The best investment I have ever made or I am actually still making is contributing to a 529 plan for my daughters college education. I am a single mother, so it is easier to contribute a small amount every month, instead of tens of thousands of dollars when she starts college in 6 years.
My library card! With it, I can borrow books on vast topics, expand my knowledge and save tons of money by not buying books, and learning at my own pace.
I don't have internet or cable at home (I use the library to rent DVDs of TV shows I want to see or movies, and also for occasional internet use) so my cell phone with internet is the only way for me to check the weather when I am at home, so I don't know that I could do without it, at least without getting another more expensive service(internet or cable).
We have used the envelope system for several years now. It is tangible, visual and it hurts more to spend cash. It has really helped us to keep our food budget reasonable and to pay more attendtion to where we are spending. The hardest thing for me to do was to not spend "My" fun cash on groceries or restaurants for the kids, but since I have changed that spending habit, I can enjoy little treats here and there for me, without messing up the evelope accounts.
Tip- if you rob one evelope to fund another at the end of the month, make sure you adjust thoses categories in the cash flow plan for next month, so that you are more realistic about your expenses.
My smart "investment" has been in marriage to my husband of 42 years - but who is counting? While we may not have a barrel of money as the song says, we support each other every day in so many ways. I love to use a computer to send him little notes of love and encouragement. He had a slight stroke and could no longer work in his chosen field. While I love doing genealogy work on my laptop; my husband has tried to start an online business. We love to send notes to grandsons, children and friends. Thank you for giving me a place to express love of my husband and computer.
Yes, I can live without my cellphone. There are very few people who call me and they can always call my landline. I have not subscribed to a data plan and have been using my cell's web capabilities only where I can get free wifi. This means I can wait until I have access to a computer before checking my emails and social networking sites. I don't rely on my cell for that.
The smartest investment I've made and will continue to make is also the cheapest, it's a journal. Every year I buy a new one and in it I write my hopes, dreams, goals and daily happenings and musings.
Why is it the smartest investment? Because it helps me sort out my priorities, notice patterns in my life of what's working and what isn't. Perhaps most importantly, it's a recording of my life as it happens. When things are bad, I can look back at it be reminded of how far I've come and start to gain some of confidence back. When things are good, I have a place to store those great and uplifting feelings.
I also like to write my goals for the year in the beginning of each journal. At the end of the year, I go back and see how many of the goals I've accomplished. Surprisingly, I usually accomplish most of them. Writing down my goals in my journal helps me keep them in mind even when I'm not consciously thinking them. This has led me to travel more, get a higher paying job and reach my financial and personal goals. Not bad for a $5 investment.
My greatest investment was my condo. I got it at a Sheriff's sale for a great deal and it's been my HOME ever since. Nothing is as nice as owning a home, not just a house.
We use a "virtual" enveople system, EEBA (Android app - online at www.eebacanhelp.com), and it works great. You record every penny you spend in it's respective envelope in the app, and you can save a note/explanation of each transaction and even geotag the entry so you can look later to see where (literally) your money goes. My wife and I can both see the real-time balance info on our phones and enter our own spending without having to be in possession of the envelope of cash. We pay for everything with a single credit card, then write one check each month to pay off the card in full. (You can also use a debit card, but then you have to also balance your checkbook - double effort). It does take away a bit of the "pain" of the cash leaving your hands, which is a major part of the envelope system's effectiveness. But, we've found that when we stay diligent about entering the transactions in the app right as the money goes out, and have to look at the remaining balance and the # of days left, etc., it helps keep it "real" for us - unlike the usual experience of swiping a card. And then each month/quarter, we can sit down and run a detailed report of where the money has gone to help evaluate spending and adjust the budget as needed. I've tried a lot of other budget tools over the years, and this one simple tool has been the most useful thing I've found.
The smartest investment I have made so far has been my Bachelor's Degree because it gave me so much more than a piece of paper. I majored in Economics and Sociology, which gave me an understanding not only of how our nation's finances work, but also of how people work. I joined a sorority, and sat on it's executive council for 2 years being a vice president and then president, which taught me about my strengths as a person and how to be a leader. In my senior year, I was able to study abroad in Greece for 12 weeks which was the trip and experience of a lifetime. I learned about the ancient world, modern Greece, and I also got to experience another country, its culture, and what being part of a global community really means. I learned so much in my four years at college and continue to treasure that education and apply it every day.
The absolute smartest investment I ever made was to help my husband financially, long before we ever married. He has severe Heart disease and he needed to be able to live calmly and not worry about money. So, yes, I not only invested my money but also my home and heart.
My best investment was working parttime so that my 3 children could have health insurance while attending college. They got scholarships while I provided the security for their medical needs!
The smartest investment that I ever made was the money I worked for and saved for my son's college education. There were times that it hurt to pull money from my paycheck each week, but knowing that he wouldn't have to work in the rain, snow, and heat made the sacrifice well worthwhile. With his degree, he can now have choices that I never had.
The smartest investment I ever made was when I was single I purchased a 3 bedroom home on Lake Ontario, in Upstate New York. I got married 3 years later and sold it, making a profit of $73K! That money gave us our down payment for the home we now live in which is actually down the street from the one I sold, it was a home I had been wanting and dreaming of. Had I not made that initial investment when I was single, we never would have been able to afford the home with which we now live in. Since then we have 3 young children & 2 dogs and sure could use some extra $$$!! Thanks so much for the wonderful chance to enter.
My husband recently purchased an Epson P-2000 which can be used for storing and viewing media. He is a professional photographer so this has become a crucial element to his success! He can free up a memory card if he needs to by storing the data directly to it. He can also show models and clients the pictures or video he has taken in a portable, easy to use unit where his clients can ever mark their favorites! Best of all, he can hand the device around instead of having to hand around his camera!
The best investment I have ever made was paying tuition for my children's education. They have both graduated from UT Austin and my daughter is currently working on her PhD there. It brings me great peace of mind knowing they have a great foundation for success in life!
the smartest investment I ever made was buying property when no one was really interested for a fairly low price, then building on it and watching my investment triple. I knew the location was key and that the area had great potential.
I would say for me the smartest investment would be my marriage... time, effort and money spent too to make sure our family has the strongest foundation possible. Everything else can be weathered no matter the situation with someone solid beside you (especially the ups/down of having several businesses and having to do the childcare "dance" as a working mom).
One of the first to mind is the computer. And later, internet. Just think...I had no access to such contests before! ;) Seriously. So great for coupons, contests, research, endless possibilities.
I just bought an elliptical. It is greate for my health! And I cancelled my gym membership, which I didn't like going to anyway. I bought it at Walmart for around $300 with the warranty. Last night was the first night I was working out and having fun! I actually had so much fun that I puased the program to jump off and start dancing around in my living room. I was having a blast.
If I did that at the gym, people would think I was nuts!
The smartest investment I've ever made was the four years that I stayed home with my daughter before she went on to elementary school. We learned so much together and it gave her a strong foundation before going to school and joining her peers. The quality of that time is priceless.
I went to the link you provided expecting that it would be some sort of legal opinion by an attorney, or court ruling or government agency ruling that such actions are legal. Instead the link led me to a very generalized, unsupported article written by someone touting coupon sales as a business opportunity.
The article itself doesn't seem to address legality at all (although some of the comments do). Overall I found it general, unsupported and remarkably unpersuasive.
I posted the question to you and feel the need to re -ask it.
1. A vendor provides a discount to a prospect. The terms of use of that discount state that the discount is void if transferred. The prospect takes money from someone and then sends them the discount without the vendors knowledge or consent. How is that not a transfer within the terms of use? It doesn't matter if the original prospect calls the fee a shipping and handling fee. I don't see how it can be anything other than a transfer.
2. In addition to my point #1 above. I don't know who you used for the coupon/code that you described, however I did look into a number of similar companies when I was considering purchasing coupons. What I found is that every single one of them charged more for higher value coupons even though there was absolutely no way that the cutting, shipping and handling of a $7 coupon could be more than the cutting, shipping and handling of a 50 cents coupon.
I have to say my "husband" has been the best investment for me. He is a great guy and has a job that will help us to retire comfortably. He owns stock in his company and fortunately has done well.
Tanya, I couldn't agree more. My parents bought a refrigerator when they first married (in 1964) and it lasted until 1998. I can't imagine that happening today.
The best investment I have ever made or I am actually still making is contributing to a 529 plan for my daughters college education. I am a single mother, so it is easier to contribute a small amount every month, instead of tens of thousands of dollars when she starts college in 6 years.
My library card! With it, I can borrow books on vast topics, expand my knowledge and save tons of money by not buying books, and learning at my own pace.
I don't have internet or cable at home (I use the library to rent DVDs of TV shows I want to see or movies, and also for occasional internet use) so my cell phone with internet is the only way for me to check the weather when I am at home, so I don't know that I could do without it, at least without getting another more expensive service(internet or cable).
We have used the envelope system for several years now. It is tangible, visual and it hurts more to spend cash. It has really helped us to keep our food budget reasonable and to pay more attendtion to where we are spending. The hardest thing for me to do was to not spend "My" fun cash on groceries or restaurants for the kids, but since I have changed that spending habit, I can enjoy little treats here and there for me, without messing up the evelope accounts.
Tip- if you rob one evelope to fund another at the end of the month, make sure you adjust thoses categories in the cash flow plan for next month, so that you are more realistic about your expenses.
My smart "investment" has been in marriage to my husband of 42 years - but who is counting? While we may not have a barrel of money as the song says, we support each other every day in so many ways. I love to use a computer to send him little notes of love and encouragement. He had a slight stroke and could no longer work in his chosen field. While I love doing genealogy work on my laptop; my husband has tried to start an online business. We love to send notes to grandsons, children and friends. Thank you for giving me a place to express love of my husband and computer.
Yes, I can live without my cellphone. There are very few people who call me and they can always call my landline. I have not subscribed to a data plan and have been using my cell's web capabilities only where I can get free wifi. This means I can wait until I have access to a computer before checking my emails and social networking sites. I don't rely on my cell for that.
The smartest investment I've made and will continue to make is also the cheapest, it's a journal. Every year I buy a new one and in it I write my hopes, dreams, goals and daily happenings and musings.
Why is it the smartest investment? Because it helps me sort out my priorities, notice patterns in my life of what's working and what isn't. Perhaps most importantly, it's a recording of my life as it happens. When things are bad, I can look back at it be reminded of how far I've come and start to gain some of confidence back. When things are good, I have a place to store those great and uplifting feelings.
I also like to write my goals for the year in the beginning of each journal. At the end of the year, I go back and see how many of the goals I've accomplished. Surprisingly, I usually accomplish most of them. Writing down my goals in my journal helps me keep them in mind even when I'm not consciously thinking them. This has led me to travel more, get a higher paying job and reach my financial and personal goals. Not bad for a $5 investment.
My greatest investment was my condo. I got it at a Sheriff's sale for a great deal and it's been my HOME ever since. Nothing is as nice as owning a home, not just a house.
We use a "virtual" enveople system, EEBA (Android app - online at www.eebacanhelp.com), and it works great. You record every penny you spend in it's respective envelope in the app, and you can save a note/explanation of each transaction and even geotag the entry so you can look later to see where (literally) your money goes. My wife and I can both see the real-time balance info on our phones and enter our own spending without having to be in possession of the envelope of cash. We pay for everything with a single credit card, then write one check each month to pay off the card in full. (You can also use a debit card, but then you have to also balance your checkbook - double effort). It does take away a bit of the "pain" of the cash leaving your hands, which is a major part of the envelope system's effectiveness. But, we've found that when we stay diligent about entering the transactions in the app right as the money goes out, and have to look at the remaining balance and the # of days left, etc., it helps keep it "real" for us - unlike the usual experience of swiping a card. And then each month/quarter, we can sit down and run a detailed report of where the money has gone to help evaluate spending and adjust the budget as needed. I've tried a lot of other budget tools over the years, and this one simple tool has been the most useful thing I've found.
The smartest investment I have made so far has been my Bachelor's Degree because it gave me so much more than a piece of paper. I majored in Economics and Sociology, which gave me an understanding not only of how our nation's finances work, but also of how people work. I joined a sorority, and sat on it's executive council for 2 years being a vice president and then president, which taught me about my strengths as a person and how to be a leader. In my senior year, I was able to study abroad in Greece for 12 weeks which was the trip and experience of a lifetime. I learned about the ancient world, modern Greece, and I also got to experience another country, its culture, and what being part of a global community really means. I learned so much in my four years at college and continue to treasure that education and apply it every day.
The absolute smartest investment I ever made was to help my husband financially, long before we ever married. He has severe Heart disease and he needed to be able to live calmly and not worry about money. So, yes, I not only invested my money but also my home and heart.
My best investment was working parttime so that my 3 children could have health insurance while attending college. They got scholarships while I provided the security for their medical needs!
The smartest investment that I ever made was the money I worked for and saved for my son's college education. There were times that it hurt to pull money from my paycheck each week, but knowing that he wouldn't have to work in the rain, snow, and heat made the sacrifice well worthwhile. With his degree, he can now have choices that I never had.
The smartest investment I ever made was when I was single I purchased a 3 bedroom home on Lake Ontario, in Upstate New York. I got married 3 years later and sold it, making a profit of $73K! That money gave us our down payment for the home we now live in which is actually down the street from the one I sold, it was a home I had been wanting and dreaming of. Had I not made that initial investment when I was single, we never would have been able to afford the home with which we now live in. Since then we have 3 young children & 2 dogs and sure could use some extra $$$!! Thanks so much for the wonderful chance to enter.
My husband recently purchased an Epson P-2000 which can be used for storing and viewing media. He is a professional photographer so this has become a crucial element to his success! He can free up a memory card if he needs to by storing the data directly to it. He can also show models and clients the pictures or video he has taken in a portable, easy to use unit where his clients can ever mark their favorites! Best of all, he can hand the device around instead of having to hand around his camera!
The best investment I have ever made was paying tuition for my children's education. They have both graduated from UT Austin and my daughter is currently working on her PhD there. It brings me great peace of mind knowing they have a great foundation for success in life!
the smartest investment I ever made was buying property when no one was really interested for a fairly low price, then building on it and watching my investment triple. I knew the location was key and that the area had great potential.
I love how varied everyone's answers were.
I would say for me the smartest investment would be my marriage... time, effort and money spent too to make sure our family has the strongest foundation possible. Everything else can be weathered no matter the situation with someone solid beside you (especially the ups/down of having several businesses and having to do the childcare "dance" as a working mom).
One of the first to mind is the computer. And later, internet. Just think...I had no access to such contests before! ;) Seriously. So great for coupons, contests, research, endless possibilities.
I just bought an elliptical. It is greate for my health! And I cancelled my gym membership, which I didn't like going to anyway. I bought it at Walmart for around $300 with the warranty. Last night was the first night I was working out and having fun! I actually had so much fun that I puased the program to jump off and start dancing around in my living room. I was having a blast.
If I did that at the gym, people would think I was nuts!
The smartest investment I've ever made was the four years that I stayed home with my daughter before she went on to elementary school. We learned so much together and it gave her a strong foundation before going to school and joining her peers. The quality of that time is priceless.
Paul
I went to the link you provided expecting that it would be some sort of legal opinion by an attorney, or court ruling or government agency ruling that such actions are legal. Instead the link led me to a very generalized, unsupported article written by someone touting coupon sales as a business opportunity.
The article itself doesn't seem to address legality at all (although some of the comments do). Overall I found it general, unsupported and remarkably unpersuasive.
I posted the question to you and feel the need to re -ask it.
1. A vendor provides a discount to a prospect. The terms of use of that discount state that the discount is void if transferred. The prospect takes money from someone and then sends them the discount without the vendors knowledge or consent. How is that not a transfer within the terms of use? It doesn't matter if the original prospect calls the fee a shipping and handling fee. I don't see how it can be anything other than a transfer.
2. In addition to my point #1 above. I don't know who you used for the coupon/code that you described, however I did look into a number of similar companies when I was considering purchasing coupons. What I found is that every single one of them charged more for higher value coupons even though there was absolutely no way that the cutting, shipping and handling of a $7 coupon could be more than the cutting, shipping and handling of a 50 cents coupon.
I have to say my "husband" has been the best investment for me. He is a great guy and has a job that will help us to retire comfortably. He owns stock in his company and fortunately has done well.
Tanya, I couldn't agree more. My parents bought a refrigerator when they first married (in 1964) and it lasted until 1998. I can't imagine that happening today.
My smartest investment was to choose becoming a teacher. I have made a difference in so many lives, a positive difference. :-) Thank you.