T-Zone Tips

The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That’s the day we truly grow up.” John Maxwell

Okay, so this is the deal:  There are many things in life we have little to no control over.  There is ONE thing we have TOTAL control over and that’s the attitude we choose to adopt in response.  I know, I know, nothing new — but think about it.  There is NO downside to adopting a good attitude.  Or as I like to put it:  “It’s hard to be grumpy when you’re grateful!”.  What are you grateful for today?

Many Blessings!

Melinda

“The Recipe for deliberate creation has 10 parts: 5 parts of appreciating what is; 2 parts of imagining a little better than what is; 2 parts of looking for things that would make you feel better; 1 part of quieting your mind, relaxing and not trying so hard, being at ease at it” ~Abraham-Hicks Rye

Thanks to my friend Tom Murasso for bringing this quote to my attention on FB.   Are you tired of worrying about the state of the economy, our health care system, disarray in the financial markets, finances in general?  I heard a wise woman say yesterday to quit watching the news!  The Law of Attraction says we will attract more of what we spend our time thinking about - Yikes!  I vow to spend the weekend being grateful for an 88% employment rate, that finally our health care system may be improved, and for my wonderful job, home, family & friends!  How about you?

Many Blessings & Much Prosperity,

Melinda

Okay, so come on people, this isn’t rocket science.  You have XXX dollars that come in, you spend LESS than XXX dollars going out.  Doh!  For those of you whose employment situation has changed (i.e. lost a job, got a new job at less money, etc), this means that you have to take immediate action to change your outgoing dollars.  Do you Really need cable TV, do you Really have to go out to eat, etc.  This is our new reality, and a lesson to be learned about over-consumption which we Americans are famous (infamous) for.

It’s past time to re-examine what’s Really important.  Put your Money where your Purpose is.

Many Blessings,

Melinda

I was talking to my cousin Debbie a couple days ago lamenting that I had not been keeping up with my 20 minutes a day of decluttering for the last few weeks & have mail piled up on my dining room table.  She said that she put a chair in her garage (where she enters her house after work).  She lets her dogs out to do “their business”, sits in the chair and goes thru the mail.  She has a garbage can there where she immediately throws out everything she doesn’t need to keep.  Good tip, Deb!

Many Blessings,

Melinda

Wake Up … Live the Life you Love:  Empowered! of which I am a co-author along with Wayne Dyer, Brian Tracy and other notables was released just yesterday.  Reached #5 on the bestseller list and #1 on the Self Improvement list!  This is a great compilation of personal stories of overcoming difficulties from each author.  You’ll love it!  http://tinyurl.com/wakeupempowered

Many Blessings!

Melinda

www.TZoneConsulting.com

http://www.cnbc.com/id/30681800

Well, it’s about time.  President Obama has been pushing for legislation reform in the out-of-control credit card industry.  Looks like we will see some changes very positive for consumers soon.

Will keep you posted!

Melinda

Bernie Madoff’s sentencing after his guilty plea will take place in about 3 months.   After bilking investors out of billions of dollars, his attorneys have requested on his behalf that he be allowed to go home to his $7 million penthouse “on bail” until his sentencing.  He is certainly expected to spend the rest of his life behind bars, but his attorneys indicated that his cooperation in “finding” the billions of dollars essentially stolen from investors hinges upon his ability to spend a few months with his wife before going to jail.

I have to say that’s a pretty good incentive - to be able to recover some of the money he took from now desperate former investors.  Doesn’t make it right.

Many Blessings & Safe Investments!

Melinda

Bernard Madoff, the Wall Street trader that bilked thousands of individuals out of $50 billion, is expected to plead guilty to securities fraud, money laundering and perjury in an open plea hearing in New York.  Doing so, Mr. Madoff faces up to 150 years in prison.   So why would he do that?  It is a certainty he will be going to prison for a long time whether he pleads guilty or not, but pleading guilty is the only way Mr. Madoff can preserve at least some assets for his family.  It is highly possible that this is the only way to recover at least some of the billions essential stolen from innocent investors, because Mr. Madoff is the only person that knows where all that money is located!

Mr. Madoff’s sentencing is not expected to occur for several months.  In the meantime, his legal team will be asking that he be released on bond.

Seems to me, particular with the guilty plea, that bond would be denied so that his access to any of these hidden funds would be difficult if not impossible.  Will keep you posted!

Blessings,

Melinda Day-Harper

Okay, this is a first.  American Express sent out tens of thousands of notices to retail customers that they will pay you $300 to cancel your AMEX card!  Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?  What’s the catch?  You have to pay off your balance within 30 days of agreeing to cancel your card, your awards points are forfeited (unless you use them up first), and you still have to pay interest during the March 1 to April 30 window.

My understanding is that these notices were sent out a few weeks ago and the deadline for “signing up” was Feb. 28.  However, other credit card companies are sure to follow suit.  Be aware that, as you may have learned in our Credit Scores teleseminars,  closing any line of credit will generally hurt your credit score!

Chin up — we’re still hanging in there.  Final Question for you:  Can you imagine a situation where the “powers that be” allow our banking system to fail?  Nope, me neither!

Blessings!

Melinda