit and still make some money, and the first person that looked at the car made me an offer that I accepted.   The buyer informed me that the transaction would take a while to complete, due to some funding issues, which I agreed to.  One of the reasons that I did this was to avoid having to pay insurance for the car – though I do think that insurance is important (such as Life Insurance, Health Insurance, etc)

Once that happened, I imagined all this progress I was going to make on my credit card debt with this money that I did not yet have.  I ran numbers over and over in my head, and I thought I would be able to hit my goal of being free of credit card debt by 1.1.2010.  I was ecstatic, and applauded myself on shrewed business skills.  All the while, I left the vehicle parked on the street in the city I work in (45 mins from the city I live in).  It was a couple blocks from my place of employment, and so I didnt really figure it to be that big of a deal, as it was parked on the street next to a vacant lot.  The plan was for the car to sit there for around 8 days, and I figured that no one would mind (or even notice, really) that the car had been parked there.

The problem with that situation was that there was an issue with the funding source of the buyer, and I figure that im in no hurry, and can wait for her to straighten everything out.  The car ends up sitting there for the better part of three weeks!  On the day of the sale, I go to retrieve it and ITS GONE!  Im thinking to myself, holy crap, where is it, what happened to it, etc.  I come to the conclusion that it got towed, and I need to find it and get it before I can sell it.  (I havent panicked yet, but im sure annoyed at this point).

I call the city, they tell me (after waiting a bit) that it was towed.  I call the towing company, and they say that have it, and that it’s going to cost $900 for me to get it out.  They had it for almost 2 weeks.  I was not happy that I was not notified, but right then, all the dreams I had of using that car money (and profit) to pay off my debts went out the window, and life gave me a well placed kick to the midsection.

I retrived the car, swallowing a $900 bill before hand, and thought, well, im glad this mess is over, sold the vehicle and wont really look back.  Except to weep continuously.

I learned the following lessons from this escapade:

1. Keep track of your crap – This would not have happened had I not assumed that all was going to be hunky-dory with the world.  The car got towed, but it could have just as easily gotten stolen.
2. Get out of your own damn way – Personal finance is difficult enough (so much so that many dont bother with it), and it’s even more difficult when you keep tripping over yourself.
3. Dont count your chickens Dollars before you’ve got them –  This definitely didnt help either.  It just made me angrier at myself for being such an *idiot*
4. Persevere – I think this is the most important take-away from this.   Although my Jan 1, 2010 goal for being credit card debt free is most likely unattainable at this point, this is no time for me to just give up.  I’ve gotten too far, enjoyed the successes that I have had too much to just quit now, even though I did take one on the chin pretty hard.

As they say on Intervention, Relapse is part of recovery.  You have to just keep plugging away, and eventually you’ll be where you wanted to be at the beginning.

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With the recession being officially “over” many people still want to save money and make sure they are financially ready if something were to happen again.  Many others would like to save money for increased security later in life, or to make that dream vacation become a reality.   Others are interested in saving the earth because they are worried about the damage being done, and want to pass on a functioning globe to children and grandchildren.  I’ve decided to get a list of tips together to help you in your sustainability quest.  These things are all fairly easy to do, wont cost much or take much time than you would normally spend on the task.  They are the “Low Hanging Fruit” of your quest for a greener life, leaner body and a more financially fit you.

Totally Jacked Debt Ninja's Style, but Oh well.

• Go Green – Many merchants  are charged fees to run debit or credit transactions, which is no secret to anyone (or at least it shouldnt be).  Many also pass the fees straight on to the consumer, and some merchants will give you a small discount (1-3%) if paying with cash.  Good for: Financial Sustainability
• Can the throwaway goods – Many products used frequently around the home are made to throw away.  They typically are cheaper (up front cost only) than their ‘real’ counterparts (plates, napkins), but when counting life cycle cost (landfills, trees) they are more expensive.  Make the switch to cloth napkins, cloth rags (instead of paper towels) and real plates.  Good for: Financial Sustainability, Environmental Sustainability
• Save USEFUL Stuff – Make sure that the useful applies here.  I know a lot of people (myself occasionally included) who save many things that just end up becoming useless clutter that was thought to have some future value at some point in the past.  You have to ask yourself when you’re looking at it “Am I really going to use this later, or am I saving it just to save it?”  Some things will come in useful in the future, but most wont…..how long are you willing to save stuff for?  Also, if you’re saving the useful stuff, that’s less stuff in the landfill.  Good for: Sanity, Environment
• Buy Quality – I wrote about this earlier when I talked about the saucepan.  Yes, it was more expensive initially, but over the long run it will be cheaper.  This goes for not only saucepans, but power tools as well.  People dont say “You get what you pay for” for no reason.  Good for: Environmental Sustainability, Financial Sustainability (in the long term)
• Think About Tomorrow and Next Year – You know you will wake up every morning and want a cup of coffee, and there’s nothing wrong with that.  But keep in mind the amount that you drink can produce alot of waste, and even more son when you consider the yearly effect.  If you drink coffee from your favorite coffee house on the go and take one of their disposable cups every time, that’s 330+ cups headed straight for the garbage when you’re done.  If you consider your habits similar to that of others (with coffee, not difficult) then you’ll end up with an astonishing waste stream every year.  Also, for you lazy people out there, buying a reusable travel mug will mean less stuff goes in the garbage, and the less stuff that goes in, the less you have to take it out.   Good for: Financial Sustainability, Environmental Sustainabity
• Walk It Out – How often do you find yourself driving a short distance?  Does it ever annoy you that you are getting in the car because you have something you need to pick up that requires a vehicle, and you need to drive the 7 blocks to get it?   Odds are, you dont NEED to drive to the park down the block or to the neighborhood pool.  You may think you need to because of all of the stuff you’re taking, but how many things do you really need to go to the pool?  A bathing suit & towel, and your clothing you came in with.  Not many.  Next time, walk a little.  Take the walk to chat with people important to you about things you enjoy.  You’re helping the environment and your health at the same time.  You’ve also insulated yourself (partially) from potential gas price spikes similar to the ones during the summer of 2007.  Good for: Environment, Your Health, Finances
• Do It Yourself - I once had a bookshelf that was of poor quality and after dealing with it lurching to one side for the better part of 2 years, I finally began to look to replace it.  I could have just gone and bought one from my local discount merchant and found myself in a similar situation down the road, but instead I decided to take my limited tools (drill & a circular saw) and go it alone.  I liked my old bookshelf and the size, so I simply measured its dimensions and built mine exactly the same.  It works great, and I got that good feeling that you get after fixing or building something.  Also, I know that it wont go directly in the garbage in 2 years.  Good for: Environment, Mental Health, Finances
• Go Paperless - These days, many of your monthly bills can come to you by email, you can pay them online and be done with the whole thing.  That saves the company postage (who cares, right), saves you postage (whoohooo!) and gives a bit of a hand to the environment.  Plus, it’s alot easier than writing a check of paying by phone.  It’s typically free as well.  One word of caution: Dont set up your bills on auto-withdraw.  If they go up, you wont know until it’s far too late to change it.  Good for: Environment, Finances
• Stop Wasting – This applies to everything.  Think about the things that you’re throwing away and if they can be used again in another way or recycled.  One of the great things wasted is food.  Estimates say that about 13% of our trash comes from food, which can easily be composted into useful soil for house plants or maybe your garden.  It’s not that hard to do, and contrary to popular belief, you dont need that much space.  Good for: Environment, Finances, Health
• Gardening – You may live in an area with marginal soil, but you can still have your own garden.  Save your compostable goods for a while and use your own dirt to get yourself started.  Plant whatever you think will grow well in your area, but make sure you’re willing to eat it!  It can save you a bit of money and is a great spot for your freshly composted soil.  It can teach children important lessons on nature, self reliance and how to garden.  Many also enjoy gardening for the mental break that it provides the gardener.  You may not make enough money to cover the time you invested, but who cares?  Gardening can be fun, too.  Good for:Finances, Mental Health
• Do What Works – All of your friends have great ideas on how to do things.  Maybe one of your friends lost like 125937 pounds on the South Beach Diet and wants you to give it a try.   If it does work, great, if not, just stop doing it.  Wasting your time doing something that doesnt work is one more day wasted doing something that’s not working (and if it wasnt working, I sure as HELL wouldnt like it) is one less day you can spend doing stuff you DO like that DOES work.  Good for:Health
• Dont Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth - Alot of people dont take free money.  Now I know you’re thinking “who wouldnt take free money”.  Are you signed up for your company’s 401(k) plan?  If not, you’re losing an immediate 100% return on a portion of your investment.  If you put in 500 per month, and your employer matches 500 per month, you’ve just gained $500.  If you contribute 0, then you have gained $0.  I dont want to stare that kind of return right in the face.  Good for: Finance, Environment
• Shop at farmers markets – Typically farmers markets are cheaper than your local chain grocer, and offer fresher foods.  Who can beat something that was picked less than 24 hours ago, right?  It’s also nice to get to know more farmers in your community, and have a chat with them about their land, how they grow, what they grow and who they grow for.  Although farming is typically a solitary job, farmers love talking to people about their work.  Cutting out a middle man (such as kroger) will keep money in your community instead of sending it to Cincinnati, Ohio.  Good for: Environment, Finance, Health
• Get it yourself – Im talking strictly about food here.  Some communities have community gardens in public spaces that are available for farming.  Growing a small amount of food in one of these (if you dont have room for a garden) is also a great option.  Going out and getting the food yourself also means hunting or fishing.  You dont need to be an ace fisherman to catch dinner, you just need to fish at the right time.  I suggest the early morning.  Fish in the rivers (or lakes) have most likely not been harmed by pollutants or injected with “added color” (whatever that means).  Keeping additives out of your fish and out of your system can lead you to a healthy life.  Getting out of your day-to-day routine will also help you clear your head and can improve your mental health.  Go experience nature, and take dinner home! Good for: Environment, Mental Health, Finance

Many of the solutions I offered are broad goals, with some simple suggestions for action.  I tend to do this because while some things will work for me, they may not work for you or some of the other readers.  There’s always been more than one way to skin a cat, and there always will be.  If you’ve got tips of your own, leave them in the comments, or sent them to twitter @sustainlifeblog

Have a great Thursday!