Something On My Mind

Today is 2/11/24 which is the Superbowl with the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the San Francisco 49’ers and this marks the 57th time that this game will have been played. This is a large amount of years, so we decided to run some math based on the amount at which things are consumed and what they cost. Let’s start with advertising and the cost for a one minute spot during the game:In 1967: $37,500. For 2024: $7 million. This equates to an increase 185 times. To further that, this means gas would be $61 per gallon and the S&P would be at 16,000 - for context today it is at 5,000As for as food and beverage:Chicken wings would be $43/lb. A 6-pack of beer: $340.A bag of Doritos $18.5.So needless to say, for most items, they only increase in price and this led us to look into inflation and compound interest. For example, that $1 football square would be $9.18. How about the average house? According to the St. Louis Federal Reserve, it was $24,400 and in February of 2024, it is $492,300So let’s just put it out there . . It is expensive to be an American. Therefore, the best plan of attack is to budget and live within your means. In unison, the mission is to invest in yourself and build a moat for your future while balancing inflation. 'For context, the S&P since 1926 has averaged a return of approximately 10% and a 7% return when factoring in inflation. If we were to emulate that, we can invest in exchange traded funds that closely mimic these returns such as the tickers of SPY, IVV, VOO and SPLG. For context VOO has returned 9.99% over the last 30 years. According to Forbes, the average American works 42 years before taking retirement, so let’s see how much money adds up over time without inflation and expenses:At $100 a month, the amount would be $679,602.At $250 a month, the amount would be $1.69M.At $500 a month, the amount would be $3.39M.So this is fantastic and this shows the power of compound interest - and the reminder is that the more that you can invest, the more you make and you let the market do its thing. So the next question is … will this prompt you to look at your budget and find a few dollars to put away? All it will do is make you money. Website:https://www.somethingonmymind.net/Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

After the December holidays we often hear people talk in social groups and in the media that the credit card bills are coming due as a result of shopping during the December holidays. Obviously, this means only one thing: that if you have payments coming, debt was compiled that can’t be paid off in one billing cycle. Moreover, the simple fact is that when this occurs, it means that people are buying things that they cannot afford. We have talked about this many times . . . this is not a good practice. Secondly, it is probable that this debt is piled onto existing debt. To put this in perspective, the average consumer spends $1,000 during the holidays with a 1%-4% minimum payment. In addition, the average new card interest rate is over 24% at the time of this recording. So let’s analyze the minimum payment at 2%; it will take 56 months to pay off with a total of $664. So in effect, the holiday shopping cost you $1,664 or 64% more than you originally spent - that’s big ouch!Imagine going to buy a box of cereal that was $5 and it was $8.32. You may opt for that purchase. So why pile the debt on credit cards?On this show our mission is to provide you with insight rather than tell you what to do. However, if you cut down on spending, engage in maximum spending limits with family and friends or have an outing rather than gift exchanges, these are great ways to reduce spending. Now try this thought on for size: when the holidays approach next year, think back to all of the gifts that you bought and received and the odds are that you will not recall most of what was opened. So, the question is: how important do the gifts really matter? Perhaps, spending time with the people that you love is more valuable than money. As a side note, it is a good idea to refrain from the practice of waiting for a tax return to pay down debt in general, because this means the government is using your money for free when you could be paying down debt during the year. To learn more about this listen to episode #47.Website:https://www.somethingonmymind.net/Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

Okay, you’ve got to be escheating me. What on earth does that mean? The definition derives from medieval times, in feudal law. When a landowner (tenant of a fief) died without an heir or committed a felony, a process was needed for the ownership of the land. In modern times it is the right of a government to take ownership of estate assets or unclaimed property in the event there are no heirs or beneficiaries.In layman's terms, you may have a variety of financial assets that you can claim and this includes uncashed payroll checks, inactive stocks, court funds, dividends, checking and savings accounts, and estate proceeds. So how does this occur? A few common ones derive with the death of the account holder or forgetting about an account.Let’s say someone moved out of an apartment in the middle of a month and paid a full water bill to the city. This person would be owed a half-month back; however, the rebate check was sent to the old address. Hence, the check goes uncashed and ends up unclaimed property. So let’s go through a few ins and outs. 1. Escheatment laws vary by state, but typically it takes about five years for the state to claim someone’s assets2. Unclaimed property is not taxed while it is filed as unclaimed; however, the property may be officially recognized as taxable income when it is reclaimed.3. Some unclaimed funds such as investments from a 401(k) or an IRA can be reclaimed tax-free.So how much money is out there? In New York, the state returns $1.5 million in unclaimed property to people who file claims. As of July 2021, the state had $17 billion in unclaimed property. In addition, the IRS has millions in unclaimed federal tax refunds. So How Do I Find My Money? Simply go to missingmoney.com which is a national database and if you find your name with some goodies on them follow the instructions. It’ll feel like you gave a gift back to yourself. Website:https://www.somethingonmymind.net/Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

The United States culture tends to recognize many types of celebrations and this has created a common theme of replacing presents with gift cards. They are easy to purchase, simple to use and the beauty is that people can shop for what they want without having to wrap and return items.Throughout the years gift cards can accumulate in wallets or desk drawers and many people are waiting to redeem them for a special occasion. According to USA Today, 47% of Americans have one unused gift card, voucher or store credit, and on average each person has $175 in unspent gift cards.So the most common question that we receive is what happens to the cards if they go unused?For starters a federal law 2010 says that a gift card can’t expire for five years from the time it was purchased or from the last time someone added money to it. In some states, the expiration period is longer. With generic cash cards such as MasterCard or Visa, they begin to incur inactivity fees after one year, which eats away at their value. 3. There is an option to sell cards on websites that typically give you 70 to 80 cents per dollar. 4. Depending on what state you live in, they may have unclaimed property programs for unused cards. The thought is that issuing card companies haven't provided a service to earn the money, so they don’t get to keep it. So chalk up a win for the little guy. 5. If you have long-term unused cards and want to claim them, then you can search for unclaimed property in the state that the card was issued to see if you have money coming to you. 6. Additionally, you should periodically look on your state’s website to see what else may be coming to you which is known as escheating. From there, just follow the steps to reclaim your money. So to wrap things up, gift cards do not need to be wrapped; however, they can be lost, misplaced or lose their value. The best way to manage this is to keep them organized and simply use them.Website:https://www.somethingonmymind.net/Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

According to Zippia.com, in 2021 the average amount homeowners spent on home improvement was $10,341 which was up 25% from 2021. This makes sense as people spent their cabin fever time improving their homes and now that Covid is more controlled. People are spending more due to M1 money supply with unemployment and stimulus checks. Now that labor rates are rising due to lack of resources, the general contractors and landscaping companies are raising their rates and passing them onto you. This is just another result of inflation.So what can be done to curb the cost? The easiest one is reducing the cost for supplies to complete jobs. Generally speaking, the typical markup for materials is between 7.5 to 10%; however, some contractors will mark up materials 20% or more.What you can do is ask the contractor for a materials list and place the orders yourself. Now with larger jobs, it comes with more complicated supply lists, ad hoc purchases and add-ons. In addition, you may make several purchases throughout the project life cycle so you need to stay on task. In many cases you should be able to order the large majority of goods while removing copious tasks away from the contractor who may not want that burden. The bottom line is that this is an easy way to save money and you can learn a little bit along the way. For example, a $30,000 job could save you anywhere between $2,250-$6,000.Website:https://www.somethingonmymind.net/Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

If you have a dog and a fenced-in yard, this helps your furry companion with better overall health as it provides him the ability to be outdoors, exercise and have a consistent marked territory.On the other hand, if you do not have a fenced yard, this is where the invisible fencing comes into play. Other than the shock factor that your pet will adapt to, this is a fantastic option.This has been a common choice for pet owners for many years; however, the cost for a system is expensive as it averages $1,200 from my research.The main difference is choosing between the wired and wireless option. The wireless is more expensive and they can be harder to set especially with pro installation and wires can break and be difficult to fix due to tree roots and underground obstacles. The biggest hurdle for the wireless is that it may have difficulty tailoring to the shape of the yard’s boundary.So what choice do you make? To me, wireless is the best option.It is less expensive You can adjust the boundary settings with a turn of a dial You can take the system to any location, plug it in and you are ready to goAs for me, I found a refurbished system for $250 from a reputable company. I set up the flags and my dog was trained by the second day. In addition, I have an acre of land and have not incurred an incident with boundary limits and my dog couldn’t be happier. Website:https://www.somethingonmymind.net/Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

When it comes to using a couch, sofa or chair, many people simply use it and do not think about maintenance; however, this may leave you with furniture that wears out prematurely. So to avoid this, let’s go through some tips:1. Rotate and fluff seat and back cushions regularly. This simply extends the life of the furniture2. Rotate identical upholstered accent and dining room chairs when one or more of them are not used regularly. This will extend their life even further3. Vacuum furniture with an upholstery attachment on a regular basis This will prevent the cushion core from wearing prematurely, will preserve the fabric color and control welt slippage. Although dust may not be apparent, it settles into your upholstery and may not only make it dirty, but may eventually damage the fibers if not removed. Remember, If you think that your furniture is clean, just bang your hand on the cushions in the sunlight and you'll have hundreds of particles floating in the air.The bottom line is that this is not your typical personal finance tip; however, when the rubber meets the road, life is all about math and money. Hence, take care of your things and they will take care of your pocketbook. Website:https://www.somethingonmymind.net/Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

The Earth might seem like it has abundant water, but in fact less than one percent is available for human use and we are running out of it. So let’s push down the handle on some Flush Facts: According to the EPA, the average American uses 300 gallons of water per day or about 80 gallons per person. In addition, roughly 70 percent of this use occurs indoors. So it goes without saying that there is always something that we can do. So let’s talk about toilets.With that being said no one goes out and says that I am excited to shop for a toilet; however, over $10 Billion are sold in the U.S. each year.This means the odds you’ll buy one sooner than later. So let’s get to more numbers.The standard toilet in the past used 1.6 GFP or gallons per flush and with recent advancements, many have been reduced to 1.28 gallons per flush which is a reduction of 20%.WIth my recent toilet purchase, it uses just .8 GPF while still providing equal or superior performance.So I am happy with my choice knowing that the average person flushes five times per day which means I am cutting the water usage in half. Not to mention that I have incorporated other water reducing tactics with other low flow appliances and fixtures from our PFT #40 and PFT #6 which covered why there is no need to rinse your dishes by letting your dishwasher handle the load.Therefore, I am significantly reducing my water bill as my past purchases will pay for themselves over time - the best part is that I am preserving our environment and you can too!Website:https://www.somethingonmymind.net/Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

In times when inflation is rising, we experience higher prices for our goods and services as well as shortages.For example, In the grocery store, we’ve experienced products in limited supply from toilet paper to baby formula. When a desired product is available, it is emptied as soon as it was stocked. When it comes to gasoline, supply chain disruption was experienced in 1973 and 1979. This also occurs during natural disaster situations where shortages shoot up prices and then we hear about gauging. To make things clear, gauging does occur; however, there is a large misinformation notion that gas stations drive up their prices because they have us over a barrel. For the most part this is not true as our research on average tells us that most retailers make 15 cents per gallon after the consumer pumps it. To make things worse, most people pay via a credit card which has a merchant fee around 2.5%. Hence, when the price per gas is at just $4, the retailer pays 10 cents and in our example would profit just five. This is why we see a cash price listed on the signs that are lower than the credit price. Hence, if you have cash, this is another way to keep a few bucks in your pocket especially during long stretches. The bottom line is this is another way to save a few more dollars, yet the hidden point in this finance tip is when we understand how things work, we can accept things that we don’t like.Website:https://www.somethingonmymind.net/Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

This week’s personal finance tip is about Better Battery Co’s Recycling and Delivery Program.Can you imagine how many batteries are in landfills considering every household uses them?According to The California Department of Resources and Recycling, it is estimated that 4 billion disposable batteries are shipped to the US each year and that means the average US household uses an estimated 47 batteries per year. Now this is a daunting piece of information; however, there is good news. You can now purchase batteries online while also disposing of them responsibly.Better Battery Co. has developed household batteries that are not only rechargeable, but also recyclable. Their program is designed to ship you new supplies as you deem necessary while providing the packing and the return packing slip.When it comes to your money, you’ll pay more for the batteries than you are accustomed to; however, they do come in a variety pack of sizes which is not how most batteries are sold and you don’t have to leave your house. Moreover, when you hear the words “cost more,” consider that many people pay double the price just to get their food delivered to their doorstep. The bottom line is that this battery product is an ongoing example of an innovative solution that is convenient and helps the environment. In time, this may be the norm rather than the exception. Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

There is no doubt AI will impact the amount of jobs available in the future and how much money people can make. What jobs are at risk?Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

The average cost for a gallon of gas as of this recording is $4.22 according to AAA. Not to mention that this has been going on for weeks and it may stay this way for several more cycles.So what can we do to get more out of our tanks of gas?#1 Use apps such as GasBuddy which is our PFT #23 to find the lowest costs in your area. I always go to Costco.#2 Keep your speed in check. According to Consumer Reports, driving 65 mph instead of 75 mph on the highway can increase fuel efficiency by 7 mpg for a mid-sized sedan and 6 mpg for a small SUV.In addition, our crack staff performed so math using the Distance = Speed * Time formula and for 60 mph that says when drive 70 mph vs 80 mph over the course of 60 miles you only save 6.4 minutes.#3 Each month your tires lose approximately one 1 psi, and low tire pressure negatively affects fuel economy.#4 You do not have to purchase premium gas. According to Edmunds.com even if the owner's manual recommends premium gasoline, the car will typically run on regular without issue and it will not damage the engine in any way. #5 Avoid hard acceleration and excessive braking and try to keep a steady pace, and remove bike, kayak and cargo racks as this creates a drag on your vehicle. The bottom line is that these tips are valuable at any time in life; however, most people are reactive rather than proactive. So take your time out there and you may be able to get a few more gallons between fill-ups.The new social and etiquette rules for 2023Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

We review the top ten worst college degree choices. Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

The new climates chage communties are protecting themselves from the results of typical major disastors. Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

What is the best country to live in? Hint - it is not the United States. Are you suprised?Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

Should NFL rookies have to pay $3,000 - $50,000 for hazing dinners with veterans?Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

Should congress have age and term limits? Is that discriminatory? There are brginning age limits to hold a position so why isn't that the case on when one cannot hold a position? Website:https://www.somethingonmymind.net/Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

This week we talk about the the future of tiny home apartments where the walls and fixtures move by way of robotics to create five different living spaces. Website:https://www.somethingonmymind.net/Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

This week discuss the trend of people leaving California due to the Pandemic, The Great Resignation, Climate and Cost of LivingWebsite:https://www.somethingonmymind.net/Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast

What would you do with $1.2 billion? The Mega Millions just had its largest winner ever. Website:https://www.somethingonmymind.net/Social Media https://www.instagram.com/somm.podcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChec5qcZBcGkIhUU3belNDwhttps://www.tiktok.com/@somm.podcast?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/somm.podcasthttps://twitter.com/Somm_podcast