Money Reasons

Smart Reasons to Save, Use and Invest Money

Archive for December, 2010

Funny Money Comic 8, When to Pick Up Money

December 11th, 2010

When to Pick Up Money!

When to Pick Up Money

Previous: Funny Money Comic 7, Passing on Lattes

Comic Strip Notes:

I have a friend that is too big to pick up small change (if it’s silver, I’ll pick it up), but if he saw someone drop a $50… Well, he would keep the $50 and act like he didn’t see the person who dropped the money. While I would tell the person, I guess this is definitely one of the lesser evils… I’m sure some would view this as an opportunity and may actually even make their day!

Links to 3 Funny or Interesting Sites:

Bugcomic – Great cover comic strips (vs cover bands)… very clever and funny

Bensoncomics - Why music channels have girls in underwear (or bikinis)

the-opt – A truly PC Christmas Card!

Thanks for stopping by!

-MR

Did you like this Comic Strip? Then subscribe to my RSS feed so you can enjoy more great Comic Strips and finance articles like this one!

15 comments »

Posted in Humor

Tags: comic comic strip

Dividend Stocks, Free Lunch Experiment #6

December 10th, 2010

Well, it’s time for another update! The dividend payout rates have not changed and the overall appreciation of the stocks has raised!

The Free Lunch Experiment, which invests in dividend stocks, is my first true experiment here at MoneyReasons.com and was started with the article called: “Paying An Adult Allowance, A Lunch Experiment”.

In a nutshell, the experiment is that I want focused investments in certain dividend stocks to pay for my lunch when I go out to eat at work.

The real advantage is that the money I’m investing in, is money that I would have spent for lunch anyway. In my opinion, this make this money free because it would have been spent! So if I were to lose all of the money tomorrow, I would be sad, but it’s money that I wouldn’t have had anyway had I not started the experiment. In other words, the first dollar saved was a 100% gain on what I had previously, which was a spent dollar.

So much like the reference in the movie “Blade“, the Lunch Experiment has all of the advantages, and not of the disadvantages of being an stock dividend investment.


Stock Name	Anworth	EV Energy	Chimera
Stock Ticket	ANH	EVEP	CIM
# of Shares	260	45	600
Orig. Price	$7.84	$23.25	$4.01
Curr. Price	$7.14	$38.25	$4.13
Orig Cost	$2,038.14	$1,046.25	$2,404.80
Curr Value	$1,856.40	$1,721.25	$2,478.00
Annual Yield	12.89%	7.92%	17.43%
Actual Dividend	$59.80	$34.07	$108.00
		Total Dividends	$807.48
		52 weeks	52
		Dividend / week	$15.53

		Total Gain in
		Stock Apprec.	$566.46

		% Change	10.32%


		Amt Loaned to myself:	$1,726
		Amt paid back to date:	$1,139
		Amt Still Owned:	$587.00

Previous Update: Dividend Stocks, Lunch Experiment Update #5

Thanks for following me and my “free lunch” experiment!

-MR

Did you like this Article? Then subscribe to my RSS feed so you can check out new articles when they become available. You will help this blog grow by doing so! Thanks!

10 comments »

Posted in Experiment

Tags: dividend dividend stocks free lunch lunch stocks

Things That Make Us Happy!

December 9th, 2010

Things That Make Us Happy, are often the simple things in life!

When I was a kid, I use to think that a sports car and a big fancy house with lots of property would bring me the most happiness!

I was the guy that would give irritated “How annoying” looks to couples with babies who would be crying in a restaurant.

But now I’m a dad, and those crying babies in restaurants are now just white noise to me. If fact, sometimes hearing those babies cry makes me smile for a split second… At least at first!

Okay, I digress…

Things That Make Me Happy:

When my son laughs! It’s a great hardy laugh that makes me feel great inside!
When my daughter learns something new quickly, or creates something original and cool!
Reading to either of my kids. I like the idea of me helping any way that I can.
Receiving earnest hugs from either of my kids, obviously it’s a great feeling.
When my 6-year-old daughter wants to snuggle with her daddy…, she is a truly wonderful little girl.
Watching family movie night at home, while having popcorn, drinks and snacks.
Playing my son in a game of chess. He’s really gotten a lot better at the game, and even though I mostly beat him (so far), it’s make me feel great that he’s improving.
Getting stomped by my daughter in the memory matching games. Lately, she destroys me in those type of games.
Going on family vacations with my entire family, including my parents and sister’s family.
Writing this blog…

So you see, for me I really don’t need fancy stuff! Just the love of a great family is enough for me!

What thing makes you the most happy?

-MR

30 comments »

Posted in lifestyle

Tags: happiness happy Kids

Losing Control of Christmas Traditions

December 8th, 2010

Christmas Tree

Yesterday, we did a two for oner! We did both of our biggest Christmas Traditions on the same day!

We cut down our Christmas Tree, and we did our big pre-Christmas dinner!

We normally don’t do this because both events are big enough that they should be separate, but we are pressed for time this year.

This time, I decided to do something different with the decision-making process around both traditions! Instead of picking which tree for our house and where to go for Christmas Dinner, I decided to open it up to the kids (my wife and I both have made the decisions in the past). So I let my son pick out the tree this year and my daughter decided where to go for Christmas dinner!

While the tree my son choose wasn’t one that I would have picked, it still was decent enough, and was a fine choice! He had the privilege of cutting it down (lucky him)! However, he chose to cut it down about 6 inches too high, so when we got home, the tree will be the smallest one we ever had (lol). Hopefully, he nor my daughter will notice!

We lucked out with my daughter, she whittled down her choice for the Christmas dinner to the “Fighter Group” restaurant and “Red Lobster“. In the end she decided to stick with tradition and go with the “Fighter Group” restaurant.

So with both Christmas Traditions, I let the kids make the decision as to the direction of the traditions! I think this will be better for their involvement in the process, and help them feel more important!

If you have kids, do you try to promote leadership and decision-making qualities?

-MR

Did you like this Article? Then subscribe to my RSS feed so you can check out new articles when they become available. You will help this blog grow by doing so! Thanks!

11 comments »

Posted in Holiday

Tags: christmas Christmas Diner christmas tree Kids

Christmas Tradition #2, The Christmas Dinner

December 7th, 2010

Christmas Tradition #2

Last year I mention my favorite Christmas Tradition, which is getting the Christmas Tree from a tree farm!

This year I’m going to mention my other Christmas Tradition, which is taking the family out to eat as a fancier restaurant.

That said, we have mostly gone to a “Fighter Group type” of restaurant! If you’re not familiar with such a place, it’s basically an old fashion airforce restaurant that is close in proximity to a functional airport.

Fighter Group Restaurant

For me personally, I enjoy the simple, but tasty beer cheese soup! And while the place has decent enough food, we are really going for the atmosphere of the restaurant!

The kids are constantly amazed seeing the huge jets taking off and come in for a landing from the restaurant building!

My wife (who initially wasn’t crazy about the place) now looks forwards to event! I wish I could remember what she typically get, I think it’s come kind of chicken combo!