The best way to become intentional with your money is to budget. This is basically a roadmap of how you want to spend your money, a spreadsheet of all your expenses and how you want to You have a certain amount of money that comes into your hands or account every month. You have a certain number of necessities due every month. Where do you spend this money? Every dollar you have should have a chore or purpose. You do this so you can keep track of every dollar but also so that you don’t spend money in one area when you it would take from another area. Example: If you have three different glasses and you want to fill them all to specific amount, if you pour too much into one glass, there is less water to go into the other glasses, so they will not hit their intended levels. It you have a budget, you are less likely to overspend and less likely to steel from other opportunities you would have had if you would have keep on your budget. Do you want to go on a trip? What happens if you spend too much money somewhere it wasn’t needed.    Images came from: https://www.pexel.com Music I Use: Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos License code: AN4MXGI6OALEGJ66 Also read these articles: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-household-debt-largely-unchanged-q2-credit-card-balances-jump-ny-fed-says-2023-08-08/ https://awealthofcommonsense.com/2023/08/why-im-not-worried-about-1-trillion-in-credit-card-debt/

Simplified Explanation: Every year, you are granted the ability to transfer money to a single person, without it being taxed. The federal government, in 2021, allows its citizens to transfer $15,000 to anyone, without the possibility of being taxed for it - on either side. Real Life: Generosity produces many great benefits to our life, and when you have the ability to be generous, we hope that you will see the benefit in it. Therefore, we have designed the board to allow you generous donations towards paying off your debt. Then, later in the game, you are asked to be generous, too.  Now generosity is not only financial, but includes giving your time, helping, or showing concern for others, and doing things for others that you wouldn’t normally do. Generous people report being happier, healthier, and more satisfied with life. When we are generous, we forget about our own needs and wants, and take the time to put others first. In this life, generosity is a wonderful attribute that you can have, up to the point of where you are enabling someone to do negative things. When you can help someone with a financial burden, there are always two things to think about: 1) will this person accept this gift and be better off because I gave it to them; or 2) will this be wasted, or will it hurt them in different ways. When you give to a person on the street that you don’t know, give generously, but a small amount to help them. If you are dealing with someone you know, though, you may want to think of ways to be generous without being destructive to them. If you worry about them handling money, you can also pay a bill or debt, buy them groceries, or even buy them a financial course. You can also put strings attached such as: I want to help you with this money, but in order to receive it, I want you to read this book or take this class. That way, you are still giving to them generously, but you are making sure they have the understanding to use it wisely.  Consider making regular donations to organizations and people that can use the funding. Some people tithe, where they donate 10% of their earnings to their local church. There are local organizations in every city and state that need funding, to help others and have the ability to use that money more effectively. Consider how much the President of the organization takes for themself, and how much is paid in other perks, before donating. If they take large amounts of this money for administrative costs and salaries, consider donating to a more worthy, or less wasteful, organization, where your money goes where it was intended. Here are some other ways you, too, can become more generous to people - some that cost money and some that are free for you to give: Consider the benefits of generosity. It feels good to help others but it can also find internal benefits that would help in your daily life. When you serve others, you begin to see their struggles in life. When you see their struggles you can reduce the stress, depression, and anxiety in yours. Depression is an internal struggle about your own issues but focusing on others takes you out of your head and allows you to see that you are not alone.Hand out smiles freely to those around you. This simple act will train you to think of others.Embrace gratitude, for all that you have been given by others;Start small, giving of your time and concern, or even small donations to others;When you are paid, make sure you give first, from the money you receive; start small;Divert money you spend on something that is unnecessary, to something that is necessary;Fund a cause that is based on your passions;Find a person you believe in that could use your help;Spend time with people that are in need;Spend time with a generous person and allow their generosity to rub off on you; andLive a more minimalist life, where you see how little others have, and how you don’t need all the things you think you do.

Simplified Explanation: Working remote means to work from home, or some other location, instead of at your office. Remote workers have always had a place to go, such as the library, Starbucks, and remote offices, but during the COVID pandemic, they all had to return home and work from there. Remote workers are also known for working as they travel the world. Imagine trying to find internet connections in third world countries so you can do your work, but people do it all the time. There is less need for an actual office anymore.  Real Life: Since the COVID pandemic, businesses have learned that they do not need to lease large buildings to house their work. Most companies had to move their employees home, for a time. Grocery stores, hospitals, and other essential businesses kept their employees working, to service those in need (most of the time), but those who were not essential, and didn’t require contact with their customers, were pushed to work from home. So, there are really three types of remote workers: Pandemic or Emergency Relocation: During COVID, we worked from home. According to scientists, these types of outbreaks will happen again, and more frequently in the future. In order to stop the spread, the U.S. Government locked down the country, economy, and made everyone who could keep their job work from home. The promise was that if we stayed locked down for 4 months, while we let the hospitals slowly increase their emergency beds, we would then be released “back to normal.” People went home to work. Two years later, some states are just still mandating masks. Businesses are now realizing that, if they could work remotely for a year, why not continue it (since they had to make new procedures that worked remotely, and now their company is as effective as ever, and saving money)?World Travelers: People have desired to travel the world for long periods of time; yet, they had to afford their ventures. For years now, workers have been able to travel to some very remote areas, and continue their work from their laptops, in their hotel rooms, or the local café. These were the remote workers before Pandemic Remote Working became a thing. They did need a few things to make this work. They had to make sure that their companies were okay with this, that they had all the equipment needed to accomplish this work, and be well versed in the laws of the countries they were traveling through. Some have strict laws, that if you are working from their country, you need to pay them taxes. Most traveling workers don’t listen to these rules, though, and most don’t even know about them. They reserve less expensive housing, plan out access to food and other essentials, and find internet connections wherever they travel, so they can always stay connected with their home office. This takes some work, but could be fun. I have never tried this, but you can learn more by searching “Remote World Traveling” on our website Topical Search. Work convenience: My current business, as I work on this book, teaches history. As I grew my team, during the Pandemic, we decided we didn’t need an office. Instead, we all worked remotely, during the pandemic, and afterwards. We have a goal to become the first Fortune 500 to work completely remotely. It is convenient for all of my employees/contractors, and for myself. For one thing, my employees all work on their own schedule; they work from the convenience of their own home, without having to commute, or even dress in business attire. They even get to eat leftovers in their fridge each day, so less food goes to waste (if they so choose). This is the life of a 9 - 5PM worker.Now that the world has seen that we can work from home, “the genie is out of the bottle.” In other words, people have experienced increased flexibility, and less stress.  New types of remote workers are developing, including stay-at-home parents, who are now becoming remote workers while watching their kids; medical needs patients are now able to be remote workers; and even disabled or those with special needs are having an easier time being hired from their homes or co-ops. The future of work has now changed forever, but there are some negatives. How to overcome the negatives: There are plenty of negatives out there, but for both the employees and employers, this normally has more positives than negatives. The struggle is to overcome the negatives, with preventative measures. Here are some of the negatives, and how to overcome them: Worker’s health may decrease – Because you don’t need to go into an office, some workers become lazier than before, and less motivated to get out and exercise. Decreased health decreases productivity, and now that they can work from home while they are sick, they are less likely to work to their full potential. When employees get less motivated to workout, they are less effective in the office. It has been proven, that those who are more motivated to workout and eat healthy are more efficient in the office. Statistics show that employees who eat healthy are 25% more likely to have higher job performance. The same survey also found that employees who exercise for at least 30 minutes, three times a week, are 15 percent more likely to have higher job performance. So how do you combat this? Employers who create healthy living usually have more effective and efficient employees. There are programs that health insurance companies have created or 3rd parties they have teamed up with to incentivize the employees to exercise on their own to keep them healthy. Employers and insurance companies have found that they save more money the healthier their employees are. Music I Use: Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos License code: AN4MXGI6OALEGJ66

Simplified Explanation: Frugal shopping is where you go out and buy only things that are essential; frivolous shopping is where you go out and buy things that you really want, that are not important; and intentional shopping is where you make a list of items you want to buy and only buy those specific items. Real Life: When trying to get out of debt, it is always a good idea not to put yourself back into debt. When you are in major debt, it is much easier to spend frivolously than when you are out of debt. The psychological reasoning is that you worked so hard to get out of debt, that there is a hesitancy to add any additional debt that may make you struggle to get out of it again. You worked hard and want to be more intentional in your spending.  Now, you cannot go through life not buying these items. You will pay for them in one way or another. Not to repeat this example, but take a new car, for instance. No one needs a new car. Even if you are trying to impress clients, every time a car drives off the showroom floor, it loses $5,000 to its value, because the value we give to a car that no one else has driven makes that car psychologically worth more. But you can buy a slightly used car, and drive that without much difference.  A boat, on the other hand, is never an essential item. You may want it, but almost nowhere will it ever be an essential item. There is an old saying: “boat” stands for Bring Out Another Thousand (BOAT), meaning that boats are notoriously expensive, even after you purchase one. You may spend tens of thousands every year to maintain and store your boat. I would shy away from this purchase - unless you were debt free, with plenty of income each year, and a strong retirement portfolio. Computers are essential these days. When I was 14 years old, in 1996, I asked my dad to go to a computer fair in San Francisco, so I could purchase my first computer. My family had an obsolete computer and I had been working and saving my money. When we got there, my dad asked if the family could use it. I told him no, and that I was buying it for myself. He said, what if he paid for half? I said no, because a family computer would be bought by the parents. He said, “what if we pay half and you can have it in your own room?” I said yes. It was top of the line, in 1996, cost $2,000, and did a small fraction of what a phone can do today. My parents had that computer until about 2006, and I upgraded it multiple times for them. Today, computers cost very little, compared to what they used to cost. Even now, though, they are being replaced by tablets and smartphones, so the need for certain devices are not as essential as we may think they are. There are other devices you may think you need, such as a gaming console or appliance. You may want to buy them, but are they essential (beyond your entertainment)? Appliances are essential, if you are moving into a rental unit without laundry. You can live the inconvenience of the local laundromat, and the added expense, or you could buy the washer and dryer and have it in your home. What about other needed appliances, such as a dishwasher, oven, or fridge? Each of these are expensive and may be needed for your kitchen. Most of the time, you will want to buy these new, because of the wear and tear of the strain we put them under. You never know what issues you are buying, until you run it in your own house. Consider new but dented or scratched appliances. You can buy these for a fraction of perfectly new appliances. Not a gadget, per se, but furniture is a side purchase you will need to make, at some point. These you can buy slightly used, on the web, or at a store. Making sure these are good quality will allow them to last longer, so you won’t need to purchase a new piece of furniture to replace it soon afterwards. Much like clothes and most non-essential purchases, you can purchase good quality and use them for a long time, or buy inexpensive, and replace them on a constant basis. You get to choose what suits you best. Please know, big brand names do not indicate high quality. You can buy a pair of jeans at Wal-Mart for $14.99, and replace them every two years; or you could buy a pair of Levis for $29.99, and replace them every five years; or you could buy a pair of stylish jeans for $99.99, and either have to replace them a year later, or, if they go out of style, need to replace them each year, when the style changes. Clothing and furniture are the same - you can find quality without spending a lot of money (finding quality may just take some effort). Look up online reviews on your items before buying them. This includes brands that you have and haven’t seen, depending on how much money they put into it. Now comes the notorious device that people feel they have to spend $1,000+, because of how they look. Phones may be essential, like a car, but like a car, you don’t have to spend your life savings on them. Most likely, your friends and colleagues won’t even know you spent a ton of money on it. Now you could go to your cellular provider and spend an extra $50 on your phone contract to lease the new phone, but in the end, you will spend more than the originally priced $1,000 on that phone. Instead, you could pay cash for it, so they can’t take it back when you upgrade or change your carrier, or you could go to a discount website that markets slightly used phones, provided by other users. There is a website, called Swappa.com, where you can buy slightly used or new phones for nearly half the price. A cell phone currently selling for $1,200 can be for sale at one of these used sites for $800 (and you would own it outright), spending less money over the life of the phone. Or, you can always wait on the newest phone to be replaced, and buy an older phone at only a fraction of the price. After a cell phone cover, you wouldn’t even know which phone it was. With each new phone that comes out, there are only slight improvements, that would be considered non-essential, and you wouldn’t miss them if you didn’t have them. So, in other words, you may as well buy a slightly used phone for $300, and save nearly $1,000, rather than purchase a new phone. For less expensive used gadgets: https://swappa.com/ Also read: https://www.picodi.com/us/bargain-hunting/spendings-on-food-2023 https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/ag-and-food-statistics-charting-the-essentials/food-prices-and-spending/ https://explodingtopics.com/blog/iphone-android-users https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-to-save-money-in-2024/

Simplified Explanation: Identity theft is where someone takes on your identity, by stealing your personal information and social security number, and starts making financial or security related actions, as if they were you. They take on your identity.  Real Life: Think of this, you are opening your mail and it’s a stack of bills. The first one you open is for $40,000 in credit card bills, the next one is $30,000 for a new car, and the third one is $10,000 for a personal loan. The next day you receive more. You begin to call the lenders to explain there must be a mistake, but they tell you everything is legitimate. Then, a knock comes to your door and you are arrested for check fraud. Someone has taken your identity and racked up so much debt against your name. You have no way of controlling it, and what has been done to your name. Even when you try to call the lenders and explain, they don’t believe you. Then, a big one happens, and people show up to take your house, because it was sold out from under you. Now, if something like that happened, how would you feel? According to a 2019 Identity Fraud Study, by Javelin Strategy & Research, the number of victims of identity fraud fell to 14.4 million in 2018, down from a high of 16.7 million in 2017. But, the financial burden for those in 2018 increased. 3.3 million people were made responsible for paying back part of the debt of the fraud committed against them - three times as many as in 2016, and the victims’ out-of-pocket fraud costs doubled from 2016 to 2018, to $1.7 billion. Criminals are also finding ways to overcome the authentication processes.

Simplified Explanation: Recessions are a large downturn in the market, for two consecutive quarters. The year is broken up into 4 quarters (3 month increments - January to March, April to June, July to September, and October to December). If this downturn occurs, you can expect it to have a negative impact on your finances, whether it is losing your job, an increase in expenses, or losing some of your income. This could also affect you getting a loan for a home or car. A depression is similar, but it’s deeper and longer than a recession. If this were to occur, you would most likely see a decrease in pay, increase in expenses, or loss of a job. Real Life: In 2008, the United States experienced the largest housing bubble in over 50 years. One of the reasons for this is because President Bush held it off for so many years with certain economic policies. The price of houses increased the most during his administration in the last 50 years, excluding 2022. There were too many houses on the market, at such a high price, that the economy couldn’t sustain the high prices and loans that were too easy to apply for. In 2021, it is different; there are less houses for sale, and the prices keep going up. If the home builders came out and began building houses non-stop, it would still take them 2-3 years, at least, to build enough houses to put too many houses on the market.  For the past 100 years, we have had a new recession every 8 years. In 2008, we hadn’t experienced a recession in 10 years. Now, in 2021, we have been waiting for the next recession for 13 years and it as of July 29, 2022, it has been reported that we are now back in a recession. When COVID occurred, the media called it a recession, but though there were two quarters of downturn, no prices went down. The market had a small fluctuation, while everyone was under lock down orders, but it quickly came back (because of action the Trump and local administrations took to correct and open the economy). It is also possible that, even if he did nothing, since this wasn’t a true recession, the market would have still returned the same way when the lock down orders were released. Now you can see statistically what the lock down orders did, by looking at the economies of the states that locked down the longest. The economies of California and New York fell, and stayed down while the people were under lock down orders, as no one could do much in the way of commerce and business. Those states that lifted their lock down orders, such as South Dakota, Florida, Georgia, and Missouri, had economies that jumped, even though there were mask mandates in place. These people were able to get out and work, though, and according to the numbers, the rate of deaths from COVID were no different from California (though New York was significantly more than everywhere else, because people lived so close together). Even in lock down, the people couldn’t work as they normally did, and the economy in those areas suffered. Now there are multiple types of recession, spanning from a housing bubble, to the stock market falling. Here are the different types: Boom and Bust Economy: This may occur after a previous year of an economic boom, or a year the economy went up substantially and inflated itself too high. The recession would be to balance it and cut the price increases. When this happens, banks tighten their lending/spending policy and lend less; the price of most things decrease a little, or stay where they are, which allows the market to catch up; and people’s confidence goes from high, in a boom, to low confidence, during a bust. Balance Sheet recession: This occurs when banks see a decline in their balance sheet, due to falling assets or bad loans, and so they restrict lending policy. During this time, we will see a fall in asset pricing, such as the housing bubble, when the price of houses decreased. A Depression: This is caused by a long and deep recession, where the output falls by over 10%, and includes a very high rate of unemployment. Supply-side shock recession: This is caused by a very rapid rise in a commodity price, that causes a recession, due to a decline in living standards. For example, in 1973, the world’s oil prices tripled, which sent the world into a recession, and a fall in disposable income. There was also a lack of output of oil, because of supply. Another example is after Hurricane Katrina, when the oil rigs were down for months, the price of oil and gas skyrocketed, doubling or tripling for months. The price did eventually drop, but people stopped spending to go on trips or buy more “luxory” goods, because it stayed high for a while, while the prices dropped. Demand shock recession: This is when there is an unexpected event that occurs and shocks the world, which drops confidence in the system, and a short-lived recession occurs. These events include the downturn caused by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, or COVID lockdowns. These normally do not last long, and quickly begin to incline, but the shape or direction of the market is different.Economists around the world are all considering what will cause the next recession, and how it will look. Many economists believe it will be a mixture of things, such as low confidence in the economy, poor production growth, fall in the stock market, weak investment spending, political turmoil, and/or a war. Note: I wrote this book in 2020 and now in 2022, we are seeing that this has come true. Everything  Different shaped recessions: The artificial recession due to COVID and the lock downs were forecasted to be many different shapes, but in the end, turned into a V-shape recovery. As you can see from the chart above, the survey shows CEOs and economists were wrong on the shape of the COVID economy. In the end, it was the least forecasted - the V-shape recovery - and returned quickly (showing it was an artificial recession or Demand Shock Recession). When a recession does occur, and everyone is reacting or overreacting, stay steady and don’t let the world make you react. Instead, calmly make a decision that you will not react; this is normal, and you will overcome these issues. That is also why you will prepare for a possible recession, by creating an emergency fund and beginning a food storage, so you can live an intentional life.

Simplified Explanation: Marriage is a culturally recognized union between two people, called spouses, that establishes rights and obligations between them, their children, and even extended family. This brings on the financial, emotional, and physical support of the other person. Some people do this differently but most times, finances stop becoming hers and mine, ownership becomes ours, and families are to work together to succeed in all areas of the family. Divorce, on the other hand is the legal recognition of the union being dissolved. This is where the financial, emotional, and physical support of the couple is split. This also means that the added stress and finances of the couple is to affect both of them.  Real Life: Marriage should be the happiest moment in a person’s life, that should - potentially - last until death, but sometimes feelings sour between the two parties. If things can be resolved they should but it takes two to find resolution. Sometimes strength is leaving (with abuse). Sometimes you don't have an option (being left for another person). One person's resolve isn't enough. Like with marriage, keeping a marriage together takes two. Marriage: When you find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, it normally results in spending as much time as possible getting to know each other, over an extended period of time. This is a time to get to know each other and date, experiencing another person through many different seasons of life. You and your loved one go on dates, attend each other’s activities, and become familiar with the person’s good, and not-so good, traits. This is a time of learning and growing together, before getting married. If you get married too quickly, you may not understand all the attributes of your spouse. If you wait too long, your potential spouse may fall out of love. It is the commitment that makes you strive to work through hard times, be each other’s shoulder to cry on, and the desire for each of you to become a better person in the relationship. When you are getting married, these are the things to consider: Children – Most married couples who get married for the first time come into their marriage without children, but you should discuss whether or not you want children, how many and how soon you want them. Some couples have their children as soon as possible, so they can get them out of the house sooner; some wait a few years, while they get to know each other; and others wait until they are financially secure before having children, which normally ends up with older parents with younger kids. FYI, raising children is very tiring, how much more tiring would it be for older parents. Whenever you decide to have them, remember that they bring a great deal of expenses. Reports show that parents spend an average of $13,186 per year raising their child, though the median cost was only $6,000.Finances – Make sure that you are both on the same page with finances, before you get married. Don’t marry someone that you can agree with financially. TD Ameritrade, a financial firm, found that 41% of divorced Gen Xers and 29% of Boomers say they ended their marriage due to disagreements about money. Make sure you are on the same page before marriage, so you don’t risk disagreeing later on. Ask these questions of your future spouse: What are your goals and aspirations in life? How will you reach them?Will we use a budget each month, to not just be intentional, but to be in agreement?When you get your paycheck, do you save, as one of your first priorities or after paying your bills and yourself?Will we use debt to buy things, or will we try to pay cash and stay out of debt?(Observe this one, don’t ask it) Are you a frivolous spender and go on shopping sprees?Do you conserve utilities around the house, or do you do things like leave the lights on?Will we have children right away or when we are financially secure? Will you treat your children better than your parents treated you, spending more?How many kids would you like? When do you plan to have them?Do you plan to pay for their entire college career, partial, or make them work for it?Should the kids go to public or private school, or homeschool?How much debt do you have? How much savings do you have? Do your parents pay for any of your current bills? Would you accept money from them?How much will we spend on our parents or relatives if they get sick?Would you help your siblings or a relative if they needed to borrow money?Have you ever declared bankruptcy? Would you ever declare bankruptcy, or work to pay off your debt?What is your income right now, and what will it be in the future?Will we merge our finances together after we get married? What are our financial goals?How much can I spend before I need to consult you?How much will we spend on fertility or adoption, if we can’t have kids? Remember, these prices increase too.Do you prefer brand name goods or are you okay with generic?How often will we go on vacation? How much will we spend, on average? How do you spend your money? Do you have “fun money” or an allowance? Would we?Should we save for future vacations, reunions, and other events and only go when we have cash to pay for it?Do you have an emergency fund? Are you saving for one?Will you want to go back to school? How long are you thinking?What are your career (or entrepreneurial) goals? How long will each step take?Who will be in charge of investing for the future? Who will pick the stocks?Does your company offer a 401(k) plan, and will they match your investment? Do you max out your retirement savings each year?Will we invest in a house or spend that money on experiences?Is charitable giving important to you, and how much would we spend?If you had $1,000,000 and had to give it away, how would you spend it?Would you seek financial counseling, if needed? Would we seek a marriage counseling, if needed?And the most important one - who will be in charge of the budget and paying the bills?Location – Where are you getting married? Where are you going to live? Where are you going to raise a family? Make sure you are on the same page. This is more than financials, but this will allow you to understand your partner even more and what they see in your future together. Make sure you are on the same page with most of your decisions. You don’t have to be on the same page with all of them, but make sure that you can agree - and that it is the same future you foresee, as well. Divorce: Rarely does anyone “win” in this scenario. Instead, it causes more strife. And, though everything is split, the obligations may grow, especially if there are kids between the two parties. For example, when a couple dissolves their union, the person that makes more money may be obligated to pay for the livelihood of their ex-spouse. If there are kids, one of the parents will most likely need to pay money to the other spouse in support of the rearing of their children. Retirement, savings accounts, and all financials are split between the two people and a wealthy family becomes poorer, due to supporting two households. In addition, the emotional strife that it causes on both ex-spouses weighs on everyone, because, even though you are separated, if you share children, each parent is potentially to have 50% of the visitation rights, and coordination between the two parties may cause frustration and heartache. I know, because I was an unwilling participant in divorce (though, unlike most relationships that develop between two ex-spouses, we have a good relationship and often agree for both families to gather when it comes to the activities with the children). So, a good resolve can be the product of a divorce, but it is quite rare that cool heads result from a divorce. Normally, ex-spouses feel taken advantage of, angry and bitter, or feel the other is still controlling or trying to manipulate them. This is not my experience, but millions of others experience it. Here are a few things to consider:  Children – There are so many obligations to consider when you are considering getting divorced. If you thought your life was controlled by your ex-spouse, think of the courts now being behind them, to make sure you (or your ex-spouse) does what is best for the kids. Everything is now going to be in writing between you and your ex-spouse.Time spent with kids - When you are divorced, if everything is mutual, the best case scenario is that you see them close to 50 % of the time. The other 50% of the time you will be away from them. What days will you have your kids? What is your schedule? The worst case scenario is that you may “lose” your children, and only see them with visitation rights, and maybe even with someone you pay to watch your interaction with them. Finances - You will be paying for them more because, as a single parent who has to work, you may need daycare. You may need other financial help taking care of them, or you may need to pay your ex-spouse child support to support the kids. Kids get more expensive when you are divorced.Transportation – How will you get the children to and from your ex-spouse? Will you pick them up at school or from their home? Will they drop them off? Logistics gets crazy. Holidays – You will likely get the kids for half of the holidays. The other half will be with their other parents. You will have Christmas without your children half the time.College – Who will pay for their college? Will you pay 1/3, 1/2, or the entire thing?Health Care – Who will put the kids on their insurance? How will you pay for emergencies, and they have a large medical bill? If you don’t agree on this, the court will.Location – Normally your ex-spouse has no say in what you do with your life after divorce, unless you have kids. If you decide to get married to someone one state away, the kids are most likely not coming with you. You may have to find a local or someone who will move to you in order to stay near the kids. If you go on vacation, you will have to ask the other parent and make sure they know everywhere your child is. There is more control in your life afterwards, by your ex-spouse, than when you were married.Residential Custodian – You may be their parent, but you may not be their custodian. There needs to be one address that the schools will use to register the kids. All of their mail should go to one address, as well, so they stay organized. Who is on the record as their custodian when it comes to all their activities? This is their residential custodian. This does vary between states. Other agreements – There are many other issues that come up, but when kids are involved, it is important to get these in writing because you will need to stick with them, and make sure your ex-spouse is okay with them, as well.Finances – If you have kids, you may have to pay child support. Whether you give or get child support, the cost of raising kids increases, when they go between two households. It does not matter if you are the husband or wife, in this day and age. If your spouse was the stay-at-home spouse, can’t work, or is in a less lucrative career than you, you may have to pay alimony for their livelihood, so it is more equal, according to your established standard of living. This will be settled outside of court, by agreement of the Parties, or through mediation, or through the court, with the judge making the ultimate decision. Make sure you get a good attorney.Location – If you don’t have kids, your ex-spouse has no say on where you live. If you do have kids, though, you may be stuck in one general location - if you want to see your kids on a regular basis (which you should want to do).Relationships – If you believe you will find a better person than the one you already have, or even if you already had someone in mind, don’t be ignorant. Every new relationship has to start over at the beginning. You will need to spend a good amount of time getting to know this person, and them getting to know you, if you think you will overcome some of the issues you had in the previous marriage. The recommended amount of time is generally one year, so you can see that person in each season (think cold of winter, heat of summer, various holidays, etc.) Another good idea is to take a trip with that person, and see how well you travel together. Travel can reveal a lot about a person! If you already have someone in mind before divorce, know this, only 3-5% of these relationships end in marriage, and out of those marriages, 75% of second marriages end in divorce, as well. If you meet someone who does not live in the same town as you (or close by), you may want to move to be with that person. Without approval from your ex-spouse and the court, you won’t be able to take your kids with you. Often, divorce is not the answer, but instead, it is just a band-aid - a quick fix. If you don’t figure out the actual cause of the divorce, it will happen again and again. Out of every first marriage, 40-50% fail; out of every second marriage, 60% fail; out of third marriages, 75% fail; and the statistics get worse each time you remarry. Again, divorce is rarely the answer. Marriages are more likely to succeed when both sides spend more quality time together, listen to each other, and work to understand the other person’s perspective. Honesty is key, too! Marrying again: Hopefully, you learned some great lessons from the previous marriage. Statistically, these marriages are more likely to fail, but there are some things to do to make sure yours doesn’t. Here are a few suggestions: Start from the beginning as if you were getting married for the first time. Get to know the person more than you have ever known another person. Merge your ways of living - Make sure your two separate ways of doing things can merge. If either of you have been divorced over a long period of time, it may be hard for one or both of you to be less independent, and allow the other person into your life. Spend time together – Don’t just spend all day together, but spend quality time together. Realize that, like the dating period of the previous marriage, you shouldn’t just spend every waking moment together, but if you hold back from getting married for at least a year, you can see your future spouse in all seasons of their life, and the year. People change during the winter, in their habits and behaviors. Make sure you know how they will react in as many situations as possible, before you get married. This does not have to be years, but enough time to really get to know them - and not just what they say. Sometimes these two things are deceiving.Reality Check #1– This is one of the hardest pieces to stomach, but like your last marriage, the honeymoon stage will end at some point. There will be arguments, frustrations, and you may not want the other person around as much as you used to. Also remember that if there are kids, they will take up most of your time when they are around. You will have less time getting to know the other person than when you first got married and didn’t have kids.Reality Check #2 – You were probably the cause of, or at least contributed to, your last divorce. As hard as it is to hear, “it takes two to Tango,” which means, things that you did in your last marriage were partially to blame for your divorce, be it small or large actions. The greatest thing you can do to make the next marriage work, is find out what that was, and correct it before the next marriage, so you don’t end up repeating it and setting this marriage up for failure. If you deny you had anything to do with the last marriage ending, you will most likely do it all over again.Marriage is a wonderful thing that brings the greatest joys to life, but it is always hard, and takes a great deal of work. Do not just jump into marriage because “you think it’s a good thing;” or think you can just figure things out as they come; and please don’t get married because you need to in order to have intimate relationships with someone! Marriage is a sacred trust between you and your spouse and you should treat it that way - treating your spouse very special. So take the time to get to know as much as possible - about yourself and them - beforehand.  Intimacy before marriage: If you bring intimacy in too early, your mind will be clouded from seeing the truth about your future spouse. Intimacy comes in many different ways, and the further you go, the more likely you are to get divorced. Intimacy includes all sexual relations between two partners. When you are getting to know a person, if you hold back from physical intimacy, you are more likely to see with a more leveled mind. If you are hoping to get married to this person, knowing how they are in private situations is not as important as getting to know who they are inside, if you hope your marriage is to last until death. Here are the facts according to the American Psychological Association: Relationships that are not built on a majority of physical intimacy until they get to know the person first are more likely to succeed or fail before they get too deep, which is okay because you were able to see the person for who they are.Those who wait for physical intimacy report significantly higher relationship satisfaction (20%), better communication patterns (12%), less consideration of divorce (22%), and better (physical intimacy) quality (15%)Those that hold off on sex before marriage are the least likely to get divorced. The more “partners” you have before marriage, the more likely you are to get divorced.Those who have side partners, while married, are more likely to get divorced, lose that other person, and get divorced a second or third time. Music I Use: Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos License code: AN4MXGI6OALEGJ66

Simplified Explanation: Becoming debt free is when you do not owe anyone or any company money from a previous debt. You will still have monthly bills, but you do not owe anyone a recurring amount of money because of past choices or purchases. Real Life: Getting out of debt is a huge weight off everyone’s shoulders. When you finally get away from debt, you never want to return. Typically, a person will do everything possible to keep themselves away from getting back into debt (aside from the most essential role of financing a home). But when you can get out of that debt, too, you will feel total relief. Know this: this chapter is filled with suggestions that are based on experience. Staying out of debt: After getting out of debt, you may feel the relief of not owing anyone financially, and the hope is, that you will feel the desire never to get back into debt. This may be the perfect time to consider ways to stay out of debt, such as cutting up your credit cards and moving to debit cards; buying cars with cash, instead of financing them; and saving for things you would like to buy (and be patient while you’re saving, too). You have worked so hard to either stay out of debt, or pay back your debt, that you have seen the wisdom of never getting back in. Pandemic or Global Events – When COVID hit the world in 2020, two strategies were taken to stop the spread of the disease. One was to lock down every citizen and business for 3 months (or more), while they got it under control, so the hospital beds that were needed were not overrun. The second was to let everything go forward, and people lived their lives with masks and other protective means, while the virus spread to those who were not protected. In the end, both had the same results with the virus: people died. But the death rates were lower in South Korea and Sweden (who did not lock down) than those of the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Poland, and many other European countries (per million citizens). Also, those who did not lock down continued to thrive in their economies. In the United States, individual states took two different directions with the lockdown. This almost went the way of the political line: blue states (Democrat-run states) continued to lock down. Their number of COVID cases and deaths rose and their economies crashed. The red states (Republican run states) opened up, even just slightly, and their numbers rose at the same amount, but their economies came back quickly. Then, the government, under Trump, first, and then Biden, came out and said, “we will save you by sending you $1,400, then $600, and then another $1,400 dollars.” The government locked the people down for a year in some states, not allowing them to work outside their home, and then gave them $3,400 total, and claimed they saved the people. The problem is, about one-third of people surveyed in the United States lost 10 to 25 percent of their income, not $3,400, while statistics show that a simple 4 months would have solved getting a handle on the pandemic numbers in the hospitals. In the United States, those states and people that thrived were those that locked down for 3-4 months, and then opened up again, such as Georgia, Florida, and Missouri (which is where I lived at the time). Many of the people who lived in the locked down states found themselves to be the answer, and moved out of states, such as New York and California. Now, after the lockdowns have opened and the masks have gone away, for the most part, because of all the printed money that was injected into the economy, the United States and most of the globe is experiencing inflation. By July of 2022 the United States’ currency had inflated nearly 10%, meaning that you are paying 10% more for a loaf of bread or gallon of gas, on average. Time to set up an emergency fund: After you have found your way out of debt, the next step is to build an emergency fund of 3-6 months. This is a safety net to prepare you for disasters that may come your way. Don’t be too quick to jump into investing, until you make sure your house is financially secure. This means building a food storage, and creating an emergency fund of 3-6 months to help you through any hard times that may come. For example, if a COVID lock down started up again and you lost your job for any reason, would you be prepared? Most people can’t survive past 3 months without outside assistance. You, on the other hand are prepared for things to come if you’ve followed these steps and have your emergency fund. Or, what if you got into a terrible accident and could not work for 6 months, while you recover? Your health insurance will take care of your medical expenses, for a while, and you will take care of the living expenses. Your car, on the other hand, may need to wait, or you may be able to stretch your emergency fund to take care of the replacement. If an accident is someone elses fault, their insurance should pay the bill. This emergency fund is 3-6 months’ worth of your expenses, in a normal month. Most people, when placed in a hard situation, will do extraordinary things to survive, including cutting their expenses in half sometimes. Knowing this, 3-6 months’ worth of expenses will get you through most of your standard emergencies. How to you create food storage responsibly and quickly:You are constantly going to the store. Normally, you buy the same things each time you go. For those things that are made to store - such as cans, boxed and bottled items - and those that are made to freeze, buy two, each time you go to the grocery store. It may increase your food budget, but it will allow you to slowly increase your food storage until you have 3-6 months’ worth of food storage. If you set your food budget to a comfortable amount, and don’t use it all in a month, you can always use those funds to buy extra food for storage.  When you feel like you have a good amount of food storage, make sure you keep track of it, so nothing goes bad. Most cans can last 2 years after their expiration date. Suggestion: If you have certain shelves to hold the cans for 2022 and then another shelf to hold cans for 2023, it is easier to track how old your cans are and by when you should eat them.  This is an easy way to track your food and cycle it though. Each year, at the end, you will go through all that previous year’s shelves and clear them out, eating those foods first. Make sure that you have recipes for all storage items you gather, and make sure you like those meals. This will allow you to buy foods you like and will eat in times of emergencies. Now it is time to invest: After you are out of debt, have an emergency fund, and have started your food storage, it is now time to put your excess income into investing in your future. Make sure you educate yourself in every investment.  Here are some articles to read: https://econofact.org/food-inflation-in-the-u-s-and-abroad https://riteeat.com/2024/01/24/the-case-for-food-storage/

Shadowing - If there are only a few interviewees and the manager doesn’t have a lot of time to interview you, or has already interviewed you and wants to see you in action, they will ask if you would like to shadow them, to see how they work. Always accept the invitation. This is not as much for your benefit, but to see how you interact with other employees, to see if you are a good worker, and to see if the interviewer will like you after a hard day of work. Remember, the manager will be working harder than you during the day, with much more responsibility and they want to show that to you, so they will most likely pack the day with things to accomplish. This can also show that they are interested in you. You will need to bring your A-Game. Before the Shadowing Appointment: Work around their Schedule – Do everything possible to meet when it is convenient for them.Know the Details - Before you show up, make sure you are clear on the details. Appropriate attire - Make sure to ask beforehand what clothes you should wear. Do not wear a suit if you are going to dig in the dirt. You can ask for an itinerary, so you know how to prepare.While Shadowing: Show up early - This is an interview in action, and they want to make sure you will not just show up, but be early - since it’s a better indicator of how you will work if employed.No phones - Put your phone on silent and keep it out of your hands. If you pick up the phone while you are shadowing, you most likely will not get the job. Show them that the job and this opportunity is very important to you.Your best self - Present your best self with your body, non-verbal language, and speech.Be positive and interact nicely with everyone you encounter - while you are with the manager, and while he is away. Others are watching, and the manager will most likely ask for others’ insight on you.Be prepared to stay later than they ask. Managers have a job to accomplish, and this may be longer than the normal workday. Offer to stay to help with things afterwards, until they leave for the day, if they are accepting of this. You don’t have to do this after you are hired, but you are showing them that you work hard.Get out of your comfort zone and ask to help wherever you see a need. They want to make sure you are a good fit, and who could be a better fit than someone who takes initiative. Take plenty of Notes - Bring a notepad. Remember, the interviewer may have the position you ultimately want. Take notes on what they are doing, so you can work towards that position. Ask plenty of questions to show your interest, and that you are trying to understand everything.Earn the Position - Remember that you are not entitled to this job. This is how you earn it.Reflect on your Career Path – Prepare to answer more personal career questions, spontaneously, in this interview. Prepare an answer to why you chose this position or job posting. This is a less formal setting, so don’t act like you have all the answers. Be humble and willing to, instead of making up an answer, ask a question to clarify, or gain advice from the interviewer.Be curious, yet discreet – Show your interest in the interviewer and the position. Watch them for reactions, and empathize where possible. Practice active listening. Also, don’t cut them off.After Shadowing:  Send them a thank you note – Like after any interview, send a personalized note, to stay at the top of their mind, and the list of potential employees.Remember to follow up with an answer you promised, or a task they gave you.Follow up a week later, about the job, by asking a question in a quick, easy-to-respond-to email.After you have the job offer, if you still feel loyal to the company you work for and think that a promotion would satisfy your disengagement, then go to your current employer and explain the situation. Do not go empty handed (without another job offer) because if this meeting doesn’t go well, you want something ready and solid to fall back on. When speaking to your employer, tell them why you began looking, but tell them that you are loyal to the company, you like your co-workers and that you just need a change. Then, let them know you would like to stay, if they can make it viable to keep you. This then puts the ball in their court, giving them the chance to act; if they don’t want to, or can’t, you must then act on what is best for you. You gave them a chance, though. Remember, most employers do not want to lose someone that shows initiative, by bettering themselves with more education, or going out and experiencing job hunting for a better job. Union Members - If you are working with a union, tell the union representative what you are doing. Your employer may not be allowed to promote you because of union rules, so asking for a promotion may not be a viable option. Unions are set so everyone is treated equally. Those who work harder cannot have an advantage, unless a different job becomes available - and you will still have to apply for that position. If there is not a job available, the employer is not allowed to offer you more money. This may be the best time to get out of this job and find one with an easier success ladder, where you can work harder to get ahead of the rest.  If you take the time to become better educated or find a better position, let your current employer know and tell them you will stay if they offer you a better position. They know they would lose a lot by letting you go. They would then have to go through the interview process and potentially pay the new employee more, due to newer and higher salaries for that position. They know that they are in a hard position, because you will save them time and money and you are already educated for the current position. They want you to stay, if that will keep you engaged at work. Read additional articles, including: https://careers.unl.edu/resources/job-shadowing-a-pathway-to-professional-insight-and-growth/ https://career-advising.ndsu.edu/resources/job-shadowing-preparation-and-tips/ https://hbculifestyle.com/job-shadowing-questions-for-hbcu-success/

Interview Process: When you find the job you like and turn in your resume, the next step to the process is waiting to be called for an interview. They may ask you questions or ask you to submit writing samples before you are called in, but at some point, you will be called in to talk to the company owner or manager or conference call, as they vet the best candidates for the position. There are two ways they may hold the first interview: Group Interview – This is the going trend right now, because it saves time and weeds out candidates quickly. This is where all the applicants meet together and talk to the manager, all at once. This is where you get to make a name for yourself, by asking and answering questions, speaking up, and being a leader while in the group. You don’t want to be influenced by group-think, but if you want to make a name for yourself in the group, you want to make sure you speak up in front of the group. This shows initiative, that you can be part of an effective team, and that you will go out of the way to understand. Don’t be intimidated in this process; everyone is human, and the interviewer just wants to make sure they get the best person. After it is over, remember to send them a thank you card, so you stay at the top of their mind. Individual Interview – This would normally happen after the group interview, if there are a lot of potential employees. If there are only a few candidates, then the manager in charge will meet with everyone individually. They may want the best candidate, but they do not want to scare people away with a group interview, which may be intimidating. You will set up a time that works best for both parties and come to the office to meet with your potential boss. Interviews normally happen in a closed office or conference room, but some may happen in a more public area, such as a café. Be flexible and, if you really want this position, willing to step outside of your comfort zone. They will ask you questions, and you will be able to ask them questions. When being interviewed, try these tips: Before the Interview: Start by researching the company, and talking to your potential coworkers. Research not only the company you are interested in, but their industry, competitors, and recent news. Be prepared.Practice possible answers to questions they may ask. Search our site for “Common Questions.”Reread the job description beforehand. You want to present yourself as the person they need.Find people to role play with. This allows you to practice answering the common questions.Prepare your list of references. Do not give them just anyone, make sure they are relevant to the job and remember to ask each beforehand.Bring a portfolio or list of examples of your work. You want them to see you are prepared.Make a list of Smart Questions you can ask, that show you did your research. Search “Smart Questions,” on our site, for examples.Prepare a response to “behavior-based” questions, such as when they ask you to share an experience where you displayed behaviors that the company prioritizes and wants from you.Plan your interview attire the night before. Make sure you come with the right dress code. Search “Interview Attire.” Make sure your appearance is clean and without blemish, but also matches the company culture. Don’t overdo the attire.Bring many copies of your resume, a notepad, and pen. Take notes to show your attentiveness. Stay calm, both before the interview and during it. Make sure your actions, answers, questions, and all interactions are intentional.Practice, practice, practice - as much as possible - by yourself and with others.Ask for an interview in the morning. Statistics show that interviewers are more positive early in the day.During the Interview: Arrive at the interview at least 10-15 minutes early. Be prepared to sit and wait until called.Treat everyone you encounter with respect, from those you encounter in the parking lot to the assistant  that tells you to sit and wait for the interviewer.Show confidence in your appearance, by watching your posture, the look of your clothing, and remembering to smile. You can practice  good posture beforehand, and remember good manners. Search “Body Language,” on our site.Win the interviewer over with your confidence, authenticity, and positivity. Be genuine and truthful in your interaction. Everyone wants to be around people they like.The first question is normally, “Tell me about yourself.” Practice a well thought out response.Try to stay on the side of the interviewer. If they have a concern, make sure you have the same concern, and a way to resolve it.When asked a question, use the STAR method in your response: Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Search our site for “STAR Method.” Basically, it means, give the situation, what your role was, what actions were taken, and what the results were.Don’t blame others or speak negatively against a previous employee or employer. Be assertive and take responsibility. You can make sure you do not look “bad,” but don’t be petty in explaining a situation, by blaming others or speaking ill against those who aren’t there to respond. Always circle these situations back to how they were a positive influence in your development.With every negative, give a resolution and how you overcame or learned from that situation. Take these questions back to skills and accomplishments you received. Be positive.Anticipate your interviewer’s concerns or reservations. Answer and ask indirect questions, when appropriate, to find out what the interviewer is thinking (or assuming) about you.Do not rant. Keep your answers as concise as possible. Focus on the most important issues. If you can, make the answers into conversations, so you can turn the questions back to the interviewer. They get bored of asking questions, and may want some interaction.Clarify why you would be valuable for the company and reasons you want this position.Don’t worry about your answers sounding practiced - everyone is nervous in an interview.This is rare, but be prepared to respond to illegal or inappropriate questions. Sometimes, the interviewer isn’t thinking, or is overly curious. Search “Inappropriate Questions” on our site.Close on a positive note. Make sure they have a good memory of you, so they cannot forget you.After the interview: Ask the interviewer what the next step is, or how many interviewees there are. Show your interest in the process, and sympathize with the pains they are taking to find the right candidate.Send a personal letter to them thanking them for the opportunity, and mention something positive about the interview, so they can remember which candidate you were. This keeps you at the top of their minds.Follow up with them about a week later, to: 1) stay at the top of their mind; and 2) show that you are still interested.Last, but not least, don’t give up. Even if you don’t get a job offer, take this as a learning experience. Get back in and try again, with another similar position.   Read other articles about interviews at: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/top-job-interview-tips-for-college-students-2059837 https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/job-interview-questions-theyre-dying-to-ask-you https://www.theforage.com/blog/interview-questions/panel-interview https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/body-language-tips-video-interview/ https://www.michaelpage.ca/advice/career-advice/job-interview-tips/group-interviews-how-prepare-and-how-stand-out https://www.ach.edu/2014/09/how-to-stand-out-in-the-group-interview/

Simplified Explanation: Statistics have shown that Millennials and those younger will change their jobs four times in the first decade of working; only 29% of them feel engaged at their workplace; and 50% are dissatisfied with their work (Gallup polls, 2021). Adults are prone to searching out new jobs if they don’t like their work or side gigs if they want more work to pay the bills. This is not to demonize the work that employees are doing but instead to note that they can become disengaged, and they want something new. Real Life: Everyone in America is able to quit their job and move on to another position that they are qualified for. The job market is very fluid, but if you are not qualified for a certain job or you don’t have the talent or skills, you will need to be trained for it, or continue working where you are. If you are not educated and skilled in the right area to get the job of your dreams, then that is up to you to change. Remember, you want another job and someone else would be happy to fill your position. If you want to change jobs, try these thoughtful questions before making the dive into a new career. The truth is, if you are dissatisfied with the job you have, it may not be the job that is disengaging you; so try this method to see if a potential job change is right for you. What is it about the old/current job that you do not like? Can you/how can you make it more engaging?Are you qualified for another position in the same company, and would that be engaging?Is it the work that dissatisfies or disengages you, or is it something else (like the company culture)?Will you feel joy in the next position - working for that company or another company - or will they all be a drag for you, because you aren’t doing what you want?What is it you want to do? Are you qualified and have the talent to accomplish that job?Would you be more satisfied if you had a side gig to mix things up, or is it that you just don’t want to work?Is it the money you are making, the lack of a cause in the company, or do you just want something new?Again, will you be satisfied with something in the future, or will you always be unhappy?After you have answered these questions, you will have a better understanding of what is inside of you and why you feel disengaged or dissatisfied with your current job. It may not be the job that dissatisfies you. After answering these questions honestly, if you still want a new job, try asking the following questions. Then take these actions to begin the search for a new position: What would you love to do at work? Remember, if you make your hobby your work, you may become dissatisfied with your hobby, and the thing you used to escape from your stress is now the thing you need to escape from. All that or you may begin to enjoy what you do and you may very much enjoy your new job.Are there positions out there that can satisfy the needs you have? Search the web for job boards that may fulfill the need(s) that you have inside.Did you find one? If they are out there, the next thing you should do is go interview someone that is doing that same job right now. If you can find someone that is dissatisfied and someone that is satisfied with the job, you will get a more well-rounded point of view. You would hate to take another job and then immediately find you are disengaged there as well. Remember that every time you change jobs and then list that in your resume for the next position, your next employer will see that, especially if they check references by calling up your previous work. The more you jump around the more your next boss will wonder if you will do that to them. There is a certain amount of movement that won’t spook an employer, but just make sure you won’t be moving around forever. A company loses thousands on training most employees, and the U.S. Economy loses billions each year on lost production; so do your research beforehand. Remember that if you move up in the company, that is a great sign to your next employer of your potential. If you answer that you were dissatisfied with your last job, in an interview, that can be a sign that you will likely be dissatisfied in this new job or if you are honest and open, giving them reasons why you left, may give them insight on how to keep you engaged and solid in this new position.What requirements will it take to fulfill this job, or even to get past the interview process against others that are equally (or even more) qualified for this position? Will others be more prepared and qualified for this position? What education do you need to have? What job training or experience do you need? Can you/should you get this training and education before applying for this type of job?Are you willing to go back to school to get this job? Is there on-the-job training? Or does the company want a “blank slate,” to train their own way and so doesn’t want you to be trained too much by someone else? You may be able to entice the interviewer that you are not trained or educated for this job but that you are a “blank slate,” ready to be trained their way. Remember that the employer is human, like you, but is looking for the best fit for this position, out of all the applicants. Are you the best person to fill this need?Now, after doing your research into the new position, do not quit your day job. You want to make a smooth transition from your previous job into a new job. You also do not know if you will find a new job right away. You may start interviewing with these other positions while still working at your day job. This also shows the new employer that they are not hiring someone that was fired or had issues finding work. If they know they have someone that is already wanted by another employer, then you are playing on their jealousy that they want this employee just as much, if not more, and will pay to entice you to come over. So, do not enter an interview with a sense of desperation. When looking for a job, try taking these steps first: Look to see if there are jobs that will satisfy your needs and wants and see what they provide for salary and benefits. Do some research into the company culture and see if you are a good fit.Talk to the employees that would be working with you. There is nothing wrong with you entering the interview knowing anything and everything about the company and their employees. You could even go as far as to invite one of the employees to go out to lunch with you so you can “pick their brain” (ask them every question imaginable so you can determine if it is a good fit before you join). Remember also that just like you want to research the job opportunity, the employer wants you to know as much as possible beforehand. No employer wants you to join their ranks just to leave it after being trained.Find out what type of qualifications you will need to work there and take the time to take the classes and training necessary to obtain those qualifications. Remember that these classes won’t just help you in a future position but may help you in the position you are currently working. They could also line you up for a promotion in your current job, which may end up engaging you. Tell your current boss that you are taking new classes. Don’t tell them that you are looking into getting a new job. Employers love when their workers are getting more education because it will only help with their current position. They see this as an opportunity, and if they are wise, they will offer you a higher position or pay more to keep a well-educated employee working for them.Before going too far with searching out a new job, ask your employer what it would take to get a promotion or higher position in the company. If there is no upward momentum or path you can take, this is a good sign to find new employment. If there is upward momentum, this may be just what you need to satisfy your needs and get you reengaged. Even when you get a job offer, go back to your employer and tell them that you received a job offer but because you are loyal, you would like to stay here (if you do want to stay) if there is a way they can match the job offer or give you a promotion with something that will satisfy you.Remember that anyone can ask for a promotion, but the ones to receive them are those willing to work for it. Are you willing to work for it? If so, ask your manager what you need to do to be promoted. Take their recommendations to heart. If you take those classes needed, show more initiative, or do what is required to advance, then you deserve that promotion. If they don’t give it to you at that point, then you have every right (and almost an obligation) to leave for a better job. If you are educated and ready for the position that you want, it is time to write a rock-solid resume. A resume is a summary of your work history, education, and even certifications, publications, and organizations you belong to. Here are a few tips when writing a resume: Resume, in general: Keep it all to one page. If it becomes too long, the reviewer will not read it.You can use a template to get started, but remember to personalize it to speak more to who you are.Resumes are often read by computers these days; templates can help get past the bots. Any system these days that takes resumes normally has a program to sort through viable resumes.Keep it simple and uniform. Make sure it looks the same throughout, with font and spacing.While simple, you want it to stand out. Make it unique, in your own way, but be careful about being too unique and giving too much information.Make your contact information prominent and put it at the top, so they don’t need to search.Design it to be skimmable, hitting all the highlights, without lengthy sentences.Seek guidance from a professional - the money you may spend will be worth it.Use active language, like “accomplished,” “achieved,” and “earned.”Choose standard margins and spacing in the format, so it doesn’t look too busy. Objective: This is not needed unless you are making a large jump between different career fields; some employers do like it as a summary, but most know what type of job you are looking for, so it’s not needed.If you are to write one, make sure that you focus it on each specific position.Don’t use “I” or “me.” Make the objective very short - 2 lines - and straight to the point. Job History: The first and most important tip is, don’t put everything on your resume - only relevant items.Keep a master list of your jobs; they may not apply to this one job, but maybe it can be used on the next.Write it in reverse chronological order, with the newest on top. Make it easier for your reviewer.If you don’t have relevant work experience, that is okay. List your previous employment, but focus more space on your education and transferable skills, or go take the needed classes.Make sure that under each previous employer you have only 3-5 bullet points, explaining what you did, and only report relevant information... Other articles to read or see these infographics: https://www.campuswell.com/how-start-side-gig/ https://www.yourgreenpal.com/blog/99-side-hustle-gigs-and-apps-to-make-money-during-covid-19 https://www.self.inc/info/side-hustle-statistics/

Read this Article to Get More Information: Rents are rising faster than wages across the country, especially in these cities Wages for the typical U.S. worker have surged since the pandemic, but for many Americans those gains are being gobbled up by rising rent. Rents jumped 30.4% nationwide between 2019 and 2023, while wages during that same period rose 20.2%, according to a recent analysis from online real estate brokers Zillow and StreetEasy. The gap between wage growth and rent increases was widest in large cities, including Atlanta; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Miami, Phoenix and Tampa. Other cities where renters are feeling the pinch include Baltimore, Cincinnati, Las Vegas, New York and San Diego. Rent soared during the pandemic as demand rose due to Americans fleeing major urban centers and opting for more space away from neighbors in the suburbs and rural areas. Rent is still increasing, housing experts say, although now at a slower pace. Some metros including Austin, Texas, and Portland, Oregon, have seen rent decreases in the past year, according to the analysis, a stark contrast to more populated cities like New York, which "is heading in the opposite direction," said StreetEasy Senior Economist Kenny Lee. "New multifamily buildings coming online have eased competitive pressure in many markets, but in New York City construction just simply can't keep up with demand," Lee said in a statement. Read More at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rent-cost-us-2024-housing-national/ Image from: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/rents-have-soared-across-country-home-prices-grew-even-faster

Simplified Explanation: Having children costs money. You have to feed them, cloth them, shelter them, and do most things for them, until they grow up, and become adults. These increase your expenses, and reduce the time you can/should work outside the home. Real Life: Children are the greatest blessing in your life - better than anything (other than your spouse)! They are the source of some of your greatest joys, and sometimes heartache. With this blessing comes more financial obligations. Parenting Financials 101: When you have a child, there are many obligations you will have, in order to care for the child. First off, your monthly expenses increase dramatically, due to buying diapers, formula, diapers, clothes, and many accessories, including diapers. Other items needed include pack-and-play, beds, strollers, car seats, toys, and much more. Also, parenting an infant and toddler is very exhausting, and will take a toll on your workload. You will need to spend more time with them, or pay for daycare, or even a live-in nanny, depending on how much you work. Recently, a growing percentage of couples wait until they are financially settled to have children. Sometimes, this moveable target makes a couple never start a family, because the goal is either never met, or always increased, because they do not feel ready. Just know that the longer you wait, the more exhausting your child will pay on you and the more exhausting they are the more you will end up exhausted. Children are exhausting no matter how old you are, but would you rather play on the ground and run after a toddler when you are in your 40s, or when you are younger and more energetic, in your 20s? Also, would you rather have your children out of your house by the time you hit 50, or not until you are in your 60-70s? The older you are when you start, the older you will be when they leave the nest. Either way you choose, just make sure that they are well taken care of, and remember that most things you spend money on, for your child, are reimbursed by the government through child tax credits of $4,000 per year. You will need to spend most nights waking in the middle and caring for the child. An infant needs to eat multiple times during the night, diapers need to be changed, and they will need comfort if they are scared or uncomfortable. As they get older, you are waking when they are scared or wet the bed. When they become teenagers, you stay up late until they get back from social gatherings, parties, and dates. Then when you are older and the kids move out, you find yourself waking up because of your own bowel movements. Get ready, as you get older, your life doesn’t become easier, even without children. Just know, having children while you are younger and more energetic is not a bad thing, but make sure that you can care for their needs - both with time and money. Read more articles: https://www.statista.com/chart/2633/raising-a-child-today-could-cost-a-quarter-of-a-million/ https://www.kidjunction.com/2023/03/15/10-advantages-of-having-children/ https://www.bellybelly.com.au/parenting/having-kids-young/ https://www.psychreg.org/mental-health-benefits-having-children/ https://freudianmommy.com/benefits-of-having-children/ https://lovinglifeathome.com/2023/09/04/science-proves-having-babies-good-for-you/ https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/01/13/cost-raising-child

Simplified Explanation: Having children costs money. You have to feed them, cloth them, shelter them, and do most things for them, until they grow up, and become adults. These increase your expenses, and reduce the time you can/should work outside the home. Real Life: Children are the greatest blessing in your life - better than anything (other than your spouse)! They are the source of some of your greatest joys, and sometimes heartache. With this blessing comes more financial obligations.  Parenting Financials 101: When you have a child, there are many obligations you will have, in order to care for the child. First off, your monthly expenses increase dramatically, due to buying diapers, formula, diapers, clothes, and many accessories, including diapers. Other items needed include pack-and-play, beds, strollers, car seats, toys, and much more. Also, parenting an infant and toddler is very exhausting, and will take a toll on your workload. You will need to spend more time with them, or pay for daycare, or even a live-in nanny, depending on how much you work.  Recently, a growing percentage of couples wait until they are financially settled to have children. Sometimes, this moveable target makes a couple never start a family, because the goal is either never met, or always increased, because they do not feel ready. Just know that the longer you wait, the more exhausting your child will pay on you and the more exhausting they are the more you will end up exhausted. Children are exhausting no matter how old you are, but would you rather play on the ground and run after a toddler when you are in your 40s, or when you are younger and more energetic, in your 20s? Also, would you rather have your children out of your house by the time you hit 50, or not until you are in your 60-70s? The older you are when you start, the older you will be when they leave the nest. Either way you choose, just make sure that they are well taken care of, and remember that most things you spend money on, for your child, are reimbursed by the government through child tax credits of $4,000 per year. You will need to spend most nights waking in the middle and caring for the child. An infant needs to eat multiple times during the night, diapers need to be changed, and they will need comfort if they are scared or uncomfortable. As they get older, you are waking when they are scared or wet the bed. When they become teenagers, you stay up late until they get back from social gatherings, parties, and dates. Then when you are older and the kids move out, you find yourself waking up because of your own bowel movements. Get ready, as you get older, your life doesn’t become easier, even without children.  Just know, having children while you are younger and more energetic is not a bad thing, but make sure that you can care for their needs - both with time and money.   Read more articles: https://www.statista.com/chart/2633/raising-a-child-today-could-cost-a-quarter-of-a-million/ https://www.kidjunction.com/2023/03/15/10-advantages-of-having-children/ https://www.bellybelly.com.au/parenting/having-kids-young/ https://www.psychreg.org/mental-health-benefits-having-children/ https://freudianmommy.com/benefits-of-having-children/ https://lovinglifeathome.com/2023/09/04/science-proves-having-babies-good-for-you/ https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/01/13/cost-raising-child

Simplified Explanation: As explained before, taxes are money that is collected, by the government, from its citizens and their businesses, to pay for their operations. These are mandated payments - based on your income, property, or what you purchased - of which funds go to the operation of federal, state, county, and city government bodies. The money is used for infrastructure, salaries of their workers, and anything else they decide to use the money for - literally anything they decide. Real Life: The first thing you need to know is who the IRS is. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is a federal government department that is in charge of collecting taxes throughout the year, reviewing your annual tax return, and auditing you if they think you are hiding something. You cannot hide from them forever. The first piece of advice, regarding the IRS (and yes, I am about to tell you to spend money), is to pay your taxes every year. The IRS does not care about your hardships; they want to know you are paying your “fair share.” They have created extensions for when something happens, and forgiveness plans if you get into trouble with them, but you will pay your taxes.  At the same time, you shouldn’t feel obligated to pay more than you are supposed to pay. You should strive to pay as little as possible (while still paying your taxes), starting with your W-9 form. This is the form that tells your employer how much to take from your pay and withhold for federal income tax. If you are the head of your household, they lower your withholdings; if you have children, you pay less, and so on. You are taking less out from your paycheck because they believe you will pay less in your annual tax return. The best way to figure out if you are overpaying is if you receive a tax return at the beginning of the next year. If the IRS writes you a check, it means you sent them too much. Your taxes are paid at the beginning of each year for the previous year. You pay between January 1st and April 15th, of each year, based on the money you paid to the government the previous year (or should have paid), and any deductions you should have taken out. We will go over each of these. If you own your own business then you pay quarterly, for if you waited until the end of the year, you may have run out of money to pay the taxes. History of Taxes: Did you know that it used to be unconstitutional to charge a federal income tax? That’s right! Back when the Constitution was written, there was not to be a tax on the people, but instead, the government would claim money in other ways, including import taxes for goods coming into the country. Before the Civil War, the Federal Government found other ways of funding itself. During the war, though, there was a massive amount of debt accumulated, and President Abraham Lincoln decided he needed to pay the debt that was accumulating, and wanted everyone to chip in. Almost a decade after the war, and after the government was flush with taxes coming in, it was repealed. People were about to go back to normal (not paying a tax), but the U.S. Congress got involved again, and in 1894, they enacted a law, demanding the citizens begin paying for the everyday expenses of the government - including their salaries and benefits, once again - with a flat tax. With politics, this began to evolve to what we have today, which basically states, depending on how much you make, you must pay a certain amount.  Now taxes for United States citizens are based on how much money they make, and where they live. The greatest tax increase was during Franklin Roosevelt’s presidency, and the greatest cut was during the years of President Ronald Reagan, (unless you count the different types of deductibles, meaning ways of using your money in a positive way that can lower the amount you own the federal government - and that came from President Donald Trump). Here is the history of taxes, according to each President, who now has the obligation to collect the right amount of taxes from the people. Abraham Lincoln (Republican) (1861-1865): Revenue Act - 3% tax on income over $800 (paid off expenses and debt from the U.S. Civil War). This is when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was created - July 1, 1862. Repealed in 1871.  Grover Cleveland (Democrat) (1885-1889, 1893-1897): In 1894, Congress tried to enact a flat rate income tax, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional, because there were varying populations in each state. Woodrow Wilson (Democrat) (1913-1921) – The IRS was reestablished and Form 1040 was designed. The 16th Amendment to the Constitution was enacted, adding 1% tax on income over $3,000, and 6% on income over $500,000. In 1916, he increased it to 2%, to pay for World War I. It was increased again in 1917, to 2% for income over $1,000, and the surtax increased to 63%. In 1920, government revenues were at $6.6 billion, and fell to $1.9 billion during the Great Depression. Herbert Hoover (Republican) (1929-1933) – Enacted the Revenue Act of 1932 - the largest tax reform of its time. This increased income taxes to 4% over $1,000, up to 63% for the highest earners. This caused the highest earners to find better tax strategies. Corporate taxes increased to 15%. Franklin Roosevelt (Democrat) (1933-1945) – Roosevelt desired to tax the rich even more, to attack the debt caused by his New Deal plan. In 1944, he raised the top margin to the highest point ever, 94%, for the highest earners, and claimed it was for World War II. In 1945, revenues increased to $45 billion (from $9 billion in 1941). This tax increase affected the lower income earners, as well. Most of this increase was used to pay Social Security, established in 1935 yet the benefit was not fully funded until 1945, with another  tax increase. Harry Truman (Democrat) (1945-1953) – The U.S. Congress cut rates in 1948, but two years later, Truman raised them again for the Korean War. By now, the lowest earners paid 20%, and the highest paid 91%. John F. Kennedy (Democrat) (1961-1963)– Though he was assassinated before enacting the Revenue Act of 1964, this act was to lower taxes and increase job growth. He was murdered before it could be passed. Lyndon B. Johnson (Democrat) (1963-1969) – The Revenue Act of 1964, passed by Congress and Johnson, cut tax rates to 70%, and the standard deduction was set at $300. In 1965, Medicare was enacted and created a larger deficit; so, lowering taxes was not an option without dramatically increasing deficits. Ronald Reagan (Republican) (1981-1989) – The Economic Recovery Tax Act was passed by the President and Congress, in 1981, greatly reducing the top tax rate, from 70% to 50%, and indexed tax brackets for inflation. He pushed for savings and investments to stimulate the economy. Again, in 1986, he created the Tax Reform Act to cut taxes, and this time simplify the tax code. The top rate was lowered to 28%, and the standard deduction and personal exemptions were increased, which benefited the lower-income earners. George H.W. Bush (Republican) (1989 – 1993) – The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 raised the top tax rate to 31%, to reduce the federal deficit (yet, never did). Bill Clinton (Democrat) (1993-2001) – He increased taxes, including the top tax bracket to 39.6%, in 1993. He also decreased deductions in order to pay for Social Security benefits. He enacted the Taxpayer Relief Act in 1997, introducing more tax breaks for families with dependent children and educational costs. Beyond that, he did lower the capital gains tax to 10-15%, to push people to invest, and created the Roth IRA. George W. Bush (Republican) (2001-2009) – The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 lowered tax rates and dropped the top tax rate to 35%. It created a 10% tax increase on the first $6,000 of income earned - $12,000 for a joint return (for those married). The Jobs and Growth Tax Reconciliation Act of 2003 cut taxes again, and lowered capital gains taxes. Barack Obama (Democrat) (2009-2017) – The Obama Affordable Care Act of 2010 was enacted with a penalty for not buying Health Insurance, but then was rewritten as a “tax” by U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts. The Obama American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 increased tax rates, with the top bracket increasing again, to 39.6%. The Net Investment Income Tax was imposed to create a 3.8% surtax, intended to tax portfolio income. Donald Trump (Republican) (2017-2020) – The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 brought  dramatic change. It increased deduction for business and personal expenses, to promote spending; the standard deduction nearly doubled; some tax deductions were eliminated for big businesses and high earners; tax loopholes were closed; individual tax rates were lowered (highest earners lowered to 37%); and corporate tax rates dropped to a flat 21%. The Sunset Provision was enacted by Congress to revert taxes to prior law in 2026. As you can see from the list above, taxes in the United States have fluctuated with almost all presidents since the Federal Income Tax was introduced, during the Civil War, by President Abraham Lincoln. With these new taxes the government was able to pay for an expensive war, and with ever president afterwards, they have used this as a political instrument to stir up excitement. Currently – Taxes are a very political thing. Conservatives, Libertarians, and the Republican Party want less government control over their lives, and so, want the government to take less of their taxes. Democrats, Green Party, Progressives, Liberals, Socialists, and Communists want more government, in different ways, and so, need to tax the people more, to pay for these programs.  In the news today (3/20/2021) we are looking at the government charging more taxes on us, including: Wealth Tax: A one time or annual fee charge, based on how much you own. This would be for the wealthy at whatever level of ownership the government decides. This is a tax used in Europe with very disappointing results. Most of the time, GDP for the country decreased and many of the wealthy simply moved their wealth to another country. This tax would also be placed on U.S. millionaires and billionaires, but not foreign investors who would move in, buying up the loss of U.S. wealth. These bills were written and promoted by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders (Progressive Democrats).Value Added Tax: Every time you buy a product, you pay a sales tax. This normally is regulated by State, County, and Local governments. A VAT Tax is where the federal government puts together their own sales tax, and adds that to every product you buy. So, when you are paying 10% on goods you buy right now, you would pay an additional 10% to the federal government.President Biden’s plan: His plan is a repeat from the past 30 years of taxes: increase the tax rates for those making over $200,000 a year, and remove many of President Trump’s enacted tax deductions (ways of using your money in good ways to decrease your taxes, including donations to nonprofits).Gas and Fossil-Fuel Taxes: With the coming possibility of a Green New Deal, taxes on all fossil fuels will increase, to penalize the use of fossil fuels, and pay for the Green New Deal and the money being spent to pay the United Nations, based on the Paris Climate Accords. How to Pay Less Towards Taxes - It is always important to pay the least amount legally possible to the government. You are only obligated to pay the minimal amount. Here are a few ways to keep your money: W-4 Form Deductions – When you sign all your new employee paperwork, you will have one form, the W-4, which will ask you questions to estimate how much you need to pay in Federal Income Tax. Pick every deduction point possible. Your company's HR Manager will figure out how much you will have to pay from that number. The more deductions you have, the less the government will withdraw from your pay. Increase your employee benefits – All fringe benefits, provided by your employer, are tax deductible. The money you pay for your benefits (health insurance, life insurance, retirement) is subtracted from your salary; that reduced payout  is taxed. The more you pay into your benefits, including your retirement savings account, the less you pay to the government. Expenses Reimbursed as an Accountable Plan – If you pay for business with your own personal money, make sure it is documented; have them expense it as a normal expense, and not in payroll. This will decrease your pay, and so, reduce your taxes. Again, you are under no obligation to pay higher taxes than you are legally and lawfully required to. That means it is your duty to yourself to find ways to decrease your pay and taxes, so that you take more of the benefits of the money you worked so hard to earn. Maximize your IRA and HSA Contributions – You can contribute to both of these tax free accounts for retirement (Individual Retirement Account – IRA, maximum contribution is $6,000 in 2021) and Health (Health Savings Account – HSA, maximum contribution is $3,600 in 2021) through your employer - with each paycheck, or by setting up your own account and contributing yearly.  Rethink your filing status (Married vs. Single): When you are married, you can file your taxes jointly or individually. There are benefits to each, so check which one will allow for a larger tax return collectively. Child Tax Credit: For each child you have, you can write off a certain amount of taxes. This changes constantly, with new administrations, and should be looked up at www.debt-freemillionaire.com/taxfree/.  Standard vs Itemized Deductions: There are many deductions you can list (itemize) on your taxes, to pay less taxes, including donations, medical expenses, etc. You may take all the deductions that work in your favor, or take the Standard Deduction - a specific amount of money set by the government - whichever is more. These are good things the government recognizes as ways to reduce your taxes. Record charitable donations: Every time you donate to a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, you can deduct that amount from your taxes. You want to keep good records of these for 7 years, so, if you are audited by the IRS, you have full documentation to justify these reductions in taxes. You can list your charitable miles, donations of cash or materials, and anything that financially supports non-profits. Claim your children, friend, or relatives you have been supporting: all those you support financially can be claimed as a dependent of yours (especially if they aren’t making money and paying taxes - you get a deduction for them to pay for their care). Track all your medical expenses: If you have a certain amount of medical expenses, these may be deducted from your tax bill. Keep track of: miles, bills, and medical expenses, including medication. Deduct your state and local sales taxes: When you pay your state and local sales taxes, you can write this off as a deduction because you are not required to pay taxes twice on your money. Student Loan interest: If you attended school and paid for it with student loans, you can write off a small portion of these fees and interest towards your student loans. Child and dependent care: If you are paying for the care of children, friends, or relatives during the day, or as a resident in those facilities, you can write these expenses off of your taxes. Earned Income Tax Credit: These help low- to middle-income workers get a tax break. If you qualify, you can use the credit to reduce the taxes you owe and possibly increase your refund. State Income Tax: If you are taxed on your money by the state, you can reduce your taxes owed by reporting to the federal government the taxes paid to the state? You get a federal tax break because of income taxes paid to the state?  Reinvest your investment dividends: If you receive a dividend from your stocks and you withdraw that amount or accept it in cash, you will be taxed on it; but if you reinvest it into the stock, it’s tax free. Write off mortgage interest payments: Your mortgage interest (not Principle) payment is tax deductible. This is an extra incentive for people to become homeowners. Hint: The more payments you make in a year the more you can deduct. Tax experts advise clients to pay your last payment of the year on December 31st, to claim your tax credit; but remember, you can’t claim that amount the following year. Start a business and write off your losses (K-1 form): This can be your greatest deduction over a few years. If you start a business, most see a loss of money for the first few years (after salary). All that loss is distributed among owners and deducted in your taxes. This also means that your investors get these same deductions, as well, if they own part of the company. The government supports the startup of new businesses - especially if they create jobs - and wants you to be able to deduct losses from your income (less income to tax and pay). Energy Savings and Green Initiatives - When you buy green technology, such as solar panels, tankless hot water heaters, insulation, or energy efficient measures for your house (or even your business), you can write these off on your taxes. Find a complete list (including local incentives) online, according to your state. Take advantage of government programs: The government creates programs to help people financially during hard times; this includes COVID and the financial struggle it pushed most Americans into. Become Tax Refund Smart: Learn other methods, especially local deductions, that will help you reduce your tax rate; this is how the rich pay less in taxes, and you can, too. Don’t just allow the government to take more from you than you are legally obligated to pay. At the same time, don’t write off things that are not tax deductible, because when the IRS finds out, they will come after you for the difference, and a punitive (punishment) fee on top of that difference (and as they search your records, they won’t make it easy for you). * Everything in this chapter is for educational purposes and should not be taken as financial advice. Talk to your accountant and/or tax preparer for current and local deductions that are allowed. Also read: https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/federal/summary-latest-federal-income-tax-data-2023-update/ https://taxedright.com/2024-tax-brackets/ https://engaging-data.com/tax-brackets/ https://wbtphdjd.medium.com/where-90-percent-tax-rate-really-came-from-e3834f0e56b https://www.visualizingeconomics.com/blog/2011/04/14/top-marginal-tax-rates-1916-2010

Simplified Explanation: Like buying a personal home, you will find opportunities to buy houses at a low price Real Life: Investments are a must learn for most people but the truth is most Americans should diversify their money into many different funds (such as mutual funds) and sit on it for 10+ years. Most advisors will tell you they can get you a better return, but you have mutual funds available to the public that, over 10 years, will give you a 20% ROI (Return on Investment) every year so moving it around is just adding more risk instead of keeping it in one location. On Week 3, Day 4 (W3: D4) we listed out the most common investments you could invest in but now we will get a little more into investing of individual stocks. Disclaimer: This is not financial advice on how to invest but information about investing as an educational study. Here are things you may want to know before you start buying stocks: What are investments – Investments are buying ownership in a company or mutual fund. By you buying any investment you are paying for a portion of that company or fund and asking for a return on that investment. Investing in individual stocks is just one way to invest your money. Here are a few ways before we get into more details about each: Individual stocks - An individual stock represents ownership in a single company, entitling the shareholder to a proportional share of the company's assets and earnings. When an investor purchases shares of an individual stock, they are essentially buying a small piece of that company. The value of the stock can fluctuate based on various factors, including the company's performance, market conditions, and investor sentiment. Individual stocks can be bought and sold on stock exchanges, such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the NASDAQ, providing investors with the opportunity to potentially profit from the success of specific companies. However, investing in individual stocks also carries risks, as the value of a stock can decline, leading to potential losses for investors.Mutual Funds - A mutual fund is a type of investment vehicle that pools money from multiple investors to invest in a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, or other securities. Managed by professional portfolio managers, mutual funds offer investors the opportunity to access a diversified portfolio of assets without needing to purchase individual securities themselves. Investors buy shares in the mutual fund, and the fund's value is determined by the performance of the underlying assets it holds. Mutual funds are designed to spread risk across a variety of investments, reducing the impact of any single security's performance on the overall fund. They are commonly used by investors seeking diversification and professional management of their investment portfolios.Bonds - Investment bonds, also known as bonds or fixed-income securities, are debt instruments issued by governments, municipalities, corporations, or other entities to raise capital. Investors purchase bonds, effectively lending money to the issuer in exchange for periodic interest payments, known as coupon payments, and the eventual repayment of the bond's face value, known as the principal or par value, at maturity. Bonds typically have a fixed interest rate and specified maturity date, offering a predictable stream of income and considered relatively safe investments compared to stocks. However, bond prices can fluctuate based on changes in interest rates, credit ratings, and market conditions. Investors may choose to invest in bonds for income, capital preservation, diversification, or as part of a balanced investment portfolio, with bonds commonly traded on bond markets through brokers or financial institutions.Private Companies - Ownership in a private company refers to having a stake in a company that is not publicly traded. Unlike publicly traded companies, private company ownership is typically limited to a smaller group of investors, founders, or venture capitalists. It grants individuals or entities rights such as voting privileges and a share of profits, but is less liquid and not easily traded on an open market.Living vs Retirement investing - Some of these options are for monthly living expenses (individual stocks) and some grow over time (mutual funds, bonds, and private companies). Consider how soon you want to use your money and buy accordingly. The sooner you want a return, the more risk you will be taking.Stockbrokers yesterday, today, and tomorrowIn the past people have invested with a stockbroker, recently its been through a stock broker website, now it is being done completely on an app on your phone. The same has changed for fees as well. In the past you paid a broker a good amount of your return for them to invest it, prices dropped as the visual broker went away and online trading became popular, and now there is almost a price war among brokers trying to win you as a client. They have dropped fees to nearly $0 per trade with apps like Robinhood. Broker Strengths and weaknesses - Different brokers have different strengths and weaknesses and fees they charge, look up reviews online and sit down to meet with them before setting up an account. Weigh the pros and the cons.Diversification in your investments - Never invest all your money in one stock or company ever. There is too much risk that something could happen, and it be worth $0. Diversify your portfolio means spread your money out. Investors know this that 10 may fail but if one hits it big, it will eat up all the other loses and you will still make a lot of money if you choose correctly. Most of the time, a diverse selection of stocks and companies won’t all fail at the same time, minus a recession usually makes all prices fall, which is why you need to consider your risk tolerance and ability to get back up and not see yourself as a victim. If you are resilient in life, you are more likely to have a higher risk tolerance.Mutual Fund Diversity - A mutual fund is diversifying because it is usually built as a fund of many individual stocks, bonds, and commodities and if a certain value goes down, others may go up which means less of a loss during a recession.Balanced Portfolio - Diversifying in competing stocks helps balance your portfolio. You should think of having a mixture of recession-friendly sector investments such as staples, utilities, and health care. They don’t have the best returns during boom times in the market, but they also don’t go down because they are essential. Essentials normally stay steady during recessions because they are always needed. Retailers such as Amazon and Wal-Mart stay stead or go up during recessions when people have to shop for cheaper options. Look for stocks that give a reliable dividend, real estate is a good investment after the price settles down low. Precious metals increase during times of recession and slowly decrease as times get easier and people adjust their holdings to go after more lucrative investments. Invest in yourself during a recession; take your money and put it into your education during a recession. Education during a time of high unemployment will get you through any rough economy and make you ready to be hired when the recession ends and businesses are looking for new blood (employees).Dividends - Most stocks pay you dividends, excess money, each year, without you having to sell your stock. Most people invest this money back into the company with more stock or keep it for your living expenses. Though if the economy turns, there will be no dividend that year and this is why you should have other income through a full-time job just to make sure you can feed you and your family. Look also at how a company/stock pays dividends, finding those who show a strong history. Also know that they can hold back on paying dividends in time of recession to give the company more funding. Recessions Happen - Considering recessions happen every ten years, investment values drop for two to three years afterwards slowly creep back up to before recession levels and higher, then when you get older you are advised to rebalance your portfolio to be less risky, consider this new approach. Most financial planners want you to change your portfolio to be as risk averse as possible in your later years. Instead, try planning out your next 10-12 years between each market adjustments, starting in the middle of each recovery, how much money will you need? Rebalance that amount of your investments into low risk investments while keeping the rest in high risk mutual funds with a history of high returns over 10 years. If you do this, the next 10 years of money you need will not fluctuate too much while the rest will be able to climb to new heights and though it may drop during the next recession, history has shown that it always comes back after the recession and when it comes back it shoots well past its last peak value. This way your investments continue to climb as you grow older and the hope is that you never go without the funds you need to survive.Lookup Their History - All established investments have a history, look at the history of the stock or mutual fund. Make sure that they show a steady incline over the years. Mutual funds will likely give you a 1, 5, and 10 year history of their average ROI interest rate they have returned. Those that are the most steady increase dramatically over the years and even if a few stocks drop in their investment, the rest of the investments will potentially increase keeping the fund portfolio solid and growing.News Affects Values - Consider the news when considering individual stocks. When you buy stock, make sure you are informed about their latest news. If they are hiring, this is a good sign for expansion and increased values, if they are being sued, this will return with a lower value for their stock. If a pandemic happens travel stocks will fall yet retailers who allow for shopping online will likely grow. Learn before you buy what to look for in the news so you can be the first to buy when something good happens and first to sell when something negative happens.Strengths and Weaknesses in Stocks and Investments - Each company and mutual fund have their strengths and weaknesses. For companies they have their strengths in potential for growth while mutual funds have potential in the individual investments in that fund. This is all public knowledge so look at what they are investing in and see if you think those are good investments. Remember though, that they have a 10-20 year history that you can check and they are good at what they do.   Debt-to-Equity Ratio: One weakness could be their debt-to-equity ratio or those companies that are still in a great deal of debt compared to their equity in their own company. To find this number, divide the total liabilities on the company balance sheet by the total amount of shareholder equity. For those with a lower risk tolerance, that number should be 0.3 or less. Price-earnings ratio (P/E Ratio) shows how well a stock’s value is doing compared to their earnings. This will tell you if they are undervalued or overvalued. To find this ratio, divide the company's share price by its earnings per share. If a company is trading at $40 per share and the earnings per share are $2.50, the P/E ratio is 16. Use this to investigate similar companies. The lower you the ratio means the more the earnings are increasing. Know that a stock with a 16 ratio can be good when you compare it with other companies. It all depends on how the economy is doing at that time.

Simplified Explanation: Like buying a personal home, you will find opportunities to buy houses at a low price and this will provide a way for you to buy, fix and either sell or rent it to someone needing housing. If you find a house low enough and can sell it for a large profit, it frees money to buy another, larger house at equal value to the price you sold the first house and each time you can make a bigger profit from the sale. Real Life: To buy the house you can take out additional debt or you can pay it off in cash. Know that if you pay it off in cash and you bought it for a low enough amount, you will almost always make more money not having to pay a mortgage and so interest on the mortgage. Also know that you will not have to pay the extra fees that come along with a mortgage or the down payment. To buy it with a mortgage you will need to take out the down payment from your savings, adding the mortgage to your monthly expenses (personal, if you are living in it or business if you are renting it out). The price of the house does not add to your other debt payments, in other words, it is the last debt you pay normally because it has the lowest interest rate, and it is the most acceptable type of debt. Continue to pay the mortgage until you can 1) have excess earnings that you can put towards paying down your debt, 2) pay off the house completely, or 3) sell the house.  NOTE: You almost always lose money on the house itself, when you have a mortgage and purchased a house at market value; that is, unless the housing market explodes like it did in 2019-2021.  Like in real life, in the game there are four options you can take when drawing a Real Estate card. Each has its advantages and disadvantage. Personal – First off, you need the money for the down payment available in your savings to buy the house. If you are buying the house to live in, decrease your savings by the lost expense of repairs because you are going to make it a little better looking than if you were to rent it out. Then decrease your existing living expenses by $12,000 ($1,000 a month rent) and increase it by your mortgage payment. Now live your life as if you live in this house. You are also able to sell it and move into another house if you would like.Business – If you are buying this house to fix up, and sell or rent, you will need to pay for all the repairs. Repair costs are on the card, under Business #1: You must have cash for these repairs, you cannot take a loan out. In the game, it doesn’t matter if you are renting the house or selling it, you have to wait until another card is drawn that says that someone is looking for a house like yours at a certain price. At that point you can sell it if you want. Until you sell it though, you may want to rent it out and make some money off the deal. Add the rent to your business income.Sell One – Whether it is being rented out as a business or you are using it for your personal residence, you can sell one of your houses when someone is looking for a house your size. If you are selling a business owned house increase your business revenue by the amount of the sale (price you sold the house, minus the down payment, minus the price you originally bought the house). If it is your personal residence, add the sale of the home to the amount raised by selling it (price you sold the house, minus the down payment, minus the price you originally bought the house). This is the amount you made by selling the house. Then, if you don’t have another house to move into, increase your monthly expenses by $1,000 for a rental, and decrease the money you were paying for the mortgage, if you had one. The game will do this automatically for you but explain it to you also.Wholesale the house – If you receive a card (know of a buyer and you don’t have a money to buy/sell it), you can always refer them to an opponent and make some extra money off the sale of a house they are looking for. In other words, you become the middleman. If you find a house that is perfect, but you don’t have the money, you may sell that to an opponent as well for the price listed on the wholesale section of the card. Down below, we will share how to do this. There are many options while playing the game on how to profit from a real estate card that you or your opponent pulls, much like in life, you may find an opportunity yourself or through a friend and there are ways of making money off that information. So, keep you ears open.

Simplified Explanation: Real Estate is the buying and selling of real property, or buildings and land that have a monetary value to another party. If you can find deals and buy a piece of property, like a house, and you can fix it up or hold on to it long enough, the value almost always increases. Real Life: Real Estate is a very large subject. So large that we have multiple books being written on the subject: Debt Free Flipper and more. Any of these will give you the experience of one of these avenues of real estate. For this game and book, we are focusing on residential because that is the most used form of real estate investing you will find by the average consumer. Be aware that there are many more avenues you may go. To start off, allow me to introduce a little of each of these avenues, from least expensive to the very expensive real estate ventures you can go into, then teach you how they works. Wholesale – This is to acquire land, by contract, from one party and sell it to another party, where you never need to pay your own money, so you don’t need any money in order to begin selling real estate. The process is simple, you find a buyer and what they are looking for, potentially you should be looking for a dozen or more buyers, you then find a property they listed as something they would buy and contract with the owner to sell their property to an agreed upon amount. Then, contact your buyer and, after increasing the price by $5,000 - $10,000, you secure the buyer. You then write a contract to buy the property from the original owner and you assign it to the buyer that you found. In the end, they bought a deal of a house, while you made $10,000 on the side. Everyone wins. Be careful because these contracts are binding and if your buyer doesn’t buy the house, you ended up buying it from the original owner. Again, the benefit is that you can get into real estate without any money to do so.  Land – This is the least expensive property you can buy because there are no buildings built on it and so raw land can be used for so many different purposes. The buyer will be expected to develop the land themselves. These deals normally take longer to find a buyer because people are normally not looking to build on a property but instead buy something they can move right into. Rental Cycling (Renting out other’s homes) – Did you know that you don’t need to own a home or apartment in order to make money. You just need to rent out a property that you can sublease to others. Whether you want to stay there or not, you can sub lease a bedroom from the apartment or house and they will help you pay the rent. This takes a smaller amount of money, but includes first and last month rent, and a security deposit, and you can sometimes make money from those you allow to stay in your home. Now, make sure that it is okay with the landlord, and that it is spelled out in the contract that this is allowed, or you may be evicted for breach of contract, and then have to start over again.  Flipping Houses – To flip a house is to buy a distressed or non-aesthetic house or building and fix it up to be more valuable after your work is complete. You add value to it by fixing it up and then selling the property for a higher price than you bought it. Be warned that you should know what you are doing fixing the property or ask a professional to help you, especially with water, electrical, or heating and air conditioning. House Hacking – This is a process where you buy a house as a business and fix it up, much like flipping or renting but instead of owning your own home or living in a rental, you live in the house that you are repairing, saving money on your living expense and working on the property at all hours of the day. Normally, you would fix up the areas you would need the most, such as the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen, and then work on the rest of the house while you enjoy the early benefits of your labor.  Real Estate Investing (Rentals) - When you buy a house, you can live in it, sell it, or rent it out to someone to use for their purposes. You allow them to use your property for a price, which pays your debt on the building and a little profit to increase savings. This type of real estate is what has made the most millionaires in the United States than any other type of work or investments. Commercial Real Estate – You can buy a home, or you can buy a larger property that will be used for some type of business. You can use it, sell it, or lease it out to someone else who would pay you to use it for their business purposes. These are the most profitable at times but normally take a lot of work, including trying to find the right people to lease it from you. If you find a very desirable property, you will need less help to manage or market your property. If you are buying it with cash, this is a great option to keep stress low. Now, if you choose to go into any of these types of real estate sales, you should know there are two ways to sell houses, one way I agree with, and one way that could start you off on a very hard path to live when the market turns. I tell you these things that you may have the wisdom to find the right path for you. Buying and selling with credit – There are many gurus that will tell you to start up an LLC and buy a house that needs a lot of work, on credit, fix it up, then go back to your bank and refinance it 100% off the new value after being repaired. Take all the equity (money it is worth) out of the house and buy your next house. Fix that house up and 100% refinance that house on it’s new value and buy another house. Then, pay yourself a large amount, living the life of luxury, as the money starts coming in from rent and pay minimums on the house. Over time the houses values will increase, and the houses will be slowly paid off. Sounds great, right? But, what they don’t tell you is what I told you earlier on. Remember that there is a recession every 8-10 years, or a pandemic, and people can’t pay their rent. If someone can’t pay you their rent, then you can’t pay your bills. During the 2020 pandemic, the U.S. Government tried to help people by saying to Landlord, you can’t evict someone during the pandemic, even if they aren’t paying their rent. What does this do to landlords? The landlords couldn’t pay their mortgages and many of them lost their houses. Same thing happens during an economic recession, if people can’t pay, you have to find other tenants or now, the government has realized they have the power to make you rent to people that aren’t paying the bills and will most likely never be able to catch up, so you are left with a house that is 100% mortgaged, with no equity, and then you can lose your house. But again, you went into real estate investing knowing that the mortgage had to be paid, even if you didn’t have the money.  So, what do you do? You foreclose on that house, and they go after you for the difference of the house and loan they gave you, which means you need to sell the next property to afford the first and that house has no equity, and so on and so forth they all are sold off until you have little to no houses left and your company has to go bankrupt. Now, because you created an LLC, your personal finances may be safe, right? Well, there are ways of going after your personal money, but more than that, you just promised all these businesses (banks and other lenders) that you would pay them all back, and yet you just sold all your houses and lost off your business savings and you can’t pay them all back. Thinking you personally didn’t lose anything; you actually lost your name. I am not talking about your credit score, that is the least of what is important. You promised you would pay back your debts and you went back on your word because your business couldn’t sell the houses. Your word is now worth nothing. You basically gave up your honor for a sack of cash that you took in your personal life and didn’t pay back your debts. Now there is an alternative where you never have to worry about losing your money or houses and I’ll teach that next. Debt Free Real Estate - Anyone can get into investing in real estate, and it takes no money to begin. I will teach you a brief overview of how to start your real estate empire with no money at all and walk away with a million dollars of equity, but it will take a good amount of your time and may sending you investing in a way you never would have thought. Start with nothing in your bank account and start at any age. The only limitation is that below 18 years of age you will need help from an adult to co-sign your contracts.

Simplified Explanation: Animals are not always the easiest thing to handle. Sometimes, they are messy, need a lot of attention, and cost a lot of money to care for. They also, bring a lot of love, interest, and are great companions to have around. So, as with being intentional in life, if you are considering having of having a pet, there are some things to consider and some things to understand. Also consider that no pet is easy to take care of if you aren’t taking care of yourself first. Never should a pet put an unbearable burden on you because if you aren’t taking care of yourself, you are definitely not taking care of the animal as you should be. Real Life: Does it seem strange that I am mentioning animals or pets in a financial book or game? The reason is because animals cost money, some more than others. If you are open to having pets than there are some expenses to think about. Each animal is different, some with more positive things than others. So, consider these things when considering getting an animal. Not just for the money you will spend, but time and emotion as well: Dogs are more than an animal, they are a bodyguard, comforter, and a companion to some. Food – Like humans, dogs need to eat. Normally, you will feed them a good size meal in the morning, small lunch, and large dinner. You do not want to put all the food out at one time, because they will eat it all immediately. You must space it over time. An automatic feeder is great for a dog. Either way, dogs eat a lot of food, and you may need to have extra.Accessories – You need toys, beds, doggy treats, and more. This does not need to be expensive.Medical Needs – Dogs need to be spayed or neutered when they are young to keep from having unplanned puppies to feed and distribute. They also need check-ups at least once a year. Shelter – Daily shelter is easy; all you need is a kennel. If you go on a trip, you need to ask someone to walk and feed your dog or pay an establishment to “board” them while you are away.Walks – Dogs, like humans, must use the bathroom, yet theirs is normally outdoors. They have a certain amount of time before they will make a mess on your floor, if you leave them inside. If you work, think of making a walk outside or pay someone.Grooming – You don’t need to pay someone, but you do need to spend the time washing and brushing them, and cutting their nails. This can be time consuming or expensive over time.Time: If time is money, then you will be spending a good amount of it with your dog. They become part of the family and should be treated as such. They are not a trophy or even a guard dog is not just a bodyguard. Dogs are the more expensive pet.Cats are more than an animal, they are a comforter, companion, and kill off rodents, in and around the home. Food – Like humans, cats need to eat. Normally you will put all their food out at once and they will eat it gradually. An indoor cat eats a lot of food, outdoor cats eat about a quarter, while an indoor/outdoor cat eats about half the amount.Accessories – You don’t need toys, beds, treats, or other things though these are nice to have.Medical Needs – Cats need to be spayed or neutered when they are young to keep from having unplanned puppies to feed and distribute. They also need check-ups at least once a year. Shelter – Cats again take care of themselves so if you leave them, just make sure they have enough food and watch while you are away. Walking – Cats don’t normally go on walks with you, except mine, she is a little strange and will take a walk every morning and evening while I walk my dog. People stare at us. Man, dog, and cat, all walking down the street together. It’s quite the site, but not normal.Grooming – You don’t need to pay someone, but you do need to spend the time washing and brushing and cutting their nails if they are indoors at all, otherwise they will take care of it.Time: If time is money, then you will be spending a small amount of it with your cat. They normally stick to themselves until they want attention. They are part of the family and should be treated as such. When time is money, and expenses is money, cats are less expensive than dogs, but still expensive.Chickens – Chickens are great for eggs, especially if you like cage-free eggs. They are also good at getting rid of bugs around your house, which always means less bugs inside your house. Food – Like humans, chickens need to eat. Normally you will put all their food out at once and they will eat it gradually. If you let them out into the yard, they will eat all your pests and grubs. Food can be expensive but that is when you subsidize it with kitchen scraps. Accessories – You will only need a feeder, water container, light for winters, and shelter. They take care of their own entertainment and everything else.Medical Needs – In a normal lifespan, you will not need a check-up for the chicken.Shelter – Chickens need a chicken coup when you first buy them so expenses are very low.Walking – You don’t walk a chicken but you could spend time with them.Grooming – You don’t groom a chicken, they take care of that.Time: You don’t spend time with them except feeding, collecting eggs, and cleaning their coup. If time is money and expenses is money, then chickens take care of themselves and you only need to pay for food and give them enough time to take care of them. Reptiles/Fish – These are more for something to look at instead of spending time with or holding. They don’t like being held, but if you need it, reptiles are great to spend time. Here are the normal responsibilities of having one. Food – Like humans, they need to eat. Normally you will give them enough in the morning and or every other day. Fish and reptiles don’t eat much so they are not too expensive. Accessories – You need a fish tank or terrarium, bubbler (fish), accessories inside the tank and chemicals to clean the water (fish), beyond that, these are more like upfront costs.Medical Needs – Fish and reptiles, unless very expensive, don’t normally get medical attention.Shelter – Your tank is enough, though they do need lighting to stay healthy.Walking – You do not walk them. They do not even want time with you. They are to observe.Grooming – You do not groom a fish or reptile, though you should clean their tanks routinely.Time: No quality time needed, except feeding, cleaning, or holding them occasionally.There are many more types of animals you can have as pets: horses, bees, rabbits, hamsters, spiders, frogs, etc, and they all take time and money to take care of them. Don’t go into this blindly but investigate how much each will cost and make sure you can provide for them. When every expense is important, think about limiting the number of animals you have until the time when you are financially secure and have the time to take care of them. Again, all of them become part of the family and should be treated as such.

Simplified Explanation: Things happen in life that we have no control over, but we do control how we will respond. The story of my heart is a fact, I have dealt with death every day of my life and now, I don’t worry about death. I won’t leave this life any faster than I am permitted. These events are to give us strength and understanding and without these opportunities, whether good or bad, we would not be who we will become in the future. So, if they are going to happen in the future, be accepting of them. Now, you do have choices, when you make good choices, you are more likely to succeed and turn these events into opportunities. If you choose to do things that are against the law, unethical, or things you know you shouldn’t do, then you will have to accept the consequences that come. Don’t blame others for things you do, but instead, learn from them and don’t make the same mistakes twice. If you see someone else making that mistake, then learn from their example and pain and resolve not to make the same mistake. Real Life is hard sometimes, maybe even most of the time. You never know what is going to happen. A president may be elected, gas prices will double, and you may lose your job. You may be minding your own business and a car may come flying into your living room and the owner of the car is uninsured. You may win a sweepstakes you were just goofing off when you entered. Things happen and you need to roll with the negative events and celebrate the successes in life. Most of the time, when you are intentional with life, good things happen. There are two types of mentalities you can change a life for the better or the worse: the victim mentality or the success mentality: The Victim Mentality – This mindset develops when a person sees themselves a victim in everything bad that happens to them. Everything bad happens in your life because you are a victim. This type of mentality will hold a person down and strangle them without a struggle, because the person is not ready or able to fight back. Negative things come and those individuals will give up, blame others, and fall back on the idea that they can’t do things for themselves. And to many, there is nothing they can do to get out of these scenarios. There is so much more to this than I can write in this section (read more on our site).  The Success Mentality – This person takes personal responsibility for things that happen in their lives. Not to say things don’t happen to them that they didn’t cause, but instead, they don’t see themselves as a victim when things get hard. Instead, they work on the assumption that “things happen, but I will overcome”. This is the person that sees the glass half full (as opposed to it is half empty). We find opportunities and failures as educational moments where we get right back up and begin by fighting back. The truth is, you can do almost anything in life, but you must do it intentionally and know that you are not a victim, but a mental giant, ready to take on any obstacle that comes your way. Easier said than done, right? Read more about this on our site. This is not to say they don’t have rocky moments when they faulter, breakdown and even cry because of the pain or struggle, but instead that they allow for a time of even self-pity and then collect themselves, get back up, and try again. A success mentality is what every successful athlete has, they didn’t become successful overnight, they had to fail 1,000 times before getting something right, and yet, they didn’t let those failures end them trying again. They endured to the end because they knew they could do it. Another example, in this instance, when it comes to being intentional is, if I want to make sure that I never get into a car accident while under the influence, I will not drink alcohol or do drugs. I will intentionally hold back from hanging out with friends that will get me drunk. On the other hand, if I were to drink, I would make sure that I was at my house or took an Uber to and from the restaurant. In that instance, my choices never will get the best of me. If I am to drink and get into a car to drive home, I must expect that I will get into an accident, maybe even kill someone on the street as I drive impaired. Make the choice now if you are going to live intentionally. And as the commercials all say, “buzz driving (single drink) is drunk driving”. Financially – We cannot plan for everything that will happen in our lives. The best thing we can do is plan for those things that may happen and hope for the best, being intentional in everything we do will save us millions of dollars in our lifetime and could even save ours or someone else’s life. To be financially intentional we must plan for negative things by saving a certain amount of money for non-specific issues that may happen. We call this our emergency fund. Emergency funds are essential to live an intentional life and not become a victim. You or a family member may need surgery, or your car may break beyond repair. How do you plan for that? You or a family member may get into an accident? How do you plan for that? What about if you lose your job? You can’t always plan on when things happen in your life, but that bad things will happen. An Emergency Fund is a savings account built to withstand normal disasters that happen within your family. But how much do you save depends on where you are financially. Priority one, after saving a small Emergency Fund of about $1,000, is getting out of debt, then saving for the future. Here are two out of an infinite number of options: Build an emergency fund of $1,000 and then spend every other dime getting yourself out of debt. Once you are out of debt, minus your house, you then save 6 months-worth of expenses as an Emergency Fund. If you spend $4,000 a month, then you should save $24,000 in savings. This is especially needed if you lose your job. Put this emergency fund in the bank and allow it to sit there, even if it has a small interest rate. Investing with that money locks it down for a set amount of time. You need these funds to be liquid, that you can spend within hours if needed. You want it to be liquid, which means you can draw it out any time. This allows you not to become a victim. At the same time, you should always have insurance as well. One of my surgeries cost over a million dollars. One of my surgery bill came out to $485,685.89 and my insurance took care of the entire amount. I took that bill and still have it framed on my wall. Insurance doesn’t cover everything, and I had another $20,000 to pay for other parts of the operation and with a payment plan, I was able to pay that down over a matter of 18 months without going bankrupt or struggles. I couldn’t even work during that time, but being intentional saved me.Someone in my situation, where I have a lot going against me, because of my health, has a higher chance of something happening, so having an Emergency Fund that is large enough to take care of me is essential. I may spend half of my income to pay off bills and debts while saving the other half in this fund. At the same time, mathematically I would grow that larger Emergency Fund faster if I spent my excess on my debts and paid them off quicker, so that I had money to save after my debt was paid off. Think of it this way. If I spend half my excess income towards debt and saved the rest, I will pay back the debt at a slower rate, more money will go towards interest payments and it will take me more time. See the diagram below: Emergency Fund Scenarios (Paying Back $20,000) (Excess $2,000) Savings Paid to Debt (Interest: 9.8%) Time to Pay Off EF after 18 mo. Option #1 $1,000 $1,000 towards debt $1,319 (18 mo. interest) $14,512, no debt Option #2 $100 $1,900 towards debt $872 (12 mo. interest) $15,128, no debt   There is little difference on this small amount of debt, but as the amount of debt increases, the more difference it will make, plus you have 6 months of less stress because your debt was paid off sooner.