Thanksgiving for Financial Planners

Even people with no money have some financial planning skill. How else would I explain the city's ability to run a deficit and spend 25 million on a pedestrian bridge 2 blocks from another pedestrian bridge. I am not saying the skills are good but there is something to start with. A large scoop of Razzle-dazzle in most cases.

When people say they are no good with money, what does that mean?

Can't make it, can't make enough or can't count high enough?

Can't make it last,can't make it last long enough or are only average looking?

Can't make it into more money, would rather play today and pay tomorrow or perhaps the speaker is12 years years old.

Money is a medium of exchange, like cake. A holder of value, like Little Lulu comics books. A measure of account as in, I have no money in my account.

To make money work long term, we can choose to accept some facts of living the urban North American life; we are at war with the media efforts to sway us to spend now, period. Choosing not to accept this is kind of like skipping on the way to the gallows. Accepting, does not mean doing anything different, especially if you already have good hair.

War is a strong word, demonstrates my point and makes a PowerPoint unnecessary. In war people lose their homes, loved-ones and familiar life style. Ambient advertising may have made it into the Art of War had it been named in the 15th century. It is only once we accept we can change our mind.

It is human nature to live for today, and why not in recent past living to 30 was old age. Perhaps our  reptilian brain is still running the show. Which would explain my scales.

It's not easy to change my mind about having an spending or investment plan but I can get a coach or book time with a financial planner, maybe even for free. Most everyone has a bank they deal with, reluctantly some days. Banks have people to talk to about setting up a plan, not the plan where they take all you money in fees. I can even book an appointment with a bank that is not mine, in another city, wear a mustache if I wish. Be financially literate.

I must tip my hat to those on the fringe.
2012 believers- the world will likely not stop rotating on it's axis at once, think about a TFSA.
Law of attraction enthusiasts - you were drawn to read this hmmmm?
Stand-up comics- free drinks and booty come with a price, be your own sugar daddy.

~Eva Pea

Save on Communication, free wardrobe, maximizing downtime

Calling to get the student rate from my local cable company earned me a reduction in my current monthly bill of almost $50, $600 dollars per year. Almost enough to pay for the orthotics thrust on me recently. The call took about 10 minutes. For that moment I earned the equivalent of  $3600 per hour, 60 per minute. I haven't earned that much in that little since the 70's.

I took a look at a very part-time job at a retail store. Last time I worked in retail there was a cat with a jug of milk  logo-ed on the generic smokes...any way at a ladies wear store, very part-time and not much money. Kind of like dating a traveling poet. I earn a 33% discount on the clothing, even those marketed down to 50% off. A 33% reduction on an item at 50% off is over 65% discount. I will hold while you get your calculator out. I also earn tax-free clothing credits, which is free clothing. In total I get a few bucks , a discount and free clothing for about 15 hours a week.  The supervisor also works around my schedule, exam time and most of my working hours I am alone with the customers who are mostly adorable. I love working alone,  this way I can pretend my dad owns the store.

I had a few hours in my schedule between classes. I applied to be a peer tutor. It's not teaching peeper. So 3 or 4 hours a week I help first year students, all who happen to be second language speakers, understand accounting basics, spreadsheet basics and even bring value explaining how to use Google docs. If I could find any doc in this city I'd be a guru. I know few ways to pick up this kind of spare cash in my otherwise empty snippets of time. I usually fill my snippets with figuring out how to down load dance lessons onto my iPod. I am told I could have up to 15 students seems a bit like crazy making, which is a recipe I passed on years ago.

~Eva Pea