My Transition – The Journey of a Single, Celibate Man
May 30, 2014 | Posted in Love & Money, Romance and Relationships | By kennypugh
I was initially hesitant about sharing my story publicly. However, I’ve been very open about the past several years of my life as a single, celibate man. I have had an opportunity to share my celebrations and challenges over the years via my blog (www.chatkafeonline.com), book (www.canyoudoitstandingup.com), radio show, workshops and many other outlets.
Well the time has come for me to share a very different part of my journey. After many years of living the single life, and pursuing my life purpose, I have identified the woman, Tamiko Lowry, I look to spend the rest of my life with. YES…I’m preparing to transition from being a single, celibate man to embracing the role as husband and prayerfully father.
It’s a very different feeling making the intentional decision to move beyond just addressing myself and regularly taking into account the needs and happiness of someone else. The past several months have challenged me to think beyond being single and to prepare for life going forward with an attitude of compromise and sacrifice. Until you get this right your relationships will often end in failure.
Many were very surprised by the photos I shared of my lovely significant other, as they should have been. I never was a fan of sharing publicly my dating experiences because I never wanted to be someone who changed relationship statuses regularly like I see so many others do on social media. I wanted to wait until I was truly sure of my status and the future I desired to pursue before ‘going public.’ Even then I was hesitant. However, because so many people have followed me since 2005, when I started sharing my experiences publicly, I feel a responsibility to bring this phase of my life to you.
On May 11th I shared photos with Tamiko as part of a milestone celebration in my life…turning 40 years old. However, the public revelation was only the result of the hard conversations and work Tamiko and I shared in private. It was over a period of time that I realized that she embodied everything I could have imagined. The Bible says “He who finds a wife, finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.” Well I’m ready to move into that favor!
The time has come for me to transition and I look forward to sharing the journey with you. Because I’m a big fan of Love and Money, a lot of the focus will center on that particular topic.
Because of the abstinence life I promote, I will let you know that this phase of my journey will go pretty quickly. Once you identify ‘The One,’ there’s no need to delay doing it the right way. Please join me along this journey…it should be fun and entertaining.
One of the things I’m excited about sharing is my experience learning about and shopping for rings. All rings are NOT created equal and I’ll provide details about that soon enough.
I also look forward to being a relationship expert who isn’t single…LOL. I’ve had enough with having to defend my ability to share relationship principles as a single man.
How to Pay off Debt Faster – Part 2
May 30, 2014 | Posted in Debt, Finance, Money | By kennypugh
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You can watch part 1 of this video series here -> Click Here for Part #1
Don’t forget to sign-up for my e-mail list by completing the form to the right!
How to Pay off Debt Faster – Part 1
May 30, 2014 | Posted in Debt, Finance, Money | By kennypugh
Help! I Owe $150K in Student Loans and Make $36K a Year (via yahoo finance)
April 29, 2014 | Posted in Debt, Finance | By kennypugh
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By Gerri Detweiler
Money problems can be distressing and depressing. We recently heard from a college graduate who feels overwhelmed by debt:
What can I do about student loans? I owe about $150,000 and only make $36,000. I’m also looking for a new job that hopefully pays more. I feel stuck and miserable. I went to college to better myself but instead of feeling improved, I have this huge burden on my shoulders. All I do is work and pay bills, work and pay bills, work and pay bills. Help me, please!
We asked finance expert and writer (and contributor for Credit.com) Mitchell Weiss about our reader’s plight. Unfortunately the news wasn’t encouraging.
The writer may be entitled to some government-backed repayment plans, such as income-based repayment (IBR) or Pay As You Earn (PAYE) programs. But, Weiss cautioned, those are available only for federal loans; they are not available for private loans. If he works in the public domain, our reader might be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
“As far as his/her private loans are concerned, it’ll be case by case with the lenders,” Weiss said in an email. “Just know that any accommodation will come at a price — unpaid interest will be added to the loan balance (this is known as ‘negative amortization’), which will only make matters worse.”
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5 Sneaky Ways to Build Your Savings
April 22, 2014 | Posted in Debt, Finance, Savings | By kennypugh
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Heather Sokol via babble.com
One of the most important things to financial peace is having a savings account with funds available for emergencies. But, there are bills to pay and unexpected expenses and kids who eat you out of house and home.
It’s so hard to break the cycle and get to the point of having money to put away. Most experts will tell you to “pay yourself first,” meaning add to your savings before you even pay bills or spend any money.
That sounds like a great idea, in theory. But if money is already tight every month, it is just not going to be realistic. Instead, try to find simple ways to save just a little bit every week.
Here are 5 sneaky ways to save money you’ll barely miss:
1. The Round-Up: For each purchase you make, round up to the nearest dollar in your check register. You may only be saving pennies at a time, but it gives the checkbook easier math and adds up over time. At the end of each day, week, or month, you can transfer the money to your savings account. Some banks even have special checking accounts that will do this for you automatically.
Related: 7 steps to a better budget this year
2. The Impulse Savings Plan: Whenever you make an impulse purchase, transfer the same amount to your savings account. This impulse savings plan can help your budget in two ways. Not only are you adding to your savings account with each impulse purchase, but you may find yourself spending less money if your impulse buy isn’t actually worth double. Another idea would be to put the money into savings every time you stop yourself from making an unplanned purchase.
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20 Habits of Financially Successful People (via manilla.com)
April 18, 2014 | Posted in Credit, Debt, Education, Finance, Money, Savings | By kennypugh
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This is an article I found to be very insightful with regards to habits practiced by financially successful people. How many of these do you incorporate into your life?
The secret to finding financial success has been something that has eluded many of us for our entire lives. Yet there are multitudes of individuals who enjoy a comfortable life due to their financial success. As it turns out, many of these financially successful people all have certain habits in common with each other. Here is a list of the top 20 key habits that financially successful people employ.
1. They establish and follow a budget.
Being able to plan ahead for your financial needs and setting limits on certain spending types will almost always result in better results in the long run. Anyone can make a budget, but staying disciplined enough to follow it is more difficult.
2. They keep their recurring, monthly expenses to a minimum.
Along with making and keeping that budget, they also evaluate their monthly costs and reduce them when possible. By avoiding this unnecessary spending they allow a larger portion of their income to go towards saving.
3. They have a healthy financial education.
Financially successful people are well aware of the current economic trends and are constantly increasing their knowledge so that they are able to make the right decisions when it comes to managing their money.
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