Born and Raised in Left Field

Have you ever thought of a simple solution for a common household problem and less than a year later seen it being sold either on television or at your local hardware store? A real bummer isn’t it. “If only I would have patented that idea” we think to ourselves as we shrug off the potential fortune we could have made. Our friend Rick Miller however, took a slightly different approach. Rick doubled-down on his idea and pursued it.

You see, back a few years ago Rick was an ordinary father looking to help his son improve his batting skills for Saturday morning little league games. In the backyard one day, he suddenly thought of something that just may help improve player’s swing-timing and accuracy. Like the typical American father, Rick grabbed a roll of duct tape to begin. Yes, duct tape.

Before he knew it, Rick had evolved his sticky solution into a plastic bat collar with steel beads that make a sharp hissing sound when you swing the bat properly. Not only does it sound cool, it actually works. But like any other average father looking to help his son improve on the field, Rick didn’t exactly have professional advertising assistance or a million dollar marketing campaign backing him up. So he kept on swinging until one day an unlikely character drove by.

His name is Bobby Witt, a retired pitcher for the Texas Rangers. As he drove by Rick’s house he noticed Rick’s son practicing with some sort of odd contraption attached to his bat. He couldn’t help but stop and have a few hacks with it. It turns out, he was so impressed, he promised to tell his former teammate Rusty Greer about it. Rusty, a career .305 hitter, had sons that were playing baseball and happened to be interested in youth training devices. Trust me, it only gets better.

Before he knew it, Rick was on his way to a restaurant parking lot where he met Rusty and gave him a demonstration of his now prototype. Not a half an hour later, the two baseball dads had shaken hands and verbally agreed to an endorsement deal. This unlikely string of events led to what today is called the “RBI Pro Swing“. Today it is used by baseball players from age five to fifty all over the country. Whether it’s club baseball at the YMCA or that one team in New York that rhymes with “blankies”, the RBI Pro Swing has been a real hit.

Now. While the story has been painted a bit rosy, the truth is that Rick pursued his hunch with fervor. Even after the Yankee’s batting coach Kevin Long told him that he had seen hundred of supposed swing enhancers that had all turned out to be scams, Rick pressed forward. While his idea is worth a shout, his execution is worth a parade. It is precisely a result of his motivation however, that he successfully brought his idea to fruition.

I suppose the reason I began this post the way I did, was to remind us of the many small or seemingly insignificant ideas we have all had. Whether it be a simple change fix to an existing problem, a small device that makes our lives easier, or a basic service that just doesn’t exist, we’ve all thought of some sort of solution to some sort of problem. An idea however, no matter how great, remains an idea if one is unwilling to pursue it.

So today we take this opportunity to commission our readers, to encourage you to pursue your ideas and your dreams. Remember, the worst thing that can happen isn’t failure, it’s seeing your idea on a shelf with a name you wouldn’t have dared to give it.

No Comments by agkempf on September 7, 2010
filed in Uncategorized
tagged , , , ,
ShareThis

Re:Invention: Weathering the Economic Storm

Catherine Goerz was a victim of the economy. Like many fellow Americans, Catherine was laid off from her job as a result of the Great Recession and given just two weeks severance pay. Naturally, Catherine found herself searching for odd jobs to stay afloat in the San Francisco Bay area. Her “favorite” was a temporary job handing out fliers touting the benefits of public transportation in the San Francisco subway system. As chronicled by Catherine, she would occasionally run into a coworker from her previous job. “They’re in their corporate clothes,” she recalls, “and I’m in this silly T-shirt and hat. ‘Cathy, is that you?’ they’d ask. ‘What are you doing here?’ Ugh.”

From a creative producer to a flier-hander-outer, the whole experience was no doubt humbling. Though in the midst of utter discouragement, Catherine decided that it was time for a change. She had always dabbled with the idea of filming a documentary, but never really had the time, money, or a suitable topic. As she struggled through one of the toughest economies in the last hundred years, that suitable topic suddenly dawned on her: Re:Invention, a story about the creative ways people were surviving the economic recession.

Armed with an idea and a slew of extra time, Cathy traveled cross-country with friends and produced the short film (below). To her delight, she won a small grant at a local film festival just months later, helping her to fund a longer version which she hopes to complete in the near future. As with most grants, they tend to run themselves out quicker than expected, leaving a slew of unexpected costs to be accounted for. This didn’t stop Cathy however, she supplements her income with odd jobs and freelance projects, totaling just twenty-five percent of what she had earned as a creative producer. “My quality of life has not changed at all,” she says. “I think it’s improved because I’m exploring what I want to do. When I see postings for full-time jobs, something inside me says, ‘No, don’t do it.’ I want to make sure I am making the right choice.”

Now that is precisely the kind of freedom Payoff endorses. I find it astounding that one could live on 75% less and make a statement as genuine as the one above. And not only that, but she’s discovered an avenue by which to pursue her passion as a filmmaker. While it hasn’t been easy, Cathy is living proof that cutting-back may turn-out to be a blessing in disguise. Along the way, and no doubt a result of speaking to people affected by the recession, she’s captured a few golden nuggets of advice for those trying to cope with the recession:

Let go of your identify. Don’t beat yourself up for losing a job or being laid off. Having too high of expectations for yourself will not only drive you mad but will keep you from discovering alternative options or future possibilities you never would have considered.

Get out of the house. Home alone is no cure for the unemployed. Whatever you do, don’t lock yourself in your house and send applications all day. Fresh air and friends will serve you well. Plus, you never know who you will meet jogging through the park.

Re-adjust expectations. When money is tight, be sure to double-check your expectations. You just may have to change your purchasing, food consumption, and extracurricular habits. By changing your expectations, you can find a happy medium, free from past-life spending sprees.

Don’t point fingers. Blaming your boss, neighbor, spouse, friend, or dog will only put you further in the doghouse. Pull yourself up from your bootstraps and take your future into your own hands. Playing the blame game will only put you deeper into misery.

With a slew of good advice from our very own economic warrior, I call your attention to the following: the idea that what many people fear could in fact be the very catalyst to change in a persons life. For some it’s marriage, others college, for some it may be unemployment. What I can say, is that for Cathy, her worst nightmare turned out to have a silver lining.

No Comments by agkempf on September 6, 2010
filed in Uncategorized
tagged , , , , ,
ShareThis

Sales Gone Wild: A Consumer’s Worst Nightmare

Many Americans, because of our current recession, are giving it their all to cut their spending habits and re-gauge their definition of needs versus desires. A recent wave of frugality has saved many families from financial ruin and redefined personal finance for thousands of people around the country. A slithy weasel however has seemingly creeped its way into the lives of some. It’s name? The SALE.

You see, we Americans can’t seem to pass-up a good deal. But the most unfortunate thing is, retailers know so. The effect is, we tend to overindulge when presented with any sort of promotion, sale, or special offer. It works like this: you’ve fought the urge to purchase those new shoes for months, primarily because they are $250. But one day, you walk past the store and what do you see? That sweet four-letter word in bold red letters: SALE. You see the shoes, are now only $165, nearly a one-hundred dollar discount. Your knees buckle and the next thing you know, your $165 dollars poorer.

What happened? The sale simply got the best of you. But of course we love to justify ourselves by whispering, “what a deal, you saved $85″. The problem of course, isn’t the $85 you “saved”, it’s the $165 you spent. This is where one of America’s greatest pastimes turns its back on us, where a lace laden “sale” becomes a broken budget. While it seems so obvious and easy to spot, we are constantly making poor financial due to the anchor effect.

But that’s why your reading this post. We at Payoff pride ourselves in uncovering the many pitfalls of personal finance and how to avoid them. So in light of our pride, we’d like to point-out a few “sales” that are selling your pocketbook short.

Brand Crazy. It’s extremely difficult to pass-up a name brand article of clothing or accessory when it’s on sale. It’s something about that shiny logo, or the emotional attachment you may have to the brand. The truth however, is that many people purchase stuff just for the label, only to realize it was three seasons old, didn’t fit correctly, or was something they didn’t even like to begin with.

For a Limited Time Only. This phrase gives my nightmares. But for some crazy reason, it installs in us a sense of urgency, a sense that we must take action in order to take advantage of such an amazing offer. The truth is, it’s a wonderful marketing strategy. There are even virtual shopping hubs that utilize this form of near “hysteria”. When your up against the clock, be sure to take a few minutes to really consider your purchase and the reasons for it.

Bandwagon Bummer. The internet has opened the door to a slew of websites offering “group buys”, or discounts for items you purchase along with five-hundred other people. The result, is similar to that of the first two examples, you end-up purchasing things you had always been comfortable living without. To beat the bandwagon, steer clear from online peer pressure.

So the next time you find a “sale” trying to swindle you into purchasing something in the moment, check yourself, don’t wreck yourself.

No Comments by agkempf on September 1, 2010
filed in Uncategorized
tagged , ,
ShareThis

The Grand Canyon that Fits in your Wallet

There’s a reason why so many movies and television shows use familial miscommunication as a primary source of humor: it’s common. I don’t know about you, but in my family of eight, there is constant miscommunication. Whether it makes for a inconvenient trip back to the grocery store or a laugh at dinner time, miscommunication is a major problem. You would think with all the modes or communication we have today, communicating would just get easier. Apparently not.

While miscommunication in all facets of life is typically negative, a recent study conducted by Echo Research for American Express found that miscommunication in the home regarding financial topics is especially prevalent. Here’s one for you: the study found that nine out of ten parents of 18 – 22 year olds say they’ve discussed financial responsibility with their kids. The gap: only seven out of 10 18 – 22 year-olds say their parents have had the same talk.

While at first glance the results may not look so catastrophic, here is a real tooth-grabber: eight out of ten parents and seven out of ten kids age 13 — 22 believe the best way for their kids to learn to manage money is to have a budget to work with. Only four out of 10 kids have a budget to work with (fewer, by the way, than have a curfew or rules regarding dating). Eh hem. This is a very large gap, like Grand Canyon large.

The gap was so impressionable in fact, that Jean Chatzky from NBC’s Today’s Show decided it was time to fill it. The result? National Money Night Talks, basically a time where parents and kids alike can sit down together, whether over the phone, in-person, or even on Skype, and have a talk about the financial topics that are most important to them. This might include things like college, allowance, summer jobs, or budgeting.

It’s not always easy however to simply sit down and start spilling your financial concerns, questions, and interests. Chatzky (NBC) had a slight hunch that this was precisely the case and one significant reason for the significant gap between the financial understanding of children and their parents. As a result, she has created three free tool kits, one for middle school children, one for those with high school kids, and one for those whose kids are in college. In each kit, you’ll find an exercise about setting financial goals, a discussion guide to family bills and a section on allowances.

These wonderful resources can all be found here. While every family is different, these resources may be the catalyst to healthy financial conversation in your home. At the very least, take note of the canyon that often exists between children and their parents. And as they say across the Atlantic, “mind the gap”.

No Comments by agkempf on August 31, 2010
filed in Uncategorized
tagged , ,
ShareThis

Thirteen Reasons Why It’s Never Too Late to Change Careers

Have you ever woken-up and thought, “What I’d give to start all over, change my career, and walk away from a job I simply can’t stand.” You’re not alone. Thousands of Americans go to work everyday unsatisfied, settling for careers they initially pursued because of the salary or because they believe it’s just too late to change paths. Newsflash: it’s not, and author Bruce Frankel will prove it to you, thirteen times over.

His book is entitled, “What Should I Do with the Rest of My Life?” and is a collection of true stores from thirteen individuals who made the life altering decision to make their careers their personal missions in life. He chronicles the curious way in which each of them toyed with the idea of pursuing a second, third, or even fourth career, ultimately deciding to embrace a new sense of possibility with almost unimaginable success, passion, and purpose. Oh and one more thing: all thirteen people were over the age of sixty.

Eh hem. While I’ll skip the part about how we young folk should be even more inclined to pursue our dreams, giving the passion within each of us a chance to blossom. Instead I’ll simply skip forward to how we young folk should be even more inclined to pursue our dreams, giving the passion within each of us a chance to blossom. Frankel’s book is all about “living with spark throughout all our days”. If I’ve even the slightest clue, I’d venture to say that some of you lack that “spark” Frankel is referring to. Heck, some of you lack the lighter.

For many, the element of possibility is lacking. We love to tell ourselves what we cannot accomplish, as opposed to encouraging ourselves toward the many things we can. If a pep-talk from a friend, a mental cleansing, or any other method hasn’t supplied the encouragement you need, perhaps the stories of thirteen people who have found the “fountain of pursuit” could offer you a small push.

Life isn’t about living, it’s about giving. Each of us has a gift and a talent that can be molded into our profession. I’d go as far as to say that if your not pursuing your passion, your selling yourself short. Life has a way of convincing us that “getting by” is enough. Well it’s not. Switching careers is never too late and never a bad idea, especially when in pursuit of your passion. With a touch of planning and a load of passion, the chances are you’ll find your niche among the crowd.

No Comments by agkempf on August 26, 2010
filed in Uncategorized
tagged , , ,
ShareThis

Riding-Out the Recession on Education’s Tailcoat

I‘ve got a slew of friends jumping on the “back to school” bandwagon. Yea, the one people are joining left and right these days, looking to avoid the declining economy. It seems like a great idea at first glance: skipping the job search and heading straight to the pearly gates of Academialand. Recessions are historically great opportunities for people to turn-in their time card and pursue that extra degree they’ve always wanted. The key word in that last sentence however, is historically.

As I’m sure you’re all aware, this recession, dubbed the “Great Recession“, is the most profound financial crisis the United States has seen since the Great Depression. Now, not many of us were around to witness the Depression of the 1930’s but the photo above just about sums it up. It wasn’t a mere blip on the economic radar, it was a catastrophe. While our current economic crisis isn’t quite the nightmare the Great Depression was, we too are in the midst of a unique recession.

Our current recession is one in which our unusually high unemployment rate (about 10%) is predicted to remain such over the foreseeable future and one in which a broken housing market makes both selling and purchasing a house extremely difficult (making relocation for purposes of employment extremely daunting). Unfortunately, it seems the current recession will not simply be weathered as quickly as the previous blips on the economic radar. A bleek economic future, similar to the one in which we live now, would render education a shoddy solution to the current economic climate.

To make even more difficult for those seeking to shelter the storm in the classroom, both public and private college tuition has increased dramatically over the past five years, making the leap a bit more financially challenging for back-to-schoolers.

All in all, the slew of individuals heading back to school in recent years have contributed greatly to a startling statistic recently released by the Federal Reserve: the fact that as a nation, we owe more for education than we do on our credit cards. Americans owed $826.5 billion on their credit cards in June and $829.8 billion in student loan debt, a great portion of which ($300 billion) has been accrued in the last four years. It seems as though a bit of a torment may be brewing.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that a poor ole’ student looking to avoid a bad economy may wind-up with a load of debt and in the same poor economic conditions he started out in. Now for a disclosure: the purpose of this entry isn’t to scare your socks off or make you feel like you made a horrible decision by going back to school. The purpose is to educate students as to the current economic climate so that they can properly plan for a healthily financial future. We would be sincerely grieved to see a generation of students graduate only to realize the pot of gold they perceived at the end of tunnel was only an illusion.

If your looking to go back to school, take some time to examine your financial plan. While taking out loans to go to school may be a bit more respectable than maxing out your credit cards on video games and soda, it’s still debt that must be repaid. Take out loans with caution and think twice before banking on that dream job that pays six-figures. It’s always better to be over-prepared than under-prepared.

No Comments by agkempf on August 25, 2010
filed in Uncategorized
tagged , , , , ,
ShareThis

Pirates (Not Parents) Teaching Kids Financial Responsibility

We keep a keen eye out for parents looking to teach their children financial responsibility here at Payoff. We’ve commented on everything from board games to allowances, chores to how the recession has affected children’s perspectives of money. Today’s post it brought to us by students at Parson’s School of Design & Technology, a creative bunch that designed a pirate-themed board game with two simple goals: 1) teach kids about personal finance and 2) don’t suck.

While only a prototype, players roll the dice, advance around the board, assemble a crew, buy cannons and ships, collect gold, and fight scary monsters like Poseidon. Now that’s my style board game! The focus however is to manage the assets you accrue along the way, including the gold you can either deposit into treasure chests (which earns compounding interest) or risk loosing in the case that Moby Dick attacks. The winner is he/she who manages to collect twenty gold coins first.

What’s most intriguing to me about the game, that’s yet to be named, is the fact that a group of students designed it, likely no older than twenty-five years old. That’s a signal as to how pathetic of a job the nation’s game designers have done at providing a useful solution to the gap shown in the photo above. It’s wonderful to see a group of Parsoners jumping head-first into an ultra-dull space, looking to spice it up a bit. We are excited to see the game develop and hope to see it on shelves soon.

No Comments by agkempf on August 23, 2010
filed in Uncategorized
tagged , , , , ,
ShareThis

How To: Save You From Yourself

You know the feeling. It’s the one you get when you know you shouldn’t purchase that new pair of shoes but you simply can’t resist them. Shiny, smooth, cool. They almost seem to call-out your name, begging you to take them home. In the moment your discernment is skewed and you slowly convince yourself that those new kicks are worth your $150 hard-earned bucks. Unfortunately, the story usually ends with a swipe, signature and a higher monthly minimum payment.

You see, there is a major problem with the budgets we set: we control them. A budget is only worth something if the person who designed it actually follows it. As it turns out, we humans aren’t so talented at sticking to our budgets. Because of our natural desire for stuff and the fantastic job that advertising companies do to convince us that we need it, we either ignore our budgets all together or blow by them because we simply don’t have a solid grip on how much we’ve spent that month. What we need is a a bark-collar, one that shocks us to Neverland if we try and purchase one more latte than our budget permits.

While the shocker has been omitted, MasterCard has developed a system intended to protect consumers not only from thieves but from themselves. It’s called inControl and has already been piloted and adopted by Barclay’s Bank in Britain. inControl works like this: the cardholder may control a handful of financial parameters such as where, when, or for what charges can be made. Taken one step further, the cardholder may choose to receive alerts whenever these parameters are breeched.

For an example, if your bank adopts the service, you can tell it to reject purchases on your debit or credit card at any restaurant after you’ve spent x-amount in the “restaurant” category. If your anything like me, you spend way too much eating-out every month. This nifty tool would serve-up an embarrassing reminder as I tried to charge one-too-many meals at Ruth’s Chris for the month. Other useful tools include the ability to prohibit charges originating in certain countries, the option to simply have your card shut-off once you’ve reached a certain spending limit, the ability to limit card usage on particular days of the week, and the option to receive alerts sent by email or phone when a purchase it made in a particular geographical area or in a particular store.

At this point you may be wondering why this service wasn’t made available to consumers five or even ten years ago. Well, it seems it’s been introduced in the context of today’s economic environment for a reason. Citi Bank is the lucky guinea pig that will be launching the service in partnership with MasterCard in the very near future. In addition to increasing their competitive edge, Citi is likely employing the more “consumer friendly” service to win back its reputation and patch-up its image. Reputation aside, the service will no doubt help consumers control spending and stay true to their budgets.

We’re glad to see credit card companies adopting policies and inventing services that actually may help consumers. I’m sure that if Citi launches the service, competitors will have no choice but to adopt it as well. For better or for worse, we really do need someone to “save you from yourself”, to keep an eye on us because it seems as though we may not be able to.

No Comments by agkempf on August 21, 2010
filed in Uncategorized
tagged , , , ,
ShareThis

Two Hunks and a Bunch of Junk

Hunks. A word that has forever tantalized the female gender and will forever embitter every male on the planet until the day he shall pass. I can remember eating my lunch at Fallbrook High, and nearly everyday watching the “hunks” of my local high school stroll by with their trail of Abercrombie cologne and ninety-eight percent female fan club. My only consolation was, “they may be good looking, but at least they aren’t smart”. To my and my fellow average-looking comrades, I’m afraid two high school “hunks” just put an end to our last morsel of self-confidence.

High school friends Omar Soliman and Nick Freidman, two self-disclosed hunks, have created a multimillion dollar business out of garbage. Yes, trash. “We wanted to put a clean, crisp image to the trash business, which is otherwise inglorious”, Freidman explained in an interview with CBS. The Tampa-based company, College Hunks Hauling Junk, began as a summer project in 2002 when Omar and Nick were looking to make some extra cash before their senior year of college. They never knew their humble pursuit would turn into the greatest opportunity of their lives.

Pause. Aren’t these stories fantastic? You mean you don’t salivate after hearing the tale of two teenage boys with a simple but original idea who end-up uncovering a legitimate need in the marketplace? Me neither, at least not always. Sometimes it seems nearly impossible to invent something new, because your constantly hearing about how others have already invented it. But stop there just a minute before you drown in your own tears. An important reminder is in order:

Most of the greatest companies, ideas, or inventions you see around you were founded in either a basement, garage, or a cramped dorm-room. Not a single successful entrepreneur on the planet was guaranteed success the fateful day they decided to turn their idea into a business. While it may seem as though the best of ideas seem to fall into everybody’s hands but your own, even today’s most successful companies began as tiny seeds, fairing their way through the jungle of competitors. Your idea, no matter how small or how underdeveloped, has the same chance as anybody else’s. The key ingredient is execution.

Play. Back to our two hunks. Omar and Nick began hauling unwanted items (old washers, dryers, parts, cars, trash, etc.) from residential areas one home at a time, using a borrowed cargo van and some leather gloves. It became so successful as a summer gig, in 2004 the two friends submitted a business plan to the Leigh Rothschild Entrepreneurial Competition and won, earning them a cool $10,000 to establish their company.

But it wasn’t until they graduated college, diplomas in-hand, that they used the cash to establish what today is known as College Hunks Hauling Junk, a name supposedly derived by Soliman’s mother. By 2008, College Hunks had grown to fourteen franchises and earned $3 million in system-wide sales. For 2010, the two hunks anticipate nearly fifty franchises, and are shooting for one-hundred by 2011.

While we love a good story of an original idea taken to great heights, we are most appreciative of the “down-to-earthness” that entrepreneurs Omar Soliman and Nick Freidman bring to our readers. If two hunks in high school can make a profit hauling trash, what makes you think your idea stinks?

No Comments by agkempf on August 19, 2010
filed in Uncategorized
tagged , , , , ,
ShareThis

Purchasing Your Way to Happiness: The False Art

Old alarm clocks, worn-out shoes, party decorations, books you never read, gifts you never gave, school supplies you never used, laundry baskets full of unworn clothes. I’m sure you all could make a similar list. Sometimes I look into my closet and think “Where in the name of Paris Hilton did this stuff come from? And isn’t it supposed to make me happy?”

It’s the downright truth: stuff doesn’t make us happy. In some cases, it can actually make us miserable. Though even though a single human being throughout all of history has yet to boil stuff down to happiness, we continue to spend all of our money accruing it, expecting it to make us happy. The New York Times recently took an axe to this notion, ultimately concluding that we humans continually trick ourselves into believing that material items bring us more happiness than experiences. It is here where we find the origin of what many have called a “false art”: purchasing your way to happiness.

The Times article went something like this: people get more out of spending money on experiences, such as concerts, vacations, weekend BBQs, or a fancy dinner out, than they do from new items such as the latest tech gadget, television, car, or designer shirt. How can this be? Spending money at your favorite electronics or department store is just so fun! At least until the item breaks, goes out of fashion, damaged, rips, tears, runs-out, or your teenage son crashes it.

Thomas DeLeire, professor at the University of Wisconsin, studied nine categories of consumption and found that only one had positive effect on happiness: leisure activities. It turns out the NYT did their homework. Things like vacations, entertainment, sports, and hobbies all reinforce social bonds and encourage relationships, the sole driver to happiness according to academics nationwide. DeLeire’s study suggested that experiences live forever, offering “free” satisfaction in the future in the form of storytelling.

I personally see eye-to-eye with this notion, having just completed a vacation to South America with my four siblings. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the hilarious conversations my older brother had in Spanish with unsuspecting hotel owners, waiters, and the occasional single woman. In fact, when I consider our Thanksgiving dinners together every year, not a single bite is taken without an accompanied comment reminiscing a previous family event. Curiously, I can remember vacations when I was six years old but can’t seem to recall last year’s birthday gift from my parents. Hmm, DeLeire may be on to something.

In an odd way, shopping is like high school. The beautiful, popular, and oh-so-novel Tina goes window shopping during lunchtime to find her next keychain. As soon as she spots him she moves on to the giddy-high stage where she remains until her catch is reeled-in. While the chase is exciting, as soon as he lands in the boat she’s committed. Comittment is sometimes the sad realization that you’ve made a mistake. While Tina can simply “exchange” little Bobby next week for someone stronger, better-looking and oh-so-novel, you can’t take back a Mercedes after you’ve driven it home.

While you can’t go your whole life without purchasing a single thing, begin by making smarter decisions that you won’t regret. Even though your emotions will tell you one thing, listen to the pragmatic, responsible voice within (or for some of you, tell that little voice inside to “shutup”). Remember, happiness cannot be derived from stuff, no matter how shiny, how pretty, or how cool. So if it’s happiness you desire, spend your money on an experience. But choose wisely, studies also show that experiences involving family and friends result in an even greater degree of happiness. And if your really looking for a jolt, volunteer. That’s right, volunteer work can often be life changing, providing you with new friendships, memories, and satisfying experiences without spending a dime.

1 Comment by agkempf on August 17, 2010
filed in Uncategorized
tagged , , , , , ,
ShareThis
« Older Posts