The New Year is just a month ago and there is no better way to kick off the year than with a solid plan for 2013.  This year instead of just writing down the same old stuff like going to the gym and reading more — blow out your ideal life.  Go area by area and in great detail crystallize what you truly want each area to be.  Dream you reality and then live it.

Things you have always wanted but were afraid to ask for?  Add them.  Better food, better body, more fun, more adventure, the things that will make the hair on your arm stand up because you’re so excited by the thought of living that way.

The best way to motivate ourselves in life is by designing our ideal reality.  Not just one or two things that we think we can accomplish but every single thing that we can dream we go for.  Spend an evening with a bottle of wine in a quite place and let your mind go free.  Don’t sensor anything.  If it comes to you.  Write it down.

Instead of writing “a million dollars” in the bank.  Write what that million dollars would allow you to do.  Travel 6 months of the year, spoil your family, nest egg for an future health problems, the dream car that you have always wanted.  There is nothing more powerful than dreaming our ultimate reality, confirming why it is important to us, and then achieving it.  What is happiness if not that.

Take three pieces of paper and write on the top of each one “Personal Goals”, “Professional Goals”, and “Material Goals”.  Take the time with each piece of paper and fill both sides with everything that you want.  This is your life so dig deep for inspiration.  For personal it could be classes you want to take, creative expressions through music, dance or art, even more time with your dad.  Professional could be getting your MBA or writing a book to share the skills you have learned through business.  Material goals are simply every thing you want to buy.  If it costs $5 or $1.5M — it goes down on the page.  This is the fun one for me. :)

After you have filled a page front and back for each three areas.  Write beside them a priority if “1″ if it is super important to do, “2″ if is is less important and “3″ if is the least important to you.  We’re going to do everything so don’t feel bad about the “3″s you softy!  Write down all of the items that you have a “1″ beside and commit to yourself the EXACT date when they will be achieved.  These will be your top goals to accomplish this year.  Keep them close to you and when you feel less motivated take them out and re-energize thinking of how amazing you felt when crafting the list.

Next week I’ll show you how to commit to your goals and then allocate resources to achieve them all!

Happy February everyone,

Dave

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Hi cash back lovers,

Ken messaged me to tell me about a new Capital One Aspire World MasterCard.  Here is how it would turn out based on my monthly spending as per below. Thanks Ken!

It has a one time bonus of $100 once you make a first purchase.  I didn’t include any of the first time “deals” in my calculations because they are a one time hit and I’m looking for a card that will keep paying me back based on my spend for the long haul. I’m all about long term relationships. :)

 

MY MONTHLY SPEND

Groceries/Pharmacies              $500

Fuel                                                $200

Utilities/Insurance                    $200

Mobile Phone/Internet            $100

Miscellaneous                            $1500

Total Spend of $2,500 on the card a month

 

 

Capital One Aspire World MasterCard: Total cash back $450 a year

1% cash back on everything

.5% anniversary bonus based based on you total spend

You don’t have to worry about gas, grocery or pharmacy spending!

No annual Fee

You can redeem when ever you want.  No minimum or maximum and they’ll credit it to your card or send you a cheque.  Very flexible those vikings are at Capital One.

Based on my spending the #1 cash back card is Scotia Momentum with $489, #2 is MBNA Smart Cash with $468 and the new third is Capital One Aspire World MC with $450!

Have an awesome week,

Dave

 

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I only use cash back cards for my personal and business accounts.  I’ve used EVERY type of card reward program and I find after all of the fees, taxes, and levies the points cards don’t add up.  I much prefer charging my business expenses and only my fixed personal expenses to separate cash back cards and then getting the cash at the end of the year.  Last year I earned total $365.75 and only paid $25 for my US$ MC in fees.  I’d rather the cash and then shop for the best rate on any airline when I travel.

I’ve crunched all the numbers for the top cash back cards and it looks like they are close to each other rewards while.  My thinking is if I only get an extra $50 a year and I have to add a card to my credit rating and get hit a few points for the credit approval – it isn’t worth it.  Plus I like the fact that my cash back card is from my bank so I don’t have to check another online banking site for my real time balance.

I crunched the numbers with the following average spend.  I don’t include the interest rates because I never run a balance.  I’ve also deducted the yearly fee from the cash back amount highlighted.

MONTHLY SPEND

Groceries/Pharmacies              $500

Fuel                                                $200

Utilities/Insurance                    $200

Mobile Phone/Internet            $100

Miscellaneous $1500

Total Spend of $2,500 on the card a month

American Express Gold Card:  Total cash back towards airline purchases $234 a year

I just found out that American Express gold cards have a cash back option. Earn double points for every $1 in eligible travel purchases charged to the Card, including flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, etc.. The benefit is you can use points or cash back on the same card.

Earn double points for every $1 in eligible gas, grocery and drugstore purchases charged to the Card. You’ll also earn one point for every $1 in card purchases everywhere else.

You can apply the points as a cash back against your balance once you have more than $50.  10,000 points equals $100 cash back and you get 15,000 free points when you open an account plus the first year’s $150 fee is waived.  If you apply the points towards flights that you’ve charged it works equals to a 1% cash back on everything else and 2% cash back on gas grocery, flights, travel and drug stores.

MBNA Smart Cash: Total cash back $468 a year

3% cash back on gas a grocery purchases

1% on everything else

No annual Fee

Once your total equals $50 they’ll mail you a cheque at the end of each billing month.

 

Scotia Momentum Visa: Total cash back $489

4% cash back on gas and grocery store purchases

2% cash back on drug stores and recurring bill payments

1% on other eligible purchases

$99 yearly fee

 

BMO CashBack Master Card Premium: Total cash back $299

3% cash back at Shell Stations for gas

1% on everything else

$49 yearly fee

Scotia is the big winner but not by a huge margin.  If you have one of the other cards I’d see if it is worth changing based on your spending habits.

Have an awesome week,

Dave

 

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