On the positive side this post makes me feel very much on track because I am doing (or not doing as the case may be) many of the others: shortly after buying the house, for instance, I bought a mower and a friend taught my son how to mow the lawn.

Using this post, I checked in with myself on how I’m doing, and I’m doing really well, but I still have some areas that need addressing . ..

Michelle, with all respect, I don’t think you have a clue what it cost a coffee shop to serve a cup of coffee. That number first got thrown around in the early 1990’s, and it referred to the cost for serving an 8 oz cup of mass-produced drip coffee in a sit-down, high-volume diner using tipped employees and equipment provided by the coffee purveyor. It was applicable to the likes of Denny’s and Shoney’s 15 years ago. And even 15 years ago, it wasn’t applicable to coffee shops selling high quality coffee. (Not that I think Starbucks qualifies for that statement, but that’s my personal bias.)

I realize the point of Trent’s statement was that you can save money giving up coffee or making it at home. Whether it costs a company a dime or a dollar to PRODUCE something doesn’t matter when we’re talking about what it costs the consumer to PURCHASE the item, but if we’re going to throw out numbers, let’s at least have them based in some reality.

I owned an independent coffee shop, so it’s a subject I know a little about. Even if you don’t count the cup, lid, napkins (customers always take a handful), sweetener, cream, stir sticks, brewing filter, and water (doesn’t come out of the pipes for free, you know), it’s STILL more than a dime. We certainly didn’t have the buying power of Starbucks, so our cups were 14 to 26 cents apiece (depending on size) and lids were 8 each. So a large cup costs us 34 cents before anything was poured into it. Still a big profit when I can sell it at $1.75 you say? Wait, there’s still the cost of the grinders, brewers, water filters (a must in our area), in our case a roaster, gas for that half a million BTUs of gas to run said roaster, electricity, insurance, rent….oh, and let’s not forget the green coffee beans and the freight costs to get them from the importer to our location. Notice I haven’t said anything yet about paying someone to serve (or roast the beans for) that cup of coffee?

Sorry to digress, but that’s “dime” thing is a fallacy that gets on my last nerve.

I am so tired of complainers complaining about problems they put themselves into in the first place!

The important thing to remember is that every cent counts. Pinch your pennies (another interesting article on this in terms of groceries http://tiny.cc/3Abce)

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mail%20it%20in

Katie, I actually had my thyroid levels checked just recently. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with the function. I’ve also had iron and B vitamin levels checked, which can also be a problem.

I think I’m going to go back to my doctor and see about a sleep study. I worry about sleep apnea or narcolepsy.

Also, keeping a regular routine is also key (at least for me). Finally, excessive sleep can be a symptom of depression, you might want to talk to a doctor about it.

Now that I no longer play, I still struggle against my energy levels… I seem to be the kind of person who can sleep sixteen hours a day and still feel tired (I am so not kidding… I slept five hours at a stretch after a full night’s rest yesterday, and still went to bed at 11pm). I have to admit using caffeine as a crutch here, because I can’t seem to find any source for my lassitude. Very frustrating… sometimes I just feel like I’ve replaced one roadblock with another.

With the economy the way it is, for those of us that have already escaped from the depths of financial hell, now might be the perfect time to relapse.

After all the hard work to get out of debt, it doesn’t end there. Of course, its much easier, but one still has to maintain.

When/if you get down, you just have to stay focused.

All of this eceonomy crap will be over soon enough….well, maybe later than sooner, but it will end, trust me.

Otherwise, quite a pep talk article.

RE: Leaving an estate for heirs item

Another drawback to letting the recipients know in advance is the in-fighting and name calling that would occur, if/when you should change your mind.

A lot of people have great ideas, but not a lot of people execute on them. They just talk, talk, talk. Stop being lazy! Making millions is much easier than you think!