Chicago Part 2

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Last week I started sharing J and I’s trip to Chicago.  I mainly talked about the Goose Island Brewery tour J had one through work.  It was such a neat experience to see the inside of a brewery, especially one that has such creativity!

We ended up staying until Sunday morning.  So we spent all of Saturday exploring Chicago.  I hadn’t been in over 10 years and J had never been to Chicago so we wanted to do as much as we could.

We woke up about 9am, which felt great!  It was so nice to not wake up to three dogs wrestling on top of you or barking to get their breakfast.  So nice!  We searched for a good place to eat and came across DMK Burger Bar, which had appeared on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.  J loves that show and he always wanted to go a place that had been featured on there.  So we headed out the door for lunch.

DMK Burger Bar

This place was amazing.  J and I are still talking about how good the burgers were.  I got the number 1, which featured bacon, char-broiled onions, and BBQ sauce… my mouth is watering just thinking about it.  J ordered a simple cheeseburger – nothing fancy.  We also added an order of cheese fries to the mix.  The order was huge!  We split the fries and didn’t even tough half of them!  I was actually only able to eat half my burger – it was massive!

Afterwards we walked for a few blocks before getting a cab back to the hotel.  Someone… (cough, J cough) didn’t grab his jacket.  It was about 50 all day, so it was a little chilly for us.  We then walked to the Navy Pier to explore some more.  It was about a 30 minute walk to the pier, but totally worth it.  It was neat to walk along city streets.  Plus, we probably got there faster walker than driving.  Traffic in Chicago is crazy compared to what we’re used to!

Chicago Recap (1)

Navy Pier was fun!  I talked J into doing a caricature with me.  He wasn’t too pleased and didn’t smile at all!  So the drawing is pretty funny.  After the pier, we walked to Millennium Park to see the bean.  He wasn’t all too impressed with having to walk another 30 minutes to see a metal sculpture, but I loved it.  I took a ton of pictures and was smiling from ear to ear the whole time.

Afterwards, we decided to head to Willis Tower.  So he mapped it and walked a little over 40 minutes to get there.  We may have taken a wrong turn thanks to my directions, so J took over.  It went a lot smoother when he took over that job!

Chicago Recap (1)

 

Willis Tower was so neat.  I had never been there before and had no idea what to expect.  It was pretty cloudy that day so we walked in and the workers kept saying there was zero visibility from the top.  We both looked at each other and decided it would be worth to still go up.  The line was nothing – literally nothing!  We walked right through and had no problems!   I would give up some visibility to not have to fight crowds any day!

Afterwards we mapped to go back to the hotel and learned we wandered about 3 hours away.  Oops!  So we grabbed a cab instead of walking.

We then searched and found a local pizza place that had decent online reviews.  It was less than a 10 minute walk from our hotel, which was perfect.  It was called Pizanos.  We had original deep dish pizza and a few beers before calling it a night.

I loved Chicago!  I think J had a great time, too.  We can’t wait to go back!

Progress is better than Perfection

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

progress is better than perfection!

A good friend of mine was struggling the other day and I said one simple statement that put it all in perspective.

Progress is better than perfection.

It’s true.  When you’re working towards a goal – any goal, you have to keep moving forward.  Just because you haven’t lost your goal weight, haven’t been able to fully quit smoking, aren’t lifting as much as you wanted to by now, or haven’t been successful at keeping a cleaner house doesn’t mean you’re a failure.

You cannot wait for the stars to align and your actions to be perfect before taking action.  You have to keep pushing yourself.  One slip-up doesn’t mean you will never reach your goal.  It means you’re human.

Remember that progress is better than perfection on those rough days when you don’t feel like you’re ever going to get there.  You will.

You have to keep hustling.

My boss a few years ago really taught me about progress, not perfection.  That was his motto.  He wouldn’t wait until his idea was 100% perfect before introducing it the market.  He would create small, poorly edited videos to share with clients online.  He wanted to get his thoughts, his ideas and his services out first before anyone else in the area.  And you know what?  His business blossomed.  He really showed me that striving for progress will give you more success than waiting for perfection.

I learned a lot from him, but that has to be my favorite lesson.  I have carried it with me over the years.  I have applied it to my professional life, my home life and even when setting my personal goals.

When you start doubting yourself and far you’ve come, remember one thing:

Progress is better than perfection.

 

Challenge Yourself

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

challenge yourself

I just want to leave you with one simple thought today:

If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.

#truth.

Sometimes taking risks can be scary.  If you aren’t sure of the outcome then you don’t know when to take that leap of faith.  But I want to tell you that taking a jump into the unknown can be the most rewarding thing you ever do.

Do something everyday that scares you.  You will become a stronger, smarter, and better person for it.

To grow muscle, you must challenge your muscles to break and split.  When they break, they grow back in greater number and stronger than before.

Your brain, your body, your heart, and your soul needs to be challenged to become stronger.

Challenge yourself, daily.  

Chicago Recap

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Last weekend, J and I traveled to Chicago for a getaway.  We walked and walked all over the city and saw some pretty amazing sites.  Plus, Saturday was J’s 29th birthday so it was extra nice to do something different for him.  He won a trip from his work that got us a free night in town so we went ahead and extended for it extra day.

Chicago Recap (1)

He won a night at the Millennium Knickerbocker hotel, a tour of the Goose Island Brewery and a dinner hosted by the brewery at their new barrel room.  The tour was great.  J and I went to the Budweiser tour last summer and I had been to the Boulevard tour in Kansas City a few years ago, so it was neat to add another brewery to the list.  It seemed that Goose Island was a little bit more free thinkers and willing to try new innovations with beer.  It was neat to see the process and where it all happens.

Chicago Recap (1)

The night ended with a four-course meal at their new barrel room, which isn’t even open to the public yet!  They have barrels and barrels of beer piled high to the ceiling and as far back as you could see.  Each filled with beer, some with different fruits and some in once-filled whiskey barrels.  So cool!  The dinner was ….okay.  It wasn’t our favorite.  It was different.  I usually like different, but poor J is a meat and potatoes kind of guy.  I think a lot of the Bud salesmen were a little thrown off by what was served.  The main entree totally redeemed the whole meal.  The meat literally fell apart.  It was the best short rib I’d ever had!

Later the night we took an adventure with some of the guys to find more food and more beer.  We ended up at this little bar called Butch’s and had a late dinner.  Then we headed back to the room to crash.  After driving for over 7 hours and then drinking beer most of the afternoon, we were exhausted.  So crawled into the king-sized bed without three dogs to share it with and slept hard.  It was fabulous!

I’ll share more about our trip in a later post.

FREE Retirement Planning Class in Poplar Bluff, MO

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

retirement planning class in poplar bluff, mo

I wanted to share with you a retirement planning class happening THIS Friday, May 15th in Poplar Bluff, MO.

I will be hosting this class at the Poplar Bluff Public Library starting at 10am.  There are still a few seats available, so go ahead and register to attend.  This is the first class I will be hosting and if all goes well then I’m thinking about turning it into a video series to share on here.

newspaper clipping

It was even featured in the newspaper!  I’m excited to share my knowledge about starting your retirement plan with so many people in town.

To register go to the library’s website or click here.

My Favorite Greek Salad Dressing Recipe

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Greek Salad Dressing Recipe

While living in St. Louis I had the chance to go to some amazing restaurants for one of my jobs.  We hosted seminars a few times a month and for coming to hear my boss speak, we provided you a tasty meal.  After the seminar was given, questions were answered and dinners were served, we would sneak away to eat our own dinner.  Usually it would be after 8pm before even getting a chance to order.  I would be starving and so excited about something new to try.  One thing I always got was a Greek salad.  I just loved them!  I devoured it every time it was placed in front of me.  I of course would order steak, sea bass or some other delectable entree to go with it.

Ever since moving home, there as been one thing missing – Greek salads.  There just isn’t a good place around here that serves a Greek salad.  So I’ve had to make due.  With a few trial and errors, I’ve finally pinpointed the best tasting Greek Salad recipe.  …and the good part!? It’s not that bad for you!

Greek Salad Dressing Recipe

Here’s what you need for homemade Greek salad dressing recipe:

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon Oregano

Greek Salad Dressing Recipe

Mix the ingredients together and voila!  Serve on top a bed of lettuce and other toppings.  I like my Greek salads with a little bit of Feta cheese, tomatoes and artichoke hearts on top of Romaine lettuce.  When I made this I was out of pretty much everything except lettuce and cheese.  So my salad is a little blah, but the flavor of the dressing totally makes up for it!

Greek Salad Dressing Recipe

It makes about 5-6 servings.  You can store in an airtight container on the counter or in the cabinet for a few days.

41 calories / 0 carbs / 4g fat / 0 protein per serving

5 Money Management Tips For Your 20s

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

money management skills for your 20s, money management, merelynne

In your 20s you have a lot more concerns going on.  Usually you’re dealing with student loan debt, credit card debt and car payments.  You’re probably living paycheck to paycheck, stretching every penny as far as possible.  If you’re like me, then you probably miss the carefree days of being in college not worried about your financial future.

Developing your money management skills early can really give you a strong foundation for your financial future.  Here are my no fail money management tips to follow.

Create a budget:

You will see me talk about budgeting over and over, but it’s because it’s so important.  You need a budget, even when you’re just starting out and not making that much money.  It’s critical to see what comes in and what goes out of your bank account each month.  Many people don’t budget, but know they should.  So don’t be in that category.

In all honestly, no matter you age you should have a monthly budget.  If you need help starting one, read my quick 10 minute tutorial.  Need help deciding how much should be spent on each category?  Check out these figures I like to go by:

– 50% of your income should be spent on fixed expenses
– 25% on your financial goals – paying down debt, savings, retirement
– 25% should be spent on other expenses like eating out, travel, etc.

Open up a savings account:

People try to complicate savings way too much.  It’s really simple.  You should aim to put 10% of your after-tax income into a savings account each month.  If you’re able to do more then that’s great – do more.  If not, then stick to the most you can do.  I recommend aiming for a $1,000 emergency fund while trying to pay down debt.  It’s great to have an emergency fund to fall back on for those unexpected expenses.

I would recommend setting up an automatic contribution into your savings account each month.  It’s best to do it so you don’t even miss the money.  I think your payday is a great day.  If it comes out of your account before you even notice then you won’t make other plans for it.

Check your credit score:

As I’ve mentioned, right now is a great time to starting building your financial foundation.  Your credit score affects most everything you want to do in your financial life – credit cards, mortgages, car loans, etc.  Having a lower credit score can negatively affect the interest rate on any approved loans.  Monitoring your credit score is easy and it allows you to see what areas you need to improve.  You can use free services like Credit Karma to regularly check your score.

Create a debt payoff plan:

In your early 20s you might have gotten yourself into some debt.  Credit cards are basically thrown your way when you enter college.  Plus, school loans have become a huge part of the college life.  Create a plan to reduce your debt and start working towards it.  Being able to pay off your debt in your 20s will be a huge advantage when it’s time to buy your first home or your next car.  You’ll be able to qualify for better interest rates with having less debt on your credit report.  I like the debt snowball method where you pick your smallest bill to start with.  You pay as much as you can towards one debt while continuing to pay the minimum payment on others.  Once once debt is paid off you apply the unused payment towards the next smallest debt.

Setup monthly money dates:

I’m a firm believer in checking in with yourself.  By setting up a monthly money date you can review your budget.  If you need to make any changes or plan for any future expenses then the money date is the perfect opportunity.  Sit down during these dates and pay any bill that’s not setup on auto-draft, review and update your monthly budget, and plan out the next month.  Don’t let yourself get discouraged with money management.  Keep it fun by giving yourself time to plan for the future.

I’m Featured on Alpha Chi Omega’s Blog

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Today is a big day for me.  Huge!  My post about making financial decisions has gone live on Alpha Chi Omega’s blog.

I have always wanted to be featured somewhere.  It makes me feel all fancy.  I was honored to have the opportunity to share my knowledge about finances with women from my sisterhood.  I am a proud Alpha Chi alumna and I cherish the memories I made in college, so to have this chance is a pretty big deal.  I’m talking about how Alpha Chi’s values and rituals can be applied to every day financial decisions.

alpha chi omega, axo, financial tips

I really think starting on the right foot at a young age or fresh out of college can make a huge difference.  Just think about how many steps ahead you can be if you start planning your retirement at 25 instead of 45.

If you have a few minutes, I would really appreciate you hopping over to their blog to read the post.

Those Feelings of Being Inadequate

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

insecurities

I try to fight it, but sometimes those feelings of not being good enough creep in.  I’m a pretty logical person, so I rationalize that those feelings are just in my head.  But I still don’t fully believe it.  My heart tells me that I’m just not good enough.  I am my own worst critic.

I have a husband that supports me and is proud of me.  He cheers me on my fitness journey each and every time I set a new benchmark.  He understands those moments when all I want is a bowl of ice cream and I would do anything to get that bowl.  He supports me in everything I try to do.  He’s a great man.

But…I always think I should be further, look more like an athlete, eat better, blah, blah, blah then I do.

I see pictures of myself and my first thoughts are always “why did you stand like that?  Look at your arms!”  or “does everyone else notice your double chin?  It’s so bad!”  I’ve always been like this.  In college I did the chicken wing stance in almost every single picture.  You know the one I’m talking about.  You stand with your hand on your hip with your elbow bent.  That way your arm isn’t pressed against your body so your upper arm looks smaller.  I was constantly hiding my arms.  Even when I was 40 pounds lighter than I am right now… I was still ashamed of my body.  I look back at those pictures and I’m sad that I let her beat herself up so much.  But here I am, still doing it to myself.

As an adult, I imagined all of these insecurities to be gone.  That I would finally accept my body and love the person I’ve become.  I’m a confident person when it comes to my work.  I know how to do my job and I’m willing to learn the parts I don’t know.  I’m okay with not being an expert yet. I’ve accepted that so why do I beat myself up on my body and my food choices?  I started crossfit months ago (for the 2nd time) and I’ve noticed changes in my body.  I love those changes… my waist shrinking, my arms getting stronger and my thighs getting bigger.  Most people wouldn’t love their thighs growing, but I do because it showcases my strength.  But then I let life get in the way and I miss a week.  I slip back into old habits and my progress stalls.

When my progress stops I start doubting my worth.  Why?  I don’t know.  How do I stop it?  I don’t know that either.  I know that with my support team around me, I’m learning to not be as critical as I once was.  It’s still hard though, you know?  I have those days where nothing fits and I look at my Instagram feed to see these beautiful athletic women doing so much with their lives.  Here I am, sitting on the couch after missing a workout.

I’m not those women and I follow them for motivation – not to make myself feel bad about my choices.  I don’t know what’s going on in their lives.  They are posting the pictures they want us to see – the good ones.  Who knows when that picture was taken, it could have been days ago.  I’m still in awe of their accomplishments and I have faith that I will reach my goals, too.  One day I will be proud of my body – where it has been and where it’s going.  Right now, I’m learning to not let my insecurities get the best of me.  I’m trying to take each day as it comes and know that I am better off then where I was a year ago.

It’s funny to me how supportive and strong I can be for the other women in my life – my friends, my sister and my mom; however, when it comes to me I’m the first to point out my flaws.  I need to take the advice I give to others and repeat it to myself.

Here’s one my favorite verses, “Do your best, prepare for the worst – then trust God to bring victory.” -Proverbs 21:31  Perhaps I can use this as a guide – workout, eat better, be kind to yourself and then trust in God.  

here's to strong women

How to Enjoy Life Without Going Broke {an open letter to you}

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

how to enjoy life without going broke

Dear You,

I don’t need to tell you how amazing you truly are.  Let’s be honest, you have so much going for yourself that it’s out of this world.  You work hard and you plan smart.  You give every day 100% and put your soul into all of your accomplishments.  And sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in what’s not that important.  You may even spend too much money from time to time, but I want you to remember one thing:

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have the time of your life.

It’s true.  The more money you spend doesn’t mean you’re going to have more fun or make more memories.  Actually, it could mean the complete opposite.

I know that I don’t have to tell you this though.  I realize that you already know how to have a good time.  I mean, you’re reading this, right?

You already know how to plan and prepare.  You want to soak up every moment with those you love most.  So you aren’t going to waste your money on anything that isn’t worthy.  Let’s be honest for a minute, shall we? You take your time to analyze everything.  There’s no judgment here!  You research, you ask questions and you save money when you can.

You are the life of the party so you already know hanging out with friends is going to be a good time.  No need for a fancy trip or wild nights out.  No, no.  You don’t need that to have the time of your life.  So you plan potluck dinners and casual get togethers at your place.  You ask your friends to bring a dish and some wine, and next thing you know it’s the gathering of the century.  Stories are being told, laughter is erupting and you’re making memories.

Now I know you are a savvy shopper.  You browse Groupon and other discount sites regularly.  You like to make sure anything that you’re wanting to buy for yourself or as a gift isn’t cheaper somewhere else.  It never hurts to browse discount sites to make sure you’re getting the best deal, so you put in the time needed.  You understand that your money can go further by doing a quick recon.

I mean, who needs fancy pet daycare places?  Sure they’re great for when you’re traveling out of town and can’t find a friend to dog sit.  But you know  when you can hit up a trail early in the morning.  Your dog will love the extra me-time, your butt will love the walking and your pockets will love their cushion.

Of course you remember that horrifying college picture you took years ago?  You know the one where you had just got that awful, awkward haircut and your hair was doing that flip thing… you know the one I’m talking about. Well you’ve dusted that ID off and you use it time-to-time at the movies.  Yes, you know it’s wrong to use a student ID when you’re no longer a student.  I really do… but sometimes it doesn’t’ hurt to save a few bucks.  I’m sure you kept that over sized purse that’s perfect for sneaking in your own sweet treats and bottled water, too.

I know how you love to read all the latest New York Bestsellers.  So instead of forking over the cash at the local bookstore, you hit up the public library.  Their membership is free and they have the biggest selection around.  Look at you go!

I’m sure you’re taking the time to enjoy today.  You never spend on credit card for more than you can pay cash for that day.  You know that if you don’t have it in your checking account today then you just have to wait.  You’re smart like that.  You budget your time, just like you do your money.

Here’s to all of the sound financial decisions you’re making each and every day.  You go, girl!

Sincerely,

Life