Discipline is Freedom - to Win!

Once you have made a commitment for any change, it is important that you remain disciplined in the actions required for that change. Great athletes may make the decision to run the race, throw the ball, tackle the opposition or swim to the end of the pool. But what is the point without an audience, a reward, a prize? Any athlete would be ecstatic to have a supportive team of family, friends and professionals who cheered them on before, during and at the point of their win. Even if they lose the game or event, they still win. Knowing they did their best as disciplined athletes and were supported by a proactive approach of the entire team of supportive members gives all involved a sense of accomplishment.

When we engage disciplines towards any goal, it is important that we find those who “connect” with us, and walk as quickly as possible past those who consistently resist or tempt us. Resistance is important to identify, for it may actually strengthen us; but only if it is used for that end. If we are intimidated by resistance, we will weaken and may become lackadaisical. When we are tempted, I believe the intent is to take us off our course. No win, no prize and no reward. The truth is, you may still need to keep Advil in your medicine cabinet for the resistance to your decision and the temptation to alter your path, but a simple harassment headache becomes very expensive if you give up! So rather, use resistance and temptation to become stronger and more determined to be disciplined. Let these negative attributes challenge you to build “muscle” for the demand of your pursuit.

Discipline is freedom. Discipline is not a dirty word to be feared and ignored. It is a key practice that will gain a result and resolve. Stephen R. Covey once wrote, “The undisciplined are slaves to moods, appetites and passions”. Your self-discipline involves acting according to what you think instead of how you feel in the moment. Often it involves sacrificing the pleasure and thrill of the moment for what matters most in life. Discipline needs the “one” to make the decision, and then it needs a team of supportive family, friends and professionals who can get the job done! Discipline is practiced with your freedom to choose. Discipline if chosen provides for the movement toward your goal. Disciplined movement, with consistency and a team of supporters allows for reaching the point intended! It’s pretty clear: discipline fortifies your potential win. Discipline is freedom! Freedom to participate, to win, to gain the prize and to experience the reward!

Wow, let’s be disciplined!

Poll: 67% cutting back on holiday spending. More than two-thirds of people surveyed in a CNN poll reporting belt-tightening!

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Americans say the sagging economy is making the holiday season more stressful than previous years, according to a CNN poll out Monday, with up to two-thirds of them reporting some belt-tightening. Four in 10 people questioned in the CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey said the recession is adding stress to their holiday season. The poll found 67% of the 1,096 adults questioned said they are cutting the amount they plan to spend on Christmas or Hanukkah gifts, and 65% said they are cutting back on leisure travel, dining out or going to the movies.
“That means that cutting back on holiday is the number one way that Americans are reacting to the recession,” CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said. “More Americans are cutting their gift-giving budget than are cutting back in any other category of spending, from leisure activities, like going to movies or restaurants, to clothing to major purchases such as furniture or other appliances.”

Manage your spending

In the poll, 31% of respondents said they had cut back on necessities such as food or medicine, and 38% said they had cut heating or electric bills. Half said they have postponed a major purchase like furniture or appliances — always a bad sign for the economy.

Simple Living wants you to have a good life, and when you want that too, you will make choices that will be beneficial to you, your family and society.  This holiday, choose to show your love and appreciation for those in your world with words and expressions – which are free and yet priceless!

Happy Holidays!

I Can’t Cover the Bills on My Current Income

By Miriam Caldwell, About.com

It can be depressing and frightening to realize that you do not make enough money to cover your monthly expenses. This can happen, especially if you have overextended yourself with debt. This situation requires immediate action, and you should do all that you can to change the situation as quickly as possible. You should take a five step approach to the problem, and be working on these areas at the same time.

1. Reduce Your Expenses

First you need to find ways to reduce your expenses. There is almost always at least one more area that you can cut back in. You may need to find a roommate to share your apartment or find a way to carpool to work. You can cut back on your food budget or keep the heat turned down. These smaller things can help to reduce your expenses. You need to stop spending money on things that are not necessities. This would include new clothes, eating out or vacations. Stop using your credit cards as well. They will only make the situation worse.

2. Find Additional Income

Second you need to find an additional source of income or a new job. This may mean that you take on an additional part-time job. You may be able to pick up extra hours at work. You may decide to sell some things to help pay off some debt. The second job or additional income may only be necessary until you are able to meet all of your needs on your original source of income. This can help you to be motivated to work harder and to pick up extra hours, so that you can quit sooner.

3. Find a Long Term Solution

Third you need to look for a long term solution. This may mean that you need to receive further education or certification for your line of work or it may mean that you need an entire career change. If you have not attended college, you may consider doing this as it really does increase your earning power. As you consider these options be sure that you choose something that you could enjoy doing that is practical as well. You want to be able to benefit from the extra education in a practical sense as well.

4. Work With Your Creditors

Fourth contact your creditors and see if you qualify for a reduced payment or forbearance of some kind. Student loans will offer forbearance if you can prove economic hardship. Credit card companies can temporarily reduce interest rates, or reduce the amount you owe each month, though they may require you stop using the credit card.

5. Remember Your Priorities

Fifth it is important that you cover your basic needs before you pay your creditors. This means that you have enough food to eat, a roof over your head, and your utilities are on, then you pay your bills, and then you have fun. This order of priorities is essential if you are going to survive the next few months and come out ahead.

Chase Mortgage Loan Assistance Program Is Defrauding Great Paying Customers With impeccable Credit Ratings Who Have Fallen On Hard – Mortgage Borrower’s Assistance Program Passed Into Law By President Obama

Posted By: dolphin61 on 8/10/2009:

 

Original Link from www.My3Cents.com: http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.cgi?id=60423 

 

In March 2009, just two months after losing my job I contacted Chase Mortgage to advise of my situation and that I might have a problem making my full mortgage payment in the coming months. Being a honest, hardworking, NEVER LATE paying customer with a credit score of 853 – IN GOOD FAITH I explained to Chase that I was trying to be PROACTIVE in order to protect my good standing.

I have sent them documents 3 times, and have called & emailed them pleas to please expedite processing my Mortgage Borrower’s Assistance application. Here it is August 10, 2009 and I’m still waiting.

I called Chase again on August 7 asking for the status and advised that I have completely drained my checking, savings, IRA account, and 401(k), and even had to sell my wife and I wedding rings – after almost 30 years of marriage in order to come up with the money to pay our mortgage. Does Chase care? ABSOLUTELY NOT! In fact, when I spoke to the Chase representative on August 7, he was down right rude with me stating that they are trying to process thousands of requests, which I can understand knowing that I’m not the only one in similar predicament. He rudely told me that someone will contact me to request updated documents and could take another 30-90 days before it’s processed.

I firmly believe that Chase is not abiding Obama’s legislation, which should be against the law. He is trying to help the working class of this nation, but companies like Chase could care less. I believe that they are deliberlity delaying helping honest customers, which is unlawful and is causing good people extreme financial hardship. I have been without work since January 2009, now my wife has lost her job, without Chase’s concern or I should state THEIR BLATANT NEGLECT, they are forcing me into personal bankruptcy.

 

 

I have no choice, I honestly tried to PROACTIVELY ADDRESS this issue more than 5 months ago. I’ve read other angry customers comments about Chase and I’m appalled by their thieving audacity by further crippling our nation’s economy by their thieving, procrastinating tactics.

Chase all I can say, is that I tried…I honestly tried to do what was honest & just to come to you in good faith for help during a desperate time of financial misfortune. Yes, if forced into bankruptcy, I may lose my house and by outstanding credit rating, but never again will I do business with you…but what do you care! I look forward to oneday driving by your corporate headquarters to see a once fruitful company driven into bankruptcy as well. Instead of filing or shredding your credit card offers and such, I think we will start using your marketing materials is toilet paper because your business ethics and concerning for great citizens of the US has gone down the toilet…so should your marketing materials.

 

Simple Living Today’s Commentary:

 

Once again this is the sad reality many of us in the general population are facing. It seems like every day I hear of a friend or associate who is moving, down sizing, letting their home go, or trading in their car on a voluntary repossession.

 

During the initial phases of this crisis we may have shrugged our shoulders and said, “Well, they bought more than they can afford” or “they were living beyond their means”. In some cases this was true, but in other cases it is the loss of a job (or two) that could place us on the path of financial disaster…. Everyone is being affected by this epidemic and there is little or no relief from the creditors, even for the most outstanding of credit worthiness. Creditors are relentless in their collection attempts and the robotic, emotionless drones working the phones are numb to the emotional distress we are facing.

 

The banks and creditors have lost touch with their consumer. Our consumption of debt has caused many of us who have fallen on hard times to be treated more as sheep lead to slaughter as opposed to solid lifelong clients. This is an interesting contrast as most of us have been outstanding, long term, good paying clients of which the credit companies and lending institutions have profited BILLIONS of dollars from.

 

I can only hope that this mistreatment from those who were once viewed as bedrock of our financial security be viewed as an injustice to us the consumer. A sort of injustice that will always be remembered and never forgotten.

 

This economy will eventually rebound as IT ALWAYS DOES! And when it does make a comeback and we are all once again back on our feet, I hope we remember this lesson. I hope that we use credit when it is only absolutely necessary (hopefully never) and that we put less faith in the credit companies and more trust in our own financial planning and savings accounts. It will be a happy day in the not too distant future when we are all once again working and earning and it is the large banks and lending institutions that are begging for clients. I look forward to a cash and carry way of spending!

 

  

 

Fast and Easy Credit Tips to Boost Your FICO Score:

By Doug Minor of www.EasyCreditRelief.com

 

Credit Tip #1: Credit Card Debt Ratio

Where should your credit card debt ratio be? Let’s say that your credit card bills are at 80% of the total limits that your bank allows. At a minimum, try and get your balance below 50% of your total available credit. If you can afford, it would be even better to get it below 30%. If you can somehow find the means it is ideal to get the cards below 10% and/or pay them off completely if you’re financial situation allows for it.

Bringing down your debt ratio can make a huge difference to your FICO score and save you hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars of your financial lifetime.

Credit Tip #2: Keep Your Cards Active

An important rule is to make sure that you use your credit cards once at least every 6 months. When you don’t use your credit card it will start reporting to the credit bureaus as inactive. An inactive account will not actively report your debt ratio and you will ultimately lose the history of that credit card. The combination of these factors could actually lower your credit score.

You will want to use your credit cards occasionally, as to keep them active and reporting a long standing credit history. A good practice would be to use the cards for a part of your monthly budget that you ALREADY have the money set aside for, such as a utility bill. At the end of the month when you would normally write the bill out to the utility company, just make the check out to the credit card company instead. This will ensure that your card remains active and is reporting your history to the credit card bureaus.

Credit Card Tip #3: Don’t Close or Cancel Your Credit Cards

Never close your credit cards. It is one of the worst things that you can do that will affect your credit score. Although it may feel empowering to finally close a credit card account, this may actually do more harm than it does good. When you close an account it will actually raise your debt ratio and lower the average age of your credit file. Debt ratio and credit age are two huge factors in determining your FICO score.

Credit Card Tip #4: Ask for Credit Limit Increases

It is a good idea to ask for an increase on your credit limits every 6 months or so. Equally as important as asking is the manner in which you ask. When asking for a limit increase, say “”Would you please raise my credit limit based on my past payment history and not run a credit report on me”.  If they will accommodate then great, but if not understand that an inquiry may cause a slight decrease in your credit score.  However, this slight decrease in your credit score will be offset by the increased limit which will help you out in the long run by lowering your debt ratios.

 

Simple Living Today Summary:

As you know we at Simple Living Today view the FICO scoring model as nothing more than a formula used by the banks in order to calculate how much further they may safely bury you the consumer in debt. However, we also understand that Living Simple does not mean trading in your car for a bike and living in a box. We get it! Credit makes the world go round and that you will need a decent FICO at various points in your life to get a car, purchase a house, or even turn on your electricity without an added deposit.

Therefore we advocate an aggressive approach to FIRST eliminating and removing revolving debt from a normal part of your lifestyle. An aggressive approach all be it through extreme budgeting, bankruptcy or debt settlement will have an impact on your score. The second phase is where we focus on good habits and rebuilding our credit score. It is important to understand that we must get to first base in order to get to second.

What I mean by this is that our FICO score cannot be our #1 priority. We cannot be so attached to our credit score that we continue to keep ourselves on the hamster wheel of debt. We must first break the cycle and then focus on rebuilding our score once we are free from the shackles of debt.

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.  ~Hans Hofmann, Introduction to the Bootstrap, 1993

Less Debt – American consumers reduced their outstanding debt by $12 billion or 5.8 percent (annualized) in August, more than the $10 billion analysts expected, according to the Federal Reserve. Total consumer outstanding debt now stands at $2.46 trillion, which includes credit cards, store cards, auto and personal loans, but not mortgages or other debt related to real estate. In July, consumer debt dropped 9.1 percent, the largest decrease since June 1975. The decline reflects both less consumer spending and tighter credit standards among lenders.

Let’s hope this trend continues….

Here is an interesting article about how the recent actions of the credit card companies could actually RAISE the level of defaults:

Before the recession began a little over a year ago, credit card companies were offering some of the most attractive rates and balance transfers ever seen. Many people were using credit cards to not just supplement their lifestyles, but many also began using these offers as a means of financing their businesses. GET THE FULL STORY HERE…

Admits the tough economic times we are currently facing, I so often hear of people clinging to their credit score as if it is a source of pride or in some cases more important than putting food on the table or shoes on our children’s feet. I don’t mean to sound like a doomsday kind of guy, but the fact is that the credit card companies and the banking institutions have done an amazing job in marketing and convincing us that our identity and who we are is somehow attached to our credit score.

Truth be told a good credit score will save us money in future interest charges. However, quite frankly the credit scoring system is a formula used to inform the banks and lending institutions how much further they can bury us in debt without risking loss on their precious interest charges. The lower the score, the higher the risk and therefore the higher the interest charges and fees.

Credit scoring has nothing to do with identity let alone self worth, but rather it’s all about business! The business of convincing us the consumer that the lower our credit scores, the lower our self worth and social acceptance.

The bottom line is that credit scores go up and credit scores go down. As this roller costar of numbers changes at the latest inquiry or missed payment nothing changes with who you are, let alone yourself worth. So, stop being so attached to a mathematical scoring system.

If during these troubling financial times you are able to stay current and make your payments, then consider yourself blessed. But, if you are one of the millions of Americans who are falling behind on credit card payments and are unable to stay current; don’t stress and most importantly don’t buy into the doomsday threats of bill collectors. Stay your course and do the best you can with what you have. Remember, that there is a season to every financial cycle and this storm shall pass as the ones prior.

Welcome to Simple Living Today! Simple living is more than a concept, it’s a passion and a movement, but what is Simple Living? Is it a commitment to poverty and riding a bike to work? The quick answer is NO! But more on that later…

Simple Living is a decision to live within and the very least and quite possibly BELOW your means. Really, do we need all this STUFF that we have accumulated and continue to purchase? If it’s anything that this latest and greatest recession has taught us, is that the gross overspending and overabundance lifestyle of the past decade has brought nothing more than more stress and more headaches.

More stress and headaches trying to buy and maintain the biggest house, the best looking imported car, and let’s not forget the most expensive and must have clothes for the season.

We’re here to say NONSENSE! For as long as I can remember we were conditioned to believe that we are defined by what we drive, how big our house is, and how much we spend entertaining others. The sad truth is that everyone was wearing that same mask of keeping up with the next person. It had become such an out of control game that it quickly ventured off path to a point where we had lost our way.

The great Real Estate crash was a wakeup call for everyone.  Causing us to take a hard look at what is real and what matters most! For me and a lot of my friends what mattered most were our families as well as a form of social contribution.

With the dice cast and direction chosen, we decided to start out on a journey of simplification and reduction in order to pursue our true passions. Some knew their passions as they were clear as day, whereas others are still searching. But, the point is in order to pursue one’s passion and live a life of purpose and desire we ALL need to step off of the treadmill of spending and debt!

In our next portion we will begin a 6 part series on reducing and eliminating debt!

Welcome to Simple Living Today!