“Spring cleaning includes finances - Fresno Bee” plus 1 more

Spring cleaning includes finances - Fresno Bee

Posted: 03 Apr 2010 10:23 PM PDT

If this describes you, aren't you tired of holding on to that baggage?

Why 50 things?

It's not an arbitrary number, Blanke promises: "Once you make it to 50, a kind of wonderful momentum takes over; before you know it, the throwing-out thing becomes a habit, an ongoing mindset."

So what do you toss?

Blanke answers this question by giving you the "rules of disengagement." They are:

If the item, memory, job or even person is weighing you down, get rid of it.

If the thing is not contributing something positive, let it go.

If it takes you a long time to decide whether something needs to be tossed, throw it out.

If you're afraid to throw out something, get rid of the fear.

One of the chapters that really hit home for me was "Letting Go of Needing to Feel Secure."

"There was this idea that if you worked and saved and kept a lid on your wildest dreams, not to mention your expenses, you'd be fine," Blanke writes. "Well, all those securities are, if not totally defunct, more than a little iffy these days."

The recession has made many people realize that security can't just come with the job you hold or the emergency money you've saved. Both can vanish sooner than you think. Blanke says don't covet and cling to security to the point that when it's taken away, you crumble.

Blanke's book is divided into four parts. In part one, you get rid of unused stuff in your house. No more junk drawers. In part two, you attack your office or desk or the part of your house designated as your workspace. "Throw out all the debris that's accumulated there, which just might be slowing your ability to gain traction in a new assignment, a new company or even a whole new career," she says.

In part three, you get rid of the mental mess. You might be surprised at the emotional junk you've collected. Finally, after you've made it to 50, with added space in your home, office and mind there's room to contemplate what you want in life.

So are you ready to throw out 50 things? If so, I have a challenge for you. As you think about the stuff you need to pitch, may I suggest that you put on your list at least five financial things?

Among them, get rid of a lingering small debt. Throw out old financial documents you no longer need (that pile of papers counts as just one thing). Shed the anger of a lost job or home.

Here's the thing about the book when it comes to your finances: People want higher incomes so they can live a better life, and this often just means having more stuff.

But what if you started throwing out things? This has the possibility of making you realize you can make do with the money you have.

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Economic news getting better - Marketwatch

Posted: 04 Apr 2010 08:53 AM PDT

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Personal Finance

Sunday, April 4, 2010