It seems my post on eliminating expenses out of my life has generated some really strong feedback.

I have gotten comments on the blog, e-mails sent directly to me, and pretty strong feedback from individuals I see weekly.

I have gotten statements like …

• Joe, you have to live a little!
• Way to go!
• Why are you doing this?
• You should also considering cutting …
• This seems extreme
• You should invest all of this extra money instead of paying down the mortgage.
• You're crazy!

Why is it that all of the people who are suggesting that I am a little off of my rocker for doing this all have house payments?

Folks, I am not doing this to be normal.  If I wanted to be normal, I would still have car payments, student loan payments, credit card payments, furniture payments, and dog payments.  That is what normal is in America - I've lived that way (except for the financed puppy), and TRUST ME I like the debt free life better!

I CHOOSE to NOT be normal!!!  As I like to say when teaching my class - you can call me crazy, weird, a nerd, or anything else - just don't call me broke anymore!

Who's with me?

Tomorrow morning, my first book is headed off to the printer.

I am FIRED up!!!

The title of the book?

"I Was Broke.  Now I'm Not!"

Author:  Joseph Sangl

How weird is that?

In just a few weeks, I will have realized one of my life dreams - "To author a book and sell at least one copy!"

Anyone want to buy at least one copy?  Your opportunity is coming up! 

Jenn are going through a season where we are SICK of paying mortgage payments.  We have been debt-free except for the house for nearly four years, but this stupid house mortgage makes us angry!

If we paid the regular monthly payment for a thirty year mortgage at a fixed rate of 6% interest, only 17% of the principal & interest payments made in the first year go to principal!  Where does the other 83% go?  To the mortgage lender!!!

No wonder people aren't winning financially!

So, Jenn and I are attacking the mortgage.  This translates to the fact that we are boosting income and cutting spending.

As part of the "cutting spending', Jenn and I are having to have the Wants vs. Needs discussion.

I have got to tell you, it is BRUTAL!

Here is what is up for cutting or eliminating in our budget:

• Cable TV
• Spending Money
• Babysitting Money
• Internet
• Entertainment Money
• Gasoline Money
• Christmas Money

Here is NOT what is up for cutting or eliminating in our budget:

• Vacation Money (we save for it monthly)
• Retirement Savings
• College Savings

I need some great ideas for saving a boatload of cash.  Anyone have any great ideas?

Another edition of the Weekly "I Was Broke.  Now, I'm Not!" Podcast was released yesterday!  To subscribe to the podcast via iTunes, click HERE.  If you do not have iTunes, you can download an mp3 by clicking HERE.

Subscribe to www.JosephSangl.com

As a teacher, counselor, and speaker, I am able to teach personal finances to thousands of people each year.

One of the hardest things for me to see is those "who fall off the wagon."

These are the people who get PUMPED UP to start winning with their money.  They put together a written spending plan, calculate their Debt Freedom Date, and tell everyone they know that they are getting out of debt.

Flash forward three months.  The written spending plan has been trashed and is not updated.  The Debt Freedom Date has been stored away.  They hang their heads saying, "I guess we won't be able to win with money."

That hurts my heart!  It makes me want to cry!  Why?  Because I KNOW that the tools I teach WORK!  I am living proof!  I was able to break free of debt.  You can do it too!

I don't know all of the reasons that cause a person to fall off of the wagon, but I am here to tell you that YOU CAN WIN WITH YOUR MONEY!!!  You CAN do this!

Pull out the WAGON STAPLERS - your monthly spending plan and debt freedom date calculation!

Go to the FREE TOOLS page and put together a spending plan for the rest of this month.  Update that Debt Freedom Date Calculation!  Print it out and put it on the refrigerator!

You CAN do this!

Purchase resources recommended by Joe

Ever had an experience with customer service that really puts the CUSS in Customer Service?

I have had some seriously frustrating experiences with my cable over the past year.

I will list some of them.

• Cable goes out during nearly every rain storm
• When cable goes out, my INTERNET goes out (it's amazing how tied to the internet I have become!)
• My cable has went out for periods ranging from 1 hour to 17 days
• I can shake a wire outside and the cable service MIGHT come back on, but the company can't figure out why
• I have had no less than four different issues/outages.
• Cable went out during a Purdue Boilermaker football game.  That is bad news for the cable company.

When I talk to Cusstomer Service, they have yet to say, "I am so sorry for your problems.  You are a very important customer to us, and we are committed to fixing this right away to your complete satisfaction."

In fact, when I do call Cusstomer Disservice they attempt to sell me something!  Every. Single. Time.  "Sir, would you like to try out our VOIP phone service?"  "Sir, would you like to upgrade your entertainment package?"  NO!  I just want my stinking cable and internet back!!!

So recently I read my friend's blog post about blazing fast internet service without having to have a home phone AND he saved a ton of money.  You can bet that I have contacted him to figure out how I can do the same deal.

I KNOW that companies have issues.  ALL companies have issues from time to time.  That is when Customer Service is most important!

So cable company, the next time I call with an issue I want to provide you with a written checklist for your customer service agents to follow.

• "I am so sorry that you are having issues today.  We strive for excellence, and we are sorry you are having this issue."
• "You are a very important customer to us, and we will not be happy until we have restored your service to its full capability."
• Upon verification of the issue, call and tell me, "I am placing a credit for one month's service on your account.  We are so sorry for the inconvenience."
• If you really want to knock it out of the park, you can send me a written repair statement telling me exactly what the problem was, how it was repaired, and what has been changed to prevent this problem from occurring again in the future.

Perhaps you could really go out on a limb and benchmark some companies that are highly regarded for their great customer service.  A company that comes to my mind is ING Direct.  They have GREAT customer service AND they have a GREAT product!

But it may be too little too late for the Sangl family.  Four strikes add up to an out with a mulligan.

Read recent blog posts

Subscribe to receive posts VIA E-MAIL

Subscribe to receive posts in a READER

So Robert and Helena have joined the ranks of those marching toward debt freedom!

Today, Robert and Helena brought me this picture of their credit cards.

They SHREDDED their credit cards to spell the words "NO NEW DEBT!!!"

And guess what?  For over two months now, they have incurred NO NEW DEBT!

I guess they have had their IHHE Moment!

Read recent posts written by Joe

Subscribe in a READER or via E-MAIL

I am starting to invest in a mutual fund for my non-retirement dreams.

I thought I would share some of my non-retirement dreams.

• A LONG trip to Australia and New Zealand
• A LONG trip to Europe - starting in England, including Denmark, Germany, Austria, and ending in Poland.
• A LONG trip to Israel
• My daughter's wedding (whether I like it or not, she will probably get married some day)
• A really nice ski boat
• A really nice fishing boat
• A 100 acre farm
• A LONG trip around the United States

What are some of your dreams?

Subscribe to www.JosephSangl.com via E-MAIL

I LOVED the quote that Moneymonk wrote a week ago.

MyMoneyBlog continues to deliver content that makes me read his blog every single day.

The Saving Freak has led me to deals that have gotten me a free bag of candy, free juice, free Polly Pockets, and free Dunkin Donut coffee samples!

Casey Graham is on the same crusade that I am on!  He has a passion to help people win with money, and is DOING something about it!

Any other blogs I need to be reading?

SUBSCRIBE TO www.JosephSangl.com 

I am excited to announce the following upcoming events!

SUNDAY  DECEMBER 2, 2007  WILMINGTON, North Carolina
lifepoint church where Jeff Kapusta is the pastor

• Speaking at 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM services
• Financial Learning Experience 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

SUNDAY  DECEMBER 9, 2007  Villa Rica, Georgia
Peachtree Community Church where David Reid is the pastor

• Speaking briefly during 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM services
• Financial Learning Experience 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

FRIDAY & SATURDAY  JANUARY 25 & 26  Anderson, SC
NewSpring Church where Perry Noble is the senior pastor (and I am the Pastor of Financial Planning & Counseling)

• Financial Freedom Class
• Sessions 1 & 2 on Friday evening
• Sessions 3, 4, & 5 on Saturday morning
• Enables you to take the entire five week class over the course of ONE weekend and still have all Saturday afternoon open!

This is just a sampling of the events on the schedule!  I can't wait to announce several more life-changing events that are on the way!

If you want to have Joe teach the Financial Learning Experience, a motivating, uplifting, and PRACTICAL "how-to-win-with-your-money" seminar at your church or business, please e-mail him HERE.

Note: This situation has occurred MULTIPLE times in multiple venues and does not reflect any one situation.

As a financial counselor and teacher, I have encountered many horrible financial situations.

There are times that I leave the conversation thinking, "I don't think they get it!"

I have had people approach me for advice.  Their situation?  They are three months behind on the house payment and cars have been/are in the process of being repossessed.  Their car payments are 40% of their take-home pay.  The amount owed on cars is equal to two year's salary!  The list of horrible, depressing situations could go on …

When I ask them how many hours they are working and how many jobs they have, the answer is forty hours and one job!

How is that possible?!!!  If being three house payments behind does not motivate one to go get more hours and income, at what point does the fire alarm start ringing?

If I were even close to being behind on a house payment I would have five jobs by the end of the day!  I would work eighty or ninety hours each week to get out of the situation!!!!!!

I feel like I am having to sell the concept of earning more money to pay the house payment.

I hear excuses like, "I'm not going to work at McDonald's.  They only pay $7/hour."

I understand that they don't want to work at McDonald's, but desperate times call for desperate measures!  By working 20 hours per week at McDonald's, they will bring home an extra $400 take-home pay to address the past due situation payments!

Don't get me wrong.  I want them to earn as much per hour as possible, but when McDonald's is the option available - take it! 

There are times when the world seems all wrong, the bills are stacking up, and life is just not fun.  There are two choices available - stand around and watch it all be taken away OR take matters into one's own hands and generate enough income to recover!

You can AVOID falling behind on your payments by spending your money on paper BEFORE the month begins!  Click HERE for free budgeting tools.

Click this link to receive each blog post automatically in your e-mail!