May 2006 | Volume 1 | Issue 9

In this issue:

• From the Desk of Dr. M...
• Something to Think About
• Feature Article
• Pass it On...
• Health Tips
• Cost Cutters
• Dr. M Recommends
• What's Happening

FROM THE DESK OF DR. M...

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

No poem, no words for this issue. We invite you to click on this link Cool Illusion for a very cool illusion and think about what the author has to say.

PASS IT ON...

Last month we started our Pass It On campaign and we asked you to help us get Commuter-Assist.com known to those we serve.  Today we report that you are hearing our request.  Our Alexa ranking (remember the lower the ranking the more popular the site) has moved down from 273,120 on 8 March to 240,282 as of today, 10 April, a drop of almost 33,000 in one month’s time.

FEATURE ARTICLE

The Fable of the Ideal Commute

Once upon a time, in a land unknown to most, lived a traveler by the name of Ot. Ot traveled an hour and a half each day to reach his workplace.

He was a lucky person because he loved the work he did. The hours flew by and he accomplished much at work. He was always surprised when it was time for him to leave to catch his train back to Loveland where his wife and children would be waiting to greet him.

The family had dinner before Ot came home, but dessert was always a family affair. Sometimes Ot brought home a dessert he had bought at lunch time. This was the time Ot felt closest to his children. They told him what was happening in school and in the sports they were in. Even though Ot hadn’t been to many games, he knew how the children were doing.

After the children were in bed, he sat at the kitchen table sipping hot coffee while his wife told him about the things that had happened during the day. This had become a ritual between them and they both looked forward to their time together.

After their chat, they both got ready for the next day and for bed. They took turns making lunches for their children and themselves. They got the breakfast table ready and often threw in a load of wash so it wouldn’t pile up.

Like so many other commuters, Ot and his wife had made the decision to move a distance from his work so that they might have a house and a community where they wanted to raise their children. They knew there would be sacrifices, but they also felt confident that they had made the right choices.

Ot continued this commute throughout his work and retired to his home in the country well after his children were in college. Looking back, he and his wife tell us that they are satisfied in their decision to be a commuting family. They graciously consented to share with us some of the things they think made the commute work for them.

Of first importance, they feel, was the decision to buy a house in a community they loved. They think this made the difference in Ot’s willingness to commute over the years. Although he could not be as involved as he wished, knowing the family was putting down roots in a place they came to love made the commute worthwhile.

Having a job and a lifestyle that was satisfying was also of great importance. Life is made up of challenges and compromises. If the compromises are good ones, you’ll be willing to make them.

Finding ways to stay a strong part of the family and the community is also something that helped Ot and his family adjust to the commute. Knowing what is happening and being involved in any way that works helps keep the family strong.

And finally, adjusting and adhering to a schedule, that is good for the family, the commuter and the employer is necessary. This can especially make the commute easier.

So here is what Ot did to make the ideal commute. I think somewhere in there is buried gratefulness, as well. Speaking to Ot, you can hear it in his tone.

Ot’s Money Tricks

We asked Ot how he managed to put three children through college while paying the expenses of a family and a long distance commute all these years. He said he watched the little expenses carefully. When he realized that money was leaving his pocket like water from a split pipe, he began to do something about it.

He never wanted to feel poor but he knew that rich people also watch their money. He and his wife set a budget when they moved to Loveland and they occasionally moved it up ten per cent when they got a raise and when the children got older and more expensive.

Whenever they moved the budget up, they also moved their amount of savings up. They read about investing and kept up with the current tax laws. He said they were spenders but what they spent on was investments rather than luxuries that went down in value as soon as they were bought.

Some investments were intangibles. Instead of a high cost car, they bought a medium cost one and invested the savings in a vacation to Boston and the surrounding historic areas. To save time and money, Ot used the pass he bought at www.citypass.com which allowed him and his family to visit the Museum of Fine Art , the Kennedy Library, the Aquarium and other sites for a low cost. Ot tells me he saved over $126 plus the time it would have taken if they had waited on line. Another savings card which Ot told us about is www.GoCardUSA.com


Other investments were the consistent ones he and his wife made every month toward their retirement, their children’s education fund and an emergency fund. The pleasure he derived from seeing the amounts grow and in knowing he was living within his means gave him the feeling of assurance in what they were doing.

A rite of passage in Ot’s family was the seventh birthday savings account. The day after his children’s seventh birthday, everyone went to the bank to open a savings account for the birthday child. All of the birthday money minus ten per cent was placed in the account. From that day on, the child had control of the account and, once a month, the family sat down together to discuss investing and the children’s accounts. Only once did the oldest decide to use all the money in his account to buy a very high end toy. Although it was difficult, Ot and his wife remained silent and allowed the lesson to be learned.

Ot said that at times it was difficult to withstand the onslaught of advertisements for an exceptionally attractive product. But they had a two month rule. If, at the end of two months, they still found they wanted the item, they could buy it if they agreed to save for it. This rule pertained to everyone in the family and to all purchases. It allowed for a cooling off time and saved lots of money.

Ot hopes that you find these suggestions useful and try some of them. He suggests you keep track of where you are and where you’re going so you might find reinforcement along the way to riches.

Robert Kiyosaki brings the world of investing to the new at investing, be they children, teens, or adults. You’ll have a firm understanding of what you need to be doing in order to be financially secure. These books are recommended as a first stop on the way to financial proficiency. Inventing doesn’t have to be an obscure feat only for the professional money manager.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Robert T. Kiyosaki

Rich Dad's Guide to Investing
Robert T. Kiyosaki

Rich Dad's Rich Kid, Smart Kid
Robert T. Kiyosaki

Rich Dad Poor Dad for Teens
Robert T. Kiyosaki