Tuesday's Tips

Good afternoon millionaires. I am writing today about a bunch of random thoughts that popped into my head while I was sitting at work today.

1) Check for coupons and sales on your favorite items. This can work very well if your favorite food or items are non perishable. Say you just love Cheese-Its, but you can't afford them every week. Well if you watch for a sale and for coupons you can combine the two into a great savings and get more boxes at once. Then you just stock your pantry and you don't have to worry about spending tons on them, or buying them for a while. I recently did this with corned beef (I LOVE Reuben's) and purchased a bunch when it was half off at the deli. I even purchased enough to make a Reuben pizza (totally delicious) so that's a huge win in my book. The savings are so yummy.

2) Donate something. The holiday season is upon us, and it truly is time to reflect on all we have to be thankful for. But those things we have, and might take for granted, other people can only dream of. Donate some time, money, a gift, etc. this season to help others. It is very easy to get caught up in our own lives and troubles that we forget to reflect and help those around us. The active chapter of my fraternity are holding a toy drive, for the Shriner's Hospital, at a local Wal-Mart this year, so I'm going to buy a toy to donate, and then help them run the booth outside. I encourage everyone else to find something that they are passionate about, and then find a way to donate in some facet, to that cause.

3) Celebrate the season! I am one of those people who typically gets annoyed that people are putting up Christmas displays in October, in spite of the fact that Halloween and Thanksgiving haven't happened yet. The commercialization is nauseating to me. That said, I realized that I was grumbling about it every time I went to the store, and that's not who I want to be. So I changed my tune and I just smile when I see the decorations and hear the music. I spent way too much time being negative about the decorations, and now I just go with it. It may not be the best solution, but I am a lot happier when I go out because I decided to go along with the celebration. So everyone celebrate, and spread the good cheer.

I've got to get back to work, but it'll just be another 168 hours and then I'm back.

Until then Stay Tuned...

Tuesday's Tips

Hello again everyone! It's time for another edition of Tuesday's Tips. Being that I just went to the grocery store tonight I decided to give my tips on smart shopping.

1) Make a list. This is probably the most important thing, in my opinion, to smart grocery shopping. If you go into the store knowing exactly what you need to buy, and you stick to it, you can avoid impulse purchases that rack up a hefty bill. As a side note, I have been shopping with a list for over a year now and it gets easier every time to stick to it.

2) Allow for one "special" item on your trip. I know it can be hard to stick to a list, and sometimes you need to mix it up so shopping doesn't become mundane. That's why my girlfriend and I decided to implement the special item rule. When we go shopping we allow ourselves to purchase any item ($5 or less) that isn't on the list. So if we have a craving for cookies we can get those. This makes the shopping trip a bit more fun because you can feel good about sticking to the list and get a little reward without breaking the bank.

3) Don't shop when you're hungry. This makes list shopping even more difficult because everything you walk by looks delicious. Even if you have a small snack before heading to the store it will make the trip up and down each aisle less tempting.

4) Check for coupons in the paper and online. This doesn't mean you have to buy only items for which there is a coupon. It simply means there are coupons available for so many items and you're likely buying one of them on any given trip. So take 10 minutes and do some searching because those $0.40 coupons add up (especially if your store doubles or triples coupons).

These tips ought to help some of you out there shave a bit off your food budget. My girlfriend and I spend about $80-$90 each time we go to the store, which means we're eating for around $6/day. But that doesn't mean we're eating canned ham - our meals include salmon, steak, pork chops, fruits and vegetables.

So do yourself a favor and analyze your grocery store habits and see where you could make some small changes and possibly save big time!

I'm on a 168 hour break, so until then Stay Tuned...

Plan for the Unexpected......

Joseph Henry Smith
June 1, 1974 - June 22, 2008


Today's subject may seem off topic or something you shouldn't have to think about for many years .... but I am going to tell you a true story and the nightmare that has followed.

A year and half ago my 34 year old cousin was killed in an instant in a motorcycle/automobile accident. This was not his fault, he was wearing a helmet, leather jacket and jeans on a hot June day. The driver of the car a 79 year old women turned right in front of him. If this wasn't tragic enough - He did not have a will or life insurance. Since he did not have a will his estate has to go through probate.

Probate is the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person by resolving all claims and distributing the deceased person's asset's.

If he had a will - he could have had his asset's distributed to the people or organization's that he choose. Not having a will - the decision goes to the courts.

Here is the tragic part of this story. Joe had not been in contact with his biological father for over 15 years. His father was extremely abusive and he had cut all ties.

Being that he died without a will - his mother and father equally are entitled to what is left in his estate. Something that Joe would NEVER have wanted.

Had he had a will this could have been wrapped up in a few months - distributed the way he would have wanted and not had the courts, lawyers and every detail of his life examined by the courts. 18 months have gone by and it is still not resolved. His mother, who Joe was very close with has had to deal with the fact that her only child has passed away and is left dealing with an unreasonable ex husband. The loss of her son was more than she could handle but the fact that she has to continually relive his accident and fight to get this finished - is unbearable.

The one simple act you can do right now is - get a will. You can get one done on line with Legalzoom for under $100. If your family has an attorney - that is another option although it might be a bit more expensive. The main point is to have a legal document that will state your intentions if something should happen to you. If you have children - stop reading right now and go get a will. Are you really willing to leave it up to the courts - what happens to your children?

Secondly, he should have had life insurance. As a young person it is very very inexpensive to get about $100,000 in insurance. That will cover your funeral expenses and cover your debts. If your parents have co-signed student loans for you - they will be responsible for the debt. Life insurance can alleviate that additional burden. If you have children - you should have more insurance as you need to leave money to have them taken care of. If your spouse is left without your income and now has additional expenses, as well as, being devastated by a sudden loss - life insurance will give a cushion to get them through the changes that will need to take place. It may be used to set up college funds, or just keep a roof over their heads. If you are a single parent - it is imperative that you have life insurance as the guardian of your children will have many changes to incorporate them into their lives.

We never want to think about our mortality but it is a reality. As part of Generation Millionaire - these are responsible actions to take and we can be assured that our wishes our followed and we don't leave loved ones in additional turmoil.

We miss Joe everyday and cherish the memories. Godspeed Joe

Stay tuned......

College Programming - Student Activity

We have just arrived home after visiting Maui Community College and then going to two College Programming Conferences. We have talked with many many students and advisers about the importance of our presentation. We understand the need for fun and stress relieving programs i.e. bands, magicians, poets, and comedians. We are just asking that the schools commit at least one program to educating their students on becoming financially independent in their lives.

The conferences are all about information and fun. The students learn how to pick amongst many very talented people who is best for their school and it's mission. There is networking, educational sessions, numerous show cases acts to see the artists at their best. Long days, little sleep and alot of smiles.

They have budgets and are responsible for bringing programs to their schools that will benefit their student body. Whether a night of fun and stress release or an entertaining yet powerful message about personal growth.

The students go home with bags full of novelty items and memories. Once they get back to school - the tough part begins - who do you bring to your campus? There are many talented individuals and so many different options.

They walk away from the conference with new skills, they learn about bringing in big programs to their schools, budgets, scheduling, negotiating, and balancing the schedule for the campus to ensure variety.

In the end many memories are made, relationships formed and we all want this generation to be successful and live a balanced passion filled life. Thanks to all the students who came to our showcase, stopped by our booth and smiled at us as they passed us in the hallways!

We hope to see you at your college soon!

Stay tuned........

Hawaii

If you have to travel for work - I highly recommend Hawaii! We spent 11 days on Maui and each day was better than the one before. The island of Maui is only 48 miles long and 26 miles wide but it has a very diverse climate. We were amazed that you could be in an area that is like a desert and 5 miles down the road you were in a lush rain forest. These pictures are on the Road to Hana. It takes 3 hours to go 26 miles. The road is filled with switchbacks and the beauty of the island unfolds as you make the journey. It took us 7 hours to get to Hana due to the fact that we stopped numerous times to hike or take in the beauty. Travel tip - buy a self directed CD from the Shell station for under $10, and drive it yourself vs a tour. Leave at sunrise to give yourself more time to enjoy the adventure. Even taking 7 hours to arrive in Hana - we felt rushed due to the impending sunset.

Check out the rainbow - this was at IAO Needle - waterfalls, amazing plants and flowers, rushing river in the background, and the sound of birds you couldn't see amongst the fullness of the rain forest.

IAO Needle - State Park and free parking. Amazingly beautiful. Take an umbrella - this is the only place we experienced rain the entire time we were in Maui.

Happy hour at the Shops at Wailea. From 3 -6 pm everyday you can enjoy reduced prices on food. If you don't drink alcohol two people can eat for under $15.00 and be very full. The price of food was higher than the mainland. At the grocery store we found everything is about $1.00 higher. Travel tip - bring your favorite snacks with you. We could have easily saved about $30 had we brought our own wheat thins, pretzels, crystal light packs, peanut butter, Advil, and suntan lotion.

We stayed at the Marriott in Wailea and loved it. Great beach for snorkeling and plenty of swimming pools to relax and read. This was our favorite we could feel the ocean breeze and see the beauty while keeping cool. Major travel tip - the cheapest online price for a room was $260 a night. I used priceline and got the same room for $95 a night. They charges a resort fee of $25.00 a night but that provided free parking some other extras so the total per night was $120.00, We saved over $1400 for the exact same accommodations and service.

The website bidding for travel can provide you with rates fellow travelers have received. It is broken down by state and then region. Very helpful so you don't over pay. We also used priceline for our car rental. We saved over $60 on that as well. We used frequent flyer miles for our airline tickets.

Next post will be our visit to Maui's Community College and our sailing/snorkeling trip.

Stay tuned......

Business & Pleasure

Hey GenMer's! Just wanted to let you know that GenM is doing a presentation in Maui this week, so we won't be posting regularly until next week. Tune in next Tuesday when Stefan will post another edition of Tuesday's Tips!

Keep livin' the dream and Stay Tuned...

Keeping Your Options Open

It is very interesting...... the way money can control every move we make in our lives. It is important to have balance. In a perfect world you would have an emergency fund, savings, no debt and a life style that fits your income.

Our youngest son Bradley started Pharmacy Graduate School at Ohio State University this fall. He had an intensive 3 year undergraduate program and was ending that fairly stressed out. While in the midst of that pressure - he decided he wanted to learn Spanish fluently. He picked up the first two classes - and then opted to go to Ecuador for the summer to be part of an intensive language program.

This was a very expensive choice. He said to me I will get plenty of experience in a Pharmacy in time - this option will not affect my "career path". In fact, it will open doors in most parts of the world.

So he applied for more loans and headed to Ecuador for the summer. It ended up being a life changing event. First, he learned Latin Spanish, he can read, text and speak fairly well. He bonded with the family he lived with and will have friends for a lifetime, he traveled all over the country and after spending time with the indigenous people and the shamans - realized he has a passion for Natural Pharmacy Options as well as Western methods.

Upon coming home he applied for a mission trip with the nursing and medical school at OSU and will be going to Honduras in December to help with dispensing the medications and explaining - yes in Spanish - how to properly use the medications prescribed.

He has also connected with Amy Greeson of the Healing Seekers and hopes to work with her in the future.

Had we only looked at the money Brad would have missed a very important lesson in his life. He found passion, a new culture, learned a new language, made friends and had a life changing summer that has already opened two new doors for him.

Make sure you are always looking at all angles of the choices you are making. Part of Generation Millionaire is living your passion while making responsible decisions.

Stay tuned........

Tuesday's Tips

Hey everyone! I'm back from my vacation with an update about how well my girlfriend did on sticking to our budget. Fortunately we did well, but unfortunately it was still an expensive trip.

Our overall budget allowed for two nights at a hotel in Hilton Head, a nice dinner out in both Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head, an evening at Medieval Times in Myrtle Beach, groceries for the week, and miscellaneous spending for entertainment and souvenirs. And even though we were staying at a condo in Myrtle Beach for free, we knew there would be gas costs and other things like toll booths that would drive our spending up. We budgeted for $900, but hoped we didn't spend nearly that much.

It turned out that our nice dinners ended up being pretty affordable for us. We went to Landry's in Myrtle Beach and our 2 dinners and an appetizer totaled $71. The appetizer was amazing and our dinners were big enough to take home for lunch the next day. We went to Kingfisher in Hilton Head, at the bride and groom's request, and that was even cheaper. We ordered a pound of crab legs and boy were they awesome. We also got drinks and our total was only $50. The only downside was that there were no leftovers.

Medieval Times was sooooo much fun. I highly recommend it for families or couples or anyone wanting a fun night out. We got to eat with our hands and the food was delicious. We got drinks again, and even got to keep the cups! Plus we got a show along with the dinner because the actors were riding around on horses and jousting. I can't even describe how much fun the night was. The night was expensive though, but because we budgeted it wasn't so bad. Total night cost was $130.

The groceries were only $55 but the food lasted for the entire week plus some. I just finished eating the last of the clementines we bought for the week. In hindsight we didn't realize how many clementines came in the crate. Plus we were still able to eat healthy for the week and spend less on food.

Among the miscellaneous entertainment and spending was the Aquarium in Myrtle Beach which was $40 for a few hours of petting sting rays and watching penguins hatch. There was more than just that, but I can't write all day about an aquarium. We also purchased a Karmel Rockaccino at the KISS Coffeehouse, which was so funny. KISS really does endorse everything and anything, but they also make a good frozen coffee drink.

All in all our vacation was a huge success in both the fun department and the spending department. We spent around $850, and over half of that was the Medieval Times evening, the 2 nights out, and the hotel cost. If we could do it all over again we wouldn't have changed a thing.

Well I'm still in vacation mind mode, so I'm going on a 168 hour break. So until then Stay Tuned...

$ Matters with Mary

Cleveland, OH Our last day!

After a trip down memory lane at the Lorain International Festival, we were well fed and ready for more Baseball. We had family waiting for us with the tickets for our 4th and last game. The Cleveland Indians vs. the Cincinnati Reds.

Gary’s nephew Chris, Chris’ beautiful wife Tara and 2 sons Christopher and Kyle were outside looking for us when we arrived. They had a fun evening planned and wanted to get started. Dinner was first on the list. They know us well.

There is nothing like going out to eat with locals. They took us to the Moosehead Hook and Ladder #3 in Olmsted Falls. What a great choice! The restaurant is located inside the historic Olmsted Firehouse. The food prices were affordable and the portions generous. The décor and costumed wait staff added to our enjoyment.

Travel Tip: Go off the beaten path and explore local establishments. It will make your trip unique and give you street cred with the natives.
From the restaurant we followed Chris to Progressive Field.

As we pulled into the parking lot the attendant was waving us through. Gary stopped and asked what we owed. We were told, “Nothing. The gentleman ahead of you paid for your parking.”

Impress Your Family and Friends Tip: If the opportunity ever arises - pay the toll, parking fee, etc for the guy behind you. It’s a real class act and one they won’t forget.

At the ballpark, Christopher age 11 and Kyle age 8 were a blast. Big enough to follow the game and young enough to be genuinely excited. And they could leave their parents to walk around the stadium with the “big” cousins.

It’s been a painful year for Indians fans. Tonight was no exception. The Indians lost to the Reds but nothing could take away from the experience of being with family and watching the hometown team play. Tickets were only $9 making it a fun and inexpensive night out.

This wraps up our 11 day, 7 state, “Tour of Stadiums” vacation. I hope you found a few tips to use on how to save $, find balance in your life, and have a great time. If you have any questions or comments please send them to: GenerationMillionaire@gmail.com. Put $ Matters by Mary in the subject line. Or Twitter me at www.twitter.com/genmillionaire.

Godspeed,
Mary

$ Matters with Mary

Lorain, OH International Fun, Food, and a Lighthouse

We left Cedar Point on a beautiful Saturday morning. We were on our way to Progressive Field to see our 4th and last baseball game of the trip – The Cleveland Indians vs their cross state rivals The Cincinnati Reds.

In between Sandusky and Cleveland, on the shores of Lake Erie is my hometown – Lorain. When you grow up in one place (my parents lived in the same house for over 40 years) you don’t realize the things that make your town unique. And the things you will miss when you move 500 miles away.

Like always knowing which way is North because all you had to do was point to “The Lake.” Make fun of Lake Erie all you want – it was one of the best places to spend your summer. Plus for a medium size city, Lorain has more ethnic diversity than most big cities. Who knew that meant great food, great fun, and great celebrations?

If you ever attend the Lorain International Festival you will discover more international food, dances, music, and customs than you knew existed.

Budget Tip: Check out the events in your town. You may be surprised at what you find. Admission to the Lorain International Festival is $1.00 and parking is FREE. Unbelievable.
The first thing we did at the festival was head over to the boat ride to the Lorain Lighthouse. It was amazing that this ride was even taking place. For in 1965 the Lighthouse was slated for demolition. Fortunately a group of concerned citizens saved the symbol of Lorain. We were treated to a fun boat ride and wonderful tour – inside and out – of the lighthouse.

Life Tip: Learn about the history of your hometown. Take the tours of the historical buildings and landmarks when they are offered. Doing interesting things will make you a more interesting person.

After the boat ride we were ready to eat. We were overcome with indecision! So many choices, so many foods that we cannot get in North Carolina, everything looked and smelled fabulous. We bought a variety of food and had a feast while people of different nationalities performed their native music and dances.

We would have loved to spend more time in Lorain but we had family waiting for us and a baseball game to attend. So we packed up and headed to Cleveland.

Next week – Indians vs Reds

Until then – I’m looking for fun and food in your city………………………….