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Business Planning Myopia
With few exceptions, business plans tend to change very little from year to year. In most cases it's a matter taking last year's plan, making a few modifications, changing the dates and the title page and attaching new financials. After all, we're...
Going Mobile (Part 2): How to Get In on the Wireless Revolution -- Without Credit Checks or 2-Year Commitments
This article may be used freely on your website as long as it remains intact, including author byline and resource box and links. We would appreciate it if you would notify us when it is used: Going Mobile (Part 2): How to Get In on the Wireless ...
MLM Success Training: Why Some People Become Wealthy in Network Marketing and Others Don’t.
Regardless of whether you watch the Oprah Winfrey show or not, the story of her success is fascinating. You can't say where she is today is the result of any special advantages she had growing up. In fact, she came from a broken family and she was...
The Real Story Of The Little Engine That Could
Gone are the days when self-publishing was synonymous with self-defeat. Authors such as Deepak Chopra, Mark Victor Hansen and Neale Donald Walsch, originally self-published successfully before selling their books to major publishers (in order to...
Top 10 Ways to Handle Problem Co-Workers
Gossiping, backstabbing, power plays - everyone has had to deal with difficult co-workers. They can sap your energy and stand in the way of your enjoyment of your job.
1. Review your company policy, if any exists, to see the guidelines on...
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Ben Franklin Didn't Quite Get it Right
When Ben Franklin said "a penny saved is a penny earned", he didn't quite get it right. Actually, a penny saved is worth more than a penny earned. Do you find this statement shocking? I am about to prove to you that what I'm saying is true.
Most people erroneously believe the best way to strengthen their financial health is to increase their income. On the contrary, saving money by cutting costs will get you there quicker. You see, it's very simple. When your income increases (with some exceptions like the part of it you put into your 401k), that extra money is taxed. On the other hand, any amount you save by cutting costs is not taxed. Therefore, $20 saved by cutting costs is worth more than a $20 increase in income.
The following (although over-simplified) example will illustrate this principle. Let's suppose that Jack and Cindy have identical jobs and incomes. Let's also suppose they shop at the same grocery store and pay about the same amount for groceries each week. Now, Jack gets a $20 per week pay increase and Cindy does not. However, at about that same time, Cindy finds a new grocery store where she is able to save $20
per week on her grocery bill. Assuming nothing else has changed, Cindy is now better off financially than Jack, even though she did not get a raise and he did. How can this be? It's because Jack has to pay taxes on his $20 raise but Cindy does not have to pay taxes on her $20 grocery discount. Assuming Jack is in the 25% federal tax bracket (and disregarding any possible increase in his state or local taxes), he will be able to put only $15 into his piggy bank each week whereas Cindy will be able to put the whole $20 a week into hers!
Bottom Line: It is more blessed to receive a discount than to receive an equal amount in a pay increase!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, and trivia buff from Hopewell, VA. He also serves as a political columnist for American Daily and operates his own website - http://www.commenterry.com - on which he posts commentaries on various subjects such as politics, technology, religion, health and well-being, personal finance, and sports. His commentaries offer a unique point of view that is not often found in mainstream media.
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