Four Month Long Journey of Knowledge and Awareness

Borrowed by: economistjourneytolife.blogspot.com

            

        When I first started English 112 in August, it was terrifying for me to think of what topic would be interesting enough for me to research and then write about. In my life, the biggest challenge for me was to control myself when spending money and more importantly, spending money wisely. Taking advantage of picking a topic of my own choice, I selected the topic “Managing Finances” hoping that I would learn along the way and be more aware and avoid spending money aimlessly and focus on better investments and spending decisions. Another chill feeling took me over by thinking, how I would use blogger.com and what a blog was? After figuring out how to post a blog and then, looking at my first blog makes me smile because I remember, I was very nervous thinking that anyone is my class can read it. My confidence started developing after writing three to four blogs.

            The second feeling of blogging and researching made me happy that I am aware of how the blogging works. I am amazed to find out that many professional authors and news reporters have their own blog pages and readers follow every post of their favorite authors and writers. With the help of a librarian, I got a few finance related books and start reading to find good pieces of information related to my topic and started the blog posting but later on I started feeling more comfortable researching information on my topic on the internet. Searching for online helped me gather a lot of useful information related to my topic. “Mr. Money Mustache” and “Personal Finance 4 U” were two blogs that I started following during my research. On these blogs I read easy description of money managing ideas in households. This helped me to understand that I am not the only one who is struggles to save and spend money wisely. The main ideas behind both bloggers mentioned above is to keep readers motivated to make careful financial decision even if they have to buy house or just a light bulb.

            Third I am blessed that now I know how to blog and respond to other bloggers since everything is mostly done online. I have planned to keep posting blogs after this semester as well because it helps me to stay aware of the all the information required to stay focused on making proper financial decisions for my family’s future and keeping me motivated to spend more sensibly.  

Gym workout or Jogging & Walking ?

Borrowed by www.jwhomes.com

Some people need disciple in life to organize their routines and health. Therefore, going to gym is a good practice for them. Gyms are playing an important role in people’s life which are struggling hard to overcome the medical related health complications especially regarding over weight problems. Some people go to gyms for cardiovascular exercises and toning up their bodies. Beside all the benefits of gyms, when all the calculations are added, gyms cost a lot by the end of the year and advantages of walking or jogging in neighborhood are disregarded.

First, gyms are expensive in cost such as, annual agreements, monthly payments, day care services, and fuel spend on cars or money on transportation  Upon searching, some of the famous gyms in Virginia are as follows, Anytime Fitness, Planet Fitness, Powerhouse gym, LA/Fitness, 24 Hour fitness, and Chinn Aquatics & fitness Centers. A detail look at every website of these gyms shows that an average annual cost for gyms are $66, monthly cost varies in between $10 to $30. Also, if childcare is required that is another average of $5 per visit (24 Hour Fitness). Some gyms provide no child care at all and some provide it for free. According to U.S.Department of Energy’s website fuel calculator, if anyone who travels 5 miles to commute to any gym with a car of MPG of 22, and $3.90 cost of fuel per gallon, it costs $324 annually for one car. After looking at these calculations one can understand how much it costs to afford any regular gym.

Second, trying to adapt walking and jogging in the neighborhood, provides health benefits and neighbors’ interaction which promotes community development. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, there are several advantages of walking and jogging for example, it strengths bones, tones muscles, and helps cardiovascular system. Jogging intensely for shorter period provides almost same fat burning results, as if anyone walks for longer period of time with light weight lifting is hands or on knees. Jogging add more but walking also add bone mass to the body. Walking is preferably better as anyone falls while jogging, can hit harder on ground causing damage to heels, skin, knees, and hips. Walking or jogging in the neighborhood also increases the interactions with neighbors. Talking or accompanying any of the neighbors also promotes the community development, rather then going to gym.

Until or unless anyone has serious medical problems or are unsure of level of fitness, they need to check with their doctors before walking, jogging or working out. On average, the cost spent on gyms for workouts, if it is added as a total of annual fee, monthly fee, childcare, and fuel money spend on car gas, it comes out to almost $2010 a year. Anyone with conscious managing of finances would like to adjust with walking and jogging in neighborhood which does not cost anything.

 

Work Cited

Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. 13 November 2013. online. 13 November 2013. <www.fueleconomy.gov>.

Health Encyclopedia. 12 November 2013. online. 13 November 2013. <http://www.urmc.rochester.edu>.

WORK OUT WHILE YOURS KIDS AHVE FUN. 2013. Online. 12 November 2013. <www.24hourfitness.com>.

Potential Sources for Analysis Paper

Borrowed by aboutfinancialconsultants.com

            It is a good feeling that this semester will be over in a month. This English 112 course has helped become more knowledgeable in regards to managing finances. Reading more about other people and how they are making their financial decisions has made me more conscious in my financial decisions.

            The blog writer “Mr. Money Mustache” is my biggest source in the research. For readers, his easily readable vocabulary and detailed information about every topic makes it easier to understand. He has a large number of followers. The writer also responds back to the other bloggers as well as to the opposing viewer. The topics of his blogs, covers how to save money from daily life expenditures to big investments. This source has provided me with many topics for my own blogs research, for example; retirement plan has helped me understand what the benefits are and how they work. This topic explains the importance of retirement plans and 401 k plan as it should be started no later than thirties. The use of cycling in travel for small distances instead of using cars and wasting gas, using LED lights instead regular high voltage bulbs, and using solar power appliances instead of regular powered appliances. All of these little choices help to cut down big payment bills at the end of the month. This blog site also provides advice about big investments, like what to consider before purchasing a house or a car. This source is the back bone of my blogs and has provided guidance with organizing and writing my blogs.

            Using online sources through google and blogs,  has helped to cut down my time going to libraries and looking for and requesting help from librarians to track down the right sources. After receiving lectures in class, I’ve learned how I can identify authentic online sources. The online search for topics has opened a new gate of information for me. I have used “Finance4U” blog web site, CNN website, Forbes magazine website and many other professional financer’s blogs to help me understand my research topics. It is amazing that after writing about a topic, I found out that many other writers have written the very much same material about it. Also, I find out that the advertisements use Appeal to Authority and Bandwagon Fallacy to encourage innocent minded people, to buy their products. The online search has helped me to understand how the writers of the newspapers and the financers has created a relationship with the readers, as everything is shifting from paper printing to online Apps and websites.

            The potential sources of my final research paper is mostly through the other blog writers and through authentic websites. My financial decisions will definitely improve in life and I am trying my best not to spend money on useless products.