Archive - May, 2007

Financial Hero – My Parents!

May 10, 2007 in Financial Hero with 2 Comments

Why are MY PARENTS www.JosephSangl.com Financial Heroes?

Because my Mom & Dad taught me a lot about working hard, investing, and running a business.

My father started his own home-building business in the early 60s and managed to run that business all the way to retirement.  That is NOT a small accomplishment!

My mother ran the home economy.  We had a garden that probably totaled over an acre of land.  I remember days where we picked BUSHELS of green beans in the morning, snapped them all through the afternoon, and canned them all night.  Some days we would can over 100 quarts of green beans at a time!  She made clothes.  She bargain-shopped.  She cooked nearly every meal from scratch (cheapest way to make a meal - also the tastiest).

My parents managed to support a family of SIX boys through this business and develop some sound investments that prepared themselves well for retirement.

It was my father who gave me the book written by another www.JosephSangl.com Financial Hero, David Chilton, The Wealthy Barber, to read.  Through it I learned about the POWER of compound interest!

My parents never splurged on anything, but we ALWAYS went on a family vacation every single year.  We also had some motorcycles, dirtbikes, bikes, canoes, and fishing poles that ensured that we could have fun through the year.

Thank you, Mom & Dad, for instilling sound financial principles in me and showing me the importance of working hard!  You are officially www.JosephSangl.com Financial Heroes!

Read about other www.JosephSangl.com Financial Heroes!

Landmarks

May 9, 2007 in Hope with 0 Comments

I have had landmark moments in my past.  These are MOMENTS, not periods of time.  These are instances where my life was changed forever.  Forever.

I have figured out that landmark moments happen and many times I do not really understand the profound impact that this single moment will have on my future.  Landmark moments can also happen totally unexpected.

Here are some landmark moments that have happened in my life

  • Committing my life to Jesus Christ
  • Filling out an application to Purdue University
  • Going to a dance the first week of my freshman year at college & meeting this hot girl named Jenn (my wife!)
  • Deciding to contribute the maximum to my 401k
  • Taking a job transfer to South Carolina
  • Filling out an application to Clemson University
  • Meeting Perry
  • Helping start NewSpring Church
  • The birth of my daughter
  • Chopping up my credit cards and committing to become debt-free (We did!)
  • Starting the Financial Peace University class at Nappanee Missionary Church
  • Abandoning my career to go do exactly what God put me on this earth to do - help others accomplish far more than they ever thought possible

I have found that landmark moments can be sneaky!  You never know when they are going to happen.  I have also found that landmark moments tend to be closely related to how you live your life!  If you live your life to the fullest - and pursue good and the betterment of your fellow man - more good landmark moments are bound to happen.  If you live your life to the fullest - and pursue selfish dreams at the expense of others - more bad landmark moments are bound to happen.

What are the landmark moments in your life?  When you look back, do you want to have a sea of regret?  NO ONE DOES!!!  By looking forward and saying, "HOW CAN I MAKE DECISIONS THAT HONOR GOD AND HONOR OTHERS?", you will have a GREAT chance of being able to look back and say, "No regrets.  I did all that I possibly could with all of the talents, possessions, and gifts that I have."

Savings Spectaculars!

May 8, 2007 in Saving with 6 Comments

If you have read www.JosephSangl.com for any time at all, you know how visual we want you to make debt!  One of the ways that debt is made VERY visual is through the use of Debt Pay-Off Spectaculars!  It is a fun way to see the progress you are making on eliminating debt.

With the post of Debt Pay-Off Spectaculars, Jon Smock had a FANTASTIC comment HERE.  His comment was to create SAVINGS spectaculars for those who have actually eliminated their debt or are SAVING money to PAY CASH for their next purchase.  Jon, what a FANTASTIC idea!!!

So today, www.JosephSangl.com is proud to announce the arrival of SAVINGS SPECTACULARS!  They work the same way as the Debt Spectaculars.  Take the "Expected Purchase Price" and divide it by the number of squares.  That will give you the value of each square!

Example  You want to purchase a truck with cash.  The expected cost of the truck is $10,000.  The Truck Savings Spectacular has  426 squares.  Divide $10,000 by 426 and you get $23.47/square.  Every time you save another $23.47, you will get to color in another square!!!


The Savings Spectaculars and Debt Pay-Off Spectaculars are all located at the bottom of the TOOLS page.

Savings Spectaculars has been created for a TRUCK, MINIVAN, FURNITURE, COLLEGE, and a TV.

HAVE FUN!  Any other Spectacular ideas?

Reasons I blog …

May 7, 2007 in Finance with 3 Comments

One of my favorite personal finance blogs, Lazy Man And Money, recently wrote about the reasons that he blogs about personal finances.  I thought I would do the same.

1.  I had my life changed because someone cared to share with me a BETTER WAY of managing my money.  I can't help but share my story with the world!

2.  It helps me put my thoughts on paper.  I am pretty scatterbrained, and this blog enables me to put my thoughts together.

3.  I am on a CRUSADE to help equip others to win financially!

4.  I want this blog to be a place where people can be encouraged, obtain HOPE, learn new ways to manage their finances, and share successes! 

5.  My life's passion statement is "To help others accomplish far more than they ever thought possible."  This blog helps me accomplish that passion!

Thank You To Crossroads Church!

May 5, 2007 in Hope with 1 Comment

I just got back from teaching the Financial Learning Experience at Crossroads Church in Douglasville, GA!

It was awesome to be able to carry on the crusade to the Atlanta area!  There were 56 people who came in ON A SATURDAY MORNING to learn about finances!

I can tell you this - from the moment the class started everyone was engaged!  Everyone was interested!  Everyone was actively participating in the discussion!

I will predict this right now.  Mark this down in your books.  There were lives that were changed today!  Lives that will never be the same!  There will be children who will see their parents WORKING TOGETHER on their finances for the first time - without fighting!  Mark it down!

MANY THANKS to Kurt Dean for the hospitality and allowing me the opportunity to carry on my crusade at Crossroads Church!  Kurt - I can't thank you enough!

Since Jenn and I were in town on Friday evening, Kurt and his bride, Janine, invited us to their home group for game night.  Bud and Monica hosted us for some flame-grilled burgers (very FLAME-grilled!Laughing), ping-pong, and a game of Taboo.  In ping-pong, I was thumped by Kurt, Bud, AND Zach.  My Ping-Pong SKILZ have went south!

It was an awesome day, and I am PUMPED UP knowing that there are couples who RIGHT NOW are working together on their finances for the very first time! 

I am PUMPED UP!!!

May 4, 2007 in Hope with 5 Comments

Do you see this chart?!!!  This is the last 100 readers of this blog!!!  Look at where people are checking in from!

Georgia, New York, Oregon, Washington, Indiana, South Carolina, Michigan, California, Arizona, Florida, Queensland, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Illinois.

Freaks!  That's what you all are!  Why would you keep reading the writings of a crazy mad man who is on a CRUSADE to help others with their finances!  You must be some sort of crazy individuals yourselves!

Nerds, Freaks, Crazies - I do not care what they call us!  JUST DON'T CALL US B-R-O-K-E ANYMORE!!!

THANK YOU for reading every single day and helping take this crusade to the nation!  Tell others about the FREE TOOLS that are available.  Set up dinner with your friends and then SHOW THEM how you are managing your money!  SHOW THEM how it is transforming your marriage and your financial future!   TEACH YOUR CHILDREN THIS STUFF!  Carry it to your schools!  Carry it to your workplace!  Carry it to your local bar!  Carry it to your church!  Take it to the community!

FOR ALL OF YOU ATLANTA FOLKS - I will be at CROSSROADS CHURCH in Douglasville, GA THIS SATURDAY at 9:30AM teaching the FINANCIAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE!  I would love to meet you guys!  It is always great to meet those who are reading the blog!

  

Financial Hero – Howard Dayton

May 3, 2007 in Financial Hero with 0 Comments


Why is Howard Dayton a www.JosephSangl.com Financial Hero?

The short answer requires only three words:  HE LIVES IT!

Howard is the CEO of Crown Financial Ministries, the world's largest financial ministry.

Get this, Crown's Main Objective is this:

To teach God’s financial principles to 300 million people by September 15, 2015.

Folks, just in case you missed it, I am going to add the 0's behind the 300 there.  That is 300,000,000 PEOPLE!  That is an officially REDONKEYKONGULOUS number!  That is outrageous!  That is unreal!  That is crazy!  It sounds like something only GOD could do!  I LOVE it!

I have a personal goal to teach over 100,000 people about finances over the next five years.  It makes my goal seem way too small.

I have read Howard's book, Your Money Counts, and I love the perspective that he emphasizes throughout the book.  Howard emphasizes that we are just managers of the resources we have.  We are not the owners.  You haven't seen anyone take anything with them when they die.  Land, possessions, stuff ... it all just goes to someone else.

Howard actually includes a Quit-Claim Deed certificate in his book where you transfer ownership of your possessions and stuff to God.  AWESOME!

Crown Financial is also heard daily on radio stations around the world with their Money Matters and How To Manage Your Money.  In these two shows, Crown Financial is able to teach and instill HOPE in the areas of money management and its impact on life.  You can listen to these shows ON DEMAND by visiting CROWN.ORG.

Howard, thank you for consistently reminding me who is the true owner of our possessions.  For that, you are
named an official www.JosephSangl.com Financial Hero! 

Read about other www.JosephSangl.com Financial Heroes!

How do I get my spouse on board?

May 2, 2007 in Finance with 4 Comments

This is a VERY common question that I encounter in the world of personal finances!

First, let me say these two things:

  • Until BOTH of you are on the same page financially, you will never be able to maximize your financial potential.
  • Finances are one of the top causes of marriage fights and divorce.

So, recognizing how HUGELY IMPORTANT it is that you WORK TOGETHER on your finances, I submit the following strategies to get that reluctant spouse on board with planning the family's finances.

1.  Plan out your thoughts
  • Take time to write out the reasons you would like to have your spouse's active help in managing the family's finances.  The Financial Planning Checklist can help you with this.  Include your dreams in this list.  That 25th anniversary trip you have always dreamed of, that boat you always wanted, paying for your daughter's wedding, paying for your children's college, etc.
  • Look into some potential ways to improve your financial management.  I highly recommend putting together a monthly spending plan BEFORE the month actually begins.  You can find FREE copies HERE.  Find a financial class in your local area.  I recommend Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University.  You can find a FPU class in your area by clicking HERE.
2.  Talk to your spouse about it
  • Get a babysitter.  Schedule a night out with your spouse.  Go to a nice dinner.  Go to a coffee house.  At the coffee house, tell your spouse that you have something you want to discuss that is VERY IMPORTANT to you.  TRUST ME.  When you tell them that you want to discuss something with them that is VERY IMPORTANT to you, you WILL have their attention!  This is NOT something that rarely happens!
  • Tell your spouse your concerns.  Explain in terms of unrealized dreams.  Here are some examples."I am concerned that if we do not work together to plan our finances, we may not get to go to Hawaii for our 25th anniversary" and "The children are growing up so fast, and we have not started saving for their college yet" and "We have earned over $500,000 over the past ten years, and we only have $1,500 in savings."  DO NOT PUT THEM INTO A DEFENSIVE POSITION - THIS WILL NOT BE A PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION if you say things like, "Our finances stink because of your ignorance, and this is all your fault."

3.  Take Action!

  • You have had the discussion.  It might be appropriate to back off for a little while to let your spouse think through all that has been said.  However, at some point, you need to take action!  Sign up for the class.  Set up a night to put together a budget once the children are off to bed.
I hope this helps!  If you know of other ideas that have worked for you, please share!

Unplanned Spending = Wasted Money

May 1, 2007 in Budget - Spending Money, Finance with 4 Comments

As Jenn and I were going through the process of changing the way we manage our finances, I conducted a review of how we had been spending money.

Ouch!  It was awful!  I remember thinking this thought, "Man!  If I could spend that money again, I would sure spend it differently!"

I wonder how many out there have thought that thought before?

It is SO true.  Unplanned Spending EQUALS Wasted Money. 

Well, we started spending every dollar on paper BEFORE we received it, and we started winning in a way we had only dreamed of.

If I may say so, we have done an excellent job of managing our finances since we started using an INCOME - OUTGO = EXACTLY ZERO approach.  HOWEVER, there is this one line item that has been driving me NUTS!  This category is called "Blow Money".

"Blow Money" is a set amount of spending money that Jenn and I get for each month.  We are not accountable to each other for how we spend this money.  It is great with ONE exception.  I have not been putting together a spending plan for my blow money, so it just runs away from me!  It is crazy!  It is like this one small reminder of how out-of-control our spending used to be.  I simply can not imagine managing all of our finances this way again.

I have said it over and over and over again.  Unplanned Spending = Wasted Money

With this in mind, I have resolved to PLAN my blow money spending every month.  I am going to have YOU hold ME accountable.

So, without further adieu, here is my spending plan for my blow money for the month of May.  NOTE:  I have put this budget together using the Mini-Budget Form.

 

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