No Credit Needed Network Now Accepting New Members

Jan 04 2009

Posted by NCN in Site Information |

The No Credit Needed Network is now accepting new members.

Click here for information about the NCN Network and here to join.

The NCN Network will be accepting new members throughout the month of January.

Please contact me if you have any questions about the Network.

To see an example of an NCN Network chart, look in the right hand column of this site.

If your chart has been deleted, contact me if you would like to have it reactivated.

Filed under: Site Information
Share: add to tip'd - digg this - stumble it - save to del.icio.us

2 Comments

20 Things That Rock About Being Debt Free

Jan 03 2009

Posted by NCN in Debt Free, Debt Reduction, Motivation |

I have been debt free for (almost) three years. The following is inspired by a conversation that I had recently with a good friend - a buddy of mine who has decided that now is the time to do something about his debt. I’m very proud of him, and I hope this post inspires him - and you!

1. I now live in the present, and not in the past.

2. I no longer worry about late fees, interest rate changes, interest payments, lost payments or finance charges.

3. I have peace of mind. If something were to happen to me, my wife would not have to worry about our finances.

4. I earn interest. I don’t pay interest. This feels awesome.

5. I am now acutely aware of the value of a dollar. In the past, if I could make payments, I could afford it. Now, if I can’t pay for it, I can’t afford it. This basic shift in thought has radically changed my life.

6. I no longer dread going to the mailbox.

7. I can afford to fund retirement accounts.

8. I can afford to fund education savings accounts.

9. I am free from the emotional baggage associated with debt. It’s impossible to adequately describe how good it feels to be debt free. Suffice to say, if I had known how awesome being debt free feels, I would have gotten out of debt a decade ago!

10. I can, hopefully, inspire and encourage others.

11. I am setting a much better example for my kids.

12. I am able to give more time and more money to those who are in need. There are only three things one can do with money - give, save, and spend. It feels good to save. It feels good to spend. It feels great to give.

13. I now know that I can establish a goal, push through difficult times, and change my life. These truths are helping me as I now focus on my health - losing weight and becoming a runner. I might has been replaced by I will.

14. I now make big plans. I have learned to dream of a better and brighter future for myself and my family.

15. I spend a little extra on nicer things for my wife. In the past, credit card debt crippled me. Now, with a proper budget and some forward thinking, I can actually plan for nicer things.

16. I can disregard every credit card application that comes my way.

17. I have found solid financial footing. With my debts eliminated and an emergency fund in place, I feel much more secure than I did three years ago. None of us knows what the future holds, but I feel much better now than I did then. Much better.

18. I can listen to my man Dave Ramsey and smile knowingly when callers scream “We’re Debt Free!”.

19. I have a deep respect for those who have paid off much more than I paid off - and for those who are still in the midst of their debt reduction journeys. I am amazed by some of the debt reduction stories that I have read over the past four years.

20. I can write this post. When I started No Credit Needed, I had one goal. I wanted to be debt free. It took 10 months, but I managed to pay off my last debt in February of 2006. Since then, I’ve done my best to be honest, open, and forthright about my struggle and my successes. I hope that this site blesses you as much as it has blessed me.

If you are ready to get out of debt - and start your own journey towards being debt free - may I suggest the following resources?

No Credit Needed Debt Reduction Guide

No Credit Needed Debt Reduction Free eBook

Debt Reduction 101

Filed under: Debt Free, Debt Reduction, Motivation
Share: add to tip'd - digg this - stumble it - save to del.icio.us

16 Comments

Resolutions And Goals For 2009

Jan 02 2009

Posted by NCN in 2009 Goals |

Personal Finance Goals

Fully-fund 403(b)
Fully-fund 2 Roth IRAs
Fully-fund 3 Education Savings Accounts
Save for down payment on a new home
Stay out of debt

Blogging Goals

Post daily to No Credit Needed
Increase number of subscribers
Improve site usability
Establish connections with other bloggers
Continue to support the personal finance blogging community

Health Goals

Continue to lose weight
Continue to exercise regularly
Run in my first 5K
Continue to avoid soft drinks and refined sugars
Post daily at No. Calories Needed

Other Goals -

In May of 2008, I started 99 Changes - my personal development site. I’m tracking my progress as I make changes - big and small - and improve my life. I write about organization, spiritual matters, networking, personal growth, and my health. If you are interested in goals and personal development, you might like 99 Changes.

Filed under: 2009 Goals
Share: add to tip'd - digg this - stumble it - save to del.icio.us

3 Comments

Wrapping Up The Year 2008

Dec 31 2008

Posted by NCN in 2008 Goals |

Resolutions and Goals

Last year, I published 15 resolutions and goals for 2008. Let’s see how those worked out -

Personal Finance Goals

Fully-fund 403(b)
- Yes! For the second year in a row, I managed to fully-fund my 403(b) retirement account.
Fully-fund 2 Roth IRAs
- Not yet. I fully-funded my Roth IRA way back in January - foolishly thinking that the market was at it’s low for the year - and I’m working to fully-fund my wife’s Roth IRA before April 15th, 2009.
Fully-fund 3 ESAs
- Again, not yet. I am working to fully-fund these before April 15th, 2009.
Increase Non-Retirement Savings
- Unfortunately, not by much. Keep reading for the reason why!
Stay Out Of Debt
- Yes! I’ve been debt free since February of 2006! It’s hard to believe that I’ll soon celebrate three years of freedom.

Blogging Goals

Post twice-daily to No Credit Needed
- I averaged about 30 posts per month, roughly 1 post a day. Frankly, 2 posts a day is too many, especially considering that I have several other sites to manage.
Release a new No Credit Needed Podcast Episode every week
- No. In fact, the podcast has been on pause for quiet some time. I have a few ideas for restarting the podcast, so stay tuned!
Improve the functionality and reach of the No Credit Needed Network
- Yes and no. The NCN Network charts are now automated, but I’ve closed the Network to new members.
Establish relationships with bloggers outside of the personal-finance community
- Yes. I’ve connected with several other bloggers, podcasters, writers, and authors.
Support my fellow personal-finance bloggers with comments and links
- I have tried my best.

Health Goals

Post daily to No. Calories Needed
Lose 50 pounds
Limit fast food trips to once a month
Go one year without drinking a single soft drink
Walk 30 minutes per day, at least 4 times a week
- There’s no need to update each of these individually. If you go over to No. Calories Needed, you’ll see that I’ve lost (more than) 24.6 pounds, that I have completely given up soft drinks and fast food, that I’m going to the gym four to six times a week, and that I’m completely changing my life. I didn’t start last January, but I finally put it all together in September. Click here for more information about The 929 Project - my plan to lose 90 pounds before September 29, 2009.

Family and Life

Back in April, my wife gave birth to our third child, a beautiful baby girl. Our family is now complete, and there are five of us. 2008 was an amazing year for us, and we are really looking forward to 2009. Everything I do, every article I write, every financial choice I make, I do those things for my family. When you read an article here at No Credit Needed, you can rest assured that I am writing as a regular guy, someone who is trying to bless his wife and his kids.

Websites

No Credit Needed - I don’t usually write about site statistics, so I’ll just briefly mention that No Credit Needed had almost 1 million page views during 2008. That’s pretty cool, but what’s even cooler, No Credit Needed is just a few subscribers away from 5000! Come on, hook me. Subscribe to No Credit Needed via RSS or daily Email and help push the site past 5000.

I want to thank the following sites for referring the most visitors during 2008 -

All Financial Matters

Paid Twice

My Money Blog

Consumerism Commentary

Wise Bread

Mighty Bargain Hunter

No. Calories Needed - Until September, No. Calories Needed was a complete disappointment. Now, however, I’ve lost (more than) 24.6 pounds, and I’m loving the No. Cals site. I really hope you’ll visit the site and check out my progress. I weigh in on Mondays.

No Credit Needed Network and No Credit Needed Podcast - As I mentioned earlier, I’ve closed the Network to new members and I’m still debating about whether or not to continue the podcast. Both sites take a lot of time to manage. Check them out, listen to the podcast, and let me know what you think. Should I reopen the Network to new members? Should I restart the podcast?

99 Changes - Back in May, I started my newest site, 99 Changes, my personal development site. So far, I’ve managed to make 25 changes. The 99 Changes articles are short and to-the-point. I hope you’ll visit the site and see how I’m doing.

Social Media

Twitter / StumbleUpon - I hope you’ll follow me on Twitter profile and check out my StumbleUpon profile. These sites have revolutionized how I connect with others online and how I find information online.