The Savvy Life

I love to cook and am always on the lookout to improve my skills. On occasion, I take classes at the community college, Draeger's Market and our local Whole Foods.  I especially love to take unofficial classes from my friend Chef Mark Parker as well as my mom and grandmother. 

While watching TV yesterday, I saw that the Cooking Channel will be airing episodes of Alton Brown's Good Eats.  What I enjoy about Alton Brown is that he explains (in his own goofy way) the science of cooking which helps demystify what certain ingredients or techniques do to a recipe.  That kind of knowledge makes a huge impact on the outcome of your meals.  It also increases your success rate if you want to get inventive and start creating your own signature dishes.  I have set my DVR to record the series.

Although I have watched various episodes, I have never watched them back to back.  I am very excited to get started.  The first show that will record is all about eggs.  Just last week I told Paul that I need a refresher lesson from my grandmother about how to cook a really good fried egg.  It will be interesting to get Alton Brown's advice on the subject.

Last Tuesday I stopped by the office of a business acquaintance.  Sandra Wales of Wales Investments, Inc. has a laundry list of certifications including accounting and real estate - but she works extensively in financial planning.

Although I had met her several times, this was the first chance we had to just chat. 

As she talked a little about her background, I was thoroughly impressed to hear that she put herself through college and upon graduation was debt free with $5,000 in savings.

She is passionate about travel and does so, practically free, by being savvy about her rewards points.

I even fell in love with her office.  While in an industry some might consider dull (not me), her office was painted in rich, vibrant colors that spoke of her artistic and creative side.

It was immediately clear that this is a woman who is living her life with purpose and intention.

What I really enjoyed was her vibe of relaxed confidence that comes from a woman who has her financial ducks in a row!

I look forward to getting to know her more and am thrilled to have a new Savvy Mentor!

Last week was INTENSE.  Packed with meetings, speeches, book signings and a 350 mile trek across California, I spent the entire week flying by the seat of my pants.  It was not a fun flight.

A big part of living a Savvy Life is planning.

• Planning allows you to have the clothes you need ready for that meeting with a new client. 
• Planning allows you to have the car filled with gas so you don't have to stop by the station on your way out of town when you're already short on time.
• Planning allows you to have snacks in the car so you don't have to stop at a convenience store.
• Planning allows you to have cash in your wallet for bridge tolls and partking.

Consequently, I am going to take a good 30 - 60 minutes this morning to plot the next seven days.  While this week isn't nearly as intense as the last, there is still a lot going on. 

For example, this Saturday we are having Fight Day at Fearless Fitness which is always followed by a potluck lunch.  Today, I am going to decide what we will take to the potluck.  That will give me plenty of time to pick up what I need so I can enjoy making a dish rather than spending more money on some premade item that I grab at the grocery store at the last minute.

Planning isn't always about saving money.  It's about quality of life.  With just a little planning, I can enjoy my week rather than always being two steps behind and living with that fear of - what have I forgot?

On Friday, October 28^th at 8:45 am, I will stand in front of an audience of 250 people at Author 101 University and tell my story of how I spent two years trying to get my manuscript published and received 36 rejection letters during the process.  I will go on to tell them the happy ending of receiving my book deal and how that same rejected manuscript went to hit the following bestsellers lists:

                            Amazon US

a. Business & Investing

b. Personal Finance

c. Budgeting & Money Management

d. General

                             Amazon UK

a. Business, Finance & Law

b. Personal Finance

c. Money & Finance

d. Budgeting

e. Consumer Guides

f. Reference

Amazon Canada

a. Business & Investing

b. Personal Finance

c. Budgeting & Money Management

                              Amazon Germany & Austria

                a. Business & Investing

                b. Personal Finance

                c. Budgeting & Money Management

The reason I am excited about telling my story at this particular event is because a year and a half earlier, I sat in that same audience confident in my manuscript, but frustrated with the results I had received so far.  It was at Author 101 University that I successfully pitched Living the Savvy Life to my current publisher.  It was also there that I met other presenters who would go on to influence the success of my book as well as of The Savvy Life as a company. 

If you have a manuscript you want to get published and are interested in attending Author 101 University send me an email or give me a call at 650-299-1500.  I am happy to talk to you about my own experience and offer suggestions for making the most of your time at the event.  I hope to see you there!   

There are no "right words" to say about today's anniversary of 9/11.  I can only say that my thoughts are with those who were lost and those who lost loved ones. 

My thoughts are also with the men and women who work every day to keep us safe.  Thank you.

The leaves on our backyard oak tree are beginning to fall.  I plan to spend as much time as possible enjoying this beautiful fall weather. 

It's going to be a great weekend hanging out with good friends, eating delicious, home cooked food and appreciating the change of the season.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

By Kevin Gibbons

When I first met my wife, I was aghast to learn that she routinely bought retread tires for her truck. As a Cost Guard Petty Office, she could not afford to pay for new ones. Being the gallant boyfriend, I insisted on purchasing new, high mileage tires for her. Twenty-one years and three trucks later, we were saving up the $800 for a new set when I received a phone call. Leta had taken the truck in for its annual smog inspection (it passed, thanks to our regular maintenance) and saw some used tires at a reseller that would fit the truck for sale. We really needed to replace the tires before the rainy season, so I figured we could at least buy ourselves a few extra months to save up for the “good” tires. We agreed to make the purchase.

When I got home from work I saw four brand new high quality Goodyear tires on the truck and two invoices. One for $180 for all four tires and another for $50 for balancing and mounting. She saved us about $500! These were not retread tires. They were “used.” Tire resellers will buy tires from wrecked vehicles, or from tire dealerships. Sometimes they get tires with no miles on them if a person buys a new car and decides to put larger rims on it. These tires still have to be sold as “used.”

I don’t know if we will continue buying used tires like this. I like the warranty that comes with new tires, and the extra services tire dealerships provide, like safety inspections. But in this case, is sure looks like we got a great deal.

Things to remember if you decide to buy used tires:

• Buy from a Used Tire Dealer, not from some guy in a parking lot
• Ask about warranties. Usually there aren’t any, so buyer beware
• You are responsible for making sure the tires are correct for your vehicle. Do some research first to verify size and speed rating.
• Most used tire resellers do not balance and mount the tires they sell, but (coincidentally) there usually are garages nearby that will provide that service for a fee.