I have a very strict budget I keep myself on. I have even planned in months in advance. I have also set up two checking accounts. One for living expenses and one for emergency and play. At the end of each month when all the bills are paid if there is money left I transfer it to the play account. Now you might think this is mundane and fairly ordinary way to handle the situation but actually to ensure there is money to transfer, I challenge myself on a daily basis. Anytime I wish to spend my “pocket money” I equate that purchase with a future expense or pleasure purchase. This usually deters me from spending much along the way. Most months I am able to attain the goal of putting away an X amount of dollars. The amount of relief and pleasure I obtain from being able to pay for an emergency, go to dinner, take a trip well out weighs a few moments of “pain” that I feel during the month. And as a bonus I don’t have to worry about which living expense I am going to have to cut back on to meet unexpected obligations.

I am very excited about getting your book. I feel it will be well worth it, and yes it will be coming out of the play account.

Hmm I wonder if there is a chapter in it about “You don’t miss what you didn’t know you had to have”

http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers&discussionID=7657527&gid=77472&commentID=8339564&trk=view_disc

Why do people usually buy eggs that cost the most?

Efficient market theory and classical economics sometimes seems bogus. What’s that got to do with the price of eggs? An awful lot — if people always acted rationally, they would buy eggs that cost the least per ounce, but people hardly ever do that. I know I do so, but I don’t know of anyone else who does.

http://www.gummy-stuff.org/halloween-stuff.htm

:^)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/nov/08/automotive-industry-business

You said “But the advantage of examining our habits is that it might lead us to create good ones that will benefit us for a long time.”

As beneficiary as that might be to every one, it has just one slight disadvantage. Please allow me to explain. If a person examines one of his (generic for his or her) habits and then he realizes that his habit is not as good as he wants and decides to make a new good habit. For example: he doesn’t eat breakfast and decides to start eating breakfast since it is good for his health. If for whatever reason he was not able to change he will see it that he has failed. Since no one wants to take the risk of being a failure then no one want to examine his habits.