All posts by steven

Don’t Go Broke this Christmas

Uncategorized

A January 2018 article on Marketwatch.com stated that shoppers in the U.S. racked up an average of $1,054 of debt this Christmas season — a 5% increase over 2017. A MagnifyMoney survey found 44% of shoppers racked up more than $1,000 in holiday debt, and 5% accumulated more than $5,000 in debt.

So, here are a few ideas to stay out of debt this Christmas.

Have a plan. Plan out who you are buying gifts for and what organization you will be giving too. Create a budget. How much are you going to give, spend etc?
Here’s a good tool.

Use technology to your favor. There are several great websites that will help you save money. Here are a few
• Giftcardgranny
• Retailmenot
• Honey

Give your time. Babysit, clean, or do whatever you have the skill to do. Let your time be your gift.

Make something. If you’re crafty this may not be a problem for you. If not, get on youtube and learn how to make a birdhouse or whatever. One year I learned how to make a monkey fist keychain. (google it)
Make Treats. Almost everyone loves treats this time of year. So, bake something good to give.

Sell something. If you need a little extra cash. Don’t go into debt. Sell something on letitgo, offerup, or ebay. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

Make a commitment. Write it down. Speak it out loud. I will not go into debt this Christmas. 

Christmas is a season for giving not a season for debt.

Stressmas

Faith, Family, Uncategorized, ,

The Christmas season is here. Are you ready?

Isn’t it crazy how this season full of joy, hope, and celebration can cause so much stress? It seems like we work for Christmas rather than celebrate it. We will struggle through the season and after all is done, we can say “We Survived Christmas!” We get so wrapped up in the system of the season that stress is the norm.

What causes you stress during the season?

Here are a few simple reminders and a little ordinary wisdom that can help take the stress out of the season and keep Christmas alive.

Remember what Christmas is all about. Take a minute and watch this clip of Linus’s speech in the classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Build Family Traditions. Every year we try to have friends over for a pancake breakfast. We also have a family tradition that includes unique tree ornaments and pjs. Memories over stuff.

Plan. Spending seems to be part of the system of Christmas. So, make sure you have a plan and a budget. Don’t give yourself debt to give someone a gift. Debt can happen when we give out of guilt or impulse spend.
I shared a few ideas for saving money here. Check it out.

Remember, Build, and Plan.

How do you keep the meaning of Christmas alive?

Helping Others (Hurricane Michael)

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LdVrXi68QL61sLrOh2IBVAPhotos speak a 1000 words but there are some photos that just don’t say enough. That was our experience recently helping a family after Hurricane Michael in Panama City.
“End of the World Stuff” I couldn’t think of a better way to describe the situation.

We experienced heat beyond belief, limited access to food, no running water, uncomfortable sleeping conditions (tents), and working to absolute exhaustion. But honestly, this brought great joy.

Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone. This was the principle that caused us to load a van with supplies and head to Panama City.

Speaking truth from experience…..You will only find true fulfillment in helping others.
When our thoughts are only about our needs we struggle. Then depression and anxiety are near at hand and refuse to be ignored.

A few takeaways from our mission.

We take simple things for granted. Simple things like running water, hot water, a hot meal, and air conditioning. All these things while simple, are a major part of my life. And at a moments notice could be taken away.Mbj4C4ooS5SJOjB6y74YpQ.jpg

Laughter is a good medicine. In the middle of all the destruction, we laughed. We worked and laughed. We ate and laughed. We traveled to take cold showers and laughed. Laughter truly kept us from being overwhelmed by the situation.

We can get lost in our comfortable lives.
It’s driving a new car, laying in an air-conditioned house in a king size bed on an iPhone with a fridge full of food that seems to cause us to question our purpose.
But we find purpose in helping others.
Oddly enough it seems our savior set it up this way.

Let the weak say I am strong
The poor say I am rich
Empty yourself to become full
Die to yourself to truly live

E9E5boj9SJKpHCXtZoLA.jpgDo for one what you wish you could do for everyone.

Don’t forget the victims!!

Support! Go! Give!

 

Great charity to support is Convoy of Hope.

Cycling Mistakes

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When I was a kid all we did was ride bikes. Of course, back then the bike didn’t have gears or breaks for that matter. I guess this is where my love for cycling was born.
Now my exercise of choice is cycling. I routinely cycle 100 miles a week. It’s almost like a drug. If I don’t get on my bike one day I have withdraws.
I don’t pretend to be a pro. I ride a very average bike. My shorts, shirt, and socks usually don’t match. I have wrecked and fallen off my bike. But, I love it!

When I started riding a little more I made a few mistakes. Ignorant mistakes. I’m always grateful for cyclist willing to share wisdom. So, here is an average cyclist sharing three mistakes I made so you don’t have to.

Mistake One

Any bike will work. This is not true. I jumped on an old Huffy mountain bike and rode IMG_4029for what seemed like forever. I only went three or four miles. I was sore, tired and complaining. I believe I ended up pushing the bike back to the car. The bikes you buy at the big box stores are simply not built for long distances. I know the bikes are cheaper, but you will pay for it in other ways.

Find you a bike shop and invest in an entry level bike. I bought a Trek Madone series 2 over five years ago. The longest I have ridden it at one time was 75 miles and I didn’t want to cuss. It was well worth the investment.

Mistake Two

Gel Saddle Cover. If you thought about trying cycling, you might have seen those gel covers that go over your saddle. They are supposed to make your bum more comfortable. They don’t work. The truth is you don’t want extra things rubbing down there. Less is more. Yes, your bum is going to be sore. At least for the first little bit.
Find you some bike shorts. The spandex kind with the gel padding. This is the best thing for comfort. I felt strange wearing them at first but that to will subside. Also, make sure your seat is adjusted to the right height.

Mistake Three

No Goal. I just want to ride! I feel you! For the first 5 years, I would ride between 300 and 400 miles a year. I was just riding. I rode for distance. I said to myself, “I think I will ride 5 miles today.” So, year after year I didn’t get too far from the house. Until someone suggested I ride for time. You would be amazed how far you can go in 30 minutes. Then I actually set a yearly goal of 1000 miles in 2017. Which I hit on 10/31/17. My Goal for 2018 is 1500 miles which I completed in July 2018. Ride for time, not distance and set a yearly goal.

I made many other mistakes. Sometimes you just have to learn. But don’t let your mistakes stop you. Get out there and ride!

If you cycle, what mistakes have you made? If you want to start cycling and need any wisdom, don’t be afraid to ask.

IMG_4321

Fighting Debt

Finances, Uncategorized, ,

Fighting Debt
I recently read an article that stated outstanding student debt has risen to 1.52 trillion. A 145% increase over the past 10 years. Americans owe more in student debt than credit cards and auto loans. You can read the article here. There needs to be a better way to further our education than raking in debt. Debt is something we should fight off!

And It’s worth the fight. Being overloaded with debt increases stress, which causes mental, physical and emotional issues. Debt has a way of controlling the way you live. It’s worth the fight to get out of debt.

“Never spend your money before you have it.”
– THOMAS JEFFERSON

Just as the rich rule the poor,
so the borrower is servant to the lender.
Proverbs 22:7 NLT

Fighting Debt

Step 1

Know where you are. It’s hard to fight what you don’t know. Review all your debts. List the balances, interest rates, and monthly payments.

Step 2

Choose your fight strategy. Snow Ball Calculator The Snow Ball strategy throws as much money at the lowest debt while paying the minimum on the others. Once that debt is paid, use the money toward the next debt. Therefore, creating momentum as you pay off debt.
Stacking strategy is focusing on the highest interest rate first.

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Proverbs 21:5

Step 3

Sell something you’re not using. Use the apps Let it Go or Offer Up. A simple way to get a little extra cash to fight the debt.

Step 4

Earn extra income to fight with. Check this out.

Step 5

Change your lifestyle. Take a hard look at the way you live. Consider tracking your daily expenses. You may be surprised how much money your spending on crazy things. Cut, sell, downsize.

The fight is real. If you are in debt, you are fighting for your freedom. So, go ahead and stir up your inner William Wallace and let the revolt begin.braveheart

 

How do you fight off debt?

Celebrating Life Together

Family, Finances,

Recently Nikki and I celebrated a date night together and had a fantastic time. It was actually 23 hours packed full of conversations, romance, and just pure enjoyment. So…
Today I wanted to lay out a few ideas that would help improve your date nights or simply improve your life!

Manage your Margins
What makes life enjoyable is having time to enjoy life! What makes a date night fantastic is having money set aside to enjoy! Having margins in our life allows us to move easily and spend freely. Don’t let the walls of busyness and poor budgeting keep you from enjoying life! Because Nikki and I routinely date and set money aside for those dates it was no problem when I said let’s get away for the night.
Try this -Set one day a week aside for you and yours to date. Even if you have been married for 25 years pick a day and stick to it. Set a budget. You’re going to spend the money somewhere why not on something you enjoy! (If you don’t enjoy your spouse that’s a different issue that needs to be addressed)
Manage your time and money in such a way that there are margins (room to move).

Invest in Experiences
The rooms at the Westin in downtown Atlanta gives you a floor to ceiling view of the city. The view is the experience. It was a great investment. We could have easily rented a room just for the bed and shower but, what’s the fun in that? Having a memorable story to tell is far better. Nikki and I have practiced this over and over. I can tell you stories of zip lining, hiking, fine dining, and views from the top of the Empire State Building. Good experiences are worth the investment.
Try this – Go to the theater instead of the movies. Go on a day hike. Rent a hotel room with a view!

 

Try Something New
I have always wanted to try a restaurant that had live music. Like the jazz club, you see in the movies. I can’t sing or dance, but I love music. We finally made it happen. A completely new experience for us. We visited a “Juke Joint” and set at a table right in the front. It was great. We even tried some new food (collard green egg rolls).
I like things to be comfortable. However, comfortable will only allow you to experience what you already know. There is so much in our beautiful world to be explored.
Try this- Go to a new city and try a new restaurant.

I believe we should enjoy the life God has given us. I also look for treasures along the journey.

So, what does this look like for you? I would encourage you to resist the common response “this sounds like a good idea” and do nothing.

Let me know how you celebrate your life?

Grandpa’s Wisdom

Faith, Family, ,

My grandfather was an integral part of my life, Reverend L.H. Connor. He is a big reason I’m not locked up or dead. His wisdom has led me away from trouble and toward a purpose. Every chance I get I try to share a little of his ordinary wisdom.

Grandpa would say, “you have to be humble and honest if you want to live right.” Actually, I was in a lot of trouble with the law, and he said, “humility and honesty are your tickets out.” And he was right.

This is what I believe he was trying to tell me.

Be Humble.
You’re not all that important. Stop strutting around with your “bird chest” puffed out. People don’t owe you anything. Don’t walk into any situation with a chip on your shoulder. Turn your spotlight off, you’re not better than the next person. Learn to be soft and strong not loud and loose. Learn to listen. Humility is dethroning self-promotion.

Be Honest.
If you did it, you did it. You can’t lie your way free. Lies are like chains that bind you. One lie, no matter how small causes all you say to be questionable. You will never be perfect, but you can be honest. Healing and freedom follow honesty. Honesty is telling and living by the truth.

RIP Grandpa, thanks for sharing your wisdom.

 

What wisdom have you learned?

How to Enjoy Life

Faith

How many of us have heard or said “this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” then said BUT. But, I’m too busy. But, I worry. But, my boss doesn’t like me. But, my dog is sick. But, (insert your biggest but) While all these things and more can cause life to be difficult, there are a few things you can do to enjoy life:

Live in the present.

We can get so wrapped up in the stress of tomorrow that we miss the good things of today or,  w
e can get tied up in our past failures that we can’t seem to appreciate any good today.  So, live in the present. Can you slow down to see the good things all around you? The small things, like enjoying your favorite food or listening to your favorite music. Food and music always bring me joy! Be present in your life. I believe we can get so caught up in other people’s lives via social media that we miss the people who are present in our life. Learn to enjoy the people in front of you.

Practice – Pack your favorite food for lunch. Create a playlist of all your favorite songs.

Get a Hobby

Watching TV or spending hours on social media are not good hobbies. If you have a hobby I would suggest that you engage in it, at some level, several times a week. A hobby is a simple activity that you would enjoy. Something fun. A good hobby will challenge your mind. It will also help you enjoy life. If you don’t have a hobby here are a few ways to discover one.

What did you like to do as a kid? Try a few different things like painting, cooking, exercising (which you should be doing anyway, but some people are crazy and make it into a hobby). Start small and leave room for growth.

Unplug

Let’s be honest, we are simply way too connected. I have learned first-hand that the more media you consume the worst your life will be. Take the news. If you watch it or read about it consistently anxiety and fear have a way of finding you.

Social media constantly asks for your attention. One report said the average user on FaceBook spends about 41 minutes day on their apps. When we spend 41 minutes looking at other people’s highlights we can begin to feel pressure to measure up. Or feel like our life simple isn’t that good. This will not help you enjoy life. So, be intentional about unplugging. Practice – Don’t eat with your phone. Leave your phone behind when engaging in your hobby. When you have family and friends around be present.

Don’t Stress!! Don’t strive for perfection.

You will never be as skinny as you want to be. You will probably never be as rich as you want to be. Your children will never act exactly the way you want them to. Your house will probably never be as clean as you think it should be. Everybody is not going to like you…And that’s all ok. We are a work in progress. Enjoy the journey!

 

Tell us how you enjoy life.