Financial success can be a variety of different things for different people. It could mean managing your income in order to take care of your needs. It could also mean having enough to pay for reasonable wants and/or save for goals.

One thing to remember tho is that financial success is not an accident, and it will not happen overnight!

In order to gain financial success, you need to have a plan. This plan, though, does not have to be complicated, high tech, or require the help of a professional.

Just like the definition of financial success, a good plan can include a variety of things.

Your plan could include ways to:
~live within your income
~save money for emergencies
~pay your bills on time

Obtaining financial success is a journey, and your financial plan will act as your road map. Just as you make choices in preparing for your trip, you also have choices to make in developing your successful financial plan.

A good place to start in making a financial plan is to get advice from those in similar situations. This way you can see what did – and what didn’t – work for them. Check out It’s Time To Budget and Personal Financial Tips. Get and give advice in the group sections so that everyone can define and achieve financial success for themselves.

After having several second round interviews lately, I have decided that I stress out way too much! I am interviewing for Marketing jobs, so possibly this is different to Finance or other concentrations/industries…but I really feel as though I stress too much! Many times during interviews, I go in there thinking ‘oh man, these people are just gonna grill me!’…but really, that is never the case (at least in my experience). Interviews that I have been in are always more like conversations — not just hammering you with questions!

Here’s a list of the top 5 things I have learned lately:

1. Don’t over analyze things – After attending a second round interview in Dallas this past Thursday, I was sitting in a room with a bunch of other candidates. And FOR ONCE I wasn’t the most stressed out person in the room. Somehow (and don’t ask me how because this was an analytical interview where I had to analyze spreadsheets, etc.) I had been able to calm myself down and not freak myself out. But one girl was overanalyzing everything possible to the point that she was almost in tears! This isn’t necessary! I promise usually the people that interview you are EXTREMELY nice and laid back (once again, at least thats what I have experienced). Don’t take this the wrong way, I’m not saying that they don’t take the interview seriously, but most aren’t trying to screw you up!

2. Don’t memorize your answers — I know there are the basic questions that people always ask; “what is the biggest risk you have taken?” ~ “What is your biggest weakness and strength?” The list goes on and on! But, memorized answers sound just like that…rehersed and not natural! You don’t want this to be the case. Although you should prepare, you really want them to think that you can think on your toes and come up with answers without the memorization part.

3. Dress the part — Although a job you are interviewing for may be a ‘business casual’ work environment…it is much better to overdress than to underdress! You want to make a good impression and look as professional as you can! If you feel you are WAY too overdressed, at least you could always take off your suit jacket. This impression is important, the company wants to be sure that you will be able to represent them well!

4. Know your resume — Most of the interviews I have been in, the questions come right from your resume! Although you may think you know your resume, just make sure to review it the night before. I know many people who had made their resume 6 months ago and have just forgotten what they said on there. It’s so simple and quick and will just refresh your memory!

5. Bring Band-Aids! — This is mainly for the girls, but I’m really not kidding! If you have a long day in heels and aren’t sure how much you will be walking/moving around at the interviews, just make sure to have Band-Aids! At least for me this became true lately and I was so happy that I had thrown a few in my bag! Better to be safe than sorry is for sure…you don’t want to be in pain all day long!

Just remember, they have chosen you because they think you are good enough for an interview just from your resume! A single piece of paper got you there, now you have to prove yourself! Relax, breathe, prepare/research and just remember…they thought you were good enough, now you have to believe it too!

Think back to something expensive you bought two years ago. Okay, ready?

Now think about the term “temporary ownership”. Does it sound good, or bad?

Was yesterday’s expensive purchase a great economic choice?

That’s the concept behind the book “Future Shop: How the New Auction Culture will Revolutionize the Way We Buy, Sell, and Get Things We Really Want”. In it the author gives examples of his own previous purchases. In it he writes that every year these “expensive” purchases drop in value. But, thanks to alternative markets (like eBay), now we can potentially regain some of our expenses if we sell at the right time.

This means we can “buy up” because we know we can sell it again down the line. Or, we can purchase slightly used items of a much higher value than we could normally afford. Cool! This book really gets you thinking about what you own, why you own it, and how much you can “get for it”.

Personal example: Two years ago I bought a fancy digital camera. It was a Serious Camera — had a bunch of crazy settings and attachments. Now, I’ve never been a Serious Photographer. (Once I had gig at the Emmys, but, only because someone else was sick. Sounds better than it really was!)

Here’s the thing: I hate carrying the Serious Camera. It makes me feel, well, Seriously Pretentious.

So, I never use the camera. I gave it to my boyfriend. He never uses it either. So could I sell it before it becomes obsolete? I think there’s a good chance I could find a buyer and get some of my money back.

What do you own that could be sold online today, but probably also has a financial “shelf life”? Do you ever buy “up” on eBay, or use eBay to regain some of your losses?

Have you had your cup of coffee today? Here’s a coffee-related personal finance secret:

I realized that if I did my budgeting over my morning cup of coffee I could use the addiction “for the powers of good”. Mind sharp, start of the day — a great time to check the virtual checkbook and make sure nothing had gone forgotten from the budget the day before. This habit has helped me quite a bit.

Coffee consumption can be a budget buster, as described in this Money Confession.

Ever wondered how your coffee consumptions stacks up with other Geezeo users? Here’s a peek:

Last month, the average money spent at Dunkin’ Donuts was $5.92. That was up from an average of $5.21. By contrast, Starbucks coffee consumption fell from $6.09 average per user to $5.54. Starbucks: what’s happening? I thought your bird-safe, shade-grown coffee was best.

What do you think? Is there a reason Starbucks is falling?

How many times have you moved? How do you prepare financially?

I haven’t actually counted them all but I’m guessing 25, or, roughly one a year. Why so much? As a kid my father was in the military, then in a career that moved us. But, the majority of these moves have been my decision during college and after graduation. In other words, smaller moves across town. In the large cities I’ve moved thanks to roommate changes, housing changes, job changes, life changes. In a few days I’ll move from New York City to a rural town.

Many consider moving to be symptomatic of an unstable financial life. This may be true for some. Still, if you’re apt to stay “like a rolling stone” (either one that gathers no moss, or one that keeps rock’n), here are some tips to make the move easier and keep your wallet in check.

Note: most of these are for small households — moving is easier with fewer people and less stuff.

1. Expect the unexpected. Budget time and well as a little cushion for things you didn’t expect. Some examples might be cleaning supplies you want when you move in, or cash to order in pizza when you’re tired and haven’t unpacked your kitchen stuff. (Geezeo’s mobile phone feature keeps you connected your bank balances while you move. Check it out.)

2. Pay for as much as possible in advance. Moving trucks are cheaper on Mondays, for example. Hiring a professional moving team is some of the best money spent in my opinion.

3. Transfer or close accounts to prevent late fees or other fees. Your mail will be delayed. You’ll be thinking about other things. Don’t let the “small things” fall through the cracks so that you end up getting “dinged”. Update your address — particularly with your outstanding creditors! While you might feel you deserve a break from their reach you’ll be sorry to discover late fees if you didn’t update your address.

4. Plan ahead and move yourself (if possible). I realize this option isn’t for everyone but the fittest and thriftiest. If you move yourself make sure to be realistic about the time involved. You don’t want to be laid up in bed and away from work your first few days at the new location.

5. Talk to local shops for packing material (if moving yourself). Who wants to pay for boxes? Sometimes you must in order to get a clean box. However, the best source of boxes I found in the city were empty “Fresh Direct” boxes. They stack nicely and are very clean.

6. Hire your friends to help you move (if moving yourself). A nice meal after the van is packed is a good way to keep your moving expenses in check and spend some time with your friends before you leave. You’ll miss them more than anything else!

Related, check out our interview with an actor who moved across the country and what financial issues he discovered.

What can a community of like-minded people do for your finances? How does Geezeo help you “get a grip” on your money? Geezeo user Andrew Young asked, and posted the results on his blog. But who is Andy?

Andy is a student at University of Dubuque. He’s a double major in Flight Operations and Aviation Management. His interest in trading stock lead him to Zecco.com, and eventually Geezeo. Congrats, Andy, for getting a grip on your personal finances early in life!

Says Andy of using Geezeo: “What I like the most, my life is just a little more simple now that I can have all of my financial stuff in one place.” Cool. That’s one of our favorite parts, too.

Read the article here. Check out Andy’s personal site or join the active group of Zecco/Geezeo users, here.

How does America express itself through shopping? Is it normal to be overwhelmed and stressed out by choice? Concerned if your choice is a “good deal”? An example might be $4 prescriptions at Wal-Mart. Smart personal savings choice, or bad social spending choice?

I was curious to know because I’ve been to the extremes. Some aspects of shopping are enjoyable but overall I find the task stressful and occasionally depressing. Even the smallest purchase makes me reflect carefully on my finances and how this relates to the larger world. “Good buys” and “bad buys” aren’t as simple as they might first appear.

The development of cultural attitudes behind shopping are unearthed in Thomas Hine’s book, “I Want That! How We All Became Shoppers, A Cultural History”. The reasons he explores range from power and responsibility, to self-expression, taste, insecurity, and a sense of belonging.

Some fascinating tidbits, from the chapter titled “Insecurity”:

Teens and adolescents spend more on clothing than any other group. This includes males. Boys claim not to have an interest in fashion because doing so isn’t considered “cool”. Yet, they seem to know just as much about clothing as teen girls, perhaps more. (page 100).

Minority women in their early twenties spend more income on clothing than white women. Are they trying to “fit in”? No, Hine concludes, “African-American women aren’t trying to look like white women; they believe they look better.” (page 101) Minorities tend to agree more than white culture that being fashionable is a sincere form of self-respect.

Here’s the group I identified with: “the role-relaxed consumer”. Writes Hine:

“These people don’t appear to have an insecurity about their buying habits. They are aware of what other people are buying and wearing, but declare that they make their consumption choices based on other standards. Some of them even devote a bit of effort to being out of style….In the end, though, this anti-fashion attitude is seen to be, itself, a kind of fashion, one that can generate sales. (page 102)

Do we automatically absorb these attitudes? Where do they come from? What is the cultural history on “indulgence”? Another example, this time about trends toward “simplicity” (page 155):

The most revealing “Real Simple” article was about the pleasures of taking a nice, hot bath. The necessities for achieving “pure pleasure” in your own home included a chrome towel-warmer, a plush mat, a terry tub-pillow, a storage cabinet, a lamp that casts a gentle glow, a plywood tray that holds sea sponges, a sisal exfoliating cloth, and a dark bristled Acca Kappa brush. By the third page of the article, we’ve already spent more that $1,000, and we haven’t even reached the teas, the oils, the salts, or the milks, nor have we purchases a single towel”.

Nor, I might add, have we even drawn the water.

If you are evaluating your spending habits this is a fascinating read. Now ask yourself, should I buy this book or borrow it from the library?

Interested in shopping (new or used), or in books? Join us in the related Geezeo discussion groups.

It’s a really strange feeling…with graduation a little under 2 months away, I’m still trying to figure out whether I’m excited, nervous, or wondering what I’m going to do with my life?! haha, I guess the answer is really all three. It’s hard to imagine that 4 years of college has passed by so quickly and that graduation is looming around the corner.

Excitement – This feeling is easy. I actually made it through 4 years of college! That in itself is a major accomplishment for many! Made lifelong friends, attended classes, held a social life, had a few jobs, went to dances/bars/sporting events…all in what seems like a very quick and fun 4 years!

Nervousness – This is a hard feeling to deal with. I think a lot of the nerves with the looming graduation date come from the fact that I have yet to find a job and secure my place after graduation. Where will I be living? Where will I be working? How do you survive without living with your roomates and always having someone to talk to? It’s hard to imagine not having the same routine of classes and moving on to a 40 hour (or more) work week. Especially hard to imagine since I haven’t had classes on Fridays for the past 2 years!!

Wondering What I’m Going to do With My Life – This is the hardest one! I still don’t know what I want to do. I know Business and Marketing are my area of concentration…but what do I REALLY want to do?! I imagine that half the people (or more than) that are graduating this year are asking themselves the same question. In the School of Management, our teachers are constantly reminding us that more often than not, the job you start in is not always the one that you will stay in for your whole career! Many people try out several different industries, positions, etc. before actually settling down. I guess these words of wisdom are meant to make us feel better — but it doesn’t always make the transition easier!

As I can imagine, many Geezeo users are probably feeling the same anxiety and excitement all at once as our graduation dates approach! And it’s not just graduation that brings on these feelings…last year at this time I was stressing out about finding an internship — as the School of Management hammers into your head that these are extremely important to have on your resume! No worries people! I know plenty of students that have not had any internship experience and have landed great jobs after graduation!

Most importantly (in my mind) is to enjoy this time while you have it…don’t get me wrong, I still think searching for a job, keeping your grades up, and attending class is up there in importance too — but if you don’t enjoy this time, you will end up regretting it when you do enter the real world. haha, also enjoy the constant vacations and days off that you receive. I realized that my last spring break was a few weeks ago and I will never get over a month off for Christmas again (BOO!)

You should all check out all the different college/universities groups that we have on Geezeo — many people might be sharing the same feelings as you that attend your school! Also feel free to add your opinions as well! )

You may remember an interview that Katie did about me. It was great to be able to share a little bit about how we run things within our household. But I wanted to come back and share a little bit more.

There are some ways that we find work very well for us when it comes to shedding a little bit off of the budget. For a family with two, fast-growing toddler boys, it’s important for us to be able still afford them when they are teenagers, so learning how to budget and save now is only going to help us later on down the line.

When it comes to grocery shopping, I believe I mentioned in the interview about my new found love of “couponing”. That works great as long as you have some other well-laid habits already in place. The first important step in saving money at the grocery store is to go in with a list and stick only to that list. A good way to make your list is to arrange it by which stores you get what at, and then by aisle or section in each store. Then if you so choose to venture down the path of couponing, organize your coupons with your list. Another good thing to do is to plan your meals in advance so that you know exactly what you need for each meal, and you will know what to buy, already having a plan for the items. That will have a two fold purpose. It will save you time and money at the grocery store. But it will also save you time when it comes to making dinner. Base your meals on cheap but nutritious food sources (like grains, lentils, legumes, and beans) instead of fresh produce that can turn on you. And remember, never go shopping when you are hungry. I’ve made that mistake so many times and I would end up spending a lot more than I had originally planned!

When it comes to rebates, I have found a good system that I think works quite well. We recently recieved 2 rebates from our credit card company for $50 back in the form of gift cards. I was excited – until I opened the envelope. It was for $10 each month for 5 months, and I could only send them in between certain times – basically one each month. I was disappointed and almost tossed them thinking, why bother. Well, I decided to sit down with my rebates, envelopes and stamps, fill out the information, put the rebates in the evelopes, seal and stamp them. Then on the backs of those envelopes, I put the month in which that particular rebate was to be mailed. Now, all the work is complete and all I have to do is drop it in the mail. With the stamp, I am more apt to send them out once I have attatched it, because otherwise I am wasting money. I keep them in a very obvious place on my desk so that I see it all the time and I can remember that I have them and that they need to be sent in. Even if your purchases have a rebate and you do not have to wait to send it in, GREAT! Just remember to SEND IT IN – RIGHT THEN! So when it comes to rebates, one or many, the best plan is to take care of them as soon as you get them, have them ready and be sure to read the fine print. Just a few minutes of work can keep you sure you’re doing all you can to support your financial future.

These were merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our financial strategies. Share your own in the groups: Financially Frugal Families and Guide To Financial Solvency. And be sure to keep on the look out for other great ideas and strategies that show up here in the blog section as well as in the groups.

The movie “The Big Lebowski” celebrates it’s ten year anniversary this year, dude. We thought it would be fun to imagine The Dude’s take on personal finance. Here are some clues:

SCENE: Walter informs the The Dude that the money’s gone.

Walter Sobchak: I’m saying, I see what you’re getting at, Dude, he kept the money. My point is, here we are, it’s shabbas, the sabbath, which I’m allowed to break only if it’s a matter of life or death…

PERSONAL FINANCE LESSON: Save some money. Keep it for later, like early retirement, dude.

SCENE: The Dude, Walter, and Donny walk out of the bowling alley, to find the three Nihilists waiting in front of the Dude’s car, which has been torched.

The Dude: Well, they finally did it. They killed my f**king car.
Nihilist: Ve vant ze money, Lebowski.

PERSONAL FINANCE LESSON: Don’t let Nihilists or anyone else force you to pay too much for car insurance or car repair. Make sure you’re properly insured. And consider all the costs before buying a car, dude.

SCENE: The Dude gets instructions to see the man in charge.

Brandt: Mr. Lebowski is prepared to make a generous offer to you to act as courier, once we get instructions for the money.
The Dude: Why me, man?
Brandt: He believes the culprits might be the very people who, uh, soiled your rug, and you are in a unique position to confirm or disconfirm that suspicion.
(this scene continues)
The Dude: Hey, cool it Walter. Look, pal, there never was any money. The big Lebowski gave me an empty briefcase, so take it up with him, man.
Walter Sobchak: And, I would like my undies back.

THE PERSONAL FINANCE LESSONS: Couriers aren’t well-paid. It will be your fault if you don’t have any money when it’s really needed, so save a cushion. Also, it never hurts to have homeowner’s insurance if something happens to your rug.

SCENE: The Dude is making the payoff.

The Dude: Uh. Yeah, uh. Me and, uh, the driver. I’m not handling the money, driving the car and talking on the phone all at the same time.

PERSONAL FINANCE LESSON: Don’t drive dangerously, like counting your money and talking on the phone at the same time. Particularly if you don’t have health insurance.

SCENE: The Big Lebowski returns from the payoff.

The Dude: I dropped off the money exactly as per… look, man, I’ve got certain information, all right? Certain things have come to light. And, you know, has it ever occurred to you, that, instead of, uh, you know, running around, uh, uh, blaming me, you know, given the nature of all this new shit, you know, I-I-I-I… this could be a-a-a-a lot more, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, complex, I mean, it’s not just, it might not be just such a simple… uh, you know?

PERSONAL FINANCE LESSON: Personal finance isn’t always as complex as it appears. Find the information you need and assistance from others in any one of Geezeo’s Groups or Goals.