Do you need a motivational and inspirating jump-start towards your financial freedom?  Do you long to have your money work for you instead of you working for your money?  Are you tired of credit card debt and want your life back?

No, I do not have a quick and easy push button solution for $9.95!  I wish it was that easy.  However, there is an excellent speaker and financial expert that I strongly encourage everyone to listen to.  Even though he is located in Tennessee, USA, the concepts and instructions taught by Dave Ramsey can easily be utilized and put into practice by my dear friends all around the world.

Dave Ramsey knows what it means to be broke, after enjoying a net worth of over a million dollars when he was just 26-years-old.  His $250,000 a year income was something we all dream about, but as you’ll learn from his own lips, his failure to use credit and money in a responsable way created his own financial doom and bankruptcy.  Dave stared at himself in the mirror and determined to change the way he was mishandling money, and now has a very successful radio program and website dedicated to helping people like you and me get a handle on our situation and climb out of our money pit.

Just recently Dave Ramsey gave an entertaining and educational kick off for “The Great Recovery“.  I know you will be personally challenged to finally make the decision that has been holding you back from taking your financial life back.   There are materials and study guides available if you so desire, but the video itself is free and there are no upsales at all.  Dave simply wants you to take charge of your life again, and that is what I am challenging you to do as well.

The Great Recovery is for everyone, from all walks of life.  It does not matter your social status, your monthly income level, your educational degree or lack thereof.  All that you need is a determination to get “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

Listen to Dave and get motivated.  I would love to hear back from you to know the help you have received from his content as well.  Dave has many useful resources and information at http://www.daveramsey.com

“Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.”  (Vince Lombardi)  What powerful words from the successful coach of the Green Bay Packers.  His players probably thought he was crazy when he kept preaching his motto when they were way behind in the score, the weather was unbearably cold in that northern wintery city, and the fans were starting to head for the exits.

It may seem that everything is going wrong, that everyone is working against you.  It may appear that every attempt is going wrong.  All the efforts seems to crash and crumble apart.

That’s when persistance pays off.  To give up and walk away would just make it harder to overcome the next time so you keep plugging away, doing what you’ve faithfully worked on over the past weeks and months.  And all of a sudden things begin to fall into place.  Small rays of energy begin to creap in and a sudden surge of energy and strength gives you another first down.

Momentum is gained, grown is covered, and that relentless drive to not give up suddenly pays off when the goal line is reached and the touchdown completed!!  You did no give up.  You did not quit.  You keep at the job.

So many people today give excuse after excuse why they can’t get out of debt.  Perhaps it’s a coward’s way of throwing the blame on something else so one won’t feel so guilty about their circumstance, but at the end of the day the fact remains the same:  YOU are in debt.

Yes, times can be tough.  Unexpected tragedies do come.  Secure employment and having your job with retirement benefits and yearly paid vacation can suddenly come to a screetching halt with the sickening words from the boss, “We are closing the business”.  The stock markets rise and fall.  No matter where one turns there are problems and perplexities on every hand.

In spite of what happens around us, the one who decides to buy that brand new stereo system is the same one you look at in the mirror every morning.  The only person who went out and bought that $1,500 watch is the same one trying to throw the blame on anything but himself.

There is GOOD NEWS, however.  No matter what your economic status is, each and every one of us can get out of the slough of financial debt.  I strongly encourage you to read this story about a common fellow like you and me who paid off almost $10,000 in personal debt in one year time!  Read about the man who woke up to a new philosphy we all could live by:  “If  I don’t have enough cash to get something I want, then I don’t need it.”

Debt can be eliminated.  It only takes some discipline, courage and strong focus.  No matter you social level or financial income, you can take charge and make your money work for you, and not you for your money!

It has been a few weeks of silence but I am glad for the “time off”.  And I honestly believe I have a very good reason for my absenteeism.   You see, my wife and I planned a very special get-away to celebrate our 35^th wedding anniversary.   And I am so glad we were able to make that happen and enjoy some quality time with my sweetheart.

For a couple of years I had been hoping and thinking about what to do for our 35^th anniversary, especially when my wife has been such a blessing and faithful companion all these years.  She has put up with a lot and together we’ve faced lots of tests and trials, just like any other couple does.  I just wanted something special for her that would mark this exceptional milestone.

Several times we had discussed going on a cruise to Alaska but when I looked into the actual price we decided that we did not want to put out thousands of dollars on the credit card just to enjoy a beautiful trip.  Thus “Plan B” was born which we finally put into action the first part of June.

Our special get-away trip was to the beautiful state of Colorado where our son and wife live with our five grandchildren.  We were giddy as two teenagers skipping school because nobody knew where we were going, not even our son knew we were coming!  We took our time driving up  and carried off our planned surprise when we walked into his Sunday morning church service with them not even knowing we were in town!  It was simply worth it to see the great surprise on their faces.  What made it extra special was that I still carried his text message from a week earlier inviting us for Sunday dinner!!  Of course he was joking knowing we were hundreds of miles away, but now here we were in the flesh!

It was a wonderful time.  They quickly got over their shock of surprise and we had a wonderful fun-filled time of relaxing, visiting beautiful scenes such as the Royal Gorge, Estes Park, and the 14,100 foot climb to the top of Pikes Peak where people were still snow skiing in June and the temperature was 37 degrees Fahrenheit.  I helped my son finish a remodeling job so we could have some more fun time together.  It simply was a beautiful week and when it was time to leave all five grandkids kept asking us to stay longer and finally to come back soon!

Our anniversary trip was beautiful and very relaxing.  I am glad we were able to do it and enjoy the quiet and peaceful time away from phones, computers, and the hectic schedule of work.  My wife deserved a break from her task of looking after 12 terminally ill hospice patients and she also deserved a special Honeymoon for being my bride for 35 years.

An additional blessing in our time off was the final total of our trip expenses.  Instead of paying close to $5,000 for plane fare and cruise tickets to Alaska for one week, this special and memorable anniversary vacation only cost us $1,400 of which we paid a thousand in cash as we went and it lasted twice as long as the cruise!  It was an extra blessing to not return home to another debt, especially when we are working hard to eliminate our debts.

I am blessed.  I am happy.  I am refreshed.  We are getting started on our next 35 years together!!

If you find yourself in a difficult situation, wouldn’t it make sense to take stock of where you are?  Wouldn’t you want to check your current condition and consider what steps need to be taken to get out of your difficulty?  And finally, wouldn’t it be a great positive step to take some preventive action so you don’t end up in the same ordeal again if at all possible.  Believe it or not, the same in necessary in order to take control of your financial chaos if you should be yourself head over heels in debt.

One of the stumbling blocks to getting out of debt is recognizing that more is being spent (or purchased) than is being received as income.  There is a big leak somewhere.  The hole needs to be plugged and sealed off for good in order to get your life and sanity back, not to mention your self-esteem and personal respect and confidence.

For many, the thought of making a budget is a huge, six-letter word they do not want to confront.  It sounds like a foreign concept.  To some it may seem like being tied down to a log chain of mean authority like a slave.  It gives some the concept of not having freedom any more.

Just remember one simple truth:  your debt is not giving you any freedom.  The monthly credit card statements have become a knot in your stomach.  Perhaps it has gotten so bad you tense up when the phone rings wondering if it’s the collection agency calling with their threatening comments and demands if you don’t pay a certain amount today.  Now that sounds like slavery to me, so the purpose of a budget is to help us break free from those unfriendly chains and once again smell the freedom of life and real living.

A budget does not have to be a complicated task.  It is simply the putting down on paper the actual totals of items you currently have to pay for each month or week.  First off would be things related to the house, such as mortgage payment or rent, utilities, insurance.  Then there is the means of transportation you use including the car payment, insurance, gasoline, repairs, etc.  We all eat and put on clothing so the totals
of those monthly expenses are added to the list.  Once the total regular expenses are listed then comes the task of including the required monthly payments on each credit card, as they are expenses as well.

When this total list is completed then you compare that sum with the total income for the month and you will quickly see if you are going to have money ahead each month or be further behind and farther in debt.  By having listed what you are currently paying out for each expense you can then look over each item and make an honest determination if, first of all, that expense is really a necessity or a want, and if you could really cut back on what you are spending in that area.

Remember, the purpose behind all of this is to get out of debt and stop feeling in bondage to life in general.  Either you have to get a huge pay raise all of a sudden or else you have to start plugging the leak or leaks!  And a pay raise probably won’t solve the situation at all because there is a problem with spending and most people will just buy more if they get a nice bonus.

Start taking action.  Take a serious look at your expenses and income.  Make a rough draft of a budget.  Get mad at your debt and take action to get rid of that enslaving and ugly beast once and for all.

The first step forward on the way to financial freedom is to recognize the fact that the person responsible for the personal debt is the one staring back at me in the mirror!  It’s a good positive step in the right direction because so many seem to prefer to find someone else to blame for the increased debt.  And while other people and external circumstances can and do have an impact on our lives, it is necessary to understand that the first order of business is to recognize who is ultimately responsible.

Let’s think for a moment.  If we don’t understand and agree on the principle of this first step then the rest is beyond reach.  Just for the sake of argument let’s say that our current economic situation is the fault of friends, family or neighbors.  That philosophy would then lead us to believing the big lie:  “There is nothing I can do about it anyway.   It’s just what I have to put up with.”  That way of thinking is giving up and not trying to improve my own situation.

In other words, I’m just overweight with debt because all my friends are and there is nothing I can do about it.  I might as well keep stuffing myself with more junk food and buying stuff I really don’t need or have the ability to pay for because it’s really not my fault after all.  What a way to live.  Actually it should be stated more forcibly as what a terrible way to live in misery and despair all your life.

Certainly it is true that other people can cause loss of property, time and money because of their own negligence, carelessness or just because we are all human and make honest and human mistakes.   Someone runs into my house with his car because he wasn’t paying attention while driving, and even though I have insurance his carelessness is going to cost me money because now I have to meet my deductible or possible even replace something important that insurance won’t cover anyway.

You know what?  All of us face these types of circumstances from time to time.  It’s just part of life.  At one time or another we’ll be faced with some natural disaster such as flooding, earthquake, high winds, etc., that bring grief and loss.

The personal financial problem at hand, however, that most of us face right now is not because of some natural disaster or because of somebody’s negligence.  It is the result of our own buying habits and lack of discipline when it comes to accumulating STUFF.  Perhaps it is good, useful, quality “stuff” but if we don’t have the means to pay for it then was it really a good decision?

The first step that I must accept before I can begin my way to financial recovery and freedom is to recognize that the majority of my problem was brought on by me, myself and I.  I was the one that decided to buy that fancy new car.  I went to the store and charged those two brand new suits to my credit card just so I could look good at the upcoming reunion.  I was the decision to buy that brand new stereo system with the latest technology and sound.  Get the picture?  My friends didn’t buy the stuff in my name, I did it myself, and that’s why we must recognize and accept the fact that the person responsible for my own financial situation is ME.

I got myself into this mess and it’s up to me to get myself out of it.  I’m grabbing that person looking at me in the mirror by the nap of the neck and saying, “Self, you are responsible for this debt and I’m letting you know right now that it is over.”

You won’t wake up the next morning free from debt by doing this, but you will certainly be firmly on your way towards financial freedom.  You have recognized your own responsibility and now it’s time to act.

I’ve had it!  I am taking my life back.  I am tired of paying monthly interest fees to finance companies that continue to get rich and build their fancy corporate offices with plush furniture and fancy pictures on the walls.

I’m tired of seeing my so called savings account getting me around 1% interest while the same bank wants to charge a minimum of 9% all the way up to 23% to customers that borrow money.  It doesn’t make any sense to keep living like this.  It’s time to make my money work for me instead of me being enslaved by money.

I have nobody else to blame but myself.  It has nothing to do with my social status.  I cannot throw the blame on the lack of government handouts for my financial situation (those don’t work anyway).  So many today find ways to point fingers at this or that excuse for their current situation but I’m looking in the mirror and point my finger at the real person responsible, and that person is ME.  I did it.  I made the choices.  I bought the items on credit with no reasonable plan to pay it off before the next month.  Now it’s time to man-up, face the music, get mad at debt and take my life back.

Debt has a way of sneaking up on you.  I haven’t been buying junk.  I haven’t been losing money at the casinos (haven’t gone there anyway).  My money hasn’t disappeared at a high-priced ball game where parking and food plus the tickets to get in will set you back at least $100 or more just to watch some overpaid spoiled “superstars” play.  Most of my purchases have been for so-called legitimate items such as tools or items for the house.  However legitimate they may be, they still caused a serious deficit in the financial situation and thus need to be dealt with and faced with serious reality.

I’ve had to relearn a simple and basic fundamental of economics 101.  In order to gain financially there must be more coming in than there is going out!  If my total monthly income is $4,000 and the total expenses for the month is $5,000 then there is no way I can ever get caught up and save ahead.  The income to expense ratio HAS to be corrected, and I have a plan to make that happen.

Stay tuned!

One of the biggest challenges in getting started in the Internet Marketing business is realizing that there is no easy, get-rich-quick method to see the money start flowing in.  It doesn’t take long before your inbox starts to receive all of those emotional and attractive offers for the “one button” fix to all your needs.  Some offers try to tempt you with the idea that once this “unique software” is downloaded all you have to do is sit back and just watch your Clickbank accounts grow on a daily basis.

 Naturally we all want to see the money start coming in.  Who doesn’t?  The testimonials of many other marketers who are now successful show that they also went through a period of spend, spend, spend on big promises but ended us frustrated and broke.    Thankfully, their testimonial and mine do not have to be repeated in yours.  However, one thing we learn from history is that we do not learn from history.  Too many times we think we are smarter than the last guy and that we won’t fall for the same pitfall.

 My sincere hope is that, if you are just getting started and reading this, you will take heed and avoid a lot of wasted time, energy and money you don’t have.  The simple point I wish to get across is that this business is not a sprint but a marathon.

A sprint is where the distance is short and the goal is to see how quickly you can get there.  It’s fast, quick, and over before you know it.   I’ve seen out-of-condition friends who surprisingly could run a quick sprint but ended up so winded they couldn’t breathe for a while.  Their energy was all consumed in a few seconds of time and they were useless after that.

 On the other hand there is the marathon which is a long term race.  It requires a lot of preparation and conditioning.  At the start everybody is bunched up together, but after a while the runners are strung out all along the race.  Only those that have properly prepared themselves actually finish the 25 mile race.

 We must remember that anything worth working for is going to require some discipline, determination and dedication.  Success doesn’t come in a fancy wrapper from the Dollar Store.  There is no quick and easy form to fill out.  It is just hard work, plain and simple.  Being consistent and faithful to doing each daily task it of vital importance.

 Anything worth working for takes time.  But the perseverance pays off in the end.  We are in a marathon, not a sprint.  A good marathon runner doesn’t take off in a flash but rather carefully paces himself for the long distance.  It doesn’t take long and the patient runner slowly overtakes those that sped ahead but quickly ran out of steam.  If we keep pushing ahead on a daily basis, we will accomplish more long term than if we seek something flashy and easy.

How many times have you heard of friends joining a gym class or joining this or that club. They are so quick to talk about all this new activity is going to do for them. Their excited tone of voice almost makes you think you had better join up as well or else you’ll quickly be “out of touch” with the world.

I know many of us have been guilty. I certainly have. New plans, new discipline, new diet, new exercise equipment, new schedule calendar on the frig for everyone to see. Before we know it, however, excuses are easy to come by as trips to the gym get farther and farther apart. The book that they started to read is now buried under a pile of “stuff”.

Personally, I’m tired of failure. I’ve heard enough promises and big plans. It’s time to set a reasonable goal and do everything in my power to accomplish what I need to fulfill. Failure is not an option; my family needs my help, and I need to reach some definite short-term and long-term goals for my own personal encouragement and satisfaction. It’s not that I’ve been lazy or not doing anything, but now is the time for me, myself and I to work together as a unit and work hard at the job.  I am tired of not being able to do more for my loved ones.

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, a good way to get started towards some of the goals is to work at the job of affiliate marketing. Clickbank is not the only method available; however it does not require a lot of up-front expense. Besides improving my blog I am going to work diligently at getting some affiliate product reviews up and running. 

I have a goal, well several in fact, but a top priority goal I have as husband and father is to get every credit card paid off as quickly as possible and start getting money ahead instead of always playing “catch up”. Even though affiliate marketing will probably be slow at first, and even though it may bring in a small amount each week, it all adds up. And little by little the small amounts turn into bigger amounts.

It’s just a matter of keeping my eyes on the goal and putting my hands to work on what I can to the best of my ability.

One of the biggest hurdles to getting started online is knowing which of the multiple methods is best for “newbies”. For a beginner, this is all way too overwhelming. If you’re not careful you will soon have your hard drive full of reports and courses while your wallet gets thinner and thinner. Let me suggest to you, as a person who has “been there, done that”, that a good starting point to get your feet wet and find your way is through Clickbank.

Clickbank was founded in 1998 and now serves as a large online retail service provider. As of the day of this writing it offered over 50,000 digital product vendors and over 100,000 active affiliates. When you realize that over 35,000 transactions are processed every day, you can quickly see that Clickbank is of high importance in the internet market. Most Clickbank products offer a very generous commission, some over 50% of the sales price.

Signing up with Clickbank is very easy and almost anybody from a total of over 200 countries can sign up and start promoting a product which you do not need to have “in hand” to promote. This will help you avoid the beginning problems of shipping, packaging, customer complaints, etc., so you can concentrate on learning your business.

By starting with Clickbank you are working with a company that consistently has been ranked as one of the most highly-trafficked sites on the web. That is a wonderful bonus as that shows you the value and importance marketers and buyers place in this company. The video library will help answer many of your questions as you get started.

If you take Clickbank as a serious first step in your internet business development, you will find that affiliate marketing can be extremely profitable. Clickbank reports over 1.7 billion dollars in client earnings which shows it does work. However, it is NOT a get rich ploy nor is it something that automatically brings in the cash. You will have to follow some systematics steps and actively promote the product through internet marketing.

Suffice it to say that Clickbank is a great way to get started with you online business. Take it as a business endeavor and follow the steps properly and you will find yourself way up the road within a short period of time.