Automatic Millionaire? Know Your Latte Factor!

Everyone has a Latte Factor whether they want to admit it or not. If you are unaware of what the Latte Factor actually is, while somewhat of a misnomer as it pertains to more than just lattes, it amounts to the small trivial things we spend on everyday that can add up to an extremely large amount over time. Recognizing your latte factor and how much its actually costing your future will ultimately help you see the importance of changing the very habits that we act on and maybe even become an automatic millionaire. Currently there isn't one thing in particular in my life that I can call my Latter Factor as I am actively working on changing my spending habits. However not to long ago (less than 2 months ago) I would admit to gel manicures being my vice... There is a reoccurring misconception which I have come to realize after reading The Automatic Millionaire and that is that people often think building wealth is a function of our income, when in reality it is more so directly correlated to our spending habits (Check out more about this here)!  Lets do the math as it relates to Gel Manicures. I will throw in the pedicure as well because who doesn't opt for the mani pedi combo!

The average Gel Manicure last 2 weeks which means you typically find yourself at the nail salon twice a month. The average cost of a gel mani is about $25 and with the gel mani pedi combo a trip to the salon will typically land you at $55 per visit plus tip, so lets say $65 per visit total.

Gel Mani/Pedi = $65
Gel Mani/Pedi Cost Per Month = $130 (approx pending 4 or 5 weeks in month) 
Gel Mani/Pedi Cost Per Year = $1,560 (approx number) 

$1,560 per year... and that is just around your mani/pedi combo. Un-chipped nails and pedicured toes are an important part of working girls life, I get it and I wont lie, I love a good mani pedi from time to time! Just think about what you may be over spending on and sit down and do the math. Maybe it is a latte a day, or eating lunch out Monday through Friday or frivolous spending online shopping... I challenge you to find out your latte factor and see how much you could be saving. 

It really comes down to what you're saving for and setting a goal to make it happen. I've talked about it in the past re a simple savings trick throughout the year in 52 Weeks of Saving!

While the tone of the book seems to be "Cut out the $4 latte and you will wind up rich" which is a bit far fetched if you ask me and has even caught some heat around the web, knowing what you're excessively spending on or what your spending habits are is helpful nonetheless. If you want to know more about the Latte Factor I'm talking about, I recommend you read The Automatic Millionaire you will learn all about how to pay yourself first and more! 

The Secret to Setting Goals

Its May already and it seems like yesterday I sat down to set intentions for my April goals... So I guess its time to see how I did... 

Recap of April's Goals 

1: Finish & Read – I have been slowly dabbling in what I will call a financial encouragement book which I plan to finish in the next week (by 1/7) And start and finish the book currently on my night stand.
I made it through The Automatic Millionaire and I have will have a blog post up with some insight, so stay tuned there. I didn't quite make it through the next book, but you can check out my currently reading in the side bar. I am about 1/4 through (yes, I know not very far) 

2: Journal/Blog - With the recent effort to get blog on track (ha! get it, blog on track), I plan to start off with a post a week and see where I can take my efforts from there... 
A success! I am excited to say. While I really do blog for myself and my less than 10 followers... I have managed to deliver here and I plan to continue.   

3: Do What You Love - And I love DIY! I plan to add one DIY project to my repertoire this month and whatever that may be, I plan to share it with you! 
I did complete a DIY this month however it is a DIY for a dear friend who's baby shower is at the tail end of the month so in an effort to keep the to be gift a secret I will need to share at a later date. 

4: Run - Run more, fun faster and run longer! I am going to start with the run more and commit to running between 15-20 miles from Mon-Fri.    
Week 1 I ran 17 miles 
Week 2 I ran 19
Week 3 I got sick... I managed to back about 6 miles total 
Week 4 I got busy... will keep this on my list!

In recapping this months progress, I have to say not bad. Everyone knows the secret to goal setting is set SMART goals. SMART meaning S- Specific M- Measurable A- Attainable R- Relevant T- Time Based. And it you didn't know, now you know! If you can SMART goals I am confident you can achieve them. I will take the weekend to evaluate what is ahead of me this month and will be back with my smart goal for the the month of May on Monday!   

Game On.

Ok can i just say holy Hunger Games!

this morning via my instagram

Its been several months since I finished Suzanne Collins’ young-adult trilogy {yes, I said young adult and if you haven’t read or have no idea what im talking about then like a said before you best get to readin’ hommie} The entirety of the totalitarian regime’s sadistic Hunger Games truly blew my  mind, love triangle and all. And now we are only just days away from the highly anticipated film adaptation. While I typically approach these types of scenarios with the utmost skepticism {just think of how many times you have heard someone say ‘meh, the Book was way better than the Movie} All three books we captivating so Im trying to go into this with little expectation, but Jennifer Lawrence sure did sell me in the trailer!  Titanic, blues, grunge, Black Beauty, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo---bring it on. My heart strings like getting tugged, where I start having the true problems is if it goes over the edge (Catcher in the Rye fav book but my little heart strings will nearly snapped after that one) or if it is honestly just tripe (Twilight sorry friend who happen to fancy that junk-ok im done there). In the case of the Hunger Games, a lot of my excitement has to do with the amazing casting. Just take a look below and hopefully your squees-of-joy will be outpouring just like mine! Let the 9 day count down begin!

jennifer lawrence as katniss everdeen...after watching the trailer & then seeing her on the cover of entertainment weekly, i'm sold!

josh hutcherson as peeta mellark...he has a sweet face & seems likable but he quite a bit smaller than i imagined peeta so im not so sold. i'm shallow like that.

liam hemsworth as gale hawthorne... well this pic makes me wanna waver from beign

team peeta, only not sure sure liam can ever redeem himself in my eyes for dating miley cyrus.

willow shields as primrose everdeen

paula malcomson as mrs. everdeen... shes gonna rock this role! think sons of anarchy

 

lenny kravitz as cinna...i happened to think this is great casting. lennys vibe is totally in line with cinna, cool calm collected yet eccentric & creative.

woody harrelson as haymitch abernathy...best casting by far! this works for me without a doubt.

elizabeth banks as effie trinket... i am excited to see this character unfold, at first it wasn't what i had imagined but by what i have seen so far i cant wait!

stanley tucci as caesar flickerman... always elegant stanley will be just what the smooth talking oily interviewer ordered.  

donald sutherland as president snow... he is unquestionably the main puppet master of Panem and ironiclly enough playing 'Puppet Master' is something hes familiar with {cira 1994}  

wes bentley as seneca crane... if i wasnt sold before the impecibly tailored beard and deep stare are sending me on my way to buy my ticket... like now!

May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor... see you in the Arena  at the Arch Light!

a tribute is chosen...

and its not Justin Beiber! {thank goodness}
so unfortunately i was in somewhat of a lazy sleepy mood last night and missed the 26th annual MTV VMA's.{insert sad face here} I am most upset by the fact that i missed all those wtf moments of the evening but, i knew i would have plenty of time to catch up on the deets of last night via the web- not to mention im a little unsure what the VMA's are even made up of anymore since gone are the days of actual music videos on MTV... nonetheless, let me share with you what i was most enamored by after getting myself up to speed in regards to last nights musical festivities!

{a tribute is chosen, hence my title}

Ok so first and foremost, while i am just about 1/2 way through the last book, The Mockingjay of the Susans Collions' trilogy The Hunger Games, you can only imagine what the release of the movie trailer did to me! It sure did provoke a squee-like outpouring of joy and giddy anticipation for the movie release on March 23rd 2012. Even though this was just a teaser for the first installment of The Hunger Games, I still about peed in my pants while watching it this morning {and this goes right along with the music-videoless MTV theme}... i will admit i was a bit weary of the casting when i first heard the Jennifer Lawerence would be playing the emotionally unavailable yet desiarable Katniss Everdeen, but after the goosebumpies ensued from just wastching the trailer, i am sold! check it out below! and if you have no idea what im talking about, you best get to reading fool!
{i have Polly to thank for this}

{is it March yet, is it March yet, is it March yet?}

{Peanuuuuuuuts! Get-cha peanut hey're}

while the general consensus from the morning after seems to be just a whole lot of talk about the over-the-topness of all the getups and getdowns, my runner up award for the nights take my breath away moment goes to Justin Beiber! although im not sure if im charmed more by the fact that the Biebs was seemingly trying to channel Kanye {circa VMA's 2010} or that Justin accessory-wise opted to carry around a handful of peanuts all night! {wait... what’s that you say...} Those weren’t peanuts but were actually his pet trouser snake named "Johnson"... wow! could of fooled me- and did fool me! Click here for the REAL was to accessorize with a snake at the VMA’s!

living life like a video

before you do anything just STOP...

stop and listen to my song.

...its freakin' dope right!? i know !!!!

JAY-Z. seriously, this jigga man can do anything! hes like a master genius! 

(which leads me to how super stoked i am to have ordered DECODED)

(because im am "rediscovering" reading, must finish The Hunger Games before diving head first into a little H to the izzo V to the izza)

So once this little beauty arrives, in the words of mr. shawn carter, i plan on spending some time living life like a video, a rap video which can only mean...

im busting out the gold chains...

 surrounding myself with bitches and hoes...

popping bottles like a pimp... 

shaking my tailfeather like ive got one...

adding a little t-pain to my life...

chilling with the occasional celebrity... 

kickin it with my entourage..

and wanting to be...