I Love Me Better Than That!

Life can be harsh. It has a way of draining all the positive energy out of you. When you allow obstacles to suck all the positivity out of you, it can wreak havoc on your life. Trials are a part of life, and it happens to everyone. In hard times, it is essential to use difficult times as life lessons to grow and learn. And I am the one that can choose how to handle my circumstances. I can stop neglecting myself, be a woman who refuses to live as a vulnerable adult that places her well-being at risk, indicating, “I love me better than that.”

Everything in life has cycles, from frogs to flowers to people. This series has a beginning and an end. The ultimate circle begins and ends with the period of birth and death. The essence of life is determining the art of living by naturally adjusting to the infinite cycles of beginning and end. And it is difficult learning because there will be days where you feel down and times when you feel on top of the world. But in hard times, when it’s hard to see the way out, it’s essential to understand how to make tomorrow better than today.

When you have had several setbacks, and things are not going your way, appreciate that nothing is permanent. Life will always come with difficulties, and if you want to find true happiness, remember that there is no life without problems. Life is not a rose garden; there will be times where you have little control over things that happen to you. And when you tried everything to fix areas of your life, but nothing is working, it is easy to be critical of some things — and unenthusiastic about the rest.

Life will always come with difficulties, and if you want to find true happiness, remember that there is no life without problems

People frequently forget when you allow your thinking to become overly pessimistic and discouraging; you go through tough times. But if you promote thoughts in your mind that will improve your emotional state, you’ll realize what you are facing is just a subjective and distorted perception.

Continue Reading: https://letterpile.com/inspirational/I-Love-Me-Better-Than-That

Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls; Please Stick to the Rivers and the Lakes that You’re Used to!

“Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls” are words of advice from a TLC song that indicate that one should not randomly chase dreams by moving forward recklessly and impulsively taking a risk without first considering how things will end. The words to the songs are indicating that people shouldn’t go chasing after what may seem good, but in reality, they know it is impossible to catch.

In other words, one should work hard, stop trying to take the easy route out like selling drugs for the money which is chasing waterfalls. Learn to be appreciative of your career, although every assignment may not be your dream job. It’s all about finding what you like and appreciating it. You should focus on the interests that will bring about happiness and don’t chase after unrealistic “better” things.

I agree with the expression, “Don’t go chasing waterfalls”, but I disagree with the words, “Please stick to the river and the lakes that you’re used to.” Reason being these words is applying that one should be content with whatever they have, be afraid to branch out; don’t strive to better yourself. Life is all about taking a risk, sometimes you have to take a chance to get out of life what you deserve. The wealthy became rich from taking risks.

Although I agree with the expression, “Don’t go chasing waterfalls” research shows some people disagree, they feel it’s okay to chase waterfalls because it’s what makes life such an adventure.

I will admit there’s nothing wrong with experiencing life’s adventures, in fact, I say it can be like running a marathon, but don’t blindly compete; make sure you know where you are starting. Be familiar with the starting line, and take pleasure in running through life, enjoying the adventure one day at a time.

If you are a person who knows what it’s like to be broke and struggling when an opening presents itself to you as an opportunity will you know whether to open the door or allow it to remain closed?

Just because a situation is present to you as an opportunity, and it looks appealing, doesn’t necessarily mean it is the chance of a lifetime. How would you know if it’s an opportunity or if you are chasing a waterfall?

From my experience when an opportunity is presented if you have the feeling it too good to be true it normally is. I learned from several mistakes, it’s essential to listen to your heart and feelings as your deepest intuitions know best.

And in a situation where it can be an opportunity worth opening the door and pursuing. Although you know what you want after you create your goals, fulfilling a dream isn’t easy because generating a plan isn’t exactly a guaranteed way how you’ll pursue your purpose. When you begin walking the path to fulfilling your purpose chances are conflicts will arrive.

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While trying to complete a vision time is a very costly resource. That’s why it is absolutely essential you don’t waste your time chasing waterfalls. When you are presented with a clear path toward a goal in most cases, conflict arrives when you are so close to living in alignment with your vision, reaching your highest values and meeting the deadline.

Since time isn’t your greatest source the more precise you must be with your time. You have to take into consideration that to waste any of your time when you are vision-driven, is such a waste of time and is like chasing waterfalls. From the waste of energy and time, it can leave you feeling hurt and in much pain.

An example of how conflict can unexpectedly arrive, a couple of years ago, I was offered a high-paying position to write Lesson plans for school students. I accept, but, my motivation for taking it was all wrong. I was mainly interested in doing it for the money. Not because I start off believed in writing content that could really help children and what I believe in toward education, and what I was writing.

For that reason, everything started off wrong, it took me a week of conflicts, for me to come to the conclusion if I was going to do it. I need to consider it for the opportunity it was and believe in the purpose, put forward the effort to not only write the lesson plans, simply make sure it assists the students using it. After all, it was a “great” opportunity, why waste it.

So often in life, many spend countless time chasing things and people that defeat their purpose without considering the consequences. The purpose of life should be to seek the significance of each day, seek to find love, learning acceptance, when to let go, to have integrity and live a meaningful life. To prevent chasing waterfalls, you need to know which dreams to follow and what illusions to let go of.

Unfortunately, too many people chase financial success which can lead to a loss of self. As financial success is a persuasive motivator. And although every human life is motivated by something. Financial success has a way of dominating, controlling and destroying many lives. It comes with the unknown, taking a risk that can come with searching and chasing waterfalls.

To obtain wealth and fame, financial success will choose and control your professions and dictates all your time, eliminate your energy, and move you away from any sort of support. It will affect and run relationships, comes with busy schedules, and destroys families. To some, it even becomes an all-consuming passion that leaves the individual involved a broken person.

Continue Reading: https://letterpile.com/personal-essays/Why-chase-financial-success

Get On Track, Adjust Your Finance; Initiate a Budget, and Teaching the Children the Importance of Saving!

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Nowadays businesses are shutting down their operations without notice, leaving the employees shocked and surprise. Life is full of unexpected invasions that can reduce the price of even the largest checking account.

Perhaps, you took ill, maybe you experience a malfunctioning thermostat, pricey car repairs or a burst hot water heater. All these expenses require you to use the money immediately, which can cause a major crisis. And what’s worse, some people spend too much money on unnecessary things, therefore it’s really easy to get behind on the bills.

I was among the many that spend too much on unnecessary things. Because I wasted my money regularly, and I took for granted the credit cards were available, I managed to ruin my credit by overcharging and reaching my credit limit.

Purchasing stuff I really didn’t need, things like shoes and clothes, treating the family and friends. Going on vacation, eating out, going to the nail and hair salon and having family nights.

It’s obvious many uses their card to pay for things, and when you allow yourself to get caught up in the habit of charging it’s a lot easier to spend more than you intend to. Only after things got hard, I had to come to the realization of how bad things were. I had no choice but to step back and make some changes.

After being a debt junkie for almost three years, buying stuff I really didn’t need. I manage to run up not only one credit card, but three credit cards living my life like my salary was about twice my actual income.

Back then I had a healthy salary, as a financial manager, my bonus alone was two to three thousand without my salary. The more I made the more I spent. I would spend all my cash from my salary and then I would start charging stuff to the credit card.

Making all unwise decisions, thinking I was enjoying living life, I would go on vacation, sometimes take a family member or friend with me, they would pay to go but, I would treat them during the vacation. I would pay to get my hair done almost once every week very seldom did, I miss a week. Within three years, I found myself at a standstill wondering how to get out of a big hole I dug for myself.

From all the bad decision I made and my outrageous debt catching up with me. I had to come to the conclusion, I didn’t understand the importance of the choices I was making or the power that over shopping had over me.

It took me a little time but I learned from my failures and made an intelligent decision not to allow them to become a weakness, but on the contrary to build on them as strengths. From all the poor decisions I made, I learned in everything I do; I am choosing a direction.

My life is a result of the choices that I made. After learning that, I made the decision to make some changes. Corrections that will assist me in getting on track, starting with a budget, something that can get me back on course.

My life was a complete mess, so I need to take the initiative to get back on track. Take the type of action that will make changes like conducting a budget that will assist me to adjust my finances and teaching the children the importance of saving.

A budget that will make sure I am able to pay my bills. As it is so important to stop living in denial and put in place a plan for me, as a single mother, to help me and the entire family

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A budget is not hard; the hardest part is starting it and overcoming all fears, then changing the past decisions that put you in a bad situation. A budget is the best thing to do if you want to get back on track and organize your expenses. The purpose of a budget is to justify a set of decisions that have been made of all funds, making known how funds will be used and track as well as control all spending habits.

At times, one of the hardest things to do is get back on track, especially when you need to be more organized with your assets. I’ve been there too, but when you find yourself broke, and you are behind on your bills, and you’re wondering where to start coming to terms with a financial plan.

Here is what you need to do: accept and deal with how bad things really are and put forward an effort to maintain a setup working budget. After that, you need to organize your expenses, you need to know the necessary steps to make a budget. It begins with knowing what you are spending and the breakdown of your expenses. All left to do is to implement the necessary steps to start taking control of your financial future. Then discuss with your family all expectations and teach the children to help save.

It’s not easy, saving money, especially since it is not that simple of a task, yet you need to be more organized with your spending habits. So, while thinking of opting for budgeting you need to gather all financial statements, that you possess. These include bank statements, loan expenses, mortgage bill, recent electricity bills and any information regarding a source of income or expense.

Your major intention for doing this is to use your expenses and income as your starting point to creating a budget. This will assist you to know your monthly amount spends on an average basis. So, the more information you avail, the more it is good for you. Finally, these details will let you figure out where you are obtaining the money, how much is saved and where you are spending your money.

Nonetheless, they will get certain degrees of idea and responsibility instant as they will gain knowledge on how to save money. Moreover, know that it doesn’t matter how much more you make if you’re spending more than you earn.

Furthermore, when you’re not taking control of where your money goes on a daily, it’s like you failing to plan and it’s the same as planning to fail. But, with your finance on track you will be in the essences of great power, your money is a tool that enables you to protect yourself, to establish yourself and your family, why not use it wisely to make sure it’s available for you?

The next step will be to list your monthly expenses. This will include the rent or mortgage amount, Auto payment, and insurance, supermarkets expense, utilities, laundry or dry-cleaning expenses, gas bill, clothing expenses, cable bill, telephone bill, and basically anything you spend your money on.

Also, you can get a free budgeting tool online that will assist you with your budget, all you have to do is input your income, expenses, and your budgeting needs. It will show you what’s coming in and what’s going out.

Side by side, you should keep a track of the major source of your income. If you get your salary as a monthly paycheck from which your taxes get automatically deducted, then keep a note of the net income or the take-home amount. If you are a self-employed person or you have any other source of income you should never forget to add that income as well in the list.

These total incomes, from various sources, should be taken as the monthly amount. Lastly, you need to add all your monthly incomes along with the expenses. If you get a result, wherein you figure out that your income is much more than your expenses, then you are already on the right track. If not, you have to take steps from next month onwards.

Continue reading: https://hubpages.com/money/Getting-on-track-ways-to-improve-your-Finances-Initiate-a-budget-teach-child-the-importance-of-saving

Till Death Do Us Part; A Story of Mystery and Intrigue Part 9

Mama Xin answers a telephone call sharing with her that her son and his girlfriend is at the hospital. As she rushes out the house, she’s nervous, shaking, barely able to maintain and drive. She tells herself she didn’t want to end up in the hospital herself.

As Mama Xin drives on her way to the hospital, she tells herself if something happens to Leroy, she might find herself on deathbed joining her husband. She’s concerned about Laura as she was almost nine months pregnant with twin by Leroy.

Mama Xin can’t put the car in park fast enough, and she walks into the hospital in a hurry. She walks up to the nurse’s desk asking what room her son Leroy Xin and Laura Mills are in. The nurse tells her to have a seat and she’ll find out if Laura out of surgery and tells her Leroy in the waiting room on the 3rd floor.

Mama Xin couldn’t sit down, she rushes over to the elevator push the button to the third floor, quickly get off it and walk over to the waiting room and hugs Leroy. He’s pacing back and forward and looks a mess. His clothes are torn and have mud and stain all over them.

He runs and embraces his mother as a tear rolls down both of his cheeks. He tells Mama Xin he was afraid for Laura and wasn’t sure if the babies would make it. He had a big bruise on his forehead that shines and an ugly cut on his lower lip.

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Leroy shared with his mother how devastated he was when he witnesses, one of the kidnappers throw Laura in the water. And when her body flowed under he told Mama Xin he felt as if he would breathe his last breath, and he could see an image of his daddy with his arms held out to him welcoming him away from this world.

He told Mama Xin He’s not sure how nor does he remember how he received the strength, but he overpowered the guy holding him and dive in after Laura after her body floats to the bottom of the water. Within minutes of dragging her body to safety Mark and his guy was standing there with their gun on the kidnappers.

“I ministered CPR to Laura,” said Leroy and it seems as if it took the paramedic forever to come. Although it wasn’t a long time, she coughed up lots of water and the doctors said they are not sure how much water flowed down to the babies nor have I heard the news as far as how they are doing.

The doctor came to the waiting room and talked to Leroy and Mama Xin. He shared with them, he had to do a C-section (Cesarean Delivery) to deliver the babies. The doctor shared that one baby is doing okay, but the second child inhales more of the water and on a machine to breathe and under heat to warm as he went into a shaking shock from the cold water and they hope he pulls through.

The doctor explains, Laura being thrown into to the icy water and the too cold water alters her blood flow to the uterus which leads her to go into an early labor. Therefore, both babies were delivered at 36 and a half weeks of the pregnancy.

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Leroy asked, how Laura is doing? The doctor shared she is not in the best of health at this moment, but she should be okay. She came through the Cesarean Delivery just fine and they expect her to pull through, but they need to keep her a couple of days to monitor her and ensure all well from the delivery.

That was the best news to Mama Xin’s ears. Leroy can finally breathe again, as he felt the severe pain in his chest from the pain he encounters from his bruised ribs as he inhales in a deep breath.

Leroy needed to see his babies and baby mama. Can I see them ask Leroy? The doctor shared He can see Laura and one of the babies, but he would need to wait an hour or two before he could visit the second baby.

As Leroy and Mama Xin walk off to see Laura they did not know that Laura ex-husband’s baby mama ends up in adjacent hospital rooms. Also, she gave birth to a son and a daughter. A funny interaction results between the doctors and the two sets of twins.

Jeannette was very ill upon delivery her babies. After delivery, one of Laura’s baby is taken away because he needs immediate medical attention. As the doctors oversee the complication the set of twins are mixed up and the parents are not sure which sets of “twins” is their babies.

Jeannette dies a day after giving birth, Laura, ex-husband is in jail and no family member is concerned or cares enough to take care of the twins Jeannette gave birth to. Laura, ex-husband sign away his rights as the father.

Continue Reading: https://letterpile.com/serializations/Till-Death-Do-Us-Part-A-Story-of-Mystery-and-Intrigue-Part-9

Till Death Do Us Part; A Story of Mystery and Intrigue Part 8

Mama Xin sits reminiscing about losing her husband to a stroke years ago which left her to raise two children alone. She sacrificed a lot to raise a teenage daughter and an adolescence, son to ensure they both had food to eat, shelter and that they could have some form of happiness.

Although she tried and desired to do more she just wasn’t able to give them the clothes or the things other children in school received. Sometimes things were very hard and children at school would laugh at them for not being as fortunate as them.

But one thing she did manage to do is make sure they didn’t lose out on their education or become losers in gangs or hooked on drugs like some children in the neighborhood that are being raised in a single parent home.

Leroy and Liz were brought up in the poorest part of Chicago, Illinois and Mama Xin did everything within her power to protect them both from the gangs, drugs and all the awful things that were going on in the streets that go together with the inconvenience things.

Liz was the kind that loved feeling dominant and the boss of everything and for that reason, she fought with Leroy a lot. Leroy was the type who loved being loyal and helping others, even if they did have a bad character and always tried to make peace with his sister.

Although Mama Xin raised them in the worse underprivileged part of Chicago, she was always available for them. Striving to raise two children alone, she watched them grow into two little individuals with different personalities. She knew they both would grow up to make her proud one day because they had one thing in common to lead them in the right direction. They had her to guide and look after them.

Mama Xin reminisces about Leroy’s best friend, Morgan. He had met him on the school playground and she knew he was nothing but trouble and had warned Leroy about playing on the devil’s territory. He liked feeling privileged to have a friend, even if he did have a bad reputation. It was wanting an acquaintance that mattered to him, rather than listen to the warning his mother gave him or the way that other people saw him.

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As Mama Xin was reminiscing she gets interrupted by the phone ringing. She answers the phone to be excited to hear the voice of her daughter Liz. “Hello Mother,” “how are you. “I received a message from Leroy to call home for a family emergency, what’s going on?” said Liz.

Mama Xin replied, “I am happy to hear your voice, Leroy probably was calling because I was held hostage by kidnappers for ransom.” “Oh my God, mother How could that happening?” – “I will keep in touch more,” said Liz.

“I am okay and I was praying for Laura when you called, I was freed, but she is still with the kidnappers and the abductors are money hungry so, I am praying she comes home safe,” said Mama Xin.

“Whose Laura?” said, Liz. “She’s Leroy girlfriend,” replied Mama Xin. “I hired her to redecorate my house while Leroy was in the hospital.” She also a Business Attorney.

What? Replied Liz, “Leroy was in the hospital, a lot has gone on since we last talk.”

“Yes,” replied Mama Xin. “A lot has happened and went wrong.” “I will never stop praying and trusting, that if I just keep praying, trusting God, that things will change and fortune will be on our side, one day.”

Mama Xin enjoyed talking with her daughter, but she had a kidnapping seminar to attend and she did not want to be late. This seminar has helped many victims to not live in fear, protect themselves and turn from a victim to less of a target.

The seminar was titled, “How not to be a victim giving the ordinary person the capabilities to defend themselves.” Mama Xin fit in perfectly and her desired were to NEVER feel helpless again, especially since she’s a widow being alone and some people love preying on the older individuals with no protector.

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Mama Xin was ready to learn all the essential the seminar covered like how to avoid the most common mistakes when coming home at night in the dark or traveling alone to dangerous places. She really loved learning what body action to display, what to say or not to say, and what to do or not do and how not to present fear.

Mama Xin first couple of classes were very hard for her, the soreness she encountered. When she had to counter punch or flip her opponent and they do the same to her was not easy, but she was determined to know how to defend herself.

The class covered how to know if you’re being followed, preparation, planning, and emergency actions, escape the trap laid for you and it outlines all the stuff that made Mama Xin feel safe and not live in fear after her abduction.

Mama Xin main purpose of taking this seminar is to know what to do if she’s unarmed in worst-case situations. She even went and purchase a gun and became certified to carry a weapon. It’s best to be prepared as one will never know if they find themselves in a bad situation and It’s nothing like being prepared and able to defend yourself.

After returning home Mama Xin soaked her aching body in the tub. It is tiresome for Mama Xin waiting to hear words from Leroy with news on freeing Laura. She lay down to relax and fell asleep from a long exasperating day.

The phone woke her up ringing, she reached over and answered it, it was Louise, Mama Xin sister. She was so happy to hear from her. It’s good to talk with you, I was so worried when I learned you were kidnapped, said, Louise.

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Twenty minutes after Mama Xin hung up the new break caught her attention on the television. The only thing Mama Xin could think of was what if the News was about Leroy and Laura, and what they could be going through in their terrible situation.

The News covered the kidnapping story of Laura being held hostage from her ex-husband, she married him when they were fresh out of high school. He was her high school sweetheart, but the married didn’t last, it went sour a little over a year after they married.

The news explains how the kidnapper held his ex-wife hostage for ransom. He needs money and felt he was not going to allow his ex-wife to live it up in richness while he lives in poverty.

He was unable to get spousal support from her after the divorce. Plus the guy the ex-wife now dating, the ex-husband read in fortune 500 he’s a billionaire, so he kidnapped her and the mother for ransom.

The mother was fortunate enough to be freed a couple days ago, but the Ex-husband the kidnapper was still holding the ex-wife for money as he’s a junkie on crack/cocaine who need money that just got out of jail. He has now been caught but his guy still at large with the ex-wife and boyfriend, He’s now in custody and is headed right back to lock down.

The kidnapping took a wrong turn after the briefcase shown to the abductor was filled with money, but in that one brief moment, the kidnapper was distracted it was switched with one filled with Newspapers.

Before they could leave the driveway the kidnapper held up the bundles of torn up paper asked: “What’s this?” That moment things got a little out of control and the ex-wife and boyfriend drove off afraid the kidnappers would take their life.

Out of the excitement, Mark shouted at his men “You know what the kidnappers will do if they get the money.” The car drove down the driveway toward a dock where there was a lake filled with water.

The car pulled to a halt at the edge of the wharf where Leroy was forced to bring it to a stop. The kidnapper immediately ran to grab the car door open and take hold of him and Laura beginning to drag them toward the water’s edge.

Continue Reading: https://hubpages.com/literature/Till-Death-Do-Us-Part-A-Story-of-Mystery-and-Intrigue-Part-8

Stop Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck Break the Cycle & Gain Financial Freedom

In this article, you will learn how to make and stick to a budget, how to save in the case of a disaster, how to determine your needs versus your wants, how to manage risk, and how to stop living paycheck-to-paycheck.

A vast population of the world is searching for ways to stop living paycheck-to-paycheck and save money to improve their financial situation. The problem is most of us do not have an action plan to begin saving money. We all know money consists of great power in today’s world, and money plays a crucial role in everyone’s life. Most people know how to make money, but they do not know how to save or spend money. Although most of us work hard on the job to earn a decent salary, we are unable to manage our money right.

While a six-figure high-paying job can secure a person in the top 1% of the earners, but it is the saving and spending habit that can get them on the road to better fortune. Because it is the little things—your money habits—that often make the difference. As a result, we need to use it in a right way, so that there would be a portion of the money which can go into our savings account.

Tired of Being Broke? How to Break the Cycle of Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck

Breaking free from the paycheck to paycheck cycle is not an easy task, but it can be one of the most mentally relieving things anyone has ever done. When you are living paycheck to paycheck, getting out of debt and breaking the cycle to live a happier financial life may seem impossible. Nonetheless, if you want to break the cycle of being broke so you can live a more comfortable economic life, here is my advice on how to break the cycle and let’s start with a substantial budget that will help you to stop living payday to payday.

How to Save Money: Budget 101: If we want to be able to save money budgeting is the key factor. Most of us do not know how much income is coming in or going out. Therefore, it is tough to achieve our financial goals. Putting a budget in place is a significant way to begin saving money. The budget also assists to show how much income is coming in and what going out.

Three important things a budget will do:

• free up cash for a savings goals
• help in paying off existing debt
• Assist to become financially independent

Downgrade

If you are living paycheck-to-paycheck and you tired of it, the most critical step you can take that will break the cycle is downgrading your lifestyle. Most of us try to do what we cannot afford and buy what we do not need. Get rid of the gas-guzzling car as an efficient one would do? Most people no longer need a big house with five bedrooms. The children are off to college get rid of that big house and consider moving to a more efficient version of it. The smaller more efficient version home will lower the monthly bills, and utterly put some cash in your pocket.

The downgrade is how to get started saving: With the cost of living going up and wages going down or at a standstill, many are searching for ways to save money and improve their financial situation. Very few people genuinely have a plan to save money to escape the stress and live a better and happy life. As consumers, we have a choice to live a stressful life or take action to better our self and put a plan in action to begin saving and living a happier life.

How to Start Saving Money: It important everyone know how to save money, it also a pattern everyone should make a habit of doing. However, saving money is hard for most people to do. Before you begin saving it important to know why you are saving. There are many different reasons to start saving, but the most important reason are to be able to stand on a firm financial foundation. To save money it necessary to have a saving account. Many different saving accounts can help many meet goals of saving money.

Ways to begin saving money:The first way to begin saving money is to spend less than you earn. It is not easy to spend less than you earn but it is possible. For most people the ability to save money is often easier said than done but there are lots of ways to begin saving money, but why is it so difficult? One important factor that can assist with saving money and give you the ability to spend less than you earn is to know what factors drive your spending habit.

Next set up a financial plan, a financial plan can assist you with taking charge of your future. What is a financial plan? It is wisely planning and managing your finances so you can achieve goals and dreams. While negotiating the financial difficulties, that may arise unexpectedly in every stage of life.

Tips on saving: Putting money up from every paycheck is a habit everybody should make. Putting up money per paycheck will assist with bills in the event of a disaster or if you should become unemployed. According to the survey, More than three-fourths of Americans don’t have enough money saved to pay their bills for six months.

Tips on how to save money
General: Save your pocket change. Collecting 50 cents per day in the course of a year will permit you to save almost 40% of a $500 rainy day fund.

Keep count of your spending. At least once a month, use a bank card, checking, and other evidence to review what you’ve bought. After this, question yourself if it has the sense to distribute some of this spending to an account with emergency savings.

Create a Savings Account: I would suggest you to create a savings account at the regular branch you hold your checking account and transfer a small amount into that account which is a great way to build funds for emergencies. You may think that how money can be saved by transferring into a savings account? Yes, you can do that by not touching that savings account.

Make sure that you inquire about interest rates and fees for the savings accounts and do not draw money from that account at any cost. It best to choose a bank with the highest interest rate but you can earn a higher interest rate with a CD accounts, over a regular savings account. Every week on pay day, transfer a small amount to this savings account or CD account whichever is your choice and make that as a hobby. You will be shocked by looking at the amount you have in your account.

A Bill-by-Bill Guide to Saving Money on Monthly Expenses

Established wisdom will tell those who use it that everything becomes more expensive over time and if you want to live a more comfortable life you need the income to cover the required bills and spend less than your take-home pay. Living way above our means is a problem those who are not natural savers created. While some people are good at saving money, there are those who actually go overboard.

Individuals who are virtuous spenders know how to save and live within their means. They have a habit of keeping their living expenses level balanced to their earnings. Individuals who are not a good spender, by contrast, they have a tendency to overspend all of their income on wants and their human needs. Overspender waste more money than they bring home and pile up debt in the process.

Continue Reading: https://hubpages.com/money/httphubpagescomMoney-Saving-Tips-That-Can-Help-You-Build-Wealth

How to Maximize your Space for Big Living in a Tiny House

In the wake of the United States’ economic crisis, many are trying to find a solution to a world of uncertainty; downsizing seems to be the best way to finding any form of a solution.

More and more people are enchanted with the idea of building tiny homes, as others are moving into apartments, condominium or town-homes with small rooms. Living in a tiny home, townhouse, an apartment, or a condo can sometimes mean having to fit many items into rooms too small to hold them all, at first glance.

When placing furniture in a living room most people chose dark furniture because it is design-friendly, but the darkest furniture needs much leg room as they often seem to block passages and take up more floor space than is desirable.

When choosing furniture for a small area, it is best to choose light colors such as cream, white and light blues that make the room seem larger.

When selecting furniture with limited space, we have to pay close attention to the weight and the size of the objects.

The question of how many pieces have legs and how many have a box shape is also an important factor in finding the right furniture.

Believe it or not, how many pieces and the color of the furniture makes a difference: furniture in lighter colors goes further in making your small space feel larger than those in darker colors can.

Most people decorate their living rooms with a combination of box-shaped furniture and furniture with legs, such as a wooden or glass coffee table, two matching end tables, or sofa tables.

However, these all give the appearance of a cramped space, even if the piece itself is rather small. Here are some tips for fitting as much furniture as possible into a tight living room and still getting it to look more spacious:

• Figure out early what size of furniture is right for the living space you have to work with. Measure the room and the furniture items by hand if you need to; you have to make sure that you will have enough space to move around and fit other objects and other people.
• Consider lighter colors for the furniture. Darker colors take up the surrounding space, but light colors make any room seem larger.
• Try to avoid furniture with legs or a box shape. These types of furniture often take up most of the view of the floor, making the room seem smaller.
• Slim or vertical furniture works best in a small room. Vertical furniture, in particular, will emphasize the height of the room. Furniture that can serve this purpose includes tall corner lamps, shelves, grandfather clocks, jars, and vases.

• Even if you find a perfectly sized, light colored, slim, vertical piece of furniture, you should still take care to avoid having that perfect piece be a sofa or couch. Sofas and couches are often too big for smaller living rooms. Try substituting in chairs and love seats instead; they can be as comfortable as sofas or couches and save space in your living room at the same time.
• If you want a coffee table for your room, look for glass instead of wood or other solid material. Glass is effective at reflecting light and allowing light into the living room. More light means that more space can be seen in the room, making it look bigger.
• Every bit as important as finding the right furniture for the living room is maintaining the tidiness. Objects that are of no use in the room will only create a mess and, even worse, compete with your other furniture for space and with the floor for visibility.
• Add accessories and decorations to the room. As with the furniture, choosing smaller pieces will allow to you have a higher number of different decorations in the room. It might also be a good idea to put a few fair-sized fixtures in the corners to act as accents, but always take care not to put so many accessories that the room just ends up feeling cluttered.
• Make sure that the chamber matches. Curtains, throw pillows, rugs, and carpets do not have to be of the same color, but they should at least mesh well with the color of your furniture. A small, elegantly patterned vase might help to accentuate space a bit.

Three ways to make living in a tiny house feel huge and more comfortable!

#1: Sleep in the small bedroom

When most people hear tiny house, they feel it means living cramps up, but the tiny house and small rooms do not say you have to be cramped.

Most tiny homes consist of two bedrooms in which it has one bedroom slightly larger than the other. The biggest room is the “masters,” and the smaller room is for the child, or the guest if the child has moved from home.

You can fit mainly your bed – no room to fit much more so, please avoid the temptations to use it for providing much stuff. Most tiny home’s rooms consist of a hotel like experience.

It is a small room that provide– a space for a bed, two nightstands, lamps, and enough room to spread out the luggage.

The small closet is only big enough for limited clothes, as a matter of fact, because the space is so small; it is a high threshold for clutter if you try forcing much stuff and too many clothes into it.

However, you do not have to give into the clutter of invasion, just use the space just as it is.

 

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‘What’s Going on?’

What do, many do when this world has so much going wrong that it no longer feels like home? Where do various people turn when America, a place many have called home for a long time no longer feels like home?

How can people find ‘a peaceful mind’ in a world where some people are wrongfully denied forgiveness and has no dramatically way of changing their life?

What changes America from a place that once brought joy and warmness to many hearts? How can a country turn from a warm, loving, peaceful place to just feel cold and alienated?

There’s an old saying that says, a home is considered where the heart feels most satisfied. Moreover, because so many no longer feel like this world is a place they can call home the utter question is: What’s Going On?’

Some American citizens are giving up their citizenship where many are still holding on to an American passport as they no longer feel like an American. With all that is going on in America today makes many citizens think about moving to the United Kingdom, so the hard question is: What’s Going On?’

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Indeed, many today are facing far more difficult circumstances than the conditions of what most retains before things turned so critical and many are still waiting to see peace as an endpoint, again I ask, What’s Going On?’

As so much development in life-condition change for the worse, many are currently searching for answers to some of the most challenging issues. Some are turning to the political candidate like the house of representative’s members, Senators, Vice President, Mayor, and the President.

I say we should be willing to do what is necessary to bring healing to this nation and to do that we the people need to turn to God by doing what 2 Chronicles 7:14 King James Version (KJV) says, many needs to humble themselves and pray. Turn from their wicked ways. Then will God hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal the land.

With all going on, my main concerns, how can any intelligent American vote and allow a man in office as President like Donald Trump with no Political background who spends too much time twitting and raging when he supposed to care and take care of issues in the world to prevent things from going wrong.

Instead, he’s the exact cause of chaos and the reason why sudden things go wrong. And not to mention the Trump horror of a tax plan he put in place, which is one of the most significant changes that include the worst recession and the most bull wash ever since the Great Depression, I can’t help but ask the question, ‘What’s Going On?’

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The youth violence, burglary, street gangs, drugs, and killing have been a significant concern for years. Except for today with the economy in crisis, and America in need of leaders to have our backs and care to protect the nation, burglary is at the highest rates that robberies take place during the daylight hours.

The gun violence and mass public shooting are on the rise and getting deadlier by the day. And many states are a part of the dangerous trend as there is an essential need for stricter gun laws.

Poverty-stricken people are selling drugs and see it as significantly more of a statistical way to survive; I can’t help but wonder, ‘What’s Going On?

The president’s motives remain unclear to violence, and mass shooting leaves many Americans shaking in fear of being a victim of a mass shooting that some do not feel safe to worship and praise God in the church.

Why on earth should people fear to worship God as the church should be the last place anyone feels afraid for their life. Some do because the mass shooting has happened in several churches already, the big question place in many minds, ‘What’s Going On?’

To surpass it all children shouldn’t have to feel threatened by gun violence in school. The school shooting should have been stopped because a school shooting is an attack on education and is preventing the children from learning.

In 2012, after one of the worst mass gun shootings at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, where a severe attack claimed the lives of six adults and twenty children, things should have changed.

Instead, Florida School was hit by gunfire where over twelve were injured, three adults died, and fourteen children lost their lives. Again, the question is ‘What’s Going On?’

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Choices Have Consequences: You Get to Make Your Own Choices, But You do not get to choose your Consequences.

More often than not, it is said that choices have consequences. The big question is; does this assertion stand or hold any essential truth? Well, while we are free to make our own decision, we are not free to control the consequences of our actions. To do something of your own free will, you do it by choice, but if you allow someone to influence you in any way, then your action is not free. While it is established that human beings can think and act freely as reasonable and moral living person, remember everything you do has a result. And the consequences whether good or bad will follow you forever and it also affects everyone in your path.

The choices we make shape us to be unique and set a difference between yourself and everyone else. However, the decisions we make have long-lasting repercussions on our life. Our lives on a daily are a series of choices we’ve been making over a lifetime. We live with those choices for the rest of our lives — and believe me we are free to choose our actions, but we are not free from the consequences of our decisions.

As humans, we have the discretion to choose the way we want to live our life. We were created with a mind free to choose. God created man and woman with the freedom to choose and also gave them the real ability to determine how such daily choices will shape their destiny. This reaffirms that we are free to choose our actions, but we are not free from the consequences of our decisions.

Although so often in life people do not want to be responsible for the choices they make but on the contrary, we must remember we have to create our own experience. … If you do not want to admit that your decisions have real-life consequences; you will get crushed by a giant mischievous called paying the price of lacking to take on responsibility. One of my favorite quotes is “The price of greatness is responsibility” – Winston Churchill. The transition from youth to an adult made us responsivity to be responsible for the choices we make in life. Try to escape from making choices as you might; you cannot avoid the consequences of your decisions, whether you care to admit it your decisions have real-life consequences.

It is upon us to distinguish how we flourish in life. This means, it is essential to attract what you imagine, reflect what you desire, become what you respect and mirror what you admire. God also gave man and woman the ability to think for himself or herself. This is what enables us to separate between what is right and what is wrong. Therefore, we have the opportunity to make choices that genuinely affect our destiny. Remember, we are free to choose our actions, but we are not free from the consequences of our decisions.

We have the power to create and experience the quality of life we truly desire and need. One of the most incredible gifts given to us by God is the authority to choose. Whether we know it or not, we all utilize this power that can be referred to as a “surface level form of power.” With this capability, our choices are founded on many things such as what to do, what to think, whom to marry, what time to go sleep, what television program to watch, where to work, what to eat, whether we live in a home or an apartment, what model of car to drive, what to wear and among others. Now that you have the power to choose, it is essential to remember choices have consequences; you get to make your own decisions, but you do not get to choose your consequences.

Our ultimate freedom is the right and the power to decide how anybody or anything outside our being will choose or rely on our actions. So often we forget the ability we hold within us to control the path to our efforts. In life, it is all about how the choices we make influence what we become and how the direction of our lives comes down to those choices we make. The journey to tread in our life depends on our preferences because choices have consequences; you get to make your own decisions, but you do not get to choose your consequences.

Ronald Regan, who is a former President of the United States of America, once said that a mind that is free to choose will always choose peace. However, this does not mean that our choices are limited to a few options, but rather a foundation they depend on a state of mind and the perceived outcomes. Today, people choose different courses of action. What is evil will always be rebutted by what is evil and an act carried out with good intentions will always be rewarded accordingly. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, but the reward for any action will still be in the offing. That’s why choices have consequences; you get to make your own decisions, but you do not get to choose your consequences.

The man has not always had freedom or freedom to make choices in life. For many years, African-American people lived in slavery longing to be free to make their own decisions. President Lincoln free slavery and gave every man the freedom to make his or her personal choice. With this, the privilege granted to all to make their own decision and act for themselves means to take action to remain free, choose liberty and eternal life through Jesus Christ. Although, some people prefer to stay in the sin of slavery and choose captivity and death, agreeing to the captivity and power of the devil. However, remember, choices have consequences; you get to make your own decisions, but you do not get to choose your consequences.

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Till Death Do Us Part; A Story of Mystery and Intrigue Part 7

It’s been three days since Leroy received a call for the ransom on behalf of his Mother and girlfriend. For Leroy, life has been full of darkness where every day seems to be a night with no light involved toward bringing the daylights.

It’s hard for Leroy to imagine life without his mother and the love of his life, Laura. Without them both, He feels as if someone is holding a plastic bag over his head determine to smugger him. Feeling as if he had limited air, Leroy pulls open the curtain and window. He sits and waits for the kidnapper to call as his imagination run wild.

Determined not to allow his mind to get the best of him Leroy begin to looks out the window at the neighbor, Ms. Lord. She sits on her front porch. She notices Leroy near the window and waves, but Leroy did not signal back. Wondering if he’s okay, Ms. Lord walked over, across the street rang the doorbell to check on Leroy. Leroy slowly gets up from his seat to walk to the door and answered it.

Ms. Lord is a widow, her husband died a little over a year ago, and she has been waiting for an opportunity to spin Leroy up in her web since she read in Fortune 500, He was a Billionaire.

Ms. Lord keeps her eyes on the house at all times so; she knows Mama Xin is not home, Leroy is alone. She intends to take advantage of Leroy stage of mind. She can tell something is going on, he’s not his self, and she hopes to be the shoulder he can lean on.

Can I come in, said, Ms. Lord? This is not a good time replied Leroy. However, Ms. Lord was not hearing him she steps pass Leroy and sit down on the couch. Leroy closes the door and asks how I may help you.

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Ms. Lord grabs Leroy and sits him close to her. She immediately starts kissing him on his neck. Leroy pushed free of her. She stands up and hops on his lap, pinning him down and ripping his shirt off. The phone rang and Leroy never in his life was so happy to hear a ring that possibly was the worse News of the kidnapping.

Pulling himself free of Ms. Lord, excuse me said, Leroy. He walks over to the end table pick up his phone to answer it. Please, I need to take this call, it’s the important call I have been waiting for. Ms. Lord leaves, Leroy hoped it was the kidnapper telling him where to meet him. But It was Aunt Louise, she asks if it were any words on her sister.

Leroy was so happy to hear from his aunt. Most of all he felt it was the call that saved him from the neighbor who attacks him unexpectedly. Leroy replied I am still waiting for the News. Leroy was so in need of someone to talk to and took advantage of his Aunt being on the phone; she gave him encouraging words. Aunt Louise told Leroy, you are your mama son and you can handle the worse of any situation.

She went on to say, although it may seem as if you don’t know what to do and I am sure this is one of the hardest situations you ever had to endure, you can withstand. When you were a child, I used to tell your mother; you were a child trapped inside an old man’s body because you were so much more mature than your sister Liz, although she is three years older than you.

Leroy shared with Aunt Louise he has not heard from Liz in a little over a year. She married a wealthy movie director and moved away. Liz husband travels a lot producing movie all over the world and Liz goes with him. She even an actress in most of the films he produces.

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Leroy tells Aunt Louise the last he heard Liz and Curtis were in Japan doing a drama that many felt would be a multimillion seller base on the film, King Kong taking over Japan. Curtis is famous for drama and horror movies. Leroy went on to say, and I feel my life consist of drama, maybe one day I can sit down with my brother-in-law and write a movie of my life for him to produce I’m sure all I been through it would be a sellout.

Leroy and Aunt Louise laugh as he shared with her it would be nice to have his sister around to be supportive in one of the worse of time. I believe Liz would want to be around for mother if she knew. Aunt Louise urges Leroy to call Liz and tell her.

 

Continue Reading: https://hubpages.com/literature/Till-Death-Do-Us-Part-A-Story-of-Mystery-and-Intrigue-Part-7