http://www.richbrott.com Helping you become Debt free, Stress free, and Set free Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:06:53 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Alternatives to Spending Your Money Find alternatives to spending money. For a friend’s birthday, take him or her on a picnic rather than to an expensive restaurant. When someone suggests that you meet for lunch, propose meeting at the museum on its free day or going for a walk in ... http://www.richbrott.com/2008/07/03/alternatives-to-spending-your-money/ Value Meals Aren't! Fast food: don’t order value meals. This applies especially for those people who would have ordered the burger and a drink, but then see that for only a few cents more, you get the fries too. That timeless truth prevails—there’s no such thing as a free fry. So ... http://www.richbrott.com/2008/07/02/value-meals-arent/ Expect the Unexpected Build a cash cushion that you can get at quickly in case of an emergency. If you don’t have such a cushion, a broken furnace or other calamity will wreck your budget and push you into credit-card bondage. Your thoughts on this subject? Your comments appreciated! http://www.richbrott.com/2008/07/01/expect-the-unexpected/ A Good Rule For Borrowing Never borrow to buy depreciating items. Things such as new cars, furniture, clothes, appliances, boats and luxury items should not be purchased until money is available to pay for them. Don’t borrow to go on vacation, to invest in the stock market, to get married, to keep ... http://www.richbrott.com/2008/06/30/a-good-rule-for-borrowing/ Five reasons to pay cash! Plastic—ATM card, debit cards and credit cards—are all stand-ins for money. They are not the real thing. They are just representatives, and often poor ones, when they represent debt. Five reasons to pay cash! Paying cash means making some lifestyle changes and sacrifices, but it will keep ... http://www.richbrott.com/2008/06/27/five-reasons-to-pay-cash/ Making Small Sacrifices You CAN do WITHOUT these things: Cable TV Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, Conference Calling Gourmet coffee drinks/snacks Hobby acquisitions and/or expenses Lodging expenses at the beach, mountains or other destinations Massages and manicures Movies New clothes Restaurants Sports events Unnecessary vehicles (all new vehicles) Your thoughts on this subject? Your comments appreciated! http://www.richbrott.com/2008/06/26/making-small-sacrifices/ 10 Financial Principles The following list of 10 financial principles were penned by the Reverend William J. H. Boetcke. Part of the beauty of these remarks is that they are short, to the point, and easily understood by anyone. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot help small ... http://www.richbrott.com/2008/06/25/10-financial-principles/ Five Things You Can Do With Money There are only five things you can do with money. 1.    Give it. 2.    Save it. 3.    Invest it. 4.    Lend it. 5.    Spend it.  Notice where spending comes in that lineup: last. Spending should never be the first thing you do with your money. Because the proper management ... http://www.richbrott.com/2008/06/24/five-things-you-can-do-with-money/ How People Spend Their Paychecks These figures taken from USA Today show national averages in various spending categories.   22%   Housing (including furniture and repairs) 22%   Transportation (car, gas and oil, repairs) 15%   Food 09%   Social Security, pensions 07%   Utilities 05%   Clothing 05%   Entertainment, recreation 04%   Medical care 03%   Savings 02%   Insurance (except car and home) 06%   Miscellaneous     It might be an interesting exercise ... http://www.richbrott.com/2008/06/23/how-people-spend-their-paychecks/ Secrets of the Seed – Part IV Enjoy some of the seed!  The apostle Paul realized that, although everything in the universe belongs to God, if we partner with Him, He allows us to keep some of everything He provides. The farmer who harvests the crop has a right to eat some ... http://www.richbrott.com/2008/06/20/secrets-of-the-seed-%e2%80%93-part-iv/