Johnaberdeen's Blog

I'm a very fitness oriented guy, and I like to read up on new and interesting ways to work out.  I have read everything from muscle building and power lifting to cardio training and martial arts.  One thing that hasn't really been touched up as much as I would expect is playing a sport to get in shape.  If you want something fun, competitive and team oriented, soccer is a terrific option.

I've grown up playing soccer for most of my life.  I got involved at a very young age because I wanted to do something competitive when baseball was out of season.  Soccer is one of my favorite sports because of its cameraderie, conditioning and competitveness.  Soccer can be played year round, thanks to many indoor venues popping up.  It is also relatively easy to get into...you do not need a range of specialized equipment like you do in football, baseball and hockey.

Soccer is an unbelievable workout.  Don't let difficulty or apprehension keep you away from this incredibly hard working sport.  There is some skill involved, but you can still enjoy yourself and get a great workout.  Go to the local gym or indoor soccer venue to see if you can get on a team.  Ask if there are tiered leagues, and I suggest starting out in a less skilled league.  Go to the soccer store and get a soccer jersey and some shin guards and you will be well on your way!

I'll admit it, I don't know everything about personal finance.  I'd like to think I know more than some, but less than a lot more.  My mother was a banker, so she taught me everything I know.  I've been able to keep a pretty good financial outlook because I don't spend that much and I don't really have a credit card addiction like some people.

However, when it comes to advanced financial stuff like stocks, bonds, debt consolidation , credit consolidation, money market accounts and other types of investments and financial consulting, I'm pretty clueless.  Most of my money is in a high interest savings account...simple and easy.  I'm fully aware I could probably do more with my savings, but I haven't really gotten around to it.

One thing that I have come to be interested in, however, are credit card benefits.  One of my co-workers has an American Express card that she recieves cash back on.  I thought that was pretty beneficial, especially seeing as my credit card does nothing more than allow me to pay for things without using money.

I've heard of credit cards offering everything from cash back and discounted gasoline to frequent flier miles and discounts on clothing.  What I am curious in is which credit cards have the best benefits.  This is something I'd really like some feedback on from everyone who reads this.  Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me about which credit cards would be the most beneficial to me.  The current credit card has got to go!

Something I've really been trying to do as of late is track my spending and create a tighter budget.  Anyone who watches the news or reads the newspaper knows that it's probably time to get some money back in the bank.  Since I don't have a lot of debt (so I don't have to worry about debt consolidation or debt relief help ), I am trying to focus on saving for the future in case of emergency or lay off.  People have been cutting down on everything from cable and phone plans to groceries and gasoline.

After a quick look over my monthly financial statement thus far, I realized that a good amount of my money goes into the "Entertainment" column.  I've reserved this column for drinks, cigars, cover charges, movie tickets, sporting events and any other non-essential entertainment oriented expense.  I am a pretty savvy shopper and spender, so I was kind of taken aback at how much I do spend on very expendable entertainment. 

However, let it be known that I am a bit of a beer geek.  I know a lot about different beers and liquors, and I have grown to appreciate the subtle nuances.  Because of this, I have to be very savvy to save money in this category.  Here are 4 guidelines that I have used to help me save money on adult beverages in this recession.

1.  Used the cheap stuff for mixed drinks.

There's no reason to make a vodka cranberry with Grey Goose or Ketel One.  If you are the kind of guy or gal who likes to have a mixed drink once in a while or entertains company frequently, keep the liquor cheap.  Coming from a guy who's had his share of mixed drinks, it is pretty difficult to tell the difference between a Jack Daniels and diet coke and an Evan Williams and diet coke.  Do some research at your local spirits store to get the best value.

2.  Brew your own beer.

I took up homebrewing a few years ago and one of the nice byproducts of this fun, fulfilling hobby is money saving.  Yes, it will cost you some money up front because of the equipment.  However, one $40 beer ingrediet kit makes 4 cases of beer.  Once you make your investment in the equipment, your savings on a case of beer will be very substantial.

3.  Skip the 6 packs and go for a variety case.

Generally, if you divide the price of a case of beer (24 bottles) by 4, the price will be substantially lower than it is for a six pack at your local convenient store.  I understand the argument for 6 packs:  people want some variety.  However, I strongly suggest investing in a variety case if you want variety.  There are several terrific variety cases from brewers like Magic Hat, Saranac, Sam Adams and Harpoon that has something in it for every taste.  This will give you variety, plus it will save you some money. 

4.  Alternate alcoholic drinks and water/diet soda.

This is both a money saving tip as well as a health suggestion.  When you are out at a bar, alternate alcoholic drinks with non alcoholic drinks.  This is as good for your wallet as it is for your kidneys, liver and clean legal record.  I've been doing this for years and it has never led me wrong.  You'd be surprised how much you spend on beer that you don't even want, you just want a drink in your hand.

I am a self confessed fan of plastic money.  It's not what you think, I am not a credit card abuser.  My plastic money of choice is my debit card (or ATM/Bank Card).  This way, I am still spending my money instead of someone else's, but I don't have to carry cash with me.  This was instilled in me at a pretty young age.  My mother worked in a bank and told me it would be good for budget control.  She said that the less cash you carry, the less you will spend.  This makes a lot of sense to me, I have never had any debt problems or had to go to debt relief counseling like people I know who have gotten in trouble with credit cards.

However, I have been running into some problems as of late.  Unfortunately, credit and debit cards aren't taken everywhere.  I usually find myself in a tough spot when I need food or drinks out of vending machines or if I am shopping or eating at smaller places.  In addition, overdrawing your account is easy when you don't know how much you have in it.

I have decided to carry more cash on me.  I have never been much of a cash carrying person, but I think carrying a $20 on me at all times is a good medium.  I wouldn't want to lose my wallet or get mugged with a lot of money in there.  I want to know how much the regular person carries on them regularly.  Do you think $20 is too low.  Do you think $20 is too high?  Do you think how much money you carry should be situational?  Do you think carrying more money on you would make you more tempted to spend it and end up in the aformentioned debt relief counseling? Let me know where you stand!