My Bday Giveaway, Yakezie Round up, and Uncommon Money News (Vol. 102)
| July 13, 2010 | Posted by Roshawn Watson under Uncategorized |
By: Roshawn Watson
In celebration of my upcoming birthday, I’ve decided to offer you an opportunity to win a $60 gift certificate from CSN Stores. CSN stores has over 200 online stores featuring products from a variety of areas including: home improvement, cookware, dining room sets, baby accessories and much more. You should have no problem finding a place to spend your new found cash. No purchase is necessary to enter 🙂 Each of the following constitutes a chance to win.
How To Qualify for My Bday Giveaway:
1. Leave a comment below telling me your favorite birthday experience
2. RT this article on Twitter (button on post)
3. Follow me on Twitter. I have over five thousand tweeps, so why not join the party? Please leave me a comment saying you have done so.
4. Subscribe to Watson Inc, and leave a comment saying you have subscribed.
5.Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link to this article.
The Rules
I will select the winner using a random number generator. You must respond to my email request within 48 hours or another winner will be selected. Please leave an email address that you’ll be checking. You have until July 25th to enter.
Writing about this giveaway made me recall my favorite birthday experience. I had just snow-balled paid off nearly six-figures worth of consumer debt. I decided to throw a party, so I rented out the second level of a restaurant that I liked, hired an extraordinary jazz musician, hired a photographer, etc. and invited my friends and family. It was a lot of fun, and I even briefly shared my story of becoming debt-free. We also celebrated at Carowinds, an amusement park that I enjoy. Several people brought presents, which was very kind and appreciated. However, I had already given myself the biggest gift I could ask for. I was debt-free excluding the mortgage, and the deep sense of accomplishment I felt when hitting that particular milestone is still hard to describe. To be in control of your financial life is phenomenal. I didn’t realize at the time the total impact having those chains of debt released from my income would have, but I just knew this change was monumental and essential. To celebrate becoming debt-free a) along with my birthday and b) having friends and family there to celebrate with me made the experience all the more memorable and special. To this day, people still tell me how that experience has affected them.
Disclaimer: Watson Inc and I received no compensation for this post!
Now, it’s time to do the weekly Uncommon Money News and Yakezie Round Up.
Uncommon Money News and Yakezie Round Up
In preparing to write my posts, I often come across noteworthy and sometimes bizarre financial and business news. Below are links to some of these sites. Enjoy!
Recently, I participated in two carnivals:Carnival of Financial Planning Vol. 149 (at The Skilled Investor) and Carnival of 20 something Personal Finance (at Complex Search).
The included posts are: Why Is Debt Really Decreasing?, Savings Down, Spending Up, But What Does it Mean? and Will the Economy Collapse In 2011?
Additionally, Joe from Joe Taxpayer’s A Bastille Day Roundup gave the link love this weekend with some great posts (really enjoyed the estate-planning article from Wealth Pilgrim). I am honored that Savings Down, Spending Up, But What Does it Mean? (awesome comments on post) was included. Funny About Money also did a Yakezie Round Up in honor of breaking into the top 100 of wisebread. That rocks and thanks for the mentions!
Posts Of The Week
Tax on Dividends, Capital Gains Will Remain at 20%: Geithner(and here)
Business
10 Brands That May Disappear in 2011
How Many Workers Can You Hire for the Price of One CEO?
Economy
Tax on Dividends, Capital Gains Will Remain at 20%: Geithner(and here) POW
Why Are Americans Fleeing the Job Market?
Who gets paid what in the Obama White House
Entertainment Money News
Robert Patinson, K Stew, and Taylor Lautner to get up to $40 million each for Break Dawn
Despicable Me’ tops weekend box office at $60.1M
Offbeat Money News
Tour a $50 million Hamptons House of fun
Judge cuts $675,000 penalty in song-sharing case to $67,500
Career
Yakezie Round Up
Even Lebron James Doesn’t Listen to President Obama and Goes to Miami (at Financial Samurai). I promise there is some relevance to personal finance (trust me!)
Thanks for the birthday/debt free story. That's awesome and I hope everyone that is working towards that goal has something like that in mind to do when they are done. It is an amazing feeling to have that freedom over your finances. Congratulations.
Also, thanks for the mention link to my blog! I really appreciate it!
Thank you for commenting. I really enjoyed your Dave Ramsey post. One size-fit all advice doesn't always work.
Becoming debt-free really did change how I felt about my ability to handle money and my feelings about financial risk. I am a lot more conservative now, and that alone plays a big role in most of my financial decisions. For example, I find risk in things that many people consider quite safe. It all depends on your goals though.
Regards,
Shawn
My favorite birthday experience was any of the ones before my 18th birthday because I was always guaranteed a cake. Now not so much:)
I follow you on twitter and I subscribe to you. I'll also be mentioning this contest tomorrow on my blog
My recent post The Path To Financial Freedom- Get Your Mind In The Game
Happy birthday man! You must guide me to a post, or share your story of how you got into almost 6 figures in consumer debt, and how you got out! That's a lot of debt man! Did you buy a Porsche 911 or something?
My favorite birthday moment was when I was 6. I got my very first bicycle, and rode it around and around in circles for hours. That was AWESOME!
Best,
Sam
My recent post An Inside Look At The Yakezie- Stage One Recap!
Happy Birthday! Retweeted!
My recent post Why Teachers Anger Me!
Hey Kevin,
My 18th Bday didn't turn out the way I thought it would either. I went out with friends and ended up losing my wallet, and this was the week before I left town for college. That meant all that week, I was running around trying to prove that I was me. Fortunately, this was before ID theft got so out of hand. Thanks so much for the follow, comment, and the mention tomorrow. You rock!!! BTW, sorry about the cake!
Regards,
Shawn
Hey Sam, Thanks so much for the b-day wishes! Fun b-day moment you mentioned… did you have training wheels?
Surprisingly, I don't think I wrote about the specifics of becoming debt free. I wrote about my disgust with the debt here: http://www.roshawnwatson.com/2007/03/free-yoursel…
The debt was 75% student loans, 14% car, and the remainder a medical bill. I just paid the bills smallest to largest by increasing my earnings, using savings, cashing out non-retirement investments, and cutting life style. It didn't take too long either if I was to be realistic, but it was painful. Unfortunately no Porsche though.
Regards,
Shawn
Thanks for the b-day wish and RT!!!
Regards,
Shawn
Happy birthday Shawn. I've really enjoyed "meeting" you via the Yakezie!
My recent post Savvy Blogging Summit Recap- Part 1
This is my first time here=)__First, ~~Happy Birthday~~!
My best birthday would probably be the first Birthday celebrated with the young guy who would become my husband a few years later~that would have been my 16th=) Many, many moons ago! I have a beautiful & delicious layered heart cake (sweet 16 & all!) home made and decorated by my wonderful Mom!
Now, Hubby & I are nearly debt free ourselves=)
Thanks so much for the B-day wishes. I'm enjoying "meeting you" as well via twitter, our blogs, etc. Friendly Regards,
Shawn
Hey Lethea,
First time here, well welcome!!!! I'm so happy that you stopped by and left a comment. Being able to celebrate your first b-day with your future spouse is phenomenal. There's nothing that really quite compares. I wish you and your husband the best of luck towards your debt free goal. It sounds like you are almost there. It is one of the best things you can do in terms of positioning yourself to build incredible wealth. On the following page are some of the core posts from this site that may interest you:
http://www.roshawnwatson.com/p/best-of-watson-inc…
My best birthday was when my (then) fiance proposed to me — my 21st birthday, to be exact!
AllMyCrazyCats @ aol.com
I re-tweeted this article (I hope I did it right, not too sure how twitter works yet)
pudyqat is my name http://twitter.com/pudyqat/status/19229682170
allmycrazycats@aol.com
I follow you on Twitter (Pudyqat)
AllMyCrazyCats {at} AOL.COM
E-mail subscriber
AllMyCrazyCats @ aol.com
Hey Kristine, thanks so much for stopping by and entering the giveaway. I got you entered FOUR times! You really rock. Good luck 🙂
My favorite birthday memory is when, for my 22nd birthday, my boyfriend flew into town to surprise me (we were dating long-distance). He had collaborated with my friends to plan a big surprise, and it was totally unexpected 🙂 If I happen to win, you can contact me at kimskitchensink [at] gmail [dot] com
My recent post Adorable Play Kitchen!
I really admire your website