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The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo: Ten Personal Finance Lessons!

Thursday, March 1st, 2012

Personal Finance Fun Found Anywhere

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest

The Girl Who Played With Fire

If you haven’t read the trilogy by the late Stieg Larsson you’ve missed a terrific yarn.  They remind me of great tales by London, Dickens, and Stevenson.

These books have solid character development, good versus evil, a damsel in distress, but adds new technology, and an abused female character who has the strength to move forward.  The criminals are quite evil, and there’s a good bit of violence, so be warned…

The books have sold an estimated 65 million copies worldwide.  The first in the trilogy is the first book to sell over a million copies on Kindle-which is how I bought my copy-with a gift card.

Personal Finance

I’ve said before, there is nothing new in personal finance, but you can get new lessons and re-enforcement of important principles  anywhere if you take the time to look.  I’ve done this with both golf and money, and football and personal finance, check ‘em out if you missed them.

What can we learn about personal finance from these kick-ass, best selling, fun to read books translated from the author’s Swedish language?

  • You can be successful without a formal education.  Especially in the technology area.
  • Living a spartan existence without a TV, a roomful of knic knacs or is it bric a brac, allows you to spend your money on things that are important to you.
  • You can get by in most cities with a scooter, bike, and or public transportation.
  • If you save your money, (and  are willing to put up with a little pain) you can pay to have your youthful tattoos  indiscretions sanded away.
  • If you’ve failed in life or love, there are second chances. You must be brave enough to start over.
  • When you need money advice-seek out successful experts to help you.
  • Asking others for help is not a sign of weakness.
  • Hate can be motivating but it is likely to lead you to make poor decisions.
  • Independent thought is a good thing…Zero social interaction is a dangerous thing.
  • Even an early life filled with mental and physical abuse can be overcome with tenacity.

Finance Flaws: We all have ‘em!

Those of you who’ve read the Larsson books realize the main character has multiple flaws, many inevitable, considering her background.  This post is not a celebration of those who hack, take the law into their own hands, or shoot or maim others, even when pushed to their limits.

And those Swedish names, man they have a lot of syllables and weird vowel combinations…

Remember though, this  are just novels: a tale,  a story, a joy ride for your imagination.

When you begin to make positive changes to take charge of your personal finances, you will find inspiration everywhere, too!

Reader Questions:

If you’ve read the books, what did you think of them?  And how ’bout the movie, was it better, worse, or just different….I haven’t seen it yet.

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Posted in personal finance, Quality of Life | 15 Comments »

Productivity, Success, and Happiness: What The Hell?

Sunday, February 19th, 2012

Productivity

How much time do you spend doing things that don’t contribute to your success?

Before you can answer that, you need to decide: “What’s success?” You know, your version of the meaning of success.  Remember, we’re being positive here.

Is success  getting the top score of the week on Angry Birds or building the best and ‘hugest’ farm on Farmville?

Or is successconnecting in a meaningful way with a co-worker, client, patient, or family member?

"Crush It" A Success Story

  • Is success making more money
  • Moving up in your corporate climb
  • Getting or staying married
  • Having kids, rearing kids, or getting your kids the hell out of your home and on their own?

The reasons for these questions should be obvious: until you define what “success” means to you, then how do you know if you are making progress or are being productive toward your goal?

Success is not the same as happiness

One of the most common problems with people on their journey to success is they confuse success with happiness.

Happiness is a combination of excitement blended with contentment, a warm fuzzy feeling that envelopes your brain with feel-good emotions.

Unfortunately, we can be fooled by things that do make us happy, but that don’t contribute to success.

  • Hanging out with your friends, chewing the fat.
  • Playing video games
  • Lazying your day away in bed

All may make you temporarily happy.  Your failure will be all but guaranteed, however,  if those become your default behavior.  Most drug addicts are the happiest they’ve ever been during their  high which is why they continue their self-destructive behavior.

Don’t let ‘Happiness’ confuse you.  Many of the steps on your journey to success may not make you happy.  It’s like taking medicine that doesn’t taste good.  Sometimes you just have to ” suck it up”!

Immature  (and usually unsuccessful) people are frequently those who substitute short term ‘Happiness’ for skill development.  Especially if skill development is uncomfortable.

Success

Defining your ‘Success’ goals will  guide you towards your most productive behavior.

For example, if you want to become a nurse manager, and you’re presently a new grad nurse, then you may define success as getting a nurse manager job.

What will it take for you to become a nurse manager?

  • Experience-so a productivity goal may not be to just show up at work every day, but to pay attention – see what makes the difference between the successful and unsuccessful nurse managers.   Who is the best motivator?  Who has the most respect and why?
  • Education-Does your facility or where you would want to work in the future, only hire BSN’s or MSN’s for their manager positions, or is it more related to maturity and ability to manage people?  If you have to get a degree, then your productivity would be measured by how well you’re taking the necessary steps to get that degree.  Researching schools, asking questions on how to get into certain programs, scholarships, loans, saving money to pay for your tuition-those would be productive activities
  • Additional training-does becoming a manager mean you have to have an in-house training session on human resource management? Do you have to know how to do a spreadsheet to monitor work hours, or do you need to learn other non-clinical skills?

Breaking down your definition of success will help you decide what areas of your life you need to focus on.  You may need to learn a computer skill.  If so, putting aside 15 or 30 minutes a day to practice/learn those skills may  be adequate to learn a skill in the next year.  Instead of sleeping a little late, punching that alarm button reset three times, use this motivation to pop up and work on that skill.

If you’re like me, your life is not simple. You have a job, maybe two. You may have a spiritual relationship you want to work on.  You have a relationship with a spouse or significant other, or would like to have one. You may have kids draining your energy bank daily.

You may have serious hobbies and interests. You may have a bucket list of things you want/need to accomplish. You have an extended family you need to spend time with.  You may have financial strains pulling you in many directions.

All of these areas require their own definition of success. They will require varying degrees of your focus and time during  your day, week, and month.

Take or make the time to be introspective. Stop bouncing from one emergency to another.  Look at your life, where you want it to go, and who you want to make that journey with.  Begin to prioritize where your focus should be.

Let’s do this success thing together!

I want to help you improve your productivity as you make your life journey.  I want to help you dodge the potholes and accelerate your progress.

I will be sharing my targets and how I am working on my success goals, and what I’m doing to improve my productivity and life satisfaction.

I am excited about the future, are you?

{photo credit: booklight c.c.}

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Posted in Personal Finance 101, Quality of Life | 13 Comments »

Giving Credit Card Info To Social Media? Come on!

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

Sharing credit card information

We are pounded about the dangers of identity theft and consumer scams.  For good reason as it’s a billion dollar boondoggle…

Then there is the open book that is Social Media.

Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, and now Pinterest have exploded in use.  So much so that Facebook has announced an IPO expected to make Mark Zuckerberg the latest addition to the  billionaire club.

Just when I think  there’s just no limit on what folks will tell about themselves in social media….

The newest billionaire?

Credit Cards and Social Media

It seems, though, that we do have some standards left. Standards that show up when we are asked about our credit cards and social media.

 Mashable reports in a neat infographic that  55% of consumers surveyed would not share their credit card information with a social media site.

Before you go all crazy, I’m not talking about putting your credit card number on your wall,  or pinning a pic of your credit card on Pinterest.

I’m talking about the coming use of social media to be a new platform for commerce.

And as you know, when you’re talking about commerce online, you’re talking about in-putting a credit or debit card number.

Shopping on social media

Yep, we will soon be using many of the social media areas as a virtual shopping center.  Those ads will still be there, but soon there will be virtual stores popping up-giving you the choice of buying whatever it is you are talking/chatting/liking….

Amazon has my credit card, Pay-pal has it, too.  I’ve given it to so many online sites I’ve got the damn 20 numbers almost memorized.

I’m just not ready for social media to become a retail vendor. Apparently I’m not alone.

At least a small majority of us recoil at the idea that we will use our credit card to conduct commerce through social media.

I don’t know about you, but I can see the huge impact this could have.  I’m not ignorant of the potential money making that is the social media craze.

How bout all the tweens in the USA, or the world for that matter, being able to shop for the latest Twilight gear, while tweeting/chatting with their bff’s in a seamless wall/window.  They will be able to listen to,  like, and download the latest Bieber song and purchase it without having to take the trouble to go to iTunes.

You can like/buy/tweet all at the same time.

I’m not going to predict that this hesitation/reservation to hide our Credit Card info  from social media will last for long.  If the technology is there for me to buy what I need through social media,  if it gives me good customer service, at a good price, and I feel their security is top notch, then why not?

I’ll give my credit card number to that social media site that earns my trust.

But, and and it’s a big but, I’m chicken when it comes to my credit cards and financial info, and you should too.

And for another thing, it’s too  soon to be giving my credit card info to a billionaire CEO – he needs to at least have a wrinkle or two, and not look younger than my children.

I mean come on.  You could at least dye your hair gray, or grow a mustache or something….

{Photo credit: irsaelavila c.c.}

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Posted in credit cards, personal finance, Quality of Life | 5 Comments »

A Valentine’s Day: Make A Choice!

Monday, February 6th, 2012

Valentine’s Day:

My wife and I are headed out of town soon to celebrate our anniversary.  And before you say congratulations, or what’s that got to do with Valentine’s Day, be patient…

Our 31st anniversary was in December  (now you can still say “congratulations “).  We got married during my short Christmas vacation in my senior year of medical school-I know, it wasn’t too smart-the getting married at Christmas part.

We’ve tried through the years to celebrate our anniversary on our anniversary, but there’s just too much goin’ on 5 days before Christmas.

We now pick a time to celebrate when things calm down and we can enjoy it-and that time is…..soon.

Back to Valentine’s Day….

Why let Valentine’s Day, a holiday that was promoted by the card industry, cause you mental and financial stress?

Are you one of those  who get angry if your husband/boyfriend doesn’t remember to send you flowers, balloons or chocolate?  Are you one of the guys who blows your budget on a bauble just to keep the peace?

Do you keep score on who does what for whom and when and how much?

Love This Frugal Valentine's Message!

Stop It!

Make Love Not War-On Valentine’s Day!

How to make you more likely to want to make love than war at the close of Valentines Day:

  • Realistic expectations: If you guys are broke, don’t expect your spouse to spend cash you don’t have, just cause your mom spoiled you on Valentine’s Day when you were a kid.  That’s why you’re broke, don’t make it worse.
  • Surprises can be wonderful, or they can explode like poop on your parade!   Don’t let resentment over those unmet expectations overflow into your relationship. Be happy with any effort made.
  • Decide ahead of time on spending for you and your partner.  And don’t go overboard. Yes she may smile and act happy over it, but you have  lied to your partner if you agree on a $25 budget and you spend a $100.  Don’t do it.
  • If Valentine’s Day is not a good day on your schedule, celebrate on a different day.  The restaurants aren’t as full, and you’ll be much more relaxed if you celebrate on your schedule, not an artificial day of forced romance.
  • Don’t over celebrate.  There is nothing that kills a relationship/special night out quicker than for one partner to overindulge, leaving  your “lover” to fume over a snoring, slobbering lout.
  • Be creative.  A poem from the heart, even if badly written, can be much more meaningful than even the best box of chocolates. Clean the house, or maybe the bathroom.  Cook dinner or use the ole tried and true ‘Breakfast in Bed’, or if you can afford it, Bed & Breakfast routine.  If spending a lot of money is necessary in your relationship, then you’ve got more problems  than even a diamond will fix.
  • Have Valentine’s Day every week, every 2 weeks or at least once a month.  You can call it date night, a night out, or whatever. Spending time alone with your partner (without the kids, TV and with the cellphone on SILENT) is necessary to maintain a good relationship.  Have you ever heard of a marriage counselor who said, “Spend less quality time with your spouse!”
  • If you can’t afford baby sitters, then swap out with friends with kids.

Just like  Christmas, it’s easy to let commercialization and materialism ruin a beautiful idea.  Don’t stress your relationship over this over-hyped holiday.  Have fun, but because you enjoy each others company, not because you’re supposed to _________. (fill in your favorite unrealistic expectation!)

Reader Questions:

What about you? What’s your favorite/worse Valentine’s Day memory?

Other Valentine’s Day articles you may enjoy:

Melissa at Mom’s Plans has The Anti-Valentine’s Day tips- great ones here!

Invest it Wisely Valentine’s Day tips.

23 Fun and Frugal Date Ideas for Valentines from Suba  at Wealth Infomatics-more great places and ways to celebrate.

Money Crashers, Tips on Saving Money on Valentine’s Day.

Valentines Day, do you want a typical one? at Fiscal Phoenix.

Little House is giving away Chocolate!

Superfrugalette is giving away a 50Buck gift card at Starbucks.

{photo credit: shagamaroo c.c.}

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Posted in personal finance, Quality of Life | 22 Comments »

5 Per Day: Keeps Docs Away?

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

Fruits and Veggies-5/day

We’ve been hearing about fruits and vegetables since we were kids.  Think about it, even Popeye knew he could depend on spinach-when facing the bad guys!

Research today emphasizes the need for good nutrition.  Our bodies are kinda’ like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz, without his oil can he was frozen in place for decades.

Our oil can is what we put in our mouths.

Yumm, easy to find fruits and vegetables!

Only a miniscule percentage of us get our ‘Five a Day” even though obesity is on the increase and grocery shelves are overflowing.

How to get 5/day

How?  How do you go from 1 or 2 daily fruits and vegetables to the “Five a Day” recommended by the nutrition police?

Develop the habit of eating them.

How?

You just gotta do it.  There are no shortcuts.

Once you’ve eaten 5 servings a day of fruits and vegetables for 6 weeks or so, it’ll be routine, not a big deal.

How can you get past that first 6 weeks and deal with the complaints of your family?

Everyone has to know it’s going to happen. It’s human nature for us to complain when change threatens.   Patients tell me their husbands only want meat and ‘taters. The kids won’t eat anything but Mac and Cheese.

You can’t change people, but you don’t have to enable bad behavior.  Would you wake up your addicted child and say,”hey honey, I put your heroin on the table by your cereal”?  Of course not!

How to make the shift?

Shopping for fruits and vegetables

It begins when shopping. Begin to buy fruits and vegetables.  Introduce them at each meal.  Cut up an apple or an orange.  Buy carrots and cut them into snack size bites-yes I know about pre-cuts-they’re more expensive per ounce.   Have these choices handy.

You don’t have to eat your 5 servings at meal time, fruits and veggies are great snacks.  I eat a serving of blueberries in my whole wheat cereal, or oatmeal.  And no, I don’t add sugar!  You can eat an apple, or a banana while carpooling.

And for those of you who feel the need to ruin a good vegetable with fat back and salt ‘cause that’s what Granny did?  Granny developed those eating habits ‘cause that’s what her granny did, not because it was good for you.  Back then they had little access to other spices, and food had to be salted heavily as a preservative before refrigeration.  We don’t have that excuse now.

You can use all kinds of spices to put a kick into your greens without harmful fats and high blood pressure magnifying salt.  Use a little hot sauce.  I love the flavor of a dash of Tabasco in my zipper peas. And guess what?  Green peppers are a vegetable!

Don’t forget tomatoes and Vidalia’s count as vegetables and fruits.  I love sauteed spinach, with caramelized Vidalia onions and a dash of balsamic vinegar just before you remove the veggies from the iron skillet.  Yummm.

For those of you who say “I don’t like spinach, apples, oranges, carrots. Or fill in the blank…. I say:  “Grow up!”

If you would quit whining and just eat whatever ‘it’ is for a few short weeks, I can guarantee the taste will grow on you.  What if it doesn’t? What’s the harm?  Think of it as medicine that will help you enjoy a longer life.  More play time with the grand kids. A stronger body to enjoy your hobbies.  More spring to your step, a better sex life! A better “you” in the mirror.

A sign of maturity is making tough decisions and choices.  Doing what’s best even if it doesn’t “feel good!”

These are just a few of the benefits for acting like a grownup and eating food that is the best fuel for your body.   Now, go take care of business and support our local farmers.  More and more of them are growing fruits and vegetables you can pick and eat year round.

Or grow your own.  Save money and eat better, a true win/win!

Enjoy!

Reader Questions:

What about you? Do you get your 5 per day?  If not, what’s stopping you?

{photo credit: miramrevajec c.c.}

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Posted in personal finance, Quality of Life | 18 Comments »

You wanna be work-happy? or work sad?

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

Workplace Stress

Imagine this conversation:  ” Hey Joan this is Tammy.”

“Tammy where are you, your shift started at 7 this morning and it’s almost 9.  You’re never late, is something wrong?”

“Joan, I just can’t do it anymore, I’m sorry to leave you shorthanded, but I had a panic attack when I got up to go to work.  My husband insists I stay home from work ’till I go to the doctor, he thinks I’m killing myself with the stress!”

I’m sure this conversation has occurred in many households throughout our country.

Not just in healthcare, the teachers I see in my practice say the same thing. The work environment has deteriorated with belligerent out-of-control students, to state and federal goals and guidelines, and pay-cuts and unpaid furloughs, and, and, ……

Burnout is the commonly used term for those whose “giver” got up and left.  You’ve given, given, given until your battery is not rechargeable by the routine weekend, or vacation.

I’m not a social scientist or neuro-behaviorist, but I’m someone who’s worked in healthcare for almost 35 years.

Remember Your Inner Child At Work!

One of the most common problems I see in my patients is the “I can’t do it all anymore” syndrome.

This Wall Street Journal article highlights tips on not letting work place stress get the best of you.  From the trenches where I work, here’s my take on these tips:

  • When you’re off your game at work, focus on helping others rather than focusing on your problems or job negatives.  Help a student or intern, mentor a younger worker.  Show someone the ropes.  By giving to others you will be the biggest beneficiary.
  • Ask yourself daily: ” Why do I do this?” ” What were the things I loved about this career?”  Take time to remember your goal or bottom line.  Are you in your job to help people?  Focusing on this rather than the day to day trials may help alter the negative thoughts rolling around your brain.
  • Limit Expectations: Don’t use your job as your soul/sole source of self-esteem. You are more than a ________(fill in blank).  Remember to develop friendships, hobbies, and other outside activities.  Do something fun every week, not just during a vacation week once a year.
  • Look for challenges, not problems.  Easy to say, hard to do-but worth the effort.  Recognize that every job has challenges and look at those as a way to grow/learn rather than as a personal attack or as a burden.

These tips can help you turn around work place stress before it becomes cynicism, ulcers, ruined marriage, or a job failure.

Reader Questions:

What do you say? What works for you to make you stay positive at work?

{Photo credit: tammramccauley c.c.}

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Posted in Nursing Profession, Quality of Life | 21 Comments »

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