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Blog Post of the Week! – New Site Design Edition

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Ah, blog post of the week…how we’ve missed you.

But I’m going to have to half-ass this first installment. I didn’t get much time to read this week….we’re still moving furniture around here, but here it goes:

I l-o-v-e-d Matt Becker’s post at MomandDadMoney.com on picking life insurance. He’s even created a worksheet that you can use to figure out your own It’s a thoughtful piece about all the steps necessary to tackle that hard-ass (and often boring) task.

Here’s this week’s winner: How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?

Congrats! Matt, congrats on your prize. Here it is:

You may print this out and place it carefully on your fridge.

Another great post? Done By 40 met with the people at Personal Capital. Check out his experience.

By the way….Happy Friday, Stackers!

OG & I hope you love the redesign of our new home. That’s not all you’re getting. We’re unleashing a new wave of fun, actionable financial tips that’ll keep you comin’ back for more.

Big News For Us

The Stacking Benjamins podcast is within 100 downloads of 10,000 per month! Never listened to our shows?

Check out Stacking Benjamins and 2 Guys & Your Money.

Stuff Going On

I’m taking part in the $1,000 savings throwdown. Paula Pant of AffordAnything threw darts….John at FrugalRules is using a single index fund….and I’m going small cap. Want to hear my winning strategy? Here it is.

Pauline at SavvyScot is running a New Year Financial Bootcamp. Check it out!

Tonya ran a trail run on her quest for 13.1 coming up soon.

Kathleen got engaged (I’ve been told we’ll read about that from her soon).

Jefferson’s building niche sites.

What’s your big news? Share below.

The 5 Dumbest New Year’s Resolutions of All Time

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New Years.

A time of overeating, watching football or old movies, and resolving to do better, maybe a week or two in the future…..

Are we at that point yet? Is anyone “doing better” yet?

Resolving and actually “doing” better are two totally different things, aren’t they? New Year’s resolutions are usually bound to fail….especially if you try any of these silly tactics:

5 Dumbest New Year’s Resolutions Phrases

1)   Losing weight “on your own”: Yeah, I know. You’re going to lose weight or build savings without any help from your friends. This resolution is like putting a bunch of French fries in front of you and saying you won’t eat them. Of course you’ll eat them….willpower is baloney. Don’t count on any goal that you’ll do “without help.”

Who needs to reinvent the wheel?

 

Better solution: find someone who’s done it before and ask them for help.

 

2)   Joining a gym so you’ll work out. Back when I belonged to a gym (before I began working out with friends), my least favorite time of year was the first two weeks of January. The gym was packed with people I’d never seen before….and wouldn’t see again the rest of the year.

Don’t convince yourself that by joining ANYTHING you’ll actually make the commitment to change. Instead, build systems to change. For workouts, force yourself out of bed at a certain time. Join chat groups on working out.  Read magazines. Track your progress.

Create goals that begin with “How can I learn about this now and then spend money when I prove I’ll stick with it?…..”

 

Better solution: create surround sound environment so you succeed in your goals….and spend money later, once you know you’re serious.

 

5 dumbest resolutions ever_FFA

3)   Deciding to save more every month by “writing a check.” Nobody….and I mean nobody…..writes a check toward their goals. If we want to get all 2010 about it, nobody even presses buttons to transfer money from one account to another. Do you know how the ballers do it? They save automatically. If you have to think for only a minute about your goals, you’re toast.


Better solution: Set up a system of saving that doesn’t require you to think.

 

4)   “I’ll try and…..” 

Best. Solution. Ever.: Repeat after Yoda. There is no try. Only do.

5)   I’ll cut back on smoking. Making a change halfway is a sign that you really aren’t commited to the goal. Want to achieve something? You can’t be half pregnant. Go for it. Don’t cut back on smoking: stop completely. Don’t save “a little more” toward your goals: find out what they cost and create a plan. Don’t try and budget this year: set up an account at Mint or Yodlee and track every penny automatically.

 

Better solution: Create automatic systems that will change your behavior completely.

Photo: Jeff_Golden

Consumerism on a Budget: Why Americans Proudly Use and Love Coupons

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Maybe Americans love of extreme couponing has something to do with their Puritan roots. While the word “frugal” probably wasn’t tossed around when the early settlers set up shop on American shores, making the food stretch and getting through the harsh New England winters certainly required vast amounts of foresight and budgeting. According to statistics compiled by the coupon-and-promo-code site RetailMeNot, which surveyed 10,000 consumers from 11 countries, Americans are the most frugal shoppers and deal hunters in the world. Numbers don’t lie, but what do these statistics say about our society?

Taking Pride in Saving Money

According to RetailMeNot, nearly half (48 percent) of consumers in the United States said that they use coupons such as sams club coupons as a symbol of their savvy shopping. Whether cutting food coupons from the Sunday newspaper or clicking through websites for Black Friday-type sales, in the end, it doesn’t matter if we shop at a brick and mortar store or find it online, we pride ourselves in saving money on products and gravitate towards places with the best deals, discounts and sales. Of course, why Americans spend so much time devoted to finding the best deal is another question; for many shoppers, bargain hunting is a hobby, sport and Grail quest all rolled into one. Our society may be comprised of entrepreneurial money-makers, but it is also a society of getting the most out of our money. Those 17th century Puritans would be proud.

America’s Most Coupon Loving Cities

So if we are a nation of couponers, what cities and regions take the gold medal when it comes to bargain hunting? According to DailyFinance, Midwestern and Southern shoppers love digital coupons, with Atlanta taking the top spot as the city with the most online couponers. Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington D.C. have the most frugal shoppers in the Northeast (notice the exception of New York). In Coupons.com’s Top 25 Most Frugal Cities list, the West Coast is the least frugal region in the nation, with only Seattle making the cut. What, if anything, does this say about Californians?

Couponing as Couture

People have always cut coupons and looked for doorbuster deals at stores. Who doesn’t want to save a couple of bucks, right? Budget shopping, however, gained popular attention following the 2008 recession. It makes sense. If you’re not in a good financial position, you will look to budget and cut costs everywhere you can. Savvy shopping became trendy, a sort of fashion-cum-lifestyle statement.

Just as all fashion fads rise and fall, however, couponing is not as trendy as it once was. According to NCH Marketing Services, manufacturers sent 305 billion coupons into circulation in the U.S. last year. That’s roughly the same total as 2011. However, the number of coupons used by consumers in 2012 measured 2.9 billion, representing a dip of 17 percent compared to the year before. Still, the question remains: are Americans more financially secure today and therefore using less coupons, or is the couponing craze as a trendy lifestyle statement waning? It all depends on whether you ask a budget-shopper or a spendthrift.

5 Cardinal Sins That Kill New Businesses – 2GYM 059

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Thinking of starting a new business? Listen to this podcast first! OG & Joe tackle five big mistakes that new small business owners make. Most new businesses are doomed before they begin because they fail to remember a few basic rules. Our list of five includes both some of the basics AND some of the tricks that super-successful businesses are able to use to beat the competition.

SHOW NOTES

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<> Amazon.com – Give yourself a last-minute holiday gift! Head to Amazon.com to score your favorite deals. When you use our handy link you’ll also help the podcast. Thanks for supporting 2 Guys and Your Money!

<> 5 Mistakes Small Businesses Make

 

Starting Something New: How Online Commerce is Changing the Modern Retail Store

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Retail stores are so desperate to compete with one another that Black Friday now starts right after the last slice of pumpkin pie has been devoured on Thanksgiving. The trend towards increased sales has a lot to do with the rise in popularity of eCommerce, according to Forbes. There are retail stores in New York City willing to reinvent themselves every 4 weeks just to garner the kind of interest necessary to stay in business. This is why when setting up a new business in the retail sector, it is necessary to have the kind of setup which will allow you to succeed.

Starting with the basics is always essential, according to Inc.com. The costs are going to be high, but not nearly as much as when opening a restaurant. The majority of the money you are investing will go into the inventory you are selling. You will need to have an electronic point of sale system, a theme which garners interest and the willingness to try new technology. These things will help you to get started and may even set the groundwork to help you enjoy the kind of long-term success you have always dreamed of.

Purchase the Right POS System

Selling anything requires the use of an electronic point of sale system. You no longer have to buy dedicated POS systems, which can be used for nothing other than a POS system. Now, you can purchase an entire system that is centered around the use of an iPad. This includes using a printer, card reader and cash drawer all attached to the app which is downloaded into the iPad itself. At the end of the day, you can remove the iPad and use it any way you want to. This is perfect for anyone who is thinking about starting a retail store and also owns an iPad. If not, what a great reason to purchase one! The software from the POS app can help you organize and maintain your inventory. You will not have to sit in a dark back room crunching the numbers anymore. Just take your iPad home with you and work out the numbers in comfort.

Choose a Great Theme

The theme of your retail location needs to engage the kinds of people who are most likely to purchase from you to begin with. While you may not have the wherewithal to change your theme every 4 weeks like a retail location in New York City, you can still choose an awesome theme that people can get excited about. The theme should pertain to the kinds of merchandise you are selling and the kinds of people you are catering to. Also, make sure you are being creative with your theme. The more you can engage those people who buy from you, the more likely you are to bring in even more clientele.

Try New Technology

New technology is highly important to bringing in new clientele as well. Just like using the iPad as part of your electronic point of sale system, you can use iPads to engage clients while they are looking at products. Customers are always impressed by new technology and the use of new devices can help to put you on the map for tech savvy individuals. Just don’t spend money on technology just to have it. Make sure you invest in technology that is functional as well as cool looking. This way, you will get more than just some interested glances from the people who enter the store. Using these can help to set you apart from the other businesses without putting your business in jeopardy.

How To Sell Your House During The Holidays – 2 Guys and Your Money 58

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You’ve read the article on our site….now let’s discuss it on our podcast!

Everyone says the holiday season is a horrible time to try and sell a home….but we think you can use the festive atmosphere to your advantage. How do you sell a house during the holidays? We share some tips and tricks to help you hurdle holiday challenges and turn them into assets.

Show Notes

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<> Jemstep.com – How is your portfolio organized? If your answer is “I’m not sure,” maybe it’s time to check out Jemstep before the end of the year. Visit the site here….take a free tour. Use promo code STACK to score a free month!

<> How to Sell Your House During the Holidays

Selling Your Home During the Holidays

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If you are hoping to ring in the New Year in a new home, the holidays may be the perfect time to put your current house on the market. While your own circumstances and the local real estate market play a major role in deciding when to list a house, listing during the holiday season is no longer considered taboo. In fact, listing a house during the holidays may actually be to your advantage. Below are three reasons to consider selling your home during the holidays – and how to position your home for a quick sale:

Buyers are always looking at potential homes online.

In the past, conventional wisdom said that buyers simply did not have the time to view open houses and wade through real estate listings during the holiday season. While last-minute shopping trips and holiday travel may make for poor open house attendance, buyers are still looking for potential homes. Thanks to popular smartphone and tablet apps like Trulia and Zillow, would-be home owners can now browse listings on their morning commute or while waiting to pick up the kids from school.

Be sure your home’s online listing is up-to-date and features flattering, high-res pictures of each room. Consider hiring a professional stager to truly showcase your house for the online photos and create a video tour.

Housing inventory is lighter during the holidays.

Despite the shift in buyers’ behavior, there is still a misconception that buyers are not shopping for homes during the holiday season. Consequently, many real estate agents continue to discourage sellers from listing until after the New Year. This means that if you do list your home now, there will be less competition.

Stand out even further from the competition by completing minor home repairs, such as touching-up the paint, replacing leaky faucets, and repairing cabinet scratches. Have your home inspected for pests, like dry wood termites. A certification that your home is pest-free will put buyers’ minds at ease and assure them that it is move-in ready.

Seasonal décor puts buyers in the mood.

From “Miracle on 34th Street” to “It’s a Wonderful Life,” there’s nothing quite like being home for the holidays. Tasteful seasonal decor helps buyers imagine what it will be like to celebrate the holidays in your home. Prior to hosting an open house, make your home feel cozy and inviting by lighting the fireplace, playing soft classical music, and offering homemade treats. When your home is warm, cozy and tastefully decorated, buyers will spend more time inside admiring your home’s best features.

When decking the halls, keep your home’s curb appeal in mind, too. Your home may look like a winter wonderland from the street, but that doesn’t mean potential buyers will appreciate icy sidewalks or snow-covered driveways. Bare trees equal a more exposed home, so be sure to touch up exterior paint, clean the gutters, and shovel stairs and walkways.

Afraid To Meet With a Financial Advisor? Here’s How the First Meeting Goes – 2GYM 057

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Never met with a financial advisor and worried about what will happen? OG & Joe pull back the curtain this week and show you how the meeting SHOULD go while cautioning you against how it MIGHT go.

Subscribe to the podcast through iTunes and new episodes will show up every week!

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Would you rather listen on your smartphone? Try Stitcher or the iPhone podcast app. We’re available on both platforms, as well as Windows Phone, Blackberry Podcast App, Podcatcher, TuneIn, and more!

 

Show Notes

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<> Amazon.com – Hunting for gifts this holiday season? If you’re shopping on Amazon.com, how about using the 2 Guys & Your Money Amazon link? You’ll still get the same great Amazon deals while also helping the show. Thanks! Here’s the link.

<> Meeting With a Financial Advisor For The First Time

What questions should you ask? What should you expect? What SHOULDN’T you expect? Joe & OG have a discussion (and a few disagreements) about that first meeting and how to choose an advisor.

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