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Three Mindsets to Radically Improve your Financial Health

Three Mindsets to Radically Improve Your Finances

Looking back on my journey out from underneath the mountain of debt I created for myself several years back, I was able to make some very important conclusions.

First, it wasn’t so much about changing specific actions in my daily life, it was more about changing my mentality towards money and how it comes in and goes out of my life.

Next, it is not as hard as it seems.  Once you get going on a program and you stick with it, it really becomes easy.

Also, you don’t need to start tracking every penny you spend, and, depending on your level of commitment, putting yourself on a budget isn’t necessary either.

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10 Best Books on Money, Investing and Philanthropy

Exploring fact to promote fantasy, the best books on money, investing and philanthropy examine real-world examples of successful entrepreneurs and investors, as well as ancient anecdotes and tested investment theories to fire up the ambitions of readers who wish to improve their economic standing.

While no-one is promising that reading biographies of Rockefeller or Buffett will transfer their economic success to your wallet, by following their example and good decisions, as well as reading about the theories of various other successful investors, it might be possible to find a style of money management and investment that works for you. And if not, losing an investment of £7.99 in paper and print is far easier to recover from than a pension plan with the Layman Brothers.

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The World’s Most Fabulously Rich Pets

rich pets

The old die-hard line, ‘A pet is for life, not just for Christmas’ has the power to soak the recipient in a mixture of gratitude and sentimentality for their beloved furry friend. Unfortunately, these bonkers animal lovers have taken the special bond between animal and human to the extreme, crossing that all too thin line from loving pet owners to just plain spoiling them rotten.

From trips to incredibly expensive salons, private chefs, first class flights, designer outfits, private mansion style homes and vast inheritances that would make the likes of top-earning celebs turn green with envy; you might say these animals are living it up more than most of us humans.

Many may argue about the ridiculousness of the extravagant lifestyles these animals live, but perhaps the strong, unconditional loyalty these pets have for their owners make them ideal candidates to inherit considerable amounts of money and be treated like royalty, especially as many of the wealthy feel they live in a world where demands on them are immense, and loyalties towards them may be false.

Have a glance through the gallery of these furry and fabulously rich, pawed and clawed individuals who know a thing or two about living in the lap of luxury, literally.

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7 Awesome Australian Grand Designs

Cape Shank House
Designer: Jackson Clements Burrows Architects

There are very few instances where, instead of looking at a piece of art, you can live in one. Aside from falling into Wonderland or stumbling into Narnia, most homes operate on an entirely functional basis, with comfort and style playing a desired second fiddle. That is, of course, unless you are one of Australia’s architectural virtuosos proving that function and sheer unadulterated style are not mutually exclusive.

From buildings that tell a story, to buildings that can change the world, these houses offer a glimpse into the incredible future of design, with houses that would make even NASA feel retro.
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7 Often Overlooked & Unusual Ways of Making Money

lost pets
Image: mcbarnicle

The recession is showing little sign of abating. Millions of us are having to tighten the purse strings and cut back on life’s little luxuries more than ever. It’s enough to send you cowering under the confines of your duvet and give you cause never to resurface.

Fear not, though, there are still countless ways to make and save money, and they’re all around you just waiting to be discovered. So, put your ‘glass half full’ cap on and read on to see how you can uncover the overlooked and unusual ways you could bolster your finances.
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5 Defiant Creations Made Using Devalued Currency

zim dollar mural

Parents delight in telling their kids how much money was worth “back in their day”. When pocket money time comes around at the end of the week, or when the little darlings are squealing for the latest plastic, flashing, automatic toy monstrosity, mums and dads trot out the old stories. “When I was a boy, a penny got you four packs of sweets, a trumpet, a bicycle and a deposit on a mortgage”, Dad harps on, before adding that, despite this, he lived in a cardboard box as a child with just a candle for warmth during winter. Probably.

Anyway, if you find yourself amazed at just how little your money is worth these days, take a look at these images. Below are some of the uses people have put their money to, once it is so devalued it is no longer worth the paper it is printed on.

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7 of the World’s Weirdest Investments

collectables

Investment is generally seen as a good, sensible and, well, boring thing. Buying a house early on, instead of blowing your salary on rent for years, is a good idea, as the property will have increased in price (hopefully!) by the time you want to sell it. There are other more obscure things, however, that increase in price after purchase. Here’s a quick rundown of the world’s weirdest investments.

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10 Amazing Abandoned Bank Vaults

bank vaults

Bank vaults. They have been a symbol of secrets, wealth and the unknown for centuries. What do we have that is so valuable to us, or others, it needs to be encased in steel and kept under lock and key? Breaching the secure constraints of a bank vault has fueled many a Hollywood movie plot and this speaks to our innate curiosity and greed.

But what happens to them when they no longer serve their original purpose? Built to be indestructible, they often survive long after the buildings which house them. Many creative individuals have played off of our fascination with them and dreamed up new uses for these marvels of impenetrable steel.

Below we look at 10 of the most interesting examples of abandoned bank vaults.

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Making Cash From Trash: The Recycled Art of Clare Graham

  • 4th Nov 2009 | Art

thread
All Images: tango.mceffrie and Clare Graham

The unusual yet compelling art of Clare Graham is testament to the belief ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.’ The LA based artist creates his art forms by re-energising discarded materials, transforming simple objects, such as bottle tops or tin cans into objects of wonder, aiding our perspective to be shifted from their once lowly state. As he so wryly puts it: “I aim to awaken people to the potential in garbage”. It is this idea that could potentially, not just allow people to save money but make a bit extra on the side. Read on to see how you could make some cash from your trash.
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