Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Posted by Canadian Dream on January 28, 2009
Ok, I didn’t leave you all hanging for my entertainment. I literally forgot to go pick the winner of the latest book give away. Please forgive me, but the book is in Regina and I’m in Calgary so that isn’t getting posted until this weekend.
The winner is comment #27 Hazy!
Congratulations! I’ll be in contact shortly to get your full mailing address. Thanks for entering everyone!
Posted by Canadian Dream on January 27, 2009
Well I was rather pleased earlier this month at work. I got an email informing me that they were giving an across the board raise of 4%, which would take affect on Jan 1, 2009. Needless to say I was a bit shocked by that because I did the math and checked. I had been working there for a whole 18 working days before getting a raise or about 140 hours. This is a personal record for me for the shortest time period before a raise ever.
Another interesting thing I’ve noticed about my job is how happy I am with it. For example I’m smiling most of the time for no good reason. My wife has even commented on it. So what gives? I really like my job. It’s interesting and aligned with my personal goals and they pay me well and give me insane amounts of time off. Perhaps the better question is: how could I not be happy with this job?
So how about you? What was your shortest raise ever or what was your happiest job ever? Please share.
Posted by Canadian Dream on January 26, 2009
I’m sick this morning. So thank goodness for guest posts. Enjoy. – Tim
In the event that we enter a long economic depression, those who do not properly prepare could be putting themselves and their families at risk. The best time to get ready for a depression is long before it happens. If you can pretend now that you are already in the midst of a depression, your chances of holding steady through the worst of it will be far greater.
Save And Put Money Away:
You will need money. The more you have, the better off you will be. Starting now, begin to live as if you don’t have any. This will leave you a bit extra for later. Keep all your money in the form of cash. You can keep it in the form of change, dollars, or gold and silver coins. It may sound crazy but during a depression it is better to use change to buy things. This gives the impression that you don’t have much money and there will be less chance of property or asset theft. So start filling up those jars and stashing them in the attic.
Get More Jobs:
If a depression is headed our way then there is no time to worry about relaxing on your days off. There is a good chance that a lot of people will be laid off before it is over. You may be one of them. Ask your spouse to pitch in and work more too. The more employers you have the less chance you have of becoming completely unemployed. You may want to get work overseas, whether you do it online or actually move somewhere until the depression has come to an end. If our economy is bad you may have better luck making money elsewhere. Remember to take all the extra money you make and stash it.
Eliminate Debt:
Pay off any large purchases and credit cards as soon as humanly possible, especially your car. Having a car payment will be a huge burden if you find yourself without much work. The benefit of owning your car outright is tremendous. Life becomes very difficult without transportation. Also, in the event that things get really tough and you lose your home, you can at least sleep in it while you try to stabilize your situation. As for credit cards, just eliminate them all together. With the hefty fees and interest card companies are charging these days, you don’t need them. If you get to the point where you can’t afford them, you may end up in debt forever when they are finished with you.
Learn To Do Things For Yourself:
It wasn’t too many years ago when people lived mostly on farms. A lot of them didn’t have dishwashers or electronic games and it didn’t cost them a whole lot of money to live. In fact building a windmill to harness power is an excellent family project that can help you prepare for hard times. Train yourself now to start doing more things manually and the transition will go a lot smoother.
Stockpile And Learn To Cook:
There is a lot to be said for a home cooked meal. The only problem is, not a lot of people know how to cook any more. If you think that home cooking is minute rice and frozen lasagna then you are missing a lot. There are simple things that you can make from scratch that will save you a lot of money. For instance, try making your own pasta. It only takes a few minutes and the results are fantastic. Not to mention the fact that it is nearly impossible to mess up the recipe. Begin to stock up on things like grains, seeds, beans and nuts. Canned goods are a good thing to have around and if you know how to can things yourself, even better. Learn to make your own bread. If you have any land, get a few chickens and a cow. This may sound outrageous but when people have very little money they will be grateful for the meal.
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About the Author
Andrew Wang lives in Seattle area. He manages the blog: Travel Reward Credit Card.
