What's your plan Stan? (or your name) Tell us and win $100

This is an idea I've seen a couple places that I thought would be fun for my sharp group.

The gift-giving holidays are all but over for 2009.

The bills will start arriving soon.

What is your plan for dealing with them? Has this year brought up any good ideas for next year?

Tell us your plan and you'll be automatically entered to win $100.

You can enter this contest until 12 noon on Sunday, January 18th.

I will choose the top 10 finalists and then let you, my readers decide the winner.

So, tell us YOUR plan for dealing with your holiday bills!

Good luck!

UPDATE: The CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. A WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON FEBRUARY 2, 2010.

Tell us your secrets!

Yesterday my friend Ron told

me about a book called

"Predictably Irrational" by

Dan Ariely.

I haven't read the book yet but

there is a website/blog with the same

name and I spent a lot of time there

yesterday and it's really quite

fascinating.

There is a post on that website

called "Sex, Shaving and Bad Underwear.

It's about self-control and what he calls

"pre-commitments".

From the post:

"pre-commitments, or the preemptive
actions we can take to keep ourselves
in check. Worried you’ll spend too
much money at the bar? No problem,
bring just the cash you’re willing to part
with. Afraid you’ll skip out on your next
gym visit? All right, then make plans to
meet a friend there. And so on.

Pre-commitments can take many a form,
and some get pretty creative."

I do stuff like this all the time. One that

comes to mind is peanuts.

I LOVE them and once I start eating

them I eat too many. So now I

only grab a handful when I'm heading

out the door. Problem solved...unless

I keep a stash in the car!

Also, I've stopped my 10PM snack. I

wasn't really hungry at 10PM but my

sweet tooth was aching.

I've stopped this habit by brushing and

flossing my teeth around 930. Who wants

to do all that again twice in one night?

(anyone else have childhood "taste" memories

of having to drink your orange juice

AFTER brushing your teeth? YUCK!)

The mouthwash and toothpaste seem to

be enough to satisfy my sweet tooth even

though I'm not swallowing them.

This made me wonder what "pre-commitments"

or premptive actions you might have.

So please reply to this article by clicking COMMENTS
below and let us know what YOU do.

They can be about food, exercise, spending

or any other topic.

I look forward to reading them.

Thanks!

Leo

What is the best thing you did in 2009?

Around this time for the last three years

I've asked my readers to tell me the

best thing they did that year.

Think back on the past year and let me know the best

thing you did.

It can be in any area of your life...finances, health,

relationships, sports, stamp collecting...whatever!

I got a bunch of replies which you can read at:
http://www.LeoQuinn.com/2009Best.html

Leave a comment at the bottom of this post
with your contribution.

One of my favorite accomplishments was finally

organizing my basement. It had been on my to

do list for years and I finally got to it.

I tossed pounds and pounds of stuff. It was actually

fun once I got into it. This was all back in January

and I'm tempted to go back through all the stuff

this January and pare down again.

Getting organized is probably in the top three of

new year resolutions including getting out of debt

and losing weight.

My friend Maria Gracia can help you get organized.

There's more paper than ever... bank statements,
insurance paperwork, schedules, school-related reports,
medical records, warranties-- and of course all the fun
paper too, like memorabilia, articles, hobby-related
stuff and more.

This is not to mention all the email
messages and computer documents that get printed and
copied each day--even more paper!

These papers start small, quickly turn into piles, and
then grow into mountains. Sometimes, these mountains of
paper get so high, that the thought of tackling them is
just too overwhelming-- especially when you don't have a
good filing system in place or much time to put one
together.

If you're sick and tired of the piles of paper taking
over your home and your life and you just don't know
where to start, I have a solution for you. The good news
is, this solution won't take hardly any time at all, and
the result will be stunning--a filing system that will
allow you to dismantle those mountains and find whatever
you're looking for in seconds.

Visit:

Maria's Site

She guarantees you'll be able to get all your paper
organized, in an efficient, easy-as-pie to set up filing
system that will be the envy of all your friends.

Check it out...

Maria's Site

Need some worthy causes to support in this season

of giving?

www.Kiva.org

www.DonorsChoose.com

That's all for today. Don't forget to let me know

the best you you did in 2009.

Make it a great day!

Thank you for reading.

Leo