Some things never change, and certain truths are universal. As it happens, this applies to the age old topic of money, as well. At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy, no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate is or where interest rates lurk, some money-making truths are set in stone, and remain true across time in all different kinds of economies. Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not, it will be well worth your while to put them into effect in your own life. The magic they will work on your financial life is guaranteed. These money-making ideas are just waiting for you to bring them to life. We urge you to put them to work for you - any one of these could change your life!
Let's get started!
Amazing Money Tip #1:
The great scientist Albert Einstein once said, "It takes a genius to see the obvious." What he meant by that is that sometimes the simplest things in life are the most powerful ... but because they are so simple, we tend to ignore them, and not let them work for us.
One of the simplest but most powerful money making ideas is this: Keep a daily log of everything you spend. Go to the dime store and buy a little notebook. Carry it with you wherever you go. Write down every penny - every single penny - you spend every day. It's as simple as that. If you do this, you will find something magic happening in your financial
life in just a few weeks.
There is something incredibly powerful about writing down all your expenditures. It makes the flow of money through your life more real and exact. It shows you simply and clearly just where you are spending your money, on what and why. Once you know that, it becomes much easier to
control your spending. Many people who have taken up this practice have not only learned
something about themselves which they never knew before, but they are often astounded.
control your spending. Many people who have taken up this practice have not only learned
something about themselves which they never knew before, but they are often astounded.
For example, one woman realized through examining her notebook that she actually spent nearly $2,000 per year on diet soft drinks, snacks and candy bars! Since her job as a office clerk brought her a scant $12,000 per year, she realized that one-sixth of her entire income was being frittered away on something entirely frivolous. The woman gave up the snacks and drinks, and found she had enough money to afford health insurance - plus has $400 left over. If you could choose snacks or health insurance, which would you choose?
The point is, it was her daily expense log that helped her achieve the insight and clarity she needed to get control of her finances. That's what a simple spending record will do for you - it will give you control over your spending, and thus your financial life. There may be nothing but a 75-cent notebook and a ballpoint pen between your life of financial struggle and financial freedom.
Amazing Money Tip #2:
Stop deficit spending! We all know how much trouble Uncle Sam has been creating spending more money than our country takes in. It's called deficit spending. Well, don't fool yourself. The same rules apply to you. Using those evil little plastic cards may be the "American Way," but it's
a damn poor way. Today, the average credit card holder is carrying $7,000 in plastic debt! Spending yourself into debt with a credit card is unbelievably easy, as many of you already know. The reason is psychological. When you give that clerk a credit card, it's just not the same as handing over a stack of green dollar bills. Would you as readily hand over a fistful of ten dollar
bills as flip a credit card across a counter? Probably not.
Credit cards put you in the hole and keep you there. Even for people with good incomes, paying your credit card debt down to zero is amazingly difficult. And make no bones about it, credit card debt will sap your financial strength just as readily as an open vein will deplete your physical body of its very life force. Using a credit card by choice can quickly turn to using it for need. Once you get to that point, you are already in trouble. There is no secret to freeing yourself from the credit card game. You must take out a pair of scissors TODAY, cut your cards in half, and begin paying them back, slowly but surely. Once you stop adding to the debt, even small payment will eventually add up. You can get out of debt if you are patient and disciplined. Once your cards are history, you must adopt a strict pay-as-you go policy. Instead of buying now and paying later, save now and buy when you have the full amount. Once again, this is not rocket science, but stopping credit-oriented consuming is one of the most powerful financial tools available to anyone today. Why not pick up this tool and use it?
Amazing Tip #3:
Sell your junk. That's right, it's high past time for a major garage sale. If you don't have a garage, it's time to search through your house or apartment for every single item you don't need, and could convert quickly to cash at a flea market or garage sale. Take an inventory. The truth is, most people are astounded by what they own - and how much money they have tied up in useless stuff. Why let it collect dust in your attic while it could collect interest in a savings account. You could easily be $500, $1,000 ... even $3,000 richer by the end of the week. As an added bonus, you'd have your place cleaned up, and you will have a fresh feeling of starting over. A garage sale is an excellent way to not only clean out your house, but it often gives a psychological boost that helps people get control of their life and money.