Inside This Issue…

• The #1 Money Secret of The Rich…

• How To Never Forget Important Facts…

• Fun Facts and Laughs: Little-Known Animal Facts, Odd Uses of Bounce Sheets, And More…

• Trivia Challenge: Win Free Movie Tickets For Two

• Real Estate Q&A: What Natural Scents Can Make My Home Appealing To Buyers?

Steven Silva, REALTOR^®
Royal LePage

PS.  When you notice people talking about real estate in the next few weeks, can you tell them about the free consumer information I provide?

They may be people looking to buy or refinance and you can tell them about my Free Consumer Report “7 Secrets For Saving Thousands When Financing Your Home.” You’ll be a hero because they’ll learn 17 questions to ask any mortgage lender to get the right financing for their needs. To request a copy for a friend, simply email me at AskStevenSilva@gmail.com, or call me at:     1-855-737-8383.

The #1 Money Secret of The Rich . . .

Ever wonder how the rich get richer? It’s simple. They spend less than they earn, and invest the difference. If you’re not born into money, here are five tips for spending less so you can invest more and build wealth this year.

1.  Track Your Spending.  It’s hard to tell where you’re spending too much if you don’t write anything down. But who wants to save receipts, log a checkbook register, or use a spreadsheet? New online tools help you automatically track all your financial information in one place, for free. At www.mint.com you can set up a free account to see exactly where your money is going.

2.  Use a Budget.  This financial practice of the rich has enormous power. You may prefer to call it a “spending plan” but the idea here is to know how much you can spend on different categories so you don’t overextend yourself. Include savings as a category and “pay yourself first” each month by putting money aside into a designated savings account.

3.  Reign in Expensive Habits.  Smoking and eating out are expensive. Statistics show that the pack-a-day smoker spends nearly $260,000 over a lifetime – and that does not include increased insurance costs and other factors. Or, you may enjoy eating at nice restaurants each week, which is another budget killer. What habits can you reduce to save money?

4.  Pay Down Debt.  As you free up more of your income it can be smart to pay down high-interest debt. For example, taking extra money to pay down a loan with 10% interest can be better than putting money in a savings account at 3% interest.

5.  Pay In Cash.  Credit card companies know you spend more when there’s not an immediate withdrawal from your bank account. Try to pay for everything in cash (or debit card). If you want a new computer, to take a vacation, or even a car, try to save up and pay for it in cash instead of getting a loan. Remember, the key here is it to not take on more debt.

The secret to building wealth is to reduce your spending and debt so more of your income can work for you. Follow these tips to free up more money for savings and investments. And may you have a prosperous New Year!

Do you have trouble remembering important facts? Whether you’re a student or simply need to recall information for your professional or personal life, it can be embarrassing to not remember critical data when needed. The following techniques are simple ways to boost your brain power and help you recall important details when you need them.

• Repetition is the age old method of remembering important facts. Take out a piece of paper and write the things you need to recall 5 to 7 times. Some people will need to write them more times, others less depending on the individual need for repetition.

• If you are auditory (or verbal) you will probably need to hear them to make the facts stick in your brain. Take the notes you have written multiple times and read them out loud. Repeat the reading several times to embed the facts for later recall.

• Visually, you can stimulate your memory by using color codes in your notes. Perhaps you will use RED for the urgent tasks and BLUE for important reminders. Drawing objects that relate to the material can also be useful for quick mental retrieval.

• If you learn through music, try composing your own “lyrics” using the material you need to remember. Then you can add those words to an common song like Row, Row, Row Your Boat. Combining the facts with something familiar will make it easier to remember later.

• One more method is to use a mnemonic device. Try using the first letter in each word of the main points to create an easy to remember word or sentence. It’s a great way to aid your memory.

Everyone has a different way of learning and recalling information. Try multiple methods until you find what works best for you.

Fun Facts and Laughs . . .

Little-Known Animal Facts . . .

• Starfish don’t have brains.
• The Housefly hums, middle octave, key of F.
• The eye of an Ostrich is bigger than its brain.
• Butterflies taste with their feet.

Odd Uses of Bounce Sheets

You probably have seen the claims of all the things that a Bounce dryer sheet can do. According to www.snopes.com, some are true and some aren’t.

Quotes To Live By . . .

Searching is half the fun: Life is much more manageable when it is thought of as a scavenger hunt as opposed to a surprise party.
— Jimmy Buffett

Life is partly what we make it, and partly what is made from the friends we choose.
— Tennessee Williams

Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what is going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity.
— Gilda Radner

Have A Laugh — “What Happened In Atlanta”

A tough looking biker had been at the bar all night when he decided it was time to hit the road. He went out the front door and instantly noticed his bike was missing from where he parked it.

“All right” he said gruffly, coming back into the busy bar. “I’m going to have a shot of whisky and if my hog ain’t back up front by the time I’m done, what happened in Atlanta will happen here too!”

The other bikers frantically ran out of the bar and within seconds one came back in to tell the tough biker his hog was now parked in front of the bar waiting for him.

As the tough biker got up to leave the bartender asked, “Excuse me mister, but what happened in Atlanta?”

The tough biker sheepishly replied, “I had to walk back to my hotel!”

Guess who won last month’s Trivia Question? I’m pleased to announce the lucky winner of last month’s quiz. And the winner is…drum roll please: Dominic of Summerlyn was the first person to correctly answer my quiz question.

What country has the longest life expectancy at birth?

a) Australia    b) Canada    c) Switzerland    d) Japan
The answer is d) Japan. According to a 2009 United Nations report, the life expectancy for those in Japan is 82.6 years. Canada’s life expectancy at birth is 80.7 and the United States it is 78. So, let’s move on to this month’s trivia question.

Who won the first World Series in 1903?

EMAIL ME FIRST AT: AskStevenSilva@gmail.com OR Call Me At1-855-737-8383 And You Could Be One Of My Next Winners!

Real Estate Q & A . . .

Q.  What natural scents can make my home appealing to buyers?