Without a compelling story you might sound a little like the friend that likes to give marriage advice, but she’s never tied the knot. Or the couple that raise their eyebrows when you discipline your kids, but they never had children. Does that mean people who don’t have kids don’t have valuable things to say about how to raise children? Not necessarily, but it does make it difficult for parents to see them as a credible source of information.

Those examples might be a bit of a stretch. After all, personal finance is a bit of a different animal. One of my favorite writers, Jim Wang from Bargaineering, shares many excellent thoughts on managing money, including getting out of credit card debt. However, he admits that he has never had credit card debt. Does that mean I shouldn’t listen to his advice? Absolutely not. In fact, I’d be doing myself a disservice by not absorbing the information he shares on his blog.

Dave Ramsey is one of my favorite personal finance personalities, mostly because I find his life story compelling. He reached millionaire status early in life in leveraged real estate, lost it all through bankruptcy, and rebuilt his wealth by implementing the debt-free principles he lives by today. My guess is Dave Ramsey would not be as popular as he is without the fact he hit rock bottom at some point during his life. This helps him relate to others in similar situations, and provides them hope that they too can turn around their lives.

Does this mean if you hope to inspire others you should go bankrupt to be more credible? No. It means you should look at your own background, your own life story, to find your testimony. Everyone has some type of challenge in their life, and chances are they aren’t alone. Even those struggling with the rarest medical conditions find comfort in linking up with those dozen others in the world also diagnosed. Technology has made that possibility through applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogs.

If you have an interest in writing, or doing video blogs, or your own radio show, I would encourage you to give it a try even if you feel you have an inadequate testimony. Whatever you decide to share, be honest with people. You might just find an audience out there for people who have never really struggled with money, but are more interested in the advanced personal finance concepts beyond building savings and getting out of debt.

Post by Frugal Dad

Disclaimer: I am not writing this article as a way to insult people or imply that I am somehow superior to them. I am writing this as a way to share my life journey in hopes of inspiring people to accomplish their own goals. Am I better than anyone else for the things I have done in my life? No. That is not what this is about. It is about making changes in order to become the person you hope to be. It is about being proactive in your life to make those changes possible.

When the going gets tough, the tough get…no, that’s not reality. In reality, when things get hard people quit. They give up. Instead of breaking a sweat, shedding a tear or losing a little blood they take the easy route and do nothing. It is easier to accept defeat & tell yourself that it is too hard, that you aren’t smart enough, you aren’t pretty enough, strong enough. For every inaction we find an excuse that will suit our situation. Hell, we may even convince ourselves.

It is time to stop making excuses. It is time to quit being a quitter. It is time to get off your ass and do something with your life. Yes, you might struggle. You might feel pain. You may even cry but if you don’t do something with your life why are you even here? It is time to start living. It is time to stand up and punch life in the face.

Too often we accept our lives the way they are, even if we aren’t happy with them. We are miserable at work, our relationship with our spouse sucks, our kids hate us, we waste our time doing absolutely nothing. Our joy in life is derived from a bottle; we can’t even relax without a glass of wine to settle ourselves. This is our life and it sucks.

When I was 16 years old I was a loser. My life was consumed with drugs and alcohol. If I wasn’t high or drunk I was in the process of getting there. Two days after I turned 18 I was arrested. I had just gotten high a few minutes before being handcuffed & taken to jail. I spent that night in my cell thinking about where my life had gone wrong and how I was going to change it.

I realized that I was screwing up my life. It wasn’t only the drugs and alcohol that were the problem. I was wasting my time. I couldn’t turn the clock back and recapture those years. They were gone and there was no getting them back.

In order to change my life I had to turn my back on everything and everyone. This was hard for me. It meant losing friends. It meant making major changes in my life. I had created a lifestyle for myself and people expected me to be that person. For a while I struggled to get sober. I didn’t want to disappoint my friends when they wanted to get high with me. Eventually I came to realize that I needed to change my life for me and not live my life as a consequence of other people.

Once I figured this out I made the changes I needed. I quit drinking and doing drugs entirely. I have been clean for almost 9 years.

What does all of this have to do with you? Maybe you don’t drink or get high but I have no doubt that you are wasting your life with things that are just as stupid; video games, television, Internet, gambling, celebrities, work…anything that takes time away from the person you want to become deep down inside.

It is so much easier to do nothing than to do something. If I hadn’t been arrested and had the time to sober up and reflect on where my life had come and where I was going maybe I wouldn’t have changed. I wouldn’t have traveled around the country and now the world. I would probably still be sitting in my bedroom taking hits from my bong and eating Milk Duds watching the world move around me.

Get off your ass and grab life by the balls. Do something that you’ve always wanted to do but have told yourself you “couldn’t,” for whatever reason. Stop lying to yourself. Life will go on with or without you. Just remember that you can never make up for lost time. Never.

Note from Frugal Dad: One of the greatest things about blogging is forming friendships with other bloggers like Steven who have overcome so much to lead successful lives. For me, their stories are an inspiration, and a reminder that none of us have to be victims of our circumstances.

Post by Frugal Dad

“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.” -Proverbs 19:20

The weakest part of each person is where he or she thinks himself or herself the wisest. In the words of the great basketball coach John Wooden, “It’s what we learn after we think we know it all that really counts.” Those who are teachable and continually seek to improve and grow rarely contract the disease of pride.

Benjamin Franklin taught, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest” (Complied by Rev. Frederick S. Sill, A Year Book of Colonial Times, (New York: E.P. Dutton and Company, 1906) p. 15). Education and transportation are tools that get us to our destination. Over the years transportation has moved from the horse and buggy to trains, cars, and airplanes. Each new mode of transportation has enabled us to reach our destination in a shorter period of time. In the 1800s it took months to cross the plains to the west. Today, with improved tools, we can make the same journey in a matter of hours. Education is also a tool that can speed up your journey to financial independence and prosperity. Studies of those with a high net worth have revealed that they spend significant time each month on financial education (Thomas J. Stanley, William D. Danko, The Millionaire Next Door, (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996) p. 48, 71).  Studies also show there is direct correlation between the amount of time spent on financial education and net worth. The more you learn, the more you earn.

General Edward Braddock

During the French and Indian War, the British General Edward Braddock, age 60 at the time, employed the help of a Virginia militia. When one of the young 23-year-old Virginian soldiers who was well acquainted with the Indian mode of warfare modestly offered his advice, the haughty Braddock said, “What! An American buskin teach a British General how to fight!” (B.J Losing, Signers of the Declaration of Independence, (New York: George F. Colledge & Brother, 1848) p. 167). Braddock did not heed the advice and the British suffered a disastrous defeat and General Braddock was wounded by a shot through the right arm and into his lung. Following the injury to General Braddock, that same 23-year-old, with no official position in the chain of command, was able to lead and maintain some order and formed a rear guard, which allowed them to evacuate and eventually disengage. This earned him the title of “Hero of the Monongahela.” General Braddock was carried off the field by George Washington, the soldier whose advice he had rejected. Braddock died on July 13, 1755, four days after the battle. Before he died, Braddock left Washington the blood stained sash of his uniform. Washington carried the sash with him for the remainder of his life. Perhaps he carried the sash as a reminder of the cost of pride and of the necessity of being humble and teachable if he was to be successful in his efforts. Had Braddock listened to the advice of young George Washington, his life may have been saved.

George Washington was teachable and spent time each day reading. During his lifetime, Washington accumulated a library of more than 700 books, a great many which he studied closely. Washington’s step-granddaughter, Nelly Custis, wrote to one of Washington’s early biographers saying, “It was his custom to retire to his library at nine or ten o’clock, where he remained an hour before he went to his chamber. He always arose before the sun, and remained in his library until called to breakfast.”

This was a guest post by Cameron C. Taylor, author of the book Does Your Bag Have Holes? 24 Truths That Lead to Financial and Spiritual Freedom. www.DoesYourBagHaveHoles.org

Post by Frugal Dad

During that time we have been relaxing the constraints on our budget.  Our debt repayment progress had slowed.  Our savings balances weren’t growing.  Money was leaking out of our checking account at a faster rate than it had in previous months.  What was the cause of this return to indifferent spending?  Complacency.

When the Going Gets Tough, So Do We

Back when we reached our financial bottom it was easy to get fired up about turning around our finances.  Mostly because finances seemed to dominate our every thought.  It kept me awake at night, and it was the first thing I worried about when I woke up.  It drove many of our decisions, and removed many options from our lives.  It was easy to get mad at the debt that hung over us, and it was easy to stick to our guns when faced with decisions to spend or save.

I’ve never been really good and doing two things at once.  Some people are natural multitaskers, and on the day-to-day stuff I do a pretty good job.  But where I fail is the big stuff.  For instance, I’ve lamented before how hard it is to lose weight and pay off debt.  Even though there seems to be a natural correlation to the two goals, I can’t seem to pull them off at the same time.  I can either get really fired up about losing weight and drop a few pounds, or I can get really fired up about paying off debt and lower our balances.  But when I do one or the other, the other goal suffers, or at best treads water until i again refocus my energy.

When Things Get Easier, So Do We

There comes a time in any financial turnaround when things begin to look up.  Maybe you’ve paid off that car loan, or a couple credit cards, and increased your disposable income thanks to reduced monthly debt payments.  Maybe you’ve also managed to pick up a side hustle, or added some overtime to your schedule, or received a promotion and increased your income.  Suddenly you find yourself not struggling quite as hard to keep your head above water.  It is as if someone is draining the pool for you, and all of a sudden you can touch your toes.  Ah…it feels good to stop flailing your arms and legs and simply relax for a bit.

Don’t get me wrong, these new feelings are a sign of progress and should be celebrated.  However, some healthy reservation is also required.  This is the same point many turnarounds have been foiled.  Think of the dieter who works out and eats right for six weeks and drops 25 pounds.  They are elated, and for good reason.  To celebrate they go out to eat something they haven’t had in a while.  And since they already blew it at dinner, that late-night ice cream won’t hurt.  And since they blew the whole night they’ll just sleep in the next morning instead of hitting the gym.  I’ll just get back on track on Monday.  You see how this can be a very slippery slope!

How To Fight Complacency While Celebrating Success

If we know that this new-found success ultimately leads to complacency, what can we do to head it off?  I would recommend allowing yourself some non-guilty pleasure not related to your ultimate goal.  For a dieter this might mean the accomplishment of a weight-loss goal is celebrated with a new dress.  For those of us working to turnaround our finances, maybe this means an increase to something that brings enjoyment, but does not cost any money.  For instance, families may agree to allow each other more time to devote to something they enjoy – exercise, hiking, learning a musical instrument, etc.

Whatever you decide, do not allow yourself to slip back into the same bad habits.  And if you feel those bad habits creeping back in, stop and reasses your situation.  Call a time out and lock yourself in a room to balance your checkbook, update your budget and take an inventory of your debts.  Don’t spend the entire time beating yourself up for making a mistake.  After all, money mistakes make us human, and they only become failures when they are repeated.  Remember the things that motivated you in the first place, and rededicate your life energy towards accomplishing those goals.

Post by Frugal Dad

Some of the early struggles have been influenced by outside events, and some is attributable to my just plain being lazy.  For those who have been following for a while, you may remember that my mom suffered a life-threatening aneurysm and stroke last fall.  She had a setback recently and is currently hospitalized.  When things like that happen it makes tracking blogging income seem trivial, but in some ways it motivates me even more so that I can be there to help my mom when she needs it.  That is what family is about, and that’s why I am thankful I started blogging when I did.

Goal One:  Downsizing Our Home

We’ve decided to sit tight on this one, despite my desire to lessen the mortgage payment and cull some of our stuff.  We are considering a way to accomplish both without moving by refinancing with a little money down, and having a massive spring cleaning over the next few weeks.

Whether or not we refinance depends on a number of factors including my mom’s health (we live very close now, and would be reluctant to move if she needs our help, long-term), our local economy (the money we would use to refi might be better off stashed away in our emergency fund), and things like school zoning and a few other minor considerations.

We will probably stay put through this summer and reevaluate this goal later in the year.  However, we still plan to get rid of some of the stuff occupying our space and cluttering our lives.  I’ve come to really enjoy giving things away and having yard sales, something I’m told terrifies a scrabooking wife with a small fortune invested over the years in various supplies!  It’s okay honey, I promise not to toss anything scrapbook-related if you promise not to mess with my unsightly collection of scrap wood.  After all, some things are simply “off limits!”

Goal Two: Wake Up At 4:30AM

Remember the part where I blamed laziness for failure to accomplish some of these major 2009 goals?  This would be that goal.  For a while I was consistently getting up around 4:30-5:00am.  But over time my bedtime slid further back, the alarm clock seemed to ring earlier and earlier, and my bed felt cozier on these cold winter mornings.

I’ve been a night-owl my whole life – staying up late to finish a movie, or work on side hustles, or read a good book that I can’t put down. I seem to function better staying up later than I do getting up earlier, assuming the amount of sleep is the same.

So perhaps my new goal should read, “Go To Bed At 1:00am.” Sounds kind of strange, doesn’t it?  The point is that I need a few hours of quiet house to write, and I can either do it late at night or early in the morning. I think I’ll stick with burning midnight oil for now, but maybe this summer I’ll try to switch back so I can workout in the morning and get in a little writing, too.

Goal Three:  Double Blogging Goals From 2008

Of the three goals, this is probably the one I’ve made the most progress with, thanks in large part to all of you!  I still have some work to do on the income side, but subscribers and traffic stats are increasing steadily.

Attract 7,000 subscribers:  With close to 5,800 subscribers (depending on which day you visit), I’ve already added close to 1,000 subscribers this year.  Of course, that pace will slow, but it is a good start.

Receive 250,000 page views per month:  I finished the last couple months of 2008 averaging 125k page views per month.  FrugalDad.com broke 150k page views in January (151,242 to be exact), and is on pace to come close to 150k in this short month of February.

Earn 100% of my regular, full-time earnings from blogging:  Earnings were up slightly from 50% to 56% of my full-time income, so still plenty of work left to do here if I ever want to become a problogger.

I started a second blog, SideHustleBlogging.com, in an effort to diversify my earnings from blogs, and I received my first payment for an offline freelance article published in Acreage magazine.  The article appears in this month’s edition, and is titled 25 Ways to Save Money in 2009.  Hopefully this will lead to additional freelance opportunities, so I can diversify my side hustle earnings from writing in general, not just blogging.

I’m blessed to have this safety net from blogging, and hope that sharing some of my success along the way will encourage you to find your own side hustle.  If I lost my full-time job for some reason, we could eat on my blogging earnings, but not much else at this point.  Unfortunately, there are some folks out there that are looking for their next meal.  I am reminded to be thankful that I do have a full-time job and a part time gig that pays relatively well.

Post by Frugal Dad

These last few months have been trying times for me, personally and financially.  Several things have happened to create sort of a “perfect storm” in my life and when that happens I always look for some piece of inspiration–something to keep me on track. I found that peace in The Serenity Prayer, and have applied its lessons to my personal finances and beyond.

God Grant Me the Serenity To Accept the Things I Cannot Change

Stop and think for a moment about all the things that are currently causing stress in your financial life.  I bet there are quite a few you have control over, like overspending or expensive car payments.  But if you are like me there may be other things that are outside of your control, yet they continue to cause stress. Here are some examples I have witnessed recently from others:

• The stock market losses.  If you are in the market for the long haul there is little you can do to hedge against these wild swings (mostly downward swings) over the last few months.  Instead of worrying over stock tickers incessantly, try to put it out of your mind and remember that you have a long-term perspective.
• Political landscape.  I’m not the best one to be advising others not be stressed over politics.  I used to be a politics junkie, listening to talk radio and news most of the day.  But over the last couple years I have unplugged from a lot of it.  Politicians on both sides of the aisle have abandoned fiscal conservatism, as the recent bailouts have shown, and the more I listen to politicians finding ways to spend our hard-earned tax dollars, the higher my blood pressure gets!
• The financial situation of others.  Many people lie awake at night and worry over other people’s financial problems–their parents, their kids, their best friend, etc.  While it is healthy to show some concern, it is healthier to recognize that they make their own decisions freely, and the best thing you can do is be a supportive father, son or friend.

The Courage To Change the Things I Can

When you have identified the things you do have control over you must find the courage to make changes in your life.  For example, if you are unhappy with your current salary, what strategies are within your control to increase that number?  Chances are your boss isn’t just going to give you a raise for no reason.  You may have to return to school to finish your degree, or agree to take on some additional training related to your job.  You may have to start your own side hustle.  All of these things take courage because they are outside of our comfort zone.

The Wisdom To Know the Difference

Most of us are aware of the types of things that cause us stress, and the thing that don’t.  The challenge is placing a new challenge in our lives into one of those two categories.  It is this “wisdom to know the difference” that makes ALL the difference.  Chances are right now you are worrying over things that are not within your control, and not worrying about things that are within your control.

I encourage you to reflect on the things that are now causing stress in your life.  Take some time to jot them down on a piece of paper, and then really search deep down to figure out which column they belong in–things you cannot change, and things you can.  Then get busy developing a plan to change those things you can.  You will feel better just for having gone through the exercise.

Post by Frugal Dad

I try to keep things positive here at Frugal Dad, but admittedly even I do occasionally get down.  I grow weary from the coming and going of the corporate rat race.  At times I get down about so much of my income going towards becoming debt free (it is a noble goal, but there are other things I’d rather be doing with money than paying off banks!).  And every now and then I just get bummed for no apparent reason.

However, in memory of the indomitable spirit of Randy Pausch, who passed away last Friday after losing his battle with pancreatic cancer, I’m dedicating today’s post to ways to get fired up about life!  Since I was a kid I’ve always found inspiration in movies, books, music, and particularly in the inspirational stories of others.  YouTube has sort of provided a combination of two or three of those mediums, and I have a few favorite videos bookmarked to help lift my spirits when I get down.  Maybe you have been feeling a little blue here lately, and could use a boost as well.

The Last Lecture.  Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon and husband and father of three, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last August and only given a few months to live.  He gave this last lecture on September 18, 2007, just a month after his diagnosis.  Pausch was interviewed on Good Morning America on May 19, 2008, nine months after his diagnosis, and the day of his surprise return to Carnegie Mellon’s graduation ceremony.  His story, and in particular this final lecture, are a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit.  Randy Pausch died July 25, 2008, just a few days removed from the time of this post.  I followed Pausch’s story after first seeing his “Last Lecture” some time ago.  He will be missed.

Life Lesson:  There is always someone out there going through something more difficult than you, and many times doing it with a better attitude.  Remember, sometimes we can’t control the things that happen to us, but we can control how we respond to them.

Perseverance, and a Father’s Love.  The stage was the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.  Sprinter Derek Redmond was picked to win gold in the 400-meter event, but he tore a hamstring about half way through the race.  After taking a knee for a moment, the injured Redmond began to hobble around the track in an effort to finish the race, long after the winner had crossed the finish line.  He is greeted by his father after the last turn, who helps him cross the finish line, waving off help from trainers and track officials.  It was a beautiful moment.

Money Lesson:  The journey towards financial freedom can be a long one, especially if you are starting out in a significant hole.  But every single step forward is a step towards the finish line.  Don’t be afraid to accept help from loved ones along the way.

Where is Matt?  I included this one because it is such a unique video, and an interesting example of the power of internet marketing.  Matt is a 31 year-old, self described “deadbeat’ from Connecticut who quit his job a few years ago and spent time just wandering around the world.  While traveling he recorded himself doing a dance at various destinations, and put the video online when he came home.  A few people found the video, it got passed around and soon Matt was the owner of a popular video.  Stride Gum contacted him and asked him to take another trip around the world, this time on their dime, and recreate the dance with other people.  A video sensation was born. At the time of this writing the month-old video has received nearly 8 million views on YouTube.  (found this one via Brip Blap)

Another Life Lesson:  Sometimes things that seem silly to us may resonate with others.  Sure, the dance is a little goofy, but the message behind the dance is inspiring.  I asked my daughter what she thought the video meant and she said something profound.  “I guess it means that no matter where you are if you are happy and start to dance then others will dance with you.”  Well said.

Do you have any personal favorites you’d like to share with others?  Feel free to drop it in the comments below.

Post by Frugal Dad

Over the next hour or so every single news segment presented had a negative slant.  They documented families passing up on vacation because of high gas prices.  They found a couple out and about who were all too happy to tell us about their mounting credit card debt, and falling home value.  I’m not naive to think that people are not really impacted by all these economic factors, but I can’t help but wonder if we shouldn’t be more responsible for our own happiness.  When did we turn the job of making ourselves happy over to politicians and media pundits?

The Pursuit of Happiness

Our founding fathers had it right when they documented our inalienable rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of Independence.  They did not guarantee our happiness, but guaranteed our freedom to go after the things that made us happy.  The execution of that plan would be up to us, but we now look to others to create happiness for us.

I am happy.  My family is happy.   There is little anyone in Washington, or in the media, could do or say to change that.  From a broader perspective, we are fortunate to live in an era of unprecedented personal wealth with high salaries, a healthy job market and access to one of the finest health care systems in the world.  That’s not to say our systems are without flaws, but when compared to other parts of the world, or other periods of history, we have it pretty well off.  I am free to move my family from one corner of the country to the other if we so desired.  I make a choice every morning about where I get up and go to work.  And if I find myself hating that job I am free to go look for another job that I love.  If I can’t find one I am free to work from home, be a full time parent, or start my own business.  I was provided public education through the 12th grade, and given all the opportunities that went along with it to learn and participate in extra-curricular clubs and sports.  I freely chose where to attend to college, who I married, where to buy a home, what type of car to drive, and what programming I watch on television (a shrinking list, these days).

I guess what I’m trying to say is that we as Americans take many of these freedoms and opportunities for granted.  As a society we’ve survived civil war, two world wars, a great depression, recessions, real estate bubbles, gas shortages, and terrorist attacks on our country and our interests worldwide.  We will survive these rough times as well.  We will persevere.  It may take a little longer to bounce back than the most impatient of us would like, but it will happen, eventually.

Are You Better Off than You Were Eight Years Ago?

The media likes to ask this question in the frame of a dig against the lame duck occupant in the oval office.  No one is spared, regardless of their political party affiliation.  But it is a ridiculous question when you think about it.  Are you better off now than you were eight years ago?  Yes, I am.  In eight years I’ve been blessed with two wonderful children, made a career change to a more enjoyable line of work, relocated to a new city, earned raises from my employer, returned to school to finish my undergraduate education, and enjoyed the development of new technologies. Those sources of my happiness had very little, if anything, to do with what is happening in Washington, D.C.

And if I had answered no, I am not better off today than I was eight years ago, who would I have to blame? I guess I could start with myself.  If I had not pursued the completion of my education I may not have been able to change jobs, move to a new city, and enjoy salary increases along the way.  If I had not married my soul mate I would not have been blessed with two wonderful kids.  These moves did not come without sacrifice.  We racked up some debt to cover the additional costs of my attending school.  I spent many nights away from my family sitting in a classroom (until I discovered the joys of online education).  I stuck it out at a job I didn’t like because I needed the benefits and earnings to pursue my education because I knew it was the path to something better.  I spent many weekends locked away in a study room at a local library preparing for tests, writing papers, and reading monotonous text books.  I could have simply given up.  I could have skipped all forms of reading and learning, and been content coming home from my dead-end job and parking myself in front of the television for six hours watching mindless television programs.  But I was too busy pursuing happiness, and thankfully I found it.

Post by Frugal Dad

Dear Frugal Dad:

The year is 2028 and here you are, 50 years-old, a little wiser, a little wealthier, but certainly not any better looking. You’ve made some progress along the way, and hit a few bumps in the road on your journey (thank goodness for that emergency fund, huh?). Back in 2008 you identified a few areas of your life you would like to change, so let’s see how you did.

I’m So Glad You Became Debt Free

Next to marrying your soul mate and having kids, this might be the best thing you ever did! You’ve been living credit card and student loan debt free since about 2009, and you finally paid that mortgage off early in 2018 (it took a little longer than you planned). So for the last nine years you have been living a totally debt free lifestyle. Fun, isn’t it? Just the other day you sat down to pay bills. Let’s see, there was the cable bill, the wind-farm cooperative bill (I think you guys used to call this the “power” bill), cell phone payment, and insurance. Am I forgetting one? No, that’s it. Budget in a little for food and fun and you are living well under 50% of your $220,000 earnings (don’t get too excited, remember those years of inflation after 2009 – whew, rough times).

If You Bought that House, I’d Still Be Broke

Remember back in 2013 when you were thinking about upgrading the family to the all-brick two story around the corner with the pool, finished basement and huge corner lot? I know it was a sweet deal, but good thing you didn’t follow through. The next year you lost your job when robots took over the software industry (who knew?), but between the emergency fund and that little blog you started up a few years earlier you were fine until you landed on your feet a few months later.

Thank You for Leaving the Stressful Job

It wasn’t easy changing gears after the software industry debacle, and you really jumped from the frying pan into the fire joining that square foot gardening kit startup company that promised to solve world hunger for only $149.95 a box. I know they offered a sweet deal, but you didn’t really think that would take off, did you? Thankfully, you recognized the worldwide sales calls and time spent away from the wife and kids wasn’t worth a six-figure salary. After your resignation you made a smart move writing about the whole process and inking your second book deal. After that interview on the Larry King show (yes, the man is still alive, and still hosts a show!) things really took off.

Good Thing You Started Working Out Again

I know you put this down as a stretch goal, but we ought to mention it here. You said you wanted to lose 50 pounds and get in better shape. Well, you finally did it, but not until you gave up Coca Cola and those late-night scavenger hunts for Little Debbie snack cakes. In fact, you lost closer to 60 pounds, and now you are in the best shape of your life. You don’t have a problem keeping up with your grandkid’s soccer team.

This summer you and the family will retreat to that cabin you bought in the Smoky Mountains. If it weren’t for the kids and grandkids you would probably just move there. After all, now that you are financially independent it doesn’t really matter where you live. What a far cry this lifestyle is from the one back in 2008!

Not much else to report from 2028. Oh, there is one more thing. Your team finally won the national championship playoffs five years after they got rid of the BCS. I know you aren’t a gambling man, so I feel comfortable telling you this news without fear of you blowing your life savings on such a safe bet (hint, hint). See you in twenty years.

Get daily updates for free by RSS feed or email delivery. Sign up today and also receive my free eBook, The 7-Day Turnaround!

Post by Frugal Dad

photo by heydrienne

The Three Keys to Happiness

1. Something to Do. How many times have we felt unhappy with life because we simply had too much idle time? I know it has happened in my own life. When I get bored, I get down, and I only snap out of it when I start to get busy again. The thing is, we have to recognize this pattern and stay busy to keep our mood elevated. Find a hobby. Volunteer your free time. Learn to cook. Coach youth sports. There are endless possibilities for “something to do” if we take the time to look.
2. Something to Love. Friends and family are such an important element to our ultimate happiness. During a traveling phase at my last job I spent a number of lonely nights hundreds of miles away in a hotel room on business. I was in foreign surroundings, working in a job I didn’t particularly like, in an industry I didn’t believe in (credit/financial services). The one source of inspiration to get through those nights was my family. Even though my career situation has since improved, I still think of my wife and kids when I get down and can’t help but smile. If you are single, you may have a best friend that always knows just how to pick you up, or make you laugh when you want to cry. Pets can even be an incredible source of companionship, there to greet you at the end of a long day. I’ve had pets most of my life and marvel at their willingness to love us unconditionally.
3. Something to Hope For. Everyone should have something to hope for. Something that drives them towards a goal. It’s been said that if you aim for nothing, you’ll hit it every time. Have something to aim for; a dream that you hold close and never let completely out of sight. When people lose hope they get complacent, and complacency often leads to a poor attitude. This self-perpetuating cycle of negativity can lead to serious depression, and ultimately harm cherished relationships. I know, I’ve been in a rut myself and I lost sight of the dreams I once held close. But all hope is never lost, you just may have to work a little harder temporarily to catch up and see those dreams around the next corner again.

“The only difference in a rut and a grave is six feet.” If you find yourself in a rut, stop digging. Start moving in the direction of your dreams and things will begin to improve. If your goal is debt freedom, stop charging to your credit cards and start paying all you can pay on outstanding debts. Do not be overwhelmed by the distance to the finish line. If your goal is to lose weight, do not focus on how far you are from your goal weight. Instead, take it one day, one meal, one bite, one workout at a time and begin to move in the direction of your dreams.

The bottom line is we are responsible for our own happiness. Government programs, promises from elected officials, and pats on the back from bosses may offer temporary mood boosts, but ultimately happiness is a self-induced state of mind. Be responsible for your own happiness.

Please share your personal keys to happiness in the comment section below.

If you liked this article, please consider subscribing to Frugal Dad for free via RSS feed or email delivery.  Subscribers also receive my free eBook, The 7-Day Turnaround!

Post by Frugal Dad