Marne « Team Blog

Marne

Jul. 31

9:34 pm

Christmas in July

posted by Marne

christmasinjuly I realize this may get me punched in the face but have you started about Christmas shopping yet? I actually love Christmas so thinking about it in the middle of the summer has never really bothered me. I’ve never really thought about shopping for people this early, though. I was looking at this website Deseret News sponsors about a financial makeover. Every week there’s a different challenge and it’s all in an effort to help you makeover how you handle money. One challenge I found was to start shopping right now for your Christmas presents.

I started thinking about the benefits of this and decided it might be worth a try. The challenge talks about how advantageous it is to set up a budget this far in advance and the feasability of sticking to it when you do so. You’re less prone to standing in the middle of a random aisle on Christmas Eve ready to buy anything, regardless of how much the price has been hiked up. There’s also better prices on off-season winter items and sometimes some lingering clearance winter items from the previous season as well (usually online stores this far into summer). Another tip is to set a list - if you have a list to stick to you’re going to stay more on task.

I think in addition to these things you should try to be as creative as possible! You could have a theme of handmade gift items that would be fun to exchange. You could set limits on how much to spend on each other and actually stick to it. You could get a gift based on your favorite memories of the people you’re exchanging with. There’s all kinds of different things you could do to change it up a little.

The article also talks about cheap and alternative ways to wrap your presents (it even provides a link to some ideas). I personally think wrapping paper is the biggest waste of money. Why not use the comics or make the wrapping part of the gift? One time I wrapped a gift in paper towels and rubber bands. That was it. No tape. It was a wedding gift and I figured she could use the paper towels and rubber bands later? (a long shot - I know) I also just thought it was really fun doing that. So, try new things when you go shopping for Christmas later this year. Stick to a list and a budget. Wrap the gifts in fabric or paper bags or anything! When do you usually start buying Christmas Presents and how do you stick to a budget?

Posted in Entertainment | 3 Comments »

Jul. 27

8:28 am

Online Purchases

posted by Marne

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Once Upon A Time, I learned how to buy things online. It was life changing, really. Sometimes this life-altering change was good - other times bad. Kind of like a superpower. I’m here to tell you of the dangers involved with making online purchases and some tips to avoid them.

One of my all-time favorite websites is called Etsy. It’s basically an online boutique where people who hand make products can sell them to people all over the world. Why do I love it so much? Cause, I’m slightly obsessed with Peter Pan (the original story by J.M. Barrie is amazing) and there’s all kinds of Peter Pan stuff on Etsy! I bought a necklack with a charm on it for $5! Chalk one up for me! On the same day I purchased this necklace I found a wallet I liked too. So, with great excitement and anticipation for my items I purchased them and camped next to my mailbox with baited breath. The necklace came. The wallet didn’t. It’s been a month and I’m still camping out by my mailbox. Unfortunately, this happens when purchasing things online. I do admit this is the first time I’ve ever had a problem with online purchases in my years of this practice, but it was bound to happen.

Here are my tips for successful online shopping:

Look At The Merchant Reviews: Often times, underneath the product you’re going to buy, there’s the name of the person or business actually selling you the items (this is most commonly seen on Etsy, Amazon, Ebay, etc.). This is actually a link, if you click on it you’ll be taken to a page with their name, information on how long their account has been active and reviews of people who have bought items from them in the past. Read the reviews! The reviews will talk about how long it takes to receive items from this seller, the quality of the product, the accuracy of their order, etc. This page will give you a great idea if the person selling items is trust-worthy and honest about what they send and when they say they’ll send your items.
Use Trusted Websites: Sometimes it’s still nerve-wracking to purchase items from websites with a lot of different merchants. You can find confidence in purchasing from larger companies online such as Overstock, Amazon, retail clothing stores and well-known brand names. You will have professional correspondence and they’re far more reliable. One benefit of using the larger retail online stores is the ability to return clothes and other items that don’t fit to stores near where you live or in neighboring cities.
Keep a Close Eye on Your Account: Sometimes there are glitches in the electronic processes of your transaction and your account may be billed twice or not at all. Make sure if either of these happens you talk to your financial institution to get the problems resolved. There is nearly always a way.
Solving the Occasional Problem: Sometimes, as in my case, you don’t receive your items. Sometimes you’re billed too many times like I mentioned. Sometimes you get a different product than what you had ordered. It’s best to always involve the merchant first and go from there. If you have contacted them first and they are not able to solve the problem on their end, go to your financial institution and see the best way to proceed. There are often forms to fill out that different departments will use to research your situation.
Trust Your Gut: If you don’t feel good about a particular transaction don’t buy it! You can usually live without it and if you can’t just keep looking! If something seems off it’s because something could be. Trust yourself and use good judgment.

For me, it’s just a waiting game now. I’ve contacted the merchant, didn’t hear anything back and have just sent up my form to hopefully have the situation fixed. I will be a little more careful about not making purchases based solely on a product I’m in love with though. What are your practices for online purchases?

Posted in Life, Money & Finances, Random | 2 Comments »

May. 17

8:00 am

I’m a Traitor

posted by Marne

car Before working as a teller, I worked at a local tire store and I am quite loyal to them still. However, I’m here to deter some business from them and all tire stores/automechanic shops.

My family, ever since I can remember, has gone to that tire store for everything we needed: new tires, oil changes, safety & emissions, flats, alignments - everything! Last week my mom realized she had 3 lights that had burned out on her Denali. She called the tire store, asked how much the bulbs were, and took it in to get them replaced. Before they actually replaced anything my mom asked them again how much the bulbs were going to cost. Down at the shop, they told her it would be more than what they said on the phone - $35 for each bulb. My mom had them pull her car out, without fixing the lights, and went home. My dad was able to buy each bulb for $12 and replace them himself. That same day something went weird in the wiring of his truck, he called the mechanic and asked him how he would fix it. The mechanic told him there were some wires that needed to be soldered together and it should work just fine. My dad located the wires, soldered it and *voila!* good as new.

So, instead of spending $200 on both cars ($35 on each light, plus labor on my mom’s car and labor on my dad’s car — which is at least $40/hour) my dad spent $36 to fix it all.

I realized it pays to know your car - know how to change the oil, change the lights, change a battery, etc. Even if you can’t fix everything, knowing some of the smaller things (or knowing someone else who does) can really save in the long run.

Tags: auto, loyalty
Posted in Life, Money & Finances | 3 Comments »

Mar. 24

9:00 am

5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me

posted by Marne

Recently, Jason asked for tips on ways to save in his blog post. It got me thinking about this book my parents had me read not too long ago. It’s a book written by Richard Paul Evans and took me just a couple of hours to read. The book is called The 5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me. There’s a lot of sound advice in it and I’m going to share it with you!

Richard Paul Evans goes over the 5 keys he learned through a good friend of his and through his own tests in life. He explains that they can potentially help you re-vamp how you handle and see money.

LESSON ONE: DECIDE TO BE WEALTHY- In this chapter, he explains, “Life isn’t about money. It’s about God. It’s about love. It’s about family and relationships. It’s about personal evolution learning and growth. Part of that growth is learning balance between the different forces of life. Money, like health and spirituality, is part of that symmetry, and for those who do not accept responsiblity for financial matters, life is thrown out of balance.”

He explains that you have to be willing to commit to changing how you handle money and the key to achieving such is committing to a small idea.

LESSON TWO: TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR MONEY - There are four steps he gives in this chapter to accomplish this responsibility:

Know How Much Money You Have
Know Where Your Money Comes From
Know Where Your Money Is Going
Know What Your Money Is Doing

LESSON THREE: KEEP A PORTION OF EVERYTHING YOU EARN - In this chapter he discusses the Power of Compound Interest and the benefits of starting a “Nest Egg.” He also addresses the ever-popular question, “Should I first pay off my debt?” He talks about every decision is up to the person and if you have significant debt to seek professionals who can help you figure out the best decision for your specific situation. He does talk about how it’s important, psychologically, to see your wealth grow as your debt decreases. But remember the decision is personal.

LESSON FOUR: WIN IN THE MARGINS - He provides four mind-sets that will help you do this

“The Millionaire Mentality Carefully Considers Each Expenditure” - Ask yourself if the money you’re spending is really necessary. And remember to ask a salesman, “Is that the best you can do?” A lot of times your salesman will fudge and lower the price for you.
“The Millionaire Mentality Believes That Freedom and Power are Better Than Momentary Pleasure” - Evans talks about maknig sure what you’re paying is what you’re paying. He goes through examples illustrating people wanting a nice car now, instead of saving up for a down payment, etc. He shares their misery after a few years because it becomes too much to handle, etc.
“The Millionaire Mentality Does Not Equate Spending with Happiness” - He talks about being grateful for what you have and not looking to spending your money to have things to make you momentarily happy.
“The Millionaire Mentality Protects the Nest Egg” - Evans explains that at time you need to insure the money you have set aside is going to be protected.

LESSON FIVE: GIVE BACK - Evans talks about “Financial Karma” and other ways by giving back to the community you feel wealthier and it’s considered a wise investment. “In addition to sharing your wealth, you have a responsibility to share teh lessons of proper money management with others.”

CONCLUSION: IT’S NEVER TOO LATE - So don’t give up. Start new, if you have to. Read this book if you want to. I know the local libraries I have checked all carry a few copies. It’s worth the read!

Are there any ideas in here you follow already that work? Is there anything you’re going to try?

Tags: money lesson
Posted in Life, Money & Finances, New Skill | 4 Comments »

Mar. 1

8:00 am

Job Interview Deal Sealers

posted by Marne

Occasionally, CNN has some articles about job interviews, the job market, etc. The most recent one I read was entitled “9 things that seal the deal for hiring managers.” Though the title is grammatically poor and slightly confusing the article shed some interesting light for job-seekers. You can read the whole article here but here are the 9 main points that I was able to get from it:

Follow up: One manager said that he enjoys hearing feedback from his candidates. He enjoys getting thank you cards or follow-up emails. We’ve gotten a few thank you cards at our branch and it leaves quite the impression. Regarding the follow up this particular manager said, “shows me that they are motivated, tactful and professional.”
Show Personality: In interviews you don’t want to come across as boring, lifeless, and winner of “dullest person alive.” Don’t be afraid to be yourself in an interview: your potential boss needs to know who you really are and that you’re not afraid to speak your mind.
Ask Questions: Interviews are a great opportunity to learn more about the company you’re applying for. Ask sincere, probing questions about the company. Move beyond pay and benefits and company party traditions. Angie Nelson, one of the managers interviewd said, “By showing interest in learning more about what the job opportunity actually involves, it shows that the candidate is just as concerned about this job being the right fit for them as I am.”
Be Honest: Managers want to know how you’re really feeling about issues or how you’ve honestly felt about past issues. It helps them learn more about how you handle different situations. If you’re not honest up front they’ll find out after they’ve hired you which can be beneficial or detrimental.
Be Confident: Be confident, but not arrogant. You need to understand that there will be many applicants who are probably just as qualified as you are. Your confidence could be what sets you apart from all the other qualifying applicants.
Attitude and Values: Michelle Roccia said, “A positive attitude, strong work ethic and strong values should trump more experience and skill.” Some of the other managers interviewed re-assert this view by saying the values of the candidates let them know what to expect from them while on the job.
Energy: If you want the job you’re applying for why not act like it? One manager said, “The fastest way to end up with a short interview and ruling yourself out from being considered is to arrive to an interview to only lack energy, give short answers and show no excitement to be there.”
Passion: Some managers spoke of needing to hire the right person. Along with all the other things listed, a passion for what the job entails can give you an edge over other applicants. Having a passion and desire to work for the company is ideally going to get you a lot further than just wanting the paycheck.
Roll With The Punches: Answer whatever question you’re given - no matter how silly it is. One manager shared the following:

For the upcoming semester we chose one intern over the others solely based on her answer to ‘If you were a candy bar, what kind would you be?’ She sat for about three seconds but didn’t think we were crazy for asking it. She smiled and said ‘I’d be a Caramello because they’re awesome and hard to find, but when you find them you get a happy feeling inside.’

Those are some awesome things that I think are very applicable. What else do you think is good to keep in mind that maybe wasn’t listed here?

Tags: interviews, jobs
Posted in Life | 1 Comment »

Feb. 23

8:00 am

Resolve Resolutions

posted by Marne

February is ending and I’ve all but given up on my resolutions…less than 60 days later. Pathetic? Probably. Last year my goals were such things as: brush my teeth twice a day, shower once a week, put gas in my car before the empty light comes on, eat lunch everyday, etc. My premise was, if I set goals for things I do anyway then there’s no way I won’t accomplish my resolutions!

This year I decided to actually set goals to improve myself and my financial situations. I’m not doing so hot. So, after realizing I had resolved to stick to my resolutions - and was failing epically, I took to the internet for pointers. I realized my problem lies in the fact I get too motivated for my own good. I want to accomplish all my goals in January and then have the next 11 months to say, “Yeah, I’m done with my resolutions - time to play!”

Not very smart, I know.

Especially when I’m wanting to build savings and pay off debt.

While I was sifting through google results, I came across this website by the author of The Power of Less with some pointers that I think will help me quite a bit (nothing could hurt at this point) with re-asserting my efforts. In the article the author talks about another website he or she has set up to help track and publicly commit to your resolutions - the theory is, by publicly committing you feel more obligated to accomplish what you have set out to do. The author also talks about some other resources for accomplish goals and resolutions and the methods of the secondary website. Here are other pointers for sticking to your resolutions:

Focus on one goal at a time so you don’t become overwhelmed
Don’t go full-speed-ahead at your goals, gradually work on them - gradually but consistenly.
Start out simple so it doesn’t become intimidating and overwhelming
Make it fun!

There are a couple more points of advice that specifically pertain to the secondary website. They are to help you track your progress and ways to help improve your likelihood to accomplish your goals.

So, don’t give up! Start over, there are still 10 months to accomplish what you set out to do! What are some ways you have found that help you stick to your goals and resolutions? What ideas from the website do you think you’ll implement?

Tags: resolution
Posted in Life, Money & Finances | 4 Comments »

Feb. 22

8:00 am

Is it Spring yet?

posted by Marne

It seems like it gets a little more spring-like everyday - probably cause the sun isn’t going down at 4 in the afternoon anymore. Yesterday, the sun shining at 5 o’clock got me thinking about spring cleaning (weird I know)! I’m just curious to hear how other people go about this seemingly obligatory ritual. Do you actually have a spring cleaning? Do you donate stuff you don’t need anymore? Do you sell what you can?

I was interested in maybe earning a little extra money and selling some of the clothes that are still in good condition that I don’t wear anymore. Are there any tips for doing this? Do you know of any consignment shops to do this at?

Tags: spring
Posted in Random | 4 Comments »