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College, Relationships, Wealth

Money advice from Gossip Girl

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Earn the spotlight on your own merits. You’ll feel better. – Serena

I was reading a book when I decided to take a walk down memory lane and watch Gossip Girl on Netflix.

For those of you that may not know or remember the show, Gossip Girl was a show about privileged American socialite teens at an elite and exclusive academic prep school in Manhattan’s Upper East Side (UES); whose every move was texted out through an eblast via tips to  an anonymous site called Gossip Girl.

What is Gossip Girl and what it does?

What’s the difference between gossip and scandal? So glad you asked, UES Forever. Anyone can commit a minor indiscretion and generate a day’s worth of buzz. But in order for gossip to birth a true scandal, it requires the right person to be in the wrong place. – Gossip Girl

The show was on the WB, then the CW, and aired from September 19, 2007 through December 17, 2012. The show was narrated by Kristen Bell (as Gossip Girl). Scandals, scoops, and hemlines run amuck. The show may have had a serious lack of ethics, but it did make for some interesting television.

Gossip Girl is based on a popular book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The adapted television series in 2007 came about from the book series she started in 2002.

Gossip Girl will always have a special place in my heart.

It was in 2007 that I heard this line from the show:  You know, Dad, there’s this thing called MySpace where you can post all of this information online. Save some trees, have a blog. – Dan Humphrey

 It peaked my interest in blogging. Then, I started this one, Greenbacks Magnet, 9 years later.

Some of the dialogue may be a bit harsh in its tone and delivery, but there was some truth behind some of their words.

Gossip Girl likes to keep things classy and somewhat true. – Serena van der Woodsen played by Blake Lively

Serena is so grateful because she likes to see the best in people. I like to see the truth. – Blair

So, let’s get right into it.

MEET THE MONEY PLAYERS

You got me thinking. If my class is so important to you maybe I ought to make it worth your while. So for the next seven weeks it’s fewer models and martinis, more flow charts and footnotes.– Colin Forrestor played by Sam Page

Last month, on Thanksgiving Day, I decided to watch some Thanksgiving themed movies and television episodes. And I settled on watching Gossip Girl.

As GG fans know, it just hooks you in with all the drama and high fashion that’s fun to look at.

The music was pretty good too. Found the GG soundtrack for music featured in every episode here. 

The series follows Upper East Siders throughout their never ending drama filled lives that is often self-inflicted. It Girl Serena van der Woodsen is centered around it all and is the star of the show. Her friends and family make up the rest of the cast.

One of my favorite scenes is actually from the first episode of the series. It was a face-off that was incredible between two young women and it set the tone for the show.

The 4 top-billed (in my opinion) and main cast includes the following:

Blake Lively as Serena van der Woodsen AKA S

Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf AKA B

Chace Crawford as Nate Archibald AKA Golden Boy

Ed Westwick as Chuck Bass Always

If you pay close attention to their conversations, they are dropping some serious money gems.

These little nuggets of life and money wisdom, when interpreted and applied correctly, could transform lives and bank balances.

Let’s begin.

WORK FOR WHAT YOU WANT

Never in my 16,982 hours of schooling have I ever been sentenced to detention. – Blair

Throughout the show, the main cast is always discussing their futures and going to college.

It was almost incessant in the amount of pretentious ponderings of how to be sartorially correct while interviewing for a top spot as a Yalie. And yes, that is a quite accurate assessment of the character known as Blair on the show.

Blair would look and act so innocent and demure like she couldn’t melt butter, but her stare and looks were as cold as ice. Very entertaining.

Here she goes on one of her tirades.

I am so a better fit for Yale than that Rory. – Blair

Now, she’s belittling and disparaging the character of one of my favorite shows Gilmore Girls.

Check out my posts where I talk Gilmore.

Mega Millions Win or Bust 

Money and Life Lessons I Learned from CBS Storybreak’s Yeh-Shen

How to navigate Universal Studios on a budget and like a boss

But enough of the $50 words. Let’s talk about the rest of the show.

They attend the fictitious Constance Billard School for Girls and St. Jude School for Boys. In addition, throughout the show you may hear them casually drop names of other schools.

In the Gossip Girl (book series) — it contains the line “two little Sacred Heart girls in their cute red and white checked pinafores were walking an enormous black Rottweiler” on page 86 in the first novel of the series.

Many of the parents are part of high-society and are on boards of prestigious organizations, own businesses, and live in penthouses. They go to great parties, opening nights to the ballet, and fashion week.

You get the impression that these kids know to base their lives around money and making sure to earn piles of it is a must.

They are tireless paragons of poshness. The parties are lavish, the lifestyle is glamorous, and the fashion is couture and expensive. Makes for a great show.

What I noticed was that everyone in one way or another was working hard at trying to make their own way in the world apart from their rich and or famous families.

They chased their dreams relentlessly. Like a boss.

And made huge sacrifices to get what they wanted.

Great leaders only need three hours of sleep! – Blair

They worked, started or interned at major businesses, magazines, for fashion designers, newspapers, literary writers, politicians, and fashion houses.

You’re not likely to get or keep those gigs for long if you are playing around.

“When and if we end up together, it has to be as equals.” – Blair

Yes, indeed. Be independent.

BET ON SELF

Here’s my advice: Have a little faith, and if that doesn’t work, have a lot of mimosas.– Blair in the Wild Brunch Season 1 Episode 2

My family is really into waffles. – Jenny Humphrey sister of Dan Humphrey played by Taylor Momsen

If you want something, go get it. Have some faith in yourself. And good food and conversation go together.  I have learned a lot about people when having lunch with them. It’s a great way to build relationships. My favorite meal is brunch. I too love waffles!

See my post, Forget casinos, bet on yourself for more on this topic.

THE SO-CALLED ELITE

Their membership is so restricted, it makes Soho House look like a halfway house. – Blair

They say of you want to increase membership to something then increase the selection criteria.

The Ivy League have made this an art form. As you see on this show, even the wealthy were concerned about their college admissions. There was even some talk of donations to a school to get in. In the end, you see deep down, we all have our insecurities. Accept it, and move on.

I have learned that I am no better than anybody else, but I am always just as good.

KNOW YOUR WORTH

You deserve someone who would move mountains for you if he had to. – Blair to Serena 

Normal people don’t get an endless number of chances, no matter the situation. That’s just you. – Dan to Serena

I have heard people say that well-behaved women seldom make history. At least that is what Eleanor Roosevelt said. I guess you can take her word for it as her husband FDR made history.

“I have an idea for you: quit. Your boss is a bi*ch. Let’s go to lunch.”

I have actually done just that very thing. I quit a bad job. Got a better job. And never looked back.

 “I’m not a stop along the way, I’m a destination.” – Blair

That line could be someone’s Bumble Bee bio. I call it sophisticated confidence.

“He ended up treating me like something he owned instead of something he earned.” -Blair

You’re worth more than a guest lecture fee, everyone knows that. – Dan to Serena

Well put. Damn straight!

Be unique. Have your own voice. Be you.

See my post, How being an outlier can make you rich

How being an outlier can make you rich

YOUR INCOME

A man who own a tuxedo shows that he has the means and can afford to provide for his family – Blair in Belles Du Jour Season 4 Episode 1

One of my favorite lines from the show comes from none other than Nate Archibald while talking to Chuck Bass.

Excuse me? Where’s my boy? “Seal the deal.” “Tap that a$$.” “Money marries bigger money.”

Wow. Money marries bigger money. That’s kind of cold, but ok.

I could care less about his Bassets and probably he’s filtering his assets through some foreign government so I won’t know. – Blair on Chuck Bass.

S: So you hired escorts? B, you couldn’t just tell your mom you don’t have friends at NYU?

B: Prostitutes are people, too, and they have a lot of disposable income. – Serena and Blair

Yes, people are focused on income, A LOT.

Jane Austen also so eloquently puts how much emphasis people put on income in two of her novels. And also how to treat others with or without money.

FOR THE LOVE OF HEADBANDS

I know you disapprove of me, but can’t you at least do so in a tuxedo?– Lily van der Woodsen played by Kelly Rutherford

This show loves their tuxedos. And themed parties. Masquerade. Kiss on the Lips. You name it.

It is often said when you look good, you feel good. Well, I concur. You feel more confident as well.

I remember going to a job interview where some folks didn’t take it seriously. I wore a nice dress and some of the men wore suits while others wore jeans.

After I got hired and when I later started the job, I noticed on my first day that all the people that got hired were the ones that were well-dressed.

Leighton Meester Shopping GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

Piece of advice: lose the tulip. – Chuck

If you know one thing about GG, you know it’s all about the fashion.

The well-heeled wear nice heels. Blair was known for her love of headbands. People were always giving her grief about it.

Your era is over, and so is that headband. – Jenny

No headbands in college, okay? – Dan to Blair

Et tu, Dan?

SvdW was known for her fantastic sense of style.

And she had more loose interpretation of a school uniform than any person on the planet. The Tie Goddess. See for yourself.

EDUCATION IS PRICELESS AND THE PRICE OF INTELLECTUALISM

S:Wow, and I thought college would be different from high school.

B:Who would want that? – Serena and Blair

These kids were not just applying to any colleges, but the Ivy League. They wanted to be HYPsters (Harvard, Yale, Princeton) or the like.  What Blair called the Holy Trinity of colleges. Which are all expensive colleges. We are talking $50,000 USD per year or more.

It was a constant stressor of theirs during the shows first four seasons. Case in point, here is a list of the schools they were trying to get into or that their parents attended.

For instance, Serena wanted to go to Brown and that college and Harvard are where her parents went. Blair wanted Yale and Nate was considering UCLA over Dartmouth like his father. There was also talk of Columbia, Georgetown, and NYU on the show.

It just goes to show you that getting an education is still mighty important.

Serena van der Woodsen or SvdW for short – Brown University, Columbia University

SvdW parents attended – Harvard University and Brown University

Fun show Fact: SvdW dropped out of Brown at the last minute because she wanted to find herself and she felt that moving away to another city wouldn’t help her achieve that. The classic one-year hiatus otherwise known as the infamous gap year before entering college.

This is what Blair had to say to her about going there.

Your deductive-reasoning skills are perfect for a place like Brown. An enclave of trustafarians and children of celebrities who major in drum circles and semiotics, whatever that is. I can’t wait for you to come home next Thanksgiving a militant veganista, anemic and proud. – Blair

It left me speechless.

Blair Waldorf – Yale University, Columbia University, New York University (NYU), NYU – Tisch School of the Arts

Nate Archibald – Columbia University, Dartmouth

Chuck Bass – Columbia University

Dan Humphrey AKA Lonely Boy played by Penn Badgley – NYU

Vanessa Abrams played by Jessica Szohr – NYU

Eric van der Woodsen played by Connor Paolo – Sarah Lawrence

Some character’s shots at the sheepskin, in my opinion, and other honorable college mentions include:

Reaches: Yale, Harvard, Princeton

Realistic: UPenn, Georgetown, UMiami, Duke, USC, UCLA, Columbia, Tulane, Pepperdine, Wesleyan, Dartmouth

Safeties: Cornell, Vanderbilt, George Washington

READ TO GET AHEAD IN LIFE

I’m telling you, I learned everything I know about women from Judy Blume’s Forever. – Dan

According to List Challenges, “Gossip Girl” (2007 – 2012) : here is a listing of some of the favorite authors and books of the characters or simply the ones mentioned by them and showed along these 6 seasons, books studied in university, etc.

Many characters also name dropped or were caught reading well-known books by famous authors.

I love the Snowflake Ball. It reminds me of Anna Karenina, only by Anna Wintour. – Serena

Maybe if we become famous writers one day, they’ll publish [our letters] after we die, like Sartre and de Beauvoir. – Vanessa

They also liked to travel extensively. Especially, in Europe such as Paris, France. In addition, they speak more than one language such as French while in Paris.

Elliott’s the perfect mix of smart and fun: He speaks three languages, but he has a subscription to People magazine. – Eric

List of titles includes:

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton –  read by Juliet Sharp played by Katie Cassidy

The Lorax by Dr. Suess – Mentioned by Dan

Colette by Gigi – Blair read this on a bench in Paris

Jane Austen books – Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion

Charles Dickens novels – A Tale of Two Cities, A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, Les Grandes Espérances

C. S. Lewis books – The Chronicles of Narnia, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

William Shakespeare – Othello, Romeo and Juliet, MacBeth, Henry V, Hamlet, King Lear

A few other famous works, Rabbit Redux by John Updike, Cyrano De Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Crucible (Arthur Miller), Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte), I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Dr. Maya Angelou, The Art of War, The Crucible (Arthur Miller), Madame Bovary, The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway), The Beautiful and Damned (F. Scott Fitzgerald), Cinderella (Charles Perrault), The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, Faust, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, Walden, The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald), and Beloved by Toni Morrison.

There, I have just given you a reading list that every good high school student or Ivy League hopeful should have. Some of which I have read. My favorite author is Jane Austen. A close second is Louisa May Alcott, as I just love Little Women and the 1994 film starring Winona Ryder. But Austen’s Sense and Sensibility (1995) just amazes me every time. That along with Pride and Prejudice (2005) and Emma (1996).

The rich seem to be highly educated. They also tend to get ahead in life. Therefore, be well-read.

However, these trust fund babies did end up leaving college and higher education after a while to set out for their own fortunes in the real world.

For people like us a college degree is just an accessory.  – Chuck

So, this too let’s you know that it is not always about what you know, but who you know.

You never know who you may run into at expensive coffee shops, libraries, restaurants, college, and hotels like the Palace in New York.

So, go build up those relationships.

MONEY AND RELATIONSHIPS

Just to clarify, I do think you deserve to be with someone who makes you happy. – Dan

True words indeed.

I read, like, five self-help blogs on how to turn friends into lovers. Yes, they used that word. – Dan

Come on, Cece’s heart pumps secrets and gin. – Dan

And there was lots of secrets on this show. Relationships and secrets were everywhere.

Sex is meaningful, like art. And you don’t rush art.– Dan

All great things are built or done slowly.

If you watched this show, then you may remember the season 3 episode with Lady Gaga. Here is her take on relationships that is so Blair Waldorf.

“Some women choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you’re wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn’t love you anymore.” ― Lady Gaga

Marriage

Settling down means death. Less sex, more silence. – Blair on marriage

Blair also had some of the best lines on the show. EVERY. SINGLE. EPISODE.

Case in point, check this out.

And she actually said this too.

That’s the thing. You need to be cold to be queen. Anne Boleyn thought only with her heart, and she got her head chopped off. So her daughter Elizabeth made a vow never to marry a man. She married a country. Forget boys. Keep your eye on the prize, Jenny Humphrey. You can’t make people love you, but you can make them fear you. For what it’s worth, you’re my queen. I choose you. – Blair

As, I am a history buff and studied up on Queen Elizabeth I of England, my mouth fell open when she said this.

Check it out here.

And I am not the only one who feels she should get some praise for her talented banter.

C: It’s a facility for the disturbed or addicted.

B: You must have your own wing.

C: You don’t get enough credit for your wit.

– Chuck and Blair

If you go back with an uncertain heart, there will be drama and disaster for all. – Blair

You better believe it. In life and relationships, to be successful, you have to commit.

LOVE

B:Love me?

C:Always.

– Blair and Chuck

They were the best characters on the show, in my humble opinion. The two of them together was gold. Take a look for yourself.

But ultimately, I have learned that love is what we are all looking for.

MONEY DOESN’T BUY HAPPINESS

Trouble is moving in, and it’s looking to make the Upper East Side it’s bi*ch.– Gossip Girl

You would think that folks in tuxedos and ball gowns are the happiest, but these people seemed so unhappy.

Happiness can’t be measured in things. It comes from having the things that really matter like people who love you for who you are.

Doing the right thing takes courage and strength. At least that’s what I’ve heard. – Blair

Well, I hope you had fun going down memory lane with me and I will bid you adieu in the best possible way to end this post.

You know you love me – XOXO,

Gossip Girl (I mean Greenbacks Magnet) wink, wink 😉

Celebrities and Money, Financial Freedom, Financial Independence, Self-Made Millionaires

3 Rich Habits of Millionaires

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After doing some research on millionaires and billionaires, I have noticed some recurring attributes among them, which include: reading, pursuing a passion, and setting goals.

READ

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!

Many of the affluent read daily or often. They seem to set aside at least 30 minutes a day for reading. This greatly improves their knowledge of their products, brands, and businesses. When you know what drives the market, then it makes it easier to compete with everyone else. I even read that Marilyn Monroe was also said to be a voracious reader.

I know in my life reading has helped me a great deal. I was able to do better in school, make better informed personal and professional decisions, and increase my investment knowledge.

One of the most successful investors of all time, Warren Buffet, says he reads every day.  Buffet typically spends 80% of his day reading. Here are some quotes from interviews he has done over the years in regards to how to become successful.

THE KEY TO SUCCESS

The CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, when asked once about the key to success, pointed to a stack of books and said, “Read 500 pages like this every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it.”

WHAT BUFFET READS?

Warren Buffet starts his days with an assortment of national and local news. The billionaire investor tells CNBC he reads the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the New York Times, USA Today, the Omaha World-Herald, and the American Banker in the mornings.

Even though Buffet reads tremendously, it would mean nothing if he did not retain what he has read. Buffets says that knowledge builds up over time. Here are some tips to remember what you read – take notes, skim the text, read out load – are just a few things you can do to retain what you read.

PURSUE YOUR PASSION OR GIFT

“To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” – Steve Prefontaine

I have always had an affinity for writing. I write pretty much every day. My goals are that my writing helps to plant the seed that inspire people, motivate them, and make them feel good about themselves. Writing about finances is the cherry on top of the sundae for me. And I give it everything I’ve got. No less. When I’m sick. I write. When I’m tired. I write. When I was down to my last $2. Still wrote. I would write down my thoughts, hopes, dreams, and goals. I have crossed off at least 5 items on my 10 year to do list. If it can work for me and countless others, then I know it can for you.

Dreams can come true. You just have to believe and lay down the groundwork. There is no builder of a home that would not first lay down the foundation and then build up. The same goes for life. You do not start in at the top. Otherwise, if you do, you are more likely to have created a house of cards, that can easily come tumbling down.  Like the three little pigs, you want bricks and not sticks or straw. You want something that is concrete. Construct your life blueprint on building or creating something that is solid.

If you can, find a mentor. Mentors help guide and keep people on the right path to succeed. I suggest finding someone who has already done what you want to do successfully and then asking them for advice. You can also read their books or attend their workshops. Either way study their success and see if you can imitate it.

SET GOALS

“Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.” – Bo Jackson

The best advice I have ever read was to write down your goals. I have heard this from numerous celebrities including Beyoncé. She said she would write down her goals; and that she wanted to go platinum and sell a million records. Well, she wanted to be financially secure. Well, she can scratch that off her checklist. Simply heed these words: Write it down.

When you set goals and pursue your passion it is a winning combination for success. Instead of watching the clock, you just keep on working. There are too many hours on the clock when you do something you detest, but no enough hours in the day when you do something you love.

Forget the naysayers. They are not you and you are not them.  Focus your energy on doing what you enjoy putting your effort into. The energy you use to pursue your passion or anything that you do well is never wasted.  When you can focus and limit or ignore distractions, you are well on your way toward success.