WYTI Links: 11/21/2007

Here's a mid-week set of links to go around...have a great holiday week!

10 Easy Ways to Save Money Without Much Effort (via Consumerism Commentary) Thanks to Adam for submitting this link last week...

What If You Make Maximum Retirement Contributions For 20, 30, 40 Years? (Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, 401k, 403b) (via No Credit Needed)

Organization 101: A Visual Guide to How I Manage the Information in My Life (via The Simple Dollar) Trent uses a system very closely akin to David Allen's "Getting Things Done" philosophy. Here he spells it out...and includes pictures.

Would Jesus Have an Emergency Fund? (via ChristianPF) This addresses an interesting thought we probably have all considered about the balance of saving for the future and using our blessings for God's good.

MP3 Players for Nine Year Olds? Whatever Happened to Simple, Inexpensive Fun? (via Money, Matter, and More Musings) In the holiday shopping spirit...

WYTI Links: 11.02.2007 -- Productivity Edition

Being a responsible steward of God's blessings goes much deeper than just how we handle and view money. We must be responsible for all of the blessings He sends our way.

When we stand on judgment, we will be held accountable for how we used the time we were given. There is only so much of it to go around. No one has any more or any less than anyone else. Therefore, how we use our time goes a long way determining our success in all areas of life.

Here are some "productivity" links for this week. Remember, I'm not necessarily the most productive guy out there, but I did read about it on the internet/play one on TV/stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night...

• David Seah. The subtitle for his blog is, "Better Living Through New Media." He has created many helpful applications for helping get things done more effectively and efficiently. Personally, I use the Compact Calendar for planning (right now, my 2008 version is covered in black, blue, and red ink) and the Desktop Flash version of the Emergent Task Timer (part of the Printable CEO Series).

• Skrbl. I haven't really used this site, but it looks like fun and sounds interesting if you work in a team setting. It's an internet-based whiteboard. All you do is share the URL to your specific board, and others can log in and edit the notes and information written there.

• Mozilla Firefox Cheat Sheet. If you're not using Mozilla's Firefox as your primary internet browser, you're missing out. Most importantly, it's more secure than IE. Additionally, it's far more customizable and efficient. Here's a comprehensive list of shortcuts and cheats for the browser.

• Classic Tie Knots (via Brooks Brothers). Here's a "how-to" guide for several different tie knots. Since many of us wear ties on a regular basis, this might be helpful.

• Building Strong and Memorable Passwords (via Corvus Consulting). You can't be too safe on the internet today. This is a helpful suggestion to creating unique--but memorable--passwords for each site you need login information. I've started using this technique for the various sites to which I login.

• How to Get Up Right Away When Your Alarm Goes Off (via Steve Pavlina). Helpful tip here. Boy do I need to implement it into my routine.

• Make a 12 Sided Calendar (via Lifehacker). This is a fun little project. Definitely needs to be printed on cardstock.
  

Quotables: Your Money or Your Life -- Chapter 1 (part 1)

I've not fallen down on my reading of Your Money or Your Life...I've just neglected the opportunity to post interesting and helpful quotes from the chapters.

Today, let's begin looking at Chapter 1: The Money Trap the Old Road Map for Money.

• "Your money or your life." If someone thrust a gun in your ribs and said that sentence, what would you do? Most of us would turn over our wallets. The threat works because we value our lives more than we value our money. Or do we?

• Even the best of jobs have trade-offs. Midlife comes and we discover we've been living our parents' agenda. Or worse, we've been filling teeth for twenty years because some seventeen-year-old (was that really me?) decided that being a dentist would be the best of all possible worlds.

• And they call [the modern career path] making a living? Think about it. How many people have you seen who are more alive at the end of the work day that they were at the beginning? Do we come home from our "making a living" activity with more life? Do we bound through the door, refreshed and energized, ready for a great evening with the family? Where's all the life we supposedly made at work? For many of us, isn't the truth of it closer to "making a dying"? Aren't we killing ourselves--our health, our relationships, our sense of joy and wonder for our jobs? We are sacrificing our lives for money--but it's happening so slowly that we barely notice.

• Even if we aren't any happier, you'd think that we'd at least have the traditional symbol of success: money in the bank. Not so...The savings rate was 4.5 percent in 1990 [I have an older edition ;)]...The Japanese, by the way, save over 15 percent of their disposable income.

The book does an excellent job of living up to its subtitle, "Transforming Your Relationship with Money..." How we view money will determine how we treat money.

I'll post more quotables from chapter 1 later...

Check out the Prologue if you missed it last month...

WYTI Links: 10.25.07

Thursday links this week:

• How I Live Without Using Credit Cards - My Simple System for Living on a Budget (via No Credit Needed) Thanks to Adam for recommending this worthwhile write-up.
  

• Budgeting is Like Baking Cookies (via ChristianPF) I'm a big fan of analogy/comparison articles. These are some excellent points about budgeting.

• An Annoying Email I Got (via I Will Teach You to Be Rich) The end of this conversation is where this really gets interesting. Finances are no different from faith in this perspective: advice (even Biblical) is of no use unless we are willing to change.

• Where To Stash Your Emergency Cash (via Michelle Singletary, Washington Post)
  

• Inexpensive Ways to Woo Your Wife (via Clever Dude) This is a guest post by Clever Dudette (Clever Dude's wife) about cheap ways to keep the spark lit with your wife. You've still got time this afternoon to implement some of these suggestions :).
  

WYTI Links: 10.19.2007 (Almost) The "Third Saturday in October" Edition

The "Third Saturday in October" is always a big day in the south...'Bama vs. Tennessee. Too bad it's been relegated to the 11:30 am slot on LFS. Here's Friday's links...

• Why Money Doesn't Buy Happiness (via Newsweek)

• How to Best Handle Old Credit Card Accounts (via Consumerism Commentary) Having "old" credit card accounts can be a good problem to have...here's some advice on what to do with them.

• 10 Ways to Build the Habit of Saving Money (via Get Rich Slowly) It's subtle, but I love how the title says "Build the Habit of Saving Money." Becoming a responsible steward is a process. Hopefully, children are reared in this direction from an early age. If not, adults need to have the patience to change bad habits into healthy ones over time.

• Thirteen Ways to Reduce the Effect of "Bad Luck" in Your Financial Life (via The Simple Dollar)

• Two for one: 5 Ways Paperless Personal Finance Saves You Money & Risks of Paperless Finance (both via Blueprint for Financial Prosperity)

Have a great weekend...

Debt: Sacrificially Speaking...

It is a simple fact that every single person (or family) lives off of a specific percentage of his or her (or their) total income. Some are able to live comfortably off 60-80% of their income, while many spend every dime--100%--just in time to get their next paycheck. Unfortunately, many Americans have begun living off more than 100% of their income. The ease of obtaining credit and the pressure to "have it now" have suckered us into buying what we want, even if we can't afford it...we can just swipe it and pay for it later (and for even more money because of outrageous interest).

Debt should be on the mind of Christians for many reasons. Notice just one as we think about living off of a certain percentage:

As Christians, we are expected to give regularly (1 Cor. 16:2) and proportionally (2 Cor. 8:3). Additionally, we should be willing to serve the Lord with our financial blessings (e.g., helping the needy, giving to reputable charities, etc.) (Mt. 25:31-46).

We must ask ourselves a tough question when we consider these financial responsibilities in light of debt (especially irresponsible debt like unpaid-off credit cards, payday loans, etc.): "Am I able to give sacrificially to the Lord if I'm living off more than 100% of my income?"

I don't think it's possible. Notice a little hypothetical math: If I make 10,000 dollars annually, and give $1,000 of it to the church (roughly $20 weekly), I technically give 10% of my income. If, over the course of the year, I put $1,000 on a high-interest credit card without paying it all off, I've just raised the ceiling of my living expenses without raising the level of income. Therefore, I've not really made any sacrifices in order to give that $20 a week to the local church. Theoretically, I could give $5,000 a year--and it would seem as though I was giving an amazing 50%--and turn to a credit card instead of adjusting my spending habits. I get almost anything I want and still give to the church. But that's not the point.

God knows we could use the percentage we give for additional things at our disposal, yet he wants us to trust him (and our elders) to use it in much better ways than we would personally. What if we read that the widow gave all she had--those two mites--but then went and borrowed two more from a Pharisee so that she could buy some more clothes or living amenities? It wouldn't be giving all she had if she kept going back for more beyond her affluence.

May we always consider our financial decisions in light of our relationship to the Lord.

"Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts." Proverbs 22:26

WYTI Links: 10.16.2007

Some links for your Tuesday:

• Do We Spend More When We Swipe Plastic? (via Poorer Than You) I've heard this claim over the past several years (of course, it hasn't exactly kept me from using our debit card instead of cash). PTY doesn't set out to disprove the claim, only to verify or validate its source. Officially, there is no firm conclusion. However, I tend to agree with PTY's assessment that it depends on personality rather than monetary medium.

• What Is Your Status Symbol? (via ChristianPF)

• 8 Personal Finance Lessons I Learned from Monopoly (via Blueprint for Financial Prosperity)

• Getting to Now: How to Beat the Procrastination Habit (via Get Rich Slowly) I've had this stored away in my unposted links folder for almost a month now...never could get around to posting it ;)
  

WYTI Links: 10.12.2007

Finally, fall football Friday (weather) forecasts are upon us...

Here's some linkification:

• Six Online Shopping Scams (via SmartMoney)

• Widow Loses Credit History Along with Husband (via Consumerist) This highlights the importance of checking credit reports regularly. You can do it through annualcreditreport.com NOT the one with the catchy advertising jingle (it's not really free).

• 14 Children's Cold Meds Withdrawn from the Market (via Consumerist) If you have young children, take note of what's in your medicine cabinet.

• Planning Your Collegiate Finances (via We're In Debt) I've posted several links to advice for HS grads or college students before; the more those generations are encouraged to view and handle money responsibly, the better.
  

• Going Steady with Your Boss - 20 Reasons Your Job Is Like a High School Relationship (via Money $mart Life) This is rather humorous; I'm sure it's much more applicable for people in professions other than public ministry...just a slight bit of Friday humor for you.
  

Quotables: Your Money or Your Life -- Prologue

I am currently reading Joe Dominguez & Vicki Robin's Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence and reading Trent's (The Simple Dollar) extensive reviews.

As I finish each chapter, I will post some of the quotes I find interesting and helpful. Think of it as letting the authors reviewing the book themselves.

Today, we flip through the Prologue:

• What [most money] books have in common is that they assume that your financial life functions separately from the rest of your life. This book is about putting it all back together. It is about integration, a "whole systems" approach to life (xviii).

• Even though we "won" the Industrial Revolution, the spoils of war are looking more and more spoiled...the old road map for money has us trapped in the very vehicle that was supposed to liberate us from toil (xx).

• FI (financially independent) thinking is about cartography--making your own map, one that accurately depicts the terrain of your life as it actually is today (xxv).

• FI (financially independent) thinking will lead naturally to Financial Intelligence, Financial Integrity and Financial Independence (xxv).

The authors make the point that much of our financial shortcomings today have resulted from using the "old road map"--born from the Industrial Revolution--in a time where a much different map is needed. I think it's a strong and plausible argument.

I also appreciate how their approach is designed for individuality. Too many people (especially the most famous ones) in personal finance try to give virtually the same advice no matter the situation.

WYTI Links 10.03.2007

Some links for your Wednesday:

• The Simple Dollar Book Club: Your Money or Your Life (via The Simple Dollar) I'm two chapters away from finishing my current reading material (Visioneering by Andy Stanley). When I finish (hopefully today), I plan to start Your Money or Your Life and read Trent's detailed reviews. He's previously published a review of the entire book.
• Top 50 Christian Business & Finance Blogs (via Bootstrapper)

From ChristianPF.com (who might have commented on one of Wes's recent posts):

• What is an IRA account? I know we've mentioned IRA's before, but this is another helpful summary about them. If you're a preacher or paid minister, opening an IRA of some sort is a very helpful thing...chances are, you have no other retirement, like a 401k. Some congregations will even match (either 100% or 50%) your donations to an IRA...thereby giving you free money.
• How to Budget with ING Direct This highlights the usefulness of online accounts--specifically the ING Direct savings account, which allows for easy multiple accounts.

Keep Reading...

I noticed some amazing words just today in Proverbs 3. Normally we turn to Proverbs 3:5-6 for inspiration and guidance--and rightfully so. I think it's a better reading to read through verse 8:

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones."

Obviously that's good stuff. Now notice the very next two verses (9-10):

"Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine" (emphasis added, JS).

The key to financial "peace" or "security" is realizing "peace" and "security" can never come from money or things we can buy with it. Only the Lord is capable of truly comforting us in this life and the next (Phil. 4:4-7). He will only bless financially those who will bless Him (and therefore others, Mt. 25) with those same blessings. Obviously, this goes a lot further than the collection plate.

WYTI Links: 09.28.2007

Just another dial-up week :) [But we're still extremely thankful for the internet we do have]

• Do Student Loans Affect a Mortgage Application? (via Kiplinger Personal Finance)

• Top High-Yield Savings Accounts: Interest Rates & Some Thoughts (via Money, Matter, and More Musings)

• 6 Places Where Precision Matters (via Dumb Little Man)

• Simple Tips to Organizing Your Vital Information - Are You Prepared? (via My Estate Planning Career Blog)

• Is the Value Menu Really a Value? Comparing the Homemade Double Cheeseburger to The McDonald's $1 Version (via The Simple Dollar) This is a classic post. The post itself is intriguing. I think Trent conducted his "experiment" pretty fairly and thoroughly...and in my opinion, the health factor trumps price anyway. It's also amazing to read the comments and see how many people almost seem "offended" that even the cheapest thing on a fast food menu isn't that great of a financial deal. I guess we're still not ready to accept that something we've been told is a good deal is not really as good as it is presented. BTW, advertising is the only difference between Mickey D's and Trent's experiment. Equipment is a moot point (because homes already have cooking equipment and McDonald's billions served have more than paid for their burger presser). My guess is that they're still making dough off that $1 Double Cheeseburger (and an even greater % on those fries and drink). James, you have anything to add from behind the scenes we might not be aware of?

Have a great weekend...

WYTI Links: 09.21.2007

Sorry for no links thus far this week...my internet has been even slower than normal. Maybe these will load...

• The Simple Dollar Guide to Eating Out (via The Simple Dollar) Look past his advice regarding alcohol; I'm intrigued by his philosophy. Plan to eat out big and expensive (just not very often). We love a meal done right, but we often settle for eating out at cheaper--but lower quality--places too often. We may try to implement a similar approach ourselves.

• Seven Pieces of Financial Advice for High School Students (via The Simple Dollar)
  

• Pre-Career Advice (via Wise Bread)

• Burger King to Offer Healthier Menu Options for Kids (via Consumerist)

• How to Clean Your Home in 19 Minutes (via CNN Living)
  

WYTI Links: 09.12.2007

Here are Wednesday's links:

• I Will Never Be Wealthy If I Am Not Already Rich (via Family Finance Blog)

• When a Saver and a Spender Say "I Do" (via Get Rich Slowly) Good read to consider if you're doing some pre-marital counseling anytime soon...
  

• Balancing Living for Today and Saving for Tomorrow (via I've Paid For This Twice Already)

• An Interesting Voluntary Simplicity Exercise That Can Really Improve Your Financial Situation (via The Simple Dollar)

• A Wealth of Smarts Does Not Guarantee Actual Wealth (via David Biello of Scientific American)
  

WYTI Links: 09.07.2007

Here are three more links for a Friday.

• The One Hour Project (via The Simple Dollar) I mentioned one of these specific areas on Wednesday. Here is the first post of the month-long series. Trent will be linking all additional One Hour posts to this one as well. It has already started out as a very helpful series.

• 10 Awesome Free Websites Tools Services That I Use Every Week (via No Credit Needed) I use 3 of these regularly (Flickr, OpenOffice, and Gimp). I recommend all three if they seem to meet some of your needs.
  

• Stop Going Crazy for Birthday Parties for Kids (via Money, Matter, and More Musings) This just made me laugh. Just a warning though, there is at least one word that is not appropriate for a Christian audience.

I'll post the results of our August goals sometime soon. Because of some good fortune, we were able to purchase a brand new mattress on Wednesday (We've been sleeping on our futon since July). If you are anywhere near Jasper, I would recommend Tubbs' Salvage on 9th Avenue. We were able to buy a brand-new Queen PillowTop (on both sides) mattress and box springs for $230. Additionally, the owners are members of the Crossroads church here in Jasper.

Have a great weekend!

WYTI Links: 09.05.2007

Three links for you today...

• The One Hour Project: Clean Out Your Media Collection (via The Simple Dollar)

• Creating a Basic Budget and Organizing Your Financial Documents (via No Credit Needed)

• Can I Use My Emergency Fund For That? (via We're In Debt)
  

WYTI Links: 08.31.2007

It's Friday once again...the Friday before the first Saturday of College Football!

Here's some links:

• Top 20 Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store (via Curbly)

• Ads I Hate: Good Parents Buy (via Get Rich Slowly)

• Reflections from the Checkout Line (via I've Paid For This Twice Already...)

• Teaching my 3 Year Old the Value of Two Dollars (via I've Paid For This Twice Already...)

• Ten Ways to Save on Birthday Parties (via SavingAdvice.com)

WYTI Links: 08.30.2007 (PtP Edition)

I've been at the BJCC in Birmingham all week for Polishing the Pulpit. If you've never attended, you need to seriously look into it for 2008. It should be the last week of August, and they are thinking it will likely be in Sevierville, TN. If you are able to get away for a week or two devoted to a lectureship of some sort, this should be toward the top of your list.

Here are some links to suffice for the week...consider it an "emotional" edition:

• The Emotional Impact of Debt (via One Million and Beyond)

• Personal Finance Isn't Rocket Science, It's Personal Motivation (via SavingAdvice.com)

• Money Mistakes to Avoid: Procrastination (via Money $mart Life) This is huge for me...I'm a big procastina

• It's Okay to Spend Money (via Five Cent Nickel)

• The Weight of Stolen Money (via Money, Matter, and More Musings)

• Considering the Cost of Things I Took For Granted (via I've Paid For This Twice Already...)

• Getting Over the "Taboo" of Generics and Store Brand Names (via The Simple Dollar)
  

WYTI Links: 08.24.07

It's Friday!!! Here's some material to check out...

• Life is Like a Game of Chess (via Money, Matter, and More Musings) I love a good analogy...this is nice.
  

• What Does an Insomniac Who Has a Personal Finance Blog Do at 2 AM? (via No Credit Needed) Very simple--but helpful--guide to making purchases.

• 20 Great Nuggets of Personal Finance Advice (via Get Rich Slowly) Nice collection of quotes...

Car Corner:

• Free Crash Test Videos from Consumer Reports (via Get Rich Slowly) I personally think safety is the most overlooked aspect in considering the cost of a car. These are helpful if you're in the market for a vehicle.

• You Can't Trust That CARFAX Report! (via Clever Dude) This is a little scary, actually. We just bought a car back in May, so we went through the whole CARFAX process. It's a shame it might be unreliable.
  

WYTI Links: 08.22.07

Wednesday's Links...a practical edition: (I had these ready to go on Tuesday night, but silly dial-up kept timing out when I tried to post them this morning. Sorry...blame Bellsouth...or the new AT&T.)

• Are Personal Finance Magazines Worth the Cost? (via Get Rich Slowly)

• The Simple Dollar Guide to Shaving (via The Simple Dollar) Every man's gotta do it...here's Trent's plan for doing it cheap(er).
  

• Tackling Breakfast: Healthy, Inexpensive, And Easy Meals to Get Me Started In the Morning (via The Simple Dollar)
  

• 100 Things You Can Make Yourself (via $imply Thrifty) ...with links and instructions!
  

• 10 Ways to Cut Your Restaurant Bill Big Time (via Money $mart Life) Eating out is our biggest weakness, so these suggestions are helpful.
  

• Five Things Parents Can Do to Avoid Lead Poisoning (via Consumer Reports) Despite the ambiguity of the title, it's about avoiding lead poisoning in children not in parents ;).