After all, almost anyone will give you a penny if you ask for one. Or, dig around in your pocket or sofa cushions and find a cent.

Once you have that penny, double it and keep on doubling your money until you reach $1 million.

The game is divided into 28 steps. The first steps are so small that you can’t possibly fail. You will start to succeed immediately, before you ever start to worry that you might not be able to succeed.

Steven Goldsmith, the inventor of this program, has also made starting easy, whereas programs with really big bold claims are often difficult to get going with.

So, here are your 28 steps to $1 million dollars:

Step 1   Find one penny on the ground, or ask someone for it.

Step 2   $.01 becomes $.02

Step 3   $.02 becomes $.04

Step 4   $.04 becomes $.08

Step 5   $.08 becomes $.16

Step 6   $.16 becomes $.32

Step 7   $.32 becomes $.64

Step 8   $.64 becomes $1.28

Step 9   $1.28 becomes $2.56

Step 10   $2.56 becomes $5.12 (Let’s round it down to $5 to make your math calculations easier.)

Step 11   $5 becomes $10

Step 12   $10 becomes $20

Step 13   $20 becomes $40

Step 14   $40 becomes $80

Step 15   $80 becomes $160

Step 16   $160 becomes $320

Step 17   $320 becomes $640

Step 18   $640 becomes $1,280

Step 19   $1,280 becomes $2,560

Step 20   $2,560 becomes $5,120 (Round it down to $5,000 to make your calculations simpler.)

Step 21   $5,000 becomes $10,000

Step 22   $10,000 becomes $20,000

Step 23   $20,000 becomes $40,000

Step 24   $40,000 becomes $80,000

Step 25   $80.000 becomes $160,000

Step 26   $160,000 becomes $320,000

Step 27   $320,000 becomes $640,000

Step 28   $640,000 becomes $1,280,000 (Round it to $1 million to make it simpler.)

Basic Rules

1. You must ask for or find the first penny to get started.

2. You can only use the money that is part of the game to earn more money. You are not allowed to add any additional funds once you start.

3. During the first 15 steps, up to $160 dollars, you can only use the actual dollar bills and coins that you have generated to that point.

4. If at any time you more than double your money, you must spend the surplus on yourself before you move on. You’re not allowed to use the extra toward future steps in the game.

5. The doubling does not have to occur in a single transaction. You can find multiple ways to double your money until you reach the next step.

6. You must keep a diary of your progress as you work your way through your steps in order to track your progress in doubling your wealth. Do you beg, borrow, turn the cash into more profits, what?

7. Only worry about the step you are on. Just worry about doubling up to the next level. Once you are on that level, then you can start coming up with more strategies to reach the next, higher step.

8. You are not allowed to spend any of the money until you have reached a million dollars. You are not allowed to borrow it and pay yourself back later, or add more than you already have. Use only the money in the game and make it work for you.

9. If you lose money, you must drop down to the step which is nearest the one that you currently have in your possession and start to double up again.

10. You can use your own labor, but that will not usually help you much in the later steps unless you plan to make$1 million very slowly. But if you want to use it to make more money through your work, you can.

What You Will Gain (Besides a Million Dollars)

In playing this game, you will learn that:

1-You can achieve great things, even if you begin with nothing. The only resources you need to get started are a penny and yourself.

2-As your money grows step by step, you grow with it. As you work your way through the step, you will gradually change your money mindset to start thinking more about how the wealthy really manage to become wealthy. They do it in a number of ways, and you can too.

Becoming wealthy is about sales, marketing, and people. You can’t trade your time and labor for a significant amount of money. Most people believe that making a million dollars is about working harder and longer, because that’s the only experience they have when earning money.

But it is actually about working smarter, and using what you have to make more.

3-You can reach your goals with different strategies.

Going from $40 to $80 will be easy compare to $160,000 to $320,000, but keep at it. As you’re going through the program, be sure to write down the strategies that you’ve used to accomplish each step. The way your approach varies throughout the game will provide valuable insights as you continue to grow your wealth.

4-You can keep going.

You might start to fear failure at about the half way point, but if you keep playing the game and following the rules, you can win.

It is all about having a more wealthy mindset.

What will you do when you gain all this money? You will probably be running a successful business, and indeed, more than one, so you will deserve whatever you would like to do with the $1.28 million you have earned. Take that $280,000 in ‘mad money’ and bank it or spend  it. Then start thinking about playing the doubling game more….

FURTHER READING

For information on how to start your own business, go into direct sales, and more, visit Eternal Spiral Books to learn more from their transformational titles.

Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain. While only a doctor can make a diagnosis on depression, there are several well-known signs and symptoms that accompany clinical depression which can help identify if you are just feeling a bit down or ‘blue’ or have a condition that requires treatment.

Even if you have had a major life event that is happy, such as the birth of a new baby, this can led to stress and/or depression. Up to 10% of women report suffering from post-partum depression. Many people avoid seeking treatment for depression because they believe depression is an embarrassing illness that shows they are ‘weak’ or ‘crazy’ or can’t cope. But it is a treatable medical condition no different from cancer or diabetes-if you would not be embarrassed to get help for them, you should not be embarrassed to seek help for depression.

Other people avoid seeking help because they think the only treatments available are harsh drugs with lots of side effects. The truth is that there are many different effective and safe treatments for depression, including natural remedies. They can be used alone or in combination with one another.

If you are feeling like you are dragging in the morning, or you seem to be lacking in motivation or often find yourself easily irritated, it might be time to get to the root cause of your moods and consult with your doctor to see if you are suffering from stress, or depression.

FURTHER READING
How to Cope With Money-Related Stress: Dealing With Financial Stress During the Recession

Transforming Stress Into Success: How to Minimize Stress and Maximize Success in Today’s Economy

How to Cope with Postpartum Depression

Treating Depression and Anxiety with Natural Remedies

The good news is that studies have shown that any physical activity can count when it comes to keeping fit. Even a simple walk will help you improve your fitness. But other things can all add up as well, from cleaning the house to cycling with the kids or even a round of golf.

So now that you know these all count, you need to do more of them. But if you say that you have no time, you need to thing again. How are your hours really passing by? You might work 9 to 5 like a lot of people, or go to school, but there have to be at least a few ten-minute breaks in your day for you to work in some fitness activities.

Yes, that’s right, even as little as 10 minutes, 4 times a day, has been proven to be as effective as a single 40-minute burst of activity.

So, to sum up, all activity counts, and no matter how busy you are, even a short session can all add up to big results. That being the case, you should now start to look at ways you can work in fitness during your daily routine.

Start as soon as you get up with a few minutes of stretches, yoga, calisthenics, Pilates or tai chi. You don’t even have to get out of bed for some of these activities.

Look for ways to work movement into all of your daily activities. For example, when you are on your way to the office, walk or take your bike. If it is too far, and you take public transport, get off a stop earlier, or a stop later, and walk from there. You will not only get in more exercise, you will get a whole new change of scenery as well.

If you are doing the housework, turn up the music and pick up your speed. Go up and down the stairs several times as your own free stair-climber.

Are you stuck in the office with barely a break? You don’t have to be. Take a walk at lunch time, get a little pedal cycle to put under your desk, or try desk yoga. Talking on the phone? If you are in a cubicle, jog in place, do knee to chest lifts, and more. If you have your own office, put them on speakerphone and do yoga, toe touches, and more while you work.

Heading home from work? Park the car but don’t go inside. Walk around the block a few times, and get the family to come with you.

At the end of the day, when you are watching TV, don’t just sit there. Get up and walk around, stretch, sit ups, crunches, jog or dance in place, use hand weights, do yoga. Try your kids’ Wii system and do Dance Central, and more.

Don’t exercise too close to bed time, as it can be very stimulating and boost your energy level, but a walk before bed, using some light weights, or doing some yoga can be an excellent way to end the day.
Fitness has been proven to give many health benefits, especially if you do a combination of cardiovascular exercise and strength training. It’s a new year, and time for a new you. Why not grab your iPod and a water bottle, and get moving for better health.
FURTHER READING
Fitness Basics: How to Add Exercise Easily to Your Day, Every Day (Health Matters)

Outdoor Fitness Fun for the Whole Family (Health Matters)

New Year, New You (Health Matters)

November1-30 Real Jewelry Month.

With silver and gold prices steadily increasing, this month is the perfect time to start investing in silver and gold with some wise jewelry purchases. Don’t get taken in by diamonds-the man-made ones are everywhere. Precious metals have shown long-term value for centuries. Look for a high K rating; the higher the number for example 18K gold, the more pure it is. (24K is completely pure, but too soft to wear safely.)

1st Request a free annual copy of your credit reports.

Get your free copy of your credit report from one of the credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian or Trans Union. Alternate which report you request every four months to ensure you have a balanced look at your credit throughout the year, rather than getting all three at once and then not knowing what is happening until next year, unless you want to pay to find out more.

1st Seniors age 70.5+ need to start to draw down on their IRAs.

This is the deadline to take out your required minimum distribution from your tax-deferred retirement accounts like IRAs and 401(K). An accountant can help you calculate the required amount you need to withdraw by the end of the year. Remember that the IRS will penalize you if you don’t take out the required minimum. If you don’t want to spend it, put it in another form of investment, or start shopping for the holidays.

3rd Sandwich Day.

This day is a tribute to the now global phenomenon of the sandwich, named after the Earl of Sandwich, a notorious gambler who didn’t want to leave the gaming tables. He had his servants put his meat between two slices of bread, and the rest, as they say, is history.

You will not want to gamble with your family’s fortunes, however, so use this say as a reminder to save money by brown-bagging your lunch at least 3 days each week to add to your savings. If you can manage to do it for all 5 days, you will be the king or queen of frugal lunches. Start today with a tasty sandwich made with your favorite ingredients and celebrate your road to more savings.

4th Use Your Common Sense Day.

Turn Common Sense Day into Common Cents Day with smart saving techniques like clipping coupons and shopping supermarket sales. Your savings can really add up when you use strategies like these every week. Set financial goals and online bank accounts for each of the goals, for example, college savings, a Christmas fund and a vacation fund. Apply what you save on lunches out and unskillful shopping to these accounts and watch yourself get nearer and nearer to your goals.

11th Veterans Day.

Remember how veterans are the reason you can celebrate the freedoms you have today. Volunteer your time or money to help a veteran. Think about hiring a veteran if you are a business owner. Think about helping the families of those who are still serving overseas. To help completely free every day, go online to theanimalrescuesite.com and click on the purple button to donate free food to animal shelters around the country. Then click on the tab for Veterans, and click on the button to help support veterans in need and their families.

The Great American Smokeout.

The American Cancer Society sponsors this movement on the third Thursday of every November. Today is the day to give up smoking for 24 hours to see if you can quit forever. Think of the savings that can add up if you get rid of your $10 or so per day habit.

Thanksgiving.

This is an important holiday in America in which people get together with family and friends to give thanks. It falls on the last Thursday of November every year. Even though you may be preparing a huge holiday meal for family or friends, you can still do Thanksgiving on the cheap by shopping the sales beforehand for all the canned and packaged goods and getting a frozen turkey at the start of the month. Plan your meals and menu carefully to stretch all the food as far as it will go. Don’t make yourself and everyone else miserable (and fat!) by forcing them to eat leftovers for days after.

Instead, package up a little of everything into your own ‘TV dinners’ that can be heated quickly in a microwave for lunch or dinner. You will save on eating out this way and have healthy meals on hand any time. Just be sure to go light on the butter and cream in all your recipes. There is really no need to drench delicious potatoes or sweet potatoes in butter, milk or marshmallows. Some careful shopping and common sense can ensure that you don’t break your budget or bloat your belly.

Black Friday.

Traditionally the Friday after Thanksgiving is the biggest shopping day of the year, with bargain hunters out in droves. Get some early Christmas shopping done and you may save some money on popular items such as electronics and toys. But know what things cost before you buy and keep all receipts in case you need to return anything. Also pay attention to price match guarantees-if you find a lower price, take advantage of it.

Cyber Monday.

The Internet age brought in the addition of Cyber Monday, similar to Black Friday but for online businesses to run their own super sales. Try to plan ahead so you can buy what you need and save money on some early Christmas shopping. Be sure to comparison shop and buy from trusted retailers. Also be prepare for errors on websites or even crashes as some sites struggle to cope with desperate bargain hunters.

Be careful with those credit cards.

Remember that if you are shopping online, you will most likely be using a credit card. Keep track of your purchase to avoid credit card fraud and overspending. It isn’t a great bargain if you will be paying for the item months or even years after you buy it (or even after it has broken and been replaced!).

Keep in mind that credit card companies make their main profits from people who get into trouble with debt. Make sure you will be able to pay off the bill in full when it arrives at the end of the month, and you should have happy holidays indeed, especially if you manage to snap up some bargains in the month of November.

Further Reading

How to Use the Internet to Save Money

YOUR RECESSION SURVIVAL GUIDE: How to Save Money and Even Boost Your Income in This Recession

Smart Spending Strategies

Fruits and Vegetables

*Oranges
*Cranberries
*Tangerines
*Pomegranates
*Pears
*Pumpkins
*Persimmons
*Sweet potatoes
*Broccoli
*Spinach
*Mushrooms
*Winter squash

Grocery Savings

*Turkey
*Cheese
*Butter
*Baking supplies
*Pie crusts and readymade dough
*Frozen pies
*Dinner rolls
*Cake mix and frosting
*Pie fillings
*Nuts (peanuts, pecans and walnuts for baking and so on)
*Spices
*Dried fruits
*Halloween clearance candy (especially if they do not have Halloween wrappers on them. If they do have orange wrappers, use them around Thanksgiving.)
*Soup (low sodium if you can find it)
*Broth (low sodium if you can find it)
*Marshmallows
*Oatmeal

Other Non-Food Items:

*Trees, bulbs and shrubs
*Carpeting
*Flooring
*Electronics
*Tools
*Toys
*Christmas gifts
*Aluminum foil
*Baking pans
*Plastic wrap
*Cookware

FURTHER READING
YOUR RECESSION SURVIVAL GUIDE: How to Save Money and Even Boost Your Income in This Recession

Smart Spending Strategies