Vince Vaughn Appears On ‘Tonight Show’ To Deceive Country About Latest Film October 19, 2009
Posted by BDO in News.Tags: beating, budget, celebrities, couples, Debt, economy, hollywood, movies, retreat, vaughn, vince
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By The Onion
Vaughn and O’Brien, however, are only two of several thousand performers currently engaged in elaborately deceptive schemes designed to trick the TV-viewing public. Known for their striking good looks and charming personalities, these men and women will reportedly do anything in their power to hoodwink average citizens into watching their latest romantic comedy, network prime-time show, or low-budget made-for-TV movie.
“Why is Vince Vaughn doing this?” asked Baltimore housewife Beth Delbanco, 46. “Time and again, from Fred Claus to Four Christmases, this man has gone on TV and told me to my face, ‘Go see this movie, you will enjoy it.’ He’s stealing my money!”
The Onion is known to make the obvious very funny. But how many people do recognize that what celebrities do when they go on their circuit of television interviews is sales and marketing? Since they know that most of America looks up to them as our princes and princesses of society, they also know they will be able to convince us to spend the $9 a ticket to see their movie and help keep them rich and in power.
It is sad how few people actually see the celebrity marketing as how The Onion described it as “hoodwink[ing] average citizens”.
How can we become more sensitive to the salesperson/celebrity trying to wrangle money out of our pocketbook?
For more on this article, click here.
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Show others how much you’ve beaten debt
for the price of one latte a year. – – Beating Debt Charts
People open their wallets to push Dow to 10,000 October 15, 2009
Posted by BDO in News.Tags: 10000, 401K, anti-consumerism, consumer, Debt, Dow, economy, frugal, milestone, News, spending
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If the recession is over and the recovery is around the corner, volunteers at BDO understand that we will have a more difficult time in convincing people to stay away from debt.
“Dow 10,000 may be largely psychological”, said Lawrence Glazer, managing partner at Mayflower Advisors in Boston
However, that euphoria of good news will trickle down to people’s wallets and help them buy more stuff. The optimism of the good times can have people take on more debt now, thinking that they will be able to pay it off with their newly inflated 401K later. But does that make long term financial sense?
Does a bigger 401K create a sense of frivolity to your spending decisions?
As the Dow achieves milestones, does that give you the feeling to be less frugal?
Do events like these create ideas of taking out more personal debt for “nice” things during this “nice” time?
The BDO volunteers will continue the hard work in trying to convince people to stay away from debt, even in the “good times”. Because remember, the “bad times” will come again eventually and how will you be prepared for those times, if you go into debt during the “good times”?
For more on this article, click here.
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Show others how much you’ve beaten debt
for the price of one latte a year. – – Beating Debt Charts
The Story of Stuff August 24, 2009
Posted by BDO in Debt is Slavery, Multimedia, Reviews.Tags: anti-consumerism, beating, businesses, consumerism, Debt, economy, government, marketers, story, stuff
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The Story of Stuff is an excellent analysis on where our stuff comes from, where it goes, and its impact. Annie Leonard, sponsored by Tides Foundation and Funders Workgroup for Sustainable Production and Consumption, explains the grave international and environmental impacts of our consumption. The movie shows us how the government, businesses, and marketers keep us locked into the cycle of consuming stuff so they achieve profits.
After watching the video and seeing the “rat race” they are keeping most people on, commit to telling others about this atrocity and addiction to consumerism and debt.
Tell others, so we can convince more people to stay away from debt.
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Show others how much you’ve beaten debt
for the price of one latte a year. – – Beating Debt Charts
Taxes or Charity, your choice August 19, 2009
Posted by BDO in Descriptions, Spiritual.Tags: blessing, charity, christian, Debt, economy, generous, God, government, tax, taxes
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To understand this blog, we must agree on 4 concepts.
- God owns everything.
- We are merely managers of His resources.
- God desires to aid the hungry, sick, and hurting.
- God will always get His mission accomplished.
poor man in guadalajara - Arturo Avila
With these concepts in mind, we must ask ourselves this: What happens when people are stingy with God’s resources?
God grants us resources in abundance, so we may
- use what we NEED, and then
- use the rest to accomplish His mission, which should include aiding the hungry, sick, and hurting.
Providing aid to the needy usually requires money. When we are confronted by the hungry, sick, and hurting, we have two choices. Either we can give to charity to help in God’s mission, or God can use the government to tax money of our pockets.
Remember, God will accomplish His mission because He owns everything. Even if we are stingy, God has the last say in the matter. If you refuse to give, He can use worldly forces to legally take the money away from you to help others.
The next time you are blessed with resources and have already taken what you need, determine how you want the rest to be distributed. Do you want to give to charities that you know you can trust, or do you want the government to tax it out of you? Either way, what is left is not yours. God has already determined it to be used as a blessing to others.
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How does blessing others bless God?
Have you experienced God using your “extra” resources to bless others?
Which method do you prefer to distribute God’s resource to those in need?
How does personal debt show God our lack of generosity?
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Show others how much you’ve beaten debt
for the price of one latte a year. – – Beating Debt Charts
Can America learn to give like Mother Teresa? July 13, 2009
Posted by BDO in Living Frugal, Spiritual.Tags: chuck, Debt, economy, generous, giving, God, hungry, hurting, love, matthew, mother, poor, sick, swindoll, teresa, world
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“I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no more hurt, but only more love.” – Mother Teresa
“…Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Matt 22:39
Those are some powerful words from an amazing woman. The paradox of giving is such a strange and barely understandable concept. As we give, we get. As we hold onto, we lose. And the more we get, the more we are responsible of giving. Those are very strange, even “backwards” principles to current economic philosophy.
The good news about those principles as explained by Mother Teresa is that as we give, the more we get to continue giving. So, don’t be afraid to give your love, possessions, or talents to Him. He will show you in His perfect timing where and how you can give. Your responsibility is to have a open, ready, willing heart to give when He calls. Don’t worry about the success of the giving, just be faithful to His principle of sharing what He has given.
Imagine an America were Christians were not held back by fear or personal debt and could completely give to those in need. What affect would that have on the poor, sick, hungry, and hurting around the world? Would they see Jesus? Do you see Jesus when you look at Mother Teresa? Why is that? Is that because she found comfort in giving till it hurts?
Let us not worry about our legacy. Let us worry about being faithful. Commit to beating debt today, so we can move to giving our money, not to credit cards and loans, but to Him who is worthy.
“It is not our job to make it work. God will take care of the accomplishment. Our only job is to obey.” – Chuck Swindoll
“I do not pray for success. I ask for faithfulness.” – Mother Teresa
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” – Matt 16:26
Photo by: Peta-de-Aztlan
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Show others how much you’ve beaten debt
for the price of one latte a year. – – Beating Debt Charts
Americans Deleveraging: One in Three Has Reduced Debt June 26, 2009
Posted by BDO in News.Tags: beating, credit, Debt, depression, economy, loans, recession, reducing, saving
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By Dennis Jacobe, Chief Economist
In more good news on the personal debt front…
Gallup Poll trends show Americans continuing to cut back on debt. In a May 29 survey, 31% of Americans say they have decreased their total outstanding debt over the past six months…
However, many are still experiencing the pain of being in debt.
The percentage of Americans saying they are worried about keeping up with their monthly payments over the next six months reached 25% in May — up from 20% a month ago and 23% in March.
Correspondingly, consumers also perceive that now is not a good time to borrow; rather, it is the right time to reduce debt. Concerns about the job market play a role in these perceptions. So do new attitudes about saving and borrowing — what many now call the “new normal.”
Wouldn’t that be great if debt reduction, increasing savings, and increasing genoursity becomes the “new normal”?
I am glad to see the latest Gallup poll shows people are still in the mindset to pay off debt. I hope the idea of paying for things with cash and savings vice debt becomes the “new normal”. But as this economy slowly comes back on line, will we change our commitment to beating debt when “the good times are back”? Why am I so skeptical? Because our recent history shows us that when the economy grows Americans lose all sorts of common sense and forget that recessions are just as normal. So, who cares what everyone else will historically do? Choose today what you will do! Will you save for tomorrow and stay away from debt knowing that the next recession is about 6 – 8 years away? Beating debt and saving for tomorrow leads to success.
To read more about this article, click here.
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Show others how much you’ve beaten debt
for the price of one latte a year. – – Beating Debt Charts
The Second Chance: A review June 10, 2009
Posted by BDO in Reviews.Tags: beating, chance, consumer, Debt, economy, generous, movie, review, second
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The Second Chance movie is an honest story about church politics, race relations, and reconciliation. However, this movie has a powerful message for us that are beating debt as well. At one point in the movie, Ethan is shopping for plates with his wife after being at Second Chance church for the day and getting exposed to life in the inner city. His wife decides on a plate set that costs $350 per set. Ethan thinks it is a good decision as well. When he reaches for his wallet, he pulls out a paper plate that a kid he met in the inner city had used to draw a depiction of his former life. The drawing was of his family in another country where they barely escaped with their lives. Ethan is very moved by the paper plate in comparison to his $350 fine china he was about to purchase. Ethan is moved by the amount God has blessed his family in comparison to others just down the street. He realizes the money he is spending on fine china could be spent helping the people he comes in contact with in a special way. Ethan then starts being more generous with his money to those less fortunate.
The obvious take away in this story is for people to evaluate their situations and be willing to give up frivolous expenses and use that money for God’s blessing in someone’s life. Remember the ultimate reason we are beating debt is to be able to more generous with our money. Our consumer debt is taking money away from what God could be using to bless others.
I highly recommend The Second Chance for all the many issues they expertly deal with in a realistic and powerful manner.
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:12-13
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Credit card debt down by 11 percent June 7, 2009
Posted by BDO in News.Tags: beating, consumer, credit, Debt, economy, finances, government, loans
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In some continued good news for Christians, the Federal Reserve released its latest findings of revolving consumer credit, better known as credit card debt. Credit card debt was down for the month of April by 11 PERCENT. Overall, consumer credit was down 7.4 PERCENT for April. That is great news because it means that we are more willing to pay off consumer credit and earn our freedom than struggle under the painful agony of debt.
These numbers should help the Consumer Debt Clock to continue to go down. How much more can we, as a nation, continue to drive the clock down?
For more info on the Federal Reserve’s numbers, click here.
To add the Consumer Debt Clock to your blog/website, click here.
Also, on June 11th, the Federal Reserve will be coming out with its latest findings for the total debt picture for the 1st Quarter, 2009. I am hoping that the Consumer Debt Clock is right and total debt is down.
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Mo. AG sues Texas company over debt-help promises June 5, 2009
Posted by BDO in News.Tags: beating, consumer, counseling, Debt, depression, economy, finance, legal, relief
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Koster says the Richardson, Texas, company advertised that it could get customers out of debt within three years and cut their monthly credit card payments in half. But he says the company took customers’ money without solving their problems.
Another company is now a part of court battles, because many are experiencing that these “Debt Relief” and “Debt Counseling” services are more about MAKING MONEY than actually helping people out. We’ve talked about this in an earlier blog posting called, “Debt Relief and Credit Counseling“. As we are seeing, most of the companies that are popping up all over our radio, TV, and internet are service companies that are out to MAKE MONEY. Please evaluate these companies critically and ensure they are preforming a service that you can not do yourself or that is really worth it.
During the “greatest economic downturn, since the Great Depression“, many people are trying to use our frustration, hesitation, and fear to manipulate us to MAKE MONEY and wield power. Be on your guard and stick with your current plan to beat debt to make a successful financial marathon.
For more on this article, click here.
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Generation Debt: A review June 2, 2009
Posted by BDO in Reviews.Tags: beating, book, college, consumer, Debt, economy, generation, government, high, review, school
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Generation Debt is a well researched description of the current state of the economy from the perspective of a generation that is just entering the work force. Though the book is very partisan leaning, there are nuggets of actionable truth that we can all agree on for all generations.
The state of the economy:
This perfectionism and pressure came with a steady diet of luxuries unheard of in previous times…Now we are smacking into the awareness that not only can’t we afford all the stuff we were raised with, we may never be the stars we were told we were, or achieve what our parents had. It would be hard for any American generation to accept… – Anya Kamenetz (pg 122)
We can all agree that the consumption of debt by consumers, businesses, and governments have altered the opportunities available for future generations. Our record spending has committed us to paying back massive sums of money that will be inherited by our future generations or stifle the current growth of this generation. Either way, the effects of this massive spending are just barely being experienced by “Generation Debt”.
The state of government affairs:
…the realities of poverty and disadvantaged in America today are very different from what they were when New Deal programs were first designed…Extended deficit spending can actually stunt economic growth, leaving everyone worse off. The budget needs to reflect a more fair division of national resources between the young and the old, the poor and the well-off, the past and the future. – Anya Kamenetz (pg 185)
Given our current state of the economy, we must all come together with a list of those things we are willing to give up as a “right of being an American”, so that the future prosperity of America can be sustained. Our current spending by all is unsustainable. We need to come to the realities of the situation and all make the hard choices of sacrifice until we get our debts repaid.
High School and College aged advocacy:
Its lobbying clout is dwarfed by that of the big student loan companies – it spent just $20,000 on lobbying in 2000, compared with $1.5 million spent by Sallie Mae. – Anya Kamenetz (pg 217)
Students are being priced out of college, or they incur massive debt in the name of a good education. However, for all the studies and payback, good jobs with that education are not being realized. What is the answer to rising college costs? Price caps? More grants? Those who are students, how are you staying away from so much debt? Share your thoughts.
Generation Debt was a great book to understand the many aspects to a very controversial topic about debt, benefits, needs, the American dream, and the realities that exist between all those ideas. I would recommend this book to help get a good grasp of the issues for further study.
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A Kid's Guide to Managing Money (Ready-Set-Grow Series)
