October is now upon us. That means pumpkin lattes, pumpkin muffins, and pumpkin pie.
The air is crisp. And it’s also sweater weather. Time to break out those pullovers.
For those of you who grew up in the 90’s, you probably remember the yearly reruns of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, that would come on every Halloween.
I miss those simple days.
Even though things have changed since then, some things can still remain simple. Meaning you can keep your investing simple.
I know tons of fortunes have been made in real estate. Even my home has gone up in value.
However, real estate is a very active investment. I am always looking for passive income. And stocks provide the passivity I am looking for.
I didn’t spend all that time in my youth slinging hash and serving customers for nothing. I did it to buy my freedom. To say adios to corporate overlords.
And watching the government enter another day in the shutdown, just made me want to work harder to exit the rat race sooner.
Although index funds are the best way to invest, the market has been moving up and down so much it’s enough to give you whiplash!
However, please stay the course.
Jim Cramer from CNBC show Mad Money gave his listeners a reason why years ago.
Host Jim Cramer believes that there is always a bull market somewhere, you just have to keep investing to get to it.
He was homeless for about six to nine months in 1979 after a thief stole everything from his apartment, leading him to live in his car, a Ford Fairmont, spending nights parked at highway rest stops. After graduating from Harvard and working as a crime reporter, Cramer’s apartment in California was robbed, leaving him with nothing.
And as if that wasn’t enough, they also cleared out his checking account, which held the money he needed to pay rent. He ended up getting evicted. Poor guy!
He used this time to develop a consistent saving and investing discipline that he credits with helping him become a millionaire.
He decided to invest $100 per month. He said his car insurance costs that much. His rent costs that much — and I’m saving on rent. Basically, he used the money that would have gone towards the rent to invest.
Investing during hardship: Even when he was at his lowest point, Cramer continued to invest $100 a month into the Fidelity Magellan Fund. He said that this consistent investment discipline, even when he had very little, was a key factor in his becoming a millionaire.
Lessons learned: Cramer described this period as a difficult but foundational experience that instilled in him a lasting commitment to saving and investing.
This was during his 20s.
He thinks that people in their 20s have no excuse for not putting more money into their investments — even if they think they’re broke. He says he hears from people in their 20s say they are broke all the time.
He was literally homeless! As his finances became more stable, he increased the contributions he made each month, and by the time he was 45, he had around $1.5 million. He attributes that success, in part, to starting early and consistently investing each month.
After approximately 20 years of continuous saving, Jim was a millionaire.
He says investing in the stock market is a good long-term bet.
I concur.
After hitting $500,000, I am working on my next rung on the investment ladder, which is $750,000. I estimate I can get there with consistent saving and market returns in about 2 years or 24 months.
But who’s counting.
Miriam started Greenbacks Magnet in 2016 to keep a scorecard of her goal of $1M in investable assets. Armed with a Master in Management (MiM) and a calculator, she teaches readers how to achieve financial independence while also helping them learn how to smell the roses along the way. The palpable response she got from sharing her personal finance goal in a public speaking course at Georgetown University encouraged her to share her story and teach finance on her website. She invests in AI companies as artificial intelligence is the new iPhone of the moment as she likes to invest in companies that are disruptive.
The other day I overheard people talking about being 90 days late and past due…blah blah blah I couldn’t make out the rest, but I heard enough to fill in the blanks. Debt, debt, and more debt.
Two of the biggest culprits are house and car loans. Some may disagree with me, but cars are wealth killers! At least Dave Ramsey agrees with me.
Then it hit me.
After three years of blogging, I found my niche.
This blog is really all about rejecting new car ownership to become financially independent (FI). That’s right. I refuse to buy new cars so I can become FI.
When I hear people complain about having no money but paying $600 a month for their car, all I hear is the same sound Charlie Brown’s teacher makes. Cut the excuses!!!
Obviously, reminding people why they should reject buying a NEW CAR bears repeating.
However, you and I both know that those are small potatoes compared to what some folks are shelling out. We gotta Keep Up With The Joneses’ today or life just plain sucks!
There are now new luxury vehicles coming off the assembly line with an MSRP of $80k! MSRP stands for the Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price — also known as “sticker” price — which is a recommended selling price that automakers give a new car. A dealer uses the MSRP as a price to sell each vehicle; it’s different from invoice price on a car, which can stand thousands below the sale price.
Vehicles have become so expensive that dealerships are offering 84 month car loans! I have no intention of owing the man that type of moola.
Especially, considering that the REPO Man is out there lurking in the shadows, ready to take my car if I miss even one single car payment.
And BTW the REPO Man tends to show up at the worst possible times; such as when you are already 20 minutes late picking up your kids from soccer practice, while the Walgreen’s pharmacy is texting you that this is the last day to pick up your $600 EpiPen or else it goes back on the market.
I actually have a friend that was unable to continue making payments on her BMW. Before, we get into this story here is a little background. She owns a home with an ARM and payments can fluctuate wildly from $1500 to $2400, is finishing her bankruptcy payments, and calls herself a Glam Ma and not Grand Ma.
She used to use dating apps after her divorce, but stopped after one guy told her he was looking for a place to stay. Hard pass. No more Bumble Bee for her! She likes her independence. Always has, always will.
For instance, her son recently asked if his mother would be willing to watch his newborn infant after she is born to save on daycare costs, which is astronomical in America and can cost people one whole paycheck, to which she replied, “not unless she got ID to sit with me at the bar on Friday’s, then no I can’t watch her.”
Getting back to the car situation, she decided to stop all car payments due to financial constraints.
Therefore, she stopped paying for two years.
Two whole years!!!
Since she knew she could no longer afford it; she just strategically stopped paying and put that money towards other obligations. The same way a squatter strategically walks away from an underwater mortgage. No reason to raid the retirement accounts and then end up completely broke now is there.
Anyhoo, she kept the car clean and left nothing in it in case the repo man ever showed up to take it. Well that day finally came and they took it right out of her driveway.
She then decided to hail cabs, and take Lyft and Uber rides until she got her tax refund and then she bought her next car with cold, hard cash baby! Lesson learned. If you own it, no one can take it.
Setting money on fire
Cars are making people go broke. SUV’s are some of the priciest on the market.
According to Business Insider, Ford made a game-changing decision in April when the company announced it would dissolve its entire line of sedans and compact cars that includes Focus, Fusion, Fiesta, and Taurus by 2020. Other cars that will be discontinued this year and beyond include the Alfa Romeo 4C Coupe, Chevrolet Sonic, and Cadillac ATS.
Maybe this is why Aston Martin has rolled out its latest car with a pricetag of this: New $189,000 SUV.
You could wind up spending $2500 a month just to own this luxury monster!
Let’s do a little math
I’m going to pull back the curtain on this and show you why you need to take off your BMW rose-colored glasses.
Buying a 2020 BMW truck will cost you about $176,000 after all is said and done.
Item
2020 BMW X6 SAV M50I AWD
Interest:
Maintenance:
Gas:
Total Cost over 7 years:
Cost
$104,095
$104,095 x 3% = 31,228 BMW of Alexandria website
$3,122.85 x 7 = $21,859.95 Setting aside 3% of purchase price
$50 x 52 = $2,704 x 7 = $18,928
$176,110.95
You get to basically drive to work, the grocery store, gym, and Pottery Barn for the low, low price of almost the cost of a house in Georgia.
20 Marietta St NW Unit 6B Atlanta, GA 30303
$179,000 Price 2 Beds 2Baths 1,156 Sq. Ft.$155 / Sq. Ft. Redfin Estimate: $175,558 On Redfin: 70 days Status: Active
Redfin Listing
That is also more than three times the median salary of an American adult making $56,000. Even Rappers are buying into this crap before the ink is even dry on that million-dollar deal they just signed!
That video came out the same year I bought my car.
Maybe if I had seen this, I would have done something different.
Hopefully seeing this here will help all of you out there.
Put that money into Mr. Market
I know this is the part where your eyes glaze over but please bear with me.
Here’s my story. In 2003, I decided I needed a new car. BIG MISTAKE! I previously had an Nissan Altima that cost about $8k and I was paying $229 per month for it. Then it started having problems so I decided to trade it in for a new Ford Explorer.
Original MSRP was $30k, but I got it on sale for $24,000. Stupid. I had a negative equity balance on the Altima so I rolled it over onto the new loan. I went from owing $6k to $32k in the span of 5 hours at a car dealership from the time I walked in until I signed the papers.
The payment on the Explorer was $448.65 a month for about 5-6 years. Therefore, from 2003-2009 I was paying on this car instead of investing that money in Mr. Market. DUMB!!!! For 6 whole years, I could not do much of anything because the car payment was always due.
Want to go on that trip to Dominican Republic? Sorry guys, can’t do it. The gas guzzler has got to get paid.
Want to buy new socks and clothes because yours are worn out and have holes in them? Sorry, no can do. The car note is due on the first, which is same time as the rent. Sucker! They got me good.
I was even paying over the phone for faster processing at the tune of $5 a pop!
All that changed once I paid it off. I got down to $1500 and just paid it off. I was free b#tche$!! Can’t nobody hold me down…oh no…I got to keep on moving!!!
I haven’t had a car payment in over 10 years! Not since Steph Curry was selected as a draft pick in the NBA.
I took that money and started investing in stocks. Before I know it, I had like a couple hundred grand in Mr. Market just from rejecting new car ownership.
How would you feel having $200,000 working for you everyday 365/24/7 in the market paying you just for having a pulse?
Hey if Geoico can have Geicoween, then surely so can we.
On today’s spooktacular blog post, we are talking about why you should avoid the black cat of investing: fees.
They come in all shapes and sizes. From front-load, back-load and even fees you pay to trade stocks.
However, one of the most overlooked of all fees come from commission based salesmen disguised as your friendly neighborhood financial advisors.
They wear the greatest costumes 365/24/7: a suit.
And we are not just talking any suits my friends, but the kind you drop a month’s wages on; think more John Wick and less death of a salesman, as to portray a sense of wealth that make you feel like you be anyone or can do anything and believing you want to run up and kick that football that Lucy is holding.
You are unstoppable.
Then it happens.
You get that investor statement in the mail. You are so excited that you rip the envelope open to see how well you are doing. The market is firing off dividends and capital gains the likes of which you have never seen before. You just know you are making a killing in Mr. Market, right?
Then you see that 2% of your portfolio goes to the fund managers and realize that you just got punked!
You look to your left, you look to your right, but Ashton is nowhere to be found.
Why you must be your own financial advisor
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I must confess that being a DYI investor is best.
While reading a plethora of books on the subject of personal finance, I have learned the following:
Don’t invest in anything you don’t understand. It is not enough to buy the product. You must research the company behind the brand.
Know if a company has a competitive edge. For example, once digital cameras came on the market Kodak fell off the face of the earth. The last time I had a Kodak moment was right before Apple unveiled the iphone.
Don’t time the market. If you have money to invest, then do it!
Don’t invest in anything you can’t draw with a crayon.
Invest in index funds instead of individual stocks.
Only invest in funds with an expense ratio of less than 1%.
You can do exchanges between index funds you already own without paying any fees. This is pretty sweet!
Most millionaires are worth between $1 million and $5 million dollars.
90% of millionaires over the last 200 years achieved wealth by investing in real estate.
Forget buying the product and own the stock. Millionaires collect assets – stocks, bonds, real estate, and intellectual property – like monopoly pieces. The poor collect consumer liabilities like big houses, boats, and cars. An asset pays you. Collect assets.
No one cares about your money more than you do
Although self-explanatory let us dig deeper children.
Would you hand over all the passwords to your bank, credit card, and investment accounts over to strangers?
Of course not.
However, in an essence that is what we do when people hand over the financial reins to business partners, financial advisors, and handlers.
Instead of working through the struggles of figuring out how money works, many just give up the responsibility to someone else. Nothing screams “just take some” more than giving people free range access to your money. Nothing attracts grifters more.
Just pick up a few free library books on investing and get started right there.
Heck you can even search online for podcasts or website that talk about money! That is how I got started.
Why you want to have $100,000 in investments
It is simple. If Mr. Market does what he has over the last 90 years, then you can turn $100k into $1M in 30 years. Not bad for a kid that gets picked last to play dodge ball.
Once you hit this number, then the money starts finding you.
Depending on your rate of return you could double your money to $200k in less than 8 years. It took me about 2 to 3 additional years to get that next $50k after the first $100k.
Do you want chocolate Halloween candy or a rock?
If any of you out there have seen The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, then you know what I’m taking about.
The reason many of us invest is the same reason kids trick-or-treat because we want the treat, that is something that gives us great pleasure.
You go from house to house looking for a reward for putting together that perfect costume.
Investors buy investment after investment looking for the same thing.
Nobody wants a rock!
I remember a time in school that I sold so much for a fundraiser that I got a chance to go in the money machine (where you stuff money into your pockets for like 60 seconds). I wanted that reward!
But guess what? The night before the big event I stayed up late and overslept the next morning! I missed the whole thing. That could have been my seed money to start this blog! That could have helped me start a Roth IRA at 17! The funny thing about rewards is that you may earn them, but you still have to go and pick them up.
Now I write down everything in a journal so that I do not miss a thing!
I wanted to one day be able to have ‘F everyone’ money like Mark Cuban said: “‘F everyone’ money means you can have your favorite band in your backyard, not care how much it costs, and lend them your jet to get there.” You should invest for your future self to have that option.
If you take nothing else from this post, at least remember this: we like the kind of money that jingles, but we invest so that we can have the kind that folds.
That’s what keeps me going: dreaming, inventing, then hoping
and dreaming some more in order to keep dreaming. – Joseph Barbera
This is the truth: I’d rather fail at this, whatever failure
is, than waste my life doing something elses, and feeling empty. – William Hanna
If you grew up in the 1960’s through the 1990’s, then you are sure to remember the Hanna-Barbera produced cartoon series The Jetsons. The Jetsons is an American animated sitcom, which originally aired in primetime from September 23, 1962, to March 17, 1963, then later in syndication, with new episodes in 1985 to 1987 as part of The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera block. It was Hanna-Barbera’s Space Age counterpart to The Flintstones, another show they also produced.
In contrast to The Flintstones comical version “stone age” world, The Jetsons lived in a comical version of a futuristic world that was powered by gadgets, robots, and machinery.
The Jetson ran in reruns for decades on ABC starting in the
1963-64 season, and aired on Saturday mornings.
The Jetsons stands as one of the single most important piece
of 20th century futurism. The 24-episode first season has come to define the
future of Americas present.
The Jetsons are a nuclear family in the “space age” future residing outer space in a place called Orbit City. The city’s architecture is Google style, and all homes and businesses are raised high above the ground on adjustable columns. The year is 2062. Although, the show always references it’s the 21st century. The family consists of a husband, wife, two kids and a dog.
Let’s meet the family.
“Meet George Jetson…”
George Jetson lives with his family in the Skypad Apartments: Jane his wife, daughter Judy, and his boy Elroy. He works at Spacely’s Space Sprockets where he has a (relatively stable job) *cough* *cough* sideways glance and air quotes insert here please.
Meet Jane his wife…
His wife Jane is a homemaker, a mother of two children, enjoys the latest fashion, has a robot named Rosie that actually does most of the housework, and is obsessed with new gadgetry.
Housekeeping is seen to by a robot maid, Rosie, which handles chores not otherwise rendered trivial by the home’s numerous push-button Space Age-envisioned conveniences. A show before it’s time. 😉
Her favorite department store is the Mooning Dales. She enjoys charity work as she is a member of
the Galaxy Women Historical Society and is an avid art fan of Leonardo de Venus
and Picasso Pia.
I love how they take things and make them their own version
on this show. However, somethings need no modifications or improvements. For
instance, in my opinion, I say pay cash for all appliances like they did before
the invention of credit cards in the 1950’s.
However, some things do. A great response that a movie star
once gave when asked about changing silent films to “talkies” that is films
with words, was the following:
“Talking pictures are like lip rouge on the Venus de
Milo.” – Mary Pickford (The Queen of the Movies)
Variant: Adding sound to movies would be like putting
lipstick on the Venus de Milo.
And meet their kids…
Daughter Judy: their teenage daughter Judy attends Orbit High School. She enjoys buying clothes, hanging out with boys, listening to music, having fun, and talking to her digital diary she calls DiDi. (That ain’t nothing but FaceTime 😉
Some may even call it a Vlog or Vlogging, which is similar to a Blog and Blogging.
His boy Elroy: their son Elroy attends Little Dipper School. He is wicked smart. As sharp as they come, and just whip smart. He is a mild-mannered child that enjoys all space science such as astrophysics, star geometry, and space history. His best friend is his dog; the family pet dog named Astro.
Now, let’s talk about the future. Financially speaking of
course.
Meet George Jetson . . . His boy Elroy . . . daughter Judy . . . . Jane his wife. I just love that song.
Fun Fact: The theme song to The Jetsons was a pop hit in 1986 on the Billboard charts.
MAKE THAT MONEY: FROM THE SALT MINES TO SPACE OFFICES
1. Earn a living
George Jetson works for Mr. Spacely and he owns Spacely’s
Space Sprockets. R.U.D.I.: is George’s work computer and one of his best
friends. His name is an acronym for Referential Universal Differential Indexer
and he has a human personality.
Based on which version you have heard, George works either one-hour-a-day, two-day-a-week or three-hour-a-day, three-day-a-week job. Either way that’s a workweek of no more than 3-9 hours. Pretty sweet!
A common theme on the show was George being fired.
That is all too common in today’s time too.
The retail apocalypse, such as the recent closure of Payless shoe stores, has cost thousands of American jobs. Toys R’ Us resulted in about the loss of 30,000 jobs alone.
Here is some dialogue from the show.
Episode Unilab
(Nov 25, 1962)
George Jetson:
It’ll be easy. I’ll just tell Mr. Spacely I’m very sorry and that I’ll never
call him names again.
[Nearly has a head-on collision with another car]
George Jetson: Why you big strata-jerk. It’s vacuum-heads like you who keep fuselage and fender shops in business. Come on out and face the music.
Mr. Spacely: [Emerges from the other car] ‘Morning, Jetson. Nice day isn’t it?
George Jetson: M-M-M-Mr. Spacely, I presume?
Mr. Spacely: That’s correct. I hope you’re wearing your watch, Jetson, because you have exactly 5 MINUTES TO CLEAN OUT YOUR DESK!
Mr. Spacley: JETSON. YOU’RE FIRED.
Fun Fact: Forbes made a list in 2007 and figured out what 25 fictional companies would be worth in today’s market. Spacely Space Sprockets, where George Jetson worked, ranked number 25 on their list. Listing its worth as $1.3 billion. In the article it said, “[CEO] Cosmo Spacely’s coddled employees said to only work three-hour-a-day, three-day-a-week jobs, but workers must suffer his notoriously volatile temper and endure incessant termination threats.”
In the illustrious words of Charlie Brown, “Good Grief.”
Although, on the show its comedy fodder, in the real world
this is no laughing matter. Due to the lack of financial teaching and literacy
in public school (where like 90% of preK-12 students go), many people are left
unprepared financially for setbacks. You must plan ahead.
I read this information on public versus private school
enrollment predictions in the Huffington Post. According to the U.S. Department
of Education, most preK-12 students, about 91 percent, go to public school.
I, personally, plan 2-3 years ahead or more if I can. I started by paying off debt, then rerouting that money to savings and investments. I have a minimum of 6 months’ emergency fund at all times, $100,000 invested in 1 out of 5 index funds, own a home that was way less than $1 million to buy, and am striving to have a 12-24-month emergency fund for those just in case moments.
THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICAN FUTURISM IN TECHNOLOGY
2. Automation is on the rise
The Jetsons it had everything our hearts could desire: jetpacks, video chats, e-books and electronic newspapers, flying cars, convertible objects, computerized watches (Apple Watch anyone?), robot maids, air chamber elevators, and moving sidewalks. They even predicted tanning beds! Tanning beds didn’t come into the U.S. until the 1970’s. This show first aired in 1962!
The Jetsons showed a technologically advanced culture where the largest concern of the middle class was getting “push-button finger.” And yes, The Jetsons were middle class! And still living paycheck to paycheck in the techno-savvy utopian future.
Grinding it out in the rat race.
” I told them 1,000 years from now or a million years, the problem is always going to be parking.” – Joseph Barbera
Think people don’t think much of this show or write it off
as merely a cartoon. Think again.
James Cameron was once asked about interactivity for future
movies. He concedes it is far off and replies: “You’re talking ‘Jetsons’ here.”
Your girl, Greenbacks Magnet, even recently did a shout out
to The Jetsons in a tweet.
See my tweet
I don't even want phones anymore. I'm sick of paying the bill.
On the 15th episode of The Jetsons, which originally aired on January 6, 1963 and was titled “Millionaire Astro.”
This episode shows how their dog Astro came from money. Elroy found Astro on the street. His original owner wants him back. A custody battle over Astro ensues where the original owner wins and he is returned to the estate. Given a life of incredible wealth and boredom (All the steaks he can eat, all the bones he can gnaw on), Astro is depressed and drowned in wealth and extreme luxury.
Meanwhile, George teeters on the edge of middle and working
class, while it seems that everyone is living in the lap of luxury, but
tangible quality of life improvements have not funneled down to those at the
bottom of the economic pyramid.
You may remember they did similar stuff like this at Walt
Disney studios with the cartoon Ducktales.
Case in point, The Occupy Wall St. movement, Americans being
reported to not have $400 to cover an emergency, little to no retirement
savings, and living off meager Social Security and minimum wages.
If my memory serves correct, didn’t Real Estate Mogul Leona Helmsley leave her dog like $7 million? In addition, I recently heard rumblings that the recently deceased Karl Lagerfeld (House of Chanel) and worth over $100 million, may have left $2 million to his dog? Interesting and disturbing.
ENTERTAINERS ARE ALL THE RAGE OR A SCREAM
4. Rock star money
One of the funniest things I ever saw on The Jetsons had to be Judy’s obsession with celebrity. And one in particular: Jet Screamer.
He is the quintessential rock god. The sun, moon, and the
stars revolve around him. People go wild when he comes in a room (as he always
makes a grand entrance). You get to see first-hand that he is living a very
different life than the average-joe.
In today’s time, that is still very relevant. I have nothing
against people with talent or those that create something out of nothing. It’s like Shakespeare says, “I am a true
laborer. I earn that I eat, get that I wear, owe no man hate, envy no man’s
happiness, glad of other men’s good.”
However, after
hearing so many stories of celebrities going broke, it makes me wonder if he
really is making all the dough we think he is as a rock star. For all we know,
Jet Screamer may be making $12,000 on 2.5 million downloads of music from Apple
iTunes as I read something like that in an article online. Maybe, he is making
$0 after all the money he owes to mangers, lawyers, stylists, and publicists.
Who really knows?
Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia. – Charles M. Schultz
I know that many people around the world know the infamous Peanuts gang and of course the lead character, Charlie Brown. The Peanuts were an American comic strip created by Charles M. Schulz in the 1950’s. Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown! This is the title of one of many in a film series based off his comics. The film was released in 1977 and still has relevance today. The Peanuts not only have incredible satirical wit and humor, but are just great stories from the heart filled with stories of a young boy and his dog.
Charlie Brown may be good for a laugh, but also for learning life lessons. I have always enjoyed Charlie Brown growing up and loved reading the comic strips on Sunday mornings. Let’s see if we can bring back some of those feelings tonight.
Choose your battles
In the beginning of the film, Lucy loses her temper and confronts a young girl for sticking her tongue out at her. However, Lucy backs down after deciding it wasn’t worth fighting over. She then respectfully and humbly walks away.
I learned that you need to choose your battles in life. Sometimes you have to be man or woman enough to walk away. Everything is not worth fighting over. Trust me, when it is, you will know.
2. Plan B
Charlie Brown gets left by the bus on the way to Camp Remote in the mountains. His faithful pet dog, Snoopy comes to the rescue and gives him a lift on the back of his motorcycle.
If you want something to get done, then it is best to do it yourself. It is fine to ask and accept help. Just make sure you know and trust the source.
3. Be Brave
As soon as they enter the camp, they meet some bullies. They tease the Peanuts gang. After, insults fly Linus uses his blanket and valiantly pushes the bullies back away from him and the gang by towel snapping them.
Do not be afraid of standing up for yourself or others. Sometimes, you cannot just walk away from a fight or bullies. You may have to stand your ground. You can’t always turn and run away or hide. You have to say no more and stand your ground. When the going gets rough, you do not walk away, you stand your ground and plant your feet.
4. Democracy
Power without the confidence of a nation is nothing. – Catherine the Great
The girls – Peppermint Patty, Lucy, Sally, and Marcie – must decide who will sleep on what bunk at camp. They take the democratic approach and vote on it. It is Marcie’s responsibility to prepare the secret ballot and count the votes. This allows for all parties to have their say without being intimidated or influenced.
I learned that this method can be great for ending disagreements. One person prepares to pass out the voting materials and other counts the votes. I personally use a pro and con list myself when I want to make certain decisions more pragmatically. There is much more you can get done diplomatically than by force. When you have the will and confidence of the people, then you can lead more effectively.
5. Caring
When the girls finally settle in at night they realize there is no one there to tuck them in and wish them sweet dreams. That’s when Snoopy comes and kisses them all good night. This makes the girls feel good.
Sharing is caring. That is how we make friends. Caring makes all the difference in the world.
6.Love and Friendship
Marcie has a hard time participating in the sporting events at camp. In particular, potato sack racing. Instead of leaving her behind and focusing only on herself, Peppermint Patty stops each time and offers words of encouragement.
This shows me that not everything is about winning. Sometimes lending a helping hand is more important. Listening is a great skill to have. You can use it to your advantage in life.
7. Sympathy
The boys and girls both are targets of the bullies at camp. They are ruthless cheaters. They are always chanting “We’re number one,” and rubbing their wins in everyone’s face much to the chagrin of the whole camp.
You definitely get the sense that the campers are pretty distressed by all of this. Even though the bullies are cheating, they still keep fighting on. There is no need to wallow in despair when bad things happen. Keep pressing on. And hope good things for others.
8. Compassion
The boys and girls both get the air taken out of their rafts. The boys worked so hard the first time around blowing air into their floating tubes that you cannot help but have compassion for them when they have to do it all over again. The girls have to get out the air pump and were very displeased, but it did not stop them from competing in the river race.
In life, things are going to happen. You can have compassion for others. And if you can, try and help them out.
9. Put up a good fight
The bullies are constantly cheating throughout the race. This does not stop the Peanuts gang from putting forth their best efforts during the race. Their trials and tribulations only make them work harder and not give up.
If I have to go down, much like Atreyu said in The Neverending Story, I’m going down fighting. Do not give up so easily. What separates the winners from the losers is going on, one more second than your opponent.
10. Fight Back
The boys find a cabin in the woods and settle for the night. Then the girls come along and kick the boys out to sleep outside in the cold. When morning comes they girls expect hot, ready-made breakfast and ask, “Where’s the chow?” Peppermint Patty gets upset when its cold cereal. Charlie Brown snaps back, “If you don’t like, then you don’t have to eat it.” She then backs down, sits, and eats.
It’s okay to challenge people. Especially, those that like to boss people around. Again, choose your battles. Sometimes, they are worth having or speaking up for.
Do the right thing
At one point in the movies, Snoopy gets separated from his friend Woodstock. What a friend. Instead of going on without him, he stops racing, takes out a pack back and stick and goes looking for him. This part of the film just warms your heart. When the rest of the gang meets up later, after being concerned for one another’s safety; they all rejoice in seeing one another knowing that they all are unharmed.
If something bothers you, then trust your instincts. Act on it. Do not disregard your feelings. If others do, then say something. If they do not accept you for who you are, then let them find and be with someone different. You know who your friends are because they will show they care. Love is a verb and it requires action. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Working Together
The bullies once again mess with the Peanut gangs rafts and basically destroy them. So, they all band together by putting on their life jackets, making a chain, and swimming out to get the raft. Charlie Brown misses and then Peppermint Patty goes swimming after it and gets the raft.
Unlike the title of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 4 episode entitled, The I in Team; there is no I in Team. You can get much better results and yield higher returns when you work as a group instead of alone. Banding together in hard times could mean the difference between survival and starvation.
13. Don’t give in to surrender
The Peanuts gang could have easily accepted defeat after all they went through. Instead, they paddled on. They saw victory in their sight and went for it full steam ahead.
You cannot just say I can’t take anymore. You have to fight on. The champ is the one that can throw one more punch. In life, it’s not how many times you get knocked down or pushed around. It’s about how many times you get back up.
Appreciation
The boys take charge in leading the raft when the race is nearly over. On more than one occasion, they expected Charlie Brown to lead or save them. Instead of saying thanks, they generally mocked or criticized him when things went wrong, even when he tried his best.
There is a time and place for criticism. You should criticize softly and praise loudly. At the very least, say thank you.
15. Cheating
The bullies cheat by changing signs, destroying personal property, and playing dirty. In the end, the expensive and fancy speed boat they use with all the gadgets – sonar, radar, the works- instead of paddles or sails like the rest of the racers, sinks.
Cheaters never prosper. These boys got what was coming to them. They did not even handle their boat with care. In the end, the expensive boat sank and was rendered utterly useless. And you know what, most expensive things are.
Enough is Enough
Deciding the rest of the racers should not finish if they can’t, the bullies try to again sabotage them before making it to the finish line. Even though they are out the race and will lose, it is not enough for them; therefore, everyone else must lose too. However, when Snoopy’s pal Woodstock is crossing their path, instead of letting the bullies cat take him out, Snoopy knocks him in the water and defends his friend. Thereby, this action was effective in ensuring Woodstock’s safe passage to cross the finish line.
You just have to stand up for yourself. You cannot just let people walk all over you. Otherwise, they will do it for the rest of your life.
17. Diplomacy
At one point, the boys end up in trouble. The girls have to decide whether or not to help them. Again, they use the secret ballot method to make a decision to help them out. Even though, helping them was just common sense and the right thing. Resulting in Charlie Brown replying to the girls, “how big of you.”
A recurring theme in the film is about using democracy to solve problems. Everyone gets a say by casting a vote. No hard feelings as you get your say. Your voice and input are counted. So, don’t say nothing because that is a vote that will cost you in the end to having no say in what goes on.
18. No more Mr. Nice Guy
After the race is over, and the bullies are no longer number one, the start spouting off about returning to number one next year. The winner of the race walks by with his trophy. The bullies’ cat gears up to hit the winner and Snoopy roughs him up again.
Sometimes you just can’t take it anymore. You get fed up. Everyone has a threshold. Once you reach, then that’s it. You won’t be anyone’s doormat anymore. If you test people again, they are likely to come back just as strong as or stronger than before.
19. Don’t be a sore loser
The bullies seem to take defeat not too kindly. They lost. Get over it.
If you can be an incredible winner, then also be an incredible loser. Be gracious on the way up, while you are up, and on the way down. You never know who you may run into again on the way back down.
20. You reap the fruits of your labor or whatever you sow.
At the end of the film, the bullies reaped what they sowed. They lost. They were no longer numero uno. They could no longer call themselves, as Nigel Uno did in Codename: Kids Next Door, number one. In the illustrious words of the bullies in the film, “ha-ha.”
You must work for what you want. You can’t just get by on your good looks or live off someone else. The lazy people actually work the hardest. If you do not work in the Fall, there will be no harvest in the Spring. You have to work for your keep. You can’t build lasting wealth if you’re not willing to work.
Basically, I learned a lot from this film years ago as a kid. So, I just want to say, “Thanks Charlie Brown, for racing for your life!”
