book review, books

I Wish They Taught Money In High School {Back-to-Back Book Review}

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books, reading, book review, money talks, money matters

These back-to-back books about money, penned by 2 good friends, were the very first book for review that I received this year and rather timely, too, as I really aim to change my attitude towards money this 2014 and, hopefully, build up my savings and more! The 2-books-in-1 come in two parts: the one for those who aspire to start their own business, while the other one tackles the topic of living beyond your regular paycheck. The books were written in a very simple, down-to-earth manner that each of us will understand. Those business and money jargon that would definitely give those who read about them a nosebleed, is surprisingly explained in layman’s terms, which are much easier to digest. Each book is comprised of 50 or so pages, which makes it very easy to read, too, anyone can finish them in one reading. I was just not able to read it as soon as I can as I have been preoccupied with other matters, but I bought it in one of the little man’s playschool/tutorial session and I was able to finish it in one sitting. So now I am off to sharing this wonderful blessing with you.

I wish They Taught Money In High School in a nutshell

books, reading, book review, money talks, money matters

The other side of the book, So I’m Not Dependent On My Paycheck, speaks about how you can stop being dependent on your paycheck. Keeping a regular day-job herself, author Clarissa Seriña-De La Paz talked about tips and ways on how one can start making passive income while keeping their regular 9-5 job. It is chock full of practical yet brilliant ideas on how one can augment his income from his regular job and finally become financially independent. One important point the book stressed out is that the change in our attitude towards money can really make a big difference in how we handle our finances. A shift in our “moneytude” can actually spell the difference between us being dependent on our paycheck to the day we retire or accumulating actual assets that will enable us to earn even while we were sleeping! The author encourages her reader to not be afraid to talk about money, to learn more about it, and use it to work to their advantage.

The author imparts these 5 interesting tips on how you can finally stop being dependent on your paycheck:

  • Start small
  • Make a habit
  • Acquire more knowledge
  • Raise the bar of creativity
  • Think outside your salary

Another point this book clarifies is to not be afraid of applying for those credit cards and making it work in a way that it would become an asset to any cardholder, instead of a liability. Applying for a credit card and using it smartly, opening a bank account with a Php10,000 maintaining balance, as well as continuously creating something out of nothing {which, in return, enables anyone to earn} are a few of the tried and tested secrets the author revealed.

Lastly, and it was rather surprising to read this in a “money” book as I initially thought they would just speak about money, wealth and 1,001 ways to acquire them, the author shared that “the most powerful secret of all is gratitude.” She encourages her readers to maintain a grateful attitude and notice how a shift in their point of view attracts tangible richness.

books, reading, book review, money talks, money matters

The other side of the book, So I Can Start My Own Business Right Away, on the other hand, talks about exactly that, how to start your own business even when you have little or no capital. This book sure defies our age-old belief that only those who have the means, the money, to start up their own business can actually do so. The author, Sharon W. Que, who has been exposed to the family business since she was 2, talks about how she views owning and running her own business as a way of life. She discussed how one can start up with a small capital and multiplying the income you get from this business by participating in other money-making pursuits.

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simple pleasures

My Gratitude Journal

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me-time, simple pleasures

If there is one thing that I want to achieve this 2014, that is to be truly happy. I know that happiness is a choice and also entails a lot of hard work. One has to continue choosing to be happy every single day. I know, too, that maintaining a grateful attitude gets half the job done, that is why I am proceeding with this long-over-due project, my Gratitude Journal. I got the idea from Oprah all those many years ago. It was a simple exercise and what one has to do is to write down something that you are grateful for for each day of the year. At the end of the year, you would’ve had 365 gratefuls! I have been wanting to do the exercise but I never had the chance until now. I guess this is also a variation of the Happiness Jar, where you will write one thing that makes you happy every single day, place them in a special jar and re-read everything you have written at the end of the year.

I also meant to write more this year, so the Gratitude Journal fits me to a T. I miss journaling and hopefully this year will be the year that I will find the time and muster enough inspiration to fill up the pages of my several-years-neglected journal. I hope so, too, that my muse, who’ve wandered off to nowhere all those many years ago, will finally return to me.

For this project I am using this old purple notebook, which my sister gave to me a few years back, and different pens in assorted colorful shades. This is an exercise I wish to pass down to my little man. I will make sure to get him a gratitude journal of his own once he is old enough to write on his own.

Do you plan to keep a gratitude journal this year, too, or do you have an entirely different project brewing. Do share it in a comment below.

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Tips and Tricks

5 Bad Habits That You Need To Break NOW!

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You might have just enrolled for a grueling fitness schedule, have a ridiculous diet plan in front of you that needs to be followed, and the best intentions possible to see that this new year will not be like the old — that is — lose stubborn weight once and for all. But all this will come to naught if you are still stuck in the rut, if you still have habits that refuse to die hard! Maybe you don’t realise it, but there are certain traits that are actually detrimental to your weight loss goals and you might not even be aware of it. Here are 5 leadingreasons why diets fail and weight loss goals remain a distant dream. Identify these habits now and break them as you kick start the year with renewed vigour and determination.

tips + tricks, health, healthy eating
image by Ambro from freedigitalphotos.net
  1. Eating in front of the television ~ A recent study conducted by the University of Birmingham pointed out that those individuals who were distracted while eating food consumed much more than when they were focused on the meal. If you have been habituated to eating in front of television, you will need to realize that it might not be helping your situation. Instead take the time to step away from the television for that brief period of time that you are eating food and pay close attention to what you are eating. Not only will you be able to control the portion of food but also relish the flavors present in your plate.
  2. Eating in a large social group ~ When people get together with friends, family or in a community setting they happen to eat much more in that particular social setting. Especially, while watching a game with friends, most of us mindlessly grab a handful of fries and crisps without realizing how much we are consuming. In addition, if there are others who are overindulging in eating it becomes very easy to follow them without realizing the consequences.
  3. Boozing ~ Any one of us who has enjoyed the pleasant effects of alcohol may have also experienced the self-consciousness-lowering effects of the same, after more than what our capacity used to be. And even if a little alcohol is just fine from time to time, it actually sabotages one’s weight loss goals as it not only adds to the calorie consumption but also allows the individual to eat at will, without paying any attention to what is being consumed and the amount that is being consumed.
  4. Eating straight from the box ~ If you are eating directly from the package, all sense of portion control is lost. Whether one is eating crisps from a bag that is from a jar, or ice cream from the gallon; it becomes difficult to portion out the food even after having consumed more than one serving. Researchers from the Cornell University revealed that participants who ate out of a multiple serving package went on a bingeing rampage, as compared to those who were given just a portion of the serving that they were supposed to eat. Pay close attention to the size of the portion that you are consuming and if given a choice, refrain from eating straight out of the box.
  5. Consuming empty calories ~ Most of us who sit down for a snack usually reach out for candy, cookies or chips. These food products containing nothing more than mere, simple carbohydrates and sugars which is why most people go to town bingeing on them without ever feeling satiated. Foods that are rich in dense nutrients contain protein, fiber, vitamins and water content that make one feel full with just a small portion as compared to the empty feeling that the large bag of crisps gives you.

Mum’s Two Cents

If you aim to lose a number of unwanted pounds this year {like I always do every new year}, then you ought to heed these tips mentioned above. My particular favorite, and am sure most people are guilty of, is tip Number 5. I am prone to mindless snacking sometimes, too,and the best way I combat this is to not stock up on chips and other junk foods whenever I go to the grocers. Old bad habits might be a little bit too hard to break, but with an ounce of discipline, plus a good amount of determination, I know that we can all ace this one. So here’s to bidding those bad habits goodbye this year and saying hello to a fitter, healthier us! 🙂

Joe Bianchi is a fitness and lifestyle enthusiast, concerning himself mostly with writing articles related to weight loss, healthy living, overall being etc. He is affiliated to Nutra Pure HCG, a store that sells hCG drops that aid in weight loss.

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