What random act of kindness has touched your life?

At the credit union, these random acts of kindness are called "LifeSimplified Moments." They are acts of service that go above and beyond the employee's current job duties and responsibilities. It's more than just being nice and holding the door open for someone or pouring coffee in a cup. Random acts of kindness are ways to touch people's lives whether you know them or not. A way to extend the good graces and blessings you've received and "pay it forward" freely without need of attention or payment.

For me, the entire concept is based on my core values. They are extensions of how I feel about my family, the world, and my faith. So, as a friend would say, "I'm done waxing poetic!" All I'm looking for are the examples of how someone has touched your life, which then might serve as an inspiration to others who need a little love right now.

Okay... I'm waiting... don't have all day... I'd better hear from you, or else... (Just practicing my tough talk so my image isn't tarnished - grin.)

Bring It!

This week, my fellow bloggers and I are talking about making your own luck, inspiration, uplifting events, etc.  Initially, I was going to talk about all the wonderful benefits the credit union offered to its employees like our on-site physical fitness center (had to slip at least one in…lol!)

 

Instead, I want to make it a little more personal and partly due to selfish reasons; my husband and I started P90X this weekend. P90X is a system of 12 extreme workouts designed to transform your body from “regular to ripped” in 90 days.

 

Well the selfishness comes in because if I tell just enough people about my commitment to “getting ripped in 90 days” then maybe that will give me the drive to roll out of bed at 4:45am to complete this hour long work-out when sleeping for an extra hour is so much easier to do.  I also have received some inspiration from a couple members of our management team who are on their 3rd and 10^th weeks.

 

Another motive for me to “bring it” is I know my family will reap the rewards and benefits of having a healthier wife and mom.

Guest blogger Corey shares his "nice thing" thought today

In Monday's post, Beth blogs about intentionally making a difference by doing one "nice thing".   Corey Fink, who works with me here at South Carolina Federal Credit Union had an interesting example which I asked him to share:

Almost anytime I arrive at a store where there are shopping carts, inevitably one is near my vehicle or on my way in to the store. So I began the habit of taking them into the store. On occasion I’ll even intercept a person who just finished unloading and return their cart for them. My wife calls me considerate and polite. I just smile quietly, because my motives are more selfish than that.

This habit started when I came out to my truck one time and there was a cart touching the side panel. Like most people who care about their investment, I was not pleased. Rather than get mad at something I could not undo, I decided to start returning carts that were near my vehicle hoping to lessen the chance of a new dent or scratch.

Fast forward two years. I now see the appreciative looks on people’s faces, especially the shopping cart cowboy who has to round up all those renegade carts. My motive has changed (somewhat) from selfishness to kindness. I know I’m not exactly leaving a $20 bill in the cart, but it’s my nice thing, as small as it may be.

Even if it’s small like returning a cart that you didn’t use, what's your nice thing?

"Deep Thought" Days

Do you ever wake up and have those “deep thought” days?  You know the kind:  You wonder if what you do all day makes a difference.    When those questions come to mind, you don’t have to look far to find opportunities to make a difference in your family, your local neighborhood, your workplace or the world.   Just one simple step can lead you down a most interesting and impactful path.  Consider these two examples:

Debbie Tenzer, the author of  Do One Nice Thing: Little Things You Can Do to Make the World a Whole Lot Nicer,  started looking for nice things to do every Monday to counter the "Monday Blues."  She got hooked and now refers to herself as a Nice-a-Holic.   Tenzer committed to doing a nice thing one day a week – not everyday, but once a week.   There are now 42 Mondays left in 2010.

In Same Kind of Different as Me, Ron Hall and Denver Moore relay the true story of an unlikely friendship between a wealthy art dealer (Hall) and a homeless, illiterate man living on the streets in Texas (Moore).  How did the friendship begin?    Hall and his wife volunteered to serve meals once a week at a local shelter.  From that “one day a week” commitment came an amazing story of changed lives.

This week as you think about whether what you do makes a difference, consider intentionally doing one nice thing once a ____ (you fill in the blank).   Let us know what your  “nice thing” is!

- Written by Beth Jaskiewicz, SVP, Marketing

Family vacations – how big, how far, how much?

In the spirit of our "planning ahead" theme this week, I asked our Senior Vice President of Marketing, Beth Jaskiewicz, to share some of her vacation preparation tips. Read below and enjoy!

Be the germ – Don’t wait for others to ask. Start talking with family members early to find out what works for all (or depending on the size of your family, for most). Beach? Mountains? Dude ranch? Extreme sports?

Be realistic – Everyone wants to go to Europe for a month, but unless your job and your checking account can swing that – or you won the lottery – that’s probably not going to happen this year. Also consider age ranges and make sure there’s something for everyone (Beth's family vacation will include over a dozen people, age 1 year to 80 years)

Be creative – Relentlessly search for affordable, fun options.

• Look for deals online. The usual resources – Hotwire, Orbitz, VRBO, etc.

• Thinking of Disney?

• Use your points – CUReward Points for airfare, car rental, hotels, etc. 

Be the chief – Or designate chiefs to take on critical roles. Depending on the crowd, location and interests, you might have many chiefs: Chief of dates; Chief of Reservations; Chief of Menus; Chief of Fun. Everyone wants to enjoy the vacation, so spread the love and let everyone play a part.

What are some of your vacation planning tips that have worked well (or not) ?

Chao for now,

Leslita

Public or Private?

Ok, I need your perspective on this topic. Hubby and I have been having debates lately on the topic of private vs. public schooling for our children. Although our girls are only toddlers this is the best time to plan for their education.

 

My husband believes that since he and I both went to public schools (in NY) and turned out fine we should place the kids in public school. On the other hand, I have begun to weigh the pros and cons with each and would like to at least consider both options.

 

Private or public?…hmmm…this is an incredibly complex question. It's a matter of how good, bad or indifferent we perceive the local private and public schools to be.  Factors to consider include the talents and aspirations of the children as well as our expectations as parents.

 

Every parent wants to ensure their child receives the best education available; we also want to raise an emotionally healthy and well-rounded adult. One of the motivations for me was I don’t want to look back in the next five or ten years and say, “if only we had spent the money”.  There seems to be an expectation that private schools would have a more disciplined work ethic and I want the kids to be subject to that.

 

The bottom line is we need to look into the options that are available and decide with confidence. So, what do you think, private or public?

Does your 2010 planning include a Chamber membership?

All last week the Simple Cents Bloggers talked about a series of financial workshops being offered to help individuals with financial education and planning.

How about business planning?

Do you work for a business in the Charleston area? If so, you should know the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce is in the middle of their 2010 membership drive.

Perhaps your business counts itself as fortunate to have successfully weathered this prolonged recession. Now you are in a position to do some real, longer-term, strategic planning. Your business should seriously consider a Chamber membership.

Back in October 2009, guest blogger Bridget Hearn-Simmons highlighted a couple advantages of being a Chamber member. These included discounts on office supplies, as well as sales and leadership training. She blogged about how the Chamber provides businesses with legislative insight and numerous networking opportunities. It’s also worth noting that Chamber members can acquire affordable health insurance for themselves and their employees.

If your company is a member, then so are you! Want to know more? Check out CharlestonChamber.net Better yet, call Bridget Hearn-Simmons at 843-569-4962 or Liza Rehill at 843-569-5197 and they can talk with you about how smart strategic planning includes a Chamber membership.

Plan ahead. Just do it.

To be prepared is half the victory. - Miguel de Cervantes, Spanish novelist, dramatist & poet (1547-1616)

Planning ahead requires effort, conscientiousness and time but we agree with Cervantes that it can get you where you want to be.  This week, your friends at SiMPLECENTS will make a case for the fact that planning is absolutely essential to achieve the greatest success in your work and personal life. 

Consider these true-to-life examples that show the virtues of planning:

• The high school student who applies early to college may be more likely to receive an acceptance letter, grants and loans
• The host whose guest room is clean and ready at all times is more likely to enjoy having houseguests
• The family that plots out a course of action during hurricane season could be more likely to emerge unscathed from a natural disaster
• The business that is diligent in its financial forecasting may be more likely to recover from the recession and turn a profit

Just when you're tempted to let the chips fall where they may, thinking it’s simply too much work to prepare for what may or may not be, consider this [arguably hilarious] article, “Scientists Show Bacteria Can 'Learn' And Plan Ahead.”  Don’t let the bacteria best you. Plan.

Who's got a great story about how a little proactive planning saved the day?

Raising a Money Smart Kid

About six years ago, I worked at a financial institution that was across the street from a college. I lost count of how many times I would have college students come to my office and gripe about getting non-sufficient funds charges on their account. Some thought the Visa or Mastercard logo on their card meant their debit card was an actual credit card,and they had a grace period to pay back the charges. Others would actually say that they thought they had money in their account because they still had checks left! Haha! What used to really get on my nerves (sorry, just being honest) was when they would call their parents right in front of me and demand that their parents deposit money into their account to clear up the negative balance and NSF charges. I remember when I was 16 and had my first checking account and I got an NSF fee. I remember my dad telling me that I would have to deal with it on my own. He would say, it was my account, my problem. He wasn't being mean, he was simply helping me reach a mature approach regarding monetary matters.

I realize that not everyone has parents who teach them banking 101, and there are some parents that may want to teach their children about money, but simply do not know how to start the process. Among many of the free financial seminars that we offer, we have a seminar coming up that addresses the importance of teaching your children about money, expecially at a young age. Its called How to Raise a Money Smart Kid. Check it out at www.scfedseminars.org. I encourage parents of children of all ages to attend!

Are you talking to your children about money?

Chao for now,

Leslita

Do you have a "splurge" recovery plan?

Too many of us fall off the proverbial budget bandwagon and we give up. Get tough, suck it up, and hop back on. It will be a lot easier for you if you have a "splurge" recovery plan.

In my session on Budget S.M.A.R.T. we discuss many important tips to ensure that your budget works.

1. Do not try to budget every last dollar on your spreadsheet. Leave some room for error. It's like an overdraft protection program. And, you better only use it in times of need. Stay tough, stick to the course and don't let a little loose change eat a hole in your pocket.

2. Have a "splurge" recovery plan. Yep. Everyone has the tendency to splurge at one time or another. Whether it is part of your "lent" commitment, a diet plan, or exercise routine, just know that you may teeter a bit. You just couldn't help buying that new purse. Or, that fishing pole was calling your name. So, what is your plan to get those feet planted firmly on the ground?

Enough of this ... now go to it. Get that budget plan in action and I don't want to see any wasted time. Stay focused and for goodness sake stop letting one little slip mess up your mind. If you need some help, check out these free seminars.

It is Thursday ... time to talk tough with Troy. Please let me know your budget successes, failures, or questions.

P.S. To schedule the Budget S.M.A.R.T. session for a group of folks at your work, school, community, or church event, just let me know. It's free and I'm really funny (grin).