A Straight Talk on Debt

Tap Your Own Resourcefulness to Earn More Money

MirandaMarquit — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

One of the best ways to improve your finances is to take charge of your earnings, cultivating additional income sources. However, in order to find a way to make more money, you are going to have to show some resourcefulness. Think about your abilities and talents, and consider that someone might be willing to pay you for what you know how to do - and even for what you know.

What Can You Do?

The first question to ask yourself is this: What can I do? Figure out what you know how to do. Whether it's creating a craft, or building something, you can earn money from it. If you enjoy watching children, and have the capability of caring for them in your home, it's possible to provide daycare or sitting services.

Opportunities that allow you to sell your abilities are all around. Sell crafts on Etsy. Advertise in the local service directory, offering your services as a handyman or lawn care expert. If you are good at restoring furniture, and enjoy it as a hobby, take it a step further and sell some of what you restore. Someone who has an eye for good bargains can find great deals at yard sales and estate sales, and then turn around and sell what they buy for a profit on eBay.

Carefully examine what you are capable of, and what you enjoy doing. Chances are that a hobby you enjoy is worth at least a little money, whether it's building birdhouses, photography, or scrapbooking. You might be surprised at what you can earn money with.

What Do You Know?

I don't have any particular skill in terms of selling crafts. However, I do have some knowledge. One of the best things you can do with your knowledge is to teach others. For a while, I was a piano teacher. You don't have to just teach music lessons, though. You can also teach any number of skills. The community education classes offered in my city, from financial planning to dance, are often taught knowledgeable members of the community. Instructors receive a portion of the course fees as compensation. Check to see what arrangements there are in your community.

Many online institutions are looking for virtual instructors who can teach classes from a distance. Additionally, students, from elementary school on up through college, need tutors. If you have done well at standardized tests, you can offer your services in guiding students through these tests. Guidance can also be offered by those who have knowledge of career trends (career coaching), and knowledge and connections in the world of higher education (admissions coaching).

Another option is to take what you know to a wider audience. If you have a great deal of knowledge and experience in a particular area, you can offer your services as a consultant. People will pay you for what you know. It's also possible to be a freelance writer, or a designer, based on what you know. If you possess these skills, you can perhaps find side work based around your knowledge.

Others take what they know and turn it into successful web properties. From parenting to cooking to blogging about blogging, there are web sites devoted to a number of subjects. It's possible to make some side income if you are willing to share what you know with an Internet audience.

Bottom Line

Starting any side venture requires resourcefulness, hard work, and persistence. Few people make enough money to quit their day jobs in a few months. However, if you think about what you can do, and what you know, there is a good chance that you can build a side income stream that at least provides you with enough to accelerate your debt pay down efforts, or enjoy a few extra comforts.

Miranda Marquit

Miranda is a freelance writer and professional blogger, specializing in topics related to personal finance and business. Her work has appeared in, and been linked to from, a variety of publications, online and offline. Miranda blogs for a number of web sites, and has her own personal finance blog, planting money seeds.

Get Creative with Your Relationships

TimWalker — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Is it time to inject some creativity into your closest relationships? Even the strongest connections -- with friends, family, a spouse -- can get stale at times. It's too easy for us to take our loved ones for granted, or to think that we know everything there is to be known about them.

But you can bring new life to these relationships by finding new ways of relating to one other. Even small things to reset the tone or change the scene can be useful for steering your friendships in a positive direction. Here are some suggestions for making that happen.

Solve a problem together.

It's hard to connect with your significant other if you feel like you're facing your problems all alone. But here's the thing: that feeling is hard for your significant other, too. So why not pool your resources and find some new answers to your problems?

Since you're visiting this site, it might be your finances that call for some creative collaboration. Or maybe there's a home improvement project that you could tackle together with a small amount of money and a large amount of elbow grease. The point is to put your heads together and come up with a solution that's better than either of you could come up with alone.

Divide the work differently.

This year, my wife surprised me by volunteering to do the taxes. I've always done them in the past, but this time she wanted to learn the process for herself. She did a great job for us, ferreted out every deduction, and saved me a ton of time in the process.

That's just one example. What if you swapped out some of the household chores that have always been on one person's plate? For instance, I could do all the laundry for a month, or maybe it's time for one of the kids to take responsibility for doing the dishes each day. Thinking along these lines could help you bust out of a household rut -- and make life easier for the primary housekeeper.

Go back to old favorites.

Do you and your spouse have a favorite movie? A favorite band? A favorite camping spot? Think about how long it's been since you enjoyed these together -- and then commit to enjoying them again.

My wife and I did this a few months ago when we got tickets to see a band that wrote one of "our" songs. We booked a sitter and went out for a few hours on a Wednesday night -- and we still get big smiles on our faces when we talk about it.

I do this kind of thing with my sister and parents as well, texting them or sending short e-mails when I come across something that reminds me of vacations or other happy memories of my youth. The action taken doesn't need to be fancy -- it just has to be meaningful to the people involved.

Do new things.

If you've been reading my posts for long, you know I'm a fan of shaking things up. Think of what this could mean for you and your significant other or family members. If you usually go to the movies -- how about taking a hike together instead? If you usually go camping, try staying in a nice hotel. If you usually dress down, dress up next time. Go out for breakfast instead of dinner. Whatever you do, just add new wrinkles to keep it fresh and interesting.

Laugh together.

This may be my most important suggestion of all. If you've had health issues or money issues or just issues, you can come to the point where everything seems heavy. Every day is a struggle. Every conversation is a battle. Sound familiar?

Well, laughter really is the best medicine, at least in my experience. So find some way to laugh with those close to you. Play Spades or Charades or Munchkin. Watch standup comedy or old Mel Brooks movies. Find the funny silver lining to even the darkest cloud. It will do wonders for your state of mind.

What are your suggestions for reviving your most important relationships?

Tim Walker

Tim is a writer, marketer, and social media pro living in Austin. He joined CareOne's blogging team as a contributing writer for the Life Balance blog in 2009. As a blogger who has personally overcome debt challenges, he draws from his own experience to provide tips on living a balanced life and keeping fit. You can read more of his thoughts (on fitness and everything else) at his personal blog, What I've Learned So Far. Compensated Blogger for CareOne Debt Relief Services.

Follow Tim on Twitter; @Twalk

Experiments in Saving – Home Beauty Shop

Scoblentz — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

I am experimenting with some of the popular money saving tips you may have seen online, in magazines and even here on the CareOne site. What I want to understand is just how much impact these tips have on the average family budget.

If you are enrolled in our debt management or debt settlement plans, you are on a budget for sure. Saving additional money is a big help while you are working to pay off your debt. I am planning to share the results of these experiments with all of you so that you can try the ones that work and not waste your time with the ones that don't.

So far me (and my supportive family) have experimented with:

Bringing our lunches to work/school everyday
Cutting out cable
Waiting 1 week to 30 days before making a purchase

In the movie Grease there is a fantastic musical number, "Beauty School Drop-out." For the purposes of this blog, please hum that song in your head as background music.

Experiment

My latest experiment was to save some serious money by performing all of my hair care at home. This includes cuts, color and styling.

Verdict

The Situation:

I had not been to see the hairdresser in a solid four months, so I was long overdue for both a cut and color.

Concerns:

I think the concerns are fairly obvious:

How terrible was I about to make myself look?
Would I cause my hair to turn a weird shade or fallout?
What if I can't get the cut even...?

The concerns just continue and there are really too many to list here.

The Reality:

The Cut: This did not go well. I am not gifted with any styling expertise. My cut was so uneven that I had to enlist the help of my Mother to straighten it out, losing roughly 5 inches of length in the process.

The Color: I guess the third box of store bought dye is the charm, or in my case, that is how many it took to fix the green tint my hair picked up after round one.

Summary:

Do NOT try this at home, unless you have a friend who has been to beauty school, you have been to beauty school or you just really like hats.

I will tell you that maintaining a cute style should not break the bank. Many chains like Hair Cuttery or Great Clips do a great job with both cut and color. As with any service, shop around and interview stylists. Talk to your friends and family and see who they are using.

If you are unable to afford any external assistance with your hair, proceed with caution and enlist the help of a friend for the cut, just to help keep it straight.

To read my other experiments in saving click here

Suzanne Coblentz

Suzanne is a CareOne Community moderator and works in the Social Media department. Suzanne and her family are engaging in a series of money and cost saving experiments to see if these tips can make a real difference. For more savings tips and information about paying off your debt check out Suzanne and team on the CareOne Debt Relief Services Facebook Page!

Credit Score Euphoria and a Bedroom Set

CoachTammy — Sun, 13 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

I am 41 and for the second time in my adult life, I have a credit score in the 700 range. As many of you know I have had the same struggles, challenges and victories that you have had.

Recently, I decided to "treat myself" to a much needed bedroom set. I have not had an actual set in many years due to several state moves and wanting to start over in every area on my life. So after much debate and deliberation I knew it was time to make the purchase.

Checking the score:

I always suggest checking your credit scores when you will have to make a major purchase. I checked my credit score and was pleasantly surprised at the results. I paid for the 3 in 1 score that is offered through Experian and also paid for the credit monitoring service for 6 months. They offer a special where you can check your score for $1 and sign up for credit tracker. I received my scores and as agreed I called to cancel the free credit tracker service. Once I called to cancel after the free trial they gave me a discount on the monthly tracker services. I figured it was worth it and was glad I kept the service for several months.

Getting the 3-in-1 Score:

Once I saw my initial score with Experian, I was dying to know what the other 2 major bureaus were reporting as I know there is always a variance. Now here is the tricky part - Pay attention to what you are clicking. When I enrolled for the tracker service I received an offer to check all three reports and scores for free. The customer service agent advised me of a specific link to click. I waited a few days before returning to check my 3-in-1 reports and scores and when I signed in there was a link to do so. Well I am sure you have figured it out - this was not the link I was supposed to click. I received the information but my debit card with a Visa logo was hit with a $29.95 fee. I immediately contacted Experian and was told again where I was supposed to click. I did so and they gave me a refund of $29.95 with no problem.

The Scores and Reports:

This is where the pleasant surprise and the total feeling of "being proud of myself" came into existence. I carefully looked through each credit report and did not find any discrepancies. I found that there was an item or two on one report that may not have appeared on another report but for the most part it was an up to date report. My bankruptcy from years ago was there, my foreclosure and repossession from years ago was there and for most people that would be discouraging. For me, it was a testimony of the struggles that I have gone through. The best part was looking at what has occurred since then which is also a testimony of my challenges, hard work and victories.

Accounts paid on time
A medical bill that went to collections in error but I dealt with it and is marked as paid in full
Secured debt listed as paid on time
An unsecured debt (that occurred post bankruptcy but before I was on my feet again) which should be listed but due to being proactive with the creditor, it is not.

I then looked at my 3 credit scores from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. The score range was only 10 points apart with TransUnion at the low end and Experian at the higher end.

What I learned and oh yeah - the bedroom set!

A credit score does not make you, it does not define you and it does not dictate who you are or your character, morals or values. What it did state for me - I have had some highs and some lows in my life. I have had several losses and several gains and at the end of the day I have fought to pay my bills on time and stay out of debt.

I walked into the local furniture store with my head held high and took advantage of their 48 months no interest financing. I did not realize how much mattresses or furniture really cost these days and it was more than I had in my emergency fund, plus this was not an emergency but a well-deserved want and need.

Share some of your challenges and victories with me???

Coach Tammy

Thomasene "Coach Tammy" Bradford joined the CareOne social media team as a Social Media Specialist in September 2009 and works to provide the highest level of customer service in the community. Tammy is passionate about helping people through the debt experience and having been through it personally, she knows what it is like! See Tammy in action in the Ask the CareOne Expert forum and throughout the community.

To follow CareOne click here!

We've Been in Your Shoes - Employee Spotlight Jerry Kraus

Scoblentz — Sat, 12 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

We are talking to CareOne employees from across the organization about their personal experiences with debt.

This week we are speaking with Jerry Kraus, one of our Assessment Coordinators.

Have you been personally affected by debt?

Yes, I lost my job about 20 years ago and stopped paying my credit cards and mortgage.

I originally made arrangements with them and then I started getting threatening calls from 3^rd party collections company.

I was shocked because my creditors said they would work with me and that was not the case.

The Collection companies used 4 letters words when talking to me, saying things like, I was now sub-human and lost all rights to be talked to respectfully.

What was most embarrassing was they were also contacting my family members.

How did you feel about yourself during this period?

Hopeless and embarrassed.

How did you manage to get out of debt?

It took years and years once I got a job because everything was so inflated. Had I known about CareOne Debt Relief Services I could have saved a lot of money.

What do you do for CareOne and how long have you worked for CareOne?

I am an Assessment Coordinator with the outbound team here at CareOne and have been here for 3 plus years

How does working for CareOne provide you the opportunity to give back to others dealing with debt?

Well I hear the consumers talk about the threatening calls and I am glad to know that we can help stop that from happening.

I know how they feel.

Tell us about your world:

I live in Florida; I received my Masters of Fine Arts degree from Temple University.

I have a cat named Marmalade, (male yellow tabby)

I make a really good salad. Everyone who eats my salad wants my dressing recipe.

What is something about you that people would not know:

When I lived in Tacoma, Washington, I witnessed a meteor hurtling towards the earth. It was huge and it continued towards Seattle. I heard about it on the news the next day. As it passed overhead all the street lamps exploded. I thought I was in a horror movie. It was surreal.

I have experienced two earth quakes.

When Living in New York, I walked by Robert DeNiro. My jaw dropped and I tried to speak and he said, "Yes I am Robert DeNiro." He waved and continued on.

To read more CareOne Employee Spotlights click here.

Straight Talk on Debt: Personal Finance From Mom

CoachSuzanne — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:20:00 GMT

As we get ready to celebrate moms everywhere this mothers day, I have been reflecting on all the things my mom has taught me, and in turn all the things I am teaching my son. I've often heard people say that being a mom is the hardest job you'll ever love. I agree whole heartedly. I never appreciated my mom more until I had my son and realized just how true that statement was.

As parents we try to teach our kids right from wrong, keep them safe and give them unconditional love, but sometimes that is easier said than done.

When it comes to personal finance my mom has taught me that you should never spend more than you have, thus using credit cards for "wants" is just not acceptable. My mom loves to shop and some of my fondest memories come from our trips to the mall, even though many times we returned home empty-handed. For us this was a time to chat, share stories, and gush over "cool" outfits we would save up for to buy. It was never really buying the outfits I looked forward to but the time spent with mom, just the two of us.

Today my son and I have this same tradition, going to the mall just to window shop, people watch, and spend one on one time together. We always leave with a special treat from the ice cream shop or a pretzel that never costs more than $5, but for me the moments spent listening to his stories or watching his eyes light up at a new video game he is saving up for are the ones I'll cherish forever.

This week's reading is all about celebrating mom and the simple ways you can do it without busting your budget.

Infographic: Mother's Day Spending In 2012 @Finance_Whiz "Mother's day is this weekend - May 13th. This year, consumers expect to spend an average of $152.52 on mom this year? Where do you stack up?"
Strange Mother's Day Gifts: What's Your Special Gift For Mom? @TheDigeratiLife "Perhaps I'm just the practical sort. But simple sentiment that isn't bought are found in presents of my choice - stuff much like the hand-written letters from my grandmother who has passed away, the cards my preschool child has drawn out for me, or the volcanic rocks I picked up from a trip to Hawaii with my soon to be husband over 15 years ago. You get the picture."
Mother's Day Gifts I REALLY Want @DebtPrincess "That's it really, aside from some cash, health insurance and a full time job I can't think of anything else I really want."
6 Fun and Frugal Activities to Do With Mom on Mother's Day @savvysugar "Mother's Day is coming up this Sunday and if you're thinking of spending the day with her but want to do something more intimate and personal, here are a few fun and frugal ideas."
Check Out This Mother's Day Video @FabandFru"WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FUNNY STORY ABOUT YOU & YOUR MOM? CHECK OUT THIS MOTHER & DAUGHTER VIDEO for a laugh that will put you on the quest to find that perfect Fab & Fru Mother's Day present this year!"
10 Inexpensive Mother's Day Gift Ideas @MyDollarPlan You should not stress over what to get mom for Mother's Day. (Believe me mom doesn't want you to stress out over her.) You can get a thoughtful gift for not a lot of money. The key is to THINK about who you are buying for. For instance my mom likes flowers so that would be an ok gift. If someone bought me flowers I would know they had lost their mind.
A Mom's Work Is Worth $113K Annually. Or Maybe About Half That @Time At Salary.com, the arithmetic is based on the time and value of all the various jobs moms take on, including laundry-machine operator, janitor, van driver, cook, facilities manager, psychologist and CEO (of the entire household). The results show that stay-at-home moms put in one honey of a workweek: 94.7 hours. After factoring in duties and corresponding approximate wages ($36.85 hourly for the "psychologist" role, $13.11 for "cook" responsibilities), a stay-at-home mother is worth an average of $17.80 per hour, or $112,962 annually.

Suzanne Cramer　　

Suzanne is a certified credit counselor and a Social Media Specialist for CareOne Debt Relief Services. Suzanne writes for Divorce, Debt and Finances and A Straight Talk on Debt. Follow Suzanne on Twitter @SuzanneCramer1 　and @AskCareOne where she shares her insights on divorce and managing your finances.

CareOne Community Member Spotlight - Philip

Scoblentz — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

We are continuing our featured segment, CareOne Community Member Spotlight! We are placing the spotlight on some of the familiar members you see engaging in the Community.

These people are taking the time to share their perspective, tips and inspiration about life on a debt relief plan.

We are featuring stories from Debt Management Plan and Debt Settlement Plan customers.

This week we are talking with Philip J. Kendal II, known in our community as Monty33.

How did you hear about CareOne?

I first came across CareOne while doing my own research on debt relief companies on the internet.

What Plan are you enrolled in and how much debt did you start with?

I was enrolled in the Debt Management Plan and started with just under $20,000 in credit card debt.

What caused you to seek help with your debt?

Honestly, I had reached a point where my financial life was completely out of control and it was impeding on other aspects of my life. Every month was a battle trying to figure out how to "squeak by" paying the monthly minimums on my credit cards on top of my other financial obligations.

I considered filing bankruptcy but was not prepared to put myself through that ordeal. I tried to get a personal loan to pay off my credit cards but was turned down. A debt management program became the obvious choice.

Would you recommend CareOne to your family and friends?

I would, and DO recommend CareOne to my family and friends because from the very beginning, from that very first phone call I made to CareOne, they completely put me at ease.

I had actually called another debt company prior to CareOne and was almost scared away from the whole thing. I felt bullied, intimidated, and they sort of made me feel stupid and almost ashamed.

In contrast, CareOne explained the process to me in detail, reassured me that I was doing the right thing by taking control of my situation, and gave me a sense that they knew exactly what I was going through and that it was going to get better.

How has CareOne given you a Second Chance?

CareOne has given me the biggest second chance of my life. I look back at my life the way it was about a year or so before I joined CareOne. Every single day was a struggle.... mostly about money. My days were filled with constant, nagging thoughts of how I was going to pay my bills and keep myself afloat. I wasn't living my life the way I wanted to, I was living to just survive.

Then I joined CareOne and all of that changed, not overnight of course, it was a gradual process that took time. But it's a process I will keep with me forever. Not only did CareOne help get me out of debt, they helped me learn how to budget my money, make smarter choices, and most importantly live my life without credit cards!

My financial life has completely turned around and it's all thanks to the second chance CareOne gave to me.

What advice would you give to those who are searching for debt relief options?

I would say that everyone's situation is different and that it's important to do the research and homework until they find the program that best suits their needs. But I would definitely put CareOne on the top of anyone's list for all of the reasons I've mentioned here.

Tell us something about yourself; a favorite hobby or a quote that helps you stay motivated?

I don't have a quote or anything to put here. All I can say about me is I'm just a regular guy, who works hard every day, and my motivation is just trying to make a better life for myself.

Now that the shackles of credit card debt have finally been removed, I feel like I'm free to do almost anything. And I think that's the best second chance anyone could be given.

To Read More CareOne Community Member Spotlights Click Here!

If you have questions about our Debt Relief Plans you can head to our "Ask the Expert" forum where Coach Tammy can help you!

Financial Expert Spotlight-Brad Chaffee

CoachSuzanne — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

We are talking to financial experts about their experiences with debt. These experts have been in your shoes and are sharing their stories and how their personal experiences with debt have shaped their relationship with money and led them to what they are doing today, helping others.

Today we are talking with Brad Chaffee, owner of Enemy of Debt.

How have you been personally affected by debt?

Not only have I been personally affected by debt but so has my family. My wife and I spent the first years of our marriage living the "American Dream". That dream was bought and paid for using debt. We had credit cards, student loans, car payments, and a bloated sub-prime mortgage payment coupled with a financial mindset that said we were doing everything right. Little did we know at the time but we were sinking into a financial black hole and it caused much stress in our life and in our marriage. We were on a path of destruction living paycheck to paycheck and under the constant pressure of lingering minimum payments. That's when we decided to avoid the financial iceberg that was going to bring us down. It was time to get serious about getting out of debt! That's when our lives would change forever!

How did you manage to get out of debt?

January 1st 2008 we decided to use Dave Ramsey's popular Total Money Makeover program to finally get control of our financial situation before it was too late. We pulled the plug on borrowing forever and started saving our very first emergency fund of $2,000. Once we had that in place, we started our very intentional attack on our debt and we became radical debt eradicators. We sold our "car payment" and anything else we could get our hands on that would help us start knocking it out. We had yard sales, started budgeting, and focused 100% of our attention and financial resources on debt repayment. It took us 20 months to save an emergency fund and pay off $26,000+ of our debt. Now we're 100% debt free and owe no one a penny. It feels absolutely incredible!

What is your blog about?

Enemy of Debt is a blog that concentrates on changing the behaviors that cause us to accumulate debt in the first place. It is about a paradigm shift in how you view your relationship with money -- specifically debt. The blog challenges the very notion that debt is a tool and must be used in order to live a successful and fulfilling life. We don't need car payments, credit cards, credit scores, student loans, or even mortgages to have nice things. It's all a matter of what we're willing to do and sacrifice to have those things without also giving up our freedom. Living debt free is the way to enjoy what life has to offer without making someone else rich in the process. Enemy of Debt is about realizing that and making the changes necessary to avoid living paycheck to paycheck and being able to take advantage of the opportunities that life presents us.

Does your blog give you the opportunity to give back to others dealing with debt?

Being debt free has helped give me the opportunity to help others dealing with debt. My blog is one way to do that. Every year J Money from Budgets Are Sexy get together for our annual Christmas Stimulus. The blog itself also provides an outlet for education and financial awareness to help people better understand what debt is doing to them.

What is your best piece of financial advice?

LET GO! People often cling to their material possessions as if it defines them. Their cars. Their big screen televisions. Their expensive houses. Their entertainment and toys. Pretty much anything that can be bought can be bought again so why not give some of it up temporarily in order to experience a higher quality of life that debt freedom provides. I've seen too many people struggle to get out of debt because they weren't willing to let go of those things. Without debt opportunities are endless and bountiful. I've never before had the chance to take advantage of as many opportunities as I have since becoming debt free. Let go and learn what it means to truly live.

At CareOne we believe personal experiences are what make an expert. Please visit Brad at his blog, Enemy of Debt and learn more about living debt free!

Experiments in Saving – Wait and Wishing Before you buy!

Scoblentz — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

If you are working hard to pay off your debt, every single penny counts. I am embarking on a series of experiments to test some of the most popular savings tips I have heard. I want to know if these tips really make a difference in our ability to budget, save money and pay off our debt!

If you are enrolled in our debt management or debt settlement plans, I would love for you to share your tips on saving money and paying off debt below in the comment section.

Experiment

My latest experiment in saving was to apply the "Wait 30 days before any unnecessary purchase," idea to all of my non-essential purchases. As a function of this test, I incorporated another tip, making a wish list. Any item that I covet will be recorded on the wish list.

Now this may seem silly to many of you already living on a budget. Believe me when I tell you that I don't have the room for these kinds of purchases either, yet it does not prevent me from making them. I live with a lot of shopping regret because I have very poor impulse control. Frankly, I am a little frustrated with myself over my weakness when shopping, so I was pretty excited about this test.

The Situation:

I had to go to our local HomeGoods/TJ Maxx (It's a combo...I know it's awesome!) to find new citronella candles for the deck since we were having a little 'get together.' While wandering through the TJ Maxx side of this store...which I admit was unnecessary since the candles were on the other side...I found the perfect pair of summer sandals.

Instead of picking up the cute sandals and depositing them into my shopping cart...I recorded the brand and price of said sandals on my wish list, which I created in the notes app on my phone. I repeated this process for the cute pair of sunglasses, extra-large beach towel and plastic margarita glasses.

Concerns:

I can't really come up with any legitimate concerns since I am basically making an effort to control non-essential spending.

Here is my illegitimate concern; if I wait too long those sandals will be gone. Of course I ignored said concern for the purposes of this test.

The Reality:

I returned from my shopping trip with exactly what I went in for, nothing extra but a pretty full wish list. As much as I don't want to admit this, it was pretty nice to NOT walk in the door with a slew of impulse driven purchases that needed to be explained to the hubby.

Fast forward one week (not even 30 days) later to the following weekend and I no longer coveted a single item on that wish list. That includes those sandals! What makes it even better is that I discovered that I already own a pair of sandals strikingly similar to the pair I wanted to purchase.

Waiting just one week was all that was required for me to realize that those purchases were both unnecessary and...silly. It was also an eye opener to realize that I was not even aware of what I already owned.

Verdict:

Waiting and wishing is a great way to cut down on impulse shopping and basically wasting money. I learned a lot from this experiment and plan to keep this one going for a long time!

If you have the "Oooohhh shiny" syndrome like me, using the wish list and the wait method can make a pretty big difference in controlling those impulse purchases. If you are sick of dealing with shopping remorse, I implore you try this out!

To read Suzanne's other "Experiments in Saving" click here!

Suzanne Coblentz

Eliminate Boredom in Your Fitness Routine

TimWalker — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

If you're following a proper training regimen, chances are it will feel stale to you at some point as you methodically pursue your workouts. That's not a problem, as long as you know how to vary your routine so it's not boring.

Avoiding boredom will keep you mentally focused on your training, and it could prevent you from training too hard in any one mode. You want to keep mixing it up so that your body can continue to recover and your fitness will continue to improve.

How do you avoid boredom? Read on for my suggestions!

Change the Timing

One of the easiest ways to change the mix of your training is to change the timing. Think of all the ways you can do this:

Spread it out. If you do your training in three long sessions per week, consider how you would split it up into two short workouts per day. For example, how would it change things up for you to exercise for 30 minutes early in the morning, and then 30 minutes at lunchtime?

Concentrate it. Conversely, if all you've been able to do so far is short sessions spread through the week, what if you carved out time for a couple of long workouts -- running, lifting, swimming, or whatever -- each week? That might be the thing to take your fitness to a higher level, especially in terms of endurance.

Very early. Some people swear by their crack-of-dawn workouts, even if they're not "morning people." Would you benefit from completing your training sessions bright and early?

Very late. It's never worked for me, but a friend of mine takes long runs that start at 8 p.m. or later. He says it relaxes him, and that he sleeps better than ever. Maybe worth a shot for you?

Change the Setting

Do you always work out indoors? Always run on the same trail? What if you changed that for the next month?

Go inside. If you usually run outside, how about some intense workouts at the gym? That could me weights, a swim, or treadmill runs at a fast pace. Or it could mean a session with a personal trainer.

Go outside. If you're always working in the gym, change the pace with a workout in the park. Run sprints, do pullups on the monkey bars, climb the big hill -- whatever gets your heart pumping and shakes you out of your routine.

Road or trail? If you typically run on the road, ditch it for the trail now and then. While you're at it, leave your stopwatch behind -- instead of focusing on your pace per mile, focus on running with good form and enjoying every yard you cover out in the woods.

Change the Personnel

Want to bust a training rut? Change the cast of characters participating in your workouts!

With a friend. If you've been working out alone, having a training partner can really change your outlook. If you're the one who's fitter, you'll have better, more thoughtful workouts as you try to bring along your partner. If your partner's fitter, you'll have better workouts as you try to keep up. Either way, you win.

With a team. A friend of mine completed this year's Boston Marathon, and she gave a lot of the credit to the training team she joined, and to the team's coach. The structure of a team -- especially under an expert coach -- can help you reach new levels of performance.

All alone. Maybe you usually work out in a class setting at the gym, or with a running buddy. What would it be like if you set out on your own? Some of my most enjoyable workouts have come when I could train in silence, accompanied by nothing more than my thoughts.

Those are some of my best ideas for changing the mix with your workouts. What would you add?

You ARE an Athlete

Set a Training Schedule and Follow It

Visualize Your Fitness!

Tim Walker

Tim is a writer, marketer, and social media pro living in Austin. He joined CareOne's blogging team as a contributing writer for the Life Balance blog in 2009. As a blogger who has personally overcome debt challenges, he draws from his own experience to provide tips on living a balanced life and keeping fit. You can read more of his thoughts (on fitness and everything else) at his personal blog, What I've Learned So Far. Compensated Blogger for CareOne Debt Relief Services.

Follow Tim on Twitter; @Twalk