In last week’s post, I told you about how I do odd things to get exposure to people who can inspire me and help me make important shifts in my life…

My point was this: If you want to change your financial circumstances, you could consider surrounding yourself with people who are going to help you get out of debt, fix your credit score, or increase your savings. By getting exposure to these people, you will naturally be exposed to ideas, habits, and activities that will help you change paths.

These people come in all shapes and sizes. You could decide to start having a weekly conversation with your sister- in-law, who is a master at budgeting and living on a shoestring. If you are a mortgage broker who just can’t make ends meet, you could find a mortgage broker who figured out how to make money in this economy.

Or you might want a mentor who can help you make other important shifts in your financial life or even in your career…

So if you are looking to meet with the Zig Ziglars, Ken Carters, and Rick Carusos of the world, I thought I’d pass along a strategy I use.

It’s called the 7 Magic Words, and I’ve used the strategy to get in front of all sorts of people…

So what are these seven magic words that will help you get exposure to the people you need to meet?

Here they are:

“What can I do to support you?”

These seven magic words open all sorts of doors.

Let’s say you are an employee at a large company. You want to have lunch with the head of the company, but he’s a busy man, and you are just one more face in the crowd.

Imagine what would happen if you sent your boss an email that said something like this …

Dear Steve:

What can I do to support you?

I want to be a superstar employee— someone who is with this

company for many years; someone who becomes an integral part of the team. So what can I do to contribute more to the company?

Can I take you to lunch and find out more about you and your ideas for the company?

I know you are busy, and that your time is important. This week, I have $25 in disposable income. I know it isn’t a lot, and it certainly won’t compensate you for your time, but I’d be happy to donate it to a charity of your choice if you could spare an hour for a lunch meeting. And if you don’t have time for lunch, maybe we could grab coffee and talk for 15 minutes.

Sincerely,
Jason

If you promised to give your last $25 to your boss’s charity, do you think he or she would take notice of you? And do you think he or she would be willing to consider you for a raise or promotion when a spot opened up? I know I would!

Of course, if you are up to your neck in debt, you might not want to donate $25 to charity. No problem—let your boss know that you’ll donate five hours to a charity of his or her choice! Or do something—anything—to let your boss know that you are driven and want to move your life forward.

As always, let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below!

- Philip Tirone

Call me crazy, but I once

sent a  seven-day bowel cleansing formula to  President Clinton. He looked  unhealthy at the time, and I was a  concerned citizen …

Another time, I convinced billionaire  Rick Caruso to have coffee with me. I  got Coach Ken Carter (of the 2005 film  Coach Carter starring Samuel  Jackson) to meet with my staff  members and me. And when I was 23,  I persuaded Zig Ziglar to have lunch with me.

I did all these things because I believe  in getting exposure to big thinkers— people who can help me shape my future.

In one of my posts emails, I  suggested that if you are struggling  with debt or credit problems, you could  “change your physical environment so  that you are more likely to create the  psychological shift necessary to fulfill  your financial goals.”

I got several requests asking for more  information about how to do this if you  are deeply in debt, can’t get credit, or  are having to start over from scratch.

So I thought I’d pass along an idea that has worked for me …

Get physical exposure to people you admire.

If you start talking to other people who have been in your circumstances, and who are now living a life you admire, you will get at least a few ideas for changing your circumstances. Plus,
you will build a supportive network of people who are on your side … who want you to achieve your goal.

I know that financial problems can be embarrassing, and you might not want to reach out to people for help. But you can save yourself from years of pain if you decide to reach out to a few strategic (and trustworthy) people who will give you ideas for changing your finances and your future.

So whom should you get exposure to? Basically, you need to find people who have “been there, and done that”—people who have successfully moved past obstacles to find success and financial stability. This might be your sister-in-law, a local businessperson, or a good friend.

Or, you might want to reach even farther outside of your social circle, especially if you are deeply in debt, unemployed, or starting from scratch.

You could start looking for people who can pull you

up, a few mentors or advisors who can help you make radical shifts in your situation.

That’s what I did when I got Zig Ziglar to have lunch with me. And that’s what I did when I brought Coach Carter into my office.

So how did I do it?

Well, you’ll have to wait for my next post, but I’ll give you a hint …

I used Seven Magic Words.

Until then, post a comment below and let me know your ideas for getting physical exposure to people who can help you change your circumstances.

- Philip Tirone

Back in 2001 at the non-profit organization Myvesta.org we held a contest and solicited the best cheap meals from people all cross the country. The resulting entries were combined into the Cheapmeals.com Cookbook.

You can download a free copy of this cookbook below.

The

Cheap Meals Cookbook is divided into:

1. Appetizers
2. Soups & Salads
3. Entrees
4. Desserts
5. Kitchen Tips & Tricks

But first, here are some great tips for eating cheap meals.

Starting at Home:

1. Get a plan. If you’re always spending more for food than you expected to, then a plan is in order. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, just sit down with your family and come up with a dozen or so recipes that are tried and true. Write down the ingredients you’ll need and stock up well enough that you’ll have plenty on hand. The fact is most people eat basically the same dishes over and over again anyway.

2. Choose just one new dish a week to try. If the family really likes it, add it to your tried and true list.

3. Keep a pad of paper handy on the refrigerator so you can write down what you’ve run out of — it’ll probably save you more than a few trips to the store. (Don’t forget to take the list with you!) Those last minute trips for one or two items often result in a bag of groceries that break the budget.

4. Keep a running tally of what’s in the refrigerator or freezer. You can post this list on the fridge, too. Maybe now you won’t forget about the lasagna you froze last year!

5. Clip coupons but only for items you already buy. Then, if your local store offers double coupon days, time your visit accordingly. Kids can be great coupon clippers, especially if you offer to give them a share of any money you save.

6. One of the biggest reasons we’ve heard as to why people don’t use coupons is that they always seem to be for items that you never buy. Here’s what you do: Clip the coupons for the products you don’t buy, but are made by the same company as a product you do buy. As long as the first 4 digits on the coupon match the first 4 digits on the item’s UPC code, they are made by the same company and you’ll get the discount. So if there is a coupon for diapers, and you buy paper towels made by the same company, you

can use the diaper coupon to get the savings on the paper towels. Some stores allow this use of coupons and some do not. Ask the store manager if this use of coupons is allowed at the store where you shop.

Shopping:

7. Stock up on staples so you’ll always have the basic ingredients for a recipe. If you have the room for storage, buy plenty when the price is right but make sure that they will store well.

8. Also, stock up on your favorite items when they go on sale. If your favorite apple juice normally costs $2.29 and you buy it on sale at $1.50, you’re guaranteed to save 34 percent, taxfree. Stock up and save!

9. Let younger kids pick out one item within a certain price range (say $2) when they shop with you. They’ll learn to compare prices and hopefully won’t bug you to buy everything they see that looks good.

10. Let older kids use their allowances to buy items that aren’t on your list. (But if you want to buy them treats from time to time when they’re on sale, that’s OK, too.)

11. Look high and look low. The more expensive items are usually right at your level of eyesite, says Mary Hunt, publisher of the Cheapskate Monthly (www.cheapskatemonthly.com). The less expensive ones are probably up high or down low on the shelves.

12. Buy cheaper generic or store brands of staples (flour, tomato paste, etc.) Keep in mind that store brands are generally made by the manufacturers of the big name ones — they just slap on a different label.

13. Stick to your list and only buy promotional items when the price is really right and you’d normally buy them anyway. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a case of artichoke hearts that you’ll never use.

14. Alternate where you shop based on what’s on sale. Hit the warehouse clubs from time to time to stock up on good deals.

15. Use unit pricing. These days, most stores display unit prices on the shelf labels (the price per pound or per ounce for example). It may be in tiny type, but it’s usually there. Use that to help you figure out what’s really the best deal.

16. Stay out of stores as much as possible. If you find yourself running to the store for more milk or bread, or because you’ve run out of something, then look at your master shopping list again to make sure you’re shopping for what you need.

17. Buy in season. It sounds obvious, but buying fruits and vegetables in season can be dramatically cheaper than buying out of season. The flavor is usually a lot better, too.

18. Create a price list with the prices of items you usually buy at the stores you frequent. That way, you’ll know which stores have the best deals on certain items. You’ll also know when a “sale” price is a bargain and when it’s not.

19. Bring only your budgeted amount of cash to the store and leave your credit cards, checkbook and ATM card at home. You’ll have no choice but to stay within your budget!

Cooking It Up:

20. When you make a meal, double the recipe if you can. Then save the rest for a meal later that week, or put it in the freezer. You’ll save time and money! You may even want to try making one month’s meals at once and freeze them. This method can save time and money. Get Month of Meals by Kelly Machel or Once a Month Cooking by Marilyn Wilson for details.

21. Join up with others and start a meal exchange. The idea is for four families to share cooking responsibilities. One family cooks a meal one night a week for everyone. Then the meals are either delivered that evening or exchanged at a convenient location once a week. Shopping can be a once-a-month group activity or divided among the group’s members.

22. Become a master at substituting. For example, Nancy Castleman, editor of The Pocket Change Investor newsletter (goodadvicepress.com), substitutes shelled sunflower seeds for expensive pine nuts in her pesto. It tastes delicious. A powdered egg substitute that can be used in place of eggs in most baking recipes is available at health food stores. Keep your eye out for other inexpensive ingredients that can work just as well as more expensive ones.

23. Ask family members to take turns cooking one night a week. You’ll get a break and they’re much more likely to eat what they cook! (You may be surprised, they may be very good at it.)

24. Have a “leftover” night on Friday or Saturday where you eat what was left from the week. Make it a family fun night with plenty of games and conversation and the kids will probably get into it.

25. Start a small herb garden in your window or on your patio. Herbs will be there when you need them and will be much less expensive than buying them fresh at the store (potted herbs also make wonderful, inexpensive hostess gifts).

26. Learn to cook. If your idea of making dinner is to pick up the phone, invest in a few cooking lessons or learn from a friend or relative. You may surprise yourself and your family!

Download the Free Cheap Meals Cookbook

Click on image above.

@GetOutOfDebtGuy

Author: This article was contributed by GetOutOfDebt.org, a site that provides free help and debt advice on how to get out of debt.
Source: Free Cheap Meals Recipes Cookbook

Okay, let me just preface this post by saying that I know the question I’m going to ask is a little over-the-top …

But I’m going to ask it anyway.

First, though … I wanted to pass along pics from my family vacation to the Bahamas. Several people left comments on my blog asking, so here they are:

(Just the six of us: Philip, Lily and baby-to-be, Dominic, Lucas, and Ava)

(Daddy and Ava, my oldest canoeing)

(Lucas, the trooper)

(Dominic, my middle child perfecting his swing)

Poor little two-year-old Lucas split open his lip while we were on the trip. Fortunately, we called the front desk, who had paramedics and a doctor on staff, so within about 90 minutes, he was all stitched up and ready to continue the vacation.

And it really was a “Heaven on Earth” type vacation… as you can see from the pictures!

Speaking of “Heaven on Earth,” my family has started asking a new question. We want to create the ideal life for ourselves and our children. So about once a week at dinnertime, we ask a question:

“If we were to create Heaven on Earth, what sort of things would we be doing?”

And then we try to do those things—vacations to tropical locations, dinner parties with great friends, etc. An

added bonus of this question is this …

Lily and I learn all sorts of amazing stuff about our kids by asking this question. We find out what they are interested in. If they have fears, we find out about those too because they tell us what Heaven on Earth doesn’t look like.

Of course, I’m a Catholic boy, so the “Heaven on Earth” concept might be a little over-the-top

for your tastes.

But how about asking yourself and/or your family this question …

“If we were to be living the ideal life, what sort of things would we be doing?”

By asking this question, you might identify a lot of things that don’t feed into your vision of the ideal life. And this is great information to find out because then you can make a plan to change your situation.

But you have to identify your ideal situation first!

So what does that ideal life (or Heaven on Earth) look like? Feel free to share your answers below.

- Philip Tirone

Sometimes, people wonder whether I really read all the comments on my blog.

I do …

… even when I just got back from a nine-day vacation with my wife and kids.

You see, I just got back from the Bahamas. Technically, I’m “out of the office” until Monday,

so my beautiful wife, Lily Tirone, is going to shoot me if I spend too much time writing this. But just to prove to you that I do read every single comment, I wanted to respond really quickly to one of them from last week’s email and blog…

One of my readers asked why I didn’t take a simpler vacation with all the kids instead of buying all those plane tickets and hauling my brood through security. True, we could have driven just 20 minutes and had a nice family vacation. I could have saved the money on airfare and taken my wife to the Bahamas another time.

But here’s the thing…

If I took the kids on a trip down the road, I would have ended up working a ton more than I worked. It wouldn’t have been enough of a change in scenery to cause me to make the psychological shift necessary to focus 100 percent on my family.

Because I was a very long way away from home, I felt separated from all the distractions. In fact, I didn’t checked in with my staff while I was in the Bahamas. Lily, the kids, and I enjoyed our time together, and I made sure that my time was protected so that I could spend it with the people who matter most.

I’ve found that in reaching a goal, it is critical to create an environment that allows a psychological shift to occur. This is true with the delicate balancing act of family and work. It’s also true when it

comes to getting your finances in order.

If you are struggling with debt, credit, or other financial problems, ask yourself how you can change your physical environment so that you are more likely to create the psychological shift necessary to fulfill your financial goals.

Maybe that means logging your purchases and reviewing your budget monthly. Maybe it means dedicating 10 minutes a day to reading books about financial management. Maybe it means joining Debtors Anonymous.

And be sure to share your ideas below! I promise to read them all!

- Philip Tirone