My Broken Coin

Yakezie Member Post: Delta Class

by in Featured on Mar 4th, 2012

I cannot believe that I am (finally) writing my Yakezie member post. It’s been a really long, thorny and unstable road for me. What for some challengers usually takes six or eight months of the challenge, took me more than a year!

I was in and out of the blogging world sporadically. But every time I left, I was coming back. My husband, Beaker, told me once that I reminded him of a crazy person. He said “Do you know the definition of insanity? It is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result.

I had to admit that I reminded myself of an insane person who obsessively opened and closed blogs. Looking back, I know what was driving me. I was (insanely) searching for my own writing voice and on-line personality.

Lessons I learned about myself while I was on this barb-wired road I call blogging were invaluable. I re-discovered myself in writing. I understood how I handled stress (or did not handle it.) I learned what is important and what is secondary. Most importantly, I learned how essential relationships, friendships and networking are in blogging.

I met and became friends with a lot of extraordinary people. Without support of those people, I would not be writing this post.

My blogger’s name is Aloysa, and I am the creator of My Broken Coin.

About Aloysa Read More

Featured

World of Finance

Yakezie Member Post: Delta Class

by in Featured on Mar 2nd, 2012

I remember when I first came to the Yakezie network.  It was just over six months ago when the member posts from the gamma class were being posted.  I remember reading Andrea’s member post from So Over Debt (I was so happy that she didn’t delete her blog) and LaTisha from Young Adult Finances among many others.  I found them all to be such inspiring stories.  What helped me continue with blogging (even when times were tough) was the relationships that I was starting to build with the Yakezie members and challengers.

It was a great feeling to communicate and build relationships with like-minded individuals.  Many of you may not know this but LAMF is my cousin.  He always spoke so highly of the Yakezie group.   He mentioned how Yakezie changed his life and I’m so glad that I had the same opportunity to find out for myself firsthand.

COMPLETING YAKEZIE CHALLENGE Read More

Featured

Money Spruce: Always Growing Something New

Yakezie Member Post: Delta Class

by in Featured on Feb 29th, 2012

Hello, Yakezie! Jeffrey here. I’m happy to be writing this post after receiving the exciting news that I and my blog, Money Spruce, have been welcomed as a member of this awesome network! It’s been a lot of fun getting to know everyone!

How Did I Get Here?

Not to insult anyone or his/her blog, but I really started Money Spruce because I was bored and wanted an exciting, new project. After going to college for six straight years and finishing off a thesis with almost constant work, I found myself at a 9-5 job with nights and weekends entirely to myself. A week or two into tossing on a Netflix movie every night, I decided I needed to get back to working on something that excited me. And along came Money Spruce.

Money Spruce Is Like My Life Read More

Featured

Why Are People Unhappy And How Can We Help?

Understanding The Psychology Of Happiness And Misery

by in Lifestyle on Feb 26th, 2012

How much money do you need to be happy and not worry about money anymore?  I’ve asked this question many times over the past several years, and the answers have ranged from about $35,000 to $500,000 gross a year, depending on where you live and what you are used to.  The range is wide enough range where you can drive a herd of skinny elephants through!

I hypothesize the ideal income for maximum happiness is around $200,000 gross a year instead of the ~$75,000 a year some researchers suggest.  $200,000 a year is a level where you can make enough to do practically anything you want, in any city in the world, and still save some money left over.  $200,000 a year is right below the threshold where the government starts going after you for more taxes, and right under the level where you start being viewed as an “evil rich person.”

Of course it would be nice to make $500,000 a year, or millions a year, but I posit that anything more than $200,000 a year won’t make you happier in your day-to-day life.  The income might give you more freedom, but it can also make you sadder.  What do you think?

HOW FOCUSING ON MAKING MORE MONEY WILL MAKE YOU LESS HAPPY Read More

You Make It Look So Yakezie!

Funancials: Yakezie Delta Class

by in Personal Finance on Feb 24th, 2012

I’m an idiot. This is a well-known fact I must cope with. Don’t believe me? Here are two convincing examples:

EXAMPLE NUMBER ONE

I was 17 years old – a senior in high school. I was interviewing for a college scholarship. I couldn’t have been more prepared. The night before the interview I wrote down every question they could possibly ask me. I mean, how many questions can you possibly ask a 17 year old? I thought the answer was 4; but I later found the number is actually higher.

I spent hours in front of the mirror practicing my introduction (not kissing my hand) much like you would before a date. “Hi.” “Hello.” “Greetings gentlemen.” BINGO! I’ll enter the room with a “greetings gentlemen.”

I didn’t stop there. I was told the interviewer’s name before the interview. I was going to go around the table, shake their hand, and give them a personalized resume (with their name on it). Impressive huh? The three men and one lady were going to be wowed.

It’s interview day and it’s my turn to go into the conference room. “Mike, Steven, Rick and Shannon,” I kept reciting. When I walked into the room, all hell breaks loose. Because I was so focused on saying my name, I didn’t collect exactly who was who. To make matters worse, there were 4 guys! When I get thrown off, I typically throw out a joke and everything works out.

I quickly gather myself, remember the names I was given before the interview and offer a light-hearted comment.

“So I guess Shannon couldn’t make it today.”

“I’m Shannon,” said the angry looking architect.

“Of course you are. Why wouldn’t you be? That’s not a girl’s name!”

Needless to say I didn’t win the scholarship. It’s a memory I rarely relive but was forced to tonight, thanks to Sam Dogen. Read More

One Cent At A Time

Yakezie Member Post: Delta Class

by in Personal Finance on Feb 20th, 2012

I was preparing to go to sleep. It was 11PM on Sunday evening. I checked my mail for one last time before calling it a day. There was an email waiting to be read. It was from Sam, informing me on a decision to accept OCAAT as a Yakezie member.

Fellow Yakezies, this is a note from your newest member One Cent at a Time, a blog that inspires you to get ahead in life.

I was ecstatic that night, not that I was not expecting it. It was a moment a dream came true. Finally!

The day I started blogging I noticed Yakezie badge on sites I loved. I read and re read the challenge requirements. In those days I couldn’t think of consistent blog writing and the requirement of posting 2 – 4 times a week looked impossible to me. I didn’t join Yakezie.

After three months I was all prepared to leave blogging, I was not getting enough time, I was not getting enough readers, I was not getting enough comments and encouragement. In a last-ditch effort I accepted Yakezie challenge. Rest is history! I broke in to Alexa 200,000 in record 36 days.

Here I am writing membership posts, after 8 months of joining Yakezie on June 17th. 182 posts, 3500+ comments, couple of grands in blog income, nomination as the best new personal finance blog of the year and 500+ subscribers later I finally completed Yakezie challenge.

The interesting part is, I didn’t feel pressured to write 2 -4 times a week. I enjoyed writing, I enjoyed attention, I enjoyed Yakezie forum.

About SB Read More

Alternative Ways Of Making Money Online

Many Are Making Money Online Not Teaching Others How to Make Money Online

I’m still amazed by the ratio of aspiring internet entrepreneurs, particularly bloggers, who think the best way to make money online is by teaching others how to do the same to the number that truly understand and believe that just as much money, if not more, can be made in a niche other than the make money online niche.

The truth is, there are more thriving businesses online that that have nothing to do with teaching others how to make money. Think about the day to day websites we frequent.

There are so many services on various platforms online (including mobile) that we transact through on a regular basis.  Yet I feel many aspiring netpreneurs are reluctant to enter the space because of a blatant false and limiting belief.

THINK A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY TO MAKE MONEY Read More

Becoming A Better Manager By Unintentionally Crossing The Mexican Border

Left Does Not Mean Right

by in Personal Finance on Feb 14th, 2012

A couple days before my 27th birthday I took a solo business trip across the southern border of the United States. I was working for a duty free company—you know those stores you see at the borders of Canada and Mexico and at airports that advertise discounted liquor, tobacco, and luxury goods—and the owner of the company wanted me to see more locations.

The most efficient way to see the stores in California is to fly into San Diego and drive to the border. I had my map and thought I was following my directions correctly. The duty free store is the last stop before the border. The parking lots of duty free stores are designed so that you exit into either Canada or Mexico. You do not have the option of reentering the United States.

BIENVENIDOS A MEXICO Read More

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