Spending Plans don’t have to get torpedoed for apartment or dorm move-in day. There ARE inexpensive ways to purchase furniture perfect for dorms/apts/houses.

Avoid Furniture Sticker Shock

You’ve figured out how to pay for your child’s college, you’ve enrolled them, they have a roommate, and have even bought the sports ticket package. You are done, right? We all wish. Perhaps they (or you) are moving into an apartment after graduation.  Many students move directly to an apartment, or a house, or have a college that provides minimal furniture. Here are 4 ideas that just might save the financial day!

#1 Know Thy College Seniors

Rumor has it that kids do eventually graduate from college. At least that’s what I’m counting on! Guess what? There are college grads moving out in December, May, and August. Odds are pretty high that they don’t need nor want their current furniture. And what’s more? They don’t have an easy way to get...

“I will prove to you that almost anything is price negotiable”. Mack Powers, of MackPowers.com, said those words to his date/girlfriend.

To prove his point, he declared the entire day of shopping to be his test/proof. JellyGeneration interviewed Mack recently and you will find his experience fascinating. (It should be noted that Mack wanted to impress this particular date with his mastery of all things finance.)

There is more to negotiation success than save by using cash

This is not an article on “buying with cash helps save you money.” Paying cash often does help, of course, but teaching our kids (and reminding ourselves) that there are other solid principles involved in the buy-sell relationship is crucial.

Have you ever been to the Grapevine Mills Outlet Mall in yes, …Grapevine, Texas? If not, (ok, probably not!) the mall name is truly as advertised - a discount mall. Hence, the “I can negotiate everything challenge” was perhaps even...

This could be the year you not only get your Christmas and holiday shopping done early, but you can actually buy those gifts with less money, and less stress.

Per The National Retail Federation (NRF.org) we spent an average of $730+ in past Holiday seasons:

After all was said and done, NRF found that holiday sales increased 3.8 percent to $602 billion. More than 90 percent of Americans celebrated Christmas, Kwanza or Hanukah last winter, the most-celebrated season of the year.

Here are concrete suggestions on how to get a handle on this expense:

#1 List whom/what you are buying for...by this weekend.

Many of us can name the obvious family members, but go ahead and think thru those smaller gifts you buy at the last minute for those people that you always forget to buy for. Think thru your daily life and list those that might slip our minds: the piano teacher, your parents care giver, the mail man, the school teachers, friends, the boss, co-workers, the small hostess gifts for any...

Does achieving “big things” seem daunting? Admit it, our “little small voice” can often be heard shouting “Who do you think you are? That’s way too big a dream for you!”

Imagine being a young adult and being told to dream big dreams. Great advice, but it often puts the cart before the horse. Surviving ACT/SAT, college applications, internships, a first job, or high school graduation can easily fall in the “fear” category, and the “huge” category to most. Huge & Fear quickly translate into a perception of “hard”.

“Missed Kicks Makes Brain See Smaller Goal Posts”

Hadley Leggett thru the Wired website writes of a fascinating study on perception vs. accomplishment:

“In a study of 23 non-football athletes who each kicked 10 field goals, researchers found that players’ performance directly affected their perception of the size of the goal: After a series of missed kicks, athletes...

I heard a radio report recently:  “Meg Ryan is Broke”.   And then I read this: “Elvis died almost broke”.

That caught your attention, didn’t it?  Well, it did mine.  I’ve always thought Meg to be a cute, rich, famous blonde.  I should dislike her on that alone, I think!  Elvis had two planes and a chef that made him banana/peanut butter sandwiches, right? 

But the beauty of the above is that the same “caught your attention” scenario works for our offspring, too!  They may pay attention to almost anything Kardashian, or perhaps for them it might be Tom Brady.  Regardless, it provides a great opening for we parents. 

How parents can start the “money talk” conversation 

Actually, there are several ways to capture their attention before dispensing your obviously fantastic words of money wisdom to your offspring!  We’ve noticed many of our students respond to...

You are in the checkout line.  There sits that widget that screams "buy me".  
You need your morning caffeine.  On the way to work, gourmet coffee shops entice you.
You need your afternoon carbonated drink.  Your car practically knows the way thru the drive-thru.

Can You Avoid UnPlanned Spending?  Just use this Habit Trick

Yes, You Can.   
Wouldn't it be wonderful to decide how much you want to spend on the "silly" items in your life and then have the tool to stick to it?  Odds are, you've heard of this tool already but have just ignored it because you are just too busy or it seems too complicated to deal with.  But allow me to re-introduce you to:  Prepaid Debit Cards.  

How they work:

• Get a card that you are able to transfer money to.  
• Transfer your pre-determined $ amount for a pre-determined timeframe on that debit card.
• Consider the card to be for your "silly" spending temptation.
• Then, spend.  Think of using it...

YOUR FIRST MOVE . . 

Sadly, life isn't like monopoly where the person that gets Boardwalk and Park Place usually win.  The bigger truth today is that we often don't realize the importance of having checked our credit reports at the most crucial times needed.  We are inundated today with "check it once a year".  That's true, of course, but what is even more pressing is when we encounter these major milestones in our lives and don't check our credit reports first.  

I won't beat around the bush.  This applies to all of us.  It especially applies to our young adults.  So whether you are the young adult or the parent, avoid heartache and CHECK YOUR CREDIT REPORT.  

WHY check your credit report?

• potential employers can look at your credit report (not the score, but the report)
• home buyers will have their credit checked
• car buyers can have their credit checked
• student loan institutions will also check your credit history  
• any time you...

The Obvious and NOT so Obvious Costs to Join a Sorority
Plus!  8 Easy Savings Ideas

Believe it or not, it’s time for the Sorority Recruitment process to begin! The answer to “Mom, can I go through rush?” may send visions of dollar signs dancing in your head. For most, the costs are worth it. They were for us.  But it isn't cheap.  

Knowing costs and benefits ahead of time, can save time and money if you determine now that it isn't a good fit.  The application process requires time, effort, and a bit of cash.  You are smart to consider all of this before you are in too deep.  

But, what exactly are those costs?                                                                                      

Before reading...

For those that know us, you've seen our passion and commitment to habit creation.   When we teach our course, we are usually concentrate on how to take habits to advanced levels.  Actually, that does a disservice to the entire system.  Allow us for a minute to discuss habits on a level that fits nearly everyone - clutter.  Are you about to send you child off into the world?  Then send them with the gift of declutter habits.  

As families, we are all busy.  All the time.  Clutter creep happens to us and our kids.  Take an honest look at your house, your desk, or your drawers.  For those that have taken our "Hacking Your Habits" coaching series, you know that we LOVE teaching our habit creation system, and reducing your dependence on willpower to do the trick.   But when it comes to what exciting new habits to create,  we continue to emphasize that it can be so much MORE than just habits in managing your money,...

It’s January (and beyond) and the world around us has already lined up to tell us that those New Year’s resolutions we made generally will fail.   Just today I read articles with these titles: 

“Why do New Year’s Resolutions Fail?”
“Why 80% of New Year’s Resolutions Fail”
“New Year’s Resolutions are Bound to Fail by February”
“Why People Can’t Keep Their New Year’s Resolutions”

50% or More of Our Daily Lives Center around Habits

Why do we run from “habits” and  “resolutions”?  In truth, they are intertwined.  Few people discuss how habits form the basis for resolutions and goals.  In fact, extending the length of habits and even stringing habits together can achieve far more than most think possible. 

Most fear “habits”.  They shouldn’t.  Here’s why. . .

START small

Don’t make your goal or resolution...